They all looked on in wonder for several minutes. Then Natasha noticed something.
"Uh... Guys? I think he's breathing." she said.
"He's alive?" Clint wondered.
"Cool! He's like... in cryonics. You know... to preserve him." Aurora said.
"Cryonics doesn't work, though." Tony said. "My dad worked on it for years back in the forties. The only successful test they had was..."
"...Was what?" Aurora asked, frowning.
"Steve Rogers." Tony said, astonished. "This must be him."
"The missing soldier?" Clint said, frowning. "No way."
"One way to find out." Bruce said. He pointed at what looked like a release valve. They all stared at it.
"...Yeah, let's do it!" Aurora practically shouted, making them all jump. She grabbed the valve and twisted it. There was a hissing sound, and a bunch of water vapor swirled out of the bottom of the case as it began to open. It got stuck about halfway there and they had to pry it the rest of the way open. As soon as they did, the boy inside slumped forwards. They caught him and lay him gently on the floor.
"Ugh." he said, eyes fluttering open.
"He sounds as bad as I feel." Clint remarked. He picked up a chip of ice and held it against a bruise on his head that was beginning to swell.
"Wha...?" the boy said, stirring. Then, with a start, he sat up. He looked around wildly, glancing at each of them.
"What happened? Who are you people? Where's Mr. Stark?" he demanded.
"Whoa. Slow down there. You just woke up. Wouldn't you like something to warm you up first?" Aurora asked. "I can't imagine that case was very comfortable."
The boy looked at her strangely.
"Mr. Stark said he would be there personally to wake me up." he said. "Now where is he?"
"He's probably at home, asleep." Tony said. "No one knew where you were, Steve. Hydra got involved, and the case you were in got lost. He's spent the past several decades searching for you."
"Decades?" Steve asked, shocked. "How long was I asleep?"
"The year is 2000, Steve." Aurora said, gently. "We found you by accident. You were declared MIA a long time ago."
Steve stared at the ground.
"Well, dang." he said.
"There are no adults around to be offended if you swear, dude." Clint said, mildly. Steve frowned.
"We should call somebody." Aurora said. "I bet we get a reward for finding him."
"Hey, it was me that found this place." Clint interjected.
"But you never would have come here if it weren't for me, and it was my bike." Aurora pointed out.
"Guys, cool it. We can share the reward. If there is one." Bruce said, gently. Aurora and Clint looked at each other.
"Fair enough." they both conceded.