A MONTH LATER

BROOKLYN, 2234 HOURS

The city was still reeling from all the chaos and carnage. Bodies were still being found at the bomb sites. Authorities were still-officially-baffled by the violence that took place at an abandoned warehouse, near the docks. Almost 200 dead were found there.

Even Castle had to admit, that had been an ugly one. One of the ugliest in a while.

A week after the gang war ended, Castle learned that Silver Sable buried her people. With all the honours. Worthy farewells for true warriors.

Even the skells had a hard time recovering from the War. Most of the outfits that were worth a damn had been wiped. The streets were quiet. And dry. Small players and two-bit thugs were laying low.

But it was a question of time. This war left a vaccum. And some aspiring kingpin will try to become The Man.

And Castle will take him out.

Now, Castle had some immediate concerns. One of his informants had a tip on someone peddling kiddie porn.

Castle had a meet with the snitch in a small diner at 11pm. He had a trucker's cap and a red flannel shirt.

Castle made the meet. He saw his snitch at the counter. A short, skinny, greasy little bastard called John Wein. Into dozens of small schemes. Not much of a criminal mastermind. But, one of those guys who knew everyone and could find everything.

Castle sat down. Ordered coffee and a piece of pie.

Wein slipped a paper.

"This is where you can find the sickos. The servers. The studios. Everything." Wein said.

Castle was about to pull an envelope full of cash.

"Keep it. This one is on me." Wein said. " I may be street trash to ya, but I have my limits, that shit…what they do is…evil."

Castle said nothing. He finished his coffee and his pie.

After, he said. "Thanks." He paid and left.

The address seemed like an abandoned tenement building. Castle was packing light. 45s and a MAC-10. Two frags if things got interesting.

He went up the stairs. Found the right apartment. He kicked it down, MAC-11 at the ready.

Nothing. No-one. He searched room after room. Still nothing.

Set up.

Had to be.

As Castle was heading back towards the door, he was staring into the barrel of a .454. Casull Raging Bull.

"Evening, Castle." The man said. "Drop the MAC."

"Marshal Franklin." Castle said. "Tenacious." He dropped the Mac.

"Yeah, you could say that. I spent weeks on the street dealing with scum-ass motherfuckers trying to get a bead on you. I finally figured that I had to flush you out. Started talking to some people about the kiddie porn. I knew that would draw you out. "

"Who wouldn't it draw out?" Castle asked.

"Good point. But see, I know you, Castle. Everybody thinks you're some pissed off, blood thirsty maniac looking for an excuse to kill. A lot of people think you're driven by rage and hate. I know what drives. It's pain. It's loss. What happened to your family left a gaping wound that ain't quite healed, ain't it? Trust me. I know. I have a wound like that. Except I never found the bastards that killed my dad before my eyes on our doorstep. And that how I knew you'd come."

"I'll hand it to you, Franklin. You're a hell of a hunter."

"Yeah. You're the last I'm hunting, too."

"Why?"

"I saw One Police Plaza. Can't get it out of my mind. I can't. It's driving me nuts. I can't be a manhunter with that shit in my head."

Franklin's focus was unwavering and so was the gun.

"I understood that other part of you that day as well. The Punisher part. When I saw One Police Plaza, I wanted to kill all the motherfuckers responsible. I was insane with anger. But, I believe in the law. I believe in due process. And that month ago, I saw enough slaughter to last me a lifetime. You were part of that. And it has to end."

Pause, then Franklin:

"You're under arrest, Castle. Drop all the hardware."

Franklin learned from previous times. He stayed just out of grappling reach. If Castle made one move, his head would come off and he knew it.

"Franklin…" Castle said.

Franklin fired. Castle felt like a freight train hit his chest and he went down. Wind knocked out of him.

"Sorry, Castle. Cheap shot. But I don't trust you to cooperate. I knew you had Kevlar." Franklin turned Castle on his stomach and cuffed him.

"You have the right to remain silent…"

And after that, Franklin pulled his cellular phone. And called it in. Then, he propped Castle against the wall and aimed the Casull at his head.

"Franklin…You don't get it, do you?" Castle said.

"I don't get what?"

"I'm gonna go to jail. I'm gonna break out like I always do and this song and dance will start all over again."

"I know, Castle. I know the system has been ignoring you for over a decade. The bad cops hope you get killed, some good ones like you because you do what they can't. Some cops would probably let you go right now. Some would kill you for money. I think what you're doing is wrong. It's illegal. It's wrong and it's dangerous. And when you do break out, they can find another chump to hunt you. I'm done."

"What will you do?"

"Get help. Once my head is working right again…who knows."

"Once I die, my spot will be open." Castle said.

"Funny."

"The world needs Punishers. Cops alone couldn't have stopped the war a month ago. The world needs people who fight dirty and ugly so it can sleep at night. There are monsters out there, Franklin, and those monsters need slaying."

"I put them in cages, Castle. The best I can do."

Sirens.

"Looks like our rides are here." Franklin said. "Let's go."

It was a circus.

Cops. SWAT teams. Also dozens of reporters. Press helicopters.

When cops came to take Castle away, reporters rushed Franklin. He didn't respond to anything and shoved through them to his car. And he managed to drive away.

He turned on the radio. Like an omen, Bob Dylan's Knocking On Heaven'S Door started playing.

For the first time in a while, Franklin allowed himself a smile. And listened and hummed with the words.

Mama, take this badge off of me
I can't use it anymore.
It's gettin' dark, too dark for me to see
I feel like I'm knockin' on heaven's door.

Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door
Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door
Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door
Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door

Mama, put my guns in the ground
I can't shoot them anymore.
That long black cloud is comin' down
I feel like I'm knockin' on heaven's door

BACK IN THE TRUCK, Castle, shackled in the back finished listening to the song.

It wasn't his song.

It was a question of time before he would be out in the world doing what needed to be done.

He could use some down time and opportunities to practice his melée skills.

Soon, he would be out Punishing again.

THE END