Chapter Seven: Information
Daredevil left through the skylight. He didn't want to leave Charlie, but he knew he had to get a lead on Angelica before tomorrow night. He decided to head toward Josie's Bar, the local roost for most of the thugs and petty criminals of Hell's Kitchen.
Josie's was a loud, dingy place that smelled of adrenaline and stale liquor. Josie was a stout woman, with huge hips and over bleached hair. She was street-smart and knew how to use a gun and a baseball bat to keep order. She had used both, sometimes together. She also had a huge grudge against Daredevil, but that didn't make him stay away.
When Daredevil entered the bar, heads turned and the general atmosphere of the bar went up a notch. He surveyed the room, listening for a sign of Angelica Demon. Little chance, but who knows, she might like to shoptalk with her peers. He didn't find her, but he did find a local tattletale, Turk. Turk was a better snitch than a thug. He was always getting caught, but he was a beehive of information.
Daredevil smiled, Perfect. Old Turk might have some information for me. Turk was trying to hide behind a huge, stone-like man, but of course it didn't matter. In a couple of seconds, Daredevil was on him. Josie saw Daredevil lunge, and shouted, "Not in here you don't! Take it outside, got it Mr. Man Without Fear?"
In response, Daredevil led the nervous Turk outside. "Okay Turk, what have you got on an Angelica Demon, the one who tried to blow up the airport yesterday?"
"No one knows her! She's a freelancer, likes to fight. That's all I know, really!"
Daredevil wasn't convinced; he could tell Turk was lying. "Come on Turk, you know everything that goes on in New York's underworld. Give me something better than that." He pushed, trying a little flattery.
"I swear that's all I know!" Turk argued, his heart beating faster than a rabbit's.
Okay, new tactic. "Turk, I'm going to get ugly. You don't want me to get ugly, do you?"
Turk squirmed under Daredevil's fingers clasped around his collar. "Fine! She's an assassin-for-hire, a good one; she has twenty kills under her belt. Angelica was aiming for a Senator, some sort of job - don't ask me what because I don't know. When you blew it, she got angry. I wouldn't mess with her, if I were you. Now can I go?"
Daredevil released him. Turk had told the truth. "Stay out of trouble Turk! I'll come again if I hear you've been bad!" He shouted, in Turk's wake. He turned back to the bar.
He opened the door to find a dozen faces looking at him. "Anyone know anything about the hit woman called Angelica Demon?" Daredevil asked the room at large. No one's heart sped up at the name. No one recognized her. "Okay then, 'night Josie. Calm night, tonight." He said, as he turned around to go. He heard Josie swear under her breath, and he smiled. I seem to have that effect on a lot of people. Maybe it's my natural charisma?
-DD-
It was around twelve thirty when Angelica got the call. "Well, where is he?" She asked as soon as she picked up the phone.
The voice on the other end of the line was cool. "He's gone for the night. I don't know when he'll be back. I can't stay on the phone."
"Keep me updated. I want to know everything about him."
Angelica hung up the phone and smiled. Finally, we're getting somewhere!
-DD-
Daredevil scoured the city until two o'clock. He knew he should go home and get some rest, but he couldn't. He had to find Demon. He'd tried some other of his contacts, but all seemed to have the same information as Turk. Finally, he had to resign for the night.
Daredevil slipped into his house around three o'clock. He was careful not to wake the sleeping Charlie. It had been another hard night, and Daredevil knew he would regret staying out so late in the morning, but for now all he wanted to do was sleep, long and hard.
Matt didn't wake up at seven thirty when his alarm went off. He pressed the snooze button. It was eight o'clock when he remembered he had a guest. He listened and heard Charlie in the kitchen. Well Matthew, you're a great host. You left your guest to make his own breakfast.
He quickly pulled on a bathrobe and went downstairs to greet Charlie. "Morning! Sorry, I just woke up." He said, apologetically.
Charlie looked up. "Don't worry about it. I thought you must have come in pretty late, and I didn't want to wake you, I didn't did I?"
"Oh no, I don't think so. The alarm went off, but I ignored it, I think."
"I made the coffee." Charlie responded, getting up and starting for the machine.
"Excellent," Matt answered, as he accepted the coffee. "By the way, I've been meaning to ask you, have you seen my wallet? I seemed to have dropped it somewhere, and now I can't find it."
"No, sorry."
"Never mind. There wasn't anything important in there. I kept all my important cards in my suitcase, and I can get a new credit card. Someone would find it hard to steal my identity anyway." He smiled. "It's not easy, acting blind."
Charlie didn't answer right away. He knew what Matt meant. It isn't easy playing helpless. It isn't easy knowing you could be doing something. He decided to change the subject. "So Matt, are you going to work today?"
"Hmm? Oh, I don't know. I guess it depends on what you are doing. What have you got to do? Anything in town?" He replied.
"I was planning on writing an article on the explosion at the airport," Matt suddenly looked up, "excluding you, of course." Charlie added quickly.
"Good. In that case, I'll work in my study. I have a few cases I can do. It's just down the hall on the right, opposite the bathroom if you need me. I'm afraid I don't have a computer, but you are welcome to anything else you need. You can work in the living room; it's nice and quiet.
-DD-
As Matt got dressed, he thought of Charlie. All during breakfast he seemed distracted. Either he's worried, or he's hiding something. He listened and heard Charlie cleaning the kitchen downstairs. He must just be worried. Matt decided, hopping he was right.
Charlie hadn't been entirely truthful when he told Matt he was writing an article on the explosion. He waited until he could hear Matt on the phone, and then opened his cell phone. He shouldn't be able to hear me now. He typed a short message and quickly shut the phone. He started on his article, making sure to tell the story just as it happed. Don't want any rumors going around.
