This fan-fiction uses characters from Marvel Comics.

Panel 1

*(We join Tony Stark and James “Rhodey” Rhodes, alias the armored heroes Iron Man and War Machine, as they are escorted into a private dining room at a steakhouse somewhere in Canada. It is shortly after the seeming death of Captain America Steve Rogers at the end of Civil War. Tony, wearing a hat and sunglasses, is haggard, but he along with Rhodey thanks the waitress for escorting them there.)

Panel 2

*(Another waitress enters.)

*Waitress: Would you gentlemen like to go ahead and place your drink orders?

*Tony: I’ll just have a cola- with crushed ice if you have it.

*Rhodey: Since I’m not driving tonight, I’ll have a bourbon on the rocks.

*Waitress: Okay, I’ll have those out shortly!

Panel 3

*(Tony and Rhodey make small talk, but it’s clear Tony is feeling anxious.)

Panel 4

*(Soon a waitress escorts John Walker alias Jack Daniels, formerly Captain America and currently U.S.Agent. He is currently operating out of Canada after being placed on the team Alpha Flight against his wishes. He looks like he doesn’t want to be there, but he likewise thanks the waitress for escorting him there.)

Panel 5

*(As John pulls out a chair, Tony extends his hand for a handshake.)

*Tony: I’m glad you could make it!

Panel 6

*(John ignores him, refusing even to look him in the face. Instead he looks over at Rhodey as he takes a seat.)

*John: Hey, Rhodey!

*Rhodey: Hey!

*John: Good to see you!

Panel 7

*(As John looks over a menu, Tony sadly retracts his arm.)

Panel 8

*(Soon the waitress is back with the drink orders. She sets them down and then turns her attention to John.)

*Waitress: Would you like to go ahead and place your drink order?

Panel 9

*Tony: Get whatever you want, it’s fine. (Letting John know he won’t have an issue if he gets an alcoholic drink) I’m sure they have some good drafts.

Panel 10

*(John looks down and doesn’t respond.)

Panel 11

*John: (to waitress) I’m not thirsty. Actually, I’ll have a ginger ale. When in Rome, right? (Joking that Canadians might be more likely to drink Canada Dry ginger ale)

*Waitress: All right!

Panel 12

*Tony: Remember, this is on me, so get whatever you want.

*John: …

Panel 13

*John: (to waitress) Be sure to put my order on a separate bill.

Panel 14

*Tony: It’s okay, I’d be happy to-

*John: (points to Rhodey) I can pay for his order too.

Panel 15

*(Rhodey whistles at the power play because John definitively put the kibosh on Tony paying for his order.)

Panel 16

*Rhodey: You can get me next time, okay?

*John: Okay.

*Rhodey: I’m holding you to that!

*John: (chuckling) Heh!

Panel 17

*John: (to waitress) I’m ready to order, miss.

*Waitress: Yes, sir!

*John: I’ll have the 12oz. New York striploin, medium well, with French fries and cole slaw.

*Waitress: Would you like to add some mushrooms, or some shrimp?

*John: Sure, go ahead and add both!

*Waitress: You got it!

Panel 18

*(The waitress takes everyone’s order and leaves, popping back in for just a few seconds to bring John his drink.)

Panel 19

*(Without the waitress, a tense silence hangs in the air as John’s resentment and sadness are palpable.)

Panel 20

*Tony: (concerned) How have you been holding up?

*John: (continuing to look down at table) …

Panel 21

*Tony: Alpha Flight isn’t too much trouble, is it?

*John: (looking to the side) …

Panel 22

*Rhodey: (lightheartedly) They’re not worse than those groups of misfits and slackers you used to run with, are they? (Referring to the West Coast Avengers and Force Works, which the three of them were on together)

*John: (amused despite himself) Hmph! Well, that’s a high bar to clear, isn’t it?

Panel 23

*John: They’re okay, I guess.

*Rhodey: You’re not driving them too crazy?

*John: I didn’t say that.

Panel 24

*Rhodey: You doing okay, man?

*John: I… Yeah, I’m…fine.

Panel 25

*(Tony and Rhodey are silent as John takes a drink.)

Panel 26

*(John sets glass back down, but remains silent.)

Panel 27

*Tony: I’m glad you’re okay.

*John: (glaring down at table while staying silent.)

Panel 28

*Tony: (thinking) I know what you’re thinking. “How dare you act like you care after everything you did! After you sent me here for your own petty reasons! After you hurt all those people and were buddy-buddy with known supervillains! After you…after you helped cause what happened to him!”

Panel 29

*Tony: (thinking) It’s not an act! You have to know that! I really do care about how you’re holding up during all this, both as a teammate and as a friend!

Panel 30

*Tony: (out loud) You know if you need anything, you can let us know.

*John: …

Panel 31

*Rhodey: (thinking) Jack is always the guy to spout off the second he can, whether anyone likes it or not! It’s eerie for him to be so quiet!

Panel 32

*(Tony & Rhodey make small talk while waiting for their food. Occasionally John will engage with something Rhodey says, but otherwise he stays as quiet as the Great Sphinx)

Panel 33

*(Finally the food arrives. Everything looks great.)

*Rhodey: Now that’s what I’m talking about!

*John: Awesome!

*Tony: Everything looks perfect!

*Waitress: Great! Let me know if you need anything!

*Tony: Thank you, ma’am!

Panel 34

*(John bows his head to say grace before eating.)

Panel 35

*(The others bow their heads in respect.)

Panel 36

*(After a while, however, they look over in curiosity because it seems to be taking an unusually long time.)

Panel 37

*(They see that John has stopped saying grace and is instead trying to keep ahold of himself.)

Panel 38

*Tony: (thinking) Jack, you don’t have to keep things bottled up! You’re with friends here! Go ahead and vent if you need to!

Panel 39

*(John finally sighs, opens his eyes, and prepares to cut into his steak.)

Panel 40

*Tony: I hear you’re doing some good work up here.

*(John’s hands start to quiver with anger.)

Panel 41

*Tony: We appreciate everything you’re doing.

*(John’s hands continue to tremble.)

Panel 42

*Tony: We just wanted to see how things were going with you.

*(John’s hands are shaking with quiet rage.)

*Tony: We just wanted to see that you’re-

Panel 43

*(John tosses down his cutlery, frustrated that he can’t even cut his dang steak due to his hands shaking so much. There’s a breaking sound when he does so.)

Panel 44

*(There’s an awkward pause as they all realize what the sound meant.)

Panel 45

*(John checks the plate to confirm it was broken by the cutlery’s impact.)

Panel 46

*Tony- I’m sorry I-

*(John brusquely scoots his chair back.)

Panel 47

*(John opens the door, spots their waitress, and motions for her to come over.)

Panel 48

*Waitress: Is there a problem, sir?

*John: (unnerved) Yeah, I…I’m afraid I broke a plate.

Panel 49

*(The waitress, not knowing John is a veteran super-soldier and not knowing the situation, mistakenly assumes he’s shaking because he’s afraid he’ll get in trouble.)

*Waitress: (reassuringly) Don’t worry, you’re not in any trouble! These things happen.

*John: (humbly) Yeah. Thanks. Um…add the plate to my bill, okay?

Panel 50

*Tony: It’s my fault it got broken. I’ll pay for it.

*John: (to waitress) Like I said, put the plate on my bill.

*Waitress: Yes, sir.

Panel 51

*John: I’ll need a box for my steak, but in the meantime I want a bacon cheeseburger- and I don’t mean one the size of a hockey puck!

*Waitress: (smiling) You want one more the size of a curling stone?

Panel 52

*Waitress: You know, from the sport with the brooms!

*John: (managing a smile) Yes, I want one like that! Bring me one and add it to my bill with the rest.

*Waitress: Okay, sir, I’ll tell the kitchen!

*John: Thank you, ma’am!

Panel 53

*(The waitress leaves. Tony observes John as he somberly waits by the door.)

*Tony: (thinking) Jack…I know this whole thing is hurting you because it’s absolutely killing me!

Panel 54

*Rhodey: (joking with John to try to lighten the mood) We were talking about where to eat, and we agreed, “Jack would prefer someplace that wasn’t hawking poutine or maple doughnuts or something.”

*John: Oh. Yeah.

Panel 55

*Tony: (thinking) Rhodey…once again you’re in the position of trying to help fix something I messed up. What else is new?!

Panel 56

*Tony: (out loud) Rhodey…Jack…

Panel 57

*Tony: (pushing away Rhodey’s bourbon glass to show he’s not interested in it and there would no danger to his sobriety if they left) You don’t have to stay if you don’t want to.

*Rhodey: Tony…

Panel 58

*Tony: Both of you can leave. I can have your food boxed & delivered to you.

*John: …

Panel 59

*(John leaves the room without a word.)

Panel 60

*(Rhodey remains seated. Tony stares at his plate.)

Panel 61

*Tony: Are you okay?

*Rhodey: Yeah.

*Tony: Good. Still, I shouldn’t have brought you here.

Panel 62

*Rhodey: (downplaying staying there) Hey, I get a good meal out of it!

*Tony: (chuckles) Hmph! Well, I’m glad.

Panel 63

*(Tony begins to feel lightheaded. He begins to stand.)

*Tony: I’m going to step out for some-

Panel 64

*(He begins to stagger from dizziness, knocking a couple pieces of silverware onto the floor.)

*Rhodey: ?!

Panel 65

*(Tony sits back down and holds his head. Rhodey is up and at his side in a flash.)

*Rhodey: What’s wrong, man?!

*(There’s the sound of a door being thrown open.)

Panel 66

*(In a flash John is there as well.)

*John: It’s not his heart, is it?!

*Rhodey: I think he just needs some air! I’m going to see if those windows open!

*John: You do that and I’ll check him out!

Panel 67

*John tends to Tony, and for the first time that night he actually looks at him.)

*John: (concerned) My gosh, you look like Hell…

Panel 68

*(Tony’s vision is blurred. All he can make out is a muscular, blonde white man.)

Panel 69

*Tony: (addled, yet sincere) Steve…I’m sorry…

*John: …

Panel 70

*Rhodey: That’s as far as they’ll open, but it should be enough to help!

*John: Good!

Panel 71

*(Thankfully a few minutes of rest & fresh air restore Tony to normal.)

*Tony: I’m okay! It was just some kind of dizzy spell, or maybe an anxiety attack. I’m fine now.

*Rhodey: That’s good.

*John: You had us worried there for a minute!

*Tony: I’ll get that checked out, but meanwhile, thank you. Both of you.

Panel 72

*Tony: (to John) I’m glad you hadn’t left yet.

*John: (looking aside) Yeah, well…

Panel 73

*John’s narration: …I had just stopped to think about how jealous the rest of Alpha Flight would be to see the steak I got.

*(The flashback shows he was actually leaning against the wall as he tried to process his emotions.)

Panel 74

*Tony: I…I started to say something earlier.

*John: Not to me.

*Tony: No, but it applies to you too. I’m sorry for the grief I’ve caused you.

Panel 75

*Tony: You have every right to hate me…to yell at me and curse me out and tell me if you never saw me again, it would be too soon.

*John: I didn’t need your permission to do any of that.

*Tony: I know.

Panel 76

*Tony: I also know that despite your rough start, you and Steve grew to care for each other as much as any brothers in arms, and now…you’re feeling all kinds of emotions.

*(John looks away, but his expression is sad rather than angry & defiant.)

Panel 77

*Tony: I wanted to see how you were doing- not as a liaison or even a teammate, but a friend. I…I don’t want you to be overwhelmed.

Panel 78

*Tony: If you want to vent and get things off your chest, I can take it.

*John: What if I wanted to vent to someone else?

*Tony: Uh…

Panel 79

*Tony: (embarrassed) You know, I hadn’t thought much about that.

*(Rhodey and John both give him “Are you serious?” looks.)

Panel 80

*Rhodey: My gosh…

*John: Mofo, you’re as much an arrogant jerk as you were during the senior Bush administration!

*Rhodey: He really is!

*Tony: I really am.

Panel 81

*Tony: (sincerely) Regardless, you’re free to vent to anyone as long as it helps you. We just want you to be okay.

*Rhodey: There are lots of resources, whether it’s us, other people, or online message boards. You’re not alone in whatever you’re feeling.

*(John is quiet as he weighs their words.)

Panel 82

*(Before he can respond, the waitress pops in with his burger and a take-home box.)

*Waitress: Here you are!

*John: Oh, that looks amazing!

Panel 83

*Tony: Before you go, miss, I appreciate you reassuring our friend about the plate.

*Waitress: It was no trouble at all, sir!

Panel 84

*(The waitress leaves.)

*John: (thoughtfully) Your friend, huh?

*Rhodey: Of course!

*Tony: I know it might not seem like much right now, but it’s the truth.

Panel 85

*Tony: I know nothing I say or do tonight will magically fix everything, but I really do want to help you in some way. You deserve it as much as anybody.

*John: …

Panel 86

*(John looks at his hands…)

Panel 87

*(…and heaves a sigh of relief that they’re no longer quivering).

Panel 88

*(He takes his silverware and, being careful not to shatter the broken plate further, begins cutting his steak into pieces)

Panel 89

*John: (sets down steak knife) Like you said, tonight isn’t going to magically fix everything, but…

Panel 90

*John: (holds up steak bite on fork to show his nerves have settled a little) …thanks.

One of my hobbies is making my own comics, and one of them is a fan comic called Steve and John and Sam and Lemar and Bucky Are Friends.  Sometimes it has a serious tone and sometimes it has a comedic tone.  Since a couple of the installments mention Hank Pym, I thought I’d share them here (both as comics and transcripts).  You’ll notice one thing that makes my fan comics different from a lot of the fan art out there: Since I’m not great at drawing people, all the characters are half-human/half-bird of prey [Steve Rogers, Bucky Barnes, and John Walker/Jack Daniels are eagle men, Lemar Hoskins, Tony Stark, James Rhodes, and Clint Barton are hawk men, and Sam Wilson is a falcon man (Whenever I get around to introducing Joaquin Torres, he’ll be a falcon man as well). I would depict Hank as a hawk man too since hawks can be formidable whether they're large or small, and I'd make Jan a hawk woman to go along with that.].

First comes the seventh installment, which was  inspired by me A) learning there’s a Doombot (a robotic duplicate of supervillain Dr. Doom) who’s an Avenger and B ) reflecting that a number of Avengers started out as antagonists before reforming and joining the heroes’ ranks

The realization

Scene 1

*[Captain America (Steve Rogers) is eating lunch when U.S.Agent (John Walker alias Jack Daniels) enters]

*U.S.Agent: Dang it, C.A., you need to talk Pym [Hank Pym alias Ant-Man, Giant-Man, and Yellowjacket] out of this!

Scene 2

* Captain America: What?

*Agent: This whole business of making that Doombot an Avenger! It’s a terrible idea!

Scene 3

* Cap: Why’s that?

*Agent: Because it started out as an enemy,…

Scene 4

*Agent: …and it has a big ego,…

Scene 5

*Agent: and it’s probably not 100% mentally stable, and…um…

Scenes 6-8

*(Agent stops as he has a realization. Cap smirks and Agent gradually smirks too)

Scene 9

*Agent: Aw, forget I said anything!

https://preview.redd.it/31t1jh51l9th1.jpg?width=2587&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=eba62215df1985d36999df4714eb4fccd9207895

Before this was the fourth installment, which I’m putting second because Hank is only mentioned near the very end.

The test tube’s contents, part 1

Scene 1

*Narration: In some random mad scientist’s lair…

*[The Winter Soldier (Bucky Barnes) has the evil scientist handcuffed and his wings restrained (since the characters in this fan-fiction are all portrayed as half human/half bird of prey).  Battlestar (Lemar Hoskins) stands by.  U.S.Agent (John Walker alias Jack Daniels) presents a test tube he’s found.]

*U.S.Agent: So this is the poison?

*Mad scientist: (bragging) Yes, that’s it.

Scene 2

*(The test tube is shown in close-up as he continues to gloat.)

*Mad scientist: Half of that is enough to cause certain effects leading to death for a normal human!

Scene 3

*Mad scientist: An antidote can be made, but it requires a sacrifice.

Scene 4

*Mad scientist: The antidote requires the blood of someone who has ingested a fatal dose, you see.

Scene 5

*Mad scientist: In order to save those who have been infected, a decision must be-

Scene 6

*Agent: (referring to test tube) So half of this is a fatal dose because it could kill most people.

*(Battlestar looks back at Agent somewhat confused and concerned)

*Mad scientist: (confused) Um…yes.

Scene 7

*Mad scientist: (goes back to gloating) You’ll have to make-

*(Agent, smirking, uncorks the test tube)

*Sound effect: POP!

Scene 8

*(Agent slurps down a little more than half of the chemical mixture)

*SFX: SLURRP!

Scene 9

*(Agent swallows the mixture and recorks test tube)

*SFX: GULP!

Scene 10

*(Battlestar stares in surprise while the mad scientist and The Winter Soldier gape in astonishment)

Scene 11

*Battlestar: (surprised, but more amused than shocked) The frick, dude?!

*Mad scientist: (shocked) WHAT THE FRICK!?

*Winter Soldier: (astonished) Golly, gee whiz!

Scene 12

*(Battlestar and the mad scientist look back at Winter Soldier in surprise)

*Mad scientist: What?

*Winter Soldier: (flustered) Oh, uh…

*Battlestar: (thinking) He was so shocked he reverted to 1940s Bucky!

Scene 13

*Agent: (starting to sweat from the poison, but smirking as he holds up the slightly more than halfway empty test tube) You thought someone would have to die for an antidote to be made, but you didn’t expect a superhuman to ingest the poison!

Scene 14

*Agent: You didn’t expect me!

*Battlestar: (jokingly) Nobody ever expects you, man! (Gives appreciative thumbs up as he thinks) Thanks for not making me or Bucky do it!

Scene 15

*Winter Soldier: (to Battlestar about the scientist) You hold onto this guy and I’ll start taking Agent’s blood.

*Battlestar: Fine by me.  I’ll radio base.

*Winter Soldier: Sounds good!

Scene 16

*(Bucky and Battlestar switch places.  Agent gives Winter Soldier the remaining sample of chemical mixture before taking off his shield, gloves, and shirt and sitting in a chair.  Winter Soldier takes out some hypodermic needles and a protective case to hold biological samples.  Agent is sweating and weakened, but holds up his arm for Bucky to take blood samples from)

*Battlestar: (off-camera) Hang in there, Agent!

*Winter Soldier: (holds hypodermic syringe) I’ll take a lot of samples.

*Agent: Good!  You know, this reminds me-

Scene 17

*(Agent starts to smile oddly and laugh as Winter Soldier takes the first sample.)

*Agent: Heh!  This reminds me- hee hee hee hee ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!

Scene 18

*Agent: (sweats more as he laughs more uncontrollably) HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!

*Winter Soldier: (thinking as he prepares to put the first blood-filled needle in the case) Dang, this must be one funny story!

Scene 19

*Agent: (starts to double up from laughter and discomfort) I-I can’t- HA HA HA HA HA!

*Winter Soldier: (realizing) Oh, frick…

Scene 20

*(Agent continues to laugh hysterically off-camera)

*Winter Soldier: (turning toward the mad scientist and Battlestar while taking out another needle) What percentage of a chance is there that’s the poison & not him thinking he’s funnier than he is?

*Mad scientist: (gloating) 100%

*Battlestar: (concerned) 82%

*Winter Soldier: Okay.

https://preview.redd.it/8i6nke46l9th1.jpg?width=1396&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f68aaeda409c7f3d19e278ad2040443dfb1f4c35

The test tube’s contents, part 2

Scene 1

*Narration: Soon…

*(Winter Soldier tucks away the blood samples while Agent continues to laugh and sweat profusely.  The hysterical laughter has caused his eyes to stream tears and his stomach & chest to hurt)

*Winter Soldier: Okay, I’ve taken enough samples, so I’m going to sedate you.

*Agent: Ha ha ha ha- GOOD!- ha ha ha ha ha!

Scene 2

*(Agent continues to laugh, interrupted only by coughing)

*Winter Soldier: (reaching into utility belt) Um…uh, oh…

Scene 3

*Battlestar: What?

*Winter Soldier: I just realized…

Scene 4

*(Agent’s laughing continues, interrupted by some coughing and gasping)

*Winter Soldier: …the only sedative I have right now is nitrous oxide.

Scene 5

*(Battlestar and the mad scientist stare blankly)

Scene 6

*Battlestar: Laughing gas.

*Mad scientist: (amused) Ha!

*Battlestar: Well, beggars can’t be choosers!

Scene 7

*Narration: One hero activates the lab’s vents & starts the flow of gas. [Nitrous oxide maintains its potency when exhaled, so people working with it need proper ventilation]

*(Bucky turns on the gas tank and holds it up to John’s face with one arm while supporting him with his other arm.  Throughout the panels, there is the whooshing of the vents and the hissing of the gas tank)

*Winter Soldier: (concerned) Just breathe normally, comrade- I mean, buddy!  You’ll be fine!

Scene 8

*Narration: Soon another hero finds relief with every breath.

*(Agent’s laughter and pain diminish due to the sedation)

*Winter Soldier: (smiling in relief) There we are!

Scene 9

*(Agent’s laughter continues to diminish)

*Mad scientist: This is just a setback, you know.

Scene 10

*(Agent, laughing weakly, and Winter Soldier look irritated by the scientist’s taunts)

*Mad scientist: Even if you foil this plan, that won’t stop my machinations.

Scene 11

*(Agent finally stops laughing due to the sedation affecting the poison’s action)

*Mad scientist: I’ll be back and you’ll never know what to expect.

Scene 12

*(Agent and Winter Soldier continue to look irritated as the evil scientist continues to taunt them)

*Mad scientist: (off-camera) You will never-

*Battlestar: (off-camera) Oh, for crying out loud!

Scene 13

*(To the surprise of Agent, Bucky, and the scientist, Battlestar rushes over to grab the tank of laughing gas)

*Battlestar: Give me that!

Scene 14

*(Agent and Winter Soldier watch Battlestar deal with the scientist off-camera.  The hissing sound is now louder since Battlestar turned up the flow of nitrous oxide)

*Mad scientist: (off-camera) Wha-What are you-

*Battlestar: (off-camera) What do you think!?

Scene 15

*(Agent and Winter Solider smile in grim satisfaction)

*Mad scientist: (off-camera) Y-You can’t- (coughs from inhaling gas)

*Battlestar: (off-camera) That’s it!  Keep talking, loud-mouth!

Scene 16

*Winter Soldier: (smiling and pointing to Battlestar as he continues to sedate the scientist) I like this guy!

*Agent: (amused) He-He-He’s great!

Scene 17

*Narration: Later…

*(Agent wakes up in a hospital bed with Battlestar and Winter Soldier at his bedside)

*Agent: I feel right as rain again!  Does that mean…

*Winter Soldier: (happily) It does!  All the infected have been cured & that creep’s locked up!

Scene 18

*Battlestar: (happily) Pym [Giant Man] whipped up an antidote no problem!  The danger’s over!

*Agent: (relieved) Thank G-d!  Pym has his…um…

Scene 19

*Agent: (has awkward realization) We…We could have had Pym drink that poison in giant form, couldn’t we?  We’d have a blood sample and he’d have minimal damage.

*Battlestar: (awkwardly) Uh…

*Winter Soldier: (awkwardly) Oh…

Scene 20

*Agent: (irritated, but smiling in pride) Well, my heart was in the right place, and we got to help save the day!  I enjoyed working with you guys again.

Winter Soldier: (smiles) Same here!  It was kind of fun!

Scene 21

*Battlestar: (lightheartedly) We had some-

*Agent: Please don’t say we had some laughs.

*Battlestar: You got it!

https://preview.redd.it/7y9wa5t9l9th1.jpg?width=1396&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=316d83aa2fc0947f8499a5999330fb85bbe6373e

Recently something reminded me of the original Nomad storyline from the 1970s (the one with Steve Rogers temporarily dropping his Captain America identity because he became disillusioned due to government corruption).  I noted, “That was a powerful story, and it's also the reason no one today should ever try to do a ‘Cap is shocked to learn America isn't perfect!’ storyline.” Cap knows America isn't perfect. He's disgusted to see corruption, bigotry, etc., but he's not going to be shocked by it because he's seen it already. Shoot, he saw bad people & things in America before he even became Captain America.  At this point having Steve be shocked that some Americans do bad things would be like having a character be shocked by finding out a random preacher or celebrity did something inappropriate. It's terrible and wrong, but sadly we've all seen it before, so simply learning about impropriety isn't shocking.

Before anyone says anything, I’m not saying a storyline can never be repeated.  Some plots can be revisited effectively.  For instance, the plot device of “Someone else takes the Captain America mantle” has been used multiple times, but those stories had differences that prevented them from feeling like the same old plot being rehashed.  If they had used it once and then decided never to use it anymore, we would have missed out on so many great stories and interesting characters.  That being said, the more something resembles a previous story, the harder it is to pull off because you’ll get comparisons to that story.  I’m a fan of Captain America: The Captain, but if someone tried to use that plotline today, my reaction would be, “Why are they ripping off Captain America: The Captain?  We’ve seen this done before and seen it done much better!”  Remember too that the general reaction to Civil War II was, “Congratulations…you made something even worse than the original Civil War!”  Likewise, I feel that trying to do a “Steve learns there’s corruption in America!” story wouldn’t work because, as I said, we’ve seen it before. 

It’s fine to have a storyline with Steve appalled by corruption.  In fact, that’s how the character SHOULD be portrayed.  He should be appalled and angered by injustice, corruption, bigotry, etc. in America and do all he can to oppose it.  Just don’t have him shocked like, “Oh, I had no idea that the United States of America could have people who were doing bad things!” because the response readers will have is, “Really, playa!?”

This fan-fiction uses characters from Marvel Comics.  This story examines how Captain America Steve Rogers refuses to give up on people just because they have bad things in their pasts, and it also reflects my belief that heroes should help each other.  It was partly inspired by fictional time-viewing devices as well as the flashbacks in the My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic episode “Princess Twilight Sparkle”.

 

Scene 1

*(The scene opens with Captain America Steve Rogers battling an original villain I created.  Let’s call him Chronoscope.  He has a suit of armor with a mechanical white “gem” on the front and is a high-ranking member of a gang using high-tech, almost mystical, weapons.  Cap, with his superior abilities, has gained the upper hand.)

*Captain America: Soon it’ll be all over for you and the rest of your gang!  We’ll stop the lot of you! 

*Chronoscope: “We”?

Scene 2

*Chronoscope: You mean those allies you care about so dearly!

*Cap: Yes, I trust them and their abilities completely!

*Chronoscope: Well then…

Scene 3

*(The gem on Chronoscope’s armor glows.)

*Chronoscope: After you’ve seen my special ability…

Scene 4

*Chronoscope: …we’ll see if you still trust them!

*(The two are surrounded by light.)

Scene 5

*(The scenery changes, indicating some kind of hologram technology.  The scene now resembles the interior of some kind of barn, but something is horribly wrong.  There are signs of a chaotic battle, and there are bodies wearing the uniform of the Watchdogs- the domestic terrorist group who murdered John Walker’s parents as John, then serving as Captain America, resisted an attempt to hang him- scattered across the floor.)

*Cap: (thinking in horror as he realizes) This is…

Scene 6

*(He’s interrupted by a voice behind him.)

*Voice: Ma…Pa…I did it.

Scene 7

*(Cap looks and stares in horror.)

*Voice: I beat them all.  Every last mother’s son!

Scene 8

*(We see the full horror of the scene.  On the ground lie the bodies of members of the Watchdogs.  Some are already dead from John’s retaliatory fit of rage, some are in the process of dying, and some are severely injured or even crippled.  John, completely out of it to the point he hasn’t even removed the noose from the attempted lynching from his neck, is kneeling by his parents’ corpses, touching and talking to them tenderly.  His parents’ bodies are twisted in death and leaking ample amounts of blood from multiple bullet wounds, and their still open eyes stare lifelessly.  A trace of a sad, deluded smile is on the unmasked John’s lips as he desperately tries to deny the reality of what has happened.)

*Captain America John Walker: Aww, shucks!  You don’t have to thank me, that’s what sons are for!

Scene 9

*(Chronoscope gloats as Cap-Steve walks around Cap-John.)

*Chronoscope: You see what your fellow Avenger and patriot did!  Do you-

Scene 10

*(Chronoscope stops talking in shock…)

Scene 11

*(…because Cap-Steve has knelt down close to Cap-John’s back.  He reaches out carefully due to the holographic nature of the vision,…)

Scene 12

*(…places his hand on one of Cap-John’s shoulders, and bows his head as a show of mourning for the deaths of Emily & Caleb Walker.)

Scene 13

*(As Cap-John continues his deluded rambling and Cap-Steve kneels, Chronoscope gapes in astonishment.)

Scene 14

*Chronoscope: HOW?!

*(Cap-Steve doesn’t bother to look in his direction.)

Scene 15

*Chronoscope: How can you mourn alongside him!?  He did terrible things!  He stained your mantle with blood!  He stained your shield with blood!  He stained your legacy with blood!

Scene 16

*Cap-Steve: (sarcastically) Gee, I’d never have known that if you hadn’t told me!

Scene 17

*(Chronoscope is taken aback by Cap-Steve not only being able to answer, but answering so sarcastically.)

Scene 18

*Cap-Steve: First off, whatever he did, it wasn’t what his parents did, was it?  His parents were completely innocent!  They died not because of anything they had done, but because some terrorists bore a grudge of blood!  Like so many others, they were innocent people killed because of hate!

Scene 19

*Cap-Steve: Second, you want me to be appalled by what John did?  Yes, I was appalled by some of the things John did!

Scene 20

*Cap-Steve: John was arrogant, self-serving, and duplicitous!  He was violent and brutal…a berserker who did things he could never take back and tarnished my mantle!  You know what else he was?

Scene 21

*Cap-Steve: He was also someone who regretted what he’d done and swore to be something better!  He became someone who risked his life for others…someone I could fight alongside!

Scene 22

*Cap-Steve: In the moments before this, he was the mad killer.  In this moment in time, he’s a son mourning his parents.  In the present, he’s someone better than the man he was.  He’s far from perfect, but he’s trying!

Scene 23

*Cap-Steve: (standing up) I’ve seen John be utterly horrific and undeniably heroic, and you…

Scene 24

*Cap-Steve: …you’re not going to make me lose faith that easily!

*Chronoscope: (glares in anger)

Scene 25

*Chronoscope: Let’s see if you still have faith…

Scene 26

*(The light shines and the scene changes again.)

*Chronoscope: …when you see the pasts of your friends!

Scene 27

*(The scene changes to a street in New York City neighborhood.)

Scene 28

*(Cap-Steve turns his attention to a pair of voices.)

*Voice 1: Listen, you gotta-

*Voice 2: I don’t “gotta” do a dang thing!

Scene 29

*(We see someone talking to a young adult Sam Wilson, the future Falcon and future Captain America.)

*Young man: Please, I really need some help with this!  If we don’t-

*Young Sam: You think I care?!  I don’t!  Why should I care about your issue?!

Scene 30

*Young man: But-

*Young Sam: (turning away) Handle it yourself!  All I care about is number one, you got me?!  Hit the road!

Scene 31

*(Sam walks off and turns around a corner, leaving the other young man alone.  The young man stares in sad disbelief…)

Scene 32

*(…and then turns & walks away.)

Scene 33

*Chronoscope: You see for yourself how-

Scene 34

*(Cap-Steve starts heading in Sam’s direction.)

*Chronoscope: Wh-What are you doing?!

*Cap-Steve: I’m following him to see what he does next!

Scene 35

*Chronoscope: You can’t do that!

*Cap-Steve: (glaring back at him) I can’t or you won’t let me?!

Scene 36

*Cap-Steve: (changes direction) Okay, fine!  I’ll just follow the other fellow and-

Scene 37

*(The scene dissolves into nothing.)

Scene 38

*Cap-Steve: (leering at Chronoscope) You want to explain why you didn’t show me the rest of the scene that was supposed to prove your point?

Scene 39

*Cap-Steve: I mean, you can’t claim the aftermath was too disturbing since you just showed me the aftermath of two innocent people being killed and eleven people being killed in revenge!  What, did Sam walking away result in three innocent people getting killed and twelve people getting killed in revenge?!

Scene 40

*Cap-Steve: That little show was supposed to convince me that Sam was some selfish person and yet you ended it, and we both know why!

Scene 41

*Cap-Steve: I’d bet anything that if that scene had continued, we would have seen him regretting what he said and turning back to go help!

*Chronoscope: (angrily) You think you know everything!

*Cap-Steve: No, I just know Sam, and I know that one cold, insensitive moment that any one of us, including me, could have had does not counteract all the good he’s done!

Scene 42

*Cap-Steve: He’s done amazing things, life-saving things, in both his costumed and civilian lives, all while bearing burdens he never should have had to bear, and usually while not getting even one-fourth of the credit and respect he deserves, and often while getting unfair criticism from the very people he’s helping!

Scene 43

*Cap-Steve: Nobody could give me five reasons not to have faith in him, but I could easily give five hundred reasons why I should have faith in him!

*Chronoscope: (glaring in frustration)

Scene 44

*Cap-Steve: He’s one of the best partners one could ever have!

*Chronoscope: (smirking evilly) Partners?  I’m glad you reminded me!

Scene 45

*(The light shines again as the scene changes.)

*Chronoscope: Let me show you about partners!

Scene 46

*(There’s no pause or break, no having to turn to look to take in the situation, this time.  Cap is thrust directly into the horror of the scene.  He sees Bucky Barnes as The Winter Soldier having freshly murdered Jack Monroe, who served as the Bucky to 1950s Captain America William Burnside and later took the mantle of Nomad, under orders from his captors.)

*Cap-Steve: (thinking in horror) No…

Scene 47

*(Shuddering, he kneels down and carefully, tenderly, covers Jack’s eyes.)

*Cap-Steve: (thinking) Jack, you poor, poor soul…

Scene 48

*(The Winter Soldier takes out a tarp to wrap up the corpse.)

Scene 49

*(Before he can, however, he pauses and stares at the body for a moment.)

Scene 50

*(He rubs his face as if trying to gather himself…)

Scene 51

*(…before resuming his mission.  Cap-Steve observes this.)

Scene 52

*(Still shuddering, Cap-Steve arises.)

Scene 53

*Cap-Steve: (facing Chronoscope) You lost again.

*Chronoscope: !?

Scene 54

*Cap-Steve: This scene is absolutely horrible, but you thought that I’d focus solely on the horror and not what else was going on!

Scene 55

*Cap-Steve: Bucky hesitated for a moment!  That was his true self having one moment of realization and reflection before the control took hold again!

*Chronoscope: You…You’re seeing something that isn’t there!

Scene 56

*Chronoscope: It could be he felt a headache coming on, or maybe he was a little tired!  Maybe Monroe had hit him in the head just before death!

*Cap-Steve: Well, that theory should be easy to test!  Show me the battle and let’s see if Jack hit Bucky in the head!

*Chronoscope: …

Scene 57

*Chronoscope: (angrily) Look, he was being controlled and manipulated!  He was just a wind-up toy doing whatever his captors wanted!  An unthinking tool!

Scene 58

*Cap-Steve: (snorting in amusement)

*Chronoscope: What-What is so funny!?

*Cap-Steve: Don’t you realize the implications of what you just said?

Scene 59

*Cap-Steve: You showed me this to try to convince me that Bucky was some cold-blooded, cold-hearted monster, but then you bring up that he was controlled by others.

Scene 60

*Cap-Steve: You tried to paint him as a monster, but then absolved him of responsibility!

Scene 61

*Cap-Steve: So, would you like to try and fail again?

*(Chronoscope, enraged, starts cursing and screaming threats & insults because he’s got nothing.)

Scene 62

*(He’s suddenly interrupted by a distinct blue, white, red, and silver shield striking him.)

Scene 63

*(The shield ricochets and is caught by Captain America Sam Wilson, who has arrived on the scene alongside Redwing the falcon, U.S.Agent John Walker alias Jack Daniels, and Bucky Barnes.)

Scene 64

*(The blow to Chronoscope causes the vision to fade and brings Cap-Steve back to the present.)

*Cap-Steve: (preparing to throw shield) Hit the gem on his chest! 

Scene 65

*(Chronoscope’s gem and armor receives a barrage of blows from Cap-Steve’s shield, Cap-Sam’s shield, and U.S.Agent’s shield along with bullets from Bucky’s firearm.)

*Chronoscope: N-No…

Scene 66

*(The gem shatters.)

*Chronoscope: NO!

Scene 67

*(The feedback from the destruction of the gem and the shock of actually losing cause Chronoscope to pass out.)

Scene 68

*(The heroes quickly remove his armor and bind his hands and feet.)

*U.S.Agent: Heh!  Shucked like an ear of corn!

Scene 69

*Cap-Sam: (jokingly whispering to Bucky) Did you imagine when you got up this morning we’d be shucking a guy?

*Bucky: (jokingly whispering) Don’t start with me!

Scene 70

*Cap-Steve: (thinking as he lifts Chronoscope’s unconscious body) What happened to make you obsessed with people losing faith?  Whatever it was, you need to get help to address it instead of taking things out on other people!

Scene 71

*(Soon the group of heroes is resting in a recovery room.)

*Sam: What happened back there?  You were trembling when we got on the scene.

*John: (jokingly) If it’s because you missed Matlock, I’m sure we could find a DVD for you!

*Steve: I’ll be fine.  It’s just…a lot.

Scene 72

*Steve: His special power was making people see visions of the past.  He tried to make me lose faith in all of you by showing me moments from your pasts.

*(The others are unsettled)

*Bucky: Oh, shoot…

Scene 73

*Steve: I’d like to speak with all of you privately.

*(John assumes he’d be the last person Steve would want to speak with and heads toward the door.)

*John: You can page me when-

Scene 74

*Steve: Actually, John, I’d like to speak with you first.

*John: (stopping in confusion) ?!

Scene 75

*(They’re confused, but agree.  John heads back to where Steve is sitting while Sam, Redwing, and Bucky head toward the door.)

*John: If I catch any of you pressing a glass against the door to listen in, I’ll pound you flatter than a flapjack!

*Bucky: Cups it is, then!

*John: Heh!  Funny!

Scene 76

*(Steve and John are left alone in the room.)

*Steve: (gesturing to a chair) You might want to sit down for this.

*John: (bracing himself for impact, but still prideful) Just to humor you, old timer.

Scene 77

*(John takes a seat.)

*John: So…I imagine this guy showed a whole compilation of my wrongdoings.

*Steve: He only showed me one moment, and it was the worst one of your life.

*John: The death of my folks.

*Steve: Mmm-hmm.

Scene 78

*John: So that device he had made you hallucinate what happened based on what you knew about it.

*Steve: No, I think it was more than that.  I think he somehow showed me the actual aftermath of the event!

Scene 79

*John: What makes you think that?

*Steve: It was what you did in the vision he showed me.

Scene 80

*(Steve recounts what he saw and heard.)

Scene 81

*(As Steve gives his account, John holds his head in sorrow.)

Scene 82

*John: Yes, that really is what happened!  I must’ve prattled on for about an hour!  It…It was so hard to…

*Steve: You don’t have to explain it to me.  I’m not going to claim I know how you feel, but I’ve lost enough people in my life that I have some understanding.

Scene 83

*Steve: I told him you had things in your life you regretted, but you had sworn to be better.  You’re not perfect, but you’re trying.

Scene 84

*John: (half-jokingly) Barton [Clint Barton, Hawkeye] says I’m very trying!

*Steve: Heh!  He’s perceptive!

Scene 85

*(They talk for a while and then John starts to leave to let the next person in.)

*John: You know, that guy was dumber than a bag of rocks!  If you don’t hate me or Burnside despite everything, you’re not going to hate your best friends!

*Steve: Yeah, you look up “futility” in the dictionary and you’ll find Chronoscope’s picture!

Scene 86

*(John opens the door to find Bucky giving Redwing water from a cup.)

*John: What is that?

*Bucky: Hey, birds need proper hydration!

*John: Mmm-hmm.

Scene 87

*Steve: (beckoning) Bucky next. 

Scene 88

*Bucky: (sitting down) How many of my assassinations did he show you?

*Steve: Just one.

Scene 89

*Steve: He showed me when you had killed Jack Monroe.

*(Bucky bows head, clearly distressed by the memory.)

Scene 90

*Steve: I saw that the real you was in there somewhere, affected by what you’d been made to do.

*Bucky: You’re giving me too much credit!

*Steve: No, old chum!  I just know who you really are!

Scene 91

*Steve: I know things aren’t black and white…that you still carry a burden about what you were made to do despite being controlled.  I also know that you’re not what some people have made you out to be.  You’re someone who has found your way back to become your own man.

Scene 92

*(They talk for a while and then Bucky leaves to let Sam have his turn.)

Scene 93

*(Sam, with Redwing perched on his shoulder, takes a seat.  Steve draws in a sketchbook as he talks.)

*Sam: We now know that the whole “Snap Wilson” thing was a lie The Red Skull came up with, so what did Chronoscope show you?

*Steve: He showed me a scene with you talking to another young man.

Scene 94

*Steve: He asked for your help, but you dismissed him.  You snapped at him that you didn’t care and that you didn’t have to help him because that was his problem & not yours.  You told him you only cared about number one and you walked away.  Does that sound familiar?

*Sam: It does.

Scene 95

*Steve: Who was he?  What happened?

*Sam: That’s the thing- it didn’t just happen once!

Scene 96

*Sam: There were multiple times someone came to me for help, but at times I was so angry at the whole blasted world that I turned them away and said they were on their own!

Scene 97

*Steve: And then what happened?

*Sam: …I usually got a cooler head, and went back to see if I could help them anyway.

*Steve: I figured!

Scene 98

*Steve: (showing the drawing he made) Does this guy look familiar?

*Sam: (recognizing likeness) That’s Eddie Simmons from the old neighborhood!  We used to play streetball sometimes!

Scene 99

*Sam: You…You really did see a vision of the past!

*Steve: Mmm-hmm!

Scene 100

*Steve: What’s the story with Eddie?

*Sam: He had a sick relative who needed something.

Scene 101

*Sam: At first I- well, you saw how I reacted at first!  A couple minutes later I changed my mind and decided to help him after all.  He told afterward me I was a life-saver, and if I hadn’t…

Scene 102

*Sam: (brushing it off) Aw, Eddie always did like to exaggerate!

*Steve: (smiling) Oh, really?

Scene 103

*Sam: I think the reason old skull-face was able to trick me into thinking I was just some crook was he was able to exploit my guilt over the people I couldn’t or didn’t help.

*Steve: That sounds right!  I know a lot about that!

Scene 104

*Steve: No matter what anyone thinks of you, you have consistently shown you care about helping people, and that’s why I’m proud to have you carry on the legacy!

Scene 105

*(They talk for a while and then it’s Sam’s turn to leave.)

*Steve: I’m feeling a little tired, so if you all could entertain yourselves for a while…

*Sam: You don’t have to go home but you can’t stay here, huh?

Scene 106

*Sam: (jokingly) You just want to watch Matlock in private so John doesn’t crack jokes about it!

*Steve: Ah, you’re onto me!

Scene 107

*(Sam reflects as he and Redwing leave.)

*Sam: (thinking) I see you, Steve.  You had John alone with me because you could tell he needed a sympathetic ear, and then you had Bucky alone with John because they both understood regretting taking lives, and now you want me to chill with one or both of them because they understand the weight of carrying the mantle too.  You planned that well!

Scene 108

*John: (jokingly) I assume the shame in your past was returning a videotape without rewinding it first!

*Sam: Hey, nobody’s perfect!  I put my pants on one leg at a time!

Scene 109

*John: (sympathetically) I can imagine the headlines.  “Captain America puts on pants, an activity numerous terrorists are known to engage in!”

*Bucky: “He’s a dirty Communist!”

*Sam: Heh!  That’s about the size of it!

*John: Man, forget those a-holes!

Scene 110

*(Eventually they regroup in the room.)

*John: You done watching Diagnosis Murder or whatever?

*Steve: I got my second wind if you all have!

Description: That second panel is another example of The Ever Lovin’ Blue-Eyed Thing being awesome. The issue is the third issue of the second U.S.Agent limited series (written by Jerry Ordway and published in 2001) and the trade paperback is U.S.Agent: The Good Fight.

Hello! I apologize if I have the wrong flair, but something strange happened to my household and I wanted to see if this has happened to anyone else. For background, my household has some kind of maintenance plan with McAfee. We pay twenty dollars a month (automatically deducted from one of my aunt's bank accounts) and in return McAfee...supposedly does something, but your guess is as good as mine about what. They made it sound like they were going to provide filters, but we've only received one, so it feels misleading.

A few days ago my household got a message from McAfee claiming they needed to work out financial information. I thought that was odd because payment is automatically deducted every month. Then I was out this morning and I got a call from McAfee on my cell phone. I had given them my number before so they could text about arrival times & send reminders about scheduling, and the caller ID matched what was stored in my phone, so it seemed legit. The lady on the phone asked, "Is this [my aunt's name]?" and I told her, "No, but I can speak on her behalf." She told me that they hadn't been receiving payment and so they needed my aunt's banking information. I pointed out that the payment is deducted each month and she told me they had a new system that wasn't allowing them to get the money. Then she claimed, "We haven't received payment since June." This is when my mind went, "Hold up..." because we receive bank statements from that account in the mail every month. With my aunt's permission I open them, check that they're okay, and set them aside for safekeeping. After making this claim, the lady basically threatened us that they would end the plan if, again, they didn't get my aunt's banking information. There is no way I'm going to give anybody's financial information out willy-nilly, so I told her I'd speak with my aunt and that was the end of the call.

For a minute there I thought, "Have payments not been getting through and I overlooked it?" but then I got home and checked the recent statements myself. Both the June and the July statements show that, as usual, $19.99 was paid to McAfee Heating & Air. We have not received the statement for this month (August), but the June and July statements showing payment being made debunks that "We haven't received payment since June" claim. I told my aunt about it, and she agreed that was suspicious and told me not to give them any information. We're going to wait to see if they call again, and if they do I'm going to ask how they explain the bank accounts showing the payments they claimed never occurred. I'd be tempted to pull a Bully Maguire and tell them, "You'll get payment when you give us the dang filters!" but the thing is that wouldn't be fitting because we are and have been giving them payment.

Has anyone else experienced this?

This fan-fiction involves characters from Marvel Comics.  I noticed that most of my stories were emotional rather than action-packed, so this is my attempt at writing an action scene.

Scene 1

*(At Avengers headquarters, Captain America Sam Wilson and Hawkeye Clint Barton are being visited by Captain America Steve Rogers and Winter Soldier Bucky Barnes.  Things are casual and they’re chatting & joking around like friends or family.)

Scene 2

*(Suddenly, however, there’s a trouble alert.)

Scene 3

*Cap-Sam: (checking alert) Someone’s in trouble…and they’re about to be on our front lawn!

Scene 4

*(Cap-Sam, Cap-Steve, and Bucky go out to investigate while Hawkeye monitors the situation from inside)

Scene 5

*(The visitor is revealed to be U.S.Agent John Walker alias Jack Daniels, who lands his skycycle…)

Scene 6

*(…and dismounts.  He seems unwell, like his system is strained, and he’s clutching the arm his shield is on.)

*Cap-Steve: U.S.Agent!  Are you okay?

*Agent: N-No…

Scene 7

*Hawkeye: (chilling as he recalls Avengers: Disassembled and speaking over communicator) I’ve got a bad feeling about this…

Scene 8

*Agent: Hawkeye’s right!

*Hawkeye: (concerned) Frick, now I know things have gone south!

Scene 9

*Agent: (struggles to hold himself back) They took control of me…sent me to be their dang super-solider!

*Cap-Steve: Who?!

*Agent: You have to stop me!

Scene 10

*Agent: No matter what…you have to stop me!

*(Cap-Steve is silent as he absorbs Agent’s full meaning.)

Scene 11

*Cap-Steve: (raising shield) Don’t worry, we’ll stop you!

Scene 12

*Cap-Steve: Then after we’ve stopped you, you can tell us who did this! (Letting Agent know they can stop him without killing him)

*Agent: …

Scene 13

*Agent: (lowering his head and smiling in relief despite himself) Thank you!

Scene 14

*(The two shield-slinging super-soldiers look stern & take stances…)

Scene 15

*(…and then charge into battle.)

Scene 16

*(Cap-Sam takes to the air to gain an advantage and wait for the right opportunity while Bucky stands by.)

Scene 17

*(Hawkeye grabs some more trick arrows from his stash as well as some heavy-duty shackles.)

Scene 18

*(Cap-Steve and Agent brawl with a mixture of strength, skill, confidence, and caution that makes it seem effortless.  Agent has the power and fighting instinct, but Cap-Steve has the skill and tactical ability.  They’re each aware of how capable the other is.)

Scene 19

*Cap-Steve: (thinking) Walker…I don’t take anything for granted!  I know what a dangerous fighter you are!

Scene 20

*Agent: (thinking) Rogers…you’re a masterful fighter to stand up to me the way you do!  I was wrong to ever think you were some washed-up old man!

Scene 21

*(Hawkeye rushes outside and joins Bucky.)

Scene 22

*(He draws his bow to fire a knock-gas arrow, but is interrupted before he can fire.)

*Agent: That’s not gonna work!

*Hawkeye: ?!

Scene 23

*Agent: I have augmented lung capacity, remember!?  If I were in control enough to breathe in that stuff willingly, or if you were able to catch me off guard, it might work, but not like this!  Even if C.A. got the chance to mask up, I’d hold my breath long enough to rip his mask off, make him inhale the sleeping gas, and make him pass out before masking up myself, so that’s out!

Scene 24

*Agent: If he passes out, our fight is over!

*Cap-Steve: …

Scene 25

*(Cap-Steve and Cap-Sam, having the same idea, look at each other.)

Scene 26

*(They smile and nod.)

Scene 27

*(The others notice)

*Bucky: (thinking) I think I get it!

*Hawkeye: (thinking) They’ve figured out something!

*Agent: (thinking) Well, let’s see what you’ve got!

Scene 28

*Cap-Steve: (reaching for buckle of utility belt) I can guarantee you won’t be ripping off any of my gear…

*Agent: ?!?

Scene 29

*Cap-Steve: (smirking as he removes utility belt and tosses it aside) …because I won’t be using any!

*Agent: (smirking as well as he thinks) He’s trying to appeal to my ego to get me to toss aside my own gear!

Scene 30

*Agent: (removes utility belt and tosses it aside as well) Well, it’s working! (out loud) If you don’t need your equipment, then neither do I!

Scene 31

*(They prepare to fight again, their faces reflecting in each other’s shields)

Scene 32

*(As the two resume fighting, Bucky looks back toward Hawkeye and reaches behind himself.)

*Bucky: Hand me those shackles!

*Hawkeye: Hmm?  Sure!

Scene 33

*(Bucky takes the shackles, but loops the chain over his fingers and keeps his hand behind his back.)

Scene 34

*(He makes four gestures as best as he can.  The first is holding up the index, middle, and ring fingers while touching the thumb and pinkie finger together.  The second is similar to a fist, but the fingers are bent instead of completely curled and the thumb is held upright at the side.  The third has the pinkie finger upright while the thumb is curled over the other bent curled fingers.  Finally the fourth resembles a fist, but the fingers are bent instead of completely curled and the thumb is between the index and middle fingers.)

Scene 35

*(While Bucky’s hand is at a 90-degree angle, Hawkeye is still able to recognize the gestures as American Sign Language)

*Hawkeye: (thinking) “W-A-I-T”!  Got it!

Scene 36

*Hawkeye: (subtly letting Bucky know he understands) This is a hard situation, yeah!

*Bucky: Yeah!

Scene 37

*(As Cap-Steve and Agent are fighting intensely, they flashback to fighting before.)

Scene 38

*(They remember fighting as Captain America and Super-Patriot,…)

Scene 39

*(…then as The Captain and Captain America,…)

Scene 40

*(…then as Captain America and U.S.Agent during the second U.S.Agent series before realizing they’re on the same side and teaming up,…)

Scene 41

*(…and then finally during Devil’s Reign when Captain America tried to help U.S.Agent break free from The Kingpin’s Purple Man-powered mind control.)

Scene 42

*Cap-Steve: (thinking) John…you’re remembering too, aren’t you?  We’ve come so far, going from bitter rivals to allies!

Scene 43

*Cap-Steve: (thinking) Now the others and I are going to do what it takes to stop you and bring you back!

Scene 44

*Agent: (thinking) Steve…you know it’s all coming back to me!  It might not seem it, but everything is starting to affect me…the real me that’s trying to get out from this dang mind control!

Scene 45

*Agent: (thinking) I thank G-d it was the four of you here to stop me, even that a-hole archer!

Scene 46

*(Speaking of the a-hole archer, Bucky signals Hawkeye.  He makes a gesture that resembles a fist, but with the bent fingers resting on the bent thumb.)

Hawkeye: (thinking) “E!”

Scene 47

*Hawkeye: (understanding and drawing a couple arrows from quiver) (thinking) Time for the explosive arrows!

Scene 48

*(He fires the explosive arrows at the two fighters.)

Scene 49

*(The arrows explode upon hitting the ground, knocking the combatants off balance and almost causing them to fall.)

Scene 50

*(Agent manages to throw his shield toward Hawkeye.)

Scene 51

*(Bucky is able to intercept it, though the force knocks him back several feet and causes damage to his bionic arm.)

Scene 52

*Bucky: (dryly) There’s, like, a thirty percent chance that him throwing that at you was not for tactical reasons.

*Hawkeye: Tell me something I don’t know!

Scene 53

*Hawkeye: (pointing at U.S.Agent’s shield and calling to the star-spangled fighters) Hey, did one of you two want this?!

*Agent: We can’t hear you, mofo! 

*Hawkeye: (thinking) Good!

*Agent: Next time say something before your dang exploding arrows wreck our hearing!

Scene 54

*(Agent is at a disadvantage without his shield, but he manages to hold his own.)

Scene 55

*(Eventually Bucky tosses his shield back at him…)

Scene 56

*(…but he’s able to catch it and return it to his arm.)

Scene 57

*(He uses it to counter Cap-Steve.)

*Agent: (to Bucky) You didn’t think it would be that easy, did you?!

Scene 58

*Agent: (realizing) (thinking) He…He wouldn’t expect it to be that easy!

Scene 59

*(While trying to fend off Cap-Steve’s blows, he examines his shield…)

Scene 60

*(…and sees that Bucky had taken the knock-out gas capsule from one of Hawkeye’s arrows and attached it underneath the shield with a timer set to detonate it.)

Scene 61

*Bucky: Well, there aren’t any flies on that guy! [“There are no flies on me,” is an old expression saying someone is sharp or alert.]

Scene 62

*(Agent holds his breath, and as the gas capsule detonates, he forcefully strikes the shield down on a certain part of Cap-Steve’s torso.  This forces Cap-Steve’s diaphragm to expand, forcing him to inhale and thus breathe in the cloud of sleeping gas.)

Scene 63

*(Cap-Steve coughs as the gas fills his lungs, but he gathers himself enough to strike a pressure point on the wrist of Agent’s non-shield wielding hand, filling it with pain and paralyzing it.  He then grabs Agent’s wrist as if trying to prevent his escape.)

Scene 64

*(As the gas clears, Agent’s body shakes uncontrollably from a flood of different emotions, and he doesn’t know whether he feels like laughing or crying.)

Scene 65

*(Before he can do anything, however, he feels pain in his wrist followed by a lifting sensation.)

Scene 66

*(Cap-Sam, wearing an oxygen mask, has grabbed Cap-Steve’s wrist and is flying up with him.  Since Cap-Steve is holding onto Agent’s wrist, Agent is now flying upward as well.)

Scene 67

*Agent: (thinking) So that’s it!  Their plan was to distract me, then fly up with me so high I pass out from lack of oxygen!

Scene 68

*Agent: (thinking as he raises shield to strike Cap-Sam) Unfortunately, it might not work!

Scene 69

*(Before he can attack, however, he feels more pain in his wrist followed by a slipping sensation.)

Scene 70

*(He looks to see Cap-Steve’s body becoming limp and his head nodding with eyes closed.  He’s passing out from the gas…)

Scene 71

*(…which means that he can no longer maintain his hold on Agent’s wrist.)

Scene 72

*(Agent’s wrist slips free from his grip, causing him to start plummeting down to the ground.  He looks shocked at first…)

Scene 73

*(…but then looks relieved and even amused.)

*Agent: (thinking) “If he passes out, our fight is over!”  Heh!

Scene 74

*(He positions his shield to help cushion his fall…)

Scene 75

*(…and then hits the ground with great force.)

Scene 76

*(Cap-Sam, holding Steve securely, observes.)

Scene 77

*(After a pause, Agent groans…)

Scene 78

*(…and manages to sit up.)

Scene 79

*(He tries to stand…)

Scene 80

*(…but is hit with a knock-out gas arrow fired by Hawkeye.)

Scene 81

*(As Agent coughs, two more sleeping gas arrows hit him.)

Scene 82

*(By the time the clouds clear, Agent is lying motionlessly.)

Scene 83

*(Bucky, holding another gas arrow, approaches cautiously.)

Scene 84

*(Cap-Sam lands, sets down Cap-Steve carefully, and observes.)

Scene 85

*(Bucky carefully reaches for Agent’s neck)

Scene 86

*(With no response, he feels Agent’s neck pulse.)

Scene 87

*(He then pries open Agent’s eyes.  The patriot is alive, but completely unconscious.)

Scene 88

*(Bucky shackles Agent’s wrists and ankles)

Scene 89

*Bucky: (relieved) He’s knocked out!

Scene 90

*Cap-Sam: Good!

Scene 91

*Cap-Sam: (taking out communicator) Stark should have a way of freeing him!  I’ll call him and tell him to be ready with some gallons of sedative and all that good stuff!

Scene 92

*Hawkeye: (making joking observation) Out of context, saying you’ll ask Stark to have gallons of stuff for you sounds terrible.

*Bucky: It really does!

*Cap-Sam: I knew as soon as I said it!

Scene 93

*(After a couple days of deprogramming and recovery, Agent receives some visitors in the Avengers clinic/sick bay.)

*Cap-Sam: How are you feeling?

*Agent: Great!  I’m in control again, and I’ve recovered enough I should be discharged soon!

Scene 94

*Cap-Sam: Great!

*Agent: I…I’m thankful for what you all did!  I owe all of you one!

Scene 95

*Agent: (jokingly) Um…Hawkeye doesn’t have to know I appreciate him too, right?

*Cap-Steve: (jokingly) Nope!

*Agent: Okay, good!

Scene 96

*Cap-Steve: During your deprogramming, you revealed that it was Hydra that had taken control of you.

*Agent: Mmm-hmm!

*Cap-Steve: No wonder you wanted us to stop you no matter what!

Scene 97

*Cap-Sam: We know you’d rather die than be involved with Nazis of any kind!

*Agent: Darn straight!

Scene 98

*Agent: They took control of me and ordered me to go out and cause destruction!

Scene 99

*Agent: (smirks) They didn’t say where to go, though, so I made a beeline to Avengers headquarters since I figured somebody there could stop me!

*Cap-Steve: We’re glad you did!

Scene 100

*(The heroes put their hands together.)

*Cap-Sam: We’ll stop those mofos together!

*Agent: Yeah!  They’ll be sorry they ever started!

*Cap-Steve: Let’s do this!

Thus begins an epic tale.  Will I ever write that epic tale?  Probably not, but at least I made something resembling an action scene!