Chapter 11: Before Beginning
Jen Walters remembers this creep as she struggles in her restraints while he slinks upstairs to get a camera. Or rather, she remembers his uncle the late Charles Delazny Jr. Beside She-Hulk, Uncle Chuck and his nephew Mike appear in a photo nicely hung in this mad scientist lab. Based on attire, the two chums posed sometime around when the Savage She-Hulk first appeared. At that time, Junior was already the cutthroat called the Enforcer. Uncle smiles and squeezes smiling nephew in a headlock.
Beside the Delazny pic, another scene sits. From a nice frame, a teenaged Jen and her cousin Bruce hang-out on Santa Monica Beach about a decade before the Delazny moment. Jen remembers that day because it was fun. She remembers that day because Charles Jr. is the one who took the pic. She remembers because Charles was kind of a creep, and her father Officer Morris Walters had to intercede.
Hero She-Hulk is always sad when someone dies, even a supervillain. But, a part of her was not that sad when she heard that the first Enforcer had been fatally shot by Scourge (see Iron Man #194). A little justice had been served.
She-Hulk sighs. She studies the shiny titanium straps fastening her tight to a cold steel exam table beneath a bright, burning surgical light, like a damsel in distress. She scans the torn bodice where the hexed bullet ripped her top. She feels the cellar's chill over her skin and in her bones. The superheroine knows that she is in an unusual position that she must soon change. Soon, She-Hulk will sit-up with all of her might and will simply snap the unbreakable bonds upon her.
She-Hulk relaxes and concentrates in the metallic bands restraining her. Before her gaze, her right chest achingly expands and falls rhythmically. Breathing has become easier over the last half-hour, and her Hulkish healing factor has corrected her collapsed lung. The healing factor has even regenerated some gamma-irradiated blood to reenergize her (recently foggy) mind and (recently hurt) body. Muscle and skin have miraculously mended on her front, and blown-out tissue has mended on her back. Jen sees and feels such.
Soon, She-Hulk will give Enforcer II a beating that he will not soon forget. Not that Mike Nero forgets things easily. Shulkie feels the chill over her bare feet beneath her bootless legs. While removing Jen's boots, Nero explained that he wanted to recreate a scene from his uncle's younger days. Then, Mike pointed to the beach picture. He wanted Jen to be wearing essentially only a lovely purple-and-white one-piece, such as she had that day. The nefarious nephew gloated and boasted that he would today complete his uncle's work. He would take his uncle's revenge upon Jen Walters. And, Nero would beautifully film the ugly scene with retired Delazny Studios equipment.
The Enforcer declared that he plans to torture She-Hulk while taping her cries and to execute her with cursed bullets while shooting her macabre demise. Once distributed underground, the film will establish the new Enforcer's evil reputation with fellow mean men. And, it would make Mike feel great.
The good woman feels a great anger arising as she lies bound. And, the angrier She-Hulk gets, the stronger she. . . . . Gritting her teeth and clenching her fists, the heroine recollects that day long, long ago when the Pacific broke upon the California coast. . . . .
Elsewhere, far to the east, Jessica Drew examines the ground as the Atlantic Ocean pounds the Massachusetts shore. "Someone has the same boot-size as Jen," Drew assesses imprints in the sand.
"Except the person wears a wide," deduces Howard the Duck beside Spider-Woman.
Over Jess' shoulder, Dr. Walter Newell supposes, "The person could be a Man-Ape instead of a She-Hulk."
"Why do you say that?" inquires investigator Drew.
"Men and monsters tend to have wider feet than women," notes the bioengineer in his skivvies, "Plus, M'Baku is standing right over there."
Up the beach, M'Baku towers above Hellcat and even Tiger Shark. With arms crossed, he stares down perky Patsy Walker finding one of her nine lives. Hair bedraggled and silk undies soaked, half-drowned Patsy takes a fighting position. With a surly serrated sneer, Todd Arliss circles the stock-still Wakandan warrior and the wild cat.
M'Baku speaks, "Be calm, you two. I saved you from the sea."
"So, you are a not so lethal Legionnaire today," Patsy notes, "So what? I am still an active Avenger."
"Tiger Shark doesn't need saving from the sea," Tiger Shark tells Man-Ape, "But, you might need saving from Tiger Shark and the sea if I drag you back into the water."
"And, you might need saving if that air elemental returns," retorts M'Baku, referencing Wind Witch.
Tiger Shark shoves Hellcat aside, spilling her on the sloppy, soggy sand. Arliss confronts M'Baku. Spider-Woman, Howard the Duck, and unsuited Stingray converge upon the two scrappers. Porcupine—silent and still until this point—helps Patsy up like a gentleman.
Tiger Shark growls, "Are you threatening me, M'Baku? A Master of Evil can mash and lash a Lethal Legionnaire into chimp chowder."
The White Gorilla rolls his eyes. He calmly inquires, "Mr. Arliss, you were hired to protect the Tuttles from superheroic invaders and me, correct?"
"Right," the monstrous ruffian replies, "WC Tuttle was not the noted pulp author, but I decided to take the security job anyway. He had me on retainer."
M'Baku replies, "Well, WC is dead. His little granddaughter Minnie is as well. The Tuttles are toast, and their estate is soon stuck in probate."
The terrible Tiger Shark relaxes. He considers a second. Todd Arliss shrugs, "Wilbur prepaid me anyway. I'll just leave now."
Walter Newell, Tiger Shark's brother-in-law and nemesis, steps back, breaking the circle of heroes. "See you at the family reunion," Newell quips.
Stingray, Spider-Woman, Howard the Duck, Porcupine, and Hellcat have all had their asses kicked today; therefore, they suppose that they can catch and release a super-criminal. In a blink, the bad guy bounds from the beach into the breaking surf. And, Tiger Shark is gone.
In a blink, Spider-Woman snatches Man-Ape's arm. Jessica jerks M'Baku's face down to her own. Locking eyes, the Web-Lady asks, "Why are you still around these parts, M'Baku? An evil-doer could have fled to the hills of New Hampshire by now."
"I could have run to the cul-de-sacs of Connecticut," M'Baku assures, "However, I would like to team-up with you five against the Enforcer. He seems to be a crafty and capable mutual enemy who has left us all hurting."
Jessica chuckles, "An Avenger is never so ailing that she would ally herself with you."
Patsy adds, "You tried to slay Spider-Woman once."
"I have no memory of that," Jess and M'Baku pronounce in puzzled unison.
"Well, I could have read it in a gas station tabloid," Patsy admits. She remembers perusing a 7-11 Spider-Man and Spider-Woman promotional comic once.
Pushing Patsy aside, Roger "Porcupine" Gocking enters the discussion, "I am not personally opposed to a villain team-up."
"Oh, why's that?" Howard the Duck asks snidely.
"Well, I am traditionally a villain myself," Porcupine points-out.
"Yeah, there's that," Howard cynically assents with a smirk (unlike an earthly avian).
"And," Gocking continues, "I have often done good work while undercover with the underground. Sometimes, you associate with devils to be on the side of the angels."
"I worship Ghekre of Vodun," M'Baku clarifies.
Gocking continues, "You four know full well that you must sometimes associate with outlaws and fringe figures. Spider-Woman has the Night Shift, Moon Knight, and me. Howard has Man-Thing and Frankenstein's Monster. Hellcat has Daimon Hellstrom, the Hulk, Moondragon, vampire Jubilee, and the Sub-Mariner. Stingray has Dr. Druid, Marrina, and the Sub-Mariner."
"Actually, my three are heroes," clarifies Newell.
M'Baku clears his throat. He contributes, "You four should collaborate with me, for Enforcer has kidnapped She-Hulk. Undoubtedly, her time is on the clock."
Porcupine pats his boss' back. He tells Jessica, "In the recent Black Panther picture, M'Baku teams with T'Challa to save the day from Eric Killmonger. Maybe, we should let fiction become reality against the Enforcer."
"That movie never happened," Jessica Drew shakes her head strongly at this surreal scene. The Atlantic keeps rumbling ashore.
Elsewhere, Jennifer Walters concentrates on the West Coast, and she pictures the past. Some time ago, the Pacific arrives from the broad, sunny horizon on a summer's day on Santa Monica Beach. Jen Walters stands smiling broadly at the water's edge, and she flings a Frisbee to her cousin Bruce a bit in-land. He catches the teenager's throw. Suddenly, a surprise wave drenches the dear damsel and tosses her lithe form forcefully forward. The swift surge sprawls her prone on the pulpy sand. Then, the salty spritz subsides.
Immediately, Cousin Bruce rushes to her rescue. He has a certain hero within him. But, a hero is not needed on this occasion. Jen is still smiling when she springs to her feet, muddy sand caked to her fair face and clumped in her brunette hair. The seventeen-year-old roars with laughter. She swipes the sludge from her skin before going to bathe in the ocean.
Bruce Banner wades to the knee after her, but he does not join Jen's merriment. He does not want to wet the Bermuda shorts or the button-down shirt that he wore to the beach. He does not want wet to splash his pristine spectacles.
Behind Bruce, a Charles Delazny, Jr. strolls past a piece away. The young man ogles the teenybopper playing in the shimmering sea. The film-maker's kid wishes that he had a camera. But, all is groovy. He takes a picture with his mind. Champing at the bit a bit, Charles stalks south toward Pacific Ocean Park, but he is not going there yet. Maybe later with the girl. Rather, Chuck has staked a spot on the beach, and he wants to fetch a camera and a towel. He has also a wad of cash and a shiny semi-automatic pistol, one of his prize possessions, concealed there. Perhaps later, Chuck and the pretty chick can share some fine wine, which he also brought, while lying on his plush beach towel. It is good to be Junior. Senior owns a film studio.
Gleefully, Jen plays in the Pacific. She dances in her purple and white one-piece under the golden sun shining on the azure water above the resplendent beige sand. In the comely lass, nature seems to have created itself a Nereid. Freely, she flips herself ably backward into the water. Her brunette hair blooms in the undersea blue, and she blows bubbles blithely toward the surface. The young woman wonders what it is like to be an Atlantean and if, someway, she might ever meet one. The ingénue wonders what it is like to see a giant sea monster such as astonishing tales sometimes report. The naïve maid marvels at such wonders in this time just before maturity, when she is yet green.
Gazing around, her cute peepers discern her stuffy cousin's stiff legs standing in the water near the shore. Jocular Jen resolves "I shall be a porpoise with a purpose", and she scissorkicks swiftly through the shallows. Surfacing, Jen splashes sea upon Bruce's dry shirt and dry mien. Gasping and then grinning, he sends some back at her. Bruce almost never smiles, and Jen is glad to see such expression. The young lady grins back—while feeling a mix of emotions. She feels joy to spend this happy moment with her cousin. She feels melancholy that her abused, orphaned kin has had so many harder moments before this one. She feels both gladness and guilt that she still has her own parents. And, Jen feels cautious optimism about Bruce's recent new opportunities in New Mexico. She hopes and prays for him. He deserves a glowing, bright future.
The sun lights Bruce's lenses, and he looks momentarily like an angel. He murmurs "Thank you for the invite, Jen". The great scientist is ever unassuming, shy, and soft-spoken. The seabreeze nearly swallows his words.
"Thank your Uncle Morris and Aunt Elaine," Jen expresses aloud, "They own the house at which you're staying, and they are the ones who bought you the ticket from New Mexico."
"They did not have to," Bruce asserts, "The U.S. military compensates their civilian employee well."
"What do you do for the air force?" the future attorney questions.
"That is—believe it or not—classified," comments Dr. Banner, "Mainly, I just tolerate this jackass named Gen. Ross. Thick-headed Thaddeus reminds me some of my late father. He too has a big, abusive mouth. Indeed, they have nicknamed Ross 'Thunderbolt' for a reason."
Jen giggles, and her laugh cracks up Bruce's stony, stolid features. Her somber cousin is actually smirking, and Jen feels good. However, her heart within feels a wee heavy too, for the young woman realizes that the world will always have men like Brian Banner. His sister Elaine is Jen's mother. Mom has often warned that violent, abusive men—such as Jen's grandfather—create damaged, violent, abusive men such as Brian. When they do, the rage rolls and rumbles forth through time and generations like a goliath. The young woman has already witnessed such.
Little Jenny was but a toddler when Brian murdered his wife, but her sobbing mom is one of Jen's earliest memories. Elaine rarely speaks of Rebecca Banner. But, when she does, she always speaks well of her slain sister-in-law, whose son Bruce began visiting when little Jenny was in elementary school. The middle-schooler was morbid and mad. When the children played, he would describe, in quite clinical detail, how his father used to berate and beat his mom and him. He would narrate how his father killed his mom right in front of him. Sometimes, the sweet miss would wind-up sobbing. Into her distraught face, Bruce would stare back coldly, but there was a certain rage behind his eyes. As though, if the girl wanted to cry, he would give her something to cry about.
It is a rage that the world had better hope never ignites. Although, who knows what aggression that military work might ignite out in New Mexico? The armed forces can famously find a man's inner "green machine".
A couple years back, Brian Banner died. Someone fractured his skull in the Ohio cemetery holding Aunt Becky. Dayton police have never caught the assailant, an apparent mugger. Anyway, the violent man met a violent end.
Over the years, Jen's dad would sometimes mention his brother-in-law, stowed away in a mental institution for the criminally insane. Morris Walters, a lawman, has said that he wishes that Jen's mother and he had done more. Dep. Walters deals with the Brian Banners of the world all of the time. But, this time, a lovely lady died trying to escape her troubled husband, and her troubled husband wound-up institutionalized. And, their dear child will carry scars around with him for life. Lawman Morris wishes that he had done more. But, fifteen years back, you just didn't tell a man how to argue with his wife or discipline his kid.
In the present era, Jennifer Walters wonders what she can do for the Bruces and Beckys of this world. In this era, "girls" do not become lawmen. (In everyone's mind), they simply lack the strength. So, Jen wonders whether she could become a lawyer or something similar. Of course, in this era, "girls" also do not become attorneys, or even attend college much. However, an aspiring champion can dream. Perhaps, the visionary can be some do-gooder's girl Friday. Tomboy Jen has read old comics with her pals Zapper and Ralphie. She has read of the Blonde Phantom. Perhaps, one day, Jen could be another timely heroine showing that "girls" can.
"Hey, young lady," Bruce interrupts Jen's thoughts, "May I buy a sweet kid and her folks ice creams? I don't mind sharing a greenback."
"Well, Dad Walters is around here somewhere, but my mom has driven off elsewhere," the teenager explains. Someday soon, Elaine Walters dies in a traffic accident, but her daughter doesn't know.
"Aunt Elaine will be our missing party then," Bruce concludes, "Let us find your fine father for some frozen fare." The happy family duo flits fancifully from the flowing seafoam and frilly froth for their blanket and belongings, including Bruce's billfold. But, before arrival, a bare-chested beau blocks their path.
Charles Delazny checks the Banners' progress. Extending an arm, he offers Jen a towel. Then, he offers to buy a girl some sweet stuff.
"Hey, little girl, may I buy some tutti-frutti for a cutie?" the sweaty swain smiles while separating the apparent ingénue from her bespectacled, bookish chaperone.
Bruce pushes the young buck back, "Actually, we were about to get some ice cream for ourselves."
"I know. I eavesdropped," the future hood states. Slick suitor slides from protector's palm.
The decent damsel comes to her cousin's cause, "I appreciate the chivalry with the towel, but you should chamois yourself first. You're perspiring pretty well." Le Pew is running a bit hot.
"You're all wet," the male cousin quips.
"Well, I can still buy your vanilla friend a vanilla and a tutti-fruiti for a beauty," Charles chimes charmingly. He winks and points at Jen.
Jen simpers although she shouldn't. This fellow insults her kin and is awfully forward with her. Yet, he is witty like Eros and dreamy like Hercules from the storybooks. Jen Walters was raised right, but she has some of the "wrong" impulses that we all have. And, Charles is paying Jen (sometimes considered shy and mousy) some attention. And, (especially in this past era), it wouldn't be nice for Miss Walters to tell him to go away. A young lady is well-mannered, cheerful, and cordial, and she often just follows the man's lead. A nice girl does not offend a guy. Don't make him angry.
Gentle Jen politely proposes, "Well, I suppose that you can join us. And, whoever pays for the treats pays for the treats."
Charles ogles his planned treat, licking his lips. Leaning in, he takes her hand to shake it. Perhaps, he can even keep her hand and lead her away. But, the sweet thing removes her soft, smooth appendage promptly from his hard grip. And, Bruce takes Charles' hand to shake instead.
However, the future Hulk hardly has a crushing clutch these days, so Charles is hardly intimidated when the assertive square informs "Jen's father will be joining us. He is a police officer."
Unimpressed and unafraid, the future Enforcer asserts his will. Wiley Charles steers his two chattels. Moving east, the creep suggests, "Let's visit your camp on the sand. Then, let's visit Pacific Ocean Park over there."
"The locals call it p.o.p. Are you not local?" Walters investigates.
"I am Charles Delazny Jr. from San Jose," Chuck pronounces, "My father runs a film studio in L.A. Maybe, we can pop over there after we pop over to the p.o.p." The churl would love to get the girl into his Stark muscle car for a whirl.
"Yeah maybe," she says. Jen suddenly sprints across the sand.
Charles watches her swaying hips and swinging soles. She slides down beside a blanket, a basket, and a cooler in the sand. Charles beholds her lustrous locks and radiant back in the bright sun. While kneeling, she scribbles a note to someone. Junior studies the stooped sweetheart. Bruce watches the watcher gazing.
The libertine lug lopes to his lovely. At her shoulder, he leers upon her fresh-faced looks. A shaky hand swipes a sweaty sward of his scalp. A single drop of perspiration drips from Charles' chin like lupine drool. It softly impacts Jen's naked shank. The lass looks behind her.
Charles jokes, "So, are you on your way to Grandma's house?" He points to the basket of Banner belongings beside the girl who he would gobble.
Jen feels a bit uncomfortable, and she wishes that her cousin would come to aid. Instantly, Bruce arrives. "Our grandmother is deceased," informs impassive Bruce adjusting his glasses—the better to see Charles with.
Delazny snarks some more, "Well then, your grandma will probably miss Pacific Ocean Park."
"I am leaving her son, my dad, a note," Jen mentions, "We are going to the amusement park. He is unlikely to have purchased a ticket into there when he can wander around Santa Monica Beach for free."
Foxy Delazny anticipated such. Thus, he suggested the P.O.P. in the first place. Not every dad has money such as Charles Sr. has. Junior enjoys his savvy. Sans a sheepdog, a wolf can more easily be a predator. He nearly salivates.
"Uncle Morris does not need to accompany us," Bruce states, "I'm here."
The slight square stares down the hound dog harassing his cousin. The inveigler giggles in Banner's stern face. He guffaws a film onto his glasses. Grinning, Charles chews his lip and shakes his head. The future hitman is tempted to slug Jen's gangly bodyguard, the future Green Goliath. However, Junior is more tempted by the green gal inexperienced in a lady-killer's ways, and she might not care for her cousin getting clocked. So, the rake recedes from Bruce. He saunters south. He beckons those behind him "Okay, let's have some fun!"
Stiff Bruce stands observing Charles go. But, Jen cheerfully trots after the strapping, chafing chap. The seventeen-year-old only knows Patsy Walker comics, and Charles reminds her a bit of Buzz Baxter (unbeknownst to her, the future Mad-Dog). The young lady knows only that dad Dep. Walters is careful about whom she sees, and she would adventurously know a bad boy. Sighing, Bruce follows Jen. He hopes that Charles is actually cool.
Pacific Ocean Park is fun. Everyone has fun there. Charles plays it cool for about two hours playing with the Banners, who begin to relax a bit around him. The trio savors their sundaes. A darling delights in seeing trained dolphins at the Sea Circus exhibit, and a gal has got to love riding the Looff Carousel with her cousin and handsome companion. A curious kid appreciates the close quarters on the Ferris wheel or the Mr. Octopus ride where Charlie takes her hand. A girl, her cousin, and their chum meander amused through the Mirror Maze, grotesque images of each attending them. Throughout the sojourn, a physicist finds the roller coaster and other rides interesting. And, a sociopath enjoys being a wolf in sheep's clothing, while imagining getting under Jen's.
Behind his eyes, Delazny envisions his endgame. Under the afternoon sun, Charles leads the Banners toward the amusement park's exit. Teenagers and the traumatized yearn for friends, so Jen and Bruce trust Junior—despite their better judgments—a little more by the minute. At the moment, Chuck seems like a decent fellow who is just a little aggressive with the chicks sometimes. But, what man isn't (in this era)? Even awkward Bruce knows that the man makes the first move, naturally.
Casually, Charles catches the Banners by the clothing. Gently dragging them, the insensible hunk places them in position outside of the park. He produces a camera and proposes a picture. For Charles, when he captures Jen's image, he sort of captures her. Plus, he might get an address to send the picture. Then, he has her address too.
Jen and Bruce generate bright smiles on such an enjoyable day.
After posing, Jen jokes that she is a young thing and cannot leave her mother—or father—for too long. She need find her folks. Charles offers to escort her. He immediately drapes his arm over her and walks her. Bruce notices the action but considers stuff maybe okay. Under Charles' arm, Jen smiles sheepishly. Charles' flesh is a wee heavy upon her. But, the damsel does not quite know how things work, and she is as curious as Pandora about the musky, muscular man with movie-star looks and money who moves her forward. As they walk, Charles' hand moves forward on her. It rubs her right shoulder and suit strap. Bruce notices. It brushes back-and-forth on a bicep that could one day bisect the "playful", petting brute. It moves . . . five inches to the left. Jen gasps. Bystanders frown before becoming passers-by. Bruce grinds his teeth. He takes the reprobate's wrist and tugs.
Bruce tersely dictates, "Watch it!"
Charles pulls his palm from Jen's person and yanks his arm from Bruce's best grip. "Watch it or what?" six-foot and built asks 5' 9" and Banner.
In the future, when Bruce grows angry or outraged, a startling metamorphosis occurs. However, this day, puny Dr. Banner has only an impotent rage and a silent scowl. In the future, when Jen wishes, the Savage She-Hulk smashes all adversaries, from clowns to cosmic threats. However, this day, mousy meek Miss Walters only squeaks and squirms while shifting nervously in canvas sneakers. A kid doesn't know what to do. A sheriff's deputy can teach his daughter all of the self-defense in the world, but she still must find her inner champion when the time comes. This moment is maybe not that time.
Charles squints at the babe he just squeezed. He smirks. Chuck sideglances at the wimp with her. Delazny snorts contemptuously. The nascent psychopath and assassin decides that he needs to teach them a lesson. He needs to enforce his desires. At his side, his fingers form an ersatz gun.
"Did you tell me to 'watch it'?" Charles chortles.
"Yeah!" Bruce shifts shade. He turns red with anger.
Charles chocks loogie on Bruce's loafers, "Watch this."
Junior jerks Jen to him. He corrals her neck and kisses her forcefully. His other big arm curls across her lower back. Excited, the sweating satyr anticipates her muffled protest, for he has done this before.
But, Junior does not get any cries from Jennifer Walters. Instead, the slight "girl" kicks his shin forcefully. The cad cringes slightly and releases a bit. She chops Charles' clavicle and headbutts his teeth (which actually hurts her brow). The wolf rakes her bare back and snarls. She punches his puss like a boxer, just as Dad taught.
But, her blow is just a bop to the incensed brute. Challenged, Charles tears the sarong from the "skirt" and tosses her to the hard sidewalk. He decks Bruce charging in. Incredibly, the "milksop" stays upright. He even retaliates with a right like a bomb and a left to astonish. Staggering, the creep slips something from his person. It cracks Bruce across the face. Cold steel gashes a gallant geek's cheek.
Stepping back, the bad actor brandishes a silver semi-auto, scintillating sinisterly in the sun. Charles chides, "I have been nothing but nice to you two! I have spent money all afternoon, yet you get all upset when I ask Jen for a kiss. I am Charles Delazny Jr. You two are permanent nobodies!"
"They aren't nobodies!" announces somebody approaching, "They are my daughter and nephew!" He
Charles wheels around and whips his weapon into firing position. He cocks it. The composed cop continues toward the tough guy. "I am Dep. Morris Walters," he states, "And, you will surrender that firearm immediately before surrendering yourself."
The arrogant aspiring Enforcer states, "This pistol is a gift from my dad."
"So, you were born with a silver spoon in your mouth," Morris is unimpressed, "You're about to have a silver sidearm up your. . . . ."
"Shut up!" Charles commands the man standing point blank before him.
"No," Dep. Walters will not shut up, "You will give me that handgun. Then, you will wait quietly until my on-duty associates arrive. Understand?"
Charles shakes the cold, lethal steel, "Or what? You'll shoot me?"
"No," Morris informs, "Unlike you, I was not stupid enough to bring a concealed weapon to Santa Monica Beach."
Before the boy can react, the man simply seizes the gun's muzzle and pushes the hazard toward the sidewalk. Like the Hulk's uncle, Walters unleashes a haymaker across Delazny's jaw, and the thug drops down that day many years ago.
In the present, Jen Walters brings herself back up from reverie. She-Hulk opens her eyes and listens to her ears. Mike Nero descends the stairs to the basement. Expensive, heavy equipment bumps and bangs down with him. The maniac brings the camera, cables, lighting, and boom mics to film his fiendish operations.
Leaning over Jen, Mike checks a light meter. Satisfied that he has the best shot for when he savagely tortures She-Hulk, maniac Mike turns and flits to the top of the stairs. He brings back with him a Gladstone bag from which he apparently plans to play doctor. From the satchel, Nero produces blades, needles, scissors, and such truck. Like any good deviant, the dastard makes sure to display them within sight of She-Hulk.
But, She-Hulk doesn't scare easily—at all. The Jade Giantess stares down the little man with the big plans.
Enforcer speaks, "Asgardian implements are hard to find. However, you would be surprised what on-line trolls—actual trolls—are willing to sell. Geirrodur loves getting gold in Granite, Oklahoma."
"Great," says the great, green-skinned captive coolly.
"Shhh," Enforcer places his finger to a mouth that could remove his finger, "Jen, you insulted my august uncle once. I am going to strip you and slaughter you alive, all on glorious 35mm. Then, when you are barely breathing, I am going to put a magic bullet through your g***** head. Underground audiences are going to know the new Enforcer for the mighty mo** that he is, for the whole world will see him execute one of the mightiest of the Mighty Avengers."
Mike Nero smiles and snatches the scissors. Jen Walters contemptuously smiles back.
"Do you know what I don't get about you Delaznys?" the damsel in distress probes.
"No, what's that?" sneering Nero snips the air ominously before her eyeballs.
Avenger elucidates, "You Enforcers are always punching way above your weight-class: Iron Man, Ghost Rider, the Werewolf by Night, my friend Spider-Woman, and now a Hulk. You must be the stupidest family on the face of the Earth."
Enforcer whacks the wench's patella hard with a wrench—to no effect. Nero wonders. . . . .
Enforcer answers, "My uncle Chuck was luckless against certain chumps. However, I have already humiliated the Wrecking Crew and the Hood, outfoxed Spider-Woman, and kidnapped She-Hulk. Furthermore, I intend to kill you, Jessica Drew, Jack Russell, and Johnny Blaze—all on camera for a sizzle reel selling my magnificent services. And, after that, I intend to obliterate Black Talon simply for being a piss-poor houseguest."
"You're going to kill my old foe Black Talon?" Walters inquires.
"Yeah, he slaughtered my favorite horse and made a bloody mess in the stable," the evil auteur assesses his video feeds. She-Hulk looks good enough to snuff. He peruses the blades, needles, and other torture stuff sitting beside his silver semi-auto with the Hulk-piercing ammo. Beside She-Hulk's face, he puts down the scissors for slicing away her suit. Enforcer pulls-up his blue cowl and reaches for his silver mask. They should look cool in the film.
Supine She-Hulk considers a second. Taking a breath, she feels well. Assessing the situation and her enemy, she knows that now is the time.
To Enforcer's surprise, She-Hulk sits-up—easily snapping titanium-steel straps. Nero drops his mask and grabs his gun. The Jade Giantess stands, towering against the cellar ceiling. She grabs his right arm in a tight grip. Nero's circulation cuts instantly, and his shooting hand goes numb. Unmercifully, She-Hulk yanks his arm straight—spraining the elbow and the shoulder. Jen Walters will not be shot again.
"Drop the gun, shorty!" Savage Shulkie screams at the puny man.
Defiantly, Enforcer discharges a round—wanting it to ricochet off the wall and miraculously hit She-Hulk. But, the bullet just embeds in the wall. Irked, the Avenger spins Enforcer around the close quarters. He crashes through cameras and accoutrement, which electrifies him badly as it explodes. Stunned, the scumbag scoundrel goes slack. His pistol clatters on the floor. And, She-Hulk slams him like a sad sack of potatoes upon the exam table.
Instantly, She-Hulk slugs Enforcer in the face. Blood escapes his schnoz, and he spits teeth. The hit hitman beholds the angry Avenger above him. Apparently, he has found her savage side. As he did to her, She-Hulk rips Enforcer's tunic. Except, she rips his body armor easily entirely off. The barechested brigand brandishes a knife secreted on his person. Impotently, Uncle Charles' nephew pokes Jen Walters' impervious exterior. The ordinary blade bounces and dulls with each thrust.
She-Hulk slings Enforcer at the basement steps. His head splinters the railing, and he simply flops at the foot of the stairs. She-Hulk steps over him. She stoops to seize his scalp. The she-brute drags the unconscious oaf away.
Upstairs, She-Hulk tosses some human trash onto a living room couch. She addresses the supervillain's servants standing around. The Avenger tells them how to summon SHIELD from Los Angeles. Their boss is a dangerous man, and she "subtly" suggests that they no longer support his activities.
In turn, the staff informs She-Hulk of Black Talon's activities. Samuel Barone and staff member Roberto stole a classic Stark muscle car, one of Mr. Nero's prize possessions. They race eastward to somewhere. She-Hulk speculates that Black Talon might be heading back to New Orleans. But, then again, most anywhere American is east of San Jose. So, who knows?
"I know where Samuel Barone is going," states Mandrill on the Massachusetts shore, three hours ahead of She-Hulk. Before Mandrill, Boomerang and Speed Demon listen. Behind them, Buzzards Bay lolls past in the evening lunar illumination.
"We are glad that we contacted you then," Boomerang slings his spent cigarette into the sea.
"I am glad to hear that my rival Grim Reaper is blown to Hell," Mandrill points west toward distant Block Island Sound.
"That is the scuttlebutt anyway," Speed Demon says.
"We would like Black Talon to join his Lethal Legion colleague," Boomerang speaks, "Good ol' Chicken Man gave me a gift that I didn't like. The Amulet of Damballah kind of stung me." Rogue Myers references his poisoning in New Orleans.
"So, the Sinister Syndicate wants Samuel Barone dead, so we contacted you who monitor the Lethal Legion so closely," Speed Demon completes his comrade's thoughts.
Boomerang adds, "We couldn't contact the new Grim Reaper who seemingly also despises Black Talon. Someone offed him northeast of here this noon."
"I know," Mandrill chortles like a simian, "I am a criminal mastermind. It is my business to know what occurs and what is about to."
Speed Demon shakes his head. Some supervillains sure think themselves quick upstairs. James Sanders queries, "Okay, what is about to happen?"
"We are about to head to Ohio," Mandrill remarks. Jerome Beechman hoofs west from Horseneck Beach in Westport, Massachusetts. The two assassins follow.