Phoenix Under Attack!

[hulksmashed.livejournal.com]

That's the headline people are trying to avoid.

The Hulk doesn't care. His gait brings him ever closer to the populated city, and so far, nothing seems to stop it.

There's hope that the sandstorm that just kicked up might buy them more time. A sandstorm that's the doing of Crusader, the new girl carrying Thor's hammer and Captain America's shield, who's crazy enough to try to face the Hulk without the help of her team, who have been held up by dealing with some other U.S. agent.

The storm doesn't stop him. It only slows him.

Slightly.

Comments

[hulksmashed.livejournal.com]

"Bi-Beast! Flank left! Box, flank right! Samson! Do your job!"

[bi-beast.livejournal.com]

A massive three fingered fist slams into the Hulk's shoulder, aiming to keep it from turning back to the bright lights of the city.

"Banner's will is our command, Skull-Brother!"

[flight-alpha.livejournal.com]

Another hulking metallic form plays the flank, making sure to box the Hulk in, and keep him moving in the same direction, now that they've got him on track.

"Almost there, Docs!"

[hulksmashed.livejournal.com]

The green-haired doctor then leaps into the fray, charging up from behind on the mindless brute.

"On three, gentlemen."

"One."

Cutting up a dust storm as he runs with gamma-enhanced speed.

"Two."

Clasping both hands together for a double-axe-handle shot.

"THREE!"

In unison, all three super-strong behemoths swing at the Hulk at the same time, applying the same leverage to fling the beast in the direction they want him to fly...

[hulksmashed.livejournal.com]

The Hulk lands on his head, several football fields away, in a vast desert plain.

Slowly starting to pick himself back up.

[flight-alpha.livejournal.com]

"We did it, boss!" comes the crackle over the Hulkbuster comm units.

"He's in the killzone! Hit it!

[wwii-hero.livejournal.com]

"NO!" Patriot screams.

[exiles-extras.livejournal.com]

Suddenly, more Avengers show up on the scene.

"Back off, you weirdos!" barks Wonder Man, peppering the area with more energy blasts, to keep these people at bay.

[exiles-extras.livejournal.com]

Beams of light blast forth from the jewel on the Vision's forehead.

"We will kill you if we have to. This is a matter of national security. Do not force our hands."

[spidey2099.livejournal.com]

"Holy shock! They're coming out of the woodwork! Who the hell are these people? Sarah, we're cut off!"

[hulksmashed.livejournal.com]

"YES!" barks Banner, relishing the end to years of guilt and torment.

The sequence is prepped - the button is hit.

[rogue-starsr.livejournal.com]

"The Avengers..." she pauses, blocking a punch and being thrown back, dragging herself up to launch into the fight again, while dodging fire from the Hulkbuster Iron Man suit.

"work for the government in this world. They're not evil, just... unquestioningly patriotic... and full of some of the Avengers biggest hard-asses. Bucky has his own group that tried... without success, to stop the Hulk. They're trying to kill him, don't know how."

[hulksmashed.livejournal.com]

Energy crackles all around the Hulk's vicinity, an ever-changing spectrum of colors.

Cannons blast their abnormal blasts at the thing... and it makes its first noise.

A pained, animalistic howl.

The Hulk starts to whither in the distance, shaking in tumultous anger and agony. Several earth-shattering rumbles as it pounds the earth - perhaps a desperate attempt to escape by digging a tunnel...

In the end, though, there was nothing the behemoth could do.

In the end, the energy is siphoned off into a massive flash that rockets into the sky in a long arc, heading into the distance and vanishing.

In the end, there's a smoldering form that remains... inert. Invisible beyond the smoke.

[hulksmashed.livejournal.com]

His glasses come off, and his brow furrows.

"Check the crater."

Something's off. Readings show it worked right, but... the reserve banks show nothing in the enery cells.

[ultronomicon.livejournal.com]

A slew of Ultron robots soar in, circling Ground Zero. Scanning and reporting visuals back to the base.

[hulksmashed.livejournal.com]

Once the smoke clears, there's a very dead human form lying in the crater.

Looking eerily like himself.

Banner recoils from the viewscreens, a hand over his mouth.

Turning away to think.

"Good god... what have we just done?"

[spidey2099.livejournal.com]

"Oh, god..." Spidey says as he watches helplessly from a distance too far to cover.

"I... really hope we didn't just botch this..."

[rogue-starsr.livejournal.com]

Sarah watches from a crater made of Hulk-throw impact zone, and Iron Man twin-linked heavy repulsors. "Oh... no." she manages, before her heads drops into the dirt and the world starts to fade.

[cap-a.livejournal.com]

Captain America begins to stir.

"...Wha?"

[wwii-hero.livejournal.com]

Patriot pushes his way past the Captain's allies and grabs his lapels, lifting him to his feet.

"Are you happy now, you bastard?" He turns Cap to see the body of Bruce Banner lying in the crater. "Just one more senseless death you've added to this uniform... a uniform you have no right to wear."

[cap-a.livejournal.com]

Captain America breaks the grip Patriot holds on him. "Quit your liberal whining," he snorts. "Captain America is the real patriot... not some puffed up, washed out sidekick who couldn't even die in a blaze of glory like his partner. And a patriot obeys orders."

He glances at the body of Banner. "I'm sorry someone had to die, but he had to be killed."

[wwii-hero.livejournal.com]

"No," Patriot snarls. "There was another way."

[exiles-extras.livejournal.com]

Vision floats down behind the Patriot, and his cape settles around his form.

Silently waiting for the Captain to give him the signal to neutralize the renegade.

[wwii-hero.livejournal.com]

As she begins to fall, Patriot catches her.

"You okay, girl?"

[rogue-starsr.livejournal.com]

Sarah is still a little out of it, but quickly moving to Patriot's defense. She shoulders aside the Vision to stand at Patriot's left shoulder.