What Kind of Man
The night air is heavy with heat as he walked down the street. No, that’s wrong, he prowled the streets in search of something. Frank Castle hasn’t been able to walk like a normal person for a while now. It was for the best really. He did what he did, so others could. They could walk the streets at night knowing someone was dealing with the criminals that swarmed the city. The grimy orange street lights flickered on and off as Frank stalked through the night. His work was done for tonight. Thanks to Red. Frank scoffed thinking about the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen. Turns out the Devil isn’t up for killing, which is fine for him, but he started to cramping on Frank’s style. What was the point in hunting down these people if they didn’t put them down for good?
Damn he needed a drink. When did his life become about the moral grey? Frank knew what they called him. The name was one that was thrust upon him, but tell someone who they are enough times and they become it. He was the Punisher because that is what people wanted him to be. It was damn complicated and he needed to stop thinking for a god damned minute.
His eyes flicked down each dark alley, always looking for trouble. The shadows became his home, more comfortable than daylight. The bars were packed at this time of night. He looked down the street, looking for a smaller, out of the way place. Josie’s stood in stark relief against the night. It would do. Frank pulled his cap down further to cover his face as he pulled open the door.
The place was loud with shouts and the smell of smoke choked the air. Frank felt at home instantly. In here, no one noticed anyone. He spotted an empty stool at the bar and started to push his way through the small crowd. He scanned the room automatically, looking for exits and hostile patrons. He reached the bar and sat on the scarred seat. A twinkling laugh behind the bar captured his attention. Frank raised his eyes and looked at the most odd thing.
In this run down bar, in a sketchy part of town, was one of the most beautiful creatures he had ever seen. She was laughing with a long-haired blonde male sitting a couple seats to the left of him. Her blonde hair bright even in the dark lighting of the bar, she had a slight frame, and a face like an angel. What the hell is she doing here? She started to wipe down the bar, still conversing with the other man. Her easy smile and soft voice captured his attention more than most things now a days. She leaned into the man, touching his arm. He smiled as he stood looking as if he were leaving. Frank’s suspicion was correct as he watched him walk out the door into the night, leaving the girl -woman- to clean the bar.
Frank cleared his throat and the woman flicked her eyes to him. She blinded him with a smile and walked over to him. Even her movements were pretty, the grace in her limbs and confidence in each step. She stopped in front of him. “Hi, what can I get for you?” she asked, hands fiddling with a dishrag.
“Ma’am”, he nodded. “I’ll take a whiskey on the rocks.” As soon as the words left Frank’s lips, her hands were in motion, reaching for a glass and a bottle. She didn’t even need to look at what she was doing, her comfort behind the bar apparent.
“Ma’am, that’s a new one. Most nights I get baby doll or sweetheart.”, she teased him. She placed the drink in front of him. Frank felt a smile tug on the corner of his mouth.
“Would you rather me use one of those?”, he asked as he lifted the glass to his lips. Damn, her blue eyes were crystal clear and seemed to see more than most. Her mouth twitched threatening a smile. Fuck, he could barely handle her gaze, a smile would most likely kill him. He hadn’t been around someone this pure for a long time now, it hurt to think exactly how long.
“Karen Page,” the woman stated, looking almost startled by her words, “just call me Karen.” With that she finally broke eye contact and cleared her throat. Her eyes darted away looking for something to do.
“Alright, Miss Page it is.” Frank took a sip of his drink, enjoying the burn down his throat. “Thank you for the drink.” He placed the glass down, fiddling with it. She nodded with a small smile and turned to help a new costumer. He glanced back around at the walls of the dingy bar. Karen Page, the name rolled around in his head as he looked down at his glass. The name fit the person and he doubted he would forget the name anytime soon. His hand flexes against the bar, his knuckled aching from the stretch.
Frank had been after a man tonight, when Red showed up. The man’s name was Eric Montebello. He was a small time drug dealer and usually not the criminal The Punisher was after. Well, he was, till he started to ask around about pretty girls and how to buy them. Frank overheard him when stalking the streets and had started to plan his punishment. In the past month, whispers were starting about a new product being pushed in Hell’s Kitchen, this one being people. More specifically, women and girls from Europe. Someone was bringing them to New York, where they were being sold to rich assholes. Frank was trying to get some answers from Mr. Montebello, when Red showed up in his spandex suit. Red hadn’t cared what the man had done and tried to get him to drop him off at the closest station and call it a day. Now, Frank had been a military man and was used to orders but he sure as hell wasn’t going to let someone tell him how to live this life. The Punisher answered to no one but himself. While he didn’t get to kill the scumbag, he did get another name. James Berndic supposedly Eric’s boss and Frank planned on asking some questions soon.
“Get your damn hands off me or so help me God!” Frank was instantly out of his seat hands twitching for his gun. Karen was standing across from a greasy biker who looked to be about forty. His hand gripped her forearm tightly, pulling her toward him, as she tried to pull away.
“Pretty barbie doll got a big mouth on her.” the biker wheezed at his crew. The five others had crowded against the bar around Karen, eyeing her hungrily. Frank looked into her face and was surprised to see anger, instead of fear, burning in her eyes. The other patrons had either paused to watch what would happen or started to quietly filter out of the bar. Most people didn’t want to be apart of the ugly events that would most likely take place soon. Frank didn’t blame them, but he didn’t like it either.
Faster than Frank could believe, Karen pulled a bottle out from behind a counter and broke the damn thing against the man’s skull. In that instant, the bar burst into chaos. Karen was released and turned to run, but one of the biker gang grabbed her hair yanking her back dragging her over the bar and onto the ground in front of Frank. He felt rage build in his gut as he reached for his gun. He let his anger fill him as he efficiently unloaded his gun into each of the six crew members. Karen had shrieked when the first shots rang out, but stopped when she realized they were not pointed at her. When the last noise faded, Frank looked down at her.
She was curled up next to the bar, hands covering her ears. Her pretty blue eyes flicked up to meet his as he holstered his weapon. The bar was trashed and empty, except for the dead men and the two of them. In the distance, sirens started and Frank knew he only had minutes to clear out before the cops arrived. He looked down at Karen and knelt down slowly with his hands out, palms down to reach her level.
“Please,” she cried, tears falling down her cheeks, “Don’t hurt me. Please.” Her voice broke as she stared at him.
“Shhh. It’s okay, you’re safe, I won’t hurt you, I promise.” He softly spoke to her. The sirens wailing drew closer. “I need to get out of here. You need to come with me, those biker’s will have friends and their crew will come looking for you. Let me help you get home. Please.” Frank itched to just grab her and run. Time was running out, but this woman, she needed a little patience. She was owed that at least. Her eyes pierced through him as he knelt next to her waiting for her decision. She looked confused and unsure. “Please, let me help you.” He spoke once more, slowly reaching out one hand toward her. Karen’s eyes finally cleared as her decision was made. Her hand was soft and cool as she placed it in his warm calloused one. He pulled her up and tugged her toward the back entrance.
“Wait! My bag.” she yelled darting a hand behind the bar, grabbing a black backpack, shouldering it. Frank pulled her through the emergency exit and started running through back alleys and dark streets. The whole time Frank held her hand tightly. She kept up with his pace for a while, but eventually started to slow. Frank slowed their pace, till they stopped in a dark alley. Her cheeks were red from their run and sweat gathered on her brow. She still looked beautiful to him. Frank shook his head, he needed to focus, what was his next step?
“Where do you live?” He growled. He already put in this much effort to save her skinny ass, might as well make sure she makes it home alright. Not likely her home was safe either if she was working in some run-down bar.
“Excuse me?” she gasped out. She pulled herself to her full height and looked him straight in the eye. “Just because you saved me doesn’t mean I owe you anything. I could have handled it.” She glared at him with such passion that her words didn’t register for a moment. And then they did.
“What the hell? I know you don’t owe me anything. And I wouldn’t have expected that in return. I just want to make sure you actually reach your apartment safely.” Frank glowered at her. He didn’t expect her words to hurt as much as they did. Her barely knew her, but her thinking he might force himself onto someone, it hurt him. He would never do that, and regularly put down those that did.
“Oh,” Karen breathed out. The fight seemed to leave her in one breath. Her shoulders drooped and she made herself seem smaller somehow. Her head bowed as she took a deep breath. “I only live a few blocks from here actually. You can walk me home if you want?” she spoke quietly fiddling with the straps of the backpack. She glanced up into his eyes and he felt himself soften. He slowly nodded his head and motioned for her to start walking.
They walked side by side on the deserted streets as dawn started to approach. Frank felt tiredness press down on his shoulders as he walked. His eyes still scanned the landscape looking for any threat. A small clinking sound drew his eyes to Karen’s hand. Her keys were placed between each finger in her fist. Instead of looking at him, she was searching the darken corners as well. Frank felt his mouth twitch for the second time tonight. She was a fighter that was for sure.
The silence that was between them was comfortable. They didn’t need to fill it and just felt the comfort from an others presence. Soon enough, Karen stopped in front of a broken down apartment building. The brown paint was chipped and the steps leading to the door were crooked and broken. He felt her gaze on him, it was so intense it almost felt like she was physically touching him. He turn to her and looked into her eyes.
“This is me.” she said. There was a pause as she looked as if she wished to say something else. She turned and walked up two of the steps then stopped. “What’s your name?” she asked turning slightly to look back at him. Frank reached up and adjusted his cap. He had hoped to avoid this question, but he wouldn’t lie, not to her.
“Frank Castle,” he sighed, “Just call me Frank.” He smiled, an actual smile, when he heard her disbelieving laugh. He glanced back up at her. She had a smile on her lips and she nodded.
“Good night Frank,” she called over her shoulder, “I’ll see you around.” He watched as she unlocked the door and slipped through. She didn’t look back at him and he didn’t expect her to.
Once he was sure she was safe in her building he started back toward his safe house. Before Karen’s building was out of sight he watching for a light signaling which room was hers. The fourth floor corner windows lights flicked on and Frank knew it was her, as her shadow passed the curtains. He continued onto his place. The condemned house he was using smelled and had plumbing issues, but It was good enough for him. Frank couldn’t help the thoughts of what her apartment would looked like. How there would be touches of her personality and warmth there. He almost wished he could see it.