Bruce looked up at the entrance of the mountain. "I am completely insane."

Natasha smiled at him. "You are not. You would like to catch Ross and make him sorry. That's not insane. I would like to catch him myself."

"You..." Bruce blew a breathe out. "I thought we were timing this so we could flush out Raines while the children were surrounded by a bunch of Coulson's former coworkers."

"Clint can get Raines without you for backup. I'll be going back as soon as you are settled."

He gave her a 'you are weird' look. "You don't exactly settle me."

"I know." She patted him on the arm. "There is a shaft that was a missile silo that goes clear down the levels inside the mountain. It is more than big enough for the Hulk to use if you need out." She headed for the car he'd just came from.

He turned. "Do you need the keys?"

She shook her head. "I need to practice hot-wiring. Good a time as any."

Bruce shook his head and headed for the entrance. "I am completely insane and surrounded by lunatics."

Jarod looked around the table and wished he'd known these people far earlier. Coulson was spreading files out and explaining to Jay their tentative plan to capture Raines by letting the extraction team that would come for Francis to get Jarod instead.

Clint sat down next to Jarod. "You don't have to be the bait. He hates me too."

Jarod took the drink Clint handed him. "Raines wouldn't take his time with you. He'll keep me alive longer."

Clint huffed. "It is a crap plan." He turned his drink around and around. "You are going to get killed."

Jay looked up from the papers in front of him. "Raines wouldn't kill me. I can be the bait."

Coulson stilled and looked towards them. Jarod and Clint both shook their heads.

Peggy pushed another file onto the table. "You will be the back up bait. If the extraction team appears to be just shooting every decoy instead of looking for people to take, then you will be the bait."

Jarod glared. "No."

Peggy cocked an eyebrow at him. "What exactly do you think we should do? We aren't handing that man a child. Jay is an adult and if he ends up being the bait, then we will just have to move that much faster."

Clint pursed his lips and brought up the layout of the Tower. "Okay, so we have Betty holed up here..."

Darcy stared down at the little sea of faces. "Okay, so someone, well, several someones think it'd be a good idea for me to met you all." She waved at them a little. "Uhm, I'm supposed to be helping make you all a school with...stuf."

They just stared. Darcy was pretty sure there were several that weren't blinking.

"Okay. What about music? Have you all heard "7 8 9" before?" She pulled her new ipod out of her bag and the speaker dock to go with it. If she was being sidelined into 'protecting' the kids in the hospital, she was going to get at least one of them to smile.

Tony could see that Bruce was more nervous than he'd been since moving into the Tower. "Hey, here, she's being heavy."

Bruce took Hanna gently, they worked her tiny hands loose from Tony's shirt and Bruce sat down with Hanna in his lap. "This is not a good plan."

Jon clapped Bruce on the shoulder. "Older me won't let anyone leave you stranded. We'll come with one of the spaceships if the gate gets destroyed. It will just take a week or so to get there."

Tony leaned against the table. "Besides, you aren't going alone. I'll be there too."

Bruce looked up at them and with his eyebrows lifted and a frown. "What? You can't just go...What about JARVIS? You need his help with the armor."

Tony shrugged. "As long as they keep the gate open JARVIS has a connection. And I can fly it without JARVIS, just not as well."

"Tony." Bruce turned as the door opened.

Steve stepped through. "We're ready."

Jon lifted Hanna from Bruce's lap. "I won't let them out of my sight."

Bruce nodded. "Well, let's see if we can convince the other guy that the gate isn't for smashing."

They'd cleared the Gateroom already. General Jack O'Neill cleared the control room and had the blast shield for the conference room lowered.

Bruce took off his shirt and handed the folded shirt to Steve. "I still don't know that this is the best idea."

Steve took the shirt and handed it to Dr. Jackson. "It will be alright. If Hulk appears to be afraid we'll open the blast doors for the silo and Iron Man will follow him up and out."

Bruce nodded. "Right. That's lots better for everyone outside."

In the control room, Jon sat Hanna on a chair. "Don't touch the buttons."

She rubbed sleepily at one eye. "I won't." She peered over the console into the Gateroom. "After this we go home, right?"

Jon put Francis up next to Hanna. "As soon as we can, we will go home, Hanna."

Jack patted Hanna on her shoulder. "Don't worry, kiddo."

The Hulk huffed and looked around himself. The big ring against one wall was a sharp smelly thing. He turned and looked at Spaceman grinning up at him.

"Hey, Hulk." Spaceman waved. "We thought you might want to hunt Bad Army Leader Man."

Hulk crouched down. "Where?" He turned his head to look at Star Man, who'd been quietly standing near an open Hulk-sized door. "Smash?"

Star Man stepped forward and put his shield on his arm. "Yes, Hulk, you get to smash General Ross. We have to open a door for you to go through to get him. It's loud." Star Man turned towards the wall away from the ring. "Let's try it."

Hulk looked that way and waved back at the Tiny Girl and Tiny Boy waving at him through the thick glass. He turned when the ring started to make noise.

Spaceman pointed at their feet. "You have to stay back here behind the yellow line, okay?"

Hulk nodded and moved towards the back wall, away from the yellow line on the floor. The ring kept moving, it had another light on it now. "Lights?"

Spaceman nodded. "It uses an address to open the door." He held up a paper. "Hulk, can you remember this?"

Hulk knelt down and looked over the paper. "Not letters."

"No." Star Man pointed at the ring. "To get back we have to hit the not-letters in that order and then the big red button."

Spaceman tapped the paper. "Softly. Like your door. No smashing it."

"Hulk remember." Hulk huffed and watched the ring move. "Ring smell."

Spaceman and Star Man traded looks.

Star Man looked at Hulk. "Smell? What do you mean?"

Hulk tapped Spaceman's chest carefully so it didn't smash him. "Chest tiny smell. Ring big smell." He turned and tapped Star Man's shield. "Also smell."

From the control room, Jon hit a control. "Stark, what is your arc using for a core?"

Tony shrugged as the ring kept turning. "It uses an element..."

Jon interrupted. "We'll talk about it later. The last chevon is locking."

Hulk turned towards the ring as it started to whine. Then it pulsed a huge bloom of blue which reached the yellow line that snapped right back into a wavy surface across the face of the ring. "Door?"

Star Man straighten up. "Door. Hulk, Ross is on the other side and he's going to try to smash you."

"Bad Army Leader Man is puny, puny. Hulk smash." He jerked his head towards the open Hulk-sized door as a small rolling thing appeared.

Spaceman patted his wrist, pulling his attention back around. "That's just my relay for Voice. You need to not smash it, okay?"

Hulk nodded. He went up the ramp to the ring and touched the wavy surface. It tingled. "Cold." He backed up a step and bounded through.

Steve blew out a breathe as Hulk disappeared. "Okay, that went well."

Tony clumped up the ramp after the MALP. "Yeah. How long are we giving it?"

"Minute and a half. First time through the gate, he might be throwing up. Most people do." Jon shrugged as Tony made a face at them through the control room's glass. "You might not."

Tony shook his head and ignored him. Steve stepped up behind Tony as the MALP trundled froward.

"Tony, is this really a relay for JARVIS?"

"Boosts the signal well enough that as long as we don't go clear around the planet he'll be able to reach me. If we're going to make a treasure map for Hulk to take Ross along, I have to lay the path."

Steve nodded. "I still don't like this plan."

Hulk came out and landed on his knees as everything was different. He rubbed at one ear and then he was being hit by a huge red thing. Hulk roared and they tore across the ground. Getting to his feet, Hulk grabbed at the red puny thing that smelled like the Bad Army Leader Man. Hulk growled.

The Bad Puny Red smiled. "Banner."

Hulk narrowed his eyes. "Hulk smash." He ran towards the Bad Puny Red.

Tony stepped through the gate with his helmet still off. He knew Steve didn't like it, but Tony would be damned if he threw up inside the armor. He went to his knees on the other side. "Okay." He clutched his stomach, contracted on breathing through the sudden nausea, and listened to the fighting roars off to his left somewhere. "Okay, I see what they mean."

Behind him Steve stepped through and braced his hands on his thighs. "Woah."

"Yeah." Tony took a breathe and straightened up. "You okay?"

Steve nodded. "I'll be fine. You?"

Tony put his helmet on and flipped down the faceplate. "I won't be barrel rolling anytime soon."

"Why didn't you mention the time limit to either Banner or Hulk?"

Tony braced himself to fly. "Bruce would have bulked. Hulk would be distracted." He kicked in the thrusters.

Behind him, Steve stood guard over the MALP and looked around at the remains of the other MALPs.

The Tower was quiet and Clint waited. Natasha was a few floors down, also waiting. JARVIS had warned them someone had attempted to cut the power lines, so they'd let the Tower go dark in response.

Clint watched Coulson shift below him. "You okay, sir?"

"Barton, what about radio silence do you not understand?"

Clint smiled at the exasperation in Coulson's voice. Some things never changed. "I asked first."

Coulson sighed. "I'm stiff."

Below them the distant sound of a door breach came up the elevator shaft.

Natasha sounded bored as she reported hostiles coming in.

Clint readied his tracking arrows.

Jarod let himself go limp and stay that way as the invaders grabbed at him. They bagged his head and started to carry him towards the elevator. He heard the whoosh ping of Clint's tracking arrows.

Coulson downed two invaders before they started firing back heavily. Jarod worried about Coulson until he heard one of the whoosh pings again. If Coulson had been hurt, Clint would have shot someone in the eye.

Jarod felt them jab him in the neck with another drug. He blacked out.

Coulson frowned at his arm as the tracking data showed the kidnappers as still moving. "I'm fine."

Clint pulled the bandage a little tighter. "Just a flesh wound. Right, sir."

Jay pointed at them. "That's a movie reference!"

Natasha tried not to smile. "Yes, it is." She punched Clint in the shoulder. "You were supposed to protect him."

Coulson frowned. "I am fine."

Peggy waved her hand for them to all be quiet. "They are slowing down."

Everyone crowded around the display as the tracking stopped. Half the trackers weren't active yet. They watched as six trackers went out.

Coulson tapped the controls and started one new one. It came online smoothly. They watched as all of the trackers in Jarod's clothes stayed in place as the rest of the trackers began to scatter. Coulson made his call. "Boss, the foot soldiers have been paid."

"Roger that. The package?"

"Currently stripped."

Director Fury nodded on the screen. "Understood. Fury out."

They watched the scatter continue and then Clint zoomed in on the biggest cluster of trackers still together and moving steadily. "This one."

Coulson nodded. "My thought as well."

Hulk caught the Bad Puny Red and got to smash him once before he shoved Hulk into a tree and jumped away. Hulk roared as he went after him. They chased across the forest until there was a flare of light off to the right.

Bad Puny Red stopped to look at it. Hulk grabbed him and bounded towards it. Hulk knew Spaceman made light. He might need help.

They didn't get far before Hulk was busy fighting Bad Puny Red as they blew through trees.

"Stupid Banner." Bad Puny Red punched Hulk in the head several times. "Stupid Hulk."

Hulk growled and backhanded Bad Puny Red off himself. "Puny, puny."

The light flared up again. Hulk left Bad Puny Red behind to check on Spaceman. Too much light might be as bad as no light.

Bad Puny Red roared and followed.

Tony grimaced as his HUD told him both Ross and Hulk were following the flares he was laying down. "JARVIS, remind me to finish something on Hulk's communications so we can talk to him during these fights."

"Of course, sir, in the middle of a first flight on an extraterrestrial planet you are worried about communications with the Hulk."

Tony snorted a laugh. "Yeah, well, priorities." He looked at the countdown for the 38 minute window on the gate. "Let me know when they start gaining, J."

Hulk stopped after finding the third light. He turned and waited for Bad Puny Red to catch up so he could smash. He roared as Bad Puny Red hit him, throwing them across the ground where it was rocky.

They tore at each other, the ground, Spaceman came and hit Bad Puny Red once with the light from his hands. Hulk used that small bother as an opening to hit Bad Puny Red hard in his stomach. Hulk kept on him as Bad Puny Red doubled over, coughing, and holding his stomach.

Spaceman hovered near Hulk. "Hulk can you bring Ross after me?"

Hulk beat on Bad Puny Red's head, smashing him into the ground several times, cracking the rock under them. "Hulk follow Spaceman."

"Great." Spaceman flew away.

Hulk smashed his enemy a few more times and then grabbed him up to follow Spaceman.

Jarod woke and shivered.

"Well, well."

Jarod curled around himself on his side and tried to ignore the tingle in the back of his throat from the cigarette smoke.

There was a scrap and then slow footsteps. "You thought you would be clever with tracking units in your clothing. On my Cleaners."

Jarod had a momentary fear that all the trackers had been found. Then he calmed himself and lay still.

Raines leaned down to speak in Jarod's ear. "We are going to have such fun."

They watched the group of trackers stop and start to go out again. Coulson waited. Clint paced behind him, something he normally couldn't do while waiting.

Peggy watched the data from the trackers flatline one by one. "Ready?"

Coulson shook his head. "Wait." The remaining trackers went down in a burst. Coulson let out a sigh. "Start up one in thirty seconds."

They waited the thirty seconds and then a tracker came to life. It was a small distance from the last known position and moving. They watched it until it stopped again. It went out.

Coulson waited two minutes before activating the next one, this time on a different person from the small group. They followed it until it stopped again. It began to make slow loops around the warehouse it was in.

Natasha looked at Coulson. "Should we start one on Jarod?"

Coulson nodded. "The one in the surface of his foot."

That tracker appeared in the same warehouse as the guard. It was near the center, not moving.

Coulson flicked his fingers at Clint and Natasha. "Go. Be safe. Get him back."

Clint clapped him on the shoulder. "Right away, sir."

Natasha nodded and touched the spot on the screen that was Jarod's tracker. "We'll get him."

Steve stared as the Hulk stepped out of the forest with Ross wrapped up in some sort of fiber Tony had assured everyone would work for this. "Is that braided?"

Tony landed near them. "Yep. Francis and I worked it out for a present for Hulk."

Hulk frowned and dropped Ross at their feet. Hulk kicked Ross in the side. "Puny, puny." He looked at Tony. "Present?"

"A gift, yeah, Hulk. We're making you something for you to have."

Hulk blinked and frowned down at Ross. "Hulk not own things."

They startled as the gate shut down. Hulk walked over to it and knocked on the side of the gate.

"Smashed?"

Tony retracted his faceplate and laughed. "No. We just have to dial...Say, Hulk? You want to put in the address for home? Like I told you before?"

Hulk came through the empty ring and looked down at the DHD thing that Jon had shown Steve a picture of before Bruce had arrived at the mountain.

Steve stepped closer. "Just push the buttons. Right, Tony?"

Tony stayed were he was. "Yeah, it'll do that plasma bloom again, so you know, move out of the way."

Steve moved the MALP while Hulk dialed. The thing whooshed like before and then JARIVS' voice came from the MALP.

"General O'Neill would like to know if the mission is a success, sir?"

Tony smiled as Hulk bent down to stare at the MALP. "Tell him we're ready to come back home, J."

Hulk poked the MALP. "Voice moved homes?"

"No, Mr. Hulk. Voice only came to insure that Hulk came home with Tiny Girl."

Hulk huffed, stood, and picked up the MALP. "Good." He turned and grabbed the drag line for Ross. Then he looked at Steve. "Home, Star Man?"

Steve nodded. "Yeah. Let's go home, Hulk."

Tony clomped up beside him as Hulk disappeared through the gate. "How's it feel to be on a whole different planet?"

Steve looked around at the downed trees. "Like there's a lot of trees."

Tony laughed and they stepped through the gate together.

Clint pulled Jarod's limp body up and put him into a fireman's carry. "Nat?"

She was breathing a little heavily over the comm line. "Got the bastard." She made something make a whimpering sound. "How's the package?"

Clint moved them across the warehouse. "Not in good shaped." He clicked over to Coulson. "We need medical."

Coulson's voice was calm in his ear. "Waiting for you to come to them. Southeast corner."

"Got it." Clint moved them along a wall until he got to the door to the outside. Nat came from another direction, dragging a bound up man. Clint went first through the door.

Hanna clapped her hands as Hulk lifted her up. "You got him."

Hulk smiled and lifted the Francis too. "Bad Puny Red leave Hulk alone now."

Jon nudged Ross as he started to shrink. "Oh, look he can change back."

Tony and Steve came down the ramp. Hulk turned to watch them.

Steve looked up at the Hulk. "You did great, Hulk."

Hulk blew a breathe out and blinked. "Great good?"

Tony patted the Hulk on his elbow. "You did awesome. Both of which are good. Saved the day. Hey, Hanna."

Hanna waved from her perch on the Hulk's shoulder. "Can we go home now?"

Tony smiled. "As soon as Coulson calls."

Hulk sat down next to the MALP. "Friend Coulson home?"

Steve tightened the bindings to match Ross' new size. "He is at home." Steve leaned in towards Tony. "Why isn't he changing back?"

Tony shrugged and made a face. "He's not done yet? I don't know. Ask him."

Dr. Jackson appeared from the side of the Gateroom. "Uh, hi."

Hulk cocked his head. "Marine?"

Jon laughed and fell over as he kept laughing.

"Ah, no." He looked at Jon. "Don't mind him." He turned back to the Hulk and put out his hand. "I'm Daniel."

Hulk looked from Daniel's hand to Jon laughing and back. He took Daniel's hand and shook carefully. "Hulk."

Daniel smiled and sat down on the MALP. "Pleased to met you, Hulk."

Hulk raised his eyebrows, turned to look at Tony. "Pleased?"

Tony stopped shedding his armor and looked up. "Uh, yeah. Means he likes you. Probably wants to talk to you." Tony nudged Jon on the foot. "Why is he laughing?"

Daniel adjusted his glasses. "He finds the idea of me as a Marine hilarious."

Jon clutched his sides and rolled onto his back. "Wormhole Extreme."

Daniel sighed and covered his face with his hand. "Oh, God."

Hulk sat down and pulled Jon into his lap with a small yelp from Jon. "Breathe."

Jon wiped at his cheeks. "Yeah, I'm breathing."

Hulk patted him on the back and looked at Daniel. "Talk?"

"Uh, yes." Daniel leaned forward. "Do you have other words for 'puny'?"

Hulk rubbed the back of his neck. "Puny is...bad."

Jon watched Daniel map Hulk's vocabulary from his place in Hulk's lap. Daniel looked happy, which was good. Jon missed having Daniel around. Jon let the rumble of the Hulk's voice lull him into relaxing. "You should ask him about smells."

Tony settled on the MALP with Daniel. "Yeah, good idea, Jon."

Hanna slipped down the side of Hulk's chest to sit with Jon. Francis followed and soon Jon had two sleeping children nestled against him in the lap of someone that could wreck the whole mountain. Jon wondered about his life sometimes.

Natasha handed off the prisoner and went back into the warehouse because she'd seen a problem. The size of the inside of the warehouse didn't mesh with the loops of the guard on the tracking map. It took her a few minutes, but she found a hidden entrance.

"Coulson, I found more space to check." She eased the door open.

"Roger that. Hawkeye is on his way to your location."

"Alright." She waited for Clint. He appeared from around the corner, streaked in Jarod's blood. "Status?"

Clint pulled his bow over his head. "He'll live." He lifted his chin at the entrance. She nodded and they went in.