Princeton Walk

The flames had been extinguished, but for Josiah X, a fire still burned just below the surface. After exposure to the mind-altering H-Rays caused him to nearly kill a man, Josiah was restrained by his friends and fellow Avengers. That is, until a news report alerted him that his home in the affluent neighborhood called Princeton Walk was on fire.

Josiah sat on the steps of the Quinjet, watching as the firefighters were still combing through the wreckage. But they’d already discovered the only thing in that house Josiah cared about. The charred body of the woman named Irenia, the closest thing Josiah had to a mother when he was growing up.

The whiff of brimstone and the signature bamf sound told Josiah who had just appeared beside him without any confirmation needed. Kurt Wagner, also called Nightcrawler. Former X-Man, current Avenger. And perhaps Josiah’s closest friend on the team.

“I spoke with the fire marshal,” said Kurt. “They found traces of a bomb.”

Josiah didn’t need to hear the rest. He stood and ascended the steps back into the plane. He heard Kurt’s footsteps following him and he pushed a button against the wall. A compartment opened up, revealing the modified red, white, and blue uniform he wore as Captain America, in addition to the iconic shield.

“Josiah…?”

“I don’t need you or the fire marshal to tell me what I already know, Kurt,” said Josiah. “This fire was no accident. It was Freedom Force.”

Josiah took off his shirt and pulled on the form-fitting protective top of his uniform. He took the gloves next, pulling them onto his hands and fastening the clasps. Next came the mask—or rather, the red bandana that served as his mask. Josiah tied it around his head. Finally, the shield. Josiah took it in one hand and raised it over his head, affixing it to the built-in harness on the back of his shirt.

He closed the uniform compartment and turned to head for the Quinjet controls. But before he could get there, Kurt teleported in front of him, placing a three-fingered hand on Josiah’s chest to keep him back.

“I can’t let you do that, mein freund.”

“They killed Irenia, Kurt,” said Josiah. “Are you really going to stand there and tell me I should let that stand?”

“Of course not,” said Kurt. “But I am going to tell you that you aren’t in the right state of mind. Let us handle the Freedom Force, but you should stay on Avengers Island until Tony can confirm the H-Rays are truly out of your system.”

“No. I’m not going to sit on the sidelines while Irenia’s killers are running around out there.”

“I can’t let you—”

Josiah responded by punching Kurt so hard, the mutant fell to the ground. Kurt shook his head, rubbing his sore jaw. When he looked up, Josiah was just staring down at him in shock.

“I’m sorry, Kurt. But I have to do this.” Josiah turned and began descending the steps.

“Josiah!” shouted Kurt. “You’re going down a dark path. One there may be no coming back from.”

“You’re right.” Josiah reached behind his back and pulled loose the shield. He dropped it on the floor of the Quinjet. “But it wouldn’t be the first time.”

With that, Josiah disembarked. And Kurt just stared at the discarded shield with a heavy heart.

DIVIDED STATES

Part III

By Dino Pollard

Max Lohmer popped open a can of beer and sat down in his recliner in front of the TV. These days, the only thing worth watching on TV was Todd Keller’s show. All the rest were just enabling the worst elements of society. All in the name of keeping down the white man.

A series of thunderous knocks came on the door of Lohmer’s shabby studio apartment. He groaned and set the beer on the side table and stood, hitting mute on the TV. Lohmer went to the front door and loosened the chains. But before he could open the door, it was kicked in and it slammed right into his face.

Lohmer backed away just as the intruder forced his way into the studio. Josiah grabbed Lohmer by the shoulders and spun him, slamming him against the wall. While maintaining a grip, Josiah raised Lohmer over his head and threw him across the room, into the kitchen area where Lohmer struck the oven.

Josiah paused, staring into Lohmer’s bloodied face. “Let me ask you a question, you white trash Nazi shitbag. Are you really so stupid that you didn’t think I’d come after you? I may not know who the rest of your ‘Freedom’ Force is, but I damn-sure know you. And unless you tell me what I want to know, I’m going to finish what I started at that protest of yours.”

Lohmer coughed and spat blood on the floor. “Whaddaya gonna do, Captain Coon?”

Josiah delivered another blow. “I should let you know, I was in ’Nam. I learned some pretty interesting ways to make people suffer. So either you start talking or I start getting creative. You follow me, son?”

He could see it in Lohmer’s eyes—the fear. All that piss and vinegar, but underneath it all, he was still nothing more than a maladjusted kid playing with matches.

“Whaddaya wanna know?” asked Lohmer.

“An inbred bastard like you is too stupid to get H-Ray tech on your own,” said Josiah. “I want to know where you got it from. Hydra? The Red Skull? Who?”

Lohmer looked past Josiah and raised his arm, pointing in the distance. Josiah turned and saw the TV screen. More importantly, he saw the man on the TV screen.

“Looks like I’ll be paying Keller another visit,” said Josiah. “But first…”

He stood, pulling Lohmer up with him. Lohmer protested and each time he did, Josiah punched him again. Josiah kept dragging him until they were right in front of the window.

“We’re what, ten floors up?” asked Josiah. “Think your Aryan blood is strong enough to protect you from that?”

“Wh-what? But you said you’d let me live if I talked!”

“Actually, I just said I wouldn’t torture you,” said Josiah. “No one said anything about you getting out of this alive.”

Lohmer screamed his protests, but Josiah didn’t listen.

Kurt knelt in an alley over the body, making the sign of the cross over his body and shaking his head. His friend had crossed the line now, finally gone too far. There was the sound of some commotion from behind him. Kurt stood and saw just past the police cordon were two familiar faces. After they showed their SHIELD and Avengers credentials, they were allowed through.

“Sam, Sharon,” said Kurt, greeting both Agent Sharon Carter and the Falcon. He motioned to the body. “You remember Zeitgeist?”

“Jesus…” muttered Sam. “Josiah did this?”

“No witnesses, but would seem likely,” said Kurt.

“The H-Rays?” asked Sam.

“I hope so,” said Sharon.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” asked Sam.

“If it’s not the H-Rays, then Josiah’s gone off the reservation and we have to bring him down,” said Sharon.

“Sharon, you’re talking about arresting Captain America,” said Kurt.

“No, I’m talking about arresting Josiah X,” said Sharon.

Sam folded his arms. “Don’t tell me you’re becoming one of those ‘Not My Cap’ people. Remember, Steve—”

“Don’t even start, Sam!” barked Sharon. “I’m doing this because I want to protect Steve’s legacy. We can’t have Captain America running around killing people.”

“I get that, but—”

A ringing from Sharon’s belt silenced Sam. Sharon drew out a phone and turned away to take the call. “Carter. I—what? Oh, shit…” She hung up the phone and turned back to Kurt and Sam. “It may already be too late.”

Getting into Vulpine Media was easy. Josiah managed to sneak in through maintenance tunnels and worked his way up through the building, even managing to steal a maintenance worker’s uniform from a locker room. When he reached the soundstage where Keller’s show was filmed, he realized the man wasn’t without protection.

The Super-Patriot and Protocide, both serving as Keller’s bodyguards. If Josiah was going to get to Keller, then first thing he’d have to do was take care of those two. Josiah looked up to the high ceilings and saw the lighting equipment suspended from catwalks. If he could get up there, he’d have a better vantage point.

He circled around the soundstage, the maintenance uniform granting him a degree of anonymity. Josiah made sure to keep his low and avoid eye contact with anyone out of fear they might recognize him.

When he was clear, he quickly climbed up the ladder and made it to the catwalk. Josiah stayed low and moved slowly across to make as little noise as possible. Now, it was just a matter of waiting for the right opening.

Keller was apparently getting ready to record another show. He walked onto the set and got behind his desk in preparation for the taping to begin. A makeup artist came over to get him camera-ready and as that happened, Josiah saw Protocide and Super-Patriot split up—not doubt to check the perimeter.

Super-Patriot was the easiest one to take out. Whereas Protocide had an unrefined version of the Super Soldier Serum in his veins, the Super-Patriot was like Zeitgeist—a regular guy given some neat toys to play with.

Josiah reached into the maintenance worker’s tool belt, drawing a screwdriver. He moved to the edge of the catwalk and got into position, then threw the screwdriver. The clatter caused Super-Patriot to stop and turn, walking back to investigate.

As soon as Super-Patriot was within range, Josiah jumped from the catwalk and landed on him. Before the Super-Patriot could react, Josiah slammed his head into the ground. He stole one of the energy pistols and held it low and out of sight, then quickly moved back around to get Protocide.

He found Clinton McIntyre moving around the perimeter. Josiah stuck close to the wall, slowly peering around. McIntyre’s back was to him, the shield affixed there. Josiah moved around from the corner and walked as fast as possible while still keeping his footsteps silent. He came close and grabbed the shield, pulling McIntyre back by it.

Protocide was stunned, but he slapped Josiah’s hand away just as Josiah tried to fire the Super-Patriot’s gun. Protocide followed with a punch that stunned Josiah. He recovered quickly and raised his leg high enough so he could stomp on Protocide’s knee.

It buckled under the force of the strike. Josiah yanked the shield off Protocide’s back and slammed it against his head. Josiah had him on the ground, gun in one hand, shield worn on the other. He raised the shield, about to drive the point into Protocide’s skull.

“Freeze!”

Josiah turned just as security opened fire on him. He brought the shield up to defend himself, the bullets ricocheting off. Josiah returned fire with Super-Patriot’s energy pistol, causing the security guards to take cover.

He used that opportunity to dart back into the soundstage. The time for subtlety was now over. Josiah fired the energy gun at the set and Keller took cover beneath the desk. The crew and audience all stood, gasping as they saw Josiah walk up to the stage.

“Everybody out,” he said. “Now!”

Nobody wasted any time protesting, quickly fleeing in droves. Josiah crossed the distance between him and Keller’s desk. He raised Protocide’s shield and drove it into the desk, breaking it into two.

Keller squealed and tried to run, but Josiah jumped over the desk and landed in front of him. Josiah raised the gun and Keller held up his arms.

“P-please, I have a family…” said Keller.

“I had a family, too,” said Josiah. “Until your little Freedom Force killed her.”

“What?” asked Keller. “I-I didn’t know anything about killing!”

“The H-Ray tech, Lohmer said he got it from you,” said Josiah.

“I never gave that lunatic anything!” shouted Keller. “Please you gotta believe me, this is all an act!”

Josiah lowered the gun. “What?”

“It’s an act! You think I’m really this crazy in real life?” asked Keller. “I just do this for the ratings.”

“You praised the Sons of the Serpents and Freedom Force,” said Josiah.

“Yeah, but that’s only because my boss told me to!”

Josiah narrowed his eyes. “Your boss…”

Edmund Heidler faced the window of his office when he heard the doors kicked open. He slowly turned his chair around and watched as Josiah X dragged Todd Keller into the room, throwing him in front of the desk.

“Edmund Heidler,” said Josiah. “I understand you’re the one to blame for all this.”

“I had a feeling it would come to this,” said Heidler, rising from his chair. “I knew a spineless weasel like Keller wouldn’t last long. I’d hoped he could maintain his convictions long enough for you to kill him on camera, but no matter. I think your reputation is already damaged beyond repair.”

“Who the hell are you?” asked Josiah.

“After Hitler’s death at the hands of the original Human Torch, Arnim Zola couldn’t stand for that,” said Heidler. “And so he transferred the Fuhrer’s consciousness into the body of a clone.”

“But the Avengers files…” said Josiah. “All the clones were destroyed.”

Heidler smiled and raised his index finger. “All but one. Unfortunately, I did not retain the full memory of my predecessors. I’m but a shadow of the Fuhrer’s greatness. But I knew enough to build up an empire, using the techniques he and his propaganda masters perfected in Germany decades ago.”

“Vulpine,” said Josiah.

“My greatest achievement was to do what my predecessors never could,” said Heidler. “From the Vulpine satellite, the H-Rays would be beamed down across the planet. It would increase the hatred simmering just below the surface of all Americans.”

“So ever since I became Captain America,” said Josiah. “All the hatred, all the smear campaigns, it was all because you used some satellite to heighten people’s anger?”

Heidler laughed, standing from his desk and circling around, hands clasped behind his back. “Oh no, you misunderstand me. You see, the satellite failed.”

“There is no H-Ray satellite. We couldn’t get the technology to work,” said Heidler. “But this country is so divided, all it took was striking a match and then employing the correct people to fan the flames. Men like Keller and the Sons of the Serpent.”

“Why are you telling me all this?” asked Josiah.

“Because it no longer matters.” Heidler raised his arm from behind his back, revealing he held a gun in a gloved hand. And before Josiah could react, Heidler put two bullets in Keller’s head.

Josiah raised the Super-Patriot’s gun just as Heidler pointed his own pistol at Josiah.

“So what now?” asked Josiah. “If you think I’m going to go down as easily as Keller, then you’re in for a surprise.”

“Again, you misunderstand. This was never about killing you, Josiah. This was about destroying you. And now I have.” Heidler chuckled and then put the gun to his own head. “Heil Hitler.”

BANG

Avengers Island 

After all of Josiah’s things went up in flames in his home, the only belongings he had left were a few changes of clothes he kept in his quarters on Avengers Island. He gathered the last of those up, placing them in a bag and zipping it up. He looked at the armored blue tunic of his uniform, running his hands over the white star, and then touching the vibranium/adamantium shield for the last time.

“So that’s it?”

Josiah turned around and saw Sam Wilson standing in the open doorway, arms folded across his chest.

“You just gonna give up?” asked Sam.

“What do you want me to do, Sam?” asked Josiah. “Heidler got what he wanted.”

“Only if you let him get away with it,” said Sam. “SHIELD forensics have already proven without a doubt that it was Heidler who killed Keller and then himself. The state’s said they won’t press charges.”

“And already people are claiming it’s a cover-up,” said Josiah. “Regardless, I did kill Max Lohmer.”

“Under the influence of the H-Rays,” said Sam. “Tony’s asked Matt Murdock to look over the case, and she says—”

“Tell Matt thanks, but no thanks,” said Josiah. “The Avengers don’t need this kind of heat on them. All it does is distract them from the job that needs doing.”

“So where you gonna go?”

Josiah sighed. “That’s a good question. Maybe I’ll send you a postcard one I get there.” He picked up the bag and slung it over his shoulder.

“You’re forgetting something.” Sam pointed at the shield and uniform.

Josiah looked at the shield and then back at Sam. He gave a sad smile and said, “No, I’m not. Take care of yourself, Sam.”

After a quick handshake, Josiah left Sam standing alone in the room. Sam walked over to the bed and picked up the familiar shield with both hands. He stared at it for some time—maybe too long—and then he scoffed.

“That would be wild…”

Sam set the shield back on the bed and left the room.

NEXT: War of the Captains