MARVEL : Starts From Zombie universe

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Semi-finished product?"

Adrian held up a vial of the serum, shaking it lightly as he examined the viscous green liquid inside.

"Yes," Walter replied, glancing at Zemo's lifeless body slumped in the wheelchair. "When Zemo arrived today, he demanded we immediately inject all available test subjects with the prototype formula. He claimed it would prove his value to the Red Skull.

"But out of all the subjects, only one survived the initial injection. Even then, he was on the verge of genetic collapse. To prolong his life, we administered various mutant growth hormones."

Walter pointed to a nearby hallway. "That subject was the Hydra captain you just killed."

Adrian frowned but remained silent, processing Walter's explanation.

In Zemo's wasteland laboratory, the super-soldier serum had an abysmal success rate—barely 3%. Even fewer survived the process. The cost in lives was staggering, and Adrian was unwilling to waste what few loyal allies or morally ambiguous candidates he could find.

Walter, sensing Adrian's disappointment, quickly added, "Our abilities aren't limited to this. We've been severely constrained by the resources and samples Zemo provided!"

Adrian's interest piqued. "Go on."

Walter adjusted his glasses and explained, "We've never had the opportunity to work with healthy, uncontaminated blood samples. Everything Zemo provided was either irradiated, chemically tampered with, or harvested from corpses.

"But if we had a clean sample—blood untouched by radiation or chemicals—I believe we could perfect the serum within six months. Maybe even less!"

Adrian's eyes narrowed. "Follow me to the lab."

---

The two walked through the facility, stepping over the scattered bodies of Hydra soldiers. They reached a laboratory where several scientists in white coats were gathered. Upon seeing Adrian, armed and bloodstained, the scientists froze, their expressions a mix of fear and confusion.

They assumed Adrian was sent by Hydra to punish them.

Walter stepped forward, calming the group. "Relax, everyone! He's an Avenger here to help us!"

The scientists' shock turned to astonishment, and then to tentative relief. Walter continued, "Zemo is dead, and the Avengers are clearing out the remaining Hydra forces in Weapon X Facility as we speak!"

The room erupted into quiet cheers and murmured thanks. Many of these scientists had been coerced into working for Zemo under threats to their lives and their families.

After a moment, an older scientist stepped forward and hesitantly asked, "Are you really an Avenger? I thought all the Avengers died decades ago."

Adrian nodded. "Not all of them. And as of now, Zemo and his Hydra forces are no longer your concern."

Another voice piped up nervously, "What about the Red Skull? If he finds out about this, won't he send reinforcements to punish us?"

Adrian raised a hand to silence their fears. "The Red Skull won't find out. Before entering this facility, we destroyed all communication equipment and set up signal jammers. You're safe… for now."

The group of scientists murmured among themselves, but the tension in the room lingered. Finally, the older scientist asked the question on everyone's mind.

"Will we be allowed to leave and reunite with our families?"

Adrian thought for a moment, then shook his head. "Not yet. For now, I need you here."

The group started to protest, but Adrian clapped his hands to silence them. "Listen to me. You'll get your freedom, but not until we've created the serum. I'm not Hydra. I won't threaten your lives or harm your families.

"But understand this—if we fail, the Avengers won't be able to stop the Red Skull's forces. Zemo may be dead, but the world won't change unless we act. If you want to protect your families, help me finish what we started here."

The scientists exchanged nervous glances but ultimately nodded in agreement.

---

Walter led Adrian to a workstation. Adrian rolled up his sleeve, revealing a vein, and allowed Walter to draw a vial of his blood.

Placing the vial on the table, Adrian turned to the group. "This is what you've been missing—pure, untainted blood. Use it. And remember, this isn't just about the serum. It's about giving the world a fighting chance."

Walter nodded. "Thank you. We'll get to work immediately."

---

As Adrian left the lab, he saw Clint and Wanda approaching from the other end of the hallway. Clint's expression was a mixture of exhaustion and quiet satisfaction, while Wanda's sharp gaze scanned the area for lingering threats.

"How's the cleanup going?" Adrian asked.

"Almost done," Clint replied, adjusting his grip on his bow. "Zemo didn't have time to warn his men. Most of them didn't know what hit them."

Clint paused, glancing back at the hallway they'd just come from. "It still feels unreal. After all these years, I've finally avenged my family… but it's not enough, is it?"

"No," Adrian agreed. "This fight isn't over. But for the first time in decades, there's hope. Let's make sure we don't waste it."

Wanda stepped forward. "What's next?"

Adrian smiled faintly. "You and Clint keep cleaning up what's left of Hydra. I have some calls to make. We'll need volunteers for the next phase of this operation."

Clint frowned. "Volunteers? For what?"

"To test the serum," Adrian said quietly. "And this time, I'll make sure we get it right."

---

To Be Continued…