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September
Year 1 |
"So we just sit here and wait?" Free Spirit says as she looks around the empty control room. This room houses the computer system that the former King Cobra and current Supreme Serpent had planned to use to take over Seattle, and eventually the world (as seen in our last few pulse-pounding issues - Matt). She has been left to guard these machines with Taskmaster, the deadly mercenary trainer with photoreflexive abilities.
"That's right - unless you want to mess with 'em and risk settin' off Voorhees' program?" Taskmaster asks.
"Of course not, I just wish -"
Suddenly a group of Sons of the Serpent burst into the room, attacking Free Spirit and the Taskmaster. Free Spirit leaps forward to attack her foes, while Taskmaster opens fire with his blaster and blocks enemy fire with his shield. "Next time I'm keeping my big mouth shut," Free Spirit thinks as she decks a SotS soldier.
Cap and Diamondback race back towards the surface. Above them, they can hear the sounds of battle - a sure sign that SHIELD troops have already arrived. Cap silently continues to run ahead, leaving Diamondback to wonder about their future - more specifically, if there was a future for them. She was wondering what he was thinking about right now...
Captain America was wondering why they had faced so little resistance thus far. They had only encountered a few SotS troops so far, and he expected many more, either trying to retake the computer command room or just retreating from the SHIELD attack. Of course, there were other corridors leading to the command room, but if this one went to the surface as Rachel said, shouldn't some troops be coming their way to get away from SHIELD?
The two heroes rounded the corner and found their answer. The corridor was completely blocked off by debris - the roof had caved in, a result of the SHIELD bombardment, no doubt. "We've got to find another way back to the surface," Cap said matter-of-factly. "Let's go the opposite way at that last fork we encountered. Come on." Without waiting for a word from Diamondback, Cap takes off back in the direction they came from.
"I realize how important this mission is," Diamondback thinks as she trots after him, "but I wish he would tell me something about where we stand..."
"Justin Hammer and I are going to have a long talk when I get out of here," thinks the Supreme Serpent as he heads towards his escape jet. "Who ever heard of a software bug ruining plans for world domination? I'll bet this sort of thing never happens to Doctor Doom..."
Voorhees reaches the hangar with his minijet in it. "Luckily I've been in the supervillain game long enough to know to have a backup plan." He goes to one of the launch command computers and enters a code into the keypad. "It's a good thing I had special terminals installed throughout the complex to activate plan B just in case something like this happened."
At that moment, Captain America and Diamondback run into the hangar from a different entrance. "Well, here's the hangar. Hopefully we can come out near some SHIELD - " Captain America then notices that they're not alone in the hangar. "Voorhees!"
"Stay back, Captain!" Voorhees spits. "I may not be able to freeze every MicroNet computer system as I had planned, but I can still send out the attack command to my sleeper agents. At the very least, there will be chaos in the streets of Seattle tonight!" Voorhees stabs a button on the control panel just as Captain America hurls his shield at the computer. The shield would strike true - but an invisible force field deflects it!
"HA!" Voorhees laughs. "Did you think we would have a computer system unprotected in the middle of a hangar? You've failed, Captain. Right now, hundreds of my agents are taking up arms against the civilians of Seattle!"
"You'll pay for this!" Captain America yells as he and Diamondback charge towards Voorhees. However, they can only impotently bang on the force field that not only protects the computers, but Voorhees as well.
Voorhees just stands laughing, so pleased is he with his handiwork. He does not notice as the grate off an air vent falls to the ground, and a lithe figure leaps behind him.
"Turn and face your opponent!" the figure shouts. "I weel not strike you from behind, for that would not be ze way of honair, ze way of Batroc ze Leapair!"
"Batroc?" Voorhees, Cap, and Diamondback all ask in unison.
"Yes, I have come to ze rescue!" Batroc says as he unleashes a flying kick on Voorhees, knocking him to the ground.
"You idiot frog! You're too late to stop me!" Voorhees says.
"Au contraire! I know zomething zat you don't! You have already been defeated!" Batroc announces.
"Liar!" Voorhees shouts as he swings at Batroc. Batroc ducks and strikes with a quick palm to Voorhees' chin, followed by a kick to the midsection and an elbow to the back of the head. Voorhees falls to the ground, unconcious. Batroc then deactivates the force field.
"Bonjour, mon capitan!" Batroc greets his long-time foe.
"Alright, Batroc, if it's a fight you want..." Cap begins.
"Zut allors! You believe I 'ave come here to battle with you? Have you already forgotten our last conversation?" Batroc asks (he's referring to Captain America #443 - Matt).
"You mean - you've really reformed?" Cap asks, somewhat disbelieving and yet bemused at the same time.
"Oui. I told you I would, did I not? And to lie to a great man like you would not be ze way of honair, ze way of..."
"But Batroc," Cap interrupts, "why are you here?"
"Well, a fellow still has to make a living, non? I hire my services for good causes, much like your Luke Cage. Zis time, I was hired by Mssr. le Task- master to aid in zis operation."
"Taskmaster? Never mind. There's time for questions later. Right now Voorhees' sleeper agents are wreaking havoc in Seattle! We've got to -"
"Pardonnez-moi, mon capitan, but zat is zee information I alluded to in my battle with Mssr. Voorhees. SHIELD has blocked all forms of communication around zis complex. In fact they should be here any -"
At that moment, SHIELD agents begin poring into the hangar. Leading them is G.W. Bridge. "I see you've already taken care of Voorhees, Captain," Bridge says. "Good work."
"Actually, Batroc did the honors," Cap answers. "Where's Viper?"
"We've already got here, and most of the Sons of the Serpent, locked up. The entire base has been secured, including the control room. We're deactivating Voorhees' MicroNet programs now."
Free Spirit arrives in the hangar. "Cap, did you get him?" she asks as she runs up.
"Batroc did," Cap answers. "Where's the Taskmaster?"
"He disappeared just after SHIELD got there."
"Well, I suppose this wraps everything up," Cap says. "Let's head home."
After vouching for Sidewinder's aid in the conflict (like he promised last issue - Matt) Captain America returns to the passenger compartment of the SHIELD transport jet and sits next to Diamondback.
"Steve, can we talk?" Diamondback asks.
"Sure, Rachel. About what?" Cap replies, trying to be conversational but clearly a little nervous.
"About us. About our future - do we have one?"
"Rachel, I still care about you, but there can't be anything between us any longer," Cap says tenderly, yet firmly, as he gazes into her eyes. Rachel looks down at her hands.
"Is there someone else?" she asks quietly.
"Yes," he answers. (He's referring to Carol Danvers, but since you read Avengers and Ms. Marvel, you already know that - Matt)
"I see," she says. They spend the rest of the flight in uncomfortable silence.
Next Issue: Beginning an all-new direction for Cap. Be here!
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