The death of Captain America (part two)

"Sir, we have a problem. The marshals seem to have spotted the Winter Soldier. They're exchanging fire now. Things look like they're getting out of control..."

Brock Rumlow watched the fierce gunfight erupt at the distant street corner, bullets flying everywhere. Then he looked at The Daily Bugle's cameraman nearby, who had aimed his camera at that area well in advance, as though he could see the future. Only now did Rumlow begin to realize how serious the situation was.

Clearly, someone wanted to pin Captain America's murder on Hydra.

They had intended to kill him anyway, but being blindsided at such a critical moment and forced into the spotlight ahead of schedule left Rumlow deeply irritated—and deeply uneasy.

The comm fell silent again for a moment, as though Alexander Pierce were rapidly weighing the consequences of his next orders.

A moment later, his voice returned. "Leave the Winter Soldier alone for now. If he can't shake his pursuers himself, then he simply wasn't good enough. He'll have to pay the price for that. We have five backup Winter Soldiers we can wake at any time anyway..."

"The priority now is to confirm that Steve Rogers is completely dead. Since things have come this far, we absolutely cannot allow him any chance of survival. Otherwise, our great plan will be seriously compromised!"

"Understood." A cold gleam flashed through Brock Rumlow's eyes. Ending the call, he glanced at Captain America's lifeless body on the ground.

He had already confirmed that the man's pulse was gone, but as Alexander Pierce had said, they needed a more precise medical determination of death—perhaps even an autopsy conducted before their eyes—to be certain this man was truly dead.

Just then, a figure stumbled through the chaotic crowd and the line of agents maintaining order, then