Spider-Man, “Thunderbolt” Ross, and SHIELD Director Nick Fury deal with the aftermath of the Hulk’s rampage on a New Mexico secret military base.

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“SHIELD will take possession of this Hulk and all research related to the project that created it,” Fury said, standing before Spider-Man and General Ross in the SHIELD prefab office established just outside what remained of the New Mexico Army base

Looking to General Ross, Spider-Man could tell he wanted to object to the order handed down by SHIELD Director Fury, but Ross knew he’d be wasting his breath.

SHIELD was the end-all for all things metahuman-related.

Even though creating a super-soldier wasn’t Dr. Banner’s objective, Spider-Man figured Ross would love having a Hulk in his pocket — if he could control it.

On the brighter side, now SHIELD and their scientists would break their budgets, figuring out that part, freeing up American taxpayer dollars.

Though SHIELD was the brainchild of America’s Central Intelligence Agency, its scale proved too much for one nation to control.

Both America’s allies and enemies demanded the United Nations hold the reigns and, more importantly, the purse strings. Funding came from an international pool.

Fury turned his attention to Spider-Man.

A year into Parker’s career as Spider-Man, General Fury had reached out to him, looking to shut down his vigilante activities. Parker had refused, insisting that with great power came great responsibility.

Parker’s late Uncle Ben had told him this; had Parker heeded the words, his Uncle Ben would be alive today.

Realizing Parker wouldn’t stop, Fury had let him operate as Spider-Man with the occasional covert helping hand from SHIELD.

 “Do you even realize why you’re here, Parker?” Fury said.

Spider-Man put a finger in front of his mask, urging Fury to remain silent. “Geesh! I don’t go telling people your secret recipe of thirteen herbs and spices!”

Fury leaned into Spider-Man, causing the young hero to sit back in his seat. The general pointed to the five stars on his shirt front. “These stars mark me as a general, Parker, not a colonel.” He turned from Parker and continued.

“Parker-the-student shows up on a top-secret military base within minutes of Spider-Man showing up. You think people wouldn’t figure it out?”

Spider-Man glanced at Ross. “It would be a low priority, but someone would make the connection,” Ross said.

Spider-Man shrugged. Fury continued.

“Don’t sweat it, though. I set up your little meet with Dr. Banner.”

Ross and Spider-Man looked at one another. Sharing confusion, they looked at Fury, who had moved behind his desk.

“While Banner was on the general’s black site project, he wasn’t allowed outside communications,” Fury began. “I wanted to know what that project was but needed an in.”

Referring to Spider-Man, Fury said, “I found out you were looking to talk to Banner for your thesis. I set up the meet.”

“Wait!” Spider-Man said. “You got Dr. Banner to let me on the base?”

“Not exactly,” Fury said. “You got into Banner’s graces all your own. Congratulations. He invited you to Ross’s objections, but I sent the Black Widow to pull one of Ross’s CIA buddies’ agents out of the fire. Ross gave the clearance.”

“Grudgingly,” Ross said.

“Best be glad you did,” Fury said. “You’d also best be glad the Hulk calmed down enough to revert to Dr. Banner. The Hulk’s the strongest thing we’ve encountered yet.

In fact, I’m not sure we could contain him in Hulk state. But I have some friends at Stark Industries who’ll work on that.”

“What happens to Dr. Banner?” Spider-Man asked.

“That’s classified ‘need to know.’” Fury said. “You don’t need to know.”

“You can’t just hold him —”

Fury slammed his hands on the desk, a motion that called for silence from the other men.

“Until we know exactly what happened to Dr. Bruce Banner,” Fury began, “we’re classifying him as an omega level metahuman threat. He’s not going anywhere but to a hole for study.”

“But he’s a human being!” Spider-Man said.

Without missing a beat, Fury deadpanned, “Not anymore.”

Spider-Man’s shoulders slumped. It occurred to him that it was only by the grace of something that Fury hadn’t locked him up to figure out how his powers worked.

What SHIELD intended for Dr. Banner was wrong, but there was precious little Spider-Man could do about that now.

“So this is how it goes,” Fury said. “Neither of you will ever mention Dr. Banner, this base, the Hulk, the gamma project or anything else that has to do with this base which, by the way, never did and does not exist.

“In return, General Ross here will keep his mouth shut about Spider-Man’s secret identity.”

“And what about that rogue doctor?” Ross asked. “He one of yours?”

Fury looked at Ross. “We’re interrogating him. Preliminary indications are we weren’t the only ones aware of your little black book project.”

“Well, who is he?” Ross insisted.

“That is classified above your pay grade, general.” Looking to both men, Fury said, “Now, are we clear about all of this?”

Spider-Man shrugged. “Crystal?”

To be concluded next Thursday!

Author’s Note:

The characters Spider-Man/ Peter Parker, Richard and Mary Parker, Ben and May Parker, the Hulk/ Bruce Banner, Betsy Ross, “Thunderbolt” Ross, SHIELD, and Nick Fury are Copyright Marvel Comics

None of the characters belong to me as this is fanfiction, done for fun and as a creative exercise