Bruce Banner, or rather, Smart Hulk, stood in the doorway, wearing reading glasses, a tattered flannel, and sweatpants several sizes too small. He blinked when he saw Scott.
"…Lang?"
Scott grinned and waved awkwardly. "Yeah. Surprise. Long story."
Bruce looked at Max next, eyeing him with subtle caution. "And who's this?"
Max nodded politely. "Someone who thinks your brain might be humanity's last hope."
Bruce's brow furrowed.
Scott stepped forward, his tone serious now.
"Bruce… I think we can undo the Snap. But I need your help. I've been in the Quantum Realm, and I think we can use it to go back in time."
Bruce raised an eyebrow. "Alright, explain it from the start. No weird metaphors. And—well, just come inside," he said, waving them in.
Despite his sharp mind, Bruce's movements still carried a certain clumsiness—the hulking weight of his new form made grace a challenge. The strength of Hulk combined with Bruce Banner's intellect was impressive… but clearly still a work in progress.
They entered the cabin, a mix of rustic living and advanced tech scattered around. Screens lit the walls, data streams running alongside half-eaten cereal bowls. Max glanced around, unimpressed but intrigued.
Bruce motioned to the couch. "Have a seat."
Scott sat down first, adjusting his helmet on the coffee table. Max followed silently, arms crossed.
Bruce sat across from them and gave Scott a knowing look.
"So, tell me again. What's the plan, Ant-Man?"
Scott took a deep breath. "Well… it's kind of simple, but also not. You see, in the Quantum Realm, time doesn't flow normally. For me, it felt like five hours passed. But outside, five years went by. So, what if we could navigate that space—not just enter it, but control when we come out of it?"
Bruce nodded thoughtfully, fingers steepled under his chin.
Scott leaned forward. "Basically, a time machine."
Bruce exhaled, leaning back into the couch. "You know… for a guy who spent most of his life stealing things, you're surprisingly good at pitching sci-fi insanity."
Scott grinned. "Thanks?"
Bruce turned to Max, eyes narrowing slightly.
"And what about you? You haven't said much. What's your stake in all this?"
Max replied evenly, "Let's just say I'm invested in keeping this timeline from spiraling any further. And I know your brain is our best shot at making this work."
Bruce studied him for a second, then gave a slow nod.
"Alright. I'll look into it. But first, you should know—things didn't just change for the world after the Snap. I changed too."
He gestured to himself.
"You see, I spent years fighting with the Hulk—thinking he was this other guy inside me. But in time… I realized he was me. Just a part I didn't want to accept. So I stopped fighting. I went through some… intense gamma therapy. Now, I've got the brains and the brawn. Banner and Hulk, merged. Took a while… but I call it a win."
Scott blinked. "So… like Smart Hulk?"
Bruce sighed. "Yeah. That's the nickname people use."
Max raised an eyebrow. "Fitting. But we don't have years this time."
Bruce stood. "Then let's get to work. We'll need access to advanced quantum tech—and I know just the guy to talk to."
Scott looked between them. "Wait… are you saying—"
Bruce nodded.
"We're going to need Stark."
"But… will he help?" Scott asked, uncertainty in his voice. "My daughter told me he's been keeping away from the Avengers. Living a quiet life now."
Max folded his arms and glanced toward the window. "Hmm… I wonder about that too."
Bruce looked at them both and spoke calmly.
"We can call the others and ask for their help. Maybe they can convince him."
Then Bruce stood and stretched slightly, his large frame brushing against the low-hanging ceiling light.
"Let's go meet up with Natasha and Steve. They're still active—holding what's left of the Avengers together."
Scott and Max exchanged a look and nodded.
A Few Hours Later — New Avengers Outpost, Upstate
The car pulled into a half-abandoned military complex. Weeds grew through the cracks in the pavement, but the place still showed signs of life—guard posts, solar panels, security drones keeping silent watch.
Inside, Natasha Romanoff sat at a table surrounded by monitors, her red hair pulled back, a deep tiredness etched into her features. On one screen, surveillance footage flickered from various regions around the world—small pockets of order trying to hold on.
Steve Rogers leaned over one of the tables nearby, a notepad open in front of him, scribbling down information from radio chatter. His hair was shorter, a few streaks of gray showing now, but his posture remained solid. Steady. Captain as always.
As Bruce walked in, Scott followed closely, and Max trailed quietly behind.
Natasha looked up, surprised but curious. "Well, this is unexpected."
Steve glanced over. His eyes widened slightly at Scott. "Lang? You're alive?"
Scott gave a sheepish wave. "Yeah, long story. Quantum Realm. Rat turned on the machine. You know… the usual."
Bruce stepped forward. "We might have a way to undo the Snap."
Steve's expression turned serious instantly. Natasha stood up.
"You better not be joking," Steve said, his tone firm.
Bruce shrugged and looked at Scott, who once again began explaining his experience in the Quantum Realm.
"...You're talking about a time machine?" Natasha asked, eyes narrowing slightly.
Steve turned to Bruce. "Is that even possible?"
Bruce exhaled. "Alone? No. But with Tony's help? Maybe."
Natasha and Steve exchanged a look, the weight of the decision settling between them.
"We'll need Stark," Bruce repeated, "but he's off the grid."
Natasha crossed her arms. "He doesn't want to be found."
She paused, then added with a quiet conviction, "But he's also the only one who could help us pull this off."
She glanced at Steve, then nodded. "Let's go talk to him."
As they prepared to leave, Natasha narrowed her eyes and glanced at the quiet figure leaning against the far wall. Her instincts kicked in—she had worked with spies, assassins, and soldiers long enough to sense when someone was deliberately staying in the background.
***
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