After parting ways with his father-in-law, Banner returned to his office.
He was grateful to the general for supporting his marriage to Betty, even if there had been an element of transaction behind it. Both his relationship with her and his research were things he truly wanted. For that, he felt thankful that Ross had given him this chance.
At the same time, he could sense that no matter how perfect his work was, he would never fit the image Ross had in mind for his daughter's husband. Their relationship remained lukewarm, a balance of respect but no warmth.
When he stepped back into the laboratory, he saw Betty waiting in her white coat. She was the bridge that softened the tension between husband and father.
"Betty…" He opened his arms, embracing her as she walked forward to meet him.
"Bruce, Dad didn't make things hard for you, did he?"
He smiled, shaking his head. "I may not be the kind of tough man he admires, but at the very least I've done my work as a researcher perfectly. He has no reason to make things difficult for me."
"That's good." She nodded in satisfaction. To her, nothing mattered more than seeing the two most important men in her life coexist in peace.
"By the way," she continued, "Tony came by earlier looking for you. But you were meeting with Dad, so he asked me to tell you to drop by his lab once you got back."
"Tony?" Banner frowned slightly.
Unlike the meek and cautious man often portrayed in the films, his actual personality was not like that. Before the Hulk ever emerged, he had been a proud man, widely recognized as a genius. That pride made it difficult for him to get along with colleagues, because geniuses always believed they were right. Tony was no exception.
Invited by Ross to participate in the experiment, Tony had worked alongside Banner to tackle the challenges of gamma radiation. They had made breakthroughs together, but the process had been far from smooth. Their differences in approach often sparked heated arguments, forcing Betty or Ross to step in and ease the tension time and again.
Now that the design of the first gamma bomb was complete, Tony's part in the project was finished.
"Wasn't he supposed to head back to Metropolis already? Why is he still here?" Banner's tone was heavy with annoyance. In his mind, the bomb could have been developed without Tony's involvement. All that man had done was waste his time in endless disputes.
He had already forgotten that those very arguments had fueled their progress, each clash of ideas sparking inspiration that pushed their research forward. Every time they stormed away from each other, they inevitably returned with solutions that only came from their combined efforts. Betty and Ross understood this well, but Banner, blinded by pride, saw only a nuisance.
"Don't talk like that, Bruce," Betty said gently. "He helped more than you care to admit. Since he's leaving, the least you can do is hear him out one last time, isn't it?"
"What could he possibly have helped with?"
His voice carried defiance, yet he still listened to her.
"I'll go. Just start preparing the explosion test as we planned. I'll be back soon."
"Alright. I'll wait for you to return."
* * *
Meanwhile, in his own lab, Tony stood before a glowing screen as J.A.R.V.I.S. compiled intelligence. The data unsettled him. Several of the researchers in this facility were behaving strangely, their patterns almost identical to Hydra's.
For years, heroes had clashed with the organization countless times. Their methods of espionage had been dissected and analyzed down to the finest detail. As such, Tony could recognize the signs when J.A.R.V.I.S. highlighted them.
Yet he wasn't in a position to step in.
He had a good personal relationship with Luthor, but that was all it was, personal. Ever since Stark Industries had relocated to Los Angeles, now called Metropolis, the two had never established any formal partnership.
So much time had passed that Tony no longer had any way to keep up with LexCorp's plans. He wasn't about to interfere directly in this experiment. What made it even worse was that the military had its hands in this project, which made the entire situation even more tangled.
"All I can do is hope that idiot listens to me," he muttered under his breath.
Not long after, Banner entered the lab. One glance at the place, tidied up and spotless, told him Tony was ready to leave.
"You called me here. Don't tell me this is just for small talk. We're not exactly close enough for that."
Tony shook his head. Compared to himself, who had been running his company and fighting Hydra's games for years, Banner was still unsteady. But he didn't care. He hadn't summoned the man to argue. He only wanted to issue a warning. Whether he took it seriously or not wasn't his concern. He already had his preparations in Metropolis.
"Take a look at this."
He handed over a folder. Banner flipped through the pages quickly, but his face darkened with anger as he read.
"What is this supposed to mean? That my experiment is doomed? That my calculations are wrong?"
"The instability of gamma energy is much greater than you think. If you go ahead with the detonation now, there's a serious risk of an accident." Tony tried to persuade.
But Banner bristled at the suggestion, convinced in the perfection of his own work. Just like Reed years ago, he was blinded by certainty.
"Every experiment carries risk. Science is about trial and error, Tony. Progress only comes from pushing through failures. Don't worry, I'll have all the necessary safety measures in place. I don't need you to lecture me."
"You…"
Tony stopped himself. He had considered telling Banner the truth, that Hydra agents were here, that they might already be manipulating events. But he hesitated.
If he said it out loud, those infiltrators might know they had been discovered. Who could say what desperate measures they would take if cornered? Banner was a scientist, not a soldier or a spy. If he learned Hydra was watching, he wouldn't be able to mask the fear or suspicion. The enemy would see it instantly.
At least for now, the experiment left Banner some control. If Hydra was exposed prematurely, he would be left defenseless in their hands.
"Fine," Tony said at last. "It's your call. I just wanted to warn you."
With that, he turned away, leaving the lab. Minutes later, his private jet lifted from the runway, carrying him back toward Metropolis.
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