There was a mild buzz and a brief whiff of ozone as the numerous rows of lights came on, flooding the massive room in bright light as the energy of electricity flowed through them. Row after rows of massive cylindrical tanks sat like transistor tubes in an old fashion radio throughout the room. The liquid inside each of them was emitting the faint glow of blue light, but not enough to wake the sleeping people that were suspended in the tanks. Only an oxygen mask was feeding them air through the tube that was connected to the air tanks below each fluid filled tank. The only way to try and get an accurate number of how many tanks in the room was to call up an aerial view of the massive structure.
Along with the oxygen masks that gave them air to breathe was a small IV that was attached to their arms and into their veins. The machinery in the upper part of the tank was pumping a blue liquid into their bodies. Every so often, each would start to thrash violently as their body's make up was changed, but they would soon calm down as the sedative in the liquid quickly took effect. One would be horrified at seeing humans undergoing such torture, but the man wearing the black helmet and mask was smiling with glee. He was enjoying every single one of his men undergoing such strain and unimaginable pain.
"Are you sure about this, boss?" the henchman asked as he followed the short German dictator.
"Absolutely sure." The man said as he walked down through the single path through the many tanks.
"But the last guys that got this crud,"
"DON'T REMIND ME! Besides the rodent, all the previous test subjects have died." The short man growled.
"So what's with giving these guys baths?" the thug asked as he looked at all the liquid filled tanks.
"They are not baths. This liquid is made of certain nutrients that will enable their body to handle the sudden change the serum makes. Hopefully, it should also strengthen their body enough to handle the serum itself." He growled.
"Then why change the blue stuff?"
"Because both the Rodent and Heir Stoppable were unique. With the added ingredients, it should alter their DNA enough to vhere they won't die from the change." The small man said as he finally reached the exit, with an electric box that had to levers on it.
"Aren't we missing something?" the thug asked as he scratched the back of his head.
"Ja." The man said as he flipped one switch, and turned off the lights, but the internal lights of the tanks left them illuminated. "THIS!" he screamed as he flipped the other switch and the tanks turned green, exposing each person to a massive exposure to gamma radiation.
SHIELD; 0700 hours
For once in the past few weeks, it was a clear sky over the island of Manhattan. A crystal clear blue sky with only a few clouds here and there, and none of them were grey. The sun was warming the cold concrete and glass of the city as the minutes ticked by while people went on their daily routines. Off the coast of the metropolis sat an island of pure technology and, discipline, and fire power. The recently finished land base of SHIELD stood in the day light like a modern day pyramid. Instead of resembling a standard stone triangle, the massive structure stood like a high tech steel and glass cone.
Inside the massive fortress sat General Nick Fury, leader of the covert SHIELD. He rubbed his right temple as he looked at the data in front of him that was on both paper and computer data. What he saw, he did not like. The alien threat that had aided Hitler's forces in World War II had been hiding since the Nazi's defeat in 1945. But now, they were starting to make themselves known again. More and more sightings were starting to pop up almost every week, along with video footage and photos. They were up to something, and it wasn't going to be anything good.
Project Rebirth was going slower than he thought. Even with Captain America alive and well, it was still taking Dr. Ross time. He thought bring her fiancé, Dr. Bruce Banner, on board would speed things. IT only helped very little. Now his superiors were on top of him again to recruit for Project Avenger. So far, he only had one recruit, and that's what his thoughts were circling on.
His second in command, Talbot, was a mistake. It was an error in his judgment to give that spineless moron that high a rank. Never again, though. And right now, he had this one situation to take care of. The one other person he needed to talk to was away on a mission, so Fury had to wait for his team to be able to set up a communications link when they had the chance. That was the reason he was sitting in his office so late in the morning.
"Sir, we have a transmission coming in from Agent Gabriel." The voice over the intercom said to him.
"Patch him through at once." Fury said as he turned to the flat monitor that was built into his wall. Soon, Gabriel's image was glowing from the plasma monitor.
"Sorry to keep you waiting, sir. We had to bounce our signal off a Russian communications bird." Agent Gabriel said.
"As long as you and your team are safe. What's your mission status?" Fury asked him.
"No luck yet, sir. Like you guessed, Tuganda isn't answering any communications we're sending, so we have nothing about their knowledge of UFO sightings over this part of Africa." Gabriel answered.
"Keep at it, Gabriel. The king is stubborn, but he's not dumb." Fury said.
"General, can I assume you didn't just want a mission update." Gabriel said.
"Your assumption would be right. The Pentagon is coming down on me harder to recruit for the Avenger strike force, and I need someone's help doing so. I'm sorry Gabriel, but I have to appoint someone else as my new second in command." Fury told him.
Gabriel just took a deep breath and let it out slowly as he kept his posture still and his gaze fixed on his commander.
"I thought something like this would happen. Have you decided yet, sir?" Gabriel asked him.
"I have. For this kind of situation, I'm choosing Black Widow."
"The thief? Sir, may I request that you make sure she doesn't take anything from my quarters. I've got a ten year old bottle of I haven't gotten a chance to open yet." Gabriel said.
"Affirmative. Fury, out." The general said, giving a small smile at the joke, as his monitor cut out.
That was one duty taken care of, now he just had to deal with the first person on his recruiting list. He didn't have a problem with her at all. The truth be told, she was one of his first choices for Project Rebirth. It was her husband that he had a problem with; and her husband made it clear on how much he was fond of him. Time to see if he was going to regret making this choice as well.
SHIELD; 1200 hours
Kim still couldn't believe at the images she was seeing as she played them over and over again. Wade had been able to make her a copy of Drakken's security footage for her to see, and her brain still couldn't believe what it had recorded. She paused it at the one thing that still made her skeptical, even though she had seen it for herself. Ron, transformed, was looking at the camera. His face was hardened with the look of pure rage. So much anger was in his face that she was surprised he could even frown like that.
All of her life, she knew for a fact that Ron had let every insult and tease roll of his back like it was nothing. But she also had to remember he had been through more than what she had seen. He was also teased by their foes and their henchmen, not to mention Mr. Barkin's insults of him. Ron had also been beaten up by them and the bullies at school as well. And there was also what she did to him.
All their lives, she had drug him to places he didn't want to go, or help her shop when he knew he would be bored out of his mind. But her competitive spirit, or Kimness as he called it, was always the dominant force. When he had made the mad dog mascot mask with the foaming, she had told him how stupid it was. She was his best friend, she should have been supportive. Instead, she did her best to shatter what pride he had earned from making his mask. Not to mention the whole Josh Mankey thing.
When she had a crush for him, Ron did his best to help her and get her to ask him out or talk to him. Even though Ron never liked Josh, he still did his best to help her. What did she do for him in return? She locked him in a locker, and a broom closet. He didn't get out of the locker until the end of school, and he had stayed locked in the broom closet until the very next day of school. She should be the one turning green and rampaging, not Ron. Jewish or not, he was a living saint to put up with all of the BS she had given him. But why did he stick around with her? By all rights, he should have ended their friendship over some of the things she's done to him. But he stayed with her. Through all of it.
"So how am I doing, doc?" Ron asked Betty as he pulled the sensors off his chest.
"It looks like everything checks out so far. Well, for you anyway." Betty said.
"Huh?"
"Ron, not everyone turns into a green giant when they get mad." She said.
"Frankly, I'm still astounded." Bruce, Betty's fiancé, said as he examined all the data. "In my wildest dreams, I never thought that this was possible."
"More like nightmares. It's scary when I turn into the Hulk." Ron mumbled to himself.
"The Hulk?" Bruce asked.
"It's what the base has started calling his other form." Betty said to her fiancé.
"So am I free to leave?" Ron asked them.
"Sure, Ron. I think we have enough to start working on the new sedative." Betty said.
"Okay. Thanks, doc." Ron said as he put his shirt back on and walked out.
"My God, Betty. Can you imagine going through something like that?" Bruce asked her.
"I'd rather not."
"What?" Bruce asked.
"Bruce, what would have happened if that had been you instead of Ron? With everything you've been through, it's too scary to think about." Betty said.
"I don't know what you're talking about." Bruce said as his self-defense mechanisms kicked in.
"Don't start, Bruce. I'm not just talking about you getting shot. You grew up with an abusive father, and watched him kill your mother. With all of that emotional and psychological trauma, there's no telling what damage you would have done if you were in Ron's place. It's too scary to think about." Ross said as she looked at Ron's test results and began trying to find a way to create a stronger sedative for him.
Ron had gotten halfway to the quarters he and Kim were staying in when he heard General Fury's voice over the internal comm. systems. He and Kim were to repot directly to his office at once for an assignment. At least this meant he was going to get a chance to be outside the walls of SHEILD and away from the prying eyes of Fury and his other grunts. Living on the base was okay, but everything was so strict and by the book that he wished he were living at the M.A.S.H. 4077th during the Korean war.
Pretty soon, he was looking at the large door of General Fury's office. He took a deep breath before knocking on the large door and waiting for whatever the General had planned for him.
"You can come in, Stoppable." Fury said.
"Can't he just call me Ron?" Ron said to himself as he entered the large office.
Inside, Kim sat in one of the chairs in front of the General's desk with a tall broad man standing off to the side. On the other side of the room, Shego stood wearing a pair of black pants that looked as if they were a second skin, and a white tank top. As soon as she saw Ron, she seemed to stiffen a little bit. Ron was confused for a moment until he remembered their last meeting. Shego had seen Ron change into the Hulk and got a face to face meeting with it.
"Hey, Shego. It's nice to meet you when you aren't trying to hurt us." Ron said to the pale woman.
"Likewise, Stoppable." She said as she turned to face Fury.
"It's about time you got here, Stoppable. Now there are two reasons I've called you here. If you recall, due to certain events, Talbot is no longer my second in command. Since then, I have been looking for a soldier who doesn't just have the balls to get the job done, but the brains as well." Fury started.
"Let me guess. Golden boy Gabriel got the job, right?" Shego asked him.
"Under normal circumstances, he would have been appointed as my second. However, he's on assignment in Africa and the brass is demanding that I need a second who is currently on the same continent. So as of this moment, Black Widow is to be my second in command." Fury said, and looked up to see Kim and Ron's jaws almost hit his desk.
"Wait a minute, you're putting me in a position with command authority?" Shego asked the General.
"If you can't handle it, I'll find someone else." Fury said.
"No, I'll take it. It's just unexpected." Shego said. "So what's the other thing you called us here for?" Shego asked him.
"That is for Agents Possible and Stoppable; if they can hook their jaws back into place." Fury said and glared at them. Both teens immediately gathered their wits and regained their composure. "As you know, we have been trying to let Captain Rogers become acquainted with his new surroundings. After some deliberation, I have decided to grant a request Roger's made not too long after he regained consciousness. I want you to escort Captain Rogers as he visits an old friend of his." Fury said.
"You want us to baby sit him?" Ron asked.
"Stoppable, Rogers has been unconscious since 1945. It's now the early twenty-first century and he has no idea how much the world has changed since World War II. I just want you to make sure that he doesn't get into any kind of trouble while he's exposed to everything." Fury told them.
"With all do respect, sir," the man said as he stepped forward. The light of the office revealed that he was a tall strapping young man with blond hair cut into a crew cut, baby blue eyes, and military t-shirt that looked like it has trouble staying together around his built frame. Shego had to keep herself from drooling at the sight of the young man.
"I'm sure there's more these agents can do than giving me an escort. I'm sure I can find my way." He said.
"That's a negative, captain. Things are completely different since the last time you were in New York. Just consider them more like tour guides." Fury said.
"Tour guides?" Kim asked, feeling a little insulted.
"It's either this, or you and Stoppable get Kitchen Duty." Fury said.
"Making food isn't that hard." Ron started saying.
"I meant cleaning it." Fury said.
"When do you want to leave, Captain?" Kim asked Rogers.
"How are the test subjects?" the man asked as he adjusted his black helmet.
"I'm not sure." The thug said.
"Vhat?" the short man asked.
"I'm not sure. I think the guy who wrote this wrote it in Hebrew or some gibberish." The thug said as the short man grabbed the documents from him and looked at it.
"You vere looking at them upside don you moron!" the short man shouted at him.
"Sorry boss; I never did real good in school." The thug told his employer.
"You – vhy does everyone have to test my patience?" the man asked as he sat at his desk, opened his drawer, and shot the thug in the kneecap with a small .38 pistol before he could say anything. "People say I'm crazy, but zhat's not true. I just run out of patience vith idiots. You can go now." The small man said as he read the status reports.
"Y-yes boss." The thug said as he slowly limped out of the office, with a small red trail in his wake.
"Oh, this is very güt in deed." The small man said as he read the report.
That's when a high pitched noise, almost like the sound of nails on a chalkboard, began to sound through out the whole office. Dementor screamed, trying to place his hands over the area where his ears were under his helmet. The noise seemed to grow even louder as he fell to his knees, trying to drown out the noise. Dementor's jaw was clinched so tight that it would be only seconds before his teeth broke and cracked like a thin sucker. When the noise ended, he could hear something else. It had been years since he had heard it, but he knew that noise from anywhere. If anyone else had heard the noise, they would only think it was a weird groaning. But Dementor could understand it perfectly.
"What is your progress?"
"I've had to make a change in plans. Something unexpected has happened, and I believe it could give us a strong upper hand when the time comes."
"We are aware of your projects. What about SHEILD? We were able to destroy their satellite, but we don't know about anything else they have."
"I have hit a snag with SHEILD. They have terminated my mole."
"Then we have no choice. We must attack."
"Not yet. My army is not ready yet. There may be another way, though. Just give me some time." Dementor said.
"We will give you one human week. If you do not have a plan, or if you fail by then, we will attack SHEILD." The voice said before its transmission ended.
"Wolfgang, give me every single piece of data ve have from our mole." Dementor said into the intercom.
"Yes, boss."
"Perhaps Talbot's information vill be of some use after all." Dementor said as he removed his helmet, and let his skin fade to a greenish blue hue.
"So why are here again?" Shego asked as they approached the small building that looked more like a condemned auto garage.
"Because the person we're looking for works here." Fury told her.
"Doing what? Feeding the roaches?" she asked.
"You don't know how close to the truth you are." Fury said as they approached the building.
"Pym Industries?"
"Don't ask." Fury said as he opened the door and stepped inside.
The interior was barley lit, making the two having to squint in order to adjust their eyes to the dark. Inside the building wasn't that different from the exterior. There were crates and boxes of various size, stacked in different areas through out the building. The walls were covered with grime and dust from years of neglect, and would make the guy from the Oxi Clean commercials run away screaming in terror.
"This person we're here to see does know how to use a mop, right?" Shego asked.
"Looks can be deceiving. AGH!" Fury shouted, making Shego ignite both of her fists.
"What is it?" she asked as she saw the man shake his arm like he was trying to extinguish a fire on it.
"Ants! I hate ants!" Fury growled.
Shego extinguished her plasma and saw a row of ants along the floor, marching single file. When she looked at where they were going, all she could do was raise her eyebrow in confusion. They were climbing a near by wall and forming the phrase, 'SHEILD CAN KISS MY ASS.'
"What the?" Shego began to ask.
"It looks like the welcoming committee is here." Fury said as he saw the phrase.
"Nice to see you too, Fury." A man said a few yards away.
The man who stood in the doorway was wearing a brown and orange body suit that hugged and covered his entire toned frame, except for his head. The suit almost looked similar to a haze mat suit, with a series of buttons along the forearms. On his head was a strange visored metal helmet, with two antennas extending from it. The whole design and look of the helmet made him look like he was trying to imitate a bug.
"Who's this guy?" Shego asked.
"Professor Hank Pym. He was one of our candidates to head the super soldier program."
"Until you gave me the boot when you chose Banner and his girl. How's that working out, by the way? I heard you had a little green snag." The man said as he removed the helmet, revealing a broad face and shaggy brown hair.
"That's enough, Hank." A voice said. It was no louder than a whisper, but sounded like it came from Alvin and the Chipmunks.
That's when a person, a living breathing person, that no bigger than a child's action figure flew into the room and in between Pym and Fury. It also looked like that she actually had a pair of wings like an insect. What was it with bugs with these people?
"They're ready for you in the lab below, Hank. I'll entertain our guests." The small woman said to the man.
With a scoff, the man walked away and out of sight while the woman flew towards Fury and Shego and grew to the size of a normal woman.
"Sorry about Hank, Fury. He's a little on edge today. How are you doing?" the woman asked as she gave the general a firm hug.
"I'm okay." He told her.
"I take it you two know each other?" Shego asked him.
"Black Widow, this is Dr. Janet Pym." Fury said, introducing the two women to each other.
"Nice to meet you. So what brings you to our neck of the woods?" she asked.
"A situation has come up, and I've been ordered to recruit a team to aid in preventing it. I'd like you to join, Janet." Fury said to her.
"I don't know, Fury. Hank and I are doing a lot here right now." Janet said.
"Like what? Measuring mold growth?" Shego asked in her normal sarcastic tone.
"Actually, we've done a lot since the last time we talked. Nick, I won't do anything without Hank." Janet said.
"I know Pym is your husband Janet, but I can't have any room for pretentious lab jockeys on my team." Nick said, and noticed the small smirk on Dr. Pym's face.
"Let me show you what Hank and I have been doing since we were turned down by SHEILD." Janet said as she led them to an elevator that was hidden in the back.
Fury and Shego soon found themselves in the lower levels below the abandoned building outside, and Shego was surprised to see that the lower level looked more like an up to date, fully functioning laboratory. The one thing about the lab, besides all the computer consoles surrounding the area where Professor Pym was standing, as the large high ceiling the lab had.
"You know Janet, you don't have to keep sticking up for me." Pym said as he removed the strange helmet and set it aside.
Shego looked at Fury, and then herself when she found a little black ant resting on her shoulder as it kept looking directly at her.
"Cute, smart ass." Shego said to Pym as she thumped the insect off of her shoulder.
"That's not the only trick I've got up my sleeve, sweetheart." Hank said as he looked at his left forearm and pressed one of the buttons that were mounted on it.
Pym started groaning like he was being stretched on a rack, balling his fists tightly and squinting his eyes shut. When he opened them, his pupils were dilated and his bones began to pop. Shego watched in wonderment as she saw the six foot man begin to grow, and keep on growing. Everything became enlarged until his groaning stopped, and he stood somewhere past fifty feet tall.
"Never underestimate pretentious lab jockeys. Huh, Fury?" Pym asked him; his voice booming and echoing throughout the room that now seemed smaller at the moment.
"That explains a lot." Shego said as she kept looking at the large man, and couldn't help but wonder if that process enlarged everything.
"You mean my shrinking? I can do that because of my – condition." Janet said.
Before Shego could say anything, she began receiving a transmission from home base in the earpiece she was wearing. She listened closely while Fury and Mrs. Pym talked. When the transmission was finished, she tapped the General's soldier to get his attention.
"I just got word from SHEILD HQ. The tin man is trying to save a plane from crashing in the Hudson river." Shego told him.
"Well Pym?" Fury asked them.
"I can't believe I'm saying this. If Janet's in, I'm in." Hank groaned.
"Looks like you've got us." Janet said.
"Wow. General Fury wasn't lying when he said everything had changed." Rogers said as they walked down a part of town that had graffiti covering the walls, the streets were dirty and un-maintained, and a few buildings looked like they hadn't seen any kind of business in years.
"The last time I was here, everything was so much more – lively. There used to be a soda fountain right here. Gale and I would come here for a cherry Coke. I couldn't stand them, but she loved them." Rogers said as he rubbed the dust covered window of a condemned building that looked more worse for wear.
"I guess this is a big adjustment, isn't it?" Kim asked him.
"I knew things had changed, I just didn't know this much." Rogers said as a Goth couple walked by, talking about a new tongue piercing. "Obviously, things have changed in more ways than one." Rogers said.
"So, does your friend live much farther?" Ron asked, trying to get him to think of something else.
"Your chubby friend said that public records showed she never moved out of her house. I just wish I knew what to say." Rogers said.
"I guess the truth might help." Ron said.
"Maybe." Was all Rogers said as they kept on walking.
Soon, they found themselves in a nice well kept neighborhood. Kim and Ron were impressed that a nice part of suburbia was actually sitting close to an area that looked like a scene from Escape From New York. The sight of this place seemed to bring a real smile to Rogers face as he looked around the neighborhood.
"Some of the houses are different, but it almost looks like the way I saw it last." Rogers said as they walked.
When they came to a large two story yellow house, Rogers stopped for a minute as he took a deep breath. "There it is. I could swear it looks exactly the same." Rogers said.
"Only one thing left to do." Kim said as she placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder.
Rogers took one more deep breath, opened the gate to the picket fence, and walked to the front door. He heard and understood everything Possible and Stoppable's friend had told him, he just still had a hard time getting used to it. He knocked on the door, and was rewarded with a warm sight.
"I hear they call you Buck now." Rogers said to the old man that stood in front of him.
"Cap? I don't believe it, not even when I got the call. It really is you." The old man said as he embraced the Rogers in a firm hug.
Steve Rogers couldn't do anything else but stare at all the pictures along the wall. A small smile appeared when he saw the group photo of him with the rest of his platoon; along with a very young Buck standing next to him. It was the other photos that made his heart sink. Mainly, the one of Buck standing in a tux with his arm linked with his fiancé Gale in a white wedding dress.
"Cap, we didn't plan on falling in love. After we thought you died, life went on. I was just trying to be a shoulder to cry on for her, and things went from there." Buck said to him as Kim and Ron watched as they sat on a near by couch.
"It's okay, Buck. It's just hard getting used to this. I know it's been years, but it feels like I only saw her the other day." Rogers said. "Has she had a good life?"
"I gave her the best I could, and then some. I made sure this house stayed in shape, I always kept food on the table and did the best for our kids." Buck said.
"Kids?" Rogers asked.
"Yeah. We have a granddaughter now. She's just a little older than those two. Do you want any decaf, Cap?" Buck asked as he headed into the kitchen.
"Decaf?" Rogers asked confused.
"It's coffee with no caffeine." Kim told him.
"Then what's the point in drinking it?" Rogers asked himself.
That's when they heard Buck starting to cough in the kitchen, but it didn't sound like a small cough. It sounded like it was getting worse each time he was coughing.
"Buck, are you okay?" Rogers asked as Kim and Ron began to stand.
"I-I'm fine." Buck wheezed before he starting to cough even more, sounding worse than before. When the heard the sound of glass breaking, all three rushed into the kitchen as fast as they could.
Buck was leaning against the counter for support as he hacked and wheezed, with what was left of a coffee mug and the hot beverage on the floor. They all helped Buck back into the living room and sat him in one of the armchairs as he tried to get his coughing under control.
"Buck, what's wrong?" Rogers asked his old friend.
"I'll call an ambulance." Kim said.
"No, don't. There's no need to. I've seen dozens of quacks and they've all said the same thing. It's lung cancer." Buck said as he regained his breath.
"Cancer? Buck, you never smoked." Rogers said, unable to believe what he had just heard.
"They found out you can get it from your family tree too, Cap. Isn't that a bitch?" Buck asked with a small laugh.
Ron looked out the window as the two friends talked. This was very heavy. Captain Rogers sure was taking this well, or he really knew how to hide his feelings well. Everything was heavy lately. He hadn't heard from his parents in a while, and he was being watched like a hawk every time he was walking around that base. As he looked at the tall buildings in the distance, he thought he saw something strange. He could have sworn it looked like a red and yellow man. Ron had to get out more if he was seeing things that weird.
"So how are the guys? I'd like to look a few of them up when I have the time." Rogers said.
"Cap, there's something I have to tell you." Buck said.
Arlington National Cemetery
Captain Steve Rogers couldn't believe what he was seeing as he passed by row after row of headstones. With the exception of only a slim few, his whole platoon was in the ground he stood on with only a white marble headstone to tell people who they were. A sickening feeling of nausea was beginning to come over him as he saw that most of their death dates was the day they invaded that German fortress. He should have died with them that day, not be alive and well right here.
He stopped at one grave that caught his eye, and knelt down in front of it. He closed his eyes, and let out the breath he had been holding in. The feelings of shame and guilt were beginning to bubble to the surface as a few tears began to fall down his face and onto the grass.
"I'm sorry about your friends." Kim said to him.
"This guy here wasn't really a friend. He didn't like me from day one, but he gave everything no matter what. Even when it came to protecting my hide." Rogers said as he looked at the name "KAWALSKI."
"If this is too hard for you right now," Kim started.
"I promised I would get them back home. I promised each one of them that I would get them home. But not like this. They all deserve so much better than this." Rogers said as he looked at the gravestone of one of his brothers in arms.
"Captain, sir." Ron started. "I'm not going to lie and say the whole 'I can't imagine' speech. But I do know what it's like to have everything you know thrown upside down. Come to think about it, I've had my life turned upside down almost on a daily basis." Ron said.
Rogers just gave a small laugh at the young man's remark, despite the situation. "I find that a little hard to believe, son." Rogers said.
"It's true. Before Ron's – accident, we saved the world almost on a daily basis." Kim said proudly.
"But – you look so long." Rogers said.
"We've been doing the whole hero thing since middle school." Ron said like it was a normal thing.
"Incredible. What about your accident? What happened?" Rogers asked them.
"If you don't mind, I don't like talking about that." Ron said as he looked away for a moment.
"It's a long story." Kim said to the World War hero.
As they all stood, a sleek jet black helicopter landed in front of them as General Fury and Shego exited the craft.
"Sorry to cut this short, but I need Captain America on a small mission." Fury said.
"No offence sir, but I don't think I'm up for a mission at the moment, sir." Rogers said to his new commander. With the way he felt, all he could do was look out the window as they flew over New York City.
"This is just a recruiting mission, Captain. We're on our way to recruit an activist." Fury said.
"An activist?" Rogers asked, a little confused. He had lost count at how many times he got confused today.
"His name's Thor."
"Thor?"
"He thinks he's the Norse God of thunder and lightening, and the abilities to back up that claim. He's been working with some whale activist lately to prevent the hunting and killing of whales up North. Rumors say that the group he's with is currently on its way to intercept them right now." Fury said.
Before Steve could say anything, he saw the massive destruction to part of the city below him. From buildings that were collapsed in on themselves to massive gaping holes and craters in the streets.
"What happened down there? Were we attacked?" Rogers asked.
"No. Agent Stoppable did that." Fury said flatly.
"Stoppable? No offence, General; but how can someone like Stoppable do all that?" Rogers asked, not really believing what his commander just told him.
"It's no joke, Rogers." Fury said as he handed him a small handheld monitor that played the footage of Ron's last transformation and battle with Rufus.
"A known terrorist and want-to-be dictator known as Professor Dementor kidnapped Possible and Stoppable, and used an experimental Super Soldier formula he had stolen on him. As a result; every time Stoppable feels anger or anxiety, he becomes the Hulk. A raging, monstrous, machine that's driven by pure anger that destroys everything in its path.It is from your worst nightmares. That little fight is between him and his pet, after Dementor injected it with the incomplete formula." Fury told him.
"That's a low thing to do, sir." Rogers said.
"Frankly, I don't like it myself." Fury said, already having too much on his mind as they flew toward the North Atlantic.