Captain America Comics #56
The Casbah Killer
In Washington D.C., government officials learn that relief supplies headed to war ravaged Europe are being stolen when they arrive at the shipping destination in Algiers. In order to put a stop to it, the government gets the aid of Captain America and Bucky and send them to Algiers to investigate. Captain America agrees to take the case, but insists that their involvement be publicised.
When the two heroes arrive in Algiers there is a welcoming committee waiting for them led by Miguel Juan Gonzales Lopez-Iruli, a local hotel owner who is obsessed with American culture and legally changed his name to "Mike Reilly". As soon as they arrive, Cap and Bucky are attacked by assassins whom they easily round up and turn over to the police. Mike then takes them to his hotel where he gives them a room to stay in for the duration of their stay. As they head to their room, they spot a veiled woman leaving their room, and race after her but she manages to give them the slip. Entering their shabby room, they find a note from the woman -- named Sari -- warning them to trust nobody and that they will talk soon. They are soon visited by a man named Pepe who offers to sell them information for ten thousand Francs. He tells them to meet him later at the Cafe Des Femmes before disappearing just as Reilly arrives to give them dinner. As the two heroes eat, a member of the hotel staff bursts in to tell them all that he assassins who were captured earlier managed to escape, angering Mike Reilly. Mike apologizes, telling them the authorities in the area are not trust worthy. Left alone again, Cap and Bucky are convinced that they can't trust anyone.
They then sneak out of the hotel to search for the assassins and clues to who is stealing the supplies that are due to arrive. They first pay a visit to the loading docks where the supplies are transferred to truck. Getting cover in a covered truck, they go along with the shipment when suddenly it's attacked by a car full of assassins. Cap and Bucky force them to flee and chase them off to the Casba, a bar where the local criminal element hangs out. They are attacked by the patrons for violating the lack of law enforcement but are rescued by Sari who leads them away through a secret tunnel. Led back to the hotel, Sari leaves again, leaving Cap and Bucky back at square one. They then decide that they should take up Pepe's offer and go to see Mike Reilly to see if they can borrow the money to him. Reilly is hurt that they did not come to him for information but agrees to lend them the money to pay Pepe's information fee. When the heroes go to rendezvous with the informant they arrive just in time to see him get gunned down. Captain America and Bucky jump the assassins, who they unmask and reveal to be American gangsters.
Knowing who is behind the entire operation, Cap takes Bucky back to the hotel where he confronts Mike Reilly. Reilly and his men try to eliminate Captain America and Bucky and easily rounds them up for the authorities. After the battle is over, Bucky finds Sari and sees that she has a secret love of Captain America. She tells him that she can never profess her love due to the fact that she is a Casbah Girl, which is relief to Bucky who sees her unmasked and secretly remarks that she is not very pretty.
Recurring Characters
Captain America, Bucky
Continuity Notes
Per What If? #4 all appearances of Captain America and Bucky in this story are attributed to William Nasland and Fred Devis.
A Name for an Old Doll
Newspaper Nelly is a newspaper woman who sells paper on Broadway in New York City. Every night the locals meet on the street to discuss the success of their children and they all playfully joke with Nelly, who unknown to them grew up an orphan and alone and has no children of her own. However, when up and coming boxing sensation Rocky Norris buys a paper, using the slang term "mom" to address her, Nelly's gawker's take him literally and believe that he is Nelly's son. Nelly decides to allow for this and tells them that Rocky is really her son but soon worries that she will look foolish when everyone learns the truth.
Rocky meanwhile walks back to his home and is jumped by a gang of thugs, who are trying to kill him. Earlier that night he was in a match with Slugger Schloop who was supposed to throw the fight, however a double cross led him to get shot down by gambling racketeers who were watching the fight. Rocky is saved by Captain America and Bucky who were at the match and witnessed the murder. They suggest that Rocky leave his current lodgings as he will still be a target of the gang. As Rocky leaves, the two heroes theorize what must have happened.
Rocky happens pass Newsstand Nelly again, and they engage in small talk. When she learns that he is looking for a room to stay, he offers to rent out her spare room to him. With Rocky all moved in the pair begin to bond immediately, and Nelly learns that Rocky is also an orphan. Soon the news that Rocky is staying at Nelly's house becomes local knowledge and eventually the gang that killer Slugger Schloop learn where he is staying and pay him a visit. They try to convince him to throw his upcoming fight but Rocky refuses to do so until they threaten to kill Nelly unless he complies. Nelly only hears part of the conversation and tries to convince Rocky to not give in to the racketeers. Rocky, wishing to save Nelly's life, brushes her off upsetting her. As the racketeers leave Rocky's lodging, Captain America and Bucky spot them and decide to watch the fight that night.
That night, while Nelly watches from the ringside Rocky struggles between not throwing the fight and saving Nelly's life. He cannot bring himself to throw the fight and disappoint Nelly and wins the match. As threatened, the mobsters shoot Nelly and flee the scene with Captain America and Bucky chasing after them. Captain America and Bucky quickly capture the gang and turns them over to the authorities. Returning to the ring, they find that Nelly is okay, as the bullet struck her change belt. When examining the ring they find a bullet hole in one of the posts and realize that he mobsters were actually trying to shoot Rocky during the Slugger Schloop match and that he was never involved with the racketeers.
Recurring Characters
Captain America, Bucky
The Case of the Chiming Tree
On their way back from a case in New Mexico, the Human Torch and Toro pass over a southwest town where they witness a man being gunned down in an alley. As his shooter flees, the Torch and Toro check on the man, who dies mumbling about a "chiming tree". Searching the body, they learn that the dead man is Fred Flanders a travelling poet. They also find a very expensive looking diamond and the address of an appraiser. They are soon met by a police officer called "Dude" who asks to help them out on their investigation in order to make a name for himself. The Torch and Toro agree to let Dude help them out.
The trio go to Grant Appraising, where Grant's ailing wife greets them and tells them that her husband examined Flanders diamond and appraised it at a value of $100,000, and that the man who brought the diamond was getting it appraised for Professor Thornton at the Meteorological Institute. Suddenly, John Grant returns to his shop and is angry that his wife is telling the strangers about the last appraisal. Suddenly, John Grant returns to his shop and scolds his ailing wife for helping out the customers in her condition. After the Torch and the others leave, Grant and an unseen assailant scold his wife for almost ruining their plans.
Elsewhere, the Torch and Toro arrive at the meteorological institute while Dude is parking his car. As they approach Professor Thornton's building they hear gun shots and find that Dude has apparently been attacked by the men responsible for Fred's death. Rushing into Thornton's office, the Torch and Toro find the professor dead and just barely manage to duck out of harms was a planted bomb goes off. Searching the scene of the explosion, the Torch finds an almanac that Thornton was looking at before he was murdered and finds that he was reading a section about nearby Stony Gultch, a local petrified forest.
Arriving at Stony Gultch, they find some men trying to collect the diamonds that are growing from a tree. The Torch and Toro round them up and learn that Stony Gultch is government property, and so when John Grant learned of it from Fred Flanders, he hired men to kill him and Professor Thornton in order to claim the diamonds before anyone could alert the government. Suddenly, John Grant appears, with his wife at gun point, demanding that the Torch and Toro let them complete their job or he will shoot his wife. However, before anyone can act Dude arrives and shoots John Grant dead. But, the Torch, having deduced that Dude was really in league with Grant knocks him out and takes him prisoner as well, Dude confesses that he was part of the plot from the beginning. After the crooks are turned over to the police, the chief tells them that Dude was expelled from the force years ago.
Recurring Characters
Human Torch, Toro
Murder on the Campus
Absent minded Professor Squiggins is running late for a lecture at Cumulus College. He rushes out of his home and quickly forgets what he is in a hurry for. Remembering and realizing he forgot his notes, Squiggins rushes back to his home and enters the wrong house. He stumbles upon a group of counterfeiters trying to pressure the football coach to proliferate their fake money among the football players on campus. Squiggins quickly runs out with the gang following after him and he stumbles into Captain America and Bucky as they are on their way to the charity football game as guests of honour.
Captain America and Bucky fight off with the help of Squiggins forcing them to flee. When they press Squiggins for answers as to what happened, the absent minded professor does not recall just that he saw them in a house with a bunch of machinery and a lot of money, and rushes off for his lecture. With no leads to go on, Captain America and Bucky go to the the football game.
Meanwhile, the gang discusses their next plan, replacing the money that is being collected at the charity game and force the gym coach to help them out. While back out on the field, Captain America and Bucky run into Jim Cole of the US Treasury. When he tells them he is investigating a rash of counterfeit money in the area. Hearing this, Captain America and Bucky realize what Squiggins was talking about and rush off to find Squiggins to find out where Squiggins saw the counterfeit money. However, when they question him the increasingly confused professor can't recall anything but tells them that he saw the men who attacked him go into the gym.
Captain America and Bucky rush there and arrive just as the gang shoots the gym teacher. Captain America and Bucky makes short work of the gang and learn from the gym teacher what happened. When they meet Squiggins again later, they tell him that their operation was located in the house next door to Squiggins' residence.
Recurring Characters
Captain America, Bucky
