Viper

Chapter 7: The Procedure

Saturday, June 19, 1943

Peggy picks me and Steve up this morning, and we drive to Brooklyn.

"I know this neighborhood," Steve says.

"You certainly should. You got beat up in that alley," I point out.

"Yup, and that parking lot," he continues.

"And behind that diner," I finish.

"Did you have something against running away?"

"If you start running, they'll never let you stop. You stand up, you push back—they can only tell you 'No' for so long, right?"

"I know a little of what that's like. To have every door shut in your face."

"I guess I just don't know why you'd want to join the Army if you were a beautiful dame."

"I'm going to kill you," I say under my breath so he can't hear me.

"Or a beauty—a woman. An agent. Not a dame. You are beautiful, but..."

I reach over and lightly slap him.

"You have no idea how to talk to a woman, do you?"

"He should because I know I raised him right. I think he gets nervous around you, Pegs. To be fair, this is probably the longest conversation he's had with a woman that isn't me or well, Ana."

"Yeah, women aren't exactly lining up to dance with a guy they might step on."

"You must have danced."

"Just with Ady, really. Asking a woman to dance always seemed so terrifying. And the past few years, it just didn't seem to matter that much. I figured I'd wait."

"For what?"

"The right partner," Steve and I say at the same time. We finally arrive at the bookstore where I work. I walk in first to make sure it is safe. Funnily enough, they still want Peggy to exchange the code with me. So I wait.

"This way," I hear Peggy say to Steve.

"What are we doing here?" Steve asks recognizing it as where I had supposedly been working.

"Follow me," is all Peggy replies.

I walk back out from behind the curtain. "Wonderful weather this morning, isn't it?" I say with a sly grin.

"Yes, but I always carry an umbrella," Peggy quickly supplies.

I click the button and lead them back through the curtain to a bookshelf which opens to reveal our underground operating room. I split off from the two of them to join Howard, Ana, Erskine, and the other nurses and doctors.

"He's on his way in," I say before preparation begins to hasten.

"I'll let you prep him, Adelaide."

"Of course, sir. Here he comes."

Everyone stops moving as Steve gapes at all of the technology. Peggy gives him a nudge and leads him past the observation room down to us.

Colonel Phillips is having a conversation with Senator Brandt and a man I don't recognize. I make my way over to Steve and Erskine.

"Steven, are you ready for this?" I ask as Erskine shakes his hand. A photographer snaps a photo, and I quickly wave him away to the booth.

"As ready as I'll ever be," he replies.

"Well, I'll be overseeing, and I believe in you."

"Thanks, Ady."

"Always, baby brother," I say while wrapping him in a big hug. "Now, take off your hat, your shirt, and your shoes."