The Tragedy of Living

09

RED SKULL'S HEADQUARTERS

The team prepared a battle plan to take down Red Skull.

"Johann Schmidt belongs in a bug house," Colonel Phillips said. "He thinks he's a god. He's willing to blow up half the world to prove it, starting with the USA."

"Schmidt's working with powers beyond our capabilities," Howard informed. "He gets across the Atlantic, he will wipe out the entire eastern sea board in an hour."

"How much time we got?" Gabe asked.

"According to my new best friend, under twenty-four hours," Colonel Phillips replied.

"Where is he now?" Jacques questioned.

"Hydra's last base is here." Holding up a photo, he pointed to the base. "In the Alps. Five hundred feet below the surface."

"So, what are we supposed to do?" Morita wondered. "I mean, it's not like we can just knock on the front door."

"Why not?" Steve retorted. "That's exactly what we're gonna do."

---

Steve was captured by HYDRA soldiers and brought to Schmidt's weapon lab.

"Arrogance may not be a uniquely American trait, but I must say, you do it better than anyone. But there are limits to what even you can do, Captain. Or did Erskine tell you otherwise?"

"He told me you were insane," Steve shot back.

"Ah. He resented my genius and tried to deny me what was rightfully mine. But he gave you everything. So, what made you so special?"

"Nothin'. I'm just a kid from Brooklyn."

Schmidt started beating Steve up and Steve said, "I can do this all day."

"Oh, of course you can. Of course. But unfortunately I am on a tight schedule." He took out his cube-energy pistol and pointed it at Steve.

"So am I!" Steve yelled as his team crashed through the windows of the weapons lab.

"Rogers!" Falsworth called. "You might need this!" He threw Steve his shield.

"Thanks!" Steve made his way through the HYDRA base which had fallen into chaos with the arrival of more Allied soldiers.

Jim said into his comm, "We're in! Assault team, go!"

Colonel Phillips stood outside listening to Morita and said, "Move out!" The soldiers began running toward the HYDRA base. "Keep your spacing!"

HYDRA BASE

A HYDRA soldier said, "Cut off one head, two more shall..." He was killed by Colonel Phillips.

"Let's go find two more!" Colonel Phillips said.

As Steve chased Schmidt, he was confronted by a HYDRA soldier with flamethrowers and was saved by Peggy and Elsie.

After Peggy and Elsie had killed the HYDRA soldier, Steve said, "You're late."

"Weren't you about to..." Peggy and Elsie trailed.

"Right," Steve finished, continuing his chase. Schmidt boarded the Valkyrie and Steve wasn't fast enough to catch the plane. Behind him, Colonel Phillips, Elsie and Peggy appeared in a car to pick them up to chase the plane on the runway. "Keep it steady!" Just as Steve was about to leap from the roadster onto Schmidt's plane, Elsie stopped him.

"Wait!" Elsie called, kissing Steve. "Go get him." Steve, surprised by the kiss, looked at Colonel Phillips.

Colonel Phillips said, "I'm not kissin' you!"

Peggy smiled at her friend who suddenly leapt out of the car. "Elsie!"

Elsie ignored her friend and ran after Steve.

Steve and Elsie managed to get onto one of the plane's wheels as it took flight. He frowned, seeing her.

INSIDE THE VALKYRIE

There were multiple fighter planes with their targets written on them: Boston, Chicago, New York.

They fought to disable the fighter planes and their pilots.

While Steve and Elsie were going after one of the fight pilots, Steve lost his shield. They jumped onto the fighter plane and sent one pilot through the blades and ejected the other.

Steve flew the fighter plane back into the Valkyrie and picked up his shield.

Elsie and Steve entered the cockpit where Schmidt was waiting.

"You don't give up, do you?" Schmidt asked.

"Nope!" Steve replied and the three fought.

"You could have the power of the gods! Yet you wear a flag on your chest and think you fight a battle of nations! I have seen the future, Captain, Agent Stark! There are no flags!"

"Not my future!" Steve and Elsie yelled as the former flung his shield at Schmidt who was thrown into the cubic console.

"What have you done? No." He picked up the cube and energy started to pour from it, revealing a window into space. A stream of blue energy engulfed Schmidt and took him into the sky. The cube fell to the ground and burned through it until it fell into the sea below.

Elsie lowered her gun and glanced around. "Steve, how are we getting off this plane?"

Steve glanced at her. "I have no idea."

She glanced at the controls. "I have one. It's a stupid idea, but it's the best one we've got."

Steve followed her gaze to the controls and nodded slowly. "It's crazy, but it'll work. Why'd you follow me?"

"I wasn't about to let you do something so suicidally crazy alone. Oh, God. Howard is going to have something to say."