Writer's note and summary:
This chapter is about how Billy and Sophie met. I didn't want to change the homeland agent & Russo connection. The meeting is so similar to Dinah's storyline except for little details. But other chapters will be completely different. Because Sophie is a very different character in every way, especially about the relationship with Billy.
It will be like the punisher's season one storyline and might contains some spoilers. If you didn't watch the series I want to warn you about that.
Every chapter will be approximately 2000 words. I don't know how many chapters I will write we'll see.
English is not my native language so there might be some mistakes in grammar or words. I am sorry for that already. I write this story just for fun.
DISCLAIMER*** Of course, the original story and the original characters of the Punisher are not mines.
Important note: Do not copy it or publish it on other websites without my permission.
Chapter I
"Meeting"
She had been investigating the Kandahar operation since she learned Ahmad died. Ahmad was a police and a friend of hers when she was in Afghanistan. He was a good man and he was gone. He was murdered.
She was sent a video file of his murder by an anonymous source. In this video, he was interrogated and shot in the head by Americans 'cause they knew he was a cop. The video was stolen in Kandahar. Sophie was being forced to come back. No one wanted the truths, obviously. Howbeit, She wanted to learn the truth and she had no intention of giving up.
She found a guy from Castle and Schoonover's old unit in the city. "Billy Russo." He was the founder and CEO of a private military corporation called Anvil.
Sophie's objective was to get some information from Billy about Kandahar. Because he was the only person she could reach until now. She asked to her chief arranging training for her team so as she could go to the Anvil.
She didn't get any training for herself, she was only been there as head of her team. Her colleague Sam and a few people on her team got training. Sophie always looks very fragile and innocent, but she is very far from her fragile-looking in reality. It is some kind of self disguise occasionally. If she wants to look innocent or something else, doesn't matter, manage it.
When the training was over, Sophie went near Sam to talk about the training and some deficiencies of their team. While they were talking, a handsome, tall man got closer to them and introduced himself. He was elegant and very polite. He had got deep, dark eyes and a beautiful smile.
"Billy Russo" He shook their hands.
"Sophie Carter"
"Sam Stein"
After Russo told Sam a few things about training, Sam asked for permission and turned away from them to change his training clothes.
Then Sophie asked, "Is this your operation?"
"Yes, it is. Anvil would be happy to give your people more training. All my operators and instructors are former Special Forces. A government contract here, on US soil, would be a big deal for us." Russo smiled at her.
Sophie continued the conversation and tried to bring the subject to Afghanistan.
"Where are your guys now?" asked him.
"Iraq and Afghanistan, mostly," Billy replied her. "We're growing fast."
"I just got back from Afghanistan." She finally said the aiming word."I was their behalf of Homeland Security."
The woman talking with him was looking too fragile to be in the middle of a war, but there was also something that gives her a mighty aspect. He hasn't quite figured it out. She has a wonderful smile, addedly she has the most charming and balmy eyes. Soothing and seductive, demonic and benevolent at the same time.
He said while squinting his eyes "Can't have been easy... doing your job out there. My last tour before I went private."
Sophie was just going to ask about his unit in Afghanistan, her chief came and interrupted the conversation. He said she shouldn't have to deal with the Kandahar issue anymore.
Luckily, Billy proposed to drink something after her duty and said she could ask anything she wanted when she was off duty. She accepted, of course.
They met in a worn pub the same night after the training. It could not be said there were many people in there but it was not completely empty. Sophie was wondering whether she could get an answer to her questions.
Billy was there when she arrived. He stood up and smiled slightly. She felt his gaze on her. He looked at her from head to toe. "You look.. different." He said kindly. Sophie had changed her formal clothes with some elegant black pieces after left the Anvil. She had uncovered her hair, it was falling on her shoulders, and was wearing her favorite perfume.
"Is it better or worse?" She asked. "Not better or worse, It is just different. I mean you look good in both ways." Sophie smiled and thanked him gently then she sat near him.
After a short time, the barmen brought the drinks that they ordered.
"Well, this is where you bring a girl when you're trying to impress?"
He smiled and approached her a little bit and flirtatiously answered her question. "This is where I bring a girl when she's gonna see through all that."
He was really attractive. Sophie felt her heartbeats rising when he got closer to her. Actually, She is not the type of person who effects easily by anybody. Especially when she is working or thinking something about work. She completely focuses on the case and she is never relaxed till reaches the conclusion. She never let her mind confuse. So, she continued the conversation calmly.
"I can't decide whether that's a compliment or not."
"Are you the kind of woman that takes offense at those?" He asked. "Depends who they're from. The last time I saw glasses this dirty,I was in Afghanistan, saying my farewell" she said. She was trying to get back their interrupted conversation after the training.
He was looking in her eyes "Sounds like you miss it."
When Sophie replied to him "I had unfinished business."
He started to tell.
"There's no end to anything there. Afghans have been fighting invaders for a thousand years. For us, it's a mission. For them, it's just...life." He said. After a few seconds, he added "I finished my last tour and I knew I couldn't go back. Not in uniform, anyway."
"You never said who you were with." She pushed her luck. She was walking on the line but not able to enter the center yet.
"Why do I get the feeling if I name the right unit, you're suddenly gonna get a lot more interest?" He smiled slily.
Sophie looked his eyes and calmly said "Marine Force Recon. Scout sniper specialist. 134 confirmed tours of Iraq. One in Afghanistan"
"You read my file."
"I like to know who's drinking with me"
"Am I a suspect for something?" There is a little distain in his voice.
Sophie replied calmly again "Not according to your discharge records."
"So, you came to Anvil to ask for my help with your unfinished business."
"I hope so" she had an inciting smile on her face. He thought he had never seen such an impressive smile before. She was really beautiful. She smelled like rain and a bunch of flowers. All Billy could think about was how is her taste, how she looks when she is naked. He pushed these thoughts away from his head and said
"Well, I'm not about to throw shade on my friends. Soldiers can't question legality or morality at the moment. That's a way to get yourself killed."
He chuckled and said, "Ask your questions."
She finally began "You served with Frank Castle." She waited a few seconds to see his expressions. He surprised her.
"Yeah, Frank Castle was my best buddy." Suddenly his face got serious and said.
"I guess that wasn't in my file?" Sophie hadn't expected to hear this. He continued to telling.
"A lot of those kills I got in one night...side by side with the guy, holed up in a house in Basra with no backup. We spent the night trying not to die. One of the best nights of my life, if I'm honest. It was just them or us. Who was better?.. There was nobody better than Frank."
"I'm sorry that he's dead" was the only sentence that she could manage to say.
"He took a lot of people with him."
"What? Drug dealers? Gangsters? Good."
"You shipped out. Castle didn't. Did he get dirty?"
"Stay in any war long enough, it'll get dirty. Unless you've got something good to hold onto. Frank had that taken away."
"Could he have been involved in drugs there?" She asked.
He chuckled again.
"If you knew the man, you would know how dumb that question is.I think that the system let Frank down in a big way. So he did what he was trained to do.
"So if someone killed your family, you would do the same?"
"Well, I don't have one. I like to travel light. What about you?"
"Family is not a thing I can have as long as doing this job. Yes, I like to travel light, too"
"Well, you want a family"
Sophie laughed "How did you get that?"
"Your voice"
"If you knew me, you would know how ridiculous this sentence is."
"Okay, you don't want it. So you're single, right? And that means I might call you to go out for a drink sometimes. If you want of course."
"Are you sure to mess with someone like me? I'll warn you I might break your heart."
Billy chuckled amusedly and said nothing, just looked at her with his jet black eyes. Sophie felt as if hypnotized by him.
The text on her phone brought her back to reality.
"I have got to go. There is a problem with work." She took her stuff and turn him and said with a charming tune "Good night, Mr. Russo"
"Never off duty. Agent Carter. Good night and happy hunting!"
The message was informed her about your chief's murder. Now, Sophie was the top officer in her department. She felt sorry for him. She wanted him out of her way but not like that for sure. She was discerning he was trying to block her for a while about the Kandahar investigation. She couldn't be sure he was trying to protect her or protect something else.