It was war. The bullets flying from any and every direction. They had no intended target, because everyone was a target. The explosions ripping apart anything and everything in sight. On one side, there'd be debris flying from the explosions, on the other would be body parts. There was no peace. There was no quiet. The Screaming. The Shouting. They were all the sopranos in the choir that was the battlefield. It was chaos. It was Hell. It was war.

All of this was memories turned to dreams, no, nightmares.

Relentless nightmares that would happen almost every night to a woman. Her eyes would shoot open and she'd be covered in her own sweat, always experiencing shortness of breath upon awakening.

She raised her hand up in view and clenched it into a fist, opening it right after and staring at her fingers.

Seeing no change, she brought her hand down and let out a tired yet relieved sigh. She sits up and rubbed the bridge of her nose just as her alarm starts to ring.

She gets up from her bed and walks into the bathroom, switching on the light and standing in front of her sink. She looked at herself in the mirror, disappointed with how much she had let herself go. Her current appearance paling in comparison to the years before.

She was a beautiful woman with a slim figure, Caucasian skin that was paler that usual, short red hair, piercing green eyes although there were bags under them. This woman's name was Aleksandra Alianova, but she preferred to go by Alex.

She rubs her eyes and shakes her head, grabbing her wash cloth and getting ready for the day.

It didn't take long for Alex to walk out of her room in a fresh pair of clothes. Basically a white T-shirt, a green flannel jacket, dark blue jeans and brown combat boots.

Alex walks into her kitchen and checks her fridge for food, seeing barely anything inside of it. An apple, two bottles of beer and a half eaten sandwich from yesterday.

She takes the sandwich and grabs her keys, kicking the fridge door shut.

She walks out of her small house and locks it, heading over and hopping into her old pickup truck. She starts up the truck and peels out of the driveway, driving through the small town she stayed in silence.

It was still quite early in the morning so not many people were in the streets, typically only the owners of businesses would be seen opening up their shops and getting ready for the day. This mundane normality was just the norm in a small town within the state of Georgia.

Taking a bite of her sandwich, Alex turns a corner that would lead her to the town's entrance\exit. She leaves town and continues her drive, eventually turning to a dirt path that went through the dense forestry and reached a log mill.

After eating the rest of her sandwich, Alex turned off the ignition and got out of her truck. As she starts walking, the workers that were already at the mill had noticed her arrival.

"Morning, Alex." One of the workers greets.

"Morning, Scott." Alex greets back.

"Took you long enough, Lex. You sleep in or what?" Another one of the workers stated.

"It's 6 in the goddamn morning, Stephen. How punctual do you want me to be?" Alex retorts with a slight smirk and he rolled his eyes with a short smile.

"How about punctual enough to not stand a guy up? What happened to our date, babe?" Another asked.

"Ooh, sorry Tony, I forgot. Tell you what. How about I call your wife and we can ask her to reschedule for us. Sound good, babe?" Alex asked with a smirk and he widened his eyes with worry while the other guys laughed at his dismay.

"Never gonna get it, never gonna get it~" Another one of the workers, Sam, sang.

Everyone laughed and Alex shook her head with an amused smile.

As she talked with her fellow workers, Alex was also making her way to the center of the mill.

This was the main area. Four tables that had been pushed together to form a bigger table. On top of it were files, forms, schematics and an assortment of formal prospects that were none of Alex's business.

She picked up a clipboard on the table and started signing it, officially clocking in.

"Morning, stranger." A male voice greeted as the owner of said voice walked up to her.

Alex smiled, "Morning, Steve."

"You clock in?" Steve asked.

"Oh, right. Morning, 'boss'." Alex corrected with an eye roll, but the smile still remained.

Steve chuckled, taking a sip of his coffee.

"Coffee, huh? That's a first." Alex comments, glancing at his mug.

"Yeah. It's gonna be a busy day and night. I have to manage this shift, the night shift and work through a couple of meetings in between." Steve explains with a dreading sigh.

"Who knew being the manager would be such a pain in the ass." Alex said.

"Language." Steve retorts as he takes a sip of his coffee and Alex rolls her eyes at Steve's no swearing policy.

"Look, all I'm saying is that I'm actually glad that you got the promotion instead of me." Alex says.

"Don't know why. You'd be a great leader." Steve comments and she frowns.

"Believe me, I really wouldn't." Alex says with a blank stare.

"How can you be so sure?" Steve asks.

"Just trust me on this." Alex states, the blank stare now turned intense.

Steve was surprised by her sudden change in mood, but he slowly nodded as to not push the subject further.

Alex sighed, "I, uh, I should get to work..."

Steve nodded as Alex walked past him to her station.

Upon reaching her station, Alex rolls up the sleeves of her flannel and picks up the axe lodged on the wooden stump in front of her.

She picks up a log and places it upright on the stump, raising her axe and bringing it down, chopping the log cleanly in half. Tossing the two chopped parts into a pile of other chopped logs, Alex then grabbed another log and repeated the process.

~

A few hours had passed and all was normal until the sudden arrival of some unexpected guests.

A military truck has just driven up to the mill and out of it came a military officer and a woman.

The military officer was a tall African-American man with a stern demeanor, a clean shaven head and black eyes. He wore a dark green military uniform that had been decorated with multiple badges. This was the hardboiled Marine veteran, Colonel Nicholas Jackson.

The woman with him was stunning with a short frame, slim figure, light reddish brown hair, Caucasian skin and olive green eyes. She wore a white dress shirt with a black blazer, dark blue jeans and brown boots. This woman's name was Kate Barton.

While the mill was a loud and busy place, most of the workers had taken notice of the peculiar newcomers. They both started walking towards the main area, Nick uncaring of the curious gazes that were cast upon them, but Kate seemed very nervous and her eyes were dead set on the ground as she walked.

Alex stops chopping wood for a moment upon noticing Nick and Kate speaking to Steve. It was as if Kate, could feel her gaze because she looked up from the ground towards Alex and the two of them made eye contact for a brief moment, before Kate looked away.

She chose to pay no mind to them and continued working, but hearing the footsteps that were approaching her was not putting her mind at ease.

"Alex." Steve called out to her.

She let out a silent curse and turned to look at him, seeing Nick and Kate with him as well.

"Yeah?" Alex asked.

"You've got some important visitors here to see you." Steve said, gesturing to Nick and Kate.

"Colonel Nick Jackson." Nick introduced, holding his hand out for her to shake.

She shook his hand with a nod, "Good to meet you, Colonel."

After shaking his hand, she then looked at Kate who cleared her throat and held her hand out as well.

"Doctor Kate Barton." Kate introduced and Alex shook her hand.

'Barton?' Alex asked herself, recognizing the name.

"Great. Now that you're all introduced, I'll leave you to it. If I'm needed just look for me by the sawing station." Steve told them as he left.

Alex started chopping once again as she asked, "What does a colonel and a doctor want with me?"

Nick chuckled, "We wanted to see if you were the real deal."

"Real deal?" Alex asked, placing another log onto the stump and chopping it.

"Yeah. Almost everybody in the army, navy, and marines knows about Alex Alianova, the living legend herself." Nick stated with a smile as he looked at Kate, "Like I was telling you in the car, Alex has done things other marines could only dream of. Clearing out a whole city overrun by insurgent forces all by herself, taking charge of her unit within the battlefield and leading them to victory while she was still just a Private, rescuing refugees-"

Nick was cut off by the sound of the axe chopping not just through a log, but also halfway through the stump. Both Nick and Kate were quite surprised by the show of strength while Alex pulled the axe out.

"Get to the point...please." Alex said, turning to look at them.

Nick and Kate looked at each other then back at Alex, Nick clearing his throat before speaking once again.

"Aleksandra Alianova, you have been chosen by the United States Government as a candidate for SS Project." Nick states.

"SS Project?" Alex asks.

"The name is confidential to you for the time being, but should you agree, everything will be revealed." Nick explained and Alex slowly nodded.

"We've been scouring the entire country for soldiers capable of being a part of the project and after a long search and through the process of elimination, you were the best possible choice." Kate explains.

"Well, I'm sorry to disappoint, but I'm not a soldier." Alex states.

"Veterans have been taken into consideration as well." Kate adds.

"I'm not a veteran either. Veterans are people that earn and deserve the respect their given. They leave the line of duty with honor and retire with dignity. All I got was a DD, so I'm sorry, but I'm not the person you're looking for." Alex explains.

"Screw that. As long as a person was on active duty for at least a day then Veteran status is still a go, so don't give us that DD bullshit." Nick states, surprising both Alex and Kate, "I know the story and what happened back then doesn't erase all the good you've done, Alex. All the lives you've saved."

"What I did was completely out of line and deserving of the consequences I received." Alex reiterates, "Why was I even chosen? There are far better soldiers or veterans to choose from out there."

"Through the process of elimination, extensive research on your background and all the good you've done in the past." Kate explained.

"We're not just looking for a good soldier, but a good person as well." Nick states and Alex couldn't help but huff at that.

"So, if the name is confidential then I'm guessing the project itself is as well?" Alex asks and they both nodded.

"We can only reveal more information on the project should you choose to accept the offer." Kate states.

Alex scoffs, "Well, I refuse. I'm not going to become a lab rat for the government and be poked and prodded for your amusement."

"No, no, no. You've got it all wrong. This project could potentially save lives." Kate urges.

Alex gave her a bitter smirk, "They all could potentially save lives. Unfortunately, more and more people are dying to this day."

"Please, Alex. Having you be a part of this project would not only be an honor, but a privilege as well." Nick states.

"Wouldn't it be better to ask an actual citizen of the US though? A project that sounds this important would be something the American government would love to flaunt seeing as how prideful they are." Alex asks.

"You're just as much a part of this country as I am. You fought for this country, bled for it. No one is more deserving to be in this country than you." Nick states.

Alex stays silent for now, looking at the both of them and actually considering this grand project of theirs. A large part of her was denying this prospect wholeheartedly and a small part had that inkling of hope. Hope to re-enter the military ranks, hope of some semblance of her old life returning.

She sighed, still feeling indecisive, "I'll...I'll think about it..."

Both Nick and Kate smile, this was the best possible answer they could receive, because it was at least not a no.

"We'll be waiting." Nick tells her as he takes out a card from his pocket and hands it to her, "When you're ready and have made your decision, call this number."

Alex nodded looking down at the card as Nick and Kate said their goodbyes, taking their leave. Alex looks up from the card and catches Kate looking back at her, but she swiftly turned around upon making eye contact with Alex once again.

Alex paid no mind to that and put the card in her pocket, getting back to work.

~

Later that night, Alex had clocked out and now she was driving to the bar to wind down for the day and maybe try to get today's visit out of her mind.

She arrived at the bar and parked it in front, getting out and entering the bar.

"Alex! I was wondering when you'd show up." The owner of the bar, Maria, said as she got up from the table with some of the other mill workers sitting around it.

"Better late than never." Tony said with a smirk.

"I hope you're not gonna get shitfaced again, Tony." Alex says with a smirk of her own.

"If he does, I'll just leave him in the bathroom again." Maria said.

"That was you!?" Tony exclaimed with wide eyes and the guys at the table laughed.

"Yup. Took a picture too." Maria replied with a cheeky smirk.

Sam laughed, "You were kissing the hell out of that toilet seat man."

"How many people have that picture?" Tony asked worriedly.

"Don't know, but I know it's been going around. Pretty sure Steve has it too." Scott said.

"That's why he's been making all those dad jokes. He literally called me a potty mouth today." Tony said as he took a sip of his beer with an eye roll and some of them laughed at that.

"Anyway, you want the usual?" Maria asks and Alex nodded, the both of them heading over to the counter.

"So, I heard you got some unexpected visitors today." Maria starts, taking out a bottle from the mini fridge under the counter and sliding it over to Alex.

"Yup. I'd rather not talk about it though, they messed up my whole mood." Alex said, opening the bottle and sipping on her beer.

"As if you were in a happy mood to begin with." Maria teased.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Alex asked with a raised eyebrow.

"You know. You're usually the quietest out of all of us and kind of a Debby downer sometimes." Maria explained.

"The strictest out of all of us is calling me a Debby downer, wow." Alex said with an eye roll.

"Just because I'm a bit strict-" Maria was about to say, but Alex cut her off.

"A bit?" Alex asked with a teasing smirk of her own.

"Shut up." Maria said with a laugh and Alex just shook her head with a smile.

She looked back at her group of colleagues\friends, goofing off as usual then looked around the packed bar.

"This place is as busy as ever." Alex comments.

"Small towns tend to have the liveliest people for some reason." Maria says with a shrug.

As Alex continues to look around, she surprisingly spots Kate sitting alone at one of the booths, reading through a menu.

Maria notices Alex staring at her and smirks, "Did someone actually catch Ms. Alianova's eye?"

Alex rolls her eyes, "It's not like that."

"Then what is it like?" Maria asks.

"Guess we'll just have to see." Alex replies, walking towards Kate's booth.

"I'll book a wedding date!" Maria exclaimed and Alex just gave her the middle finger as she kept walking.

Kate was too focused on reading through the menu to notice Alex approaching her which was amusing to see for Alex.

"Table for two?" Alex asks and Kate's eyes shoot up and widen in surprise upon seeing her.

"S-Sorry?" Kate asks.

"Can I join you?" Alex reiterates.

"Oh, yeah, of course. Take a seat." Kate says with a nod and Alex sits down across from her.

"So, are you looking for a light or heavy meal?" Alex asks.

"Just something to get by for the time being." Kate replies with a shrug.

"Then I'd suggest some chili fries. Not too light and not too heavy." Alex says.

"I might just go with that, thanks." Kate says with a small smile.

Alex nods in response as she takes another sip of her beer.

"Nick said you were a doctor, right?" Alex asks.

Kate nods, "More scientist than doctor really, but I do have some medical knowledge."

"Scientist, huh?" Alex asks and Kate nods, "Then I'm guessing you're heavily involved with this project?"

"I created it." Kate states, "It's imperative we find the perfect person for it though."

Alex hummed, leaning back in her seat and taking another sip.

"My dad was a marine." Kate says and Alex raises an eyebrow with interest, "He would always tell me this story, called it a life changing experience. Him and his team were stationed off country and things were looking bad. They were low on supplies, lacked the firepower to defend themselves for long and communication back home was essentially nonexistent. He really thought he'd die."

"Then what happened? How'd they get out of there?" Alex asked.

"Well, they were under attack one day and when they were just at the cusps of losing, a soldier arrived. He said the soldier came out of nowhere, like a guardian angel of sorts." Kate said and Alex smiled amusedly at her, "His words, not mine."

"Alright." Alex said with a chuckle, "Carry on."

"At this point it was just my dad and two other soldiers remaining, but that didn't matter. The soldier lead my dad and the other two soldiers into the offensive, not only saving them, but taking ahold of the town they were stationed in." Kate finished with a small smile as she looked at Alex, "That soldier was you Alex."

"Your dad's name is Clint isn't it?" Alex asks and Kate nods bringing out a laugh from Alex, "It's been a while, but Clint was the type of guy to always bring his daughter into the conversation. You were his pride and joy."

Kate smiles at this, "Yeah, he can be a little overprotective at times."

"So where is he now? How is he?" Alex asks.

"He's good. He's spending time on the farm, enjoying his retirement." Kate says.

"Was he considered for the project too?" Alex asks.

"The first actually, but he refused and recommended you for it." Kate reveals and Alex widens her eyes in surprise while Kate looks to be contemplating something before lowering her tone, "I can tell you about it now if you want."

"What happened to confidentiality?" Alex asks.

"It's my project, I can tell whoever the hell I want." Kate says and Alex smirks.

"Alright then. I'm all ears." Alex says.

"The SS Project is short for the Super Soldier Project." Kate reveals and Alex furrows her eyebrows in confusion, "I've developed a serum that enhances the human body to its peak. If taken then you'll be faster, stronger, smarter, you'd be resistant to toxins and pathogens, diseases will no longer affect you, and you'd even start developing a healing factor. Broken bones that would usually take weeks or months to heal would only take a couple of hours or minutes if pushed to that point. You'd be amplified to the point of being superhuman."

"A serum that essentially grants super powers?" Alex asks and Kate nods, "Do you know how impossible that sounds?"

"I'm a scientist. Doing the impossible is what I was born to do." Kate replies with a smirk.

"And this thing has no side effects at all? It just gives you superpowers and that's it?" Alex asks.

"The serum is made to amplify traits of the receiver so it amplifies everything that is inside. Good becomes great, bad becomes worse." Kate states.

"So, picking me was your brightest idea? You guys said you've done your research on your candidates, right?" Alex asks and Kate nods, "Then you know why I'm not a part of the military any longer."

"Many may see it as just a dishonorable discharge, Alex, but what you did was nothing short of honorable in my eyes." Kate states.

Alex sighs as she leans back in her seat, looking into Kate's eyes and seeing how hopeful they are, a very stark contrast to hers. She would be lying if she said she wasn't tempted. This offer sounds like the chance of a lifetime, but was it worth the risk? Living a quieter life has been nice, but it has been unfulfilling. She had been living a life with no purpose. Out there though, on the battlefield, fighting and saving lives, that was her purpose. A life like that had risks though and she suffers the consequences till this day. So, is it worth the risk?

She rolls her eyes and takes a long swig of her drink, slamming the now empty bottle down on the table.

"Congratulations, Doctor Barton. You got your soldier." Alex states with a smirk and Kate starts to smile, "I'm in."

~

A few days pass and by now Alex had already been taken to a military base where the procedure would be taking place.

Right now she was sitting on one of the beds in the barracks in just a sports bra and short tights while Kate preformed a check up on her.

"Are you ready for this?" Kate asked, checking Alex's eyes.

"I would be lying if I said I wasn't nervous about this whole thing." Alex replies.

"Don't be. The serum has been perfected, the machine went through several checks and it's fully operational. Nothing is going to go wrong." Kate explains and Alex nodded, "Hey,"

Alex looks up at her and Kate gave her a small smile, holding her hand.

"I'll be with you every step of the way." Kate states and Alex smiled back at her.

They both heard a knock on the door and looked to see Nick standing at the doorframe.

"It's time." Nick states and both of the women looked at each other and got up.

They followed Nick out of the barracks and towards the labs. Upon entering, Alex widened her eyes at the large machine waiting for her. They were the only ones within the lab and the various monitors seemed to be monitoring the different parts of the machine and setting things up.

"So, what do you think?" Nick asks.

"It looks like a metal casket." Alex replies and Nick chuckled.

"Alright, Alex, we're going to need you to step into the machine and lie down. Try to relax all your muscles, it'll be easier for the serum to get inserted." Kate explains and Alex nods.

She enters the machine and does as told, trying to relax her muscles while the machine turns on with a rumble.

"How long am I gonna be in here?" Alex asks.

"No longer than a few minutes." Kate replies and Alex sighs, a bit relieved by that as Kate smiles, "Good luck."

Alex smiles back at her while the machine doors shut her in. She closes her eyes and Kate starts to administer the serum.

Suddenly alarms blare all around them and Kate looks to see people outside of the lab running and rushing in different directions.

"What's going on?" Kate asks.

"I don't know, but I'm gonna go find out. Stay here." Nick tells her as he leaves the lab.

Alex suddenly starts screaming and writhing in pain, her heart monitor beeping at a rapid pace. Kate widens her eyes and tries to stop the procedure, but all of the serum had already been administered and Alex was still screaming within the machine.

"Alex!? Alex! Hold on! I'm getting you out of there!" Kate shouted, trying to open the machine, but sounds of gunshots and screaming outside of the lab startled her.

Kate suddenly widens her eyes in horror when the heart monitor just goes still with a long continuous beep. Alex was losing consciousness and could barely hear Kate calling out to her, she couldn't even form a word before everything just went totally black.