Sentinel of Liberty – Rat Lines Pt 1/4
TITLE: Rat Lines Pt. 1/4
RATING: NC-17
SUMMARY: Prior to Dr. Heinrich Zemo’s plan to turn the tide of the war Steve Rogers and James Barnes witness the atrocities the Nazi party has perpetrated against humanity.
WORDS: 861
NOTES: Steve Rogers a.k.a. Captain America finds himself face to face with a heinous war criminal of W.W. II in current times. This is the story of the Sentinel of Liberty dealing out much earned justice.
Today, Now.
Steve Rogers sat on the steps of the Vatican square admiring the architecture. The courtyard is actually round, and supported by 60 foot tall columns. He wore his white collared shirt un-tucked from his jeans and black leather loafers. Legs crossed, his right thigh acted as a desktop for his sketch book. His unruly mop of blonde hair poked out in so many directions as unmanageable now as it was over 50 years ago.
Steve had jumped at the opportunity to participate in Operation: Rebirth. He had been demoralized after being turned down by the army. At the time Art School seemed capricious while the world was again engulfed in war. Revived 50 years later he is still serving his country as the sentinel of liberty, Captain America.
In his absence his family and friends had passed on. The loves in his life had faded. To Steve though, it was yesterday. The world had moved on. Steve made a concerted effort to reacquaint himself with this brave new world. It seemed Orwellian to him at times. They seem quick to cast aside freedoms so many had laid down their lives to protect for a perception of security. But like any democracy, the definition of freedom changes with the people.
Steve shook off his ruminations. The afternoon sun shone brightly in the summer day. People walked to and from the square officially known as Saint Peter’s Basilica. It is commonly called the greatest church of man. From the History Channel Steve had learned many things since his awakening. He knew the men who had been in these hallowed halls had not deserved the privilege.
While millions had died, they had collaborated. They allowed billions in gold to be smuggled out of the country to Argentina. Provided support for smuggling out war criminals. Steve had sat in shock as he learned just how fallible men were. No uniform, military, religious or otherwise absolved you of these kinds of sins.
From 1945 to 1951 many individuals were tried for their war crimes. However not all could be apprehended. Many had escaped disguised as the same priests and monks that had helped them murder 12 million people worldwide. The murder of these undesirables comprises the worst genocide perpetrated by mankind.
Steve had lain frozen in the Arctic Ocean while time marched on. The Nuremburg trials, hippy revolution, generation lost, and the digital age blinked by while he slept the sleep of the dead. He awoke to a stark contrast a stranger in a strange land.
Steve rubbed a small Conti crayon stick on his artist’s sketchbook. He drowned out memories of times gone by. He immersed himself in the here and now. The faint sounds of war called hauntingly to him. He turned his iPod up drowning out the insistent past with Isaac Brock’s Baby Blue Sedan. He too, was doing this best he can.
He admired this mornings sketch. Using his index finger he blended the edges of a caricature of a mother and child holding hands in the center of the Basilica. It was one of many sketches he had created during this month long stake out. He looked up from the book, and scanned the courtyard.
Visual analysis intruded in his brain. He calculated trajectories, response plans, and worse case scenarios before forcibly willing himself to disengage. He noted several Interpol and S.H.I.E.L.D. agents strategically positioned throughout the courtyard. The International Police and Espionage agencies were cooperating in order to apprehend a particularly heinous war criminal.
Steve calculated the odds of their intelligence being accurate. The war criminal they sought may not be alive or they may have received bad intelligence. Recent events had certainly taught the world to accept American Intelligence with a grain of salt. Hindsight being what it is there had been no evidence of weapons of mass destruction. In fact the American government had perpetrated a great lie and for what purpose. Steve grimaced, different times. He brought himself back into the here and now.
A Cardinal exited the building and began descending the steps of the Basilica. Steve bristled. Despite the red and black robes, the weight gained from a sedentary life style, and the aged continence; he recognized the man instantly. The hairs on the back of nape stood up. Steve wondered how this man had eluded justice. He turned off his iPod and began packing his art supplies. He did this calmly all the while, holding down the bile building up at the back of his throat.
The man stepped onto the stone cobbled courtyard. His shadow followed studiously. It had been years since he had been this exposed in the Vatican City. He would regret it, and much more before the day was done. An agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. raised his hand to his ear speaking into his hidden microphone disguised as a cough. Several Interpol agents turned simultaneously. The microphone in Steve’s ear beeped and the authoritative voice of Nick Fury intruded.
“Target sighted.” Nick barked. Steve closed his eyes and found himself back in the final days of war torn Germany.
February 11, 1944.
“Target Sighted.” Bucky said into the bitter cold night.
Leave a Reply