The Man With No Fear

Chapter One: Nelson and Murdock

Matthew Murdock adjusted his glasses on the bridge of his nose, trying to hide his smile as his buddy Franklin 'Foggy' Nelson spoke.

"Man you've got to see this place, it's perfect!" Foggy exclaimed as the pair weaved their way through the crowded sidewalk. Matt gripped his cane in his hand, tapping away at the ground before him. His grin came through at his friend's slip up and he could practically see Foggy getting flustered.

"I mean, well, you know what I mean Matt. This place is great. We'll have a whole office, a room for coffee and crap, real lawyer stuff!" his rotund friend continued enthusiastically. Matt reached forward and found Foggy's shoulder, giving it a squeeze.

"I believe you buddy," Matt said. He was used to Foggy's impenetrable enthusiasm. He'd known him since their college days and they'd been best friends ever since. Bonding while staying up until three into the morning to study for the bar exam did that to people. After they'd graduated they'd set to work on creating a law firm together and today they were off to go settle into their new place.

Nelson and Murdock was becoming a reality for them.

Matt started to tune out his friend's ramblings as he listened to the sounds of the city. Every single sound, every car horn, every whisper, was amplified for him.

"Shh honey, we'll go back and I'll get you the doll," a mother pleaded with her crying child.

"God Sarah, could you be a bigger sap? He's no good for you!" chided a woman to her friend.

"Hey pal, who the heck gave you a damn license? Go to hell!" shouted a disgruntled driver.

Matt frowned to himself at the irony of the last statement. Didn't the man know that they all already were in hell?

Hell's Kitchen to be exact. The most dangerous part of New York City, home to the worst of the worst. Murderers, thieves, drug dealers, gang bangers. Matt's grip on his cane tightened as the familiar anger filled him. He could hear his own blood pumping in his veins, spurred on by his rising heart rate.

"Matt, hey buddy, did you hear me?" Foggy said, patting Matt on the shoulder. "We're here."

"Oh, sorry, got distracted," Matt mumbled to his friend. Foggy took Matt by his elbow and led him through a door towards an elevator. Still tapping away with his cane Matt could make out shapes and figures as they went by. His attuned ears could hear the slightest of sounds as they bounced off of objects, giving him a murky "view" of the world that he hadn't truly seen since his accident.

They got onto the elevator and Matt listened as Foggy pressed the button for their floor.

"I feel like you're not as excited as I am," Foggy said. Matt could hear the disappointment creeping into his voice. Feeling like a jerk Matt plastered on a big grin, because he really was excited.

"Foggy, man, no one shows excitement the way you do. But believe me, I'm on cloud nine about this," he assured him, reaching forward to hold his shoulder.

"You better be man," Foggy said, a mock threatening tone coloring his voice. Matt let out a laugh.

Foggy led him off of the elevator and down a hall.

"Man, touch this," Foggy said, grabbing Matt's free hand. Suddenly he felt a cool hard material, like glass. His fingers brushed over raised letters. As his hands glided across the letters a slow smiled graced his lips.

"Nelson and Murdock Attorneys At Law? Foggy, this is awesome." Matt said with a wide grin.

"Yep, the real effin deal man! We're in business! We'll be bringing justice to this city in no time, one case at a time!" Foggy exclaimed as he pushed open the door.

That statement nagged at Matt. One case at a time wasn't enough for him. It wasn't enough for this broken city. The city was rotten from the bottom up, full of trash that needed to be thrown out. And he had his own way of doing it.