The Marvel Knights Group presents: The Enforcers #9

Now. New York City. Fisk Tower.

"A thoroughly edifying edifice, don't you agree, Richard?" the Rose said, one gloved hand wrapped in a strap to hold his thin frame in place as he stood in the doorway of one of the attack helicopters circling Fisk Tower. The Rose gestured with his cane. "A monument to crime, a temple to sin. Admirable, really."

"Admirable," Richard Fisk mumbled, sitting slumped in his safety harness, the steel mask attached to his face sizzling slightly. His mind was full of broken thoughts. He had been so confident. So sure-

"Contemplating the inevitable, Richard?" the Rose said, looking at him over his shoulder. "This was your choice, you know. You let the devil in...don't complain when he takes your soul."

"I didn't-I-"

"Oh, but you did. You came seeking a power base; allies; succor. You came seeking a weapon to topple your father from his throne so that you could take it and finally assuage that nagging Oedipal complex that haunts you so. You listened to my plan, found it to your liking and set things in motion early, just as I knew you would. That is why you needed us, Richard. You lack your father's greatest virtue...his patience." The Rose did not look at Fisk. The fire that clawed at the tower was reflected in his tinted glasses. "And now you both pay the price. The end is nigh, Richard. And soon the proper order of things will be reestablished!"

Fisk Tower.

"DIE!" Carlos Lobo roared, dropping into the elevator.

Dan stumbled back as a brown-furred arm swept him into the wall with bone-rattling force. Lobo had eyes only for Wilson Fisk, standing calmly, awaiting him. Fisk had removed his jacket and rolled up the sleeves of his black, silk shirt and he stood, big fists by his sides.

"Fat man, you can run no more!" Lobo snarled. Fisk smiled.

"Who is running…I merely wanted to get you into a confined space, Carlos," Fisk said, lurching forward abruptly. Lobo grunted in surprise as Fisk slammed into him, squashing him against the doors of the elevator. Fisk's free hand shot up and encircled Lobo's jaws, holding them closed.

"You are a fool, Carlos. Your brother, at least, had wit. A native cunning that I could respect. Even admire. He was the brains of your pack. You are simply a brute. All sound and fury, signifying nothing," Fisk said, jerking Lobo's jaws up and back and slamming his head into the elevator doors. Fisk's other arm had folded, pressed crossways across Lobo's chest, pinning him. As big as the werewolf was, Fisk made two of him. Slowly, surely, the Kingpin pressed all of the air out of Lobo's lungs.

Dan pulled himself up and watched in silent amazement as the Kingpin squeezed the beast-man into unconsciousness. "Jesus-"

"What?" the Kingpin turned and let Lobo fall, tongue dangling between his splayed jaws, eyes closed. He hit the floor with a limp thump. "Surely you don't still think this is all fat, Brito?"

"I-Jesus," Dan said, shaking his head. "What now?"

As if in answer to his question, the elevator doors pinged open. Fisk picked up his coat, folded it carefully over one arm, and stepped out into the room beyond. Dan hopped over Lobo and followed. The doors slid shut.

The room was a steel cube. The walls were heavy with digital monitors, showing live news feed as well as what was going on at every point in and around the building. Technicians worked at various consoles and armed men waited at entry points. A thin, bird-like man hopped towards Fisk.

"Mr. Fisk, I-"

"Be a good man, Finch, and blow the elevator would you?" Fisk said, sweeping past, striding towards a raised dais that overlooked the entire room. "I need to see to my defenses. Brito? Come."

Dan blinked and walked past Finch, one hand still clutching the pistol Fisk had given him earlier. Fisk snapped his fingers and one of the guards tossed Brito a clip. Dan loaded the weapon automatically.

"What the hell is this place?"

"The heart of my empire. Be honored, Brito. I normally only allow those I trust in here." Fisk said, leaning over the railing that encircled the dais. His eyes flicked from one screen to the next, examining things. "From here, I control the world. Or the interesting parts anyway."

Dan whirled as an explosive whoomf! sounded from the elevator. Smoke steamed through the crack in the doors. Finch walked towards them, frowning nervously. “I’ve activated the explosives in the shaft. It will be completely collapsed in a minute-five.”

“Good, Finch. Very good. Now we are secure,” Fisk said.

“Unless they crack the building open’” Dan said, watching the monitors. In the lobby, red armored forms that he recognized as Mandroids stalked through billowing smoke, energy weapons biting chunks out of the Kingpin’s men. Among them flitted colorful forms. Super-villains.

“The shutters were activated ten minutes ago. They destroyed the ones blocking the lobby but they haven’t got through any of the others yet. We’ve sustained only superficial structural damage. They want to take the tower, not destroy it,” Finch said, bobbing his head. “A police presence is en route.”

“Pah.” Fisk waved a hand. “At least we can be thankful none of the city’s super-powered defenders have gotten involved.”

“Bet they would come in handy right about now-” Dan began. Fisk smiled benignly.

“No. They would merely add to the chaos. This is-and should be-a family affair, I think. Finch, set off the explosives at the corners of these streets. Rupture steam pipes here and here,” Fisk said, gesturing expansively at a map of the city immediately surrounding Fisk Tower. “Also, contact my...friends in city hall. This is a personal matter and I would be grateful for their...forbearance.”

“Forbearance. Yes sir.” Finch bobbed away. Dan watched him go. He looked up at Fisk.

“You really intend to do this by yourself, don’t you?”

“You are an inspiration to me Brito. Besides, I have been yearning for this, I admit.” Fisk stood, hands clasped behind his back. “I have tolerated the scrabbling mice in my home for too long. Today, I assert my authority.”

“Are you watching this?” Snake asked, sitting up in his hospital bed. The television was on a 24-hour news channel, showing the chaos that surrounded Fisk Tower. Montana nodded, hat on his lap.

“Damn.”

“Dan is right in the middle of that,” Sly said.

“I know, I know.”

“Little bastard is probably dead.”

“Or not.”

“In which case-”

“We got to go pull his fat out of the fire, yeah,” Montana finished. He stood and looked down at the other man. "You ain't got to come."

"No. He doesn't." Linda Carter, the Night-Nurse, stepped into the room. "In fact, you shouldn't either, in your state."

"Got to, ma'am," Montana drawled. "Duty calls." Snake gave a harsh laugh and Montana shot him a glare. He looked back at Carter. "Might be more bastards like the Russian showing up. I'm leaving Ronnie here to keep y'all safe and sound."

"I'm sure we'll be fine."

"Yeah." Montana hesitated. Licked his lips. Carter watched him coolly. "Uhm-"

"No."

"I ain't even asked yet!" Montana protested. Carter smiled.

"When you do, the answer might be different. But right now, no."

"Fair enough." Montana jammed his hat on his head. He stalked past her and slapped a gloved hand against the arm of one of the two red-headed giants guarding the door. "Ray, let's go. Dan's in trouble."

"You want me too, Jackie?" Ronnie Block grunted. The younger of the two men to bear the sobriquet of 'Ox', Ronnie was also slightly quicker on the uptake, if not quite as strong as his older, slower, brother.

"No. You stay. Make sure Sly and Sheila are safe."

"Fuck that; I'm coming," Sheila Dupree snapped. She glared up into Montana's face, lips a thin line of determination. "Dan is in trouble-"

"And me and Ray have been getting him out of it longer than God hisownself. Besides, he’d never forgive me if you got killed,” Montana said. He put his hands on her shoulders. “We’ll bring him back.”

“You’d better,” Sheila said. Montana touched the brim of his hat.

“I’d never lie to a lady.”

He looked at Ox and jerked his head. “Let’s go, Ray.”

“We going to go hit some people?” Ox rumbled. Montana nodded.

“Fill your hands with iron, Ray. We got us a war to get to.”

Don Fortunato was old, as these things were judged. A small, hunched man in a dark coat with a shapeless cap on his head and one eye missing to some unspoken of trouble. He stood on the roof of the skyscraper opposite Fisk Tower and watched the destruction. His contacts in Hydra had furnished the sleek, black attack helicopters buzzing around the tower like angry hornets. His men were on the ground, mingled with those of Hammerhead, Tombstone, the Owl and others. The backbone of his New York operations. Behind him, his second, the man-mountain called Jimmi Six watched in silence.

“This is not a good thing,” Jimmi said. Fortunato grunted.

“No. It is not. But then, we are not good men.” Fortunato turned. “And we must move with the tide if we are to survive.”

In the door of one of the attack helicopters, Tombstone grinned as he watched the flames dance around Fisk Tower. He’d dreamed of this for months. Granted, he’d dreamed it was his idea, but this was close enough. He turned around and glanced at Hammerhead.

The other crime-boss was out of his wheelchair and dressed in a pinstripe suit that was offset by the bandages that swathed his face and hands. He sat heavily at the back of the chopper, examining his hands.

“Cheer up,” Tombstone said, his voice a raspy whisper. Hammerhead looked up.

“Why? We just trading one bastard for another, you know that.”

“The Rose? You worried about the Rose?”

“You not?”

“Of course not. He’s nothing,” Tombstone said dismissively. “He-” He stopped, watching the pilot and co-pilot, both Fortunato’s men, parachute towards the street below. A shadow fell over him. Tombstone looked up, jaw sagging. Four men wearing vulturion harnesses flew towards him. The harnesses were red winged and emblazoned with a rose on the chest. As the men swooped up past the open door of the copter, they fired sub-machine guns into the interior.

Inside the closest other chopper, the Owl watched the helicopter carrying Tombstone and Hammerhead spiral towards the street, smoke billowing from within. His pointed face tensed up and he whirled.

“It’s a set-up!”

“Of course it is. I anticipated such. And made the appropriate bribes.” The Slug gurgled. “Pilot, get us out of here,” he added, turning his round head to face the pilot. The pilot said nothing. “Pilot!”

“I’m sorry, sir. The Rose bribed us more,” the co-pilot said, turning in his seat, a pistol in his hand. The pistol barked twice. The Slug gave a sigh as his bulk was perforated. He looked at the Owl helplessly and then slumped, his sunglasses clattering to the deck. The pistol swung towards the Owl. He screamed in fury and leapt out of the copter door, cape flaring as his hollow bones caught the wind. He tucked his arms close and glided towards the street below. His men. He had to reach his men.

Behind him, the vulturions swooped towards the hunt.

“Jesus! I thought they were on the same side!” Dan said, watching the helicopter carrying Tombstone hurtle towards the street. “Couldn’t happen to a nicer guy, but geez...”

“My mysterious opponent is simply divesting himself of the deadwood, as it were,” Fisk said, smiling. “All of New York’s leading crime figures in one place. Of course he would seek to kill them. Fools.” The Kingpin shook his head. “So eager to reach for the sky that they do not see the cliff giving way beneath them.”

“Very philosophical,” Dan said. “I’d still like to know who’s doing this-”

“We will find out shortly, I believe.” Fisk pointed to a screen. A helicopter was landing on the rooftop heli-pad. He looked at Dan and clapped his hands. “Should we go meet them?”

“Yes?”

“Indeed. Come, Brito. Finch, ready the contingency plan,” Fisk said as he strode for the wall opposite the elevator they’d come to the control room in. Steel shutters slid aside, revealing a second elevator.

Dan looked around helplessly, then followed Fisk.

Whatever was going on, it looked like they were about to find out who was behind it all.

TO BE CONTINUED

Next Issue: The Enforcers vs. a whole bunch of super-villains! Kingpin vs. the Rose! Be here in thirty for ‘PARLEY’!