Erskine's Doubts

The next day, as Ivan made his way to the laboratory, he encountered a significant presence of patrol personnel on the road. Even Ivan himself was subjected to questioning and searches. Tensions escalated, and a potential conflict loomed, but Ivan managed to restrain himself.

Upon his arrival at the laboratory, Ivan was met with an even more extensive security detail. Security personnel surrounded the laboratory on both the inner and outer floors, all armed and prepared to use force if necessary. Ivan underwent three rounds of inspections, which considerably delayed his entry. However, he remained patient, understanding that such strict measures were likely due to the arrival of the mysterious item.

As anticipated, inside the laboratory, Ivan found the Red Skull waiting, accompanied by a bodyguard carrying a metal box.

"Dr. Ivan, I've brought the items. You are free to study them, but only within the confines of this laboratory. Do not attempt to remove them," the Red Skull instructed.

"Of course, as you wish," Ivan responded.

The Red Skull gestured to the bodyguard, who placed the box on a laboratory table. After entering the password, he opened it, revealing a sealed glass container filled with a mysterious blue liquid. Inside, there was an object emitting a faint blue glow. It was unmistakably a phalanx, albeit much larger than a typical one.

Ivan's gaze was immediately drawn to the object in the container, and he couldn't help but reach out and gently touch it. Initially, the Red Skull seemed poised to speak but decided against it upon witnessing Ivan's fascination. He realized that Ivan was too engrossed in the discovery to pay heed to his words.

When Ivan finally snapped out of his trance, the Red Skull had already departed. Ivan was now in a more suitable state of mind to focus on other matters. Noticing a document inside the storage box still on the laboratory table, Ivan picked it up and began to peruse its contents.

The document provided information about the enigmatic item. According to the contents, the glass container's contents were a gift from a dark wizard to Hitler, but the item was not originally his. It had been accidentally acquired by a group of wizards in the ruins of an Egyptian pyramid.

This group of wizards had sensed the incredible power within the item and speculated that it might be a divine phalanx. Their desire for ownership led to conflicts and ultimately resulted in the item finding its way to England. After several transfers, it eventually ended up in the possession of a dark wizard named Gregory Yefimovich Rasputin, who later gifted it to Hitler.

As Ivan read through this information, he contemplated the legends of ancient Egyptian gods, hoping to find clues. However, when he reached the section detailing the pyramid ruins explored by the group of wizards, a thought crossed his mind.

The ancient Egyptians referred to the pyramid ruins as the birthplace of the gods, who wielded immense power and ruled over all of Egypt. They were accompanied by four formidable warriors.

Upon encountering this mention of four warriors, Ivan's initial thought led him to consider the world's first mutant, Apocalypse. Could this be the place where Apocalypse had slumbered?

Ivan quickly dismissed this notion. While there might be a connection to Apocalypse, the remote location of the pyramid ruins was incongruent with the notion that Apocalypse, as the ruler of Egypt, would reside in such an isolated place.

Nonetheless, Ivan sensed a connection between this mysterious item, Apocalypse, and the immense phalanx's potent power. He began piecing together the clues, and a sense of astonishment gradually overtook him.

Ivan recollected the legends surrounding Apocalypse, suggesting that he was born of a slave mother who, during her escape, inadvertently entered a celestial group's spacecraft. The spacecraft contained the vestige of a celestial, and the mother was exposed to its blood, resulting in the birth of the first mutant.

"Could this phalanx be a remnant of the celestial's vestige?" Ivan pondered with intense greed, an irresistible urge to claim it taking hold. Fortunately, he managed to temper his excitement and regain his composure.

"Now that I've seen it, I mustn't let it slip away. It's mine," Ivan resolved. However, he understood that it wasn't the right time to act impulsively. First, he needed to fulfill his commitment to assisting the Red Skull with the second-generation super soldier serum. Only afterward would he focus on securing the phalanx.

As Ivan placed the materials back in the box, he covertly pricked his finger, allowing a drop of blood to fall into the box. The drop of blood, seemingly sentient, spread and adhered to the interior of the container without any noticeable changes.

Ivan had previously discovered that his cells could survive independently of his body for extended periods. He could even sense the location of this blood. As long as the box remained unchanged, Ivan would be able to locate it at any time.

With these preparations in place, Ivan dedicated himself to the development of the second-generation super soldier serum. He worked diligently, overseeing the project's progress as it advanced under his leadership. The laboratory staff, including Dr. Erskine, followed his orders without question.

As two months passed, Ivan's efforts bore fruit. Progress on the second-generation serum was promising, and Ivan felt a sense of accomplishment. Additionally, his research on the phalanx yielded some significant breakthroughs.

However, Ivan couldn't help but notice Dr. Erskine's shifting demeanor. Although Erskine attempted to conceal it, he appeared increasingly distracted and displayed signs of anxiety and unease.

Ivan had been aware of this for some time but chose to feign ignorance. He understood that Erskine's eventual defection to the United States was inevitable, which aligned with Ivan's objectives. Ivan believed that Erskine's defection could serve as the perfect opportunity to secure the phalanx while diverting suspicion onto the United States.

One day, as Ivan busied himself in the laboratory, Dr. Erskine approached him discreetly, ensuring that no one else was present.

"Dr. Ivan, I'd like to speak with you," Erskine began.

Could Erskine finally be ready to make his move? Ivan couldn't help but smile inwardly.

"It's a rare occasion that Dr. Erskine takes an interest in such matters. Please, go ahead. I'm all ears," Ivan replied.

Erskine hesitated briefly, then gathered his resolve. "Dr. Ivan, have you noticed something amiss with Director Schmidt? His negative emotions seem to be escalating without bounds, making him increasingly ruthless. I suspect it may be due to the Super Soldier Serum."

Ivan responded, "It's quite normal for the Super Soldier Serum to comprehensively enhance the human body. It doesn't just improve physical attributes but also enhances brain function, including memory and intelligence. Naturally, emotions might intensify as well. Director Schmidt is undoubtedly becoming smarter and more capable, which could explain the heightened emotional responses. However, I'm sure Director Schmidt is aware of his situation. If he chooses not to discuss it, he likely has a firm grip on his emotions."

Erskine persisted, "But this suggests a flaw in the Super Soldier Serum. Our intention in developing it was to create super soldiers, not monsters driven solely by aggression. As scientists, shouldn't we strive to use our research for the betterment of humanity?"

Ivan's expression turned stern as he countered, "Watch your words, Dr. Erskine. It seems you consider yourself a saint, working for the betterment of humanity. Cars were invented for transportation, but tanks became instruments of warfare. Aircraft were created for travel, but bombers turned them into tools of destruction. Even communication devices have been repurposed for harm. The same applies to the Super Soldier Serum. It was designed to create super soldiers, who are then deployed as weapons of war. There's no distinction between these soldiers and other weapons. Don't be naive. We're all scientists, and as long as we perform our roles, it's up to higher-level authorities to determine the applications of our research."

Erskine's countenance shifted, reflecting his inner turmoil, but he soon regained his resolve. Ivan, aware of Erskine's impending defection, opted not to dissuade him. He understood that Erskine had made his decision.

As Erskine walked away, Ivan watched him go and then noticed a small protrusion beneath one of the laboratory benches. A sly smile crept across Ivan's face as he focused on this subtle detail.

Ivan had developed the ability to detect electromagnetic signals with his enhanced brain. He had long realized that the laboratory had been bugged, likely the work of the Red Skull. However, Ivan had managed to isolate his conversation with Erskine, leaving no traces for prying ears to discover.

"This time, I'll assist you, Dr. Erskine. Wishing you a safe journey," Ivan thought, his mind already calculating the next steps in his intricate plan.