Chapter One

She wasn't sure what to expect when she arrived to work bright and early on the Monday morning.

The newspaper prints that adorned the walls had enticed her with headlines that spoke of danger and greed, all the things that the citizens of Hell's Kitchen couldn't wait to sink their teeth into. The blurry images of a masked vigilante had sent shockwaves to course through the very heart of the city, and there was a buzz on the street that Ruby Calloway had felt on her way into work. And it seemed nobody could stop talking about the rescue of a kidnapped boy that seemed to go unnoticed by the city's own police.

MASKED MAN RUNNING RIOT IN CITY was a headline that had been debated long and hard the previous week. Its prose sparked debate within the office, with some reasoning that it demeaned his heroic actions by tarnishing his image with assumptions that he was causing havoc in the streets. But the truth was anything but that. He had saved a child from the hands of powerful and violent men, all of which had been holding the boy captive because of unknown reasons.

What Ruby couldn't understand, however, was how the father who had been badly beaten didn't call the police. In an instant, an amber alert would've been sent out and all cops would have focused on bringing the boy home safely to his family. It didn't make any sense that nobody except the masked vigilante knew about what had happened. Shaking her head, she stopped at her desk and slipped out of her coat. She placed it on the coat rack in the corner, then returned to her desk where a huge number of files had been placed awkwardly on top of her keyboard. Glancing around at the people milling around the office, she tipped her head over to where a group had formed, sipping coffee, and chatting amongst themselves.

She organised the files into piles of priority. Legal papers that needed signing where names and faces would be provided for the newspaper with upcoming interviews and stories, inventory lists and payments that needed checking over and signed off on as well as the usual folder that held everyone's lunch orders. She didn't mind the admin side of her job but as she cast one last glance over at the team who were celebrating the attention they were receiving for running the story on the masked man who was parkouring all over the city, she yearned to be amongst them. Except she wasn't, she was simply an outsider whose name people didn't seem to remember.

The day was as uneventful as she had imagined it to be. She'd been able to work through the majority of the files that had been on her desk, with the ones that still needed completing still having a couple weeks before the deadline. At five o'clock, Ruby grabbed her coat and bag and headed out into the city, the buzz from the news still tangible in the air. Despite the lacklustre and worn off atmosphere within the office, the news had spread like wildfire and everywhere she turned people were talking about what they'd read. Misinformation was rife, of course, with many people overdramatising what had happened, even claiming to have been one of the witnesses who had seen the man rescue the child.

It was part and parcel of the job, she noticed. Nobody liked to have information thrust upon them without prior knowledge to any of it, and whilst most would confirm that they had no idea about any of it, there was always some who already knew about the masked man who saved people from burning buildings and who was a really friendly guy once you got to meet him a couple times. It always surprised her just how much people suddenly knew about something when they were ambushed with news.

The city welcomed her with a warm hug, and she walked the streets, her feet following the route home that was so innate within her now that she was able to allow her mind to wander. Her apartment building was a few blocks away from the bulletin, and she was grateful that she didn't have to travel that far. Despite her love for the city, she couldn't wait to close the door behind her and forget that she was in the heart of it for a little while.

When she arrived home, she headed inside to the foyer. When she had told her mom that her apartment had a foyer, her mom believed it to be a grand affair with ornate tiling and traditional mouldings and a doorman who she would chat with. She wasn't sure why it was called a foyer when the reality was anything but. It was a narrow corridor with the left wall being entirely covered by postboxes for the apartments within the building, and at the end of the foyer, were stairs that seemed to wrap around each other on every level. It was lucky day if it didn't have the distinct scent of urine wafting from the corner where a drunk person would find themselves at the end of a fun night.

The door clasped shut behind her and she reached her letterbox, grabbing the handful of the letters inside, locking it and then ascending the stairs. Ruby cursed herself for choosing an apartment on the twelfth floor and without so much as an elevator. She would call herself relatively fit, despite doing nothing physical except walking to work and back, but her legs burned, and she was just as breathless as she was when she first moved in three years before.

When she finally reached her apartment, she pushed open the heavy door and closed it, but not before allowing her gaze to glide over the empty landing. She triple locked the door, flicked the lamp on the side table beside the door, and scoured through the letters. Bills, bills, and more bills. The life of someone living in New York City didn't come without the financial dent it caused on her life, even when she found the apartment with the cheapest rent in a sketchy area. Hell's Kitchen had quickly become home to her despite the danger and the darkness that seemed to prevail there. Nevertheless, she saw the beauty of the city just as much as she witnessed the pain it caused to a lot of its people. In daylight, it was an enigma. As soon as night fell, however, that was when things would creep out of the shadowed areas and bleed itself into the city.

Except all those stories would never be told as she understood just how easily they were swept under the rug by the police force. It frustrated her that nobody was listening to the true victims of serious crimes instead of trying to figure out the identity of the aptly named the Masked Man. Of all the stories she'd heard about him, he seemed to be doing a better job than the police were and that truly said something.

A blinking red light on her answer machine beckoned her over, and she slipped off her heels, placing the stack of letters on the small crooked and rather badly built dining table. It had cost her twelve dollars at the marketplace down the street, and she knew she would have to work a miracle to ensure it stayed upright for the foreseeable. Several old magazines were stacked underneath one of the legs which seemed to amend the issue.

"Hey, Rue. It's me… Karen.. I tried calling your cell phone but couldn't get through so I'm calling you on here. I hope you're excited for tonight because honestly… I need a good night out and it's been so long since we've hung out. We live in the same city, and it's been like, what? Nearly two weeks. That doesn't sound like it's been too long now that I've said it, but it definitely feels like it! See you later at Mangoes around 7:15. I've got so much to tell you about—"

The voicemail cut off and Ruby found herself laughing out loud. She glanced at her watch and was aware of the time she had to get ready in. Her hair was still loosely curled so she didn't need to bother completely starting from scratch. Her make up was neutral and subtle, but she took her time adding a little more blush, a bit of darker eyeshadow and a daring lipstick.

Scanning the clothes hanging up in the wardrobe, she narrowed down to two dresses. One being a striking red that matched her lipstick and was a stark contrast to her pale skin and the other being a black dress that hugged her in all the right places. She chose the latter and added a leather jacket to it. The restaurant was a more laid back affair and the more casual attire she went for was the better choice; she'd once turned up to a dive bar wearing a formal dress and she vowed to herself to always research the place first. She paired it with black boots. Once she was finished getting ready, she checked the time and saw that she had less than fifteen minutes before she had to leave her apartment. Grabbing a bag, her phone, and keys, she excitedly headed back out into the city.

Karen was already sat waiting by the time she arrived. A wide smile and a warm hug was enough for Ruby to rid herself of any nerves. "Please tell me you're hungry," Karen asked her eagerly. "I'm absolutely starving, and these drinks will have me dancing on the bar!"

They ordered an array of food and drinks to accompany them and chatted like no time had passed them by. As the night grew darker, and the conversations within the bar became overwhelmingly loud like a nest of bees threatening to burst through the glass, Ruby felt herself truly relax and begin to enjoy the night. Conversation moved to work which seemed to be quite a heavy subject for them both. Neither of them were where they wanted to be in life: Karen had hopes of being a journalist too, but her personal life required her to work for Union Allied for longer than necessary. Ruby was adamant that she could get Karen into the New York Bulletin, but her friend was always hesitant when the subject arose.

"I'm meeting up with someone from work after this," Karen told her, her voice loud against the music and chatter. Ruby focused on her mouth knowing that she would miss what she was saying if she didn't pay attention. Even through the bleariness of the many drinks she'd consumed, she could only make out a couple words.

"Ooh, like a date?! Karen! We could've rescheduled!" Ruby said, moving closer to her.

"No, no, it isn't like that! He's from a different department to me. He's working late tonight. It's just a… how can I put it? A debrief about something at work."

"Sounds…"

"Boring?" Karen interjected with a laugh. "Oh, it is, Ruby. But… I don't know."

Ruby sensed the hesitation in her friend. "Is everything okay at work?"

"It's not the best place to work, if I'm being honest," Karen told her, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear as she leaned forward. "And there's like a lot of things that happen every single day that I just… can't speak about in a busy restaurant at the start of the week. Ruby, can I ask you a question?"

Ruby furrowed her brow, her mind racing. "Of course, Karen. You can ask me anything."

Karen sent a wary look around at the people dancing, talking, and drinking around her. Ruby followed suit, but she didn't find anything to be concerned about as everyone seemed to be lost in their own world. "If you came across something that… caused alarm bells to ring in your head and you knew that you absolutely shouldn't have found it, what would you do?"

Ruby thought for a moment. Without any context, she wasn't sure how she would answer the question as truthfully as Karen hoped she would. "It depends on what it is."

"Okay, how can I word this?" Karen trailed off, tapping the table thoughtfully. "If someone you worked for—who is important with that certain business, was doing something immoral and illegal and fraudulent, and you accidentally saw evidence of that because your email was mistakenly added to the chain, what would you do?"

Ruby felt a pit form in her stomach. "Karen… what did you see?"

"It wasn't so much as what I saw but more what was sent to me accidentally," Karen explained, and she frowned. "It sounds stupid, I know that. It was a document with a lot of money, and I mean a lot of money, being moved from the business account to that person's personal account."

"How many people were included in the chain?"

"Several," Karen began. "Ok… it was three people. Me and them."

"Shit… shit," Ruby breathed, running a hand through her hair. Even if it was a mistake, at least someone would've noticed her name amongst the other two. "I'd keep my head down; pretend I didn't see anything. Especially if it could get me into trouble. Say that you just didn't think you should see it. It wasn't addressed to you, right? Nobody can tell if you've seen the contents of that email, can they?"

Karen shook her head. "No, but… I'm a secretary. I'm meant to deal with emails so how can I just pretend to simply miss that one?"

"Because if someone realises that it was sent to you by accident then your neck is on the chopping block," Ruby said, her voice low. She glanced around at the bar and saw people milling to and from with new drinks with no intention of ending their evening early. She zoned back in on Karen. She knew what kind of people Karen worked for; she'd heard the stories about unusual activities happening within the company, but she just assumed that they were just brushed under the carpet because there was always another story to chase. "Is that why you're meeting up with your colleague later? To talk about this?"

Karen shook her head vehemently then slowed, before offering her friend a small nod. "I—I feel backed into a corner with a spotlight searching me. And there's nothing I can do except hope it misses me completely."

"Promise me you won't do anything yet," Ruby urged her. "If they do approach you with all these questions, claim complete and utter ignorance. Say you had a lot of emails that day. Say you were having a bad day and didn't check every email that came through. Be naïve because that allows them to think that you're nothing to worry about it in their eyes. That you're not a threat to them."

Union Allied was a dangerous corporation and was well known within the journalism world as untouchable. All articles about them were often squashed and never seen the light of day which was frustrating especially with all the tactics and immoral business stacked against them.

The evening drew on and conversation changed, before it was time for Karen to meet with her colleague. Just before they went their separate ways, Ruby hugged Karen tighter. "Promise me you'll be careful, ok?"

Karen pinky-promised her before dashing off. Ruby watched her friend disappear further into the city, an uneasiness seemed to settle on her stomach and anxiety began to claw at her throat that she couldn't seem to shift even when she was safely locked behind her door. She stripped off, hanging up the clothes she wore before she slipped into her comfy pyjamas. Ruby wasn't sure how quickly she fell asleep once she laid down in her bed, but she was most definitely sure the alcohol she'd consumed helped guide her into a peaceful sleep.

A phone ringing in the distance stirred her from her sleep. Blearily, she sat up in bed. Blinking into the darkness, she was aware that it was still late. It wasn't her alarm clock ringtone which she was grateful for, as she knew from how long it took one of her eyelids to open that she was most certainly wasn't ready for work. As quick as the call came, it rang off and Ruby pondered for a moment if had truly gone off and it wasn't just her subconscious alerting her to potential threats. She always told her friends and family that if they couldn't get hold of her after the first call, depending on life or death, always call straight after.

She only had to wait mere seconds before the ringing cut through the silence that night brought that she was able to understand that it wasn't just happening in her dreams. She scrambled to get it, its incessant screaming overwhelming to her. Karen's name popped up and she quickly answered it.

"Please tell me you've used protection," Ruby joked, aware of how her words were slurred.

There was heavy breathing on the other end of the line, and Ruby grew still. When Karen spoke, her voice cut through the silence sharply. "Something's happened."

"Something as in… you had a good night and invited him home and now he's in your bed and you're wanting me to help you get him out of your apartment?"

"No," Karen said quickly, panic causing her voice to be shrill. "I don't know what happened. I need you to come to my apartment. Don't tell anyone where you're going."

"Are you okay?" Ruby sobered, and furrowed her brow. "Karen, what's happened?"

"Can't talk," Karen whispered. "Please come."

When Ruby arrived at Karen's door, she wasn't sure what to expect. On the whole journey to her apartment, her mind was racing as to what she was about to stumble upon. She wasn't expecting Karen to throw open the door and excitedly exclaim that they were continuing their night of drinking and catching up. Karen's vagueness was unsettling, and Ruby wondered just how serious it was. It had to be serious especially for her friend to call her in the middle of the night, her voice riddled with panic.

Walking through the city at such an early time in the morning would usually fill her with fear, but the fear in her friend's

Walking through the city at such an early time in the morning would usually fill her with fear, but the fear in her friend's voice was enough to calm her. She needed help, and Ruby would do anything to help. Drunk passer-by's hollered at her but she kept moving, undistracted despite the different sounds and sights the city had to offer her.

She didn't even need to knock as the door opened. The lack of light inside the apartment caused alarm bells to ring, and Ruby cast a wary glance across the doorway. Lights at that hour drew attention. Karen, hidden by the shadows, ushered her in. As she stepped inside, Ruby could smell the distinct scent of blood. It filled the air heavily, and nausea washed over her. There was something different about this scent, she analysed. It had been here a while. Karen passed her and headed into the living room where she noticed the lack of furniture.

The couch was against the wall, numerous boxes placed on it. A dining table was adjacent to it with even more boxes full of files and paperwork atop the surface. But that wasn't what she was focusing on. The moon illuminated the figure on the floor, and even against the darkness of the room, she could see the blood soaking into the carpet. She always hated that carpet, Ruby thought. She remembered the number of times where they would sit on the floor eating pizza, drinking wine and chatting the night away, and now a deceased man laid there. Her gaze moved to the glinting object beside the body: a large kitchen knife.

"Karen…"

"I didn't do this," Karen said, quick to deny responsibility. "I didn't do this, Ruby. You've got to believe me."

"What happened?"

Karen ran a hand through her hair, growing aware of the blood staining her hands. "We met up for a drink, right? After you left. We spoke for a while… and then he walked me home because it was too late. And I invited him up… and I just… something must've been in my drink because I didn't do this. I woke up with the knife in my hand and him… oh, god—he's got a wife and a child… oh, god!"

Ruby closed the gap between her and her friend, resting her hands on either arm reassuringly. "Can you remember anything before you woke up? Any conversation, anything at all?"

"Just what we spoke about but I didn't mention the details, just danced around the problem. He told me, well, he told me he knew of similar things happening and that he and a few other colleagues had been building a case against him and… they started getting threats until they didn't pursue it any further."

Karen ran a hand through her hair, moving towards the doorway and Ruby wasn't sure if she was going to make a run for it.

"He has a wife and a child, Ruby!" she exclaimed into the darkness.

Ruby moved towards the body, aware that if she touched him, it would be evidence against her. "You haven't touched him, right?"

Karen could only shake her head as she leaned against the wall, knowing that if she dared to stand by herself, she would simply collapse to the floor.

"Ok, what happened next?"

"And then… we came back here, and I offer him a coffee or a beer. It was one of them, I can't remember. He mentioned the lack of furniture and I told him I was going to buy some soon. And then everything seemed to blur, and time seemed to stop," Karen trailed off, and she paled. "A-and I woke up and I was next to him with that knife in my hand and—"

A dead man is lying in my friend's apartment, blood soaking the carpet beneath him. What do I do?

The silence was thick as the situation weighed heavily on them both. But it was movement outside the apartment door captured their attention and both women fell quiet. Ruby couldn't shake the feeling that something felt wrong, and as she glanced over at Karen who looked towards her, she knew her friend felt it too. It was too quiet to be her drunk neighbours coming back from a late night out. A shiver ran down her spine as she looked towards Karen.

"You've got to get out of here," Karen whispered. "When the coast is clear, come back. Look in the vent.. Keep it safe for me, okay?"

Ruby didn't have enough time to respond to or even question her friend before the front door was kicked open. She only had enough time to climb out of the window and land on the fire escape before two figures dressed in police uniform aimed their guns at Karen who was insistently refusing any responsibility to the murder of her friend. She knew how it looked, and it didn't look good. Ruby remained on the fire escape until the officers left the apartment with Karen, before climbing down the rickety metal contraption as carefully as her jelly legs allowed her to and rushed back to her apartment.

Once she was inside, she locked the door behind her and leaned against it. Her heart was racing violently against her chest, and she was dizzy. Sliding down the door, she remained there, numb, until the early morning sunshine peeked through the curtains.

Matthew Murdock couldn't remember what it was like to wake up without sore muscles and a tired mind. And even though he was exhausted, he had woken up before his alarm again. He blinked the sleep away, his unseeing eyes aimed towards the ceiling as he took a moment to appreciate the stillness and comfort that the mornings after a loud and hectic night brought him. The buzzing from the streetlamps were growing duller by the second as the warmth of the sunshine filtering through his curtains tickled his skin. Cars honking in the distance, the frustration of the drivers causing the air to be tense, people rushing to work, swearing, and a general buzz of activity wafted through the windows. But last night wasn't as busy as it could've been, and Matt wasn't sure if he was comforted by that or not.

Hell's Kitchen was an array of many things and quiet wasn't one of them.

It had sent alarm bells to ring inside his mind but after checking his usual checkpoints, he stumbled across a couple petty crimes with people who had been willing to fight with him. They had been eager to protect themselves, their adrenaline tangible. Matt had fought against them, overpowering them quickly and disarming them.

"Foggy, Foggy, Foggy."

Matt blinked at the mention of his friend's calling coming through. "Answer call."

"Hey, it's your handsome friend calling," Foggy's voice filled the silence of the room. Matt felt a smirk tug on his lips. "How does it feel knowing that I'm so ridiculously handsome and you'll never be able to see for yourself the beauty that is mine?"

"It's a true shame, Foggy," Matt said, wincing inwardly as he sat up in bed. The soreness of his ribs was something that he noticed first as he changed position, the breathlessness wasn't necessarily worrying him, but it was something he keep a check on. "I think about it almost every day that I'll never be able to appreciate your beauty."

"Don't be sad, Matty. I'll always let you touch my face if you want to."

Matt chuckled, grabbing his side as he changed the subject. "What time is it?"

"Late night, huh? You didn't hook up with that detective, did you? She would eat you alive! Wait, she isn't with you, is she?"

"No, she isn't. And anyway, I can't be dating people who hate me. It doesn't help with my already deep-rooted self-loathing hate for myself," Matt joked.

"Wow, Matt. I didn't know this was Therapy Tuesday," Foggy laughed. "We're needed at the station. Brett called us in. A woman was arrested for murder last night except she claims she never did it and that she woke up and a knife was in her hand. Sounds suspicious, if you ask me."

"Right, I can be ready in ten."

"Great! I'm already on my way to yours so I'll see you in just a little bit!" Foggy said, then he piped up before he ended the call. "Dress smart, we might even see your lady friend! Love you, bye."

Matt laughed as his friend cut the call. He stood up, his muscles protesting the movement. But as he allowed the water to cascade around him, soothing the strained and tense muscles, he wasn't aware that in just an hour he would be thrust into the lion's den.