[center][b][color=fff200][sup][h1]T H E  I R O N  F I S T[/h1][/sup][/color][/b]

[b][color=fff200][sup]Issue #12: [i]Towerfall Part 3: Cool Million[/i][/sup][/color][/b][/center]
[COLOR=fff200][INDENT][B][SUP][SUB][H3]Staten Island, New York City[/H3][/SUB][/SUP][/B][/INDENT][hr][/COLOR][INDENT][INDENT][sup][color=darkgray]December 31[sup]st[/sup], 2018  |  7:05pm |  Outside of Rand Tower[/color][/sup][/INDENT][/INDENT]

Once the elevator reached the 86th floor, Danny stepped out looking like he had just been mugged... which he sort of was. The two guards standing outside raised their eyebrows until they saw the unconscious body in the elevator. He nodded his head. [color=fff200]"Jumped me in the elevator... I'm fine, just going to go freshen up."[/color] Before the guards could respond, Daniel pushed his way into the men's restroom. He made his way to the sinks, loosening his tie and examining his neck to notice the bruising on his neck. Even for someone like Danny, it would take a couple hours to clear up.

There was a distinct click and flush as a man emerged from one of the "rooms" that passed as stalls. It was a rather large man in an expensive Italian suit wearing shades indoors. That was always a sign of trouble. His five o'clock shadow and long, jet black hair weren't exactly welcoming either. Danny's eyes remained focused on the individual in the mirror as he spat out a few drops of blood in the sink.

In the blink of an eye, things changed. Drastically. The figure had a silent pistol in his hand and was raising it towards his target's head. Danny's head. In that blink of an eye, instincts took over. Daniel Rand quickly stepped towards the right and ducked out of the way of the first bullet as it pierced the mirror. The second bullet impacted the wall where Danny had moved to, but the Iron Fist was nimble enough and smart enough to move his head just enough to the left as he lunged for the assassin, fist extended and glowing. The third bullet impacted against the glowing fist, and there wasn't time for a fourth bullet. The gun was crumpled up in the assassin's hand, and a swift move of the Fist to his stomach knocked the opponent back through the doorway of the stall he exited. A loud crack filled the bathroom as the hitman bounced off the brick wall and fell to the ground, creating a spider fracture in the brick work like it was glass.

Danny walked slowly towards his opponent, circling around him before lifting him up by the back of the shirt and lifting him up to lean against the wall. The assassin was in serious pain, blood slowly drooling out of the corners of his mouth. The Iron Fist squatted down in front of him, fists clenched but no longer glowing, as his words dripped with anger through gritted teeth. [color=fff200]"Who are you? Why is everyone trying to kill me?"[/color]

The hitman had trouble staying conscious, his head bobbing around sluggishly as he attempted to fight off the pain. [color=gray]"It'll cost ya."[/color]

Danny gave a small smile. [color=fff200]"Are you seriously expecting me to pay you? In case you haven't noticed, I could..."[/color] He found he couldn't finish the sentence. He wasn't a killer, or a masochist.

[color=gray]"You aren't gonna kill me. And I've got information that could keep you alive to see the new year, Mister Rand."[/color]

Danny sighed, reaching to his back pocket and pulling out his wallet. He pulled out a couple twenties. The hitman shook his head in response, and Danny sighed as he pulled out a few hundred dollar bills and tossed it onto the man's lap. The hitman grinned. [color=gray]"They call me Cool Million. The bounty on your head was a million dollars. I typically don't pick up these short term contracts, as I'm better under pressure... but I thought you were just some rich punk who tipped off the wrong person. Maybe a corporate thing. Didn't expect ya to be some sort of whitewashed Jackie Chan."[/color]

[color=fff200]"Someone is offering a million dollars to kill me? Who was it?"[/color]

Cool shrugged his shoulders. [color=gray]"I dunno. We don't do names in my business. Contract on ya is open, which means anyone from the local street toughs to the heavy hitters are coming after ya. When I was doing some surveying, I noticed that there are a lot of interested parties. Even the League of Shadows."[/color]

Danny's head turned slightly, his attention hyper-focused at the mention of that organization. He had heard rumors in K'un-Lun... myths about a group of assassins with the power of immortality. Enemies to the light of K'un-Lun. A league that had killed the former Iron Fist. Now... a league that wanted to kill him. [color=fff200]"I need to get everyone out of here... but first..."[/color] Daniel struck Cool in the cheek, knocking the assassin unconscious. The Iron Fist removed his suit coat and kicked off his socks and shoes, before reaching to his shoulders and ripping off the sleeves of his dress shirt. He wrapped his tie around the knuckles of his left hand and up his wrist. He took a deep breath before opening the door to get back out into the hallway. 

He had a feeling it was going to be a long night.