Welcome!

[Spider-Woman]

Time to pay a certain someone a special visit. After hanging up with Foggy the other night, Jessica had scoured the streets, taking meticulous time to find the location she’d lifted off the albino. Who, according to the police was nicknamed, "Tombstone." Appropriate enough, given the size and girth of the man. He could’ve easily taken Foggy out had she not been there. He’d nearly taken her out, a thought she wasn’t going to easily forget. Thankfully no one had seen her use her venom blasts and as far as she knew, the albino remembered nothing. Just that he got his ass handed to him, and he would again if he ever tried anything else.

Which brought her to the building opposite of the one she was crouched upon.

Finding the location the Albino had unwillingly supplied, Jessica wasn’t too surprised to find the owner was one Wilson Fisk, self-acclaimed ‘reformed’ head mafia crime lord. Heavy, round, and outrageously overconfident, Fisk had set up shop inside the towering fortress of a building, unsuspecting to the chaos that was about to descend upon him and his all too heavily guarded office space. Why exactly, would he need so many men if his dealings were strictly legit now? He’d certainly gone high-tech with his security system, that was for sure. And why else would the Albino have his address on hand? Surely it wasn’t to try to start anew, as the sub-machine gun he’d begun firing at the restaurant didn’t exactly scream, ‘let’s be friends.’

Mask in place, she studied the top of the roof carefully, remembering her planned point of entry. Sidling silently down the building she bounded back and over, vaulting off the wall to slice through the air, landing deathly silent behind the roof ventilation system.

Out of the corner of his eye, an armed guard came to investigate. Jessica remembered him from her collaborated stakeout with Spider-Man. One of the lackeys—Jimmy? Brett? She really couldn’t remember which, and at this point, it didn’t matter, because he was currently lying unconscious on the ground, gun hovering inches above the ground from where she’d caught it.

Leaning over him, she knew he was the only one on the roof on duty, though the next guard would be making his round uptop shortly. Simply taking the keys and security card from his belt, she crushed the gun with a gloved hand and hid it and the lackey behind the ventilation system before moving to the roof doorway and swiping his card. Bingo. Slipping in she waited for the cameras to shift before moving down the hall undetected. Again, she was reminded about that time with Spider-Man. While she didn’t mind teamwork and enjoyed it from time to time, working by herself was admittedly much simpler. No one else to worry about should things go wrong.

Silently she found an empty room and slid into an airshaft, closing the grate behind her. Fisk had a pretty good security system, but not good enough. Bypassing the system was easy enough, if you knew how to work it. Too bad he didn’t invest in Stark Securities. The thought made Jessica smile ironically, just a little.

Moving through the airshafts, she removed tiny little instant biodegradable capsules from the small pouch attached to her wrist, dropping them into each occupied room as she passed. A gift that released an invisible gas to temporarily KO whoever breathed it in. Cute little invention from SHIELD that she probably shouldn’t have taken for her own personal use, but Fury’d get over it.

Passing the eating area she could see the big black guy—Ox, was his name?—shoving his face full of food in one room, the television on. Dropping a capsule into the room he was out cold before he could finish chewing, lying slack on the sofa.

Good. By now, they should all be out. And the ones that weren't? Well, she'd worry about that if the time came. But this would give her about ten minutes to do what she needed to do. Though she planned to be out by five.

Finally, she reached Fisk’s office. Through the slants on the grate she could see him sitting at his office desk, the smell of cigar smoke lingering inside the room.

Spider-Woman’s eyes narrowed. What did Foggy do to piss the mobster off? Tell a bad joke, maybe? But that hardly warranted a hit on his life. A good (kind) smack, sure, but not his life.

Silently the grate opened and before Fisk could turn around a gloved hand was clasped firmly around the back of his thick neck. "So I hear you have something against lawyers." Tone uncharacteristically cold. "You have one minute to explain."

[Kingpin]

Security at Fisk Towers had improved dramatically since the day a blind lawyer from Hell’s Kitchen had paid Wilson Fisk a social visit. Fisk wasn’t stupid enough to believe that any security system was fool proof, but he honestly didn’t miss much sleep over worrying about anything these days.

A few more pawns in place, a few more moves on the chess board and the city was completely his. That much was almost a given. What was better than that was the fact that he was positioning himself for something even bigger. He was looking a few moves down the line...to checkmate. Ruling crime boss over the nation was at least on the map...and he thought some of the rival organizations were starting to get wise to that.

Great puffs of cigar smoke wafted up to the ceiling as Kingpin leaned back in his tall overstuffed leather chair and thought about it. There were a few groups in the city to keep an eye on. Daredevil was still around, though a hell of a lot busier now that he had to keep an eye on that goofy ass friend of his. Spider-Man had proven to be a bother a time or two, including some rumors of his involvement in a recent sting that put the hurting on his gun smuggling...

The slightest of scraping noises had his brow lifting, but before he could turn his attention upward a strong gloved hand was securing around his neck. "So I hear you have something against lawyers." It was a woman’s voice, and not one that Fisk recognized. "You have one minute to explain."

One mistake few people made in the rough part of town he was from...never get careless when you’re on another man’s turf. It was something like sticking your hand in a hornet’s nest.

Fisk kept the cigar firmly clenched in his teeth and smirked as his hand tightened on the cane in his hand.

“What’s to explain?” He asked with a low and rumbling chuckle. “Nobody likes lawyers.”

[Spider-Woman]

One thing about wearing the costume that she never forgot was how it reminded her of what she could do and what she’d gone through to arrive at this point in her life. Spider-Woman was linked to her past, many times that Jessica would rather forget, but unfortunately the knowledge that came from those experiences came in handy. Like now, as her hand clasped tight around Fisk’s neck, finding his pressure point.

Chomping on his cigar she felt him tense, knuckles gripping the cane near his knee. Fat chance using it as she kept a careful eye on his movements, making sure to stay out of sight for the time being. First, she wanted answers and she wanted them now. As quick as his undoubtedly emphysema-riddled lungs could give them. Foggy was a good lawyer and handled some rough crime cases before, but as far as she knew, hadn’t done a thing to merit being a hit. And while she really wished she could say there was never a time one was warranted, in the back of her mind she knew she disagreed. Just a bit. Every once in a while, as unfortunate as it was, there was no other option.

Which for Fisk’s sake, he’d best pray today was not that day.

“What’s to explain?” Fisk’s throat vibrated beneath her grasp as he chuckled lowly. “Nobody likes lawyers.” For the barest moment she could feel the heavy thump of his vein beneath the rolls of skin along the back of his neck, beating against her thumb. She dug her fingertips into his flesh, careful in their placement.

"Nobody likes crime lords, either. Former or otherwise." Or so he claimed to be.

Spider-Woman had played this game before. Wait it out, see if she made a mistake. But he had no clue who he was dealing with. She was an extremely patient woman when it came to her line of work, but she didn’t have much time for games. Those were best left to amateurs and wannabe superheroes. And Spider-Woman was neither.

Fifty seconds. Her grip tightened slightly. "Maybe ‘Hell’s Kitchen’ will help you remember."

[Kingpin]

Showing fear was something Wilson Fisk never did. Fear makes you prey, plain and simple. And in all simple honesty, Fisk wasn’t afraid. To be afraid meant that events had spiraled out of his control. Sitting here in his office he was still very much in control. This little woman didn’t know it yet, but she was already dead.

Still, she had his attention.

"Nobody likes crime lords, either. Former or otherwise."

Though his jaw clenched, Fisk knew when he was being baited. He just shook his head a little and puffed strongly on the cigar. Giant clouds of smoke swirled around his head, and directly into her face.

"Maybe ‘Hell’s Kitchen’ will help you remember."

The other thing people might not have known about Fisk was that he was one hell of a fighter. Street fighting hadn’t been enough for Wilson growing up. Though he was easily able to take just about any man he met with sheer speed and raw strength alone, he never thought that was quite good enough.

For that reason he had trained in various martial arts from a very early age...namely so that he couldn’t get sucker punched by some bimbo who thought she had something to prove. That wasn’t how Kingpin was going down.

Turning his finger around the cane he effectively armed it.

“Maybe,” he said. “So many undesirables in that part of town...drug dealers, prostitutes, crack heads...lawyers.” Aiming the cane over his shoulder he fired. A beam of light narrowly missed his head and continued a path of concussive force behind him.

[Spider-Woman]

Though he couldn’t see it, beads of sweat had already begun to form on the top of Fisk’s oversized head. Whether he admitted it or not, this wasn’t a position he was accustomed to and Jessica knew it. If he didn’t start explaining, he better get used to it. Because the links between him and the albino matched up very nicely and no amount of connections would get him off. Especially when it involved people she cared about.

As the billows of smoke from his cigar floated upwards in a direct path towards her face, Jessica ignored it. Been there, done that, had smelt worse. Worse than his imported Cubans could emit, even when smoked by a loud-mouthed murderer, reeking of sweat and what was undoubtedly some expensively priced aftershave, used to cover other smells. Fisk should get his money back because it really wasn’t working.

Squeezing his neck a little harder, Spider-Woman’s patience was wearing thin. It crossed her mind that perhaps he was having trouble breathing, but then again, so was Foggy when that mammoth of an assassin almost crushed his neck.

Spider-Woman scowled. Fisk’s pulse raced for a second beneath her fingers, calming within seconds. He was good. But not that good.

"Maybe ‘Hell’s Kitchen’ will help you remember."

Beneath her gloves she felt his pulse again, loud against the thoughts lying beneath her subconscious. What could stop her from accidentally pressing the wrong pressure point beneath her thumb just a little too hard?

Not much. Besides her conscience.

Which was all he needed as her ears picked up the light ‘click’ just a second before he aimed his cane backwards. Almost as if she were looking down the barrel of a gun, her sensitive ears heard it load, just beneath his retort.

“Maybe,” he [Fisk] said. “So many undesirables in that part of town...drug dealers, prostitutes, crack heads...lawyers.” With a swift swing his cane flew back and a split second before it went off, Spider-Woman sprang upwards. Coiling up and back in a curled twist she rotated, hand splayed forward as a blast of venomous bioelectricity aimed for his cane to send it flying.

A large hole remained in the place where she once stood, destroying the woodwork and painting that had once hung behind his chair. His perogative if he wanted to destroy his office.

Clinging to the ceiling with all but one hand she eyed him almost face-to-face upside down. "You forgot mafia members." Supplying it unhelpfully. Figured he’d try something. A glow of yellow charged in her hand, crackling dryly, half a beat away from his chest.

As much as she preferred to do this her way, she knew that wasn’t possible. Not yet. The proper authorities could deal with him when she was through. But first, she wanted information and she wanted it now. And if he wasn’t going to give it? Then he’d give her no choice but to hit first and ask questions later. Not very heroesque of her, she knew, but she never claimed to be one.

"Unconscious or not. It’s all the same to me."

[Kingpin]

Just as the blast tore into the wood above Fisk, he knew she had moved already. Before he knew what was happening the weapon he had been holding was blasted out of his hand, a stinging sensation temporarily numbing his left arm. But he’d had enough of this getting attacked from behind. It was time for a face off.

There she was, hanging upside down from the ceiling, right in front of his face. Her features were hidden behind a mask, naturally, and dark hair cascaded down one side of her head, hanging low...just within Fisk’s grasp.

"You forgot mafia members."

Fisk replied with nothing but a sneering grin. His eyes dropped to her free hand, studying the way it glowed with a crackling yellow sort of energy. There was no denying the nature of this visit. This was going to be some kind of leave the fat lawyer alone kind of message. Fisk pulled the cigar out of his mouth, curling one fat finger around it and bringing it down to his side.

"Unconscious or not. It’s all the same to me."

“Another superhero,” he rumbled, “there goes the neighborhood.” His actions all but dismissed her, his demeanor clearly unthreatened as he casually reached over and placed the cigar in a decorative ashtray. “Who are you, Spider-Man’s kissin’ cousin?”

[Spider-Woman]

When it came to her job or any task of utmost importance, Spider-Woman was typically a very patient woman. Wait it out. Let those opposed to her make the first move and the first mistake. But she had to take a moment and remember that it wasn’t her life at stake she was worried about. And that, in effect, had a roundabout way of making her feel insecure. She’d dwell on it later, because right now she really wanted to shake Fisk for all he was worth. Let it sink into that egotistical head of his that no matter how much he was financially worth or who he could pay, his life was worth far less to her than who he was trying to kill.

Unamused at his attempt to hurt her, she hung upside down in front of him, hair hanging low. Catching his eyes flicker there for a split second, she mentally dared him. Just let him try it. Images of Tombstone grabbing her hair still made the ends of her scalp sting. If Kingpin was that stupid, just let him try. They’d see who ended up with their face smeared into the floor.

Hand sparking of bright yellow energy, she almost wanted him to try something. Give her a reason to knock him on his ass. Instead he took the chicken’s way out and tried to bait her verbally. “Another superhero,” he rumbled, [/i][/b]“there goes the neighborhood.”[/i][/b] Acting as nonchalant as if she were of no threat to him. Which inevitably, even if it wasn’t because of her, would be his downfall.

Spider-Woman remained silent, save for the narrow of eyes behind her mask which he wasn’t able to see anyway. Superhero? Hardly.

Kingpin reached over and snubbed his cigar. “Who are you, Spider-Man’s kissin’ cousin?”

"Something like that," She replied, indifferent to the attempted insult. As Parker had said that they might during that weapons bust, people could think she and Spider-Man were married for all she cared. Preferably not (especially taking Ms. Watson’s feelings into account), but seeing as no one knew who she was anyway and she wasn't much in the paper at all (even if he was), when it came down to it, it really didn’t matter much.

What did matter was that Fisk was beating around the bush. And while Jessica had a tendency to do it herself when there was something she didn’t want to say, she wasn’t in the mood to play games.

"The hit." Straight to the point, remaining exactly where she was, not inching away or backing up. "I highly doubt he did anything to warrant it." And even if he did? Well, they’d straighten up that little matter as Fisk explained.

[Kingpin]

Fisk preferred to look his adversaries in the face. Unfortunately for him most of the self proclaimed superheroes of the city were cowards. His mask was off, theirs remained fixed in place. Something this little girl might not have known about him...he was no coward, and never let intimidation tactics work on him. Ever.

Apparently neither did this woman. She replied at first with a simple, "Something like that." Fisk found this amusing. Large white teeth showed through a gigantic smile.

"The hit,” Spider-Woman continued without missing a beat. "I highly doubt he did anything to warrant it."

Did she really think he was stupid enough to openly admit anything ever? You didn’t get to be in a position of power such as Wilson Fisk was in currently and make stupid mistakes like that. But there was something else on his mind right now anyway.

“Should it surprise me that this seems personal to you?” Fisk studied her reactions. “Cuz I can’t figure no way at all that a fat lawyer from Hell’s Kitchen could land himself a woman like you.” Toying with her now, Fisk continued to smile. "Not that I've been tailin' him or anything, but he seems the type to only really spend time with two women, and one of them's his momma."

Fisk knew exactly who Foggy had been spending time with.

[Spider-Woman]

Nice to see she could make Fisk smile. Before he lost his teeth, that is.

"The hit,” Kingpin could beat around the bush all he wanted. But if he didn’t start supplying some answers soon, she wouldn’t be the only one he’d have to answer to. "I highly doubt he did anything to warrant it."

Because even the most inappropriate of jokes Foggy made—well, attempted to make, weren’t that bad. Kind of. Well. Yes. Anyway.

But Fisk, of course, tried to dodge the bullet. Just like a man—correction, just like a dangerous, calculating, spineless fraction of a man to not answer directly. “Should it surprise me that this seems personal to you?”

Spider-Woman’s head tilted, hair swaying slightly. "Does it?" Asking as her eyes pierced through her mask. "Let’s just say someone called in a favor." She knew what game Fisk was trying to play and she wasn’t biting.

“Cuz I can’t figure no way at all that a fat lawyer from Hell’s Kitchen could land himself a woman like you.” Confirming what she’d already known from the beginning. They both knew why she was here and they both knew he had a fat, cigar-smoking hand in it. And as far as Foggy landing her? Why is it she could see him making some kind of perverse joke exactly like that?

But Fisk wasn’t finished, that cat-who-just-caught-the-mouse grin plastered on his face. Jessica felt none of it. "Not that I've been tailin' him or anything,” Sure, he hasn’t. And that wasn’t his rather large form keeping tabs on Foggy the last time he’d gone to work. “but he seems the type to only really spend time with two women, and one of them's his momma."

"How nice." Tone indifferent. What Fisk thought he had, Spider-Woman could refute, if she felt like doing so. As for presuming he knew who was under the mask, it’d only lead him to a dead end. She’d make sure of it.

"The hit’s lifted. Done." Fisk had power, sure, but this conversation wasn’t his. Spider-Woman remained upside-down, energy sizzling obediently around her hand, only fading away after she finished talking. Voice heavy with experience to validate her claim, "If it comes to my attention otherwise, let’s just say you should hope I don’t return."

[Kingpin]

Fisk knew he was getting to this woman. He took a good look at her in her form fitting superhero outfit and shook his head just slightly. She was a little more than an appetizer, but he sure wouldn’t mind sinking his teeth in for a bite!

"The hit’s lifted. Done."

He tensed. Nobody told Fisk what to do. The yellow glow faded from her hand before she spoke again.

"If it comes to my attention otherwise, let’s just say you should hope I don’t return."

“That’s assuming I don’t already feel that way,” he said in a low tone. But he put a hand to his chin that was crowned with expensive rings as he thought it over. “Maybe you have something to bargain with though,” he said as his eyes traveled over her. “Let me bend you over this desk and we’ll talk when I’m done...”

Fisk smiled broadly. He knew that would just piss her off...but anger made people stupid.

[Spider-Woman]

Spider-Woman knew Kingpin wouldn’t like being told what to do. But he had very little choice in the matter. What good would it do offing Foggy, of all people? None, that’s what. She couldn’t help but feel there was something she was missing. Something he wasn’t willingly sharing and most likely, it’d take a whole lot more than paying him a visit to get it out of him.

Deep down in a place she rarely let herself tread, she knew there were a few ways she could get him to talk. And all of them excruciatingly painful.

"The hit’s lifted. Done." Kingpin visibly tensed. A hint of a smirk touched her eyes behind her mask before it disappeared, along with the yellowish glow encasing her hand. "If it comes to my attention otherwise, let’s just say you should hope I don’t return."

“That’s assuming I don’t already feel that way.” Oh, she had no delusions he already felt some animosity towards her. In fact, he’d be extremely stupid if he didn’t.

Fisk’s fat fingers stroked his oversized chin. “Maybe you have something to bargain with though,” Disgusting. Spider-Woman could feel his eyes rake over her body. Something she was used to from people but it never stopped making her feel dirty, as if she were some kind of two-bit harlot to be played with. “Let me bend you over this desk and we’ll talk when I’m done...”

Then he smiled. Lecher. Spider-Woman’s eyes narrowed behind her mask. Instantly she twisted downward right onto Fisk’s desk, crouching low. While reason remained in her mind, inwardly she growled. No one would blame her if he wouldn’t cooperate.

Her fingertips lashed out a strong venom blast at his face, right at his lecherous toothy grin. "How about I bend the tub of fat you call a body out the window? Then we’ll talk." And if he accidentally fell out? Maybe she'd try to catch him. Maybe.

[Kingpin]

The offer wasn’t real. He knew this woman wouldn’t take too kindly to his bargain of leaving the hit on Mr. Nelson alone in exchange for a sexual favor. In fact, it was all just a mocking kind of dominance thing. Not that he wouldn’t enjoy it...

His grip tightened on his cane when she dropped down to his desktop with a very unhappy sort of expression. Not knowing his enemy was a detriment here. She was fast, and that sickly green glow in her hands was something fierce.

Before Fisk knew what had happened she raised her hands to his face and it felt like he’d been shocked with electricity. It literally threw him back against the wall like a very hard punch to the face.

"How about I bend the tub of fat you call a body out the window? Then we’ll talk."

When the shock subsided, Fisk put a hand up to his numbed cheek and started laughing. Looking over at her his laughter increased. She didn’t know it, but she was now on his list as well. “Where I come from that was as good as foreplay.” He straightened himself up and twisted his neck a little with a few small pops.

And then he dropped the gauntlet. The cane went to the ground, and off came his jacket. Unbuttoning the sleeves of his shirt, he revealed that it was not fat that he had beneath the layers of fine clothing...but rock solid muscle. Then he beckoned to her. “Let’s see what you got, sweetheart.”

[Spider-Woman]

Perhaps she should’ve waited to slam him into the wall. But in reality anyone dealing on opposite sides with the Kingpin would’ve loved to do the same in her position, especially after his little sexist insult. Trying to rile her up and begrudgingly in a small way it worked. But she couldn’t say the big Crash! sound of his large form slamming into the wall wasn’t satisfying. Might have to try that one again.

Shock on his face after being knocked into the wall, Spider-Woman watched with narrow masked eyes as he began to chuckle, trying to rub some life into one of his chins as he did so. “Where I come from that was as good as foreplay.”

"Where you come from, anything walking down the street is foreplay." Had a ring of truth to it, didn’t it.

Cracking his neck a bit he straightened, dropping the cane. Staring with a careful eye, she watched as he took off his jacket. If he was thinking of attempting on trying to live out his pathetic offer, she’d make sure he’d be unable to achieve any type of sexual offer for the rest of his life. Rolling up his sleeves he nodded confidently. “Let’s see what you got, sweetheart.”

Spider-Woman’s head cocked to the side. First, she was anything but his sweetheart. And second, she could see he wasn’t as obese as she’d originally pictured. Getting into a physical fight with him, as tempting as it may be, wasn’t exactly a good idea. Which is why she chose to hit him with the venom blast instead in the first place.

"Why doesn’t it surprise me that you’re so willing to hit a woman." She remained in her crouched defensive position on his desk, gloved fingertips gripping the edge lightly. If he wanted to ‘see what she got,’ then he’d have to be the one to throw the first punch.

[Peter Parker]

oops...delete me.

[Kingpin]

"Where you come from, anything walking down the street is foreplay."

Fisk only chuckled. She was good, but he could hear it in her voice. He was getting to her. Getting to her meant that she was vulnerable. He watched for his opening while she dropped down onto the top of his desk, unwilling to make the first move.

"Why doesn’t it surprise me that you’re so willing to hit a woman."

He spread his hands. “I’m an equal opportunist.”

The doors flew open behind him and in stepped two armed guards. Rifles were trained on Spider-Woman as they spread to opposite sides of the room. “I was actually thinking of killing a woman,” he said.

With a sudden burst of speed he leapt at her, bringing his fists down like a sledgehammer toward her head.

[Spider-Woman]

Dangerous, dangerous territory. Spider-Woman knew she wouldn’t have much time until those she knocked out either woke up or others came to check in on Fisk. It was a situation she’d rather not be in, but when it came down to it, she had no choice. Surprisingly, especially to herself, she’d do just about whatever it took short of knocking the man off herself to make sure he stayed away from Hell’s Kitchen. And even then, the part of her from years back wasn’t so sure she wouldn’t.

But Fisk was already rolling up his sleeves. Spider-Woman sat crouched low on the desk, on the defensive. "Why doesn’t it surprise me that you’re so willing to hit a woman."

“I’m an equal opportunist.” Right.

Instantly the door to his office swung open. Out of the corner of her eye she could see the armed guards with weaponry aimed at her as they moved.

Dammit. If there was a time to cut her losses, it’d be right about now.

“I was actually thinking of killing a woman.” Especially after that little revelation. Unfortunately Kingpin wasn’t into letting her have the option of taking her leave as he almost flew through the air, massive fists headed straight for her head.

Preparing herself for impact Spider-Woman curled her body like a bow, falling backwards as Kingpin slammed into her, nearly taking her head off in the process. Her hands shot out to block his fists, the temporary glow of her venom blast acting as a barrier. Using his own momentum against him she gripped onto his collar with gloved hands for direction as her legs kicked up and back, using her strength to help flip him backwards. Still on the floor she twisted upward, top portion of her body facing Kingpin with a hand on the floor as she pushed herself up, ignoring the gunmen for now.

"And here I thought we were beginning to get along," Gritting through her teeth.

[Kingpin]

(sorry, got a little behind here...)

Fisk brought his clenched fists down together like a sledgehammer. Nobody came into the Kingpin’s office and made demands of him. He had his fill with that kind of treatment when the last assassin had visited. It was time to make an example.

Unfortunately the fists hit some kind of yellow energy field that this woman seemed capable of producing. Fisk jolted and was pushed backward by the balls of her feet with unbelievable strength.

So the little lady had different powers, did she?

Fisk came down hard on a small wooden table, the force of his weight and momentum breaking it into several small pieces as he continued to crash toward the floor. The guards opened fire, shooting round after round at the Spider-Woman.

Fisk sat up and laughed.

[Spider-Woman]

Spider-Woman watched with quick eyes as Fisk was thrown back and landed hard into a small wooden table. The sharp crack of splintering wood groaned beneath his weight as he smashed into the floor.

Her acute hearing picked up the sound barely a quarter of a second before it registered. The gunmen cocked their weapons and opened fire.

For a second, staring down the face of multiple barrels just feet away from her face, Jessica’s life flashed before her eyes. So much she’d been unable to do and so much she wasn’t sure she could. But her life had taken her through Hell and back and this was how she was going to go?

I don’t think so.

Having no choice Spider-Woman corkscrewed upward as the bullets began flying, feeling the whiz of a bullet fly right by her face. Clinging to the ceiling she could sense the gunmen change their trajectory as the light bulbs smashed on impact with the bullets the gunmen began to fire. All around her sparks literally flew, bright and nearly blinding. Closing her eyes behind her mask, she relied on her instincts. Using the bright light to her advantage Spider-Woman vaulted off the ceiling and twisted midair, eyes opening to land just behind Kingpin as the gunmen took their aim.

Idiots. If they had any sense they’d realize he was in the way. But Kingpin wasn’t known for hiring the sharpest crayons in the box.

Pulse quickening she clung by her haunches, resisting the urge to punch Kingpin upside the head while he laughed. Time to make as quick an exit while she still could.

[Kingpin]

Fisk shielded his eyes from the sparks and his expression turned dour as the men repeatedly missed their mark from such a close distance. At length he turned an angry glare toward them. “Enough!”

The gunfire stopped and Fisk looked up at the woman. Bullet holes riddled the walls and desk all around him. The cost of clean up didn’t really matter to him, the inconvenience did.

Quickly gaining composure, Fisk stood to his feet and came over to stand in front of Spider-Woman. For a moment he didn’t say anything, but the wheels were turning inside of his brain. There was an advantage here...he knew it.

“You want Foggy alive?” He smiled as it came to him. “Bring me the Daredevil.”

[Spider-Woman]

Just as she was about to make her escape, Kingpin growled. “Enough!”

Pausing any movement, Spider-Woman remained where she was clinging to the lower wall behind him, watching as he glance up at her with a glare. Half crouched, ready to fly if he ordered his moronic men to start shooting again, she could almost hear her own heartbeat. If anything, Kingpin was a stone cold killer. If he got close enough, he could do some potentially fatal damage and she knew it.

About to wish the boys well and take her leave, Fisk stood, wiping the look of disgust off his face. Smirking slightly he walked over to her after dusting himself off, eyeing her keenly.

Just what in the world was he up to? Spider-Woman’s eyes narrowed behind her mask.

“You want Foggy alive?” Was he daft? Probably, though she he meant it rhetorically. He smiled as it came to him. “Bring me the Daredevil.”

Bring him— Spider-Woman blinked behind her mask. What the Hell did Daredevil have to do with anything? She’d heard of the man in red who hung around Hell’s Kitchen before. Word on the street was that was his territory, though she had yet to run into him. Whether on purpose or mere chance, she really didn’t know. But she couldn’t say she knew too much about him to warrant going after him. Chances were, if Kingpin wanted him, then Daredevil was one of the good guys who did nothing to deserve it.

"Why?" And 'because I told you so' wasn't an acceptable answer. Not if Kingpin wanted to keep his ability to stand upright. Suspicious, Spider-Woman remained where she was for the moment, not rejecting the offer but definitely not accepting it.

[Daredevil]

//Entering with permission.

Matt didn't often travel out of Hell's Kitchen after donning his Daredevil costume. This was mostly because he centered his crime-fighting efforts to that part of the city, but also because the buildings got larger, the streets were brighter, and the security systems got more complex--everything about his method of travel got increasingly more difficult once he was outside the borders of "Clinton."

Lately, though, Matt had been making a swarp through the city on an almost nightly basis. He would take different routes, travel at different times during the night, but the apex of his arc was always the same: Fisk Towers.

He would stand on the rooftop of a nearby building, listening to the floor where Fisk's office was housed, and he would imagine Fisk staring back at him. The two were in the middle of a face-off. A battle of wills. Much to Matt's frustration, it appeared that it was a battle he was doomed to lose.

As Matt landed on the rooftop, running out the momentum from his swing, he approached the edge slowly and knelt, tipping his head to one side and focusing his senses across the void of space to the monumental skyscraper that was Fisk Towers. It never took long to find Fisk's office. The water flowing through his floor and walls was immediately indentifiable and acted almost like a beacon to Matt's hypersensitive hearing. Finding it, Matt's frown sank deeper. He heard the bane of his existence speak... Fisk was working, tonight.

"... Was actually thinking of killing a woman," Matt heard the Kingpin bellow. Footsteps sounded lightly on the hard floor. Matt was too far away. He couldn't tell how many there were. He moved closer to the edge. The strain on his face became more evident as he stretched his hearing further, trying to block out all of the surrounding noises.

Matt grabbed his ears in agony as gunfire filled the confined space. Despite himself, he cried out in pain and bent forward, smacking his forehead into the edge of the roof as the world around him shook.

"Enough!" Matt heard the Kingpin cry through the garbled sounds still echoing in his brain. Even through the distortion, Matt could hear the anger in the giant's voice. Whoever they'd been shooting at, Matt was guessing they had missed...

"You want Foggy alive?” the Kingpin's voice continued. “Bring me the Daredevil."

Matt sat up straight as an arrow. Someone was vying for Foggy's life? And now the Kingpin was asking for the Daredevil in exchange? Who? he asked himself. Who even knew about the attempts on Foggy's life? Who would know that Kingpin was involved? Who was the Daredevil's newest enemy?

"Why?" a woman's voice responded after a short pause.

A woman, Matt thought. Foggy... His eyes widened behind the opaque red lenses of his mask. Suspicions aroused, Matt had to be sure. Pulling out his billy club, he moved to get closer. This was something he had to be sure about...

[Kingpin]

“Why?”

Fisk had no intention of answering that with the full truth. He grinned infuriatingly at her and shook his head. “If you’re asking me why do I want the Daredevil, I’m thinking you know a whole lot less than I gave you credit for,” he commented.

Then he spread his hands wide.

“But that’s the deal. I can pull the strings to protect your fat little friend Foggy. All it will cost you is one costumed vigilante.” His expression darkened as he looked her over. “There’s enough of you out there as it is, one less won’t make any difference, will it?”

And that was all he planned on giving her.

"Take it, or leave it."

[Spider-Woman]

Bring in Daredevil and spare Foggy’s life.

The entire equation left a bad taste in Spider-Woman’s mouth. She knew of Daredevil, just not enough to make an appropriate decision as to how to act. So on the off chance Fisk was feeling not as pompous, asked him why he wanted the red-leathered vigilante.

Now that the dust and debris had begun to settle around his office, Fisk eyed her with a shake of his head. “If you’re asking me why do I want the Daredevil, I’m thinking you know a whole lot less than I gave you credit for.”

Spider-Woman smirked. Had a ring of truth to it. One she fully intended on exploring once she got the Hell out of Fisk’s office alive. Chances were if he was offering up a bargain of some sort, she’d do so without having to kill or seriously maim anyone. While that part of her life was behind her, she knew somewhere in the back of her mind, she’d do what she had to to stay alive. Survival instincts were hard to ignore.

Fisk spread his pudgy fingers. “But that’s the deal. I can pull the strings to protect your fat little friend Foggy.” ‘Protect’ him? More like shake Foggy down for all he was worth. That Ford Focus wasn’t going to get him very far. “All it will cost you is one costumed vigilante.” One potentially innocent life for another. Mentally she cursed. There wasn’t an easy way to decide this without knowing all the facts. At least getting a little more information on the one called ‘Daredevil.’

While the magnitude of it ran through her head, Fisk glared evilly. “There’s enough of you out there as it is, one less won’t make any difference, will it?”

Inwardly Spider-Woman counted the ways she could make him bleed while begging for mercy. A little twist here, a strategically placed pop there. He’d be nothing but a blubbering pin cushion when she was finished.

"Take it, or leave it."

Part of her knew she couldn’t do what he wanted. No matter what this Daredevil had done, if she handed him over to Kingpin, the costumed man would likely never be heard from again. It was like signing his death certificate.

But he wouldn’t call off the hits if she didn’t.

One life for another.

Spider-Woman lept to the broken, torn up ceiling, mounting off it before a burst of greenish energy engulfed her hand. Focusing on the Kingpin from where she hung, she only had four words.

"I’ll be in touch."

The energy blast from her hands into the fluorescent lighting above Fisk’s office. After a momentary blackout, the lights flicked back on. With that, Spider-Woman was gone.

[Daredevil]

Matt didn't dare land directly on Fisk Towers. It was hard to tell exactly just how many new and improved security measures he'd installed, and Matt didn't have the time to try and track them down. He just needed to get closer to Fisk's office. Perched on a bench used for cleaning windows, Matt leaned as far as he could.

... Cost you is one costumed vigilante," Kingpin's big voice boomed. Matt had missed some of the conversation when he'd landed, jarring the cleaning supplies and sending a ripple through the cords all the way up to the pulleys supporting his weight. It wasn't too difficult to fill in the gaps, though.

"There’s enough of you out there as it is, one less won’t make any difference, will it?” Kingpin continued. "Take it or leave it."

Interesting, Matt thought. A costumed vigilante. Just whose side was this lady working on?

"I’ll be in touch," the woman's voice said. This time there was no mistaking its source. Matt had heard her around the office numerous times, spoke with her on the phone even more. Though she definitely spent more time with Foggy than Matt, he couldn't deny what his senses told him. This "costumed vigilante" who was now, apparently, considering coming after Daredevil was none other than Jessica Drew. Investigator for hire and contracted for work with Nelson & Murdock.

Matt shook his head. "I should really listen to Karen more often," he mumbled aloud.

There was a burst of energy, and Matt heard Jessica scurry away. She was on the move and Matt definitely didn't want to be seen by her. He had a lot of thinking to do. With a snap, his grappling hook fired skyward. As soon as it caught his target, Matt was swinging away, headed back to Hell's Kitchen with a whole new set of concerns weighing on his shoulders.

//Exit Daredevil