Split Decision

Agents of Home Base have followed Doc Samson back to his old lab. No sooner have they pulled up they are interrupted by a homeless person who asks for change for some food. After they send the homeless person away, the agents head inside, leaving one more inside to stake the place out. When Samson enters his lab, he finds that they have his friend Kevin to be held hostage. They demand that they reveal how Samson has been contacting with Bruce Banner or the boy will be killed. The boy shows them, but it is a booby trap that destroys the equipment. When the men try to kill Samson they are shot dead by the homeless person. Meanwhile, in New York City, Bruce Banner attempts to contact Mr. Blue to learn how safe his present location is. However, the message fails to send due to a malfunction. While in New Mexico, Nadia Doronova wakes up to the sound of dogs growling and goes outside to check. She finds some coyotes trying to feed upon the covert operative named Mr. Blue, who was who doubled as the Home Base operative known as S-3.

Back at Samson's lab, the "homeless person" doffs her disguise revealing herself to be Sandra Verdugo. After introducing her to Kevin, he tells the boy that his lab is compromised and that the boy should find a new clubhouse somewhere safe. With the boy gone, the Doc gets down to business and asks Sandra what she contacted him for. She gives him a laptop telling him it's broken and needs repairs. Back at Nadia's place, the mysterious Mr. Blue wakes up and mutters something about assassins being after Bruce Banner before passing out. Fearing for his safety sees her laptop and goes for it in the hope of trying to contact Bruce. While at Samson's lab, Leonard is in a foul mood because he still harbors bad feelings after Sandra disappeared on him after their romantic interlude in Argentina 10 years earlier. She explains that after the rebellion in the region was over she returned to the United States after she gave birth to her son, and then lived in seclusion until Home Base kidnapped Ricky and framed her for his murder. When he asked how she faked her execution, Sandra tells him that she never faked it.

Meanwhile, back at Nadia's, the woman tries to contact Bruce Banner via the laptop, however, she cannot connect either. Suddenly, the woman on her couch begins to wake up, Nadia remembers the handgun that she left on the coffee table. While in New York City, Bruce packs up his laptop and leaves the diner, seemingly unaware that agents of Home Base are following him. When he ducks into the alley, one of these agents follows him in, but Banner saw his pursuer and gets the jump on him. While at Samson's, Sandra vaguely explains how she cheated death thanks to the science of Home Base. She also tells him that Ricky Myer's apparent death in Chicago was faked and that the boy. When Leonard asks where the boy's father is, he suddenly realizes that he is the father. Meanwhile, in both New Mexico and New York, two nearly identical struggles are happening. In New Mexico, Nadia and Mr. Blue struggle against each other for the gun. While in New York, Bruce Banner struggles with the agent from Home Base for his gun as well. While at Samson's, the Doc scolds Sandra for working for Home Base when they had her son kidnapped. By this point, he finds that they cannot communicate with Banner anymore because someone has blocked their network access. While Nadia subdues Mr. Blue, the double agent tires to tell her that Home Base is onto her. While in New York, the agent of Home Base informs Banner that they know where he is.

Recurring Characters

Bruce Banner, Doc Samson, Sandra Verdugo, Nadia Dornova, Mister Blue, Home Base

Continuity Notes

• Agent S-3 is actually Betty Ross operating undercover. Betty had died of radiation poisoning in Incredible Hulk #466. Betty was resurrected thanks to the machinations of the Intelligencia as seen in Fall of the Hulks: Alpha #1. However, her appearances here are all part of a reality warp created by Nightmare as revealed in Incredible Hulk Vol 2 #81.