3. Had a Great Fall
Humpty Dumpty Part 2
Natchios Dry Cleaning
Hells Kitchen
Mid Afternoon
Five people pace along the street, ignoring the hustlers and pimps, the strange men selling fake Rolexs and the wide variety of streetside "amusement" available in Hells Kitchen. Turning a corner, they enter the large store whose window bears the sign "Natchios Dry Cleaning, Proprietor: Leander Natchios". Inside, a skinny clerk stands at the counter. "Welcome to Natchios Dry Cleaning, how can I help you?" he asks. Standard question. Non-standard answer. "Take us to..Leander. Now!" one of the figures snaps out in a commanding voice. None of the others react. The clerk turns. "I'll just have to see if he'll see you," he mutters. Walking to the back, past the drying racks, he turns to one of the guys who works there. Sometimes they pick up a bit of extra cash doing "odd jobs" for Leander. He also gives them free dry cleaning afterwards. "Hey, Paulie, there are some freaks out front asking for Leander. Just…." He breaks off when a hand seizes his arm. "Freaks," a voice says coldly. "I don't like the word…..'freak'." The clerk opens his mouth to apologize and is sent flying towards a rack by a quick judo style throw from Domino. The other mysteriously muscular employees stand up and turn towards the figures who had quite calmly followed the clerk in from the counter. Northstar, Feral and Domino walk forward.
A few minutes, much screaming, bleeding, snapping and on one occasion, a pop-grrrr-aaagh-wubbble-hissssssssssss, the guards were on the ground and Leander Natchios had just walked out of his office. "What the fk is going on here!" he demanded. Those had been some of his better enforcers. He looked over the strangers who were taking apart his muscle. "Who the freakin' hell are you weirdos?" he demanded rudely. Politeness obviously wasn't Natchios' strong point. He looked at Domino. "Well?" he demanded again. Ignoring him, she turned to Chamber who stood quietly at the rear. "Time to do your stuff. Is he or isn't he?" she asked the boy.
Chamber turned to stare at Natchios who was already striding furiously over towards them. Using his newly manifested telepathy, the boy dug into Leander Natchios' mind. Sorting through the thoughts of the latest girl he'd acquired and what he was going to do about his cousin Elektra's rebelliousness, he dug and dug and dug. He saw countless crimes and kept digging. Natchios' first murder, years ago, a prostitute who hadn't been as clean as she promised. He'd strangled her with his bare hands. His uncle and the fight he'd put up over the dry cleaning business. The triple dose of a painkiller an acquaintance had gotten his hands on for Leander. He hadn't felt a thing. Searching through the sordid life of Leander Natchios, Chamber endured rapes, beatings, fixes and murders. He dug and dug, feeling the fire that made up his chest expand and get hotter. The bandages crumbled to ash as his psionic fire expanded and burnt them away. The others backed off. They'd learnt quickly about the headaches you got when you got too close to Chamber's uncontrolled fire. Chamber's fire continued to grow as he probed Leander Natchios' mind.
Leander Natchios stormed over towards the people who had invaded his business and smashed up his guards. Nobody messed with his business. Suddenly, he felt a horrible headache coming on. He ignored it and kept walking across the floor towards the group, shouting imprecations and threats. His headache got worse. Who the hell were these clowns anyway? Where had someone got this kind of muscle? His headache intensified. He stumbled at his steps. Who cared. He was going to make them pay. Reaching into his coat, he drew out his two pistols. He hadn't gotten where he was by being unprepared. Trying to aim through vision blurring from the pain, he stared at the people. "You better get the f&(k out right now. Otherwise…." He said, waving the gun to complete the threat. They were just looking at him. His headache was terrible. It hurt like crazy. He dropped to one knee. Let them think he was getting a better aim or some shit. He didn't care. His head hurt too much for this crap. What was that, running down his shoulder? Sweat? He hadn't sweated this much since high school. He waved his aching head trying to flick the droplets off. They were still just looking at him. Why weren't they reacting? He was sweating so much. That kid's chest…..the fire…so hot…so close…so much fire. Keeling forward, Leander Natchios fell into blackness never to awaken again.
Chamber straightened stiffly, his fire receding into a tiny ball. Every time they'd tried this it ended the same way. The process was exhausting and fatal for the person he was probing. He didn't have enough control. He hated that part. He looked over at the remains of Leander Natchios and said It wasn't him. He was a gang lord but he's never been called Kingpin in his life. He looked again at Leander. Blood leaked from the burst vessels behind his eyes and ears. He hadn't even known. Jono needed to improve his control and fast. Otherwise Domino might decide his usefulness was at an end. He didn't want that. Domino was talking again. "Dammit! Blink, take us back. I want to find that snitch before tomorrow. I don't like being lied to. How the hell has the Kingpin kept it so no-one even knows who works for him?"
The Warehouse
That night,
Northstar wanted to settle down to sleep. He was exhausted. Domino had kept them going all afternoon looking for that snitch. Then, worse, she had found him. She'd made them all stay to watch, even the children, claiming she needed Blink to get home because she wasn't walking. He wished the children had been spared that. Jean-Paul Beaubier got up from his chair and walked over towards where Chamber had made his lair. Jean-Paul wished he hadn't fallen so far. He'd liked his previous life just a little too much. This kind of fate was often the result of liking your life too much. He'd been the pride of Canada, literally. The first Canadian skier to do something successfully for a long time, he'd quickly fallen into the party circuit, relying on his fame to get his drinks when more and more of his income was going up his nose and into his arms. It wasn't pretty. The testing. The shame. The whole nation turning against him. He had gone from being the posterboy for accepted homosexuality to being despised and hated. He'd probably set back gay rights in Canada 3 years' worth of work. They hated him too. He made them look bad. He'd turned to mercenary work to support his habits, taking job after job, lowering his standards but never his price. He had some pride. He knew just how much super speed and flight were worth on any job. He hated working with Domino. She was cruel, vicious and she dealt with some seriously dangerous people. He'd been with her for two years. He hadn't wanted to but he couldn't just leave Blink and poor Maria with her. They were going to get killed. Maybe not Clarice, she could handle herself but Maria needed to get out of this kind of life. She was going to get killed and soon. Berserker rages weren't a survival trait without a healing factor. Nor was having the mind of a relatively intelligent eight year-old when you weren't berserk, Jean-Paul mused. He doubted poor, broken Maria would live very long, in the real world or this one. Blink, well, Blink could take care of herself, Maria and anyone else with effort to spare. She would be fine without him. God, he needed a fix. This Jono kid was falling into this kind of life way too easily. Jean-Paul was worried. He was starting to like probing people. He probably hadn't noticed it himself but Jean-Paul could see it. The eagerness in his eyes when Domino told him they had a new target. He could see it in the lack of regret in the boy, with each death. Leander Natchios had been the fifth "Kingpin" they'd found. Every one had died under the boy's mental interrogation. What would happen if an enraged psi turned on them? It wouldn't be pretty. Arriving where Jono had made his lair he said "I'm about to start watch. You're on from three this morning, ok?" Sure the reply drifted out of the darkness. I'll be there. "Jono…..are you ok?" Jean-Paul asked hesitantly. Dammit! How did you ask "Don't you have a problem with the fact that you burnt somone's brain out their ears today?. You couldn't. So "Are you ok?" would have to do. Sure JP, I'm fine. The reply floated into Jean-Paul's brain. He walked away, sighing under his breath. You couldn't help sometimes. All you could do was watch and hope. Walking to Blink and Maria's little space, he thought that this would be a more pleasant errand. Only a few minutes before Domino would insist he take watch. He had to hurry. It would be ok. Rapping his knuckles on the boxes, he walked around the corner. "Ladies?" he asked. Blink looked up at him and smiled tiredly. She had done a lot of teleporting today. Maria was curled in the corner. She said, "I'm bored. Somebody play with me. Will you play with me, Jon-Pawl?" she asked piteously. Jean-Paul's heart nearly broke. I have to do something about her. There has to be something I can do "I can't play tonight, Maria. I have to go on watch. But I brought you a friend. Someone to play with now." From his pocket he pulled out a toy horse. "See, Maria? I brought you a pony.". The squeal of delight and the small furry body hitting his was so much gratitude. It hurt to know that Maria would not survive forever. He looked over at Blink, as Maria delightedly sat in the corner, talking to her new pony. She looked haggard. There was no way she would stay awake on watch tonight. Not middle watch. He walked over, hugging Maria once before he left. "Blink, you're on middle watch but I want you to get some sleep before I have to wake you up." he said quietly, not wanting to disturb Maria. She looked up at him, smiling tiredly. "Thank you for the horse Jean-Paul. She will like that," she said quietly, her strangely accentless voice soothing as always. "How is she?" Jean-Paul couldn't help himself asking. He hated these answers. He couldn't imagine how Blink managed to care for the girl all the time, knowing what was happening. "She's……….ok. Not better. You and I both know she's not getting better. But it's slowing. Maybe it will stop.". Turning her eyes to the giggling cat-girl in the corner, "Thank you again for the horse but you must go. You know how Domino hates it when you're late for watch," she said, without turning her head. "I'll see you at midnight.". Jean-Paul muttered some platitude. It was slowing. Leaving the corner of the filthy warehouse, the cat-child and the pink girl who cared for her, Jean-Paul hoped he could think of something to do for Maria. He had no intention of returning for Blink's watch. He'd stand the double watch himself. God, he needed a fix.
The Warehouse
Midnight, that night
Daredevil swung down towards the warehouse. This was the right one, where those mercenaries were staying. If they could deliver on their promise, though….He climbed over gutters and ladders, making his way stealthily across the rooftops. Arriving at the hideout, he started to climb in and was picked up by a pair of strong arms. "Ahhh, you enjoyed our last little romp so much you had to come back for another, eh?" a voice with a smooth French accent asked. Daredevil sighed. "Put me down, you moron! I need to talk with Domino," he forced out from between through clenched teeth, as politely as he could manage. "Oui, if you insist," Jean-Paul replied. And dropped him. Daredevil felt freefall set in instantly and reacted as quickly as he could, swinging his billy club out in a desperate attempt to grab something. He didn't feel it connect with anything at all. He could practically feel the ground approaching because of that Canadian idiot! Suddenly, a strong hand grabbed hold of his ankle and Daredevil felt the wind rushing along his body as he was flown back to the roof. Jean-Paul pulled him up and said, "Please, do come in, Domino will be along in a moment," and dropped him again. Idiot! Daredevil thought. As if he'd fall for something like that twice. There was no way that moron would try to pull the same trick. A moment before he hit the ground, Daredevil realised that Jean-Paul wasn't playing a trick, he was just a very, very nasty man.
A few minutes later, Domino walked out furious at that idiot for disturbing her sleep. "This better be good!" she snapped icily, as she strode into the corner of the warehouse where JP had dumped the man. He appeared to be meditating. "What is it, Daredevil?" she demanded quickly. "If this is just another—" she said, but he cut her off. "I have found the Kingpin.". Smooth voice. Who was he? "His name is Alexander Bont. As a cover he manages prize fighters but his main investment is in the underground pit fights. He runs the bookies and uses his fighters as muscle when they aren't fighting for him. He's controlling almost all the remaining crime in the Kitchen and I want you to help me fulfil the bargain," he said, speaking in a melodious voice. It got noticeably colder towards the end. "We'll be there," said Domino smoothly. "I assume you mean tomorrow night?" That wasn't a lot of time. Her people needed to rest from today. The kid better be up to scratch. A lot depended on him. "There is a club. Called 'The Ring'. It's where Bont runs his operation from. He should be there tomorrow night. I want you and all your people there and in place by 11." Standing, Daredevil walked out of the warehouse. He hated these people but if they helped him bring down Bont…….
After Daredevil left, Domino turned to Chamber, lurking in the shadows on the far side of the warehouse. "Did you get him?" she asked. "Yes." He replied. "Our friend is a certain college student by the name of Matthew Murdock. I thought you might like to know that he's blind." "HaHA! If this works we'll be set for a long time and if this doesn't….well there's plenty of places for someone to go to sleep in this city. Plenty of places."
The Ring,
Hells Kitchen Nightclub
The Next Night,
Daredevil moved through the club. He was wearing his costume and wasn't the slightest bit out of place. This wasn't a normal club. He worked his way gradually through the heaving crowds, hearing the roar from the arena as another fighter went down. He had no idea who it was. He didn't care. The roar of the crowd nearly muffled the announcer's voice, "Another victory for the newest champion of the Ring, the Vixen!" Daredevil grimaced. Where the hell did they come up with these names? He'd sensed Domino and Northstar around the club earlier and he had to assume the others were in position. He moved towards the pit. He caught a familiar scent but decided it must be just a mistake. She wouldn't be here, would she? No, this wasn't her kind of place. He approached the circle as the announcer was calling for challengers. "I'm in," he said, hailing the attention of the man whipping up the crowd. "You sure, kid? This chick isn't for amateurs". This chick? "I said I'm in," he replied. "What's your name then?" the announcer asked quickly, holding his hand over the microphone. "Daredevil'" Murdock replied. Shrugging, the announcer turned to the mic and began to hype the crown once more. "Laaaaaaaaaaadies and Gentlemen, we have an all new accessorized challenger for our reigning champion. Presenting…..dumdudumdumdumdumdumdum DAREDEVIL VS KAREN "THE VIXEN" PAGE!."
Alexander Bont's Private area
The Ring
Hells Kitchen,
Alexander Bont was enjoying a fairly relaxing evening. It had been a good day. Someone appeared to be killing off his rivals in a very quick, efficient and fairly vicious fashion. Not that he was complaining, he'd had a nice long chuckle to himself this morning when hearing that Leander Natchios had been found in what had been described as the 'Kitchen Dry Cleaners Massacre' by the papers. He had someone look into it when he could stop laughing and found out that Natchios had died of a massive set of cerebral aneurysms, apparently a congenital defect. Bont had nearly killed himself laughing again. The police department of Hells Kitchen was not only riddled with informers and bought men, it was incapable of keeping up with the times. Bont chuckled again remembering. These telepaths posed a risk but they could weren't very entertaining to watch in the ring. Just standing there, then the other guy (or girl) would fall over. There had been that rich woman who'd come slumming one night. Wanted a little thrill. Strange. She'd managed to talk her way into the hardcore category and Bont hadn't suspected she'd last a minute. He'd thrown her in the melee so as not to waste the fight and five minutes later the crazy bh had been standing above two gibbering wrecks, a smoking carcass and the last guy….well Bont didn't like to remember what had happened to the last guy. That had been one time Bont had been scared. Thank Christ she'd never come back. No, with the exception of the crazy rich bh, telepaths were barred from the Arena. No entertainment. This new girl though, calling herself Vixen or some nonsense, she had potential. Bont had picked her up after her debts started getting out of control and originally intended to use her as a streetwalker. She'd taken down two guards, muttered something about having a ninja for a father or something and he'd stuck her in the pit fights. She'd been worth it. Plus, she'd paid her debt off ages ago and still kept coming back. Adrenaline junkie. The best kind. They'd keep coming back for more and more until they bit it. He smiled hearing the crowd's roar. Sounded like "The Vixen" had just taken down another looser. He heard the announcer revving the crowd, squeezing every drop of excitement out of them. Bont made a mental note to remember the guy. Potential. Who was she fighting now? "Laaaaaaaaaaadies and Gentlemen, we have an all new accessorized challenger for our reigning champion. Presenting…..dumdudumdumdumdumdumdum DAREDEVIL VS KAREN "THE VIXEN" PAGE!.". Bont jumped up with a roar. "What the friggen' hell is he doing here?" Suddenly, he smiled, waving the enforcers back from their standing positions. "Let's see where this goes." He grinned this time, showing a lot of teeth. This might work out nicely after all.
The Ring,
The Ring Nightclub
Hells Kitchen,
Daredevil did a double take as the announcer roared out the name. Karen Page? Surely it couldn't be the same…he thought but was cut off with a woof as he was hit by a spear tackle. Rolling with the force, he used her momentum to flip her off him, jumping to his feet. He could perceive her jumping up almost instantly, displaying an almost superhuman coordination. She threw herself at him again but this time he was ready for her. Dodging to the side, he hooked a leg out behind him, catching her feet and flipping her over her back at an awkward angle. She tried to roll but he pounced on her, forcing her arms up behind her shoulders where the bones threatened to break. She snarled at him with the same terrible viciousness, completely at odds with the Karen Page he knew but she smelled the same. She was the same person. The crowd was chanting. "Kill! Kill! Kill!" The roar for blood was vicious. The Vixen had been champion. Past tense. His hearing was almost overloaded but he still managed to pick out Domino's voice, calling out, "Just kill her and get it over with, Murdock." He stiffened faintly with shock. How does she know? His thoughts raced. He decided to go with the melodramatic route. Nothing better presented itself. Oh well. "Bont!" he called, "Come out, come out, wherever you are."
Beneath him, Karen had stiffened, struggling to get away. She didn't want to be caught like this. Bont emerged from the back room, leading a pack of enforcers. People had clicked on to what was happening and the club was emptying rapidly. Daredevil could sense Domino, Northstar and a few others moving to the front but they were fighting the press. He could feel Karen struggling still. He leant down and said, "Stop that. I'm not going to break your arms. Just play along and you'll get out of this ok, Karen." Her face froze. She turned as best she could to look at him and whispered, "Murdock? What the f&(k are you doing here?" He ignored her, pressing down on her back. "What's the matter, Bont? Didn't think you could deal with me without four enforcers to help? Luckily, I brought backup." Releasing Karen, he charged towards Bont, hearing the subtle sounds of Northstar speeding overhead towards the enforcers, feeling a strange and sudden appearance as two more figures arrived off to the side. Feeling the sudden heat as another one of Domino's Crew revealed themselves blasting fire from his chest, Daredevil charged towards the Kingpin, threw himself aside as the enforcers opened fire. Almost instantly, the chambers in the weapons jammed and Murdock was racing across the pit towards Bont again. The enforcers charged ahead but were met by the Crew halfway across. Bont readied himself as Murdock arrived. Circling each other warily, the battle was joined.
Blink split up from Maria as soon as Feral came out. It didn't take much for Feral to come out these days. When the enforcers opened fire, she simply opened portals in front of her and Feral that carried the bullets behind them. Domino was, of course, fine and her powers kicked in, jamming up the guns. Northstar never had any problems with bullets and Chamber could just absorb them into his chest now. Running with the others, she met the charging enforcers in almost the middle of the bit. How's that for symbolism, she thought. Her opponent was an incredibly large man who obviously thought a pink teenager was no trouble. Blinking herself up to just behind his head, she let loose a powerful kick behind her, stunning him and landing neatly on the ground. The others had all had as little trouble with their guards, JP was already done, Feral had sliced the hamstrings of the man who marked her and he was down and whimpering. Chamber had simply blown away the guy facing him and was turning to see what was happening. Daredevil had just reached the Kingpin and the two were trading blows. Suddenly, she heard a cry ring out from just behind her. She turned. Oh crap she thought. This wasn't going to end well.
Domino was right about to let loose with a second, fatal blow when Murdock pulled away from his duel with the Kingpin. "What the hell are you doing?" he screamed across the large room. Domino looked at him contemptuously. "She pulled a gun. "I'm not letting her shoot any of my Crew, you jack!" she snapped suddenly. Murdock ran over to her but the Kingpin got up behind him, grabbing a gun off the ground. He fired three shots straight at Murdock. The Crew reacted instantly. Northstar hit Daredevil with a flying tackle, laying him out of the path of the bullets almost before they had left the gun, Feral sprang at Bont but Blink 'ported her behind him and Chamber simply blew his fire towards the bullets, melting them. Domino barely moved, dropping Karen Page to the ground, where she immediately curled into a fetal position. Domino strode over to where Feral had Bont pinned to the ground with her claws, on the edge of a berserker rage. She smashed her fist across his face. "Chamber," she snapped. "Get over here and do your thing." Jono walked over and sat down, next to Bont. He began to probe the man with as much delicacy as he could muster, just touching the edges of his mind. Bont could feel this through the pain of Feral's claws and he began to struggle. Feral flexed her fingers and he stopped.
Chamber probed, Bont's terrified mind easy to read. He picked up flashes of rapes, beatings, murders, crimes of almost every variety. He saw years' worth of pit fights, when something caught his attention. He went back to it, like rewinding a video and felt something stopping him from seeing what had happened at this point. Bont had seen it but he couldn't tell Jono. Jono could feel the thing, like a bomb in Bont's mind waiting to explode. If he tried, his mind would be wiped and he would spend the rest of his days a drooling idiot. Chamber backed out quickly, double checking that he had the data he required. He sat up slowly and turned to Domino. He's the Kingpin, he projected. She smiled grimly. "Excellent." She flicked her communicator and said, "He's ready. Come on in." She looked back at Bont and spat. Turning away, she backed off a few meters whilst the doors to the club opened to admit another person.
After being tackled and ascertaining Bont had been dealt with, Daredevil shook off Jean-Paul's "You're welcome" and jogged over to Karen. She was curled in a foetal position but when he touched her, her hand lashed out and grabbed his wrist. He said softly, "Karen," and she uncurled a little to look at him. "I think my hand is broken," she whispered. "That's ok," he said. "Why did you pull the gun?" She blushed, and replied, "I had to do something. The goons had seen me and if you got killed, I needed Bont to think I was on his side.," she whispered. She tried to get up and managed only with his help. He looked up and saw Domino spit on Bont before he heard the doors open. Oh God, who now? he thought. "Who is it?" he asked Karen. When she replied, he sighed. He should have known.
Clap, clap, clap went the Taskmaster's hands as he walked through the deserted club. "You have done very nicely, Domino," he said. "All debts are cancelled." He turned to Daredevil. "I do hope you don't plan to make any trouble," he said. "After all, then I'd have to kill you and you have proved so very useful. I have a wonderful man working with me at the moment, he could do wonders with you, I think. Name of Stick. Odd name, isn't it? As for your friend….well, I'm sure I could find something for her to do." He chuckled. Smiling still, he walked over to Bont and, without changing expression or posture, whipped out a gun and shot Bont three times in the head. He collapsed back in a bloody spray. "Oh, look. It appears I've been promoted to Kingpin," he said calmly. "Isn't life funny like that?" Turning to Domino, he said, "You did very, very well my dear. I do hope you haven't mislaid that young Red Lotus boy. The Triads wouldn't be happy with you at all." He turned once again to Daredevil. "Run along, boy," he said contemptuously. "Go play super hero in your costume and don't interfere with me. I'm running a different kind of Kitchen to Bont!" Ignoring Daredevil who left, taking Karen with him, he turned back to Domino. "I don't suppose you have any little tricks that will insure that young man's cooperation? A most troublesome customer." Domino replied smoothly, "Of course I do. I believe you know my associate Chamber?" Domino indicated the boy. "Chamber is possessed of substantial psionic talent and has acquired a, say, psi-lock on the girl. Daredevil holds her in some affection. If he makes trouble, contact me and we'll have Chamber start delivering psychic shocks. You'll be amazed at how quickly someone stops being a problem once the brain turns against them." Briefly, her faced twisted with remembered pain. "If you need some extra muscle, let us know. Otherwise…..Blink! Let's go!" she said in parting. Walking over to Blink, she and Chamber passed through the portal which Blink snapped closed behind them, leaving the new Kingpin alone with the body of his predecessor and his guards. Chuckling once more, the Kingpin called his guards in. A most useful and fascinating woman he mused. It's almost a pity. It's a good thing that I've got my little surprise. Chuckling again, he strode out. Grabbing a lackey as he passed, he said, "I've got a mission for our agent. Tell her to get in contact with me before tonight." The man nodded and continued his grisly work. The new Kingpin left the scene of his rise.
Matthew Murdock's apartment
Hells Kitchen Community College district,
Karen sat on the couch curled into a ball. "Not that I'm not grateful to you for helping with tonight, Matt, but I think you have a little explaining to do," she said, sipping some coffee. "I do believe that you're supposed to be blind." From the kitchen, Murdock smiled. "Well it's almost a funny story…" he began before stopping suddenly, as a person smashed through the window. Dropping his coffee, he raced to the lounge, sniffing, feeling to determine who had just attacked him. Hearing the sounds of struggle, the grunt and the thud. He felt the scent of the attacker come swirling down mixed with Karen's. What! The cat girl? Domino had sent the cat girl? That didn't make sense. He desperately cast around for any trace of the attacker but heard the faint whisper of her clothes as she flew back out the window. "Karen?" he asked. "Are you ok?" Then the smell of the blood hit him. "No," he whispered, jumping over to where Karen's body lay on the couch. He reached out with trembling hands to touch her' finding the huge slash at her throat. Jagged. Made by an animal. Why? He realised that he had frozen up. He had to do something to tell the authorities, Karen was a registered student. Her disappearance would be noticed. Then, he would have to do something about Domino.