The Age of Marvels: Chapter Thirteen

Captain America

and the

Invaders

Part Thirteen

During the darkest days of World War II, America stood united against the threat of the Nazi Germany war machine. Our Greatest Generation sacrificed everything in order to stem the forces of oppression from overrunning our very planet, led under the fearless banner of the greatest warrior of our time, Captain America. Inspired by his courageous example, and with the aid of his misfit band of Invaders, Captain America led the forces of freedom to victory, changing his world forever.

New Jersey

The home of Mr. Barnes

As the two war veterans continued talking, they could hear the other residents of the house shuffling around upstairs getting ready for bed. Occasionally, Colonel Fury could see one of the children peeking around the corner into the room, doubtlessly curious about what their grandfather could possibly be talking about for such a length of time. Mr. Barnes himself took no notice though. In fact, it seemed to Fury that the longer he spoke about the war, the younger he became. He had already gained a gleam in his eyes and a spry way of holding himself that had been nonexistent four hours ago. Of course, all of this was lost on the old man, made young again by the vivid memories of his past.

"While Namor's story was certainly a good one," he continued, undaunted by the time. "We had a lot on our minds that day. After all, our first mission was beginning, and we had noidea how it was going to turn out."

"What do you mean?" Fury asked. "You guys were the Invaders. Was the outcome ever really in question?"

Mr. Barnes chuckled, "Certainty comes with age, Colonel, and back then, we were verynew to the theater of war. We didn't know whatwas going to happen."

"But the base you were about to attack was in Morocco, right? I didn't think the Nazis had any major bases in Africa during the war. It should have been a cinch for you guys. Come to think of it, any Allied attack force should have been able to put them down, so why the heck did they send youin?" asked Fury, thinking out loud.

Barnes leaned back into his chair and smiled, "Good question, Colonel. Make no mistake, it was no coincidence that the higher-ups had charted our way to Wakanda straight through that Nazi base. This part of the mission was a testto see how we operated as a team. We needed actual experience in the field if we were going to be ready for the legendary might of the Wakandans, and Morocco was how we got it."

May, 1944

Morocco

The propeller engines of the massive B-25 flying fortress hummed loudly over the bomb bay as Steve Rogers hoisted his shield and made his way over to address his fellow Invaders, "Listen up, men! We are approaching the Nazi stronghold so I'm only gonna say this once. Here's our attack plan," he said as he handed out a pair of silver metallic backpack contraptions.

"We're splitting up into two teams. One team will act as a distraction, hitting the middle of the fort's courtyard and making as much noise as possible. The other team will be infiltrating the base and blowing it up from the inside."

"Don't worry, Steve. You and me can take whatever those Nazis throw at us," said James, grinning confidently.

Steve put his hand on his friend's shoulder, "Not this time, buddy. You're teaming up with Namor. Your job is to cover him while he rips up their ranks as the distraction."

James looked genuinely depressed as Namor mockingly ruffled his hair, "Worry not, peasant. King Namor will make sure you don't get a boo-boo."

Steve ignored the pair, "Meanwhile, Logan and I will use the commotion you cause to sneak into their base so we can plant these time-bombs against the load bearing walls and destroy the fort once and for all."

"The plan appears sound," Logan nodded, accepting several time-bombs from Steve. "But how are we to approach the stronghold. Surely by now the Nazis know of our presence."

"That's what these are for," answered Steve, indicating the backpacks. "When I give the signal, pull this cord and follow my lead."

Namor stiffened with indignation, "And why is it that Iam the only one who was not presented with one of these mechanical miracles? Discrimination, is it?"

Steve smiled, "No such luck, Namor. You're the only one who can fly, right? You don't needone."

James groaned, "I was afraid you were gonna say something like that."

"No time for whining, Patriot," Steve replied as the bomb doors groaned open. "This is it, soldiers; codenames from now on. Remember, we're the Invaders, we can handle this. Remember why you're fighting, and keep a cool head on your shoulders. Here we go!" With that said, Captain America spread his arms wide and leaped out the back of the plane.

"Oh my God, he just jumped out of a plane!" James exclaimed, terrified. "I can't do that! It's suicide!"

"Then allow me to help you," smiled Namor, gently shoving James out headfirst. "Enjoy your flight, air-breather."

"Yaaaaahhhh!" shrieked James, plummeting to the ground in a panic.

"Do you require a little...encouragementas well?" Namor asked his last remaining teammate.

"No thank you," Logan replied in a voice that bordered on sarcasm. "I think I know what Rogers has in mind."

"Then by all means, let us join our American friends," Namor agreed, as he and Logan jumped from the plane together.

While Namor had been flying for most of his life, it was safe to say that none of the other Invaders had ever jumped from a flying aircraft before. The experience was an exhilarating one to say the least. The coastline of Morocco was spread under them in all its glory from one horizon to the next, with the Nazi stronghold just beneath them. As small clouds rushed past them, leaving water droplets clinging to their uniforms, each Invader took the opportunity to study their opponent's home.

The base really could be best described as a fort. It was small and ugly and made primarily of concrete; but despite its diminutive stature it still dominated the countryside. It was mostly surrounded by rugged wasteland, with a town located several miles to the south-east. The fort itself consisted of a large central building accompanied by several smaller structures encapsulated within a protective wall. Namor and James' target would be the wide courtyard in the center of the complex, while Steve and Logan would be aiming for the large central building. Destroying that building would surely cripple the entire base, rendering the German presence there mostly harmless.

Steve, who was in the lead, having exited the craft first, gave a sharp wave of his hand, and when he was sure the others were watching, yanked the cord on the bottom of his backpack. Instantly two large wings emerged from the pack, spreading to an impressive width as they began slightly arresting his fall. James' eyes widened with wonder as he and Logan gave their packs similar tugs and found that they had, in essence, sprouted wings!

"Woohoo! This is so cool!" shouted James, a wide smile spreading across his face while he twisted and turned, coasting on the winds. "I'm flying!"

Unfortunately, it was at that time that Namor chose to fly in circles around him, the small wings on his ankles beating madly, as he gave a condescending smile and waved while easily outmaneuvering his teammate.

"Frigging Atlanteans," James muttered under his breath, even though he knew that the roaring winds would have drowned his voice out even if he had shouted it at the top of his lungs.

Even though it was obvious that they were clearly gliding, not flying, propelled by the force of the winds after their abrupt evacuation from the bomber, it was still one of the most memorable, exhilarating experiences of their lives to be soaring through the skies, kept aloft by nothing by the wings on their backs. Steve, James, and Logan had never felt anything like it before, the utter and complete freedom that could be offered by nothing but the open sky before them. It was enough to bring a smile to even the most hardened of faces. However, their elation didn't last long, as the ground, which had been so distant only moments ago, seemed to accelerate towards them at an alarming pace, and the mission that had appeared to at one time be only something just a bit more than a team building exercise was replaced by the grim reality of war.

The courtyard of the Moroccan base was not exactly bustling with activity...as usual. The Nazi outpost was fairly small and remote, so it wasn't a high priority to the top brass. It was mostly meant to establish a beachhead in that part of Africa, so that when the Germans began their inevitable march on the 'dark continent', it would go much smoother. But right now it was where soldier's careers went to die.

"Greetings, fellow Nazi! Sure is hot and sunny out here today, isn't it?"

"It most assuredly is, fellow Nazi. Not like when we were stationed in New York. Here there is no shade, and my swastika itches quite uncomfortably. Also, the other day, I was attacked by a baboon."

"That is most unfortunate, fellow Nazi. I quite dislike the baboons. They are somewhat aggressive...and they smell like poop."

"Funny story about poop..." the stupid Nazi guard replied. "...Say, do you hear that?"

At that moment, King Namor hit the ground like a bomb! The impact of his plummet sent up a huge cloud of dust, bricks, and granite, and blew a huge hole into the middle of the courtyard. Screams and shouts rang out from around the outpost as soldiers rushed to get a handle on their weapons, having been caught completely off guard.

As the dust slowly began to clear and the screams subsided, there could only be seen one lone figure, standing in the epicenter of the crater he had created, heaving with the exertion of his landing, his black uniform proudly standing out in the strong African sunlight. He was King Namor, the Sub-Mariner, and he had come to conquer that base.

Shouts of alarm and panic sounded off across the courtyard as the first shots were fired at the mystery assailant. Using his wings for extra momentum, Namor charged with startling speed at the Nazis, raining blows upon them with his crushing strength. The base was engulfed in pandemonium as chaos seized control of the area.

"Aaaahhh! I can't stop this crazy thing!" James screamed as he hurtled to the ground behind the Atlantean prince. "Help!"

Unable to control his descent, the Patriot veered wildly across the base, eventually plowing directly into a truck which was unfortunate enough to have been parked in his path. An undignified clatter could be heard as James knocked the truck right over, accompanied by a painful yelp.

"Yeah, I totally stuck the landing," James muttered to himself as he yanked the glider off his back. "Man, what was I thinking, joining this outfit?"

But he didn't have time to ponder his life decisions, as James turned to find three fully armed Nazis pointing their guns straight at him.

With bullets flying across the outpost and explosions ripping apart what remained of the courtyard, Steve and Logan had no problem landing on the opposite end of the base. The sounds of their groundfall were muffled by the fight raging across the outpost as they took shelter on the far end of the main building which was their target.

Slipping off their glider packs, Captain America hoisted his shield over his shoulder as he signaled Ronin to follow his lead. As stealthily as they could, the pair made their way around the building until they came to a small set of stairs that led down to one of the lower levels. Without the guards who were doubtlessly supposed to be stationed there who must have left to join the fight against Namor, the Invaders easily swung it open and gained access to the building.

However, as soon as they were inside, they ran into a small group of soldiers who were about to rush out to fight in the battle. Exhibiting lightning reflexes, and without sharing a word, Cap and Ronin reacted in a flash. Knowing that their mission depended on avoiding detection, they silently dispatched the small group with hardly a sound.

The super soldier used his triangular shield to slam the first opponent into the wall, instantly rendering him unconscious as his skull crunched into the concrete. With the same fluid motion, he spun around, kicking the second German solidly in the face with impossible strength.

At the same time, Ronin had drawn his custom made katana blade, slicing it completely through his first adversary before his victim even had time to register what was happening. Before the last Nazi could even manage a cry for help, the samurai had dropped him as well, and the fight was over within a matter of seconds.

Motioning down the hallway, the two Invaders continued on their way, plummeting into the depths of the base.

"Woah!" James shouted in alarm, barely managing to dodge behind the seat of the truck before the Nazi guards opened fire on him. "Why does this kind of thing only happen to me?"

Drawing his guns with expert timing taught to him during Project Rebirth by his teacher, Stick, the Patriot lunged out from behind his cover, mowing down the unsuspecting guards before they could get a bead on him. Then, wiping away the sweat from his forehead, he turned his attention across the courtyard.

James shouldn't have wasted time worrying about Namor, because the Sub-Mariner was holding his own. He was bellowing mightily, shredding through the mass of troops as if they were paper. Their bullets could do nothing to the King of Atlantis, as they bounced harmlessly off his body, more often than not ricocheting back into their own ranks. But James could see trouble coming fast for the monarch.

Gathering on the walls atop the main building (which Captain America and Ronin had just infiltrated) were several soldiers wielding rocket launchers. As they began the process of loading the weapons, the Patriot quickly took action. He didn't know whether a rocket was enough to kill Namor, but it certainly wouldn't feel good, and if his job was to cover his new friend, then that's just what he'd do.

As the Patriot, James had been entrusted with quite a bit of gear, one of which was a top of the line sniper rifle that he kept slung over his back. Crouching down and taking careful aim, trying to ignore the battle that was raging around him, James honed in on the Nazis with the heavy artillery. With two deafening shots, he had killed them both, their bodies falling to the yard below as the rocket launchers slipped from their hands.

Namor, momentarily ignoring the ragged forces that were still standing against him, took a second to turn and give James a thumbs-up; apparently aware of the danger he'd been in. Unfortunately, Patriot didn't have time to return the sentiment, as an earsplitting explosion rocked the base and the Sub-Mariner was sent crashing into the wall behind him.

At the lowest level of the base, in the innermost room of the main building, was the communications control center of the outpost. Though it was nothing to brag about, this was supposed to be the most well protected area of the entire Nazi operation, and it was where their commander and most well trained specialists could be found most of the time. Unfortunately for them, the majority of their guards were out fighting the only two Invaders that they knew about, which had left them vulnerable.

The two guards standing watch at the door turned as they heard a knock coming from the other side. Thinking nothing of it, they turned to open the door, and were both instantly sliced almost in half by Ronin's lightning fast blade. Before any of the other Nazis could even thinkabout raising the alarm, Captain America jumped into the room throwing his shield directly at the control panel and smashing it to rubble. In a flash, Captain America and Ronin had engaged the remaining Germans, who had now begun to open fire. But in a flurry of fists and metal the fight was over, and Steve walked over to the destroyed control panel to retrieve his shield.

"Go ahead and plant the last of your time-bombs in here," said the super soldier to his teammate. "We have less than two minutes to get out of this building before they go off."

Logan gave a silent nod as he began planting the bombs. They were going to be cutting this close.

Groaning painfully, Namor picked himself up from the rubble that used to be the thick wall around the outpost only moments ago. Squinting his eyes through the dust, he could barely see the main cannon of a tank pointing straight at him. Some of the soldiers must have climbed into the only remaining tank he hadn't smashed in a last ditch attempt to expunge them from the grounds. They were going to pay for that.

"Patriot!" shouted Namor, his strong voice carrying over the battle. "Take care of the remaining soldiers. I'll deal with this."

As James gritted his teeth and prepared his weapons for the assault, still hidden behind the destroyed truck and waiting for the moment to strike, the tank let out another volley, heading straight for the King. With no apparent effort at all, the Sub-Mariner used his wings to gracefully dodge the projectile, launching himself towards the tank at full speed.

Patriot took the opportunity to charge the remaining soldiers who were still staring at Namor in awe. Taking full advantage of the futuristic, semi-automated weapons at his disposal, (which were all 'survivors' found in the wreckage of Project Rebirth, as were the experimental backpack gliders they had descended with) James tore through their already tattered ranks and was almost done with them before they realized what was happening.

Meanwhile, Namor had reached the tank before it could shoot out another blast. There was little that the cumbersome vehicle could do with the Atlantean perched on top of it but swivel its cannon in a futile effort to throw the King off. Grimacing with the effort of his attack, the Sub-Mariner ripped the entire upper half of the tank apart, sending metal shrapnel flying everywhere. Smoke poured out from the damage he had caused while the two men inside shrieked in panic. Their screams were cut short as Namor heartlessly disposed of them, tossing their bodies aside as he exited the useless wreck of the tank.

Patriot allowed himself a sigh of relief as he made short work of the last Nazi soldier in the courtyard, doing his best to ignore the blood that flowed across the ground, "Well (huff) that was (huff huff) fun."

"You did well," said Namor, smiling as he dusted his hands off. "You make a fine patsy, American."

James was about to reply when they heard a shout coming from inside the main building, "Take cover!" Captain America cried as he and Ronin sprinted away from the door as fast as they could. "Hurry, before they blow!"

James turned to run, but only made it a few yards when he was thrown off his feet by a massiveexplosion that threw his world upside down. The entire outpost appeared to have been split apart as the time-bombs went off, and enormous chunks of the building were blasted across the base. Rubble and shrapnel fell from the sky as a huge fireball erupted from what once had been a functional military stronghold. While the ringing subsided from their ears, the Invaders picked themselves up and looked at one another, as if to confirm that the battle had indeed been won.

"Well, that was certainly an interesting way to spend a Friday," joked the Patriot, smiling. "We should do this again sometime."

"Is everyone alright?" Captain America asked, ignoring James' remark. "There were no injuries, were there?"

"A few scrapes and bruises, I'm afraid," answered Namor, calmly. "But nothing serious."

Cap nodded, taking a look over their handiwork, "Great job, everyone. This outpost is scrap metal. We've done good work here today. The German presence in Morocco has been all but wiped out, and now we can proceed directly to Wakanda for our realmission."

"How are we to be extracted from here?" Ronin asked, eying their surroundings warily.

"Our pilot should have been keeping an eye out for that explosion," Steve explained. "He'll be along any minute to pick us up."

Right on cue, the blaring propellers of the B-25 could be heard approaching through the smoke clouded sky. As the Invaders walked to meet with their transport, the smoldering remains and piles of rubble was all that remained of the outpost the Nazis had claimed in Morocco. The Invaders had proven themselves in battle for the first time, and while almost nothing remained of the legion of adversaries they had fought, the team had barely been scratched. For the first time, they felt morethan ready for whatever the future may hold for them.