Disclaimer: I do not own Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Sahara
Several helicopters landed in the desert as Sin and Karli exited from one and several armed men exited from other helicopters in front of a gigantic mountain.
Sin then picked a tablet and typed in some commands as they heard rumbling and felt tremors, while the rock wall in front of them shifted, revealing it to be a giant gate.
"We will witness a new age, Karli. An age free of delusions." Sin said, while Karli looked amazed. "If you want to change the world, you need to force the change. And they will never understand, if you make them understand."
Karli listened to Sin's words as she clenched her fists. She was doing this all for the people, but instead, they whine, complain, fear her. That was the thanks she would get? She fumed. She thought herself a hero of the people, but all they saw was a villain… they would get a villain.
Elsewhere
A Quinjet was flying in the air as Steve looked at Walker, Lemar, Natasha, Sam and Bucky.
"Alright, S.H.I.E.L.D. has also sent their team to help, but we're all clear on the objective?" Steve asked and they nodded.
"Find the base and prevent launching the Armageddon Helicarrier." Lemar said.
"Stop Sin and the Flag-Smashers." Walker said.
"Our primary objective is to make sure the Helicarrier isn't deployed, otherwise millions of innocent will die, I want to stop Sin and Karli once and for all, but it doesn't matter if the Helicarrier is in the air, from what Hill said, it has enough firepower to burn a small nation to the ground within minutes." Steve said, looking at them. "This fight has brought us pain, suffering and loss. But it's also brought us together—as soldiers, allies, friends."
Walker and Lemar looked at Sam and Bucky, the mutual respect growing between them, despite their differences.
"One way or another, this ends today. There will be no second chances and no room for mistakes. We all know the stakes here. We all need to give in everything we've got, if we're going to win. Anything less and you're already dead. There are only two options here. Fight. Or die. But remember none of us is in this alone. We will face whatever lies ahead of us together. No matter what happens, whatever the outcome of this fight, we're in this until the end of the line." Steve said, eying them all, while giving Bucky a knowing look as they smiled at each other.
Walker just eyed Steve with newfound respect and admiration. He wasn't sure if he himself could give that kind of a speech, if he'd been in Steve's shoes, with that heart and dedication. It made him realize… maybe he couldn't succeed Steve as Captain America… but he would do whatever he could to fight the good fight, with all his heart.
"Did you write that down first or was it off the top of your head?" Sam joked.
Sahara
Quinjets landed down in front of the base as they saw that the gate had been opened.
From one Quinjet went out Mack, Bobbi, Hunter and May, alongside few S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, while Steve, Natasha, Sam, Bucky, Lemar and Walker went out from the other Quinjet.
"Looks like they're already here." Natasha said, reaching for her guns, while Bucky prepared his assault rifle, with the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents also preparing their guns and the rest on alert.
"Eyes up. Stay sharp." Steve said as they entered the gate and saw the lights turned on.
"You hear that?" Bucky asked, turning to Steve before they saw motorcycles driving towards them, with the drivers aiming guns and opening fire.
"Incoming!" Walker yelled as he and Steve prepared their shields to block the bullets and the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents took cover before retaliating.
Deploying his wings Sam flew above, while Natasha and Bucky were taking cover, Natasha firing with her guns and Bucky opening fire before Walker rushed in, deflecting the bullets with his shield before he threw it at the mercenaries, who fell off their bikes. Steve rushed at one of the bikers who was driving towards him before Steve jumped and kicked the driver off the bike.
Bucky fired from a grenade launcher on his machine gun as the explosion sent some of the mercenaries flying away before Natasha rushed in and jumped, kicking one of the mercenaries down, while Lemar pulled out his guns, opening fire and taking cover. Some mercenaries were approaching Natasha before a shield ricocheted off each of them. Natasha turned, assuming the shield was Steve's before she saw it fly towards Walker and they gave each other a grateful nod.
Mack, Hunter and May were leading S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, with Mack shooting from his shotgun-axe and Hunter and May firing from their guns.
"Well, on the plus side, at least we got the Avengers on our side, more or less." Hunter said as he took cover and reloaded his guns.
Bobbi was trading blows with some other HYDRA troops, using her battle staves, dispatching of them quickly. "What? Don't tell me you want Thor and Hulk to join the party too, Hunter."
"I'm not talking about an overkill, Bobbi, even I've got limits." Hunter snapped.
"Figure out your marital issues later!" May snapped back before she shot a pile of fuel barrels as it exploded, sending the soldiers flying away.
Sin was with Karli, approaching the Helicarrier, when they heard explosions.
"They're here." Karli said and Sin sighed as they turned to see flames blazing around.
"Stall them. I will prepare the Helicarrier for launch and program its deployment." Sin said and Karli hesitated. "We both knew this would end here one way or another. I'm ready to give my life for my cause. Are you?"
The words strengthened Karli's resolve.
"Then finish it. Whatever it takes, we will rebuild a new world from the ashes of the old one." Sin ordered.
Karli hesitated at first before turning and running off.
They were advancing forward, when some giant mech, almost as large as the Destroyer from Asgard, armed with machine guns and missile turrets appeared.
"Move!" Natasha ordered as the mech opened fire and the agents, Natasha, Bucky and Lemar took cover.
"What is that thing?!" Sam snapped, flying around and trying to find a weak spot but then had to dodge and avoid as it fired missiles at him.
"A prototype inspired by the Destroyer, designed by Stark Industries!" Mack yelled as they tried to shoot at it but were unable to penetrate its armor.
"It's gotta have a weak spot!" Bucky yelled as it fired from its machine gun and they ran off before it could shoot them down. Bucky fired a grenade from the launcher on his machine gun but it had no effect as it exploded upon hitting the mech's armor but asides from a scorched spot, there was no damage seen.
"Yeah? Well, I don't see one!" Hunter snapped.
Sam flied around the mech and fired from his guns, but all he managed to was to dent its armor.
Then they saw a shield fly towards its neck and a panel fell off, revealing circuitry, exposing its weak spot before it flew towards Walker, who jumped on a machinery towards a catwalk before he jumped on some girders, not even bothering balancing himself before he jumped at the mech's neck and began pummeling at the circuitry, smashing it.
Everyone looked in shock and astonishment, but Lemar, Bucky, Natasha and Sam realized there was only one explanation for this display of acrobatics and strength. Walker had taken the serum. They all looked at him in admiration, impressed and surprise.
Steve bashed away one soldier before kicking down another. He then threw his shield as it ricocheted off the soldiers before he saw Sin marching towards the elevator. Steve continued running and taking down every enemy in his way before climbing on a pile of crates and jumping on a chain and holding onto it, while swinging across and dodging gunfire. Sin entered the elevator as it closed but Steve raised his shield, bursting through the door as he jumped into the shaft, holding onto the elevator mechanics at the bottom of the elevator.
Karli looked around, realizing they were losing. She had Super Soldier serum in her, but without her followers she felt powerless and she doubted any of the troops were going to listen to her. Well, her plan failed, but she could find someone who could draw the serum from her blood and replicate it and maybe she could eventually find more followers for her cause, but right now, she had to retreat and go to hiding.
Karli ran down one of the hangars, when suddenly, she heard someone loudly shouting her name.
"MORGENTHAU!"
Karli turned to the source of the voice and saw U.S. Agent marching towards her.
"Let's finish this." Walker said.
"Don't make me fight you. I don't want to hurt people that don't matter." Karli said.
"So all the innocent lives HYDRA might kill don't matter to you?" Walker growled, infuriated.
Karli was silent and with no intention of wasting any more time bantering, Walker roared, throwing the shield at Karli, who kicked it away as it bounced off the wall. Walker then rushed at Karli as they began trading blows but much to Karli's surprise, unlike in their previous encounter in Germany, Walker's skills, speed and strength improved leaps and bounds before Walker struck her in the chest, knocking her down.
Karli looked at Walker in surprise and shock before her eyes widened in realization.
"That's right." Walker smirked.
Karli got up and sneered. She had come too far to fail now. She wasn't going to let anything stop her. With a roar, she rushed at Walker as they resumed their fight.
Sin had exited the elevator and approached the giant Helicarrier as she picked a remote but before she could press the button…
"There's nowhere to run."
Sin turned around to face Steve, smiling.
"They're ready to shoot the Helicarrier down from the sky as soon as it leaves this base." Steve said, but Sin just laughed.
"Is that why you were pursuing me, Captain? You thought I was going to use Armageddon in the same way Pierce was going to use Project Insight?"
Sin raised her hand and pressed the button on the remote.
"No!" Steve yelled in horror as the engines of the Helicarrier began running, while lights turned on and turrets were turning with loud squeaks, but then there were sparks and explosions around the Helicarrier before it lost its power.
"This base has been abandoned for years, even before the Blip, Hydra personnel who'd been here was evacuated after you and Fraulein Romanoff had exposed them. This place became all but forgotten, when you were chasing Herr Strucker and the rest of Hydra. I never expected the Armageddon Helicarrier to be ready for deployment in the first place after years of being abandoned unsupervised and without maintenance. I'll admit, part of me was intrigued by the prospect, wondering what could happen, if it worked, but… you believe that idealistic dreamers like you give the world a soul. Well, realists like me keep it alive." Sin said.
"Then why bother wasting your time and resources coming here in the first place, if it's useless to you?" Steve asked.
Smirking, Sin threw a small device as Steve threw his shield to knock it away, but much to Steve's shock, it latched itself onto the shield before deploying small spider legs and jumping towards Steve and jamming small needles into Steve's chest, pulsing with energy.
"So that I could get you alone to use this." Sin said, smirking.
Suddenly, Steve gasped, feeling his legs turn into jelly and gasped, collapsing on his knees, as he felt as if his breath was being sucked out of his lungs.
"I told you, you have no idea, who I am, Captain. Do you feel that? The muscles getting smaller every time you tense them? The lungs deflating more and more? Feeling weaker with every breath? Your bones fragile as glass?" Sin gloated.
Steve ripped the device off his chest and crushed it in his hand but it hurt him, much to his surprise.
"What… did you… do?" Steve panted.
"I've spent years studying you and the Super Soldier serum. I know the formula to it… and how to undo it. The device irradiated your blood, neutralizing the Vita radiation that activated the serum. Soon enough, it will burn out of your body completely. You will be… nothing." Sin said, pacing around Steve. "This facility also had data on how to neutralize the Super Soldier serum, all I needed was the necessary components to do it with you. The Flag-Smashers were just a test."
Steve could slowly feel weaker and weaker before Sin punched him in the face as he fell down and suddenly, Steve felt like the scrawny skinny kid he had been before being given the Super Soldier serum as Steve got up on his feet. Steve and Sin were exchanging blows and even though Steve manage to deliver some hits, he could slowly feel his attacks becoming slower and losing power every second.
Steve prepared to throw another punch, when, Sin hit him in the face, Steve unable to deflect the blow in time as he stumbled back. It felt like if he was back in an alley getting beaten by bullies due to being so weak and frail, but he wasn't going to let that stop him. Steve prepared his fists as he and Sin circled each other and he could feel the muscles in his body slowly getting smaller and smaller, reducing him to the slim boy he had been before Erskine gave him the serum.
Karli and Walker were trading blows before Walker caught her punch and headbutted her, knocking Karli backwards before kicking her in the chest as she fell down. Karli got up and launched a relentless barrage of fists, but Walker used his arms to block her blows before he caught another punch in his arm and elbowed her in the face, dazing her. Walker followed with a kick to her chest, staggering her back.
"Not so tough, when meeting your match now, are you?" Walker smirked.
Karli fumed and glared. She was not going to let a delusional self-righteous vigilante stop her crusade. Screaming in rage, she launched herself, while Walker braced himself. He now had the advantage of matching Karli in strength and speed and Karli was more of a brawler using her Super Soldier physique, Walker, even before taking the serum, was a master combatant, so he needed to wait it out on the defensive and counter. All he needed was a small opening to take her down.
"You are just a symbol of an oppressive country! You are part of the problem. I bring change! I can make a better world!" Karli shouted.
"At what cost? He, who values their privileges above their principles soon loses both." Walker said. "The world doesn't work the way you want it to. There's a reason why there are borders. There are limits. And even if what you said was true, how many innocent have died? And how many more will?"
"There are no innocent. Only sacrifices." Karli said.
"We've sacrificed too much already." Walker sneered.
Karli rushed at Walker, who prepared himself for the incoming attack.
Steve continued trading blows with Sin, even though he was taking the brunt of the fight, despite landing some hits himself, but he wasn't going to let that stop him. Sin had strength and speed on her side if bull was bigger than the bullfighter, size and strength didn't matter, but skill and willpower. After blocking another punch, Steve managed to hit Sin in the face and kick her back. Even without the Super Soldier strength and speed and reflexes, Steve had been through an extensive combat and martial arts training, with years of experience and those skills wouldn't just disappear because he didn't have the Super Soldier serum in him anymore. Steve landed a double punch, but Sin blocked the third one before gaining an upper hand, delivering series of punches to Steve's face and chest that knocked him down, but Steve staggered on his feet, getting up, amusing Sin.
"You just don't give up, do you, Captain?" Sin smirked.
Steve just smirked as he gave her a determined look, preparing his fists. "I can do this all day."
Steve and Sin rushed at each other, each landing a punch at the other one's face.
Steve fell down, while Sin just stumbled back and it shocked her to see Steve get up on his feet once more.
"You can't win, Captain. Why do you keep fighting? You're too weak to beat me." Sin said, eying Steve, who looked beaten down, but still, he had no intention of giving up, despite being in a disadvantage. He had to keep fighting. For all the people he wanted to protect from Sin. For Bucky. For Sam. For Natasha. For Sharon. For the woman he loved. His friends and family. He would fight for them until his dying breath.
Bobbi slammed one soldier to the wall before she threw her battle staves, knocking out two more before they returned to her. Hunter was trading blows with another soldier before he slammed the soldier to a pillar, knocking him out, while Mack and May and Lemar advanced with S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, opening fire with the enemy army but getting an upper hand.
"It's not about strength. It's about the will to fight. You know why we've always prevailed?" Steve asked. "Why did Hydra always lose? Because you fight for yourselves. We fight for everyone. Every parent. Every child. Every brother."
Sam flew above and grabbed two snipers from their vantage point before dropping them. Bucky saw a nearby giant crate on wheels and punched it with his vibranium arm as it rolled down the area and Hydra troops screamed in panic, scattering before the crate crashed, crushing a good amount of the troops. Natasha ran out of ammunition in her guns and fired Widow's Bite from her bracelets, shocking two of them before she ran at other soldiers and jumped, wrapping her legs around one soldier and arms around another and slamming them both down with a flip before she got up on her feet.
"To give them a future free from the likes of you. We stand together as soldiers, allies, friends, family. That bond that ties us together is something you'll never understand."
Walker picked his shield to block Karli's blows before her punches dented it and using the opportunity, he bashed the shield at her, knocking her down, but the blow broke his shield and Walker sighed, tossing it away before he looked down at Karli.
"Last chance, Morgenthau! Stand down or I'll put you down!" Walker yelled. "Look around. You've lost. It's over."
Letting out another scream of rage, Karli shot up, launching a sloppy punch, but Walker sidestepped before Walker put all his strength into his punch aimed at Karli's face and she fell down, knocked out cold.
"We fight to give people hope. As long as we have hope, we have a future. And without hope, we might as well be just machines, doing just what they were built to do. And that is why we'll never give up." Steve finished, looking at Sin defiantly.
Screaming in rage, Sin attacked, but Steve grabbed her fist and redirected it towards her face, pushing her back, dazing her for a moment. Sin picked a pipe and screaming in rage, Sin ran at Steve with the pipe, but Steve dodged as Sin hit the panel as it exploded right in her face. The explosion knocked Steve back and dazed him, blurring his vision. When it cleared, he saw Sin impaled to a pillar with some debris from the panel protruding from her abdomen and her face covered in burns as she coughed out blood.
"You think you've won… but I've won. I did it." Sin gloated, looking at Steve, who at this point was the scrawny boy he had been in the 1930s before becoming a Super Soldier. "I took your power. I… killed…" She coughed out blood. "Captain America. Their best soldier… is no more."
Steve just chuckled. "You just don't get it, do you? It's not about the power or being the perfect soldier."
Sin looked at him in surprise and confusion.
"I promised Erskine to not be a perfect soldier… but a good man. To me it doesn't matter that I'm not a Super Soldier anymore. I fought to do the right thing. Which I did. I never wanted to kill you." Steve said, looking at her in sympathy. "I actually feel sorry for you. You had all the resources, all the power and you could've done something good with it. Build a better world than how HYDRA wanted it. And you wasted it all on revenge. Murder. Terrorism. Why make the world better, when you can do with it whatever you want? You could've been your own person, you didn't have to be the prisoner of HYDRA's ideology or your revenge against me." He finished, not smugly, but saddened.
"Why? I took away your power. I almost killed the one you love. Why…" Sin trailed off.
"Am I showing goodness towards you? Why am I not gloating you're dying?" Steve asked. "Because I made a promise to Dr. Erskine before he gave me the serum. Not to be the perfect soldier, but a good man. And no matter what happens, I'm not going to let anything compromise who I am. That's something you or your grandfather or anyone else in Hydra could never understand." He remembered the words Sharon had told him a while ago. "War isn't only about defending your country and taking out the enemy. It's about having the heart in the fight, know what and who you really fight for."
Sin was lost for words, but whatever response she was about to give, she had decided to keep it to herself, Sam, Bucky, Natasha, Walker and Lemar had gotten to the hangar in the meantime, surprised to see the Armageddon Helicarrier destroyed and Sin beaten, but what shocked them all, mainly Bucky, was Steve being small and slim and frail, just like the way he had been before becoming Captain America.
Sin gave the heroes one last glare and fuming breath of rage before lowering her head, passing out due to her injuries.
As much as I disliked the finale for a lot of reasons, it was poetic that Walker fought Karli and yes, just like in the show, Walker took the Super Soldier serum, but it was only so that he could match Karli and get an edge over her. In the show, Walker was humiliated by being beaten by Dora Milaje who weren't even Super Soldiers, so that drove him to desperation and taking the serum and given that the serum enhances not only physical attributes but also emotions, in the circumstances given, it makes sense why Walker killed Nico brutally. Walker would still want to be as Steve, but after the talk he received with Steve the previous chapter, he wasn't pressured by wanting to match Steve, but wanting to be both a good man and a good soldier. He's trying to be a perfect soldier, but after talking with Steve, he realizes that being a hero means being a good man.
This happened in the comics too that Steve was drained of the Super Soldier serum and became old or scrawny, so that's what happened here.
And Sin has been beaten. I originally was going to have Bucky finish her, but then I realized that she deserves a more poetic punishment, which I think you will enjoy and you can probably take a guess, besides, death is too easy way out for her.
Hope you liked the action scenes and the climax.
The next chapter is going to be the concluding epilogue of the story.
So, what do you guys think?
Please review and let me know if you have been enjoying this so far.
