Chapter 20: Peggy Carter? You Time Traveled Too?
Ryan's trip to Oscorp hadn't been wasted. He'd gained valuable intelligence about Dr. Connors' research and, more importantly, secured the rare chemical compound he needed.
Back in his penthouse laboratory, Ryan threw himself into his serum development experiments with renewed intensity.
He had a gnawing suspicion that Steve Rogers would track him down eventually. That stubborn super soldier wouldn't simply let this go. Ryan needed to complete his genetic enhancement project before the inevitable confrontation.
He called it his "Genetic Amplification Protocol."
Several days passed in a blur of non-stop research.
Ryan had just finished calibrating his latest batch of compounds when a news broadcast caught his attention. On the television screen, Tony Stark sat at a podium during what appeared to be a major press conference.
"I saw young Americans killed by the very weapons I created to protect them," Tony said, his voice heavy with conviction. "I came to realize that I have more to offer this world than making things that blow up."
He paused, letting the weight of his words sink in before delivering the bombshell.
"So effective immediately, Stark Industries will be shutting down our weapons manufacturing division."
The press conference erupted into chaos. Obadiah Stane frantically tried to salvage the situation, but every camera followed Tony as he walked away from the podium.
Ryan had been enjoying the corporate drama when something in the background caught his eye. A figure in the crowd of reporters and officials.
"What the hell...?"
Ryan rubbed his eyes, certain he was seeing things. He rewound the broadcast and paused it.
"Peggy Carter?"
There she was, clear as day—a young Peggy Carter at Tony Stark's 2008 press conference.
Ryan's mind raced, trying to process what he was seeing. According to the timeline he knew, Peggy Carter should be a dying elderly woman by now, not the vibrant agent he'd encountered in 1970.
"Oh shit. They're already here."
The realization hit him like a freight train. If Peggy was in 2008 and looking exactly as she had in 1970, that could only mean one thing—someone else had been playing with time travel technology.
Even with his enhanced abilities, even knowing he could handle Steve Rogers in a one-on-one fight, Ryan knew he couldn't take on the entire Avengers roster. They'd managed to defeat Thanos and his interstellar army. What chance did he have?
He forced himself to take a deep breath and think logically.
"Without Pym Particles and a quantum tunnel, they can't just appear anywhere they want." His eyes drifted to the fresh serum samples on his laboratory bench. "But I can't take any chances. I need backup."
A plan began to form in his mind.
Peggy Carter returned to S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters from the Stark Industries press conference and immediately summoned Level 9 Agent Maria Hill.
"Any updates on our search?"
Hill shook her head. "Nothing in our databases matches anyone named Ryan with the physical description Captain Rogers provided. It's like he doesn't exist in our timeline."
"Keep looking. Expand the search parameters."
As Hill turned to leave, a small white mouse suddenly appeared on Peggy's shoulder, chittering twice in what sounded almost like communication.
Hill was used to Director Carter's unusual companion by now. Both Peggy and her mysterious pet had become legends within S.H.I.E.L.D.
Just before reaching the door, Hill turned back. "Director, Agent Fury reports that Captain America's recovery is proceeding ahead of schedule. Should we wake him immediately?"
Peggy stared out the window at the bustling city below, her expression thoughtful. "Not yet. Give him a little more time."
Hill didn't know who "him" referred to, but she recognized the tone—whoever it was held significant importance for the Director.
Ever since spotting Peggy Carter on television, Ryan had thrown himself into his research with desperate intensity.
Pressure had a way of focusing the mind. He worked around the clock, barely stopping to eat or sleep, transforming into a wild-haired, unshaven mad scientist over the course of just a few days.
The private elevator chimed, and Wilson Fisk stepped into the laboratory.
"Ryan, you sounded urgent on the phone. Please tell me you have good news."
A wrench clattered to the floor as Ryan emerged from behind a large machine, covered in grease and looking completely disheveled.
Fisk blinked, barely recognizing the scientist he'd been working with.
Ryan wiped his hands on a stained lab coat and moved to his computer, tapping a few keys. The machine suddenly hummed to life, bathing the room in blue light.
"The first phase is ready for human trials," he said without preamble. "I'll need to run a complete physical assessment on you first."
This was the first genuinely good news Fisk had heard since their partnership began. He didn't care about Ryan's appearance—only the results mattered.
"What do you need me to do?"
"Blood draw first." Ryan produced a syringe and gestured for Fisk to roll up his sleeve.
After extracting the blood sample, he added a drop of blue serum and examined the mixture under a microscope, nodding approvingly at whatever he observed.
"Good. Strip down and get in the chamber."
Fisk complied without hesitation, removing everything except his underwear before climbing into the machine Ryan had been working on.
Ryan approached with a vial of glowing blue serum, inserting it into the chamber's injection system.
"Fair warning—I can't guarantee success. The enhancement process requires multiple stages, and I'll need your full cooperation for post-treatment observation and testing."
Only after lying down inside the machine did Wilson Fisk feel a flutter of anxiety.
He craned his neck to look at Ryan, who was securing the restraining straps. "What happens if the experiment fails? Will I die?"
Ryan didn't even look up from his preparations. "Death isn't likely. Failure would probably just leave you unchanged. Maybe you'd grow some extra hair."
"That's fine by me. Let's do this!"
Ryan glanced at Fisk and sealed the chamber door.
He had actually lied about the risks—he had no idea what the consequences might be. But Wilson Fisk's survival wasn't his primary concern. He only needed the physical enhancement data from the trial.
With a keystroke, the blue serum began flowing into Fisk's bloodstream through the IV line.
Moving to a secondary control panel, Ryan slowly increased the electrical current flowing through the chamber.
He'd solved the power regulation issues from his previous experiments. This time, the energy drain would be limited to the building rather than causing a city-wide blackout.
Bzzzzzzt
As the machine reached operational capacity, the blue light inside the chamber intensified, and every light fixture in the apartment building began flickering from the electrical drain.
The voltage fluctuations caused the building's lighting to strobe ominously.
As Ryan increased the power output, Wilson Fisk's screams echoed through the laboratory, drowning out even the machine's mechanical humming.
"AAAAHHHHH!!! FUCK!!"
The fact that he could still curse coherently indicated that Fisk was surviving the process. Ryan continued raising the power levels.
CRACK
Sparks suddenly erupted from the chamber's main fuse. After reaching peak output, the machine slowly powered down.
The chamber door hissed open, releasing a cloud of steam. Wilson Fisk struggled to climb out, his massive frame wreathed in vapor.
Not only had he not grown extra hair—his eyebrows had been completely singed off.
End of Chapter 20
join patreon for update and advance 40+ chapters
https://www.p-atreon.com/c/Soulforger
(Just remove the hyphen to access Patreon normally.)
"If you're enjoying this story, don't forget to drop a Power Stone and Review! Your support keeps me motivated and helps the novel reach more readers."
"100 Power Stones this week = 1 extra chapter release!"
"500 Power Stones = 2 extra chapter release ."