The footage was crystal clear, capturing every last bit of the thugs' criminal activity.
Now they had physical evidence, witnesses, and even the perpetrators in custody. George found himself with mixed feelings.
He disapproved of anyone outside law enforcement taking matters into their own hands, but the facts were right there. What they had done really was legal.
"The Homeowners Association of the apartments at 441 40th Street... The evidence is conclusive. They certainly had it coming."
After confirming that everything checked out, George instructed his officers to bring over the thugs who had been tied up inside the apartments.
The moment they walked into the police station and saw George, the thugs knew they were in trouble.
They knew Sheriff Robinson: a potbellied, cowardly, lazy waste of space.
But George Stacy?
He was famous, and one look told them he was not someone to mess with.
"...I told you not to touch my hair! You fucking pigs..."
Yet, incredibly, the Black guy with dreadlocks kept cursing and swaggering around.
"I told you, my boss will get me out. You'd better watch your families when he does. I bet you all have kids, right?"
The man with dreadlocks grew more animated as he spoke. The officers beside him felt as though they were escorting a pile of shit, foul and revolting.
But it was their job.
Sheriff Stacy's brows drew tightly together. This was exactly the kind of thing he hated most!
"Badman Williams. They're here for an armed brawl, over there. You don't belong with them."
The man with dreadlocks lit up with joy. His boss, whom he had never even met, had come to bail him out!
"I told you, I..."
George walked up to him, expressionless. "You're under arrest, Badman Williams, for unlawful possession of a weapon, home invasion, robbery...
You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law.
You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, the court will appoint a public defender for you."
The man with dreadlocks froze. He was going to prison?
Suddenly, he roared in anger, "My boss! My boss will get me a lawyer! I'll be found innocent!"
George casually picked up a pen and paper. "Who's your boss?"
"My boss is... My boss is..." The man stammered, unable to squeeze out a single useful word.
"Never mind. Based on what you just said, you're also suspected of involvement in organized crime. Your boss, was it?
Don't worry. He'll be joining you inside."
George gave the two officers another look, signaling them to take the nuisance away.
The man with dreadlocks kept shouting until his voice grew hoarse, insisting that his boss would save him and get him out.
But his hysteria hardly looked like confidence. It seemed more like an attempt to hide his fear.
Who knew why someone so tough was still afraid of going to prison?
Just as he was about to be escorted into another holding cell, he suddenly slammed into the officers on either side, seemingly trying to escape-
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Several shots rang out. The man immediately crashed to the floor and curled up, still muttering strange things like "My boss will get me out" and "Just wait until I'm out."
He simply wasn't as tough as he had been a moment ago.
A police handgun wasn't that powerful, and George was an excellent shot. He probably wouldn't die.
Sheriff Stacy quietly holstered his gun. "Annoying bastard."
"What a quick draw." Lier praised him loudly, making no attempt to hide his delight. "Nice shooting!"
That was an American quick draw!
Lier quietly recorded the entire incident with his Cyber-Eye. It was a law enforcement operation, after all, so recording and editing it was perfectly proper and legal.
He was going to show the internet just how ugly these criminals were!
George smiled politely, then said, "Lee, public safety in Hell's Kitchen has always been a major problem. I used to think there was nothing there but gang warfare.
But today, it seems the situation is more complicated. If we could keep the surveillance cameras in Hell's Kitchen running properly, it would be a great help to our officers.
But... as you know, things are complicated. The department is about to open a new round of bidding to find a suitable vendor to maintain the area's security infrastructure.
You could give it a try. Of course, you'll need a company first."
Matt turned toward Lier in considerable surprise. "Right, about that. I've already submitted all the application materials. If we receive an invitation to bid... I believe the whole process could move even faster."
He had thought it was too early to start a company. He hadn't expected it to prove useful already!
An invitation to bid from the NYPD was proof of credibility. Applications for business accounts, approval of business licenses, and everything else could all move that much faster!
Lier was equally surprised by this unexpected windfall.
He had only wanted a legitimate identity to operate under. Making money could wait.
Now he had a chance to secure the backing of the NYPD itself!
"Thank you, Sheriff-"
George wagged a finger. "Don't thank me. I noticed that the footage was remarkably stable, and the cameras automatically locked onto their targets.
Is that some new technology? It looks effective. That's why I suggested you try bidding. Don't get the wrong idea."
"It is new technology. Don't worry, Sheriff. I'll definitely give the NYPD the best technology!
And... the best price!"
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The first step was always the hardest. Once he got past that, establishing a foothold would be no problem with the technology of the cyberpunk world behind him!
Only with money could he find ways to solve his problems-including the threat to his own life.
Walking out of the New York police station, Lier felt that everything was moving in the right direction.
Once he settled these matters, he could focus on saving his own life.
But as they walked, Matt suddenly said, "Lier, I assume you haven't forgotten that a very famous murderer is roaming Hell's Kitchen."
Lier nodded. "Of course not."
"You're drawing too much attention. They..."
"They'll definitely come after me, and they'll do it in the most brutal, brazen way possible."
For this final step, he had to confront his opponents head-on and crush their momentum.
Yes, before order and the law could truly be restored, he had to face the threat in the most direct way possible.
His enemies were hidden while he was out in the open. Weathering their attack would be his victory.
The more time Matt spent with Lier, the more he seemed like a calculating, seasoned politician.
Yet this move struck Matt as fraught with danger, nothing like the old hands who sat safely on the sidelines.
"Then, as your lawyer, I'll stand beside you."
"The prosecutor's office issued an arrest warrant, and the NYPD actually caught him?"
The United Construction Company was the newest rising construction firm in Midtown.
Amid the wave of real estate companies and banks going under, it cut costs by illegally driving down land prices and breaking the law to reduce labor expenses.
That allowed it to win contracts with exceptionally low bids while still turning a profit.
On top of that, it laundered the proceeds from illicit drug sales, gun trafficking, and human smuggling by folding them into the company's revenue.
The company had bucked the trend and remained consistently profitable, attracting the attention of many investors.
The financial crisis triggered by the subprime mortgage collapse had frightened everyone. As long as there was money to be made, they were willing to adjust their moral standards.
As long as Wilson Fisk covered his tracks well enough, they could pretend not to see anything and refrain from investigating.
More investment meant more profit; more profit brought more investment. The strong only grew stronger.
Wilson Fisk had taken his first step, and everything was unfolding just as he had hoped.
Except for the looting spree he had arranged the night before.
It wasn't that he feared those men would name him. The thugs had been recruited off the streets. Their supposed gang membership was entirely fictitious.
In any case, it had nothing to do with him, Kingpin. There was no way to trace it back to him.
He simply felt that a discordant note in a world where everything was going smoothly was a bad omen.
Looking through the glass at Hell's Kitchen in the distance, New York's infamous slum, Kingpin thought, This is where I'll make my fortune.
He would defeat all his competitors and bring illicit drugs, weapons, human trafficking, and other illegal activities under his orderly control. The dollars would flow endlessly.
Once he had money, he would establish the United Construction Company, seize on the demand for economic revitalization, and secure municipal contracts.
Hell's Kitchen was already close to Midtown Manhattan. A few renovations and a handful of new skyscrapers and high-rise apartment buildings would multiply the value of its cheap land.
The little bit of money from the city was merely an entry ticket. His next step was to acquire land guaranteed to appreciate while no one else could afford it, then become the local overlord.
So there could be no dissenting voices.
Kingpin considered it, then asked, "What happened next? The NYPD detained him? What about the residents?"
His subordinate Wesley answered, "A kid named Lyle Lee produced surveillance footage. The prosecutor's office charged the ringleader. He'll probably go to prison.
Getting him out will be difficult. He has a prior conviction, too. He raped a woman while high... He's genuine scum."
"What do you think?"
"I think the nigger is irrelevant. But this Lier fellow established a Homeowners Association and registered a security company.
I suspect he tampered with the surveillance system. That makes it difficult for us to obscure what really happened during the confrontation.
And for some reason, George Stacy handled the case that night.
Once people trust him, they'll join his Homeowners Association and upgrade their surveillance systems. That will greatly increase the cost of sending those hotheads into action.
Higher costs mean smaller profit margins. Continuing to dip into those pension funds would be dangerous."
Yes, the United Construction Company had done more than use financial leverage for this venture.
It had also embezzled pension funds and similar assets. The United Construction Company wasn't Kingpin's only business; he had begun establishing a presence in the financial sector as well.
"This kid has a mother who works as a caregiver in Chinatown and part-time at a restaurant. If we want to pursue that angle, I can make a deal with Martin Li.
We could get control of his mother, then try to control the kid.
But... the key is still this Lier kid himself. He's physically weak and only woke from a coma a few days ago. He might die in another few months.
Our cash flow can't wait for him to die, though.
And the company responsible for his coma was... the Kate Waste Disposal Company. We could do them a favor while we're at it and handle this more directly."
The proposal aligned perfectly with Kingpin's thinking.
No nonsense, no discussion, no compromise.
Simple, direct, effective.
"Do it. Move fast and hit hard." Kingpin made his decision. "Send Bullseye. Make a spectacle of it. Tell him I want an execution."
"One more thing. Don't just deal with the leader. The first person who stepped forward to join him can't be spared either."
Wesley agreed. "You've thought further ahead than I have. I'll get right on it."
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