Finding Their Soldier
5/1/1943, Camp Lehigh, Wheaton
Max had went and cracked his neck, he had been feeling…pulled, as if two different directions were grabbing at him and trying to make him go from The Mad to The Mage, when he had noticed that there was something on his bed, something that had made him panic, “What the Hell–?!” he had went, going and tearing it off and throwing it onto the ground, making the soldiers there laugh.
At least they had laughed before they saw that he was smashing it with his foot, over, and over, and over again with a terrified expression, “What The Hell is going on here?!” Chester Phillips had demanded, looking at them all as Maximus had went and looked at them all with some fear, “NEVER–!” He had started to say before he had seen the Colonel and then paused, “Never, put a worm in my bed.” he had told them.
That had made them confused, knowing that he was a bit weird, but it was never like THIS before as Maximus had went and taken a deep breath, “Alright then… you, Agent Carter and The Doc are back on screening.” Chester had ordered and hearing that, Max had went and walked out, trying to groom his hair neatly before he had went and seen Peggy and Abraham that was there.
“What happened to you?” Peggy had asked of Max who had taken a deep breath as he had went and looked back, “I had a bad experience with worms as a child.” he had told them, making the two of them give a look at that before Max had decided to focus and smile as he had went and turned, “So then, let’s get to work!” he had told them before they had went and started to begin the process once more.
______________________________________________________________________
5/7/1943, Big Ben, London
Zarda had been looking around everywhere before she had seen that there was none other than Jim who had went and started to look like he was getting ready for something, “Are you heading somewhere, Jim?” Zarda had asked of her friend who had sighed, “Yeah… one of the SSR Scientists… Howard Stark, he’s doing this fair thing for advanced technology, so they want me to act as an exhibit and an extra bit of security.”
Hearing that, the Utopian had smiled as she had went and started to hug him while Joseph had spoken, “I see that Zarda heard about it.” he had said as well, making Zarda look to The American, “I take it that you’re going as well?” she had asked, making the man smiled at that before he had went and went to hug her as well, “We’re not even going to be gone until next month.” he had explained.
Hearing that, Zarda had still smiled, “Still, we never know what will happen next.” she had said towards them both, making the blonde and brunette look at each other, but neither one could argue with that as they had each went and looked at their trunks, “We’ll make sure to bring you back something American.” Joseph had promised, making The Utopian smile at that as she had wondered what made it so different.
______________________________________________________________________
6/14/1943, World Exposition of Tomorrow, Queens
Maximus had been walking with Abraham and as he had done so, the Inhuman had noticed two members of his team were there, Jim Hammond inside of a glass tube and looking like he was dead, The Synthetic man having practice with that while Joseph Ledger was in his military uniform and looking like he was enjoying himself as Maximus had went and spoken to Abraham.
“I see a friend,” he had told Abraham, “Try to stay out of trouble, huh?” He had asked, making the doctor chuckle at that as he had went and walked away, Maximus had walked through the crowd, as he did so, Joseph had seen him, the two waved at each other as the music got louder, making them look and see a row of dancers in front of a car pointing towards a man in a top hat.
They had cheered towards him as the man had went and taken off the top hat and gave it to one of them, “Thank you.” he said as the woman took it before he had went and deeply kissed the girl, causing a few cheers at that as he had taken the microphone and looked towards the crowd as he wiped the kiss off, “Ladies and gentlemen,” He had said towards the group who had went and cheered.
“What if I told you that in just a few short years, your automobile won't even have to touch the ground at all?” He had asked of them, enrapturing the crowd as Maximus and Joseph looked at the car, “Yes, thanks Mandy.” he said, “Think you could make one?” Joseph asked, making the Prince shrug, “I’d have to see the schematics.” he asked as Howard had spoken once more, drawing them away from their conversation to watch them.
The Four women had went and taken the wheels off for them all to see, “With Stark Gravitic Reversion Technology you'll be able to do just that.” He had said towards them before he had went and started to twist the dial at that, making the machines there start to glow before the car had eventually went and started to hover now, making the crowd ooh at that.
I did say a few years, didn't I?” He had said, making the group there all start to laugh towards that as they had went and started to disperse, except for Joseph and Maximus who were watching it, “So then… could you?” Joseph had asked, making Maximus look towards him, “Would I want to?” He said with a smirk as a woman had ran over and collided with Joseph playfully.
“Hey there, Joey!” The woman had said towards him, “Are you gonna introduce me to your friend or what?” she had asked, looking towards maximus with a mischievous smirk, “Right, Hailey Roberts, meet Maximus Boltagon.” he had said towards her, “Max, this is my fiance, Hailey.” he had said towards The Inhuman who had offered his hand at that.
The two of them had went and smiled at each other as Hailey grinned, “You got a gal around here somewhere, Max?” she had asked, making Maximus shake his head at that, “No, unfortunately, I don’t have anyone like that–” he had started before a face had went and appeared, making Maximus retract that, “On second thought, there is one person,” he had said towards them, surprising them both.
“Auran Amakitsu.” he had told them with a smile before he had noticed that there was Abraham waving at him, “If you will excuse me, it appears I have to move now.” he had told them before going and reading towards the man in question who had seemed pleased with himself, “You look like the cat that ate the canary.” he had said towards his friend who chuckled at that, “I just might have.” he had told him.
______________________________________________________________________
6/15/1943, American Carrier, Atlantic Ocean
Jim and Joseph had both went and sat across from the cabin that Howard Stark had taken and as they had done so, the Scientist had walked out, smiling as he saw them, wearing a pin with an ancient eagle design on it, “Oh, hello there,” Howard told the two, “You’re my security?” he joked as Joseph’s eyes glowed and Jim lit the tip of a finger, “You can say that.” the Human Torch said, making him all the more curious now.
______________________________________________________________________
6/15/1943, Camp Lehigh, Wheaton
“Ready, exercise!” one of the soldiers had said as the recruits had all looked towards each other with confusion, “Recruits, attention!” Peggy had said towards them, making the soldiers snap to attention as she and Maximus dressed as a soldier carrying a box full of waivers had followed after her, “Gentlemen, I am Agent Carter.” She had told them, “I supervise all operations for this division.” she had told them.
“What's with the accent, Queen Victoria?” one of the larger men had said towards her, making Maximus look at the suicidal idiot, “I thought I was signing up for the U.S. Army.” he had said towards her, making Peggy look to Max who had grinned as she went and approached them, “What's your name, soldier?” she had asked, “Gilmore Hodge, Your Majesty.” he had said towards her.
“Step forward, Hodge.” she had ordered, so he had went and done so, smirking, “Put your right foot forward.” she had said and he had went and did as much, unaware of it all, “We gonna wrassle?” he had asked, overconfident, “'Cause I got a few moves I know you'll like.” he had started to say while Max handed the waivers, he had almost missed when she punched him in the face, knocking Gilmore down.
She had then proceeded to try and look inconspicuous towards them, “Agent Carter!” The military man had said, making the woman turn at attention, “Colonel Phillips.” she said, making Maximus smirk as he walked by her, “I can see that you are breaking in the candidates. That's good!” he told her as he stood over the soldier, who had started to recollect himself.
“Get your ass up out of that dirt and stand in that line at attention till somebody comes tells you what to do.” he had said as the boy went to quickly respond, “Yes, sir!” he had told him as The Colonel looked at them all before walking by them, “General Patton has said that wars are fought with weapons, but they are won by men.” he told them before turning to look at them.
“We are going to win this war because we have the best… men.” he had told them before he had seen Steve Rogers, the only soldier that didn’t match the others, “And because they are going to get better.” he had told them all before walking, “Much better.” he had said before getting to the fun part, “The Strategic Scientific Reserve is an Allied effort made up of the best minds in the free world.” he told them.
“Our goal is to create the best army in history. But every army starts with one man.” Phillips had told them all, “At the end of this week, we will choose that man.” he had explained, “He will be the first in a new breed of super-soldier.” The Colonel had said, smirking at that, “And they will personally escort Adolf Hitler to the gates of hell.” The American had said as Maximus wondered what was gonna be next.
______________________________________________________________________
6/17/1943, Camp Lehigh, Wheaton
The soldiers had kept running, Maximus and Peggy in the jeep as they turned to watch, Rogers in the back as always, it seemed that they were going to stop at the flagpole, making them smile, “Pick up the pace, ladies!” he had said as Maximus spoke, “How many do you think are going to fall on their asses?” he had asked of Peggy who just smirked at that, “Let's go, let's go! Double time!” The Drill Sergeant had went.
That had drawn their attention as they drew closer, “Come on! Faster! Faster! Move! Move!” the Sergeant said, they were almost going to pass the pole when he had given the order, “Squad, halt!” he had told them, making them started to stop as Rogers had stopped to take his breath, seeming more winded than the others as The Sergeant gave the challenge now.
“That flag means we're only at the halfway point.” he had said, making the men there anxious at the mention of that, “First man to bring it to me gets a ride back with Agent Carter.” he had told them, making the men excited as they had looked towards the jeep and then the pole, “Move, move!” he ordered and they had rushed like wild dogs, “Come on! Get up there!” he barked.
But the pole had been properly greased, none of them were gonna make it, “If that's all you got, this army's in trouble!” he said as the annoying one had started to speak up now, “Get up there, Hodge!” he had said and Hodge had gotten QUITE close, before he had slid down the couple of feet her had climbed, all of them still trying, “Come on! Get up there!” he had barked as they kept trying like fools.
“Nobody's got that flag in 17 years!” he had barked towards them had all went and tried, and now all appeared to fail, “Now fall back into line!” he said, disheartening them as they stopped, “Come on, fall in!” The man ordered, making Max sigh, thinking it was worth a shot, “Let's go! Get back into formation!” he had went until only one soldier was left, looking at it, curious, Max nudged Peggy so they could watch.
“Rogers! I said fall in!” The Drill Sergeant had snapped towards him, but instead of climbing, he had instead went and pulled out the pin them, making the flag pole start to whine before it had went and fallen down, surprising them all at that as they had watched the pole fall, right before Rogers walked forward, making them both smile at that as they watched him go and take the flag.
He had given it to the sergeant as the men watched before going and getting into the back now, “Thank you, sir.” Max had said towards Rogers with a grin as he had went and started up the vehicle, going and driving forward while Peggy had opened her palm for him, making Max groan, remembering the first bet they made as he gave her the fifty dollars for someone pulling the pin.
______________________________________________________________________
6/21/1943, Camp Lehigh, Wheaton
“Faster, ladies! Come on.” They could hear Peggy shout out towards them as Max had followed Phillips and Erskine “My grandmother has more life in her, God rest her soul.” she had told them, making Maximus chuckle at that, “Move it!” she had snapped now, making Max pick up his pace as he had followed the duo, “You're not really thinking about picking Rogers, are you?” The Colonel had asked
“I'm more than just thinking about it.” Abraham had told him as they headed towards one of the supply trucks there, “He is the clear choice.” Abraham had told him, making Phillips sigh towards them, “When you brought a ninety pound asthmatic onto my army base, I let it slide.” he had told the two of them, “I thought, ‘What the hell. Maybe he'd be useful to you, like a gerbil.’” he had asked of him.
“Please, why would you test on animals?” Max had asked, making Phillips glare towards him to shush before he had looked towards Abraham again, “I never thought you'd pick him.” The Colonel said as Carter changed it, “Up.” she ordered, as they had went and started to do jumping jacks now, “You stick a needle in that kid's arm, it's gonna go right through him.” he had warned of the two of them.
“Come on, girls.” Peggy had said as they had went and started to jump, Rogers looking the most tired as he did so, “Look at that.” he had said, “He's making me cry.” The Colonel had warned towards them so Erskine spoke, “I am looking for qualities beyond the physical.” he had told him, making The Colonel lower his voice now, “Do you know how long it took to set up this project?” he asked the two.
“All the groveling I had to do in front of Senator What's–His–Name's committees?” he had snapped towards them, “Brandt.” Maximus had told them, “Yes, I know. I am well aware of your efforts.” he had told The Army man, “Then throw me a bone.” Phillips had said, “Hodge passed every test we gave him.” Chester said, making Max make a face as he had looked at the large man.
“He's big, he's fast. He obeys orders.” Phillips had started to list off towards the pair, “He's a soldier.” The Colonel had said, “He is a bully.” Erskine said, “He’ll run the moment he’s outmatched.” Max said, having interrogated them with Abraham, but the Colonel wasn’t convinced, “You don't win wars with niceness, Doctor.” Phillips had said before he had went and gotten a grenade from the back.
“You win wars with guts.” he had said towards them, taking the explosive and the pin out before tossing it, “Grenade!” he had snapped, and they had all went and started to hide from it, except for Rogers who leapt on top of it, “Get away!” he had went, making sure his body covered it, “Get back!” he told them, but the explosion he was waiting for never happed at all.
“It was a dummy grenade.” Maximus had told the others that were there, “All clear. Back in formation.” The Inhuman had said, making the soldiers around them start to move and get back to work while Steve started to get up, “Is this a test?” Rogers asked, making them look at The Colonel, “He's still skinny.” he said before storming away, making the pair chuckle at that for now.
______________________________________________________________________
The pair of them had entered, seeing Rogers on his bunk all alone right now, “May we?” Erskine had asked him, “Yeah.” he had said, “I believe you know Mr. Boltagon.” Erskine said as he went to sit across from him, “Can't sleep?” He asked, “I got the jitters, I guess.” Steve told them, “Me, too.” Abraham had said towards him, “Can I ask you a question?” Steve had asked of him.
“Just one?” Maximus asked with a smirk, making Erskine chuckle as Steve got a bit more nervous, “Why me?” Steve had asked the moment he sat down with his bottle, “I suppose that is the only question that matters.” he had told Rogers before he had looked at the bottle once more, “This is from Augsburg. My city.” He had told Steve with a bit of sadness in his voice.
“So many people forget that the first country the Nazis invaded was their own.” he had said, making Maximus think of the Alphans and how they had a civil war he helped perpetuate, “You know, after the last war, my people struggled.” he had told them both now, “They felt weak. They felt small. And then Hitler comes along with the marching and the big show and the flags.” he said, “Everyone loves flags.” Max said.
Abraham chuckled at that before he continued to speak, “And he hears of me. My work. And he finds me.” He had told them, “And he says, ‘You.’ He says, ‘You will make us strong.’ the doctor told them, appearing to hate the memory, “Well, I am not interested.” Abraham said, “So he sends his man in Hydra, his research division.” He had told the duo.
“A brilliant scientist by the name of Johann Schmidt.” he told them, “Now, Schmidt is a member of the inner circle. And he is ambitious.” Erskine had said, while Maximus had thought, He and Hitler share a passion for occult power and Teutonic myth.” The man said, “Hitler uses his fantasies to inspire his followers. But for Schmidt, it is not fantasy.” Erskine warned to them.
“For him, it is real.” Abraham continued with worry now, “He has become convinced that there is a great power hidden in the earth, left here by the gods, waiting to be seized by a superior man.” The Scientist had continued towards them, telling his tale, “So when he hears about my formula and what it can do, he cannot resist.” he had explained, worried at it, “Schmidt must become that superior man.” he had said.
“Did it make him stronger?” Steve had asked for them both, Maximus as curious as him now, there appeared to be a bit of a pause before he had spoken, “Yes.” he finally answered, “But there were other effects. The serum was not ready.” Erskine explained towards them, “But more important, the man. The serum amplifies everything that is inside, so good becomes great.” He started to tell them.
“Bad becomes worse.” Maximus had said, getting an idea of it, Erskine nodded at that before continuing to speak, “This is why you were chosen.” he told Steve personally, “Because a strong man who has known power all his life may lose respect for that power,” The man had explained, “But a weak man knows the value of strength. And knows compassion.” he tried to answer for them what they only thought.
Thanks. I think.” Steve had told him, that made both men smiled towards him as he motioned for Steve to hold out the glasses while he had uncorked the bottle, “Whatever happens tomorrow, you must promise me one thing.” Erskine had said towards Steve, “That you will stay who you are.” he had said, making Maximus curious, “Not a perfect soldier, but a good man.”
That had made Steve smile, “To the little guys.” Steve said as he had went to take a sip before Max had snatched the glass, “No, no. Wait, wait.” he had went, confusing Steve, “What… I am doing?” “No, you have procedure tomorrow. No fluids.” Abraham told him as Max put it to his lips, “All right. We'll drink it after.” Steve said, but neither one had wanted to listen to that.
“No, I don't have procedure tomorrow.” Abraham told him as he took a sip, “Drink it after? I drink it now.” Maximus had said, copying his sort of friend, making the trio all smile at each other as they had this small moment of peace before they had whatever it was that would face them in the future, Abraham and Rogers would be heading to the lab, and he would be waiting to see them there.