Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty #1

[fan4]

Captain America:Sentinel of Liberty #1
Lost and Found, Part 1

Written and edited by Aaron Martel (fan4)

London outskirts, 1944

The plain, shabby, unmarked hangar was located at the end of a small, unused airfield, seemingly long ago abandoned by any human activity. But it was within the hangar walls where the British government conducted its secret experiments in the relatively primitive field of air and flight technology, as a means of developing offensive capability for the Allies in the Great War raging across Europe. And the result of those experiments stood silently under the dim hangar lights: a “drone” airplane, converted from a British Spitfire, and able to be remotely operated as a giant flying bomb against the Axis powers. The plane was inspired by the Japanese kamikaze, except that the drone would have no living pilot and thus would spare the Royal Air Force’s human life. The drone plane prototype was now completed and waited in the hangar to be used in its first field test, with many more planes to be constructed should the field test prove successful.

Except that the British scientists and technicians who worked on the drone project all lay dead, their bodies strewn about the floor in horrific positions, while other men were scrambling about the hangar and taking control of the equipment essential to the plane’s operation. Only one man stood still in the hangar, viewing the bustle around him with his fists on his hips in a commanding pose. This man wore a reddish-purple costume with gold gloves and boots, with white fur on his shoulders and boot tops, his face hidden under a reddish-purple mask and gold headband. He was Baron Heinrich Zemo, famed Nazi scientist and one of the most wanted men in all the Third Reich.

“<Put the American in the cockpit,>” Zemo ordered in guttural German, while two of his henchmen carried a bright blue and red costumed figure toward the drone plane. As Zemo watched, the henchmen lugged the bound and unconscious figure up into the cockpit of the plane and slammed the cockpit window shut.

“<Now, are you certain you can operate this weapon?>” Baron Zemo barked at two German technicians seated at the drone plane’s control panel.

“<Ja, Herr Baron,>” one of the men answered as he flipped some switches on the panel.

“<It is fitting that we use the scum’s own creation against them,>” Zemo gloated. “<We shall obliterate their own Parliament, I think.>”

The evil scientist smirked under his mask as the drone plane’s engine coughed to life of its own accord, even as the hangar door was rising open.

“<And at the same time I shall be rid of one of my greatest foes,>” Zemo sneered, glancing up at the colorfully garbed unconscious figure in the cockpit.

The drone propellers were now fully operational and the plane began to move forward toward the open hangar door.

“<Death to England and her Allies!>” Zemo exclaimed triumphantly. “<Heil->”

And he was cut short as a large, circular object clanged off his head, knocking him to the floor. The object flew back to where it had come from and was caught in a red-gloved hand. The hangar flew into an uproar as a new figure burst into the area, donning a blue and red uniform different than the one worn by the unconscious prisoner. The new arrival had a white star across his chest, a band of white across his biceps, and red and white vertical stripes on his midsection; he also sported a black military utility belt, red gloves and red pirate boots. The rest of his outfit was blue save for tiny white wings on the sides of his head and a large capital “A” on his forehead. The round object he wielded was a shield, decorated with a white star in the center of a blue circle surrounded by red and white circular stripes. He resembled a living, breathing, fighting American flag.

“<Kapitan Amerika!>” came the shouts echoing throughout the hangar.

[fan4]

Present day, near the Arctic Circle

The research vessel Andromeda was anchored amidst numerous floating ice chunks, certainly a most dangerous position to be located, but the daring crew felt the risks would be worth the rewards. They had come to study deep arctic marine life, and they hoped to make a documentary worthy to be shown on National Geographic. Head of the project Gerry Sawyer sat in the monitor room, looking at the images provided by the one-man submersible submarine piloted by Chief Scientist Dean Dyer. The sub was deep underwater, about a quarter mile, and the two scientists had already gotten some good footage of a pod of migrating bowhead whales.

“Whoa! What’s happening up there?” Dean’s voice sounded over the intercom while his image on the screen flashed and became blurry.

“Hey, Dean,” Gerry chided, speaking into the microphone. “We’re in the North Atlantic. These aren’t the calmest waters, know what I mean?”

Video tech Justin Blankenship chuckled next to Gerry.

“But listen,” Gerry continued. “Captain Wisemiller says a storm might be headed our way, so you don’t have much more time before we have to pull you up.”

“Gotcha,” Dean’s voice crackled. “If we can get down through these ice blocks, we might get something good.”

As the video came back into focus, Gerry and Justin saw many huge hunks of ice floating past the screen. When the flurry of ice had cleared away, there appeared yet another one, floating slower and gradually coming into range of the sub’s powerful lights. But what was unique about this ice block was that there was a dark, shadowy blur within it, as if something was inside it, encased by the ice.

“Gerry, are you getting this?” Dean radioed in.

“Yeah…” Gerry breathed back, transfixed by the sight. “We’re getting it.”

The ice block was getting closer, and the shape inside it was becoming more defined.

Justin the video tech gasped. “Is that a man inside it?”

Dean Dyer pointed the sub’s cameras directly into the heart of the ice block, and though the image was still grainy and unclear, an identifiable symbol became visible.

It was a star.

“I think we better call this in,” Gerry Sawyer whispered.

[fan4]

1944

The German saboteurs opened fire on Captain America, a few of the bullets bouncing harmlessly off Cap’s shield, but most of the shots did not even come close to hitting their target. Small wonder, since the majority of the Germans had heard of the American super-soldier, and they were afraid of him. Captain America was already legend; the unstoppable, seemingly invincible warrior who with his iron will and unbreakable shield had struck innumerable blows to the spirit of the Nazi regime. His name was feared by the entire German army, reputedly even dreaded by the fuhrer himself, and it was said that Captain America couldn’t be defeated, as if he were more than human. His exploits were reported and lauded in the United States, and he had attained an almost deity-like reverence there. Captain America was worshipped as the ultimate American hero.

Cap rushed into the hangar behind his shield and plowed into a line of Germans, flattening them to the floor. Though Cap was greatly outnumbered, most of the Germans in the hangar were scientists, not soldiers, and they were ill-prepared to handle the red, white and blue blur assaulting them. Rearing back, Cap hurled his shield like a circular missle, the saucer striking down two more enemies before returning to Cap’s hand with unerring accuracy. The remaining six conscious Germans put their hands in the air, dropping their weapons and surrendering, their faces set in stunned bewilderment.

Captain America then noticed the whining sound of an airplane engine, and turned to see the drone plane exit the hangar, picking up speed as it went. But what truly caught Cap’s attention was the unconscious young man with his head limply bouncing in the plane’s cockpit. Cap recognized the costumed soldier at once.

“BUCKY!” Cap screamed, and he ran after the drone plane as Baron Zemo regained consciousness and saw his greatest enemy run out of the hangar.

[fan4]

Present day, somewhere above the clouds

Colonel Nick Fury, Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., the international peacekeeping force, sat upon his command chair on the bridge of the massive S.H.I.E.L.D. helicarrier, reviewing a report with disinterest. Fury was a good sized man who appeared to be middle aged, with an eye patch over his left eye and black hair graying at the temples. The helicarrier was a virtual flying fortress, an airborne aircraft carrier, and as Fury flipped through the report pages he wished for something to happen somewhere in the world requiring the might of the sky-spanning warship. Anything, anything would be-

“Director Fury!”

Fury turned to see an aide run excitedly up to him. “What is it, Collins?”

“This just came in. Some explorer ship found something in the North Atlantic.”

“Found what?” Fury was annoyed.

“He’s underwater, frozen in a block of ice, but all reports seem to conclude that it might be him,” Collins chattered.

“Who?” Fury snapped. “Out with it, man!”

Collins told him.

Fury whirled to the intercom. “All hands! Set new course for the Arctic Circle! An’ I want a deep sea recovery team prepped and ready to go, stat!”

[fan4]

1944

James Buchanan Barnes was Captain America’s handpicked second, a young firebrand who had shown enough passion and raw skills to impress Cap into taking the enthusiastic recruit under his wing. After an intensive training period administered by Cap himself, Private Barnes was given a blue uniform with red gloves, red trousers, and blue boots. Barnes was given the codename Bucky, his true identity concealed by a black robber’s mask. Bucky had fought alongside Captain America as sidekick for the duration of World War II, and he had achieved a notoriety among the Nazis all his own.

Now Bucky was trapped in the cockpit of the drone plane as Cap raced to catch the speeding, bouncing aircraft. Any ordinary man would have had no chance to reach it, but Captain America was far from ordinary; he was the absolute pinnacle of human physical perfection. Cap lunged out with his shield and stabbed its edge into a tail wing, holding on with extraordinary strength as the drone plane lifted off the runway and soared into the sky.

Back in the hangar, Baron Zemo watched the plane take off, and turned to one of the technicians awaiting his orders. “<You! Take control of the airplane and send it toward the English Houses of Parliament!>”

The tech rushed to the control panel and worked a few levers, then turned sheepishly to his master. “<Herr Baron, the panel has been damaged! I cannot control the aircraft!>”

Zemo angrily shook his fist, but then his mood abruptly brightened. “<Then detonate the bombs stored aboard it! At long last the Deutschland will see the end of her greatest enemy! Death to Captain America!>”

[fan4]

Present day, near the Arctic Circle

Colonel Nick Fury watched on the monitor as the enormous lift hauled what appeared to be a big ice cube out of the water and up to the helicarrier’s flight deck. He frowned at the image.

“Cap’s in that thing?” Fury asked dubiously to himself, out loud.

A voice buzzed over the intercom. “Director Fury, the prize is aboard.”

“Bring it down to the med lab and have the boys work on it,” Fury commanded. “An’ lemme know when you find something.”

“Yes sir.”

Nick Fury put his hands behind his head. This’s either gonna be the most unbelievable, or the dumbest, thing I’ve ever done.

[fan4]

1944

The freezing wind whipped at Cap’s face, as he held on to his shield and pulled his body onto the drone plane’s tail. The plane flew in a straight northern direction, and Cap risked a glance to see England disappear beneath him; now there was only water. Cap quickly wiped that thought from his mind.

Bucky. I have to save Bucky.

Cap braced himself on the plane’s tailfin as he slipped his shoulders through his shield’s straps, so that the shield would be across his back, leaving his hands free. Slowly, incredibly, Cap crawled his way across the top of the airplane, hugging its frame with his entire body. The wind howled in his ears as he inched toward the cockpit window, and even though his costume was insulated against the elements, the biting cold penetrated into his entire being. At last Cap reached the cockpit, and peering into it he saw Bucky, awake and his eyes wide in terror, struggling against the ropes that held him. He saw Cap, and he mouthed something, though there was no way Cap could hear him. Cap reached for the edge of the cockpit window and tried to pull it open, but it wouldn’t budge. He could feel Bucky actually ramming his own body against the window, and Cap was inspired to find the resolve he needed. Mustering all of his strength, Cap pulled once again-

And the cockpit window slid open! Cap heard Bucky’s panicked voice-

“Cap! Help me, Cap!”

-And Cap lost his grip on the window, forcibly jerked away from the entire plane, his body flopping in the frigid, battering wind. For a few seconds he was in freefall, and then he saw a bright flash-

-And he felt the impact of the drone plane’s explosion before blacking out from the intense concussive force of the blast. For another few moments he fell, embraced by the arms of oblivion-

-And Captain America plunged into the icy Arctic Ocean, instinctively holding his breath through reflex, down, down into the freezing depths, never to be found again.

[fan4]

Present day, somewhere above the clouds

Until now.

Colonel Nick Fury was speaking to a lead doctor outside the door leading to the isolated intensive care unit of the S.H.I.E.L.D. helicarrier. Fury was outwardly relaxed, but inside his stomach was churning with anxiety. He was getting the details before going to see the body.

“…Remarkably well-preserved for being down there so long,” the doctor spoke.

“An’ you’re sure it’s him?” Fury asked.

“DNA confirms it,” the doctor replied.

“DNA? Where’d ya get the DNA to compare it to?”

“Director Fury, we’ve had blood and tissue samples preserved for decades.”

“ Right. I wanna see him,” Fury snapped.

“Absolutely, but bear in mind he’s been frozen some sixty plus years. He’s still in costume, and the stench is… let’s say ‘pretty bad’,” the doctor intoned.

And Fury was led into the room where the thawing body of Captain America lay on a large table, a gigantic heat lamp-type device positioned over it, water from the melting ice block dripping off the table down to the central floor drain. The body was face up and its entire front was thawed out, but it would take a few more hours before the ice would be completely melted. Fury looked at the body in amazed wonder.

He’s wearing his shield on his back, just like he used to. Goddamn, he looks so young, like he could jump up any moment and start kicking ass again.

“What will you do with him, Director?” the doctor boldly questioned. “I know I’d like to do an autopsy and maybe unlock the secrets of the super soldier serum.”

Fury wasn’t paying attention. “Huh? I dunno, haven’t thought that far…”

Did his chest just move? Fury couldn’t shake the feeling something was off.

“Can you believe it?” the doctor continued, shaking his head and smiling. “After all these years we’ve finally found him, and-“

There it is again! “Hey, doc,” Fury’s voice was incredulous, “Did his chest just rise?”

The doctor looked down at the body, and then he rushed to get a stethoscope. Fury literally felt butterflies in his gut as the doctor listened to Captain America’s chest.

“My God!” the doctor cried. “I can hear a faint heartbeat!”

“Holy @#$%!” Fury roared.

To be continued