The Punisher glanced at Lucas again and again, baffled as to how he'd pulled out such a massive sword from nowhere.
"Just a little trick. Don't worry about it," Lucas said flatly. He had no intention of revealing anything.
The Punisher didn't press. He'd only come because Daredevil roped him in—they shared a common target, that was all. And it wasn't even Daredevil who knew the gang's base location. It was him.
The Punisher had been tracking Adam West's crew for a while, about to make his move when Daredevil suggested a team-up. Knowing Daredevil's reputation, he figured it was worth the alliance. What he didn't expect was a kid tagging along.
The three of them moved under cover of night until they reached a pier, its floodlights blazing. A gang of men were unloading cargo from a freighter.
"This is Adam West's stronghold. If I'm right, he's in that warehouse office. Tonight's a deal night," the Punisher muttered, raising a handheld thermal imager.
The screen glowed with orange silhouettes, packed tight inside the warehouse.
"Looks like it's a big one," Daredevil said quietly. Though blind, the racket of the dock painted the scene for him in perfect detail.
"Let's slip inside first, assess the situation," Daredevil suggested. Stealth was his specialty.
They quickly laid out the plan. Daredevil and Lucas would infiltrate the warehouse, while the Punisher positioned himself as sniper support.
Lucas had no real experience with stealth. The Clive Rosfield template he'd inherited thrived on direct confrontation, not sneaking around. He simply followed Daredevil's lead.
The Punisher split off, climbing to an overwatch spot where he could cover every inch of the warehouse.
Inside, Daredevil and Lucas crawled onto the rafters above. Below them, Adam West was shouting from the office window, his hulking figure nearly filling the frame.
"Move your asses! This shipment is special! One mistake, and I'll skin you alive!"
The workers scrambled faster, hefting crate after crate into the warehouse.
Neither Lucas nor Daredevil moved yet. They waited. The Punisher, now in position, whispered through comms:
"I'm set. They've got a few crates left to unload. Wait for it."
"All in good time. Adam's still in the office. When everyone's inside, we strike," Daredevil replied, hand brushing the batons at his hip.
Soon the final crates were stacked, towering high. Adam lumbered out of his office, grabbing a crowbar from a lackey.
"I sunk my whole damn fortune into this shipment. If those bastards don't pay top dollar, I'll send them to God myself!"
He pried open a crate. Inside—bricks of refined, gleaming white powder. No cutting needed. Pure product.
"Ha! Jackpot!" Adam laughed, tearing open a bag and inspecting it like a jeweler admiring diamonds. "Top shelf. Best I've ever seen."
"Where the hell are those buyers? No respect for time…" He spat, tossing the sample down.
"Move in," Daredevil signaled.
"Hold up. The buyers just arrived," the Punisher cut in. A convoy of black cars rolled up to the warehouse doors.
"Finally!" Adam barked, greed flashing in his eyes.
"Check the goods. I don't have time for your bluster," the lead buyer sneered, barely acknowledging Adam.
Murder flared in Adam's gaze.
Daredevil froze at the voice. He knew it well—Nobu, the Hand's assassin.
Lucas recognized him too. He'd already killed Nobu once, but here he was, alive and whole. Clearly the Hand had used the resurrection ritual—the dragon bone.
Lucas glanced at Daredevil, but saw no shock on his face. Daredevil already knew.
"The damn Hand. They're everywhere," Daredevil muttered, signaling the Punisher to be ready.
At his cue, he dropped from the rafters, striking down several ninjas in an instant.
Lucas followed, his massive blade skewering a gang soldier. He ignored the Hand—for now his only target was Adam's crew.
"An ambush?! You think you can rip me off?! I'll wipe you all out!" Adam roared, ordering his men to open fire.
But gunfire only brought death—for his own men.
Crack! Crack! Each shot from the Punisher's rifle dropped a body.
"Sniper!" Adam bellowed, diving for cover.
Meanwhile, Daredevil tangled with the Hand. Lucas waded into the mob of gangsters, sword flashing. Bullets clanged harmlessly against his blade before a green eagle's claw manifested, yanking a knot of men into his reach.
They didn't even have time to scream. The claws shredded them to ribbons in a heartbeat.
Lucas strode through the gore without a glance, slicing down anyone who stood in his way. The Ultima Weapon cut flesh like butter. Not a single one survived, nor did any body remain whole.
Under the Punisher's flawless cover fire, Lucas charged Adam directly. He hacked down every soldier who tried to block him, until nothing stood between them.
One brutal kick sent Adam flying, crashing into crates. Lucas casually dispatched a handful of survivors who tried to rush him.
"You were behind the shootout with NYPD, weren't you?" Lucas's voice was like ice.
Adam struggled to rise, seething. "Kid… you have any idea who you're messing with? Do you know who I am?!"
"I asked you—was it your men?"
Lucas blurred forward, seizing Adam's arm—and snapped it clean.
Crack!
"AAHHHH!!" Adam's scream filled the warehouse as he collapsed in agony.
"Now… can you understand my question?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If you enjoyed Marvel Manifestor, please give it a Power Stone and leave a review! Your support means everything.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~