Captain America: Super Soldier, Fragile Heart

Chapter 11: Temperatures Rise

Steve is walking through the streets of Gotham, he is thinking about the city itself, how no matter how many crimes he stops, how many villains he fights, that it hasn't made a dent yet, the news broadcast still says crime is on the rise. He was out every night trying to do what he could, it was his job as a hero to fight for the people. There were other heroes in the city as well, keeping up the good fight. Hopefully perhaps between all of them they could finally bring peace to this dangerous place and make better lives for the people of the city and the few people he actually knew personally.

He looked up into the sky, it was a full moon. "What a beautiful night." He says to himself, that's when he notices a white silhouette of a man walking along the rooftops. Steve gets this familiar feeling, "Vengeance." He dashes towards the nearest fire escape, leaping onto a dumpster and pushing himself off the wall. He lands on the first floor of the fire escape, dashing up the remaining stairs to the rooftop.

Looking from rooftop to rooftop, noticing he wasn't in the last place he saw him. Steve turns his head to see a figure a rooftop away. Running to jump the gap between them, he calls out, "Vengeance!" The figure stops dead and turns in the direction where the voice came from, looking at Steve with annoyance, "You again?" Steve walks up to him, shield by his side, relaxed. Vengeance leans against the side of the roof staring at the vast city lights. Steve smiles, "Good to see your still out keeping watch on the city." Vengeance folds his arms, "I am just doing what needs to be done, no more, no less." Steve rests his hand on his shoulder, "You're doing good for the city. These people need protection from those who wish to do them harm. It's what makes us different, it's what makes us heroes." He shrugs Steve's hand off and begins to walk away, "That's you. Not me." Steve sighs quietly, "So, what's your name kid?" Vengeance turns round defensively before realising that the Captain had removed his headpiece and was holding out his hand, "Steve Rogers." Vengeance stares at Steve shocked, "Why are you trusting a stranger? Your identity is the only thing that keeps those around you safe." Steve smiled reassuringly and kept holding his hand out, "Kid, when you have done the hero gig as long as I have. You learn who you can trust and who you can't." He sighs loudly, pulling up his goggles and taking off his hood, revealing his long dark brown hairs. He takes Steve's hand firmly, "Victor."

After talking for a while, Victor begins to open up to him. Steve looks at him with curiosity, "What made you choose the life of a hero?" Victor looks out at the city, avoiding eye contact, "Some bastard broke into my house, killed my parents. All I have left now is my sister, so I do this, to get revenge and to make sure she's safe." Yet another orphan in the city Steve thought to himself, he raises his hand, ready to put on Victor's shoulder, but thinks otherwise, "My condolences." Victor turns to face Steve, "What about you, flag man?" Steve runs his hand through his hair, "Would you believe me if I told you I was a military experiment in World War Two to make a super soldier." Victor looks at Steve with amusement, "You're kidding, right?" Steve laughs lightly, "96 and still kicking." Victor raises an eyebrow, "You can't be serious? you don't look that much older than me." Steve places his hand on Victor's shoulder, "It's a long story, kid, I'll tell you next time."

Just before Victor is about to reply, he sees a silhouette of a woman walking towards them, "Hello boys." Victor quickly puts his goggles back on and pulls his hood over his face. Selina looks the man up and down, "Haven't seen you around before. Are you another hero?" Victor glares at her with disgust, "I'm no hero, but I'm ten times better than what you are." Selina fold her arms, "You don't even know me." Victor spits on the floor in front of her, "You call yourself Catwoman, but you're really vermin." Steve steps in between them, "Get to know her first, then have an opinion." He turns around to Selina, "Evening Catwoman." She smiles at him, "Evening Captain, I am not too fond of your new friend." Victor clenches his fists, "You kill people and steal things. I want justice for my family. I want all villains dealt with because they don't deserve to walk the streets of Gotham freely." Selina flicks her whip and it hits Victor in the arm, "That's your opinion. I haven't killed anyone. I steal, but I'm as silent as a cat hunting in the night. I avoid people." Victor grabs her whip and pulls it towards him, she could see him going in for a punch so kicks him in the chest to stop him but Vengeance manages to graze her face, breaking one eye piece of her goggles. Steve grabs the whip and pulls it towards him, "Enough, both of you." They both are lying on the ground next to Steve, they look at him then each other. Steve holds out his hands to both of them, Selina takes it, but Victor pushes his hand away. Steve looks at Selina, "This is Vengeance." Selina nods and holds out her hand, "Ok let's try this again, Nice to meet you." Victor pushes her hand away, "Once a villain, always a villain." Selina folds her arms in annoyance, "You owe me new goggles." Victor glares at her. Just before he could say anything. Steve raises his shield up in the air and slams it to the ground, "I said enough." They both fold their arms and look at Steve with annoyance. Now that it was quiet Steve walks over to Selina, "Have you decided what's for dinner tonight?" She smiles, "You will be collecting Chinese." Steve nods. Selina nods at Victor and smiles at Steve, "On that note, I'm leaving. See you later, handsome." Selina flicks her whip around a nearby antenna and jumps off the building.

Victor and Steve lean against the side of the roof, facing out onto the city, "So, what's the deal with you and Catwoman?" Steve turns towards him, "Well, I got shot and she nursed me back to health. She has been looking out for me ever since. I owe her a lot." Victor drops his head in shame then gives Steve a sideways glance, "Look, people have said I can be quite blunt and hot headed. Most of the time." Steve stands up facing Victor, "There's more to Catwoman than you know, so don't judge her till you know her. Same with others in this town, but I'll agree with you that there are some despicable ones in this city."

They both turn around to the sound of sirens, noticing smoke coming from an apartment building a few blocks away, "You coming?" Steve asked running to the blaze. Victor begins to run behind as Steve jumps off the side of the building. Victor runs down the fire escape and jumps off by the first floor to keep up with Steve who was already in the street.

A short run later and they arrive at the towering inferno, a five story apartment, firefighters were trying to combat the blaze. Civilians are standing behind a barrier in shock, some screaming because they know the people still trapped in there, "Vengeance, you take the bottom floor, I'll check the rest! Get to it!" Victor nods in response and they both run into the building. Steve runs up the stairs, while Victor walks around the ground floor calling out to anyone trapped. He is keeping his distance from the fire, trying his best to avoid falling debris. Checking the rooms to see if anyone is in them, to his luck the ground floor was clear. He makes his way back to the staircase, he notices Steve escorting a family downstairs carrying a little girl. "Vengeance, get them outside. I'm checking the top floor." Steve tells him while handing him the little girl. As Steve runs back up the stairs. Victor takes them towards the front door, he could see the ceiling start to crumble, "Everyone outside. Now!" He shouts, passing the little girl to one of the parents before running to hold the frame up, "Move! I can't hold this for long!" As the last one leaves, Victor jumps out of the way of the entrance as it collapses. He stands there looking up at the building, wondering what Steve was doing and how he was going to get out now.

Meanwhile inside the building Steve had made it to the top floor, "Is anyone there? I'm here to help!" He checks room after room. No sign of anyone left. "Haha... time to burn!" Steve turns quickly to see a burst of flame roaring towards him. He ducks for cover behind his shield as the flame engulfs everything around him. When the flames subside, he looks over his shield towards the direction it came from. Steve sees a man in a mechanical suit with wings, turbines on each wing holding a weapon just outside a broken window. Steve runs towards him full speed while slotting his shield on his back. He jumps through the window onto the man, "Hey! Get off me!" Steve holds onto the wings pulling at them, sending them both flying through the air, "Get off my suit! Or I'll burn you alive!"

Victor sees the action from the ground, "Firefly." He said through gritted teeth. He watches Steve and Firefly go around in circles in the air. Suddenly, they are both hurtling towards the ground. Steve jumps off in plenty of time and rolls as he lands with his shield at the ready. Firefly hits the ground hard. "You'll burn for that, Captain!" Firefly shouts as he flies off the ground, hovering above them. "Well, actually I'll burn her first." Firefly laughs as he turns his attention to the little girl standing in the street. He aims his barrel at the little girl. Victor runs towards her. "Turn to ash hahaha!" Firefly pulls the trigger and a burst of flames erupts from the gun towards her. Victor wraps himself around the little girl to cover her, holding her tight and he closes his eyes. He feels warmth, but no flames. He quickly turns to see Steve shielding them from the flames. As the flames stop, Steve throws his shield. Embedding it into one of Firefly's wings, sending him out of control and crashing into a windscreen of a car.

Victor walks towards Firefly, grabbing a piece of metal on the way, "Your days are over!" He lifts the metal into the air, about to hit him. "Vengeance." Steve glares at him. Victor turns, looking at Steve in corner of his eye, gritting his teeth, "Aaargghhh!" Victor rams the metal into one of Firefly's engines, breaking it apart. He is about to walk away, but Firefly spits out blood yelling, "You don't have it in you to kill, too afraid." Victor stops dead. He turns quickly and grabs Firefly's flamethrower. Pressing the nozzle under Firefly's chin, "I have no problem ending scum like you! Permanently!" Steve walks over and places his hand on Victor's shoulder, "It's what makes us better than them." Victor pulls away, dropping the weapon, then punches Firefly square in the face, knocking him unconscious, "Yeah.... I know." Victor sighs as he begins to walk away, "See you around, kid." Steve shouts. "Yeah, see you around, Cap. Ohh and tell Catwoman I'm sorry for earlier." Steve smiles and turns to face the unconscious body of Firefly. He pulls his shield out from the other engine, "He's a good kid, just a lot to learn." He says to himself taking Firefly out of his suit.