Incubation I.
In a typical infectious disease, incubation period signifies the period taken by the multiplying organism to reach a threshold necessary to produce symptoms in host.
"Alex, it might be better if you recover while you are away from the helicarrier." Jack walked after her as she was limping through the base, she wouldn't sit still and recover, stubborn germans. "Nein Jack, I can't sit still, I feel so useless." "Just go home, to that little place you bought in the Norwegian alps, go sledging or something. I will drag you there even if I have to use chloroform." Jack stopped in front of her. "Captain America can lead us, Frank will go with you. We all know how much you actually like Frank, use that time to get hitched together." At the word Frank, Alex glared at Jack playfully, her cheeks turning red. "Stop talking about stuff you don't know Jack. Fine, I will take time off and go to the alps, fine I will take Frank with me but nothing is going to happen between us." She turned around and limped off. Jack grinned and ran off.
"Hey guys, operation matchmaker is going. You Frank have a lovely date with Fraulein Schmidt." Jack said as he walked in the lab. Frank, who was working on Steve dropped his stuff and turned. "Y-you what?! JACK, sheesh. Keep your nose in your own damn busisness. Besides, why would Alexandra be interested in me of all people. I would rather expect her going after Mr Rogers here." He mumbled softly, blushing. Steve blushed at that comment. "Oh yeah, the American hero dating the granddaughter of his arch nemesis. That is quite a love story Frank. If somehow Johann finds out about his granddaughter, he will not approve of her dating his rival. It stays her grandfather and he will be the one who is going to give her away if she is going to marry somebody. I just pray he won't try to settle her with Strucker. No Frank, you are the best option." He grinned. Steve cleared his throat. "Jack is right Frank, you have more chance on going to dance with Alex, you are the grandson of his top scientists." "And I am not proud of that Mr Rogers. I hate it what my grandfather did to the world. I am trying to clear off the shame of the name Zola and now the guy is back and going to ruin everything." "Frank, you are not Arnim, Arnim is not you. Right now, you are helping me, testing on me without painfull results. You are trying to create a better world on your own way." Steve placed a hand on Frank's shoulder. "And that makes you a better person in my book." "See Frank, even Steve is liking you. I do hope Alex won't attend the family reunions." Jack said, sitting down. "Why is that, scared Skull might convert her to Hydra or settle her with a guy he likes?" Frank shakes his head. "Very bad relations with her father actually, he left her when she was an infant, her uncle was the one who informed Nick about her. Guy is hardly here in town. Jacob is either in prison or trying to please the kingpin, has the power to shapeshift." Frank handed Steve a file with the information about the family. "Only the Skull part had to be filled up, along with Arnim and S.H.I.E.L.D. was capable of making a few family trees." Steve looked through the file and placed it down. "What my concern is, is that Skull wants Alex so he can use her in war. He does not care for his family, only world domination." Frank sighed and walked off. "I better pack my stuff." "Don't forget the condoms!" Jack laughed while Steve frowned and shrugged it off.
Alexandra was busy packing her stuff, actually stocking some guns as well. How can they send her away? The Squid caught her off guard and Strucker joining the battle was not fun either. She knows she can barely handle Strucker and that is without Satan's claw. Maybe she should train in her time off, can't stay weak. Not in front of Captain America either. Ah Steve, such a nice guy. No wonder the Americans see him as a hero. Kind, soft hearted, artistic and good looking as well. Well trained body, the blonde hair, baby blue eyes that give the amazing puppy eyes. Slightly tanned and damn, what an ass. But he is a bit too kind for her taste. She'd walk right over him in some subjects. Which brings her to the next subject, grandfather is alive, whoop da freaking do. This will give S.H.I.E.L.D. more trouble actually and with that Norse god gone, Tony is not available, Natasha and Clint are off on a mission and the hulk nowhere to be found, it leaves only Steve to fight Hydra by himself. No way Nick is letting her join the battle, she has to find that damn Zemo and his little group of henchmen. Don't know what it is, but she hates Zemo to the core, probably the bloodline, Zemo fought Skull back in WWII. Alexandra sat down on her bed and sighed, holding her head. She can feel a headache coming up. "Alex? You ready to go?" Her head shot up, Frank. How long has he been standing there? She slowly nodded and got up, walking towards Frank. "Let's go Frank, don't want to hold up anybody." Frank placed a hand on her shoulder and walked with her to a small aircraft that will drop them down near the house.
Hydra base.
"Herr Skull, we have located a house of one of the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents and their scientists. The spy claimed they are on their way towards the place for a short holiday." "Send Viper towards the place with a small squad. I want them alive for information about S.H.I.E.L.D." "Yes sir." The soldier walked off, unknown to the Skull, smirking. As soon he turned around the corner, he grabbed a small device and turned it on. "Operation incubation is on the roll. Viper will catch the two with ease." "Good, now keep a low profile, make sure both of the darlings are not killed and that Zola discovers the bloodline." "Yes ma 'dam." The soldier turned off the device and walked off, ready to inform Viper of her new mission.
Norway.
"Alex, you know I hate drop downs, why can't it a bit further so we don't have to jump!" "Because jumping is shorter and a good practise Frank!" She grabbed Frank and pushed him out, following him quickly. "We're going to die Alex!" "Open your parachute then!" She yelled back at him while opening her parachute. Frank quickly followed her advice, both glided towards the small house in the distance. The house was not capable of reaching by helicopter, they had to jump or walk towards it. As soon both landed, they folded up their parachutes and slowly made their way to the house. "You know Alex, some time off can do you good. You can sort out what you want in life." "Like what, if I want kids? Frank, you know I rather start with a pet, I prefer a dog over a cat though." Frank chuckled softly. "You know, Christmas is coming up soon, maybe Santa Claus will be that kind to give you a pet." Alex raised her eyebrow, smirking at him before picking up some snow. Frank kept walking but soon felt something cold and wet collide against his head. He turned around only to get a snowball direct in the face. He slowly wept the snow away and frowned at her. "Alex, seriously. Are you sure you are the granddaughter of the great and almighty Red Skull? You are childish, ignorant and a little tease. How many times did Hydra goons stop just to watch you fool around and get stuck in air vents. It still surprises me they didn't shoot you in that situation." "Well, I guess their IQ isn't that high. Only Strucker is my problem. Seriously, what the heck is his problem. It is not only me but he harasses also other female S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. Like how he attacked Samantha. She refuses to do assignments if it has Strucker in it." "Well, maybe he misses a lovely lady in his life. He does have three kids, maybe he seeks a mother for them." "Frank, do not defend the bastard. Besides, I am just as old as Werner von Strucker. It would be very wrong if somebody got hitched with him who is around my age or younger." Frank sighed and kept walking. They were reaching the house slowly, dark clouds began to form in the sky. Snow was slowly dropping, Frank stopped and looked back at Alex. He smiled and walked back to her, grabbing her hand before squeezing softly. She smiled back at him and leaned against him while walking. He wrapped his arm around her but didn´t dare to look at her, his face was bright red but wether it was from the cold or the fact that Alex was so close to him, it was hard to tell.
"Target spotted, it got company." A masked man spoke through the communicator. "It should not matter, shoot her anyway. The boss wants this to work." The masked man turned off the communicator and aimed again. In the gun, a long needle was set. Easy to penetrate the coat and yet making it feel like a mosquito sting. Painless, yet effective. A damper prevented anybody to hear the gunshot. He aimed for her neck and pulled the trigger.
Alexandra kept walking, leaning against Frank, happy as a lark. Unknown the needle shot, went straight through the coat and in the skin. They kept walking as her hand moved to her neck, rubbing it. It was probably an itch so she thought of nothing.