Three days later.
With Hydra agents in place and S.H.I.E.L.D.'s resources at their disposal, things moved swiftly.
Before Senator Stern's men could even begin tracking them, they were wiped out. Even the billion dollars they had stolen was taken away by truck, vanishing without a trace.
When Stern received the news that the money was gone, he was furious—but his opponents were clever. They'd deliberately left one survivor behind to deliver a message.
Bang!
After watching the video, Senator Stern threw his coffee cup to the ground, shattering it to pieces.
"That's outrageous! Those bastards!"
The video demanded another two billion dollars, or their dirty dealings would be exposed.
Speaker Nancy trembled. Seeing his boss fuming, he suppressed his fear of being cast aside and said, "Sir, they're treating us like fat sheep waiting to be slaughtered!"
A real gangster would at least wait before milking the same target again—but these people didn't care.
They'd taken one billion already, and now they wanted two billion more. It was endless!
"Do they really think we're easy to bully?" Stern roared, his bulky frame trembling with rage.
S.H.I.E.L.D.'s previous request for assistance had been rejected, and they'd even planned to sabotage S.H.I.E.L.D. operations.
And now, those same people had the nerve to ask for help dealing with the congressman who'd accused Captain America? How shameless could they be?
This was like an old man sneaking next door to "help" fix the hostess's pipes—then, when her husband returned home, asking him to close the door and draw a bath!
Naturally, Stern rejected the request, but that only made things worse.
He'd sent his own men instead, but they too were completely annihilated. Their strength was terrifying—rocket launchers had even taken down a pursuing helicopter.
If Stern hadn't used his political connections to pressure the police, law enforcement would already be involved.
They all knew the risks. If their dirty dealings were exposed, they were finished.
Stern even suspected that Alexander Pierce might be pulling strings behind the scenes—but old Biden certainly had the means for that.
Right now, however, there was no time to investigate Captain America. The accusations against him were flimsy at best.
They had no choice but to hand the matter over to S.H.I.E.L.D. and negotiate.
"Hold a press conference," Stern ordered coldly. "Say that Wickman's wife's death drove him mad with grief, and he wrongfully blamed Captain America. Apologize to Captain America publicly."
He knew he had to show sincerity if he wanted to negotiate. This was a peace offering.
What he didn't know was that the entire thing had been orchestrated by Captain America himself.
At that moment, Steve Rogers had gathered everyone in one of Pierce's secret underground laboratories—the same place where Bucky Barnes, the Winter Soldier, had once been frozen.
Steve, standing beside Sharon Carter, handed out bundles of cash from a metal case.
Dozens of agents stood in neat rows, each with a glass of champagne beside them.
Their attire varied—some were former special forces operatives, others administrative officers, scientists, police, gang leaders, or even chefs. Together, they represented every corner of society.
"From today onward," Steve said firmly, "I'll be taking command. Follow me, and I'll make sure you all live well. You'll never have to worry about survival again.
"S.H.I.E.L.D. is just the beginning. Our ultimate goal is to take control of the entire world.
Cut off one head, and two more shall take its place.
Hail Hydra!"
He raised his glass high.
"Hail Hydra!"
The room erupted with fervor as everyone raised their hands. Their faces were solemn, their eyes burning with devotion. To have a legendary hero like Captain America as their leader—this was confidence incarnate.
Sharon's heart swelled as she watched. No words were needed; their loyalty said it all.
Steve turned to Pierce and gestured for him to speak.
Pierce, though excited, was cautious. A fox like him wouldn't easily surrender the power he'd spent years building.
"From now on," Pierce said slowly, "the Captain will be our leader. We must obey him."
The others didn't even flinch—they'd already expected this.
Steve took a sip of champagne. "Sharon is my wife. Her words are my words. Her orders are my will. Do you understand?"
"Understood!" they shouted in unison.
"I can't hear you," Steve said, smirking. "I haven't eaten yet—say it louder!"
"Understood!" they roared, so loudly the walls seemed to shake.
Sharon smiled confidently as she took over command, immediately launching her first operation—one targeting Wickman, Nancy, and the rest.
"Someone dares to slander the leader," she said coldly. "The leader cannot be slandered. We strike back. I'll handle the arrangements."
The next day.
Every major newspaper carried the same headline—Senator Wickman Accused of Smearing Captain America!
Reports claimed that Wickman, unstable after his wife's death, had deliberately distorted facts to ruin Captain America's reputation.
Senate President Nancy held a press conference to publicly apologize for her lack of oversight. She even filed a complaint against Wickman, handing him over for prosecution.
In an instant, public opinion flipped—Captain America's name was cleared, and all the negative rumors were dismissed.
It was also a perfect setup for future scandals; any accusations could now be framed as political smear campaigns.
Steve read the paper with a faint smirk. As expected of politicians—they can talk their way out of anything.
"Honey, I'm heading to work," Sharon said cheerfully. Her radiant face glowed with energy as she slipped into a tight-fitting business suit, her white feet arching gracefully in eight-centimeter heels.
"Go ahead, and be careful," Steve said casually. He wasn't worried about punching in on time—his vacation wasn't over yet.
Besides, if he worked during his time off, shouldn't that count as overtime?
Slacking off was an art. Working seriously was impossible.
Just then, his phone rang. It was Tony Stark.
"Hey, old Popsicle! Guess what I just invented?" Tony's voice carried a smug grin.
In the past, Tony would never have shared his inventions. He trusted no one. But after seeing the news that cleared Captain America's name, he felt a surge of respect.
Steve had stayed silent through the entire smear campaign—no anger, no denial, no defense. Just calm.
And Tony still owed him—Steve had saved his life twice: once in a bar, once in Afghanistan.
Tony had even retrieved the original Mark I armor from Afghanistan as a keepsake.
So this time, he decided to share something big.
"Is it a new game?" Steve asked dryly.
"A game? Ha! It's way more exciting than that—it lets you fly!" Tony laughed.
…Why did that sound oddly suggestive?
"I'm serious this time," Tony continued. "It's a brand-new invention. Come to my villa. If you get here fast, there's pizza waiting. Ha!"
Tony hung up, leaving Steve shaking his head—but smiling nonetheless.
...
📢 Author's Note
The full completed version of Marvel: This Captain America Is Different (Part 1) is now available on Patreon!
✅ Part 1 Complete — 117 Chapters
Join the journey of a wildly unpredictable Captain America as absurd system missions, unexpected rewards, and chaotic adventures turn the Marvel Universe upside down.
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