Support my new novel with Power Stones please! Let's bring it to the first rank!
MHA: Bat to the Future: The Other Midoriya
(Check my profile or search by the name.)
PLEASE ADD TO YOUR LIBRARY!
**************
Diego crouched down, peering at Rogers. "You think he's gonna freak out? Waking up in a frozen wasteland surrounded by masked weirdos?"
"Probably," Maria replied, crossing her arms. "But if you're planning to be the first face he sees, we're guaranteeing it."
"I have a friendly face," Diego shot back. "You're just jealous, shut up!"
Diego crouched beside the man, waving a hand in front of his face. "Alright, sleeping beauty. Time to join the party," he muttered, leaning in closer. "Just don't start swinging that famous shield right away. We're fragile."
Anthony stood off to the side, arms crossed. "Fragile? You're literally the least fragile person here, Diego. Shut up and wake him."
"Don't rush genius," Diego shot back, tapping lightly on the man's shoulder. "Hey, Cap, rise and shine. Your ride's here."
The man's eyelids fluttered faintly, and his chest heaved with a deep, ragged breath. The movement was slow, labored, as if his body was trying to recalibrate. A faint groan escaped his lips, and his fingers twitched slightly.
"Step back," Nero ordered. "Let him breathe. He's coming out of stasis—it'll take a minute."
Diego moved back, his hands raised in mock surrender. "See? Perfect execution. You're welcome, everyone."
Maria glanced at him. "You tapped his shoulder and made bad jokes. Let's not act like you performed a miracle."
Before Diego could retort, the man's eyes opened fully, a flash of confusion in his gaze as he tried to sit up. His movement was sluggish, like he was fighting through a fog. He scanned the group, his expression hardening as his eyes landed on their masks. His hand moved instinctively toward his hip, but there was no weapon to draw.
"Easy there, Rogers," Nero said, his voice calm but firm. "We're not here to fight."
The man's eyes narrowed. "Who are you?" His voice was hoarse but carried a sharp edge. "Where am I?"
Nero got up from his seat on the rock, brushing some of the frost off his coat as he stepped closer, "Let's recap—if you'll forgive the pun. You fought in World War II against HYDRA. You and your team managed to bring down Red Skull's operation, but he escaped and set these bombers to target the world. You stopped all of them, except this one. To save hundreds of thousands, you flew it here and crashed it. You thought you'd die in the process, but the serum in your veins turned you into something more than a man. The ice became your crib, and you fell into a long sleep."
Steve Rogers listened, his breathing still uneven, the weight of Nero's words settling in his mind. He glanced at his surroundings—the icy expanse, the shadowed figures in masks, the faint glow of their rings—and pieced together fragments of memories. The battle. The Valkyrie. Peggy's voice over the radio. The inevitability of it all. He had closed his eyes knowing he wouldn't open them again.
"How long?" His voice was rough, each syllable dragging against the rawness in his throat.
Sofia glanced up, doing some quick mental math. "Close to eighty years," she answered, her tone matter-of-fact.
Rogers exhaled sharply, his hand clenching against the icy ground. His breathing quickened as the weight of her words settled in. "Eighty… everyone I knew. They're gone."
"That's usually how time works," Diego chimed in. "But hey, at least you didn't age a day. Silver lining, right?"
Maria shot him a look. "Not the time, Diego."
"What? I'm being supportive," he said, throwing up his hands. "Guy's been through enough. I'm just trying to lighten the mood."
Anthony ignored him, stepping forward slightly. "You remember anything before you went under? The mission, the crash?"
Rogers' jaw tightened as he stared at the snow-covered ground. "I remember…" His voice trailed off, his thoughts racing. He raised a hand to his temple, as if trying to bring clarity to fragments of memories. "The mission… the plane… Peggy…" His voice caught, but he quickly masked it.
Nero stepped closer, standing a few feet away but still within Rogers' line of sight. "You brought the Valkyrie down to save millions. That part's done. You succeeded."
Rogers looked up, his eyes narrowing at the masked figures surrounding him. "And now? What's this?" His gaze lingered on Nero, suspicion creeping into his voice. "You don't look like the army. Who are you?"
Diego's laugh broke the tension. "Oh, we're way cooler than the army."
Nero cut Diego off before he could spiral into another quip. "The world you know changed, Captain. Soon, a group of people will arrive to take you back home. The head of their organization is Nick Fury. You know him, right?"
Steve's eyes sharpened at the name. He hesitated, then asked, "He's alive?"
Nero nodded. "He is. Super Soldier, just like you. He won't die easily, especially not from old age."
Steve stared at him for a moment, his breath still uneven. "You're saying Fury's like me? How is that possible?"
"That's a long story," Nero said. He gestured to the group standing behind him. "We're special too. We have powers that go beyond human limits. Our detector sensed something out here, so we came to pull you out of the ice."
Steven looked at each of them, then bowed his head, "Thank you."
Diego waved a hand dismissively, leaning just close enough to be annoying. "It's fine. If you're really thankful, you can take me on a date."
Steven blinked, his confusion only deepening. "A… date?"
"Don't worry about him," Maria interjected, pulling Diego back by the collar like an unruly puppy. "He flirts when he's nervous."
"I do not," Diego protested, adjusting his coat. "It's called breaking the ice—pun very much intended."
"Someone needs to break you," Sofia muttered, still scanning the horizon on her wrist device. "I'm picking up movement. Fast. Probably SHIELD."
Anthony straightened. "How fast are we talking?"
"Couple of minutes, tops," Sofia replied, tilting her device for accuracy. "It's a Quinjet. Standard approach vector. They'll see us before long."
As they prepared, the distinct hum of engines grew louder, and a sleek SHIELD Quinjet descended onto a flat stretch of ice a safe distance away. The ramp lowered smoothly, and two figures emerged: a tall, broad-shouldered man with an authoritative presence and a calm air about him, and a shorter, clean-cut man with a tablet in hand, exuding an efficient professionalism.
Erwin scanned the group with a calm, unreadable expression, while Coulson's gaze darted from one masked figure to the next, finally landing on Captain America.
"Oh my god!" Coulson gasped, his composure slipping instantly. He moved forward quickly, his tablet tucked under one arm as his free hand instinctively brushed his suit. "It's really him! Steve Rogers, alive! This is—this is incredible!"
Steve's gaze flicked to Coulson, his brow furrowing as he tried to place the man. "You know me?"
Coulson's face lit up, barely able to contain his excitement. "Know you? Captain, I grew up on stories about you! You're a legend—my hero, really. I mean, the Howling Commandos, the Valkyrie mission, taking down Schmidt—it's all... Wow, this is surreal."
Erwin placed a hand on Coulson's shoulder, steering him back slightly. "Agent Coulson, let's focus on the mission. We need to assess his condition and secure the area."
Diego nudged Sofia, grinning beneath his mask. "Fanboy alert. Someone's about to ask for an autograph."
Sofia didn't even glance at him. "You're one to talk."
Erwin turned his attention to Nero, his gaze steady but neutral. "We appreciate your efforts in retrieving Captain Rogers. SHIELD will take it from here."
Nero didn't move from where he stood, arms loosely crossed. "We'll handle the transfer ourselves. He's been out of commission for decades—unfreezing him needs careful monitoring. You sure your team's up for it?"
Coulson stepped in again, clearly unwilling to let the moment pass. "We've got the best medical and scientific personnel ready. You've done the hard part; let us do the rest. Captain Rogers deserves nothing less than the best care."
Maria shifted slightly beside Nero, her tone casual. "What he doesn't deserve is waking up in a lab with tubes sticking out of him."
"That's not how we operate," Erwin replied smoothly, his focus never leaving Nero. "Captain Rogers is a symbol of hope. SHIELD would never risk his well-being."
"That so?" Nero's tone was light, almost amused. "Just say you want a bonus, Erwin."
Erwin met Nero's gaze without flinching, his expression unreadable. "Captain Rogers represents more than just a relic of the past. SHIELD's interest is in preserving his legacy, ensuring his return is handled properly."
Diego leaned toward Sofia, his voice a stage whisper. "Translation: 'We want the PR points.'"
Coulson's head turned sharply, his focus darting to Diego. "It's not about points. It's about respect."
"Relax, Coulson," Diego said with a grin. "I'm just saying—your agency has a knack for spinning the narrative. No judgment."
Maria glanced at Nero, her tone dry. "This is getting tedious. Let them take the popsicle and write their press release. We've done our part."
Nero stayed still for a moment, then gestured lazily toward Steve. "He's stable. You can take him—but only under a few conditions."
Erwin's brow raised slightly. "Conditions?"
Coulson squinted, his gaze shifting between the masked figures, lingering on Nero longer than the others. These people knew his and Erwin's names, identified them with ease. That unsettling precision Tony Stark had mentioned—the mysterious group that always seemed to know more than they should—felt even more unnerving up close. Stark once claimed their leader knew everything about him and his father. Coulson hadn't fully believed it until now.
Diego leaned toward Sofia, his voice loud enough for everyone to hear. "Ten bucks says Coulson's about to pop a blood vessel trying to figure us out."
"Keep your money," Sofia replied without looking up from her wrist device. "That's the safest bet you've ever made."
Nero let out a low chuckle, taking a slow step forward. "We're not a charity, Coulson. You'll get the Captain, but we'll be sending you a list of... considerations."
Coulson's brows furrowed. "Considerations?"
Erwin's calm voice broke through, professional and measured. "They're referring to terms, Agent Coulson. Requests, perhaps."
"Demands," Nero clarified lightly. "We're efficient, but not selfless."
Coulson's gaze narrowed as he studied Nero. His mind worked quickly, cataloging what he knew—or rather, didn't know—about this mysterious group. SHIELD had limited data: seven masked individuals who operated independently, intervening sporadically to avert crises but remaining elusive.
"You've met Stark," Coulson said carefully, watching for a reaction.
Nero tilted his head slightly. "Once or twice."
"He said you knew everything about him—and his father," Coulson pressed, the words deliberate. "Is that true?"
"Stark loves to exaggerate," Nero replied, his tone smooth. "But let's just say I've done my homework."
Maria shifted beside him, her voice laced with mild amusement. "You'd think knowing everything would make SHIELD a little less predictable."
Coulson straightened, his jaw tightening. "SHIELD isn't in the habit of being predictable."
"Your protocol would disagree," Sofia interjected without looking up. "You've got a Quinjet parked over there, ready to whisk Captain Rogers off to your shiny labs. Standard procedure."
Erwin's expression didn't waver, but his tone carried the weight of authority. "It's not about protocol. It's about ensuring his safety."
Diego let out a mock sigh, leaning on Sofia's shoulder like a bored child. "See, this is why I couldn't work for SHIELD. Too many rules, not enough fun."
"SHIELD isn't hiring you," Sofia said, shrugging him off. "And if they were, they'd fire you in a week."
"I'd make it two weeks," Diego shot back with a grin.
Nero turned away, hands tucked into his coat pockets, and began walking toward the ridge. The rest of the gang followed without hesitation. Over his shoulder, Nero spoke, "Oh, by the way," he began casually, "we blew up the HYDRA base here. Don't bother searching—there's nothing left. But don't worry, we're not charging you for it. That one was on us."
Coulson and Captain Rogers both stiffened, the weight of the statement hitting them like a blow. Coulson's mouth opened slightly, caught between disbelief and anger. "Impossible," he said sharply. "HYDRA is dead. We dismantled them years ago."
Nero couldn't help but laugh as he continued walking, hands casually tucked into his coat pockets. "Don't you know, Coulson? HYDRA has eight heads. Cut one, another appears. History's taught you that much, hasn't it?"
Coulson's jaw tightened, but he remained silent. Steve Rogers, now standing with the aid of SHIELD agents, glanced between Nero and Coulson.
"You're saying HYDRA's still active?" Steve asked, his voice rough from disuse but carrying a sharpness that cut through the icy air.
"That's exactly what I'm saying," Nero replied without turning. "Not the same as before—less red skulls, more shadowy figures in suits. But the snake's still slithering."
Erwin stepped forward "If what you're saying is true, SHIELD will investigate thoroughly. HYDRA's resurgence would be a global threat."
"Of course you will," Nero said over his shoulder, his tone light. "And we'll keep handling it while you file the paperwork."
"Is that what you've been doing?" Steve's tone was wary, his gaze narrowing at the group. "Acting as vigilantes?"
Maria shot a glance at Nero, smirking faintly. "He's not wrong. We do tend to solve problems while others are still figuring out how to define them."
Diego chimed in, unable to resist. "Think of us as the unsung heroes—cool masks, no bureaucracy."
-----
To Read up to 75 advance Chapters (25 for each novel) and support me...
patreon.com/thefanficgod1
Please drop a comment and like the chapter!