Stars and Stripes: Amelia Rose Rogers

You don't get to call me that

“Steven, I told you not to follow me!” I yell over the sound of the plane and walk over to him. “And you thought I would let you do this alone?” He says looking in my eyes and I roll my eyes “just don’t get hurt dummy” I say nudging his shoulder. I look around noticing the propellers are attached to eight fighters inside the wing, each having a snub-nose cube bomb at the nosecone. The sound of a bullet hitting Steve’s shield catching my attention. I'm guessing those are the pilots of the bombs rushing down the ramp from the bridge. Great just great, no one ever said this would be easy. Steve, flips into a flying spin kick, dropping two pilots where they stand. He passes me the shield and I pound a guard as the others move in on us. I hurl the shield knocking down two guards. “You know I'm really going to have to get myself one of these” I state as I throw the shield back to him. I look over at Steve as he throws one across the flight deck and out of the plane. “Hey, I had it first” he says as he smashes another with his shield. A huge pilot swings clocking Steve in the head. I turn around jumping on the pilot's back. “You boys just never learn not to mess with my family” I say and pull him down slamming his back on the ground. Turning around to see a fighter drop with my brother on it. “Steve!” I yell as my breathe hitches, no this is not going to happen again. I wipe the blood off my cheek and twist my hair up. Seeing blood splat through the air. As the pod fighter crashes back into the flight deck knocking me off my feet.  I run over to him “I’m okay, I’m alive” Steve says as he stands up and I wrap him in a hug. “Would you stop doing that you're going to kill me one of these times” I mumble slightly as I pull away “Come on we finish this together” I say and hand him his shield. I watch as he straps on the Shield and climbs over the crash me following close behind. The rubble shifting under the weight on me and Steve. I take his hand to get up on the level floor. Steve moves forward and kicks the door to the cockpit down. A weird feeling rushes over me as its nothing but stillness. I walk warily towards the control platform; the chair was empty. “Steven duck!” I shout out as I hear the whine of a Hydra weapon power up. The reflection of the red skull in the window. I duck below the control platform as Steve covers us with his shield to deflect the shots.  The sound of the blast ricocheting off the shield. Glass shatters around me as a pane of glass blows out. “You don’t give up, do you?” Shmidt says in a wicked tone behind it. “Nope.” Steve says and charges at Skull, who fires again. Blue bolts ricochet around the cabin. I stand up and rush over with Steve. I grab a metal pole hitting Skull in the back of the head. Steve takes the rifle from skulls hands smashing it. Skull moves forward to swing, and I knock his feet from under him. Giving Steve the opening to get Skull in a headlock. Skull throws Steve into the bulkhead. “You know you are really starting to get on my nerves.” I say over the sound of the wind. I grab the back of his collar pulling Skull back. “What's the matter rose can’t handle a little fight” Shmidt says and that's when something in me snaps. “You don’t get to call me that” I say calmly as I smash his face into the wall. My right hand on the back of his neck. I glance over at Steve as he gets his footing. Straining placing a hand on his side breathing heavily. “You okay Steve?” I ask acting like I didn’t just smash skulls face into the wall. “Good, you?” Steve responds. “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 but Hydra’s.” Skull says and I glare smashing his face harder. “Keep the future. I’m looking for a little here and now.” Steve says grabbing him from me slamming him in the jaw with the shield making Skull stagger. I look at my brother with a proud smirk. Steves arm cocks back a little hitting Skull with an uppercut. The impact drives Skull up and into the auto pilot controls. “Great... great... great...” I mumble to myself. As I rush to get the controls, but it was too late the plane lurches forward violently. We all get tossed around as the plane spins into a barrel roll. I crash into the ceiling. I reach for the handles Steve beating me to it. And the plane jerks up again throwing me across the cockpit. I lay there for a second when I hear Steve shouting at me. “Get up! We not done yet!” He shouts and I jump onto my feet he was right we aren’t done. I get ready to fight again as Steve slams Skull into the ceiling. I get the shield slamming Skull in the head. I pass it to Steve after all he uses it better than me. Skull bashes against the wall, but adeptly bounces back. He grabs a strut and kicks out pushing me and Steve toward the back bulkhead. Skull flies at the autopilot controls. My body slamming hard into the steel wall. I groan my head throbbing now. I stand up as Skull hits the autopilot button right as I stand up only knocking me of my feet again. As the giant plane pulls out of its dive. Gravity returns finally slamming me down again. I could see the shield roll away out the corner of me eye. I flutter my eyes snapping out of my daze. “You could have the power of the gods...” Skull says, and I look over at Steve checking to see if he sees what I’m seeing Skull is advancing. “And you will not admit you want it?” Skull says looking at the cube standing in front of the cube housing, Skull takes dead aim at the star on Steve’s chest. “I want what every soldier on every battlefield wants...” Steve says, and I eye the shield at his feet. “I want to go home. I want this war to end.” Steve says looking over at me “And because of you some of us didn’t get to make it home” I say glaring into his eyes my fingers making crossing the signal to Steve.  Steve slams his heel onto the shield, flipping it into the air. I jump out of the way as Skull fires. I move to stand up ducking as Steve’s shield flies past my head. The spinning disc hits Skull in the ribs with a sickening crunch, knocking him off his feet and he smashes into the cube console. I stand up looking over at Steve. Blue energy arcs and crackles from the damaged machinery.  The energy gauge pins at overload. Okay that is not good. I watch as Skull pulls himself to his feet, staring in alarm as...The cube rises from the machine, glowing with a violent intensity. a ringing whistle coming to my ears. I stare as he reaches out and extracts the cube the cube burning the gloves off skulls hands. The exposing the scarred flesh underneath I was blinded by the light of the cube barely able to see anything Steve staggers toward the controls. “Valhalla... I was right... It is real... Yes, I understand... I have waited so long...” Skull says and I raise an eyebrow “what are you talking about?” I ask as the cube starts violently shaking. a worried look crosses Skull's face. Something’s wrong. “No.” Skull mumbles as I look at Steve as Steve whips up his shield over us the energy shooting out of the cube. “NO!” Skull shouts and energy bolts ricochet off the ceiling and strike the Skull, vaporizing him as the cube goes nova. A massive column of energy shoots toward space the space around us growing in intensity. The intensity grows until it explodes outwards.