Preparing for the Storm

Wilson Fisk leaned back, his expression shifting to one of mild satisfaction. "The work is scheduled to take place in a week," he informed, his voice calm but commanding. "Use this time to prepare, Silence. You'll need every advantage you can muster."

Silence nodded once, acknowledging the advice. "Understood."

With nothing further to say, Silence turned and left Fisk's office, his mind already processing the details. He had a week to get ready—a week to plan, prepare, and anticipate the worst. As he stepped out into the bustling streets of New York, his thoughts drifted back to the conversation.

'Two unknown variables present,' Silence thought, his expression darkening slightly. 'And I don't like that fact.'

The Brotherhood's involvement was the first unknown. They were a dangerous group, unpredictable and driven by their own fanatic agenda. The second unknown was the scientist herself—someone important enough to catch both Fisk's and the Brotherhood's attention.

Arriving back at his makeshift base in the abandoned garage, Silence's mind whirred with possibilities. He couldn't walk into this blind. If he was going to survive—no, thrive—in this situation, he needed information. Silence decided to spend the next few days snooping around, gathering intel. He had connections in the underworld, acquaintances who could provide useful leads, and if they didn't, he would make them.

The following week was a blur of shadows and whispered conversations. Silence moved through the underworld with purpose, asking questions, making deals, and in some cases, issuing subtle threats. He tapped into his network, pulling on threads that led him deeper into the city's dark heart.

After several days of careful inquiry, he finally caught a name: Dr. Kavita Rao. A geneticist renowned for her work on the mutant cure, her recent projects had taken a more complex and morally ambiguous turn. Silence learned that Dr. Rao had been working on something called the Hope Serum, a substance that could potentially stabilize mutant abilities. However, the serum was still in the experimental phase and came with significant risks.

'So that's it,' Silence mused, piecing it together. But the deeper he dug, the more he realized there was more to this than just a serum. Dr. Rao had been working closely with a group known as the X-Club, a team of scientists focused on advancing mutant technology and genetics. Their recent work involved a multitude of projects, many of which diverged sharply from anything he'd seen in the movies.

'This is much bigger than I thought,' Silence realized. 'The X-Club, Hope Serum, and now Ord of the Breakworld? This is spiraling into something far more complex than just a mutant cure or enhancement. And it's diverging more and more from the movie versions I knew.'

Back in the solitude of his garage, Silence let the information sink in. 'The Brotherhood won't sit quietly on this. They'll throw everything they have at that transport, maybe even use it as an opportunity to make a statement. As for Fisk, he's playing a dangerous game, keeping the scientist close. But he wouldn't have hired me if he didn't believe the stakes were that high.'

Silence's mind buzzed with strategies. 'I'll need to control the battlefield. That means preparation and unpredictability. Fisk may not care how I do the job, but I need to make sure it's done on my terms.'

He outlined several plans in his head. 'First, the route. It's bound to be well-guarded, but I'll need to identify potential ambush points, places where I can set up my own traps or escape routes. Next, the Brotherhood—they're bound to send their best. If I can take out their leader early, the rest might scatter.'

He paused, considering another angle. 'And what if the experiment itself is the real target? Destroying it could be a fallback option, but that means getting close enough to do so. A contingency plan, then. And finally, Dr. Rao—what are her true motivations? Is she being manipulated, or is she fully aware of the chaos her work could unleash? I need to figure that out too.'

Over the next few days, Silence dedicated himself to refining his abilities. He focused on new techniques, experimenting with his cursed energy to create barriers, misdirect enemies, and enhance his physical strikes. He practiced using his powers to move silently, to mask his presence, and to blend into the environment until he was almost invisible.

By the end of the week, Silence felt ready. He had gathered the information he needed, refined his skills, and developed a set of strategies that would give him the edge. As the day of the job approached, he couldn't help but feel a dark thrill at the challenge ahead. 'This is going to be interesting,' he thought, a smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth.

[ Next Day]

Silence stood in front of the building, the early morning light casting long shadows across the scene. But today, the atmosphere was starkly different from his previous visit. The once quiet and seemingly deserted area was now buzzing with an ominous energy.

Around ten black jeeps, all equipped with bulletproof glass, were parked in a precise formation, engines idling quietly. Sleek motorbikes, their matte black surfaces blending into the shadows, were lined up next to them. The air smelled faintly of exhaust and gun oil, a reminder of the power and purpose behind this operation.

Fifty men, clad head to toe in black tactical armor, moved with silent precision. Their faces were obscured by helmets with dark visors, and their every movement seemed calculated. Weapons were checked and rechecked, the cold click of magazines being loaded and the low hum of communication devices the only sounds breaking the stillness.

Silence stood apart from the scene, his posture relaxed but his eyes sharp, taking in every detail. The men, upon noticing him, seemed entirely unbothered by his presence. Whether they didn't care or were simply under orders not to engage, it was unclear. Either way, Silence observed them in return, his mind already analyzing the situation.

The tension was palpable, like a coiled spring ready to snap. After ten minutes of this quiet preparation, a man who appeared to be the leader stepped out of one of the jeeps. He was taller than the others, his armor bearing extra insignias that marked his authority. With a quick glance at his men, he began issuing instructions in a low, commanding voice.

"We move out in ten. First, we head to the pickup location. Once the target is secured, we proceed to the research facility. It's a fifteen-minute ride, but stay sharp—this is where we're most vulnerable."

Silence listened carefully, his expression unreadable. Fifteen minutes might not seem long, but he knew better. This was the perfect window for an ambush, and he suspected the Brotherhood wouldn't miss such an opportunity.

As the leader finished giving orders, the men moved with practiced efficiency, finalizing their preparations before they began loading into the vehicles. The air felt heavier, thick with the anticipation of what was to come. Silence kept to himself, a silent observer, his mind already running through possible scenarios and countermeasures.

Moments later, the convoy began to roll out, the low rumble of engines signaling the start of the mission. Silence, seated in one of the middle jeeps, leaned back slightly, his gaze drifting out the window as they left the relative safety of the building behind. The city blurred by, but his thoughts remained focused on the minutes ahead. The real test was about to begin.

The convoy rumbled its way through bustling streets, the black jeeps slicing through traffic with an unwavering and relentless efficiency that left no room for hesitation. Silence took in the passing cityscape, his mind sharp, attentive, and intensely focused on the critical task that lay ahead of him. Finally, after what seemed like a tense and quiet ride of anticipation, the convoy reached their destination.

It was a nondescript warehouse that really did not stand out from its surroundings, invisible to the average eye, yet it was surrounded by an aura of heavy security, which suggested that it was anything but ordinary. As the convoy came to a full stop, the men in tactical armor started to exude a sense of purpose and determination, hanging palpably in the air. The earlier instructions of the leader were loud in Silence's head, echoing clear and strong, and he steeled himself to handle any surprises or twists that may arise from the situation.

Silence stood quietly and observantly, his gaze fixed with great intensity as he noticed the men making their way toward the entrance of the warehouse. Inside that building, he saw Dr. Kavita Rao, poised, exuding an air of anxious determination that was palpable. By her side, she held a huge, heavy-looking reinforced briefcase strapped to her wrist with what looked like an advanced locking device, oozing top-level security.

The briefcase was certainly key to the entire operation, carrying as it did the very heart of the experiment itself, but in any case, Silence could see by the way the guards shifted position that it was extremely important. Rao's face was strained and her eyes fluttered about nervously, trying to sort out the men who were closing in tightly on her.

The men moved with a practiced efficiency, speaking to their experience, as they swiftly and methodically secured Rao-continuing to make sure that the briefcase was properly and securely attached to her wrist.

All of Silence's senses were heightened and on high alert, for everything in his body told him to be watchful. The atmosphere that surrounded them was thick with palpable tension, and he could feel the anxiety congealing in the air like a thick fog. Everything rested on their ability to keep Rao and the briefcase safe and secure until they reached the research facility-up ahead, a vital destination.

As the final checks were painstakingly made and Rao was snugly and securely placed within the protective cocoon of the convoy, Silence's mind ran through a myriad of scenarios and situations that could arise. The Brotherhood's well-known reputation for unpredictability suggested that the real challenge and true test of their resilience was still firmly ahead of them, looming on the horizon.

The now fully prepared and hyper-vigilant convoy moved with purpose on its way to the research facility. Silence himself remained extremely alert, having his hand poised and ready to channel his cursed energy in a heartbeat if need be. As it were, his real test of skills and the strategies he had spent time perfecting had only begun to unfold before them.

And as if it was fated he heard "BOOM!!!....." and was met by a shockwave