A Super Soldier for the Modern World

Chapter 11

"I need to know what the status is, JARVIS," Tony said.

It had been two days since he'd been put in charge of SHIELD. He had not slept, but this time it wasn't because he couldn't. Now, he was doing everything within his power to figure out what happened to Rogers and Amanda.

"Sir, my analysis is that both Captain Rogers and Agent Carter were projected into another dimension," JARVIS said.

Tony rolled his eyes.

"JARVIS, I am both disgusted and offended that I programmed you and this is what you have offered me as an answer."

"Sir, the math does not lie," JARVIS told his master.

"Do you hear yourself?" Tony asked JARVIS. "Because how do they get projected into another dimension?" he asked. "Where the hell is Banner? I want Bruce Banner here now!" he shouted at the roomful of agents.

"Doctor Banner is in Argentina at the current moment, remember, sir?" JARVIS told him.

"Well, get a hold of him and get him here," Tony told his AI best friend.

"Now, they told me that this had happened, but I couldn't quite believe it," a voice familiar to Tony said. "Someone really was having an off day when they left you in charge," James Rhodes told Tony.

"You've been talking to Pepper," Tony accused him.

"And clearly you haven' t been home to sleep…" Rhodey replied, taking in Tony's sleep-deprived appearance.

"This is my building, so, technically I've been home all week," Tony told him, cutting him off. "Home is relative."

"You need a break, man," Rhodey told the man before him.

"Colonel Rhodes," Agent Coulson said as he walked towards them.

"How are you, Coulson?" he smiled, extending his hand.

"It's going to be back," Coulson replied, shaking Rhodes' hand.

"Did you know he cried when he found out you died?" Rhodes said to Coulson.

Tony looked pissed.

"Can I borrow your Director for a few minutes?" Rhodes asked as Coulson let on the hint of a smirk, but it was gone as quickly as it came.

"Of course," Coulson said. "As long as our fearless leader feels like he can tear himself away…"

"I'll be back in a few, Coulson. And for the record, I did not cry; I was having some allergy issues….I think I had something wrong with my sinuses. And Cap's suit definitely didn't breath, it was sweaty and smelly. Kind of like onions…if I ever find him, I'm going to tell him to get that checked out…" he rambled.

"Of course, Director Stark," Coulson said.

As soon as Rhodes and Tony were out of earshot of everyone, Tony began talking.

"Why the hell did you tell him that?"

Rhodey laughed. "Because it was fun," he told his friend. "You remember fun, right?" he asked. "So, any luck figuring out the issue of the missing Captain America?" he asked after Tony fixed him with a dirty look.

Tony shook his head. "No. JARVIS seems to think that they were transported to some other dimensions, but…"

"But that seems a little farfetched?" Rhodey finished. "Because to me it seems farfetched."

"Did you watch the footage that we retrieved from the AIM security system?" Tony asked.

"Yes, I did," Rhodes replied. "But…"

"That can't mean just anything."

"Maybe AIM messed with the footage…"

"They secured everyone in the building; Rogers and Amanda were not there and there were no AIM agents left to mess with the surveillance system," Tony said.

"It could have been done from a remote location. You know as well as I do that a lot of tech damage can be done from the other side of the globe," Rhodes told him.

"My gut says something else," Tony said. "And I know Cap; it has to be something else. He would have fought his way out of captivity by now."

"Unless he's dead, or incapacitated…"

"Was that an intentional pun?" he asked, interrupting Rhodey.

Now it was Rhodey's turn to give Tony a dirty look.

"There are a lot of people who know him and want to take him out," Rhodes said. "He's got almost as many enemies as you do."

"You're a ray of sunshine, you know that?" Tony said sarcastically.

"Well, the real reason I'm here…"

"I am not going to like this, am I?" Tony replied.

"They are pushing a bill through the Senate. It's going to require all superhumans to register themselves. Both their superhero name and their real name and will all become public knowledge."

"And…?" Tony said. He put his hands on his head and rubbed his temples.

"Well, the trouble lies in the work that SHIELD does," Rhodes said. "You guys are looking for more superhumans and…"

"What exactly are you getting at?" Tony asked.

"The Superhuman Registration Act and its brother, the Mutant Registration Act, say that the government can regulate the activities of, well, even Iron Patriot. We would all have to register as weapons of mass destruction."

"How do you feel about it?" Tony asked. "Because I think it's only natural. Those of us that have this…power, well, I think, should want others to know. I don't get that whole, secrecy thing…"

"I'm apt to side with you. I think it would just be a good idea, if not a courtesy to let the government have an idea of how many there really are out there."

"SHIELD will help find them. Essentially that is what Coulson is doing. He's got a team and…"

"There are going to be superhumans and mutants that are unhappy with this. They aren't going to want to cooperate," he said.

"I am fully aware of that," Tony told him. "But I can be very convincing. And once I get Cap back, he can help promote it," Tony said.

"Senator Stern will be pleased that you agree with him," Rhodey told him.

Tony sharply inhaled in disgust. "Now that I know that he's behind it, I might have to pass…"

"Tony…"

"Okay, this one time, I have to agree with doing the responsible thing," Tony said. "But you caught me at a vulnerable moment. But you can tell Stern I'll be the first to sign. I'm sure everyone will follow suit. Get it? Because I'm Iron Man…" Tony smiled a wide, bright grin. "Now, I have to go figure out how Cap was sent through to another dimension."

"You know, if anyone else said that, it would be really weird."

…

Amanda couldn't take it anymore. She snuck away from her fake nursing duties and headed to find Steve. Her fiancé.

She hadn't really thought about it since that night. Were they really in any place to get married? They had been together for a while, but was it a long enough while?

She turned the corner and was grabbed.

Amanda immediately started fighting back, but she quickly realized that she was being held by her own fiancé.

"Hey," he said softly as she stopped fighting him.

"You shouldn't be out here," Amanda told him. "What if someone sees you?"

"It'll be okay," he told her. "The me that belongs here is working with Stark in the lab. Door locked. I'm getting some fresh air."

"Well, that was nice of him," Amanda said before stealing a kiss.

"Aren't you supposed to be nursing some wounded soldier back to health yourself, ma'am?" he said as he pinned her up against the back wall of one of the camp buildings.

"Well, Captain, I snuck off," she said.

"Do you want to be labeled as a deserter?"

"What are you going to do to me? Turn me in?" she asked, looking up into his eyes.

"No, I think I'm going to keep you for myself," he said seriously before kissing her again.

"Cap?" Bucky's voice called. "Are you…?" he started and trailed off as he came upon the two of them.

"What the hell?" Bucky asked.

Steve immediately released the hold that he had on Amanda and she smoothed down her outfit.

"Are you okay?" he asked Amanda. "What the hell has gotten into you?" he asked Steve.

Steve opened his mouth to reply, but Amanda put her hand on his chest to stop.

"It's okay, I'm fine. It definitely isn't what you're thinking," she told Bucky. "Sergeant Barnes, come with us and we can…"

"What am I thinking?" Bucky asked.

"That…"

"I think Steve-o is trying to make up for lost time and since…"

"He's your best friend, do you really think he'd do that?" Amanda answered. "Seriously? No matter what, you would never do that, would you?" she asked Steve.

"Especially not to the woman I'm in love with," Steve replied.

"This is so weird. What about your cousin? Doesn't Agent Carter have a thing for you? Don't you have a thing for her?"

"Well, one of me does."

"I don't follow."

"Tell him," Amanda replied. "He's going to have to know. Shit."

"I have not heard a woman curse as much as you do..."

"You get used to it," Steve said. "Buck," Steve began as he looked around for eavesdroppers. "I'm me, but something happened and I wound up in 2013."

"2013?" Bucky asked.

"The year 2013. 70 years in the future," Steve said quietly. "Amanda is Peggy…Agent Carter's niece, actually. We somehow ended up sent back in time. There are actually two of me at this camp."

"You must really think I'm stupid, Steve," Bucky said. "That's a really elaborate lie to cover your sneaking around with another girl. I mean, I won't tell anyone," Bucky said. "But you could have just told me the truth."

"I'm getting really tired of explaining this," Amanda said. "I just want to go home. I sure as hell hope Tony is working on this back in our time."

Amanda searched her pockets and hauled out her driver's license and shoved it at Bucky.

The man took it and inspected it.

"1984?"

"1984," Amanda said. "I was born August 31, 1984 in West Virginia on the Carter Compound. Does that help?" she asked as he finished looking at her ID.

"I feel like I want to go get drunk…" he said. "Wait! I thought I'd seen two of you! And you all told me I'd had too much to drink. I passed out."

"I punched you," Amanda told him.

"She may not be a super-soldier, but she sure packs a wallop," Steve said.

"Packs a wallop?" Amanda asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Guess I'm blending back in."

"What happens to me?" Bucky asked.

"Uh," Both Steve and Amanda started together.

"You get married to a lovely woman and I think you have, is it nine grandchildren now?" Amanda lied. "You just have to stick this war out."

"Wow," he replied. "Really?"

"That's what the history books say."

"I'm in a history book?" he asked.

"It's a big deal back in the US that you and Cap and these men defeated the Red Skull. Now, you cannot tell anyone what happened or what is going on. Colonel Phillips thinks that the second Steve is a robot that isn't ready for use yet. Which, we do have in the future, but…"

Bucky held up his hands.

"I'll guess I'll let the two of you get back to whatever you were doing. It's nice to know you get over your fear of women, Steve-o." He clapped his friend on the back. In a low voice, Bucky spoke to Steve. "You guys are…?" he trailed off. "Right?"

Steve smiled uncomfortably. "Thanks, Buck. I'll talk to you later."

Bucky smiled and laughed and then left the both of them alone again.

"We have got to get home," Steve said.

…

Author's note: There was the newest update. Let me know what you thought! Thank you!

And thank you to the people who have always regularly reviewed. I'm so pleased to know that you're enjoying this!