X-Factory

Luke Cage walked past the line of mutants and humans that stretched from the front entrance to the X-Factory around the corner of the building. Lance and Robby were already standing at the door, and Luke was a bit surprised to see the stone-clad mutant at the club tonight.

“Thought you had the night off,” said Luke.

“Jumbo asked me to come in,” said Robby.

“Why he need three bouncers?” asked Luke.

“Dunno, why don’t you ask him?”

“Sure thing,” said Luke. “Soon as you get your rocky ass outta my way.”

Lance rolled his eyes as Robby started to get angry.

“You got a problem with me, flatscan?” asked Robby.

“Dude… I’m standing right here,” said Lance. The term ‘flatscan’ was used by mutants as an insult to humans.

“Just remember that this flatscan beat the shit outta you,” said Luke. “So unless you wanna be embarrassed again, I suggest you move.”

“Robby, let it drop. Boss wants t’ see him anyway,” said Lance.

Robby stepped aside and cleared a path. Luke smiled at him. “Now was that so hard?”

He walked past and Robby lifted his fist. Lance put a hand on his coworker’s shoulder. “Dude…”

“Ah, he ain’t worth it.” Robby lowered his hand. “Besides, he’s got other surprises waitin’ for him inside.”

DOWN AND OUT IN MUTANT TOWN

Part IV: Busting Heads

By Dino Pollard

Harlem

Detective Ismael Ortega walked into the small bar. His eyes glanced around, but he couldn’t see his contact anywhere. Deciding to just wait, he slid onto an empty stool. The bartender, a young Korean woman, walked up to him.

“What can I get for you?” she asked.

“I’m actually looking for Danny Rand, is he here?” asked Ortega.

“No, but he might be in soon,” she said. “You want a drink while you wait?”

“Yeah, that’s fine. Get me an MGD,” said Ortega.

“Draft or bottle?”

“Draft.”

The bartender nodded and grabbed a pint glass. She set it beneath the tap and pulled the lever, filling it to the brim and put it on a napkin in front of the detective.

“You wanna pay now or start a tab?” she asked.

“I’ll just pay now,” he said and set a five-dollar bill on the counter for her. She grabbed it and thanked him before moving on to the other customers. Ortega sipped the beer and looked at the television set. It was tuned in to the local news and there was some report about Avengers Mansion being destroyed.

Ortega sighed as he watched the report, waiting for some sign of why it happened. There was always something going on with the big guys.

He felt a hand on his shoulder and a young man with short, blond hair sat on the stool next to him. It was the man he came here to meet—Danny Rand, also known as Iron Fist in some circles.

“I see you found the place okay,” said Danny.

“I did,” said Ortega. “Although I’m not sure why you wanted to meet here and not in my office.”

“Walls have ears, Detective, especially with the information I’ve discovered,” said Danny.

“What have you found out?” asked Ortega.

“Remember how you said half the cops in Mutant Town are on the take?” asked Danny. Ortega nodded. “Well, I found out who one of them is—one who’s made deals specifically with Carnation.”

“Who’s that?”

“Your partner.”

Ortega looked away from Danny and sipped his beer again. He set it back on the counter and sighed. Without looking at Danny, he asked, “do you have proof?”

“Witnesses,” said Danny. “I’ve got a fever dealer who’s willing to confess that Kucharsky not only accepted money from him, but also helped supply him.”

“You’ve got to be shittin’ me,” said Ortega. “Why would a dealer put himself in that position?”

“You know my partner, right?” asked Danny.

“You mean Cage?”

“He can be very persuasive,” said Danny with a grin. “Trust me, this kid would rather turn against Carnation and Kucharsky than go up against a guy with a short fuse who can stop a Buick.”

“So you’re sure you’ve got this under control?” asked Ortega. “Everything in the bag?”

“Positive,” said Danny. “Show up at the X-Factory in about an hour and we should have everything you need to put away Kucharsky. The kid will just make it stick. He just wants to get off light since he’s helped put away the big fish.”

“I can arrange that,” said Ortega.

“No qualms about arresting your partner?” asked Danny.

Ortega sighed. “Gus knew what he was doing. If he’s going to break the law like this, he has to realize that I can’t stand by and let it happen.”

“Good,” said Danny. He stood from the bar. “I’ll see you tonight, then.”

Ortega turned. “And where are you going?”

“Finalize some things before I get over to the X-Factory,” said Danny.

X-Factory

While serving time in prison for a crime he never committed, Luke Cage volunteered for an experiment that granted him superhuman strength and steel-hard skin. It’s served him very well over the years and he’s taken quite a few beatings.

But he’s not invulnerable.

A fact which was just made painfully obvious to him as he flew through the window of Jumbo Carnation’s office. The office overlooked the X-Factory’s dance floor, and people ran for cover as Cage came crashing down on one of the large speakers.

The man responsible for Cage’s current predicament leapt from the window as well. He landed on his feet in the center of the dance floor, dressed in a black suit. His blazer was open and the collar of his shirt unbuttoned, with no tie.

“Get up, Cage,” he said. “It’s been a long time since I kicked your worthless ass. An’ I wanna enjoy it.”

His name was Michael Marko, a member of the criminal organization known as the Maggia. They genetically altered him and fed him racehorse steroids in order to give him superhuman strength. He prefers to call himself Man Mountain Marko.

Falling on the speakers sent a shock through Cage’s body. Before he could have a chance to get back up, Marko wrapped a massive hand around Cage’s head and lifted him into the air. He then drove Cage’s head into the dance floor. He lifted Cage’s head and repeated the act several times, smiling as he did.

“I forgot how much fun it is beatin’ on you hero types. Been too long since I made a habit of it,” said Marko. He tossed Cage into a wall.

Luke slumped over but looked up as Marko came closer. His shirt was torn, his sunglasses were shattered and he was bleeding. His head was ringing from the pounding Marko had given him and at the moment, Luke’s greatest struggle was trying to remain conscious.

“So why you slummin’ with drug runners in Mutant Town?” asked Luke. “Thought you was a big, bad Maggia hitman.”

“Still am. But I do the occasional freelance job. Usually I’m a lot more picky about my clients. But when I heard you was the target, I jumped at the chance,” said Marko. He grabbed Luke by the throat and lifted him off the ground. “In fact, don’t tell Carnation about this—but I’d snuff you for free. You always bugged me, Cage.”

Marko kept a tight grip on Cage’s throat and Luke found it more and more difficult to breathe. His hands were free, however. He watched as Marko pulled back a free hand and balled it into a fist, ready to deliver another strike.

Luke brought his arms up and slammed the edges of his hands on each side of Marko’s neck. The Man Mountain cried out in shock and pain and released his prisoner. Luke tried to take a moment to catch his breath, but he knew it was all he could spare. He crossed his arms above his head and thrust upwards, slamming his forearms against Marko’s head. The hitman staggered, giving Cage more room to maneuver.

“Y’know somethin’, Marko, I don’t get why you got such a grudge against me,” said Cage. “See, with me, you just weren’t that important. Bushmaster, Khan, Chemistro—hell, even Shades an’ Comanche got more notice in my book. We were never archenemies or any of that shit. Only reason I can see why you’d make it personal is because you’re embarrassed you got your ass beat.”

Man Mountain Marko’s face contorted with rage. His lips curled into a snarl and a low growl could be heard through gritted teeth. Cage just smiled and motioned with his finger for Marko to come towards him.

“C’mon, you’re overdue for that beatin’.”

A sea of people ran from the exits of the X-Factory after the fight between Cage and Marko broke out. Among those was Jazz, a young mutant drug dealer who specialized in selling fever.

Jazz knew things were now getting out of hand, but he didn’t have much of a choice. He shouldn’t have gotten involved with Carnation and Kucharsky to begin with, and now he had to deal with two superheroes on top of that.

As Jazz stepped off to the side, he pulled out a cell phone and started to search through the memory. He pressed the send button and that’s when he was grabbed and pulled into an alley.

Detective Gus Kucharsky held him by the collar of his shirt and knocked the phone from his hand. Jazz tried to move, but Kucharsky pulled him back and slammed him against the wall.

“The fuck you think you’re goin’, genejoke?” asked Kucharsky.

“Shit man, what’s this about?” asked Jazz.

“Think I don’t know what yer up to?” asked Kucharsky. “I know you were mouthin’ off to Cage. What’d you tell him?”

“Nothing!”

Kucharsky punched him in the stomach and Jazz keeled over. “Don’t you fucking lie to me, you sack of shit!”

“Look man, I didn’t do anything. I—”

Kucharsky kicked him in the ribs while he was down. “I thought I told you not to lie. Now either you start talkin’, or I get angry.”

“Okay… okay…” said Jazz, gasping for breath. “Cage threatened me, man. I had to tell him something. He woulda killed me.”

Kucharsky knelt down beside Jazz. “Hey, look at me, blue boy. What do you think I’m gonna do?”

He punched Jazz and stood up, then stomped on the boy’s back. “I’m not only gonna kill you, I’m gonna kill your girlfriend and that bastard kid she just had. And then I’m gonna go after your mom.”

“Kucharsky… please… don’t, they not involved…” said Jazz, leaning against the wall and looking up at the detective with pleading eyes.

“Like I give a shit about some mutie freak,” said Kucharsky.

“Excuse me.”

Kucharsky turned his head and saw a young man with short, blond hair leaning against the wall, arms crossed. Kucharsky reached into his pocket and pulled out his badge. “Back off, this is official police business,” he said.

“Really? Well that’s funny, because you know what it looks like to me?”

“What’s that?” asked Kucharsky. He placed his badge back in his pocket and his hand moved towards his gun holster.

“It looks to me like you’re on the take,” said the blond man. He uncrossed his arms and slowly walked towards Kucharsky, hands resting inside the pockets of his dark green windbreaker. “Like you’re beating the crap out of one of your employees and threatening his family. That sound about right to you?”

“And just who the fuck are you?” asked Kucharsky. “More importantly, why’s it any of your goddamn business?”

“It’s my business because Gloria Marchek hired me to find out who killed her son,” he said. “As for who I am…”

His leg shot up in a powerful kick that connected with Kucharsky’s throat. The detective gasped for breath and his assailant delivered another kick that slammed Kucharsky’s face against the brick wall and knocked him unconscious. The man’s hands never left his pockets.

“My name’s Danny Rand,” he said.

Marko’s fist connected with the wall as Luke ducked the strike. Cage jammed his elbow against Marko’s chest. Marko recoiled and Cage interlocked his fingers. He swung both arms towards Marko’s face, his interlocked hands striking the man’s chin.

The two titans began to exchange blows. Marko had gotten the drop on Cage at first, but now Luke was determined to take back the upper hand. Punch after punch flew, but Marko grabbed one of Cage’s fists and uppercutted the Hero For Hire.

Danny had just come in through the entrance and witnessed Luke’s brief comeback against the Man Mountain. He ran towards the battle and leapt over Marko’s head, blocking his path to Luke.

“Hey Marko, remember me?” he asked.

“Nah, but you got ten seconds to get outta my way,” said Marko.

“Sorry, can’t do that,” said Danny.

“Your funeral,” said Marko. He brought his fist down and Danny leapt an instant before it struck the ground. Danny landed by Marko’s side and delivered several kicks which didn’t seem to have much affect on the enforcer.

“Hah, that the best you got?” asked Marko.

“No, not quite,” said Danny. He made a fist with his right hand and the arm began to shake just slightly. Then an aura started to flow around it.

“What the hell…?” asked Marko.

“Remember me now, Marko?” asked Danny with a grin as his fingers extended. “It’s your old pal, Iron Fist!”

Danny threw his chi-infused arm forward and the heel of his hand connected with Marko’s chest. It was a trick Danny had learned in K’un L’un, to channel his chi energy into his hand. A trick he derived his name from—Iron Fist.

Marko’s ribs cracked under the force of the blow and he fell to the ground. Luke stood behind Danny and looked down at the man he was tangling with only moments earlier.

“I coulda taken him,” he said.

Danny looked at his partner. “I know. But you got to tangle with that bouncer the other night. It was my turn.”

“I’m just sayin’.”

“Right,” said Danny. He looked around the room and saw cops beginning to come in. Ortega was among them and he came up to the pair. “Got your man?”

“Thanks to you,” said Ortega. He looked at Luke. “This your partner?”

“Luke Cage,” said Luke while he extended his hand.

“Detective Ismael Ortega,” he said, accepting the gesture and returning Luke’s handshake. “You guys did some real good work last time you were together. And it looks like that hasn’t changed. Stick around this time.”

“Don’t worry, we’re not goin’ anywhere,” said Luke.