Since the system won't let me add in a new chapter, here's Part 6 for you guys. Read the others in the fan fic Forum if you like it. :P)
“It seems that the plan is coming to fruition. The white one is to gather the equipment, while the red one stays out of commission.”
“Yes, oh yes, it does seem like the plan is working. But, Sir, what happens if the Red one beats the instinct in him? Won’t it dawn on him that we are at fault for his troubles?”
Two men talked in the gloom of an expansive office, one standing and nervous, while the one sitting down was taller and more rigid. Behind them where screens of footage, one showing the Red Hulk rampaging in the canyons, while the other showed the white beast freezing huge expanses of area as he moved closer to one of the high tech laboratories deep inside New York City.
“You forget what the gamma creatures lack compared to the more complex minds of mere humans. Regardless of their true forms, they are nothing but animals.”
The smaller man shifted nervously.
“But why? Why now? Why HIM? And why the white one? Was it enough that his daughter was mutated no you have to find and bring another familial chain in-“
The man sitting down grabbed the smaller man, lifting him up easily into the air as if he was a mere toy.
“Why shouldn’t I add in a blood chain? If there is one thing I have learned through my life is that blood hits harder than strangers. For all the pain I endured at his hands, I dish back even more with the white one. Plus, while he is here and listening to me, I can use him to regain equipment for our experiments. And you know how much power those experiments bring in.”
The man’s fingers dug into the smaller man’s face. His nails started to crack and bleed as long claws grew out, piercing the smaller man’s cheek. The taller man’s eyes glowed electric blue, his pupils disappearing as he stretched his mouth into a hideous grin, his teeth and gums bleeding as they started to sharpen.
“Thaddeus Ross may have the power he dreamt of his entire life. But I have something even he can never win back to his side. And to top it off, how useful can he be to anyone when his subdued instincts start erupting? He’ll be locked way, driven mad. Then nothing will stand in my way for power. The power he took from me when we were mere children.”
The mutating thing dropped the small man hard onto the ground, his eyes slitting as they glowed.
“Fortunes turn every day. He lived his life of favoritism. Now….it’s my turn.”
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“Steve! Can you see him yet? We’ve been following nothing but Tornado Alley for the past half our here!”
Several helicopters flew over the desert that the runaway Red Hulk was rampaging in. So far the creature hadn’t gone to any towns, probably a Godsend that his human half was able to prevent, but had no problem in demolishing millions of years of Geologic history. On the ground, a motorcycle revved at top speed, Captain America by the wheel. His stars and stripes shield reflecting the sun of the hot midday, letting the choppers follow his movements on the ground. A loud roar sounded and the ground below shook as a massive red blur blitzed past the group.
“There he goes! Looks like he’s heading to that alluvial fan on the other side of this salt bed! If we can pin him down there, we can keep him from freaking out and attacking Vegas!”
Suddenly, a missile shot past the helicopters, narrowly missing them and Captain America as it flew low. A loud explosion was heard less than a second later and a strangled howl of pain sounded. Annie, sitting in the front of the lead helicopter, grabbed the radio set from its handle, her artificial heart beating as fast as a running horse.
“STEVE! What was that?! Is he okay?”
“Thanks, I’m okay miss. Not too seriously hurt…..oh the Lord almighty. That was grade A military missile. Some idiot called in the air force; this has Reggie Fortean’s stench all over it, even after I told him that Red Hulk belongs to me and the Avengers.”
The rubble started to clear and Rulk crawled to his feet, yellow blood spurting from a gash in his shoulder that nearly severed his arm from his body. Before their eyes, his muscle began to thread back together, reconnecting the limb to the body in mere seconds. Cap pulled his motorcycle to a stop several yards away from the enraged Hulk, pulling his shield out for protection, his as well as the others.
“Soldier, stand down! This is your commanding officer speaking! We don’t want to hurt you, but you almost killed people back in town. Stand down and we can help-“
Suddenly, engines sounded loud behind the hills overlooking the Red Hulk. 2 massive robots descended from over the tops, their massive frames barely lifted off of the ground. All over their silver shone bodies where missiles and guns. A crackling voice from behind an intercom spoke, the sharp crackle enraging the beast even more.
“Captain America. We request you leave this area immediately; we have expert orders from General Fortean to bring the Red Hulk into army headquarters, dead or alive.”
“ Request denied. Nobody was killed, and as long as the ‘Rulk’ doesn’t attempt to kill or harm others out of spite, the army has absolutely no jurisdiction or authority to attack or handle him. He belongs to the Avengers, regardless of what your foolhardy General thinks.”
One of the robots landed on the ground, creating a shockwave.
“We are under authority by a member of the United States Army. You have no authorization over us, and we can override your orders. The Red Hulk belongs to us, and we’ll take him any way that’s easier to carry.”
Without warning, both robots sprayed bullets at the Red Hulk, not caring if any hit Cap or the helicopters. The bullets, instead of bouncing off his thick hide, penetrated deep, severing blood lines and organs, causing the behemoth to scream. Annie tried to land the plane to get to him, but was held back.
“NO! Red! They’re adamantium! It’ll kill you!”
Red started to pop the bullets out, his skin sealing the holes as the metal fell out of his muscles. Snarling, Red Hulk began to spin like a top, his body superheating in his rage to the point that every bit of exposed skin was alive in flame. One of the robots spoke, the crackling voice hard to hear through the wind generated by Rulk’s spinning.
“What is that freak doing? This is war, not dance recitals!”
But Captain America and Annie knew full on what was happening. Annie had the helicopters land farther back, as Cap moved far away. And with good reason. Rulk spun faster and faster, his form melding into a blur. The wind generated began to encircle him, forming a small dust devil. That grew. Bigger. And bigger. And bigger. The robots suddenly saw a massive tornado being formed right in front of them…and it was aimed for them. As Rulk span himself into a tornado, his flaming body engulfed the air inside, causing the wind tunnel to become enflamed. A fiery tornado was created, and it was ready to kill. The machines shot at the tornado with everything they had, but the wind just incinerated. The pull was so great that, before the machines could rocket out, the cyclone literally absorbed the mechs inside itself, spinning and melting the machines. After a few spins, the machines where thrown out and smashed against the mountain side, broken beyond repair in less than 30 seconds. Rulk ceased spinning and immediately jumped onto one robot that was trying to right itself, despite having a severed connection to its legs. Howling in rage, he began tearing out the cockpit of the Hulkbuster, grabbing the pilot inside and holding him up in the air. The red beast roared, louder than even the green Hulk dared to roar, shaking the man to the very core as he stared into the monster’s two glowing yellow eyes. A gunshot rang and a bullet pierced through Rulk’s hand, forcing him to drop the man with a dog-like yip. He beast turned, his teeth bared and massive canines sliding against his gums like those of a saber tooth tiger. Standing in front of him was Annie, a Gamma Base issue pistol in her hand, full of adamantium slugs. While small, these where the only metal that could effectively kill a high level regenerator, like a Hulk. Her hand shaking, she dropped the gun, slowly walking up to the beast.
“Thad…listen to me. You remember me, Annie. Your friend. Please, you’ve got to remember me. We’ve been through so much together…”
Red Hulk lowered his lips, a low moan emanating from him. Slowly, he stepped off of the wreckage, turning his head slightly at Annie. Tears ran down her face as she came closer, standing underneath the creature’s huge 9 foot tall body. Red lifted his massive hand, gently stroking her cheek with the back out his finger. His glowing yellow eyes started to recede back into blue, his skin fading its red slightly, his transformation back into human form starting. His voice started to come through his rage as well.
“A…Annie…..”
As Red reached to stroke her hair, Annie saw someone crawling out of one of the robots. Despite dirty with dust, he was unharmed, and in his hand was a large gun.
“NO!”
But it was too late. The gun went off, and a series of darts shot out, impaling the hulk in the back. The red behemoth roared, his skin flaring back into a bright red, his eyes flaring like living fire. He smashed the ground, ballistic with rage. The pilot of the Hulkbuster shot again and again, the gamma beast pierced with over a dozen darts. Slowly, the sedatives inside took effect. Red Hulk started to teeter like a falling log, swaying. Moaning, he tried to reach for Annie, but, blind with sedation, he tripped, landing on his back with a tremor. As his vision faded, he saw Annie crying, hugging him as the Gamma Base personnel surrounded the vulnerable hulk, edging closer. The beast faded away, feeling the bone crunch of his body as it started to shrink.
But in his head, he heard the same voice taunting him. The same one that drove the hulk instinct to take over.
My darling Thaddeus, you think a sedative will put us down? What you feel next will be Hell compared to the stint we pulled with you in the store. And why stop at transformation? The moment you wake up, be very surprised at what you find. Because you can never truly trust your reflection in the mirror, now can you?
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