The cold wasn't as harsh anymore as Johann sat in a very secure plane seat his arm fastened securely to the armrests by electrified restraints. Two agents sat beside him guns at the ready should the old war criminal think to make a daring escape. He sighed and leaned back in the chair before casting his gaze around at the jet itself. It was incredible, to say the least, technology had greatly advanced since he had been awake and it was incredible to look at. Even the cuffs that were restraining him fascinated him to no end. The way the metal components were together by a strange blue electrified light made his eyes light up with glee. He calmed down as to not show too much enthusiasm for the new world he wanted to remain his reserved self as to not lose the air of intimidation that surrounded him.
Nick Fury sat directly across from him, his eyes never leaving him except when he glanced down at a handheld device in his hand. "We're gonna have to do something about that face of yours," he said bluntly his eyes looking down at the device. Johann winced at the thought of his grotesque features it never really settled in him what he looked like. He could feign superiority all he wanted, have his picture painted and everything, but it never stopped that empty gnawing feeling of looking disgusting.
"What do you suppose we do about it then?" Johann asked as he looked directly at Fury with no sign of interest on his face.
"Well, I'm sure some of my men can come up with something that would work, maybe even make ya look like who you used to. However, it would only be a hologram at best… You know, like an illusion," Fury continued to explain finally looking at the man he was talking to.
"Let's just wait to see if it's necessary," Johann replied sternly casting his eyes towards the exit as he felt the plane slowly coming to a stop as it hovered closer to the ground. It amazed him that the plane was able to land without needing any sort of runway. The door slowly opened and he was escorted out in handcuffs. The bright light of the outside world hit him all at once caused him to recoil and close his eyes for a moment. He hadn't seen much light except through the jet window and even that was greatly tinted. He stood on the ground of some modernised army base. The ground as covered in dusty sand and the buildings replicated that of an old warehouse, but old was far from what this place was. Jets known as Quinjets stayed secure in the hanger while various buildings held advanced weaponry and technology.
"Welcome to your new home Red Skull," Fury said with a grand gesture at the area around him, "I know it's not your old HYDRA base but I am sure it will suit you just fine." Johann didn't reply and merely followed the man that people referred to as 'The Director' around. A smaller, stouter, man came rushing over to his side greeted the man with a smile before he quickly glanced at the Red Skull. "What's the status, Coulson?"
"Nothing new on Operation Tortoise, ah- he is here now and making himself comfortable, and I see you ah have the other asset," Coulson's eyes were a mix of dislike and pure delight as he looked the Red Skull up and down.
"Well let's bring this nice man so he can see his old friend again," Fury said flicking his hand for the soldiers to lead the Red Skull behind him into one of the more office-based buildings on the far side of the facility. The more Johann studied the interior the more he realised that it was accommodation as well as an office space with multiple floors to potentially house most of the people on the base. Convenient.
Johann heard the sounds of clicking and a small zap before one of the soldiers quickly took the cuffs off of him before they fell to the ground. He grabbed at his wrists to see if they were harmed, they looked perfectly fine. He noticed the soldiers taking a few paces back to give him some space, perhaps he was free to roam now? "The only reason we took those cuffs off is that we're about to conduct a little trust exercise, for this we're going to need you to close your eyes," the smaller Coulson said with the shameless confidence he casually possessed. Johann scoffed at him annoyed about being tested on as if he was some naïve child. He gave an annoyed sigh he closed his eyes and folded his arms across his chest.
He waited what felt like a few minutes before he heard the faint gasp followed by the sound of angry footsteps. Those footsteps came to a halt only a few meters away from Johann. "Alright, now this is the trust exercise, you must not move from where you are standing no matter what. Okay, you can open your eyes now." Slowly Johann blinked his eyes open and to his anger, shock, and horror he soon discovered that the footsteps belonged to that of Captain America. His eyes hardened into angry slits as he was ready to leap at the man who ruined his perfect plan for world salvation. He knew, however, that is exactly what they wanted from him, they wanted him to be the war criminal they continued to insist he was. After a few moments of clenched fists he calmed his breathing as best he could and stared directly into the hazel blue eyes of Steve Rogers.
Rogers, on the other hand, looked ready to spit venom at Johann. He was thrown into this new world and was just informed that they could potentially be working together. He barely had a grasp on reality let alone being made to deal with someone as hot-headed and arrogant as the Red Skull. They both stared at each other, silence falling over the room. Coulson looked eagerly between the two of them, he almost looked like he wanted a fight to occur. Fury looked calm but still anxious that something potentially messy could happen.
"I thought you were dead," Steve said in a disappointed tone with a hint of dislike.
"The feelings are mutual," Johann replied unfolding his arms causing some soldiers around them to perk up ready to intervene. "Yet here you are, and here we are, in a place where we don't belong, in a time we don't belong to. Unless of course, you've been awake for a long while now and you were all just waiting to play some nice joke on me because I am such a bad man," Johann spat looking around harshly at everyone before back to his arch-nemesis.
"I have been awake probably just as long as you Skull. Though I am too starting to believe this is some sort of a joke," to Johann's surprised it seemed Steve agreed with him on not truly trusting the intentions of the people around them.
Fury quickly put himself between the two soldiers putting his hands out to ease them, "listen, gentleman, we didn't expect either of you to be alive but now that we have you we could use your help. I am starting an initiative and I need skilled fighters on my side, as much it pains me to even consider accepting your help Skull it just so happens that I can't do much else with you." Fury's gaze was full of command as he glared at the unamused soldier whose arms folded themselves tightly against his chest.
"So we're just toy soldiers for you to command? Do you know who you're talking to?" Johann spat anger flaring in his electric blue eyes. In an instant soldier aimed their guns at his head ready to shoot should he attempt anything. Coulson looked at the soldiers quickly dismissing them with eyes that said 'calm the hell down before you make it worse.' Johann slowly turned his head to look at one of the soldiers who stepped back in fear at the glare that they received.
"I know exactly who I am talking to, ranked best amongst his peers Johann Schmidt easily outranked even those who had been training for years. It was not hard to imagine that Hitler's chosen soldier would be so effective in the field," Fury stoutly told him turning his whole body to face him looking up at him no fear evident on his face. "The reason you're not still frozen or dead is that you have impeccable strategic skills and other related advantages that I will need to discuss with you further."
Steven stood their anxious to find out answers he took a small insistent step forward before speaking, "excuse me Mr Director but, you do realise he was the leader of HYDRA right? Wanted to destroy the world? I can understand why you want a former US Soldier but him? You have got to be joking unless of course, this place is not somewhere I want to be." Rogers quickly took a step away from the Director and glanced around at the soldiers around him, perhaps this place was more sinister than he believed and they fake hospitality to capture him.
Fury looked like he just about had it with these two before he gestured for them to follow him into a private room. It was an old conference room and no one else had joined them. The pair reluctantly sat down but on opposite ends of the table. Fury sat on a bench at the front of the room rubbing his hand against his forehead working out another angle to come at these two stubborn soldiers with. "You two are more alike than you know, now if you two could just stop talking about the past for a second and hear me out." He paused leaning his head back against the wall before continuing, "I believe there is a sinister force within SHIELD. I don't know who or what has caused it but I have had scanners go through the databases and networks and there is nothing, but I know it's not true. I don't have anyone to trust and the fact I am asking you two is insane, but sometimes we make choices we don't understand." Fury's honestly shocked the pair and Steve's tense feelings faded as he slumped in his seat it all began to hit him at once and he had no idea what to do with his emotions. He realised that everyone he knew, everyone he cared about, the one he loved, they were all gone. It truly was the future and the shock of it all was only just setting in and it was terrifying. He rested his hand on his face as he kept his gaze away from the Director.
"So you want us to help you find this sinister presence and then what? Throw us in some cell for the rest of our life?" Johann piped up leaning forward looking more sceptical than scared.
"No, unless of course, you two commit some nefarious act, all crimes of the past will be wiped clean and if we do end up finding the snake in the grass then we can find something else for you to do, there is still this world to defend."
"World?" Johann said quickly with a raise of the brow before leaning back in his chair, the prospect of having all past crimes wiped was very promising. If they trust his skills enough to let him in on something like uncovering rats than certainly he could rebuild his empire and continue his previous plot in world domination. "Fine, I accept your proposition but only under certain conditions, I won't work for no reward."
Fury chuckled, "always ready to deal with business hm? Fair enough, look I will sort something out for you but for now, there isn't much. You two have been frozen for a long while so the first order of business would to get some sufficient nutrients in you that won't shock your systems and then work on a training schedule." Fury said quickly tapping some information into a small handheld device he had. When he finished typing a woman opened to the door to the conference room. She had her silver hair typed up into a neat bun and her blue to grey eyes looked the two new arrivals up to and down with interest. "Doctor, these are the two new arrivals, I am sure you know where they will be staying. If you could show them and tell them what you have in store for them that would be great, I need a good drink so don't bother contacting me."
The mysterious woman smiled, "you won't hear from me Fury," she then gestured for the two super soldiers to follow her. Johann seemed a lot more eager than Steve when it came to the mission they were tasked with. Perhaps it was because Johann had lost nothing other than his pride, while Steve had lost pieces of his soul back in the 40s. They continued down hallways and up elevators, the building was strange, like a multi-story army barracks disguised as apartments. They stood in the elevator together, silent. "I will give you two a few hours before dinner to settle yourselves in. In your rooms, you will find a change of clothes but if they are not of your liking or size we can easily get them replaced just call the number in the handbook provided." She paused for a moment before continuing, "There are many recreational facilities here as it is built to house and entertain its agents. In the handbooks provided, you can find maps to all facilities that you're allowed to be in, food hours, and your training schedules. Though, because you won't be eating with the others tonight you will have a separate schedule laid out for you."
Johann stopped for a moment to take in the information being rattled off to him, organised, he thought a smile creeping to his face. He could always appreciate people taking the time to make things as smooth and as ordered as possible, it was a key-value to him. Steve, on the other hand, was just thankful for some time alone, he wanted to just crash onto his bed and let out all of his frustration, anger, and sadness. He felt lost, and he didn't understand why the Red Skull wasn't expressing similar emotions, perhaps he did feel the same and he was good at hiding it. The elevator let out a small ding as the doors opened and she leads them to the end of the hallway. She opened one of the doors with a key card and stood beside it gesturing for both of them to go inside. The reaction she got was expected, distress, bargaining and all sort of other emotions came out of the two of them as it was suggested that they had to stay in the same room. The woman sighed she didn't want to go through this, "listen, gentlemen, I am sorry I know you two have history but I am sure you understand how barracks work. You're lucky you don't have to share with more than two people. If you two don't end up getting along and attempt to murder each other we could move you as some of the agents will be leaving and you two will have separate rooms but for now, this is all I can do."
"I'll gladly sleep outside," Johann piped up with a fold of his arms in annoyance.
"That won't be necessary, look it's only going to be for a few weeks. As soldiers, I am sure you two are accustomed to sleeping next to other people you might not like so this isn't any different to that."
"You do realise this man wanted me dead right?" Steven chimed in a little mad he was going to be stuck with a murderer.
"You wanted to kill me too so we're even," Johann snapped back at Rogers who just rolled his eyes in return.
The woman bought a hand to her face and began to understand what Fury meant by needing a drink. "Listen!" She snapped at the two of them sick of their squabbling. "You two need to get over yourselves and suck it up. It's not going to be for long and besides sharing a living space you won't have to necessarily interact with each other. So here are your room keys," she said frustrated as she shoved the key cards into their hands. "I am not to be contacted for any housekeeping bickering, I am the doctor in charge of your recoveries. Now, get in there and shut up."
Johann was on the brink of snapping at her, how dare she speak to him like that. He was not going to be bossed around by some doctor, he was a leader. But before he could attempt to have another word in Steve pulled him into the room as if he knew what he was about to say. Steve quickly shut the door behind them with a small apology to the lady who helped them.
"They can't expect us to just get along, do they? Do they not realise we just spent the past months fighting each other, you blocking me at every turn until eventually, we got each other killed? Well, I guess to them it wasn't months ago it was years and…" Johann paused, it had been years, had the people of today forgotten about what it was like back then. Being unable to sleep soundly in fear that your enemy would be getting ahead of you. Always watching over your shoulder should a sniper be following you, never truly letting your guard down. Johann took a moment to collect his rampaging thoughts exhaling deeply.
"I get how you feel," Steve said a sad tone to his voice as he walked past Johann to explore the rest of the room. It was surprisingly spacious for such a small area. The beds separated by bedside tables large curtains covering the windows and desks pushed against the wall, both with handbooks with their respective names on them. It was a plain room with essentials for hot water for teas and a microwave for small meals. Though of course, the two of them had never seen before in their lives as they had gone down in the ice a few years before its invention. Both of them took a glance around the room before meeting at the new machine studying it. "Do you have an idea of what it is?"
"It could be anything," Johann noted bringing a hand to his chin as he studied it. "Perhaps since it's near the kettle it could have something to do with food." They both stared at it a little longer than they would have liked to admit before Johann shrugged pressing a couple of buttons on it. Steve retorted by flailing his arms for a moment.
"Wait what if you break it slow down pal," Steve said trying to stop Johann from potentially blowing the two of them up on their first day. His response was met with a laugh from the German as he pressed the final button. The machine kicked into life and a plate on the inside spun around with a light shining brightly inside.
"If the buttons were going to break it then they would not have had them on there," Johann mused before stopping the machine opening it and reaching his gloved hand inside to feel the warmth. "Oh, so it is to heat food, like an oven I guess. Perhaps it is just a modern oven," he commented before moving away from it all the interest he previously had drifted away as he sat down to read the handbook and the letter that came with it.
Steven was so surprised at how calmly Johann took to this new life it honestly was driving him up the wall. "How does none of this faze you!? We are in whole new time and you're just taking everything with this nonchalant attitude I mean, hell how do you do it? How are you not freaking out?" Steve blurted out in a flurry of frustration, fear and exhaustion. Johann looked up from the handbook to see Steve's freak out a small smirk planting itself on his face as he watched his enemy's deterioration.
"My dear Captain, I discovered years ago that freaking out about new and frightening things means you have to suffer twice as much. So I just take everything on the chin and pretend I know what's going on, clearly I have no idea what is happening and I too, to a certain degree, am quite fearful for my safety. I am not sure what you have to worry about, I'm sure your cell was nice and clean when you woke up in it."
There was a pause before it hit Steven that they weren't in the same place when he woke up. A cell? Could he have been imprisoned while he was being tricked with the fake room? He looked around from his nemesis before continuing, "I was never in a cell."