CAPTAIN AMERICA CREATED BY JOE SIMON AND JACK KIRBY

#492

Written by Jeff Melton

 

 

“Trapped by Science!”

 

 

ap leans forward, his arms held fast with metal clasps, which are in turn chained to old mortar walls. In is damp in the dusky sub-basement of the AIM operation where he finds himself. Looking over to his right, he sees Nomad, also hanging from the wall in a similar state. However, Nomad is in and out of consciousness, due to the drugs that have been pumped into his system.

 

“Jack!” Cap calls out, in a shouted whisper. “Jack! Wake up, son!”

 

“What?” Nomad replies groggily. “I’m sorry, Cap. I haven’t been able to shake off this drugged feeling.”

 

“You’ll have to, Jack,” Cap responds sharply, trying to motivate his former partner, “because I intend to get us out of this mess.” Looking over at Jack, who looks back, obviously fighting to stay awake, Cap continues: “But, I’ll need your help!”

 

“I’ll do what I can,” Nomad responds listlessly.

 

 

INTERLUDE

 

n one of the small islands north of Alaska, there is a small village nestled in the Arctic Sea. It is a small village, on a small island, surrounded by other islands, separated by small creeks and rivers that run throughout the area. This Eskimo village has housed a peace-loving people, who subsist on hunting and fishing for their livelihoods, as they have for hundreds of years.

 

However, in the past few decades, this village has come on hard times. Through frequent conflicts with a neighboring village, more than half of their homes have been destroyed by frequent raids. In addition, many of their young have died in wars with this village. In order to defend themselves, the young men have learned the ways of combat. They train day and night, preparing to defend themselves against the next raid.

 

Their greatest warrior, Snow Wolf, stands tall as he walks into the igloo owned by the tribal chieftain. Snow Wolf stands 6’1”. He wears a gray parka, with its hood pulled back across his shoulders. In his hand is a staff, which has two blades on each side near the top. He mastered the weapon when he was only twelve years old, and has used it in battle on many occasions since that time. His gray moccasins make a slushing sound, as he walks along the partially-melted snow lining the village’s streets. He looks around at the scenes from the village where he has lived his entire life. The sight that greets him is not a pleasant one. Smoldering huts and devastation are on either side of his walk, resulting from a midnight raid from the night before. His enemies have become quite efficient in their murderous raids, killing even the young and infirm that are unfortunate enough to be in sight. The young warrior has seen much death and destruction in his young life, but cannot avoid the growing feeling of animosity he feels towards his enemies, even though there was a time when the other village, now called the Dark Village by his people, were as close as family.

 

As the young warrior walks into the igloo, he kneels with respect at the chieftain, who sits on a fur-covered chair. The elder man is protected by two large warriors, one on his left and one on his right. Behind the chief is another elderly man, who has served as the tribe’s medicine man for the duration of the chief’s reign. In addition, two large wolves snarl at the approach of Snow Wolf, trained to attack on sight anyone who enters the room with evil intent. They calm down quickly, however, when they recognize Snow Wolf, sensing he holds no harm for their master.

 

“Hail to you, young warrior”, the elderly chieftain remarks, standing with the assistance of a cane. “Rise and face me.”

 

Snow Wolf does as he is bid, standing before the elderly man. The chieftain has lived for over sixty summers, his skin showing the signs of the advanced aging caused by the extreme cold from the Arctic Ocean’s winds. “I am at your service, my chief,” Snow Wolf offers.

 

“Snow Wolf”, the chieftain comments, a dire expression marked on his ancient visage. “You and the warriors with you fought bravely to repel the invaders who raided our village last night. However, a great calamity has occurred.”

 

“I know, sire,” Snow Wolf responds quietly, images of the destruction filling his mind. “I saw the fires burning brightly on the way to see you.”

 

“No,” the chieftain responds with a troubled sound to his voice. “It is far worse than that. We have hidden the truth from our war-weary people. They have taken our ice god as well.”

 

Snow Wolf is too stunned to make a verbal response. Instead, he watches as the medicine man steps forward, holding a necklace with a golden amulet. He puts it around the young warrior’s neck.

 

 

omad lurches forward, pushing his right arm away from the wall. As he does so, mortar and brick give way, tearing his metal manacles from the wall in the process. Cap, manacled to the wall beside him, looks on with approval, as Nomad struggles to come out of his drugged state, even as he pulls his left arm forward, freeing it in the same manner.

 

“Good job, Jack”, Cap says, as Jack falls to the ground, but lands on his feet.

 

“Cap,” Nomad says, looking up at the Avenger. “You don’t know how frustrating it’s been, being Zola’s prisoner and guinea pig all these months. I feel like weeks…months…of my life have been stolen from me.”

 

“I understand, Jack,” Cap empathically replies, as Nomad leans forward, crushing Cap’s manacles in his bare hands, as Cap likewise falls to the ground, but lands on his feet. The two then stand face-to-face.

 

“No, Cap”, Nomad retorts. “You can’t. Steve—the other Steve—and I were put on ice whenever we were getting ‘uppity’ for them. Then, we were thawed out again when the government needed us for something.”

 

Cap looks on, listening intently to what Nomad is saying. He is aware of much of what Jack is telling him, but has never heard Jack speak much about it.

 

“We were guinea pigs of the government,” Nomad continues. “And all they wanted from us was to go out on their secret missions—either alone or with the Avengers*--and keep quiet. When the drugs started affecting our behavior—something we didn’t ask for—they put us back on ice.”

 

[*The 1950’s Avengers, first introduced as a group in What If? #9, and portrayed very well in the Avengers 1958 series.]

 

“Jack”, Cap intercedes. “I know that our government has done a lot of things that none of us should be proud of. It took me years to realize what was happening during the FDR administration…”

 

“No, I’m not talking about that”, Nomad interrupts. “I’m just saying that this…being held here by Zola, and being the subject of his little experiments…! Well, let’s just say that it brought back some unpleasant memories.”

 

“I can understand that,” Cap responds.

 

“Well, Cap,” Nomad, replies, looking back at Cap with a slight smile. “I think it’s time that we paid Zola a little visit, don’t you?”

 

 

INTERLUDE II:

 

n the office of Dr. Faustus, another Steve Rogers, lies down, monitored to an EKG, as Dr. Faustus speaks to him. Dr. Faustus’s filter cigarette smoke feels the air, circling around Steve’s head. Steve’s head spins, as he feels the need to fight to keep control over his perceptions.

 

“What is your name?” Faustus asks softly, as the second Steve Rogers struggles to focus on the psychiatrist’s voice, while trying to make sense of the images racing through his mind’s eye.

 

“I’m trying to remember,” Steve responds, clearly distracted by things that only he is able to see.

 

“What is your name?!” Faustus asks with more authority in his voice.

 

“Steve,” Steve replies, unsure of the answer himself, but that is the name that rises to the surface of his consciousness.

 

“No,” Faustus responds sharply, leaning down towards the seemingly sleepwalking Steve, who lies prone on the sofa before him. “That is not your name. It is a borrowed name. What is your name?”

 

“I…don’t know,” Steve responds, still in a daze, his mind filled with images. He sees first a meeting with J. Edgar Hoover. Then, he sees a scene of a Congressional hearing. He then sees himself (in Captain America garb) and Bucky sealed up in a cold tube…so cold…

 

Suddenly, Steve lurches forward, his body shaking violently with chills. Faustus is caught by surprise, rising up quickly in his chair at the sight of Steve, his arms folded across his chest, rubbing his arms, as goosebumbs litter his biceps.

 

Faustus wraps a blanket around the shaking Steve, who starts to regain his consciousness, but is shaking, his teeth chattering against his will.

 

“So cold…” Steve manages, through clenched teeth, as he struggles to speak, even amid his uncontrollable chills.

 

“I know,” Faustus responds, standing over Steve, urging him on. “But it is a sign that your memories are returning. There is a cause for those chills. Reach into your mind…what is that reason?!”

 

“Government”, Steve manages.

 

“What do you mean?” Faustus probes, his interest piqued by Steve’s response.

 

“The government…Congress…Hoover…” Steve responds, in more of a string of images than in anything concrete. However, as he does so, he does not notice that his chills have subsided.

 

“Indeed,” Faustus replies, encouraging Steve further. “What does all of this mean? The chills and the government?”

 

“It was them,” Steve responds, his consciousness slowly returning, as a light of recognition can be seen in his eyes.

 

“Them?” Faustus asks.

 

“The government,” Steve replies, turning to face Faustus, as his thoughts start to come together with some coherency. “They used me…then they discarded me. They put me on ice, stole away my life. Then…”

 

“Yes?” Faustus asks, as he continues to puff on his filter cigarette.

 

“Then,” Steve replies, anger burning in his eyes, as he turns to Faustus, now fully awake. “They replaced me!”

 

“Excellent,” Faustus silently considers. “Excellent.”

 

 

eanwhile, Captain America and Nomad are fighting their way through AIM soldiers, who were alerted to their escape via a silent alarm system and monitoring equipment. Cap holds his shield in his hands, slamming it into three AIM soldiers, sending them flying back into five others!

 

Nomad, meanwhile leans down, ripping out a section of the hardwood floor, splitting a section of two-by-fours and jerking them forward with his super-human strength. As he does so, ten of the AIM soldiers go flying back, forcing their way into a crowd of others, who were charging towards Cap and Bucky!

 

“You were right, Cap!” Nomad calls out, as he leaps into a midst of AIM soldiers, grabbing the first one by the collar and slinging him forward into three others, sending them all to the ground! “I’d been drugged for so long that I didn’t even realize I had my strength back!”

 

“He actually seems stronger than ever!” Cap thinks to himself, even as he leaps over two AIM soldiers, kicking them both in the faces while he is in mid-air, driving them back into the growing crowd of AIM agents trying to surround the two heroes! “I have to wonder what Zola has been doing to Jack all of this time.”

 

As two AIM agents draw their guns, Nomad acts quickly. Getting two discs from his costume, he effortlessly throws them at the two agents, striking them on their gun hands, forcing them to drop their weapons.

 

Before they can recover, Nomad is upon them. He outstretches his arms, slamming his fists into the stunned AIM agents, sending them quickly to the ground in unconscious heaps.

 

“I don’t feel like I’ve been this alive in years,” Jack thinks to himself. “I’m not going to be anyone’s test subject again!”

 

“We’re not getting anywhere at this rate!” Cap silently considers, looking around, even as he uses his shield to bulldoze his way through a crowd of AIM agents, scattering them in all directions, as he rushes forward. “The AIM agents are just trying to box us in, but I want to get to Zola and put a stop to all of this!”

 

‘Nomad!” Cap calls out, looking behind him briefly, as AIM agents rush in on him. He leaps above them, leaning forward in the process, slamming two agents’ heads together, as they fall limply to the ground at his feet. “We need to get to where Zola is! Can you take me there?”

 

“Zola had me pretty well drugged the whole time I’ve been here,” Nomad replies thoughtfully. Then, looking over at Cap, he nods his head, a renewed sense of confidence filling him. “Yes, Cap,” he replies, as he rushes through a crowd of AIM agents, tucking his head in, and rushing forward like a fullback. “I do think I can!”

 

As Cap slams his shield into the faces of AIM thugs, he looks over his shoulder to see Nomad rushing headlong for a wall. “Nomad….?!” Cap asks, wondering if his former partner has gone mad.

 

“Don’t worry, Cap,” Nomad responds with confidence, as he leaps for the wall, smashing his wall through the wall with his powerful fists. As the wall explodes on the other side, Nomad crashes through, landing on his feet before the image of Zola, who is clearly stunned by Nomad’s sudden appearance.

 

“Typically poor performance,” Zola muses, while he reaches for the controls on his computer console, a mere two feet from his grasp.  “If only I had more time to complete their genetic enhancements.”

 

“You don’t have time for anything now, Zola!” Nomad exclaims, throwing two discs at Zola’s hands, causing him to step back away from the computer console. “Your time has run out!”

 

“You have recovered, I see,” Zola comments absently, as he starts to reach for the instrumentation on his mid-section. “”My own mistake, of course. I should have continued your…treatments at a more frequent interval.”

 

“I’ve had more than enough of your ‘treatments’, Zola!” Nomad rages, his eyes burning with anger. “And I’ve had more than enough of insane scientists using my body for their sick experiments!”

 

“A pity,” Zola responds, as he touches a button in his mid-section, and a beam of pure energy emits towards Nomad, “because I had one final experiment in mind—my improved disintegrator ray!”

 

Nomad, however, ducks out of the way. He notices, however, that the ray that missed him has utterly destroyed much of Zola’s computer console, and melted through solid steel!

 

“Another miscalculation, Zola?” Nomad sarcastically asks. However, Zola has entered a platform, attached to a hydraulic jack that is lowering him to a sub-floor beneath them.

 

“Perhaps,” Zola replies, as he holds a small device in his hand, which has a series of buttons. “However, I have already planned for that possibility.”

 

“What do you…?” Nomad asks. However, before he can even finish his sentence, a series of laser beams shoots down from the seeming sprinkler system above. Nomad flips backwards out of the hold he created mere moments before, his speed and agility causing him only a few stray blasts to rip the pants of his costume.

 

Nomad looks up to see an AIM agent, standing only four feet from him, his weapon aimed directly at Nomad’s face.

 

As Nomad plans his next move, the AIM agent’s eyes glaze over. He slumps over, a spear protruding from his back.

 

Nomad and Cap look over, as Snow Wolf steps forward, looking down briefly to insure that the menace to Nomad is no longer moving.

 

“Who are you?!” Cap asks, stunned by the sudden entrance of Snow Wolf, and by the way he dispatched of the AIM agent. Cap is surrounded by unconscious AIM agents, as many other retreat, realizing that Zola is no longer  there to write their next paycheck.

 

Snow Wolf bows before Captain America, holding a spear in front of him as he does so. “I am Snow Wolf,” he replies. “And I have come to ask for your help.”

 

To be continued…

 

I apologize to my readers for the delay in publishing this latest issue of Captain America, but the world keeps getting in the way. I hope everyone enjoyed the over-due issue, which started to tie up some loose ends, even as we head into a new story arc that goes way back into Cap continuity to bring back some characters who haven’t been seen in over thirty years. Stay tuned for that.

 

As always, your comments, suggestions, and critique are all welcome at jx2melton@hotmail.com. Feel free to e-mail me with any of these. See you next time, as things heat up. Be ready for some surprises, revelations, and…well, you’ll just have to see.

 

Jeff