Sia's tears fall as she kisses his forehead gently, "I love you, Father...", and Kashekim gives a small smile, "Farewell, my friends and family...", before taking a deep breath, the very last one in his life, and then his heart stopped forever and ever, yet there was a peaceful look on his face as his hands rested on his chest.
A moment of silence went through the group as then all eyes looked to Milo. "Why is everyone looking at me?", he asked. "I'm no king... I'm not fit to be any sort of ruler; Sia's the rightful heir behind Kida...".
Sia replied, "It's true that I'm the sister of Kida, but I was not trained fully in royal lessons vocally and hands-on, for Kida was the crown princess...You are Kida's mate; you should have some of her memories of how to lead the kingdom and all.", as her tears still is falling, a choked sob as Jacques knelt next to her, wrapping his arms around her.
He stroked her hair and back gently as Thaddeus took a deep breath, "We're all in with you, Milo. I was helpless back in the expedition personally, but now I can.", looking at his grandson, even if his mind still is whirring a bit that he's already a great-grandfather!
Milo looked at him in surprise, taking a deep breath, glancing at the Kings' Crystal in his hand, and narrowed his eyes, reciting his grandfather's favorite advice, "When you hit bottom, the only place left to go is up.".
Thaddeus smiled proudly as he heard him, and Milo then looked at Erskine, "If they want a fight, we'll bring the fight to them. Opa, are you well enough to start up the equipment? If you are, I don't know how, but I have the strangest feeling that this crystal, along with Sia's crystal will help along. They won't expect it coming.", with a sharp nod, glancing at Steve.
"Only one way to find out...", Erskine said as he looked to Steve. "Well, I guess I can be able to fulfill my promise to you after all... but Steve, I will warn you... there's no guarantee that it'll work.".
"I know, Doc...", Steve nodded. "But I wouldn't be here if I wasn't sure I'd take that risk.". Erskine smiled as Milo took a deep breath, "And I just thought of something else... we can easily cross that bridge... Sia, gather as many warriors as you can, and any of your flyers; I doubt HYDRA will expect an airborne raid...".
Sia nodded, "Understood, Milo. Inform me when whatever you are doing for Steve is ready, I'll be there to loan my crystal, along with Milo.", and Erskine nodded, "Of course. Come along, Thaddeus. I'll need your help, along with Audrey's help.".
Thaddeus nodded with a firm smile, "You got it.", and everybody split up, and several minutes later, Steve and Peggy are sitting at the stairs below the room where sounds of clanking, clicking, and buttons are heard with the faint voices of Erskine, Thaddeus and Audrey.
Peggy held Steve's hand, "I'm here, Steve, and I won't leave you when you are in there...Are you scared?", resting her head on his shoulder.
Steve nodded, "I'd be a liar to say no, but we don't have much of a choice now; if anything can help us in this fight, then we have to take it...".
"You think, if say, it does work, you think you'd be able to quickly fight even after such a radical change to yourself?", Peggy asked curiously with a bit of concern.
Steve exhaled, "I had trained in Philips's camp for the past four months...It would be easier to do the drills and all if this works...I really want this to work for the doc...He came all this way to help me out, and I nearly lost him...We nearly lost him...It makes so much sense now with Thaddeus...".
Peggy chuckled wryly, "Believe me, I didn't see that coming either...It's funny, but he looks like a whole new version of himself again when he's with Thaddeus...And to fool Hydra like that, damn, for months and all...That took guts...".
"Well, protecting his grandson and beloved friends in the crew, that would have been heck of a good reason...And then Erskine came in...No wonder why he lied to me...", Steve replied, and Peggy looked at him, "Pardon?".
"He said that he had a second chance at love again, that it was hard to see his lover between needing to stay low because of Hydra and his job...I think he spoke the truth in that, only lied that his lover was a woman named Thalia.", Steve explained.
Peggy chuckled, "Ah, I see...Love makes people do crazy things when they are in love.", and Steve chuckled before exhaling softly, "Crazy to think that Milo is literally an Acting King, huh? He must be freaking out in his mind right now, with Kida and his kid...Geez, if we hadn't been met by the Levithan at the start, I would have been thinking that all of this was...".
"Not magical?", Peggy smiled as she suggested gently, and she replied, "Steve, people thought electricity was magical in several third-world countries and all, or heck, even the cameras!".
"I know... just... it's still so much to take in...", Steve said as she nodded. "Yeah, it's been a long journey and an even longer day... it's still not over... we've still got to stop Rourke and his Hun buddies.", Peggy reminded as Steve agreed.
Steve glanced at Peggy, "I won't stop you from coming into battle, huh?", with a soft smile, and Peggy smirked, "Nope! And besides, I have a bitch to take care of! I can't believe how she...she insulted us! I may not be a soon-to-be super soldier, but I'm a special agent and I can take care of myself!".
"And that's one of the things I love about you, Peggy...Sinclair was wrong and will always be wrong about you forever...", Steve smiled fondly, lovingly squeezing her hand back.
Peggy blushed, smiling at him when a polite voice cleared his throat, revealing himself to be Thaddeus, "Steven, we're ready for you. Audrey is informing the guards to get Sia and Milo to loan their crystals.".
Steve exhaled deeply as he got up from his seat on the stairs while Peggy held into him, walking together, to the room where a large machine is resting, with the panels opened up, with tubes of super soldier serum, still intact of needles awaiting to be injected on major body points, with consoles on and running, thanks to the fuel gasoline, and the vita-rays on the edges and back of the machine, linked into a large console with a vita-ray level device.
Erskine glanced at Steve with a smile, "Any second thoughts?", and Steve shook his head, "No...Let's do this...".
"Alright, son. Take off your shirt, socks and shoes.", Erskine nodded with a warm smile, and Steve nodded, taking off his boots and socks, and looked at Peggy who smiled, gently taking off his shirt, and she caressed his chest, right above his heart.
Peggy whispered, "We're all here in your heart...We're with you to the end, Steve...You got the heart of a fighter...", tears prickling at the edges of her eyes, and Steve caressed her cheek, "Hey, I got this, Peggy...I'm doing this for Atlantis, for Milo, for everyone, and especially you, if I am to go to make sure that we can live another day...I want to be with you every moment we got as I love you so much, Peggy Carter...", gently brushing her little tears away.
"I love you too, Steve Rogers.", Peggy smiled softly as she leaned in to kiss him tenderly yet passionately on the lips, caressing his cheek in return, and they then had to break away a few moments later, looking at each other, squeezing each other's hands.
Steve then took a deep breath as Milo and Sia arrived, and got off from a flying Ketak, which Milo had showed all the warriors how to drive for the past quarter of the hour, thanking the warrior at the helm as the warriors are still learning of the machines.
Erskine then glanced at Audrey, "They still good?", as Audrey is at the consoles, and she nodded, "Yep.", as he then looked at Steve, "Come on.", as Steve left Peggy who is holding into his shirt tightly, able to be emotional, since this isn't the surface with any army people watching this.
"At least the good news is that we can get a bunch of those craft running; I don't know how well they'll do, compared to whatever is waiting for us, but it's better than nothing.", Milo said as he looked things over. "Boy, Opa... this certainly is impressive.".
"This is nothing...", Erskine chuckled. "Hopefully, the final product is what will be impressive...". Steve walked up to the machine and took a deep breath, stepping in and laying back down, and Erskine looked down at Steve, "Alright?", and Steve replied, "A bit cold, but otherwise, I'm alright.".
Erskine then nodded, "Good. As you got penicillin and a couple of other medicine shots on the ship before we dropped in the Ulysses, you should be fine to accept the serum and all. You ready, son?".
With a sharp nod, Steve exhaled, "Yes.", and Erskine gave him a soft, warm smile before glancing at Audrey, "Okay, turn on the needles, Audrey.".
Audrey nodded, and pushed buttons and pulled levers as the clampers of needles came out and went to inject the super soldier serum into Steve who held still, exhaling as the machine then came up, with Erskine looking at Thaddeus, "Okay, steady...", as Thaddeus grabbed a lever, pushing it up as the machine went to encase Steve, while turning on the vita-rays.
Erskine knocked on the glass, "You hear me, Steven?", and Steve replied, "Crystal as glass, doc...", and Erskine then smiled, and nodded at Thaddeus, "Turn it up, Thaddeus. Steady.", and Thaddeus went to grab the wheel of the vita-ray level device, turning it to the right steadily, moving from 1%.
"I hope this works...", Thaddeus admitted as Erskine nodded. Privately, he hoped so too. Everything started and so far, it seemed to be going as he had anticipated.
"How bad will it be for him?", Peggy had to ask as Erskine glanced at her, "Truthfully... despite my best efforts, it'll be excruciating. But birth is often painful and I'd rather him be in pain than dead.".
A golden aura began to appear through the window and around the machine as the vita-rays began their work, as Thaddeus steadily increased the levels, "10%, 15%, 20%.", while Steve was heard gritting his teeth.
As it increased with Thaddeus sounding out the percent of the levels, Steve's groans and cries of pain is slowly getting louder, with Peggy clutching Steve's shirt to her mouth, praying, biting her lip, and as Thaddeus announced, "50%!", shouts of pain were heard while flares of sparks flew out near Audrey, "Shit! Electricity's going crazy, doc! The gas, if this continues, it will run out!".
Erskine shouted, "Turn on the backup generator, Audrey!", and Audrey turned the backup generator on, as Thaddeus steadily increased, "55%, 60%!", before sparks flared out near him, shouting in shock and surprise, "Shit, it's getting too much, Abraham!", as screams of pain echoed out.
"Decrease it back down, now!", Erskine shouted before Steve's voice echoed out, "No, doc! I can do this! Don't stop! I need to do this!", and Erskine panted before looking at Milo and Sia, "Add your crystals now!".
Milo and Sia nodded, praying in Atlantean, with Milo murmuring pleas to his crystal, hoping that the Kings of the Past is listening through the crystal even if they are with Kida right now, taking them off, and then placed them in the electricity tubes on Audrey's consoles.
Thaddeus slowly, hesitantly increased the levels, "65%, 70%!", as Steve screamed out in pain, and then the crystals glowed so brightly as they zapped into the consoles, into the connecting wires, into the vita-rays, into the machine, combining the golden light of the vita-rays together, into a bright sky-blue with hints of sunlight color filling up the room as Thaddeus kept announcing, turning the wheel.
Everyone witnessing was making silent prayers, hoping Steve would be alright as he clearly sounded like he was practically on the edge of death with how much pain he was going through. "Almost there!", Thaddeus called out.
Audrey shouted, "Back-up generator is still going, miraculously!", as Thaddeus increased the final markers, "80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 100%!", as the crystals kept glowing brightly, with the sky blue and sunlight yellow nearly blinding everyone, glowing through the whole tower, and then a blast of electricity came through, halting the equipment to slow down as Steve gave out a ear-piercing wail of pain, and then silence.
Peggy sobbed, "Steve!", as Erskine shouted at Audrey, "Open it up, now!", and she nodded, pushing buttons and pulling levers as the machine moved down to touch the ground, opening up the panels as steam pillowed out, revealing a whole newly changed Steve, formerly pale tan, 120 pounds, 5 ft 4 inches tall, is now 240 pounds, 6 ft 2 inches tall, and healthily sun-touched tan, having a remarkable Atlantean tattoo right above his heart, and faint Atlantean tattoos on his wrists.
Erskine walked closer, breathing anxiously, "Steven?", and Steve drew a big deep breath as he collapsed slightly, and Erskine caught him, "Steady, son!", as he panted, looking around, blinking in shock, "Doc...You're smaller...".
Erskine chuckled, "No...It's you that changed...How are you feeling?", and Steve exhaled, "Stronger...", as he caught his balance, finding his feet, and then his heart skipped a beat, seeing Peggy walk up, realizing that he is now looking down at her, and he breathed, "Peggy...It's still me, my secret agent...", giving her his smile, the same tender, awed, loving smile he always has for Peggy.
"Well... it's still you at least...", Peggy chuckled as she wrapped her arms around him tight. "Easy, Peggy, easy... still feel a little raw at the moment... that really hurt...", Steve said as Erskine sighed.
"I'm sorry, Steven... you know I wouldn't do that to you on purpose if I couldn't help it.", Erskine said. Steve smiled, "It's okay, doc...I feel stronger, taller, bigger...", and Peggy smiled, "And you got handsome too, soldier...", stroking his naked chest with awe and very much attraction.
"Peggy!", Steve blushed, and Peggy giggled, so happy to see his bright blue eyes sparkle, with his golden hair healthy and lush.
If she had the artist gift like Steve, she would have gone drawing Steve, alright. She then murmured, "What does those tattoos mean, anyway?".
Sia replied, "The one on his heart means he's a warrior who follows his heart, and the one on his right wrist means that he's humble with an artist's eye, and the one on his left wrist means that he loves you with all of his heart, Peggy.", with a smile.
Peggy widened her eyes in joy and understanding, smiling at Steve who chuckled, "I guess the Heart of Atlantis knew what they were doing...", before glancing over to thank the others, and then he widened his eyes in concern as he saw Thaddeus checking on Milo who was down, panting, "Milo!".
"I'm alright... I'm alright...", Milo groaned as Thaddeus continued to check him out. "Think there was a bit of a feedback with the electricity or something...".
"You sure?", Thaddeus asked as Milo nodded, "Yeah... I think I'll be fine...". Thaddeus helped him up, "Well, if you're sure. No matter how old you are, I would always worry about you, son.".
Milo gave him a warm smile, "I know...Well, let's get you stretching out those kinks in you, Steve. We cannot wait long, and I need to see how much the warriors had gotten so far during riding those Ketaks and all.".
Erskine smiled, "Yes, and I have one more thing to show you, Steve...", as Peggy handed the shirt back to Steve, "It will help you out in knocking out bad guys and such.".
Steve, now wearing the shirt even if it's tight over him, replied, "I'll take anything you got, Doc.", as Peggy blushed red, glancing at Steve's chest, and Erskine nodded, "Great. Will be right back.", walking up to his and Thaddeus's proposed guest bedroom.
Sia replied, "I better check on Jacques and Vinny. Apparently, the crew is wanting to come along too.", plucking out the crystals, donning hers once more, feeling better with it on, giving the Kings' Crystal to Milo who donned it, blinking in surprise as he felt strangely more connected through it, and almost like a whisper in his ear, his eyes widen, "We need to hurry! They're already halfway to the volcano itself!".
"How do you know?", Peggy asked. "I... I don't really know, just a feeling...", Milo looked to his crystal. "Maybe because of my connection to Kida.. but either way, we don't have much time, if they get her to that zeppelin, they'll be out of here quick, and we'll never get her back.".
Steve clasped his shoulder, something that is somehow dwarfing Milo a bit, "We will get them back, Milo. Kida and your child.", as Erskine then returned with something remarkable, "I had to haggle Howard Stark for a deal, and turns out he called this a trinket compared to others, but well, what do you think?", giving it to Steve who is looking over it with his artist's eye.
