As Gregory thought how close his prize was, his car pulled up.
Once it did he got inside of it and it took him to the home, one which his parents had rented out for him for five years when they learned of his planned stay in England for an unknown duration after he graduated.
Leading Gregory to realize once again he had gotten some good parents during this second life of his.
Which is why he'll damned if he lets them get killed by Hydra.
A incident, that if it still takes place like it did in the MCU timeline, is only about three years away.
'I have to hurry.' Gregory thought.
Time was not on his side.
Which is one of the reasons he was doing what he currently was by getting involved with Dr. Williams and Otto Vermis Hydra faction.
Big risk for big reward.
"You got this." Gregory said to himself.
While he sat in his British home.
"You got this." He said again.
Before getting into bed and working to go to sleep.
Given that jet-lag was an utter bitch.
***
Stifling a yawn Gregory got out of the cab he was in.
He then stretched his arms into the air before heading straight into place the cab had just dropped him off in front of.
The lab where Dr. Williams, and his fellow Hydra scientists, were working on their version of the Super-Soldier Serum.
Walking into the veritable den of snakes in front of him, Gregory upon entering was then rushed through security, which he took note and filed away in his head due to his photographic memory, before being escorted to a lab where he found several scientists working at several different stations.
One of whom was doctor Williams.
Who upon seeing Gregory smiled at him. "Ah Gregory my boy. Finally you're here." He said.
"Yes, I am." Gregory replied. Looking around and memorizing everything, and everyone around him. "Quite the setup you have here."
"Yes, I know, it's quite impressive. And none of it would be possible without the generous funds from our backer, Gothite Industries." Williams spoke.
Inadvertently revealing to Gregory the Malick family was involved with Vermis and his European-based Hydra faction.
'Thank you Dr. Williams.' Gregory thought.
"Gothite Industries. Isn't that run by the Malick family?" Gregory questioned. Even though he knew exactly what he was talking about.
"Why, yes it is." Williams replied. "You see the Malick's, like your family, want to make this world a better place. And they feel another Captain America can do that."
"Makes sense." Gregory replied.
"I'm glad you understand young Gregory." Williams spoke. "But enough talk. You came here to work so let's get to it."
"Yes. Let's." Gregory replied.
Once he did things got into full swing once more.
Williams gave Gregory a full tour of the lab, or at least what he wanted the young man to see.
After this Gregory was then brought up to speed in the development of the serum Williams and his colleagues were working on.
Once he was he got down to business.
Gregory then spent over a year working tirelessly with Williams and the other scientists.
Using all his brainpower to attack the problem.
Finding working the SS serum the most challenging problem he had faced since his reincarnation. Now knowing exactly how much of a genius Abraham Erskine truly was, and why it had stumped his father for the past few decades.
Though unlike his father Gregory had extra help.
In the form of Athena.
Who had managed to obtain data relating to the second American Super-Soldier project that produced the black Captain America, Isiah Bradley.
That appeared after Rogers just like in the MCU.
Finding data on it deep in the CIA servers she sent it all covertly to Gregory. Who then used the research, combined with all that he got from the Hydra facility to get the desired result.
A fully functioning version of the SS Serum.
A task that took him eight months to complete.
Gregory then spending the last four months of the year working to improve his version of the SS Serum to his liking.
Until the time came for him to finally make his move.
***
[May, 1988]
A savage grin on his face Leonard Williams stood in one of the labs of the Hydra facility where he had been working on developing a functioning version of the SS Serum for the past couple of years.
All so he could get his own hands on it.
Since he didn't give two shits about Hydra's ideals or missions.
All he had cared about was turning his body into a living weapon.
And now, thanks to that Gregory Stark brat,, his dream was finally about to come true.
Since just a couple of days ago the Stark boy had cracked the formulae.
Once that occurred Leonard knew he had to move quickly. Since he knew Vermis and Malick would order human testing as soon as possible. Thus he was lose control of the serum.
So now here he was.
As the chemical synthesizer in front of him finished its process Leonard grabbed the test tube of dark-blue liquid from it and the syringe in front of him on the table.
He then filled the syringe with the synthesized serum.
Though just as he was about to inject it the alarms in the facility started blaring.
"Fuck!" Leonard roared in frustration.
Wondering how the hell Hydra found out what he was up to. He had been careful. Displaying several security measures, all thanks to his clearance, to make sure his actions weren't in danger of being discovered until it was too late.
But now it looks like he didn't have that luxury.
"Oh well. Not like they'll be able to stop me anyway with this in my system." Leonard mused.
Since the version of the SS Serum he had been working to develop was supposed to act almost instantly.
So with that Leonard hesitated no longer and stuck the syringe into his vein, before pushing the liquid into his arm.
As he did a fully armed security team burst through the doors of the lab.
They then began shooting at Leonard without any hesitation.
But as the bullets hit his body they simply bounced off. Leading Williams to grin savagely.
Though that grin only lasted for a few seconds before his face contorted in pain.
"What the...Agh!! No, agh!!" Leonard began screaming.
Keeling over to his knees as his body began to contort and expand in a grotesque manner. Until it was completely and utterly deformed.
"Agh!!!!"
Afer this happened Leonard released an inhuman roar.
He then began destroying everything around him indiscriminately.
"What the fuck?!"
"Why aren't the bullets working?!"
"Keep shooting! If we shout that thing enough it'll go down!" The leader shouted at the top of his lungs.
Which in turn caused Leonard to finally focus his attention on the security team.
Where once he did he charged towards them and upon reaching them began tearing them apart limb from limb. Scattering their blood and guts everywhere before he continued rampaging through the Hydra facility, killing everyone, and destroying everything that got in his way.
Until eventually those in charge, who were monitoring the entire situation from a safe distance, decided to cut their losses.
As such they remotely blew up the facility.
Though as the fiery explosion occurred a figured walked out of his completely unharmed.
Leonard.
But before he could get too far his started bleeding from every orifice on his body. His ass, ears, nose, mouth, and eyes. Which continued for a few seconds before Leonard's entire body twisted in on itself like a pretzel and then exploded from the inside out. Splattering his body parts all across the destroyed facility.
Watching this all take place from the safety of his London home, on a computer monitor, through a feed Athena had hacked into the area, Gregory sported a devilish smile on his face.
"I love it when a plan comes together." He spoke.
Since everything he had set in motion had just gone perfectly.
For Gregory had already deduced Dr. Williams had wanted to SS Serum for himself for whatever reason. As such, with a bit of help from Athena, he falsified results and gave Hydra a completely horrible version of the SS Serum that would kill anything who was injected with it.
Then he just had to wait for Williams to make his move and the rest was history.
Now the entire facility, along with Williams, and much of its personnel, were all dead and gone.
While he had his real and working SS Serum data safely secure on Athena's servers back in the United States.
But Gregory also had more than that.
Moving away from his computer he went over to a bag which contained a small box.
Retrieving the box he opened it, revealing a syringe inside filled with a light-blue liquid. Along with a small vial filled with the same thing.
Which was the version of the SS Serum Gregory had created.
Having used the Hydra facility just like Williams just did to synthesize his own version. But unlike the now deceased British professor Gregory had succeeded in erasing all traces of his actions.
And now he could reap the benefits.
So with that he removed the syringe from the box before closing it and placing it back in his bag. He then lined the syringe up with his left arm and inserted the needle, before pushing down on the stopper and injecting himself with the serum.
A second after he did Gregory instantly felt something akin to electricity over ever inch of his body.
He felt better than he ever had in either of his lives.
As well as faster, stronger, etc...
So much so he didn't even notice he broke the syringe he was holding. But upon hearing the cracking noises he looked to see that he did. Yet he didn't feel any pain at all. Nor did any of the shards of glass pierce through his skin.
Meaning the increased durability and healing factors he had integrated and edited into the serum were working as intended.
"Yes, yes, yes." Gregory cheered again.
He then did a happy dance.
***
While Gregory celebrated his win, and not double cross, since it would've had to have been a true partnership for a double cross to even happen, at the now destroyed Hydra SS Serum research facility, one man in who had just hit his 40's was standing outside of it.
That man being none other than the supreme leader of the Hydra European branch.
Otto Vermis.
Looking at the destruction in front of him slight veins began to bulge on the Hydra heads neck. Indicating just how angry he truly was.
Saying nothing his subordinates stood quietly until Otto decided to address them.
"Get this all scrubbed clean. Leave no traces. No witnesses." Otto commanded.
"Even the young Stark boy sir?" One of his subordinates dared to ask.
"No." Otto replied.
Since although he was angry he knew killing the son of Howard Stark would not be a quiet affair.
Plus even if he got away with it it would put the boys father on guard, and might lead him down a path none in Hydra wanted.
Yet at the same time leaving the one who cracked the formulae out in the world, free to share his knowledge with anyone was also a liability.
Though faced with these choices Otto realized a solution quickly.
"Dispatch Arachne to deal with the boy." Otto said.
"Sir." His subordinates replied.
Hearing this Otto headed back to his vehicle and got inside.
Loathing the conversation he was about to have with the Malick brothers.
Since even in a terrorist/cult organization like Hydra there were politics.