"He Rests in Honored Glory" -- Captain America \ Unknown Soldier
by Kevin Schmidt
Chapter #1

The Universe for the most part is Marvel's.  The Unknown Soldier,
however is DC's.  The version of the Soldier I'm using was created by
Garth Ennis.   Tate, Jason, Dwight and the ever lovely Lori Anderson
are all mine!

	There is some harsh language in this story, including racial
slurs.   You've been warned.

I live on feedback!

On with the show.....


Jason Longacre sweated nervously as his green-suited "bodyguard"
looked down on his handiwork.    Across the room another green-suited
man marched a group of terrified Federal employees into the hallway.


	Jason looked up from the delicate splay of wires and
electronics.  "Where is he taking them?"

	The man, one of the Sons of the Serpent looked down to him.
"He is taking them to the cafeteria.  It's none of your business
anyway.  You and your friend were brought in for your skills."

	Jason looked back to the door that the hostages had just been
forced through.  It opened again and Dwight Morgan entered.  He was a
tall, slightly handsome, black man whose hair was losing the fight to
retain its color.  He was also Jason's best friend and confident for
more years than either of them would like to remember.

	Jason looked down at the circuit board on his lap.  He
finished soldering a wire to it and he slid it into the device he was
constructing.  If he paid attention to his work he could ignore the
pleading look in Dwight's eyes.   

	"Jason, they got a lot of people stuffed in that cafeteria.
And I think they may have shot some of the others."

	The Son looked and fixed Dwight with a hateful gaze and a
sneer.  "It's none of your business how we do our work.   It was your
little militia group that called us.  Go back to the cafeteria and see
if you can stop some of your people from whining."

	It was nebulous, wether the "your people" referred to the
militia group that Jason and Dwight belonged to, or wether it referred
to the fact that Dwight was black.  In the eyes of the Sons, being
born impure was an unforgivable sin.   Either way, Dwight tensed with
anger and his fists clenched.  Jason turned back and looked his friend
in the eye.

	"Dwight, see if you can help Janice and Gary with the guns.
I'll be finished with this in a bit."

	Dwight relaxed his fists and forced cheer into his voice as he
spoke.  "No problem Jase." He then turned and slammed out the door.
The Son turned to Jason and chuckled.  "You know if that nigger was
not your friend and decent with a gun, we would not have let him work
with us."

	Jason's own fists clenched and he felt an itch, a phantom
reminder, on his left leg.  "It's not a good idea to insult a man's
friends when that man is holding the detonator to a hundred pounds of
semetex.  You just remember, it was our contacts in this building that
let you run this scam."

	The son removed his cowl and slapped Jason on the back like a
buddy.  "Don't worry, son.  I was just playing with you.  Besides, it
is our manpower that is letting you get your little slice of revenge."

	Jason finished another connection and an led display came on.
"This isn't about revenge, Mr. Smith.   This is about patriotism.
This is about the government that's strangling our country."

	"Sure, son.  Stand up and tell me that."

	Jason wheeled his chair away from the bomb.  "You're a funny
man, Mr. Smith.   The bomb is done.  A couple of self contained
redundant systems with a remote detonator as well."

	Smith smiled, his 60'ish handsome features wrinkling.  "Good,
good.  It's a damn shame  we're not actually going to use this isn't
it?  It's a piece of work though.  You're good."

	Jason spun his wheelchair around, heading for the door. "Thank
the US Army, Mr. Smith.  They made me everything I am today."  With
that he pushed open the door and looked for Dwight.

	Dwight was farther down the hall, his strong hands gripping a
M-16, the haunted look in his eyes was worse than it had been for
years.  He was being throughly shunned by the Sons, left to guard the
cafeteria doors.  Inside, Jason could see Janice and Gary patrolling
the terrified hostages.   Dwight looked up as Jason rolled down the
hall towards him.

	"Jason we have go to talk, now man!  This is getting out of
control."

	Jason nodded and put a finger to his lips.  "Alright, but be
quiet, you don't want the Sons to hear you talk like that."

	"Fuck the sons! That's what I'm talking about Jase!"

	Jason spun and rolled his way down to the men's room, tapping
the door with his shotgun before going in.   Dwight followed soon
after.

	"Dwight, you're going nuts on me, I need someone here to stay
cool."

	"Stay cool?  That fall mess with your brains too?  This has
gone way too far!  I know you want a shot at that scum, but working
with these racist pricks?  Taking hostages?  Building bombs?  Jesus,
we used to be soldiers.  Where is this shit going to stop?"

	"Dwight, don't you remember what you promised when I made it
out of the hospital?  This can't stop.  Not until it's finished."

	Dwight's fist smashed into a mirror, his reflection shattered.
He took his hand back and put it in the sink, running water over it,
the sink filling with water and blood.

	"Jason, it's got to be finished.  Someone's going to die,
someone innocent if we don't draw the line somewhere."

	"We made the pact that night, standing on Rico's grave.   You
promised his daughter.  Now, you're going to stand here and say you
can't do it?  That you're afraid? "

	"Man, don't give me a guilt trip, I know what happened.  I had
plenty of time to think about it in the brig."

	"Well, maybe you need reminding.  There's a girl out there who
grew up without a daddy because her daddy got beaten to death in a
crummy Saigon hotel!  My spine got snapped, and I spent the next year
of my life in an effing hospital.  You spent that year in an Army
prison.  Dammit, that bastard has to pay.  Who knows what other lives
he's ruined?  You promised on Rico's grave.  Don't go backing out on
me now, if you do, he's won.  Do you want him to win?"

	Silence held reign for a moment before Dwight spoke.  "No.
Sometimes, the road..."

	Jason rolled up to him, tears falling from the paraplegic's
eyes.  He took Dwight's hand in a firm grip.  "Buddy, nobody's going
to die today but him.  We fool the cops into thinking that they caught
us in the act, then we make our demands.  He shows up, comes in.  The
Sons take their shot at him while our folks set the hostages free and
get out in the confusion.   If he takes out the Sons, we blow the
building on top of him.  It's gonna work. It's got to."

	Dwight grinned. "Yeah, you're right.  Well, let's go take it
too him, man.  Let's finish this."

*****

	"This is Portia Reeves reporting live for Action 6 News.
We're standing here at the Federal Building in downtown Cincinnati,
where just minutes ago a group of terrorists calling themselves the
Sons of the Serpent were caught in the act of placing a bomb inside
the building."

	"They attacked after normal hours, catching a skeleton crow of
personnel and cleaning staff. Those late night workers are now
hostages in a deadly waiting game.  We have no word what the
terrorists want, but ... wait!!  We've just gotten word that the
terrorists have made their demands. The police won't say what they are
yet, but our sources have revealed that a call has been placed to the
Avengers." 

*****

	Tension filled hours passed, both inside and without the
building.  The hostages huddled inside while the Cincinnati police
tried to figure out how to deal with the situation.  The night's
stillness was broken by the jets of an Avengers Quinjet as it came to
a landing in the street.  The doors opened and the stars extended,
revealing the form of a man, backlit by the shuttle's lights.  Captain
America's powerful form walked down the stairs, greeted by the
flashbulbs and lights of the press and a very relieved police Captain.

	Within minutes the Avenger was sitting in the mobile command
post, receiving a full briefing. 

	"It's like this Captain, approximately three hours ago, the
Sons took over the Federal building, taking who they could hostage and
shooting those who resisted.   The Sons have hooked up with a local
militia group, a real hardline anti-government group.  Most of them
are just farmers and vets trying to do what they see as right, but one
of them, a man named Jason Longacre", Captain Anderson gave Captain
America a black and white photograph of Longacre, "is an expert on
explosives from his military days.  He's supposed to still be pretty
damn good."

	"I understand the threat, but where do I come in Captain
Anderson?"

	Anderson chuckled and shook her head.  "Please, there's only
one Captain here now, call me Lori."

	"Alright, Lori, why did you call me here?"

	"When we received their demands, they specifically demanded to
see you..."

	The tent was suddenly filled with black and grey suited men,
many of whom wearing FBI hats and jackets.  A large, bald man
approached the Captains. As he approached he flipped out a badge
identifying him as Special Agent Tate.  "Excuse me, Captains Anderson
and America?  I'm required to ask both of you to remove your presences
from here immediately.  This operation is now under control of the
Federal Bureau of Investigations.  

	He smiled warmly as he put his ID away.  "Captain Anderson,
I'd love and appreciate your support and cooperation, but I need to
get my men established here."

	He turned to Captain America, "As for you, Sir.  It is an
honor to meet you, but your presence is no longer required here.  We
do not intend to meet any of the demands given, the United States down
not bargain with terrorists."

	Lori fumed, but her professionalism kept her from making an
outburst.  "Sure, Agent Tate, I'll be ready for when you need my
people."  With that, she hurriedly left the tent. Captain America,
however, stayed behind.

	"Agent Tate, are you sure this is the best course of action?
The Sons of the Serpent are a dangerous group."

	Tate chuckled and put his hand on the Avenger's shoulder.
"I'm aware of your history with the Sons, but with all due respect,
this is not a situation for costumed heroes.  We'd rather deal with
this through normal channels.   I hope you understand."

	The Captain nodded, "I understand, I won't second guess your
orders, Agent Tate.  If you need me you have my full backing."

	Tate smiled, "I'm glad we understand each other."

*****

	In the cafeteria a Son approached the group's leader, Mr.
Smith.   "Mr. Smith, Sir.  The feds ain't going to let Captain
American in."

	Smith grimaced, but soon the grimace was a smile.  "We will
just have to show them we are serious.  Make sure the men are ready
for him.  I'll arrange a display."  

	Smith turned, unholstered his gun and shot the nearest hostage
in the head.  She fell to the ground, her wound leaking out blood and
brains.  Smith grinned and turned, holstering his gun. "She's the
display.  However, I warn you, if you don't want to be the next such
display, you will improve your grammar.  Ain't is not a word."

*****

	Dwight  heard the shot.   He saw the Sons getting the body
ready to give to the cops.  Now, he was vomiting into the toilet, his
M-16 by his side.  His knuckles white and tense as his hands clenched
the porcelain bowl.  This had gone too far and there was no turning
back.

*****

	Captain America heard the shot.   He saw the young woman's
body spill out the front doors.  He raced the FBI agents there,
cradling the dead girl in his arms.  His face took on a grim resolve
as he saw the Captain America action figure tied about her neck.

	He could hear Tate yelling to some agents to restrain the
Captain before he could do something stupid.  It was too late though.
The Star-Spangled Avenger had already un-slung his shield and gone
through the doors to the building.



"Commit The Oldest Sins The Newest Kind of Way." -- Henry IV
sphinx@bright.net ********** Kevin Schmidt