I hummed to myself as I sat on top a roof of the building across from the pizza joint Banner had gotten the pizza from. I had went in earlier to grab a box not only to see if I could spot Banner, but to get something to eat. I had been starving. I did managed to lay eyes on the illusive scientist who was in a conversation with an elderly man who was the owner. He had stiffened at my entrance, but I made sure not to glance at him once his eyes were on me. I made sure it looked as if I didn't know who he was or cared.

I placed an order for a large pizza to go then just casually leaned against one of the booths to message Fury using my cellphone, which I would only use for texting. I let Fury know I had finally laid eyes on Banner, and that I was going to stick to him until I was certain there was no way Ross could find him. But also so a group of S.H.I.E.L.D agents could keep tabs on him, and continue my job once this threat with Ross passes. Once getting my pizza, I left still not looking towards Banner who had remained stiff as a board the entire time I was there.

Now, I'm just chilling on top a roof in a lawn chair I had borrowed along with a large umbrella that I had attached. It looked as if rain would be moving in, and I didn't fancy a shower at the moment. It's been pretty quiet with Banner not making any moves since returning to this place. Though based on Banner's bothered expression when I walked through the door before he noticed me, I'd say he didn't find whatever he had been looking for here. So I figured he'd be on the move soon enough. I shifted in my seat when something—or rather someone— caught my attention.

"Hmm, I know that face, don't I?" I hummed to myself as I picked up my binoculars to get a closer look at the people about to enter the pizza joint.

I focused more on the woman since it was her face that was familiar to me. Once the focus zoomed in on her, I realized who she was.

"Dr. Betty Ross." I said. "Well, well, this is getting interesting."

I wonder how Banner will feel if he spots his former girlfriend. It should put a spin on things that's for sure. A few minutes a later thunder started to roll, and I looked up as it started to rain. It soon became a pour, which had me sighing as I brought my knees to my chest. I should have packed warming clothes if I was going to have to stay out all night doing a stake out.

I'm probably going to be stuck here all night. I was proven wrong when Betty hurried out of the building to get into her car. Someone seemed to be in a rush. This can't be good. Did Banner bolt? Well, at least this meant I didn't have to stay out here for the rest of the night.

"This location isn't much better." I grumbled as I sat up in a branch of a tree outside the good doctor's house.

It turns how Banner had bolted, and Betty went after him, so in turn I came immediately to her house knowing they'd have to come back here sooner or later. At least so Banner could rest somewhere safe for the night before he tried to disappear. They returned nearly an hour ago, and now I was stuck sitting in the rain here instead of back in front of Stan's place.

"If there's more rain tomorrow I think I might scream." I complained.

I frowned while glaring at the darkening clouds that were heading towards the campus. Of course, there was going to be more rain. I shook my head deciding not to dwell on it as I kept my eyes on Banner from a distance. This all watching from a distance and not actively participating was a real bummer and it was boring. I prefer being in the middle of the action, but I was ordered to stay to the shadows.

Seen but not seen. There but not there. I was only to physically in gage if there was no other option to choose. I let out a yawn as I leaned against the tree was I was sitting under, but paused mid yawn when I noticed men in green moving out of the corner of my eye. I slightly turned my head to spot a few soldiers slinking out trying to go unnoticed.

"Ross's men." I said frowning more.

Ross must have finally realized where Bruce's was, and it means it's time for me to tip the odds in Bruce's favor. While I can't go over there to assist Bruce, I could make sure to boost up his luck.

"Time to get started." I said as I flipped onto my feet.

I snapped my fingers with the humans around not noticing anything, but to anyone more in tune to the kind of world I lived in would have felt a slight shift in the air. A pulsation of power so to speak as I sent of wave of good luck towards Bruce. Of course, to send him good luck, I had to take some of the luck from somewhere else. Like from one of the soldiers for instance. I chuckled as one of them slightly stumbled, which got Bruce's attention.

"And the games begin," I said as I watched Bruce turn to Betty quickly.

Ross wouldn't be getting his hands on Bruce. I would make sure of it, but I'd just have to make sure he didn't notice me in the process. If he did, he could report me to the council, which in turn would turn blame onto Fury. I don't want to get Fury in charge after me trusted my judgement to allow me to do this double mission. A second later Bruce was making a run for it as soldiers and military vehicles flooded the area. I was about to follow Bruce into the building before I could lose him, but I stopped dead in my tracks as I watched one of the soldiers over take the others.

He made it seem easy as he started from the back of the pack to end up in front of it in the matter of seconds. He had a speed even some children of Hermes would envy. Who was this human? And how was he moving in such a manner?

"No," I said shaking my head as I realized what must have happened. "Ross."

I hissed his name while realizing he must have given this man a small dose of gamma serum Bruce had developed or something similar. I didn't even realize he had any. I don't even think Fury was aware of this, which means as soon as possible I would have to report this to Fury. After the soldiers came to a stop, I realized I needed to catch up to Bruce. I moved towards the campus probably looking like one of the panicked students who were scrambling away from what was happening.

I wasn't sure exactly where Bruce went, but I kind of thought he'd head to higher ground since the lower ground was being taken by Ross and his men. Though going towards the roof only meant he was making it harder for him to escape. I had to find a way to get him out of here before he was trapped. I made it into one of the libraries not caring if Bruce headed his way exactly. As long as I kept going up, I'd run into him.

I moved as fast as my legs would take me while going up to the second level of the library. I quickly ducked into an aisle when I heard hurried footsteps behind me. Some of the soldiers must be in pursuit of Bruce. This was cutting things a bit too close for my liking, but I'm sure Bruce was feeling more on edge than me. I just hope he doesn't get stressed to be point where he turns green and grows a few feet. Then things will really be out of hand, and Fury will probably be ready to fire me.

"I got him!" I heard one of the soldiers shout, which had me peeking around the edge of one of the bookshelves.

I spotted Bruce feeling the library while heading out some double doors instead of taking the stairs. Maybe he had a different route in mind. I let the soldiers go after him first to keep from being spotted before following behind. I followed them to an overpass. I stopped a few feet away while peering around a corner to watch. I mentally cursed when Bruce was trapped in the glass overpass with soldiers on either side. Even all the luck in the world couldn't get him out there without me exposing myself. Before I could think of much two canisters were shot into the overpass to smoke out Bruce. While it's bad he's in there with gas, at least I had some cover now.

"It's now or ever." I said to myself before rushing in.

I knocked out the soldiers before the realized what was happening. I pushed the doors open while rushing in through the smoke.

"Bruce!" I shouted looking for the scientist through the smoke. "Dr. Banner!"

I could coughing, so I headed in the direction until I finally saw a shadowed outline of a human. I coughed a little myself knowing we needed to get out of here before the gas caused him to hulk out. I finally reached Bruce while grabbing his arm. He looked at me with wide panicked eyes, and I held up my other hand in a peace making gesture.

"It's alright, Dr. Banner." I said. "I'm Agent Cortez of S.H.I.E.L.D. I'm here to get you out of here."

I tried to be calm as I spoke, but I could see in his eyes, which were turning green that he was nearly too far gone.

"Dr. Banner, please." I said grabbing his arm carefully.

However that seemed like the wrong move because he jerked away from me while stumbling backwards.

"No!" He shouted. "Get back! Get away from me!"

I knew it was dangerous, but I stepped forward anyway while kneeling down in front of Bruce.

"Bruce, it's alright." I said calmly. "Just breathe. I'm going to get you out of here. I promise. Just calm down."

Bruce actually looked as if he was calming down as the smoke started to clear around us, which mean we didn't have much time. However, before I had him completely calm, one of the soldiers moved while shouting at us and alerting the others that I was in here with Bruce. However, he couldn't say whether I was a man or woman just an unknown threat. His shouting was the last straw for Bruce, and my eyes widened as he transformed right in front of me.

"Oh, gods." I murmured as I was staring up at a large, green hulk-like beast.

The thing in front of me obviously wasn't Bruce because there was nothing left of Dr. Banner in the green eyes glaring down at me. Just anger and a need to cause destruction. I stayed perfectly still as this hulk snarled at me as its hands curled into fists.

"Bruce," I began.

However, before I could get out another word, one of its large green fists hit me head out while sending me sailing through the left side glass wall of the overlay. The glass shattered around me as I went through it, and I felt myself falling towards the ground. I cursed with things already starting to go black. I knew I had to find a way to break my fall or I'd have more broke bones than I'm sure I already have.

I managed to do a tuck and roll, and while it wasn't a grateful stop, I managed to land without breaking anything else. I looked up at the sky as the clouds grew darker overhead. As the blackness started to envelope of me, the last thing I heard was the roar of the Hulk.

NO POV:

Clint looked down at Kaira as she slept on in her hospital bed at S.H.I.E.L.D Headquarters in New York. She was bruised completely on one side of her face, and partially down the right side of her body. The doctor said there were also fractures to her skull and cheek bone. Clint wasn't exactly sure what happened on her mission. He had been in the apartment he uses as a temporary home when he doesn't have enough leave when he got the word from Phil that Kaira had been brought in after she failed to check in on her mission.

When she had been found she was unconscious, and just knowing that had Clint forgetting ever traffic law in the book to race to get to her. When he arrived to headquarters, she had been resting here like this. The doctors told him, she'd wake when her body was ready.

"I shouldn't have let you go." Clint said as he reached down to brush her hair back.

"You know she would have went with or without your consent even if you said anything."

Clint turned his head seeing Natasha in the doorway. Clint sighed knowing she was right. He didn't openly say this, but Natasha, who let herself into the room, didn't need him too. She went over to Kaira's bed while sitting on the edge of it to take her hand.

"You've really gotten yourself into a mess, Kai." Natasha said. "And if you don't wake up soon, you'll cause Clint to grow more gray hairs."

She smiled slightly as she said this, but there was obvious worry in the Black Widow's eyes as she looked at the younger woman. Natasha squeezed Kaira's bandaged hand gently. Suddenly Kaira's heart rate increased, which caused the machines to keep louder and at a faster pace. This had Natasha and Clint both leaning in just as Kaira gasped with her eyes shooting open.

"Kaira," Clint said placing a hand on her shoulder. "It's okay, baby bird. You're safe. You're at home."

Kaira's brown eyes bored into Clint's blue ones as her breathing slowed along with her heart rate. She relaxed in her bed while squeezing Natasha's hand in return.

"Fury," Was the first thing she croaked out. "Get me Director Fury."

KAIRA'S POV:

"What you're telling me is that General Ross has some gamma serum?" Fury asked. "And that he used it on one of his soldiers?"

I nodded my head to the director as Dr. Willis was examining me after I took some ambrosia and nectar. She was one of the few people in the know about what I truly am. Fury said it'd be best to have a doctor aware of my heritage to give better care to me after being injured on missions. I didn't take too much, however, since there were still people who had seen me being brought in. So I just took enough to heal some of the factures in my body. Dr. Willis, who was one of the younger doctors in S.H.I.E.L.D, would do the rest of my body, which would have to heal without the aid of ambrosia.

"If he keeps dosing this soldier up on out of date serum that I'm guessing is from Banner's trial and error days, or something those military scientist cooked up, there's no telling what we'll have on our hands, sir." I said. "It could lead to an abomination."

I hated using that word since there are people—not exactly human people—out there who know about my kind, and they like to use the world abomination when speaking of us. However, I didn't know of any other way to put it.

"Ross must be getting desperate if he's pulling out old gamma serum." Fury said. "And who knows what the side effects might be if this soldiers takes even a bit more of that serum. This as you said, Cortez, could lead to an abomination.

I nodded while agreeing completely, which means Bruce, who apparently managed to get away from Ross again, needed to be found then brought into protective custody. Somewhere Ross couldn't lay his slimy hands on him again.

"I'm ready to head back out there, Director." I said as Dr. Willis was removing some of my bandages from my arm.

It was still purplish in color due to bruising, but the fractures in it were healed up.

"I don't think that's wise, Agent." Dr. Willis said. "While you are healing at your normal rate with the boost from ambrosia, you are unfit to continue this mission. As your doctor, I think a few weeks of rest is exactly what you need."

I frowned because I didn't want to rest. I wanted to finish my mission. I wanted to make sure there was no way Ross could get his hands on Bruce.

"Dr. Willis is right, Cortez." Fury said.

I looked at him with wide eyes wondering if he was being serious with me right now. He was benching me? But this is my mission.

"We're going to take things from a different approach now we know there's another potential threat to this mission." Fury said as he stood up from the seat he had preoccupying. "You won't have to worry about it anymore, so get plenty of rest. You'll have to time too because I'm putting you on a week's leave."

Before I could protest at all Fury left the room with Phil, who had been silent this entire time, which left me there with my mouth agape.

"You have got to be kidding me!" I shouted in disbelief.

When I got no reply I knew no one was kidding me, which had me huffing as I fell back into my bed. I winced since I was still tender though I bit back the cry of pain as I stubbornly crossed my arms over my chest.

"This is bullshit." I grumbled.

"Director Fury is just worried about your health, Kaira." Dr. Willis—or rather Rachel—said as she looked at me patiently. "As am I. You aren't fit to continue this mission."

I sighed because I needed to finish this mission. I needed to know Ross didn't get his hands on Bruce, and that Bruce was going to be alright. I don't know why, but this entire assignment has become personal to me. I just want it to end on a good note.

I sat with Clint in my small living room in my apartment a few days later as we watched the news together. On the news was nothing but about the throw down between two large beasts—one being green while the other gray—that happened last night in Harlem. I knew things would end in a mess, but it seemed as if Bruce managed to get away once again.

"I hear Ross might be looking at some serious demotions soon." Clint said as the screen showed the Abomination being heavily locked down then thrown into an armored vehicle.

I scoffed while sure Ross would have some way to keep his rank. He managed it the first time Bruce hulked out and destroyed have of Culver University.

"He should be arrested in my opinion." I said as I turned off the news. "After everything he did…so many people were hurt or killed last night because he played with power he shouldn't have."

Humans…always trying to better themselves…to be more than human. When they do things like that, it results in things like what happened last night. They need to realize their limitations. They need to realize they'll always be just human, and there's nothing wrong with that. Being more than human isn't what it's all cracked up to be. I should know.

"This mission really got to you, didn't it, Kiddo?" Clint asked as he reached out to ruffle my hair gently.

I hummed in reply as I let myself relax back into the couch. I felt exhausted. I've been on edge ever since I was sent after Bruce the first time. But now it was over. Maybe I could get some actual rest.

"Yeah, I guess it kind of did." I said nodding.

Clint put his arm around my shoulders to bring me into a fatherly hug, which I appreciated. Clint always knew how to make me feel better. He's been looking after me ever since I joined. Heck before that really.

"You'll get missions like that." Clint said honestly. "Ones that stick with you even when they're over. But things are going to be okay."

I nodded while already feeling better since it was obvious that Ross wouldn't be able to go after Bruce again. And Fury already said he had agents working on keeping other people off of Bruce's tail. Maybe the scientist can live a relatively peaceful life now. At least for the time being. He deserves a very long rest in my opinion. Speaking of rest, I could use some myself. A nice long nap sounded perfect right about now. However, it didn't seem as if I would be getting one since there was a knock on my door. I groaned though got up before Clint could to go over to the door to open it. I blinked when seeing Phil there.

"Hey, Momma Phil." I said. "What brings you here?"

"I know you're still of leave," Phil began while cutting to the chase as always. "But Director Fury and I thought you would like to deliver this in person."

He held out large tan envelope out to me, which I took though had no idea what this was. I looked at the front seeing it was from Fury to General Ross with top secret stamped across the front.

"What's this about?" I asked looking back to Phil.

"Just a slight word of warning to the General from Director Fury." Phil said. "If General Ross so much as puts a toe out of line again, Director Fury stated in this message to Ross that he will end his career. Everything else in there is just to let the general know S.H.I.E.L.D is always serious with their threats."

The more Phil spoke the more I grinned because this all made me very happy. General Ross might not get demoted, but he'll have to live with the knowledge that S.H.I.E.L.D will be watching him very closely from now on. He'll have to move carefully if he doesn't want things to end badly for him.

"This place smells so bad." I mumbled under my breath as my nose wrinkled.

I had to come to a bar to find Ross, and wasn't surprised when I saw him sulking at the bar with glass and cigar in hand. However, he wasn't alone. The only thing that did surprise me when I walked in here is the fact that Tony Stark himself was speaking to Ross. Now this was something Fury would want to know, which I will report once I'm done with my business here. I grinned just thinking about what's going to happen next as I gripped the envelope tightly in my right hand. However, I soon schooled my expression as I walked over to the two men.

"Excuse me, General Ross." I said getting both men to turn towards me.

I barely acknowledged Stark as I kept my eyes on the general who was obviously a bit tipsy at the moment.

"And you are?" He asked.

He obviously didn't recognize me from our brief encounter when Phil explained I'd be working to find Banner for Ross. However, I didn't really care, so I moved on.

"Just a delivery woman from Director Nicholas J. Fury." I said.

At the mention of Fury, Ross shifted in his seat, which showed he was nervous to learn about this message. I bit back a grin before reaching between the two men to set the large envelope on the bar. As Ross reached for it, I made sure to give the final message as I was ordered.

"This is just a reminder, General." I said.

"Reminder of what?" Ross asked as he looked at me.

I finally let myself smirk as I looked the general dead in the eye so he could see how serious I was.

"That we're everywhere." I said. "And that we'll always be watching."

Ross obviously looked uncomfortable as he moved the envelope closer to his chest. He could probably guess what was inside just as well as I good. He knew he was in trouble, which is exactly how we wanted things.

"Well, I've said all I've needed to." I said smiling pleasantly. "Have a good day, General, Mr. Stark."

I nodded to both men while turning to leave. It would actually be nice to talk to the Tony Stark since I've heard a lot about him. But I'm sure there will be another chance in the future since the billionaire has caught the attention of S.H.I.E.L.D. In due time, I'm sure Tony and I will meet again, and perhaps formal introductions can be made.