Early in the year 1914, it was clear that a war was close to breaking out.
A young German scientist was approached by his government, and asked to develop a serum, capable of creating soldiers of the highest calibre and power. He was naïve and trusting, believing that his government meant only to protect his people. He began development right away, considering the abilities that would make a powerful soldier.
Speed. Strength. Agility. Ability.
The serum tested well, and so they were marked to go forward with human trials. Drunk on success, he didn't stop to consider the ramifications of testing on humans so soon. A poor family volunteered their oldest son, Karl Wolfe. He was 14, the eldest of two children, and his parent's pride and joy. He was happy to try out the serum, eager to prove his worth as a German, and to provide for his family.
Unfortunately, something went wrong.
Some external variable had caused the serum to backfire. Where once was a young, handsome boy, stood a twisted brute – tall and strong – but deformed.
Dr. Abraham Erskine was determined to rectify his mistake, but by that time, the war had already started. There was nothing to do, but to shut the boy away and work harder on the formula – as he was under the immense pressure of the war.
Finally, as the first war drew to a close, and the Treaty of Versailles was drawn up – it was finished. A different version of the serum was ready. Instead of focussing simply on increasing the strength and size of an individual – it would draw from what native ability and personality the person already had, and amplify it somewhat. It would change them physically of course, but his main point was to allow the serum to bond with the cells more than completely change them.
There were no volunteers – as there was no reward for such a risk. At a loss, Erskine and government officials turned back to the Wolfe family. After much deliberation and pressure, the parents were forced to give up their only other child.
5-year-old Adeline Wolfe went without much fuss – thinking only of meeting her brother again.
The doctor was torn, but he had to give her the serum. He began slowly, enough for her body to get used to it. He watched as her sickly body began to get healthier – eyes sparkling, cheeks rosier. Then it was time for the full transfusion.
The terrified look in her eyes as he hooked her up to the machines was enough to make any man cry – and he did – but he could not have stopped.
The little girl's screams echoed around the base and lodged themselves in everyone's darkest nightmares.
1929, Stützpunkt X (Base X, undisclosed location, Germany)
"Ugh!"
There was a loud grunt and thud as a body went crashing against the cement wall. There was the sickening sound of ribs snapping, but almost as soon as they had, they started to mend again.
15-year-old Adeline Wolfe pushed herself off the ground, and stood tall, turning to face her opponent. Well. Opponents.
The five men facing her readied themselves – but Adeline held back, waiting for them to make the first move this time. Finally, the tense atmosphere made the one on the far right jump forward. Adeline met him halfway.
In an unnaturally high jump, she met him in the air, and wrapped a hand around his throat, crushing it under her weight as they collapsed to the floor. She rolled off him quickly, and swept her legs around, connecting solidly with two of them, and making them fall. She jumped up, and stomped hard on their ankles. There were two loud snaps and they screamed.
Adeline turned to the last two, and ran at them. She managed to hit one of them in the solar-plexus and he went down gasping. The other, however, tripped her. She went crashing down with him on top of her, raining down desperate blows. Her nose was shattered, and her lips were split by the time she managed to collect herself.
She ripped her arms out from under his knees, and grasped his skull. He yelped as she squeezed harder, the pain making him falter and resist. She threw him away from her, and stood up, feeling the prickle of her facial tissue knitting back together. For a moment, she just breathed in the silence, panting and sweating. She turned to look at the observation room, to let them know that she was ready to be escorted back to her room.
To her surprise there was another man standing beside Doctor Erskine. He was unfamiliar and gave her a weird feeling. He turned and muttered something to Erskine.
The Doctor looked uncomfortable but lent into the microphone. "Wolfe. Finish him." His voice was tinny through the speakers. Adeline took a step back in surprise. She'd never been told to… to kill. She shook her head – sure that this was a mistake. He looked apologetic – even sad. "Wolfe. You will not be told again. Kill. Him."
Adeline twitched at the hard tone. The door behind her slid open, and guards in heavy armour stepped in, holding the dreaded Taser sticks. She looked back to the doctor and the man beseechingly. Behind her, they stepped forward threateningly. She shook her head violently, stepping forward and away from them.
"Bekommen Sie." Get her.
They were on top of her before she could react. Thousands of volts of electricity coursed through her, and her cells revolted, unable to heal as they were assaulted by electricity. Taking advantage of her state, a few of them began hitting her. It hurt, and she couldn't heal herself. Blood began trickling out of cuts opened by the metal knuckles of the men. Finally, another barked order made them stand, and turn off the electricity.
She coughed weakly, and blood spattered from her mouth, staining the grey floor.
Finally, her body slowly began to put itself back together, and she could feel her wounds slowly knitting back together in the wake of the electricity.
"Töte ihn." Kill him. "Tötet ihn jetzt, oder er wird zu Tode gefoltert werden." Kill him now, or he will be tortured until his death.
Adeline closed her eyes in resignation. She couldn't allow that to happen. Slowly, and painfully, she pushed herself up off the floor, bones cracking painfully.
She walked over to the man, and he looked at her with tear-filled eyes. She swallowed thickly, and placed her hands on either side of his head. He grasped her wrists, and gabbled something in Russian. His voice was obscured by sobs but she picked up enough.
"Пожалуйста. Пожалуйста... У меня есть семья." Please. Please... I have a family.
Her breathing picked up, and tears welled up in her own eyes. She looked at him desperately. "Мне очень жаль... Мне так жаль..." I'm sorry… I'm so sorry…
He began wailing, and she closed her eyes, breath rasping in her throat. Finally, she opened her eyes, and with a quick jerk, snapped his neck. He fell back, lifeless eyes staring into hers. Adeline let out a strangled sob, and collapsed back herself. She couldn't stop looking at him. She was distantly aware of words filtering in through the speakers, and then she was lifted roughly, and dragged from the training room. As she was jerked slightly, her fixed gaze fell on the tall brown haired man. He was smiling.
Adeline didn't sleep.
Every so often, a guard would enter and tell her to go to sleep, but she couldn't. All she could see was the man's eyes, staring right through her.
Again, her door slid open. This time, it wasn't an armoured guard, but the familiar face of Doctor Erskine. He looked troubled.
"Wie geht es dir?" how are you? He sat down next to her on her thin cot. She couldn't speak. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but fell silent again. Finally, he looked at her. "Es tut mir leid für das, was Sie zu tun hatte. Wenn es auf mich zu..." I am sorry for what you had to do. If it was up to me... he sighed. "Ich kann nur meine Entschuldigung bieten, und etwas zum Schlafen." I can offer only my apologies, and something to help you sleep.
Adeline turned to look at him, and nodded slightly. He pulled out a small syringe, filled with clear liquid. She closed her eyes as he slid it into her neck, feeling her body trying to heal around it. Almost immediately, lethargy weighed her down.
"Ich werde versuchen, bekommen Sie heraus, wenig ein." I will try and get you out, little one.
Her world faded away.