Synopsis / Summary / Plot
A "House of M" tie-in. The Hulk/Bruce Banner, alongside A.I.M, an organization working against the world's ruling mutant governments, have overthrown Australia's mutant leaders and now run the country. In bed with A.I.M's Dr. Monica Rappaccini, Bruce worries that the pressures of excess paperwork might cause his transformation into the Hulk. He comments that it seems like he and Monica have known each other longer than a few weeks and she reveals they had a fling in college, when she went by "Nicky". Bruce starts apologizing, but she reassures him it's the past, they're running Australia now.
(A.I.M agent) Scorpion is out fishing by the docks when she has to threaten A.I.M soldiers she sees chasing a young woman. In the cabin of Scorpion's boat, the woman reveals that she and her boyfriend had signed up for routine medical tests conducted by A.I.M. They had been given food and shelter, but when other people started to disappear they ran away. Scorpion promises to save the woman's boyfriend Johnny, who has a tattoo of Captain America's shield on his arm. Bruce heads a meeting dealing with housing shortages. He's told they need to import raw building materials, but the mutant governments are being less than cooperative. Bruce calls in (A.I.M's) Adam to take a memo, "To whom it may concern, from the Government of Australia. Cooperate with us on all business matters, or Hulk will smash."
Bruce walks past a statue of an Aborigine warrior. From the statue, the voice of his friend the "old man" warns that people are disappearing. As Bruce turns, Scorpion appears, warning of a situation. Disguised, Banner and Scorpion inquire at the medical center what kind of tests are going on. After knocking out the guard they find a hidden switch under his desk revealing a secret passage leading to a secret lab. In the lab, scientists are dissecting hundreds of people, turning them into a mindless cyborg army. Bruce and Scorpion are spotted and an alarm sounds. Banner changes into the Hulk as the cyborgs attack. While fighting one cyborg, Scorpion notices a tattoo on his arm of Captain America's shield. The Hulk smashes through the cyborgs when (A.I.M's) Dr. Isaacs appears and orders all units to shut down. He asks what the two of them are doing here, but Scorpion says they will ask the questions. Dr. Isaacs admits to be building an army to fight the mutants and reclaim Earth for humans. He also reveals that it was Dr. Rappaccini's orders to keep the operation confidential from the Hulk and Scorpion.