RUSTY | frank castle

TWENTY EIGHT

9:47 AM

Billy answered his phone, walking past an Anvil worker who was guarding the door. "Russo."

"Can you talk?"

Billy's step wavered. He glanced back at the worker, keeping his composure. Frank called him. "Uh . . . yeah. Yeah, hang on."

Billy walked a little further down the hotel corridor, taking out his earpiece and stopping to lean his back against a wall. The wallpaper was horrid. 

"Heard you got a new client, huh? Business must be good."

"If I believed everything I read, that's all down to you."

Frank sighed. "Wouldn't put too much faith in that."

"Hope you're calling because you're reconsidering my offer." Billy looked around him. The hotel floor was empty. "Still stands. For Rusty, too."

Frank winced a little. 

"There's a lot of heat on you two. We gotta get you out of this city." Billy glanced behind him. "Twelve hours, I can have you anywhere you wanna be."

"Lewis Wilson." Frank changed the subject. "He's coming after Ori. He's got no intentions of letting him make that speech."

Russo held back a sigh. "Okay. And how would you know about something like that?"

"Told us as much."

"What is it with you and this kid?"

Frank licked his lips quickly. "We have unfinished business."

Billy smirked a little, pausing. "Yeah, well, we know how you feel about that."

"Kid's got delusions of grandeur. You gotta get the senator out of there, but tell no one." Frank looked out behind the corner. "Make sure you keep the appearance that he's still in that hotel suite. You set the trap, me and Rusty'll spring it."

Billy was somewhat surprised. "You're here." He nodded to himself. "Frank, this is my work. I can't just . . . Listen, tell me where you two are. meet me. We can do this together."

"Look, you just keep your team out of our way." Frank put the payphone back in its place, hanging up the call. He pulled his grey cap down and walked past the housekeeping ladies in the hotel basement. His cleaner disguise was working easily. 

Billy smiled to himself as he looked at his phone. It was perfect. 

The lift pinged and two women came out. 

"Miss Page. Billy Russo, Anvil." Billy shook the blonde's hand. "Pleasure to meet you."

9:54 AM

Rusty was standing in the corner of the hotel lobby, Lexi sitting happily by her side as Fender lay behind her legs. She had a newspaper in front of her face and a black cap on her head. 

The woman could see the back of Madani's head sitting in one of the armchairs. The lobby was almost flooded with people ready to hear Senator Ori's speech. It was such bullshit. 

"Madani's sticking out like a sore thumb." Rusty said into the comm, changing the page of her newspaper. "Are you sure she's a Homeland agent?"

Frank scoffed into his comm. "Pretty sure, Rusty."

A few seconds passed before Rusty found something interesting in the lobby. Another Anvil agent had entered the hotel, and Rusty frowned at him. 

"Frank?" Rusty saw the young man walk behind Madani and behind a corner. She folded her newspaper casually, walking after him.