Work Text:
She turns to Lucky, chained up beside her. "What have we gotten ourselves into this time..."
...
The day had started well, Kate was finally getting back on her own two feet. Since the incident with the bell tower last year, and her mother getting arrested, she had struggled to maintain her lifestyle. Some of her mother's assets had been passed to her ownership, but through a cruel twist of fate, Wilson Fisk's new mayorship had introduced rules against vigilantes getting, well, just about anything. Sadly she couldn't afford a lawyer for what she was rightfully entitled to.
Thankfully Kate had never chosen to be an anonymous vigilante, and having sworn at a legal hearing not to take the law into her own hands again she was let go with just a warning.
She had enough to keep her apartment running, but had gotten a job waitressing at a local restaurant to cover other necessities and luxuries (she would often consider her archery equipment the former). She had gotten into trouble for opting not to wear the designated women's uniform, choosing the men's attire instead, but after a firm stance from her they let her keep wearing them, after all she wore them better than the male servers! This week, she had decided to take a long weekend off, not due to return until Wednesday. The whole experience had been quite an adjustment for her.
Her Saturday morning started by washing her only fork, and putting a ready meal in the microwave. She fed her Dog a slice of leftover Pizza, and Kate could see the glee in his eye. After all, he earned his title as "the Pizza Dog" and intended to live up to it! Everyday she made a point of practising her archery skills, and headed out early with Lucky to a local private park where she had set up some targets to fire at. The owner of this small piece of land, an older woman named Emily, had kindly given her permission to practise there. Last Christmas Kate had saved her life, so she felt indebted to her.
Secretly, Kate had been on the trail of a rising gang in NYC. Her experience with the tracksuit mafia had left her distasteful of any gang in her city. Due to her pledge to follow the new laws she couldn't hunt them down in the same way as her adventure with her idol, Clint, but she knew she had to find out what they're up to. The gang had been nicknamed EEHAP by the local papers - "Extreme Enemies of the Hazardous And Polite" due to how they didn't discriminate who they hit. The remnants of Kingpin's factions (now rumoured to be run by his wife Vanessa) were being hit just as hard as the good working people of New York. She had tried raising awareness of them before, only to be met with a complete indifference from the police. For some reason BB had chosen not to mention them in her reports. However, the reckoned she had located their hideout and intended to scope the place out tonight.
Whilst Lucky chased some birds, Kate went round her set of targets, hitting the Bullseye on every single one she shot towards. She challenged herself by doing them from all distances, doing them while running and throwing some amazing gymnastic flips. Her skills so honed that her Anchor Point was always perfect. She effortlessly pulled more arrows from her quiver as she tried to beat her personal record to hit all the targets in the park at speed.
As she approached her final target, she saw some stranger's clamber out of a van and start moving her way...
"KATE BISHOP!" screamed one of men. "Oh sh*t" Kate uttered. She recognised their outfits, masked with an odd combination of black clothing with awful green stripes and dark orange shoes, like tic-tacs gone wrong. EEHAP members. She shouted for Lucky and started to run. Why the hell were they after her?
Feeling them closing in, Kate shot an arrow at one of the pursuers, hitting him in the arm and taking them down.
She continues to run but another attacker leaps out in front of her, and attempts to grab her, but slick as a snake Kate roundhouses him to the ground. However she realises she is now surrounded.
She engages in the fight, and while an expert at long range archery, Kate was an adept martial artist and could hold her own in fistfights. Hurt and grunting from her kicks and punches, the gangsters eventually restrain and handcuff her, shuffling her to the Van in which they'd made their entrance. Lucky had been chained up and bundled in too, having given one of men a heck of a bite. They'd learned never to let anyone go, not even animals. "Surprisingly clever those little bastards are." grunted a member. "And they're also very good... motivation" he said concerningly.
"OK guys, why are you after me? What have I done to be on EEHAP's radar?".
"We know you are on to us you annoying brat! Good for us you're so predictable on a Saturday morning". It occurred to Kate why many of NYC's heroes choose to keep their personal identities private.
"I'd rather be known for being predictable than for that horrendous outfit!" she retorted.
The Van pulled up to the Warehouse she reckoned was the hideout. While secretly glad of her detective skills, she knew she was in trouble. Kate and Lucky were shoved inside and chained up against the railings.
"What have we gotten ourselves into this time..."
The gang knew that this was temporary they would have to leave the site soon, police presence was building thanks to the kerfuffle Kate had made for them while they captured her. Kate overheard the chatters about how they would need to take her with them. They couldn't kill her yet, as they needed to know they could destroy every last piece of evidence she might have left behind. One of the gang members was worried about how they would move Kate, after all, she'd punched him pretty hard before they captured her.
"Kate Bishop is just a girl" one gang member said. "Why is everyone so obsessed with saying my full name..." Kate mutters, rolling her eyes.
"JACK IS SCARED OF BEING BEAT UP BY A WOMAN" said another one mockingly. By now Kate was pretty annoyed, even Lucky was growling under his breath.
"Kyle, you're one to talk you wussy mummy's boy, I could take you out right now and not even snap a nail", spoke a European woman entering the area, "And I'm sure Kate will not be a problem, huh?", turning to her.
"So I guess you're in charge here?" asks Kate.
"In charge of these imbeciles anyways" the woman replies.
"Get her ready to be moved, the Boss has found us new place" she continues.
Kyle moves over to Kate to untie her, but just as she is unchained is startled by an aggressive bark from Lucky. Kate used the opportunity to kick him in the chest, and clamber to her feet.
"That dog has always had good instincts" thought Kate, rushing towards her bow that they had left in the corner. Vile as these gangsters may be, they were clearly amateurs because no-one would leave the heroes weapon so close to where they were tied up.
"I'm not just a problem, I'll be your worst nightmare!" she shouted charging towards one of the windows. Hurtling through it, Kate turned with elegance of a swan, she aimed and launched an arrow straight at a gangster's leg, landing on her back but rolling back up onto her feet effortlessly. "EEHAP takes it to the Kneecap!" she exclaims before bolting off, Lucky running alongside her. Running through the industrial complex trying to avoid the members after her, she scaled a building, commanding Lucky to run home and get safe. She found herself in a stealth situation. "Perfect, these suckers will never know what hit them" she thought.
Lining up her bow, she made a swift shot towards a gangster down below. Kate generally avoided lethal force, but was not afraid to use it when necessary. Her exceptional skills meant she knew just how to take down and inflict damage without causing anything worse than some expensive medical bills. In reflection of past events involving a van and an explosive arrow she'd realised she didn't want to kill indiscriminately, and had put her know-how towards developing some new arrow types for all situations. Despite advice from her mentor Clint, she was still convinced of the benefits that unusual arrows could provide. She had developed some blunt arrow heads that would hit with enough force to concuss, but with a minimal chance of long lasting effects.
With every shot she knew would need to move quickly - each goon would thud to the ground and draw attention. Working her way across the rooftops, she slickly dealt with the situation at hand, sneaking around the gangsters and outwitting them at their own game. Kate leapt from building to building, her athletic prowess letting her navigate the area effortlessly. Boof, bang, thud. She was taking them out so quickly it became a percussive soundtrack echoing between the buildings.
She finally made her way down a building towards the end of the complex, and slid down the ladder like a bad-ass. She turned around to run...
*BAM*
Kate awoke surrounded by gangsters, all with guns trained on her.
Kyle approached her, a blade in his hand.
"Well, it looks like we underestimated you, Miss"
"You still are" she hits back. Kate would never let on how scared she was.
"Ahh, Kate, we finally got you." said a familiar voice, emerging from the shadows. Kate couldn't believe her eyes, it was Emily, who she thought
Believing she had a friend, Kate had confided in Emily about her personal investigation into EEHAP. Little did she know she was in on EEHAP's
"You're probably wondering why I have you here. Well Kate Bishop, you ruined my life and got away with it, and now I'm going to ruin yours."
"Uh oh, cue the monologue" said Kate, before having her mouth taped over by Jack.
To Kate's dismay (and also to several gangsters as well) Emily continued:
"You see, when you destroyed Stane tower, I was a board member of the University. Your little mistake really damaged the universities reputation, and arose concerns of how safe the buildings are.
The buildings name had already had been soured by *shudders* Iron Monger. Of course with your mother in prison, and Fisk in charge any repayments promptly stopped. I had to retire due to a a reduce in applicants for the next year, they could no longer keep me.
And then when you "saved" me in that car chase, but now I have to use this cane to get everywhere. Had you never got involved, that van chase would never have happened.
Kate Bishop, you ruined my life. So when EEHAP came to threaten me, I agreed to help fund them if they'd leave my land alone, and help me ruin your life in turn.
So now, this church across the way. EEHAP henchman have been busy weakening the structure over the past few months. You might recognise it as the church your aunt Moira attends. If hit just right on that window near the top, it should crumble. And the best news I have for you Kate, is that you will be the one to send it crashing down! You will finally face some responsibility for your actions!"
If you don't destroy it, well our henchmen are scouting for your dog. We WILL find Lucky, and we will hurt and kill him if necessary."
Ushered to get up by Kyle and Jack, she is handed her equipment, but still under the duress of the arms the other gangsters are holding. They start the camera's rolling, to prove Kate's wrong doing they were setting her up for.
Kate reluctantly walks to the edge and pulled an arrow from her Quiver, and prepared to fire it towards the Church bell. She didn't want to do this, but what choice did she have? As much as she didn't want to cause any more damage (she knew this lead to jail time), but she loved that dog so much, having bonded with him over the last year.
She lines up the shot, taking a deep breath. She prepares to release the arrow, a small smirk comes across her face. Breathing out, she loosens her fingers, the bowstring snapping back and sending the arrow hurtling.
She dodges to the ground immediately, before the arrow comes flying back and hitting Kyle in the face, and bouncing off to hit Emily's back.
"Boomerang arrows!" Kate exclaims with a enthusiasm, effortless rolling towards Kyle's dropped knife. She had waited so long for a good excuse to use one.
While spinning and tripping up another henchman. She threw the blade at Jack, piercing his cheek and sending him crying to the floor in agony, while catching the other henchman's gun.
She spins upwards to her feet, rapidly firing it all around the room before anyone else had a chance to react. While not her weapon of choice she was an exceptional marksman, aiming perfectly at the other henchman's hands top have them drop their guns, before finally training it on Emily.
"CALL OFF EEHAP'S SEARCH FOR LUCKY". Kate says with heavy emotion. Emily quickly realised just how screwed she was, and promptly folded, calling off the search commanding them to come back and get her out of here.
The police arrived - the gunfire from just before getting their attention. One of the police officers, Wendy Conrad, recognised Kate.
"What the hell is happening here?"
Kate explained the situation, preparing to be arrested. She knew honesty was the best way even if laws had been broken.
The officers under Wendy's command didn't like how Fisk was running the city, and they agreed to keep Kate's involvement off the books, letting her head home. Any strangling gangsters returning from the search were quickly caught and arrested.
Kate dropped into her workplace as it was the nearest place to clean up. Her colleague, a lad about her age called Peter who would do deliveries, said there was some left over Pizza.
"Perfect, my dog will love this!" she says slightly too loud. Her and Peter seemed to share similar viewpoints and she sometimes felt a bit giddy around him.
He was funny in his own weird way, and it almost felt like she knew more about him than he actually did. Nonetheless it was clear to her that his heart was elsewhere, but it never hurt to imagine.
Having got cleaned up and taken the Pizza, she booked a cab home. Opening the door she happily says "Pizza Delivery!" as she throw's the slice to everyone's favourite one-eyed Golden Retriever.
Having hung up her bow, she see's the silhouette of a stranger sitting in her chair. "... Can I help you?" she asks with a somewhat concerned tone.
"Kate Bishop" the girl replied.