My eyes scanned the message from Hank McCoy. The brilliant mutant scientist was known to me not only as a comic book fan but also as Reed Richards, as his work in scientific circles was quite renowned.
Once again, I was convinced that going on the show was the right move since it led McCoy to contact me.
While this message didn't extend an invitation to Xavier's mansion, it was a start that would lead me to the mutants.
"Hm, I suppose this is a good beginning…"
Drafting a message in a similar tone, I prepared for my date with Sue. After that, I needed to get ready for the trip to the Moon.
—= Diablo =—
The ancient alchemist awoke not in a dungeon. He was surprised to see light.
"Good day, Esteban de Ablo," a familiar voice spoke in English.
Esteban's eyes found the speaker, a man in armor.
"Who are you?" Esteban asked.
"I am Doom," the man replied. "And I am responsible for freeing you from the magicians' prison."
Esteban detected no hint of deceit in Doom's voice. Nevertheless, Esteban de Ablo remained vigilant. The dark magic within Diablo was ready to act.
Doom seemed to understand this, judging by what happened next.
BAM
The magical attack was deflected only thanks to Esteban's vast experience, but the power in Doom's hands was clearly greater.
"What part of my words did you fail to understand?" Doom asked. "Do not show your arrogance before Doom."
With these words, the magical pressure increased, making it difficult for Esteban to breathe.
"Unlike you, I do not owe my power to a lowly demon," Doom spat. "So know your place."
"What do you want?" Esteban asked, looking at Doom.
—= Two Weeks Later =—
"What do you think about visiting a school for gifted youngsters?" I asked Sue.
"Do you mean Xavier's School?"
She was aware that I had been corresponding frequently with Hank McCoy recently.
"Yes."
"Just the two of us?"
"Johnny would rather spend his time showing off, and Ben and Alicia planned a trip to Miami before our journey to the Moon. So yes."
"With arguments like that, I can't refuse," she replied with a sweet smile that brightened my day.
Just then, my smartphone rang.
BUZZ
"What did I expect?" I said, seeing the number displayed.
Sue raised an eyebrow.
"It's Natasha."
Sue's expression changed instantly. She knew what that meant.
"So, Fury."
"Yes…"
I knew Fury wouldn't call without a good reason, so it had to be serious.
"Hello?"
"Good day, Dr. Richards," came the sultry voice of a very dangerous person.
Knowing what Natasha Romanoff was capable of, I could resist her charms.
"What's the matter, Miss Romanoff?" I asked, getting straight to the point.
"You're no fun to talk to," she said with a hint of sadness in her voice. "Do you think I'd call you for no reason?"
"Yes," I replied without blinking. "What does our one-eyed friend want?"
To her credit, Natasha didn't pretend to misunderstand.
"He needs to meet with you, Dr. Richards," she said.
I could hear the fatigue in her voice.
It was clear why Fury had Natasha contact me. Unable to breach the Baxter Building, he needed to reach me this way.
"Alright. He wouldn't call for anything trivial. Tell him I can meet in an hour."
"Excellent. Our agent will pick you up. See you soon, Dr. Richards."
"See you soon, Miss Romanoff," I replied, ending the call.
"Let me guess, she didn't give any specifics?" Sue asked with a slight smile.
"No," I nodded. "I'm curious to see what happened…"
—= One Hour Later =—
"Are you sure you don't want to come?" I asked Sue.
"I have a feeling this meeting will be so dull I'll want to escape the moment Fury appears," Sue replied.
I had a similar feeling.
"Then, see you tonight?"
She leaned in and kissed me on the lips.
"See you tonight."
Recharged, my mood improved, though the apprehension about the meeting lingered. Outside, a red convertible from S.H.I.E.L.D. awaited, driven by a middle-aged man.
"Good day, Dr. Richards," he greeted.
"Good evening," I replied, settling into the back seat. "I assume Fury has been eagerly awaiting me?"
The driver smirked. "That's an understatement."
He drove at a brisk pace. I noticed the car was covered in high-level camouflage. People around us didn't see us, and likely, neither did the cameras.
Soon, we stopped in front of an unremarkable building, indistinguishable from many others in the area. However, as the car entered a car wash, it became clear what set this place apart… The platform under the car began descending.
"Quite futuristic," I remarked.
"Doesn't look like it to you," the driver noted, watching me in the rearview mirror.
"I understand how this place works, so it's not that impressive."
"Problems of geniuses…" the agent rolled his eyes.
At that moment, the platform stopped. By my calculations, we were about five kilometers underground.
"Thanks for the ride," I said, stepping out of the car.
Outside, Fury and his agents awaited.
"Good day, Dr. Richards," Director Nick Fury greeted.
"Hello, Director Fury."
"Follow me," he said.
We proceeded down the corridor.
"What do you think of our headquarters?" he asked at one point.
I knew this wasn't their main base. I was aware they had a more impressive one.
"I'm not thrilled that my taxes fund this place," I replied honestly. "But you didn't invite me to discuss your headquarters, did you?"
Fury smirked. "Unfortunately, no."
—//—
Fury led me into a room filled with holographic monitors displaying surveillance footage. From what I could see, these cameras were tracking New York City and its surroundings.
"Why did you call me here?" I asked Fury.
Fury nodded to one of his staff members. The images on the monitors changed.
"Hm," I muttered.
The screens showed the events leading to the creation of the Hulk. It was easy to understand that Bruce Banner had been building a bomb.
"While I understand the basics, additional explanations wouldn't hurt," I said, looking at Fury.
The one-eyed director of S.H.I.E.L.D. responded, "I suppose I can clarify a few points. As you can see, a military project under Bruce Banner's direction spiraled out of control. The explosion that should have incinerated Banner turned him into this creature. It calls itself the Hulk. It's highly aggressive and impervious to any weaponry that the military or we can deploy within the U.S."
The footage showed tanks and missiles being used against the green giant. S.H.I.E.L.D. operatives also tried to counter the monster with advanced Stark weaponry, but this only enraged the Hulk further, making it destroy everything with even greater force.
"We haven't yet tested our most powerful weapons on him," Fury continued. "And our scientists haven't been able to develop a countermeasure in such a short time. And we're running out of time."
"You want me to replace Tony Stark for you?" I asked, not hiding my confusion at such a proposal.
Even without my comic book knowledge, I could see Stark's patterns clearly. These patterns were impossible to miss with my knowledge.
"Yes, Dr. Richards, based on our research, you're the most likely to find a solution," Fury answered directly.
The Hulk wasn't just a product of science. According to recent Hulk comics from the 616 universe, the Hulk was not just a simple result of a scientific experiment but the actions of an entity called the One Below All. Given the events leading to the birth of the Fantastic Four and the Hulk, my universe, if not 616, is very close to it.
"Hah..."
My eyes focused on the footage of the military engaging the Hulk. I was almost certain that the military initiated the battle.
"I'll stop the Hulk, but it will be on my terms," I said, looking at Fury. "Only on my terms."
Fury's stern gaze met mine, but I didn't flinch under the leader of the Howling Commandos' scrutiny.
"Alright, Dr. Richards," Fury agreed.
It seemed he had no other options.
"Then I'll need all the data your people have on this creature," I said, looking at Fury.
—= Some Time Later =—
"Stretch, did I hear you right?" Ben started, his voice filled with disbelief and amazement. His eyes sparkled with skepticism. "You agreed to help the head of a spy organization tame a green monster that the military couldn't handle?"
The room fell into a tense silence. It was clear that such a mission didn't excite the team. Their gazes were filled with doubts and disapproval.
"What's bothering you, Ben?" Johnny asked with a smirk, his eyes gleaming with mischief and challenge. "Where's your adventurous spirit? Or are you just scared to face this Hulk?"
Surprisingly, this simple provocation from Sue's younger brother worked against Ben. His face turned red, and his gaze became even more determined.
"What did you say, Matchstick?!" Ben exclaimed, his voice filled with anger and challenge. "I'm ready to pound that green troll right now!"
My best friend was now eager to fight Banner's alter ego. Sue and Alicia, who were present, sighed heavily. Their sighs sounded like the soft chime of bells, full of disappointment and weariness from the constant male competitions. It seemed I heard a faint "Oh, these boys" along with the sigh.
"Our main goal is to try to bring back Bruce Banner's personality, not to pound the Hulk," I interjected, trying to bring a note of reason and strategy to the conversation.
"What makes you think it's not Bruce Banner who just went crazy with these new powers?" Sue asked, her voice full of genuine curiosity.
I had an answer for that. I waved my hand, and footage showing the moment when Hulk spoke appeared.
"HULK NOT WEAK BANNER! HULK IS HULK!" he shouted when Ross called him by Bruce's name. These words echoed in the room, leaving a significant silence in their wake.
"Quite a strong argument," Sue said, looking at the further actions of the military and the Hulk with slight shock. Her eyes widened in surprise, and her voice held a note of disbelief.
Thanks to the AI I managed to sneak into S.H.I.E.L.D.'s network when entering their headquarters, I soon received more detailed data from the events. The screens in the room came to life, displaying classified footage of the military actions.
The military, armed to the teeth, took strategic positions around the building where they believed the Hulk was hiding. The sun blazed mercilessly, reflecting off steel helmets and gun barrels, adding to the scene's tension. The commanding officer, a man with hard features, signaled the operation to begin with a wave of his hand.
At first, the air was pierced by the sound of tranquilizer darts designed to neutralize the Hulk without lethal force. However, as soon as the first dart touched the Hulk's skin, his eyes flared with fierce light. He roared, his powerful body tensed like a coiled steel spring.
"HULK SMASH!" his voice, filled with rage and pain, echoed through the area, making the air vibrate with his power.
The military, not expecting such a reaction, froze momentarily but then opened fire with automatic weapons on their commander's order. Bullets ricocheted off the Hulk's skin like off reinforced glass, causing him no visible harm.
The conflict quickly escalated into an open battle. The Hulk, using his incredible strength, began tossing military vehicles like toy cars, creating chaos and destruction.
Our eyes were glued to the screen, showing the disorder and devastation the Hulk unleashed in response to the military's aggression. At that moment, it became clear that our task was incredibly challenging. Not only did we need to subdue the Hulk, but we also had to do it in a way that minimized destruction and avoided civilian casualties.