Steve took over the plane's controls. On a screen he read 'Ziel New York City' and tried the radio which was picked up by the HYDRA control tower occupied by Peggy, Colonel Phillips and Morita.
(Target New York City)
"Come in," Steve said. "This is Captain Rogers. Do you read me? I have Bea and Bucky with me."
"Captain Rogers, Miss Richardson, Sergeant Bsrnes, what are your..." Morita was cut off as Peggy took his place.
"Steve, is that you?" Peggy asked. "Are you, Bucky and Bea all right?"
"Peggy! Schmidt's dead."
"What about the plane?"
"That's a little bit tougher to explain."
"Give me your coordinates, I'll find you three a safe landing site."
"There's not going to be a safe landing. But I can try and force it down."
"I'll get Howard on the line, he'll know what to do."
"There's not enough time. This thing's moving too fast and it's headed for New York. I gotta put her in the water."
"Please, don't do this. We have time. We can work it out."
"Right now Bucky, Bea and I are in the middle of nowhere. If we wait any longer, a lot of people are gonna die. Peggy, this is my choice. Bucky and Bea are okay with this choice." He forced the plane toward the water. "Peggy?"
"I'm here."
"I'm gonna need a rain check on that dance."
Peggy, with tears in her eyes, said, "All right. A week, next Saturday, at the Stork Club."
"You got it."
"Eight o'clock on the dot. Don't you dare be late. Understood?"
"You know, I still don't know how to dance."
"I'll show you how. Just be there."
"We'll have the band play somethin' slow. I'd hate to step on your..." The line went static and Peggy began crying.
"Steve? Steve? Steve? Bea? Bucky?"
Bea fought tears of her own. Despite their current situation, she had a strange sense of peace. She would soon be with Phillip.
Bucky glanced at his friend. "Bea? You okay?"
She didn't answer.
"You're thinking about him."
She nodded. "We know what's coming and I can be with him again. I don't care if it's with angels. At least I'll see him in eternity."
"I wish it didn't have to be this way."
"I'd take this way over any alternative."
Steve put an arm around his friend's shoulders and Bucky did the same, the three of them embracing what was to come as though greeting death as an old friend.
As the three felt the chill of the icy water, Bea closed her eyes and saw the Lieutenant she adored. How fitting that shortly before her death, she saw the man she adored.
May 8, 1945
The world celebrated the victory over Nazi Germany. The Howling Commandos were in a bar looking solemn.
Falsworth said, "To the Captain, the Lieutenant and Maverick." The group drank.
ARCTIC SEA - SHIP
Howard was on his search for the Valkyrie. They found the Tesseract.
"Sir?" Howard's engineer called. Howard stepped to him and watched on a screen as a submarine grabbed the cube.
Howard said to the captain, "Take us to the next grid point."
"But there's not a trace of the wreckage. And the energy signature stops here."
"Just keep looking."
---
Peggy was handed a file about Steve, Bea and Bucky. She pulled out the photos of the man she'd fallen in love with and the man and woman whom she'd become friends with and looked at them sadly.
YOU ARE READING
Serenade in Blue
ActionIt was a rough start for the four friends from Brooklyn, but soon they became as thick as thieves. One was too daring for their own good. One took it upon themselves to look out for everyone else. One sought out to defend the little guy... Even i...
