Agent Sakuara

RECRUITMENT PAVILION.

A young doctor rips a blood pressure cuff off of Steve's arm and said "You can get dressed." A nurse enters and whispered something to the young doctor, who eyes Steve. After that the young doctor said "Wait here."

"Am I in trouble?" Steve asked nervously.

"Just wait here." The young doctor repeated then left with the nurse.

While waiting, Steve saw a poster saying: "It is illegal to falsify your enlistment form. Only traitors lie to their country."

As Steve scrambles for his shoes, an MP slides open the curtain. Steve looks up at the towering soldier. "I'm in trouble." Steve said to himself.

Then Dr. Erskine enters, wearing a lab coat, looking at a file. After a few beats he asked "So, you want to go overseas, kill some Nazis?"

Steve was a little dumbfounded. "Excuse me?"

Dr. Erskine offers his hand to Steve and introduced himself. "I'm Dr. Abraham Erskine. I represent the Strategic Scientific Reserve."

Steve shakes his hand. "Steve Rogers. Where are you from?" He asked, curious about the accent.

"Queens. 73rd and Utopia Parkway. And before that, Germany. This troubles you?" Dr. Erskine asked. Steve considers this, then shrugs.

"And where are you from, Mr. Rogers? Is it New Haven? Or Paramus? Or..." Dr. Erskine asked while reading Steve's file. "Five exams. In five different cities..."

Steve nervously replied "That might not be the right file—"

Dr. Erskine cuts him off. "It is not the exams I am interested in. It is the five tries." He stared at Steve. "You didn't answer my question. You want to kill Nazis?"

"Is this a test?" Steve asked cautiously.

Dr. Erskine simply replied with a "Yes."

"I don't like bullies, Doctor. I don't care where they're from." Steve seriously answered.

"There are already plenty of big strapping men in this war. What they need now is maybe the "little guys" yea?" Dr. Erskine asked.

Steve answered cautiously "Maybe." and then asked him something "What do you do, exactly?"

"Let's say I believe there is great potential in every human. It's just a matter of bringing it to the surface." Dr. Erskine said while he reaches for a stamp. "I can offer you a chance, only a chance."

"That's all I'm asking for." Steve said.

"So, really, where is the little guy from?" Dr. Erskine asked.

"Brooklyn." Steve honestly replied. After that Dr. Erskine stamped 1A on his file.

Dr. Erskine smiled at him and then said "I would like you to meet someone Mr. Rogers. That someone is actually the one who recommended you to me. Oh! And also the person responsible for you to walk away unscathed after falsifying your enlistment form many times." Dr. Erskine laughed a little.

When they exited the recruitment center, Steve saw a very familiar woman in white. Dr. Erskine walked to her and smiled to Steve again. "This is the person I'm talking about Steve. Agent Yumhee Sakura. Well, I know you have a lot of questions so I'll leave you two at it. Agent Sakura will explain to you some of the details of the project I'm working on. Good night to the both of you." He hugged Yumhee and kissed her right cheek before walking away.

"So..." Steve started to say but nothing followed after that. Yumhee giggled then took Steve's left hand and walked to a red car. Yumhee entered the backseat with Steve. She instructed the driver to go to her favorite restaurant. Noone talked during the entire ride. Yumhee was staring outside her window while Steve occasionally looked at her. When they arrived at the restaurant, a waiter immediately lead them to a private room at the back. Yumhee ordered two desserts and two cups of coffee. When the waiter left, the room was silent. After a few minutes the waiter went back with their orders and left immediately after.

Steve was either looking at his l.a.p or at the food in front of him. A little blush can be seen from his cheeks. Yumhee stared at him the entire time. After another minute, Yumhee decided to break the silence.

"I know that you have a lot of questions. But first, let me introduce myself again, this time with additional information about myself." Steve finally looked at her. She smiled at him. "Like Dr. Erskine told you, I'm Agent Yumhee Sakura. That name is my alias. I've been an Agent for almost a year now, training new recruits. 25 years old. Dr. Erskine is actually my fosterfather. I'm originally from the Philippines. My parents, my two older siblings and I went to Germany for a vacation. Before the war started. When it started, we weren't able to go back to our country. Hitler's troops were everywhere even in the Philippines." There was a pause before Yumhee continued. "My parents together with my two older siblings died when the building we were hiding in collapsed. Some people tried to check for survivors and it was Dr. Erskine who saw me beneath some rubbles. He tried his best to heal me. After that, he adopted me and we moved here when it was possible." Another pause. Yumhee drank a little of her coffee. "I'm telling you all this because I actually already know a lot about you. So it's only fair. If you have questions, please do ask them." Yumhee smiled warmly at Steve.

Steve takes in all these information and after a few minutes asked "What exactly am I going to do for your father?"

"Well, you see my father is a very intelligent individual. He was able to create a serum that can break our body's limits on a certain level. Simply put, it's a project about creating a super soldier. But my father's criteria is different from the military or the government. What we seek is someone with a heart." Yumhee stared at Steve. "So I volunteered to help search for candidates within and outside of the recruits that are worthy to be given such power. I gather background information for each person, then I observe them for a few days. How they interact with other people, their beliefs, personalities, everything. So yeah, basically, I stalked you for a few weeks." Yumhee admitted while laughing.

Steve blushed profusely after realizing that Yumhee must have seen him be beaten a lot of times. Yumhee noticing immediately the look of shame in his face, touched Steve's left hand that was resting on the table with her right hand. "You don't have to be ashamed of anything Steve. You're actually one of the very few people I know that have a very good heart. And I'm sure that whoever you end up with, is one very lucky woman. I'm sure of it, because I'd be feeling exactly that if it was me." Yumhee tighten her hold of his hand while she smiled warmly at him. After several weeks of observing Steve, she has actually started to feel more than just admiration for this frail-looking man. But alas, she doesn't have the courage to start any kind of relationship with him.

Steve looked back at Yumhee, pleasantly surprised to see how genuine she looked when she said those words. He asked himself if he has the confidence to take this chance and fall inlove, the courage to pursue someone seriously. But before he can say anything, a knock on their door from outside was heard. Then a man's voice followed. "Sorry to interrupt Miss Sakura, but it's time."

"I understand Eric. I'll be there shortly." Yumhee responded. She started to stand up while saying goodbye to Steve. "I'm really sorry Mr. Rogers, I wasn't able to answer all your questions tonight. Maybe next time, if fate permits it." Yumhee smiled apologetically to Steve.

Before Yumhee can open the door, Steve grab her right arm. "Wait." Yumhee turned around to face Steve while he calms himself. "I know this is an absurd request. Especially since we've only known each other for a few hours. Well, technically you've known me longer—"

"Your point Steve?" Yumhee urged before Steve gets off topic and starts rumbling.

"Oh! Yea. Sorry. Um...I was wandering if...if...if you know...uhm." Yumhee raised one of her eyebrows at Steve. He closed his eyes and said "I was wandering if it's okay for you to date me? I want to know you better and then we'll see what happens after that."

Yumhee smiled widely. She cannot believe that he actually asked her out. Yes she's afraid to enter a serious relationship in the midst of a war, but she can't help herself from hoping for a life after the war. With this man in front of her. "Open your eyes Steve and look at me." Yumhee gently instructed Steve while leaning forward to him.

Steve opened his eyes and was momentarily shocked to see Yumhee's face so close to his. Then the next second, he felt somthing soft against his lips. He was shell-shocked to know that Yumhee just kissed him on his lips. He heard the door open and then Yumhee's departing words. "I'll be waiting for you at the camp, Steve."

HYDRA HQ - SCHMIDT'S OFFICE LAB

"Are you certain the conductors will withstand the energy surge long enough for the transference?" Schmidt asked.

"With this...artifact...I am certain of nothing." Dr. Arnim Zola answered truthfully. "In fact, I fear this may not work at all."

Schmidt glances at the carved box from Norway on a table. "Then we have lost only time, Doctor. But if it does work...in a matter of minutes, we might control the power of the gods. Either way...it is a moment of terrible possibility." He then opens the box. A blinding blue light shoots out. He then sets it in place in the machine made by Dr. Zola.

Schmidt turns a dial. The cube pulses. A gauge marked "ENERGIENBATTERIE" glows blue, beginning to rise...20%...40%...60%... But the battery remains cold. Dark.

"We are stable at seventy percent. Well within safety parameters." Dr. Zola announces.

But Schmidt immediately replied "I did not come all this way for safety, Doctor." He reaches over and turns the dial. 80%...90%...

Dr. Zola started to panic. "At those levels the power may be uncontroll—"

But before he finishes his sentence, Schmidt cranks the dial to 100%. Otherworldly power burst from the cube in a burning flash. It floods the conduits, filling the empty battery with blue energy. Just as it appears the battery will burst...the energy flashes in a swirling rush of lightning. Then it started to die down after a while. Zola pulls the switch and the cube powers down. But the battery still glows, humming with life.

Schmidt smiled widely. "Thank you, Doctor. You're designs do not disappoint..." He looked at the machine, the conduits lie in ruins. "Though they may require reinforcement."

Dr. Zola takes a reading of the gauge, impressed. "The exchange is stable. Amazing. The energy we've just collected could power a battleship. Ten battlesh.i.p.s. This will change the war."

Schmidt corrected him kindly "Doctor Zola. This will change the world."