"Mr. Spider-Man…" Coulson hesitated after hearing the anger in Peter Parker's voice. He realized the situation was spiraling out of control, so he discreetly activated his communication device to reach Nick Fury for instructions. To be honest, Coulson had never expected to run into Peter Parker while taking Bruce Banner out for some fresh air. Even more surprising was that the usually mild-mannered Banner had the guts to seek Parker's help and openly reveal his experiences with S.H.I.E.L.D.
Just as Coulson was about to say something, with Peter Parker shielding Bruce Banner behind him, the tense atmosphere was shattered by a gunshot. A nearby agent, unable to hold his nerve, had accidentally fired a shot.
However, the agent wasn't aiming at Peter Parker but rather at Bruce Banner hiding behind him. In fact, none of the agents had targeted Peter; they were all aiming at Banner. Everyone knew the power of the Avengers, and even in such a tense situation, few agents believed they could take down Peter Parker. Ideally, they hoped for a peaceful resolution, but the gunshot seemed to have made that impossible.
With a swift motion, Peter Parker's hand shot out and caught the bullet. Even though his Spider-Sense didn't trigger, Peter's reflexes were much faster than a speeding bullet.
Behind him, Bruce Banner breathed a sigh of relief. When the shot rang out, his heart skipped a beat. He was worried about being hit and also concerned that the Hulk might suddenly emerge. Fortunately, neither of these fears materialized, thanks to Peter Parker intercepting the bullet.
"Shit! Who fired that shot?!" Coulson, who had been waiting for orders from Nick Fury, lost his composure. He angrily glared at the agent who had pulled the trigger. However, before he could react further, he noticed the sky above him darkening as if something massive was blocking out the sun.
In an instant, Coulson, despite being a seasoned agent, was overwhelmed. He hadn't even had time to react, and neither had the super-soldier agents nearby, who couldn't avoid the sudden onslaught.
In the blink of an eye, Coulson and the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents were all ensnared in a thick, sticky web, tightening around them under Peter Parker's control. The super-soldier agents tried to struggle, but in this era, super-soldier serum was no longer so rare or powerful. These agents were ordinary super-soldiers, not on the level of someone like John Walker or Black Tiger, Tohru.
Once enveloped in the web, they lost any ability to resist, managing only some feeble movements on the ground.
"They're all tied up now. What do you think we should do with them?" Peter Parker's eyes gleamed as he looked at the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents on the ground, then turned to Bruce Banner, asking him.
"Uh? Deal with them?" Bruce Banner was stunned by Peter's question. He had never considered dealing with S.H.I.E.L.D. members. If he were the Hulk, the Hulk might have smashed them all, but Bruce wasn't the Hulk; he wasn't inclined toward violence.
Moreover, Bruce didn't want to escalate conflicts with S.H.I.E.L.D. or have any further dealings with them. Simply escaping S.H.I.E.L.D. and regaining his freedom would be enough for him.
"Let's not. S.H.I.E.L.D. is a special government agency, and if we break ties with them, it could cause big problems. Besides, if we do anything to them, S.H.I.E.L.D. will come after me even harder. If you really want to help me, Spider-Man, just take me to a safe place…" Bruce Banner considered for a moment and then pleaded with Peter Parker.
Bruce would have preferred to escape on his own, but without Peter's help, even if these S.H.I.E.L.D. agents were captured and he managed to escape, it wouldn't be long before other agents caught him.
"Alright, let's get out of here." Peter Parker nodded and pressed a button on a ring he was wearing. "Jarvis, scan Mr. Banner for any tracking devices…"
"Yes, sir!" A voice similar to Jarvis's replied, and a red light scanned Bruce Banner from head to toe. "Both shoes have tracking devices, all the buttons on his clothes are tracking devices, and the metal part of his belt is also a tracking device…"
Silence fell over the scene, with even the struggling S.H.I.E.L.D. agents pausing, clearly embarrassed.
"Mr. Spider-Man, please listen. The relationship between the Avengers and S.H.I.E.L.D.…," Coulson began, trying to reason with Peter Parker.
But before he could finish, a web shot from Peter's hand covered Coulson's mouth, leaving him only able to make muffled sounds. Even the most persuasive person is powerless when they can't speak.
"Let's go!" Peter Parker had no intention of staying any longer. He knew other S.H.I.E.L.D. agents would arrive soon. Though he didn't doubt his ability to handle them, he didn't want to waste more time.
Peter Parker shot a web, lifting Bruce Banner into the air. Banner, who had been trying to remove his shoes and strip off his buttons, was suddenly airborne, causing him to panic.
Although Bruce had experienced falling from great heights before, the sudden sense of weightlessness unsettled him, especially when an electric current zapped his buttons and belt, scorching them. This startled Bruce, but he quickly realized that even such shocks hadn't triggered the Hulk, suggesting he might be truly free from the Hulk's influence.
But now, Bruce Banner had a new concern: where would Peter take him, and what would he do once Peter left? How could he evade S.H.I.E.L.D.?
Before joining S.H.I.E.L.D., Bruce had been on the run. The battle where he transformed into the Hulk in the city had left a lasting impression on the military. As a former military researcher, the military wouldn't overlook the Hulk's combat power.
Despite evading the military for a long time, S.H.I.E.L.D. had managed to find him, proving their intelligence capabilities were formidable, even when he was hiding abroad.
Now, Bruce Banner was worried. Without the Hulk to speed his escape, could he really outrun S.H.I.E.L.D. once Peter left?
"We're here…" Peter Parker's voice interrupted Bruce's thoughts. When Bruce looked around, he found himself surrounded by high-tech equipment, as if he had stepped into a futuristic city.
"Where is this?" Bruce Banner had a hunch but still asked Peter Parker, feeling uncertain.
"The Avengers." Peter Parker smiled at Bruce Banner. "You wanted a safe place, right? I don't think there's anywhere safer in the world than the Avengers…"
"Is this Dr. Bruce Banner? I've read some of your papers—impressive work…" At that moment, Tony Stark and Martian Manhunter walked out, smiling at Bruce.
Peter Parker had obviously informed Tony Stark about Bruce's arrival in advance. As a top scientist, Bruce Banner was a welcome addition to the team.
Unlike S.H.I.E.L.D., which valued the Hulk's power, the Avengers didn't lack fighters like the Hulk. What they needed more was top-tier scientists like Bruce Banner.
"Ah?" But instead of responding to Tony's praise, Bruce Banner was startled by Martian Manhunter's appearance, instinctively stepping back.
Despite the Martian's green skin, which might have reminded Bruce of the Hulk, he felt no connection, only fear.
"Hmm?" Martian Manhunter raised an eyebrow, surprised by Bruce Banner's reaction. He noticed a flash of green in Banner's eyes, though Bruce himself didn't seem to notice.
"It's okay. He's one of us, part of the Avengers. You'll have plenty of time to get to know each other…" Tony Stark patted Bruce's shoulder, emphasizing "us."
"But I haven't agreed to join the Avengers…" Bruce Banner, recovering from his shock, was even more bewildered. The appearance of an alien was surprising enough, but now he was suddenly being asked to join the Avengers, which caught him off guard.
"You've crossed S.H.I.E.L.D.; they won't stop pursuing you. The Avengers is the only place that can offer you refuge and a job where you can make a real impact!" Tony Stark spoke earnestly, trying to persuade him.
"Remember, the Avengers have access to groundbreaking technology, even beyond just one alien. He's our ally, not to be studied, but those hostile aliens are fair game…"
"You're sure you want me for research, not to research me?" Bruce Banner hesitated, then asked Tony Stark cautiously, "I can't transform into the Hulk anymore. I'm just an ordinary person now, and a single bullet could kill me…"
"Hulk? Didn't you fight Spider-Man before? Do you think the Avengers need an uncontrollable powerhouse?" Tony Stark shrugged, seriously questioning Bruce.
"Fought Spider-Man? When did Hulk fight Spider-Man? Wait, was it that time?" Bruce was taken aback, suddenly recalling a previous incident.
After Hulk had been blasted away by Robert, Black Widow found Bruce Banner. She had promised to show him the records of the incident later, but since Bruce couldn't transform into Hulk anymore, there was no need to show him those classified files.
So, Bruce guessed that Tony was referring to that fight, but he didn't know any details.
"Hmm? You didn't know?" Tony Stark glanced at Martian Manhunter, who shook his head, confirming Bruce's ignorance. "It's fine if you don't know. My interest isn't in the
Hulk, and that's all you need to understand. Jarvis, get him some new clothes and shoes…"
"Yes, sir." Jarvis responded as a robot approached. Realizing he had no choice, Bruce Banner reluctantly followed the robot.
"What do you think?" After Bruce left, Tony Stark raised an eyebrow at Martian Manhunter.
"He's unaware of the fight and isn't a S.H.I.E.L.D. spy. However, his claim of not being able to transform into the Hulk isn't entirely true. The Hulk's consciousness still exists within him and even noticed me earlier…" Martian Manhunter smiled, nodding toward where Bruce had gone.
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