Chapter 42: Equipment
Steve Rogers walked down the long corridor leading to Zola's lab.
He stopped in his tracks when he saw someone coming out of the lab.
Doctor Zola quickly ran away when he saw him. Steve tried to catch up but paused and decided to check the laboratory room first.
There he saw Bucky Barnes tightly strapped to the operation table. After freeing him, Steve said to the disoriented Bucky, "I thought you were dead."
Bucky replied, still confused, "I thought you were smaller."
Steve stared at the map distribution of HYDRA's bases and helped Bucky to stand. They talked about his changes in appearance while walking.
While escaping, they were spotted by Red Skull and Arnim Zola. Seeing Steve Rogers, Red Skull decided to call him out to delay their time of escaping and also to test his power.
"Captain America. How exciting. I'm a great fan of your films," Red Skull taunted him about being a stage monkey and continued, "So, Doctor Erskine managed it after all. Not exactly an improvement, but still, impressive."
Red Skull and Steve Roger faced off on the bridge, Steve angrily puched him in the face and says, "You've got no idea."
"Haven't I?" Red Skull replied with a punch, but Steve managed to raised his shield to block it and surprised him seeing the dent fist mark on the steel shield.
Steve tried to reach to his pistol but Red Skull just punched and knocking him down causing the pistol to be thrown off the bridge.
While still down, Steve kicked him hard to sending him flying. Doctor Zola quickly pulled the lever causing the bridge to separate them.
After getting up, Red Skull taunt him again that he was the greatest creation and he proceed to tore his skin mask showing his true appearance, shocking both Steve and Bucky.
Deep down, he is full of resentment about what happened to his face. He could have accepted his changes if he didn't know about mutantkind and vampires having great power without ruining their appearance.
After hearing so much nonsense, Steve talked back, "Then how come you are running?"
Red Skull just stared at him for a while, then stepped into the elevator. He had already succeeded in delaying Steve and thought there's no point to talk to him again. It would only further hurt his fragile heart every time he saw Steve's perfect face, unlike his own.
Steve and Bucky looked around, trying to find a way to escape and saw a steel beam leading to the other side.
With Bucky successfully crossing to the other side, Steve was left behind because the steel beam collapsed. He bent the guardrail for a way and leapt up to the other side, showing his full power.
------
The next day, Inside the tent, Chester Philips was dictating a missing letter report to a typewriter officer to send to Senator Brandt.
Andy and Peggy walked into the tent, with Peggy holding a report and saying, "The last surveillance flight is back, and there is no sign of activity."
Seeing the two of them, Colonel Philips' head began to hurt even more, and he ordered the typewriter officer to step out for a moment.
"I can't touch Howard Stark. He's rich, and he's the number one weapons contractor of the military," Colonel Philips said, stared at Peggy. "And you..."
Then he saw Andy also staring at him with a smile and he uncomfortably swallowed his words again and said, "Fine! I also can't touch you. Who told me that the Westeros Family is backing you?"
Compared to Howard, the Stark Household is nothing in front of the behemoth Umbrella Consortium, which encompasses all walks of life in America and has extensive influence over government officials. So, he really couldn't do anything to Peggy even if he wanted to.
Colonel Philips took a deep breath and sighed to let out his depression. What really worried him was if the higher-ups decided to shut down the SSR division.
"Hey, Colonel. I know what you are worried about, trust me, it will not affect the SSR." Andy comforted the depressed old guy.
"Really? That's good to know." Colonel Philips breath a sighed of relief, he still trusted the word of Andy.
He look outside the tent and saw that there was a commotion, "What the hell is going out there?"
Colonel Philips walk out to follow the crowd.
"I guess, Steve is Back," Andy smiled seeing the soldier running to the entrance and said to Peggy.
"Is that true? What are you waiting for, let's go quickly and greet him." Peggy pulled him impatiently.
----
At the entrance of the camp.
Steve marched back alongside hundreds of liberated allied soldiers, and the soldiers in the camp greeted them with cheers.
Steve arrived in front of Colonel Philips and saluted him. He presented himself and expressed his willingness to surrender for disciplinary action.
On the other hand, Colonel Philips felt that he had been slapped in the face again for underestimating Steve. After saying, "That won't be necessary," he walked away.
Andy and Peggy also greeted Steve and were asked by Peggy, "Why are you late?"
"Well, the transponder was damaged and I couldn't call the ride," Steve showed the destroyed device.
The hypocritical Andy also stepped and gave the two of the a bro hug, "It's good to see you back, Steve and Bucky."
Bucky called out all the soldier and the camp erupted with cheers.
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At the famous pub in London, Whip & Fiddle, Steve was drinking beer along with Dum Dum Dugan, Gabe Jones, James Falsworth, Jacques Dernier, and Jim Morita.
Earlier, he had visited the SSR Headquarters to inform them about the distribution map of HYDRA's bases and declined Colonel Philips' offer to form a team for him. Instead, he decided to choose his own team and immediately visited the pub to recruit the five into his own team, The Howling Commandos.
After they accepted his invitation to join his team he parted with them and got up from his seat and walked to look for Bucky.
At the same time, Andy and Peggy also visited the pub with another woman to surprise Steve.
After seeing Steve drinking with Bucky, Andy called out to them and said, "Hey, Steve... Look who's with us?"
Steve turned to look and saw Andy, Peggy, and his girlfriend, Laura the Autograph Seeker.
"Laura, what are you doing here?" He was surprised and quickly got up from his seat to hug her.
"Of course, I'm visiting my sweetheart," Laura replied with a smile. Andy, Peggy, and Bucky went to a corner to give them some space.
Steve quickly noticed her wearing a military uniform and held her on the shoulder to look carefully. "Why are you wearing a military uniform?"
"Of course, I joined the SSR."
"What? How could you join the SSR? It's dangerous," Steve said in shock.
Seeing that Steve seems didn't like the idea of her joining, Peggy stepped up and said, "Hey, Steve... Her situation would have been more dangerous if she was left in America without protection, she could've been targeted by Schmidt to use her against you when you start the campaign of battling HYDRA."
Laura held Steve's face with both hands and looked at him in the eyes and said, "Yes, Peggy was right, Andy used his influenced to convinced the higher-ups decided to let me join as officer coordinating with you."
"Is that so? That's good. I didn't think of these possible consequences in the future," Steve responded and looked at Andy and said, "Thanks, Andy."
"It's nothing, I also invited your mother to my company to protect her." Andy said one of Steve's concern to let him have a peace of mind.
"Thanks man, I really don't know how to thank you enough." Steve said gratefully.
Peggy also informed him and said, "Howard has some equipment for you to try tomorrow morning."
Andy said with a smile, "I will also give you equipment tomorrow for your team... a product of my company."
"Really, Andy? What kind of equipment is that? Would you also give us something?" Bucky hooked Andy's shoulder and asked curiously.
Andy replied, "Of course, Its something that could save your life."
Peggy raised her eyebrow when she heard this, and she immediately thought about the symbiote suit on her body.
"Ok, enough of that. Let's go and celebrate for the night," Andy suggested, and the others also agreed with a joyful atmosphere.
------
The next morning, Steve and Laura were at the laboratory of the SSR Headquarters.
Howard Stark was showing them what they had invented, like a chainmail that could only stop a bayonet and others. Then they came to a table full of shields, and he looked at Steve and said, "I heard that you are attached to something like shields, so I have the liberty of coming up with some options."
Steve looked down at table and saw a circular shield and held it, asking, "What about this one?"
Howard looked at the shield in Steve's hands and said, "No, no, that's just a prototype."
"It looks good and not that heavy," Laura also weighed it and was surprised that it was so much lighter, then gave it back to Steve.
Steve then asked, "What's it made of?"
"Well, the making of this shield is a bit of an accident. It's made of Vibranium and Adamantium," Howard replied and continued, "It's harder, stronger, and lighter than steel, and it's shock absorbent."
Unbeknownst to Howard, Andy was the one who did the trick behind his back so that the shield would not become too heavy because of the characteristics of Adamantium.
"How come it's not a standard issue?"
"The Vibranium metals are the rarest metals on earth. What you are holding is what we have got. I don't know about the Adamantium though. Andy gave me 10 kg of Adamantium ore, and I decided to hide the rest for collection," Howard explained.
"Well, I gave some ore to Howard as payment for the Vibranium he gave me in 1940."
A voice sounded and the three of them looked back and saw Andy holding a metallic suitcase and walking towards them along with Peggy and Lorraine.
"Hey, Andy. What do you think about this?" Steve held the shield in front of him in a defensive stance.
"Huh?" Andy was confused. He thought he was not Peggy like in the movie to test the shield.
Nevertheless, he grabbed the pistol from the table and threw it to Laura, saying, "Show him that you have been trained carefully and test the shield for him."
Laura caught the pistol, then looked at Steve with a slightly crazy smile, aimed the pistol, and pulled the trigger.
*Bang* *Bang* *Bang* Steve quickly raised the shield to block the bullets.
"Stop, stop, what are you doing. Are you out of your mind?" Steve screamed and lowered the shield after seeing that Laura had finished shooting.
"No, I'm not. That's just a warning so you won't go to other women," Laura responded after venting.
"It's really not my fault," Steve defended himself.
Who knows, even if Lorraine didn't go after him just like in the movie, there would be someone else who would kiss him and get caught by his girlfriend.
Andy and the others were stunned by the scene. It looked like she had caught him flirting with a woman.
"Anyway, Steve, this is my present to you," Andy interjected to change the awkward moment and raised the suitcase in his hand.
"What is this?" Howard stepped forward to hold the suitcase and opened it. Inside the suitcase were dozens of pairs of black bracelets arranged neatly.
Howard grabbed one to examine it carefully and asked curiously, "What can it do?"
Andy also grabbed a piece and threw it to Steve and Laura, explaining, "This is my company's top product. It's still in the experimental stage, and this is the only one available for now. Try putting it on your wrist."
The three of them put on the bracelet, and it shrank to fit their wrists. (Image here)
"My company is still developing this device called the Symbiote Bracelet. It's capable of changing into any type of suit you want with just your thoughts. It's also capable of blocking small caliber bullets and small explosions," Andy explained.
"Steve, try thinking of the design of the suit you want."
"Really? Then I will try," Steve took a deep breath and saw all the people in the lab looking at him curiously.
He looked at the black bracelet on his wrist and thought of the Captain America design he wanted.
Soon, the black bracelet expanded on his wrist like nanotechnology and quickly covered his whole body.
He looked surprised and touched his body and helmet, asking Laura beside him, "How is it? Is it good?"
"It's good. You look so handsome in your new suit," Laura replied and looked at Steve dressed in his iconic Captain America suit. She tiptoed to kiss him.
On the other hand, Howard opened his mouth wide in shock and shouted in disbelief, "No, no, no, how is this possible... This is so unscientific."
"Hey, Andy. Tell me the truth, is this some kind of sorcery?" Howard held Andy's shoulder and shook him non-stop.
"Hey, just relax," Andy stopped him from shaking him, it seems its to much for the heart of Howar Stark and it challenge his existing views.
Meanwhile, Peggy looked at Andy suspiciously. This was not like the vial he had given her with black liquid that was capable of manifesting weapons.
When she wanted to ask her doubts, Lorraine quickly stopped her and gave her a look to stay silent. She glanced at her and said in a serious tone, "I want an explanation later."
The truth is, at first, Andy wanted to mass-produce and sell the basic symbiote suit that was capable of manifesting weapons and equipment.
The Westeros Family had a meeting about this and quickly dismissed the idea since it would have huge consequences for the world if they did it.
They even reprogrammed the jobs of Enoch and Noah into predictors to see the influence in the future and confirmed that it was not feasible to implement this plan in this era.
So they decided to abandon the symbiote hostbox project and move into something more technological, like a nanorobot bracelet.
The Symbiote Bracelet will be developed more in the futurez and upgraded depending on technologcal advancement.