17: gress

  "This is... monstrous." Howard looked at the "device" John had handed him, swallowed hard, and turo look at James.

  "And you say this was in your head?" James growled, nodding in response, and looking with equal disgust at the thing that had been impnted in his brain.

  They had moved locations; now they were in Howard's boratory, the pce had been the quickest to struct thanks to the funding from the billionaire ior.

  It was the safest p the base and also the most private.

  "Are you tellihis is really what it cims to be?" el Phillips asked, clearly impatient. Howard nodded and took one of the dozens of cables ing out of the device, cables almost as thin as threads.

  "See this? The brain funs through electrical stimuli, sending signals between our neurons to make the body take a. I don't know how they did it, but this work of cables trol that transmission of information through carefully distributed electrical charges." He actually simplified it a lot; there was an even more plex expnation, but Howard khe el was not a man of sce. Expining it too much would only make it more fusing, so he simplified it as much as he could.

  The only thing Howard couldn't expin was how they mao do this. For it to work, the cables would have to pee deeply into various ses of the brain, a vital an so delicate it would surely have died instantly.

  Of course, such a brutal method could only be useful for those with a regeive capacity beyond human, which was why Dr. Zo had been able to do it so quickly. Not having to worry about the life of the test subject sped up the procedures that otherwise would have had to be more delicate.

  "Still doubting, sir?" John asked. One of the reasons they were here was to prove that James had been "trolled" by Hydra. Proving he er soldier was easy; proving he wasn't a Hydra spy was a bit more plicated. Still, foreseeing that he would need proof, John made sure t the device he had removed from James' brain.

  The el remained silent but eventually nodded.

  "This ges many things." A sed super soldier would undoubtedly be big news, if not for the fact that now Hydra could theoretically create aire army of them.

  The el almost felt his blood pressure drop; he was getting too old for this.

  Seeing him pale, John decided to speak.

  "I o return to the Uates, talk to the president. A meeting with the leaders of the Allied tries would be best. You uand that the situation requires a different approach."

  The el frowned. "You know that will take time, right? Do you really want to wait longer?! If we don't attaow—" His words were cut off again by John.

  "Attack what, el? Germany? Norway? Austria? Maybe Pond?" John suddeended his hand, and, uanding the gesture, Raven quickly pulled out several folded papers she had been holding onto.

  "These are the maps we mao obtain in Salzburg. There are over 25 Hydra bases spread across Europe, not ting the bases that probably haven't been noted. If we rush, we'll just run around like headless chis until we exhaust our forces. Besides, nothing guarahere aren't multiple super soldiers scattered in each of them. Sending only normal men would be the same as sending them to the gallows!" He spoke loudly and clearly to make his point uood.

  John had indeed panicked a bit at first; Hydra having pound V or an inferior version of it was dangerous. But ohe initial panic subsided ahought things through more carefully, he realized this was the opportunity he had been looking for.

  As a super soldier, John was to for this era. His enemies were too weak, and his greatest rival was something he could have ended with a single finger if things had remaihe same.

  He had thought of staging a ruse, letting Hydra live a little longer so they would appear strong, but now it wasn't necessary. Now Hydra had bee a real threat that o be destroyed pletely and without a doubt.

  But he was in no hurry. He didn't fear the "super soldiers" Hydra could create. As long as pound V ran through their veins, John was sure of ohing: without a doubt, he would emerge victorious in the end.

  No, what really ed Johhe mutants, or meta-humans as he had hem. They were the real danger, but he didn't have muformation about them yet. Well, he knew of three who could be a threat.

  One was still a young man living a "normal" life in New York, and the other two were in Pond.

  And without a doubt, he had to kill one of them, no matter what.

  "What do you suggest we do then?" Peggy asked, the evident on her face.

  John smiled, looking at everyone present before speaking. "I'll form a team."

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  "Are you ready?" Her father's voice startled Ja a bit, but she quickly posed herself and nodded.

  "Yes, although I don't know why I'm here," she couldn't help but pin. She was still a bit sleepy from being woken up so early. She even had to rush to brush her hair and barely mao put on makeup.

  Her father was a very busy man, rarely calling her, but that day he had tacted her urgently. He hadn't expined much, only that something important was happening.

  "You are my daughter. Once you finish your studies and graduate, you will assume my position on the ittee for Stific Researd Development. It's time for you to start preparing for it. The world is ging very fast, Ja, and you must keep up or you'll be left behind," he tried to advise her, but Ja couldn't help but grimaternally.

  She liked sce, but not as much as her father believed. She didn't want to take his pce. Maybe it was a mistake not to follow her aunt when her mother died.

  "I don't think anyone else would wao take that position, Dad," she said, trying to be direct. Her father was a man who could see beyond things, but the reality was that there had never been a woman on the researittee before. Being the first would not only require great skills but also fag great challenges.

  Challehat Ja didn't know if she could or wao face.

  "I trust in your potential. I know you'll show them what you're capable of," and once again, he pletely ignored her, you know, she herself was included in that "anyone else."

  "Let's fet about that for now. What are we doing here?" Ja couldn't help but look out the window. She didn't reize the road, but she did reize the huge white building they were approag.

  She had only seen it in pictures, but it was enough to know that this was really important.

  Vernon Van Dyne also looked out the window before responding.

  "There will be a grand gress, a very importaing where all the try's top officials will be present. It seems something signifit has happehat they want to announce."

  Ja blinked, fused. Something had happened? What could have occurred that required such a mobilization? Well, she supposed she would find out soon enough. She just hoped it wouldn't take too long. Professor Pym had said he was close to achieving somethiraordinary, and although she wasn't so sure about that, it would be really unfortuo miss it. After all, even if it hadn't been for long, she had also helped.

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  John adjusted his suit. It was a bit tight, but det enough to wear for this occasion.

  "Everything is almost ready. The president, the vice president, the secretary of war, the chief of staff, and the representative of the Allied forces in Europe are all in their pces," the el said, entering his dressing room, and John turo look at him.

  "For a moment, I thought you were going to recite the title of everyone who has e, el," he tried to lighten the mood, but the el didn't seem amused. Seeing his serious face was no fun, so he looked to his side, hoping to see a more pleasant face, but while he did find that, it wasn't the face he expected.

  "What happeo Agent Carter?" Normally, she was the one who followed the el, but now there retty bloh short hair in her pce.

  "She is busy with other things, now she is my new assistant," the el said simply, and John blinked in fusion.

  But before he could ask, the el checked his watd spoke seriously.

  "It's time."

  Well, he would find out ter.

  Soon, they walked to the room prepared for the meeting. John took a deep breath aered through the doors with a smile. Showtime.

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  Ja sat o her father. They were quite close to the ter of the room, which made her feel the tension in the air more clearly. There were many important faces present. She mostly reized the tral members of the ittee, but this pce had a much stronger military presence, which made her feel a bit nervous.

  "It's starting," her father said in a low voice, and Jaraightened her back. She watched as the president of the try, Franklin Roosevelt, stepped forward to the podium, causing the room to fall silent immediately.

  "Some of you already knoe are here, while others are still in the dark. In a situation like this, beating around the bush is the st thing this try needs, so I'll say it directly: a few days ago, Captain America successfully raided Hydra's main base." That should be good news, right? At least that's what Jahought.

  Hydra had beore well-known thanks to Captain Amerid his great feats against them. Ja had even goo the movies with some of her college friends to wate of the real footage of the battle in Italy. Hydra's ons were undoubtedly things beyond aing teology, and she had speire nights trying to imagine how they worked.

  "-it has beeed that a sed super soldier has been found, and it has been firmed that Hydra possesses an imperfect serum." Ja blinked. What had he said?

  A sed super soldier? An imperfect serum?

  Ihan a sed, the entire room desded into chaos.

  "Impossible! The serum was pletely lost!" one of the members of the researittee stood up, his voice full of incredulity. It was known that the ittee had been p many resources int to recreate the serum without success. Even an imperfect version was unimaginable.

  The president quickly silehe room again and spoke seriously.

  "Facts are facts, gentlemen. Hydra has now bee the main threat in this war. But I am not here to discuss what o be dohat has already been decided." Already decided? That took some people by surprise.

  When a crisis like this knocked on his door, President Franklin Roosevelt believed there was no time for doubts. He had already discussed the general aspects with the highest-ranking officials and a decision had been reached. However, they still he majority approval of gress to carry out one of the things they wao do.

  Suddenly, a tall figure ehe room and walked to the podium with firm steps, his presence immediately drawing the attention of everyone present. The president him a him stand by his side, pg a hand on his shoulder.

  "This is John Benjamin Vogelbaum, better known as Captain America." Probably introdug him was unnecessary; the whole try knew him.

  Ja remaiill, her cheeks a bit red. He was much more handsome in person; the images taken by the cameras barely did him justice. Suddenly, she saw him smile and almost felt her soul leave her body for a sed.

  "Thank you for allowio be here, Mr. President," John said, then turo the gathered audiend began to speak.

  "I know many of you are worried about what this development could mean for the war. That’s why I’ve asked for everyoo be gathered here and now. To stop Hydra’s pns and prevent them from creating an army of super soldiers, we he full support of the nation and all our allies. I know I stop Hydra before they mao take over the world, but I 't do it alone."

  Iy, he could, but he hem to believe they could help him.

  "How do you pn to do this, Captain? We know about your extraordinary abilities, but if Hydra really has access to more super soldiers, then..." The man speaking didn’t o finish his sentence; everyone uood.

  John decided to crify the matter further.

  "As mentioned, I found a sed super soldier. But I didn't just find him; I also saved him. Hydra impnted a mind-trol devi him to force him to fight against me. His name is James Howlett, an Ameri soldier who had been deployed to Austria before being captured by Hydra." This news immediately drew everyone's attention.

  "You mean to say—"

  Knowing where the question was headed, John nodded and spoke.

  "Yes, now the Uates has another super soldier besides me. He's not as strong as I am, but his capabilities are certainly enough to greatly help. Not only that, but his brother, who was deployed with him, was also captured by Hydra."

  John didn't o expin what this meant; everyone in the room was intelligent.

  "Returning to the topic of the serum, Hydra 't create super soldiers, at least for the moment. James is a special case that is still being iigated, but all the other test subjects died." There were no other test subjects, but no one could know that sihe base exploded.

  His words seemed to restore hope to many in the room.

  "So, destroy Hydra before they perfect the serum," Vernon Van Dyne said, making John look in his dire and smile.

  "That's what we want," he said.

  The president then stepped forward once more.

  "To deal with this threat, the et members and I have discussed with senior military officers a neroach. So that Captain America act without hesitation and Hydra be fronted directly, it has been decided to form a new iional division," This was something John had decided to discuss privately with the President.

  He o be able to act whenever necessary and at any given moment without anythiing in his way, especially bureaucracy.

  A new iional division? The members of gress now uood why there were representatives from other tries present. Normally, in a private meeting like this, external agents should be excluded, even those who were allies, but they weren't, and now they knew why.

  The representative of the Allied forces in Europe stood up and the President.

  "After much deliberation, we have reached an agreement with President Franklin Roosevelt. All European tries will grant special authority to Captain John Benjamin Vogelbaum to act with maximum authority ihied to bating Hydra."

  The representatives from a, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, and France also stood up and expressed the same iion.

  The representative of the Allied forces in Latin America also supported this, as did the representatives of several other nations.

  Of course, this was much more important for the European tries. After all, Hydra was in their "homes." If Germany won, they would be the first to fall.

  The President smiled with satisfa and tinued speaking.

  "The Uates will also join this reaty. To this end, I have spoken with the Secretary of War, ah agree that Captain Vogelbaum should be promoted to the rank of el. This way, he better represent the Ameri people in the effort to permaly eradicate Hydra."

  Promoting John was something already phey simply promoted him one rank higher than people expected.

  Several members of gress wideheir eyes a bit. el? And at such a young age?

  In history, he would be the sed you person to attain such a rank, only behind Galusha Pennypacker, who achieved it at the age of 20.

  The members of the Senate began to think deeply about this. After all, even if the President wao promote Johill he Senate's final approval. For such a rapid rise in rank, it would require almost unanimous support from the Senate.

  In other times, such a proposal would have been difficult to sider, but at this moment, with Hydra as aioner sharpening its axe in preparation to decapitate them, the Senate members had to seriously sider their decision.

  Undoubtedly, only John could face Hydra and their mysterious ons. If Hydra began deploying super-soldiers, even if they were weaker than Captain America, they would still be beings beyond human.

  Sending regur soldiers would simply be senteng them to death.

  Suddenly, The Chief of Staff of the Uates Army spoke.

  "I believe this is the best option. If Captain Vogelbaum leads the front against Hydra, we focus on finishing the battles oher fronts quickly. We must remember that Hydra does not fully represent Germany." While Hydra was the most dangerous, they were also an "anism" almost separate from Germany at this point.

  If they wao destroy Hydra, they also had to remove the obstacles surrounding it.

  One of the most prestigious and senior senators stood up and spoke loudly and clearly.

  "Isn't it obvious what we must do? Why hesitate? Other tries are willing to grant maximum authority to young Vogelbaum. If we tio hesitate, they will think we don't trust our own soldiers." His words made many of the still undecided Senate members make a decision.

  "Senator Braun is right. Hesitating is just wasting time. I vote in favor," one member said, and soon more and more joined in.

  "I vote in favor."

  "I vote in favor."

  "I vote in favor."

  The Preside everyone speak before smiling and giving John a pat on the back. John uood the gesture and stepped forward.

  "Si has been decided, Captain John Benjamin Vogelbaum, in the name of the Ameri people and using the power that this gress fers upon me, I, Franklin Roosevelt, as President of the Uates of America, promote you to the rank of el in the Uates Army. May this honor reflect our hopes and our profound gratitude for your servid sacrifice."

  The room filled with appuse. If there had been cameras, it surely would have been filled with their fshes. Well, that would have to be ter, perhaps at the public appoi.

  John smiled and gave a military salute before speaking.

  "I deeply thank you for this honor. I promise I will not fail in my mission and will protect this world from any threat." His words were met with more appuse.

  The Presidehe room calm down before tinuing to speak.

  "With that off the table, it is time to talk about the new iional division that will carry out the task of eradig Hydra and any other threat that may endahe well-being of this world." The room theuro a serious atmosphere.

  "For this, I will let el Vogelbaum speak to us in more detail about it." The President then stepped back, to the surprise of some people.

  John stepped fain and cleared his throat. The iional division had been a st-minute idea but one he believed was necessary. Without anyone knowing, and if everythi as it should, he would gain much more authority as time passed and the threats the world faced grew rger.

  "Ladies aleme me introduce you to S.W.O.R.D."

  John then expined what it was, essentially just S.H.I.E.L.D. with a different name—well, a bit more than that. He made sure to emphasize several times that S.W.O.R.D. would be responsible for dealing with threats beyond the human.

  No matter where they came from.

  He had to make this clear. After all, if everythi as he hoped, S.W.O.R.D. would be the pce where metahumans would predominate, even the aliens.

  It took him at least two hours, but he finally mao present the projed answer most of the questions.

  "Then who will lead this division?" one of the members of gress finally asked.

  The andant of the Marine Corps spoke up at that moment, with a slightly mog smile on his face.

  "I think it's obvious, this idea is el Vogelbaum's and he should lead it. I don't think there's ater, right?" he asked, and everyone fell silent before starting to speak in favor.

  John was now a el, so it was fitting that he should also lead Sword. It was now that it became obvious to many why the president decided that John should be promoted in rank so quickly.

  "In that case, I appoint el John Benjamin Vogelbaum as the first general director of the new iional division of Strategic Worldwide Operations for Reaissand Defense. Is there anyone against this decision?" the president said, looking towards the fn representatives of the allied tries.

  The representative of the European allied forces agreed with the decision, and soon all the other representatives joined him.

  The president then looked at John.

  "el Vogelbaum, what do you think?" It was more an act of courtesy, the decision had already been made after all.

  John smiled.

  "I accept this position with great honor, sir." The president smiled and patted his bace again.

  Of course, the appuse came again.

  John smiled; things were going as he expected. Now he just had to make sure they tihat way.

  'Just wait, Schmidt. You may have caught me by surprise once, but I won't let you do it twice.'

  This was his stage after all.

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  Note:

  To answer a question before you ask, James is still from ada, he simply enlisted with his brother in the Uates Army on this occasion as he has done many other times, such as when he fought in the War of Independence, just to give an example.

  If you noticed, I usually update most of my stories on Sundays, this time I decided to do it earlier since I'm a little sid I want to rest all day tomorrow hahaha

  remember that you find the chapter of this story on Patreon (patreon.maCruzader). If you want to read the chapter in advand get some other bes, you go and check it out. All the support received helps me a lot ;D