Creator
Disclaimer: These characters are all Marvel's. I make no money from this and in fact give Marvel (willingly) lots of my money so they will continue creating movies I love.
Author's Note: No-one was doing much Zola so I thought I'd give it a go. I have no idea how long this will be and I will take requests for scenes if you'd like to suggest some. Rated M for human experimentation, medical torture and the other lovely stuff that Zola seems to enjoy so much. Featuring Arnim Zola, Johann Schmidt, Sgt James Barnes, Steve Rogers and more.
Chapter 1
Hydra Factory and Prison Camp, Austria –October 1943
Arnim Zola stood back from the table and looked at his recently expired test subject with a mix of annoyance and disappointment. He'd been so close with this variant, and he'd honestly hoped for more from Subject 723, or Captain Simons, or whatever it was he'd rattled off ad nauseam until his voice finally gave out. Turning away with a tut of disgust, Zola briskly beckoned over one of his Hydra aides, gesturing at the now former soldier cluttering up his otherwise pristine lab.
"Have this moved to the mortuary. I'll need to do a full autopsy to confirm the cause of death." The uniformed flunky nodded his understanding and summoned his colleague from his position standing guard, and together they quickly and efficiently released the former soldier from the bindings securing him to the bench and transported out the rapidly-cooling body.
Arnim gave a little head-shake at his own whimsy. He didn't know why he felt the need to explain his action to these cretins. Most – despite being sensible enough to follow Hydra's ideology – were barely capable of intelligent conversation, let alone understanding even a hundredth of the significance of what they were observing here.
Of course that was the point. Some projects were just too sensitive to allow untried lab techs to observe. The soldiers posted to him had proven their loyalty to the cause many times over, but it was much harder to discern the true dedication of their assorted staff of biologists, chemists and medics, especially when they were confronted with the sacrifices called for in the pursuit of true scientific advancement. Some stomachs and potentially hearts could be turned when human testing was brought into the equation. Plus it would be all too easy for an enemy agent to slip in as an unassuming assistant to sabotage his experiments or steal his secrets.
No, all around the slight inconvenience of working alone, at least until success was achieved, was the best course of action and a small price to pay for the chance to fulfil his aims. The chance to literally reshape human-kind and rival the creator himself. Erskine for all his genius hadn't truly understood what he'd made possible. The end of sickness, maybe even death itself. Zola was no true Nazi. He didn't really believe the Aryan race were superior to any other, but he knew that he was potentially on the verge of creating a true master race. And if he had his way it would be a meritocracy. With the best and brightest rewarded with absolute perfection by him. Schmidt would also have a say of course, there was no denying his contribution, but Zola would be the father. The creator of a legacy unlike any that came before. Now if only he could get the blasted formulation to do what he needed! Chuckling quietly to himself he stepped over to his equipment trolley and picked up his sterilizing spray and cloth to start wiping down the testing area. After all, cleanliness is next to godliness so they say.