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Chapter 6: Human Nature
Quebec, Canada - 4:15 PM
The Sasquatch sprinted through the Quebec forests with no intention of slowing down. There was no knowing where exactly he was looking to go, or where he'd end up. What was certain, however, was that he wasn't going to back down and allow Department H to control his life.
Once Sasquatch barrelled through multiple trees, he reached a clearing. The open space allowed the gamma mutate to see the military helicopter in the distance that had begun to close in rapidly. On the inside, the pilot was awaiting orders from Director Hudson, with his finger on the trigger.
"We have Sasquatch in our sights, awaiting orders," the pilot said into a radio.
"Don't just sit there and watch him, open fire!" Hudson's voice came in through the radio.
"Understood," the pilot responded. He pressed down hard on the trigger—unleashing a barrage of bullets from the chopper's side-mounted guns.
The Sasquatch held his hand out to try and block the gunfire that was raining down upon him. His body was highly resistant to the bullets, but that didn't make them any less of an annoyance at that rapid rate. He looked to his left and grabbed a nearby tree to uproot from the ground. As the gunfire continued to rain down, the Sasquatch threw the tree like a lawn dart at the chopper. The tree skewered the chopper and would send it spiraling down to the ground.
Heavy smoke rose from its position in the distance. Sasquatch huffed and continued his path, heading off in the adjacent direction. After picking up another head of steam, the Sasquatch leaped high through the air to gain more distance. While in the air, his eyes caught the sight of another approaching attack helicopter. Being in the air, he was left wide open for no defense against what would come. The helicopter fired a missile that blasted Sasquatch in his side, sending him barreling down in an explosion.
Sasquatch landed hard into another clearing, creating a small crater under his weight and the velocity of the fall. The gamma mutated beast rolled onto his stomach, pressed his hands into the snowy ground, and pushed himself up to his feet. Surrounding him at every turn were military vehicles and armed soldiers with their weapons trained on the Sasquatch. Among them were Claire Hudson and Raze—the latter having his hands in his jacket pockets.
"Dr. Langkowski…I know you can hear me, I know you're in control. There's no version of this where it ends well for you, in fact, you've made it worse. So stand down," Claire demanded.
The red eyes of the Sasquatch narrowed on Claire. He clenched his fists and exhaled through his nose.
"No," he responded. His voice was no longer that of Flynn Langkowski, instead, it was deep, monstrous, and full of anger.
Claire sighed and glanced to Raze, who had a slightly impressed expression on his face.
"Standing his grown to the end like a man…monster…bigfoot thing. Admirable nonetheless," Raze remarked with a shrug of his shoulders.
"Open fire!" Claire commanded her troops.
The armed soldiers began firing at the Sasquatch relentlessly. The monster held his arm up as his only defense, growling. He took several steps back and roared at Claire directly. Despite the gunfire pelting him, his focus was on the woman behind all of it. Sasquatch let out another roar and ran full speed at Claire.
"Activate the sonic cannons!" Claire commanded quickly. She took a cautious step back as the Sasquatch approached, but it proved to be unnecessary. From atop 3 military trucks were mounted cannons that released powerful waves of sonic energy at Sasquatch.
Sasquatch roared in pain as the waves collided with his form. The force of the waves caused the hair on his body to ripple back and his eyes to close. He attempted to push through it, but the force proved too much for him to bear. He dropped to his knees—his roar now more of a weak groan.
A much louder roar sounded off the distance among the trees, which was easily heard even over the sonic energy.
Claire looked up with a rare show of concern on her face. Raze scoffed and pulled out another cigar to place between his lips.
"Think we're looking at round two!" Raze yelled over the sound of the sonic waves.
The Hulk jumped from over the trees and landed in between the Sasquatch and Claire. The sonic waves were now solely on the Hulk, but he didn't seem as affected by them as the Sasquatch.
"Cut them off!" Claire commanded the soldiers.
The sonic waves were turned off, which caused the Sasquatch to finally open his eyes. He looked up at the Hulk in confusion, and slowly stood back up to his feet.
Claire narrowed her eyes at the Hulk. "Are you here to help…or join your friend in becoming a criminal?" she asked.
The Hulk growled at her and turned his head to the right to glance back at the Sasquatch. He turned around fully, now showing softer features towards his fellow gamma mutate. Sasquatch stared into the green eyes that stared back at him. His eyes then shifted past the Hulk and to Claire instead. He pushed the Hulk aside and attempted to strike Claire, but was stopped by Hulk grabbing him around the waist and lifting him for a suplex to slam him onto the back of his neck.
Sasquatch landed with a hard thud onto the snowy ground and rolled onto his stomach. He placed both hands into the snow and looked up at the Hulk with rage-filled eyes.
"You wanna fight me? Turn your back on me? Fine!" He yelled before tossing snow up into the face of the Hulk, causing him to stumble back briefly and wipe at his eyes.
Using this opening, Sasquatch closed the distance between the two and delivered a hard uppercut. The Hulk's head whipped back from the impact. Sasquatch gripped the Hulk by his shoulder and pulled him closer to where he would begin firing heavy blows to the stomach at a rapid pace. The Hulk grunted with each strike and even coughed up a bit of dark green blood. After about the sixth shot to the stomach, Hulk fired a left hook to the jaw of the Sasquatch and pushed him back with enough force to send the hairy beast flying back a few feet.
Sasquatch hit the ground and rolled backward onto his feet, ready for more. The Hulk wiped the blood from his mouth and gazed at it. Seeing his own blood was something he hadn't done in a while, if at all. It reminded him of the strength level of his fellow gamma mutated monster, but it also lit a fire within him. The Hulk growled and stared at Sasquatch with violent intent.
"Come on!" Sasquatch yelled at the Hulk with an accompanying gesture.
Hulk charged toward Sasquatch, who did the same towards him. Once the two goliaths were within striking distance of each other, the Hulk took a swing, which Sasquatch slid under. He stood and turned, now beside Hulk, and stuck his claws deep into the Hulk's side. The jade giant screamed out in pain and fell to a knee for a brief moment.
"You may be stronger than me…but I've always been smarter," Sasquatch proclaimed before throwing the Hulk facefirst into a tree.
The tree broke into several pieces from the force and weight of the Hulk, who fell to the ground and rolled onto his back. Raze glanced over at Claire, who'd been watching the fight with a stern expression.
"Furball's got a whole new kind of mean in him. Maybe I should jump in and give the not-so-jolly green giant a hand?" he suggested.
"He won't need it," Claire answered.
Sasquatch jumped into the air to stomp on the Hulk, but the jade giant quickly recovered and rolled out of harm's way. He stood back up and fired a shot to the Sasquatch's gut, followed by an uppercut and a left hook that took Sasquatch off balance. The Hulk fired a kick to the chest, but Sasquatch grabbed a hold of his foot before it connected. Using his razor-sharp claws, he slashed underneath at the Hulk's Achilles, causing him to howl in pain and clutch at his ankle.
The snow below the Hulk began to mix with his dark green blood. After hopping on one leg for a brief moment, he swung for a back fist but found his arm caught by Sasquatch, who dug his claws upwards deep into the Hulk's flesh. Hulk let out a painful roar but was quickly caught off by a right hook that sent him flying back over to Claire and the other soldiers.
Claire swiftly stepped out of harm's way, while Raze stood his ground. He glanced at the Hulk, who glared back at him.
"Strongest there is ain't looking so strong right now, is he?" Raze asked with a small smirk on his face.
The Hulk growled at Raze. If he wasn't already in a fight, he would've likely taken a swing at the blue mutant. Instead, he looked to the nearest military truck. Hulk stood up and drove his arm right down the middle of the truck, splitting it in two.
"Hey! That's government property!" Claire yelled, irate at the situation.
Hulk placed his hands into either half and turned around to fire a hard right hook at an oncoming Sasquatch, utilizing the truck as essentially a boxing glove. The shot sent Sasquatch down to the ground back first. He rubbed his jaw and stood up, but was instantly under assault by the Hulk, who fired multiple punches with the ends of the truck. With each punch, pieces of the truck were further destroyed. Hulk fired a hard kick to the chest of Sasquatch that sent him back to the ground. He attempted to recover but was caught off by the Hulk raining down more right and left hooks until there was nothing left of the truck on either hand.
The Hulk roared down at the Sasquatch in a show of dominance, anger, and even a challenge for him to stay down. Sasquatch spat out a tooth and looked up at the Hulk in defiance. Hulk growled and raised both of his arms in the air.
"Hulk…SMASH!"
The Hulk roared the immortal words of the one that came before him and would drive his fists down for a double hammer fist strike. However before they could connect, Sasquatch brought his arms up to block, creating a small shockwave from their collision. Sasquatch locked hands with the Hulk and slowly forced himself up. Once the two were standing eye to eye again, Sasquatch launched a hard-hitting headbutt with enough force to a thunderous effect. The Hulk's head snapped back from the impact. After blinking a few times, shaking his head, and readjusting, he turned his head to smile at the Sasquatch. The orange beast's eyes widened at the sight.
"Oh no..." Sasquatch responded, full of regret.
The Hulk fired back his own thunderous headbutt with even more force, causing Sasquatch to stumble back. With the new opening, the Hulk threw all of his weight into a hard overhand right hook that sent the Sasquatch sliding backward into the snowy ground. Sasquatch placed his large hand to his head and groaned in pain. He shook his head free of any dizziness and stood back up to his feet. Before he could do much else, the Hulk charged toward him and tackled Sasquatch through multiple trees. Hulk continued to run through the forest, keeping his hold on Sasquatch as he barrelled through every tree in his path. The two eventually reached the downed military helicopter, which the Hulk slammed Sasquatch down into the side of. The Hulk took one step back and watched the Sasquatch for any signs of defeat, any sign that he would give up.
Sasquatch clutched at his shoulder and looked up at Hulk—pain etched across his face. Despite the pain he was in, he would attempt to stand back up.
"STAY…DOWN!" The Hulk roared before kicking Sasquatch in the abdomen, sending him back down.
"I can't…not even against you," Sasquatch replied weakly. He slumped down against the helicopter for a brief moment, placed his hand on the ground, and attempted to stand once again. "I'm fighting for my freedom."
Sasquatch attempted to throw one last-ditch effort of a punch, but the Hulk easily moved his head to the side to dodge. He grabbed Sasquatch by the shoulder and pulled him into a rear-naked choke. Sasquatch began to struggle with all the fight he had left. He clawed at the Hulk's arm that sat under his jaw, but even the feeling of his razor-sharp claws did little to stop him.
Back inside of the Hulk's mindscape, Lucas sat on the literal edge of his seat, watching. He held his fist close to his mouth in anticipation.
"Come on Flynn…just give up…for your own good…" he said with an abated breath.
After a few more moments of struggling, all of Sasquatch's strength faded from his body. His movement slowed to a stop. He was out. Hulk looked down at him, no longer with anger on his face, but with sadness instead. He released his hold on him and stood up, just as Claire and the rest of her agents made their way to the scene. Her eyes initially went to the unconscious Sasquatch before shifting over to the Hulk. Raze stood next to her with a rather impressed look on his face.
"Well I'll be damned…not bad Shrek," he said with a nod to the Hulk.
Hulk cracked the smallest of smiles, which faded immediately once he heard the sound of a helicopter in the sky. He looked up defensively but calmed once he saw who it was. Up above in the helicopter was Nick Fury along with Josh Hammond, looking down at the scene.
"He did it, Director Fury," Josh commented.
"...Was it ever in doubt?" Fury responded before nodding to the pilot. The helicopter flew off back towards their camp, leaving the scene.
Hulk looked down at the Department H agents and soldiers that moved in to begin containing Sasquatch as he transformed back into Flynn Langkowski. Claire looked up at the Hulk and offered her hand to him.
"Thank you, for your cooperation," she said in a straightforward, matter-of-fact tone.
Hulk stared down at her hand. His eyes trailed up to her face, and then down to her hand again. There were a plethora of things he wanted to do to the woman standing before him, but he decided upon a simple one. The Hulk huffed, turned around, and jumped high into the sky, heading in the direction of Fury's helicopter.
Claire slowly placed her hand down, looking annoyed. Raze turned to Claire with an amused smile on his face.
"Now I'm no telepath, but I'm pretty sure he just told you to eat shit."
Manhattan, New York City - 5:30 PM
Betty Ross sat on the couch in Lucas' apartment, watching Prize of The Mist, a mystery film starring Simon Williams. She was deeply engrossed in the film, which saw the lead protagonist investigate a sunken ship. The sounds of the front door being unlocked caused her to pull her eyes away from the screen and to the door. Lucas walked into the apartment, holding his back and appearing rather sluggish in his movements.
"Hey mom, I'm home," he said tiredly.
Behind him was Nick Fury, who elected to stay closer to the door with a folder in hand. Lucas placed his bag in one of the chairs near the counter and let out a yawn. Betty stood from the couch and walked over to him, with a mother's concern written on her face.
"How did it go? You look exhausted," she noted while holding his face in her hands.
Lucas blinked a few times, trying to keep his eyes open. "I am...Hulking takes a lot out of me, or maybe my body just isn't as used to it as it was once."
"How's Flynn?" she asked.
Lucas looked off to the side. He began thinking back to their conversation at the camp, and the fight that ensued between the two in their respective gamma mutated forms. It was more than a longshot that they'd ever be friends again, and he'd have to live with that.
"He's in custody, again. I think this time it's for good. It's Department H's problem now," he said before moving past his mother. "I need to sleep…I'll see you in the morning."
Very groggily, Lucas made his way to his room and closed the door behind him, leaving Betty and Fury to themselves. Betty's eyes remained on his bedroom door for a moment, and would soon transition to Fury. The SHIELD director took a few steps closer and briefly glanced at Lucas' door.
"Dr. Banner did good. Better than I expected in fact. Not only in terms of his scientific insight but doing what needed to be done as a giant green rage monster," he said.
Betty sighed and shook her head. "I'm sure he didn't enjoy having to do that. Once he's back up, he'll probably go straight back to looking for a cure."
"I sure hope you're wrong, Betty," Fury said while handing the folder to her. "I may not have a high opinion of human nature these days, but Dr. Banner's one of the good ones. I think he could be using that monster inside of him for good, just like his father did. Just like you did."
Betty took the folder, which had the logo of the Avengers on it. Her eyes widened a bit at what was a very familiar sight to her. She looked up at Fury and shook her head.
"Nick I don't think he-"
"When he's ready," Fury said, cutting her off. "Give it to him. There's no rush, no world-ending threat that requires a decision be made now…not yet, anyway."
"So Lucas, you've decided against seeking a cure?"
"For now, yes. It's uh…part of a deal the two of us made," Lucas responded. He was sitting across from Dr. Sebastian Samson once again, taking part in one of his sessions.
Samson moved a green strand of hair from in front of his eye, which had grown a bit longer in the time the two had last seen each other.
"You're talking with one another now? That's great! That's genuine progress, Lucas. It's important that you understand one another, instead of shutting each other out. The more you talk to him, the easier it will get," Samson responded.
Lucas, who had been staring off at nothing in particular, chuckled a bit at the notion.
"I don't think it'll ever be easy to talk to a monster, especially one that mentally tormented you as a child…and takes your body over to cause mass destruction, but-" Lucas looked over to the window, where he could see the reflection of the Hulk staring back at him. "I think I can learn to live with him…and not be afraid."
Samson smiled and crossed one leg over the other.
"I'm glad you feel that way. There's still much to unpack though, especially surrounding your childhood. Where would you like to begin?" he asked.
Lucas let out a sigh and pulled his head away to look at Samson. He was right, despite this breakthrough with the Hulk, there was more to be done in his mind, more to explore.
"I guess…the death of my dad."
Department H Headquarters, Toronto, Ontario, Canada - 11 AM
Claire Hudson stepped out of an elevator within Department H's Headquarters that dropped her off at its lower levels. In one hand was a black folder. She walked towards a large energy field barrier, where two guards stood watch, and placed her hand on a handprint scanner.
"Director Claire Hudson, access granted," a robotic voice announced.
The barrier disappeared momentarily to allow Claire through and would return once she was on the other side. Inside of the room was a large chamber, fortified by its own surrounding energy field. Flynn Langkowski, who had been reading a book on cosmic radiation written by Reed Richards, looked up once he heard the familiar clicking of approaching heels. He marked his place in the book and closed it.
"Here to add more salt to my wounds, Hudson?" Flynn asked.
Claire gave a fake smile and shook her head.
"Not at all Dr. Langkowski. I'm here because I would rather our relationship not be so…hostile-"
"I'm sitting in a prison," Flynn deadpanned.
"Yes I know, but that's not where you'd be if only you cooperated. I offered you a chance to work for us and be a free man. Instead, you killed two of my men," she said in a lighter tone than expected.
"You're lucky it was only two," Flynn responded with disdain written across his face.
Claire sighed and slid the folder into the chamber through a small slot. She placed her hands behind her back and began pacing.
"You should be locked away for the rest of your life, but instead I'm being generous. I don't want us to be enemies, I want us to be allies. Like our fathers were. I want there to be trust," she explained.
Flynn peered down at the folder but didn't move to pick it up. "What's this?"
"That is an opportunity for your freedom," Claire said, gesturing for Flynn to pick it up.
A look of suspicion crossed his face, but he would bend down to pick it up nonetheless. On the front were the words "Alpha Flight", along with the Canadian Maple Leaf. Inside of it, were pictures of the various Alpha Flight teams of the past, including one that featured Walter Langkowski in his Sasquatch form with James Hudson, the Guardian.
"Alpha Flight. Think of it as Canada's Avengers. I've been looking into reinstating it, and I want you to be a part of it, Flynn. It's like I've been trying to tell you, you have gifts that can be useful to help your native country. If you were to join Alpha Flight, you'd be a free man again," Claire explained, bringing her pacing to a stop.
Flynn stared at the picture of his father. He ran his finger over it, thinking of the stories his father told him about the team when he was just a child. Flynn looked up at Claire, eyes full of uncertainty.
"...Give me some time, to think," he said.
Claire nodded in understanding. "Take all the time you need, Flynn. I hope you make the right decision. We can do so many great things together, instead of against one another."
She turned on her heel and walked towards the energy field door. With her back to Flynn, a confident smile crept onto her face. She placed her hand on the scanner and walked through once the barrier was lifted again. Behind her, one of the guards shapeshifted to reveal Raze.
"Everyone's getting what they wanted, huh? Except me," he said with an annoyed tone.
Claire came to a stop. She sighed and rolled her eyes before turning around to face the blue mutant. "What is it, Darkholme?"
"You know damn well what I want!" Raze snapped. "You promised me Adamantium."
"I know exactly what I promised, and I also know what I told you the last time you asked. We haven't obtained it yet," Claire responded firmly.
Raze scoffed. "I know exactly what you're doing, Claire. You're dragging your feet to get as much out of me as you can because you know as soon as I get that Adamantium, I'm gone."
Claire gave a sarcastic smile and tilted her head to the side.
"You think so little of me, Raze? I'm hurt," she said before turning to head to the elevator.
"You're playing me anymore, Claire. We're done. I'll get that Adamantium without you," he said in defiance.
Claire scoffed and looked over her shoulder at Raze. "How exactly do you plan on doing that?" she asked.
"Same way my old man did…make a little noise, someone's bound to hear it."
A/N: And so ends the introductory story of The Incredible Hulk into the 2043 Universe. I hope you enjoyed it, especially with the different cast of characters that will be making more appearances in the future. As for the next story to be told, I'll leave you with this hint: we'll be leaving the world of men, to visit the world of gods.
