In the S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters, inside the Director's office, Nick Fury held a tablet in his hands, rapidly scrolling through important information. From his changing expressions, it was clear the news he was reading was positive. Finally, a satisfied smile appeared on his face.
Knock-knock!
Click!
"Director."
Just as Fury was absorbed in his reading, the office door, which had been closed, suddenly swung open. The visitor barely knocked before pushing through the heavy wooden door.
The person who entered was none other than Phil Coulson. His movements were somewhat hurried, as if something important had occurred.
"Coulson? Perfect timing. I have some good news for you," Fury said, glancing up to see Coulson stride into the office. He had news to share with him anyway.
Closing the door behind him, Coulson approached Fury's desk, holding a tablet of his own. Fury, sensing urgency, set his own device aside and gestured for Coulson to speak.
"Let's start with your news."
Coulson brought up the relevant data on his tablet and handed it over. Fury began skimming through the information.
"Director, on the day of the Abomination incident, Bruce Banner—known by the codename Hulk—was captured by General Ross and transported to a military base. Since then, we've lost direct oversight of him."
"But recently, a confrontation occurred on Ross's base, and our agents spotted a green figure wreaking havoc before escaping the premises and vanishing."
Fury listened as Coulson reported while scanning through photos and S.H.I.E.L.D. agent reports on Ross's base. The images captured a massive green monster destroying everything in its path before leaping out of view.
"Ross failed again. The Hulk won't be under his control anymore," Fury smirked. When Ross initially captured Banner, Fury had anticipated this outcome, knowing the sheer power of the creature. Ross's military might was simply not enough to contain it.
"Increase agent deployment. Even if we can't control the Hulk, we need to know where he is at all times," Fury ordered, resting his chin on his hands as he looked at Coulson.
"Understood, Director," Coulson replied.
"By the way, Coulson, I have good news for you."
"Good news?" Coulson raised an eyebrow. What good news could there possibly be? A raise, perhaps? He couldn't think of anything better.
"Director, what's the good news?"
"The good news is that I'm assigning you to an important mission—retrieving a World War II veteran who has been asleep for 70 years," Fury announced.
"What? You don't mean…?" Coulson's eyes widened. A WWII veteran, 70 years in stasis… Considering that Fury had mentioned Captain America was alive, Coulson immediately knew who Fury was talking about.
"Director, you've found him?" Coulson was ecstatic. Captain America had been his hero since childhood. He admired him so much that his home was covered with posters of the hero, and he carried a limited-edition Captain America trading card in his wallet. Now he had the chance to meet his idol—and perhaps even get an autograph.
"Yes. Recently, a search team I sent to Alaska reported finding Captain America frozen in the ice. I need you to head out, retrieve him, and oversee the thawing process," Fury explained, pulling several documents from a drawer and handing them to Coulson.
"No problem, Director. Consider it done," Coulson replied, taking the documents and rushing out of the office with a mixture of excitement and determination. The thought of meeting his childhood hero made his steps light and brisk.
Fury watched Coulson leave in a hurry and shook his head with a knowing smile. Then he returned his attention to the tablet, pondering his next steps regarding the Hulk situation.
...
"So Banner escaped after all?" Noah remarked, holding a bowl of food in his hands.
Night had fallen, and Noah had returned from the Void. Heading straight to his mansion, he found Lissandra had already prepared dinner. She also informed him about the chaos Hulk had unleashed on the military base before his escape.
This outcome was no surprise to Noah. He had anticipated Banner wouldn't endure life in captivity for long. General Ross, obsessed with creating a controllable super-soldier, had likely subjected Banner to all kinds of experiments. While Banner might have endured it, the Hulk certainly would not.
The events unfolded exactly as Noah had predicted: Hulk reappeared, wreaked havoc, and escaped. What remained uncertain was whether Banner would contact him now that he was free. If the strain of being a fugitive proved too much, perhaps he'd consider the offer Noah had made before.
"Looks like I should start preparing too."
With Banner on the loose, it was time for Noah to set his plans into motion—like establishing his own company or research base. His current resources were no longer sufficient for his ambitious projects, such as developing Hextech beasts and other innovations.
As for funding, Noah decided to stop selling Vibranium. His supply wasn't as large as he had once thought, and selling it to others had been a mistake he now regretted.
Money wouldn't be an issue, though, thanks to Lissandra. The internet was her domain, and the financial world was just a playground for her. Digital currencies were merely numbers she could manipulate at will.
If she wanted, she could become the richest person in the world. However, she'd need to be cautious not to draw unnecessary attention.
"Lissandra, take care of this for me," Noah delegated the task to her, knowing she had the expertise he lacked.
"Of course, Noah," Lissandra replied with a calm nod.
...
In a remote, desolate mountain range, a man in nothing but shorts climbed out of a deep pit. Glancing around in confusion, he hugged himself against the biting cold wind and began walking in a random direction.
This half-naked man was Bruce Banner, now returned to his human form. He was no stranger to situations like this—waking up in unfamiliar places with nothing but a pair of shorts to his name. Ever since the accident that transformed him into the Hulk, it had become a regular occurrence.
Using his wits, Banner found shelter, gathered dry branches, and crafted a makeshift fire-starting tool. Despite his predicament, he remained the brilliant scientist with seven doctorates, and such tasks were trivial for him.
As the fire crackled, its warm light dancing on his face, Banner crouched near the flames, contemplating his next move. Once again, the Hulk had saved him from military captivity, but Ross would never relent. The hunt would resume soon, and the endless cycle of running and hiding would begin anew.
Staring into the fire, Banner suddenly recalled the words of the man in high-tech armor who had approached him not long ago. His eyes glinted with newfound determination.
"Maybe... I really can escape Ross's grasp once and for all."
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