Chapter 12: Twisted Personality
Playing with his mentality, Norbert Berkowitz succeeded. At this time, Schmidt wanted to explode but couldn't vent it. He could only grit his teeth and speak word by word.
"Doctor, please finish this in one go."
Norbert Berkowitz also knew not to push too far and stated his purpose directly.
"Commander, the human brain is too mysterious. Although I have a direction, I currently have too little information. I need more relevant information to determine whether I can find a way to replace the Amanita muscaria."
Ever since he discovered that reading can enhance analytical skills, Norbert Berkowitz has always wanted to collect some relevant information from that year to prove it.
Unfortunately, most of the materials stored in the base are various experimental materials, most of which are repetitive and of little help to him now.
Since Amanita muscaria is unavailable at the moment, Norbert Berkowitz wants to use this time to collect as many related books and pieces of information as possible.
Of course, doing it himself is definitely not feasible.
The efficiency is slow, the cycle is long, and it may not be collected in time.
Why not use Schmidt as a ready-made tool?
It's just some books and information. Before the serum is successfully developed, Schmidt will never refuse any small thing that is helpful to the development of the serum.
"No problem, Colonel Villa. It's up to you to arrange for someone to help the doctor collect information."
Schmidt gave the order to the stern-looking Colonel Villa beside him without hesitation.
"Commander, I know a place that can meet the doctor's needs," Dr. Zola suddenly stood up.
"Oh, where?"
"Poland."
***
Three days later, Norbert Berkowitz, accompanied by Colonel Villa, boarded a train to Poland.
Hydra base medical area.
Ramon finally got the chance to have a private meeting with Keira.
"Honey, is that guy gone?"
As soon as Keira walked into Ramon's office, Ramon immediately dropped the syringe in his hand and rushed forward impatiently.
Due to Norbert Berkowitz's travels these days, Keira didn't have time to meet with him at all, which made him a bit angry.
"Yes, the doctor has left. He will be gone for about a month." Keira nodded.
"Without further ado, let's get started."
After delaying for so long, Ramon couldn't wait any longer.
Keira took a deep breath, trying to ease the tension in her heart.
"Okay, let's start."
With no one else around, Ramon dragged Keira to the room in the medical area where experimental data was stored.
"What did you bring me here for?"
Looking at the bookshelves in the room, Keira was filled with doubts.
"You'll see soon enough."
Raising a finger to signal Keira not to speak, Ramon pulled her to the deepest part of the room like a thief.
There were some abandoned bookshelves stacked here, and the bookshelves were empty.
Ramon approached a corner and fiddled with it for a while, then motioned for Keira to follow him, opening a bookshelf to reveal a hidden entrance.
Keira followed curiously.
After entering, she discovered a completely different world behind the bookshelf.
Most of the ten-square-meter space was occupied by a test bench, which contained many experimental equipment and various test tubes.
When Keira entered, Ramon immediately pulled the bookshelf back to its original position and urged impatiently: "Hurry up, let's get started."
Keira looked hesitant, placing her hands in front of her and stirring constantly: "Do we really have to do this?"
"When things come to a close, you're not going to regret it, are you?" Ramon's face suddenly turned ferocious, and his bloodshot eyes stared at Keira. "Do you want me to die?"
"No, no, I didn't." Keira looked panicked.
"Then hurry up." Ramon stretched his neck and pulled Keira to the only chair and sat her down. He pressed her shoulders tightly with his hands and stared at her with a pair of red eyes. "Keira, you can't hesitate about our future now."
"I know, I'll do my best."
Keira's face was full of nervousness and fear at this time, and her mind was filled with unsettling memories.
"Then let's start."
In the past, Ramon would have noticed that Keira was abnormal at this time, but he was now solely focused on the super serum.
Her chest heaved violently, Keira forced herself to calm down, and slowly pressed her trembling hands to her temples. Her blue eyes slowly turned silver-white, and countless memory scenes quickly appeared in front of her eyes.
"Ah~"
Keira let out a scream of pain, but Ramon continued to urge regardless: "Quickly, find it."
Keira hunched over in the chair, as if enduring great pain, while Ramon kept urging beside her.
Suddenly, a bright and dazzling light like the Milky Way burst from Keira's silver-white eyes. The dazzling light intertwined and changed in front of her. A miniature version of Keira became clearer and clearer until every detail was revealed.
Ramon's face was flushed with extreme excitement, and his eyes grew greedier.
Light and shadow intersected, and a smaller version of Keira stood busy in front of a simple test bench.
This is the scene where Keira successfully helped Norbert Berkowitz prepare the super serum.
But the more he looked, the darker Ramon's face became. He realized that Keira in the image was operating completely randomly, with no dosage adjustment during the entire preparation process.
Anyone who has done experiments knows that any slight deviation in reagent amounts can have a huge impact on the subsequent steps. This is especially true for more complex experiments. A small amount or an excess of the solution involved in the reaction will not work.
Despite the stumbling preparation process and occasional pauses by Keira, when Ramon saw the final effect of the Norbert Berkowitz injection, he became numb.
The super serum seemed to be prepared so easily, like a child playing house.
Outrageous!
Off the charts!
Ramon felt insulted, and a strong sense of humiliation surged in his heart. He grabbed Keira's shoulders like a madman and questioned her ferociously and crazily.
"This is impossible! Are you lying to me? Do you want me to die! You liar! The super serum never succeeds so easily. You're definitely lying to me!"
The scene was interrupted, and Keira, suppressing the discomfort in her mind, looked at the face that frightened her with disbelief.
"Super serum? So you've been lying to me."
Keira was not completely clueless. She had doubts when she saw the changes in Number 1 during the serum experiment that day. Now she fully understood that Ramon already knew the doctor injected a super serum, and his purpose was from the beginning.
He had lied to her.
Seeing that he was exposed, Ramon stopped pretending and took off his disguise, revealing his true and distorted face.
"Yes, I was lying to you because you betrayed me and pretended to care about me. You make me feel disgusting."
"I didn't." Keira wanted to defend herself excitedly.
"No?" Ramon smiled contemptuously, "Then why did you become that guy's assistant? What do you know? What do you have besides this face?"
Snap, several red marks appeared on Keira's fair face. In her disbelieving eyes, Ramon pointed at her hysterically: "Don't think I don't know what Schmidt's order was. Why does that man get these things?"
"But I, a doctor of medicine from Humboldt University, can only have limited freedom. I am detained here as a useless doctor. I can't even ensure my safety. Someone could kill me with just one word."
"Why?"
"Isn't that guy the super serum that restored Dr. Erskine? I can do it too."
"As long as I recover the super serum, everything will be mine."
"At that time, I will reveal what happened to that guy who successfully developed the super serum in secret but did not report it. What do you think his end will be?"
Keira was so angry that she trembled. She gritted her teeth and stared at Ramon, who looked like a madman: "You madman, he saved your life."
"Saved my life?" Ramon sneered, grabbing Keira's neck and gritting his teeth. "I saved his life. Without me, he wouldn't have been able to develop the super serum. I am his savior."
Keira's face was red from suppressing the pain, her expression extremely pained, her eyes rolling up to reveal the whites, and her hands weakly slapping Ramon's arms.
Fortunately, Ramon reacted in time and let go; otherwise, she would have been strangled to death.
Ramon found a bundle of rope and tied up Keira before she could recover.
"Okay, our time is precious. I want you to recall the detailed process of preparing the serum again."
"Dream on." Keira flatly refused.
Unexpectedly, Ramon was not angry at all but showed a terrifying smile: "Hehe~ It doesn't matter, I have plenty of time to play with you slowly."
---
Chapter 13: An Unexpected Acquaintance
A small town called Auschwitz in southern Poland.
The train, loaded with supplies and personnel, passed through the gate of a row of red buildings and entered a camp.
Dr. Norbert Berkowitz and Colonel Villa disembarked from the train, accompanied by a group of Hydra soldiers, and were immediately greeted by a general in an Imperial uniform.
"Colonel Villa, welcome to Auschwitz."
"Long time no see, Colonel Jason Berg, excuse me." Villa extended his hand to shake Jason Berg's hand, then pointed to Dr. Norbert Berkowitz beside him and introduced, "This is Dr. Norbert Berkowitz."
Jason Berg glanced at Norbert Berkowitz indifferently, with no intention of greeting him, and walked forward towards Villa.
"Colonel, you must be tired from the journey. Please go and take a rest. I have prepared a sumptuous dinner for you."
"Thank you, Colonel." Villa expressed his gratitude to Jason Berg for the warm invitation, but did not forget Schmidt's order, "Colonel, I wonder what information Dr. Norbert Berkowitz needs..."
"Oh, that's right." Jason Berg raised his chin, pointed at Norbert Berkowitz next to Villa, and turned to an official on the side, "Joseph, once everything is settled, take this gentleman to see Shaw."
"Yes, Colonel." The official in a suit nodded and approached Norbert Berkowitz, "Sir, please follow me."
The corner of Norbert Berkowitz's mouth twitched. Although he knew that being looked down upon was common in this era, it was still... quite unpleasant.
The same went for Villa, who maintained a proud demeanor and did not speak a word to Norbert Berkowitz.
But Norbert Berkowitz said nothing in the end, and left with two Hydra soldiers and the official.
After Norbert Berkowitz left, Colonel Jason Berg suddenly smiled: "Villa, let's have a drink tonight."
Villa also smiled: "Of course, it's been a long time since we've had a drink together."
Following the official through the camp, they saw towering barbed wire fences everywhere, with guard towers at regular intervals, and heavily armed soldiers standing on them.
Various points in the camp were also guarded by soldiers, making it heavily fortified.
On the left were rows of red buildings with large chimneys on top, each emitting thick black smoke. At the entrance of each building was a large sign reading "Bathroom." A group of old, weak, women, and children stood in a long queue outside.
The building on the right was similar, except it had no chimney. A group of ragged, sallow, and skinny people were sitting on the grass, basking in the sun.
The atmosphere in the entire camp was so oppressive it was suffocating.
After walking for more than ten minutes, guided by the official, Norbert Berkowitz and his party entered a four-story building. Most of the people entering and exiting wore blue and white hospital gowns, while others wore white coats and military uniforms.
Arriving at the innermost room on the fourth floor, the official pointed to the room and said: "Doctor, this is your room. After you freshen up, please go downstairs and wait for me. Their rooms are elsewhere. I'll take them there first."
With that, he left with two Hydra soldiers.
Pushing open the door, Norbert Berkowitz was hit by a foul odor. He frowned and walked into the room. It was very large, but only had a bed in the center, and not even a chair. The room appeared very empty, and dark stains on the ceiling had obscured the original color of the walls.
Seeing the black marks on the wall, Norbert Berkowitz's expression changed, and he left the room without a second glance. He already knew what this room was used for.
Downstairs, everyone who entered and exited looked at this man with strange eyes.
Norbert Berkowitz remained unmoved and stood quietly holding his bow.
After a while, the official returned with two Hydra soldiers.
"Doctor, why are you still standing here? Are you not satisfied with the room?"
"No, I'm quite satisfied. I just think time is running short, and I don't plan to stay here." Norbert Berkowitz raised his hand and saluted with an indifferent expression.
"Okay, that's your prerogative." The official shrugged, looking indifferent, and turned to walk in the opposite direction. "Come with me; I'll take you to see Shaw."
After walking for another ten minutes, the officials led Norbert Berkowitz to a three-story building.
As they reached the door, they saw two soldiers carrying out a person. Norbert Berkowitz glanced and saw it was a woman, her eyes wide open in death.
Not paying much attention, Norbert Berkowitz followed the official into the small building.
Just as he reached the stairs, a violent vibration shook him, and a huge explosion came from upstairs.
Norbert Berkowitz reacted quickly and stabilized his balance. However, the official was less fortunate, falling down the stairs and suffering a bloody head injury.
"Doctor, let's move quickly."
Two Hydra soldiers hurriedly stepped forward to protect Norbert Berkowitz as he made his way out among the panicked crowd.
As soon as he stepped outside, the shaking ceased. Norbert Berkowitz glanced up and saw two figures, one large and one small, standing by a window on the second floor.
"Shaw, this is Dr. Norbert Berkowitz. He's here to borrow from our library." The official with a thin build pointed at Norbert Berkowitz and said to the man sitting behind the desk, "This is Dr. Shaw, the administrator of the library. If you need anything in the future, please contact him."
With that, the official hurriedly left the room.
"Haha, nice to meet you, Dr. Norbert Berkowitz." Shaw smiled and stood up from behind the desk, extending his hand enthusiastically, "Sebastian Shaw, pleased to meet you."
Sebastian Shaw, also known as the Black Emperor, was a mutant supervillain from the X-Men universe, Magneto's and Professor X's enemy.
Norbert Berkowitz didn't expect to meet him here.
After meeting Shaw face-to-face, Norbert Berkowitz was certain that the dead woman he had seen earlier was Magneto's mother, and the young man he glimpsed was Erik Lensherr, who had just awakened his powers.
With a smile, Norbert Berkowitz reached out and shook hands with Shaw across the desk: "Nice to meet you, Shaw."
As they shook hands, Norbert Berkowitz discreetly used his full strength for the first time.
******
In the corner of a spacious but overcrowded dormitory, several figures were gathered, whispering to each other.
Bradley, sitting in the corner with a stubbled face, looked at a polite young man across from him: "Peterson, do you understand the situation clearly?"
"I've inquired thoroughly. Distinguished guests are arriving at the camp today. At eight o'clock in the evening, Jason Berg will host a welcome dinner. All camp officials will be present." The young man named Peterson trembled slightly, excitement showing on his face, "Tonight is our best chance."
"That's great, the opportunity we've been waiting for has finally arrived."
"Hurry and inform the others; we'll make our escape tonight."
Everyone began to excitedly discuss the night's plan.
"Shut up, everyone." Bradley scolded with a dark expression, then turned to a burly man with a big beard, "Mam, how are the preparations going?"
"Don't worry, we've been ready for a long time. As soon as we act, we'll destroy the switch in no time." The burly Mam rubbed his hands excitedly.
Bradley nodded and addressed the excited group: "Notify everyone that we will act at nine o'clock in the evening."
"Understood."
Everyone responded and dispersed.
At eight o'clock in the evening, Colonel Jason Berg's welcome dinner for Colonel Villa began on schedule.
However, this dinner had nothing to do with Norbert Berkowitz. At that moment, he was sitting in a room filled with bookshelves, reading a book.
"Doctor, aren't you attending the dinner?"
Shaw, dressed in a black suit, passed by the library door and saw Norbert Berkowitz inside.
"Oh, it's you, Shaw." Norbert Berkowitz closed the book in his hand and expressed regret, "I didn't receive an invitation."
Shaw raised his eyebrows, understanding the situation and snorted contemptuously: "No matter, I'll bring back a few bottles of good wine later, and we'll have a drink."
"Okay, I'll be waiting."
Norbert Berkowitz smiled and nodded.
---
Chapter 14: Camp Riot
There was silence in the empty library, except for the slight sound of turning pages from time to time.
Sitting quietly on the sofa, Dr. Norbert Berkowitz flipped through the pages of the book in his hand calmly, with a composed expression on his face.
Not the kind of peace that is true peace, but the kind of peace that chills people to their bones.
He was actually prepared to be looked down upon, and it would not affect his mood. However, by temporarily transforming the morgue into a room for him to live in, and doing it so perfunctorily, it was not only looking down on him, but also an insult.
No, it's not an insult, because he doesn't deserve it!
Mortuary?
I'm afraid they wouldn't let dogs live there.
The calm face and indifferent eyes made it impossible to tell what Dr. Norbert Berkowitz was thinking.
As time passed, the clock on the wall slowly pointed to nine o'clock.
pop~
The room suddenly fell into darkness, followed by a burst of chaotic gunshots and shouts outside.
In the darkness, Dr. Norbert Berkowitz's calm face showed a stern smile: "It seems that God will remind me not to spend the night in revenge~"
The entire Auschwitz camp is huge, and the power outage only affected the southern part.
At the first moment of the power outage, a large black shadow rushed out of the barracks surrounded by heavy barbed wire to the south.
They quickly came to the barbed wire fence, took out the tools they had prepared long ago, and began tampering with the barbed wire.
"Stop, what are you doing?"
Although the power switch has been cut off and the surrounding area is plunged into darkness, it is difficult not to notice such a large black shadow.
～
A shrill whistle echoed throughout the camp.
"Catch them!"
"Shoot! Shoot! Don't let them escape!"
chug chu...
Although darkness is a natural cover, there are so many people running away that even if they shoot randomly, many people will still be hit.
"Ah~ help!"
"Run, run, run out of here and be free."
...
Gunshots, wails, shouts... it suddenly became chaotic.
"What to do? Bradley, we were discovered."
Peterson, who was not yet nineteen years old, was frightened and panicked by the gunfire.
"Don't panic, come with me."
Bradley didn't panic at all. Instead, he took advantage of the night and ran along the barbed wire fence to a place with fewer people.
"Don't be stunned, hurry up and follow."
Bradley slapped Peterson with his rough palm, smiled, and followed him into the darkness.
Only then did Peterson react and quickly follow.
The three of them moved forward along the barbed wire fence, and soon came to the edge of the barbed wire fence. Not far ahead was a sentry tower, with a firestorm on it spitting out a metal storm crazily.
"Don't~ we will be discovered."
Peterson cowered on the ground with a look of panic, daring not to move forward.
"Boy, you are too timid, look at it."
The bearded Bradley snorted contemptuously and then strode towards the guard tower under Peterson's horrified eyes.
With such a close distance, Bradley did not hide his presence, so he was naturally discovered by the soldiers on the sentry tower.
"Stop, put your hands up."
In the darkness, Bradley raised the corners of his mouth, showing a disdainful smile, and rushed toward the sentry tower.
The firestorm on the guard tower turned around, and the ruthless metal storm enveloped Bradley.
"Ah~"
Peterson screamed in horror.
Bradley next to him looked calm, as if he didn't care about Bradley's life or death at all.
bang bang bang bang~
The scene that Peterson imagined of Bradley being torn apart by a machine gun did not happen. Instead, he heard Bradley roaring, followed by a loud bang.
Then, the firestorm stopped suddenly, and Bradley stood up and patted Peterson's shoulder.
"Come on, kid."
Peterson, who looked confused, could only instinctively follow Bradley forward.
When they reached the guard tower, Peterson discovered that the wooden guard tower had become a pile of wooden debris, and there were two corpses of soldiers on the ground.
"This this..."
Seeing Peterson's stunned look, Bradley showed a proud smile on his face and said meaningfully: "Boy, you are not the only one with special abilities."
"Ah~ you guys~"
This sentence immediately woke Peterson up, and he pointed at the two people in front of him in surprise.
"Stop talking nonsense and leave quickly. We can talk about everything else after you escape."
Bradley walked to the ruins of the sentry tower, took a deep breath, opened his hands and fingers, and then ten red lasers emerged from his fingers.
The moment the laser touched the barbed wire, a large hole was cut into the barbed wire.
The sentry tower is located in a triangular area, with a piece of farmland on the left, where they usually work. There is also a layer of barbed wire to the left. As long as they break through the barbed wire, they can escape from the camp.
On the other side are rows of three- and four-story buildings, including hospitals, canteens, warehouses, and dormitories.
Bradley did not go toward the farmland but crossed the barbed wire fence and walked to the other side.
"Hey, Bradley, you're going the wrong way, this way."
At this time, even Bradley looked surprised.
"You can't go that way. They will be able to repair the electric switch soon. There is no cover over the farmland. If you run over there, you will be a target."
"Even if we can successfully pass through the farmland, there is still an open area outside, and it is a minefield. Whether we can get out alive or not depends entirely on luck."
Gollum~
Bradley and Peterson were so frightened that their faces turned pale.
Be good~
Minefield?
They had just arrived, and they didn't know that there was a minefield outside. If they tried to get through there with only their flesh and blood, it would be a narrow escape.
Bradley was still experienced and reacted quickly. Since Bradley knew this, he must have a way to deal with it.
"Bradley, do you have a way to get through the minefield safely?"
Now, Bradley no longer hides his plan.
"There is a forest not far behind this camp. Because it is close to the soldiers' camp, there are no minefields. As long as we pass through the camp and reach the back, we can enter the woods. By then, it will be much easier for us to run."
"I knew you had a way." Bradley cheered, and then worried, "But this is a soldier's camp, can we do it with our bare hands?"
"No one would have thought that we would dare to enter the soldier's camp. As long as we don't make too much noise, no one will notice."
"Then they..." Peterson mentioned weakly.
Bradley said with a cold face, "If they didn't help us attract attention, do you think we would have a chance to escape?"
Peterson and Bradley broke out in cold sweat instantly.
"Don't think so much, they are not essentially the same type of people as us."
The two looked at each other and both understood what Bradley meant.
"You mean~"
"Well, we are different." Bradley nodded, suddenly pulled the two of them to hide, and whispered, "Shh, there is someone."
A group of heavily armed soldiers passed them by.
The three of them moved forward very smoothly at first, but Peterson was too young after all. When they encountered a group of soldiers again, they accidentally made a bit of noise and were eventually discovered.
"There's someone here, catch them."
Bradley's expression changed drastically, and he roared angrily: "Bradley."
After hearing this, Bradley immediately stood in front of the two people, crossed his arms, and shouted angrily.
chug chu...
Peterson collapsed to the ground in fear, thinking he was dead.
However, the reality was a little different from what he thought. There seemed to be a transparent wall in front of the three of them, and the flying bullets seemed to hit it with a muffled sound.
Then, he heard Bradley's anxious roar: "Hurry up, I can't hold it anymore."
Bradley turned over and appeared next to Bradley, his ten fingers began to turn red, and ten unstoppable lasers struck at the soldiers.
"What is this?"
A soldier was pierced by a laser as soon as he shouted loudly. He didn't get an answer until he died.
After dealing with a group of soldiers, Bradley and Bradley were exhausted, but they didn't dare to delay and turned around to run. Bradley kicked Peterson.
"Don't be stupid. Do you want to die?"
The gunfire just now has attracted the attention of other soldiers in the camp. They don't have much time now and must leave here as soon as possible.
However, they still did not escape the pursuit and interception of the soldiers. There was a fierce exchange of fire between the two sides. Bradley finally exhausted his strength and was shot through the shoulder.
Without Bradley's defense, Bradley alone was unable to fight against the pursuers. The three of them could only change their route and fight while running. As a result, they rushed into a three-story building in a panic.
---
Chapter 15: I Want to Set Off Fireworks
"Quick, they're running over there!"
"Sir, there is no one here."
"There's no one here."
...
"How is that possible? Can they fly?" The leading officer was furious. "Search thoroughly—I must catch them!"
Imperial soldiers dispersed in groups of three and began searching.
"Bradley, what should we do? There are people outside."
Sitting paralyzed on the ground, Peterson couldn't speak clearly, his immature face full of nervousness and fear.
"How would I know? If it weren't for you, we wouldn't have been discovered."
Bradley couldn't stay calm. If it weren't for the wrong timing, he would have loved to knock some sense into Peterson.
According to his plan, they should have left this ghostly place by now. It was Peterson's fault that they were exposed.
"I didn't mean to do it," Peterson muttered.
"You..."
The furious Bradley was about to rush at Peterson, but he was pulled back by Mam, who was pulling a wound and grimacing in pain. "Hey, stop arguing. We need to find a way out of here now."
"What can we do? There are troops everywhere outside. We will be found sooner or later," Bradley looked dejected.
"No, we have Peterson."
The two looked at the frightened Peterson with hopeful eyes.
"Oh no, I've never tried this with three people—not even with two."
******
A group of Imperial soldiers rushed into the three-story building with torches and searched each floor until they reached the library on the third floor.
"Who's there? Hands up!"
An soldier raised his gun and pointed it at a dark figure standing in front of the window.
"Wait, he's Colonel Jason Berg's guest."
The leading officer stopped the soldier. He was also a member of the welcoming team and was deeply impressed by the guest's demeanor.
"I'm sorry, doctor. Did you see anyone suspicious?"
Although he knew Dr. Norbert Berkowitz was a guest, the officer didn't show much respect.
"No, I am the only one here. I have not seen anyone else. If you are worried, you can search at will."
With a hint of panic, Dr. Berkowitz signaled that he would fully cooperate.
"Then excuse me." The officer turned around and ordered, "Search."
After searching for a while, the Army found nothing and left without saying another word.
After the Army left, a vigorous figure walked through the window and approached Dr. Berkowitz's side.
"Doctor, you'd better have a reason to convince me. It's dangerous for you to do this."
Dr. Berkowitz, who was standing in front of the window, turned around and smiled slightly. "'Desperate Plan,' is this reason enough? William."
The person who came was none other than William, the commander of the Hydra agent force.
"Did you find it?" William couldn't hide his excitement and said in a deep voice.
"No, I didn't find it."
William's expression changed; he was not pleased by the answer.
Dr. Berkowitz ignored him and said to himself, "Although I didn't find the 'Desperate Plan,' don't forget, why are we searching for it?"
"You mean?" William's eyes lit up.
"That's right." Dr. Berkowitz nodded. "Although it's unbelievable to say this, I have found a way to solve the side effects of the serum. If this is the case, why should we risk finding the 'Desperate Plan?'"
The 'Desperate Plan' was a secret research project of the Nazi germany with the goal of developing technology to control the minds of others. If successful, this technology could be used to control, subjugate, and enslave people, achieving world domination.
Dr. Zola had been involved in this program before joining HYDRA. Dr. Berkowitz's mental manipulation had made Zola believe that this plan was perfect for super soldiers, so he mentioned it to Schmidt.
At that time, Dr. Berkowitz was almost so excited he wanted to kiss Zola—this was a divine assist.
This back and forth would take at least a month, and Dr. Berkowitz could waste many brain cells finding excuses to delay.
However, upon encountering Shaw, Dr. Berkowitz felt the plan should be adjusted.
There are no mutants in the Marvel Cinematic Universe movies. Shaw's presence here indicated that this world was not the Marvel Cinematic Universe Dr. Berkowitz was familiar with.
His previous plan was intended for the plot of "Captain America: The First Avenger," but now that Shaw from "First Class" had appeared, who knew what else might get involved?
With mutants discovered, delaying the development of the super serum seemed insignificant. That pursuit no longer satisfied him.
From the moment Shaw's identity was established, Dr. Berkowitz's goal was mutant genes. If he could obtain a self-healing factor as powerful as Wolverine's, he felt he would have the ability to analyze the mysterious book and the Tesseract.
If only he could obtain Magneto's abilities.
Super soldier? That seemed like a joke.
As for Shaw? Forget it. That guy was too overpowered. Without the psychic ability to control others like Professor Charles, Shaw's ability was essentially a cheat.
If there were no other more outrageous existences, it would be no exaggeration to say Shaw was invincible.
So Dr. Berkowitz decided not to waste time in this unpleasant place, but he had to give those people a significant parting gift.
He was not a good person, and it was only fair that his flaws should be repaid.
Let the "Desperate Plan" go to hell.
"Since there is no need to search for that 'Desperate Plan,' why did you call me here at this time?"
Dr. Berkowitz did not answer William's question but looked out the window at the occasional flashes of fire in the darkness.
"William, do you want to have an army of super soldiers?"
"What do you want to do?" William's heart raced, and his throat suddenly felt dry.
"The commander needs an army of super soldiers who fully obey orders. However, for the serum to achieve this, it must erase the original thoughts of the user and make them an emotionless weapon, so they can fully obey orders."
"You are the commander of the special agent force. Even if the serum is successfully developed, I don't think it will concern you much. Those people are still qualified to be killers and agents—haha."
Dr. Berkowitz's words were like the devil's whisper, stirring William's restless nerves.
William's eyes flashed. Thinking of what happened to Dr. Berkowitz and his absence from the dinner party, he immediately understood the implications.
"What do you want me to do?"
Dr. Berkowitz, with his back to William, raised the corners of his mouth. He knew that no one in Hydra was truly safe.
He turned to William with a solemn smile and pointed to a magnificent building in the distance outside the window.
"Tell me, if fireworks are set off there tonight, wouldn't it be spectacular?"
What a madman.
William cursed silently and showed hesitation on his face.
Dr. Berkowitz was not in a hurry; he stood there waiting quietly.
This was a deal, and his bargaining chip was the super serum necessary to form an army of super soldiers.
Whether William dared to accept this deal depended on his courage.
As for whether William would betray him, Dr. Berkowitz was not worried at all.
Selling out oneself would bring no benefit. If he survived, he would simply have one more enemy.
Hydra had no loyalty. In the movies, after Dr. Zola was captured, he sold Schmidt without hesitation to save himself.
It was just selling out teammates for huge benefits—nothing too outrageous.
"Deal."
William hesitated for a moment, then agreed.
William was about to leave when Dr. Berkowitz stopped him again. "By the way, I hope you can help me get a boy named Eric Lehnsherr when the fireworks are set off."
Finally, Dr. Berkowitz emphasized again to ensure William took it seriously.
"This is important, more important than the fireworks."
"Eric Lehnsherr?" William muttered, then nodded to Dr. Berkowitz. "I'll remember."
Dr. Berkowitz didn't need to worry about the rest. He stood in front of the window again, looking at the flickering flames in the darkness outside.
"Stop hiding; I'm the only one here."
---
Chapter 16: Cooperation with Shaw
"Peterson, don't—"
Before he could finish his sentence, Norbert suddenly looked toward a dark corner.
"Hold on... I can't hold on anymore."
Peterson collapsed to the ground, his face pale and frightened, his chest heaving with rapid breaths.
Bradley's expression changed as he eyed Norbert with suspicion. His fingers were bloodied, but he refrained from attacking.
At that moment, Norbert recalled that these three were the ones the Imperial Army had been searching for. He had seen them fighting against the Army before. The bearded man had a transparent energy shield, another could shoot red laser beams from his hands, and the younger one's powers were still a mystery.
Considering Norbert had forgotten about them earlier, it was likely the younger one's ability.
These three had attempted to hold him hostage but had ended up giving him a lesson.
"If you don't want to attract attention, perhaps we should have a chat."
Norbert moved aside and lit a candle as if nothing had happened.
The firelight revealed Norbert's imposing figure. He was tall and broad, his black suit accentuating his physique. He appeared to be around thirty, with sharp features and a look that was both sinister and intimidating.
Bradley and Mam exchanged worried glances, recognizing the seriousness and fear in each other's eyes.
Peterson was now lying on the ground, incapacitated for the time being. Norbert had almost broken their bones. If Peterson hadn't used his powers at a critical moment, they might have been dead.
Realizing the danger, Norbert also knew that the knowledge of the transaction between him and William had to be kept secret.
Killing them? That was necessary.
The three were not hard to deal with. The only potentially troublesome one was the bearded man who could shoot lasers.
Bearded? If he weren't injured, he might have been the most problematic. But now...
The one lying dead on the ground...
Norbert didn't want to make too much noise.
This was valuable data. It would be a pity if it slipped away.
A series of thoughts flashed through Norbert's mind, but he ultimately dismissed them.
Under the flickering candlelight, Norbert and the three mutants fell into silence.
"Uh-huh."
Mam moaned as he fell to the ground.
"Mam."
Bradley called out anxiously but didn't dare approach.
Losing one person, and now facing the loss of Mam's abilities, made Bradley's hair stand on end, filling him with a sense of impending doom.
Indeed, at the moment Bradley was distracted, a shadow darted across. Instinctively, Bradley prepared to attack and fired his index finger laser.
Piu~
The red laser cut through the darkness and pierced the ceiling.
Bradley's expression shifted as he tried to fire again, but his wrist was firmly held by strong hands, preventing him from moving.
"No—"
Before he could finish his protest, Bradley's hands were severed with a snap. Pain surged through him, and before he could scream, a cold light flashed in the darkness.
"Uh~uh~"
Staring with disbelief, Bradley slowly fell to the ground, twitching a few times.
"You—"
Mam looked on in horror. Excessive blood loss had already left him mentally shaken, and the sight before him left him unable to form a coherent thought.
In the candlelight, most of Norbert 's face was shrouded in darkness, with only a row of bright white teeth visible, giving him a demonic appearance.
Norbert didn't give Mam a chance to react, quickly snapping Mam's neck.
After dealing with the two, Norbert retrieved two thick needles and test tubes. He collected a large tube of blood from one of the bodies and placed a broken-off little finger from the other into a test tube.
Norbert then stored the test tubes and syringes in a special container and walked towards the door.
"Did I forget something?"
A hint of doubt crossed his mind as he pondered if he had overlooked something. After a moment's thought, he found nothing missing.
"Forget it. Let's find someone to dispose of these experimental materials."
After Norbert left, the room fell silent once more, with only the faint candlelight flickering in the darkness.
"Huhuhu~"
Heavy breathing echoed from behind the door, followed by a shadow crawling out.
Peterson, with a panicked stumble, crawled toward the door using both hands and feet.
Despite his fear, Peterson remembered Bradley's instructions: pass through the camp, avoid the minefield, and enter the woods to escape this hellish place.
Norbert's expression suddenly changed when he spotted two Hydra soldiers, and he quickly turned and ran towards the library's small building.
Confused, the Hydra soldiers followed Norbert in haste.
Back in the library, Norbert searched thoroughly with a grim expression but found nothing.
Sitting on the sofa with a displeased look, Norbert was joined by the panting Hydra soldiers who had arrived with two bottles of wine.
"Dispose of the bodies quickly and discreetly," Norbert ordered in a deep voice, pointing to the corpses.
Since removing the bodies was not feasible, Norbert instructed them to handle it without drawing attention.
The Hydra soldiers had just taken the bodies out when they re-entered hurriedly with the wine bottles.
" Norbert, are you okay?"
Norbert's heart skipped a beat, but he stood up from the sofa with a smile: "Shaw, didn't you go to the dinner party? What are you doing back so soon?"
Seeing Norbert was unharmed, Shaw breathed a sigh of relief and regained his composure.
He then smirked contemptuously: "A bunch of humans indulging in the past, rotten and filthy. It disgusts me to be among them. They are no better than us. These races with no abilities, only wasting resources, deserve to be eradicated."
Relieved that Shaw didn't question the two bodies, Norbert listened to Shaw's rant about mutant supremacy, and a wicked thought crossed his mind.
If Shaw knew that this "mutant" was a fake and that this fake had just killed two real mutants, it would surely be entertaining.
With a sly grin, Norbert interrupted Shaw's monologue.
"Shaw, now's your chance to vent. How about a little cooperation?"
"Oh, what opportunity?"
Shaw's demeanor toward the "mutant" who agreed with his views was extremely friendly.
Norbert smiled mysteriously, took a bottle of wine from Shaw, and opened it with a flourish.
He poured two glasses of wine and handed one to Shaw.
"Don't worry, I'll treat you to a fireworks show first. We can discuss things while watching."
Intrigued by Norbert's mysterious air, Shaw took the wine glass and clinked it: "I'm looking forward to it."
The two finished their glasses of wine quickly.
Boom~
A powerful hurricane swept through the entire camp. Shaw's suit rustled, but Norbert remained completely unaffected, not even a strand of hair disturbed.
Norbert, seeing Shaw's shocked reaction, smiled slightly: "How is it? Do you like this gift?"
Shaw's shock was fleeting, replaced by excitement: "Haha, my dear brother, this gift is truly spectacular. You've done what I've always wanted to do."
"Shaw, I'm glad you like it," Norbert responded with a grin. "Shall we discuss cooperation now?"
"Sure thing."
------------
Chapter 17: Do You Want Revenge?
Fireworks erupted in the darkness, completely detonating the entire Auschwitz camp.
William had invested heavily this time, deploying almost all Hydra agents in Auschwitz.
The fireworks were dazzling and shocking.
After the fireworks, the Imperial troops in the Auschwitz camp were thrown into chaos.
Most of Auschwitz's senior officers had gathered at the location where the fireworks were set off tonight. The display triggered a series of chain reactions.
The riot in the southern camp quickly spread to other camps like a spark.
First, there was the labor camp adjacent to the southern camp. This camp mainly held young laborers, many of whom were prisoners of war. When the southern camp rioted, they were initially hesitant, but fear of the imperial army kept them in check. Despite their restlessness, they were still controllable.
However, once the fireworks went off and the commotion spread through the imperial army, the labor camp could no longer be contained.
The riots in the labor camps were far more intense than those in the southern camps. The prisoners, having been on the battlefield, were more effective in combat than all the other camps combined.
These prisoners of war seized the weapons of the imperial army and did not leave the camp. Instead, they scattered and advanced further into the camp.
Soon, the Auschwitz camp, covering an area of 40 square kilometers, was engulfed in smoke.
"Norbert Berkowitz, you really don't want to come with me?" Shaw walked to the door, turned around, and invited Norbert again. "As long as we join forces, no one in this world can stop us."
Norbert shook his head. "Shaw, you know there are some things I have to do. Once I finish what I need to do, I will join you."
"You really don't need my help?"
Meeting someone with similar views and goals, Shaw was quite enthusiastic.
"No, this is something I must handle myself," Norbert insisted.
"Alright then, I'll leave first. I'll leave the little guy to you."
"No problem, don't worry. I'll take good care of him."
Norbert promised sincerely.
Shaw was reassured by Norbert's assurance. Given today's events, it was clear Norbert had the capability to handle the task.
Shaw left, and Norbert breathed a sigh of relief.
A lie requires countless other lies to maintain.
Not only had he pretended to be a mutant, but he also fabricated a tragic life story to dissuade Shaw from wanting to work with him. In such a short period, he had expended a lot of mental energy.
Shaw not only did not doubt Norbert's words but also agreed to become his strategic partner.
With Shaw as a powerful ally, Norbert had greater control over the situation after losing control of the super serum. It also allowed him to fully unleash his potential.
***
The next morning.
The gunfire gradually subsided, and the riot in the Auschwitz camp was finally quelled—or rather, it was not so much suppressed as it was chaotic.
The fireworks had caused the Imperial Army to lose its organization and fight among themselves. Without the rioting prisoners, who were also disorganized and scattered, it would have taken a long time to quell the riot.
Even so, the riot left the Auschwitz camp almost in ruins. The army suffered heavy casualties. More than hundreds of thousands of German prisoners fled, leaving corpses in the minefield outside. In the end, the number of people who fled Auschwitz was unknown.
What was certain was that the Auschwitz camp no longer existed, leaving only a devastated area.
The only building still intact in the Auschwitz camp was the logistics camp where Norbert was located.
Norbert looked at the expressionless William next to him with some surprise.
He had expected that setting off fireworks would lead to unpredictable consequences, but he never anticipated this outcome.
This seemed like quite a significant problem.
"William, are you sure you only set off fireworks?"
William shrugged, looking innocent. "I only asked them to let some people go and gave them the keys to the weapons arsenal."
Norbert rolled his eyes and looked at the sky, exasperated. "Are you sure you don't want to take the blame?"
"If we make such a commotion, we won't be exposed, right?"
This was Norbert's biggest concern.
This place could be considered a stronghold of the empire. Making such a huge commotion would certainly anger the empire's top brass. If it was discovered that he was responsible, Norbert felt even Schmidt might tear him apart.
"Don't worry, Doctor. Most of the surviving officers in the camp are my people. Even if the empire wants to, they won't be able to find us. This was all a premeditated riot," William said confidently.
Is this the extent of Hydra's reach?
For the first time, Norbert had a more concrete understanding of the term "pervasive."
No wonder Schmidt had the confidence to sever ties with the empire. It wasn't a mere break; it was like gangrene clinging to the bones, draining your blood and consuming your flesh, only to kick you away when it's finished and take over completely.
Looking back at the events in Captain America 1, it seemed too easy for Hydra to be defeated, without even a significant counterattack. It didn't seem like a supervillain organization at all; it was almost just a backdrop.
But it lived up to its motto of "cut off one head and two more will grow in its place." If not for Captain America's intervention, Hydra's defeat would not have been so straightforward.
With a more comprehensive understanding of Hydra, Norbert felt he had made the right decision.
His butterfly wings had stirred the plot into chaos. The future of this world was no longer under his control. He must adapt and prepare for unpredictable situations.
But first, he needed sufficient strength and power.
He couldn't wait any longer.
"William, we need to get back to the base as soon as possible."
"So anxious?" William was surprised at Norbert's urgency.
Norbert smiled slightly. "Don't you want to see your super soldier as soon as possible?"
Hearing this, William's eyes lit up with intensity. "Of course, I can't wait."
"By the way, could you take all the books here with you when you leave?" Norbert pointed to the bookshelves in the room.
"No problem."
This was a minor issue. When the time came, the house would be blown up, and it would be claimed that it was destroyed in the riot last night. No one would question it.
Three days later, Norbert and William, along with a group of Hydra soldiers, left Auschwitz on a supply train. Of course, this time, there were a few fewer people and one more person.
Looking at the disheveled young man in front of him, Norbert smiled. This was the biggest surprise of his trip to Auschwitz.
"Eric, do you want revenge?"
***
Alps, Hydra Base.
Medical District Information Room.
Ramon carefully dropped the last drop of reagent into the test tube.
A magical transformation occurred. The light yellow liquid in the test tube slowly turned golden yellow.
Finally, the liquid completed its transformation and emitted a faint golden-red light, though the red hue was very subtle and nearly imperceptible.
"I did it! I succeeded!"
Seeing the final changes in the test tube, Ramon had a maniacal smile on his face. He waved his hands in the air, repeating some nonsensical phrases.
"Mine, everything is mine."
"Go to hell, go to hell."
"I am a genius; only I can succeed."
"My dear, I love you. No one can love you more than I do."
Keira used all her strength to open her eyes and saw the tube of golden reagent on the test bench in front of Ramon.
With a trace of despair in her eyes, she opened her mouth and let out a few low moans.
The low moans caught Ramon's attention. He turned his head and looked lovingly at Keira, who was barely recognizable.
"Oh, darling, you see, I succeeded. I am a genius."
At this moment, Keira had lost all her former charm. Her body was torn and bruised, her clothes barely covering her, and most parts of her body were swollen. The only thing that remained somewhat intact was her face, but it was completely gray and devoid of any past radiance.
"Don't worry, darling. When I replace that guy, I'll cure you, and then you'll never leave me again."
With a nervous smile on his face, Ramon drew the super serum he had finally prepared into a syringe under Keira's fearful gaze, and then injected it into his own body without hesitation.
---
Chapter 18: Crisis of Trust
A week later, Norbert Berkowitz and William returned to the Hydra base in the Alps.
As soon as Norbert got out of the car, he sensed something was amiss. The entire base was heavily fortified. There were several times more Hydra soldiers patrolling than before, and they seemed to be searching for something.
From the moment they entered the base, Hydra soldiers were everywhere.
Norbert and William exchanged glances, seeing the confusion reflected in each other's eyes.
"Commander."
The two approached Schmidt and saluted in the Hydra military fashion.
Today, Schmidt appeared different from usual. Perhaps it was due to his disfigurement; Schmidt, who typically wore his human leather mask, was now wearing a red skull mask that exuded a dangerous aura, giving him the appearance of an evil villain.
"Doctor, you arrived just in time. I have something to show you."
Schmidt's voice was devoid of any emotion, but it was chilling nonetheless.
Norbert's pupils narrowed, sensing that something was wrong.
"Commander, I also have something to show you."
Schmidt nodded curtly: "Follow me."
As they followed Schmidt, Norbert pondered what Schmidt could mean, but the scant information left him perplexed.
In the brightly lit corridor, dull crashing sounds gradually filled Norbert's ears, growing louder over time.
Soon, they arrived at a large iron door, behind which a huge banging sound could be heard.
"Open the door."
The iron gears turned, and the door creaked open. Norbert was slightly surprised by the sight before him.
"Ramon?"
Behind the iron door was an iron fence, and beyond that, a cell. The occupant was Dr. Ramon, but this version of Ramon was quite different from the one Norbert knew.
While he had become stronger, his appearance hadn't changed much. However, his demeanor had completely transformed. Previously timid and cowardly, Ramon now seemed deranged, his eyes filled with madness, and a neurotic smile frequently appearing on his face. He resembled a mental patient more than a scientist.
When the door opened, Ramon rushed to the fence like a wild animal, grabbing the bars and roaring.
"You liar! You two bastards teamed up to deceive me. I'm going to kill you!"
The iron bars strained and twisted under Ramon's immense force.
Bang~
At Schmidt's signal, the door slammed shut again, and Ramon's frantic roars faded behind it.
"Commander, Dr. Ramon, this is—"
Norbert was even more confused now. From what Schmidt implied, Ramon's transformation must be related to him, but he had no recollection of it.
"He claimed to have developed a super serum, but you just stole his research," Schmidt's eyes gleamed with intensity, causing Norbert's heart to skip a beat. He thought, "Damn it, I've seen people lie, but this is a new level of deceit. How many idiots are there?"
"Does the commander believe what he says?"
Norbert appeared quite shocked, his demeanor one of depression and confusion.
"Of course not," Schmidt grinned, "but that man told me something I didn't know."
"Congratulations, Commander."
Seeing Norbert's indifferent reaction, seemingly uncurious, a hint of surprise flashed in Schmidt's eyes: "Doctor, don't you want to know?"
Norbert shrugged: "It's nothing more than slander. Do you really need my explanation, Commander?"
No matter what Ramon told Schmidt, being imprisoned was the best outcome for him. Explanations often served as mere cover-ups and could even be counterproductive.
Schmidt's expression was relaxed as he patted Norbert on the shoulder: "Of course not, my trust in you is unwavering, but this guy and your assistant have been missing for half a month. He suddenly reappeared at the base, and I suspect your assistant stole the serum formula."
Norbert raised an eyebrow: "Keira is missing?"
Schmidt nodded: "They both disappeared simultaneously, and this man reappeared. I suspect the thief never left the base but is hiding."
"I've sent people to search the base. I'll leave this matter to you. I assume you want to handle it yourself."
"Of course, I'll deal with him appropriately." Norbert's expression turned grim.
Norbert was determined to deal with Ramon thoroughly because Schmidt had begun to doubt him. Otherwise, Schmidt wouldn't have been testing him relentlessly from the start.
Fortunately, Norbert and William had sent a telegram to Schmidt before leaving Auschwitz, reporting that they had found a solution to the serum, or it would have been even harder to pass Schmidt's scrutiny.
The position Norbert had painstakingly established in Schmidt's eyes was nearly destroyed by a single misstep. Naturally, Norbert would deal with Ramon thoroughly.
However, before that, Norbert needed to determine whether Ramon had been injected with the super serum, and if so, where it came from.
Schmidt wouldn't believe that Keira stole the serum formula and Norbert's work.
Norbert had produced two super serums in total, one for himself and one for testing with Schmidt.
The production of the latter serum was entirely done by Norbert himself, without any external help. Apart from the two defective formulas given to Schmidt, no other written serum formula information existed.
If Ramon had been injected with one of the defective serums, he would either be dead or a mindless beast in three days, incapable of retaining his current consciousness.
If Keira had stolen the perfect version of the serum, it would have been during the time she was fully involved in its production.
But Norbert was confident that even with a simple and crude production method was only succeded with his system analysing abilities and instinctive understanding of materials system provided , replicating it accurately would be difficult for Dr. Erskine, the serum's inventor, let alone Keira, who was often prone to errors.
That was impossible.
A great mystery loomed in Norbert's mind, raising alarm bells once more.
First, with the mutants discovered in Auschwitz, and now this.
The world was filled with extraordinary individuals, and Norbert was far from being the most special.
After a moment of thought, Norbert turned to William, who had been silent throughout: "William, do me a favor. Calm that guy down and then send him to my laboratory."
William nodded indifferently and went off to find someone to handle it.
Norbert promptly headed to his laboratory, eager to confirm whether Ramon had been injected with the super serum.
In the laboratory, Ramon, restrained by tubes and fixed on an iron bed, was surrounded by fully armed Hydra soldiers.
Blood samples were drawn and analyzed.
The analysis results arrived within ten minutes.
However, the results left Norbert feeling as if he had been slapped in the face.
Ramon had indeed been injected with the super serum—the perfect version that Norbert had directed Keira to produce.
It seemed that Ramon had miscalculated the dosage during replication, which had driven him to madness.
"Is Keira also a mutant?"
Aside from mutants, Norbert couldn't believe that anyone could reproduce the serum without knowing the exact formula.
Mutants with special abilities were the only ones who might have such a possibility.
In fact, Norbert's guess was correct, but he was not aware of it yet.
After drawing another blood sample from Ramon, Norbert stopped paying attention to him.
Certain things were understood tacitly.
Schmidt had handed Ramon over to Norbert with a clear threat. The past issues were set aside for now, but Norbert had to deliver what Schmidt wanted. Otherwise, old and new grievances would be settled together.
Only an idiot like Ramon would think that replicating the super serum could replace Norbert.
He didn't even look in the mirror. Compared to Norbert, who could provide Schmidt with a super army loyal to his commands, Ramon merely brought an imperfect serum.
The choice was clear to anyone with common sense.
"Damn it, it's clear that no super villain is simple," Norbert thought grimly, his mind racing.
He was in a trust crisis, and it seemed like something imminent was about to unfold.
Although the risk was high, the final reward—
"To hell with it, I'll support the brave to the end and starve the timid."
"Done."
Determined, Norbert prepared to deal with Ramon, the man who had nearly sunk his plans.
"Doctor, Keira has been found."
--------------
Chapter 19: Strength Breeds Ambition
"Where is she? Bring her to see me."
Although Ramon, who was mentally unstable, called himself and Keira a failure, Norbert Berkowitz felt that they were the real failures.
If it hadn't been for him, this pair of unfortunate lovers would have been doomed long ago, and they wouldn't be in this predicament now.
It was pointless that he didn't approach Keira because Ramon helped him. If he had known better, he should have let him experience what it means to mess with his plans.
Now that Keira has been found, he is ready to take advantage of this couple.
"Uh, Doctor, maybe she can't come to see you," the visitor said hesitantly.
"What happened?"
***
Looking at Keira, who was disfigured and severely injured on the hospital bed, Norbert Berkowitz had no expression on his face and asked in a deep voice, "How is she now?"
"It's a miracle that she's still alive," the doctor responsible for treating Keira's injuries lamented.
"Is there any hope?"
"I will do my best," the doctor promised hastily.
Norbert Berkowitz nodded and took some of Keira's tissue samples. "Don't let her die; she's still useful to me."
Norbert didn't care about Keira's life or death, but until he figured out how the formula was leaked, she couldn't die yet.
This was a thorn in his side, and he couldn't rest until he understood it.
After leaving the ward, Norbert did not go directly back to his laboratory.
Through William, Schmidt already knew that Norbert had a solution to the super serum problem.
Schmidt had given Norbert half a month. During this time, except that he couldn't leave the base, no one would bother him.
Norbert was not rushed about the serum, as long as Schmidt was satisfied by then.
What he cared about now was something much more important than the serum.
After walking through the long corridor, Norbert came to a separate cell.
In the cell, Eric sat quietly in the corner. This less than a month's experience had left the young Magneto still troubled.
First, he had awakened his abilities unintentionally and witnessed his mother's death, powerless to stop his enemy.
Then there was a riot in the camp, and he was captured by a group of mysterious people and taken to a place where he met the mysterious man.
The man told him that he could seek revenge and to endure for a while, but after so many days, no one had paid attention to him except for the person who brought his meals.
Just as Eric kept thinking wildly, the door of the cell was opened from the outside, and the man who had been absent for several days appeared before him again.
"Sorry, Eric, I had some urgent matters to deal with these past few days." As soon as he entered, Norbert first expressed his apologies to Eric.
Although the current Magneto was still very young, Norbert did not dare to neglect him. If he were to hold a grudge, it could cause trouble in the future.
As for eliminating the young Magneto, Norbert had considered it.
But killing Magneto now would not benefit him. On the contrary, a living Magneto would be more valuable.
One reason was to deal with the Black Emperor Shaw.
Perhaps due to the influence of his previous life, Norbert's impression of Magneto was far better than of Shaw.
If he had to choose between Magneto and Shaw as a partner, Norbert would prefer Magneto.
Forget about abilities for a moment; if they had to face these two, Norbert was in an extremely weak position.
But Magneto was different. Before his full potential was reached, Norbert would be on the stronger side. While Magneto was growing, Norbert would not remain stagnant.
Besides, if he could bring Magneto under his command, the Avengers would be insignificant, and they wouldn't stand a chance against the purple titan.
After considering aspects such as risk, return, and safety, Norbert finally chose Magneto.
Why?
For such a valuable asset, it would be a waste not to utilize his relationship with Magneto.
"Dr. Norbert, you said you could help me get revenge, but I didn't know..."
Eric couldn't help but get excited when he saw Norbert.
Revenge was his only motivation to live now.
"Don't worry, Eric." After calming the excited Eric, Norbert looked into his eyes and said, "You need to answer me one question first. This question is related to how I can help you."
"What's the question?" Eric asked urgently.
After adjusting his expression, Norbert said seriously, "Do you want me to help you get revenge, or do you want to take care of it yourself?"
The room fell silent, and Eric's face changed color.
After a while, Eric looked up at Norbert with uncertain eyes. "Doctor, can I really do it?"
"Of course, Eric." Norbert smiled. "You underestimate your abilities. You can destroy the world."
"Really?" Eric was surprised.
Norbert smiled and said, "Of course it's true, but it requires time and hard training."
Eric nodded vigorously. "Don't worry, doctor, as long as I can get revenge, I will follow your instructions."
He couldn't believe that he was truly as powerful as Norbert said, but as long as he was even a fraction as powerful as Norbert claimed, he should be able to get his revenge.
This kid is honest.
Norbert wasn't excited by Eric's agreement.
Magneto could definitely be a trump card if used properly. However, he had to be cautious about potential backlash. Moreover, Eric was still too young. This growing trump card didn't help Norbert's current situation.
What he needed to do now was resolve Schmidt's crisis of confidence in himself.
"Eric, I'll overlook your actions for now. Once I handle some issues, you will have more freedom." Norbert took out a syringe as thick as an arm and gave Eric a smile he thought was kind. "But now I need you to do me a favor."
Norbert had a dark side, pretending to be kind, but his fake smile was terrifying.
"No, help~"
In the end, Eric turned pale and collapsed weakly on the bed, while Norbert left the cell contentedly.
Back in his laboratory, Norbert eagerly placed a syringe full of blood into a special container. By visual inspection, the tube contained about 800cc.
After doing this, Norbert turned to the Hydra soldiers in the lab and said, "Lock that guy up first; I have important matters to attend to."
"Yes, doctor."
After the Hydra soldiers took Ramon away, Norbert locked the laboratory door and then took out a test tube containing Eric's blood sample.
Sitting on the sofa, which had been specially requested, Norbert took a deep breath.
Analysis~
The familiar formula appeared before him again, but this time it was a bit different.
The formula for the fifth version of the super serum was compressed into a small box and appeared in the upper left corner of Norbert's view.
What appeared in front of Norbert was no longer a formula but a diagram of the double helix structure of a gene.
Then, starting from one end of the double helix, densely packed formulas gushed out like a fountain.
Norbert's expression suddenly changed: "The data is coming too fast!"
It felt as if a bomb had exploded in his head. The massive impact made Norbert feel like his brain was about to burst. His vision was instantly blinded, leaving only a vast expanse of white.
If Norbert's energy and physical strength were like the water in a lake, then at this moment he felt like tens of thousands of water pumps were working simultaneously, draining the lake's water at a rapid pace.
If he hadn't been injected with the super serum, he felt he would have definitely been a mummy by now.
After decisively interrupting the analysis, Norbert lay on the sofa, gasping for air, his chest rising and falling violently like a bellows, his entire body resembling someone pulled out of water.
Though he was exhausted, Norbert still wore an excited smile.
"This is so thrilling."
Being able to actively interrupt the analysis proved that he could now endure the consumption of analyzing mutant genes.
What does this mean?
It means that superpowers are within his reach.
"When I get Magneto's powers, I must make sure that redhead pays dearly."
Norbert had had enough of depending on others and acting based on others' whims in his previous life.
It was still the same in this life, and now, because an idiot almost destroyed the trust he had painstakingly built with Schmidt, how could he not be frustrated or angry?
On top of that, Schmidt had dared to threaten him.
At this moment, the flame called ambition began to blaze in Norbert's heart.
---