Author's Note: 7/4/14 Happy Steve Day! I'm wearing my CA shield necklace today and even managed to scrounge up some red, white, and blue. Also I keep getting that damn star-spangled man with a plan stuck in my head. Not cool.
Thank you for favorites and follows! I really appreciate it! Feel free to leave a review. Also, if you've never seen Tom Hiddleston doing impressions of Chris Evans, you need to. He is SO hilarious.
16 – Super-Adaptoid – May 17, 2012
"I need more!" a voice shouted from within the lab. Steve paused. Since Aspen had been sent through the portal two days before, he had been allowed some free reign around the research facility. This had surprised him, but Stewart seemed unconcerned. He knew Steve wouldn't try anything if it would put Aspen at risk. He also knew that Steve was aware of the tight rope he was walking. If he put a foot out of line Stewart wouldn't hesitate before killing him, and Steve was humble enough to acknowledge that he had the means to do so. Now as Steve reached the doors leading into Ava Tolvar's lab, he hesitated. It was Stewart's voice that he had heard he realized. He could see through the glass in the doors that he was confronting Ava. "This isn't enough for an army!" he shouted. Ava cowered, and Steve could tell that she was terrified. He tensed.
"I'm doing what I can," Ava returned. "I'm only one person though. If you'd let Gregor help me-"
"Keeping Gregor alive is part of your motivation to keep doing this."
"You've already taken my daughter."
"I don't trust your minds together. Give me the formula, and I'll have my workers duplicate the serum." Ava shook her head stubbornly. "You keep thinking you'll find another way to outsmart me, that your daughter will return and somehow you'll manage to heal her and take me down. That's not going to happen though. I am going to win. Now I won't ask you again. Give me the formula!"
When Ava didn't budge, Stewart sent his palm flying at her cheek and slapped her so hard that she fell to the floor. Steve was through the doors in a second, grabbing Stewart around the throat as the man reached down to drag Ava to her feet. Steve slammed him into the wall, blue eyes flashing.
"That's enough," he said. "Don't lay a finger on her."
Stewart struggled against him, and for a moment Steve saw a flicker of fear in his eyes. As he began to choke, Steve released him, letting Stewart slide to the floor. Stewart rubbed his neck while Steve went to help Ava up. Ava's cheek was flaming from Stewart's slap.
"Are you alright?" Steve asked, brow furrowed in concern.
"I'm fine. You shouldn't have done that though. You're going to get yourself into trouble," she said, using his arm for support.
"I wasn't going to stand there and let him hurt you," he told her.
Ava smiled and briefly reached up a hand to touch his cheek. "Thank you," she said. Steve, surprised by the gesture, simply shrugged.
"You're welcome."
Stewart had gotten to his feet, and Steve turned to face him. "You can have the formula if you're going to beat it out of her. I'm sick and tired of this game. I'll give it to you if you promise not to touch her again."
"Steve," Ava warned, but Steve shook his head, looking down at her.
"More people are going to get hurt," he told her. "Aspen would never forgive me if I let anything happen to you."
"A lot of people are going to get hurt if he gets his hands on that formula."
"We'll find a way to stop him," Steve said quietly. "But I can tell he's desperate enough to keep hurting you. Desperate enough to kill your husband. If we give him what he wants, he might back off and then we can start formulating a plan to get out of here."
Ava's eyes were wide with fear, but she nodded. Steve turned back to Stewart who had kept his distance. Steve could tell by his stance that he was readying himself for another attack.
"Here's the deal," Steve told him. "I give you a bit of the formula every day if you show me that you won't hurt Ava."
"I don't think you're in a position to bargain," Stewart said.
"Take it or leave it. I could always add to those bruises around your neck." Already his handprint had appeared on Stewart's neck. Stewart unconsciously put a hand to it. Threatening wasn't Steve's style, but he realized Stewart wasn't going to respond to anything less.
"And I could put a bullet in your head," he said.
"I can guarantee that you'll get no cooperation out of Aspen if you do that."
"Where's the formula?"
"I can write down some of it," Steve said. He grabbed a scratch piece of paper and wrote down part of the formula that he remembered reading in the notes. Ava watched him fearfully, and Steve hoped he knew what he was doing. He shoved the paper at Stewart who took it like it was a hot coal.
"I already know the basis of this," he said.
"Leave Ava alone and you'll learn more tomorrow," Steve said. "I keep my word."
"As do I," Stewart said. "I won't harm her if you give me the formula."
"And Aspen when she gets back."
"Let's not get too far ahead of ourselves," Stewart said. "Keep working." He took the paper and left the room. Steve heard Ava let out a breath.
"I'm sorry you got dragged into all this," she said softly. "And Aspen…"
Steve turned to her. "If we can do anything to help it will be worth it," he said. "Stewart will keep hurting people unless someone stops him."
"If anyone can stop him it's you and Aspen. You're a team. I can see that."
"Yeah, I guess we are." Steve contemplated the idea of them being a team and decided he liked it.
"We just have to pray she gets back in time," Ava said. "I can't lose her again."
"She'll make it," Steve said quietly. "She has to."
…
Aspen was aware of hands grabbing her and then being shoved roughly into a car. She was in and out of consciousness, her mind fogged up like a clogged chimney. She couldn't seem to get a single thought through her head. She heard voices but it was like they were speaking a different language. The high she'd felt ever since receiving the serum had slowed down. She no longer felt her mind racing, accessing data and skills she'd never had before. Now it was as if the serum was reversing, taking her mind backwards into oblivion. She found that it was welcome. The darkness she saw at the end of the tunnel was inviting her in where it was safe, where she wouldn't have to face the world again.
The darkness turned into white light at some point, and she was aware of a prick in her arm. The blackness grew bright spots until her vision began to return. Her ears were ringing, and she felt like she might throw up. Eventually the voice became clearer, and she could make out what they were saying.
"…stabilizing…vitals good…serum worked…"
Somewhere deep inside her mind it registered that she'd been injected with the pure serum that would heal what was wrong in her head and keep her from dying. It also meant she still had full access to her brain. She had begun to realize over the last few days that it wasn't something that just came to you. She might have access to her entire brain but she had no idea how to use that ability and therefore she was limited. She remembered the broken glass of the car window and tossing the Asgardian guards with her mind.
She was back in Iceland though. Back in Stewart's lab. Where was the Eye? That thought sent her mind racing. Stewart must have it. She'd blacked out right when she'd entered the portal. If he had the Eye then he had the power to control anyone including Steve.
Aspen opened her eyes a hair. She was in a medical room on a white clad bed. A needle was still in one arm and connected to a machine that was reading her vitals. Two pads rested on each temple, getting a reading from her brain. Two female nurses had their backs turned to her. A guard stood at the door. Aspen gathered her fear and her anger, harnessing her emotions into a ball of fury that she visualized in her mind. The screen began to beep as her brain signals went haywire. The nurses turned around and the guard aimed his gun at her. Aspen threw her fury out at them. The two nurses went crashing into the wall while the guard's gun flew straight out of his hand and into hers. His head hit the door, shattering the glass. Aspen ripped the needle from her arm and the pads from her temples. Holding the gun before her, she left the medical room. Two guards had come running at the commotion. Aspen held out both hands, sending the guards flying into the walls. She stood staring at what she had done for a moment, but she didn't have time to get used to her powers. She ran on, finding her way to the lab where her mother worked. There were no guards on duty outside which she found very odd. She approached the doors with caution, gun pointed ahead. She peered in through the door. The lab was empty.
She stiffened as she sensed a warm body temperature around the corner. She flattened herself to the wall and waited. The moment the guard walked around the corner, she jumped him, thrusting him into the wall and knocking the butt of her gun against his head where she knew it would knock him unconscious. She left his body and headed down the hall where he had come. She had a very bad feeling about all of this. She concentrated on listening and heard voices from somewhere deeper in the research facility. Aspen sped toward the sound on light feet checking each turn in the hall before continuing on. Every sense was alert and her brain registered in higher detail than before. There was no pain this time only clarity. She knew it had worked. It staggered her for a moment when she realized she had been injected with the Superhero Serum. She hadn't thought of it by its nickname in awhile but the absurdity of it all hit her. She almost started laughing but reined it in. She was no hero but maybe today she needed to try to be one.
She neared the voice she heard and realized that it was Stewart's voice. He seemed to be giving some sort of speech. She crept toward a set of doors that looked into a huge lab. What she saw inside made her gasp before she could help herself. Exactly two hundred guards stood in a straight line all dressed in grey and holding guns. The Eye sat on a stand in front of them, and Aspen could tell that their minds were under its control. She could feel its tug, but the Immunity Serum kept her from falling under its spell. Stewart seemed to be giving orders. She could hear his voice clearly, but only half paid attention to what he was saying as she searched for Steve and her mother. She finally saw Ava tied up and looking frightened behind Stewart. She craned her neck to see further into the room. She thought she saw someone beside her mother, but she couldn't tell if it was Steve. Fear jabbed through her. What if Stewart had killed him? He had everything he needed. He no longer had a reason to keep Steve alive. Why had he kept his word and healed her though? Her brain tuned into what Stewart was saying.
"…thanks to the help of our Super Soldier, we have the means to build the greatest army the world has ever seen. No one will stand against us once you are injected." Stewart fingered a phone that Aspen recognized as her own.
She watched in horror as Steve stepped up to Stewart's side. His eyes were blank, his posture relaxed as he stood next to their enemy. He wore the same grey as the other soldiers but held no gun. Aspen's heart was going wild and she felt her anger building up. Before she could stop it, her power surged out and cracked the glass of the doors. Ava and Stewart's eyes flew to the door. Steve and the soldiers didn't blink. She backed up, but it was to late.
"Why don't you come and join us Miss Tolvar?" Stewart asked. "I wondered how you might react when you saw that I've taken over your soldier's mind. The Eye is a powerful tool."
Aspen took a step forward, opening the door to the lab and stepping in. It felt much akin to stepping into a lion's den. She held the gun out before her, aiming it at Stewart's heart. The soldiers stared ahead with empty eyes. Stewart was smiling amiably. Ava whimpered from behind the gag that had been stuffed into her mouth. Aspen glanced over at her. She seemed otherwise unharmed. Finally she turned her head and looked at Steve, dreading what she would see in his eyes. The indifference in them broke her heart. "Steve?" she asked softly. He didn't blink. His blue eyes were so devoid of the emotion that was always present.
"He can't hear you. Not really. The Super Soldier Serum didn't stop the Eye from controlling his mind. As you can see Miss Tolvar, I have won. My army waits for my command. With the Super Soldier at their head, we can't lose. The Avengers won't stand a chance. Not when they're fighting him and all my soldiers."
"Why are you doing this?" Aspen asked. "Once you take over the world, what then?"
"Then no one steps on me again, no one tells me I'm weak. I spent my life living in the shadows of people like your parents. No more. This time I win."
"You're insane."
"You're just now getting that?" he asked, his eyes glinting. "The best leaders are a little insane."
"Yeah, like Hitler and Stalin? Great role models."
"And can you do better Miss Tolvar?"
"Me? I don't want to rule anything. I don't crave power."
"But you crave freedom and you can only gain that through power," he argued.
"Only when people like you try to take it away from me."
"We live in a world where someone is always trying to take away someone else's freedom, Miss Tolvar. That's not about to change."
"It might."
"You want to fight for your freedom? Fine. Let's see how the Superhero Serum works against the Super Soldier. Put the serums to the real test and see which ones comes out on top: your parents' or mine."
Dread filled Aspen. Steve had tensed, his eyes watching her intently as if she were his prey. "No," she said. "That's not going to happen."
"Do what you will. Fight or don't fight. Either way I want to see this." He turned to Steve. Aspen looked at her mother who met her eyes fearfully. Then she shook her head as if to say that Aspen didn't stand a chance. Aspen already knew that. She turned her eyes back to Steve with a gulp.
"Kill her," Stewart said to him. Aspen dropped the gun. She wasn't going to use that on Steve.
She backed up, but Steve took two great strides and had her cornered. Aspen darted under his arm as he tried to grab her by the throat. Instead he swung around and grabbed her wrist so quickly she could hardly register what was happening before the pain hit her. Her mind flared up telling her that he had just fractured her wrist. Aspen swallowed back the pain. Her brain seemed to accept that she didn't want to feel the pain and it faded. She had lost the use of her left arm though, and she was only two seconds into this fight. She backed away again. "Steve, don't do this," she told him. Her voice gave away her panic. "This isn't you. Fight this!"
She ducked as he swung straight at her and this time managed to predict his next moves and avoid further injury. She could keep ahead of him, but eventually she was going to tire or make a mistake. She focused her brain on fighting and found that she knew just what to do. She ducked his swing and kicked out, catching him behind the knee. He didn't budge. She swung up with her fist, but he blocked it with ease and countered. She could hardly ward him off as she defended herself. Once her defense slipped, and he sent her sprawling on the floor with a jolt that sent pain through her entire body. Her back would be bruised and her cheek was already blossoming with color. Steve reached down and lifted her by her collar. She flailed around, but he was too strong for her.
"Steve!" she screamed. "Fight it! You know me! You would never hurt me. Please!" Her voice had faded to a weak whisper. She thought she saw something like remembrance flicker behind his blue eyes. Then he threw her into the wall. She slid to the ground, pain radiating through her body.
"Give up yet?" Stewart asked. "Clearly your mind abilities are no match for the Super Soldier. Or maybe you're just weak."
Aspen glared at him. She focused her anger at Stewart and shoved her hand out in front of her. A wave of power hit Steve hard enough to knock him back a few paces. She didn't want to hurt him though. She couldn't.
"Is that all you've got?" Stewart asked. "You can do better than that."
As Steve approached again, Aspen shot out another wave of power. This time he hardly staggered. Aspen was feeling desperate. A thought flickered through her mind. She had no idea if it would work, but there was the smallest chance that it would. She lunged at him, wrapping her arms around his neck and pressing her lips to his before he could react. She felt him tense under her lips, but when he finally managed to push her off of him, she saw the light in his eyes. Their breath mingled. She tensed as he put his hands on her waist not knowing what to expect. "Aspen," he said so quietly that she knew she was the only one who had heard him.
Before either could say anything more, gunshots sounded outside the room. Steve's eyes flitted to the door behind Aspen.
"Kill her!" Stewart shouted at Steve. In one swift motion, Steve spun around and punched Stewart squarely in the jaw. Stewart went flying across the room where he crashed into the wall. Aspen expected him to stay there, but he got to his feet a moment later. "I see you broke his mind control. Impressive. Clearly you mean more to him than I realized. But you see, I'm still unbeatable. I've injected myself with both the Superhero Serum and the Adaptoid. I have his powers now only I'm stronger." He looked at the door as more gunfire rang out. "I guess we'll get a chance to see just how strong." He turned to his guards. "Go see what's happening," he told them. They nodded and left the lab. Aspen's senses were on alert. Whoever was shooting down Stewart's men might be looking for her and Steve.
Steve tensed as Stewart moved toward them. "Go free your mother," he told Aspen. "Then get out of here."
"I'm not leaving you," Aspen told him.
"You might not have a choice."
Aspen searched his eyes. "I'll stay with you to the last," she told him.
"To the end of the line," he murmured after a moment almost to himself, his eyes going distant. "Now go."
Aspen ran toward her mother as Steve faced Stewart. She quickly untied the gag and began to work on the bonds. "Aspen, he hasn't injected his army yet. You have to stop him."
"How?"
"The Eye is controlling them. We need to destroy it."
"How can we do that?" Aspen asked.
Her mother shook her head. "I'm not sure. I don't know anything about it."
"Then I'm not sure we can destroy it."
Her eyes flitted to Steve as she worked on her mother's bonds. Stewart loosened his tie before swinging at Steve. Steve ducked, kicking out and catching Stewart in the stomach. Stewart didn't seem to feel the impact. He staggered, regained his balance, and swung again. It was clear that he wasn't a fighter. He was using brute force but there was nothing refined about his movements. Steve quickly dodged and delivered a blow to the side of Stewart's head. Stewart swung out a hand and a power surge knocked Steve off his feet. Stewart smiled. "You see, I'm much better practiced than Miss Tolvar at using my powers. I've had years to train." He took a step toward Steve who got to his feet. Aspen saw a flicker of doubt in his eyes. Neither he nor she knew the extent to Stewart's powers.
Aspen finished untying Ava. "You need to get out of here."
Ava shook her head. "I can't leave you, Aspen."
"It's not safe. Let me handle this. I can't be worried about you too. Get out and get help."
Ava nodded. "I'll find your father."
"Good, go!"
"I love you, Aspen," her mom said pulling her into a tight hug. Aspen hugged her back.
"I love you too," she said. "This is going to all be over soon. Then we can be a family again. Here take this." She handed Ava the gun she had dropped.
Her mother took it and left. Aspen turned to face Stewart. She had to do something to help. Her mind began to calculate his strengths and his weaknesses but when he sent Steve flying into the wall hard enough to crack the plaster, Aspen's vision went red.
"Don't you dare hurt him!" she shouted. The lights above them flickered and ceiling shook. Bits of plaster rained down on them. "You have hurt my family and friend. I'm not going to let you keep hurting the people I love."
"You just don't know when to give up, do you?" Stewart asked, turning to face her.
"I just don't give up," she replied. The gunfire was getting closer, and she could hear voices shouting. Stewart's eyes flashed to the door, and Aspen saw a hint of hesitation. "Sounds like help is here," she said. "I'll give you one chance to surrender."
"And then what?" he asked, turning his eyes back to her. "You'll kill me? See I don't think you have it in you to kill someone."
"I work for SHIELD. Are you so sure about that?"
"I can hear that waver in your voice. You might be an employee of SHIELD but you don't kill in their name."
"I never said I was going to kill you," she said.
The doors behind her burst open, and her eyes flitted to the door. While her attention was on the incoming group of people, Stewart lunged at her, tackling her to the ground. A gun went off, and Aspen felt hot blood soak into her shirt. Stewart rolled off of her, and she saw that his shoulder was bleeding. Then he was on his feet and sprinting toward the exit on the other side of the lab. He dodged bullets with agility that he had stolen from Steve, snatching the Eye and punching the doors straight off their hinges. Just before he vanished from sight something whizzed through the air and struck him straight in the left shoulder. He kept running though Aspen knew the arrow would have pierced straight through him. She turned to look at the archer, cocking an eyebrow.
"Well that took you long enough," she said as Clint walked into the room.