Time Flies When You're Saving Lives

Candidate or not?

Disclaimer: I own nothing you recognize. Only my OC, Agent Clarissa Melanie Connors and her story line belongs to me.

~0~ = little break

It was a beautiful evening and I was backstage passing time while I was waiting for Abe. The Modern Marvels Pavilion looked amazing. I was just planning on staying for Howard's show -which was starting in a few minutes- until I had to find Abe. He told me he was still looking for the perfect person to be his guinea pig, although he doesn't approve of me using that term.

"So, you excited for the show Melly bells?"

I turned to see Howard walking towards me in his white suit, looking prim and proper, not a hair out of place.

"Am I going to regret telling you my full name Howie?" I asked him with my own teasing at the end.

"Probably. And you didn't answer my question Mels."

"Well, I'm very excited to see your invention, Howard." I told him with a genuine smile.

"You sure you don't want to be my special showgirl for the night? I'm sure there's still an extra uniform in the back." He smirked.

I rolled my eyes at him.

"I'm 100% sure that I do not want to be your showgirl. Besides, I'm waiting for Abe remember. I can only stay for a while."

"Fine, but let's have some fondue. Wouldn't want you to feel peckish while looking for our perfect soldier now do we?"

Howard offered his arm to me and I took it, letting him lead me backstage where his people have set up a fondue set. In the middle of us talking and eating, a stage crew interrupted us and called Howard to tell him he's ready to start the show.

"Alright, I guess that's my cue. I'll just go and stand with the audience. It'll be easier for me to leave from there if I see Abe. Thanks for the fondue Howie, and good luck!"

I stood up from the table, wiping my mouth with a napkin that was provided. Howard rolled his eyes at his nickname but still accepted a peck on the cheek from me. I stood further back from the stage where there were less people to make an easier getaway. Upbeat music started to play through the speakers signaling the show was about to begin.

"Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Howard Stark!"

I clapped along with the audience members and a few women yelled out their love to Howard making me snort. When Howard kissed one of the showgirls I rolled my eyes at his antics.

"Ladies and gentlemen, what if I told you that in just a few short years,
your automobile won't even have to touch the ground at all?"

The audience was shocked at such an absurd idea, but this was Howard we're talking about.

"With Stark Gravitic Reversion Technology, you'll be able to do just that."

I was looking around the place and I spotted Abe near the enlistment building. I waved at him to get his attention. I stayed long enough to see Howard's car hover for a few seconds before it failed.

"I did say I few years didn't I?" Howard awkwardly coughed while he addressed the laughing audience.

I left Howard's show, making sure to catch his eye giving him a wave to show that I was leaving, which he replied to by nodding. I headed over to where Abe was.

"Agent Connors, how are you this fine evening?" Dr. Abraham Erskine greeted me.

"Abe, I told you to call me Clara, or Clarissa at least." I told him with a smile.

Abe returned the smile but didn't say anything. He gestured me towards the building and I complied.

"So I have the list of recruits here and I put them into order by which has the most potential to be our guinea pig and be injected with the serum. They'll be brought to the camp in a few days then we'll start the training. I'll be the one overseeing the entire thing." I explained to the German scientist. He gave me a look because I used the term guinea pig again.

We were walking while talking and Abe was listening to me until he stopped to get a pamphlet and stopped walking, forcing me to stop as well.

"What's wrong? Why are we-"

My sentence got cut short when Abe shushed me and pointed his finger to two men talking (more like arguing) a few feet from us.

Of the two men, one was taller than the other by a head at least. He was obviously part of the army because of the uniform he was wearing. I could see under his cap that he had dark brown hair and is very handsome. The other man was shorter, if I were to stand beside him I would be a few inches taller than him. He was thin and you can tell by the way his clothes were baggy on him. Despite his physique, he had a handsome face. Blond hair that was styled proper and he had beautiful eyes from what I can see.

"Why are we stopping?" I asked Abe again.

He merely shushed me again and nudged his head towards their direction again.

"Didn't you mother ever tell you that it's rude to eavesdrop." I teased.

Abe just gave me a look which I ignored and put my focus on the conversation the two men were having.

"-What do you want me to do? Collect scrap metal in my little red wagon?" Said the shorter man.

"Yes! Why not?"

"I'm not gonna sit in a factory, Bucky. Come on. There are men laying down their lives. I got no right to do any less than them. That's what you don't understand."

I could feel my expression soften. Obviously Bucky -the taller one- didn't think his friend was capable of joining the army. I know what that's like, with me being the only woman in the agency.

"This isn't about me." The shorter man continued.

"Right. 'Cause you got nothing to prove." Bucky said to him looking disappointed.

Someone called out to Bucky gaining his attention making him look back to answer. The two shared a hug before Bucky went off who knows where. I looked over at the blond haired man once more. My heart empathized with what he is going through and I found myself more interested and curious to get to know this man. The man went on his way to enlist. I lost sight of him when he was ushered into a ward.

With Abe on my tail, I asked a doctor for the blond man's file. We were told to wait a while. Shortly the doctor came back with a file in hand.

"Here you are Agent Connors."

"Oh thank you." I said, taking the folder that was handed to me.

Steven G. Rogers
Age: 24
Date of birth: July 4, 1918
Address: 14047 Brooklyn Street, Brooklyn, NY
Hair color: Blond
Eye color: Blue
Height: 5'4"
Weight: 95 lbs

Summary of Patient Health Issue:
Asthma
Scarlet fever
Rheumatic fever
Color-blindness
Sinusitis
Anemia
Chronic or frequent cold
High blood pressure
Palpitation or pounding in heart
Easy fatigue ability
Heart trouble
Nervous trouble of any sort
Has had household contact with tuberculosis patient
Parent/sibling with diabetes, cancer, stroke or heart disease

Steve Rogers. It fits him. I let out a whistle as I look over the list of his health issues again and all I could think was if he should be even leaving his house with all these conditions. In his file were also 4 other enlistment forms that were all stamped 4F. I smirked to myself. He really wants to fight for his country despite the consequences he might get if he were to get caught. I admired his dedication and perseverance. I handed Abe the file so he could get a look at it too.

"You think he'd be a good candidate?" I asked Abe after he finished reading.

"Perhaps. I'd have to test him first to see." He said with a thoughtful smile.