The Curse of Dr. Zola
Chapter 11
Interlude-1944
"But mama, I don't want to do it! I don't wanna! Please don't make me. It makes my head hurt." The little 4 year old had the first trickle of tears rolling down her plump cheeks.
Mama reached her hand to caress her precious little child's face. "Just one more time sweetie, that's all, I promise, just do this for mama just one more time. You, me, and Uncle James have to get across the border. We'll be safe there, I promise. But we need your help to get past the border patrol. Can you do this for mama? I'll let you rest after and you can choose any reward you wish."
The line of cars moved forward, and she pulled the truck up. "We're almost there. Can I count on you?"
"I can have anything I want?" Her eyes rounded with the thought.
"Yes, anything."
"Okay mama, I'll do it one more time."
She pulled the truck up to her turn in the customs line.
"Please step out of the vehicle and open the back." The customs agent motioned her out.
"Just let me get my daughter." She helped the little girl scramble over her lap, and handed her down to the officer. He was instantly charmed by her cherubic face.
"I like you." She said in her wee small voice.
"I like you too."
Her mother went around to the back to open the doors.
"Oh, there's nothing in there, just some old clothes, Mr. Ostfister." The little girl intoned sweetly.
"Well, let's take a look, shall we?"
He saw exactly what she said, just a pile of clothes.
"Mama didn't have time to pack good."
"That's fine." He pushed the doors closed and sealed inside one cryo stasis capsule containing the person of James Buchanan Barnes. "It's just that we can't be careful enough. We have to check everything."
She squirmed in his arms. "Mama said as soon as we get to 'Merica, she's gonna buy me a new dolly! A brand new one! All mine….." Her arms went up into the air, and then she hugged herself.
The officer chuckled and handed her back to mama. "She's adorable, just like Shirley Temple. You should see about getting her into the movies."
"I don't know if we're going that far south, but I'll keep that in mind. Thank you for everything."
The little girl waved. "Bye bye!"
"OK, we're all clear here." The customs guard shouted to the gate controller and waved the truck clear.
She pulled the truck forward as the gate rose, and just like that, they crossed the border. The "Welcome to New York" sign stood just yards further down from the "Welcome to the United States" sign. She breathed a sigh of relief.
"Thank you my angel. You did a good job, and now we're all safely home again. So, what did you decide on? A new doll?
"No mama. I want to spend more time with Uncle James, but I would like to show him that I have a new dolly…." Her voice trailed off.
"Uncle James has to sleep for now, but I'll get you that dolly and you can tell him all about it, ok?"
"Okay."
Interlude-1947
Dr. Zola finally finished working for the night and gathered up his notebook, coat and hat. He'd had to relocate to a new facility, since Steve Rogers had blown up all the other ones.
He'd been lucky with this one; no one had discovered it yet. Schmidt had been wise to keep this one minimally staffed as a back-up plan.
His footfalls echoed down the hallway as he walked, but it made little difference; there were very few there to hear him anyway.
He waited for the elevator to lift him to the main level. He tapped his foot impatiently until the carriage arrived. The door opened and he went inside. His hand reached out for the main level as he fully intended to leave the building, but he hesitated. Finally, he pushed the button for the floor that held his creation. He wanted to check up on him.
He left the elevator and strode down the hall purposefully. Since the demise of Johann Schmidt, he'd had to "sell" himself to the highest bidder; the Russians came in with the highest bid, so he went with them. The "agreement" came with a clause however; he was to create a "soldier" for their use, while they funded his research and he created his own soldier.
His experiments had had a serious setback, well, two, if you counted both Steve Rogers and team blowing up all the labs and that dreadful woman! Grrrrrr…..his blood pressure and his heart rate shot up just thinking about it!
He opened the door and went inside, discarding those disruptive thoughts. There were just a few attendants monitoring the assets' progress currently, and everything looked very promising.
Of course, the setback cost him a year before another suitable candidate was located and yet another year before enough serum had been perfected over the previous version. Unfortunately, the war was over now. A new HYDRA chapter had begun. If they cut off one head, two more shall take its place. He watched silently for a moment before going over to the bedside of the Russians' candidate.
"How are we feeling my dear?"
"I'm just peachy. How are you doctor?"
"I'm doing well. Are you all set for tomorrow's procedure?"
"I'm looking forward to it."
"Get plenty of rest tonight, and I'll see you in the morning." Satisfied that everything was okay, he started to leave.
"Goodnight doctor."
"Goodnight Dolores."
"Call me Dottie, please."
Interlude-1974
She stood at the graveside and watched as they lowered the coffin down into the ground, her daughter's hand in one hand and her other hand fingered the charm on the necklace she wore. Her husband held an umbrella overhead; the only protection they had from the dreadful drizzle that had begun overnight.
The pastor had finished his short graveside eulogy and had left them with words of peace. They were the only ones in attendance.
"I'm sorry no one else came, with the weather and all…" He offered up as an apology of sorts.
"I didn't expect anyone else to come. Mama never had anyone but us."
"Come on, I'll drive us home."
They piled into the car, with the adults up front on the cushy bench seat, and the little girl in the back, playing with her toys. Mama idly toyed with the oval orange charm as she stared out the window. It was her mother's, but it seemed fitting to wear it today at her funeral.
About halfway home the little girl dropped her teddy bear on the floor of the car and slid off the seat to get it, since she couldn't reach it otherwise. As she squished herself between the seats, she heard her mother cry out a moment before a car ran the stoplight and broadsided them on the driver's side.
She screamed as the car careened out of control. Wedged as she was, the car protected her from serious injury. Her mother was badly hurt, but the driver was dead upon impact.
All the witnesses had to say was that the car drove off with metal hanging off the vehicle, screeching on the pavement, but they all agreed that the driver was a red-haired woman. Inside the car the orange glow from the necklace faded.
Interlude-1991
He sat on the motorcycle just inside the edge of the trees, hidden from view. No one coming down the road southbound would be able to spot him. It was a seldom used road, but he knew it would be used tonight. The intel gathered and fed to him told him his mark was on the move tonight.
He was patient. He could afford to be. He had all the time in the world. His mission was simple; extract the prize, and eliminate any witnesses.
He heard the rumble of the car engine before he saw it, and started up the bike's engine. As the Cadillac sped by, he toed the bike into gear and emerged from his hiding spot.
The bike bounced on its suspension as it hit the road, but he steadied it with his expert skills as a rider.
He accelerated and caught up with the Caddy. He forced his way in between the ditch and the passenger side and threw a huge rock thru the window, shattering it to pieces and startling the occupants into crashing into a tree.
He had to make a u-turn and double back to the car. The nose was squashed in and a small fire had erupted in the engine compartment.
He killed the engine and heeled the kickstand down with his left foot. He rested the bike on the stand and swung his leg over the back.
He approached the car almost casually, as if meeting up with old friends, and ripped open the trunk. Inside was a silver colored Halliburton case. He ripped it open as well. He was checking for his prize, and it was there. His superiors would be pleased. 5 bags of super soldier serum were contained inside the case. He closed it and walked around to the driver, who was crawling out of the car.
"Help me! Help my wife! Please."
But the asset just grabbed him by the collar and bashed in his skull. He dragged the now lifeless body of Howard Stark back to the car and placed him back inside.
Then he casually walked around to the passenger side and strangled Stark's wife.
When he was done, he drew his sidearm and fired at the camera he himself had set up, one of many along the road that would record his mission.
He secured the briefcase, and started the bike and drove off to destroy all the other cameras that he'd set up. NO WITNESSES meant exactly that.
Once all the cameras were destroyed, the man known as "The Curse" left to report back to his superiors.
In the far distance, he heard the car explode behind him, but he didn't care. The success of the mission was all he cared about.