Marvel: Mr. President

Chapter 64: 64. Cost Of War

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[A/N: Chapter has many illustrations/images. Check all paragraph comments.]

A day ago in the skies over the Arctic ocean. A strange plane flew over the frozen water, the destination being New York City. The aim was to drop bombs of unimaginable proportions, one that would take the lives of millions of people in a blink.

But Captain America fought hard and got onboard. He fought the Red Skull the best he could, only for the crazed mutated man to use the power no mortal was supposed to harness. What awaited him was the endless misery of guarding what he could never have.

For Steve, things were not good either. Sitting in the pilot seat, he noticed the plane locked towards the target and he'd have to force it to crash. But this was a price he honestly didn't want to pay, for he had made a promise. But, the words of an old man, the most respected mentor and his idol reverberated in his head, "Don't let me down, son."

"I won't." He muttered, reassuring himself of the vow he took when he joined the Army. It was to protect the motherland and the people. All his life he chased after glory and a purpose, now that he had it all, he can't forget those vows.

He contacted the wireless radio station to speak to Peggy. "I did it, Peggy. Schmidt is gone,"

"STEVE! T-that's wonderful, the runway is clear here, you can head back now," She was preparing to guide him on how to fly the plane.

"I don't think that is possible anymore. The control system is busted up and the destination is locked. I will have to force the plane down."

"I will get Howard on the line, he'll know what to do," Peggy's heart clenched itself as an automatic reflex to prepare itself.

"There's not enough time. This thing's moving too fast. It will reach New York soon." there was a small pause as Steve looked outside the plane, "I got to put her in the water."

A silent tear rushed out of her eyes, "Please, we have time, we can help you. Just wait for a second,"

"Right now, I am on the water, if we wait, a lot of people are going to die. Peggy, this is my choice. There is no other way. I-I'm grateful for this life and... and I think this is what it was all for." Steve replied, pushing down the handle.

The plane started to dive down straight towards the ice and water. There was not much time left, he had to say his goodbye, "I'm sorry. We just got married and... I don't think I will be able to keep my promise of having 3 kids together."

Peggy wept on the other side. Steve continued, "I consider myself the luckiest man alive to have gotten your love. But promise me, Peggy. You will start a new family. You will not cry for me."

It made her cry more. She cursed her luck, this was not the ending she wished for, "Ummhm," was all she could say as she didn't want to lie to him.

Steve saw the plane was just a few metres away from the ground, "Thanks for everything. I love you Peg...*Buzz*"

Radio silence took over the bunker Peggy was sitting in. The other operators left her alone, she wept, her head held down. The dream of a beautiful future with her husband was now ruined. A lifetime of solitude awaited her.

~I should have jumped on the plane with him,~ she thought. But they were merely what-if scenarios, what had happened, nobody could change.

...

Present Day,

It was a joint session of congress, Hector was supposed to give a speech there. He knew his image was that of a strong militaristic leader at this point, he needed to change that. So he wore his ordinary suit and put a pair of glasses on to increase his image of friendliness.

Then he walked to the podium, looking old with his white shiny beard, he stood up in front of the seat of the Vice President and the Speaker. He looked at the crowd for a minute, letting it silence down.

He fixed his glasses as his eyes shined. Taking a small cough, he started, "Members of Congress, the war is officially over today. A surprise, probably because most of you thought the war was over the moment Japan signed the surrender.

"No, it didn't end until yesterday. All of you know that Hitler was our greatest enemy in Europe, but you are wrong. There was something even worse and more dangerous. His name was Johann Schmidt, he ran an organisation called HYDRA, which acted as a covert experiment and weapons division of Nazis, but that was wrong. Schmidt worked independently, only using Nazi influence for his own purpose.

"During his reign of terror, he developed weapons like those that brought Japan to its heels. Yesterday, with the aim to drop those bombs on major cities of the US, he left Europe on an experimental plane. But, thanks to the hero, the first Super Soldier, Captain America's own ultimate sacrifice, Schmidt was stopped and the bombs destroyed.

"So today, before I continue my address, I wish for us all and those listening to keep them in prayers and notice a minute of silence in the memory of Steven Grant Rogers, General Chester Phillips and all the men, women and children that lost their lives in this bloody conflict."

Everyone in Congress took a minute of silence, some bowed their heads, some put their hand on the chest. Nobody spoke, not even coughed. It was not just them, nearly everyone that was hearing his words through the radio stopped speaking in respect to the lost lives.

Once the minute was over, Hector sang a song-like poem in his old heavy hoarse voice. If anybody else had sung it, it wouldn't have the same effect, but coming from an old man like him, it struck them just right.

It took everyone by surprise but soon a lot of the men, be the ones in fine suits, those with big moustaches or young faces, all had a hint of tearfulness in their eyes. The effect was even heavier on the rest of the world, as women visibly wept, men silently cried or sighed.

Hector thanked the original singer silently before starting, ~I will use this song, Mako, the voice of Uncle Iroh. If you exist in this world, I will change your life,~

[A/N: Play "Iroh Sings Leaves From the Vine (Little Soldier Boy)" in the background while reading this part.]

He fixed the mic to his height and started,

?Leaves from the vine

Falling so slow

Like fragile tiny shells

Drifting in the foam

Little soldier boy contemporary romance

Come marching home

Brave soldier boy

Comes marching home,?

While he sang that phrase, somewhere in Germany, a young soldier returned home after the long lost war. He had not received any letter from his family, and when he reached home he knew why. There was no home, only the broken destroyed walls stood erect, the remnants of the joyous laughter that echoed in there some years ago. The little soldier boy was confused, where was his family? What happened to them? Was he all alone now?

?Those leaves did grow

From branches overgrown

Drifting slowly down

Resting on the loam

Little soldier boy

Taken from home

Forced to fight a war

That's not his own?

Somewhere in China, a thin young 13-year-old boy stood tall, a rifle with bayonet erect in his hands, but shockingly, was missing one leg. Yet his face looked firm and resolved, his home was lost, family gone. He had learnt early, only to fight he was born. Cheers rejoiced as families cried, they hugged and smiled, kids came out of their homes finally with no cries. The young boy saw these giggles, he wanted to protect them. But the war was now over, that sight brought envy, and he only wished he had the luck of a four-leaf clover.

?Ash in the snow

Falling so slow

Like fragile, broken hearts

With no place to go.

Little soldier boy

Come marching home

Brave soldier boy

Come marching home?

In France, soldiers marched back home, their destroyed villages brought pain, but as the men hugged their loved ones the sorrow left their veins. Yet, besides the entrance of the village, a boy silently sat with a dirty toy in hand. In hope and eagerness, he stared at the road, wondering when his father would come marching home. Days passed, the houses started to get erect again, but there was no father yet to clear the boy's pain.

?He thought he knew

What he was fighting for,

But the sight of blood

Made him question war.

Poor soldier boy

Cold and alone,

Bombs fall like rain,

He's all alone.?

?Leaves from the vine

Falling so slow

Like fragile tiny shells

Drifting in the foam

Little soldier boy says

"Carry me home"

Sleeping soldier boy

Is carried home.?

In a farmhouse in Texas, an old single mother stood at the door, the military car stopped by her porch. A man in uniform with badges on his shoulder stepped out, but the true dread came when the priest got off. Her legs wobbled, then the military man and the priest took their hats off, that was a signal she knew very well, having faced three times already. Her eyes teared up and her legs gave up as she fell down, in a single war that the devil had raged on, this was the death of her fourth son.

This was the cost of war, no winners... only losers... and a lot of sinners.

[A/N: Honestly, there are so many similarities between Grandpa Universe and Hector. Grandpa has an unwavering will to be kind and is utterly intelligent while Hector is brasher and is more prone to being ruthless, he's more of a militarist. But in the end, both are old boys want to make a change.]

[See Peggy and Steve, Hector giving speech and the sadness of war on Discord - https://discord.gg/DgHkrAn OR see them on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/mister_immortal_novel]

LEMME SQUEEZE SOME BA... STONES!

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Special thanks to *DougErNuts* *Oluwatimileyin Olayemi* *BirdRant* *Franklin Walley* *Brennan Tubbs* *Kul*