Venus | James B. Barnes✔️

v. 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚛 𝚌𝚑𝚘𝚒𝚌𝚎

"Yeah," Evelyn whispered, watching him take it with a click of his tongue.

"I'll have it mailed out, Lynnie. I was wondering if you wanted to get dinner tonight before the big reveal of the serums tomorrow," Howard said with a smile. "And Miss Beauty Queen behind me wants you out on the field."

Peggy punched Howard's arm causing him to yelp in pain and rub the spot. "You're intolerable, Howard."

"You love me, Peg," Howard mused before looking back at Evelyn. "You sure you're all right, Lynnie?"

"I'm find, Howie," she teased, placing on a brave face that she had mastered throughout the week leading up to the human trials.

She has been working on Project Venus for years with a famous Dr. Morav. The man was shot a year ago, right when they found Dr. Erskine in Queens, New York. That was also around the time Pearl Harbor was bombed. With so much change, Bucky, Steve, and Howard had helped her get through it without really knowing what was going on since she kept the project so secretive. She focused solely on perfecting her project in the last year. It had all come down to what would happen the following day.

Howard nodded, knowing she was lying. "Dinner. Don't forget."

"You don't be late," Evelyn said with a roll of her eyes.

"Time isn't real. I'm never late," Howard said, smirking her way before leaving.

Peggy smiled at Evelyn, extending her arm for the woman. "You look like you need a friend," Peggy said as Evelyn looped her arm with the agent.

"I just need this war to be over," Evelyn said truthfully.

"So, Howard had told me about an idea you had," Peggy started as they walked.

"It was just an idea," Evelyn said. "S.H.I.E.L.D. is very far from actually happening."

"But it could happen," Peggy said. "We just need to make it happen. If they tell us no and to move out of the way, we'll stand our ground and say, No, you move."

"You're really going to help me with this?" Evelyn asked as they made it outside, unlooping their arms as they neared the soldiers waiting.

Peggy smiled. "As long as you want me around." Her demeanor changed as they made it to stand in front of the soldiers. "Let's go! Push-ups! Down, now!"

The soldiers obeyed immediately. Steve struggled, but he obeyed as well. Evelyn smirked slightly as how well Peggy dealt with the soldiers.

"Faster, ladies! Come on. My grandmother has more life in her, God rest her soul. Move it!"

Evelyn watched as Dr. Erskine and Colonel Phillips walked next to a nearby truck. Evelyn made her way over to them, shaking hands with the doctor.

"You're not really thinking about picking Rogers, are you?" Phillips asked.

Evelyn narrowed her eyes at his words "I am more than just thinking about it. He is the clear choice," Erskine said with a hand resting on Evelyn's wrist to keep her from speaking her mind the way he knew she would.

"When you brought a ninety-pound asthmatic onto my army base, I let it slide. I thought, what the hell? Maybe he'll be useful to you, like a gerbil. I never thought you'd pick him," Phillips said.

"Steve has more heart than any of these soldiers combined," Evelyn sneered his way, moving away from Erskine to stand tall and speak her mind. "He is the only one here I trust with that serum."

Peggy yelled for the soldiers to stand as Phillips reached in the car for something. "You stick a needle in that kids arm and it's gonna go right through him, Stark. He may be your friend, but look at him," Phillips said as Steve struggled with the jumping jacks—his breath coming out weak. "He's making me cry."

"I am looking for qualities beyond the physical," Erskine stated simply.

"Do you know how long it took to set up this project?" Phillips asked before pointing at Evelyn. "Do you know how many people laughed in my face when they found out female Stark is leading the other project?"

"Yeah, I know," Erskine said, rolling his eyes before adding, "Ms. Stark has more brilliance than all of our lab workers and more."

Phillips ignored him. "All the groveling I had to do in front of Senator What's-His-Name's committees?"

"Brandt. Yes, I know. I am well aware of your efforts."

Phillips gestured to the bully in the front row. "Then throw me a bone. Hodge passed every test we gave him. He's big, he's fast, he obeys orders. He's a soldier."

"He's a bully," Evelyn stated.

"You don't win wars with niceness, Stark," he said as he revealed the dummy grenade in his hand from the truck. "You win war with guts." Phillips then threw the grenade at the recruits before screaming, "Grenade!"

Evelyn bit back a smile as every soldier jumped away, running and hiding. All but one. Steve Rogers quickly ran forward, covering the grenade with his body.

"Get away! Get back!" Steve yelled when he saw Peggy walk forward. Peggy smiled fondly at the man on the ground as his body stayed curled around it.

"It was a dummy grenade. All clear. Back in formation," another officer yelled.

Steve looked at Erskine and Phillips before his gaze went to Evelyn's small smile on her face. He cocked a brow. "Is this is a test?"

Evelyn made a 'hmmph' sound as she walked to help Steve stand. She could hear Phillips mutter, "He's still skinny" behind her back, causing a laugh to leave her lips.