//------------------------------// // Epilogue: Part 1 // Story: The six headed HYDRA // by Malcolm Merlyn //------------------------------// "Can't a guy grab lunch without being swarmed by a few hundred children?" Cap asked himself in total despair as he looked at the line that had formed around him. Bucky too, got attention, but not as much as Cap who had to deal with a fanbase that might as well as called itself HYDRA. Sign one autograph, two more will take it's place. Besides their table, the waiter looked at the three German girls who were picking their teeth and Bucky, who was beginning to regret offering to pay for the meal. "Where... where did those three put all of it?" "Beats me." Bucky shrugged deciding not to ask for the bill. The empty plate, or rather PLATES indicated that Trudy did enjoy the meal thoroughly. As did Erica, and as did Chris. Steak huh? Deciding that money really wasn't that important he scooted closer to Trudy, his arm finding itself around her waist, to which she smiled at him, making no objections. "You got the photos right?" "Yeah. I got the photos. You have colored cameras here?" "Yep. I am surprised that they have HD cameras, but somehow mysteriously lack washer machines." "They have electricity... but why do they only use candles?" "Beats me. Electric bill too high?" Bucky laughed. "Oh right..." Reaching into his pocket, he pulled a pair of light blue envelopes, handing one of them to Trudy. "So... I don't really know how this works, and I think I am going to test it later, but apparently, even though I am... well... in an alternate UNIVERSE... I can write letters to you? That's apparently how this works..." "So we can keep in touch then?" Trudy smiled. "Well... that'll be nice." "Yeah. I was wondering... could you stay... for a while? Since you can seem to go at any given moment..." "I would but the thing is... duties... and... I have Neuroi to fight." "Damn..." Bucky sighed as he looked at Trudy again. They only met weeks ago, and yet... he felt as though she was his entire future. Being with her for as long as possible was exactly just what he wanted... if only... "But you know what? I'll write to you." Trudy smiled. "Send me pictures." Bucky replied. "And I promise, I'll see if I can't get you something nice." "Alright... alright..." Trudy giggled. Erica would make sure to document this in the deep corners of her mind to tease her older friend later on. All the while, an awfully particular man walked up to Captain America. You see... he was a MAN, not a kid. And apparently, he wanted an autograph. (He was also drooling... which was quite frankly disgusting but...) "Ca-ca...ca-..." Deadpool sputtered as drool left his mouth, holding up a pen and paper. "Are you okay?" Slade asked as he looked over at the guy. "You got hit on the head hard or something?" "Ca...captain America..." Deadpool hissed. "Autograph... precious..." "What the hell is wrong with this joker?" Slade asked. "Hey Asshat, go away. You're making a mess." "NO WAY. NOT UNTIL I GET MY AUTOGRAPH. NO NEED TO BE A DICK YOU KNOW!" Deadpool raged insanely. "Did... did you get your Autograph Mr. Wilson?" The Driver to Deadpool's car asked as the merc with the mouth slipped in with a wide smile on his mouth. "You bet Bob! Oh and thanks for flying that plane." Bob really wasn't sure if Deadpool was joking or what. "Flying" consisted of crashing a plane right onto a rock off of the coast of Manhattan. I guess that was the most he could have done since Deadpool pulled him out of a little girl's coloring book... only to be teleported into a crashing plane. Fun. Bob didn't really have TOO MUCH skill in flying, only read "Flying quinjets for dummies" which was one of the requirements of getting into HYDRA. And by read, Bob obviously didn't read the book. Screw book, I want my dental care... which HYDRA... didn't offer. Hey, at least they offered regular insurance... just without the dental insurance. Besides... who would want to have a HYDRA dentist look at your teeth anyways? Nazi dentists were pretty bad from the understanding of the public... but now that he got his pink slip, Bob now needed a new job that offered benefits. Deadpool was willing to take him under his wing as his sidekick, the only thing was "dental insurance" probably meant fist to the face if he screwed up. "Alright Bob, let's head on home, have a pizza, a few beers, and... um... hmm..." Deadpool stopped. "Okay. What do we do after throwing a really wild party?" "I dunno..." "Great! I guess I'll take a look at what the Author is planning! Perhaps some people may want to know! Besides. When do I get to be a main character in one of these? Okay. Bob. Write this down. Tell the author the following things. First. I WANT TO BE IN A STORY. AND SOON. WHY DOES MY ASSHAT OLDER BROTHER GET TO BE IN TWO ALREADY?! NO ONE LIKES HIM ANYWAYS." Eh... wat? "So. You brooding again huh?" Steve grinned as he found Slade hours later, standing on top of a roof. "You hate this place?" "My general opinion on most things." Slade replied as he turned around to find everyone else. "Listen Steve... this isn't over. HYDRA, whatever Mr. Fourth Reich was planning, what's coming is going to be a few billion times worse." "I honestly don't see what's going to be worse than HYDRA finding a way to cut into different DIMENSIONS. They'd literally be the masters of every world they come across." "No. There is someone worse. Someone far worse. Someone perhaps bad enough to outdo goddamn Nazis." "They sought to eradicate entire POPULATIONS. What can possibly be worse than HYDRA or any remnants of the Reich?" "Owlman. And the Crime Syndicate." Slade replied. "Owlman?" "Owlman. I mentioned a bunch of people I knew from "work" right? Think of them as the same thing as that little circus you and you friends run. They stop crime, terror etc... enforce justice... do good... bake cupcakes... yeah. You get the point. I broke into their headquarters and read the files. A man known as "Owlman" was on the list on their Top 10 people-we-better-kill-but-not-literally-since-we-don't-do-things-that-way." "They don't kill?" Cap asked as he scratched his head. "As in... not at all?" "Trust me. They find Red Skull, they'd rather bring him to the courts rather than put a bullet in his head. Funny right? A flawed way of enforcing justice. But I don't give a damn about justice, what I do give a damn about is some psycho-maniac who managed to devise a way to shatter reality." "What now?" "Owlman. He not only built a bomb that was able to shatter planets, but found exactly where to detonate it. The thing was, I found him weeks back. When we were at that weapons plant. He was there." "Was he the thing that kicked your ass? You looked like you ran into a train." "I wouldn't push it." Slade growled. "But he isn't a pushover like those thugs Schmidt hired. If he really is anything like the man who I think him to be, he is perhaps the most dangerous man in existence." "So why are you telling me this?" "Because if he is in Equestria, then he's found something he wants. I don't know about you, but I like living, and I do want to stay alive. So..." "You plan on stopping him." "I do. But I hope I do get a bonus for my time." Slade grinned. "You'll help if I ask?" "Sure. Don't need to pay me if this guy is half as bad as you say he is." Steve nodded. "Alright Slade, let's get you where you belong." "Alright then. By the way, good seeing you again. We had fun, right?" "Fun? Slade? Fun?" "Yes."