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Identity Disc: Conclusion
Avatar 1: “… And then the police closed in, guns drawn. Aaand… I guess that’s it”.
Avatar 2: “That’s it? That’s all you’ve got to tell me?’
Avatar 1: “Well… yeah. That’s everything that happened…”
The SHIELD Helicarrier…
The Vulture sits, without his costume and hands in the air, in SHIELD custody, with Nick Fury and Dum-Dum Dugan interrogating him. Fury isn’t pleased with the story, so Adrian asks Fury what he wants to hear.
Fury shouts to the Vulture that he should address him as “Colonel Fury” or, even better, as “sir.” Or else, Fury threatens, they’ll find a way for Vulture to address Fury without the use of his teeth. Fury wants the Vulture to fill in the blanks for him. Nick recalls that the Vulture told him what the Merrick woman had on all of them: for the Vulture, it was a daughter now on death roll, and Merrick claimed that she could clear the daughter’s name.
For Bullseye, it was to get two rivalry syndicates off his back, who were after him because he had signed on both gangs. To Deadpool, she promised the location of his ex-wife. To recruit Juggernaut, she dangled evidence that could acquit him of a bogus murder charge. And for the Sandman, Merrick threatened to kill his old mother. The only thing Fury still doesn’t know, and wants to know, is what Valeria Merrick had on Sabretooth.
Vulture claims not to know that, as Sabretooth is the only one who never confided in the others. But he guesses that Tristram Silver found out something about Creed that was so horrible Creed couldn’t resist the job. Upon hearing the name of Silver, Fury realizes something. He can’t believe that the Vulture hasn’t figured it out yet: THERE IS NO TRISTRAM SILVER! Sabretooth held everyone for fools. The Vulture refuses to believe that, as Sabretooth was one of them. However, Fury mocks him, and tells Fury if Sabretooth really was a pawn in the game.
He doesn’t think so. He is talking about a chessmaster here. Creed had all the other villains’ brains so addled they actually agreed to take on thousands of AIM agents on their home turf. Just the five of the villains. To steal something they weren’t even sure existed. A confused Vulture thinks Fury is wrong about this statement. Fury in return reminds Vulture of the only “secret” that was never revealed.
Avatar 2: “Who let the attack against Sandman when he threatened to pull out of the operation? And then against Bullseye, who did the very same thing. Who was there always reminding the others of the price of insurrection?”
The Vulture thinks about the time they fought against Sandman, and when they found Bullseye in the bar checking out info about Silver, and eventually Sabretooth telling them what would happen should they betray Merrick.
Avatar 2: “Who emerged as your leader, calling all the shots, giving all the orders? Who refused to pull out of the AIM base without the Identity Disc, committing the rest of you to a mission clearly going south?”
The Vulture remembers the time of Sabretooth driving the van to the AIM base, and him saying that he isn’t leaving without the Disc. He sadly realizes that Fury is right, and Creed played them all. But, he suspects that Sabretooth couldn’t have been that much of a mastermind, since the mission failed. Fury wants the Vulture to think. Sabretooth and the Juggernaut were the only ones left to complete the mission, and Fury will be very surprised if their bodies turn up in the rubble.
Vulture wants to know if Fury is saying if Creed sacrificed the others. That’s exactly what Fury is saying. Fury explains that the Vulture doesn’t know Sabretooth’s history. SHIELD has reason to believe that the names “Sabretooth” and “Victor Creed” are only two of the mutant’s most recent identities. Fury is aware that Creed is a man with decades of treachery behind him, and of which most of them are still unknown to even SHIELD. Somehow, he thinks, Creed became convinced that his secrets were compromised with the Identity Disc, and that the Disc was in the hands of AIM. And that’s what Fury wants to know: where those thoughts and ideas came from.
Vulture claims not to know it, as they all thought the ideas came from Silver, who told Valeria Merrick. Fury can’t believe that the Vulture still doesn’t get it: there is no Valeria Merrick! The woman the villains got their mission from, was just someone hired by Sabretooth to make it look pretty. And Fury wouldn’t even be surprised if Sabretooth later killed the “Merrick” woman after her service ended.
Fury finds the Vulture’s story useless and orders an agent to apprehend him back to the feds, and to make sure that she tells them SHIELD will do anything they can to make sure the Vulture rots at Riker’s. As the agent walks away with a chained Vulture, Dum Dum asks Fury what he thinks. Does the Vulture...? Fury holds his friend, telling him not to say anything yet.
The female agent escorts the Vulture through the Helicarrier, and takes him outside. When opening the door, the Vulture asks her if that was… The agent asks him to not say anything yet. They walk over the big parking lot. The Vulture replies that there isn’t much time, as the van they see will take him straight to prison. That’s just enough for the agent to thank… her daddy!
The Vulture says it’s nothing, as it’s his duty to protect his little girl! Besides, he adds, he had years to make up for the cheating his wife and the agent’s mother brought upon them. Valeria explains to her dad that her mom thought she was only protecting her at the time. The Vulture realizes that he and his daughter did make a good team. While Valeria scared the pants out of the other villains, he kept Valeria apprised of all their movements so she could show up unexpectedly and ratchet their paranoia sky-high.
They recall the Vulture calling Valeria informing her about the time the Juggernaut had reached the Identity Disc. Valeria is just sorry that so many of her dad’s friends had to die. Vulture tells her not to worry about that, as the villains weren’t his friends. And, he has learned that many of them are hard to kill, so he wouldn’t be surprised if any of them should show up alive soon, not even the Juggernaut, as the Vulture remembers he took him out himself. Valeria never meant for her dad to hurt anyone.
Vulture replies that he had to do it, since Marko saw what was on the Disc and couldn’t have that. The Vulture had to shoot a poisonous dart into his mouth and knock Marko out, because he saw Valeria’s picture on the Disc, with information about her aliases and as a SHIELD agent! Plus, Vulture knows this not for sure, but Marko must have also read that this whole scheme was meant to protect Valeria from blackmail. But, the Vulture is glad that at least he didn’t kill Marko, just injured him, so that he could escape.
Valeria feels bad for finding her father after so long, and now losing him again to prison, as he’ll be there for a very long time. The Vulture jokes that it wouldn’t be the first time, and tells her not to worry, as it won’t be so bad, because now he’s got something to live for once he gets outside this time. Valeria tells her dad that he doesn’t have anything to prove to her: he’s already her hero because he saved her life. Her job at SHIELD means everything to her, so he can imagine when she felt when AIM sent her that package: a disc proving she had lied about her past to join SHIELD, and that she had tampered with every document that could have proven her past with him. Valeria just feared that if SHIELD found out, they’d prosecute her. And she couldn’t let AIM use her to collect secret intelligence information from SHIELD for them.
Now, Valeria finds it ironic: she hoped to clear the Vulture from her past in order to join SHIELD, but when it came to this, she had no one else to run to for help. Vulture is just glad that he’s good at making these kind of plots, and even could use Valeria to make the others believe that she worked for a legendary criminal mastermind. He tries to touch Valeria, but she warns him not to, as they might be watching. She apologizes for it, but he knows she’s right: after all they’ve been through, they can’t ruin the whole thing by just a touch.
When having almost reached the van, Valeria asks the Vulture to trip so she can help him up. He gets the idea, and does so. Valeria helps him out, and touches the Vulture’s hand. They share a hug, and the Vulture gets into the van, which drives away. It starts to rain, leaving a watching Valeria behind.
Inside the carrier, Dum Dum and Fury keep discussing the story Vulture told them. Fury thinks that Toomes is a fool, who believes what he’s been told. Dum Dum asks if it really was Sabretooth then. But he couldn’t really have been after the Identity Disc, could he? Fury doesn’t think so either, which why he is frustrated. They know AIM never had the Disc. So, he wonders what Creed’s real purpose was for going after them. Dum Dum doesn’t know, but knows that they’ll find out some day. But for now, he’s glad that they can at least breathe easy because they are safe. Fury thinks Dum Dum is right about that. But, he fears what would happen if someone finds out that the Identity Disc truly is real, and that SHIELD has it!
At the same time, Deadpool returns to the bar the villains went to when they found Bullseye talking to the customers, asking about info concerning Silver. Deadpool wants a drink, but neither the bartender nor none of the former customers are there! Another man walks inside, wondering where the bartender has went to as well. Deadpool finds it curious, as he recalls there being a bartender when he came there yesterday.
Southfiere, St. Lucia…
The Sandman relaxes on a beach, enjoying a cocktail. A mysterious, evil-looking man walks up behind him, finding it ironic to find the Sandman on the beach. Sandman freaks out, and is in shock. The man compliments Sandman on the nice resort, thinking Valeria must have paid Sandman well. He confirms it, joking that she paid him more than the mysterious man. He replies to Sandman that he shouldn’t complain. Sandman claims he isn’t, and was just… observing.
The mysterious man warns Baker not to be too greedy, as he has ruined better man than him. But, he agrees that Valeria should have paid him more, since Baker had to die for her, plus the man has heard that Sandman put on a little show to make it seem he really had died. Still in shock a little, the Sandman explains he had to, because it was the only way to make the others believe it was all real. The mysterious man realizes that Baker also messed with him. Hesitating, Sandman confirms that, again saying it was for the other’s sake.
The man tells Sandman he did the right thing to come to him after he found out. He jokes that Sandman wouldn’t believe the things he found out that Valeria had been doing in his name. Baker asks if Valeria got a hold on the Identity Disc. The mysterious man denies that, claiming the Disc was a red herring. It seems the whole scheme was about some personal matter. Sandman tries to apologize to the man, as this is what Valeria told him. The man knows that Valeria only told Baker half of the story.
But, it’s alright to the man. He thanks Sandman again for coming to him and informing him about Valeria, as the man always likes to know it when someone is using his identity for their own good. Sandman wants to know what the man will do to Valeria. He won’t do anything… yet. He replies he may owe her a favor, namely the Identity Disc. He never really considered going after it, but now he has other thoughts.
The man tells Sandman to enjoy his holiday, but also warns that he might contact him soon, and hopes the Sandman will be available. He walks away, leaving a confused Baker behind. He tells the man that he can count on him, and says goodbye to… Mr. Silver!


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part 4: The Bond Age
New Essex (formerly New York), 10 years later:In a high rise, Nick Fury Jr. has gathered some freedom fighters with big rifles. He reminds everyone to keep checking their psi-seals. They know how Thoughtcrime gets punished. Tonight, they are going to storm the Westchester complex and upload the virus. It can bring down the whole Cerebro satellite system. They have the best shot of forging a resistance since Orchis was taken off the board. Let’s got to work!A young woman stops them and asks if they go through the door or the window. Fury considers and decides he’s pretty sure it’s the window. As if it were the most normal thing in the world, they all take the jump and plummet to their deaths.On Krakoa, Charles Xavier takes off the Cerebro helmet after committing these murders. Another cell gone. Emma Frost criticizes that he always rushes things. She likes to savor it.She thinks to herself that Charles is soft. He let them die peacefully while they should have died screaming. Even with Sinister’s gene alteration, he is still such a wimp.As if to prove her point, Charles sheds a tear. Crying again? she mocks. Not all are as heartless as she, he retorts. To make the dream real, they must perform these acts… but they are still heinous. Angrily, he wonders why they won’t just submit to the dream!Emma wonders if, after the warning, Sinister will submit. They are his betters. He admitted as much when he subverted them to conquer this world. He is oh so vanilla.Xavier puts on the helmet again. One way or another, all will submit to the dream, he vows.Perhaps, Emma muses silently. They rule the world but she fears it isn’t just the flatscans who haven’t realized the truth.Xavier looks up at a large monument to Magneto. He wishes Erik were still with them, then he adds, so he’d finally realize Charles was right and he was wrong!Hope contacts them telepathically. She is sitting on a windowsill, while Exodus is drawing religious imagery of her. Is he done moping over his boyfriend? Hope asks rudely. She needs everyone to get together. Xavier can worry about the dream. She worries about people waking them up!Emma telepathically summons the full Council of Sinisters on the astral plane in a room with a decided bondage flair and studded chairs. All the members now wear the red diamond.Kate Pryde complains that, whenever Emma does the psychic projection, the chairs are uncomfortable. Emma explains that it is not just fetish aesthetics but practical: it keeps the meetings short. They all have better things to do. She cedes the floor to Hope, then is taken aback that Hope’s right hand is cybernetic. Hope explains she wanted this: it has a gun in its pinky and the thumb is a grenade. Someone has to be Cable and, if her dad is going buggy, it’s going to be her. Hovering protectively over her, Exodus announces he has saved the hand. It is precious.Mr. Sinister muses aloud that Hope doesn’t really clone well, though perhaps with a larger sample he could-- It is precious! Exodus screams.Emma thinks to herself that Hope’s novelty grates. Like Jean. She doesn’t like exclusive clubs she is not a member of.Hope grins indulgently. Isn’t he protective? Ok, this is how she sees it: They rule Earth. They are growing more powerful. The entire galaxy knows it. There is an increasing number of alien spies. She believes there will be interstellar war with Earth in the next 30 years. If they survive this, two or more interstellar powers will unite against Earth. She doesn’t believe Earth will survive. Unless they get bigger guns.The Council finishes its session with much to consider, but Emma believes Sinister doesn’t take the threat seriously enough.Sometime later Sinister drinks a cup of tea at Union Square. He is disgusted by its quality or lack thereof. He grumbles that they call this his utopia and they still can’t make proper tea. Yet more evidence of how this has gone badly wrong… and if he’s trapped here, something must be done. Starting with a proper tea.He teleports into the Westchester complex, where a naked new clone of him, as well as all the makings of a proper high tea, are waiting. The confused clone greets him and wonders where and who he is.Mr. Sinister sits down opposite him. He is in his second-best lab and he is his duck. “Talk to the duck,” he explains as he pours the tea. You chat through a problem with an inanimate object and, by saying it all out loud, you realize you know the solution. But he would never talk to a duck. Untrustworthy animal, famously so. Sinister ducks? Even he wouldn’t go so far. He will talk to a clone. He is Mr. Sinister and, even in this hellworld, he must stay true to himself and hold on to what’s truly important. Like tea.“Ducky” balances a sandwich and a piece of cake and asks what’s up. Slamming his fist on the table, Sinister shouts, his most secret lab has been stolen! He needs his Moiras back! This timeline has gone so wrong that he’s surprised they are not all speaking French! He needs to reset it! The Council is talking back to him! To HIM! He’s tried the obvious techniques, and nothing! He needs the resources that ruling the world allow him, but the problem is he isn’t ruling the world anymore. He shares it with eleven cocktails of him. He tries it and chances are they spot him and realize the Moira engines exist and then they’ll all want it.Munching on a sandwich, Ducky asks what options he has. He still has the ultimate censure, Sinister muses. He could trigger the psychic inferno as a failsafe. He’d kill all his Sinisters… but perhaps it’s worth it? Ducky considers it a good option, but isn’t he worried about it being activated without him knowing? Of course, he is! Sinister huffs. They’ve meddled with his top-level control imprints. That’s why he kept its activation circuits in the safest place he had – his secret lab! he shouts and hits the table impotently. Isn’t there a saying about eggs and baskets? Ducky remarks unhelpfully, then adds he is a duck. Eggs are his thing. So what can he do?It was the best basket ever constructed! Sinister mutters, the secretest of labs. Never mind. He focuses on his options: He’ll try to reinstate control. Gene update. The override will be Beast’s doing, and there is not a day that he cannot beat Beast! It would be best to confer with Dark Beast on his perspective…But his head is in the secret lab? Ducky guesses correctly. Yes, he admits. So manual reinsertion of the protocols. It is a big risk, but if not… He sighs and drinks his tea, then thanks him for listening and presses a button.Ducky asks, what’s next. Does he get some clothes or-- No! he screams in horror, as he begins to melt. Sinister gets up. He said he needs someone he can trust. He can’t trust himself… that’s the whole problem!Nighttime, and Emma Frost lies in her bed.She hopes Sinister will come around. She believes he still has much to contribute. He helped create Krakoa, but she believes his best work came later, the chimeras and releasing the council from their conscience.As she slumbers, Sinister enters through the roof and tries to use a syringe, only to find that it shatters against her skin. Emma smirks, revealing she has been sleeping in diamond form for a long time. She presses a button, revealing a sliding panel, behind which Mastermind hangs chained. She has him up all night on a cocktail of amphetamines, making sure no one realizes she is invulnerable. Did he do well, mistress? Mastermind drools.He never does well, she replies cruelly, he is a sneak as well. Sinister disappears through an emergency portal and Emma notifies the rest of the Council they have a hunt.The Council members split up heading to likely places for him to show up.Emma takes the Westchester Complex, though no one believes he would be dumb enough to go there. Turns out he is just that dumb, and Emma who got a surface scan when he disappeared knew it.No back-up? he asks and calls her arrogant. He did prepare for this day. He fires a weapon that combines Banshee’s gift with Cypher’s, reading the vibrational frequency of diamond and finding the right frequency to shatter it. It shatters her left arm. Unimpressed, she puts a Wolverine patch onto her shoulder. She reminds him that he gave them so much wonderful technology. He disarmed her once a long time ago, and it was a problem. Now, with a Logan patch? She turns organic again and her arm literally regrows.She reminds him that he has nothing that is his own. And what he does have he has to share to keep relevant.Sinister boasts he has a few tricks he kept behind. And “do it for the children”? He scoffs, always remember some children are nasty boys. On cue, several chimeras, all of which are half Scott Summers, enter.Emma refuses to feel threatened. She is Emma Frost. There has never been a Scott she couldn’t make do what she wanted. She telepathically turns the chimeras against each other. Emma uses her chain as well and brings Sinister to his knees with a chain around his throat.Sinister warns they will all be turning against each other. This is just the beginning.She replies that he is saying the quiet part out loud: he made them Sinister. He didn’t make them stupid. They are the Council but, in the long run, there can be only one queen. Sadly, his usefulness is at an end.Sinister struggles to reach out and press a button. She wants to win a war? he asks. This will win her a war. A holofile of a new chimera type appears. Sinister chokes that with his next chimera generation he can take it to five gifts in one body. Reliably. It will take him time, but he can craft genetic weapons that no one has ever seen before. They are planning on fighting the galaxy - this is what they need! Or for all their might, they will be a smear beneath the heel of the Kree/Skrull Empire! He has all the plans and recipes, he chokes. No one else. Him! Without him there would be no Krakoa. Krakoa still needs him!Emma halts. He does make a convincing case and she should bring it to the Council… but first, she wants something. She pulls the chain. Beg, she orders. He groans in pain: Mistress. Mother Queen. Any or all of the above!Good boy, Emma purrs and relaxes her hold on the chain. She calls the Council and informs them that she has caught him and he has made a proposition. Do they forgive his indiscretion in view of his past, present and future service to them being the best? The Council agrees.Welcome back, Emma tells him. Know your place. He is one of them, more than ever, and they are one of him. Krakoa needs him. Long may that state continue.For his sake, he mutters. She tells him to show some class. She told him already: Don’t say the quiet part out loud!Emma thinks to herself that “we” rule the world, but the standard use of the pronoun will go out of fashion soon enough, leaving the royal “we…”


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part 6: Four-Letter-Words
100 years later:In space, at the edge of the Pax:A fleet is battling the remains of the Compact - the Skrull-Kree Alliance, plus the Rigellians. The Shi’ar have already splintered. On the bridge of the command ship stands commander Hope Summers, now with even more cybernetic parts. Exodus, as ever, hovers silently at her side.Hope is rather amused at what the Compact system is throwing up as a defense. She decides the system has nothing they need. Still, she figures, the Supreme Intelligence is blocking the sector from farviewing. They can’t deploy the L-bombs and pop them until they got eyes on the ground. Thankfully, she has itchy feet and wants some action.She addresses the whole fleet: who do they believe in? The word bursts out on the speakers, the word most feared in the galaxy: Hope. She copies Exodus’ power, which is heightened by the troops’ faith in her.She flies outside, battling Superskrulls on her own, supported and protected by her “trusty wingman” Exodus. They land on the planet. Hope gets a look around and sends the psychic imprint to the fleet. Let’s go, she orders, and they teleport back into space, protected by an energy shield. Addressing her as “messiah,” Exodus announces the L-bombs await their deployment.She imagines crosshairs over each planet and, if you think about it, crosshairs look like an X. She mimics a gun with her finger.L-Bombs are a four-gift-chimera. Unstable, so they are stored in a tempus-stasis vault until needed. Anyone with a Lila Cheney gift can teleport to anywhere they have been in the universe… and then they got Hope’s psychic imprint of the destination. They are good to go.The L-bombs deploys and the other three gene payloads kick in. Firestar plus Leland plus Micromax. Nuclear fission, plus increasing mass, plus increasing scale, equals a planet-splitter. She watches the world die and figures her dad would be so proud of her. If he wasn’t a big pile of worms.In her command log, Hope recalls that the Compact had its last chance against them in ’33 but, thanks to Xavier’s influence, the Shi’ar stayed neutral until it was too late. The Shi’ar joined the Compact in ’50, as did many others, but it was too late. She figures they will have beaten the Compact completely in ‘120. All that will be left is Storm’s resistance. They return home.Back on Earth:The Reliquary Arbor:A giant room, in the center of which is a pool with several of Hope’s discarded limbs. Around the pool, distributed equidistantly, stand cloned groups of the rest of the Five.Hope thinks to herself this probably would have creeped her out before the whole Sinisterization thing. Now she just thinks it’s cool. The only reason why she can be off at the frontline being an inspiration is because chunks of her are floating in a big tank back home. She doesn’t clone well. Only one of her at once, it seems. Sinister said something about it being a similar problem with Jean (which Hope didn’t like to hear). But Hope’s discarded bits can synergize with all the clone groups of her old gang and keep the industrial cloning complex working.Now that it’s been duplicated, she doesn’t have to stand there chanting and holding hands like a #+$§ hippy. She is meant to be holy and do wars, and, by definition, any war she does is holy, and this one is nearly won, which means they have to find a new war. They need to keep expanding. That’s how empires work. Ask her fellow redhead Genghis Khan. And to explore they are getting a new ship. The Marauder, a state-of-the art vessel working with Shaw batteries, Unus glands and a Tempus-Magik drive bio substrate. The Marauder will get out there and find worlds, strange civilizations and report home, so they can come and annihilate them.Is the crew ready? Hope asks. Emma smirks, she has whipped them into shape herself. They will follow orders unquestioningly. Then they need one more thing, the Captain, Xavier announces and addresses Mr. Sinister, currently dressed and acting far more subdued. She’s ready, he replies.Hope silently gloats, it’s good to see him sweat. He should be. Him creating better tech is the only reason he is still part of their utopia.He presents a group of Mystique-Greycrow chimeras and has them armed to test the latest generation of Chimeras: Rasputin IV. A young woman with long, black hair, metallic skin and a large Soulsword.As she jumps to attack the other chimeras, Sinister explains that Rasputin IV is stable, which is almost impossible with five mutant genes. Most fives explode before you can toss them into the Tempus vault. Xavier asks what happened to versions I to III. Sinister repeats that five genes are tricky. They may have been stable, but they were unsuited for the position of captain and hero. Rasputin IV is very good.Hope asks about the gene payload. Sinister explains that Colossus and Kate Pryde provide the base. They are very stable, and strength, steel and intangibility are classic. A taste of Unus adds some forcefields and he splashed in a little Kinney for aggression and survivability. Plus, he managed to get an actual omega telepath gene in there. They know the problem with the Grey strain, but Quire is more malleable… and on the equipment side, a Soulsword! It was hard to get ahold of, but a weapon you can use while being intangible has obvious charm. Plus, it looks fabulous!Rasputin IV has beaten all her foes. When all is conquered, all will be at peace! she shouts. Does she really believe that? Emma smirks. Sinister replies, she does. She is good in every way. You need a hero in the captain role. She is such a powerhouse that they need to make sure she won’t backstab the council when she is on her own.Rasputin eagerly asks Sinister how she did, and he gently praises her, before telling her to take a cycle to prepare. She will be off in the field soon, saving the universe.Hope pokes one of the corpses with her foot and asks what’s next on his list? Can he do six gifts? He replies that five is as far as they can go. He leaves with Rasputin.Hope pronounces what they are probably all thinking: Someone just said he isn’t of any use anymore… Emma agrees. Xavier puts it in more euphemistic terms, whereas Exodus admits he could only bear Sinister so long, because he knew one day, he would tie him to a stake and burn him! Hope wonders if Sinister knows how #*&$#§ he is.Entering his quarters, Sinister remarks acidly what that distant noise he can hear is. Why, he believes it’s the sharpening of a guillotine…He sees something new in his quarter. A locked grimoire with a heart symbol on the cover. He wonders if it is a magic trick. He hates magic. Where did it come from? Suddenly, Mother Righteous stands there, key in hand. She smirks she is as magic as they come. So, he won’t get it open without the key. He asks who she is. Answer’s in the book, she grins. What’s in the book? he asks. Answer’s in the book, she repeats.Coming out of the shadows, being ominous and hinting at a bigger story? He invented that game, he scoffs. Did he? she grins. Answer’s in the book. And if he wants the key, Mother Righteous just wants a ‘thank you.’ Thank you, he announces, bemused. With a grin, she offers him book and key and tells him to have fun, ducky.He reads the book, telling him facts in the form of a story… a story of how Nathaniel Essex realized machines would eventually destroy them. So, he created four clones who would specialize each on one route to stop the machines.Orbis Stellaris – the cosmic powers.Dr. Stasis: posthumanity (she killed him).Mother Righteous: Magic.And Mr. Sinister: Essex Factors.The book spells out that the one way to beat the machines is to become a Dominion. She figures only one of them can become a Dominion, and it’s going to be her.So, how’s his big existential crisis going, gene brother? Mother Righteous mocks while he is still reading. He retorts whether it is true or not does not matter. He is the real one. Sinister was born of the diamond via Apocalypse. He remembers that. It is a race, true, but it has always been a race. It was him against the awful AI. Now it’s against her and the other imposters. And “thank you?” Please. Whatever she’s trying, it won’t work in the long run. Magic is basically nonsense.Cheerfully, she agrees. There’s a lot of nonsense in the world, and a clever girl can use it in clever ways. Think about this: everything he does, he does it with DNA. Just four letters, ACTG. She works with 26. With a grin, she teleports away.Sinister realizes that this changes everything, but he needs his Moiras to use this. And he needs them, before the Council crushes him. What did he do to deserve this? he wonders dramatically.Hope recalls that Sinister was the first villain she shot when she was an X-Man. She shuddered then, now she shivers in delight when she thinks about it. She is grateful Sinister made her stronger… now she’ll make him dead. They agreed on killing Sinister after crushing another warren of Chitauri Priest worlds.Back in space, on the bridge of her flagship, Hope orders her faithful to pray and she feels the rush of power (copied from Exodus).She kills several Chitauri, then hovers above the ground, her work done. Suddenly, she falls to the ground. Exodus is gone. He telepathically tells her he is far enough away. Without him, she is just a girl with a gun. She is of no more use to the Council or her church. He is her church… and her church is bigger than her. A messiah’s purpose is to inspire a church, to hope they will one day return. That a messiah is with them diminishes them. It makes true faith impossible, for who could truly believe in such a petulant childish girl? She is of more use to them dead than alive… until she comes again.Hope is alone, surrounded by enemies.Exodus orders the gene sacristy to bring back her body when she is dead. Her corpse is precious and holy.Hope fights grimly. She knows she will go down, but she will do so fighting. She is slightly comforted by the fact she is only the first of the Council to go down, but not the last.On Earth, Mr. Sinister gives Rasputin IV a final treatment and suddenly the diamond on her forehead fades away and she feels something profound has changed. He explains he dissolved her genetic chains. She is now free. She asks what he means. He explains, Krakoa was a paradise. He destroyed it. He describes the happy island of the past where children were cherished, not commanded. It was the best thing that happened to the world. It went wrong. He made this strain and infected them all. He turned them into these monsters and has been trapped in their service ever since. He has seen them do such horrors… and it is all his fault. He touches her shoulder and explains that there is a way. He had this device. It was lost. If he finds it, he can purge this strain and they can have bright beaches. The universe need not be afraid again.He kneels in front of her. He has raised her to be good. She is a hero in a blighted world. She alone is free and can save them. Save them from his sins!They can’t do it alone, she decides, and so she hijacks the Marauder with its crew.She manages to have the ship escape into warp space. She asks Sinister how long he thinks their mission will take. Five years, he thinks. Surely no more than five years…


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Point of View
South Dakota, where reporter Jackie McGee has come to meet with several individuals. She introduces herself to a priest as she sits down in his office as a reporter for the Arizona Herald and reminds him that they spoke on the phone. In a quaint home, Jackie thanks an elderly woman for agreeing to see her, and remarks that she doesn't know if any other reporters have spoken to her about the events of Mercer Avenue. In a bar, Jackie tells the bartender that from what she has gathered, the bartender was an eyewitness for at least one piece of the puzzle. 'You were there. And I'd like to hear it from your point of view' Jackie tells a cop as she turns her recording device on.
'Well, little lady – have I got a story for you!' the cop smiles he leans back in his chair, his right arm in bandages.
The Cop's Flashback:It was sundown, and crime lurks with the twilight at the old church on Mercer Avenue. The cop had received notice of a hostage situation, a perp with a gun holding a priest and a helpless old lady – except the perp was one Lou Lembert, a no-good juvenile delinquent who had caught a dose of gamma rays that made him something more than human. 'Hands where we can see 'em, punk!' the cop shouted as he and his partner entered the church, to find Lou Lembert standing over the priest and an old woman. 'Pathetic fools! You'll see my hands, all right – the hands of HOTSHOT! The Human Ray Gun' Lou shouted as he spun around and fired blasts of energy from his fingers, at the police officers. The cops saw that Lou wasn't packing a gun, but too late as the energy blasts struck their weapons, and the cop's right arm as well.
Present:The cop smiles at Jackie and tells her that they needed to go forth, needed a hero to assemble – and blue blazes they sure got one!
At the bar, the bartender begins telling his story by assuring Jackie that he is not a bad person or anything.
The Bartender's Story:The bartender was behind the bar as an unkempt man in a dirty sweater approached him and asked if he could use the restroom. The bartender looked at the other man, wondering what he was going to do – the other man's clothes didn't fit him and looked like someone had died in them – not to mention he looked like a serial killer. He assumed the unkempt man was going to shoot up in the toilet, and things got heated between them, and they argued – until the unkempt man noticed something on the television – there was a reporter about a siege on Mercer Street.
Present:'Mercer Avenue. Whatever' the bartender remarks, before informing Jackie that the next thing he knew, the unkempt man lunged towards a couple eating at the bar and grabbed a knife.
The Bartender's Story:'Whoa!' the bartender called out, putting his hands up in a defensive manner, but the mysterious unkempt man just ran for the door.
Present:The bartender sniffs and tells Jackie that, obviously, he didn't know who the man was.
In her home, the old lady smiles at Jackie, 'No, I didn't know the young man. He was so handsome, though!' She adds that it was such a tragedy, and that she remembered thinking he looked like James Dean – such a nice young man. She reveals that she was a Deaniac when she was young.
The Old Lady's Story:The elderly woman was seated in the pews as the handsome Hotshot told the priest that he needed his help. Tears fall down his face as Hotshot explained that his girl, he loved her more than he can say, but she was dying. He dropped to his knees and announced that they needed the last rites.
Present:'The last rites?' Jackie asks. 'Something like that. My hearing isn't what it was, I'm afraid' the old woman explains.
The Old Lady's Story:Hotshot put a hand to his head as he admitted to the priest that he never believed in that stuff before – none of it, but now all he wants is Jess's immortal soul to be saved. He asked the priest if he will help her, more tears streaming down his face. The priest told Hotshot that he broke in during a service and has taken hostages. 'I'm sure the police will understand if you just -' the priest began, but Hotshot interrupted him, remarking that they will never understand, that nobody understands – nobody in this whole damned world. 'Nobody understands... LOVE!' Hotshot exclaimed as he struck a pose, throwing one hand into the air.
Present:'He really did look just like James Dean' the old woman tells Jackie.
The priest tells Jacki that he looked like something from a horror movie – his skin was green and greasy, like he hadn't slept in days, and there was a smell coming from him – like urine and cobwebs.
The Priest's Story:'The Devil, Father. The Devil's in her' Hotshot told the priest as he stood in the aisle between the pews. The old lady had moved into the aisle behind him, and the police officers stood behind her. 'Get away from me!' the priest shouted as Hotshot moved towards him. 'Or something. Something like the Devil. Something underneath... below everything...' Hotshot uttered as he edged closer to the priest. The priest was terrified – he had just seen this mutant shoot fire from his fingers, and now those fingers were next to his face – and he was insane – quite insane. 'You're not listening! The one below! It got into her somehow!' Hotshot rambled on, sweat dripping down his face, he exclaimed that they need an exorcism – his love needed one. 'See, there's this – this door, to the Below-Place – like a green door – I've seen it in my dreams' Hotshot called out, hanging his head as he admitted that he know how that sounded
The priest was worried that Hotshot was going to kill him and old Mrs Melrose – not to mention the police. 'Just...just keep calm, okay? We'll get someone to negotiate' one of the officers told Hotshot, while his partner radioed for backup. 'No! No negotiations, no more cops – you think I'm stupid? Just listen to me!' Hotshot pleaded, his eyes glowing with gamma energy. The priest began to pray, he prayed to God above for salvation and deliverance – and his prayers were answered – only he didn't think that what was sent to deliver him was sent by God. 'Why won't you LISTEN to me? Why won't you just – just help me -' Hotshot exclaimed, when suddenly, the Hulk dropped down through a stained glass window above.
Present:The old lady closes her eyes as she tells Jackie that it was horrible. 'Such a handsome young man all alone against that -  that monster!' her voice trails off.
The Old Lady's Story:'No – stay back!' Hotshot exclaimed as the slobbering Hulk stood over him, groaning and grunting. 'My girl – my girl needs me! I'm begging you -' Hotshot pleaded, when suddenly the Hulk grabbed Hotshot's hands and breaks them, which caused the old lady to scream in fear.
Present:'Monster? Ol' Jade Jaws? Come on, lady. He's a founding Avenger. He's been in movies. He's a hero. Rough around the edges, maybe – but he was disarming a felon. Literally. Or so he thought!' the police officer tells Jackie.
The Cop's Story:'My hands – broken!' the shocked Hotshot calls out, looking at both of his hands. The Hulk told Hotshot that he won't use that gamma blast again, no matter what the court's decided. But the pain just made Hotshot mad – and the madder he got, he gritted his teeth and asked the Hulk if he thought injury can stop his gamma power. 'That's an error, you dull-witted brute – your final error!' Hotshot exclaimed as he fired a gamma blast at the Hulk, his anger making him stronger as the blast struck the Hulk in his chest.
Present:'God help me, I couldn't look away. I saw it all. The hole in his chest. The pulped, torn remains of skin and bone...arteries and organs...a charnel house, open to the world' the priest recalled to Jackie.
The Priest's Story:
The Hulk just stood there, a huge gaping hole in his chest – which suddenly began to close up as if he had never been torn open at all.
Present:Tears well up in the priest's eyes as he tells Jackie that it is the look on the Hulk's face while it happened – that's what he can't forget, and that the boy said what he was thinking.
The Priest's Story:'It's you! You're the shadow! The one below all! You're the Devil himself!' Hotshot shouted at the Hulk.
Present:“You're the Devil himself” the cop quotes, putting his hands behind his head, he asks Jackie if she wants to know what the big guy said.
The Cop's Story:'You're damned right' the Hulk grinned, before he slammed his fist into Hotshot, knocking him backwards.
Present:The cop smiles as he informs Jackie that the Hulk went out the way he came in, didn't stay to be thanked – he was modest. He adds that when Lembert woke up, they had him in cuffs, special ones, and then – 'Oh. Yeah. This next part ain't so fun' he hangs his head and closes his eyes.
The Priest's Story:Lembert had been staying in a motel on the edge of town. The priest accompanied the police officers there – he didn't know why, just something in Lembert's voice, he supposed. There, they discover the body of Hotshot's girlfriend – Jess Harrison a.k.a. Jailbait. She was smiling at them – it was a peaceful smile. Only, her body was twisted, tied to a chair, the words “green door” scrawled across the wall.
Present:“Green door” the priest remembers, putting his hand over his face. 'I... I couldn't... I wasn't able to... I haven't been able to pray, Ms McGee. Not since that day' the priest cries, wondering what that means.
'Jess Harrison' the old lady recalls, touching her pearl necklace, she adds that she had a super-person name as well, but she doesn't remember it, before revealing that she went to visit Hotshot in the special facility. 'He seemed glad of the company' she adds.
The Old Lady's Story:'It wasn't me' Hotshot cried from behind the glass that seperated him from the old lady. His hands are clasped in restraints as he revealed to the old lady that he tied Jess to the chair – he had to, as her power was out of control, they needed help – but when he left her she was alive. He told the old woman that he loved Jess. 'You've got to believe me' he pleaded. 'Someone's got to believe me'.
Present:The old woman tells Jackie that she told Hotshot that she would pray for him – but he found a way to hang himself in his cell, although she is not sure how. 'Such a tragedy...' she utters, before picking up a teapot, 'Ah, well. Tea?' she asks Jackie, smiling.
'Yeah, they're calling it a sighting now. I mean, they're not saying it's confirmed, but...okay, I was watching the whole thing on the news. And blah blah situation has been resolved. No details at this stage, back to football' the bartender tells Jackie, before informing her that he went to lock up for the night, he got down to the parking lot – and discovered his car had been crushed. 'So yeah. I mean, I don't know how he knew. But that's confirmed. That was him' the bar tender remarks, before glancing sideways, and then shouting 'And it sucks!'
Later, Jackie is in a hotel room, laptop open before her, she tells herself to get some thoughts down. She remarks that if these sightings are “unconfirmed”, it is because nobody wants to confirm them. She thinks that these witnesses, these points of view, they add up to something, maybe something bigger than the people in charge think it is. She pinches the bridge of her nose as she reminds herself that there was one other person at the church on Mercer Avenue – the same guy who was in Arizona and Colorado. 'And until I can talk to him, I'm not going to get -' Jackie says, before her cellphone begins to ring. She looks at the phone screen, which says “Caller Unknown”. She answers, and a voice asks 'Jacqueline McGee? From the Arizona Herald?' Jackie looks at the phone and pauses before asking the caller how they got this number.
In Vancouver, Canada, night hangs over the city as Dr Walter Langkowski walks through his apartment and informs Jackie that her editor gave it to him when he dropped his name. 'Turns out he's a Packers fan' Walter jokes, before introducing himself, adding that he works for Alpha Flight – the international space team or at least, he did, but he's on a leave of absence at the moment. Walter then informs Jackie that he has been reading her articles, and he notes that she seems to be the only person actively looking for Bruce Banner at the moment – apart from him that is. 'Why? Well, he's an old college buddy of mine. I want to know he's okay' Walter smiles, adding that, if he is being totally honest, he could use Bruce's expertise. 'Right. Exactly. There's something I want him to look at' Walter remarks as he stares at his reflection in the floor to ceiling window of his apartment – only it's not him that stares back – it's Sasquatch!


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[Assistant]
Time of Death
South Dakota, at an airport, investigative journalist Jackie McGee is on the phone to her editor, Murray. She tells him that she is at the airport and the person she is waiting for has just arrived, so it is a little late to haggle her expenses. 'Come on, Murray. I told you why we broke the story' Jackie exclaims, adding that if they want to keep it, they have to break it again. 'Uh-huh, look, I know there were Hulk sightings before we made them the front page. But we gave them legitimacy' Jackie remarks, adding that the government can deny and obfuscate all they want – but people know Bruce Banner is alive and they are starting to believe it, so now the press believes it, too, and they are it. Jackie tells Murray that the Times, the Press and the Bugle, everyone is sniffing green blood in the water. Jackie continues, explaining to Murray that if the Arizona Herald wants to stay in the ace, it is not going to be enough to just chase Banner – they need to find him. 'Okay, fine. I need to find him. Happy? Look, this is my story, Murray -' Jackie exclaims.
'Ugh – yes, I'm keeping my objectivity. This is not about what happened when I was – Murray -' Jackie begins, telling Murray to listen, that they just need to go on the record, and the guy she is meeting can help with that. 'And look at it this way – even if we can't find Banner...' Jackie begins, before a voice calls out 'Jacqueline McGee?' as Jackie tells Murray that Banner's college roommate is the next best thing. 'Gotta go' she remarks, as she looks up from the seat where she is sitting, to find a tall blond man standing over her, holding a suitcase behind him.
He introduces himself as Walter Langkowski, or Sasquatch, if she would rather. 'Canada's own hairy half-a-Hulk-turned-space-diplomat – and Bruce Banner's college roommate'. They shake hands and Walter tells Jackie that it is a pleasure to meet her. 'Same, sorry, that was my editor' Jackie remarks, informing Walter that apparently there has been a fresh Hulk sighting across the state line. Walt smiles at her again and supposes that they are doing this on the move, before asking Jackie what she wants to know first.
'How we met? Well, this was at Penn State University – he transferred there for a semester' Walter reveals as he sits in the passenger seat of Jackie's car. They drive across the state line into Minnesota and Walt explains that Penn had lab facilities the desert state didn't. 'Gamma facilities?' Jackie asks. Walt tells her that even back then, all Bruce thought about was gamma, before explaining that Bruce needed a research assistant. 'And there I was... with a football scholarship... a head for physics and a passion for knowledge. Walt recalls that they got along like a house on fire – mostly.
Flashback:Bruce Banner and Walter Langkowski sit around in their dorm room with two others as Bruce exclaims: 'For pity's sake, Langkowski – you can't just “pick up” advanced gamma theory! This isn't learning the Ocarina in five easy steps -' to which Walt interrupts him, reminding Bruce that they are all here to learn. 'Didn't Thoreau say -' Walt begins, to which Bruce shouts 'You're not Thoreau, Walter!' Appearing quite angry, Bruce points at Walter and shouts 'You're a jock! A half-smart jock, a jock with ambitions, but a jock is what you are!' Bruce remarks that everyone already fawns over Walt for carrying a ball around, and he wants them to love him for his mind, too? 'Well tough! You get the football! This is mine! Mine!'
Present:Wide-eyed, Jackie asks Walt if Bruce went off like that a lot. 'Once or twice. A few times' Walt replies, explaining that his mother was dead and his dad in an institution, so he was holding a lot in, but he was usually pretty fun to be around.
Flashback:'You gave all your clothes to the goodwill?' Walt asks as he approaches Bruce who is standing next to his closet, a towel wrapped around his hips. 'And I bought ten identical suits. Like Einstein – I'll never worry about what to wear again' Bruce explains. 'Well, Thoreau did talk about simplifying life... but...' Walt replies, looking at the stack of trousers in Bruce's closet. '... purple?' he asks, rubbing the back of his head. 'It's called style, Walter. I've studied current trends. If anything, this will only become more fashionable' Bruce explains.
Present:'Sounds a little manic' Jackie remarks. Walt tells her that Bruce had his ups and downs, but he did get him seeing gamma radiation in a whole new way. Walt explains that he was merely a dabbler – obviously football was his career, so science was just a hobby that made him seem interesting – until something happened.
Flashback:Sitting in his apartment with a pizza and some beer one night, Walter looks shocked at the news report that appears on the television. 'Oh my God' Walt gasps, as an announcer reports that General Thaddeus Ross spoke on the record, confirming that the monster known as the Hulk is none other than the atomic scientist Robert Bruce Banner. 'Viewers may find the following images disturbing' the announcer warns, as a horrifying image of the Hulk appears on the television. 'Bruce. What have you done?' Walt gasps.
Present:Walt informs Jackie that he then got serious, and to cut a long story short, he quit football and made it his mission to duplicate what had happened to Bruce – and at the cost of his fortune, and with the funding and encouragement from Department H, the Canadian super hero monitoring agency, he went ahead and did it. 'Ever been hit by a gamma bomb, Jackie? It's a trip' Walter remarks.
Flashback:In his lab, Walter bombarded himself with gamma radiation – and was transformed into the mighty beast known as Sasquatch!
Present:Jackie looks at Walt with wide-eyes – 'A trip, huh?' Jackie asks, as her own mind wanders back.
Flashback:'Don't look!' Mr McGee tells his wide-eyed daughter as they huddle behind a car. 'But – Daddy, he's -' Jackie utters. Mr McGee tells his daughter to remember what the TV said, the emergency broadcast – if he is near, you keep quiet and keep still, don't draw attention. 'Don't look him in the eye' Mr McGee utters as the young Jackie stares, fixated on the Hulk, who lumbers through a neighborhood, a house lies in ruin, a nearby car ablaze, as suddenly, the Hulk turns to look at Jackie.
Present:'... yeah, that look in your eye. I get it. That's why I did it' Walter tells Jackie, reminding her that he was a jock, he worked out, he was twice as strong as Bruce, easily – so his thinking went, his Hulk could counter Bruce's – create a deterrent for Canada, forb the world, and his personality would remain in control. 'I don't know if you've noticed, but I'm a pretty laid-back guy' Walt remarks, adding that he isn't so prone to anger.
Flashback:Upon his transformation into Sasquatch, Walter burst out of his lab in the Arctic Circle and out intro the snow-covered terrain under the cover of night, a maddened look across his face.
Present:As they drive off the freeway and towards a city, Jackie asks Walter what the catch was. 'There is always a catch, isn't there?' Walter replies, explaining that they did the test in the Arctic Circle on the off-chance he did start smashing, nobody was around to get hurt. But, the walls of reality are thin up there, and the controlled gamma bombardment did something they didn't quite expect – something outside conventional science – it opened something – a kind of door – between this world and a darker one – a world of beasts and demons.
Flashback:As Sasquatch lumbered across the snow, he looked up to the sky, where among the brilliant lights, a green door glowed.
Present:Walter explains to Jackie that one of the beasts got into him – Tanaraq, one of the old Beasts of the North. 'You were possessed? How long ago was this?' Jackie asks. 'A long time' Walt smiles, assuring Jackie that Tanaraq is dead and he is in control of Sasquatch now – really. 'Glad to hear it' Jackie replies. '... because one monster's enough' Jackie remarks as they pull up to a crash site, where several cars have been piled up on top of each other, a chopper moves overhead, while police officers direct traffic around the crash site.
'Ah, the Hulk School of Vehicle Maintenance' Walter jokes as he and Jackie get out of the car and walk over to the site which has been cordoned off. Jackie takes out her camera and films the event, suggesting that they should look for a bar after this. 'Little early, isn't it?' Walter remarks. Jackie tells him that they won't be drinking, they are looking for information – like Banner does. Jackie explains that Banner did it in Colorado and again in South Dakota – it's how he finds out about things – things he can smash.
Shortly, in a bar: 'Oh, yay. I remember that guy. He asked for pop' a female bartender remarks as Jackie shows her a photo of Banner. The bartender adds that he was asking all kinda questions about Noah Swanson. 'Yeah, the police told me. Big meth dealer, wasn't he?' Jackie replies, before asking if it is his van with the cars mashed into it on Garland Street. 'Oh yah, you betcha' the bartender replies, adding 'I said to him, oh geez, I said, you don't wanna go asking too many questions there, fella -' when suddenly, someone shouts 'Screw you!' which causes the bartender to shout 'Oh, hey! Hey now! You two keep it down, okay? Don't make me come over  there!' she exclaims. 'Sorry, Pam' a man replies. The man turns to the other man he is arguing with, 'You heard her – keep it down, jerk' the man mutters. 'Screw you -' the other man replies as he brings a burger towards his mouth. Jackie asks Pam if they are regulars, to which Pam tells her that they are, but usually quiet. 'Don't know what's got into them' she adds.
Jackie turns back to her phone and asks Pam, getting back to Banner, what she ended up telling him. 'If he went somewhere else, I'd like to know -' Jackie begins, when suddenly, one of the men shouts 'You son of a -' as he grabs the other by his collar and drags him up. 'You're dead! You hear me? Dead!' he shouts. 'Oh geez -' Pam mutters, to which Walter tells her to relax, and that he has got this. 'Space, diplomat, remember?' he smiles at Jackie as he walks over to the arguing men and steps between them, suggesting that they tell him what has got them so riled up on such a nice day. 'Ask him – he knows all about it -' the man with the burger remarks. 'All about what? Come on, tell me' Walt declares, turning to the other man, asking him what they are fighting over, and where all their anger is coming from. The man with the burger suddenly pulls out a large knife – and shoves it into Walter's back!
'Oh, God – I didn't mean to -' the man gasps, while Walter collapses to the ground. 'You killed him – we gotta go, man -' the other man exclaims, while Jackie rushes over to Walter, and the woman behind the bar panics, 'Oh geez' she calls out as the two men escape out the door. Jackie announces that there is a pulse, that he is still alive. 'Call an ambulance' she shouts to Pam.
Soon, Jackie leans against a hospital admissions desk as paramedics rush past her, with Walter. 'We're gonna lose him – they need him on the table – now!' one of the paramedics exclaims. 'Clear the way! Patient coming through!' the other shouts, while Jackie looks on, horrified. 'Hello? Miss?' the receptionist calls out, informing Jackie that cops are sending someone to take her statement if she can wait here. 'Walter Langkowski... that's real familiar...' the receptionist remarks. 'Yeah. He's a super hero. Sasquatch. From Alpha Flight' Jackie explains. 'Oh, yah, I know him. Big orange fella usually' the receptionist remarks. Jackie pauses, 'Yeah, big and orange pretty much all the time. But not then. He gets cut open and he doesn't change. Why wouldn't he? Why wouldn't he want to...?' Jackie wonders.
In the operating room, 'Blood's in place -' one of the medical personnel operating announces. 'Boy, he's been opened right up here' another comments. 'Oh yah. Hope nobody has plans...' a third remarks, informing the others that they are going to be a long time.
'... and that's everything, Ms McGee?' a detective asks. Jackie tells him that it was all out of nowhere, and that she doesn't think they even knew why they did it. The detective tells Jackie to call him if she remembers anymore, but that will do for now. 'Though, ah... if you do find Bruce Banner, Ms McGee...we'd sure like to talk to him, you know?' the detective adds as he walks past a man in a brown jacket and red cap, who looks away from him. 'Yeah, me too' Jackie remarks as she leans her head back and the mysterious man sits down next to her.
'Good timing, then' the man remarks, and Jackie goes wide-eyed as the man peers out from under his cap – 'Here I am' Bruce Banner tells her, before asking what happened to Langkowski. Without looking at Bruce, Jackie informs him that Walter is in surgery, that he was stabbed while they were looking for him. '... I'm sorry, what... what are you doing here...?' Jackie asks. Bruce tells her that he is following a hunch, and remarks that all humans emit radiation – simple biophotons mostly, barely measurable. Bruce informs Jackie that the gamma-affected have very unique signatures. 'And Walter's is just like mine' Bruce adds. 'You can sense that...?' Jackie enquires. 'Not me. He can' Bruce replies, and Jackie goes wide-eyed again.
Back in the operating room, one of the doctors announces that they have a flatline and need vasopressin. 'Damn it – crack his chest -' another exclaims, while a third reports that Langkowski is not responding. 'Don't you do this – not now. Don't you die – don't you die -' one of the doctors shouts.
Bruce asks Jackie what Walter's prognosis was when he was brought in. 'I don't know. Not good. The paramedic said they could lose him...' Jackie adds. 'Potentially more than him' Bruce remarks, adding that Walter wanted to turn himself into a second Hulk – his gamma signature is just the same. 'Exactly like mine' Bruce tells Jackie, adding that now the sun has gone down.
'Damn it all. Well – we tried. All we can do' one of the doctors tells the other medical personnel as they start to walk away from Walter's motionless body on the operating table. Suddenly, there are life signs – and Walter begins to transform into Sasquatch. 'Call time of -' one of the medical personnel begins, before they turn back to see Sasquatch rising up off the table.
'It's night. And the night is his time' Bruce remarks cryptically, telling Jackie that they need to evacuate the hospital – now.
Sasquatch steps off the table and looms over the terrified hospital staff. 'My God. God above...' one of them gasps as they stare up in horror. 'God above?' Sasquatch replies, claws ready, sharp teeth bared, drooling, he snarls 'Quite the reverse'....


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[Assistant]
In Every Mirror
Flashback:
'So what is this, Captain? A performance review or an intervention' Dr Walter Langkowski a.k.a. Sasquatch asks as he sits at a table aboard the Alpha Flight Space Station, with Captain Carol Danvers seated across from him. Eugene Judd a.k.a. Puck stands nearby as Carol tells Walter that they are concerned, that's all. 'You do good work for Alpha Flight – and I know you have since long before I led the operation. But lately, you've been much more... aggressive in the field' Carol remarks, adding that Walt has a history when it comes to losing control. Sasquatch stands up and reminds Captain Marvel that Tanaraq is long dead, and tells her that he is not possessed by anything. 'This is me in here -' Sasquatch begins, to which Puck points out that there has been a lot of “in there” lately, remarking that they have been up here a year now, and every day he sees a lot of Sasquatch – but they never see Walter Langkowski at all. 'Why is that?' Puck asks.
Later, in the locker room, Sasquatch stands at a mirror. 'Fine. You want Walter?' he asks. 'I can – c'mon – I can be – Walter!' he exclaims as he transforms back into his human self, although the process appears to be difficult and painful. Walt leans against the mirror as he realizes that was tougher than it used to be. 'I should probably talk to someone -' he admits, but as he looks up into the mirror, he is horrified to see his Sasquatch form staring back at him.
Present:
'I think he wants out' Bruce Banner, wearing a cap remarks as he looks into a reflective surface – and sees the Hulk staring back at him. Bruce tells Jackie McGee that that probably isn't a good sign, and instructs her to evacuate the hospital while he deals with Langkowski, or whatever he has become. 'Wait a minute – you can't just – I’ve got questions – you owe me -' Jackie exclaims. Bruce tells her that he owes a lot of people everything from stolen pants to ruined lives, and where she falls on that spectrum will have to wait. He turns and walks away as Jackie asks him what happens now. 'I tell people to run because a man might have risen from the dead?' she asks. 'Why would they even believe me?' she enquires. Bruce reminds Jackie that she is a reporter, and that it is her job to make people believe her. 'The screaming will probably help' he adds as he pushes open some doors and blood curling screams can be heard. Jackie and others in the waiting room look fearful.
'I know. You've got your job, too' Bruce remarks to himself. 'But let me try first. You never know' he adds as he walks through empty corridors in search of Walter. He hears a voice over an intercom that informs all staff that there is a code silver, and that all staff and patients must be evacuated. 'Hello, Walter. Can we talk?' Bruce asks as he enters the operating room and finds Sasquatch licking his hands as he stands over the bodies of the slain medical personnel. Sasquatch pauses, before cocking his head and replying 'I'm not Walter'. He suddenly reaches around and knocks Bruce's hat off his head, 'And I'd rather talk to the real you' Sasquatch snarls as one of his sharp claws slices Bruce's neck open! 'It hurts, doesn't it, Bruce?' Sasquatch asks as Bruce falls backwards, blood spurting out of his neck as he hits the floor. 'Always. And when you hurt Banner... I take it personal!' the Hulk exclaims as he transforms, leaps up and slams his fist into Sasquatch's face, knocking him backwards.
'So you're not Dr Langkowski. That fits. Langkowski's a creep – smug little know-it-all, always was – but he never had three murders in him. You're something else, aren't you?' Hulk remarks as he punches Sasquatch through the operating room wall and into a corridor. The Hulk throws another punch and misses as he points out that nobody has ever loved Walt for his mind – they only ever want the jock. 'So he only feels needed when he's furry...and he stays that way for months' the Hulk adds, asking if he is getting warm. 'Very clever – clever little monster!' Sasquatch replies as he shoves his claws into Hulk's chest. Hulk manages to pull Sasquatch's claws out of his chest and realizes that Langkowski stayed as Sasquatch too long, which left a door open. 'And you got in' Hulk declares. 'Through the green door. You got into Hotshot's girlfriend too, right. What was that about? You wanted me attention? Why? What are you?' Hulk asks as he slams Sasquatch up against a wall. 'Tanaraq? Mephisto? Something worse? Who's in there?' Hulk asks, readying a fist, Sasquatch tells him to see for himself. 'Behind you' he snarls. '“It's behind you”. Give me a -' Hulk begins, before glancing backwards and seeing a reflection of himself holding Brian Banner, his father, up against the wall.
'Little. Monster' Sasquatch – or, rather, Brian Banner through Sasquatch – snarls. The Hulk goes wide-eyed. 'Daddy?' he utters. 'Didn't I say?' Brian snarls, using Hulk's moment of distraction to smack him in the face. This causes Bruce to remember his father doing this to him a long time ago. 'I've known what you would become since the beginning!' he recalls his father saying as his father's hand slammed into his face, causing him to cry. 'I've always known that quick mind of his – those brilliant intuitive leaps. From the day he was born – it was you. Always you!' Brian roars through Sasquatch as Hulk leans against a wall, before Brian grabs him and slams Hulk down onto his knee. 'The monster inside. I wish I'd killed you in your crib' Brian snarls as he hurls Hulk though another wall, into an area of the hospital still populated by staff and patients.
'It sounds like hell on Earth – like a dozen earthquakes at once. They're going to knock this whole building down' Jackie tells a security guard, asking if they can get these people out of here any faster. The guard directs some patients out of the hospital as he tells Jackie that it is not that easy, as there are people here who can't be moved, people on life support. 'We're not prepared for this. They said – they said he was dead' the guard replies, before calling out to the receptionist and addressing her as Marcie, asking her if the cops are coming. 'I don't know – they put me through to some government people' Marcie replies, adding that she is on hold. 'They're in the wards!' one of the hospital staff calls out as she helps an old man. She informs the guard that they came right through the wall, and that she doesn't know who is still in there. 'Oh my God' the guard utters as he starts to run, while telling everyone in the area to keep calm and make their way out. 'I'm gonna go see what I can do -' he remarks, while Jackie runs alongside him 'Not without me' she tells him. 'I'm not losing him again' she whispers.
'It's not you. Can't be' the Hulk utters as he stares up at the possessed Sasquatch. 'You can see ghosts. You can smell lies. You'd know if it weren't' Brian replies through Sasquatch's body. He leans in close to the Hulk and declares 'I'm the father you killed, Bruce. Back through the Green Door. Back from death'. The Hulk raises a hand near his face to protect himself as he gasps 'Stay back – stay -' before Brian plunges Sasquuatch's claws intro the Hulk's stomach. 'Feel that? My claws in your gut? That's the proof. Who else could ever hurt you like this?' Brian asks, causing Hulk to scream. 'Who else can make the monster scared?' Brian asks, before the wide-eyed Hulk shouts 'No...' and kicks Sasquatch backwards. 'No! NEVER!' Hulk roars, before getting to his feet and exclaiming 'You're just a man. A twisted old man who killed his wife... tried to kill his son... made him wish – wish you had...'
The Hulk continues, 'You scare him. You scare Banner. You think that gives you power over me? Think it makes you important? Special? No. Not. Not special... puny... PUNY HUMAN!' The Hulk roars as he slams his fist into Sasquatch's face, sending him crashing through yet another wall. 'You're nothing! Any power you have, someone gave you! Who? Who brought you back? Who opens the door? Tell me! OR I'LL SMASH YOU!' the Hulk roars at his father. Sasquatch rubs his head as he starts to recover, and reveals that it needs a host – personality to work in this world, to function, that it burrows in, wears their souls like masks on a stage. 'Help me...' Sasquatch utters. 'What does? Tell me! What's behind you?' the Hulk asks aggressively, before Sasquatch spins around, once more with Brian in control, 'Every light casts a shadow' Brian points out as the Hulk throws a punch, but Sasquatch grabs it, blocking the attack. 'In every mirror...there is a reflection. As above...so below' Brian Banner declares as Sasquatch raises his claws – and then shoves one of them into the Hulk's eye!
Brian grins wickedly through Sasquatch's body and tells his “special boy” to take a look and he will see a darker shadow than his own. Brian once again forces Sasquatch's claws into the Hulk's chest and tells him that gamma made Langkowski his equal, but Langkowski just didn't know how ro use it. 'Do you understand what needs to be done?' Brian asks. 'I smell the sick and the weak! I smell children – how many? How many do I have to -' Brian begins, before he is struck by a taser. He turns to see the security guard standing nearby with the taser. 'I – I -' the guard utters, while Jackie tells him to back up. 'Well, boy...that's one more' Brian points out as he looms over the guard then slices his claws across his stomach. 'NO!' Jackie screams in horror. Jackie backs up against a wall as Sasquatch walks towards her and tells her to remember that this is the monster's fault. 'Gamma' the Hulk calls out as he grabs Sasquatch's wrist before he can harm Jackie.
'Made Langkowski what he is. Made you. Keeps your Green Door open, doesn't it? Doesn't it?' Hulk calls out, twisting Sasquatch's arm behind his back, he boasts that he eats gamma – and absorbs the gamm coursing through Sasquatchs body, which causes Walter to revert to his human form. 'Walter? What did you...' Jackie asks as she rushes over to Walter's naked body. The Hulk stands over them and explains to Jackie that he absorbs gamma radiation and it makes him stronger – so he took all of Walter's meaning no more Sasquatch. 'No more Dad... or whatever that was' Hulk adds. Checking the pulse on Walter's arm, Jackie reports that Walter is alive, and tells the Hulk that he saved him. 'Shut up, McGee' Hulk mutters, rubbing his wounded eyes, Hulk points out that Jackie is with a local paper, and yet she drove across so many states to find him – and couldn't even look at Banner – they were right next to each other but she couldn't look at him. 'Can't look right at me, either, I'll bet' Hulk adds, before telling Jackie that whatever this is to her, whatever the Hulk owes her – it's personal. 'The truth. Now' he demands, opening his eyes.
'I've still got a man's blood on me. Maybe... because of... all right. When I was 15, you destroyed my home. My whole neighborhood. And they... they said... they said to never look you in the eye. But I did. I saw you that day. And I have questions' Jackie reveals, turning away from Walter to look up at the Hulk, tears falling down her face. The Hulk looks back at Jackie, he frowns, before telling that she can ask one question and to make it quick. Jackie stands up, standing close to the Hulk, she asks him how she gets to do it – to be what he is. The Hulk just stares back at Jackie and then tells her to go home, before he turns away from her, and lumbers out through a hole in the hospital wall, stepping out into the night.
Walter sits up and asks Jackie what happened as she gives him her coat to put around himself. 'You happened. You did this. Don't you remember?' Jackie replies, adding that Sasquatch killed a man right in front of her, she doesn't even know his name. Walter looks away, before asking if he's gone. 'The Hulk? Yeah, he just -' Jackie begins, but Walter tells her 'No. Not the Hulk...Sasquatch. I could always feel him... and now I can't. He's gone. Where did he go?' Walter asks, wide-eyed.
The Hulk lumbers past some cars, the windows of a jeep appear to have a greenish glow to them. He thinks to himself that there are two people in every mirror – there is the one you can see – and there's the other one – the one you don't want to. And as he glances at his reflection in the jeep's window – he sees his father staring back at him!


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Minnesota, where in his dingy motel room, Bruce Banner sits on the edge of a bed. He remembers dying years ago – bombarded by gamma radiation, he couldn't stop screaming – so he got up again, and something inside him was unlocked that day – a dark opposite, a shadow self – stronger than him, stronger than anyone – too strong for death to claim. Bruce knows that he can die during the day, but the night is the Hulk's time – and when it comes, he drags him back – and then he is left with hazy, broken memories – and the Hulk's rage in his mirror. Bruce stares into a full-length mirror across the room, the Hulk glaring back at him. Bruce decides that if he is the scientific self, the voice of rationality, the Hulk then represents unreason. The Hulk is smarter than him, but takes the form of hunches and gut feelings, strange synchronicities and intuitive connections – magical thinking. Bruce looks tired, he sips a cup of coffee, and the Hulk in the mirror suddenly punches the mirror, cracking it. 'That's new' Bruce thinks.
Bruce knows that the Hulk has been like this for two days now, while he has been doing the hard work of survival – stealing clothes, food and a credit card for a motel, the Hulk has been banging on the inside of the mirror. Bruce hasn't dared let him out since fight with Walter Langkowski, where something had infected Walter's Sasquatch form - his attempt to create a controlled Hulk by subjecting himself to gamma radiation. Bruce's memories are hazy, but he knows that Hulk defeated Sasquatch by draining Walter's gamma energy into himself – into them – and he is starting to suspect that something else came with it – the evil of his father, Brian Banner.
Bruce needs to talk to the Hulk and recalls how they used to be able to have diplomatic conferences in baroque mindscapes, metaphorical wrestling matches – but now he needs other methods. Bruce closes his eyes, takes a breath and lets it go, emptying his mind as he holds a pen over a piece of paper. He lets  his hand move as it will, nothing guiding the pen on the paper  but his unconsciousness – automatic writing. Bruce reminds himself that the magician John Dee used it to transcribe the language of angels. 'Now what does that mean, Hulk?' Bruce wonders, looking at the piece of paper which has the word “HOME” scrawled on it. The irony does not escape Bruce, but he wonders where “home” is.
At a small cabin in California, Betty Ross Banner sits on the sofa watching a television report which informs viewers that authorities remain silent on the events that left four dead in a Minnesota hospital, but on social media the rumors won't go away. The announcer adds that they will have more on the deadliest Hulk sighting after some messages.
'It isn't him. Just stop it, Betty. Stop doing this to yourself. It isn't him' Betty tells herself as she turns the television off. 'Your husband isn't back from the dead' Betty remarks, wiping tears from her eyes, she is sure that if he was back he would have let her know – so this isn't him. 'It can't be' she utters.
'Ouch. I don't know about you guys... but I'm starting to feel like a creep' remarks someone who is suspended upside down, attached to some machinery by cables, their eyes held open with metal devices, wires extending into their eye socket. There are several others all hanging upside down as well, and before them is an aquarium with sharks and jellyfish, and several monitors, each depicting a different person or location – the crying Betty Ross Banner, Doc Samson who is reading a book, and also the gravesite of Rick Jones. 'Why? It's just monitoring. How are we supposed to know if Banner's contacting his support network if we don't keep tabs on them?' one of the others asks. 'I honestly figured he'd show up when Cho went crazy in New York' another remarks, referring to Amadeus Cho.
'He should've showed up for a lot of things. Banner hasn't even visited Rick Jones' grave. That's just cold' one of them mysterious people declares. Another of them asks if this data is logging, and reports that Monitor Five has had no contact with Skaar in the last 24 hours. 'No, we're just – it's a conversation, Five. C'mon. All I'm saying is, this isn't just a civilian, this is – it's General Ross' daughter. The boss of our boss' they point out. 'It just feels like -' they begin, when a voice calls out 'This job is too much for you'. 'General Fortean?' the Monitor responds, as General Fortean walks down a corridor, another man in civilian clothing moves alongside him on some sort of platform with wheels. 'I was listening in. Even the Monitors need to be monitored' General Fortean declares, adding hat monitor work takes dedication, unquestioning dedication. 'Maybe we should put you to work on something more your speed' General Fortean suggests as he opens the door to the monitor room. 'I – Sir. I was only -' the Monitor begins.
General Fortean announces that they will have the Monitor's implant procedures reversed by 0600, then they can report to sanitation for a mop. General Fortean instructs Monitor five to handle the other Monitor's feed until they install their replacement. 'He understands the importance of the work' General Fortean declares, before telling the rest of the Monitors that the people on those screens are not innocent bystanders, they are not civilians and they are not friendlies – they have all given aid and comfort to the Hulk – which makes them the enemy. 'As you were' Fortean instructs them as he leaves the room with the other man. 'Oof. Sorry, bro' one of the Monitors remarks to the Monitor who has lost their job.
'So... you think Ross would mind? If he knew?' the other man asks, sipping a soft drink as he follows General Fortean down the corridor. 'It's not his business to know, Dr Clive' Fortean replies, adding that General Ross is too close to Banner, that he always has been, and he understands that now, so it is better he focuses completely on the Steve Rogers situation and leaves Hulk Operations to a trusted second in command, such as he. Dr Clive points out that it gives Ross plausible deniability, and recalls that the great American public was not thrilled with how Gamma Base was run back in the day. 'If they knew about Shadow Base -' Dr Clive begins, but Fortean interrupts him, telling him that he would be surprised, as more and more the electorate understands that nothing is off the table when it comes to the security of their nation. 'When the enemy acts – we react in kind. Thunderbolt Ross taught me that' Fortean tells Dr Clive. They walk past the green skeletal remains of something stored in a display case, as Fortean informs Dr Clive that he fought Ross when he was a Hulk, and when he found the truth, it opened his eyes – Ross turned himself into the same kind of monster he was fighting, by doing so, he nearly achieved final victory – but he made one mistake.
A door slides open, 'He thought one moster was enough' Fortean declares as he and Dr Clive step into another laboratory, where several scientists are going about their work, a stasis chamber in the center of the room glows green with the gamma-irradiated remains of Del Fry. 'Hey, Charlene, how's our buddy Del today?' Dr Clive asks. Charlene looks up at the stasis tank and reports that Mr Frye has been the same since he was dug out of that grave in Colorado. She explains that his pain receptors are still off the charts, he is in agony. 'But if you approve some adjustments to the tank mix, we can reduce that. Eliminate it, even -' Charlene tells Dr Clive, who points out that recalibrating the system would take days. 'And what do we get? What's our get here, Charlene? Forget his little fee-fees. Where are we at replicating him?' Dr Clive asks. Charlene turns to a man sitting at a computer and calls him Jase as she asks him what they've got. 'Not much, Dr McGowan' Jase responds.
Jase continues, explaining that he is pretty sure what caused this is in his blood, some kind of gamma serum, but it is like cracking a code written in a dead language. 'We need a Rosetta Stone' he adds. Dr Clive sips his soft drink as he reminds General Fortean that as he has told him, they can't make real progress on the project without an actual Hulk to study. 'And that would require resources we don't have, Doctor – not yet' Fortean frowns. 'The sheer firepower it would take to capture the Hulk -' he begins, but Dr Clive interrupts him, 'Not the Hulk – a Hulk. An active one. Like Cho or Walters. But... I don't know, someone nobody will miss...' Dr Clive suggests. Fortean pauses, before asking where Langkowski was taken to.
The Alpha Flight Space Station, where Dr Walter Langkowski lies on a table wearing only a pair of briefs. Eugene Judd a.k.a. Puck and reporter Jackie McGee stand nearby, while Dr Michael Twoyoungmen a.k.a. Shaman stands next to the table, waving a mystical staff that glows with energy. 'I didn't want any of this. You all know that, right?' Walt declares. 'I mean, I checked with Shaman. I asked him if the Great Beasts were active. If Tanaraq might be back – and you said no, Mike. I distinctively remember that' Walt exclaims. Shaman just tells Walter to hold still, as Walt explains that is why he wanted to find Bruce. 'I thought the monster in the mirror – I thought it was psychological, some version of what he had. Maybe it is, I don't know' Walter adds, narrowing his eyes as he tells the others that he would never choose to hurt anyone – never.
'Really?' Jackie frowns, pointing out that Walter spent half his life and millions of dollars of his own money, years of study working to become a hairy Hulk – all of this is because of a choice he made. Walter sits up on the table and tells Jackie that he didn't choose to get stabbed, and that dying on the table was not a voluntary act. Puck sees that Walt is agitated and tells him to simmer down. Puck then reminds Ms McGee that she is here because she is the only eyewitness to what happened, and asks her if she saw any signs of this thing before the hospital. Jackie pauses before telling Puck that something about the stabbing bothers her – it was too random – there was no argument before they arrived at the pub, then it was like the closer Walter got, the angrier the two men became. 'So you're blaming me for my own death?' Walter asks, sitting on the edge of the table. 'Not you' Shaman tells him. 'The thing that stole your body at the point of death and made it a murder weapon' he explains.
Shaman puts the staff into his medicine pouch, and it vanishes as he adds that it wasn't Tanaraq, either – nor any of the Great Beasts, as they still slumber, this is something deeper. 'Imagine...a primal shadow, waiting in the darkness underneath all that is' Shaman explains. 'Creation's other face. The face we cannot bear to see. The one below all' Shaman adds. 'Seriously? Possession by the forces of darkness?' the skeptical Jackie replies, folding her arms. 'Don't knock it, eh?' Puck tells her. 'You walk the paths I have, and those forces start to look very real, Jackie – and more than a little scary' Puck remarks. 'Maybe. But you undersand how it'll sound to a jury, right?' Jackie replies. 'Believe me, Ms McGee...I absolutely do' Carol Danvers a.k.a. Captain Marvel declares as she enters the room, before asking Jackie to give them  the room, and telling her that she will be happy to answer any questions she might have in just a moment. '... sure' Jackie replies.
Uh, hi, Carol...' Walter remarks, sitting on the edge of the table still without looking at Carol. Carol stands with her hands on her hips as she informs Walter that she just finished talking to one General Fortean, who is currently in charge of the US Hulk Operations. She adds that she called Thaddeus Ross who confirmed that. Carol adds that Fortean is ex-USAF like she is, and remarks that he played that card a lot, building a rapport. 'He's a very charming man' Carol remarks, revealing that Fortean charmingly threatened Walter with a lethal injection – after extradition and trial, of course. Walter looks very concerned by this. Carol adds that for what it is worth, Fortean was very apologetic, and he would love to make it all go away. 'I'll bet, eh? What does he want in return?' Puck enquires.
'That's the thing. Under other circumstances, I'd probably have pursued it anyway' Carol remarks, pointing out that they have Walter's gamma signature, and with Alpha Flight's satellite coverage, they could locate him, if they had to – or they could find a signature very similar to Walter's, like Bruce Banner's. Carol explains that essentially, if her team secures Banner for the proper authorities, Walter is exonerated – if she says no, they take Walter instead. Shaman turns to Captain Marvel and tells her that it seems she has little choice. 'But without the power of Sasquatch, how can Alpha Flight defeat the Hulk?' he asks. Carol tells Michael that they can't, not at their current strength – but there is her other team.
Iowa, under the cover of night, Bruce Banner shuffles along a road, fields on either side of him. He thinks that the night is the Hulk's time, and the message feels clearer now, in his mind – they are going home. The Hulk's home, his place of power – the place where he is strongest, strong enough to beat whatever is inside them, it makes perfect sense. He knows that the route is simple enough, he can hitchhike if he keeps to the back roads and small towns, head west and south across Nebraska and Colorado. He senses something approaching, a ball of energy moves towards him and he sticks his thumb out to hitchhike – but then he realizes that it isn't a car. He turns to find Captain Marvel hovering over him. 'Hello, Bruce' Carol calls out. 'Carol. Always a pleasure' Bruce frowns. 'Or is this business?' he enquires, reminding her that the Avengers have been very good at leaving him alone since he came back. A car approaches in the distance as Carol reminds Bruce that the Hulk helped save the world, it earned him a lot of rope – but that eas a very different set of Avengers.
'And if I'm being honest? Your rope's about run out' Carol declares as the car comes to a stop – it's Ghost Rider, and with him are Black Panther, Iron Man, Captain America, Thor and She-Hulk, in her human form of Jennifer Walters. Bruce looks over at Jen, his cousin and tells her that he is disappointed. 'Disappointed? You're disappointed?' Jennifer retorts. 'Jennifer...' Thor begins, as Jennifer reminds Bruce that she almost died, that she was in a coma, and when she woke up she found out that he had himself killed, that he set himself up to die. 'You knew what that'd do to me and you couldn't even do it yourself!' Jennifer exclaims. 'Had to – had to force my friend – had to guilt Clint into doing that – one of Hulk's oldest friends and you – you knew – you knew what that would do to the Hulk -' Jennifer shouts, becoming quite agitated, she begins to shift into her She-Hulk form, until Thor touches her shoulder and tells her to take control. 'Hulk – knows. I know' Jennifer responds.
Carol tells Bruce that they are not here to hurt him, that they can help him – she wants to help him, but right now, she needs him to come with them. 'Right now? Are you sure? The sun's gone down. It's night, Carol. It's his time' Bruce replies. Carol informs Bruce that she has spoken to Ms McGee and that she has studied the sightings, so they know the pattern – every sighting, it has been the same, every single one – night is the Hulk's time. 'But to set the Hulk free, Bruce Banner has to die. And that's just not going to happen, Bruce'. Carol responds. Bruce clenches a fist and responds 'But that's my secret, Captain. I'm already dead' he reveals as he suddenly transforms into the Hulk!