Target (Romanogers Fanfic)

Chapter 26

"Arrogance may not be a uniquely American trait, but I must say, you do it better than anyone." The voice he well knew enough to belong to Schmidt rang out in the dead air.

The second he saw him, Steve tried hard not to grimace. He looked just as sickening as the last time he saw him.

"But there are limits to what even you can do, Captain. Or did Erskine tell you otherwise?"

There was a ghost of a smirk forming on the captain's lips. "He told me you were insane." He spatted.

"Ah, but I'm not the one who boldly took down a heavily guarded base with nothing but a shield? What kind of madness is that,  Captain?" A deadly smile appeared on his blood-coloured face. "All for some girl, perhaps?"

Steve almost lost it. Almost. Just the thought of her going through god knows what along with these sick bastards was more than enough to free all the rage inside him.

"You and I are not so different," Schmidt told him. 

"I'm not like you," Steve growled. "You're a murderer."

"Well, do we choose so?" Schmidt asked. "I chose my path. You chose the way of the hero, and they found you amusing for a while." Schmidt explained. "The people of this world." He muttered.

"But the one thing they love more than a hero is to see a hero fail, fall and die trying. Despite everything that you've done for them eventually, they will hate you. Why bother?"

"Just give me Natasha and maybe I won't beat you to the pulp."

"Answer the damn question!" Schmidt yelled.

"Because it's right!" Steve spat.

Schmidt laughed without humour. "Here's the real truth. There are more than 8 million people in this world, and those teeming masses exist for the sole purpose of lifting the few exceptional people onto their shoulders."

"You, me. We're exceptional. I could squash you like a bug right now." Schmidt said smiling and clenching his fist.

"But I'm offering you a choice. Join me. Imagine what we could accomplish together. What we could create. Or we could destroy. Cause the deaths of countless innocents and selfish, battle again and again and again. Until we're both dead. Is that what you want?"

Schmidt laughed without humour. "You probably think this girl is a dream come true. But your wrong."

Steve kept a straight face. Lax and expressionless. He narrowed his eyes. "Where is she?"

"You care about her, don't you, captain?"

"Where. Is. She?" he repeated. Slowly. Threateningly.

Schmidt looked at him lowly. "We can't make a truce unless we get what we want first. What we want from you."

He knows exactly what it is that he's asking. "Tell me where she is and I'll give you what you want," Steve said.

Now, he looked surprised. Disbelieving. "You would give us what we want." He repeated questioningly, "You would give HYDRA what we need to conquer the world just for the girl?"

Steve swallowed thickly. "Yes."

Schmidt then started laughing lowly, maniacally as possible. "Pathetic." He shook his head, then nodded towards the other soldiers as if it was a signal.

They walked towards the back and began pushing a shelf to the side. Steve had no idea what they were doing at first but as soon as the shelf came away to reveal what was behind it, his face instantly paled.