"We basically stood by and watched them carry it off... though not before Rourke made sure to also shoot Erskine as a bit of payback for the earlier transgression as well as HYDRA's head having an old score to settled with the doctor.", Steve then sighed as it gave off the vibe to Stimson and Roosevelt that Erskine didn't make it.
"So how was he able to make you... you?", Stimson asked. Steve wearily said with a sad smile, "He hung on just long enough in a desperate bid to do whatever he could to save Atlantis. Maybe he was just trying to keep his promise to me to help but we did it and... well, I think my old photos certainly prove the results.".
Roosevelt nodded, "Yes, that's for certain...You obviously changed, in many ways, but yet you are still familiar, with your features, and personality...I suppose you'd be seeing to break records to prove for you to go to war, Mr. Rogers.".
"Yes, sir. That's one of the plans, to test my limits. I wouldn't want to over chance it and put people in danger if I don't know my limits first before going to war.", Steve nodded, and Stimson smiled, "Good, that's very perceptive of you. Now...How exactly did you stop Rourke and Helga? We could've have heard something in our spy circles and such in Europe if they had survived and all.".
"None of them made it. It was a total loss for HYDRA. Milo, thanks to his translations, was able to reactivate a small fleet of flying craft that the Atlanteans had. Our team as well as a volunteer force of Atlanteans, took to the air and chased right after them. The weapons and technology those craft, Ketaks they're called... Certainly would change the tide of war in a hurry.", Steve explained. "We absolutely overwhelmed HYDRA, destroying them all; Myself, Milo and Agent Carter actually ended up getting on board. She personally finished off Helga; I took care of the airship's commander, a general I believe his rank to have been amongst HYDRA and Milo amazingly got Rourke.".
Stimson widened his eyes, "Milo Thatch fought Rourke?! But he was...", and Steve nodded, "Thin and not built like a soldier, I know...You should have seen him...He had the heart of a commander, and despite his great injuries, he got the battery, the heart of Atlantis out of there miraculously...He got all of us to bring it back to Atlantis, and with translations in the brink of time, he got some sort of gate stone guardians to protect the ruins and the people and us from the volcano that came alive from the entire zeppelin crash that Jacques Dernier and the Ketaks personally fired upon, causing it to crash. We came out unscathed, yet Milo died of his injuries, but not without giving the Journal and his translations to the eldest princess who was declared to be Queen, thanks to her father's death.", with a deep sigh, not going to mention that Milo was internally changed into a better version of himself by way of the machine and the crystals, not entirely a great change like Steve had, but still, and since he hadn't returned with them, it's better to keep him, Kida, Sia, and the growing family safe.
Roosevelt bowed his head in respect and grief, "He was such a bright young man...He was truly passionate of his dreams, and to protect a city of ruins, even a dying kingdom, that's a hero...".
"Yes, sir...", Steve nodded, and continued, "And Mr. Stimson, before you ask, the Ketaks, they barely worked with the battery in their territory limits, and beyond that, I counted at least 10 klicks before they stopped working, so I'm afraid to say that they couldn't breach the surface easily, even with the volcano closed off, and barely scour the islands. And the Queen, it was a miracle that she made us honored heroes for saving Atlantis, but after seeing what Hydra had done, and losing a few friends along the way that she barely knew, she can't afford to lose her home or people again.", with a weary sigh.
"Darn...", Stimson sighed. "Would've been nice...".
"It would've been very difficult, I think, to figure them out. The war could be over by the time we could make any sort of true progress on trying to incorporate them with whatever we could build in a factory like in Detroit or California.", Steve said. "At least we brought back a lot of treasure that certainly can help with the war effort.".
Roosevelt nodded, "That's good. Soldiers would need plenty of care packages, better rations, war bonds for their families, etc.", and Steve replied, "That's one of the plans, yes. And we retraced the way back, using the large evac-sub to head back to the surface after receiving some food and the gold, and the Levithan seemed to have recognized us, but seeming like it didn't bother as we haven't attacked it in retaliation, the Levithan let us pass through, and with some radio of contacting a destroyer off a convoy after contacting Whitmore, we broke through the surface, and rode the ship home.".
Steve took another breath, "I'm sorry we couldn't accomplish more and certainly get through this all without the loss of life, but I see it as at least a small victory. The Nazis will never reach Atlantis for sure now; it costed them probably more lives than we lost, and we at least returned with a significant treasure.".
Stimson pinched the bridge of his nose as he sighed and nodded. "I suppose we can look at it that way... still, it would've been better if we could've brought back a lot more, especially in the whole advanced technology side of things.".
"Henry...", Roosevelt spoke up. "Considering what they found, it's lucky that there was anything left for us to at least have. The treasures will have to do at least.".
Stimson nodded, "Yes, Mr. President.", and Preston replied, "Mr. Stimson, shall we talk of the numbers to see about transforming the treasure into inauspicious war bonds and such?".
Stimson glanced at Roosevelt who nodded with a warm smile, "I'll talk of the Thatch Foundation with Mr. Rogers. You go on, Henry. I trust Preston Whitmore as he has the treasure in his mansion's storage rooms and such, and he would help out for Thaddeus Thatch and Abraham Erskine was great friends of his.".
"I couldn't have said it any better, sir.", Preston bowed his head with a sincere smile, and Stimson nodded, "Yes, President Roosevelt. Come along, Mr. Whitmore. Let's go talk numbers.", and both Stimson and Preston left the Oval Office, opening and closing the door once more.
Roosevelt then looked at Steve, "I see that you have something to tell me...Is it a message from the Queen of Atlantis to the President, on a leader level?", and Steve took a deep breath, "Yes, sir...It's only for your ears, I'm afraid... I know Henry Stimson is a good man thanks to Preston Whitmore's account of him and such, but I fear if he slips around by pure accident, the wrong ears will hear of this...The reason why the Queen is very wary of exposing her kingdom and her people, is because of the battery. It is more of a sense keeping her people alive than just powering the Ketaks and some other things. It would basically doom them all if the battery were taken away beyond their territory boundaries. Her ancestors kept the battery alive all those centuries, taking care of it, not knowing how long the battery will last before dying if the people die without caring for it, hence why the city is in ruins and barely holding on.", not going to mention that the people are not exactly descendants of their ancestors, but very long-long living people, essentially immortal in a way, or that with Milo's help, Atlantis is going to live again without needing to scavenge or survive anymore.
"I understand.", Roosevelt nodded. "I would understand Stimson's reasoning; that if to save so many lives of our own people, we might have to consider it coming at the cost of an entire group of people that we doom to extinction. I've already had some private misgivings about the orders I've signed regarding the internment of Japanese descent citizens of ours. It is partially in the whole argument of safety, but...", he shook his head.
Steve could tell that it was bothering him doing that act in the first place; but public consciousness very was deeply in favor of keeping Japanese Americans interned to make sure that the Japanese themselves didn't get any information from spies or traitors; which came off as deeply troubling compared to those of German or Italian descent not having the same problems.
Steve sighed softly, "War is brutal, sir.", and Roosevelt replied, "Indeed. Anything else I need to know?", looking at him.
Steve's hand reached in one of his pockets on his dress jacket, and drew out the second gifted necklace, and Roosevelt widened his eyes in awe, "That's beautiful...Is that a Atlantean artifact?".
"You could say that, yet it's a calming and healing crystal, sir. All the people wear them as it's an esteemed thing of honor and respect and tradition. I am wearing one myself, but secretly behind my shirt, for it's not exactly a normal crystal as you can clearly see, and well, it's not exactly gold, but you get the gist. The Queen herself said that if it wasn't for you sending us to the city, she would never have known how to translate the city's lost language with Milo Thatch's help, or saving the battery and the city, so in a way, you are a hero too in an aspect to her, sir...", Steve explained with a warm smile.
Roosevelt chuckled hearing that, "I only did the bare minimum in saying that it was well worth the chance to take; to be honest, I didn't really believe we would find anything, that it would all be a wild goose chase.", with a shrug. "All the more reason for all that you should have it...". Steve said.
Roosevelt smiled, "You really are a persistent young man, Mr. Rogers.", opening his hand, and Steve chuckled, "So I've been told.", placing the crystal into the President's hand, and with a reverent glance at the design and perfect symmetrical look of it, he placed it over his head, tucking it snugly and comfortably under his shirt, unknowing that his aches and pains of his polio illness are slowly going away, thanks to the contact between the crystal and his skin.
"I see what you mean by calming...This will help me when I get overwhelmed or frustrated...If I could, I would thank the Queen, but I suppose thanking you would suffice.", Roosevelt chuckled.
Steve smiled, "You're very welcome, Mr. President...And for the Thatch Foundation, would you put the families of the lost soldiers from the war itself under the support of the foundation, that way they would have a common ground to be able to find their feet?".
"That can be done, Mr. Rogers...And speaking of which, on your previous documents, you were notified as single and a bachelor...May I ask who the lucky lady is?", Roosevelt smiled, gesturing to Steve's ring, proving him as married.
Steve fondly smiled, blushing a bit, tenderly stroking his ring by habit, and exhaled, looking at him, "You technically know about her, and please, would I ask you to keep her maiden name on file for her safety, here and in Britain, with connections by phone or radio?".
He nodded, "Of course; I'm sure she's a very lucky woman to have a man like you, and especially to be with each other during that whole journey. It probably would've been much tougher to deal without knowing how the other was.".
"Yeah; it certainly helped a lot.", Steve chuckled. "And I still can't believe that we're actually married now... we kinda got it done quick when we landed since I wish to serve on the front. I feel I would do better in Europe or the Pacific rather than staying here selling war bonds while so many other young boys go off to fight and die while I stay safe. My own brother in all but blood, for example, Bucky, I don't know where he is right now, but I know he's much closer to the fighting than I am right now.".
"Bucky?", Roosevelt asked curiously, and Steve elaborated, "James Buchmann Barnes. He prefers Bucky, through his family calls him James sometimes.".
Roosevelt smiled, "I'll put in a word, see about reports of him. I'd be glad to send you any news of him via Preston Whitmore or Colonel Phillips.", and Steve bowed his head gratefully, "Thank you, Mr. President.".
"You're welcome, Mr. Rogers. If that's all?", Roosevelt asked, and Steve nodded, and Roosevelt replied, "Dismissed. And do not worry, I will talk with Colonel Phillips to let you into Europe after you work out your limits of yourself.", with a nod, and Steve got up from his seat, saluted him respectfully, and then turned around to walk out of the Oval Office.
Once Steve stepped out, he took a deep breath as he felt quite a weight being lifted off his shoulders. The nerves that he had was gone for the moment now that the meeting was over.
"How you feeling now?", Preston chuckled as Steve gave a small smile, "A bit better now, that's for sure."
"Sorry I kinda left you holding the bag for much of that conversation; but you were there, and I wasn't so...", Preston shrugged sheepishly.
Steve chuckled, "It's alright, Mr. Whitmore, and besides, I needed practice to be able to give after-shore reports, and the President was the highest one on the ladder...What about you?".
Preston smiled, "Got some ideas settled for the transactions with Mr. Stimson. It would take time, but it will take effect. So, shall we head back to my place? I'm sure you'd want some fresh air, and some lunch. By now, my request must have arrived by now since I've ordered it the first night of your honeymoon.".
"What request?", Steve asked as they started to walk on, and Preston chuckled, "Well, I know it's not going to be quite the training camp you've been on for months, but let's say, with a multi-millionaire at your service, the equipment in the spacious backyard and the basement should suffice for you to test your limits. I know I heard about the battle numerous times by different views of point by the team, but well, I'd like to see it for myself. I bet the team and Lady Peggy helped set it up.".
Steve chuckled. "Well, I guess it probably is a good idea to check what my limits are and just see how well Doctor Erskine's work was... will Phillips be there too? I know he wants to know since he was pretty much head of this whole project with Erskine.".
Preston replied, "Oh, believe me, he wanted to get back here, but he couldn't get away from the front lines on such short notice when I updated him up over the past couple of days. But we will record everything we can with a stopwatch and all. After all, Phillips wouldn't refute the word of President Roosevelt if he signs off on the proof of your limits.".
Steve nods, "Make sense.", habitually stroking his ring, and he then exhaled, "Mr. Whitmore, would you see if there are any houses for sale in the countryside, somewhere between New York City and here, somewhere near a town with good access to a train station? I...if there's a bit of a shore leave between training up to find my limits and the call from Phillips that I'm able to go to fight in the war, I'd share a dream with Peggy just for a while...".
"Wanting out of the city?", Preston asked as Steve nodded.
"In a way, my apartment isn't really suited for the both of us, and especially if we might be going for children sometime soon. And considering after everything now, at least we have quite a bit of money to at least go somewhere else; if we didn't have any of that treasure, we'd just stay put... but... somewhere nice and not too far away would be perfect.", Steve replied.
Preston smiled warmly, "Of course it'd be my pleasure to search the papers and such for a suitable place for you and Lady Peggy. What kind of place would you like to have?".
Steve smiled, "A cottage with two bedrooms for us and a guest, and a loft bedroom for future children...", with a soft blush.
"Sounds a little like something you'd find in the English countryside?", Preston smirked as Steve blushed, "Well, certainly a nice place that would keep Peggy from being too homesick...".
Preston nodded, "You're a good man and husband. I'll do my best to find your dream place. And if you want to surprise Peggy, I'll take you to the place after I'll have a look and a talk with the seller, alright?".
Steve smiled, "That'd be brilliant. Thanks, Mr. Whitmore.", and Preston laughed, "You're already a good friend, Steve! No need to be calling me Mr. Whitmore all the time.", with a warm clap on his shoulder as they kept walking on.
"Alright.", Steve smiled, and soon, they got out of the White House, having fresh air and such as they took up Preston's car, and headed back to the mansion.
