DC Apostle in the Marvel Universe

Although Russell wasn't doing anything illegal at the moment, the conspicuous Chevrolet SUV parked in the area had caught the attention of the police.

In the U.S., large SUVs like this Chevrolet were often favored by law enforcement agencies, such as the FBI.

Seeing the police slowly approaching, Russell didn't hesitate. He immediately reversed the car.

Then, right under the watchful eyes of the officers, he executed a sharp turn to adjust his direction and slammed on the accelerator.

His actions immediately put the police on high alert, but they ultimately decided against pursuing him.

If this had happened in any other neighborhood, the police wouldn't have let him off so easily.

But this was Hell's Kitchen...

Here, it was better to avoid trouble than to invite it, so they let Russell go without a chase.

He had initially thought compensating the homeowner would be a simple task, but now he realized he had underestimated the situation.

After confirming that no one was following them, he took Heather and Jessica to a small, ordinary diner.

However, Russell had overlooked another problem...

As soon as they entered the diner, Heather, with her striking looks and black combat uniform, immediately drew the attention of the other customers.

At first, Russell thought it was just because of Heather's natural charm, but when he overheard the customers' hushed whispers, he realized the real issue...

In the HYDRA base, Heather's outfit wouldn't have raised any eyebrows, everyone wore similar combat gear.

But they weren't in the base anymore. Her attire was drawing unnecessary attention.

To make matters worse, Russell suddenly noticed that he was still wearing the bloodstained pants from earlier.

Luckily, the pants were black, so the stains weren't immediately obvious unless you looked closely.

Realizing the problem, he quickly decided to leave the diner.

After searching the car's navigation system, Russell found that the map of Hell's Kitchen was absurdly basic.

Aside from the main roads, there was no information about stores, restaurants, or buildings in the area.

Not even gas stations were marked...

'Has the area deteriorated to the point where map surveyors refuse to come here?' he mused.

Then he stole a glance at Jessica and asked, "Do you know where the nearest clothing store is?"

Jessica, who had noticed the issue as well understood Russell's need to find a clothing store replied, "Go straight for three blocks, then turn right."

Following Jessica's directions, Russell found the store and brought Heather inside, who still hadn't realized the problem.

When the duo returned to the car, their appearances had completely transformed.

Russell was now dressed in casual clothes, looking like a fresh-faced young professional, while Heather had changed into a sharp, tailored women's suit.

Russell had expected her to choose a dress or something similar, but to his surprise, she had immediately gravitated toward the suit the moment they entered the store.

When Heather stepped out of the fitting room in that suit, Russell's heart skipped a beat...

'How is it fair that she looks even more dashing in a suit than most men?' Though he had these thoughts, he didn't dare voice them.

He simply paid for the clothes and led her back to the car.

As Heather settled back into the passenger seat, Jessica, sitting in the back, locked her gaze onto Heather and didn't let go...

For some reason, Russell felt a faint pang of jealousy, as if someone were trying to steal his favorite collectible.

After finding another restaurant and sitting down, he finally asked Jessica, "What were you doing back there?"

"Nothing much. I was just passing by when I heard there'd been a murder." Jessica answered casually, sipping her coffee.

Though she was responding to Russell, her eyes never left Heather, roaming over her face and figure.

"Hey, you're a lady. Stop acting like some creepy guy, alright?" Russell tried to remind Jessica, but he knew his words would have little effect.

"You have no idea how lucky you are. With her looks and figure, even I'm tempted, and you're just sitting there like a rock. Are you even a man?" Jessica spoke in an exaggerated tone, then added something that nearly made Russell spit out his drink, "Wait, do you prefer men?"

Before Russell could respond, Jessica continued, "That's a possibility. You seemed way more enthusiastic when you were with that guy the other day... Not like now, where you're just... dead inside."

With that, Jessica turned her attention back to Heather.

'Don't get angry. Don't hit anyone... Hitting her over this is not worth it... Stay calm Russell, stay ca– screw it, I can't stay calm!'

After forcing himself to calm down, Russell finally spoke again, "Enough joking around Jessica... I have a commission for you. Are you interested?"

When Russell shifted the conversation to work, Jessica finally got serious, "What's the commission?"

As a private investigator, Jessica rarely turned down any job.

Mainly because she didn't get many commissions to begin with.

"The Kingpin. I want all the information on him. Anything related to him, I want it."

For most private investigators, this kind of commission would be too risky to accept.

But for Jessica, while it was challenging, it wasn't impossible.

She had the skills to protect herself, so she didn't have to worry about her safety during investigations. This was her unique advantage in the private detective business.

"No problem. But the fee might be a bit high." Jessica didn't mind helping Russell out, but practical matters still needed to be addressed.

And investigating someone like the Kingpin, the underground top dog of New York, wouldn't come cheap.

"That's easy." With that, Russell handed Jessica the black travel bag filled with cash.

After opening the bag and taking a look, Jessica remarked, "Looks like you made quite a haul from your little operation the other day."

"Oh, one more thing." Russell hadn't forgotten the original purpose of this trip, so he explained his plan to compensate the homeowner to Jessica.

Like Heather, Jessica was momentarily stunned when she heard his request.

Then, she looked at him as if he were some rare animal...

Russell was familiar with that look... it was the same one he used when he saw a panda for the first time...