His world is one of eternal darkness, but oh how the darkness is filled! Images ,
more vivid then any eyesight, supplied by a unique "Radar sense", as well as
hyper acute senses make his world a unique and astonishing place. By day he is a well
known and respected lawyer, by night a different kind of defender, one who is known by his
enemies as a "Man without fear". Years of training along with his amazing senses
have made him a man who instills fear instead. Armed with his multi purpose "Billy
Club" he swings through the Manhattan skyline , battling evil and injustice wherever
it rears its ugly face. He is....
What has gone before : Last issue Daredevil was attacked by the feral assassin
Sabertooth. Watching from the shadows was DD's former lover , Elektra. Immediately after
Sabertooths defeat, Elektra informed DD of the fall of the Chaste*, and moments later,
Daredevil collapsed, due to a slash from Sabertooths poisoned claws. As he fell a new
player entered the game. One most familiar with Daredevil, but not so with Elektra. It's
the woman known as
*See the last few issues of Elektras' own magazine.
"The Black Widow!?!" Elektra exclaims, stunned, "What are you doing
here? What do you want?"
"I want you to stand away from Daredevil , NOW!"
To emphasize her determination, Natasha Romanoff fires a blast from her Widows bite,
which Elektra deftly avoids, with a quick backflip away from the beautiful spy, to land on
her feet, her sai pulled from their resting place with a slight hiss.
"You started this fight Widow. Leave now and I won't hurt you."
"Hurt me? Do you know who I am? What I am capable of? Perhaps a lesson is in
order."
The Black Widow fires her bite again, from her right hand, as Elektra leaps to avoid it, the Widow fires her widows line from her left wrist. Ensnaring Elektras feet, she yanks, slamming the gorgeous former assassin down, hard.
"Uuummph" Grunts Elektra, as her chin impacts the rooftop, with a bang.
"Enough of this!" She shouts, as she hurls her sai in her right hand at
Romanoffs midsection, using the other one to cut the line at her ankles.
The Widow leaps sideways, but a hair to slow, the Sai cuts her slightly along her left
side, just below her breast.
"Arrgh, Not bad woman, but you'll have to do better to beat this former
Avenger."
The two women begin to circle each other closely , as they take each others measure.
Sizing the other up for close combat, then , almost simultaneously, they strike!
The Widows palm blow slides passed Elektras' cheek, barely grazing her face, as Elektra
throws a spinning right elbow into the Widows jaw, solidly.
Crack!
The Widow begins to stumble backwards , as Elektra pushes her advantage, throwing a
side thrust kick into the black garbed beauty's mid section.
Poom!
Natasha goes down, as Elektra circles in closer to finish her foe off, but the Black
Widow is far from done, with a vicious slash of her right leg, she sweeps Elektras out
from under her, knocking Elektra to the ground , ungraciously. A quick kip up, and the
Widow now presses her advantage. With a speed that blurs the eyes, Natasha Romanoff leaps
after Elektra, looking to land her boot in the former assassin's throat! But at the last
possible instant, Elektra rolls away, the widows boot grazes her jaw, leaving an ugly
gash.
Elektra rolls over backwards to an immediate standing position, hands at the ready.
Both antagonists have taken the measure of the other, and both are suitably impressed!
They begin to circle each other, Feinting ,and dodging. Looking for that one opening.
All around them pigeons fly, as clothes lines flutter on the rooftop battleground.
Then, the Widow drives forward hard, her left cross aiming at Elektra's face. Dodging
hard to the outside of the intended blow, Elektra throws a savage roundhouse kick to the
Widows kidney area.
"Agggh!" Gasps the Widow, as she uses the blows forward momentum to spin her
around. She lashes out with a right backfist, that Elektra ducks under with a quick weave,
to drive an uppercut to the Widows jaw, actually lifting her off her feet!
Pow!
The Widow drops to the rooftop , hard, and in pain, as again , Elektra advances , this
time for the kill.
"No more games." The Widow angrily yells, as she fires her bite once more ,
at point blank range, into Elektras' stomach!
Frr-ZAAT!
"AGGGGHHHH!" The crimson clad beauty howls as she drops to the ground, to one
knee. Barely awake, fighting to stay that way with every breath.
"You give a good accounting of yourself killer. I know who you are, and I know
that Daredevil at one time was associated with you. But he was my partner. Whatever you
have done to him had better be undoable woman, or I swear, you'll know why men the world
over fear the Black Widow."
"I -did-nothing -to-him."Elektra painfully says, "He -was
attacked-by--"
"Sabertooth." A pained voice grunts out. Both women turn towards the sound of
that voice, towards Daredevil. "It was Sabertooth. His claws,.....Poisoned."
With that Daredevil passes out once more.
Hours later.........
Deep in Avengers mansion is the medical facility. Here Daredevil suddenly awakens with
a start,. He's wearing nothing save his mask, and a pair of shorts. His cheek is bandaged.
"Wha--? Where am I? Elektra? "
He searches the room with his amazing senses, and then trains them out of the room,
when he hears a familiar and friendly heartbeat. An instant later, Captain America enters
the room.
"So you're finally awake Daredevil, how do you feel? "
"Like a truck hit me, " But that happened already. Thinks the man
without fear to himself. Years ago. It's what made me see the world in a different way
"I remember being poisoned, and there was a fight."
"Yes DD, there was, and the Widow found you unconscious on the roof. Your attacker
must have gotten away."
"Hhhmm, where's Natasha now? I'd like to speak to her."
"She'll return in a moment, she went to the kitchen with Jarvis to get a sandwich.
You were poisoned by the way, but luckily our toxicology lab has all the known antidotes
on file. It was a simple matter for Dr. Kincaid to whip up something to save you . I have
to tell you though, he was surprised you survived as long as you did. If Natasha hadn't
radioed this to us as a priority one alert, you wouldn't have survived Sabertooths
attack."
"She saw no one else there?"
"No DD. Just you."
Daredevil listens to Captain America's strong, steady heartbeat.
He's telling the truth. He thinks to himself. That means Tasha didn't tell
him about Elektra. Why?
Just then the Black Widow enters the room, obviously surprised to see Daredevil awake.
" You look better." She turns to Cap, "Would you mind leaving us alone
for a moment Captain?"
Cap smiles, "Not at all Natasha. Rest Daredevil, you can stay here as long as you
like, though I have a feeling you won't take advantage of our hospitality."
DD shakes Caps hand, as the star spangled Avenger turns and leaves.
DD turns towards the Widow, his radar sense playing over her exquisite form.
"Why Natasha? "
"Because she loves you. As I do. That is why Matthew."
"Hhmmph, you both call me that you know, in almost the same way too."
"It seems we have that at least in common Daredevil."
"Where is she 'Tasha?"
The Widow tilts her head towards the window.
"She is around , close by. Go to her. Her tale is intriguing, as well as fraught
with untold danger. Be careful. Once more the Hand has entered your life my friend. This
time I will not be there to help you. Also, if you and this woman cannot clear her name in
a reasonable amount of time, be forewarned that the authorities have already sought the
Avengers aid in capturing her."
"The Avengers? Why? She's no super powered threat."
"Perhaps not , but they cannot find her, and they have been looking. They know
from experience how well trained an opponent she is, as do I. If they cannot find her
soon, they will seek further assistance from the Avengers."
DD shakes his head, as he stands on unsteady legs and begins to don his costume once
more, this time the Black Widow is the one to stare, her eyes covering every inch of his
body as he finishes putting on the familiar and feared costume.
"Thanks 'Tasha, I do appreciate the save."
He wraps his arms around her and kisses her passionately, she returns the kiss, with
just as much fire.
"Something to remember me by Matthew."
He smiles, and is gone. His billy club line snaking out to a nearby tree, he swings
away, into the early evening sky. A block away, he stops, landing stealthily on a rooftop
above a Japanese restaurant.
"You can come out now."
The young woman slides out from behind the brick and mortar chimney, and instantly DD
realizes it's not who he thought it was. The blonde laughs, as her heartbeat changes
syncopation before his ears!
"Hiya red. We've never been formerly introduced, but you can call me Nasty Nina. I
was your buddy Elektra' protege."
DD sets his jaw, anger begins to well up inside his chest, as he begins to walk towards
the girl on the rooftop.
"Where is she? Where's Elektra?"
Nina giggles as he approaches. "Oh, she's around here somewhere." She looks
around playfully. "But I wouldn't be worried about her, I brought someone else to
along play too."
Too late DD realizes his mistake. The long day has taken its toll on him, as he spins,
a bit to slow, and he feels as if a mountain has fallen on him for his efforts! The man is
HUGE! Almost as large as the Hulk, but no where near as powerful, but still , his strength
is preternatural! One blow from his incredibly swift hand nearly decapitates Daredevil, as
he struggles to remain awake, struggles and ultimately fails, all Matt Murdock can think
of is "How? How'd they do these things? Why didn't I hear this behemoth approaching?
How'd Nina change her heartbeats signature?" And then all goes black........
Next: Into the pit!
Dare-ing to be different