𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐈𝐅 𝐁𝐑𝐔𝐂𝐄 𝐑𝐄𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐍𝐄𝐃 𝐒𝐎𝐎𝐍𝐄𝐑?

PART 5: Deal is a Deal

EXT. FISHING BOAT - DAY

Bruce sits on the boat, looking out at the endless ocean, bored out of his mind. He's lost in thought until he spots land on the horizon. His eyes light up, filled with relief and excitement—he's almost home. Turning around, he glances at the seaman, who stands behind the wheel. But there's something off about the man's expression, something shifty and sinister. Bruce furrows his brow, unsure of what to make of it.

But he brushes it off. He's nearly home, and that's all that matters. As they draw closer to the harbor, Bruce checks on the seaman again, but to his surprise, the man is no longer at the wheel. Bruce scans the deck, confused, until suddenly, the seaman appears behind him, holding a harpoon pointed directly at him. Bruce raises his hands slowly, not out of fear but more out of confusion. He knows he can handle it if things escalate, but he's still trying to make sense of it.

BRUCE
(confused)
"I don't get it. What did I do?"

FISHERMAN
(coldly)
"I just wanna make sure that when we get there... I still get my deal."

BRUCE
(nods)
"Of course, you'll get your money. I'll make sure. I promise."

The seaman lowers the weapon, his tense expression shifting into a sly smile.

FISHERMAN
(smirking)
"Good."

Bruce hides his growing anxiety. He hasn't even talked to Tony about this, and if things go wrong, he has no backup plan. The boat pulls into the New York harbor, and as the seaman ties the boat to the dock, Bruce gets ready to disembark. But just as he sets foot on the pier, the seaman steps in front of him, blocking his way.

FISHERMAN
(smirking)
"Whoa, whoa, not so fast. I still want my money!"

Before Bruce can respond, a familiar voice cuts through the air from the other end of the pier.

TONY STARK
(approaching)
"Here's your money."

Tony tosses a bag of cash into the seaman's hands, who catches it with a grunt. Tony gives him a pointed look, silently threatening him to leave before things escalate. The seaman, satisfied, turns and walks back to the boat.

Bruce breathes a sigh of relief, his face lighting up as he sees Tony after so many days. Without hesitation, Bruce pulls Tony into a big hug, genuinely happy to see him.

BRUCE
(relieved)
"Tony, it's so good to see you!"

TONY
(slightly uncomfortable)
"Yeah, you too... but, you know, it's only been a week."

BRUCE
(laughs)
"That's easy for you to say, but you don't want to know what I've been through."

Tony steps back, wrinkling his nose.

TONY
(teasing)
"Well, you smell like seaweed... maybe I don't want to know."

They both chuckle as they step into a sleek limousine, which starts moving as soon as they're inside.

BRUCE
(settling in)
"Let's head to Avengers Tower."

Tony shifts uncomfortably, glancing at Bruce with a hesitant smile.

TONY
(avoiding eye contact)
"Oh yeah, about that..."

BRUCE
(frowns)
"What...?"

TONY
"We've moved... to a new location."

BRUCE
(surprised)
"Oh? Really?"

After a few minutes of driving, the car pulls up in front of the new Avengers Compound. Bruce steps out, taking in the impressive building in front of him.

BRUCE
(whistles)
"Nice place, Tony."

Tony leads Bruce inside, where they walk through the spacious halls.

TONY
(smiling)
"Here's where we'll train the new recruits."

BRUCE
(new recruits?)
"New recruits?"

As they walk deeper into the compound, Bruce is welcomed by the familiar faces of the team, who've gathered to greet him. But as his eyes scan the room, he quickly realizes that the one person he truly wants to see, the person he longs to embrace, is nowhere to be found.

Natasha is missing.

BRUCE
(Searching)
"have anyone seen Nat??... I- I need to talk to her..."