Deep in the dark confines of Peggy's basement laboratory, Val was hard at work. His fingers danced across the Nitramene bomb, humming a tune under his breath as he peered through his magnifying glass. With a sharp nod of approval, he swirled his chair around and grabbed a beaker filled with a purple, viscous liquid. Carefully pouring it into the bomb, Val watched with bated breath as the device began to glow. A smile spread across his face as he excitedly clapped his hands, knowing that his experiment had been a success.

Val was deeply immersed in his latest experiment when he was abruptly interrupted by Peggy's sudden presence. "What the hell are you doing?", Her unexpected whisper in his ear caused him to jump, letting out a startled scream. Turning to face her, Val clutched at his chest as his heart pounded in his ears.

"Goodness, Peggy! You nearly gave me a heart attack," he gasped, struggling to catch his breath.

Peggy's lips curled into a smirk as she quipped, "You can't have a heart attack after taking the serum, Val."

Despite his initial shock, Val regained his composure and forced a reluctant nod. "Y-Yeah...but still....anyway, what are you doing?", he inquired, ready to refocus his attention on his work.

Peggy's eyes darted to the exposed Nitramene bomb on the laboratory table as she delivered the reason for her visit. "I'm heading to New Jersey to track down the thief who stole Stark's inventions," she informed Val. "But before I go, I wanted to remind you to be cautious with your experiments. I'd hate to come back to a blown-up house but I suppose, that's inevitable."

Val, however, was quick to defend his work. "I'm not reckless, Peggy," he protested. "I assure you, the results of this experiment will not disappoint."

Peggy's concern for Val was evident as she reminded him to take care of himself. "And don't come out of the house," she said, emphasizing the importance of staying focused on his work. "I've already bought the groceries."

Val's response was less than gracious. "Fine, Mom!" he retorted, his tone betraying a hint of annoyance.

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Peggy didn't let his disrespectful tone go unnoticed. Her eyes narrowed as she asked, "What did you say?"

Val quickly realized his mistake and tried to smooth things over with a bit of flattery. "It was my mistake," he said, laying it on thick. "You are the most beautiful and courageous individual I have ever seen, Ms. Margaret Peggy Carter."

Peggy nodded, satisfied with Val's response, and made her way upstairs. Val breathed a sigh of relief and wiped a nonexistent bead of sweat from his forehead. With Peggy gone, he resumed his focus on the experiment.

Val was a brilliant scientist, but he knew that his work could be dangerous. He was careful, but he also knew that taking risks was sometimes necessary to achieve breakthroughs. As he resumed his work on the Nitramene bomb, Val felt a sense of excitement and anticipation building within him. He couldn't wait to see what the experiment would reveal.

As Peggy and Jarvis drove together in the car, she pored over her notes with intense concentration. After analyzing the information carefully, she spoke up, her voice heavy with a sense of urgency. "I've tracked down the driver of the truck you alerted me to, Jarvis. His name is Sheldon McFee and we must interrogate him to find out how he was involved in Brannis' escape."

Jarvis listened attentively and asked, "Where can we find Mr. McFee, Miss Carter?"

Peggy consulted her notes once more before replying, "I have his address right here. Let's visit him and see what he knows." With a determined look on his face, Jarvis shifted gears and drove the car towards New Jersey.

Peggy and Jarvis pulled up to Sheldon McFee's home in New Jersey, where they spotted the unmistakable Daisy Clover milk truck parked outside. Peggy quickly assessed the situation, "This must be the truck we've been looking for. It's our guy, McFee."

Jarvis looked at Peggy and asked, "Do we have a plan, Miss Carter?"

Peggy replied, "We'll have to play this by ear. Let's see if we can get McFee to confess."

When they entered the truck, Peggy's suspicions were confirmed. She found countless vials of Nitramene, the same substance Brannis had used to escape the night she confronted him at the refinery.

Peggy turned to Jarvis and said, "This is it. We have the evidence we need. Let's visit him."

As they approached the house, they could hear the sound of a television playing inside. Peggy cautiously entered the home and found McFee sitting on the couch, engrossed in an episode of The Captain America Adventure Program.

Peggy moved swiftly and silently, sneaking up behind McFee and striking him unconscious with a swift blow to the head. She quickly tied him to a chair, ensuring that he was securely restrained. As she turned to leave, she caught sight of Brannis attempting to escape in the milk truck. Peggy acted quickly and pulled out her gun, aiming it squarely at Brannis.

"Don't move a muscle," she said, her voice low and steady.

Brannis froze in his tracks, realizing he had been caught. With a trembling hand, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a scrap of paper. "This is where it is," he said, his voice shaking. "This is where Howard Stark's secret technology is hidden."

Peggy calmly retrieved the vital information from Brannis, her target. Without a moment's delay, she aimed her gun and pulled the trigger.

* BANG *

Brannis' eyes widened as he slumped to the ground, clutching his bleeding wound. Peggy watched, stoic and unemotional, as Brannis bled out on the floor.

"I hope you've learned your lesson. Never cross the wrong person," Peggy said, holstering her gun.