THE INCREDIBLE HULK RETURNS –
FAN-FIC by ANIL RICKLY
Banner’s voice-over as we prowl through opening credits and show the British Columbia landscape
“There are worse things in the world than being alone. But by the time we realize this…it’s too late…and there’s nothing worse in this world…than being too late. Bukowski echoes in my ear, loud and clear as a crisp Sunday morning, just before church-bells as a child…but if it’s one thing I know for certain - there is only so much a man can take…. before the beast inside him emerges…before he loses it...before he becomes angry…before he loses control…and then…is that too late???…Well...you’ll get the idea!”
"****We flash now to the opening scene****"
“So this isn’t the life you wanted or dreamt of huh Bruce?” a young man, slim-built but muscular and toned, with a brown army jacket on, reminiscent of the man Bruce remembered as his father.
“Never…not for a day did I think I’d be hiding out in Bella Coola…wishing, wanting…maybe waiting,”
“Waiting for what?” the man asked Bruce.
“Hoping…sometimes…it’s all I do…hope,” he muttered then slowly began whispering under his breath as he ate up his words, mumbling and fumbling, with his head cocking back and his eyes closed.
“Bruce, damn man…sometimes you make me wonder…it isn’t healthy you know?” the person aimed at Bruce.
“I know man…believe you me when I tell you…I know!” Banner responded.
“So what’s next for you today man? Sun’s setting…gonna be dark soon…gonna hit the sack or what man? You been sleeping well for a while now…no bed-bugs I take it?” he asked Bruce.
“Well I figure not…got my visitor coming up here tonight man…to check up on me…make sure thing’s are going good…you know?” Bruce answered
“Hmm…To talk about HIM…to talk about what you been doing this past year…to talk about how you been taming the beast?” the man pondered.
“Yep…been coming up here for the past 8 months man…guess I needed someone else to talk to…besides you of course” Bruce laughed
“Am I that boring Bruce?’
“Sometimes kid…despite the fact
you remind me of me when I was younger…Sometimes you actually
DO bore me…it’s like
I know you already,” Banner bantered with unusual wit.
“Well Bruce…I’m heading to Janey’s for that weekly Saturday night drink…I wish you’d join me sometime but I know the answer before I even ask…always no huh?” he hit towards Bruce, “You know Janey wants you in her bar man…she likes the heck outta you boy…yet still
ALL you drink is this good ole healthy spring water man…every single damn day…I’m sure she’ll let you do shots off her stomach for free…whether it’s booze or water man…after all it’s her bar…you barely talk to her man and you know she’s in love with you or as town knows you…Bill Ferguson!”
“Well kid I ..” but Bruce was cut-off...
“Yeah man…I know…lost loves and shit...and the whole 9 or 69 or whatever position you like...whatever man heh…I went through the same when I was younger…yadda yadda yadda…boy the lengths some fathers go to protect they lil’ gals from men like us huh? ha…you must be a suck-ass boyfren huh?” he jabbed at Bruce
“A LITTLE,” Bruce quipped
“Well be careful man…this
Jekyll-and-Hyde business...well all’s I can say is d’ya trust this visiting 'Dr. Phil' person?” asked the guy protectively
“No more than I trust you
Rick Jones!” Banner enlightened as he shook his hand as true friends do...
Rick smiled at Banner, and then swiftly left the porch, onto his Harley Ironhead Sportster…and flipped his hat at Banner before departing with a grinding buzz sound.
“Nice bike kid” Bruce said to himself… “
always wanted one of those when I was younger”
And he watched Rick drive off into the dust, he sipped on his litre-large bottle of spring water. He looked at the side of the fridge and he saw a 2-gallon of water again…
“Healthy living kid!” Bruce uttered as he stared at his watch
"****Flash now to Banner’s night meeting****"
“Well Bruce how’s it been since I checked up last?”
“
Samson…it’s been something different man…every time it just seems smoother and smoother…”
“The control?”
“Yeah Doc…It’s not me watching the movie and not remembering it…I’m in the movie…I’m the star…like when I get pissed I don’t see shit happening through a screen man…I have control of the keyboard now…I type my own stuff…I move the mouse…I click and delete what I want…I open stuff…it ain’t HE who does it…or WE who do it…It’s all me…I think I’ve finally gotten rid of the Hulk now Sam…if I turn...it’s plain ole me…Bruce Banner…just I’m green, and a strong f-in brute…but it’s all me…no monster, no beast, no Hulk…just me…Bruce!”
"******** Outskirts of Nevada…Desert…and Deserted…A few nights before****"
We segue into
SHIELD FACILITY SOMBRERO,
Gen. Ross is there as we see him in this top-secret facility entering the elevator.
We flash back to what seems to be a rogue faction military unit, attacking a bunker somewhere…a SHIELD FACILITY…CODENAME: HAVEN, Alaska…and the battle is won by this faction…rogue, swift, special-ops it seems. We see this faction led by a skilled commander…Codename: GREY…and they quickly subdue and take over the facility…it seems that there is some subterfuge involved. Grey and his unit attacked as if they were part of this SHIELD FACILITY…they knew the soldiers’ every move inside out!!!
“Do you have the compound in your control?”
“
Special Package has been lifted. We have the package. Transport ready. ETA 1800 hrs”
“Report all progress. I want this as soon as you can bring it. I’m leaving my team at GROUND ZERO to head to
SOMBRERO now. No Sleep do you hear me, Grey?”
“Yes Sir, Grey Out!”
We see Grey looking at a holding tank. It’s basically a huge black box with what seems to be life-support hooked up to it.
We return now to Nevada…We see Grey within the SOMBRERO facility underground as Ross exits the elevator
“Well done…god job soldier” Ross pats Grey on the back
“Sir, Yes Sir!”
“Everything’s on line…he’s alive?” Ross asked
“Affirmative Sir!” Grey saluted
“Well now let’s see…” Ross was stopped dead in his words
“What we can do…am I right General T-bolt?…BLZZZZ…LIKE ZEUS HAHA” said a man as he emerged from behind the box. It was a monstrosity, hideous, gruesome, ugly and befitting of an Alfred Hitchcock book or something from Mordor…It was
Samuel Sterns, his head mutated…he resembled the Hunchback of Notre Dame…only that Sterns was way uglier…his forehead protruded forward…moreso than normal…his entire head a mixture of green with tinges of grey…and it was elliptical shaped…resting on his hunch as he moseyed towards Ross.
“I don’t like how you callin the shots Ross…what’d I tell ya…who’s runnin this show…huh?…who’s runnin this project?’
Before Ross could mutter a breath…
“IT’S ME….YOU ALL HEAR THAT…IT’S ME….I’M RUNNIN THIS…I’M THE LEADER!!!!” Sterns bellowed throughout the entire facility as a madman would at the top of his lungs, screaming, panting, gasping for breath…as all the agents and fellow doctors and everyone especially Ross and Grey all looked on in disgust…but approval.
“Sorry…of course it’s my mistake…you’re the leader!” Ross admitted
“Good now all you non-science lovers and mercenaries take ya guns outside to play….go shoot or blow up or stab or fight something…leave me and my team be buddies…let’s get to work science maggots!!!” and as we see Ross and Grey heading up the elevator….we finally get a shot as to what lurks in the box…it’s a life-support tank…Emil Blonsky…aka ABOMINATION
We see Grey and Ross heading to the Main Conference Room and there we find a meeting of obscure individuals…all apparently in different countries…there are 8 screens and as Ross and Grey sit we see the 9th member present in person…seemingly chair-person for this cabal…a slim, grey-haired old man…looks similar to Ross…with wrinklier skin, and a face sucked in at the cheeks as if he spent too many years chomping cigars…and dark circled eyes…hence we get a sense of strain and leadership from him.
“Welcome Thaddeus, my multiple-starred Air Force Lieutenant General…I have made the council aware of the deeds and actions of you and your protégé…
Mr. Talbot…I believe”
“Sir, Yes Sir,
Private Brian Gerald Talbot, Sir!”
“Well Mr. Talbot…seems you have come a long way since I last read your file…lots of disciplinary problems that nearly got you kicked out the service boy…if it weren’t for your brother…”
“Sir, Colonel Glenn Talbot saved my ass many-a-times and now I’m here to repay that debt by serving my country in his stead Sir”
“Hmmm…I see…well I know why Ross has taken you under his wing…you are one…if not THE BEST of our YOUNGPOOL…deemed an A+ soldier…dare I say a super-soldier heh heh”
“Hopefully someday Sir”
“Ahem…if I may interrupt Sir, Brian is the ultimate soldier, a warrior who has no fear of death, none at all, and is the only person I’d usher in here alongside me…as a son…as an equal! His
brother’s death at the hands of Bruce Banner has seen our resolve grow stronger” Ross interjected
“SIR…YESS…SIR!” Talbot exclaimed.
“Lovely to hear that…gentlemen away with the formalities…We are here…for one reason and one alone…We are unknown…We exist within and without SHIELD…We are neither here nor there…neither day nor night…neither visible nor invisible…My 2 soldiers…you will see only my face as I am behind this PROJECT. This facility is under my watch and as a General of SHIELD…I have full reign within SOMBRERO…you will see my face and mine alone…my other 8 colleagues are ghosts…such is our nature…as this is mine to nurture…I alone can be revealed to you…none else from my group can be seen…We are
PEGASUS…we do not exist, soldiers…all you need to know is that we have interests in SHIELD, Euro governments and the Americas, Africa, Asia etc…we are here to conduct special projects my friends…
PEGASUS (Potential Energy Group/Alternate Sources/United States)…we have our hands worldwide…literally…our fingers are in ALL cookie jars…but we are American…and our flag is defended first and foremost…when all else in this world burns…WE WILL SURVIVE…AMERICA WILL SURVIVE!!! And how will they survive…how does any nation rise and remain to the top?
THEIR ARMY! ONLY THE STRONG SURVIVES…AND THE STRONGER WILL RULE!!! Now that we have the pleasantries outta the way…Ross I contacted you after that blighted NY incident with that Banner creature…and after our national security was shot to shit that night Ross…all because of you and your incompetence…I am the reason you are here Ross…plucked from obscurity…protected from jail my friend…because that night…I…PEGASUS...WE saw opportunity…we did not see 2 monsters…we saw potential…we saw our future army of soldiers…imagine just one…an army of one of these behemoths…can take out hundreds of soldiers, tanks, choppers, level cities and buildings…imagine if we had our own army of them. Ross these creatures were birthed from the Super-Soldier experiments of our past regimes…and now this technology…this science has been locked away after your antics Ross!!!! After what you and Blonsky did…illegal you buffoons…and now
Fury and SHIELD have sealed that program from any prying eyes,…it’s within Fury and Fury alone my comrades…I tell you there’s no chance to grasp that ever again…Ross had the chance…and he blew it to kingdom come…and now we hear whispers, rumours, murmurs of something big that SHIELD AND FURY are planning with that serum…and it’s so secret that even PEGASUS can’t get wind of it…Ross you really messed that up…hence I knew when I plucked your ass out the crapper after the shithole you dug…that you’d be indebted to the PEGASUS cause…and that my friends…is to create our own super-soldiers…using the formula that created these monsters!”
Ross now chimed, “That is correct sir. We cannot gain access to the Super-soldier serum but now we have the scientist who made the most headway into these abominations, Dr. Sterns, who himself has suffered mutation at the hands of these experiments, but whose brain efficiency, performance and IQ have risen exponentially.
Stern comes in over the radio, “Don’t mind me folks…just hacking ya signal hahaha…ahem…I am surprised how well you rattled the speech I taught ya Rossh…now shaddup and lemme take over fur ya butcha mah wurrkkk…ahem….he is right…I AM RIGHT…it’s all Chemistry!!”
Ryker looked pissed but content to let the actual scientist finish his words…
“The proper proportions of Banner and Blonsky…and we get the best of both worlds…like that Miley Citrus song says hyuk hyulk…..Banner is the alpha…the prime subject as he reacted the best to the gamma…his blood is the main course…we just need the proper side orders…and Blonsky has that…so now we correct the Banner dosage into Blonsky and we perfect that Abomination…and then folkshh…we have the formula to make our full course meal...our own separate army of super-soldiers…and boy oh boy…do we have the best candidates ever!!!”
With that, we heard a silent snipe…and we see Talbot fall to ground…tranquillized from Ross’s gun.
“Subject Brian Talbot, Codename: Grey has been secured, Sterns” Ross said as Ryker looked on with a wry smile on his face.
“Good job Ross, his bloodwork is similar to Blonsky’s so we get to start from scratch with him…I luv this shite!” clamoured Sterns over the radio waves
“Talbot will serve us all well. He is the perfect soldier General Ryker” Ross sighed.
“And what of this woman that Sterns experimented on already…how could he have started on her? She has no name…there’s no records at all for this lass Ross…Why?”
“Sir, just as we now have Talbot as an zero-template for Blonsky…we needed a zero-template of most similar bloodwork to Banner,
Jeniffer Susan Walters, is Banner’s cousin and whilst Talbot is our property to do with as I see fit and please…Walters, abducted from her law job, is a huge liability so all her records were wiped clean. She was never born. We plan to infuse her and gamma treat with Banner’s blood only…thus correcting the mistake that Banner initially made when he blew himself up…that’s why we started with her before Blonsky came in”
“Oh my Ross…you may be soon usurping me at PEGASUS I tell you…the deceit is most welcome…I must say haha…but answer me this…answer us all…as you seem to have all the answers…if you perfect Blonsky …he will abide and comply cuz he’s a machine that lives for the kill and to be a soldier…in fact he’d welcome what you are doing to him…but Talbot and the girl…their minds will know they have been forced against their will…how can you cage or tame them? Or control them?”
Ross belted back, “With all due respect Ryker, you didn’t think I’d let that slide…uring the transformation process, we have mind-wipe procurement procedures initiated fully over the subjects during their transformations and experiments, Sir, to make them fully compliant and ours and ours alone, submitting to us and us alone…methods and tech borrowed and currently being used at
Alkali Lake by a group I believe your PEGASUS foundation is well affiliated with…
WEAPON EH…”
Suddenly, before he could finish his word, Ross’ beeper goes off…it’s an emergency…Ross looks at Ryker…
“Sir I have to go”
“Problems Ross?”
“No Sir…Duty Calls. Just making sure all systems are a-go”
Ryker watches Ross leave cautiously.
Private Tim Wilkerson intercepts Ross in his quarters, as Tim is second in command to Grey, his codename was Prodigy, and he had the utmost disturbing news.
“Sir we’ve been hacked…data has been downloading for the past 6 hours sir…it’s at 90% completion and cannot be stopped. It’s some kinda mastermind hacker we think…we dunno how he got into our system cuz this network was supposed to be encrypted but he’s in…”
“Well that means as long as he’s in get our men to track him…how long we have till he’s done stealing our files?”
“Sir, 2 hours”
“Good…that’s more than enough…get Corporals Martin and Franklin on the trail once the link is established”
“Sir I’ve already done it…Agents Codenamed: Mess and Griffin respectively are prepping”
“You are our tech prodigy and computer whiz aint you Tim? You SHOULD have this team runnin nice and smooth, and this facility nice and smooth…just like Grey did with your unit in the field,”
Before Tim could answer,
Ross sniped him in the chest…this time no tranq…a real kill
“Someone please clean this mess up and do it quietly please” as Ross left to go to the Mainframe Lab…and he saw the progress status of the hack…91%.
"About an hour or so later…hack progress up to 97%…"
“Shit I think we been made Miss Ross…my gingerbread crumb files suggest we are being tracked…location-wise for Christ’s sake! I didn’t even feed the brain in like an hour…ahhh” the 16 year old Korean-American kid said to Betty.
“I see it too…the link is being piggy-backed Amadeus. There’s the boomerang IP jump. God…What have you done Dad?”
“Listen I’m worried as hell…I say I’m the 7th smartest kid in the world but really…’
“Shut up Cho. There’s a kid at school who has the same name as you…don’t know how…but he’s white, luvs pizza, aint a hacker as you, aint intelligent as you but dammit he doesn’t crack under pressure like you…so take his lead…and be cool Amadeus”
We see SHIELD OPS Mess and Griffin suddenly outside the door…they are quickly eyeing the lock, they pick it in stealth
“You hear that Ms Ross, sounds like...”
“Relax Cho…no one is at the door…99% status by the way...”
“But I hear creaking,” Cho whines
Suddenly Mess and Griffin burst through the door and jack the 2 people up in the room…
“Shit…what the..” the young lad screams...
“Amadeus Cho, you are under arrest for hacking a NATIONAL SECURITY NETWORK..”
“Amadeus…wha?” the woman yells before Griffin coves her mouth...
“Wait what the…I can’t hack man…I just write programmes in C++ for my comic book website man, CBM.com...check mah username dude...see...frickin MarvelFreshman...is this about not having 'DC' in my name??? cuz i can totally put it in my username man...please dont kill me...did Chris Nolan hire you???...i use this shit to pick up chicks on cbm site mannnn...shit…look at my PC… i'm all about INSTIGATOR GIRL, TANKGIRL, LC, MS KYLE, STAR SAPPHIRE and crap man...i love tha puh...check ma wallet man…I’m really Jim Daniels…I just changed it to Amadeus Cho as a bet man…I just wanna liveee….ahhhhh” as he cried…
“Shut the...” as female agent Mess slapped him to the ground, with his female companion watching and screaming...
“Dammit Griff…I don think this him…this kid is downloading Baywatch for dammit’s sake..in a f--king KICK-ASS costume...what d frack!!!”
“We got the
wrong f-ing Amadeus Cho!!!!”
We break to Betty and Cho in her Ford Truck, after ditching her motorcycle and a stolen SHIELD kit...makin headway…at full speed…
“I gotta tell Bruce what’s happening. Dammit…Amadeus take the wheel and drive!”
“But I don’t got my…”
“Take it kid!!!”
And Betty grabbed what seemed to be a satellite phone to call!
"**** Back in Bruce’s cabin…****"
As Samson sips coffee and Bruce sips his water…
“So you kept this secret well in B.C. Bruce…kudos”
“Actually Rick found out by accident”
“Yeah man…where’s that kid?…how come I aint
never met him in the times I been here?…from what you tell me…he seems so much like you Bruce…a kindred spirit”
Flashback to how Rick met Bruce
We see Bruce chopping firewood when a young kid falls out from the rock overhead…10 feet to the ground bleeding…and suddenly we see 3 grizzlies – large and pissed and they charge Bruce…
Heartbeat – thump – thump – “ROARRR!!!”
And we see Bruce change and Hulk is here!
“Behind me Kid!!!” Hulk yells
Hulk shields the boy as he whips the bears…but he carefully does his best not to injure them mortally as they lick their wounds and flee…but we see something greater happening…a rockslide occurs…
And Hulk manages to save Rick whilst preventing boulders from heading down towards the McNabe cabin below.
By the time the folks of Jim McNabe come out to see and survey the scene, they see Bruce, who shuffles as he is checking a wounded Rick.
Bruce quickly ushers McNabe and family back inside as he doesn’t want them to see the distress that Hulk just caused and doesn't want them to see Rick before he spills that Bruce is Hulk…and he remembers helping nurse Rick as he made it clear that Rick would come home with him, so no one would get a chance to hear Rick sell out the Hulk, but Rick never did tattle…he and Bruce would become close friends.
Seems Rick Jones was a kindred spirit indeed
“From Arizona Brucie…luv my Johnny Cash”
“Man in Black huh” Bruce laughed
“So watcha doin all the way out here kid?”
“Backpacked all over man…won mih Harley which I left down at Janey’s bar….ohh sweet lil bar-gal by the way…then found mihself hya…decided after some of that classic tequila shots to hike up from town…then ran into em Grizzlies…stupid of me huh man? I left my nice lil room I got booked at Marv’s Inn to go get my ass bit by bears. Thank god you were there you jolly green beanstalk…man…I saw you change!”
“umm..err…well”
“I saw it wit my own eyes Bruce…besides you think I aint ever heard of Hulk…I seen the news man…you wanted all over by all sortsa police…I seen you battle monsters and planes and tanks man…but to think God wuda sent you to save me bro…you are my guardian angel man…you have a safe secret with me”
And Bruce need not worry anymore at that point as he saw and felt the honesty in Rick Jones that he knew he had within him.
And for the last 8 months Rick has been friend, confidant, and brother to Bruce Banner and to the Hulk. Constantly visiting when Bruce needed a friend…he was always there for Bruce at the right time and moment when Bruce needed him most
“Bruce answer me…take this damn call…it’s Betty!!!” Samson yelled
“Wha…” Bruce broke outta his trance.. “Betty? How’d you get this? Sam you swore never to tell her where I was? You would endanger her like this Sam?
“Bruce shut up…it’s not Sam. I never knew where you went after New York. He didn’t tell me a thing…but it’s worse than I could have possibly imagined Bruce…”
“Tell me Betty…what’s going on? Why you crying and sounding so scared? What’s wrong Betts?”
Bruce and Samson were already in Sam’s car heading into town…Bruce was now worried about Rick…was he safe?
“Bruce it’s the General. I used help to hack a secret project my father was working on Bruce. After New York, my father had strings pulled…he was gonna be investigated for the Sterns-Blonsky ordeal…till Tony Stark and a Nick Fury of SHIELD bailed dad out. The info we had just stolen off the computer has now cracked open and now we have it all. Seems that Dad was gonna join Stark and Fury on an Initiative to hunt and bring you in…bring in Hulk…but dad dropped off the grid and bailed on em’…about the same time that Samuel Sterns was busted outta SHIELD storage…kidnapped by my Dad, Bruce. The General is working under some group, a mysterious board known as PEGASUS, and they got him his own SHIELD FACILITY - SOMBRERO in Nevada, I’m sendin you the links now…it’s goin to Sam’s memory card…that’s the location Bruce. Bruce it’s bad…Sterns is working for Dad on some sorta GAMMA CORPS project, where they use your blood and Blonsky’s to create the ideal soldier Bruce. They are using gamma as catalyst as Sterns seems to have ironed-out the formulas…they’ve got Glenn Talbot’s brother as a subject as well as some other girl. And the final straw is to improve Blonsky…they needed your blood for all 3 projects Brucie…”
“Oh no…they used the synthesized blood that Sterns had in his NY Lab…shit…that’s flawed and diluted and….”
“NOOO…Bruce…they recognised that blood was no good and destroyed all of that supply as well all of Sterns old stuff…they just kept his theoretical work and some schematics…his current research is based on his old work but tis all FRESH…”
“What the hell…but how could they do this without Stern’s home-made batch?”
“Cuz they had a fresh supply Bruce!!”
“What? How? I don’t..”
“They got it directly from you”
“That’s no…it’s impossible”
“BRUCE…the spring water…”
“What???”
“They drugged it Bruce”
“But that would mean..”
“They knew you were there from the start…they shepherded you to that point without you realising it Bruce. The lake was spiked with Nandromine…it’s a drug…”
“One minute Betty, I gotta get someone”
Bruce ran into Janey’s as soon as they set foot in town…
“Janey…”
“Hey handsome…long time no see Billie ..”
“Where’s Rick?”
“Who?”
“Rick Jones…tall, slim, dark hair, pretty-boy…. likes Saturday nights here…likes tequila shots and has a Harley” as Bruce bellowed out all possible description of him…the last thing he needed now was a sketchpad.
“Sorry sugah but I’ve never seen nor met that kid before in my life” Janey replied.
“Nooo…what the hell…. Betty one sec…you hafta hold..”
Bruce quickly asked Janey to call McNabe cabin…and all he heard was…
“Sorry Bill but that day of the rockslide…it was you all alone when we came out…you were acting weird and creepy like if you were with someone…but it was cuz we thought the rocks spooked you and them grizzlies too…plus we thought you may have hit ya head…you had cuts and bruises on em...and we saw yuh talking to yourself like that Ed Norton guy in Fight Club but we felt it's cuz yah were shocked from the rockslide...”
Suddenly it all began to unravel. No wonder Sam never met Rick…or anyone else did for that matter.
Bruce placed Betty back to his ear…
“Bruce - Nandromine…you hearing me…it’s a drug…a sedative calming-hallucinogen…they’ve been druggin you and extracting your blood from you at night Bruce while you sleep. If you been sleeping nice and well…that’s why you think you been sleeping well and fine...they been lacing the spring water with that addictive shit”
Rick Jones never existed. He was all a figment of Bruce’s imagination Was Banner losing his mind or was the drugs the cause of that fantasy? No wonder Rick was so similar and kindred to Bruce…he was what Bruce wanted to become had he not delved into science. He represented Bruce’s lost past
“Bruce listen to me…they have been takin your blood from right under your nose Bruce…they have a sleeper team undercover there at B.C. to keep an eye on you and keep you quiet…that’s why they never came after you…you had the blood they needed…you were their chemical factory so they simply lulled you into believing they couldn’t find you. They set you up Bruce, imprisoned you without you knowing. It was all Dad’s plan…Bruce…AHAHHHHHHHHHHH HELLLLLPPPPPPP…” AND THE LINE WENT DEAD
“BETTYYYY…NOOOO…..SHIT….Samson…they been watching me all this time, hiding me here away from public eye, using me as a puppet, drugging me…Sam…something aint right man…I thought that after spending a month up here
(and we flashback to him grinning at the end of Inc. Hulk 1) I thought I had control of it but Sam…the drugs weakened Banner’s mind…my mind…and the Hulk…he sensed it…and made me think I had control of him…when really…it was he who took control of me Sam! He sensed that Banner’s mind was weakening so he decided to play Bruce by letting Bruce believe he had control of the Hulk…but the bears…Rick…everything...Hulk knew Banner’s mind was fragile…so he created Rick… let Bruce’s mind play with the charade of Rick…and when the bears came…Bruce thought they were attacking Rick…but Hulk planted Rick Jones in Bruce’s mind…he took Bruce’s thoughts, extracted and manipulated it and fooled Banner. And when Banner thought he saw Rick being attacked, it was Hulk lying to him…and when Banner thought he willingly controlled the Hulk, it was really the Hulk that came out with ease to beat the bears…shit…Hulk overtook Banner again…shit….all this time Hulk was in control of Banner…Banner wasn’t turning into Hulk…Hulk was turning into and hiding here as Banner…nooo…Bruce wasn’t turning into the Hulk…shit…..Hulk knew he was being watched by Ross….Hulk was in control of everything…so all this time it was Hulk who hid here in the cabin as Banner…Hulk was hiding out here in Banner’s skin whilst tricking Bruce into believing he had control…Hulk knew he could fool Bruce after he felt Bruce’s willpower and strength drop with the drugs. Of course…drugs would affect Banner…not Hulk…. Hulk played Banner…he played me….he fooled me into thinking I could control him so I wouldn’t get suspicious when really Sam…Hulk was the person in control and he simply hid out in this cabin disguised as me …Samson!!!
“Bruce…you are scaring the shit outtta me…referring to yourself as Bruce, Banner, I, me …and Hulk…What’s it mean?”
“Sam…the Hulk was waiting here…made me think I had him under wraps but he had me under wraps…Hulk was waiting here…hiding…but for what…he knew he was being watched so he was playing possum?…why did he want me to think he was chained and caged Sam? He knew SHIELD had us under surveillance so he played coy…Sam I think Hulk knew my blood was being stolen…oh gosh…It was like he was resting….waiting…”
“Runnnn!!!” Samson yelled as Bruce’s train of thought was interrupted…the SHIELD SLEEPER CELL was attacking them…Betty was captured and with the data recovered, Ross knew she contacted Banner and Samson…and unleashed his unit who hid out in Banner’s town. Banner knew that the location in Nevada that Betty sent him would be too far away to reach if he and Sam tried to make it…he would be too late…but Nevada was where he had to go…chances are there’s where she would be taken.
“Sam…behind me…Come on out you green sonuva bitch”…
and Bruce turned into Hulk…and Hulk smashed and smashed…and when Sam sensed victory Hulk began tearing through the SHIELD agents weapons and then, Hulk knocked Samson lightly but unconscious. The town was scampering and yelling, but before Hulk could calm them,
“Hide. Do not get hurt people. Stay away fr….” Hulk was tasered on his head….with a shock that could have killed a herd of cattle…meant to stimulate sleep in brainwaves…and Hulk dropped…echoed and flat on his face.
"**** SOMBRERO FACILITY ****"
“Shhh” Sterns warned Blonsky, then as he prodded over to Grey, with Walters 10 feet away. Both were yelling as they were being shocked with the mindwipe…simultaneously they were receiving their gamma courses and blood transfusions…
“Dad I hate you” as Betty slapped Ross.
“Huh. Well I wish it weren’t so Betts”
“Why did you not work with Stark? Bring him in and let’s try to cure him peacefully?”
“Cuz Stark and his buffoons have dreams of Machines, and what…rumoured men posing as Gods with parlour and hammer tricks…and spies…what kinda army is that?…one doomed to fail. But this one we’re making is destined to rule all Betty. We are looking at the future of warfare. The national security of America girlie”
“ummm….my mom is gonna be worried” Cho rang in
“Shaddup kid. Betty you cry for Banner…when he comes here just now…he’s done you know…we will mindwipe him and use him…and if he resists we’ll dissect him Betty…his time has passed…Betty who you think led the Sleeper Cell in B.C. and took his blood night after night…was me Betty…and it felt good doing it every night knowing I’d be killing him for takin away my lil girl”
“You were dead to your lil girl from the time you joined the Force!”
“Then so be it…Take these 2 to the cells. Banner is overhead folks. Sterns we got new developments!!!”
As they were imprisoned in the cells, Betty was crying with all she had…and Cho sat with head in lap…worried as hell.
Ryker and Ross then entered the experiment area with Sterns as they awaited Banner.
“Ohhh goshhh….dammit…my head hurts…jeeezzz” Samson exclaimed as he awoke in the jet. It landed on the pad at SOMBRERO…and he looked over and saw Banner’s human body being off-loaded…strapped and all.
“You guys are dead bitches” Mess approached Sam with.
“Hey lady…how d’ya think 2 guys would have reached this party with SHIELD and the National Force on our asses? By bus...hell no...they'd hitch a quick ride with the host of course!” Sam jerked
“ROAARRRRR…. BANNER SMASH….as chaos erupted.
Sam ensued to jump off the bridge handcuffed and Mess dove after him, only to be thrown off the platform and to death as Hulk flung a chain that direction. Griffin picked up a weapon to aim but Samson wrapped his cuffs around the throat, and knowing it was do or die…Sam killed Griffin as Griffin froze up with Hulk approaching. Hulk flung the jet through the roof of SOMBRERO…he played coy on the plane…just as when he was in British Columbia…Hulk had learnt to adapt to all situations and all surroundings…intelligence indeed…and he broke Sam’s cuffs…
“Go find Betty” as Sam sped off with that.
Sam had an e-board with him that shows the prisoner’s docks…and he quickly hijacked a guard at gunpoint to take him to Betty and Cho.
“Either take me to em…or I shoot you…or the giant guy there rips you apart” Sam yelled.
Hulk had other plans as he smashed through into the heart of the facility. He landed in front of a panicked floor…but Ross and Ryker were already heading elsewhere – escape pods.
“Sterns wherever the hell you are…release Grey and Blonsky!” Ross commanded
“They are not ready…their minds are fragile…like kids right now…the mindwipe on Grey isn’t finished…and Blonsky’s mindwaves still aren’t responsive until the treatment is done ” a frightened Sterns added “you were supposed to have subdued Banner!!!”
“We miscalculated you egg head...now listen…Hulk is 30 feet away from your door…so do it now…or he’s gonna come in there and kill you!”
And with that Hulk began tearing apart SOMBRERO…good ole fashioned war…and as he picked up a reactor…he felt a hand on his shoulder…BAMMM…fist to Hulk’s face…and he went flying through the wall…
Abomination picked up the reactor and landed it on Hulk.
“Blonsky must die!” Hulk yelled as he leapt with right hands into Abomination’s face
“I AM THE STRONGEST” Hulk yelled as he tore into Abomination’s face…Blonsky looked a bit bigger but still resembled strongly the creature Hulk fought before and just when it seemed Hulk had him beaten, Grey ran up and with a similar humanoid frame and build as the Hulk, this grey skinned beast jarred Hulk and then began kicking him…Hulk’s head was ringing.
“BANNER..I’LL FINISH YOU OFF…” Blonsky slurred…as it was clear he was still feeling the effects of his adjustment procedure
Ross and Ryker were watching from the Conference Room…they stalled heading to the pods as they were in awe at their 2 soldiers…they were about to defeat Hulk…
Grey pounded and pounded the Hulk…stamping him on his head Hulk was dazed…and Grey used everything he had to subdue Hulk…Grey was just as strong as Hulk or Blonsky but far more intelligent…
“My kid is better dontcha think” as Ryker felt a plunge through him…Sterns ran a broken steel cable through Ryker’s torso…and looked up towards Ross’s eyes... “Oops!”
Samson had found Cho and Betty and with the guard heading out running for his life, Samson knew time was running out. The facility was being torn apart.
“Get Cho outta here” Betty yelled as she held the e-board
“What…Betty...NOO..we all go”
“Not without Bruce!!” she yelled
Abomination caught Hulk with a left as Grey held him up with a smile on his face. They both pummelled fists on Hulk, and then grabbed him and flung him….straight into the next layered cell…where Jen was being mindwiped…and through her cell he went…
The 2 creatures followed and continued beating on Hulk…Blonsky charged and speared Hulk out into the Power Generation Room…
“DIE BANNER” as Blonsky kicked Hulk’s side...
“YOU WILL FALL BLONSKY” Hulk yelled as he staggered to his feet...
But Grey saw a staggering Jen…and moseyed over to her…with a lusty and playful smile on his face…he never spoke a word…his mindwipe was affecting his vocal ability…but he knew what his thoughts meant…and as Grey put his hands on her hair and licked his lower lip…SLIKKTTT….
Jen stuck two electrical cables…which had come loose…into his eyes…and pushed the shocking cables frying down into his face…
Till she sent it through his eye sockets and into his head…Jen had stunned and near-killed Grey…but she was badly damaged…wounded and limping…and as she looked up, her sight fell crimson...as Hulk appeared from behind a falling Grey...and decapitated him.
As she saw Hulk look at her with little to no recognition, she pondered, only to see him rush Blonsky again to end the job...and as her memory tried to trigger but with each synapse that tried to fire…her mind burnt…till she felt slow release and comfort in her neck…as if she were free…Ross and Sterns ran down and both had thrust a jagged iron pole through her neck…and Jen fell dead at their feet.
“This is a disaster Ross…look at my creations…my pupils…my kids!”
“Sterns…you be a Leader and get me outta here…the escape pods has a friggin jet through all of em’ …and the facility is on automatic lockdown…so we hafta go out through the Manual Candy Exit…and that way’s through there…close to where those monsters are battling…if we make it out our deal is still on…if I get the PEGASUS position Ryker had…we gots all kinda works to do…us alone…no interference from anyone…you spared my life and now I promise you I’ll repay you. Forget Banner, Blonsky…We find ones like Grey and we change them…they are the optimals…they are the race we want”
“Yess…live to fight…live to lead another day eh Genny”
But before they could try to burrow through the rubble…BAMMM
Abomination landed right onto their escape route…Hulk had regained the upper hand…AND HE LANDED ONTO BLONSKY’S STOMACH…and blood came out his mouth.
Hulk sensed it. He looked around at the She-Hulk, at Grey…and in the corner of his eye he heard….
“Bruce!!!!”
“Betty” and as Hulk made way to go to her…
“Look out!” Samson and Cho yelled…as Hulk saw everything slow down…. and Abomination drove an uppercut into Hulk’s chin…then torso…groin…knee…stomach..face…back…and elbow to the head…Abomination then took a bony spike from his hand which he ripped…and as Hulk braced for the puncture…Abomination saw Hulk’s eyes watching Betty with protection… “SORRY BANNER HAHA” and Blonsky leapt to drive the spike…straight into Betty’s heart.
She was impaled and dropped in slow motion…eyes open and looking at Bruce…at Hulk…as a doll…freshly unpacked…baby blues that would close one last time…
Hulk stared as he heard Blonsky’s laugh…
And Banner’s mind suddenly opened up…
We saw Banner face to face with Hulk…
They were watching Betty lie on a bed, motionless, dead, so beautiful yet so lifeless…
“This is it…this is what you were waiting on weren’t you?”
Hulk looked at Banner and Bruce saw a tear in Hulk’s eye…it drew down the green cheek and as it fell…
“ARGGHHHHH”
Banner knew it…Hulk had waited all along to cut loose…now Hulk waited for this moment…as he knew Banner would not hold him back…Banner gave in completely into the Hulk…he gave Hulk 100% total control…. Banner now embraced the Hulk as his own heart.
Banner and the Hulk were now truly one…
This was what Hulk waited for all along since his inception…to be one with Banner…for Banner to be one with Hulk…Hulk is Banner…Banner is Hulk…Hulk waited for a moment when nothing or no one would hold him back…when Banner would finally realise that Banner was not the important figure…Hulk was!!!
Hulk had waited all along for Banner to tell him…go on unleash…
Banner whispered to Hulk
“You’re free!”
“BETYYYYYYYYY!!!” as Hulk roared and raged, Blonsky no matter how new and improved…he couldn’t stop the barrage…Hulk smashed and smashed and smashed…till he wrapped his hands around Abomination’s neck…
And broke it…twisted it right around…and then with his bare hands…ripped off Blonsky’s head and threw it onto the ground…
Then Hulk turned to stare at all…Samson, Cho, Sterns and Ross…But they knew this was not the Hulk of past…his eyes bore a new rage…one which Sterns knew to run from…and he dragged Ross with him…the General couldn’t believe what just happened and he was bawling as Sterns collared him and scraped him away
Hulk dropped the head to the floor…walked over to Grey and lifted him over his head…and then ripped Grey in 2…
“HULK IS STRONGEST THERE IS!!!! BANNER IS STRONGEST THERE IS…YOU WILL PAY FOR BETTY…YOU WILL ALL PAY!!”
Samson and Cho hid under a broken helicopter as they witnessed Ross and Sterns trying to run for it…
Suddenly a dozen SHIELD AGENTS…not the rogues of SOMBRERO…but Fury’s legit ones descended from the rafters…and began firing at Hulk…Hulk quickly tossed a transformation tank and sent the chopper reeling…and Samson and Cho saw a dozen agents torn to shred by this new…this raging…Beast!
And as Ross and Sterns tried to navigate atop a series of damaged cells…
THUNDERCLAP….and everything was swept away by Hulk…
And Sterns fell directly onto a chopper blade…sliced into 2…sliced from the eye down…the top of his head removed clean…the LEADER WAS LIFELESS!!!
And Hulk stomped over to the general who was bleeding profusely…his leg broken from the fall…and Samson yelled “Bruce NOOO…wait…this isn’t you” as he and Cho trembled and quaked with fear…
Hulk looked over at Betty…her eyes now closed…and screamed “THEY KILLED MY BETTY!” and raised his fist…
The General closed his eyes…and thoughts of his little girl swirled through his mind…and suddenly went blank!!!
Hulk raised his bloody fist…he had smashed Ross’ head…and he looked over to Sam and Cho…his body crimson with blood of his fallen victims...
“AAHHHHHHH” he yelled in agony…walked over to Betty, kneeled…touched her face whilst his eyes closed…. looked back at Sam one last time…and he leapt off…
Samson knew that that would be the last bit of compassion and care he would ever see of his friend…and as Cho looked at him…covered in ash…both stared at the incoming SHIELD COPTERS…and both hung their heads…on this day, a Hero fell from Grace…Love was killed…and A NEW BEAST WAS BORN…drenched in a crimson coat of death...
“Roger…we have no visual…repeat we have no visual…” FORTCOM 1 applied
“Neither do we, Over” FORTCOM 2 answered.
Jets scoured the Nevada region…Hulk could not be found
As SHIELD agents and MEDVAC tended to Samson and Cho…we see
Nick Fury come out a vehicle…
“Ahem…here’s yuh rights…Dr. Leonard Samson…aiding and abetting a fugitive of USA…treason…so shut up cuz I’m telling you this once…SHIELD needs a therapist on board my ship…and my crew…well it aint ya regular one…and we do tend to need a shoulder to cry on…so sign up…keep all this you seen and know to yaself… or how’s about we get you a prison tat??? I hear you a good shrink…you kept Banner at bay for a while…but maybe it was the junkie water…who knows…but if you want you use this lifeline I offered you…otherwise buddy you aint gonna ever get to phone a friend or a family member for as long as you live? I got alibis for everyone cuz we have to keep this whole thing a matter of National Security cuz we cant have a USA panic again...”
“Yes Sir” Samson submitted as he tried to wipe the green gamma fluids that were leaking when the building was being wrecked by the monsters...but all he realised was his hair was somehow...green...
“Good. After SHIELD patches you up, they’ll take you to yuh new office in the sky...you can wash out that dye stuff in your hair then...”
Cho came in “Sky? Kidding rite?”
“Haha….kidding? Well kid you better worry about ya own ass cuz it’s the same deal for you?…cept that you get to sign up for a lil’ genius Tech-Pool training programme run by a Hank Pym…all SHIELD TRAINING…you’ll be in it for life…owned by ME…your ass is gonna make up for all the stuff you did in the past Amadeus…I aint talking bout just this incident…I mean
ALL!!!”
“Yes Sir but I’m gonna have to call ma” Cho depressed.
“And if you say anything about all you know or witnessed to anyone besides me…I warn you again…it’s a one way ticket to hell!!! Got it?”
“Sir, Yes Sir” they both replied.
As Fury walks off…we see him re-enter the vehicle where his com-link comes on and we see him speaking with the President…
“Sir, Banner uprooted the entire FACILITY…probably a hundred casualties…both my agents as well as ROGUES…all dead…even the GAMMA monsters are dead…General Ross…his daughter…dead Sir. It seems that the intel of rogue factions within our National Security is real and true Mr. President. Ross and Ryker’s body will be taken to the morgue. Ryker it seems was in charge here…But the decimation here by Banner means that we have no leads to go on…none of the survivors probably know that much of who ran the show…cept what went on here…Sir, it’s gonna be hard to track the people behind this. The people here thought they were probably working for us Sir. It’s gonna be hell to find out who was behind all this...”
“Well Fury…that’s why you’re SHIELD’s director. And Banner…he slaughtered so many?”
“Banner killed my agents, as well as criminals and entities that are property of the US GOV’T…and of SHIELD…and whom were necessary for interrogation, imprisonment and investigations so as to surmise the deeper threat within America’s defences Sir. His actions are unacceptable…and we have confirmed his murder of General Ross…as well as Blonsky. Ross may have been the key to unravelling and unlocking the deception within our frame Sir. For his actions, Bruce Banner must be considered our main perogative, as SHIELD must now move to bring him in or take him down…ALIVE OR DEAD SIR…to preserve national security of America!!!”
“Well then Fury, I assume that your team will find its first major mission at hand”
“Yes, Mr President…I have just initiated the "AVENGERS PROTOCOL!!!"
We zoom out as we see the bodies being covered and taken away by SHIELD…the creatures, the agents, the General and also, Betty.
We see the entire base literally destroyed from the battle…
"****EPILOGUE****"
We see a meeting in Delhi, India…3 months after the SOMBRERO DISASTER
It seems that the 8 other PEGASUS heads have been meeting outside of US to avoid suspicion after Ryker’s failure. The waitress comes in to deliver tea.
“Well Ryker and Ross messed it up. SHIELD may be onto us. I don’t know”
“What I know is that Fury will have had SHIELD filtered through by now and anyone loyal to us would be outed” another added.
“We are exposed I think…our secrecy and our very existence compromised” another voice echoed
“Please, I don’t think even Fury is that good” the first voice played out again
“GUESS AGAIN!!!”< as the waitress pulled out two guns from beneath her apron and holds it up to the guests, “YOUR ENTIRE SECURITY DETAIL WITHIN THE BULDING IS IMMOBILIZED…YOU ARE ALL UNDER ARREST!”
It’s the Black Widow…
Fury barges in the room with more agents and a sleek bow-wielding agent by his side…he shoots an arrow straight through the table…
As the members inside look out the window, they see a full-sized giant human eye shockingly staring back at them…
Fury yells “PEGASUS…YOUR WINGS HAVE JUST BEEN CLIPPED!!!” with a cunning grin on his face
"****Iron Man is flying over the Rockies****"
"What a funeral...Samson really can act man...and T-bolt Ross? Honored a hero?...After he turned down our help to do things the hard way against Banner...scoff...poor ole Ross!" Stark quipped to himself as he tuned the telecast off in his HUD...
Iron Man lands and we see Cap with his shield…Dugan and Danvers walks up to them…
“He’s hiding in the cavern…” says Danvers
In the Dark of the cavern we see Hulk’s outline…and it seems there’s another shadow revealed as Hulk shifts position…
We hear a slow
‘grrrrr’…as Iron Man scans the cavern… “1 big body…yep…Hulk”
“Cap, I take him high”
“I’ll go low Tony…stealth is the key”
“With this guy stealth don’t matter” Dugan adds as they all approach where the Hulk is…
Coming into the aperture…Danvers whistles “He smelled us coming from a mile away guys…so get ready….”
And as the quartet, led by Stark And Cap, reveal themselves ready for battle…with SHIELD AGENTS rushing in from all sides…they are all greeted my a green mist…Hulk has disappeared.
“Ohhhhhhof -Kay Hulk’s teleported outta here” says a confused Tony
“Regroup and fall out, survey the perimeter one more time” Cap orders as he looks around in disbelief
SHIELD pulls out the cavern and as Dugan follows the Avengers, he turns around to tell Danvers “Damn…I guess I get to live today huh?”
“Well there’s always tomorrow huh Dum Dum?” replies Danvers as she walks out behind them all, guns toting in her hands…and we notice strongly the pronounced green mist following her as she makes her path out the cave!
Continued in 'THE MIGHTY AVENGERS (new, improved fic coming soon again)' by Anil Rickly
CAST –
Same as my MIGHTY AVENGERS of course…
Same cast is retained from Leterrier’s Inc Hulk 1
Rick Jones – Jared Leto (helluva actor and brings intrigue to my Jones role)
Amadeus Cho – Roger Iwami (damn it is hard to get his pic but he had a small cooking class scene from Superbad…lol)
Brian Talbot/Grey– Dylan McDermott (I’m sure he can be a hardcore soldier douche as he constantly impresses me on tv)
Gen. Ryker – John Noble (see story)
Jen Walters – Karen Cliché (of the recent lame Flash Gordon)
Tim ‘Prodigy’ Wilkerson – Ethan Embry
Mess- Tricia Helfer
Griffin – Leonard Roberts (of Heroes)- all 3 folks are in story
Imitation Cho/ Jim Daniels – Martin Starr
Jim McNabe – Robert Duvall
Janey – Mia Kirshner (see story- she be cute and looks like a small-town hide-away gal)
Please holler and stay tuned for the link to my improved 'MIGHTY AVENGERS' which is the follow-up to this...