Experimental

Chapter 8

Thea sat cross legged on Ollie's beige couch, a fluffy blanket strewn across her legs and the nice cup of tea resting in her hands. The sweet smell of the tea filled her nose and Ollie's uneasy breathing worried her. He took a deep, raged breathe and rubbed his face again.
B
"In 1976, I worked for a man by the name of Strucker. He and a woman, who went by Viper, wanted to create a superhuman. They created a serum that could enhance human abilities, and assigned me to find a test dummy. By 1978 we had already gone through dozens of patients, none successful." He paused and glanced up at Thea, who looked at him with fearful eyes. "They were becoming restless, impulsive. Viper had lost her mind, she was crazier than before. I was told that, if I didn't find a successful patient within a month, I would be killed. I searched everywhere and didn't find anything. I became more fearful of my life, I worried that my child would grow up without a father..." he stopped again to take a deep breath. "And then one day, I saw her. She was young, six, maybe, with long brown hear and doe eyes and I knew that she was the perfect person."

"What was her name?" Thea stared at Ollie.

"Della. Her name was Della Stark."

***
Thea stared at the old Man with her mouth wide open. Her eyesight became fuzzy and she stood slowly. The glass coffee mug dropped to the carpeted floor, shattering into pieces.

"I- I have to go," she stubbled towards the door. Ollie held onto her arm but she snatched it away. "Don't."

"Dora, please, you don't understand- I was trying to protect my family!"

"By ruining another one? The Stark family was- they were broken. They still are...." she slid to the ground and shoved her hands into her hair. Tears poured down her cheeks and dropped onto her shirt.

"I know, we experimented on her for months until the results we wanted were shown. Then she was transferred somewhere else, some place in Russia. It wasn't until I saw you those years ago that I realized-" Thea cried harder when he stopped to wipe a tear from his cheek. She shook violently as he finished. "It wasn't until I realized that it was you. You, Thea Grace, are Della Stark."

"That's bullshit! You're lying!" She stood up as quickly as she could with shaking legs and grabbed her backpack.

"Della!"

"I'm not Della! You're delusional- you're insane,"

"The Avengers are right outside. You can hear them, smell them. You can feel their presence and you know it. They are searching everywhere for you Della," he reached for her arm, "let me protect you from them. Let HYDRA protect you." Thea sobbed and pushed him away from her, her sudden strength sending him into the coffee table.

"I am not Della!" She turned and headed for the door. She had just reached the handle when she heard a noise. It was the faint sound of a child screaming.