章 68: Chapter 68: Captain America
**
It was clear that Link was only meant to be informed of the situation. Earth faced numerous alien threats, many of which were incredibly powerful, making ordinary weapons ineffective against them. When Coulson had been in New Mexico, he hadn't worn his armor since it hadn't been transported in time, and when the Destroyer appeared, it was too late to act.
After analyzing the situation, it became evident that the Iron Monger armor wouldn't have been effective against the aliens' weapons. Especially since Thor could control lightning, which was an even greater cause for concern.
Coulson told Link that he would soon be going on a classified mission and would no longer be responsible for communicating with him. Instead, he asked Link to visit the New York division the next day.
After hanging up, Link didn't think much of it. He already knew most of what was going on and wasn't too worried. What he really needed now was time. Based on his calculations, it was still one or two years until the events of *The Avengers* would unfold.
However, he was somewhat intrigued by the trip to the New York division.
---
The next day, after sending off Jessica, Link drove to the New York division.
Upon arrival, Maria Hill greeted him. "Link, we've got a mission for you."
"What kind of mission?" he asked.
"You'll find out soon," Hill replied as she led him to a medical room. Through a pane of glass, Link could see several people inside, all in protective gear, surrounding someone.
Link immediately understood. It was Captain America, Steve Rogers.
"So, this is when they brought him in?" Link asked.
"That's right," Hill said. "Steve Rogers, Captain America. We recently found him, but his defrosting process requires extreme care."
"Why do you need me to keep an eye on him?" Link asked.
"Given that he's been asleep for decades, we're worried he may not handle the new reality very well. We want to give him time to adjust," Hill explained. "Follow me."
They walked into a large open space where workers were constructing a room with background panels mimicking a WWII-style setting.
"This is a replica of a wartime hospital room. We plan to have him wake up here, in familiar surroundings, so he can adjust slowly to the present," Hill said.
Link chuckled. "He's a soldier, Hill. He was constantly behind enemy lines. You really think his alertness has dulled that much?"
Hill seemed confident. "We've planned this meticulously. But just in case, we'd like you present when he wakes up."
"Sure, but you should know, he's a super soldier. I can't guarantee I'll be able to hold him off without hurting him," Link warned.
"Don't worry, we'll have plenty of backup on standby," Hill assured before turning to leave. "We'll contact you when we're ready."
"Alright. I'll be waiting for your call," Link replied, then left.
Returning home, he resumed his studies. The defrosting process would likely take a while since SHIELD would need to ensure it was done safely and without harm.
Nick Fury was probably thrilled right now. Finding Captain America and gaining a superhero of his caliber would be a significant boost to Fury's Avengers Initiative.
Heroes like Hawkeye, Black Widow, and even Link himself had their own merits, but Captain America was in a league of his own—trustworthy and a symbol of hope.
---
While Link was at home, he continued reading scientific papers, building his knowledge base, and testing his understanding.
Papers were a good way for him to gauge how much he'd learned and to broaden his thinking. The theoretical knowledge in books was one thing, but real-world experience and research findings held by professors were far more valuable.
By reading research papers, Link not only increased his knowledge but also honed his mental flexibility.
While modern science had become highly specialized, Link aimed to master broader fields like physics, chemistry, biology, and most importantly, mathematics. Math was the foundation of all other sciences, so he had to be proficient.
Link kept ordering more books, quickly reading through them, and then delving into academic papers.
His collection of books was growing fast, and soon his personal study was completely filled. It became clear that he needed more space, so he decided to buy a library.
In the ever-evolving Manhattan, even Hell's Kitchen was changing. Some libraries, which no longer seemed practical in such a high-cost area, had been sold off for redevelopment. Link bought one of these libraries and began transforming it into a massive repository for scientific literature, focusing exclusively on science, not the humanities.
Library buildings usually had high ceilings, so Link had the space doubled by adding additional levels, despite the tighter feeling it created. This way, he could increase the number of books he could store.
He also hired a staff to catalog and organize the books, making sure that newly purchased ones didn't overlap with existing titles.
---
"Link, come to the division immediately," Hill's voice came through his phone.
Without hesitation, Link left his newly acquired library. Though the renovations weren't complete, it didn't stop him from spending his days there immersed in reading.
Upon arriving at the division, he was escorted to what he now jokingly called the "small theater." This was the room SHIELD had set up to stage Captain America's wake-up, designed to resemble a hospital room from the 1940s.
Nick Fury was present, watching everything from a control room. "Link, just stay quiet when you go in. According to the doctors, Rogers should wake up in about thirty minutes. You're just here in case things don't go as planned."
"Got it," Link nodded and slipped quietly into the room.
From the control room, Fury and his team monitored everything. Hidden cameras had been strategically placed, and everyone waited with bated breath for Captain America to awaken.
After some time, Steve Rogers opened his eyes. Confused, he looked around at the clean, sterile room. The windows were open, and a gentle breeze blew the curtains inward. Outside, faint city noises could be heard, while a radio played a baseball game in the background.
Link's superhuman hearing picked up every little detail, and to an ordinary person, everything would seem perfectly normal.
A female agent, dressed in a WWII-era uniform, entered the room.
As expected, something went wrong. Steve Rogers quickly realized the baseball game on the radio was wrong—it was a game he had attended in person. SHIELD had made a critical error.
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