The Savior of American Comics? I'm the Subspace Evil God!

Chapters 593-1103: The Death of Captain America (Part 1102)

"Thank you, sir..."

The wariness on Captain America's face finally faded, replaced by heartfelt gratitude. He nodded solemnly, "I understand. You're right. Right now, we should prove my innocence through legal means first."

"Then everything from now on will be done according to your arrangements, sir."

Upon hearing this, Alexander Pierce's wrinkled old face broke into an even wider smile, as if he were genuinely pleased that Captain America was able to understand and cooperate.

He deliberately feigned a very emotional expression, reached out and patted Captain America's shoulder forcefully, and said half-jokingly:
"Good, that's great... Captain, I'm relieved that you think that way."

“However…” he changed his tone, a hint of apology appearing on his face, “it seems I’ll have to make do with you for a while today. According to procedure, you’ll have to stay overnight in a S.H.I.E.L.D. cell before going to court tomorrow.”

"But I can assure you that I will arrange the most comfortable room for you."

After saying that, he personally accompanied Captain America to the office door, his face always bearing that gentle yet powerful smile.

He opened the door and instructed several trusted agents, including Brock Rumlow, who had been guarding outside, "Rumlow, take the captain downstairs and find him a quiet, comfortable cell. Take good care of him and make sure he gets a good rest tonight."

His gaze briefly met Rumlow's, a look that only they could understand flashing across his face. "Then, tomorrow, you few will personally escort the captain to the Supreme Court."

"Remember, be careful on the road."

Having been notified in advance, Brock Rumlow immediately understood. His face remained expressionless; he simply nodded slightly and replied in a deep voice:
"Yes, sir, I guarantee I will complete the mission."

Then, Brock Rumlow and several other special forces members escorted Captain America, who had temporarily lowered his guard but was unaware that he was walking step by step toward death, like a serious criminal being escorted away, and left the director's office.

The heavy oak door slowly closed behind Captain America, shutting out Alexander Pierce's old face, which still wore a gentle smile.

The corridor echoed with the crisp sound of the special forces members' leather boots hitting the ground, and the image of Captain America's muscular figure receding into the distance.

…………

……

The next day.

In the early morning in Washington, D.C., the sky is a strange mix of gray-blue and pale gold, as if foreshadowing an extraordinary day.

The iconic Collins colonnade and triangular pediment of the exterior of the Supreme Court cast large shadows on the ground in the rising sun.

But at this moment, this place, which should have been solemn and dignified, was completely shattered by the surging crowd below the main entrance steps.

A massive crowd gathered early in the morning, flooding the wide plaza in front of the Supreme Court steps.

Among them are loyal fans who firmly believe that Captain America is innocent.

There are also many busybodies who love to watch the drama unfold, constantly filming and live-streaming with their phones, simply wanting to get a close-up look at the juicy gossip.

There were also a large number of ordinary citizens, spittle flying, passionately debating with those around them, as if they had turned this place into an open-air forum about justice, law, and the definition of a hero.

Many of them held up various signs and waved them back and forth in the morning light.

"Release Captain Rogers! Heroes are innocent!"

"To believe in Captain America is to believe in the American spirit..."

"You sons of bitches, S.H.I.E.L.D., stop persecuting Captain Rogers right now..."

"Traitor Steve Rogers, it's time to tear off your hypocritical mask of justice and stand here obediently for your trial!"

"Nick Fury's blood will not be shed in vain..."

"Super soldiers are not lawless..."

Even before the interrogation officially began, a restless atmosphere, a complex mix of fervor, curiosity, and anger, filled the air, and it was already brimming with tension.

In the media area, which is located at the very front, reporters and photographers from major news media outlets had already gathered early on.

Among them, the most eye-catching were undoubtedly the broadcast van and interview team of the Daily Bugle.

They occupied the best positions, and the huge logo and the busy staff members subtly highlighted their authoritative status.

After all, the news of Captain America's capture was exclusively broken by the Daily Bugle, which also broadcast the entire process live.

Meanwhile, in the live broadcast room of the Daily Bugle, a far larger number of onlookers had already gathered than in front of the Supreme Court.

Dressed in a sharp suit, with his hair meticulously combed, John Jameson, looking as if he were about to host a grand celebration, was speaking animatedly and eloquently to the camera.

"...I know that almost everyone, yes, almost everyone who can understand English, has heard that old story about how the skinny boy from Brooklyn became Captain America."

"But on such a special day as today, please allow me to tell this old story again..."

Then, he began to recount his story like a bard reciting an epic:
"Steve Rogers, a skinny New York boy, experienced both the best and worst of times in America during that era. He witnessed the atrocities committed by the Nazis across the ocean in Europe, and his blood boiled with patriotism. He longed to join the army and serve his country, but was repeatedly rejected because of his frail physique... Look, what a classic example of an adversity-driven start!"

He paused at just the right moment, allowing the audience to process this long-held sense of nostalgia, before continuing:
"However, in the end, Lady Luck smiled upon Steve Rogers... His unique character and courage successfully impressed Dr. Abraham Erskine, the head of the Super Soldier Serum Project, who then specially invited him to join, making him a potential candidate for the project."

"Back then, the small and thin Steve Rogers craved power, longed to be transformed into the strongest soldier... but not just to change his own circumstances, but to be able to go to the front lines like everyone else, rush to the battlefield, and take down all the enemies..."

Without a doubt, he was lucky in this matter. We all know what happened next; the great Captain America was born.

As he got excited, John Jameson waved his arms gently, as if conducting an invisible symphony orchestra: "In the ensuing wars, he transformed from a vase who could only wear comical costumes to do cultural propaganda and sell war bonds into a super soldier who saved countless lives in the hail of bullets."

"Without a doubt, he fought for his beliefs and for the ideals of this country, until he was frozen in time and until he was reawakened; he was always on the path of battle..."

However, just as the emotions of hundreds of thousands of viewers in the live broadcast room were all stirred to the peak of nostalgia and reverence, John Jameson's expression suddenly changed, making a 180-degree turn. The previous sentimental remembrance was instantly replaced by a seriousness as if the truth was about to be revealed.

"But... ladies and gentlemen, none of that is what I really want to say today."

"If any viewers have just entered the live stream, please allow me to introduce you to what you are about to see: a live report of Captain America Steve Rogers' public trial at the Supreme Court..."

"And the charge against Captain Rogers was..."

John Jameson enunciated each word clearly, ensuring every syllable was distinct: "Suspected of murdering Nick Fury, Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., as well as multiple felonies including endangering national security, resisting arrest, and assaulting law enforcement officers!"

At that moment, his gaze seemed to pierce through countless screens, seeing the faces gasping in shock before him. With a sly glint in his eyes, he continued:
“I know this charge is shocking… Believe me, when I first heard the news, my reaction was exactly the same as yours now; I even spilled the latte my secretary had just brought me.”

"However, before you make your judgments, please take a look at an interesting video that we at the Daily Bugle have gone through a lot of trouble to obtain... I think after you've seen it, your thoughts may be completely different from what they are now."

As he spoke, he gestured toward the control room.

Instantly, the live stream feed switched.

A video, clearly filmed with a mobile phone, with shaky footage but with key details clearly visible, began to play.

It was none other than the video footage of the "fake Captain America" ​​attacking Nick Fury's car on the street and attempting to kill him.

The entire attack was filled with undisguised murderous intent, and the man in the video was completely different from the self-disciplined and always protective Captain America in the public's memory—they were like two completely different people!

After the video ended, the camera cut back to the studio, where John Jameson, looking somewhat serious, said:

"According to the provider, this video was accidentally filmed a few days ago in Washington, D.C."

"But strangely, in the past few days, he had tried many times to upload the video to the Internet or send it directly to the Daily Bugle, but all attempts failed... The video seems to have been subject to strict network interception by some mysterious organization."

"But none of that matters. What I want to say is..."

He spread his hands, adopting a rational analytical stance, "I believe many of you here, like me, have never really liked that arrogant, paranoid, and unscrupulous head of S.H.I.E.L.D."

"But even so, I absolutely do not believe that the Captain America we know would murder him in the street. Because that would be too irrational and too clumsy."

“I believe that if Captain Rogers really wanted to do this, he could have done it much better and more discreetly, and would never have left such obvious video evidence.”

He paused deliberately, trying to give the audience some room to think, and then added just a few seconds later:
"Of course, if the evidence is conclusive and proves that it was indeed our beloved Captain Rogers who did it, then you can just pretend that all my previous analyses were never said."

"So, faced with such a... well, clumsy frame-up, I'm really curious: today, in the courtroom that symbolizes the highest authority of the judiciary, will Steve Rogers be acquitted and exonerated, or will he be found guilty, imprisoned, and become a tragedy of our time? Let's wait and see!"

"Now, let's connect with our reporter on the scene, Emily, who is currently bringing us the latest updates from in front of the Supreme Court."

Soon, the live stream screen split in two.

On the right is John Jameson in the studio, while on the left stands a young, blonde, blue-eyed female reporter in a smart business suit, standing in front of the steps of the Supreme Court.

A gentle breeze ruffled her golden hair, and her cheeks flushed slightly with excitement.

"Okay, thank you, Editor-in-Chief Jameson!"

Emily's voice came through the microphone clearly as she turned to the side, allowing the camera to better capture the surging crowd behind her.

"I'm standing on the steps of the Supreme Court right now, providing you with live, firsthand news coverage. As you can see, the atmosphere here is like a giant powder keg, ready to explode at any moment..."

"In about ten minutes, the world-renowned Captain America, Steve Rogers, will be brought here by S.H.I.E.L.D. for a public trial."

"But as you can see, more than two thousand people have gathered at the scene, and the number is still increasing... According to reliable sources, the reason why this trial is being held in the Supreme Court, rather than inside S.H.I.E.L.D., is entirely due to the personal intervention of President Matthew Ellis and Secretary of State Ross."

"They did not agree to S.H.I.E.L.D.'s request to interrogate Captain America privately, insisting that the trial must be completely open and transparent, subject to public scrutiny... This is undoubtedly a major correction to S.H.I.E.L.D.'s previous 'behind-the-scenes' style!"

She spoke quickly, with the urgency characteristic of on-site reporting: "Please pay attention to the scene behind me. The public's emotions are very complex. Although there are quite a few dissenting voices, we can see that the vast majority of signs and supporters firmly believe that Captain America is innocent..."

They refused to believe that this living legend, the embodiment of the American spirit, could have committed such a horrific crime.

Just then, the roar of an engine and the sound of sirens came from afar, growing louder as they approached.

"Oh, wait a minute, viewers, look over there..."

Emily's voice suddenly rose, trembling with excitement, "It's the S.H.I.E.L.D. convoy! They're here!"

As they spoke, the camera quickly panned to the end of the street.

A specially made heavy-duty escort vehicle, guarded by several black SUVs and adorned with the S.H.I.E.L.D. eagle emblem, slowly drove through the automatically parted passageway of the crowd, like a black behemoth, and finally came to a steady stop in front of the Supreme Court.

The car door opened, and more than a dozen S.H.I.E.L.D. agents dressed in black tactical uniforms, armed to the teeth, and with cold expressions, leaped out and quickly formed a cordon around the transport vehicle.

Then, under the spotlight of countless cameras and eyes, the back door of the armored vehicle slowly opened, and two escorts emerged from inside, their hands bound to their bodies with specially designed magnetic handcuffs. Captain America, dressed in his classic red and blue combat suit, stepped out with slightly heavy steps.

At this moment, his 'battle armor,' which originally symbolized glory and protection, seemed to have become a label that publicly humiliated him.

The crowd froze for a few seconds before erupting into an even louder roar.

(End of this chapter)