The world’s most famous Black Widow had no intention of taking a restaurant owner’s threats seriously.
Alvin Satō was tall and broad-shouldered.
So what?
Natasha’s expression turned completely professional.
“I’m speaking on behalf of SHIELD.” Her tone left no room for negotiation.
“I am formally requesting your cooperation.” She paused, watching his face.
“Or I can arrest you for illegally possessing firearms, take control of your restaurant as part of the investigation, and conduct my operation from there.” She spoke as though it were the most natural thing in the world.
As though refusing simply wasn’t an option.
Alvin stared at her.
This…
This was how SHIELD operated?
He had expected better.
Using a charge like illegal weapons possession against an ordinary citizen was unbelievably heavy-handed.
Granted, he wasn’t exactly ordinary.
And yes, there were plenty of firearms hidden inside the restaurant.
But this was Hell’s Kitchen.
Almost every household kept weapons nearby.
Not because they wanted trouble.
Because trouble inevitably found them.
Even the NYPD rarely bothered people here over that.
For a long moment, Alvin simply looked at her.
He couldn’t hide his disappointment.
Maybe the heroes he’d admired in the movies weren’t as admirable in reality.
His voice became cold.
“I don’t know what SHIELD is.” “And frankly, I don’t care.” “If you want to charge me with something, bring the police.” “Or the FBI.” He reached for the restaurant’s rear door.
“Oh…
and don’t forget a search warrant.” Without waiting for a reply, Alvin stepped inside.
Just before closing the heavy steel door, he looked back one last time.
“My restaurant is open to anyone who wants a meal.” “But if anyone enters the second floor where I live…” His eyes hardened.
“I’ll exercise my right to defend my home.” Bang!
The steel door slammed shut.
Natasha’s expression darkened.
This was technically the outcome she’d been aiming for.
Even so…
How long had it been since an ordinary civilian had stonewalled her like that?
First he’d ignored her appearance.
Then he’d brushed off her intimidation.
She wasn’t offended.
If anything…
She was intrigued.
A woman’s amused voice crackled through her earpiece.
“If you’re trying to sabotage your undercover assignment, at least make it convincing.” A quiet laugh followed.
“Coulson isn’t easy to fool.” “The restaurant owner isn’t bad, though.” “He might actually help you get what you want.” There was a brief pause before the voice added, “I heard John Garrett is about to take over the investigation into the attack on you.” “You’d better move quickly.” Natasha unconsciously touched the healing wound at her waist, a reminder of the recent assassination attempt.
She muttered a curse under her breath and headed toward the alley’s exit.
As she passed the unconscious gang members, one of them, a Black thug, began to groan back to consciousness.
Without breaking stride…
She kicked him squarely in the head.
Thunk!
His skull bounced off the nearby dumpster before he collapsed unconscious again.
That felt better.
A minor setback was hardly enough to shake an elite operative.
Originally, she’d planned to slip into the restaurant, make contact with her target, complete the assignment, and leave.
Simple.
Instead, the mission briefing was already falling apart.
Everything in Alvin Satō’s file was accurate.
His name.
His background.
His history.
But his personality?
Completely wrong.
She’d expected someone cautious.
Easy to pressure.
After all, surviving in Hell’s Kitchen while running a small restaurant suggested a certain amount of resilience, but nothing extraordinary.
Instead…
He had ignored her threats entirely.
And pushed back without the slightest hesitation.
Interesting.
Whether she wanted to finish the assignment quickly or intentionally derail it, procedure still had to be followed.
With that in mind, Natasha rounded the corner toward the front entrance of the restaurant.
Peace Restaurant occupied a converted two-story building facing the street.
The dining room filled the first floor.
Alvin lived upstairs.
The basement served as storage.
It was the only thing his parents had left him.
Above the wooden entrance hung a traditional Chinese sign.
和平饭店 Peace Restaurant.
Two bright red Chinese lanterns hung on either side of the doorway.
Beneath each lantern lay an enormous black animal.
At first glance they looked like oversized guard dogs.
Anyone with experience around wild animals would immediately recognize them for what they truly were.
Wolves.
Massive ones.
Standing, each would reach well over four feet at the shoulder.
Yet no one on the street seemed remotely afraid of them.
Neighborhood children ran over without hesitation, throwing their arms around the wolves’ necks in greeting.
The giant animals responded with surprising patience, nudging the children affectionately before gently swatting them toward their waiting parents with oversized paws.
Natasha slowed.
It was nearly ten o’clock at night.
In Hell’s Kitchen.
That alone made what she was seeing impossible.
After midnight, even police cruisers preferred to avoid these streets.
Most neighborhoods emptied long before then.
Once darkness fell, the sidewalks usually belonged to drug dealers, pimps, and armed gangs.
It was the sort of place where even prostitutes preferred to stay indoors.
Yet this street felt…
Normal.
Residents strolled casually along the sidewalks.
Families chatted outside apartment buildings.
People wandered past the restaurant as if they had nothing in the world to fear.
This wasn’t the Hell’s Kitchen she’d been briefed on.
Something in SHIELD’s intelligence was badly out of date.
The mission hadn’t even begun, and she’d already run into surprise after surprise.
Oddly enough…
She found herself enjoying it.
Not because of her actual target.
Because of Alvin Satō.
It didn’t take a detective to figure out that the unusual peace on this block had something to do with his restaurant.
Nearly everyone who walked by slowed long enough to greet the wolves.
“Hey, Thor.” “Hey, Doom.” Even men who looked like gang members crossed to the opposite sidewalk before passing, careful not to draw the wolves’ attention.
Natasha approached with growing curiosity.
Smiling politely, she copied the locals.
“Hi, Thor.” “Hi, Doom.” The wolves lifted their noses.
They sniffed the air.
Almost instantly, both stood.
A deep growl rolled from their throats.
Hostile.
Unmistakably so.
Natasha’s muscles tightened.
She wasn’t frightened.
But she was very aware of the danger.
Tonight she’d come equipped for undercover work, not combat.
No firearms.
Only a handful of concealed defensive gadgets.
Whether those would stop two wolves this size…
She wasn’t eager to find out.
What puzzled her most was that the animals welcomed everyone else.
Only she had triggered such obvious hostility.
If they attacked…
Even she couldn’t guarantee she’d walk away uninjured.
“Ma’am.” A young man’s voice came from behind her.
“I’d take a couple of steps back.” “Thor and Doom aren’t exactly friendly when they don’t like someone.” Natasha turned.
Two young men were approaching together.
One was a cheerful, curly-haired man with an easy smile and a stocky build.
The other carried a white cane.
His sightless eyes faced forward with remarkable confidence.
The curly-haired man continued talking as he walked toward the wolves.
“Hey, Thor.” “Hey, Doom.” He reached down to scratch one behind the ears.
The wolf casually slapped his hand away with a paw.
After giving Natasha one last icy stare, both wolves tapped the man’s thigh with a paw in greeting before returning to their posts beside the doorway.
The stocky young man grinned and turned back toward Natasha.
“It’s not every day you see a stranger wandering around Hell’s Kitchen this late.” “Especially someone as beautiful as you.” “I’m guessing you could use a little help.” He produced a business card with practiced enthusiasm.
“Foggy Nelson.” “Attorney at Nelson & Murdock.” He extended the card toward her with a bright smile.
“I’d be delighted to represent you.”