What was more amazing was what they were doing afterwards. After working from sunup to sunrise, all I was able to do was fall into bed— and every evening, I would look out the window and see one or two of their huge shadows paddling across the lagoon, headed out towards the dark spot that was Mr. Renner's island. I could barely lift my arms, much less take one of the huge boats over two miles of ocean. I would lay there, listening to the pulses of the ocean, occasionally hearing the odd sounds seeming to come from the other islands like roars, rumbling, and rocks crashing together—magma upheavals on the sea floor, Ed had explained to me after one sleepless night.

Well, whatever it was, it was stronger than it had ever been before, and it was driving me crazy tonight. I got up and walked to the door, seeing the moonlight cast eerie shadows across the clearing. Six weeks here and I still don't know what the hell is going on. All of these guys are brilliant, but totally evasive—ask them one question about their past, and the subject changes instantly. All this stuff we're doing is great, but why are we doing it? I can't even access the main databases—they're over in the data center. To which I don't have access, I scowled as I looked across the drive towards the featureless white building.

Forty-two days of frustration and sleeplessness finally came to a head as the strange noises filled the night. I was going to get answers, even if I had to do it myself. This was the first night I had been alone since I arrived—we'd been finishing projects this week and all four of them had been working around the clock. I'd noticed before how edgy they got if they didn't go over to the other island regularly, and after seven days of not doing so, they were practically screaming at each other. Thank goodness being tired ruins your sex drive, I grinned evilly—with equipment and endurance like they had, they probably couldn't think of anything else but boinking a few of Mr. Renner's pleasure goddesses after a week of looking at nothing but each other. All four of them had left a half-hour ago, the boat practically leaping over the water as they paddled furiously. This was my chance.

I pulled out my handheld and tiptoed across the complex towards the data center, thankful I'd thought to load my codepicking program into it before I'd arrived. C'mon baby, I thought, listening to it exchange electronic pleasantries with the security lock. Chuckling, I watched as the door light blinked green and it slid open. Now for a little fun. I walked in and sat down at the mainframe terminal—my gosh, this was almost too easy. An open access window?

"Query records, Personnel, location, Steve"

The computer spit back an answer instantly, Steve's smiling face and data hanging motionless on the screen. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Let's see here….connect, Net search, let's see where else he's worked.

"One record returned"

So what is it?

"Steven Edamson, born 1958, was taken from this life on…." I stared at the screen. An obituary? C'mon, a fat pasty wimp? That picture looks nothing like Steve….wait a minute…."taken from this earthly life on January 12, 1995"……oh my god, that's the same day this Steve was hired on at Gamma!

Query for Ed, query for Tim…..the same thing, pictures that don't match, obituary…..a horrible thought crossed my consciousness. No… they couldn't have…

"Killed in the plane crash was Darren Remick, 28…"

It's all gone. My student records, my publications…..my email account…..

"Well, well, well," came a sudden voice from the darkness.

I whirled—and a hand came from nowhere, knocking me out of the chair and onto the floor.

Steve stood above me, glowering, the moonlight from the open door outlining his massive frame in an unearthly light. "Breaking and entering. Using company computers without permission. Accessing sensitive information. Not bad for one night."

"What have you done to my—mmph!" I said as his huge hand came down and locked over my mouth. He grabbed my shirt front and lifted me to his face, his emerald eyes burning, his muscles bulging, his whole body covered in sweat.

"I didn't do anything to them," he growled. "You did. When you accessed the system, it activated a worm to erase everything about you, every record, every damn piece of evidence that you ever existed anywhere but here. As far as the world is concerned, you're dead."

In rage, I swung at his jaw, connecting…and letting go a muffled howl as my hand bounced off it. He sneered. "Oh yeah. I knew you were a fighter deep down inside. You're even better than we hoped." I pounded on him, trying desperately to get out of his iron grasp. "Boy, you're making me so fucking hot and horny," he growled. "Better slow you down a little before you get me too excited— we don't want to tear this place up." He reached down to his waist—a quick movement, and I felt leather snap around my wrists, binding them together. He bent and I tried to kick, but just as quickly, rawhide laced around my ankles. He grinned an evil grin—and I heard the click of buckles opening. Before I knew it, he had thrown a harness over my chest, then locked it—and let go. I fell to the floor, tried to run—only to go sprawling on the floor as the harness pulled my legs and arms together.

Steve looked down at me, his jaw visibly clenching, the front of his shorts heaving and bulging. "Shit, you are good-looking in that. I'm going to have to think about that Jennings bitch and her flygirl friend the whole way." Looking away, he grabbed the harness and threw me over his shoulder, then ran down the beach to a waiting canoe. He tossed me in, then looked at a nearby canvas. Muttering something about see no evil, he tossed it over me, then bound it securely with a piece of rope. I heard the boat bottom grate over the beach, then the hiss as it went into the water, Steve grunting and moaning, his breath coming in short, deep gasps. I struggled against my bonds, fighting the smothering canvas, desperately trying to get free, but not moving them an inch.

Suddenly the boat shuddered as the bow hit sand. I felt Steve's hands around the canvas and the tug as he lifted me out of the boat, then dropped me on the beach. The rope snapped as he tugged, the canvas ripping to shreds. Steve stared down at me, his face almost inhuman with rage, his eyes…oh my god, glowing! I felt his hands on my wrists and the bonds fell to the sand.

Instantly I leaped to my feet, fists poised. Steve stood there, his handsome smile twisted into a sneer. "You don't know how long I've been waiting for this," he moaned, his voice incredibly deep, coming in broken words. "Ever since…me saw…saw you get off plane…me want…"

"I'm warning you—don't try anything!" I screamed. "Tell me what the hell is happening!"

"Me no tell….me SHOW!" he roared, throwing up his arms. With a scream of fabric, his sleeves tore open at the sleeve, biceps puffing inhumanly. I cried out, throwing up my hands as his buttons exploded from his shirt, peppering my face. His pecs rose like dough in the moonlight, what little fat he had evaporating from his waist as his abs tightened into a carved mass of muscle. His shirt stretched vainly over his torso as his deltoids rose, his lats flaring out into solid wings of muscle. Leather exploded in a THOOM as his feet tore through his boots, calves stretching and pulsing with power, the cables that wrapped his thighs tearing his shorts into a ripped parody of posing trunks.

He screamed in pleasure, then swung his arms down, the sudden gust lifting me off my feet and dropping me by the boat. I reached in—the flare gun! I pulled it out and brandished it at him. "Stay away!" I screamed. He grinned a monstrous grin…"You fighter….Me like fighter!" I squeezed the trigger—the flare shot out, hit him directly in the chest…….and caromed into the nearby sand, exploding into a brilliant white light. I looked….and the flare gun dropped from my trembling hands as the light illuminated his….this isn't possible….his GREEN body! My mind reeled—only to be shocked back to reality as his enormous hands clasped around me. I beat on his chest, screaming in frustration as its impervious jade only bruised my hands. He pinned my arms, then pushed me down to the sand, my legs bowing, kneeling before him.

I stared up at this green colossus…"P-please…don't hurt me…I…."

He looked back at me, a leer creasing his face. "Steve-Hulk no hurt Darren. Steve-Hulk want Darren. Steve-Hulk make Darren BETTER!" He moaned….his crotch heaved in front of my eyes…..and the fabric tore open with a final scream of agony, his huge throbbing green cock thundering out.

"No!" I screamed, but it was too late—with one move, he pinned my face against its top, shoving its flaring head into my mouth, the man- musk overwhelming. I fought with all I had, but it was useless against his strength, each squirm bringing a new groan or yell of pleasure. "Steve-Hulk want Darren….Steve-Hulk make Darren want Steve- Hulk…", he growled, each time quicker…..his legs tensed, the muscles stretched almost to bursting, an audible hum from his balls…..my plaintive scream was lost in the roar as he came, choking me, filling my mouth, spurting over my body….then, with a final moan, he let me go. I dropped to the sand, gasping and coughing for air….then felt his huge mitts close over my wrists, then my ankles, restrapping the harness on me.

He took one final look…..and before my eyes, his muscle flowed away like water, his body shrinking down, his skin lightening…..he smiled. "How did you like your punishment?"

"You….bastard," I said, almost choking with rage. "I don't know how you did that, but you are going to regret it, I swear by all that's holy. When I get loose, you are a dead man!"

He grinned. "You are a scrappy one, aren't you? Oh, you'll be coming after me all right…but it'll be to suck this big fat cock again. And again. And again. Even better, you'll be begging for me to return the favor."

"You fucking….faggot," I growled, my voice suddenly deepening. My eyes opened wide in horror as the stars started to whirl above me.

"That would be my cue to leave," Steve said, quickly jumping into the boat and pushing back from the shore. "The first time, they're always cranky. You're right—I am a fucking faggot. But you'll be one shortly, so enjoy!"

"No…I won't….me…" I moaned as Steve paddled away at top speed, my groin suddenly tightening….ohh, that feel good….no, gotta think… Darren, you gotta get out of this…you….me don't want to….want stroke cock….clothes so tight…nnnggghhh….straps break, hands free….make cock hard, huge….want cock…Darren, nodon'tstopyoucan'tyou…me HULK….me get BIG, puny Darren go way…arms big, chest HUGE, no shirt stop HULK…feet grow…tree legs….want muscle, Hulk free, HULK FREE! RRRRAAGGGGHHHH!

Hulk SMASH! Tree fly away! Stone BREAK! Make ground JUMP! Hulk LEAP! HULK STRONG! HULK CUM! NNGRRGGGHHH! RRAAARRGGHHH! HULK POWER! •