It's Been a Long, Long Time

03

The next day, Steve, Frank and Peggy drove through Brooklyn as they made their way to the facility.

Steve glanced out the window at their surroundings and said, "I know this neighborhood. I got beat up in that alley. And that parking lot. And behind that diner."

"Did you have something against running away?" Peggy asked.

Steve glanced at her and nodded. "You start running they'll never let you stop. You stand up, push back. Can't say no forever, right?"

"I know a little of what that's like. To have every door shut in your face."

"I guess I just don't know why you'd wanna join the army if you're a beautiful dame. Or a beautiful... a woman. An agent, not a dame! You are beautiful, but..."

"You have no idea to talk to a woman, do you?"

"This is the longest conversation I've had with one. Women aren't exactly lining up to dance with a guy they might step on."

"You must have danced?"

"Well, asking a woman to dance always seems terrifying."

Frank nodded. "And the past few years just didn't seem to matter that much to him or to me. Figured we'd wait."

"For what?" Peggy asked.

"The right partner."

A small smile crossed his face as he remembered those exact words from himself not long before.

They pulled up by an antiques shop and got out of the car.

"This way," Peggy instructed.

"What are we doing here?" Steve and Frank asked.

"Follow me."

The three went inside.

"Wonderful weather this morning, isn't it?" the antique store owner questioned.

"Yes, but I always carry an umbrella," Peggy replied.

The antique store owner pushed a button, causing a door to open and they were told to proceed.

Peggy led Steve and Frank into the hidden lab.

---

Dr. Erskine and his team were in a big circular room filled with machinery and two pods in the middle.

"Good morning," Dr. Erskine repeated, shaking Steve's hand, then Frank's, and someone took a photograph. "Please, not now." The photographer walked away; Steve and Frank looked at the pods. "Are you two ready?" Steve and Frank nodded. "Good. Take off your shirt, your tie and your hat."

Steve and Frank did as instructed, then climbed into the pods and laid down.

"Comfortable?" Dr. Erskine asked.

"It's a little big," Steve said. "You save me or Frank any of that Schnapps?"

"Not as much as I should have. Sorry. Next time. Mr. Stark, how are your levels?"

"Levels at 100%," Howard replied.

"Good."

"We may dim half the lights in Brooklyn, but we are ready as we'll ever be."

"Agent Carter? Don't you think you'd be more comfortable in the booth?"

"Oh, yes," Peggy answered. "Of course. Sorry."

"Good." He took a microphone and tapped it. "Do you hear me? Is this on?" He spoke to the small group that had gathered to watch Steve and Frank's preparations to become super soldiers. "Ladies and gentlemen, today we take not another step towards annihilation, but the first step on the path to peace. We begin with a series of micro injections into the subjects' major muscle groups. The serum infusion will cause immediate cellular change. And then to stimulate growth, the subjects will be saturated with Vita-Rays."