The motorcycle roared down the cracked road.
Liam sat behind Bruce, arms crossed, the wind tearing at his borrowed shirt. For a while, neither of them spoke. The only sounds were the growl of the engine and the distant explosions.
After a minute, Liam leaned forward and shouted over the noise, "I get why I'm going there, man. But why the hell are you heading into that mess? I mean, I get it — you're a doctor, probably wanna help people — but that's still suicide."
Bruce gave a short laugh and shook his head. "I'm not that kind of doctor."
Liam frowned. "Oh yeah? Then what kind are you?"
Bruce sighed. "I'm a scientist. Biochemistry, nuclear physics… that kind of thing. I usually break more stuff than I fix." He paused. "You might've seen my work before, though. Not the kind I'm proud of."
Liam raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"
Bruce kept his eyes on the road. "A few years back, there was a clip online. Shaky footage. A big green guy wrecking tanks and fighting the military."
Liam already knew exactly what he was talking about — the footage from 'The Incredible Hulk' movie, the one a few brave idiots had uploaded before the government scrubbed it from every site. Still, he played along. "Yeah," Liam said, feigning curiosity. "I remember that. Looked like something out of a bad sci-fi movie."
Bruce gave a small, tired smile. "Yeah, well… that was me."
Liam blinked. "Wait — you're saying you're the green dude?"
Bruce nodded slowly. "Yeah. I turn into him. Not exactly something I control."
Liam stared for a second, pretending to think. "Huh."
Bruce looked back briefly. "You don't believe me, do you?"
Liam shrugged. "It's just a lot to take in. You don't really look like someone who can toss tanks around."
Bruce let out a short laugh. "Yeah, well, that's kind of the point. It only happens when I get angry. Or scared."
Liam shook his head. "That's one hell of a problem, man."
"Tell me about it," Bruce muttered. His eyes narrowed as the city got closer. "That's why I'm going. Fury called me in — said they need me."
Liam raised an eyebrow. "Fury?"
Bruce nodded. "Yeah. Fury is head of a secret organization working under government. He put together a team — The Avengers. Bunch of people with… special abilities."
Liam smirked. "Government superhero squad, huh? Sounds like a pain in the ass."
Bruce chuckled quietly. "You have no idea. Half of us can't even get along."
They fell silent again. The sound of the bike and the smell of burning metal filled the air.
After a while, Bruce spoke again, softer this time. "I don't know if this team thing will work. But if we don't stop whatever's happening, nothing else will matter."
Liam nodded, staring at the skyline. "Yeah. You're right."
Bruce didn't answer. He was focused again, watching the road as the chaos drew near.
Soon, they reached the edge of the city. Abandoned cars filled the streets. Sirens wailed in the distance. Alien ships buzzed above the smoke.
Bruce slowed the bike. "This is it," he said quietly. "It's about to get ugly."
Liam smiled. "Ugly doesn't scare me."
Bruce sighed. "Figures."
As they drove deeper into the city, the road turned into a war zone. The pavement was cracked, cars were burning, and debris was scattered everywhere. Smoke and dust filled the air, making it hard to see more than a few meters ahead. The ground shook now and then from distant explosions. Alien weapons echoed through the ruined streets.
Liam held onto the back of the bike tighter as Bruce steered around wreckage and craters.
Then, just ahead, two figures stood in the middle of the street. They didn't move, even with all the chaos around them. One wore a red, white, and blue uniform with a shield on his arm. The other wore black tactical gear, holding two pistols at her sides.
Liam's eyes widened. Captain America. Natasha Romanoff.
Seeing them in person was surreal. He'd watched them on screens countless times, but now they were right there — real people, not movie characters. Their clothes were dirty, their faces covered in sweat and dust. They weren't superheroes in a film. They were soldiers standing in the middle of hell.
Bruce slowed the bike and stopped a few feet away.
The two Avengers, Natasha and Cap turned toward the sound of the approaching engine. When they saw Bruce, relief flashed across both their faces.
"Doctor Banner," Steve said, lowering his shield slightly. "Good timing."
Natasha gave a faint smile and pressed her earpiece. "Tony, Banner's here. Repeat — the big guy just arrived."
Liam could faintly hear Tony's voice through the comms, fast and confident. "Perfect. I was starting to think he took a detour. Tell him we've got company inbound — big, scaly, and ugly."
At that, both Natasha and Cap's faces changed from relief to concern. Their eyes flicked past Bruce to the man sitting behind him.
The civilian.
Liam could practically feel their confusion. Cap tilted his head slightly, wondering why Bruce Banner had shown up to an alien invasion with a random guy on the back of his bike. Natasha's brows furrowed, her hand resting near her gun out of instinct.
Bruce sighed and spoke before either of them could ask. "He's with me," he said firmly. "And he's here to help."
Liam raised both hands. "Don't worry, I'm not the type who needs rescuing."
Natasha gave him a sharp, cautious look but stayed quiet. Cap nodded once. For now, he'd trust Bruce's word. Afterall Bruce wasn't a fool to bring a normal guy in the middle of a war.
Then the ground began to shake. A deep, metallic roar echoed from above — loud enough to rattle Liam's chest.
He didn't even need to look up to know what it was.
The Leviathan.
The huge alien creature burst through the smoke. Its massive body shone under the sunlight. Thick metal-like armor covered its skin, reflecting the orange glow from the fires below. Its wings sliced through the air like sharp blades. The beast let out a loud, piercing screech that echoed through the city. Then it smashed straight through a building, sending dust, glass, and metal flying in every direction.
Liam's heart pounded in his chest. Bruce, though, didn't move. He just looked up, calm and unfazed.
Tony's voice came over the comms again. "Hey, guys — I'm bringing the party to you."
A roaring jet engine grew louder. Iron Man shot into view, flying straight toward them. Behind him, the Leviathan chased — huge and monstrous, blocking the sunlight for a moment as it dove closer.
Natasha and Cap braced themselves. Liam stood there knowing well that it was the time for Hulk to shine. The thing was enormous, taking up his entire field of vision.
Bruce looked back at them,"I guess now's a good time for me to show what I do."
Cap shouted over the noise. "Doctor Banner — now might be a really good time to get angry!"
Bruce gave a small, amused smile. "That's my secret, Cap… I'm always angry."
He turned back toward the oncoming beast, clenched his fists, and in an instant, his body began to change. His muscles swelled, skin shifting from pale to green, his clothes tearing apart at the seams. The ground cracked beneath his feet as his transformation completed.
Liam stared in awe. Seeing it happen in real life — not through CGI or movie effects — was unbelievable. The raw power radiating from Bruce was almost too much to take in.
The Hulk roared. The sound shook the street. Then he charged forward.
With one massive punch, he slammed his fist straight into the Leviathan's jaw.
The impact echoed through the city. The Leviathan's head twisted sideways, its entire body following the motion before crashing into the street in a thunderous explosion of smoke and debris.
The ground trembled. The others froze, staring.
Liam couldn't help the grin that spread across his face. "Damn," he muttered under his breath. "Now that's an entrance."