A Second Chance

Chapter 11 - The Mission

Moments later...

"...I know I'm asking a lot," Cap spoke into a microphone which was connected into the HQ's PA system. "But the price of freedom is high. It always has been. And it's a price I'm willing to pay. And if I'm the only one, then so be it," he paused. "But I'm willing to bet I'm not."

Steve unpressed the microphone's button and straightened up. The group had infiltrated into the communication's room at SHIELD HQ and Steve had promptly made an announcement for all SHIELD employees revealing the truth about HYDRA's infiltration and some of the people involved, while simultaneously trying to encourage anyone willing to support his cause, all while Roxanne, Sam, and Hill covered him.

Ro couldn't help but glance back at Steve and give him an admiring smile as he finished his speech. Something about the way he spoke to others, while always remaining realistic and grounded, was also encouraging and exceptionally inspiring. He truly seemed to have a gift.

"That was," she cleared her throat and looked down sheepishly, "that was a great speech, Cap."

"So, did you write that down first, or was it off the top of your head?" Sam teased with a slight smirk.

Steve gave both of them a soft smile. However, the moment was interrupted when a plethora of gunshots was heard coming from another, distant room, followed by various alarms heard both outside and inside the quarters.

"Uhm, I know I'm new at this," Ro stated nervously as she looked around the room, "but that didn't sound good."

Agent Hill, now sitting at one of the desks, tapped a few keyboard keys and looked at a few of the monitors in alarm. "They're initiating launch."

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Steve, Sam, and Ro bolted out of the building, racing towards the bay. Once there, they ran past dozens of quinjets parked on the runway, and saw from the distance three colossal vehicles resembling aircraft carriers slowly rising from the ground.

"Cap, how do we know the good guys from the bad guys?" Sam asked.

"If they're shooting at you, they're bad," Steve replied.

"Oh, that's helpful," Ro quipped, although a slight tremble in her voice denoted her anxiety. "Where to now?"

"Get to your stations before they get too far!" the Captain commanded.

The trio reached the end of a tall platform, and one of the helicarriers was ascending just underneath. Without losing momentum, Sam activated the engine of the jetpack he was wearing, and out of it sprouted a pair of metal bird-like wings. As the man jumped off the platform and began to glide towards the sky, Ro's jaw dropped in amazement. She hadn't gotten to talk to Wilson all that much up to that point, and therefore never got an explanation as to why he was nicknamed 'The Falcon'. But now she knew.

Steve jumped down and used his round star-spangled shield to cushion his fall as he landed on the runway of Helicarrier Alpha. The arachnid girl spotted the carrier that had been assigned to her, Charlie, across from it. She threw a web which stuck to a large structure nearby, and began to swing herself to reach the vehicle. Her danger tingle suddenly went off mid-swing, and just then, a rain of bullets began hailing towards the three heroes. Ro lost balance and focus and fell onto the runway, narrowly avoiding getting hit.

"I found the bad guys you were talking about!" Sam exclaimed through the comms as he flew avoiding the missiles being fired at him in the air.

As the bullets ricocheted off his shield, Steve dashed to where Roxanne had landed and crouched himself over her, covering himself and the girl from the attack.