…
Ryan Cole had expected that once the matter of Captain America was involved, S.H.I.E.L.D. would come knocking again.
He just hadn't expected it to be this soon.
What surprised him even more was that the visitor wasn't just S.H.I.E.L.D.—Captain America himself had come personally, and with a request that, frankly, Ryan had already seen coming.
"Captain, no need to rush," Ryan said calmly. "Let's sit down and talk this through."
Knowing full well that Steve Rogers' physique made him practically immune to alcohol, Ryan casually set a bottle of Polish rectified spirit—Spirytus Rektyfikowany on the table.
In the West, this stuff was nicknamed "water of life."
It was the strongest commercially known alcohol in the world.
Distilled over twenty times, it reached a terrifying 96% alcohol content, making it one of the purest hard liquors on the planet.
Normally, drinking it straight was outright dangerous—people diluted it for a reason. One wrong move and it could put someone in the hospital. But for someone like Ryan, or Captain America, this "water of life" wasn't much different from any other strong drink.
Steve Rogers took the glass, downed it in one go.
The liquid burned like fire, and he nearly choked for a split second—but after swallowing it, there was no sign of discomfort at all.
"Ryan… or should I say, Prophet," Steve said after a brief pause. "I know you have a gene-optimization serum that can save Peggy. I'm asking you to help me."
"Peggy?" Ryan echoed, taking a small sip of his drink—more accurately, a sip of flame.
"You mean Agent Peggy Carter? One of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s founders. The woman who witnessed Captain America's creation firsthand, defied orders to get you past the blockade, later became your girlfriend… and never got to share that one last dance with you?"
Steve froze.
"So you really do know," he said quietly.
Before coming here, Phil Coulson had already told him some things—but hearing it stated so plainly still shook him.
"I know quite a bit about what happened between you and Peggy Carter," Ryan continued, tapping his temple with a faint smile. "I even know some of what happened to her after you went down in the Arctic."
Steve didn't waste time.
"Then tell me your price," he said bluntly. "Blood? My blood? However much you need."
"No, Captain," Ryan said, wagging a finger. "I believe in fair trades—but I make exceptions for friends."
"So this time, there's no deal."
"I'll help you for free."
"For free?" Steve asked, genuinely stunned.
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Simple," Ryan said honestly. "Because I respect you. And because I don't want you and Agent Carter to live with regret."
He rolled the glass between his fingers, then spoke casually into the air.
"Stella, is the medical wing ready?"
"My master," came a sweet, youthful voice, "the medical wing has been completed and is fully operational."
"Good," Ryan said. "Prepare one mid-tier gene optimization serum. This patient is… special. Make the necessary adjustments."
As he spoke, Ryan gave a brief rundown of Peggy Carter's condition.
The problem wasn't illness.
It was age.
Her body had simply deteriorated to the brink of collapse.
Rejuvenating her wasn't impossible with gene optimization—but doing so carried risks that were hard to fully control.
"Yes, my master," Stella replied promptly. "Preparations are underway. Treatment can begin in approximately twelve minutes."
Only then did Ryan turn back to Steve, smiling reassuringly.
"Relax, Captain. Anyone willing to sacrifice themselves for humanity deserves help. For me, this is barely an inconvenience."
"You don't need to worry about hidden strings attached. If I had one request… it'd just be that you cherish the second chance you get with Agent Carter."
This time, Ryan wasn't scheming.
No leverage.
No calculations.
Unlike with Tony Stark, Phil Coulson, or Nick Fury—this was genuine.
And it wasn't surprising.
Someone like Captain America was hard to dislike.
That willingness to give everything for humanity alone earned Ryan's respect.
Helping out a little? That was nothing.
And if Peggy Carter really could regain her youth… even without intent, Steve Rogers would still owe him a massive favor.
That favor might never be used for anything harmful—but in a critical moment, it could still matter.
Why not?
"Is the treatment risky?" Steve asked carefully.
"If this were a normal adult, I'd say there's no issue at all," Ryan replied seriously. "But Agent Carter is simply too old."
"The serum enhances physical function—but it needs a baseline. And that baseline is exactly what she lacks."
"I can cure most diseases," he added. "But natural aging is still a problem medicine can't fully solve. Whether we proceed or not—that choice is yours."
To be fair, Ryan wasn't lying.
The Elysium-style medical platform could slow aging—but only if the user wasn't already elderly, and only with regular treatments.
Gene optimization could strengthen the body, activate cells, and extend lifespan—but it had the same limitation.
Steve didn't hesitate.
"I want to try."
Whether Nick Fury had already prepared for this, or S.H.I.E.L.D.'s efficiency was just that terrifying, Peggy Carter arrived less than fifteen minutes after Steve made the call.
She was brought into the partially completed Umbrella Technologies Building.
Along with her came Phil Coulson.
"Agent Carter," Ryan said warmly, "this may be our first meeting, but I've heard a great deal about you—especially your story with the Captain."
"I hope that once you're healed, the two of you can make up for what was lost."
But the woman on the bed was no longer the sharp, commanding agent she once was.
Alzheimer's had dulled her mind.
Memory loss came and went.
When she saw Steve Rogers, she didn't respond to Ryan at all.
Instead, her eyes widened with disbelief.
Tears welled up.
"Steve…?"
"It's me," Steve said gently, taking her hand.
"You're alive… you're back…"
Her emotions surged, recognition flickering like a fragile flame.
"Yes," Steve said softly. "Peggy."
"Why did you take so long?" she whispered, tears falling. "So long…"
"I wouldn't abandon my girl," Steve said with a tender smile. "She still owes me a dance."
Watching the love between two people separated by nearly seventy years, Ryan let out a quiet sigh.
He gave Coulson a look, then stepped away, leaving the space to the reunited lovers.
"Ryan," Coulson said anxiously, "Agent Carter's condition is really bad. Are you confident?"
"Honestly? Not very," Ryan admitted with a bitter smile. "She's just too far gone physically."
"Then what's the plan?"
"I need time," Ryan replied seriously. "To examine her body, stabilize her condition, and bring her as close to optimal as possible before using the serum."
"That could take weeks. Maybe months. But it'll minimize the risk."
Coulson hesitated.
"Isn't there… a better way?"
Ryan paused deliberately.
Hesitation written all over his face.