16

This is Hell's Kitchen. As of yet, there are at least two villains lurking locally, in sinister search of its Devil.

Murakami prowls an alley. He's armed with both his tonfas. He's got nothing to fear; he's fought Daredevil before. In fact, Owl wouldn't have lived to fight another day if Murakami hadn't saved him, and broadsided Daredevil, when he did.

Owlsley glides up behind him, and lands on his feet next to him. They walk next to one another down the alley for a while. The streets are dimly lit. The alleys are barely lit at all.

Owlsley tells Murakami that he'll get a bird's eye view of the place. If he sees Daredevil, or anyone of consequence, he'll let Murakami know. With that, he finds a pole, climbs it, and glides out of the alley. Murakami's gotten annoyed by Owlsley's abilities since meeting him.

He wonders if Wilson Fisk was like this when his predecessor, Nobu, worked with him. Or rather yet, if Owlsley's father was just as disrespecting of reality.

But then, Murakami shouldn't be quick to judge based on that. He's pretty sure that if he ever told anyone that he's an evil ninja who can come back from the dead every time he's killed as long as they don't do it by cutting off his head, or decapitating him otherwise, they'd think he's just as crazy as he personally thinks Owlsley is for not relying on the more...conventional means of secret warfare.

Conventional means of unconventional warfare... Seems like that would get a lot of laughs in an ROTC classroom...

He thanks evil he won't be fighting Luke Cage. The Power Man gave him MORE than a lot of trouble both before and shortly after Sowande, Reid, and Bakuto were slain.

He climbs a building, and begins to seek Daredevil out on the rooftops. Just a hunch; as much as he knows about Daredevil, he still doesn't know for a fact where his usual hunting grounds are-other than wherever there's crime. Except this time that's not going to help Murakami. He doesn't want his next fight with Daredevil to draw too much attention from the Yakuza.

Years after Nobu's death, he's still learning now to fill his shoes. And they're still a LOT bigger than Nobu made them look. But of course, Murakami wouldn't expect the Yakuza to think about this before offering him a job. Not that they possibly could; once you've been a finger of the Hand, it's impossible to settle for a cheaper job.

The Foot Clan might be looking for a new toe in the TMNT universe. If only he could get Mordo to send him there...

He hears a noise. He turns, and raises his guard. It fades.

He hears another guard. He turns again. It fades too.

He hears another. He turns yet again. It fades.

Murakami smells burned rubber. He creeps in its direction...

He stops. Something's hit him. Perhaps a way to defeat Daredevil, or... That's SO physical...

He falls over. Murdock stands over his fallen body, winds up the cable in his club, and puts the two pieces of the club back together.

"Ah, Murakami," he croons, playing footsie with his victim's unconscious body, for he can't see what he's done. "How haven't I missed you."

Moments pass.

"At least now I know I'm not the only one who survived. If you were awake, I'd ask if you've seen Elektra."

Murdock hears a soft noise. It sounds like a human gliding. It's gaining on him. In a flash, he takes his club apart, and throws one end at what he hears.

Owlsley catches it. Murdock loops the cable around himself, and hitches a ride on the Owl.

Owlsley glides through an alley. Murdock sings like a pendulum. He swings in loops, and wraps the cable around Owlsley's waist like a spool. Owlsley's wingsuit is compressed, and he and Murdock start falling.

They land inside an attic. Murdock's got Owlsley pinned.

"No ninjas here to save you this time," Murdock whispers.

Owlsley puts Murdock in a leg-lock, and seizes the opportunity to free himself of the coils of Murdock's club-cable. Murdock frees himself, and gets up. Owlsley does the same. He stands between Murdock and his club.

"You killed my father," Owlsley whispered.

"You said that the last time we fought," Murdock reminded him. "It didn't make sense then; and it doesn't know."

"Allow me to elaborate, then." With that, the fight is on.

They fall through the floor, and end up in a boxing ring. It's at night. There's no one working. And it's the perfect place for Matt Murdock to go out in a blaze of glory: in the same place his father would've if not for a cold-footed killer who just couldn't execute a backstabbing winner of a fixed prizefight in front of a live-or cheering, for that matter-audience.

This probably isn't the same ring where Jack Murdock beat Carl Creel in the fight that earned Murdock's father the death penalty from his last employer. But that's not really a priority, for Owlsley is going to kill Matt Murdock if the latter doesn't fight better.

Owlsley's full of rage. Every opportunity he can, he climbs atop a ring post, leaps, throws Murdock a curveball with himself, and hits him in the head. He claws at Murdock. He phases through him like a ghost. He screams really loud into Murdock's ears-and hits him in the head again. He never knew his father, but he knows in his heart-if not his mind-that he's about to do Leland Owlsley proud.

"I don't know who your father is," Murdock insists. "I don't know who you are!"

"Stop being such a squeaking rat!" Owlsley perches atop the post again. "I am the Owl! My better cock is dead-and my worst cock is about to impale itself, through, the worst, of YOU!"

Owlsley glides again. Murdock kicks him in the face.

From somewhere far and above, Typhoid Mary witnesses the fight. She smirks, and has got an M4 carbine, with a silencer, at the ready.

Her eyes glow violet...

Daredevil gouges Owlsley with his horns. He smashes him with his armor. He hears Owlsley coming, dodges him, and strikes him hard. He feels Owlsley's vibrations, and charges him.

Owlsley's getting tired. Revenge has made him too weary too fast. Daredevil's been nothing but patient since the beginning. Sneaking up on Murakami was a little uneasy for him, but...he sure got over it fast.

Murdock's club falls through the hole in the ceiling. He catches it, and uses the cable to tie Owlsley up. By now, Owlsley's too tired to resist. At long last, Daredevil, the blind Defender, is victorious.

He stands above Owlsley's tied-up body, and kicks him. He demands to know who Owl's father is, and who told him that Daredevil killed him.

From her nest, Walker shoots. The projectile pierces Daredevil's armor, and drugs him. Daredevil tires, and falls over, next to Owlsley. He'll be out for a long time.

Owlsley waits-half-relieved, and half-scared. He looks around, not imagining, or knowing, what happened.

Someone comes in. He hears their footsteps. They climb into the ring. They're wearing camouflage coveralls.

She stands over Murdock's body. She's wearing a mask over her mouth and nose. She kicks him over, and wanders over to Owlsley. She unties him, and takes off her mask.

Owlsley's confused. "Didn't we have you in a cage?"

The violet light coming from Walker's eyes is bright. Owlsley has a hunch that this is Thompson's doing.

"Was in a cage," Walker confessed. "But since then, I've gotten a new mission...as have we all."

"We?' You mean Thompson weaponized all of you?"

Walker stares at him, with eerie violet-lit eyes. "Do I look like a peacemonger to you?"