In Washington DC, Tony Stark returned to the reception room after finishing a press interview. Inside, Happy and Yinsen were chatting and laughing, enjoying some freshly delivered snacks.
"Hey, you two, those are meant for me. If you finish them, you'll have to go buy more," Tony quipped.
Yinsen replied, "I'm sure the people from the Defense Department regret inviting you."
Tony proudly waved his hand. "For thieves and robbers, we don't need to be polite."
Knock, knock, knock...
"Tony."
Pepper Potts' voice came from behind along with a knock on the door. Hearing that Pepper had arrived, Tony immediately gave Yinsen and Happy a knowing look, then turned around.
"Pepper, how was my performance today?"
Pepper glanced at Tony and replied, "Not bad."
Although she usually disliked Tony doing dangerous things, when someone tried to hurt him, she wouldn't stand for it. So, seeing Tony verbally dismantle that group of people today—leaving them utterly defeated—was something Pepper couldn't help but admire.
Behind Pepper stood a sharp-looking woman dressed in professional attire. Tony's eyes lit up as he couldn't shake his habit of staring at beautiful women. "And who might this be?"
Pepper quickly caught Tony's gaze and stepped in to block his view. "This is my new assistant, Natasha Romanoff."
It was none other than Black Widow, sent undercover by Nick Fury.
Natasha gave a slight bow and introduced herself, "I'm Natasha Romanoff."
Tony, ever the charmer, smoothly extended his hand for a handshake. "Tony Stark."
Behind him, Happy followed suit. "I'm Happy Hogan."
Tony glanced at Happy. "Hey, shouldn't you be bringing my car around? We're getting ready to leave."
Happy waved and said, "Alright, I'm on it."
Pepper immediately asked, "Tony, are you planning to leave already?"
Tony nodded as if it were obvious. "I never intended to stay long. Yell at some people, then head home."
"But there are so many reporters outside, you can't just..." Pepper started.
Tony cut her off, "Leave them to you. You go out and handle them, and I'll sneak out the back. Sound good, Potts?"
Tony's original plan was to spend a few more days enjoying Washington DC with Pepper, but now he had something more important to deal with—Howard's Future City. The Emperor had told him that he could find a new energy source there!
Pepper wanted to refuse, but when she saw the look in Tony's eyes, she found herself agreeing against her better judgment. "Okay..."
Tony quickly turned to Yinsen. "Yinsen, let's go."
Yinsen knew how pressed for time Tony was and didn't hesitate to follow him.
"This is the last time. After this, you're on your own," Pepper said, leaving the room with Natasha.
Soon, the sound of reporters outside began to fade.
"Yinsen, let's go."
The two made their way to the hotel's underground parking lot, where Happy was waiting in the luxury car. Tony walked straight to the driver's side. "Out. You made me come here, so you can find your own way back."
Happy looked at Yinsen, hoping to catch a ride with him, but Tony interrupted, "Yinsen, get in. We're heading back."
Yinsen gave Happy a sympathetic look before hopping into the car, and they sped off.
As they drove, Tony handed Yinsen a small tablet. "Yinsen, watch this video of my dad's speech. Tell me if you spot anything unusual."
Yinsen took the tablet, puzzled. "What's wrong with Mr. Howard?"
Tony thought for a moment before saying, "This might sound crazy, but someone told me there might be a new element hidden in that video. I had J.A.R.V.I.S. gather a lot of material, and I think this part is the most likely."
After hearing Tony's explanation, Yinsen focused intently on the video.
Tony, feeling a bit perplexed, asked, "Aren't you curious? This video's from over twenty years ago. Even I feel crazy for looking into it."
But Yinsen shook his head. "No. If it's Howard Stark, anything is possible."
"What?" Tony was taken aback by Yinsen's confidence.
"Tony, you might not know what kind of man your father was, but..." Yinsen began.
Tony interrupted, "Of course I do. He was a workaholic. And he... never acknowledged me."
Yinsen could sense the unresolved issues between Tony and his father, but Howard was long gone, and there was no point dwelling on it now. He continued, "Howard's brilliance was recognized by every scientist of our time. Many said the only thing limiting him was the era he lived in."
"The era?" Tony asked, confused.
Yinsen nodded. "Yes, the technology of that time couldn't keep up with Howard's ideas. Maybe this video contains something Howard never had the chance to finish."
"Maybe..."
...
Inside Kingpin's mansion.
George could hear the sounds of the fight upstairs clearly. He had also just seen Spider-Woman swing into the building with his own eyes.
"What's the situation inside?" George asked the sniper.
"Spider-Woman threw Kingpin out. There's too much dust right now; I can't see Kingpin clearly."
Hearing that Spider-Woman was overpowering Kingpin, George instinctively shouted, "Yes!" But he quickly realized his lapse. "Keep observing. If there's an opening, assist Spider-Woman."
"Understood, chief!"
Upstairs.
Daredevil, feeling somewhat recovered, approached Gwen. "Need help?"
Gwen glanced at him and replied, "I don't think so. He doesn't seem to be as strong as I am!"
"Watch out!"
Gwen's spider-sense flared, and she immediately shoved Daredevil aside. Kingpin, like a raging bull, charged out of the smoke. Just as Gwen thought he was going to ram into them, Kingpin suddenly stopped in front of them, crouched down into a perfect stance, and threw a powerful punch toward Gwen.
The force of the punch was immense, and Gwen leapt into the air, dodging what could have been a devastating blow.
"Does he know karate?" Daredevil, who had just gotten up from being pushed aside, asked in disbelief. It was hard for him to fathom how someone of Kingpin's size could perform martial arts moves so skillfully.
"You're mistaken. I know every martial art in the world and can adapt my fighting style to any situation!" Kingpin boasted.
Clinging to the ceiling, Gwen quipped, "Isn't that a surprise? Aren't you a crime boss? Why do you bother fighting yourself?"
Kingpin sneered. "People like you will never understand."
In the next moment, something even more shocking happened. Kingpin performed a backflip and kicked at Spider-Woman on the ceiling. Gwen quickly dodged, but Kingpin's kick left a gaping hole in the ceiling.
Landing next to Daredevil, Gwen said, "Looks like he wasn't lying."
"In terms of technique, he's the second-best fighter I've encountered," Gwen admitted.
Curious, Daredevil asked, "Who's the first?"
Gwen blushed slightly. "Uh… someone who beat me the moment we crossed paths."
"Shouldn't you call that person to help us with this tricky guy?" Daredevil suggested, now viewing Kingpin as an almost invincible threat.
"No need. This is manageable."
Before Daredevil could respond, Gwen rushed forward, meeting Kingpin's incoming punch. Without hesitation, she caught it with one hand, leaving Kingpin in disbelief.
How could this girl be so strong?
"Your technique is fine, but your strength is lacking," Gwen remarked. With a swift move, she twisted Kingpin's arm and flipped him over her shoulder, slamming him hard into the floor.
Luckily, the building was sturdy; otherwise, Kingpin might have crashed through the floor.
"Hurry up, I've got other things to do," Gwen said impatiently.
Daredevil nodded numbly. "Oh… okay."
Meanwhile, on a distant rooftop.
Hawkeye peered through binoculars, watching the fight unfold at Kingpin's mansion.
"Daredevil… Spider-Woman… Looks like everything's popping off since I left New York."
After a quick quip, Hawkeye pulled a green-tipped arrow from his quiver, drew his black bow, and aimed it at Kingpin in the distance. "Mission complete," he muttered softly, releasing the arrow.
As Kingpin struggled to rise, Gwen said, "Give it up. You can't beat me. Surrender and let the detectives take you to face justice."
Kingpin laughed maniacally. "You think they'll let me live to face a trial? I know too many secrets."
"I only have two outcomes: death or ruling the prison from the inside. So why not go out in a blaze of glory while I'm still free?"
Just as Gwen was about to reply, her spider-sense screamed a warning.
"Watch out!" she yelled, but it was too late.
A black arrow shot through the air, striking Kingpin squarely in the chest.
Kingpin smirked. "You think an arrow can hurt me? My body is harder than stone!"
But then he noticed the green liquid from the arrow seeping into his body. His expression changed instantly.
That drug! And that arrow!
Kingpin roared in anger, "Nick Fury, you bastard!"
Suddenly, something strange happened—Kingpin's body began to emit a red, blood-like steam.
"Arrghhh…!" Kingpin screamed in agony as the steam rose from his body.
"What is that stuff?" Gwen instinctively covered her mouth and nose.
Red Queen's voice came through her earpiece. "Don't worry, Miss Gwen. The mask of your new suit has a molecular-level filtration system."
"And this isn't poison gas. It's… evaporated muscle."
"Evaporated muscle?" Gwen had never heard of something so horrifying.
"Yes, the drug on that arrow accelerates muscle degeneration, causing the muscles to evaporate rapidly."
Daredevil, also covering his face, pulled Gwen aside and said in a fatherly tone, "Next time you encounter unknown gas, get away immediately. It could be poison, you know?"
The muscle steam dissipated as quickly as it had appeared. When it cleared, the sight before Gwen and Daredevil gave them chills.
The once-massive Kingpin was now just a sack of skin hanging loosely over his skeleton. He looked like a giant human skin suit draped over bones.
Kingpin struggled to speak, but no sound came out. The muscles controlling his vocal cords had also been evaporated.
The infamous Kingpin of New York, once a criminal mastermind, had met a fate worse than death.
Whoever did this didn't want him dead or imprisoned. They wanted him to live, but never speak the secrets he knew.
It was a fate worse than death.
Daredevil, shaken by Kingpin's grim fate, said to Gwen, "I'm going to leave now. I don't like chatting with cops."
Gwen nodded silently.
As Daredevil left, Gwen heard the sound of detectives heading upstairs. She shot a web and swung away.
Downstairs, George received a report from the sniper and immediately gave orders to his team.
"You, check the rooftops and find out who shot that arrow. The rest of you, follow me upstairs."
A group of detectives arrived at the scene, staring at the limp figure on the ground. If the sniper hadn't confirmed it was Kingpin, they might've thought it was some kind of sick joke.
"Call an ambulance," George ordered. "And notify the other precincts. It's time to start rounding up Kingpin's remaining assets."
...
At the base of a tall building, Hawkeye, disguised as a water delivery worker, walked out carrying a water jug on his shoulder. Not long after he left, several detectives rushed inside.
As he walked, Hawkeye swapped out his delivery uniform and put on an earpiece, placing it in one ear.
"Mission code: 937. Target: Kingpin."
"Complete."
On the other end of the line, Nick Fury's voice came through: "Good. Head back for now."
"I'll call you when I need you again."
Inside his office, Nick Fury set the earpiece down. He was holding a modified pager in his hand, and in front of him lay the Avengers Initiative file.
After a moment of thought, Fury picked up a pen and wrote a new name on the file.
Clint Barton, Codename: Hawkeye!
...