I sat up, quickly dressing and taking my place among the others. The drill sergeant stood in front of us, assessing our form. "Proceed!" he ordered. We all turned and started our morning training. I ran, pushing myself harder and harder. I squinted at the sun as it rose over the horizon. Sweat dripped from my brow and just about every other place on my body. Once I crossed the white chalk line, bringing my laps to an end, I stood before Sergeant Hills. "Dismissed." he nodded to everyone who had finished thus far.

I made my way to the mess hall, grabbing a plate of the mundane military food and scarfing it down. I was halfway through my orange juice when someone tapped my shoulder. I turned around to see a man with two military escorts. "Private Gale? My name is Dr. Maxwell Kram. I am a molecular physicist who is working with SHIELD."

"What's a SHIELD employee doing here?" I mumbled, downing the rest of my juice.

"I am looking for subjects for my hypotheses and tests." he explained. I looked back skeptically.

"Listen, Doc, I'm sure whatever kind of experiments you're doing are revolutionary and all, but I don't take kindly to being asked to be a lab rat." I held my hands up. Dr. Kram feigned a smile, chuckling.

"Revolutionary, yes. You wouldn't be a lab rat, however. I'm very close to having a breakthrough and all I need is a few human subjects to run some tests on." he paused, seeing as I was unconvinced. "This could help stop the wars. The battles. This small test could save the world."

I furrowed my brow, looking down. Then, I stood up and held out my hand. "What do I have to do?"


Kram had chosen a few other soldiers to test on. All of which were ranked highly. Boneheads, the lot of them. During the ride to the testing facility, I asked them about their lives before being shipped off to military training. All of them played sports in their hometowns and barely scrapped their way out of high school. Who am I to judge them? I wasted three years of my life at college, studying to be a wildlife manager. Jesus, kids and their dreams am I right?

We were assigned separate 'housing cubicles', as Kram called them, to reside in when we weren't being poked and prodded. Given the choice, I'd have called them cells. I suppose I shouldn't complain, though. It's better than bunking with a bunch of sweaty, loud, testosterone filled idiots.

Our first week of tests, the Dr. had us run on treadmills to see how long we could go for. He had a bunch of nurses hook up wires to us and he wrote down those results as well. The second day of the third week wasn't any easier. He placed weights on a rope to see how much we could lift, then he gave us the most awe inspiring piece of bullshit I've ever heard in my entire life.

"You aren't trying your best! You aren't pushing your limits. Push yourselves harder! Make everything you do better, faster, stronger!" he hollered, standing from his comfy office chair. His coffee cooling off to the side. I breathed heavily, my muscles screaming for rest. That lazy bastard doesn't know the lengths we've gone to in our training, the idiot. I pulled against the rope, finally lifting the weights.

"Another." I mumbled. The scientists placed more weights onto my rope. I pulled on it, throwing all my strength into my arms and legs. "Another!" I growled, letting the weights fall. Once more, the scientists added the lead disks to my rope. I pulled with all I had in me. 'You want my best, Doc? You're gonna get it' I thought savagely. The weights lifted above the ground, then slowly lowered. "ANOTHER!" I screamed, pacing around while they continued to add more. I glared up at Kram. He was smirking down at me, clearly pleased that he'd 'motivated' me. Good, I hope he's watching.

Once the rope was loaded, I gripped it firmly and began walking forward. I pulled harder and harder, sending my strength out into my limbs. I breathed large breaths in and out. Finally, the weights were at the one foot mark above the ground, but I didn't stop there. I kept going. I pushed myself harder and harder, then I turned my head to see if the scientists were anywhere near the weights. Luckily, they had all stepped back in their amazement. I quickly let the rope go, allowing the weights to crash into the ground, leaving a crack in the cement. "Woops, butter fingers. You know how it is when you push yourself too hard, right Doc?" I looked up at him, smiling mischievously.

"It's fine, floors can be fixed." he chuckled, putting the results down on his paper. Damned scientist.


The tests had gone on for a couple years and the Doc thinks he's finally gotten what he's looking for. All that's left of the original eight are private Mullins and I. Everyone else broke and left. Back to the army, I bet. The army is definitely easier in the physical department. Mullins and I were both sitting on medical tables, waiting for Kram to get back to the room.

"You think this stupid serum is really going to save the world?" Mullins mumbled. I turned my head to him.

"I don't think anything could save the world, it's damn near destroying itself without the bombs and mining. They say we won't last to 2012, you know. No, it won't be able to save the world. It might just be enough to stop the wars, though. If it doesn't melt our brains, of course. If it's a success, hell, I'll take every damn person here out for a drink." I smiled as Mullins laughed at the thought. He's a good kid, a bit jittery at times, but still good.

Kram entered, closing the door behind him. "Mullins, arm please." he ordered, holding out his hand. Mullins offered his arm, grimacing as Doc pulled out a syringe with blue fluid in it. When Kram injected it into Mullins' arm, the poor guy sat ridged. Then, his veins became more prominent and blue and red branched up his arm. He started screaming wildly and thrashing around. Kram quickly pulled out another syringe and injected a clear solution into Mullins' leg. Gradually, his movements ceased and he lay still.

"Shit, Doc, what'd you do?" I asked, leaning over him. Kram made notes, mumbling to himself, then looked up to me.

"The same thing happened to the mice with the last serum, but not this one... Maybe we could get..." he trailed off, making more notes. I placed my fingers on Mullins' wrist, finding a heart beat after a few seconds.

"Did you mix them up or give the wrong dosage?" I grumbled, annoyed that he wasn't worried about his test subject.

"No, no of course not! I will return momentarily. Stay put." and with that, Kram left. I tried reviving Mullins, but he seemed to be in a very deep sleep or pain induced coma. I lay back down on the medical table and closed my eyes, drifting to sleep. When I opened them again, Kram was back and Mullins was conscious.

"Ah, you're awake. You've been asleep for quite a while." Kram acknowledged my awakening. "About 12 hours, I believe." he added, turning back to an assortment of concoctions.

"What are those for?" I asked. 'Or, more importantly, who are those for?'

Kram motioned for me to follow him. "I've made a breakthrough. Mullins isn't in shape, however, to run the tests so you will stand in his place." he explained as he lead me to a separate room. In the room, many scientists stood by at panels and levers.

"What, are you guys sending me to the moon or something?" I chuckled, seeing the metal capsule that was attached to the wall.

"Get in." Kram nodded to the capsule, taking his place among the scientists. A few nurses hooked needles into me and placed wires on my arms and chest, which was extremely uncomfortable even though they were women as well. They closed the door to the capsule and stood back. The noise was muffled and all I could hear was the revving up of the machine. In an instant, pain wracked through my body and a bright light blinded my vision.

I screamed in agony at the feeling of my muscles being worked to their limit and then twice as far. Then, just as suddenly as it had come, it had stopped. The door opened and everyone stood around me. I tore the wires and tubes away from me and stepped out. Kram exclaimed in what I can only assume is his native language. I looked down at my hands and arms. The muscle definition had increased a bit, but other than that, I saw no differences.

"Stop staring, you look like a bunch of idiots." I grumbled.