Chapter 38: An Offer Silver Sable Can't Refuse
"Recently, New York's legal community has been quietly circulating a rumor. They say a group of people—over thirty individuals—have visited nearly half the law firms in New York, searching for a lawyer brave enough to prosecute Kingpin."
"I'm guessing you're one of them?"
Holden Bradley, whose hair had receded to just a tuft at his forehead—slicked back with gel in a futile attempt to simulate a full, sparse head of hair—asked with a smile.
Having left the abandoned subway station to continue his lawyer search, Batman nodded. His mouth stretched into a grin, his voice slightly high-pitched.
"Do you have any lawyer recommendations?"
He currently wore a green shirt and purple suit, topped with a green wig. His back was slightly hunched, his gait unsteady, his face a sickly pallor matching his posture.
Batman wouldn't be foolish enough to visit New York's law firms as Peter.
Just like when purchasing various tools, he'd prepared over thirty outfits in different styles, each with matching hairstyles, postures, mannerisms, and accents.
Since the ultra-thin biomimetic masks he'd used in Gotham required materials unavailable in ordinary markets, Batman opted for facial muscle control and colored contact lenses to alter his appearance.
This entire package created the impression among lawyers that "some gang of over thirty members with a grudge against Kingpin was asking around for attorneys."
"If you'd come one day earlier, I might have said 'no one.'"
The sparse-haired Holden smiled.
"But as luck would have it, a law firm that's struggled to land clients since opening seems interested in this case. He wants you at this address."
Holden handed Batman a slip of paper with two lines: "Nelson and Murdock Law Offices" on top, with a detailed Hell's Kitchen address below.
Batman performed an exaggerated knightly bow to the balding Holden, then hurried away with his unsteady gait.
"Well, if life didn't force people, would anyone willingly take a case against Kingpin? That's the crime emperor who controls all of Hell's Kitchen's underworld."
Holden watched the green-haired, purple-suited figure depart, sighing involuntarily.
....
"Precisely because no one dares take it, we should accept it proactively. Once we win this case, Nelson and Murdock Law Offices will definitely make a name in New York."
Matt Murdock, wearing dark red glasses, leisurely sipped tea while addressing his colleague and partner Foggy Nelson, who'd been complaining all morning.
"Listen to yourself—making it sound so simple." Foggy gesticulated frantically, almost ready to kneel and kowtow to his partner. "We're in Hell's Kitchen. Don't you understand what the name 'Kingpin' represents?"
"Bloodshed, brutality, gangs, gunfire—which of those labels sounds easy to deal with?"
Compared to the agitated Foggy, Matt remained completely calm, even making another pot of tea. His blindness didn't prevent him from accurately placing the tea bag in the cup.
"As long as this person obsessed with prosecuting Kingpin has enough criminal evidence against him, I believe the law will ultimately stand on our side."
Foggy grimaced, unable to change his colleague and partner's mind after a morning of dissuasion. Thinking of their safety, he decided to try another approach—maybe drag Matt to a bar tonight and get him blackout drunk.
Better the law office stay closed than have gangs show up late one night, turning them into meat scraps for stray dogs to carry around by morning.
Leaving Holden's office, Batman removed his disguise in a deserted alley.
The green wig, purple suit, and green shirt were all burned cleanly. He wiped the pale makeup from his face with prepared tissues.
Batman resumed Peter's identity and headed straight for the abandoned shipyard, then donned the dark gray Batsuit and traversed between high-rises, arriving moments later at the twentieth floor where Silver Sable Security was located.
He hadn't forgotten that in both Black Cat's and Silver Sable's eyes, he was Batman in the black suit—not Peter Parker.
Similarly, gathering criminal evidence against Kingpin and filing charges to force his divestment from Oscorp couldn't involve Batman directly. He needed an appropriate person to do this for him.
Among people connected to both Kingpin and Osborn, Batman knew few. Besides Black Cat, only Silver Sable was suitable as a plaintiff.
Batman didn't plan to have Black Cat openly accuse Kingpin. He needed her to continue infiltrating Kingpin's organization as a backup plan if the prosecution failed.
After various considerations, Batman once again entered Silver Sable's office through the window.
"Look, could you knock next time?"
Silver Sable had halted her search for the Hulk due to Oscorp's human experimentation exposure. She currently sat with her legs propped on her desk, upper body reclined in her chair, humming.
Batman's sudden appearance startled her. She reflexively sprang up into combat stance, then relaxed upon recognizing him, complaining despite herself.
Batman glanced down at his angular, sharp-edged suit without speaking.
Silver Sable shrugged and spread her hands, watching Batman in silence.
After several seconds of awkward silence, Silver Sable broke first.
"Last time you came looking for a lawyer. What brings you this time?"
When Batman last visited, he'd provided information about General Ross being the military force behind Oscorp. Silver Sable's subsequent investigation confirmed Batman hadn't deceived her.
This significantly reduced her wariness toward Batman. Her tone was less guarded than last time.
"I want you to be my partner—to prosecute Kingpin in court." Batman's voice was low.
Why should I?
That was Silver Sable's first thought. She didn't hide it, speaking bluntly.
"Why should I?"
As president of Silver Sable Security in New York, she naturally knew Kingpin's reputation as the underworld emperor, understood his constantly expanding territory and influence.
But what did that have to do with her? Lowering her guard didn't mean working for him. Even if Batman paid, her security company didn't provide that kind of service.
"You don't think that because I disapproved of Oscorp's human experimentation and proposed finding the Hulk, you can treat me like some naive, warmhearted girl, do you?"
Silver Sable reclined in her chair again, heavily propping her legs on the desk.
Thud!
Her combat boots collided with the desktop with a dull impact.
She fell silent, waiting for Batman to offer some convincing reason. Silver Sable doubted that was possible.
Batman seemed oblivious to her posture, his gaze showing no emotional fluctuation. Yet his opening words exceeded her expectations.
"I have reasons you can't refuse. More than one."