Agent Carter: Frozen in Time

A New Invention

Year: 1956

Agent Peggy Carter, combat extraordinaire, master of espionage and long-suffering friend of the famed playboy, Howard Stark. Howard was constantly creating different inventions for Peggy to test out. She never disagreed with taking part in his experiments. He'd even been told she'd test them at any time. She was always prepared for his shenanigans, but when it was 3 am and she was getting her beauty sleep, that was not what she'd meant.

The noise of her telephone ringing was what woke Peggy. She grabbed the phone itself and answered the call. "This is Agent Carter speaking," she said, sleepiness apparent in her voice, "Miss Carter," she heard Jarvis say from the other end of the phone, "Mr Jarvis, how may I be of assistance to you at 3 o'clock in the morning?" she asked sarcastically, "Mr Stark has created a new invention and he would like your opinion on it," he answered, "And he couldn't wait until it was a reasonable time?" she heard the phone line crackle a little, "No, I couldn't wait, Peg, it's just been finished and I need to test it now," Howard said.

Obviously, he'd taken the telephone, "The things I do for you, Howard Anthony Walter Stark," she tutted, "So you'll come over?" Peggy heard the excitement in his voice, "Yes, I'll come over, just give me an hour to get dressed," "An hour?!" she sighed, "Howard, I look dead at the moment, you woke me from my beauty sleep, the least you could do is give me an hour," he laughed, "Sure thing Peg". The phone line rang silent and Peggy got ready to leave the house at 4 am, in the middle of winter, she really did the most extreme things for Howard Stark.

She got into her car and drove to one of Howard's many mansions. Stood outside as she arrived was the culprit of her lack of sleep, Howard Stark. As she got out of the car he ran to her and dragged her by the arm, "You've gotta come see this Peg," he said excitedly. "Howard," she said knowingly, "Oh yeah," he stopped, to kiss her on both cheeks, "Now we can go," she laughed, and he dragged her by her arm into his workshop. Walking through the hallways she saw all of the other inventions she had tested. There was the handbag that turned into armour. The sweet dreams lipstick. As well as her personal favourite, the bullet bra that shot actual bullets.

"Now what is this invention?" she asked while Howard opened the door. "It's what I like to call a Cryonic Anatomy Chamber," Peggy looked at him puzzled, she may have a PhD in science. Still, even she didn't understand what he meant, "Basically you go into it and it fills with a sleeping gas that contains a very weak liquid nitrogen that won't burn the skin but is cold enough to freeze you and stop you from ageing," he looked so proud of himself. She was very intrigued, "Stop ageing? Like completely?" "Well, I don't know, that's why I have you to test this. In theory, if you were to stay in there for years, your body wouldn't age at all, and you wouldn't die either because of the freezing effects," she gave him an impressed look.

"You never cease to impress me, Mr Stark," she smiled, "I'm ready," "Jarvis," he called, "Yes Mr Stark?" Jarvis asked, entering the room, "Would you mind opening the door to the chamber?" "Of course Mr Stark," Jarvis opened the door to the pod-looking contraption. The inside glowed blue. It resembled the pod they'd used to give Steve his super soldier abilities. Ahh the memories, the impressiveness, the grief. "So, how do I get out?" Peggy asked, inspecting the chamber. "There's the handle for us to open, if that gets stuck I have an emergency button on the outside and if that fails we have the control pad," Howard listed, "And If that fails?" "It won't," he had confidence in his voice and she believed him wholeheartedly. "Of course it won't, you're Howard Stark," she smiled, he patted her on the back and smiled back at her. She hugged him, "How did I manage to get the most stupid and most intelligent friend?" she said, "Aww you're just boosting my ego, Peg," they laughed.

Peggy made her way up the stairs and into the pod, "Oh, it's very cold," she stated, "That'd be the liquid nitrogen," Howard chimed in. Peggy got comfortable against the indestructible fabric he used in all of his creations. "You can have your beauty sleep now, Peg," he laughed, "Enjoy," "Goodbye for now, Stark," she said, "Night, Peggy". Howard closed the door and Peggy was immediately hit with the sleeping gas, she dozed off into a peaceful undisturbed sleep. Howard left her in there for a few minutes before deciding to open the pod. "Jarvis, open the pod," "Yes Mr Stark," Jarvis pulled on the door but it wouldn't budge, "It's jammed, Mr Stark," Howard didn't start to panic, not just yet. They still had ways to get her out. "Uh, try the emergency button, the blue one on the left," Jarvis pushed it with all his force but the door didn't loosen. "It's not working, Mr Stark," "That's fine, I still have my control panel".

Howard pushed every button on the panel and yet none of them opened the door. "Jarvis, get me some tools," "Yes Mr Stark," Jarvis got a screwdriver and a drill, as well as a saw. "Come on, don't fail me now," he tried unscrewing it, but nothing happened. The saw wouldn't cut through, he'd used vibranium from Wakanda. He couldn't give up, not on this invention, not on Peggy. After hours of trying to break into his invention, he had to accept it, Howard had trapped not only his colleague but his most trusted friend inside a stupid invention. There was no way to get her out of it ever. She wouldn't see him and Maria get married, she'd never get to see that kid he'd always wanted to have grow up. He sat in front of the chamber on the floor and wept. "I'm sorry Peggy, I let you down. I really let you down".

Howard and Jarvis moved the chamber to the back of a workshop that Stark had owned since as long as he remembered Peggy gave it as a gift to him for helping her with the idea of S.H.I.E.L.D. There the chamber would stay for the rest of eternity, and as she wouldn't age she'd be there forever. Howard still visited the chamber to talk to her sometimes and would pitch ideas for new inventions to her. He never mentioned that specific workshop to Tony but he always heard stories of his Aunt Peggy from his dad and grew up believing she'd died in 1956.