Chapter 8: the First Super-soldier.
The day has come. The day when USA army will have the first super-soldier. The day in which Izuku Midoriya will become a hero.
This morning a car drove up to the camp and drive Izuku and Peggy to the Dr. Erskine's secret lab for the experiment. The ride was quiet. Both sides are silent. After Midoriya learnt the truth about agent Shield he decides to start a talk with her. Unfortunately, he can't choose an idea about what to talk. Passing by his street Izuku finally found a topic for conversation. Brooklyn. However, his knowledge about this street is not so enjoyable.
"I know this neighborhood. I got beat up in that alley", said Izuku pointing at the places. "And that parking lot. And behind that diner."
"Did you have something against running away?" she asked curiously.
"They were hurting children. Who is younger than me", he explained. "And you start running they'll never let you stop. You stand up, push back. Can't say no forever, right?"
"I know a little of what that's like. To have every door shut in your face" Peggy said sadly remembering people who were looking down at her because she is woman.
"I guess I just don't why you'd wanna join the army if you're a beautiful dame", said Izuku. After realizing what he said, he starts to blush and mumbling. "Or a beautiful… a woman. An agent, not a dame! You are beautiful, but…"
For Shield all this made him look adorable to her. She always thought that Midoriya is plain looking at first glance but in truth, he is kinda cute. "You have no idea how to talk to a woman, do you?" asked Peggy giggling at him.
"This is the longest conversation I've had with one. Girls aren't exactly lining up to dance with a guy they might step on or a guy who can't tell them two words before fainting", sighed Izuku.
"You must have danced?" she asked.
"Well, asking a girl to dance always seems so terrifying. I would prefer a punch to the face than women. And the past year just didn't seem to matter that much. Figured I'd wait", he explained.
"For what?" Peggy asked curiously.
"The right partner", Izuku answered. "I long ago decide for myself. If I ever find a girl who will love me despite my condition than I will never betray her trust or cheat on her."
"Oh. Didn't expect this answer. Man who would not betray his woman no matter what. Such loyalty is so rare. I am already jealous of your future girl", she commented.
At her words, car stops near an antiques shop and both of them get out of it. Midoriya looks around in confusion. He knows every place in his street and couldn't understood what did they forgot in this place.
"This way", said Peggy walking with him to the antique shop.
"What we are doing here?" asked Izuku alarmed.
"Just trust and follow me", explained agent Shield entering the shop.
But that didn't close his question. What did they forgot in this old antique shop?
The antique shop is actually not so bad. Just pretty old and empty. Nothing were bought in this place for 5 years. The pair are greet by elder storeowner. She is smiling at them. However, Peggy knows better.
"Wonderful weather this morning isn't it?" asked owner.
"Yes, but I always carry an umbrella", answered Peggy. Her answer puts Izuku in bewilderment. 'What does the weather in this place?' he thought.
After the dialogue woman's expression becomes serious and she departs to the table. Under the table is a small button, which she is pushing right now.
The pair goes to the next room, which is library. Suddenly bookcases opens up showing long corridor. Izuku looks astonished. He can't believe that under this shop is hidden military base.
However, he couldn't give it a such thought as Peggy goes ahead. Izuku just runs after her. Watching around he was met by many soldiers who is looks at him in disbelief as if asking 'what the kid forgot here?'. But he doesn't paid them any attention because they came to the lab. The lab is a big circular room filled with many machineries however the most notable of them is the one in the canter, which looked like a pod. In the center of the room is also Dr. Erskine and his team.
Upon seeing Izuku, Abraham comes to him and greets him by shaking his hand, "Good morning".
A flash ruined the moment. Literally. Because of the real photographer. It's revealed that this experiment will be written in newspaper. Seeing the doctor's annoying face man decides to leave.
After the photographer walks away, Erskine looks at Izuku, who looks at the pod in wonder. "Are you ready?" he asked trying to see if his chosen didn't decide to back down. He knows that Midoryia will never quit. However, he still afraid about what will happened to him. He doesn't know if Izuku could survive the transformation or not. He doesn't want him to die. He wouldn't forgive himself
Nevertheless, Izuku nods saying 'yes'. "Good. Take off your shirt, your tie and your hat", he instructed.
Izuku does it without a single thought. He knows it's too late too back down.
Meanwhile In the adjacent observation chamber, which is filled with officials. People waiting to the start of the experiment. One of this people is senator Brandt. He is a member of US Senate who is also funded this project. He wants to see the results of his spent money.
"Senator Brandt, glad you could make it", greeted colonel.
"Remind me. Why exactly am I in Brooklyn?" asked senator in confusion. He is not pleased that he in so grease place.
"We needed access to the city's power grid", asked Phillips not happy to see him either. More than Midoriya. "Of course, if you'd given me the generators I requisitioned…"
"A lot of people are asking for funds, Colonel", interrupted Brandt. He was growing tired that everybody was asking him money. He looks around the company trying to find another interlocutor. "Oh, this is…"
"Fred Clemson, State Department", introduced himself 'Fred'. "If this project of yours comes through, we'd like to see it used for something other than headlines."
"Jesus. Somebody get that pathetic child a sandwich", said Brandt looking down at Izuku already regretting funding this project.
At any other day Philips would agree about that Erskine's choice of person is awful. However, after seeing his bravado with grenade colonel starts see him at the new light. Philips still thinks that army is not place for a kid, but he knows that kid have more guts at his side.
"Yes, I agree that this place is not for him. However, this kid have more guts than some grown men", defended Chester looking at the senator.
Brandt decides to walk away. Col. Phillips stands in the place thinking about the project and Izuku. If the results will be positive than USA will have the soldiers which will win the war. And kid will be send back home alive and safe. If the results will be opposite than they will lose the kid. No matter how he didn't like this one, he wouldn't never want to see him dead.
What anybody didn't noticed that 'Fred's' smirk grow more sinister. Nobody felt that his intentions are bad. His actions will change everything.
In the chamber, Izuku has climbed into the pod, which is two sizes bigger than he is, and lain down awaiting for procedure. He knows that he can trust doctor with his life, but he is also afraid if he would stay alive or not. Hearing his prays Dr. Erskine comes to him to talk.
"Comfortable?" he asked.
"It's a little big", Izuku answered. "You save me any of that schnapps?"
"Not as much as I should have. Sorry. Maybe some years later," Abraham answered. "Also the is a person I want you to meet Ms. Bakugo can you come here?"
"Coming!" she answered. It was now that finally noticed her. She is not wearing her dress from the Expo. She is now wearing her clothes for a work. But that didn't made her less pretty. It's made her real. "Hello. You are the soldier kid, right? Don't worry about machine suddenly blowing up. When I create something than it should do what it is supposed to do. You will be alright."
"Thank you for your words, Mitsuki. She is also from Japan just like you", explained doctor. "Also, how are your levels?"
"My levels always at fucking 100%" she sweared. It's surprise to Izuku. As long as he knows that women are never swearing. Well, they didn't know Mitsuki Bakugo.
"Good", he said not caring about her swearing at all.
"We may dim half the lights in Brooklyn, but we are ready as we'll ever be" Mitsuki commented.
"Agent Shield? Don't you think you would be more comfortable in the booth?" Dr. Erskine asked her. He suspected that there is something between Izuku and Peggy. And by seeing her expression he understood that he is right.
"Oh, yes. Of course. Sorry" she said nervously. Walking to the booth she last time looked at Midoriya and mouthed to him 'everything will be alright'.
"Good", Erskine said taking a microphone and tapping it. "Do you hear me? is this on?" he asked. "Ladies and gentlemen, today we take not another step towards annihilation, but the first step on the path to peace. We begin with a series of micro injections into the subjects major muscle groups. The serum infusion will cause immediate cellular change. And then to stimulate growth, the subject will be saturated with Vita-Rays".
When Abraham was talking about his project, Izuku was feeling that something is inject in him. It actually tickles. "That wasn't so bad."
"That was penicillin", doctor answered frighten the kid. "Serum infusion beginning in five, four, three, two, one." At the end of the count serum is slowly injected into Izuku. He feels the pain of it before it suddenly stops. "Now, Ms. Bakugo."
At his command, Mitsuki lowers a leaver, activating machine, the pod moves upright and encloses Midoriya inside. Fearing for his chosen's status; Erskine knocks on the capsule to check that Izuku is comfortable. "Izuku, can you hear me?"
"It's probably too late to go to the bathroom, right?" asked Midoriya.
"We will proceed", said doctor.
Everybody is watched with bated breath. The procedure began.
Managing the controls Bakugo increases the power of her machine, "That's ten percent. Twenty percent. Thirty. That's 40 %."
Izuku never felt so much pain before in his entire life. The pain slowly tearing him apart from the inside. However he couldn't let himself to scream. He couldn't let the project to end now.
"Vital signs are normal", said SSR doctor.
"That's 50 %. Sixty. Seventy", said Mitsuki continuing to increase the power of her machine.
Unfortunately, Midoriya couldn't hold any longer and let out the scream that alarmed every person in the lab.
"Izuku!" screamed Abraham fearing for him.
"Shut it down!" commanded Peggy terrifying for Izuku.
"Izuku!" bellowed Erskine knocking on the glass hoping that Izuku will answer.
"Shut it down!" once more commanded agent Shield. She couldn't hold it much longer. She couldn't live knowing that he died.
"Kill the reactor, Mitsuki! Turn it off! Kill it! Kill the reactor!" bellowed Erskine. He couldn't let it to continue. He wouldn't take young kid's life only to win stupid war.
However, Izuku heard every word they said. No. No. They can't stop now. He can't let all of them down. Dr. Erskine didn't give on him when everybody did. And he not gonna give up now. It's 70%. It's almost over. He can endure it longer.
"No! Don't! We can't give up! It's almost over! I can do this!" screamed Izuku, who is still feels pain.
"Eighty. Ninety. That's 100 %", said Bakugo reluctantly continuing to increase her machine to maximum.
At 100% everything in the room starts overloads and blow up until the reactor closes itself down.
Seeing that process is over everybody is staring at the pod in worry. The last minute kid was screaming in the pain and now nothing. Not even a sound. Everyone starts to prepare for the worst.
"Mitsuki", asked Erskine in despair before answering the question that every person in this room had. "Is he alive?"
This question answered by pod, which now is opening up. Everyone coming closely to see if kid alive or not. But what they see made them astonished.
Izuku is okay. He is more than okay. He is still skinny but after the procedure, he gained an array of toned muscle on arms and on chest. His skin color changed from pale white to healthy peach. He also become at least on one head taller. It's means one thing. The serum worked. Izuku become the first super-soldier. Everybody starts to clap the hands for the success.
"Izuku. Izuku", said Erskine shaking Midoriya to wake him up.
"The son of a bitch did it. Good job, kid", said Phillips proudly of Izuku. He amazed by the results. If the serum worked on him. Than it means it will work at every soldier. USA will win this war. And kid can go back home. Even if he is changed, Chester couldn't let the kid kill himself on the war.
As everyone poors out of the observation chamber Clemson leaves a small, metal object like a cigarett case behind. He didn't like that the serum worked on kid. If he changed so much by it, than what it will do on the grown up men. He failed to stop birth of first super-soldier, but he can stop them from making more super-soldiers.
As Izuku stumbles out of the pod, he supported by Bakugo and Erskine. He looks around himself checking out all differences the serum made "I did it. I can't believe I did it."
"Yeah, yeah. I think we did it", chuckled Erskine at his shock.
"Of course we actually did it. It's was made by Bakugo Industries", boasted Mitsuki very pleased by results. "I told you if something was built by Bakugo Industries than it will work."
At her laugh, Peggy comes to the trio. She looks relieved not also because the serum worked but also because Izuku is alive. She is also couldn't help but to stare at his changes.
"How do you feel?" she asked.
"Taller. Different", answered Izuku.
"You look taller", said Peggy before giving him a shirt to cover himself. He is taller that her by half head. "But you are the same as before."
"How do you like Brooklyn now, Senator?" smirked Chester feeling proud for a project.
"I can think of some folks in Berlin who are about to get very nervous", boasted Brandt. He already thinks that USA will be the strongest after seeing the results. What he didn't noticed that 'Fred' is staring at Doctor Erskine like predator at pray playing with device, which looked like a lighter. "Congratulates, Doctor."
"Thank you, sir", said Abraham before he caught 'Fred' looking at him. Erskine recognized who is man. He working for them.
However, before Erskine could acknowledged everyone about enemy's presence, 'Fred' activates his 'lighter', which detonates the bomb in the observation room. He then uses the confusion and panic to steal the last vial of the serum.
"Stop him! He stole the last vial of serum!" Erskine bellowed. He couldn't let him take serum. He couldn't let them more him.
Unfortunately, that was a perfect moment for a shoot. 'Fred' shoots him in the chest twice, fatally wounded him. He only had seconds before he dies.
In the rage, Peggy chases after him to avenge the good man. She shoots him in answer as he continues to kill everybody on his path before closing the main gates.
For someone this shot was too fast but for Izuku it was almost forever. He couldn't believe that someone would kill a good person such as Dr. Erskine. He can't die. He can't. This person was the first who could see potential in his weak body. Abraham was the first who truly believed in him. Midoriya still needs him. The world needs him.
Izuku kneels besides Erskine hoping that he can be saved. But he knows that this is lie. He can't be saved. In his last moments, Dr. Erskine points his finger at Izuku's chest before finally closing his eyes. It happened. Dr. Abraham Erskine died.
Izuku understood what doctor means in his last moments. He reminded him about their last talk yesterday.
"Whatever happens tomorrow, you must promise me one thing. That you will stay who you are. Not a perfect soldier, but a good man."
'I will' he thought.
No matter what happens, he will stay as who he is. A good man. That's a promise he will never break. For Dr. Erskine.
Right now, however he needs to concentrate to catch doctor's killer to interrogate him. He is not gonna let him away so easily. Do you know why? Not because he is a super-soldier. But because he is here.
