Not An Avenger

The Search

I reached the hellicarrier earlier than most and already had a plan to track down the Tesserect. I tried to explain it the Director Fury.

"So, you're saying that you can find the Tesserect by analyzing the biological effect it has on people?"

"I know it sound stupid when you say it like that. But the only other way you have of locating it is gamma radiation, which are rather inconsistent. However, this biological effect is consistent. The Tesserect changes the living organic method irreversibly by...."

"All right." He interrupted me. "Enough of the science mumbo-jumbo. If you think you can find the Tesserect, that is good enough for me. Go ahead with it."

I quickly started configuring all the vita-ray detectors and got the program made by one of the facial-recognition techs on the bridge.

My device was all set up, when they entered. I had no idea that Fury was planning to call them. The Avengers initiative was scrapped before he could do anything about it. Dr. Bruce Banner and Captain Steven G. Rogers almost looked like normal people entering the hellicarrier.

I had read their files of course. One of them was a gamma irradiated scientist who turned into a green rage monster when agitated. Other was a 100-year-old war hero of world war 2, who looked no older than 25.

Suddenly, my monitor began to beep. I looked down to see three Tesserect exposed figures on the screen. One of them was me with slight exposure limited to the skin on my face and arms. Nick Fury's right hand appeared a dark shade of red. He had transferred the Tesserect bare-handedly when Loki had attacked. The third figure was Captain Rogers. He was dark red head to toe. It was because of him the monitor had started beeping. His Tesserect exposure was more than 90%!

"Oh!" I exclaimed audibly. They were HIS scans I had remembered seeing. But when did he manage to get such high level of Tesserect exposure? And how did he survive it?

I didn't realize I was staring at him until he looked back at me. For some reason I couldn't look away. His eyes... They were pretty intense... icy blue with a shimmering moss green.

Fury called me at that moment, "Dr Ray, where are you with the biological trace?"

Reluctantly, with great effort, I averted my gaze. "The devices are configured. I'll start scanning the areas now."

I looked at Dr. Banner. He looked quite nervous. Maybe he was afraid of losing control. "What about a race doctor? Let's see who finds the cube first." He walked away to his lab before I could reply.

It was then I remembered Dr. Banner was a pioneer of gamma radiation. Fury had brought him in to find the cube, not because of the monster.

I turned to return to my work and couldn't help but notice Steve Rogers leaning in on one of the facial recognition cubicle. I doubted if he understood anything. There weren't any computers back in his day, let alone facial recognition. Once again I caught myself staring at him. He would at least be 6'2" with a perfectly muscled body. I had never seen him before and had an older image of him in mind. Certainly, not hundred years old, but more towards the middle age. And here he was looking no older than someone in his early twenties.

I tried to recall all the other attempts SHIELD had made at the super serum program. None were as successful as him. Dr. Erskine's formulae had a secret ingredient which no one knew about.

Oh My God! I just figured out the secret ingredient. Tesserect energy!

I had gasped audibly at my discovery. People around me were looking at me expectantly, including Director Fury and Captain Rogers.

I debated internally whether to tell them or not. I decided against it. I didn't have any proof yet.

I simply shook my head and got down to work. I started scanning spectrometers for vita-rays all over the world. It wasn't as tedious as it sounds. Very few people in the world had been exposed to Tesserect energy. Whenever I found someone, I simply cross checked their details from the SHIELD database.

After about half an hour, I got an unexplained hit, in Stutgaurd, Germany. It was much just slight exposure on superficial layers of skin on the face. But a normal person wouldn't have even that much exposure, considering how heavily guarded SHIELD had kept the Tesserect.

I quickly ran to a facial recognition cubicle and entered the coordinates. And guess who I found in an outrageously green costume?

It looked like I won the race.