Captain America

Sharon Carter

It had been nearly a lifetime since Calvin Zabo had ingested the potion that had irrevocably transformed him into the hideous Mr. Hyde. As a youth, he had been fascinated by old horror films, the classics. Dracula, the Wolf Man, Frankenstein, the Mummy, Bride of Frankenstein, and of course, Jekyll and Hyde… they were the films of his youth. What he couldn't figure out was how he could transform himself into one of those creatures of old to commit crimes today. He needed a secret identity, like the new superheroes and villains to have a life of villainy. At first, he needed to ingest the actual potion, a liquid, frothy like substance that he kept in a vial in his laboratory but overtime he learned to tarnsform at will, like the Hulk had done in recent years.

Nothing about Zabo's criminal career could be described as successful. He was a failure in all aspects of his life. He failed as being a criminal. He was always thwarted by at least one such super hero, whether it be Thor or Captain America or the Avengers, as a member of the Masters of Evil. His greatest success was when he and the Masters of Evil nearly killed Hercules and then, when he was recuperating, he and the rest of the Masters taunted and beaten Jarvis, the Avengers' butler. He soon got to live that down. He even tried going into Canada and tried to defeat the Canadian super hero team, Alpha Flight. That was another failure.

His current whereabouts, his current condition, showed his current failure to stay out of any jail. He was in the Vault, the prison for the super powered criminals. He hated to say it, because it sounded so child-like, so blasé, but it was completely, and undeniably, unfair. And he couldn't stand it any longer. He had to be free. Free of this infernal confinement. He was a scientist, for Chrissakes. He was meant for better and greater things. He was destined for greatness. And great people, with great minds, didn't belong in a jail of any sort.

That was how he began everyday when the daylight peeked through the tiny aperture above his cell. There was an electrified doorway leading outside to the other cells of his peers. But to his back, there was a window leading to the waters below and land ahead. The sun nearly blinded him on his cot when it peered at him at sunrise. It always gave him a headache and made him feel quite queasy.

Last night, he had tried to break free of his confinement. First mistake was not changing into Hyde while he punched his way through the electrified doorway. The thousand volts of electricity nearly fried him to kingdom come. He spent the rest of the night shivering like a leaf and throwing up all over the floor. Maybe that was why he felt queasy in the morning. He forgot.

Now would be different. Now he would make no mistakes. Now would be the time that electrified doorway would not stop Hyde or a bull elephant. Now would be perfect. Now he would make a doorway out of the wall and he would swim to shore. To the city. To New York. To Captain America. To break his vaunted shield and make it his own.

Zabo concentrated and threw his head back. The change was coming over him. It was painful these days. He thought that it was akin to Bruce Banner changing into the Hulk in the early days. He growled like a beast of old. He howled at the moon that hung perched in the sky with its sister, Sol, the sun. His prison grays were ripping, adapting to his new outward appearance. He touched his face, in agony, throwing his specs on the floor and crushing them, only seconds later, when he stepped all over them. He wouldn't need them anymore because Hyde had perfect vision.

The change took place in the span of a few heartbeats but it felt like an eternity. Suddenly, he was Hyde again and he was going to be free. He loved the feel of the new body. He was more powerful, stronger, nearly invincible. And this time he wasn't going to let Captain America or any other hero that interfered make him any less again.

Hyde punched through the brick wall and the sound it made was something akin to a BAROOM! The last thing he heard while he swam to shore was the Vault's klaxons ringing in his ears.

For Captain America, life was looking good. He had adopted a girl named Maria. He couldn't be happier. He always wanted to be a father when he got the time. Burt his career as a super hero and a member of the Avengers, he just never had the time. No he had and everything was just rosy.

It was really a sight to behold to see his daughter playing with her toys that he bought for her this weekend at Toys 'R' Us. She seemed just as happy as he was, watching over her. She had an innocent smile 'pon her face, as she whooshed the train set into a couple of Hot Wheels race cars that would put Nascar racers to shame just for the pure display of it. He returned her smile with one of his own.

The bad news was that Sharon Carter was there with him and she seemed less than pleased. She made it quite clear on a number of occasions that she didn't approve of his adopting this girl. Not that there was anything wrong with adopting a child but with his lifestyle as a super hero, she didn't think he would find the time.

Captain America simply replied, "I will make the time."

She wasn't and still isn't so easily convinced.

"I don't know about you," Cap said to Sharon Carter, "But I'm glad that the events of the last couple of days are over. Working with Undying and Maggott was fun and all but it just wasn't my style. The only team that I like to fight with are the Avengers and probably you, with SHIELD."

"Yeh, I guess you're right there," Sharon responded, still clad in her SHIELD uniform. "So, you're serious about Maria? I mean, really."

"Yes, I am, Sharon. She has no home, no family. I'm all that she's got. Anyway we have this great connection."

All heads turned to the television set when a flash news report came on. "This just in. Mr. Hyde has just escaped from the Vault and he is head toward New York. Repeat: Mr. Hyde has just escaped from the Vault. All New Yorkers are suggested to stay within their homes until this crisis is over…"

"I'm on it, Sharon," Cap said, as he vaulted out the window.

Captain America had to find Mr. Hyde. He could wreak havoc throughout the city if Cap allowed him to escape too long. He could be anywhere by now. But if Cap knew Hyde, he would attack the city before long.

Captain America bounded from rooftop to rooftop to find Hyde. He surveyed the city. People were going to and from work, shopping, or just leisurely walking for exercise. He wished he could take a vacation and enjoy life to its fullest. Maybe when this mission was over he would take one. And take Maria with him. She could see the sights of the city. New York was one of greatest cities in the world and one, even a child, should see it to its fullest. He missed her already. It was a good thing he hired a babysitter for her.

But he better keep his mind on business. He passed an old newstand. He heard a radio blaring in the background when a flash new report came on. The reporter said, "It has just been reported that Mr. Hyde has been spotted near the Neves jewelry store on 57th Street and Madison Avenue…"

"That's where I'm headed," Cap said, as he redirected his path of direction.

When he arrived at the Neves Jewelers store, he saw that it was chaos. People were running down the street, yelling about some sort of super criminal tearing up the store. When he landed in front of the store, he saw that Hyde crashed through the window and was foraging through the glass cases where the jewels were kept for sake keeping. Simple robbery in broad daylight wasn't his forte, Cap surmised. What then? He usually attacked super heroes, like Thor or even himself. He probably was doing this to bring him out to the open.

Captain America entered through the door and hid in a corner who had his back turned to him. He waited until just the right moment to attack him. "Okay, Hyde, this ends here and now. I'm not going to let you get away with those jewels. I'm going to haul you back to the Vault where you belong."

"Hide if you want to, Captain America, but I will find you!" Hyde yells.

'Obviously this guy is nuts.' Cap thinks to himself. He runs down a side alley and ducks into the back door of a store.

'When that guy first showed up, I was out in the street where he could hurt innocents. Hopefully this little "wild goose chase' will get him away from them.'

He came through the back of the store and noticed that it wasn't a store at all. It was a bar.

"Excuse me," he said walking over to the bar, "But have any of you..."

Just then, a pair of familiar hands grab Cap and throw him through the front window. "Thought ya' could hide from me, did ya'?" Hyde snickered.

Cap stood up, ignoring the screaming from every bone in his body. His lip was bleeding. Swinging his arm back in a graceful arc, he threw his arm at Hyde, hitting him right in the face. The force of the blow sent Hyde flaying over the counter like a rag doll. When he didn't stand up again, Cap assumed that he was unconscious. But as he approached the bar, Hyde suddenly stood up.

Cap easily dodged the flying fist, and was able to kick Hyde in the chest, sending him back against the wall. But Cap underestimated Hyde's speed and agility, and before he could blink, Hyde had leapt across the bar, and had Cap in a headlock.

And with a quick thrusting gesture, he slammed Cap's face into the concrete wall, smashing his nose, breaking his jaw, and rendering him unconscious.