Earth's Last Defence [DEFENDERS OF EARTH BOOK IV]

Unhinged

Spawn and Rorschach appeared in alleyway shadowed by the Shard. It was getting lighter- 4:00AM.
"Know where he is?" Simmons asked Rorschach. Rorschach walked to the end of the alley and took a peek around the corner at the rest of the street.
"Close. Should be in apartment down that road." Simmons came up to him and looked down as well.
"Looks like a shithole." Simmons remarked. "Who is this guy?"
"Frank Castle. Worked with him a couple of times in the past. Helpful. Vicious. Admirable."
"Sounds very admirable..." Spawn said sarcastically. "Good thing it's still a bit dark and we're in a shady street in London. Hopefully, nobody will see us."
"Not the problem." Rorschach began walking down the sidewalk, hands in his coat pockets. Spawn followed alongside him.
"And what is?"
"Castle is dangerous and paranoid. No doubt he'll have something set up for unwanted attention."
"Semi-retired, like you said."
"Yes. Trying to stay out of things. No point no to now."
"You said he was unhinged..." Simmons said.
"But not stupid. He knows when he has no choice."
"So why did he retire anyway?" Spawn asked. Rorschach turned his head to him slightly.
"Did what he set out to do. Killed men who killed his family." He answered.
"And he just... stopped? Killed some guys, called it quits?"
"Lot more spilled blood than just the mob." Rorschach stopped, looking up at an old, decrepit apartment block. "This is it."
"Really taking the whole retirement thing seriously, I see." Spawn commented. "So, what, we just...?"
Rorschach walked up the stone steps pushed in the door. It was locked. He stepped back, ready to barge it, but Spawn burned off the chunk of the door with the locks. Rorschach turned to him and grunted, and pushed the door open.
The two stepped inside the darkened apartment, but immediately stopped when they saw a line of strung across the narrow hallway. Rorschach knelt down and pushed on it, and a flamethrower from a compartment in the wall blew out at them. Spawn shielded himself with his cape, and the flames lapped at Rorschach's hat. The flamethrower stopped, however, and Spawn pulled it out of the wall and threw it to the floor.
"Who the fuck are you?" A voice called out from the staircase. A red sniper dot was focused on Rorschach's head.
"Castle." Rorschach said, standing up slowly. Castle grunted.
"Goddammit Rorschach." He moved the dot to Simmons, who sighed. "And who's your friend?"
"A HellSpawn."
"A what?"
"Powerful HellSpawn. Don't cross him."
Castle lowered his gun. "And he's with you?"
"Somewhat." Spawn said, stepping forwards. "We're with Batman. We're bringing people together to stop the people who destroyed New York from doing the same to the whole planet."
Frank walked down the staircase to meet them. When he was in front of him, he rubbed his eyes. "Batman, huh?" He sighed. "I am NOT doing this again."
"Sounding Like Dreiberg, Castle." Rorschach said. Castle turned to him and glared. "Don't be stupid."
"This is a lot bigger than you realise." Spawn spoke up. "We need as many people as we can get-"
"They tore New York apart. The whole world saw. Everyone's too scared to do something."
"Never stopped you before. Castle. You're the Punisher." Rorschach walked towards Frank. "Respected you once. Vicious. Unrelenting. Unbreakable. Now look."
The Punisher sighed again. He turned around and looked out of a cracked window. It was getting lighter outside, the dim sunlight seeping in. "Batman needs me, huh?"
"He needs anyone." Simmons said.
"Must be desperate." Castle replied.
"He is. We have a day at most to prepare. He's gathering some more people over in America, and we came for you."
Castle was silent again. "Who does he have already?"
"Only a few." Spawn responded. "Me, Rorschach, Spider-Man and Batman's apprentice."
"Spider-Man, huh?" Punisher turned around.
"You've met him before?"
"Once, a year ago. Just after all those flying bugs went." He was quiet for a few more seconds. He looked at the two of them. "You've got me. I'll do this. Then I'm out." He walked over to the main staircase of the apartment, and felt around the wall section.
"You... wow." Spawn said, following him, Rorschach just behind him. "Some good news." Castle found the weak spot, and pressed on it, and slid part of the wall off, revealing a variety of weapons- guns, knives, grenades, and various other pieces of equipment, including some armoured body pieces, and a combat top with a white skull emblem on it.