Artemis (A Steve Rogers Story)

6- Two People I Trust

The computer then comes to life, "Rogers, Steven born 1918, Harper, Willow, born 1918" the voice from the computer says and Steve and I can both recognize it. "Romanoff, Natalia Alianovna, born 1984" the computer then says as the camera on top looks at us.
"It's some kind of recording" Natasha then says.
"I am not a recording, Fraeulien. I may not be the man I was when Artemis and the Captain took me prisoner in 1945. But I am" the computer speaks as a photo is displayed on the other monitor.

"You two know this thing?" Natasha then asks us.
"Armin Zola was a German scientist who worked for the Red Skull. He's been dead for years" Steve says as he walks around the computer trying to figure out how this was possible.

"First correction, I am Swiss. Second, look around you, I have never been more alive. In 1972, I received a terminal diagnosis. Science could not save my body. My mind however, that was worth saving, on 200,000 feet of databanks" Zola explains to us as Steve comes back over and stands beside me. "You are standing in my brain" Zola then tells us.

"How did you get here?" Steve then asks.
"Invited, Agent Harper knows about that" Zola then says and Steve looks at me.
"Operation Paperclip, it was after World War II. SHIELD recruited German scientist with strategic value" I explain to him.

"They thought I could help their cause. I also helped my own" Zola then says.
"HYDRA died with the Red Skull" I say back at the computer.
"Cut off one head, two more shall take it's place" Zola says as the HYRDA symbol appears on the screen.

"Prove it" Steve then says to him.
"Accessing archive" Zola says as pictures begin to be shown on the surrounding monitors. "HYDRA was founded on the belief that humanity could not be trusted with its own freedom. What we did not realize was that if you try to take that freedom they resist" as he says this footage of Steve and I fighting off HYDRA is shown, "The war taught us much. Humanity needed to surrender its freedom willingly. After the war SHIELD was founded" he says this and pictures of Howard, Peggy and I forming SHIELD appear, "And I was recruited. The new HYDRA grew, a beautiful parasite inside SHIELD. For 70 years, HYDRA has been secretly feeding crisis, reaping war, and when history did not cooperate, history was changed" we then see footage of the Winter Solider. As we are listening to Zola say all this, rage is forming inside me, if I had known HYDRA was right under my nose this whole time, I would have shut it down.

"This is impossible, if I had known about this I along with SHIELD would have stopped you" I then say to him.
"Accidents will happen" Zola says as he shows the file on Maria and Howards death, then shows us Nicholas file saying deceased. "HYDRA created a word so chaotic that humanity is finally ready to sacrifice its freedom to gain its security. Once a purification process is complete" we see the security system showing the Project Insight Helicarriers, "HYDRA's new world order will arise. We won, Artemis, Captain. Your death amounts to the same as your life." Zola says as we then see the newspaper article that depicted Steve missing, and a magazine article talking about him being a hero that sacrificed everything "A zero sum" Steve then punches the main computer in frustration. "As I was saying..." Zola says.

"What's on this drive?" Steve then asks.
"Project Insight required insight. So, I wrote an algorithm" Zola explains.
"What is this algorithm? What does it do?" I then ask.
"The answer to your question is fascinating. Unfortunately, you shall be too dead to hear it" Zola tells us this and we then hear the elevator doors closing, and Steve tosses his shield, but it's too late. The shield bounces off and comes right back at him, as the device Natasha had been carrying starts beeping.

"Steve, Willow, we got a bogey. Short range ballistic, 30 seconds top" she tells us.
"Who fired it?" Steve asks her.
"SHIELD" she tells us.
"I'm afraid I have been stalling, Artemis, Captain" Zola says as Natasha grabs the drive, "Admit it, it's better this way" Zola says this as Steve see's a grate ahead of him, going to it he rips it off, and looks at Natasha and I and we both run to get in. " We are both of us, out of time" we hear Zola say as Steve jumps in the hole, with us. He holds the two of us close, as he uses his shield to protect us from the falling debris, as the building explodes.