CHAPTER 22
The helicopter swooped toward Harlem, where explosions and commotion could already be seen from the air.
Ross stared at the video monitors as the soldier raced up a street parallel to the creature who was wreaking havoc. He caught a glimpse of the monster’s rear flank, with smashed cars rolling in its wake, but then it disappeared behind a building. It had looked Hulk-like, but the view had been too brief.
“I said get me eyes on that thing!” Ross shouted.
Bruce pushed past the soldier guarding him and joined Ross by the monitors. Betty quickly followed.
On the monitor, the vehicle had reached 125th Street. It slammed on the brakes, and the video picture lurched around. When the image settled, Ross’s, Bruce’s, and Betty’s jaws dropped. They could see a massive, brownish-green creature gleefully causing chaos. Pedestrians fled in panic, and cars skidded, smashing into hydrants.
“Sir, are you seeing this?” the soldier called. “Is that Banner?” he continued, his voice trembling.
“It’s not Banner!” Ross snapped. “Hold position!”
The monster stomped toward the vehicle, and the occupants of the helicopter got their first good look. The creature was at least fourteen feet tall and ridiculously muscled. He was as brawny as the Hulk, but he had strange bone spurs protruding along his ankles and wrists and down his spine.
The camera panned up to his snarling face—a face they all instantly recognized.
“One of yours?” Bruce asked. He knew the answer, but he wanted to hear Thunderbolt Ross say it out loud.
“Oh my God,” Betty said. “What have you done?”
On the streets, police and soldiers were hitting this new Abomination with everything they had. But nothing worked. The two soldiers in the vehicle unloaded on it with a rocket-propelled grenade. It didn’t even flinch… but they did get Blonsky’s attention. He charged down the street after the automobile, which slammed into reverse and roared away back south.
“Get out of there, soldier!” Ross commanded.
But the Abomination was too fast. It ran close to the vehicle, which was caroming off parked cars as it fled in reverse. The Abomination picked up a taxicab and held it overhead. Huge fireballs backlit the creature, showing off its spines and the bones interlaced with its huge muscles. The soldier’s camera tracked it all.
The Abomination loomed over the camera. He leered down, holding the taxicab high.
“Give me a real fight!” he roared. Then he brought the taxi down.
The camera fuzzed out, and the monitor went black.
Ross, Bruce, and Betty sat in silence.
Then the radio squawked again. “General,” a communications officer said, “the NYPD want to know what to use against it. What do you want me to tell them? Sir?”
Ross stared silently at the dead monitor.
“Sir?” the communications officer prompted again over the radio.
Ross shook off his shock. “Tell them to bring everything they’ve got and head for Harlem,” he ordered. He lowered his head. “And heaven help them,” he whispered. The general’s face was tired and grim—he knew the military had no way to fight the monster.
“It has to be me,” Bruce said, knowing there was no other choice. “You have to take me back there.”
“What are you saying?” Betty asked him. “You think you can control it?”
“No, not control it, but… I don’t know. Maybe aim it.”
“And what if you can’t?” Ross snapped.
“We made this thing. All of us,” Bruce said. “Please.”
Ross closed his eyes, then slowly nodded his head. “Land us near it,” he instructed the pilot.
“No, no. Keep us high,” Bruce interrupted. “Open the back door.”
Ross nodded. A soldier hit a button, and the ramp of the helicopter hinged open. Cool air rushed inside.
Bruce hurried toward the rear, still locked in the wrist shackles. “Put me over it!” He instructed. “Go higher!”
The helicopter surged upward, and the city dropped away. Bruce peered down from the open door. New York was three thousand feet below them, glowing in the darkness. Another explosion boomed up in Harlem, but from that height, Bruce couldn’t hear the screams.
“Bruce, stop! What are you doing?” Betty yelled. “Think about this. You don’t even know if you’ll change.” She had hold of his arm. “You don’t have to do this. Please, this is insane!”
“Betty, I’ve got to try,” Bruce said. “I’m sorry.”
He kissed her, letting his lips linger on hers… and then he let go, falling back out of the open cargo door.
The wind whooshed around him as he tumbled down toward 125th street. He closed his eyes and let himself fall.
Nothing happened. No burst of energy or anger or power.
Nothing.
Bruce’s eyes snapped open. Uh-oh, he thought.
He plunged at unbelievable speed toward the street below.