Chapter Text
Wilson Fisk, Secret Hideout – New York.
-In other news, it is my pleasure to inform you that the armed forces, using resources and intelligence from Evans Technologies, have completely dismantled the drug and illegal substance distribution network across the west coast of the United States, in an unprecedented operation that linked businessmen, corrupt members of the police, politicians and the CIA, more than a thousand arrests have been carried out in twenty-four hours, by order of Harrison Evans, the governmental agency has been stripped of its rights, processed and will be dismantled in the coming days, next we will share the names and charges of the most important individuals involved- said the reporter, before beginning to display images of the operation in question, where the American soldiers, now equipped with never-before-seen technology, tore apart thugs and drug traffickers with lethal precision, as well as images of one of those damned ships over the Pentagon, with every single member being escorted into the shuttles by drones or soldiers.
And they all had the same expression.
They were scared shitless.
Something Wilson could understand.
-This is bad- said Hammerhead with extreme caution, watching the images with silent acceptance, understanding the precarious situation they were in.
-Two months as the ruler of the damn continent and he is already cleaning house, call me impressed- said Bullseye, shaking his head as he watched those agents and CIA directors being dragged without any kind of consideration.
-What do we have on Evans? Anything we can use?- asked Fisk while tapping the table with his massive fingers, unease evident in his gestures.
His associates simply shrugged.
-Nothing useful, his mother is Lily Evans, resident of the Evans Tower and accompanied by a damn regiment of drones and police garrison, doesn't worth the risk, his father do not even get me started, James Potter, the damned Crimson Lion, who is more likely to tear us apart before we get close, he has associates and connections, but all out of reach, we have no way to apply pressure- confessed Hammerhead with a sigh.
Wilson simply growled and slammed the table with all his strength, denting the metal, and although on the outside he appeared thoughtful…
Inside, he was scared to dead.
Now Harrison Evans ruled not only the country, but the entire damn continent and part of Europe, Fisk still remembered that day, he was in his private bunker while the city was under attack, he remembered perfectly how the Black Lion went to Washington and, with his huge balls, deposed the president and the senate declaring that, from that day forward, he would do the job that those useless incompetent bastards had failed to do for years.
And that was the day everything began to go to shit.
At least for him.
How did you corrupt a man who had absolutely everything?
Simple.
You could not.
During the first week, many politicians tried to stir the hornet’s nest, spouting nonsense about democracy and freedom, speeches that gained traction during the first seventy-two hours.
Until Harrison Evans made his first statement, releasing absolutely all the dirty laundry of Kelly, his cabinet and the senators.
The diversion of funds so massive that even Fisk blinked in disbelief, the excessive luxuries, the absurd tax reductions to family members and friends, and most importantly, the recordings of the former president denying General Williams permission to mobilize his troops toward New York, as well as a conversation with his inner circle about how he would capitalize on the destruction of the city to politically pressure Harrison Evans.
And the Black Lion did not stop there, day by day, he released more and more information, business relations of senators with criminal groups, drug cartels or terrorist organizations, people watched as those they believed untouchable were dragged like pigs, humiliated and humbled.
And public opinion began to shift.
One by one, the state governors began to submit, accepting the mandate of the Black Lion, and things began to change, Harrison Evans formed his inner circle, composed mostly of his women, to Fisk’s disbelief, and they began to implement considerable changes.
One week later, all the most important farmers and ranchers in the country were summoned to Washington, their role? To act as official consultants in the new policies of the regime, taxes were adjusted and everything began to change.
Without corruption and the mysterious fees they had been accustomed to, the problems that rural people had complained about for years began to disappear, taxes were adjusted and reduced by more than forty percent, gaining a loyal base of support for the new regime.
Then, he focused on insecurity, using methods still unknown to Fisk, the Black Lion was relentless, tracking like a bloodhound until he uncovered the true rot within the FBI and the CIA.
And the answer was in the news he was watching, the largest operation in history, culminating in the dissolution of a government agency.
Harrison Evans was straightening the country, he was a dictator, a conqueror even, but things were beginning to improve for people in general, prices stopped rising in absurd ways, essential goods like food, good quality food, even began to decrease in cost, and most importantly, the Black Lion made a practically masterful move, affiliating his own insurance company as the official nationwide provider, using public funds to maintain operational costs at a minimum and offering full coverage insurance to the entire damn country at laughable prices.
Evans healing centers began to appear all across the country, seventy percent of Americans were enrolled, practically kissing the ground Harrison Evans walked on, desperation and poverty began to disappear at the same time as new job openings for Stark Industries, Evans Technologies, Frost International and Potter Industries began to appear.
There was food.
There was healthcare.
There was work.
And slowly…
There was also security.
Which meant only one thing.
That great criminal empires, like Fisk’s, were at total risk.
And there was nothing he could do to stop it, he was completely powerless in the face of the situation, Harrison Evans was not someone he wanted, or could, cross.
This meeting… was for one simple thing.
Damage control.
Before it was too late.
And for a man like Fisk… that realization was worse than defeat. It was irrelevance. The quiet certainty that the world no longer feared him.
-And in other news, it is reported that the execution of the Kree invader known as Ronan will be a public event and will take place in one week in the ruins of old New York, as a symbolic act and a form of retribution for the half million lives that were lost during the darkest hour of our history as a species-
After those words, the reporter began to speak about the alien, his name, rank and where he came from, the Kree Empire was mentioned, a race of cruel and arrogant beings, and the importance of remaining united against future threats was emphasized.
Propaganda, at the end of the day.
But effective.
-What the hell are we going to do, Fisk? We are truly fucked, our contacts, our businesses, all gone, they are choking us more and more, we cannot keep going like this, it is only a matter of time before...-
BOOOOOM
The powerful explosion shook the entire hideout where the meeting was taking place, at the same time that gunfire and screams began to echo from the upper levels.
Fisk did not need to be a genius to know who it was, the Black Lion had sent his hounds and they had found them, none of the cameras were working, neither were the elevators, he was trapped like a fucking rat.
-Well, he is here- said, to his surprise, Bullseye, before throwing some kind of unknown device onto the table, it looked like some sort of… grenade, which emitted a kind of blue light, before detonating in a flash of the same color, releasing a cyan wave that incapacitated Fisk, Hammerhead and their respective guards, leaving them levitating aimlessly throughout the room, completely defenseless.
-What the hell are you doing, Bullseye? Why are you betraying me, you bastard son of a bitch- spat Fisk furiously, his mouth the only thing he could move.
The answer? Bullseye began to change, his face becoming more feminine as blue skin and long, silky red hair emerged, revealing a face known to the Kingpin.
-Mystique- he whispered in realization, at the same time that the door of the hideout exploded and a contingent of soldiers and police stormed the room, all of them equipped with the new and gleaming military gear, courtesy of Evans Technologies.
His men never stood a chance.
-Good, you know why we are here and I will not waste time with stupidity, both of you are under arrest, you will be sent to the Tartarus detention center immediately, without right to trial or bail, the Ministry of Justice will deliver your sentence within a period of five weeks or five decades- said Captain George Stacy.
The soldiers subdued his defenseless men with speed, while a pair of enormous men, as famous as they were feared in the criminal world, made their appearance.
It was more than evident that they were different from the rest, they stood over two meters tall and wore armor straight out of science fiction, they moved like the predators they were, Fisk had only heard of them in rumors, he never thought he would have the bad luck to see one in person.
The infamous Spartans of the Black Lion, true super soldiers, a dark whispers in the criminal world.
-Good work Agent Darkholme, with this pair captured, the reconstruction of our city will be much easier- said the captain, shaking the hand of the redhead, who nodded and replied.
-I will inform Harrison of the success of the operation, Captain- said the mutant, nodding once more before leaving the room, although the thoughts about Mystique disappeared from Fisk’s mind the moment he felt the heavy footsteps of one of the legionnaires approaching.
-In the name of Harrison Evans, the Black Lion, Lord of Midgard, you are under arrest- said the distorted and powerful voice.
The last thing Fisk saw was the swift punch heading toward his face…
Before losing consciousness.
The game was over.
Of that there was no doubt.
He had not anticipated this shift on the board.
And now…
He would pay the price.
Harrison Evans – The Black Rock – New York.
-Excellent work Raven, once both are processed, report to the Rock for your next assignment- ordered Harrison, ending the call and focusing all his attention once again on his favorite blonde researcher.
-This is truly incredible, Sue, the geological indicators are clear, a war of massive proportions between two galactic powers- said Harrison with evident interest.
Sue nodded with an excited smile and said.
-Right? We believe that the consequence of that conflict is the reason why Mars is so damaged, the seed of life was planted and electromagnetic readings have begun to appear, we need a catalyst to trigger the atmospheric process-
Harrison stared intently at Sue’s reports, a fleet of alien ships within his reach was too good to pass up and this mysterious object with the remains of alien soldiers…
This was important.
Excessively so.
And it could not wait.
-Prepare everything for an expedition, once we deal with the matter of Bolivar Trask and his anti-mutant crusade we will go to Mars to study these ruins in depth- ordered Harrison calmly and serenely, making Sue nod.
-I will have everything ready, Harrison- said the beautiful blonde as she stood up and walked toward the Black Lion’s desk, sitting directly in front of him and spreading her legs boldly, revealing that beneath her skirt, she wore absolutely nothing.
-I have missed you, my love, my thighs have been cold, why don’t you lose yourself between them and help me relieve the stress of the past few weeks- purred Sue with a playful smile, as she slowly moved her foot with provocation across Harrison’s groin, tracing the outline of his virility.
Harrison looked at her with amusement, taking her foot into his lap, removing Sue’s shoe and beginning to kiss her foot softly, her nails were freshly painted, he could tell, green of course, the same color as Harrison’s eyes.
-They have been stressful weeks, the damned country was literally in the gutter before our intervention- confessed Harrison with weight, the task of ruling was titanic, even with the support of his women.
The blonde nodded with understanding, letting out a sigh of evident pleasure as she felt Harrison’s lips on her calf.
-I need you, Harrison, Gwen has kept my bed warm, but nothing compares to your virility claiming my insides, do not make me wait, take what is already yours- pleaded Sue, her voice thick with desire and determination.
Harrison looked at Sue with amusement, at the same time his irises began to glow, and the Black Lion used his magic to massage with extreme delicacy the nub nestled between Sue’s legs, making the beautiful doctor gasp in pleasure as she let out a loud moan.
-It will be tonight, Sue, we have postponed our meeting with King Namor for too long- he said firmly, but with a tone full of promise, making Sue pout before nodding softly.
-I understand, my love, but I will make sure to ride you tonight until you spill all your beautiful seed inside me- said Susan with determination, making Harrison smile and nod softly.
-I will keep that in mind, dear- said Harrison, making the blonde lean in and give him a promising kiss.
-Will the rest of the lionesses be joining us?- asked Sue, curiosity evident on her face.
Harrison shook his head softly and replied.
-No, dear, Emma and Storm are tracking Trask, Natasha and Sai are following the leads on the Security Council based on what we uncovered, Jean and Gwen are preparing for the terraforming of Mars and Wanda and Ilyana are occupied with mystical matters for me-
Susan nodded and replied.
-Then let us not waste time, dear, the King of Atlantis awaits-
And without saying anything more, Harrison took Sue by the waist and both disappeared, directly toward the coordinates provided by the King of Atlantis.
Right in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.
One blink later, and both were floating in the middle of the ocean, with nothing but water around them, Harrison floated while holding Sue with his power.
Moments later, an enormous vehicle emerged from the ocean, it was massive, made of an unknown alloy and with an unmistakable Atlantean design, it had the shape of a mechanical squid, according to his omni-tool, the Harrium levels of the Atlantean ship were quite high, revealing that very possibly, this thing could travel at hyperspace speeds.
A hatch at the top of the hangar opened, revealing Princess Neptunia, clearly waiting for them both.
Harrison did not waste time and simply landed, Sue to his side, nodding his head toward the beautiful princess, a gesture the dark-haired woman returned with a bow.
-King Harrison, welcome to “The Blessing of Poseidon”, one of our first prototypes for deep space exploration, and our vessel toward the anomaly, my cousin awaits us there- said the princess.
Harrison raised an eyebrow and responded with challenge.
-The King of Atlantis requests an urgent meeting and does not present himself at the agreed location?- he asked, steel in his voice, releasing a bit of his magic, making the Atlantean guards shudder for a moment, although it seemed to have no effect on the princess.
-My cousin’s duties bind him to Atlantis, and the anomaly has caused considerable problems, believe me, no offense was intended, once we reach ground zero, you will understand- said the princess, while signaling to repressurize the ship again as it slowly began to descend into the depths of the Indian Ocean.
Harrison and Sue followed the impressive princess through the corridors of the vessel, the architecture made it more than clear that this was not a human ship, it was fully adapted for Atlanteans, there were similarities, but not many.
-Impressive ship, adapted for marine environments, I assume King Namor will accept the proposal of mutual cooperation I offered- asked Harrison, making the princess nod calmly.
-Yes, the age of nations has ended and the great unification begins, as was foreseen, you dominate the west, Wakanda has emerged as the African power and expands its influence rapidly, Latveria has publicly declared its control over eastern Europe and Russia, while the Mandarin has stopped hiding and made his grip over Asia public, if we include my cousin with dominion over the oceans we have five kings ruling the world, something far more manageable than the two hundred useless leaders of before- said the princess calmly, making Harrison nod.
The princess was right, after all.
-I have sent emissaries to Latveria and China, I plan a global meeting at Olympus Station next month, I intend to address the matter of a unified front in our path toward the stars, the security of Midgard is a priority, the destruction of the Kree fleet will have a response, of that I have no doubt- he said with solemnity, making the princess nod calmly.
-Your words are sensible, but irrelevant for the moment, if we do not resolve the anomaly, there will be no planet left to defend- said the woman with solemnity.
Harrison was about to ask what she meant, when the princess spoke again.
-Look, before you, the anomaly, that which threatens to tear our world apart completely- said her voice filled with melancholy and desperation.
And Harrison understood her completely.
It was a fracture.
A massive one.
Surrounded and contained by an Atlantean barrier, with a dozen ships like the princess’s holding the tectonic plate together, attempting to prevent the fracture from growing larger.
A golden glow, mystical and powerful, emanated from the center of the Earth, titanic and ancient, a presence simply… overwhelming, which was connected directly to the planet’s core itself, feeding slowly.
What the hell was this shit? the Black Lion asked himself, receiving his answer a second later.
Directly in his mind.
-At last you have come Anomaly, just as my brother Esson said you would- said a grim, powerful and ancient voice, emerging directly from the fracture.
What the hell is this shit? he asked with clear caution, receiving an answer instantly.
-I am Tiamut the Communicator, and I have been waiting for you- said the mysterious voice, making Harrison swallow in fear and think a single word.
Shit.