- The Carnage

So here i am, sitting in the dark, just waiting for my prey to arrive, finally got a clue on this thing. It's 0200 hours, the "meeting" is supposed to happen at 0300 but i'm here before so i don't miss anything. I'm starting to fell tired, i haven't been able to eat or get some sleep since all this shit started. This might be a long wait if i'm just here doing nothing, so i start remembering it from the beginning.

I heard three days ago that something big was going to happen, something big and terrible, lots of people were gonna die. I didn't took it seriously, after all i heard it from a drug adict who was high at the moment i punished him, he was hitting this woman and trying to take her pierce, the bastard, i didn't killed him 'cause he said he had information, i just slapped him a little.

The next day i found something weird, there was a report on the newspaper, some "solitaire" guy paid for some "company", and after the "bussines" finished they had a drink, and he went out, the next morning he woke up naked, but the problem was, he was bleeding, and had two "scars" on his back, one on each side. He went to the hospital and then the doctors discovered something really disturbing, someone took his kidneys. Or that's what he said to the Bugle reporter.

At first i was surprised, and didn't wanted to believe it. Kidneys? But then i realized what was happening.

I decided to talk to the guy, he was at the hospital at the moment, so i visited him on late hours, he was sedated but conscious, he wasn't scared of me, told me i was a real hero, even if the police doesn't like what i do, i was necessary and i was doing a good job taking out the "bad guys", so i asked what happened:

"I was felling horny, and decided to get to "business" with that woman, she was hot man, she was a blonde chick, 90-60-90, how could i resist that? But it was a big mistake; after we finished our "business" i gave her a generous tip. And she bought me a drink, i accepted without hesitation, she went out and came back with the drinks, i think maybe she put something into mine, that bitch!"
"So she took your kidneys while you were sleeping."
"Yes man that's what happened."

I recollected some more data and then i went out the window, he yelled at me: "Get that bitch man". But it wasn't the woman, right? How could have she taken out his kidneys? He told me he had stitches when he woke up. And i'm sure she needed something were to put them, a box with ice or something. Damn it. There's much more involved in this.

Next day i found out that he had a transplant, of course, no one can live without kidneys. Good for him.

I started investigating; i didn't wanted to attract any attention to me before it was time so i decided to wait until it was late to find the woman. Obviously i asked the guys where he found her. But until then i had time to kill. I was almost sure it was a doctor who was involved on this, a dirty one, teaming up with the whore.

So why should someone steal human organs? What can they do with them? Of course!

I started investigating surgeons, they weren't dirty, i read 12 files on them, 12 surgeons on a city? Well, what can i say? I'm no doctor. They couldn't take out the organs right? Unless they used ambulances. Then i went trough the ambulances schedules, and got nothing. What else? Shiiit! I don't know anything else. They're using drug dealers and smugglers? No, i'll just wait 'till later, and ask the woman.

"No Ian what are you talking about, Punisher '89 is the real Punisher, 2004 is just a revenge flick with Frank on it."
"Maybe Malcolm, but Dolph can't act man, accept that, and there's no skull, what's that?...(Static)"

"We interrupt this program to show this emergency news flash:
We have received several reports of human organs robberies, they have been made on different ways, from death bodies inside hospitals and living people, usually they take kidneys and spleen, but the corpses seem to lack their heart too. This has people involved inside the hospitals, we warn the community to stay alert to anything they think is suspicious. I'm Owenstar reporting for Empire 1."

O.K. That report will create a big paranoia, i'll have to step up and move faster, so i'll check my "new friend" before i go after that woman. Since everyone is leaving the hospitals there's a big mobilization and i can go inside his room through the window without being noticed.

"Hey! I heard you got a new kidney man."
"Yes, i did, thank God. Did you get that damn woman?"
"Not yet, i'm working on it, that's why i needed to talk to you again."
"Yes man, what is it?"
"How did you got that kidney so fast?"
"A friend, he knows some dude that was selling it, i don't know where he got it from, but i paid a lot of money for it."

(Door opening)
"Mr. Brownstone, it's time for chaaa... OH MY GOD, SECURITY! SECURITY!"

Damn, i was hoping I could get in and out without this happening, I'll have to run now. So i go out the window, jump to the emergency stairs and go down, fast.

"Where is he?"
"He went out the window."
"I see him, don't fire, call downstairs, tell them he's going down!"

Great, cops are down there too, time to move fast. So i jump and fall to the floor like a stone. Damn it, that hurted, but i have to run now.

"There he is, get him!"

Cops are on my heels, i have to be fast, leave obstacles. So i run over everything, trash cans, boxes, whatever. But those cops are agile enough to keep the chase, and they're fast too. So i'll have to change my strategy. I go inside a building; it's a grocery store, big enough for me to hide.

(Cops go inside the store)
"Where is the fugitive, the man just came inside!"
"I don't know, he's hiding somewhere."

The cops are searching, too bad for them i just got out trough the back door, so now; to the car, it's two block away, i'll have to run so i don't get caught.

(Police radio)
"We lost him."

I know what they are doing. I didn't wanted to accept it but it's what i feared, they're selling human organs for transplants, stealing them first and then selling them, i wouldn't be surprised if that Brownstone dude bought his own kidney. Time to visit the woman; i have to know who's behind this. But then she doesn't show around, it's 0100 hours, i've been here for almost 2 hours, so i ask the other girls. And they say they don't know her, so decide to go talk the "manager". Two body guards, and he's inside a truck, i can hear his music trough the closed doors and windows, he won't notice me. Stealth attack for the first bodyguard, i walk towards his back, take him by surprise and hit him on the back of his neck. The second one saw him fall, so i go under the truck.

"Hey man you ok?"
(Sees the first bodyguard lying in the floor)
"WHAT THE..."

In that moment i pull his foot, he falls to the ground and i go out fast. I pull out my 1911 Colt; he just tries to pull out his gun but gets hit in the face by my Colt.

"Throw your gun to the floor, i don't want any tricks or i'll blow your brains out!"

He does it, Glock, it's nothing compared to mine.

"Kick it; i don't want to see it anymore!"

Again he does it, without his gun he's just a scared loser.

"Open the door!"
"But the boss is inside..."
"I said open it!"

I push him so he's facing the door, in order to use him as a human shield, if necessary. He opens the door and his boss is busy, with a girl.

"WHAT THE... I TOLD YOU..."
"Party's over guys!"
"Well well, it's the self called "Punisher""

I hit the bodyguard on the back of his neck to leave him unconscious, and point my gun to his boss.

"I'm sorry girl, come back some other day."
"I want information!"
"Wait a sec, you come in the middle of the night to my private truck thinking you're the real Punisher, interrupt me in the middle of something, punch my bodyguards and then you want me to help you. You're crazy."

He needs some assistance to understand the situation, so i put my gun between his eyes.

"Here's the thing you bastard, i'm not doing this for fun, i have real reasons to do it, i might not be the real Punisher but you should know i'm worst than he is."
"Ohohoho, yes i know your story, i saw it on TV. So saad."
"I said i want info, you're felling talkative or do i need to explain myself in a more physical way?"
"What do you want? You're a kid, this is not a movie, this is the real world..."
"ENOUGH!"

He needs a new motivation, so i'll give him a new motivation, i punch him in the chin, knock him out, and then when he wakes up he finds himself on a very compromising situation.

"What are you doing kid?"
"I'm not a kid, i said i wanted info, you're felling talkative now?"
"Hahahaha, you think you're scary, what are you gonna do?"
"Oh if you insist on knowing..."

I turn on the truck, and accelerate, he's tied up in the front, his hands to the mirrors, his feet to the bumper. I drive trough an alley, hitting everything i can and touching the wall so he gets scared, i think just the speed it's enough for that.

"Holly shit, what are you doing are you crazy?"
"Maybe."
"I'll talk man i'll talk, just let me be."

So i stop the truck and get down.

"Now, i want info on the human organs robbery, one of your girls is involved."
"Yes! She got paid for doing it, i got half the money."
"Who paid?"
"Some guy called Thomas; i think his last name was Johnson."
"How do i find him?"
"He gave me a card man; it's on my jacket pocket."

So i take the card and leave him there. The bodyguards are tied in the back of the truck. What the hell? I can hear him crying? What a loser.

Now i have to find this Thomas Johnson and ask some questions.

I arrived to this Thomas Johnson's place, it's an apartment, right now it's 0600 hours so i have to be careful, he might be outta his bed.

I hear noise, it's coming from the bathroom, its water falling to the floor, i suppose he is taking a shower, so i explore the apartment. I see some books, a laptop and some surgical items, this guy might be directly involved in this thing.

I thought that if he had human organs he might have them refrigerated, and i was right, i open his freezer and there they are, plastic boxes filled with ice, four kidneys, one spleen, and two hearts.

In that exact moment the water stops, apparently he's coming out, so i plant a tracking device on his clothes and get out trough the window, i start following him.

He goes to the hospital, apparently he works there, i can't get in there, too much people, someone could identify me and call the police. So i do something more useful, i go to the Empire 1 building, to find this Owenstar guy.

I can't get inside without being noticed so i wait outside, and when the morning news end Owenstar comes out of the building. I follow and then when we're two block away from the building i take him from behind, and pull him into an alley.

"Calm down man, i just want info."
"Who are you?"
"The Punisher."
"What do you want?"
"Info, i won't hurt you, but i want to know what do you know about this organs robberies."
"If i tell you what's in it for me?"
"The felling of doing something good for you society? The satisfaction that you helped to stop a criminal?"
"Umm, that's not much, ok i'll tell you, but you have to tell me what's going on, if you know something else."
"Right, so you can make news from this?"
"Exactly."
"You can't reveal your source then, if you want to make news fine, but do not reveal that you got info from me."
"It seems like a fair deal to me. This is what we got. this robberies have being happening since last week, but they weren't a big deal until now, because the number of stolen organs became incredibly big, almost 30 organs stolen in 3 days. Apparently whoever is doing this is selling the organs for tons of cash, people who have bought those organs refuse to make any comments and the police can't make them reveal their source without a case against them. But DNA test we're made on this guys, his last name was Brownstone, apparently a friend bought his own kidney after he was..."
"I know that story, anything else?"
"No, that's it, what do you have for me?"
"Thomas Johnson, apparently a med student, he is involved, i found some organs on his freezer, but i'll be following him, i think he is working for someone else. Don't bother him, when i have something else i'll contact you."
"Ok then, here's my card. If anything new comes out contact me to get the exclusive."
"Remember, don't..."
"Yes yes yes i know, don't reveal my source, calm down a little man."
"Fine."

Time to go after Johnson again, he's outta the hospital and on his way to his apartment, so i get inside before he arrives to the place and stand right next to the door and take out my gun, to ambush him.

I hear the keys coming out of his pocket, he opens the door and in the exact moment he comes in i hold the gun to his head.

"Oh my God!"
"No, forget about your God, he's not gonna help you this time."
"HELP! HELP! Urk."

He started running and screaming so i had to "help him calm down"; i grabbed his neck from behind and pull him into the apartment.

"Now shut up and listen, i know you're involved in this organ's contraband thing, you're gonna answer my questions, you chose if we do this the easy way, or the hard way."
"Ok. Fine man, just don't kill me."

Someone heard him and comes around to see what happened.

"Thomas are you all right?"
"Say it was the TV."
"I'm fine Miss Davis, that was the TV, i'm sorry."
"Ok, son, don't scare me like that."
"I'm sorry."

"Now, who are you exactly? Why do you have these organs on your freezer?"
"Someone asked me to keep them for him."
"LIAR, I DON'T LIKE LIES!"
"Ok man, stop, you're gonna break my neck."
"Answer my question."
"Yes, yes. I was paid by some guy to do it, i take the organs and he pays for each one of them."
"Who are you working for?"
"You don't know him, he's a monster, if i tell you he'll torture me and then kill me."
"He's not here, i am, and i'm a hell of a lot worse, so answer me."
"Aaaghh, ok, ok. It was some guy in a tux... His name was David... David Lambert."
"How do i find him?"
"I'm meting with him on the med school. Outside the morgue. At 3 o'clock in the morning."
"You're a med student?"
"Yes, i'm a surgery student. Please don't kill me."
"Why shouldn't i kill you? You're stealing people their organs."
"Please i have a family, a father and a mother; they think i'm a good guy."
"But you're not, and i'm The Punisher."
"Please man, i don't deserve to die, i told you what you wanted to know."
"If i don't kill you David will."
"Oh man, why did i got involved in this!"
"Now what about your family? They're gonna suffer for what you did."
"I... yes they're gonna... oh my God i'm sorry, i'm so sorry."

I leave him there, crying, but as soon as i get to the floor i hear a shot. He committed suicide. I go back to the apartment; he left a note, apologizing with his family. So i call Owenstar from a public telephone.

"You have your exclusive man, Johnson committed suicide. 5th Avenue with Winston road. Apartment 47."

I'm going after Lambert now, he's gonna regret what he did. I'll be there for that meeting...

And here i am, 0300 already, that David Lambert appeared on a black car. Two bodyguards. But he has another car filled with bodyguards, 4 of them, damn it, i knew this wasn't gonna be easy.

They're standing in there, waiting for Johnson i guess; they don't know he is dead. Now i have 3 bodyguards with Lambert and three guarding the cars. I guess i can take the ones around the cars out. So here i go.

Fortunately the place is dark enough to move around without being noticed, antipersonnel mines on the gas tanks, that's enough for blowing the cars and the bodyguards at the same time. I get away and then shot to the first charge.

The car flies, the explosion killed on of the bodyguards, so i blow the second one before they can react to what's happening. Good bye bodyguards, three killings with two explosions.

"WHAT THE CRAP! TAKE ME OUT OF HERE NOW!"

They already saw me, and started shooting, so i jump behind a wall, they have automatics, this is getting a little dangerous. One of the bodyguards is coming, dumb man. I take my butterfly knife and pull the guy when he gets to the corner, then i strike his neck with the knife.

Good, now i have a weapon to fight back. Uzzi, damn this bastards are heavy, they're not joking around.

"He killed Johnny man, take David away, i'll cover your back."

Good, i just have to take this one out, and then run after the other one and Lambert, i hate running.

He starts shooting to the same wall i was before, stupid guys, i already moved away, so when his clip is empty i make my move, i come out at his left side and shot with the Uzzi, but i just had three bullets left, and didn't realized that before.

"Aaaaghh my leg, you bastard!"

Two hits, i don't know what happened to the third one; anyway he won't be following me. But he can shot, and he does it. So i jump behind the nearest wall.

"Aaahh shit."

I was almost hit by a bullet, still it hurtled my right leg, i can still move but damn it hurts.

He emptied his clip again, what a dumb ass, this is my chance; i go out and shot him in the head.

Now after Lambert, they could be hiding anywhere now, i have to be careful. No they're not hiding, somehow they got another car waiting, and they're getting away. Damn it i'll have to run again, i left mine one block away, so here i go.

They're moving in the same direction where my car is parked, good. they're also shooting at me so i let them get away for a moment.

There's my car, i get in and start the chasing. I'm losing a lot of blood, this is not good.

They're going to the main avenue, if i let them go in there a lot of people are gonna get hurt, i have to end this quickly.

"His following us boss."
"Then go faster."
"Look, cops are joining the chase."
"Keep driving, i'll kill those cops."

This cops are gonna get hurt, and they're not making my job easier.

"This is the police, stop your cars immediately, you have just one chance to surrender."

They don't understand, Lambert is not gonna pull over, and neither will i. Lambert pulls out an assault rifle, i think it's an AK-47, and starts shooting me and the cops.

"One cop down, give me another clip quickly, this one is at half."

I have an AK-47 too, and i take it out, but driving and firing that thing is almost impossible.

"Whoa, he has one too boss, and the police helicopters are all over us now."
"Don't worry we're entering the Main Avenue right, they're doomed."

Damn, i didn't wanted this to happen, the Main Avenue, this is gonna get ugly. Lambert is killing civilians to create chaos on the road. And is working.

"This is 55 David, we have lots of civilian casualties, we're aborting the ground chasing, repeat we're aborting the ground chasing, the helicopters stay on the getaway cars."

Looks like the cops are retiring their ground units, only the helicopters stay; now he's mine. I'll get close enough to get out of the road.

"All right now, i'm killing that crazy motherfucker that's following us."
"He's not a cop."
"No, but he's on my hit list now."

Damn it, he's shooting a lot of bullets, i'm close enough now, so i shot back. I'm on his right side trying to kill the driver.

"Aaaggh, he hit me boss, i can't drive!"
"What are you doing you fool!"

Damn, he hit my left arm, i was driving with it and shooting with the right arm, i can't control the car, i'm gonna hit them.

"This is the 12th police air unit, the cars crashed, send ambulances, ground units proceed to check out the area, be careful, if they're alive they might shot at you."

Damn it, this is goodbye to my car, but i'll get this bastards. The bodyguard is dead, his head went out trough the windshield and hit the ground, i see his brains all over the place.

"We have survivors, i see one guy armed down there."

Lambert wasn't exactly lucky.

"Ok. You got me, my legs are broken, the police is coming, you got what you wanted."
"No, you're wrong, i haven't finished with you."
"What? I'm going to jail, that's what you wanted right? It doesn't matter anyway, i'll be free in a week, i have very good lawyers."
"I know, that's why i'm gonna serve the ultimate justice."
"What?"
"Don't you see the skull shirt? Do you know what it means?"
"This is the police, throw your weapon to the ground and raise your hands."
"Hahahaha. You can't kill me, the police is here."
"If i were you, i wouldn't bet on that. This is justice for the human organs robberies. Good bye Lambert."
"Noooooooo..."

I pull the trigger and hit him between the eyes.

"Open fire."

I run away. The police officers are behind me, i can't run anymore, i'm bleeding out trough my leg, the crashing didn't helped. I'm felling too much pain and that makes me slower. And then the unexpected happens. The Empire 1 mobile unit gets between me and the cops, that gives me the chance to hide, i go down to the sewers. The cops won't find me here.

"And finally the carnage has ended; you can be safe at the hospitals now that the human organs contraband has ended, thanks to a vigilante that appeared on our streets, he calls himself "The Punisher". The source that gave this reporter this information wants to remain anonymous. This is Owenstar for Empire 1, have a good day everyone."

So apparently the carnage ended, people are safe once again, and now i'm known as The Punisher. I'm the most wanted on the whole state and a vigilante. But Owenstar contacted me and gave me a direction, an abandoned building, where i could hide and be safe for a while, to heal my wounds.

"So what are you gonna do now man?"
"I'll stay on this, you know my story Owenstar, you know my motivation."
"And i think you're the only one who can bring order to this city again, even if the police thinks you're a criminal. Just don't forget to give me information man, and i'll give you what i get too, you have my number."
"Right, and Owenstar, thanks for everything."
"Not a problem man."

So i went to the cemetery and visited my family. I started doing this to find out who killed them, and take revenge, but i became a vigilante, i haven't taken revenge so far, but i made a promise in that moment, to my death family.

"From now on, i'll bring the ultimate justice. No criminal will be safe. I'll prevent things like this to happen again, no one will suffer what you suffered. No criminal will go unpunished. This i promise on my family grave."

So now i was felling guilty for letting those civilians die on the chasing. But i won't let that happen again, i will prevent these things from happening. But before that i needed time to heal, and to cry for those innocents that were killed because of my mistakes, just like my family.