Hulk of Arabia, Part 2

The Red Hulk has come to the nation of Qatar to avenge the death of his former colleague, Will Krugauer, by taking down the Shadzir separatists responsible. However, after a clash with these militants, the Red Hulk is stopped by the Secret Avengers who are operating in the region. However, the Red Hulk refuses to stand down and fights back against this trio. As the battle rages, War Machine detects that someone is observing them from nearby. When he goes to investigate he is attacked by the Arabian Knight, the superhero who defends this region. He incapacitates War Machine with his mystical scimitar and expresses his displeasure of having American superheroes interfering in the region he has sworn to protect. He tells them that they have no business in his land and tells them to leave. Valkyrie attempts to sword fight with the Knight, but his sword is too powerful and she is knocked back by a discharge of mystical energy. The gathered heroes continue to fight until they spot a volley of high-tech missiles that are being used by the Shadzir.

However, these missiles have been deactivating and were used by Commander Steve Rogers to startle everyone into standing down. After tensions die down, Steve Rogers explains that they have learned that the missiles used against them have a limited time to be used or they become inert. However, the technology is easily reversed engineered and Rogers fears that these separatists will use that to their advantage. The Arabian Knight knows where these rebels are hiding but wants to handle it himself and that he wants the Americans to leave. Steve also wants to pull his people out, but not before the Arabian Knight can give them the intel that they are looking for. Later, aboard the Al Mazzan, there the Arabian Knight reveals what he knows. The rebels are being given the weapons by Dagan Shah who seeks the wealth to build his own independent state on the border between Libya and Egypt, a place called Sharzhad. When the Secret Avengers mull over the implications due to NATO guidelines, the Arabian Knight refuses to wait any longer and flies off the battleship and heads toward Sharzhad before the weapons being proliferated by Shah destabilize the entire region.

The Red Hulk still insists on getting his vengeance, but Steve Rogers tells him that his orders are to go home. They are interrupted by Machine Man, who has come to tell Rogers that the situation actually has implications that may affect the United States. He tells them that he has examined the strange missiles and determined that they are built with alien technology. Based on his records, X-51 identifies the technology as that of the Rigellians who once sought to colonize the planet Earth. Wondering if the Rigellians have renewed their interest in colonizing Earth, Steve intends to send X-51 to investigate as he is technically considered a drone. However, the Red Hulk insists on tagging along. Rogers concedes but tells the Red Hulk that once the State Department makes a final decision regarding Sharzhad he is to follow orders, otherwise their working relationship will come to an end.

24 Hours later, the Red Hulk and X-51 are airdropped on the Libyan/Egypt border. Once they land in the desert, X-51 reports that his scanners cannot allow him to see the city of Sharzhad, but can detect its location based on life sign readings. As they press along, the Red Hulk and Machine Man discuss their motivations for going to Sharzhad. They are suddenly attacked by what appears to be the Manticore of Middle Eastern myth.

Recurring Characters

Red Hulk, Secret Avengers (Steve Rogers, Black Widow, Valkyrie, War Machine), Machine Man, Dagan Shah, Manticore

Continuity Notes

• War Machine questions how the Red Hulk managed to convince the Avengers to let him join. He has been a member of the Avengers since he helped them collect the Infinity Gems in Avengers Vol 4 #7-12.

• The Black Widow recounts the Red Hulk's failed attempt at taking over the United States. That happened in Hulk Vol 2 #23-24.

• The Red Hulk also recalls how he fought the Black Widow and Valkyrie once before. That happened in Hulk Vol 2 #7-9.

• Steve Rogers recounts how the Rigellians once attempted to colonize Earth but abandoned this mission thanks to intervention by Thor. This happened in Thor #129-134.