Terra Incognita, Part 3

Australia has been liberated from mutant rule by the Hulk with the assistance of AIM. Although the country has now become a safe haven for human refugees from around the world, things are not as they seem. A refugee named Jon is snatched by two AIM soldiers outside of the Sydney Opera House. The abduction is watched by his girlfriend who is hiding in the waters below and watched the whole thing. She hopes that the Hulk will be able to rescue him.

The following morning, Bruce Banner is in bed with AIM's leader Monica Rappaccini where he expresses his concerns that being the leader of Australia might tax his ability to control the Hulk. However, Monica eases Bruce and when he admits that he feels comfortable around her, as though he has known her for years, she reveals that they did briefly date back when they both attended college at Desert State University. She reveals that she was friends with Bruce's ex-girlfriend, Susan Jacobson who broke up with Bruce because he was too rough with her. After she reveals that she went by the name "Nicky" back then, Bruce feels awful for not calling her back after their one-night stand. However, she lets it slide since now they rule Australia together. She points out how many refugees they are processing and how well things are going, so why would she dwell on the past? Meanwhile, the girl who witnessed her boyfriend Jon get grabbed in the middle of the night tries to sneak into Sydney only to get caught by soldiers. This is witnessed by Monica's daughter, the Scorpion, who orders the men to stand down and takes the girl aboard her fishing boat. There he hears the girl's story and finds it strange. She decides to investigate, promising that she will do what she can to find and rescue Jon.

Later that day, Bruce Banner has a final meeting with his administration. Monica and the other officials warn him that they are running out of spaces to place refugees. Unwilling to encroach the land owned by the Aborigines. As a solution, Bruce decides that refugees will be put in charge of building their own developments so they can house the influx of refugees. This would require trade deals with other mutant governments, who are not interested in helping. In response to this, Bruce calls in Adam Isaacs, he has the boy robot send out a message to all governments warning them that if they do not conduct business with his government he will unleash the Hulk upon them. Before the meeting is adjourned, one of Banner's aids asks that the Hulk put on some public appearances to boost morale among the people. Banner points out that the Hulk isn't something that can b e turned on and off as a party trick and orders them not to ask again. As he walks out of the meeting he believes he hears the words of Gateway repeating his warnings from when he left their side. No sooner does he think he hears this is he approached by the Scorpion who tells them that they might have a situation.

She takes Bruce to a facility where they are looking for volunteers for scientific experiments. Posing as potential applicants, Banner doesn't like how shady the operation appears. They knock out the desk clerk and begin looking around. They find a button that opens a secret passageway that leads them to a secret lab where they discover that AIM is making an army of cyborgs to act as an army. When they are discovered, the technicians activate the alarm. While the Scorpion doffs her disguise, Banner turns into the Hulk, furious to see that this is going on without his knowledge. As the Scorpion is swarmed by cyborgs, she is attacked by one she recognizes him as Jon due to a distinct tattoo of Captain America's shield on his arm. The Hulk lays into the cyborgs until Doctor Isaac orders everyone to stand down. The Hulk demands answers from Doctor Isaacs, who tells him that this is an army being built to fight mutants and take back the Earth for humanity. He also tells him that Monica authorized this and insisted it be kept confidential and if he wants answers, he will have to ask her. Monitoring this from her control room, Monica realizes that she has a big problem.

Recurring Characters

Hulk, Scorpion, AIM (Monica Rappaccini, Aaron Isaacs, Adam Isaacs)

Continuity Notes

• This story takes place during the House of M event that saw Earth-616 temporarily replaced with Earth-58163. The primary event can be followed in House of M #1-8.

• Monica states that she was friends with Susan Jacobson. On Earth-616, Bruce Banner dated Jacobson as first revealed in Incredible Hulk #377. The one night stand between Bruce Banner and Monica Rappaccini also happened on Earth-616 in the same way as later revealed in Incredible Hulk Vol 2 #87.