[IC] Hooked on a Feeling

[Morose]

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Guinevere Stark

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Guin raised an eyebrow at Lance. She remembered it all in perfect detail and she didn't understand why he didn't seem to - unless he meant it as a rhetorical question. Her body felt awful, though, like an intense cleanse had just been done on it. It reminded her of some of the so called therapeutic diets they forced them to adhere to in rehab. "Why don't you remember?" she asked him bluntly. "And you agreed to intern for him - as well as steal documents from your father and meet with him daily so he could keep up your control..."

"Whatever you agreed to, you aren't doing it. Period," Banner said sternly. "Agreements made under mind control won't hold up in court." He also didn't want Lance going anywhere near these people again. He knew there were sick bastards in the world, but he never wanted them to do anything to his kid. Lance was the only good thing he'd ever brought into the world and he didn't want to lose him. Lance was supposed to be his legacy.

"Hammer wanted me to build him a prototype for Project Ultron and deliver it to him - and for Lance to steal files. He's working with Kilgrave - gave him some flash drive....I remember all of it," she then explained. "It's kinda like Kilgrave couldn't control all of my mind...Like half of it went rogue against him..." She was looking a little green. Kilgrave's control was messing with her sobriety.

[BlueSky44]

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Lance Banner

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"I remember bits and pieces, was just hoping that I didn't remember that, or that it wasn't true or something..." Lance muttered, looking over at Guin. Those guys were crazy, and another thought occurred to him. If he was literally supposed to go back to these guys everyday, if he didn't show up, then they might come after them again. What was Hammer doing, and why did he want him to go work for him, What exactly was Kilgrave doing for him, and what was on that flashdrive?

Tony started to think the same thing Lance did, about them maybe coming back when they found out that they weren't going back to them to help. "If what you are saying is true, then odds are that you aren't out of the woods yet. Who knows what'll happen when they find out that you two aren't doing what they want you to do. Which means we've got a problem... Any idea what they are planning?"

"No..." Lance said, wondering if he should mention his conversation with Hammer weeks ago that made him and Guin want to figure out what was going on at Hammer industries.

[Morose]

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Guinevere Stark

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Guin stared at Lance again - it didn't make sense to her why she could remember it all perfectly and he only was able to retain partial memories of their evening with Hammer and Kilgrave. It was really starting to bug her - Selvig and Barton had had almost identical experiences when under Loki's control. Why was there such a vast difference between her and Lance under Kilgrave's control? She doubted it had to do anything with her past drug addiction, but having that influx of toxins in her system - even though they were gone now - was making her stomach churn. She was on the verge of vomiting. "There's something else going on here..." Guin muttered, before her attention was pulled away by Tony.

"We don't let them out of our sight then - move them to a secure Avengers facility, off the grid," Banner suggested. "They'd miss school but uh...they're at a science high school. I'm sure we could tutor them, Tony..." He didn't want anyone going anywhere near his son. If someone with the power of mind control was after Lance, a secure facility that no one knew about seemed like their best bet.

Guin was trying her best not to puke still. "I think I might know...Hammer kept going on about how Kilgrave was going to launch the company into the future, and Project Ultron is kinda you and Banner's dream baby...So they have me make them a prototype and Lance get all the documentation...Plus Hammer's all about attention, right? He could care less about what he makes, as long as he's in the spotlight, with the fame and glory, people hanging on his every word..."

Her mind was racing rapidly. "I think he's going to present his own rendition of Ultron at the Expo...And whatever he promised Kilgrave, it can't be good..."

[BlueSky44]

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Lance Banner

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"No... No way are you people going to just basically lock us up in some whacked out facility or something," Lance said, glaring at his dad now. "Though I agree with her about the Ultron thing, would make sense... Still don't get why he wanted me to work for him and not Guin though, I mean seriously, a little weird. Kilgrave's power is through his words, he says something, and people will listen to him no matter what. It only took one sentence for him to get control, so odds are he'd be able to find us no matter where we go."

"So, he is trying to create Ultron... That is not going to end well... After all, Ultron is still a work in progress, it isn't ready for something like that. Damn, Hammer would need almost all of the information we have on Ultron in order to have an idea of it. If he tries to present a version of Ultron at the Expo without that, odds are that he'd make a fool of himself."

"Honestly, Hammer was a headache when he talked to me a few weeks ago, the guy is crazy..." Lance muttered under his breath.

[Morose]

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Guinevere Stark

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"Lando, that's how they deal with problems. They send you away to boarding school and when that doesn't work, rehab - even though rehab facilities almost never actually work..." Guin muttered angrily, before she couldn't hold off much longer and she started vomiting. The chemical cocktail of Kilgrave's pheromones and Banner's cure wasn't kind at all to the biochemistry of a recovering addict. And since Tony hadn't removed the restraints, she couldn't even run to a trash can or a toilet or anything. "And I have an idea as to why Hammer picked you, though I can't prove it...I'd need to go make some calls..." Guin then said under her breath so that way no one could hear.

"It's for your own good, Lance," Banner said quietly. "And it doesn't look like it was just words. It looks like he gives off a pheromone that makes you want to do whatever he says...But if I pick the place and no one else knows, you should be okay...No one's been able to control the Hulk..." Not even me he added silently.

"There has to be a way to beat Kilgrave - or buy him out. Since Hammer's getting him whatever he wants with his money, so he's not really loyal - just in it for whatever his prize is...I mean, this guy was in prison - someone had to have caught him, right?"

[BlueSky44]

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Lance Banner

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"No, I'm not going anywhere," Lance shot back, glaring at his father still. He did not want to go anywhere, especially if his dad was the only one who knew where they had gone. "You are not sending me away just because of some weirdo who can control people. Seriously..." This whole thing was messed up, and he had no idea what was going on, or why Hammer would even think that he could control Ultron. Lance's body started to glow with a faint light again.

Tony just shook his head at Lance, before he saw Guin puke. He went over and undid the restraints, before he handed her a trashcan in case she needed it again. "Right, let's see what Kilgrave's file says about him, and who caught him before," he said, before walking over to the computer again. Lance was still thinking of what Banner had said, and knew the unspoken words. No one could control the Hulk, at least not very easily.

[Morose]

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Guinevere Stark

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"That's exactly why I should send you away - somewhere safe!" Banner argued. Lance was the only thing good he had ever accomplished in his life and he wasn't about to let some psychopath ex-con take Lance away from him. He knew that their relationship was strained these days and sure, Banner had no idea why - but that didn't change the fact that he loved Lance and would do anything for him. Well, anything except for let him get his way on this matter. He wanted to keep his son alive, mind control free. He wanted Lance to have the best chance at a good life.

Kilgrave's file contained some interesting information. He had a daughter named Kara and no other living relatives. He had been defeated by Daredevil, who used his immense willpower to overcome Kilgrave's control, before wrapping the villain in plastic to block out his pheromones. At the Raft, he was kept subdued in a chamber filled with a gas that neutralized his abilities entirely. Other heroes with psychic abilities had had success at shielding their minds from him. Guin accepted the trash can and continued to vomit.

[BlueSky44]

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Lance Banner

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"No, I am not!" Lance yelled as there was a flare of light, and Lance had managed to burn through the restraints and he got up off the bed. "I am not going to let you just send me away somewhere, seriously, that's kind of already happened once in my life, and I don't exactly want it to happen again!" he yelled, as the light started flaring up uncontrollably around him. His powers had only shown up a few months ago, and he still couldn't control them.

"Lance, you need to calm down alright," Tony said, glancing over at him before he started reading through Kilgrave's file. The information could be helpful, if they needed to combat Kilgrave, it would be nice to know what had happened. The idea of sheer willpower to overcome his power, which was weird. Though the idea of just wrapping him up in plastic should they ever run into him was hilarious to think about.

[Morose]

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Guinevere Stark

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"It's for your own good!" Banner snapped, having to take a deep breath as the Hulk had a few emotions he wanted to express as well. His heart rate had started to climb rapidly the more they talked about this. It wasn't exactly something he wanted to think about - and it didn't help that Lance didn't seem to realize the danger he was in. Plus, Lance was a kid - he wasn't the adult. He didn't get a say in the decision that was made. That was between Banner and Lance's mom - and she stopped asking to be involved in parenting decisions years ago.

Guin finally managed to stop puking and she looked over at her father. She could tell by his expression he found something helpful and something funny - which was probably about the best case scenario. She had a bit of a headache and she got off of the bed, heading over to Tony and looking over his shoulder at the file. "So what - we cover him in plastic wrap and hope for the best?" Guin asked skeptically. "Could even give him a tinfoil hat to complete the look..."

[BlueSky44]

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Lance Banner

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Lance wasn't able to calm down very much at all, and his dad didn't seem to get what was going through his head. He had known for weeks that something was up with Hammer, and that was the whole reason that he and Guin had even gone to the party in the first place. "You know what? Whatever, I don't care anymore!" Lance yelled at him, before he stormed out of the medical area, completely surrounded by light at this point, so to the others it seemed more like there was a walking ball of light heading into the hallway.

Tony let out a sigh, before turning to address Guin. "Yeah, might as well right? Plastic wrap and sheer willpower is apparently how you stop him, which is just hilarious. Some guy named Daredevil is the one who stopped him and caught him, and the Raft has some sort of gas that was able to stop his powers. Doubt they'd give us any of it though, which means we are basically at nothing right now..."

[Morose]

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Guinevere Stark

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"Lance!" Banner called out, running after him. He was barely out the door of medical, covering his eyes to obscure the intense light slightly, when his skin began to turn a delicate shade of green. He had been holding off the transformation and with Lance running out like this, it set him off and he let out a scream as Banner vanished, leaving the Hulk in his place. The gigantic green monster reached out and grabbed Lance, letting out a roar of rage from the burning pain that resulted but he didn't let go of him. "BAD BANNER HURT SON!"

"One - Daredevil is a badass codename. You should've picked that one. Two - Aren't you Tony fucking Stark? If you and Banner can't make your own drug, then maybe you deserve to have Hammer steal your business. Three - I think we have a Hulk situation....and a Lance situation...Oh and four - can't believe you thought Lance and I really went on a date," Guin finished, scoffing a bit.

[BlueSky44]

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Lance Banner

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Lance thought that his dad had better control than this, though he wasn't too sure what he had been expecting. When the Hulk grabbed him, he tried to get away, but this time it was because he was having problems breathing. The grip was too strong, and the light around him dimmed down before blinking out completely as he kept trying to catch his breath, but it wasn't very easy. If the Hulk was holding him any tighter, he might end up with a few broken bones or something.

"I know we can make it, it's just it would have been easier if we had something already instead of starting from scratch. Secondly, if you weren't on a date, then why did the two of you go to that party in the first place. Third, well, we should probably go see about dealing with that, because otherwise Banner is going to make a mess or something. Damn it why did he have to Hulk out now when we kind of need him for this..."

[Morose]

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Guinevere Stark

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The Hulk loosened his grip slightly on Lance, but not enough for Lance to even begin to get free. The Hulk was feeling a lot of anger and rage. But most importantly, he didn't want anyone going anywhere near Lance. Puny Banner had done a terrible job of keeping Lance safe and the Hulk kept a firm grip on his son as he bounded towards a glass wall, smashing through it as he fell down to the pavement, keeping Lance protected the entire time. "MY SON!" the Hulk screamed at no one in particular, bounding down a busy street and throwing cars out of the way as he went. He wasn't slowing down any time soon and it wouldn't be obvious where he was going either.

"So you're just being lazy then," Guin summarized, regarding Tony's comments it would be easier to start with the material already in existence rather than synthesizing new material. Of course, she knew there was a certain amount of validity to his concerns. She'd seen reaction schemes that went through twenty six different steps before the desired product was produced. And even then, the material alone could cost a small fortune for just beginning the reaction. "And come on, Dad, you know I'm saving myself for Han Solo," Guin pointed out, declining to answer exactly what she and Lance had been doing there. She wasn't in the mood for a lecture on responsibility.

"Also, may I suggest Veronica?" Guin said, after hearing the glass wall shatter and the roar of an angry Hulk. It seemed like a job for the Hulkbuster.

[BlueSky44]

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Lance Banner

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"Hulk, let me go!" Lance yelled out as they went out onto the street. This was not going to end well, and people might end up hurt, even if he didn't. If anyone got hurt with the Hulk on the loose, he wanted it to be him, since it was his fault that the Hulk was loose. This guy was not someone you wanted to mess with at all, and it was his fault that he was loose to cause mayhem and basically destroy the entire city.

"Once we deal with Banner, we are going to continue this conversation, because I am not going to let you not tell me what the hell you two were doing alright? Now, let's go catch the Hulk because otherwise he might make a bigger mess of things." Tony said, shaking his head before he ran out of the room, the Hulkbuster armor wasn't one he could easily put on while inside of the building.

Back out on the streets, Lance decided that he has had enough, and he needed to get the Hulk to let him go. He managed to create light in his hands, and blasted him square in the face, with a very powerful force in hopes of causing him to drop him.

[Morose]

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Guinevere Stark

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"Nah, I wasn't doing drugs so you can just chill, Dad, and we will not be continuing this conversation," Guin argued. She then ran after him, wondering if he realized that his phrasing implied that she'd get to take a suit out for a spin and fight the Hulk. Guin highly doubted that he did. Sure, Romanoff had been training her how to defend herself, but her skills were effective against human threats of low training - not the rage and fury of the Hulk. She'd be lucky to last thirty seconds going up against Banner - and thrilled if she made it to ten seconds, if she was honest.

"But does this mean I get to suit up with you?" Guin asked curiously. "Or am I supposed to stay here in my room quietly and pretend I don't exist?" she quipped, referencing Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.

Meanwhile, the Hulk was smashing his way through Harlem when Lance sent out the blast of light to his face. His vision went dark and rather than dropping Lance, the Hulk's grip on him tightened. He stumbled off of the main room and crashed through a wall, ending up in a thankfully vacant office space that was for rent. He let out another roar, flailing and thrashing as he tried to reclaim his vision but it wasn't working. He was accidentally swinging Lance around wildly, giving him an experience that could probably only properly be described as a Vomit Comet. "WHERE LIGHT GO?!"

[BlueSky44]

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Lance Banner

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"Get in a suit, your job is to get Lance out of there. He doesn't have a suit or something to protect him, and Banner might hurt him pretty badly if something happened. And you know he'd probably be pissed off at himself if that happened. Get Lance out of there, since you wouldn't last too long against Banner. Get him out, and come straight back to the Tower, I'll try and calm him down," Tony said as he went to get into the Hulkbuster suit.

Lance started having trouble breathing because of the Hulk's grip again. That and with the motion of being waved around, and his face started changing colors. He couldn't breath, and he couldn't use his powers because of it. Not to mention the fact that he couldn't speak to tell the Hulk to loosen his grip. There had to be a way for him to slow the Hulk down, but at this rate he'd pass out due to lack of oxygen.

[Morose]

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Guinevere Stark

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Guin nodded, before slipping into one of Tony's latest suit models. F.R.I.D.A.Y. was booting the suit up. Had she been hacking the suit for a joyride, she would've brought P.H.I.L. along with her - but her A.I. wasn't combat or rescue mission ready. And from what she expected, the Hulk was going to have a firm grip on Lance, meaning she'd likely end up tangoing with the Hulk one way or another. "Your anxiety levels are risin', lass," F.R.I.D.A.Y. informed her. "Yeah, well, this could get me killed," Guin grumbled. She then noticed that F.R.I.D.A.Y. had opened a communication channel between her suit and the Hulkbuster.

"Hey, F.R.I.D.A.Y., put on a banger will you?" Guin asked. F.R.I.D.A.Y had pulled up the approximate location of Banner and Lance on a map. They were about twenty blocks from here and Guin activated the thrusters, lifting off and flying out of the tower. "Playin' a banger, lass," F.R.I.D.AY. then announced as music filled both Guin and Tony's suits. It just so happened to be a song that both she and Tony liked.

The Hulk's vision hadn't come back and he let out another roar. Fortunately, he seemed to hear Banner say something and he loosened his grip on Lance, but he was still clutching him protectively. In all of the chaos, Banner had punched a hole in the wall to reveal that the office was just a front. It was dark, but there was clearly an engineering lab hidden away. On the wall, there was a photograph of Justin Hammer - and a sign that said a division of Hammer Industries.

"WHERE SON?!" Hulk roared, despite the fact that he was holding Lance.

[BlueSky44]

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Lance Banner

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"Hulk, let me go I'm right here!" Lance called out to him, then he noticed where they were. It was a Hammer Industries lab of sorts, and the last place he wanted to be was anywhere near Hammer, especially after what happened last time, also known as the party not too long ago. He needed to get away, but his powers weren't helping him out, and he had just then caught his breath from he Hulk gripping him too tightly. His powers did the occasional spark, but that was about it.

"I heard that Penguin, call this a test to see if you should ever be using the suits in a combat scenario. Leave most of the fighting against the Hulk to me, but fight back to defend yourself if you need to. Get Lance, get out, plain and simple, let's just hope he hasn't caused a lot of damage yet..." Tony said, before he took off in the suit, following the sound of chaos to find where they had gone.

[Morose]

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Guinevere Stark

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"Boss, I've done the maths and the answer to that is no," F.R.I.D.A.Y. interrupted Tony, referring to whether or not Guin shout ever use the suits in combat. "Hey, that's so not true! Ugh, I like J.A.R.V.I.S. way better than you," Guin grumbled, arguing with the A.I. "The feelin's mutual, lass." Guin rolled her eyes, falling back slightly and following Tony in her suit. She felt especially small flying next to the Hulkbuster, but she also couldn't resist doing a few loop-de-loops around Tony as they headed off towards the chaos. "Hey Dad - do I get a badass superhero name now? Since I'm basically an Avenger now..."

"NO!!!!" the Hulk roared, keeping a tight grip on Lance but at least he wasn't flinging him around anymore. He was visibly blinking as the spots in his vision began to clear and he finally was able to see Lance. Letting out a roar, he actually gave Lance a bit of a smile. "MY SON!" Hulk roared, before pulling Lance into a hug. He looked over and saw the Hammer industries sign, before picking up a chunk of wall and throwing it at the sign, causing it to shatter and fall to the ground. In the process, he increased the damage to the wall and allowed more of the signage in there to become visible. On the wall, there was a single phrase painted on in neat black letters:

Peace in our time...

[BlueSky44]

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Lance Banner

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Lance now was having a really hard time breathing. The Hulk's grip was way too tight, and he felt something in his chest crack. It didn't feel like it was broken or anything, just cracked and probably bruised. He couldn't catch his breath, and he was starting to feel a little woozy, and not because of being thrown around. This time it was from lack of oxygen, he couldn't breathe and his face was starting to turn purple from the Hulk's grip. He couldn't even choke out words to tell him.

"Look, you are not part of the Avengers. You want some whacked out superhero name? Fine, though you don't get to pick your nickname, everyone else does. So, your Starkette, there happy? Anyway, we've got bigger problems. Like the Hulk who is still on a rampage over there," Tony said as he spotted the Hulk, with Lance still in his arms.