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[Frog] Chapter 84: Wilson Fisk, the Isolated Kingpin, and Anton Vanko's Blueprint
🕑 Added 2024-09-15 08:57:32 +0000 UTC"The Department of Defense... They're really living in a fantasy."
Within S.H.I.E.L.D., Nick Fury found this entire farce utterly humiliating. As someone who operated within the upper echelons of the United States, he looked down on the Defense Secretary's approach.
Out of everyone they could've chosen, they had to pick a plagiarist to debate with the original creator?
Aren't they just asking to be humiliated by Tony?
Nick Fury realized he had made a mistake. He should've had Hammer assassinated from the start, rather than leaving him around to irritate Tony. Now, Tony was the one gaining the upper hand in the Senate hearing.
"Director, Wilson Fisk is on the line."
As Nick Fury watched the Senate proceedings, Hill appeared behind him and handed him a phone.
"Fisk? What does he want with me? Didn't we already resolve his issue?"
Hill’s expression turned grim.
"Not quite. We received news this morning that all of Fisk's enterprises, including his home, have been surrounded by angry mobs."
Fury's face darkened.
"Why are you only telling me this now?"
"We just received the information earlier today."
"I was about to report when Fisk called."
Nick Fury glanced at Hill, then answered the call from Wilson Fisk.
On the other end, Fisk sounded frantic:
"Nick Fury, what's going on right now? Why is my house surrounded—"
Before Fisk could finish, Nick Fury cut him off:
"Calm down. Take a deep breath."
"I just got the news myself. Stay in your house and don't go anywhere."
"I'll investigate."
Without giving Fisk a chance to respond, Fury hung up. He then signaled to Hill, and the two of them moved to his office.
"Alright, tell me what's really going on."
Nick Fury sat down at his desk, and Hill projected the relevant data onto the screen, explaining as she went:
"Last night, this forum address appeared on several major platforms. The content of the forum consisted entirely of Fisk’s criminal activities. Combined with detailed narratives from certain individuals, it sparked public outrage. By this morning, new posts had emerged, organizing protests and demanding justice for Fisk's crimes."
"Have we been able to track who set up this forum?"
Nick Fury propped his chin on his hands, staring at the forum display, deep in thought.
Hill shook her head.
"Like the evidence that surfaced against Fisk before, it seems to have appeared out of nowhere, with no traceable origin."
"So, it's the same person who leaked the evidence back then?"
Nick Fury quickly deduced.
Hill nodded.
"Director, there's something I feel I should tell you."
"Go ahead."
"I believe we should cut ties with Fisk."
Fury narrowed his one good eye and looked at her. Hill then played several audio recordings, revealing orders from higher-ups instructing their subordinates not to investigate Fisk. The voices included government officials and media executives, all of whom had become targets of public outrage. Politicians lost votes, and media stocks plummeted.
Hill was relieved that S.H.I.E.L.D. had issued direct orders without using phone communication, otherwise, they would've been caught in the same mess.
"You mean we should abandon Fisk to avoid getting burned?" Fury asked.
Hill nodded.
"This unseen enemy is terrifying. Every step seems meticulously planned. First, they united small companies Fisk had oppressed, keeping his legal team tied up. Then, they leaked information to local law enforcement, dismantling Fisk's entire operation. Fisk’s only move was to fake illness and stall the police, but that won’t work for long."
Hill took a deep breath.
"If Fisk hadn't contacted you, it would only take a day for this person to completely bring him down."
Fury understood. Initially, he had supported Fisk not only because he was useful, but also to test the strength of the mastermind behind all this. If their abilities were impressive, Fury hoped to recruit them into S.H.I.E.L.D. He planned to mediate between them and Fisk, reaping benefits from both sides.
However, this unseen adversary had manipulated everything so perfectly that they had turned the entire nation against Fisk overnight.
If this power were directed at S.H.I.E.L.D. instead of Fisk... Fury didn’t want to think about it.
"Why didn't we catch wind of this forum when it first appeared?"
Fury asked his final question.
Hill replied,
"I believe they've identified our network locations and placed a regional block on us. That’s why we couldn’t access the forum. If it weren’t for the protest today, we’d still be in the dark."
Fury leaned back in his chair, rubbing his bald head.
"Who do you think is behind this?"
Hill shook her head.
"There's no trace; they're completely hidden."
"Could it be Alan Ford, that rising billionaire?" Fury asked.
Hill was about to shake her head in denial but then remembered that the entire vendetta against Fisk started after he offended Alan. Considering that, Alan naturally became the prime suspect.
Seeing Hill’s hesitation, Fury angrily grabbed the phone in front of him and smashed it against the table, shattering it into pieces. He then snapped the black SIM card in his hand.
"Find a time. We need to make contact with this new billionaire."
That series of actions made it clear: Fury had made up his mind.
Wilson Fisk was no longer useful; it was time to let him go. Holding on would only invite disaster.
"Where's Barton?"
"He's with Dr. Selvig, ensuring his safety."
"Bring him and Coulson back. I have a mission for Barton."
Hill immediately understood Fury’s plan.
"Understood, Director. I’ll get on it right away..."
...
Like Nick Fury, Alan also turned on the TV and watched Tony's performance in Monaco.
Justin Hammer, introduced by the Secretary of Defense, stepped forward with a self-important demeanor.
He first praised Howard Stark for his exceptional contributions to the development of modern military technology, and then attacked Tony, accusing him of withholding technology that could change the country.
Hammer placed himself on a moral high ground, but all of this was swiftly dismantled by the secret footage Tony had obtained, turning both the Secretary of Defense and Justin Hammer into laughingstocks.
"Fuck you, Tony!"
"Fuck!"
On the TV, the enraged Secretary of Defense, losing his composure, hurled expletives at Tony in front of the media. Tony, on the other hand, stood tall, like a victorious hero, as his proud figure was broadcasted nationwide.
"This Tony Stark... he wasn’t this arrogant the last time we saw him, right?" said Gwen, who was watching alongside Alan. The Tony Stark on TV seemed like a completely different person from the one they met at the party.
"It’s normal. Tony treats friends and enemies very differently."
Gwen, slightly confused, asked, "So, you’re saying the Secretary of Defense and that Hammer guy are his enemies?"
Alan smiled, "Tony developed the Arc Reactor on his own, but they’re trying to force him to hand it over through the Senate. To Tony, what else would they be but enemies?"
Gwen nodded somewhat in understanding. She picked up a nearby Pikachu plush toy and said, "So, you’re saying if one day they found out that Pikachu here could generate electricity, they'd also try to take him from us?"
Hearing Gwen's imaginative comparison, Pikachu seemed to understand, and its cheeks sparked with a little electricity.
"Pika!!!"
Alan chuckled and nodded, "That’s one way to put it."
Gwen then raised her fist, "If they ever try to take Pikachu, I’ll beat them up! Pikachu’s not some tool! He can make his own choices!"
"Pika... Pika... Chu..." Pikachu, too, raised its tiny fists.
Seeing the two of them, Alan laughed. "Gwen, aren't you heading to the police station today?"
"Not today. My dad’s at Kingpin’s estate, overseeing security."
"...in an armored vehicle, it’s very safe."
"There are a lot of protests in New York right now. People are demanding the government bring Kingpin to justice."
Alan walked to the balcony, listening to the noisy streets of New York below, a smile forming on his face. "Gwen, maybe you should go to Kingpin’s estate. I’m worried that if Kingpin decides to act recklessly, innocent people might get hurt."
Gwen thought about it and agreed. She walked to the balcony, glancing at Alan. "Wait for me. When I get back, we’ll go for a drive."
"Alright."
With Alan's response, Gwen swung away on her web, leaving the balcony.
At Matt Murdock's law office, Matt had just received the news that morning. Since he was blind, he hadn’t known about the new forum. His assistant had been reading posts from it aloud to him. After hearing several articles, Matt raised his hand.
"That’s enough. Kingpin’s era is over."
Matt couldn’t help but feel a sense of closure. After all these years of fighting Kingpin, the damage Matt had done to him was minimal. But in just a few days, someone had completely toppled Kingpin from his throne.
Matt’s female assistant, still skeptical, said, "You said the same thing last time, but Kingpin’s power didn’t wane."
Matt shook his head, "Not this time. The audio recordings released on the forum are a warning. Anyone who tries to help Kingpin will face more than just released tapes."
"How many people at that level have clean hands?"
The assistant, understanding the hidden truths of the world, nodded.
Matt continued with a cold smile, "Not only will no one help Kingpin, but most of them are now hoping for his quick demise."
Such is reality. Such is society.
Suddenly, Matt seemed to think of something. "Stay here at the office. If anyone comes, tell them to wait."
Without waiting for his assistant’s reply, Matt rushed out.
At the gates of Kingpin’s estate, more and more protestors gathered. The NYPD used megaphones to calm the crowd, trying to prevent them from crossing into Kingpin’s private property. In this country, trespassing without the owner's consent gave the owner the right to shoot.
Inside the estate, Kingpin sat by the window, holding his phone and watching the growing crowd of protestors. His face paled. "Is Attorney Janie still not found?"
A maid behind him quickly responded, "Boss Kingpin, we’ve already sent someone to find her. She should be back soon."
"She’ll be back soon..."
The maid’s voice trailed off because she had said the same thing half an hour ago.
Kingpin didn’t press further, but the tight grip on his phone showed the immense rage he was suppressing.
After a long pause, one of Kingpin’s men rushed in, hesitating before speaking. "Boss... about Attorney Janie..."
Kingpin’s eyes, bloodshot, fixed on the man. "What about her?"
"At this point, only she can handle this!"
The man trembled, struggling to find the words. "Boss Kingpin... Attorney Janie... she... she’s already left New York."
Kingpin’s eyes widened, and he shouted, "What did you say?!"
The man, trembling, blurted out the full story. "Boss Kingpin, it’s true! We went to her house, but all her personal belongings were gone. We found out she took the earliest flight this morning and left New York."
...
In a small corner of a poor country, a scruffy-looking middle-aged man with long hair watched Tony Stark’s bright, confident image on TV. His eyes burned with an undeniable hatred.
What was even more surprising was the middle-aged man’s desk, where he had successfully constructed an Arc Reactor. Next to it was a blueprint for the Arc Reactor, with a name written in the bottom-right corner.
"Anton Vanko!"
...
