This chapter's a bit shorter, but it explains a lot. Please enjoy!

Chapter Two

July 30, 1953

5 days after serum injection.

Phil was feeling drowsy. He hadn't felt well since his injection, and Chris was genuinely worried.

"Can I get some water, please?" Phil asked.

"Of course," Megan replied. She or another nurse, Rachel, also with S.H.I.E.L.D., had been by his side constantly through the past five days.

Megan hurried back with a large glass of water, which she handed to Phil.

"Here you go."

"Thank you."

"I ran into Dr. Stan in the hall. He says he'll give you another evaluation in a few hours. Are you OK with that?"

"Sure."

So far he hadn't shown any hostile effects, just drowsiness, severe chills, slight fever, as well as numerous other symptoms, none of which could be good for his health. The serum was first thought to be a success, but everyone was worried for him now. He had an evaluation every day to see I he was getting better, but each examination had come to the same conclusion: he was sick, and they didn't know why.

He lay back in bed after finishing off the water and closed his eyes. Megan was reading a book in the corner of the room. An I.V. was stuck in his arm, pumping antibacterial medicine, vitamins, and pain reliever into his system. It would have seemed like a regular hospital room if it wasn't so far underground, and two doors over from a serum injection chamber.

The doctor came in two and a half hours later to check up on Phil.

"You feeling any better?"

"Sure, I'm full of morphine. It really does work." He tried to force a smile. He wasn't feeing much pain, but he was still miserable.

"Megan, monitor vitals please. I'm gonna try something new."

"Ok." Megan got up from her chair in the corner and walked over to the monitor by Phil's bed. "Ready."

"Ok, Phil. This is going to send a sort of shock into your bloodstream. It actually contains a micro-robot, military issue. It should help us find the issue."

"Alright"

Chris hooked up a new I.V. bag., and motioned for Megan to start the injection.

It definitely felt like a shock. Phil stifled a scream.

"All done," Chris told him.

Phil groaned. His arm stung. It felt like someone had just shot a bullet into his I.V.

"Megan, up the dose on the morphine. He appears to be in pain."

You think, Phil thought.

Chris turned back to Phil. "Howard is on his way over. He knows how to view the data. If there's anything that little robot can find, we'll know in the next 24 hours. The pain in the injection sight should cease in the next couple of hours. You may experience some mild discomfort later on, as your immune system takes time to adjust to the intrusion. You can let Megan know if you need anything."

"Thank you, Chris."

"What for? I'm the one who's putting you through this."

A smile played across Phil's face.

Howard came in ten hours later, carrying a clipboard.

"Hey, Soldier." he said cheerfully. Howard had started calling him 'Soldier' after the serum injection. "we've found a few things with the nanodroid."

"Well, do you know what's wrong with me?"

"Not entirely. However, we found a possible problem. The serum reacted exactly as it should have. The sickness your feeling right now, we think, could just be a side effect of the enhancement process. We sped up the original process through the radiation. But there was a secondary process we never accounted for. That's what you're going through now. According to my calculations, the new wave of side effects should finish within the next few weeks."

Phil groaned. "Are you sure."

"I have an alternative, but it means you'll have to go through more radiation exposure."

"Fine."

"Great. We'll do that tomorrow then. I'll need to give you a medication to prep you for a second exposure tonight. But for now, I have another discovery to tell you about."

"What is it?"

"This second process was totally unaccounted for… "

"Yes, you told me that."

"We never thought the serum would do this to you, but… it will enhance more than we thought."

"How so?" Phil prepared himself for the worst news possible.

It must have shown in his expression because Howard laughed. "Well, it's not all bad."

"Please tell me."

"Well, it may include heightened senses, slowed aging, extended life, and extreme agility." He paused. "Of course, we'll recreate the serum without this, because it could be problematic to have multiple people like you. Right now, but you can look to be about 150 at least. When you turn 70, you'll look 40."

That took a while to sink in.

"You sure about this?"

"Pretty darn"

So there you go. Explanation for Agent Coulson living so long. Please tell me what you think!

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