Black Widow

About half an hour later, there was a knock on the door. Ivan opened it to find the Red Skull rushing in. Spotting Ivan, the Red Skull visibly relaxed. "Dr. Ivan, it's a relief to see you safe and sound."

"No, I'm in a bad state. This is the Hydra base, and I was targeted for assassination here. Mr. Schmidt, can you explain this?" Ivan inquired, pretending to be composed.

The Red Skull wasn't taken aback by Ivan's tone of questioning; it was a natural response. "I was negligent this time. I didn't anticipate Erskine collaborating with the Americans. Not only did he defect, but he also absconded with the mysterious materials from the laboratory. With Erskine's help, the mole, the United States even sent assassins, including an attempt on your life, Doctor. This is normal. After all, Dr. Ivan has contributed greatly to the country by developing advanced weaponry, causing substantial losses to the Allies. The Americans consider you a thorn in their side, and they will naturally attempt to eliminate you when the opportunity arises."

Ivan feigned astonishment. "I see. I never expected Erskine to betray us. It was truly unexpected. What is the situation now?"

Red Skull sighed. "It's not good. Erskine has escaped, and the mysterious materials from the laboratory have been pilfered. To top it off, the laboratory was destroyed, and its contents reduced to ashes."

"What? The materials were stolen. The laboratory was destroyed. This is outrageous, Mr. Schmidt, you must retrieve the stolen items, and, by the way, eliminate the traitor Erskine. Stealing and destroying our laboratory, that's the fruit of our hard labor."

Ivan's eyes welled up with anger, and his worried expression won the Red Skull's admiration. If he hadn't known the truth behind the matter, he might have been genuinely deceived by Ivan's acting skills.

Red Skull quickly pacified Ivan and stated, "Dr. Ivan, please rest assured, I won't let Erskine escape, and I'll find a way to recover the stolen items. But I have a question for Dr. Ivan: is it still possible to continue developing the second-generation Super-Soldier Serum?"

Unbeknownst to the Red Skull, the item in question was in Ivan's possession, stowed away in the Red Skull's private space. Retrieving it was a pipe dream.

Ivan deliberately hesitated. "Well, it's possible. Although the materials were stolen, there are still significant reserves of the previously extracted mysterious substances. They can barely support the development of the second-generation serum, but it will take time. After all, the experiment room was destroyed, and many people didn't have the chance to back up their data. The experiments will need to restart, and I can't guarantee when we'll achieve success."

Upon hearing Ivan's assurance that serum development could continue, Red Skull visibly relaxed. "In that case, I'll leave everything to Dr. Ivan. I hope you can produce the second-generation Super-Soldier Serum as soon as possible."

"Don't worry about that. Even if you hadn't mentioned it, I would have."

"Excellent. Dr. Ivan, let's take a break for the next few days and abstain from experiments. This base has been compromised, and we can't stay here any longer. Get ready. We'll be moving to another base tomorrow."

Ivan had no objections and nodded in agreement. His assurance was all the Red Skull needed before departing and returning to his office. Upon receiving the report of the losses from his subordinates, the Red Skull nearly erupted in frustration. He berated the subordinates vehemently and personally executed several of the delinquents.

This time, the losses were truly severe. The Hydra soldiers killed were irreplaceable. What was even more critical was that most of the researchers were slain. These scientists, collected from around the world by the Red Skull, whether coerced or enticed, contributed significantly to the research and development of the Super-Soldier Serum. They were the elite among elites. The loss of these valuable assets was a bitter pill for the Red Skull to swallow.

The following day, Ivan, the Red Skull, and the few remaining researchers were airlifted to another Hydra base. After more than an hour of flight, they arrived at their destination. Ivan was pleasantly surprised to spot Dr. Zola, whom he hadn't seen in quite some time, overseeing the construction of an enormous aircraft. Even in its skeletal form, Ivan recognized it as the same aircraft piloted by the Red Skull in the Captain America movie, the one ultimately defeated by Captain America, crash-landing in the polar glacier, where it remained frozen for 70 years until its rediscovery during the Avengers storyline.

Ivan was delighted to see Dr. Zola. He knew that this unassuming physicist was a genius in disguise. He greeted him warmly, and soon the two engaged in a spirited discussion of physics. Both were elite experts in their field and the more they talked, the more animated they became.

Although Ivan was eager to resume his research on the Super-Soldier Serum, the laboratory was still under construction, and many pieces of equipment had yet to arrive. Thus, Ivan had no choice but to spend his idle days conversing with Dr. Zola.

Five days later, Ivan was suddenly summoned by the Red Skull. He assumed the new laboratory was ready and went to meet with him in his office.

Upon seeing Ivan, the Red Skull rose and said, "Dr. Ivan, I'm pleased you're here. Dr. Ivan has always dedicated himself to his research, and your hard work is evident. I'd like to present a gift to you. I hope you'll appreciate it."

"Oh! It's not about the laboratory? I assumed it was ready, and you wanted me to get to work. I'm excited but also curious about this gift you mentioned. I'm sure it's no ordinary offering, Mr. Schmidt."

"Dr. Ivan, as one of our nation's preeminent scientists, work is always at the forefront of your mind. Your success is well-deserved, and your diligence puts many others to shame. But you must also consider your well-being. It's important to relax when the opportunity arises. Please follow me." The Red Skull led Ivan about 100 meters away to an iron gate, which he unlocked and entered. Ivan followed suit.

Inside, Ivan discovered a room of over 100 square meters. Lined up in the room were a dozen or so beauties, all youthful and attractive, ranging from teenagers to twenty-somethings. Some had blonde hair and blue eyes, while others had dark hair and eyes. Each exuded youthfulness.

Seeing these women, Ivan immediately realized the nature of the so-called gift. As expected, the Red Skull explained, "Dr. Ivan, you've been working relentlessly, and while it's admirable, it's also important to know how to relax. These women were handpicked by me and underwent thorough physical examinations. They're in perfect health, without any flaws. After specialized training, they're highly skilled in pleasing men. Dr. Ivan, you may choose freely, even if you wish to take them all, there's no issue."

Ivan understood that the Red Skull was attempting to win him over by providing women. However, Ivan had no qualms about indulging in such luxuries. He knew that since arriving in this world, he had dedicated himself to studying to ensure his future survival. Nevertheless, he had enjoyed the company of numerous women in his spare time. Western countries have always been open about relationships between men and women. Given his father's wealth and power, Ivan had never lacked female companionship. Despite being in his twenties, he had significant experience with women. In this regard, Ivan was no novice. Even at the Hydra base, there were designated places for soldiers to satisfy their desires.

Ivan was no celibate monk. During downtime, he never pretended to be virtuous. He cast an appreciative gaze at the dozen beauties, seeking his preferred choice.

As Ivan's eyes fell on a black-haired woman, he was taken aback. "Isn't this the Black Widow? What is she doing here? Or is she just a look-alike?"

Ivan fixed his gaze on the woman, suspected of being the Black Widow, and his mind raced. Based on the timeline, the Black Widow would have just completed her training in the Red Room. Sending her on a covert mission to infiltrate the Hydra base would be a plausible explanation.

There were conflicting accounts of the Black Widow. One narrative suggested that Natasha Romanoff, the Black Widow, was a contemporary of Captain America and, due to a drug-induced transformation, remained eternally youthful. This was why she appeared unchanged even 70 years later. The story also suggested that, despite her portrayal as a super spy, she was sterilized. How, then, had she deceived the Red Skull?

Ivan recalled everything he knew about the Black Widow. Her original name was Natalia Arianovna Romanova, born in Stalingrad. She had undergone rigorous training in the Red Room, becoming adept in combat skills and making significant contributions to the Soviet Union during World War II. However, she was later sentenced to the Red Room, eventually recruited by S.H.I.E.L.D., and rose to become a Level 7 agent. She later joined the Avengers.

The Red Skull, observing Ivan's prolonged interest in the woman, assumed that Ivan had selected her. He declared, "Dr. Ivan, have you taken a liking to this woman? You have good taste; Natalia is among the best of these women. She may be a bit younger, but she excelled in the training to please men. From now on, she's yours. Do you have any other preferences, Dr. Ivan?"

Ivan, now confident that the woman was indeed the future Black Widow, replied, "This woman will suffice. I don't require anything else. My primary focus is on research, and I can't manage too many women." Even though he knew she was a future super-spy, Ivan took precautions. He doubted she could outmaneuver him.

The Red Skull nodded, turned to the woman suspected to be the Black Widow, and said seriously, "Starting today, you'll be responsible for attending to Dr. Ivan. Take good care of him, and you have free rein in your duties. But if you fail in any way, you'll cease to exist."

The woman, with an appearance of timidity, responded, "I understand. I'll serve the Doctor to the best of my abilities."

Red Skull then turned to Ivan and stated, "Dr. Ivan, it's getting late. You can return and rest. I wish you an enjoyable life."

Ivan displayed a grin familiar to all men and left, arm in arm with the beautiful woman beside him.

--

Author's note

For every 5 reviews, I will post 1 bonus chapter