The Trial of Bruce Banner

Opening Arguments

Natasha adjusts the collar of her blouse before gripping the bench she's fully prepared to sit on for however long it takes.

She checks the clock and makes a mental note, 7:13am.

She scrutinizes the jury next, analyzing each of the 12 figures.

Romanoff swallows, already hating the man in blue. The older woman in purple doesn't look much better.

Jennifer Walters is a more human size as she sits tall and takes a practically audible deep breath. Natasha watches as she adjusts her glasses and whispers to Bruce who quietly sits beside her in his gray colored suit.

She hates being so far away, wishing she could reach out and grab at his shoulder.

Natasha knows if Bruce sees her he'll be furious, caring only if she is home safe with their small redhead.

The spy grinds her teeth together in a mental fog as the court opens. She grips her fingers and relentlessly chips away at a piece of peeled skin near her thumbnail.

Her blonde wig itches, eyes burning from lack of sleep.

"Mr. Declin, you may give your opening arguments."

The judge is a grouchy older man, eager to get on with it.

Great...

Natasha would laugh if she found it even halfway amusing.

It's a bad sign based purely on the way Jennifer shifts in her chair.

"Your honor. Ladies and gentleman of the jury. We are charging Dr. Robert Bruce Banner with First Degree Murder, Research Misconduct, Child Endangerment, and Unethical Human Experimentation. Dr. Robert Bruce Banner,' the prosecutor begins with a poor combover and pathetic stance, 'many of you may know him as a renowned and brilliant scientist. Others, perhaps as a green vigilante. Today will begin a very real examination of both."

Natasha can feel her blood pressure rising steadily over the tone in his voice.

"On October 27th, a 4 year old student by the name of Rebecca Yelena Banner, of Hillside Preschool reported to the nurses station for a bandage at 11:09am after falling down four stairs with complaints of chest pain, shortness of breath. Upon examining the medical records of young Rebecca, an extremely odd and horrific chain of events soon followed for this nurse by the name Gina Francis. Gina noted various abnormalities in Rebecca's chart including but not limited to a small heart, undeveloped lungs, and shrunken telomeres. Her records contained descriptions of constant infection, fatigue with the genetic makeup of an experiment gone terribly wrong."

Natasha huffs as she exhales, grinning only to force away her tears and finds the light above her

"...We have evidence, ladies and gentlemen, evidence that will be presented in this court, proving that Dr. Banner abused his right to experiment. Detailed, handwritten journal entries, typed notes, and video diaries all point to the fact that Dr. Banner proceeded with his experimentation despite knowing that this innocent child, would be submitted to a short life full of pain, sickness, and suffering. Documentation found in the laboratory of Dr. Banner also shows us that Rebecca, the clone who also goes by B-Ex 1-10:04, is only one of many unethically, unsupervised, unreported, human experiments gone wrong. We have proof, thanks to the diligent and meticulous research of trusted law enforcement officers and members hand picked by the Office of Research Integrity, that the presence of a compound listed only as 'H.R' was one of many used to inhumanely decompose clones 10:02 and 10:03..."

The redhead drops her chin and exhales. Inhaling to find the back of Bruce's tilted head full of graying curls held up by the heel of his hand.

She checks in on the woman in green who sits with her knee crossed with eyes locked on the prosecutor. If looks could kill, Jen would have this 'Mr. Declin' hung by his ridiculous red tie.

The thought of it amuses Natasha, who continues to grind her teeth until she mistakenly bites her tongue.

"Thank you," Jennifer's chair creaks against the floor as she stands after what feels like an eternity for Natasha.

Walters removes her glasses and tugs at the bottom of her suit jacket as she takes the floor with all elegance and composure. She inhales and begins her arguments with unwavering eye contact;

"Your honor, members of the jury. I find it necessary in an effort to establish reliable transparency to share that I am not only the defendant's attorney but am a first cousin by blood. My record in the 7 years of law is unbiased, based on fact and honesty. The outcome of this trial will demand the verdict of not guilty be made to my client, Dr. Banner because of facts and facts alone.

The man you see before you is a renowned scientist who pushes the boundaries of what is possible without sacrificing ethics. Dr. Banner is known to always prioritized subjects over research in every experiment he has undertaken.

One of the subjects in question is Dr. Banner's own daughter, four year old Rebecca Yelena Banner. She's a preschool student who lives in a middle class suburban neighborhood in a safe, two story home. Rebecca is given access to its entirety, the yard, her neighborhood. She enjoys time spent with both of her parents at their local playground, museums, and weekly ballet class and is given age appropriate books, enrichment, education, and healthcare.

She is a patient of the highly esteemed geneticist who will take the stand during this trial, Dr. Helen Cho. The Banner family schedules regular monthly visits in an effort to maintain wellness and to ensure Rebecca's genetic structure is strong enough to grow with her.

You will see three different forms of evidence presented before you throughout this case. Notes and journal entries describing hypothetical experimentation. Experiments gone right and some unfinished, cut short due to issues of safety and ethics. You will witness Undoctored Video documentation on why the most elemental formation of cells, and not living and breathing organisms, were destroyed in an effort to prevent potentially dangerous compounds from spreading beyond the enclosed boundaries of Dr. Banner's laboratory. The evidence presented will prove how utmost care was taken to ensure safe and ethical research development specifically in cloning experimentation.

Members of the jury, there is no law that forbids the aforementioned research that was completed in accordance within the guidelines as set forth by the state.

Throughout this trial, you will see that the man in question here today is nothing less than a brilliant scientist ahead of his time, a gentle father, a loving husband, and hero."