Reporter Jackie McGee sits at the
airport, arguing with her editor on the phone, trying to convince him
that since the national media are now interested in the Hulk, for the
Arizona Herald to stay in the game, they have to find Bruce Banner.
For now, there's his college roommate Walter Langkowski arriving by
air. Jackie's editor wants her to investigate a nearby Hulk sighting
so she and Walter head out by car while Walt fills Jackie in on
Bruce's college days. Bruce and Walt were roommates at Penn State
University where Bruce was a science major, already interested in
gamma rays and Walt was there on a football scholarship but also had
an interest in science. Bruce tended to look down on Walt as a dumb
jock who was only dabbling in science—while also buying several
suits with purple pants. Some time later when he learned that Bruce
had become the Hulk, Walt left football to attempt to recreate the
accident that mutated Bruce, with the aid of Canada's Department H;
this led to Walt's becoming Sasquatch—which he describes as “a
real trip.” This causes Jackie to have a flashback to her childhood
when she saw the Hulk. Walt then goes on to explain how he was
possessed by a spirit called Tanaraq (no longer there). They arrive
at a scene of utter chaos with a number of vans piled up in an
intersection; Jackie heads to a bar where she learns that Bruce
Banner was there, asking about drug dealer Noah Swanson, owner of the
cars smashed up outside. Two of the customers get into an angry
fight, which the bartender says is unusual for them. Walter tries to
break up the fight and one of the guys stabs him in the back....
Walt is rushed into surgery and, as she
waits for word, Jackie gives a statement to the police. After the
detective is gone, Bruce Banner sits down next to her and explains
how he and Walt have the identical gamma signature—and that they
had better evacuate the hospital.... In the operating room, the
surgeon pronounces Walter dead, but it is now nighttime...and Walter
arises from the table as the Sasquatch—a very vicious Sasquatch...