PREQUEL TO AVENGERS
By: Ian Girshek
Contact: Ian Girshek (646) 235-5320
July 2010
It is a hazy humid late May day in Los Angeles. As the scene opens, a large office building can be seen with the a large silver emblem reflecting the hazy LA sunshine, the letters S.H.I.E.L.D. can be made out as well as that of a large silver eagle indicating its importance. The next panel focuses on a faux silver elevator doors that open to reveal a large muscular figure wearing jeans and a white T-shirt. His blonde hair perfectly parted with. In the background is a man wearing a leather jacket and a faint eye-patch can be seen.
Fury: Captain Rogers I can not allow you to walk outside SHIELD headquarters.
Rogers: Commander Fury with all due respect I am walking out of here with your permission or without it.
Fury: Captain Rog… (stopping in mid statement), Steve I realize what you have been through must have been hell, everything you knew is long gone, and the America that you were once the proud symbol of is gone, it is a new America, drastically altered; but still America. Please wait, it is too soon to go out. I don't think you are aware of what's out there.
Rogers: Nick I appreciate your concerns, but after being frozen for sixty years, my body could use the exercise, doesn't your era of medicine recommend that senior citizen take part in brisk exercise. It can not be worst than the Skull.
Fury: I wouldn't bet on that. Remember, the world out there AIN'T 1944; at least allow my men to accompany you.
Rogers: Have it your way, but I am walking out NOW!
Fury: Coulson you are to shadow Captain Rogers at all time CLEAR?
Coulson: Crystal.
Fury: Steve, one more thing, I don't think I can stop you from going, but please remember we have to go meet with Stark, and discuss the returning of something that belongs to you.
Fade in on Steve Rogers walking through a heavily guarded corridor, all facets of armed guards stop what they are doing and rise and stand at attention while other stand in silence and gawk, all salute Steve as he makes his way past.
Ext. and pan in on Steve walking down Hollywood Boulevard, with Coulson attempting to keep up. As he makes his way down, the differences in eras become visibly apparent.
Rogers: Why is that man dressed all in black and have a bat on his chest?
Coulson: Long story, he is a fictional character that fights crime in a fictional city.
Rogers: What the hell happened to this country?
Coulson: I don't know where to begin.
We follow the mismatched pair makes there way down the fairway of Hollywood Boulevard, Steve notices an obvious homeless man dressed in army fatigues. The man is missing a leg, the length of his right pant leg is rolled up and buttoned with a rusty safety pin. His weight rests on shabby crutches, a cardboard sign lays at his feet, Medal Winner and Vietnam Veteran needs your help, with a $ painted on right next to the words.
Steve eyeing the sergeant symbol on his fatigues makes his way towards the veteran.
Rogers: What happened to you son?
Veteran: I don't need to be made fun of by some "skateboarder" kid.
Rogers: I mean no disrespect sergeant. (Steve realizing that his youthful appearance and clothing do not match his tone quickly; he reduces his stature and changes his inflection), my Dad is in the service, and I just wanted to see why you are out here.
Veteran: I was platoon leader and communications specialist, after I served; I was put out on the curb like an unwanted dog that's what happens when you are a patriot for this G-d damn USA.
(Steve turning to Coulson)
Rogers: why is the VA not helping, Coulson what's the story here?
Coulson: As Commander Fury stated this is not the same place you once knew, Captain, we must move along.
(Steve via thought balloon.) Where am I, all I knew is long gone or so old it does not matter to anyone. My entire family is gone, the one thing that kept me going, this country, has changed into something that has no meaning, or pride. I don't belong to this time. I wish I was left to my icey prison. Look at this poor soldier, he gave everything to his country and in return he received nothing. He stands on the street corner like a vagrant, a bum. Could we have changed this much?
Rogers: Good luck son, I will try to find a way to help.
Veteran: How about a buck?
Focus on Steve searching his pockets and realizes that he does not have any money on him; Pan in on all of Steve's jean pocket turned inside out. His face turns slightly red.
Rogers: Coulson, (with authority) give this man some money!
Coulson reaches into his wallet, and only sees a fifty dollar bill, he shuffles his wallet divider for a couple of seconds, and through the corner of his catches Rogers staring at him with disapproval.
Coulson: (with reluctance and now facing the veteran) you don't happen to have change?
Veteran: (sarcastically) Ha ha ha!
Rogers and Coulson continue their stroll and pass a crowd of pedestrians pressed upon against a police barricade. The crowd is gawking and gathered around a crew of individuals carrying picket signs and espousing the virtues of the necessity of a pure white race. The lead protester has a large swastika tattooed across his mostly bald forehead. He is stocky and he is wearing a once brightly white "wife beater" T-shirt with fatigue pants. Coulson tries to nudge Rogers along, but Coulson is trying to move a mountain. Rogers is firmly planted within the crowd. His eyes fixed on the speaker.
Speaker: We must do all we can to honor the intentions stated in the chronicles of the skull. We must pick up where he left off. We must make sure that our races do not mix.
Steve's eyes remain fixated, but his mind drifts. Fade out to a beautiful late April day in a bright countryside. Large behemoth tanks can be seen coming towards a bar wired fence. The year is 1944, the place is Dachau. A vivacious boy wearing a uniform comprised of red and blue and black domino mask can be seen riding on top of the tank. He is carrying a machine gun from the era. A man dressed in similar colors is walking alongside the tank, a brigade of soldiers obviously exhausted, march in formation behind the tank and its companions. A large bear symbol can be seen on the front of the tank, with the works "HOWLING COMMANDOS", emblazoned underneath. Despite the large rumble of the tanks treads, the soldiers can be heard engaging in banter and be seen smoking cigarettes. The once pristine meadow becomes suddenly dark with the some form the exhaust of the tanks and the cigarettes.
Bucky: Steve, I think we finally did it; this is third camp we are liberating. It seems that the war is over.
Steve: Not until all of the Germans and Japanese surrender.
Bucky: You can never trust those Japs.
Steve: Bucky, I told you not to talk like that, the German people and Japanese people are like us, they don't want to be here, but they have to. We are all unfortunately caught up in a bad situation.
The tanks and its companions along with the soldiers march directly up to the barb wire gate. As they enter, they notice abandoned guard towers, and the area that was once a camp with heavy people traffic has melted into a ghost town. A young gaunt boy wearing tattered rags that have a color scheme of black and white, with a still brightly colored yellow star on the lapel area, peers out from behind one of the abandoned guard posts. Bucky notices, and with the agility and speed of a cat leaps off the tank and makes a b-line for the frightened boy. Bucky stares at the boy intently. He notices how gaunt and frail this young boy is. He realizes that the boy can not be much younger than his sixteen years of life. He realizes that they both have seen horrors, more than enough for one life.
Bucky: Its ok, you can come out. We won't hurt you! We have food, and water.
Isaac: (In a sheepish tone) Are you Mosiach?
Bucky: I'm not sure what that is, we are good ole American grunts. Right Cap?
Isaac: We have been here for so long, we are so hungry; do you have any food?
We then see Bucky motion to a rather soldier in the group, his fatigues obviously do not fit him, and his helmet almost looks like a toy on his huge head. His red hair and matching moustache shine through the pale green of his fatigues.
Bucky: Hey Dum Dum, we have any food back there?
Dum Dum: For you kid, of course.
Steve: Corporal Dougan, easy on the rations, but make sure our young friend here gets something to eat.
Steve turns his full attention to the boy.
Steve: Son, can you show us where the others are?
Pan in on Steve standing before Isaac. The sun shines on him, and the brightness of the reflection eclipses the full details. Isaac remains fixated on the uniform of the man before him; Isaac eyes swollen from tears and starvation traces the spring sun as it shines off the bright blue chain mail, and how the "A" symbol on the man's helmet is overwhelmingly vibrant. His eyes lock on the triangular shape of the man's shield. He traces the colors of red white and blue with his eyes. He realizes that he is standing before more than a man, but a symbol.
Isaac: I can show you, but I don't want to go back there.
Corporal Dougan hands Isaac some bread, and a canteen of water. Isaac takes water and begins to pour some over his hands, and then bows his head slightly and almost inaudibly utters a blessing. He ravishes the bread in matter of moments.
Steve: Its ok son, point the way and we will take care of the rest.
Isaac raises his hand and points the brigade towards a group of shoddy barracks. A noxious and putrid smell is emanating from them.
Steve: Dougan, Bucky take the flanks, we don't know what were in for.
Steve leads the charge with groups of men flanking him on his right and left, he bust through the first door of the barrack with his shield high. The sight before him is of people, who were once men, now shriveled to bone and flesh. It remains the same for the rest of the barracks. As he and his brigade make there way through the barracks they pass mass graves. The people inside are no different from those that are alive in the barracks. Their bear boned frames lying on top of one another. Steve arrives a barrack in the far end of the camp. Bucky and he enter alone.
Bucky: It seems strange that Krauts would abandon the place like this.
Steve: They knew the war was ending, they rather leave than be captured. I'm not sure why this barrack is so far from the others. Stay alert.
As Steve and Bucky enter they notice that the layout of the barrack is quite different. The other barracks has bed on top of bed. This barrack contains almost futuristic medical devices and machines lining its corridor. There is dried blood that stains the gurneys that line the barrack. In the center of the barrack a man sits at a large machine, with his back turned. His face can not be made out due to the lack of visible light. Only a reflection can be seen from the light coming off the machine before him. The reflection reveals that the man does not appear to have a face, but only a skull. The light clearly shows that large swastika shape on the man's armband. Bucky raises his gun in a defensive posture. Steve puts his hand on the top of the gun and forces its down.
Steve: Bucky get the men!
Bucky: Cap I'm your partner, I'm staying.
Steve: Private Barnes that is an order.
As Bucky slowly backs up to the entrance and opens the door, the spring sun floods the barrack, and the man's face can clearly be seen. It reveals the Red Skull.
Skull: It has been some time since our last encounter, Herr Captain.
Steve: The war is over! (with force behind his words) End this now Skull! Don't do something you are going to regret.
Exterior: A plane lands on makeshift airfield in the background. Steve and the Skull become aware of the obviously loud engine as it roars closer.
Skull: My dear brother, I believe that my transportation is here. As always it was a pleasure.
The Skull presses a lever and large robotic creatures without heads but possessing faces in their chest emerge from a hidden corridor. The gigantic creatures make a b-line for Steve. As the robots draw closer, Skull darts out a rear entrance of the barrack.
Exterior, Pan in on Bucky once again riding atop of the tank, charging toward the out of the way barrack. The Howling Commandos with guns drawn follow behind the protection of the tank. Young Isaac follows not far behind the melee.
Steve in a defensive posture with his triangular shield protruding in front of his chest. He has hand on his pistol and begins firing at the monstrosities. The bullets bounce off their armored bodies. Steve charges the robots and with the grace and agility of a cat; Steve manages to maneuver between two of the robots. They simultaneously go to punch Steve only to have Steve move away from their punches. The robots wind up punching through one another. The sizzle of wires and crashing of metal can be seen and heard. A third robot begins to close in on Steve. Steve, grabs his shield and whirls his shield into the chest of the robot. The screen on the front of the shatters.
Exterior: tank charging through the front entrance of the barrack. The front wall of the barrack shatters under the sheer mass and force of the tanks. Steve instinctively leaps out of the way. His shield still lodged in the chest of the fallen monster. Steve gains his wits and begins charging towards the Skull and the newly landed aircraft.
Bucky and the commandoes start shooting at the remaining robot, and the tank launches its heavy caliber ordinance at the robot causing it to explode. Bucky and the commandoes duck for cover. The three fallen robots begin to once again light up and begin to blink with color wildly.
Bucky: Get out of here! They are going to blow!
Upon hearing a the barely inaudible warning from Bucky, Steve whips his head around to notice the barrack exploding. He hears Bucky scream to him,
Bucky: Go Captain, we have this under control.
Steve continues his run towards the plane. To increase his speed, he throws off his helmet. The panel focuses on the helmet as it hits the ground, and clearly shows the once brightly colored A emblem now stained with dirt as it hits the floor. Steve's stark blond hair is seen blowing in the wind as he continues galloping towards the aircraft. As he reaches the aircraft, it begins to ascend into the sky. Steve grabs onto the wing of the aircraft. As the aircraft continues to ascend the Skull notices the unwanted hitchhiker.
The altitude of the plane is low enough that the Skull opens the door and begins shooting at the man holding onto the wing. Steve reaches into a pocket on his belt, and retrieves a small device. A small timer can be seen on the face of the device.
Steve: (barely audible) Skull it ends now!
Steve pulls the pins out of the device and tosses it towards the open airplane door, the Skull notices the toss and attempts to shut the door but the air pressure prevent that from happening in time. The small explosive device lands in the aircraft.
Skull: Rogers you fool, you have doomed us all.
Pan in on interior of the plane, a large box with word DANGER written across it can be seen. Steve lets go of the wing and begins a free fall towards the ocean below. As Steve begins to let go of the plane, it explodes. The force of the explosion propels Steven even faster towards the ocean below. The force of the explosion knocks him unconscious. His body falls limp in the air. As the ocean below approaches even quicker, Steve still does not wake up. Possessing the velocity of a falling rock, Steve plummets into the frigid Ocean.
Exterior, Crowded Los Angeles Street, Steve is still standing in front of the Neo-Nazi protestor. Coulson taps Steve on the shoulder.
Coulson: Captain Rogers, we have to go, we have an appointment at Stark Enterprises.
Steve still caught in between the memories of his last encounter with the Skull, and the modern day debauchery barely acknowledges Coulson. Coulson whispers into a device on his wrist, and within moments a black suburban pulls up to their location. Steve and Coulson enter the vehicle to see Fury already sitting in the passenger seat.
Fury: (with a sarcastic smirk) So, Rogers, LA everything you thought it would be?
The black suburban pulls into a non-descript driveway behind the vast Stark Enterprise tower. Coulson, Fury, and Steve exit the Suburban and are whisked into a private elevator. The Elevator ride seems incessant,. The elevator suddenly stops, and the doors open to what appears to be a mixture of a lab and armory. For such a large room, there are very few people in it. A man walks towards the three guests, he is wearing a long white lab coat, and several ID badges. He has grey hair, and walks with a limp, he has a cherubic face, and his wrinkles and crows feet reveal that he is not young. He possesses a "grandfatherly" charm. His eyes reveal a haunted past. Steve locks eyes with the man. The man approaches Steve, and grabs his hands.
Dr. Isaac Green: (In a heavy European accent) Is it really you? (Dr. Green begins to sob) How is it possible, the last time I saw you I was only a boy. You were my reason for surviving. I lost my entire family, my mama, my papa, Sarah. They were all murdered.
Steve stares at the man perplexed.
Steve: Do I know you?
Fury: This is Dr. Isaac Green. He is Stark's top metallurgy expert. He is also on of the last people to see you before the incident.
Dr. Green: I was the boy that you saved from the Skull. You freed the remainder of our camp. (Dr. Green, lifts up his sleeve to reveal a series of tattooed numbers on his wrist.) You made sure that we could go on.
Steve looks into Dr. Green's eyes, and he remembers the warmth of the Spring breeze that wafted through the European country side that quickly and abruptly ended as they entered the camp. The summer wind morphed into the smell of burnt flesh and horror. Steve remembered that young boy that thought he was an angel. Steve does not say anything, he still remains stunned by the reveal of Dr. Green.
Fury: Dr. Green, I know that this moment means a lot, but I have to press you on the matter at hand.
Dr. Green reaches into his breast pocket, and pulls out a small handkerchief and dries his tears, regains his composure, and in a yoda-esque walk makes his way to a heavily armored vault. Dr. Green enters a series of numbers on a key pad, and then places his right eyes in front of the scanner, an audible and robotic voice can be heard, "Vision acknowledges, subject Dr. Isaac Green- top level security clearance". The larger armored door swooshes open, and Dr. Green gestures to fury and Steve. Steve stands dumbfounded by the modern day machines and technology. Both men make their way into the vault.
Dr. Green: After the explosion at the camp, I hid it and held onto to for safekeeping, it has accompanied me on all my journeys, and to its final resting place, this vault. Once I reached America, I sought out Howard Stark, and I handed it to him. He insisted on taking me under his wing. He paid for my education, my home, and he gave me a job. It was all because of you, and the inspiration you instilled in me.
Dr. Green stretches his arm as much as possible, and lifts a circular object off a shelf. He struggles to carry it to a table in the vault. The weight of the object nearly causes the frail old man to collapse. He places the object on the table, and removes it from a case. He slips off the cover, and a glimmering red, white and blue shield can be seen reflecting off the heavily metallic walls of the vault. The colors shine onto the faces of Fury and Steve. Dr. Green lifts the object one more time, and hands it to Steve.
Steve: Dr. Green, (Steve taking a pause) Isaac, thank you. I began to lose hope in our country, but the fact that you held onto the ideals behind this has given me hope; hope that America can shine once more.
Dr. Green lifts the object, and Captain America's shield is fully visible. He hands the Shield to Steve.
Dr. Green: Captain America once more!
Fury: Captain we have a team briefing with the other Avengers.
As the three men enter the vault, the concealed elevator once again opens, a man wearing a lavish Italian business suit exits, he is holding a martini glass in his right hand.
Tony Stark: (towards Fury) One eyed Willy throws a party and he forgets to invite me. What manners!
Fury: Tony I would like to introduce you to someone, Tony please say hello to Captain America.
Tony Stark: (towards Captain America) lets see if we can get you something a little more modern, you look like a size 42 wide.
Tony walks towards his desk, and presses a button. The wall behinds the group begins to retracts into the floor revealing a uniform comprised of red white and blue, a large white star in the cent of the uniform can clearly be seen.
Fade to black.