Hulk 2099UG #4

Wow, never had this problem before. Anyway, here it goes. . .

"The BOMB! GET AWAY FROM THE BOMB!"

"Uh. . ."

"Where is that Woman going?"

"NNNGGGRAH!!"

"You got any brains in there ugly? we gotta get this fight outta here!

"NO! Stay Away!"

"What. . .?"

"Anti-Hulk! This is your MASTER! This Battle must. . ."

"RRRR!"

"QUIRK!"

"It's over. . . it's over . . . it's. . .

"Emergency signals transmitting from everywhere. . .San Francisco. . .The Desert . . .The Sierras. I-It's the whole STATE! California is going to. . .NOOOO. . .

RRRRMMMMBLLE. . . . .

RRRUMMBBLLE. . . . . . . . . .

RRRMMBLLE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

VA-VWOOMMMMMM. . . . . . . . . . . . .

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"Wow John! That's some pretty fancy VR you got there! If I didn't know better I'd swear we were right there."

The Hulk, surrounded by a series of monitors and consoles interlinked by numerous wires and cables, turns to face his visitor. He growls at the young man standing before him, a look of anger growing within his eyes.

"Oh that's right, I forgot. You're not playing the part of John anymore. How did you put it: there is no John-I am the Hulk and my purpose is to kill and destroy!"

"Gwrrrrr!"

"What? You don't remember me? I'm very disappointed at you John. I've been haunting you for weeks, trying to get your attention. Once, I was the driving force in your life. You even tried to shout my name earlier today. . . should have known I was in trouble when your mind started dwelling on them."

The boy walks past the Hulk to one of the control consoles. "A Kronos XL-300, one of the first truly interactive VR players to hit the market. I'm touched by your sense of nostalgia John. I really had no idea you were into vintage netware."

The Hulk moves close behind as the boy begins to adjust the controls. "OK John, I hope you're ready. I've switched from observation to interactive. Let's see what's so SHOCKING important that you can't even remember my name."

The Hulk's expression of anger melts into the confusion as the monitors and consoles fade into blackness. Something was beginning to happen but he did not know what. "GAWAIN??"

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"So what do you think John?"

The Hulk looks for the boy, but sees nothing in the flash of blinding light behind him. He turns forward to see a young woman trapped under debris. "QUIRK," he hears his voice yell aloud with some surprise. He reaches as if to help her when the flash of light overtakes him. He hears himself scream in pain as he watches the young woman vaporize from view.

"Can you feel it John? Every cell in your body afire with gamma radiation? It's coursing through your already irradiated blood fueling changes you haven't even begun to realize even as it kills everyone else around you."

EVERYONE ELSE. The words recall yet another memory for the Hulk. Marian was there in the building too. The sister put in harms way because of what he had become. He feels the sense of powerlessness, the realization that he could do nothing, followed by a growing rage. She was dead now, another failed . . .He stops in mid thought as incredible pain begins to overtake his mind. He screams aloud as high as his voice will carry. Again, the body is changing, mutating. . .

"Don't panic John. Remember, we're only reliving the experience."

As quick as it had begun, it was over. The smoke cleared and for the first time the Hulk could see his young guide again. "Wow this initial mutation is even uglier than I recalled. Those teeth protruding through the skin along the neck are a definite no go"

The Hulk paused at Gawain's words. Mutation? Well, he did feel different somehow.

"Blood pressure is rising; EEG readings are going off the scale," the Hulk heard a voice say faintly.

" Get me those blood results now. Lychos, we need DNA encoding . . ."

The Hulk looked around searching for the source of the voices in the destruction that surrounded him. Gawain moved near him suddenly, pulling against his arm to attract attention. "Don't listen to the voices John. We're not quite done yet."

The Hulk's eyes met Gawain's as their surroundings shifted yet again.

"Do you remember this alley John? How you wandered here from ground zero before collapsing in pain from exhaustion. Come to think of it John, you've tired pretty easy a lot of late. Whatever happened to the self proclaimed wild-man of the desert?"

The Hulk growls yet again as his muscles tense with anger. A sinister grin emerged from across his lips as he raised his arm to strike. Gawain leaped back and to the left. As the Hulk pondered the futility of this action, a concussion blast struck his back, knocking him to the ground.

"Sergeant Major, this is Recon 3, we have found the target and he is alive. Repeat, the Hulk is alive;" the SHIELD officer reported in his com-link.

"President Rogers has ordered the extermination of all so-called heroes. You are authorized to exterminate with extreme prejudice. I am dispatching back up units to your position now."

The order given, the five SHIELD agents assumed offensive positions amid the debris at the alley's entrance and opened fire.

"AAAAGGRHHHH," the Hulk shrieked in pain as three red hot laser beams found their mark. He gazed first at his attackers then at the boy who hid behind an old dumpster.

"Its either them or me John. What's it going to be?"

He hesitated briefly, before leaping into the air. "PREPARE TO SHOCKIN DIE!"

The Hulk landed behind two of the SHIELD agents, catching them totally off guard. He grabbed one and flung him headfirst towards the one full wall still standing. The sound of breaking bones was louder than the agents brief scream of pain before death. The other agent froze with fear, unable to move. A large green hand grasped his neck, raising him off the ground. The Hulk tightened his grip and broke it before dropping him to the ground.

"HELP! We're getting murdered down here," the team leader screamed into his comlink. The other two remaining agents were priming the concussion cannon as the Hulk walked slowly towards them.

"FIRE!"

VRAA-BOOOM!

The blast struck him squarely in the chest but the Hulk hardly flinched. Horrified, the two men dropped the weapon and attempted to run but they were not fast enough. He grabbed one in each hand, extending his arms far apart. With all the force he could muster, he smashed their helpless bodies together as if he were clapping his hands. Blood dripped from his fingers as he dropped their bodies and turned to face their superior.

"Your not going to get me you shocking bastard," he yelled as he raised his sidearm to his head. "I'll see you in HEL," he spoke, pulling the trigger that ended his own life.

His rage momentarily at bay, the Hulk looked at the death surrounding him. He sensed fear and regret even as he scanned the alley for his missing guide. Seeing no one, he walked outside of it only to be bathed in glow of a yellow searchlight and the heat of a low intensity laser.

The Hulk looked up to see a SHIELD hovercraft marking his position. In the distance, he could hear the rumblings of machinery and the chatter of a large group of people. The shift in mood was again immediate. He grasped a large piece of a collapsed wall and hurtled into the air. The flying projectile hit its mark with precision, resulting in an explosion that sent the hovercraft crashing into what remained of a nearby building. The Hulk growled with satisfaction as the sound of reinforcements grew louder. Again he heard voices. . .

"DNA sequencing complete; comparative analysis is loading onto the monitor."

"Muscular tension index is approaching maximum. . . .

"Sir, the comparison is on screen . . . Look at those cells. . ."

"HEY JOHN!" The voice resounded in the Hulk's ears as a small piece of rock hit his head. The Hulk turned to see Gawain, but their surroundings were different. They were no longer in the alley although they were certainly still in L.A. The building they now stood within was heavily damaged, much of its roof collapsed.

"Don't you remember this place John? In a few moments you're going to make a valiant last stand against the legions of SHIELD! That's right big guy, they're still after you. I simply fast forwarded the VR a little bit. No since in reliving that uneventful trip from the alley to here."

"WHAT THE SHOCK ARE YOU DOING TO ME?" The Hulk growled.

"You should really see a therapist about these mood swings of yours John. It's not healthy. Anyway, I'm not doing anything to you; you're doing it to yourself.

"STOP CALLING ME THAT NAME! I AM THE HULK."

SWOOOSHHH!

"Whatever. That was the sound of SHIELD attack aircraft overhead. The ground troops should be positioning themselves around the courthouse even as we speak."

The Hulk walked away from the boy to peer outside. Through the doorway, he could see SHIELD agents, perhaps as many as 100, taking up attack positions. Behind them, armored attack vehicles with mounted concussion cannons targeted the courthouse. Attack jets circled in the sky like vultures.

"Go on wild man of the desert. Tear into them like you did that recon squad in the alley. You are the Hulk; you kill and destroy."

The Hulk glares at his young comrade for what seems like an eternity then smiles. He turns and walks out onto the stairs of the court house to face his would be attackers. "Come on then!"

His challenge is met with a confused silence as the SHIELD agents are caught off guard by his request.

"COME ON THEN!" He yelled as he raised his arms above his head.

They did not need to be told a third time. A barrage of red laser beams cut into his skin followed by concussion charges and even armor piercing shells.

The Hulk screams loudly from the intense burning pain. Those SHIELD agents closest to him fell back in anticipation of a counter attack that never came. He held his place at the top of the stairs even as a number of the blasts cut all the way through his body. The gunfire continued for another two to three minutes before he collapsed in a puddle of blood. As he drifts from consciousness, he watches as they move slowly closer to insure the kill.

"Report to Washington D. C. and Chicago Regional Office: Target Hulk has been terminated. Repeat, target Hulk has been terminated."

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"C'mon John. . . Shockin wake up already. You're not dead, not yet." Gawain looks down at the massive green body sprawled on the courthouse stairs and kicks it in the stomach. He frowns at the lack movement and walks up to the Hulk's face, kicking him again.

Eyes open and arms start to move. Gawain smiles as the Hulk looks up at him.

"You didn't really think that would work did you John? You must have realized by this point that one aspect of your exposure to gamma rays is a rather incredible healing factor. It was one of the many effects of gamma radiation the Knights were attempting to harness and understand. Even Doctor Banner never realized the full potential of this aspect of his own exposure."

The Hulk attempted to stand but could not. "It's a healing factor not the shocking hand of Odin! Your gonna live but it's going to take weeks for those wounds to heal. Those SHIELD guys shot you up real good. You should take it easy, let your body do its work. After all, it's dealing with more than just your wounds. There is the small matter of the gamma bomb and your exposure to more gamma rays. Of course, we both know you're not going to take my advice."

In seconds their surroundings shift yet again as the battered courthouse gives way to another location. The Hulk now stood next to Gawain in another place that, despite the destruction, seemed very familiar. He looked at the wreckage and debris surrounding the collapsed buildings then spotted the twisted form of a sign he had walked under many times. "Lotusland Studios."

"That's right John, It's your old stomping grounds. The place you sold me and the Knights out for. It took you almost a whole day to get here after you woke from the battle with SHIELD. It was as if you were drawn here subconsciously without even knowing it. I guess all those fond memories of your friends and colleagues got to you."

The Hulk did not respond. His focus was on the growing crowd of mutated survivors that wandered out of the devastated studio at the sight of their arrival. One of them, a rather tall woman with an abnormally large head and scaly green sores approached him, caressing his left arm.

"Hey handsome, we're starting a new studio. . . with no corp hogs to tell us what we can or can't do. You look like a leading man. . . care to join us?"

"What do you think John? Sounds like an intriguing offer! You could be this generation's Arnie, popping off bad guys and aliens to your fan's virtual delight."

The Hulk looked at Gawain and then at the woman hanging off his arm. He started to speak when he heard yet another set of familiar voices.

"Recoding is occurring at a rapid rate. Attempting to triangulate new DNA sequence."

"Physical changes are already becoming noticeable. Look at his hair. . ."

"Lychos, EEG readings?"

"Still at the top of the scale. We're still reading a high level of REM activity."

He turned to east. Yes, the voices are coming from that way he thought to himself. Before Gawain could intercede, the Hulk pushed the woman to the ground and leapt into the air.

"Sigh, I told him to take it easy. Not that it matters. He can run, but he can't hide from me, not until he faces the truth."

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The Hulk stood alone in darkness. The voices that led him away are gone, leaving him alone. As he walked down the street, he can saw the fires of refugee camps and those stemming from the quake and the bomb detonation. The boy said he was reliving his experiences, but much of it seemed a blur, as if he had tried very hard to forget.

He stopped at the site of a public fountain for some water. It had been days since he had anything to eat or drink. He was sure of that. As he stepped over to the fountain, he noticed his reflection. Gawain had said he mutated, mentioning something about "protruding teeth." Yet the Hulk saw no evidence of any physical change even though he remembered now that he had felt different. Wait, he thought to himself, the boy had mentioned something else. . . He called it an initial mutation. How did he know that? PTTTATTATT. . .PTTATTTATT. . .TTAAATTT. . .

The sound of gunfire brought the Hulk from his thoughts. In the street, he could see a small mob of crazed mutates. Some had guns but most carried torches, sticks, or blades. Some appeared relatively normal while others had become clearly deformed. These were not refugees but scavengers. He watched silently as they moved faster and closer to him.

He begins to move his arms to swat them away. . .but nothing happens.

"KILL THE LAWYERS! CORP! CORP! LOCUSTS SWARM!" They scream as the huddle around his body and knock him over. The Hulk feels the prodding of the sticks, the blade wounds to his skin, and the stomping of feet. A sense of claustrophobia overtakes him turning to fear as he comes face to face with one of his attackers.

"Shoulda stayed in the car man, leading man," he babbled; spitting into the Hulk's face. Fear turned to anger as the Hulk began to feel an adrenaline rush.

"OFF," he screamed as he flipped his attackers wildly into the air. He rose to his feet and picked up a broken lamppost from the ground. He leapt at the nearest of his attackers, impaling him on the it. A second mutate jumped upon his back, wrapping what were once human arms around his neck. The Hulk reached back and pulled him loose, tearing one of the tentacle like arms off in the process. Before he could remove the dangling piece of flesh, another mutatnt exhaled a noxious gas into his face. The Hulk choked violently and felt the teeth of another mutant bite into his side.

"I SAID OFF!"

He reached for the mutant biting into his side, pulling him loose. He raised him above his head and slammed him hard to the ground. He growled with satisfaction, turning to face his other attacker.

"YOUR NEXT BAD BREATH!"

The Mutant turned and ran for his life. The rest of the pack had already scattered away into darkness. The Hulk prepared to leap for the kill when a wave of horror and remorse came over him. This event he remembered. In fact, he was sure something just like it had recently occurred out there. Out there. Again, he found himself facing east. Powerful muscles propelled him into the air and out of sight.

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"JOHN, I WAS SENT TO WARN YOU!"

The Hulk rose from his slumber to see Gawain standing over him.

"You can't sleep while your sleeping," he speaks as the Hulk looks up at him confused. "Surprised to see me John? Remember we're in VR not the real world. I'm in control here and I can catch up with you anytime I want to."

"Go away."

"And not learn what you thought of my self-impersonation? Surely you relived the dreams last night. You know, visions of doom and that talk of a messiah. What did you think of those images of Spider-Man and Ghost Rider? That was hard work given the materials available to me at the time."

The Hulk ignored the boy and examined his surroundings. They were in the outer reclamation zone near the canal that marked California's border. To the East stood the mountains that called to him quietly.

"Would you give the going east thing a rest? If you didn't like what happened last night, you're going to hate reliving your little trip up in those mountains your staring at. Besides, I'm not done talking with you yet."

"I have nothing to say to you."

"I would reconsider if I were you. You're going to have a speaking problem soon enough as it is. And that little lapse in strength from last night? Get ready because its going to get worse. Actually, it already has, but you seem to be suffering from some suggestive memory loss and. . .

"HOW DO YOU KNOW ALL THIS?"

"Calm Down John . . ."

"JOHN IS DEAD!"

"Hey we're making progress! At least your admitting that he existed. Still does. . ."

"SHUT UP BEFORE I SHOCKIN BREAK YOU IN TWO!"

You'd like that wouldn't you John? Just like you enjoyed the rush of killing those SHIELD agents, the mutants last night and all those innocents in Isis."

"DON'T CALL ME THAT NAME!"

"And why not? John Eisenhart is your name."

"THAT'S A LIE! I AM THE HULK!"

"A lie? Would you like to here the truth John? I don't think so. In the words of one of your favorite actors from the twencen: YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH!"

The Hulk reached down grabbing the boy by the neck and raised him into the air.

"Going to kill me John? Wasn't once enough? Oh, I'm sorry, you are the Hulk. Well, go ahead then and snap my neck and end this now."

The Hulk hesitates, the thought of the kill plainly visible in his eyes. Gawain winces as the Hulk's hand tightens, but it opens allowing him to fall to the ground.

"Are you finally starting to understand HULK? If John was gone, I wouldn't be here. You would not have attempted suicide in that SHIELD assault, that last mutant would have died and you would not have attempted to shout my name at the sight of that dead child in Isis. The terror and fear that came over you after each of those berserker rages. . .

"NO NO NO. . ."

"You said it yourself after the battle with Apolonio a few months back. You've developed split personalities that have been fighting for dominance ever since. Apolonio manipulated your mind in ways you could not realize at the conscious level. One result of his little experiment was me. Consider me your moral compass. All that guilt over my death and your betrayal of the Knights caused you to develop a conscience of sorts. Another change was to enhance the inherent divisions between your capacities for good and evil. The Hulk is a manifestation of your inner most demons John. He is the physical representation of the primal 'wild man' found in every human. By breaking your natural control over these 'demons' he was able to stimulate a more savage and mutated Hulk. You thought you had won when you forced the change back to human form but the battle continued here in your mind."

"Muscle tension index is off the scale. If he doesn't calm down soon his muscles are literally going to tear themselves apart!"

"REM activity is also going off the scale. Whatever is going on in his head must not be pretty."

"The DNA recoding?"

"Its continuing, apparently unaffected by the subject's physical and mental stress. In truth, it's probably causing them. . ."

"The VOICES!"

"Ignore them John. We need to finish what we started. During Doom's involvement in LA , you were able to keep control much as you had before but the gamma bomb changed the playing field. The death of Quirk and Marian was simply too much for your mind to take. Not only that, the additional exposure to gamma rays is resulting in physical changes that are not even complete. The loss of your voice and the bouts of powerlessness are side effects of those changes. The end result was that you started to loose control. Your primal instincts were taking over, resulting in the killer rages."

"WHY SHOULD I BELIEVE YOU!"

"Because you know I'm telling the truth! Listen John, its not to late to reassert control but the clock is ticking. Each day the 'wild man' controls the body your chances diminish. That's why I had to get your attention through the dreams. This little trip down memory lane was the only way I could let you see what was happening. Do you understand John?

"PERFECTLY." The Hulk raises his arms.

"AND GAWAIN. . .I told you NEVER to call me by that name again." Huge fists crash down on the boy's body.

"JOHN IS DEAD!"

Again.

"JOHN IS DEAD!"

Again.

"JOHN IS DEAD!"

Huge green fists smash into a cold vibranium wall

"The HULK is awake!"

" And appears quite disturbed. Lychos, please alert Atlas to our guest's awakening."

"Quite unnecessary Ajax," a voice registered across the speaker. "I have been monitoring the situation from the conference hall and I am on the way."

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The man known as Atlas walked into the lab chamber. The man who entered behind him was visibly out of place. His business suit and unfit physique stood in stark contrast to the black jumpsuits and muscular form of Atlas and his compatriots. The two men walked past the computers and those that monitored them and continued to the view window into the adjoining room. Atlas watched as the Hulk pounded his fists against the wall.
"It looks like he is trying to say something."

"No doubt he would if he could Mr. Burns, but my observations while in Colorado suggest that the Hulk has lost the ability to speak. Ajax, a status report please."

"All bio readings are returning to what are model suggests would be normal levels. However, the reorganization of his DNA continues. As you can see, some physical changes are already apparent. Lychos is working on a new projection based on the changes recorded thus far."

"Ah yes, the hair. A relatively minor change compared to the one I witnessed just after the detonation of the gamma bomb. That change was only temporary. I wonder if this one will be. Interesting, he appears to be without his strength still. Notice the lack of dents in the wall despite his continued efforts to smash it."

"Interesting to you Atlas but I'm still trying to understand why we are funding this little research lab of yours."

"Your corporate masters at WestPac have certain interests in the results of our research. It could prove vital to their planned California initiative."

"I do not pretend to know every aspect of the Board's strategic plans and policy. I do know that there is some apprehension over the ratio of costs to benefits for this 'project' of yours. We provided the funding for your travels and for the renovation of this facility. The costs have been verified. I'm here to determine if the company will ever realize any benefits."

"It will Mr. Burns. More than you or your board of directors even suspect. Th e final, crucial key to our research stands there in the room next to us."

"Let us hope so. If you will excuse me, I have to transmit my current report to the Albuquerque office." Burns turned away and walked back out the entrance through which he and Atlas had come.

"A small man who thinks small thoughts," Atlas thought aloud as he continued to watch the Hulk. "WestPac and their money were simply means to an end much as you are now my giant green monster. Life as you knew it ended the day you found yourself at ground zero to a gamma bomb explosion. How ironic, that your new life will begin here where it started for all of us some hundred-thirty years ago. Gamma Base. Ground Zero. When I succeed where Aneas failed, then this world will realize the power of the KNIGHTS OF THE BANNER!

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Epilogue: Somewhere. . .

The young woman shifted through the debris, which marked the spot of the underground base of Ground Zero. She had a muscular build, and although her body was torn, and ragged, her expression showed no sign of fatigue or injury. Her body was no longer her own. Eliza Charles' essence, her soul, had died way back in Isis, in the body of a radiation-stricken soldier. Her body now belonged to none other than. . . "Gamma" Ray!

One of the Knights of Banner, who was attending his position, heard the rocks and dirt sliding and moving. He knew someone was coming, and wasn't all that surprised. He went over to where "Gamma" Ray was crawling along the ground. He saw the woman, who was apparently suffering from radiation poisoning, look up at him. He stepped away, disgusted by her appearance, but not all that shocked. He had witnessed many of the survivors from the Gamma Bomb, and they weren't all pretty.

"Get out of here, lady. I've told you people a million times, we're not giving out donations, or accepting any patients. Now, why don't you just move along?"

"You don't get the point, handsome. Don't ask yourself what you can do for me, but what I can do for you," Ray said slyly.

"What," the guard exclaimed, recognizably disgusted.

"Don't you find me attractive," Ray asked as he fought to get to his feet.

"You're sick lad--"

As the guard said this, "Gamma" Ray brought his hand up, flying toward his groin area, wielding a rock. The elements meet with the guard's flesh, producing just the kind of results that Ray expected. The guard dropped his gun, and fell to the ground in a crouched position.

"I know what it's like to have one of those," cried Ray as he grabbed the gun.

The guard managed to stand, trying to perhaps disarm his assailant. Ray, brought the gun up with a crazy grin, and shook his head. "You're going to have to learn to treat a lady with some respect," he shouted as he fired the gun. The laster from the rifle blew a hole right through the Knight's chest, sending him crashing to the ground.

Ray walked over to his victim and sighed, "I lose more hosts that way."

It wasn't long before he heard a shout from another post, and the running of footsteps. If one thing could be said about Ray it would have to be that aside from being crazy, he also wasn't very stealthy. He quickly laid down and waited for the guard to approach him and his victim's bodies. He laid very still, pretending to be dead. As the guard stopped to look over the two, he lashed out, wrapping his arms around the new Knight's legs.

The Knight quickly fought to escape the woman's grasp, freeing one leg, and using it to try and free the other. He began to kick the woman in the face, trying to get her to let go. Despite the injuries that Ray's host was taking on, he hung on, and concentrated on transferring into his new host, his new victim. It wasn't long before their life energies had switched places and Ray left his victim's essence in the dying body of the young woman.

"Kick me in the face," me murmured. "What comes around goes around, bub."

NEXT ISSUE: "GROWING PAINS" Part 2 of 3. The Hulk is awake angry and powerless. And that's before the tests begin!! Are Atlas and his band of merry men true Knights of the Banner? If so, how did they survive the Lone Mountain assault and what are they up to at the old Gamma Base? Answers to these questions, more about the Megacorp known as WestPac and more physical changes courtesy of the Hulk's messed up DNA. All that and more of "Gamma Ray." Watch your e-mail for "Multiple Transformations."



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