[Mission "Guard Captain America" completed!]
[Rewards: 1000 EXP, +20 S.H.I.E.L.D. Reputation, "Never-Fading Spray Paint," "Painkillers"]
[Never-Fading Spray Paint: Spray any pattern on any surface; it becomes permanently fixed, impossible to remove]
[Painkillers: Nullifies all pain for a set duration]
Daniel's job was done the moment Steve opened his eyes.
But after learning the full truth, Steve had zero desire to stay inside S.H.I.E.L.D. Something about the place made his skin crawl.
Given who he was, Fury couldn't exactly lock him up, so he "asked" Daniel to take the Captain out to see the 21st century—code for "keep tabs on him."
[Nick Fury has issued a new quest]
[Quest: Century-Old Veteran Returns]
[Goal: Help Steve Rogers adapt to modern life and monitor his movements]
[Rewards: 1000 EXP, +20 S.H.I.E.L.D. Reputation, +20 Steve Favorability, 1 Random Equipment]
Missions tied to a walking legend like Steve were basically free money: zero danger, fat rewards.
Some people win the lottery; others get depressing news.
Steve got the depressing news.
It wasn't the black director that bothered him. It was learning that Peggy Carter—the woman he'd barely started dating—had married decades ago, had kids, and just turned ninety. She nearly lost her dentures blowing out the candles.
(Okay, Daniel added that last part in his head.)
From Steve's point of view, he'd taken a long nap. He woke up, and his girlfriend was suddenly old enough to be his grandma.
What do you even do with that?
Steve did the only thing he could: forgive her. Everyone thought he was dead; of course she moved on.
Seeing Steve moping, Daniel decided to cheer him up the only way he knew how.
"Cheer up, Cap. I've got something even worse."
Steve: "?"
"I looked it up," Daniel continued. "The government seized your old apartment years ago and turned it into the Captain America Memorial Museum. You literally have to buy a ticket to go home now."
Steve: "???"
First the girl, now the house. Perfect.
Steve forced a bitter smile. "So I'm broke too?"
The man who punched Nazis for breakfast was now homeless and penniless.
Even Daniel—the literal HYDRA mole—felt a twinge of pity.
"Look on the bright side," Daniel said. "Nothing you can do about it, so let's have some fun."
Steve sighed. "I'll try."
"Great. First, let's take a drive. Welcome to freedom, 21st-century style."
Daniel strolled to a S.H.I.E.L.D. pool car, whipped out a bump key, popped the door, yanked the wires under the dash, and hot-wired it in five seconds flat.
Engine roared.
Steve: "…"
That kind of freedom?
Daniel rolled down the window. "You coming or not?"
Still half-convinced this was normal now, Steve climbed in.
For the next few hours Daniel drove in circles, giving Steve the crash course on modern America:
People can identify as roughly 112 genders.Robbery's basically fine if it's under $950.One particular six-letter N-word has been retired harder than Steve himself.
Steve's eyes got wider with every block. At one point he seriously asked if he'd slept for seventy years or seven thousand.
They said HYDRA was gone… yet the country somehow felt more insane than ever.
Eventually Steve loosened up and started talking about the old days—mostly about his best friend Bucky. The guy's name came up way more than Peggy's.
He also retold the plane story: bombs on board, no choice but to ditch it in the Arctic.
Daniel blinked. "Wait… why didn't you just jump out with a parachute?"
Steve: "…"
…Oh.
A little later they reached the Captain America Memorial Museum.
Steve had been quiet the whole ride. Paying actual money for tickets didn't improve his mood.
Inside, everything was perfectly preserved—uniform, shield, even the pin-up magazine on his old nightstand with the mysterious ancient stain.
A huge sign proudly declared:
"Captain America's favorite reading material—may contain traces of the Captain himself!"
Steve turned beet red. "That was Bucky's magazine! I spilled milk on it, okay? Milk!"
"Sure, sure," Daniel said, taking three large steps back anyway.
Just then:
"Daniel?"
It was Peter Parker, camera in hand.
"School project," Peter explained, grinning. "Write about a hero. Obviously I picked Captain America—he's been my idol forever!"
Steve managed a small smile. At least someone still looked up to him.
Then Peter spotted the magazine.
"No way—the actual Captain America spank bank mag?!"
click-click-click-click
Steve: "…"
Fake fan. Definitely a fake fan.