Prologue

He remembered the green light of the scanner playing across his face. He remembered the feeling of the gamma radiation, like a tingling heat on his skin. He remembered being scared when he felt his body start to change.

After that, things were confused. There was a chair smashing through a window. Wrecked lab equipment scattered across the floor. Betty was slumped on the floor. Crushed lab furniture and computers lay jumbled on top of the two people beside her. General Ross, his uniform torn, scrambled away.

A hole broken through a wall. Cool air. Screaming and sirens.

And anger, so much anger.

Then nothing. Until...

The hospital room was blinding white behind the glass wall. Betty was hooked up to tubes and life-support machines, unconscious. She looked so small.

A strong hand landed on his shoulder. He looked up to see General Ross staring at him. You’ve got a lot of nerve coming in here after what you did, General Ross said.

Bruce had never felt so tired in his life, so filled with misery. Worst of all was the rage that lingered in his blood. He could feel it, waiting for its chance to escape again. The monster wanted out, and he didn’t know how long he could hold it back.

I just wanted to see her, he said. Make sure she’s all right.

She’ll be all right as soon as you leave her alone, General Ross said. Permanently. Steer clear of her. You’re a project asset now. That’s all.

He felt his pulse start to race, and knew the monster was waking up again. Terrified, he pushed past General Ross and ran—out of the hospital, out of the country, out of Betty’s life. He didn’t stop running until—