Splat, splat, splat-
In an instant, the sound of blades slicing through flesh echoed repeatedly. The swarm of enhanced soldiers were quickly dismembered by the web traps, splattering blood across the ground. The gruesome scene was so horrific that even Steve Rogers couldn't help but shudder.
"How is this possible?"
Staring at the metal arm that had rolled to his feet, Steve couldn't hide his terror as he exclaimed aloud. The next moment, the five-pointed star shield whistled through the air, the sharp sound making his heart race.
"No!!"
In a flash, Steve awkwardly rolled out of the way just in time to avoid the shrieking shield, but as a bloodied ear dropped to the ground, he couldn't help but scream in pain.
"Oh no, damn bug!!"
Steve cursed loudly, not even having time to pick up his freshly severed right ear from the ground. He broke into a sprint, but out of the corner of his eye, he saw a familiar object rapidly approaching.
It was his shield!
Slash!!
The shield flashed past again, blood spraying in its wake. After slicing through a pipe, the blood-soaked shield ricocheted back into Charlie's hand.
White gas spewed from the broken pipe, and Steve's body froze in place.
His eyes widened, and he slowly looked down to see a deep gash across his abdomen, blood spurting onto the wall. Soon, unbearable pain consumed him.
"Ahhh!!"
"No, my body..."
At that moment, Steve's body had been severed at the waist by the shield.
He collapsed into a pool of his own blood, staring at the lower half of his body lying before him, his eyes filled with terror and despair.
The agony drove him to scream wildly, just like the half-dead enhanced soldiers who had been torn apart.
His desperate screams, mixed with curses, gradually faded as his voice weakened.
His body quickly grew cold, and Steve's spasms slowed until his trembling stopped completely. His consciousness faded into the cold, endless darkness.
In his final moments before death, Steve, pale-faced, glanced sharply at Charlie.
"Charlie Parker... you think you've won?"
Steve's smile became twisted before his eyes glazed over, and he was no more.
Amid the blood-soaked carnage, Charlie stared at Steve's bisected body, feeling no satisfaction of revenge.
He had expected a fierce fight, but it turned out to be a one-sided slaughter.
This realization told him something was wrong.
This guy was nothing like the one who ambushed him before.
So...
Charlie, sensitive to vibrations, felt the ground beneath him tremble. Suddenly, he turned and swung deeper into the base.
Thwip, thwip, thwip
Web after web shot out as Charlie swiftly navigated through the complex steel fortress.
Whenever he encountered enhanced soldiers with firearms, he didn't waste any time dealing with them.
Rat-a-tat-tat!
Gunfire echoed through the underground base, but Charlie ignored the bullets and dove into the crowd.
Boom, boom, boom!!
With the strength of a beast, Charlie bulldozed through the dense mass of soldiers.
Wherever enhanced soldiers stood guard, that was where Charlie aimed to go.
Boom~~
As a wall crumbled from his forceful impact, debris flew everywhere, revealing a flat runway.
Whoosh!
A gust of wind howled as a transport plane sped past Charlie, creating a violent whirlwind in its wake.
For a split second, a pair of mocking eyes met his.
"Who's that?" Charlie's eyes flashed.
"The kid from Queens. Next time we meet, I'll give you a big surprise."
The real Steve Rogers coldly withdrew his gaze before pulling the lever, sending the transport plane roaring down the runway.
In the night sky, the waves crashed against the cliffs below, and the transport plane shot out from the mountainside, vanishing into the blood-red clouds above.
Beep, beep~
In the cockpit, Steve activated autopilot and then tapped the virtual computer, a video of his other self being killed playing before him.
"Resurrected and stronger—he's a decent opponent."
Thanks to the commotion caused by Charlie's resurrection, S.H.I.E.L.D.'s agents scattered across the globe likely discovered Hydra's secret base by now.
This was an inconvenience for him, but as long as he was alive, Hydra would continue to exist.
Because he had plenty of time.
Now that he had lost the identity of Captain America, he began to think about how to proceed with his plans.
Clink, clink.
Suddenly, a strange noise came from the plane, causing Steve to frown.
"Beep, beep—warning, warning, hull damage detected, please perform maintenance immediately"
The cockpit filled with flashing red lights as the alarm blared.
Steve seemed to realize something. Without hesitation, he left the cockpit and sprinted toward the cargo hold.
Bang!
The next moment, the sound of metal rang above him as the sharp edge of the shield pierced through the hull, allowing cold wind to rush into the cabin. A red-and-blue figure somersaulted and landed right in front of Steve.
"Hey, Captain, I brought your shield back. You should thank me."
Despite the raging wind, Charlie's feet were firmly planted on the ground as if glued, unaffected by the turbulence.
On the opposite side, Steve slightly crouched into a stance, lowering his center of gravity as a faint red aura enveloped him, also undisturbed by the wind.
As he faced the pursuing Charlie, Steve's eyes were filled with admiration.
"Kid from Queens, interested in joining Hydra?"
"Sorry, I don't like organizations named after snakes. I'm not a fan of snakes... Unless you're willing to change the name. How about... Nine-Headed Bug? That'd really elevate your brand."
"I'll think about it."
Steve lightly tapped a device on his wrist, causing the plane to shake as it turned toward the city.
"Before this plane crashes into Queens' Black Street, I'm giving you a choice."
His tone was calm, as if this crazy action had nothing to do with him.
Charlie paused, quietly switching his web mode.
"The last villain who tried threatening me with family is already dead."
Thwip, thwip!!
Webs filled the air, but Steve's eyes glowed a fierce red as he opened his mouth and roared.
"Hyaa!!"
A high-pitched screech sent waves of visible red shockwaves rippling outward. Wherever the shockwave passed, the webs disintegrated, and the metal inside the cabin groaned under the pressure, sparks flying from numerous devices.
With Spider-Sense warning him, Charlie raised the shield just in time, stumbling backward in the face of the shockwave. The shield's protection had been pushed to its limits.
At the same time, his mind buzzed for a moment before quickly regaining clarity.
In the split second Charlie was dazed, Steve had already closed the gap between them.
"Thanks for bringing me the shield."
As Steve's blood-red hand reached for the shield, Charlie's body instinctively reacted. He gripped Steve's wrist with his right hand, while with his left, he swung the shield toward Steve's face.
But Steve didn't flinch. He reacted in a flash.
He dodged his head to the side, allowing the shield to hit his shoulder instead. At the same time, he twisted his wrist, locking Charlie's grip, and with a shake of his shoulder, he disarmed Charlie, flipping over his back and executing a perfect suplex.
Boom!
Both figures crashed into the ground, creating a dent as the entire plane shook.