Chapter 19: Meeting with the Captain America

In a remote corner of the New York countryside, Alexander Crowley stood patiently, his eyes fixed on the vast expanse of the clear sky above. It was a serene and picturesque location, far from the bustling streets of the city. The stillness of the surroundings was momentarily interrupted by the distant sound of an approaching aircraft.

As the Quinjet pierced through the azure heavens, a sense of anticipation filled the air. Its sleek form gracefully descended, leaving behind a trail of excitement. The engines hummed with power, echoing through the tranquil landscape.

Standing at the landing spot, Alexander couldn't help but feel a mixture of nerves and curiosity. He had been instructed to wait here for someone to pick him up, but the details had been shrouded in secrecy. He wasn't aware of the true purpose of this meeting or the person who was about to emerge from the Quinjet.

Suddenly, a shiny black SUV pulled up next to Alexander, and Agent Hill stepped out, her eyes fixed on him. She looked surprised to see him like she didn't expect to find the famous neighborhood hero in this remote New York countryside.

It was a strange situation for her since Nick Fury always seemed to know everything.

"Are you The Ghost?" Agent Hill asked, sounding confused and curious.

"Yes, that's me," Alex replied, giving her a friendly smile beneath his mask. He was surprised too that his true identity remained unknown to her.

He felt relieved to see a familiar face like Maria Hill, which confirmed a few things. First, not many people knew his real name, not even his guardian parent. Second, maybe he could still be able to access SHIELD's equipment under his house as he had suspected.

'But I should still confirm it with Nick Fury...'

"Director Fury didn't give me many details, but he said you were someone important," Agent Hill continued, still sounding intrigued. "We're supposed to take you to SHIELD headquarters."

Alex nodded, even more, curious now. It seemed like his journey as a superhero was about to take a big leap.

He pressed a button on his phone, signaling to Peter that the equipment was accessible now. Then he followed Agent Hill to the waiting Quinjet, its engines humming, ready for their next mission.

As the Quinjet doors opened, Alex's eyes widened in recognition. Stepping out of the aircraft was someone he knew, even though they hadn't been introduced yet—Captain America. Alex had heard a lot about him and admired his bravery.

Their eyes met briefly, silently acknowledging each other. Alex was thrilled to meet this legendary Avenger, even if it was unexpected. He hadn't expected to meet any of The Avengers so soon. He thought they would at least meet at the headquarters.

Approaching with a friendly smile, Captain America broke the ice.

"I've heard about you, how you've been helping to reduce crime in New York. Thank you for your service," Captain America said sincerely.

"...I didn't expect that. I thought you might scold me for being a vigilante," Alexander admitted, surprised by the Captain's positive response. It turned out Captain America was more approachable than he thought.

"Still, I appreciate it tho, I just did what I had to do..."

Steve Rogers chuckled. "Looks like my reputation was a bit lower in your eyes."

"Sorry about that. Anyway, aren't you supposed to be dead?" Alex asked cautiously, aware that Captain America was supposed to have died during World War II. It was classified information.

"Well, I thought you knew," Steve raised an eyebrow, looking puzzled. He turned to Agent Hill. "He didn't know?"

Agent Hill shrugged professionally. "Your information was classified. Only a few people know."

"Hmm, that was not really surprising, well," Steve paused a second as he furrowed his eyebrows as if remembering something unpleasant. "Unfortunately, I'm still alive and kicking despite being frozen for quite some time."

"..." Both Agent Hill and Alex just silently listened.

What Steve felt definitely wasn't something they could understand. Waking up in an unfamiliar place, in a different era, with different people knowing his friends or even family has either passed away or gotten a lot older than he was.

It was definitely not something you wanted to experience personally.

"Okay then, let me introduce myself properly," Steve stepped closer and offered his hand for a handshake. Alex shook it firmly. "I'm Steve Rogers, nice to meet you, soldier..."

Alex raised an eyebrow under his mask. "I'm not a soldier, but nice to meet you too. They call me The Ghost."

Inside the Quinjet, Alexander struck up a conversation with Agent Hill, curiosity shining in his eyes.

"So, Agent Hill, have you ever been on a mission with Captain America before?" Alexander asked as curiosity sparked within his eyes.

Agent Hill shook her head, a small smile playing on her lips. "No, I haven't. Steve here," she gestured to Captain America, "has been a bit busy... being frozen in ice and all."

Captain America chuckled, his eyes twinkling. "Yeah, I guess I missed out on a lot while catching up on my beauty sleep."

Alexander couldn't help but let out a laugh. "Well, I'm honored to be here witnessing this historic moment then. The meeting of Agent Hill and the defrosted Captain America."

Agent Hill playfully rolled her eyes. "Oh please, don't make it sound so dramatic. It's not like we're in a movie or something."

Captain America joined in the banter, a grin on his face. "You never know, Agent Hill. Life can be pretty dramatic sometimes. We're living proof of that."

They continued to exchange light-hearted remarks, their conversation flowing effortlessly.

As the Quinjet continued its journey, their banter carried on, laughter filling the air.

----

Meanwhile, on the other side of the city, Peter Parker was enjoying a rare moment of relaxation, indulging in a movie marathon in Alex's living room. He had managed to squeeze in some much-needed downtime between his crime-fighting escapades as the guy in the chair for Alex.

As he sat on the couch, munching on popcorn, his phone buzzed, interrupting the movie. Peter glanced at the screen and saw a message from Alexander. With a quizzical expression, he read the text, which simply said, "The equipment is accessible now."

Peter's eyes widened in excitement. "Woah, the equipment is back online?!" he exclaimed, nearly spilling his popcorn in the process. "This is gonna be awesome!"

He quickly paused the movie, not even bothering to finish it, and leaped off the couch with a burst of energy, heading downstairs to start it over.

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