Captain America - The Last Campaign

by J.D. Finck

Captain America is dying. A conspiracy to unlock the secret of the Super Soldier Serum is achieving what no enemy ever has: the death of America's greatest hero. While fighting to stay alive, Cap must also prepare for his final battle against the Red Skull...with the fate of the world hanging in the balance. *This is based on the comic book Cap*

23. Chapter 23 Nazi Memorandum

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CAPTURED NAZI MEMORANDUM - (translated)
U.S. ARMY FILE 98975-1A
INTERCEPTED OCT 9, 1944

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Commander, SS, Reich Headquarters, Berlin,
From: Colonel Heinrich Zemo
Special Investigations, SS

Field Marshal Himmler,

Status update of Special Operative Col. Johan Schmidt, code name: Red Skull. Details remain uncertain. His last contact was three weeks ago. Col. Schmidt was closing in on an occult item from the Fuhrer's 'Special Items' list. This item was in the possession of an English Lord, but I think it unlikely Schmidt was captured. We have heard nothing from our spies in Britain, or from Allied communiqués to confirm this.

All members of Col. Schmidt's team, designated: Hydra, are missing - an entire squadron of highly trained agents, with money and resources at their disposal, likely in possession of an item of great value. Schmidt has long been a 'lone wolf'. As a covert agent, I understand this is an invaluable trait…to a point. I believe Schmidt has long since passed that point. I have filed reports detailing my concerns about Schmidt. As his successes have accumulated, so too have his excesses: a self-serving arrogance, a patent disregard for the needs of the Reich, and a lust for personal power. I maintain that Schmidt was behind the recent plot against the Fuhrer's life.

I am pursuing a lead that Schmidt is hiding somewhere in the south of France. With the growing threat of Allied invasion, it would be child's play for a man of Schmidt's abilities to maintain a hidden base of operations from which to work. I request authorization to terminate Schmidt—he is too dangerous to be taken alive. We can interrogate his confederates in order to learn the facts in this case. I await your instructions.

Heil Hitler,

Col. Heinrich Zemo,
September 8, 1944