Chapter 54: Friend That Is Always There.

[Author's note: Well, I didn't know there were a lot of silent readers here. I'm glad that you are enjoying my fanfic and that all of you have successfully brought back my enthusiasm to continue the story.

However, I will still continue to write another fanfic and will stockpile chapters before I put it on the shelves. So expect that I may only post chapters two to three times a week.]

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At the Umbrella Hospital in New York City, Andy walked alongside Steve Rogers as they made their way to the private room where Bucky Barnes was confined.

The room was quiet, except for the steady beep of the life support machines that kept Bucky alive. Steve stood at the foot of Bucky's bed, his eyes fixed on his friend's still form.

As a hypocritical friend, Andy hurriedly went back to America after spending his time with Dottie Underwood. He needed to be here as a friend that's always there and helpful.

To tell the truth, he knew the plan of Baron Blood, but he didn't prevent it and just watched the event unfold for one reason.

That reason was he wanted to intervene and run an experimental operation on Bucky to activate the HYDRA serum inside his body and make him a super soldier. He thought that the situation with the Howling Commandos was unfavorable since HYDRA's team of superpowers had the upper hand. He wanted to add a super soldier to their team and make their battle less strenuous.

Moreover, it seemed that something had twitched in Red Skull's brain, making him take such drastic measures as injecting a HYDRA serum into his daughter and four other kids. To make the experiment successful, he even tried to recreate the scene from the comics of accelerating them into adults so they could survive the experiment.

Sometimes with the case like this, he is becoming more and more sure that there is something "Plot Correction" going on this troubled Marvel Universe. This is also the reason why he didn't care much if he mess up something and he became a bit bold just like on making the case here, creating a Winter Soldier early.

Andy approached Steve, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. Steve turned his attention at Andy and ask, "How is Bucky's situation, can your doctors do something about him and wake him up."

"Don't worry, Steve. The doctors have already come up with a solution." Andy answered.

"What is it?" Steve asked, his eyes narrowing in curiosity.

"The doctors run a test and based on the test results, the true reason that Bucky miraculously survived is because of the serum injected into his body by Doctor Arnim Zola while he was captured." Andy explained while handing the file to Steve. "The serum has kept him alive, and if we can activate its potential, we might be able to wake him up."

"This is the only way to help Bucky wake up and make an experiment on him. And guess what? we found out that the serum injected to him is similar to yours." Andy also added their so-called findings.

Steve's eyes widened in surprise. "Are you saying we can make Bucky a super soldier like me?" Then he recalled Brian Falsworth's change, he was also brought to Zola's laboratory and was experiment on and later appeared as Mighty Destroyer.

"That's right. You can say that if the opertaion is succesful. It will become a blessing in disguise. To do that, we also need something to ensure his safety, which is your blood sample." Andy said, spouting another bullshit. He didn't really need his blood though but well, he could make it as his collection.

"You need my blood?" Steve frown and looked down at Bucky's still form and worse condition, his expression conflicted. "I know that my blood is potent, so I don't know if I can take that risk. Bucky's been through enough already."

Andy placed a hand on Steve's shoulder. "I understand how you feel, but we have to try. Bucky's life is at stake, and if there's a chance we can save him, we have to take it."

Steve looked up at Andy, with determination in his eyes. "Okay, let's do it. We'll do whatever it takes to save Bucky and It's more important to wake him up, and I'm sure that if he is awake, he would agree to thenoperation. Moreover, making him a super soldier would be more favorable on our side fighting against HYDRA."

Andy nodded. "Yes, the doctors already have studied the dormamt serum on his body and I believe with the help your blood sample, it experiment would work on Bucky. It's a risky procedure, but it's our only hope."

Steve nodded and said, "I will leave him under your care, he need to survive and take his revenge on his own hands."

Andy smile and said, "I will make the necessary arrangement. We'll start the experiment as soon as possible. I still wanted to see him beat the asses of HYDRA."

"I hope so, let's go and visit my other comrade." Steve was relieved hearing his promise, he turned around and walked.

"Well, your teammates is already on good condition and could go to battlefield with a two weeks of recuperation." Andy followed and continued, "Though I'm afraid that Bucky will need a couple of months of time before he could join on your campaign if the operation is succesful."

Together, they left the room. As they left the hospital room, Steve's mind was racing with thoughts of what could happen. But he knew that he had to take the risk. Bucky was his friend, his brother, and he would do anything to save him.

Although Steve didn't say it, he knew that his team looked at him with envy because of his strength, aside from the mutant brothers. This was even more prominent in Bucky, given the fact that his skinny little friend that he always protect suddenly transformed and become much stronger than him. Because of this contrast, Bucky would not hesitate to agree if he knew he could become a super soldier and fight side by side with Steve against HYDRA.

After a while, they arrived at the hospital ward where the rest of the injured Howling Commandos were being treated. Inside the ward, the team was lying on hospital beds with bandages all over their bodies, and their relatives were there to take care of them. As they entered, they were quickly greeted by their teammates.

"Hello, Captain. Good to see you back to normal," Dum Dum Dugan said.

"Hey, Captain. How is Bucky's situation?" Jim Morita asked.

"Haha, from the look of the Captain, I guess the situation is not critical," Gabe Jones said.

"Fortunately, his situation is now stable," Steve answered with a smile. "Only, it will take months before he could join us."

He didn't reveal that Bucky needed to undergo an experiment because it was not necessary and would only make them more worried.

"Is that so? Good, good," James Montgomery Falsworth said.

"Thank God that he is safe," Junior Jupiter also said. The rest of the team was also glad to hear the good news.

"Oh, we didn't expect to see you here, Mr. Westeros," Dum Dum Dugan said in surprise, and the rest of the team only noticed Andy's presence now.

"Haha, of course, I will be here," Andy replied with a chuckle. "Haha, my bad. That was stupid of me. Bucky is also your friend, and this hospital is also yours," Dum Dum Dugan joked.

"Well, you really could joke despite being wrapped like a mummy, huh?" Andy teased him.

"Haha, I'm not the only one." Dum Dum Dugan looked around the room, and the rest of the team was also bandaged like mummies. The room was filled with a joyful atmosphere as they bantered with each other.

"Come to think of it, where are Logan and Victor?" Andy looked around but didn't see them.

"They were left behind at the headquarters to guard against any possible HYDRA attacks," Steve answered.

"I see, well you can talk for them a bit," Andy nodded and walked forward to James Falsworth's hospital bed because he saw two people beside him.

"Hi, Jacqueline," he greeted her and looked at the young man with blonde hair beside her.

"Hi, Mr. Westeros," Jacqueline replied, pretending they were unfamiliar. Then she saw him looking at the guy beside her making her wonder.

The guy stood up and reached his hand out, "Hello, Mr. Westeros. I'm Roger Aubrey."

"Roger Aubrey?" Andy shook hands with him, then took back his hand. He was surprised to see him appear, but when he thought about it, it was an oversight on his part for not finding him earlier since Brian Falsworth also existed in this world.

"Don't mind this bastard, Mr. Westeros," James on the side spoke. It seems that he didn't welcome Roger there.

"Well, what's going on?" Andy asked curiously.

"It's like this, when Roger heard about Brian's situation, he was clamoring to join the Howling Commandos to save him," Jacqueline explained.

"Hmmp! If not for this bastard instilling bad thing on my son, my son would not have been captured by HYDRA and become their tool to do evil," James said angrily.

"..." Roger didn't say anything and just hung his head low.

Andy looked at them a bit confused and decided to use his mind-reading on Roger to understand the situation. When reading his memory, he was left speechless. Apparently, their situation was a bit similar to the comics, a supporter of Nazi ideology and was captured when they decided to go back to England because of the war.

Roger was also captured along with Brian and became a coolie at the HYDRA Weapon Facility. Andy didn't know if he was lucky or unlucky that he was not selected to get injected with serum.

Fortunately, there was no homo going on between Roger and Brian...

"Mr. Aubrey, do you want to rescue your friend?" Andy smiled brightly at Roger, confusing the latter. Jacqueline looked at Andy's devilish smile and remembered her experience when she was recruited.

"Of course, I will do anything to rescue my friend!" Roger firmly said.

"Really?" Andy put his arm around his shoulder and led him to the side for a talk. "You know, with your skinny figure and lack of training, the Howling Commandos will not accept you."

"I know, so I'm going to train myself," Roger said seriously.

"What if I say that we have the means to make you stronger?" Andy said, tempting this naive lamb to become his experimental material.

"What do you mean?" Roger was intrigued and asked curiously.

"That's what I really mean, by making you stronger," Andy said and continued, "With your current situation, you can't possibly defeat Brian and capture him."

"So the only way is for you to become stronger like him," he continued to tempt the naive guy like a devil and said seriously, "Is just the experiment is a bit dangerous."

"Really? Then I will accept your offer no matter how dangerous it is, as long as I can bring back my friend," Roger replied with conviction.

"Good, I admire your courage to save your friend," Andy patted his shoulder and praised him. It seems that Steve's blood sample would come in handy as an alibi for the experiment when he introduce Roger to their team.

This encounter put him in a good mood. To think that when he was having a headache on how to make the battle between the H.C and HYDRA a bit fair, he would come across Roger Aubrey or Dyna-Mite. He was one of the many characters who gained the ability after ingesting a derivative super soldier serum, and he also had the ability to shrink himself down to 12 inches.

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