The small law office seemed to shrink even further as Tony Stark's presence filled the space with an almost gravitational pull. Karen Page and Foggy Nelson stood frozen near the coffee machine, their expressions cycling between awe, confusion, and barely controlled excitement at finding themselves in the same room as one of the world's most famous superheroes.
Matt Murdock, however, remained perfectly still behind his desk, his enhanced senses focused entirely on Tony Stark despite his inability to see the billionaire's face. Every subtle shift in Tony's breathing, every minor change in his heart rate, every microscopic alteration in his posture—Matt was cataloging them all, building a complete picture of the man who had invaded his carefully constructed double life.
"Uh... w-would you like something to drink?" Karen asked nervously, her voice higher than usual as she moved toward their ancient coffee machine. "Coffee? Water? We have some cookies that aren't too stale..."
"No, thank you," Tony replied with characteristic politeness, though his attention remained focused on Matt. "I appreciate the offer, but I'm hoping this won't take too long."
Foggy cleared his throat awkwardly, his legal training warring with his starstruck amazement. "So, um, what exactly can we do for you, Mr. Stark? I mean, we're just a small neighborhood firm. We mostly handle landlord disputes and minor criminal defense cases."
"Well, Mr. Nelson," Tony said with a slight smile, "it's not exactly your services I'm interested in. I'm here to see your partner."
Matt felt the weight of Tony's gaze settling on him like a physical presence. His enhanced hearing picked up the subtle changes in the room's acoustic signature as Tony leaned forward slightly, the sound of expensive fabric rustling against leather upholstery.
"Me?" Matt asked, his voice carefully neutral despite the tension building in his chest. "I have to ask, Mr. Stark—why would someone of your stature seek out a blind lawyer in Hell's Kitchen?"
Tony shrugged with studied casualness. "I need your help with something. Something that requires very specific skills and expertise."
"What kind of help?"
"The kind that's better discussed in private," Tony replied, his tone suggesting that this wasn't a request but a statement of fact. "Perhaps we could continue this conversation in your office?"
Matt's jaw tightened almost imperceptibly. The casual way Tony was maneuvering the situation, combined with last night's break-in, painted a picture of someone who knew far more than he was letting on.
Karen immediately stepped forward, her protective instincts overriding her awe at meeting a celebrity. "Is this something that requires attorney-client privilege? Because if Mr. Murdock is going to be representing you in some legal matter, there are procedures we need to follow—"
"Nothing quite so formal, Ms. Page," Tony interrupted gently. "I'm here to discuss a career opportunity with Mr. Murdock. Something that could benefit all three of you tremendously."
Foggy couldn't resist a nervous laugh. "What is this, some kind of offer he can't refuse? Are you going to make him a partner in Stark Industries or something?"
"More like a life-changing opportunity that would put your firm on the map in ways you can't imagine," Tony replied, his voice carrying undertones that suggested the opportunity came with risks as well as rewards.
Matt had remained silent throughout this exchange, his enhanced senses working overtime to analyze every aspect of Tony's behavior. When he finally spoke, his voice carried the kind of controlled intensity that made hardened criminals reconsider their life choices.
"What makes you so confident that I'd be interested, Mr. Stark? What if I'm perfectly satisfied with my current situation?"
Tony's response was immediate and devastating. "Then I think you might want to reconsider how long you kept Wilson Fisk locked up beyond his original sentence."
The effect of mentioning the Kingpin was immediate and profound. Karen's face went pale as she involuntarily took a step backward, her body language reflecting the trauma that still haunted her from their confrontation with Hell's Kitchen's most dangerous crime lord. Matt's entire posture shifted, his hands gripping his cane with enough force to leave permanent impressions in the wood.
"I don't mean to brag," Tony continued conversationally, "but I did have some influence in extending his incarceration beyond the original plea bargain. And through certain security networks that shall remain nameless, I've learned quite a bit about the unofficial methods used to gather evidence against him."
"Stop," Matt said quietly, the single word carrying enough menace to make even Tony Stark pause. "Just... stop."
The blind lawyer stood up slowly, his movements carrying the controlled precision of someone accustomed to violence. "Let's continue this conversation in my office. Now."
Tony raised his hands in a gesture of mock surprise, though his expression suggested he had expected exactly this reaction. "Of course. Lead the way, counselor."
Matt's private office was even smaller than the main reception area, barely large enough for a desk, two client chairs, and the law books that lined every available wall space. The three men arranged themselves carefully—Matt behind his desk in the position of authority, Foggy in the chair beside him as moral support, and Tony across from them both like a defendant facing judgment.
Except that Tony Stark looked anything but defensive. He leaned back in his chair with the casual confidence of someone holding all the cards, his fingers steepled as he studied Matt's face with obvious interest.
"Let's cut through the pleasantries, Stark," Matt said bluntly. "Why do you want me to join the Avengers?"
The question hit Foggy like a physical blow. His face went through several color changes before settling on a shade of pale that suggested he might faint. He looked back and forth between Matt and Tony like a spectator at a tennis match, his mouth opening and closing soundlessly.
Tony chuckled with genuine amusement. "What makes you think that's what I'm here for?"
"Mr. Stark," Matt replied with the kind of deadly calm that had made him legendary in Hell's Kitchen's courtrooms, "I'm not in the mood for games. Your little threat about Fisk was essentially you announcing to the world that you know who I am and what I do when the sun goes down. The only reason you could have that information is because you've been investigating me, which means you want something specific."
Tony's expression grew more serious, the playful mask dropping away to reveal something approaching respect. "Fair enough, Mr. Murdock. Yes, I want you to join the Avengers."
Foggy made a sound somewhere between a gasp and a choke, his hands gripping the arms of his chair hard enough to leave permanent impressions. "You want him to what?!"
"I decline," Matt said immediately, his voice carrying absolute finality.
"What?!" Foggy practically shouted, jumping to his feet with such force that his chair nearly tipped over. "Matt, are you insane? He just offered you a spot on the freaking Avengers!"
Tony seemed remarkably calm about the rejection, as if he had expected it. He leaned forward slightly, his voice taking on a more serious tone.
"Before you make that decision final, Matt, there's something you need to know. The world has been under constant threat for the past few years, and those threats have been escalating since the Battle of New York three years ago."
Both lawyers were intimately familiar with the Battle of New York. The alien invasion had fundamentally changed humanity's understanding of their place in the universe, proving that Earth was part of a larger cosmic community that wasn't necessarily friendly.
"However," Tony continued, his voice growing heavier with each word, "something has happened recently that changes everything. Most of my team—my friends—have gone missing."
"Missing how?" Matt asked, his enhanced senses detecting subtle changes in Tony's voice that suggested genuine grief and desperation.
"They went to investigate a HYDRA facility in Eastern Europe two weeks ago. Nine of them….they simply... vanished."
The silence that followed was profound. Matt and Foggy sat in stunned disbelief, trying to process the implications of what they had just heard.
"Nine Avengers are missing?" Foggy whispered. "How is that even possible?"
"I wish I knew," Tony replied, and Matt's enhanced hearing detected the pain in his voice. "I've been searching for them nonstop since it happened. I've used every resource at my disposal, called in every favor, analyzed every piece of evidence I could find. They're just... gone."
Matt leaned back in his chair, his mind racing through the implications. If most of the Avengers were truly missing, then Earth was more vulnerable than it had been since the formation of the team. The kinds of threats that required superhuman intervention to address were still out there, but the people capable of handling them had disappeared.
"Mr. Stark," Matt said carefully, his voice carrying none of its earlier hostility, "given what you've just told me, I need to reconsider my response to your invitation. I may have been... hasty in my initial rejection."
Tony's smile was genuinely warm for the first time since entering their office. "That's exactly what I was hoping to hear."
He stood up and extended his hand across the desk. Matt rose to meet him, and their handshake carried the weight of a commitment that would change everything for both men.
"I'll be in touch soon with more details," Tony said as he prepared to leave. "There are a few other people I need to recruit first, but I think you're going to fit right in with what we're building."
After Tony left, Foggy turned to his best friend with an expression that mixed excitement with concern. "So you're an Avenger now?"
"Let's not get ahead of ourselves, Foggy," Matt replied cautiously. "This is still just a conversation at this point."
"But you're seriously considering it, aren't you? Matt, this is the Avengers we're talking about. Earth's Mightiest Heroes want you on their team."
Matt remained silent for several moments, his enhanced hearing tracking Tony's footsteps as the billionaire made his way through the building and out onto the street. The decision to join the Avengers wasn't one he could make lightly—it would affect not just his own life, but the lives of everyone he cared about.
"This changes everything, Foggy," Matt finally said. "If I'm really going to be part of this, there are things that both you and Karen need to know. Things I should have told you a long time ago."
Foggy frowned, some of his excitement fading as he recognized the serious tone in his friend's voice. "What kind of things, Matt?"
Matt looked toward the door of his office, knowing that Karen was just outside, probably trying to piece together what she had overheard of their conversation. "The kind of things that explain why Tony Stark knew he could find me here, and why he was so confident that I'd eventually say yes to his offer."
"Matt," Foggy said quietly, "what aren't you telling us?"
Before Matt could formulate an answer that wouldn't completely shatter his best friend's trust, Karen's voice cut through the office like a knife.
"WHAT?!"
The scream was followed by the sound of papers scattering and a chair being knocked over. Matt's enhanced hearing detected Karen's elevated heart rate and rapid breathing, suggesting she had heard enough of their conversation to piece together some very disturbing conclusions.
"I think," Matt said grimly, "she's starting to figure it out."
Outside on the street, Tony Stark paused as he heard the commotion from the law office. He checked his watch and smiled to himself, recognizing the sound of a carefully constructed secret identity beginning to unravel.
"Looks like Ms. Page is getting her first introduction to the truth about her boss," Tony murmured. "This should be interesting."
As he walked toward his waiting car, Tony reflected on the morning's success. Matt Murdock was exactly the kind of person they needed—someone with both the skills to handle dangerous situations and the moral compass to make difficult decisions under pressure. The fact that he was also a lawyer could prove invaluable when dealing with the kinds of legal and political complications that superhero work inevitably created.
Now he just had to hope that Daredevil's recruitment wouldn't destroy the law firm that had become his anchor to normal human concerns. Because if Tony's suspicions about their missing teammates were correct, they were going to need every advantage they could get in the battles ahead.
Behind him, the sounds of raised voices and frantic explanations drifted from the office windows, marking the moment when Matt Murdock's carefully maintained double life finally began to collapse.
But sometimes, Tony reflected, things had to fall apart before they could be rebuilt into something stronger.