The Dark Age- Marvel

05

"Faster, ladies. Come on. My grandmother has more life in her, God rest her soul." Yet again, Steve struggles to do push ups. "Move it!"

I zone out listening to a conversation between the colonel and Erskine from across the army base.

"You're not really thinking about picking Rogers, are you?"

"I'm more than just thinking about it. He is the clear choice."

"When you brought a 90 pound asthmatic onto my army base accompanied by his super strong girlfriend, I let it slide. I thought 'What the hell'. Maybe he'd be useful to you, like a gerbil. I never thought you'd pick him."

Agent Carter continues to shout orders in the background.

"You stick a needle in that kid's arm, it's gonna go right through him. Look at that, he's making me cry."

"I'm looking for  qualities beyond the physical."

"Do you know how long it took to set up this project? All the grovelling I had to do in front of Senator what's his name committees?"

"Brandt. Yes, I know. I am well aware of your efforts."

"Then throw me a bone. Hodge passed every test we gave him. He's big, he's fast. He obeys orders. He's a soldier."

"He is a bully." And a cocky prick. I thought.

"You don't win wars with niceness, Doctor. You win wars with guts."

Colonel Phillips throws a grenade into the field and most of the men run behind cars. While Steve runs towards the grenade and jumps on top of it. Shielding the rest of the people from the grenade if it were to go off. It was a fake grenade.

I smile widely at Steve's bravery and the shocked look on the Colonel's face.

"Is this a test?" Steve questions.

Colonel shakes his head, "He's still skinny." While Erskine just continues smiling.

:

The door opens and in strolls Peggy with a curious looking Steve. Everyone turns to look at Steve and Silence. Just silence.

Erskine and I turn our attention to Steve and Peggy.

"Good Morning." Erskine greets. "Are you ready?"

Steve nods.

"Good. Take off your shirt, your tie and your hat." Replied Erskine.

"My Goodness. Why are you so blunt?" I question.

"It's a special skill of mine." Erskine says proudly, as I laugh at him while he just smiles widely.

Steve jumps up onto the large intimidating machine. He lies back before looking towards me.

"You got this, Steve. It can't be that bad." I encourage.

"Comfortable?" Erskine interrupts.

"It's a little big." Steve answers making Erskine chuckle. "You save me any of that schnapps."

"Not as much as I should have. Sorry. Next time." Erskine steps down from the machine. "Mr Stark, how are your levels?"

"Levels at 100%." Howard said "We may dim half the lights in Brooklyn but we are ready as we'll ever be."

"Agent Carter? Don't you think you would be more comfortable in the booth?" Asked Erskine.

"Yes, of course. Sorry." Peggy stuttered before strolling into the booth.

Erskine turns his attention to me.

"I'm not leaving."

"I know. That's why I didn't ask." Erskine's voice holds a sarcastic tone.

Erskine grabs a microphone, "Do you hear me? Is this on? Ladies and gentlemen, today we take not another step towards annihilation but the first step on the path of peace. We begin with a series of microinjections into the subject's major muscle groups. The serum infusion will cause immediate cellular change. And then, to stimulate growth, the subject will be saturated with vita rays." Erskine announces.

We make our way towards Steve as he gets an injection of painkillers.

"That wasn't so bad."

Me and Erskine share a look, "That was penicillin."

Steve's face drops slightly. 

"Serum infusion beginning in five, four, three, two, one." The tubes of blue liquid slowly empty into Steve's body, him wincing in pain. "Now, Mr Stark."

Erskine ushers me towards Howard as he grabs onto my arm, gently pulling me beside him.

The machine closes encapsulating Steve within its walls.

Erskine taps on the small window of the machine, "Steven? Can you hear me?"

But what makes me laugh is Steve's joke in reply.

"It's probably too late to go to the bathroom, right?"

"We will proceed."

The vita rays are turned on and slowly start getting brighter.

10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%

Steve starts to scream in pain as I run over with Erskine right behind me.

"Steve! Steve!" I scream.

"Shut it down." Peggy shouts from the top of the staircase.

"Kill the reactor, Mr Stark." Erskine says, concern and worry filling his tone. "Turn it off! Kill it! Kill the reactor!"

"No!" Steve shouts. "Don't. I can do this."

"No." I boom.

Erskine grabs my shoulders and pulls me into his side wrapping his arm around me to comfort me.

80%, 90%, 100%

Sparks start to fly around the room, all the lights fading.

The machine opens revealing Steve now a foot taller with huge arms and a cracking set of abs.

"Holy shit."