Earth.
The Arctic.
A helicopter crossed half the globe to reach this icy expanse. Under the guidance of the ground crew, it slowly descended and touched down. Once it stabilized, Nick Fury stepped out with his usual composed demeanor, wrapped in a thick winter coat. Behind him, as always, was his loyal assistant, Agent Hill.
A nearby agent approached with respect. "Director!"
Seeing him, Nick Fury immediately asked, "How's the excavation going?"
The agent responded, "Director, we only discovered it this morning, so the excavation has just started."
Nick Fury scanned the surroundings, noting nothing unusual, and replied, "Take me there."
"This way."
Following the agent's lead, Nick Fury entered an ice cave, moving deeper and deeper until they reached the lowest level. There, a group of S.H.I.E.L.D. field agents stood ready. In front of them was a thick wall of ice.
The most striking thing about this ice wall was that, encased within, lay a figure clad in a blue uniform with star-and-stripe patterns. The man's eyes were closed; though frozen, he appeared almost as if he were merely asleep.
Even Fury, who'd seen nearly everything, felt a surge of astonishment.
"Howard, you were right—he really didn't die."
The figure before him was, of course, none other than the man S.H.I.E.L.D. had been seeking for so long. The man who had helped turn the tide of World War II and single-handedly took down Hydra—a true symbol of American spirit.
Captain America. Steve Rogers.
Howard Stark's most successful experiment. The pinnacle of genetic enhancement.
"Doctor, where is the main challenge in the excavation?"
Fury could already guess why the team was being so cautious. Given the Arctic glacier's fragile layers, even a slight mishap could cause a collapse. For this reason, S.H.I.E.L.D. had enlisted top geologists and medical experts to assist in the excavation, ensuring that once Steve Rogers was recovered, his safety would be prioritized above all.
Those involved in the mission were all Americans who had grown up hearing Captain America's legendary tales. Now, they had the honor of seeing him in person and even participating in his recovery. Naturally, they were fully dedicated.
"Director, the primary issue isn't with the excavation itself but ensuring that we don't damage Captain America's remains during the process," said one of the geologists. In his view, Captain America, encased in ice for so many years, was surely deceased.
"How could anyone survive seventy years of being frozen without a high-tech cryogenic chamber?"
"Remains?" Nick Fury raised an eyebrow.
"Yes, given how long he's been there, we're concerned that Captain America's body may have become fragile. Any sudden impact during excavation could shatter him."
"No, no, I don't think you understand," Fury said, gesturing at the figure encased in the ice. "He's still alive."
"Excavate him without worrying about damaging the body."
The doctor's eyes widened at Fury's words. "You're saying… Captain America is still alive?"
"That's correct. Can we start the excavation now?"
Nick Fury trusted Howard Stark's judgment far more than the doctor's skepticism.
Howard had once told him that Steve Rogers, frozen within the Arctic ice, would still be alive if he were ever found. The genetic enhancement serum Howard had developed for Steve didn't just enhance his physical abilities; it also granted him survival capabilities in extreme conditions.
Howard theorized that when Captain America was frozen, his metabolism slowed to an almost undetectable rate, allowing his body to persist. Once he was excavated and thawed, he could be revived.
Seeing the hesitation in the doctor's expression, Nick Fury grabbed a nearby worker's loudspeaker. "Commence the Captain America Excavation Project—now!"
At Fury's command, the excavation team sprang into action. With pre-drafted excavation plans in place, the work progressed smoothly. Soon, they extracted a large rectangular block of ice containing Steve Rogers, lying peacefully inside.
The geologist stepped forward, adjusting his glasses in disbelief. A few forceful impacts during the excavation should, by his calculations, have shattered the 'corpse' inside. But against all odds, Steve Rogers within the ice was unharmed.
This suggested that the body retained its resilience. Could Captain America truly still be alive?
Ignoring the doctor's astonished expression, Nick Fury shoved his freezing hands into his coat pockets. "Transport him to S.H.I.E.L.D. HQ."
A helicopter lifted off, taking Fury and Steve's frozen form away, leaving S.H.I.E.L.D. agents to wrap up the site. Once Fury had departed, the agent who had first greeted him grew suddenly serious. He motioned to two other agents and headed toward a nearby tent.
This tent served as the command center for the mission, accessible only to the highest-ranking officials on-site. Inside, the agent quickly dialed a satellite phone.
The moment the call connected, he spoke with fervor, "Hail Hydra!" and struck his fist to his chest.
A low voice on the other end replied, "How did the excavation go?"
"Nick Fury led the team himself. He's taken Steve Rogers' body with him."
The voice on the other end chuckled with disdain. "Body? If it were truly just a corpse, Fury wouldn't have gone all the way to the Arctic."
"Is it possible for someone to survive seventy years frozen?" the agent asked, incredulous.
"We didn't believe it either," the voice answered, "but after Dr. Connors 2.1's experiment, we're now fully convinced."
"What should we do next?" The agent's face twisted in a menacing scowl. "Rogers nearly destroyed Hydra once."
In a darkened office, the man on the other end sat stroking a lizard, his voice smooth and calculating. "Don't worry. Once we fully control S.H.I.E.L.D., both Nick Fury and Steve Rogers will pay the price."
The man's voice lowered further. "Besides, we now have our own weapon to rival Rogers…a secret weapon."
…