“Sir, I think you’d ought to see this,” said a woman’s voice. She clicked on several items on her laptop computer before opening up a live video feed to a local news channel.

“…thanks John. Interesting news tonight, folks. Witnesses over at the West Coast have reported sightings of a man in a red skeleton mask. Although no reports of any of these sightings being true, many speculate this to be the Red Skull: Captain America’s former nemesis. Presumed dead after a giant battle with the old Avengers, only time may tell if these rumors become fact. In other news…”

The woman turned off the feed.

The man behind the woman was silent for a moment before speaking, “Get me the phone.”

The woman quickly got up from her seat and handed the man a cellular phone, which he immediately began to dial.

“Agent Smith,” said the man, “This is Nick Fury. Get me the number for the new Avengers, that Cap’n America broad…and while you’re at it, get me the serum. What? Don’t argue with me, Smith. That’s an order. Fury out.”

Shannon Carter, also known as American Dream, was the daughter of the agent known as Sharon Carter. When her mother disappeared (along with the Skull) when fighting alongside the Avengers and Captain American with a battle with the Red Skull, Shannon’s life turned upside down. With growing hatred for the Skull, Shannon honed her skills to become what her fellow Avengers know her as today…American Dream, fashioned after her hero, Captain America.

Being an Avenger was always something she never thought would become possible, considering the fact that the Avengers had disbanded and at the time, the loss of Captain America: her role model. Still, Shannon strived to become better, to one day prove that her mother is still out there. Till this day, Shannon has never believed in her mother’s death.

“…so, I’m going to take a leave of absence. Not for a long time, just to check out this Red Skull business over at California.” Shannon said, awaiting their response.

“Well, that’s no problem. As long as you’re coming back, it’s OK with me.” J2 said, breaking the silence. Shannon grinned and waved a sigh of relief. Just as she turned to leave, a ringing noise is heard as Jarvis, the butler, answers.

“Hello? Yes, yet she is about to leave. Where? She is taking a leave of absence...oh. Yes, one second.”

Jarvis placed the phone down on a nearby table and ran. “MS. CARTER! MS. CARTER!”

Shannon jumped in surprise as she placed her suitcases down and turned towards her friend. She smiled.

“Ms. Carter, before you leave, there is an urgent phone call for you,” Jarvis said, trying to catch his breathe. Shannon nodded and headed to the phone.

“Hello?” said Shannon.

“Am I speaking to Shannon Carter, a.k.a American Dream?” said the voice.

“The one and only.”

“I have an offer for you, Ms. Carter, this is Fury, I’m sure your mother has spoken about me.”

Shannon was silent for a moment. “Yes, she has. What is this offer you speak of?”

“I am sure you’ve heard of the recent sightings of the Red Skull, and hearing from Jarvis, your leave suggests you were headed there. I would like you to consider meeting me in California. I have a rather rare and familiar item that you may find…interesting.”

Again, Shannon remained quiet. “Where and when Fury?”

Darkness swallowed the area. An older woman was tied to a chair, twisting to get her handcuffs lose. She had been through this so many times, she knew instinctively to start to twist and get to a safe corner. Her eyes widened in horror as the green gas began to slowly escape a nearby vent. She looked at a nearby window and saw a sinister red face smiling demonically.

Shannon parked her car outside a small café in Los Angeles. She opened the door to the small place and immediately sat down. Picking up the menu, she skimmed over the different types of coffee the place offered and ordered an espresso.

She was an impatient woman. She hated waiting for anything and especially this. Nick Fury, agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. had information about a special item and the Red Skull and she wanted to know. Before she could think of more of it, Nick Fury was already sitting on the seat across from her.

“Hello Shannon it’s a pleasure to meet you.” Nicky Fury extended his hand to shake hers. Shannon ignored it.

“You haven’t contacted me in years, Fury. Ever since my mother disappeared I was left to live with my grandparents. All you did was come by and tell us that she was gone. And now, you want to see me.”

Fury jerked his hand back and sighed. “I’m sorry about that Shannon. It’s just that we looked for her everywhere, but all the clues we found lead to…death.”

Shannon looked away and held back tears. “Why did you want to see me?”

“Two things actually. One, we’ve found that yes the Red Skull is alive and we’ve pinpointed his whereabouts in the middle of Death Valley. Two, this is the rare item that I was talking about on the phone in New York.”

Fury took out a small vial from his pocket and placed it on the table. Shannon’s waitress came by and delivered her espresso.

“What’s that..?” Shannon said, picking up the vial and examining it.

“The Super Soldier Serum, a powerful formula used successfully only once. And I believe you know who that is.”

Shannon was amazed. This was a chance to truly become the next Captain America. She smiled, “When can I take it?”

The power flowed through her veins and she loved every minute of it. She could feel the strength of power of every punch and kick intensified. She was so lost in thought, she forgot where she was.

“Wake up, Carter. We’re here.” Fury said, piloting a helicopter to land. She tensed herself and her shield and exited the helicopter with Fury next.

All that was seen was desert to the left and desert to the right.

“Are you sure this is the right coordinates, Fury?” American Dream asked.

Fury took out a small mechanical device, glanced at it and shook his head. “Yep, this is the place. Let’s go.”

American Dream followed Fury as he walked a few paces forward before stopping.

“Abschaffen Sie,” said Fury. As he said those words, the ground began to tremor and shake as a giant metallic dome erected from the desert floor.

“What in the world? What did you say?” American Dream was in shock.

“It’s the codeword for the Skull’s base. We’d had a few of our men retrieve it.”

“What does it mean?”

Fury laughed for a second before looking emotionless. “It’s German for exterminate.”

The woman stopped twisting in her chair. The gas wasn’t lethal; she knew from experience. It was just car exhaust dyed to a greenish color. A voice suddenly was heard from around the room.

“I have saved you again, woman. Yet one day, I will kill you. I hope you will remember that…”

The dome was dank and it smelled of rotting corpses. American Dream and Fury tried to remain silent as they could, for Fury had located all the hidden traps on his mechanical device. Walking as if every step was a land mine, the heroes suddenly heard a loud voice booming.

“Welcome to my home, Americans. As you know, I am the Red Skull. And this is me saying, farewell.”

“Fury, look!” American Dream pointed to a vent below them as green gas started to slowly dissipate around the room.

“Shit! We’ve gotta move and move fast!”

Fury and Dream started to run like never before, as green gas was circulating through every vent. American Dream felt as if she could run for days as the serum’s powers were finally kicking in and she loved every minute of it.

“Dream! Look, a door!” Fury screamed, running towards it. He tried to slam it down but it was locked. American Dream grinned. She quickly aimed an arm thrust into the door and successfully mowed it down.

The room was pitch black. Fury and Dream couldn’t see a thing, except for a few sounds made something in the corner.

“Well,” said the Red Skull’s voice, “you’ve managed to escape the gas vents. I figured as such, but I haven’t had a good exercise in years.”

There was a brief silence until the lights went on luminously. American Dream looked back and saw her mother tied to a chair.

“…Mom..?”

Nick Fury started to cock his gun around the room. “Show yourself, ya filthy scumbag. I’ve got better things to do today.”

As if by request, the Red Skull appeared through the entrance where American Dream and Fury had entered the room from, looking demonically as ever. Wearing his traditional nazi garb and hat he grinned at his guests with pure glee.

“Fury,” American Dream said, taking out her shield, “Get my mom out of here. I’ll handle the skull.”

“But, you’re still a rookie and I…”

“Do it, now. This is personal, Fury. I don’t have time to argue, now move,” Dream stated, then looking over to the Skull, “Skull, you will pay for what you did to my mother. You and me, right now!”

She lunged at him with full force and hitting him off guard. He fell to the floor.

“Ughh...I’ll be glad to take on you American fools!”

American Dream jumped into the air and landed on the Skull’s shoulders, jumping slightly again to land on his head and bring his body to the ground. She smiled and signaled Fury to go now while the Skull was recuperating.

American Dream tensed herself as the Red Skull lunged at her with full force. Bringing up her shield, she absorbed the impact of the lunge and capped one in the Skull’s face.

“Face it, Skull. You’re way too old to keep up with this anymore. I’m taking you out of your misery, once and for all.”

She grabbed the Skull tightly by the neck and slammed him to the ground. The skull wiggled and twisted. Shannon could feel the serum pulsing in her body, intensifying her hold on the Skull. With a raise of her shield she slammed its sharp sides into the abdomen of the Red Skull.

As American Dream turned to leave, the Skull grinned.

“No…! You will not make it out of her alive! Aktivieren Sie Selbstzerstörung Reihenfolge!“ said the Skull in German. Red lights started to appear all over the area as an intercom voice started a countown from ten in German.

Relizing this wasn’t good, American Dream started to run faster she could have ever imagined. Reaching the exit, she leaped out the door as the entire doom exploded into a giant ball of red and yellow.

“SHANNON!“ screamed Fury as he stood outside. He ran over to her.

“I’m OK, how’s my mother?“ Shannon said, getting up quickly and running over to her mother. She lay motionless on the desert ground.

“Mom...? Mom, can you hear me?“ Shannon said, nudging her mother’s shoulder. Her mother flickered her eyes open and smiled.

“Shannon...oh, my dear Shannon...“

“Mom, it’s gonna be OK from now on. Right..?

Sharon make a slight giggle and touched Shannon’s face, “Shannon...ughh...before you came in, the Red Skull.....injected me with...with some strange material, I could examine it. I’m afriad this is it, honey...“

“....NOOO! Not after all this, I can’t lose you again! Not after I’ve finally found you. We have to help her! Fury, let’s get her to the helicopter and...“

“Shannon...don’t. I managed to stay alive in there for the purpose....ughhhh...of meeting you again. Seeing...your face. And look what you’ve become...someone I’m proud to call my dau....gh..ter....“

Sharon Carter took one last breath and said, “Fury....take...care of her...for me....“

She closed her eyes permenanetly.

She placed her head on her mother’s chest and cried. “Mommy...noo....don’t leave me again...please, don’t leave me alone...“

With a small tear in his eye, Nick Fury picked up Shannon and forced a smile.

“She was a great agent, Dream...and a great woman too.“

The two heroes boarded their helicopter and set off to the cerulean skies.