The Iron Fist Chronicles: Journey to the East

Along Came a Rabbit

The lobby of the Granda Musutafu Hotel was quieter than usual, empty except for two. The only sounds were the soft hum of lobby music and the rapid taps of the fingers dancing over a computer's keyboard. The concierge, Fumihito, adjusted his tie anxiously as he processed the check-in for the woman standing on the other side of the counter. "All right, ma'am," he confirmed. "Your suite is ready for you."

The woman flashed a confident smile, her fiery eyes gleaming. "Thanks, kid. I'm sure it'll be great."

Fumihito's heart pounded. It was little surprise, given who had graced their fine establishment with her presence. "Here you are, then," he said, handing the guest her key. "We do hope you enjoy your stay. Is there anything else you need, Miss Usagiyama?"

The woman chuckled, her laugh spirited and lively. "Nah, I'm all good. Just keep doing your thing." With a final nod, she turned and strode back to the entrance. The automatic doors slid open, and she stepped through them into the sprawling cityscape.

Musutafu was alive with activity, the streets full of citizens of all ages going about their everyday tasks. The woman's fierce grin widened as she surveyed the urban expanse. The thrill of the hunt surged through her veins. There were villains out there that needed a good thrashing, and she was just the hero to deliver it. "Alrighty. Where to first?"

The wind picked up, as if in answer to the question. Her long, white hair blew right, whipping sideways in the breeze. Her head perked in the direction of her fluttering hair—west. "That way, huh?" she said aloud. "Good enough for me."

With a powerful leap, she launched herself into the air, her muscular legs propelling her skyward with ease, the ordinary hustle and bustle below turned instantly distant and insignificant. With the wind whipping through her hair and adrenaline coursing through her veins, her sharp red eyes scanned for any sign of trouble as she soared above the buildings, ready to hop headfirst into whatever challenge and adventures awaited.

"Okay, Musutafu," Mirko said to herself, her grin never fading. "Let's see what you've got for me today!"

[~]

The local time was 10:57 P.M. when a sudden jingle pierced the quiet of the Cage household. Luke Cage stirred beside his wife, groaning as he reached out to silence the intruding noise. He fumbled for a moment before finally grasping his buzzing cell phone. With a groan, he sat up and looked at the screen, squinting at the bright light in the dark of his bedroom.

The name that illuminated the display brought a mix of surprise and relief to Luke's tired face. As quietly as he could, he slipped out of bed and made his way out of the room, leaving his pregnant wife where she lay. When he finished ten long steps away from the bedroom door, he answered the phone and lifted it to his ear. "Danny, man, is that you?"

Danny Rand's voice issued through the speaker. "Hey, Luke. Yeah, it's me." There was a second-long pause. "You almost sound worried."

Luke clicked his tongue. "Of course I was freakin' worried! You said you were gonna be gone a couple days. That was a week ago! What gives?"

"Well, there's good news and bad news," Danny told his friend. "The good news is I found and wrecked the A.I.M. squad and their weapon shipments. I even got some help when M.O.D.O.K. showed up, so we're all good there."

Luke gave a soft sigh of relief. "Okay, great. What's the bad news?"

"That bad news is there's this new group in Japan that A.I.M.'s been selling to," said Danny. "They call themselves the League of Villains, and by all counts they're gonna be a headache."

"Sweet Christmas..." Luke muttered. "Okay, I gotcha. Buyin' from A.I.M.'s a big time red flag." He stopped for another second, then snorted. "'League of Villains'? The hell kinda name is that?"