RUSTY | frank castle

SIXTEEN

"What a shitshow." Billy said as he entered the room, throwing his mask to the floor. "Get your asses up!"

"What the hell are you doing here?" Morty said. By now, the blood from his nose had dried slightly and the gag was hanging around his neck again. 

"Saving your life, Morty." Billy said, his voice quieter. "So why don't you put your pants on . . . and then you're going to say exactly what I tell you to say, when I tell you to say it."

Morty, intimidated by Russo, took a little step back.

  •••  

The alarm was blaring as Rusty, Frank and Lexi jogged through a forest of small, half dead trees. The two tall people crouched slightly as they moved the dry branches out of their way. The alarm wasn't helping Rusty's pounding headache, but her focus now was on getting back to David. She needed to get her wound cleaned and possibly stitched, and she was itching to tend to Lexi's paw and Frank's shoulder. He must have landed awkwardly on it. 

David spoke through the comms to Frank and Rusty. "No, no, no. Wait, wait."

Rusty crouched closer to the ground, Frank stopping next to her. The woman cringed slightly at the pain in her wound but took Lexi by the collar, keeping her close. 

Four soldiers passed on Micro's night-vision screen. They were out of sight quickly, and he said, "Okay, go."

Rusty 's figure came first, with Lexi's limping one on her right, then Frank right behind them. They ran into what looked like two parallel lines of garages, probably holding army trucks or weaponry. 

With his hand on Rusty's back, Frank led them her into on open garage. He grabbed Lexi and pulled her in between his legs as a truck came down and onto the cement road in between the two lines of garages. It's tires screeched to a halt and the soldiers jumped out, making Rusty push her back into the black metal canister which confided her hiding place. Frank looked out slightly, holding Lexi close to his body. He also kept physical contact with Rusty, keeping his shoulder touching hers. 

The men spread out, running with snipers in hand and helmets steady on their heads. One came into the garage where the three were hiding, pointing his gun with dangerous accuracy to the trio. Another soldier then contacted him. "Squad two to the east gate."

Following the orders, the man said, "Roger that," and ran back out.

Rusty exhaled a breath, calming her beating heart rate. Frank had a gun ready, he nodded to Rusty and steadily ran out from his cover, searching the area. The woman and her dog followed him, Rusty with her own glock out and pointed. 

The now unmasked woman never really relied on support from someone other than her dogs, but with the amount of soldiers running around the surrounding territory and the ammo they held, Rusty decided to call into the comm to David. "Status?"

"You're clear to proceed."

Frank heard David on his comm, so he came out of the garage, gun steady in his hands and knees slightly bent, Rusty doing the same. It is how they were taught.

The three ran into a tunnel, its grey cement walls long and ever-going. Frank ran fast, and Rusty easily followed with her long, slender but sturdy legs. Lexi pushed herself to her limits to run in between the two, ignoring the sharp pains in her paw that caused her limp.

Frank slowed down to a halt, and at the sight of a soldier in the tunnel, Rusty pulled her glock up in lighting speed, pointing it at the man. 

"Hands up." He said, his body shaking with a sudden rush of adrenaline while Rusty's one was as steady as ice. Lexi bared her teeth as a warning to the young soldier. 

"Get on your knees." He shouted. 

Rusty stood beside Frank, whose eyes seemed to soften at the sight of the young adult. Rusty felt that softness too, as she used to always comfort soldiers like the one a few metres in front of her during her never-ending amounts of tours. 

Reaching up to the top of his neck, Frank pulled his black skiing mask off his face. Rusty's one was in her back pocket, hanging slightly from it. Rusty shook he head lightly to her side, as if throwing away her kindness to the young soldier. With one move of her hand, Rusty signalled for Lexi to stand down (showing an open palm in her direction).

Frank started walking, and Rusty stayed right by his side. 

"Don't come any closer!" The boy said, shaking with fear, it seemed. 

"Easy, kid." Rusty warned. 

"Don't move any closer." The soldier was harsher now, using breaks between his words to sound intimidating. But what could be Intimidating to Frank Castle and Rusty Mallard?

"I know." Frank said, continuing his walk beside Rusty, who still had her gun up. "I know you got your duty."

The youngster seemed to take a half step back, and Rusty loosened her grip on her gun, lowering it slightly. 

"Kid, I'm not your enemy here." Frank spoke.

"Stop!" His shout echoed in the tunnel.

Rusty took one sharp step forward, raising her gun again as Lexi growled. "Don't do anything you'll regret." She said, her American-British accent making the words more profound. 

Frank sighed. "I don't wanna have to kill you."

The kid adjusted his hold on his gun, almost leaning against the tunnel wall for protection. 

"Now, look," Frank nearly whispered, "we're gonna go that way," Frank sighed again, "you do what you gotta do."

Frank walked again, and the kid's wavering hold on his gun caused Rusty to lower her glock, holding it with one hand beside her thigh. Lexi watched the boy as she walked past him, sniffing from her place between Rusty's and Frank's legs.

Then, the soldier turned, raising his gun and shouting, "I said stop!"

Rusty turned to him, almost groaning as she told Lexi to stand down again.

"Get on your knees, right now. Do it!"

"I don't wanna shoot you, kid." Rusty said.

"Get on you knees." He shouted. 

"Easy," Frank spoke as he turned, "easy."

"Get on your knees. Now!"

"Easy!" Frank shouted as he turned. 

Yet, before he could do the 180 degree spin, Rusty had shot the boy's kneecap, leaving him to scream and groan on the cold floor. The woman let out a shaky breath, lowering her gun but her eyes were glued to the bleeding youngster on the floor. The alarm that still rang seemed to blare so loud in her head. Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring.

Swallowing her hurt, Rusty turned to Frank, who had a large hand on her back. He looked Rusty dead in the eyes. "You didn't have to do that." He whispered.

Rusty closed her mouth, as it was slightly agape, swallowing again. "I couldn't let you live knowing you shot a kid."

Frank licked his lips, sighing lightly as he looked at her. "But now you do."