SuperSoldier (SI-OC/MCU) ENG

40: Bet

40: Bet

"Can you believe it?! I leave them alone for a moment, and they completely disappear!" Howard grumbled with some irritation. Saying the man had been eager to see what John could now do with his new abilities would be an understatement.

For that reason, when he returned to the lab and couldn't find them anywhere no matter how much he searched, an immense disappointment hit him.

"Perhaps I can help you look for them, Mr. Stark." At the offer, Howard sighed, shook his head, and then patted Isaac on the shoulder.

"Nah, they'll come back. Something must've happened. I don't think they'd start running tests without an expert scientist like me present to help... right?"

Isaac wasn't exactly sure how to respond—or if he should even respond. Was this what they called a rhetorical question? Although the android had been "living" among humans for some time now, his synthetic mind still struggled to fully grasp the complexities of true human thought, leaving him uncertain about how to act at times.

For the most part, he stuck by Howard's side, just as Colonel John had instructed. When he wasn't doing that, he could be found in his room reading books or helping other members of the base with minor tasks—something Howard had allowed him to do to help him "adjust to life," whatever that meant.

"Anyway, while they return, it's better if we focus on other matters. I'd like to move up your checkup. I think I finally understand how the internal mechanisms that allow your body to move with as much flexibility as a human's work. If everything goes well, I should be able to start building you replacement parts before the year is over."

Though Howard hadn't dedicated as much time to analyzing Dr. Horton's research, that didn't mean he hadn't been making progress in his spare moments. In fact, if not for the need to lead the investigations into the monsters created by Hydra, the man would've preferred to devote more time to studying the android.

The deeper he delved and the more he learned, the more he understood how incredible the person who developed such technology had been—especially given the limitations of the time, which Howard had previously thought would hinder any significant scientific breakthroughs.

In fact, the more time passed, the more Howard realized just how pessimistic he'd been without knowing it. He used to believe his era constrained him, that his mind and the achievements he could reach were shackled by not having been born in the "right" time.

Now, he knew he had been wrong.

"I'm glad to hear that," Isaac replied, though the thought of needing to change his own parts didn't feel very pleasant. He hoped to never be damaged enough to reach that point.

The two walked through the base, occasionally crossing paths with other members of the staff. It was calm and strangely relaxing to watch how everyone moved with purpose, with a task. It stirred something unfamiliar within Isaac—something he identified as envy, thanks to the descriptions he had read in some of his books.

He didn't know why such a feeling had surfaced. He already had a purpose, a task, and a place. Like everyone else, he fulfilled his duties at S.W.O.R.D. as instructed.

So why did he feel like he could do more?

His eyes blinked. Without realizing it, he had become lost in thought—something that should have been impossible but had started happening more frequently as his mind grew increasingly complex.

He and Howard finally arrived at the man's main laboratory, where his routine checkups were conducted to ensure his systems were operating in optimal condition. Without needing to be told, Isaac began to undress—it wasn't as though he had anything to hide. Despite his external appearance, he didn't actually have any kind of functional reproductive organs.