MCU: Skull and Bones

Chapter 74: Birth of a Villain

2013

Liberty Island, New York City

Underground S.H.I.E.L.D Storage Vault

(Omniscient POV)

"William Baker!" Cap bellowed throughout the smoke-filled confines of the secret underground storage facility. "This is Captain America. You are hereby under arrest for terrorism and conspiracy against the United States government! Release Sana Amanat and surrender yourself peacefully now or we will be caused to use force!!"

Baker stood frozen shocked and unable to believe the words directed at himself as he couldn't comprehend that he had actually done something that would warrant action from a superhero like Captain America.

He looked around frantically trying to find some sort of clue that explained his situation when he saw a flash of movement amidst the dense cloud of dark grayish-black smoky haze rising up from below.

"We've got you surrounded, William," came the harsh tone of Captain America's authoritative voice echoing clearly through loudspeakers placed strategically along various walls surrounding the perimeter of the cavernous chamber. "Surrender now otherwise, I promise you won't live very much longer."

Baker attempted unsuccessfully to scan his surroundings, looking for any sign of an escape route, knowing full well that there wouldn't be any way out of this mess unless help arrived fast.

Looking around at his men, who were currently huddled together with their backs pressed to each other and their weapons aimed out at the thick cloud obstructing their view ahead, clueless as to where the threat derived from.

"Do just stand there! Fire!!" Baker yelled, ordering his men to fire at random intervals whenever they see a target moving in the thick fog.

Fortunately, my team seemed willing participants in following orders and complied accordingly, shooting randomly in short bursts around them, hoping to scare whoever lurked outside into revealing themselves sooner rather than later.

As gunfire erupted sporadically from both sides of the large space, Baker stowed the metal case containing his prize underneath the front of his vest and tried to search for an exit point but struggled to see through the smoke seeping relentlessly into the atmosphere.

There didn't seem anywhere safe left for him anymore, nowhere he could run even should he manage to somehow evade capture. If he wanted freedom, he needed time - lots of it.

Time to think of possible ways out of this disastrous predicament because right now, he felt utterly powerless.

"Shit!!" Baker cursed aloud, feeling frustrated at being stopped when he was so close to getting away clean.

Suddenly sensing footsteps approaching from directly behind him, he whirled around on instinct, pulling his gun and pointing it straight ahead, ready to shoot whatever threatened to take advantage of his momentary distraction.

Just as his finger tightened hard on the trigger, however, Baker saw the beaten and frightened face of Sana staring up at him with wide fearful brown eyes filled with uncertainty and fear.

She was crouched down low as she had tried desperately to move silently away from his group toward her supposed rescuers but was caught in the act.

Baker smiled as he saw the woman and, grabbing her roughly by the hair, he dragged her closer threateningly while simultaneously aiming his weapon squarely at her head. Pointing the barrel inches away from her skull, he whispered menacingly into her ear.

"Is there another way out of here!?" Baker asked sharply, turning back to the rest of his men in time to see a colorful shield slam into one of their heads before ricocheting back to its owner within the smoke.

Sana hesitated slightly unsure whether or not to answer truthfully, however, seeing the determination etched deeply across Baker's features, she knew she'd be killing herself if she refused to answer honestly.

After hesitating momentarily, she answered quietly. "Y-yesthere is"

Forcing Sana forward, Baker ordered his men to keep laying down cover fire at any visible targets amid the thick swirling fog erupting forth intermittently from the smoke grenades detonating nearby.

"Don't make me kill you, bitch! You try anything stupid here, I swear I'll blow your fucking brains out, alright?" He added coldly, pushing harder upon her shoulders making sure the terrified woman understood fully.

Her expression became stricken with panic as tears started streaming freely from her eyes and quickly falling to her cheeks.

*********

Liberty Island, New York City

Underground S.H.I.E.L.D Storage Vault

(Captain America POV)

"We got two individuals peeling off from the rest of the group, I think it's Dr. Amanat and Baker!" Black Widow reported to me as she looked through the scope of the sniper rifle, watching all signs of life carefully amongst the smoke. "They appear to be heading south away from the main entrance tunnel. Looks like they might be heading for an exit."

Black Widow paused briefly, listening intently to instructions via the Comlink channel. Then nodded approvingly after receiving the message. She turned back to report to me. "Brock and the S.T.R.I.K.E team have secured the surface area and set up defensive positions around the Island."

I nodded slightly at her words as I quickly raised my shield in front of her to block a stray bullet fired wildly from the enemies in front of us. My shield arm swung downward violently, striking the incoming projectile which shattered harmlessly apart midair. Turning to continue advancing toward the enemy position, I told Natasha.

"We need to finish this and stop Baker before he escapes!"

The redhead grimaced as she took aim, rapidly picking off several unsuspecting foes using her rifle while I used my shield, effectively deflecting most attempts made by the enemies. "You go ahead, I can handle things from here!"

Taking heed, I lowered my shield, allowing her to pass underneath, before swinging upward powerfully and hurling it into three armed assailants standing side by side. My shield boomeranged off their heads, sending their bodies flying backward, before returning to my hand.

Taking advantage of the sudden opportunity created, Black Widow continued raining bullets down mercilessly upon the remaining members still alive among the opposing forces as I rushed through their defense and continue in the direction of where Baker disappeared.

Gunfire rang out from the battle behind me, but I kept sprinting through the rows of shelves until reaching the end where the corridor opened up abruptly giving access to stairs leading upwards toward higher ground.

Climbing up hastily without pause, I reached the top landing swiftly, only too late to witness Baker holding Sana at gunpoint as Brock and his men approached and closed in on them slowly, keeping distance between them as Baker slowly backed up towards the edge of the island.

As soon as they noticed me coming up, Baker pulled Sana close to him as she cowered beneath his grip nervously trembling uncontrollably whilst struggling futilely to break free. It wasn't working though, since he held her tight securely pinning her arms and preventing her from escaping.

Baker continued to inch backward, placing both of them precariously near the precipice overlooking the open ocean hundreds of meters deep below.

"Stay Back! Stay Away From Me!" He warned sternly forcing a steely gaze upon me. "Or Else!"

"Let's just calm down, ok," I said, calmly stepping forwards and cautiously lowering my shield in order to show no hostile intent whatsoever. "Look, I know about what happened to your daughter, and I understand why you might feel compelled to do such terrible acts to get justice for her...but that woman has nothing to do with this! Just let her go..."

Baker glared angrily at me, as he stepped closer to the ledge, getting dangerously close to the railing guarding the edge. "Shut up!! Don't fucking talk about my Daughter like any of you give a shit!"

The rage bubbling inside him boiled over finally bursting forth as he shouted aggressively.

"My little girl died horribly, victimized by those heartless bastards at Ozcorp! But where was the compassion and support back then?!" His voice trembled, cracking under the weight of his pain. "You despicable fuckers...you allowed them to escape justice time and time again! And now, you expect me to simply accept it all and move on!?! Absolutely not, under any circumstances!"

His hands trembled visibly, shaking as he gripped tighter onto Sana's neck painfully, choking her slightly as he pressed the barrel of the gun hard against her temple. The look of sheer horror written plainly across her face spoke volumes more eloquent than words could describe.

"Would your Daughter want this," I pleaded with the madman as I inched closer to them. "Would she wish for you to sacrifice your life in pursuit of revenge? Would she approve of the monster you've become?"

A flicker of uncertainty flickered in Baker's eyes upon hearing my words, offering a glimmer of hope that perhaps he hadn't completely descended into madness just yet. Maybe, just maybe, reasoning with him would eventually lead him to realize the error of his ways.

"No!" he vehemently retorted, his voice filled with conviction as he forcefully shook his head, though a trace of doubt lingered in his voice. "T-that's bullshit! All that matters is JUSTICE FOR MY DAUGHTER'S DEATH!!! Everything else... it's all insignificant!" His furious roar reverberated through the air as he glared at me, his jaw clenched tightly.

"Then take me," I boldly offered, taking another step forward with unwavering determination, purposefully ignoring the rational voice within me that urged caution. "Leave Sana here and take me instead."

"Cap, what are you doing!?" Fury asked over the comlink, but I just ignored him, continuing to advance steadily to close the gap between Baker and myself.

There was silence throughout Liberty Island as everyone waited anxiously for Baker's next move.

"Take ME!" I repeated louder. "And leave her alone. Let her walk away unharmed."

Eyeing me warily, Baker shook his head adamantly, refusing to listen to reason.

But something changed in him as he stared intensely into my eyes for a long second trying to figure out exactly what motivated me to offer myself up willingly for sacrifice did I genuinely care for someone besides myself...? Or was I simply trying to trick him?

Whatever the case may be, he realized that taking me captive was a far better option than having Sana.

With a crazed look in his eyes, he threw Sana aside, recklessly dropping her body harshly, causing her to crash heavily onto the pavement.

"America's Hero for a useless bitch, sounds like a fair trade to me!" He declared greedily as he reached out to grab hold of one of the straps of my shield holster. "So tell me, Captain, how does it feel-"

Before he finished speaking, his mouth snapped shut as I kicked him viciously square in the chest knocking him back against the railing.

"Arragh!" Baker grunted as his body smacked against the rail, denting the metal and knocking the air out of his lungs, causing him to cough vigorously, gasping loudly as he tried to regain his breath.

Struggling to regain composure, Baker raised his arm and pointed his gun at me shakily.

"Fire!" Brock yelled, ordering his other teammates to fire at will on our location.

Reacting quickly, I ducked and rolled over towards Sana, wrapping her up protectively as I pulled my shield over us.

*Rat-tat-tat-tat!*

*Rat-tat-tat-tat!*

A torrent of bullets tore through the air, banging against the metal surface of my shield in rapid succession. Some even pinging off buried under rubble littering the floor, creating loud echoes reverberating endlessly throughout my eardrums.

Glancing back, I watched as the onslaught of bullets tore through Baker's upper body, rending flesh and shattering bone. His torn garments were now marked by crimson trails, as blood spilled forth from his numerous wounds, cascading over his exposed skin like a macabre painting. The red-hot fluid dripped relentlessly, forming a pool beneath him, staining the surrounding area in his life's essence.

In a cruel descent, his lifeless form tumbled backward with excruciating slowness, plummeting several stories before finally meeting the tumultuous surface of the Hudson River, staining it with his dark crimson liquid.

"Cease Fire!" Brock ordered loudly, and I was finally able to breathe a sigh of relief as the gunfire stopped echoing in my ears.

Looking down at the woman huddled under me, I helped her stand upright unsteady legs wobbling uncertainly beneath her weight. Wiping the sweat from her forehead, I reassured her. "It's okay now, you're safe."

Her lips quivered weakly as she gazed at me with tearful eyes wide with fear. "Thank God, thank god you came when you did. Thank you so much...."

She trailed off as she hugged me fiercely, sobbing openly unable to contain herself anymore. Tears streamed relentlessly from her eyes as we stood there embracing each other silently, her crying echoing softly amidst the soundless chaos surrounding us.

"I-is...Is it really over?" Sana asked in a shaky voice.

I nodded and patted her back reassuringly, "Let's get you home, Ma'am."

**********

Buono Beach, New York City

A Few Hours Later

(Omniscient POV)

On a narrow strip of land gently sloping along the edge of the Hudson River, not far from Liberty Island, the waves rolled in rhythmically. It was early morning, and a family of four had settled down for a delightful picnic, savoring the tranquil atmosphere. The rising sun cast a brilliant reflection upon the sparkling blue waters, while the Manhattan skyline loomed majestically on the horizon.

They had arranged their blankets meticulously on the soft sand, and colorful beach chairs were scattered haphazardly around, offering a comfortable respite. Laughter filled the air, blending with cheerful conversations and the occasional excited giggles of the children frolicking in the shallow water nearby.

Suddenly, the tranquil scene shattered as one of the children shrieked hysterically, sprinting towards their parents with hands waving frantically and desperate screams echoing through the air. "Mommy! Mommy!"

All activity came to a halt as everyone turned their attention to the distressed child racing towards them, their faces etched with worry.

"What's wrong, honey?" the mother knelt down, arms extended to provide solace to the terrified young boy, whose complexion had turned pallid with fear.

"A...a man came out of the water! He's all broken and leaking!" he cried, pointing an accusatory finger towards a direction behind him.

A collective gasp escaped from the onlookers as their gazes followed the young boy's trembling finger.

Lying on the shoreline, near the gentle surf, lay the motionless body of a man clad entirely in black. His face and body bore the gruesome scars of numerous gunshot wounds, which oozed thick, viscous fluid that stained the dry sand beneath him.

The man's skin appeared slightly bloated from his time in the water, and grotesque fragments of flesh lay scattered around him, exposing the violent protrusion of muscles, organs, and bones from his ruptured internal cavities. Most chilling of all were the two sizable sections missing from his skull, revealing a void where his brain matter should have resided.

Witnessing this horrifying spectacle, a chilling shiver raced up and down the spines of the gathered family, freezing them in place.

The father, striving to maintain composure, knelt beside his son, gently stroking his hair as he fumbled in his pockets for his phone, intent on summoning the police.

Inexplicably, the chest of the lifeless body began to emit a yellowish-gray smoke, slowly rising and coiling like ethereal tendrils that meandered lazily, resembling wispy clouds adrift overhead. Gradually, the wisps dissipated into thin strands, enveloping the corpse.

Swiftly, the mist grew denser, obscuring the view as it snaked its way across the sand, gathering it around the man's lifeless form. The sandy particles clung together, gradually forming a makeshift cocoon, burying the man beneath its weight.

Within moments, the loose granules hardened and melded together, taking on a humanoid shape. It grew larger and heavier, fueled by an inexplicable force. In a matter of seconds, the sand transformed entirely, assuming the form of a rough male figure that towered above the astounded family.

The newly formed being possessed vaguely familiar features, eerily reminiscent of the deceased stranger who had lain lifeless just moments before.

"W-What!"

"Mommy!"

"Dear, get the kids into the car NOW!"

The family spiraled into panic, scrambling to escape the unfolding danger before them.

As they hurriedly fled up the beach towards their car, the newly formed Sandman paid them no heed, engrossed in examining the body he had now claimed. With a curious gaze fixed upon his hands, he sensed an awakening power surging from deep within, as if it had lain dormant for years, awaiting this moment of release. Testing its capabilities, he flexed his hand and marveled as the surrounding sand gravitated toward him, compressing tightly to form a massive fist. Upon opening his fingers, he effortlessly released the sand, allowing it to cascade freely, dispersing in a whirlwind of tiny grains swirling in every direction.

Observing the same phenomenon occurring throughout his entire form, piece by slow piece, he witnessed a transformation unfolding. By the end of the metamorphosis, he mirrored the appearance of a completely human figure, his sandy exterior even taking on the semblance of clothing, veiling his nakedness.

Satisfaction danced across his expression as he shifted his attention to the fleeing family, a manic laugh escaping his lips. His body quickly decompressed, shooting skyward like a geyser of sand, following behind them, disappearing into the distance amidst the billowing winds that swept across the vast oceanic expanse below.

Left behind on the sandy shores of Bueno Beach, a small, bullet-riddled metal case lay shattered open upon the wet sands, its contents tainted by dark-red stains, blood seeping forth from within.

***********

A/n: Hey guys, so how'd you like my spin on Sandman's origin story? Was the arc too long? Short? Did it make sense or need more explanation? Would you like to see more original origin stories like this in future chapters? Please comment and let me know!

I hope you are enjoying the story so far, and as always, thanks for reading!

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