Chapter 26: 70 years later.

Darkness, coldness, nothingness. That was only things that Izuku Midriya is feeling right now. He is flying in that sea of emptiness. He doesn't know how much he was in that state. And he doesn't know when he will awaken. Suddenly he hears some voices in the background.

'Curve ball, high and outside for ball one. So, the Dodgers are tied, 4-4. And the crowd well knows that with one swing of his bat, this fellow's capable of making it a brand-new game again. Just an absolutely gorgeous day here at Ebbets Field.'

He slowly tries to open his eyes and finds himself in the hospital's room. Looking around he sees that the voice coming from a radio. Not remembering some things from the past, Izuku tries to remember what's happened to him.

"What's happened? Where am I? How did I get here?!`` he mumbled frantically. Suddenly the wave of memories hit him helping him to remember everything. "Now I remember! My attack on the HYDRA's HQ. Valkyrie's take off. Defeat and disappearance of the Red Skull. And me flying the plane to the iceberg."

"It looks like Allies found me,'' he mumbled with a smile before frowning. "However, that don't open my questions. How long I was in this room? How did they find me? How am I still alive? Oh no! Peggy and Todoroki. They don't know that I am alive. I need to find them."

Unfortunately, Izuku finds that his body became slightly weaker, it can't let him to stand up. Seeing that he needs a little rest he decides to listen to the radio.

'The Phillies have managed to tie up at 4-4. But the Dodgers have three men on. Pearson beaned Reiser in Philadelphia last month. Wouldn't the youngster like a hit here to return the favour? Pete leans in. Here's the pitch. Swung on. A line to the right. And it gets past Rizzo. Three runs will score. Reiser heads to third. Durocher's going to wave him in. Here comes the relay, but they won't get him', it continued.

However, Izuku couldn't let go of the feeling that something is wrong with these rooms. At first glance it looks like a normal hospital room. Nothing suspicious. But that still can't help him to let this feeling go away.

At that moment the door opens and nurse walks in.

"Good morning", she greeted before checking her watch. "Or should I say, afternoon?"

"Where am I?" he asked her the important question.

"You're in a recovery room in New York City", she simply answered.

Despite her smile and answer it couldn't reassure Midoriya. He still thinks that something is wrong. He thinks that this 'nurse is kind of suspicious. But he couldn't understand what's wrong.

"The Dodgers take the lead, 8-4. Oh, Dodgers! Everyone is on their feet. What a game we have here today, folks. What a game indeed", continued the radio player.

The radio answered his questions and doubts.

"Where am I really?" Izuku asked her seriously looking at her suspiciously. He finally understood what was wrong.

"I'm afraid I don't understand,'' she asked in confusion. But if you look on her face you would see that she is trying not to panic.

"The game, it's from May, 1941. I know, because I was there, ``he explained while remembering the good game he watched with Natsuo and Shoto. He then gets up from the bed and starts approaching her. His serious explanation takes the color of nurse making her pale. "Now, I'm gonna ask you again. Where am I?"

"Captain Midoriya…" she said fearfully while secretly pushes an alarm button behind her back.

"Who are you!?" he screamed at her wanting an answer.

Suddenly the door opens and two soldiers in black uniform enter the room. Their uniform is strange for him. He never saw them on the Allied Forces. After some thinking, he comes to the conclusion that he caught by HYDRA.

Thinking fast, but mostly in slight panic, Izuku knocks them to the wall. However what surprises him the most that these two flies through the wall breaking it. Touching the remains of the wall he learns that it was made from some kind of cardboard and paper.

Midoriya then realizes that he's on some kind of made up set and the entire room is much bigger than he ever saw before. Quickly searching for exit so he can get out of there.

"Captain Midoriya, wait!" called back 'nurse'. She then activates her comm-link. "All agents, code 13! I repeat. All agents, code 13!"

Her voice transmits through loudspeaker, making all nearby agents to try and stop Midoriya. They couldn't let him exit the building. He is not ready to learn about changes.

Once he reaches the first floor Izuku finds himself in an open space. He is confused why the HYDRA need some peaceful things in their base. However, he doesn't have time to think about that as people start to run towards him and tries to stop him. Midoriya dodges and hits every opponent running closer to the exit.

"I need to somehow contact the Allies. They probably still think that I am dead", he thought while running away from his 'jail'. "They must know that I am still alive. In addition, they must know that HYDRA survived."

Finally exiting the building Izuku finds himself in a strange place. It looks like a normal city but it looks different. Deciding not to think about it he continues to run. And his next stop made him gasp. He could tell from the way the buildings were arranged that he is indeed in New York City, but everything was different. The people are wearing strange new clothes. Buildings are higher, bigger and more colorful than ever. The cars look more comfortable and sleeker than ever.

It really New York but it looks like nothing like the city where he grew up. Everything changes. That made him to repeat the same question over and over again. Where is he?

Suddenly numerous SUV's encircle him. He is in such shock that he can barely understand what's around him. Then one man steps out of one of the vehicles. Attire of the same man surprises him. He is very skinny man with sharp, angular features and long limbs, his neck long and his eyebrows absent. He has blond hair with two with two distinct tufts that stick up down his head, and blue eye with black cornea and blue pupil. He wears black trench coat and dark grey sweater and black trousers. What made him scary actually is his black eyepatch on his left eye. He actually thought that before the serum he was thinnest person on the planet. However, this one takes the cake. He looks thinner than twig.

Despite his sick appearance Izuku could feel the power, strength and experience behind him. That this man could probably defeat him in the fight and would probably hold himself back. He also has some aura of authority and respect around him. This man is Toshinari Yagi. He is also known as Director All Might. How he earned that nickname nobody knows. He is director of S.H.I.E.L.D., which means the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, and Logistics Division. This organization is tasked to defend the world from all threats that exist. It was founded by Izuku's closest people. His superior Col. Chester Phillips; the technician genius Mitsuki Bakugo; and his first love Margaret 'Peggy' Shield.

"At ease, soldier!" called Yagi trying to calm Izuku down coming closer to him.

"Who are you?" asked Izuku carefully. He doesn't know who is this man but if he wanted to kill him, they would have already done it. Despite that doesn't mean that he shouldn't be careless.

"Call me Toshinori Yagi, Director of the S.H.I.E.L.D. You can call me 'Director All Might'", introduced himself Yagi. "You would have known us as the Strategic Scientific Reserve."

"Where am I?" asked Izuku impatient. He is tired that people can't answer that one question.

"The intersection of 46 and Broadway", joked Toshinori around knowing that this wasn't the answer Midoriya was looking for. He then starts to become serious and continues. "Look, I'm sorry about that little show back there, but… we didn't know what your mental state might be. So… we thought it best to break it to you slowly."

"Break what?" Midoriya asked in slight fear.

"You've been asleep, Cap. For almost seventy years", ``he explained with a frown finally dropping the humongous information bomb on him.

That answer Izuku never expected from anybody. How it is possible? How is he still alive?

"How am I alive?" he asked in shock.

"To be honest with you we don't really know,'' All Might answered awkwardly with a sigh. "Doctors said it was suspended animation. Could be Dr. Erskine's formula, the extreme cold or great luck. I don't know."

"What about the war? Did we win?" Izuku suddenly asked in concern. He still wanted to know if Allies won, if people are saved. He wanted to know was his sacrifice in vain.

"Hell yes! Unconditional surrender!" he said with an unexpected loud laugh before starting to cough seriously as he is dying. After his coughing fit, he continues looking solemnly. "Taking down HYDRA was a big part of that!"

"But the world hasn't changed that much. There is still a lot of work to be done. A soldier's work. The world is still could use a man like you, Cap `` encourages Toshinori. His objective was to lure Izuku to S.H.I.E.L.D. so then he could work in a place that was created in his name. But he decided to let the poor soldier to get used to a new time. For now, he can wait. He then gives him a hand to shake it. "There is a place here for you."

After a minute Midoriya then gives Yagi a handshake. He then turns around and looks at everything in shock. He couldn't still imagine that he was asleep in almost 70 years. It means that everything he knew are dead. Nobody could live that long.

"You gonna be ok?" asked Toshinori in concern. After the question he mentally cursed himself for being so stupid. "Of course, not you stupid idiot!"

"Yeah. Yeah, ``he lied to colonel still in shock forming a shaky smile almost ready to faint. Everything changes, nothing stays the same. He then starts to remember all of his friends back in the 40's: Todorki's family, The Howling Commandos, Col. Phillips, Mitsuki and Masaru. Especially Peggy. Oh, Peggy. He is so late. "I just…I had a date."

That was big news for one day. Izuku learnt that he won the war. That he was asleep in the ice for almost 70 years. That the world changes around him. But the hardest thing for him to swallow is that he has nothing left in that new world. Everybody he knew Is probably dead. He is truly alone in a world that no longer needs him.

A man out of time.