The setting sun bathed the old brick houses of Harlem New York in deep reds and purples. An African-American old woman is yelling for her grandson to come in. A pile of refuse is piled next to a Humvee parked near a beaten phone booth.
The phone booth has seen better days. The fact that it still stood stands as a testament to its near obsoleteness in the cellular age. Inside, Frank Castle better known as The Punisher is cradling a phone while his other freehand grips the Desert Eagle concealed in his jacket. Harlem is a jungle; full of predators, but the punisher is no prey.
There is shop next to the phone booth and several array of Television showing the same news channel on the glass window of the store. The newscaster is chatting excitedly while footage of a crime scene appears at her back. The Punisher pays it no mind.
"Empire State University Assistance, how may I help you?" came the voice from the other end.
"This Professor Mortimer from the science department, the light just went off from my entire wing..." Said the Punisher
"The Atomic knights are at it again, I see..." Said the female operator
"Excuse me?" Castle was taken aback.
"You know Reed Richards and the boys and that experiment their conducting. It's been on the newspaper for a month now." Said the woman
"Ah, I have been busy with pest control in my office ma'am, what experiment are you referring to?" asked Castle
"Well, they think they can end world hunger with it, naturally the other guy, I am being rude here, but the other guy, the foreigner wants to weaponize it."
Castle saw his brow crease from the polished metal casing of the telephone housing. "Weaponize what?" He asked.
"I don't understand the science of it sir. But they call it the "Pym Particle". It is supposed to..."
Castle begins to grit his teeth. "Ah, yes, I understand. I hope it all goes well. As for the lights..."
"You want our electrician Mr. Dillon on the line sir? One moment I will patch you in" came the voice.
A famous Kenny G. song came on the line followed by a clicking sound a beat later.
"Yeah, Dillon here, whaduwant!?" said the voice.
"The light on my wing just went down. Is this Maxwell Dillon?" By now fault lines appeared on Castle's forehead.
"What? It's that damn Atomic Knights again! Blows everything every time they turn on that damn machine of theirs!"
"Sir, are you Maxwell Dillon?" Persisted the Punisher
"Yes, I am! Who else would I be!? University occupies three blocks and I am the only... wait a minute; it indicates that all wings are functional! What wing are you in...who is this?" A bewildered Maxwell Dillon asked.
The Punisher cradled the phone and steps out the phone booth. He had an acute feeling that he was being watched. No, not by the locals, something more dangerous than grandiose delusional teenage thugs, something sinister. The Punisher sense of proxemics broadens and he hears the Television announcer's voice from the shop behind him.
"Assault, can we confirm that it was an assault officer? Yes, it appears an assault has been made on the greymalkin residence which has left two casualties. Professor Charles X. Xavier and his brother Cain Marko. Can we get the footage from the CCTV now?"
The Punisher turns and faces a dozen Sabretooth tearing into a cadre of dogs. The mutant appeared to be enjoying himself. Sabretooth bit a dog, flings another and crushes the larynx of another.
YOU ARE READING
PROMETHEAN DAWN
FanficA Marvel Comics Fan Fiction. A mysterious benefactor has hired the top three assassins: Taskmaster, Sabretooth and Bullseye. And if the assassins are successful, they may just save the world? On the other side of the world, a beaten down Frank Castl...
