Undisclosed facility, Upper East Side, Manhattan, NY.
The Pave Hawk descended over the sprawling greenery of Central Park, banking sharply toward a heavily fortified estate on the Upper East Side.
"The President is in town for a Global Health summit," Ross grunted over the rotor whine, his eyes fixed on the horizon. "He decided to combine a charity dinner with a sit-down that—quite frankly—I advised against. He wants this settled quietly, Steele."
Arthur stepped onto the manicured lawn as the skids touched down. The air here was different—expensive, silent, and thick with the tension of high-level security. Bruce followed, looking smaller than usual in his oversized jacket, his hands shoved deep into his pockets.
They were ushered through a side entrance, past Secret Service details that didn't blink, and into a private study that smelled of cedar and old power.
President Nathan Ellis stood by a tall window, his silhouette framed by the glittering Manhattan skyline. He looked weary, the lines on his face etched deeper than they appeared on televised addresses.
"Mr. President," Ross said, snapping a stiff salute.
Ellis turned, his gaze immediately finding Arthur. "Mr. Steele. The man who made my Joint Chiefs of Staff look like a group of disorganized schoolboys." he observed Arthur trying to get a read he offered a hand towards him.
"It's an honor to meet you Mr. President" Arthur said shaking his hand and maintaining a poker face. "I was just doing my job, couldn't see an innocent man be forced to live his life being on the run."
The President stared at Arthur a bit more, and then broke into a well practiced smile which didn't quite reach his eyes. "And I must say you did a pretty good job, I hope we can collaborate with each other in the future for the sake of the country of course."
"Of course Mr President, I am always available for serving the country and make sure there is no injustice."Arthur replies diplomatically.
"And Dr. Banner." He walked forward, offering a hand to Bruce. "I've spent the last forty-eight hours reading files on you that read like fever dreams. I know about the monster enough but wanted to see if the man was still in there."
"I'm trying, Mr. President," Bruce said, his voice a quiet rasp.
"Sit," Ellis commanded, gesturing to a circle of leather chairs. "Let's dispense with the pleasantries."
Ellis sat across from Arthur, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees. "The tribunal was a public relations nightmare, Steele. But it served a purpose. It forced this administration to look at the 'Super Soldier' program through a legal lens we didn't want to use. My advisors tell me the Hulk is a biological catastrophe waiting to happen. General Ross tells me he's a strategic asset we can't afford to let the private sector—or worse, our enemies—replicate."
"He's a citizen, sir," Arthur countered, his voice smooth and cold. "Not a 'strategic asset.' The law doesn't recognize a biological exception for civil rights. If Dr. Banner is a weapon, then it's a one this country created, why should he suffer the consequences of the military's failure to ensure the Hulk project's sucess? Where does the government stop?"
"It was never our intention to harm Dr Banner, Mr. Steele," Ellis shot back, though there was no malice in it, only the heavy pragmatism of a leader. He turned to Bruce. "Doctor, I'm a man of facts. I'm told you underwent a procedure today. A suppression. General Ross is concerned that you've just 'de-armed' a nuclear deterrent. I'm concerned with whether or not you're going to explode in the middle of a grocery store next Tuesday."
Bruce looked at the President, his expression hauntingly tired. "I spent five years running because I didn't want to be a weapon. I don't want to be your deterrent, and I don't want to be a disaster. Today wasn't about the law, sir. It was about being able to breathe without having to monitor my heart beat constantly."
"And if it worked?" Ellis asked. "What then? Do you just walk away? Go back to a lab in Virginia and pretend the last five years didn't happen?"
"That's the plan," Bruce said.
"Plans change," Ross interjected from the corner, his voice like gravel. "The world is getting stranger, Mr. President. We have a billionaire in a tin suit flying around Malibu, and we have rumors of things in the shadows that defy physics. Losing Banner's... 'other half' leaves us vulnerable."
"Vulnerable to what, General?" Arthur asked, tilting his head. "To peace? Or to the loss of your personal project?"
The air in the room grew cold, the tension between Ross and Arthur reaching a breaking point. But it was broken by something else—a sharp, frantic knock on the mahogany door.
Secret Service agent burst in, his face devoid of its usual stoic mask. "Mr. President, we have a Level 5 emergency. Tactical Command is reporting a catastrophic breach in Harlem. A localized explosion at a biological research facility followed by high-yield structural damage."
Ross stepped forward, his face turning a sickly shade of gray. "Sterns's lab. Blonsky was supposed to be in holding at the perimeter."
"He isn't," the agent said, his voice tight.
"He's on 125th Street. Sir... you need to see this."
Ellis gestured to the wall. A large monitor flickered to life, displaying raw, unedited footage from a news chopper. The streets of Harlem were a landscape of orange fire and black smoke. In the center of the carnage, a massive, bony horror was lifting a city bus over its head. It had a protruding, jagged spine and eyes that burned with a sickening, yellow hunger.
The giant roared—a sound that seemed to vibrate the very glass of the presidential study—and slammed the bus into a storefront. The explosion bloomed in high definition.
"My God," Ellis whispered, standing up.
"What is that? Ross, tell me that isn't one of ours."
Ross didn't answer. He stood frozen, watching his legacy turn into a slaughter.
"It's everything you wanted, General," Arthur said, his voice cutting through the horror like a blade. "Power without conscience. Strength without a soul. You wanted a soldier who wouldn't hesitate? There he is."
The Abomination swatted a military Humvee into a brick wall, the vehicle crumpling like a soda can. The creature looked into the camera, its face a distorted mask of Emil Blonsky's obsession.
"My God," Ellis whispered, his face pale in the blue light of the screen. "Casualties? Agent, give me a count. How many people were in that zone?"
The agent checked his tablet, his brow furrowing as he scrolled through real-time data. "Sir... remarkably, early reports indicate civilian casualties are near zero."
Ellis blinked, turning from the screen with a look of pure disbelief. "Zero? That monster just leveled a city block and crushed a pharmacy. How is that possible?"
"Sir, a mass evacuation was already nearing completion just before the entity appeared," the agent explained, tapping a icon on his screen to bring up a thermal map of the district. "The Aegis Foundation has been running a 'Public Outreach and Urban Resilience' program across the five boroughs for the last month. They had over two hundred 'Community Safety Officers' on the ground in Harlem tonight for what they called a high-pressure emergency drill."
The agent swiped the map onto the main monitor. A grid of blue icons—Aegis response units—were perfectly positioned around the red zone.
"When the first tremors hit, Aegis didn't wait for a 911 dispatch. Their teams utilized a private short-range broadcast to signal an immediate clearing of the 125th Street corridor. They moved the civilians into reinforced subterranean shelters and pre-designated 'safe zones' in the subway tunnels minutes before the laboratory explosion. Right now, they aren't just watching—they're coordinating with the NYPD and National Guard, providing real-time logistics, satellite-uplinked medical triage, and thermal tracking to secure the entire Harlem district perimeter."
The President's gaze shifted slowly, fixing on Arthur with a sharp, penetrating intensity. "Aegis. That's your foundation, isn't it, Steele? The philanthropic arm of your firm? I heard they were the ones who sorted the mess left by Stark near his Tower and also helped in the reconstruction, medical relief and monetary relief packages to those effected."
Arthur didn't flinch. He adjusted the cuff of his shirt with a calm, practiced grace. "Well I am more of a private consultant for them. But I believe in their mission that the best way to predict the future, Mr. President, is to be prepared for the worst versions of it. New York is a dense city; a standard response time is often a death sentence. Their teams were simply... in the right place at the right time."
"Coincidence of the century," Ross muttered, his eyes narrowing. "We had a private organisation running 'drills' exactly where my operative was located?"
"I call it foresight, General," Arthur replied, his voice a cool blade. "Perhaps if the military spent more time on 'Urban Resilience' and less on biological engineering, we wouldn't be standing in this room watching a tragedy unfold."
Ellis looked back at the screen, watching a squad of Aegis first responders in high-end tactical gear pulling a trapped driver from a car just seconds before the Abomination stomped the vehicle into the pavement.
"Whatever the reason," Ellis said, his voice grim, "your people just saved me a thousand eulogies, Steele. But they can't stop that thing. They're holding the line, but the line is breaking."
The screen showed the Abomination swatting a military Humvee into a brick wall. The creature looked into the camera, a distorted mask of Emil Blonsky's obsession.
"Dr. Banner," Ellis said, his voice losing its edge, replaced by a desperate, heavy plea. "My men are dying down there. Tanks are being deployed, but that... that thing is dismantling them. If you can stop this, I need you to tell me now."
Bruce walked toward the screen, his eyes fixed on the monster. "He has the serum... and my blood. He's everything the Hulk is, but he likes it. He's a soldier who found a bigger gun."
"Can you stop him?" Ellis asked.
Bruce looked at his hands—the hands that were supposed to be "cured." He looked at Arthur, the weight of the moment crushing the last of his peace.
"The antidote," Bruce whispered. "It didn't kill him, Arthur. It just quieted him. If I go down there... if I let him back out after we just tried to lock the door... I don't know if I ever come back. I don't know who will be in control."
"Bruce," Arthur said, standing and placing a hand on his shoulder. "Look at the screen. If you don't go, that shadow is all that will be left of this city. You aren't a weapon tonight. You're the only hope those people have."
Bruce closed his eyes, a single, sharp breath escaping him. When he opened them, the brown was flicking with a hint of emerald.
"Get the helicopter ready," Bruce said, turning to Ellis. "Tell your men to clear a five-block radius. If I'm going to do this, I need room to work."
Ellis nodded, reaching for a secure phone. "This is the President. Priority Alpha. Clear the Harlem engagement zone. Full evacuation. We're sending in the specialist."
"Mr President, I think I will also go there to my team to co-ordinate the damages and help in identifying the infrastructural liabilities and take a measure of what the people have lost in this nightmare, I will forward the report to the White House as well to help in minimising unnecessary delay in relief efforts after this mess is handled."
"That's alright, Mr Steele. Thank you for your efforts and your drive to help this country. I hope there are more people like you here, they are the heart of our great country. Be safe. May God Bless you and May God bless the United States of America..!!" Ellis shook Arthur's hand and then returned to monitor the live feed and the reports of his agents.
Arthur looked around the chaos, his eyes met General Ross, who looked like he aged a decade and had a grave face filled with dread and a bit of guilt.
"God speed, General." Arthur offered a olive branch.
Ross observed him looking for any sign of mockery and distaste, finding none he gave Arthur a strained smile and nodded towards him. He then went back to co-ordinate with the ground units and prepared to leave for Harlem as well.
Arthur adjusted his cuffs and quietly slipped out of the chaotic room. "Astra, initiate the ANUBIS Shroud. Move medical teams to the north perimeter. I'm going in."
"Deployment confirmed, Arthur. The Shroud is live. Harlem is a war zone. Be careful." Astra replied, there was a untertone of fear and nervousness in it.
---
The 125th Street corridor was a throat of fire. Unlike the chaotic battlefields of the past, Harlem was a grim display of organized resistance fighting a losing battle against a force of nature.
The National Guard had established a kill-box. Two M1 Abrams tanks stood anchored at the intersection, their main guns thundering in a rhythmic cadence that shattered windows for blocks. They weren't firing blindly; they were pinning the Abomination against the concrete pillars of the viaduct, trying to buy time for the ground teams.
On the sidewalks, the NYPD and the initial Aegis Outreach teams moved with frantic, disciplined urgency. There was no screaming, only the sharp blow of whistles and the bark of megaphones. Aegis responders, wearing reinforced tactical vests and carrying high-intensity flares, guided civilians into the subway shafts.
"NYPD! Form a line at the 126th entrance!" an Aegis coordinator shouted.
"Blue-squad, get those stretchers to the triage center under the bridge! Move!"
The NYPD officers worked in tandem with Aegis, using city buses as makeshift barricades to shield families from the flying debris. It was a masterpiece of civil coordination—until the Abomination stopped playing.
The Abomination roared, a sound that bypassed the ears and rattled the lungs. He didn't just charge the tanks; he leaped, a thousand-pound blur of gray bone and muscle. He landed on the lead Abrams, his claws peeling back the thick depleted-uranium armor like a sardine can.
"Is that all you have?!" the monster bellowed, hurling the tank's turret into a nearby storefront.
The military line buckled. The secondary tank fired, but the Abomination caught a passing car and used it as a shield, the shell exploding harmlessly against the chassis. He plowed through the barricade, scattering National Guardsmen like tenpins.
The NYPD's "safe zone" was suddenly in the path of the beast. An Aegis responder fired a grappling tether to trip the giant, but the Abomination simply yanked the line, pulling the responder through a brick wall.
"We're losing the perimeter!" the NYPD Sergeant screamed into his radio. "He's through the armor! We need heavy support or we're going to lose the whole block!"
The tension reached a fever pitch as the Abomination picked up a jagged piece of the tank's hull, eyeing the crowded subway entrance where hundreds were still being funneled.
Then, the clouds above Harlem split.
It wasn't just one unit. It was the full, synchronized weight of the Aegis Foundation's urban defense infrastructure, mobilized from every corner of the city.
From the North, four Aegis 'Centurion' Transports—rugged, quad-rotor heavy lifters—roared over the Hudson. They dropped low, their belly-mounted acoustic cannons emitting a localized "sonic hum" that disrupted the Abomination's equilibrium, forcing the giant to stagger and drop the wreckage he was holding.
From the East, the Aegis 'Vanguard' Motor-Unit tore through the gridlock. Dozens of high-performance tactical motorcycles and armored rapid-response SUVs swerved into the intersection. Troopers in matte-black riot gear vaulted from moving vehicles, immediately deploying collapsible, interlocking ballistic shields to create a "Hard-Point" for the pinned-down NYPD officers.
From the South, the Aegis 'Guardian' Drone Swarm arrived. Hundreds of small, silver discs blurred through the air like a localized storm. They didn't fire weapons; instead, they projected high-intensity dazzler lights and thermal-smoke screens, blinding the Abomination and masking the final retreat of the trapped civilians.
Finally, from the West, the Aegis 'Medical-Alpha' Wing descended. These were heavy-duty ambulances and mobile triage units that looked like armored bunkers on wheels. They breached the perimeter with hydraulic rams, establishing a sterile field and emergency surgical bays right on the edge of the war zone.
"NYPD, National Guard—fall back to the Aegis shield-wall!" a voice barked over the emergency frequency. "We have the sector! Secure your wounded and clear the lane!"
The soldiers and officers, exhausted and battered, looked up in awe as the Aegis Heavy Response Units slammed their shields into the asphalt, forming a shimmering, reinforced phalanx that finally held the Abomination's advance.
---
High above the new perimeter, the military Pave Hawk hovered. Inside, the wind whipped through the open bay door. Bruce Banner stood at the edge, his face a mask of grim determination and absolute terror.
"Bruce, you don't have to do this!" Betty screamed over the rotor wash, her hand reaching for him.
Bruce looked back at her—a look of profound, tragic love—and then he looked down at the burning streets. He looked at the Aegis units fighting for their lives, and at the gray monster waiting below.
"Betty," he yelled back, "I have to. Hulk is the only one who can stop him."
Without another word, Bruce stepped into the void.
He fell like a stone, five hundred feet of pure gravity. He didn't transform on the way down. He hit the pavement with a sickening, bone-shattering CRUNCH, skidding across the asphalt into a massive crater.
For a heartbeat, there was silence. The Abomination stopped his assault on the Aegis shields, sniffing the air. The crater was still.
Then, the ground began to vibrate. A low, subterranean growl started in the depths of the concrete. The crater exploded outward in a fountain of asphalt and green light.
"HULK... SMASH!"
The Green Goliath surged out of the hole, his muscles twice the size they had been at the lab. He slammed into the Abomination with the force of a freight train, the shockwave shattering every remaining window in a two-block radius.
---
A/N.
And the Big Boss had arrived to Smash the Big Bad.
Let me know what you thought about the intervention of the Aegis Foundation in Harlem, and also the meeting with the President (P.S I hope it wasn't cringy). And before you say what was the point of this meeting, which I highly anticipate the lot of you have already guessed, will become clear at the end of the Arc.
Now the next chapter will be the fight between Hulk and Abomination...or is it something more?
"Author trying to wiggle his eyebrows unsuccessfully."
And what are you doing guys , only 6 reviews till now for this masterpiece?
"smiling smuggly like a peacock".
This is a travesty, review the damn thing already, and also give me all your powerstones
"Author dreaming of being placed as the most populer fic."
ANUBIS staring at you...keeps staring...still staring....staring..."Review it, Now!!!!"
Ciao!!!