The Death Knell

Steve walked into the church a little dazed. It wasn't his first time here, but he had never walked like this.

Steve didn't know most of the people who could enter the church. Fortunately, there were a few acquaintances, such as several doctors from the logistics department who were friends with Howard. He also saw the blind Nick Fury here, who rarely put on his clothes. Wearing military uniform, he stood in the shadow inside the gate like a security guard.

"Steve."

Fury sighed and talked to Captain America, but seemed like he didn't know what to say, so he could only pat his arm comfortingly.

The black agent was not familiar with Mr. Wilson. He only knew that he was one of the important sponsors of the SSR and the Logistics Department, and that he and Steve were like father and son.

So he came, maybe his purpose was not simple, but he came anyway.

"Nick." Steve nodded to him and looked towards the altar. The huge coffin was placed on the altar: "Is Paige here?"

Fury shook his head and looked at the crowd in the front row: "She needs to go to the White House to meet the president today and attend the ministerial security meeting. She really can't leave."

Steve gritted his teeth but just let out a long sigh. He didn't say anything and walked straight forward.

The coffin was open so that relatives and friends could pay their respects to the remains, and Gin was standing beside the coffin crying bitterly, picking up a small handkerchief from time to time to wipe his eyes and cheeks.

At this time, a bald middle-aged man in a wheelchair was talking to her. The distance was too far, and Steve couldn't hear what was being said. He could only see the man pushing the wheelchair to the coffin and barely looking at it. There was a look on his face. His expression became extremely strange.

Then the bald man left the altar and returned to a corner without saying a word. Beside him was a middle-aged man with silver hair. His face was very serious. He was wearing a dark red jacket and looked dusty.

As the queue in front became shorter and shorter, it was finally Steve's turn. At this time, Xiao Wang and Mysterio were supporting Gin, who seemed to be crying so hard that she couldn't stand still.

Steve didn't know what to say. He could only wipe his palms on his pants and whisper, "I'm coming."

Gin looked up at him and showed a bitter smile: "Just come."

"What's going on? Why is it so sudden?" Steve was pulled by Gin to the coffin. Inside the coffin was a half-burnt corpse, wearing a crisp suit, lying among flowers.

A large headshot of Slade was nailed to the corpse's face with several medical staples.

He finally understood why the bald man had such a weird look on his face. It was too much to put a photo on his face... But even so, his heart was already filled with grief and he couldn't care about the details.

Gin said out of breath while wiping his tears: "Last night he went out alone. He said he was going to where you live to see you, and he brought you your favorite burger, but it turned out that he was on the way. He suffered a heart attack and was involved in a car accident. When the fire brigade arrived, it was with great difficulty that his body was pulled out of the burning wreckage of the vehicle..."

Xiao Wang duly handed over a brown paper bag at this time. This paper bag had traces of fire and dry powder caused by fire extinguishing agents. It had a black and yellow W logo painted on it, which is the most common Wilson fast food.

Steve reached into the paper bag with trembling hands and took out a burger wrapped in colored paper. The bread was already cold by now, and the meat inside had leaked grease, leaving a patch of moisture on the paper.

All this reminded Steve of the past, when he and Bucky went to the dock to look for work. This was what they ate and brought home. It was stuffed with minced beef and fried in oil. It was his favorite. Very familiar food.

Even after so many years, he still often eats this food, remembering the days when he was with Bucky, the carefree days when he was a child.

And as the memories filled the air, Slade's face kept appearing in his mind. He took the two of them out to eat, took them to the amusement park, and taught them many principles.

During World War II, he even flew through the German blockade to visit him on the front line. After the war, he also helped him in various ways.

But now, he died on the way to deliver burgers to himself, and even his body was burned like this...

Even if Gin didn't say anything to blame, Steve would never forgive himself. He hugged a bag of hamburgers to his chest and cried bitterly. He knelt down next to the coffin and reached out to grab the corpse's hand.

"This is all my fault. I shouldn't have not seen you for so long. Godfather, it's all my fault..."

He hung on the side of the coffin like mud, wishing he could jump into the coffin to get his godfather out, crying silently to death.

Holloway, who was talking to the priest on the side, quickly came over to help him: "Steve, cheer up. He has always had various geriatric diseases, but he just hid it from you. His passing is very sad for us." He sponsored my hospital to help poor people without medical insurance, and the charity fund he set up saved thousands of people. He is a good man."

It was okay not to mention it. When Steve mentioned this, he remembered that during the Great Depression, a small part of New York relied on Slade to survive. He was considered a saint by many people.

"Woo!" Steve choked, holding on to one of the corpse's arms and refusing to let go.

At this time, Howard appeared next to Steve, and Holloway picked him up one by one. He also said: "Don't delay for too long. He was very punctual during his lifetime. There is a clause in his will." I just want to be buried as soon as possible.”

"No, let me spend a little more time with him. It's all my fault!" Steve stubbornly refused to leave. He could spend a whole day with Holloway and the others.

Howard and Holloway exchanged a look, and the two of them dragged Steve out. Holloway persuaded him from the perspective of a doctor: "The body was seriously damaged, and even the undertaker could not repair it. If it is not buried, I'm afraid it will be destroyed." smell......"

Steve: "...Woo!"

Howard also advised: "Yes, there are so many people waiting to pay their respects and lay flowers. Even if you guard the coffin, Slade will not be able to survive. In his own words, it will be a dead end." ”

Steve: "...Wow!"

He paid no attention to what the two were saying, and just stared at the photo nailed to the face of the corpse in the coffin. The two dragged him two steps away, and he rushed back to the coffin as soon as he exerted his strength. After dragging him a little further, he rushed back again.

The three of them were like a see-saw, acting out the drama of a dutiful son unwilling to believe the reality beside the coffin. Representatives from all walks of life who participated in the memorial service were moved to tears.

However, how could the charred corpse held by Steve's hand stand up to this kind of torture? The homeless man's body retrieved from Holloway Hospital did not have an X-metal skeleton, so under the struggle between the two parties, there was a crisp sound...

The arm is broken.

The charred forearm came out of the sleeve of the suit and was held in Steve's hand. The black bones and flesh were separated, and the sticky and cold charred skin drooped on Steve's arm.

The three of them were stunned. The pastor not far away had his eyes widened. He had never seen a family member who would remove the arms of the deceased.

Howard and Holloway instantly let go of Steve, as if subconsciously keeping their distance from him.

Steve looked at the severed arm in his hand, and then at the horrified expressions of Gin and the others. His heart, which was already filled with shame and sadness, was even worse. He suddenly felt that his vision went dark, and he fainted.