"Hmm? A big green guy?"
"That's right," Tony said, leaning back casually. "From what I saw, about three or four meters tall. The army even ordered a batch of high-frequency sonic cannons from Stark Industries to catch him—but he still got away in the end."
Lucas frowned. So the Hulk has appeared already.
He immediately had Skye pull up that morning's news. Sure enough, the footage showed Hulk rampaging across the university campus—smashing tanks, throwing jeeps, and finally leaping away with Betty in his arms, all while fending off General Ross's forces.
Lucas didn't pay it too much attention. He knew how this story went: Hulk would eventually take down Abomination and slip away unscathed. That battle would happen all the way over in Queens' Chinatown, far from his agency—no reason to worry about it reaching here.
"You're Iron Man," Lucas said with a raised brow. "Didn't feel like joining the fun?"
Tony snorted. "Oh, I wanted to. But I can't stand that old turtle Ross. That guy and those idiots in Congress tried to force me to hand over the Mark armor—then he even teamed up with the army to pressure me. I'd rather see the big green guy smash his face in."
Typical Tony—his petty streak was showing again. As far as maturity went, he still had a long road ahead as a 'hero'.
After eating and drinking his fill at Lucas's place, Tony finally left when Pepper called. Before going, he made sure to take a lunchbox full of leftovers for her—the same dishes as noon, of course.
Another lazy day drifted by. Lucas and Skye were both sprawled across the sofa like corpses. Skye had recently started learning from Lucas how to be a professional slacker, though she wasn't quite at his level yet—she was only lightly salted.
Days passed uneventfully. Natasha dropped by a few times, bringing updates about the Hulk. S.H.I.E.L.D. was very interested in him, of course—Nick Fury already had the green giant on his preliminary Avengers list—and they wanted to get a sample of his blood for research.
Meanwhile, Gwen's school had gone on break. Peter and Felicia came back with her, too. This time, Peter even introduced Felicia to Aunt May. The old lady was so happy she nearly levitated on the spot—she'd never imagined her shy, awkward nephew could land such a stunning girlfriend.
That evening, Lucas was slouched on the couch watching TV, while Skye and Gwen were in the corner wrestling with Moguli. They'd decided to give the creature a bath—treating it completely like a house pet.
Moguli did not appreciate it. With two swings of its little staff, it blasted both girls into a panic, sending them running in circles as chaos erupted across the office.
Lucas was still watching his show with a smirk when his phone rang.
"Hey, buddy, get to Chinatown—emergency!"
Tony's voice on the other end was nearly drowned out by the sound of explosions and screaming.
"Chinatown?" Lucas sat up. Great. That could only mean one thing—the Hulk versus Abomination battle had begun.
"What's going on?" he asked.
"Two giant freaks are tearing the whole place apart! I'm trying to hold them off, but it's getting ugly—get over here, fast!"
"Got it. On my way."
Lucas hung up and quickly told Gwen and Skye what was happening. Naturally, both of them insisted on coming along.
He had no choice but to bring them—but the flying onion would only let him ride. Gwen, however, transformed into Ghost-Spider and swung off toward Chinatown, while Skye hailed a cab.
Then, out of nowhere, Natasha appeared.
"Hey, Lucas! Come with me—Chinatown's a mess. We need you!"
Lucas blinked. Really? They're treating me like S.H.I.E.L.D. personnel now? What a joke. I don't take orders from them.
He ignored her, told Skye to go with Natasha instead, then mounted the onion and shot into the sky. Gwen had already vanished into the skyline, her white figure darting between buildings.
Natasha turned to Skye. "What's going on with them?"
"Heading to Chinatown," Skye replied. "Tony Stark called Lucas for backup."
Natasha's eyes lit up. "Well, talk about luck. Get in the car—we're going too!"
---
Meanwhile, in Chinatown, chaos ruled. Abomination was roaring Hulk's name, smashing through buildings and vehicles like they were made of cardboard. Tony was zipping through the air, blasting repulsor beams to draw its attention, but the monster's thick hide regenerated faster than he could inflict damage.
Worse, with so many civilians in the area, Tony couldn't use heavy weaponry. He had to rely on his palm cannons, trying to buy time.
In a circling Black Hawk helicopter, Bruce Banner stared grimly at the destruction below.
"Bruce, don't go," Betty pleaded, clutching his arm, tears in her eyes. "You finally got away from the Hulk."
"No, Betty," Bruce said quietly. "I have to. He became that because of me. I'm responsible."
He looked at her one last time. She could see the decision in his eyes and started to sob.
Ross sat behind them, silent. Everything happening below—the monsters, the chaos—it was all the result of his project. He'd wanted to create an army of super-soldiers for the military, but instead, he'd made monsters. The perfect soldier, it seemed, was still just Captain America—and no one else.
Bruce closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. For years, he'd avoided the Hulk, even considered ending his life to escape it. But now… now he needed that power more than ever.
He waited for the change—but nothing happened. It was as if the Hulk had disappeared. Deep down, though, he knew that wasn't true. The Hulk was still there—silent, but watching.
"I'm sorry, Betty," he said softly.
Betty's face crumpled. "No—Bruce!"
Before she could stop him, Bruce stepped out of the helicopter.
Her scream echoed through the night as Ross caught her, preventing her from jumping after him.
BOOM!
Bruce hit the street like a meteor, blowing a crater into the asphalt.
"Ballsy move, buddy," Tony muttered through his comms. "I never said you had to jump from a helicopter!"
Then—
"RRAAAHHHH!!!"
A thunderous roar split the air. A massive green figure exploded from the crater, leaping skyward before slamming a kick straight into Abomination's face.
The monstrous brute flew like a ragdoll, crashing headfirst through a concrete wall. The building crumbled into dust.
"Hulk! You finally showed up!"
Abomination staggered out of the rubble, grinning savagely. He'd waited too long for this. Tonight, he was going to prove to the world—
That Abomination, not Hulk, was the strongest monster alive.
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