The Beast Within

Bruce Banner has been captured by Agent Pratt, an agent of the Home Base, Sally Riker follows after them into Miser State Park to try and rescue him. However, in her pursuit, she finds herself at a fork in the road. She wonders where Agent Pratt went when she remembers that Pratt had given her a bugged FBI name tag and that Banner still has it. Turning her radio into the right frequency, she overhears Banner asking Pratt why they are going up Long's Peak and heads down that fork. Meanwhile in Pratt's car, Banner asks why everyone is after him. Pratt explains that they are after the Hulk's blood. Pratt explains that they have been experimenting with synthetic Hulk's blood, but it caused the test subject to enlarge until they burst. They decided to get genuine Hulk blood would help them get answers. Bruce wonders what kind of men would carry out such inhuman experiments, but Pratt assures him that unlike other organizations that have chased him in the past, they have access to the top scientific minds.

As they round a pass, Sally Riker has set herself up across the way and is aiming at the passing car with her sniper rifle. As Pratt questions Bruce about why the ancient mariner killed the albatross in the Coleridge story, Bruce suggests that it is absolution. As they discuss this, Sally prepares to take her shot. However, the fears created by the time she botched a hostage situation run through her mind. While in the car, Bruce is focusing on the image of his late wife Betty. When Sally takes her shot, she misses Agent Pratt and is horrified to see that she hit Banner instead. However, instead of killing the fugitive scientist, Banner transformed into the Hulk in the nick of time and caught the bullet between his teeth. As the Hulk starts smashing his way out of the SUV, it collides with Riker's squad car, sending both vehicles to a dead stop.

When the Hulk emerges from the vehicle, he goes looking for his enemy and finds Agent Pratt with Sally as his hostage. Pointing a gun at the Hulk, he threatens to toss Riker over the edge of a cliff. Pratt orders the Hulk to change back to human form and surrender in exchange for sparing Sally's life. However, Sally manages to pull the dart of Hulk's blood out of Pratt's jacket and stab him with it. He lets her go and she seemingly falls off the cliff. Meanwhile, Pratt's body beings to enlarge until his body mass is too much for his body to handle and he bursts. The Hulk reverts back to human form, he looks over the edge of the cliff and sees Sally holding for her dear life. Banner pulls her to safety and with the battle over the two go their separate ways.

Recurring Characters

Hulk, Sally Riker, Agent Pratt