It was raining, but then again it was always raining in his world.
Every since the day he buried his family. He drove with extra caution in
the downpour as people ran toward their cars. The lightning flashed and the
thunder clapped as he parked his black SUV in the closes parking spot he
could find. He gathered his coat around him and headed to the toughest
battle of his life, the mall.
He was killing time because he could not find anything else to kill. It was around dinnertime so he headed for the food court. After a quick stop at the little pizza joint he headed to the mega-mart bookstore. It was one of his favorite places to go on his down time, he would grab a couple of magazines and catch up on the latest gadgets that might help in his crusade. It was the first of the month and the bookstore was putting out their new books. He grab a Guns and Ammo and headed toward the little table at the back of the store. While first of the month was new magazine day this month it most have been bring out your freak day.
He silently read his magazine with one eye, while watching three Goth punks stuff their oversized pants with role-playing source books. It was his off day but he figured he had better step up and but a fear in them that their parents would not. He stood up and made his way toward the door leaving his magazine in his seat. He had finally found a use for those little ads that were always falling out of the books, they made handy bookmarks. He walked out just in front of the boys. He could hear them talking of their successful shopping trip. He was going to enjoy this.
The boys went down the aisle in the parking deck to his left. He watched as they headed toward an older model Lexus. He hated posers, he thought as he went intercept them. He moved in, grabbing one of the punks by the back of their hooded sweatshirt. The boy let out a scream that would have made a schoolgirl proud. The other boys followed with yelps of their own. Then the driver spoke up.
"Man you can take the car, there's some money and pot in the glove box man. Please dot hurt us."
"Pot, huh. Figures. I was just gonna give you a lecture about the evils of shop lifting but now you crossed a line." Castle said as stern as possible. He was gonna have these kids so scared they would not mow the grass at their parents house.
"Aww, man are you a cop." The kid with a toboggan pulled down to his eyes said.
"Worse."
The boy that was getting in the driver seat made a bad decision and took a swing at Castle. Who caught the fist before it got close to him. With a twist the bone snapped and the boy hit his knees.
"Now that's not smart. Why add assault to your growing list of charges?" Castle said with a growl. His coat pulled back to reveal his infamous skull T-shirt. It may have been his off day but he always dressed for work. He always thought of his self like a 24 hour a day store, always open just not always doing business. "Now this is what we're gonna do. Lipstick boy, you call the cops. You other two get in the back here."
He opened the back doors and pushed the two punks into the car, as the other nervously called the police. Castle could hear the boy confusing everything they had ever did. They knew who he was. He could smell their fear, it smelled like wet denim and urine. He had grown to love the smell through the years. It was his way of knowing he did a job well done.
"Now you too, lipstick. In the back." He said ushering the final boy into the car.
He reached into the front window and bent the gearshift, so the boys were not tempted to run. He mumbled something to the wayward teens on becoming a man and taking responsibility.
"Now you boys stay out of trouble. You don't want to see me again. Ever. Understand."
"Yes sir, Mister Punisher." They said in unison.
"Good. Enjoy your visit to Juvie and they aren't kidding when they say don't drop the soap." He said as he shut the door. It was all he could do not to smile as he walked back to his waiting magazine. He heard the sounds of the police sirens enter the parking deck as he glanced one last time at the car with the three boys now sobbing in the back seat. It was a good night so far he thought to himself.
He found his magazine sitting right where he left it. His page still mark with the annoying little subscription card. He sat there and finished his article about the latest in Culver technologies. After that he returned to the magazine rack, to put the half read magazine back where it belonged. He was thumbing through a copy of a muscle mag, swimsuit edition, when a stranger in a brown trench coat tapped him on his broad shoulders. The man had just came out of the rain his gray hair was matted to his head. What hair he had left, anyway. He was in his fifties at least. His eyes looked from side to side as he introduced his self to Castle.
"Sir, you look like a man who I can interest in something here." The old man said as he reached into his coat pocket.
"I'm sorry sir, I not buying." Castle said as he turn back to his article on how to do the perfect push-up.
"Just look at the brochure, son. You might find something you like."
Castle turned and snatched the man's damp pamphlet from his hand.
"Look old timer, just move on and leave me alone to some other sucker."
The man turned away and walked off, as Castle unfolded the crumpled newsletter in his hand.
'The Diaper Brigade: When they're old enough to crawl their in the right position.'
What type of sicko he though as his anger swelled to rage and then to fury. Not in his mall he thought as he followed the man into the main hall of the shopping center.
"Hey mister." Castle yelled out trying to get the man's attention.
The man turned to see the tall man he had just spoke with in the bookstore waving for him to stop.
"Did'cha change your mind." The old man asked.
"Yeah I got some stuff to show you that I think is right up your alley. Why don't you meet me in the parking deck in fifteen minutes." Castle told the man.
"I'd love to see watch you got. But first a quick question."
"Alright but all I got are quick answers." Castle said trying to kept the conversation friendly.
"Are you a cop?" the old man asked.
"Nope. I work in construction." Castle replied. Which with his imposing frame was no hard to believe. "Fifteen minutes I'll be on the top level. It's always empty this time of night."
Castle never let the man leave his sight. He followed at a safe distance, but he was close enough to react if needed. The old man never looked back. He whistled a little tune as he strode out the main door. Luckily for Castle they were parked up the same aisle. He got in his vehicle and watched to see the man drive into the five floor parking deck. At least the rain had stopped he thought as he followed the man up the ramps. Just like Castle had thought the fifth floor was empty, no witnesses.
"Alright what you got for me?" The old pervert asked as he approached Castles large SUV.
"Come around back." Castle answered.
The man walked around the back of the vehicle only to be met with the door. Castle swung the door hard into the older man, who fell to the ground stunned. But not stunned enough. He leapt to his feet ad run toward the stairs. Castle was on him before he ever touched the first step. Castle grabbed him by the back collar and slung him to the ground, hard. The man splashed through the puddles as he slid across the wet ground. Castle walked over to the man who was still laying on his back. Fear gripped his spine. He wiped the water out of his eyes in time to see Castle reaching down for him. In one yank he was on his feet. With one more punch he was back on his back, unconscious.
Frank Castle loaded the man's wet unconscious body into the back of his SUV and then cranked the vehicle up. He drove for fifteen minutes before coming to a stop again this time in a small animal clinic and shelter. He went to the back a once again heaved the older man on to his shoulder. The man was still knocked out, either by castle's punch or his own fear. Castle did not know or care. He knew he was being followed as they drove to the clinic and now the blue sedan sat on the side of the road. A normal person might not have noticed, but Frank Castle was not a normal person.
"Wakey wakey, eggs and bakey." Castle said as he sprayed the man with water from a hose used to clean the kennels.
The dog bark as the man struggled to get to his feet with no avail. Castle had tied the man's hands behind his knees. But that was just the start. As the old man looked around he saw something that sent a chill up his spine. Frank Castle sat on a small desk, his coat draped across the chair. He wore his skull T-shirt fully exposed now. The old man shook as he tried to free his self from his binds. The more alert he became the less he liked his situation. He was again looked around the room this time what he saw he like even less. His pants lay in a pile in the corner of the dim room.
"Please sir don't kill me. I'll get help. I, I, I swear." The man stuttered.
"I know you will Mr. Woods and I don't kill for amusement. Yeah I went through your wallet."
"Please take what ever you want. I'll do anything just let me go." Mr. Woods pleaded with his captor.
"Now I did not care for you when I found out you were some kinda sick pedophile. How do you think I felt after I found this Castle said as he dropped the gold object on the floor. It rattled as it finally came to a stop next the man's face.
"You're a freakin' cop. That made me sick when I saw it. Do you know what it takes to make me sick." Castle was yelling at this point. Which was setting the dogs off, they howled and barked to match Castle's tone.
"Man I got a problem. Please I'll change a promise. Just don't tell anyone I'll lose me job."
"You got bigger problems than your job." Castle said regaining his composure.
He held up a small spray bottle with a little white label on it. He sat it on the ground so Mr. Woods could see it.
"Do you know what this is?" Castle asked.
"No." Mr. Woods could barely speak through his fear.
"This is a spray that the use on female dogs to get a male dog to mate with her. Sometimes you see, they need a little motivation. This German Shepherd here looks very motivate and so does his friends."
"What are you talking about." Mr. Woods said his voice-changed pitches as he tried to control his terror.
"Well right now you are cover in it and unless you tell me where you keep your subscribers list I'm going to open some of these cages. You understand?" Castle said his voice now completely calm.
"I don't have anything like that." Woods pleaded.
"You sure? Because this lever is getting pretty heavy, I'd hate to drop it."
"You man please just let me go."
"No you got a date with a doggie." Castle said hoping the man would talk. "Why don't you think about it some more."
Castle walked over to the dogs he reached through the cage bars and petted them on their heads. The were itching to be let loose. He walked back over to the lever.
"Times up Woods." Castle said as he grabbed the unlocking mechanism.
"Look at my house there's a list of addresses, no names. But you track them down that way its stored on my computer." Woods final spilled his guts.
"Now don't you feel better." Castle said with a half smile.
"Alright I told you what you wanted, please let me go." Woods was still pleading.
"A stopped trusting people along time ago. So what I'm going to do is go get your buddy out there and tell him where to find you. If your lucky, which my bet is your not gonna be, he'll be here before the dogs." With that Castle but his coat back on and head to the door.
Before he exited, he paused to give Woods one last look. Then he reached up and pulled the lever down. He could hear the dogs howl and Woods scream as he walked out of the Clinics front door. He stayed in the shadows as he crept up to the obvious government car parked on the dark road. He approached the vehicle from the back. The driver jumped out of his set when Castle tapped on the window.
"DEA right?" Castle asked.
"Yep. You know I should haul your butt in too." The agent said.
"No you shouldn't. what you should do is give Mr. Woods there a couple of minutes to play with his friends and then go save him. Also if I were you I'd get a warrant and seize his computer." Castle said.
"Why would we do that?" The young agent asked.
"I'm sure Woods will tell you when you help him. Oh and you may want to call for back-up its gonna be messy in there."
Castle walked back to his SUV, slid into the driver's seat once again. he waited until the agent went inside the animal clinic before leaving. As he drove off he waved to the young agent, who was heaving after seeing too much in the animal clinic.
Things were quiet as he drove back to the bookstore. he still wanted to finish his article about how to do the perfect push-up. He grabbed the muscle mag and found his little table again. He was almost finished when he was interrupted again, this time by some little teenaged clerk.
"Excuse me sir are you going to buy something. The manager said to tell you this wasn't a library." She said in a nervous voice.
"Yeah I was just headed to the register. Tell your manager I said step up and do his own dirty work." He rolled the magazine in his hand and waved to the oversized store manager, who was watching from a distance.
He stopped at the little coffee shop inside the store, paid for his magazine and large black coffee. His off day was over it was time to go to work.
He was killing time because he could not find anything else to kill. It was around dinnertime so he headed for the food court. After a quick stop at the little pizza joint he headed to the mega-mart bookstore. It was one of his favorite places to go on his down time, he would grab a couple of magazines and catch up on the latest gadgets that might help in his crusade. It was the first of the month and the bookstore was putting out their new books. He grab a Guns and Ammo and headed toward the little table at the back of the store. While first of the month was new magazine day this month it most have been bring out your freak day.
He silently read his magazine with one eye, while watching three Goth punks stuff their oversized pants with role-playing source books. It was his off day but he figured he had better step up and but a fear in them that their parents would not. He stood up and made his way toward the door leaving his magazine in his seat. He had finally found a use for those little ads that were always falling out of the books, they made handy bookmarks. He walked out just in front of the boys. He could hear them talking of their successful shopping trip. He was going to enjoy this.
The boys went down the aisle in the parking deck to his left. He watched as they headed toward an older model Lexus. He hated posers, he thought as he went intercept them. He moved in, grabbing one of the punks by the back of their hooded sweatshirt. The boy let out a scream that would have made a schoolgirl proud. The other boys followed with yelps of their own. Then the driver spoke up.
"Man you can take the car, there's some money and pot in the glove box man. Please dot hurt us."
"Pot, huh. Figures. I was just gonna give you a lecture about the evils of shop lifting but now you crossed a line." Castle said as stern as possible. He was gonna have these kids so scared they would not mow the grass at their parents house.
"Aww, man are you a cop." The kid with a toboggan pulled down to his eyes said.
"Worse."
The boy that was getting in the driver seat made a bad decision and took a swing at Castle. Who caught the fist before it got close to him. With a twist the bone snapped and the boy hit his knees.
"Now that's not smart. Why add assault to your growing list of charges?" Castle said with a growl. His coat pulled back to reveal his infamous skull T-shirt. It may have been his off day but he always dressed for work. He always thought of his self like a 24 hour a day store, always open just not always doing business. "Now this is what we're gonna do. Lipstick boy, you call the cops. You other two get in the back here."
He opened the back doors and pushed the two punks into the car, as the other nervously called the police. Castle could hear the boy confusing everything they had ever did. They knew who he was. He could smell their fear, it smelled like wet denim and urine. He had grown to love the smell through the years. It was his way of knowing he did a job well done.
"Now you too, lipstick. In the back." He said ushering the final boy into the car.
He reached into the front window and bent the gearshift, so the boys were not tempted to run. He mumbled something to the wayward teens on becoming a man and taking responsibility.
"Now you boys stay out of trouble. You don't want to see me again. Ever. Understand."
"Yes sir, Mister Punisher." They said in unison.
"Good. Enjoy your visit to Juvie and they aren't kidding when they say don't drop the soap." He said as he shut the door. It was all he could do not to smile as he walked back to his waiting magazine. He heard the sounds of the police sirens enter the parking deck as he glanced one last time at the car with the three boys now sobbing in the back seat. It was a good night so far he thought to himself.
He found his magazine sitting right where he left it. His page still mark with the annoying little subscription card. He sat there and finished his article about the latest in Culver technologies. After that he returned to the magazine rack, to put the half read magazine back where it belonged. He was thumbing through a copy of a muscle mag, swimsuit edition, when a stranger in a brown trench coat tapped him on his broad shoulders. The man had just came out of the rain his gray hair was matted to his head. What hair he had left, anyway. He was in his fifties at least. His eyes looked from side to side as he introduced his self to Castle.
"Sir, you look like a man who I can interest in something here." The old man said as he reached into his coat pocket.
"I'm sorry sir, I not buying." Castle said as he turn back to his article on how to do the perfect push-up.
"Just look at the brochure, son. You might find something you like."
Castle turned and snatched the man's damp pamphlet from his hand.
"Look old timer, just move on and leave me alone to some other sucker."
The man turned away and walked off, as Castle unfolded the crumpled newsletter in his hand.
'The Diaper Brigade: When they're old enough to crawl their in the right position.'
What type of sicko he though as his anger swelled to rage and then to fury. Not in his mall he thought as he followed the man into the main hall of the shopping center.
"Hey mister." Castle yelled out trying to get the man's attention.
The man turned to see the tall man he had just spoke with in the bookstore waving for him to stop.
"Did'cha change your mind." The old man asked.
"Yeah I got some stuff to show you that I think is right up your alley. Why don't you meet me in the parking deck in fifteen minutes." Castle told the man.
"I'd love to see watch you got. But first a quick question."
"Alright but all I got are quick answers." Castle said trying to kept the conversation friendly.
"Are you a cop?" the old man asked.
"Nope. I work in construction." Castle replied. Which with his imposing frame was no hard to believe. "Fifteen minutes I'll be on the top level. It's always empty this time of night."
Castle never let the man leave his sight. He followed at a safe distance, but he was close enough to react if needed. The old man never looked back. He whistled a little tune as he strode out the main door. Luckily for Castle they were parked up the same aisle. He got in his vehicle and watched to see the man drive into the five floor parking deck. At least the rain had stopped he thought as he followed the man up the ramps. Just like Castle had thought the fifth floor was empty, no witnesses.
"Alright what you got for me?" The old pervert asked as he approached Castles large SUV.
"Come around back." Castle answered.
The man walked around the back of the vehicle only to be met with the door. Castle swung the door hard into the older man, who fell to the ground stunned. But not stunned enough. He leapt to his feet ad run toward the stairs. Castle was on him before he ever touched the first step. Castle grabbed him by the back collar and slung him to the ground, hard. The man splashed through the puddles as he slid across the wet ground. Castle walked over to the man who was still laying on his back. Fear gripped his spine. He wiped the water out of his eyes in time to see Castle reaching down for him. In one yank he was on his feet. With one more punch he was back on his back, unconscious.
Frank Castle loaded the man's wet unconscious body into the back of his SUV and then cranked the vehicle up. He drove for fifteen minutes before coming to a stop again this time in a small animal clinic and shelter. He went to the back a once again heaved the older man on to his shoulder. The man was still knocked out, either by castle's punch or his own fear. Castle did not know or care. He knew he was being followed as they drove to the clinic and now the blue sedan sat on the side of the road. A normal person might not have noticed, but Frank Castle was not a normal person.
"Wakey wakey, eggs and bakey." Castle said as he sprayed the man with water from a hose used to clean the kennels.
The dog bark as the man struggled to get to his feet with no avail. Castle had tied the man's hands behind his knees. But that was just the start. As the old man looked around he saw something that sent a chill up his spine. Frank Castle sat on a small desk, his coat draped across the chair. He wore his skull T-shirt fully exposed now. The old man shook as he tried to free his self from his binds. The more alert he became the less he liked his situation. He was again looked around the room this time what he saw he like even less. His pants lay in a pile in the corner of the dim room.
"Please sir don't kill me. I'll get help. I, I, I swear." The man stuttered.
"I know you will Mr. Woods and I don't kill for amusement. Yeah I went through your wallet."
"Please take what ever you want. I'll do anything just let me go." Mr. Woods pleaded with his captor.
"Now I did not care for you when I found out you were some kinda sick pedophile. How do you think I felt after I found this Castle said as he dropped the gold object on the floor. It rattled as it finally came to a stop next the man's face.
"You're a freakin' cop. That made me sick when I saw it. Do you know what it takes to make me sick." Castle was yelling at this point. Which was setting the dogs off, they howled and barked to match Castle's tone.
"Man I got a problem. Please I'll change a promise. Just don't tell anyone I'll lose me job."
"You got bigger problems than your job." Castle said regaining his composure.
He held up a small spray bottle with a little white label on it. He sat it on the ground so Mr. Woods could see it.
"Do you know what this is?" Castle asked.
"No." Mr. Woods could barely speak through his fear.
"This is a spray that the use on female dogs to get a male dog to mate with her. Sometimes you see, they need a little motivation. This German Shepherd here looks very motivate and so does his friends."
"What are you talking about." Mr. Woods said his voice-changed pitches as he tried to control his terror.
"Well right now you are cover in it and unless you tell me where you keep your subscribers list I'm going to open some of these cages. You understand?" Castle said his voice now completely calm.
"I don't have anything like that." Woods pleaded.
"You sure? Because this lever is getting pretty heavy, I'd hate to drop it."
"You man please just let me go."
"No you got a date with a doggie." Castle said hoping the man would talk. "Why don't you think about it some more."
Castle walked over to the dogs he reached through the cage bars and petted them on their heads. The were itching to be let loose. He walked back over to the lever.
"Times up Woods." Castle said as he grabbed the unlocking mechanism.
"Look at my house there's a list of addresses, no names. But you track them down that way its stored on my computer." Woods final spilled his guts.
"Now don't you feel better." Castle said with a half smile.
"Alright I told you what you wanted, please let me go." Woods was still pleading.
"A stopped trusting people along time ago. So what I'm going to do is go get your buddy out there and tell him where to find you. If your lucky, which my bet is your not gonna be, he'll be here before the dogs." With that Castle but his coat back on and head to the door.
Before he exited, he paused to give Woods one last look. Then he reached up and pulled the lever down. He could hear the dogs howl and Woods scream as he walked out of the Clinics front door. He stayed in the shadows as he crept up to the obvious government car parked on the dark road. He approached the vehicle from the back. The driver jumped out of his set when Castle tapped on the window.
"DEA right?" Castle asked.
"Yep. You know I should haul your butt in too." The agent said.
"No you shouldn't. what you should do is give Mr. Woods there a couple of minutes to play with his friends and then go save him. Also if I were you I'd get a warrant and seize his computer." Castle said.
"Why would we do that?" The young agent asked.
"I'm sure Woods will tell you when you help him. Oh and you may want to call for back-up its gonna be messy in there."
Castle walked back to his SUV, slid into the driver's seat once again. he waited until the agent went inside the animal clinic before leaving. As he drove off he waved to the young agent, who was heaving after seeing too much in the animal clinic.
Things were quiet as he drove back to the bookstore. he still wanted to finish his article about how to do the perfect push-up. He grabbed the muscle mag and found his little table again. He was almost finished when he was interrupted again, this time by some little teenaged clerk.
"Excuse me sir are you going to buy something. The manager said to tell you this wasn't a library." She said in a nervous voice.
"Yeah I was just headed to the register. Tell your manager I said step up and do his own dirty work." He rolled the magazine in his hand and waved to the oversized store manager, who was watching from a distance.
He stopped at the little coffee shop inside the store, paid for his magazine and large black coffee. His off day was over it was time to go to work.