Captain America was getting ready to attend a July 4th ceremony at the Capitol Building, along with President Roosevelt and other luminaries. He didn't like these kinds of public showpieces, but he recognized that symbolism was a powerful weapon in a time of war. And the Fourth of July was, in Captain America's point of view, the most important holiday of the year. A day honoring independence. After all, that's what the whole world was at war about, wasn't it?
He put on his mask, polished up his shield and exited his room. Walking down the hall of the Justice Society HQ, he resigned himself to the uncomfortable personal appearance he was obliged to make. Entering the sitting room, his young partner Bucky, a.k.a. the Star-Spangled Kid, was waiting for Cap to appear.
"About time," the Kid said. "How much stalling can one guy do? You know you're not getting out of this."
Cap sighed. Bucky was right. It was unavoidable. "Don't rub it in. Let's just go."
They were heading for the door. Cap stopped. "Wait, I just remembered something."
"More stalling?"
"You're going to like this," Cap said.
Captain America left the room for a minute. Bucky paced and waited impatiently. Cap reappeared, carrying a second shield. It was basically triangle shaped, although the edges were slightly curved. The top edge had a red and white striped rim. The rest of the shield was blue, with a big white star in the center.
"What's that?" Bucky asked, interested.
"This was my first shield," Cap said, "I used it when I was training to become Captain America. When they developed the alloy for the other shield, I abandoned this one. But it arrived here in a crate from the War Department with a note suggesting that you might like it. I think it's a good suggestion."
"Wow!" Bucky cried, "This is swell!" He took the shield and admired it.
"It doesn't ricochet the way mine does," Cap said. "And it's not as indestructible as mine is. But it's a sturdy little piece of hardware."
"Its great!" the SS Kid said. "Thanks, Cap!"
They stepped out of the mansion where a staff car was waiting for them. The driver, a member of the military police, saluted respectfully to the red, white, and blue duo. "Sir, there's been a change of plan. General Blankenship wants you to go to the History Museum."
"Why?"
"I wouldn't know, sir," the MP said.
Cap and Bucky exchanged glances. They both grinned. They'd been given a way out of their public appearance. "All right," Cap said. "Drive on."
At the museum . . .
Captain America and the Star-Spangled Kid were introduced to Professor Talbot, curator of the museum. Talbot was a tall, distinguished looking man with a white goatee and a monocle.
"You're prompt," the Professor said. "That's good. I like punctual people."
"What can we do for you, Professor?" Cap asked.
"Step this way," the Professor said. "I need for you to see something."
The Professor led Cap and the SS Kid to another room, to a specific exhibit. The 'Ages of Man' exhibit was a panorama depicting the five ages of the human race - The Ice Age; the Stone Age; the Bronze Age; the Iron Age; and the Steel Age. Each of the exhibits had been destroyed.
"Ruined!" the Professor said. "Smashed! Its inexcusable!"
Cap examined the shattered exhibit. "I'm sorry about this, Professor. However, I'm not sure why you asked General Blankenship to send for me. This seems to be a case of simple vandalism."
The Professor held out an envelope. "This will answer your questions. I found it here after the exhibit was destroyed."
Cap pulled the note out of the envelope and read it aloud to Bucky. "It says, 'To Captain America. I have smashed the Ages of Man as a symbol of what will soon happen to the human race. Your decadent country will be the first to fall, and as you are its greatest symbol, I challenge you to stop me. As I defeat you, so shall I defeat the United States! Meet me at my own game, if you dare . . . Winner take all! I shall have everything! Signed, the all-powerful ISBISA.' That's it."
"ISBISA?" Bucky asked, "What the heck kind of a name is that?"
"I've no idea," Cap said. "Maybe its spelled backwards. Let me see. No, that's no good. That would be ASIBSI. Maybe its another language."
"No, its not," a female voice said.
Cap and Bucky turned to see a tall and gorgeous woman entering the room. She had long red hair and the grace of a dancer. Her eyes had a twinkle of both playfulness and intelligence.
"This day just keeps getting better and better," Bucky said.
"Hi," the woman said. "I'm Patricia Savage."
"You're Doc Savage's cousin, aren't you?" Cap asked.
"That's right," she said. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Captain."
"Miss Savage," he said, smiling and shaking her hand.
Bucky cleared his throat. Cap looked at him curiously and then realized that he was waiting to be introduced. "Oh, sorry. Miss Savage, this is the Star-Spangled Kid."
"Charmed," Bucky said, grinning.
Cap interrupted. "What was it you were saying about this not being a different language?"
"Its not," she said. "My cousin verified that. He knows every language, even ancient ones."
"What is your interest in this?" Cap asked.
"My cousin is a sponsor of the museum," she said. "When he heard about this, he wanted to come and check things out personally, but he's quite a busy man. So I volunteered to be his eyes and ears here."
"I'd rather have Doc Savage personally," the Professor stated.
"So you've said," Patricia commented.
"No need to be rude to the lady," Cap said. "She's here to help you."
"Thank you, Captain," Patricia said. "I knew you'd be a gentleman. By the way, Doc did notice something else. The first five letters of ISBISA could stand for the five ages of man. Ice, stone, bronze, iron and steel. We're not sure what the 'A' is for."
"That's the missing piece of the puzzle," Cap said. "When we discover what the 'A' is, we'll know what his next crime will be."
"So how do we find that out?" Bucky said.
"What would the modern age be called?" Cap asked. "Possibly the American Age. We are the greatest country in the world. And he did mention wanting to destroy the United States."
"And he asked for you personally," Bucky added.
"So this is a direct threat to the sovereign power of the USA," Cap stated.
"But what's his target?" Patricia asked.
The group thought for a minute.
"Wait!" Cap said. "The July Fourth festivities at the Capitol!"
"That's gotta be it!" Bucky said.
"Come on, kid!" Cap said. "Looks like we go to the party anyway!"
Cap and the SS Kid ran out of the museum. Patricia chased them out. "Wait a minute!"
Cap paused. "What's wrong?"
"Let me come with you!" She asked.
"Why?"
"I've trained with Doc Savage for years," she said. "But he never lets me go with him on his adventures. He's so overprotective. I need to prove to him that I'm good enough to be his partner, just like the Star-Spangled Kid is your partner. This case looks good. It could be what I need. Let me work with you, please!"
Bucky liked the idea. "Yeah, let her work with us!"
Cap considered. He liked Patricia, and he was attracted to her. But that was no reason to let her accompany them. He couldn't start thinking with his glands. Still, she was trained by Doc Savage himself. Maybe she'd be useful.
"Okay, Miss Savage, you can come."
"Thanks, Captain," she said with a smile. "And call me Pat."
They got into the staff car and told the guard to take them to the White House gala.
The White House
The area in front of the White House was being set up for the big Independence Day ceremony. The radio reporters were all present, and permission had even been given for a limited television broadcast, despite FCC regulations against such things. Very few people actually owned television sets at this point, but the few who did were planning house parties around this rare broadcast.
The dignitaries were gathering. Already, President F. D. Roosevelt was inside the Capitol building, rehearsing his speech. Regardless of his failing health, Roosevelt was determined to be at this important moral-building event.
When Cap arrived, the first thing he noticed was the strong police and military presence. Soldiers and cops were visible everywhere. And he knew that undercover agents of the OSS and the FBI were mingling with the growing crowd. Snipers were stationed on overlooking positions. A few costumed adventurers were patrolling too, including Mr. Terrific, Amazing Man, the Atom, and Uncle Sam. Even the famous mystic Giovanni Zatara was on site. He had been asked by Cap to cast a spell that would illuminate anyone who had intentions of committing an assassination. So far, no one was glowing. Cap, Patricia and the Star-Spangled Kid moved through the area. They didn't spot anything suspicious.
"I think we may be on the wrong track," Cap said. "I don't think that this is the correct target at all."
"So what's our next move?" Patricia asked.
Cap tried to think of what to do next, but was distracted by the many people who wanted to meet him and shake his hand. He did his best to be casual and not show that there was anything amiss. Bucky tried to run interference for him, steering people away as much as was possible. But it seemed like everyone wanted to talk to Captain America.
Patricia racked her brain, trying to add a useful contribution to the case. Just then, she heard someone calling her. "Miss Savage!" the voice called, over and over.
She spotted a man in a uniform pushing his way though the crowd. He was a short, balding, stocky man.
"Miss Savage," he said. "Good to see you again, ma'am."
"I'm sorry, I'm drawing a blank," she said. "Have we met?"
"Sergeant Major Sanderson Meeks," he said. "I'm with the War Department. We met last year when you accompanied your cousin Doc Savage to the Project Apollo energy symposium."
Pat Savage nodded. She remembered the symposium well. She had pestered cousin Clark into allowing her to go as his guest. Once there, Doc Savage was appalled at the suggestion of the building of a terrible new weapon that could kill thousands in one blast. What was that called? Atomic! she remembered.
"Atomic energy," she whispered. "The wave of the future!"
"Cap!" she called, squeezing past his throng of fans. "Captain America! I have it!"
"Have what?" he asked.
"The 'A' in ISBISA!" she replied. "Atomic energy! The power of tomorrow!"
"Of course!" Cap cried. "I've been a fool! The ages of the past lead to the age of the future! The Atomic Age!"
Cap was surprised at his not having thought of this earlier. He was once asked to personally supervise the Atomic project, but rejected the job, since this ultimate weapon they were building went against his principals. But he still had security clearance and an open invitation to return if he changed his mind.
"We have to get back to the car!" he said.
"I'll clear the way for you!" Meeks said, and started pushing through the crowd. "Coming through! Important man coming through. Clear the way!"
They reached the car quickly. "Thanks a lot, Sergeant Major," Patricia said. "We appreciate your help."
"It's my pleasure to help the great Captain America," Meeks said.
"You're a good soldier, Sergeant Major Meeks," Cap said. "I'll mention your helpfulness to General Blankenship."
"Thank you, Captain," Sanderson Meeks said.
The trio got into the car and drove away. The driver asked Cap where they were bound.
"The airport!" Cap said, "And make it fast!"
Cap, Pat, and Bucky were on board a special plane, one of the fastest ever built. It carried them through the skies, en route to New Mexico. Bucky looked out, enjoying the view with youthful enthusiasm. Patricia watched Cap, who was sitting pensively, hoping that they would reach their destination in time. She sat down next to him.
"Do you think we'll make it?" she asked.
"We can only hope," cap answered. "With the JSA, I usually get around faster than this. People like Dr. Fate and the Sentinel was unusual ways of traveling. I'm getting antsy sitting in this plane when someone could be stealing the secrets to our atomic program."
"You remind me a lot of my cousin, Clark," she said.
"Thank you," Cap said. "I respect your cousin very much. A great man."
"He admires you, too," Pat said. "He always says that you're the greatest example of heroism in the modern age of masked adventurers."
"Does he?" Cap asked, proud.
"Absolutely!" she said. "You're the hero of heroes. Everyone admires you. And I've always wanted to meet you. That was another reason I volunteered for this. When I heard that your name was on the note, I knew you'd be involved soon. I was dying to meet you."
Cap smiled, feeling a bit embarrassed. "I'm very flattered that such a beautiful woman would want to meet me. I hope I don't disappoint you."
"I'm sure you won't," she said, gazing at him. "You'd never disappoint anyone."
Cap was uncomfortable with this flattery, but he had to admit to himself that he liked it, especially from a woman like Pat Savage.
"You know, I've heard some people wonder if you were one of those vendetta heroes," she said. "You know the type. Out to get even for some old score. But after meeting you, I can see that you're not like that. You care. You want to do the right thing. You're a good man, from your winged head, all the way down to your red boots."
"I love my country," Cap said. "I do what I do for the flag and for the Constitution of the United States."
"You're an amazing man," she said.
"I'm just doing what any good, patriotic man would do," Cap said.
"But you do something no one else can do," Pat said. "You inspire people. They trust you and look up to you in a way that no one else could ever compare with. That's your real power. And your only real flaw is your inability to see yourself as the inspiration you are."
Cap didn't know what to say, but he was left with a lot to think about.
New Mexico
Having radioed ahead, a car was waiting to meet the trio as they emerged from the plane. Cap told the driver to dismiss, because they were going to a top-secret location. Behind the wheel, Cap burned rubber, zooming down the less used back roads. He made sure that no one was following them.
"Where are we headed?" the SS Kid asked.
"The Los Alamos Atomic research facility," Cap said.
The car screeched to a stop at the guardhouse, which monitored the gate in the electric fence that surrounded the facility. The two guards stepped out of the guardhouse, guns at the ready. They were surprised to see Captain America step out.
"Wow, we didn't expect this," one guard said.
"At ease, men," Cap said. "You may have a problem. I need to get inside."
"We'll have to ask you for the password, Cap," the second guard said. "Just to be sure."
"Of course," Cap said. "Code Atom-Alpha-Thunder-Red 1776."
The guard nodded. "Go right in, sir."
Cap got back into the car and drove it through the gate. He pulled up next to the main entrance to the facility. He, Bucky, and Pat hopped out. Going inside, they met a soldier at the door.
"Captain America?" the soldier asked. "What can we do for you, sir?"
"I need to see the watch commander, right now!" Cap insisted.
The guard nodded, and led the trio to the man in charge of the facilities security. Major Atkinson greeted Captain America with pleasure but not without a bit of trepidation.
Cap explained. "I'm sorry to disrupt your schedule, Major, but I have reason to believe that someone may be planning an assault on this facility. We need to beef up security. Go to high alert status."
"What is the nature of the danger?" the Major asked.
"I wish I could be more specific, but I don't know that myself," Cap said. "Just trust me."
"As you say, Captain," the Major replied, and hurried off to galvanize his men into alert status.
"What do you think we're up against?" Bucky asked.
"I don't know," Cap said. "But they're idiots if they think I'll let them get away with this!"
Just outside the base . . .
Another car pulled up to the guardhouse. The two guards readied their weapons. Out of the car stepped a middle-aged, white-haired man in a tuxedo. He carried a fiddle. "Hello," he said in an affected voice.
"Stand where you are and state your business!" a guard ordered.
"I've been hired by one of your friends to come here and play for you," he said, positioning his fiddle to play it.
"Not very likely!" one of the guards said. "Now drop the violin and put your hands above your head or we'll open fire!"
"But you haven't heard me play yet," he said, running the bow across the fiddle. A wave of sonic energy assaulted the ears of the two guards. They immediately put their hands to their ears. The man with the fiddle played a few more notes. Before the guards could react, they got drowsy, unable to even find the trigger to their guns. The man played on, and soon the guards feel asleep.
"Good night," he said, grinning.
Out from the car came two more men. One carried lots of sporting equipment, wore an umpire's protective vest and a green mask over his face. The second man wore a white lab coat and a white ski mask over his head.
"The way is clear," the Fiddler said.
"Nicely done," the Sportsmaster said, and turned to the third man, "We told you ya won't be disappointed, boss!"
The Third man was ISBISA. "We're not inside yet," ISBISA said, "and we still don't have the plans."
"Oh, ye of little faith," the Fiddler said. "Come on, Sportsmaster. Let's show him what we can do."
The villainous duo marched into the base. Guards ran to stop them. They were immediately affected by Fiddler's hypnotic music. The Sportsmaster batted some baseballs across the courtyard and they exploded into clouds of sleeping gas. The guards were overcome. ISBISA nodded, satisfied.
Inside the base . . .
Cap looked out the window and saw that base security had failed. "It's up to us, kid," Cap said.
"I'm with you, Cap!" the SS Kid said.
The duo charged out of the base. Patricia hesitated until they were gone and followed them out.
Outside, the two villains were approaching the base door. The soldier on guard tried to stop them but the Sportsmaster beat him to the draw with a boomerang, and knocked him unconscious. They were about to go inside, but they stopped when Cap and the Star-Spangled Kid emerged.
"Well, look who's here," the SS Kid said. "Where do we know those faces from? Oh, yeah, from ramming them with our fists!"
"We're not going to let you inside!" Captain America said. "Give up now, and we'll go easy on you."
The Fiddler and the Sportsmaster laughed. The star-spangled duo launched themselves to the attack. Cap charged the Fiddler while the Star-Spangled Kid went after the Sportsmaster.
The Fiddler used his fiddle to try and place Cap under a hypnotic spell. Cap's felt his world begin to spin and his thoughts became muddled. He teetered, almost falling. The fiddler laughed and continued to play.
The Sportsmaster hurled his boomerang at the Star-Spangled Kid, who blocked it with his new shield. The Kid reached his foe, and attempted to lock up in combat. The Sportsmaster swung his bat at the boy. The Kid blocked it with his shield. Then the Sportsmaster tried some kickboxing moves to his young opponent. The boy, having been trained by Captain America himself, managed to hold his own in this battle. The Sportmaster got tired to the battle and unleashed one of his gas-baseballs, which choked the SS Kid. Taking advantage of the boy's weakness, the Sportmaster renewed his attack, knocking the Star Spangled Kid brutally across the courtyard.
ISBISA sneaked around the fight scene and tried to slip into the base. He met Pat Savage by the door.
"Stay out of my way, girl!" he said, menacingly.
"I may not be my cousin Clark, but I will not stand by and let you do this!" she said.
She surprised ISBISA with her martial arts prowess. She had him on the ropes for a time, but he staged an impressive comeback and overpowered the girl.
Meanwhile, Cap was barely holding his thoughts together, as the Fiddler continued to play. Any normal man would have been overcome by now. But this was Captain America, the sentinel of liberty, and he never gave up. His iron will was indomitable. He would not submit.
Focusing all of his formidable will power on the Fiddler, Cap threw this shield, with all the power he still had left. The shield didn't hit with its usual force, but it was enough to knock the bow from the Fiddler's hand. When the music stopped, Cap regained his senses. His strength instantly returned.
By the time the Fiddler had retrieved his bow, Cap was upon him like a wild panther. He pummeled the Fiddler with powerful blows, knocking the criminal unconscious. Once the Fiddler had fallen, Cap turned his attention to the Sportsmaster.
The Sportsmaster had defeated the Star-Spangled Kid and turned to see where Cap was. He saw that Captain America was sprinting toward him, eager to tear him apart. He tossed another smoke baseball at the Star-Spangled hero. Cap tossed his shield and intercepted the baseball, knocking it off into the distance. The Sportsmaster realized that he had run out of gas ball and so had to rely on more conventional means.
The sport-loving criminal tried to hold Cap off with his bat and a fencing rapier. But Captain America was a human fighting machine and his shield was more than the equal of the Sportsmaster's weapon. Cap got passed the villains defenses and landed a strong right cross to his jaw. The Sportsmaster was rocked by the impact. Cap pressed his attack. He repeatedly smashed the reeling Sportsmaster in the face. The criminal took a severe beating before he finally fell.
After the Sportsmaster was no longer a problem, Cap helped Bucky to his feet. "You okay, Kid?"
"It only hurts when I think," Bucky said.
"Then don't think," Cap said. "Let's just go and find that third man. You slip around the back."
Bucky nodded and they split up. Cap entered the base. He saw the man in white holding a knife to Pat Savage's throat.
"ISBISA, I presume," Cap said.
"Obviously," ISBISA said. "Your reputation is well earned, Captain. Don't come a step closer, or this poor little girl will need a new artery in her neck. It'll be very messy."
"Can I know who I'm speaking to?" Cap asked.
ISBISA shrugged. "Why not? It doesn't matter now. I'll be leaving the country soon."
ISBISA pulled off his mask, revealing the face of Sergeant Major Sanderson Meeks.
Cap nodded. "I think I'm getting it now."
"Go on, Captain," Meeks said. "Let's see if you're as clever as you're reputed to be."
"You were the head of security for the energy conference last year," Cap said. "My guess is that you overheard something or that somebody talked too much. You learned about the Atomic Lab here, and realized that the Nazis would pay you a fortune for those plans. So you invented this ISBISA identity and hatched this plan to steal them. The Nazis sent you two of their best agents, these traitors Sportsmaster and the Fiddler, to help you get them."
"Not bad," ISBISA said. "But not the whole picture. You see, I needed to find the place. The location was kept secret. I only knew of one person who had the location. You! I heard that you were a security consultant and were asked to be chief of the guards here. You must have visited here. So, I had to get you to come here again. Knowing that Doc Savage was a sponsor of the museum, I thought that the 'Ages of Man' exhibit was an appropriately ironic place to start. I left the note to bring you. You figured out the I-S-B-I-S in the name, but I knew you wouldn't get the 'A'. I figured your patriotic nature would bring you to the White House affair. I was waiting there, and put the bug in Patty's ear, to make her remember atomic energy. That led you here. I followed you."
"No one followed me here!" Cap said. "I made sure of that!"
"You're thinking too simplistically, Captain," Meeks said. "Who do you think sent you the old shield to give to your little partner?"
"It came from the War Department," Cap said. "Where you were assigned. You sent it."
"Exactly," Meeks said. "And maybe you've heard of those newfangled tracers devices? You can home in one them anywhere. I hid one in the shield. When you left me at the Capitol, I used the tracer to follow you to the airport, picking up my two partners on the way. While it was being fueled up, we slipped aboard disguised as one of the flight crew and hid inside. When you got out, we stole a car and traced you here using the tracer device to follow you. Thank you for leading me to my goal, Captain."
"You've been very clever, Meeks," Cap said. "But it's always the little things that trip you up."
"Such as?"
Cap grinned slightly. "Such as you not considering that the base had another entrance besides this one."
Sneaking in from behind ISBISA, Bucky slammed him over the head with the very same shield he had used to track them to the base. "Now that's appropriate irony!" the Kid said.
"Good work, Kid," Cap said.
Bucky bowed. "I know."
Later, the Major and his guards had recovered. They were taking Meeks, Sportsmaster and the Fiddler away. The Major thanked Cap and the Star Spangled Kid for their help. Patricia Savage pulled Cap aside.
"I can't thank you enough," she said. "I appreciate your letting me come with you."
"If Doc Savage asks, I'll tell him your help was invaluable," Cap said.
"I enjoyed working with you, Captain," she said. "You're everything your cracked up to be. Anyway, here's something to remember me by."
She kissed Cap. He blushed. She smiled. "G'bye handsome."
Cap watched her walk away. That's quite a girl. I hope I see her again,he thought.
"Time to go home?" Bucky asked.
Cap thought for a second. "What time is it? If its not too late, maybe we can get back to DC in time. I suddenly want to attend that ceremony."
Later that same day . . .
The festivities at the Capitol were an all day event. The closing ceremonies were starting and things were wrapping up. The last speaker had just finished. Suddenly, there was a murmur in the crowd that grew louder.
Captain America had arrived. He stepped up onto the stage.
"May I have the mic for a minute?" he asked.
"A pleasure," the master of ceremonies said, handing Cap the mic.
Cap addressed the crowd. "Hello. I apologize for being so late. I'm glad I made it. It's an honor to be permitted to speak here today, on the 167th birthday of our great country, at the foot of the Capitol building, one of the shining symbols of freedom in the world. And freedom is why we're celebrating today. Freedom is why we're fighting in Europe. Freedom is what this country is all about. From the day that our colonial forefathers won our freedom with their courage and determination, we have enjoyed a more free society than any that has ever existed. But the price for freedom is eternal vigilance. We can never be complacent about our independence. We can never take our greatest gift for granted. If the war in Europe teaches us anything, it's that there will always be someone who will try to take our freedom away. But that will never happen. Because our country is strong! Not just strong in the military sense, but strong in our hearts and in our souls. The spirit of the United States of America is unbreakable. No one will ever take our freedom away because they can never destroy what we stand for. Democracy! Independence! This country of the people, by the people, and for the people, shall not perish from the Earth! God bless America!"
The End. Happy Independence Day! And follow Cap to Justice Society of America #25 for his strangest adventure yet!