(Later, in Tombstone's office...)
"I was counting on you. I believed in you. And all you had to offer...was disappointment," Kingpin gritted his teeth as he glared at Herman through his computer's camera. "Even with Lincoln's help, you couldn't get rid of the Spider-Men and the Black Cat!"
Herman, looking at the laptop's screen on Tombstone's desk, had the usual terrified expression on his face. "They outsmarted us, Boss! Whenever we hit them hard, they hit back harder and they always find another way to win against us," he said.
"Had I known you would be so...useless, perhaps I shouldn't have bought your technology. Rescuing you from poverty was a big mistake." Fisk's words struck Herman's heart like a knife, causing him to wince. Kingpin took a deep breath and composed himself, yet his voice still had a hint of anger. "Now that they know the location of this HQ, you're gonna have to defend it with your last breath. And make sure they are dead."
"We'll make sure they won't get past us, Will," Lincoln assured him, "Forgive us for today's failure."
"Then make it up to me by not failing the next mission, Lincoln." Fisk's voice softened when he talked to his friend. "I just...don't want our dream to come crumbling down because of those clowns. I've risked so many things to build this empire."
Lincoln responded with a understanding nod.
"I'll send more men to your headquarters to help you defend. I hope that will be enough, considering the number of your men reduced because of Hammerhead's men and that trio of clowns." Kingpin turned his attention to Herman with disappointment reflected in his eyes. "Do not test my patience with your failures. I can barely trust you now." And he proceeded to exit the video call.
Herman Schultz looked down with a dejected expression. He shook his head in disbelief and dragged himself toward Lincoln's door to exit his office.
"Herman..." the pale man called out to him.
"Don't. Please, leave me alone..." he sighed before walking out of the room.
Lincoln remained silent and turned to the framed pictures hanged on his wall. They were vintage pictures of him and Wilson Fisk smiling at the camera—some black-and-white and some colored—from their early days of joining the criminal underworld to the day they started their organization. All of their sufferings and tribulations had led to the creation of this very empire. Lincoln couldn't help but let a nostalgic smile form on his face as he recalled the past.
He sat at his desk and rested his hands on it, deep in reflection. Their next encounter with the Spider-Men and the Black Cat would determine whether this organization would begin crumbling or stay intact. He preferred the latter. He needed all hands on deck for those available, including Shocker. But Herman might need to figure something out. "I guess I'll need to talk to him."
...
On a lower floor, Herman stood outside the infirmary, looking through its window. All of his five men resting on their respective hospital beds, wrapped in bandages. Seeing them in such state caused guilt to seep in him. He couldn't protect four of his own men from the Scarlet Spider's aggression. It got worse when he recalled about the security guards defeated by the trio. Thinking about it made him feel powerless and ashamed.
"Kingpin's right... I'm just a useless man." He averted his eyes and went to the elevator, pressing its "Up" arrow button. It opened and he entered inside, and pressed a button. As the elevator went up, Herman sighed. "What kind of leader am I if I keep my men and others getting hurt..? What good am I?"
His phone in his jeans' pocket suddenly vibrated twice, which prompted Herman to pull out the phone. He found a notification of Lincoln's message and opened the messaging app to read them.
Herman. I need to talk with you about something important. Is it fine by you? I would prefer it if we talk through call (Lincoln)
He began to type a reply.
Very well. But we can talk more when I get to my room. I'll call you there (Herman)
When he arrived on the floor he was going to, Herman exited the elevator and headed to his suite. Once inside, he pressed the call button and waited for Lincoln to accept the call seconds later. "I would...appreciate it if you don't use harsh words toward me. I've had enough for today," he sighed deeply as he sat down on the edge of his bed.
"I don't intend to," Lincoln replied from his end, "Look, I know you're doubting yourself. But we need you for the next mission. I need my friend to get back. Because we all need to defend this place and...kill those nuisances."
"Lincoln... You already heard what the Kingpin said. I'm of no use," Herman said with defeat in his voice. His eyes looked so lifeless. "It won't make a difference whether I help you or not. Believe me, we're already done for."
"We're not done for yet. There's a fight coming and we even haven't won or lost that," Lincoln reminded his friend, "We don't know when it will come exactly. But we must be ready."
"I've given up..."
"Really? You've come a long way and you decided to surrender to the enemies who ruined your life? Right in the middle of this ongoing battle?"
Those words made Herman unable to speak for a moment. Realization hit him right away.
"If you still want to fight, then think of this as another chance for you. A chance to prove Kingpin wrong about you," Lincoln said. "Because I'm not going to surrender this dream of mine and Kingpin's. The question is... Will you get back up and fight again?"
Herman remained silent, still processing what the man just told him.
"You don't need to reply straight away. Take the time to think about it."
"I will... Thank you," he expressed his gratitude.
"And Herman?" Lincoln called him, "If we do fail in the end, what matters is we already tried our best. But let's keep that from happening, alright?"
"I'll keep that in mind."
"Good. I have my faith in you."
After Lincoln ended the call, Herman put the phone back in his pocket and lied on the bed. He looked up at the ceiling and sighed, realizing he couldn't and musn't quit the battle just yet. He wouldn't let this opportunity slip away. When Black Cat and the Spider-Men came to mind, Herman's expression turned into that of anger, clenched his fist, and cursed under his breath.
"Fuck! Those three... I'll make sure they get what's their due!"
- To be continued in Part 3 -
A/N #1: An imminent showdown is gonna come...eventually ;) For now, this is it for the fic. But that doesn't mean I'm done with it. I will focus on writing Part 3 (and maybe three Spider-Man crossover one-shots as prototypes for future fic series) while trying to juggle university life :') So wish me luck, y'all ;-;
A/N #2: I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter. If you like this fic, favorite and follow it! If you wanna see more of my fanfics in the future, favorite and follow me :3 You won't regret it but I'm not forcing you to do those though. Feel free to share this and leave a comment about your thoughts on this chapter. Anyways, happy (belated) new year! And have a good day/night :D
