The White Queen (S.Rogers)

Chapter 48

Steve knocked on the edge of the lab entrance, waiting for Banner to look up at him, before entering.

Banner waved him over, a frown on the slightly graying face of the doctor, as Steve took a seat on one of the stools.

"So, I've been running some of the medical information, in those files on Asset one, that you gave me. And some of it... well, it's amazing. And confusing." Banner reached up, running a hand through the already tousled curls.

"Okay?" Steve frowned. "Can you be a bit more specific?"

"I'm trying to break it down into layman's terms, without being too technical, in my head, Steve." Banner waved at the side of his head, before sighing. "Basically, there is something in the DNA that is very specific, as far as I can tell, based on the tests already done. It is very receptive to other DNA, to a point. It rejects DNA, that was deemed to be inferior, while binding to a certain sequencing that ensures that it remains the dominant DNA."

"Which means?" Steve rubbed his face. Layman's terms to Banner was different from Steve's, obviously.

"Which means that in the case of replication, it will always be the dominant DNA. Whatever traits Asset One holds will continue on into the DNA of their descendants. JARVIS, will you pull up the DNA model of Asset One?" Banner waited until the UI had displayed a hologram of a DNA strand, before pointing at several highlighted sections of it. "These are the sequences that have been identified to be the building blocks of the characteristics defined or even brought on by the serum that you received. While these characteristics are not enhanced artificially, but organically, or genetically, they are still the dominant genes. She will always have children that will display traits similar to herself. She is, to put it crudely, guaranteed to breed children who will be super soldiers. This trait alone proves, at least to me, that she is definitely a second generation."

Steve felt his heart start to pound a little harder. "Are you certain?"

"Well, without testing a sample of blood myself, I am as certain as I am going to be." Banner sat back, folding his arms. "That's just the possibility of passing on the characteristics to her children. It doesn't even begin to cover what she's actually able to do."
"And the tests can show that?" Steve leaned forward, bracing his forearms on his knees, folding his hands.

"Again, to a point. Without actually being able to test a sample myself, all I can go by is the tests that were already done. And some of those tests... Steve, they are decades old. Some of the equipment used... it's antiquated. To put it politely." Banner gave Steve a concerned look. "Is this someone that we should be telling the team about? Is she a threat?"

"No." Steve shook his head firmly. "She is not. I promise."

"Steve, the dates of some these tests? They are from when you were in the ice. For her to be a second generation, someone else, besides you, had to have received a copy of the serum. Not the true formula, from Erskine, but very similar." Banner leaned forward, meeting Steve's eyes. "What's going on? The truth."

Steve sighed, reaching up to rub the back of his head. Then taking a deep breath, he decided to trust Banner. "Off the record? No team involved? My friend Bucky, who I thought had died, was given a copy of the serum, during the war. HYDRA captured him, made him a weapon. They also had him... father children. Asset One, is one of those children. She's not a threat to anyone. She's just trying to get her life together."

"You're helping her." Banner surmised, correctly. "You are trying to protect her."
"Trying being the operative word." Steve grinned. "She's also... she's my girl."

Banner blinked. "Okay. Steve, are you sure that's a good idea? I mean... if she was HYDRA... how do you know she's not going to try to... kill you?"