It's Been a Long, Long Time

08

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 and Frank were 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, Lieutenant. Or did Erskine tell you otherwise?"

"He told us 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 two so special?"

"Nothin'. We're just a couple kids from Brooklyn."

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

"Oh, of course you can," Schmidt replied. "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 and Frank yelled as their team crashed through the windows of the weapons lab.

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

"Thanks!" Steve said before he and Frank made their 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 towards 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 and Frank chased Schmidt, they were confronted by a HYDRA soldier with flamethrowers and were saved by Peggy.

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

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

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

"Wait!" Peggy called, kissing Frank. "Go get him." Frank, smiling at the kiss, looked at Colonel Phillips.

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

Steve smirked at his friend and Frank lightly rolled his eyes.

Steve and Frank managed to get onto one of the plane's wheels as it took flight.

INSIDE THE VALKYRIE

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

Steve and Frank fought to disable the fighter planes and their pilots.

While Steve and Frank were going after one of the fight pilots, the former lost his shield. Steve 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.

The two entered the cockpit where Schmidt was waiting.

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

"Nope!" Steve and Frank 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! There are no flags!"

"Not my future!" Steve and Frank 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.

Steve and Frank looked around, trying to find a way off the plane.

Frank caught sight of the controls. "I got a really dumb idea."

Steve nodded. "Pretty sure I have the same."