"Dr. Stern, is there any news about Dr. Banner?"
In the laboratory, Carl found Stern, who was busy studying the super soldier serum, and asked.
Stern put down his microscope and patted his forehead.
"Oh, Boss, I was just about to tell you this, but I almost forgot once I got busy. There are some issues with Mr. Green. He's been tracked down by the military and may be delayed a few days before making it back to New York."
"The military is after him? Where is he now?"
Carl frowned.
Logically, he had already gotten in touch with Dr. Banner in advance, which meant his blood shouldn't have gotten into the factory's beverage bottles and SHIELD shouldn't have gotten wind of it and notified General Ross.
Besides, SHIELD was currently in a difficult spot and couldn't openly collaborate with Ross to pursue the Hulk.
"He's in Virginia. He said he wanted to meet up with some friends there and retrieve some materials from his previous research, but the military closed in on him."
Dr. Stern explained.
"Virginia… a friend."
Carl fell silent for a moment and then nodded. He roughly understood what was going on.
It seemed that, before Dr. Banner fell in love with Black Widow, he had a girlfriend — Betty Ross, a biology expert and a professor at Corvo University in Virginia. She was also the daughter of General Ross, the military commander who previously researched the super soldier serum.
He suspected something must have gone awry when Banner went to see Betty.
"Try to contact him. If you can, tell him a friend is going there to help him. Tell him not to transform unless it's absolutely necessary."
After giving these instructions to Stern, Carl turned and walked briskly away from the laboratory.
"David, make some arrangements. We're going to Virginia."
"Yes, Boss!"
David, who was following closely behind, nodded, took out his communicator, and efficiently made all the necessary preparations.
A little over an hour later, Carl's private plane landed at the airport in Virginia.
"It seems the blockade is quite tight."
On the drive into the city, Carl looked through the car window and noticed numerous soldiers armed with live ammo, stopping and inspecting all vehicles attempting to leave the city.
He was nominally here to check on his Virginia branch, but in reality, his main objective was to extract Dr. Banner.
"According to the branch's reports, the whole city was put under complete lockdown this morning. It's easy to get in, but it's tough to get out. The official story is that this is to capture a dangerous fugitive."
As he drove, David briefed him on the information collected by their people in the area.
Carl nodded.
"Where is the military focusing their search?"
"Corvo University."
David answered promptly.
"Then head there."
The area where the military was concentrating its search was most likely where Dr. Banner was hiding. As long as Carl kept a close watch on their movements, he'd be able to find him.
It would be ideal if Dr. Banner avoided the soldiers' search and made it back to New York on his own. But if not, Carl would extract him first — preferably before Banner turned into the Hulk.
Because once the Hulk appeared in the public view and social opinion fell into chaos, many things would become more difficult to handle.
"Bronsky, haven't you gotten any traces of them yet?"
Inside the armored command vehicle, General Ross's tone was filled with dissatisfaction.
Yesterday, he originally came here to ease the strained relationship with his daughter and hopefully reconnect.
But then he stumbled upon Bruce Banner — the man he'd been searching for all these years — through a window, in her home.
He immediately fell back, quietly called in all his elite soldiers overnight, and made sure the city was on lockdown in a matter of hours, hoping to capture Banner in a decisive sweep.
Unfortunately, just before the soldiers closed in at dawn, a vigilant Banner noticed something was amiss and escaped with his daughter.
To avoid losing him again, Ross placed the city under martial law and called in Emil Bronsky, the most formidable soldier under his command, to lead the search.
General Ross knew a city lockdown couldn't last forever; it was only a matter of time before the authorities demanded its removal. He was determined to find and capture Banner by sundown.
"We have the area nearly locked down. They shouldn't be able to hide much longer."
Bronsky's confidence came through the communicator.
"Remember, don't harm my daughter. Once you find her, use the tranquilizer dart to bring Banner down. Try not to injure him."
General Ross put down the communicator and sighed in frustration.
"Damn SHIELD. If we'd gotten their help and equipment, we'd already have him."
"Target spotted. Location: Block 7. They're fleeing toward Block 8."
"All units, close off Blocks 7 and 8 immediately."
Carl stood on the rooftop of a nearby building and looked down at the soldiers rapidly closing in on their target.
He took a golden mask from his mission space and put it on his face.
"It looks like it's there."
Using chakra to grip the soles of his feet, Carl darted across the rooftop and wall tops, quickly making his way toward the center of the soldiers' search.
Meanwhile, in a narrow alley in Block 8, Banner pulled Betty into a hiding spot between two garbage cans. He was panting, trying to calm himself and slow his beating heart.
Unless it was a last resort, he didn't want to transform into the Hulk. The Hulk was a force of pure chaos — something Banner couldn't control — and if it came out, it might harm innocent people.
"Bruce, we can't keep running. My dad's soldiers are all around us. Why don't you use me as a hostage? That might make him more cautious."
Betty said quietly, trying to stay strong.
As soon as they crossed into Block 8, soldiers were already closing in from all directions, with helicopters circling above. There were no more paths of escape.
"It's useless. Your father won't believe it, and no matter what we do, he's not going to let me go."
Bruce shook his head and fell silent for a moment. Then he turned back to Betty.
"Betty… you should get away from me. If you stay close, I might lose control soon. And when the Hulk comes… it may hurt you."
He hadn't meant it to come to this, but now it seemed there was no other choice. Once the danger crossed a certain point, the Hulk would emerge on its own — whether Banner wished it or not.