I can't believe that it's the beginning of December already. This year has flown in. And am I the only one excited for Christmas so that I can get the new Captain America DVD?

Chapter 15

Steve glared at the green skinned zombie who stood some distance away from him. The two had recovered after their brief fight against Leatherback and Seth. They had managed to get themselves to the kitchen of the apartment and were seeing to their wounds. Edward was holding a towel to his head. The clean cloth was already turning red from the open wound in his head that he had got from his fight with Seth. Steve on the other hand had a bag of ice on his arm after Leatherback had smashed his shield holding arm.

"Where have you been?" Steve asked still glaring at the zombie was slowly pulling the towel away from his head. The towel had become sticky from the blood that Edward had been trying to stop flowing from the blow to the head that Seth had given him in their fight that had only lasted for a matter of seconds before the god had whacked the alien away like he was nothing but a fly. He watched as Edward growled in pain when a part of the towel was not for leaving his head.

Edward was focusing on folding the towel rather than looking at Steve. "We thought that it was best that we stayed away when you resettled into the world! And besides we have all been busy!" he replied still finding the red stained towel more interesting that the angry Steve Rogers.

Steve flexed and clenched his fingers in his right hand as he got the blood pumping through the small veins. The ice bag was put into the sink that was by his side. "Start talking Edward! I want to know everything that has happened to the world when I went into the ice and I don't want you to miss anything!" Steve snarled still looking at Edward who was standing awkwardly in the apartment kitchen. "Right begin with what happened here with Leatherback and that man who was with him?" he asked Edward.

Edward only shrugged his shoulders as a response before putting the towel back to his head. "Leatherback vanished sometime after you went into the ice when you stopped the Red Skulls plans on destroying the world. He was not seen again for some time until 15 years ago, when he murdered to UNIT agents in Japan. He would have killed their new born child if it was not for us chasing him away. After that attack he went underground again!" Edward explained wincing again when he removed the towel from his head. "To answer your second question, we don't really know! But Julian has been able to get some information about him. He is called Seth and for some reason UNIT cannot find any records of him. Nightshade is hoping to find some information about him at the UN meeting that she's attending right now!" he replied.

"Steve!" shouted a voice that Edward did not know from outside the apartment in the corridor. Dropping the towel to the floor the zombie was prepared for the oncoming fight. Reaching for his axe that was still strapped to his back he felt the leather handle in his hands his grip got tighter as he prepared to bring it out. He would have whipped it out of its leather holdings if it was not for Steve given him the all clear signal. Accepting the super soldier's judgement, he let go of the axes handle feeling its full weight back on his back Edward stood tall and proud behind Steve.

Iron Man and Thor both rushed into the kitchen. Fully weaponised the two Avengers raised their weapons at Edward. "Move old man!" Stark shouted aiming his repulsers in his palms at Edward. Snarling behind his masked helmet he shouted at Steve again, "Move Steve! I don't want to shoot you by mistake!" he shouted as the room lit up by the lightning that was surrounding Thor's spinning hammer.

The repulsers groaned to life as they lit up his palm. "Don't say I didn't warn you!" he said in a low tone that Steve had not heard Stark speak in.

Steve looked behind him to see that Edward had not moved a single inch. He was glaring at the two Avengers with bored and tired eyes. He had lost a lot of blood from his head wound that Seth had given him during their short fight. Steve knew that Edward will want to get away from the apartment for his wounds to be seen to. Before Steve could register, Edward had shot past him and had punched Thor into the wall. Steve was not the only one to be shocked by Edward's quick reaction to the two Avengers coming into the apartment, Iron Man was also shocked at how quickly the alien could move that he didn't have any time to power up his repulsers to help Thor. Iron Man didn't have any time to process the next movement of the zombie. Edward having smashed Thor into the wall had turned his attention to Iron Man and had wrapped his arms around Tony's neck in a strong headlock. The zombie being much bigger and stronger than Stark was able to started crushing the armour of Iron Man. "You think you could have fought me, Cyberman?" Edward asked as he shoved Tony onto the ground. His booted foot slammed onto Tony's back.

Thor ran a hand through his hair something that was easy for him to do since his helmet had been knocked off from the force of the blow from the monster. Looking through golden locks he saw Steve trying to get the brute off of Stark. The creature had caused much damage to the armour from their one-sided attack. Rising to his feet he reached for his hammer. Instantly it was in his hand, but before he could through it at the attacker of three Avengers a cutlass was against his throat.

"I wouldn't do that, Asgardian!" snarled a feminine voice. They spoke in a Scottish accent and when Thor looked round at the holder of the cutlass he was surprised at what he saw. A young lady stood in Steve's apartment wearing what could have been described as pirate clothing. Her eyes were fixed onto him with her cutlass getting closer to his throat.

Dropping the hammer to the floor he raised his two hands in the air. He had not expected to find someone else coming into Steve's apartment after they heard of him being attacked. And he didn't want to pick a fight with a lady who had a zombie companion who could easily knock him to floor like the Hulk. "Please fair maiden-" he started but found the cutlass once again pressing against his throat.

"Don't call me that!" she replied in a cold voice. She removed the cutlass from his throat and Thor felt himself relax. "Now tell me what have you done here?" she asked keeping her cutlass close to his throat.

Thor looked at the stranger. "I would not hurt an ally of mine!" he said but soon regretted it when the cutlass was back against his throat. "Would you please lower your weapon!" he said keeping a calm voice as he looked at this stranger. She reminded him of Lady Sif who was still defending Asgard while he was on Midgard. Slowly the cutlass was lowered but she kept it in her hand. "I promise that I am no threat to you or anyone else in this world!" he said keeping his eyes on her.

Glaring at him Nightshade calculated what was the best course of action. She had heard of Thor of Asgard from the Doctor when they meet the first time at the UNIT HQ. "I sure hope so, Thor Odinson!" she snarled finally putting away her cutlass. She looked back at Edward. He was keeping Stark pinned but Steve was slowly talking him out of killing the armoured man. "Edward get off the ape!" she shouted at him before looking back at Thor. "I apologise for Edward and myself, Thor Odinson. My name is Nightshade!" she said holding out the hand that only seconds ago was holding her cutlass up at Thor's throat.

"I have heard about you Nightshade! I never thought I would meet you here on Earth!" he said taking her offered hand. The two of them shock hands until Nightshade released her grip and glared at Edward who was helping Tony Stark up to his feet.

"Edward! Report!" she snarled folding her arms across her chest as she took in the damage of both him and Steve.

Edward leaned against a cabinet as he regarded his friend along with the two strangers. "Leatherback and Seth! They were both here! For what reason, I don't know, but I have that feeling that something big is going to happen!" he replied to her question.

Nightshade was silent for a few moments as she thought of the next action to take in this matter. They couldn't go after Seth and Leatherback. They didn't know where they had gone after they had beaten up Edward and Steve as if they were nothing but school kids in the playground. And she didn't want to risk Edwards life when he was in such a bad state. No, she was stuck. She couldn't come up with a plan that could see Leatherback finally behind bars and Seth stopped before he could do any real damage. "Edward return to the UN headquarters and go and see a doctor to see to your wounds! I will join you once I get this finished with!" she said to Edward.

The zombie raised his hand and had opened his mouth when Nightshade snapped at him, "That is an order, Edward! I will call in Julian to help me track them. I want you to get to the HQ right now and I don't want to hear anything from you until I hear the report from the doctor!" she snapped pointing her index finger at Edward's chest.

The three Avengers could only watch as Nightshade shouted at Edward. They were more confused when Edward didn't say anything. He was taking all of Nightshade's shouting about not engaging an Egyptian God alone without proper backup. Then her focus shifted onto them. "Stay out of this! This is not your fight!" she snarled at them. She ignored Edward as he tried to get her attention. After a moment of him trying to get her attention she spun around to face him. "What?!" she asked narrowing her eyes even more.

"Nightshade!" Edward said as he pressed his cancelled the call that he had received from UNIT coming up to her. Seeing that he had her attention she continued, "Kate Steward!" he said as he got her attention along with the Avengers who were in the apartment. "She says that they have spotted Leatherback heading for the museum here in the city!" he said causing Steve to look at Nightshade.

"Leatherback is into human history?" he asked looking at the shape shifter who had taken human form.

"He is not that sort of beast, Rogers!" Edward said.

Nightshade nodded her head in agreement to what Edward had said. "He must be looking for something that he and Seth need for their plans!" she said looking at Steve. "I take it the museum has something on Ancient Egypt?" she asked him.

"I would suppose so!" he said which caused both Edward and Nightshade to race out of the apartment. Edward running towards the stairs while Nightshade morphed into a hawk and flew open the open window in the living room. Steve looked at the other two Avengers. Iron Man and Thor were both staring at him.

"Who were they?" Tony asked as the faceplate of his helmet lifted revealing his slightly bruised face.

Steve leaned against a cabinet in his kitchen that was used to hold classes. "Where can I start?" he asked himself as he remembered everything about the two Argentix's who were now working with the UN.

Thor spoke out, "How is it that you know Nightshade?" he asked the super soldier.

"I meet both Edward and Nightshade when I was fighting against HYDRA and the Red Skull!" Steve started to explain as he looked at the two Avengers who had burst into his apartment well after Leatherback and Seth had left his apartment after trashing it in their fight against him and Edward. "Those two fought alongside the Howling Commandos in nearly every battle that we fought in the Eastern Front in our campaign against HYDRA!" finished Steve looking out of the window that Nightshade as a hawk had flown out of.

Tony and Thor both looked at each other. "From what Steve, has told us and from what I have heard about Nightshade is that they can be trusted as valid allies!" Thor said as he looked back at Steve. "But please tells us who is it that attacked you in your place of residence if it was not Edward like we had suspected?" he asked Steve who was seeing to checking his wrist after it was sprained in his fight with Leatherback.

"A brute called Leatherback along with Seth!" Steve replied as he walked away from where he was leaning against the cabinet.

Tony and Thor both stepped to the side as Steve walked past them towards his small bedroom in his apartment. "What are you for doing old man?" Tony shouted at him.

Steve did not respond for a couple of minutes, but when he came out of his bedroom he was in his uniform. His shield that was resting on the wall just outside his apartment that was right beside the kitchen was waiting silently for him to pick it up. The shield was picked up and strapped to his shoulders. "I'm going to help them!" he said as he walked towards the door.

He was stopped by Thor saying, "I will assist and I am sure that I speak for Iron Man!" he said following him out of the apartment before Tony or Steve could do anything to deter the Asgardian from his thoughts.

Iron Man knowing that he would not win in trying to get Thor to change his mind followed them out of Steve's apartment. "I'll have the other Avengers meet us at the museum and tell them to wait for us to get there!" he said as his faceplate clamped back into position over his face.