In an old apartnt building in Hell's Kitchen, Matt Murdock lay on the couch, his red Daredevil suit replaced by layers of white bandages wrapping his chest and arms...
His pale face showed clear signs of exhaustion and pain. The blind lawyer's ho was unusually lively tonight...
The Punisher leaned against the kitchen cabinet, chugging a beer straight from the bottle. Jessica Jones and Luke Cage sat on chairs, their brows furrowed as if contemplating so impossible dilemma.
"You should be in a hospital," Jessica said, eyeing Daredevil's severe injuries, "Broken ribs, contusions on your arms and shoulders... without proper treatnt, you won't heal anyti soon."
Matt shook his head weakly, "Now is not the ti for that. Danny Rand has been taken by the Hand. Whatever their reasons, we can't let them keep him."
The Punisher nodded in agreent. The Hand was clearly plotting sothing massive, with Danny Rand as a key piece. They couldn't afford to leave him in their clutches.
"We're no match for that guy," Jessica countered, voicing the uncomfortable truth.
The masked man had single-handedly taken down all five of them.
Being completely outclassed left Jessica with little appetite for another confrontation.
"He wasn't with the Hand originally, maybe they're just temporary allies. Regardless, we need to act," the Punisher's deep voice resonated through the apartnt.
His gaze swept over Jessica and Luke, waiting for their responses.
The massively built Luke shrugged, "You know I'm with you."
Luke Cage's agreent visibly relieved Matt. With his bulletproof skin and superhuman strength, Luke was invaluable. His presence significantly improved their odds against the Hand.
When all eyes turned to her, Jessica stood up agitatedly. She paced several laps before finally exploding:
"I just want a normal life! Why does trouble keep finding ?!"
The raven-haired beauty sighed in resignation, "Fighting one group of lunatics against another... what a terrible idea."
Despite her internal resistance, Jessica ultimately agreed to join. She couldn't explain why, maybe the blind man's determination, Luke's steadfastness, or Frank's relentless drive had gotten to her.
Four people; a blind man, a fugitive, a man with unbreakable skin, and herself... against a vast criminal empire...
This wasn't so comic book where good always triumphed. The real world was cruel and indifferent.
Jessica knew the heavy cost of playing hero all too well. That's why she had refused repeatedly.
So why say yes now?
As she watched the bandaged Daredevil, resolute Luke, and weapon-checking Punisher, sothing stirred inside her. Maybe her blood hadn't cooled completely yet. Or perhaps she'd caught their madness...
Jessica shook off her chaotic thoughts and looked out the window. Lead-gray clouds gathered ominously, promising a coming storm.
...
~Hell's Kitchen, Port Warehouse~
Inside a spacious warehouse stacked with cargo containers, the four remaining leaders of the Hand convened.
The elderly Mada Gao, Japanese Murakami, African warlord Sowande, and cold-faced Bakuto sat around a table, their gazes filled with complex emotions.
"Alexandra is dead. The Black Sky is out of control. Our position is precarious," Murakami began.
His eyes lingered on Bakuto, who commanded the Hand's ard forces. After Murakami's own ninjas, Bakuto held the most military power.
"Eliminating the Black Sky would cost us dearly. And without her, who will handle Hell's Kitchen's vigilantes? Not to ntion Danny Rand is still in their hands," Bakuto countered.
Only a fool would volunteer as the vanguard now. They all knew the Black Sky's capabilities, a natural killing machine. Unless prepared for massive losses, none dared act recklessly.
"The Black Sky isn't alone. That mysterious man beside her worries more," Mada Gao warned.
Decades of instinct told her that man was even more dangerous than the Black Sky herself.
The five fingers of the Hand had always been separate factions with their own agendas. While minor conflicts usually stayed beneath the surface, the current crisis forced them to set aside differences.
The Black Sky's threat and Alexandra's death had shaken these centuries-old leaders to their core.
Hence this secret eting to reclaim control from the Black Sky.
"Bide our ti until we secure the Dragon Bones," Sowande's dark face was grim, "However powerful, the Black Sky is still flesh and blood. There are countless ways to kill her."
"Exactly. The Dragon Bones take priority. Nothing matters more than extending our lives. Let the Black Sky deal with the vigilantes first... we'll clean up afterward," Mada Gao's wrinkled face curled into a faint smile.
This seemingly frail old woman controlled 80% of New York's drug trade. Even the late Kingpin had treated her with respect. Those who underestimated her paid dearly.
"This crisis demands we set aside personal interests. No more petty squabbles," Murakami said in his accented English.
The others nodded. When threatened, humans instinctively band together. It's a primal survival trait.
As the four leaders departed the warehouse one by one, a black car quietly started its engine at the docks. Inside, Wesley removed his glasses to clean the lenses.
After a mont, he made a call.
"Boss," he said softly, "Both sides are in position..."
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