(A/N: Can't give away any of the plot, so just keep on reading & reviewing.)

He's still out there. I know he's still out there, thought Jack McGee. Though he had retired from the newspaper game years ago, the Hulk was still his greatest obsession. Even a brilliant sunrise couldn't take his mind from the man-beast that had made his career.

"Time for breakfast, Mr. McGee," said the resident nurse in that sickeningly sweet voice that always grated his ears.

"Whatever," he growled as she pushed his wheelchair toward the dining room. How long had he been in this hellhole? Too long. With no family, no real savings, and no insurance, McGee'd had no choice but to live in a nursing home.

"Ah, buck up, mister," said the nurse, "You've got your regular visitor just waiting to see you."

At this, McGee's mood genuinely improved. Ever since the Register had been acquired by a newspaper mogul named Mitchum Huntzberger, he'd been sending his son to learn the trade. When he was finally allowed to go back to his room, he found Huntzberger waiting for him.

"Morning, Mr. McGee," he said, flashing his perfectly white teeth in a charming smile, "So what's the lesson for today?"

"Good morning, Logan," said McGee, grabbing his walker and forcing himself up, "Tell me, what do you know about the Hulk?"

"Only what you wrote about him," said Logan, "That he was a man who turned into a monster that killed a pair of scientists."

"There's more to it than that," said McGee, "It's time for me to tell you the whole story. You've been a good student, Huntzberger, and you'll do well in this business. Since I don't have much longer to live, I need you to carry my legacy."

McGee took a packet of newspaper clippings from his shelf and opened it. "Over 30 years ago," he said, showing Logan the pictures, "Two scientists, Dr. David Banner and Dr. Elaina Marks, were conducting human enhancement trials. I tried for weeks to get an interview, but they refused at every turn. Near my final attempts, something happened. A great, green man began appearing, a being of prodigious strength, a hulk. I knew that Marks and Banner were involved somehow, so I broke into their lab to find evidence. They threw me out, but I heard the way they spoke of the green creature. They were terrified! Later that night, there was a fire, and the lab was blown to smithereens. I saw the Hulk run out of the wreckage, with Dr. Marks in his arms."

McGee stopped to take a hit off his oxygen tank and continued, "The next morning, Dr. Marks' body was found. There were great bruises upon her body, as though something extremely heavy had been dropped on her. Dr. Banner's body was never even found, presumably destroyed in the explosion. I sent out photographs of the creature to every law-enforcement agency in the country, and made it my personal mission to find the Hulk and avenge the deaths of Marks and Banner. Help me hook up my colostomy bag, will you, Logan?"

When that unpleasant business was finished, McGee finished the story, "A couple years after, I ended up actually meeting the Hulk. It turned out that he is a normal man who, when he gets angry or upset, transforms into the Hulk. He was stricken with amnesia at the time, and went by John Doe. I've since deduced that he was experimented on by Banner and Marks, and the Hulk was just a lab accident. I met him again about a year after, and actually had to help him escape the government's clutches when I found out that they just wanted to use him as a weapon."

"What does he look like?" asked Logan.

"I don't really know," admitted McGee, "The first time, he'd been badly burnt and his face was covered in bandages. The second time, he was suffering from the effects of a radioactive meteor, and his transformation had stopped somewhere between man and hulk. I do know, however, that he is a very average, unassuming man in height, weight, and build. Dark brown hair and hazelish eyes that turn greenish-white when he changes."

"Did you ever see him again?"

"Not personally," said McGee, inching toward the window, "but I pursued him across this great country, following any tiny lead which might lead me to John Doe. I wanted to help him find a cure for his condition, but he apparently believed that it was something he'd best do on his own. In the early 90's, he dropped out of sight completely and I was forced to retire. But here's the thing: I KNOW he's still out there, Logan. Even since I first saw him, I've had this . . . feeling that's always helped me to follow him. And my feeling tells me that he's still alive, and still trying to find a cure for himself."

"And you want me to keep up the search," said Logan.

"Exactly." McGee turned around to face his protégé. "Reporting is in your blood, Huntzberger," he said, "I need someone who shares my thirst for the truth to keep up the search for the Hulk. He thinks he can go it alone, but he can't. Or else he'd have cured himself by now. This is the final journalistic assignment I'm going to give you, boy: Find the Hulk and tell his story to the world."

"JESS, GET YOUR ASS DOWN HERE!" shrieked Luke up the stairs. The diner was swamped and he had to run from table to table to get every order. On top of that, Caesar called in sick and he was making everything by himself!

"Right here, Uncle Luke," said Jess, who quickly grabbed an apron and started manning the grill.

"What's with you?" asked Luke, suspicious. Jess was not only being helpful, but he was doing it without an attitude.

"I haven't the slightest idea what you mean," replied Jess in an innocent voice.

"Cut the crap, Jess," said Dean, setting down a stack of dishes, "You've barely said a word or done a thing around here since you arrived, and now you're happy to be helpful?"

"Someone had an extra bowl of cynic-flakes this morning," said a perky voice behind him. He turned and saw Lorelai and Rory behind him.

"Coffee and pancakes comin' right up," said Luke, busying himself.

"I'd rather have waffles – " began Lorelai

"You're having pancakes!" Luke said it with a voice that threatened unspeakable pain on anyone who contradicted him.

"What's up with Mr. Sourpuss?" asked Rory.

"Got me," replied Jess, "I just came down to help out and he bit my head off. I was going to ask him for a raise, but I'm little too fond of living."

"How much does he pay you?" asked Rory.

"Supposedly minimum wage," said Jess, "but he deducts for my 'living expenses,' so it only amounts to about three bucks an hour."

Rory made a face at Lorelai. Lorelai shook her head no, but Rory started to gesticulate, and Lorelai finally mouthed fine!

"You know, Jess," said Lorelai, "if you're looking to pick up some extra cash, we could use a handyman around the inn."

"Maybe," he said with a reserved shrug, "If I get some spare time, I'll come around."

"YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME, TAYLOR!"

"I am doing nothing of the kind, young man! You are fired!"

"FOR WHAT?!" shouted Dean, looming over Taylor.

"Three times my store has been robbed," snapped Taylor, "Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. Three times, and your employees are lining their pockets! Now turn in your key and apron and get out of my store before I call the police!"

Dean threw down the key and apron, swore loudly, and saluted Taylor with not all five fingers before storming out of the market.

About a block later, David appeared and started walking next to him.

"I saw what happened, Dean," said David, "I didn't like that man from the moment I met him."

"He gets worse as time goes by," said Dean.

David stepped in front of Dean and said, "Dean, if you're interested in a new job, I could use an assistant down at my lab."

"David, I appreciate the effort," said Dean, "but I can find my own work."

"I'll pay you double what Taylor did," called David, causing Dean to stop.

"I'll be by tomorrow after school," said Dean.

(A/N: Jess and Dean working in the same proximity? You just know when it's going to go badly. Please Review.)

TO BE CONTINUED.