Survivor | Frank Castle

.8.

In a cold sweat, Mary Kravchenko awakens with not one, but two pit bulls sleeping soundly on her bed. It's almost enough to calm her racing heart, but the scars run more than skin deep.

She prepares for the day in a way that completely goes against Natasha's guidance. Mary isn't much younger than the famous Black Widow. She may not be an Avenger, but Mary is talented all on her own. She received the exact same training as Natasha. She wears the same scars and holds the same trauma.

And while Natasha has the love and support of her found family... Mary has only herself to heal the wounds of the past, of which are held in place by a bandage with poor adhesive.

With another disguise and a bag full of surprises, Mary returns to the courthouse where she takes her seat in the back once more. She sits in a different spot everyday, purposefully sitting next to different people.

She just can't resist it.

" Colonel Ray Schoonover, United States Marine Corps."

" Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth,
so help you God?"

" I do."

" Colonel, how long have you known the defendant?" Foggy asks as the defense takes a crack at the Colonel first.

" I'd say, the better part of a decade," The Colonel responds," Most of his career in the Marine Corps."

" I wonder if you could tell us how Lieutenant Frank Castle won the Navy Cross?"

" Due to the nature of that mission, you'll have to understand that the precise circumstances are classified."

" Um... How about the part that's not?"

Colonel Schoonover's eyes convey a deep respect for Frank Castle as he begins to recount the story," Lieutenant Frank Castle was part of a small team. He was conducting a close target reconnaissance in the vicinity of the Hindu Kush. The mission became compromised, taking enemy contact on three sides. Lieutenant Castle wanted to abort. Said the mission was a bust,
pulling the plug would save lives. Officer in charge said no."

The courtroom is held in rapt attention as the Colonel weaves the tale of Frank Castle's heroism, his voice resonating with the grit of a soldier who's seen the horrors of war.

" Maybe he wanted more medals on his chest. Doesn't matter. Either way, Frank was right. They were cut off, boxed into a canyon. Within the first hour, the officer in charge of that mission got his arm blown off. So Lieutenant Castle assumed command. His only goal was to get his men out alive. The enemy had set up an ambush at the only LZ that would accommodate one of our birds. LZ is a landing zone that can accommodate a helicopter. So the enemy, they block this landing zone, knowing it was the only shot the team had to get out alive. All they had to do was wait. They knew that Frank's team had to come to them. Fish in a barrel. So to speak. Only fish don't know they're gonna die. These men did. Frank went to the LZ all by himself to draw the bastards away."

" Why didn't he order one of his men to do it?" Foggy asks.

" He certainly could have. Not his style. So the men hear the fire fight break out.
All hell breaks loose. Frank against God knows how many. And then there was silence. The team thinks, "That's it. Frank's dead, and we're next." Next sound they hear is the helos, the helicopters. They get to the landing zone, you know what they see? Frank Castle, standing there, grinning. Thirty-two muj surrounding him, all dead. Son of a gun cleared that entire LZ all by himself."

" How?"

" By being Frank Castle," The Colonel responds simply.

" If you had to sum up Frank Castle, how would you do it?"