American Nightmare Chapter III: Finger on the Pulse

While investigating why people who have achieved the American Dream have suddenly gone berserk, Captain America ventures into the dimension of dreams to find out. He discovers that this is somehow being done by the supernatural creature known as Nightmare. However, while he searches for answers, Nightmare has taken control of Cap’s sleeping body and send it on a rampage through SHIELD’s headquarters. Sharon Carter tries to get him to snap out of it, but she can’t get him to wake back up.

As Captain America steals a SHIELD aircraft and takes off for destination unknown, Sharon learns from one of the SHIELD officers that the madness is spreading and starting to affect their agents as well.

In the dimension of dream, Nightmare has imprisoned Captain America in a cramped sphere and revels in the carnage going on in the waking world. When Captain America demands to know what’s going on, Nightmare is more than happy to oblige. The demon explains that he usually draws power from people who have nightmares but recently he found a way to tap into the power of the American Dream, which has allowed him to trap and draw power from so many more people at one time. He then shows Captain America the people he already has trapped in their domain. They are famous musicians, politicians, as well as ordinary Americans who have achieved their version of the American Dream. Here, their dreams have been warped into perversions. He then explains that this would have been a slow process had not Captain America intentionally entered his domain. Since the hero exemplifies the American Dream itself, it has increased Nightmare’s power exponentially, allowing him to draw even more people into his clutches.

Meanwhile, Sharon has commandeered another craft to follow after Captain America. Despite being a sleepwalking drone, Cap was able to out fox her in the air forcing her to take lethal action and blow up his ship. However, she her plane is seriously damaged and she is forced to eject. However, her fears that she killed Captain America are premature as Cap also survive and managed to ambush her from above from his own ejection seat. Using his photonic shield, Captain America’s entranced form begins cutting the cords on Sharon’s parachute. As the two struggle in the air, Sharon manages to unbuckle Cap’s parachute making him fall into a lake below while she safely descends. However, by the time Sharon is on the ground, Cap has already taken off with an incredible head start. Despite the fact that she has quite the run ahead of her she has no other choice.

Back in New York City, Luis Ramirez — the recently homeless man living in Steve Rogers apartment with his family — is the most recent victim of Nightmare’s spell. Becoming obsessed with protecting his children, Luis has begun hammering boards to the front door to Steve’s apartment as his frightened family watches.

At that same time, congressional candidate Andrew Bolt is getting off the stage after giving a successful speech. When one of his aides congratulates him on a job well done, he dismisses it as he is now more concerned with the political power he will gain from an election win, power enough to crush his enemies. This is because Bolt has also fallen under Nightmare’s spell.

In the dream dimension, Captain America has been watching this all while shoring up his strength inside his spherical prison. Pushing his strength to the limit he manages to break free. Nightmare is amused by this, as he is confident that the hero cannot harm him here regardless of his new found freedom.

In the waking world, Captain America arrives at front gates of NORAD’s Mount Thunder. There he uses his Avengers ID card and a story about some dire threat to get past the guards at the front gate. Sharon arrives moments after Cap is allowed inside and knocks out the guards. She stops Captain America outside the main doors to the nuclear missile control system. She tries to incapacitate him by shooting him — causing his dream form in Nightmare’s realm to feel the pain as well. However, the sleepwalking Captain America knows that Sharon won’t use lethal force and goads her into attack him directly. She does just as he anticipated allowing him to knock her out. Suddenly, Sharon appears in Nightmare’s realm next to Steve. Nightmare exclaims that soon eternal night is just minutes away.

Recurring Characters

Captain America, Nightmare, Sharon Carter, Ulysses Chapman, Luis Ramirez, Alma Ramirez, Rosa Ramirez, Marta Ramirez, Javier Ramirez, Andrew Bolt

Continuity Notes

1. Nightmare has been causing people to go berserk since Captain America (vol. 3) #8.