29 Chapter 29 (1/2)
January 16th, 2014
”Please, sit,” Pepper said gently, gesturing to the chairs at the table.
”Oh, thank you,” Matt said politely, Foggy leading him to a chair.
The two sat down, followed by Pepper and me.
”So, um,” Foggy started. ”You said you wanted to hire us for a case?”
”No,” I said simply. ”I want both of you on retainer. Working for me.”
Matt raised an eyebrow at that. ”And what exactly would that entail?”
”Well, let's see,” I let out a breath. ”You both left Landman and Zack recently right? Can I ask why?”
”Um,” Foggy seemed nervous. ”Well, it was more of a mutual agreement to leave, you understand.”
”We had philosophical differences,” Matt said, leaning forward in his seat.
”They were helping scumbag companies get away with killing people,” I said simply.
Foggy and Matt seemed surprised at that.
”Stark Industries made some inquiries,” Pepper said with a smile.
”Look, here's the thing,” I rubbed at my nose, leaning forward. ”I got some money while taking down HYDRA. Enough to set me up for the rest of my life. And I want to use it to do some good. So I'd like to share it with you. All I ask is that you use the money I give you to help people pro bono. Any expenses paid by me, from real estate, assistants, whatever you need. In return, you guys help the helpless, make sure people stay safe.”
Matt seemed to raise an eyebrow at that. I wondered what the man who would one day become, or maybe already was, Daredevil was hearing in my heartbeat.
”What,” Foggy seemed focused on something else. ”What sort of retainer are we talking about?”
Pepper smiled, opening a folder and passing it to Foggy. She opened another, this one in braille, and passed it to Matt.
”One hundred thousand a month,” I told them. ”All I ask is that you guys do your work, keep Hell's Kitchen safe. Get me?”
Matt was surprised, his eyebrows high. Foggy looked like all his Christmas' had come at once.
”Why us?” Matt asked.
”Matt!” Foggy said, smiling nervously. ”Should we really be asking this very nice man why he's willing to pay us so much?” Foggy chuckled, and I grinned.
”I simply wish to know,” Matt said with a smile. ”Why you want us, specifically? For that kind of money, you can hire far more experienced lawyers.”
”Don't tell him that,” Foggy mumbled.
”...When I first started doing the hero thing, I started in Hell's Kitchen,” I said, leaning back in my seat. ”Taking down drug dealers, pimps, thugs, thieves, anyone who had a reason to attack a person in the area, then I expanded to do the same for New York City. I did a lot of work there. And not just me, there's someone else, a vigilante who recently started doing the same thing.”
Matt didn't bat an eye at that.
”I want Hell's Kitchen to be safe. And you two want to go to work there. I think, that in many ways, our interests align, Mr. Murdock. I think we can help each other.”
Matt rubbed his chin for a moment. I think, for just a moment, he was considering saying no. Just for the hell of it, or cause it sounded suspicious as hell. I was leaning towards the later. In which case I would have simply put the money into something else.
Instead, he moved his hands across the contract, reading the braille for a moment, before nodding. ”Very well, Mr. Schahed. I think we'd like some time to read this over?”
”Yes, we can, uh,” I rose up. ”We can meet again whenever you're available. Who knows, you might see me in Hell's Kitchen one night?”
Matt laughed. ”Yes, I'm sure I will.”
”Thank you again,” Foggy said, grinning as he shook my hand, then Pepper's. Once done with that, the pair left, with Foggy's voice slightly echoing after the door closed behind him.
”I'm still not sure what you see in them,” Pepper said. ”I mean, they're both clearly smart, at least according to their grades and their work at Landman and Zack. But we do have more experienced lawyers.”
”Just trust me,” I said, running a hand through my hair. ”Meantime, you should get ready.”
Pepper smiled, then raised a hand. A second later, a purple gauntlet flew through the window to wrap around her arm. More armor pieces flew to land on her form until she was in the full armor of the Rescue unit.
”You changed the color,” I noted.
”Red and black wasn't doing it for me,” she said, as her helmet landed in her hands. She placed it on her head, the now purple and silver headpiece moving around to enshroud her. ”Tony,” she said, voice slightly altered. ”You ready?”
”Since this morning!” Tony's voice said through our comms. A loud roaring sound came from the window, and Iron Man dropped into view to float in front of the window.
”Pepper, Dial,” Tony said. ”Shall we?”
I grinned and ran towards the open window next to Pepper. I leaped out of the open window and into the skies over New York. I fell for a while, passing windows and rooftops, the chilly morning winds rushing past me as the city streets came closer and closer. Then I tapped the Omnitrix and changed in a flash of bright green light.
”Astrodactyl!”
I pulled up at the last minute, about a foot over a yellow cab as people watched, and flew upwards in a quick burst of green star power. Pepper joined me, and we flew through the streets.
”Cutting it close, aren't you?” Iron Man asked as he flew down to join me.
”I've always wanted to do a Wronski Feint, now I can do it whenever I want, squawk!” I said with a grin.
”That really does look scary,” Pepper noted as she twirled in the air, looking very graceful in her purple armor. The three of us went deeper into New York City, Tony and I on patrol, Pepper simply flying alongside her boyfriend.
A good way to start off the day.
Director Maria Hill of BRIDGE
Maria walked into the interrogation room with Fury on her right side, and her new Deputy Director, Victoria Hand on the left. Sitting at the table was one Brigadier General Hale, a member of the United States Air Force who had defected from HYDRA in return for several stipulations.
Maria sat down in front of her, and Hale blinked in surprise. ”Huh. Things must have changed if you're Maria's lackey, Fury.”
Fury smirked. ”Oh, quite a bit has changed. After all, you gave yourself up with barely a fight, didn't you?”
”With none at all, if I remember,” Victoria said, flipping her trademark pink stripped hair back.
Hale smiled a bit, looking chagrinned. ”Point. I suppose a lot has changed.”
Maria held a hand out, and Victoria passed her a tablet. ”We've been looking at the conditions you gave us in return for information on HYDRA. You understand some of it will have to be negotiated and the information will have to be confirmed. Some stuff you asked for just won't be possible.”
”Like what?” Hale's eye narrowed, her posture stiffened.
”Well, you won't be getting off scot-free. We will have to give you some jail time,” Maria said. ”Even with the information you've given, those in the world's governments will want to come after you purely for your association with HYDRA.”
Hale clenched her hands together, but she only nodded tightly rather than contesting that. Not what she was worried about then. Maria had a guess as to Hale's true priorities.
”And then there is your daughter, Ruby Hale,” Maria watched the fire rise in Hale's eyes. Jackpot.
”Ruby is innocent,” Hale said harshly. ”She's just a child.”
”A child raised to be a killer,” Fury replied, resting his hands flat on the table. ”She's got skills, that can't be denied. Not many fourteen-year-old girls who can fight my best,” Fury winced, looking at Maria. ”Sorry, force of habit. Our best.”
Maria nodded gracefully, acknowledging the slip. ”She's been trained, no doubt about it, but she's still a young girl. Quite frankly, it's hard to tell what we should do with her.”
”Train her further,” Hale said, imploring. ”Keep her safe. I'll give every bit of information I have, I'll do whatever it takes. Just please, don't hurt Ruby.”
Maria scoffed. ”Hale, did you think for a second we were planning on hurting your daughter? Dissecting her the way Whitehall was planning?” Maria tutted, shaking her head from side to side. ”No. But we can't exactly make a brainwashed-”
”She wasn't brainwashed!” Hale protested.
”Raised in a HYDRA facility while being told over and over to obey, kill, and worship the chain of command?” Victoria strode around to look down at Hale, her high heels clicking with each step. ”Brainwashing doesn't just mean chemistry and technology. Ruby will need serious deprogramming to be seen as anywhere close to normal.”
”But she can be useful,” Hale glared at Victoria. ”Ruby just wants to fulfill her purpose. To be a hero. Yes, she's been raised to be a warrior-”
”A killer,” Fury interrupted, shrugging at the glare Hale gave him.
”She's still a young girl,” Hale said softly. ”She can be a good SHIELD agent. She won't be able to integrate into society, I know that. I just... I want my daughter to have a home. To be safe, and to live her life...”
Maria leaned back in her chair, resting her hand against her fingers. ”So you want us to... what? Take Ruby and groom her to become an agent?”
”She's already got the training,” Hale said. ”You take care of her, make her strong, and I promise she can be an asset. In return, I'll give you everything I have. Every base, everyone who is still active. This information is current. But not for long. HYDRA will move everything the second you give them a chance. You've already attacked Whitehall, haven't you?”
None of the three answered, and Hale nodded.
”Protect my daughter. Train her. And I'll give you anything you want,” Hale said.
”No attempt to make things easier on you?” Victoria asked curiously.
”Just Ruby, I went into this knowing I made my bed,” Hale said, clenching her hands together.
Maria smiled slightly and slid the tablet towards Hale. ”I think we might be able to work something out.”
As Hale read the tablet, Maria looking at Fury, who nodded.