Robert Bruce Banner. A brilliant scientist forever driven by both an introverted nature and a quest for knowledge. A man who hid his every anger and rage his entire life behind horn rim glasses, and the latest scientific journal. But that rage was alive, and seething. Forever seeking an escape. And finally that rage and anger was given form and substance by a freak accident, caused by Banners own deadly experiment. Now in times of peril, the meek and mild mannered scientist is transformed into seven feet, one thousand pounds of raging fury! The strongest, most powerful creature to ever walk the Earth!

Hulk # 469

Jan. Year 5

The city that never sleeps

By Ralph L.Angelo Jr.

Two figures disembark a just landed 737 from Arizona at New York’s Kennedy Airport, an older gentleman and his equally aged wife. He walks with the help of a cane. His white hair and goatee tell of his advanced age, as thick, dark sunglasses hide his eyes, a wide brimmed hat rests over his withered brow. His wife’s gray hair and soft shambling walk as she clings to his arm also tell of her many years on this earth.

A towncar is called, and the two ride in silence to Manhattan. But as they begin to cross the 59^th street bridge, the man suddenly shudders involuntarily.

"Are you alright?" His wife asks, obviously concerned.

"I think so, yes. I just had a very strange sensation, almost of someone walking on my grave."

"Don’t worry my dear." She whispers as she holds him tight. "I won’t let anything hurt you."

They arrive at the Plaza hotel and with the help of bellhops enter the hotel, and secure their already rented suite.

"Are you in town to see a show, sir?" The young bellboy asks innocently.

"Yes my boy," the man cackles pleasantly enough, "You might say that."

"Here you go son." The old man almost whispers as he shakily hands the bellboy a ten-dollar bill, then shuts the door quickly.

Within, the suite the aged woman plops herself onto the bed "Well I’m glad that’s over." She sighs.

"You and me both, honey." Answers the man, as he pulls the hat from his head and then removes his entire head of hair and sunglasses! Revealing beneath a MUCH younger mans countenance.

Robert Bruce Banner has returned to Manhattan, and he is not a happy man.

"What was that shudder that ran through you in the car?" Betty Banner asks as she pulls her wig off.

"I don’t know darling. It was a chill unlike anything I’ve felt before. It was not a pleasant feeling."

"What time are our tickets good for?" He turns and asks his wife.

"There’s a 3 PM taping today." She answers, while checking her watch.

"Okay, then we have a few hours to sleep a little before we have to be there. Let’s get some rest."

Betty places her hands around his neck playfully, then coos in his ear "You sure all you want to do is sleep, handsome?"

"Well, maybe something else first." he smiles as he plops down on the bed. He reaches towards her, then with a grin, quickly past her, and to the night table, where he grabs a TV remote and begins to flip through the channels, while propping up a pillow behind his head. "Much better. Great Idea, Betty, thanks." He jibes playfully.

"Bruce Banner… You…!" She throws a pillow at her husband, who quickly catches it then laughing grabs her and pulls her close.

Across Manhattan Island, people begin to wind down their workday. Hoping for the 4 or 5 O’clock whistle to blow.

In the broadcast studios of the Super Channel Network, a crew begins to ready the set of the Marlo Jones show (With special guest, husband Rick Jones)

"We’re going to have a good one tonight, Ms Jones." One of the techs working on the set tells Marlo, as she sits at the stage desk looking over the list of guests and material for the afternoons first taping.

"HHmm? What was that Jasper? Yes I think tonight should be really lively, especially after what Rick revealed to the world the other day." *

*Marlo is referencing Rick’s announcement on national cable TV that Bruce Banner is the Hulk.

"I’m kinda surprised he did that, Ms. Jones. I mean the Hulk is, well was his friend after all."

"Don’t let it bother you Jasper, It made for great ratings, and I’m sure Bruce and Betty will understand. After all, that is show business."

Marlo goes back to working at her desk, sorting papers, and going over last minute preparations.

A short time later, the studio audience begins to file in, with a certain elderly couple-sitting square in the middle of the room.

And then the taping begins. First, a military man is brought out who battled against the Hulk some years ago when he was a private, and he tells his story, which draws the attention of the audience. Then a news spot is done featuring events of the day. The Avengers battle against one of their old foes in Central Park, a Spider-Man battle against Dr Octopus, who seemingly wanted to rob nuclear materials off a visiting aircraft carrier in New York Harbor, as well as Captain Marvels return to earth in the south pacific, while battling some sort of android conqueror. And so it goes…

After a half-hour of this, finally Rick Jones comes out to tell more of his story, the story of the Hulk and his first few years together.

"Back then," Rick continues, "Bruce and I were a team of sorts. We both looked out for each other. He was almost a big brother kinda guy to me. We were more then just best friends. We were family. When he became the Hulk, I would try my best to keep ol’ jade jaws on the straight and narrow, and when he would revert to Bruce, I’d try to make things as comfortable for Bruce as possible. He wasn’t always aware of where we ended up, or where he was at any given time. One day we’d be in Asia, the next in California. The Hulk kept things hoppin’ literally."

The gathered audience murmur to themselves excitedly, listening to Rick’s story. All the while, the old man and woman in the audience merely turn to each other and nod, speaking in whispers, amongst themselves.

Rick Jones Continues: "One time, right after we had fought the Abomination, Bruce hightailed it back to this cave he had rigged up with scientific paraphernalia, and was actually trying to control his changes. Crazy things were happening then though. He’d have his head and the Hulks body, and other craziness like that. But anyway, the Abomination came looking for Hulk, but only Bruce’s intelligence allowed the Hulk to beat the Abomination. Who for some reason was stronger then the Hulk in those days. But I was right there with him, doing whatever I could to lead them both to safety. That’s me, Rick Jones, Boy sidekick. Or at least it was, anyway."

Then, a voice is heard from amongst the throng, as the seemingly old man we know to be Bruce Banner stands and shuffles his way to the aisle. "And when did the boy sidekick become the adult Judas?"

"Wha?" Rick stammers, not understanding.

"You know what I’m speaking of, Rick. Or do you need something to jog your memory?" The man all the while is looking at the ground as he speaks, wide brimmed hat hiding his features to Rick and Marlo, then, the man looks up and stares Rick directly in the eyes, as he advances on him. "How could you do this to me, Rick. You made me angry, and you know you won’t like me when I’m angry."

And then, with a roar like an enraged colossus, Bruce Banner almost instantly becomes the Hulk, and slowly, purposely strides directly up to Rick and Marlo Jones, all the while staring Rick in the eyes, as the studio audience either flee from the studio in terror, or stand transfixed by what they’ve just witnessed.

"Uh hi…buddy???" Rick stammers out sheepishly, as Marlo crooks her lips sideways and shakes her head. "Cut it out Bruce. You know you’re not going to hurt him. This wasn’t his idea, anyway. It was mine."

"It doesn’t matter whose idea it was, Marlo. He went along with it and should have known better. So should you. You stabbed us both in the back. You had no right to do that at all."

"And you have a right to come in here and ruin my show? Look what you did! You scared off half the audience by appearing here. They thought you were going to kill us both probably. Do you think you helped your side of things by this stunt? All Rick and I were trying to do was help get your story out there, so that people would know what the Hulk was really all about. My God, with all the good you’ve done, why not get some kind of recognition for it?"

"Because I didn’t ask for any, Marlo. I didn’t ask for any recognition, nor any rewards. Look Marlo, ordinary people are oftimes put in extraordinary situations. They either have to make the best of those situations, and strive to over come the odds against them, or else be overcome by the situation itself. I’ve always lived my life since this nightmare began simply trying to be the best man I can be. The best Bruce Banner could ever achieve. Sometimes I’ve failed, but other times, I’ve succeeded. I’m not looking for a pat on the back for that. I’m looking to simply live my life as peacefully as possible. What you both did here, took away just about any shot at that happening for a long time to come"

He reverts to Bruce Banner again, as Betty hands him a T-shirt she had in her bag. He slips it on, and makes his way towards the door exiting as quietly as he came. Betty turns towards both Rick and Marlo, and simply shakes her head in disgust once, then follows her husband out the door.

"And that’s a wrap." The director gleefully shouts, as the camera’s shut down at his direction.

That night, in the hotel where the Banners are staying, Bruce walks out onto the balcony and stares into the starlit Manhattan skyline. Below him, the street bustles and pulses with a life all its own.

"Can’t sleep?" Betty asks her husband.

"No." he answers gently, as he grasps her hand, which she placed on his shoulder. "Were we as wrong as they were? Was Marlo right? I don’t know Betts. At the moment, I came away from that confrontation with more questions then answers. Maybe they were doing good in a twisted way. "

"Or maybe they were just not doing bad." Betty answers softly.

"So you feel the same way I do then? That we went a little over board with all this?"

"Mmmm, it’s possible." Betty answers, in thought. "But, no Bruce. We did what we had to do. That had to stop. Your life was on public display for the whole world to see. Some things do not need to be public domain."

Bruce laughs, "You’re starting to sound like Jen* again."

*Jen Walters, the She-Hulk, Bruce’s cousin, and a professional lawyer.

"You know what I mean, husband mine. Now lets go to bed."

"But Betty, I’m not tired yet, I’m still worked up over all this."

"Who ever said anything about sleep, lover-boy? And besides, when I’m done with you, you’ll need plenty of sleep."

"I have a feeling I’ll need more then if I went twelve rounds with the Thing."

"He’s a lightweight compared to me." Betty snickers, as she drags Bruce towards the bed.

Morning, the sun peeks it’s fiery face though New Yorks cloud cover and a new day begins, as night fades into day once more. Bruce Banner arrives at Dr. Leonard Samson’s office of psychiatry, and the two old friends’ exchange handshakes immediately.

"Your message was urgent, Bruce. What’s the matter? Are you beginning to have a reoccurrence?"

"If by reoccurrence, you mean is the Hulk’s persona splitting away from my own? Then yes I am, Leonard, I’m afraid."

"What happened?" Samson asks as he slips into his soft leather desk chair.

"I was battling the Abomination, and had to actually force myself to get as angry as possible to beat him. That was when I felt him trying to break free."

Samson yawns a moment then picks up a pen and begins to twirl it between two fingers while thinking.

"Bruce, I think I know what your problem is already. You’re referring to the Hulk as a "him" once again. He’s not, he’s you."

"But…" Bruce begins.

"No buts, Bruce. Hulk and you are one and the same being, just two sides of the same coin. When the normal man on the street angers, he does not turn into seven feet, one thousand pounds of raging fury. He merely vents in one way or another and eventually, his rage subsides. As you well know, you held all that rage inside you for far to many years, which created the Hulk persona as a separate entity. Then the gamma bomb did its work, and the Hulk now had physical form as well. You may have two separate physical appearances, but you are one and the same person. You Are the Hulk, and he is you."

Bruce sits for a minute and stares at Samson, before leaning back in his chair and answering "Then why lately have I heard his voice growling at me to let him out?"

"What?"

"You heard me, Len. He’s been talking to me in guttural, angry tones, especially when I sleep. I think that’s why I’ve been having such a hard time getting rest at night."

Samson yawns again and apologizes. "Sorry Bruce, I slept very little last night myself."

As if on cue, a muffled yawn can be heard form the outer office. Both men look at each other with an unspoken question in their eyes. Samson hits his desk intercom. "Miss Samuals, can you come in here please?"

A minute later, a young, pretty brown haired woman walks into the office. "Yes Dr.? "

"Tabitha, did you have problems sleeping last night?"

The girl looks perplexed for a moment then speaks. "Uh, how’d you know Dr.? Did I yawn that loud? I’m sorry, I’ll try to…"

"It’s nothing bad Tabitha, just relax and answer my question for me. Have you been having trouble sleeping of late?"

" Actually, yeah I have. If you wanna know, no one I know of is sleeping to well lately I guess."

"Bruce leans forward, his brow creasing in thought. "Can you explain that a little more in depth, Tabitha?" He asks.

"Uh well sure. None of my friends living in the city have been getting much sleep at all. I guess we’re all just nervous or tired lately, what with the way things are going all over the world." She turns towards Bruce, "Hey, I know you, your that guy who was Marlo Jones show today, your the Hulk!"

"Uh right, now Miss, how many people do you know that are having trouble sleeping?"

"Umm, everyone?" she answers sheepishly, looking back and forth between both men.

"Thank you Tabitha." Samson motions her towards the door, and she leaves smiling, while stifling a yawn.

"Sleep deprivation? Over a whole city?" Len asks Bruce.

"Let’s not jump to conclusions here, Len. It could be nothing at all. I mean how many people could this girl possibly know anyway?"

"Let’s go for a walk in the park, Bruce, I have an idea."

Both men make their way to a nearby park and study their surroundings. Both are immediately uneasier, as they see people from all walks of life bleary eyed and restless. Some dozing restlessly on benches to suddenly awake violently with a shudder. Others almost mindlessly wandering, looking for a place to nap as much as possible. Some fall right under Morpheus’ spell, and then almost immediately shudder awake, covered in sweat.

"What is going on here?" Samson asks Bruce under his breath as both men immediately return to Samson’s office.

‘No idea Len, but I know I slept well back home, and I even dozed on the plane coming here. Whatever it is, it’s centered right here in the city."

"As per usual…" Samson mutters as they both reenter the office.

And deep within the Earth, far beneath its ancient surface, an evil, ageless madman laughs as his long developed plan begins to bear fruition.

Next: Old enemy's and other beasties.

Radioactive Rumblings C/O CptMarvell@aol.com