Matt had made a promise to Robert. It sounded easy enough—just apply a strange powder Robert gave him all over his Daredevil suit. Matt didn't ask questions. He trusted Robert, at least enough not to think he'd sabotage him. But the moment he went out that night in his suit, he realized something was wrong. He hadn't even turned the corner before a group of street punks spotted him and yelled in surprise. Then, they beat him up before he managed to get away.
It wasn't until Matt saw his reflection in a broken window that he understood what had happened. His entire suit was glowing with bright red light, more vibrant than the street lamps. Robert had given him fluorescent powder. Instead of blending into the night like usual, Matt looked like a human glow stick. He wasn't the demon of the dark anymore—he was the most eye-catching person in Hell's Kitchen.
If Matt weren't Catholic, he might've let out a stream of curses. Instead, he gritted his teeth and confronted Robert. But Robert, as usual, had an explanation.
"Look, listen to me," Robert said with a serious face. "There are only two of us trying to break into the enemy's hideout. If we get discovered, we'll be lucky to escape alive, let alone save anyone. We need a solid strategy."
Matt crossed his arms, still glowing like a lightbulb. "And this has what to do with making me a human flashlight?"
Robert smiled. "Because we need a distraction. One person draws all the attention, while the other sneaks in to rescue the hostage. Classic 'lure the tiger from the mountain' move."
Matt stared. "And I'm the bait, aren't I?"
"You said it, not me," Robert replied, throwing him a thumbs-up. "But hey, it's a very important job. You'll be helping me succeed."
Matt sighed. There was no point arguing. With the way he looked right now, he couldn't sneak up on a blind dog.
They didn't waste any more time. As Matt jumped from building to building, glowing red in the shadows, Robert followed behind him on foot. Before they moved, Robert grabbed a large bag from his motorcycle and slung it over his shoulder. Matt didn't ask what was in it. He already had enough weird surprises for one day.
Soon, they arrived at a quiet street outside a plain-looking building. Matt pointed to it from behind a wall. "This building looks like a regular shipping company from Japan, but it's actually one of the main bases of the Hand. The workers inside? All ninjas in disguise."
Robert peered at the building, unimpressed. "As long as they don't start making hand signs like in anime, I'm not worried."
He handed Matt a small earpiece. "Here. Comms. We'll split up soon."
Instead of going through the front entrance, they entered the underground parking garage. As they stepped inside, Robert pulled out a pistol from under his coat and fired a strange bullet at the nearby security camera. The screen blinked once, then froze. "Video loop jammer. Got it from Weasel. These guys won't see a thing."
With that, they moved quickly up the stairwell. The building had more than fifteen floors. They decided to start from the top and work their way down. When they reached the thirteenth floor, Matt held up a hand, signaling Robert to stop. He pressed his ear to the door.
"Quiet," he whispered. "No movement yet. Let's go."
They slipped into the hallway. It was pitch black. All the lights were off, and the silence was heavy. The air felt cold and heavy, like something terrible had happened—or was about to.
They crept forward. The floorboards didn't creak, and they kept close to the walls. But just a few steps in, Matt suddenly stopped again. "Wait," he whispered, "I hear someone."
Robert didn't hesitate. He turned and silently returned to the stairwell. Matt, however, ducked into a dark corner nearby, using his experience to blend into the shadows.
He had done this many times before. He knew the exact blind spots where no one would look, the exact posture to hold so he wouldn't be noticed. Matt might be glowing now, but he still had the instincts of a hunter.
As the two figures came closer, Matt held his breath. He could feel their footsteps, hear their quiet breathing. They walked right past his hiding spot.
But then—
"Hey," one of them said. "Who forgot to turn off the light over there?"
"Huh? Baka! That's not a light… That's a person! There's an intruder!!"
Matt's heart sank. He had forgotten about the powder. Of course he was glowing like a red Christmas ornament in the dark!
Before the two ninjas could shout again, Robert came charging back from the stairs. He moved fast and hit hard. With a clean sweep of his legs and a swing of his fist, he knocked both of them unconscious in seconds.
"You alright, glowing lawyer?" Robert asked as he dragged the bodies into a janitor's closet.
"I hate you," Matt muttered.
They continued their search, now more alert. Every time they heard footsteps, Robert would take care of the problem before Matt could even react. His stealth skills were surprisingly good for someone who talked so much.
Finally, they reached the top floor. Robert glanced through a half-open door and whispered, "I see her."
Erica was tied to a chair inside a small room. Two ninjas stood guard beside her. Without speaking, Robert pulled a smoke grenade from his bag and rolled it into the room. It exploded with a loud hiss, filling the space with thick white smoke.
The guards began to panic.
Then came the sound of fists hitting flesh, bodies slamming into walls, and muffled grunts. When the smoke cleared, Matt walked in and quickly untied Erica.
She looked at him, dazed. "Matt?"
"Yeah, it's me. Long story. Let's get out of here."
"Who's the guy in the priest coat?"
"That's Robert. Don't ask."
Robert waved from the doorway. "Time to go!"
The three of them made their way down the building. Thanks to the chaos they had caused earlier, most of the guards were scattered and confused. They slipped out through the back exit and into a nearby alley where Robert had parked the motorcycle.
"We made it," Matt said, helping Erica onto the bike.
Robert hopped into the driver's seat. "Hold tight."
"Wait," Matt said, staring at Robert's back suspiciously. "Why are there more bags in the back?"
Robert grinned. "Just some... treasure hunting. I found a safe room on the top floor. You wouldn't believe how much cash these guys had stashed away."
Matt shook his head. "You robbed them?"
"I call it payment for service."
As the motorcycle roared to life and disappeared into the night, Matt muttered, "I seriously need new friends."
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