You Dare Hide It From Me? Lynn: With that mouth of yours, I'm afraid you'll die quickly!
Howard Stark burst into Lynn's office like a gust of wind.
He was clutching a stack of crumpled battlefield reports in his hand.
His handsome face was filled with shock and fanaticism; anyone who didn't know better would have thought he had discovered God's phone number.
He slammed the stack of documents onto Lynn's expensive mahogany desk with a "thud."
As the papers scattered, he pointed at the data circled frantically in red ink, his face flushed with excitement.
"15.3%! Steve's peak strength, neural reaction speed, muscle tissue density... all the data has increased by 15.3% across the board!"
There was no anger in Howard's voice; instead, it was filled with the kind of excitement one feels when discovering a kindred spirit.
And the grievance of being left out.
"You did this, didn't you? I knew it was you, you bastard! Don't tell me he went through a second puberty!"
Lynn was reviewing a draft of Vought International's ten-year strategic layout, and upon hearing this, he slowly looked up from the documents without the slightest surprise on his face.
He took his time putting his expensive fountain pen back into its holder and stood up to walk toward the liquor cabinet.
"Want a drink?"
"I don't have the mood to drink right now, damn it!"
Howard walked around the desk, following closely behind him like a bee whose hive had been poked.
"You messed with the serum again! You upgraded it, but didn't tell me! We are partners, Lynn! The agreement for the joint project is still locked in my safe!"
"It's precisely because we are partners that I didn't tell you."
Lynn poured two glasses of excellent whiskey and shoved one into Howard's hand without further ado.
Howard was choked up by his words, instinctively taking the glass.
"Howard, you are a genius, there is no doubt about that."
Lynn slowly swirled the amber liquid in his glass.
"But your mouth is looser than the belt of a congressman running for re-election."
Howard was about to retort, but found he had nothing to say.
"If I had told you in advance, what do you think the situation would be right now?"
Lynn turned to look at him.
"You would have thrown a grand party in your lab, invited everyone you could show off to, and then, surrounded by a group of Hollywood starlets and tabloid reporters, triumphantly announced that you had changed the World."
"I..."
Howard opened his mouth; he really wanted to say he wouldn't have done that.
But the image had already clearly appeared in his mind.
Champagne, flashbulbs, and the admiring gazes of those pretty girls...
Damn it, it actually sounded pretty exciting!
Lynn watched the yearning flash across his face.
"See, emotions are your biggest vulnerability."
"Then the generals from The Pentagon would send the fastest private jet to invite you over, the Minister of Defense would kiss your shoes, and the President would award you a medal you wouldn't even care about."
"And then, they would lock you in an underground laboratory more isolated than Siberia, making you produce new super soldiers for them day and night. No parties, no beautiful women, only instruments and KPIs that are never finished."
"The war is about to end, Howard."
Lynn approached him and lowered his voice, like a devil whispering in his ear.
"When peace arrives, those in power will discover that we possess the technology to create gods at will. What do you think they will do?"
"They won't be grateful to us; they will only fear us."
"They will treat us as more dangerous enemies than HYDRA, using every possible means to take this technology from our hands and then completely wipe both of us, the only ones who know, from the World."
"The Stark Industries you worked so hard to build will become their state-owned arsenal."
"My small Vought International will be sealed off overnight, and all employees will be sent to a military tribunal."
The excitement and agitation on Howard's face cooled down little by little.
He gulped down a large mouthful of strong liquor.
Lynn was right.
He had seen too many of those politicians' and generals' true faces.
They were Angels when victorious, and devils when dividing the spoils.
"Then... then Steve..."
"He is an accident, a totem that must exist to end the war."
Lynn answered cleanly and decisively.
"But after the war ends, there must never be a second super soldier in this World. This technology must be completely sealed away. For our own sake, and for the sake of this fragile World that has just crawled out of the flames of war."
Howard fell completely silent.
He looked at Lynn, this man who was younger than him but saw much further and was far more ruthless.
Hidden in those eyes was an abyss that made even him feel palpitations.
"Fine, you win."
He deflated, sinking into the soft sofa.
"But you have to give me a copy of the upgraded data! My curiosity is driving me crazy! It's a disease, Lynn, you need to cure it!"
"Of course."
Lynn readily agreed, a gentle smile appearing on his face again.
"I will have my secretary prepare a sanitized report for you. However, it is limited to theoretical research, Howard. I don't want to see any finished serum appear in your laboratory."
"Got it, housekeeper."
Howard waved his hand irritably, finally regaining a bit of ground.
Having obtained the answer he wanted, and thoroughly appeased by the grand vision and sense of crisis painted by Lynn, this genius inventor soon left, satisfied, with the report that he hadn't yet received.
As soon as the office door closed, the smile on Lynn's face faded.
He walked to the desk and pressed the internal communication button.
"Motoko, combine Dr. Erskine's original notes with Dr. Horton's reverse-engineering data on the 'Newborn' reagent to create a brand-new project file, named 'Compound V'. Top secret classification."
"Yes, boss."
This was his true purpose.
Captain America, Steve Rogers...
A living hero is the faith of the people, but also a major headache for those in power.
He was too perfect, so perfect that he could not tolerate any stain, nor any order that went against his beliefs. After the war ended, he would become Vought International's biggest unstable factor.
But a sacrificed hero, a martyr who died with the enemy to save the World...
His spirit would live forever.
His symbolic significance would be infinitely elevated, becoming a monument that would never collapse, a trademark that could be used by Vought International forever.
Lynn looked out the window, as if piercing through time and space, seeing the final battle that was about to take place over The Alps.
He had to ensure that the Captain, as in history, would fly the plane into that cold sea.
plz support me if you can
readfictional.com
patreon.com/AZFANFICTION
https://www.buymeacoffee.com/AZofficial
All the novel and fanfiction are 30 chapter ahead there.