Gamma Relations

By Michael Weyer

This was kicking into my head for a bit and wanted to put it out, just a short tale set in the aftermath of my Infinity War story so it's worth reading that first. There will be tidbits here and there and it plays into my bigger challenge to myself: To integrate the X-Men world into the MCU. Hope you enjoy it, all comments welcomed.

"Mutants. They have been among us for some time yet it is only in recent years that we have become aware of them. Men and women with a genetic mutation in their DNA that gives them extra-ordinary abilities. It has been five months since the mass disappearance and then return of half the population of the planet. It is also when the rise of mutants have been marked more in the media with more coming into the limelight. Of course, one in particular has been notable, Professor Charles Xavier, our guest this evening. Welcome, Professor."

"Thank you, Anderson. I am happy to be able to come onto your show and try to dispel some of the misconceptions of the mutant community."

"Professor, you have been well known as a leading geneticist for some years with a private school in upstate New York. But shortly after the Mass Vanishing, you made it known you were a mutant yourself."

"I felt the time was right to finally be more myself. Many other mutants have felt the same. We are aware there has been confusion between ourselves and Inhumans but we are fully human, just…different."

"On that, you have not said your particular mutation…"

"And many others have done the same. Frankly, we do not wish to be judged by what we can do but what we are."

"You do understand, though, Professor that some of the world doesn't agree. There have been protests against many mutants and there seems to be, basically, a division. As in, between mutants who can look human and others whose appearances…"

"I am aware of those issues, Anderson. I am fully aware of mankind's tendency to fear what is different. But again, we have no wish to rule the world or wipe out humans. We simply wish to live our lives with the same rights as other people."

"With respect, Professor, most people are not capable of blowing up a building with a look or burning up a river. You must understand why many are fearful of mutants and why there is a bi-partisan push on Capitol Hill for a registration…"

"I am aware of that but I feel such a move will be horrific. We have seen time and again the effects of marginalizing an entire people and the disasters it leads to. I am aware that given the events of the last several months, the world is a dangerous place but this is a time to accept our differences, not be divided by them. I am hoping there are many who can see the same and work to accept us."

"It sounds like you have a dream of unity, Professor."

"Any dream worth having is a dream worth fighting for."

Bruce Banner stroked his chin as he saw the interview on the television of the small diner in New York. He was naturally intrigued by this new rise in mutants and he knew he wasn't the only one. The Avengers had been busy in the last few months fixing much of the damage from Thanos' actions but the outbreak of mutants was something serious. The other Avengers had been chatting about it, most taking a "wait and see approach." He knew Steve was worried about the idea of the Avengers sent to track down some mutants and Bruce had to admit he wasn't pleased with that himself. That was for the future but at least now, he could try to make some moves to make in-roads with the mutant community.

As the door rang, Bruce looked over and smiled at the figure entering. He drew attention, not too tall with a very intelligent face dressed in a nice suit. What got attention was how he was completely blue from head to toe with fur over his entire body and his hands in claws. Despite that, he had a warm smile on his face as he waved to Bruce. "Bruce. It's been too long."

"Good to see you again, Hank." Bruce extended a hand to shake Hank McCoy's. The man nodded as they sat at a table. A waitress came over, doing her best not to look too wary as she licked her lips to Hank. "So, um, what can I get you?"

"Tea, please, Earl Gray," Hank stated.

"Lemonade," Bruce said. He shrugged at Hank's look. "Less caffeine the better for me."

Hank smiled. "It is good to see you again, Bruce. I know it's been…difficult."

"That's putting it mildly," Bruce said with a snort. "Then again, I'm not the only one who's changed since college."

Hank shrugged. "Secondary mutations have become common since the Great Vanishing. Perhaps what occurred caused it. In my case, it took an aspect that had been come and go in my youth and made it permanent." He smiled. "I make do. It does help with my agility although shedding on the furniture can be rough."

"Believe me, I can relate to a new and dangerous form," Bruce said. Their drinks arrived as they spent a few minutes chatting after ordering. Bruce had always liked Hank, one of the few men back in Harvard who could match Bruce in genius and discussing issues involving radiation and evolution. They had taken different paths after graduation with Bruce sorry they'd never kept in touch but it was good to catch up.

"So is this a social call, Bruce, or on behalf of your friends?" Hank was asking.

"A bit of both," Bruce admitted. "I know things are getting a little tense with mutants more public than ever. We just want to get a feel for how things are."

Hank sighed. "Bruce, I do trust you and the Avengers. However, we mutants have learned the hard way that being more open is not a good thing. I'm not sure how much you know but there is ample evidence of some secret government programs that have experimented on us. They have treated us as little more than lab rats."

"I wish I could say you're just being paranoid but I've been on the receiving end of that," Bruce had to admit. "As I said, we're trying to keep out of it for now but we are concerned about some forces maybe getting dangerous."

"Every group has its extremists, Bruce. Believe me, most of us just want to follow Xavier's teachings and live our lives in peace."

Bruce pursed his lips. "You know him, right?"

"I attended his private school, yes."

"I'm guessing the student body are…"

"That's their business, Bruce."

Bruce held up his hands. "Hank, I'm not trying to start a fight or get into things. We're just trying to stop any problems before they start."

"As are we, Bruce. I ask that you let us have that chance."

"Don't worry. Bruce is good with second chances." Both men started at the female voice as they looked up. Facing them was a woman Bruce's age, her hair long and dark and a smile on her attractive face. She was rather tall with a nice smile, wearing a light pair of slacks and jacket over a light blouse, her eyes twinkling with amusement at the startled Bruce.

"Jen?"

"Jen? That's all I get? You drop off the face of the Earth for years, show up as some huge monster turned hero without a phone call and I get my name?" She laughed as she hugged Bruce, a husky to her voice. "Good to see you, cuz!"

"You too." He waved a hand to Hank. "Hank McCoy, this is my cousin, Jennifer Walters."

Hank nodded as he extended his hand, a bit surprised at how eager Jen shook it. "Good to meet you."

"What are you doing here?" Bruce pressed. "I thought you were still working in California."

"Ah, got tired of the politics of the D.A.'s office," Jen said as she sat with them. "I figured a change of scenery was good and been wanting to open my own firm." She smiled to Bruce. "No need to ask what you've been up to, you've been in the news lately."

"I know, it's been a bit nuts…"

"Nuts? No, Bruce, nuts is handling cases in L.A. like claims of teenagers running around with a pet dinosaur. You're an entire nut factory."

Bruce rolled his eyes. "I can't believe you haven't changed so much."

"Ah, come on, you know you love it." Jen grinned at Hank. "I know, he's always been the wallflower, I was the more outgoing of the family."

"Bruce rarely talks about his."

"Ah, his wasn't…the best but I'd like to think I make up for it."

Bruce was smiling as another figure entered the diner. He was clad in a large coat over his stocky body, his hair in a strange bowl cut, of all things, with large and thick spectacles covering his face. Something about the face struck Bruce as familiar but he couldn't quite place it. He did, however, feel a bit nervous at the way he was looking them over. "Hank? You expecting company?"

Hank frowned as he followed Bruce's gaze to the man. "Wait…" he whispered. "That can't be…" As the man came forward, Hank straightened up. "Otto Octavius."

The man paused by the table. "Dr. McCoy," he stated in a calm voice. "It has been a while."

"Yes. The last I saw you was just before you got fired," Hank calmly stated.

Octavius snorted. "By a group of academic imbeciles who are too blinded to realize the genius I possess."

"They had enough understanding to know blowing up half a building in an unauthorized experiment wasn't good publicity. Or sound science."

"I warned them of what I needed and they refused it. It is not my fault they can't comprehend what I was attempting."

Bruce sighed. Even before he'd joined the Avengers, he'd run into quite a few guys who had a very haughty opinion of themselves and was not a fan by any means. He could already tell Octavius had an ego roughly the size of a city block and maybe even bigger. "If this is some sort of official complaint, I haven't been affiliated with any academic groups in some time."

"No, this is…business. I am going to have to ask you and Dr. McCoy to accompany me."

Hank raised a furry eyebrow. "That does not sound like much of a request."

"It's not." Octavius glared at him. "I would prefer this to be a calm affair, Dr. McCoy. I do respect the work of you and Dr. Banner, flawed as it may be. But suffice to say, if you refuse…it will not go well."

Bruce leaned forward, his eyes narrowing. "If you know me as you say you do, Doctor…You'll know that making me upset is not a smart idea."

Octavius looked at him, then Hank while Jen was just glancing about. "Very well. I told them it was futile but…"

Bruce was rising up just as a screeching sound came through the air. He glanced up just as Octavius dodged to the side before an explosion ripped through the front of the diner. People were sent flying about as he instinctively ducked to push Jen and Hank back.

Octavius was hissing out as a pack of figures in yellow outfits with large helmets rushed in. "Idiots! What about this was subtle and sure?!"

Bruce was rising to his feet, about to trigger the change when one of the figures fired his gun at him. Bruce grunted as he felt the dart strike him in the neck. He was feeling at it just before a wave of lethargy sunk into his body. Before he could do much more, he slumped unconscious, not seeing the same darts fly into Bruce and Jennifer or feel himself dragged away.

The church was mostly abandoned in terms of service but still used for meetings of local groups. Such a case was today, although most of those gathered were hardly the type to attend a regular service. Many looked as normal as anyone else but others were not. One man had skin that made him look more like a toad; another appeared to be roughly 400 pounds of fat on a 100-pound body; a woman with bones sticking right out of her body was glaring about; a woman with a patch over one eye and punk hair was sharpening a knife; and more. Thus, for once, Wanda and Pietro Maximoff didn't feel at all out of place in a crowd.

"I still say they didn't need to send us," Pietro complained for the third time since they'd sat down. Wanda just rolled her eyes at him. "Really, Sam could have done this just as well. It's because of how we got our powers, that's it…"

"Pietro, I know having to sit still is torture for you but try to keep a low profile," Wanda stated. "We are to find out what these people are up to in case it becomes a concern."

Pietro sighed. "I don't like it. It doesn't feel right to think them suspicious because of being mutants."

Wanda pursed her lips. "I tend to agree. I suppose it's better it's us than the government or SHIELD."

Pietro was about to reply when they saw a man taking the stage. The buzz of the crowd quieted down as he held up his hands. "Hi, I'm Jeremy. Thank you all for coming. I know it's been tough the last few months but I wanted to get this group together to discuss how to handle the growing situation."

"What's to handle?' the woman with the eye-patch spoke up. "They're gonna come after us!" Some yells of support to her statement echoed as Jeremy shook his head.

"No one is coming after us, Calisto. I know you like to live in the sewers but you have to know that. Right now, they're discussing measures for us and…."

"Measures?" A red-haired man scoffed. "I spent twenty years with that company, a good place in the suburbs, friends, neighbors, all of it. Then I reveal how I just happen to turn rocks into lead and I get fired, foreclosed on and turned against!" Several murmurs of others with similar stories echoed. "They're not gonna accept us, Jeremy. They're going to try and get rid of us."

"He's right!" Callisto yelled out. "How long before they start throwing us into camps?"

"Look, they are just debating," Jeremy stated. "Come on, no one is talking about camps or extermination."

"Oh, they never talk about it. They just go right out and do it."

All heads turned to the back as a man who looked in his middle ages slowly stepped forward. He was clad in a dark suit, his hair nearly white but his face stronger than his age would indicate. He walked forward in the steady pace of a man used to taking charge and everyone had to feel it. Behind him were two people. One was a gorgeous woman with blue skin, basically naked except for scales about her body, her red hair dark and her bright yellow eyes gleaming. Next to her was a young man with blonde hair and a sneer on his face dressed in black. They were obvious in their loyalty to the white-haired man as he continued to speak.

"They do talk about it. They've been talking about it for years, you just haven't heard it. You all just sit there, blissfully living your lives out, ignoring the signs, telling yourselves it can never happen and this will pass." He moved to take his place on the stage. "Until one day when the air is still and the night has fallen…they come for you. And it's only when you're thrown into the camps that you realize the extermination has already begun."

"Excuse me-" Jeremy tried to speak up but the man cut him off.

"And it won't hit you until they've burned their mark on your body." The man pulled up his arm to let everyone see a set of number tattooed onto his wrist. "Make no mistake, my brothers and sisters, this will happen. We are a unifying force for humans. White or black, liberal or conservative, whatever their ethnic origins…they fear us. They fear that we are the future. And they are right. We are homo superior and they will do anything to try and stop us from rising to our proper place. They will fear us. They will use us. And then they will attempt to destroy us."

He looked about the crowd who were enthralled by his words. "The war is coming, my people. And the only question is, when it arrives…who will you stand with?"

"Who are you?" one person from the crowd called out.

The smallest smile came to the man's lips. "I am Magneto. Remember that name well if you wish to survive." With that, he walked off the stage, the two people following him as the crowd buzzed.

Wanda and Pietro exchanged looks before moving to follow the trio. "You talk a dangerous game," Wanda called out.

The blonde haired man held up his hand and a ball of fire flashed in it. "Back off."

"Easy, Pyro," Magneto stated as he turned to face Wanda. "I merely talk the truth, my dear. I'm sorry if it makes you uncomfortable."

"You make it sound like all of humanity is against mutants," Wanda snapped. "We know many who are not."

"Right, the Avengers." Pyro snorted. "Pretty easy for you two to look down from a literal ivory tower and think things are going great."

"You two can walk down the street in your natural form with no problem," the blue-skinned woman added. A shimmer came over her body and Wanda and Pietro both jerked back in surprise to see an exact mirror image of Wanda standing before them. "I could do the same," the woman said in a pitch-perfect imitation of Wanda's voice. Another shimmer and she was back to her regular self. "But if I was to be myself, I'd have a mob after me."

"It is the same for many of us," Magneto stated. "Which is why we are going to have to fight for our survival."

"We used to follow a figure talking about fighting humanity for a better world," Pietro noted. "It did not end very well for him."

Magneto smirked. "You two are young and have not faced what I have."

"We've both been dead," Wanda noted.

"Believe me, my dear…there are worse fates. I know this. I have seen it." He looked them both over carefully. "The conflict will come. It's only a matter of time. You call yourselves Avengers? There will be much to avenge for our people when this begins. So be sure you know which side you will be on."

"We are not mutants," Wanda stated.

"Really?" Magneto smiled. "Are you sure of that?"

Pietro was frowning as a beeping sound echoed. He and Wanda both looked to the small devices on their belts and shared nods. Pietro looked to Magneto. "There's nothing in this country against talking your mind…"

"Not yet."

"But be aware, we're going to be watching. So make sure you don't step out of line." With that, Pietro took Wanda in his arms and in a blur, they were gone.

Magneto was looking at the spot they'd left, his face now set in concentration. "What is it, Erik?" the blue-skinned woman asked.

"I am not sure, Raven. Something about them…" he shrugged. "A question for another time."

"You think the Avengers are going to be trouble?" Pyro asked as they walked out of the building. As they did, Raven transformed into a lovely blonde-haired and light-skinned figure in a nice dress.

"In time, perhaps," Magneto stated. "Which is why we will ensure our numbers grow before we make our move." He looked to Pyro. "I fully understand the fire of youth but be sure, my boy…When we strike, the world shall know it."

Bruce groaned as he slowly pulled his head up. He tried to move only to realize he couldn't. It took him a few moments to realize he was strapped down to a table in some sort of high-tech lab. He glanced about, seeing Octavius at a console with various other figures about. Some were clad in those yellow uniforms while others had rifles at the ready. Octavius was overseeing some consoles, now wearing a complex metallic harness. Attached to it were a set of four metallic tentacles, carefully weaving about to adjust various boards, doing the work of at least two men at once.

Looking to his left, Bruce saw Hank also struggling against the bonds strapped across his wrists, legs and main torso. He looked to his right to see Jen slowly waking up, also shackled although not as securely. He looked to Octavius and grunted. "What the hell is this?"

"Merely preparations, Doctor," Octavius said, almost distracted as he continued his work.

Bruce glared as he prepared to change…and blinked. "Wait…I can't…" He grunted as he tried to summon up the Hulk but for once the creature inside him was silent.

"I wouldn't bother, Doctor," a strong voice echoed through the lab. "Your better half is taking a nice long nap." Into the room strode a figure clad in an orange and black jumpsuit. His skin was as green as the Hulk's, his face marked by a pencil-thin mustache on his lips. His head was bald and roughly the size of a large basketball, the sinews of his brain clear pulsing against his skin. He smirked at the startled trio. "A little concoction of my own design, made to suppress him well."

Bruce was confused at how familiar the voice was. He cocked his head, taking in the figure, trying to see why he looked…

His eyes widened as it hit him. "Sterns? Good God, man, what happened to you?!"

The figure grinned. "You're not the only one who saw changes thanks to gamma radiation, Banner."

"Um, friend of yours, Bruce?" Jen asked.

"This is Samuel Sterns," Bruce said, still thrown by the sight of the man. "He was a scientist I ran into doing research into gamma radiation. I went to him for help trying to find a cure for the Hulk but he ended up selling me out to the military. He helped Blonsky turn into the Abomination."

"During which, I was exposed to some unique gamma blood myself," Sterns explained. "It changed me into the opposite of you. Whereas you gained brawn, I gained brain. My I.Q. is beyond most tests and cataloguing. My genius is unsurpassed."

"And your mouth is annoying as hell," Jen snapped.

Sterns smirked at her. "I am beyond your childish insults, woman. I am beyond more humans. You may now call me…the Leader."

"Oh, brother," Bruce muttered. "That radiation must have driven you insane."

The Leader glared at him. "Do not insult my sanity, doctor."

"Hey, don't knock it, it's a perfectly good defense," Jen stated. "You can use it after you get hauled to the nuthouse."

The Leader shook his head. "As usual, the pitifully small minds of normal people cannot comprehend a new wave of thinking."

"Let me guess," Hank spoke up. "You are going to take the idea that because you are so above us, you have the right to rule us."

The Leader shrugged. "You've seen the mess this planet is in, Doctor McCoy. They need someone to guide them. To choose for them. To lead them into a proper future."

"With you deciding how they live," Bruce guessed. He snorted. "All that genius and you're deciding to become just a two-bit dictator. So much for great intellect meaning great wisdom, Sterns."

Sterns glared again before moving to the nearby console. "No doubt, you're wondering why you are here."

"I'm going to go out on a limb and guess it's my blood," Bruce stated.

The Leader nodded. "Indeed. Your control over your Hulk side is very intriguing to me, Doctor. The way you not only survived the gamma radiation but let it thrive within you is quite rare. Now finding a way to transfer that…That is very fascinating."

"Gamma radiation transfer?" Hank shook his head. "You can't do that, the radiation would be too much for someone to take."

"He's right," Bruce pressed. "Hell, my surviving was a one in a million shot."

"Sometimes, that's all it takes." The trio of captives looked up as another figure strode into the room. He was a tall man clad in a black suit with a complex metallic cape flowing behind him, the ends flowing into spikes with matching gauntlets on his arms. His face was utterly white with red eyes lacking pupils and what looked like a red diamond in the center of his forehead.

"Allow me to introduce my associate," the Leader said with a wave of his hand. "Nathaniel Essex."

"Or as I prefer," the man said in a cool voice. "Mr. Sinister."

Jen actually let out a laugh. "Seriously? We've been kidnapped by what sounds like a reject from some Japanese super-hero show?"

Hank was staring at the newcomer with curiosity. "Essex…I recognize the name. Late 19th century geneticist, ahead of his time in many ways with his theories. Any relation?"

Sinister smiled. "The same man." Hank actually didn't look too shocked at that, having met a few mutants with long life spans. "My vision was held back by the lack of technology then. But today…I have enough at last to help my experiments."

"He and I found common ground," the Leader went on. "We each are quite interested in mutants and Inhumans as well as what they can say to evolution." He waved to Octavius. "Dr. Octavius was in need of some aid as well and fits into our group nicely."

"I am not a subordinate, Sterns," Octavius snapped from his place by the consoles. "Whatever you plan with your research is your business. I am interested in how I can use the results to boost my own theories in gamma radiation and power."

"What's your plan, Sterns?" Bruce pressed.

"Quite simply, Doctor, to replicate your accident into others." The Leader smiled. "Think of it. Thousands of Hulks spread across the world. Still in possession of their mental faculties although subservient to myself."

"A small army of genetically engineered beings," Sinister added. "The insight I could gain can aid my own studies into mutation. I could even find a way to use the gamma radiation to splice mutants and Inhumans together and forge a new race!"

"And from there conquer the world in your own image," Jen stated.

"Precisely."

"That or check into the nearest psycho ward, whichever comes first, I guess…."

Bruce snorted. "I already told you, me surviving that accident was a million to one chance. What are you going to do? Kill a few million people just to get a couple more Hulks?"

The Leader shrugged. "You have to start somewhere."

Bruce, Hank and Jen all stared in horror as they realized he was dead serious. "You're insane," Jen whispered, meaning it this time.

The Leader smiled. "Oh, you'd best be hoping I'm not, my dear. As you are going to be our first test subject."

Bruce jerked upward. "If you hurt her…"

"Pain will be inevitable," the Leader stated. "But it's how you gain in the long run." He made a motion as Octavius moved his arms about, twisting some knobs and levers. Bruce and Hank felt their tables moving off to the side, leaving Jen's by itself. Another knob turned to allow a large object that resembled a dish on a robotic arm to lower from the ceiling.

Bruce was struggling, doing all he could to break the bonds around him and summon the Hulk. Hank was trying as well but it was just as futile. To her credit, Jen wasn't looking panicked but setting her jaw to glare at the Leader as he moved to the console himself. "You better hope this kills me or I am slamming you idiots with so many lawsuits…"

The Leader chuckled as he adjusted the device. "Such fire." He looked to the other captives. "We took the liberty of taking blood samples from you both when you were unconscious. Sinister has been quite busy mixing mutant and gamma blood together and we're quite confident the results will be interesting."

"Dammit, you'll kill her!" Hank snarled, looking more like a beast than a man.

The Leader shrugged. "Every great step in science involves sacrifice, Doctor McCoy." He hit the main button and a blast of green energy ripped out of the dish to strike Jennifer. Her scream was matched only by Bruce's as the Leader and Sinister grinned in the light of the transformation.

So had planned a one-chapter but it got a bit more than I expected. Thus, next time has the Avengers finding out what's what and the rescue with some turns.

For "fan-casting" if you want to know who to imagine:

Jennifer: Angie Harmon who I have contended would be perfect for the part for years (and the right age to match the Ruffalo Hulk)

The Leader: If they can recast Bruce, they can for Sterns so imagine Mark Strong.

Sinister: I truly think Hugh Laurie could pull it off nicely with his dark wit.

Otto Octavius: Bryan Cranston. If anyone can pull off a nerdy scientist turned ruthless criminal, it's Walter White.

And I'd be going for the first trilogy of X-Men actors here (Kelsey Grammer was a perfect Beast). Hope you enjoy, all comments welcomed.