As the neon lights flickered to life, Chinatown pulsed with a sea of tourists and locals, their bustling energy creating waves of movement through the crowded streets...
A peculiar group of individuals navigated through the throng like a small boat cutting through turbulent waters, their hurried pace drawing irritated glances.
"Move it, please!"
Their near-brusque shoving immediately drew complaints.
A few burly tourists attempted to block their path, only to be effortlessly pushed aside by a tall dark-haired woman as if they were nothing more than toy blocks.
"Damn, that woman's strong!" one of the shoved men muttered, staring after the vanishing figures...
Mr. Ho, a third-generation immigrant, ran a modest Chinese restaurant in Chinatown, serving authentic dishes that had earned him a loyal following among both the local Chinese community and foreigners with a taste for traditional cuisine.
"Closing time," Mr. Ho announced, ushering out the last of his customers before hanging up the 'Closed' sign.
Business had been good lately... good enough that he was considering hiring more help.
*BANG!*
The door burst open, and then slammed shut behind a group of uninvited guests.
Mr. Ho froze, his pleasant thoughts evaporating. These people didn't look like customers...
A tall dark-haired woman, a curly-haired young man in a suit, a powerfully built man, a heavily armed brute, and a figure clad in a red devil costume...
This bizarre assembly made Mr. Ho who was half-expecting a robbery instinctively raise his hands...
"W-we're closed," he stammered.
Ignoring him, the intruders exchanged tense glances before the woman effortlessly lifted a heavy red-lacquered cabinet and barricaded the door.
"She's really strong," the red devil remarked, "Sir, for your own safety, we need this place to 'look' closed."
Meanwhile, the curly-haired young man addressed Mr. Ho in fluent Mandarin, "We won't harm you. We just need this space temporarily."
The masked man in red, Daredevil, pulled the curtains shut, his enhanced hearing straining for any sign of pursuit. The Hand's ninjas didn't seem to have followed them.
"Alright, this restaurant is ours for now," the young man, Danny Rand, said after a brief exchange with Mr. Ho who promptly left clutching a credit card.
"How'd you convince him?" the dark-haired woman, Jessica Jones, asked.
"I just gave him my card and promised six months' rent," Danny replied casually, "I'm Danny. Danny Rand."
"Jessica," she said flatly, "And I know you two... The Punisher and Daredevil."
"I thought people had forgotten about me by now," Daredevil muttered wryly.
Originally, he and Punisher had set out to recruit allies, only to cross paths with Jessica, who was tailing a lead on the Hand.
Their paths converged at Midland Circle Financial, where Danny had also infiltrated alone. Meanwhile, Luke Cage had been investigating the disappearances of young Black men in Harlem... all roads leading to the same shadowy corporation.
After a chaotic skirmish with the Hand's enforcers, the five had barely escaped, taking refuge in Chinatown's crowded streets.
"Time for answers," Jessica said coldly, "First, who the heck were those people?"
"The Hand," Danny and Punisher answered simultaneously.
Exchanging a glance, Danny elaborated, "The Hand is an ancient criminal organization. They've always existed, operating under a fanatical ideology. Every member is willing to die for their cause."
"Sounds like terrorists," Luke Cage said with a frown.
"Worse," Daredevil cut in, "Terrorists want the world to know their actions. The Hand is more secretive, more insidious... and their reach is global."
"Then what do they want? Why are they recruiting in Harlem?" Luke pressed.
Danny hesitated before revealing, "I'm the Immortal Iron Fist. Protector of K'un-Lun."
Silence.
Punisher's grip tightened on his Browning. Jessica stared. Even Luke's usually composed expression flickered.
"What are you on? Lithium?" Jessica scoffed.
Before Danny could defend himself, the Punisher interjected, "Enough. The real question is what's our next move?" His cold gaze swept over them, "The Hand is digging beneath Midland Circle. Whatever's down there caused that earthquake a week ago. Harlem's missing persons, Jessica's architect... it's all connected. We have two choices: walk away now, or use what we've got to take them down."
The weight of his words settled over them.
This wasn't some street gang or mob boss, this was an organization with centuries of influence.
"I need to protect Harlem," Luke said firmly.
"Guess I'll be the first to admit this is out of my depth," Jessica shrugged. "I'm out."
After her own traumatic past, she'd sworn off heroics, opting for a quiet life as a Private Investigator instead.
"What? This is our best shot! I tried going solo and failed. Now we've got a team, and you're quitting?" Danny exclaimed.
"Not everyone wants this life," Daredevil said quietly, "Choosing to fight darkness means sacrificing the people you care about. I get it."
Jessica offered him a rare smile, "Thanks. I'm leaving."
As she stood, Daredevil suddenly stiffened. His heightened senses picked up a presence outside... footsteps, a heartbeat like a war drum, the presence radiating terrifying vitality.
*CREAK...*
The barricaded door swung open effortlessly.
A young man in a black mask stepped inside, his gaze sweeping over the tense group.
"Everyone's here," he said with a smile, "Then... let's begin."