"A banquet? Extra cash?"
Jessica Jones stopped tilting her head back to chug her drink, the cold beer bottle still pressed against her lips.
She slowly lowered the bottle, scrutinizing William from head to toe with the gaze one might reserve for an alien.
The dim light in the apartment refracted into sporadic glints on her damp hair, but it couldn't illuminate the deep-seated mockery in her eyes.
A smirk, completely unhidden, played on her lips.
"Are you drunk, or did you get your head caught in a door? You want me, Jessica Jones, to attend a banquet?"
She emphatically poked her chest with her damp thumb.
"Wearing some ridiculous, constricting dress, forcing smiles at a bunch of fat-cat idiots? Do I look like that kind of person to you?"
"No, of course you don't."
William's smile grew even brighter, like a meticulously polished mask, perfectly deflecting all the barbs in her words.
"What I need is a professional security consultant. A partner who can provide top-tier physical security services by my side."
"It just so happens that the entry rule for this event requires everyone to have a female companion."
He cleverly reframed the concept, upgrading the term "female companion"—which carried connotations of a mere ornament—to the professional and equal-sounding "female partner for security cooperation."
Jessica let out a snort mixed with a nasal sound, as if she had just heard the coldest joke of the year.
She took another large gulp of beer; the cold liquid sliding down her throat seemed unable to quench the irritation in her heart.
"Speak plainly."
"I'm going to a very dangerous banquet, and I need a bodyguard."
William spread his hands, leaning slightly forward, dropping his business-like smile and adopting a serious expression.
"And you, Jessica, are the best candidate in all of New York. Just you standing there, that 'don't mess with me' aura, is more effective than ten burly men in black suits combined."
This half-compliment, half-truth seemed to loosen Jessica's tense shoulders slightly.
But her expression remained one of "don't bother me, or suffer the consequences."
"Not interested."
She refused curtly.
Having said that, Jessica turned, carrying the scent of dampness and alcohol, and was about to head back to her room.
"I hate crowded places, and I especially hate dressing up like some antique vase waiting to be auctioned off."
"The Master of the banquet is Wilson Fisk."
William's voice was soft and unhurried.
Jessica's steps halted abruptly.
She slowly turned around.
The neon lights from outside the apartment window cast a mottled play of light and Shadow on her face.
In those eyes, usually tinged with a hint of bewilderment and impatience, all traces of laziness and drunkenness had vanished without a trace.
"Kingpin?"
Her voice dropped, like sandpaper rubbing against metal.
"You're going to Kingpin's banquet? Are you tired of living?"
"This is a job, a job so well-paid it will make you forget your troubles."
"I need you as my female companion and bodyguard to attend with me. The task is simple: protect my absolute safety and provide necessary physical support when I need it. Afterwards…"
William held up five fingers, which appeared remarkably clear in the dim light.
"Five hundred? Rodriguez, are you using that money to pay off beggars on the street?"
Jessica scoffed, curling her lip.
"Fifty thousand."
William said with a clear, smiling articulation.
"Fifty thousand U.S. dollars, for one night's work. You just need to change into a decent outfit, have dinner with me, and maybe… break a few bones of some clueless guys along the way."
"Why me?"
She stared intently into William's eyes, trying to find even the slightest hint of deception or calculation in that deep smile.
"For fifty thousand U.S. dollars, you could hire an entire squad of well-equipped retired soldiers."
"Because they're not reliable."
William's answer was watertight, hitting the nail on the head.
"In front of someone like Wilson Fisk, any number of mercenaries could instantly switch sides for a higher price. But I trust you, Jessica. You hate that fat man, just like you hate all the bastards hiding in the Shadow. Your stance is more reliable than any contract in the World. And…"
William stood up, walking step by step towards her.
He lowered his voice, with a hint of allure.
"Don't you want to see with your own eyes what kind of person that underground emperor, who only exists in legends and nightmares, really is?"
"Don't you want to find an opportunity to give him an unforgettable 'surprise'? This is much more interesting than you tracking cheating husbands every day and taking a few meaningless photos."
This statement struck the softest, yet most enraged, chord within her.
She was a person with a sense of justice, but that sense of justice had been shattered by reality and traumatic memories.
She hated culprits like Kingpin, but she lacked the opportunity and ability to confront that entire dark criminal empire.
Now, an opportunity was right before her eyes.
A chance to observe the enemy up close, and perhaps even cause trouble for Kingpin.
"I hate dresses."
She was silent for a long time, her Adam's apple bobbing, finally uttering a statement that was almost a compromise.
"You don't need to wear a dress."
William immediately said, as if he had anticipated her words.
"You can wear pants, a stylish women's suit, any clothes you find comfortable and easy to move in. As long as you don't look like you're going to crash the party."
"If I have to get physical and ruin my clothes, you have to pay."
"Full reimbursement, including dry cleaning fees and emotional distress compensation."
"The drinks must be bottomless."
"You can drink as much as you want, the bill is on me."
Jessica looked at William's face, which was beaming with a determined "It's a deal" smile, and finally couldn't help but roll her eyes dramatically.
"Alright, I'm in."
She slammed the almost empty beer bottle onto the table, making a crisp clinking sound.
"But let me be clear, if I feel something is wrong, I'll be the first to grab you by the collar and rush out."
"If I find out you're using me for some heinous deed, I'll be the first to knock you out, package you up, and send you to Kingpin as a gift."
"Deal!"
William happily snapped his fingers, his voice exceptionally loud in the quiet apartment.
"Pleasure working with you, my… Chief Security Consultant."
Done!
Kingpin, your banquet seems like it's going to be much more interesting than you imagined.
"You look overly happy."
Jessica narrowed her eyes suspiciously at him.
"Smiling like a weasel who's stolen an entire chicken coop. Are you still hiding something from me?"
"Of course not."
William immediately dropped his smile, adopting a righteous expression.
"I am merely genuinely excited and looking forward to our upcoming great collaboration, full of challenges and opportunities."
"Really?"
Jessica raised an eyebrow, then suddenly took a step forward and hooked her arm around William's neck.
"Then let's have a little 'deposit' in advance."
Without another word, she pulled the still-stunned William towards the bedroom, her other hand already skillfully tearing at the obstructive tactical vest he was wearing.
The bedroom door was kicked shut with a loud "bang" by her heel.
Cutting off everything outside.
-------------------------------
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