----
"You should rest."
Nolan stirred, and Jessica immediately stood up. "You're at my place. I'll grab you some milk," she said, heading for the kitchen.
His "wounded hero" act, costing over a hundred grand in setups and staging, had worked like a charm.
The usually short-tempered Jessica was now doting on him, checking on him nonstop.
"What about Matt?" Nolan asked quickly, feigning concern.
"He took some bullets to the arm and thigh, but nothing critical."
In truth, she was more worried about him. When she brought Nolan back, he looked like a ragdoll full of holes. If it weren't for his rapid healing, she might've thought he was dead.
Just then, the doorbell rang.
Jessica glanced over. "I'm terrible at cooking anything fancy, so I asked my neighbor to help out with dinner. I'll go give her a hand."
As soon as she stepped out, Nolan exhaled, murmuring to himself, "Hook, line, and sinker…"
He wasn't exactly a master of romance, but thanks to some intense recent study of behavioral psychology, it was clear that the two "desperate hero" acts had left a mark on Jessica's heart.
It wouldn't be long before he could harvest the fruit of his labor.
The memory of Jessica carrying him and Matt out of that war zone, risking her own safety to protect them, proved just how far she'd already fallen. If she'd acted selfishly, she could've escaped unscathed.
She was strong. Terrifyingly strong.
But the sweeter the fruit, the more time and patience the gardener must invest.
As for love? Nolan had no interest in distractions. Women only slowed down his rise to true power.
"Matt… I wonder if Klaue managed to grab him."
His phone had been destroyed in the explosion, so there was no way to contact Klaue directly. But he'd already instructed him to capture Matt. Nolan's job was to keep Jessica occupied.
Considering Matt's injuries and how effective Nolan's gear had proven to be against him if Klaue failed now, then he was truly worthless.
Nolan leaned back, letting his body rest. The faint smell of alcohol still lingered in Jessica's apartment, but the place was surprisingly clean. He'd half-expected to see empty bottles everywhere.
"Dinner's ready!" Jessica called out.
Nolan got up, surprised to find his clothes had been changed. Thankfully, he'd planned this well he hadn't carried anything incriminating on him.
During dinner, the elderly neighbor smiled warmly. "It's the first time I've seen Jessica this sober and her apartment this clean!"
Jessica groaned and covered her face. "Please stop…"
After the meal, Nolan spoke up. "That intel we got was fake. We walked straight into a setup."
Jessica's expression darkened. "I'm sorry."
Her informant had been someone she'd relied on for years. She hadn't expected them to sell her out.
"I'm fine. I am the Phoenix after all," Nolan said with a grin. "I was practically turned into Swiss cheese last night, and here I am. But it almost got you and Matt killed."
He locked eyes with her. "Matt, I could take or leave. But you? I couldn't stand seeing you hurt."
Jessica rolled her eyes at the shameless line.
"If Matt finds out you said that, he'll probably burst into tears," she said, amused. "But what now? Klaue's going to be on high alert after this."
"We just keep digging. But Hell's Kitchen is unstable right now. We should tread carefully."
Jessica nodded. "Yeah. Got it."
Before he left, Jessica gave Nolan a soft hug and kissed him gently on the cheek.
"Give me a little time," she whispered.
"Of course. A gentleman is always patient with a lady," Nolan said, touching his cheek. 'I guess she's into me, too. I want your body, and you want mine. Fair enough.'
---
Back at his own place, Nolan found it empty except for a phone and a piece of paper on the table.
The paper was covered in coded text. Nolan barely glanced at it before lighting it with a match and tossing it to the floor.
He picked up the phone and headed downstairs.
A cab was already waiting.
The driver said nothing. No questions. Just pulled away from the curb and drove.
Eventually, they reached a secluded estate on the outskirts of Manhattan. Sprawling grounds, distant from prying eyes.
As Nolan walked up, Klaue stepped out to greet him, grinning.
"How'd it go?"
"She's in. Shouldn't be long before she's fully under."
"That woman's scary strong," Klaue muttered. "If it hadn't been for you and the blind guy, she could've wiped out everyone in that warehouse."
"Why do you think I've invested so much time into her?" Nolan replied coolly.
They continued talking as armed guards patrolled the estate.
Inside, Klaue opened a reinforced door leading to an underground facility.
"I've got two labs down here. Logan's in one. And the guy you wanted… he's in the other."
They reached the lab. On the operating table lay Matt Murdock, unconscious. Blood trickled from his ears.
"We maxed out the sonic disruptor like you said," Klaue explained. "Nearly blew his eardrums out."
A few assistants were already prepping equipment.
Nolan slipped on a lab coat. "Bring in the subject. I'm ready to begin."
"They're prepped. Volunteers are standing by."
"With the serum, I only need one."
Three assistants entered, wheeling in the subject.
Nolan glanced at Matt and ordered, "Inject him with the Phoenix Serum. I need to perform a full anatomical study."
Daredevil wasn't just about hearing. His entire sensory matrix had evolved smell, touch, and even some kind of supernatural intuition. Nolan had to understand everything about how Matt's physiology had changed.
That meant cutting him open. Methodically. Precisely.
Without the Phoenix Serum, Matt wouldn't survive it. But Nolan needed to push his body to the brink and study how it reacted.
He also continued investigating the company behind Matt's original mutation. It wasn't an X-gene this was something else. A unique, singular evolution.
Gene transfer wouldn't cut it. He needed to dissect the source.
If he could unlock Daredevil's ultra-perception and combine it with Spider-Man's Spider-Sense then Nolan would have the ultimate counterattack system.
Unless someone vastly overpowered him, he would be untouchable.
The serum coursed through Matt's veins. Moments later, he stirred.
Then, with a hoarse voice, he whispered, "Nolan… it's you, isn't it?"
He didn't sound surprised.
He already knew.
----
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