It's the middle of the day. Brendan, Bruce Banner, and Lucas are walking pleasantly on the trail. Brendan and Banner are talking, while Lucas looks at his Pokétch.

"Wow!" Said Bruce, intrigued by what Brendan was talking to him about. "I didn't know Pokémon had subconscious abilities."

"They're very useful in battles." Said Brendan. "They don't activate unless they're attacked by a certain move, attacking, change in weather, or low health."

"I'm impressed! You guys seem to know your stuff!" Said Banner, fascinated.

"Well, thank you." Said Brendan proudly, but with a bit of humility. "But to tell you the truth, Mr. Banner, we still have a lot to learn."

"Hey guys," uttered Lucas to the two while looking at his Pokétch. "According to my Pokétch, the next town is another 300 yards away." Lucas looks and points straight ahead. "In that direction."

Brendan and Bruce Banner look at where Lucas is pointing; another town, but much more rural. Later, they arrive at the town, where there is no person in sight and the only sounds they could hear were the wind and the squeak of a bicycle.

Brendan: "Where is everybody? It's usually pretty busy in a town like this."

Bruce Banner: "Maybe the townsfolk saw the news. They must've fled when they saw me on the small screen."

Lucas: "Mr. Banner that hardly seems likely. If they knew you would be here, they would leave. Someone must've told them you were coming. But who? And how?"

Just then, the three see a man, mid-40s, wearing a cranberry red suit and a matching fedora, walking merrily in the middle of the street; it's Giovanni! They walk up to him, not recognizing or realizing it was the Team Rocket leader.

Lucas: "Excuse us, sir."

Giovanni: (stops walking, taking his hat off) "Yes?"

Lucas: "What happened to this town? Where is everybody?"

Giovanni: "Oh, everyone moved out of town because they were panicking about a 'monster'."

Bruce Banner: "Well, then why are you here?"

Giovanni: "I came here after the evacuation… for you, Banner."

Bruce Banner: (confused, shocked) "What?"

Giovanni smirks and snaps his fingers. An explosion happens at two tall buildings between them; Bruce, Brendan, and Lucas get scared, but Giovanni doesn't even flinch. The three run back to the entrance, but are suddenly blocked by three Team Rocket grunts wearing gas masks.

"Leaving so soon?" said the first Rocket grunt.

"You're not going anywhere." Said the second Rocket grunt.

They gasp at the sight of them, then they turn back to Giovanni, with two more grunts putting a gas mask on him.

"What the heck are they doing?" said Lucas, frightened. "What's going on?"

"What's with the black-clad goons in the masks… and why are they putting one on you?" Brendan said to Giovanni.

"Why?" Giovanni said with utmost sincerity. "Why, my dear boy, they work for me."

Bruce Banner: (shocked) "What?"

Lucas: "This is a trap!"

Brendan: "No; it's an ambush!"

Giovanni: "However you see it depends on your opinion."

Bruce Banner: (angry) "Why, you son of a…"

Giovanni: (wagging his finger, singsong) "Ah, ah, ah. Temper, temper."

The grunts throw black, Pokéball-sized spheres at the trio. When they stop rolling, the spheres release black smoke, which quickly spreads out until it engulfs the three in a large, thick, black cloud.

Lucas: "Smoke ball grenades!" (Coughs)

Brendan: (Coughs) "What are we gonna do?!"

Lucas: "Cover our noses (Coughs) and mouths!"

The three of them do just that, but they still cough intensely. Bruce begins to notice that he is feeling woozy.

Bruce Banner: "I… feel… strange."

Lucas: "What? No. (Coughs) No. Don't get angry, Mr.… Banner. (Drowsily) Don't… get…"

Bruce Banner: (Drowsily) "I'm… not… angry… I'm… just…"

Bruce collapses. Lucas watches in shock.

Brendan: (yawns) "I'm… feel… ling… sleep…"

Brendan collapses as well. Lucas falls on his hands and knees, coughing, struggling to stay awake.

Lucas: (Groggily, looking at Brendan and Bruce) "Nooo…"

Fully succumbed to the sleeping effects of the smoke, he finally falls flat on the street with Brendan and Banner. Giovanni looks up in pleased expectation; a helicopter hovers down and blows away the smoke. It lands right between the Team Rocket leader with his cronies and Lucas, Brendan and Bruce Banner.

Giovanni: "Pick up the tall, skinny one!"

The three grunts blocking the way to the entrance pick Banner up and carry him to the chopper. They all take off their gas masks.

Team Rocket Grunt #3: "Sir, what about the kids?"

Giovanni: (looking at Lucas and Brendan, sleeping on the pavement) "Leave them. I have no use for them, but they did bring me what I need."

Giovanni and the two grunts board the chopper and they, Bruce Banner, and the other grunts take off.

Later, at the Team Rocket base, metal doors open as Giovanni enters a large room containing Banner held aloft and bound in metal restraints to a wall. The grunts are standing next to Bruce, either holding submachine guns or machine pistols. Team Rocket executive Ariana walks up to the boss.

Giovanni: "How is our new guest?"

Ariana: "On his best behavior. He hasn't made a peep since we brought him in."

Giovanni: "Because he knows what will happen if he tries to struggle. I got this handled, Ariana. You and the team prepare for the mission."

Ariana: "Yes, sir, Giovanni, sir."

She bows and leaves the room; the grunts march out and into the long hallway. She glances and smiles at Giovanni before the doors close. Giovanni walks up to Banner.

Giovanni: (pleasantly) "Hello, Bruce. How are you feeling? Comfortable?"

Bruce Banner: (sarcastically) "Hardly."

Giovanni: "Good."

Bruce Banner: "Where am I? Who are you?"

Giovanni: (stopping 2 feet across from Banner) "You are at Team Rocket headquarters. I am Giovanni, the leader and boss of Team Rocket."

Bruce Banner: "What do you want?"

Giovanni: "Why, you, of course, Bruce. I want to give you a job."

Bruce Banner: "What? Me? Why? How did you find me?"

Giovanni: "Ever since I saw you on television. I was intrigued when I saw you show off your inhuman prowess and raw, brute strength. I figured out that that's what we need for our team. My spies have been watching you for a couple of days, waiting for the moment you once again become the brute called the Hulk."

Bruce Banner: (frightened) "What!? No! No, no, no! You don't understand! I am very dangerous when I become him! You don't know what you've done or what you're doing taking me here! You have no idea what will happen to you or your…"

Giovanni: (lashes out) "I know full well based on what I saw! I didn't become leader of this organization by being stupid! Now tell me: how... do you... become the Hulk!?"

Bruce Banner: "No! I'm not going to turn into him! I'm not going to let him out!"

Giovanni: "Oh yes, you will. Whether you like it or not."