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Chapter Two Having Heart
★★★★
By the year 1943, the war wasin its fourth year and the death count seemed to grow with every passing second which brought the world into a more brutal era. However, Diana engaged in battle whenever and wherever she could. The Amazon warrior traveled back and forth from the Eastern Hemisphere to the Western Hemisphere with her ability of flight, in order to be involved in the war and also lead the S.S.R.
The S.S.R. was now stationed in New Jersey, in an area named Camp Lehigh, and had become an adequate military training facility. While Diana valiantly fought in battle alongside American men, Colonel Phillips searched for candidates that would suit Project Rebirth. Upon arriving from a gruesome battle between the Soviet Union and Germany, Diana managed to witness Dr. Erskime reject every candidate Colonel Phillips had gathered.
Diana merely laughed and agreed with Dr. Erskine after going over the men's files and deemed them unworthy of participating in Project Rebirth. However, Dr. Erskine was relentless in finding the perfect candidate for it.
It had been a warm sunny day in New Jersey, which was uncommon. The world's own climate had seemed to have spiraled into a dark and gloomy mood, yet sun had finally shined. Diana smiled fondly at this and felt at ease with the rays of sunshine over her body. She fluttered her eyes open and proceeded to the new unit of recruits Colonel Phillips had brought in.
On her way to the center of the camp, she came across Dr. Erskine. She smiled at him and said, "Good morning, Dr. I️ didn't see you at dinner yesterday. Is everything all right?"
Dr. Erskine's lips turned into a wide smile. "Oh, my dear! Yes! More than alright. I️ found him."
Diana's eyes furrowed, "Found who?"
"The perfect candidate for Project Rebirth."
"Is that so?" Diana said and raised an eyebrow. She placed her hands on her hips and fixed her stance. Dr. Erskine seemed over the moon with his news.
He nodded and said, "He will be among your group of recruits today."
"I'll keep an eye out for him then," Diana stated with a forced smile. Dr. Erskine nodded and told her he would meet her at the center of the camp in a few short minutes.
Diana continued to walk towards the center of the camp and approached Peggy, when she saw her waiting for her. Peggy smiled at her and said, "Morning, Diana."
"Good morning, Peggy," Diana said to her. Her eyes glanced over to the recruits in line. "See any decent ones?"
"Not yet. Guess we'll have to wait and see. Shall we?"
Diana nodded and walked towards the recruits with Peggy on her right. She wore her formal conference uniform and had her arms at her back. From beside her, Peggy called out, "Recruits, attention!"
"Gentlemen, I️ am Lieutenant Prince, and on my right is Agent Carter. I supervise all operations for this division," Diana spoke to them, as her eyes analyzed their faces. Peggy stood stoically beside her friend and colleague, "We understand you are all here for a-"
"What's with the accent, Queen Victoria? Thought I was signing up for the U.S. Army," A soldier in line joked and laughed. Diana narrowed her eyes at the rude interruption of her friend's speech.
"What's your name, soldier?" Peggy said and stepped towards the man.
"Gilmore Hodge, your majesty," He smirked.
"Step forward, Hodge. Put your right foot forward," Peggy ordered. Diana watched in amusement and looked around the other men. Her eyes caught a rather thin and young man, who's gaze flickered towards the goddess. When he realized Diana had been looking at him, he blushed and turned back to the scene.
"We gonna wrestle? 'Cause I gotta a few moves I know you'll like," The soldier, Hodge, said. Peggy pulled her arm back and punched the man across the face, which caused him to fall to the floor.
"And for the record, Lieutenant Prince is the one who is royalty and you should also treat her as such," Peggy said to the man on the ground in pain. Diana smirked widely at the altercation and turned upon hearing her name.
"Lieutenant Prince, Agent Carter," Colonel Phillips said as he appeared behind them.
"Colonel Phillips," Diana greeted him.
"I️ can see that you are breaking in the candidates, that's good," Colonel Phillips stated from his stance beside Diana. He stepped towards the lineup of men. "Get your ass up out of that dirt, and stand up in that lineup at attention until somebody comes and tells you what to do."
"Yes, Sir."
Colonel Phillips nodded and walked down beside the men, "General Patton has said, "Wars are fought with weapons, but they are won by men." We are going to win this war, because... we have the best men. And because they're gonna get better. Much, better. The Strategic Scientific Reserve is an allied effort. Made up with the best minds of the free world. Our goal. Is to create the best army in history. But every army starts with one man. At the end of this week, we will choose that man. He'll be the first. Of a new breed of super soldiers. And they will personally escort Adolf Hitler through the gates of hell."
"Lieutenant, your call," Colonel Phillips stated and went to stand beside Dr. Erksine, who had just arrived.
Diana stepped forward and all eyes immediately landed on her figure. A little way down the line, Steve Grant Rogers, stared at the beautiful woman before him with wide eyes. However, he didn't simply see her as a beautiful woman. From first glance, he could tell her intelligence was one beyond compare and her bravery was etched across her stoic eyes.
"Let's begin, shall we gentlemen?" Diana smirked.
The next few days were filled with intense training. The soldiers did their best to keep up and the majority did manage to. Apart from their smallest recruit, Steve Rogers. Diana had watched him the last few days, struggle and fight to complete the exercises set for him while his fellow soldiers sabotaged his success. At the end of the first day, Diana had managed to realize that Steve was, in fact, the man Dr. Erksine has chosen to be apart of Project Rebirth.
Diana couldn't help but see what attracted Dr. Erksine to the young boy from Brooklyn in the first place. From merely observing him the past few days, she could see his determination ran deep in his mind and he drew his strength from his compassion. One thing, however, was certain: Steve Rogers had heart.
