The German Doctor • The First book of Heirs Of Time (COMPLETE)

Chapter 16

Morning.

By a glass chamber, Stark examines the HYDRA cartridge.
"Emission signature is unusual. Alpha and beta ray neutral. Though I doubt Rogers picked up on that. Seems harmless enough. Hard to see what all the fuss is about." Stark says as he removes a glowing pellet. A blast sends Stark and his engineer flying across the room.
"Howard! Are you okay?!" Amelia asks worriedly as she runs over to him.
"Yes. Yes. I'm fine Lia." Stark says reassuring her as she helps him up. Then he turns to his engineer.
"Write that down." He orders before going back to work.

Somewhere else in the building.

Steve walks around trying to find Stark. (He had lost track of Magdalen earlier.) When he can't he walks over to Private Lorraine.
"Excuse me. I'm looking for Mr. Stark." Steve asks her. She looks up at him.
"he's in with Colonel Phillips. You're welcome to wait." She answers him.
Steve nods and perches on the edge of a desk and waits.
"I read about what you did." She says while holding up a newspaper, showing his rescue mission.

"Oh! The...yeah! Well, that's you know? Just doin' what needed to be done." Steve explains.
"Sounded like more than that. You saved nearly four hundred men." She says as she stands up from her seat and starts to walk over to him.
"Really, it's not a big deal." Steve says nervously.
"Tell that to their wives." She says walking closer to him. Steve starts to get more nervous.
"Uh...I don't think they were all married." Steve says awkwardly.
"You're a hero." She says now right infront of him.

"Well, that...you know? That...that depends on the definition of it really." Steve tells her. She grabs hold of his tie.
"The women of America, they owe you their thanks. And uh...seeing as they're not here." She says as she drags him to the corner of her office space and kisses him. Amelia walks in and sees them kissing.
"Captain!" Amelia shouts. Steve and Lorraine separate.
"We're ready for you. If your not otherwise occupied." Amelia says annoyed as she turns and walks ahead.

"Dr. Erskine, wait" Steve calls after her as he tries to catch-up. She ignores him.
"Amelia, that's not what you thought it was" Steve tells her.
"I don't think anything, Captain. Not one thing. You always wanted to be a soldier and now you are. Just like the rest." Amelia tells him angrily.
"Well, what about you and Stark? How do I know you two haven't been... Fonduing?" Steve asks awkwardly. Amelia stops walking and turns to him
"You don't know a thing about women! Es ist Brot und käse, brot und käse! (Its's Bread and cheese, bread and cheese!)" She shouts and turn to keep walking.
Steve looks quite confused about the last thing she said as he watches her walk away.

In Stark's lab.

"Fondue is just bread and cheese, my friend." Stark informs Steve.
"Really? I didn't think-" Steve starts to say but Stark cuts him off.
"Nor should you, pal. The moment you think you know what's goin' on in a woman's head, it's the moment your goose is well and truly cooked. Me, I concentrate on work. Which at the moment is about making sure you and your men do not get killed. Carbon polymer." Stark says referring to a piece of cloth lying on the table.

"Should withstand your average German bayonet. Although Hydra's not going to attack you with a pocket knife." Stark tells
"I hear you're uh... Kinda attached?" Stark asks referring to Steve's shield.
"It's hardier then you might think." Steve explains.
"I took the liberty of coming up with some options." Stark tells him as he shows Steve a few shields. Stark lifts up a shield.
"This one's fun. She's been fitted with electrical relays. It'll allow you to-" Stark starts to explain but Steve interrupts.

"What about this one?" Steve asks as he holds up a round silver looking shield.
"No! No! That's just a prototype." Stark tells him.
"What's it made of?" Steve questions.
"Vibranium. It's stronger then steel and a third of the weight. It's completely vibration absorbent." Stark exclaims.
"How come it's not a standard issue?" Steve asks curiously.
"That's the rarest metal on earth. What you're holding there? That's all we've got" Stark informs him.

Amelia walks in the lab (Magdalen behind her) as Steve is checking out the shield made out of vibranium.
"You quite finished, Howard? I'm sure the Captain has unfinished business." Amelia says (still) annoyed. Magdalen looks at you, wondering what's wrong.
"What do you think?" Steve asks Amelia and Magdalen as he holds the shield against him. Maggy looks at him and smiles.
"I like it!" She exclaims. Amelia on the other hand picks up a gun and shoots it at Steve, he quickly holds up the shield to protect himself.

"Yes. I think it works." She says. Then puts the gun down and walks out of the lab. leaving Steve, Magdalen and Stark looking stunned. Maggy turns to Steve
"Steven, What did you do?" She asks suspiciously. Steve looks at her confused.
"What? What do you mean what did I do?" He asks.
"She just shot a gun at you! So of course I think you did something!" She exclaims. Steve slumps his shoulders.
"I don't want to talk about it." He tells her. Magdalen looks at him confused, but doesn't say anything else. Steve then turns to Stark.
"I had some ideas about the uniform." He says handing him Stark a piece of paper.
"Whatever you say, pal." Stark says taking the paper.