Bruce Banner sits in a motel room,
watching Hulk banging on the other side of a mirror begging to be let
out; Bruce knows that when Hulk absorbed Walter Langkowski's gamma
energy, something else came with it. Bruce clears his mind and lets
the Hulk in his subconscious write a message...it reads “Home”....
In California, Betty Ross watches the
reports of the Hulk on the TV news and tries to tell herself Bruce
hasn't come back from the dead. She is unaware she is being watched
by the Monitors, who are observing all of Hulk/Banner's friends and
associates for General Fortean, who is now in command of
Shadow Base, leaving General Ross free to deal with Captain America.
The labs are working with Del Frye and other subjects but they need a
real Hulk...and Fortean wonders where Walter Langkowski is....
...Walter is on the Alpha Flight space
station, with Jackie McGee, trying to understand his wild actions as
Sasquatch in the two previous issues. Puck questions Jackie while
Shaman looks inside and determines that Walter had been possessed by
“the One Below All.” Captain Marvel enters and tells Walter of
the deal Fortean offered. If Alpha Flight can deliver Bruce Banner
to him, fine; if not, he'll take Walter who would be facing the death
penalty for the murders he committed in his monstrous form....
Iowa: Bruce Banner is hitchhiking along
the road back to Hulk's “home” in New Mexico when he is
approached by Captain Marvel, followed by the Avengers—Captain America,
Iron Man, Thor, Black Panther, She-Hulk, Ghost Rider
(Robbie Reyes). Jen starts to fly into a rage, because of how Bruce hurt her
by planning his death (during Civil War II) and it takes Thor to calm
her down. Carol asks nicely for Bruce to come along with them. She
knows night is Hulk's time but Banner would have to die to unleash
him. Bad news: Banner reveals he already dead as he begins to change
into Hulk....