Soldier

Bangkok, Thailand, Drag City

[The camera shows Bangkok at 2 am from above, before it spins towards a bridge. It zooms towards three trucks, who are driving over the bridge. The camera follows them as they continue driving. The trucks arrive at a road closure, where many men in black suits are waiting, while fences are blocking the road. The men in suits remove the fence from the street and two men in orange overall are giving the truck driver a sign to follow them, before they are waving the truck drives into parking lots. The camera zooms towards one truck, who is now standing still, before a man knocks loudly on the side of the trailer. The trailer doors open, revealing a bunch of motorcycles, while people are walking around.]

“Wow”, many exclaimed in astonishment, never having seen something like this.

“What is that place?”, asked Sirius with excitement. 

“Street Racing”, answered Tony.

[The camera angle changes showing two people race each other on motorcycles, while other people are cheering for them. Others look at motorcycles and others are drinking or chatting. The camera continues spinning until it stops at a tent, with two motorcycles, with four people sitting in it, two could be recognised as Ink and Yilin, while one checks the motorcycles, they are then joined by a sixth person, in a racing suit.]

“What are you doing there”, exclaimed Lily, with a scolding voice.

“Racing, cheering and eating”, answered Ink.

PRAPAI: And I won again. Who would have thought that?

INK (mutters under breath): Here it comes again.

PRAPAI: Of course it would never have been possible, without my beautiful Sky.

[He said, while walking, while walking over to one of the guys, Yilin was sitting with, who just rolled his eyes, while Yilin, Ink and the other guy were snickering, while Sky threw them a dirty look, while the guy who was looking at the motorcycles throw them an amused look, before shaking his head, before continued checking the motorcycle.]

SKY (standing up): Then follow.

[Prapai's eyes lit up and he excitedly followed Sky out of the tent, while Yilin wolf whistled.]

The guest snickers, while some looked confused, while others looked at the screen in disgust.

“They are doing it in such a public place?”, asked a seventh year Ravenclaw.

“Many people do it. We did it too”, said Ink, while shrugging his shoulders and putting his arm around Yilins shoulder and giving him a kiss.

Many people looked at them, varying from disbelievement towards sadness that the two hot boys were already taken. While some were plotting to win one of them over.

While Lily and Molly looked horrified at the boys.

YILIN: Will we see them later? Or are they going to Prapai’s condo?

PHAYU: As far as I know Sky, they will search for a silent corner and then rejoin us. Sky won’t leave Rain alone.

[The other boy nodded absentmindedly, while shifting excitedly on his chair. They continued talking, when suddenly a boy approached them.]

KHEM: Who is the best racer? I heard he was here?

YILIN: Hello, to you too. He is currently busy.

KHEM (annoyed): Whatever he is doing can last till later.

RAIN: You wanna get shot? P’Pai, will kill you without hesitation, if you interrupt him now without any good reason.

YILIN: But since you are so desperate you can race me, before you can try your luck with P’Pai, after all what makes you think that you can beat the best racer in the circuit?

KHEM: You? That will be easy, how old are you?

YILIN (smirking): Fourteen and let’s wait and see.

KHEM (arrogantly): I will be waiting.

PHAYU (shaking his head): Really Nong Lin? Do you have to provoke him?

YILIN (putting on a racing suit): What it’s not like he will live long, if he continues this behavior. He is just like this Stop guy you told us about, these people can’t lose and he will get a bullet through his skull, before he can do anything.

[He grins before picking up a gun and putting it in the waistband of his trouser, with an evil smirk. He put up a helmet, before sitting on one of the bikes, before driving towards the start, where Khem was already waiting for him.]

James and Lily looked horrified at each other, at their son's behavior. 

KHEM (arrogantly): Ready to lose?

YILIN: In your dreams.

[Both got ready, then the traffic light switched to green and both started driving at high speed down the race track. Yilin soon takes the lead and gets over the finish line first. He parks the bike, before taking down his helmet, before climbing down from his bike, just as Khem arrives, who angrily gets down from his bike.]

KHEM (angry): You cheated. How could a baby like you beat me?

YILIN: Maybe I’m just better than you?

KHEM: You better than me? In your dreams.

YILIN: Watch your mouth.

KHEM (mockingly): Or what are you gonna do? Go crying to your mommy.

YILIN: No, but this.

[Yilin pulls out the gun, pointing it at him and pulling the trigger, shooting him in the shoulder. Khem falls down with a cry of pain, while the people around them move away.]

“Are you insane? You can’t just shoot him”, Harriet cried enraged.

“How different it is from you throwing hexes and curses at each other?”, Yilin replied, with an eye roll at her hypocritic words.

KHEM: What the fuck. Are you insane?

YILIN: You asked what I would do. This is what I do to disrespectful brats. Go and never come back here or you won’t make it out alive.

[Many people gathered around, also many men in black suits. Yilin gave them a sign and the two grabbed Khem, taking him away, while Phayu walked towards him, shaking his head in despair, with a phone in his hand.]

PHAYU: Teenager.

YILIN: What? You would have done the same.

YILIN (after a short pause): Eventually.

PHAYU: Aunt Natasha calls, it's for you. Something happened.

YILIN: Damn.

[Yilin gives the phone to Phayu, before taking the phone, answering Natashas call.]

YILIN: Aunty Tasha? What happened?

NATASHA: You have to come in. Clint has been compromised, you will be briefed in on the way. I know you have school, but Phayu said he will talk with Wu Xie and Pete. They will excuse you, till you aren’t there and Ink will share his notes with you. A yet is already at the airport.

YILIN: I understand. I’m on my way.

[He hung up, before walking back towards Phayu, Rain and Ink, who were standing with Prapai and Sky, who got back already.]

PRAPAI: Nice race, Nong.

YILIN: Thanks P’Pai, but I have to go, Aunt Tasha needs me. Don’t know when I will be back.

[The mood went a little sour. They knew it was a serious situation, if Yilin was called in. They hugged Yilin.]

INK (while hugging): Take care.

YILIN: Always. I will always come back to you.

Many cooed at the display of affection, finding it sweet.

[With these words he went towards a car, where a man in black suit was already standing. He opened the door to the car and Yilin went inside. Then the car started driving towards the airport.]

[A Brooklyn gym at night. Occupied by one man, beating a punching bag in the gym lights, alone on the floor, lost in the fight. The gym is old, as old as the man inside, Captain America, or Steve Rogers. He beats the bag harder, like physically hurting it will repress the memories.]

"What did the punching bag do to you?", asked someone with amusement, while many started to laugh, while Steve blushed in embarrassment.

[FLASHBACK]

[Hydra base, Captain America is running through a forest, dodging mortar shells, gunfire and Tesseract energy blasts.]

STEVE: [Echoey] There's not enough time! I got to put her in the water!

[In the present, Steve's punches become harder and more violent.]

[in the flashback, Steve places the compass he has, featuring a picture of Peggy Carter, on the dash as the plane plummets towards the ice.]

[The present, punches become violent and aggressive.]

PEGGY CARTER: [flashback voice] You won't be alone.

[Red Skull picked up the Tesseract and vanishes.]

[In the present, Steve is breathing the bag with everything he has, destroying it and beating his fists.]

SHIELD SCIENCETIST: [flashback] Oh my god!

[Steve is lying on a table, half frozen, and still partially trapped in a slab of ice. Two SHIELD scientists run equipment over him, checking for his vitals. Something flickers...]

SHIELD SCIENCETIST: This guy is still alive!

Many looked curiously at the screen.

[Present. Steve punched the bag, easily a hundred pounds, across the room with one swing snapping the metal chain and pummeling it back a dozen feet, sand spilling out from where he cracked the fabric. He stands up, breathing hard, and grabs another bag, resuming a more normal routine. Fury walks in.]

Fury: Trouble sleeping?

STEVE: I slept for seventy years, sir. I think I've had my fill.

"How, my boy?", asked Dumbledore, with a twinkle in his eyes.

"Science", answered Natascha. She did trust the headmaster, as far as she could throw him.

Fury: Then you should be out, celebrating, seeing the world.

[Steve stops punching and walks over to the bench, unraveling the tape off his hands. He sits down.]

STEVE: I went under, the world was at war, I wake up, they say we won. They didn't say what we lost.

Fury: I know that to well. When I left Britain, we were at war, still are. But for now, we've made some mistakes along the way. Some very recently.

STEVE: You here with a mission, sir?

Fury: I am.

STEVE: Trying to get me back in the world?

Fury: Trying to save it. [Fury hands Steve a file on the Tesseract, along with other files on HYDRA'S projects]

STEVE: Hydra's secret weapon.

"What is Hydra?", asked someone.

"You will find out later eventually", said Steve.

Fury: Howard Stark fished that out of the ocean when he was looking for you. He thought what we think, the Tesseract could be the key to unlimited sustainable energy. That's something the world sorely needs.

STEVE: Who took it from you?

Fury: He's called Loki. He's not from around here. There's a lot we'll have to bring you up to speed on if you're in. The world has gotten even stranger than you already know.

STEVE: At this point, I doubt anything would surprise me.

Fury: Ten bucks says you're wrong. There's a debriefing package waiting for you back at your apartment.

"Never bet with Fury and Snowflake over there. You will lose", said Clint.

While Steve mumbled: "I know that now."

[Steve turns and picks up a punching bag and starts walking out of the gym.]

Fury: Is there anything you can tell us about the Tesseract that we ought to know now?

STEVE: [Without missing a beat] You should have left it in the ocean.

[Out in the Atlantic Ocean, Tony Stark, in his Iron Man suit, is cutting a pipeline transport with a laser cutter coming from his hand. He then places a Stark Energy Reactor. It lights up. Iron Man rockets out of the water and flies towards Stark Tower]

Many looked at that in awe. They had no idea, that something like this existed.

TONY: You're good on this end. The rest is up to you.

PEPPER POTTS: [on the other line] You disconnected the transition lines? Are we off the grid?

TONY: Stark Tower is about to become a beacon of self-sustaining clean energy.

PEPPER: Wow. So maybe our reactor takes over, and it actually works?

[INSIDE THE SUIT -- PEPPER APPEARS ON HIS HUD MONITOR.]

TONY: I assume. Light her up. [Iron Man flies to the Stark Tower Building, the power is switched on the Stark sign lights up]

PEPPER: How does it look?

TONY: Like Christmas, but with more... me.

The Avengers rolled their eyes fondly at that. They may have been fighting just a few weeks ago, but they were still family. And nothing would change that.

PEPPER Got to go wider on the public awareness campaign. You need to do some press. I'm in DC tomorrow. I'm working on the zoning for the next three buildings.

TONY: Pepper, you're killing me. Remember the moment? Enjoy the moment.

PEPPER: Then get in here and I will. [Tony arrives at his skyscraper penthouse and is in the process of taking off his Iron Man suit through a hi-tech gauntlet of gadgets.]

JARVIS: Sir, Agent Coulson of SHIELD is on the line.

TONY: I'm not in. I'm actually out.

JARVIS: Sir, I'm afraid he's insisting.

TONY: Grow a spine, Jarvis. I got a date.

[Pepper Potts stares up at the monitors of the reactor device.]

PEPPER: Levels are holding steady... I think.

TONY: Of course, they are, I was directly involved. Which brings me to my next question: how does it feel to be a genius?

PEPPER: Well, ha, I really wouldn't know now, would I?

TONY: What do you mean? All this came from you.

PEPPER: No. All this came from that. [Points to the energy in his chest plate.]

TONY: Give yourself some credit, please. Stark Tower is your baby. Give yourself... twelve percent of the credit.

"You didn't?", said Natascha in disbelief.

Tony just winced.

PEPPER: Twelve percent?

TONY: An argument can be made for fifteen.

PEPPER: Twelve percent? For my baby?

TONY: Well, I did do all the heavy lifting. Literally, I lifted the heavy things. And sorry, but the security snafu? That was on you.

PEPPER: Oooooh.

TONY: My private elevator...

PEPPER: You mean our elevator?

Yilin looked at Tony, disgust filling her eyes, while Tony just rolled his eyes at him.

“It’s not different from you and your race track”, he said.

“This is different, which teenagers wants to hear about their uncles sex life?”, asked Yilin in disgust.

“He has a point there”, said Sam.

TONY: Was steaming with sweaty workmen. I'm going to pay for that comment about percentages in some subtle ways later, aren't I?

[Pepper pours herself and Tony a glass of champagne.]

PEPPER: Not gonna be that subtle.

TONY: I'll tell you what. Next building's gonna say 'Potts' on the tower.

PEPPER: On the lease.

TONY: Call your mom, can you bunk over?

JARVIS: Sir, the telephone. I'm afraid my protocols are being overwritten.

COULSON: Stark, we need to talk.

[Tony picks up his phone and looks into it at Coulson.]

TONY: You have reached the life model decoy of Tony Stark, please leave a message.

COULSON: This is urgent.

TONY: Then leave it urgently. [At that moment the elevator door opens, and Coulson appears.]

"Do you take anything serious?", asked Lily, annoyed.

"Important things, yes", said Tony, with a provoking smile.

TONY: Security breach. [To Pepper] That's on you.

COULSON: Mr. Stark

PEPPER: Phil! Come in.

TONY: Phil? Uh, his first name is Agent.

PEPPER: Come on in, we're celebrating.

COULSON: I can't stay

TONY: Which is why he can't stay.

"Someone is jealous", was heard from Sam, Bucky, Ink and Yilin.

COULSON: We need you to look this over. [He holds out a file towards Tony] Soon as possible.

TONY: I don't like being handed things.

PEPPER: That's alright, because I love to be handed things. So, let's trade. [She passes her glass of champagne to Coulson, takes the file from him, then takes Tony's glass of champagne while passing the file over to Tony] Thank you.

TONY: Official consulting hours are between eight and five every other Thursday.

COULSON: This isn't a consultation.

PEPPER: Is this about The Avengers? Which I... I know nothing about.

"Are you telling Pepper everything?", asked Steve, with a natural expression.

"Not everything. Bits and pieces. That with the Avengers just slipped, in my drunk state", Tony grumbled.

TONY: The Avengers Initiative was scrapped, I thought. And I didn't even qualify.

PEPPER: I didn't know that either.

TONY: Yeah, apparently, I'm volatile, self-obsessed, don't play well with others.

PEPPER: That I did know.

COULSON: This isn't about personality profiles anymore.

TONY: Whatever. Miss Potts, got a minute? [Pepper walks over to Tony who places the files into his own databases.]

TONY: You know, I thought we were having a moment.

PEPPER: I was having twelve percent of a moment. This seems serious, Phil's pretty shaken.

TONY: How did you notice? Why is he Phil?

"Someone's jealous", was now sing songed by Yilin, Natascha and Clint.

While Steve looked a little bit jealous, if you knew him well enough.

PEPPER: What is all of this?

TONY: This is, uh... [Tony expands his arms and different profiles appear in holographic form floating in the air in front of Tony and Pepper.] This.

[Screens appear of Captain America in action, the Hulk roaring as he attacks the army at Culver University, and Thor fighting the Destroyer in New Mexico. Another is of Loki and the Tesseract to which Tony and Pepper look at in awe]

PEPPER: I'm going to take the jet to DC tonight.

TONY: Tomorrow.

PEPPER: You've got homework. You've got a lot of homework.

TONY: Well, what if I didn't?

PEPPER: If you didn't?

TONY: Yeah.

PEPPER: You mean if you finished? [Tony nods his head] Well, um...then. [She whispers something in his ear. Tony gasps. Coulson looks away in embarrassment.]

Many looked disgusted at the screen.

TONY: Square deal. It's the last date.

[Pepper kisses him.]

PEPPER: Work hard.

[As Pepper leaves with Agent Coulson, Tony grabs the Tesseract in holograph form, worried.]