Survivor | Frank Castle

.22.

The city at night,  painted in hues of neon and shadow, becomes a passage to the heart of  the past. The van glides through the labyrinth of streets, each twist  and turn leading them closer to the inevitable confrontation. As the van  comes to a stop, the air thickens with tension. Frank and Mary step  out, the park's lights casting elongated shadows that dance like  specters on the pavement. The painted ponies, frozen in their perpetual  gallop, loom in the darkness.

Their  firearms stay aimed in front of them as they stalk into the woods  behind the merry-go-round, the sight of which is already bringing back  memories in Frank's mind.

Tied  to the carousel are two kids, teenagers whose only fault was working  late. They're bleeding out and gagged as the horses go round and round,  and Billy just has to get another jab in there," Guess two more kids are  gonna die for you, Frankie."

From  their duffelbag, Mary pulls out a grenade launcher and lays down some  fire for Frank to be able to sprint to the fairgrounds. Frank fires at  Billy and Billy fires at Frank, but neither are successful at hitting  their target.

Both  men soon step onto the spinning horses, guns drawn as the kids continue  to plead for their lives behind the gags. Mary pulls out a tactical bow  and arrow, a skill she learned from a friend. She keeps the string  drawn as she tries to find the best vantage point to save the kids, or  to at the very least free them from their ties.

Frank  struggles through the flashbacks, he struggles to stay focused as the  cries from the teenagers bring him back to the cries of his own  children.

" Guys  like us, Frank, we need this!" Billy exclaims," It's all we're good for.  Just a couple of assholes who thought we could have the good things in  life. But we are not good people, Frank. We never were! What happens  when we're dead? Nothing. Who mourns us, huh? Nobody. Me and you,   Frankie... we're the same."

They  fire their weapons and both manage to lodge a bullet in each other.  They fall to the ground just as Mary releases one of her arrows. It  slices through the ties of the teenage girl, then she knocks another  arrow and releases it to slice through the ties of the teenage boy. She  knocks a special arrow and changes her direction. She fires at the  control pannel to stop the ride entirely, allowing for the hostages to  run away, hopefully to safety, leaving Billy and Frank bleeding in a  standoff.

But  Billy plays dirty. He may have lost the advantage of his hostages, but  still has the upper hand," Lose the gun, Frankie... or I'll put a bullet  in your girl's head."

His words make Frank stop in his tracks," You're bluffing."

" You really wanna take that chance?" Billy asks," Lose the gun. Knife, too."

Frank  is forced to comply. He cannot, in good faith, even risk the small  chance that Mary's life is in danger, even if she's perfectly fine. In  fact, she's the one with the upper hand.

" Bill... don't touch her," Frank grumbles," Don't you dare touch her."

" Attachments are a weakness, Frank," Billy utters," I never had anybody."

" You had us, Bill."

"  The Punisher? What a crock of shit. You always did care too goddamn  much," Billy chuckles," Look at you... falling for a girl like her... an  assassin... a cold-hearted spy," he tilts his head," You really think  she loves you, Frankie? Or are you just another one of her assignments?"

" Bill--"

"  I bet she made you feel really nice, huh? They're supposed to be  professionals-- Dreykov's Widows. Are you really naive enough to think  there's nothing beneath the surface? No hidden agenda to lower your  defenses and gain your trust?"