Alex, now back in his male form, felt unbelievably tired. It had been an exceptionally long day. First, the flight to China, followed by the incredibly unpleasant experience of a high-caliber sniper round blowing his head wide open.
Then, he had to deal with the ramifications of his death. And he knew he was barely even getting started on that; there was much yet to do. For example, his system had an absolute barrage of notifications he needed to sift through at some point.
But there were also many other pressing concerns, like ensuring that what happened today could never happen again.
"How is Project VIPPS coming along?" he asked, addressing the surrounding staff.
In response, the staff quickly moved to find an answer. Tablets were brought out, and calls were made as everyone noted the still-furious tone in their boss's voice and didn't wish to disappoint him further.
"The project has recently been turned over to SITE 19 from SITE 644. Estimates suggest completion in at least three months." came the response after a few minutes of frantic inquiries.
The silence that formed in the wake of that response was shattered as Alex threw a glass across the room and into the opposite wall.
"THAT IS UNACCEPTABLE! Tell the people in charge of this project that they have a month. They have 30 days and unlimited resources, and as extra motivation, tell them that if they fail to deliver, I will have them demoted to D-class!"
The room fell into an immediate hush, the air thick with tension following Alex's outburst. Staff members scrambled to relay his demands, understanding the gravity of their boss's orders. Alex's frustration was palpable; the day's events had taken a heavy toll on him, and the delay in Project VIPPS was an unwelcome setback.
As the staff hurried to communicate his ultimatum to SITE 19, Alex sank back into his chair, rubbing his temples in an attempt to stave off the fatigue that threatened to overwhelm him.
The sniper's bullet may not have ended his life permanently, thanks to the miraculous intervention of SCP-001, but it had undoubtedly complicated it. Now, more than ever, he needed Project VIPPS to be completed.
With a heavy sigh, Alex made a mental note to prioritize the review of those notifications as soon as the immediate crisis was addressed. The failure to anticipate the assassination attempt was a stark reminder of the necessity of vigilance.
Turning his attention back to the matter at hand, Alex considered the implications of accelerating Project VIPPS. The threat to demote personnel to D-class was no idle one, and he was well aware of the fear it instilled.
However, desperate times called for desperate measures. His survival and the preservation of leadership of the Foundation might very well depend on the successful completion of the project within the newly imposed deadline.
As the staff continued their tasks, a renewed sense of purpose filled Alex. The day had been long and fraught with peril, but it had also reaffirmed his resolve. The challenges ahead were daunting, but Alexander Ricci was no stranger to adversity.
Though that would all have to wait until the morning, it was already getting late, and if he wished to be able to handle the many tasks tomorrow would bring, then he needed his rest.
"I want Romanoff here once they land." With one final order of the day, he left for his room and commanded that he not be disturbed until morning, forgoing his usual ritual of relaxing by the pool.
…
Nearly every news agency worldwide had obtained a significant story the following morning.
In homes and offices across the United States, televisions displayed the familiar logo of Global News Network (GNN), transitioning to a well-lit studio where seasoned news anchor Diana Harris sat behind a sleek, modern desk. Beside her, the screen displayed the headline: "Shocking Assassination of Alexander Ricci in China."
"Good evening, I'm Diana Harris, and our top story tonight comes from an unexpected and tragic event that has sent shockwaves through the international business community. Alexander Ricci, the Italian-American multimillionaire known for his vast business empire and philanthropic efforts, was assassinated earlier today in what appears to be a meticulously planned attack."
The screen in the studio transitioned to a photo of Alexander Ricci smiling confidently at a recent business event, followed by footage of emergency services at Shanghai International Airport.
"Ricci, who was on a business trip to finalize a deal that would have catapulted him into the ranks of billionaires, was shot in the head shortly after landing in China. Eyewitnesses report that the attack occurred moments after Ricci disembarked from his private jet, indicating that the assailant or assailants may have had inside information about his itinerary."
"The deal Ricci was set to close in China was highly anticipated, touted as a game-changer for his business and several industries. Details of the agreement have been closely guarded, but analysts predict it would have had significant implications for global market dynamics."
The screen now splits, showing Diana on one side and a business analyst, Thomas Beckwith, on the other.
"Joining us to discuss the impact of this tragic event is Thomas Beckwith, a business analyst with deep insights into Ricci's operations and the broader implications of his work. Thomas, how significant was this deal, and what might the assassination mean for Ricci's business empire and the global economy?"
"Well, the late Alexander Ricci specialized in the shipping as well as the financial sectors in which he was a rather large player. His family has always been big in shipping and is responsible for a substantial percentage of maritime trade between Europe and USA."
"More than just that, though, Alexander Ricci is also a very generous and well-liked man. One of the reasons that he is reported as a multimillionaire is because of his enormous generosity. He is a man that gives a lot of his wealth yearly to those that need the most."
"I did some quick research this morning when I heard the news, and looking at it well, he is very generous indeed, just in the past decade, the scope of his generosity's dismissal is staggering, really."
Diana cut in and asked him to clarify the extent of his generosity further.
"Could you explain more about how generous he was? Perhaps some names of organizations that have benefited from his generosity?"
"Well, from my estimation, had he not been this generous over the past decade, his wealth would probably be around $11 billion rather than the estimated 800 million currently. As to who benefits from his generosity? Well, he is generous to everyone, really."
A list of optimizations, charities, and companies that were beneficiaries of Ricci's donations started rolling across the screen.
"So the biggest major impact on a global scale and national scale as well. It will be where those roughly $1 billion in charities a year will end up going. There are all organizations that do a lot of good and that need that money, and now, well, it might be gone."
"Then there is the question of whether the company headquarters and, therefore, its profits will move back to Italy or remain here in the US."
The feed then cut back to Diana.
"The investigation into Ricci's assassination is ongoing, with Chinese authorities working in conjunction with international agencies to uncover the motive and identify those responsible. The shocking nature of this attack raises numerous questions about security for high-profile business figures and the lengths to which competitors or adversaries might go."
The screen shows a statement from Ricci's company, Ricci Global Enterprises, expressing devastation over the loss and vowing to continue his legacy.
"Ricci Global Enterprises has released a statement expressing their profound sadness and shock at the loss of their visionary leader. They've pledged to continue his legacy and bring to justice those responsible for this heinous act. As the world reels from the loss of Alexander Ricci, many are left wondering what the future holds for the empire he built and the industries he was set to transform. We'll continue to follow this story closely and bring you updates as they come."
The anchor looks directly into the camera, her expression somber.
"Our thoughts are with Alexander Ricci's family, friends, and colleagues during this incredibly difficult time. Stay with us for more on this developing story and other news from around the world."
Wilson Fisk turned off the television once the report came to an end. He cared little for the daily sports or the weather compared to the shocking news he had just seen.
As a major player in the underworld, he was well aware of just who Alexander Ricci really was. And it wouldn't be an empire of a few measly billions in value he would leave behind. The true scope of the criminal empire that suddenly lost its head was staggering, probably reaching towards a trillion dollars.
Not just that, Ricci, with the force of order and stability within the chaotic underworld. All throughout the world, those with no national laws still had to have Ricci's laws.
Fisk Greatly admired Ricci. What he was currently doing in Hell's Kitchen was mirrored after Ricci on global operations. For whatever reason, that man didn't care at all about Hell's Kitchen, which was why Fisk himself had decided to bring order here.
Yet now that once thought untouchable giant had fallen. This would probably leave behind an enormous power vacuum on a global scale. Weak governments in South America could very well fall under the pressure of rival gangs, and drug Lords, now free to do as they wanted, would seek to take a bite out of Ricci's cake.
Fisk had actually had an appointment permanently opened in his calendar for the past few months after hearing that Ricci wanted to talk with him, but now it seemed that it was destined not to happen.
As the giant of a man stood there looking out across the cityscape, he could not help but feel somewhat lost. His idol was gone; the one man he truly admired was dead. A champion of order in this filthy world was no more.
"Then I will do it myself."
It was then a new ambition grew within his heart before he had merely tried to bring order to Hell's Kitchen. Now, that ambition seemed small.
Hell's Kitchen would merely be the start as he would take Ricci's place and bring order back to the criminal world, which is now looking to enter a bloody period of transition.
-------------------
Obadiah Stain also watched the news report. Thanks to his powerful connections, he was also able to get some satellite footage of the event itself.
He knew Ricci; he had met him personally many times and worked with him ever since he started selling weapons under the table.
He found it hard to believe that someone had been alive for who knows how long without aging to have just suddenly died.
Yet, as he looked at the footage he had received from his military contract, there was no doubt that his head had been blown up before a rather ingenious piece of tech, some mobile ready-to-deploy bunker, placed over his body and then transported into the plane leaving behind a massive pool of blood and brain matter behind on the ground.
He couldn't help but curse on his breath at the unfortunate timing. He just procured yet another substantial shipment of weapons ready to be delivered, and now his client was dead. He did have a secondary client, some lowly terrorists of the Middle East.
They will probably take the weapons, but what materials have been acquired for Ricci? Those weren't worth much, and it would likely take him much longer to get it off his hands.
----------------------
Tony Stark was also watching the news and had the same data that Stain had available to him.
He watched from the satellite feed as Alex's head was blown open, the bunker deployed over his body. Then how, his men started gunning down the Chinese welcome party.
"Jarvis expanded the view for me and tried to find out who the shooter was and from where they shot; I can't believe that someone like Ricci didn't have some kind of protection from snipers.
"As you wish, Sir," the kinda robotic voice of his assistant said to him, and the view expanded.
"while the satellite feed isn't quite precise enough to run facial recognitions, I believe that Ricci had to station anti-sniper security at these 17 locations." With that, 17 locations were highlighted on the screen.
"Yes, that seems very thorough. Do you know where the shooter attacked from?"
"Yes, Sir, the shooter seems to have attacked from the roof of this building." Another location was marked on the screen.
"Then that shot must have been taken from really far away; what's the distance between that roof and the airport strip?"
"Ricci had covered every potential vantage point within a range of 3800 meters. Furthermore, I believe that this is a drone," Jarvis said, highlighting a tiny black pixel on the screen.
"If I'm correct, this monitored an additional 200-meter radius. The rooftop the shot seems to have been taken from was 4311 meters from Mr Ricci, which is 771 meters over the current world record."
"Furthermore, the shooter seems to only have been on the roof for a total of 16 seconds before he left again. It was such a narrow window in the surveillance Ricci had set up."
Tony couldn't help but be enormously impressed both with the security measures that Ricci had to protect himself and then that someone had managed to make such a shot.
"Can't be many people capable of such a shot, not to mention the rifle would probably have to be custom." Tony mused.
"That's most likely correct, Sir; in fact, given the extraordinary distance above the world record, whoever is behind this is probably well known in the circles Ricci travels in."
"Well, that probably means that whoever is responsible for this will soon find out that Ricci didn't earn that nickname of his for no reason."
Tony could only shake his head at the audacity of whoever was behind this. He then raised his glass of morning whiskey—a habit he knew was unhealthy—in a silent goodbye to someone he had known and considered likable.