Rumors and Ghosts

x. outsmarting command and change of plans

US TRAINING CAMP

Steve looked around for his friend and frowned when he didn't see her. She had spoken of helping the war effort, seemingly excited about working with the Red Cross. Perhaps she would show up later.

An officer said to other soldiers training, "Ready, exercise!"

"Recruits, attention!" Peggy Carter ordered. "Gentlemen, I'm Agent Carter. I supervise all operations for this division."

"What's with the accent, Queen Victoria?" Gilmore Hodge asked. "Thought I was signing up for the U.S. Army."

"What's your name, soldier?"

"Gilmore Hodge, your Majesty."

"Step forward, Hodge." He stepped forward, smirking. "Put your right foot forward."

"Mmm... We gonna wrassle? 'Cause I got a few moves I know you'll like."

Peggy punched him, knocking him down.

Colonel Phillips drove up and called, "Agent Carter."

"Colonel Phillips," Peggy said.

"I see you're breaking in the candidates. That's good!" He turned to Hodge. "Get your ass up out of that dirt and stand in that line at attention 'til somebody comes tells you what to do."

Hodge got back up. "Yes, sir."

Colonel Phillips addressed the new Army recruits. "General Patton has said that wars are fought with weapons but they are won by men. We are going to win this war because we have the best men..." He saw Steve and continued. "And because they're gonna get better. Much better. The Strategic Scientific Reserve is an Allied effort made up of the best minds in the free world. Our goal is to create the best army in history. But every army starts with one man. At the end of this week we will choose that man. He will be the first in a new breed of super-soldiers."

While Phillips spoke, Steve unpacked and trained where he failed to keep up and got bullied by the others.

"Rogers!" Sergeant Duffy called. "Get that rifle out of the mud!"

"And they, will personally escort Adolf Hitler to the gates of Hell."

Steve and other trainees ran up to a waiting Peggy and a flagpole.

"Pick up the pace, ladies!" Sergeant Duffy exclaimed. "Double time! Come on! Faster! Faster! Move! Move!" They arrived at the flagpole. "Squad, halt! That flag means we're only at the halfway point. First man to bring it to me gets a ride back with Agent Carter. Move, move!"

"Come on!" the soldiers yelled. "Get up there!"

As the soldiers tried to climb up the pole to no avail, Sergeant Duffy said, "If that's all you got, this army's in trouble! Get up there, Hodge! Come on! Get up there! Nobody's got that flag in 17 years! Now fall back into line! Come on, fall in! Let's go! Get back into formation! Rogers! I said fall in!" Steve pulled a pin from the bottom of the pole, causing it to fall over.

Steve, as he gave the flag to Sergeant Duffy, said, "Thank you, sir." He climbed into the car and they drove away.

Later, the soldiers were doing push-ups.

"Faster, ladies!" Peggy ordered. "Come on. My grandmother has more life in her, God rest her soul. Move it!"

Colonel Phillips walked beside Dr. Erskine as he said, "You're not really thinking about picking Rogers, are you?"

"I am more than just thinking about it," Dr. Erskine replied. "He is the clear choice."

"When you brought a ninety-pound asthmatic onto my army base, I let it slide. I thought, what the hell? Maybe he'll be useful to you, like a gerbil. I never thought you'd pick him." He referred to Steve.