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[COLOR=AF7AC5][indent][sub][B]Location:[/B] [COLOR=white][I]Belize City, Belize[/I][/COLOR][/sub][sup][right][b]A [color=228B22]Green[/color] God, A [color=228B22]Green[/color] Devil – 1.03[/b][/right][/sup][/indent][/color][sub][hr][/sub][INDENT][color=AF7AC5][sub][B]Interaction(s):[/B] [COLOR=white][I]None[/I][/COLOR][/sub][SUP][RIGHT][b]Previously:[/b] [url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/5181557][I]1.02[/I][/url][/right][/SUP][/color][/INDENT]
[indent]The Hulk had never really been calm before. Not that Bruce remembered many of the times he’d been the Hulk.

Of course, it hadn’t helped. The already panicked kids reaching the top deck of the boat [i]maybe[/i] would have reacted better had there not been a giant green monster there to greet them. Hulk’s arms were casually by his side, his expression, neutral, at least until he was met with an expected scream of shock. The Hulk shook his head lightly, before reaching out a hand, motioning for them to come over. As more started to surface, the initial shock passing, Hulk began to help them across the gap one by one. Grasping his hand, they were easily be able to clear the gap, Hulk pointing for them to leave. A few strange thumping noises from the ship’s innards didn’t leave room for much room to question anything. Once things seemed to be clear, Hulk reached one hand down to the lip of the ship, yanking it up. There was some noise from below, but as long as it wasn’t screaming children, Hulk didn’t care. Snorting, he stood tall, turning back to the apparent leader, and letting out a roar, sound bouncing throughout the ruined warehouse. Raising his fists, he smashed them both against the boat, crumpling the metal. Fingers tearing in, he pulled it close, yanking at the deck, chunks being ripped out before he grew tired of it, kicking it away where it crashed into the opposite wall, rocking lopsidedly as the warped metal’s center of balance was knocked out of alignment.

The only thing left behind a bunch of helpless cartel members, Hulk’s work here was done. Storming off towards the exit he didn’t even look back. As he reached the entrance, Jagger pulled a case out from behind his desk in the room above, unclasping it with a quick code, pulling out a rocket launcher, casually loading it and heading to the door. His subordinate gawked. “Why didn’t you shoot him before he fucked our stuff!?”

[color=8689B3]“Because I didn’t want to fuck our stuff myself. I haven’t fired this yet.”[/color] Jagger shook his head as he took to the door, heading down the stairs. So hard to find good help these days. Nodding his head to the boat, taking on water, he said, [color=8689B3]“Make sure everyone gets off of there, especially Reg, and call for the nearest boat to get here asap.”[/color] Looking over to a man who’d been hiding, he said, [color=8689B3]“And you! Wake up anyone you can! Cops are going to be here any minute!”[/color] As they went into action, Jagger didn’t hold any ill will. He’d more or less knew how people were going to act and react before they did. For example, a big angry monster walking away from a successful mission was likely to have its guard down.

Eyeing the Hulk through the ripped open entryway, leveling the rocket launcher his way, Jagger got to see something rare. While a big monster coming in to ruin his day had already been outside of his expectations, he also didn’t expect it to be on its knees just outside, breathing heavily. No, it was more than that, it was shrinking.

Bruce really should have seen it coming. The Hulk’s grip fading from his mind as his own hands met the pavement, he was learning new things every day, though he might have preferred some better timing. That freedom and release from becoming the Hulk was now shifting to the reality of it, the consequences, the fear. Should law enforcement come for him he might be pushed to defend himself. If General Ross still had his deep hatred of him then US military action was well within the realm of possibility. The best bet he had was to run for now. He knew where he wanted to be, and as nice as Belize was, it wasn’t for him.

A boot to the back of his head kept him from moving too far though. Bare body pressed against the pavement, Bruce grunted and tried to struggle. [color=8689B3]“Transform back.”[/color] The voice was soft, possessing curiosity with no ill will whatsoever.

Bruce tried. He bit his tongue until he bled, cried out in pain as he tried to work up his anger. But it wouldn’t come out. [color=8689B3]“Damn shame,”[/color] Jagger sighed.

-----

Minutes later, Bruce had been dragged right back into the warehouse. Handcuffs kept his arms at bay as two men dragged him to the center of the warehouse, pushing him to his knees. Looking up, Bruce was more than taken aback at the sight of ‘Reg’. Comparable in size to the Hulk, his proportions were all wrong. A black tank top was stretched across bulging muscles, swollen deltoid muscless the size of watermelons and the shoulder tapering off into a rather typically sized wrist by the end of the arm. The large upper body left the legs, clad in cameo patterned cargo shorts, looking rather small, some large thigh muscles on otherwise less bulky legs not lending good support, bent knees restricting how imposing the brute looked. The face was even worse off, bald, misshapen, with sunken, beady yellow eyes glaring at Bruce.

[color=8689B3]“What brought you here? Was it really just the kids?”[/color] Jagger asked. Bruce was pulled about to face him, the leader still brandishing the rocket launcher on his shoulder.

Bruce coughed, admitting, [color=AF7AC5]“Yeah.”[/color]

[color=8689B3]“Well you’re in luck. We only took them in for research. I deal in Venom, you see. You know what Venom is?”[/color] Bruce shook his head. [color=8689B3]“It’s a drug made famous in Gotham City. Hard to synthesize though, I’ve been doing my best here in these parts, trying to get closer to the real thing.”[/color] He nodded towards the big brute. [color=8689B3]“Reg here overdosed on the real thing. Ours isn’t at the level, but it’s close enough to ease his withdrawals. And the better we make our formula, the longer we can pass it off as the real thing. So I’ve been taking up human trafficking these last few months for test subjects. But then, you showed up.”[/color]

Bruce glared. His fists were clenched. He lingered on his words, trying to find the one that would send him into a fury, the one that would bring the Hulk back. [color=8689B3]“I don’t know what the hell you are, if you’re some mutant or lab experiment gone wrong, but I’m sure you’ll have plenty to offer to our cause. If we can get cleaner musculature with more balanced form then I’ll trade a thousand kids for you.”[/color]

Bruce let out a laugh. It wasn’t warm or mirthful, it was forced, harsh, biting. [color=AF7AC5]“That’s what this is about?”[/color] Nodding his head toward Reg, he chortled, [color=AF7AC5]“You’re going to experiment on me because your big guy over there skipped leg day?”[/color] Bruce’s joke didn’t go over well, no one seemed to understand what he was implying. Shakily, Bruce started to walk, going for a gap in between cartel members. The resisted, pushing him back. [color=AF7AC5]“What are you gonna do? Shoot me?”[/color] Bruce scoffed, before going for it again. He was met with a fist in the gut. Taking it all, Bruce lunged, teeth catching the thug’s ear. Biting down, he got a yelp, before shoving him with his shoulder and continuing to go for it. For his trouble he got a rifle butt to the head. Spots flitting by his eyes, he dropped to his knees, where he got a kick to the face. Falling to the ground, he was completely open, the whole gang going in on ruining him, stomping and kicking him until he stopped moving. Bruce tried to fight it, tried to let that pain get his anger flowing.

But he just couldn’t. Every time it bubbled, it was quelled just as quickly. With every strike, he was beaten down by fear and helplessness, even though he knew full well he had the potential to be anything but.

Black and blue rather than purple and green, the gang pulled away from Bruce, who was left a groaning wreck. Finally discarding his patience, Jagger roared, [color=8689B3]“QUIET!”[/color] with one last kick, he silenced Bruce. Taking a slow breath, he ordered, [color=8689B3]“Put him on the ship. If it sinks with him on it, it’s his fault.”[/color] Shaking his head, Jagger went back to his office, hoping to enjoy even a moment of peace.[/indent]