Beauty and the Beast

Trapped

Bruce's head aches with a heavy pounding, his ears still vaguely ringing in a high pitched squeal. The last time he's heard anything remotely similar was on an open field. A familiar echo somehow able to shut the hulk down.

His body feels sore no doubt from the most recent explosion. His wrists ache from odd metal restraints, his heels and ankles pushing bare foot against a cold table. Bruce whispers to himself, "Oh come on!"

His eyes burn the instant the lights turn on, a voice echoing off the walls of an uncomfortable room, "Welcome back Dr. Banner. Miss me?"

Bruce lays motionless as he recalls the voice of Aldon. His eyes crack open, "No, no I didn't."

The mad doctor paces, muscular and much older than Bruce remembered.

"That's a shame." Aldon taunts as the restraints are released. Banner sits up in his oversized attire. He moves to tug his hands, rotating his sore wrist instead;

"What'd you use to knock out the hulk."

"Oh the usual,' he paces, 'Vibranium, gamma, a sonic wave- nothing special."

"Oh is that all?"

"When did you join the enemy? What did SHIELD have to do in order for you to enroll?"

Bruce scoffs and rubs at his opposite wrist with his head down, "I didn't. I help out- I work for me. Would you be so kind as to explain what's been injected into my veins in order to prevent a hulk-out?"

"Nothing yet."

"Risky."

"Not for me."

He scoffs coldly, "Yeah, for you."

Aldon just smiles and waves for Bruce to follow down the darker underground hallway. The physicist takes in his immediate surroundings, reaching for a nearby scalpel before following his enemy. He tucks it up his sleeve. Not quite a hiding spot Natasha would approve of but Banner has escaped far worse.

Bruce listens half-heartedly as they walk, feet cold against the floor. His eyes scan and search for an exit with his mind eager to return above ground.

"Obviously, I'm back in New York, fully prepared to accept responsibility for some of the most intricate weaponry you've ever seen."

"Obviously."

"You haven't changed."

Bruce rugs in his sleeve, cautious over the odd experiments and armed guards;

"What are you making? Something radioactive?"

Aldon chuckles disappointedly, "Ever the man of so many words. I might've been young at the time but even your father shared more of my enthusiasm for this project."

"Among other things,' he mumbles, 'I could have the world at my disposal here- which is what happens as long as you can force your enemies into submission. I am a genius, as you know. But I am missing one thing; someone who can help me better understand the nuclear aspects of my project."

Bruce crosses his arms, careful with the blade under his sleeve;

"I still don't know what your project is for. So you blow up the city; big deal. What's next."

Aldon pauses in his steps, sharp blue-eyed focus targeting the shorter man;

"You have two things that I want: Your brain, and your blood. With your mind I can bring SHIELD to an ultimate halt. I can crush the director who continues to step in and put a stop to my projects... if he's not dead already...we have been down here a while."