Solomon in Marvel

Harold Finch was deeply dissatisfied with the outcome of the meeting. He had failed to prevent the conversation between Solomon and Elias from descending into something dangerous. As he had suspected, Elias knew exactly who Solomon was. The former crime boss appeared to have an uncanny knowledge of everything happening in New York City. At first glance, Solomon dismissed the chubby, bald man as insignificant. However, as their discussion progressed, even Solomon had to reevaluate him, scrutinizing this seemingly ordinary middle-aged man with a more serious gaze.

The two began discussing the criminal power structures of New York City, excluding Manhattan. By the time Finch noticed something was wrong, Solomon and Elias had already opened a bottle of wine and were gesturing animatedly, mapping out the territory and operations of the city's illicit trade. The gang leaders near Solomon's apartment had primarily been local whites and Italians. The androids' violent purge of these groups had shattered the uneasy peace between the gangs. Though minor skirmishes were common, the sudden and complete decimation of leadership was unprecedented.

"Don't bother with the black gangs. They don't last long," Elias whispered as he explained the dynamics of New York's African-American crime groups. He admitted he had deliberately avoided interfering too much in their affairs. Unlike other ethnic gangs, the leaders of black gangs rarely survived long enough to consolidate power.

"Part of it is due to police interference," Elias continued, swirling his wine glass lazily. "No black gang leader can openly bribe the police. The Irish, Russians, Latinos, even the Chinese can manage it—but not the blacks. Everyone immediately identifies them as criminals. However, their distribution networks are remarkably fast. Whether it's cocaine or marijuana, if you go to a black neighborhood, you'll see kids selling for them. Everyone there is part of the gang. They have no other hope—selling drugs is their only way to survive. Their competition is brutal because they don't understand unity. It's not just that their communities are interconnected; every shipment represents survival. If someone else sells more, that means they sell less."

Finch strongly opposed any collaboration between Solomon and Elias. Unlike Elias, whose network of informants spanned New York, Finch could only rely on surveillance cameras. Unfortunately, the androids had destroyed all the cameras near Solomon's residence, making it impossible for Finch to monitor the area.

Although Finch did not fully understand the extent of Solomon's military resources, Elias did. The former crime boss believed that unless the National Guard was deployed, Solomon's high-tech armed forces could easily annihilate all the gangs. Even with increased police patrols, crime rates in New York could drop to historic lows.

Elias had no objection to Solomon taking out corrupt police officers as well. He promised that all the corrupt officers' liquid assets and properties would become Solomon's. In doing so, Solomon could become one of the largest landowners in the city.

Using Solomon as a weapon to crush his enemies—especially rogue cops and rival gangs—would not come without a price. Solomon didn't want dollars; he wanted gold. Elias found this arrangement quite appealing. He promised to help convert the gangs' funds into gold if Solomon eliminated his old adversaries. In return, Elias would profit from the transaction margins.

This plan was exactly what Finch opposed most. He preferred to use legal methods to take down corrupt cops rather than resorting to violence. Elias didn't mock Finch for his idealism; on the contrary, he respected Finch's vision. However, Elias calmly pointed out that idealists often faced nothing but failure.

Moreover, Finch lacked the manpower to fight the corrupt officers head-on. Launching a full-scale war would inevitably lead to casualties.

"Why not reach out to the Punisher?" Solomon asked before they left the prison. "You must know he's currently targeting gangs indiscriminately."

"Frank Castle. A war machine. The best of them," Elias replied, raising an eyebrow. "That man's a lunatic. As you said, he attacks all gangs without exception. I used to be a gang leader—do you think he wouldn't come after me too?"

"As long as you stay in this prison, no one will take your life," Solomon remarked.

"According to the rules of war, the victor has the right to do as they please with the defeated," Elias said, his eyes hidden behind rimless glasses, making his expression unreadable. Solomon could only tell that Elias had a fondness for The Gallic Wars by Julius Caesar.

"I've already lost. So even in this prison, other people's influence can still reach me," Elias continued. "Thank you for visiting, but this place isn't safe—at least not by my standards. I'll find a safer way to conduct our business."

Back at the apartment, Diana helped Solomon remove his pinstripe suit jacket and shoes. The sisterhood members who guarded the residence bid him farewell before returning to their quarters. Meanwhile, his maid lowered her head respectfully and began reporting on the situation in the Immortal City, including updates on Lorelei and Princess Shuri of Wakanda's research progress.

As for Maya Hansen, she was on leave with two sisterhood members covertly protecting her, their handguns hidden inside designer handbags.

The first vehicle designed for the sisterhood had been successfully assembled. Although it remained unnamed, testing had confirmed that the aircraft could reach low Earth orbit. Combined with the androids' power armor and steel wing modules, it could facilitate orbital drops. Mass production was scheduled to begin, though limitations in raw materials and technology meant output would never match that of large military-industrial corporations.

This project had been on the table for some time, but Shuri had previously been preoccupied with other tasks. Now, it seemed she had been advised by the Wakandan royal family to abandon her genetic modification research and fully dedicate herself to mechanical engineering. Solomon approved of this shift. For now, Wakanda remained an irreplaceable ally.

However, their long-term objectives did not align. Eventually, the Wakandans would have to be replaced.

"What else?" Solomon asked, taking the glass of water Diana handed him. "Any news from S.H.I.E.L.D.?"

"Yes, Master," Diana replied, producing a report. Compiled by the AI, the report detailed how S.H.I.E.L.D.'s ship, the Lemuria Star, had been listed on the dark web with a bounty attached. The bounty provided extensive details about the vessel, including the identities of its crew and its defensive capabilities. A notorious group of mercenaries had already accepted the contract, according to the AI's tracing efforts.

"Have the AI track down whoever posted the bounty," Solomon ordered, handing the report back. "I know what's on the Lemuria Star. What interests me is where Nick Fury published the bounty from. If we locate that place, we'll have Nick Fury's trail."

"Master, isn't Nick Fury one of our current allies?" Diana asked hesitantly.

"Not anymore," Solomon said coldly. "Gather intelligence quickly. Our organization can't remain hidden beneath the Immortal City forever. My funds are running dry. We need to adopt a new facade to secure resources—or rather, we need to take over another organization entirely."

"And which organization would that be?"

"We're going to become HYDRA."

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