CHAPTER 2: MURDOCK
The last vestiges of summer were fading from Hell's Kitchen. This didn't stop Matthew Murdock from having to sit in his brownstone, with the air conditioning on full, though. His friend, Franklin Nelson (known to almost everyone as "Foggy") was in the kitchen of the brownstone, preparing some cold beverages and small plates of food. Matt is blind, and Foggy was there to help him entertain some guests. What Foggy doesn't know, however, is that Matt has heightened senses from an accident when he was younger.
The doorbell rang at the front of the house, which Foggy answered. Sam Chung, and his sister, Hannah, were paying Matt a visit (the two of them knew that Matt was secretely the vigilante known as Daredevil.)
"Foggy? Is that our guests I hear with you?" Sam came into the living room and shook Matt's hand, and Hannah gave him a quick hug.
"It was a nightmare to get here you know. That new skyscraper they're constructing really causes some headaches, especially in this heat," explained Hannah.
"I'm pretty sure that they have gone over the space they planned for. It's nearly on top of our apartment."
Matt could tell that Sam was worried, even without listening to his heartbeat. His voice was almost cracking with rage.
"I don't know much about this 'Fisk Industries', aside from what Foggy tells me from reading the legal documents. From what I do understand though, the man who runs the place is very successful , and he's from right here in Hell's Kitchen. It could turn out to be a good thing in the long run to have a businessman who really knows the city."
Using his radar sense, Matt could 'see' the look on Sam's face change from bitter rage to a look of uneasy udnerstanding.
Matt noticed that Foggy had been awfully quiet throughout this conversation. It wasn't unusual for this to happen, as Foggy wasn't all that close to Sam or Hannah, and he often felt awkward around stranger. Somehow, though, this was a different kind of silence - he was keeping something from the group, and Matt in particular.
"Foggy, I can tell when you're trying to keep something big from me. Your breathing gets all heavy, and your teeth start to chatter."
For some reason, this caused Foggy to fly off the handle.
"It's none of your business, Murdock. We may be best friends, and business partners, but that doesn't mean I have to tell you everything!" he exclaimed.
Foggy stormed out of the house, slamming th front door behind him. Sam whistled in mock amazement, Hannah elbowed him in the side, whispering "show some respect."
"That wasn't at all like Foggy. What could have brought that on?"
"I noticed a change as soon as I mentioned Fisk's name. Whatever he's hiding, it has something to do with the mysterious Mr. Fisk. For now, it's best to leave him alone. He'll tell me when he's ready."
Foggy arrived back at his apartment, just as the phone by the front door began to ring.
"Hello? No, I haven't told Matt anything. I hope you understand how much I'm risking just by talking to you right now."
The voice on the other end of the phone had clearly been modified to obscure their identity.
"My associates and I are very pleased with your ability to keep a secret, Mr. Nelson. If you can keep this up, you will be richly rewarded."
They hung up the phone, leaving Foggy sweating heavily as he dropped to the floor in despair, as the consequences of his actions suddenly dawned on him. He had betrayed the trust of his best friend, perhaps the only real friend that he had.
