Frost

Chapter 9

Super soldiers serum

"Ah come on Howard. Tell me" Ivy whined for the hundredth time. She lay on the couch in Howard's study and watched Howard frantically go through several notes.

"Frosty, I can't tell you, you know that" he sighed and rubbed his face. He loved his sister, but at moments like this he wouldn't mind throwing  something at her head.

Ivy hadn't been able to leave him alone for an hour, trying like a whining child to get the information out of her brother. She knew only one thing: Howard was involved in a big secret project he couldn't tell her about.

"Please don't tell me you've built another nuclear bomb" she sighed and Howard winced. He still didn't know if it was a good idea to tell his sister about what he had done. Still, his month-long absence, which included her birthday and Christmas, could hardly be explained otherwise.

The truth, however, made Ivy  reproach him for an hour. She couldn't be blamed. Her brother had developed something that could kill millions of people. Of course, that made it hard to stay calm. Especially since her last name would be printed somewhere on the bomb.

"No, it's not another nuclear bomb," Howard assured her, not knowing if what he was involved in this time wasn't worse.

"Then tell me. As long as it doesn't have the word bomb in it, it can't be that bad" Ivy queried, dangling her head off the sofa.
"Besides, Peggy's coming to town today. At the same time as your meeting is taking place. Isn't that a coincidence?" asked Ivy sarcastically.

"All right," groaned Howard, which made Ivy jump up from the couch with a triumphant squeak. "But you can't tell anyone, promise" Howard begged and Ivy nodded hastily.

"I promise."

Howard eyed his sister for a few seconds until he took her arm and pulled her out of his study.

"What are you doing? I thought you were going to tell me what you were working on?" asked Ivy confused as Howard took his work bag in his other hand and pulled Ivy with him to the elevator.

"You won't believe me, that's why you have to see for yourself."

~°~

"Wow," Ivy marvelled as she slowly turned in a circle. She reached her hand out to one of the many switches, only to pull it backwards when Howard hit it away warned.

"Hey! Don't touch anything. I've gotten in enough trouble already!" he muttered. Howard had taken Ivy to a secret base that was behind a small shop. A whole lab with the latest technology, which was definitely Howard's doing, was hidden behind the shop. Scientists, agents, politicians and others rushed around getting ready for the experiment.

A super soldier.

That was how Howard had explained it to Ivy. A test subject would be infected with a serum and, if all went well, this would give him higher abilities.

Ivy wasn't really keen on the idea. Mostly because she was worried about the test subject, since everything could go wrong. Howard, however, had assured her that he and Doctor Erskine, the man who had developed the serum, had everything under control. Peggy was due to arrive soon with the test subject and Ivy was looking forward to finally seeing her friend again.

However, not everyone involved here was thrilled about Ivy's presence as this was a secret project. Some had voiced it out loud and were now avoiding Howard's angry gaze. Ivy felt all the uncomfortable stares on her, yet no one dared to say anything in Howard's presence.