American comics: I am full of martial virtues and I love to be kind to others.

“That’s why Black Hawk is so eager to catch you,” Lynn concluded. “They need your DNA to complete their experiments.”

“That’s right,” Banner confirmed. “And based on the information I gathered during the escape, they may have had some success. Not a complete copy, but perhaps some kind of...limited shapeshifting ability, or enhanced power.”

The atmosphere in the room grew heavy. The thought of an army of Hulk-like warriors was indeed a terrifying prospect.

In the afternoon, Lynn noticed that Banner looked increasingly tired and his face was pale.

"Are you alright?" he asked, interrupting the ongoing discussion.

Banner forced a smile. "Just a little tired. Recovery after a transformation usually requires more rest and nutrition."

Lynn stood up. “We should let you rest. But first, I think we should check your other wounds. I noticed you were walking a little unnaturally; there might be some injuries we didn't spot last night.”

Banner hesitated for a moment. "There might be a few bruises and abrasions, but nothing serious."

“Let me take a look,” Lynn insisted. “We can’t risk making any wound worse. Especially considering our situation, we may not have easy access to professional medical help.”

Banner finally agreed, and the two went into the bathroom again. This time, Banner took off his shirt, revealing his scarred upper body. Lynn tried not to show surprise, but Banner's condition was much worse than he had expected. In addition to the old scars, there were many new bruises and abrasions, especially on his back and rib area.

“This requires more professional handling,” Lynn said seriously. “I’m worried there might be a broken rib or internal injury.”

Banner shook his head. "No need to worry, really. My healing abilities will handle this. It just takes time and rest."

Lynn wasn't entirely sure, but decided to respect Banner's assessment. He began cleaning and treating the visible wounds while checking for signs of fractures. As Banner had said, some of the minor wounds had indeed begun to heal, but some still looked quite serious.

“You need more antibiotics and painkillers,” Lynn said. “The safe house has limited medical supplies. I need to go out and get some more.”

Banner wanted to object, but Lynn's expression told him this wasn't something to discuss. "Alright," he finally agreed, "but be careful. Black Hawk agents may be searching throughout the city."

Lynn nodded. "I know. I will proceed with caution."

After treating Banner's wound, Lynn explained the situation to Gwen and Ethan, and told them that he needed to go out for a while.

“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Gwen asked worriedly. “It could be dangerous outside.”

“We need these supplies,” Lynn said firmly. “Banner’s injuries are more serious than we thought. And I’ll be careful. You stay here, take care of Banner, and continue organizing the information. I’ll be back soon.”

He donned a simple jacket and hat as a makeshift disguise and left the safe house. The weather outside was overcast, suggesting a possible rain. Pedestrians hurried along the street, unnoticed by the unremarkable man.

Lynn first went to a large pharmacy and bought various medical supplies: antibiotics, painkillers, more bandages, and disinfectant. Then he went into a grocery store and bought enough food and drinks for four people for several days. Throughout, he remained vigilant, constantly observing his surroundings for suspicious individuals or signs of surveillance.

As he left the grocery store and prepared to return to the safe house, a sense of unease washed over him. Years of FBI training and field experience had sharpened his intuition. He casually stopped to tidy his shopping bags while discreetly observing his surroundings.

Almost immediately, he noticed a black van across the street with two people inside, intently observing the area. Their posture and alertness suggested they weren't ordinary citizens. More definitively, Lynn recognized one of them—one of the Black Hawk agents from Central Park the previous night.

Lynn showed no sign of recognizing them, and continued walking, changing course and entering a busy commercial street, hoping to shake them off in the crowd. In the reflection of shop windows, he saw the black car slowly following him.

“Damn it,” he muttered, realizing he was being followed. He wasn’t sure if they’d recognized him or if it was just routine surveillance of suspicious areas. In any case, he couldn’t go straight back to the safe house, or he’d put Banner, Gwen, and Ethan in danger.

Lynn quickened his pace and slipped into a large shopping mall. It was a densely populated area with multiple exits, making it the perfect place to shake off his tail. He weaved through the various shops, sometimes stopping to pretend to shop, sometimes quickly changing direction.

After confirming that he had shaken off his stalkers, Lynn took out his phone and dialed Gwen's safe line.

“It was me,” he said curtly. “I was being followed by Black Hawk’s men. I’ve shaken them off, but I’m not sure if I got back safely.”

“Oh my God, Lynn,” Gwen’s voice was filled with worry, “do you think they know the location of the safe house?”

“Unlikely,” Lynn replied. “I’ve followed all anti-tracking procedures. But just to be safe, I’ll take a longer detour before coming back. Stay alert, and if anything suspicious happens, initiate the evacuation procedure immediately.”

"Understood. Be careful, brother."

Lynn hung up the phone and continued moving through the city, sometimes taking the subway, sometimes walking, making sure no one was following him. The whole process lasted nearly two hours, and finally, convinced he was safe, he began moving towards the safe house.

However, just as he was about to arrive, an ominous premonition struck him again. He slowed his pace and carefully observed the neighborhood where the safe house was located. At first, everything seemed normal—pedestrians, cars, normal city activity. But then he noticed another black vehicle parked on the street corner, with a person inside who looked overly alert.

Lynn immediately turned around and took out her phone to contact Gwen again.

“Gwen, the safe house may be under surveillance. Don’t move around, and don’t go near the windows. I need to check on things.”

“Lynn, Bruce’s condition has worsened,” Gwen said urgently. “He has a high fever and is sometimes delirious. Ethan said it might be due to a wound infection, or something to do with his specific condition.”

Lynn cursed. "He needs medical help, but we can't risk going to the hospital. Listen, I have a plan. Give me ten minutes, then I'll contact you."

After hanging up the phone, Lynn quickly found a public phone booth and dialed 911.

“I have a report of suspicious activity,” he said in a deliberately altered voice. “At the intersection of 14th Street and 8th Avenue, there are several men dressed in black monitoring a building. They appear to be armed.”

This fake emergency call would attract the police, temporarily distracting the Black Hawk agents and giving them an opportunity to escape. Lynn then dialed the safe house. “Gwen, listen to me. I just called the police to say I saw armed men near you. The police will be here soon, and the Black Hawks will retreat temporarily to avoid drawing attention. This is our chance. When the sirens sound, you and Ethan help Bruce leave through the back door. I'll be waiting for you at that abandoned warehouse two blocks away.”

“I understand,” Gwen replied quickly, “but can Bruce leave?”

“We must go,” Lynn said firmly. “It’s more dangerous to stay there. If needed, Ethan will help you support him.”

Lynn hung up the phone and quickly moved towards the designated rendezvous point. This abandoned warehouse was one he had discovered while working in the area before, a temporary emergency evacuation point. He used a spare key to open the rusty side door and entered the dark interior. The warehouse had been empty for years, the air thick with dust and mildew, but at this moment, it was exactly the hiding place they needed.

About five minutes later, sirens wailed in the distance. Lynn waited anxiously, hoping his plan would work. About ten minutes later, there was a gentle knock on the warehouse door—Gwen's agreed-upon signal. Lynn carefully opened the door and saw Gwen and Ethan supporting a weakened Banner standing outside.

“Come in quickly,” Lynn whispered, helping them lead Banner into the warehouse.

Once they were in a relatively safe environment, they gently placed Banner on the ground. Lynn immediately checked Banner's condition and found that he did indeed have a high fever, a flushed face, and rapid breathing.

"What's wrong with him?" Lynn asked, taking medical supplies out of her shopping bag.

“It suddenly worsened about an hour ago,” Ethan explained. “It started with shivering and sweating, then a high fever. He said it might be related to the transition—his body needs time to adjust after each transition. But this one seems particularly severe.”

Lynn gave Banner antibiotics and fever reducers, then wiped his feverish forehead with a damp towel. "We need to lower his temperature and clean those wounds."

Gwen had already started unpacking the new medical supplies. "How did those Black Hawks find the safe house? We're being very careful."

“I’m not sure,” Lynn admitted. “Maybe their technology is more advanced than we thought, or maybe they have an informant inside. In any case, we can’t go back there now.”

“Where do we go?” Ethan asked, his voice trembling with anxiety. “Bruce needs a stable environment and medical care.”

Lynn thought for a moment. "I have a backup safe location, but it's some distance from here. We need a way of transportation that won't attract attention."

“I have an idea,” Gwen said, pulling out her phone. “I know someone who works for a freight company. Maybe he can help us arrange an inconspicuous vehicle.”

"Is it reliable?" Lynn asked.

Gwen nodded. "Very much. I helped him with some technical issues. He owes me a favor."

Lynn agreed, and Gwen began making phone calls. Meanwhile, Lynn and Ethan continued to care for Banner, cleaning his wounds and trying to lower his temperature. Banner was sometimes lucid and sometimes delirious, muttering to himself in his half-awake state, mostly fragments of experiments and calculations, occasionally mentioning a woman's name—"Betty."

“Who is Betty?” Ethan asked Lynn in a low voice.

Lynn shook his head. "Not sure. Could it be his girlfriend or wife? There's very little information about Banner's personal life."

About half an hour later, Gwen returned with a relaxed expression. "It's all taken care of. A delivery van, no markings, is waiting for us in the back alley in fifteen minutes. The driver is my friend's cousin; he won't ask any questions."

Lynn nodded. "Very good. Let's get ready. How's Bruce?"

Ethan glanced at Banner. "The fever reducer seems to be working; his temperature is going down. But he's still very weak."

Lynn checked Banner's pulse and breathing. "Yes, the situation has improved, but we need to continue monitoring. Can you go, Bruce?"

Banner slightly opened his eyes, seemingly more alert. "Okay, I can try."

Lynn and Ethan carefully helped Banner up to test his ability to stand. He was able to stand, but clearly needed support.

“We’ll help you,” Lynn comforted her. “Just hang in there for a little while, then you can rest in the car.”

Banner nodded weakly. "Thank you. You took such a big risk."

“This isn’t just for you, Bruce,” Gwen said gently. “It’s for the truth, to stop Black Hawk’s plot.”

Banner gave a faint smile. "Thank you anyway."

Fifteen minutes later, as Gwen had said, a gray delivery van pulled up in the alley behind the warehouse. Gwen briefly explained the situation to the driver—they needed to discreetly transport a "sick friend." The driver, a young man, was clearly curious about the whole situation, but as Gwen assured him, he didn't ask any questions.

They carefully helped Banner into the car, preparing a relatively comfortable spot for him in the back, using blankets and a backpack as a makeshift bed. Gwen and Ethan sat beside him, continuing to care for him, while Lynn sat in the front passenger seat, directing the driver to a remote location in the Bronx—his backup safe house.

“You’re just in time,” the driver said amicably, trying to break the silence. “The police seem to be searching the whole area, like they’re looking for some dangerous person.”

Lynn remained alert, but her tone was relaxed. "Really? What happened?"

The driver shrugged. "Not sure. Someone reported seeing suspicious armed men, but it could just be a false alarm. The atmosphere in the city has been tense lately, especially after that Hulk incident."

Lynn nodded, while observing Banner's reaction through the rearview mirror. Banner showed no signs of sleepiness, seemingly drifting between sleep and wakefulness.

"By the way, I heard there's been a major news break about a company called Black Hawk International?" the driver continued casually. "They say they're conducting some horrific experiments? Do you know anything about it?"

Lynn maintained a neutral expression. "I only know what's in the news reports. It does sound very serious, if it's true." (End of Chapter)