URICH

DISCLAIMER: If I owned any of these characters, would I REALLY be posting my stories on a Fan Fiction website? For those of you who are sarcasm- deficient, no I sadly don't own the rights to the character of Ben Urich et al, that privilege belongs to Marvel Comics and Joe Quesada. Ben Urich was created by Frank Miller.

FIRST ARC: THE MAN WITHOUT FEAR

CHAPTER 6: EXPOSÈ

Central Park was in chaos. Cars lay scattered everywhere, burning… various bodies could be seen too. The creature was roaring… hollering insanely…

"Mr. Hyde," Daredevil dropped into the park, behind his new nemesis. Mr. Hyde turned violently, snarling.

"DEVIL!" Roared Hyde and leapt at the Man Without Fear, as Urich came running to the park gates. Lieutenant Manolis blocked his path.

"Urich, no one's allowed in the park," Spat Manolis, "Mr. Hyde's in there!"

"Sir, do you have a statement about Mr. Hyde?"

"His name's Calvin Zabo," Muttered Manolis reluctantly, "A schizophrenic who sometimes thinks he's Mr. Hyde… some scientist. He managed to drug himself and turned into that."

Manolis pointed at the grotesque monster. It's skin had a green pallour to it and his hair was matted and grey. Hyde was roaring and charging, while Daredevil dodged every charge athletically.

"God," Urich said quietly, "Oh my…"

Hyde slammed into Daredevil. The crimson clad hero slammed into a true, and Hyde pounded him. Blood splashed everywhere! Manolis bellowed into his radio:

"Daredevil's down! Move in! MOVE IN!"

It was half an hour before the police stopped Hyde's rampage… blasting the monster with grenade after grenade until the wounded freak fled. Urich had already written up the report an hour later, but that was irrelevant to him. Daredevil was in hospital, comatose. The doctors had agreed to leave his mask on unless absolutely necessary, but he was in trouble. It had taken all of Ben's persuasive skills to get the doctor's to agree to call him when Daredevil was able to speak.

A week had passed when Ben got the call. He sprinted to the hospital and reached the hero's room. Two armed guards thoroughly searched him before he entered, but at least the nurses and doctors left him to talk to Murdock in peace. Good God, Ben thought, I'm already thinking of him as Murdock!

"Ben," The hero weakly acknowledged Urich.

"Matt," Ben said it without realising. Damn. The cat was out of the bag now.

"What?" The hero looked stunned, "What did you just…?"

"I called you 'Matt'," Ben grimaced sadly, "And I know who you are, Murdock."

"You're crazy," The Man Without Fear looked positively awful. Ben felt pangs of guilt as he told the man his own story:

"You're name is Matthew Michael Murdock. You were born on the 24th November 1983 in Clinton, New York. Your father was Jonathan Murdock and your mother was Margaret Murdock, who left your father when you were six months old. And you were blinded by a radioactive isotope aged twelve, which somehow enhanced your remaining senses. When your father was murdered by Joseph 'The Fixer' Sweeney's men, you vanished- training I assume. You returned and became a successful lawyer… before you discovered Sweeney was still operating in New York. You attacked him and devoted yourself to justice by day and night. You are Matthew Murdock. You are Daredevil."

Daredevil stared at Ben, in horror… in sorrow… in disappointment.

"And by tomorrow, the World will know, and I'll be touted for the next Pulitzer…" Said Ben slowly, "But I had to tell you. And I am sorry, but this one's for Doris."

"I… Ben… if you do this, I'm finished." Damn you, Murdock! Though Urich, For making this so hard. Why couldn't you have attacked me? Shouted? Hit me? No, you just have to sit on that damn bed looking sad. Doomed, "But I can't stop you. And I understand. I won't try to stop you… goodbye, Ben."

Ben walked to the door, toying with his cigarette lighter. He pulled out his precious notebook. The book holding every ounce of valuable information on the hero.

"You know, Matt," He frowned, "This is the hardest thing I've ever done. And I'm sorry."

Matt looked horrified… and then Ben flicked on his lighter and torched the notebook.

"I'm sorry, Doris. But the World needs its heroes…"

THE BEGINNING

NEXT IN "URICH": A one shot as Ben encounters the newly formed

HEROES FOR HIRE!