"Why ask why?" By Jorge Martinez

THE GEM THEATER

IRONFIST: Luke this Monday Night Football is a ritual for you!

POWERMAN: Yeah, can't disagree there.

IRONFIST: What ever happened to the Bears, anyway?

POWERMAN: Don't ask man. They are hurting bad!

IRONFIST: Really? I always like the Dolphins. How about Dallas?

POWERMAN: The way they are doing Heroes for Hire might have to bring them in!

IRONFIST: Ah, legal troubles?

POWERMAN: You could say that.

IRONFIST: Luke...

POWERMAN: Hold up fist. Barry is inside the red zone!

IRONFIST: He is a Lion, correct?

POWERMAN: YES!!!! That man can move! Did you see that???

IRONFIST: Yes his speed and grace eclipse mine!

POWERMAN: I wouldn't go that far Fist! I mean your a pretty graceful guy!

IRONFIST: Luke I'm getting bored! I am hoping this beeper goes off!

POWERMAN: Not now! The game is tied! But I can't complain being "on call" till our headquarters is properly situated is great!

IRONFIST: I don't understand Luke, these beepers only had one button to press now they have all these other gadgets! It is amazing.

POWERMAN: Chill, they are going for two with 13 seconds left in the game!

IRONFIST: Ah, Luke I am going to visit Misty.

POWERMAN: Allright. Tell the girl Luke says hi. I'm glad you two are...wait..wait..Barry is lining up.

IRONFIST: Bye Luke.

IronFist walks out.

POWERMAN: Bye Fist.

POWERMAN: Go..go..YES!!! Barry..Barry..Barry..I would have knocked him on his ass but he's still great!

-<RING..RING..RING>-

POWERMAN:(to self) The phone? Who could that be?

POWERMAN: Hello? uh-huh...WHO????

THE MANHATTAN APARTMENT OF JULIA CARPENTER aka SPIDERWOMAN

SPIDERWOMAN: I hate taking my daughter to a sitter but the whole team is on call tonight! I have to rethink joining this team. It sounded great at first. But we need more people and a better schedule. Thank God Natasha can watch my child! Who would have thought the Black Widow would have made such a good baby-sitter!

SPIDERWOMAN: Well I'm not staying here sitting on my sofa with my costume. I'll head on over to the precinct! I know Scott...ooops I mean Antman..can't believe I just called him Scott! I know Antman is working on the machines at the base..and the other guys might be watching football. Let me go hang out with my new team. Wait...what if it's just Scott and me? He did come on to me yesterday. Ah, who cares. He's a nice guy and wasn't overbearing. I'll go visit.

SpiderWoman goes to H4H Precinct!

THE STREET

IRONFIST:(to self) Misty and I have found a new peace between us. It is like we are starting all over again. I like that. I have to check out those activities I heard about on the street the other day. It seems the Hand is also moving into the city while things are unorganized to take advantage.

FALCON: Hey stranger!

IRONFIST: Sam, those wings barely make noise! I didn't hear you coming!

FALCON: Hey the suit is top of the line! Wakanda technology! Hey Danny I came to talk to you about something.

IRONFIST: Sure Sam what's up?

FALCON: The question of who is leader came up the other day and well.... I think I have been elected sort of and was thinking if that is ok by you?

IRONFIST: Sam, this is your team! You put it together! Ofcourse, that is fine by me!

FALCON: Allright man just wanted to square things away. Hey why you walking?

IRONFIST: I don't drive.

FALCON: Man, I forgot! None of you can fly like me! How well you get to a call?

IRONFIST: I run really fast!

FALCON: I have to talk to Rhodey to build me some sky cycles!

IRONFIST: Skycycles? I don't like the sound of that.

FALCON: Don't worry about it! Hey your going on your little mission tonight, right?

IRONFIST: Yes, the Hand has come to town.

FALCON: The Hand! I never liked those guys. Actually, they scare the hell out of me! I know you run into them all the time! But still I don't want you going solo that's dangerous!

IRONFIST: Sam really I can take care of myself.

FALCON: How about Luke you ask him?

IRONFIST: No, Monday Night Football is like a spiritual thing for him.

FALCON: Oh, well I have to go somewhere but pass by the H4H Precinct. Antman and SpiderWoman are there and they seemed bored! Hey, be careful!

IRONFIST: Yes, I will. Can you give me a lift to Misty's?

FALCON: Sure! When you fly with the Falcon it's always first class!

IRONFIST: Whooaaaa!

MISTY KNIGHT'S APARTMENT: One hour later

MISTY KNIGHT: So you like the team?

IRONFIST: I like the people. I still don't know how effective we will be?

MISTY KNIGHT: Danny, when the mayor decided to make this team it sounded like a great idea...

IRONFIST: But...

MISTY KNIGHT: But it seems to have some other purpose...it's just a gut feeling. I actually hope it works out...hey stop washing dishes man! Your the one that cooked not me!

IRONFIST: Sorry. Well I have to go by H4H Precinct. I will call you tomorrow.

MISTY KNIGHT: Allright baby. (kiss) Bye.

-<RING...RING...RING...>-

MISTY KNIGHT:(to self) Colleen never calls this late?

MISTY KNIGHT:(answers phone) Hello? Yes....uh-huh. WHO???

H4H PRECINCT

ANTMAN: So your that bored, huh?

SPIDERWOMAN: What you mean?

ANTMAN: Your so bored that you came here to hang with ME, for over an hour! That's sad SpiderLady!

SPIDERWOMAN: Woman! SpiderWoman!(smiles)

ANTMAN: First off you know my real name so I can call you SpiderMonkey if I want! Second, are you trying to imply you are not a lady?

SPIDERWOMAN: Oh I'm a lady! A lady that can pick up cars! Remember that!

They laugh. Iron Fist walks in.

ANTMAN: Hey buddy! Your lucky I haven't set up the security system yet or you would have been uncomfortably detained!

IRONFIST: I doubt that. But I am glad to see the equipment here so soon!

ANTMAN: Yeah, Stark sent his tech boys to install it! I said drop it here and I would do it! Almost done too!

SPIDERWOMAN: Your the Tim Allen of super heroes aren't you?

ANTMAN: Is that a compliment or insult? Hey I help set up the Fantastic Four...

SPIDERWOMAN: yadda-yadda-yadda....Your too funny Scott Lang!

ANTMAN:(to self) She has sure lightened up!

IRONFIST: Well, I am going on a mission tonight to spy on the Hand. A source told me...

ANTMAN: The Hand??? Those guys mean business!

SPIDERWOMAN: Your scared about a bunch of ninjas after you brag about defeating cosmic threats alongside the Fantastic Four!!!

ANTMAN: Uh..well..those Hand guys are scary!

IRONFIST: I am looking for a volunteer? Scott, I know you are working on the security system so how about you SpiderWoman?

SPIDERWOMAN: Sure, I'll go! It's just spying, gathering info right? We are not going to rumble in the Bronx with the Hand are we?

IRONFIST: No rumbling.

ANTMAN: Well you kids have fun!

IRONFIST: SpiderWoman do you have a car?

ANTMAN: Hey there is a skycycle out back I use sometimes. Go ahead take it.

IRONFIST: Skycycle? Uh, well I never drove one of those and..

SPIDERWOMAN: Oh, don't worry I have! I used to be an Avenger.

IRONFIST: Ah, well I guess the skycycle it is...but please go slow.

They leave. Antman works alone on the security system

ANTMAN: There! All done! Man I'm tired. Let me call <RING...RING..RING> I bet that's my little angel now.

ANTMAN:(picksup phone) Hello? Oh hey Misty! Yeah your Fist's friend, right? Antman! Yeah, that's me! I thought you were my daughter. Fist? No, he just left to <BEEP...BEEP...BEEP>Chemistro? Never heard of him...oh wait. Black guy right? yeah..<BEEP> Hey the door bell is ringing part of the security system I just installed, it's probably Fist. I told him to use the signal button next time..hold on..

Scott Lang aka Antman walks to the door and opens.

ANTMAN: Hey guys...who are you? Chemistro? Ughh!

Antman falls to the ground.

CHEMISTRO: That's me! It's nice some people don't forget! And I have never even kicked your ass before! I'm impressed antguy! Plus, I'm not alone! I'm here with Mauler.

MAULER: Aye boyo!

ANTMAN:(to self) I'm in trouble!

FISK TOWERS

KINGPIN: Welcome, Mr. Cage.

POWERMAN: What do you want?

KINGPIN: Your talents.

POWERMAN: I don't think so!

KINGPIN: Mr. Cage who do you think is paying your salary?

POWERMAN: You piece of shit!!! I should have known!

KINGPIN: Wait. There is much your team could accomplish! There is too much mayhem in this city right now! New York needs protectors.

POWERMAN: Your just scared your going to get run out of town!

KINGPIN: Ah, Mr. Cage please meet Billy.

The door opens and a 9 year old black boy comes in with his poor mother behind him.

POWERMAN: What the hell? Fatman this better not be a joke! Who are these people?

KINGPIN: Billy and his mother Cheryl. Billy was a crack baby. Cheryl has a habit! Billy was born with a condition. A bad condition! But controllable with the right drugs. Billy's medical bills are 800 dollars a month. I pay them.

POWERMAN: It sounds to me you are feeling guilty for all the crack babies you have brought into the world.

KINGPIN: Maybe. But Mr. Cage I am not a rat. Society cannot fall. These are your people I am taking care of!

POWERMAN: Fatman, I'm about to throw you out the window!

KINGPIN: Please Mr. Cage no violence. The new shelter in Harlem? My doing. The civic center in the Bronx, me.

POWERMAN: Look, Cheryl whatever problems Billy has I have friends that are doctors and that have money!

CHERYL: No, PowerMan sir! Mr. Fisk is a good man! He takes care of the neighborhoods! More than you ever have!

POWERMAN: I'm out of this charade, see ya!

KINGPIN: Wait! Cage, there are two hundred other children ready to take Billy's place. You super heroes cannot save these people or you would have already! The city is crumbling! When I was in charge it was much better! All these factions are not good. I am a business man Cage.

POWERMAN: Your looking to do business with me? You want me to look the other way? I don't think so!

KINGPIN: Cage, these new players! The one with super powers like yourself are the one's that scare me! They raise the stakes! They put everything under the spotlight. One thing is to have gangsters run the citybut super villains? I just ask that your team focuses on these super villains!

POWERMAN: Why me? Why this meeting?

KINGPIN: This meeting to insure you that I do care about the city! That social order must be maintained! You? Because your from the streets! You are not from a mystic city in the clouds! You know how things work!

POWERMAN: The streets, huh? How about the Falcon he's from the streets?

KINGPIN: Luke, the man is an Avenger!

POWERMAN: Allright, I am tired of your insults! Only reason I don't make you swallow your tongue is because there are about a hundred guys watching my every move and I don't feel like partying.

KINGPIN: So we have an understanding?

POWERMAN: No. No deal, no understanding. Nada. All you need to know is that after we are done with the super villains we are coming after you!

KINGPIN: That is all I ask. Good day.

Luke Cage walks about to throw up when walks by Billy and Cheryl. He walks out.

MR. GREEN: That went well!

KINGPIN: Yes. Once groups like the Lethal Legion and Sinister Syndicate are defeated the city is ours!

WAREHOUSE/ SOUTH MANHATTAN

IronFist and SpiderWoman have defeated a dozen Hand members as they listen to the conversation below.

SPIDERWOMAN: IronFist what are they talking about?

IRONFIST: My Japanese is a bit rusty but something about killing the mayor!

SPIDERWOMAN: What?!

IRONFIST: Get ready!

SPIDERWOMAN: Why?

IRONFIST: They've found us!

Twenty five Hand members crawl out of the shadows.

NEXT ISSUE: Antman is alone against Chemistro and Mauler! PowerMan has deep thoughts! Danny and SpiderWoman do some kungfu fighting! And where was the Falcon tonight? He had a date! Find out with who next issue!!!!