A Truly 'Howling' Commando

Epilogue

——May, 2011: New York City——

The sound of a radio filled the room as Steve slowly blinked open his eyes. He looked around for a moment before stiffly sitting up, slowly moving his legs so his feet touched the floor. He was in a white shirt and tan pants with brown boots on. He looked down and saw the leather band still around his right wrist, the silver buckle reflecting the ceiling light.

Looking over his shoulder, he listened in to the game. "Curve ball, high and outside for ball one. So the Dodgers are tied, 4-4. And the crowd well knows that with one swing of his bat, this fellow's capable of making it a brand-new game again. Just an absolutely gorgeous day here at Ebbets Field. The Phillies have managed to tie up at 4-4. But the Dodgers have three men on. Pearson beaned Reiser in Philadelphia last month. Wouldn't the youngster like a hit here to return the favour? Pete leans in. Here's the pitch. Swung on. A line to the right. And it gets past Rizzo. Three runs will score. Reiser heads to third. Durocher's going to wave him in. Here comes the relay, but they won't get him."

A woman in a white shirt and brownish-gray skirt walks in and closes the door before turning to Steve. "Good morning. Or should I say, afternoon?" She checks her watch as she spoke.

"Where am I?" His eyes narrowed slightly as he looked at her.

"You're in a recovery room in New York city."

Steve pauses and starts listening to the baseball game over the radio again. "The Dodgers take the lead, 8-4. Oh, Dodgers! Everyone is on their feet. What a game we have here today, folks. What a game indeed." He looks back suspiciously, "Where am I really?"

"I'm afraid I don't understand."

"The game, it's from May, nineteen forty one. I know, cause I was there." He gets up from the bed and takes a few steps towards her, eyes narrowed slightly. "Now, I'm gonna ask you again. Where am I?"

"Captain Rogers..." She looks wary and secretly pushes an alarm in her hand.

"Who are you?"

Two men in black enter the room and Steve backs up a couple steps. He hits both the men through the wall as they advance forward. He jumps out of the hole, and spins in a single, slow circle before running out of the room. "Captain Rogers, wait!" The woman pulls out a radio and starts speaking into it, her message going over the intercom. "All agents, code 13! I repeat. All agents, code 13!"

Steve runs through the building, knocking over agents before running out onto the street. He turns and goes into a huge intersection/clearing and turns around, looking around in shock and confusion. Black cars begin to drive up around him. "At ease, soldier."

Steve turns around to see a black man wearing a black trench coat and eyepatch. "Look, I'm sorry about that little show back there, but... we thought it best to break it to you slowly."

Steve looks at him confused, "Break what?"

"You've been asleep, Cap. For almost seventy years." Steve looks around him in shock, his eyes traveling over the modern screens, cars, and buildings. "You gonna be okay?"

Sadness clouds his blue gaze as he turns around a little. "Yeah. Yeah. I just... I had a date." He looks down at the leather band around his wrist, almost not wanting to ask in fear of the answer. "Is she..?"

The man picks up on his train of thought and answers truthfully. "We don't know. Mallow disappeared shortly after you crashed into the ice. Nobody knows where she went." He looks at the band. "Her's?"

"Yeah, she gave it to me before the Alps mission." Steve looked back up as the initial shock of the situation wore off, before walking over to the other man.