Chapter 2: Behind Enemy Lines
The first thing she was aware of was the feeling of grass beneath her cheek.
Soft, cold, wet grass. And mud. A lot of slimy, sludgy mud.
Now that she thought about it she could feel large drops splattering down onto her exposed arms.
"Crap" she grunted as with a gargantuan effort she rolled her body over to her back and opened her bright eyes.
There was a dark canopy of trees above her head, through which droplets of rain pelted down heavily. Between the small gaps in the canopy, she could see flashes of bright white light as lightning crackled.
She wondered vaguely in her disoriented head if Thor was waging battle in the sky with some unknown entity.
She hoped he was, then at least she knew one ally she might be able to make again.
Her chest ached as memories of the thunder god washed over her mind. Thor might've been a god destined to be king, but he had always treated her kindly, even when she was just a mere scrawny apprentice.
I wonder if he's been banished to earth yet?
Her mind thought hazily. She had never felt so weak in her life.
Everything ached, she could barely move her body. She was surprised that she had the energy to breathe.
She pressed her palm into the muddy ground, shutting her eyes as she desperately tried to feel for a tendril of energy from the earth itself.
Come on…come on…that's it…
She sighed as she felt something warm tingle at her fingertips. It wasn't much, but it was enough to give her the boost she needed to sit up and get to her shaking feet.
When Stephen had said she would be drained of energy, she didn't think she'd be almost half dead from fatigue.
Damn, infinity stone.
She cursed as she leaned against a nearby tree and looked down at her left hand. Over her two fingers, her golden sling ring glimmered, wet from the rain. It was golden with a green, ovoid stone set in the centre of what appeared to be an eye with eight spider legs engraved around it.
Well, as far as she could see, the time stone had worked and-
"ACHOO!" she sneezed, snivelling loudly as she shook out her wet, muddy blonde curls.
"Great. Just perfect. I've barely started my mission, and now I'm about to catch pneumonia as I wander through a deserted forest." She grumbled to herself as with ginger steps she stumbled away from the tree and into another one.
Her goings were slow as she trudged through the undergrowth. As far as she could tell she was the only human around for miles. Small animals kept to their holes and burrows as the rain pelted down.
How Via envied them.
What she wouldn't give to be able to turn into a small bird and hide away in the hollow of a tree until the storm had passed.
Unfortunately, she had neither the energy nor the know-how to perform such an advanced shapeshifting spell.
Fortunately, she was quick to find a giant hollowed out tree log, laying on its side. It was old, covered in moss and slightly damp from the rain, but it was a better cover than nothing.
Thanking her lucky stars for her slender build, she crawled her way inside the log. With a huff, she shook her head of wet golden curls out of her mud-covered face, snivelling as she tried her best to warm herself up. It was a tough slog without her magic, and she shivered a lot as she rubbed at her arms. She had hoped that friction would help lessen the goosebumps already starting to form, but it was no use.
She looked down at herself. She was still wearing the clothes she'd worn when leaving though all were stained and covered in grass, rain and mud. A fitted Black sleeveless tunic with matching pants and boots under an azure blue hooded, sleeveless tailcoat jacket with golden lining and stitching. Over her lower arms and hands were a pair of black fingerless skin-tight gloves. A gold belt and a black sash were wrapped around her waist upon which a couple of utility pouches had been tied, which she was quick to sneak her now jacked up Time-Stone-Sling-Ring into. Her twin gold dragon bracelets both sat twisted around her left wrist unscathed despite her current state, much like the golden dreamcatcher necklace that sat around her throat under the collar of her tunic.
All in all, it could've been a lot worse. Then again, she could've been better.
Alright, first things first. Rest up. Find out where I am and see about getting some warmer clothes…and hopefully a raincoat…or an umbrella, or really anything.
She bristled as her teeth chattered uncontrollably in her mouth. It was like listening to an annoyingly fast pendulum on an equally irritating sped up grandfather clock. Except no matter how much she tried to stop it, she just couldn't.
God, I hope I recuperate soon. Then I could magic myself a disguise or something. Sheesh, just how much is it going to rain-ah!
She squeaked in surprise as a loud thunderclap disturbed her thoughts. She scowled at herself as she curled into an even tighter ball of blue and blonde.
"Hpmh! Stupid Via. Getting scared of a little thunder." She mumbled to herself, pulling up the damp hood of her coat. It wasn't much, but at least it kept her ears covered.
"God I hate you Stephen."
"Aussehen! Ich glaube ich habe etwas gefunden." (Look I think I found something)
"Was ist es?" (What is it?)
"Ich denke, es ist ein Mädchen" (I think it's a girl)
"Ein Mädchen? im Baumstumpf?" (A girl? In the tree stump?)
"Ja. Hallo! Hey Fräulein. Können Sie mich hören?" (Yeah. Hey! Hey miss. Can you hear me?)
"ich denke, sie ist bewusstlos" (I think she's unconscious)
"Wie ist sie dorthin gekommen? Dieses Land ist umzäunt und meilenweit bewacht" (How did she get there? This land's been fenced off and guarded for miles)
"Ich kenne. Vielleicht sollten wir sie zurück zur Basis bringen. Lassen Sie den Chef sie ansehen" (I know. Maybe we should take her back to base. Let the boss have a look at her)
"Vergiss den Chef, hol sie zuerst zu einem Arzt. Sie verbrennt heiß" (Forget the boss, get her to a doctor first. She's burning up hot)
"Huch, du hast Recht. Sie muss in den Sturm geraten sein." (Yikes you're right. She must've gotten caught in the storm.)
"Komm schon, Fräulein. Lass uns zurück zur Basis gehen" (Come on miss. Let's get you back to base)
"Das sind seltsame Kleider. Denkst du, sie ist einer der Feinde?" (These are strange clothes. Do you think she's one of the enemies?)
"Gott, ich hoffe nicht. Das Letzte, was wir brauchen, ist der Chef, der uns alle darauf anspricht, wie eine einzelne Frau durch unsere Verteidigung rutschte" (God, I hope not. Last thing we need is the boss grilling us all on how a single woman slipped through our defences)
Thanos of Titan, glowered angrily as he stared down at the ruined golden gauntlet on his hand. Where there should have been several glittering colourful gems set in ovoid holes, it was empty. Or at least, it was mostly empty.
One orange amber gem remained embedded over the base of the gauntlet's pinkie finger.
This did nothing to temper the mad Titan's growing fury.
That damned sorcerer from Earth! Thanos could almost smell the stench of his power coating the gauntlet in his hand.
He must've placed a curse while those other pathetic mortals were holding me.
He turned his golden covered hand over, eyes narrowing as he reached with his mind for the orange stone. He could feel it pulsing with energy, invigorating him, allowing him to feel the breath of every single living soul in the universe.
He shut his eyes, and at once he saw them all in front of his mind's eye. Each figure had its glow, their life force and essence, so vivid and bright. However, one seemed to stand out clearest of all amidst the sea of light.
The core of the being was a bright shimmering gold, and it was slender and smaller than him, with an inviting presence. It was like standing in the middle of a soft, gentle sunbeam.
He reached out with his mind, sighing as he felt the gentle pulses of youthful energy gently wash over him, only to wince as something harsh suddenly pushed back against him.
What is that?
He growled as he saw another aura, this one a vivid very familiar green, suddenly surround the golden figure, pulsing with ancient energy.
The Time Stone...
His lips curled into a snarl as he looked once again on the figure in his mind's eye and saw the familiar face of a young woman with golden curls and bright blue eyes.
So, that meddlesome Sorcerer thinks he can send his little child back in time to thwart my plans.
The gauntleted hand clenched into a tight fist.
This was bad.
He was still too weak to move too far on the planet he had landed upon. Using all six Infinity Stones had all but sucked him dry of energy. When he had awoken after the battle on Earth, he had barely been able to move an inch for nearly two whole days.
Had he the other stones he might've been able to recover a lot quicker. At least if he had the Space Stone, he would be able to easily travel through space-time and crush the brat before she went too far and ruined everything for him, if she hadn't done so already.
He grimaced, casting his thoughts back to the battle on Titan. The young girl had barely landed any hit, and even when she did, it was a mere tickle upon his skin. However, what she lacked in experience and brute strength, she made up for in guile and craft.
It's always the small ones that do the worst damage.
He snorted to himself, remembering how quietly she had snuck up on him and used those golden webs of energy to trap and hold his legs while those other buffoons had tried to take the gauntlet off him. He had barely heard her move, and his race was well known to have senses far beyond those of ordinary humans and even some Asgardians.
It seems I have underestimated you, little one.
Thanos's jaw clenched as he continued to stare down the bright image of the girl in his mind's eye.
But not again. One way or another, I will find you, and when I do, I will not hesitate to rip that stone from your cold dead fingers.
Holy crap-holy crap-holy crap! Where the hell am I?
Via silently panicked as she stared, wide-eyed up at the ceiling. She was laying on a slab, dressed in what appeared to be a white hospital gown. However, this room was not as warm nor as comforting as any hospital she had visited.
For one thing, the walls and ceiling were a disgusting shade of dirty grey. Secondly, she was shackled tight to the slab with metal cuffs around her wrists, upper arms and just above the ankles.
But the pièce de résistance had to be small flag poking out of a pencil holder on a nearby laboratory table — a red flag, with a white circle and a black swastika in the centre.
Wait a moment. Black swastika on red flag-HOLY SHIT! NONONONONONONOO! You've got to be kidding me?!
She almost fainted then and there on the slab, but she sucked in a deep breath as she looked back up at the ceiling.
This was bad. This was very very bad.
Trust her luck to end up in Nazi-freaking-Germany! Or at least, behind Nazi-Freaking-German lines.
The Time Stone could've dumped her behind Allied lines but nooo! Like so many times before, life decided to crap all over her, chew on her and then spit her back out.
She scowled at the artificial light above her. Somewhere in whatever afterlife existed, she could swear that a pale, bald woman in gold robes was smirking smugly down at her with amusement.
First the Infinity War, now the Second World War? Seriously, would it kill the Universe to just cut me some slack for once?
She sighed as she looked down to her chest and saw the Web of Asibikaashi still resting over her breast, while her golden dragon bracelets glimmered on her wrists.
But where was her sling ring?
Her stomach lurched as she thrashed on the slab, doing her best to see around the room for her clothes. Crap! The Time Stone had been in her belt if anyone had seen it-
Thank god!
She sighed in relief as she caught sight of her clothes spread out over another lab table, the contents of her belt neatly laid out above its buckle.
She turned the hand nearest the table over so that her palm was raised and concentrated as hard as she could. It was a hard slog. Her body was still exhausted, but thankfully her reserves of mystic energy seemed to have recovered a little, even if it almost wholly depleted as she summoned the sling ring back into her hand.
With an impeccable speed, it shot straight into her hand, which quickly clenched around it tight just as something creaked behind her.
Shutting her eyes again, she strained her ears to listen as what sounded like a couple of people strode into the room.
"So…this is the girl that snuck onto my facility is it?" a cold yet commanding masculine voice spat in a guttural form of German.
"Apparently yes, it is" another man answered, also in German. However, his tones were softer and gentler than his companion as he strode over to where Via lay.
His touch was careful and precise as he reached down and pressed two fingers against her wrist to feel her pulse.
"Hmm…Her pulse seems stronger. And her fever has gone down…" the doctor, or whoever he was, carefully touched her forehead and despite herself, Via found her heart aching horribly in her chest as her thoughts turned to Stephen.
Had he been here to look after her, he would've been fussing over her like a mother hen with a stethoscope, muttering sarcastically under his breath all the while like the grumpy old fart he was.
No sooner had the affectionate thought crossed her mind, did she feel another
She felt a wall of body heat suddenly zoom up by her side, though it felt more menacing than that of the doctor's. It took all she had not to shiver as a large leather gloved hand suddenly plucked a stray golden curl away from her face.
"Such a lovely specimen. I wouldn't be surprised if she had Nordic blood in her. A shame she is probably one of our enemies."
"Really? She doesn't look like a spy. For one thing, she wasn't exactly dressed to blend in" the doctor frowned, and the other cold voice chuckled and sneered.
"One doesn't need to be a spy to be a threat, doctor. And in any case, look at her body. Such muscle tone can only be attained through vigorous training in hand to hand combat."
The gloved hand drew away, and Via mentally sighed in relief, only to feel as if a bucket of ice-cold water had been thrown over her as the cold voice suddenly switched to English.
"Isn't that right my dear?"
Shit. Shit-shit-shit-shit-shit.
Via froze her breath all but catching in her throat.
"Come on now Fräulein. Open your eyes. We both know you're awake."
Reluctantly Via did what she was told, wincing as the artificial light from above once again blinded her. It was quick to be covered by a shadow, one that made Via's stomach lurch.
He was pale with slightly pointed features and dark brown hair that was slicked back. He was wearing a long black trench coat, buttoned up and fastened around the waist with a black belt with a silver belt buckle. Over each of the shoulders of the jacket was a circular red symbol of a skull from which six tentacles were spewing out from.
No way…no f-ing way!
She gulped as the man sneered down at her, his voice quiet and amused.
"Do you know who I am, Child?"
Of course, she knew who he was. Though she had never met him in person, she had seen his face many times both in the Avengers files and in her history textbooks at school.
Johann Schmidt, the Red Skull himself. The old nemesis of her friend Captain America and the ex- no - current leader of Hydra. But his face, it wasn't red nor skull-like.
So wait, hang on, is he the Red Skull yet or is he still just human?
But was he human? If the horror stories Steve Rogers had told her were right, she was currently face-to-face with one of the cruellest, inhumane madmen of the twentieth century. A madman who would have no trouble dumping her still weak carcass in a gas chamber with a click of his finger.
Via shook her head hoping that her face betrayed none of her true dread.
"Do not bother trying to hide it, child. I can see you are afraid. However, you need not worry. We don't have to be enemies, all you need to do is answer my questions. Do you understand?" Schmidt sneered down at her and Via bristled.
If this offer was meant to ease her mind, it was not working. Answer his questions? If she opened her mouth he'd know at once she was American and then she'd be right and royally screwed.
Seeing her hesitation, Schmidt rolled his eyes and glared down at her angrily.
"I said do you understand girl?"
Via just stayed silent, and though she was afraid, her blue eyes held his gaze with stubborn determination.
He was standing behind her head now, looming over her from behind so that his body blocked out the light above.
Her fingers gripped her sling ring tighter in her palm.
Though he didn't have a red skull, Via could see the gaunt chiselled outlines of his bones from her spot below, a shadow of the real monster that lurked beneath the skin.
"I know you can hear me" he snarled down at her "And we know you can speak. My soldiers heard you murmuring in your sleep. Now either you can I will ask you again Answer me!"
Via bit down on her tongue
Had this been any other interrogation he'd have his prey blubbering all their deepest darkest secrets. But this girl was just stubbornly silent. Was she British? American? Did she belong to any of the Allied nations? Was she a spy?
But as the doctor had said before, she certainly hadn't dressed for spy work. Schmidt frowned as he glanced over to the table where her previous muddy clothes had been folded neatly along with all her other personal effects.
The material was sturdy but lightweight, the blue and gold standing out starkly against the grey of the wall behind. While the sleeveless hooded blue coat was indeed western, her black under tunic and pants were of Oriental design.
Then there were the girl's bracelets on her arms. His officers had tried to take them off her arms earlier, but they hadn't been able to make them budge an inch. It was like they had been glued to her skin. Much like the strange little gold and blue woven pendant, she wore around her pale, slender neck.
Schmidt's dark eyes narrowed as he eyed the two twisting golden dragons on each wrist, nostrils flaring as he caught sight of the small runes etched into their scales. He knew those markings. He had seen them once before. But where?
"Not that talkative are you little Fräulein." He sneered down at her "Well that is no matter. I will get you to talk, one way or another, though I'd much rather I not have to persuade you. You have a pretty face; I'd hate to have to ruin it."
Oh my god! Why is it, every time I face a murdering torturing despot they always threaten to mangle my "pretty face" first? You'd think they'd think of something more original to threaten me with for once? I mean, what about my legs, arms or really, anything else?
Via mentally rolled her eyes, though she managed to keep her mouth shut, despite the desperate urge she felt to spit in said despot's face.
Schmidt's lip curled with frustration. Though she was still clearly terrified of him, something was cunning and calculating about the way she was assessing him.
He didn't like it one bit. He was the interrogator. He should be the one picking her apart piece by piece!
He quickly checked his pocket and pulled out an ornate silver pocket watch with the Nazi eagle embossed upon the back.
"It would seem our little chat will have to wait, Fräulein. I have other important things to attend to. But rest assured, one way or another I will make you talk."
And with that he turned on his heel and strode out of the room, leaving Via and the doctor alone.
As soon as the door was shut behind him, the doctor above her sighed. He was an older man with greying dark hair and beard and thin-rimmed circular glasses. As he looked at his charge his eyes were curious, and his small smile was surprisingly kind, not at all like Schmidt's sneer. For some reason, he too looked oddly familiar, though Via could not pinpoint exactly where she'd seen his face.
She stiffened as he approached her, holding up an old-fashioned thermometer in his hand.
"Now if you wouldn't mind opening your mouth so I can take your temperature," he said softly, though his accent was far smoother and gentler than Schmidt's harsh tones.
Dutifully she opened her mouth and let him check her temperature. After a few years of living with a doctor, she was no stranger to check-ups. Not to mention, she wasn't exactly in any position to refuse medical help…that's If the doctor was going to help her…
As if sensing her apprehension, the man gave her a small amused smirk.
"Don't worry. I'm not here to harm you. You were in a rather bad state when the soldiers brought you in from the rain."
She nodded, still maintaining her silence. The man seemed kindly, and yet downright familiar. In her mind's eye, she could see the face peer out of a page of one of her history textbooks, though the name remained infuriatingly blurred.
He had been on the allies side, she had been sure of it, for the picture she'd seen him in was the one with the American troops.
So then why was he here with Hydra?
Seeing her bewilderment, the doctor's smile softened ever so slightly.
"You're not very talkative, are you. Though I guess, that's understandable given the circumstances. Between you and me, Schmidt isn't exactly the friendliest of captors" he added with a grunt and Via quickly saw his eyes hardened with hatred as he said the madman's name. Even as she looked him over again, she could see the faint bruises around the doctor's wrists, as if he'd been held in tight shackles.
"not friendly is putting it mildly" She sighed before she could stop herself, her slightly raspy voice piercing through the air like a sharp knife.
"Ah…so you're American?" The doctor's smirk widened. "Not quite what I expected but still it's a start. And since you're finally talking, might I ask what your name is?"
"…Freyja. Freyja Sömmers" Via mumbled, hoping against hope that he wouldn't notice her anxious look on her face.
She was never good at lying, though technically she was not lying about much. Her middle name was Freyja after her mother, and Sömmers was the Germanic spelling of her surname Summers. She just hoped it would be enough to keep Schmidt at bay when he finally found out she spoke.
Almost as if guessing her thoughts, the doctor put a gentle hand on her shoulder.
"Do not worry, I won't betray you to Schmidt, though if the situation does arise and he threatens you, I'm afraid I won't have much choice."
"I understand" Via nodded, grateful for his honesty. After all, it wasn't his fault he was forced into servitude to that monster.
Seeing her finally relax the doctor reached forwards and began loosening the straps on her arms.
"There, that should help you feel a little more comfortable."
"Thank you …uh…"
"Erskine. Doctor Abraham Erskine"
"Thank you, Doctor Erskine." Via gulped, doing her best to continue breathing as there was a knock at the room door.
Via quickly shut her mouth as two young German soldiers marched into the room, their faces stiff and stern as the doctor straightened up.
"Doctor Erskine! Herr Schmidt is requesting your presence in his office" one of the young men barked.
"Of course, just let me put my gear away and I will be with you" Erskine nodded at the two men, but not before giving a comforting glance down at Via, who remained silent as he left the room.
Once the door had shut behind him and the two men, Via let herself melt back into the metal slab.
She did have the strangest luck in the universe.
Her entire world had fallen apart around her, and she had survived. Then she'd travelled back in time to the second world war, only to be stranded behind Nazi German lines. Then she met the Red Skull, just he wasn't the red skull yet, and now she had met Doctor Erskine himself, the very creator of the super soldier serum that had helped make one of her dearest friends into the hero she knew and fought alongside.
So if Schmidt isn't Red Skull yet but the war is still being fought that would mean I landed somewhere uh…wait when did the war start? Oh yeah, 1939. And Steve only became Captain America in 1941…that would mean I'm somewhere in…uh… 1940?
She frowned to herself turning over her clenched hand to look down into the time stone wrapped deep inside it. It thankfully was not glowing anymore. If anything, it had turned a rather dull greyish green. Perhaps it too was feeling drained.
Well, that's just perfect. I've drained an infinity stone after only using it once. Well done Via, well done.
With another heavy sigh, she looked back up at the ceiling wondering just how she was going to get out of this mess.
Doctor Stephen Strange looked around the space around him.
He was standing in an orange mist, the sky, or air above his head tinged a golden orange. Nobody else was around him.
However, he didn't feel as if he were alone. He looked down over his chest where on a thin chord a small dreamcatcher with blue and red strings about the size of a quarter sat. The magic of the item had long since worn off, but still, he wore it just as proudly as any of his other relics on his person.
I hope she's alright.
He wondered quietly as he shut his eyes and did his best to focus on the energies he could feel swirling around him.
Despite his current isolation, he could feel many souls still buzzing around him. It felt rather like being a part of an invisible swarm of bees.
And amidst this swarm one force of great magnitude stuck out like a sore thumb.
Damn, he's recovering.
Stephen's fists clenched by his sides as he felt the presence approach him quickly. With a couple of quick sweeps of his hands, the Sorcerer Supreme cast an invisibility spell over himself. No sooner had the spell been cast than did someone all but stumble straight through the mist towards him.
A tall, hulking purple figure, wearing a golden gauntlet.
"I know you're there, Sorcerer." Thanos sneered angrily as Stephen quietly slid back into the mist, still invisible. "You think you're so clever, scattering the stones and sending your little apprentice to search for them. Such a small thing and yet what power she has. It will be amusing to capture her and break her apart. Who knows, maybe I'll free you from this place and let you watch as I snap her neck."
Stephen said nothing, though he felt his gut burn with a fresh wave of hot anger as he watched the mad Titan's lip curl.
"Hide all you want. I will still find you…and I will make you suffer sorcerer, you mark my words."
And with that he vanished in a flash of orange light, leaving the still invisible Doctor Strange alone in the orange mist, scarred hands clenched tight as he prayed silently in his head.
God, Olivia, please be alright.
It had been hours since Via had been taken prisoner by Johann Schmidt.
Shortly after her check-up from Doctor Erskine, a couple of German soldiers barged in carrying what looked like greyish-blue and white striped pyjamas. A chill ran through Via at the sight of the garments, whereupon the left breast she could see a series of letters and numbers stitched into the fabric.
Holy crap Via just chill. It's okay. It's just a pair of pyjamas…you're just putting on a pair of pyjamas…normal every day, striped pyjamas with what looks like a serial code stitched into it. Yeah…totally normal…
She gulped down her nerves as she examined the clothes.
Oh, who am I kidding? I'm more screwed than a cockroach in a house about to be fumigated. God, I hope I don't get gassed…
Turning her back on the soldiers, who didn't look like they'd move anywhere, she got dressed, quickly using a small bit of magic to hook the sling ring with the time stone onto the cord of her dreamcatcher necklace, which she quickly hid under the collar of her shirt.
Such perverts.
She bristled uncomfortably as she saw the reflections of her two sentinels in the small mirror on the laboratory table. Both were watching her with hungry licentious eyes. She could only suppose they hadn't gotten laid in a while given that they were fighting in a war.
Still, that didn't mean they had to ogle her like starving lions would a piece of meat.
She was even more disconcerted when they escorted her outside the room, one of them sneaking a small brush of his fingers against her behind. It took all she had not to grab his wrist and snap it in two with her bare fingers.
She was led through what appeared to be a large labyrinthine underground bunker. All around her soldiers and scientists alike were milling about urgently between rooms, arguing, laughing. The sounds were all mingling and melting together even as she and her guards approached a set of stairs.
Quickly she was dragged down several flights, her captors not caring for her comfort nor for her pain as their hands bruised her already aching arms.
They swiftly led her through a door, grey and painted with black letters that spelt out two horrible words.
"Test Subjects"? Wow, they really aren't sugar coating anything down here huh?
Via bit, her lip as she stepped over the threshold only to jolt in fright as something loud clanged to her right.
It was a man, a hunched very malnourished man. He was wearing the same blue and white striped ensemble she was, though unlike her, his skin was chalk white and his equally pale hair was thinning, much like his sanity appeared to be.
Via reeled back as he clawed at her through the bars of his cage, for that was what surrounded him. A pen, with thick, heavy metal bars, much like the ones Via had seen in a documentary about animal poachers. It was so short, the man had to all but double over to stand inside it like an Igor.
It barely had room enough for him to lie across it diagonally let alone straight. In the corner closest to the cage door, she could see two small dog bowls. One was filled with water, the other had the glistening remains of what appeared to be gruel. Or at least she assumed it was gruel, because she could still see bits of it smeared around the hunchback's mouth.
"Come on, get a move on!" one of the guards barked in rough German as he shoved her to keep walking ahead of him and his friend.
Via felt her heart sink as she passed by more and more cages, each one just as miserable as the last. Not all prisoners were as manic or as rabid as the first, though Via didn't know if that was worse or not.
Some merely lay or sat catatonic in corners of their cages. Other's, those select few that had space to move, paced up and down, many muttering in hushed almost manic whispers. One man was sitting with his back towards her, slowly and repeatedly bashing his head against the bars of his cage and groaning.
But the one thing that caught Via's attention more than anything was the fact that they were all men.
So that's why Schmidt's keeping me alive…He needs a female test subject for whatever…whatever he's doing to these poor guys…
She gulped as she was led into a cage at the far end of the room. Thankfully it was one of the bigger ones, with just enough room for her to stand, even if it wasn't wide enough for her to lie flat on her back.
OW!
She scowled back at one of her guards he roughly shoved her into the bars at the back, chuckling amusedly as she rubbed her now bruised forehead.
Jerk!
She snarled at him as he shut the door to her cell and walked off with his fellow guard back down the length of the room. Via felt her stomach turn over in disgust as the pair of men started harassing one of the other inmates, a thin skeletal figure that sat drooling and moaning on the floor in a haze.
Jesus just what the hell are they doing to these men?
There was a grunt beside her, and Via jumped, only to see one of her fellow inmates staring at her with unblinking sleep-deprived eyes.
Via quickly turned away, doing her best to avoid his stare as she shuffled over to the farthest corner of her cage. She sat down quickly, curling her head into her knees and shutting her eyes, willing herself to take deep even breaths.
If she could block out all these horrible sounds, then maybe, just maybe, she could get some sleep, rest for a little bit and figure out what she was going to do to escape.
No matter how hard she tried, her head was just a whir of doubt and fear.
What can I do? What the hell can I do? My powers are drained, and I'm imprisoned in the nuthouse by one of the biggest psychopaths in existence with no help whatsoever. There's no way I'm going to get out of this any time soon.
Or so she thought.
For little did she know, that somewhere in the floors above Doctor Abraham Erskine was talking with someone in the shadows of a dark corridor.
"An American? Are you sure?" a feminine posh British accent hissed in the dark.
"I'm positive. There's no mistaking her accent." the doctor paused as he looked at the shadow. "I'm guessing by your surprise she's not one of your allies?"
"No, I was the only one sent in to infiltrate this base." The woman, muttered thoughtfully "But you don't think she's another spy?"
"If she is then she can't be a very good one" Erskine snorted "She might not have said a word to Schmidt, but when he questioned her, her face was an open book. Then again, she was smart enough to give me a fake name when we talked, so perhaps she might pull through yet."
The woman's shadow paused and hummed quietly to herself.
Finally, after a minute or so she asked:
"When is your next appointment with her?"
"Tomorrow morning" Erskine frowned "But you'll have to wait till later to meet her face to face. Schmidt will be there; he wants to break her silence as soon as possible."
"We cannot let that happen," the woman said firmly "Once he finds out she is American he'll all but flay her alive."
"I know. I'll try to keep him occupied-"
There was a thump on the other side of a wall.
"Quick you must leave before you are discovered" Erskine whispered hurriedly to the woman who nodded briskly as she made her way towards the door.
"I'll meet with you tomorrow night. Till then stay safe and keep an eye on the girl"
"I will. Good luck" Erskine nodded, but already the woman had disappeared out of sight down the corridor.
When Via woke up next it was to the loud cacophony of metal banging upon metal.
Wincing she opened her eyes and was greeted by the sight of another German guard standing outside her cell door. One of them was carrying a dog bowl, filled with lumpy gruel. There wasn't even a spoon.
What the hell does he expect me to do? Bury my face in it and eat like a dog?
Via glared at him venomously as he all but tossed the bowl through a horizontal flap set into the bottom of the cage door, spilling some of the food to the floor.
He wasn't the only one. His fellow guard all but flung the bowl through one of the narrow bars in the cage opposite her, narrowly missing its occupant who was quick to rush to lick at the gluggy spilt remains on the floor.
For the hundredth time since she'd arrived at this hellhole, Via's stomach began churning with anger.
It was one thing to be locked in a cage, but to be treated like an animal…
No…keep it together girl you've got work to do today.
And by work she meant, find a way out of this cell. So, it was with very cautious hands she took the bowl of gruel from the floor and held it up to her mouth, sipping at one of the edges carefully.
Her guard blinked in surprise at her as she managed to sip at her bowl in a dignified manner. She smirked as she caught sight of his disappointment as she paused to dab at the corners of her mouth in a ladylike fashion before resuming her eating.
When she was done, she slid the bowl through the hole at the guard's feet and sat back down, crossing her legs as she assumed a lotus position and shut her eyes.
She'd barely recovered any of her energy, but if she was going to survive here behind enemy lines, she'd need to do this spell, and do it soon before Schmidt could figure out what she really was.
She'd only ever done this spell successfully once before, and even then it had been a struggle to get right.
She waited until both the guards had left the prison before quickly turning to face the wall just next to the bars of her cell.
God, I hope this works.
"Eaque cum altera per os meum lingua opens, ut de hac terra potest audivit, et scriptus est [By this spell when next my mouth opens, may the language of this land be heard, written and spoken]"* she whispered, raising her hands to her mouth. She sucked in a deep breath, so deep she could feel the energy seep down into her very toes, before exhaling gently.
From her mouth, a blue mist spread out onto fingers and palms, which she quickly passed over her throat and ears and all over her face, inhaling it as she went.
She could feel her body deflating even as the last vesper of blue mist was sucked into her nose and gulped down into her lungs.
She knew it had worked, for at that moment she heard the door to the dungeon clang open and several voices starting to bark.
At first, all she heard was garbled rough German, then slowly but surely as she opened her eyes and turned to face the source of the noise, she heard it.
"-get the girl into the cuffs. Quick! Or else Herr Schmidt will have our heads!"
It was strange; she noticed as she allowed her new posse of guards to drag her out of the cell. She could hear the German words as she had before, yet when they arrived in her head, they did so in perfect English.
She was going to have to be careful when talking between the Germans and the allies now; she snorted to herself as she was forced up a set of stairs. For now, when she spoke, they'd all be able to understand her, no matter whether she was addressing friend or foe.
She made no sound as she was led out a set of doors and into what appeared to be the small but lavish hall at the end of which stood a grand winding staircase. Wherever her prison was situated must've been an underground bunker to some fancy manor house or something.
Priceless paintings, sculptures and decorations adorned the walls. She could've sworn she'd seen a priceless Da Vinci masterpiece as she ascended the staircase with her guards.
Finally, after ascending the staircase, they were quick to be shown to a grand study, lined with bookcases and antique furniture.
But Olivia had no time to admire the room as she was shoved towards the large oak desk behind which Johann Schmidt sat. He struck an intimidating figure as he leaned back slowly in his leather seat, dictating a letter to a gorgeous blonde German female officer in a black skirt and uniform, while a brunette maid cleaned the fireplace behind his desk.
So not only a Fascist pig, but a creepy one too.
Via rolled her eyes as she noticed said pig's eyes were roving over the stockinged legs of the blonde military woman, who stopped quickly as the guards and Via approached the desk.
"Sir, the girl, is here as requested" one of the guards grunted shoving Via in front of him so that she came into view.
Behind Schmidt, the brunette maid looked up, and Via felt her gut jolt. She knew that face. Darn it! It looked so familiar but she just couldn't-
She was quickly pulled out of her thoughts as Schmidt suddenly barked to the room at large in German.
"That will be all Gerda, you may return to your desk and finish the rest of those files. Eva!" he snapped at the maid who stood quickly to her feet, scuttle and brush in hand and head bowed to avoid attention. "Attend to the fireplace in our guest's room and then return here in two hours to finish your work."
"Of course, sir" the maid, Eva, bobbed her head as she passed Via by, so quickly that her face was a blur, much to the younger girl's frustration.
"Leave us" Schmidt coughed at her guards who hesitated, but were swift to leave their leader and prisoner alone.
Via wished they would've stayed. The silence that filled the room after they left was deafening, and it wasn't helped by Schmidt staring her down like a carrion bird gazing at a dead carcass.
"So…my guards tell me you still refuse to speak?" Schmidt smirked in English as he stepped around her.
Via said nothing, but she kept her eyes trained on him as he began to circle her, looking her form up and down. Not that she could see any reason why he would, especially since the prison pyjamas she wore did nothing to flatter her shape.
"Yet you certainly are not mute. Doctor Erskine checked your throat and mouth and found no signs of damage, so I must assume you're keeping your silence out of sheer will." he smirked as he stepped around her back "You cannot be German, or at least speak German, for if you could you would try to use that to your advantage. So then what are you? French?"
He then proceeded to ask her a question in French, much to her dismay. She had always sucked at French. Even in high school, she'd never gotten good marks in it, and the spell she had just cast downstairs only worked to let her understand German (and even then its effects were only temporary).
She had not considered that he might try to use other European languages. Thanks to her sorcery education she was fluent in Latin, but who bothered to speak that anymore? The only other foreign language she was semi-fluent in was Spanish, but what use would Spanish be here in Nazi Germany?
"Not French? Then again I should've expected that." Schmidt snorted under his breath "No…you speak English. I am sure of it. You are not British. You're not pompous and proud enough for that. American then…" he paused to examine her face.
To her credit, Via managed to keep a blank neutral expression, though her fists were clenched tight into her sides. She could feel the time-stone sling ring in her pocket, warm from her body heat, but otherwise inactive and thankfully unnoticed by anyone.
"Still not talking?" Schmidt sneered, and she could see the irritation mounting in his eyes as he loomed over her.
She met his piercing gaze with what she hoped was resolute determination, though some of her fear must've shown because he chuckled softly in her face.
"Stubborn American it is. Yet these trinkets" he reached out to grab her left wrist where her dragon bracelet glimmered "Nordic runes, with spells of protection. A queer thing for an American to wield, unless your family came from Scandinavia…hmm…now that I look at you, your face does look extraordinarily familiar…"
Oh crap-oh crap-oh freaking crap…
Via sucked in a sharp breath and shivered as he stroked a gloved hand over the shape of her face.
"Of course, how could I have not seen it before." He murmured in awe as he tilted her head to the side by the chin to examine her profile. "Golden hair, fair skin, those fine cheekbones, though you have yet to grow out of all your puppy fat" he added with a smirk as he stepped back. "Yes…yes that would explain the strange clothes…Yes…You are the spitting image of Lord Leif Sorenson."
Damn…
Via shut her eyes. God how she hated her mother's family sometimes. She'd lost count of how many times their strong genetic resemblance had gotten her into trouble with her enemies.
And Stephen wonders why I still like to use Summers as my surname? Tch!
She sighed as she opened her eyes, only to find Schmidt had stepped away and was leaning back against his desk, appraising her with a calculating stare.
"Hmm…A Sorenson under my very roof…though obviously, you are not one of the main family, not with those eyes of yours" he pointed to her bright blue eyes. "No…the true Sorenson always has the grey eyes. You must be one of Lord Sorenson's sister's spawn then. I heard she settled not too long ago in America herself."
Despite herself, Via couldn't help but let out a derisive snort under her breath.
The asshole! If only he knew who he was talking to. Her mother was the direct descendant of Lief Sorenson and thus so was she. She was perhaps the closest thing to a pure Sorenson, Schmidt was ever going to meet face to face. Not that she could ever tell anyone.
And thus the interrogation continued.
For two hours Via stood there maintaining her silence while Schmidt tried to guess more about her identity.
Shortly after his discovery of her family name, his questions began to drag on slowly, and his aggravation was starting to show. So it came to be, two hours after she'd first arrived in his care...
"For the last time girl, I ORDER YOU TO SPEAK!"
Via winced as she was shoved up against the hard marble on the side of the fireplace mantlepiece. She could feel her arms beginning to bruise from where he had gripped her arms. He might not have had the super serum yet, but he was still a strong man.
It took all she had not to act on instinct and kick him in the balls as he snarled down at her.
No…I gotta keep my mouth shut.
She gritted her teeth as one of his hands wrapped around her throat, yet before he could make the squeeze, there was a knock at the door.
"Herr Schmidt!" the lady officer, Gerda's voice called through the door. "Doctor's Zola and Erskine are here for your meeting."
"Send them in!" Schmidt barked, and as the door opened, he threw her to the rug covered floor.
She landed with a hard thud, her head hitting the floor hard. But that wasn't important. Swiftly as she dared, she quickly snatched the time stone sling ring from the carpet and stuffed it into her pyjama pocket, thanking her lucky stars that Schmidt was focused on the entrance of the two doctors.
Erskine had not changed since yesterday, though the bruises around his wrists had lessened ever so slightly. He looked very uncomfortable as he stood side by side with Doctor Zola, a short round slimy faced man who somewhat reminded Via of a bloodsucking leech.
"Herr Schmidt" Zola simpered in a high pitched nasally whine "I do hope we weren't interrupting?"
"Not at all, Doctor. I was wrapping up with this one" Schmidt spat as he walked over to a drinks cabinet to his left and poured himself some whiskey. "A stubborn little mule, then again, I should've expected nothing less from a Sorenson."
"A Sorenson?" Erskine's eyes widened as he glanced down worriedly at Via on the floor "surely you don't mean like Lord Sorenson, the man-"
"Who gave me this during the battle of Trondheim last year. Yes", Schmidt gruffly pointed to the small dark badge pinned to his uniform close to the Iron Cross. Via recognised it at once as an old German Wound Badge.
"But don't you worry, I will soon pay him back in kind soon enough." He sneered down at Via who bit her lip as she caught sight of the savage gleam in his dark eyes. "I do hope you live up to your family name miss Sorenson. You've come so far with her stubbornness, it would be such a shame if you were to break so soon."
He looked up at Erskine who stiffened under his gaze.
"Take her out of my sight, get her cleaned up and prepare her for the first round of tests. Zola, stay here, I need to talk with you about yesterday's experiments."
"Of course sir" Zola smirked, though his beady eyes lingered on Via with malicious curiosity as she was helped off the floor gently by Erskine, who was quick to usher her out of the room.
Once they were down the corridor and out of sight and hearing, he whispered in her ear.
"Are you alright?"
"I think so" Via whispered as she was led into what appeared to be a small suite.
It was mostly bare, save for the bare amenities like a bed, a fireplace, a writing desk and a wardrobe with a working bath and toilet in the next room.
"These are my quarters, we can talk freely in here" Erskine muttered as he shut the door behind her. "But first free to use the bathroom to refresh yourself."
"Th-thank you, but you don't have to-" Via stuttered but Erskine stopped her and shoved a towel into her hands.
"Trust me, miss Somers you're better off bathing up here than down there. Those mongrels guarding you haven't had a woman in months, I wouldn't put it past them to try their luck with you no matter what Schmidt's orders are."
Via was about to roll her eyes in irritation but stopped short as she caught sight of the severe look of the doctor's face. He wasn't overprotective; he was stating pure cold hard facts.
If those men down there were willing to feed her like an animal, what was stopping them from forcing her on all fours and taking her like a dog in heat?
"Thank you doctor" she sighed gratefully before rushing into the bathroom and shutting the door behind her.
Stephen Strange opened his eyes and stared around the Soul Stone Dimension.
All was quiet. Nothing moved amidst the orange mist that surrounded him.
Thanos had given up in searching for him…at least for now, yet there was still nothing Stephen could do to escape this hell hole. Nonetheless, he would try.
Until then he would keep watch over the soul of his ward, whom he had to admit was thankfully not in too much danger…just yet.
But how long will her luck hold out I wonder?
The Sorcerer Supreme sighed to himself as he floated sitting cross-legged in the air.
His blood boiled as he remembered the cage he'd watched her sleep in on her first night.
He knew it would be difficult watching her go through this, but it didn't quite hit him just how much she was going to suffer, and this was only the beginning of her mission!
I'm so sorry Olivia. I swear when all this is over, I will make it up to you.
Stephen? He heard a voice echo in his head. Stephen is that you?
He shut his eyes and at once was visited by a vision of none other than Olivia Summers. She was sitting in a bathtub, eyes closed as she focused her energy on the Time Stone, she'd embedded into her sling ring that rested over her fingers.
I'm right here Olivia. Where are you?
Erskine's bath. He's letting me use it, so I won't have to be uh…bathed by the dumbass guards' downstairs. What's going on? Why can I hear you in my head?
I am in the soul stone. And you can hear me because of our connection through the Time Stone. Stephen sighed in relief.
I saw Schmidt interrogating you, how are you holding up?
Lousy. Via admitted quietly. Honestly, Stephen, I don't know how much longer I can keep quiet around him. If I keep going like this, I'm sure he's going to kill me out of sheer frustration.
Just hold your ground you'll do fine. Stephen assured her gently, though she could feel the worry radiating off him in waves.
Don't worry; I'm watching you all the way, I won't let anything happen to you.
You can't promise me that. Via shook her head in exasperation, and Stephen rolled his eyes.
Oh yeah, watch me.
You worry wart. Seriously one of these days-
Via suddenly opened her eyes stopped.
Stephen stiffened as he felt a rush of her fear flood from her mind into his.
Olivia?
Someone else is here. And with that, he felt the connection between then suddenly snap to a close.
And not a moment too soon.
There was the thundering of footsteps nearby, and Stephen looked up just in time to see the dark hulking silhouette appear only in the distance through the mist.
Swiftly as a shadow, Stephen vanished yet again, cursing his luck as the Mad Titan approached his hiding spot nostrils flared with anger.
"I'm impressed you've still got the energy to hide Sorcerer" Thanos sneered to the mist. "I was sure your human form wouldn't be able to stand much more use of your magic like this"
That makes two of us
Stephen snorted as he drifted to hide in another part of the soul world, his body juddering as the pressure of the cloaking spell began to leach into his dwindling reserves of energy.
He had to find help soon and fast. Most of the souls in here were unconscious and unmoving, not quite alive and sentient like he, yet also not dead. He had yet to meet another soul like himself who was conscious that could help him. That just begged the question…how was he awake?
Was it because he had touched an infinity stone? If that were so that would explain why Thanos too was one of the few beings awake. Obviously, the two of them couldn't be the only handlers of the stones, so that just begged the question who else could be awake.
It looks like I have a bit of soul searching to do.
He smirked at his bad pun, his chest stinging as he imagined Via delivering one of her infamous annoyed eye rolls at him.
She'll get through this. We all will.
To say that Via was surprised to hear Stephen Strange's voice in her head was an understatement. She had merely been focusing her energy upon her time stone sling ring, or as she was now going to call it the Time Ring.
She was trying to focus on its energies, try to attune herself to sense their specific essence. If she could learn to detect it from a distance, then at least if she lost it she'd have some chance of being able to find it.
What she had not expected was to be able to communicate with the soul of her missing foster father slash mentor who was stuck in another dimension.
Then again Stephen did say the Time stone transcended space-time. Maybe it can negate the Soul stone's powers too?
Via cupped some of the bath water into her hands and looked down into her faint reflection.
But if that's the case then maybe there's a chance I can go back and free everyone instead…but no that won't work. The time stone only connects me to Stephen because of our bond…I'd probably need something like the space stone to travel between worlds…
She sighed heavily as she let the water drop back into the bathtub and trailed her finger over the surface.
At once it stilled under her touch, its colour instantly darkening as several shapes became visible in it. Forms that weren't reflections from the room around it.
A green stoned ring in her hand. An amber stone in a golden gauntlet worn by a giant purple arm. A purple stone encased in a silvery orb. A swirling red and black mass, hidden in a dark chasm. A yellow stone hidden in a blue gem set in a golden sceptre held on a tall plinth — a blue cube, hidden behind the eye of a stone serpent at the base of a tree.
She knew all these sights well, but it was the seventh shape that eluded her. Unlike the others which were all clear images before her eyes, this one was blurred and distorted.
There was a sharp knock on the bathroom door, and she all but jumped in the bathwater.
"Ahem! Excuse me miss, would you come out, please. There is someone here who'd like to speak to you" Doctor Erskine called through the door, he sounded very urgent.
Quick as a flash, Via stood up and dried herself off with the towel and drained the bathtub. She glanced up at the small clock that hung on the wall furthest from her.
Damn…took too long. But it felt so good.
She grumbled to herself as she rung out her damp golden curls and put her drab prisoner uniform back on. Once she was done with the slippers, she opened the door a crack and peered outside curiously.
Erskine was standing in the room with his back towards her facing a woman. A maid. The very same maid that had cleaning the fireplace in Schmidt's office. Now that she was closer and her face was no longer obscured or bent down to the ground, Via could see her face clearly, and boy did it look eerily familiar.
No…f-ing…way!
She had a lovely face that was both stern and yet kind. Her brown curls were tied back in a bun away from her face, and her brown eyes were shrewd as they glanced at the bathroom door.
Erskine turned around to follow her gaze and smiled gently as he caught sight of Via's wide eyes.
"Ah, good there you are. I was wondering if you'd fallen asleep."
"I-I didn't" though I was sorely tempted to. Via finished in her head as she sidled through the bathroom door and shut it tight behind her.
"Sorry, I didn't know you were uh…expecting company?" she glanced at Erskine in confusion.
"He wasn't" the brunette maid gave her a small smile "But given your circumstances, I felt that I should meet with you as soon as possible, Miss Freyja Somers?"
She spoke in fluent English, no not just fluent. Her voice was so British, posh and polished that even the brass doorknobs seemed dull in comparison. It certainly made Via's New York accent sound rough and coarse in comparison as she croaked.
"Wait-how did you-how did she?" she glanced helplessly to Erskine for help.
"You didn't tell her?" the maid turned to Erskine with vague annoyance.
"I haven't had much time to" Erskine rolled his eyes, "I told you, Schmidt's had me working all night."
"I guess we'll have to make do" the woman sighed and strode over to Via.
"What's your name? Your real name, not the fake name you gave Doctor Erskine."
"…Olivia…Olivia Strange! Mam." Via spluttered her gut sinking in her stomach at the once again hopeless lie. Though technically she wasn't lying. She was Stephen's adoptive daughter. Legally she could take his name if she wanted to.
"Strange? Are you sure?" the woman quirked her brow with narrowed eyes "Because I distinctly heard Schmidt calling you a Sorenson."
"I-I…" Oh great, Via thought wildly. How on earth was she going to lie her way out of this one? If she said she was a Sorenson, she might be able to receive help from her family's allies. However, what if by revealing her identity, she completely derailed her family bloodline? What if she ended up erasing her unborn self by accident?
Oh god, what do I do? What do I do?
She bit her lip, fingering the Time ring in her pocket, feeling a warm flash of energy course through her. She shut her eyes and sucked in a deep breath, feeling the infinity stone give her a small nudge in the back of her mind.
She didn't have to lie completely. She just had to lie enough so that it didn't screw with anything.
"I don't know." She said at last after a pause.
"You don't know?" the woman deadpanned, and Via nodded, not even believing herself as she blurted out.
"No mam. I-I was an orphan. I never knew who my family was."
"I see…" but the woman didn't look too convinced. "And the name Strange-"
"That's the uh…name of the man who adopted and raised me" Via answered with more surety. "He uh…died a-a few months ago. His name was uh…Wong…Wong Strange"
She gulped down the lump in her throat this time to keep herself from pissing her pants with laughter. Again, it wasn't a complete falsehood, then still it wasn't a whole truth either. Both Stephen and Wong had been raising her since she'd started living at the New York Sanctum Sanctorum nearly three years ago. But to mesh the two of them together into a single entity in her head was just so wrong on so many hilarious levels.
Oh god Sorry Stephen, sorry Wong.
"Wong Strange? I…see…" the woman sighed heavily. However, she thankfully did not pursue the matter further, though that may have been because she was disturbed by the chiming of an old tall grandfather clock set in a dark corner of the room.
"We're running low on time." The woman muttered darkly turning her attention back to Via. "Olivia, tell me. Just how badly do you want to escape this place?"
"That depends. How soon you can get me outta here?" Via folded her arms "Also I gotta ask, what's a Brit like yourself doing here under Schmidtty's nose? You obviously aren't here to clean his chimney's."
"I most certainly am not" the woman sniffed haughtily
"I still don't know your name." Via interrupted glancing at the clock. She could feel the Time stone nudging her with its magic as if trying to warn her about something.
We must be running out of time.
Via chewed on her cheek as the woman scanned her face as if wondering if she could trust her. It was a full half minute before she spoke again, her voice quiet as she stepped towards the younger girl.
"My name is Peggy Carter, And I am your best ticket out of here, Olivia Strange."
So here is chapter 2 of Dream-Wanderer.
Very long I know, but I was trying to cram a lot of information in here. So yeah, Via lands first in the events of the original Captain America movie. Actually it's sorta starts before the movie, just when Agent Peggy Carter is rescuing Erskine and bringing him back to the US and just before Red Skull becomes, well, Red Skull. I figured it would be an interesting place to start as many OC's who drop into the Captain America movie tend to be there in Brooklyn.
As for Via's OC ancestors, the Sorenson's, are aristocrats from Norway, and yes they have a very strong genetic resemblance (hence why Via hates using her family name). I figured since Via is good at telling the truth and shit at lying she'd have to either keep her mouth shut if she was going to have a chance facing Schmidt for the first time, especially since he was the head of a villainous organization and he'd probably be able to spot a liar from several miles away.
Then there's also the deal with the Soul Stone. I'm pretty much, making shit up as I go because let's face it, we don't know what's going to go on in the MCU's Soul stone pocket dimension so really anything goes. I'd like to think that Stephen Strange could use his magic inside the pocket dimension, but can't use it to get out, if only becuase it could make things very interesting later on ;)
Anyways, hope you guys enjoyed and please review your thoughts and ideas for later chapters. I'm always open for suggestions.
Cheers,
FuzzyBeta