Akatsunami
The Bonetatoist
- Location
- Brazil
And so, the adventures of Wolverine and the Wasp begin.
SuperSoldier (SI-OC/MCU)
- Thread starter Emma Cruzader
- Start date
- Crossover Superhero
Looks like this Janet van Dyne have natural stinger power compared to her MCU counterpart pre-Quantumania and she's gonna make good use of them in battle.
View: https://youtu.be/9006NYBhgJM?si=zfCsjIVI06SudHkK
22: Mind Power
- Location
- Eart
22: Mind Power
James took another drink, feeling the alcohol slide down his throat, but unlike many other times, there was no burning sensation. In fact, it was like drinking plain water, very bad-tasting water.
He grumbled softly in annoyance, looking at the three dozen empty bottles. He couldn't get drunk anymore...
Sighing, he took out his wallet and threw several dollars at the bartender, who looked at him incredulously, and left the bar. It was a complete mess. Even before, when his body burned off alcohol quickly, he could still have a brief moment where, if he drank enough, he could feel the alcohol in his veins.
Now? Now it didn't matter how much or what type of alcohol it was; his mind remained lucid, remembering, feeling.
He shook his head. It was messed up. He could no longer drown his sorrows in drinking. What should he do then? But before he could answer that question, a black car with tinted windows stopped not far from him. James didn't need to wait for the door to open to know who it was.
John got out of the car and greeted him. James nodded at him, pulling out a cigarette and starting to smoke. At least he still had this.
"Did you have fun?" John asked, adjusting the dark glasses on his face, a wide-brimmed hat on his head.
James looked at him sternly, which should have given him the answer. John sighed, amused.
"Yes, the downside of being a super soldier: learning to deal with your problems without being able to drown them in alcohol sucks."
"Cut the useless talk. Is it time or not?" Logan asked, he was irritated. Still, he didn't forget his main goal in all this: rescuing his brother, breaking a few bones of that son-of-a-bitch Red Skull, and spending an entire day of fun with the scientist who had taken away his pleasure of drinking.
"Almost, I just need one more thing." Logan frowned but said nothing. He knew he needed to be patient even if he didn't like it. It would have been easier if he could have had a drink.
"Hey, I know you're worried about him, but I assure you, we will rescue your brother and make Hydra pay. For now, I need you to follow me." With that, James perked up. He didn't like sitting around doing nothing.
"What are we going to do?" he asked.
John seemed to ponder his response for a moment.
"Recruit someone."
.
.
.
John had thought too much about this, contemplating his options until he finally made a decision.
To kill Sebastian Shaw, he needed the help of Charles Xavier.
Of course, he considered other options, but none seemed entirely reliable. According to what he remembered about Shaw, his power focused on absorbing kinetic energy and using it for various purposes.
What purposes? He didn't know exactly beyond what he remembered from those scenes in the movie he saw a long time ago.
His first idea was to use toxic or sedative gases. Since physical combat was completely useless, attacking in a non-physical way seemed like the ideal option. But, of course, something like that wasn't reliable. James and he were a good example—those with superhuman physical abilities could easily ignore the effects of harmful substances.
He didn't know to what degree Shaw's physical enhancement extended, but he remembered that Shaw could use the kinetic energy he absorbed to improve himself as well as to live a long time and rejuvenate.
Was there a limit to this ability? John didn't know, and therefore, he couldn't bet that enough mustard gas or similar substances could kill Shaw if he managed to catch him off guard.
He tried to think of different methods and strategies, but no matter how many times he went over it in his mind, the safest option remained Charles Xavier.
Of course, saying it was easier than doing it. How do you convince someone who has lived as a civilian, a rich kid with an easy life, to abandon that life, follow you to Poland, and help you kill someone?
It was a complicated matter.
Maybe he could let Charles look into his mind, but John didn't want anyone getting into his head at all. He had been preparing for that too since discovering that mutants were a thing.
He remembered there was someone with similar powers in The Boys, Mindstorm, a telepath capable of looking into people's minds, listening to their thoughts, and searching their memories—all within a radius of three miles or 4.8 kilometers, which was a decent range.
Why remember Mindstorm? Well, there was a scene—it was somewhat confusing since it was mostly a flashback shown from the perspective of someone who had part of their brain removed.
But even if it was confusing, the information provided helped John understand the capabilities of the original Soldier Boy better.
You see, Mindstorm was part of Payback, Soldier Boy's team, the same team that betrayed him and caused him to be captured by the Russians.
This was important because despite his powers, Mindstorm couldn't do anything to defeat Soldier Boy on his own, even when he used his strongest ability.
Dream Imprisonment—by looking directly into his target's eyes, Mindstorm could imprison his victim in a psychically induced coma, where the prisoner would be forced to relive their most traumatic experiences over and over in an endless loop, a never-ending nightmare created from their own memories.
Anyone affected could not escape unless Mindstorm voluntarily released them, and if he refused, the victim could do nothing but wait for death—a slow and agonizing death.
So how did Soldier Boy survive? Why did such a powerful ability only serve to disorient him a bit, and the real reason for his defeat was the Novichok nerve agent?
It had to be understood that all the members of Payback hated the original Soldier Boy to death. If possible, they would undoubtedly have killed him, but they knew they couldn't. Even Mindstorm, a telepath capable of playing with people's minds like it was his playground, was powerless against Soldier Boy on his own.
John had been thinking about a reason for this for a while, but it was obvious that there was only one logical possibility: the original Soldier Boy had gained some level of mental resistance to psychic powers thanks to Compound V.
Of course, this "ability" wasn't explained at all beyond the fact that logically, it should exist.
It was something that might or might not be there.
Of course, comparing Mindstorm to Charles Xavier would be like comparing a firefly to a bonfire, in his opinion, of course.
The original Soldier Boy undoubtedly, even if he had some resistance, would still end up under the influence of Charles Xavier's power.
It was fortunate, then, that it wasn't the original Soldier Boy who would meet him.
John was a super soldier, one enhanced by two serums. Dr. Erskine's serum had elevated all his physical and mental capacities to their peak. Compound V had taken that and pushed it even further, to a degree that could be considered supernatural.
Although John didn't feel as direct a mental enhancement from Compound V as he did from the first serum, he still knew that something had changed in his mind. He didn't know exactly what, but it had.
"It's good that he's still young," he thought. Taking Raven's age as an example, the Charles Xavier of this world shouldn't yet be an adult.
He should still be new to his powers, inexperienced. This was the second reason John decided to meet him.
If he was right in his previous deductions, then thanks to the combination of both serums, his ability to resist psychic powers should be far superior to that of the original Soldier Boy. Coupled with Charles's inexperience with his powers, John was confident that he could maintain his act even against a telepath like him.
Of course, these were just theories and hypotheses; he would only know the truth when the time came.
But even if he failed, he had already prepared countermeasures.
"We're here," Raven said, and John snapped out of his thoughts, nodding at her. They exchanged a glance through the rearview mirror. They didn't need words; Raven already knew her part in this matter.
James got out of the car along with John before it started to drive away. They both looked at the grand mansion hundreds of meters away, a long winding path through a large yard filled with green grass and tall walls separating them from it.
"So what's the plan?" James asked. John hadn't told him much about his reason for being here beyond needing a hand.
"Just follow me and let me do the talking. I still don't know many things about the person we're here to find. It could be dangerous," John said.
"How do you know this is the place?" James couldn't help but ask.
"Call it a sixth sense." Of course, he couldn't tell him the truth, and even if he could, he wouldn't. After all, James was here to be the "bait."
If his theory was correct and he managed to resist the intrusion into his mind, then making Charles trust him would be too difficult.
That's why he brought James; it was the way to make Charles trust him, his trump card to get him on his side.
Before entering, he looked up at the sky. Soon, a dark bird appeared, soaring more than a thousand meters high and beginning to circle around the mansion.
"Let's go," he said, and he vaulted over the tall wall, followed by James. Stealthily, they navigated the place, avoiding being seen by others.
John wished this were the 21st century. With it still being the 40s, technology was too far behind in certain areas. For instance, if it were the 21st century, he could have used the internet to uncover everything he could about the Xavier family, in addition to being able to monitor them from afar using spy cameras and satellites.
Of course, even in this era, there were ways to surveil others, but John didn't use them for a simple reason: he didn't know the extent of Charles's powers.
John didn't want to make a bad first impression; therefore, he didn't order his men to surveil or investigate the Xavier family, beyond finding out their address, of course. To conduct a proper investigation, his men would have to get close to the Xavier family one way or another, and consequently, to Charles.
If Charles caught them investigating, it could create a misunderstanding that would make the conversation he hoped to have with him tense and more difficult. It could even cause the boy to try to escape if he thought the government was hunting him or something. Improbable, but John didn't want to take that risk.
For that reason, he and James entered the family's mansion without knowing anything about the place or who or how many people were inside. Of course, the enhanced senses of both made it easy to get an idea once they started exploring the grounds.
For John, it was simple. Once Charles detected James or him with his powers, the boy would come to them one way or another. So, he didn't need to know exactly where his room was or where he usually spent his time at home.
Of course, it could also happen that Charles wasn't home, but that was fine. John planned to wait for him until he arrived if that were the case.
"Someday I'll have a real espionage network," John thought to himself as they managed to reach what seemed to be the kitchen. Of course, another reason for this situation was that S.W.O.R.D. had only been formed a few days ago. It still lacked much infrastructure and many contacts. They had great influence, but to use it, they still needed time.
"So where is he?" James asked, leaning against one of the walls.
"If he's here, then he'll come to us," John said, taking one of the fruits in the kitchen, a rather crispy apple.
"If he's here? I thought you said we'd find him here," James questioned doubtfully.
"Oh, I know he lives here, but I don't know if he's here right now. You know, I'm still working on my espionage network," John said honestly, tossing an apple to James.
"Come on, we'll just have to wait a bit, maybe a few hours." He said the last part quietly, but James heard it anyway.
"A few hours!?" James looked at him incredulously. He had expected more... action, not a waiting mission. Sighing, he looked at the apple he had caught and took a bite. At least the food still tasted good.
John focused on his hearing. There were several sounds; this place was large and had a lot of staff. Fortunately, most of them were currently far from the kitchen, doing other tasks, or so it seemed. His sense of hearing, although better than most people's, wasn't a super radar capable of giving him a 3D vision using echolocation to project an image in his head of his surroundings or anything like that.
It simply allowed him to hear sounds around him better, and that was all. Maybe if he went blind or did super training blocking his vision, he could try to recreate a skill similar to echolocation, but he didn't know for sure.
"Someone's coming," he said, hearing footsteps approaching from the upper floor, just one person. James heard it too and straightened up, looking toward the kitchen door in anticipation.
"What do we do if it's not who we're looking for?" James asked, and John thought before responding.
"You're pretty agile, so the best thing is if you knock them out quickly. There aren't many places we can hide after all." Both of them were over 1.80 meters tall, John being a bit over 1.90. They were too fit, and it wouldn't be easy to hide in a kitchen like the one they were in, even if it was a large kitchen.
If it wasn't Charles coming, they'd have no choice but to knock the person out quickly and keep them with them for a while, which would, of course, bring many more problems. But well, he'd think about such things when the time came.
As he thought about this, the footsteps reached the kitchen door. It began to open, and an unfamiliar face found itself looking directly at John and James.
There was a momentary silence. John really hadn't expected his luck to be this bad on this occasion. Sighing to himself, he nodded toward James, who didn't hesitate and sprang forward. He didn't use a great deal of force or all his strength; after all, they weren't here to kill or seriously hurt anyone.
James's figure reached the door, ready to gently knock out the newcomer, but before he could do so, a hand was raised in panic. Without even touching him, James's body was thrown back with some force. John blinked as he saw James flying toward him and casually extended his hand, stopping his momentum abruptly to prevent any damage.
"Well, that was unexpected," John said, looking at the light brown-haired girl who was staring at them with clear panic. He had expected a meta-human, but this wasn't the one he had come to find.
"Who are you?!" she demanded forcefully but kept her voice low enough not to cause a commotion.
James growled and straightened up, ready to leap again, but John stopped him and raised both hands in a gesture of peace, taking a step forward.
"Well, I think we got off on the wrong foot. We don't have to make a scene, so why don't we talk calmly?"
"Calmly? I don't think so. How about I twist you into pretzels and then find out why you're here?" The panic was gone, and now John saw a dangerous smile on the girl's face.
"Wait," she frowned and looked at him more closely. "Why is Captain America in my kitchen?" she asked, now puzzled.
It was hard not to recognize John. Even without the internet, his image had spread widely across the country through newspapers, posters, pamphlets, and he even appeared on television frequently with news of the war. Not to mention the movies he made.
"I'm on a mission, an important mission. I came to find someone, Charles Xavier. Do you know him?" John decided to be honest. She was a meta-human, after all. Although he didn't know who she was, he assumed she was related to Charles somehow.
"It's Charles Francis Xavier, and my dumb brother isn't here. He went on some stupid tour at Dad's work or something," she said with a mocking and frustrated tone.
Brother?
"Just out of curiosity, what did you say your name was?" John asked, starting to feel a headache coming on.
She looked at him before smiling confidently and responding.
"I'm Cassandra Nova Xavier."
.
.
.
A few minutes later.
The three had left the kitchen and were now in the living room where Cassandra let them both take a seat while they looked at each other in somewhat tense silence.
John had been deeply meditating on how screwed his meta-knowledge was now. Who the hell was Cassandra Nova? He had no freaking idea. Wasn't Charles supposed to be an only child?
He quickly searched his mind, reviewing every memory, even the less pleasant ones, and still couldn't find any information about her. That left two possibilities: either she was something that shouldn't exist or he had forgotten to watch an X-Men movie and therefore it was impossible for him to have any memories of her. After all, he couldn't remember things he never knew in the first place.
Which made sense, because just like with the MCU movies, there were X-Men movies and series he never saw.
Well, he had already foreseen that relying on his meta-knowledge was increasingly useless, so he could only sigh internally and accept it.
"What's wrong, Captain? Don't you like tea?" Cassandra asked. She continued to look at him with naked curiosity, her eyes a little too expressive. John had to wonder if she was like her brother. Could she read minds? Although he hadn't felt anything touching his thoughts, which could be either good or bad.
"I'm more of a coffee person," he said and began to think of several unpleasant things in quick succession, paying close attention to the girl's micro-expressions. There was no anger, blush, embarrassment, or disgust, so either she could perfectly control her emotions and had an incredible poker face, or she wasn't really reading his mind.
He hoped it was the latter.
"Very well, to be honest, I'd like to know what you want from Charles. Normally, my annoying brother behaves very well, so only one reason comes to mind for why you'd be here," she said, pointing to her head.
"It seems both of you are aware of your powers," John said openly, deciding to stop wasting time being vague about it.
Cassandra narrowed her eyes upon hearing him.
"So it's really because of that, but how? Neither of us has used our powers where anyone else could see us." She and her brother had always been careful since they discovered they were different. In fact, this was the first time she used her abilities in front of people other than Charles.
"Call it a state secret. The point is, I need your brother's help to save millions of lives, maybe more," John said, gauging the reaction of the girl in front of him.
"You want him to lobotomize someone?" Cassandra joked, and John smiled in response, making her smile disappear and replace with a puzzled look.
"Wait, do you really want him to lobotomize someone?"
"Preferably not," he said simply, causing her to look at him thoughtfully.
"Well, if you want to see him, he should be here soon," she said, glancing at a clock on the wall.
"But there's still some time before that. In the meantime, how about you explain where these powers come from?" she said, waving her finger and making her teacup float in the air calmly. Then her gaze settled on him, obvious curiosity in her eyes.
"You assume I know where they come from?" John asked, and she raised an eyebrow at him.
"Don't you?" She clearly believed he did. Well, they still had time, so he might as well explain it once more.
"I like to call us meta-humans."
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.
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Charles stepped out of the vehicle and thanked the driver, bidding him farewell.
It had been a somewhat hectic day. One would think that being able to read people's thoughts would make negotiations easier, but it wasn't so.
Knowing that his father's new business partner enjoyed watching his wife with other men wasn't exactly helpful in closing a business deal.
Fortunately, he was only there to observe, and it was his father who handled everything else.
He usually didn't read other people's thoughts indiscriminately. He believed that violating people's privacy in that way was wrong, but this was the family business and everything his father had worked for all his life. So, he made an exception and took small glimpses at the people his father usually dealt with, taking advantage of the fact that his father had decided he was old enough to learn about the business.
It had been too exhausting. All kinds of secrets, some worse than others, had been revealed to him. Fortunately, he achieved his goal and was able to find those who sought to harm his family. So, even if he was tired, he also felt quite happy. He walked to the mansion's entrance, loosening the knot of his tie. His father had stayed to work, but he had come home since he still had to study the next day, so he hoped to rest adequately, preferably without his sister interrupting him.
He greeted the household staff and walked to the living room, stopping abruptly before entering. There was something different. He could sense his sister, but above all, he could sense two other people who felt very different from how ordinary people felt.
Charles was still getting used to his powers, so he couldn't precisely identify what the difference was that he noticed.
Frowning, he approached and opened the door.
"Well, look who's here," Cassandra smiled at him, waving her hand. Their eyes met, and in an instant, everything around them faded away.
If there was something he and his sister shared, it was an ability to communicate without words. His sister didn't have the same mind-reading power as he did, but her mind was undoubtedly as strong and unique as his own. Charles couldn't intrude on her thoughts without her allowing it, and even when he did, it was always Cassandra who had control.
Charles opened his eyes, looking at the mental landscape of his sister. As always, her thoughts and memories were distant, hidden behind thick walls he couldn't penetrate.
"What's happening?" Charles went straight to the point, and his sister came to his side, her hand stretching towards his forehead with her index finger tapping between his brows.
That's when several memories and pieces of information poured into his brain in an instant.
Cassandra gave him only what was necessary, and Charles fully understood the situation.
Captain America had come looking for him, to help save millions of lives, metahumans, the next step in evolution.
In an instant, he knew everything. The mental space faded away, and Charles returned to reality, seeing his sister smiling and waving at him. Then he turned to the side and saw Captain America waving at him as well. Unconsciously, his mind tried to reach out to his.
...
John smiled as he saw Charles enter the room, though inside, his nervousness was nearly at its peak. He noticed Charles exchange a quick glance with his sister before turning to look at him with a spark of curiosity in his eyes. Then he felt something brushing against his mind.
Describing the sensation would be difficult; the closest might be that feeling when you sense someone is watching you but can't see them, yet at the same time, it was different.
Instinctively, his mind tried to reject this anomaly. It was very strange, but he felt his thoughts "close off," so to speak. He frowned slightly, feeling Charles's power recede.
Had he done it?
...
For his part, Charles was incredibly surprised. When his power tried to delve into the mind of the man in front of him, something extraordinary and unlike anything he had felt before happened.
He was rejected, not violently or anything like that. It was simply as if he had hit an invisible wall, a resistance he hadn't felt before—a mind very different from that of any human.
He didn't try to force his way in; he still didn't have enough control over his powers nor the necessary knowledge to know if forcing his power on others could be dangerous, and he didn't want to hurt the man he, in a sense, admired.
"Interesting. It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Charles." John stood up and extended his hand. Charles nodded somewhat awkwardly, still puzzled by the situation.
"And it's an honor to meet you too, Captain." Then he looked at James.
"This is James," John quickly introduced them, and soon the four of them were sitting, looking at each other.
"If what I know about you is correct, you probably already know what I told your sister," John said tentatively.
"Yes, it's... incredibly interesting. Metahumans, so that's what we are. I hadn't thought of something like that before." Charles was still young and hadn't yet ventured into the field of genetic studies, so he hadn't considered that his powers might come from there. It was very exciting to discover the truth, and it made him wonder what other things could be hidden in human DNA. Without John knowing, he had sparked the curiosity that would lead Charles to become an expert in the field of genetics in the future.
"Apart from that, I have many questions. I know I was very careful, that we were very careful in hiding our powers. How did you find out about us?" Charles knew the answer John had given his sister before, but he couldn't help thinking there was more to it.
John smiled and tapped the side of his head with his index finger.
"I thought you'd already know." Obviously, this was an act; he couldn't reveal to Charles that he hoped he couldn't read his mind.
Charles frowned before speaking.
"I can't. I can't read your thoughts," he finally admitted, a bit embarrassed. This made Cassandra, who had been watching everything with amusement, lose her smile and look at Charles in astonishment before turning back to John.
James frowned upon hearing this information and spoke, confused.
"Read his thoughts?" In response to the question, John replied.
"Our friend here is a telepath." Then he frowned and looked at Charles with puzzlement.
"You can't read my mind? That's... unexpected."
"You expected me to?" Charles asked, puzzled. Normally, people would hate knowing someone could read their mind.
"It would certainly save us the conversation. This makes things more complicated," John said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.
Then he looked at James.
"I need a favor," he said, causing James to frown deeply, already seeing where this was going.
"I won't let this kid into my head," James said, pointing at Charles.
John sighed and looked at Charles.
"Are you sure you can't read anything? How about trying again?"
Charles shook his head.
"Your mind is strange, unlike anything I've felt before. If I try to force it, I fear an accident could happen. At best, nothing happens; at worst, I could destroy your mind. I... wouldn't risk it," Charles said honestly.
"Well, I can explain everything in words, though it will take more time," John said, hiding a smile inside.
Upon hearing this, James sighed, knowing that if he didn't want to waste more time in useless talks, he would have to give in a bit here.
He looked at Charles and pointed at him, warning severely.
"If you see something you shouldn't, I'll cut you to pieces." Then he clenched his fist, and his three claws shot out, the white bone almost gleaming like metal.
Charles and Cassandra looked at James's hand with more interest than fear. Charles then nodded and spoke solemnly.
"I know privacy is important, and I really don't enjoy delving where I'm not wanted. I promise not to look at anything I shouldn't."
"If you need help, maybe you should focus on what we're dealing with: the war, Hydra, your brother," John said, pointing the way.
James nodded and sighed, closing his eyes for a moment before opening them and looking at Charles.
"Do it."
Then everything went dark.
.
.
.
Charles entered James's mind and looked in horror at the images presented before him.
War, death, suffering.
For a young man like him, witnessing for the first time what war meant made him falter.
He saw everything James went through with his brother as a soldier during the Second World War—the missions they undertook, the people they killed, as well as those James saved.
The images flashed rapidly until the scene changed. Now they were in Austria, at a German base unlike any other. Charles almost felt the same as James when hit by one of those weapons that fired blue energy rays. Flesh turning to ash, comrades dying, unchecked rage.
He and his brother fighting, fighting until they were the last ones standing.
Seeing the strange weapons, realizing that thousands or more would die if something like this were deployed on a large scale, convincing Victor to track the source, following the trails, finding the main base.
Fighting against the Red Skull.
Losing.
Charles almost experienced firsthand what James did, almost felt his blood being extracted from his body drop by drop.
The worst part was feeling his skull being opened and pieces of it cut away to insert something that shouldn't be there.
How his body stopped being his own, how he became nothing more than a beast at the mercy of someone else's orders.
How John fought against him and saved him along with all the other prisoners at the base.
His intention to save his brother, Hydra's possible plan to create more super soldiers, deciding to follow John and join him to stop all this.
The creation of SWORD, their next steps.
Everything John told James and shared with the man.
"Argh!" Charles groaned and held his head, almost falling to his knees.
"Charles!" Cassandra was immediately by his side, her hands taking her brother's face with concern but also immense curiosity.
"Show me!" she demanded, but Charles refused.
"N-No!"
For his part, James also panted, he himself relived every memory again, causing his eyes to redden and his claws to shoot out. John had to put a hand on his shoulder to prevent him from lunging.
Once that was done, John quickly reached Charles's side and easily pulled his sister away from him.
"I know you want to know, but first, let's let him calm down." She frowned upon hearing him but nodded, noticing that she couldn't break free from his grip on her shoulder, so she stepped back.
Charles took a deep breath, processing the information; it was the first time he had seen so deeply into another person's mind, after all.
"I-I understand, I get it." Charles had seen it, what Hydra represented, the threat that needed to be stopped, and he felt he now knew why John had approached him.
Charles had never understood why such extraordinary gifts had been bestowed upon him, but now he believed he knew. This world was too fragile; it needed people like him, like Captain America, like James, to stop those who sought to destroy it.
"I'll help you," he said seriously, looking at John.
Secretly, John clenched his fist, success! But outwardly, he nodded with a grateful look.
.
.
.
After a while, Charles managed to calm down, and James began looting the mansion's wine vault.
Charles simply gave him the key and let the man drink all he wanted; it didn't matter if he finished it all, Charles was fine with it. They didn't worry about any of the workers getting in James's way, as Cassandra had made sure everyone went to rest for the day.
"I didn't expect to have to join the war, I haven't even turned 17," Charles said, looking at his hands with deep thoughts.
John, beside him, patted his shoulder.
"I know placing such responsibility on your shoulders is too much, but don't worry, I'll carry all the weight. You don't have to wield a weapon; your strength doesn't lie in directly fighting Hydra's army." Charles shook his head at this.
"No, if I just sit back while everyone else fights, it wouldn't be any different from doing nothing. I've seen what happens out there, and I can't just stand by like that."
it seemed that living James's experiences firsthand had truly affected him.
"I know you want to make a difference, but you need to think it over with a clear mind. For now, rest. You know where the SWORD headquarters is; I'll be waiting for you, and if you decide to change your mind, I won't judge you." With that, John left him to rest and began walking toward where James should be.
He saw Cassandra leaning against a wall in the hallway outside the room, as if she had been waiting.
"So he decided to leave; I always thought I'd be the first to leave the house."
"He can still change his mind. I'll never force anyone to fight in this war," John said, making her narrow her eyes at him.
"You know, you're different from what I expected, much less pretentious. If Charles really goes with you, I think he'll be in good hands." Although barely perceptible, John could see genuine concern in her eyes.
"If you're worried about his well-being, why don't you come along too?" This seemed to take her by surprise a bit.
"I thought you came just for him," she tried to say calmly, but John could see some resentment at the end of her words. It seemed there were some family conflicts, huh.
"Initially, yes, but I found you first. I haven't seen much of what you can do yet, but I think there's a lot of potential in you, and it would be really foolish not to want you by my side." Although John hadn't known of her existence before, the mere fact that she was Charles's sister made him think that her potential was undoubtedly not insignificant.
Cassandra looked at him silently for a moment; it was hard to read her, although she was excessively expressive from time to time.
"I heard there were rumors about you; no one really believes them since you're a national hero and all that, but now I can certainly think they're real."
Rumors?
"Uh, what do the gossips say about me?" John couldn't help but ask curiously.
"That you're a womanizer who slept with ten women at the same time. They also say you seduce young girls and take them with you, only to discard them when you get bored."
Uh, the first part was true, but where on earth did the second one come from?
"In the first place, it wasn't ten; it was fifteen, all dancers. Secondly, I have no idea where the other rumor came from..." Wait... thinking about it.
Maybe it was Raven's fault?
"Fifteen?" Cassandra blinked, bewildered; she hadn't expected John to admit it so casually.
John simply shrugged. Normally, he wouldn't say or admit such things, but they weren't in public, and Cassandra didn't seem like someone who would go around spreading such stories, especially since her brother was practically working for him now.
At the same time, as she had said, at this point, no one believed the bad rumors about him, and even if they were true, people would still deny they were real.
John just needed to be "The Hero" in the eyes of the general public.
From the beginning, he knew he couldn't completely hide his true self from those who would work closely with him, so it was better to let something slip occasionally to build trust.
"Putting that aside, you've got my offer. If you want to join me, you can, and if you decide not to, that's fine; I won't judge you for it."
Even though he said that, he would certainly be quite disappointed if she chose not to.
Cassandra snapped out of her confusion and smiled at him.
"How kind of you, Captain, but I don't need to think too much about it; I'll join you." Even if she didn't yet know everything her brother knew, Cassandra felt that this was something she couldn't pass up. Besides, she was getting tired of just staying at home for stupid etiquette lessons.
She felt she could do more, much more, and this was a great opportunity to prove it.
Much better than waiting for her father to find her a suitor; just thinking about it made her nauseous. There was Charles, starting to prepare to pursue his studies at a prestigious university and inherit the family business along with all their father's fortune, while she was relegated to the background.
She wouldn't inherit anything, she knew it. She had reviewed her father's documents without his knowledge. The man had actually been planning to marry her off to one of the sons of the most successful businessmen in the city.
It was disgusting; she wasn't a bargaining chip for making business deals. She had already planned to leave the family home, and this was simply the best opportunity that could have come her way.
Even if Charles chickened out and decided to stay, she would leave.
Hearing the certainty in her voice, John raised an eyebrow, but he didn't argue further and gave her the address of the temporary SWORD headquarters. Whether she would actually arrive or not, he would find out the next day.
For now, he needed to pick up James and prevent him from drinking all the wine in the mansion.
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Note:
6500 words! It's like two chapters in one, haha.
Originally, only Charles was going to be involved in this, but after watching Deadpool and Wolverine, I must say I really liked the character of Cassandra Nova and wanted to include her. I still don't know exactly how I'll handle her character, as I'm basing her entirely on the MCU's Cassandra Nova. I won't touch the comic version even with a ten-foot pole, thanks.
Of course, there are many differences between the Cassandra Nova from Deadpool and Wolverine and this one, mainly that here her powers awakened around adolescence and not when she was a fetus trying to kill her brother (which I find way too exaggerated, haha).
Also, she grew up with Charles on Earth and not in the multiversal dump of the TVA, so she won't be as crazy.
That being said, it won't be long before we go back to war and with it poland... things will certainly be interesting then.
For those wondering, both Charles and Cassandra are still new to their abilities and completely unaware of their full extent. For example, here Cassandra still doesn't know that she can also read minds by "sticking her fingers into people's brains."
For now, she thinks her main power is telekinesis (which is not yet at the level of her MCU version, as I mentioned before, she's still new to her powers and it will be a while before she manages to gain full control over them)
With all that speech wrapped up, I'd like to thank you for all the support given so far. If everything goes well, soon the public updates for Supersoldier and Still Defiant will increase to two chapters per week each, with Sunday and Monday being the most likely days, although that could vary depending on various circumstances.
Of course, if you want to look beyond that, you can visit my Patreon, where you'll find some extra chapters and get one or another additional benefit. (patreon.com/EmmaCruzader) I deeply appreciate all the support! ;D
P.S. My birthday is coming up! (This August 30th) I don't know if I'll do anything special besides buying myself an individual cake and blowing out a candle as a celebration. I'm mentioning it because I might be somewhat absent that day (which falls on a Friday), although that shouldn't really affect things too much now that I think about it. Oh well, giving a heads-up never hurts, right?
James took another drink, feeling the alcohol slide down his throat, but unlike many other times, there was no burning sensation. In fact, it was like drinking plain water, very bad-tasting water.
He grumbled softly in annoyance, looking at the three dozen empty bottles. He couldn't get drunk anymore...
Sighing, he took out his wallet and threw several dollars at the bartender, who looked at him incredulously, and left the bar. It was a complete mess. Even before, when his body burned off alcohol quickly, he could still have a brief moment where, if he drank enough, he could feel the alcohol in his veins.
Now? Now it didn't matter how much or what type of alcohol it was; his mind remained lucid, remembering, feeling.
He shook his head. It was messed up. He could no longer drown his sorrows in drinking. What should he do then? But before he could answer that question, a black car with tinted windows stopped not far from him. James didn't need to wait for the door to open to know who it was.
John got out of the car and greeted him. James nodded at him, pulling out a cigarette and starting to smoke. At least he still had this.
"Did you have fun?" John asked, adjusting the dark glasses on his face, a wide-brimmed hat on his head.
James looked at him sternly, which should have given him the answer. John sighed, amused.
"Yes, the downside of being a super soldier: learning to deal with your problems without being able to drown them in alcohol sucks."
"Cut the useless talk. Is it time or not?" Logan asked, he was irritated. Still, he didn't forget his main goal in all this: rescuing his brother, breaking a few bones of that son-of-a-bitch Red Skull, and spending an entire day of fun with the scientist who had taken away his pleasure of drinking.
"Almost, I just need one more thing." Logan frowned but said nothing. He knew he needed to be patient even if he didn't like it. It would have been easier if he could have had a drink.
"Hey, I know you're worried about him, but I assure you, we will rescue your brother and make Hydra pay. For now, I need you to follow me." With that, James perked up. He didn't like sitting around doing nothing.
"What are we going to do?" he asked.
John seemed to ponder his response for a moment.
"Recruit someone."
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.
.
John had thought too much about this, contemplating his options until he finally made a decision.
To kill Sebastian Shaw, he needed the help of Charles Xavier.
Of course, he considered other options, but none seemed entirely reliable. According to what he remembered about Shaw, his power focused on absorbing kinetic energy and using it for various purposes.
What purposes? He didn't know exactly beyond what he remembered from those scenes in the movie he saw a long time ago.
His first idea was to use toxic or sedative gases. Since physical combat was completely useless, attacking in a non-physical way seemed like the ideal option. But, of course, something like that wasn't reliable. James and he were a good example—those with superhuman physical abilities could easily ignore the effects of harmful substances.
He didn't know to what degree Shaw's physical enhancement extended, but he remembered that Shaw could use the kinetic energy he absorbed to improve himself as well as to live a long time and rejuvenate.
Was there a limit to this ability? John didn't know, and therefore, he couldn't bet that enough mustard gas or similar substances could kill Shaw if he managed to catch him off guard.
He tried to think of different methods and strategies, but no matter how many times he went over it in his mind, the safest option remained Charles Xavier.
Of course, saying it was easier than doing it. How do you convince someone who has lived as a civilian, a rich kid with an easy life, to abandon that life, follow you to Poland, and help you kill someone?
It was a complicated matter.
Maybe he could let Charles look into his mind, but John didn't want anyone getting into his head at all. He had been preparing for that too since discovering that mutants were a thing.
He remembered there was someone with similar powers in The Boys, Mindstorm, a telepath capable of looking into people's minds, listening to their thoughts, and searching their memories—all within a radius of three miles or 4.8 kilometers, which was a decent range.
Why remember Mindstorm? Well, there was a scene—it was somewhat confusing since it was mostly a flashback shown from the perspective of someone who had part of their brain removed.
But even if it was confusing, the information provided helped John understand the capabilities of the original Soldier Boy better.
You see, Mindstorm was part of Payback, Soldier Boy's team, the same team that betrayed him and caused him to be captured by the Russians.
This was important because despite his powers, Mindstorm couldn't do anything to defeat Soldier Boy on his own, even when he used his strongest ability.
Dream Imprisonment—by looking directly into his target's eyes, Mindstorm could imprison his victim in a psychically induced coma, where the prisoner would be forced to relive their most traumatic experiences over and over in an endless loop, a never-ending nightmare created from their own memories.
Anyone affected could not escape unless Mindstorm voluntarily released them, and if he refused, the victim could do nothing but wait for death—a slow and agonizing death.
So how did Soldier Boy survive? Why did such a powerful ability only serve to disorient him a bit, and the real reason for his defeat was the Novichok nerve agent?
It had to be understood that all the members of Payback hated the original Soldier Boy to death. If possible, they would undoubtedly have killed him, but they knew they couldn't. Even Mindstorm, a telepath capable of playing with people's minds like it was his playground, was powerless against Soldier Boy on his own.
John had been thinking about a reason for this for a while, but it was obvious that there was only one logical possibility: the original Soldier Boy had gained some level of mental resistance to psychic powers thanks to Compound V.
Of course, this "ability" wasn't explained at all beyond the fact that logically, it should exist.
It was something that might or might not be there.
Of course, comparing Mindstorm to Charles Xavier would be like comparing a firefly to a bonfire, in his opinion, of course.
The original Soldier Boy undoubtedly, even if he had some resistance, would still end up under the influence of Charles Xavier's power.
It was fortunate, then, that it wasn't the original Soldier Boy who would meet him.
John was a super soldier, one enhanced by two serums. Dr. Erskine's serum had elevated all his physical and mental capacities to their peak. Compound V had taken that and pushed it even further, to a degree that could be considered supernatural.
Although John didn't feel as direct a mental enhancement from Compound V as he did from the first serum, he still knew that something had changed in his mind. He didn't know exactly what, but it had.
"It's good that he's still young," he thought. Taking Raven's age as an example, the Charles Xavier of this world shouldn't yet be an adult.
He should still be new to his powers, inexperienced. This was the second reason John decided to meet him.
If he was right in his previous deductions, then thanks to the combination of both serums, his ability to resist psychic powers should be far superior to that of the original Soldier Boy. Coupled with Charles's inexperience with his powers, John was confident that he could maintain his act even against a telepath like him.
Of course, these were just theories and hypotheses; he would only know the truth when the time came.
But even if he failed, he had already prepared countermeasures.
"We're here," Raven said, and John snapped out of his thoughts, nodding at her. They exchanged a glance through the rearview mirror. They didn't need words; Raven already knew her part in this matter.
James got out of the car along with John before it started to drive away. They both looked at the grand mansion hundreds of meters away, a long winding path through a large yard filled with green grass and tall walls separating them from it.
"So what's the plan?" James asked. John hadn't told him much about his reason for being here beyond needing a hand.
"Just follow me and let me do the talking. I still don't know many things about the person we're here to find. It could be dangerous," John said.
"How do you know this is the place?" James couldn't help but ask.
"Call it a sixth sense." Of course, he couldn't tell him the truth, and even if he could, he wouldn't. After all, James was here to be the "bait."
If his theory was correct and he managed to resist the intrusion into his mind, then making Charles trust him would be too difficult.
That's why he brought James; it was the way to make Charles trust him, his trump card to get him on his side.
Before entering, he looked up at the sky. Soon, a dark bird appeared, soaring more than a thousand meters high and beginning to circle around the mansion.
"Let's go," he said, and he vaulted over the tall wall, followed by James. Stealthily, they navigated the place, avoiding being seen by others.
John wished this were the 21st century. With it still being the 40s, technology was too far behind in certain areas. For instance, if it were the 21st century, he could have used the internet to uncover everything he could about the Xavier family, in addition to being able to monitor them from afar using spy cameras and satellites.
Of course, even in this era, there were ways to surveil others, but John didn't use them for a simple reason: he didn't know the extent of Charles's powers.
John didn't want to make a bad first impression; therefore, he didn't order his men to surveil or investigate the Xavier family, beyond finding out their address, of course. To conduct a proper investigation, his men would have to get close to the Xavier family one way or another, and consequently, to Charles.
If Charles caught them investigating, it could create a misunderstanding that would make the conversation he hoped to have with him tense and more difficult. It could even cause the boy to try to escape if he thought the government was hunting him or something. Improbable, but John didn't want to take that risk.
For that reason, he and James entered the family's mansion without knowing anything about the place or who or how many people were inside. Of course, the enhanced senses of both made it easy to get an idea once they started exploring the grounds.
For John, it was simple. Once Charles detected James or him with his powers, the boy would come to them one way or another. So, he didn't need to know exactly where his room was or where he usually spent his time at home.
Of course, it could also happen that Charles wasn't home, but that was fine. John planned to wait for him until he arrived if that were the case.
"Someday I'll have a real espionage network," John thought to himself as they managed to reach what seemed to be the kitchen. Of course, another reason for this situation was that S.W.O.R.D. had only been formed a few days ago. It still lacked much infrastructure and many contacts. They had great influence, but to use it, they still needed time.
"So where is he?" James asked, leaning against one of the walls.
"If he's here, then he'll come to us," John said, taking one of the fruits in the kitchen, a rather crispy apple.
"If he's here? I thought you said we'd find him here," James questioned doubtfully.
"Oh, I know he lives here, but I don't know if he's here right now. You know, I'm still working on my espionage network," John said honestly, tossing an apple to James.
"Come on, we'll just have to wait a bit, maybe a few hours." He said the last part quietly, but James heard it anyway.
"A few hours!?" James looked at him incredulously. He had expected more... action, not a waiting mission. Sighing, he looked at the apple he had caught and took a bite. At least the food still tasted good.
John focused on his hearing. There were several sounds; this place was large and had a lot of staff. Fortunately, most of them were currently far from the kitchen, doing other tasks, or so it seemed. His sense of hearing, although better than most people's, wasn't a super radar capable of giving him a 3D vision using echolocation to project an image in his head of his surroundings or anything like that.
It simply allowed him to hear sounds around him better, and that was all. Maybe if he went blind or did super training blocking his vision, he could try to recreate a skill similar to echolocation, but he didn't know for sure.
"Someone's coming," he said, hearing footsteps approaching from the upper floor, just one person. James heard it too and straightened up, looking toward the kitchen door in anticipation.
"What do we do if it's not who we're looking for?" James asked, and John thought before responding.
"You're pretty agile, so the best thing is if you knock them out quickly. There aren't many places we can hide after all." Both of them were over 1.80 meters tall, John being a bit over 1.90. They were too fit, and it wouldn't be easy to hide in a kitchen like the one they were in, even if it was a large kitchen.
If it wasn't Charles coming, they'd have no choice but to knock the person out quickly and keep them with them for a while, which would, of course, bring many more problems. But well, he'd think about such things when the time came.
As he thought about this, the footsteps reached the kitchen door. It began to open, and an unfamiliar face found itself looking directly at John and James.
There was a momentary silence. John really hadn't expected his luck to be this bad on this occasion. Sighing to himself, he nodded toward James, who didn't hesitate and sprang forward. He didn't use a great deal of force or all his strength; after all, they weren't here to kill or seriously hurt anyone.
James's figure reached the door, ready to gently knock out the newcomer, but before he could do so, a hand was raised in panic. Without even touching him, James's body was thrown back with some force. John blinked as he saw James flying toward him and casually extended his hand, stopping his momentum abruptly to prevent any damage.
"Well, that was unexpected," John said, looking at the light brown-haired girl who was staring at them with clear panic. He had expected a meta-human, but this wasn't the one he had come to find.
"Who are you?!" she demanded forcefully but kept her voice low enough not to cause a commotion.
James growled and straightened up, ready to leap again, but John stopped him and raised both hands in a gesture of peace, taking a step forward.
"Well, I think we got off on the wrong foot. We don't have to make a scene, so why don't we talk calmly?"
"Calmly? I don't think so. How about I twist you into pretzels and then find out why you're here?" The panic was gone, and now John saw a dangerous smile on the girl's face.
"Wait," she frowned and looked at him more closely. "Why is Captain America in my kitchen?" she asked, now puzzled.
It was hard not to recognize John. Even without the internet, his image had spread widely across the country through newspapers, posters, pamphlets, and he even appeared on television frequently with news of the war. Not to mention the movies he made.
"I'm on a mission, an important mission. I came to find someone, Charles Xavier. Do you know him?" John decided to be honest. She was a meta-human, after all. Although he didn't know who she was, he assumed she was related to Charles somehow.
"It's Charles Francis Xavier, and my dumb brother isn't here. He went on some stupid tour at Dad's work or something," she said with a mocking and frustrated tone.
Brother?
"Just out of curiosity, what did you say your name was?" John asked, starting to feel a headache coming on.
She looked at him before smiling confidently and responding.
"I'm Cassandra Nova Xavier."
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A few minutes later.
The three had left the kitchen and were now in the living room where Cassandra let them both take a seat while they looked at each other in somewhat tense silence.
John had been deeply meditating on how screwed his meta-knowledge was now. Who the hell was Cassandra Nova? He had no freaking idea. Wasn't Charles supposed to be an only child?
He quickly searched his mind, reviewing every memory, even the less pleasant ones, and still couldn't find any information about her. That left two possibilities: either she was something that shouldn't exist or he had forgotten to watch an X-Men movie and therefore it was impossible for him to have any memories of her. After all, he couldn't remember things he never knew in the first place.
Which made sense, because just like with the MCU movies, there were X-Men movies and series he never saw.
Well, he had already foreseen that relying on his meta-knowledge was increasingly useless, so he could only sigh internally and accept it.
"What's wrong, Captain? Don't you like tea?" Cassandra asked. She continued to look at him with naked curiosity, her eyes a little too expressive. John had to wonder if she was like her brother. Could she read minds? Although he hadn't felt anything touching his thoughts, which could be either good or bad.
"I'm more of a coffee person," he said and began to think of several unpleasant things in quick succession, paying close attention to the girl's micro-expressions. There was no anger, blush, embarrassment, or disgust, so either she could perfectly control her emotions and had an incredible poker face, or she wasn't really reading his mind.
He hoped it was the latter.
"Very well, to be honest, I'd like to know what you want from Charles. Normally, my annoying brother behaves very well, so only one reason comes to mind for why you'd be here," she said, pointing to her head.
"It seems both of you are aware of your powers," John said openly, deciding to stop wasting time being vague about it.
Cassandra narrowed her eyes upon hearing him.
"So it's really because of that, but how? Neither of us has used our powers where anyone else could see us." She and her brother had always been careful since they discovered they were different. In fact, this was the first time she used her abilities in front of people other than Charles.
"Call it a state secret. The point is, I need your brother's help to save millions of lives, maybe more," John said, gauging the reaction of the girl in front of him.
"You want him to lobotomize someone?" Cassandra joked, and John smiled in response, making her smile disappear and replace with a puzzled look.
"Wait, do you really want him to lobotomize someone?"
"Preferably not," he said simply, causing her to look at him thoughtfully.
"Well, if you want to see him, he should be here soon," she said, glancing at a clock on the wall.
"But there's still some time before that. In the meantime, how about you explain where these powers come from?" she said, waving her finger and making her teacup float in the air calmly. Then her gaze settled on him, obvious curiosity in her eyes.
"You assume I know where they come from?" John asked, and she raised an eyebrow at him.
"Don't you?" She clearly believed he did. Well, they still had time, so he might as well explain it once more.
"I like to call us meta-humans."
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Charles stepped out of the vehicle and thanked the driver, bidding him farewell.
It had been a somewhat hectic day. One would think that being able to read people's thoughts would make negotiations easier, but it wasn't so.
Knowing that his father's new business partner enjoyed watching his wife with other men wasn't exactly helpful in closing a business deal.
Fortunately, he was only there to observe, and it was his father who handled everything else.
He usually didn't read other people's thoughts indiscriminately. He believed that violating people's privacy in that way was wrong, but this was the family business and everything his father had worked for all his life. So, he made an exception and took small glimpses at the people his father usually dealt with, taking advantage of the fact that his father had decided he was old enough to learn about the business.
It had been too exhausting. All kinds of secrets, some worse than others, had been revealed to him. Fortunately, he achieved his goal and was able to find those who sought to harm his family. So, even if he was tired, he also felt quite happy. He walked to the mansion's entrance, loosening the knot of his tie. His father had stayed to work, but he had come home since he still had to study the next day, so he hoped to rest adequately, preferably without his sister interrupting him.
He greeted the household staff and walked to the living room, stopping abruptly before entering. There was something different. He could sense his sister, but above all, he could sense two other people who felt very different from how ordinary people felt.
Charles was still getting used to his powers, so he couldn't precisely identify what the difference was that he noticed.
Frowning, he approached and opened the door.
"Well, look who's here," Cassandra smiled at him, waving her hand. Their eyes met, and in an instant, everything around them faded away.
If there was something he and his sister shared, it was an ability to communicate without words. His sister didn't have the same mind-reading power as he did, but her mind was undoubtedly as strong and unique as his own. Charles couldn't intrude on her thoughts without her allowing it, and even when he did, it was always Cassandra who had control.
Charles opened his eyes, looking at the mental landscape of his sister. As always, her thoughts and memories were distant, hidden behind thick walls he couldn't penetrate.
"What's happening?" Charles went straight to the point, and his sister came to his side, her hand stretching towards his forehead with her index finger tapping between his brows.
That's when several memories and pieces of information poured into his brain in an instant.
Cassandra gave him only what was necessary, and Charles fully understood the situation.
Captain America had come looking for him, to help save millions of lives, metahumans, the next step in evolution.
In an instant, he knew everything. The mental space faded away, and Charles returned to reality, seeing his sister smiling and waving at him. Then he turned to the side and saw Captain America waving at him as well. Unconsciously, his mind tried to reach out to his.
...
John smiled as he saw Charles enter the room, though inside, his nervousness was nearly at its peak. He noticed Charles exchange a quick glance with his sister before turning to look at him with a spark of curiosity in his eyes. Then he felt something brushing against his mind.
Describing the sensation would be difficult; the closest might be that feeling when you sense someone is watching you but can't see them, yet at the same time, it was different.
Instinctively, his mind tried to reject this anomaly. It was very strange, but he felt his thoughts "close off," so to speak. He frowned slightly, feeling Charles's power recede.
Had he done it?
...
For his part, Charles was incredibly surprised. When his power tried to delve into the mind of the man in front of him, something extraordinary and unlike anything he had felt before happened.
He was rejected, not violently or anything like that. It was simply as if he had hit an invisible wall, a resistance he hadn't felt before—a mind very different from that of any human.
He didn't try to force his way in; he still didn't have enough control over his powers nor the necessary knowledge to know if forcing his power on others could be dangerous, and he didn't want to hurt the man he, in a sense, admired.
"Interesting. It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Charles." John stood up and extended his hand. Charles nodded somewhat awkwardly, still puzzled by the situation.
"And it's an honor to meet you too, Captain." Then he looked at James.
"This is James," John quickly introduced them, and soon the four of them were sitting, looking at each other.
"If what I know about you is correct, you probably already know what I told your sister," John said tentatively.
"Yes, it's... incredibly interesting. Metahumans, so that's what we are. I hadn't thought of something like that before." Charles was still young and hadn't yet ventured into the field of genetic studies, so he hadn't considered that his powers might come from there. It was very exciting to discover the truth, and it made him wonder what other things could be hidden in human DNA. Without John knowing, he had sparked the curiosity that would lead Charles to become an expert in the field of genetics in the future.
"Apart from that, I have many questions. I know I was very careful, that we were very careful in hiding our powers. How did you find out about us?" Charles knew the answer John had given his sister before, but he couldn't help thinking there was more to it.
John smiled and tapped the side of his head with his index finger.
"I thought you'd already know." Obviously, this was an act; he couldn't reveal to Charles that he hoped he couldn't read his mind.
Charles frowned before speaking.
"I can't. I can't read your thoughts," he finally admitted, a bit embarrassed. This made Cassandra, who had been watching everything with amusement, lose her smile and look at Charles in astonishment before turning back to John.
James frowned upon hearing this information and spoke, confused.
"Read his thoughts?" In response to the question, John replied.
"Our friend here is a telepath." Then he frowned and looked at Charles with puzzlement.
"You can't read my mind? That's... unexpected."
"You expected me to?" Charles asked, puzzled. Normally, people would hate knowing someone could read their mind.
"It would certainly save us the conversation. This makes things more complicated," John said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.
Then he looked at James.
"I need a favor," he said, causing James to frown deeply, already seeing where this was going.
"I won't let this kid into my head," James said, pointing at Charles.
John sighed and looked at Charles.
"Are you sure you can't read anything? How about trying again?"
Charles shook his head.
"Your mind is strange, unlike anything I've felt before. If I try to force it, I fear an accident could happen. At best, nothing happens; at worst, I could destroy your mind. I... wouldn't risk it," Charles said honestly.
"Well, I can explain everything in words, though it will take more time," John said, hiding a smile inside.
Upon hearing this, James sighed, knowing that if he didn't want to waste more time in useless talks, he would have to give in a bit here.
He looked at Charles and pointed at him, warning severely.
"If you see something you shouldn't, I'll cut you to pieces." Then he clenched his fist, and his three claws shot out, the white bone almost gleaming like metal.
Charles and Cassandra looked at James's hand with more interest than fear. Charles then nodded and spoke solemnly.
"I know privacy is important, and I really don't enjoy delving where I'm not wanted. I promise not to look at anything I shouldn't."
"If you need help, maybe you should focus on what we're dealing with: the war, Hydra, your brother," John said, pointing the way.
James nodded and sighed, closing his eyes for a moment before opening them and looking at Charles.
"Do it."
Then everything went dark.
.
.
.
Charles entered James's mind and looked in horror at the images presented before him.
War, death, suffering.
For a young man like him, witnessing for the first time what war meant made him falter.
He saw everything James went through with his brother as a soldier during the Second World War—the missions they undertook, the people they killed, as well as those James saved.
The images flashed rapidly until the scene changed. Now they were in Austria, at a German base unlike any other. Charles almost felt the same as James when hit by one of those weapons that fired blue energy rays. Flesh turning to ash, comrades dying, unchecked rage.
He and his brother fighting, fighting until they were the last ones standing.
Seeing the strange weapons, realizing that thousands or more would die if something like this were deployed on a large scale, convincing Victor to track the source, following the trails, finding the main base.
Fighting against the Red Skull.
Losing.
Charles almost experienced firsthand what James did, almost felt his blood being extracted from his body drop by drop.
The worst part was feeling his skull being opened and pieces of it cut away to insert something that shouldn't be there.
How his body stopped being his own, how he became nothing more than a beast at the mercy of someone else's orders.
How John fought against him and saved him along with all the other prisoners at the base.
His intention to save his brother, Hydra's possible plan to create more super soldiers, deciding to follow John and join him to stop all this.
The creation of SWORD, their next steps.
Everything John told James and shared with the man.
"Argh!" Charles groaned and held his head, almost falling to his knees.
"Charles!" Cassandra was immediately by his side, her hands taking her brother's face with concern but also immense curiosity.
"Show me!" she demanded, but Charles refused.
"N-No!"
For his part, James also panted, he himself relived every memory again, causing his eyes to redden and his claws to shoot out. John had to put a hand on his shoulder to prevent him from lunging.
Once that was done, John quickly reached Charles's side and easily pulled his sister away from him.
"I know you want to know, but first, let's let him calm down." She frowned upon hearing him but nodded, noticing that she couldn't break free from his grip on her shoulder, so she stepped back.
Charles took a deep breath, processing the information; it was the first time he had seen so deeply into another person's mind, after all.
"I-I understand, I get it." Charles had seen it, what Hydra represented, the threat that needed to be stopped, and he felt he now knew why John had approached him.
Charles had never understood why such extraordinary gifts had been bestowed upon him, but now he believed he knew. This world was too fragile; it needed people like him, like Captain America, like James, to stop those who sought to destroy it.
"I'll help you," he said seriously, looking at John.
Secretly, John clenched his fist, success! But outwardly, he nodded with a grateful look.
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After a while, Charles managed to calm down, and James began looting the mansion's wine vault.
Charles simply gave him the key and let the man drink all he wanted; it didn't matter if he finished it all, Charles was fine with it. They didn't worry about any of the workers getting in James's way, as Cassandra had made sure everyone went to rest for the day.
"I didn't expect to have to join the war, I haven't even turned 17," Charles said, looking at his hands with deep thoughts.
John, beside him, patted his shoulder.
"I know placing such responsibility on your shoulders is too much, but don't worry, I'll carry all the weight. You don't have to wield a weapon; your strength doesn't lie in directly fighting Hydra's army." Charles shook his head at this.
"No, if I just sit back while everyone else fights, it wouldn't be any different from doing nothing. I've seen what happens out there, and I can't just stand by like that."
it seemed that living James's experiences firsthand had truly affected him.
"I know you want to make a difference, but you need to think it over with a clear mind. For now, rest. You know where the SWORD headquarters is; I'll be waiting for you, and if you decide to change your mind, I won't judge you." With that, John left him to rest and began walking toward where James should be.
He saw Cassandra leaning against a wall in the hallway outside the room, as if she had been waiting.
"So he decided to leave; I always thought I'd be the first to leave the house."
"He can still change his mind. I'll never force anyone to fight in this war," John said, making her narrow her eyes at him.
"You know, you're different from what I expected, much less pretentious. If Charles really goes with you, I think he'll be in good hands." Although barely perceptible, John could see genuine concern in her eyes.
"If you're worried about his well-being, why don't you come along too?" This seemed to take her by surprise a bit.
"I thought you came just for him," she tried to say calmly, but John could see some resentment at the end of her words. It seemed there were some family conflicts, huh.
"Initially, yes, but I found you first. I haven't seen much of what you can do yet, but I think there's a lot of potential in you, and it would be really foolish not to want you by my side." Although John hadn't known of her existence before, the mere fact that she was Charles's sister made him think that her potential was undoubtedly not insignificant.
Cassandra looked at him silently for a moment; it was hard to read her, although she was excessively expressive from time to time.
"I heard there were rumors about you; no one really believes them since you're a national hero and all that, but now I can certainly think they're real."
Rumors?
"Uh, what do the gossips say about me?" John couldn't help but ask curiously.
"That you're a womanizer who slept with ten women at the same time. They also say you seduce young girls and take them with you, only to discard them when you get bored."
Uh, the first part was true, but where on earth did the second one come from?
"In the first place, it wasn't ten; it was fifteen, all dancers. Secondly, I have no idea where the other rumor came from..." Wait... thinking about it.
Maybe it was Raven's fault?
"Fifteen?" Cassandra blinked, bewildered; she hadn't expected John to admit it so casually.
John simply shrugged. Normally, he wouldn't say or admit such things, but they weren't in public, and Cassandra didn't seem like someone who would go around spreading such stories, especially since her brother was practically working for him now.
At the same time, as she had said, at this point, no one believed the bad rumors about him, and even if they were true, people would still deny they were real.
John just needed to be "The Hero" in the eyes of the general public.
From the beginning, he knew he couldn't completely hide his true self from those who would work closely with him, so it was better to let something slip occasionally to build trust.
"Putting that aside, you've got my offer. If you want to join me, you can, and if you decide not to, that's fine; I won't judge you for it."
Even though he said that, he would certainly be quite disappointed if she chose not to.
Cassandra snapped out of her confusion and smiled at him.
"How kind of you, Captain, but I don't need to think too much about it; I'll join you." Even if she didn't yet know everything her brother knew, Cassandra felt that this was something she couldn't pass up. Besides, she was getting tired of just staying at home for stupid etiquette lessons.
She felt she could do more, much more, and this was a great opportunity to prove it.
Much better than waiting for her father to find her a suitor; just thinking about it made her nauseous. There was Charles, starting to prepare to pursue his studies at a prestigious university and inherit the family business along with all their father's fortune, while she was relegated to the background.
She wouldn't inherit anything, she knew it. She had reviewed her father's documents without his knowledge. The man had actually been planning to marry her off to one of the sons of the most successful businessmen in the city.
It was disgusting; she wasn't a bargaining chip for making business deals. She had already planned to leave the family home, and this was simply the best opportunity that could have come her way.
Even if Charles chickened out and decided to stay, she would leave.
Hearing the certainty in her voice, John raised an eyebrow, but he didn't argue further and gave her the address of the temporary SWORD headquarters. Whether she would actually arrive or not, he would find out the next day.
For now, he needed to pick up James and prevent him from drinking all the wine in the mansion.
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Note:
6500 words! It's like two chapters in one, haha.
Originally, only Charles was going to be involved in this, but after watching Deadpool and Wolverine, I must say I really liked the character of Cassandra Nova and wanted to include her. I still don't know exactly how I'll handle her character, as I'm basing her entirely on the MCU's Cassandra Nova. I won't touch the comic version even with a ten-foot pole, thanks.
Of course, there are many differences between the Cassandra Nova from Deadpool and Wolverine and this one, mainly that here her powers awakened around adolescence and not when she was a fetus trying to kill her brother (which I find way too exaggerated, haha).
Also, she grew up with Charles on Earth and not in the multiversal dump of the TVA, so she won't be as crazy.
That being said, it won't be long before we go back to war and with it poland... things will certainly be interesting then.
For those wondering, both Charles and Cassandra are still new to their abilities and completely unaware of their full extent. For example, here Cassandra still doesn't know that she can also read minds by "sticking her fingers into people's brains."
For now, she thinks her main power is telekinesis (which is not yet at the level of her MCU version, as I mentioned before, she's still new to her powers and it will be a while before she manages to gain full control over them)
With all that speech wrapped up, I'd like to thank you for all the support given so far. If everything goes well, soon the public updates for Supersoldier and Still Defiant will increase to two chapters per week each, with Sunday and Monday being the most likely days, although that could vary depending on various circumstances.
Of course, if you want to look beyond that, you can visit my Patreon, where you'll find some extra chapters and get one or another additional benefit. (patreon.com/EmmaCruzader) I deeply appreciate all the support! ;D
P.S. My birthday is coming up! (This August 30th) I don't know if I'll do anything special besides buying myself an individual cake and blowing out a candle as a celebration. I'm mentioning it because I might be somewhat absent that day (which falls on a Friday), although that shouldn't really affect things too much now that I think about it. Oh well, giving a heads-up never hurts, right?
hance1986
The One Above All.
In this context, I would actually support Cassandra Nova here ending up with Magneto romantically. Cassandra volunteering to go with Charles and Shaw being the target, feels like the horror and injustice she sees might make her more militant.
Shaw is a mutant helping the Nazis and experimenting on his own kind through messing with Erik. Maybe dealing with Shaw is where Cassandra first displays her power of phasing her hand through people's heads.
And her phasing could bypass Shaw's power to damage his brain.
Shaw is a mutant helping the Nazis and experimenting on his own kind through messing with Erik. Maybe dealing with Shaw is where Cassandra first displays her power of phasing her hand through people's heads.
And her phasing could bypass Shaw's power to damage his brain.
Yeah, it's about as ridiculous as OG Broly hating Goku for crying so loud beside him for hours when they're babies, and he wanted to kill him badly for it.
Hopefully Cassandra Nova won't have to be a villain like her comics self or D&W self after seeing the crap from the dark side of humanity and decide they're all worth oblivion. If not, at least she'd be an anti-villain who target those who prey on the mutants and give them nightmares inside out they deserve.
23: Meeting
- Location
- Eart
It's my birthday! Early chapter to celebrate ;D
23: Meeting
It was dark, his drowsy consciousness barely able to feel anything, brief flashes, images, memories, sensations that soon stopped due to his forced sleep state.
Who was he? What was he? Those had been some of the first questions he asked himself, questions to which no one answered, at least not in the way he expected. But what did he expect? His creator had acclaimed him as a failure because whenever his eyes opened, it was to see an unknown world that the next moment would be engulfed in flames. Then after a few moments, his consciousness would return to that numbing darkness, and his eyes would close once more, leaving him alone again, aware of his existence but powerless to truly exist.
He was confused, knowing things but at the same time knowing nothing, an existence without purpose.
While submerged in this state, he felt the air once more, the oxygen hit his skin causing the flames to come to life. The android opened his eyes, looking at an unfamiliar place, seeing an unfamiliar face that was vaguely familiar at the same time.
"Very well, you are awake," the man with a star on his chest approached, with a single hand, he tore off the door of the cabin where he had been locked up, and for the first time in his existence, the android was free. Receiving more oxygen than before, his flames rose, hitting the man who had freed him, and for an instant, an unfamiliar feeling reached the android's synthetic mind.
If he were human, he would have known it was concern, but contrary to all the data that had been inserted into his mind about human biology, the fire did not harm the person in front of him. Instead, the man ignored the burning flames as if they were just a simple breeze and put a hand on his shoulder.
"Calm down, it's all right," his voice was soothing, deep, and full of confidence. The android looked at him clumsily, not knowing what to do or say despite knowing thousands of words.
Then he looked at himself, at the flames that surrounded him, dancing and uncontrolled. Then he remembered again, his first memories, a failure, a disaster. That was what his creator said when his eyes opened for the first time.
Something dangerous.
In a panic, he tried to step back, but the hand on his shoulder stopped him.
"Don't get upset, first, let's put out these flames," the android looked up in bewilderment, put out the flames? More memories came, his creator had tried to do it many times, failing all of them, so how would this man do such a thing?
His question was answered when the liquid suddenly spilled against his body, followed by a cold white mist.
His flames suddenly receded, and he felt something different, something had changed. When the white mist settled, and he could look at himself once more, he noticed with incredulity his body, his naked body without flames.
He looked at the palms of his hands with fascination.
"Liquid nitrogen, how about that? An unexpected solution, isn't it?" The android looked at the man with unfamiliar feelings. This person had fixed what his creator could not, had made him cease to be a failure, a danger.
"Who are you?" For the first time in his existence, words left his lips. His voice, hearing himself, was an inexplicable experience.
"You can call me John, you can call me Captain America, or if you want to be too formal, you can call me Colonel. Use whichever you prefer. From now on, you can say I am your superior."
His superior? He knew the meaning of the word; in fact, he had been designed to serve, so it was expected that he would obey orders. But still, he couldn't help having doubts even though he shouldn't be able to.
"What happened... what happened to the creator?" Upon hearing this, John smiled warmly.
"Doctor Horton has decided to return home. He realized that you would be in better hands with me, and he donated you to a greater cause."
That was... The android didn't know how to feel. The creator, Doctor Horton, had never had a real conversation with him; he knew nothing about the man beyond that he was the creator and that he owed him loyalty for that. But if the creator had donated him, it meant that his loyalty had changed hands, as it was always intended to happen.
"To be honest, I don't like referring to you as something that can be given or exchanged, but I've done so because I know those are terms you would understand since they are in your programming. But let's change those terms, okay? From now on, you work for me, you are part of my team, and also part of a new initiative that will change the world. You are part of S.W.O.R.D."
The android listened attentively, storing those words in his database. Although he still didn't understand many things, he did know one thing: serving was his duty, and now he was part of S.W.O.R.D. Now he served Captain America.
So he nodded in agreement, making John smile.
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John left the room specially prepared for the android with a slight smile on the corner of his lips.
Everything had gone as expected, which wasn't difficult. The original Human Torch was now like a "child," one that had been programmed to serve, and now John was his "owner." Gaining his loyalty was simple, and for now, he had a new ally who would follow his orders without too much doubt.
Of course, John knew that the android was not something that could be manipulated without consequences. Although for now, he would follow the programming he was created with, John understood without a doubt that the longer the android lived and experienced, sooner or later, he would begin to form his own individuality.
That's why he had to treat him with care, not think of him as just a machine but as a real person. That way, even when his mind fully developed, the android would still choose to stay by his side.
But for now, it was better to let him get used to his new state. The room that had been prepared for him was simple, but John had ordered some books, newspapers, and a bed to be installed. Simple things, but they would undoubtedly give him some comfort.
"If anything happens, inform me. If he wants to leave, let him, do not try to stop him," John told a couple of guards he had stationed to watch the place.
Both men nodded at his orders.
John returned the nod and walked directly through the temporary S.W.O.R.D. base to the main offices, where many newly hired staff members were doing their work. He nodded at them, and they returned the greeting with respect.
Then he walked to the main office, where he saw Peggy, who seemed quite busy.
"I see you are settling in quite well, Miss Carter," the woman stopped her work and looked up to see him with a smile on her lips. She was about to call him by his name but stopped, remembering where they were.
Her office might have been somewhat secluded from the others, but it was still in the same place, and the walls were not very thick. Pressing her lips together, she cleared her throat and greeted John formally.
"Colonel, it's good to see you. I hope you have finished all your tasks." Despite her very professional tone, John could still hear a bit of reproach in her voice, which was understandable. After all, John had been out the entire day, leaving her with almost all the work he should have been doing.
"Everything is in place. If all goes as I hope, then S.W.O.R.D. will start working for real soon." John sat on Peggy's desk, pushing aside some of the documents on it and stretching his hand up to her hair. The woman, noticing his action, quickly moved his hand away and whispered in a low voice.
"What are you doing?!"
Seeing her panic, John was amused. It wasn't his fault; it was Peggy who had taken his words about not letting anyone find out too seriously. When they weren't alone, the beautiful agent was very professional and didn't want any strange rumors circulating at her workplace.
That's why she had decided to keep their "relationship" hidden. John didn't really care if people knew or not, but since she wanted it that way, he didn't refuse. Besides, it was fun to see her nervous.
"What's the matter, Miss Carter? No one is watching," he said, gesturing to the people working diligently outside the office. Peggy glared at him before standing up and walking to the glass window that allowed them to see outside while also letting others see inside.
Her cold gaze swept the area, looking at the workers she had personally hired and placed in their positions. As the vice-director, she had been filling the logistical gaps in S.W.O.R.D., a challenging task she was perfectly capable of handling thanks to her contacts and the influence she had gained with her new position.
It helped that many of them were already available, having previously worked for the Strategic Scientific Reserve. Their current roles were not very different, so they could start working immediately.
In a short time, Peggy had begun to get S.W.O.R.D. up and running, following some of John's guidelines while also making her own contributions to fill the gaps he had missed.
Of course, S.W.O.R.D. was still in its infancy, but it had started to function, and seeing it happen thanks to her efforts made Peggy feel quite proud.
That's why she didn't want to ruin it. Sighing, she closed the blinds of the window, making the room a bit darker.
She felt John approach her, his hands encircling her waist, and his breath hitting the side of her face. Swallowing hard, she felt his warmth before remembering again where they were and quickly pulled away.
"No, not here," she said with a red face. She had disrespected her professionalism once; she wouldn't do it again.
"Why are you accusing me? I haven't even done anything." John smiled playfully, approaching her again. Peggy turned to look at him with a frown.
"I can sense what you're intending, but now I'm the Vice-Director of S.W.O.R.D. and you're the General Director. You need to be more serious," she reprimanded him, but she didn't pull away when he embraced her again.
"Are you saying I don't know how to behave? Quite bold of you, Miss Carter. Maybe I should punish you for insubordination," John teased, pulling her closer, causing her to blush while frowning at him—a rather intriguing expression.
Their faces were inches apart when someone knocked forcefully on the door.
Like a cat encountering water, Peggy nearly jumped, stepping back quickly. John couldn't help but chuckle a bit but swiftly walked to the door, turning on the light before opening it.
"Well, look who it is!" John said, seeing Howard, this time more elegant and clean than the last time he saw him.
"Miss me? Who am I kidding, of course you did," Howard stepped forward, entering the office casually.
"Miss Carter, or should I say Vice-Director Carter? I heard about your hiring, it's great to have you with us," Howard congratulated her, peggy, who now had a serious and professional expression, nodded in response.
"It's good to see you're back. Have you handled all your tasks?"
Howard nodded. "Every last one of them. I must say, it wasn't easy saying goodbye to some of my girls, but we all have to make sacrifices in this war, don't you think, Colonel?" John nodded wisely, looking at Howard seriously.
"Indeed, as long as Hydra stands and this war is ongoing, worldly pleasures must be set aside for a greater good," his voice was dignified, making Howard's eyes shine with agreement.
For her part, Peggy tried hard not to snort. This guy, how could he say something like that? She didn't expect John to have such a brazen side, although she should have known.
"By the way, there are two people I want you to meet later," John told Howard, causing the man to raise an eyebrow in doubt.
Of course, those people John was referring to were the still-unnamed android and Professor Hank Pym, who should have already arrived at S.W.O.R.D.
"They are a new addition that will certainly interest you, and speaking of that, tomorrow the final members I need for the special team are likely to arrive, so we will have S.W.O.R.D.'s first major meeting."
"New members? I thought you only went to recruit one person," Peggy couldn't help but ask doubtfully. In the note John had left before leaving, he mentioned going to recruit someone but without many details.
"Well, things change. I made an... unexpected discovery. I'll explain everything at the meeting. For now, it's best if we call it a day; it's late, and overworking is bad for your health." This made the woman narrow her eyes at him suspiciously.
"There's still a lot to do," Peggy said, but John quickly shook his finger.
"It's not a suggestion, it's an order. It's time to rest. Go and tell those people outside, we'll kill them with work later," Peggy pursed her lips, but seeing he was serious, she sighed and nodded, standing up.
"I'll let them know to go and rest," Peggy said, leaving the office to talk to the employees outside.
"Well, I'm also a bit tired, and if tomorrow's meeting is as important as you've made it seem, then I'll want to be well-rested. So, I'll be off for now," Howard decided to leave as well, but before he could go, John spoke seriously.
"Before that, I was wondering if you brought 'it' with you," his words made Howard stop and look at him thoughtfully for a moment before nodding.
"I don't know what you want it for, but I had it brought here. This place doesn't have the proper space, so it's in my lab for now," John smiled in relief, relaxing and patting Howard on the shoulder before saying goodbye.
"Very well, that's all. Thanks again for this favor. Now go, I've saved one of the best rooms for you," John pointed the way to Howard before returning to the office, where he waited for Peggy while he immersed himself in his thoughts.
'So it's here,' thinking about 'it,' John couldn't help but feel a bit excited. After all, it was the instrument he would use to elevate his abilities one step further.
The Pod of the Project Rebirth.
John had been thinking a lot about how to execute his plan to absorb the radiation from the Tesseract. At first, he had some doubts about how he should do it, but after much meditation, he realized that the solution had always been right in front of him.
The most important thing of all was that he realized he could use Dr. Erskine's discovery to his advantage. After all, the greatest benefit of vita radiation was its stabilizing properties. Absorbing the Tesseract's energy directly could be dangerous due to its volatility, but if he used vita rays to stabilize its power, it might make it easier for his body to assimilate that energy.
It was theoretical, after all, he didn't know if he could actually combine the energy of the Tesseract and the vita rays into one until he tried it. But if it worked... He didn't know exactly what the effects would be, but without a doubt, he would rise to unimaginable heights.
John hadn't planned to get to this point initially; becoming his own lab rat was not pleasant. But if he couldn't stop Hydra before they obtained an army of super soldiers, then he would have to take the risk.
"Well, everyone is gone," Peggy returned, looking at John, who seemed lost in deep thoughts.
"Is something wrong?" she asked, somewhat concerned, but John quickly reverted to his normal attitude upon hearing her and shook his head before approaching her quickly.
"Just thinking about the future," she frowned at feeling his hands on her waist.
"I told you, not here," she complained but didn't really fight against him. John laughed as he took her lips with his, making Peggy forget they were still in the office.
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Janet had been having problems, serious and fascinating problems.
Something had happened, something that obviously had to do with Professor Hank's device accident. Janet had tried to stay calm; she was also a scientist and surely could figure out what was happening, right?
Well, she found out some things. Using the scientific equipment of the research committee with her father's permission, she ran some secret analyses on herself.
They were quick studies but told her enough. Something had changed in her; her genetic structure was different.
Which was another problem because she didn't specialize in genetics at all.
And while shooting rays from her hands was cool, she wouldn't deny that.
There was also the possibility that there was some unknown side effect, a deadly and not at all pleasant side effect waiting for its time to come to light.
With that in mind and with the sun just a few minutes away from rising over the horizon, Janet found herself standing outside the temporary headquarters of SWORD.
Why had she come here? There were a few reasons. One would think that with her father being a renowned scientist, she would seek his help first, but her father wasn't specialized in genetics or strange powers either.
And if she went to him, he would surely make this matter something that the entire research committee would get involved in, and Janet wasn't going to become their next scientific project, thank you very much.
She knew enough about those types to know that if she fell into their hands, things would not be pleasant at all, even with her father there.
So her options were clear. This happened because of the incident caused by Professor Pym's machine, and Professor Pym had followed Captain America to SWORD.
She didn't know if Professor Pym would have a solution; in fact, she doubted he would, but he was the only one with the data on the Pym particles, which Janet theorized were the cause of her change. Therefore, it was clear that to begin investigating her condition, she should start there.
Besides, SWORD should have knowledge about genetic alteration, right? After all, Captain America was created that way, and while the lead scientist in charge of the super-soldier project was dead, that didn't mean there weren't any data that could help her understand her new state better.
She didn't know if she could reverse it, but at least she needed to ensure she wasn't going to die at any moment or something worse. She would really jump off a bridge if a strange arm grew or something similar.
And lastly... she trusted John, even if she barely knew him. Surely the world's first great hero would help her, right? At least that was the impression she had of him—a reliable man. Maybe she shouldn't trust such a vague feeling, but deep down, she believed she wasn't wrong.
She took a deep breath to encourage herself. She hoped John was there because it would be quite depressing to have to wait until he arrived. The guards at the doors looked pretty fierce, after all.
"Good morning?" she approached and spoke, causing the guards to give her hard looks.
"It's better if you step away, miss. This facility is government property," one of them said sternly.
Janet nodded, somewhat nervously. "Yes, well, I came by invitation, from Colonel John—John Benjamin Vogelbaum, surely you know him. He offered me a job and, well, I couldn't wait any longer?"
One of the guards frowned but remembered something John had told them before assigning them to their post. He pulled out a list from one of his pockets and spoke, asking a question.
"Can you tell me your name?"
"Janet van Dyne, I'm the daughter of Vernon van Dyne." Janet really disliked having to use her father's name, but in this situation, she didn't hesitate.
"I see, follow me," the guard nodded after reading the paper he had taken out and began to guide Janet inside. Meanwhile, the other guard took out his radio and sent the message of Janet's arrival to the head of security.
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"This place is more... simple than I expected," Janet couldn't help but think as she looked around the interior of the building. It was obvious that there were areas that were still somewhat empty. The guard led her through the place until they reached one of the upper floors.
"You can wait here," the guard pointed to a door before opening it to let Janet in. With some uncertainty, the young woman stepped inside, noticing that it seemed like a simple office room with two chairs and a desk.
She heard the door close behind her and couldn't help but momentarily panic. Still, she reminded herself that she hadn't done anything wrong and shouldn't be in trouble, so she simply took one of the chairs and decided to wait.
Fortunately for her, it wasn't long before someone opened the door, though it wasn't exactly who she was expecting.
The blonde woman with a cold expression who entered the room made Janet swallow hard. She recognized her; it was the same woman who had followed John to the Scientific Innovation Fair of the Research Committee. Whether it was back then or now, Janet felt the same impression when being looked at by her.
As if a wolf was studying her.
She didn't know why, but something told her that she was dangerous in some way.
"Uh, I was expecting to speak with the Colonel," Janet said, somewhat nervously.
"Many hope to speak with him, but he's a somewhat busy man. Even so, he should be here soon," she said in a flat voice.
An awkward silence then filled the space as both women looked at each other. Janet had not expected to have such an uncomfortable encounter so soon, It wasn't even dawn yet!
Well, luck smiled on her as this situation didn't last long. The door opened again, and this time the man she had been hoping to see finally arrived, albeit somewhat disheveled, looking like he had hurried out of bed.
"Sorry, I was a bit busy. I didn't expect you so early," John said, looking at Janet with curiosity.
"Well... something happened, and I need some help," Janet decided to be direct, causing John to raise an eyebrow but quickly start to guess what was going on.
"Raven, why don't you get us something to drink?" Raven nodded, knowing that John wanted to talk alone with Janet, so she left temporarily. After all, she had only come to ensure that the guards hadn't let in the wrong person.
Seeing her leave, Janet sighed in relief, and John approached her, sitting informally on the desk in the office.
"She's gone now. So, will you tell me what the problem is?"
At his question, Janet fidgeted with her fingers before nodding and taking off the brown leather gloves she had been wearing. She proceeded to raise her palms, and out of nowhere, the room lit up with a yellow glow.
John observed the ethereal energy emanating from Janet's hands with interest.
"It all started after the incident at the Innovation Fair. I did some analysis on myself, but it only left me with more questions than answers. So i thought that if I came here and spoke with Professor Pym, I could understand better what happened to me," Janet explained.
"I see, it must have been the Pym particles. When that explosion occurred, the energy released by them must have affected your genetic structure in an unexpected way. Tell me, is this the only thing you can do?" he asked, pointing at her hands. Janet was quite surprised that John understood everything instantly. She hadn't wanted to use scientific jargon or explain too much, thinking it would be useless, but the man seemed to know more than she had expected.
"Well, besides glowing, it seems I can make the energy come out of my hands with force?" she said, not fully understanding the phenomenon, as she hadn't dared to try it again for fear of causing damage.
"Show me," John said simply, making her look at him in surprise.
Seeing her hesitation, John stood up and patted his chest.
"you should have seen what I am capable of, come on I'll be fine," he said, causing her to gulp before nodding. Yes, he was Captain America, a super soldier. She had seen images of him taken in Italy; not even tank shells made him bleed, so surely she couldn't harm him.
She took a deep breath and quickly extended both palms toward him. This time, she consciously wanted the energy to be released, and in response to that thought, the yellow glow intensified. Like an arrow at great speed, the energy left her palms, cutting through the air.
John's eyes widened slightly; it was much faster than any projectile he had faced before, even those fired by Hydra's weapons.
Still, he stood firm and let the projectile hit him directly in the chest. His body was pushed back several inches, and the white shirt he was wearing burned from the energy, but despite that, his skin showed no signs of damage.
"Wow, that hits harder than a grenade." He wasn't joking; John had let enemy soldiers detonate grenades in his face, and those explosions hadn't even made him stagger.
Janet looked at her palms in amazement. This attack had released more energy than the first one she had done, yet somehow she felt it wasn't her limit.
Then she looked up and couldn't help but blush as she saw John taking off his half-burned shirt, revealing his bare torso completely.
"Incredible, to think that a simple accident could generate such changes in a person... Tell me, have you tried doing anything else?"
At his question, Janet quickly averted her gaze and shook her head.
"I don't know what kind of side effects this might have. I haven't wanted to experiment too much." Her concern was not unfounded, but John didn't think anything bad would happen to her, at least not in a universe like this. In his old universe, it might have given her super cancer or something like that.
"I understand. You don't have to worry. Since you've come here, I'll do everything possible to help you. I won't let anything bad happen to you," he promised solemnly, making Janet look at him with gratitude. It seemed her choice to come here had been the right one.
Extremely relieved, she couldn't help but feel a bit excited.
"Thank you! really thanks!!" Janet ran toward him, giving him a strong hug. Only God knows how worried she had been since the incident. Facing all this on her own had pushed her nerves to the limit, and now that she finally had someone to trust, she almost wanted to start crying.
John patted her back to calm her. In a way, he understood her worry because he had felt that same uncertainty when he injected himself with Compound V, not knowing what would happen.
"You know we have better rooms than this, right?" Raven's bored voice made Janet almost jump. John turned to see her entering with three cups of coffee in her hands. When their eyes met, he could see the reproach in them, as if saying, "Again?"
"N-no, it's not like that!" Janet tried to explain, but Raven didn't even look at her. She just put down the coffee and turned to leave.
John felt genuinely depressed; this time, he hadn't done anything wrong, but his faithful assistant seemed to have lost faith in him...
"Wait, I need you to call professor pym, tell him it's something important," John said, stopping her. Raven looked at him and nodded seriously, noticing from his tone that this was a serious matter.
"For now you can stay in one of the rooms on site. I still have some other matters to attend to later, but I'll let Professor Pym and you start working to find out more about your condition. Probably Howard will join you too," John told Janet, who nodded. In fact, she hadn't slept at all due to her worries, but now that she had found help, she felt sleep starting to catch up with her.
John had some of the workers prepare a room for Janet where she could settle for now. He then went off to meet with Hank and explain the situation.
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Later in the morning.
Charles hadn't had a great night. The images of James's memories had been replaying in his mind over and over, making it almost impossible for him to fall asleep. Fortunately, or unfortunately, his sister knew exactly what to do to knock him out.
"You could have been gentler," he complained while rubbing the side of his head.
"Being gentle wouldn't have helped," Cassandra replied as she shoved another suitcase into the car's trunk. Seeing this, Charles frowned.
"Do you really want to go?" His question made Cassandra roll her eyes and look at him with a cold expression.
"Do you want to have this discussion again?" Cassandra closed the trunk and leaned against the car, facing Charles with a raised eyebrow in challenge.
"I'm going, whether with you or without you. You can't stop me, little brother; I've already decided what I'm going to do." There was no doubt in her words.
Charles sighed, realizing he really couldn't change her mind, but he wasn't going to stay behind either.
"you will not go alone, I will never back down from something like this, I believe that this... that this was what I was born to do and I have to go," he was sincere. After thinking deeply, he realized that his powers, his gifts, could do a lot of good, change the world.
"There you have it. Why talk so much when we both know what we're going to do?"
Charles nodded. She was right about that, yet he couldn't help but worry about her, even though he knew it wasn't necessary. His sister was always impulsive in many aspects, and he feared she might get hurt because of this. But he couldn't stop her; his powers didn't work on her, and in a physical contest, he'd probably end up like a pretzel without even touching a hair on her head.
After all, how do you beat someone who can hit you without touching you?
"Come on, I don't want to be late," Cassandra urged, getting into the passenger seat. Charles nodded, snapping out of his thoughts and looking one last time at the family home.
Perhaps the hardest part was having to manipulate their parents. Charles wasn't proud of it, but he could only take that path to keep them from worrying about their well-being.
After all, their two children were leaving without knowing if they'd ever come back.
"I'm sorry," he whispered in apology before getting into the car and starting their journey.
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"Shall we begin?" Peggy asked, stifling a yawn.
"Not yet. They should be arriving soon," John responded by looking at the series of maps he had laid out on several boards.
Raven entered the strategic planning room with several cups of coffee, handing one to Peggy, another to Howard, and finally to James, although the latter didn't really need it.
Peggy didn't hesitate and took a long sip, even though it was a bit hot. She needed to clear the tiredness from her body, thinking about it she couldn't help but look at John reproachfully, clearly it had been this guy's fault that she barely slept a few hours.
John wisely ignored her glare and instead focused on the words he was about to say. After all, this meeting was largely about introducing the meta-humans to those who were still unaware of them. At least the core of SWORD should know them before anyone else.
"They better get here soon; the wait is killing me," Howard said while looking at the boards John had filled with maps.
"They're here," James spoke, causing Peggy and Howard to blink in confusion.
Outside the building.
Charles stopped his car, and soon both siblings got out, looking at the temporary SWORD headquarters.
Before they could say anything, a soldier approached them, eyeing them carefully and saluting.
"Mr. and Miss Xavier?" he asked, and they both nodded.
"Follow me," he said simply and began guiding them along with other soldiers. Cassandra shrugged and followed the guard, while Charles took a deep breath before stepping forward as well.
They soon entered the building. Unlike when Janet arrived, there was a lot of activity inside. Some people gave them strange looks; after all, they were a pair of young people in a government building, something that contrasted sharply with the seriousness of the place.
Even so, no one questioned why they were there since they were being escorted by military personnel.
They soon arrived in front of the strategic planning room's door.
"The Colonel is waiting for you inside," the guard said before retreating with his men.
Charles could sense James inside, as well as John and two other people, and without hesitating any longer, he opened the door.
When they heard the door open, the first to turn toward the direction were, of course, Peggy and Howard, who raised an eyebrow in unison.
"A couple of kids? What's the meaning of this?" Peggy couldn't help but ask, turning to John. He stopped looking at the board and walked over to Charles and Cassandra, placing his hands on their shoulders to bring them forward.
"Alright, time for some introductions. These two are Charles and Cassandra Xavier, our new recruits. Guys, that beautiful woman over there is Peggy Carter, the Vice-Director of SWORD and second in command after me. Next to her is Howard Stark, the head of Research and Scientific Development at SWORD."
"It's a pleasure to meet you," both siblings responded politely, greeting the two adults who still looked puzzled.
"No offense, but are we sure they're old enough to be here?" Howard couldn't help but ask.
Cassandra smiled and responded easily, "Well, we'll be 17 in a month, so technically, no, we shouldn't be here."
"John, explain now," Peggy said, looking at John seriously.
"Of course, that's what we're here for. You see, there's something I haven't mentioned before, a little secret I've kept hidden for various reasons, and the real reason why SWORD was founded." This made both of them even more puzzled.
"SWORD was founded to take down HYDRA," Peggy stated, as that was what they knew.
"That's true, but also for something more, something... bigger," John said, a smile playing on his lips. "Let me tell you about the meta-humans."
John then began to explain. Fortunately, both Peggy and Howard were sharp individuals who could grasp everything quickly, so he didn't have to answer too many questions. Well, Howard certainly had a lot of questions, but John didn't want to turn this into a full-on scientific lecture, so the man had to wait.
"The first one I met was Raven," John said, pointing to the girl, who demonstrated her abilities by transforming into a perfect imitation of him. This, of course, was the key for Howard and Peggy to realize that John wasn't joking and that meta-humans were indeed real.
"The second was James," he continued, pointing to the man who simply clenched his fist to reveal his claws.
"Wait, I thought you said he was a super soldier," Howard interrupted, to which John nodded.
"oh, he actually is. I just omitted the fact that he's also a meta-human. To clarify, the reason James was able to survive Hydra's experiments and become a super-soldier was because of his powers." Howard then understood. John had mentioned that only James had survived Hydra's experiments, but the reason why was a mystery that all the scientists who knew about the incident wanted to solve, including Howard himself.
It seemed that the reason was much more incredible than he had expected.
"Wait, if that's the case, are you saying that the army of super-soldiers you talked about isn't real?" Peggy asked, frowning. She was quick to grasp things. If what John said was true, then James had only become a super-soldier because of his unique abilities. In that case, even if Hydra had an incomplete serum, they wouldn't be able to create another super-soldier, right?
"No, that was very real," John corrected her and looked at James, who nodded, understanding his intentions.
They had already discussed this privately. Although John did not intend to mention to any government the possibility that Hydra might use Victor's blood as a catalyst to activate the incomplete Compound V, it was still necessary to inform the core of SWORD.
Of course, this presented some risks, but now that Charles was on his side, John had an additional safety card. With him here, he was confident that if there was a traitor, he would be discovered immediately. Of course, he highly doubted that Howard, much less Peggy, would betray him.
"James and his brother have almost the same abilities. Hydra first experimented on him and tried to use him to kill me. Once they succeeded, of course, they wouldn't give up on the idea of more super soldiers besides him."
"I get it now!" Howard suddenly said once he understood what was happening.
"I talked about something like this with Dr. Erskine—the possibility of taking and transferring certain genetic traits from one person to another. Although it was only a theory that the doctor mentioned a few times, it stuck with me because of its potential medical applications. But how? Such a process would require many test subjects with the same genetic alteration due to the risks. If they only use one person, there's a higher chance they would die before they could obtain anything."
"He won't die," James replied looking at Howard making the man pay attention to him.
"I didn't die when they cut me into pieces and removed every organ from my body, including my heart, nor when they extracted hundreds of liters of my blood every day, let alone when they opened my head and played with my brain as if it were clay. So rest assured that my brother won't die no matter what they do to him." His words silenced the room.
Charles winced, as he knew better than anyone how true James's words were.
Howard was stunned but his mind quickly grasped what this meant.
"Super regeneration?" Unknowingly, Howard first mentioned the term that would later become popularly used to describe this ability.
Peggy thought about everything said so far. Although she wasn't a scientist like Howard, she still managed to grasp the essence of the situation.
"So we need to rescue him. We can't let Hydra continue experimenting on him."
John nodded and pointed to the maps displayed on the boards.
"That's why we're going to Poland. If Hydra wants to experiment, what they need most are disposable test subjects, as cruel as that sounds." If Howard and Peggy could see it, the number of lives that would be lost if Hydra started experimenting recklessly would be countless. To carry out something like this, Poland was undoubtedly one of the best options.
"I see." Peggy nodded and then looked at Charles and Cassandra.
"And if I'm not mistaken, you two are also meta-humans, which is why you're here." At her words, Cassandra waved her hand, making one of the pens in the room fly to her palm, which was also impressive to see.
Then they looked at Charles, expecting his demonstration. The boy sighed but did not act impulsively, after all, his powers were not something most people accepted positively.
Seeing his dilemma, John patted his shoulder.
"Charles here is something special. He's a telepath."
Telepath? The term wasn't very well-known in these times but it still existed.
"You can… you can read my thoughts?!" Howard asked with excitement.
Charles nodded.
"Come on do it!" With permission given, the boy concentrated, placing his hand on his temple and looking at Howard, then raised an eyebrow.
"I don't think Miss Harrison would appreciate knowing what you think of her."
Howard opened his eyes, now fully convinced that he was indeed a telepath. He then frowned with some concern.
"Ahem, well, how about we don't mention this to anyone?" he said nervously, to which Charles smiled.
"Of course, I'm pretty good at keeping secrets." Howard really hoped he was.
Peggy sighed, feeling somewhat tired. All of this… It was a lot to take in. She felt like her brain might start to smoke at any moment. Unable to help herself, she looked at John, who smiled warmly at her, making her heart beat a little faster and her mind clear.
Alright, it didn't matter. Hydra, metahumans, super soldiers—they could deal with all of them. They would deal with all of them, one way or another.
Because no matter how crazy the world seemed to be getting, she knew without a doubt that with John by her side, they could overcome this. They would keep the world in one piece, destroy Hydra, end this war, and bring peace back.
Then they could create a better world.
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Note:
Okay guys, I'm bringing you this chapter ahead of schedule because, as I said at the beginning, I'm celebrating! I hope you like it and I wish you a great day n.n
Well, 7000 words, a bit later than I wanted. I can only say that I'm quite tired. Writing this chapter was very complicated because several scenes didn't convince me until I rewrote them over and over again. I almost thought I would get writer's block, haha.
Fortunately, I didn't. I hope this chapter isn't hard to read. I wanted to add more things, but I feel it's better to do so in other chapters to avoid overwhelming you too much. As you know, tell me what you think. I accept any criticism and suggestions.
Comment; I'll be reading them.
I hope you enjoy the chapter ;D
Finally remember that You can already find the next chapter (and several more chapters) of this story on Patreon (patreon.com/EmmaCruzader) All the support received is appreciated ;D
23: Meeting
It was dark, his drowsy consciousness barely able to feel anything, brief flashes, images, memories, sensations that soon stopped due to his forced sleep state.
Who was he? What was he? Those had been some of the first questions he asked himself, questions to which no one answered, at least not in the way he expected. But what did he expect? His creator had acclaimed him as a failure because whenever his eyes opened, it was to see an unknown world that the next moment would be engulfed in flames. Then after a few moments, his consciousness would return to that numbing darkness, and his eyes would close once more, leaving him alone again, aware of his existence but powerless to truly exist.
He was confused, knowing things but at the same time knowing nothing, an existence without purpose.
While submerged in this state, he felt the air once more, the oxygen hit his skin causing the flames to come to life. The android opened his eyes, looking at an unfamiliar place, seeing an unfamiliar face that was vaguely familiar at the same time.
"Very well, you are awake," the man with a star on his chest approached, with a single hand, he tore off the door of the cabin where he had been locked up, and for the first time in his existence, the android was free. Receiving more oxygen than before, his flames rose, hitting the man who had freed him, and for an instant, an unfamiliar feeling reached the android's synthetic mind.
If he were human, he would have known it was concern, but contrary to all the data that had been inserted into his mind about human biology, the fire did not harm the person in front of him. Instead, the man ignored the burning flames as if they were just a simple breeze and put a hand on his shoulder.
"Calm down, it's all right," his voice was soothing, deep, and full of confidence. The android looked at him clumsily, not knowing what to do or say despite knowing thousands of words.
Then he looked at himself, at the flames that surrounded him, dancing and uncontrolled. Then he remembered again, his first memories, a failure, a disaster. That was what his creator said when his eyes opened for the first time.
Something dangerous.
In a panic, he tried to step back, but the hand on his shoulder stopped him.
"Don't get upset, first, let's put out these flames," the android looked up in bewilderment, put out the flames? More memories came, his creator had tried to do it many times, failing all of them, so how would this man do such a thing?
His question was answered when the liquid suddenly spilled against his body, followed by a cold white mist.
His flames suddenly receded, and he felt something different, something had changed. When the white mist settled, and he could look at himself once more, he noticed with incredulity his body, his naked body without flames.
He looked at the palms of his hands with fascination.
"Liquid nitrogen, how about that? An unexpected solution, isn't it?" The android looked at the man with unfamiliar feelings. This person had fixed what his creator could not, had made him cease to be a failure, a danger.
"Who are you?" For the first time in his existence, words left his lips. His voice, hearing himself, was an inexplicable experience.
"You can call me John, you can call me Captain America, or if you want to be too formal, you can call me Colonel. Use whichever you prefer. From now on, you can say I am your superior."
His superior? He knew the meaning of the word; in fact, he had been designed to serve, so it was expected that he would obey orders. But still, he couldn't help having doubts even though he shouldn't be able to.
"What happened... what happened to the creator?" Upon hearing this, John smiled warmly.
"Doctor Horton has decided to return home. He realized that you would be in better hands with me, and he donated you to a greater cause."
That was... The android didn't know how to feel. The creator, Doctor Horton, had never had a real conversation with him; he knew nothing about the man beyond that he was the creator and that he owed him loyalty for that. But if the creator had donated him, it meant that his loyalty had changed hands, as it was always intended to happen.
"To be honest, I don't like referring to you as something that can be given or exchanged, but I've done so because I know those are terms you would understand since they are in your programming. But let's change those terms, okay? From now on, you work for me, you are part of my team, and also part of a new initiative that will change the world. You are part of S.W.O.R.D."
The android listened attentively, storing those words in his database. Although he still didn't understand many things, he did know one thing: serving was his duty, and now he was part of S.W.O.R.D. Now he served Captain America.
So he nodded in agreement, making John smile.
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John left the room specially prepared for the android with a slight smile on the corner of his lips.
Everything had gone as expected, which wasn't difficult. The original Human Torch was now like a "child," one that had been programmed to serve, and now John was his "owner." Gaining his loyalty was simple, and for now, he had a new ally who would follow his orders without too much doubt.
Of course, John knew that the android was not something that could be manipulated without consequences. Although for now, he would follow the programming he was created with, John understood without a doubt that the longer the android lived and experienced, sooner or later, he would begin to form his own individuality.
That's why he had to treat him with care, not think of him as just a machine but as a real person. That way, even when his mind fully developed, the android would still choose to stay by his side.
But for now, it was better to let him get used to his new state. The room that had been prepared for him was simple, but John had ordered some books, newspapers, and a bed to be installed. Simple things, but they would undoubtedly give him some comfort.
"If anything happens, inform me. If he wants to leave, let him, do not try to stop him," John told a couple of guards he had stationed to watch the place.
Both men nodded at his orders.
John returned the nod and walked directly through the temporary S.W.O.R.D. base to the main offices, where many newly hired staff members were doing their work. He nodded at them, and they returned the greeting with respect.
Then he walked to the main office, where he saw Peggy, who seemed quite busy.
"I see you are settling in quite well, Miss Carter," the woman stopped her work and looked up to see him with a smile on her lips. She was about to call him by his name but stopped, remembering where they were.
Her office might have been somewhat secluded from the others, but it was still in the same place, and the walls were not very thick. Pressing her lips together, she cleared her throat and greeted John formally.
"Colonel, it's good to see you. I hope you have finished all your tasks." Despite her very professional tone, John could still hear a bit of reproach in her voice, which was understandable. After all, John had been out the entire day, leaving her with almost all the work he should have been doing.
"Everything is in place. If all goes as I hope, then S.W.O.R.D. will start working for real soon." John sat on Peggy's desk, pushing aside some of the documents on it and stretching his hand up to her hair. The woman, noticing his action, quickly moved his hand away and whispered in a low voice.
"What are you doing?!"
Seeing her panic, John was amused. It wasn't his fault; it was Peggy who had taken his words about not letting anyone find out too seriously. When they weren't alone, the beautiful agent was very professional and didn't want any strange rumors circulating at her workplace.
That's why she had decided to keep their "relationship" hidden. John didn't really care if people knew or not, but since she wanted it that way, he didn't refuse. Besides, it was fun to see her nervous.
"What's the matter, Miss Carter? No one is watching," he said, gesturing to the people working diligently outside the office. Peggy glared at him before standing up and walking to the glass window that allowed them to see outside while also letting others see inside.
Her cold gaze swept the area, looking at the workers she had personally hired and placed in their positions. As the vice-director, she had been filling the logistical gaps in S.W.O.R.D., a challenging task she was perfectly capable of handling thanks to her contacts and the influence she had gained with her new position.
It helped that many of them were already available, having previously worked for the Strategic Scientific Reserve. Their current roles were not very different, so they could start working immediately.
In a short time, Peggy had begun to get S.W.O.R.D. up and running, following some of John's guidelines while also making her own contributions to fill the gaps he had missed.
Of course, S.W.O.R.D. was still in its infancy, but it had started to function, and seeing it happen thanks to her efforts made Peggy feel quite proud.
That's why she didn't want to ruin it. Sighing, she closed the blinds of the window, making the room a bit darker.
She felt John approach her, his hands encircling her waist, and his breath hitting the side of her face. Swallowing hard, she felt his warmth before remembering again where they were and quickly pulled away.
"No, not here," she said with a red face. She had disrespected her professionalism once; she wouldn't do it again.
"Why are you accusing me? I haven't even done anything." John smiled playfully, approaching her again. Peggy turned to look at him with a frown.
"I can sense what you're intending, but now I'm the Vice-Director of S.W.O.R.D. and you're the General Director. You need to be more serious," she reprimanded him, but she didn't pull away when he embraced her again.
"Are you saying I don't know how to behave? Quite bold of you, Miss Carter. Maybe I should punish you for insubordination," John teased, pulling her closer, causing her to blush while frowning at him—a rather intriguing expression.
Their faces were inches apart when someone knocked forcefully on the door.
Like a cat encountering water, Peggy nearly jumped, stepping back quickly. John couldn't help but chuckle a bit but swiftly walked to the door, turning on the light before opening it.
"Well, look who it is!" John said, seeing Howard, this time more elegant and clean than the last time he saw him.
"Miss me? Who am I kidding, of course you did," Howard stepped forward, entering the office casually.
"Miss Carter, or should I say Vice-Director Carter? I heard about your hiring, it's great to have you with us," Howard congratulated her, peggy, who now had a serious and professional expression, nodded in response.
"It's good to see you're back. Have you handled all your tasks?"
Howard nodded. "Every last one of them. I must say, it wasn't easy saying goodbye to some of my girls, but we all have to make sacrifices in this war, don't you think, Colonel?" John nodded wisely, looking at Howard seriously.
"Indeed, as long as Hydra stands and this war is ongoing, worldly pleasures must be set aside for a greater good," his voice was dignified, making Howard's eyes shine with agreement.
For her part, Peggy tried hard not to snort. This guy, how could he say something like that? She didn't expect John to have such a brazen side, although she should have known.
"By the way, there are two people I want you to meet later," John told Howard, causing the man to raise an eyebrow in doubt.
Of course, those people John was referring to were the still-unnamed android and Professor Hank Pym, who should have already arrived at S.W.O.R.D.
"They are a new addition that will certainly interest you, and speaking of that, tomorrow the final members I need for the special team are likely to arrive, so we will have S.W.O.R.D.'s first major meeting."
"New members? I thought you only went to recruit one person," Peggy couldn't help but ask doubtfully. In the note John had left before leaving, he mentioned going to recruit someone but without many details.
"Well, things change. I made an... unexpected discovery. I'll explain everything at the meeting. For now, it's best if we call it a day; it's late, and overworking is bad for your health." This made the woman narrow her eyes at him suspiciously.
"There's still a lot to do," Peggy said, but John quickly shook his finger.
"It's not a suggestion, it's an order. It's time to rest. Go and tell those people outside, we'll kill them with work later," Peggy pursed her lips, but seeing he was serious, she sighed and nodded, standing up.
"I'll let them know to go and rest," Peggy said, leaving the office to talk to the employees outside.
"Well, I'm also a bit tired, and if tomorrow's meeting is as important as you've made it seem, then I'll want to be well-rested. So, I'll be off for now," Howard decided to leave as well, but before he could go, John spoke seriously.
"Before that, I was wondering if you brought 'it' with you," his words made Howard stop and look at him thoughtfully for a moment before nodding.
"I don't know what you want it for, but I had it brought here. This place doesn't have the proper space, so it's in my lab for now," John smiled in relief, relaxing and patting Howard on the shoulder before saying goodbye.
"Very well, that's all. Thanks again for this favor. Now go, I've saved one of the best rooms for you," John pointed the way to Howard before returning to the office, where he waited for Peggy while he immersed himself in his thoughts.
'So it's here,' thinking about 'it,' John couldn't help but feel a bit excited. After all, it was the instrument he would use to elevate his abilities one step further.
The Pod of the Project Rebirth.
John had been thinking a lot about how to execute his plan to absorb the radiation from the Tesseract. At first, he had some doubts about how he should do it, but after much meditation, he realized that the solution had always been right in front of him.
The most important thing of all was that he realized he could use Dr. Erskine's discovery to his advantage. After all, the greatest benefit of vita radiation was its stabilizing properties. Absorbing the Tesseract's energy directly could be dangerous due to its volatility, but if he used vita rays to stabilize its power, it might make it easier for his body to assimilate that energy.
It was theoretical, after all, he didn't know if he could actually combine the energy of the Tesseract and the vita rays into one until he tried it. But if it worked... He didn't know exactly what the effects would be, but without a doubt, he would rise to unimaginable heights.
John hadn't planned to get to this point initially; becoming his own lab rat was not pleasant. But if he couldn't stop Hydra before they obtained an army of super soldiers, then he would have to take the risk.
"Well, everyone is gone," Peggy returned, looking at John, who seemed lost in deep thoughts.
"Is something wrong?" she asked, somewhat concerned, but John quickly reverted to his normal attitude upon hearing her and shook his head before approaching her quickly.
"Just thinking about the future," she frowned at feeling his hands on her waist.
"I told you, not here," she complained but didn't really fight against him. John laughed as he took her lips with his, making Peggy forget they were still in the office.
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Janet had been having problems, serious and fascinating problems.
Something had happened, something that obviously had to do with Professor Hank's device accident. Janet had tried to stay calm; she was also a scientist and surely could figure out what was happening, right?
Well, she found out some things. Using the scientific equipment of the research committee with her father's permission, she ran some secret analyses on herself.
They were quick studies but told her enough. Something had changed in her; her genetic structure was different.
Which was another problem because she didn't specialize in genetics at all.
And while shooting rays from her hands was cool, she wouldn't deny that.
There was also the possibility that there was some unknown side effect, a deadly and not at all pleasant side effect waiting for its time to come to light.
With that in mind and with the sun just a few minutes away from rising over the horizon, Janet found herself standing outside the temporary headquarters of SWORD.
Why had she come here? There were a few reasons. One would think that with her father being a renowned scientist, she would seek his help first, but her father wasn't specialized in genetics or strange powers either.
And if she went to him, he would surely make this matter something that the entire research committee would get involved in, and Janet wasn't going to become their next scientific project, thank you very much.
She knew enough about those types to know that if she fell into their hands, things would not be pleasant at all, even with her father there.
So her options were clear. This happened because of the incident caused by Professor Pym's machine, and Professor Pym had followed Captain America to SWORD.
She didn't know if Professor Pym would have a solution; in fact, she doubted he would, but he was the only one with the data on the Pym particles, which Janet theorized were the cause of her change. Therefore, it was clear that to begin investigating her condition, she should start there.
Besides, SWORD should have knowledge about genetic alteration, right? After all, Captain America was created that way, and while the lead scientist in charge of the super-soldier project was dead, that didn't mean there weren't any data that could help her understand her new state better.
She didn't know if she could reverse it, but at least she needed to ensure she wasn't going to die at any moment or something worse. She would really jump off a bridge if a strange arm grew or something similar.
And lastly... she trusted John, even if she barely knew him. Surely the world's first great hero would help her, right? At least that was the impression she had of him—a reliable man. Maybe she shouldn't trust such a vague feeling, but deep down, she believed she wasn't wrong.
She took a deep breath to encourage herself. She hoped John was there because it would be quite depressing to have to wait until he arrived. The guards at the doors looked pretty fierce, after all.
"Good morning?" she approached and spoke, causing the guards to give her hard looks.
"It's better if you step away, miss. This facility is government property," one of them said sternly.
Janet nodded, somewhat nervously. "Yes, well, I came by invitation, from Colonel John—John Benjamin Vogelbaum, surely you know him. He offered me a job and, well, I couldn't wait any longer?"
One of the guards frowned but remembered something John had told them before assigning them to their post. He pulled out a list from one of his pockets and spoke, asking a question.
"Can you tell me your name?"
"Janet van Dyne, I'm the daughter of Vernon van Dyne." Janet really disliked having to use her father's name, but in this situation, she didn't hesitate.
"I see, follow me," the guard nodded after reading the paper he had taken out and began to guide Janet inside. Meanwhile, the other guard took out his radio and sent the message of Janet's arrival to the head of security.
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"This place is more... simple than I expected," Janet couldn't help but think as she looked around the interior of the building. It was obvious that there were areas that were still somewhat empty. The guard led her through the place until they reached one of the upper floors.
"You can wait here," the guard pointed to a door before opening it to let Janet in. With some uncertainty, the young woman stepped inside, noticing that it seemed like a simple office room with two chairs and a desk.
She heard the door close behind her and couldn't help but momentarily panic. Still, she reminded herself that she hadn't done anything wrong and shouldn't be in trouble, so she simply took one of the chairs and decided to wait.
Fortunately for her, it wasn't long before someone opened the door, though it wasn't exactly who she was expecting.
The blonde woman with a cold expression who entered the room made Janet swallow hard. She recognized her; it was the same woman who had followed John to the Scientific Innovation Fair of the Research Committee. Whether it was back then or now, Janet felt the same impression when being looked at by her.
As if a wolf was studying her.
She didn't know why, but something told her that she was dangerous in some way.
"Uh, I was expecting to speak with the Colonel," Janet said, somewhat nervously.
"Many hope to speak with him, but he's a somewhat busy man. Even so, he should be here soon," she said in a flat voice.
An awkward silence then filled the space as both women looked at each other. Janet had not expected to have such an uncomfortable encounter so soon, It wasn't even dawn yet!
Well, luck smiled on her as this situation didn't last long. The door opened again, and this time the man she had been hoping to see finally arrived, albeit somewhat disheveled, looking like he had hurried out of bed.
"Sorry, I was a bit busy. I didn't expect you so early," John said, looking at Janet with curiosity.
"Well... something happened, and I need some help," Janet decided to be direct, causing John to raise an eyebrow but quickly start to guess what was going on.
"Raven, why don't you get us something to drink?" Raven nodded, knowing that John wanted to talk alone with Janet, so she left temporarily. After all, she had only come to ensure that the guards hadn't let in the wrong person.
Seeing her leave, Janet sighed in relief, and John approached her, sitting informally on the desk in the office.
"She's gone now. So, will you tell me what the problem is?"
At his question, Janet fidgeted with her fingers before nodding and taking off the brown leather gloves she had been wearing. She proceeded to raise her palms, and out of nowhere, the room lit up with a yellow glow.
John observed the ethereal energy emanating from Janet's hands with interest.
"It all started after the incident at the Innovation Fair. I did some analysis on myself, but it only left me with more questions than answers. So i thought that if I came here and spoke with Professor Pym, I could understand better what happened to me," Janet explained.
"I see, it must have been the Pym particles. When that explosion occurred, the energy released by them must have affected your genetic structure in an unexpected way. Tell me, is this the only thing you can do?" he asked, pointing at her hands. Janet was quite surprised that John understood everything instantly. She hadn't wanted to use scientific jargon or explain too much, thinking it would be useless, but the man seemed to know more than she had expected.
"Well, besides glowing, it seems I can make the energy come out of my hands with force?" she said, not fully understanding the phenomenon, as she hadn't dared to try it again for fear of causing damage.
"Show me," John said simply, making her look at him in surprise.
Seeing her hesitation, John stood up and patted his chest.
"you should have seen what I am capable of, come on I'll be fine," he said, causing her to gulp before nodding. Yes, he was Captain America, a super soldier. She had seen images of him taken in Italy; not even tank shells made him bleed, so surely she couldn't harm him.
She took a deep breath and quickly extended both palms toward him. This time, she consciously wanted the energy to be released, and in response to that thought, the yellow glow intensified. Like an arrow at great speed, the energy left her palms, cutting through the air.
John's eyes widened slightly; it was much faster than any projectile he had faced before, even those fired by Hydra's weapons.
Still, he stood firm and let the projectile hit him directly in the chest. His body was pushed back several inches, and the white shirt he was wearing burned from the energy, but despite that, his skin showed no signs of damage.
"Wow, that hits harder than a grenade." He wasn't joking; John had let enemy soldiers detonate grenades in his face, and those explosions hadn't even made him stagger.
Janet looked at her palms in amazement. This attack had released more energy than the first one she had done, yet somehow she felt it wasn't her limit.
Then she looked up and couldn't help but blush as she saw John taking off his half-burned shirt, revealing his bare torso completely.
"Incredible, to think that a simple accident could generate such changes in a person... Tell me, have you tried doing anything else?"
At his question, Janet quickly averted her gaze and shook her head.
"I don't know what kind of side effects this might have. I haven't wanted to experiment too much." Her concern was not unfounded, but John didn't think anything bad would happen to her, at least not in a universe like this. In his old universe, it might have given her super cancer or something like that.
"I understand. You don't have to worry. Since you've come here, I'll do everything possible to help you. I won't let anything bad happen to you," he promised solemnly, making Janet look at him with gratitude. It seemed her choice to come here had been the right one.
Extremely relieved, she couldn't help but feel a bit excited.
"Thank you! really thanks!!" Janet ran toward him, giving him a strong hug. Only God knows how worried she had been since the incident. Facing all this on her own had pushed her nerves to the limit, and now that she finally had someone to trust, she almost wanted to start crying.
John patted her back to calm her. In a way, he understood her worry because he had felt that same uncertainty when he injected himself with Compound V, not knowing what would happen.
"You know we have better rooms than this, right?" Raven's bored voice made Janet almost jump. John turned to see her entering with three cups of coffee in her hands. When their eyes met, he could see the reproach in them, as if saying, "Again?"
"N-no, it's not like that!" Janet tried to explain, but Raven didn't even look at her. She just put down the coffee and turned to leave.
John felt genuinely depressed; this time, he hadn't done anything wrong, but his faithful assistant seemed to have lost faith in him...
"Wait, I need you to call professor pym, tell him it's something important," John said, stopping her. Raven looked at him and nodded seriously, noticing from his tone that this was a serious matter.
"For now you can stay in one of the rooms on site. I still have some other matters to attend to later, but I'll let Professor Pym and you start working to find out more about your condition. Probably Howard will join you too," John told Janet, who nodded. In fact, she hadn't slept at all due to her worries, but now that she had found help, she felt sleep starting to catch up with her.
John had some of the workers prepare a room for Janet where she could settle for now. He then went off to meet with Hank and explain the situation.
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Later in the morning.
Charles hadn't had a great night. The images of James's memories had been replaying in his mind over and over, making it almost impossible for him to fall asleep. Fortunately, or unfortunately, his sister knew exactly what to do to knock him out.
"You could have been gentler," he complained while rubbing the side of his head.
"Being gentle wouldn't have helped," Cassandra replied as she shoved another suitcase into the car's trunk. Seeing this, Charles frowned.
"Do you really want to go?" His question made Cassandra roll her eyes and look at him with a cold expression.
"Do you want to have this discussion again?" Cassandra closed the trunk and leaned against the car, facing Charles with a raised eyebrow in challenge.
"I'm going, whether with you or without you. You can't stop me, little brother; I've already decided what I'm going to do." There was no doubt in her words.
Charles sighed, realizing he really couldn't change her mind, but he wasn't going to stay behind either.
"you will not go alone, I will never back down from something like this, I believe that this... that this was what I was born to do and I have to go," he was sincere. After thinking deeply, he realized that his powers, his gifts, could do a lot of good, change the world.
"There you have it. Why talk so much when we both know what we're going to do?"
Charles nodded. She was right about that, yet he couldn't help but worry about her, even though he knew it wasn't necessary. His sister was always impulsive in many aspects, and he feared she might get hurt because of this. But he couldn't stop her; his powers didn't work on her, and in a physical contest, he'd probably end up like a pretzel without even touching a hair on her head.
After all, how do you beat someone who can hit you without touching you?
"Come on, I don't want to be late," Cassandra urged, getting into the passenger seat. Charles nodded, snapping out of his thoughts and looking one last time at the family home.
Perhaps the hardest part was having to manipulate their parents. Charles wasn't proud of it, but he could only take that path to keep them from worrying about their well-being.
After all, their two children were leaving without knowing if they'd ever come back.
"I'm sorry," he whispered in apology before getting into the car and starting their journey.
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"Shall we begin?" Peggy asked, stifling a yawn.
"Not yet. They should be arriving soon," John responded by looking at the series of maps he had laid out on several boards.
Raven entered the strategic planning room with several cups of coffee, handing one to Peggy, another to Howard, and finally to James, although the latter didn't really need it.
Peggy didn't hesitate and took a long sip, even though it was a bit hot. She needed to clear the tiredness from her body, thinking about it she couldn't help but look at John reproachfully, clearly it had been this guy's fault that she barely slept a few hours.
John wisely ignored her glare and instead focused on the words he was about to say. After all, this meeting was largely about introducing the meta-humans to those who were still unaware of them. At least the core of SWORD should know them before anyone else.
"They better get here soon; the wait is killing me," Howard said while looking at the boards John had filled with maps.
"They're here," James spoke, causing Peggy and Howard to blink in confusion.
Outside the building.
Charles stopped his car, and soon both siblings got out, looking at the temporary SWORD headquarters.
Before they could say anything, a soldier approached them, eyeing them carefully and saluting.
"Mr. and Miss Xavier?" he asked, and they both nodded.
"Follow me," he said simply and began guiding them along with other soldiers. Cassandra shrugged and followed the guard, while Charles took a deep breath before stepping forward as well.
They soon entered the building. Unlike when Janet arrived, there was a lot of activity inside. Some people gave them strange looks; after all, they were a pair of young people in a government building, something that contrasted sharply with the seriousness of the place.
Even so, no one questioned why they were there since they were being escorted by military personnel.
They soon arrived in front of the strategic planning room's door.
"The Colonel is waiting for you inside," the guard said before retreating with his men.
Charles could sense James inside, as well as John and two other people, and without hesitating any longer, he opened the door.
When they heard the door open, the first to turn toward the direction were, of course, Peggy and Howard, who raised an eyebrow in unison.
"A couple of kids? What's the meaning of this?" Peggy couldn't help but ask, turning to John. He stopped looking at the board and walked over to Charles and Cassandra, placing his hands on their shoulders to bring them forward.
"Alright, time for some introductions. These two are Charles and Cassandra Xavier, our new recruits. Guys, that beautiful woman over there is Peggy Carter, the Vice-Director of SWORD and second in command after me. Next to her is Howard Stark, the head of Research and Scientific Development at SWORD."
"It's a pleasure to meet you," both siblings responded politely, greeting the two adults who still looked puzzled.
"No offense, but are we sure they're old enough to be here?" Howard couldn't help but ask.
Cassandra smiled and responded easily, "Well, we'll be 17 in a month, so technically, no, we shouldn't be here."
"John, explain now," Peggy said, looking at John seriously.
"Of course, that's what we're here for. You see, there's something I haven't mentioned before, a little secret I've kept hidden for various reasons, and the real reason why SWORD was founded." This made both of them even more puzzled.
"SWORD was founded to take down HYDRA," Peggy stated, as that was what they knew.
"That's true, but also for something more, something... bigger," John said, a smile playing on his lips. "Let me tell you about the meta-humans."
John then began to explain. Fortunately, both Peggy and Howard were sharp individuals who could grasp everything quickly, so he didn't have to answer too many questions. Well, Howard certainly had a lot of questions, but John didn't want to turn this into a full-on scientific lecture, so the man had to wait.
"The first one I met was Raven," John said, pointing to the girl, who demonstrated her abilities by transforming into a perfect imitation of him. This, of course, was the key for Howard and Peggy to realize that John wasn't joking and that meta-humans were indeed real.
"The second was James," he continued, pointing to the man who simply clenched his fist to reveal his claws.
"Wait, I thought you said he was a super soldier," Howard interrupted, to which John nodded.
"oh, he actually is. I just omitted the fact that he's also a meta-human. To clarify, the reason James was able to survive Hydra's experiments and become a super-soldier was because of his powers." Howard then understood. John had mentioned that only James had survived Hydra's experiments, but the reason why was a mystery that all the scientists who knew about the incident wanted to solve, including Howard himself.
It seemed that the reason was much more incredible than he had expected.
"Wait, if that's the case, are you saying that the army of super-soldiers you talked about isn't real?" Peggy asked, frowning. She was quick to grasp things. If what John said was true, then James had only become a super-soldier because of his unique abilities. In that case, even if Hydra had an incomplete serum, they wouldn't be able to create another super-soldier, right?
"No, that was very real," John corrected her and looked at James, who nodded, understanding his intentions.
They had already discussed this privately. Although John did not intend to mention to any government the possibility that Hydra might use Victor's blood as a catalyst to activate the incomplete Compound V, it was still necessary to inform the core of SWORD.
Of course, this presented some risks, but now that Charles was on his side, John had an additional safety card. With him here, he was confident that if there was a traitor, he would be discovered immediately. Of course, he highly doubted that Howard, much less Peggy, would betray him.
"James and his brother have almost the same abilities. Hydra first experimented on him and tried to use him to kill me. Once they succeeded, of course, they wouldn't give up on the idea of more super soldiers besides him."
"I get it now!" Howard suddenly said once he understood what was happening.
"I talked about something like this with Dr. Erskine—the possibility of taking and transferring certain genetic traits from one person to another. Although it was only a theory that the doctor mentioned a few times, it stuck with me because of its potential medical applications. But how? Such a process would require many test subjects with the same genetic alteration due to the risks. If they only use one person, there's a higher chance they would die before they could obtain anything."
"He won't die," James replied looking at Howard making the man pay attention to him.
"I didn't die when they cut me into pieces and removed every organ from my body, including my heart, nor when they extracted hundreds of liters of my blood every day, let alone when they opened my head and played with my brain as if it were clay. So rest assured that my brother won't die no matter what they do to him." His words silenced the room.
Charles winced, as he knew better than anyone how true James's words were.
Howard was stunned but his mind quickly grasped what this meant.
"Super regeneration?" Unknowingly, Howard first mentioned the term that would later become popularly used to describe this ability.
Peggy thought about everything said so far. Although she wasn't a scientist like Howard, she still managed to grasp the essence of the situation.
"So we need to rescue him. We can't let Hydra continue experimenting on him."
John nodded and pointed to the maps displayed on the boards.
"That's why we're going to Poland. If Hydra wants to experiment, what they need most are disposable test subjects, as cruel as that sounds." If Howard and Peggy could see it, the number of lives that would be lost if Hydra started experimenting recklessly would be countless. To carry out something like this, Poland was undoubtedly one of the best options.
"I see." Peggy nodded and then looked at Charles and Cassandra.
"And if I'm not mistaken, you two are also meta-humans, which is why you're here." At her words, Cassandra waved her hand, making one of the pens in the room fly to her palm, which was also impressive to see.
Then they looked at Charles, expecting his demonstration. The boy sighed but did not act impulsively, after all, his powers were not something most people accepted positively.
Seeing his dilemma, John patted his shoulder.
"Charles here is something special. He's a telepath."
Telepath? The term wasn't very well-known in these times but it still existed.
"You can… you can read my thoughts?!" Howard asked with excitement.
Charles nodded.
"Come on do it!" With permission given, the boy concentrated, placing his hand on his temple and looking at Howard, then raised an eyebrow.
"I don't think Miss Harrison would appreciate knowing what you think of her."
Howard opened his eyes, now fully convinced that he was indeed a telepath. He then frowned with some concern.
"Ahem, well, how about we don't mention this to anyone?" he said nervously, to which Charles smiled.
"Of course, I'm pretty good at keeping secrets." Howard really hoped he was.
Peggy sighed, feeling somewhat tired. All of this… It was a lot to take in. She felt like her brain might start to smoke at any moment. Unable to help herself, she looked at John, who smiled warmly at her, making her heart beat a little faster and her mind clear.
Alright, it didn't matter. Hydra, metahumans, super soldiers—they could deal with all of them. They would deal with all of them, one way or another.
Because no matter how crazy the world seemed to be getting, she knew without a doubt that with John by her side, they could overcome this. They would keep the world in one piece, destroy Hydra, end this war, and bring peace back.
Then they could create a better world.
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Note:
Okay guys, I'm bringing you this chapter ahead of schedule because, as I said at the beginning, I'm celebrating! I hope you like it and I wish you a great day n.n
Well, 7000 words, a bit later than I wanted. I can only say that I'm quite tired. Writing this chapter was very complicated because several scenes didn't convince me until I rewrote them over and over again. I almost thought I would get writer's block, haha.
Fortunately, I didn't. I hope this chapter isn't hard to read. I wanted to add more things, but I feel it's better to do so in other chapters to avoid overwhelming you too much. As you know, tell me what you think. I accept any criticism and suggestions.
Comment; I'll be reading them.
I hope you enjoy the chapter ;D
Finally remember that You can already find the next chapter (and several more chapters) of this story on Patreon (patreon.com/EmmaCruzader) All the support received is appreciated ;D
KillerFish
Grumpy Owl, Bird Lawyer
So most of the elements for a Proto-Invaders team are there, just Namor missing, really.
And Happy Birthday!
And Happy Birthday!
Yeah, King T'Chanda had gifted Howard Stark some Vibranium to help the war effort in the 1940s, which is used to make Captain America's shield.
And that's it. Wakanda just stayed out of the world's affairs and watch.
Perhaps another ripple to the timeline would be the Black Panther of '40s and his agents discreetly helping out the Allies from the shadows.
Huh…I thought the vibranium he used for the shield was from some sort of weapon, I had no idea he received that directly from the wakandans.
Honestly I think pushing for wakanda to involve themselves further in society would be a really good direction to take this. John knows everything that's coming in the future and having 80 or so years to prepare and advance the whole world would help immensely, that is unless he's still planning to get frozen in ice.
Indubitably, that will certainly change the world when Wakanda takes the opportunity to make a good first impression with the Allied Powers in fighting by their side and take part of rebuilding the world from the ashes of war, and without Armin Zola, HYDRA won't be reborn to cause Cold War shenanigans in the first place.
There's probably a lot of different factions that could cause them trouble after the war is finished. With the X-Men involved, it opens up a lot of doors for shenanigans. That's assuming there isn't already a plan to open up this story to further Marvel stories, and we still haven't explored any of this world's more magical side. Plus if John keeps seeking power, I could see a visit to The Seven Capital Cities of Heaven in his future.
I think there's also opportunities for John to interact with Asgard if some of the stuff I'm remembering about Loki is correct.
Hell, we could see the butterflies in this story somehow catapulting this timeline into the 60s marvel continuity. That's Earth-616 I think?
Oh yeah, Loki was behind the D.B. Cooper incident as shown in Loki tv series. Although it's odd that Heimdall didn't inform Odin about the Tesseract/Space Stone being found and used by mortals of Midgard for nefarious purposes.
Which would result to Odin tasking Thor to go to Earth and get it back. Thor would naturally bring in Loki, Sif and Warriors Three or if he wants some extra company, there's Amora and Skurge, for the mission to get the Tesseract.
I think that can be explained by the producers not wanting to risk flooding the movie with stuff. In world I would say that whatever happened in the movie wasn't eventful enough to catch Heindall's eye even if it involved the Tesseract.
Could also make the argument that introducing Asgard in such a mission, and letting them take the Tesseract would prevent Captain Marvel from existing. But then again, comic Captain Marvel receives her powers from a different source.
Aye, Carol Danvers got her powers from Captain Mar-Vell in the comics and it's adapted into Avengers Earth's Mightiest Heroes animated series, one of my favorite shows.
Besides, we don't need to follow the canon most of the time, time to explore different routes.
24: Promise
- Location
- Eart
24: Promise
The meeting lasted a little longer before it ended. After all, it wasn't a meeting to decide or vote on something; John was in charge and was merely getting the whole team on the same page. Everyone then went to do what they needed to do because they would soon be flying back to Europe.
SWORD's temporary base would serve as a command center in this part of the world and help communicate between the international agency and the United States. In the not-too-distant future, they would likely opt for a more ideal location and the construction of a proper headquarters.
Of course, if possible, John wanted his own helicarrier soaring through the clouds, but even with Howard and Hank by his side, that would probably take some time.
And speaking of Hank...
"This… This is incredible! Can you see it, Colonel? Her cells have formed a connection with quantum energy. High-intensity Pym particles are spontaneously generated within her at every moment!" John looked at the data Professor Pym had obtained after studying Janet's anomalous condition for several hours.
The woman was also nearby, looking at the information with interest, after all, it concerned the condition of her body.
"It's fascinating, Professor, but the important thing is to know if this is harmful to her. Her health is the most important thing here," John said, causing Janet to nod in agreement.
The professor stopped looking at the analysis and thought deeply before responding.
"I need more specialized equipment to give a definitive answer, but with the data obtained so far, it shouldn't be dangerous for the moment."
"Not dangerous for the moment?" Janet quickly asked with some alarm.
"Well, although I don't know exactly where the particles forming inside you are coming from, they show no signs of stopping so far. In fact, it seems their production is increasing. For now, it's not harmful, but the human body isn't designed to store so much power. Sooner or later, it will fill up, and if that happens, well…"
"Her body could collapse," John finished, with a serious expression, making Janet's face turn pale as she also understood what could happen.
"I-it's just a possibility. Nothing like this has ever been seen before, so to say what will happen with absolute certainty could be wrong. Maybe when her body reaches the maximum possible storage point, the generation of particles will stop, and her condition will stabilize."
Of course, this was the best-case scenario, but whether it was Janet, Hank, or John, they all understood that the chances of this actually happening were slim. Taking the risk of letting it happen to find out would only endanger Janet's life unnecessarily.
Seeing the worry on Janet's face, John reassured her by placing a hand on her shoulder.
"Though the situation isn't ideal, we're not without options, Miss Van Dyne. Remember, you can release that energy at will, so you just need to do that until we find a better solution." At John's words, Janet's face lit up. That's right! She could release the energy through her hands. She had been so worried that she had momentarily forgotten that fact.
"Release the energy?" Hank asked, perplexed. John realized he hadn't mentioned that to him. He looked at Janet and nodded toward an empty space within the improvised laboratory that had been set up for Hank, where all his equipment had been brought earlier.
Janet swallowed but still raised her hand, and a yellow light glowed, causing Hank's eyes to widen in amazement. Then the projectile shot out, hitting the wall and causing the concrete to crack.
Of course, Janet didn't want to cause too much damage, so she deliberately tried to control the output power—something she hadn't thought to do before but managed with some success once she attempted it.
"Fascinating! This—what else can you do?" Hank looked at her with almost inhuman curiosity, making Janet feel a bit uncomfortable. Still, she knew this was to be expected from a scientist, and in a sense, she understood, as she herself had a great deal of curiosity.
"Well, I haven't tried anything else," she responded honestly.
"H-how about shrinking or growing!? Can you change your size?" Hank's question left both John and Janet looking at him in confusion.
"The primary function of Pym particles is to alter the size and mass of matter. Although I haven't tested it with living beings, it should be possible, and your body is full of those particles, so…" He didn't need to say more for both of them to understand. John had an idea that this might happen, thanks to his memories, but he wasn't entirely sure if that would be the case, as variables always existed.
Janet hadn't thought about it since she had been too focused on the initial use she had given these… strange abilities and the possible side effects they could have on her. But now that the analyses were out and her life didn't seem to be in immediate danger, she could not help but let the curiosity and fascination of having obtained supernatural abilities begin to get to her. Could she really change her size? It sounded too fantastical, but… looking at her hands and the light they generated, she couldn't help but want to try it.
She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She wasn't sure what she was trying to do since this hadn't come with a manual, but she was smart and felt that she could figure it out; she just needed to concentrate and try.
John stepped back a bit to give her space, and Professor Pym watched with a notebook in hand, ready to take all the notes possible.
Suddenly, a faint and almost imperceptible yellow glow surrounded Janet's entire body. Then, to the naked eye, her figure began to shrink. Of course, her clothes did not, and before John could warn her, the woman's figure was lost among the garments, which fell to the floor.
Janet was astonished. Somehow, she knew she was shrinking and could feel it throughout her body, but her happiness was interrupted when she felt herself being enveloped in enormous amounts of fabric. She opened her eyes in confusion, only to find herself surrounded by the texture of the clothing.
And she was naked, something she quickly noticed, and she couldn't help but scream in panic and embarrassment.
"Relax, you're trapped in your clothes. It seems that the shrinking ability doesn't include them. Professor Pym and I will step out. Try to return to your normal size," John said as he pulled Hank out, who seemed somewhat reluctant because he wanted to witness the entire process firsthand, but a lady needed privacy.
Janet sighed in relief when she heard them leave, and with her amazement returning, she began to move, soon emerging from the fabric and looking at the world from an amazing new perspective.
"Wow!" she couldn't help but exclaim as she saw how everything had changed, how she had changed.
Still, being naked in a place other than her room or the bathroom felt quite wrong, so she quickly concentrated and tried to return to her normal size.
She managed to do so with more ease than she expected, and without hesitation, she began to dress again.
Soon, John and Hank returned when Janet told them she was fine.
"It really works, it can really be used on living beings." Hank was quite excited about the discovery, as it presented many possibilities, almost infinite possibilities.
"Do you feel anything wrong? Any problems with your body?" John asked, paying closer attention to Janet's condition. The woman thought about it, analyzing herself before shaking her head.
"Everything feels fine. In fact, I feel lighter. I think I used up some of those Pym particles, much more than when I released energy through my hands." Even though she was still a novice, she was already starting to familiarize herself with her changes and could say this with some certainty.
"Good, that's a more efficient way to control the amount of energy within you. Professor Pym, is there any way we can make Miss Van Dyne's clothes adapt to her size change?" John asked, pulling Hank out of his thoughts and into new ones.
"Yes? I think I can do something, though I'm not sure how effective it will be. I'll need to run more tests."
"For now, let's make that a priority. I know it's not what you want, but this happened because of the incident at the science fair, and ensuring Miss Van Dyne's health is your responsibility. I hope you understand that."
Hank frowned but nodded. In fact, it was his fault that this happened. Even if John didn't remind him, deep down, he knew he had to help Janet in some way or another.
"I'd like to help, to learn more about the Pym particles. After all, they're part of me now, aren't they?" Janet said suddenly, causing Hank to frown.
His research... this was the discovery of his life. The thought of sharing it so easily didn't sit well with him, but he also understood that she was right. The Pym particles were now part of her body, so learning everything possible about them would only benefit Janet.
"Alright, I'll teach you," he said, albeit reluctantly, causing Janet to raise a triumphant fist.
Seeing this, John smiled, glad there were no unnecessary disputes, though, of course, it was still too early to say if the two of them would work well together.
He supposed he'd find out later.
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.
"Flame On" the neutral voice said, and in the next instant, the fire ignited. Howard's eyes widened as he looked at the android, and John, beside him, smiled.
Although John hadn't interacted with the android as much as he would have liked, he had left some instructions before parting ways with it earlier that day. One of them was that it should say the classic Human Torch motto whenever its flames ignited.
The android, of course, didn't understand why, but it obeyed without hesitation.
"And you say the man gave it to you just like that?" Howard asked as he looked at the android and the data John had brought along with the robot.
"Well, some concessions had to be made, but I managed to convince him. I wanted him to work with us, but unfortunately, he refused, and you know I won't force anyone to work with SWORD." At John's words, Howard nodded with some disappointment. He would have liked to speak with this Dr. Horton, as he seemed to have great knowledge that fascinated him.
Still, with the data John had brought, Howard was perfectly capable of conducting his own studies, and who knows, he might even continue the man's research if the opportunity arose.
"So, do you think you can repair it if it ever gets damaged?" John asked the question that had been on his mind, and Howard took a moment to respond.
"Well, it would certainly be a challenge, but I'm Howard Stark, Colonel; there's nothing in this world that I can't repair," he said with confidence, making John smile.
"Well, I'll trust you. I'll leave it in your hands for now." Then he looked at the android, but before speaking, he paused in thought.
"In fact, you don't have a name yet, and just calling you 'android' wouldn't be right. Tell me, do you have something in mind?" At the question, the android blinked. A name? It hadn't thought about that before.
Could it have one? The thought was disconcerting but also made it feel good. Yes, now it could identify that sensation. It had read several of the books John had left behind, most of them quite descriptive regarding the different feelings and sensations of human beings, and even though it wasn't human, it could still identify with much of what was described.
"Isaac, I like Isaac," it said after a moment, causing John to raise an eyebrow.
"Isaac? That's an interesting name. Where did you choose it from?"
"One of the books you brought. The author's name is Isaac. I really like his work," the android replied. So it decided to name itself after its favorite author. How interesting.
"Well, Isaac, I'd like you to follow Howard for a while, at least while he studies your design. Take his orders as mine and ensure his well-being. Do you understand?" Although John wanted to take Isaac with him immediately, he knew he shouldn't rush things. He would introduce the android to the war effort gradually.
"Understood, Colonel. I will protect Mr. Stark as required."
"A real android will have my back," Howard couldn't help but whisper with childlike amazement.
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"This place seems cozy, a bit small, but well, as something temporary, I won't complain," Cassandra said as she looked around the provisional room John had given them.
"Comfort shouldn't be a priority," Charles sighed, watching his sister move around the room before turning his gaze back to an extremely detailed map of Poland.
Although his role in this war wasn't entirely clear, Charles knew that his main objective was to find Hydra's main laboratory and rescue James's brother, Victor. Initially, John wanted Charles to be just an interrogator, someone who would stay safely at the base they were going to use in Europe.
But Charles had refused. There were several reasons for this, one of them being how impractical it would be to bring live prisoners to the base. Not only would it waste time, but it would also risk the prisoners with valuable information dying before reaching him, and with them, their chances of stopping Hydra before they perfected the incomplete serum.
John had said that his safety was important and that going to the battlefield would only put him at risk, but that risk was something Charles could accept. No, it was the least he could do. He wasn't going to sit back while others fought with their lives on the line; he couldn't live with that.
Perhaps it was James's memories and thoughts influencing him, but ever since he decided to join this war, Charles did so with the intention of doing so as a soldier.
His choice, of course, made John worry, but in the end, he had accepted his request, making Charles internally grateful.
On the other hand, his sister had decided that if he was going to the battlefield, she wouldn't stay behind, which, of course, was a problem. Although Charles should have seen it coming—she wasn't the type to wait patiently for things to happen, at least not when she knew what was going on.
He knew he couldn't change her mind, which frustrated him a bit. He tried to get John to prevent it, but the man had looked him seriously in the eye and said words that still lingered in his mind.
"Listen, Charles, I know you're worried about her, but your sister is her own person. Her actions and choices are hers alone, and she must be free to make them. It's not something you can prevent, but what you can do is be by her side when the time comes."
He didn't like it, not at all, but John was right—his sister wasn't someone who would sit idle for long. She was impulsive and, in a way, stubborn, and it was surprising that she had stayed at home as long as she did.
Of course, Charles knew about their father's plans, but he hadn't known how to tell his sister. Maybe it was for the best that she found out on her own, but it also ignited a spark in her that Charles knew wouldn't be easily extinguished. He knew she would leave at some point, and he wouldn't be able to stop her.
He never imagined a situation where they would leave together, but now that it had happened, he could only do his best to accompany her on this path, wherever it might lead.
"Comfort is always important, little brother," Cassandra said, but she didn't argue further. Instead, she lay down on her bed, staring at the ceiling, and asked another question.
"How many more do you think there are?" Charles looked at her, puzzled, and seeing his confusion, she clarified.
"Metahumans. How many more do you think are out there? Hundreds? Thousands? Do you think we'll encounter others in the war?"
Charles pondered this for a moment before responding.
"I don't know for sure, but it would be good if they could be on our side. I don't want to face someone who can do what you can." At that, Cassandra smirked, extending her hand to make one of the books she had brought with her float toward her.
"Don't worry, Charles. If someone like that shows up, I'll take care of them."
Yes... although Charles worried about her, the truth was that he knew she wasn't a damsel in distress. No, his sister was a real danger to others, and that was why he was concerned about letting her go to war and setting her loose in a place where she could unleash her abilities without hesitation.
He didn't know if that would be good or bad or what kind of person it might turn her into.
But John was right about one thing—he would be by her side, no matter what happened.
"It's best if you stop reading for today and get a good rest, we'll be leaving for Europe soon," Charles finally said, folding the map he had been examining and lying down on his own bed.
"Don't remind me, the excitement won't let me sleep," Cassandra replied with enthusiasm, though she did set the book aside.
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John looked at Peggy, who had been unusually quiet for a long time.
"What's wrong? Are you still upset?" he asked, causing her to frown and sigh simultaneously.
It was no secret that Peggy had been strongly opposed to bringing Charles and Cassandra with them.
"They're just kids, John," she said after a moment, making John look at her.
"Maybe... but Hydra doesn't give us many options. We have to take every opportunity and advantage we have; you know that."
Peggy bit her lip. She understood. She knew they couldn't win this war relying on conventional methods, but still... Seeing her concern, John moved closer, gently stroking her back.
"Listen, I'll protect them. I won't let anything bad happen to them, I promise. And I—"
"You never break your promises," Peggy finished for him.
She sighed but finally smiled, taking his hand between her palms, feeling its warmth.
"I know I can trust you, so don't let anything bad happen to them."
Seeingher loving gaze full of affection and confidence, John almost hesitated for a moment.
Lying had never felt so wrong before.
"I will."
So he just had to make sure it wouldn't be a lie.
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.
Note:
I hope you like it! Please comment and leave your suggestions—what do you think would be cool to see in the upcoming chapters when the war reaches its peak?
Finally remember that You can already find the next chapter (and several more chapters) of this story on Patreon (patreon.com/EmmaCruzader )All the support received is appreciated ;D
The meeting lasted a little longer before it ended. After all, it wasn't a meeting to decide or vote on something; John was in charge and was merely getting the whole team on the same page. Everyone then went to do what they needed to do because they would soon be flying back to Europe.
SWORD's temporary base would serve as a command center in this part of the world and help communicate between the international agency and the United States. In the not-too-distant future, they would likely opt for a more ideal location and the construction of a proper headquarters.
Of course, if possible, John wanted his own helicarrier soaring through the clouds, but even with Howard and Hank by his side, that would probably take some time.
And speaking of Hank...
"This… This is incredible! Can you see it, Colonel? Her cells have formed a connection with quantum energy. High-intensity Pym particles are spontaneously generated within her at every moment!" John looked at the data Professor Pym had obtained after studying Janet's anomalous condition for several hours.
The woman was also nearby, looking at the information with interest, after all, it concerned the condition of her body.
"It's fascinating, Professor, but the important thing is to know if this is harmful to her. Her health is the most important thing here," John said, causing Janet to nod in agreement.
The professor stopped looking at the analysis and thought deeply before responding.
"I need more specialized equipment to give a definitive answer, but with the data obtained so far, it shouldn't be dangerous for the moment."
"Not dangerous for the moment?" Janet quickly asked with some alarm.
"Well, although I don't know exactly where the particles forming inside you are coming from, they show no signs of stopping so far. In fact, it seems their production is increasing. For now, it's not harmful, but the human body isn't designed to store so much power. Sooner or later, it will fill up, and if that happens, well…"
"Her body could collapse," John finished, with a serious expression, making Janet's face turn pale as she also understood what could happen.
"I-it's just a possibility. Nothing like this has ever been seen before, so to say what will happen with absolute certainty could be wrong. Maybe when her body reaches the maximum possible storage point, the generation of particles will stop, and her condition will stabilize."
Of course, this was the best-case scenario, but whether it was Janet, Hank, or John, they all understood that the chances of this actually happening were slim. Taking the risk of letting it happen to find out would only endanger Janet's life unnecessarily.
Seeing the worry on Janet's face, John reassured her by placing a hand on her shoulder.
"Though the situation isn't ideal, we're not without options, Miss Van Dyne. Remember, you can release that energy at will, so you just need to do that until we find a better solution." At John's words, Janet's face lit up. That's right! She could release the energy through her hands. She had been so worried that she had momentarily forgotten that fact.
"Release the energy?" Hank asked, perplexed. John realized he hadn't mentioned that to him. He looked at Janet and nodded toward an empty space within the improvised laboratory that had been set up for Hank, where all his equipment had been brought earlier.
Janet swallowed but still raised her hand, and a yellow light glowed, causing Hank's eyes to widen in amazement. Then the projectile shot out, hitting the wall and causing the concrete to crack.
Of course, Janet didn't want to cause too much damage, so she deliberately tried to control the output power—something she hadn't thought to do before but managed with some success once she attempted it.
"Fascinating! This—what else can you do?" Hank looked at her with almost inhuman curiosity, making Janet feel a bit uncomfortable. Still, she knew this was to be expected from a scientist, and in a sense, she understood, as she herself had a great deal of curiosity.
"Well, I haven't tried anything else," she responded honestly.
"H-how about shrinking or growing!? Can you change your size?" Hank's question left both John and Janet looking at him in confusion.
"The primary function of Pym particles is to alter the size and mass of matter. Although I haven't tested it with living beings, it should be possible, and your body is full of those particles, so…" He didn't need to say more for both of them to understand. John had an idea that this might happen, thanks to his memories, but he wasn't entirely sure if that would be the case, as variables always existed.
Janet hadn't thought about it since she had been too focused on the initial use she had given these… strange abilities and the possible side effects they could have on her. But now that the analyses were out and her life didn't seem to be in immediate danger, she could not help but let the curiosity and fascination of having obtained supernatural abilities begin to get to her. Could she really change her size? It sounded too fantastical, but… looking at her hands and the light they generated, she couldn't help but want to try it.
She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She wasn't sure what she was trying to do since this hadn't come with a manual, but she was smart and felt that she could figure it out; she just needed to concentrate and try.
John stepped back a bit to give her space, and Professor Pym watched with a notebook in hand, ready to take all the notes possible.
Suddenly, a faint and almost imperceptible yellow glow surrounded Janet's entire body. Then, to the naked eye, her figure began to shrink. Of course, her clothes did not, and before John could warn her, the woman's figure was lost among the garments, which fell to the floor.
Janet was astonished. Somehow, she knew she was shrinking and could feel it throughout her body, but her happiness was interrupted when she felt herself being enveloped in enormous amounts of fabric. She opened her eyes in confusion, only to find herself surrounded by the texture of the clothing.
And she was naked, something she quickly noticed, and she couldn't help but scream in panic and embarrassment.
"Relax, you're trapped in your clothes. It seems that the shrinking ability doesn't include them. Professor Pym and I will step out. Try to return to your normal size," John said as he pulled Hank out, who seemed somewhat reluctant because he wanted to witness the entire process firsthand, but a lady needed privacy.
Janet sighed in relief when she heard them leave, and with her amazement returning, she began to move, soon emerging from the fabric and looking at the world from an amazing new perspective.
"Wow!" she couldn't help but exclaim as she saw how everything had changed, how she had changed.
Still, being naked in a place other than her room or the bathroom felt quite wrong, so she quickly concentrated and tried to return to her normal size.
She managed to do so with more ease than she expected, and without hesitation, she began to dress again.
Soon, John and Hank returned when Janet told them she was fine.
"It really works, it can really be used on living beings." Hank was quite excited about the discovery, as it presented many possibilities, almost infinite possibilities.
"Do you feel anything wrong? Any problems with your body?" John asked, paying closer attention to Janet's condition. The woman thought about it, analyzing herself before shaking her head.
"Everything feels fine. In fact, I feel lighter. I think I used up some of those Pym particles, much more than when I released energy through my hands." Even though she was still a novice, she was already starting to familiarize herself with her changes and could say this with some certainty.
"Good, that's a more efficient way to control the amount of energy within you. Professor Pym, is there any way we can make Miss Van Dyne's clothes adapt to her size change?" John asked, pulling Hank out of his thoughts and into new ones.
"Yes? I think I can do something, though I'm not sure how effective it will be. I'll need to run more tests."
"For now, let's make that a priority. I know it's not what you want, but this happened because of the incident at the science fair, and ensuring Miss Van Dyne's health is your responsibility. I hope you understand that."
Hank frowned but nodded. In fact, it was his fault that this happened. Even if John didn't remind him, deep down, he knew he had to help Janet in some way or another.
"I'd like to help, to learn more about the Pym particles. After all, they're part of me now, aren't they?" Janet said suddenly, causing Hank to frown.
His research... this was the discovery of his life. The thought of sharing it so easily didn't sit well with him, but he also understood that she was right. The Pym particles were now part of her body, so learning everything possible about them would only benefit Janet.
"Alright, I'll teach you," he said, albeit reluctantly, causing Janet to raise a triumphant fist.
Seeing this, John smiled, glad there were no unnecessary disputes, though, of course, it was still too early to say if the two of them would work well together.
He supposed he'd find out later.
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"Flame On" the neutral voice said, and in the next instant, the fire ignited. Howard's eyes widened as he looked at the android, and John, beside him, smiled.
Although John hadn't interacted with the android as much as he would have liked, he had left some instructions before parting ways with it earlier that day. One of them was that it should say the classic Human Torch motto whenever its flames ignited.
The android, of course, didn't understand why, but it obeyed without hesitation.
"And you say the man gave it to you just like that?" Howard asked as he looked at the android and the data John had brought along with the robot.
"Well, some concessions had to be made, but I managed to convince him. I wanted him to work with us, but unfortunately, he refused, and you know I won't force anyone to work with SWORD." At John's words, Howard nodded with some disappointment. He would have liked to speak with this Dr. Horton, as he seemed to have great knowledge that fascinated him.
Still, with the data John had brought, Howard was perfectly capable of conducting his own studies, and who knows, he might even continue the man's research if the opportunity arose.
"So, do you think you can repair it if it ever gets damaged?" John asked the question that had been on his mind, and Howard took a moment to respond.
"Well, it would certainly be a challenge, but I'm Howard Stark, Colonel; there's nothing in this world that I can't repair," he said with confidence, making John smile.
"Well, I'll trust you. I'll leave it in your hands for now." Then he looked at the android, but before speaking, he paused in thought.
"In fact, you don't have a name yet, and just calling you 'android' wouldn't be right. Tell me, do you have something in mind?" At the question, the android blinked. A name? It hadn't thought about that before.
Could it have one? The thought was disconcerting but also made it feel good. Yes, now it could identify that sensation. It had read several of the books John had left behind, most of them quite descriptive regarding the different feelings and sensations of human beings, and even though it wasn't human, it could still identify with much of what was described.
"Isaac, I like Isaac," it said after a moment, causing John to raise an eyebrow.
"Isaac? That's an interesting name. Where did you choose it from?"
"One of the books you brought. The author's name is Isaac. I really like his work," the android replied. So it decided to name itself after its favorite author. How interesting.
"Well, Isaac, I'd like you to follow Howard for a while, at least while he studies your design. Take his orders as mine and ensure his well-being. Do you understand?" Although John wanted to take Isaac with him immediately, he knew he shouldn't rush things. He would introduce the android to the war effort gradually.
"Understood, Colonel. I will protect Mr. Stark as required."
"A real android will have my back," Howard couldn't help but whisper with childlike amazement.
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"This place seems cozy, a bit small, but well, as something temporary, I won't complain," Cassandra said as she looked around the provisional room John had given them.
"Comfort shouldn't be a priority," Charles sighed, watching his sister move around the room before turning his gaze back to an extremely detailed map of Poland.
Although his role in this war wasn't entirely clear, Charles knew that his main objective was to find Hydra's main laboratory and rescue James's brother, Victor. Initially, John wanted Charles to be just an interrogator, someone who would stay safely at the base they were going to use in Europe.
But Charles had refused. There were several reasons for this, one of them being how impractical it would be to bring live prisoners to the base. Not only would it waste time, but it would also risk the prisoners with valuable information dying before reaching him, and with them, their chances of stopping Hydra before they perfected the incomplete serum.
John had said that his safety was important and that going to the battlefield would only put him at risk, but that risk was something Charles could accept. No, it was the least he could do. He wasn't going to sit back while others fought with their lives on the line; he couldn't live with that.
Perhaps it was James's memories and thoughts influencing him, but ever since he decided to join this war, Charles did so with the intention of doing so as a soldier.
His choice, of course, made John worry, but in the end, he had accepted his request, making Charles internally grateful.
On the other hand, his sister had decided that if he was going to the battlefield, she wouldn't stay behind, which, of course, was a problem. Although Charles should have seen it coming—she wasn't the type to wait patiently for things to happen, at least not when she knew what was going on.
He knew he couldn't change her mind, which frustrated him a bit. He tried to get John to prevent it, but the man had looked him seriously in the eye and said words that still lingered in his mind.
"Listen, Charles, I know you're worried about her, but your sister is her own person. Her actions and choices are hers alone, and she must be free to make them. It's not something you can prevent, but what you can do is be by her side when the time comes."
He didn't like it, not at all, but John was right—his sister wasn't someone who would sit idle for long. She was impulsive and, in a way, stubborn, and it was surprising that she had stayed at home as long as she did.
Of course, Charles knew about their father's plans, but he hadn't known how to tell his sister. Maybe it was for the best that she found out on her own, but it also ignited a spark in her that Charles knew wouldn't be easily extinguished. He knew she would leave at some point, and he wouldn't be able to stop her.
He never imagined a situation where they would leave together, but now that it had happened, he could only do his best to accompany her on this path, wherever it might lead.
"Comfort is always important, little brother," Cassandra said, but she didn't argue further. Instead, she lay down on her bed, staring at the ceiling, and asked another question.
"How many more do you think there are?" Charles looked at her, puzzled, and seeing his confusion, she clarified.
"Metahumans. How many more do you think are out there? Hundreds? Thousands? Do you think we'll encounter others in the war?"
Charles pondered this for a moment before responding.
"I don't know for sure, but it would be good if they could be on our side. I don't want to face someone who can do what you can." At that, Cassandra smirked, extending her hand to make one of the books she had brought with her float toward her.
"Don't worry, Charles. If someone like that shows up, I'll take care of them."
Yes... although Charles worried about her, the truth was that he knew she wasn't a damsel in distress. No, his sister was a real danger to others, and that was why he was concerned about letting her go to war and setting her loose in a place where she could unleash her abilities without hesitation.
He didn't know if that would be good or bad or what kind of person it might turn her into.
But John was right about one thing—he would be by her side, no matter what happened.
"It's best if you stop reading for today and get a good rest, we'll be leaving for Europe soon," Charles finally said, folding the map he had been examining and lying down on his own bed.
"Don't remind me, the excitement won't let me sleep," Cassandra replied with enthusiasm, though she did set the book aside.
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John looked at Peggy, who had been unusually quiet for a long time.
"What's wrong? Are you still upset?" he asked, causing her to frown and sigh simultaneously.
It was no secret that Peggy had been strongly opposed to bringing Charles and Cassandra with them.
"They're just kids, John," she said after a moment, making John look at her.
"Maybe... but Hydra doesn't give us many options. We have to take every opportunity and advantage we have; you know that."
Peggy bit her lip. She understood. She knew they couldn't win this war relying on conventional methods, but still... Seeing her concern, John moved closer, gently stroking her back.
"Listen, I'll protect them. I won't let anything bad happen to them, I promise. And I—"
"You never break your promises," Peggy finished for him.
She sighed but finally smiled, taking his hand between her palms, feeling its warmth.
"I know I can trust you, so don't let anything bad happen to them."
Seeingher loving gaze full of affection and confidence, John almost hesitated for a moment.
Lying had never felt so wrong before.
"I will."
So he just had to make sure it wouldn't be a lie.
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.
.
Note:
I hope you like it! Please comment and leave your suggestions—what do you think would be cool to see in the upcoming chapters when the war reaches its peak?
Finally remember that You can already find the next chapter (and several more chapters) of this story on Patreon (patreon.com/EmmaCruzader )All the support received is appreciated ;D
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KillerFish
Grumpy Owl, Bird Lawyer
John isn't Squeeky-Clean Steve, but he does have his own sense of honour, and, bless him, he's at least *trying* to live up to the example.
Wasn't Steve not squeaky clean as he tried to his way into being recruited into the US Army despite his pre-Super Soldier body and it's surprising after a few times, he should have been arrested or been banned entry.
Despite Bucky telling him there are other ways to contribute to the war effort, Steve wanted to be in the fight anyway.
25: Winter is coming
- Location
- Eart
25: Winter is coming
The thing twisted, low growls followed by high-pitched sounds, bulging flesh with veins grotesquely protruding.
As he looked at the things in front of him, Johann Schmidt grimaced in disgust as anger began to fill him.
"This is the best you've achieved so far, Dr. Zola?" The question, asked in a cold and emotionless voice, made Dr. Arnim Zola swallow hard as he felt sweat dripping down his forehead.
Licking his dry lips, he responded, trying not to stammer.
"Achieving compatibility between the incomplete Compound V and the Infinite Formula has proven more challenging than expected, sir, but I know I'll get there soon! The problem is that the Infinite Formula still doesn't possess all the properties of the original user, but with enough time—"
"Speed up the process," Schmidt interrupted, causing Zola to look at him wide-eyed.
"B-but sir, that would mean—"
"I know what it would mean, but it doesn't matter! Great advances aren't made by being cautious. I want my perfect serum, Dr. Zola, I don't care what you have to do to get it... Besides, it's better if they serve a greater purpose; at least it will give some meaning to their deaths... better than just turning into soap, don't you think?" At the Hydra leader's words, Dr. Zola frowned but still nodded.
Then he looked at the dozens of deformed figures chained with thick metals behind the bars.
"What should I do with them?" At that question, Johann Schmidt paused... sure, they were failures, but... maybe they could be useful.
"The Captain will be here soon. We need to delay him until my serum is complete... use your knowledge, doctor, and use these monsters for that purpose. They might not manage to kill him, but they'll certainly give him enough trouble." With those words, the Hydra leader left the place, leaving Dr. Zola alone with the nightmarish creatures his experiments had created.
As he listened to their moans, growls, and whines, Dr. Zola swallowed, but thinking about the Red Skull's words, he couldn't help but let ideas begin to emerge.
They were unstable, but if he added some mechanical parts to overcome that and reinforce their structure... yes, he could see it. Maybe they wouldn't be an army of perfect super-soldiers, but they wouldn't be far off...
and above all, they would give him the time he needed to perfect the Infinite Formula created from the blood of his favorite prisoner, and with it, create the perfect serum that Johann Schmidt sought.
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"Rogers!" Steve turned around when he heard someone calling him. Bucky, standing in front of him, lowered his guard. They had been having a training session in one of the open fields at the main army base in Italy.
The place had changed a bit, but renovations were still ongoing as the U.S. Army, along with the new Italian Army division, the Partisan Division, used the area to ensure that German troops were kept away from the Italian borders.
Steve wanted to get back into the fight; he wanted to be deployed again. But when he tried, along with Bucky and some other members of his group, they were told they had to wait a little longer. The time they had spent captured had taken a toll, and they needed to rest and recover before returning to the war effort.
They had to accept this reluctantly. After that, in the following days, they focused on recovering, which wasn't too difficult for Steve, as he had a strong constitution. Although he had lost some weight, he was still quite healthy. Bucky was in a similar situation, so they would soon be able to return to the front lines, which is why they were training.
Until a man with a stern face interrupted them. He was one of their superior officers, and Steve recognized him because the man often inspected the soldiers' conditions at the base.
"And Barnes, it's good that you're together," he said as he approached, causing both of them to raise an eyebrow in clear doubt.
"What's going on, sir?" Steve asked, and the man smiled at them.
"I heard you're almost ready to return to the front. Normally, you would have been assigned to a new squadron, but a new offer has recently come in, something that might interest you." An offer?
"I hope it's something good," Bucky said, and the superior officer gave them a strange look. Almost like... he was envious?
"Well, this hasn't spread yet, but the Captain is back and is recruiting." It took them a moment to understand what he meant, but when they did, both of them widened their eyes.
"The Captain? That Captain?" Bucky asked, and the officer nodded with a smile.
"Seems like you made a good impression, boys. I can't give you all the details here, but if you're interested in the offer..." At this, Steve and Bucky looked at each other.
A tacit understanding passed between them.
"Where do we sign?"
It wasn't just them; several other soldiers, outstanding in various fields, were called as well.
After all, a Captain America can't be a Captain America without his Commandos.
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"The place has changed a bit, don't you think?" John said, looking at the base. Beside him, Raven nodded, admiring the view along with him from atop one of the mountains surrounding the area.
Perhaps one thing that even the war hadn't completely altered was the spectacular scenery in the country.
"It's a bit colder," she commented, stretching out her hand and catching a snowflake. The end of the year was approaching, and with it, winter. The first snowfalls had already begun, painting the tall mountains white.
"Do you think that will be a problem? Flying will certainly be more difficult for you," John said, thinking that due to the weather, certain strategies they had previously used would have to be changed, which was unfortunate.
"I can still fly, but my vision isn't as good," she had already tested it.
"Then we'll change our strategies. After all, it's no longer just the two of us." When John said that, Raven nodded, though she also frowned slightly.
"Let's go; the meeting will start soon." With that said, Raven transformed into a raven and perched on John's shoulder as he easily began to descend the mountain.
.
.
.
Poland, City of Warsaw.
"This information... have you verified it!?" A voice echoed in the small, carefully insulated room. It was filled with doubt, urgency, but above all, hope.
The messenger nodded, his eyes equally bright and his voice trembling.
"Dozens of times, we've verified it dozens of times. Our contacts with the Allied countries have assured us it's true... Captain America is coming to help us!"
Captain America... Upon hearing this, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armia Krajowa clenched his fist. This, this was the opportunity his people had been waiting for.
That his people most urgently needed!
Tadeusz Bór stood up, his thoughts racing as he began to consider his plans. Originally, the Armia Krajowa had decided to wait a few more months, gather their forces carefully, and deliver a decisive blow to liberate Warsaw. from German occupation.
But if Captain America was on their side... wait a few months? That man had liberated northern Italy in days!
"We will prepare, we will prepare immediately!" There was no better opportunity. He didn't know what the Captain's full plan was or what he sought in Poland, but right now, it didn't matter. As long as he helped them reclaim the capital city and expel the Third Reich regime, they would give him all the support he needed.
Of course, if Tadeusz had known that John planned not only to liberate Warsaw. but also to destroy all the Nazi concentration camps in the country, he probably would have fainted from excitement.
.
.
.
"Why Warsaw?" Steve looked at Bucky, who had asked the question.
"Well, there are several reasons, but the main one is that we need a safe place," the man—Captain America—replied, looking at everyone gathered in the most secure room of the base.
He then pointed to multiple locations marked on a large map of Poland that had been placed in front of them.
"These are all the concentration camps that Germany has in the country. The general public is unaware of the true scale of what's happening here. You probably don't know either, but millions of people have been imprisoned in these places."
"Millions?!" Steve almost shouted, and he wasn't the only one surprised; all the soldiers called to the meeting were also in disbelief.
In these times, it was difficult for people to grasp the true scale of what was happening in Poland. After all, the Nazi regime controlled most of the news coming out of the countries they occupied.
Of course, some figures were known to Allied leaders and the military high command, but it wasn't something that was widely shared, so the general public underestimated the horrors being committed. It wouldn't be until much later that people would learn what really happened.
Well, not in this world. In this world, that truth would be known much sooner because John was going to intervene.
"Yes… millions, and they will all share the same fate if we don't do something. That's why we must liberate Warsaw first. If we simply attack the concentration camps and free all those who have been captured without a plan, we'd be leaving them to fend for themselves. With Warsaw free and the Polish people occupying it, we can give the prisoners a place to go and regroup. Of course, one city isn't enough, so we'll also liberate the surrounding areas, and every time we attack a concentration camp, we'll ensure a safe route for them," John explained the plan in broad strokes, which, of course, didn't seem easy to carry out.
A soldier, a man with a well-groomed mustache and a bowler hat on his head, raised his hand and asked a question.
"No offense, Captain, but…" He looked around the room, carefully counting all the heads in the room before continuing.
"I don't think 14 people are enough for something like this." Upon hearing this, John nodded.
"You're right about that, Sergeant Dugan, but I never said we'd fight alone." The man, Dugan, was a bit surprised that the Captain recognized him so easily.
"I've already contacted the Armia Krajowa. The Polish people are ready to take up arms against those who have destroyed their homes. We'll be the war hammer that ensures that happens, no matter what." That's when they understood.
Of course, they had heard the stories of how John had liberated northern Italy with the help of the Partisan rebellion—how the man was the first to charge, the one who took on the most difficult missions and broke down the most impenetrable walls.
He was the tip of the spear that the rebellion used as a guide to carve a path through the German bases.
"I see, now I understand. I apologize for speaking without knowing," Dugan said, somewhat embarrassed for not having considered things more carefully.
"Don't apologize, I understand the concerns. This is not an easy mission, and I can't promise that everyone will make it out alive. But what I can promise is that your efforts won't be in vain, that this mission will be completed, and that the Third Reich, along with Hydra, will be defeated."
At his words, several of those present smiled, some nodded, and others adopted expressions filled with determination.
"We leave tomorrow morning. If you still have anything to do, do it now."
With that, he dismissed them, allowing them to begin their preparations.
Charles and Cassandra, who had been nearby but silent, approached. Both were dressed differently from the other soldiers. In fact, whether it was them, James, Raven, or John, they all dressed differently.
James, although still reluctant, had adopted a pretty cool suit with yellow and blue colors, though the blue in the suit was almost a deep black.
When the regular soldiers saw him, they joked about his outfit, which made him a bit annoyed, so he ended up stealing a long, dark coat to cover himself, which, of course, disappointed John a little.
For her part, Raven dressed very similarly to John, after all, she was somewhat like his right hand; the only difference was that she didn't have a star on her chest.
Cassandra and Charles' outfits were less distinctive but still similar enough in style to what John wore to make it obvious which group they belonged to.
All the suits had been made by Howard using special materials like carbon fiber to give them extra protection—well, all except for Raven's, who actually made hers using her ability. After all, every time she changed her appearance or transformed, regular clothes didn't change along with her, so in a sense, having her own suit was useless to her.
Of course, the Commandos would also be given special suits, but these would follow a slightly more military aesthetic to differentiate them from the core team, which obviously consisted of the metahumans.
"Do we really have to wear these?" Cassandra asked, removing a tactical face mask made of metal that covered the lower half of her face.
Charles, beside her, rolled his eyes.
"Do you really want our parents to know we're here?" The idea of masks for both of them actually came from him. He didn't want to worry their parents, who thought they had been sent on vacation with distant relatives. At least that was the only thing Charles could put in their minds without feeling too guilty.
Something that, of course, would be ruined if their faces were seen in the newspapers and on the news. After all, John, as Captain America, was quite noticeable, and without a doubt, images of his return to the battlefield and of the people who would follow him in future battles would spread around the world, thanks to the war reporters who would undoubtedly cross their path one way or another.
Therefore, it made sense to Charles that they should do something to prevent their identities from being easily recognized.
Cassandra frowned. The truth was, she didn't care much about what her parents thought; after all, they hadn't cared about what she thought or wanted. But since Charles had asked, she had agreed to do it, even if it seemed a bit ridiculous. Of course, just because she agreed didn't mean she couldn't complain about it.
Ignoring both of them, James approached John and looked at the maps.
"How long will it take us to liberate Warsaw?" The man was clearly growing more impatient.
"I want to do it in three days," John said, making everyone look at him.
"As I said, we're just the war hammer. The Armia Krajowa will take care of everything else. All our team needs to do is expel the German army, more precisely the Hydra army, along with their special weapons, from Warsaw and its surroundings. Once we've done that, we'll go from camp to camp searching for Victor and Dr. Zola, and we won't stop until we succeed."
Of course, if in the midst of this, they happened to run into a certain Klaus Schmidt, better known in the future as Sebastian Shaw, and he got in their way… well, at that moment, Charles would have to prove his worth if he didn't want to see everyone die.
Of course, John wouldn't let that happen; Charles was just Plan A, but John still had a few other plans in case things didn't go as they should. Naturally, all those plans were less effective than Plan A, so it would be best if Charles acted as John believed he would.
After all, his sister was with them, and if he thought she was in danger, the boy surely wouldn't leave her to fend for herself, right?
Upon hearing John's response, James nodded, more relaxed. It was fine; they were already in Europe. Three more days were nothing. His brother could handle it. At the same time, a part of him also knew that what John wanted to do was the right thing. Victor had always said he was too kind, and James had always denied it, but he supposed he couldn't keep denying it when it was his fault they got captured in the first place.
After all, he had wanted to destroy the source of the energy weapons to prevent more innocent people from dying unnecessarily, but instead, all he did was give the fucking Nazis a way to create super soldiers using his blood and Victor's.
Another reason he had agreed to help John, besides rescuing his brother, was that James felt responsible and wanted to fix things before all of this turned into a great disaster that would lead the world into an even darker era than it was already living through.
Without him knowing, this "heroism" within him had been what drove Charles, infecting the boy with that same sense of responsibility to do something and prevent the imminent disaster.
"Then I'll be ready," James finally said and left.
"You should go too; soon, things will get intense, and there won't be time to relax," John told the siblings, who nodded and left to get ready and rest.
"Do you think they'll do well?" Raven finally asked when only the two of them remained in the room.
"James, without a doubt. Charles and Cassandra? They're just rookies; there hasn't been much time to teach them anything. Well, Charles might already know the theory thanks to his powers, but in practice, theory often doesn't work," John said and then looked at her.
"I want you to watch their backs." Those words made her frown.
"I thought I was going to fight by your side," she didn't want to be a babysitter.
"And I didn't say otherwise; I just need an extra eye on them."
She seemed to think about it for a few moments before agreeing.
"Fine, but if the situation isn't good and I have to choose—"
"You'll come to me, I know."
She remained silent, not denying it, and John could only sigh. Raven was pretty good at following orders, but when it came to matters like this, it was obvious what her actions would be.
He wasn't complaining, of course. Having someone who genuinely cared about you didn't feel so bad after all.
"Come on, you need to get a good rest," he finally said, dragging her with him to send her to bed. After all, John didn't need much sleep, but Raven did.
As he walked, John couldn't help but feel a bit anxious, wondering if Hydra had made any progress with the serum or if they had failed instead.
He supposed he would find out soon.
.
.
.
Note:
And the prelude to the war has ended! Soon, the Warsaw Uprising, and with it, the war for Poland's liberation, will begin.
The pieces are in place; it's time to start moving them.
In case anyone is wondering, the Infinite Formula that Zola mentions is not the same as the one from the comics, but rather what he called the "serum" he created using Victor's blood to grant others his same "regenerative" properties. It's still incomplete, but essentially, this incomplete version functions similarly to the Infinite Formula from the comics, slowing aging and accelerating the healing of some wounds. Of course, this isn't good enough to counteract the effects of the incomplete Compound V, as you may have noticed in the first part of the chapter.
Still, this Infinite Formula may have some pretty interesting uses on its own…
comment, like, and give your suggestions and critiques. If there are any mistakes, let me know so I can correct them. Thanks for the support and patience.
Finally remember that You can already find the next chapter (and several more chapters) of this story on Patreon ( patreon.com/EmmaCruzader ) All the support received is appreciated ;D
The thing twisted, low growls followed by high-pitched sounds, bulging flesh with veins grotesquely protruding.
As he looked at the things in front of him, Johann Schmidt grimaced in disgust as anger began to fill him.
"This is the best you've achieved so far, Dr. Zola?" The question, asked in a cold and emotionless voice, made Dr. Arnim Zola swallow hard as he felt sweat dripping down his forehead.
Licking his dry lips, he responded, trying not to stammer.
"Achieving compatibility between the incomplete Compound V and the Infinite Formula has proven more challenging than expected, sir, but I know I'll get there soon! The problem is that the Infinite Formula still doesn't possess all the properties of the original user, but with enough time—"
"Speed up the process," Schmidt interrupted, causing Zola to look at him wide-eyed.
"B-but sir, that would mean—"
"I know what it would mean, but it doesn't matter! Great advances aren't made by being cautious. I want my perfect serum, Dr. Zola, I don't care what you have to do to get it... Besides, it's better if they serve a greater purpose; at least it will give some meaning to their deaths... better than just turning into soap, don't you think?" At the Hydra leader's words, Dr. Zola frowned but still nodded.
Then he looked at the dozens of deformed figures chained with thick metals behind the bars.
"What should I do with them?" At that question, Johann Schmidt paused... sure, they were failures, but... maybe they could be useful.
"The Captain will be here soon. We need to delay him until my serum is complete... use your knowledge, doctor, and use these monsters for that purpose. They might not manage to kill him, but they'll certainly give him enough trouble." With those words, the Hydra leader left the place, leaving Dr. Zola alone with the nightmarish creatures his experiments had created.
As he listened to their moans, growls, and whines, Dr. Zola swallowed, but thinking about the Red Skull's words, he couldn't help but let ideas begin to emerge.
They were unstable, but if he added some mechanical parts to overcome that and reinforce their structure... yes, he could see it. Maybe they wouldn't be an army of perfect super-soldiers, but they wouldn't be far off...
and above all, they would give him the time he needed to perfect the Infinite Formula created from the blood of his favorite prisoner, and with it, create the perfect serum that Johann Schmidt sought.
.
.
.
"Rogers!" Steve turned around when he heard someone calling him. Bucky, standing in front of him, lowered his guard. They had been having a training session in one of the open fields at the main army base in Italy.
The place had changed a bit, but renovations were still ongoing as the U.S. Army, along with the new Italian Army division, the Partisan Division, used the area to ensure that German troops were kept away from the Italian borders.
Steve wanted to get back into the fight; he wanted to be deployed again. But when he tried, along with Bucky and some other members of his group, they were told they had to wait a little longer. The time they had spent captured had taken a toll, and they needed to rest and recover before returning to the war effort.
They had to accept this reluctantly. After that, in the following days, they focused on recovering, which wasn't too difficult for Steve, as he had a strong constitution. Although he had lost some weight, he was still quite healthy. Bucky was in a similar situation, so they would soon be able to return to the front lines, which is why they were training.
Until a man with a stern face interrupted them. He was one of their superior officers, and Steve recognized him because the man often inspected the soldiers' conditions at the base.
"And Barnes, it's good that you're together," he said as he approached, causing both of them to raise an eyebrow in clear doubt.
"What's going on, sir?" Steve asked, and the man smiled at them.
"I heard you're almost ready to return to the front. Normally, you would have been assigned to a new squadron, but a new offer has recently come in, something that might interest you." An offer?
"I hope it's something good," Bucky said, and the superior officer gave them a strange look. Almost like... he was envious?
"Well, this hasn't spread yet, but the Captain is back and is recruiting." It took them a moment to understand what he meant, but when they did, both of them widened their eyes.
"The Captain? That Captain?" Bucky asked, and the officer nodded with a smile.
"Seems like you made a good impression, boys. I can't give you all the details here, but if you're interested in the offer..." At this, Steve and Bucky looked at each other.
A tacit understanding passed between them.
"Where do we sign?"
It wasn't just them; several other soldiers, outstanding in various fields, were called as well.
After all, a Captain America can't be a Captain America without his Commandos.
.
.
.
"The place has changed a bit, don't you think?" John said, looking at the base. Beside him, Raven nodded, admiring the view along with him from atop one of the mountains surrounding the area.
Perhaps one thing that even the war hadn't completely altered was the spectacular scenery in the country.
"It's a bit colder," she commented, stretching out her hand and catching a snowflake. The end of the year was approaching, and with it, winter. The first snowfalls had already begun, painting the tall mountains white.
"Do you think that will be a problem? Flying will certainly be more difficult for you," John said, thinking that due to the weather, certain strategies they had previously used would have to be changed, which was unfortunate.
"I can still fly, but my vision isn't as good," she had already tested it.
"Then we'll change our strategies. After all, it's no longer just the two of us." When John said that, Raven nodded, though she also frowned slightly.
"Let's go; the meeting will start soon." With that said, Raven transformed into a raven and perched on John's shoulder as he easily began to descend the mountain.
.
.
.
Poland, City of Warsaw.
"This information... have you verified it!?" A voice echoed in the small, carefully insulated room. It was filled with doubt, urgency, but above all, hope.
The messenger nodded, his eyes equally bright and his voice trembling.
"Dozens of times, we've verified it dozens of times. Our contacts with the Allied countries have assured us it's true... Captain America is coming to help us!"
Captain America... Upon hearing this, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armia Krajowa clenched his fist. This, this was the opportunity his people had been waiting for.
That his people most urgently needed!
Tadeusz Bór stood up, his thoughts racing as he began to consider his plans. Originally, the Armia Krajowa had decided to wait a few more months, gather their forces carefully, and deliver a decisive blow to liberate Warsaw. from German occupation.
But if Captain America was on their side... wait a few months? That man had liberated northern Italy in days!
"We will prepare, we will prepare immediately!" There was no better opportunity. He didn't know what the Captain's full plan was or what he sought in Poland, but right now, it didn't matter. As long as he helped them reclaim the capital city and expel the Third Reich regime, they would give him all the support he needed.
Of course, if Tadeusz had known that John planned not only to liberate Warsaw. but also to destroy all the Nazi concentration camps in the country, he probably would have fainted from excitement.
.
.
.
"Why Warsaw?" Steve looked at Bucky, who had asked the question.
"Well, there are several reasons, but the main one is that we need a safe place," the man—Captain America—replied, looking at everyone gathered in the most secure room of the base.
He then pointed to multiple locations marked on a large map of Poland that had been placed in front of them.
"These are all the concentration camps that Germany has in the country. The general public is unaware of the true scale of what's happening here. You probably don't know either, but millions of people have been imprisoned in these places."
"Millions?!" Steve almost shouted, and he wasn't the only one surprised; all the soldiers called to the meeting were also in disbelief.
In these times, it was difficult for people to grasp the true scale of what was happening in Poland. After all, the Nazi regime controlled most of the news coming out of the countries they occupied.
Of course, some figures were known to Allied leaders and the military high command, but it wasn't something that was widely shared, so the general public underestimated the horrors being committed. It wouldn't be until much later that people would learn what really happened.
Well, not in this world. In this world, that truth would be known much sooner because John was going to intervene.
"Yes… millions, and they will all share the same fate if we don't do something. That's why we must liberate Warsaw first. If we simply attack the concentration camps and free all those who have been captured without a plan, we'd be leaving them to fend for themselves. With Warsaw free and the Polish people occupying it, we can give the prisoners a place to go and regroup. Of course, one city isn't enough, so we'll also liberate the surrounding areas, and every time we attack a concentration camp, we'll ensure a safe route for them," John explained the plan in broad strokes, which, of course, didn't seem easy to carry out.
A soldier, a man with a well-groomed mustache and a bowler hat on his head, raised his hand and asked a question.
"No offense, Captain, but…" He looked around the room, carefully counting all the heads in the room before continuing.
"I don't think 14 people are enough for something like this." Upon hearing this, John nodded.
"You're right about that, Sergeant Dugan, but I never said we'd fight alone." The man, Dugan, was a bit surprised that the Captain recognized him so easily.
"I've already contacted the Armia Krajowa. The Polish people are ready to take up arms against those who have destroyed their homes. We'll be the war hammer that ensures that happens, no matter what." That's when they understood.
Of course, they had heard the stories of how John had liberated northern Italy with the help of the Partisan rebellion—how the man was the first to charge, the one who took on the most difficult missions and broke down the most impenetrable walls.
He was the tip of the spear that the rebellion used as a guide to carve a path through the German bases.
"I see, now I understand. I apologize for speaking without knowing," Dugan said, somewhat embarrassed for not having considered things more carefully.
"Don't apologize, I understand the concerns. This is not an easy mission, and I can't promise that everyone will make it out alive. But what I can promise is that your efforts won't be in vain, that this mission will be completed, and that the Third Reich, along with Hydra, will be defeated."
At his words, several of those present smiled, some nodded, and others adopted expressions filled with determination.
"We leave tomorrow morning. If you still have anything to do, do it now."
With that, he dismissed them, allowing them to begin their preparations.
Charles and Cassandra, who had been nearby but silent, approached. Both were dressed differently from the other soldiers. In fact, whether it was them, James, Raven, or John, they all dressed differently.
James, although still reluctant, had adopted a pretty cool suit with yellow and blue colors, though the blue in the suit was almost a deep black.
When the regular soldiers saw him, they joked about his outfit, which made him a bit annoyed, so he ended up stealing a long, dark coat to cover himself, which, of course, disappointed John a little.
For her part, Raven dressed very similarly to John, after all, she was somewhat like his right hand; the only difference was that she didn't have a star on her chest.
Cassandra and Charles' outfits were less distinctive but still similar enough in style to what John wore to make it obvious which group they belonged to.
All the suits had been made by Howard using special materials like carbon fiber to give them extra protection—well, all except for Raven's, who actually made hers using her ability. After all, every time she changed her appearance or transformed, regular clothes didn't change along with her, so in a sense, having her own suit was useless to her.
Of course, the Commandos would also be given special suits, but these would follow a slightly more military aesthetic to differentiate them from the core team, which obviously consisted of the metahumans.
"Do we really have to wear these?" Cassandra asked, removing a tactical face mask made of metal that covered the lower half of her face.
Charles, beside her, rolled his eyes.
"Do you really want our parents to know we're here?" The idea of masks for both of them actually came from him. He didn't want to worry their parents, who thought they had been sent on vacation with distant relatives. At least that was the only thing Charles could put in their minds without feeling too guilty.
Something that, of course, would be ruined if their faces were seen in the newspapers and on the news. After all, John, as Captain America, was quite noticeable, and without a doubt, images of his return to the battlefield and of the people who would follow him in future battles would spread around the world, thanks to the war reporters who would undoubtedly cross their path one way or another.
Therefore, it made sense to Charles that they should do something to prevent their identities from being easily recognized.
Cassandra frowned. The truth was, she didn't care much about what her parents thought; after all, they hadn't cared about what she thought or wanted. But since Charles had asked, she had agreed to do it, even if it seemed a bit ridiculous. Of course, just because she agreed didn't mean she couldn't complain about it.
Ignoring both of them, James approached John and looked at the maps.
"How long will it take us to liberate Warsaw?" The man was clearly growing more impatient.
"I want to do it in three days," John said, making everyone look at him.
"As I said, we're just the war hammer. The Armia Krajowa will take care of everything else. All our team needs to do is expel the German army, more precisely the Hydra army, along with their special weapons, from Warsaw and its surroundings. Once we've done that, we'll go from camp to camp searching for Victor and Dr. Zola, and we won't stop until we succeed."
Of course, if in the midst of this, they happened to run into a certain Klaus Schmidt, better known in the future as Sebastian Shaw, and he got in their way… well, at that moment, Charles would have to prove his worth if he didn't want to see everyone die.
Of course, John wouldn't let that happen; Charles was just Plan A, but John still had a few other plans in case things didn't go as they should. Naturally, all those plans were less effective than Plan A, so it would be best if Charles acted as John believed he would.
After all, his sister was with them, and if he thought she was in danger, the boy surely wouldn't leave her to fend for herself, right?
Upon hearing John's response, James nodded, more relaxed. It was fine; they were already in Europe. Three more days were nothing. His brother could handle it. At the same time, a part of him also knew that what John wanted to do was the right thing. Victor had always said he was too kind, and James had always denied it, but he supposed he couldn't keep denying it when it was his fault they got captured in the first place.
After all, he had wanted to destroy the source of the energy weapons to prevent more innocent people from dying unnecessarily, but instead, all he did was give the fucking Nazis a way to create super soldiers using his blood and Victor's.
Another reason he had agreed to help John, besides rescuing his brother, was that James felt responsible and wanted to fix things before all of this turned into a great disaster that would lead the world into an even darker era than it was already living through.
Without him knowing, this "heroism" within him had been what drove Charles, infecting the boy with that same sense of responsibility to do something and prevent the imminent disaster.
"Then I'll be ready," James finally said and left.
"You should go too; soon, things will get intense, and there won't be time to relax," John told the siblings, who nodded and left to get ready and rest.
"Do you think they'll do well?" Raven finally asked when only the two of them remained in the room.
"James, without a doubt. Charles and Cassandra? They're just rookies; there hasn't been much time to teach them anything. Well, Charles might already know the theory thanks to his powers, but in practice, theory often doesn't work," John said and then looked at her.
"I want you to watch their backs." Those words made her frown.
"I thought I was going to fight by your side," she didn't want to be a babysitter.
"And I didn't say otherwise; I just need an extra eye on them."
She seemed to think about it for a few moments before agreeing.
"Fine, but if the situation isn't good and I have to choose—"
"You'll come to me, I know."
She remained silent, not denying it, and John could only sigh. Raven was pretty good at following orders, but when it came to matters like this, it was obvious what her actions would be.
He wasn't complaining, of course. Having someone who genuinely cared about you didn't feel so bad after all.
"Come on, you need to get a good rest," he finally said, dragging her with him to send her to bed. After all, John didn't need much sleep, but Raven did.
As he walked, John couldn't help but feel a bit anxious, wondering if Hydra had made any progress with the serum or if they had failed instead.
He supposed he would find out soon.
.
.
.
Note:
And the prelude to the war has ended! Soon, the Warsaw Uprising, and with it, the war for Poland's liberation, will begin.
The pieces are in place; it's time to start moving them.
In case anyone is wondering, the Infinite Formula that Zola mentions is not the same as the one from the comics, but rather what he called the "serum" he created using Victor's blood to grant others his same "regenerative" properties. It's still incomplete, but essentially, this incomplete version functions similarly to the Infinite Formula from the comics, slowing aging and accelerating the healing of some wounds. Of course, this isn't good enough to counteract the effects of the incomplete Compound V, as you may have noticed in the first part of the chapter.
Still, this Infinite Formula may have some pretty interesting uses on its own…
comment, like, and give your suggestions and critiques. If there are any mistakes, let me know so I can correct them. Thanks for the support and patience.
Finally remember that You can already find the next chapter (and several more chapters) of this story on Patreon ( patreon.com/EmmaCruzader ) All the support received is appreciated ;D
- Location
- The Internet?
A nice bridge of an update, building the team, laying out the plan, shuffling people into the right spaces. Very excited for the action to come! Thank you for sharing it with us.
Schmidt's trying to wash the blood off his hands? Do you mean they're turning to soup, instead of soap, here?
Arimai
Curmudgeon
Third Reich's regime
Unnecessary "but" and a run-on sentence
26: Uprising
- Location
- Eart
26: Uprising
"You seem nervous," Charles adjusted his coat and looked up at the man who had asked him the question. He seemed to be in his thirties; Charles knew his name—Gabriel Jones, one of the soldiers John had selected to follow the team on their mission.
"A little," he said, feeling the vehicle they were in hit another bump, causing it to shake slightly.
"It's normal. I was just as nervous the first time I was deployed," said another man with slanted eyes, James Morita, or Jim, as he had asked to be called.
"Nerves must be quickly overcome, or they can cost you dearly. Listen, kid, when the shit hits the fan, don't hesitate—just follow orders and shoot who you need to shoot. That will keep you alive." Charles nodded at the advice, looking at the weapon he had been given, a rifle modified by Howard Stark.
Shooting... He had never touched a gun in his life, but he knew how to do it thanks to some of the memories he had seen from James. He hoped that would be enough.
Suddenly, the vehicle they were in came to a stop. They heard voices—it was a checkpoint. They had passed a few before, and everyone knew what needed to be done. Charles swallowed hard and looked toward the rear door, which began to open. A German soldier poked his head in, flashlight in hand, pointing it at them.
His eyes seemed to inspect the "cargo" until he was finally satisfied that he hadn't found anything unusual, and he closed the door again.
Charles sighed, lowering his hand. Another success—a useful skill that hadn't occurred to him but was something John had told him to try before they set out.
In essence, he was simply making the soldier see what he needed to see to let them pass the checkpoint without complications—a simple "illusion" if he had to give it a name.
"I still can't get used to that," said another soldier, one named Dugan, looking at Charles in amazement.
"But it's useful," Steve commented.
Charles smiled a little. Of course, the existence of his abilities had to be revealed to the team members who weren't metahuman. After all, they would be fighting together in the battles to come. Although it wasn't explicitly stated that they were metahumans, they were presented as other super-soldiers secretly created by the United States.
It was easier and simpler to explain than having to give a long and tedious talk about genetic evolution and how it could allow the emergence of supernatural abilities.
In this way, they only had to explain the basic concept of their abilities. Of course, not everything was revealed. John had advised Charles not to disclose the full extent of his powers for various reasons, so the regular soldiers on the team only knew that Charles could make people see "things" like illusions.
Charles understood why. After all, as a mind reader, it was easy for him to know that people might be quite uncomfortable if they knew someone could delve into their most private thoughts.
Not that Charles would do that, of course—at least not without a good reason. He usually preferred to only skim some surface thoughts, but looking deeply into others' minds was something he didn't actively seek out. James was a prime example of why.
Charles, who still didn't fully control his powers, was forced to experience people's memories and feelings firsthand when he looked into their deeper thoughts and memories if he wasn't careful, which was, of course, quite bothersome.
"The captain says to start getting ready, we only have a few more kilometers to go," the hidden window in the vehicle opened, allowing Cassandra to stick her head out from the front to inform them.
They exchanged a glance before she closed the window again.
"You heard her, get pretty," said Jacques Dernier, a man with a slight French accent, as he smoothed his hair, which was a bit odd to see since he was going bald, something he barely hid with an old felt hat.
There were a few more comments among the other team members, but Charles didn't pay them much attention as he tried to mentally prepare himself. He had expected more… action, but throughout the several-hour journey to the city of Warsaw, they went largely unnoticed. John had told them their arrival needed to be a surprise, so they didn't make their way through by fighting.
Which, of course, was a bit complicated, but with the help of Charles and Raven, as well as some Armia Krajowa agents who contacted them along the way, they were able to make a quick and direct trip to their destination.
Everything went smoothly and calmly, which made Charles nervous.
'Just follow your orders, shoot if necessary, and do what you came to do,' his main mission was to gather information from the soldiers they would capture during the conflict, more specifically from the higher-ranking officers. The hope was to uncover secret Hydra information as well as the location where Dr. Zola was conducting his experiments.
Another reason why Charles's true powers had to remain secret for now: no matter how loyal the German soldiers were to Red Skull and Hydra, they wouldn't be able to stop Charles from looking inside them once they fell into his hands.
After a few more minutes, the vehicle stopped, and John opened the rear doors to let them out. When Charles stepped down, he found himself inside an old and dark food warehouse.
"Alright, we're in," John said, gathering them around as Armia Krajowa members approached, led by a man in his 40s or 50s.
Charles concentrated, sending out a quick mental probe. When he confirmed that they were indeed Armia Krajowa members and not a trap or something similar, he nodded to John, who received the message and confidently walked up to meet their new allies.
"Tadeusz Bór! It's a pleasure to finally meet you," John said in near-perfect Polish, extending his hand for a firm handshake that the Armia Krajowa leader received gladly.
"The pleasure is entirely mine, Captain. Your arrival means more than you can imagine." Despite being a serious man with a deeply rooted military demeanor, Charles could sense the excitement within him, an excitement that would have others jumping for joy.
Soon, everyone was guided by the Armia Krajowa through Wola, an industrial district in the western part of Warsaw, an important place due to its many factories, warehouses, and workshops.
At the same time, it was very close to several German supply routes, making it a key location that needed to be taken in one way or another and the reason why the Armia Krajowa had begun secretly gathering their forces in the area.
They navigated through the streets until they reached a secluded complex of buildings where the provisional headquarters of the Armia Krajowa was located.
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"We have men here and here, our weapons are limited, so the plan was to raid some of the supply warehouses—"
John and Tadeusz began plotting the battle plan while a hive of activity buzzed around them. Everyone seemed busy with preparations, communications, and checks.
Cassandra watched all of this with interest while feeling somewhat anxious, as she had nothing to do. After all, until a few days ago, she had just been a rich girl with no real military training, so she didn't know how she could help with the preparations beyond staying by John's side and waiting for orders.
This was, of course, somewhat frustrating, but she understood it. She was there to fight, and as long as the fight hadn't begun, she would have to wait.
"I see what you're trying to do, but it's a risky plan. Let some of my men help you," John suddenly pointed to Cassandra and that grumpy guy named James, along with three other ordinary members of his team. Cassandra hadn't even bothered to remember their names.
The leader of the Armia Krajowa and some of his men turned to look at them with doubts, especially at her, which she didn't like much.
"Captain, are you sure about this?" Tadeusz asked. The man hadn't really paid much attention to the team John had brought with him because, in everyone's mind, the only one who could make a difference in this war was Captain America.
This was understandable since, as far as the average person knew, there was only one super soldier. James's existence was still something only the high command knew about, not to mention Raven, Charles, or Cassandra.
"Trust me, Commander, you'll want their help," John didn't explain much, as it was better for things to be revealed when the time came.
Tadeusz considered it for a moment before accepting. There weren't many options, really. The Armia Krajowa needed all the help they could get. At this moment, less than four thousand of their soldiers were truly armed and had the military experience needed for the upcoming battle. There were, of course, many more members in their ranks, but most either lacked weapons or were inexperienced, having not received proper military training.
Weapons, ammunition, and equipment were what they needed most if they wanted not only to liberate Warsaw but also to keep the city as theirs once it was freed.
"We need to divide into several squads. The priority should be to take their supply bases. We must make the Wola district ours in one day." At John's words, all the Poles present were surprised.
One day? Although many had hoped to do it quickly, doing it in a day… might be too much.
Tadeusz thought about it before nodding in agreement. As the commander of the Armia Krajowa, he knew more about foreign news than others. He knew that with John by their side, they could do it. After all, although the Nazi regime's presence was strong in the city, they weren't concentrated in one place. Just like the Armia Krajowa, they were dispersed.
Well, that was before. Now, most of the Polish forces were already in Wola, which gave him confidence. They could take the district if they struck hard and fast. Once they had all the German supplies in their hands, they could begin properly equipping their men and increase their numbers when the civilian population realized what was happening and decided to join them.
And they would join. Tadeusz knew the people of Warsaw were tired of living under the regime, and if given the chance, they would undoubtedly rise up with them.
"Then we'll start when night falls."
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And night fell much faster than Charles expected.
The boy looked at the building that was their target, the headquarters of the German troops in Wola. As John had said, they had split into several squads, each with different tasks.
"Remember not to stray too far from me," John said at his side. Charles had been assigned to follow him. Since they were going to attack the headquarters, it was obvious they would use this opportunity to capture several of the high-ranking officers there and thus obtain valuable information.
As they waited for the right moment, Charles wondered how his sister was doing. Being separated from her so soon didn't sit well with him, but he knew it was necessary. Of course, he was a bit worried about her, but not too much. After all, she wasn't alone; she had James by her side as well as other members of their team.
That should at least keep her safe until they saw each other again.
"Don't worry, illusionista, I'll watch your back," Charles turned to see a boy just a little older than him. His name was Angelo, and he had been part of the partisan army. Perhaps mistaking his silence for fear, he spoke to encourage him.
Something Charles appreciated, even if it wasn't exactly what the boy thought.
"illusionista?" he asked in barely acceptable Italian. Charles didn't know as many languages as John, but he could understand what people wanted to say by sensing their thoughts.
"Yes, you're a super, right? And all supers need nicknames," the boy said as if it were something obvious.
A super, an acronym for supersoldier that the regular soldiers on their team used to refer to them.
Illusionista, it wasn't exactly what he did, but... it didn't sound so bad.
"Yes, I guess so," he had also read some comics after all.
"It's time." Those words broke the calm that had been settling around them.
It took Charles a moment to understand them, at which point John shot forward, followed by the soldiers of the Armia Krajowa.
Angelo gave him a pat on the back, making him start moving as well. The boy already had his weapon raised and, without hesitation, fired five precise shots that instantly snuffed out the lives of five men—guards who had been stationed outside the building.
Charles, still in a trance, could barely comprehend how the silent night had turned into a hell filled with deafening booms and blinding flashes. Angelo was a great help to him, as he didn't leave him alone and forced him to advance alongside him until they entered the headquarters and the real fight began.
John advanced like a walking natural disaster, forcefully clearing the way for his men and swiftly taking down all incoming enemies. Even so, the headquarters was large, and with all the commotion, more and more German soldiers began to gather.
His shield flew, bouncing off the walls and striking different enemies in an instant. Charles was snapped out of his stupor when the shield passed in front of him, blocking an attack from an enemy who had emerged from the shadows, trying to kill him by surprise.
"Don't get distracted!" Angelo shouted at him, and Charles gripped his weapon. What was he doing? He was here to fight, not to be a burden! With gritted teeth and adrenaline beginning to flood his bloodstream, Charles raised his rifle and took aim.
His aim was barely acceptable, and he wouldn't have hit the target if Charles hadn't sensed the approach of a German soldier intent on killing them. Using his powers to guide him, he didn't need to see to know where his target was, and without hesitation, he fired. The recoil made him wince in pain, but the objective was accomplished.
The man fell dead to the ground.
Seeing the blood seeping from the body, Charles froze for a moment, visions, memories of similar situations flooding his mind. They were James's memories, of the lives he had taken.
He thought he knew what it would feel like, that he was ready for it, but he was wrong. His hands trembled, and his heart felt like it was about to leap out of his chest as nausea flooded him, ready to make him vomit.
He had killed someone.
But the world didn't give him the chance to process it. No, at this moment, he couldn't go into shock; he couldn't stay still. Using James's memories as an anchor, he acted as the man would have in this situation, and using his military discipline, he forced himself to move, not to stand still. And so, he kept advancing, followed his comrades, and continued shooting as the German army tried to resist the invasion of their headquarters.
"Good! That's how it's done," Angelo praised him as he saw how quickly he adapted to the battle, and together they followed in John's wake, climbing floor after floor of the building while purging the place.
In an instant, in various parts of the Wola district, fire erupted along with the sound of gunfire and explosions. The night in the city of Warsaw was interrupted by the sound of the drums of war, marking the beginning of the battle for its liberation.
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Cassandra ducked as shots whizzed over her head, and once they stopped, she came out of cover without hesitation, stretching out her hand and sending the German soldiers who were shooting at her flying, slamming them hard against a wall, their bones cracking clearly and satisfyingly to her.
The attack on the military facility that served as the main armory for the German army had begun at the same time as the attack on the headquarters.
James led the attack, immediately drawing all the attention, allowing the soldiers following them to easily infiltrate and begin securing the place.
Unlike Charles, Cassandra hadn't hesitated; she didn't freeze or stand still. As James advanced, she followed without doubt.
When the first German soldier crossed her path, she didn't wait to be saved. Instead, she stretched out her hand and clenched it. Her victim screamed and writhed as his body twisted at impossible angles. The sight was fascinating. Cassandra had always known she could do it—break a person's body with a thought—but she had never really tried it until now.
And doing it felt incredibly good. With a smile only hidden by the mask on her face, she forcefully cleared everything in her path. Using her powers, she opened doors for the soldiers following her, destroyed barricades, and ripped weapons from the hands of her enemies without them being able to resist.
The members of the Armia Krajowa who had come with them were left stunned by the display of supernatural abilities from both metahumans. The man who commanded them, and who had been in the strategic meeting, finally understood what John meant when he said, "You'll want their help."
Captain America wasn't the only monster who had arrived in Warsaw.
And the man couldn't have been happier about it. Without hesitation, he and his men began to follow Cassandra, covering her back as best they could while the girl went wild, destroying any German resistance in the place.
Of course Cassandra did not forget why they were there, she was careful not to destroy the weapons and supplies they had come to steal. With each passing moment in the fight, the girl began to understand more and more the extent of her telekinetic ability. Before, she had never been able to use it to its full potential for fear of being discovered, but now? Here and now, she could do whatever she wanted—let her imagination run wild.
She could feel the bullets approaching from behind her, and though her body wasn't quick enough to dodge them, she didn't need to. She extended her hand, and as if an invisible wall stood between them, the projectiles stopped in midair, just inches from hitting her.
"That was dangerous," she said, but the joy in her voice seemed to contrast with her words.
Then, in an instant, the bullets changed direction and flew back at high speed toward those who had fired them, their bodies pierced cleanly, spraying blood around them.
Concentrating, Cassandra began to sense the things around her. Like an orchestra conductor, she started moving her hands and let her powers work freely as all sorts of objects began to rise into the air.
When they shot at her, something was always there to block the bullets. When she needed to attack someone, something was always there to be her perfect projectile. It was like a tornado of destruction that caused the enemies facing her to flee without hesitation.
She had never felt so alive.
of course it was then that a bolt of blue lightning was fired at her. Cassandra frowned as she sensed the projectile turning anything in its path to dust, and she had to move to take cover since her telekinesis struggled to control the unknown energy.
"Hydra weapons," she thought, recognizing them from what John had told her, as well as from the news that had spread about them.
Without hesitation and with much more delicacy, she pushed the Polish soldiers who were following her back, out of reach of the new attackers.
There were more shots accompanied by that blue light. She took a quick glance out of her hiding place, seeing three Hydra soldiers with the special weapons attacking in her direction. She wondered if there were more, but they were probably trying to kill James or something like that.
She tried again to control the blue light projectile without success and decided to change her approach, targeting those who carried the weapons. Without them being able to avoid it, their bodies twisted and broke into pieces.
"How soft~" she mocked, stepping out of her hiding place and, with a wave of her hand, drew the bodies toward her, beginning to remove the special weaponry.
"Hey! Take this," she said, throwing the energy weapons to the soldiers following her. The men didn't hesitate to take them with delight.
She then continued moving toward the direction where the sound of gunfire intensified, leaving behind the bodies of her dead enemies without a second glance.
Whether it was the first man she killed or these last three, the feeling was the same—no remorse or sorrow. She didn't care about them at all.
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Note:
In case anyone didn't notice, I don't want to drag out the military conflicts as much as I did in the early chapters. If all goes well, this chapter and the next should cover everything necessary before we move on to the "rescue" of Erick and the confrontation with Shaw.
Of course, plans always change, so I won't say with certainty how long something will last again. If I think I need to add some things, I will, even if it extends the duration a bit..
Putting that aside, I want to know what you think, what you expect to see, and what you want to read? I have many ideas, but probably not all of them will be fun to explore and may require different amounts of time to prepare. For example, This chapter could have come out much earlier, but instead, I spent all my free hours outside of work reading about Warsaw, the uprising, and learning about history as well as a bit of geography and geopolitics.
I even watched some documentaries and movies on the subject, which I didn't actually enjoy that much.
It brought back memories of when I started this story and delved into research about conflicts in northern Italy. But I know it can be quite heavy for some to read about all that. After all, this story is not about war but about the MCU and the X-Men (metahumans) and a very different Captain America trying to do the right thing, sometimes doing it in the most wrong ways, which could or could not blow up in his face.
So I want to know what you really think, because as you know, you're supporting me much more than I can thank you for, and the least I can give you is a story that is fun to read. So comment and give ideas if you think you can contribute something interesting. I'm always open to feedback.
(By the way, I hope to bring a new illustration soon. I haven't been able to draw much due to work, so I can't give an estimated date, but the desire to draw has been building up.)
(Charles's nickname is provisional. I thought about giving him the classic Professor X, but I don't see how that would naturally come about with how things have changed in the story. Let me know what you think about that.)
Illusionista = Illusionist
Regards, like and comment, you know I read them. If there's any error, point it out, and I'll correct it immediately.
Finally remember that You can already find the next chapter (and several more chapters) of this story on Patreon ( patreon.com/EmmaCruzader ) All the support received is appreciated ;D
"You seem nervous," Charles adjusted his coat and looked up at the man who had asked him the question. He seemed to be in his thirties; Charles knew his name—Gabriel Jones, one of the soldiers John had selected to follow the team on their mission.
"A little," he said, feeling the vehicle they were in hit another bump, causing it to shake slightly.
"It's normal. I was just as nervous the first time I was deployed," said another man with slanted eyes, James Morita, or Jim, as he had asked to be called.
"Nerves must be quickly overcome, or they can cost you dearly. Listen, kid, when the shit hits the fan, don't hesitate—just follow orders and shoot who you need to shoot. That will keep you alive." Charles nodded at the advice, looking at the weapon he had been given, a rifle modified by Howard Stark.
Shooting... He had never touched a gun in his life, but he knew how to do it thanks to some of the memories he had seen from James. He hoped that would be enough.
Suddenly, the vehicle they were in came to a stop. They heard voices—it was a checkpoint. They had passed a few before, and everyone knew what needed to be done. Charles swallowed hard and looked toward the rear door, which began to open. A German soldier poked his head in, flashlight in hand, pointing it at them.
His eyes seemed to inspect the "cargo" until he was finally satisfied that he hadn't found anything unusual, and he closed the door again.
Charles sighed, lowering his hand. Another success—a useful skill that hadn't occurred to him but was something John had told him to try before they set out.
In essence, he was simply making the soldier see what he needed to see to let them pass the checkpoint without complications—a simple "illusion" if he had to give it a name.
"I still can't get used to that," said another soldier, one named Dugan, looking at Charles in amazement.
"But it's useful," Steve commented.
Charles smiled a little. Of course, the existence of his abilities had to be revealed to the team members who weren't metahuman. After all, they would be fighting together in the battles to come. Although it wasn't explicitly stated that they were metahumans, they were presented as other super-soldiers secretly created by the United States.
It was easier and simpler to explain than having to give a long and tedious talk about genetic evolution and how it could allow the emergence of supernatural abilities.
In this way, they only had to explain the basic concept of their abilities. Of course, not everything was revealed. John had advised Charles not to disclose the full extent of his powers for various reasons, so the regular soldiers on the team only knew that Charles could make people see "things" like illusions.
Charles understood why. After all, as a mind reader, it was easy for him to know that people might be quite uncomfortable if they knew someone could delve into their most private thoughts.
Not that Charles would do that, of course—at least not without a good reason. He usually preferred to only skim some surface thoughts, but looking deeply into others' minds was something he didn't actively seek out. James was a prime example of why.
Charles, who still didn't fully control his powers, was forced to experience people's memories and feelings firsthand when he looked into their deeper thoughts and memories if he wasn't careful, which was, of course, quite bothersome.
"The captain says to start getting ready, we only have a few more kilometers to go," the hidden window in the vehicle opened, allowing Cassandra to stick her head out from the front to inform them.
They exchanged a glance before she closed the window again.
"You heard her, get pretty," said Jacques Dernier, a man with a slight French accent, as he smoothed his hair, which was a bit odd to see since he was going bald, something he barely hid with an old felt hat.
There were a few more comments among the other team members, but Charles didn't pay them much attention as he tried to mentally prepare himself. He had expected more… action, but throughout the several-hour journey to the city of Warsaw, they went largely unnoticed. John had told them their arrival needed to be a surprise, so they didn't make their way through by fighting.
Which, of course, was a bit complicated, but with the help of Charles and Raven, as well as some Armia Krajowa agents who contacted them along the way, they were able to make a quick and direct trip to their destination.
Everything went smoothly and calmly, which made Charles nervous.
'Just follow your orders, shoot if necessary, and do what you came to do,' his main mission was to gather information from the soldiers they would capture during the conflict, more specifically from the higher-ranking officers. The hope was to uncover secret Hydra information as well as the location where Dr. Zola was conducting his experiments.
Another reason why Charles's true powers had to remain secret for now: no matter how loyal the German soldiers were to Red Skull and Hydra, they wouldn't be able to stop Charles from looking inside them once they fell into his hands.
After a few more minutes, the vehicle stopped, and John opened the rear doors to let them out. When Charles stepped down, he found himself inside an old and dark food warehouse.
"Alright, we're in," John said, gathering them around as Armia Krajowa members approached, led by a man in his 40s or 50s.
Charles concentrated, sending out a quick mental probe. When he confirmed that they were indeed Armia Krajowa members and not a trap or something similar, he nodded to John, who received the message and confidently walked up to meet their new allies.
"Tadeusz Bór! It's a pleasure to finally meet you," John said in near-perfect Polish, extending his hand for a firm handshake that the Armia Krajowa leader received gladly.
"The pleasure is entirely mine, Captain. Your arrival means more than you can imagine." Despite being a serious man with a deeply rooted military demeanor, Charles could sense the excitement within him, an excitement that would have others jumping for joy.
Soon, everyone was guided by the Armia Krajowa through Wola, an industrial district in the western part of Warsaw, an important place due to its many factories, warehouses, and workshops.
At the same time, it was very close to several German supply routes, making it a key location that needed to be taken in one way or another and the reason why the Armia Krajowa had begun secretly gathering their forces in the area.
They navigated through the streets until they reached a secluded complex of buildings where the provisional headquarters of the Armia Krajowa was located.
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"We have men here and here, our weapons are limited, so the plan was to raid some of the supply warehouses—"
John and Tadeusz began plotting the battle plan while a hive of activity buzzed around them. Everyone seemed busy with preparations, communications, and checks.
Cassandra watched all of this with interest while feeling somewhat anxious, as she had nothing to do. After all, until a few days ago, she had just been a rich girl with no real military training, so she didn't know how she could help with the preparations beyond staying by John's side and waiting for orders.
This was, of course, somewhat frustrating, but she understood it. She was there to fight, and as long as the fight hadn't begun, she would have to wait.
"I see what you're trying to do, but it's a risky plan. Let some of my men help you," John suddenly pointed to Cassandra and that grumpy guy named James, along with three other ordinary members of his team. Cassandra hadn't even bothered to remember their names.
The leader of the Armia Krajowa and some of his men turned to look at them with doubts, especially at her, which she didn't like much.
"Captain, are you sure about this?" Tadeusz asked. The man hadn't really paid much attention to the team John had brought with him because, in everyone's mind, the only one who could make a difference in this war was Captain America.
This was understandable since, as far as the average person knew, there was only one super soldier. James's existence was still something only the high command knew about, not to mention Raven, Charles, or Cassandra.
"Trust me, Commander, you'll want their help," John didn't explain much, as it was better for things to be revealed when the time came.
Tadeusz considered it for a moment before accepting. There weren't many options, really. The Armia Krajowa needed all the help they could get. At this moment, less than four thousand of their soldiers were truly armed and had the military experience needed for the upcoming battle. There were, of course, many more members in their ranks, but most either lacked weapons or were inexperienced, having not received proper military training.
Weapons, ammunition, and equipment were what they needed most if they wanted not only to liberate Warsaw but also to keep the city as theirs once it was freed.
"We need to divide into several squads. The priority should be to take their supply bases. We must make the Wola district ours in one day." At John's words, all the Poles present were surprised.
One day? Although many had hoped to do it quickly, doing it in a day… might be too much.
Tadeusz thought about it before nodding in agreement. As the commander of the Armia Krajowa, he knew more about foreign news than others. He knew that with John by their side, they could do it. After all, although the Nazi regime's presence was strong in the city, they weren't concentrated in one place. Just like the Armia Krajowa, they were dispersed.
Well, that was before. Now, most of the Polish forces were already in Wola, which gave him confidence. They could take the district if they struck hard and fast. Once they had all the German supplies in their hands, they could begin properly equipping their men and increase their numbers when the civilian population realized what was happening and decided to join them.
And they would join. Tadeusz knew the people of Warsaw were tired of living under the regime, and if given the chance, they would undoubtedly rise up with them.
"Then we'll start when night falls."
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And night fell much faster than Charles expected.
The boy looked at the building that was their target, the headquarters of the German troops in Wola. As John had said, they had split into several squads, each with different tasks.
"Remember not to stray too far from me," John said at his side. Charles had been assigned to follow him. Since they were going to attack the headquarters, it was obvious they would use this opportunity to capture several of the high-ranking officers there and thus obtain valuable information.
As they waited for the right moment, Charles wondered how his sister was doing. Being separated from her so soon didn't sit well with him, but he knew it was necessary. Of course, he was a bit worried about her, but not too much. After all, she wasn't alone; she had James by her side as well as other members of their team.
That should at least keep her safe until they saw each other again.
"Don't worry, illusionista, I'll watch your back," Charles turned to see a boy just a little older than him. His name was Angelo, and he had been part of the partisan army. Perhaps mistaking his silence for fear, he spoke to encourage him.
Something Charles appreciated, even if it wasn't exactly what the boy thought.
"illusionista?" he asked in barely acceptable Italian. Charles didn't know as many languages as John, but he could understand what people wanted to say by sensing their thoughts.
"Yes, you're a super, right? And all supers need nicknames," the boy said as if it were something obvious.
A super, an acronym for supersoldier that the regular soldiers on their team used to refer to them.
Illusionista, it wasn't exactly what he did, but... it didn't sound so bad.
"Yes, I guess so," he had also read some comics after all.
"It's time." Those words broke the calm that had been settling around them.
It took Charles a moment to understand them, at which point John shot forward, followed by the soldiers of the Armia Krajowa.
Angelo gave him a pat on the back, making him start moving as well. The boy already had his weapon raised and, without hesitation, fired five precise shots that instantly snuffed out the lives of five men—guards who had been stationed outside the building.
Charles, still in a trance, could barely comprehend how the silent night had turned into a hell filled with deafening booms and blinding flashes. Angelo was a great help to him, as he didn't leave him alone and forced him to advance alongside him until they entered the headquarters and the real fight began.
John advanced like a walking natural disaster, forcefully clearing the way for his men and swiftly taking down all incoming enemies. Even so, the headquarters was large, and with all the commotion, more and more German soldiers began to gather.
His shield flew, bouncing off the walls and striking different enemies in an instant. Charles was snapped out of his stupor when the shield passed in front of him, blocking an attack from an enemy who had emerged from the shadows, trying to kill him by surprise.
"Don't get distracted!" Angelo shouted at him, and Charles gripped his weapon. What was he doing? He was here to fight, not to be a burden! With gritted teeth and adrenaline beginning to flood his bloodstream, Charles raised his rifle and took aim.
His aim was barely acceptable, and he wouldn't have hit the target if Charles hadn't sensed the approach of a German soldier intent on killing them. Using his powers to guide him, he didn't need to see to know where his target was, and without hesitation, he fired. The recoil made him wince in pain, but the objective was accomplished.
The man fell dead to the ground.
Seeing the blood seeping from the body, Charles froze for a moment, visions, memories of similar situations flooding his mind. They were James's memories, of the lives he had taken.
He thought he knew what it would feel like, that he was ready for it, but he was wrong. His hands trembled, and his heart felt like it was about to leap out of his chest as nausea flooded him, ready to make him vomit.
He had killed someone.
But the world didn't give him the chance to process it. No, at this moment, he couldn't go into shock; he couldn't stay still. Using James's memories as an anchor, he acted as the man would have in this situation, and using his military discipline, he forced himself to move, not to stand still. And so, he kept advancing, followed his comrades, and continued shooting as the German army tried to resist the invasion of their headquarters.
"Good! That's how it's done," Angelo praised him as he saw how quickly he adapted to the battle, and together they followed in John's wake, climbing floor after floor of the building while purging the place.
In an instant, in various parts of the Wola district, fire erupted along with the sound of gunfire and explosions. The night in the city of Warsaw was interrupted by the sound of the drums of war, marking the beginning of the battle for its liberation.
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Cassandra ducked as shots whizzed over her head, and once they stopped, she came out of cover without hesitation, stretching out her hand and sending the German soldiers who were shooting at her flying, slamming them hard against a wall, their bones cracking clearly and satisfyingly to her.
The attack on the military facility that served as the main armory for the German army had begun at the same time as the attack on the headquarters.
James led the attack, immediately drawing all the attention, allowing the soldiers following them to easily infiltrate and begin securing the place.
Unlike Charles, Cassandra hadn't hesitated; she didn't freeze or stand still. As James advanced, she followed without doubt.
When the first German soldier crossed her path, she didn't wait to be saved. Instead, she stretched out her hand and clenched it. Her victim screamed and writhed as his body twisted at impossible angles. The sight was fascinating. Cassandra had always known she could do it—break a person's body with a thought—but she had never really tried it until now.
And doing it felt incredibly good. With a smile only hidden by the mask on her face, she forcefully cleared everything in her path. Using her powers, she opened doors for the soldiers following her, destroyed barricades, and ripped weapons from the hands of her enemies without them being able to resist.
The members of the Armia Krajowa who had come with them were left stunned by the display of supernatural abilities from both metahumans. The man who commanded them, and who had been in the strategic meeting, finally understood what John meant when he said, "You'll want their help."
Captain America wasn't the only monster who had arrived in Warsaw.
And the man couldn't have been happier about it. Without hesitation, he and his men began to follow Cassandra, covering her back as best they could while the girl went wild, destroying any German resistance in the place.
Of course Cassandra did not forget why they were there, she was careful not to destroy the weapons and supplies they had come to steal. With each passing moment in the fight, the girl began to understand more and more the extent of her telekinetic ability. Before, she had never been able to use it to its full potential for fear of being discovered, but now? Here and now, she could do whatever she wanted—let her imagination run wild.
She could feel the bullets approaching from behind her, and though her body wasn't quick enough to dodge them, she didn't need to. She extended her hand, and as if an invisible wall stood between them, the projectiles stopped in midair, just inches from hitting her.
"That was dangerous," she said, but the joy in her voice seemed to contrast with her words.
Then, in an instant, the bullets changed direction and flew back at high speed toward those who had fired them, their bodies pierced cleanly, spraying blood around them.
Concentrating, Cassandra began to sense the things around her. Like an orchestra conductor, she started moving her hands and let her powers work freely as all sorts of objects began to rise into the air.
When they shot at her, something was always there to block the bullets. When she needed to attack someone, something was always there to be her perfect projectile. It was like a tornado of destruction that caused the enemies facing her to flee without hesitation.
She had never felt so alive.
of course it was then that a bolt of blue lightning was fired at her. Cassandra frowned as she sensed the projectile turning anything in its path to dust, and she had to move to take cover since her telekinesis struggled to control the unknown energy.
"Hydra weapons," she thought, recognizing them from what John had told her, as well as from the news that had spread about them.
Without hesitation and with much more delicacy, she pushed the Polish soldiers who were following her back, out of reach of the new attackers.
There were more shots accompanied by that blue light. She took a quick glance out of her hiding place, seeing three Hydra soldiers with the special weapons attacking in her direction. She wondered if there were more, but they were probably trying to kill James or something like that.
She tried again to control the blue light projectile without success and decided to change her approach, targeting those who carried the weapons. Without them being able to avoid it, their bodies twisted and broke into pieces.
"How soft~" she mocked, stepping out of her hiding place and, with a wave of her hand, drew the bodies toward her, beginning to remove the special weaponry.
"Hey! Take this," she said, throwing the energy weapons to the soldiers following her. The men didn't hesitate to take them with delight.
She then continued moving toward the direction where the sound of gunfire intensified, leaving behind the bodies of her dead enemies without a second glance.
Whether it was the first man she killed or these last three, the feeling was the same—no remorse or sorrow. She didn't care about them at all.
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Note:
In case anyone didn't notice, I don't want to drag out the military conflicts as much as I did in the early chapters. If all goes well, this chapter and the next should cover everything necessary before we move on to the "rescue" of Erick and the confrontation with Shaw.
Of course, plans always change, so I won't say with certainty how long something will last again. If I think I need to add some things, I will, even if it extends the duration a bit..
Putting that aside, I want to know what you think, what you expect to see, and what you want to read? I have many ideas, but probably not all of them will be fun to explore and may require different amounts of time to prepare. For example, This chapter could have come out much earlier, but instead, I spent all my free hours outside of work reading about Warsaw, the uprising, and learning about history as well as a bit of geography and geopolitics.
I even watched some documentaries and movies on the subject, which I didn't actually enjoy that much.
It brought back memories of when I started this story and delved into research about conflicts in northern Italy. But I know it can be quite heavy for some to read about all that. After all, this story is not about war but about the MCU and the X-Men (metahumans) and a very different Captain America trying to do the right thing, sometimes doing it in the most wrong ways, which could or could not blow up in his face.
So I want to know what you really think, because as you know, you're supporting me much more than I can thank you for, and the least I can give you is a story that is fun to read. So comment and give ideas if you think you can contribute something interesting. I'm always open to feedback.
(By the way, I hope to bring a new illustration soon. I haven't been able to draw much due to work, so I can't give an estimated date, but the desire to draw has been building up.)
(Charles's nickname is provisional. I thought about giving him the classic Professor X, but I don't see how that would naturally come about with how things have changed in the story. Let me know what you think about that.)
Illusionista = Illusionist
Regards, like and comment, you know I read them. If there's any error, point it out, and I'll correct it immediately.
Finally remember that You can already find the next chapter (and several more chapters) of this story on Patreon ( patreon.com/EmmaCruzader ) All the support received is appreciated ;D
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- The Internet?
Do you mean a 'nickname, 'shortening,' or 'shorthand' here? I don't doubt that the government could come up with some jumble of letters working backwards to fill in an acronym, butI doubt the soldiers would know it so quickly.
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regular soldiers on their team