18 Chapter 18

London, England August 1943

Operation Husky, the Allied Invasion of Sicily was a success. In just under two months, Allied forces succeeded in taking the island from the Axis Powers of Italy and Germany with a large amphibious and airborne operation. Some of the fighting was brutal towards the end the campaign but the goals set out for the invasion were accomplished. The Allies drove Axis air, land, and naval forces from the island and the Mediterranean sea lanes were opened for Allied merchant ships. The Allies had a viable spot to start the land invasion of Italy and now word had spread to Allied command that King Victor Emmanuel arrested Italian Prime Minister Benito Mussolini. That last bit of information was given to Allied Command after SSR agent Sergeant Kalvin Elbert AKA the Man of Steel, and a group of British and Canadian soldiers intercepted a Waffen-SS group on Sicily. That information was given to Allied Command and new plans for the Invasion of the Italian Mainland were being made.

After the last German soldier on Sicily surrendered when the rest had fled back to Italy, Clark stayed around for another few days before getting on a flight back to London. Colonel Phillips wanted to see him, so Clark was taken from the airfield straight to the SSR building in London. He had changed back into his military uniform since his SSR one would draw unwanted attention. Now he was just a regular GI Joe. His driver dropped him off to where he needed to be, and he carried his bags into the SSR headquarters. The MPs at the door stood at attention and his entrance into the facility actually made everyone stop what they were doing and look at him. Since they were all SSR, they were aware of who he was and what he had done so when he walked in everyone stood up and gave him a round of applause. The attention was respectful, but Clark just felt weird. He wasn't used to being the center of attention.

"We'll take your bags, sir." Two attendants walked over and took Clark's bags.

"Colonel Phillips is this way, sir." Another attendant gestured him to follow so he did. Clark was led down the hall to meet with Colonel Phillips which is when he noticed some other weird things. Everyone in the hall stepped aside to give him and the attendant an unobstructed path forward. Even those not in the way stepped aside like they were. And all the military officers or MPs stood at attention and saluted him. Honestly, he just felt uncomfortable and would have preferred to go back where they all either just ignored him or didn't care. Guess he couldn't get everything he wanted.

Once he was brought into the main area of the SSR where all the planning and logistical work took place everyone stopped what they were doing when they saw him. Those that were sitting stood up and everyone clapped and gave him yet another round of applause. "Is this going to be a recurring thing?" Clark asked aloud when he saw Colonel Phillips walk in with his aid Lorraine who gave him a flirty wink and smile.

"No, but I figured given what has happened to make a single exception." He told Clark. "Do you know what I've been doing since you went to Sicily? I've been fielding congratulatory calls from every single senator, Joint chief, and military higher up I can think of and even some I didn't even know about."

"Uh…I'm sorry, sir." Clark apologized only for Colonel Phillips to laugh.

"I'm not. More than half of those morons were the same people who a month ago were saying that the SSR was a waste of time, and that Project Rebirth was a pipe dream. Now they're calling me to try and make up for what they did." The Colonel explained with a smirk on his face. "I'm not one for gloating but I relished those moments and savored every bit of it. And it's all thanks to you and what you did for Operation Husky."

"It wasn't just me, sir. I had the help of some really good soldiers." Clark corrected and the Colonel nodded.

"Understood. No man is an island, but a regular army or navy soldier can't run through a hail of bullets without a scratch or lift up a truck like he could a bale of hay. I don't know what the hell Erskine did to your serum and if I could replicate it I would but I'm just glad it worked." Colonel Phillips pat Clark on the arm and smiled. His aid Lorraine handed the colonel a newspaper to give to Clark so he could see the headline. It read, Sicily Captured. The Man of Steel's triumph. It had a photo of the British, American, and Canadian Forces meetings in the city of Messina and next to that was another photo of him pushing a destroyed German tank off the road. Like the other photo of him in the newspaper, his face wasn't shown because it was partially obstructed by the tank. Clark did that on purpose because he didn't want any photos of his face and when the war correspondent asked for another photo he politely refused before leaving. "Because of your efforts, Sicily is out of Axis control and news of your actions are already spreading. The British and Canadians are thankful for your efforts in keeping their men safe and President Roosevelt wanted me to tell you that he appreciates your work in the field. Although from what I hear from Russia, they're not exactly happy about that moniker. They think you stole it from Stalin."

"Not intended, sir. I didn't even come up with it." Clark replied as Lorraine handed the Colonel a small box and opened it to reveal a medal.

"Well however you got the name it fits from what I've heard. You've done a lot son and all those efforts demand the recognition they deserve. Sergeant Kalvin Elbert…" Colonel Phillips spoke and everyone in the room drew silent. Clark stood at attention as the Colonel pinned the medal on his chest. It was a gold star with a small one in the middle and hung by blue, red, and white ribbon. "In recognition for your efforts in advancing the front line in the cities of Centuripe, Troina, Adrano, and in protecting your fellow soldier under harrowing battlefield conditions, I am proud to present you with the Silver Star. Congratulations."

Clark gave the colonel a salute before shaking his hand and everyone in the room gave them another round of applause. "Thank you, sir." Clark responded as the applause started to die down.

"All right, that's enough from the peanut gallery. You all have work to do." Colonel Phillips told them. The crowd began to disperse and resume their duties. "That medal was well earned. You keep doing what you're doing for the war, and I'll put you in for the Medal of Honor, Sergeant."

"That's a tremendous honor, Colonel but I feel that honor should go to other men." Clark said and Colonel Phillips was intrigued by that remark. "I'd be incredibly honored to receive or even be nominated for the Medal of Honor, I truly would. But it would feel like it wouldn't be earned."

"Now that is the biggest lie I've ever heard. If anyone could earn the Medal of Honor, it's you." Colonel Phillips told him.

"I know, sir and again I'd be honored but I would only receive the medal because of what I can do. Everything that Dr. Erskine did to make me. I can run through bullets and lift a truck but there are thousands if not millions of men out there who don't have that luxury yet find the strength to do things worthy of that honor. I wouldn't want that honor to come at the expense of those who truly deserve it." Clark explained.

Colonel Phillips looked at Clark and could see he meant it. That just made him chuckle before he pat him on the shoulder. "Now I'm seeing what Dr. Erskine saw in you. All right. If that's how you feel, then fine. And you do have a point. There are good soldiers out there fighting and they deserve the recognition. But…when we win this war, I am putting you in for one."

"Fair enough, sir." Clark replied and Phillips pat him on the shoulder before leading him through the SSR base. "Sir, can I ask a question?"

"You already did but go ahead." Colonel Phillips said.

"Was there a reason I was called back to London? There was still work to be done in Sicily before the operation on the Italian mainland even commences." Clark pointed out.

"All true but you report directly to me here at the Strategic Scientific Reserve and your mission there was over. Our fight is on the bigger picture against Hydra and Hitler and I'm not wasting you in the field when you're currently not needed." Colonel Phillips brought him into an adjacent planning room next to the main one. There were maps on the main table with boards containing intercepted German communiques but a lot of the stuff he saw was in Italian. "And this is other part of the reason."

"What is this, sir?" He questioned.

"This is our next mission. Information about Hydra is still sparse. Sparse enough that we can't act on anything intelligible. Johann Schmidt is hiding with his ass in the ground but when he does show himself then we'll be ready to kick it straight to hell. Until then, there's still more work to be done for this war. Allied Command is readying an invasion force into Italy and the information you intercepted from the Waffen-SS on Sicily has been instrumental. With Mussolini in captivity, it means soon enough Italy will be taken out of the Axis powers." Colonel Phillips told him. "Allied Command hasn't heard any official word from the King about surrendering. They're biding their time while trying to negotiate their terms."

"And there are still battalions of German troops all over Italy, so the King knows that the second he surrenders then he has them to worry about." Clark assumed.

"You assume right. Allied Command thinks the King won't surrender until we land on the Italian mainland but the planning for that is still underway. Still, the opportunity we've been presented is something that Allied Command thinks could work to our benefit. Capturing Mussolini and bringing him to stand trial shows everyone that we are winning this war both here and back home." Colonel Phillips explained.

"Something I'm sure politicians would use to their benefits. Like Senator Brandt?" Clark questioned and Colonel Phillips chuckled.

"Not if I have anything to say about it. What Senator Brandt is doing with Rogers has nothing to do with the SSR but bringing Mussolini into Allied capture will give the people back home proof that we are winning this war. And like it or not, we still need their financial support to win. President Roosevelt has been informed of the mission and has tasked the SSR with bringing Mussolini in." Phillips stated.

"I volunteer for the mission, sir." Clark told him as Phillips turned around to face him.

"I was hoping to hear that, Sergeant. We're still working out the finer details of the mission but I'm not sending you in alone and we can't send in an entire division that far north. I'm putting together a team of the finest men that you'll lead behind enemy lines." Phillips assured Clark which is when he decided to speak up.

"Colonel, with all due respect, if I'm going to be leading this team behind enemy lines then I'd like to select the members. I already have a few in mind." Clark told him and Phillips thought it over before agreeing.

"All right. This is your mission so assemble your team and start planning. If you need anything just ask one of the attendants and speak with Stark in the lab. He'll have some things for the mission. Make me proud, Sergeant." Colonel Phillips told him. Clark gave him a salute and the Colonel saluted before leaving. His attendant Lorraine gave Clark a wink before she left.

He turned around and noticed that everyone in the room was looking at him now for orders. "Um, I want all partisan and resistance activity in the Abruzzo region categorized on this table. Then I want all geographical information of the region and on the hotel where Mussolini is being held captive. And see if we can find someone who's been there and has firsthand knowledge of the area. And start gathering files on all drafted and volunteer soldiers from every allied country." Clark ordered. The Agents and attendants quickly went to work while he headed to the lab.

He entered and saw the scientists hard at work with their tasks, but they had noticed his arrival. Howard then walked out of a room and saw Clark, so he smirked and began to clap. "Do my eyes deceive me? Is that the great Man of Steel or am I dreaming? If it is, then I'm disappointed. You look bigger in your pictures." Howard joked.

"Very funny, Howard." Clark gave him a dry, unamused look before they both laughed. Howard walked over and the two shared a quick hug.

"It's good to see you, Kal. Especially, alive." Howard told him.

"Good to see you too although a part of me thought I wouldn't see you here." Clark said to him which made Howard look at him confused. "I figured you would have angered a woman to the point where she would have killed you."

"You're right on the first part but not on the second. Not yet anyway. I've developed a system." Howard chuckled before patting Clark on the arm and the two walked around the lab. "You know, hearing about everything you did on Sicily a part of me still can't believe it. I knew Dr. Erskine's formula was gonna do amazing things but what you can do seems to defy science itself."

"Sure, like scientists have always known everything. Fifteen hundred years ago scientists thought the earth was the center of the universe. Five hundred years ago scientists thought that the world was flat. And fifty years ago, scientists didn't think that a man could fly." Clark listed off.

"Fair enough. Ah, it's good to have you back, Kal. It's been so boring since you've been gone." Howard told him.

"Glad to know I can amuse you, Howard." Clark remarked as the two walked over to his workstation that had a bunch of things he was working on.

"You do and I plan to do everything I can to make sure you stay alive and can amuse me even more." Howard assured him and Clark just shook his head in disbelief before chucking. Howard was still Howard. "Heading deep behind enemy lines to capture Mussolini himself is a tall order."

"Yeah, even I can agree with that logic." Clark admitted.

"Good. Nice to know your powers haven't gone to your head. Still, your team is gonna be deep behind enemy lines so keeping in contact with command is gonna be important. I'm working on a newer update to the portable radio transceiver so you can stay in contact with us. But my crowning touch of genius is this." Howard picked up something and showed it to Clark. It was a wristwatch. A nice looking one with a brown leather wrap and some silver inlay but that's about it.

"Uh, Howard…I already have one of those." Clark held up his watch that was actually his Kryptonian AI Kelex in disguise. But he functioned and looked like a regular wristwatch.

"And I'm sure your wristwatch is great but it's nothing compared to his one. On top of being a fine time piece with a silver inlay that does tell time, it has something that other watches don't." Howard flipped open the face of the watch to reveal a series of circuits and a receiver before pulling out the small antenna attached to the side. "The first ever wristwatch walkie-talkie."

Clark smiled as he saw the look of pride in Howard's face. Compared to Kelex, the wristwatch walkie-talkie was like two cans connected by a string but for him to design something that could let someone communicate with another person and have it be that small was impressive. "Really?"

"Really. These things have a limited range of about 250 yards so you and your team can stay in contact with one another, but they can be synched to your SRC-300 transceiver to let you radio with command. I'm still perfecting the design for that part but being able to communicate with your team is gonna be immensely important. Colonel Phillips had me begin working on these things since you went to Sicily." Howard explained and Clark took it to look at it.

"How durable are these things?" Clark wondered.

"They're a little delicate like a regular watch so I'd be careful with them." Howard cautioned and Clark nodded. "I've got the rest of the department working on some other things for your team so if you've got any recommendations or requests then let me know."

"Will do." He replied before looking at Howard with an apprehensive look. "How's Peggy?"

Howard looked at Clark and then saw something behind him that made him go wide-eyed complete with a nervous gulp. "Um…I'm not sure how to answer that." Howard said to him.

[Distinct click of a shotgun pump]

Clark stiffened up when he heard that sound coming from behind him. "She's standing behind me with a shotgun, isn't she?"

"Yeah." Howard answered.

Clark turned around to see Peggy standing there in her usual military uniform while holding a combat shotgun. "Hello, Sergeant Elbert." She said with a smile.

"Agent Carter. Good to see you again. You're looking lovely as always." Clark told her and saw her lower the shotgun, so the barrel was pointed right at stomach.

"Thank you." She replied. "Howard, how are you?"

"I'm fine, Peggy. Thanks for asking. Um…should I…"

"You should probably get out of the way." Peggy told him and Howard nodded, quickly stepping out of the path of this little lover's spat. "I am glad that you're all right, but it did leave me with a little conundrum."

"Let me guess. You're still mad at me but realize that punching isn't going to do anything." He said and she nodded. "Well, if taking a shotgun blast to the chest means we can talk again…then go ahead."

"Thank you." Peggy then fired a shotgun round into his chest. The buckshot pellets flew out of the barrel and hit his body, producing a loud clank sound like they hit a thick sheet of steel. Everyone in the lab dropped to the floor or ducked for cover when they heard the shotgun go off. Clark didn't set his feet and stand his ground on purpose, so the blast made him stumble a bit.

Clark caught himself on a chair and stood up, dusting the shotgun pellets off his jacket as everyone in the lab slowly picked their heads up. Howard looked up from behind a desk to see Clark was still alive despite taking a shotgun blast point blank in the chest. "Feel better?" Clark asked Peggy.

"Much better." She pumped the handle and ejected the spent shell before placing the shotgun on the table. "Now we can talk."

Peggy walked past him and out of the lab as Howard got up and walked over to Clark. He saw the small cuts and burn marks on his jacket from the shotgun buckshot, but he wasn't bleeding at all. That's when he noticed Clark watching her leave. "I like Peggy and all, but I feel like warning you is the smart thing to do. She did just shoot you and I know it didn't hurt but if you upset her again then next time, she'll likely shoot you with something that packs a bigger punch." Howard pointed out.

"I know." Clark answered before walking after her.

"Whoa. Talk about two crazy kids in love." Howard muttered before he got back to work. Peggy and Clark walked through the SSR base until they arrived at her office. She let him in and closed the door to give the two of them some privacy.

"Peggy, look I—" Clark was interrupted but not because of another slap. He was interrupted because Peggy hugged him. He was frozen in shock for a bit before he hugged her back. "I'll admit, I was expecting to get shot again."

"I got it out of my system." Peggy told him. She separated from the hug and looked at the small scorch mark on his suit. "Are you really all right?"

"I'm fine. I was concerned about bullets and everything when I first got to Sicily but soon found that bullets break or deflect off my skin. I sped in front of the bullet heading to someone else on the team. I just acted and when the bullet hit me it fell to the ground." He recounted. "I'll admit that the prospect really started to sink in when I took an MG-42 bullet to the head and it stayed on. Granted when I encountered the tank and managed to survive getting shot by its cannon, I felt a lot better."

"Is there anything you can't do?" Peggy asked in astonishment.

"I honestly don't know the answer to that question." He replied. "Peggy, I can't say again how sorry I am for lying to you. I really am sorry."

"So, you've said multiple times, but I've gotten my frustration at you out. And with some time to think it over and after reading your journal…I began to understand why you kept your secret." Peggy said, walking over to her desk and taking his journal out of her drawer. "It was quite an interesting read. Is everything in it true?"

"Every last word." Clark promised. "I know this is a lot to process but I wouldn't have told you this if I didn't trust you. You're the only other person besides my parents who knows the complete truth. Not even Dr. Erskine knew everything."

"And were you telling the truth? About why you told me?" She asked him and he nodded.

"All my life my parents told me that I was special but because of my powers and where I came from…I had to be careful. I couldn't tell people who I really was and because of it…I was never able to get close to people. That was until I met you." He admitted and Peggy blushed a bit. Being told that you were special was one thing but special enough that someone was willing to trust you with a secret that personal was a true show of trust and faith. "I didn't expect us to get this close and I am sorry for lying to you for so long. If you're willing to give me a second chance…I'd like to try this again but this time…with you knowing everything."

Peggy looked at Clark and soon enough a smile started to form on her face. "If we're going to try this over again, what should I call you?" She wondered.

"When we're in public with the others like you would before. But in private it's Clark. Clark Joseph Kent. A pleasure to meet you Margaret Elizabeth Carter." He introduced himself to her fully for the first time.

"Please, Clark. It's Peggy." She assured him.

"Well, Peggy…if you are not busy would you do me the honor of showing me around London and joining me for lunch?" He asked her.

"Is this you asking me on a date? I'm impressed because I recall it took you months to gather up the courage the first time." She pointed out.

"Well, the first time I waited so long because this is new territory for me. And I was afraid of what you might say and my secret. But now…I know this is what I want even if it's just a chance." He told her and Peggy couldn't help but smile.

"I would love to go out to lunch with you." Peggy said to him. "There is a little place nearby that I think you'll like."

"Sounds perfect. I could do with a day of R&R before getting back to work tomorrow." Clark admitted.

"Oh, before I forget." Peggy took his necklace out from her desk and handed it back to him. "I think you'll want this back."

He looked it over and ran his thumb over the key before deciding to put it back in her hand. "No, you should hold onto it." He saw her about to protest so he just put it back in her hand and curled her fingers around it. "I have no idea what could happen during the war, and I'd feel a lot better knowing that this and my journal are in the hands of someone I trust."

Peggy smiled and placed the necklace and his journal back in her desk. "Well, I won't let your trust in me go to waste. I promise."

"I know you won't." He then held his arm out and she looped hers into his before they walked out. "Now where is this place you're going to take me?"

"Just a small little place I've been to before. Let's go." Peggy and Clark walked out of her office and passed by Howard on their way out. "Good day, Howard."

"We'll get focused back on the mission tomorrow, Howard." Clark told him.

"Have fun and don't do anything I wouldn't do." Howard waved goodbye and couldn't hide the smirk on his face. "Two crazy kids in love."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Note:-

Please give your comments, stones and ratings.

Also read Marvel : Hyperion on my profile.