Author's note: Merry Christmas everyone! And because of this special day I'll be posting two chapters, have a good one ;)


Chapter 4

Monster mash

Northern Africa

Dean laid in his bed. It had been a month since he joined Hydra. Every single day that passed was filled with hard work and immense pain.

His skills had grown, enough to finally rival that of the nameless girl who still acted coldly towards the rest of the squad.

The blonde was still a mystery to them. Although as of late she'd been giving Dean hateful glances, she probably noticed his growing skill in the training room.

The familiar alarm went off and the room lights went on.

Within seconds all of the recruits were dressed.

The soldier walked in, "Follow me recruits"

They followed him to the hangar where all the other recruits were gathered.

"We haven't done this since the first day" Tobias carefully whispered.

"What do you think's going on?" Jordan whispered.

"This might be it" Bob said.

"Maybe" Greg said.

Madame Viper stood in front of the recruits, "You've all come a long way. When you first arrived, you were nothing but empty bodies, void of a true purpose. But now you're Hydra soldiers, you're ready to take up arms against our enemies and destroy them. Hail Hydra!"

"Hail Hydra!" All the recruits shouted.

"See yourselves to proper uniform and report to the hangar, you leave immediately for your first mission" Viper left in a hurry.

"Finally a mission" Dean said feeling excited.


Viper entered her personal courters where you could clearly see the hangar from the window. Someone was there waiting for her.

A dark haired woman. Wearing a green and yellow leather outfit with a small hydra symbol on her chest.

"Impressive speech, did you mean it?" She asked.

"No, most of them are worthless. Only a select few show promise" Viper said.

"What a shame" she said sarcastically.

"What are you here for Arachne?" Viper asked.

"Change of plans, your mission has changed" Arachne said looking out the window, "Jared is to assassinate Nick Fury" Arachne said.

"I am just as capable of carrying out that task" Viper said

"The supreme leader has commanded it" Arachne said.

Viper clenched her fist with anger, "What am I to do now?"

Arachne handed her a folder.

Viper looked at the Intel inside, "He wants me to retrieve a wild beast?!"

"He might hold the key to the super soldier serum" Arachne said with a smirk.

Viper looked displeased, 'I should have supported Zemo, at least he trusted me with things of importance' she thought as she glared at Arachne.


Dean and the rest of his squad were in a Hydra jet, their destination unknown.

They were all dressed in the standard green Hydra uniform. On their arms, the hydra symbol but slightly different.

The usual one Dean saw was with 6 tentacles coming out of the base of the skull.

The one Dean and all the others currently had was just the skull.

Dean recalled seeing soldiers with one or two tentacles, and Madame Viper had all six. Perhaps it was a method to measure rank.

The commanding officer stepped forward, "Listen up, I'm not going to repeat myself. Your objective is to extract a captured individual. Emil Blonsky was taken into custody and is being held in a cryocell located at a facility in Barrow, Alaska. We find him and recruit him, eliminate any resistance that stands in our way"

That resistance is what has Dean worried. He'd rather avoid having more blood on his hands.

"You ever heard of this guy before?" Bob asked Greg.

"Nope, must be pretty important though" Greg said.

"What if he's an enhanced?" Dean asked.

They looked at him.

"What's an enhanced?" Tobias asked.

"People that are different, with unnatural abilities" Greg said.

"Like the Hulk" Jordan said.

Dean felt a chill crawl up his spine.

"Who's the Hulk?" Tobias asked.

"A raging monster, one that you'd never forget if you saw" Dean said in a serious tone.

"You say that like you've actually seen him" The nameless girl said seeing the fear in his eyes.

"…I have" Dean said staring into blank space.

"We've got a long way to Alaska, tell us" Bob said.

Dean sighed, "I was there when he attacked Manhattan a couple of years ago. It was...horrifying" he chose his words carefully, "I started to feel tremors. At first I thought it was an earthquake" he chuckled, "How wrong I was"

"Go on" Greg said.

"Then I heard his roar. It was so loud and deafening, it almost made me shit my pants. Then he came from the sky, landed about 3 feet away from me. He was gigantic, probably 10 feet tall and just as wide. He had this crazy look in his eyes, like he wanted to smash anything he looked at" Dean said.

"Did you see him in action?" Tobias asked.

Dean nodded, "The army was the first to engage him. They shot him with M-16's and the bullets just bounced off of him. A tank shot a canister at the Hulk, he brushed it off like it was nothing and ripped the tank apart like it was paper"

"Damn" Tobias said.

"I was long gone by the time he was stopped, which was never revealed how that happened" Dean said.

"That's awesome" Tobias said.

Dean looked at him, "More than 200 people were killed, how is that awesome?"

Tobias looked at the ground in shame.

"Well if this guy Blonsky is an enhanced let's hope he's nothing like the Hulk" Greg said.


Bayville

Rogue walked up to the mechanic/gas station she passed by the other day with Scott. They still had the help wanted sign up.

Rogue walked into the shop and saw a couple of guys working on some cars.

"Hello?" Rogue said sounding a little awkward.

An older guy who was looking under the hood of a damaged car looked up and saw her. He grabbed a rag to wipe his greasy hands and approached her, "Can I help you miss?"

"Yeah, um, I saw the help wanted sign outside" Rogue said.

The man nodded, "Yeah I'm a man short, what about it?"

"Well I was wondering if I could have the job" Rogue said.

The man looked surprised, "You? A mechanic?" he laughed, "Why would you wanna work here?"

"Because I know my way around a car" Rogue said.

The man chuckled, "Look miss, I appreciate you wanting to help and all but I'm going to have to say no"

"But—"

"Look it's nothing personal but I'm looking for professionals, have a good day miss" The man said going back to what he was doing.

Rogue frowned, how can it not be personal. He probably thinks she can't do the job because she's a girl.

Somehow she'll find a way.


Barrow, Alaska

The jet Dean was in suddenly stopped moving.

The soldier passed around some bulky backpacks, "Put these on"

"What are they?" Jordan asked.

"Parachutes" The soldier said.

"Aren't we gonna land?" Greg asked.

"If we did they'd see us coming on their radar" The soldier said.

Tobias put the pieces together, "We have to jump?"

"Duhh" The girl said.

The ramp opened letting the cool night breeze into the aircraft.

Bob looked over the edge and saw an endless pit of darkness, "No way man! I can't even see the ground"

Dean put the parachute on his back and walked to the edge. True, there was no light from this high up so there was no telling how far down the ground was.

For some reason he didn't feel afraid, but excited. If it was anything he couldn't get enough of, it was adventure. Kind of why he was still here at Hydra, venturing into the unknown was fun to him.

"Well we came this far guys. Let's just do it" Dean jumped off, "COWABUNGA!"

"Now that's what I call a pair of balls" The nameless girl said admiring him.

The weightless feeling Dean had as he fell through the sky was exhilarating. It made him feel at peace, like he didn't have a care in the world. His eyes adjusted to the darkness and he saw the ground approaching fast.

Dean looked above him and saw the others not too far behind. He waited until he was at a low enough altitude and opened his parachute to slow his descent.

Others who had jumped before him were already charging into an open gun fight.

Dean landed, quickly removed his parachute, and took cover to avoid being shot by a stray bullet.

Even though he was being shot at it still didn't feel right to return fire. He wasn't itching to add more K's to his list.

The rest of the troops landed and charged the base entrance with little trouble.

After they all were inside Dean approached the corpses of the outside resistance.

They were dressed in green camouflage, American flag patches on their shoulders as well as army ranks.

'We're attacking a US military base?' Dean thought. They were probably good soldiers that just happened to be stationed here.

Why would Hydra do something like this if they're the good guys? Maybe the army was holding this guy Blonsky prisoner for a good reason.

But he couldn't go around asking questions in the middle of a mission, this would have to wait until he returned to base. For now, Dean would have to play along.

Dean caught up to his squad who were taking cover behind a corner, "What'd I miss?"

Jordan returned fire, "We've encountered heavy resistance!"

"Where were you?" Tobias asked.

"Landed a little far away, must have went off course" Dean said.

Greg backed away from incoming fire, "Too much heat, I need some cover"

Bob stepped up, "I got you!" He fired his fully automatic weapon providing enough of a distraction for Greg to get close.

Greg cartwheeled across the floor and shot the soldiers.

"Let's keep moving" Greg said and the rest followed.

Dean purposely stayed behind the group and avoided any confrontation.

The group eventually met up with Madame Viper who was leading the assault personally.

Viper kicked the doors in to the main control room.

There were two soldiers guarding the general in command.

Before the soldiers could even aim Viper drew her pistols, shot both guards in the head, and shot the pistol out of the General's hand.

"Don't do anything rash General Ross" Viper said holding one of her pistols to his head.

General Ross was an older man with an extremely thick bleach white mustache and a stern expression that was permanently glued to his face.

"What do you want you hag" General Ross barked at her.

Viper pistol whipped him in the face, "Where is Blonsky?"

General Ross glared at her, "What do you want with him?"

"None of your concern, now where is he being held?" Viper asked.

"Go to hell" General Ross said glaring at her.

Viper held her pistol to his temple, "I suggest you cooperate General, or the military will lose their best Hulk hunter"

General Ross considered his options, either way they would find him eventually it was only a matter of time.

"The...Abomination is being held in cell Alpha 1" General Ross said reluctantly.

"Good, I'm sure we'll see each other again one day" Viper hit him in the back of the head knocking him out.

Madame Viper left General Ross' unconscious body and quickly made her way towards the cell.

The soldier caught up to her, "Madame Viper, is it wise to keep him alive?"

"His obsession with the Hulk is something I plan on taking advantage of in the future" Viper said.

They reached the cell.

Madame Viper looked through the small glass window and saw the frozen form of the Abomination.

"Bring everyone here we'll need the reinforcements, you two" Viper pointed at Dean and the nameless girl, "Guard the entrance and report anything suspicious"

Dean and the girl left the group.

Viper accessed the panel for the cell and deactivated the cryogenic stasis.

"Whatever happens do not engage unless I say so" Viper said.

She opened the door to Abomination's cell and watched as the ice around his body slowly crumbled.


At the institute

Rogue found Logan in the garage working on his bike. She often came and helped him with any repairs he had to do.

"Is the clutch off again?" Rogue asked.

"Yeah, almost flew off the road today. And that's the third time this week" Logan said.

"Is it worn or something?" Rogue asked trying to figure out the problem.

"No it's brand new. Maybe I need to change the oil or something" Logan said.

"Did you check the slave cylinder?" Rogue thought of a possibility.

Come to think of it Logan didn't. He took a look at it and saw it was worn and leaking, "Thanks stripes, would have took me hours to figure that out"

"Logan do you think I could be a mechanic?" Rogue asked out of the blue.

"With the exception of me, you probably know the most about what's under the hood. Even shades ain't got it down yet. Why do you ask?" Logan asked wiping his hands.

"There's help wanted at that mechanic shop but the guy there doesn't believe I know anything" Rogue said.

Logan thought, "You're talking about the one that sells gas too right?"

"Yeah" Rogue said.

Logan nodded in understanding, "What do you want the job for?"

"Ah need my own money Logan" Rogue said as if it were obvious.

"Ok, tell you what. Help me replace this slave cylinder and I'll go have a talk with the owner" Logan said.


Barrow, Alaska

Dean stood outside with the girl in awkward silence.

The girl kicked the snow on the ground, "I shouldn't be stuck on guard duty!"

"She probably just randomly picked us" Dean tried to rationally explain why she was here.

She glared at him, "That bitch picked me on purpose"

"Why?" Dean asked curiously, for once she was talking to someone.

"Because you and the rest of those peasants are beneath me" She said.

"Why do you have to be such a bitch all the time?" Dean asked.

"Because this is degrading! I shouldn't have to prove that I'm better than lackeys like you" She said.

Dean stepped closer to her, "Well this lackey has been doing just as well as you in training"

"Ha, right" She said incapable of coming up with a comeback.

Then out of nowhere they heard a roar that shook the entire compound.

Dean's heart skipped a beat out of fear. That sounded eerily familiar.

"What...was that?" The girl said nervously.

A loud ruckus could be heard from the inside. Human screams, gun shots, and lots more.

"I hope it's not what I think" Dean ran back inside and the girl followed.

A couple of Hydra soldiers ran by them.

"He's loose!" They yelled.

'Move!' Dean suddenly heard in his head. He instinctively grabbed the girl and leaped to the right just in time to avoid something big that tore through the wall and stomped on the soldiers as it ran by.

Dean looked back but only caught a glimpse of the creature that was running through steel reinforced concrete walls like cardboard.

Dean could have sworn he heard a voice in his head but soon forgot about it, "We need to go" he grabbed the girl and ran with her.

"Hey what are you doing?!" The girl protested as he dragged her.

Dean passed by the cryocell which was surrounded by the corpses and ripped off limbs of his comrades. He took off his helmet to look with his own eyes.

Greg, Bob, Jordan, and Tobias. They all lay dead at his feet. Torn to pieces.

Dean didn't have time to mourn, first he needed to survive. He went inside the cryocell and hid in there.

"Let me go you stupid—"

Dean covered her mouth as he heard stomping approaching, "If you make a sound we are going to die" he whispered to her.

The stomping came closer and closer to the point where they were right outside.

Dean looked from the corner of his eye and spotted Madame Viper on the ground, body still intact and alive.

A giant green scaly hand wrapped around her torso and lifted her up.

"Is that answer good enough for you?" A deep voice said most likely belonging to the owner of the giant hand.

Viper looked at him, "You're making...a big mistake"

The girl knocked Dean's hand off and ran out the cell. He went to stop her but wasn't fast enough, they both revealed themselves to the murderous creature.

It stood just as tall as the Hulk and was just as big if not bigger. Its skin was dark green with scales all over its body.
It had pointy ears and glossy yellow eyes. Its face was emotionless, crude, and ready to crush anything in its way.

Dean was overwhelmed with fear. This thing could probably kill him in a second if it wanted.

"What do we have here?" It inched closer to them, "Stowaways"

Its breath smacked them in the face.

The nameless girl fainted.

Dean felt like vomiting. Its breath smelled like garlic, onions, anchovies, and pickle juice mixed together.

The creature laughed deeply, "So much for the tough soldiers!"

Dean looked at the empty cell and put 2 and 2 together, "You're Blonsky"

The creature dropped Madame Viper and glared at him, "Emile Blonsky is dead, I am the Abomination!" He charged at the boy.

Dean's instincts kicked in and he cartwheeled in between the Abomination's legs.

The Abomination trashed the cell as he collided into it.

Dean's body was surging with adrenaline but he didn't know what to do with it. It was either fight or flight. Could he really outrun him? Did he stand a chance if he stood and fought? Both seemed like definite no's.

Adrenaline is a funny thing. Faced with a confrontation, you're faced with two choices. Run like hell, or face the obstacle in front of you. A person's primary instinct reflects their truest personality. Warrior or coward.

Dean spotted Viper's sword on the ground and he suddenly felt the urge to pick it up and battle the green gamma morphed beast. He took the sword and stared at it. Dean never held a blade before, yet it somehow felt familiar in his hands. His body was screaming at him to use the sword.

Abomination walked out of the severely damaged cell and noticed the sword in his hand, "Whatcha gonna do with that little guy? Clean my teeth?" He mocked him.

Dean squeezed the grip of the sword in anger and took a step forward.

"Boy" Viper said and Dean stopped in his tracks, "Run"

However the secondary instinct determines whether you have any brains or not.

Dean snapped out of...whatever came over him, 'What the fuck am I thinking?!' He ran for it holding his silver cross as he prayed.

"YOU'RE NOT GOING ANYWHERE!" Abomination chased the boy.

Dean ran as fast as he could but felt his pursuer approaching fast, 'My Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name'

A left turn was up ahead but Dean didn't think it was a good thing, turning would slow him down.

He slid forward and pushed off the wall, 'Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven' Dean slid back between Abomination's legs as he smashed through the wall and into the next room.

Dean quickly got up and ran left, 'Give me this day my daily bread, and forgive my trespasses, as I forgive those who trespass against me, and lead me not into temptation'

Abomination once again broke through the concrete walls as he charged at him.

'Deliver me from evil' as he passed by a decapitated Hydra soldier Dean grabbed his assault rifle and shot backwards, 'For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen'

A couple of the plasma bullets hit Abomination in the eyes making him trip and fall over the decapitated body.

While he was down Dean took advantage of the momentary distraction and slashed with the sword that was still in his hand slicing Abomination's eyes.

"AAHH!" Abomination went to grab the boy but he backed away fast enough.

Dean kept on running and the temporarily blinded Abomination attempted to follow, "GET BACK HERE!" He ran until he saw an air vent opening and jumped into it while Abomination ran right past him.

Dean kissed his cross, 'Thank you'

Abomination's eyes recovered and he started charging into walls hoping to catch him, "WHERE ARE YOU?!" he began to tear the whole place down in a frenzy.

'Please don't be smart enough to look in the ceiling' Dean thought.

Eventually Abomination gave up and looked around, "I KNOW YOU'RE STILL HERE! YOU MIGHT HAVE GOTTEN AWAY THIS TIME BUT I'VE SEEN YOUR FACE! NEXT TIME WE MEET I'LL FEAST ON YOUR BONES!"

Dean waited patiently until Abomination left, and even then he still didn't come out of his hiding place. Once he waited long enough Dean came out of the vent and went back to check for survivors, 'That was too close'

The only ones were the nameless girl and Madame Viper.

Dean shook the girl, "Hey wake up"

The girl got up groggily, "What happened?"

"You fainted" Dean said as he helped up Madame Viper.

The girl glared at Dean with hatred.

"How the hell did you survive?" Viper asked astounded.

"Probably luck, now how are we getting out of here?" Dean asked.

"I already signaled for a transport" Viper saw her sword in his hand, "Give me that" she examined the weapon and saw a dried up green stain, "You hurt him?"

"I cut his eyes so I could get away" Dean admitted.

Madame Viper stared at him, "Regardless of what you did you're lucky to be alive, but when we get to Hydra Island we need to discuss some things. I'll be waiting outside" she exited the base. Using her blade as a cane.

Dean had no idea what that might mean, he looked back at the girl who was fuming, "What's your problem now?"

"I hate you!" She said stepping closer to him.

"I don't get it, I try to keep you alive and hate me for that?" Dean asked.

"I didn't want you to save me I can take care of myself!" She stepped even closer as she shouted.

"Really? Is that why you fainted when he got too close? Is that why you fended off the Abomination by yourself because you can take care of yourself?!" Dean got right in her face, "You know why you don't like me? Cause you're a spoiled little brat that can't stand seeing anyone else be better than her. And that's what I am, I'm better than you"

The girl clenched her fists in anger. She moved forward, surprisingly not with a punch, but with a kiss.

Dean backed away in surprise, "Wait what?" he said in confusion.

"Shut up!" She pressed him against the wall and locked lips with him.

'Women, I do not understand them' Dean thought as he went along with it.


Bayville

Logan drove up to the gas station part of the shop and parked his bike.

Rogue hopped off the back.

A scrawny young man hurried towards them, "What'll it be sir?"

Logan passed him the keys, "Fill her up with premium" he looked at Rogue, "C'mon"

He walked into the shop, "Clay!" Logan shouted.

The same man that Rogue talked to before came out, "Logan, what can I do for you? Need another repair on that machine of yours?"

Logan chuckled, "No It's fine for now. I came to find out why you would turn down this honest young lady"

"Hey now hold on, I meant no disrespect" Clay said.

"I'm sure you didn't. I just wanted you to know she's a damn fine mechanic, and that you'd be dumb to turn her down twice" Logan said.

Clay looked skeptical, "You're tellin me this gal knows her way around an engine?"

"That's what I was trying to tell ya" Rogue said.

"Look Clay, you owe me one. And besides you need help anyways" Logan said.

Clay sighed, "Alright, you'll start by helping with the gas station and we'll see how it goes"

"I can live with that" Rogue said.

"Come by tomorrow, and be ready to work" He turned to leave but stopped, "Oh, and, try and wear something normal. I don't want you scaring the customers" he went back inside.

"Normal?" Rogue said, "What's wrong with the way ah dress?"

Rogue dressed in all dark clothing and had dark makeup on. She was more or less a goth, or at least looked like one.

"You look like Marilyn Manson" Logan said.

Rogue glared at him.

"Just put something normal on tomorrow" Logan said.


Author's note: Yup, cause making an offer to a rampaging monster always works out right? Dean's past encounter with the Hulk probably helped prepare him for this, and I wonder what that voice could be?