Chapter 5

A gloved hand emerged from the cool water of the moonlit bay and grabbed onto one of the heavy mooring lines that kept the boat docked. Slowly, Captain America climbed out of the water and up the rope. Deep within the hold of the boat was a high-tech HYDRA meeting room, and Cap was going to find it.

He quietly made his way across the deck, taking out one HYDRA guard after another. Cap's new uniform was a great help. The black-and-gray suit allowed him to blend with shadows and move without being seen.

Cap quickly took out a big guard with his trusty shield. He left the unconscious guard locked in a storage room but without his helmet and armor. Cap, now disguised as a HYDRA guard, made his way to the bottom of the boat and into the secret meeting room. He stood silently in the back. At the center of the room was something—or someone. It was standing upright and was surrounded by a dozen HYDRA scientists, all of whom had evil smiles on their evil faces. They spoke of special gauntlets and boots that could increase a man's strength and speed; of high-tech armor and state-of-the-art helmets—helmets that were combat ready and could withstand a blast at point-blank range. Then they mentioned that this futuristic weaponry was ready to test today. Captain America had heard enough.

“Party's over, boys!” Cap said as he ripped off his HYDRA disguise and jumped into the center of the room. The guards fired their weapons immediately, but they were no match for Cap! Captain America raised his shield and blocked every attack, sending bullets and laser beams back toward the HYDRA agents, blasting them down and knocking them out. “This ends here!”

“You are so right, Captain,” one of the HYDRA scientists began. “But for you!”

The scientist then pressed a code into a keypad, and the metal box in the center of the room began to open with an eerie HISSS.

As the box opened, a high-tech HYDRA agent stepped out wearing the same devices that the other agents had been speaking about earlier. The super HYDRA goon clenched his fists, smirked, and took a step toward Cap.

The super-agent raised his gauntlets and brought them crashing down on Cap with ease. Cap lifted his shield at the last possible second to block the blow, but the shock wave went right through him and rattled his bones. Wow , Cap thought. Felt like Thor bashed me with Mjolnir . Before Cap knew it, the super-agent was on the attack!

Cap dodged a punch, but then the super-agent grabbed him by the shoulder and unleashed an intense electroshock.

Cap screamed in pain and pushed forward, delivering a massive right hook to the agent's jaw that caused him to release Cap from his grip.

“You have a strong fighting spirit,” the super-agent began. “But you are unwise to continue this fight. You are no match for me.”

“I've never run from a fight, and I'm not about to start now!”

Whoosh! Cap leaped into the air, but the HYDRA super-agent was too fast for him. He reared back and brought his fists SLAMMING down on Cap. Cap raised his shield again, but it was no use.

Cap landed with a hard thud on the far side of the meeting room and momentarily blacked out. When he opened his eyes, Cap couldn't believe what had happened to his shield.

Captain America was in trouble.

He struggled to his feet as the super-agent charged toward him. Cap slowly raised his dented shield. But the super-agent was already looming above him.

The super-agent grabbed Cap's shield and flung it across the room—with Cap attached! Cap landed on his feet and quickly slung his shield across his back.

He moved in close and delivered a series of punches to no avail.

“Good-bye, Captain.” The super-agent looked down at Cap and grinned.

He then pressed a switch on his gauntlet and began to punch. And he punched and punched and punched—faster and faster and faster.

Then he sent another shock through Cap's body that nearly zapped him right out of his boots.

“AHHHHH!” Cap fell to his knees, barely conscious from the assault. He quickly reached into his pouch and pressed Black Widow's emergency beacon. Just in time, too. The super-agent was moving in for the final, finishing blow when a voice yelled out: “Enough!”

A shiver ran down Cap's spine. His vision was blurry, but he could still see the unmistakable form of Arnim Zola! The villain from Cap's past—who now looked like something from the future—stood before the fallen First Avenger and spoke. “Good evening, Herr Captain. Welcome aboard.”

“Zola . . .” Cap hesitated. “You'll never get away with this.”

“Ah, ever the optimist,” Zola said. “But clearly, you are no match for my TOMORROW ARMY.

“This super-agent who bested you is merely the prototype. Soon, there will be dozens more. Hundreds, even! And no one—not you, or S.H.I.E.L.D., or your mighty Avengers—will be able to defeat them. I will do what Red Skull never could—I , Arnim Zola, will Rule the world!!!”

“Zola!” One of the scientists quickly interrupted. “Fighter jets are approaching!”

A battered Cap managed a smile. “You were saying?”

“This is inconvenient, but not unexpected,” Zola replied. He turned to the other scientists. “Evacuate the boat. Then blow it.” Zola looked at Cap and gave him one final blow.

Cap heard the escape subs shoot out from beneath. He then heard a timer ticking down toward zero. As he struggled to remain conscious, he heard a familiar voice. “What Are you doing? Taking a Nap?”

Falcon was standing before him.

He grabbed Cap and activated his hard-light wings.

The winged Avenger radioed Black Widow, who was watching from the Quinjet high above the boat. “I've got him,” Falcon said.

“Well, what are you waiting for? Get to the main deck and get out of there!” Black Widow yelled.

Falcon grabbed Cap and flew high into the sky.

“Get the medical bay ready,” Falcon said as they flew away. “We're coming home!”