9 – A.I.M. – May 14, 2012

Aspen's brain was still trying to process the fact that her astrophysics and chemistry professor was working for A.I.M. "Are you the one who sent the message about my mom?" she asked. "P.S. – Professor Stew."

"I wondered if you'd figure it out. Then again, I was pretty convincing as a bumbling college professor. You didn't suspect a thing."

"Where is she?"

"Somewhere working on the serum. I told her you'd be coming. You'll see her soon enough. Nothing like a little extra incentive to get her working."

"All along you've been watching me. Did you steal my Immunity Serum?" she asked.

"Oh, yep, that was me. I have to say, you and your Captain gave me a run for my money. I was afraid you'd actually catch my men."

"Was it your man who shot at us?" she asked.

Professor Stew frowned at this. "No, that was a pesky organization that has been a tick in my side since the moment it came into existence. I dare say we took care of that little snag. I think he was aiming for the Captain, but I see you two can't be parted from each other, isn't that right? My man you did catch up with took the whole 'don't let them catch you and interrogate you' thing a little too far, but he used to work for Hydra. I understand cyanide capsules are a thing there."

Aspen glowered at him. "What do you want with us?"

"I thought that would be obvious, my dear."

"You want the formula."

"I have the formula. I have everything. At least your mother does. I have some of the papers on the serum – what Joseph Danners sent me before SHIELD caught up to him – but my scientists can't seem to get it quite right. We've had quite a few failed experiments. Your mother has been dragging her feet for a long while. I've tried incentives, I've tried threats, quite frankly, I'm out of ideas. Or I was until I realized you are her biggest incentive. And if that doesn't work, we have the Captain to give you incentive to finish it."

"I don't know how."

He gave her an ingratiating smile. "You're smarter than that, Miss Tolvar. I would know."

"How did you find my mom?" Aspen asked.

"All in good time. Let's get you to my research lab first. You must both be tired and hungry. It's been at least 24 hours since you ate. Please, come with me, and we'll get you settled for your stay."

Aspen wanted to refuse, but she was famished and exhausted as well as weak from the lingering effects of the poison.

"What do you want me to do?" Steve asked in a low voice.

"I don't see another option. I want to see my mom," she told him. "I'm not running anywhere anytime soon, and you can't fight and carry me at the same time."

"I don't like this."

"Me neither."

Steve tightened his grip around her and walked toward the black van. Professor Stew opened the back door for them. The guards stood at attention, eyes set on Steve's every movement. The super soldier helped Aspen into the van and got in beside her. She could tell he was fighting off his instincts to take down the guards and grab Professor Stew by the throat until he released her mom. Instead he sat silently. Aspen sat close, wrapping her arm around his. She was nervous, more afraid that she wanted to show. Steve seemed to sense this because he grasped her hand and held it tightly as the van started up.

"I think we're in Iceland," Aspen whispered to him as they drove through the small town and into the rolling green lands beyond. "It's where my mom called from. It makes sense." This didn't do much to comfort either of them. Aspen fingered her tracking necklace and hoped that someone was looking out for them.

Finally a dip in the land brought a large expanse of concrete building into view. "My research facilities," Professor Stew said.

Aspen couldn't deny how incredible it was. He probably had unlimited resources here. If her mother hadn't been forced to come here, she would probably be very happy working in the lab. An unsettling thought entered Aspen's mind. What if her mother hadn't been forced to work here? What if she worked for A.I.M. now? She pushed the thought from her head. She would never work for an organization like A.I.M. Then again she had created the serum that everyone was after. People had died because of it.

The van pulled into a parking lot to the back of the building and the guards got out, pointing their guns at Steve and Aspen. "That's not necessary," Professor Stew said. "Really. Captain Rogers and Miss Tolvar are going to be cooperative."

Aspen wanted to spit in his face rather than follow his lead, but she was still feeling weak and didn't really see another option. She and Steve got out of the van and followed Professor Stew into the side entrance to the research facility. It was just as impressive on the inside as the outside. Aspen nearly forgot to breathe as they entered an open room that seemed to be more of a lounge than a research facility. "This is the living annex for my workers," the professor explained. "This is where you'll be staying. I'm going to show you to your room now and have breakfast sent up. How does that sound?"

"I want to see my mom," Aspen told him.

"In due time. I'm going to feed you first. I'd hate her to think we haven't treated you well."

"Considering you poisoned me to get us here, I think that's already a few points not in your favor," she told him.

"Spirited. I like that. This way." He led them up a set of stairs and onto a sort of balcony that ran along the lounge below. He used a scan card to unlock a door and ushered them in. Steve and Aspen entered an expansive room with a bed, couch, and table. "You'll forgive me if I take the precaution of locking you in," he said. "I can't have my most esteemed guests leaving too early. Food will be up soon." He shut the door. Aspen didn't bother to check it. She nearly stumbled to the couch where she curled up in a ball on one end. Steve looked around the room like a caged animal for a long moment and then sighed, sitting next to her. She decided she didn't care about boundaries anymore and curled up next to him. His arm went around her automatically, and he held her close to him.

"What's going to happen to us?" she asked.

"I don't know," he answered truthfully, "but I swear I won't let any harm come to you."

"You might not be able to stop him," Aspen told him.

"He needs us. He isn't going to kill us."

"Not yet. What do I do, Steve? He's going to ask me to finish the formula."

"Can you?" He looked down at her, blue eyes thoughtful.

"With all the information and procedural notes, I think so, yes. If they have a bit of power from the Tesseract and a way of extracting it then I don't see why I couldn't. But something like that falling into his hands… It could be really bad. It's just like the Tesseract falling into Loki's hands."

"Why do you think he wants it?"

"The serum? I suppose he wants that kind of control, that kind of power. Who knows why anyone craves that? Sometimes once you get a taste for power, you just keep wanting more." Her head was pounding and her vision blurring. She closed her eyes feeling suddenly nauseous. "I can't think right now. I feel horrible."

She felt Steve brush her hair from her face, resting his hand on her forehead. "You're still feeling warm," he said. She could her the worry in his voice. "Are you sure you're cured?"

"He needs me alive. It's just the aftereffects," she assured him.

"Did you know that he'd gone to university with your parents?" Steve asked.

"I knew. I trusted him." She was disgusted with herself. She was a SHIELD agent and yet she couldn't even see the enemy right under her nose. How happy he must have been when she had walked right into his classroom with no idea that he headed a research facility for A.I.M.

"You had no reason to distrust him," Steve told her.

"You think by now I might have learned not to trust anyone," she said softly.

"You shouldn't have to live that way," Steve said, and she could hear the sadness in his voice.

"I know."

The door opened just then and a man brought in a tray of food. Aspen caught sight of a guard lingering just outside. The door was locked again, and they were left alone. "Well at least he's feeding us," she said, getting slowly to her feet and sitting at the table. Steve joined her, and they picked uninterestedly at the food despite the fact that it had been over a day since they'd last eaten. Aspen didn't feel hungry. Her mind was on her mother and the mess they'd found themselves in. There was no clock in the room, but oddly enough, they hadn't been searched. Aspen pulled out her phone. It was only 9 am. She had no signal, so calling someone wasn't an option.

"I shouldn't have this here," Aspen said. Steve gave her a questioning look. It occurred to Aspen that the room might be bugged. She indicated her phone then tapped her ear to indicate that someone might be listening. Steve nodded to show he understood. Her eyes darted around the room before alighting on the elaborate bedposts. She didn't see any cameras in the room, but she knew there was always a chance that they were being watched. Voices outside their room caused her to act in desperation. She snatched a fork from the table and pried the top of the post off. It was hollow inside and she shoved her phone in, capping off the post before returning to her seat. A second later Professor Stew opened the door. He looked back and forth between the two of them.

"You're looking rather downcast. Was the food not to your liking?" He frowned as if this thought upset him.

"Where's my mom?" Aspen asked, glaring at him.

"I was just coming to get you. I'll take you to her now."

"Really?" Aspen was taken aback. Surely he wanted something from her. Why was he being so accommodating?

"Heavens, you don't think I'd miss the reunion of the century?" he asked. "If you'd follow me." He motioned them out the door. Aspen stood, waiting for Steve before leading them cautiously out of the room. She was afraid the professor was going to insist Steve stay in the room, but he seemed unconcerned by having Captain America loose in his facility. He led them down a set of stairs into the lounge area and then down a corridor that was completely made of glass. He led them into what was notably the research part of the facility. Here Aspen noticed guards stationed around the outside doors.

"This is where all the top secret research goes on, so you'll understand why I post guards. Can't have just anyone coming in to look at my work."

"You mean my parents' work?" Aspen snapped.

Professor Stew just gave her a sympathetic look. "My dear, I helped your parents a great deal with their research. More than they know." He scratched at his right wrist, and Aspen caught sight of something that looked like ink before he pulled the cuff down again. "Shall we?" He slid his card across a scanner and pushed open a double set of doors. He led them into a large lab that appeared to be very well equipped.

"I'm going to need those results back before I can cross-examine the effects," a familiar female voice came from the opposite side of the lab. Aspen gasped as the redheaded woman turned around. Green eyes matched hers. Aspen watched the emotions play out within her mother's eyes. Alarm, happiness, sorrow, regret. "Aspen?" she finally said, her voice breaking.

"I'll give you a minute. I'm sure you have a lot to catch up on," the professor said. He backed out of the room.

Aspen's mom crossed the room in five strides and pulled Aspen into a tight embrace. Aspen stiffened, but then she wrapped her arms around the woman she hadn't seen since she was four years old. Familiarity worked its way back into the gesture, and Aspen said, "Mom" before breaking into tears.

…

Steve watched as Aspen's mom threw her arms around her daughter. He saw Aspen stiffen at the unfamiliar gesture from the mom she hadn't seen for eighteen years. Aspen's mom was facing him, and he could see the hurt in her eyes when Aspen didn't immediately return the gesture. Then Aspen put her arms around her mom. "Mom," she said, her voice breaking. She began to cry. It was like everything she had kept pent up the last eighteen years of her life was coming out and for the first time since she was a child, she had her mother to cling to.

"Shh, shh," her mother soothed her. "You're okay. I'm here now. I'm here."

Steve felt like he was intruding on a very private moment. He took a step back, but Aspen's mom caught the motion and looked up at him.

"You kept her safe," she said to him gratefully.

"Not safe enough," he returned.

"You had no choice," Ava Tolvar told him. "Peter doesn't play by the rules."

"Peter?"

"Peter Stewart is his real name whatever he told you."

"P.S." Aspen's sobbing had softened, so Steve asked, "What does he want with us?"

"He thinks having you here – having Aspen – will give me the incentive to finish the serum or that Aspen will. I assume you followed the clues."

"We did."

"And you found everything?"

"Yes."

"Is the information safe?" Ava asked.

Steve nodded. "As safe as it can be."

"Good. Don't give it to him."

"What does he want with the serum?" Steve asked.

"He wants to create an army of highly developed men. A.I.M. is devoted to overthrowing governments using scientific means. They branched out from Hydra in the 60s. They think they can accomplish peace through war, through dictatorship."

"Sounds a lot like someone we know," Steve said, thinking of Loki.

Aspen finally pulled away from her mom and backed up a few steps until her back bumped into Steve's chest. Her mother clasped her hands in front of her, and Steve could tell she was trying to keep herself from overstepping her boundaries with Aspen. He was surprised that after her initial reunion with her mom, she was choosing to stay close to him for comfort instead of her. "He said he helped you with your research. What did he mean?" Aspen asked.

Ava sighed. "I think I need to start from the beginning," she said. "Let's sit down." She motioned toward a small sitting area toward the back of the lab. Steve saw a set of stairs that led up to a door, and he wondered if Aspen's mom lived up there. Clearly Peter Stewart was desperate to have the completed serum in his hands. He wondered just how long Aspen's mom had been captive.

Ava sat on the couch while Steve took the loveseat across from it. Aspen sat next to him, and again he saw the flicker of regret behind her mother's eyes. He realized in that moment that Aspen was choosing him over her own mother as a comfort source. It was both sad and gratifying. Aspen folded her legs up under her, leaning on his right arm. She set her eyes on her mom. "Okay," she said. "I want to hear the truth. From the very beginning. No more lies, no more secrets."

Her mom nodded. "No more lies," she echoed. "No more secrets."