Something I got from rewatching The Punisher Season 1 on Netflix. For the sake of the story, I'm ignoring Russo's plot Season 2 of The Punisher, since don't get me started on how stupid it was and Russo escapes after Season 2, with his memories intact but having a PTSD like in the show.
Disclaimer: Marvel Cinematic Universe.
"Madani, we do this my way or not at all." Frank said, while gearing up as Madani, Hernandez and agents of Homeland Security and CIA were setting up a perimeter around the mercenary hideout, which was an abandoned building on the outskirts of New York.
"We need Russo alive, Castle. He needs to tell us who his associates are." Madani said.
"No promises. Alive, but maybe not in one piece." Frank said.
"Castle—" Madani started but Frank had run off.
A small patrol of mercenaries were walking down the halls, when behind a pillar from the shadow, Frank grabbed one of them in chokehold.
"Make a sound and I'll crush your windpipe." Frank growled. "Where's Russo?"
"Go fuck your—AAAGH!" The mercenary screamed in pain as Frank jammed a knife in his shoulder. "Top floor! Private cabin!"
Frank twisted, snapping the mercenary's neck before he pulled out his pistol with a silencer and shot the other mercenary in the head as he kept on walking.
Another group of mercenaries were in what seemed to be a lounging area, when they heard 'thud' and metallic clanging before they turned to see a grenade rolling down the ground.
"Take cover!" One of the mercenaries exclaimed, when they took cover behind a bar and chairs and the grenade went off, killing a good number of the mercenaries.
Frank entered, opening fire from his machine gun as blood spattered, taking out more mercenaries. One of them fired at Frank, but he took cover behind a table before firing back, shooting down more mercenaries and then rolling towards a nearby pillar. One of the mercenaries advanced and fired from his pistol to make Frank keep hiding but he made a critical mistake as he neared Frank, since he grabbed the mercenary and stabbed him in the throat as the mercenary gagged, blood filling his mouth. Using him as a human shield, Frank advanced and fired before he jumped behind a counter and noticed a flamethrower as he smirked and grabbed it.
The mercenaries converged onto Frank's hiding spot before Frank emerged and roared, started spraying fire around, burning the mercenaries into crisp.
"Echo 2, come in. Echo 2, do you copy? Anyone out there?" Russo called out on the radio as he heard gunshots before he heard a familiar voice roaring as the door were kicked open.
"Russo!"
Russo froze in shock as he slowly turned his head to face Frank and as Frank pulled out his two machine guns and revealed the skull on his bulletproof vest, Russo panted out and staggered back in fear, getting a flashback as his PTSD took over.
"You're gonna learn about pain." Frank growled as he slammed Russo's face into the mirror, damaging it. "You're gonna learn about loss." He slammed Russo's face again, while Russo gagged and Frank knelt towards him. "Every morning. I look for them, Bill. I look for them. But then I remember. And it's gonna be same for you." He grabbed Russo by his hair and forced him to look into the reflection of the mirror face to see the scars on his face. "Whenever you look at your ugly mangled face, you're gonna remember what you did. You'll remember, Bill." He smashed Russo's face onto the mirror again. "You're gonna remember me!
Frank roared as he smashed Russo's face onto the mirror one last time as Russo ended knocked out, with maimed face and shards embedded onto it.
Russo panted out in fear as Frank pulled out his gun.
"You should have stayed in your hole, Bill." Frank growled.
Quickly getting ahold of himself, Russo took cover behind some tables as timber flew around, while Frank opened fire from his pistol. Russo fumed as he loaded his assault rifle and as soon as he heard Frank reloading, he emerged from his hiding spot and screamed in rage, opening fire. Frank rolled towards the nearby pillars to take cover, while dropping his machine gun and pulling out his pistol.
"Last time you got lucky, Frankie! Madani's not coming to save you this time!" Russo yelled.
"Your friends are all dead, Bill! Give up and I just might go easy on you!" Frank said, hiding in the shadows as he kept switching covers, while Russo scoured the place.
"Oh, we're way past that, Frank. You wanted to make me wish I was dead. Do you have any idea how painful it was, when you maimed my face? Pain might be nothing new to you, but this time you'll be begging me to kill you." Russo promised.
He then heard 'click' and rolled to avoid as Frank roared and opened fire again and Russo ran down the edge of the room, taking cover behind concrete pillars that shattered under the gunfire before Frank fired from the grenade launcher.
"I told you, Frankie boy, no one mourns for us! You and I are the same! We're just a couple of assholes who thought we could have good things in our lives but we are not and never were good people!" Russo shouted as his voice echoed throughout the room.
"Don't kid yourself, Bill, we're nothing alike!" Frank yelled before suddenly, Russo emerged from his hiding spot and fired from his pistol, grazing Frank, while rushing at him and tackling him, causing for Frank to drop his weapon.
Frank and Russo struggled with the gun before Russo fired, shooting into the weak spots in Frank's armor and piercing his hip as Frank grunted. Frank headbutted Russo, causing for him to stagger back, while knocking the gun off his arm as they exchanged blows but Frank dodged and retreated, barely avoiding as Russo brandished his wrist blade and knife.
"Reminds you of something, Frankie? This time you'll be the one looking at your ugly mangled face." Russo smirked.
"Not today, Bill." Frank growled.
Russo used his blades in tandem, trying to slice Frank as he attacked with relentless ferocity as Frank retreated and attempted to block but Russo managed to scratch Frank's arms as Frank grunted before Frank grabbed Russo by one of his hands and disarmed him of his knife and then slashed Russo across his face, which only infuriated Russo, who glared. Russo tried to attack again but Frank kicked him in the groin as he stumbled back and then Frank slammed his head onto Russo's face, making him spit out blood.
Before Frank could advance, Russo kicked him back and again attacked with his wrist blade and knife, while Frank dodged and blocked until Russo pierced Frank's shoulder with the wrist blade and scratched his cheek with the knife. They wrestled for a few moments, grabbing each other's hands before a newfound wave of rage filled Frank as he roared, slamming Russo to the ground, knocking the breath out of him.
"Remember what I told Rawlins, Bill?" Frank growled. "ALL! MEN! DIE!" He roared, puncturing each word with a punch to Russo's face, leaving him bruised and bloodied before Frank grabbed Russo, lifting him into the air, while Russo grunted in pain. "Maybe you'll survive this, but you won't be walking away this time. Well, say 'Hello' to Schoonover, Bennett and Rawlins. Goodbye, Bill."
Frank threw Russo through the window and in slow motion, Russo looked at the reflection of his face in horror, only imagining how damaged it would be this time.
Madani and Hernandez were giving orders to CIA agents, when they heard screams and sound of glass shattering as they looked up to see Russo flying out the window before he crashed onto the hood of Madani's car, his face smashed onto the windshield as he grunted in pain weakly, his bones shattered as he looked at Madani in surprise.
"D-D-D-Dinah…" Russo whispered hoarsely before he closed his eyes.
"Is he dead?" Hernandez wondered before Madani checked Russo's pulse.
"No. He's alive. Barely." Madani then noticed the protruding bones from the joints in Russo's arms and legs. "But I don't think he'll be walking away from custody this time."
They looked up to see Frank looking down on his former best friend in pity, mourning for whatever friendship had been before and fuming in hate at Russo due to his role in the death of Frank's family before Frank walked away.
Damn you, Disney, for cancelling Netflix Marvel TV series. What I hate about Punisher Season 2 is how they rushed the Russo storyline, with the plot of Amy and the Schultzes also going around, frankly, if they had not decided to cancel the shows, could've saved Russo for Season 3, like they did it with Fisk, instead Russo got one of the stupidest and most pathetic exits ever for such a compelling villain.
And I didn't want Russo to get killed off but something close to it, since he's one of my favorite MCU villains and Ben Barnes did such an amazing job in the role. Hope you like what happened to Russo here.
So, what do you guys think about it?
Please review and let me know if you have enjoyed this one-shot.
With regards
Bl4ckHunter