Chapter 13: Gangland
Disclaimer: I do not own any Marvel Characters or logos.
Note: Well I did a little adding to this chapter after taking it down and re-posting it... Nothing big but it should be a little better now.
It was been several hours since their search began, but the museum had yielded very few results. So far all the had discovered was that the stone Magneto stole was found by archeologists somewhere in Germany, but very little else was known about the age and origin of the artifact. The gallery's curator had only told them that the gem was of little monetary value when compared to some of the others that were kept in the same case, making it painfully obvious that the magnetic mutant and his Acolytes were not planning on becoming rich through this crime. So far things didn't add up, and they had received few answers to their questions.
Cyclops and Jean walked side-by-side through the streets of Manhattan in silence as they followed their guide into another building. Despite being much more familiar with the city then either of them, Angel had been noticeably quiet lately as though he were too busy considering the best course of action to voice his opinions. Despite the warm weather than prevailed even in the twilight of summer, Warren wore a tan trench coat over his body to prevent anyone from seeing his wings or superhero costume, and had even added a hat to his outfit.
Mutants lived hard lives due to their persecution by society, especially those unfortunate individuals whose dramatic mutations were not so easily hidden. Warren knew this and rarely allowed his wings to show unless he was in costume, meaning that his style of dress remained the same no matter what the season or weather. Naturally it was more comfortably on cold winter nights, but walking out under the open sun in ninety-degree weather while hiding his wings could be a real nightmare. After several minutes of walking, the winged mutant came to a stop in front of a small club, which he occasionally frequented.
"Where are we now?" Cyclops questioned with an odd expression.
Warren turned back to his guests with a more cheerful expression. "Since we've been running around all morning I figured it was time we take a break." He gestured towards the building.
His visitors exchanged glanced before following him into the building, but were surprised upon seeing the interior the ceiling of the restaurant was high like that of a grand cathedral, littered with elaborate chandeliers which bathed light onto the regal atmosphere below. The tile floor and intricate sculpting on the walls were nothing short of pure art, accessorized by the presence of several sculptures and statues placed on the display in the main hall. While the two newcomers admired the atmosphere, their host stepped into the line by the velvet ropes leading to the podium in the center of the room.
Jean leaned forward slightly as she caught up with him, a look of curiosity on her face. "I like your taste in restaurants, but where exactly are we?" she whispered in his ear.
"Since I don't get visitors often, I figured that it would be fun to take you guys to one of the finest restaurants in town." Warren answered calmly. "They cater to the finest clientele so you normally need a reservation, but I've managed to get in before due to my family's wealth and reputation. My father is the head of Worthington Industries so naturally the people in my family are independently wealthy."
Scott Summers was unsurprised by this bit of information, having heard it before from the Professor at some point. "Looks to me like a pretty nice place, Warren… do you come by here often?" he asked casually.
As if on cue the woman behind the podium looked up just in time to see the trio standing in front of him, a look of recognition gracing her features as the man standing across from her removed his hat. "Table for three please." he requested.
"Good to see you again, Mr. Worthington. Your regular table is currently open." She replied with a respectful gesture.
"Yes, that would be fine." Angel replied courteously, subconsciously twirling the hat between his fingers as he spoke.
The woman returned his smile before allowing the trio to pass into the dining hall. Walking at the head of the group, the bird-like mutant led them past several rows of tables as he led them to the spot where he preferred to sit, right next to the stage. The dining hall was just as magnificent as the entry room, bearing the same décor but with several tables and chairs littered about and servers moving between the rows with platters of extravagant cuisine. The floor where people sat and ate was shaped like a large donut, and in the center was an orchestra pit, which surrounded a large circular stage in the center of the room where a beautiful woman wearing a teal dress sang relaxing tunes to the music.
Having been so focused on their new surroundings, Scott and Jean barely noticed the waiter who had just left. Cyclops picked up the menu his server had left and began to read the contents with a cheerful expression, but his relaxing disposition seemed to vanish as he saw the prices listed within. His face paled slightly as he glanced at Jean, who appeared much less surprised by his recent findings, while their host seemed to find amusement in his sudden display of shock. The Angel-like mutant stifled a chuckle as he finished with his own menu.
"The food here is kind of expensive… Wouldn't you agree?" Cyclops scratched his chin with an awkward disposition.
Jean smiled as she relaxed in her seat. "Well if you ask me, I wouldn't have expected anything less from a five star restaurant." Upon seeing her boyfriend's expression, she continued. "My parents took me to a place like this years ago when I was just a kid as a special treat, although I was pretty shocked by the prices back then."
Scott turned back to face his host and hesitated. "I would feel guilty for making you pay in a case like this."
"Order anything you want. It's my treat!" Warren cut in with a welcoming tone. He smiled in an attempt to put his guests at ease. "My family's pretty wealthy so you shouldn't be so worried about causing me any trouble. I brought you guys here to treat you to lunch and I won't accept no for an answer."
Jean looked over at her boyfriend, who merely shrugged in response, although they both seemed a little more composed than before. "I guess it's no problem…" she replied graciously. "If you ever come to Bayville, maybe we can return the favor."
"We can hit the twenty-four hour drive thru… Maybe it's not as fancy as this place, but the food's pretty awesome." Cyclops added with a smile.
Warren let out a small laugh as he placed his hands in his lap. "All right, I might hold you guys to that!" he joked.
"I don't suppose you could tell me what some of this stuff is." Scott gestured towards some of the more exotic dishes listed in his pamphlet.
The three mutants broke out into a modest laughter and seemed to be in high spirits for the moment, but the moment was disrupted as another man approached them, carefully edging his was through the other tables and crowds in an attempt to reach them. The man wore an expensive-looking light green suit, his short hair brown with horizontal streaks running through it. Warren turned around as the newcomer's shadow fell upon the group, half expecting it to be the waiter, but was slightly surprised by the sudden intrusion as his eyes met a familiar face that he had seen around Manhattan's finer establishments.
"Warren Worthington, what a pleasant surprise." Norman Osborn extended a hand in a reserved but polite manner, to which his surprised acquaintance gently shook.
"Likewise, Mr. Osborn." The winged mutant replied with a purely formal smile.
The wealthy businessman looked around the table, his eyes settling on the two other people sitting across from them. "Friends of yours, I assume?" he mused with a noticeably more serious expression.
"I forgot my manners. These are two friends of mine visiting New York, so I figured I would show them around the city." Angel replied with a genuine smile, his free hand gesturing from the two X-Men to his acquaintance. "This is Norman Osborn, the CEO and owner of one of New York's largest corporations."
Cyclops smiled pleasantly and stood up, extending a hand to their new visitor in a neighborly manner. "Scott Summers… It's a pleasure to meet you Mr. Osborn."
The middle-aged executive did not return the gesture, and gave him a small nod as if his acknowledgment was good enough, but his attention appeared to be fixated somewhere else at the moment. He glanced around the room almost like he was searching for something. Jean remained silent as she felt the tension in the air thicken, but she sensed that it was not due to her boyfriend's offer of a handshake. Something seemed to have distracted him, although since she didn't know him well it would have been rude just to read his mind without permission. Still there was something odd about this man to her, despite the fact that she had already chosen not to violate the sanctity of his mind.
"So Mr. Osborn. How exactly do you know Warren?" Jean asked in an attempt to break the silence.
Although his inscrutable expression did not change, their new guest seemed to relax a little and seized the topic. "I've participated in a handful of dealings with Mr. Worthington's family over the years as well, although I can hardly say that it was anything worth mentioning." Norman Osborn added in a mundane tone. "As such, he is an acquaintance of mine."
"I run into him in places like this, although the occasions are few and far between." Warren added to his friends before turning to face the older man. "Seeing how busy you are most of the time, it was very polite of you to stop and say hello, Mr. Osborn."
The businessman opened his mouth to answer, but another man approached from behind them, gently tapping him on the shoulder as if to get his attention. The group's attention immediately gravitated towards the newcomer as he Norman turned around to address him. He was stout man with wide forehead and a flat head, his dark hair cut short like a stereotypical mobster. Looking like a hit man from the mob, he was wearing a light blue suit with matching pants, a series of thin vertical stripes in a darker shade running down the material of his outfit. From the lump in his pocket was carrying a weapon.
"We've got some place to be right now... Don't wanna keep the boss waiting, ain't that right?" the man replied in a somber tone. With this he turned and began to walk in the opposite direction.
Norman Osborn tugged at the collar of his shirt and loosened his tie slightly as if giving himself some air. Although his mannerisms betrayed a sense of discomfort, the wealthy CEO wore a satisfied expression as though he were anticipating was about to happen. He watched the other man leave and prepared to follow, but realizing that the others were still staring at him, Osborn scratched the back of his head, masking his previous expression with an apologetic frown in an attempt to recreate his previous façade.
"It was nice to see you again Warren, but I'm afraid that there is a previous engagement I must attend to." He explained to the winged mutant. "If you see your father anytime soon, please give him my regards."
"Of course…" Angel replied politely. The trio watched the two men exit the dining hall through the red curtain leading back to the entry, none of them speaking until their footsteps had died away. Although it was hardly her business, Jean suspected that something shifty was going on, while the other two seemed to have received the same impression from the man's phony pleasantries and sudden departure. Plus it was pretty obvious that the man who came to fetch Osborn wasn't exactly a legitimate businessman, as much people would expect. The situation was disturbing even though she wasn't willing to pry.
Cyclops shrugged off the strange moment but decided to address the situation to their host anyway. "That was a little strange." He stated with an awkward glance towards the door where their two visitors had disappeared.
"I'll say…" the female psychic sat up straight, looking suddenly more alert. "No offense to you or your family, but that man was acting a little bit suspicious."
"He only said hello out of courtesy, but I can't say that I know him all that well as a person. However it's really no surprise that you received a weird vibe from him." Warren began to lower his voice, leaning forward slightly as if he was afraid that someone outside of the group would hear. "Norman Osborn is a ruthless businessman rumored to do anything it takes to make a profit and stay ahead in the corporate world. They say that he even has some… connections… If you know what I mean."
Scott nodded in agreement. "I figured that when I saw that suspicious-looking dude looking for him, although it can't really be that big a deal considering that thus is New York. To be completely honest it's not entirely surprising that some of the businessmen in this city might be like that. I believe that you gave us a prime example earlier today."
"Perhaps, but sometimes I hear his name a lot when I'm… on duty so to speak." Angel craned his neck with an air of suspicion. "Osborn once tried to scam my father when they were performing research on the mutant condition awhile ago. Considering my status I try not to judge everyone by the same standards, but it's usually smart to tread cautiously around the corporate big shots who control this city both above ground and in the underground."
Cyclops folded his hands on the table and took a moment to consider what the winged mutant had just said. "Speaking of which, we found out firsthand how deadly the criminals in this city can be." He replied with an ironic smile. "Now that we have a minute to rest, can you tell us anything about that guy Spider-Man took down the other day?"
Warren Worthington looked as though he were remembering something unpleasant. "You mean the big guy that rampaged through Manhattan? He was just an angry super-powered thug who calls himself the Rhino. He used to be a petty criminal before obtaining his superpowers, although his real name escapes me at the moment."
"From the way he kept screaming his name, we already most of that, but I was actually curious as to how he got his superpowers. Although I could be wrong, something in my gut tells me that he wasn't a mutant." Jean reasoned.
"Hmmm… that's a bit harder to explain." Angel replied with an uneasy expression, lightly scratching the back of his head with his right hand. "The police had his body inspected by the scientists at the local university after the Rhino's first arrest, and they found out that his outer form is entire made of a thick polymer suit that covers everything but his face."
Jean looked a little bit disturbed by this revelation. "It's pretty scary to think that a common criminal gained such power through science alone, but what exactly does the armor do other than protect him."
"I won't pretend to be an expert on the subject, but the findings show that his armor grants him super strength and makes him nearly impervious to injury. They also say that he's resistant to temperature extremes and can withstand things that would kill anyone else." Warren replied with a small shrug. "Once again, I'm not entirely certain how it works seeing how information about this guy wasn't exactly easy to come by."
"He didn't seem bright enough to have gotten those powers all by himself… I wonder who was behind his creation?" the younger mutant replied.
Warren shook his head. "The police never did find out, and unfortunately for them the Rhino is the kind of villain who would rather go to jail than rat out his employers."
The female member of their group wanted to continue the conversation but at the same time she noticed the waiter coming back. "Guys, maybe we should continue this conversation later." She stated, gesturing in the server's general direction.
They seemed to agree as the waiter reached their table, placing a loaf of bread and three glasses of water in front of them. Noticing that they had not placed much thought into ordering anything, the restaurant employee decided to address the situation as politely as possible. Rather than point it out, he took out a pen and a pad of paper. "What can I get you?" he replied with an empty expression.
"Go ahead and order what you want." Angel replied with a reassuring tone. "Like I said before, lunch in on me today."
Cyclops scooped up his own menu, exchanging glances at his two companions before turning back to their server. "What would you recommend?"
The waiter let out a barely hidden sigh, and placed a flyer on the table with the names of the daily specials. "Please take your time…" he answered flatly.
Meanwhile on the second floor of the exclusive restaurant, a much less benevolent meeting was taking place between some of Manhattan's less savory individuals. It took place in the private chamber on the second floor, made with soundproof walls and reserved only for special guests who were willing to pay extra for the accommodations. At the moment a type of summit was taking place, although all of the parties involved had yet to arrive. Silvio Manfretti along with his henchman and chief affiliates were waiting for their rest of their party to arrive so they could begin the meeting, the latter of which was seated at the head of the large table.
Although one of the oldest villains in the city, the elderly crime lord was not known for his patience and kept glancing at his watch repeatedly, a dour expression forming on his heavily lined face. "What is taking Hammerhead so long down there?" he groaned irritably.
"I'm sure they'll both be here soon." A deep voice answered from his left.
A man with a chalk-white complexion stood up, his hideous face made worse by the light. His hair was cut short and was a very light color complimenting his face, and his teeth pointed as though he were some kind of monster, although he was clearly human. He was a giant of a man, towering over the withered crime lord at over six feet tall, with a fairly muscular build and a fearsome presence. If his physical appearance wasn't frightening enough, the dark demeanor and cold expression he wore only made things worse. Working as a hired hit man for the mob, he was known as Tombstone.
Silvermane seemed undaunted by the other man's presence. "I'm a busy man, and I don't have the luxury to waste any time. Go and find them!" he barked.
The pale giant sneered as he turned towards the door, but sat back down as Norman Osborn entered the room, closely followed by Hammerhead. The flat-headed hit man took a seat beside Tombstone, while their guest positioned himself at the other end of the table facing the crime lord directly. OsCorp's CEO set down his brief case and slide the package under his desk with his foot, his eyes never leaving the crime lord's face for a second. Surprisingly enough, the frail-looking businessman seemed unfazed by the Manfretti Family's representatives.
A woman sitting directly to Silvermane's right glanced over at their visitor. She was a tall, slim woman with a slender figure garbed in an expensive gray suit similar in color to what their leader was wearing. Her hair was long and dark, easily reaching past her shoulders, and her lips shining red with lipstick. Although many people would not have guessed, she was the elderly crime lord's daughter, Alisha, and the second in command of her father's criminal and legitimate operations in Manhattan. Resting her hands on the table, she seemed content with the silence and merely waited for the others to begin the meeting. Her father fidgeted slightly in his seat before addressing their visitor.
"I see you finally showed up, Osborn." He replied with an unpleasant grimace, his sharp gaze locking with the younger man. "We agreed to meet here in order to address some issues concerning both of our business ventures. I highly suggest that you would make this troublesome meeting worth my while, or you may find yourself in a world of pain!"
Surprisingly enough, Norman Osborn seemed to find this threat more entertaining than frightening. "Well Silvermane, as always you are painfully direct in your intentions." He mused in an even tone. "I heard that you've been having some troubles with Wilson Fisk, the criminal mastermind known as the Kingpin."
"How the hell did you know?" Hammerhead stood up from his own chair with a slightly affronted expression.
The elderly criminal raised his hand, instantly silencing the flat-headed villain. "Normally I would not have come to meet you, but you gave me a proposal concerning our respective enterprises and how they could benefit each other. This makes very little sense to me. Tell me exactly what you meant by this, and why you would risk further tarnishing your company's reputation."
Norman Osborn folded his hands in front of him and leaned forward. "Allow me to start at the beginning. Using my own vast array of resources, I discovered information concerning your power struggle with Fisk over the territories in this city. I heard that you employed Alistair Smythe after he left the Kingpin's service, and as such you now have a valuable resource that can be used against him."
Alisha shook her head disagreeably. "Even so, how does this relate to you?"
"Indeed, what would you possibly have to gain by serving me?" Silvermane agreed with his daughter.
"Who said anything about service?" Norman Osborn raised an eyebrow, although he seemed insulted by the very thought of it. "Recently I have also been having some problems with Wilson Fisk along with several other enemies, many of which we share. I believe that if we forge a type of silent partnership between Oscorp and the Maggia, we may have the combined resources to overcome the obstacles that stand in the way of our personal endeavors."
The elderly crime lord looked genuinely interested by this offer and quickly pressed his potential affiliate, "Go on…" he implored, followed by an asthmatic cough.
"Not long ago my company was experiencing some financial difficulties, but for a while I made some extra business through dealings with criminals. When these business ventures began to fail, I found her few option but to turn to philanthropist Wilson Fisk for help." The businessman explained. "Unable to directly pay back my loan in time, he began bleeding my company dry through the use of his own resources, and it's been downhill ever since then."
Norman Osborn reached under the table and pulled up his briefcase, placing it onto the table and snapping it open with his free hand. Ignoring the majority of the documents he had stored inside, the shifty CEO quickly found the large envelope he was looking for. He placed it on the table, although he did not hand it over to the crime lord quite yet. He slid a few papers from the top to make certain that it was the correct set of documents before shutting his briefcase and placing it back under the table.
"These papers have some details of the arrangements I have considered concerning this potential partnership." He began with a satisfied expression. "I believe that with Oscorp's manufacturing abilities on your side and Smythe's robotics technology, we will have more than enough power to remove the Kingpin and eliminate our enemies."
Silvermane paused for a moment as if considering the younger man's offer. "Hmmm… In return have use for Oscorp's resources, there must be something else that you require of me. Surely the destruction of our mutual enemies is not the only condition you have for this partnership."
"How very astute of you." Osborn replied with a shadowy grin. "All that ask of you is complete cooperation and the right to withdraw from this partnership whenever I choose. Furthermore anyone outside of this room cannot know of my involvement. I will retain the ownership of my corporation as well as the legal rights to market all of my inventions to outside parties as well as those you manufacture through my company. Lastly you must obtain my approval for each consecutive use of my resources."
The elderly criminal sat in thought for a moment, and although he saw the value in this potential partnership, he was still not entirely convinced. "I shall consider your offer…" he answered in a hoarse tone. "In return you must give me the written documents so that I may review them personally."
"Aside from what I have told you there is little else to address save for the technicalities." Norman Osborn slid the envelope across the surface of the table before standing up to leave. "If you accept my proposal, then I believe we will both benefit greatly. However if you have any problems with my conditions, then I will be happy to take my business else ware."
Tombstone stood up as well as if he was about to stop him, but once again the old man waved off the acts of disrespect and decided to read the documents and contact him later. Alisha and Hammerhead watched as Norman Osborn exited the way he came and left the Maggia members sitting alone once more in the dingy room. They sat in silence for several minutes as their leader began skimming some of the documents, but after a few minutes had passed he returned the papers to the envelope and tucked the packet into his suit jacket.
"Are you seriously going to consider his offer?" Alisha questioned her father.
Silvermane hesitated for a moment, although the trademark grimace he usually wore did not disappear. "I have considered it, although my current partnership with HYDRA may provide enough benefits. We received word from the main complex in Europe, and have been granted full membership and access to many of their resources."
Hammerhead shrugged. "Well wouldn't having two allies be better than just one."
"Perhaps, but I have yet to test the current benefits of my first partnership." the elderly crime lord began. "Due to recent activity in this country, the majority of HYDRA's forces have been moved overseas, although there are a few conditions of our recent dealings that greatly interest me."
"What exactly did they offer you?" his daughter added with a frown.
"The Kingpin has some important information that the Leader of HYDRA desires for himself. It is concerning a government project known as the sentinel." Silvermane explained with a slightly amused expression. "If we can raid the Kingpin's labs and find this information, they have agreed to grant me full access to all or their resources and to take the currently empty position as the Supreme Hydra of the United States."
Tombstone who had been impatiently drumming his fingers on the table, looked up with a sense of renewed interest. When he spoke, his voice was low and gravely. "If that is the case, then you won't need Osborn's facilities assuming that HYDRA honors this deal."
"Also assuming we can launch a successful raid on the Kingpin's laboratories and then escape with those particular files." Alisha replied with a less hopeful expression. "The way we are now, the Maggia is stretched thin just to keep territories of the city under our control, and even if we consolidated out forces and launched and assault, I'm not certain we would be successful."
"Well then what do you suggest?" the pale-faced hit man replied.
The crime lord's daughter considered him for a moment before turning back to face her father. "What if you accepted Osborn's partnership in order to achieve our goals, and then terminated it once the benefits no longer outbalanced the drawbacks. This way you would no longer be forced to comply by his arrogant terms, while still achieving your goals and exploiting the alliance's benefits."
For the first time during the meeting, Silvermane wore a satisfied smirk, looking very proud of his daughter for devising this plan. "Perhaps this would be the best course of action." He paused to cough, once again feeling the failings of old age. "I shall accept the partnership, but once Osborn has outlived his usefulness, we will sever all connections and reap the rewards. If things go well I may even be able to obtain the secrets of his company's technology in the process."
"Great idea, boss!" Hammerhead added with a similar expression.
"For the first time in many years, I will be the one who comes out on top." The elderly criminal replied. "Once we have disposed of Osborn and obtained HYDRA's wealth of resources, I shall permanently dismantle the Kingpin's Criminal Empire, and rebuild my own to its former glory. Once again we will rule this city just as the Manfredi Family did so long ago."
Later that Night
Kingpin sat behind the desk of his secret hideout, silently using the master controls to coordinate several crimes going on all around the world from this one room. His main working space was a large cavernous room with metallic walls like something out of a science fiction movie, and large transparent tube-like shafts that functioned as his base's elevator system. This secret operation center deep within his office building was the nerve system that controlled a large percentage of the world's crimes, and most of the organized crime on the East Coast.
Adding his endeavors in the criminal underworld to the work of his public job, Wilson Fisk often found that he rarely had time to relax. He spent his days working in the office just to spend the nights slaving away in his lair, although he rarely complained due to the amount of money he gained through these separate transactions. Of course there were drawbacks to his position of power, mostly because it had driven his wife away, but although that experience had saddened him, in the end the Kingpin understood that it was more important to value the big picture.
Looking away from the monitors, the mountainous crime lord heard his phone ringing and was forced to answer. After listening to his affiliate on the other side for several minutes, Fisk's calm expression changed to one of pure anger. "What do you mean that you want me to reimburse your losses?" he bellowed into the mouthpiece. "Per our agreement the weapons you ordered were delivered, do not blame me for Spider-Man's interference! Disturb me again, and you will find your self in a very unpleasant situation!"
Without even waiting for the other man's reply, he placed the phone back down and ignored the previous situation as he returned to his work. From this phone call it was clear that one of his costumed enemies was causing trouble again, which was of course very bad for business. Even so, he had more important matters to attend to at the moment and was not inclined to waste his time dealing with something so minor. A small weapons deal was the least of his worries now that he had something much more important in store.
The formula from Project Rebirth was within his grasp now that he had stolen the files from HYDRA, the only thing now was to secure the mutant who knew how the formula. He had heard of Magneto's actions from newspaper and television reports, but finding him would no doubt prove to be more difficult. After all, even the government had failed to locate the elusive mutant extremist, even when he openly revealed himself several months ago. Nevertheless the Kingpin has made some interesting arrangements with some old affiliates, meaning that if things went well he would be able to capture the mutant.
The sound of the elevator moving diverted his focus as two more figures stepped out. The disfigured face of Hebert Landon slid into view, closely followed by a muscular man with a bare chest and a fur-like garment hanging from his shoulders. His pants and armbands looked as though they were made entirely of animal fur, although despite his wild man appearance, the stranger's dark hair and beard were rather neatly trimmed, although at the same time his eyes displayed a sense of ferociousness that seemed almost inhuman.
The deformed scientist stepped towards his employer's desk, taking a moment to cast their visitor a slightly distasteful look. "As you ordered, I tracked down the freak you requested and brought him here."
"Well done, Landon…" The Kingpin folded rested his hands in his lap as the bestial man approached them. "Kraven the Hunter, so good of you to join us this evening."
The wild man seemed to take the other man's polite greeting with an air of suspicion. "Perhaps for you, but I was actively pursuing my prey when your men made their feeble attempt to assault me." He replied bitterly.
Noting his tone of voice, the Kingpin adopted a more levelheaded approach to the situation. "Now as you are no doubt aware, I would not have bothered to track you down under normal circumstances. However, despite my usual reservations I have an important job that only a man of your unique talents could possibly carry out."
"I am not interested in any offer you have for me." Kraven answered with a note of finality.
The hunter turned to leave, but before he could reach the exit, a set of steel bars rose from the ground and blocked the door of the elevator. Turning to fact his host, he let out a feral growl as if expecting the gesture to frighten the. The large crime boss leaned forward behind his desk, with an equally cold expression indicating that his patience was thinning. The two of them exchanged glares as Kravenoff began walking back in their direction. Landon reached for his shotgun, but his employer raised a hand to stop him from provoking their visitor unnecessarily.
"Release me, or you will be the one to suffer." Kraven sneered.
Wilson Fisk reeled in his temper and relaxed his shoulders, only further enraging the villainous hunter. "In due time… However before you leave I believe it would be in your best interests to remain here for a short while and listen to what I have to say. If you still refuse to take the job once my explanation is complete, then we will not stop you."
Reluctantly, the wild man seemed to consider his option and ultimately decided to stand down for the moment. "Make this brief!" he snarled.
"But of course…" the Kingpin replied. He paused maddeningly for a moment before beginning his explanation. "The job in question involves the capture of a certain man, although since we have little idea of where to find him, I require the services of a man like you with extensive hunting experience and outstanding tracking abilities."
"Of course we will be willing to pay you well for your services." Landon replied, quickly withdrawing a suitcase full from beneath his master's desk. He clicked open the box, revealing several stacks of hundred dollar bills inside. "As you can see, we are already prepared to compensate you in cash."
"Not a bad reward for the capture of a single man, wouldn't you agree?" his employer added in a casual tone.
Kraven seemed unfazed by this revelation. "I have no interest in working for you, or anyone else at the moment."
Wilson Fisk chose to change his strategy at this point. "Ah, but if there is one thing I know about your past exploits, it is that you seek a challenging hunt. You only pursue the most powerful targets and always strive to improve your skills." He explained. "The man I seek has many resources and has never been caught due to his own self resourcefulness, in addition to the support of his subordinates. In the underground, they say that no one has the ability to find him unless he wishes to be found."
The wild man seemed to pause for a moment, looking genuinely intrigued by this last part of the larger man's statement. "Are you absolutely certain that this prey will provide me with a sufficient challenge."
"Much more than Spider-Man ever could… That much I am certain." The crime lord replied with a knowing expression.
Kraven considered him seriously before giving his new employer a small nod. "Very well, but first you must give me a means of finding this person."
"That was my intention…" Kingpin replied with a much more serious expression. He opened a draw in his desk, pulling out a small plastic bag similar to the ones used to collect evidence during police cases. Inside was a single strand of hair. "It's not much, but I believe that this should be a good first lead."
"What is that?" Landon questioned with a cocked eyebrow.
"I used my connections in the police department to get my hands on this piece of evidence from the crime scene. The man that I am seeking and his servants recently robbed a museum" If you require more evidence, it will be difficult to come by, but I also have the address of the gallery that was looted by these people Perhaps you can find something that the police were unable to get their hands on."
The beast-like man seized the evidence and opened the top, using his animalistic senses in an attempt to catch the scent. After a moment he wrinkled his noise and shook his head, looking slightly disappointed. "I was unable to discern much from this sample due to the contamination of the evidence… Perhaps if I head to the museum and searched for this smell I can be more certain."
Hebert Landon looked disheartened by the thought. "They fled the scene by means of flight… Are you certain it is even possible to track them?"
"A true hunter will not be so easily deterred." Kraven replied with an air of confidence.
"I'm glad to hear that you are willing to accept my offer. However there are some conditions on my part as well." Kingpin began.
"I already agreed to take this job, and now you wish to place restrictions. I may have agreed to find this prey, but isn't it strange how you didn't mention any specific conditions until now." The former big game hunter looked angry once more. "If your terms limit me in any way, then I may decide against carrying out your mission."
Wilson Fisk waved off his threat. "It's nothing that will interfere with your ability to track down the enemy, this much I can assure you. The man you are searching for is a mutant extremist by the name of Magneto, and according what little information I was able to find about him, he usually does a lot of traveling and usually works with a team of followers. Therefore, it might be a good idea of you brought some reinforcements in case you are drawn into a battle."
Kraven gave his employer a distrustful glare. "I hunt alone… It is, unnecessary."
"While this is typical of you, didn't Doctor Otto Octavius once teach you the value of hunting in a pack?" Fisk replied.
The wild man paused, but his train of thought was disrupted by a panel opening in the floor beside the crime lord's desk. A platform rose from the abyss, carrying with it two familiar individuals. The first man was large and broad-shouldered, wearing a striped green shirt that clung to his physique, and a pair of torn up jeans. The second man's appearance was noticeably more bizarre, his body covered by a form fitting green spandex suit, and a pair of metallic wing-like attachments strapped to his arms and back. While Kraven was familiar with these two men, he didn't seem very pleased to see them.
"Meet your partners for this mission." The Kingpin announced with a devious smile. "I'm sure you remember Flint Marco, the Sandman… And of course the Vulture… Along with you and three others, these men were once members of Doctor Octopus's Sinister Six. For that reason alone, I'm sure that the three of you are well-acquainted."
Kraven glanced at his former teammates and snarled. "I do not require their help to capture a mutant. No man alive can vanquish the hunter, for I am beyond human!"
"Don't get too cocky, jungle boy!" Sandman replied, squaring up to face the hunter.
"The guy we're after is one of the most powerful mutants in the world. We've already been briefed on this mission before coming up here and were it not for the benefits that wide-load promised me, I wouldn't be doing this either." The Vulture added.
"Afraid, are you?" Kraven replied. "Perhaps it is because you are both weak."
"I don't need you guys either!" Flint Marco screamed.
Vulture's gaze hardened. "All brawn and no brains? What a perfect way to describe the both of you!" he replied with an arrogant sneer.
The three super villains seemed to exchange looks of disgust as if they were about to attack, creating a sense of unrest among the room's other occupants. Landon stepped backwards with a panicked expression, casually moving away from the others as he had no desire to be involved in a petty squabble between super-powered freaks. His boss seemed much less intimidated by their display and responded by slamming his fist onto the surface of his desk, his insane strength making the floor shake slightly. The others looked in his direction in see the source of the noise, temporarily distracted from their argument as the crime lord rose from his seat.
"That's enough!" the Kingpin bellowed, quickly grabbing the attention of the hired criminals. "This operation is crucial to my business, and if you refuse to cooperate I will happily rescind my generous offer."
"Precisely… Replacing the three of you would be all too easy in a city like this where finding super-powered freaks among the criminal populace is about as easy as strangling an infant." Landon added in with a sneer.
The gathered criminals looked rather angry, but seemed to come to a realization. The Vulture was mostly involved in this plan because he wanted money to fund his neogenic research while Sandman just wanted his pay. Kraven had obvious joined in for the thrill of the hunt, but he also seemed satisfied with the results of his dealings despite his dislike of his teammates. Before any of them could voice a direct answer, their employer sat back down and folded his hands in a more patient manner, his previous display of anger forgotten. The deformed scientist stand beside him also seemed to relax again, and after a few moments the room's tense atmosphere settled back into its previous state.
"Now then, I believe that once more will be needed." Wilson Fisk continued. "Alex O'Him was sent to prison yesterday after an encounter with the web-slinger."
Sandman gave him a confused expression. "So you want us to run down to the Vault and spring the Rhino?"
The Kingpin nodded in agreement. "Precisely… Once you have him among your ranks, report back here and I will provide you with some background information for this mission. The Rhino owes me a favor so I doubt that he will argue against my job offer, and the rest of you will be paid handsomely for this in addition to my previous commission."
"Not saying that I particularly enjoy the company of that human battering ram, but I guess I'm in." the Vulture replied.
Sandman seemed unfazed by the prospect. "I don't particularly care, but at least this little field trip won't take too long."
"So long as you head back here as soon as the missions is complete." Fisk replied with a deathly serious expression.
After a short pause, the three villains turned around and entered the elevator disappearing through the metallic doors. Seconds later they were gone, leaving the Kingpin alone with his assistant. Landon shook his head disdainfully before turning back to face his master with a disheartened expression on his mutated face.
"You do realize that sending those fools after Magneto is unnecessary." The disfigured man replied carefully. "My men are currently searching for the location of the next artifact of the set, and once we find it, he will come to us."
The Kingpin's expression lit up with a look of malice. "I thought you would know better than to question my instincts. Sometimes it's better to play the field and make sure that there is a backup plan in case the first one fails."
Landon waved his hands with a slightly fearful expression. "You do realize the situation that we've been placed in with Silvermane breathing down our necks and those recent intelligence reports we've received concerning Norman Osborn. Not to mention that you recently killed one of the top commanders of the HYDRA organization, meaning that they may retaliate."
"I'm well aware of these problems, but we have no reason to worry yet." The Kingpin replied with a casual shrug. Although his expression remained calm at first, he stood up from his seat at that moment with a much less forgiving expression. "Do not forget who is in charge around here, Landon… I received my reputation in the criminal underworld for good reasons!"
"Of course, Kingpin…" The mutated scientist backed down as he noted the change in his employer's voice and demeanor and quickly scooted from the room, using a small remote control to trigger the panel on the floor as his method of exit.
Finally getting a moment of peace, the large man continued his routine monitoring of his operations going on all over the world. Once he realized that there was little else to do, Landon also excused himself and returned to the lab. It took a few minutes for Wilson Fisk to be sure that he was completely alone, but once he was certain that no one would heard him, he picked up the phone by his desk and dialed a number he knew all too well. He had some loose ends to tie up, and not much time to do it.
Several miles away, a costumed man sat at home silently reading the obituaries in the Daily Bugle. He appeared to be in good physical condition as evidenced by his reasonably muscled body. The man also wore a dark blue costume with silver gauntlets and matching boots, and he had a ring-like pattern running across his collarbone area and around his neck. Although the hood of his costume covered the top half of his face like a mask, there were small eyeholes allowing him to see, and a silver circular symbol emblazoned on his forehead area.
Wearing an insane smile, he looked as happy as a child whose parents had just told them that Christmas was coming early. Although most people were casual about reading about the dead, this mysterious man was noticeably cheerful as his eyes swept back and forth, silently admiring the signs of his recent work as he noted which people were his own victims. About ten of the names listed today were due to his murderous actions, although compared to how things went on a good day it was hardly his best record.
Draining the contents of his beer can, the man tossed aside his drink and was about to reach for another when the phone beside him rang. Although he wasn't really in the talking kind of mood, the insane murderer answered the call. "Yeah!" he called, looking rather bored with it already.
"Good to see you haven't gotten yourself killed yet, isn't that right Bullseye?" The Kingpin's voice greeted from the other end.
The villainous psychopath snickered before answering. "I know you didn't call to waste my time with pleasantries, Fisk… Just hurry up and tell me who you want dead?"
"On the contrary, I just need you to threaten someone this time." The crime lord replied casually. "In this particular case the target is useful to me, therefore I cannot have you killing him without discretion as would normally be the case."
"That's not my style… You should know that by now. Either way you should try telling me who's been getting in your way." Bullseye replied with a disappointed look that was invisible to his employer.
The Kingpin paused for a moment before answering. "I have some disturbing reports from my intelligence network saying that Norman Osborn may be attempting to end my shadow alliance with Oscorp. His resources are an important asset to me, therefore I cannot allow him to withdraw from this partnership so easily."
The crazed assassin let out a dry laugh, but he was more amused by the irony of this request rather than because he thought it was actually funny. "So let me get this straight… You want me to break into his office, and then not kill him? What a joke! Why not hire one of those other freaks instead of wasting my time."
"Most of them lack the skill to make a this quiet endeavor, and due to current circumstances I am unable to send anyone else. I recently dispatched three of my associates on a separate mission, and Doctor Octavius has been unreachable for some reason." Fisk explained.
"All right big man… I accept the job, but don't expect me to make any promises that the old man will still be alive once I'm finished. Who knows, my hand might just slip." Bullseye added sinisterly.
"If it does, Norman Osborn may not be the only person of usefulness to die." The large crime boss threatened him.
"I'll keep that in mind." Bullseye replied before hanging up on his employer. He let out an evil chuckle before disconnecting the phone cable, severing the wire with a small knife he had hidden in his clothes.
On the other end, the Kingpin looked slightly disgusted by this sudden act of disrespect, but at the same time he knew that it would do him no good to call back. At this moment he silently wondered if it had been the best idea to use someone as unstable as Bullseye, although either way it didn't make much difference. It would be more convenient to keep Osborn alive and use him as a legitimate face for the company, but if Bullseye did kill him it mattered very little. After all the next person in line to own the company was his worthless son Harry, and it would be all to easy to wrestle control of it from such a weak-willed young man. Wilson Fisk smiled evilly to himself… Either way, he would win…
Note to Readers: Well it's been awhile, but I'm still around. I had some writer's block, but as you can probably tell I used this chapter to start the plot rolling in New York. The larger story going on between Magneto and HYDRA will take a backseat for a while, and then once we're done in Manhattan the real fun begins. I brought in a bunch of player from Spider-Man, and added in some more from Daredevil. I'm starting to set the stage for the bigger story with this fiasco going on in New York, and there'll be more characters added in next chapter too.
Please continue to REVIEW! I don't get too many, and I work really hard to write such long and detailed chapters. Plus after such a long break from writing this story, I need the support a LOT at this point. If I know people are enjoying my story I'll feel more motivated to continue writing it.