Buzzkill: The Reckoning

Chapter 12

These past couple of days since Ruth arrived have felt like weeks. The whirlwind of excitement and tension seeming to turn the whole place upside down again. Tony couldn't tell anyone else that he was just as nervous about Ruth as they were. He couldn't trust her, there was no reason to. He just had a feeling, a gut feeling. To only spice up the drama, this assassin is related to the most righteous guy he knew. Tony just hoped that Bruce could keep the secret for now.

"You have a name?" Natasha asked as Tony stepped into his lab.

"Dr. Mage. Apparently a 'creepy guy'," Tony replied, walking past her.

"Aren't they all," Natasha muttered.

"Just try and work with what you know. The base was in DC, he worked with Pierce, Hydra doctor. Let me know what you find," Tony said to Natasha, turning to her before continuing to walk over to Bruce.

"I think I know a component of the serum," Tony said quickly to Bruce who was bent over in his chair studying the computer in front of him, his glasses perched on the bridge of his nose.

"Good good," Bruce replied, only half focusing on what Tony was saying. "Tony, the stuff in the serum must have been extreme. Ruth's blood has genetically changed. I can compare her blood to those who have been exposed to high doses of stimulants, hallucinogens, it's...it's...odd."

Tony leaned over and looked at the notes written on the computer. "Well, I have something to add to it."

Bruce turned to face Tony, "I'm listening."

"I just talked to Ruth downstairs. I offered her a drink, and she said she can't get drunk," Tony explained.

Bruce was confused. "Ok...What does that mean?"

"Steve can't get drunk," Tony enthused. "And I'm willing to bet that Barnes can't get drunk either. When Steve was administered the super soldier serum, it changed his metabolism. His metabolism grew so much that he can't get drunk!"

"And you think that's because the serum Ruth was given had elements of the super serum?" Bruce asked.

"I do. Why would Hydra want to change what they've been trying to do for decades?"

"But I thought you told me that Ruth said it wasn't a super soldier type serum?"

"Sure, maybe that wasn't the intention, but that doesn't mean there can't be elements of that serum in this one," Tony enthused, pointing to the computer screen. "And since Barnes trained her, we can ask him if she got stronger over time, stronger than she should have."

"I guess we can look into it. But, do you really think that that would be the only thing that would dramatically increase her metabolism?" Bruce asked, trying to piece things together.

"You said it yourself, her blood has been genetically changed. Who else's blood do you know has that? Steve's," Tony replied.

Bruce sighed and looked back at his notes. "This is a lot messier than I thought it was going to be. For Hydra to have this kind of technology, this kind of power, what are they planning?"

Tony put a hand on Bruce's shoulder, "That's what we have to find out."