My gaze fell on the backs of the recruits as Agent Carter and I made our way toward the training area. I was an agent with the SSR (Strategic Scientific Reserve), overseeing operations alongside Peggy, who was also known as Agent Carter. Together, we were in charge of a project called Rebirth, located at Camp Lehigh in New Jersey. I had enlisted in the army with the intention of contributing in the most effective way possible. Going off to fight Nazis alone wasn't an option—people would have too many questions, and the risk of being hunted down for experiments and dissection was too great. But in the army, I could operate openly, without the constant fear of revealing my true identity to the world.

Peggy and I had become best friends ever since she was transferred to the SSR. We formed a bond quickly, like sisters, and I had even helped her on some of her own missions, including the retrieval of Dr. Abraham Erskine in 1940. That was one unforgettable day.

I was dressed in a tight-fitting female army uniform: a white button-down shirt, a black tie, a brown pencil skirt, and a fitted blazer. I wore two-inch brown heels and had my hair neatly tied into a bun, ready for anything that might come our way.

"You think any of them will be handsome?" I asked, glancing over at Peggy. Her look in return made me smirk—though I had a feeling I knew exactly what she was thinking, and no, it wasn't due to magic. 

"What? There's no harm in looking," I teased, though my mind still wandered back to the unforgettable night I spent with James. I will always carry that memory with me. Peggy scoffed lightly, and we continued walking toward the field.

"Recruits, attention!" Peggy called, her commanding voice making the recruits snap to attention, standing tall and straight in line. An army officer followed behind us, carrying a crate full of clipboards and papers.

"Gentlemen, I'm Agent Carter, and this is Agent Reverdin," Peggy said, stepping forward to address them. She spoke firmly, making sure not to leave me out of the introduction. I took in the line of recruits as well, noticing a few of them were definitely more attractive than others. "We oversee all operations for this division," she continued, explaining their roles.

"What's with the accent, Queen Victoria?" One of the recruits joked, clearly trying to mock Peggy's British accent. I couldn't help but smile. I found it charming to her, and besides, I had my own memories with Queen Victoria. What a night that had been.

Peggy stopped in her tracks, her gaze narrowing at the recruit a few feet down from where I stood. "I thought I was signing up for the U.S. Army," he added mockingly, clearly not showing the professionalism we expected.

"What's your name, soldier?" Peggy asked, her voice calm and collected, with an edge of authority.

"Gilmore Hodge, Your Majesty," Hodge shot back with another mocking response, clearly not lightening up anytime soon. He didn't seem to understand when to stop.

"Step forward, Hodge," Peggy ordered, and he reluctantly obeyed, stepping out of line. "Put your right foot forward," she directed once he was close enough.

"Mmm... We gonna wrestle?" Hodge mocked, attempting a terrible British accent that, frankly, should never be attempted again. "'Cause I've got a few moves you'll like," he added, and from where I stood, I could see the wink he threw at her—a clearly inappropriate gesture meant to suggest something more suggestive. I could feel the tension in the air, knowing exactly what Peggy was about to do.

As if on cue, Peggy's fist clenched, and in one fluid motion, she threw a punch that landed squarely on Hodge's cheek. The force of the strike sent him crashing to the ground, a resounding thud filling the air. I couldn't help but scrunch my face, the "O" of surprise escaping my lips, followed by an appreciative "ooo." But that expression quickly turned into pride as I looked at Peggy's handiwork.

"I taught her that," I muttered proudly to the recruit closest to me, nudging him with my elbow.

"Agent Carter! Agent Reverdin!" The sharp voice of Colonel Phillips cut through the air, causing both of us to turn toward him as he stepped out of a jeep.

"Colonel Phillips," Peggy greeted, saluting him with her right hand. I followed suit, saluting as well.

"I see you're breaking in the candidates. That's good!" The Colonel announced, walking toward Peggy with a nod of approval. "Get your ass out of that dirt and stand at attention in that line until someone tells you what to do," he added, addressing Hodge, who now had to obey, his earlier bravado wiped clean.

"Yes, sir!" Hodge quickly snapped to attention, his posture straightening. I couldn't help but notice the blood trickling from his left nostril—adding a bit of satisfaction to the moment, a smile tugging at my lips. My eyes shifted slightly and I spotted the familiar figure of Dr. Abraham Erskine standing just a few inches from Peggy.

"General Patton has said that wars are fought with weapons, but they are won by men. We are going to win this war because we have the best men," Colonel Phillips began, his voice booming with authority as he made his way down the line of recruits. He stopped in front of one recruit—a smaller man, less muscular than the others. My entire body shifted to the right as I leaned in to get a better look at him. The sight hit me like a jolt of electricity. It was Steve. He had actually made it into the army. Of course, it made sense. This was Project Rebirth, and he was a candidate for the serum.

"And because they are going to get better. Much better—" Phillips continued, but his words faded as my mind went back to the present. I shook myself back to focus as he started walking again, heading down the line.

"The Strategic Scientific Reserve is an allied effort made up of the best minds in the free world. Our goal is to create the best army in history. But every great army starts with one man. By the end of the week, we will choose that man. He will be the first of a new breed of super-soldier..." Phillips paused dramatically, letting the words settle in before continuing, "And they'll personally escort Adolf Hitler to the gates of hell."

With his speech finished, Phillips gave a satisfied nod, his words hanging in the air, powerful and persuasive. "Back to it," he added, his gaze flicking between Peggy and me. We nodded in unison as he turned and made his way back toward the jeep.

"Alright, ladies!" I called out, stepping forward so the recruits could see me clearly. "Get ready, this is going to be the most brutal experience of your lives." I began to walk slowly down the line, letting my eyes scan each one of them. "Hope you brought some clean underwear, because you'll need them," I added with a smirk, feeling a rush of excitement. This week was going to be fun, and I was eager to see who would make it through.

.................................

The week was drawing to a close, and Steve's progress through the tests we put him through had been... varied. As I'd said before, I had to give him credit for his determination. Then there was Hodge—he seemed like the perfect soldier. He followed orders without hesitation and aced every test we threw at him. He would have probably given up on the brutal tests I'd endured under Victoria's supervision, though. They were harsh but effective. Yet, no matter how hard I tried to focus on the others, my eyes kept returning to Steve. He was the smallest and physically the weakest, but he had something the others didn't—resilience. Mentally, he was a fighter. These tests only confirmed what I already knew and what I had seen in him.

"Faster, ladies! Come on!" Peggy's voice rang out as she paced up and down the line, keeping an eye on the recruits who were struggling with their push-ups. She shot a playful, mocking comment their way. "My grandmother has more life in her, God rest her soul." It was a jab meant to motivate them, and it worked, but I could tell they weren't quite up to par.

"Life's tough, so get tougher! Twenty more!" I called out, my voice firm and commanding. I scanned the recruits as they pushed through the set, but my attention inevitably shifted to Steve. He was struggling, his arms shaking with each push-up. I could see him trying to fight through it, pushing past his limits, but it was hard.

Peggy and I continued to watch the recruits, but it was time to change things up. "Up!" I barked, and they all shot to their feet, standing at attention, waiting for the next order.

"Jumping jacks!" Peggy called, and the recruits began to jump in unison. As they moved, my eyes once again found Steve. He was falling behind, struggling to keep pace with the others. I could tell it wasn't for lack of trying. Steve was giving everything he had, but it was clear that this wasn't going to be easy for him.

"Grenade!" Colonel Phillips' voice rang out sharply, and before I could fully process the words, a grenade rolled to a stop right at the front of the recruits. Chaos erupted as the others bolted for cover, their boots pounding the dirt, but there was one recruit who didn't flinch.

Steve.

Without hesitation, he shot forward and threw himself onto the grenade, curling into a tight ball, determined to shield everyone else from the blast.

"Get away!" he shouted, his voice full of urgency as he urged everyone to keep their distance. But Peggy and I didn't wait for him to tell us twice—we moved instinctively, ready to take action.

"Get back!" Steve called, lifting his head for a moment to wave us off, trying to get us to stay away. My heart hammered in my chest as the seconds dragged on, the grenade still motionless. The tension was suffocating. Then, finally, I heard someone from the nearby office confirm it was just a dummy grenade.

I exhaled, realizing I'd been holding my breath. The fear that had gripped me slipped away as I looked at Steve, who had risked his life without hesitation, a selfless act to protect his fellow recruits. A sense of pride swelled inside me. This was Steve—braver than any of us had even imagined. His size and medical history hadn't stopped him.

"Is this a test?" Steve asked, his voice strained with adrenaline, his chest heaving. I could see the rawness of the moment still coursing through him, and out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Peggy smiling softly, just as I was. We both understood what that moment meant—it wasn't just bravery. It was heart.

.....................

I stepped through the door to the recruits' sleeping quarters, my heels tapping softly against the wooden floor. The room was quiet except for Steve, who was sitting on his bed. We hadn't had much time to talk lately, both of us busy with our roles. As soon as he heard my footsteps, he quickly turned his head to see me approaching.

"Mister Rogers," I said with a soft tone, my voice carrying through the room. "Lovely to see you not getting beaten up for once," I added with a light laugh, earning a smile from him.

"There's still time—and a back alley I haven't been in yet," Steve replied with his usual dry humor, making me snicker.

I made my way to the bed opposite his, sitting down gracefully and smoothing my pencil skirt as I did. The fabric shifted under my fingers as I crossed one leg over the other, the skirt just loose enough to allow me to sit comfortably.

"I'll come to your rescue then," I teased, my eyes locking with his. "How are you feeling?" I asked, a hint of concern in my voice as I raised an eyebrow. I could sense the weight of the situation on him, but I resisted the urge to use my powers to read his thoughts—I was trying to keep it professional.

"Mixed emotions, I guess," Steve said, his voice uncertain. He rubbed the back of his neck as he looked down for a moment, clearly struggling with how to process it all. "I'm not sure how to feel," he admitted, letting his hand drop to his lap.

"Just stay as you are. You're a good man, Steve," I said, my gaze softening. "Compassionate, headstrong, kind." He gave me a small, genuine smile at that.

"Thank you," he replied earnestly, and I could see the sincerity in his eyes. It was a moment of real connection, and I could feel the warmth between us.

I let out a soft breath, standing up and brushing my skirt down as I did. "I hope you do amazing as the new super-soldier," I said, my voice steady, but there was a weight to my words. His head tilted upward as he looked at me, his eyes intense. "I'll see you tomorrow," I said with a soft smile, moving between the beds and heading for the door. As I reached the doorway, I saw it swing open to reveal Dr. Abraham Erskine stepping inside.

"Agent," he greeted me in his thick German accent, holding the door open for me to pass. I smiled at him in return, my thoughts lingering on Steve as I walked out. Tomorrow was a big day, and the future of the project rested on Steve's shoulders. I couldn't help but feel the weight of it all.

*********