"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage." - Lao Tzu
SENTINEL OF LIBERTY
Chapter 2: Birth of a Super Soldier
Jon Stoppable felt like an idiot.
He was smaller than the five others being trained for Project Rebirth. He was weaker, shorter, and despite the police training he had gone through, he was rather ill-prepared for the hell he had got himself into. Yet he kept reminding himself that this was what he volunteered for. And as much hell as he was going through now was nothing compared to what Mim and the other soldiers from all the Allied Nations were going through in Europe.
At the moment he was dragging himself under barbed wire, getting dirt kicked in his face by the two men crawling in front of him. He was certain it was purposeful.
He finally made it through the course exhausted but still stood tall and proud with the other five candidates as a jeep approached them and the drill sergeant.
General Barkin, Abraham, and two others exited the vehicle and approached them. "ATEN'HUT!" the Drill Sergeant yelled and they snapped to attention. The two Jon did not know were not dressed as military men, and one was barely sixteen at best. The elder man was in a black body suit with orangey-red highlights and the boy who was as big if not bigger muscularly than General Barkin was in a blue and black body suit and domino mask and his skin had an odd light blue tint.
"This is the best you could find, general?" The boy sneered, looking down his nose at the soldiers and Jon.
"What have I told you about talking down to people, Hego?" the man in the black and red suit narrowed his eyes on the boy.
"My apologies, Father," the boy identified as Hego replied, glancing away.
"One of them is the best this country could hope for," Abraham said, his eyes focused on Jon.
"He's still here?" Barkin asked the drill sergeant.
"I am not surprised," Abraham argued as the group focused on Jon.
"General Patton has said that wars are fought with weapons, but are won by men," Barkin said, pacing before the six men. "Our goal is to create the greatest army in history. But every army begins with one man" The General stopped before Lt. Director of the US Army. "He will be the first of a new breed of Super-Soldier. We are going to win this war because we have the best men. And they, personally, will escort Adolf Hitler to the gates of hell."
"Look at these men, Doctor, Hego, Toro," The General said motioning to the five soldiers. "Finest soldiers the US of A can provide… Lt. Director himself is the highest decorated soldier of his rank."
"It takes more than medals and decoration to make a true Super Soldier, General…" Abraham said, walking back to the jeep. He pulled a grenade from the back and walked back to the group. "Observe," he said as he pulled the pin and tossed it to the ground at the candidates' feet.
Hego released a girlish scream as the five soldiers scattered like a flock of doves. Only Jon stood his ground and dove on the grenade, pulling it into his arms and curling around it. "GET BACK!" he yelled.
After a few moments the five soldiers peaked from their hiding places and Hego moved from behind his father Toro. "Uh…" Jon glanced up at the General and Abraham. "Was this a test?"
The General scowled at him before glancing to Abraham. "He's still skinny."
"Not for long…" he replied, holding out a hand to his young friend.
-A-
Jon sat his bed of his now emptied barracks. He was the one chosen and for the life of him he couldn't understand why. They all deserved this chance more than he did. He'd be happy just peeling potatoes and preparing water for the troops. He wasn't a soldier, let alone a super soldier…
He simply sat there and reread the letter Mim left him while looking at the small photo of himself and her taken at the World's Fair just before she became an outlaw.
"Who's that?" a young voice spoke directly behind him.
Jon stood up and looked around but found himself still alone. "She's pretty!" He turned toward the voice again. He never noticed the little girl moving around directly behind him.
He finally turned quickly and found the fourteen year old girl. She was dressed in a green and black body suit much like Hego's, her long black hair was tied up in a ponytail and her light green skin was speckled with darker freckles. "Hi."
"Uh… hello…" Jon said awkwardly.
"You're gonna be the Super Soldier?" She tilted her head as she rested her hands on her hips. "Mildly cute but I don't see you as being better than me."
"I guess I am and I don't think I'm better than anyone… who are you?" Jon asked the girl.
"You've never heard of me?" She asked in great shock.
"If I did I'd not have asked you…" Jon smiled awkwardly.
"Well then, let me introduce myself," She backflipped up on the bed to be taller than him. "I am Shego the greatest superhero in the history of ever!"
Jon smiled and held out his hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Shego, my name's Jon."
"Nice to meet you, Jonny!" Shego grinned broadly, hopping back down to the floor. "Since the meteor that gave me and my family super powers, Daddy and my brother Hector have kept me too busy to have friends. But since Daddy and Dr Erskine are going to make you into the Super Soldier I figure it's safe. I'll even tell you my secret identity but…" She leaned in close, holding her finger to her lips. "You can't tell anybody. You promise?"
Jon nodded, laughing softly, "I promise. You're secrets are my secrets."
"Then, when no one's around you can call me Shelly," She smiled brightly. Her eyes widened and she snapped her fingers, "I know her! The girl you have a picture with. That's Agent 13! She's been helping Daddy lead our team in France."
"Huh?" Jon blinked in confusion.
"Yeah, I'm part of Team Go, but we've joined up with some very high trained soldiers and commandos in a team called The Invaders. It's been fun, especially fighting the Nazis." Shego nodded enthusiastically. "Agent 13 leads us along with Daddy."
"Shego!" the man called Toro walked in with Dr Erskine. "Mr. Stoppable, I hope my daughter hasn't been bothering you."
"She's no bother," Jon said, placing a hand on Shego's shoulder. "She's my friend." he said, earning a glowing grin from the girl.
"Sorry I wasn't able to introduce myself with my son earlier, Mr. Stoppable, my name's Thomas Raymond, codenamed Toro of Team Go. Some just call me the Human Torch." Toro said, holding out his hand to Jon, who took it in a shake.
"It's a pleasure, sir," Jon smiled.
"If you'll excuse us, I believe its past one young lady's bedtime," Toro said, with a mock-glare to Shego.
"But Daddy…" Shego pouted.
"Better listen to your dad, Princess," Jon said, patting Shego's shoulder.
"Yes, because you're going to have a big day tomorrow, both of you," Toro said nodding to Jon.
"What happens tomorrow?" Jon asked.
"We'll leave Dr. Erskine to explain, come along, Shego," Toro said, and the fourteen year old flip across the bed and came to a stop beside her father.
"G'night, Jonny!" Shego waved, smiling brightly to her new friend.
"Good night, Shego," Jon waved, and watched father and daughter leave the Barracks. "So…"
"Have a seat, Jonathan," Abraham sat down on the bunk across from his.
"I still don't see why you chose me over them, sir," Jon said, sitting down on the bed.
"I chose you because you've proven Miriam's words true," Abraham said smiling, "Granted most of the other candidates had stronger muscles, but I was looking for one muscle in particular to have great strength. And I found yours to be the strongest of the six chosen, Jonathan, the strongest by a long shot."
"I don't understand…" Jon frowned, and Abraham reached across to point directly into his chest.
"That one: your heart," Abraham smiled, "Tomorrow you will undergo a change. One that I feel that out of the six chosen, you are the only one that can appreciate it… only the crippled can appreciate health… only the weak can appreciate strength… you, mein friend, you best represent America in my opinion. You should be the one showing the world what it is that America stands for. You are what an American should look like."
"I… I don't know what to say," Jon shook his head slowly, a flush going across his face.
"You don't have to say anything," Abraham smiled, "Your deeds have spoke volumes."
"Toro said it was going to be a big day for both of us… Shego and I… what did he mean?" Jon asked.
"What this Project Rebirth is based around, my formula… I created it for Hitler," Abraham said shamefully. "When we was captured in Berlin, my family was sent to the camps but I was taken to Hitler's palace and I faced the Devil himself…"
"He told me my family and I would be allowed to go freely if I completed my work… what else could I do?" Abraham shook his head sadly, "I had no choice, so I worked at producing a procedure that would create the ultimate soldier… the ultimate human being, one that would be in constant physical perfection and could heal from almost any minor injury in minutes, to speak nothing of healing major injuries in short order..."
"Hitler's right hand was to be the first… and he was… but the formula was not ready…" Abraham closed his eyes tightly, "It worked perfectly for a moment… then… and then it changed him… he became… deformed… violent… angry. He murdered my family right in front of me for my failure… then went on a mad rage… I took the opportunity to run… and I finally was picked up by the Allies… and here I am."
"I discovered that after the formula is placed inside the subject, he or she must then be bombarded with Vita radiation or something close to it to stabilize the formula's healing abilities or else it would cause physical mutation and madness… Shego has the ability to create and manipulate multiple forms of radiation. She will aid us in making you more than you could imagine you could be."
"Golly…" Jon breathed.
"You said it, mein young friend," Abraham smiled.
"I'm sorry for your family…" Jon said smiling softly.
"You and what you will do… you will make their sacrifice worth it…" Abraham smiled, clamping his hand on Jon's shoulder, "Just always remember that your true strength comes not from your muscles, but from your heart and soul…"
"I'll remember," Jon nodded.
"Then get some rest, Jonathan," Abraham stood up, "Tomorrow will be… an intense one…"
"I'll try," Jon smiled.
"This time tomorrow, we will be celebrating and calling you by your new name," Abraham grinned.
"My new name?" Jon tilted his head.
"Of course," Abraham said, "I chose it myself, and I feel it suits you already… Goodnight… Captain America," he said, walking from the barracks.
"Captain… America…" Jon said slowly, as if testing the name then smiled. "Captain America…"
-A-
Very early the next morning Jon was just finishing up buttoning his uniform shirt when a tanned brunette in a military uniform walked into the barracks with two MP troopers. Jon snapped to attention and saluted the woman, who returned it. "Lt. Commander Ronnie Rockwaller, General Barkin's Aide-de-camp; under orders to deliver Captain Jonathan R. Stoppable to the location of Operation Rebirth."
"I'm a captain? And I thought it was Project Rebirth?" Jon asked.
"As of fourteen hundred yesterday Project Rebirth became a full US Military Operation," Lt Commander Rockwaller said, turning on her heel, "Let's go, Captain, we don't want to keep the President waiting,"
"President?" Jon squeaked, hobbling behind her, "What do you mean the President?"
Jon got into the backseat of a black sedan with the woman and the two MP soldiers took the front seat. "You're going to make us or break us, Captain," She said, a hint of disdain in her voice. "Don't screw this up."
Jon could only gulp at the pressure.
The car pulled up to a small diner on the corner of a busy street in Middleton. Jon followed Ronnie and the two MPs into the diner that was currently closed during the morning hours. "It's been a cold hard winter," the woman at the counter said, eyeing the group.
"But hope of warmth with the sun comes with the spring," Ronnie replied, and the woman nodded, hitting a button under the counter, making a part of the wall slide open into a hidden thick, metal doorway. "This way, if you please…" Ronnie motioned for the door, leading him down the stairs, while the two MPs took off their helmets and took a seat the diner's bar.
Jon was met by a group of Generals, General Barkin included, and much to his surprise Franklin Roosevelt himself. "Mr. President, sir!" Jon saluted.
"I wish I could stand up for you, son," Mr. Roosevelt said, "You're doing a very brave thing today; your country is behind you one hundred and ten percent."
"Thank you, sir," Jon gulped.
"Let's get you down stairs," Barkin said, ushering him out of the observation room. He led Jon down a small set of stairs to a large scientific lab with a shielded operating table.
"Jonathan, welcome, welcome," Erskine smiled, taking Jon's hand and slapping his shoulder.
"Hi, Jonny!" Shego waved from a seat at the side.
"Let me introduce you to a brilliant man and a good friend of mine," Abraham took Jon over to a man in a white lab coat and an odd dark blue skin color. "Meet Doctor Drake Lipsky, he is a very brilliant inventor and was the one who helped me determine how to stabilize the Super Soldier Serum. He also issues the Invaders with the most advance prototype weapons available. Don't mind his skin color though; odd laboratory experiment altered his genetics slightly."
"So you're Jon Stoppable," Drake took his hand, shaking it firmly, "Mim won't shut up about you at chow. She's going to be real surprised when we get you in the field with her."
"Now, Jonathan, if you would change into a gown we will begin," Abraham said, moving Jon to a changing area. After changing from his uniform, and securing the back of the gown Jon walked out. Abraham and Drake helped Jonathan onto the high tech medical table. "Are you ready, mein friend?"
"Ready as I'll ever be…" Jon gulped.
"Just promise me you will always remember where true strength comes," Abraham said, patting him on the shoulder.
Jon hissed slightly when Abraham made an injection into his arm. "That wasn't so bad…"
"That was penicillin…" Abraham said, placing metal racks on his chest and arms, each holding a series of injection needles filled with a blue fluid.
"Shego be on ready, Doctor Lipsky, start the machine," Abraham stepped back to stand beside Barkin and Rockwaller.
The machine closed around Jon and he felt the series of needles pierce his skin.
It started slowly, a faint burning at the point of entry, but it slowly spread over every muscle, burning hotter and hotter.
"Shego, if you will…" Abraham nodded to the young girl who placed her hand on an energy collector. She closed her eyes and focused her powers as her hands began to burn with a green flame.
"Full power, Shego," Toro said from beside his daughter.
Shego's eyes widened when she heard the first scream of pain. Abraham had to turn away while Drake bit his lip, thankful Mim wasn't here to see and hear this… he was sure she would have already been ripping that chamber open.
Shego tried to pull away as tears rolled down her cheeks. "Shego, don't stop!" Toro snapped at his daughter.
"But I'm hurting him!" Shego cried, hiccupping slightly. "I can't! I can't!" she shook her head.
"Shego, you have no choice!" Toro pressed.
"Daddy, he's my friend," Shego turned, looking at him with a pained, tear-soaked face.
"Shelly… it's ok…" Jon said weakly from the chamber, "Keep going… I can take it. It'll be ok…"
"I'm so sorry, Jonny…" Shego hiccupped before she started the flow of radiation into the chamber, and moments later the screams of pain started again. Toro hugged Shego from behind, holding her head to his chest, while covering her other ear with his hand.
What seemed like a lifetime to everyone present, Abraham finally stepped up. "The procedure is complete. You can stop, Shego," The trembling girl let go and turned to hug her father tightly.
"Let's see what we got…" Dr. Lipsky said as the group of generals and security personnel entered the lab.
"Open the chamber," Abraham said as Shego and the others turned to the metal cocoon holding Jon.
Steam flowed out as the chamber opened, and eyes widened at the transformation that had taken place. Gone was the lanky, sickly former police detective, out came what could be best described a moving statue of Greek God. Firm, hard muscles moved under the now tight hospital gown as he took a stumbling step forward.
"Wow…" Shego's eyes and mouth widened at the sight of her friend.
"How do you feel, mein friend?" Abraham said, helping him stabilize himself.
"…Taller…" Jon smiled, working his once bad leg, finding no pain what-so-ever.
"Congratulations, Doctor," Barkin smiled, "We have our Captain; let's make him his army."
None noticed one of the MP security guards pulling his gun, not until they saw him point it at Jon. "HEIL HITLER!" He cried, pulling the trigger. Before Jon could react Abraham jumped in the way.
"Abraham!" Jon caught the wounded scientist. He lowered him to the grown, gripping his hand. "Hang on,"
"Always remember…" Abraham wheezed, touching Jon's chest over his hear, before going limp in his arms.
"He's getting away!" Dr. Lipsky cried, pointing to the man running up the stairs.
"Go Team Go!" Shego cried, lighting her hands and flipping over the computer panels and running up the stairs.
"FLAME ON!" Toro cried out, and his body engulfed itself in flames before flying behind his daughter.
"He won't get away…" Jon said, standing up.
"Here," Lipsky said, handing him a badge-shaped shield wrapped in camo covering. "Abraham wanted you to have this."
Jon nodded and took the Shield as well as a pair of pants, quickly slid them on and ran up the stairs after the attacker.
Jon exited the diner to find Shego standing in the middle of the street tossing green fireballs toward an oncoming car driven by their attacker. Jon ran and flying tackled Shego out of the way as the car went by, and he held up the shield as the driver fired his gun on them. "You ok?" Jon asked, the surprised teenager, who just nodded with wide eyes. "Stay here, I'll be right back."
Jon checked the shield and saw the bullets had damaged the covering but the shield wasn't even scratched. He gripped the torn cover, and pulled it away, revealing a large horizontal blue stripe across the top with three stars, and two red and a single white horizontal stripe below it. "I like it…" Jon said, glancing up at the escaping Nazi and began running after him.
He ran on top of a parked car to leap on top of a bus that was traveling in the same direction, before leapfrogging car to car toward his target. Finally landing on top of the car he used the pointed end of the shield to shatter the windshield. "Pull over!" He cried out, holding on with his free hand.
The Nazi jumped from the moving car, and Jon looked up to see the car speeding toward a brick building. "Oh this isn't good…" He said, jumping up to grab a light pole and dropped down to see the attacker cutting down a side alley.
Jon ran after him and closed the distance in record time. He grabbed the top of a trash can and tossed it like a Frisbee, striking the Nazi in the back, knocking him down. Jon finally overcame him, rolling the thug on his back and pressed his shield into his chest. "You're going to pay for that."
"Go ahead, American! Make me pay then! Kill me!" The Nazi sneered angrily.
"Oh no, you're going to be tried and go to jail," Jon growled.
"Mercy? Ha, that's what makes you weak, American!" The Nazi laughed, biting into the pill in his mouth. "That will be why you will never defeat the Red Skull! Hail Hitler… Hail HYDRA!" He said as his mouth began to foam and his eyes rolled back in his head.
Shego and Toro ran up with several MP soldiers and put out their flames when they saw the attack was done. "Wow…" Shego said again, seeing Jon stand tall over the fallen Nazi, his shield on his arm. "Just… wow…"
-A-
Several weeks later in France, Team Go, now in darker, less bright costumes for camouflage purposes, was gathered with a group of commandos. "How much longer till that the Super Soldier gets cleared to fight with us?" Lt. Nickolas Fury complained as he followed the group through a forested area.
Agent 13, better known as Miriam Possible glanced back at the group. "What sucker did they get to be the government's guinea pig? He have a name?"
Shego gave her a smile that she thought was very odd when Toro spoke up. "Can't say, it's confidential information."
"Something's wrong…" Mego said softly as the group came to a stop.
"Yeah… it's too quiet…" 'Dum Dum' Duggan said, holding up his rifle.
Moments later the group was blinded by bright lights. "IT'S A TRAP!" Mim cried out, lifting her gun and firing at one of the lights. "Toro! Shego! Light um up!" She ordered. But, before Shego could attack, a rifle struck her in the back of the head.
"You don't touch my-" Toro started to yell but was knocked out as well.
"Do not kill them, Herr Skull wishes to study the ones with abilities!" a woman in a green body suit said walking up among the soldiers.
"Invaders to home base, Invaders to home base," Fury called on his radio, "we are in trouble, request reinforcements! Repeat we are in trouble and need help!"
"Don't worry, Nick, I've got this…" the fifteen year old Mego said, glowing violet as he grew to fifteen foot tall.
"Impressive…" the green clad woman said, looking up at the teen. "Iron Cross, Disable him."
From behind the blinding light a towering humanoid, mechanical monstrosity walked beside the woman, a large dish was attached to his shoulder which began to vibrate as it turned toward Mego, Fury and Duggan. A moment later a blast of concussion sound waves blasted the group sending them to the ground.
"Very good," the woman said, before falling to the side from the impact of a hard punch from Mim.
"A feisty one," The woman smiled, "Herr Skull likes his women like that… perhaps he will even like you despite you being an American."
Mim curled up her lip in disgust before she rushed the woman, only to be knocked back by a hard kick. When she shook off the daze, she saw several guns pointed toward her. "Lovely…"
-A-
A few miles away in a transport plane, Jon Stoppable sat in his new armor. It was far from camouflage but he knew what it represented and he was damn proud to wear it as well as the shield on his arm. "Captain," General Barkin said, after hanging up the radio phone. "Change of plans," he said approaching Jon. "Your new unit just got neck deep in shit. They called for reinforcements, so you're up. You ready?"
Jon glanced up at him, then down at the blue mask-like helmet with small white wings painted on the side and a large white A on the forehead area. He slid it on and snapped the straps in place. "I was born ready, Sir."
To Be Continued…
Next chapter: Invaders Assemble!