The Next Morning
Richard, Betty, and Banner gathered around the breakfast table in what had become an increasingly tense domestic arrangement. Betty had once again prepared the meal herself, though American breakfast cuisine was fortunately simple enough that even modest cooking skills could produce acceptable results.
Banner appeared notably haggard, his exhaustion evident in both his posture and expression. Whether due to poor sleep or the unavoidable sounds that had echoed through the house for several hours the previous evening, he seemed to have aged years overnight.
After they finished eating, Richard made no move toward his usual routine of driving Betty to Culver University. Instead, when Betty was ready to leave, he simply wrapped his arm around her waist and activated his teleportation ability.
In an instant, they vanished from Banner's sight and materialized in Betty's office at the university.
"I'll head back now unless you need anything else," Richard said as they separated.
"I'll call you after my classes are finished," Betty replied with a warm smile.
Richard nodded, teleported once more, and reappeared in Betty's living room where Banner remained seated on the sofa.
"I'm ready to leave," Banner announced without preamble the moment Richard appeared.
"Because of what you heard last night?" Richard asked directly, settling onto the adjacent sofa with casual ease.
Banner's response was immediate and defensive. "Of course not. I simply don't think it's appropriate for me to continue staying here."
While his words carried conviction, his underlying motivations were exactly what Richard had suggested. Banner had believed he could accept Betty's new relationship intellectually, but the intimate sounds from upstairs had proven his emotional resilience was far more fragile than he'd anticipated.
The experience had left him feeling a profound mixture of sadness and helplessness—emotions so intense that he had nearly lost control and transformed into the Hulk right there in the guest bedroom.
"Did anyone ever tell you during your years of exile that you're terrible at lying?" Richard observed with amusement. "While your tone seems calm and your posture appears relaxed, anyone with basic social experience can see through your deception immediately."
Faced with such direct confrontation, Banner abandoned his pretense entirely.
"Fine, yes, I lied," he admitted, his voice rising with suppressed emotion. "I can't stand watching you and Betty act like lovers in front of me, and I especially can't tolerate listening to you two... together. If I were capable of defeating you, I would have transformed into the Hulk last night and made you pay for it."
Richard remained completely unfazed by Banner's outburst. He had anticipated exactly this reaction—both Betty and Banner carried unresolved feelings for each other that wouldn't disappear simply because circumstances had changed.
"Where will you go after leaving here?" Richard asked pragmatically.
"Back to New York," Banner replied immediately.
"Do you have somewhere to stay there?"
"No, but I'll figure something out," Banner said with a slight frown, clearly having made his decision without considering the practical details.
In response to Banner's obvious lack of planning, Richard reached into his system storage and produced a black briefcase, placing it on the coffee table between them.
"There's one million dollars in cash inside," Richard explained calmly. "Consider it living expenses for your new start."
Banner stared at the case with obvious surprise and wariness.
"I met with General Ross last night," Richard continued. "If everything went according to plan, he should have already issued orders canceling the manhunt against you."
He produced a business card from his storage space and placed it on top of the briefcase.
"My contact information is on the card. If you encounter any problems you can't solve on your own, call me and I'll provide assistance. In return, I'll occasionally need your help with certain projects—research experiments, scientific consultations, things that require your particular expertise."
Banner studied the briefcase and business card for several long seconds, clearly wrestling with his pride and practical needs.
Finally, pragmatism won out. He picked up the business card, memorized the phone number, and tucked it into his jacket pocket before opening the case to verify its contents.
The briefcase was indeed filled with neatly organized stacks of cash totaling exactly one million dollars.
"Once I've settled in New York, I'll send you my address and contact information," Banner said, closing the case and meeting Richard's eyes directly.
"Good," Richard agreed with a nod.
Banner rose from the sofa with the briefcase in hand and began walking toward the front door. After only a few steps, he stopped without turning around.
"Don't play with Betty's feelings," he said quietly but firmly. "If I discover that you're treating her as anything less than she deserves, I'll come after you regardless of whether I can win or not."
Without waiting for a response, Banner continued to the door and left the house without looking back.
Richard watched his departure with an amused smile, already turning his attention to future plans.
Thanks to his intervention, the events of "The Incredible Hulk" would never unfold in this universe. Emil Blonsky would never transform into the Abomination, and the destructive rampage through New York would never occur.
However, other significant events remained on schedule. Thor's exile to Earth by Odin should begin soon, initiating the plot of the first Thor film.
After some consideration, Richard decided against traveling to Asgard or Jotunheim to interfere with Thor's destiny. While he possessed the power to alter the thunder god's fate just as he had Banner's, he saw no strategic advantage in doing so.
Thor's exile and the humbling experiences that followed were essential for his character development. Only by losing his powers and learning humility among mortals would the arrogant prince transform into a worthy heir to Asgard's throne.
More importantly, Richard was curious about a specific aspect of Thor's story: the enchanted hammer Mjolnir and its famous worthiness enchantment.
He wanted to discover whether someone with his capabilities could lift the mystical weapon and potentially gain access to Thor's divine powers. While such abilities wouldn't significantly enhance his already formidable strength, satisfying his curiosity would be worthwhile.
Additionally, there was entertainment value in potentially demonstrating his worthiness in front of the exiled Thor himself—a psychological tactic that might prove useful in future encounters.
Having made his decision, Richard activated his teleportation ability and departed Virginia.
Los Angeles - High Altitude
Richard materialized several thousand feet above Los Angeles, floating effortlessly as he surveyed the sprawling metropolis below. Using his enhanced vision, he could observe the entire city in remarkable detail, from individual pedestrians to traffic patterns to the movements of his enhanced companions.
It didn't take long to locate Pietro, who was currently engaged in his favorite pastime of using his superhuman speed to fight crime throughout the urban landscape.