Samuel Sterns's face went ashen the moment he heard Banner's introduction. He had been planning to contact Richard when their scheduled meeting time arrived—Banner's early appearance had completely disrupted his carefully laid plans.
"Dr. Sterns, what's wrong?" Banner asked with immediate concern. "Are you feeling alright?"
Despite Sterns's obvious distress, Banner harbored no suspicions about the scientist's motives. After months of online correspondence, he had come to trust "Mr. Blue" completely. From Banner's perspective, if Sterns had been working with General Ross, his location would have been compromised long ago.
Banner's reasoning wasn't entirely flawed, but it overlooked one crucial possibility: that Sterns might have been compromised recently rather than being a long-term double agent.
"I... I'm having some stomach problems," Sterns stammered, rising from his desk with obvious urgency. "I need to use the restroom. Please wait here—I'll be right back."
Without waiting for a response, Sterns hurried toward his office door, his distress appearing entirely genuine.
Banner watched the scientist's hasty departure with mild sympathy, assuming Sterns was simply dealing with an unfortunate bout of digestive upset.
Once outside his office, Sterns did indeed head toward the nearest restroom, though not for the reasons Banner assumed. Upon entering the facilities, he discovered a male student using the urinals.
"Doctor, you..." the student began warily, clearly uncomfortable with the unexpected intrusion.
"I need to borrow your phone," Sterns said without preamble.
The student visibly relaxed upon realizing Sterns's innocent intentions. After finishing his business and washing his hands, he retrieved his cell phone and handed it over.
Sterns immediately dialed Richard's number, which he had memorized despite never having called it before. His academic training had given him an excellent memory for important details.
The phone connected after only two rings.
"He's arrived early and is waiting in my office," Sterns said quickly, not bothering with pleasantries.
"Understood," Richard replied curtly before ending the call.
Sterns returned the phone to the confused student, finally allowing himself to relax slightly. He had fulfilled his obligation—whatever happened next was out of his hands.
Virginia - Betty's Bedroom
"What was that about?" Betty asked curiously, propping herself up on one elbow to study Richard's expression.
She had called him earlier that morning, ostensibly to invite him for lunch after her morning classes. However, her true intentions had been far more intimate, and Richard had readily accepted both invitations.
As expected, their "lunch" had been followed by a more private dessert in Betty's bedroom, where they had been enjoying each other's company when the phone call interrupted them.
"An old friend just arrived in New York," Richard explained casually. "I'd like you to come with me to see him."
While Betty had no idea who this mysterious friend might be, she nodded agreeably. Their relationship had progressed to the point where such requests seemed perfectly natural.
At this stage, Betty remained blissfully unaware that Richard's "old friend" was none other than Bruce Banner—the man who still occupied a significant place in her heart despite years of separation.
Both rose from the bed and began collecting their scattered clothing, dressing quickly in preparation for their unexpected journey.
"Should I check for available flights?" Betty asked as she smoothed down her hair. "I hope we can get tickets on such short notice."
"We won't be flying," Richard replied with a slight smile.
Betty frowned in confusion. While the distance between Virginia and New York wasn't enormous, it would still require several hours of driving—hardly conducive to a brief social visit.
Before she could voice her concerns, Richard continued, "Have you ever heard of metahuman?"
"You mean people with special powers?" Betty asked slowly. "Like the superheroes in comic books?"
"Exactly. I haven't been entirely honest with you about my background," Richard said, his tone becoming more serious. "I'm one of those metahuman. I possess various abilities, including teleportation."
Betty's response was immediate laughter. She wrapped her arms around his neck and grinned playfully. "Well, since we're sharing secrets, I should tell you that I'm actually the queen of a small European country!"
Clearly, she had interpreted his revelation as an elaborate joke.
Richard sighed at her skeptical reaction, then placed his hands around her waist without further explanation.
In the next instant, they vanished from Betty's bedroom and materialized in Samuel Sterns's office at Greyburn College—a journey of several hundred miles completed in the span of a heartbeat.
Before Betty could process their impossible transportation, a familiar voice cut through her confusion.
"Betty!"
She turned to see Bruce Banner sitting in a chair across the room, wearing simple jeans and a shirt that couldn't disguise his obviously tense posture.
Betty's eyes widened in shock as her mind struggled to reconcile Banner's presence with everything else that had just occurred. If Richard's teleportation had been surprising, Banner's unexpected appearance left her completely speechless.
After several seconds of stunned silence, Betty released her hold on Richard's neck.
"What's going on?" she demanded, looking back and forth between the two men. "Is Bruce the friend you mentioned? Where exactly are we?"
"Please sit down and calm yourself," Richard suggested, gesturing toward an empty chair. "I'll explain everything."
Betty reluctantly took the offered seat, her mind racing with questions and implications.
Once she was settled, Richard addressed Banner directly. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Dr. Banner. My name is Richard, and I'm currently Betty's boyfriend. I'm very glad we finally have this opportunity to talk."
The word "boyfriend" hit Banner like a physical blow, causing his heart rate to spike noticeably.
When he had first witnessed Betty appear with her arms around Richard's neck, Banner had suspected their relationship was more than casual. Having his fears confirmed was still painful.
"How did you know I was here?" Banner asked, his voice tight with controlled emotion. "And how did you transport her across hundreds of miles instantaneously?"
"As I mentioned to Betty, I possess various superhuman abilities," Richard explained calmly. "Teleportation is among them. As for your location, I'm the one who arranged for Dr. Sterns to contact you. He hasn't actually discovered a cure for gamma radiation."
Banner's expression grew dark as the implications sank in. "Are you working for General Ross?"
"No, I have no connection to the military," Richard replied. "I orchestrated your return because I'm interested in the other personality you harbor. I want to fight the Hulk."
Despite Richard's apparent honesty, Banner remained skeptical. The claim seemed too bizarre to be genuine.
"I don't care who you are or what you want," Banner said firmly, rising from his chair. "I'm taking Betty and leaving."
"If you want to take her anywhere, you'll have to go through me first," Richard replied mildly.
Banner's anger flared at the casual challenge, his pulse accelerating rapidly enough to trigger the heart rate monitor on his wrist.
Hearing the familiar alarm, Banner immediately began his practiced breathing exercises, forcing his emotions back under control before they could trigger an unwanted transformation.
"You must be exhausted after years of running and hiding," Richard observed. "Tell you what—for Betty's sake, I'll arrange for General Ross to stop hunting you."
"What possible authority do you have to make such a promise?" Banner demanded.
"Simple—I have the power to back up my words."
Without warning, Richard activated his telepathic abilities and froze Banner's motor functions. While Banner remained fully conscious and aware, his body became completely unresponsive to his mental commands.
What is this? Banner thought desperately, struggling against the invisible restraints that held him motionless.
"If I wanted to harm you, you'd have no ability to resist," Richard's voice echoed directly in Banner's mind. "As you can see, I can prevent your transformation indefinitely if I choose. Your heart rate means nothing when I control your nervous system."
The demonstration was more effective than any verbal argument could have been. Banner finally understood that Richard possessed genuine supernatural abilities and could easily fulfill his threats.
"Do you really just want to fight the Hulk?" Banner asked telepathically, since normal speech was impossible in his current state.
"That's my only interest in you," Richard confirmed.
Betty watched in bewilderment as Banner stood frozen like a statue, clearly unable to move or speak despite appearing physically unharmed.
"Very well," Banner finally replied. "I'll fight you. But don't blame me if you regret the experience."
Richard immediately released his telepathic hold, returning control of Banner's body.
"Let's take this somewhere more appropriate," Richard suggested, producing the Cosmic Cube from his system storage.
He quickly opened a dimensional gateway leading to a secluded forest in the New York suburbs, the familiar portal crackling with dark energy and pseudo-lightning.
Both Banner and Betty stared at the impossible sight, though Banner recovered his composure more quickly and stepped through the portal without hesitation.
"Shall we?" Richard asked Betty, gesturing toward the gateway.
Betty nodded numbly, still processing everything she had witnessed. Despite her confusion, she was relieved that the tension between Richard and Banner seemed to have diminished.
After ensuring Betty had passed through safely, Richard followed and sealed the portal behind them.
They now stood in a clearing surrounded by dense forest, far from any potential civilian casualties.
"Would you prefer to transform voluntarily, or do you need emotional stimulation?" Richard asked Banner.
In the later Avengers films, Banner had demonstrated the ability to control his transformations at will. However, Richard wasn't certain whether Banner had developed that skill yet.
"I can manage it myself," Banner replied grimly.
Without hesitation, he began deliberately provoking his own anger, imagining scenarios where Richard would use and abandon Betty after growing bored with her.
The transformation began immediately. Banner's eyes shifted to an eerie green glow as his breathing became labored and his skin took on a sickly jade hue. His body mass increased exponentially, muscles swelling until his clothing began tearing at the seams.
Within seconds, the mild-mannered scientist had become a green giant standing over seven feet tall, his arms and legs thicker than most people's torsos. The last vestiges of human intelligence vanished from his features, replaced by primitive rage.
Betty gasped involuntarily, raising her hands to her mouth as she stared at the creature Banner had become.
"To keep things fair, I'll only attack for one minute," Richard announced to the transformed Banner. "If you're still standing when time runs out, you win."
The Hulk responded with a primal roar that echoed through the forest, sending every bird within miles fleeing in terror. He beat his massive fists against his chest like an enraged gorilla before charging directly at Richard.
Despite the Hulk's intimidating approach, Richard remained completely relaxed. He had seen Thanos defeat a more experienced version of the Hulk using nothing but skilled combat techniques in Avengers: Infinity War.
If the Mad Titan could accomplish that feat, Richard was confident he could do far better.