The Tragedy of Living

05

SSR COMPOUND

Steve, referring to the amount of blood samples taken from him, questioned, "Think you got enough?"

"Any hope of reproducing a program is locked in your genetic code," Peggy replied. "But without Dr. Erskine, it could take years."

"He deserved more than this."

Elsie smiled. "If it could only work once, he'd be proud it was you."

SSR TECH LAB WITH THE HYDRA SUBMARINE

"Colonel Phillips, my committee is demanding answers," Senator Brandt said.

"Great. Why don't we start with how a German spy got a ride to my secret installation in your car?" He turned to Howard who was working on the submarine. "What have we got here?"

"Speaking modestly, I'm the best mechanical engineer in this country," Howard told them. "But I don't know what's inside this thing or how it works. We're not even close to this technology."

"Then who is?" Senator Brandt asked.

"HYDRA," Colonel Phillips answered. "I'm sure you've been reading our briefings."

"I'm on a number of committees, Colonel."

"HYDRA is the Nazi deep science division," Peggy informed. "It's led by Johann Schmidt. But he has much bigger ambitions."

"HYDRA's practically a cult," Colonel Phillips said. "They worship Schmidt, they think he's invincible."

"So what are you gonna do about it?" Senator Brandt wondered.

"Spoke to the president this morning. As of today, the SSR is being retasked."

"Colonel?" Peggy called.

"We are taking the fight to HYDRA. Pack your bags, Agent Carter. You too, Starks. You're flying to London tonight."

Steve turned to the Colonel. "Sir, if you're going after Schmidt, I want in."

"You're an experiment. You're going to Alamogordo."

"The serum worked."

"I asked for an army and all I got was you. You're not enough."

Senator Brandt spoke to Steve. "With all due respect, Colonel, I think we may be missing the point. I've seen you in action, Steve. More importantly, the country's seen it." He said to his aide, "Paper." The aide showed them the newspaper 'The New York Examiner' Vol. XCVII No. 33.634, Wednesday June 23, 1943, headlined 'Nazis in New York - mystery man saves child'. "The enlistment lines have been around the block since your pictures hit the newstands. You don't take a soldier, a symbol like that, and hide him in a lab. Son, do you want to serve your country on the most important battlefield of the war?"

"Sir, that's all I want," Steve replied.

"Then, congratulations. You just got promoted."

A small smile crossed Elsie's face and she said to Steve, "Congratulations, soldier."

Steve returned her smile. "Thanks."

---

Steve continued touring as Captain America.

Italy, 1943

The soldiers wanted the girls back and taunted Steve's outfit.

---

Steve sat on the edge of the stage sketching as rain poured down.

"Hello, Steve," Peggy and Elsie said.

"What are you two doin' here?" Steve asked.

"Officially we're not here at all," Peggy replied. "That was quite a performance."

"Yeah. Uh... I had to improvise a little bit. Crowds I'm used to are usually more uh... twelve."

"Peggy and I understand you're "America's New Hope"?" Elsie said in a teasing tone.

"Bond sales take a ten percent bump in every state I visit."

A small smile tugged at Peggy's lips before she asked, "Is that Senator Brandt Elsie and I hear?"

"At least he's got me doin' this. Phillips would have had me stuck in a lab."

"And these are your only two options?" Elsie said. "A lab rat or a dancing monkey? You were meant for more than this, you know?" Steve went to respond, but hesitated. "What?"

"You know, for the longest time I dreamed about coming overseas and being on the front lines. Serving my country. I finally get everything I wanted, and I'm wearing tights." A honking sounded as an ambulance arrived with wounded soldiers. Steve, Elsie and Peggy turned to watch. "They look like they've been through hell."

"These men more than most. Schmidt sent out a force to Azzano. Two hundred men went up against him and less than fifty returned. Your audience contained what was left of the 107th. The rest were captured or killed."

"The 107th?"

"What?" Peggy and Elsie asked, as the latter frowned, coming to a realization.

"Come on!"

They ran to a tent.

"Colonel Phillips," Steve called.

"Well, if it isn't the Star-Spangled Man With A Plan. And what is your plan today?"

"I need the casualty list from Azzano."

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

"I just need one name. Sergeant James Barnes from the 107th."

Colonel Phillips pointed to Peggy and Elsie. "You two and I are gonna have a conversation later that you won't enjoy."

"Please tell me if they're alive, sir. B-A-R..."

"I can spell. I have signed more of these condolence letters today than I would care to count. But the name does sound familiar. I'm sorry."

"What about the others? Are you planning a rescue mission?"

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

"But if you know where they are, why not at least...?"

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

"I think I understand just fine."

"Well then understand it somewhere else. If I read the posters correctly, you got some place to be in thirty minutes." As Phillips walked away, Steve looked at the military map which showed where the men were.

"Yes, sir. I do."

Colonel Phillips pointed to Peggy and Elsie. "If either of you have something to say, right now is the perfect time to keep it to yourselves."

Peggy and Elsie followed Steve to his tent where he changed and packed some things before the former asked, "What do you plan to do? Walk to Austria?"

"If that's what it takes," Steve replied.

"You heard the Colonel, your friend is most likely dead."

"You don't know that."

"Even so, he's devising a strategy. If he detects..."

Steve cut her off. "By the time he's done with that, it could be too late!" He walked out to a Jeep as he met Elsie's eyes. "You told me you thought I was meant for more than this. Did you mean that?"

Elsie nodded. "Every word."

"Then you two gotta let me go." He got in the Jeep.

"Peggy and I can do more than that."