As much as Nolan wished the Manhattan police were truly blind, he knew that wasn't possible.
The only explanation left was chilling someone inside the force had been bought off. Which meant relying on the police to trace the assassin back to the mastermind was out of the question.
That realization darkened his expression. The idea that another attempt on his life could come at any moment was suffocating.
"Jessica, can you help me investigate that hitman in secret?"
Lying on the hospital bed, Nolan lowered his voice when no one was around.
Jessica Jones nodded. "Of course. I'll try, though I can't promise I'll find anything."
Nolan gave a cold laugh. He wasn't an old schemer yet, but he was no fool.
"Actually, it's not that difficult. There weren't many people on the street that night, especially that late. There are plenty of shops nearby. If you can get your hands on some surveillance footage, or ask the owners a few questions, I'm sure you'll find something.
"And there's another way..."
He paused, then added, "Find any gang, describe that bastard's features. I guarantee you'll get results."
Jessica's eyes lit up at that. She clearly preferred the second option.
Watching her leave, Nolan sat upright on the bed.
Thankfully, his injuries weren't too severe, and with top-tier medical care, he was recovering well. If things went smoothly, he could be discharged in a month.
The hospital kept him cut off from the outside world, but it also served as a shield. And the two officers posted outside his door around the clock gave him at least some peace of mind. Clearly, not every cop in Manhattan was on someone's payroll.
Meanwhile, in the seedy underbelly of Hell's Kitchen, the Aryan Brotherhood held court in a building they controlled.
The two brothers sat lounging on a sofa, facing a man with messy, unkempt hair.
"It's been half a month. You swore Nolan Locke would be dead within a week."
The man trembled. "B-boss, just give me a little more time. I swear I'll kill him!"
The elder brother's hawk-like eyes narrowed. "More time? Do you even understand who Nolan Locke is? The longer you drag this out, the harder it'll be to keep the cops off our backs.
"Harlan, if you can't kill him, then maybe it's time we put you out of your misery."
Harlan's pupils shrank. He clenched his jaw.
"Three days. Give me three more days. Even if he's holed up in a hospital, I'll finish him!"
The brothers finally nodded, satisfied.
"Once it's done, you turn yourself in. Think about your aging mother. The compensation we'll pay will be enough for her to live comfortably for the rest of her life.
"You're a junkie. You have no future."
At those words, Harlan's face twisted. For his mother's sake, he would kill Nolan Locke.
After Harlan left, the two brothers sat in silence for a moment.
"I hear someone's been asking questions about us. Could it be Nolan Locke's people?"
"So what? If they find us, we'll kill them too. Since when have the Aryan Brothers ever been afraid?"
"True enough."
They locked eyes and burst into laughter. Their rise had been built on nothing but blood and corpses.
Back at the hospital, Jessica returned with new information.
"I found out the name of the guy who tried to kill you. Harlan he's with the Aryan Brotherhood. But he's been missing for a while. I asked some of their guys, and none of them know where he is."
"The Aryan Brotherhood?"
Nolan frowned. He hadn't heard that name before, but he only half-believed Jessica's words.
Harlan... Even if the rank-and-file didn't know, the leaders definitely did. A hit like that didn't happen without someone pulling strings.
"Got it. Thanks, Jessica. This wasn't your problem, but you helped anyway."
Jessica smiled. "Hey, don't forget you're my boss."
Nolan chuckled, then asked with a hopeful look, "What about boss and boyfriend? Can't I be both?"
Jessica's cheeks flushed. "Not a chance."
Nolan shrugged. "Fair enough. I'm not giving up, though."
The attempt on his life almost certainly tied back to someone on the company's board, but there were too many directors to narrow it down. For now, the only lead was the Aryan Brotherhood.
And the truth was undeniable he couldn't know when the next attack would come.
Late that night, Nolan managed to hobble to the bathroom on his own. When he came back, he noticed only one officer outside his door.
"Hey, where's the other one?" he asked, wary.
"Don't worry. Todd just stepped out to take a call family matter."
"Thanks." Nolan nodded, relieved, but he didn't know the remaining officer had also just received a call. After a moment's hesitation, that cop stepped away to answer.
It would only take a few minutes, he thought. Nothing could happen.
But as soon as he left, Harlan appeared wearing a white doctor's coat, eyes burning with madness.
Before even reaching the door, he pulled out a pistol.
Bang!
He kicked hard at the door. He wasn't strong, just a junkie, but the flimsy hospital door wasn't built to withstand abuse. After a few strikes, it crashed open.
The noise jolted Jessica awake.
"Fuck!" she cursed, springing up from the cot.
Nolan's blood ran cold the moment he heard the voice. He would never forget it.
"Jessica!" he shouted desperately. With the cops gone, she was his only hope.
Jessica didn't need the reminder. She strode straight for the door.
Harlan shoved it open and stormed in, shouting, "Nolan, this time you die—"
He stopped mid-sentence when he saw Jessica standing right there. He remembered her inhuman strength and speed all too well. His face froze.
But Jessica didn't hesitate. She'd already grabbed a chair, and she swung it full-force into his skull.
Harlan dropped like a stone.
Jessica prodded his body with her foot and scoffed. "The nerve of this guy, showing up again. Guess junkies don't know when to quit."
Confirming he was out cold, Nolan finally exhaled in relief. But his expression darkened.
"That wasn't courage. Someone gave him the guts to come after me."
Nolan clenched his teeth in fury.
Two attacks in half a month. Could he even last two more months at this rate? What a joke.
Whoever was behind this, he would strike back. He had no other choice.