A/N: Need to get back into the swing of writing. This is short and sweet, and a little mean-spirited. Enjoy!
-X-
"Are you sure he's the one?"
"Positive."
"Fury would disagree."
"Fury will come around. He's practical. A pragmatist. He understands the need for a soldier who can get the job done, someone who's not bound by idealism. We need a cynic, someone who won't go flying off on their own, who won't set fire to the government due to some bullshit personal conviction, someone who will get their hands dirty in ways others won't. A soldier who would shoot a child in front of their mother if it got results."
"Morals aside, do you really believe he can match Steve Rogers in combat?"
"More than match him. The Russians have ran extensive tests and performed their own experiments on Ben to augment his abilities past Steve's. His stats outshine Roger's by an incredible margin."
"And the Russians are willing to just give him to us?"
"Just? No. In exchange they want Stark tech weapon blueprints, access to defense technology, and an ease of sanctions regarding their neighbors. Reasonable?"
"Reasonable. But, this asset, I've seen some reports that he's something of a glory hound."
"He loves the limelight. Regardless, he's no security risk. He's proven capable of handling sensitive information with discretion. Six decades and he's kept silent on the 1963 incident in Dallas."
"He's had issues with team dynamics before, particularly with competitiveness. I've read several documents listing complaints about verbal and physical abuse toward his colleagues. How do you expect him to integrate with Stark and the others?"
"He won't have a choice but to adapt. Thor and Hulk can keep him in line. He can't bully those two like the others. He tends to respect men who fall into his brand of machismo so there isn't bound to be conflict at least where Thor is concerned. We plan on putting John Walker under him, that is, after he's completed his end of the Super Soldier process."
"Understood. Huh, Thor, Hulk, and Iron Man… and what are we calling him?"
"For now, we have Ben designated as Soldier Boy, but soon he'll be called Captain America."
"And what is Soldier Boy going to do with Steve Rogers?"
"Usurp his mantle. Take his role. Rogers won't have a choice in the matter."
"If what the data says is accurate, I want to see his capabilities for myself. This is a big investment you're making."
"We can send punching bags and guinea pigs. Romanoff and Barton should be enough."
"Are their loss of lives going to be a detriment to the overall team dynamic?"
"...Not really."
-X-
A helicopter sliced through the evening sky, its rotors cutting a deep rumble into the still air as it flew over a seemingly deserted stretch of land.
"We've gotten reports of an attack on a power plant in Illinois. We're not sure if it's insurgents, or something else."
"Rendezvous with Romanoff and Barton, save the personnel, neutralize all hostile parties."
Simple assignment.
Captain America stood in the open cockpit door, scanning the landscape below—a seemingly lifeless power plant that sprawled ominously under the dying daylight.
The helicopter descended, hovering just above the dilapidated structures. Steve Rogers, shield in hand, leapt from the door and landed solidly on the roof of one of the buildings. His gaze swept the area—there were no signs of the reported personnel in danger, no hostages, no enemy terrorists. An uneasy feeling settled in his stomach. Something was amiss.
Moving cautiously, Steve navigated the complex, the silence around him broken only by the distant echo of the helicopter blades fading away. His search brought him to a horrifying discovery: a corpse, its face brutally stomped beyond recognition. Despite the gruesome disfigurement, the outfit and the quiver of arrows strapped to the back were unmistakable.
"My God…" Captain America breathed in horror at the messy sight.
"Hawkeye," Steve whispered, his voice barely above a breath. He clenched his fists, feeling a surge of anger and sorrow.
Clint was a hero, a man with a family, and for him to meet his end like this? So brutal.
He left the body alone, silently vowing to bring the ones responsible to justice.
Continuing his search with a heavy heart, Steve Rogers approached a building, its door kicked in, a window shattered. Inside, another grim scene awaited him—a red-haired woman dressed in leather, hanging from the ceiling by her own garrot wire. She was once incredibly beautiful, her current condition rendering her a shell of her former self. Her jaw was shattered, her radio communication device destroyed.
"Natasha," Steve said, his voice thick with disbelief and grief. He stepped back outside, squinting against the harsh light, his mind racing for a way to report these brutal killings.
It was as if these agents fought a horde of pissed off rhinos. They were completely overpowered physically and mangled. Whoever, whatever, did this was a brute and had a complete lack of empathy for human life.
He was gonna bring them down, no matter what it took. He would get justice for these fallen heroes.
"Captain fuckin' America." The voice was deep, mocking.
Steve spun around, his hand instinctively moving to his shield. A man emerged from behind a cargo container, stepping into view with a confident swagger.
"That's what they call me," Steve replied, his eyes narrowing, not missing the harsh language or the disdain in the man's tone, that alone being enough to show the man's disposition, "Though most people aren't as foul-mouthed."
"Most people ain't me, pal." the new arrival held his arms out in a show of grand standing.
"And who might you be?" Cap asked, his stance defensive yet composed.
"They call me Soldier Boy…" the murderer smirked, "soon to be Captain America."
Steve's gaze hardened. "Is that so." He took in this man's outfit. It was similar to his own, only green. The killer wielded a shield, though it was made out of a material that was very clearly not vibranium. It was almost diamond in shape, instead of round like his own.
Soldier Boy extended his hand, a mocking smile playing on his lips. "Give me the shield, fuckface. Let's make it easy."
Steve's reply was calm, edged with iron. "I can tell you owe a fortune to the swear jar," he said, his grip tightening on his shield. "That's never going to happen."
Soldier Boy's smirk widened, amused by the challenge. "Hm."
The two stood there, under the heavy evening sky, their gaze locked in a silent showdown, each sizing the other up.
Soldier Boy's hand twitched towards his holster, and in an instant, the air was filled with the sharp blasts of gunfire. Captain America snapped his shield up, the bullets pinging off harmlessly as he dashed for cover behind a dilapidated truck. Soldier Boy, his expression twisted in a sneer, advanced, emptying his clip at Steve.
As the last bullet clinked empty, Soldier Boy's tactics shifted abruptly. He seized a nearby cargo bin, hurling it with inhuman strength. The bin roared across the ground, its metal body groaning under the force. Captain America heard it coming, and with a powerful leap, he sprang from the truck, running across the top of the sliding bin as it smashed into the truck, tearing it apart.
He leaped from the bin, hurling his shield in a wide arc at Soldier Boy. With a deft swat, Soldier Boy knocked the shield aside. It ricocheted off a far wall, spinning back into Cap's waiting hand. Steve caught it mid-air and immediately swung it like a melee weapon, the impact to the side of his head, forcing Ben to stagger back.
Undeterred, Soldier Boy countered with a brutal haymaker, which Steve dodged by a hair's breadth. Ben followed up with a wide, sweeping blow from his shield, which Steve narrowly avoided by jumping back. The confrontation escalated quickly, as Soldier Boy unleashed a flurry of punches and shield swings. Each move was relentless, Steve barely dodging each assault, the air vibrating with the force of Ben's blows.
Suddenly, Ben feinted a punch and then jabbed sharply with the tip of his golden shield. Steve blocked with his shield's center, but the impact sent him rolling backward.
Panting, Steve regained his footing, eyeing his adversary. "You have a temper," he noted.
Soldier Boy scoffed, stalking forward with a casual menace. "Fuck can I say, I'm a kid from Philly."
Cap shot him a skeptical look. "New York."
A snort escaped Soldier Boy. "More reason to kick your fuckin' ass."
They charged again, shields clashing with a resounding clang of metal on metal. The raw strength of Soldier Boy was evident as he held his shield with one arm against Steve's two, nearly knocking Steve off his feet.
Seizing an opening, Steve lashed out with two solid hooks to Soldier Boy's ribs, his fists thudding against what felt like steel. Unfazed, Soldier Boy retaliated, slamming the flat of his shield into Steve's face, causing the virtuous soldier to stumble.
With a grunt, Steve delivered a solid punch to Ben's jaw, only slightly turning the super's head only inches, before hitting him with the edge of his shield to make Soldier Boy stumble back a few feet. "You're not fit to wear this uniform." Steve declared, his voice stern with conviction. He nodded as he eyed the malicious super soldier, "I think I know who you are," he continued, his eyes narrowing as he scanned Soldier Boy from head to toe. "You're the one who showed up for that photo op after D-Day. All those men who died, and you stole their valor. You're no hero. You're a coward and a narcissist."
Soldier Boy's eyes narrowed as he stared down Captain America, the attack on his character visibly moving him off center, "And what are you?" Soldier Boy tilted his head as he slowly began to circle Steve, the hero mirroring his movements. Soldier Boy snorted as he taunted, "A scrawny, weak pussy who got lucky. Strip away the serum and the science, and you'd still be getting your ass handed to you in back alleys."
Steve met his gaze evenly. "No honor, no morals, no ethics. Add the serum to you, and nothing changes. You're still nothing but a disgrace, a disappointment. As a soldier, as an american, as a person."
Soldier Boy halted, Cap noticing a twitch coming from the amoral soldier's eye at the words 'disgrace' and 'disappointment'. Soldier Boy's arrogant grin turned malicious. "You know, at first, I was going to make it quick. Just do a job… but now? Now I'm gonna make it slow. I'm gonna skullfuck you, and I ain't gonna be gentle."
Steve cringed, his distaste clear. "Jesus. Why on Earth do you talk the way you do?"
Above, the beam of a helicopter spotlight pierced the darkness, illuminating the two combatants locked in their grim standoff.
-X-
"Just as I thought, in raw strength Rogers can't compete."
"I want to see Soldier Boy's durability with my own eyes."
"Very well."
From the hovering helicopter, a box plummeted to the ground, landing mere feet from the super soldiers locked in combat. The top of the box popped open, revealing an arsenal: a Desert Eagle, an assault rifle with a grenade launcher attachment, and several grenades.
"Oh, well I guess the composers are trying to make things more interesting," Ben noted dryly as he looked up.
Cap, his instincts sharp as ever, executed a fluid back spring, darting toward the box. In few smooth motions, he grabbed the rifle and holstered the Desert Eagle along with the grenades. Firing the rifle with one hand at Soldier Boy, Steve managed to holster the other weapons as he advanced.
To Steve's dismay, the bullets seemed to merely bounce off Soldier Boy's skin, who watched the display with a smirk of amusement.
As the rifle's clip emptied, Cap quickly pulled a grenade, cooked it, and lobbed it towards Soldier Boy as he advanced menacingly. The grenade exploded at Ben's feet, knocking him off balance. He rolled and swiftly recovered, charging back towards Steve with fierce determination.
Steve, anticipating the assault, loaded a grenade into the rifle. Soldier Boy, undeterred, raised his shield just in time to absorb the blast as he closed the gap. In a swift motion, he knocked the rifle aside with his shield and seized Steve by the throat.
Gasping for air, Steve struggled against the quickly tightening grip, his fingers wrapping around the Desert Eagle. He had less than a second to act before his neck snapped.
Cap fired directly into Soldier Boy's eye.
Ben howled in pain, the shot forcing him to release Steve and stagger backwards.
"That eye vulnerable, huh?" Steve gasped, regaining his footing.
The bullet clinked to the ground as Soldier Boy opened his eye, revealing no damage. "You can feel pain but take no damage," Steve muttered to himself, reassessing his strategy.
With a fierce roar, Soldier Boy launched into a vicious barrage of attacks. Steve, his shield up, absorbed the blows but felt his strength waning under the relentless assault. Soldier Boy's superior strength was overwhelming.
In a desperate move, Steve hurled his shield with all his might. Soldier Boy caught it by the edge mid-swing, his grin mocking. "You're done, bitch!"
He closed the distance rapidly, pulling Steve in and delivering a powerful punch clean into Steve's mid section. Roger's gasped as his two of his lower ribs not only shattered, but practically ceased to exist. He held onto the shield as Soldier Boy swung him around and threw him across the ground. With a red face and no breath in his lungs, Captain America brought his shield up as Soldier leaped in right hook. The punch landed, a shockwave erupting from Steve's shield and making the bones in his arm begin to crack. The impact sent him crashing further across the ground. Steve lay gasping, his vision blurry from the impact.
"Give it up, boy scout. You ain't winning this fight."
As Soldier Boy approached, Steve forced himself up, battered but unbowed. "You kidding me?" Cap said with a ragged voice, "I can do this all night."
Soldier Boy scoffed, smirking. "Well, I can't. You'd be cutting in on my time with Peggy." he chuckled, taking joy in Steve's widening eyes, "I'm starting to like my women like I like my wine, older, drier," he kissed the tips of his fingers in a showy manner, "delicious."
"You're a sick piece of shit," Steve retorted.
"Ooh, now you're talking like a man," Soldier Boy chuckled.
With a determined grunt, Steve charged, tackling Soldier Boy with full force. The momentum sent them crashing into a stack of crates, splintering the wood under their combined weight. Rogers punched Soldier Boy in the face repeatedly with pure rage, his knuckles bruising and cracking from the blows, but he didn't care.
The blows from Cap's punches visibly phased the unscrupulous super. Soldier Boy growled as his frustration grew, before shoving Steve off and swinging wildly. Steve ducked, landing a quick jab to Ben's ribs followed by an uppercut. Soldier Boy staggered, more surprised than hurt.
Soldier Boy's angered eyes closed, before he took a deep breath and let out a light chuckle, "Not bad, boy scout," he sneered, wiping blood from his lip. "You're still getting your ass kicked, but I'll give you your props."
Steve groaned, pain shooting through his side as pressure was applied to his dusted ribs. He stood on his feet, fists and shield raised. "I've been outclassed before. Didn't stop me then, won't stop me now."
Soldier Boy laughed mockingly. "I'm starting to think you're into this," he taunted, smirking. "This get you off, Rogers?"
"You talk too damn much." Cap growled out as he advanced.
With alarming speed, Soldier Boy closed the gap again, the two exchanging blows. Soldier Boy's fists hit like sledgehammers. Steve blocked as best he could, but each hit drove the breath from his body, cracked bone and left internal bleeding and nasty bruises. In a final, desperate effort, Steve ducked under a swing and delivered a headbutt, followed by a flurry of punches with his full strength, barely managing to push Soldier Boy back.
But it wasn't enough. Soldier Boy roared, grabbed Steve by the arm, and flung him across the deck. Steve crashed against the buildings superstructure, the metal bending with the force. He slid to the ground, dazed, beaten, bloody, and battered, struggling to rise once more.
Soldier Boy advanced slowly, a smirk playing on his lips as he savored the moment. "You still don't get it, Rogers. You never had a chance. I'm stronger, I can take the hits you can't, I can bring down a building in less than a minute, and I'll never have age slowing me down…" He chuckled darkly, "I'm your upgrade. I'll be a better Captain America than you ever were."
Steve coughed, spitting blood, but his gaze was unyielding, defiant. "You're wrong. It's not the abilities, the uniform, or the shield that makes the Captain. It's the spirit, the heart."
Soldier Boy sneered, his disdain palpable. "Jesus, you sound like a pussy. I'm starting to see why Peggy strung you along. Mister Nice-Guy, friendzone, pity fuck."
"Like she'd go for a guy like you, a coward with no conscience?" Cap countered, voice strained but firm.
"Why wouldn't she?" Soldier Boy chuckled, his confidence unshaken. "I have my ways. The broad needs a man in her life, not a weak, sniveling pussy who got lucky."
Cap launched a series of punches, his fists connecting with little effect on Ben. Soldier Boy retaliated with a vicious punch to Steve's ribs, the sound of cracking bone echoing grotesquely as the blow landed. The pain was immediate, intense; Steve knew at least three more ribs were shattered. He felt Soldier Boy's knuckles cave into his side.
The force sent Cap soaring back several yards, tumbling across the ground. He hacked and coughed up blood, each breath ragged and painful, his hand clutching the massive bruise under his costume.
Something important got ruptured.
As he lay there, Cap's eyes caught sight of an arrow on the ground nearby, one of Hawkeye's, tipped with an explosive bulb. He didn't look towards Soldier Boy as the brute approached, confident and sneering.
With a swift motion, Cap grabbed the arrow. As Soldier Boy closed the distance, Cap lunged up with a battle cry and plunged the arrow into Soldier Boy's chest. The explosion that followed stunned the villain, and Cap, roaring with fury, swung his shield into Soldier Boy's face. The impact staggered him, and with a series of fierce blows, Cap brought the shield down on Soldier Boy's head, dropping him to his knees. He brought it down again, dropping him to his hands, and then again, finally knocking him flat on his stomach.
Steve's face was flushed with rage, his breathing heavy from both the fury and the struggle to breathe through the pain of his damaged ribs. He raised his shield, poised to end the fight.
Suddenly, a bullet whizzed by Cap's ear, striking the wall behind him, which then made a horrid shredding noise before exploding. Cap recognized the threat instantly: Judas bullets, capable of mortally wounding a super human.
With his reflexes kicking in, Cap sprinted from the sound of machine gun fire, bullets hitting metal and brick around him, the distinctive sound of Judas bullets drilling through materials before exploding.
Soldier Boy, cursing under his breath, "Fuck me." rolled out of the line of fire and took cover.
As Captain America rounded the corner of a crumbling building, the distant roar of engines caught his attention. Through the dust and debris, he spotted a convoy of Humvees speeding across the battlefield, not directly towards him, but close enough to intercept. With precise timing, he sprinted forward, positioning himself directly in the path of the leading vehicle.
As the Humvee neared, Cap leaped towards the mounted turret, catching the operator completely off-guard. With a swift, powerful motion, he slammed the man's face into the gun, then yanked him out and tossed him from the vehicle. Without missing a beat, he dropped into the driver's seat, elbowing the driver sharply before opening the door and forcefully ejecting him from the moving Humvee.
Taking control of the vehicle, Cap pushed the gas pedal to the floor, steering directly towards another Humvee that was tearing through the area. Moments before impact, he dove out, rolling to safety as the two vehicles collided with a thunderous explosion, flames and cries filling the air.
As he regained his footing, a shadow materialized in front of him. Instinctively, Steve spun around and hurled his shield at a mercenary aiming a rifle at him. The shield struck with a brutal crack, disfiguring the merc's face upon impact. Cap caught the returning shield while simultaneously kicking the stunned merc away.
He turned just in time to block a barrage of Judas bullets fired from another direction. The bullets sparked against the ground, their explosive aftermath painting a deadly picture behind him as he advanced.
Using his shield, he delivered a crushing uppercut to another approaching merc, then snatched the man's rifle, swinging it hard into his jaw. Behind him, an explosion erupted, signaling more chaos as a flaming Humvee soared through the air, crashing and burning mere yards away.
Despite his reluctance to use lethal force, this warzone and his current condition demanded survival first. Steve adjusted his grip on the rifle, using his shield for defense while he aimed and fired over it. His every move was calculated, maneuvering through obstacles while keeping his guard up.
Following the cries and shouts of the mercenaries, he zeroed in on one shouting orders. "Target's on the defensive, keep up the pressure—" The man's voice cut off as a bullet struck his leg, the Judas round drilling and exploding, severing him in a horrific spray of blood and gore.
Steve advanced, the sounds of gunfire and explosions guiding him. Rounding another corner, he fired, eliminating two more mercs in a gruesome display. As he prepared to move again, a body flew through the air, smashing into a wall with a sickening splat just ahead of him.
Turning another corner with his rifle ready, Steve expected to confront Soldier Boy. Instead, he surveyed the aftermath of a brutal confrontation: destroyed vehicles and brutalized bodies scattered across the area. He moved cautiously, eyes scanning in all directions.
A scuff of a boot and a click whipped his head around. "Surprise, fuckface," Soldier Boy taunted before opening fire. Steve blocked the bullets, advancing as he returned fire, pushing Soldier Boy to take cover behind a nearby wall.
Ben, recognizing the potential danger of Steve's bullets, retreated while blindly firing back. "I'm almost impressed, Rogers, finally growing some balls!" he shouted from behind a cargo bin, reloading his weapon with a chuckle. He knew how to get under Rogers skin, and he was gonna enjoy tormenting him with it, "I'll be sure to put in a good word to Miss Carter… while I'm plowing her brains out." He inhaled deeply, mocking further, "I can see that beaver already, nice, thick platinum fur—"
As Steve approached, Soldier Boy sprang from cover, attempting to aim his gun. Steve rammed him with the surface of his shield, pinning Ben's gun against his body, aiming to shoot at point-blank range. "You're repulsive, you're an asshole, and you're going to die."
Reacting quickly, Soldier Boy shoved Steve into the wall, causing several shots to fire into the sky. Steve grunted from the impact, dodging a devastating punch that instead shattered the wall.
Ready to engage again, their battle was interrupted by a fresh storm of bullets from incoming mercenaries. Temporarily setting their duel aside, both turned to engage the new threats. Soldier Boy, his anger peaking, navigated the battlefield with lethal precision, eliminating mercs with brutal efficiency.
As they exchanged fire with each other and the mercenaries, Soldier Boy ducked and dived into an abandoned admin building, a move noticed by both Steve and the remaining mercs converging on the position.
As three mercenaries cautiously entered the abandoned office building, their guns swept the dimly lit space, probing shadows and corners for threats. The lead merc, sensing something amiss, nudged his comrade and nodded towards a closet door, where a faint light glimmered from beneath.
With a shared glance of trepidation, the trio lined up in front of the door. Without a word, they opened fire, unleashing a barrage that tore through the thin wood and sent sparks flying. As the smoke cleared, they saw Soldier Boy, unharmed, his shield raised defiantly against the onslaught. But now, he was glowing ominously, a smirk playing across his features.
"Get fucked, you bunch of bitches," Soldier Boy taunted, just as a sudden, blinding explosion erupted from his body, instantly vaporizing the mercenaries and collapsing the building in a massive, fiery blast.
Not far from the chaos, Captain America neutralized another mercenary with a swift shield strike to the throat. He felt the ground tremble beneath his feet; turning towards the disturbance, he witnessed the building erupt like a mini-nuke. "What in God's name?!" Steve exclaimed, barely managing to raise his shield in time to block the shockwave that followed. A wave of debris and fire engulfed him, the blast consuming the battlefield and leaving behind a smoking crater.
The helicopter surveying the scene hovered back to clear the blast, the blinding light and flaming explosion lighting up the evening sky.
"Coup de grâce."
"Yeah, battle over. Not a bad investment."
At the center of the devastation, Soldier Boy looked around the smoking debris, his eyes scanning the destruction for signs of his adversary. He noticed a slight movement under a steel beam and walked over, a smirk spreading across his face as he found Captain America pinned beneath it, struggling to free himself.
From his disadvantaged position, Cap looked up at Soldier Boy with palpable disdain. The hero was covered in blood and soot, his outfit a wreck and his heavy breathing taking up all of his remaining energy.
Ben's smirk widened, enjoying the moment. "Guess this ain't the retirement party you were looking for, eh Rogers?"
Steve shook his head, his eyes heavy. Yet, he was undeterred and unwilling to bow in the face of his defeat, "Soon… they'll see you… for what you are. They'll… never love you."
"They'll learn to," Ben retorted, raising his shield with the pointed end aimed down at Steve. "Shame you won't be around to see it."
As the shield descended, Steve's mind raced through various memories indicative of his life. He recalled the day he stood his ground against a bully behind a movie theater, a moment that established his calling in this world.
BONG!*
The sound of the shield meeting flesh and bone echoed ominously.
He remembered his time in boot camp, throwing himself on a grenade to save his comrades, the act that proved his valor and led him to the Super Soldier program. A program that changed his life and by extension, the lives of many others.
BANG!*
He thought of the dangerous missions during the war, rescuing POWs, the countless battles against HYDRA with Bucky at his side.
CRACK!*
But then, his thoughts drifted to Peggy—her face, her voice, their promises.
They were supposed to dance together…
CRACKLE*
As the final blow landed, a gruesome splash silenced the memories. Soldier Boy stood, breathing heavily, his shield and outfit now grotesquely decorated with blood and bits of skull.
He glanced down at the fallen hero's shield, now spattered with blood. Picking it up, the iconic weapon dripping and desecrated, he sneered, "Guess I'll be needing this a bit more than you now," and chuckled arrogantly as he walked away, leaving behind a scene of brutal finality.
"Fucking pussy."
-X-
THE END
A/N: Review and let me know your thoughts!