Chapter 7: What you look for when giving power.
Steve called out. "Stark, get over here; it's an emergency!" Stark came down having finished welding the bridge cable back together. He looked in horror at what he saw. The kid that Parker had told them to bring back in one piece was in dire condition. Both arms and legs were missing. His breathing was slowing down. While Cap had a gunshot wound through his shoulder, "What the hell happened"?
"After the gunshot rang out, a grenade was launched from the south. Before I Had the time to react, the kid jumped on it."
Toney looked at the kid. "Jarvis, do a preliminary scan. "A blue laser scan went up and down Izuku's body. Then Jarvis spoke, "Initial scans indicate Traumatic brain injury, Spine fractures, Amputation, Facial trauma, Acoustic trauma, Crush injury, Concussion, Broken bone, Jaw - Broken or dislocated, Skull fracture, Cuts and puncture wounds, Collapsed lung, Myocardial contusion, Burns, Hypovolemic shock, Subarachnoid hemorrhage, And Subdural hematoma. Survivability chances after I.C.U. Treatment is twenty-eight percent and dropping by the minute.
Toney asked solemnly, "Any good news?" Jarvis thought for a second. "Well, considering his close approximation to the explosion, his hands and legs have been somewhat cauterized, and it seems that none of the shrapnel has punctured anything of value. As long as the surgery is done quickly, getting him to a stable state should be possible. Not completely saving him, but you could at least buy time." Tony nodded and looked at Steve
"Steve, hold on tight to the kid. I'm going to New York-Presbyterian Hospital and I'll get the best surgeon they have. A Quinjet should be here shortly. They'll take you back to Parker Industries and put the kid in intensive care."
"Why aren't we all going to the hospital"? Steve looked quizzically at Tony.
"Parker has more advanced tools at Parker Industries than probably any local hospital."
"Then why are you going to the hospital?"
"What good is a tool without a good pair of hands?"
Steve kneeled next to Izuku, trying to make him as comfortable as possible and applying presser where needed
Tony's Repulsors whirred as he took off. As soon as he left, you could see a Quinjet landing and a medical team getting off along with what appeared to be Shield agents and, lastly, the most important shield agent of all, Nick Fury. The medical team took Izuku carefully and quickly put him on a stretcher and started transporting him up the Quinjet ramp. Steve looked down at his hand covered with the blood of an innocent teenage boy and breathed out heavily. As Steve was getting up, Steve started walking to join Izuku in the Quinjet. Nick came up to talk to him.
"Captain Rogers. Care to give me a moment of your time and inform me what's going on?"
Steve stared him straight in the eye. "Aftermath of a failed hydra kidnapping. Sadly, the main target was badly injured at the end of the rescue mission.
Furry looked back at him. "So why did Hydra want the kid enough for Zola to show up personally?"
Steve told him honestly, "I don't know; all I know is that the kid's a mutant and that Peter found him at Parker Industries a couple of days ago.
Furry looked surprised. "At least it wasn't stark for once. So, did Hydra do that damage to the kid?
Steve nodded his head. "I wasn't fast enough to react to a grenade, the kid jumped on it without a second thought."
Nick looked stunned and spoke up. "Barely halfway through puberty and already more of a hero than most. Well, I won't keep you any longer. These agents and I will see if we can get any information. Stark called beforehand, so the Quinn jet pilot has already been informed to take you straight to Parker industry."
Furry bid farewell and started heading towards the armored vehicle Zola had been in.
Steve was heading towards the Quinjet when a woman showed up in front of him. It was the mother that had been shielded from the blast.
"My son wanted to thank that young man for saving us, but he's getting a check-up with the paramedics. So, He wants you to give this to his hero. It was a little badger stuffed animal."
Steve looked at the woman, "I'll Make sure he gets it. Steve entered the Quinjet and quickly thereafter.
New York-Presbyterian Hospital
Tony arrived and quickly retracted his suit, and went to the reception desk.
"Can you get me in contact with Strange?"
The receptionist was surprised to see Tony Stark in her lobby but then answered quickly. "I'm sorry, but Dr. Strange no longer accepts walk-ins, no exceptions."
Stark looked at the lady and pleaded. "Please, it's an emergency, and he's the only one that I know that can probably save this kid's life."
The receptionist looked at Tony, "Wait, did you say, kid? How Old?
"He's 14, 15, in his early teenage years. Why?
"You might be able to convince him. "The nurse flagged down a male nurse
." Yes, Miss Ms. Jenkins?"
"Brad takes Mr. Stark Here to Stephen's room so they can talk."
Brad looked at the nurse quickly. "Are you sure about this the last time I took someone to meet him? He put me on bedpan duty for two months. "
"Just do it, or I'll tell Tristan that you have a crush On Black Widow and that you have a pin-up of her in your locker?"
Brad looked exasperated. "Alright, alright geez. Why do you gotta go straight for the jugular? I was just looking for a please?"
"Brad, please take Me. Stark to Dr. Strange.
Brad motioned for Stark to follow him. "Let's go before she ruins my relationship.
Tony followed Brad. "Don't worry, I have a pin-up of Natasha as well.
They both entered the elevator and smiled.
As the doors closed, Brad the button for the 3rd floor that said consultation, which looked slightly older, and next to it was a new one that said child hospice.
The elevator dinged, and they got off and started walking down the hallway. Tony looked up as they were walking down the hall and noticed two signs. One said consults, and the other one said Christine & Olivander Child Hospice Wing. They went and stopped at a door that had a do not disturb sticker on it.
Well, here we are. Good luck. Brad rushed down the hall as fast as possible, hoping not to be seen.
Tony opened the door, and immediately, his nose was assaulted with the smell of B.O. There at the desk was a disheveled man in a robe with unkempt hair and a scraggly beard.
"Sorry, we no longer do consultations or surgeries in this office without an appointment and my formal approval."
Tony spoke up. "I need someone skilled enough to operate on a shrapnel patient.
Stephen looked up.
"O Mister Stark, A Surprise to see you here, but if you're here to buy my services, I'm afraid it's a wasted trip. Mr. Fisk already offered me 30mil, which I declined. I can't be bought. I'm sure there are plenty of other great surgeons out there that can take the shrapnel out of your chest. Now, if you could close the door on your way out, it would be much appreciated.
Stark sat down in the chair in front of the desk and felt that he was sitting on something sticky. He got a text from Peter that the kid was in a stable condition, but they would have to talk about something when they got there.
"60 million. I'll offer you a minimum of 60 million for one surgery and 30 million for every consecutive surgery that's needed. This got Stephens's attention. He secured his prosthetic leg and stood up.
I told you I couldn't be bought the last time I worked for money. I lost a lot more than a leg.
Tony looked at Stephen and noted a necklace around Strange's neck that had two rings on it.
"So, if you would please get out." Strange opened the door and held it open for Stark.
"Before Stark got up, he spoke," The surgeries are not for me; they're for a kid.
Stephen closed the door and asked, "How old?"
"14, maybe 15."
"120 million ".
"What?"
"I'll do the surgery if you donate 120 million to that unfinished hospital wing, including renovating the hospital."
"You know, usually when people mention it's for a kid, they lower the price, not raise it?
"Not every child has a billionaire that is willing to spend 120 million on them. That hospital wing is supposed to help with that."
Tony looked at Strange's "200mill, but that includes any surgeries needed afterward."
Strange nodded and said, "Deal, I'll grab my kit and head to the surgery room.
Stark stood up. "Actually, head for the roof. We are heading out to Parker industry. They have a complete medical wing and will have anything you might need. Plus, the kid's in a dire condition."
They started walking towards the elevator and pressed the button to call the elevator. Stephen asked, worried. "What do you mean dire what happened to the kid that he got shrapnel anyways.
The T.V. in the hallway blared with a news report: "Breaking news!" Good Evening, everyone. I'm Christine Everhart, and today, we have reports coming in of what could only be described as a failed terrorist attack. We go now to Chess Roberts, who is live on the scene". "Thank you, Christine; as you can see, we are on the scene of the Brooklyn bridge attack where the NYPD, along with damage control, has cordoned off the crime scene. Eyewitness reports suggest that there was an altercation between Hydra and Captain America, along with some help from Ironman. Yet many people are saying that those were not the only heroes on the scene today. Many eyewitness reports suggest that there was someone on the scene who could only be considered a hero. Many are saying that a young boy jumped on a live grenade that was active in the middle of the crowd. Back to you, Christine". The screen image changes back to the newsroom. Our best wishes go to the brave young boy and his family and now sports.
The elevator dings, and Tony steps in. Strange looks at him in awe. Strange steps in, stands next to Tony and speaks up. "Is the kid on the news the one where…" "Yup, one and the same?" A strange thought for a bit: "I'll do the surgery for free."
"No, can do, Doc. I made a deal with you, and I intend to keep it."
"Why?" Strange asked.
"Because you're right, not everyone out there has 200 million to drop on someone."
Strange stepped in next to Tony, and he pressed the button to take them to the top floor. And Strange said one last thing, "You know you could have led with a kid who has grenade shrapnel, and I would have just agreed to come with you." The elevator door closed
40 minutes earlier
Steve was on the Quinjet as they were landing on top of the Parker building helicopter pad. Peter came out to the pad along with a bunch of medical Staff pulling along a high-tech gurney. Steve walks up to Peter. "I'm sorry"
Peter held up his hand. "Save it. There was nothing you could have done because if there was, you would have done it. I saw what happened and swung back here as fast as I could to prepare the Medical Staff."
They pulled Izuku out of the Quinjet. When Peter saw him bruised and battered, his heart rate increased while his muscles tensed, and he asked Cap one question. "Is the one that threw the grenade still out there?"
"No, they are incapacitated and under Shield custody, probably already being sent to the raft."
Peter takes a deep breath and calms down. A Bunch of medical Staff surrounds Izuku. "Lift on three, ready one, two, three." All the medical Staff works together to carefully transfer Izuku over. They start hooking him up to all the gurney's preinstalled heart rate and vitals monitor. His Heartbeat was faint, barely above the line, and his blood pressure was dangerously low. The staff member starts moving him to the medical facility in the building.
"He needs a blood transfusion, or he's not going to last."
"What's his blood type?"
"Blood tests have not gotten back yet."
"Then get an O Positive bag. He needs blood now."
"Well, we don't have much, but it should be enough till he becomes stable."
They arrive at the medical wing of Parker Industries; they set up a blood transfusion for Izuku to get more blood in his system. At which point his Heartbeat leveled out. The surgeons they have on hand begin to plan to operate on Izuku.
Steve and Peter stand outside of the room, not wanting to disturb the professionals who are doing their jobs. Steve decided to speak. "You think he'll make it?" Peter didn't take his eyes off Izuku. "I'll make sure that he will if I have the ability to help him. It's my responsibility to." All of a sudden, Peter got a tingle down his spine and ran off towards the lab.
Steve tried to ask where he was going, but Peter was gone by the time Steve opened his mouth. Then the elevator opened, and Logan stepped out of it with a fresh change of clothes, the previous ones having been incinerated by the R.P.G. earlier.
"Cap, Nice to see you."
"Logan, you were incapacitated longer than usual. This time, what happened."
"Carbonadium round interferes with my healing." Logan sniffed the air. He sees the kid bruised and bloody.
"What happened to the kid?! Who did this?!" Logan popped out his claws."
"It was Zola; he's already in shield custody. The kid jumped on a black-looking grenade. Luckily, it seems the backpack he had on him offered enough protection.
Logan retracted his claws and sniffed the air again. "What is that smell? I thought my body pushed out all the Carbonadium." Then he followed his senses, and his eyes looked at the kid, and he realized where the smell of Carbonadium was coming from. He paid slightly more attention and noticed the blood bags attached to his arm. Wolverine yelled, "Get that Blood pack off of him now!"
As if on cue, Izuku's body started convulsing, and he started going erratic. All of a sudden, Izuku got up and coughed up a lot of blood, and his, e.g., flat-lined.
Immediately, one of the medical Staff jumps on top of Izuku and starts performing C.P.R. Luckily, the heart comes back online and starts pumping blood again. Just a lot weaker than before.
"What happened?'' one of the medical Staff asked.
Logan answered, "Carbonadium poisoning can suppress my immune system. I can't think what it's doing to the kid. The only reason he was probably doing fine was because of the blood loss. Most likely, the lack of blood kept his body from circulating metal fragments of Carbonadium."
All of a sudden, Peter came back from his lab with a caster and a secure adamantium briefcase. He handed Logan the briefcase and then headed towards Izuku's bedside.
One of the medical Staff asked, "Mr. Parker, what are you doing?"
Peter Didn't even look at the man and answered, "Buying us more time."
Peter attached an IV line to the canister and, without hesitation, stabbed it into Izuku's arm and opened the valve on the canister.
Suddenly, Izuku's body temperature drops substantially, as does his heart rate.
"What did you do?" Asked the Medical Staff next to him.
"I injected him with a chilling agent that can slow down biological processes without damaging their cells, but he lost a lot of blood even though the heart is beating much slower, and we are still going to need more blood."
At that moment, a person came in with the blood test results. "He seems to be O Negative."
Parker nods. "Alright, let's get him a new bag now that his body is pumping blood a lot slower. We're going to need more blood so that there's enough to move through his body."
"Mr. Parker: We have a problem that was the last O Negative blood pack we had. We used the rest, treating the people from the earlier cafeteria attack.
"Then start calling around at other hospitals. Someone has to have more O negative blood start looking at the employee files as well and ask if anyone is willing to donate if they have a matching blood type. With blood, the chilling liquid bought us another 2 days or so, but if we can't, we have about 15 minutes before he goes into cardiac arrest.
"I'll do it." Everyone looks to the source of the voice to see Steve stepping up. "My blood type is O Negative. I will give some of my blood."
Peter looks at him. "Cap, it's an emergency. We wouldn't be able to take the traces of Super-soldier serum out of it. The kid takes to mutations very well. If we use your blood, any remnants of the super-soldier serum in it could replicate in his system and very well replicate it within him. There's more than a slim chance of it happening. Do you understand that risk?"
Steve looks at Peter and nods.
"Alright then. Someone go and get a blood transfusion kit, and let's get this done." Peter said.
One of the medical Staff left to go get the kit as Steve went and sat down in a chair, and soon after, the medical Staff arrived with the transfusion kit and set it up.
"There you go, Captain; it will take about 10 minutes to fill the bag. I'll give you some saltines and a sports drink."
Steve sits there and contemplates why he agreed to give up his blood. He remembers a similar situation from long ago.
1943 Camp Lehigh
stands in front of Steve Rogers as they finish debriefing him about the experimentation that's going to happen tomorrow.
"So, Mr. Rogers, are you ready for tomorrow?
Steve looked at him. "Can I ask you a question?
"Just one?" says Dr. Erskine as he sits on the bed across from Steve.
"Why me?" Steve asks with real curiosity.
"Well, I guess that's the only real question that matters, "Erskine replies
"You know I'm from Germany. But a lot of people forget that the first country that the Nazis attacked was their own. I had begun the creation of the serum as a way to help all those in Germany who were struggling as a result of the First War. They were all looking for a savior, and then along came Hitler with his parades and his shows of force. He hears of my work and says."
"You will make me an undefeatable army."
"I obviously wasn't interested. Then, one day, one of Hitler's inner circle came to me and forced me to inject him with an incomplete version of the serum.
Steve asks, interested in the story, "Did it work? Did he get stronger?
"It amplified every part of his character, including the darkness that was the very base of his character. This is why you were chosen. Because a strong man who has known power all his life may lose respect for that power. While a weak man knows the value of strength and knows compassion."
Dr. Erskine stands up. "Whatever happens tomorrow, you must promise me one thing: that you will stay who you are: not a perfect soldier but a good man.
Present Day
"Here you go, Captain Rogers." The nurse came back with a Gatorade and saltines and handed them to Steve. The blood bag was full, and he was taken into the room with Izuku.
As soon as the blood starts to go into his system, his heart rate starts to level out completely.
"His vital signs seem to have stabilized; we'll keep monitoring him. A Sense of security fell over the Medical Staff, and they were finally out of immediate danger.
Peter finally took a deep breath. "I'll call Tony to tell him we stabilize the kid and that we need to talk about what happens next now that the kid has a mutagen in his blood."
Logan walked up to Steve as he covered up his arm after he declined the bandage on his arm." So Cap, are you sure you're ok with there being another enhanced super-soldier out there."
"Why do you think the kid doesn't deserve it or something?" Steve asks semiannoyed.
"Listen, Cap, I Talked all of four sentences with the kid and got a feel for his personality, and now I hear he jumped on a grenade with no regard for his safety. I'm afraid that when he pulls through this, the rest of us will be out of a job." Logan chuckled himself. "Hell, if I didn't have constant metal poisoning, I would offer up some of my blood."
Steve nods. "This might be the birth of the world's next big hero."
Alternate Japan
Inko stirs awake, there's sunlight shining through the window. Her red, puffy eyes were swollen from crying last night. She checks the time. It's 1 pm. She didn't care; there was no reason to go to work today anyway. She looked at the table she had passed out on. Sprawled on the table were different photos of her baby. The one that she wouldn't see alive again. As soon as that thought crept into her head, tears streamed down her face. She tried to put herself together. She wiped the tears off of her face and started to look at her phone to see what to do next. After all, what does one do when they've lost a loved one, you know, besides cry? But while she was doing this, one thought prevailed in her mind. She wouldn't wish this pain on anyone else.
Hey, it's been a while, hasn't it? I would have love to get this chapter out earlier. But life got in the way. I do also try to do some editing on these chapters with Grammarly, google docs, and Microsoft word grammar tools even though there are some mistakes that get past me just know I do at least try to do some minor Me If you want to help me by beta reading this story I need help with grammar and punctuation. I hope you enjoy it and like always. In case I don't see you again Good afternoon Goodevneing and goodnight.