Devil's Backbone // Frank Castle

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Olivia heads into the courtroom, finds a seat on the front row and takes a seat. Olivia flips open her journal and clicks her pen open and then closed it again. Olivia came here alone because Scarlett could no longer attend the court session because of her relationship with Frank and that it is possible that whatever is said could interfere with her testimony if she has to make one.

"Colonel Ray Schoonover, United States Marine Crops." The man in the uniform said, left hand on the bible and the other raised in the air. "Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help you, God?"

"I do." Schoonover said with his deep voices, taking a seat."Counsel?" Foggy stands up and walks over to Colonel Schoonover.  "Colonel, how long have you know the defendant?"

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

" So you're familiar with his service in the Middle East? Afganistan, Pakistan, Iran?" Foggy listed, hands in his pockets. "Yes, very familiar." Ray nodded, confirming Foggy's statement. "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." A few whispers sounded and Foggy glanced back at Karen. "Um, how about the part that's not?"

"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 contact on three sides." The Colonel glances over at Frank then back at Foggy. "Lieutenant Castle wanted to abort. Said the mission was a bust, pulling the plug would save lives. Officer in charge said "no."."

"And why was that?"

"Maybe he wanted more medals on his chest. Doesn't matter. Either way, Frank was right. They were cut off, boxed into a canyon. "

"And what happened next?" Foggy asked and the room was completely silent, everyone listening closely to Colonel Schoonover's words. "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." He stopped for a dramatic pause. "The enemy had set up an ambush at the only LZ that would accommodate one of our birds."

"Sorry, Colonel?"

"LZ is a landing zone that can accommodate a helicopter." The colonel explained then continued with his story. "So the enemy, they blocked 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." Foggy commented. "So to speak," The colonel agreed. "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." Olivia's eyes moved to Frank. That sounds a lot like something he would do.

"Why didn't he order one of his men to do it? He certainly could have." Schoonover shook his head. "Not his style. So the men hear the firefight 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."

Olivia glanced around the room when people began to whisper to each other. "Son of a gun cleared that entire LZ all by himself."

"How?"

"By being Frank Castle." Schoonover shrugs. "And his men survived?"

"All of 'em. Including the idiot officer that got 'em trapped in the first place."