Mark's Luke Cage [pt. I]

_Written in collaboration with NamiCwhaan

Luke Cage sat at his desk in his office at Harlem's Paradise, poring over a list of names and addresses. It had only been two weeks since the Snap ended, and the sudden return of so many people had left many in the community without homes or places to stay. Luke was determined to do what he could to help.

As the so-called protector of Harlem, Luke was well aware that his efforts went beyond just helping people find shelter. He tried to control the criminal elements of the neighbourhood as a sort of benevolent mob boss, keeping the peace and protecting the innocent. His reputation as an unbreakable man with a heart of gold had made him a beloved figure in the community, but it also meant that he was constantly walking a fine line between justice and corruption.

But the recent events had left him with a lot to consider. The Snap had brought chaos and destruction to the entire world, and Luke couldn't help but wonder if his efforts in Harlem were enough. He knew that the criminal underworld was still a constant threat, and that there were people out there who wanted to take him down.

He thought about the people without homes who were currently staying in the club, and how they would need more permanent solutions. He considered reaching out to his contacts in the city government to see what resources they could provide.

Luke shook his head at an idea that should have been admirable but actually only had the potential for further exploitation. That was the case because the Kingpin had used the chaos of the Snap to increase his power and influence in the city. The idea of reaching out to the government meant reaching out to Fisk, and Luke was already far too entangled with the Kingpin on the criminal side of things.

He couldn't risk giving Fisk any more leverage over him, but he couldn't turn his back on the people who needed his help either. Luke knew he had to come up with a solution that wouldn't compromise his principles or put him even further in Fisk's pocket. He leaned back in his chair, deep in thought.

Despite the danger of his position, Luke felt a sense of pride in what he had accomplished in Harlem. The streets were safer, and the people were better off under his protection than they had been before. But he also knew that there were those who saw him as just another criminal, and he didn't want to give them any more ammunition.

With a sigh, Luke stood up from his desk and walked to the window, looking out over the city he had sworn to protect. He knew that he couldn't do it alone, but he also knew that he couldn't trust anyone else to do it for him. In the end, it was up to him to find a way to help the people of Harlem without compromising his own values.

His attention was caught by the sound of the door to his office opening and he turned to see Keisha walking in with a tray of food.

The tiny petite 25 year-old had dark brown skin and short curly hair that framed her face perfectly. Her features were strikingly beautiful, and she had a strong, confident presence about her. She'd come along way since the days she'd been living on the streets that first year after Thanos did that bullshit Malthusian Final Solution of his.

"Hey, Keisha," Luke said with a smile. "You're a lifesaver."

Keisha chuckled as she set the tray down on Luke's desk. "You know I got you, Luke," she said. "You've been putting in a lot of work lately. I figured you could use some sustenance."

Luke nodded appreciatively as he grabbed a fork and started digging in. The food was delicious, and he felt his energy levels start to rise. As he ate, he chatted with Keisha about how she was doing and how her family was faring in the aftermath of the Snap. He remembered how she had been **** to fend for herself during the looting and **** that had broken out after the event, and he was grateful that he had been able to help her get back on her feet.

Eventually, she had to get back to her duties downstairs and Luke was left alone in his office once again, surrounded by piles of paperwork and lists of names. He rubbed his tired eyes and sighed. As much as he appreciated the importance of keeping track of things, he was growing increasingly frustrated with all the bureaucracy that came with running a criminal organisation.

He couldn't help but think about how much easier things would be if he could just go out there and take care of business himself. The Italians were putting on the pressure lately and he'd heard a group of those 'Thanos=Antichrist so We're living in the End Times' religious freaks were giving people a hard time down around 125th.

Just then, Sugar walked in, interrupting his musings. "Boss, Claire Temple is here to see you. She's brought a couple of people with her."

That caused him to sit up straight. He hadn't really seen Claire in years, just knew she hadn't been Snapped and had been burying herself in her nurse work, dealing with the human wreckage of the aftermath like the rest of them. "Have'em come up. Who's she with?"

Sugar shrugged, "White kid, suburban looking mother-fucker. Another fine-ass Latina. Fine."

His lieutenant cupped his hands pointedly some distance in front of his chest.

Luke gave him a look and the stocky man smirked and left to go get them.