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  We soon reached Sakura's ic, the Saintess of Hell's Kit—a name she’d earned for a reason. I always found it strange why Nero sent someone like her and Finn to a pown for its brutality, patg people up without asking too many questions and helping people. She was a legend in her ht, and walking through these streets with her ic as our destination? Well, it always felt like stepping into a safe zone, even if the world outside was burning down.

  As roached, Danny, who had been quietly trailing us, suddenly broke into a smile. “You know the Saintess?” he asked, like he’d just found out we were in on some big secret. His tone was casual, but there was a hint of respe his voice.

  Donald and I exged a quick look, surprised by his familiarity with Sakura. It was like finding out your new colleague was on a first-name basis with the office legend. But we pyed it cool. “We’re colleagues,” Donald answered, keeping it vague. Danny didn’t o know how deep our es really ran. Sakura was Nero’s summon, after all, but we weren’t about to let that slip.

  When we arrived, Sakura was just ing up with an elderly woman, her hands gentle as she helped the dy to the door. “Take care and don’t make any sudden moves,” she instructed, her voice calm but firm. “If you need anything, call me, and I’ll send Finn.”

  The old woman clutched Sakura’s hand, gratitude shining in her eyes. “Thank you, Saintess,” she said, her voice full of genuine relief. Sakura just waved her off with a smile, watg as the woman slowly made her way dowreet.

  That’s when her gaze nded on us, and more specifically, on Danny. “If you’re here for another patch-up, it’s enough. I told you not to be reckless,” she said, her tone slipping into that blend of exasperation and she often reserved for those who pushed themselves too hard. Then, her eyes widened slightly as she reized the rest of us. “Oh, do you all know each other?”

  Donald, ever the quick thinker, made a subtle gesture for Sakura to keep things professional. He stepped forward smoothly, his expression giving nothing away. “We met on the road. Danny seems to know about the Hand too.”

  Sakura’s eyebrows shot up, surprise evident on her usually posed face. “Danny? This Danny?” Her tone was more of a statement than a question, and I could see the wheels turning in her head as she quickly ected the dots.

  Danny, to his credit, took it all in stride. “I’ve had a few run-ins with the Hand,” he admitted, keeping it casual. “But it looks like we’re all on the same page now.”

  Sakura folded her arms, clearly intrigued. “We might be, but that doesn’t mean you should keep throwing yourself into fights like you’re iructible. You’re not invincible, Danny.”

  “Never said I was,” Danny replied, a slight grin tugging at his lips. “But someone’s gotta stop them, right?”

  I watched Sakura’s expression shift, caught between being impressed and dht ahere was a flicker nition in her eyes, and thetered something under her breath that sounded a lot like, “Just like another blonde idiot I know.” Before I could ask her what she meant, she sighed in that way that made it clear she was resigo dealing with whatever fresh mess had just walked through her door.

  "Get in," she said, waving us ihout any ceremony. There was an edge to her voice, but it was mixed with a kind of weary accepta was like she’d already accepted that trouble had a habit of following Danny around, and by extension, the rest of us.

  I stepped through the door after Donald and Danny, and the smell of aic hit me immediately. It was a , sharp st, the kind that always made me feel a little on edge, like I was waiting for bad news. I shook it off as we ehe main room. Finn was there, leaning against the wall with that id-back posture of his, but his eyes were sharp, taking ihing. Hercule was flipping through a magazine, of all things, and Luke Cage was sitting on one of the chairs, looking like he’d rather be anywhere else.

  When we walked in, Finn’s face lit up. “Danny!” he greeted, his tone light. “Been a while, man. You keeping out of trouble?”

  Danny grinned back, clearly at ease with Finn. “You know me, trouble finds me whether I’m looking for it or not.”

  Sakura walked past us and shot Danny a look that was all too familiar—like she was dealing with an unruly kid. “Yeah, and you never learn, do you?” She shook her head and moved to the ter, where she started s through some medical supplies.

  I took a step forward, trying to shake off the uhat had been creeping up on me. I g Danny, pying my part. “Since you know everyone here and I don’t know anyone, and I assume no one knows me either, you might as well introduce us.” I said, keeping the act going.

  Sakura, Finn, and Hercule, of course, knew me as well as I khem—nay, I khem eveer for sho! But Luke was a different story. I’d only retly heard about him. What was it Hercule said? Oh yeah, the guy with Full Body Haki. I couldn’t help but chuckle to myself. It’s funny how something like that could bee a point of amusement.

  Danny, ever the eager boy scout, nodded without missing a beat. “Sure thing,” he said, gesturing to each person as he spoke. “This here is Finn the Human—don’t let the name fool you, he’s got skills that would put most warriors to shame.”

  Finn fshed a grin and gave a casual salute with two fingers. "o meet you, man. Don’t worry, I don’t bite unless you ask me to."

  “Noted,” I said, returning the grin. Finn’s energy was iious, the kind of guy who could make you crack a smile evehe world was going to hell. Not that I’d admit that out loud, of course.

  Danny tinued with the intros, his toill light, as if we weren’t knee-deep in a situation that could blow up at any moment. “And this is Hercule Lucifer—known around here as the guy with the best burgers in town.”

  Hercule waved a zy hand from behind his magazine, not even b to look up. “Only when I’m not being dragged into saving the world,” he muttered, but there was a smirk on his face. The guy liked pying the role of the relut hero, but everyone in this room knew he’d jump into the fire without a sed thought if it meant keeping people safe.

  “Luke Cage,” Danny tinued, nodding toward the big guy sitting across the room. “You probably heard of him—Harlem’s own bulletproof protector.”

  Luke looked up from whatever deep thoughts he was drowning in, a curt nod. “o meet you,” he said, his tone polite but distant. Guy seemed like the strong, silent type, the kind who didn’t waste words on ies. I could respect that.

  Danny finally poi Sakura and said, "And you already know the Saintess." I nodded, keeping it cool. As Danny was about to introduce us to the others, he hesitated, scratg his head with a sheepish grin. “Oh, I fot to ask your names.”

  Donald, ever the no-nonseype, rolled his eyes and stepped forward. “I’m Donald, a doctor,” he said, his to, “and this here is Anthony, the muscle.”

  I shot Danny a nod, trying to downpy the bel. “Just the guy who keeps the doors from getting kicked in,” I added, hoping to lighten the mood. I wasn’t a fan of being beled as just the muscle, but Donald wasn’t wrong—keeping people safe was what I did best.

  Danny smiled, the awkwardness slipping away as he seemed to rex. “Good to meet you both,” he said. “We’re all on the same side here.”

  Sakura, who had been quietly , finally spoke up. “Alright, now that the introdus are out of the way, let’s focus on the real issue.” She turo Finn, who was still leaning against the wall, looking as casual as ever. “Finn, did you find out anything useful?”

  Finn pushed off the wall, his expression turning serious. “Yeah, I got a lead. There’s been some unusual activity he docks—shipments ing i night, no records, no paperwork. The locals are spooked, and no oalking, but I’ve got a feeling it’s ected to the Hand.”

  Danny houghtfully, abs the information. “Makes sehe docks are the perfect spot for moving illegal shipments without drawing too much attention. If the Hand is using Dragon Bohey’d want to keep it uhe radar.”

  Luke and Hercule, who had been listening silently from the side, suddenly blurted out in unison, "Fug what now?" The reaade me smile, not just because it ey own earlier fusion, but because it showed just how much of a bombshell this was.

  Sakura and Finn exged gnces, clearly irritated. Didn’t Hercule read memos? I mean, sure, the guy’s head is full of burger recipes and showy moves, but still. The boss had mentio—dragon bones werely something you just glossed over.

  Danny, taking in the room’s collective bafflement, decided to drop the knowledge. “Oh, so you don’t know,” he said, a little too casually for the gravity of what was ing. “Well, basically, the Hand uses Dragon Boo produce super soldier serums. But before they try it on their own, they test it on i people in Hell’s Kit and Harlem. You know, just to see the effects.”

  There was a beat of silence, like everyone rocessing what he’d just said. I could see the wheels turning in Luke’s head. The guy looked like he was ready to punch a hole through the wall. I didn’t bme him. This was his turf they were talking about, and these assholes were pying God with people’s lives.

  Hercule, for all his bravado and antics, had a rare moment of seriousness. He g me, then back at Danny, clearly disturbed by the whole idea. "You serious, man? They’re just using people as guinea pigs?"

  “Yep,” Danny firmed, crossing his arms. “That’s why we’ve got to act fast. They’re not going to stop until they’ve perfected this serum, and by then, it’ll be too te.”

  I could see where this was going, and I didn’t like it. If this was as bad as Danny was making it out to be, we weren’t just dealing with some drug pushers—we were up against an anized, ruthless group with the resources to pull off something that should be impossible. This wasn’t going to be a qui-and-out job. It was war.

  “Great,” I muttered under my breath. “As if Hell’s Kit wasn’t a big enough shitshow already.”

  Donald, who had been quiet so far, finally spoke up. “We o pinpoint where they’re operating from. Finn, you mentiohe docks—any idea which warehouse?”

  Finn shook his head, frustratioched across his face. "They’re too damn good at c their tracks. Tailing them? Nearly impossible."

  Danny frowned for a moment, then his eyes lit up with an idea. “Hey, I know a guy—a wyer, actually. He’s got a knack for tailing people, and I’m not just talking about in the courtroom. He’s pretty effective.”

  I couldn’t help but frown, the skepticism obvious in my tone. “A wyer? What the hell’s a wyer gonna do against the Hand? Write them a strongly worded letter?”

  Danny chuckled, shaking his head. “Trust me, this guy’s not just a wyer. You’ll see.” With that, he pulled out his phone and dialed a number.

  We all watched him as he held the phoo his ear, the room falling silent. “Matt, it’s Danny. Yeah, I know, but I need you to e to Saintess’s ic. It’s about the Hand.” He paused, listening ily, his expression growing more serious by the sed. “No, I’m not being rash. This time, I’ve got a team of professionals with me. Yeah, yeah, we won’t dive in headfirst. Just e, will you?”

  As Danny tinued his versation, I gnced around the room, noting the fusion on everyone’s faces. Well, almost everyone. Sakura, standing by the ter with her arms crossed, suddenly rubbed her temples as if she had a headache ing on. “Your wyer friend is Daredevil?” she snapped, her voice carrying a bit of exasperation and resignation.

  Danny’s smile turned awkward, but he nodded. “Yeah, you know him?”

  Sakura’s eyes narrowed, her frustration evident. “Of course I know him. Another rash idiot who always seems to show up at my ic half-dead. You sure know how to pick them, Danny.”

  I couldn’t help but chuckle at the image of this so-called Daredevil crawling into Sakura’s ic for a patch-up. But then something clicked in my mind, and I exged a quick look with Donald. We both turned our eyes to Finn, silently hoping he’d cat to what we were thinking. Finn caught the hint and nodded, pulling out his own phone.

  “I’ve got a guy too,” Finn said, his tone fident as he dialed. “A private iigator. Best in the business. He’ll know how to dig up dirt on the Hand without getting caught.”

  I leaned back, crossing my arms as I watched Finn make the call. L was a hat carried weight, even among our circle. If anyone could track down the Hand’s movements, it was him. We didn’t need a ninja or a viginte wyer; we needed someone who could outthink and outmahese bastards. And that’s exactly what L did best.

  The versation on Finn’s end was brief and to the point, his voice steady as he id out the situation. “L, it’s Finn. We’ve got a situation with the Hand, and we need your help. you get to Saintess’s ic? Yeah, it’s serious. Thanks.” He hung up, his expression unreadable as he turned back to us. “He’ll be here soon.”

  I nodded, satisfied that we had our bases covered. Between Daredevil and L, we had the brains and the brawn to take on whatever the Hand threw at us. Still, I couldn’t shake the feeling that we were walking into something bigger than any of us had anticipated.

  We didn’t have to wait long before Matt arrived, tapping his way into the ic with that signature calm fidence. Behind him, L and Jessica followed, each exuding a different kind of iy. Matt, the man who could hear a pin drop from across the room, led the way, his walking stick guiding him. L, with his hunched posture and disheveled hair, looked like he’d just rolled out of bed and onto a case. Jessica, well, she looked like she’d rather be anywhere but here, her hands stuffed into her jacket pockets, her expression a perma scowl.

  After another round of introdus and briefing the newers, Danny grinned as the three of them joined us, his enthusiasm almost boyish in trast to the seasoned fighters around him. "We made a sick team. In another life, we could be Defenders or something, right?"

  I couldn’t help but roll my eyes at that. Defenders? I didn’t know if Danny was delusional or just trying to lighten the mood. The guy was either too optimistic for his own good or had a different kind of screws loose, but I didn’t have time to dwell on it. We had bigger things to worry about.

  We turo L, knowing he was the guy who’d cut through the bullshit araight to what mattered. The guy looked like he hadn’t slept in days—hunched over, shadows under his eyes—but there was a sharpness in his gaze, like a predator who haden in weeks. Yeah, he was weird, but when it came to solving problems, he was the best of the best.

  L pulled a small notepad from his pocket, flipping it open with one hand while the other toyed with a pen. He didn’t waste time with pleasantries or small talk. “The Hand operates like any other a anization,” he began, his voice quiet but firm, “with yers of deceptioworks of loyalists, and the ability to vanish when threateheir current operation in Harlem and Hell’s Kit isn’t random—it’s strategic.”

  “Strategic how?” I asked, leaning in slightly, trying to follow his line of thinking. This wasn’t just some street gang peddling drugs; this was something way bigger.

  “They’re testing,” L tinued, scribbling something in his notepad befng up. “But not just for the purpose of creating super soldiers, as Daniohey’re gauging the city’s rea, how the authorities and local vigintes respond. It’s a form of psychological warfare—disrupt the unity, create chaos, and study the fallout.”

  I nodded slowly, abs his words. “So, they’re using the people as both test subjects and bait.”

  “Exactly,” L replied, his tone devoid of aion. “They’ve likely set up multiple yers of operations. The street dealers are disposable, meant to distract us while they operate from secure locations. We o find out where their main base is, but that won’t be easy.”

  “Docks are a starting point,” Donald added, his voice steady. “Finn said there’s been unusual activity there.”

  L nodded, aowledging the input without breaking stride. “The docks are likely one of several locations they’re using. We’ll o approach this methodically, narrowing down possibilities until we locate their nerve ter. The Hand isn’t sloppy—they won’t leave obvious clues. But they’re also not infallible. If we push in the right pces, they’ll make a mistake.”

  As L spoke, I could see the others abs the information. Finn, usually the first to crack a joke, was dead serious, his eyes locked on L. Danny, for all his boyish enthusiasm, was focused too, no doubt realizing that this was way beyond a simple punch-out with some bad guys. Even Hercule, who rarely took anything seriously, was leaning in, the weight of the situation finally hitting him.

  “So, what’s our first move?” I asked, keeping it simple. We had all the pieces; now we needed a pn to put them together.

  “We split up,” L replied without hesitation, his eyes darting across the room, assessing everyone’s strengths. “Jessid I will hit the docks. Danny and Matt, you two check out some of the smaller spots around Hell’s Kit—the kind of pces they might be using as temporary bases. Finn, you stay here and watch over the ic as usual and Luke you will get anyone affected by the drug to ic for Sakura and Donald to examine and heal. It’s a safe zone, and we o keep it that way.”

  “And what about me?” I asked, already itg for a.

  L looked at me, his gaze calg. “You’re with Hercule. You’ll be our mobile respoeam. If any of us runs into trouble, you’re the backup.”

  I couldn’t help but smirk at that. “Backup, huh? Just make sure you don’t .”

  L didn’t smile back—he wasn’t the type. Instead, he just nodded. “Let’s hope not.”

  We all nodded, ready for our assigs. Hercule, standing beside me, looked like he was still processing everything. Not that I bmed him—dragon bones in heroin wasly what anyone expected when they woke up this m. But there wasn’t time to dwell on it.

  "Alright, big guy," I said, g Hercule on the shoulder. "We’re the cavalry. Let’s make sure they don’t need saving, yeah?"

  Hercule shot me a sideways grin, trying to mask whatever nerves he might’ve been feeling. "You got it, man. We’ll be there before they even know they need us."

  I gnced around the room, taking in the rest of the team. L and Jessica had already started mapping out their route, quiet and effit. Finn was focused, cheg his gear. Matt and Danny were discussing their targets in Hell’s Kit, voices low but determined. Everyone was locked in, ready to move.

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