20: On Fire

20: On Fire

"You!"

"I know, I know, I'll make it up to you." John left the room only to see Raven furiously pointing her finger. It was already late at night, and he knew she had been on guard for at least three hours, more or less; he had been too busy to keep track of time properly.

Raven took a deep breath, her face red—John didn't know if it was from anger or embarrassment, probably both. She then exhaled loudly before speaking through gritted teeth.

"You're lucky I came. At least four people came looking for you during that time, and I had to turn them all away," which was difficult because even if the room had thick walls, she could still hear almost everything, and without a doubt, someone else would have heard if they got too close, so she had to prevent that.

"Did you use my appearance to deal with it?" John asked while finishing adjusting his clothes.

"And tell them what to do, just like you taught me. I think I like giving orders. Maybe I should replace you since you seem too busy to do your job," she said reproachfully. John smiled in response, placing his hand on her head and ruffling her hair. Raven relaxed a bit at the gesture but wrinkled her nose in the next instant.

"Maybe you should take a shower. I heard they've finished cleaning the bathrooms," Raven wrinkled her nose.

"Do I smell bad?" John couldn't help but frown; he didn't think he had sweated that much.

"You just smell weird... whatever. I need money, give me a salary," she extended her palm. It was already night, but she believed she could get something to read tomorrow.

"I suppose you earned it. In fact, your papers are already in order, so you're officially my assistant. I forgot to tell you," Raven was his undisputed right-hand at this point. She knew more about him than anyone else, so since he obtained his new authority and with the help of some of Stark's contacts, he had managed to create a perfect "identity" for her.

Needless to say, Stark had somewhat misunderstood the reasons why John wanted to give her "fake" papers, although that helped in a way since he just gave John a knowing smile and helped without hesitation.

"Is it still the same cover?" Raven asked, recalling the details she and John had invented a while ago in case anyone asked about her.

"Exactly the same, well with some changes. Now you're 23 years old, half-British, and your name is Raven Grace Morgan, not just Raven Morgan, so remember that." Raven noted this to herself before returning to the topic.

"So, about my pay..."

"I'll give you a check, but before that, I need you to... well, return what I threw at you a while ago," he said, extending his hand toward her. Raven blinked in confusion before her face turned even redder. With a mumble, she pointed to a corner of the room where John could see Agent Carter's panties lying.

"Oh, thank heavens. It would have been bad if you lost them." He didn't know what excuse he would give the woman when she woke up and realized she had no underwear. Certainly, another slap in the face would be expected.

Raven's eye twitched as she watched him go to pick them up.

"Maybe you should make that check have a few extra zeros."

John paused before nodding.

"Right, I think I have the budget for that." Who would have thought, using government money to bribe his assistant? He was already acting like a proper politician, just missing the title.

Seeing him pick them up and turn to re-enter the planning room, Raven remembered something else.

"Hey, one of the guys who came to see you brought this," she said, taking a folder she had been holding for John.

John took it from her hands and opened it, quickly reading the papers inside, causing a mysterious smile to appear on his face.

"Excellent, it looks like we'll be busy tomorrow. Go to sleep and rest well." Raven nodded, feeling a bit sleepy. Stifling a yawn, she said goodbye and left, leaving John alone.

John then re-entered the strategic planning room to see Peggy slowly beginning to wake up.

Quickly and without her noticing, he tossed her underwear into the pile of clothes on the floor.

"Agent, I see you're awake. I heard the showers are available. Maybe you'd like me to help you take one?" he said with a smile as he closed the door behind him. Peggy tried to shake off the tiredness from her eyes, frowning at him.

"I thought you had left," she said with a hint of annoyance and relief in her voice.

"I just needed to send my assistant away. She brought some news," he said, raising the envelope to show her and moving closer to embrace her.

Peggy sighed as she felt his arms around her naked body. His warmth made her realize how cold it was in the room, and she clumsily tried to grab her clothes, grimacing when she couldn't stand and almost tripped.

"Let me do it," John helped her, taking the clothes and beginning to dress her with ease.

"I should have brought extra clothes," Carter couldn't help but comment, still drowsy as she felt John fastening her bra.

Then she remembered what John had said and, without thinking much, took the envelope, reading its contents while John slid her panties up her legs and then took her skirt.

"The Xavier family? Why do you have the address of an ordinary wealthy family in New York?"

"Classified," he replied while zipping up her skirt. That made her blink, and she closed the envelope, looking at him with a raised eyebrow.

"I thought I was the Vice-Director," she said, a bit of red on her cheeks, remembering their previous discussion about the position.

"So you accept the position?" John asked once he finished putting on her heels.

Peggy stayed silent for a moment before nodding.

John then finished dressing her upper half and sat next to her.

"Well, Vice-Director Carter, our next objective is the liberation of Poland and the destruction of all concentration camps in the country. But that's just the surface goal; this is actually an assassination mission."

That caught Peggy's attention.

"Assassination?"

"Well, there are many details to discuss, a lot of information I didn't mention before, but now that I'm a Colonel and, above all, the Director of SWORD, I can speak more freely. But that will have to wait until our first general meeting with the entire team because I'm not going to repeat myself. So, I'll leave you in suspense," he patted her back and then suddenly lifted her into his arms, making her yelp in surprise.

"I don't like being left in suspense," Peggy said, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"And nobody likes spoilers, so what do you say we try out those showers I mentioned and then head to bed?" She looked at him with narrowed eyes for a moment before sighing and nodding in agreement. She was too tired to argue any further; she supposed she would find out what she needed later.

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The next morning, Science Innovation Fair, New York.

"And here is where the various projects of the participants will be presented," Vernon gestured with his hands, causing John to nod. He carefully observed how dozens and dozens of scientists of different ages from all over the United States were setting up in their individual booths. It reminded him of a school science fair but much more serious and with a much bigger budget.

"I see it's almost about to start," he said, noticing how everything was already in place, and it seemed like the participants were just making sure everything worked as it should.

"When you're a scientist, you know that being on time actually means being late. All the participants have been here long before, preparing for this moment. It's inspiring, don't you think?" Vernon asked, looking proudly at the young scientific minds.

"Certainly, maybe more young people should learn about that," John said, patting Raven's back, making her mumble under her breath. They almost arrived late because she overslept.

She was lucky that her power allowed her to be ready in a second.

Raven, for her part, was in a bad mood. She couldn't sleep because her brain decided to bombard her with imaginary images of what had happened the night before whenever she closed her eyes.

Even so, she had grown accustomed to chaotic nights of sleep thanks to her days in Italy, so despite struggling a bit, she managed to fall asleep and wake up just in time to follow John to the Science Innovation Fair.

Of course, "just in time" was almost late for John, who had been ready long before.

"Well, Colonel, I have to finish a few things before everything starts. As you know, you can be here and talk to any participants who catch your eye. Everyone here is free to choose their path, so it doesn't matter if you manage to convince someone before the presentations are made," Vernon said his goodbyes, leaving John and Raven alone.

"What do you say, see anything that catches your eye?" John asked casually. He would have preferred Howard to come with them, but the man had several matters to resolve before he could fully join SWORD, so John had to come alone with Raven.

James had no interest in being near any scientist other than Zola for the next hundred years, and Zola was the exception only because, in his words, he planned to rip his head off and shove it up his own ass... So John let him wander off with some thousands of dollars and the promise that the war against Hydra would soon begin.

Reluctantly, the man agreed and went who knows where.

Peggy, for her part, couldn't walk much, so John left her sleeping with a note about his whereabouts and a list of things she could start doing as Vice-Director if she managed to get on her feet before the day ended.

"Well, I see something that looks like a weapon, so maybe... never mind, it just blows air," Raven said, watching as one of the scientists used something resembling a silver gun to blow compressed air over some oddly shaped openings.

"Hey, don't judge too quickly. Maybe what it's blowing is an incredible machine with many uses," John said. They would only find out if they asked, so John began walking over.

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In another part of the large hall.

Hank Pym checked the status of the platform where his particle "gun" would strike the sample objects prepared for today. Although he had had relative success in the lab, successfully shrinking various inanimate objects, he still felt anxious about the results of this day.

Not far from him, Janet was checking the machine's software for perhaps the hundredth time that morning. She was starting to get frustrated because Hank wouldn't let her help with anything else under the excuse that everything had to be "perfect." It seemed that meant only he could check everything.

And she suspected the only reason she could verify the software was because Professor Pym had already polished it as much as he could beforehand.

As she thought about this, her gaze caught something strange in the data displayed. Quickly, her brain went into overdrive, examining the data with extreme attention, her hands ready to start working. But before she could, Professor Pym stopped her.

"Hey! What do you think you're doing?!" His voice rose a bit, surprising her as he grabbed her by the shoulder and pulled her away brusquely.

"Professor! I was just—"

"Quiet! I told you to just watch! If something goes wrong, all my work will be for nothing," Hank quickly began checking the data nervously.

Janet massaged her shoulder, frowning, but said nothing more. Working with Professor Pym had not been as good an idea as she had hoped, and she wished for this day to end soon so she wouldn't have to do it anymore.

Hank reviewed the data without noticing any errors. What Janet had seen was lost without him realizing it. Sighing, he looked at Janet and, in a softer voice, apologized.

"I'm sorry, it's just that... this is important, okay? I need everything to go right."

"I understand, Professor. It's your work," Janet said simply, stepping aside.

The man was intelligent and passionate, perhaps too passionate. He got so focused on science that he forgot everything else, to the point where it seemed nothing else mattered to him.

Janet sighed, wondering if working at SWORD would be like this, if the Captain—or rather, the Colonel now—would act the same. But he didn't seem to be that type of man. She didn't know why, but she felt he was different. There was a strange kindness in his eyes and words when he spoke to others.

She didn't know if it was his tone of voice or something else, but it was certainly noticeable.

She wondered if she could see him later. She knew he would be here, so she couldn't help but look forward to meeting him again.

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John looked at what was in front of him with extreme interest. He had been wandering around with Raven among the different booths, searching for interesting things when he came across something that clearly seemed extraordinary.

"Dr. Horton, right? What can you tell me about this?" he said, pointing to the hermetically sealed chamber with a thick glass opening that showed the "face" of a man sleeping, or at least that was how it appeared.

Dr. Phineas T. Horton swallowed, wiping some sweat from his forehead upon seeing John. They had already been informed that the famous Captain America, now Colonel, would be attending the event in search of new talents for a project about which very little was known.

The only thing the research committee had said was that anyone chosen by the Captain would receive the same benefits as those chosen by the committee, along with other secret benefits that would only be disclosed privately if they decided to work for John.

While many scientists were excited to meet Captain America, they weren't all enthusiastic about accepting the mysterious offer. Everyone knew John was with the army, so any scientist who agreed to work for or with him would be dragged into working for the military and thus into the war effort.

Many didn't want this, believing their inventions and genius weren't suited for the ongoing war. After all, most scientists preferred to work in peace and without being disturbed.

But Dr. Phineas T. Horton was different. His greatest dream had always been to achieve fame and wealth, all things the man in front of him had. He was Captain America, the most famous man in the United States, the greatest living hero in the world! Horton was sure that with John's status and fame, there was no one better to help him reach such greatness.

"Captain, sir, this is my greatest achievement," he gestured to the chamber and began to explain enthusiastically.

"He doesn't have a name yet, but he is a fully functional android, made of entirely synthetic materials and capable of mimicking all human functions, including individual thought!" he said as grandiosely as he could. Since he knew he could work with John, he had abandoned his idea of convincing the committee for funding. Therefore, this was the presentation he had been preparing for, so he had to sell it as best as he could.

Hearing this, John couldn't help but raise an eyebrow in astonishment. This, he remembered this, but from where? He began to think deeply about it, his brain quickly unearthing old, very old memories from his childhood—a painfully dark childhood he would have preferred to forget but needed to remember to figure out where the feeling of déjà vu was coming from.

"Why is he locked up, then?" Raven couldn't help but ask, causing Horton's smile to visibly diminish.

"Well, there's a small design flaw, something I'm already working on fixing, of course!" Horton tried to find a way to explain it without making it sound as bad as it was, but he knew there was no way to sugarcoat it or hide it. So he sighed and reluctantly decided to be honest.

"His synthetic structure is designed with what I call photovoltaic solar cells. They are the main power source, but, well, when they are activated, they create an unforeseen effect when coming into contact with air. It's better if I show you," he said and began to operate the chamber using a computer.

From one side of the cabin, a small opening revealed itself, allowing the air to start flowing through it. Then, the chamber began to hum slowly, and the face of the android inside lit up with a faint glow, its eyes trembling slightly.

The pair of eyes opened, admiring the world for a moment, but the next instant, flames began to erupt from every inch of its body as if it were bursting into an inferno. Raven took a step back at the sight, and Horton scratched the back of his head nervously.

"Yes, this is the problem. The solar cells are too volatile; when they come into contact with the oxygen in the air, they cause its entire epidermis to combust, igniting it completely in flames as if it were—"

"A human torch," said John, interrupting Dr. Horton.

The man blinked. That wasn't exactly what he was going to say, but it was an appropriate term as well.

"Uh, yes, like a human torch. Fortunately, this strange phenomenon doesn't compromise its structure or the synthetic materials it's made of, so we don't have to worry about damage. I just need to find a way to stop this from happening." He just needed a little more time, and a few hundred thousand dollars to continue his research.

"How about this Doctor horton, I'll take it, how much do you want for he?" said John, pointing at the still-flaming android, which was curiously observing its surroundings.

Take it? Dr. Horton looked at John in surprise.

"But it's defective. I haven't—" John cut him off.

"You don't have to say it twice, doctor. I've heard it. I know it's useless while this incendiary problem keeps occurring. Even so, I think it has potential. Why don't you let me take it? Just give me a price," he said seriously, patting his shoulder.

Maybe Dr. Horton was expecting a job offer, but John was not interested in the man at all and didn't need him. After delving into his deepest memories, he now knew who the person in that cabin was and how he could help him control those flames.

Perhaps in his adulthood and adolescence, John had been too busy working to pay off debts to keep up with the latest entertainment media in his world, so he had missed out on many things. But when he was a child, it wasn't like that.

Even so, his childhood was dark, so he usually didn't try to bring things from those times to light, especially now that his memory was much better and unearthing old memories would make it impossible to bury them back in his mind.

But in this situation, it was worth it.

He remembered the death of his grandfather. He was only about six years old, and his relatives began to dismantle the old man's possessions in search of valuables to sell, throwing everything they thought was trash into old, dusty boxes.

He remembered how he took one of those boxes and searched through it simply looking for something to play with.

He remembered how he found an old, wrinkled comic book and flipped through it for a while to entertain himself.

He was only six years old; he shouldn't have been able to remember the contents of those pages. No normal adult would have been able to recall something they read casually at the age of six.

But now, he was not an average adult or a normal human. He was a super-soldier, and memories that should have been forgotten came back to life whenever he wanted them to.

This also happened with Janet. He hadn't seen or heard her name in any of the MCU movies he watched, but he had seen something about her in an old children's cartoon.

He would have thought it was just a similar, though uncommon, name if it weren't for the fact that he could remember that the cartoon belonged to Marvel. Heck, there was even an Iron Man, a Hulk, and other characters, so he knew without a doubt that the Janet he met and the Janet from those memories had to be the "same."

The same thing happened with what he had just remembered. He could see the Marvel logo on the cover of that old comic book he read in his childhood.

Horton considered John's offer. It wasn't exactly what he was looking for, but at the same time, he didn't want to seem desperate. Maybe, if he sold this failed product and managed to advance his research with the money earned...

Yes, he could see it. Once his androids were perfect, he wouldn't need John to achieve fame and wealth; he could do it all by himself!

"Two hundred... two hundred thousand dollars," he said after thinking it over. Raven's eyes widened upon hearing it, then she frowned, trying to imagine how much money that was.

John smiled and nodded. "Agreed," he said.

"Really?!"

"Seriously?!"

Horton and Raven spoke in unison, incredulous. Horton had named such a high figure simply to have a starting point for negotiation. He didn't expect John to accept immediately.

Raven simply did not expect John to be able to spend that much money out of nowhere.

"I'm serious. I think it's a fair price." Horton stood still, processing the words before smiling and shaking John's hand vigorously.

"Th-Then I'll prepare a contract. Be right back!" Horton quickly closed the opening in the android's cabin, causing it to go back to sleep. He then gathered some things and quickly left.

Raven watched him go, the man nearly tripping several times. She then turned to look at John, who was still staring at the android.

"Are you really going to buy it?" she couldn't help but ask. John made sure no one was around before replying.

"Nah, that guy is just an idiot, and his research is far too dangerous. We can't leave something like that in the hands of a man like him..." He then looked at her seriously.

"Raven, I want you to do something for me..." Raven became serious upon hearing this. That tone of voice—John only used it when he wanted her to carry out an important mission.

An assassination mission.

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Note:

Little by little, John is finding more and more interesting people.

Remember to leave your power stones! if we reach 600 before Wednesday, I will publish an extra chapter this week.

you can already find the next chapter (and several more chapters) of this story on Patreon (patreon.com/EmmaCruzader) All the support received is appreciated ;D