"It doesn't take a hero to order men into battle. It takes a hero to be one of those men who goes into battle." - Norman Schwarzkopf
SENTINEL OF LIBERTY
Chapter 3: INVADERS ASSEMBLE!
Mim Possible sighed as she hung from a large wall, chains and metal shackles held her tightly by the wrists, upper arms, waist, thighs and ankles. Whoever designed this knew how to hold prisoners.
She glanced up as she heard the latch of her cell door open and four armed men walked in, two SS soldiers and a pair of HYDRA agents and then a man in a Nazi uniform followed after. His face looked odd to Mim, looked unreal, almost like a rubber mask. "The much rumored Agent 13, we meet at last." The man approached her, removing his gloves. "You've caused me a great deal of troubles, young lady," he said in a thick German accent.
"I caused you a great deal of troubles?" Mim glared up at the man, "Good."
"Allow me to introduce myself," The officer said, stepping toward Mim. "I am Johann Schmidt, though I am known in some circles as the Red Skull…" He introduced, reaching out to touch Mim's face, but she quickly turned away. "Spirited, as expected for an American…"
Mim yelped in pain as the Skull back handed her roughly across her face. "It pains me to cause any damage to such a beautiful face, but wild horses must be broken, you see?"
"Alright, go ahead and start spouting your name, rank, and serial number," Skull smirked, and laughed when Mim spit on his uniform.
"How about I just tell you to go to hell?" Mim sneered back.
"I like this woman," Red Skull glanced back to his minions in the room, "Such spirit… but my dear, my dear…" He smiled, reaching for a control box, "we already are in Hell, and I am the Devil." He said pulling the lever, Mim screamed in agony and arched off the wall as electricity pulsed through every cell of her body. "Mmm I love screamers…" Red Skull laughed, switching the control box back off.
"Did that hurt, Agent 13?" Schmidt asked the panting, trembling woman. "No? How about this?" Mim screamed again, arching off the wall as more electricity pulsed.
He held the power on for five minutes this time before finally letting her sag in her chains. She let her head hang down so her long, auburn hair hide her face. It was to no avail as Schmidt roughly gripped her jaw and made her look up at him. "Awe, did I make another American cry? Another check on my bucket list."
"What… what kind… interrogation is this?" Mim wheezed weakly, "Aren't… you going to ask me anything?"
"You have nothing I wish to know," Schmidt laughed, "you're but a toy." Mim's heart pounded against her chest as the German pulled a knife. "You seem warm… perhaps you could use some air, Agent, and I am curious on how you look compared to my native women…" he noted the smoke coming off her from her torture. Mim's eyes widened as he slid the knife down her uniform front cutting off the buttons. "Are you frightened, Woman?" the monster asked with a smile on his face, "Good." He said, punching her hard in her bare stomach.
Mim lurched forward, coughing up blood from the force of the blow that landed with a splat on the stone floor. "You will learn to respect me, one way or the…"
"Reichsführer-HYDRA!" Another soldier burst into Mim's cell, not even bothering to salute Schmidt.
"Can you not see I am occupied?" Schmidt turned angrily to the intruder.
"We have a… situation…" the soldier gulped.
-A-
When it comes crashing down
And it hurts inside
SS and HYDRA soldiers scrambled outside the base, looking around as they stood over seven fallen comrades who were patrolling the outskirts of the base. "What happened here?" One asked with concern.
You gotta take a stand
It don't help to hide
One heard footsteps coming up behind him, and saw three stars over blue before he felt like a truck slammed into his face. "WE'RE UNDER ATTACK!" Another screamed as their single attacker moved like a dancer through them.
If you hurt my friends
Then you hurt my pride
"I haven't seen anyone move this fast since the Commander…" a HYDRA soldier breathed before their attacker's shield slammed into his shoulder, breaking it and making him drop his gun, and followed up with a hard jab to the face, shattering his faceplate. In moment all but one of the reinforcements were down with the original patrol. He gasped as a red gloved hand gripped his throat and lifted him into the air.
I gotta be man
I can't let it slide
"Who-Who are you?" The German asked in broken English, looking fearful at the face hidden partly by the blue mask-like helmet.
"America." Was the response before he was slammed hard into the unforgiving ground.
The alarm sounded and a spot light shown down on him, revealing his blue armor with red and white stripped midsection and a single star on his chest and red gloves and boots, as well as the blue mask-like helmet with a large uppercase A on the forehead. He lifted his stripped and star-spangled shield as the gates opened.
I am a real American
Fight for the rights of every man
"Alright, Jon," the Star-Spangled Avenger drew his side arm and readied his shield, "Let's see what you're made of…" He said running toward the Nazis.
Gun shots ricochet off the shield and he opened fire, taking a few down with great accuracy. In truth he appalled killing, but these monsters had Mim and Shelly. A price had to be paid.
I am a real American
He held up the shield as headlights blinded him for a moment. Jon grunted as he leapt into the air, balling himself up behind his triangular shield, breaking through the windshield of the jeep that was trying to run him over. The foolish driver only had a moment to scream as the shield slammed into him.
Fight for what's right
Fight for your life
The soldier in the passenger seat tried to run, but was quickly grabbed by Jon, and slammed to the ground, with Jon's shield pressed into his chest. "WHERE ARE THE AMERICANS?" Jon screamed angrily into the soldier's face. "TALK! NOW!"
The German fearfully pointed toward the castle, "Lower levels…" He whimpered.
"Thank you," Jon said, punching him in the face, knocking him out. He stood up and walked toward the base entrance with a purpose.
I feel strong about right and wrong
Jon used his shield to pry open the door and entered the small outpost, and found the heavily restrained Team Go and Allied soldiers one level down over the railing.
He approached them. "You all ok, Soldier?" Jon asked the group.
"Behind you!" Nick Fury yelled, and Jon turned quickly and lifted his shield to deflect the bullets flying his way.
"Aren't you patriotic?" Madam HYDRA growled at Jon.
"I know a girl who dresses a lil like you," Jon popped his neck, "She carries it better…"
"You speak of the green American child?" Madam HYDRA laughed, "She's being personally taken care of by my men…" Jon's blood boiled.
And I don't take trouble for very long
Jon gripped the shield by the pointed end, and tossed it toward the woman. Madam HYDRA never saw it coming as the blunt end slammed into her, knocking her off her feet.
"Wow…" Nick blinked wildly, as Jon picked up the shield. "Who the heck are you?"
"The name's Captain America," Jon said, using his shield to break the lock on the cell.
"So you're the Super Soldier?" Nick asked, as they exited the cage. "The General was right, you are top notch."
I got something deep inside of me
"Get Team Go free and out of here, I'm getting Shego and your commander," Jon said, passing his side arm to Nick, "Be careful, Soldier."
"You too, Cap!" Nick said, as Nick and Dum-Dum went to work freeing Hego, Mego, and Toro and Jon went farther into the base.
Courage is the thing that keeps us free
Shego sat curled up in a ball in her isolated cell, trying to keep from anyone outside realizing she was crying. Her eyes widened when she heard something hard hit against the metal door. Then again, and again, before it finally fell down. She stared dumbstruck at the Star Spangled Avenger as he stepped in, dragging her guard by the throat. "Wha?"
"You ok, Shelly?" Jon asked, dropping the guard.
"Jonny?" Shego's eyes widened even more as tears formed in the corners of her eyes, "JONNY!" She screamed, diving into his arms. "I… I was just about to break out myself…" She sniffled.
"I know but it's ok now, Kid, I'm getting you out of here as soon as we find Agent 13," Jon said, hugging her a moment. "Do you know where she's being held?"
"I… I heard her screaming earlier…" Shego pointed down the hall, "That way." She blinked when she heard her friend growl.
If you hurt my friends
Then you hurt my pride
Shego followed along behind Jon as he walked down the hall, stopping before a large door, he tested the lock and was shocked to find it unlocked. He carefully opened the door, and he and the young girl entered. "Mim…" Jon breathed seeing his friend hanging by the chains, a small pool of blood and vomit on the floor before her. His fists clinched as fear over took him as he walked toward her. "Mim?"
"Who… Who's there?" Mim slowly lifted her bruised face. "You don't look German…" She wheezed, looking at Jon.
"Nicest thing you ever told me, Mim…" Jon said, and her eyes widened.
"J-Jon?"
I gotta be a man
I can't let that slide
She watched him as he easily broke the locks on her restraints and weakly fell into his arms, feeling the muscles under his armor with her hands. "What happened to you?"
"I joined the Army…" Jon smiled awkwardly.
They made it back to the hall and found Mim's torturer, a german scientist and a small group of soldiers waiting. "Ahhh… You must be my brother…" Schmidt tilted his head at Jon.
"I have only one brother, and Ronald's a bit pudgy, and not evil," Jon shot back. "You're in pretty good shape and pretty evil so I'll go out on a limb and say you're not my brother."
"You took Abraham's formula did you not?" Schmidt asked, "Then we are brothers of a new race of men, a new TRUE Master Race. We are gods, you and I, yet you still wear the flag of mortals? You are pathetic, Brother."
I got something deep inside of me…
Courage is the thing that keeps us free!
"You're no god; you're just a bully in an expensive uniform…" Jon took a step toward him, "And STOP CALLING ME BROTHER!" Jon cried throwing a punch at Schmidt, sending him reeling.
I am a real American
Fight for the rights of every man
Schmidt touched his jaw in surprise, and gasped when Jon's shield slammed into his chest, knocking him off his feet. His minions stared in shock. No one has ever been a challenge to the Red Skull in a fight before.
I am a real American
Fight for what what's right
Fight for your life!
"Reichsführer-HYDRA?" Prof. Zola asked, reaching for his fallen leader.
"DON'T TOUCH ME!" Schmidt stood up, and stormed toward Jon.
Jon held up his shield to block the blow, and was shocked when the blow dented the reinforced steel shield. "Whoa…" He said, dodging a haymaker.
"You are but a watered down substitute!" Schmidt snapped, as Jon caught his fist, and kicked him in the chest, making him take a few steps back.
"I am Abraham's masterpiece! The realization of his life work! I am the TRUE Super Soldier!" Schmidt growled, glaring daggers at Jon who stood tall with Mim and Shego at his side. All of their eyes widened when he gripped his neck, and peeled the false skin away to show them his true face, his head little more than a hideous red skull. "Look upon HUMAN PERFECTION!"
Mim and Shego blinked at Red Skull and glanced from Jon to Red Skull and back again. "Boy am I glad I'm not perfect… and you'll never hear me say that again…" Shego said before the girls tilted their heads at Jon.
"You don't have one of those, do you?" Mim asked, and Shego bit her lip nervously at that.
Jon quickly shook his head to the girls then glared back at the Skull, "if you're so much better than me, why are you backing away?" Jon snapped.
"Don't worry, Brother," Red Skull laughed, "We will meet again… if you survive this castle exploding…" he added as he and his men sealed his exit door.
"I think that's a good cue to run..." Jon said as he, Mim and Shego turned and bolted down the hall as the walls began to shake and a roaring explosion could be heard above and below them.
-A-
"I'm leading what we have left after them," a man in a dark body suit and a sniper rifle strapped to his back paced in General Barkin's tent in front of the General and Dr. Lipsky.
"Bravo, what we have left is you, two twins that can multiply, and a hand full of volunteer foot soldiers," Barkin stated, "Number One, The ones captured volunteered and acknowledged the risks of their mission, and number two…" He smirked slightly, "Captain America is on it."
"Captain America? Who came up with that name anyway? Lord, and one man, do you honestly believe one man, no matter what experiments the government has done, can make a difference against an army of Nazi and HYDRA forces?"
"He can," the General nodded.
"I don't care what you think I'm going after Miriam and… what's going on?" Barkin and Bravo glanced outside the tent door to see the troopers. The two men exited the tent to see in the distance the captured Invaders walking back toward the camp, led by the Star-Spangled Avenger.
"Agent 13? Not exactly a lucky number, Mim," Jon said as he walked beside his best friend.
"Luck? Not exactly my lot in life, Jon," Mim smiled as they finally entered the camp and acknowledged the applause. "And it does have a bit more mystique than… Captain America…" She said with a wink.
"Miriam!" Jon watched with an odd feeling of defeat as Bravo ran up to Mim, lifted her in the air by the waist and spun her around. He'd never seen anyone handle Mim like this before. Not without the threat of a loss of hand, limb or head. Then it felt like a bucket of cold water was dumped in his armor when Mim laughed and kissed this 'intruder'.
The Intruder put her back down, and Mim was under a spell as far as Jon could tell. It didn't last long and she turned to Jon. "Jon, meet Bravo, he's the team's sniper. Bravo, this is my best friend since childhood Jon Stoppable, better known lately as Captain America!" She said proudly.
"Nice to meet you, Jon, Miriam talks about you all the time," Bravo took Jon's hand in a firm shake. "I… always pictured you as shorter…"
"Yeah, I've been working out…" Jon replied, narrowing his eyes slightly, "And MIM hasn't ever mentioned you to me…"
"We didn't meet till she assembled the Invaders in Italy," Bravo explained, glancing to the oblivious lady.
"And what was that, a few weeks ago?" Jon stepped away, removing his helmet.
"Two months, three weeks, four days, and twelve hours," Mim replied, smiling at Bravo, "Give or take a few minutes."
"Yeah? Well, Mim and I met twenty three years, five months and… what was it Mim?" Jon asked, gaining her attention again, he frowned when she had to think about it.
"That sounds about right, yes," Mim nodded.
"I have to meet with the General," Jon grumbled, turning and walking toward the tents, "Look forward to working with… all of you…" he said, mumbling something about an intruder.
"Hey, Jon, wait," Bravo called out, before looking to the gathered soldiers and Team Go. "This guy just saved the day! LET'S HEAR IT FOR CAPTAIN AMERICA!" Bravo called out, and whistles and cheers filled the air.
Jon smiled at the applause and cheering, and it did ease that mysterious ache with the fact that the loudest of them all came from Mim.
To Be Continued…
song credit: Real American: Hulk Hogan's WWF/E enterance theme