"Abominations"
Part Two

What Has Come Before: The Hulk continues to exist as a being ripped asunder: thanks to a spell cast by the Lord of the Lake, the personalities known as Banner and the Professor have been removed from the Hulk's inner matrix. Now living as a being of almost pure emotion, the Hulk has been brought into the service of the Penance Council and has been assigned his first mission -- to halt a break-in at the London headquarters of Stark Enterprises. Meanwhile, the Hulk's current lover, Molly Fitzgerald, has broken the Leader out of Darkmoor Prison in the hopes that he can help her locate Bruce. She is unaware that the Leader has locked the Banner and Professor personas in a mental trap of his own. Finally, the Hulk's wife, the recently reborn Betty Ross Banner, is about to make a dangerous trip to Otherworld in the company of Hawkeye the Archer and the mutant mistress of magnetism, Polaris.

The Hulk sat in the back of the helicopter, ignoring the sights and sounds all around him. His head ached and he badly wanted to find a dark cave somewhere and rest... but he knew that he couldn't do that. For some reason, the bearded man was able to make Hulk do things he didn't want to do.

"You're up, Big Green."

The Hulk lifted his head and stared at the Blazing Skull, who was standing next to the open hatch. Incoming wind caused the flames around the Skull's head to flicker wildly. "Who is Hulk supposed to smash?"

The Skull's shoulders dropped somewhat and his voice took on a sad note. If the Hulk had still possessed Bruce Banner's intellect, he would have realized that the Skull seemed very uncomfortable with the whole notion of using the Hulk in this manner. "That's Stark Enterprises down there, buddy... and there's nobody in it who's supposed to be in it. So if you find someone, feel free to pound 'em as hard as you like."

"And then Hulk can rest?"

"Sure thing."

The Hulk rose from his spot on the floor and moved to stand next to the Skull. He stared down at the building below. "Hulk will be back." He glared at the man beside him. "And then Hulk expects bearded man to shut up while Hulk sleeps." Flexing his powerful leg muscles, he propelled himself from the helicopter. He landed hard on the top of the building's roof, smashing right through it. He landed on the ground floor, tearing right through the four floors above.

The interior of the building was dark, with just a few emergency lights illuminating the offices. The ripped and bloodied body of a security guard lay crumpled on the floor, just feet away from a stairway, and the Hulk moved towards it. He nudged it with his foot, grunting when he realized that all life had fled this body. Can you hear me, Hulk?

The emerald behemoth roared, slapping at his head. "Shut up!"

Stop it, you big galoot... This is Hammond, using our telepathic radio. Get your ass in gear and find the thief. The sooner he's dealt with, the sooner we can send in the recovery team.

The Hulk growled in the back of his throat. He knew, dimly, that the Council meant to steal technology before the authorities arrived and he was in no hurry to aid them. But he pressed on, sniffing the air for any scent of his prey.

A bright light suddenly shone in his eyes, momentarily blinding him. A mechanically-distorted voice shouted "Bloody bastards! How many of you monsters are there??"

Before the Hulk could do more than raise a hand to shield his eyes, an energy blast slammed into him. The force knocked him through a wall and into a boardroom. Roaring his anger, the Hulk slammed both fists down onto the ground, sending shockwaves throughout the building. "Come out! Come out so Hulk can smash you and go home!"

Something in the pained nature of the man's voice made the Hulk pause. He shambled forward, acutely aware that the armored man backed away at his approach. "Hulk doesn't understand."

The man reached up and flipped open his helmet, revealing a middle-aged face of average proportions. Curly blond hair peeked out from the interior of the metal shell. "My name is Arthur Clyburn. I'm a weapons designer. This armor was housed in a secret lab beneath the mapped portion of the facility. I found it by accident and have been tinkering with it ever since. I think it's a prototype for one of Iron Man's suits -- he used to work for Tony Stark. When the brute broke in here tonight, I put it on to save my own skin, nothing more!"

Hulk scratched behind an ear. He could feel Hammond listening in, monitoring all that transpired. "Where is thief?"

"He was in the weapons lab last time I saw him, but he could be anywhere... If you'll pardon me for asking, Dr. Banner, but I thought you were in better control of the Hulk than this?"

The Hulk's nostrils flared at the mention of Banner's name. "Hulk is in control! Hulk doesn't need puny Banner for anything!"

Arthur flipped his helmet's faceplate back into place. "I believe you, my friend. Honestly!" He felt a surge of fear, realizing that this brute before him was the same Hulk who'd destroyed so many innocent lives over the years. Banner's lost it. Again! It must be so horrible to have a brilliant mind locked away inside this hideous form!

"A Pendragon and an Avenger, all on my first mission. I must be quite good at making a name for myself."

The voice drifted down to them from above and both the Hulk and Arthur Clyburn looked up to see the Abomination stared down at them. He was situated on the floor above, peering down through the hole that the Hulk had made on his entrance. The villain's green skin glowed slightly in the darkness and open sores oozed pinkish fluid, while tentacles danced atop his head like snakes.

The Hulk snarled. "Hulk is ready to smash you!"

The Abomination smiled coldly. "I'm sorry, my infantile little friend... but you're not the big bully on the block anymore. I am!" He dropped from the floor above, landing on the Hulk's back. His tentacles shot out, striking the Hulk again and again, leaving behind painful sores. 

Arthur started to flee, his heart hammering in his chest. He felt so stupid in this tin can of his... he didn't belong in the middle of this. He was 42 years old, twice divorced and a chronic smoker. Definitely not superhero material. 

But here you are, a voice in his head whispered. All dressed up and ready to go. Why not? What's the worst that could happen? Death? Please.

"I did survive an attack by the Hulk," he said aloud. "That's got to count for something." 

Steeling himself, he waited for an opening -- and when he saw the Hulk grab hold of the villain's head tentacles and slam him to the floor, he took it. He ran forward and delivered a powerful blow right into the monster's face, following that up with a repulsor blast to the Abomination's midsection.

The Hulk grabbed hold of the Abomination's arms and held him tightly, but was surprised when the monster slithered out of his grip, oozing out like oil. 

"I'm more than human now, Dr. Banner. I'm afraid your strength alone isn't going to be enough -- and neither will your friend, Iron Man!" The Abomination threw himself at his armored foe, seeking to seep in through the openings in the armor. Arthur sealed them shut, however, activating the internal oxygen system just in time.

The Hulk narrowed his eyes, watching as the Abomination resolidified before him. He backhanded the villain from behind, sending him flying forward. "Hulk is tired of fighting! Hulk wants to smash you into the ground!"

The Abomination forced himself back to his feet, reaching inside the fluid bag that was his skin and pulling forth a gun of some kind. "I feel the same way about you, monster. But whereas all you have is your fists, I've gotten something interesting from this place."

Arthur's eyes widened -- the gun, dubbed 'excalibur' by some in the office -- was his personal creation. Based on the pioneering work of Frank Drake, it fired a focused ray of nanites which could alter its victim on a molecular level. He saw the villain discharge the weapon at the Hulk and, without thinking about it, he threw himself in the path of the beam. It struck him hard, phasing through the armor and into his very soul. 

He screamed.

Betty had heard the term 'projectile vomiting' but she'd never really experienced it firsthand. Her own periods of nausea were relatively brief things, with her head hanging over a toilet bowl. But this... 

This was serious.

She threw up again and again, until her stomach was empty and the dry heaves were upon her. She felt Hawkeye's hands on her back, patting her reassuringly. "Hang in there. It'll pass."

She looked up at him, her face pale and sweaty. "Why aren't the two of you sick?"

"We've experienced teleportation before," the green-eyed woman in their party said. Polaris was watching her with a mixed expression -- it spoke of both sympathy and amusement. "You should try to walk it off."

Bitch, Betty thought. She allowed Hawkeye to help her to her feet, wiping at her mouth with the back of a hand. Otherworld was just as lush and beautiful as she'd heard, looking like a fairy tale kingdom come to life. A few denizens of the realm were watching them with wary expressions. "We're here. How do we get under the Barrier?"

"We talk to the man in charge," Hawkeye said. He was much more grim than Betty remembered... and she realized that he'd probably lost someone (or several someones) in the war. So had Polaris. "That'd be him," he added, pointing towards a handsome blond man in a tight blue uniform, flying towards them.

Brian Braddock landed before them, a smile on his handsome face. "Welcome to Otherworld!" He offered a hand to Betty first, his eyes holding hers. She felt better in his presence, drawing strength from him somehow. "It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Banner. I imagine you're anxious to be on your way."

"More than you know. Is he alright? Do you know?"

Something passed over Brian's eyes and it filled her with dread. His smile never wavered, but she knew that he was keeping something from her. "He's alive and well, but I haven't kept up with him as of late. The pressures of being King, you know."

"We thought it was going to be more dangerous than this," Polaris said, looking about. "Mrs. Banner hardly needs bodyguards if this is the worse she'll face."

"You'll be needed once you get under the Barrier," Brian said. "There are only a few places I can insert you at the moment -- and they're all in dangerous areas. Fancy a trip to Latveria?"

"If it'll get me to my husband, I'll go through Hell," Betty said.

The Hulk saw the false Iron Man hit the ground, his armor alive with some sort of fiery energy. The man within was screaming, all because he'd taken an attack meant for the Hulk. That meant that the being in the suit was a friend... and the Hulk was powerfully loyal to those precious few that he called 'friend.' 

The Abomination cursed, waiting for the gun to cycle through its programming. The weapon was potent but incapable of prolonged use without recharging, so the villain tossed it aside as the Hulk charged towards him. He allowed himself to go 'fluid' and wrapped about the Hulk, encasing him. The Hulk howled as his skin began to burn and sizzle, strange sickness beginning to creep into his system. He clawed at the fluidic surface of his skin, but the Abomination refused to budge. As it began to clog his nostrils and esophagus, the Hulk gasped for air....

Arthur felt like his entire body was on fire. He coughed up blood, his eyes bulging, and he wondered if this was it. Would he die, having played at being a hero?

But then he heard a man's voice in his head, encouraging him. All your life has led to this. All your choices, right and wrong, have shaped the man you are. Now is the time you Become greater than you are. Now is the time for you to become a defender of the Green. Take this tool of technology and let it become more.

Mystic energy flooded through both the armor and his body, changing him subtly. He felt stronger, more clearheaded than ever before. 

He rose from the ground and saw that the Hulk was in dire shape. He reached over for the fallen gun and hefted it, tweaking the settings. He aimed it straight at the emerald goliath, firing it twice. The blasts hit home, striking straight into the heart of the Abomination. It found the embryonic tissue at the core of the man's flesh, the experimental device that had given him new life.... and it altered it slightly, until it considered its host unsuitable. It ripped free of the man in whom it resided, causing him to peel away from the Hulk, howling in agony. Bailey stared at his horribly scarred skin and ran madly into a pane of glass, shattering it. The experimental lifeform, meanwhile, lay on the ground, pulsing.

Arthur limped over to the Hulk, who was breathing heavily. "Are you okay, my friend?"

"Hulk... hurts."

"I imagine so." He placed the gun on the back of his armor and knelt beside the gamma-powered brute. "We'll get you back to the Pendragons and--"

"Actually, we'll take over from here." Arthur looked up to see the Blazing Skull and a team of dark-suited men sweeping into the room. "And we'd appreciate it if you powered down, Dr. Clyburn. The Hulk's with us."

Arthur hesitated, realizing they knew who he was. The smart thing to do would be to turn over the armor and forget all about this... but that voice... the Green. Today was the day he made a choice. 

"Call me Iron Man." He rose to his full height, activating his boot jets, and rocketed away. He wasn't sure where he would go... but he knew somehow that the men below would not be good for him. And probably weren't good for the Hulk, either.

"She lives there? So pitiful."

"It's not a bad home, actually... especially not for this part of Leeds."

Andreas Strucker sniffed. The man at his side, the Rook, was a deadly assassin... and one of the few that Andreas trusted implicitly. "And her man's not home anymore?"

"The Hulk's missing."

"Good," Andreas smiled. They sank further into the shadows of the approaching night, watching the home that Molly Fitzgerald shared with the Hulk. "I don't want anyone getting in the way when I get my revenge on that stupid cow."

Next Issue: First, check out Pendragons # 65, in which Molly Fitzgerald's life takes a turn for the worse. Then come back here as Bruce Banner, the Professor and the incredible Hulk come together once more!

Author's Notes

We've got a letter from Joseph Connell this time around:

Okay, good start for the new storyline. Introducing so many new players into the game could get a bit confusing, especially throwing in Hawkeye and Polaris like this. I suppose we'll be seeing them in "Pendragons" soon? Maybe I'm not as careful a reader as I thought, but where can I get the low-down on the "V-Batallion"? And how soon before Bruce and the Professor get back into action full-time?

If you'd like to see more on the V-Batallion, make sure you delve into Robert Rock's Penance Council series! It's great stuff.

Keep In Touch,

Barry