Chapter 59: A Heretic Who Wants to Resurrect Steve
Lab assistant Dr. Angus Morrison, one of Secretary Ross's most trusted associates, wasn't involved in the super-soldier experiments. Instead, he'd been assigned to lead the classified Project Rebirth research team.
"Angus, are you absolutely certain you've mastered Ryan's methodology?"
Dr. Morrison nodded with scientific confidence. "Yes, Mr. Secretary. Although I don't have access to Ryan's complete experimental data, I've successfully reverse-engineered his procedures. During the process, I've made several fascinating discoveries."
In his office at the secured military facility, Ross sat behind his mahogany desk, studying Morrison across from him.
He'd originally placed Morrison in Ryan's laboratory as an observer and safety monitor, but Morrison had developed his own ambitious theories and had even begun covertly replicating Ryan's experiments.
While he lacked some of Ryan's unknown catalyst materials, Morrison's understanding of the cellular enhancement process convinced him that he'd truly mastered the core techniques.
Morrison wasn't just a brilliant biochemist—he was also a devoted Captain America enthusiast who had studied every declassified file on the original Super Soldier Program.
He'd formally requested to Ross that he be granted sole authority over the experimental division.
Ross frowned skeptically. "Why are you so insistent on transferring to Project Rebirth?"
"Dr. Ryan has developed revolutionary gene cell activation technology. I believe I can use it to resurrect Captain America. If successful, it would represent the greatest advancement in human history."
Resurrection was considered a scientific impossibility—a forbidden realm in biological research. Yet some researchers still believed they could break the fundamental laws of life and death, with the most obsessed even harboring delusions of godhood.
Mister Immortal could resurrect because he possessed genuine supernatural abilities. Even Ryan, despite his considerable scientific arrogance, had only briefly studied resurrection before concluding it was impossible and abandoning further research.
Ryan simply wanted Craig's regenerative abilities—he had no interest in raising the dead.
As ethical biologists maintained: "We study life, but we do not desecrate it."
Morrison clearly had no respect for such natural boundaries.
Ross, lacking the scientific background to fully understand the implications, hesitated for several minutes before agreeing. "Fine, I'll put you in charge of Project Rebirth. You have six months to produce tangible results. If you don't deliver within that timeframe, you're terminated from the program."
Enhanced Soldier Training Facility
A separate wing within the military complex had been designated for super-soldier production and combat training.
Inside the specialized gymnasium, Ryan was conducting comprehensive physical evaluations on his latest enhanced subject.
"Subject Seventeen's assessment is complete. All physiological markers are within normal parameters, and the 137% strength enhancement meets established benchmarks."
Ryan documented the data on his tablet and gestured to Enhanced Soldier #17.
"Follow the prescribed nutritional regimen. Avoid any foods containing artificial hormones until your cellular structure fully stabilizes. Report to the medical bay daily for blood work. I need to monitor your physiological adaptations in real-time."
"Yes, sir!"
Ryan had successfully created seventeen enhanced soldiers using his refined super-soldier serum.
Initially, some of the newly enhanced subjects had displayed insubordination, but after a demonstration of Ryan's overwhelming power, they'd all fallen in line.
These soldiers possessed strength far beyond ordinary humans—even elite Navy SEALs or Delta Force operatives were no match for them. However, they remained vastly inferior to Ryan's cosmic-enhanced abilities.
"Proceed to combat training. Maintain regulated exertion levels and don't push beyond your current physiological limits."
"Yes, sir!"
After delivering a crisp military salute, Subject #17 jogged back to the training area, joining his sixteen enhanced comrades in tactical drills.
Ryan returned from the gymnasium to his primary laboratory and began inputting the genetic profiles of all seventeen enhanced soldiers into his analysis computer for comparative study.
The super-soldier serum Ryan had developed was significantly more advanced and stable than Dr. Abraham Erskine's original formula from the 1940s.
The only limitation was that human genetic potential imposed a ceiling—the enhanced soldiers barely achieved what he classified as B-level capabilities and couldn't be improved further without risking cellular breakdown.
The Next Day
As Ryan prepared to begin the enhancement process on Subject #18, Secretary Ross arrived with urgent news.
"The congressional hearing concluded yesterday. Captain Marvel has been officially prohibited from using her powers on American soil, and S.H.I.E.L.D. has been ordered to submit to a full federal investigation."
Ross was visibly pleased. The successful political crackdown on enhanced individuals had elevated his public profile significantly, and his presidential campaign polling numbers had skyrocketed overnight.
"There's another development I thought you should know about. James Rhodes has disappeared."
Ryan asked with genuine surprise, "He's still alive?"
Ryan knew exactly how much force he'd used in that kick. Any ordinary human would have died instantly from the impact.
"Actually, yes. When Rhodes was hospitalized, his cervical spine was completely shattered. He could only move his head and right hand, but he vanished from the VA medical facility yesterday without a trace."
Ryan pondered this information for several seconds before muttering, "Damn it. Could it be a Skrull infiltrator?"
"What did you say?" Ross asked, not quite catching the comment.
"I said—"
Before Ryan could finish his sentence, a thunderous explosion echoed from directly overhead.
In the underground laboratory, both Ryan and Ross felt a distinct tremor shake the entire facility. The power grid immediately failed, plunging the lab into complete darkness.
"BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!"
Emergency alarms blared as red warning lights activated throughout the complex.
"What's happening? An earthquake?" Secretary Ross dove for cover behind a reinforced desk.
Ryan remained perfectly calm. "It's not seismic activity. We're under attack."
"The Avengers?"
With a flash of golden energy, Ryan manifested his cosmic sword and sliced through the laboratory's reinforced metal door in a single fluid motion.
With the power grid down, the elevator system was completely non-functional.
Ryan forced open the elevator doors and leaped up the shaft, using his enhanced strength to bound upward in two powerful jumps, reaching ground level in seconds.
As he emerged from the elevator shaft, he was confronted by a massive green figure rampaging through the facility's main laboratory.
The creature wasn't harming any ordinary personnel, but was engaged in brutal combat with several of his enhanced soldiers.
"Banner!"
Ryan clasped his hands together, manifesting an enormous golden sword that extended through multiple floors, leaving a deep scar in the ceiling above. He brought the massive blade down with devastating force across Banner's back.
"CRACK!"
Banner's hulking form was launched completely out of the laboratory building, spraying green blood that splattered across Secretary Ross, who had crawled up behind Ryan.
"ROAAAAAR!"
The Hulk climbed to his feet outside the facility, bellowing with primal rage, but he made no immediate move to re-enter the building.
Sword in hand, Ryan strode out of the damaged laboratory and was genuinely stunned by the scene that greeted him.
Familiar faces surrounded the military compound, each wearing updated Avengers uniforms, clearly indicating this was a coordinated assault.
M1A2 Abrams tanks and armored personnel carriers had surrounded the complex from multiple directions, with soldiers maintaining defensive positions with weapons drawn.
Two Apache helicopters circled overhead, their 30mm chain guns trained directly on the assembled New Avengers team.
"Ryan, surrender now," Nick Fury's voice boomed through a megaphone. "We don't want any unnecessary casualties."
"Go to hell, Fury!" Ryan snarled, raising his cosmic sword.
The battle erupted instantly.
Bruce Banner, still in Hulk form, charged forward with earth-shaking steps. Ryan swung his massive golden blade in a devastating arc, knowing the weapon's incredible cutting power.
Recognizing the lethal threat of the cosmic construct, Banner was forced to leap backward to avoid the strike.
As Ryan prepared a follow-up attack, Captain Marvel streaked down from above, unleashing concentrated photon blasts from both hands that sent Ryan staggering back several steps.
The moment both sides engaged, the surrounding soldiers opened fire without hesitation.
Automatic weapons fire erupted from all positions as the Apache helicopters unleashed their chain guns, forcing the New Avengers to scatter and fight defensively.
Spider-Man Peter Parker deployed his web-shooters to non-lethally restrain soldiers, wrapping them in webbing without causing permanent injury.
Jessica Jones and Luke Cage from the Defenders team were engaged in intense combat with the armored vehicles, using their enhanced strength to disable tanks rather than destroy them completely.
War Machine James Rhodes—apparently recovered from his injuries—flew in from the perimeter and used precise repulsor blasts to destroy the tail rotors of both Apache helicopters, forcing them into emergency landings.
The Avengers' primary objective was extracting Ryan from the facility, so they had strict orders to minimize casualties among ordinary military personnel.
The real battle was just beginning.
End of Chapter 59
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