Days passed, and soon weeks. Bethany began to forget intentionally the short moment of happiness that Bucky Barnes gave her. There were more important things to focus on, like winning the war. Not impossible men.
First day of training Super Soldiers was underway, the large young soldiers lined up to receive their first orders. All different sizes, but same build, the men seemed confident in their ability to be the potential victor. One, however, stood out from the rest. It was Steve, the small, fragile man that was bickering with Bucky. He looked ready for anything, ready to obey and comply, very small in his oversized uniform.
The Doctor chose him for a reason, and Bethany felt it as well. But it was a long shot, and there was only one spot to be on top. His chances weren't looking so good.
"Why do I have to be here Doc? Isn't it illegal for me to be here anyway?" Bethany muttered, sitting on a parked military truck, unable to feel any enthusiasm. Her legs dangled off the edge of the cold metal like a child, bored and tired.
She wore her usual attire when surrounded by soldiers, charcoal pants that reached up to her hips, black leather boots that snaked up her thighs and her custom-made pearl white, long sleeved shirt with black buttons embedded in the material at the sleeves and bodice. It wasn't revealing, but they were men. They just stared. It wasn't normal to have a woman watch them train, let alone be in the army. At least she still had Peggy, one of the best agents when it came to fighting wars and handling men.
"Miss Summers, as I have reminded you, the candidate will be paired up with you when the time comes to go on covert missions, to test the serum.
It's crucial that you stay-" the Doctor began, but Bethany had to intervene.
"I understand Doc, I just need something to complain about."
Suddenly, the soldiers stood up straight, kicking their boots together, signaling an authority's prescience.
Bethany turned around to see a small military vehicle park beside the truck she was perched on. Peggy Carter exited the vehicle, her attractive face strong and resilient. Fashioning a tight brown skirt and jacket, she walked over to the soldiers with integrity and precision. Checking their faces, Bethany noticed some smiles begin to form.
"My name is Agent Carter. I will be leading-"
"A woman leading? That doesn't sound right." one of the soldiers snickered.
Knowing Peggy, Bethany quickly began to regain her enthusiasm for the training that day. Beside her the Doctor sighed, his usual trait, and continued to write down on his notepad. As expected, the soldier was disciplined by Peggy in a rough fashion to Bethany's amusement. No soldier would oppose Peggy's authority after that day. Training continued, and every candidate had strengths and weaknesses.
Especially Steve, much to Bethany's dismay. He was so puny, yet strong willed.
"He's the one." the Doctor said one night at dinner, sitting in their private cabin in comfortable silence.
"Steve?" Bethany questioned, but she already knew his answer. The Doctor always seemed to see the better in people, and make the most of it.
"He has the potential. We tell him tomorrow, hopefully he takes it well." he said, giving her a small smile, and began to eat again.
Bethany smiled back, but a microscopic feeling of dread began to form in her stomach.
Hopefully.
"You nervous?" Bethany asked, turning over in her seat to face Steve.
He looks so small for the car seat... she brushed off her worries with a smile. A flash of hesitation crossed his tight face, but his blue eyes lit up with anticipation.
"A little." he sighed, his pointy shoulders shrugging against the large back seat.
Peggy sat beside him, looking guiltily out the window. She had every reason to be, as the procedure hurt. Bethany should know. She went through something similar.
"You'll be okay Rogers, I bet you can handle it." Bethany encouraged, her smile growing with his.
He was so small. She just couldn't stop worrying.
Turning back around, she looked out the window, watching the grey buildings pass her by, something to take her mind of the numbing guilt that plagued her stomach.
Once arriving at the tailor shop that kept the secret facility safe, Bethany rushed in to find the Doctor. Pushing past scientists and military men, she found him the core of the facility with Howard Stark, a handsome young entrepreneur, who was helping with the experiment. He looked up from his work at Bethany with a curious smile.
"And who might this dashing young gal be?" he grinned, his sea blue eyes glowing with something Bethany didn't recognize.
"Out of your league." she replied with a smirk, watching his smile grow on his attractive face.
"Bethany you shouldn't be down here." the Doctor whispered worringly, guiding her to the stairs.
"Yes but it's about Steve-"
"What about me?" Steve asked, walking down the stairs towards them. Bethany looked up and grimaced. He was such a kind soul, it wasn't fair that he had to be put through all this.
"Nothing Rogers, just discussing the calculations of things that I don't understand." she lied with a encouraging smile, tapping his back playfully as he descended the steps past her.
"C'mon Summers, I heard you say my first name. That counts for something, right?" he joked, his small frame shaked as he chuckled.
Unable to bear any more friendly conversation, Bethany joined Peggy and the other military officials on the balcony. Peggy, obviously nervous, grabbed Bethany's hand. She squeezed her soft hand in support, waiting for the operation to take place.
On the balcony Bethany observed the scene, so many computers and machines it was hard to take it all in. Steve undressed and placed himself in the human sized pod. It looked like a flytrap, and he was the prey. The Doctor and Stark began to press buttons and pull levers, undergoing the transformation. Bethany took one last look at Steve and gave him a thumbs up. He flashed a small smile as the lid closed over his tiny body. She let out a sigh, noticing the tenseness of Peggy's body beside her. Both woman wanted this to work, as Steve was unlike any young man they had ever come to meet.
The countdown began. With each number Bethany's heart beat faster. Finally at zero, Stark pulled the lever as the lights began to flicker.
Steve started screaming, much to Bethany's dismay. His screams ripped through her ears and eyes.
"Oh God, stop it! You'll kill him!" Peggy yelled, removing herself from her seat with alertness and panic.
Bethany looked up at her with sadness. It might be too late.
Stark looked at the Doctor with wide eyes, unable to figure out what to do.
"Keep going! I can take it!" Steve suddenly shouted over the noise of circuits breaking and lights smashing.
They all waited, inspired by his courage and perseverance for such a small human being, till the casket began to open.
Bethany's eye widened at the sight. She wasn't prepared for this. It wasn't the small, frail Steve she was so worried about. It was someone else. The man enclosed in the pod was built like a tank, every muscle in his body was shaped and formed into something spectacular. His face seemed to fit on his body more accurately, everything was molded perfectly. He struggled to open his eyes, but when he did they were a teal blue, shining and tired. He was so tall and big, everything a Super Soldier should be. Before she knew what she was doing, Bethany was downstairs, jumping onto Steve with such hurriedness, trying to accept what just happened.
"Summers? I'm glad to see you too." Steve sleepily smiled, hugging back with such force Bethany nearly coughed.
"You're so...big." Bethany breathed, her eyes lighting up excitedly.
"You did it Rogers, welcome to the program."
He smiled with her, as she finally let out the breath she was holding in. Everything is going to change for the better, she thought happily. I won't be the only one going through this anymore. That's an achievement in itself. Peggy was rushing down the stairs to see Steve up close, her brown eyes filled with reassurance.
"Steve, IM glad..." Peggy muttered, her words lost in the awe that was Steve Rogers.
Feeling suddenly awkward, Bethany left them alone with a grin.
"Doc! You did it, this is amazing i can't wait-"
"Bethany, WE did it." he said with a laugh, grabbing her shoulders with proudness.
The look in his eyes reminded her of the last time he felt this success, the morning she woke up from her experiment.
It gave her warm feeling.
She felt like she was finally content.
In all the commotion, with everyone congratulating each other, Stark laughing with his scientist team, Steve and Peggy falling madly in love, and the Doctor watching in pure happiness, Bethany heard something irregular. It was a small ticking, so small she wouldn't have noticed it before. The irregular ticking didn't fit with the beeping machines or the sound of the feet above the ground. It was something else, something dangerous.
Suddenly the sound of the room disappeared and only the loud noise of an explosion and gunfire erupted form the balcony. Everyone, still in shock, fell to the ground. Bethany shouted for the Doctor to get down, and tried to pull him away. Bethany tried to speak but everything hurt. The noise was splitting her mind open, so loud, so deafening. She couldn't see, but in the blur she saw a man, pointing a small pistol straight at the Doctor.
"No. No. No. No!" Bethany began to scream. Everything was a blur but she knew who the gunshots were for.
She felt searing hot pain in her hands and feet, everything seemed to merge as her hands touched the cold concrete floor of the clinic. She just wanted to see. Doctor Abraham Erkstine fell heavily beside her, and through her messy eyesight she saw red.
"Doctor!" she heard Steve yell in the distance, suddenly he was beside her cradling the body.
Bethany's vision began to clear form the explosion, but it didn't make anything better, only worse. Two gaping bullet holes protruded from his chest, the crimson blood seeping into his white lab coat.
"Dad! Dad please..." Bethany cried, hot tears trickling down her swollen face.
As the Doctor began to fade away, he struggled to raise his hand, and pointed at her heart, then Steve's. Before she could understand anything, his dark eyes lost their light.
Nothingness resided in Bethany's heart. She felt remorse and pain. Too much pain. She didn't care what he meant.
The assassin was going to die.
Steve was gone before she could even notice his absence, but that didn't matter.
The assassin was going to die.
She planted her palms calmly to the lab floor, reaching into the earth below the frozen concrete and pipe works.
The assassin was going to die.
Her hands turned into fists, mentally grabbing the earth beneath the building, systematically causing the room to violently shake.
"She trying to weave! Where's the anesthetic?!" someone shouted in the distance.
Bethany didn't care.
The assassin was going to die.
The ground shook roughly, as the walls and roof started to crack. Beads of sweat began to form on her forehead, slowly lifting the earth to bend to her will and wants. She didn't care that she couldn't properly control it with this much concrete preventing her from doing so.
She screamed, an ear piercing wail erupted around the room. Everyone was shouting and shaking. The cracks in the walls began to grow as she raised the earth from the lab.
Suddenly a sharp, cold pain bloomed from her neck, as the sleeping drug took effect immediately. For the second time that day, Bethany couldn't see as she blacked out, her body splayed beside her beloved Doctor.
