Super Soldier

22nd June, 1943:

I spent the night reading the file, and informing Helena about the procedure, and what it will include, while she told me everything they'd done in the last three months.

They were pretty okay, on their own. Dorea had rescued her brother Marius, and informed him of the important things they'd learned, after a tearful reunion. They were using Slytherin Castle as a base, for now, while Cassiopeia, Helena, and Marius took over MIS.

They did not just invade it. They legally made the organisation theirs, and no one knew, yet. Helena walked in, while invisible, and manipulated everyone's memories there, to always include her. Meaning, the MIS Agents believed that she was always the leader they pledged to.

Even the Director of MIS, a squib, was made to believe that the Organisation's job was Safeguarding the Statute of Secrecy.

Publicly, or as far as the ignorant muggles are concerned, MIS was called Military Intelligence Service, and was a branch of the MI5 Agency. For the King, and others in the know, MIS was Magical Intelligence Service, which was used to keep an eye on the Wizards.

But, after the girls took over it, MIS became an agency that investigates Magical Phenomenon, and stops them from getting into the hands of muggles. They also make sure no one else finds out that the Agency exists.

Helena was the effective leader of the Organisation, while Cassiopeia would handle the information gathering part. Dorea was looking into recruitment of other Muggleborns, so they can find work for an actual cause, instead of being manipulated into betraying their own kind.

Marius was still a student, but he was on the way to become the primary Lawyer for MIS.

The wizards already working there hadn't been told of their errors, as their Vows might force them to attack, and that will only be non productive. So, Helena kept them as is, ignorant of her and the change in leadership.

Same with the King. I'd told them not to manipulate the King, yet, so we can do it after I'm back from the war. I was always planning on making a name for myself in the war. While I had not planned on the Super Soldier Serum, I had plans to copy the formula from Dr Erskine's mind, or Zola's mind, as I knew he'd developed something for Barnes too.

This just gave me an opportunity to become a hero in the eyes of the British Population. This will make me untouchable when the Kingdom tries to recruit me.

Coming back to the present, it's 9 AM now, and we've just driven from Camp Lehigh, New Jersey to an antique store in Brooklyn, New York.

I had ignored Steve talking with Peggy, in the back seat, but he says something that makes me want to groan. He says, "I don't see why you would want to join the Army when you're such a beautiful dame.. er Lady.. Agent."

"For fucks sake, Steve. Stop talking." I mumble, making the Driver chuckle.

Agent Carter smiles and asks, "You have no idea how to talk to a woman, do you?"

"It's the first time, I've ever had a conversation this long with one." Steve says, no shame in his voice.

Ignoring their conversation, I look around, as we stop in front of the shop. There were already 2 of Hydra goons standing a few yards away from us, but they don't make a move.

We walk inside the store, as Carter speaks the password to the store owner. The old lady opens up a Secret entrance behind her library, which was not so secret, and we walk into a hallway, being guarded by US Marshals.

After turning a few more times, we come out in a big Hall, which was actually a balcony, with chairs stacked for the Dignitaries. On the lower floor, was the stuff, and people, that were going to do it all.

Taking my time, I go into Dr Erskine's mind, and take the formula for the Super Soldier Serum, along with all his knowledge, and store it all in a book in my mind, with his name. Doing the same with Howard Stark, I scan for any other interesting mind. Other than a Hydra spy, who just introduced himself to be Fred Clemson from the State Department.

Makes you wonder who else is from Hydra?

We go down the stairs, following behind Carter, as she goes towards Dr Erskine. He looks at us coming, and smiles. He says, "Steve! Mason! Good morning!"

A photographer clicks the photo of us shaking hands, to which he just says, "Please, not now."

"Nice to meet you again, Dr Erskine." I say, nodding at him, and looking around.

There were two metal pods, with heavy machinery attached to them, that I knew to be the Vita Ray Chambers. How they made two so soon? I don't know. Then, there was a chamber attached to it, which contained 12 phials of the blue serum.

"Are you two ready?" Dr Erskine asks, looking us over.

"As ready as I'll ever be. I just know, it's gonna hurt like a bitch." I say, mumbling the last part.

"Language." Steve says, with no heat in his voice.

Shrugging, I say, "I'm British. Get used to it. It's only because Carter is a Government Agent that she isn't cursing either."

Erskine chuckles, and says, "Oh, I've seen her curse alright. Now, take off your shirts and tie, and lay down in those pods."

Taking the order for what it is, I take off my upper clothes, and even my belt, and hand it to a nurse who just came for that purpose.

While I was 5'10, and a bit muscular, I wasn't buff. I was lean, sort of like any regular Military man. Steve though, was just plain skinny. He did have a few muscles, thanks to 3 months of training, but he didn't have enough flesh for it to look properly.

Sleeping down in the pods, I see Special Agent Clarke, along with General Crompton come in through the door. Clarke nods at me in approval, like I needed it, while Crompton simply looks giddy at the thought of having a Super Soldier.

The Doctors come in and attach the injection system to my arms, and one of them inserts a syringe in my left arm.

"Penicillin?" I ask, making the doctor simply nod.

"We'll all have a drink afterwards." Erskine says, smiling at me, and referencing the conversation he was having with Steve. He did sound close to Steve.

"How are your levels, Howard?" He asks, turning to Stark.

"100% and Steady. We're ready to go, Doc." Stark says, smirking.

"Ladies, and Gentlemen!" Dr Erskine starts, after sending Agent Carter to the viewing area, and turning on the mic. As everyone looking from above becomes silent, he says, "Today we take not another step towards annihilation, but the first step on the path to peace. We begin with a series of micro injections into the subjects major muscle groups. The serum infusion will cause immediate cellular change. And then to stimulate growth, the subject will be saturated with Vita-Rays."

Pausing for a second, he starts the countdown, "Serum infusion beginning in five, four,.."

Bracing myself, as soon as he says zero, I feel the needles piercing my arm deeply. I hold back the initial wince, and stay focused on everything I have yet to do. Feeling the warm liquid of the serum flowing inside my veins, flesh, and even my bone marrow, though, I almost yell.

Finally it ends, and I take a few deep breaths. Barely a second later, the Pod closes around me, and starts inclining so I'm almost upright, still fixed to the pod.

"Are you okay in there? Mason? Steven?" Erskine asks, tapping on the glass window in front of my face.

I chuckle, and say, "Just peachy, Dr Erskine."

While Steve asks, "Is it too late to go to the bathroom?"

Erskine chuckles, and says, "Proceed with the next step."

2 seconds later, I see a light being emitted by the machine around me, yellow-white in colour, and it was amazing! I felt my body healing as if I'd had my Healing factor on! The pain from the serum infusion disappears for a moment.

But then, the pain starts back up, while I barely hear the shouts of Howard Stark increasing the intensity of the Vita rays, or Life Energy. Chi. Stark and Erskine managed to synthesise Chi. Scientists, man.

At 30% I don't feel any pain, beyond a slight itch in my bones due to the abundance of Chi. At 50% the itch starts to get uncomfortable, making me move around, although barely thanks to being bound to the pod.

At 60% I feel some pain, as my bones break and repair themselves immediately, and my muscles tear and build back up, starting from my fingers and toes. I also hear a scream, which I recognize as Steve's.

At 70% his scream gets out of control, as I myself begin screaming, the bones and muscles in my arms and Legs start doing the same, again and again.

"AAARRGHH!!" I yell, both to get my mind off the pain, and also because of the pain.

"KILL THE REACTOR, MR STARK!" Erskine shouts, from somewhere on my left.

"NO!" I yell, at the same time that Steve does. I add, "I CAN DO THIS! I CAN TAKE THIS! KEEP IT GOING!"

"Steve?" Erskine asks, making sure he can handle it too, while I get used to the pain in my body, and stop screaming for a while.

"DO IT!" Steve says, firmly, impressing everyone there.

So, Stark begins increasing the intensity again, from 70%, all the way to 100%, all the while me and Steve were screaming from the pain.

Finally, it all shuts down, and the Chi bombardment stops, making me sigh in relief. Almost as soon as the bombardment stops, my body begins healing back up, my healing factor having activated on reflex.

Within 3 seconds, I was as good as before, only sweaty, and I open my eyes, taking deep breaths.

The pod opens up, as a couple doctors come in to get me out of the pod. Dropping down, I stumble a little, not used to the increased mass yet. Examining myself, I see that I was bigger now.

I was now a respectable, but almost too tall height of 6'4, and the build of a swimmer, with an amazing cache of muscles. My chest was buff now, with muscles, and my arms were an inch wider. Thankfully, my pants only feel a little bit tighter, as Army pants are already lose fitting.

A nurse hands me a white T-shirt, which I wear, looking at the blushing nurse.

"How are you feeling, son?" Colonel Phillips asks, standing in front of me.

Looking down at myself, I say, "Taller." He chuckles, and I add, "The pain is all gone, and my body feels.. fresh."

"Yeah, you smell fresh too." Clarke says, approaching us with Crompton.

I see Steve, who is 6'2 now, being given a T-shirt, same as me, and being crowded by all the Americans who're happy for a super soldier. While few do glare at me, most are just happy the allies have a chance to win the war.

Before we can say anything, an explosion happens in the Viewing area, destroying most of it in a fiery explosion. And barely a second later, 3 gunshots are heard.

As Peggy shoots the Hydra spy, who's taken one remaining Phial of Super Soldier Serum, and Steve goes to Dr Erskine, I run after the Hydra spy, not willing to let him get out of the lab. But, he keeps firing his gun, making me take pauses in between, which gives him ample opportunity to exit the room.

Peggy runs after me, as I climb the stairs, shooting at Clemson, but manages to miss.

Taking a chance to show off a bit, as well as test my new bigger body, I run. Clemson's nowhere to be seen, but I hear gunshots from the direction of the exit. Running there, I see another man shooting the old woman, who was manning the store, and taking her machine gun, while Clemson runs out the door.

Turning towards me, he fires the gun at me, and I jump on to the wall. Just like Black Panther, I jump from the floor, to the left wall, and kick off immediately to the right wall, 7 feet ahead of my initial position. All the while, I dodge the rapid fire bullets the Hydra goon is firing at me, getting frustrated.

No, I don't have anything like Spider sense, but I can instinctively calculate where the next bullet is going to hit, by the position of his hand, the way he trembles, and his thoughts, a fraction of a second before he actually fires.

Before he even knows it, I've dodged between his rapid fires, as the US Marshals take cover, and reached his position. He attacks me with a knife, but I stop his stab, with my forearm, and disarm him as I've been taught.

Not waiting for him to make a move, I remove the gun from his hands, and put him in a choke hold, and wait for him to get knocked out.

Carter comes in as I'm choking him, and points a gun at the man, and Steve comes in running after her.

I simply point Peggy outside, as she comes, and she leaves me to deal with this goon, Steve going after her.

As soon as he's knocked out, I let the US Marshals take him away, and run outside. He's not my problem anymore. I see Peggy on the side of the road, and another Hydra goon along with two US soldiers, laying dead on the footpath.

Knowing that the newly buff Steve has it handled, I help Peggy inside, and she lets the US Marshals know that Steve is following Clemson on foot. They nod, and go looking for the pair.

I know what will happen. The serum will get destroyed, and Stark will get a Hydra mini-submarine to study.

"Private Aves!" General Crompton says, making me stand at attention.

"Sir!" I say, firmly, saluting him.

"At ease, Private. Go back to camp and pack your bags. We're leaving tonight." Crompton orders, with a sour look towards the Americans.

That's a bit understandable. Clemson came in as someone from the State Department. Meaning either American security is not as good as they like to believe, or they already have Hydra spies in their government.

He turns to me, and adds, "And son. Good job, today. Your performance will be on record, and you will be deployed as soon as you get home."

I nod at him, smiling at the General. While I don't like them, I'm not going to show it on my face. I'll follow all orders, properly. I'll only rebel when it's time.

For now, I'm going to war.

---

A/N: I won't get into the war much. He'll fight with guns, in the beginning, and during a break period, he'll go get a sword.

The name, has been chosen: Paladin which is a knight, or a leader.

Obviously, the name won't stick until he actually fights with a sword, and that will take time.

Tata!