Viper

Chapter 6: Bobby

I arrive in India and one of the local children helps me get my guy out of the city. Once he arrives, I stay hidden in the shadows, so he won't see me at first.

"You should've got paid up front, Banner."

"You know, for a man who's supposed to be avoiding stress, you picked a hell of a place to settle."

"Avoiding stress isn't the secret."

"I know."

"You brought me to the edge of the city. Smart. I assume the whole place is surrounded."

"Just you and me."

"And your actress buddy? Is she a spy, too? They start that young?"

"I did."

"Who are you?"

I step into the light.

"DD? What are you doing here?"

"I'm here on behalf of SHIELD."

"How did you find me?"

"I never lost you. Bobby, it's okay. I trust you. But now, I need you to come in."

"What if I say no?"

"I'll persuade you. Bobby, you know you really can't say no to me."

"But what if the other guy says no?"

"You've been more than a year without an incident, Bobby. I don't think you want to break that streak."

"Well, I don't every time get what I want."

"Bobby, we're facing a potential global catastrophe."

"Well, those I actively try to avoid."

"This" I pull out my phone "is the Tesseract. It has the potential energy to wipe out the planet."

"What do you want me to do, swallow it?"

"Bobby, you underestimate me. I want you to track it. I know what you're thinking 'DD, why don't you just do it yourself?' and honestly it would be a waste of my resources if I did. That's why I came to you. It's been taken. It emits a gamma signature that's too weak for us to trace. There's no one that knows gamma radiation like you do. If there was, I would have sent someone else."

"So, I should feel honored."

"I never take the time to make house calls myself."

"Oh really?"

"Really. I need you on this."

"You need me in a cage?"

"I'm not putting you in a cage."

"STOP LYING TO ME!!"

I just sit still and look into his eyes; I know he's just testing me.

"Bobby, you should know by now that I don't scare easily," I reprimand.

"I'm sorry. That was mean. I just wanted to see what you'd do."

"I know, and I get it. Let's go, Bobby. I'm flying you to England, and Fury will pick you up from there."

"You have somewhere to be, don't you?"

"Yeah, I have to go visit my husband."

"Understood."