Harry’s Hideaway

The young man stood at the bar, collecting two drinks from the bartender. He bore a striking resemblance to a young Errol Flynn and smiled at the bartender as he accepted the drinks. He carried them to a table in the rear where a well-built black man wearing sunglasses and a kufi sat patiently. His name was Josiah X, better known these days as Captain America.

“A water for the padre,” said ‘Errol,’ setting down the glass. He sat across and raised his beer. “And a beer for the stunningly-handsome charmer.”

“So handsome that he chooses to hide his real face?” asked Josiah.

“I wouldn’t want all the frauleins in here to go into heat, would I? I just might end up getting mobbed.” He smiled. “And that’s not even taking into account my new celebrity status as an Avenger.”

“You’re an interesting character, Kurt,” said Josiah.

“I’ll take that as a compliment,” said Kurt Wagner as he raised his glass. “To interfaith cooperation.”

“Cheers.” Josiah clinked his glass against Kurt’s and began to sip his water.

“Why did you decide on the Islamic faith?”

“I was raised in a Christian environment, a church-run orphanage. But I never quite believed it.”

“May I ask why?”

“Hard to believe God is love when the same people who are telling you it are also beating you with rulers,” said Josiah. “Combine that with feeling abandoned by my birth parents and I wasn’t really capable of believing in the idea that there’s some benevolent, omniscient creator who heaps crap on us because he loves us. To me, that always seemed like a fairy tale. And then after that, I ended up fighting wars, traveling the world as a mercenary, and I was pretty much godless for most of my adult life. Wasn’t until I discovered the writings of Islam and made the pilgrimage to Mecca that I truly found my calling. For me, Allah is more realistic—a creator with various aspects, not just a focus on the beautiful ones.”

“Yes, we do focus on the aspect of love, but that is not all. There are many tales of the extent of God’s wrath, so I wouldn’t say he is viewed quite so simplistically,” said Kurt.

“But how can someone like you believe?”

Kurt raised an eyebrow. “Someone like me?”

“Mutantkind has been a subject of scorn among certain sects of Christianity. Especially men like William Stryker. You yourself have the face of a demon,” said Josiah. “Why worship a faith which doesn’t want you?”

Kurt nodded. “Unfortunately, there are many who twist the Word of God into something wretched, something to justify their own hatred and bigotry. Just as there are those who corrupt the teachings of Islam. But that does not mean the words are any less valid. In Germany, I was chased by townspeople wielding torches and pitchforks, calling me a demon. Do I hate them? Do I hate men like Stryker? Nein, I pity them. For they are so empty they have not allowed the true meaning of God to fill their souls. And instead, they fill their souls with hate and label it God’s will. Just because a man claims he is doing God’s will does not mean he is. Do you believe Islamic terrorists who claim to kill in the name of God?”

“I see your point,” said Josiah. “And no, I don’t. I suppose I view them in the same light you do, although I’m not as forgiving.”

Josiah felt a vibration in his pocket and reached inside, pulling out a smartphone. He checked the message on it and stood from the table. Kurt watched him stand with curiosity.

“Something wrong, mein freund?”

“When I took on this mantle, I set up a hotline. Something of a neighborhood watch, you’d say. And it looks like it’s paid off.”

“What is it?” asked Kurt.

“Something big. Apparently, someone thinks a Hydra operation is going on in their own backyard.” He looked at his companion. “How do you feel about getting some exercise?”

Kurt smiled. “When do we leave?”

CUT OFF ONE…

By Hunter Lambright and Dino Pollard

“This is the…ah…Hydra base?” asked Nightcrawler, peering through a set of binoculars. He and Captain America stood across the street from a run-down building near the docks.

“That’s what the tip said.” Captain America looked through the data on his smartphone before sliding it into a pocket on his belt. “The building was purchased a few months ago. On paper, the purpose was to tear it down and build a new business in its place. But some of the people around the neighborhood have reported suspicious activity, strange noises at all hours of the night, and even spotted some men dressed in Hydra uniforms.”

“Does Hydra have a rat division? Because it seems this place has seen more of them than it has of humans.”

Captain America smiled, taking the binoculars from his partner. “I thought you X-types were used to getting down and dirty. Heard stories that you’ve been based in sewers or the Outback.”

“I wasn’t with the X-Men when they were in Australia. And we never lived in the sewers. Those were the Morlocks.” Nightcrawler stood upright and peered across the street at the building. “Should we knock? Ask if any international terrorists are in?”

“That thought had occurred to me, but I think we’d be better off taking a less direct route.” Captain America stood as well and handed the binoculars back to Kurt. He pointed towards the area he had observed himself. “Look through the windows on the top floor. It seems pretty empty and there’s a rooftop entrance. I think we go in through the roof, see what we can find.”

“I suppose that’s my cue,” said Nightcrawler as he handed the binoculars back to their owner. He placed his hand on Captain America’s shoulder and the two vanished in a flash of light and smoke.

BAMF

On the rooftop of the supposed Hydra building, they rematerialized. Josiah checked the entrance to the building and gave Nightcrawler a questioning glance. “From everything I’ve heard of Hydra, I’d expect their security to be slightly tighter.”

He proved his point by turning the handle on the rooftop entrance. The door opened without any trouble. Captain America raised his shield and Nightcrawler drew the rapier strapped to his back.

“Are these calls on your hotline reliable?” asked Nightcrawler.

“This would be the first so far,” said Captain America.

“Could it be a crank?”

“I looked up some information on the building and it seems to add up. But it may just be paranoia. Even if it is a fake, couldn’t hurt to check it out a bit more.”

“There is another option.”

“Which is?”

Nightcrawler shrugged. “It could be a trap.”

Captain America descended the staircase slowly, careful not to let his boots echo. “That thought occurred to me as well. I considered calling in some back-up.”

“Nein, let’s do this ourselves. I think it’ll be fun to brag about how the two of us took out a Hydra cell single-handedly.”

“And if they kill us?”

“Admittedly that would make the bragging a bit more embarrassing. Not to mention slightly difficult,” said Nightcrawler.

Captain America suppressed a chuckle. “No matter the situation, you never let your mood sour.”

“I’m told it comes from being furry and huggable,” said Nightcrawler. Slowly he opened the door to the top floor and crouched low on all fours. Nightcrawler moved out into the open, the darkness allowing him to remain almost invisible in the shadows.

The room was lined with various crates. Nightcrawler moved towards one of them and a rat scurried out. He breathed a sigh of exasperation, chiding himself for almost jumping at something like that. Standing upright, Nightcrawler looked to his partner.

“Anything?” asked Captain America.

Nightcrawler shook his head. He moved forward and opened a door into another room. “Hydra sects aren’t supposed to have rats crawling out of the woodwork. It’s supposed to be—”

In the next room, the lights came up suddenly, revealing an industrial area of some sort below the catwalks they stood on. Several Hydra operatives with automatic rifles stood nearby, aiming right at the two Avengers. Nightcrawler finished his sentence with: “—henchmen.”

“Are you happy now that you’ve been proven right?” asked Captain America.

“No, but I can’t help it, it’s a burden,” said Nightcrawler.

“GET DOWN!” shouted Captain America as the operatives opened fire. He leapt to the side, using his shield to deflect the bullets flying at him. Nightcrawler chose a different tactic, teleporting from his spot to a safe vantage.

The furry mutant appeared again right in the midst of the gang of five agents. His hands and feet took out four of them simultaneously with his tail wrapping around the neck of the fifth and bringing him with on a teleportation that ended with Kurt slamming his head into a wall. With another bamf, Nightcrawler appeared behind another guard, grabbing him in a chokehold until the green-clad man fell unconscious. He transported again before another guard could open fire and reappeared right in front of him.

“Guten tag,” he said before ramming his elbow against the guard’s nose. With rapier in hand, he ran another guard through the stomach, being careful not to make the wound a lethal one.

Using the confusion courtesy of Nightcrawler, Captain America made a run for the catwalk. Grabbing the guardrail, he sprung over the edge, his shield held in front to deflect the bullets. His feet landed on one of the guard’s heads. Once Captain America struck the ground, he threw the shield at another guard but just missed him. He cursed himself for the error in judgement as the shield clattered on the ground.

Captain America dropped to the floor, using his legs to undercut a guard. Another guard came at him but Josiah was within close enough range and took hold of the rifle’s barrel. He yanked it from the guard’s hand and slammed the hilt against his forehead. Captain America leapt into another guard, tackling him to the ground and felling him with a single punch. He worked his way across the room until he reached the shield. He looked up as he used the shield to deflect more bullets and in the rear of the guards, he noticed an unmasked man surveying the scene.

The unmasked man watched as Nightcrawler continued teleporting and then he raised his gun, pointing it at seemingly empty air. Once Nightcrawler appeared in that exact spot, the man pulled the trigger and struck the mutant in the neck with a tranquilizer dart.

The mysterious man turned his attention towards Josiah and began firing more darts. Captain America deflected them off his shield as he ran towards the new combatant. Several guards came to block his path, but Josiah was able to make short work of them by ramming through them with his shield. While in the midst, he punched, kicked or slammed his shield against them, clearing a path to the man who took out his partner.

More guards came on the catwalk and pointed their guns down in the center. It wasn’t long before Josiah found himself completely surrounded. But rather than issuing a kill order, the leader stepped forward and held his hand up, a signal to his men to hold their fire. He walked right up to Captain America.

“Why must you disturb us?”

“You’re a cell for a international terrorist organization,” said Captain America. “Do you really need to ask?”

“My name is Venger, I’m in charge of this so-called cell and it’s obvious you’re ill-informed.”

“Aren’t you part of Hydra?”

Venger nodded.

“Then there’s no mistake,” said Captain America.

“Have you ever wondered why our ranks are so large?” asked Venger. “Why would these men willingly work as cannon fodder for an organization which is razed almost every day of the year by one hero or another? Why would they subject themselves to being hunted like rats by the likes of Nick Fury and SHIELD?”

“Brainwashing, false promises, anarchistic beliefs. I don’t put too much stock in what goes on in the minds of terrorists.”

“Perhaps you should,” said Venger. “Each of my men was a volunteer. They joined my cell of their own free will.”

“I assume you’re approaching a reason I should care,” said Captain America. “It doesn’t matter to me if your men were brainwashed or if they’re here of their own free will.”

“It should. Because it changes your reason for being here.”

“Oh?”

“I’ve read about you—the new Captain America,” said Venger. “A Muslim representing a country which demonizes your beliefs.”

“A vocal minority, nothing more. Just because they’re loud doesn’t mean they represent all America has to offer.”

“So you love your country?”

“I do.”

“And your faith? It comforts you?”

“Yes.”

“Not all of us have the luxury of such faith,” said Venger. “My men and I are among those. You believe in a life after this but my men and I don’t. We need something to sustain us in this life. We still need something to believe in, even if it’s something like Hydra. Here, these men can find the belief they lack in their life and receive the benefits necessary to care for themselves and their family.”

“You’re arguing that you should be left alone simply because you have faith in your terrorist organization?” asked Captain America. “That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard.”

“Not the organization’s actions, their beliefs—cut one head off, two shall take its place. It’s a knowledge that you are part of something bigger than yourself.”

“It doesn’t matter if Hydra’s ideals are beneficial to you and your men, you’re still terrorists.”

“Are we?” asked Venger. He stepped on the gun of a fallen soldier and kicked it towards Josiah. “Look.”

Captain America slowly knelt down and glanced at the gun. The serial number was clearly present.

“Every man here bought their own weapons of their own accord. This building, our weapons, everything here was obtained in accordance with your laws, Captain,” said Venger. “Go ahead and poke around if you don’t believe me. You’ll find no illicit activities in my cell. We’ve been able to go unnoticed by the Supreme Hydra for some time, particularly with the current chaos in the organization, and we’re still able to obtain and funnel benefits from him. So please, let my men have their peace. You can clearly see that you are outnumbered here.”

“Give me my partner first,” said Josiah.

Venger gestured with his hand and the guards made a pathway. Captain America walked over to Nightcrawler’s prone body and hefted him over his shoulder. He gave Venger one last look.

“I’ll come back and you better not be here when I do. If I find you’ve lied to me in any way, I will track you down. And once I do, no god will be able to protect you from me. Do we have an understanding?”

“We do,” said Venger.

Captain America kept his gaze on the Hydra leader as the guards parted, showing him a path to the exit. He left the building without any trouble, his partner carried over his shoulder.

Nightcrawler rubbed the back of his neck, still feeling slightly groggy from the effects of the tranquilizer dart. But more than anything else, his pride was the worst thing that had been wounded by Venger’s attack.

“I feel like a neophyte, taken out so easily like that,” he said.

“Next time, trade in that huggable fur for body armor or stick to the shadows,” said Captain America. “You sure you want to come along?”

“If Venger was lying, I wouldn’t mind some payback,” said Nightcrawler.

“Fair enough.”

The two Avengers approached the front of the building. Captain America held his shield in front of him, prepared for the chance that it may be a trap. As they moved inside, it seemed as if Venger had been true to his word. The entire building was abandoned with no trace that Hydra was ever there.

“I was beginning to wonder if you’d show.”

The voice came from the next room. Captain America and Nightcrawler slowly entered and saw a man standing there in a suit, a broad smile spread across his face. “Venger said you wouldn’t believe him completely. I’m here to answer any and all questions you may have about the legality of our operation.”

Josiah turned to Nightcrawler. “You think he was telling the truth after all?”

Kurt smiled. “Perhaps it’s more simple than that. Maybe proof that hope does spring eternal, even within something as sinister as Hydra.”