Chapter 24: Goodbye, soldier.
After getting rid of Red Skull and Tesseract, Captain America remembers about one important thing. That plane without a pilot keeps flying to its destination. Thinking fast, he runs to the pilot's seat and takes over the controls while throwing away his helmet.
He then sees that on the screen is "Ziel New York City", which means that the first target of HYDRA is his home. If it wasn't bad before then now that without a cube a plane starts to lose its power and soon will fall on New York. He needs to stop it.
Alps, HYDRA headquarters
After the Valkyrie takes off from the base, the Howling Commandos defeated every soldier and finally take over an entire headquarters. They then went to HYDRA control tower in the hope to contact Izuku. So far Morita, Phillips and Peggy are trying to find him. However, all efforts are in vain.
Suddenly one of the radios caught something, "Come in. This is Captain Midoriya. Do you read me?"
His voice made all of the occupants to sigh in relief. He is alive. Thank God.
"Captain Midoriya, what is your…" started Morita but he was interrupted by Peggy who takes his place.
"Izuku, is that you? Are you alright?" she asked in worry.
"Peggy! Akaguro's dead", he answered. That answer made everybody to smile. It's over the monster is dead. However, that is still one question left.
"What about the plane?" Peggy asked the main question.
"That's a little bit tougher to explain", he answered awkwardly.
"Give me your coordinates, I'll find you a safe landing site", Shield said in the panic. She doesn't want him to risk his life.
"There's not going to be a safe landing. But I can try and force it down", he explained his idea while looking forward, seeing only sky and clouds on his way.
"I'll get Masaru on the line, he'll know what to do", she suggested in worry. Peggy already knows what his plan is.
"There's not enough time! This thing's moving too fast and it's heading for New York. I am not gonna let this plane to destroy my home!" he denied her suggestion. There is only one way to save them. He knows that nobody would forgive him if he decided to do it. However, there is no choice. He must to save them. Even if it would cost him his life. "I gotta put her in the water."
"Please, don't do this! We have time. We can work it out!" she screams in fright. He can't just die right now. He is still so young. "You are so young. You have an entire life out there. Don't let it to go away so easily. You must live!"
"Right now, I'm in the middle of nowhere. If I wait any longer, a lot of people are gonna die. I can't let it happen. I couldn't live with a knowledge that innocent citizens died and I didn't save them. I am so sorry Peggy. This is my choice, ``he answered his plans and reasons about it. Then he turns this plane to fly in another direction. Precisely towards Atlantic Ocean. Before his death he takes his compass with photo of Peggy inside and puts it on the compass of the plane. Finally, he decides to talk to the last closest person he had right now. "Peggy?"
"I'm here",she answered stoically. Despite that Midoriya knows that Peggy tries hard to not cry
"I'm going to need a rain check on that dance."
"Alright", she agreed with tears in her eyes. She couldn't believe it. The first guy who shows true interest in her is going to die at any second. And now he said that he wants to dance with her. Deciding to make his last moments in his life happy she continues. "A week, next Saturday, at the Stork Club."
"You got it", he answered with a fake enthusiasm.
"Eight o'clock on the dot", she continues while crying. "Don't you dare be late. Understood?"
"You know, I still don't know how to dance", he joked trying to light the mood.
"I'll show you how"she continues with a smile. Despite the impossible promise she is glad at least that both of them had a great time. "Just be there."
"We'll have the band play somethin' slow. I'd hate to step on your…" unfortunately Captain America is interrupted by the line goes static. It means one thing. He crashed it.
"Izuku? Izuku? Izuku?!" Peggy screamed in hopes to hear his voice again. However, she knows that is futile. It's over he is dead. In despair she did the only thing she could. She starts to cry.
Phillips was standing near her and he heard everything. He wanted to help Peggy but he knows it would be futile. The only thing he could help her is to leave her alone with his head looking down.
It's over. They won. HYDRA lost. However, the loss is so great it can't let them feel like winners.
Their hearts are breaking in the way only time could heal.
"Peggy? Peggy? Peggy!?" he tries to contact her. Unfortunately, the results are futile. Because of the cold wind and their fight communication system is broken. After the talk Izuku continues to fly the plane to the Atlantic Ocean, far away from the city.
Looking forward he sees his future crash site. Understanding that these will be his last moment he remembers his entire life. How it started. How it changed. And how it ended.
'Well, this is it, soldier. Your last moments', he thought. 'I had a good life. I had best loving parents. Greatest friend in the world. I met a person who believe in me for the first time. Who makes my dream come true. I become a soldier. Fall in love with a great woman. Save the world. Become a hero. And now I am sacrificing myself to protect my city. But I regret nothing. Because everything I dream in my entire life happened to me.'
Looking at the controls he notices his compass and remembers Peggy and his promise to her.
'No. I still have one thing to regret', he thought sadly. 'Peggy, I am sorry. I lied to you. I can't go back to our dance. I hope that you will learn to live without me. You a good woman Peggy. Any man would be happy to be with you. I know that you would find your happiness. Thank you for showing me what true love is.'
His thoughts are interrupted as he finally crashes Valkyrie on the ice field. He did it. The plane is destroyed. People are saved. He completes his last mission. Before losing his consciousness Izuku looks in the skies and thought about last thing.
'Mother, Father, Dr. Erskine, Shoto I hope you are waiting for me. For I am here', he thought at last before closing his eyes.
However, that's not over because of the thin ice an entire plane sinks in the ocean taking poor Midoriya with it.
This is how a great person, Izuku Midoriya died to save millions of lives. There is nothing more noble in this world as self-sacrifice.
Goodbye, soldier.
