Bab 23: Return
After Schmidt's departure, the HYDRA forces in the area were no match for the guerrillas. They swiftly stormed the gate, gathering weapons and uniting.
"Let's go, head home!" Steve called out to the group of soldiers.
The soldiers erupted in cheers, thanking Steve for their rescue. A contingent of over 400 people marched toward the U.S. military base in a resolute manner.
Though they were relatively few in number, their advanced technology outstripped the current era by hundreds of years. They had boldly cut through the battlefield, heading for the U.S. military base in Europe.
Colonel Philip sat in front of a typewriter, his fingers hovering over the keys in hesitation and uncertainty. He took a deep breath and resumed typing. "Congressman Brandt, I regret to inform you that Captain Steve Rogers has been killed."
Seeing Peggy Carter standing in the doorway, he stopped typing.
Peggy appeared weary and mournful, clutching an aerial photograph of the bombed HYDRA military base in her hand.
"There's no sign of activity," she reported.
Philip shot her a cold, disapproving glare. She had gone against her superior's orders to assist Steve in what seemed like an impossible task. While Philip had never been particularly fond of Steve, he didn't believe the young man should have been thrust into such a challenging mission. He wasn't ready, despite the title of "Captain" preceding his name.
"I can't move Stark," Philip finally spoke after a tense silence.
"He's an arms dealer. He's wealthy. You're neither," Peggy responded, nodding. She had anticipated Philip's response.
To be honest, she didn't care. Not at all. Now that Steve was gone.
"You'll receive my resignation letter tomorrow morning," Peggy announced. Then, she hesitated, as if uncertain whether to continue, and added, "I don't mean to disrespect you, sir, but I don't regret my choice. I believe Captain Rogers wouldn't have regretted it either."
"I took a gamble on you," Philip said, unmoved by Peggy's words.
"Now the golden boy of the United States and many others are dead—all because you fell in love with him."
Peggy was about to offer a retort when a commotion erupted outside. Soldiers rushed past the tent, shouting excitedly. Peggy and Philip walked to the window to see what was happening.
The camp's gate had swung open, and beyond it was Captain America, battered but resolute, bearing scars.
Steve and Bucky were making their way toward the camp, trailed by the comrades they had rescued, followed by a diverse caravan carrying the wounded and ill.
Despite their initial embarrassment, the returning American prisoners of war were filled with high spirits. They had every reason to be proud, having not only been rescued but also having engaged in a heroic battle, captured advanced enemy weapons, and destroyed HYDRA's weapon factory.
As they approached the barracks, their fellow American soldiers spontaneously made way for them, allowing the victorious returnees to enter the camp.
Inside the camp, Steve pushed his way through the enthusiastic crowd until he reached Phillips and Carter.
"Colonel," Steve addressed Philip with a military salute, "some of the soldiers need medical attention."
Phillips nodded, and Steve continued, "I am prepared to accept any punishment."
Phillips regarded Steve, then glanced at the soldiers stumbling into the camp, and back at Steve. Despite the scars, Steve's eyes held a certain wariness. The attack on the HYDRA factory had changed him, transforming him into a different man, no longer the same Steve.
"It won't be necessary," Phillips finally stated.
"Sir, I..."
"How many orders are you going to disobey, Captain?" Phillips bellowed, then walked away, leaving Steve in contemplation. Phillips had addressed him as "Captain," a sign that perhaps he had accepted Steve's new role.
"Congratulations, Steve. Let me tell you, gold is always gold; it shines everytime," Alex congratulated with a smile.
Surrounded by fellow soldiers, they patted Steve on the back and congratulated him. As they began to chant Captain Steve's name, the crowd pushed aside the area where Carter stood.
With Alex standing next to Steve, no one could push him away.
Steve couldn't help but smile. Since he first donned the Captain America uniform, this was the first time he truly felt like a hero. It was an incredible feeling.
"Ah, there you are, kid! Finally, I've found you. Today, you're coming back to the United States with me! It's time you learned to listen to me," Howard exclaimed, grabbing Alex and scolding him.
Howard had been filled with guilt after Alex's sudden appearance on the battlefield. He regretted agreeing to the kid's request and was haunted by the thought that if Alex had perished in combat, he would have carried the guilt for the rest of his life.
Alex sensed Howard's concern and felt a warm fondness for the man. As for the ear-pulling, he could reluctantly forgive him.
Even though Alex was to be sent back to the United States, the journey would take a full day by plane. After all, he was a billionaire; he couldn't be expected to endure discomfort.
(End of this chapter)
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Bab 24: The Bomb
Steve returned to the headquarters of the Strategic Scientific Reserve Department to provide a report.
A newspaper on his desk displayed the headline, "Captain America to be Awarded the Medal of Honor."
Steve had little interest in attending any ceremonies; he was too busy. Under the watchful eyes of Peggy and Howard, he recited the coordinates of all the HYDRA military bases from memory.
"Latitude 40 degrees 23 minutes north," Steve stated, looking at the other two and adding, "I just took a quick look."
Peggy smiled, noting the subtle changes in their relationship since Steve's victorious return. Sparks of attraction between them could ignite at any moment.
"No one is perfect," she quipped, blinking playfully.
Alex couldn't help but roll his eyes, thinking that they should focus on the occasion at hand.
However, as Alex reached into his pocket, he couldn't help but feel a slight sense of melancholy. The little device, about the thickness of an adult's middle finger, held a faint sadness for him.
Colonel Phillips entered the room and, as he approached, glanced at the map and the blueprints Steve had brought back from the HYDRA factory.
"Do you have any idea what this is?" Phillips asked.
Howard, growing impatient with Steve's flirting with Carter, was eager to change the subject.
"According to Rogers, this is the most powerful explosive in history," Howard replied with a hint of bitterness. He had always prided himself on creating the most potent inventions, but this time, he felt defeated.
Howard carefully picked up the blueprint with a pair of pliers.
"If Schmidt hadn't rewritten the laws of physics, this would be the stuff of fiction..." Howard trailed off.
Schmidt's delusions about gods and other worlds didn't hold any factual basis. Alex knew that the Tesseract was Odin's treasure, related to Asgard, a place far advanced in science and technology compared to Earth.
Howard shook his head and sighed, "I dare say if they had enough of this, the war would be over."
His words hung heavy in the room. It was a critical moment in the war, and if there were many such blueprints, it could lead to global destruction, with HYDRA reigning supreme.
Phillips moved to the map and examined the X marking the HYDRA camp, his expression filled with gravity.
"Then we'd better secure all this intel," Phillips said as he gripped the edge of the table, studying the map. "Is this the location of all the HYDRA factories?"
Steve set down his pencil and shook his head. "Not all of them."
"Bucky, I mean Sergeant Barnes, mentioned that HYDRA moved most of the bombs to a different location. They're not marked on this map," Steve added.
Bucky had overheard many of HYDRA's secrets while he was imprisoned in the laboratory cage. Upon his return, he had shared everything he could remember, and this information was among the most crucial.
The room fell into silence once more as everyone contemplated the existence of these powerful and inhumane bombs. They knew they had to secure them before Schmidt could utilize them. Even though they didn't know the precise location of the bombs, they had Steve's map and knowledge of other HYDRA military bases. Destroying these bases might make Schmidt more vulnerable.
Colonel Phillips turned to Steve and smiled, asking, "What do you think, Rogers? Can you use this map to take down HYDRA?"
Steve returned the smile. This was precisely what he intended to do, and he had already formulated a plan for the perfect team.
"This little guy here has provided me with enough material to study for quite a while. Once my plane arrives, we can leave Europe immediately. This little fellow isn't a cause for concern," Howard remarked, holding a magazine with a sky-blue hue.
"It's quite astonishing. A ten-year-old infiltrated a HYDRA base and returned alive. It's truly remarkable," Colonel Phillips teased, not forgetting the embarrassment Alex had caused him.
"Cut it out," Alex retorted, rolling his eyes while holding a book.
Controlled by Alex's magnetic field, all the guns had turned into scrap metal, leaving the disarmed soldiers with no option but to surrender.
Alex absentmindedly stroked his chin, realizing that he now had the power to single-handedly control a war, not to mention his extraordinary physical capabilities.
Only Howard, Steve, and Bucky were privy to his abilities. It was almost like he was operating undercover. After all, a ten-year-old boy infiltrating a HYDRA factory and returning unharmed was truly astonishing.
"Alex has been very cooperative and helpful," Steve interjected.
"Oh, come on. If you praise him too much, he'll think it's a license to do as he pleases next time. You can't spoil kids like that," Howard advised sagely.
Alex was speechless and promptly got up from his chair, heading for the exit. He can't stand these guys treating him like a kid.
(End of this chapter)
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