Yo yo yo, second chap of this. No combat this chap, nor much violence. Social stuff, some lore drops, cryptic warnings on multiple sides.
Anyways, hope you guys enjoy the chap.
/
"And here we are." I motion to the yacht I call my home. I do have an apartment in the city, but I've grown too used to living on the boat. And there is the added benefit of being able to just leave if I really piss someone off. The cost of a place here at North Cove wasn't an issue anyways, and there's a volleyball court so yay.
"Okay." Wait what? She actually answered? I turn to look at Laura, she's just looking at the yacht with an unreadable expression. Fuck it, I won't make a big deal out of it. But I do gotta ask her if she's sure about staying here. I had offered to put her up in my apartment in Manhattan but she had refused earlier.
"So, you sure you don't just want a few mil and someplace scenic? I know you said no to the apartment idea but-"
"Here will do."
"Alright, here will do." I nod, there goes what little willpower I had in trying to prevent further responsibility on my part. It's one thing feeling like ass and saying you'll take care of things, and another thing to personally take care of it. Or in this case the it is a her, and she seems keen on not letting me throw my money at her and calling it a day. "I'll show you to your room then. And I'll have to hire more staff, wonderful." Heavy sigh. No response from Laura so I just wave her to follow me in.
I quickly show her to her room and say good night. I, myself, head to the rec room attached to the pool deck. A strong urge to use the barbecue washes over me before I throw it off. No, I just ate. I am full. Still, indeed, man's greatest joy in life is using the barbecue. Instead of that, however, I grab a bottle of scotch and an ice bucket, then make my way to the recliner. Kicking my feet up on the coffee table and turning the TV on, I just get ready for a night of drinking.
Then my phone rings. Unknown caller, motherfucker who calls at eleven at night? Considering I try to keep this number in particular, private, I ain't gonna ignore it. Putting the cap back on my bottle, I answer it with a sigh.
"Boom." A deep, grumbly voice says.
"Jeus fuck, Frank!" Says I. Nothing can prepare you for a surprise Punisher. Nothing.
"If I was an enemy you'd already be dead." Castle follows up with. Honestly, I already believe him. But as I can't sense him anywhere near me, he's either naked or going for a range play. My bets on the latter. I look outside towards the pool, and well past the deck into the city itself. And I need to squint immediately after as a red light shines into my eyes. "Good instincts."
"It was the only option."
"As I said, good instincts."
"The fuck you want, Castle?" Trying to change this man's mind on anything is a losing battle.
"You're back in town. Been away a while, making friends with the scum in the city again." He states, lowering the red dot to my chest, over the heart.
"Your point?"
"Smith, killing him goes against your normal behavior. And you brought one of his girls home. I want to know why." Is this it? I've known I have been wearily close to the man's bottom line but being useful and not entirely immoral has kept me off his list. Have I finally crossed it? Frank Castle has always played judge, jury, and executioner. And he honestly gains more to kill me then not considering he's actually on my will.
"I recognized her. The girl. Taking her in is me paying back a debt."
"Who is she? Debt to who?"
"Logan's daughter, she's got her dad's claws, hard not to see the similarities." I shrug, the red dot leaves my chest after a moment and I let out a breath I hadn't known I was holding.
"Shit. I'm not getting involved. He's your problem." Frank states after a moment.
"You don't have his number?"
"No. And I don't want it. Don't die, Ross, you're still useful." Did the Punisher just wish me well? He didn't, but I'm gonna say he did in my head.
"Wait a sec. I'm probably gonna regret asking, but what brings you into town?" Anywhere Castle goes, something significant is happening, no question on that. Hell, I could possibly help him.
"Hunting aliens." That… Alright then. Skrull cleanup then. The mention of them has me pause. Fury originally came out of hiding during the invasion. The invasion I prevented by selling people out to Stark. What the fuck could possibly have him coming out now? I don't know, and I really don't like not knowing.
Shaking myself out of my thoughts I change the subject. "Sure you don't wanna come in for a drink? You need to relax more, man."
"No."
"Alright then." I answer, but he's already hung up. Well, it took a few weeks but I got my welcome back to New York now from a few people. None of which brought very good news. Castle's in town apparently, but I'm not gonna tell anyone. No, I'd rather he do his thing as usual. I'm not gonna risk getting in his way.
I choose life instead.
/
"I already fed you, what more do you want?" I ask Laura as she follows me out of the kitchen. I had made the both of us breakfast. Not something I had to do, hiring a cook is easy enough. I just like cooking. Not the best at it, I'm a hobby chef that's learnt from YouTube and my sister. So, not bad either. I'd say above average.
Tangent on cooking aside, Laura seemed to enjoy it enough. Considering she ate it. We take these wins. What I wasn't prepared for was her trying to follow me off the yacht. At my question, she just blankly stares at me. One step forward, four steps back when it comes to this girl I swear.
"Look, if you plan on following me around I'm just gonna say you're my bodyguard or something." She doesn't respond so I take a moment to look down at her. White t-shirt that's too baggy for her save for the chest, and the same dress pants from yesterday? I thought she would have put on the sweatpants I left for her. Only now do I notice how scrunched up the legs are. I had forgotten how short she is. Shorter then her dad even, someone notorious for being short. "After we get you a proper suit. You fine with a suit? I don't know girl clothes enough to recommend anything." At my words, she just nods. Suit it is.
Getting a driver was easy enough, I had hired a car service for the next three months. No way in hell am I driving any of my rides in this city, the fancy cars can stay at the beach house or cabin. Regardless, now I don't need to deal with the torture that is finding a cab, or the weird looks the cabbies of yesterday gave me and Laura on the way to the bar then back to my boat. So, it's no surprise to me when the car I called for pulled up. Some black car I can't be bothered to learn the name of. It's a Toyota. Oh wait a minute I actually know this one, it's a Camry. Thank you car bros from my past, I know random cars thanks to them.
Well, nothing gets done standing around. I urge the cooperative Laura into the car then get in after her. I've always hated clothes shopping, but today that's something that needs to be done.
"Don't scratch anything, Laura." Laura looks unamused at my joke if the slight frown and side eye is anything to go by. Doesn't matter, to me it was funny.
/
Getting Laura into a suit was easy enough. A temporary one, as the tailor makes her a few more of her exact size. That size being short. I swear she has to barely be at five feet tall, maybe even under five. Something I shouldn't comment on with the prospect of getting stabbed.
"So Shorty, what you wanna do?" Evidently, I like to live a bit dangerously.
"Shorty?" Laura looks more confused than offended.
"A nickname, a fitting one. I'm pretty sure I'm a full foot if not just under taller then you." I walk close to her, putting a hand from the top of my head to hovering over hers. She tiptoes for a moment in response, not gaining enough height to reach my hand. Then lets her feet fall back to the floor. A look of contemplation on her face.
"Don't call me Shorty." She demands after a moment.
"Fineeee. Seriously though, you got something you want to do?" It's midday, I'm bored, and some fucking how, my schedule is completely empty. No obligations, but I can't seem to just sit still right now. ADHD has come to me in full today.
"You are letting me choose?" Her voice is near a whisper, almost as if she's posing the question to herself more then me.
"Yes, unless you take too long. Here, if you really can't think of anything I'll pull up a list on my phone. Just pick whatever stands out. While you think about that, I'm gonna grab some shirts." I give Laura my cell after pulling up a list of tourist attractions for the city, it's a very long list.
So I have more than enough time to buy a few different coloured Hawaiian shirts. What can I say? They grow on you.
/
Mini golfing, of all things, is what Laura decided on. On being questioned as to why she said she did it once with family. Presumably, the auntie and cousins she stayed with for a short time before having to run again if I recall correctly.
Doesn't matter why really, I was more just curious then anything. And so, it was mini golfing we did for the next three hours. Okay, I haven't played in years, but I refused to believe she was this good after I went easy on her in the first game and still won.
This second game, she seemingly pulled the ability to play out of her ass. Considering she kept up with and exceeded me at times. And now, the game finishes with her last shot. And that makes it a draw for game two. For the first time since I've known her, she's smiling. But it's way too smug for me.
"I don't like the look on your face."
"What look?" Smug smirk is gone and she tilts her head.
"One more game. No mercy will be given this time." I tell her, my voice cold.
She just looks at me blankly. She will learn the folly of her ways. I will make sure of it.
I crack my knuckles as we start our third game in the early evening.
/
They put my picture on the wall. My efforts to ruthlessly crush a girl in mini golf had apparently made me break the current record at this particular course. A part of me is cursing my family for being so competitive when it comes to sports, and I had always been one of the worst along with my stepfather. The second part of me is glad to know I still have that part of me. I had thought it was brutally taken along with everything else.
It's not like I would have gone out of my way to trigger that competitiveness, it's only ever happened in silly games or sports like this. Neither of which I have done in years. And now, I have to live with the consequences of my actions. My picture is on a wall full of pictures of teenagers and young children, other record holders for this park. I'll never live this down.
"Why are you still smiling? I kicked your ass." I ask the still-smiling Laura. It's less smug now, more an easy smile. Not something I expected to see on her for a long while still. She blinks at my words, then brings a hand up to her mouth. A frown took over the smile. I shouldn't have said anything.
"I had fun." She says after a moment of silence. I nod at her words.
"Good enough for me. Now we shall go celebrate my victory with food and drink. Juice or pop for you."
"Okay."
"My victory, in which you are the loser."
"Sounds good."
"Why are you smiling again? Stop that."
/
There was a restaurant with a bar I knew about rather close nearby so I just had us walk over to it. Laura was more then happy enough to eat a variety of different food. Not sure if her startling appetite is from her lack of eating this often, or something to do with her powers.
Honestly? Probably both. And at that, I'm once again reminded this is a girl that's been wronged far too many times. Myself included in having wronged her. She's also being actively hunted even still. Hell, we share that in common it seems. Doesn't mean I won't try to rig the odds against our would-be hunters. The power of money goes a long way, and I'm sure I can find some powered mercs that aren't Deadpool.
I've perfectly avoided the merc with a mouth up to now, and I'll continue to do so for as long as humanly possible. I don't want to know what fourth wall he'd break around me. And I'm sure as hell not ready for it.
I'm shaken out of my thoughts by Laura tensing after a bite of her second steak. She sniffs the air, then zeroes in on the entrance of the restaurant. I turn to look and I actually recognize one of the two that just walked in. Quite frankly an ass like that is impossible not to. That, and the long black hair. But mainly the ass. "Stay here for a sec Laura." I tell the girl as I get up from my seat. "Feel free to keep eating."
"What are you thinking Anya?" The woman I know asks her shorter companion. A brown-haired girl, with tannish skin. Haven't met her before but after hearing the voice of the woman I recognized, I'm positive it's her.
"Are you really asking me that? Need I remind you of something?" That's pure snark right there.
"Ah, my bad. I'll have a lemon drop martini, and she'll have a coke?" The girl nods. "Yeah, a coke."
"I'll pay for those. Throw in a whiskey on the rocks." I take that opportunity to add my own order. Both women turn to face me with very different reactions.
"Listen here buddy, don't jus-"
"Ross?! Where the hell have you been?!" Jessica Drew questions, interrupting her friend.
"Good to see you too, Jess." I take that opportunity to scan my card. "And nice to meet you as well, miss…?
"Corazón." She states with a frown, her eyes watching me carefully. Ah, Anya, or Aña Corazón. Araña, or Spider-Girl. So many names. And it explains quite a bit.
"Seriously Ross, you can't just disappear for half a year and not tell anyone." Jessica grabs my shoulder, bringing my attention back to the irate woman.
"I told Tony." Her glare doesn't lessen. "Thought Carol would have told you I was back? She knew I was in town for a week now. Met up with her yesterday." She lets go of my shoulder with a wince, and the girl next to her scowls. That tells me enough right there. Many things from the future will never come to be, but apparently, fate decided Aña's life goes similar to how it had before.
"I've not talked to Carol for a while." Jessica states with a grimace. But my mind's too focused on one thing right now.
"Just a sec Jess, I need to get this outta the way." She gives me a serious look, one that grows when I turn to her friend.
"Perdone que le pregunte, pero ¿sigue vivo su padre?" (Excuse me for asking, but is your father still alive?) I ask if her father is still alive. If he isn't, oh well. But if he is… Her eyes narrow further, and she takes a step toward me. Giving a glance to Jess as she does.
"I don't speak Spanish Anya, but take whatever he says seriously. He's never been wrong as far as I'm aware." Jessica looks away.
"Está vivo, ¿por qué lo preguntas?" (He's alive, why do you ask?) She asks me why I'm asking after confirming he is.
"Si ha estado investigando a un grupo llamado Raven, haz que se detenga o no sobrevivirá mucho tiempo."
(If he has been investigating a group called Raven, make him stop or he won't survive long.)
"¿Y cómo lo sabes?" (And how do you know?) Her frown only grows stronger.
"Me llamo Ross Martin, puede que haya oído hablar de mí." (My name is Ross Martin, you may have heard of me.) I introduce myself with a grin.
"The info broker. Roil." She says and I nod in confirmation. Aña lets out a sigh then turns to her mentor. "Jess, rain check on dinner. I need to go see my dad." Then she promptly leaves the building.
"What did you say to her, Ross?" Jessica asks, sounding curious.
"A warning for her father. Hopefully, he heeds it." I shrug. "Never mind that for now. Have you thought about my offer?"
Jessica blushes and looks at me in surprise. "You were serious? I thought you were just trying to get into my pants."
"I mean, I am. But I can afford it." I shrug. I was drunk when I made the offer, but I really can afford it, so why not.
"I uh, I need to think about that a bit more then." She shakes her head.
"Take all the time ya need." I shrug again, grabbing my whiskey and the coke that Aña won't be drinking. I'm sure Laura will drink it. "You wanna join me and my bodyguard for dinner?"
"Sure, but please tell me why you're in such a gaudy shirt first."
"I'll have you know, this is peak fashion."