CAPTAIN AMERICA CREATED BY JOE SIMON AND JACK KIRBY

#491

Written by Jeff Melton

SEPTEMBER, YEAR 3

“Friend and Foe!”

What Has Gone Before: Tracing an AIM operation to Nebraska, Cap charters a plane to take him there. He is attacked in mid-air and forced to make an emergency landing. There, he battles AIM operatives, and soon faces…Nomad! 50’s Captain America stops a drunk driver and makes his way to see Dr. Faustus!

Captain America takes a glance back at the young pilot who flew him to this location, noticing that he is still unconscious, lying on the ground of the cave entrance. Then, he turns his eyes back to the sight of a short-haired Nomad, wearing the most recent version of his costume, complete with a flack jacket. He is surrounded by AIM agents, all wearing their hoods, and each one brandishing AIM prototype laser rifles…all pointed in his direction.

Instinctively, Cap puts up his shield, moving it from side to side, as he turns, trying to keep an eye on the front line of AIM operatives, as well as the man calling himself Nomad. Cap looks closely at Nomad, seeing a fiery gaze burning in his eyes.

“Has he gone mad?” Cap asks himself silently. “But, the last few times I saw him, I had to wonder the same thing. His long hair, his attitude…all very atypical of Jack Munroe. Then, I had heard that he even joined forces with some villains against the Champions…!”

“Are you the welcoming committee?” Cap asks, realizing that he was allowing himself to be lost in thought—a very dangerous pastime for a warrior, and something that has gotten him in trouble before.

“You seek to amuse yourself?” Nomad asks, looking across the floor towards Cap, who returns his look with one of interest.

“You’re not…!” Cap starts.

“No, I am not,” Nomad interjects, as he takes a step forward. Even as he does so, the AIM agents instinctively pay closer attention to Captain America, making sure that their guns are trained on him. “I see no reason for pretense any longer. I am not the Nomad you knew. Nor, in fact, am I even the duplicant who was masquerading in the absence of your old friend.”

“However,” the Nomad imitator continues, reaching out and ripping a large stalagmite effortlessly off the cave wall, “I have been given a mission…to destroy you! And I will accomplish that mission.”

Nomad swings down towards Cap with the large stalagmite, using it as a club. It strikes the ground where Cap was a moment earlier, breaking in two on the hard cave floor, as Cap leaps into the air, avoiding the blow.

As Cap leaps upward, he leap-frogs over Nomad, landing on three AIM agents, causing the rest to scatter. He takes the opportunity to swing his shield rapidly in all directions, sending waves of AIM soldiers flying back against the cave walls, keeping them off-balance.

“I won’t have time to deal with all of them,” Cap silently considers, “but I can at least keep them from organizing an attack against me while I’m trying to fight…whoever this is posing as Nomad. And I think I might have an idea…!”

Before Cap can turn around, Nomad slams his fist into Cap’s back, just beneath the rib cage on his right side. This drives Cap forward into the midst of more AIM agents. The blow stuns Cap, but he quickly gets up, pushing aside the agents who were trying to grab him and hold him.

Cap rushes forward, delivering a blow to Nomad. It is a powerful blow, and it jerks Nomad’s face to the right side violently. However, Nomad retains his footing. He then reaches out, grabbing Cap by his fist, and lifts him into the air. Effortlessly holding Cap with one hand, he throws the living legend down the length of the cave, where Cap careens into more AIM agents, knocking them back!

Although scattered by the attack, the AIM agents quickly lift their weapons to fire at Cap. Instinctively, Cap throws his shield, causing it to fly in a semi-circle around the cave, striking the guns, shattering them in the stunned AIM agents’ hands, and causing the fragments to drop to the floor, harmlessly. Cap lifts up his hand, catching the shield, as it returns to his hand like a faithful servant.

Hearing footfalls behind him, Cap instinctively whirls around, just as Nomad is delivering a blow intended to take Cap’s head off. However, Cap puts up his shield, ducking behind the shield, which takes the full impact from Nomad’s intended blow.

Instinctively, Nomad steps back, feeling the impact of his blow to an unbreakable metal object surge through his hand. This leaves a rare opening for Cap, who takes full advantage of the situation. Cap first delivers a right cross to Nomad’s right cheek, jerking his head to one side!

Realizing that it will take far more than this to take out his stronger opponent, Cap slams his shield’s edge into Nomad’s right side, causing him to stagger under the impact.

Keeping his foe off-balance, Cap then leaps into the air, kicking Nomad once again in the face. As he spins through the air, he kicks Nomad again, this time on the left side of his face! The impact stuns Nomad, who is unsteady on his feet, as is staggering back from the repeated blows.

Once Cap has returned to the ground, he again uses his shield as a battering ram, rushing at Nomad, and bringing his shield upward with great impact against Nomad’s jaw! The impact from the blow sends Nomad off his feet, crashing into the side of the cave with a THUD! To Cap’s stunned eyes, Nomad starts to get up from the floor, an anger burning in his red eyes!

INTERLUDE

Meanwhile, in Harlem, the 50’s Steve Rogers lays on a couch in Dr. Faustus’ office. He wakes up covered in sweat, noticing that two heavy blankets have been draped over his body. As he looks up, he sees his companion, standing over him with concern etched on her face.

“Jennifer?” he asks, seeing her face through a haze of semi-consciousness.

“Yes,” the lovely woman responds, nodding her head, as she leans down towards him. “I’m here.”

“Another chill?” he asks, as he starts to push up on his elbows to a sitting position.

“Take it easy,” she says with concern. “You don’t want to over-do it.”

“I’m all right now,” he replies, as he sits on the sofa, pushing the blankets aside.

“One thing I’ve never understood about you,” she comments, sitting down beside him, “is how you can fight so well,” and then, looking at his chest, and back up to his face with a smile, “and be in such good shape, but still have these crazy chills.”

“Believe me,” he responds with a half-smile. “I can do without them myself.” He looks around, noting that he is in a doctor’s office. “But, I suppose we made it to the doctor’s office before they started this time.”

“That’s right,” she agrees, putting her hand on his shoulder, running her fingers along his neck. “He’ll be in shortly. He stepped in a while back and noticed that you were stirring.”

“Do you think we can get some answers here?” Steve asks, looking at his lovely companion.

“I know,” she responds, her fingers still along his next. “I know you don’t like ‘shrinks’, but this is our best option. If it was just a medical condition, we could take you to a doctor—but those crazy…sorry, but those strange…flashbacks…!”

“It’s okay,” Steve responds, looking into her eyes. “I want answers myself. I want to know the meaning of the flashbacks, and I want to know why I feel so completely out of place here…in this place and time.”

“Place and time?” she asks, surprised to hear that.

“Hello, my guests.” Steve and Jennifer both turn to see Dr. Faustus, wearing a green suit and holding a filter cigarette in his right hand, as he enters the room, carefully closing the door behind him. “I trust that my patient has regained consciousness.”

“Yeah, I’m awake,” Steve replies. The hairs on his back raise in anticipation when he hears Faustus’ voice. He thinks that he has heard the voice before, and when he sees Faustus, he is sure of it. He can’t place where he has seen this man before…or how. It is disconcerting to him, but he fights it off…for the moment.

“Very good,” Dr. Faustus replies, pulling up a chair to where he faces Steve and Jennifer. “For now, I’d like to talk about the things that you can remember. The things that are familiar to you. And we will go from there.”

End of Interlude

Back in the cave near Nebraska, Captain America stands facing Nomad, who has gotten back to his feet.

Nomad quickly gets to his feet, rushing at Cap, who leaps over him, and uses his momentum to push down on Nomad’s head as he passes, causing Nomad to stagger once again!

However, as Cap returns to his feet, he is surprised by Nomad’s speed. The LMD whirls around, striking Cap a blow to the side of the face. Cap reacted by rolling with the blow, making it little more than a glancing blow. However, due to the LMD’s great strength, that alone was almost sufficient to end their conflict.

Nomad steps in, trying to press his advantage. He punches at Cap, who blocks the intended blow with his left forearm. Cap then counters by shifting his upper body, delivering a glow with his right, as Cap’s shield slams into the LMD’s mid-section with great force!

Cap continues by sending out a left hook at his foe. However, Nomad blocks that blow with a forearm, and delivers a punishing jab to Cap’s mid-section, doubling him over with the impact of the powerful punch.

Sensing victory, the Nomad LMD prepares to batter the back of Cap’s head. As he swings downward, Cap quickly raises up his shield, causing Nomad to once again strike the shield with the full force of his blow!

The stunned Nomad provides an opening for Cap, who slams his shield into Nomad’s chest, driving him back. He then counters with a series of blows to Nomad’s face, as his head jerks violently from the punishment Cap is delivering. However, despite staggering under Cap’s systematic punches, Nomad continues to remain on his feet, his greater strength and corresponding invulnerability preventing what would have caused unconsciousness in a normal human.

Cap then leans back, bring his shield upward, slamming into Nomad’s jaw in a powerful upper-cut that sends Nomad flying back, landing on the cold, hard ground at Cap’s feet.

“I know you’re an LMD,” Cap comments, backing up and keeping a close watch on his foe, prepared for any sudden movements. “But who made you?”

“You’ll find out soon enough!” the Nomad LMD replies sharply. With that, Cap hears a flood of CLICKS! all around him, as the laser guns held by the AIM agents are all trained on his back. Cap turns around to face the AIM agents, running in his mind the scenario of where to throw his shield first, or counter-attack and block the incoming fire.

The distraction costs him, however. He turns around just in time to be struck with a haymaker blow delivered by the LMD that sends him back to the ground…unconscious!

“Agents!” Nomad calls out. “Come…take him to the lab!”

The AIM agents quickly converge on the spot, lifting up the unconscious Captain America, and taking him down the hallway of the cave, disappearing into the darkness, as the Nomad LMD follows closely behind them.

In Dr. Faustus’ Harlem office, Steve lies on the couch, with Dr. Faustus hovering over him in his chair. To the side, seated in her own chair, is Steve’s companion. She looks on with interest at the session.

“Let us start with these flashbacks,” Dr. Faustus says in a calm, smooth voice. Despite herself, Steve’s companion feels a soothing sensation, almost a daze. In addition, she quickly trusts Dr. Faustus. “How frequent are they?”

“They happen a few times a day,” Steve replies. He is leaning back against the headrest of the sofa, stretched out upon it, with his right leg stretched at the knee over his left leg. “A lot of times, they’re associated with these chills. Other times, they just come out of the blue.”

“And they depict events from your past?” Dr. Faustus inquires.

“I suppose so,” Steve responds. “Hard to say, though. I mean, they seem familiar to me, like I should know what they are, where they are…when they are.”

“Do they depict any, shall we say, familiar figures?” Dr. Faustus asks, his right eyebrow raising slightly on his inflection of the word “familiar”.

“I think so,” Steve replies, nodding slightly. “There are people that I think I…should know. I just can’t place who they might be.”

“Hmm,” Dr. Faustus remarks. He pulls out a small notepad, and begins taking notes on the small pad. “There are different methods of jogging your memory, and we will discuss those presently. However, I would like to discuss these…chills from which you seem to suffer. How often do they occur?”

“Not too often,” Steve mentions. “Maybe once a day.”

“You’ve had a couple of those today!” Jennifer chimes in. “And they seem to be getting worse.”

“Thank you for your input,” Dr. Faustus says in a sarcastic tone that is apparently not picked up on by Jennifer, who merely looks at him and smiles. “However, I would like for the patient to answer the questions as best he can.”

“Oh, sure,” Jennifer replies, looking embarrassed. “I understand.”

“What I wanted to discuss was what precipitated these chills?” Dr. Faustus explains. “Do they occur before a flashback, or are they totally independent of those sensations?”

“Well, doc,” Steve responds. He has become very relaxed on this sofa. His headache—that he always seems to get after a chill—seems to have subsided as well. “Sometimes they come right after a flashback, but sometimes they come for no reason. But, when I get the chill, I feel like I’m on ice…wrapped up completely in an iceberg or something. I know that sounds strange but…”

BUZZ!

Dr. Faustus rolls his eyes, as he reaches over, touching his phone, where he is receiving a page from his receptionist. “Pardon me,” he says in a polite tone to Steve and Jennifer.

“Doctor,” the receptionist’s voice filters through the phone’s intercom. “Miss Raymond is here for her appointment.”

“I see,” Dr. Faustus replies, looking up at the plain, circular office clock on the wall, which reads 3:01. He nods in silent understanding. “I will be with her shortly.”

End of Interlude

Meanwhile, Captain America is waking up. As he does so, he notices that he is chained against a wall in a metal room. He quickly takes in the surroundings, as he comes out of his unconscious state. He pulls on the chains holding him, realizing that they are sturdy and will not give.

He looks to his right, where he sees that he is not alone. There, he sees Nomad—the real Nomad—chained also to the wall. Nomad looks over at him, realizing that Cap is now awake.

“Nomad,” Cap says, looking over at his friend and former partner. “I can’t say that I’m surprised to see you here. I met your double earlier.”

“So did I,” Nomad responds. “Pretty tough customer, huh?”

“I’d say so,” Cap replies. “But what’s this all about? Why go through the trouble of capturing me…and you, for that matter?”

“It’s Zola, Cap!” Nomad replies. “He…”

“…is conducing experiments on your genetic structure,” Zola finishes the sentence, as he walks into the room, followed closely behind by the Nomad LMD. “While it was useful to have Nomad as a test subject, I needed to cross-reference your genetic code as well. I have already learned much.”

“But that’s not why I came here!” Cap exclaims.

“I know,” Zola replies. “You came here because of the AIM operation in Florida. Sadly, it was necessary to use the money filtered through Florida for the purposes of funding my researching, and of building up a permanent AIM base of operations that was not reliant on Strucker or Hydra.”

“Drug money, you mean!” Cap interjects.

“Yes,” Zola responds rather calmly. “Again, merely a means to a greater end—that of science.”

“However”, Zola replies, walking closer to Cap, standing between Cap and Nomad. “That is not important at the moment. It seems that one more piece is missing from my equation, and I will have to provide that missing piece before my research is complete.”

To be continued…!

Next issue: More on Zola’s plans! More on 50’s Cap! And how, exactly, does all of this tie together? Find out next time.

êêêêLETTERS TO THE LIVING LEGENDêêêê

Welcome to the latest issue of Captain America. What we’ll be finding out in the issues to come will have a pretty big impact on what we know about Cap lore, and I hope everyone will enjoy what we discover.

There are no letters to talk about this time around, but I’m always open to comments and suggestions at jx2melton@hotmail.com . Feel free to write and let me know what you think.

Jeff