Chapter34: Monster in Harlem

---------------------------------- 6/4/10, Harlem New York--------------------------------

After Hiding away at the motel, Bruce and Betty are able to clean themselves up after the battle at Culver. Using the time to get needed supplies and make a plan to meet up with Mr. Blue. They make it to New York by bribing a boat owner to take them to lower Manhattan on the Hudson River. Got a cab to Central Park and walked to Grayburn College. They then went to meet Dr. Samuel Sterns as he was leaving a lecture. They go to his office as he realizes that he was talking to the 'Mr. Green' he had been chatting with online. They talk about the chances of their theorized cure working and if Sterns is prepared to go through with the procedure. Unaware of a drone sent into the room with them. This drone was tasked with observing their conversation and then later searching the room for all research and materials regarding Hulk and his transformation. Making copies and destroying the originals as soon as they leave the building. The trio then went to a laboratory where Sterns experimented on his theories. They then strap Bruce to a lab table to prepare for the 'cure'. An invisible figure watching from a corner of the room. As the experiment ends, Bruce turns back from his Hulk form and all seems successful. They then return to the office to talk about the experience. While they walk out, the invisible figure goes to the lab table and equipment to collect samples of Hulk blood along with the few drops of 'cure' left in the tubes. Only to hear the trio leaving towards another room. The invisible figure followed them without being noticed and saw them walk into a lab with blood bags in glass cases throughout the room.

Sterns: "We started on rats and mice, but it just completely fried them, so we had to go bigger. And we still don't know which is more toxic, the gamma or your blood." Sterns said as he led them into the next lab room with blood bag storage.\

Bruce: "What do you mean, my blood?" Bruce looks at Sterns, confused. Betty mirroring his sentiment from behind.

Sterns: "Bruce, this is all you." motioning to the cases around him."You didn't send me much to work with, so I had to concentrate it and make more. With a little more trial and error, there's no end to what we can do! This is potentially Olympian!"

Bruce and Betty then proceed to walk around the lab and observe the cases. Noticing that all the blood bags in the case are labeled 'Mr. Green'. Each section of the case has a batch number and a percentage for the strength of concentration used to make the batch. The invisible figure followed inside as well and began to scan the room along with the cases. Then going to Sterns that started typing on a computer and secretly added a drive to the back undetected.

Sterns: "This gamma technology has limitless applications. We'll unlock hundreds of cures. We will make humans impervious to disease!" He continued on as Bruce and Betty walked around and inspected everything. Until they all got to the back table and gathered around.

Bruce: "No, no, we've got to destroy it." Bruce said as he began to think of the implications this entails.

Sterns: "Wait, what?" Sterns is confused, as he doesn't understand the reason to waste such an opportunity.

Bruce: "All of it. Tonight, We're going to incinerate it. Is this the whole supply?"

Sterns: "What…. We could get the Nobel for this!" He says exacerbated from the thought of missing his chance at glory.

Bruce: You don't understand the power of this thing." He says as he points at Sterns to try and make him understand. "It is too dangerous. It cannot be controlled."

Sterns: "Three of us! This is Promethean Fire!" He exclaims. Not wanting to give up all the hard work and possible glory.

Bruce: "It's just too dangerous. There is no telling what would happen if this got in the wrong hands."

Sterns: "We have the antidote now."

Bruce: "They don't want the antidote! They want to make it a weapon! And if we let it go, we will never get it back. You don't have any idea how powerful this thing is."

Sterns: "I hate the government just as much as anyone, but you're being a little paranoid, don't you think?"

But just as Sterns said that, a gunshot was heard followed by the sound of broken glass. Then Bruce hunched forward in pain, as something hit his right shoulder from the window. Then a helicopter lowers with a spotlight on the lab window. Seeing the dart in Bruce's shoulder, Sterns screams in shock as Betty supports Bruce and pulls it out. Lowering with him as he falls to his knees.

Betty: "Bruce. Bruce." She screams as she checks to see if he is okay.

Bruce still has a look of shock on his face as he spots Blonsky walking in with an assault rifle.

Bruce: "Get out." He tells Betty, worried about her safety.

She turns to see Blonsky as well and gets up to block him but is instead pushed out of the way into one of the cases. Then falls to the ground after the hard impact. Blonksy then rushes over to Bruce and grabs him by the face with both hands, shaking him.

Blonsky: "Where is it? Come on, where is it?" Continuing to shake and slap Bruce around to get a reaction. "Show him to me." Then looking Bruce in the eye, but disappointed the Hulk didn't come out, he knocks out Bruce. Hitting him in the face with the blunt end of his assault rifle Just as more soldiers rushed in screaming his name.

The soldiers take Bruce away on a gurney after putting him in specialized cuffs and securing him down. Betty being escorted out of the building with them. All the while, Blonsky is still in the lab with Sterns and one other soldier.

Blonsky and Sterns continue to talk about the experiment and the possibilities of giving someone else the power of Hulk. The other soldier complained and was knocked out by Blonsky. As Sterns Begins to explain the ramifications of doing the experiment to Blonsky, he gets lifted in the air as a threat as Blonsky runs out of patience. Agreeing to do the experiment on Blonsky, now that he has informed consent, they go to the other lab. Once strapped into the lab table, the experiment starts. As Blonsky starts to transform, he hits Sterns who falls under a table. As he is staring into the ceiling the invisible figure rushes over and uses vials to catch the drops of concentrated Hulk blood. Then looks down at Sterns and kicks him in the head where it was hit earlier by Blonsky. The kick is strong enough to break his skull and Sterns bleeds out. The figure then releases a gauntlet to send the nanites that compose it to destroy all the loose Hulk blood on the counters and surfaces. While he moves further away from Blonsky after his transformation.