Chapter 011: Wait, This Script is All Wrong
Mason staggered and collapsed to the pavement with a heavy thud. His arms were immediately wrenched behind his back, and sharp pain lanced through his ribs—he nearly blacked out.
"What's going on here?"
"Dr. Erskine, this man rushed toward you aggressively. We suspected hostile intent, so..."
"Help him up. I have questions for him."
With his wrists zip-tied, Mason was hauled up like a marionette, and a scrutinizing face appeared before him.
"Young man, where exactly did you hear that name? I expect complete honesty. If you tell me even one lie..." Dr. Erskine paused deliberately, his threat crystal clear.
"Doctor, I haven't just heard the name—I've seen him in person! Johann Schmidt! I'll never forget that monster's face as long as I live!" Mason feigned righteous fury, his voice sharp and venomous.
He wasn't entirely acting; the two agents had been brutal, and the pain at the base of his skull and in his ribs made Mason wince, lending genuine menace to his expression.
"It all started..." Dr. Erskine cut him off mid-sentence. "This isn't the place for this conversation. Bring him in!" Dr. Erskine instructed the two agents restraining Mason.
"Doctor, please wait a moment,"
Mason said urgently. "I traveled all the way from Norway, and I only made it this far thanks to two friends. One of them has been mistaken for a spy because he tried to enlist multiple times. I'm hoping you can help clear things up for him."
"They're over there." He nodded toward Steve. At that moment, the situation had reached a breaking point. Barnes refused to stand aside, and the young officer's expression was thunderous, as if he was seconds away from making arrests.
Dr. Erskine hesitated momentarily. He'd observed the entire incident from the sidelines. To be honest, the scrawny kid had made quite an impression on him. If he hadn't heard Schmidt's name mentioned, he would have personally intervened on the boy's behalf.
Since the two men were connected to the young man before him, Dr. Erskine considered for a moment and then nodded slightly. With Dr. Erskine's approval, a nondescript young man emerged from the crowd, quickly approached the officer, and whispered something while discreetly showing credentials.
The officer initially looked outraged, but his expression transformed dramatically when he saw the badge the agent presented, and he reluctantly released Steve.
If Mason had known that his impulsive actions had inadvertently cost Steve his chance to impress Dr. Erskine, he would've been absolutely gutted.
Steve and Barnes were naturally bewildered, but when they saw Mason—bloodied and being held upright—they instantly understood what had happened.
"Mason, what the hell happened?" Steve looked guilt-stricken, since the whole mess had started because of him.
"It's nothing, you guys head back. I'll catch up with you when I'm done here," Mason reassured him, then looked at Barnes standing beside Steve.
"Kill a few extra Nazis for me..." He stopped mid-sentence, suddenly remembering that Dr. Erskine standing nearby was also German, and awkwardly shut his mouth.
Steve clearly wanted to say more, but Barnes pulled him back. "Trust Mason. Let's go wait for news!"
"Move out!"
Mason's world went dark as a hood was pulled over his head, and then his body was hoisted and shoved into a vehicle. He was driven around in circles for nearly half an hour before stopping.
When he opened his eyes again, the black hood was yanked off, and blinding light made him squint.
It was a windowless interrogation room about twelve by twelve, containing only a metal table and two chairs in the center. Mason's hands were cuffed behind the chair, and the restraints were positioned low, forcing him to hunch over—otherwise his wrists would scream in protest.
"Tell me everything you know."
Dr. Erskine was far more cautious than he appeared in the movies. It made sense—a German scientist who'd escaped from Schmidt and made his way across the Atlantic to America suggested the old professor was sharper than he seemed.
"Have you heard of Odin's treasure?" Mason's opening question immediately seized Dr. Erskine's attention; clearly, he'd heard Schmidt mention it before.
"Schmidt was always obsessed with Norse mythology; he firmly believed that hidden powers unknown to ordinary men existed in this world," Dr. Erskine remarked, then asked,
"What did he find?"
"The Tesseract!"
"What?!" Dr. Erskine gasped audibly, his chair scraping loudly as he lurched forward.
"I'm from Tønsberg, Norway. When I fled, Schmidt had already seized the Tesseract and razed the entire village."
"That was over four months ago. I believe he's already begun researching it, and may have even found a way to weaponize the Tesseract's energy!" Mason recounted his observations to Dr. Erskine, carefully selecting key details from his account.
To gain Dr. Erskine's trust, he presented himself as a resistance fighter who'd traveled across the Atlantic to stop Schmidt.
"How do you know who I am?" Dr. Erskine asked warily, though he largely believed Mason's story.
Mason's mind raced. He was now profoundly grateful to Dimensional Express for providing him with this cover identity. If he were just some random nobody daring to drop Schmidt's name, he probably wouldn't survive basic scrutiny and would face enhanced interrogation.
"As guardians, my family has protected the Tesseract's secret for generations... Schmidt initially told us many things about himself to earn our trust. Among them were details about you, and something about a Super Soldier Serum project..." Mason frowned, feigning the effort of recollection.
"A thousand-year-old oath prevented us from believing him, and later... he showed his true colors."
Dr. Erskine sighed heavily. "Schmidt has always been this way; he's a monster, completely ruthless in pursuing his goals!" When Mason mentioned the Super Soldier Serum project, Erskine's remaining doubts evaporated.
He studied Mason's gaunt face, and subtle emotion flickered across Erskine's features. What incredible fortitude! Even with his home destroyed and his sacred duty shattered, this young man maintained his composure, refusing to let hatred cloud his judgment, and traveled thousands of miles to America.
All just to deliver vital intelligence! Wasn't this righteous and noble spirit exactly what the program needed? With this realization, Dr. Erskine quietly made a decision!
"Mason, are you willing to help me?" Dr. Erskine asked, suppressing the hope in his eyes.
Hearing Erskine's words, Mason was momentarily caught off guard, but naturally, he wasn't stupid enough to refuse. Without any hesitation, he answered,
"Absolutely!"
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