The thug looked at Spade.
"Hand-to-hand? Why should I fight you when I could just blow your face out right here?"
Spade stared back at the thug.
"Because I want to see if you are worthy of terminating me with your bare hands," he replied.
"I don't need a gun to kill a piece of shit like you. By the way, the man who's gonna kill you- his name is Roland!"
Roland dropped his gun and removed his sunglasses. Spade removed his holster and dropped his weapon as well. Roland charged Spade and attempted a right hook.
A frontal assault, Spade thought. Just like every other fucker who's tried the same thing.
Spade ducked and swept Roland's legs from under him and grabbed hold of his arm by the wrist and performed an jiu-jitsu arm bar, hyper extending the elbow, and finally, breaking the arm. Roland screamed, signaling excruciating pain. Spade advanced into a mount position, balled his left hand up into a fist and smashed it into Roland's rib cage and then into his face.
"Guess you couldn't outfight me," Spade crowed. "Now, be honest with me. Who sent you?!"
"You could break both of my legs and I wouldn't tell you shit!" defied Roland. "Therefore, eat a dick and wash it down with my piss!"
"I like people like you, man," said Spade. "I get the chance to assist with your family planning."
"What the hell you mean by that, asshole?" squeaked Roland.
Spade drew a knife and pressed it against Roland's groin area.
"You wanted to know, so I told you." replied Spade.
"No, please! Anything but that!" screamed Roland.
Spade pressed the knife harder.
"The Kingpin! It was Kingpin who sent us! You'll never make it to him, so what does it matter?!"
"You won't live to see whether we do or don't," Spade growled. "Also, who's between us and Fisk?!"
"The Russian and X-Plode! I've told you all I know, but you're still gonna die!"
Spade slashed the knife across Roland's groin.
"I told I was gonna help with your family planning."
Meanwhile, Castle had just advanced through Little Rock and stopped for gas.
"You're the Punisher! Please don't kill me!" shouted a frightened clerk.
Castle laid down a fifty dollar bill on the counter.
"All I need is some gas," said Castle. "Fifty dollars. Keep the change."
Castle quickly filled up his tank and tore out of the gas station.
Spade grabbed a set of keys out of Roland's pocket. He opened a truck door and hurried to catch up with Castle. A few hours later, he saw a black Camaro coming his way. Castle hit a doughnut and stopped short before hitting the truck.
"Did you get 'em off us?" asked Castle.
"Damn right," replied Spade. "But I took a bullet for all my troubles. Don't worry, it went through. I'll be fine."
"Get in, we gotta get to New York. I saw an airfield about a few miles from here."