The Hulk is in trouble! A villainous doppelgänger has attacked the SHIELD helicarrier, only he's far from a green giant… but a RED one instead! Can the Avengers clear their ally's name? What can be done against TWO Hulks? Strap in for a rough ride, true believers, as the Avengers face a-
Chapter 33: Nightmare in Red
In a dimly lit warehouse, somewhere in New York City, two people met late at night.
"And how did it play out?" A feminine voice inquired.
"Exactly as it predicated. Soon, Earth will be ours. As it is written, my Queen." A man responded.
"As it is written…" The woman echoed.
"…wow. I've heard of blow-ups, but that one takes the cake."
"Tell me about it. The whole team is rattled, yours truly included."
"Who's even left on the team?"
"Cap, Hulk, Hawkeye, Wasp, and yours truly."
"Man. Iron Man and Panther just bailed on you all?"
"Yeah."
"Well… maybe I can chat with Carol and try to convince her to go back."
"Nah, don't push it. Pretty they all just need time to think, to process it all. Those of us who stuck around, either we didn't buy it or we weren't gonna let some rumor divide us. Although Tony seemed dead-set on it being a fact. And it takes a lot of evidence to convince him something's real."
"Well, if you say so. I gotta run, contractors are calling."
"Okay. And… Matt? Just keep a lid on this, alright? Technically no one else is supposed to know."
"Understood." Connor clicked his phone off and pocketed it with a sigh. It had been several days since Tony's shocking revelation about the shape-shifting alien race called 'Skrulls' and their apparent infiltration of humanity, the Avengers included. That news had split the team right down the middle, prompting several of the heroes to abandon them due to sudden feelings of suspicion and a general untrustworthiness. The rift had had a particular effect on the slightly more emotional members of the team, namely himself and Janet, as they were still struggling to grasp how the Avengers (for all intents and purposes) had been by and large disassembled. Only a few remained and the team was lacking the same substance it once had.
Now, faced with this new reality, Connor tried to digest it as best he could… by visiting a little cafe in downtown New York City.
A hole-in-the-wall mom-and-pop establishment, the technopath was convinced it had the best meals around for very reasonable prices. It had been his go-to during the post-Hammer, pre-Avenger days of his career. Today, it was still proving to be a home-comfort for the moody Avenger. Captain America was on monitor duty, the Hulk had let Bruce Banner out and Hawkeye had gone with him on a fishing trip, and Janet was busy with homework. That left the technopath alone for a time, giving him a chance to reflect and think.
"You doing alright there?" A kind, feminine voice sweetly asked. Connor quickly glanced up, his waitress beside him. Her hair was a shocking shade of blue, shaven on one side while draping long and curled down to her shoulder on the other. He did not have to look at her name tag anymore to know who she was. Dayna. "Food tasting alright?"
"Oh. Yes, yes, it's delicious. As always." He quickly excused, renewing his consumption of his grilled-chicken caesar. "I just have a lot on my mind right now. Troubles with colleagues." He explained.
"Ah, yeah. Been there dealt with that." Dayna replied with an understanding smile. Connor returned it. She always seemed like such a nice, kind person despite his lack of knowledge about her.
"Although, I'll actually be good to go after this, so could I have the bill if you don't mind?" He asked.
"Sure! Be right back." She cheerily affirmed. Connor watched her go for a moment before wolfing down another forkful. He envied her blissful cheeriness, not to mention the fact that she had no idea there were alien invaders trying to impersonate members of the human race. If only there was some surefire way to tell the difference, to know the truth… who was human and who was a Skrull. Something told him not even the most advanced analysis tech in the world could accurately tell the difference…
He finished his meal by the time Dayna returned with the bill. Now that he had access to a measure of money, he planned to leave a generous tip, moreso than all the times he was struggling to get by. He thanked her and studied the numbers for a moment, only to stop and realized that something appeared to have been written on the back… after the bill had been printed.
He flipped it over to check and immediately did a double-take.
YOU ARE BEING WATCHED.
A simple note, spelled out in bold letters. Who's watching? What are they watching for? Why are they watching? Where are they watching from? A dozen questions raced through his mind as Connor considered the possible meaning behind this. He wanted to dismiss it at first, but too much had been happening recently to write this off as a simple prank. He cast a glance at Dayna, busy clearing another table. Had she done this? Had someone asked her to do it? He hadn't even notice if she'd been met by someone else.
Why was someone trying to tell him this? They'd gone so far as to include a phone number scribbled underneath…
Elsewhere…
Soaring through cloudy blue skies, the lumbering SHIELD Helicarrier was a place of bustling activity as multiple skystriker jets landed and departed. One in particular was ferrying a handful of very important visitors and Agent Clay Quartermain was there to greet them. "It's an outrage! I'm a four-star General! I shouldn't have to ask permission from a bunch of long-haired hippies and little girls playing like they're Nick Fury!" The griping was coming from General Thaddeus 'Thunderbolt' Ross and echoed by his resident flunky, Major Glenn Talbot. Leading them was the broad-shouldered, green-haired Doctor Leonard Samson. He seemed far more amicable than the grouchy military personnel he was with, the only one of them to shake Quartermain's outstretched hand.
"General Ross, Doc Samson, welcome to the SHIELD Helicarrier." The agent greeted. "Director Hill is waiting for you."
"Then let's get this over with. C'mon, Talbot." Ross tersely grumbled, shoving past the two men as his thin-haired cohort followed suite. Samson could only shake his head as Quartermain rolled his eyes.
They descended into the bowels of the Helicarrier, passing by dozens of agents busy with various tasks and operations. In fact, the whole Helicarrier seemed to be abuzz with activity, like a beehive full of human-sized workers. "You'll have to excuse the chaos, gentlemen. We're still transitioning some SHIELD agents up to the SWORD space station. Director Hill doesn't have a lot of time, but you've got some powerful friends General Ross." Quartermain pardoned as he led the way.
"I shouldn't have even been forced to ask them for this. I served in Korea and Vietnam, I have distinctions and honours for actions your pretty blonde head will never ever hear about!" Ross snapped.
"We run a tight-knit organization, General, and we're very distinct from all branches of the US army. You have to fit in with us, not the other way around." Quartermain stated, standing his ground.
"If this had been an American organization, I'd have the Pentagon and the White House breathing down your neck faster than you could blink!" Ross promised threateningly.
"Lucky for us then that SHIELD is a neutral party." Quartermain remarked with a huff. He led them into a distant meeting room, where a large table surrounded by multiple chairs and positioned before a bank of computer monitors. Several people were already awaiting them inside, all of them SHIELD personnel: Maria Hill, Jace Carson, and Jennifer Walters.
"General Ross. Major Talbot. Doctor Samson. I'm afraid I don't have long, so we'll have to make this quick." Maria greeted. "Let's get to the point. This is Miss Jennifer Walters of SHIELD's legal division, here to advise me of what SHIELD should and should not do, given how we're a non-government agency. You tell me what you want, she'll tell me 'yes' or 'no'." She introduced as the dark-haired woman in an equally dark skirt and matching suit jacket who shot the two military men a withering glare. Their history was brief, and all Ross did was smile faintly.
"You cut to the chase, Director. I like that." He complimented, taking a seat across from Walters as Talbot faithfully joined him. Samson elected to sit across from them, next to Jennifer.
"The memo I was given said you want something we recovered from the Cube after the 'Gamma World' incident. What does the United States Army want with classified SHIELD materials?" Maria asked as she sat at the head of the table.
"You've been frank with me, so I'll be frank with you; I've been chasing the Hulk for years, I've been dealing with Bruce Banner and all his gamma madness since the beginning. So if you have a sample of the Hulk's blood, you need to hand it over to the Hulkbusters right now, missy." Ross stated flatly, in an authoritative tone no less. That took Hill aback.
"Okay, one, are you kidding me? Did you just call me 'missy'?" She repeated incredulously. "And, two, what do you even want the Hulk's blood for?"
"Simple. With the blood, we can find a way to take down the Hulk once and for all." Ross answered. Hill quirked a brow.
"Do you believe that, Agent Quartermain?"
"No, ma'am, not for a second." The Agent replied crisply.
"Agent Carson, do we not have a folder on General's Ross's militant activities?"
"Yes ma'am, and it's up to date."
"And that folder is in possession of Miss Walters, correct?" In response, Jennifer held up the flat beige object, nearly bursting from all the paperwork within.
"I've got it right here. Said folder has been co-examined by some of SHIELD's top psychiatrists." Jennifer stated icily. She slapped it on the table and opened it wide, revealing an array of sticky notes atop a fairly large stack of papers. One hundred or more at a glance. "You're an obsessed man, General. Although anyone could say that just from looking at you. Giving you what you want could possibly be the most dangerous choice anyone could ever make." Jennifer remarked, glaring daggers at the silver-haired General.
"I didn't fight in Vietnam and Korea just to be psychoanalyzed by a couple of extra-governmental harpies." Ross huffed with crossed arms. Maria rubbed the bridge of her nose. This was not going the way she wanted.
"Look, General Ross, not only is the Hulk an Avenger now-"
"'Avengers'!" Talbot spat, slamming the table with his fist. "The Hulk is a fugitive being harboured by costumed vigilantes!"
"Not only is he an Avenger, but everybody knows you've been chasing him to create your own Hulks for the military." Maria reiterated, more loudly this time.
"From a legal standpoint, the only fugitives I see here are you two." Jennifer added, pulling a pair of pages from her personal binder. "You want to strip a man of his dignity and turn him into some military lab rat."
"So what?" Ross huffed. Jennifer's eye twitched.
"So… what?" She repeated, slowly, deadly. At once, she bolted upright, a vein throbbing in her neck. "That man is my cousin! And I'll be damned if I just stand by and let you throw your pudge around, Ross!" She exploded, startling everyone. The normally calm and meek lawyer never lost her cool.
"That's enough, Miss Walters." Maria stated calmly but with an officer's sternness. Still glaring daggers at Ross and Talbot, Jennifer slowly sank back into her chair. She could feel eyes on her, but couldn't be bothered.
"You don't have to worry about their grand designs, Director. It would never work." Leonard interjected. "We saw it firsthand at the Cube." The Hulk had been captured and locked away in the Cube prior to the mass breakout from the four major SHIELD prisons, the Vault, the Big House, and the Raft being the other three. Hulk escaped along with countless other gamma-based villains/creatures, but much of the science and technology being tested and used were left untouched and eventually salvaged. "It can't be controlled. The only thing that blood will give you is a monster." Samson stated decisively.
"Oh, look in the mirror, Samson! You're living proof of my point!" Ross thundered. "You're some kind of gamma-Captain America. You are exactly what I want."
"Banner was an accident. I was an accident. The conditions can't be reproduced! Samuel Sterns tried a controlled experiment and look what happened to him." Samson retorted, voice rising in volume.
"So we should stop trying just because you don't have the stomach for it?" Ross accused.
"You should stop trying because you're too militaristic for the role. If anything were to progress in that regard, it should be done by someone with a cooler head, who isn't still savouring the bloodlust of nineteen-fifty-five." Jannifer snidely cut in.
"And you're too personally involved to be spouting off at me!" Ross bellowed, whirling on her.
"I'm personally involved because you made it personal bringing in people who hate Bruce!" Jennifer shot back with a shout.
"Okay, enough!" Maria barked, restoring order with her voice. "I'll consider your request, General. Nothing more." She stated firmly. With an irritated growl, Ross stood and left with Talbot in tow.
"Consider it. But you may also want to consider what the Hulk is going to do when he finds out you've still got a sample of his blood." Samson added warily as he too stood and took his leave. Maria pondered that for a moment. Despite being an Avenger, there were few who could get the Hulk to change course once he'd made up his mind. No doubt even the so-called 'superheroes' would have a hard time stopping him if he came for his blood sample.
"You were far out of line, Miss Walters. Too far." Maria snapped irritably.
"I will apologize for disrupting protocol but I will not apologize for defending my cousin. Those two oafs have been hunting Bruce like a wild animal for years. The Avengers are the best thing to happen to the Hulk. They made him into a world-renown hero and somehow those two jackboots can't seem to see past their own sanctimonious medals." Jennifer replied, still steaming from the encounter.
"This is SHIELD, Jennifer. Not a courtroom drama. We have procedures for how we do these things." Maria retorted. "Now, about his proposal. What jurisdiction does he have?"
"None. He's at your mercy. You can deny him or indulge him as you see fit." Jen stated simply.
"Very well. Agent Carson, take Miss Walters somewhere where she can cool off and calm down. I need to think." She ordered. Jace was all too eager to help his girlfriend out of the meeting room. He wouldn't say it out loud, but he wasn't a big fan of Thaddeus Ross either.
Meanwhile…
The forested Midwest was the perfect place in Bruce Banner's mind. Perfectly calm, perfectly quiet. The only thing to be heard was the gentle rippling of water, the melodic songs of distant birds, and the odd rustle from a sporadic wild animal wandering around the lake's edge. Sitting placidly in a small rowboat, the renowned scientist was quite content with the stillness. Not to mention it made for excellent fishing opportunities. With rod in hand and line in the water, everything about today was perfect.
That is, of course, except for one small factor.
"Your negative energy is upsetting me." He stated with a sigh.
"Yeah? Well, too bad." Hawkeye grumbled, slowly sitting up in the rear of the boat. "I can't believe you, Banner. You get to come out and play one day a month, the one day Hulk actually lets you come out, and you want to do this?"
"Yeah." Bruce said flatly, as if that was so hard to believe.
"I don't know if the Hulk passed this little note on to you, but we're being invaded by aliens." Hawkeye continued. "We should be out finding these Skrulls and taking them out. We should be doing something. Anything!" He complained.
"None of the other avengers are showing any kind of radiation discrepancy. If any of you are aliens, I can't detect it." Bruce quietly replied. "That took me fifteen minutes to determine. Now I just want some peace and quiet." He spoke with the measured soft-spokenness of a yogi that Clint found hard to believe for a scientist of his calibre. "You have no idea what it's like inside the Hulk's head. No idea what I'm giving up to prove the Hulk can be a force for good. So I'm taking the day for me. And I'm going to fish." Clint sat quietly for a moment and watched him. A man of action, a former covert operative with the world's pre-eminent intelligence and espionage organization, this was not his scene. And, he decided, Bruce Banner was not his kind of company.
"I've been with you for four hours. And you know what I miss? The Hulk." He remarked.
Back on the Helicarrier…
On the bridge of the Helicarrier, Maria Hill had more pressing concerns to worry about than General Ross' desperate desire for Hulk's blood. With a tablet in hand, allowing her to correlate data from the dozens of SHIELD operatives being transferred between SWORD and various other pursuits, she was up to her neck in paperwork. So far things were going smoothly…
Until, that is, the entire ship shuddered and a distant roar echoed from within. So violent was the aftershock that Maria and the other personnel were flung from their feet. That got their attention quite quickly.
"What was that?" The acting-director demanded. Quartermain scrambled to his feet and slapped a response toggle on the central terminal.
"Report!" He barked. A chorus of voices responded as the screens above flickered with static.
"Engineering reporting, what's going on?"
"This is O'Grady we're getting an intruder alert."
"Some kind of explosion on deck ten!"
"Agent McCarthy reporting. Security systems are going down, there's something here!" That was the first clear report out of the batch and Hill acted on it. She toggled comms,
"Agent McCarthy, this is Director Hill. What do you see?" She commanded. McCarthy's response was a sudden shriek of raw terror, accompanied by the grating noise of shorn, crumpling metal. "I want section seven on main monitor now!" Agent Woo was quick to respond, managing a partial feed from the lower levels of the Helicarrier. Revealed was a destroyed corridor, smoke and sparks filling the air around caved in walls, a shattered ceiling and a debris-laden floor. A wounded McCarthy crawled into view, his agent's uniform torn and his face bloodied and bruised.
"We need backup… send someone… send everyone…!" He breathlessly cried, eyes wide with raw fear. "It's the H-AGH!" Suddenly he was jerked out of frame and the monitor feed fell to static. Those on the bridge were stunned for a moment. It was Maria Hill who finally acted decisively.
"Quartermain, you're with me!" She ordered, bolting off the bridge with Clay in tow.
Together they descended down to Deck 10 and McCarthy's last reported position. Upon arrival, they discovered multiple incapacitated SHIELD agents, including McCarthy, all of whom appeared to have been beaten to a pulp by an unseen force. Weapons drawn, Maria checked on the agents as Quartermain moved ahead to secure the rest of the corridor… as he passed by a hole shorn in the metal wall, an unseen force pulled him inside and Quartermain disappeared from view with a cry of surprise. Maria wasted no time rushing to where she'd last seen him and did not hesitate to open fire on the gaping shadowy hole, blue flashes lighting up the dark but failing to make any hits. The gloom growled back and Maria gasped in fright as a pair of yellow eyes met her shocked gaze. Emerging into the corridor, the massive muscular body that approached was unmistakable. It was no random intruder…
It was the Hulk!
Captain America and Wasp charged into the sublevel meeting room of Avengers Mansion as alarms continued to sound. Cap rushed to the holotable and triggered the communications frequency, the one marked 'priority alert'. The imaging system flashed to life and flickered as colors swept across the transmission, gradually taking the form of someone they were not expecting to call them. "Maria?!" Wasp exclaimed in surprise as she grew to full size.
"What's your situation, Director Hill?" Cap asked.
"My situation?" She repeated, sounding extremely perturbed. "My situation is that SHIELD is under attack by the Hulk!" Both Captain America and Wasp were taken aback by the news. Sharing confused glances, they knew Bruce Banner was with Hawkeye and on a fishing trip. How could the Hulk possibly be attacking SHIELD? Better yet, what reason did he have to do so?
"That's… I-I… Are you sure?" Janet wondered with an arched brow. Suddenly, a pair of SHIELD agents went flying through the air behind Maria, throw by some untold power.
"I'm afraid that's not possible, ma'am." Steve countered. "Bruce Banner is out of the city. We've got Hawkeye watching him."
"I don't care!" Maria barked. "One of your team is tearing apart my Helicarrier right now! Where's Stark? We told him that the Hulk was his responsibility! I want you two down here right now to help take him down!" The transmission cut out before either Avenger could respond, leaving the two puzzled beyond words.
"So… is that possible?" Wasp wondered after a moment.
"Hmm… I don't know." Cap thoughtfully replied. "I'm going to scramble the Quinjet. We're leaving in one minute." He made to leave, Wasp still rooted by the strangeness of the situation.
"Should we try and call Iron Man?" Cap lingered by the door, pondering that possibility.
"No. This isn't exactly going to make Tony trust the team more." He decided at length. As much as Wasp didn't like approaching a situation like this without extra help, she could see the logic and reasoning behind his decision.
"Good point." She relented, shrinking down and taking flight after him. Cap started into a battle plan,
"Call Hawkeye. He's got Banner, get him back to the city and keep him sequestered in the mansion until we figure things out. Then call Cybernaut and have him return to the mansion as well, we need eyes on the city in case there is another Hulk out there."
"I'm on it!" Wasp affirmed, buzzing ahead of him.
Back in the woods…
Bruce Banner was too busy tending to the campfire to pay too much attention to Hawkeye's conversation over his ID card.
"My day just got cut short, didn't it?" He said aloud with a sigh. Clint offered a stony, concerned look in return. The way his expression was grimly set suggested to Banner that an Avengers-level threat was indeed at their doorstep. "So who's attacking now? Time travellers? Aliens?" Bruce wondered offhand.
"You." Clint said. The answer was so shocking that Bruce dropped the load of firewood in his arms.
"What?" He was slack-jawed. Lost for words. He thought Clint might've been joking, but his expression suggested otherwise.
"Apparently the Hulk is attacking the SHIELD Helicarrier." The archer elaborated.
"But… But that's impossible!" Bruce spluttered.
"I know." Hawkeye stood, shouldering his quiver and bow. "Cap and Wasp are going to investigate. Cybernaut's gonna meet us at the mansion. We need to figure out what the heck is going on…"
Later…
The Helicarrier was on fire by the time the Quinjet arrived on the scene. Triggering the autopilot for a return trip to Avenger's Mansion, Captain America and Wasp bailed out in the Helicarrier hangar bay and immediately made a mad dash for the bridge. Steve powered up his hardlight shield, Janet charged her stings, both of them ready for a fight. They arrived on the bridge and stopped suddenly at the shocking sight before them. "Whoa!" Wasp gasped as Cap stood stunned.
There, beating up a pair of Mandroids and standing among a pile of unconscious SHIELD agents… was a red Hulk!
Despite being the wrong color, this Red Hulk acted and moved with the same strength and force as the jade giant the Avengers knew. Agents with jetpacks swarmed him, only for the crimson behemoth to knock them out of the air as he threw the Mandroids around like toys.
"Maria! What is that thing?!" Janet cried out in question as she buzzed over to the nearby woman.
"It's the Hulk, Einstein!" The acting-director snapped derisively.
"But… that Hulk is… red." Wasp interjected. "Ours is green."
"Yeah? Well, I heard it started out gray." Maria retorted. "Bottom line, it could have polka dots, it'd still be the Hulk!" As if to prove that fact, the rampaging Red Hulk tore apart the bridge monitor and used the pieces to smash jetpack agents out of the air. He snatched one in a meaty hand and seemingly prepared to obliterate him with one punch. Red Hulk likely would have, had it not been for Cap's shield striking his arm and drawing his attention.
"We're only giving you one chance, Mister. Surrender!" Captain America barked.
"Yeah!" Wasp echoed. Tossing the SHIELD against aside, the Red Hulk started chuckling as it advanced on the two Avengers, picking up speed and lunging with a roar…
Meanwhile…
Surfacing within the sublevel hangar, water drained off the second Quinjet as Clint and Bruce disembarked.
"I said no." The archer repeated firmly.
"How do you get to say no to me? I'm an Avenger, I was an Avenger before you were. I want to help." Bruce retorted as they strode towards the lift that would take them to ground level.
"Okay, A, you're not an Avenger. The Hulk is. Calling you an Avenger is like saying my bow is a member of the team." Clint stated. "And, two, Cap's right. You've got to stay here." He was firm in his conclusion, leaving Bruce no room to argue as he toggled the lift.
"You're making it very difficult for me to not turn into the Hulk and tear you apart." Bruce grumbled as they stepped inside. Clint made sure to step away from him.
"Look, Banner, SHIELD and the government are just itching for a reason to go after the Hulk, and we don't need to add fuel to that little fire." He explained.
"If they think the Hulk is attacking them right now, I'd say it's a little late to stop it." Bruce remarked. They rode the elevator in silence after that and did not speak until they had arrived in the polished and stately entry room of the Mansion. There Connor was waiting for them, fully dressed in his Cybernaut costume.
"Good. You're both here." He greeted.
"Any word from Cap or Wasp?" Hawkeye asked.
"Only that they were going to engage whatever's attacking SHIELD. Which is definitely not you, Doctor, since you're standing right in front of me." The technopath replied.
"None of this makes sense." Banner murmured, running a hand through his hair.
"I know. Hey, do we have any escaped villains that deal in mind-manipulation powers? Because I was thinking-"
"Save the thinking for later. Right now, we need to deal with whatever new brand of crazy is going on out there." Hawkeye cut him off.
"Before we do, smile for me." Connor interjected.
"What? Why?"
"I rigged up a little surveillance unit while I was waiting for you two to show up." Cybernaut jabbed his thumb towards a tiny camera mounted above the main door. "We now have concrete proof that Doctor Banner was right here in Avengers Mansion." He stated proudly. Banner nodded, softly smiling in reply.
"Nice work, Connor. Now we just need to figure out whatever this 'Hulk' thing SHIELD claims is attacking them."
"Do us a favor and run through the local database, see if you can find any escapees who can match Hulk's physical characteristics someway somehow." Cybernaut tasked. "Pretty sure this is a case of identity theft."
"You should let Hulk prove himself. If him and this imposter are both in the same place, it will clear his name." Bruce suggested. Hawkeye made to protest.
"Hey, I like a fight as much as the next guy, but-" He stopped when a shadow suddenly passed over him and Clint craned his neck to examine the skylight above. Connor followed his gaze and was shocked to see the sunlight break open, raining glass all around them as the figure of a man came swooping in. A dark-skinned man, clad in a red and white costume with a pair of energized wings running along the length of his arms, stemming from a power-pack of some kind.
With a swing of his hand, a series of energized 'feathers' went ripping towards the hapless Bruce Banner. Hawkeye moved, honed reflexes allowing him to tackle Bruce out of harm's way as each feather was imbedded in the floor. Hawkeye turned with an arrow fitted in his bowstring, ready to fire, only for the flying man to swoop around and plow into the archer, bowling him over. Cybernaut brandished his irons and went to work, retaliating with his own ranged assault as he pelted the airborne intruder with solid metal. With a pained grunt, he turned and sent more feathers flying towards Connor, who dove out of the way as they struck the wall behind him.
The invader drew a weapon from his belt, a compressed air pistol, and fired a single shot that struck Bruce Banner in the shoulder. A dart stuck out of his arm and was promptly plucked out, only for the flier to swoop in and grab Banner as he took to the skies. "Oh no you don't, bird boy!" Cybernaut called out as he summoned the power of his magnets. Grabbing the intruder by the obvious metal components in his costume, he dragged him back down and slammed him into the floor. Bruce rolled free as their intruder spluttered, coughing as Connor moved in. With one hand extended, he forged his irons into a staff and closed in. But their intruder was quick, and skillful, swinging an arm around and throwing a barrage of feathers that struck the technopath in the leg, crippling Connor and dropping him with a cry.
The man stood, turning to Banner who glared at him with narrowed eyes. "You shouldn't have made me angry…" He growled, a green glow enveloping his irises for a moment… only to dissipate moments later. Banner was stunned, he'd felt the surge, the sudden rising temper that heralded his transformation, but it was suddenly and inexplicably denied him. "I… I-I'm not changing…"
"The dart did it's job, Doctor Banner." The man stated. "Now, you're coming with me." The twang of a bowstring filled the mansion and at once he was pinned to the ground under one of Hawkeye's net arrows. He lashed out at once, sprouting his wings and cutting through the teflon knit before he unleashed another energized barrage, this one headed in Hawkeye's direction. Before he could react, the feathers split his bow in two, leaving the archer weaponless as the flying man attacked him. Two swift crosses knocked Clint senseless and a powerful kick knocked the wind from his lungs. An elbow to his back dropped him to the floor, panting and gasping.
"Got something… stuck in your feathers there… bird brain." He quipped, glancing up with a knowing grin. The intruder looked, suddenly realizing that Hawkeye had managed to tuck an arrowhead into his left wing while getting beaten down. He attempted to remove it, only for the taser-like properties of the arrowhead kicked in and sent a powerful shock ripping through his body. He stumbled, his body trapped in a spastic state as he waved his arm in a frantic effort to dislodge the arrowhead. It was a costly maneuver and left him completely drained as the energy receded. Clint pulled another arrow from his quiver as he and Cybernaut closed in on the downed intruder. Suddenly, he took flight and vanished through the skylight without looking back.
"What was that all about?" Hawkeye wondered, massaging a sore cheek.
"Whoever he is, he did not want to get caught." Cybernaut stated as she shook out the leg that had been impaled. "Something's awfully fishy about this."
"You get anything from his tech?"
"Nothing alien if that's what you're wondering." Clint grunted in acceptance and turned crossly to Bruce Banner.
"Thanks for 'Hulking out' and lending us a hand back there, Avenger." He said snidely.
"I couldn't." Banner revealed, much to their collective shock, "The dart he hit me with, it was an adrenal inhibitor. I can't transform into the Hulk." Letting that sink in, it was Connor who put the pieces together.
"You can't transform and there's an evil doppelgänger of you on the loose? This isn't mere identity theft," he realized, "someone's trying to pin this on you."
Aboard the SHIELD Helicarrier…
The super-soldier serum ensured Captain America was at the zenith of physical potential, his body the definition of peak human fitness. But even he was barely able to keep his shield up and withstand the powerful blows from the Red Hulk. The crimson behemoth powered into him, propelling Cap across the Helicarrier bridge and slamming him into the adjacent wall so hard he left an indent behind. The Red Hulk reared back to punch him again, only for a jolt of bio-electricity to rip across his deltoid, causing his muscles to spasm as Wasp continued to barrage him.
"Alright, big guy! Who are you and why are you doing a horrible job impersonating the Hulk?!" She demanded, zipping to and fro across his massive frame. "I mean, for real, even blue would've been a closer match!" She taunted. Retorting with an angry snarl, Red Hulk flexed his body with a massive roar, unleashing a powerful blast of radiation that swept over Janet and sent her hurtling through the air with a shriek. She regained control of her flight only to look down in horror at a Hulk seemingly on fire. "That… Th-That burned! Hulk can't do that…" She realized, an unpleasant warmth rippling across her exposed flesh.
Cap was back on his feet, hurling his shield with all his might and knocking Red Hulk to the ground with the blow. The power behind his collapsed took down the already destabilized command deck, knocking it to the floor below along with Maria and Quartermain. They and Red Hulk were buried under debris as deck plating and the entire command terminal collapsed upon them. Maria was the first to climb out, waving her pistol around as she attempted to secure the area.
All of a sudden, Red Hulk burst from the rubble and came plowing into her like a runaway freight train. She snatched up her arms in one sizeable hand, lifting her off the ground as Captain America and Wasp dropped down to face them. He shot them a sadistic grin, tightening his hand just enough to cause Maria to scream in pain. If he did any more than that, her arms would snap right off!
Suddenly, his grin faded and he looked away. "I don't care!" He bellowed, seemingly to no one in particular.
"Is he… talking to us?" A confused Wasp asked Captain America.
"No… someone else…" He determined, eyes narrowing as he searched for a commlink or other communication device. All of a sudden, an electric shock enveloped Red Hulk, causing him to roar in agony as he dropped Maria and fell to the ground, clutching his head as he growled and writhed on his knees. Something was off here, something no one could understand. The Avengers decided that subduing him would yield the results they sought.
Captain America and Wasp moved to confront him as Maria rallied whatever SHIELD agents could get to their feet and hold a weapon. The Red Hulk found himself confronted by the time he had his wits about him, surrounded on every side by armed SHIELD agents.
He decided to abandon the Helicarrier, exercising the same incredible leaping abilities the normal green Hulk possessed, and lept through the glass dome of the bridge, disappearing into the sky.
"Where's he going?" Wasp wondered aloud.
"Wherever it is, we need to get after him." Cap responded, moving over to an unconscious jetpack agent and removing his flight gear from him as Maria started barking orders.
"Agent Quartermain, find Ross. Tell him to activate the Hulkbusters. They've got full authority to eliminate the Hulk." She commanded, rubbing her sore wrists. Very much disliking her words, Wasp and Cap took to the skies in their continuing effort to vindicate their friend.
Back at the Mansion…
"Stay!" Hawkeye ordered firmly. "Someone wants you bad, so you stay put." Prepared for a fight, two fully-loaded quivers had been strapped across his back, and a secondary bow had been folded underneath them as a fresh one was gripped tightly in his hand. Bruce Banner begged to differ, but neither Clint nor Connor were having it.
"We've got proper evidence to confirm you are here, Bruce. Stay here at the Mansion and we can prove there's two different Hulks."
"Connor's right. Plus, we need to be ready for anything." Hawkeye agreed. The sound of shattering glass drew their attention to the window above the main door, where the impossible appeared before them. It looked like the Hulk in just about every way, except for being bright red in color with black shorts instead of purple. The three Avengers stood agape for a moment as the scarlet giant reared up before them, smiling menacingly. "Oooookay, I wasn't ready for that." Hawkeye remarked.
Reacting with sudden swiftness, and not waiting for anyone's word, Cybernaut drew his irons and sent them hurtling forward like shots from a railgun. All six struck the Red Hulk dead in the face, causing him to growl in pain as he recoiled. His mouth moved, shifting from side to side, before he spat out a tooth that clattered across the floor. His grin returned, sinister and foreboding.
"Oh boy…" the technopath mumbled.
Much later…
"Clint? Clint. Clint, wake up." The soft, feminine voice stirred Hawkeye from unconsciousness, the archer slowly coming to as his bleary vision revealed Wasp and Captain America above him. The pale-skinned woman leaned back on her knees to give him some room as he groaned in pain. "You okay, tough guy?" She asked. Hawkeye wasn't sure. In fact he was having trouble remembering what just happened. The last thing he remembered was him and Cybernaut about to leave, and that Red Hulk, and-
"Banner!" He bolted upright, reaching for his quiver only to slump over from the exertion. He tried to stand but that's when the migraine swept over him.
"Easy…" Cap urged, holding him up as Hawkeye struggled to his feet.
"There was a guy with wings and a red Hulk…"
"We ran into it at the Helicarrier." Said Cap.
"What was that thing? Is there really another Hulk running around?" Hawkeye asked.
"The better question is how do we track it?" Cap replied. Giving his head a shake, Clint surveyed his mangled surroundings again.
"Wait… Where's Connor?" He questioned. "He was here with me and Banner." Neither Cap nor Wasp knew how to answer. At that moment, their ID cards collectively chirped. Janet answered hers and three hastily-shouted words quickly answered where their resident technopath was.
"AVENGERS! HELP! NOW!" In the background, the cacophony of a devastating rampage could be heard, the groan of shearing metal and the bellowing roars of a Hulk-like creature nearly drowning out Cybernaut's cries for aid.
"That doesn't sound good." A concerned Captain America surmised as Wasp stared worriedly at her card.
"He went after that thing? Where is he?" Hawkeye was desperate for news, not know how to proceed. Suddenly, Janet's eyes brightened.
"Oh! We can track the signal from his ID card!" She theorized. "Man, if I'm coming up with the plans, we're really in trouble." She quipped, trying to lighten the mood.
Unfortunately it didn't work.
Meanwhile, at the New York Harbor docks…
With his pneumatic gauntlets aglow, Cybernaut lunged forward and rounded a blow right to Red Hulk's ribs, the mechanics within amplifying the force of his punch three times over. But it did little to the behemoth and a backhand sent him sprawling across the ground. Bruce Banner backed away, cowering as the crimson giant slowly moved on him. "Who are you? Who did this to you?" He questioned. "Please, you have to let me help you. You're sick." Red Hulk ignored him, throwing down his fist with a bellow as concrete shattered where Banner had once stood. "I-I don't understand! What do you want?" The doctor demanded. Looming over him, Red Hulk growled one word,
"Hulk."
Banner's eyes went wide. "What? Why?" First an adrenal inhibitor to keep his transformation at bay, now someone who wanted Hulk?
Cybernaut chose that moment to rush in, unleashing a rain of irons that struck Red Hulk from above. The scarlet giant swung his mighty arm around, his hand twice the size of Connor alone, and the technopath slid under it. He recalled his irons into their staff configuration and swung hard, smashing it into the back of Red Hulk's knees. The giant growled in pain and swung his other arm, battering Cybernaut right into a shipping container. "No! Hulk is mine!" He bellowed. Banner was confused. Who was he talking to?
Electricity suddenly erupted across his body, Red Hulk roaring in pain as he staggered backwards. Something akin to fire flared across his body, superheated him to such an intense degree that the concrete ground beneath him began to melt. His roaring was terrifying, but Bruce Banner pushed past it. He knew gamma radiation when he saw it, but he'd never seen anything to such an intense degree.
All at once, it seemed to abate and Red Hulk got himself back under control. He stood, craning his neck and popping the tendons in preparation. "Now… where were we?" He turned with a snarl, fist cocked back and Banner dove as it promptly disappeared into the shipping container where his head had once been. He made to give chase… but stopped when he felt something impact with his back.
A trio of explosive arrows detonated simultaneously, pitching Red Hulk away from Banner in a cloud of fire and smoke. Banner looked up and a recovered Cybernaut did too, to see Captain America, Hawkeye and Wasp surge onto the scene.
"Bruce, you may wanna run like crazy now!" Wasp urged as she and the other three streaked past. Cybernaut joined them, ready for action despite getting thrown around. Captain America hurled his shield, the hardlight shape clanging off Red Hulk's head as Cybernaut closed in.
"No matter the size, I know one weakness every man has!" Quickly summoning his irons and forming them into a staff, he swung in a hard uppercut and promptly smashed Red Hulk right in the junk. The giant roared in pain, rearing back and bringing his arms together in a deafening thunderclap that bowled over Cap and Hawkeye while pitching Cybernaut through the air until he landed flat on his back. The enraged Red Hulk was on him in an instant, lunging through the air and ready to stomp him into oblivion. With wide eyes, he raised his shields, holding up his feeble arms in a vain effort to ward off impending doom.
The mighty red foot stomped into him, his body crushed into the concrete beneath… but Cybernaut went unharmed. His shields protected him, flaring brightly as they absorbed the impact. Red Hulk seemed surprised, lifting his foot as Cybernaut parted his arms and glanced down. "Hey! I'm not dead!" He realized delightedly.
"Not yet." Red Hulk growled as he reached down and hoisted Cybernaut off the ground. Trapping the technopath in a bear hug, the crimson behemoth started to squeeze. "Let's see how much you can take before you pop…!" Red Hulk snarled with a grin. Connor struggled to worm his way out, but with his arms trapped by his sides courtesy of Red Hulk's burly limbs, he was completely and utterly incapable of movement. The red giant refused to let up, crushing Cybernaut tighter and tighter to his chest as the technopath cried out in pain.
"Connor!" Janet cried in alarm, diving in with a buzz and lightning up Red Hulk with a barrage of biostings. "Let him go! Let him go!" She cried. Red Hulk brushed her off with a laugh and crushed harder. The staccato, organic pop of ligaments and skeletal joints strained beyond their normal alignments filled the air as Cybernaut's shields faded rapidly. They suddenly evaporated with a flash of strobing light and the technopath loosed a shout of agony as his body was left with no defenses at all and he was subjected to the crushing power of Red Hulk.
Suddenly an arrow struck him in the face, one of Hawkeye's adhesive heads quickly forming a quick-hardening glue that covered Red Hulk's face entirely. He released Cybernaut and stumbled back, clawing at his face as the technopath fell flat and limp to the ground. Janet and Steve were by his side in an instant.
"Connor! Are you okay? Talk to me!" Wasp begged as she grew to full size.
"I'm okay…" He gasped, breathing heavily as he laid still. "I'll be fine… Just… need… a moment…" He closed his eyes, attempting to recover. He passed out seconds later.
"Connor? Connor!" A worried Janet shook him, growing more concerned when he wiggled limply and failed to respond. "Is he okay?" Cap pressed a pair of fingers to his neck, checking his pulse.
"He's alive. Just unconscious." He answered. The familiar whistle of an airborne arrow caught their attention and both turned to watch as Hawkeye struck the Red Hulk with a tear-gas arrow. A small cloud of lacrimatory-irritant surrounded Red Hulk's face, the behemoth growling and snarling as he backed off and the archer continued his assault. "Go help Hawkeye! I'll move him out of the way." Cap ordered, hoisting Connor's body up and pulling him behind some shipping containers. Janet obeyed, darting into the fight as she opened fire, Red Hulk's body like a massive bullseye for her stings.
"This one's for Connor, you big bully!" She cried, a two-handed sting striking Red Hulk right in the eye. He roared and stumbled away, besieged and beleaguered by the Avengers' assault. Hawkeye unleashed a net arrow, ensnaring Red Hulk as micro-transistors in the weave generated a 15,000 volt electric charge. Captain America returned to the fray, smashing his shield across Red Hulk's face to give Hawkeye a chance to hit him with a cryo arrow. Ice quickly formed around his body, trapping him in a stationary position before his thermal energy began to melt the ice. With a shake, he shattered the material encasing his head with a roar, just in time for Wasp to swoop in and sting him in both eyes.
The pain drove him, fueling his anger, and Red Hulk burst from his cold containment. He slapped his hands together, another thunderclap knocking Janet uncontrollably into a shipping container along with Bruce Banner. Hawkeye loosed three more arrows, their ultrasonic heads generating enough white noise to drive the crimson giant to his knees. Cap lept, trying to bring him down. But Red Hulk overcame, pounding the ground and sending Hawkeye sprawling as a mighty sweep of his hands snapped his arrows to brittle bits and knocked Captain America into a shipping container.
He pounced on Hawkeye, driving his face into concrete and ripping his bow from his hands. He held him up by one arm and turned to Bruce Banner. "Give me the Hulk." He growled.
"I-I can't!" Bruce protested. "I was injected with-"
"I don't care." Red Hulk abruptly squeezed, threatening to snap Hawkeye's arm. "I want the Hulk."
"No! No, stop! Stop it!" Bruce pleaded.
"No." Red Hulk rumbled with a sickening grin as he lorded his power over them. He squeezed again, Hawkeye screaming in pain as his bones threatened to break. Sweat poured down Banner's brow, glancing between the taunting sneer of Red Hulk and the agonizing screams of Hawkeye as he twitched and writhed in unbearable pain.
And then… he snapped.
His eyes turned green and veiny as gamma energy flared up within him. His rage overwhelmed him, channelled into his muscles by forces unknown as his shirt tore to shreds along with his fishing vest. He was thankful for the unstable molecules in his pants that were allowed to stretch, unfortunately his shoes could not do the same and popped like balloons. His skin turned vibrantly green as he gained three feet in height and four-hundred pounds in weight. Bruce Banner had vacated the scene, the adrenal inhibitor overwhelmed…
"You want me? Come and get me!" Hulk bellowed. Red Hulk threw Hawkeye aside and charged, and Hulk met him, a big green fist mollywhopping the scarlet bully and sending him flying through a dozen shipping containers. His strength unmatched, his power ever-escalating, Hulk fought for his friends and for the right to be the strongest there is.
Red Hulk was battered by punch after punch, whole shipping containers slamming into him with the force of a hail of bullets. Hulk was beating him black and blue, putting him in his place once and for all as their brawl carried across the whole of the docks. But it seemed to do little to effect his opposite.
"Is that all?" Red Hulk sneered as he caught another punch thrown by Hulk. "I've waited for this moment. All I've wanted is this moment. And now… now I'm stronger!" A mighty uppercut lobbed Hulk back across the docks and Red Hulk pounced after him. He drove Hulk into the ground, pinning him underneath. He started wailing on him, fists crashing into Hulk over and over again as he cackled and roared, drunk on power. "You've lost! Do you hear me? YOU'RE NOTHING!" He swung his fist again, only for Hulk to catch it this time.
"You're wrong," the jade giant retorted, having weathered the whole assault, "I'm an Avenger!" As if to confirm his statement, an arrow landed behind him. The head exploded in a magnesium flare that blinded Red Hulk long enough for Hulk to land a punch that sent him flying. Hulk scrambled to his feet. "Avengers, Assemble!" He bellowed. Captain America, Wasp and Hawkeye were back on their feet and ready to fight once more. The archer loosed a bola arrow that snared Red Hulk's feet, priming him for Captain America to land a shield-assisted uppercut that knocked him flat on his back.
Wasp shrank down even smaller, becoming the true size of an insect as she swooped low and disappeared inside Red Hulk's ear. She unleashed a barrage of biostings within, attacking his sensitive inner organs and causing the giant great pain. He roared, flaring up again as thermal energy rippled across his body. He clapped his ears the concussive force knocking Janet unconscious as she tumbled out of his ear and fell to the ground. Red Hulk lifted his foot, intending to crush her. But Hawkeye dove in, saving her at the last second as he took off running.
Red Hulk pounded the ground, creating a fissure with his powerful fists that opened up beneath the fleeing Hawkeye. He fell in as destabilized shipping containers above collapsed above, trapping the archer and Wasp underneath.
Hulk and Captain America swarmed their adversary next, plowing into Red Hulk with everything they could muster until he was sent slamming into another set of shipping containers. He seemed dazed, the end of this conflict potentially in sight. Cap and Hulk advanced, only for Red Hulk to rise up, raging and vengeful, exuding a flaming power the likes of which was enough to make the two Avengers recoil. Using his power, he took flight with a mighty leap, disappearing out of sight. Hulk made to pursue but Cap stopped him.
"At ease." He urged. "He's gone. And you're hurt." Red Hulk had managed to leave a mark behind on his shoulder. The jade giant grunted in agreement.
"Hawkeye. Wasp." He said simply, moving on the pile of shipping containers trapping his friends. Cap went with him, but they were both stopped short by the rumble of machinery approaching from behind.
It was the Hulkbuster unit. Tanks, helicopters, APCs, armed and armored soldiers convened on them, surrounding the Avengers as they trained their weapons on Hulk. Major Glenn Talbot emerged in front.
"Hulk! By the authority of SHIELD and the US Army, you are under arrest for the attack on the SHIELD Helicarrier!" He snapped. "Surrender!" Hulk snarled, flexing his muscles as he prepared to defend himself. But Captain America intervened.
"Hulk, no." The jade giant turned to him.
"I didn't attack the Helicarrier, we both know it." He growled.
"I know. I'll talk to Maria Hill," Cap stated calmly, "we'll prove your innocence. But, right now, fighting the Hulkbusters will only make you look guilty." Hulk softened. He looked in Cap's eyes and saw that the man did not want to do this, but the situation dictated otherwise. "Turn to Banner. Go with them. We'll sort it all out." He prompted. "Trust me." Hulk did. And he relinquished control with a sigh.
He shrank down, losing height and weight as well as his verdant color, transforming back into the mild-mannered Bruce Banner. Bruce clutched his head with a groan as Cap steadied him, a pair of Hulkbuster troopers approaching to apprehend him. Steve stepped back with no choice as Bruce was taken into custody.
"No…" He gasped, seeing General Ross step out of the APC, grinning like a madman. "Don't let them take-" A collar was snapped around his neck that shocked him into submission and his wrists were cuffed to deny any further struggle. Bruce Banner was carted off and all Cap could do was watch with a grim look in his eyes…
"Easy there, soldier. Don't move too quickly." Cap gently pressed as Cybernaut came to. The technopath groaned and rubbed his eyes, giving his head a slow shake as he came back to a sore reality.
"How… long was I out for?" He slowly asked.
"Long enough to miss all the action." Captain America answered. He sobered instantly. "I've got bad news about Hulk." Connor shook his head again.
"Wha-… Where's Hawkeye? Where's Wasp?" He asked.
"Under there." He followed Cap's red-gloved finger as it pointed to the mass of crumpled shipping containers. Connor's eyes shot wide.
"Oh no!" He gasped. He forced himself to his knees and stretched out a hand. Using the power of his magnets, he generated an inverse-polarity field that pushed all the sea-cans away from each other and revealing the fissure underneath. Wasp quickly flew out as Hawkeye pulled himself to the edge.
"Whew! Fresh air!" Janet breathed with a sigh of relief. "You really need to change your deodorant, Hawkeye."
"Hey!" The archer grumbled as he accepted Cap's outstretched hand. Once he stood, he surveyed the wrecked area as well as a limping Connor. Janet grew to full size and hugged him, being careful with his sore spots. "Where's Hulk?" Clint asked. Cap loosed a sorrowful exhale.
"We beat the Red Hulk until it fled. But then the Hulkbusters arrived. They wanted to arrest Hulk, thinking he attacked the Helicarrier." He explained.
"But… he didn't!" Wasp exclaimed. "Cap, we saw it with our own eyes! It was Red Hulk, not our Hulk!"
"I know. But fighting the Hulkbusters… it just seemed like it would make Hulk look even worse. Then we couldn't protect him any longer, they'd have every reason to take him down. Not even Avengers Mansion would be safe harbor for him anymore." Steve reasoned.
"So… they took him?" Janet asked with a hurt look in her eyes. Cap nodded and she whimpered dejectedly. Cybernaut eased a reassuring arm around her shoulders. Hawkeye fell sullen, angry even.
"That wasn't your call to make, Cap." He murmured as he shot him a cross look under his mask. "We could've done something. We're supposed to be a team." He started walking.
"Hawkeye-" Cap tried to call him back but the archer did not heed him.
"I'm with him." Cybernaut suddenly piped up. "You should have gotten us out. I have proof, Cap! I can prove there's two Hulks!"
"Then we'll have to take it to Maria Hill." Steve replied.
"Like she's ever gonna listen." Wasp scoffed. "She set Ross and his goons on him in the first place. Now Hulk's gone… and she'll be too happy to listen." Together, she and Connor began to slowly leave, following in Hawkeye's path, leaving Captain America to stand alone…
Late that night…
As the remaining Avengers slept, another clandestine meeting was held. This time, under their very noses.
"Veranke… my queen. The Hulk has been dealt with. The Avengers are now powerless." A man reported.
"Pitt'o Nili. You serve me well." A woman graciously responded.
"This Red Hulk will not pose a problem?" A third female voice inquired.
"Not at all." The man, Pitt'o, replied. "He's been a greater boon to our goals than expected. We are but one step closer to completion… to conquest!"