My Name is Hourglass (see issues of PK Comics and the origin of Hourglass short story coming soon), I can travel through out time and into other dimensions.. None of the dimensions I have traveled to have intrigued me more than this one, not even my own. The heroes of this world have inspired me to make a difference in my own world. Especially one known as Captain America. This is one of his tales.
In the year 1999 Captain America was forced to face a new radical group known as the millennium, a group who is going to make sure the world ends with the passing of this century. Captain America has all but defeated this group and now faces the groups leader, and some how the man suspected who it was his arch-enemy the Red Skull. Skull was using this group to bring down the democratic America and then toss the group aside to build his own Nazi America. However like all his schemes he must face Captain America for this to come true. There show down occurs in the lab of Skull's right hand man Arnim Zola. The two titans were fighting in the rafters above the lab.
"IT'S OVER SKULL YOU LOSE YET AGAIN," proclaimed the Star spangled Avenger.
"Not yet herr Rogers, not by far."
With that Skull produced a pistol. He unloaded the gun at the rafters beneath Captain America, the metal bridge snapped Captain fell he hurled his shield which hit on target, the side of Skulls head sending him over the edge. Captain America land on a table full of Zola's genetic experimental chemicals. The Beakers cracked a cloud of chemical dust surrounded the America hero which soon broke out a fire. 13 feet to the right of the dying hero lied the Red Skull his neck had broke when he hit ground. It would appear this is where our story ends but this is just the beginning.
I too had thought that was the last of Captain America until a later date when I flashed forward a thousand years..... Yes you heard right a thousand years the 31st century. For the full story I must leave Captain America for the moment. The year is 3008. America is no more. The world has united into one nation. However unlike people wanted to, not in the name of world peace but in the name of the Third Reich. The event of Captain America death triggered a chain reaction of events which lead to the Nazi revival which led to World War III which led to the new Nazi organization to win which led to them taking over America, which led to the them taking the world in the year 2994. Also as you may expect by that year inter solar system space travel was an option. Aliens were a fact. Earth was a super-power in the right of space as well. When the world unites no matter by what means there are no limitations in the field of technology for space travel or warfare. The original Nazi party was led by Adolf Hitler this Nazi party was run by Arnim Zola. Yes that's right he would be almost 1073 years old. Being the master of genetics he is he transferred his mind to genetically created body to genetically created body just as he transfer the Red Skulls mind into a clone of Steve Rogers. Zola is the prime candidate for the leader since he himself was picked by Hitler himself to be his personal scientist. Like all nations there are resistance fighters but they are far too few to make a difference... Now you know the situation of the world. A dire one it is but it is not too far gone for one man to make a difference.
I have not forgotten about Rogers, back in the remains of Zola's old lab. The fire set was stopped by the truants of rain soon after it began, inside under fallen ruble lied a body dressed in colors of nation long since past. Undisturbed for a thousand years. As Zola stated to his small groups of Neo-Nazis at the time "It is the final resting place of one of the Third Reich's greatest heroes and will remain undisturbed." and that it did until a group of children decided that for induction into there little gang of resistance fighters. They came across the rotting corpse of Schmidt first. One was so discussed by the stench and look of this rotten corpse he quickly turned away and scurried off to the right and tripped over something... When he returned to his feet he un-dug the reason for his tripping.
"It can't be...." muttered the clumsy boy.
"What is it?" asked another.
"The man my mother told me about when I was younger."
"He's just a myth."
"No, no! It's him Captain USA!"
"It's Captain US."
"No, it's US Agent," entered another boy into the conversation.
"No just Captain," entered another.
"No it's Nomad," entered the final boy.
"NOMAD?" the rest laughed all at once.
A hand reached up and grabbed the first boy's hand "-no it'-s Cap-tain Amer-ica."
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGHHHH!" screamed the boy the former Avenger grabbed hold of.
"It-'s al-right, whe-re am I?" the hero staggered out.
"Hell," said one of the boys.
The boys took the ancient hero back to there hide out and from there to the grown up resistance headquarters. Where he was introduced to 4 people the resistance leader named Golden, his wife a woman named Mary, the leaders right hand man and best friend an Australian known as Outback Cowboy, Outback or Cowboy for short. Outback because he was originally from the outback and cowboy because he always wore a cowboy hat. Finally a mutant named Patrick Cassidy. Who could channel powerful blasts through any objects he could get his hands on. He was a decedent the Cassidy family, which held such mutants as Banshee, Siryn and Black Tom. From which he descended was unknown.
"Are you actually him? I find it hard to believe you could survive this long of a period, even if your are him," asked Golden.
"This was found near by him," said one of the boys who found him while presenting a star spangled shield. "Well this has gotta be the chap you people have told me of," said Outback."Aye, that's his shield is it not?" asked Cassidy.
"I AM Captain America, I AM Steve Rogers, and if what I learned on my way here is true I AM what's left of the nation, the nation of the United States of America, I gave an oath to President Roosevelt, to President Truman and to ever other president this nation has had in my life time that no matter what happened I would hold true to that oath I took no matter what , that oath stated I would hold the ideals, the hope, the strength this nation thrived on in my heart and in my mind. I would not only hold these ideals I would practice them and so help me god I'm keeping that oath even in the world we live in today. Wither you believe me or not doesn't matter, wither you will help me or not does not matter. What matters is the fact that even in the face of Satan himself I will not back down I will stay and FIGHT the good fight," proudly stated Captain America.
"Lovely speech govner did ya just make that up?" Outback asked sarcastically.
"All right, I'm going to ask you a question only Captain America would know, What scientist created the super-solder serum? Who created your shield?"
"Dr. Abraham Erskine & Dr. Myron McLean" Cap responded quickly.
The time 2:30 am the place the bed bunk of Steve Rogers in the resistance headquarters. His bunk was next to Outback's..
"Hey Rogers ye be awake ain't ya?" asked Outback.
"Yes I am," responded Steve.
"Why?"
"I'm thinking"
"About?"
"The Avengers."
"The who?"
"The team I lead back in the 20th century."
"Oh THOSE Avengers."
"Do you know what happened to them?"
"'Fraid not, HEY Cassidy."
"Yeah.....what is it? Trying te sleep?" asked Patrick Cassidy.
"Da ya know what happened to the Avengers?"
"All of em?"
"I dunno, all of em?"
"As many as you know," stated Cap.
"As many as ya know."
"Well Iron-Man was roasted alive by Fin Fang Foom, Giant-Man and the Wasp re-married and lived the last years out and died naturally..... The Scarlet Witch, QuickSilver and Crystal disappeared... Hawkeye was killed by Zola's neo-nazi movement..... That's all I can remember.."
"What of Thor?" asked Cap.
"Ah.. oh yeah he's still alive," responded Cassidy.
"HE IS?" Cap asked enthusiastically.
"Yeah when Odin was killed he took over as head god of Asgard."
"It was rebuilt??" asked Cap.
"I dinna know."
There the legend stood with a small team consisting of Outback, Cassidy and a handful of others where the Rainbow bridge once stood, now there was nothing...
"If Asgard was rebuilt it should be here...," Cap thought aloud.
Almost on cue there was a flash of light, a swirl of colors a the sound of a small explosion. Standing before them was the Rainbow bridge. Captain America crossed the bridge and his team shortly followed.
"And ye had your doubts bout the man," joked Cassidy.
"Me? I was all for it, Golden was the non believer," responded Cowboy.
"Aye well ye get to explain this rainbow bridge thing te him."
Waiting for the team on the other end were a few Norse warriors no doubt from Valhalla. They escorted the team to the main hall where a large man with blonde hair sat in a thrown with his head down.
"Thor?" asked Cap.
"Yes my old friend it is me," answered Thor.
Cap walked closer to Thor, "So you got your god-hood back, you rebuilt Asgard.."
"Yes but at the cost of my fathers life, however that is a story for another time."
"You don't seem surprised to see me.."
"That is because I am not."
"Then you knew.."
"Of course I knew."
"How?"
"I was the one who kept you alive, you did not wonder why you didn't die? You didn't wonder why the fire hadn't killed you? It was I Steve... It was I who woke you up after all theses years, you didn't wonder why you had chosen that particular moment when the children where there to wake from you slumber?""I did...I assumed it was luck and Zola's chemicals..."
"It was partly.. the other part was the subconscious of my father, he still held his god-hood deep within and he kept you alive as a gift to me you being my friend. He did this until 2016 when he died giving the rest of the gods back there god-hood. I was chosen to replace him, and when I took the job I gained new found powers one which detected your life force still alive."
"Why didn't you bring me back earlier?"
"It was not with in my power, I was using almost all of my power to rebuild my kingdom.. It took great strength to keep you alive my friend."
"Then why did you choose now to bring me back?"
"You were desperately needed... your pure heart was the only thing to save this world."
"What about you?"
"I tried however the rest of the gods stood against me.."
"I came...."
"I know why you came and I can not my life is here now and as much as I would love to rejoin you on the field of battle wearing the badge of the Avengers I can not."
Steve approach Thor's throne and placed his hand on his friends shoulder "I thank you for giving me my life, and giving me the chance to save this world from the hands of the enemy I was created to destroy. You are a good friend and you shall always be." With that Steve turned around and head back for the Rainbow bridge when Thor responded with, "Good luck may you restore your world to it's former glory."
"That was the encounter Captain America had with Thor, Golden." stated Outback.
"Where is he now?" asked Golden.
"Rebuilding...the Avengers, so that he may lead them in an attack against Zola."
"Really, and where does he think he will find people to join his suicide squad?"
"Right here."
"What?"
"Your looking at a member of the new Avengers."
"Are you insane?"
"No, I just have hope that he will succeed and to do that he will need all the help he can get."
"Patrick, did you hear this?"
"Yes...that's why I too joined," Cassidy came back with.
"HAVE YOU ALL GONE INSANE? IT'S SUICIDE!" pleaded the resistance leader.
"No they haven't gone insane, they've gone sane in a crazy world," responded Rogers as he entered the room.
"You'll surely die!"
"Perhaps but who wants to live in a world like this one?"
"I want to live period and if any of you want to live also don't follow this man."
"What kind of life will you live? Would some one dare call it a life?"
"I have wife dammit! I'm not going to leave her!"
"She joined also Golden," Cowboy added.
"No... "
"Yes, my love," entered Mary.
"Why... I thought you wanted a family, children..."
"I don't want to raise our children in a world like this one."
"Very well I shall join but only to protect Mary.."
There they stood, the new Avengers led by the 20th century hero Captain America, in a large room. At the center of the room was Captain America, he was surround by 157 men and women all wearing an "A" some where on there body and they held an Avengers ID card in there hand. Everyone was present except for Golden, his location was unknown.
The leader of the 157 spoke "I thank you all for joining me in my quest... Especially after knowing the great risk your all taking. Under the leader ship of your old leader you made small skirmish attacks never in full force never lasting long, never after the man himself. I myself have defeated Zola many many times back in my time, but now he shall be even more difficult I know, he has an army to end all armies the combined effort of every country that existed up until his take over. How will we accomplish a victory against this man? Well, I'm not going to lie to you we very well might not. But what we will do is put a dent in his operations and if we can do that perhaps resistance fighters from around the world may build up the courage to attack the Nazi movement themselves. Why do this? If we just give up were giving in, we're forgetting all those who have fought and given there lives for us and our freedom, we're letting not only the world but the entire galaxy that Earth is full of nothing but a race that puts up a good show and is ripe for the picking. We not only have to show Zola and his men that no matter the trainee we face, no matter the sorrow that be bestowed upon us that we will return, just as strong to back what was wrongfully taken from us. We have to show them that we will never give up and we FIGHT the injustice. General Patton once said that a good soldier never dies, he just fades away. The man knew what he was talking about.... If I should fall who among you shall pick up my Shield and carry on?"
"I will...." said a voice from the hall way... The man stepped from the shadows revealing himself as the former leader of the resistance, man named Golden. With that answer Captain America smiled something he had not done since his reveal."How do we accomplish the task of attacking the bunker of Zola? It is heavily guarded we can't possibly get past them."
"Glad you asked...no really I am. For the answer to that I shall had the question to the appointed leader of our flying strike, Vance Astro, Vance?" Captain handed over the question.
"Well, as you may know I am an accomplished space pilot. The plan I have conducted is a simple one. We divide into two team, an Air team, and a land team. The air team shall take all of our available air craft that our space worthy. We take them up into space and then when the land team is in position the air team flies strait down through the atmosphere. We open fire, we destroy a great deal of there defense devises and a great deal of the enemy. However we will also be drawing the fire so that the land team may advance. However for this to work I need someone from the land division by himself to attack the bunker. The man most will assuredly die but his death shall serve a purpose. The man will have on him a homing device on him which will allow our space craft to remain on course and home in on the bunker. With out this the crafts will reenter all over the earth and will have served no purpose. Who will sacrifice themselves for the good of the team?" was Astro's response to Cap's hand over.
"I would like that honor, I am fully aware of the fact that most likely I shall not return," stated Patrick Cassidy.
Captain America nodded at this and then said, "Leader the ground assault shall be myself and Golden. The air assault shall be lead by Outback and Vance. Now lets go out there and FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT until the fighting is done."
Cassidy then started to walk out of the room when he was stopped by Outback Cowboy. "Where are you going?" asked Cowboy.
"To Hell or Glory it all depends on your point of view my friend, to Hell or Glory" was Cassidy's only reply as he left the room.
They loaded upon the space craft and into the ground deploys. Cassidy climbed onto an Air cycle. Captain America into the back of a flat bed truck filled to the max with other men. Golden into another also filled to a Tee. His wife Mary joined him in the same truck. Outback climbed into a "Space Runner" and took to the cockpit. Vance Astro climbed into a "Speed Tracker" and sat in the pilot seat. The remaining men climbed into there respected space crafts or land rovers.
"~squak~ This is team leader cowboy requesting to go first, over. ~squak~"
"Go for it, stop all the squawking, the radio's are perfectly clear, it's not like the stuff they used in the 20th century."
"~squak~ Gottcha. ~squak~"
With that the space crafts took off followed by Cassidy then finally the land rovers.
The spacecrafts soared into outer space. The land Vehicles toar up the earth as the crossed it and the air cycle was one hell of a smooth ride. Once the land team was in positions Captain America . checked on the space squad. "You guys in position?"
"Absolutely Postively Cap," answered Outback.
"All right, Cassidy, GO GO GO!"
With that Cassidy hit the accelerator and took off towards the Bunker. To Hell or glory he thought to hell or glory.
"Intruder alert an unidentified object has just flown into the perimeter," the Computer chanted.
"What do we do herr Zola?" asked an underling.
"Shoot her down," Zola said coldly.
A gattling gun appeared from the ground and opened fire on Cassidy and his air cycle.
"Oh $#$Q@!!" Cassidy screamed as he dove off of his cycle.
"Gotta make it further into the place or the Crafts will home in too far off.... How can I get there fast?" Cassidy thought out loud.
Almost on cue two Nazi scouts appeared to check the wreckage, Cassidy picked up a pebble and channeled his mutant blast through it sending a scout off of his bike. Cassidy then blasted the other one and climbed on the bike of the first one and took off. Soon he came to inner perimeter and the men asked for ID stupidly. Cassidy then reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet and sent a mutant blast through it at the guards. He then proceeded on when he came to a large army of men....
"All right Patty boy time te go." Cassidy activated the homing device. He then tied his hands to the guiding bars of the bike and tied his foot down on the execrator. He could use a brick because it would stay on course. The bike flew down headed for the bunker at an incredible speed. Every guard opened fire Cassidy was a bullet cushion and was long dead before he crashed into the bunker it's self.
"HE DID IT!! AIR TEAM NOW!!!!!" Screamed Cap through the comm.
The air team didn't need to be told twice with that then came down through the atmosphere homing in on the signal the homing device Cassidy had was emitting.
"HERR ZOLA A TEAM OF SPACE CRAFT ARE HEAD STRAIT FOR US!" screamed an Underling.
"How where we caught unaware?" asked Zola.
"The just appeared they must have been in space and just entered orbit."
"Well no matter kill them all."
The squadron of space crafts came down at the bunker firing everything they got.
"~squak~ YE HAH! WE GOT EM VANCE! ~squak~"
"Don't get over confident just yet."
The bunker brought out some heavy artillery from the roof of the bunker and open fire on the incoming crafts.
"@$#%@#$!@$#!@#$" Screamed an unknown pilot as his craft was hit and blew up.
"We lost one Cowboy."
"~Squak~ We're still fighting ain't we Vance? ~squak~"
"Yes."
"~squak~ then, LETS DO IT! ~squak~"
The land team arrived on the scene with minimal casualties.
"WE CAN HANDLE EM CAP HEAD FOR ZOLA!" screamed Golden.
"Will do Golden don't get yourself killed," was Cap's response.
The hero for all time charge the Bunker with the Shield in front dodging bullets, diving rolling to avoid being shot, which he did with amazing grace. When his back became exposed and people looked like they were going to shoot the Captain Golden shot them "GOT YOUR BACK CAP cause if I don't Mary will have my hide.." He yelled each time he killed a Nazi who was trying to get to Cap. The hero entered the bunker buy cutting hole in the wall with his shield.
"~squak~ THATS CAP BREAKIN INTA THE BLOODY BUNKER! ~squak~" shouted Cowboy over the comm.
"Don't get too excited Cowboy we gotta take this suckers down then cheer."
"~squak~ GOTCHCA,....oh S*&$%&#" Cowboy sent over the comm as shrapnel cut into his hull.
"COWBOY WHERE ARE YOU? OVER, COME IN! ASTRO TO COWBOY COME IN OVER" Vance sent over the comm hoping for a response which he never got.
Over twenty miles laid the wreckage of the Space Runner the pilot and crew still strapped in the space craft.
"Was that Outback's craft?" asked Mary.
"No way to be sure love," responded her husband Golden.
"I supp-ugh."
"MARY!?" He turned his back to see his wife dying from a blast wound.
"I guess I screwed up love," Mary managed to get out.
"Nonono, you were fighting for what you believe in... you can't screw up with that as your motive."
Mary then smiled and took her last breath and faded away in the eternal darkness. Golden then closed the woman he loves eyes so that she may rest in peace.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGG
GGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!" Golden screamed and then picked up a plasma rifle and charged at the bunker.
The hero who had spanned centuries charged into the heart of the bunker. His shield destroyed a lock on a door and he charged in.
"Greetings Herr Rogers, as you can see you walked right into my trap," said Zola who stood on a raised platform about 30 feet from out hero.
Captain America then looked around and saw a minimum of 300 soldiers all wearing a Nazi swastika all armed to the teeth. Rogers then looked back at the way he came in and saw a huge dough monster blocking his door.
"I trust you remember the unstoppable Doughboy," said Zola.
The Sentinel of Liberty then charged at the monster named Doughboy thinking if I fight these people on my own terms I may win. Doughboy's stomach split open and engulfed Captain America.
"Release him" ordered Zola.
Almost on cue Doughboy spit out Captain America on the ground. The hero still had his shield in hand.
"Why?" asked Zola.
"Why what?" rebutted Cap.
"Why do you continue to fight?"
"Out of love."
"For whom?"
"My country."
Zola rolled his eyes and said "ALL RIGHT! AGAIN! Why do you continue to fight?"
"To let the world know life doesn't have to be this way, that there is something better."
"There WAS something better, it doesn't exist anymore."
"There is always something better."
"ONE LAST TIME WHY DO YOU CONTINUE TO FIGHT?!?!?"
"For a hope of a better tomorrow."
"You've lost Herr Rogers give up."
"You don't get it do you? Steve Rogers is just a man but Captain America is a sign of hope. You may kill the man but the hope will not, CAN NOT die. I may fall but another will pick up this Shield and continue to fight, FIGHT against this injustice. Kill him and another shall take his place. It's a never ending cycle for peace and justice. If I give up I wouldn't be that sign of hope and I would live up to that oath I took all those lifetimes ago."
"Any allegiance you pledged died with the death of your country."
"WRONG! That allegiance has and always will live on in my heart and in the heart of every one who a poses there God given rights. I shall hold true to that oath so help me God.
"Your a fool herr Captain, a noble fool, any last words?"
"Just two, AVENGERS ASSEMBLE!"
The cry was heard through out the complex and outside and even to the far reaches of Asgard where a god whom had lost his passion heard the battle cry from his old Avengers call card. The god raise his head picked up his legendary hammer headed to the door. "Thor you cannot you have responsibilities here," pleaded a disciple.
"You people here may be my family but that is my friend down there, where were you when Odin banned me from this kingdom to Migard? My friend was there. Who gave me a home when this place fell? He did, This is the least I may do to return that favor..." Thor proudly and strongly said and then flew out the door.
Back in the heart of the Bunker the Nazi leader spouted his command "Cute... Kill him!" The Nazi followed up that order with hundreds of rounds of gunfire. The hero threw his shield at the exact same time at Arnim Zola. The hero whom the world shall never forget had fallen. A crack of Thunder was heard and bolt of lighting was seen cursing through Doughboy. The monster exploded into chunks and Thor followed by Golden and the remaining foot-soldiers charged into the room.
After the smoke had cleared from the battle Vance Astro landed his craft. Started digging through the ruble and found a Shield, THE shield with the colors of hope, justice and freedom. There was a small patch of blood on the shield, which Vance wiped off before slinging the shield over his forearm.
I am known as Hourglass a legend died that day, but that day was also a MAJOR VICTORY.
This was a story my Patrick J. Kane. He has a webpage, called PJK's A Lonely Place for Dying. His fanfics are posted there as well as here. He has been really useful in helping me with my webpage. Thanks!
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