The Punisher: Vendetta

Dinah's phone woke me from a dead sleep. She fumbled for it and answered it with a groan. But after a few seconds, she was wide awake and scrambling for clothes, urging me to get up.

"What's going on?" I asked as we headed out the door.

"I'll tell you in the car," she explains. "We shouldn't speak about it out in the open."

When we got in, she immediately launched into an explanation.

"Remember the Krista Dumont murder?" She asks.

"Vividly," I mutter. "What about it?"

"...It was Erykah," she confessed.

"Um...what? But-"

"-It was Malus," she adds quickly. "She must have been doing a story about him. Micro saw her leave his warehouse on his cameras-"

"-Shit-"

"-Yeah," she spat. "He must have done something to her. It would explain the way she fought earlier tonight. I mean, Noah is a badass, but she was showing signs of having abilities. I thought maybe she always had them-"

"-You're rambling," I gently cut in.

"-Right, sorry," she chuckles. "So uh. She killed Krista, but she doesn't remember it. Homeland found her DNA at the scene. She also took out Valhalla and Billy singlehandedly."

"How did they know where to find her?"

"Noah was helping the Dumont investigation, and he reported her missing when he came home," she explained. "Their window had been torn apart."

"He assumed that the killer had taken her," I surmised.

"Exactly, so he calls the team, and they meet with Micro, who then tells them what he had seen," she continued.

"Jesus..."

"Yeah," Dinah sighs. "They're not happy with him right now. They tracked her down, but it was like she was another person. She had no idea where she was. She had passed out right after it happened."

"I've seen reports of Malus' IGH research," I supplied. "A lot of them don't make it out intact. He's a fucking butcher. So what do we need to do? She's more of a victim than the assholes she put down."

"We're going to contain the scene and use it to lure the others out while they take down Malus," she explains.

"Does she know about this?" I ask next.

"I don't think so," Dinah answered. "She wasn't out there. I'm sure he'll tell her when the time is right."

"Yeah, I'm sure..."

"I'm going to ask you something before we get there," Dinah states quietly.

"What is it?" I ask, feeling a little trepidation.

"Do you still have feelings for her?" She inquires. "This isn't some TV show; it's okay if you do. I'm just looking for transparency here."

"There's always going to be a part of me that cares about her," I admit. "Even though it went to shit, she was my wife. But that chapter of my life is over. When we got back, I thought I wanted that relationship again. That's not the truth. I just wanted to try and undo the damage I'd done; only I had no idea how much I'd fucked up. I think we could be in a better place at some point. But as far as anything else, she's moved on with Frank, and I hope to do the same with you."

The car was silent for a few moments. She didn't seem to be upset. I think I've learned how to read her by now. She was mulling over what I'd said.

"I understand that," she says after a while. "Thank you for telling me."

"No problem," I murmur.

"We're here," she announced.

A small team was already in place. Several body bags have already been loaded into an unmarked van.

"...She did all of this," I gasped.

"Through no fault of her own," Dinah reminds me.

"Right, so what do we need to do?" I wonder.

"We've got to use this to lure out the others," she says. "Without Valhalla, they have the Triad-"

"-who have already tried to kill Erykah and failed-"

"-and remnants of the gangs that Frank hasn't taken out yet," she concludes.

"Let's get to work," I suggest as we head inside.

The smell of coffee and bacon prompted me to open my eyes. I stretched my limbs, feeling well-rested, considering what happened last night. For the first time since I met Frank, I didn't feel as hopeless as I used to. Nothing is holding us back anymore. I realized that his side of the bed was cold. Something must have happened.

When I got to the kitchen, he was already putting plates on the table.

"Morning," I greet him with a kiss.

"Mornin' Red," he greets me in return. "I've got some good news and some bad news."

"Hit me with the bad news first," I request.

"You've heard of Karl Malus, right?" He asks as we sit down.

"Yeah, we've been working to take him down; why?"

"He's why Erykah's been different," he reveals. "He's done something to-"

I'm already grabbing my Baretta before he can finish his sentence.

"Hang on, Red," He asks of me.

"Why?" I bit out sharply. "What the fuck did he DO?!"

"We're not sure yet," he sighed. "But she's messed up. It's made her blackout and slaughter people. She needs her friend right now, not an avenging angel."

"Who did she kill?"

"That's the good news," he continued. "She took out Valhalla and Billy."

"Wait, wait, wait...as in all of them?" I gasped.

"Yeah," I answered, gauging her reaction. "He's made her pretty damn strong."

"I've been a shitty friend," I whispered.

"Come on, Red-"

"-No, I'm serious," I insisted. "We've never gone out on a lead alone, and I've been so wrapped up in what's been going on with you and Dean and everything else that I never noticed...I haven't even met Noah properly! Oh, my God! She probably decided to handle it on her own. She does this all the time, ever since we were kids, she would keep things to herself, because she didn't want to bother me!"

"Breathe," I instruct her. "I'm sure she doesn't think that way. Honestly, I think she's just confused. We noticed that there's been something different about her, and you're right; we were too wrapped up in everything else. We can make it up to her. We can put Malus away."

"Okay," I decide after taking a deep breath. "You're right. Where is she?"

"One of the safe houses-eat first," he insisted as I was already halfway out of my seat.

"Good girl," he taunts me, whispering low in my ear as I sit.

"We won't leave here in good time if you do that again," I warn him.

"Oh yeah?" He chuckles with that godamn smirk of his. "We've got time."

When we get to the safe house, I head straight for Erykah while Frank goes to speak to Micro.

"Someone's walking funny," Erykah smirked.

"Dammit-" I swore. "I-I might have antagonized him-"

"-Oh yeah, you seem to be in serious distress," she scoffs with a smile.

"Erykah, I'm so sorry," I blurted out. "I was supposed to do that story with you. I should have been there for you the way you've been there for me. On the surface, I thought I understood what was going on, but I should have done more. I should have been more. You set up our system, and I didn't even use it for you. I haven't even gotten to know your boyfriend that well-sorry I'm still making it about me-"

"-It's okay," she shrugged. "It's not like I've been forthcoming on what's been going on with me."

"You must be so scared," I sighed.

"...Not really," she replied in a calm tone. "The blackouts ans headaches aren't fun. But...I did what needed to be done. I don't regret it."

"That's the serum talking-"

"-No. It's not," she insisted. "I am done being a victim, Lace. I'm going to kill them all. How is this any different than what Frank does?"

"A-aren't you the least bit concerned?" I exclaimed. "This isn't like you!"

"You sure about that?" She laughs bitterly. "You haven't asked me...not even once...what it was like for me there...thinking Noah was dead...having been tortured for God knows how long and seeing them murder Kimiko and Mimi in front of me! I will always be there for you, Lace. I will always come running when you call, and I won't disrespect what you've gone through, but I wish you had asked about me, too!"

Fear, regret, and despair rendered me mute. She was right...first, it had been Billy, then Dean. My drama with Frank...and now that we were happy together, I hadn't looked back until it was too late. Erykah had fallen victim to the Triad and lost half of her family, then Billy, and now Malus.

"Oh, I don't fault you, Lacey..." She sighs. "You saw a light at the end of the tunnel, and you took it. I'm not there yet. But I will be once they're dead. And then...we can talk about everything. My love for you hasn't changed, but I won't let anyone hurt us again. Any of us."

"Erykah..." I cleared my throat once I was able to speak. "But you're not always in control. That's what I'm afraid of!"

"Don't be," she assures me. "We're going to make him fix it. Fix me. But I'm going to use this to win the war."

The woman in front of me looked like my best friend, but a part of her was gone. The sad thing is, I think she left long ago, and I hadn't noticed. Her eyes still held that love and friendship for me but were also haunted and cold. She was hurt but chose to hide it behind her resolve.

"What happens now?" I asked her.

She gestures towards the door, where an angry Noah and Nathan are dragging Malus past us.

"Phase One," she shrugs.

We follow them, and Malus is tied to a chair. What confused me was the fact that Malus looked to be in shock. Then he saw Erykah, and he began to plead for his life. What the hell? This infuriates Noah to the point of shattering the chair Malus was tied to with a single kick!

"Don't you dare look at her, you sick fuck!" He snarled.

"You know what you've done," Nathan follows up, holding a gun to Malus' temple.

"...I did what she asked of me!" Malus insists. "My patients come to me, wanting abilities-"

"That's not true," Erykah spat. "I was writing an expose...I still intend to, now that I've been given the exclusive. The blackouts...the headaches...they need to end. Now."

I couldn't help the shiver that spilled down my spine. I've had my moments and stand behind them, but I've never changed who I am. I've never seen her so cold, not even when she bashed Dean on my behalf.

"I-I've developed an antidote of sorts," Malus stammered. "To combat the side effects! But you have to know that I never-"

"-You'll lie until the bitter end, huh?" Noah spat.

"The serum tends to change people," Malus insisted. "Some for the better, and some are made to be monsters-"

"-And yet, you keep experimenting on people!" I cut in, having had enough. "Even now, you're trying to throw her under the bus!"

"What else is this antidote supposed to do?" Erykah asks. "I know better than to think it's just a Band-Aid!"

"It's supposed to isolate any anomalies and correct them," he utters in defeat.

"Where is it?" Nathan demands.

Noah hasn't spoken since he struck Malus down. He's been pacing back and forth, his sharp eyes never leaving the man he put down on the floor. Frank hasn't come out of the room he'd gone in to speak with Micro. This doesn't feel as though we've won anymore.

"It's in a safe in my office," Malus reveals. "She's familiar with it-"

Noah roars as he attacks Malus again until Nathan pulls him back. Somewhere in the shuffle, Erykah had taken possession of Nathan's gun. She holds it to his temple.

"You think I'm the monster?" He sneers. "Maybe I am one, but I'm nothing compared to her. You have no idea what walks among you, and I apologize. But the truth will prevail; by then, it'll be too late!"

"We're done here," Erykah sighs.

Then, she pulls the trigger without hesitation. I couldn't understand why this bothered me. Maybe because I didn't kill when I used my gun? Or because I couldn't find a trace of my best friend in the woman before me?

Frank and Micro came out, and the air grew even tenser.

"What is it?" I asked.

"...I've been wondering why we haven't heard anything from Rawlins or Schoonover," Frank grunts. "Even after we found that data and Valhalla was wiped out."

"What happened?" Nathan asks.

"I didn't do this," Erykah insisted. "...I think?"

"No, it wasn't you," Micro sighs.

"Then who?" Noah demands.

"Wilson Fisk," Frank snarled. "He's back."