2010

Everglades, Florida

Fort Johnson, Strategic. Operations. Command. Center (SOCC)

Two Days Later

 

(General Ross POV)

Hospital Room, Army Medical Labs

After hours and off the books, I watch over Blonsky as he gets ready for his first injections of the new repurposed Super Soldier Serum. Two Medical Techs make the preparations off to the side.

After the failed ambush on Banner, I knew we needed more if we ever hoped to capture the man. Blonsky was the first to volunteer. Seems the soldier had something to prove after his first interaction with The Hulk.

But who could blame him, all that power...and Banner had to be the one to claim it.

"You'll get two separate infusions, dripped in very slowly. One into the deep muscle, one into bone marrow centers. The bone ones are going to hurt. " The Medical Tech explained to Blondsky as the man nodded while strapped down on the table.

"They're giving you a very low dose only. I need you sharp out there, disciplined. The first sign of any side effect, we stop and you're off the team until you straighten out. Agreed?" I asked as Blonsky nods again. The guy was committed.

I move off to the side of the room as the Medical Techs begin the first infusion.

"Aaaaaaaarrrrrgh!!!!" Blonsky screams as his body convulsed wildly.

Major Sparr walks into the room, taking a quick glance at the screaming Blondsky before giving me a quick salute.

"Sir, Banner has been sighted again in Virginia." She reported.

I just nod at the woman's words as the Medical Techs start the second infusion on the screaming Blonsky.

"Aaaaaaaarrrrrgh!!!!"

Let's see the son of a bitch escape us now.

**********

Culver University, Virginia

One Day Later

(General Ross POV)

What the hell is Betty doing here!!!

I screamed internally as thunder rumbled in the distance, a summer storm coming our way. Platoons of soldiers gear up around the eight military humvees stationed circling the perimeter of the university.

Seated in the back of one of the humvees, I watched the feed of one of our undercover operatives. On it was my daughter sitting on a bench flirting with my Goddamn target!

What the hell is that girl thinking!?!

As they talk, I watch as Banner begins looking around him suspiciously, sensing something off.

"Shit, watchdogs move out and cover the exits! Ground team start to move in! Snipers, train your shots, Don't hit the girl, I repeat Don't Hit The Girl!" I gave out orders over the radio as people began clearing away from the open campus.

Humvees and the soldiers around me begin moving in on the University, closing the perimeter. In the distance, I notice a couple of students watching our procession. One of them seemed to be brave as he marched towards where my Humvee sat. Probably to question what was going on.

One of the privates noticed the students' movement and aimed his gun at him, before telling him to back away. The student paled at the sight of the weapon trained on him and immediately left the area with his group.

I expected the private to join back into the march when instead he proceeded toward my humvee and took up a guard position near it.

Surprised I look closely at the private and was again surprised I recognized him.

"Hanging back again, Private Rumlow?" I questioned sternly as the boy turned to face me.

He had on that same unnerving Blank face as he did in my office like my words truly meant nothing to him.

"Someone has to protect leadership..sir," He said coldly before turning back and continuing to guard me.

Something about the boy was off. I couldn't put my finger on it, but something about the way he carried himself and acted rubbed me the wrong way.

Maybe I should talk to Major Sparr about hi-

"Snipers in position. Ready to take the shot, sir." A voice called out over the radio, pulling me back to the current operation.

I took a deep breath before ordering, "Take the shot."

**********

Culver University, Virginia

(Bruce Banner POV)

I suddenly tackle Betty to the ground as a bullet hits the back of the bench where my head was.

I pull Betty up and take off further into the campus.

"They're here!" I yell to Betty as we round a corner.

"What...?!" She questions, confused.

"Go home! You've got to get as far away from me as you can, right now! Go!!" I say as I push her towards another pathway before sprinting off towards another part of the campus.

Moving right to left along the buildings, I tried to outdistance the soldiers before they get a bead on me. Trying to get in the clear.

I catch glimpses of Soldiers on foot giving chase… a Humvee far off behind the buildings, accelerating along the grass.

Sensing something wrong I stop as the Humvee pulls up hitting the wall a few feet in front of me. A sandy-haired man and three soldiers in tactical gear step out. The man gives me a smug look before I take off away from him and turn into one of the nearby buildings.

"Shit! He's going inside!" The man calls out before following me into the building.

I dash down a hallway as the men sprint behind me, closing in from my sides.

Weaving through the hallways I make a sharp right and start heading up a flight of stairs. I lose the three soldiers but the sandy-haired man is close on my tail.

How is he so fast?

I burst through double doors and into a glass-enclosed pedestrian overpass, Four stories up, leading to the next building.

 

I rush to get across the overpass to the next building but the three soldier's from before block the door from the other side. I move to turn around but see the sandy-haired man blocking the other door. I was trapped.

From the courtyard below the overpass, two soldiers with shoulder-fired grenade launchers step out and aim up at the glass.

They fire and gas canisters shoot out and burst through the windows from below on either side of me. They collide into the ceiling, clatter to the floor, and immediately start filling the tube of the overpass with a paralyzing gas.

 

My eyes go wide as I reflexively take a deep breath and hold it. As the air starts getting cloudier, I drop to my knees.

Seeing the white smoke filling the overpass I crawl over to the glass wall and start pounding on it, trying to break it.

Having no luck I look down and notice Betty running across the courtyard towards me but two soldiers tackled her down to the ground.

"Stop! Let her go!!" I screamed as I pound on the glass, feeling the anger start to take over.

The tube gets cloudier and cloudier till a green hand suddenly burst through the glass.

*************

Culver University, Virginia

(General Ross POV)

Oh my God.

I watched as a barrage of machine gun fire pounded into The Hulk's

right side. Six Soldiers with assault rifles supported by a Humvee with a mounted .50 Cal.

The rounds pepper The Hulk like bees, stinging and enraging him. He throws up an arm to ward them off but then instead of being driven back he turns and charges into the fire.

The .50 Caliber starts blasting as The Hulk raises up his hand like a shield. The heavy rounds pound against his palm and rake down his legs. But he still comes charging forward and the Soldiers scatter.

Blood, metal, and fire turned the campus into a battlefield. My Soldiers screaming and begging for help on the radio.

Blonsky who was our last hope, lay crumpled and broken against a tree.

"General!" A voice called to me from my side.

I turned and saw it was the young Private Rumlow. The boy apparently hadn't abandoned me like the rest of the unit.

"It's time to fall back, sir!" The Private said.

I looked back towards where The Hulk was smashing through Humvees like they were paper.

Fall back? But falling back means failure.

I can't fail again! Banner won't make me fail again!!

I took out my sidearm and aimed at the head of the green giant.

The private moved to push me down and take the gun from my hands but not before I got off a shot.

The bullet hit The Hulk on his cheek, falling down harmlessly like I was a kid throwing a rock at a mountain.

The Hulk turned his head to face me and I could see recognition in his eyes. He remembered me.

The Hulk lumbered closer to us and loomed over the private and myself.

Eight feet of pure muscle toned as tight as steel. The air around him was hot, and his very presence gave me a sense of fear I never knew I could feel.

My hands and legs trembled as the giant reached his hand out slowly for me.

"Bruce!!!" Betty ran over and touch the creature's massive arm.

"Please don't!!" She begged

The Hulk stared at her for a second then gave me a quick hateful glare before picking Betty up and jumping away from the carnage.

I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding and patted myself to make sure I wasn't dreaming.

"Sir." A cold voice called behind me, turning around I was astonished to see Private Rumlow still with me.

I figured the boy was a coward, but for him to stand with me in front of a monster like that. A measure of respect formed in my heart for the boy.

"What happens to the unit if you die on the Battlefield?" Private Rumlow asked me.

Stunned by his sudden question I answered instinctually, " I suppose it would be disbanded for good."

The boy stared at me for a second as if contemplating something before sighing and giving me an uncharacteristic smile.

"Let's get you home then, sir."

**************

Everglades, Florida

Fort Johnson, Strategic. Operations. Command. Center (SOCC)

Six hours After Second Failed Ambush

 

(Brock POV)

I sat in my cot in the barracks, twirling my mask in my hands nervously.

After a while, I let out a frustrated grunt and threw the mask against the wall.

I was pissed.

Pissed with Hydra for putting me here.

Pissed with Ross for taking us on those suicide missions, then almost getting me killed so he could go against The FUCKING Incredible Hulk with a fucking PISTOL!

But worst of all.... I was pissed at myself.

After fifteen years, the reality that I am really in a fictional universe finally hit me. Watching these characters on the screen and seeing them in person are two very different things.

I sighed and thought back to when the Hulk was standing in front of me.

I couldn't move, breathe or even blink in that monster's presence. It was like I was paralyzed.

For some reason, I had this idea that after all my years of training I would at least be able to get away from anyone after my life. But that moment was a wake-up call

I needed power.

Not just learning to fight and use weapons.

I needed True Power.

But how?

Super Soldier Serum?

Thoughts of the Hulk destroying Blondsky and then tearing his way across the battlefield came to my head.

Not Enough.

Magic?

No way I'm smart enough for that route. Plus it would take even longer to learn.

No, I needed something that would be immediate.

Something that would make me unstoppable for anyone in my way.

A thought popped into my head, but I quickly dismissed it as foolish.

But the more I thought about it, the more the idea seemed interesting to me.

Standing up I grabbed my laptop and searched for one name.

Cain Marko.

**********

A/N: Hey Guys! I made this one kind of long because this is kind of an important chapter don't expect it all the time, lol. The MC needed to have a reality check to finally start searching for some real powers. But why did he search Cain Marko? Have an idea? Let me know in the comments and thanks