Chapter 36: Short on Cash?

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Things gradually fell into place, and after a month, the ordered vehicle arrived, parked in the underground garage of the apartment complex. With four available spots, only two were taken up.

Link called McCall over to familiarize himself with the car before starting his duties. Additionally, Link had Foggy Nelson help McCall obtain a concealed carry permit.

Jessica's charity foundation officially began its operations, with its first task being the acquisition of a small apartment building. The property was a five-story apartment complex, sitting on a mere 0.3 acres of land.

The entire building belonged to a private owner, and Link wanted to negotiate directly. Previously, it was rented out, but ever since Wilson Fisk began buying up properties in Hell's Kitchen, the owner had prepared to sell. However, Fisk faced complications. First, Karen Page discovered discrepancies in the United Construction Company's accounts. Then Daredevil disrupted Fisk's business, causing further trouble. Lastly, Fisk prioritized acquiring large buildings since their expansive spaces facilitated underground excavation.

As a result, smaller buildings on the outskirts, like this apartment, were overlooked. Link saw the opportunity and had Jessica handle the negotiation herself, treating it as a chance for her to gain experience.

Jessica, passionate about the task, did not rush into the negotiation. She thoroughly investigated the owner and the apartment before taking action. Armed with comprehensive research, she approached the owner with the upper hand.

McCall, now familiar with Jessica's methods, realized she had a knack for investigation. She had dug up everything on the owner, leaving them at a disadvantage during the negotiation.

The deal was swiftly concluded at a total of $800,000. Such was the price of property in Hell's Kitchen. It was even less valuable than Link's previous townhouse, considering the apartment's small size—only 0.3 acres, or about 1,200 square meters of land.

Additionally, the building was quite old, constructed in 1920. Link called in a design company for an assessment, and they concluded that it was better to demolish and rebuild rather than renovate, as the structure was borderline unsafe.

Without the demolition, the price wouldn't have been so low. Essentially, the $800,000 was just the price of the land.

Jessica needed to discuss the situation with Link.

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"Sweetheart, we bought the apartment, but the designers said it's not worth renovating. It's better to rebuild, but the cost will be a lot more," Jessica said with a frown.

Link knew it was a matter of money. He had invested $1 million as the initial fund, and after the purchase, only $200,000 remained. From that, salaries and the regular operations of the law firm had to be covered.

"No problem, I'll invest another million," Link said. However, after thinking it over, he added, "You handle the planning with the design company. Then we'll take a trip to Las Vegas."

"Are you sure?" Jessica raised an eyebrow. "Won't that raise some eyebrows?"

"Nope. It's a small sum, and I'm winning from other players, not the casino itself. Don't worry about it," Link assured her, confident. If luck was on his side and he could hit a big game, their financial issues would be solved.

"Alright!" Jessica agreed.

She quickly signed the contract with the design company, paying an initial $100,000 deposit. Meanwhile, she met with Murdock and Nelson to discuss the next investment, which would not dilute their shares this time.

However, this would be the final contribution. From then on, the foundation would rely on its earnings to sustain itself. As for the building's design, they planned to keep it modest—four floors in total.

The structure would include one underground level and three above-ground stories, featuring large floor-to-ceiling windows. The simple framework would minimize costs.

The basement would serve as a parking lot, providing secure space for vehicles in Hell's Kitchen. Leaving cars out on the street would be too risky, so a designated parking area was necessary.

The ground floor would function as a reception area, with the front desk situated there. The left side of the building would be for regular legal consultations, while the right would handle legal aid.

On the left, there would be private consultation rooms for clients' confidentiality, while the right side would be more open.

The second floor would house offices for lawyers and their assistants, as well as meeting rooms for high-profile clients. The third floor would be for the foundation's operations, including legal aid review and other administrative tasks.

It seemed sufficient for now. Since it was March and the weather was mild, they could start demolition right away. Construction would take about four months.

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"Hey, Coulson, no action lately?" Link called Coulson.

"You don't need to worry about the case. The main reason is to keep you out of it so Fisk doesn't suspect you," Coulson explained. "We're only targeting the Hand, especially the dragon bones, and this must remain highly confidential."

"I get it," Link said. "If you don't need me, I'll take Jessica on a vacation. We're short on funds, so we're heading to Las Vegas."

"That works. It'll make you less suspicious," Coulson chuckled. "You're treating it like a personal ATM."

"What can I say? I'm just that good," Link joked. "But I'll change casinos this time. I can't keep hitting the same one, or they might really give me trouble."

"Glad you understand. Let me know if anything goes wrong," Coulson offered.

"Will do!" Link hung up.

Soon after, he and Jessica set off. Trish was envious, having recently started dating someone, though it wasn't going well.

Upon arriving in Las Vegas, Link had already scoped out a different hotel casino. During the day, they spent most of their time by the pool, where Link enjoyed the simple pleasure of applying sunscreen to Jessica. In the evenings, they hit the casino and took in shows.

It was a real vacation. The money-making part came second. Jessica, seeing Link play cards for the first time, was amazed by how effortlessly he dominated. In just a few days, he had won back $1 million.

However, she also noticed that by the third day, the casino had their eye on them. Yet after two more days, the surveillance mysteriously stopped.

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