Chapter 18: Mission Accomplished

The plane crashed into the sea, and Jack held Claire tightly as they fell directly into the Mediterranean Sea!

"Pluff!"

Jack almost loses consciousness upon impact with the water because of the fall without a parachute. Claire, who was held in Jack's arms, was just a bit dizzy and coughed up a few waters from her mouth.

"Splash!"

The two of them arose from the water, watching as the crashed plane sank slowly into the water in the distance, and both breathed a sigh of relief.

"Finally, The mission is done."

He spoke, "When I go back this time, I need to take good care of myself!"

"Thank you!" Claire nodded at him and said, "I owe you a favor, I'll repay you in the future!"

"Well, I doubt there will be a chance!" Jack wiped the water off his face and said, "If the war is over, and we're still alive, we can talk about repaying favors then!"

.......

A month later, at Stark Industries in New York.

"This is it?"

Howard sat comfortably in his chair, with his feet up on the desk and holding a medal, with disdain. "You risked your life to save the world, and this is the reward you get?!"

"It's not so bad. At least I got a promotion!"

Jack sat across from Howard in his military uniform, with two buttons unbuttoned on his chest and his legs casually supported up on the desk, his cap thrown to the side.

He tugged at the two silver bars on his shoulder, which he had fought hard for and earned with his life. A month ago, he completed his mission and finally returned to the US after much hardship.

After a month of rest and recovery, the Strategic Science Corps held a medal ceremony for him. Colonel Phillip personally awarded him the Army Honor Medal and promoted him to a higher rank.

"Just this? No cash reward or anything?"

Howard sat comfortably in his chair with his feet up on the desk and threw the medal back at Jack. Look of insult on his face. "This thing won't put food on the table. These people are so stingy! They could have at least rewarded you with a house."

"I am grateful for what I have."

Jack caught the medal and casually put it in his pocket. However, from his expression, it was clear that he didn't care much about it.

"So, do you have a new mission?"

Howard looked at the file folder on his desk, which Jack had just brought in.

"Yes, it's another bodyguard job."

Jack sighed helplessly: "Being a bodyguard for an old man!"

"How old is this old man? Let me guess!" Howard almost instantly thought of who this old man might be, looking strange as he said: "Dr. Erskine?"

"You guess it right. He recently encountered assassination attempts from Hydra, so Colonel Phillips sent me to protect him from preventing him from being assassinated.

Jack looked at Howard, "I have to report to him tonight, and I came to ask you to help me customize some weapons."

When he heard the word "weapons," Howard's interest was piqued. After all, weapons were his specialty!

.......

The Strategic Science Corps is located in a secret base in New York.

"Hey, Doc, let me introduce you!"

Howard led Jack around the base, finally arriving at a top-secret laboratory. An old man with white hair and a beard was working on an experiment. Howard brought Jack in front of him and rudely interrupted his thoughts.

"Ah, Howard!"

The old man, obviously annoyed at being interrupted, nevertheless smiled helplessly when he saw that it was Howard. "Do you always come in when I'm doing experiments?"

"This time is different. I'm here to introduce you to a bodyguard," Howard said.

Howard had no sense of interrupting others and gestured to Jack behind him, saying, "This is Jack Wayne, Colonel Phillips assigned him as your bodyguard."

"Hello! Nice to meet you!"

Dr. Erskine was a very polite old man. He very respectfully extended his hand and said, "I may need to trouble you in the coming days!"

"This is my duty, Doctor."

Jack did not speak much and shook hands with him.

Jack was already on high alert as he made his way through the secret base. He sensed that there were more than a dozen people with ill intentions lurking around. Despite being a secret base, it was not completely safe, as Hydra always found a way to infiltrate.

Dr. Erskine did not pay too much attention to Jack's attitude and turned to Howard, saying, "I don't think Philip would want to send him to me."

Jack couldn't help but smile. Of course, he was now the best soldier in the Strategic Science Corps. He had just completed protecting the corps leader, so he knew that Dr. Erskine would be safe with him.

After chatting for a while, Howard and Dr. Erskine left, leaving Jake to remain here. From today onwards, he would have to protect Dr. Erskine personally until the serum was complete, even within the secret base.

By the time Dr. Erskine rubbed his neck and stood up, four hours had passed. "Ah, I'm terribly sorry, Mr. Wayne. I made you wait for so long."

Dr. Erskine seemed to have just realized someone else waiting was there and quickly apologized.

"It's okay, Doctor. My task is to protect you until the Super Soldier project is completed!"

He wondered whether to report and request a different assignment. Being a bodyguard was really boring, especially when guarding a scientist.