Imaginary Heroes
Liberty
Ana McClain is the second product of Project: Rebirth; the experiment that created Captain America. This story begins before Captain America is found in the ice.
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First off, thank you for deciding to read my story.
Second, I'm sorry, because I will probably cut off my stories at random places, because I will run out of ideas for that particular story. But I can't help it, when I can't think of any more material, I can't write for that story, because if I do, it will probably turn out bad. But, if I do come up with any more ideas, I'll be sure to start writing again as soon as I can. Also, please don't criticize me. If I irritate you, please keep it to yourself. Feel free to leave suggestions, but only that.
Thank you,
Foxface15
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I started writing these stories because I am a superhero freak, and every new movie that I see, I come up with my own character for the movie. After a long time, it became too much for my mind to bear, and I had to find a way to get the stories out of my head. Then I found fanfic. I have already typed several other stories, so please take the time to read them too!
I hope that you enjoy these stories!
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I pledge allegiance to the flag of The United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with Liberty and justice for all…
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"Director," an intern said over the loudspeaker, "we have everything ready for the procedure, sir."
"Thank you," Director Nick Fury replied into the microphone on the table in the main meeting room where the Avengers were assembled.
"What kind of 'procedure'?" Agent Natasha Romanoff, also known as the Black Widow, inquired.
"That's why I called this meeting." Director Fury replied. "We are starting up Project: Rebirth again."
"You mean the experiment that created Captain America, right?" Agent Romanoff asked.
"Yes. That's the one. They still haven't found Captain America; if he can be found, and we could really use someone like him on the team." Director Fury explained.
"But they used all of the super serum on Steve Rogers." Tony Stark, also known as Iron Man, said. "My father told me stories about that when I was a kid."
"Yes, we did use all of the serum that we had on the first experiment, and up until now, we haven't been able to create more. We were only able to replicate it recently." Director Fury explained.
"But…Who would volunteer for this?" Asked S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Clint Barton, also known under the alias of Hawkeye.
"I don't know. We would want a younger subject; someone that would be around for a long time, and preferably someone with no emotional ties, because it would be easier for them to join us, because we would seem like the better option." Director Fury inquired.
"What about someone from an orphanage?" Asked Agent Barton. "No emotional ties to family members, usually young. It would be an ideal choice."
"That would work." Director Fury said, nodding his head.
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Director Fury POV
I was standing in the corner of the orphanage when I saw her. I was watching Agent Coulson talk with the other teenagers in the orphanage about the military, seeing who looked the most interested. I noticed a movement from the corner of my eye, and I turned to see a small girl sitting in the back of the room, watching the rest of the group.
I tilt my head to the side curiously and walk over to the girl. When she sees me coming, she looks up at me and pulls her shoulders in protectively, which makes her look even smaller.
"Hello." I said, trying to get her to loosen up a little.
She smiled a little and said a low 'hi' in return.
"Why aren't you over there with the others?" I ask.
"I overheard them talking about the army." She whispers. "If you're recruiting then I'm already out of the drawing."
"I wouldn't say that." I tell her. "What's your name?"
"Ana McClain." She says a little more boldly.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Director Nick Fury, but you can call me Nick." I reach out my hand. She tentatively takes it. "How old are you Ana?" I say, taking in her small form.
"16." She replies shyly. Wow. Only 16? She is young, but then again, that was what we were hoping for when we narrowed down the choices for the program.
"So, Ana, would you be interested in government work?"
"I would be," She replied hesitantly. "But I don't think that the government would want someone like me. You know – small, weak. That kind of stuff."
"Well," I say. "Size isn't everything. It's got more to do with willpower than anything else." She looks up at me, hanging on my every word. "Do you want to protect your country, Ana?"
Her eyes light up. "Yes sir." She says, and then her face falls. "But I still don't think that I'm the one that you want." She says solemnly and looks toward the other girls.
I had started to think that she might be the right person, but this had confirmed it. I had heard once that the fact that you didn't think you were ready was the reason that you were.
"Ana, would you be interested in joining my team?" I ask.
"Really?" She says in shock. "You would want me? Weakness and all?"
"Trust me." I reply. "Things can change."
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Ana POV
I sat in my new room at the agency's headquarters, which just happened to be on a helicarrier that I didn't even know existed. I was surprised when I was first brought here, if only by the sheer size of the carrier, and I can only imagine what I looked like when it lifted out of the water and flew. At first, I often got lost in the many hallways and floors of the carrier, and had to ask for directions. In my spare time, when I wasn't going through medical exams and training for the procedure, I even wandered around, and in a few weeks, I knew the carrier like the back of my hand.
I was waiting for Agent Coulson to come and get me for the procedure. I had met Phil when I first came here, and I liked him. He didn't seem like the whole 'government agent' bit. He was nice and he would actually talk with me about things other than why I was here.
I was still nervous, though. Phil was coming to get me for the procedure that would officially put me on the team. They were going to make me stronger, faster, and more able to help people. I was looking forward to that part, but first I had to go through the procedure, which I was dreading.
I realized that this was what I wanted, though. I was so used to being small and shy in the orphanage that I had buried my more outgoing and energetic side deep inside of me. I was looking forward to letting that side of me shine through more.
I got up and looked at myself in the mirror in my bathroom. I had on a military green tank top and a pair of grey shorts. I let my hair fall down, and then on second thought, pulled it back up into a ponytail.
I heard a knock on the door. Well, this was it. I took a final look in the mirror at my tiny self, and then walked to open the door. Phil stood there with a smile on his face.
"What's wrong with you?" I ask sarcastically.
"Oh, nothing, I'm just excited." He replies with a shrug.
"That I'm going through this?" I question, raising an eyebrow.
"Well, yeah." He said, scratching his head. "Capt—oh! That reminds me. I have a present for you."
He pulls out a small piece of paper from his pocket and hands it to me. I take it and see that it is a photo of a young man. I look back up at Phil questioningly.
"You know you're not alone, right?" He asks.
"Alone?" I ask, my eyebrows wrinkled in confusion.
He hesitates. "You're not the only one who's been through the procedure."
"Really?" I ask.
"Yes. Back in the 40s, a man named Steve Rogers became the world's first super soldier."
"Wow." I say, and look back down at the photo. I notice that the man is dressed in an old timey military uniform. "This is him?"
"Yep." Phil replies.
I chuckle. "Maybe I could learn something from him. You know – hero stuff and what-not."
Phil's face falls.
"What?" I ask.
"He flew a plane into the artic in order to save us. They never recovered his body."
"Oh." I say.
Maybe that was what it meant to be a hero, then. To be willing to sacrifice yourself in order to save others. It was the one thing that I could learn from the only other person like me.
Wait, – I realized – I was about to be one of a kind. The only super soldier alive at the moment. And I had no one to help me figure out how to be a great hero. I feel a sudden pang of fear. How will I be able to do this by myself? I wonder.
We sit in silence until Phil jumps up. "Well." He says, back in a cheerful mood. "We don't want to be late, now do we?"
"Of course not." I say, still nervous, as I slip the photo in my pocket and follow him out of the room.
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I follow Phil down a narrow hallway and into a small room. My eyes are immediately drawn to the center of the room, where a large machine that looked like a bed with a huge circular shape surrounding the bed.
"Ana," Phil said, snapping me out of my thoughts. I turn in his direction and see that he is talking to another man. "This is Tony Stark; his father conducted the procedure on Steve Rogers."
Tony extends his hand and I shake it. "Nice to meet you." I say.
"You too." He says with a smile.
"Tony will be overseeing the procedure." Phil explained.
"Yeah," Tony said with a chuckle. "My father used to tell me stories about this."
Tony explains what I will be going through, which only succeeds in making me more anxious.
"Well," Tony says. "Ready?"
"I'm ready to get this over with." I say.
I walk over to the machine and lay down. Tony comes over and puts an IV in my arm that is attached to a syringe.
"Morphine." He says simply, as he pushes the plunger on the syringe down. I immediately feel the effects of the morphine.
"Alright." Tony says, and then flips a switch on the machine. 4 metal clamps come down on my arms and legs, and I see that each has 2 vials of blue liquid attached to them.
"Ready?" He asks me again.
I take a deep breath, and nod my head.
Tony presses a button on the machine, and clamps poke into my arms and legs. I gasp as my body starts to burn, and then I feel a change. I feel my muscles get stronger, and a calming coolness takes over me. It must be the morphine, I think.
I look back up at Tony, still breathing hard. He smiles shyly down at me.
"It's almost over." He promises. "Now's the fun part. We get to stimulate your cells, so that they will grow."
He walks over to the wall and puts on a pair of safety glasses. I also notice that Phil, who is standing in the corner of the room, puts on a pair. Tony pushes a button on the wall, and the giant circular shape that surrounds my bed begins to expand, engulfing me in a mechanical cocoon. Right before it completely conceals me; I close my eyes and try to prepare myself for what's to come. It's too late to turn back now.
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Phil Coulson POV
I watch as the machine closes over Ana, and Tony and I exchange a glance. I give him a small nod to continue. He reaches over and turns a dial. The machine lights up, and starts to spin around the bed.
I watch as the machine spins faster and faster around the bed, until it makes me dizzy to watch.
The machine finally slows to a stop, and both Tony and I edge little closer to the bed. The machine starts to raise back, and I lift my goggles off my head and sit them on the table. I walk over to the bed, and see Ana.
The change is evident. She has bulked up, but in a healthy way. Her limbs are more defined and stronger. I can see the muscle growth, but it is not profound, which is good. She can be more of a secret weapon; not appearing to be a threat until you see her in action.
She starts to shift around on the bed, and Tony rushes over to remove the IV from her arm. She sits up on the bed and rubs her head.
"Wow," She says. "That was something."
That broke the tension between us. Both Tony and I chuckle.
"How do you feel, Ana?" I ask.
"Fine, I guess." She says as she stands up. It looks like she's grown quite a few inches as well. She now is nearly as tall as me. "Different, but in a good way." She looks around in confusion. "Am I taller?"
Tony laughs. "Yeah. Well," He says as he looks her over. "Everything appears to look good."
"Sweet." Ana says, more confident than before.
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Ana POV
I stood in front of the mirror in my bedroom, looking at myself.
The change was evident. I had definitely grown taller, I had noticed that when I stood up after the experiment. My body and muscles were much more defined, but I was pleased to see that instead of being bulky, I was still slim. I felt amazing, stronger than I ever had before.
I turned away from my mirror and sat down on my bed, trying to take it all in. I remember my picture of Cap. Steve Rogers in my pocket and pull it out, taking the time to look the picture over again.
I chuckle as I look at the picture. "Looks like it's just you and me, Cap." I whisper. "Well, just me."
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Over the next few weeks I went through training that all soldiers went through, except I breezed through it as if it was a 5 minute workout. I was surprised, even though I shouldn't have been. Being a super soldier did have its perks. I also met a few more people at the agency, like Agents Romanoff and Barton, who were some of the agencies secret weapons. Both of them were off on missions a lot, but when they were back on the carrier, we often trained together.
I also met Agent Maria Hill, another agent that worked with S.H.I.E.L.D. We got along good, and I liked to talk to her whenever I was up in the control center.
Apparently another good thing about being the only other super soldier in existence was that you got to learn everything about your counterpart. Agent Coulson brought up a bunch of tapes, photos, and everything else that involved Captain America. He even brought in comic books and trading cards. I guess that was why Phil was so excited when I went through the procedure; he was a huge Captain America fan.
I slowly but surely worked my way through everything, watching all of the tapes, flipping through all of the pictures, until I felt as if I knew Cap. Rogers personally.
I was actually a little confused when I started watching the videos. The first one that I picked up was labeled simply P: R SS1. I had learned from Phil that P: R stood for Project: Rebirth, but I didn't have a clue as to what SS1 meant.
I decided that before I went any further, I would find out what it meant. I scoped out Phil, who was on the bridge of the helicarrier.
"Hey, Ana." He said when he saw me walking up to him. "What do you need?"
"I was looking at the films you gave me, and I didn't know what it meant. The label said P: R SS1 and I know that P: R means Project Rebirth, but what does SS1 mean?" I asked.
He smiled at me. "Super Soldier One." He said matter-of-factly.
"So…" I say, "That would make me Super Soldier Two?"
"Exactly." Phil replied, a smile still on his face.
"Thanks." I say, and start to turn away, but Director Fury, who was standing at the main control center on the bridge, stops me.
"Ana, can I talk to you for a moment?" He asked.
"Umm, yes sir." I say, automatically thinking that I was in trouble.
We walk over to the back of the room, and I turn to face Director Fury.
"How's your training going, Ana?" He asks me.
"Fine. Why do you ask?" I reply.
He hesitates. "I've been thinking…"
Oh no, what did I do? I think to myself.
"Yes?" I ask.
"I've been thinking that you should be promoted to full military status." He replies.
"Really?" I ask, now knowing that I didn't do anything wrong.
"Yes." He tells me. "I think that it would only be fair to you."
"Thank you, sir." I say.
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True to his word, Director Fury officially gave me full military status. I finally felt as if I belonged here, among the people that had actually worked hard to get where they were today.
But if I took a trip out in public for some reason, I would wear my uniform. People would come up to me and thank me for my service, and I felt bad because I hadn't done anything to deserve the praise that I received. It was a hollow feeling, and I hated myself for it.
I tried to blow it off, though, and eventually I was able to get past the bad feelings that were attached to the compliments.
But soon the feelings of belonging were replaced with depression, and being left out. Even though everyone treated me like I was part of the crew, I still knew that I was different, and here for a different reason. I felt left out, like I was the younger sister of everyone.
I tried to keep my feelings to myself, and mostly everyone didn't even know about my inner struggle to fit in. Only Phil noticed. He tried to talk to me whenever we saw each other, and made sure to check up on me. But he was gone a lot, on different missions, and I didn't see him often.
The only thing that I had to hold on to, to keep my sanity, was my picture of Captain Rogers. It reminded me that I wasn't the only one, even if I sort of was. It reminded me that someone else had been through the same things, and he had made it just fine, so why couldn't I?
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I was trying to fall asleep, but couldn't keep my mind quiet.
Phil had returned from a mission today to New Mexico, and I was glad to see him again. I had asked him why he had gone, but he said that it was for some sort of, what did he call it? The Avengers Initiative? I asked him what it was, but he said that I would find out soon enough.
I had no clue what he had meant. When would I find out, and how did it involve me? If I was going to find out soon enough, then why hadn't they already told me?
I dozed off still thinking about my place in the agency, and wondering what exactly was SHIELD up to?
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"Ana. Wake up." I heard a voice say over me.
I open my eyes, only to find Phil standing over me. "Get up." He says again. "It's important."
I immediately sit up, wide awake. "What is it?" I ask.
"Director Fury called an emergency meeting. He specifically asked that you be there." Phil explained.
"Oh." I say as I climb out of bed. I look down at myself, still in my pajamas. "Should I change?"
"No, you're fine." Phil says as he leads me out of my room and down the hallway. Before I leave, I reach over to my nightstand and grab my photo of Cap. Rogers. I had taken to keeping it with me at all times.
"What's the meeting about?" I ask as I follow him.
"I don't know. It was called on short notice." He says with a smirk. I roll my eyes.
I keep following him until we reach the main meeting room in the top secret wing of the helicarrier.
Phil opens the door and we walk in to the room where only Director Fury, Agent Hill and Agent Barton are seated. They all look at me when we walk in.
"What's going on?" I ask.
"Ana, take a seat." Director Fury tells me. I quietly sit down on the opposite end from them. Phil takes a seat.
Director Fury folds his hands in front of him. "You are aware of how Captain America disappeared, correct?" He asks.
"Yes." I answer slowly, not sure of where this was going. My eyebrows wrinkle in confusion.
Director Fury takes a deep breath, and I brace myself for the worst.
"Only an hour ago, a crashed plane was discovered in the artic." He says, looking up at me. My eyes widen in shock. "We have recovered Captain Roger's body, Ana."
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And thus is the first part of Liberty. Thank you for reading! And if you don't already know, I do have 3 other stories, so be sure to check them out!
Foxface15