Chapter 55 Purgatory

Kingpin lay on the ground, utterly exhausted and defeated, reduced to a mere prisoner.

"Batman, do you think it's over just because I'm down?" he barked with laughter, undeterred by the chains binding him. Even as the thought of Batman killing him crossed his mind, he brazenly threatened, "I swear, I'll become your worst nightmare. Prison can't hold me…"

"Ordinary prisons can't, but I've prepared something extraordinary for you."

Anton's voice was cold and calm, cutting off Kingpin's words. "You won't be going to prison. I've worked with certain powerful authorities to secure an island in the Pacific—an isolated place I call Purgatory. The island is uninhabited, devoid of any trace of civilization. You'll spend the rest of your life there."

"Impossible!" Kingpin roared, his voice shaking with rage. "No one can judge me! You have no authority!"

"You're right, I don't," Batman replied evenly. "But certain authorities do."

"Authorities?" Kingpin's brows furrowed, unsettled by Batman's composure and his cryptic hints.

"To be precise, the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, and Logistics Division."

Phil Coulson appeared on the scene, flanked by a team of agents. They had been waiting patiently for the battle to conclude, emerging now to claim the spotlight.

Beside Coulson stood Matt Murdock in his Daredevil persona. While Matt hadn't fought alongside Anton in this particular skirmish, his contribution had been vital. Before the battle, Matt had led Coulson to raid Kingpin's hidden warehouses and residences, unearthing a treasure trove of illegal weapons and damning evidence of Kingpin's crimes.

"Hello, I'm Phil Coulson," Coulson introduced himself, flashing a polite smile at the bound and helpless Kingpin.

His tone turned serious. "We discovered an arsenal of illegal weapons in Hell's Kitchen, including Stark Industries' latest missile system, the Jericho. This violates national security laws. Kingpin, you're under arrest."

The Jericho missile, designed by Tony Stark, was a cutting-edge weapon capable of obliterating entire cities. With a price tag of $500 million as a starting point, the missile system came with a complimentary luxury liquor cabinet stocked with premium alcohol like tequila, whiskey, and fine wines.

Ironically, Tony Stark had been showcasing this very system in Afghanistan when he was attacked and went missing.

To add insult to injury, Coulson had brought one of these missiles to the scene, ensuring irrefutable evidence.

Anton stepped forward, switching from the Rabbit Suit to the Basic Suit. With a flourish, he opened the liquor cabinet, poured himself a glass of whiskey, and raised it toward Kingpin with a victorious smirk before downing it.

"Kingpin, I hope you enjoy your time in Purgatory," Anton said, setting the glass down. "Don't worry, though—you won't be lonely for long. More will join you there soon. Trust me, it won't take long."

Ignoring Kingpin's furious screams, Anton turned to look at Eddie, Matt, and Spider-Man. A wave of emotion swept over him as he surveyed the unlikely team before him: Venom, Daredevil, Spider-Man, Batman, with SHIELD and its extensive resources backing them.

Kingpin's defeat, even in death, was nothing short of poetic justice.

"Batman, thanks to your intel, we've identified Stark Industries' CEO, Obadiah Stane, as a key suspect," Coulson reported, addressing Anton. "However, while the evidence against him is substantial, it's not airtight. He could still shift blame onto someone else. That brings me to a question I hope you'll answer truthfully."

"Tony Stark?" Batman asked.

"Precisely." Coulson nodded, unsurprised that Anton had anticipated the question. "Given your friendship with Tony, do you have any insights into his situation?"

Coulson clearly believed that Anton might possess unique information, especially since Anton and Tony were known to be friends.

Spider-Man and Daredevil exchanged surprised glances. They hadn't expected Batman to have personal ties to Tony Stark. Their minds raced with thoughts about Batman's real-life counterpart, Anton Jameson—a character who had supposedly brought the fictional Batman to life in the real world.

Had the inspiration for Batman really come from Tony Stark?

But neither Batman nor Coulson had the time to entertain their speculations.

"While there isn't enough evidence to definitively prove Obadiah's involvement," Anton said bluntly, "I can assure you that Tony's attack wasn't an accident. It was premeditated. Obadiah Stane is almost certainly the mastermind. You need to act against him immediately."

This wasn't a secret Anton felt compelled to hide. Even in the original storyline, SHIELD had been suspicious of Obadiah and had taken steps to investigate him.

However, whether due to Obadiah's cunning or SHIELD's lack of concrete evidence, the agency had failed to make significant progress. If not for Howard Stark's legacy and SHIELD's vested interest in protecting Tony, he might have been abandoned altogether.

"Understood. Thank you for your support," Coulson said, shaking hands with Batman. He then instructed his agents to secure the Jericho missile and transport Kingpin, who had been sedated with a heavy dose of tranquilizers, into custody.

Interestingly, Coulson left the liquor cabinet behind, sending a clear message.

Now, only Batman, Venom, Spider-Man, and Daredevil remained on the rooftop.

"Let's split the drinks and celebrate," Anton suggested with a grin, his tone lighthearted for the first time.

"How about a group photo first?" Eddie, still in Venom form, suddenly perked up.

Venom reached into its chest and pulled out a camera hanging around Eddie's neck. Mimicking Eddie's excited tone, it said, "Tonight's a big news story! I'm aiming for triple bonuses at the end of the month. As allies, you wouldn't disappoint me, right?"

"Huh?"

"What?"

Spider-Man and Daredevil exchanged baffled looks.

Meanwhile, Anton, still in his Batman guise, couldn't help but laugh. Eddie truly was a stellar employee, always finding creative ways to milk his boss's wallet.