𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚃𝚛𝚊𝚟𝚎𝚕𝚎𝚛 {Bruce Banner}

The Vanishing of Bruce Banner

_ _ _

The rusted car slows to a stop in front of a path leading to a semi-hidden gray bunker covered in moss and vines in the middle of the forest. Tesla and Bruce both gaze outside the window; Tesla knows she should be skeptical and on edge. She just drove in a car with a man she doesn't know to an area of the forest that is so far from the city, in a different country, that no one will find her or Bruce for weeks if they are to go missing. Dr. Curie cuts the engine, removing the keys from the ignition. He gets out of the car with stiff joints and shuts the driver's door.

"Are you at all freaked out by this?" wonders Bruce, his eyes traveling up the tall trees shading the blue sky. Tesla shakes her head, stepping out of the vehicle. "Just me then?" he mumbles to himself.

Stepping on crisp fallen leaves, Tesla's eyes lock on the front door of the bunker. Curie is already by the stairs leading to the underground laboratory. Tesla pauses only for a moment then follows after the man. Bruce is cautious, scanning the surrounding trees. To him, something feels off. He doesn't want to ruin this for Tesla, but he's so confused. His gut is telling him he should get somewhere safe. It can't decide if this bunker is somewhere safe or not. Realizing that Bruce is not right behind her, Tesla turns around. A small gasp escapes her lips; her eyes widen.

Two figures in hooded-cloaks the color of dark navy have some sort of weapons pointed at Bruce. Off of Tesla's shocked look, Bruce freezes. He can feel the presence of people behind him, and see the faint shadows of hooded figures on the ground. They're the cloaked figures that Tesla and Bruce saw in the window of the floral shop. One of them grabs Bruce by the arm, pointing his long stick-like weapon at his back. Bruce goes tense, holding his hands up near his shoulders. He stares directly at Tesla, afraid of what might happen next.

Unnerved, Tesla takes a step forward. "No, wait. Please," she says.

"You have no right being here," Cole states, his voice booming with authority towards the two intruders. "Let the man go, and be gone," he demands.

The cloaked figure that is not holding onto Bruce raises his dark gray weapon in the direction of Tesla and Curie. He fires the weapon at the two of them. Tesla drops to the ground in fear, covering her head with her arms. She hears the sound of electricity crackling against a tree, and watches as an electric blue pulse of energy burns into the side of the tree. Tesla gets on her hands and knees, staring up at the two men, who hold onto Bruce's shoulders tightly.

Sensing something bad is about to happen, Tesla shouts, "No!"

And as if they were never there, the two navy-clad men disappear, taking Bruce with them. The only evidence they leave behind is the burnt hole in the tree. Tesla's eyes widen, staring at the spot where her best friend just stood. She can't seem to comprehend it. In fact, it's so mind-blowing, that she feels a panic attack start to form. Tesla inhales sharply, hanging her head. She stares at the dirt and grass beneath her palms, unsure of how she can handle this all on her own. It's that simple—she can't. Not in a different place, with strangers around, and Bruce missing, suddenly taken by—by aliens? From the panic sprouts fear and worry and so many questions and possibilities about a science that wasn't her kind of science.

Cole reaches down, grabbing Tesla's elbow. She shudders, allowing him to pick her up off the ground, before she shrinks away, snapping her head toward him sharply. She shoots him a fearful look, knowing that she only has moments before she becomes immobile and incomprehensible with anxiety.

"Follow me," Cole whispers. Dr. Cole Curie moves back toward the bunker, to the stairs, and down to the front door. Against her better judgment, Tesla follows him. She just can't seem to stop thinking about—"Bruce. Where's Bruce? What happened to him?" she questions out loud, scaring herself by how hollow her voice sounds. She's on the verge of tears; Cole has become the shape of a man through the clear waves of tears. She holds onto the railing tightly, the anticipation gnawing at her. Dr. Curie puts a hand on the door and it glows a brilliant forest green color, before the light fades and the door unlocks with a satisfying click. Dr. Curie turns to Tesla, "Everything beyond this bunker is highly secure. The sensors know every bit of the palm down to the last detail in the DNA," he explains, a bit proud.

Tesla gives him a surprised look, sniffling and fighting off the tears that threaten to spill. 'How'd you manage that?"

Curie smiles, a hint of mischief hiding in his pale eyes. "Your father didn't think I could do it, so we made a bet."

Although the thought of her father actually living makes Tesla feel a tiny bit better, it also leaves her bitter. She craves the time she never got to have with him. Curie's smile fades when he notices Tesla's far away look. He pushes the front door open and steps in the dark. Tesla holds her breath, following him inside, she wipes at some of her tears with her sleeve. The door shuts behind them, leaving them in complete darkness. Her footsteps leave prints in the thick layer of dust.

"You haven't been here in a while." Tesla peers into the darkness. There were no windows in sight, which made sense since it was an underground laboratory.

"It's been almost twenty years." Curie's voice echoes slightly throughout the empty space.

Tesla frowns, just barely making out Dr. Curie's shape moving through the absence of light. "Why?" she wonders.

"When your father died..." Curie stops for a moment, and Tesla can't tell if he's waiting for her to say something or something else. "I thought it best I keep things a secret." The lights crackle to life, one of them in the corner even breaks from the lack of use, sending a shower of sparks to the dirty floor.

Tesla's eyes scan the laboratory, which really does look like one. The stark white space; a wall full of filing cabinets; the long back counter space on the other side a vivid contrast against the rest of the bright space. Everything is empty; nothing out of place. Curie really hasn't been here in years.

However, there's something in the corner of the room that Tesla has never seen before in any science lab she'd ever been in. A large oval shaped machine stood horizontally, resting on a raised platform. There's a design on the front of the machine, curved arches wrapping around a circle. A seam cuts through the metal, so Tesla assumes that the machine opens at the circle and something must be inside of it. It almost looks like a sculpture of some sort.

"What is..." Tesla trails off, stepping toward the machine. She steps onto the platform and leans in to examine the object.

Dr. Curie frowns to himself, watching Tesla's curiosity break through. "How much do you know about your father's research, Tesla?"

Tesla turns to face him. "Enough to know that he knew things he wasn't around for—in detail." She gulps, eyes flickering between the machine and Dr. Curie. "He knew about me."

Curie sticks his hands into the pockets of his slacks. He nods once. "Yes...that."

Tesla moves away from the platform. "Is that all you're going to say? I know...I know things that I shouldn't."

"You believe them?" wonders Curie, raising an eyebrow at her.

Tesla frowns deeply. Her thoughts are wandering a bit. It's a loaded question; one that she doesn't know how to answer. "I...I'm not sure. I need to find Bruce," she begins. Tears prick at the corners of her eyes again. Tesla walks over to an open table; her body threatens to collapse against it, to breakdown. Tesla bows her head, letting out a shuddering breath. "What—who were those people? What happened to Bruce?" Her head pounds with exhaustion after the flood of emotions and senses crash through her. Staring back at Dr. Curie through strands of dark hair, she begs, her voice painfully quiet, "Please, tell me what's going on," she begs, her voice quiet.

Cole sits down quietly across from her. "He'll be okay." Tesla frowns, giving Curie a look that expresses her doubt. Curie sighs. "It'll be easier if I just show you, huh?"