Homecoming | The Punisher

9. China, meet the Punisher

Words: 3162

The time between when Frank left the airport to when his plane landed in Shanghai was dreadfully long. 

"You sure this is the place?"

LC doublechecked the location of the 3D map. She nodded her head grimly. "They store them in the subbasement in rooms 47, 51, and 53." She pointed out the exact rooms where were conveniently displayed on the screen. How David was able to acquire the specific blueprints both fascinated and intimidated her.

David glanced over his shoulder at LC who was sitting on a stool behind him. Her wide eyes were glued to the monitor. He had to cautiously wave his hand in front of her to get her attention back on him. "How come you know where the Triads store their artillery?" He couldn't help but stare at the teenager strangely.

LC didn't overthink his stare. She knew the reason behind his staring wasn't due to her deformity. "I have a knack for cars and building stuff," she began slowly, withholding the fact that she can build small range bombs. LC didn't want to jeopardize David's and Sarah's generous hospitality. "They made me their driver. Sometimes I have to help unload their cargo, and I took a mental note of their layouts for possible leverage in the future."

"This is news to me," David exclaimed. "Does your Dad know?"

"We haven't gotten around that topic yet," LC answered nervously. 

David nodded his head as if the two of them were having a simple conversation. "No pressure. Take your time," he replied.

LC couldn't hear his sarcasm. 

David eyed LC discretely while she went back to watching the monitor. It was hard to imagine a sixteen-year-old girl being a driver for the Triads, let alone help carry hundreds of kilos of heavy grade weapons. Then again, she had Frank's genes. Anything was possible with the Castles. 

His chest became heavy as he studied her scarred face. If something like that were to happen to Leo or Zach, David would turn this world inside out to find the culprit's responsible and ruin them. Hell, he would even go to the extent of the murderer if it meant enforcing justice for his children. He'd just have to get to the culprits before Sarah did. 

David fully understood why Frank was on his way to deliver bloodshed unlike any other which was why he was already ten steps ahead of the Triads, hacking into their security system and altering their cameras undetected. Unknowing to the Triads, Micro could see everything while they were rendered blind. He had instilled back up after back up plans in case anything were to go wrong. He has altered the police near the area to a false bank robbery orchestrated by Micro. The robber, a low-level criminal, was unaware of the theft. Unfortunately for that criminal, all ties will lead back to her. Nothing will tie back to Micro. 

Now all he had to do was wait for the Punisher. 

David stretched his arms and leaned back in his seat. He could tell LC was anxious, but there was also another look in her eyes; one that he couldn't identify. "Is everything alright?" He asked with his voice raised.

LC didn't look his way. "Everything's cool," she answered curtly.

David found her reaction odd. He reached over and tapped her shoulder. Once LC's eyes were on him, he cautiously asked: "Are my kids bothering you?"

"No, no, no," LC immediately answered, caught off guard. "They're cool." In fact, they were overwhelmingly welcoming, especially Leo. That girl has been nothing but kind to her. Zach even went out of the way to call her scars badass, which LC appreciated greatly. It was LC that was the problem. "I just... have a hard time with," LC couldn't look David in the eye. She also didn't know how to phrase her predicament. "I don't know how to, um, conversate with the youth."