Chapter 53: World on the Edge Part II

Chapter Fifty Three: A World on the Edge Part Two:

“Looks like the web head bit off more then he can chew this time!” bellowed Jameson, or for him, talking in his indoor voice, as Peter had presented the few pictures he managed to grab with the battle with Electro. “See Parker, if you would have gotten this picture at a different angle, it would have really shown Spider-Man getting the beating he deserved. Better than nothing and since it’s a slow news day, it will have to do, it will be put on the first page.”

“It was lucky I got these many, Mr. Jameson,” said Peter as he swallowed. “Sir, I want to ask you a question.”

“This better not be about a raise Parker, because we’re overbudget as it is,” said Jameson.

“No, no, it’s not about a raise, but you’ve been in the news business a long time, and you know a lot of things that other people don’t,” said Peter and Jameson looked up, curiosity getting the better of him. “What do you know about Captain America?”

“Captain America…now there’s a great American hero, patriot to the people, unlike Spider-Man, who is some punk thug in a mask, it’s a shame that you won’t be able to live with such a hero in your time, well he was before my time too, but that’s not the point, still he’s great,” said Jameson with pride. “He’s the reason why great papers such as the Daily Bugle can bring the facts and warn the public about menaces like Spider-Man.”

“But what happened to him?” asked Peter, and Jameson paused for the briefest second.

“Don’t know Parker, he just vanished, retired, veteran of the war and all of that, don’t blame him, given the state the country is in, because of people like Spider-Man being allowed to run free on the streets,” said Jameson. “What’s the sudden interest about this anyway?”

“I heard Spider-Man get yelled at the museum where the battle happened, some government agent threatened him,” said Peter and Jameson suddenly perked up.

“Did the web head get arrested?” asked Jameson.

“No,” replied Peter shortly and Jameson looked like someone had shot his puppy. “But, there was something about a Doomsday Device, someone was after it…The Red Skull.”

Jameson jumped from his chair, going suddenly pale and the normally boisterous Jameson looked around in absolute terror.

“Don’t give me a heart attack Parker, the Red Skull, he’s dead, good riddance, he’s done things that would give you nightmares just hearing about it, and that’s if you’re lucky,” said Jameson, stammering.

“Still, Mr. Jameson, this Doomsday Device, it’s bad if someone puts that thing together,” whispered Peter.

“Well of course it’s bad Parker, they wouldn’t call it a Doomsday Device because it gives everyone candy and flowers,” said Jameson, regaining some of his composure. “The government has to handle this, I don’t even know if I should print this. Anything about the Red Skull, what’s the matter with you Parker? Don’t even whisper that he might be coming back.”

“But what if he is?” asked Peter. “Someone’s going to have to stop him.”

“He’s gone, Parker,” said Jameson. “Long gone, before I was even born and definitely before you're even born.”

“No one really knows what happened with that final battle with Captain America,” said Peter. “What if someone tracked down Captain America? Wouldn’t he want to know? Just think of it, if the Daily Bugle can track down Captain America, when no one else can, sales will go through the roof.”

“True, but who am I going to send on this wild goose chase?” asked Jameson. “All the other reporters are on assignments right now that I can’t pull them away.”

“I should go and I’ll do it for free,” said Peter and Jameson just looked like he had gotten the best deal in history. “Do you know anyone who might even have an idea of where Captain America is?”

“Well there’s this one guy, named Brubaker, he’s the guy who put together the Captain America exhibit at that museum, he might have a clue,” said Jameson as he leafed through several files. “Here’s his address, go there and see what you can uncover, Parker. If you can uncover anything.”

Peter left as Jameson just shook his head.

“That kid isn’t going to find Captain America, no one else has,” said Jameson as he shook his head from side to side. “Of course if he does, I’ll win, but if he doesn’t, no foul and I don’t have to pay him one dime. What's the worst that can happen?”

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Electro sat, glowing from head to toe, as he turned around, before he got to his feet, with the computer right to the side of him firing up, as did a radio. Sinister stood, with a smirk on his face.

“Very good, your powers have worked even better than I could have imagined,” said Sinister. “Those appliances that were started, they were damaged beyond repair.”

“I could hear them,” said Electro with glee. “They told me what was wrong and I just repaired them with a thought. And I can make them work as I want to. Watch.”

Electro operated the radio, turning through the stations without barely exerting himself. It was easier than breathing, not that he needed to do that with his powers.

“With this power, I can bring everyone to their knees!” cried Electro with glee.

“I would test this new gift you’ve been given on a grander scale,” said Sinister. “The entire state of New York wouldn’t be able to stand up for you and from there, you can begin to control your destiny and have whatever you want.”

“We’re thinking on the same frequency,” said Electro as he stepped forward, before the door swung open on his own accord and Electro walked out, the doors pushing open on their own accord, as he continued to move forward, visions of the terror that he could cause dancing in his hand.

“That should keep the entire city distracted,” said Sinister as he looked forward, eyes narrowed in a calculating manner and a small knowing smirk on his face. “That simple minded fool doesn’t know the scope of his own abilities and that is a shame, for him.”

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Peter walked up to the house, raising his fist and he knocked on the door. It was several moments, before Peter heard some sign of movement inside and the door opened, before he saw a man peer out, looking from side to side but he relaxed when he was it was merely a seventeen year old boy.

“Who are you?” asked the man.

“Peter Parker, I’m a photographer at the Daily Bugle,” said Peter and the man seemed to breath a sigh of relief. “Are you Mr. Brubaker?”

“Yes…come it…quickly please,” said Brubaker, as he nearly yanked Peter inside, before he heavily locked the door and Peter noticed that he had a handgun on him. “Sorry, if I seem to be rushing you inside, but I have to keep my doors locked. I heard about the theft at the museum. One component to an overall device, I kept it safe, put in the last place anyone would look….they’re going to be shaking me down for the other two components, even if I don’t know anything about them and where they could be hidden.”

“I don’t think you have to worry about that…well you have other things to worry about,” said Peter. “The other two components they’ve been found and someone’s stolen them….it could be…you know…The Red Skull.”

Brubaker paled and clenched his gun, as if expecting the Red Skull to show up.

“Anyone who even has the most rudimentary knowledge of Captain America knows what that monster can be capable of and there’s evidence to state that history has had it dumbed down,” whispered Brubaker as he looked from side to side, pulling down the sleeve of his shirt to conceal a couple of nasty looking bruises. “The Doomsday Device…if it’s him....I don’t know what to tell you.”

“There’s got to be something you can tell me, something about Captain America,” said Peter. “He’s the only person who can take down the Red Skull if he’s back.”

“Yes, but he doesn’t want to be found, he’s hidden away, people have been trying to track down Captain America for years,” said Brubaker. “He just doesn’t want to be found. I know, I've tried. After his battle with the Red Skull, where we thought Captain America defeated triumphed, it’s just a dead end. Surely you’ve seen the exhibits that I’ve put together.”

“Surely there has to be something that you know, anything?” asked Peter, a bit of desperation coming through in his voice.

“I’ve told you all I’ve know,” said Brubaker, but as he turned, he suddenly looked thoughtful. “There might be someone who might be able to help, but it’s a longshot.”

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“Sorry, kid. I don’t know anything about where Cap went off to. Wish I did. But there is someone else who might have a better idea.”

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“You’d have better luck finding a needle in a haystack. Still, I’ve got the address of someone that might know something but I’m not making any promises.”

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“I told you, I don’t know anything. Here take this address and go there and get out of there before I call the cops.”

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Sorry, I could not have been more help you man. But here's the address of someone who might be able to help you on the quest to get the information that you want. So, face front true believer and don't give up hope. EXCELSIOR!

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“Well, eight people later and I’m here, if this Steve Rogers guy doesn’t know anything, then I give up, you must have been an idiot to even think that you would be able to find a guy that people have been looking sixty years for,” thought Peter. “A complete and utter idiot, oh well, here goes nothing.”

Peter looked up, on the dirt driveway that he walked across, with a small and cozy looking cottage out in the woods.

“Quaint,” thought Peter as he walked up the dirt path, seeing a garden on the other end of a wooden fence, as he knocked on the door.

There was no answer at first.

“Mr. Rogers!” called Peter. “Is anyone home? I need to talk to you….about Captain America!”

At those words, there was some movement as Peter heard someone walking to the door and the door opened, to reveal a built man wearing a red sweater, with blue pants and white stripes. He had thick glasses and grey streaks in his blond hair.

“Well, come in then,” said Rogers, as he stepped back, to allow Peter to walk inside the house. It was three rooms. In the living room, there was a couch with a chair in front of a lit fireplace and on the mantle, there was a very old radio, plugged into the wall, which was the only luxury. On the wall, there was a picture of Captain America and President Roosevelt shaking hands and right next to it, there was a familiar red, white, and blue shield mounted on the wall.

“Wow, a replica of the Captain America shield, it looks so real…focus Parker, focus,” thought Peter as he gave his head a shake.

“So, anyway, I’ve heard you know about Captain America,” said Peter tentatively.

“You might say that,” said Rogers calmly. “I must say, you’re the first visitor I’ve had in a long time, I don’t even know how you found me.”

“It’s a long story, and it took about eight people before I even got here,” said Peter. “Please tell me you know something.”

“I know something Mr….” stated Rogers before trailing off.

“Parker, Peter Parker,” said Peter and the eyebrow of Rogers raised up at his last name, but he quickly regained his composure. “So, you don’t get any visitors here.”

“It’s rare,” confirmed Rogers. “I normally visit others, far away from here. Very few people know where I am and trust me, that’s for the best.”

“Look, I’m sorry for being so rude, but I really need to know if you know where Captain America is,” said Peter quickly.

“Why would a young man like you want to know where Captain America is?” asked Rogers, with a raised eyebrow. “He’s way before your time.”

“He might have been but I heard all the stories,” said Peter getting all excited. “My Uncle Ben told me all of them, to think that a true hero like that existed, it’s inspiring and exciting, it must have been so cool to be there.”

Rogers just responded with a sigh.

“Anyway, I really need to know because…The Red Skull’s back and he’s got the Doomsday Weapon,” said Peter and Rogers just gave him an unflinching look. Most people just responded with fear, but Rogers just seemed to be numb to news about the Red Skull. “You know, Red Skull, one of the greatest evil’s this world has ever seen.”

“I’m familiar with that monster, yes,” said Rogers as he tapped fingers on the edge of the end table, but he looked at Peter. “The Doomsday Device, the Red Skull never got a chance to utilize it. I hoped that it would have been destroyed by now but apparently not.”

“What does the weapon do?” asked Peter suddenly and Rogers looked at him, as if considering what he should tell him. “Do you know?”

“It causes slight imbalances in the magnetic structure of the earth, which essentially creates a simulated black hole, if that monster gets his hands on a lot of power, he could do some serious damage, swallowing some of the largest cities in the world in a matter of moments,” said Rogers and Peter swallowed, at the possibilities that such a weapon could bring upon it.

“He could bend the entire world to his will,” whispered Peter. “He could have whatever he wants and if anyone tried to fight him, he could just make them disappear. He could kill millions.”

“He will kill millions,” corrected Rogers grimly. “Just to prove a point, that he is the one and only Red Skull and if he succeeded with getting the weapon, then he is the real deal and not some imposter.”

“He needs to be stopped,” thought Peter.

“Look, this is all very interesting, not to mention horrifying, but I need to know now if you know where Captain America is,” said Peter and Rogers just contemplated something for a moment, but there was whirling of helicopters outside of his house.

“SHEILD,” muttered Rogers, as if this was something that he expected and they were right about on schedule by his estimate.

“I can’t be see here,” said Peter, as he backed off. “Trust me, I really can’t…long story.”

“You won’t make it out alive if you try to run, in the closet,” said Rogers, as Peter went right into the closet, just mere seconds before the door is pushed over and Nick Fury walked in, looking around from side to side.

“So, I’ve finally found you, figured you might be at somewhere like this, out of the way of everything,” said Fury.

“What do you want, Fury?” asked Rogers calmly.

“I won’t mince words, that monster the Red Skull’s back and he’s got his little toy back, and you know what you need to do,” said Fury gruffly. “We need you back now.”

“I’m done Fury, I’m retired,” said Rogers simply. “Captain America was another lifetime.”

In the closet, Peter barely stifled a gasp.

“Steve Rogers is….Captain America?” thought Peter as it slowly clicked in his mind.

Peter remained silent, as he heard footsteps close to the closet door and for a brief second he thought he was going to be found out. Even though his heartbeat slowed down but he heard someone walking away from his hiding place.

“Retired, well you better get your ass out of retirement, because you’ve got a job to do,” said Fury as if there was no argument.

“Not this time, the fact the Red Skull’s still out there proves that true evil can only be stalled and never defeated,” said Rogers calmly. “Fury, I’ve done my time in the war. I took down more enemy agents in five years then you ever could hope to in your lifetime.”

“You’re the symbol of everything this country is about, Rogers,” said Fury. “You wear those colors, you are the embodiment of the United States of America.”

“I represented this country, but a lot has changed in sixty years,” said Rogers, as he stood his ground firmly. “This entire country isn’t what I fought for. It’s changed and not for the better.”

“Yeah, we’ve got problems, but you shouldn’t take it out on the innocent people that the Red Skull will slaughter if you don’t do anything,” said Fury. “It’s only lucky that nutcase hasn’t gotten his hands on a power source that can power his little device for more than a few minutes.”

One of the SHEILD agent’s handed Rogers a briefcase, which clicks open, to reveal a Captain America costume.

“Time to get into uniform, solider,” said Fury and Rogers looked at the uniform, considering it.

“I’m done Fury, please get out of here,” said Rogers but Fury and the rest of the SHEILD officers stood. “You can fight me if you want to but it won’t change my mind.”

“Guess you aren’t the hero that people think you are,” said Fury shaking his head with a look of disappointment on his face. “The Doomsday Device is in place, it’s bad enough that Spider-Man bumbled three times but now the one man who could stop this can’t find his spine.”

“Spider-Man?” asked Rogers.

“Some punk kid, don’t worry, I put him in his place,” said Fury. “If you actually do grow a set, you know where to find me.”

The SHEILD officers left and Rogers stood, the briefcase containing the Captain America uniform on the floor, he looked at it.

“You can come out now,” said Rogers calmly and Peter stepped outwards, mouth a gap.

“I’ve looked for Captain America and I’ve found him, it’s you!” shouted Peter suddenly as he almost jumped to the ceiling in excitement.

“I was Captain America, now I’m Steve Rogers, a private citizen, who just wants to live a nice life out in the woods,” said Rogers in a collected voice.

“Look, I know Fury really comes across as an…well…he doesn’t come across well, but we do need Captain America, if the Red Skull is back, you beat him before, you can beat him again,” said Peter. “You have to go against him, to fight him.”

“I don’t have to do anything, Peter” said Rogers. “My tour of duty ended sixty years ago.”

“Still, you’re Captain America, no one else can stand up to the Red Skull,” persisted Peter.

“Someone’s going to have to, because I just don’t have it in me anymore,” said Rogers. “You heard it out there. At one time, I represented everything this country stood for but now this country has changed too much. I’m not fit to represent what America has become. I guess you could say that I’m out of date.”

“You can’t be out of date, you’re Captain America!” pushed Peter. “In all of those stories you overcame all the odds, no matter what and never gave up. You can do it again, you can stop the Red Skull.”

“I appreciate your enthusiasm Peter, but that was another time and I can’t bring myself to,” said Rogers as he looked at Peter.

“We need someone to rally behind though,” said Peter. “Someone who we know who is going to stand up to the Red Skull.”

“Perhaps someone is already there,” said Rogers. “Perhaps someone like this…Spider-Man that Fury was telling me about.”

“Spider-Man….Fury forbid m…him from ever putting on that mask again,” said Peter. “Besides, Spider-Man messed up, big time, he can’t take on the Red Skull, he’d get killed.”

“There comes a time where we have to do what we feel is right and not what other’s feel we should do,” said Rogers slowly, considering Peter. “Spider-Man, if he feels he can help in any way, he should get back into the fight and not sit on the sidelines, sulking. Just as I’m doing what I feel is right.”

“No, you’re not doing what is right, not any more, Captain America would never run away from a fight,” said Peter suddenly but he turned. “All those stories, they taught me that no matter what, no matter how impossible the odds seem, you have to keep fighting.”

“It's a nice moral, but it doesn't have any bearing in the real world,” said Rogers gently and Peter just stepped back, as if he had been slapped right in the face and in a sense he was.

“I can't believe it, the great Captain America, a coward who turns his back on the people who need him the most!” shouted Peter in frustration which caused Rogers to flinch. “I thought you were a hero. I guess I was wrong.”

Rogers just remained silent, for a moment, a brief flash of guilt appeared in his eyes and Peter left, without another word. He picked up the Captain America costume and looked at it for a long moment.

“It was another time,” muttered Rogers to himself, as he held the Captain America costume up. “Things change.”

Rogers gently folded the costume back up, took a step forward, holding it over the fireplace, fingers loosening around the fabric but he hesitated.

He turned his back and with a simple motion put it back on the sofa and turned to walk towards his bathroom and shut the door behind him, as the Captain America costume remained dormant on the couch.

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Electro stood, a twisted smirk appearing on his face, as he watched the entire city of New York. It was so safe, so secure.

So open for him to take control, with Electro raising his hands, with electricity sparking in the air.

He continued to make his way through the city, causing traffic lights all throughout the city to go haywire and the sounds of several car crashes indicated mass hysteria. A loud explosion in the distance and Electro pointed right to an electronics store, before forcing the door opened and a crowd of people screamed, as Electro sent several appliances flying right towards them. The cords wrapped around them and began to slowly strangle several people. He watched with glee, at the screams of terror and the frantic, but futile struggles for oxygen by those who had been ensnared by is power.

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“Captain America wasn’t anything like you expected,” summarized Gwen, as she joined Peter, sitting down, drinking milkshakes.

“Understatement,” said Peter, who looked completely despondent. “Fury couldn’t even really force him, so I never had any choice. Guess he didn’t have anyone to blackmail him with.”

“Most of his friends and family might be dead,” said Gwen. “Guess that super solider formula isn’t all it was cracked up to be.”

At that moment, the coffee maker exploded, scalding the cashier with hot coffee. The cashier turned around, as the cash register sprung out, causing money to fly everywhere.

“Something’s wrong,” muttered Peter, as the electronic doors began to swing open and shut. Peter pulled out his cell phone. “Dead”

“Mine too,” agreed Gwen with a frown. “What do you think…”

Peter waved his hand and carefully edged right towards the door, as he saw outside, a panicked populace. He then saw a very familiar figure standing on the outside, shooting bolts of electricity.

“Electro,” whispered Peter, before he turned but stopped in his tracks.

“Not this time, Peter, you can’t do it, there’s too much on the line…but….if I don’t….if I do then…but if I don’t….I have to….” thought Peter, conflict ranging in his mind.

He stared at Electro, unable to either take action or walk away. The villain turned and he saw Peter looking at him, slack jawed and Electro turned around, the discharge causing Peter to stagger backwards.

“What are you staring at?” questioned Electro violently as he turned to Peter. “Huh, TALK TO ME!”

“N-nothing,” said Peter and Electro actually looked quite enraged at this response.

“Nothing, you think I’m nothing, everyone thinks I’m nothing, well no more, no more!” shouted Electro as the air cackled, like heavy static, before Electro raised two hands with the ground electrified, forcing Peter to move around and causing him to stagger backwards. “So, is this nothing? Is this nothing? IS IT?”

Electro continued to try and blast Peter into nothing with a series of bolts.

“Stop, leave him alone!” shouted Gwen furiously and Electro just stopped, before he turned slowly, looking at Gwen, recognition dawning, as his crazed eyes narrowed in absolutely terror. Gwen took a step back.

“Gwen, run, now” mouthed Peter, but Electro reached from behind him and blasted the ground, causing Peter to get launched into the air.

“You think you can tell me stop and I’ll just jump,” said Electro. “Do you think you’re better than me? Do you think that just because of who Daddy is, you can tell me to stop? Huh, you little bitch!”

Electro blasted a bolt of lightning at Gwen, who just barely was able to move, but she twisted her ankle in her attempt to get away. She struggled, as Electro stalked her, sadistic grin on his face.

“Not so high and mighty now!” shouted Electro. “You laughed at me. People like you laughed at me my entire life! Thought I was a joke! Thought they had power over me! Well, guess who has it now?”

Electro caused several lights to shatter, causing glass and sparks to fly everywhere, as Peter pulled himself up, but Electro electrified the floor, causing him to get knocked back again.

“See this, see what I can do to anyone, no one can stop me, electronics rule the world now and since I can rule electronics with a mere thought, the world is mine!” yelled Electro.

“You can’t get away with this,” managed Gwen painfully, as Electro just looked at her with a twisted sense of mirth.

“Who’s going to stop me?” taunted Electro. “Spider-Man. No, because the web head should have shown up by now if he was going to stop me. He’s running scared. I beat the coward last time and I only had ten percent of the power that I do now. Imagine what I can do to him. He’ll know what every insect feels like when they hit a bug zapper, only multiply that by a thousand times.”

Electro stood putting his hands on the wall, where Gwen was trapped in the corner, as the walls sparked. She tried to push him away but she screamed, burning her hands in the process.

“Never tried sticking your finger in a light socket when you were a kid, did you?” tasked Electro as he leaned in as close as possible, without electrocuting his pray, looking right in her eyes, unblinking, a murderous, unhinged look about the super villain. “No, Daddy wouldn’t let his little princess do that. After all, you’re on the straight and the narrow, never do anything wrong, never take any chances. Until today, when you mouthed off to me. Maybe I should show you exactly how that feels. What you missed out on?”

Gwen closed her eyes, hoping that someone could happen but she saw Peter on the floor, having taken a nasty hit when Electro sent him flying, blood dripping from the side of his head.

“Let me go,” managed Gwen, her voice cracking, as Electro was way too close to her for comfort. “LET ME GO!”

“Sure, I’ll let you go!” shouted Electro, as he stepped back with a twisted smirk and Gwen let out a breath, as Electro appeared to turn around and walk away but then he spun around and sent a bolt of lighting right at the miniature neon sign right above where Gwen was standing, causing it to fall and spiral towards the air right towards her.  

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