10/26/24

A jerk from the movie theater was hammering Steve in the jaw, knocking him into a line of garbage cans. Steve groaned and got back up. Steve's a natural fighter, bobbing and scoring a kidney punch, but the guy barely felt it. The jerk swung and Steve tried to block with a trash can lid. The jerk yanked away the lid and pounded him again. Steve's feet lift off the ground and he hit the cement hard. For a moment, Steve layed still. The jerk hovered, panting. Then Steve got to his feet again. The jerk shook his head.

"You just don't know when to give up, do you?" the loud jerk said.

"I can do this all day." Steve said wiping his bloody mouth and the jerk knocked him back into a pile of garbage.

Then he moved on to hit him but someone grabbed his arm.

"What's with all the fighting?" someone asked and the jerk spun to see James "Bucky" Barnes. "Don't you know there's a war on?" he asked and the jerk took a swing.

Bucky slugged him, spun him around, and planted an army boot in the ass. The jerk ran away and Bucky looked down at Steve, getting up from a pile of garbage.

"Sometimes I think you like getting punched." he said.

"I had him on the ropes." Steve said.

As he got up, a folded enlistment form fell from his pocket and Bucky picked it up and read.

"How many times is this?" he asked and read. "And you're from Paramus now? It's still illegal to lie on an enlistment form, and seriously, Jersey?"

Steve frowned, taking in Bucky's uniform.

"Looks like you got your orders." he said.

"107th ships to England first thing tomorrow." Bucky said. "This is my last night."

"So, what's the first stop. Church?" Steve said and Bucky grinned.

"Yeah... maybe second stop." he said and they started walking out of the alley.

"Where are we going?"

Then Bucky whipped out a newspaper and handed it to Steve.

"The future." he said and Steve opened the paper.

An ad reads, "WORLD EXHIBITION OF TOMORROW." Monorails race around futuristic buildings.

Later they were in Midway at World Exposition of Tomorrow.

A monorail sped over an epic fair and Steve and Bucky walked down the busy midway.

"I don't see what the problem is. You're about to be the last eligible man in New York. You know there're three and a half million women here?" Bucky asked.

"I'd settle for just one." Steve said and Bucky waved at somebody in the distance.

"Good thing I've taken care of that."

Across the midway, two girls waved back in front of the modern marvels pavilion.

"What'd you tell her about me?" Steve asked and Bucky grinned still waving.

"Only the good stuff." Bucky said.

Later at Marvels Pavilion exhibits line the hall and a glass box held a red-suited android.

Dr. Phineas Horton presented the synthetic man. A fire extinguisher rest at the base. Bucky and the two girls hurried past the exhibit and Steve tagged after, ignored.

"Oh my God, there he is!" Connie said and the girls squeal, urging Bucky towards a crowd gathered by a stage: "STARK INDUSTRIES PRESENTS..."

Steve bought peanuts as Bucky and the girls got in close. On stage, a dashing Howard Stark stood with a 1942 Cadillac.

The girls giggled, smitten.

"Ladies, you know how hard it can be putting on makeup in a car that's bouncing like a kangaroo on a trampoline." Howard said and Steve offered Bonnie a peanut and she looked at them with scorn. "What if I told you that in just a few short years, your automobile wouldn't touch the ground at all?" he said and hit a button.

The Cadillac raised, leaving it's tire on the ground, bulky devices where the wheels should be. The crowd gasped and Bucky and Steve gaped, impressed.

"Ho-ly cow." Bucky said.

"With Stark Gravitic Reversion Technology (patent pending), you'll be able to do just tha-" Howard started but was cut oof by a pop and an explosion getting the car to slam to the stage. "I did say a few years, didn't I?" he said and the audience applauded.

As Bonnie swooned over Howard, Steve looked around, sheepish then saw something in the distance.

Bucky wrapped his arm around Connie.

"Hey, Steve. What do you say we treat these ladies." he said but Steve was gone.

In his place, a little girl dug eagerly into his bag of peanuts.

At the recruitment center Steve stared at a mirrored booth in front of the recruiting pavilion: "YOU DUTY: TRY IT ON FOR SIZE!"

A burly man stood in front of the mirror looking big and heroic in uniform. Then Steve stepped up and in the mirror, he now wore a G.I. uniform. His disappointed eyes barely saw over the collar. Just then, Bucky clamped a hand on his shoulder.

"You're kind of missing the point of a "double date." Come on, we're gonna get a chocolate soda." Bucky said.

"You go ahead." Steve said.

Nearby Dr. Erskine was listening in on the argument.

Bucky eyed the recruitment signs.

"You're really gonna do this now?" he said.

"It's a fair. I'm gonna try my luck." Steve said.

"As who? "Steve from Ohio"? They'll catch you. Or worse, they'll actually take you." Bucky said and Steve looked at him with a grim smile of disappointment.

"You don't think I can do it."

"This isn't some back alley, Steve. It's a war. Why are you so keen to fight? There're lots of other important jobs."

"You want me to sit in a factory? Collect scrap metal in my little red wagon while the men are laying down their lives? I can do as well as them and I got no right to do any less." Steve said. "That's the thing you don't get, Bucky. It's not about me."

"Right. 'Cause you've got nothing to prove."

"Hey Sarge, we gettin' sodas?" Connie asked.

"Yeah. We are." he said and walked toward Connie annoyed.

Then, he stopped torn.

Finally, he turned back to Steve and held out his hand. Steve saw his friend's genuine worry and shook his hand.

"Don't do anything stupid till I get back."

"How can I? You're taking all the stupid with you." Steve said.

"You're a punk." Bucky said affectionately.

"You're a jerk." Steve said affectionately and Bucky turned to go and spun as he went, for a last little wave. "Don't win the war till I get there."

And Bucky went, swooping up Connie under his arm and Steve turned to the tent.


At camp, Makeshift stage rain fell. Steve, in an overcoat, sat on the edge of the stage sketching a chimp dressed as Cap rode a unicycle.

"That was quite a performance." someone said and he turned to see Peggy and stood, surprised.

"Yeah, I...had to improvise a bit. The crowds I'm used to are usually more... twelve." he said.

"I understand you're "America's New Hope." she said and he saw his Cap suit exposed.

Then he shut his coat and sat.

"People buy bonds, bonds buy bullets, bullets kill Nazis. Sales rise ten percent in every state I visit." he said.

"Is that Senator Brandt I hear?"

"Hey, Phillips was going to stick me in a lab. At least Brandt got me here."

"And are those your only option?" she asked. "Lab rat or dancing monkey? You know you're meant for more than this." she said eyeing his sketch while he took this in.

"It's just, you get enough people telling you you're a hero, after years of them telling you you're nothing..." he said. "All I dreamed about was coming overseas, being on the front lines, serving my country. I finally get everything I wanted... and I'm wearing tights." he said and looked up to see a platoon of tired wounded soldiers.

An ambulance rolled up to the hospital tent. Corpsmen unload the wounded on stretchers.

"Looks like they've been through hell." he said.

"These men more than most."

Steve eyed her, understanding.

"Hydra?" he said.

"Not officially."

"Back home, that's a yes." he said and she considers protocol but leaned near him instead.

"Schmidt was moving a force through Azzano. 200 hundred men went up against them, less than fifty came back. Your audience contained all that's left of the 107th. The rest were killed or captured."

"The 107th?"

"Yes, what?" she asked and he stood pulling her up as well.

"Come on."

Later Steve was at Phillips' tent.

At a desk across the tent, Phillips signed a stack of letters. Just then, Steve barreled in, Peggy behind.

"Well, if it isn't "the star spangled man with the plan." What is your plan exactly?" Phillips asked.

"Azzano. I want to see the casualty list." Steve said and Phillips pointed to the rank insignia on his collar.

"You don't get to give me orders, "Captain.""

"I don't need the whole list. Just one name. Sergeant James Barnes from the 107th."

"You and I are going to have a conversation later that you won't enjoy." Phillips said tp Peggy.

"Just tell me if he's alive, sir."

"Do not spell at me, son."

Peggy saw Steve's resolve and turned to Phillips.

"Sir, Rogers is only on loan to the USO. Officially, he is still SSR." she said and he stared at Steve.

"Barnes?" he said and Steve nodded so he picked up a thick sheaf of letters, leafing through the first few. "I've signed more condolence letters today than I'd care to count. But the name does sound familiar. I'm sorry. I've written more letters to more mothers than I care to count. I'm sorry. But the name does sound familiar."

Steve paled, Phillips' words sinking in. He stared at a map of Austria on the wall, alongside Aerial photos of a facility.

"What about the others? You're planning a rescue mission?" Steve asked.

"Yeah. It's called "winning the war."

"But if you know where they are."

"They're thirty miles behind the lines. Through some of the most heavily fortified territory in Europe. We'd lose more men than we'd save. I don't expect you to understand that, because you are a chorus girl."

"I think I understand pretty well."

"Then understand it somewhere else. If I read the posters right, you've got some place to be in a half hour."

"Yes, sir. I do." Steve said and left taking one last look at the maps as he did.

Phillips went back to signing letters.

"You got something to say now's the time to keep it to yourself." he said to Peggy.

Later that night backstage Makeshift stage.

Musicians hustle as Brandt's aide searched for Steve.

"Where the hell is Rogers? Anyone seen him?" Brandt's aide said and grabbed the three girls from the motorcycle number. "Get out there. Now! Stall!"

The first girl hurried to a shelf and grabbed her "U" helmet. The second girls grabbed her "S" helmet. The last girl reached the shelf to find it empty and looked around for her missing "A" helmet.

"Where's my helmet?" she said.

At Lockheed Electra a silver look heed Electra cut through the clouds.

The "A" helmet from the USO show sits on a bench. Beside it, Steve buttoned fatigues over his Cap shirt.

"The Hydra camp is in Krausberg, tucked between two mountain ranges. It's a factory of some kind." Peggy said sitting across from him, studying a map while Howard leaned back from the controls.

"We should be able to drop you right on the doorstep." Howard said.

"Just get me as close as you can." Steve said. "You know, you're both going to be in a lot of trouble when you land." he said to Peggy.

"And you're not?" she said.

"Yeah, but where I'm landing, if anybody yells at me, I get to shoot them."

"They're undoubtedly going to shoot back." she said and he showed her his shield strapped to his back.

"It's got to be good for something."

"Agent Carter, if we're not in too much of a hurry, I thought we'd stop in Lucerne for a late night fondue." Howard said and grinned.

"Why is he saying "fondue" like that? What's fondue?"

"Stark's the best civilian pilot I've ever seen, and mad enough to brave this airspace. We're lucky to have him." Peggy said quietly amused.

"Do you, are you two...fondue?"

"Take this transponder. Activate it when you're ready and the signal will lead us right to you." she said all business.

Steve looked at the insignia, "STARK INDUSTRIES."

"You sure it works?" he asked.

"It's been tested more than you have." Howard said and the plane lurched to the left.

On the mountains antiaircraft guns hammer the plane.

At Lockheed Electra Howard executed evasive maneuvers. Steve strapped on his parachute and threw open the jump door.

"Rogers, get back here. We're taking you all the way in!" Peggy said.

Explosions rock the air and Steve hesitated. Realizing what he's about to do. He turns to Peggy.

"ONCE I'M CLEAR, TURN THIS THING AROUND AND GET OUT OF HERE!" he said.

"YOU CAN'T GIVE ME ORDERS!"

"THE HELL I CAN'T!" he said bracing in the doorway. "I'M A CAPTAIN!" he said and the plane lurches once more just as he jumped.

Peggy caught a glimpse of Steve's chute and swore under her breath, then signaled Howard, who hauled on the throttle.

At HYDRA factory searchlights sweep from watchtowers. A barbed wire fence rang a compound of buildings and a factory belched smoke.

On the floor a Hydra tech loaded blue cartridges into a cluster bomb, then gently loaded the cluster bomb into a nose cone.

"As you see, production is proceeding faultlessly." Zola said and he and Schmidt walked the factory floor while Catwalks radiate from a control room overhead. "Even in ordnance of this size."

"Good. Increase output by sixty percent. See to it our other facilities do the same." Schmidt said.

"But our...workers. I am not sure they have the strength."

At P.O.W.'S Labor at gunpoint a giant crane loaded bombs onto a rail car.

"Then use what strength they have left, Doctor. There are always more workers." Schmidt said.

At the main gate Steve peered out at the guards patrolling the main gate. He drops as headlights sweep the road. Three covered trucks rumble toward the gate. A gate guard checks the drivers' papers. In the background, we spy... Steve sneaking into the last truck.

At the Compound the trucks roll into the compound, gates closing behind them. Guards hurry out to unload the trucks.

At the last truck, one guard peered in, curious: A red, white and blue shield stood amongst the supplies and sprang out, smashing him in the face. The guard dropped and Steve emerged from the darkness.

At the Compound HYDRA guards prod P.O.W.'S across the compound. Steve followed, keeping to the shadows. At the barracks, one guard stood watch as the other led the prisoners inside.

At Barracks a warder opened a cage and prodded the prisoner in. A prisoner in a hat brought up the rear, slow. The warder hit him with a truncheon, knocking off his bowler. The prisoner picked up his hat and put it back on. It was Dugan. He stared at the Warder.

"You know, Fritz, one of these days, I'm gonna get my own stick." Dum Dum said and the warder viciously kicked him inside.

Down the row, a hundred more prisoners were trapped in a dozen more cages.

Back at the Compound the guard stepped out to find his partner sleeping against the wall, helmet over his eyes. He kick him, but the guard doesn't move. He lift his partner's helmet to see him out cold. Then Steve stepped up behind him with a truncheon.

Back at the Barracks four prisoners, Falsworth, Jones, Dernier and Dugan slump on the floor of their cage, exhausted. The warder on the upper floor made his rounds and passed out of sight. Then the warder dropped on top of the cage, unconscious. The prisoners jump up as Steve looked down at them.

"Hi." he said and the prisoners stare, stunned while Jones raised an eyebrow at his outfit and shield.

"And who the hell are you supposed to be?" Jones asked.

"I'm... Captain America." Steve said and the prisoners' excitement died.

"Merde." Dernier said.

A few minutes later freed prisoners followed Steve as he made his way down the row, opening cages with the guard's keys. He released Falsworth, Jones, Dernier and Dugan. Dugan saw a Japanese American soldier, Morita, already free.

"What, are we taking everybody?" Dugan asked.

"I'm from Fresno, Ace." Morita said.

Steve searched the throng of prisoners.

"Are there any others?" Steve asked.

"They did take a number of the men to isolation ward. I'm afraid we haven't seen them since." Falsworth said and Steve considered this as the prisoners gather round.

Finally, he handed them a pistol and grenade.

"The tree line's northwest, about 80 yards from the gate. From there, just follow the creek bed." he said. "I'll meet you in the clearing with anybody I find inside." he said turning to leave but Jones stopped him.

"Wait. You sure you know what you're doing?" Jones asked.

"Sure. I've knocked out Adolph Hitler over 200 times." Steve said and moved out.

At the factory Steve circled the factory, looking for a way in.

On the floor a HYDRA guard stood watch near a door and heard tapping. A silhouette appeared behind the glass. The guard cautiously opened the door and poked his head out.

"Ja?" he said.

The door slammed, pinning his head. The guard looked up to see Steve's fist coming right at him. Steve enters the factory, creeping between bombs and crated. Clusters of cartridges bristle inside an unfinished bomb. Steve pulled one out, curious, it glowed blue in his hand. Then he pocket the cartridge and headed for the stairs.

At the Half-Track Dugan slammed a HYDRA guard into the grill of a half-track. Dernier and Falsworth climbed up top. Dernier settled behind the complicated-looking weapon.

"Are you quite sure you know how to use that?" Falsworth asked and Dernier peered at the grip.

The cannon discharged, blowing a smoking hole in the factory wall and Dernier oui.

On a monitor in the control room, the factory wall burnt. Schmidt scanned his security cameras and pressed a button, sounding the alarm outside. At the controls behind him, Zola looked worried.

On the stairs a guard rushed down the stairs, his jackboots almost crushing Steve's fingers. Steve hung under the staircase and yanked the guard's ankle. He tumbled down the stairs.

A few minutes later Steve stepped onto a catwalk, only to be met by another guard pointing a pistol. Steve knocked the gun from his hand and smashed him in the face. The guard fell, flipped back up and charged. Steve swung from a beam and kicked the guard in the chest.

In the Half-Track Dugan stared at the German controls, baffled. Just then, Jones slid into the passenger seat.

"Not exactly a Buick." Dugan said.

"That one. Zündung." Jones said.

"You speak German?"

"Natürlich, natürlich spreche ich Deutsch." Jones said. "Three semesters at Howard. Then I switched to French. Cuter girls."he said and Dugan pushed Zuindung and the half-track roared to life.

"I didn't ask for a resume."

Meaner while Falsworth and Dernier hung on as the half-track lurched forward.

At the catwalk Steve looked over the factory floor, taking in the full scale of the bomb-making facility. Just then two more soldiers attacked from either side. The first guard fired so Steve dropped and shot him down. The second guard closed in and Steve whirled and crushed his neck with the side of his shield.

In the control room Schmidt surveyed the uprising on his monitors. Outside, the guards struggle to fend off escaping P.O.W.'S. Inside, a strangely-clad soldier took on three guards. Schmidt adjust his screen: Steve hit one guard, kicked another, then used him to deflect the blast of a third. Schmidt studies him, impressed.

"Doctor, prepare to evacuate." Schmidt said.

"I'm sure our forces can handle." Zola said.

Schmidt eyed Steve on the monitor. Steve dispatched the last guard and headed up the stairs.

"Our forces are outmatched." Schmidt said and pressed a button.

Alarms now blare inside the factory and Zola hurried out of the room. Schmidt flicked the switches on a line of timers. Selbstzerstorung. Each of them starred a countdown. Then he turned. The cube pulsed in a cradle behind smoked glass. He lowered a titanium case over the cradle and it retracted the cube plunging the interior of the factory into darkness.

HYDRA guards filled the Compound, taking on P.O.W.'S. Morris threw a grenade, blowing the guards away.

At Zola's experiment room Zola rifled through a filing cabinet in the corner of a tiled room gathering a sheaf of documents. There was a sketch of a TV-cheated robotic suit. Beyond him, a shadowy figure lied in a cage.

Meanwhile Steve reached the corridor. At the far end, Zola scurried out of his room, files pressed to his chest. Then he saw Steve who advanced and Zola ran the other way.

Then Steve stalked inside, wary. Past the scattered files and specimen jars, then he saw the large cage atop a rusty drain. A prisoner lied slumped against the bars. On hearing his footfalls, he called out wearily.

"Barnes, James Buchanan. Sergeant. 32557038." a prisoner said and Steve gaped, stunned.

"Bucky?" he said but the prisoner didn't respond.

"Who... who is that?" Bucky asked and Steve raced to the cage. "Is that..."

Steve smashed off the lock and held out his hand, grinning.

"It's me, Buck." he said and Bucky studied his face.

"Steve?"

"I thought you were dead."

"I thought you were smaller." Bucky said and Steve gently helped him down from the cage. "What happened to you?"

"I joined the Army."

At the control room the first of the timers reached zero and beeped.

Meanwhile one of the machines on the factory floor exploded.

At Zola's experiment room Steve and Bucky staggered as the blast shook the room. As they headed out, Steve saw a big map, featuring a series of HYDRA symbols spreading across Europe.

Then Steve helped Bucky limp down the corridor as more bombs went off.

"Did it hurt?" Bucky asked.

"Little bit." Steve said.

"Is it permanent?"

"So far."

"You are going to get so many girls."

Soon they reached the stairs and headed down but another explosion blocked their way. They headed back up, spotting a catwalk high above.

At the Compound Morita lead a group of P.O.W.'s toward the main gate. Then he heard something roaring up behind them and looked.

"DOWN!" Morita said and tackled a P.O.W. to the ground.

A blue blast just cleared their heads, blowing away the main gate. Behind the Cannon, Dernier and Falsworth whoop, politely and P.O.W.'S swarm the gate.

Meanwhile Steve and Bucky reached the catwalk only to find Schmidt on the other side. Zola waited behind him at the elevator.

"Captain America. How exciting." (smiles) "I'm a fan of your films." Schmidt said and handed the titanium box to Zola while he and Steve slowly walked forward, studying each other. "So the old man managed it after all. Not quite an improvement, but impressive." he said and Steve hit him in the jaw, sending him reeling.

"You've go no idea." Steve said and Schmidt straightened up.

"Don't I?" he asked and swung but Steve blocked it with his shield.

Schmidt's fist left a dent in the steel. Steve gaped, surprised. When he looked up, Schmidt hammered him down. Schmidt loomed over him.

"Erskine said your experiment was a failure." Steve said stunned but kicked up, driving his feet into Schmidt's jaw and Schmidt tumbled to the floor.

Zola scrambled to the catwalk controls. A gap appeared between Schmidt and Steve as both sides retract. Schmidt shot a withering look at Zola who paled. When Schmidt turned back to Steve his face was askew. Red skin bulged from torn seamed.

"A failure? Oh, no, Captain." Schmidt said and got to his feet. "I was his greatest success." he said then pulled, peeling his face from the bone, revealing Red Skull underneath.

He grind, hideous and Steve stared in disbelief.

"You don't have one of those, do you?" Bucky asked and gaped, then looked at Steve worriedly.

Red Skull tossed his mask away and Schmidt's face wafted into the flames, staring at us as it fell.

"You're a liar, Captain. You pretend to be a simple soldier. But in reality you're just afraid to admit we've left humanity behind." Red Skull said and another explosion rocked the floor below. "Unlike you, I embrace it proudly. Without the masquerade...without fear."

"Then how come you're running?" Steve asked and scowled from the end of the catwalk, helpless.

Then Zola hands Skull back his titanium box. Then the two of them step into the elevator and disappear. Steve pulled Bucky away as explosions rocked the catwalk. They saw a gantry above.

On the roof Zola eyed Skull's exposed head, queasy. Finally, he looked away and noticed the floor Indicator.

"Sir? We're going to the roof?" Zola said and Red Skull remained silent.

Then the doors open, revealing a catwalk leading to a waiting triebflugel built for one.

"But...what about me?" he continued and Red Skull handed him a set of car keys.

"Not a scratch, Doctor." Red Skull said and left the elevator.

Zola stared at the keys as the doors close.

Meanwhile Steve and Bucky reach the gantry and Bucky ran on and it creaked.

Steve stepped on.

"Hurry." he said and Bucky carefully limped across the gantry but rivets fell.

Meanwhile Morita leaded the injured P.O.W.'s toward the woods. Just then, something roared overhead. He looked up at the triebflulugel, its rotating engines whirling into a blur.

At the Triebflulugel Skull glanced out the cockpit. Below, his factory burned. He could make out a car speeding down a lonely road.

On Schmidt's car files slid on the seat as Zola sped away. His feet barely reached the pedals.

Meanwhile Bucky jumped form the end of the gantry to the other side. Just then , another bomb exploded and the gantry collapsed. Steve stood alone, trapped. Bucky looked around, frantic.

"There's got to be a rope or something." Bucky said.

"JUST GET OUT!" Steve said and the explosions came faster now.

"Not without you." Bucky said and the roof around Steve fell in and eyed the impossible gap.

"Aw, hell." Steve said, backed up and raced for the edge.

Bucky's eyes went wide as Steve leapt, sailing over the blazing chaos. Just as the biggest bomb yet went off.

At camp Phillips stared out his window, stoic.

"Senator Brandt, I regret to report that Captain Steven G. Rogers went missing behind enemy lines on the 3rd of last week." Phillips said and looked down to read the rough draft on his notepad. "Aerial reconnaissance has proven unfruitful. As a result, I must declare Captain Rogers killed in action."

The corporal stopped typing and he turned to see Peggy standing in the door, red-eyed and tired.

"The last surveillance flight is back." Peggy said, entered and laid down aerial pictures of the disintegrated HYDRA camp. "No sign of activity." she said and he gazed at the photos then looked ti the corporal

"Corporal. Why don't you go get a cup of coffee?" he asked and the corporal nodded and left the room. "I can't touch Stark. He's a civilian...and the Army's number one weapons contractor. You're neither."

"You'll have my resignation in the morning."

"I can probably make it so that you'll avoid a court martial."

"With respect, sir, I don't regret my actions. And I doubt Captain Rogers did, either."

"What makes you think I give a damn about your opinions?" he asked and she went cold while he stepped forward. "I took a chance on you, Agent Carter. Now that boy-and a lot of other men-are dead, because you had a crush."

"It wasn't that." she said. "I had faith." she said quietly.

"Well, I hope that's a great comfort to you when they shut this division down." he said and a commotion built outside. "What the hell's going on out there?" he asked and saw soldiers running by his window so they moved closer.

Then they stepped outside to see dozens of soldiers hurrying toward the camp entrance. The soldiers part, revealing Steve and Bucky walking up the road, leading a squad of P.O.W.'S. Ragtag vehicles follow, carrying the rest.

Steve's uniform hung filthy and torn. His shield was battered and bent. But his head was high. G.I.'s cheer, more come running.

Hodge stepped out of the barracks, drying his hair and stopped stunned.

"Rogers?" he said.

Amazed, Phillips looked to Peggy, who wiped away tears and the stunned crowd parted. Steve saluted Phillips.

"Colonel, some of these men need medical attention." Steve said so Phillips looked at the gaunt faces of the men, nodded and Medics rushed in to help the P.O.W.'s. "I'd like to surrender myself for disciplinary action." he said and Phillips looked at his battered, burnt shield.

"That won't be necessary." Phillips said.

"Sir, I78."

"Just how many orders do you plan on disobeying, Captain?" Phillips asked and they lock eyed and Steve smiled.

"Yes, sir."

Phillips turned to Peggy, smiling wryly.

"Faith, huh?" he said and walked away as Steve turned to Peggy.

She stopped herself from hugging him.

"You're late." she said and he pulled out the Stark transponder in pieces.

"Sorry, couldn't call my ride." he said.

They stared at each other a long, lingering minute. Then soldiers, including those who booed him at the USO show, crowd around slapping Bucky on the back. They waved his comic book, yelling for Captain America. Then flashbulbs pop.

Steve smiled despite himself, finally accepted and a nurse approached Bucky.

"Where do you hurt, soldier." a nurse askedm.

The next day at the allied HQ barrage balloons flew high over London. Tilt down to an imposing building. A newsstand in front flogs a paper: "CAPT. AMERICA TO RECEIVE MEDAL OF HONOR." Tilt down farther, through the pavement to...

At the briefing room in an underground bunker.

"The fourth one was in Poland, here, not far from the Baltic..." Steve said and Peggy watched him sketch precise coordinates on a map, perfectly duplicating the one in the Hydra factory. "And the last was outside of Strasbourg, say thirty, forty miles west of the Maginot line." he said. "I only go a quick look." he said looking up.

"Nobody's perfect." Peggy said.

Then an aid picked up the map and carried it across the room. Steve and Peggy turned as Howard approached, a blue HYDRA cartridge in his hand.

"Hey, aren't you supposed to be picking up a medal right about now?" Howard asked.

"I'm off the publicity circuit." Steve said.

Then, Phillips approached from across the room.

"Rogers, you just embarrassed a senior senator in front of a dozen reporters and ten members of Parliament." he said and handed Steve a medal. "You should get a medal just for that." he said and saw the HYDRA cartridge. "You figure out what this is, yet?"

"If you believe Rogers, it's apparently the most powerful explosive known to man." Howard said.

"If?" Steve said.

"Well, either you're wrong or Schmidt's damn near rewritten the laws of physics." Howard said and moved off toward his lab. "And I'm rather fond of the laws of physics..." he said and Phillips moved toward the room-sized map table.

"These are all of Hydra's factories." Phillips said.

"The ones we know about. But Sgt. Barnes said Hydra shipped all the bombs to another facility. And that... wasn't on the map." Steve said and Phillips studied the map, deciding then walked toward his office.

"Agent Carter, coordinate with MI6. I want every Allied eyeball looking for that main Hydra base."

"What about us?" Peggy asked.

"We're going to light a fire under Johann Schmidt's ass." he said. "What do you say, Rogers? It's your map. Think you can wipe Hydra off it?" he asked Steve.

Steve stared, finally given the responsibility he's wanted.

"I'm going to need a team." Steve said.

"We've already started lining up the best men."

"If you don't mind, sir... so have I."

Later The Whip and Fiddle Pub.

"Let me get this straight." Dugan said.

Falsworth, Jones, Dernier, Morita, and Dugan leaned on stools and Steve lined up at a dart board.

"We barely got out of there alive and you want us to go back?" Jones asked and Steve weighed a dart, then casually tossed a bullseye.

"Pretty much." Steve said and they look at each other for a minute.

"I'm in." Morita said and Steve saw Dernier, questioning but nodded.

"Je combattrai jusqu'a ce que le dernier de ces batards soit mort, echaine ou bien qu'il pleure comme un nouveau-ne!" he said.

"J'espere touts les trois!" Jones said laughing.

Dernier laughed, clapping Jones on the shoulder. When they looked up, they saw the others not understanding a word.

"Oh, uh, we're in." Janes continued.

Then Dugan finished a beer, mustache covered in foam.

"I'll fight. Well, I'll always fight. But you gotta do one thing for me." he said.

"What's that?" Steve asked and handed over his empty pint glass.

"Open a tab."

The others laughed and hand Steve theirs. Steve grinned and took the glasses back to the bar where Bucky waited.

Then Steve slid over the empties.

"Another round?" Steve asked and the bartender looked impressed.

"Where are they putting all this?" the bartender said and Steve shrugged and turned to Bucky.

"That was the easiest battle of the war." Bucky said.

"What about you? You gonna follow Captain America into the jaws of death?" Steve asked.

"Hell no. My little guy from Brooklyn who was too dumb to run away from a fight? I'm following him." Bucky said and nodded at a tour poster of Captain America: "PERFORMANCE CANCELLED - NOT TO BE RESCHEDULED." "But you're keeping this outfit, right?"

"Don't get your hopes up. It's not exactly regulation."

"I dunno. You saw those guys in Italy when you came back." Bucky said. "I don't think they were cheering just for you."

The invaders sang, arms wrapped drunkenly around one another.

One by one, they stopped as they notice Peggy entering the bar.

Steve was the last to see her.

"Captain." Peggy said.

"Agent Carter." Steve said standing.

"Ma'am." Bucky said.

"Howard's got some equipment for you to try. Tomorrow morning?" Peggy said.

"That sounds fine." Steve said and the Invaders started singing terribly again.

"I see your crack squad is prepping for duty."

"You don't like music?" Bucky said.

"I do, actually." she said. "I may even, when this is all over, go dancing." she said eying Steve and Bucky nodded at the dance floor.

"Then what are you waiting for?"

"The right partner." she said, smiled at Steve and headed out. "08:00, Captain."

"I've actually already got plans." Steve said surprising her.

"Oh, alright. Maybe next time." she said and left while he nodded.

"What do you say we head out and have some fun of our own?" Steve whispered to Bucky who smiled.

"Gladly." Bucky said and they left.

Soon they were taking each other's clothes off and having sex.

"This is gonna take some getting used to. Usually I have to be careful not to squish my little guy but not this time." Bucky said.

"Nope." Steve said and smirked. "This time I have to worry about squishing you!" he said and held Bucky close.

Bucky squealed and laughed a little until Steve kissed him and he kissed Steve back.

When they stopped they looked at each other smiling.

"I love you Steven Grant Rogers." Bucky said.

"I love you too James Buchanan Barnes." Steve said.

Then they held each other close and started having sex again.

At France HYDRA factory a door crashed open, revealing Steve dressed in his red, white and blue battle uniform, firing a Tommy gun.

TITLE: "FRANCE, DECEMBER 1943."

Bullets ping off his red, white and blue vibranium shield. The Invaders pour in behind him, blasting away.

At Allied HDQ, briefing room Peggy replaced an X with an SSR flag on the Hydra map.

At Belgum HYDRA factory Steve and the invaders fan out across the blazing battleground, wreaking havoc.

TITLE: "BELGIUM, JANUARY 1944."

Skull roars up to the ruined factory in his car. He glares at the destruction as his windshield reflects the flames.

At Poland HYDRA factory Steve stalked a bombed-out factory.

TITLE: "POLAND, FEBRUARY 1944."

The scope whipped to see A HYDRA gunman aiming at him. The sniper fell and Steve clocked it and gave the thumbs up to the camera. Bucky grinned behind the gun.

Later Bucky and Steve were in Steve's tent, holding each other shirtless and having sex to celebrate another successful day.

"You saved my life again." Steve said and kissed Bucky's neck getting Bucky to groan.

"That's what I've been doing since we met when we were kids. Saving your hot and sexy ass every day." Bucky said and kissed him.

They tried to do this as quietly as possible not to be caught and so far they had pulled that off.

They had been together since Steve was seventeen and Bucky was eighteen.

Bucky had a plan if they survived this war. When they get home, he was going to propose to Steve, tell him what happened that night he found him being experimented on and what he can do now and when they're both ready, have a family together.

'Hopefully in the next few years we can do all that.' Bucky thought while Steve kissed his neck.

At the Briefing Room Peggy replaced another X with an SSR flag and looked down to the next X, somewhere in Poland.

At Czechoslovakia HYDRA factory the Invaders scrambled out the side doors of a HYDRA factory. They dive for cover and wait. No explosion. They peer out from their cover then Steve crashed through a factory window on his motorcycle and the factory behind him exploded. He hit the ground, roaring toward the camera.

TITLE: "CZECHOSLOVAKIA, AUGUST 1944."

In frozen woods the woods stood white and silent. Then six white figures rise out of the snow like ghosts. The invaders shake off the snow and creep forward. Then a seventh figure rises: Steve in full red, white and blue.

A rifle cracked, a bullet pinged off his shield. He spun and hurled his shield. A HYDRA sniper fell out of a far tree. The Invaders gape.

At Allied HQ briefing room Peggy dropped a Hydra flag into a box and picked up an SSR flag. She stuck it in the map.

In a HYDRA factory Steve and Jones rode in the back of a jeep as Dugan drove away from the burning factory. A HYDRA fighter plane swooped over them, guns blazing.

Steve blocked with his shield as Jones opened up his .30 CAL.

The plane bearded down and Jones stitched it up the middle. It caught fire, spun out of control and crashed ahead of them. Dugan slowed to a stop. The three of them stared, impressed.

In a forest Dernier ran through the woods, a bomb tucked under his arm. Parallel to him, a HYDRA fast track raced along a road. Dernier rolled under the fast track and magnet the bomb to the bottom of the vehicle as it roared over him. He jumped to his feet in time to see the fast track explode.

On the battlefield the Invaders race across a field as the land Kruezer bear down on them. They're almost to safety when Dugan's hat flew off his head, landing in the path of the oncoming tank. Dugan ran back for it. The rest of the men shout and Dugan dove, grabbing the bowler and rolling out of the way. He wedged the hat on his head, smug. Then he realized the tank turned and was coming right at him. Then, from nowhere Steve dove over him and grabbed the tank's cannon barrel. He flipped himself into the air and landed atop the turret.

Steve saw a glowing energy housing, marked: "EXPLOSIVE!" and raised his shield high and brought it down. The tank grind to a halt.

Steve raised the shield again and the house crackled. Sparks fly.

Then he brought the shield down one last time and an ominous drone began to rise. He took a running leap off the tails as the tank explodes.

At Allied HQ briefing Room Peggy and Phillips watched the footage. Falsworth and Dernier were drinking from their canteens, Dugan drank from a flask, Bucky and Steve survey a valley and Steve's open compass. Taped to the inside was a newspaper photograph of Peggy hiding his old picture of Bucky when in public. It pained him to do it but they both knew it was safer to do it in public. Peggy leaned forward, shocked while Steve stared pissed and snapped the compass shut.

Phillips eyed Peggy, amused and she stared at the screen smiling.

Later Steve and Bucky were holding each other close.

"I wish I could look at the picture of you." Steve said.

"I know, but we both agreed to it. You use Peggy's picture since so many people know she's got a thing for you and think you've got a thing for her and we have to hide us." Bucky said and they looked at each other.

"I want to see you though."

"You see me everyday love. I'm right there workin' with you every time just like the others." Bucky said and gave him a kiss.

"I know. You're the best sniper I've ever seen but sometimes I wish you didn't have to do this." Steve said and held him closer. "I don't want to lose you."

"You won't." Bucky said gently. "You know I'm a fully trained Sergeant, was second in command of the 107th, I survived being captured and experimented on by HYDRA, saved your ass from multiple bullies since we met and more." he said and looked at Steve smiling. "I'll be fine." he said and kissed him. "We are gonna work together, kick HYDRA's ass, end this war and then have a happy life. Move in together, get married and maybe have a family of our own one day." He said and Steve couldn't help but smile.

"Yeah. Let's just hope they don't get my health problems. I'd be fine with them having your peanut allergies though." Steve said and they chuckled.

"Yeah, I'd rather not have to live through all that asthma attacks and stuff again." Bucky said and they chuckled again.

Then they took a deep breath and started to fall asleep holding each other close.

When the others found them sleeping together the next day they looked at them confused.

"We've been best friends since we were kids, what do you expect when I almost get killed?" Steve asked.

"And I've been saving his ass since we met. It's old habits." Bucky said shrugging.

They all shrugged back knowing they were right so left while Steve and Bucky sighed in relief.

"That was close." Steve said.

"Yeah." Bucky said and looked at him. "Thank god we had clothes on last night." he said and they laughed.

In Greece HYDRA factory Red Skull was screaming-a horror-movie jump from the last image.

"YOU ARE FAILING!" Red Skull yelled and Zola cringed before him.

Around them, HYDRA troops search the rubble of another burned factory.

"We are close to an offensive that will shake the planet, Doctor. Yet we are continually delayed because you can't outwit a simpleton with a shield!" he continued.

"...a clown dressed in a flag!" someone said.

Zola gestures at the devastated facility.

"Sir, this is hardly my area of expertise. I merely develop the weapons, I cannot fire them." Zola said. "And the Allies did not take this installation easily. Your troops fought to the death."

"And now they are dead. I trust you see the problem." Red Skull said. "Finish your mission, Doctor. Before the American finishes his." he said and put his hands on either side of Zola's head, squeezing a little, bringing their faces close. "You have done great things. Do this one more." he said and Zola contemplated his task.

"Sir!" a HYDRA soldier said and the troops haul the injured plant manager, volt, from the rubble.

Red Skull bid them forward.

"We fought to the last man..." Manager Velt said and Zola cringes as Skull pulled his Luger.

"Very nearly." Red Skull said and Zola turned away, his face illuminated briefly by an inevitable flash of blue light.

At the alpine pass the captured HYDRA code transceiver.