Crossbow

*"I'm not one who likes the world I see 'round me these days...so I put meself at hire to anyone who wants to make things proper again."*
―Jason Praed
**Jason Praed** aka **Crossbow** is a British assassin for hire. He despises modern weapons and prefers his signature crossbow to make his kills. He has clashed with Daredevil on several occasions.

## Biography

### Vengeance of the Victim

*"Promises are not exactly coin of the realm, Crossbow. And speaking of money... you **do** know, don't you that I shall not pay the rest of the fifty thousand pounds until Micah is food for worms?"
"So you keep **tellin**' me. But **you** know I'm not doin' this for the **profit** of it but for the **need** to see Micah in the ground. Not that I won't **take** the fifty thousand!"*
―Barrington Synn and Jason Praed
After the discovery of the Kinjorge, a lost tribe descended from British explorers who became stranded in Africa, by Belgian geologists, Professor Horatio Piper, an anthropologist, brought them to New York City. A media craze erupted around the tribesmen, with a gaggle of journalists following them everywhere and the public clamouring for more about the ’lost tribe‘.

This caused problems for one British nobleman, Lord Barrington Synn. Synn was actually a distant relative of the leader of the Kinjorge, Micah Synn, and wished to avoid a scandal should such information ever be made public. To put an end to the matter, Lord Synn hired Crossbow to assassinate Micah.

When Micah took a tour of the Manhattan subway system, Praed fired a bolt at Micah. Daredevil leapt on the scene and kicked Micah out of the way but Micah's wife Sra fell off the ramp onto the tracks. Daredevil jumped down and covered her allowing a train to pass harmlessly over them. Praed escaped in the commotion.

Later, Marci Stahl decided to host a party in honour of King Micah and dozens of New York socialites were in attendance to see Micah. Praed arrived again, but Daredevil was ready for him this time. He cornered Praed on the balcony but Micah attacked Daredevil from behind. Daredevil knocked him back and rendered Praed unconscious.

### Survivor

*"Ye've come to do me? Then get **on** with it! I've no wish to hear a **speech** and I'll not be **grovelin'** either. I'll go to my grave like an **Englishman!** Do your worst!'"
"I will. But not as you think."*
―Jason Praed and Micah Synn
Praed was arrested and ended up with a prison work gang digging graves on Hart Island. However, he was soon burst out by Kinjorge commandos, who wounded several guards. Micah was now in the process of establishing himself as a New York City crime lord and wanted to hire Praed. Praed agreed to work for Micah but secretly planned to double cross him later and kill him to close his original contract.

Luring Daredevil into a trap at Micah's penthouse, Praed ambushed him and put an arrow through his forearm. Badly wounded, Daredevil survived thanks to the arrival of the police enforcing the court order Micah had placed on him and Praed fled the scene.

## Powers and Abilities

### Abilities

*"You're a swift and sly lad. But I've a bit of cunning **meself**-- and there's more'n **one** way to launch arrows."*
―Jason Praed to Matt Murdock
* **Master Marksman**: Praed is an excellent marksman and archer, specialising in medieval style weaponry such as the crossbow.
* **Expert Assassin:** Praed is a dangerous and skilled assassin due to his deadly talent in marksmanship, stealth and his use of simple but efficient booby traps.
* **Skilled Combatant:** Praed is a skilled hand to hand combatant, able to hold his own against superior fighters like Daredevil.

## Equipment

### Weapons

*"You've got a thing about modern weapons, haven't you?"*
―Matt Murdock to Jason Praed
* **Crossbow:** A highly customised crossbow, it features a modern rifle scope and it's butt sports a pair of retractable spikes, making it possible to wield it as a close combat weapon in a pinch.

## Facilities

### Prisons

* **Ryker's Island**: After Praed's arrest, he was brought to the Ryker's Island to serve his sentence. He was later broken out by the Kinjorge.

## Relationships

### Allies

* Lord Barrington Synn - Employer
* Kinjorge Tribe
	+ Micah Synn - Attempted Victim turned Employer

### Enemies

* Matthew Murdock/Daredevil
* New York City Police Department

## External Links

* https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/Jason\_Praed\_(Earth-616)