A few weeks after the peculiar meeting, the first part of their plan was set in motion.
Doctor Abraham Erskine had been rescued by Agent Carter (none too soon) and while the scientist recuperated from his wounds (when Schmidt realised what the serum had done, he had lashed out badly), the Colonel was pulling favours left and right from all his contacts to get the project moving.
Rose had meanwhile agreed to help out in the offices (having a lot of free time in her hands lately), and spent her days doing mundane paperwork or small missions while James and Victor were constantly fighting in some random allied barracks.
In a dirty old gym on an abandoned block in Brooklyn, Bucky was trying to teach Steve how to pack a good old punch.
Infinity was walking (unknowingly) towards the gym where Steve was practicing; she was supposed to wait for an agent to bring her some documents the old 'briefcase-switching' way, so it would be less conspicuous than a -rather large- portal opening up in the middle of nowhere.
Entering, she was pleasantly surprised to find Steve Rogers trying to land a punch on a grinning James Barnes.
Now don't get me wrong, she knew who Steve Rogers was -to some extent-, but when trying to deeply research him, she came up with many grey spots.
Now those spots only happened with a few people, because it normally meant that said person had many choices ahead of them, and that each of choice would lead to different paths, greatly changing the future. Of course there were special cases when the grey spots meant that a future event could not be interfered with.
Rose knew that this man would end up being the chosen super-soldier, but after that, the majority of his path was grey. He would survive the serum, but too many options depended on his decisions, making the rest of his path unclear.
Intrigued by the man, she walked closer to where they were sparring and couldn't help but to immediately pick up flaws in their fighting styles.
-"You should really lower your arms; you're trying to go for defence, but your position says offence. You're leaving your abdomen free for attacks; one or two small but powerful hits and you're down for the count kid."- Rose said leaning against the wall, hiding her laugh as the pair jumped apart, turning towards her with their arms held up to block a punch to their faces.
Steve Rogers was a fool when it came to women.
Of course he went on a few dates (organised by Bucky and his current gal), but he never managed to keep them, losing their attention not even 10 minutes into their date.
So when he saw the beautiful woman smirk right at him, her eyes trailing up and down his body, he started blushing to his roots and lowering his head, missing the excited look in her eyes and her beaming smile.
Bucky however, didn't miss the raking eyes and the large smile, but since Steve was standing right next to him, he came to the 'obvious' conclusion that she had been appraising him.
Leaning on the boxing ring rope, he smirked cockily and adjusted his boxing gloves.
-"That was just what I was going to say, but now I wonder... Who is this beautiful woman that knows so much about the art of boxing?"-
The two men looked expectantly at Rose, one still fidgeting while the other raised their eyebrow smoothly.
-"This beautiful woman is none of your business."- Rose told them, taking Bucky aback while Steve sniggered quietly in the background.
She started walking cockily towards the ring, intentionally adding more swing to her hips making the two men find it hard to tear their eyes from her long legs (Steve doing a much better job at it then Bucky).
-"Anyways, I wasn't talking about your friend I was talking about yourself."- Rose told Bucky, finally standing right in front of him and making his mind her back on track.
-"Your opponent is smaller than you and can easily use his height and speed as an advantage, ducking and landing two or three hits to your ribs, breaking a few that can possibly puncture your lungs, -with the right amount of power, pressure and angle behind the attack of course-, making you possibly choke on your own blood."-
Barnes and Rogers were both looking at her wide eyed with their mouths hanging open, staring at her with no small amount of awe (Steve) and offence (Bucky).
Having successfully managed to make them forget their first question, Rose turned towards the smallest guy there and proceeded to wink at him with a smirk on her face.
-"So, what's your name handsome?"- Rose asked, making Steve flush red, and try to coherently stutter out his name.
Bucky, suddenly very defensive of his moves, interrupted before Steve could even try to continue to stutter out his name.
-"Well, since you're quite clearly the expert, why don't you come up here and show me how it's done?"-
Steve's stuttering came to an end as he stared, slack jawed as Bucky challenged the dame.
Realising he wasn't going to back down, he started hissing at him, scolding him about the proper way to address a lady.
As the two bickered, they missed Rose's answer.
While anyone who had seen her would clearly see what her response to the issued challenge would be, the two were so immersed in their petty argument that they missed as Rose took off her coat, and stepped into the ring.
Watching as the pair kept squabbling; she quickly grew tired and cleared her throat.
Having forgotten that she was even standing there, they looked over and found her, boxing gloves on and everything.
-"So... I imagine it's just you then. "- Rose told Bucky, making him grin widely.
Steve having no excuse if the woman actually wanted to participate raised his hands and retreated to the sidelines, watching the pair nervously.
-" You sure you don't want to back out? "-
-" As sure as I am that the world is round "-
Slightly confused as to her answer, Bucky casually shrugged and decided to ignore it. Wanting to catch her by surprise, he relaxed his position, only to send his right fist barrelling towards her head, planning on stopping it just a few inches from her head (wanting to give her a small scare).
Rose quickly ducked her head to the left, grabbed his wrist with her right hand, pulling it towards her right waist, hooked her left leg through the back of his right knee and the front of his left one and simultaneously pulled both her arm and her leg back quickly.
For Bucky, one second he was staring at her face the next his eyesight was directed at the floor.
Steve just stood there, his mouth suddenly falling open, his eyes like saucers staring at the woman who beat his best friend in a matter of seconds.
Brushing her hands on the skirt of her dress, Rose quickly checked the small wristwatch she was wearing.
-"I really have to go now, someone is waiting for me. It was a pleasure to meet you; I hope to see you soon."- She told Steve, exiting the ring and picking up her things.
Steve Rogers watched speechless as Bucky lay on the ground looking confusedly at the floor in front of him, and Rose picked all her things up.
Just as she was leaving, he panicked and managed to get out a small sentence without stuttering in the middle of it.
-"Wait! Please wait! "- he shouted, getting out of the ring, trotting towards Rose, the small distance making him pant right away.
-"Ma'am"- he said, taking a deep breath of air.
-"What's your name?... I'm Steve Rogers"-
Rose gave him a small inhaler she had in her suitcase, watching as he thankfully took it and used it, his breathing returning to a healthier rhythm.
-"Rose Maskell, Elizabeth Rose Maskell. Pleasure to meet you Steve"-
Rose left the gym, (suitcase in one hand and inhaler in the other), but not before giving Steve a quick peck on his cheek.
After a few minutes which Steve Rogers spent blushing harder than he had ever done, his hand clutching his cheek, he finally heard Bucky groan and snapped out of his stupor.
Quickly getting back to the ring, he helped Bucky get to his feet, as he had remained staring at the floor.
-"... That was one helluva woman."- Bucky told him, his airy voice sounding slightly star struck.
-"Yeah..."-
-T.R.M.-
Back with Rose, she had arrived back at the lab after giving the briefcase to some random agent, and was talking science with Doctor Erskine.
Seeing as Schmidt had kept Erskine's whereabouts top secret, they were forced to explain to Abraham his they had found him, and who exactly Rose was. Being a man of science he had originally been sceptical, until she opened up a portal and took him to her home.
Since then, Abraham Erskine was normally (always) found next to Rose with a notebook; asking her as many questions as his small human mind could think of.
-T.R.M.-
A few days after meeting Steve and Bucky, Rose decided it was time to incorporate Howard Stark to the plan.
Contrary to what Peggy believed, she had never met Howard Stark before (which led to an exhausting conversation about timelines and paradoxes, after which she decided that she would simply zap future info straight into their heads), so she had to cook up a master plan to manage to even get close to him.
Deciding to take a different approach than the one she had previously took with Carter and Phillips, she decided to dress up and meet Stark for a meeting in his newly-developed company.
Arriving at his office, she looked around the office, looking over at blueprints and tools he had left lying around. After snooping around for a few minutes she sat down and waited for Stark to arrive.
-T.R.M.-
Howard Stark was having a tiring day (and not one of the good ones). His new company took quite a lot out of him, and he was really hoping to sleep through the 4 o'clock meeting he had scheduled.
Walking through the room, he didn't even turn towards the visitor (-'Intruder!'- His mind told him), going straight to the liquor tray he had in the corner of the room.
-"Can I offer you a drink? "- he asked, still not looking while he poured a drink for himself.
Rose hid her smirk, hiding her amusement deep inside (almost dying at wanting to see his reaction), knowing that Stark thought he was having a meeting with a man.
-"I would appreciate one."- Rose answered, changing her voice to a more seductive tone.
Howard almost dropped his glass, turning at a neck breaking speed towards the woman.
After staring a few seconds at her (-'She was wearing expensive clothes, her nails were well cared for, her hair was long but evenly trimmed... All in all she was a beautiful woman, and one of good standing'- he thought getting all that information with one look), he finally snapped out of his trance and turned, pouring another glass, his back hiding the grin that had come out momentarily.
As he finished pouring the drink, he turned and handed her one, then proceeding to sit on the edge of his desk.
-"Howard Stark, at your service, what can I do for a beautiful dame like yourself, Miss...?"-
Rose knew all about Stark and his womanizing ways, so she had decided that she would use that to her advantage to get close enough to zap the info to his head.
Looking at the flirtatious grin he wore as he introduced himself, she decided to go with a seduction technique rather than blonde schoolgirl as she had originally planned.
Pushing her arms together, she lowered her chest while her head lifted, giving Howard a small peek of her breasts.
-"Rose, my name's Rose Maskell sir."-
Now, Howard Stark prided himself on being able to read people and their intentions fairly well; but he was so concentrated on the woman's breasts, that he missed the spark of mischief in the woman's eye.
-"So Rose... I've heard all about how this saying about 'business before pleasure' but I'm not the kind of man who follows the rules..."- he said, smirking.
-"So, what do you think? What comes first, business...? Or pleasure?"- Howard asked (according to him) setting the bait.
Rose, started to advance towards him, adding a little sexy sway to her hips. (-Damn, she's a tigress!-)
-"Well Mr. Stark... I think,"- she said getting close -"We have time enough to do both."- She finished in a sultry tone.
Howard -putting his arms around her waist- raised his eyebrows, thinking that this would be a quick win.
-"What a smart idea"- he said softly, lowering his mouth towards hers.
Just as he was about to kiss her, they both whispered in unison.
-"Gotcha"-
One split second later, Howard's mind latched on to what she had just said, making him stop just as he was about to reach her lips.
Using his hesitation, Rose quickly put her plan into action.
Grabbing his face, she put her hands on either side of his head, -fingers on his temples- and transferred all the information on who she was, and what they needed his help for in 3 seconds max.
Howard took a sharp breath in, and pushing Rose away, (He had never pushed a woman away before, he absentmindedly thought) he staggered back to his seat, trying to make sense of the information given.
Rose, letting him calm down for a few minutes, picked up her things and began to leave.
-"Come to the alleyway next to the Roxxon factory at 6:00 pm tomorrow, you'll meet your new co-workers there and start to work on the project."-
After making sure that Howard had processed the message, she wrote it down (just in case), and proceeded to close the door behind her.
A few minutes after (when Howard finished organizing his mind) all that could be heard in the (rather large) office was Stark's' quiet voice.
-"What a helluva woman."-
-A/N- This chapter (and the next) are going to be a prelude for Captain America.
I hope this isn't too disappointing, I really wanted to do something more special with more interaction with Steve, but I don't want her to know too much about him because then... well the point of the whole romance is lost. I want them to get to know each other and to be some kind of treasured acquaintance before the serum, and then start romancing after a few more occasions.
This story won't be love at first sight between them, but there will be a mutual attraction, although it won't act out until later (I'm not going to make you wait around 60 years for the romance, but I will say that something might start when they go dancing).
Next chapter is going to have a very sad/nice scene between Erskine and Rose. When I investigated the timelines, it appeared that Erskine had a family, and when he was with Schmidt, they were shipped off to a concentration camp. I wanted to go into depth with that, and that is a huge part of the next chapter.