Chapter 1 : Enter The PUNISHER

The lighting flashed. The rain pared hard. Randy Orton didn't care. He stood there in it all, staring blankly at the house he once called home. Orton slowly walked towards the front door, hesitant to open it. He lowered his head, wiping the water from his face as he pulled the key from his pocket and opened the door. The familiar creek the door made, the one he nearly forgot.

Randy stepped inside, the houses quietness was something he wasn't use to. He began to slowly walk through it. Randy couldn't help but remember the great moments each room in the house was filled with. Randy slowly touch the piano, playing the few keys that played the melody his daughter had fallen in love with.

Randy turned to the fireplace, nearly having to look away as the family photo burned into his brain. He remembered taking it.

"Daddy, do we have to."

"Yes, princess. It means a lot to you mother. Now both of you," Randy said, lightly pulling both of his daughters a little closer to him as his wife discussed with the photographer. "Both of you have to put on your best smile, because his will be our best family picture, and it'll make mommy very happy to have it."

"If you say so, daddy."

Randy pulled them both in tightly for hugs. "I love you both very much."

"Very much," Randy spoke, realizing he wasn't with his family but instead in the house where they had grown. Randy clenched his fists but released them. He wanted to go through the rest of the house. He needed to go through the rest of the house.

Randy entered the dining room. He laughed to himself. He couldn't count the amount of times he or his wife had to wipe food off his daughters faces as they struggled to each the easiest of foods cleanly. How he wished he could watch them eat just one more time. Watch them make a mess of spaghetti one last time.

Randy sat down in the chair at the head of the table.

"We're so glad you're back, daddy."

"Yeah, daddy we really missed you."

"Well, girls, I missed you both very much too."

"You did?"

"Of course. I missed you more than you'll both ever know."

"Was it scary where you went, daddy?"

"Yes, it was."

"Did you have to kill people?"

"Now where did you hear that?"

"School."

"Listen girls, everything I ever do, will always be to keep you two and your mom safe. That is all that will ever matter to me. Without you three, nothing matters to me. Don't worry about what the kids at school say..."

"I will always love you," Randy said to himself as he looked at the empty chairs around him. Randy wasn't one to cry, everyone who knew him would tell you that. Even in front of no one Randy didn't want to break that. He fought back the tears and he stood up from the chair and walked towards the steps.

He remembered all the times he worried about his daughters playing on these steps. All the times he told his wife not to worry when he really did. She was such a strong woman. Most might collapse when their husband went off to war, but she was a fighter. Most likely a better fighter than him.

Randy reached the top step, peering down the hallway. There was really no going back once he stepped deeper. He could already see the cracked door of his girls room. Anger filled within him. Randy felt like punching a hole in the wall, over and over all round the house until it collapsed and was nothing but rubble. But the memories were too strong. The love was too powerful.

Randy stepped down the hallway. He was about to step into the girls room before stopping. He instead quickly went into his and his wife's room. The bed still looked soft and perfect after all this time. He rubbed the sheets. The smell of her was still in the air.

"Promise me, Randy, promise me you'll do everything to get back here, to the girls and to me."

"I'll do everything I can."

"Randy, you're a brave man, and a great soldier, but don't forget those girls need you. I need you."

"I need you all too. I will make it back, I give you my word. I will make it back..."

"And protect you until the day I die," Randy said as he walked over to their dresser, picking up their wedding photo and smiling largely at it.

Randy slowly stepped out of the bedroom and back into the hallway, peering into his girls room. Randy swallowed hard as he entered it, squeezing his own hand as he saw the scattered toys all round. He picked up a unicorn stuffed animals off each of the beds and hugged it close. He closed his eyes and saw only them.

Randy carefully set the stuffed animals down, something else catching his eye. Randy walked over and picked up a book, one he figured he knew by heart now.

"Daddy, can you read us this book? We want to hear it."

"Oh come on girls, I read this book to you all the time."

"But daddy, we love it when you read us that book. It helps us fall asleep so much better."

"Sorry girls, not tonight. I love you both. I'll read it to you tomorrow night, now both of you get some rest."

"Daddy?"

"Yes, princess?"

"Promise you'll read it tomorrow night?"

"Yes..."

"Too bad I'll never be able to fulfill that promise," Randy spoke, clenching the book tightly in his hands. Randy quickly flipped through the pages, smiling at the parts he knew his girls loved.

Randy made his way back to the living room. Why'd he have to be the one to survive the shootings? Why'd he have to suffer? Why couldn't he be the one buried? Why couldn't he be the one taken?

His family didn't deserve it, but someone did. Randy looked deeply at the photo of his family, rage and anger building within. Someone did this to them, and that someone was going to have hell to pay.

Randy Orton was not going to let them get off free. Jail time wouldn't get justice, just postpone more killings. No, Randy knew what had to be done. Whoever did this, the bad people of the city, all of them, they would have to be PUNISHED.