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petertingle-yipyip · 3 months ago

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WORLD CLASS SINNER - FRANK CASTLE

five - vicious

// four // six // masterlist

Pairing: frank x livia (exodus), billy x livia

Word Count: 6,600

Summary: It all boils down to killing Russo, but what happens when he comes to her? Livia confronts him in the last place she thought he’d be.

The boys wanted to go after Jake again. You figured he would have nothing new to give you. You doubted Billy gave his crew whatever address he was slumming it at so you didn’t go with them. Curtis promised to keep an eye on Frank but you waved him off. You didn’t quite give a damn in that moment.

You wanted Billy. You wanted to tear him apart, watch him beg for mercy. You had thought that more feral, vicious side to you had faded, but it seems Billy was still able to ignore some sort of emotion in you.

Funny how that worked out.

You went back to your apartment instead. Part of you wanted to go back to the trailer and check on Amy. You wished you could call her at the very least. You hoped that Frank hadn’t gone back, or if he had, that he had gained some control over himself.

You showered, put on comfortable clothes, and packed a duffel. You shoved a suit into it, with a mask and a set of Bites. You buried a belt armed with shock discs, smoke pellets, and three blades into the bag. Your ensemble wouldn’t be complete without your pistols, so one in the bag and the other tucked into the side waistband of your shorts. You stood with your long sleeve top in one hand and your vest in the other. Last time you faced off with Billy, you wore neither. Just the protection of your bureau issued vest.

Did me no good last time.

You tossed your long sleeve towards the bag and kicked the vest under your bed. While you enjoyed the safety and subtlety of the vest, you knew you needed all the protection you had against Billy.

Your mind also flashed to the man from Ohio and how ruthless he could be. If he caught you when you weren’t expecting, no protection could put you in serious danger.

You knelt and picked up the vest before switching your loose shirt for a compression shirt. You slid the vest on and hid it beneath a borrowed Columbia Law Graduate pullover. You also slipped a blade into the hidden sheath under the back of the vest, just in case.

You grabbed your duffle and a few other overnight items and headed to your car. You picked up some food and drove back to the trailer.

After a little while of you and Amy, Curtis showed up and soon after came Dinah. It stayed that way through the night.

“Kid! It’s Frank.” His voice came from outside the trailer the next morning, waking you instantly.

You sat up quickly and squinted in suspicion. He certainly sounded calmer than the day before, but that wasn’t enough. You felt out his emotions and found no trace of panic or lack of control from before. Instead, he seemed level-headed and committed. You kept a hand on your knife handle just in case.

“Livia?” Dinah asked, rubbing her still closed eyes.

“Look alive.” You kicked her foot as you got up.

You stepped out and blocked Frank’s entrance, which earned you a quirked brow. He gave a quiet scoff and went to reach past you for the door but you smacked his hand away. You saw the hand in his pocket shift and noticed the slight glint of a handgun.

“And you wonder why I won’t let you in.” You commented flatly. “Guess I brought a knife to a gunfight.”

“C’mon, princess.” He rolled his eyes.

“Do you really think I’m gonna let you near her after what you did yesterday without so much as an apology? Or even acknowledging you crossed a line.”

“Apology? For what, huh? What she did was stupid! If it was anybody else-“

“But it wasn’t!” You cut in firmly and you knew your eyes were showing all of your anger. You wanted them to. “It wasn’t anybody else, it was you! It was one of two people that she’s supposed to trust. You’re supposed to protect her, not scream in her face and talk about her head getting blown open.”

He made a noise of disagreement and went for the door again.

You sighed inwardly and caught him by his wrist. You twisted outward while you sidestepped him and put your other hand at the base of his shoulder. You pushed your foot against the back of his knee and forced him to a kneel. He groaned in annoyance but didn’t fight back.

“You are bigger than her. You are scarier than her. You are more dangerous than she will ever be.” You said tightly. “You don’t get to do what you did and not care.”

“Seriously, Livia? Goddammit.” He grumbled.

“What if someone did that to your little girl? You’d knock their head off. Leave it in someone’s bed like the Godfather.”

Frank said nothing.

“Amy is looking to you and me to protect her.” You continued. “You go in there and make things right or I will kick your ass all the way to Homeland and let Madani turn you in.”

He nodded so you let go. You opened the door and ushered him in, following quickly behind. There was no formal apology but you could tell Amy still trusted Frank enough. But you didn’t miss how close she sat to you on the couch.

The grief distracted you. Suddenly, you weren’t angry at Frank anymore. Not when he was clouded by that thin blue gray fog. He spoke about his wife, how she knew who he was and loved him anyway. It made you think of your relationship with Matt and you dropped your eyes when you realized how awful you treated him.

He still loved you, right? Not that you ever deserved it

“I’m not like you two.” You looked back up and saw Frank looking at Dinah and Curtis. “I can do things you can’t. Whatever that makes me…” He looked at you. “It makes me.”

“Makes me, too.” You mouthed and he nodded quickly.

“It has to end, Frank.” Dinah tried and you kept the eyeroll to yourself.

“Who’s gonna end it?” You spoke up, drawing her attention. “You? Brett? Let’s say you take Billy to jail and manage to lock him up, great. Man from Ohio is still coming after her.” You gestured to Amy.

“These people, they won’t stop. They can’t stop. They don’t give a shit about your law.” Frank continued.

“So what the hell am I doing carrying this badge?” She asked Frank and then turned to you. “Why do you carry yours?”

“I gave up my badge.” You confessed. “I chose the mask instead.”

“You still carry it.”

“And it’s not worth a damn.” You snorted a laugh. “After my last round against Fisk and his tactful destruction of my partner, it became nothing more than a title and a decoration on my belt. There’s no weight to it anymore.” You shrugged.

“Why take it in the first place?”

“Same reason I went to Columbia, I wanted to help people the right way. But Dinah, in my experience, you can’t help everyone that way. Someone has to bend… You have the chance to stay a good cop. You know what you have to do.”

“What are you asking?”

“Let us be what we’re meant to be.” Frank answered.

He gave you a questioning look, silently asking if you were with him.

You had gone back and forth so many times on whether or not Exodus is who you were meant to be. She was the Widow of Hell’s Kitchen, yes, but she was more than that. She was your creation. She grew and adapted and changed with you. She took down empires for Dreykov and then returned to take down Dreykov himself. She was still consequence personified but she was also humanity. Necessity. She wasn’t what or even who you were, but she was a critical part.

You offered Frank a nod of confirmation.

“I died at Billy Russo’s hands that night.” You said flatly and you felt all eyes on you, gazes of concern or pity burning against you. The memory ignited a buzz under your skin, every injury from that night reviving throughout your body with a refusal to be ignored. It made you sick but you swallowed the bile crawling up your throat. “He looked me in the eye and didn’t recognize what he’d done… Жизнь за жизнь... Билли Руссо умирает.” (A life for a life… Billy Russo dies.)

“Atta girl.” Frank mumbled and nodded. You doubted her knew what you said, but he got the gist.

Frank didn’t speak Russian. Never cared to, even after he and Livia grew closer. But what he did know was that there were two general reasons she went to her first language. One, she was trying to intimidate. Or two, the reason she used it now, she was pissed off. Fed up with the games and the situation as a whole. She wanted an ending almost as bad as Frank did.

“What about me?” Amy asked in a small voice. “You guys go after this Billy guy, who’s supposed to…”

“I’m not new to two front fights.” You patted her leg. “No matter what happens, I promise you, you’re gonna survive this. I’ll do everything I can. So will he.”

“Okay..”

That day, you went with Frank to do a little digging while Curtis stayed with Amy. Your head stayed on a swivel, eyes darting down alleys and looking a few blocks ahead. You watched for that stupid hat the man from Ohio wore, any sort of cheap halloween mask, or the black scribbled plastic mask Billy hid behind. Luckily, there was nothing.

At least you hoped that was a good thing.

You had swapped your bulletproof and pullover for a zip-up to seem more civilian.

Your interactions with the bartender gave you a good starting point. You ordered a drink first and starting small talk before Frank came up and got to the point.

Hesitantly, she told you about the place they called Valhalla, but you didn’t miss the look she shot towards a man on the other side of the bar. She said it was like a dialed up frat party and that made you gag slightly. She gave you a quick brow raise and said that if you were blonde, you’d be exactly the type they invite.

Unfortunately, that gave you an idea and you knew you had an old platinum wig hidden away somewhere. You kept that little idea to yourself.

You caught the vague address she gave. Queens, north of 14th.

You left a fifty on the bar and followed Frank out. He dropped the dismembered thumb in a shot glass and you gave a flirty wave of fingers as you passed the man. You could feel the daggers he was staring towards your backs as you walked out.

You also didn’t miss the group that followed you out.

“We’ve got shadows.” You said quietly, putting your hands in your back pockets. The move served as a cover to check the back of your belt line and your fingers grazed your handgun. No blades and that was your own misjudgement, but the gun would work.

“Figured as much.” Frank draped his arm over your shoulders and began to guide your steps. “You got yourself handled?”

“Always do.” You patted the gun at your hip that you grabbed from your duffel before you two entered the bar.

Admittedly, you didn’t like walking into a fight without some sort of protection for your torso. You’d gotten so used to having either a vest or your long sleeve that you felt vulnerable without it. However, there was comfort in knowing you were walking into it with Frank at your side.

“You assholes lost?” Frank asked plainly as you two came up behind the group.

One of the men faced you, scanned both of your faces, and laughed.

“Yeah, we were looking for five million dollars.” He said smugly. “And it was stupid enough to show up on its own.”

“What are you talking about?” You took a step forward.

“Someone’s had enough of his shit.” He pointed to Frank. “There's a bounty on your heads.”

“Didn’t realize he was that well-funded.” You muttered to Frank who gave a sound of agreement.

“Where’s the girl?” The man asked.

“What girl?” Frank answered quickly.

“Someone wants you two and some kid. You’re gonna take us to her.”

“No kid.” You shrugged, both hands hitting your hips. The move seemed casual enough but it was purposeful, putting your hand right on your gun. “Who wants us?”

“Listen, bitch, there two of-“

You didn’t let him finish the sentence.

You pulled your gun and fired quickly. The first shot landed in the frontman’s shoulder, then you shot the man behind him to his left. Frank took out two on the right and you dropped to a kneel. You shot the middle man in the back row and then turned to shoot a fourth man’s knee. The finishing shot came from Frank and you grabbed the frontman’s pant leg.

You yanked hard and he fell to his back with a loud thud. You flattened a knee against his chest and using the barrel of your gun, pressed into the bullet wound. He cried out in pain and you clicked your tongue in disappointment. You withdrew your gun and placed it in the man’s open mouth instead.

“When I move my gun-“ You commanded sharply, your accent wrapping around your words like a blanket. “-we’re going to have a nice little chat, hmm? But if you scream, I blow your brains across the pavement. Got it?”

He nodded furiously and you nodded. You hopped up and let Frank drag the man to lean against the wall.

Your implant pinged and you tapped to ignore it, leaving your phone to buzz violently in your pocket. You positioned the heel of your foot against the bullet wound while Frank stood at the man’s other side. There was less than a second between the first set of rings ended and the next began. Angrily, you pushed off the man, causing him to scream out in pain. You pressed the scar and stepped away, your gun clattering to the floor.

“This better be good.” You sneered.

“It’s Billy.” Dinah said. You could hear the panic in her voice but it wasn’t enough. You were working a lead, and you needed more than that for you to abandon it.

“Not good enough.” You countered.

“He was in my apartment!”

“Unfortunate.”

“Seriously?” She scoffed, sounding near tears. That made you feel a bit bad. “Is it gonna be unfortunate when he shows up at yours? He said he had someone else to visit and I highly doubt he’s got a lot of friends.”

“I’ve moved.”

“So just because you think you’re safe, you don’t care. What about the person living there now?”

“He’ll be fi-“ You began to argue but the realization smacked into you.

If Billy remembered you, asked for you specifically, he had to remember your relationship. Some piece of it, at least. Within those pieces, there was a chance - who knew how big of a chance? - that he would know exactly who Matt was. Even if he didn’t know, it was dangerously likely that he could figure it out.

If Billy could figure that part out, he’d very likely kill Matt for it. Especially considering the fact that Matt would for sure fight back, if not throw the first punch for what he’d done to you.

“How long ago?” You asked, even though it felt like the air was knocked from your lungs.

“Funny that you’re worried now.” She scolded and your hand tightened into a fist. “Who lives there that you care so much about?”

“Goddammit, Dinah, I will sock you in the jaw so hard you’ll eat through a straw for the next fucking year.” You sneered. “How long ago did he leave your place?”

“Ten, twenty minutes maybe.”

“Jesus Christ.” You muttered. “And you’re just now telling me?”

“I’m sorry that I needed to process what the fuck just happened to me.” She spat back.

You groaned loudly and pressed your scar hard, harder than necessary when it only affected you. You glanced over your shoulder and saw Frank looking at you while the man beneath him had his eyes closed and was groaning in pain. You mouthed ‘He’s going to Matt’s’. He nodded to you and reached forward to retrieve something, but by the time his hand was moving, you were already on the move.

Wordlessly, you ran.

You couldn’t remember a time you ever ran that fast in your life. You knew you must’ve looked crazy, sprinting down New York streets in broad daylight when there was no immediate threat, but you didn’t care. You couldn’t stop, not when there was an immediate threat to you.

Billy going to Dinah’s apartment was one thing. It was something you could realistically sweep under the rug as not your problem. But saying he had someone else to visit, it took you only a second to realize and your stomach dropped.

“Matt, for the love of God, don’t be home.” You said to yourself as you climbed the stairs. “Please, please, please.”

You were near breathless by the time you reached the apartment floor. You were fiddling with your key ring, searching for Matt’s key, when a hand grabbed your arm and pulled you against the wall. You yelped in surprise but a second hand covered your mouth as their body pinned you to the wall.

“What the hell is going on?” He asked quietly and you shoved the keys back into your pocket. “Are you alright?”

“Oh my god.” You breathed in relief, though your voice was still muffled by his hand. You reached up to move it and he let you, though the questioning expression didn’t leave. “Tell me you haven’t been inside.”

“No, I was about to but I heard your voice.” He squeezed your arm slightly. “I heard…”

“Panic?” You filled in and he gave you a nervous chuckle. You hadn’t heard the sound in so long. “Yeah… Honestly, I was so scared. My heart feels like it’s beating out of my chest right now.”

“It sounds like it.” He agreed. “Who’s in there, Livia? Who’s coming after you?”

“He did come here…” You spoke in quiet shock. You had expected it, yet knowing he did made your chest tight and that hollow echo of old explosions that plagued you when you two were together began to rumble.

“I can hear his heartbeat. He keeps mumbling to himself.”

“If I tell you who he is, can you let me handle it?”

“Livia…” He sighed. “You don’t have the to-“

“Matt, if you go in there and he connects the dots as to who you are, he’ll very likely try to kill you. He’ll probably try to kill me when I go in.”

“Sounds like a good reason to not let you go alone.” He made a move towards his front door.

“It should also stand as a good reason to trust me.” You tried, grabbing his jacket sleeve to stop him. He didn’t turn to face you but his head dropped with a sigh. “It’s Billy Russo.” You confessed.

“Why is he here?” His voice reached that gravelly tone that usually paired with his vigilante persona.

“Looking for me, probably. I’m sure you’ve seen all about his hospital escape and the ReadyQuick check place.”

“The Return of the Punisher and Exodus: What Does it Mean for New York City?” He recited the headline to you. “Yeah, Foggy was telling me about the news story the other day. I’m guessing that’s why you haven’t called.”

“Right now, it’s more than just Billy. I will tell you everything regarding him and I but you have to let me get him out of your apartment.”

“How is this fight gonna end any different than last time?” He finally faced you. “He put you in the hospital, didn’t he?”

No, he killed me.

“Yeah, and I put him there for longer. It’s different because it’ll end this time. Completely.”

“You’re gonna kill him?” His brows raised.

“Not here.” You admitted.

He sighed to himself and his hand landed on your side. There was a slight pressure to his touch as his hand moved under your zip-up.

You smiled slightly at his touch.

“You don’t have anything on.” He said quietly, as if it was a secret just for you two.

You deadpanned and shifted your jacket to expose your handgun still at your hip. “If you paid more attention, you would’ve known.”

“If you paid attention, you’d know you don’t have it.”

Your brows furrowed and you looked down, eyes widening in realization. Matt was right. You hadn’t retrieved your handgun. You cursed yourself before meeting his gaze again.

“Doesn’t matter. I have three guns stashed in that apartment and I think four blades.”

“Yeah, I know.” He nodded, though he still wore an anxious expression. “I don’t like this.”

“Neither do I but if I don’t go in there, he wins. If I bring you with me, it looks like I’m afraid of him.”

“Are you?”

“No.” You weren’t quite sure you meant that. “But I know exactly what he’s capable of, and that was before the carousel. Now, I wouldn’t put anything past him… Let me keep you safe this time, Matt.”

He took a deep breath before nodding and stepping away from the door.

“Alright.” He conceded. “But if you need me, I’m right outside.”

“Thank you.” You breathed in relief and reached for the door.

He grabbed your other wrist.

“I missed you.” He said softly.

“I know.” You nodded. “We'll talk about it later.” You promised.

You stepped through the door and every nerve was alive. Every muscle was tense with anticipation and you forced every ounce of control to the surface. You couldn’t falter, couldn’t give any indication that Billy triggered a reaction in you.

He was on your turf now and he wouldn’t have any advantage over you.

You saw his silhouette through the frosted glass of Matt’s bedroom door. Quietly, you went to your first hiding place. Between the fridge and the wall, but the gun was missing. You silently cursed and moved to the second, under the table. Again, empty. Your hand tightened into a fist and you had to refrain from banging it against anything.

“Looking for something?” Billy’s voice came from the other side of the room.

You paused, only to unclench your fist, and stood. You turned to face him and swallowed the lump in your throat, cocking your head as you examined him. You had seen the scars last time you faced him, but somehow, they seemed angrier without the blue tint of your lenses. Your scrutiny made him uncomfortable and you watched his jaw tense, his chin jut out slightly as his head raised in a small challenge.

“At least you still look like you, all things considered.” You gestured to his face. “Doctors earned that paycheck, didn’t they?”

“You sound disappointed.”

“Can you blame me?” You laughed slightly and threw your hands to the side.

“I wasn’t sure I was in the right place at first.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Your stuff.” He shrugged. “Nothing here is yours. But then I found something and just figured you redecorated.” He pointed vaguely to the living room. “I remember a painting and some pictures.”

“Yeah, just wanted a change of scenery I guess.” You nodded carefully. “You remembered more than that, didn’t you?”

“Oh.” He laughed and pulled two handguns from under his jacket. “You mean these?”

You pulled a face in response.

“Just wanted to make sure I had a chance to talk to you.” He reasoned, as if it made perfect sense.

“Or a chance to kill me.” You countered, a new wave of anger burning under your skin. You shuddered slightly and lifted the hem of your shirt to show your bare skin. He swallowed slightly and his eyes raked over your body. “No bulletproofs today.”

“Bulletproofs don’t cover your head.”

“Touche… Why are you here, Billy?” You moved carefully around the couch, refusing to take your eyes off him and your pair of guns in his hands.

You knew there was supposed to be one more gun under the couch. You cut a slit into the bottom dust cover just big enough for your hand to fit in that led to the gun you wedged between the front right corner of the wooden frame. And under the coffee table, a small throwing knife was wedged into the wood at a steep angle that kept it practically flush.

You sat on the right side of the couch and angled your back against the arm rest. You gestured to the arm chair across from you but Billy opted to stand, though he put one of the guns away. Instead of pushing, you put your foot against the table.

“I came…” He spoke carefully, like he wasn’t completely sure how to answer you. “We were together, me and you, weren’t we?”

“I wouldn’t say that.” You shook your head. You paused for a second, waiting for his eyes to meet yours before you spoke again. “You were a self-indulgent habit that kept me from killing myself during the peak of my self-destruction. I admit that you were a… lifeline when I needed one, but everything fell apart and now I-“

“Hate me?” He cut in with a slight smirk. It was almost as if he knew you would say that, or he wanted you to.

“Yes.” You nodded calmly, lacking the reaction he seemed so desperate for. “But to be fair, I hate every man who’s tried to kill me. You are the only one who managed to do it though.”

“Did I?”

“Technically. My heart did stop at one point that night. It seems adrenaline and open wounds don’t pair as well as people think. You really don’t remember any of it, do you?”

“You know, I.. I envy you.” He pointed the gun at you. “I envy you remembering, knowing how you feel. I should know how I felt about you.”

“About me?” Your head tilted. “I can tell you that.”

He scoffed slightly but you could feel that he wanted you to continue.

“You loved me.” You said and it was the first time you ever addressed that fact since the carousel. “And I respected you, trusted you to a certain degree. I would even say that I did care about you.”

“But you didn’t love me. You lied to me!”

“I did.” You nodded. “And you tortured me for it.”

“I did.” He nodded, though there was a hesitation in his agreement. “You told me you loved me.”

“I didn’t!” You spat viciously. “You don’t feel remorse. You don’t feel regret. Why should I?”

You had an entire explanation you could give. He didn’t deserve it, but you were willing to give it anyway. So you did. Not for him, or any closure to his benefit, but for yourself. To get that weight off your chest.

“Not when we were whatever we were and not whatever the hell you wanna call this now. I knew I could’ve, if circumstances were different. I knew that-“ Admitting that out loud seemed to make it real, that you had been willing to let yourself fall for Billy before he ruined it all. “- but I was just the next one to take your empty words as a promise… Besides, I was still in love with someone else.”

“Right, now that I remember. Matt, wasn’t it?”

Your chest tightened for a moment. You had to refrain from looking towards the door or making some sort of threat.

“Yes.”

“You loved a dead man over me.” He sneered.

“I knew almost everything about that dead man and he gave his life for mine. Something you never even considered.” You countered sharply. “You had your own merits where you and I were concerned, but you would never be the person I needed. Telling you that made it easier for you to torture me, I guess.”

“Torture…” He repeated with a nod, as if that idea was somehow pleasant to him. “That night, the night this happened.”

“Mhmm?”

“You were there. You said I shot you and had you tied up with a taser.”

“Need to see the scar again?” You answered bitterly. “I can’t completely close my hand or extend my wrist due to the nerve damage.”

“Lucky you.” He sneered. “Too bad Frank didn’t help you in time, huh?”

So that was it.

“Frank?” Your brows furrowed. “I didn’t ask anyone to help.”

It wasn’t quite a lie. You didn’t explicitly ask Frank to help, just mentioned that help would’ve been appreciated at that moment.

“No, no, no, no. You don’t do that. You don't do that!” He screamed and angrily pointed the gun in your direction again.

Your leg tensed, ready to flip the table it rested against.

“Cause I know now! I know now!” He continued.

“Frank Castle.” You conceded. “He tell you he did it? That day he found you robbing the check cashing spot.”

“See?” He smiled and it made you sick. “You have all the answers no one else’ll give me.”

“Dinah wouldn’t?”

“No… But maybe that’s why I liked you better.”

“Maybe… But you still didn’t like me enough to take my side. I tried to stop all of this.” You confessed. “I practically begged you to fight with me, fight with Frank. But you chose a man who didn’t give a shit about you and would’ve left you for dead.”

“Just tell me how.” He asked quietly and there was the slightest plea in his eyes. You knew you could play on that and bring him to knees, watch him beg, but you refrained.

“Frank’s family was killed.” You began simply.

You knew your words were going to start something dangerous. You could feel the tension in Matt on the other side of the door, seeping into your own muscles despite your calm display. You could see the uncertainty in Billy. So you spoke carefully, but bluntly. If it came to a fight, so be it.

“You knew, because you had already sold out everyone and everything you stood for. You did it for money and status and some sort of reputation that you thought earned you respect, but it didn’t.”

“No.” He muttered but you kept going.

“Frank found out and he made you pay.” Your voice began to carry your accent. “He went for you, the man above you, and the man at the top of it all. He took the lives of the men who killed his family, all except you.”

“You’re lying.”

“Am I? You sure as hell couldn’t tell before.” You challenged and his resolve faltered. “You were supposed to remember everything. To live every day in fear and regret and misery because we took everything away from you… But what a disappointment to know you didn’t.”

“We…” He repeated.

“Ты не понял, кто я?” You asked with an innocent smile. “Aw, Billy. I’m not just the woman you were fucking and maybe falling for…” (You haven’t figured out who I am?)

You stood, strategically angling your foot under your coffee table. His brows furrowed in thought and his trigger finger twitched. You gestured to your eyes with one hand but still received an uncertain expression. You sighed and lifted one closed hand, mimicking the raise of your Bite.

“The Mask you’re so afraid of?” You said expectantly. “Exodus?”

Silence.

“You really didn’t know.” You said with a small laugh.

“You think this is funny?” He stepped closer and you didn’t back down. “I dreamed about Frank and about you-“ He spat venomously as he stood maybe a foot away. “-every night. Who did you dream of?”

“I had more important things to focus on.” You said calmly and your control seemed to anger him more. A red hue started to surround him and you smiled. “I’m not afraid of you, Billy.”

One, two, three steps and you were toe to toe. Your foot under the table lifted slightly and you felt your toe nudge the blade’s handle. You stared at Billy with a flat expression as he pressed the barrel of his gun under your chin.

“What about now, hmm?” He asked lowly. “You afraid to die, Livia?”

“Are you?” Your hand moved quickly and you snatched the other gun from his waistband. In a swift movement, you had it against his abdomen. “I’d say my gun goes off first.”

He smiled wickedly and your stomach twisted into a tighter knot.

“Count of three?” He asked and you didn’t miss the flirtatious undertone.

“Один, два, три.” You counted slowly, plotting out your moves in your head. (One, two, three.)

You took a risk and dropped your own gun. Your free foot kicked it away while you gripped his gun, pushing it away from your face while it went off. You had to keep from flinching at how close the sound was. You grabbed his shirtfront with your other hand and pulled hard with your knee stuck out to trip him up. He slammed the floor hard and you yanked the table leg with your foot and it flipped.

You dropped and grabbed the knife. You faced him again, relieving when he was still on his back. Your eyes found his discarded gun but you knew it wouldn’t last long. You moved quickly and pinned his arms with your knees.

You let fear trickle from your fingers and the yellow smoke created shackles around his wrists and throat. Using the tip of your blade, you traced the scar on his cheek.

“Maybe I cut you open again, huh?” You threatened, letting your accent come at the thickest you’ve ever used it. “Watch you bleed out on the floor. Alone. Afraid.”

“Do it then.” He choked. “You won’t get another chance.”

You tossed the blade and changed your grip, estimating a path to his eye socket. Once it was raised over your head, he jerked his body to the side and you were thrown into the sideways table. The edge of the wood collided with your notoriously damaged rib and all the air was taken from that lung. You stayed draped over the piece of furniture for a few seconds, coughing hard and wheezing slightly as the pain shot up and down the side of your body.

But the few seconds was all he needed. By the time you had enough sense to look, Billy was gone and Matt was rushing to your side. You slammed your blade into the table with enough force to splinter the wood.

He awkwardly reached for you, unsure of where or even if he was allowed to touch you. You looked past him though. Your eyes were locked on the short corridor that led to the front door. You were burning with rage, fighting the heavy threat of being consumed by the heat and haze of the red manic outburst.

You wanted to let it take over. To let it guide your body and hands until you finally snapped out of it coated in Billy’s blood. You wanted him dead, more than you ever wanted anyone dead.

“I’m fine.” You pushed Matt’s hands away and stood. However, once you righted yourself, your aching rib ignited again and you doubled over. “Fuck.”

“You can’t go after him, not like this.” Matt reasoned as he stood beside you.

“I’m going to kill him, Matt.” You said through gritted teeth. “I don’t care how but he’s dead. You don’t get to stand in the way of this one.”

“You can’t stand and you can barely breathe.” He urged. “You can’t fight like this. You said that! You can’t possibly think-“

“You’re right, okay?” You snapped. You took a deep breath to settle your racing pulse. “You’re right. I can’t think because when I think, I’m too slow. I need to act, not wait here for something that’s never gonna heal.”

“You’re going to get yourself killed!”

“Who cares?”

“I do!”

“I have to finish this.” You righted yourself again, wincing but fighting to stay upright.

“Is it worth dying?”

“I did that already.” You said flatly and he gave you an expectant look. “That night at the carousel, he shot through my wrist. I had the Bites on so I was constantly getting hit with bursts. Not only did that fry some nerves, it burned through the bullet wound to the point where, once the adrenaline died down, I bled out so badly that I was medically dead… My heart stopped, Matt.”

He stood there, mouth agape in shock. One hand was on his hip and the other was shoved into his hair, stuck at the top of his head like someone hit the pause button. You waited a second to make sure he was still breathing.

“Dex was there and he got it going again…” You admitted quietly. “He and Frank were begging for me to come back.”

“That’s why you tried ro protect him…” He said in quiet realization. You could tell he appreciated the explanation and finally understood what had happened last time.

All you could do was quietly nod.

“Jesus Christ.” He muttered and the thick wave of despair from him sent a welcome chill across your skin. “Livvy…”

“It’s fine.” You shook your head and used your foot to right the coffee table. You glanced around for your gun and Matt pointed to the other side of the couch. “Thanks.”

“You can’t keep going like this.” He said sadly as you collected your weapon. “Please, Livia.”

You sighed slightly and moved closer to him. You reached out and gently took both of his hands in yours and almost immediately, his fingers closed around yours. He leaned in, close enough that you could feel his breath against your face. Your eyes closed and you let your head fall against his shoulder.

You hadn’t realized how badly you had missed his touch.

“I’ll be alright.” You promised. “Billy won’t be the one to kill me.”

If anything, the man from Ohio had a better chance, but you wouldn’t tell Matt that.

“I can’t lose you.” He whispered and you didn’t need your abilities to feel his desperation.

Your implant pinged and you considered ignoring it, but something about it felt urgent. You leaned away and freed a hand to press your scar.

“Get down here. We gotta go.” Frank said quickly.

“What’s going on?” You asked.

“The kid went to her friend and she turned her in.”

“Shit.” You ended the call and faced Matt.

“I have to go.” You said honestly.

”Please stay.” He gave your hand a small squeeze.

“I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

“Wait.” He said quickly. He stepped away from you for a moment and came back, pressing something into your hand. You looked down and saw he had given you your knife.

“What is it?” He asked but didn’t stop you. In fact, he guided your hand to tuck the knife under your belt.

“This kid…”

“A kid?” His eyebrows raised and he dawned a small smile.

“My kid.”

18 notes · View notes

petertingle-yipyip · 1 year ago

Text

WORLD CLASS SINNER - FRANK CASTLE

five - build god then we'll talk

tags: n/a // four // six // masterlist

Pairing: Billy x Livia ; Frank x Livia

Word Count: 7,008

Summary: Temporary alliances form on one side before fighting off an ambush from the other. All the while, dots are connecting for more than one player as the game grows more and more dangerous.

“Ms. Yersova.” She smiled as she came into the conference room. You stood from your chair and shook her hand, noticing a slight wince as she sat across from you. “I’m sorry to have kept you waiting. I’m acting SAC Dinah Madani.”

“It’s nice to meet you.” You nodded. “I heard about the crash at the docks. I commend you for coming into the office so soon but I guess it’s no surprise as you’re the acting SAC.”

“You heard?” Her brows raised.

“Word travels fast between bureaus.”

“Ah.” She nodded. “Of course, you recently completed FBI training at Quantico. How was that?”

“It was good. I’m excited to start and get to work with my partner.”

“You have a partner already?”

“He recommended me. I wouldn’t have pursued the FBI if I hadn’t met him.”

“Sounds like a good foundation for a partnership.”

“I’m sure it will be, but I don’t think that’s what you called me in for, is it?”

“No.” She shook her head with a small smile as if she had been caught. “It’s about your previous employment.”

“Oh, Anvil!” You nodded, feigning understanding. “Of course. Billy told me about the Homeland group that came through a few days ago. He said you really stuck out.”

“Um-“

“If this is about Billy-“ You leaned your elbows on the table as if you two were high schoolers gossiping at the lunch tables. “-I say you should go for it.” You continued when you noticed she was taken by surprise. “I don’t blame you, he’s real good-looking and you’re beautiful. And, between us, the sex is good too if you’re interested in that.”

“Ms. Yersova.”

“You guys had good banter the other night so you should go out with him again, on a real date.”

“I’m sorry, the other night? He told you about that?”

“No, I saw you two.” Your brows furrowed as you played dumb and leaned back in your seat. “I walked right past you? …. This isn’t about Billy, is it?”

“Your employment at Nelson and Murdock, actually.”

“Oh… That feels like a lifetime ago.”

“Wasn’t too long ago.”

“A lot has changed since then.”

“Since college too, I assume.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Well, naturally, I looked into your academics, and may I say, you’re brilliant. Columbia Law, summa cum laude, alongside the two partners at the firm you’d later work at. Only you took some time between your senior semesters. Completed your degree online and you were able to skip internship. A near-perfect Bar score as well. Looking at it all together, it’s truly impressive.”

“Thank you.” You nodded. “Although I’m not sure why the firm is relevant. It’s disbanded. Franklin Nelson is thriving at HC&B and Matthew Murdock is on a Catholic Retreat at the Vatican.”

“Are you religious?”

“You go ahead and build God yourself then we’ll talk religion.” You scoffed. “Any God isn’t relevant here anyway, right? Considering the whole Church and State separation.”

“Hmm.” She nodded before coming around to your side of the table. “Before Columbia, there’s practically nothing. Like you didn’t exist.”

“Yes, well, my father dumped me at an orphanage overseas.”

“Your mother didn’t protect you?”

“Died when I was an infant, may she rest in peace. Hence the whole orphan thing”

“You were a ghost before law school, Ms. Yersova. Forgive me, Agent Yersova. And yet you have made quite a life for yourself.”

“What are you implying?”

“Someone intentionally wanted to keep your existence a secret… Leaves room to speculate on what you were before, but no one ever seemed to.” You saw her focus stay on your eye for a moment and you mentally cursed yourself for not having dealt with it that morning. “Yet you’ve still gotten everything you wanted out of life, didn’t you?”

“You can ask Mr. Russo about that. He can give you the gist, off the record of course. Just as I assume this entire conversation is.”

“Anvil hires ex-military.” She challenged rather than acknowledging your last comment.

“Yes.”

“You were never a soldier.”

“Correct, I never served in the US Military or any nation’s traditional military.”

“But you have some training?”

“Enough to get in at Anvil and be one of his most trusted/most consistent and earn his respect from the first time I met him. But with all due respect, Agent Madani, what does this have to do with Nelson and Murdock?”

“You’re an interesting woman, Agent Yersova.”

“Yes, you’ve said that.” You said sharply. “Please make your point, Madani, or I’m leaving.”

“I just wonder why you’d throw away such a promising career on the Castle case.”

“And this conversation makes me wonder why you’d want to disturb a dead man.”

“I’ve read through the transcripts and you were a real powerhouse in that courtroom. You were a fierce advocate for the man. Your work ethic is rather admirable.”

“It was my idea to take the case in the first place. It was only right to give it my best.”

“Why take it at all? I’m sure the partners didn’t agree.”

“Not at first.” You agreed. “But it wasn’t supposed to go to trial. Our plan was to negotiate a better plea deal but Frank had other plans. Why is any of this relevant?”

“What interested me the most was the testimony of the medical examiner that got thrown out.” She flipped open her folder and trailed her finger down the page as if she was searching for something before tapping the page a few times.

“And how do you know about that?”

“Transcripts.”

“The testimony was stricken from official record.”

“Public record, maybe. A case that major would’ve had everything available to departments like mine or yours, if you talk to the right people. What stood out to me was the woman he mentioned, wearing a mask with an accent. The woman Mr. Tepper said coerced him into his confession.”

Elektra. Even in death, she haunted you. Same way Matt did.

“Yes.” You nodded as the Midland explosion rumbled deep in your chest when she shut the folder. “But the defense had nothing to do with that. To this day we have no idea who that woman was nor do any of us care at this point. We’ve moved on.”

“Would it be fair to assume it was a local vigilante? I’ve heard there’s one who fits that description, worked alongside Daredevil - who you know well - and even did a short stint with the Punisher.”

“Excalibur. No wait, that’s the sword.. Was it Extremis?”

“Exodus.” She corrected.

“Right! I don’t know, I heard she died.”

“Did you know her?”

“Allegedly.” You shrugged.

“And how exactly does that work?”

“The last time I saw either of them alive, they came to me and said there was some organization targeting their loved ones. They made it seem like they knew me without their suits but never said their names. Then they fought their fight and everyone else that was hiding out with me had their friends come back but those two never did… Nothing was ever uncovered from the rubble either.”

“Rubble?” Her head tilted slightly.

“Some building went down a few months ago. I’m sorry, but I’m still lost. I don’t understand what you’re asking me.”

“Why advocate for Frank Castle at all? And if Exodus was your friend, why throw her to the wolves in the trial?”

“Are we still off the record?”

“Of course.” She gestured to the lack of cameras in the room.

“Frank Castle was the victim of a sting operation gone back. When DA Reyes was in office, she planned to catch the Blacksmith, who turned out to be his old C.O., at Central Park. Only she neglected to - Actually, she opted to not clear civilians, which ended with Lisa, Maria, and Frankie Castle being shot dead on what was supposed to be a celebratory outing. Frank Castle endured a tragedy, Agent Madani. Now it’s not justification for a full-blown killing spree across my neighborhood but it’s some sort of explanation as to why he was so goddamned angry.”

“And are you angry, Agent Yersova?” She asked carefully.

“Yeah, I am.” You said after a minute of contemplation. “I’m angry that he’s gone. I’m angry that my firm fell apart. And I’m angry that I’m here, digging up stories on a dead man that I let down.”

The heat that lived in your veins rose and you felt it burning through your skin. You had to take a few steadying breaths to force it back where it belonged.

“I’m sorry to have upset you.” She offered, and there was an attempt at sincerity, but you could tell it was learned. Forced, even. “I didn’t know it was so important to you.”

“At Columbia and Quantico - They probably talk about it at the FLETC too, body language. Facial expressions. Inflections in people’s voices. Helps to figure out if someone’s lying and whether you can trust the words they’re saying. Almost everybody has a tell and I see one from you when you talk about Frank Castle. Like a kid in a candy store, just waiting to hear the right words from her parents… What words are you hoping to hear, Agent Madani?”

“Did he ever tell you about his time in Afghanistan? Specifically Kandahar.” She asked finally and you had to keep your smirk to yourself. For an acting SAC, she was easy enough to work. “I was in Kandahar myself before this. Turns out Frank Castle might’ve been the man I needed to talk to.”

“What’s important about Kandahar?”

“Do you know anything?”

“Depends on what you’re looking for.”

“Ahmed Zubhair, a man I worked with. Tortured and executed by his unit. Tell me, what kind of man was Frank Castle?”

“Decent. Angry, but honest. I had nothing to fear from him. He treated me with respect and I did the same. And I regret how I let him down… If Kandahar is something that could’ve had something to do with what happened to Frank’s family, I’ll see what I can find.”

“I can’t ask you to do that.” She shook her head slightly. “I doubt your SAC at the FBI will let you open a case based on intuition and a personal stake.”

“You’re not asking.” You said simply. “When you talk to Billy about me, which I know you will, I’m sure he can fill you in on some of my capabilities outside of my bureau… If his old C.O. was behind Central Park because of Kandahar, I owe it to him and his family to find out why and find out who pulled Schoonover’s strings.”

“You think there was someone above him?” Her eyes lit up.

“Operation Cerberus wasn’t forgotten in the records.” You clarified. “It had to be on purpose. Someone kept it off. And that leaves room to speculate, remember?”

“Do you have any leads?”

“I will. I was a ghost before Columbia for good reason. Oh, and feel free to call if you need any sort of freelance in your investigation.”

“Off the record?”

“It’s how I do my best work. Enjoy your speculation in the meantime.” You shrugged with a small smile as you stood and she gave you a slight smirk and a nod.

You and Madani would likely not find yourselves being friends by the end of your endeavors. Her mission ran counter to your own, though slight parallels existed. By seemingly agreeing to get her information about Kandahar, it allowed you a certain leeway regarding your own business. She wouldn’t be keeping a watchful eye over you so long as she believed you were on her side. And by planting the ideas of Billy’s knowledge of your past, you knew that it would create a direct line as to what she was asking and what she was being told.

The only way you would’ve crafted the situation any better would be if she was running solely on speculation and didn’t know Frank was alive. But you saw it in her eyes, that spark of a reignited passion project. Just days before she, like the rest of the world, knew Frank Castle to be dead. But now having seen his face, heard his voice, she couldn’t believe that ruse any longer. And that knowledge just might be the bump in your otherwise unobstructed path.

Before heading back to Lieberman’s hideout, you stopped back at your apartment. You pulled your gym bag from your room and dumped the contents across your bed. You took it over to the locked closet and took a deep breath, noticing your hand was shaking as you reached for the lock. You forced the hesitation to that familiar gap in your chest and opened it to reveal your bloodied clump of material, your case, and Matt’s case - kicked into the back corner.

You went straight for yours and dug through until you found what you were looking for, one of your very first suits. One before the alterations and additional protections. One that had the bright red emblem of the Red Room still embedded at the neck. It was a suit designed from a time before you were a vigilante before Exodus was ever created. It was born before Y/N had her own identity, before she met Matt and Foggy. The suit was created for the nameless, faceless Widow. The spy, the child raised to be an assassin. One that was good at it and hated herself for it. The suit was what your father traded his daughter for. The suit killed the little girl your mother gave birth to, erased her name, just to put a knife in one hand and a gun in the other. The suit, what it truly stood for, might’ve been all that was left for you.

You shoved it into the bag with a set of Bites, your other mask last used at Midland, boots, belt packed with all your usual tricks, and two handguns with an additional clip for each. You paused at your two torso protections, the recent vest newly adorned with scratches or the original long-sleeve top that was a gift from Matt before your first fight with Fisk. Neither felt right so you threw them both to the side. You tossed it on the table before rummaging around the kitchen to put together a few sets of to-go meals. Whether or not Frank had pissed you off, it was going to be a long drive so you made quick burritos and wrapped them up before placing them in the bag, along with your car charger for your phone. You grabbed a couple of waters and sodas, even threw in a couple of energy drinks for good measure, before heading over.

“Oh.” Lieberman said as you approached the two stocking the van. “I didn’t think you were coming.”

“I started something. I need to see it through.” You answered. “So are we doing this or what?”

Frank made a small noise in agreement and nodded for you to get in. He moved over to the driver's side and Lieberman offered you the passenger. You shook your head and dropped your bag into the back before you climbed up, yanking the doors shut behind you.

You were quiet for most of the drive, trying to drown out Lieberman’s blabbering about anything and everything. You laid out on your back and saw a message from Billy asking you to call him. You sat up quickly and turned to see the guys were now talking about the root of the word Cerberus. You scooted to the far corner and dialed the number, taking one more glance to ensure no one was paying attention to you.

“Hey, Pretty Lady. How you feeling today?” He asked when he answered and you noticed you almost smiled.

“Uh, yeah, I’m doing fine.” You answered quietly, though your voice earned a questioning look from Frank in the rearview. You just waved him off and he rolled his eyes. “What’s going on?”

“I wanted to see how you were feeling cause I just had something come across my desk that I thought you might wanna head up.”

“Okay, shoot.”

“Thing is, it’s an out-of-town job.”

“Since when do you take those on?”

“Since it’s an old friend.” You knew he would’ve shrugged with a little head tilt. “He’s got some property in Kentucky he needs to clear out.”

“Sounds like a job for the Sheriff’s department out there, not you.”

“Look, he came to me so I’m assuming he tried all that.”

“Assuming…” You nodded to yourself. “So you didn’t bother to ask?”

He sighed slightly and you pictured the face he was making. Things with Billy were getting too familiar, too predictable. That small patch of vulnerability on your heart liked it and wanted to keep it, but the hardened reality urged you to push away.

“I guess it doesn’t matter. If it was a little closer, I’d do it but I’m not trying to go that far right now.” You said simply, which was true. You didn’t want to go to Kentucky but that’s where the job took you.

“Hey, not a problem.” He answered, no doubt with a smile. “I just had to offer it to my best girl.”

“As if there was anyone else. You gonna take it instead?”

“No, I’ll just let the guys run it themselves. I can’t get away right now.”

You nodded to yourself in slight relief, knowing you wouldn’t have to worry about him showing up out of the blue and being a problem. It did interest you a bit more as to who would be able to pull Schoonover’s strings and get to Billy. You knew it had to be Agent Orange but it did nothing to answer who the hell that man was.

“You still there?” He asked and you realized you had been quiet for too long.

“Yeah, sorry. Just thinking.” You admitted. “I gotta go, alright? I got some work I gotta get started on.”

“No worries. Take care of yourself for me, yeah?”

“Mhmm.. Bye.”

“The hell was all that?” Frank asked as soon as you had set your phone in your lap. You pulled your knees up and blew out a sigh, pushing your hands through your hair. You glanced over and saw him looking between the road and you from the rearview. You simply shrugged and scooted to be closer to them.

You leaned between the seats and saw Lieberman pass Frank a packet of tuna, at which you made a face. You were wildly confused as to why he would bring something so cheap and seeing Lieberman pull out a full sub made it worse for you. The meal choice confused Frank as well, and you had to laugh at the response from them both.

“Where’d you get that?” Frank asked in bewilderment, almost jealous as well.

“I made it.” He answered honestly.

“What do you mean, you made it?”

“Yeah... This stuff was in the fridge.”

“You make me one?”

“No... No, I thought you liked that stuff.”

You reached between them and grabbed the tuna out of Frank’s hand. Before he could complain, you replaced it with one of the burritos from your bag. He looked between the new food and you before he nodded in thanks. You offered a small smile and then dropped a water bottle into the cup holder. Lieberman looked between you and Frank with a clear question in his eyes, though if you had to guess what he was wondering, you’d have a list a mile long.

You knew how odd your dynamic with Frank would seem from the outside, both within and outside the law. As vigilantes, you two were partners who held each other in a certain respect. It was similar to you and Daredevil but with more aligned viewpoints. As regular people, you two were allegedly just a lawyer and her client, hardly friends or even acquaintances. So when looking at the way you two would interact, ensuring the other was alive and taking care of each other, it was something to question. How did you two get so close? Why were you two the seemingly only exception for the other? And realistically, there was no real answer other than you were too stubborn to let Frank, or the Punisher for that matter, do something stupid in your neighborhood alone.

Maybe it started as damage control or a way to piss off Matt and Daredevil, but it grew into a real friendship. A real partnership. It grew to be equivalent to family.

Lieberman talked some more during the drive, most of which you tuned out. Instead, you ate your food and rubbed the temple of your red eye with the intent of clearing it away. You almost felt the repair and you pictured it like using a squeegee on a window or using a magnet to play with flecks of iron. As your fingers moved in small circles, the redness would follow like a little trail until it diluted away.

You took a short nap on the drive as well before you all arrived. You ensured to kick the guys out before you changed into your suit. As you unfolded the material, your retractable fell into your lap. You hadn’t even realized you had grabbed it but there it was, tangled in the fabric of your suit and still caked in the blood of the Hand. You thought for a moment if you had done it on purpose but at that point, you didn’t think it mattered so you slipped it onto your wrist. Fitting all of your equipment into place felt like you were fixing the puzzle pieces of your life, replacing what seemingly always should’ve been. As you were finishing, you wondered absently if your bones had reshaped to allow the perfect little niches for your Bites and mask.

“I don’t wanna hear from you unless you hear from me, got it?” Frank warned as he took the walkie from Lieberman and you came around the van.

“Turn it on.” You nodded as your finger slid to your scar. The device beeped in your ear and you kept a light pressure as you shifted along until the static died and you were in the loop. “Got it, thanks.”

“Stay in the van.” He pointed to Lieberman before he began climbing the fence. “No getting your hands dirty this time.”

“Or trying to get someone killed.” You muttered as you hauled yourself over. You tapped your mask upon landing and followed behind Frank.

You were thinking about telling him that you had a theory an Anvil team would be sent in, but there was no good way to explain it. Explaining how you knew meant you had to explain your relationship with Billy, which meant he would connect the dots that you were sleeping with one of his closest friends, and that may or may not go over well. So you kept your mouth shut about it but your head remained on a swivel. You listened for anything that would cut into your communications with Lieberman or anything unusual through your lenses.

Your walk to the cabin was mostly clear - and unsettlingly quiet - save for the lone trip wire. When you two got to the small cabin, Frank began to rid himself of his backpack and gun. He gestured for you to do the same but you hesitated. You didn’t like the idea of being defenseless against whatever team Billy was sending your way. You knew you would have to kill them first, and the team likely would’ve expected to die or at least fight, so you didn’t necessarily feel bad about what was going to happen. But you did feel a little guilty for keeping it to yourself, for no other reason than to keep Billy your little secret.

With a small sigh, you untucked your guns and set them with Frank’s. You took the blade out of your belt as well, but you slipped a finger around your wrist and found the retractable blade was in its position. With your Bites and that, you should be fine to get back to your gun. You turned to Frank and put your hands up in slight surrender, to which he gestured to your wrists. You simply shook your head and moved back to his side.

You were adjusting your lens to see further when it picked up the faint outline of a figure far off. You tried to make it clearer and you could see the shape of a weapon. Your brows furrowed as you stared when you realized it was a bow and arrow. You grabbed Frank’s sleeve to move him but the arrow pierced him before you could. A secondary arrow zipped by and dragged across your chest, slicing a shallow gash from one collarbone to the other, taking a chunk of your shoulder with it.

You shoved him behind one of the bigger trees before you gripped the arrow with one hand and braced his shoulder with the other. He groaned in pain but ultimately nodded for you to do it. You yanked hard and the arrow snapped. He yelled loudly and you looked over your shoulder to see the figure was aiming at you two again. You cursed to yourself, grabbed the front of Frank’s jacket, and yanked him to the side. As you two were moving, the arrow came whizzing past your shoulder and buried itself at what you assumed would’ve been the center of your back.

“Gunner, goddamit, it’s Frank Castle.” Frank tried again after ducking behind another tree. You peeked around and saw Gunner coming closer, setting sights on you two again. You looked at Frank for confirmation but he held steady. You would just have to trust him.

“Come on. I’m not a part of it, brother. I never have been.” He continued.

You watched carefully and felt his slight hesitation. Despite it all, he still trusted Frank. And you could use that. You pulled that to the forefront, allowing that trust to be his focus. You also projected Frank’s trust in you and the two began to meld easily enough. You couldn’t completely beat the suspicion so you didn’t try to. You just had to make sure he didn’t fire another arrow because you weren’t gonna be able to dodge it.

“Сукин сын.” You said to yourself before stepping around the tree with your hands up in surrender. (Son of a bitch.)

“I know you don’t know me and you have no reason to trust me.” You said simply as you dropped to your knees, hands still raised as his arrow set a course to the center of your chest. If you said one wrong thing, you’d be dead. “A woman in a black suit and a mask shows up out of the blue, I wouldn’t trust me either if I were you.”

“The hell are you doing?” Frank asked in a hushed tone as he got to your side, falling into the same position you were in.

“Trying something.” You answered before returning your focus to Gunner. “You don’t have to trust me, but I’m willing to bet you trust him… And he wouldn’t bring me if I wasn’t on his side. That’s gotta be worth something.”

Gunner looked between you and Frank, an uncertainty in his eyes but his hands never faltered as Frank gave a quick explanation of what brought you two there. The arrow was still on course for your chest and you could picture how quick it would come, if it would be the same as feeling Elektra’s weapon in your dream. But the piercing never came. Instead, you heard the sound of the arrow relaxing and footsteps coming closer.

You helped Gunner get Frank to lean against one of the trees.

“I’m sorry about your family.” Gunner said honestly and you kept glancing around, anxiously awaiting for the figures to reveal themselves in your lenses.

“Agent Orange.” You said simply. “You know anything about who he is? Maybe a name.”

“No.” Gunner answered.

“So why’d you do it, man? Why’d you… Why’d you make the tape?” Frank asked and while Gunner explained it, you focused on your belt. You found the gauze you kept and unrolled some to pack his wound. You gently reached under his jacket and carefully stuffed the hole with the tissue when Gunner’s words stole your attention and your hands froze.

“They were putting bags of drugs in his body.” He explained.

“That’s why he was never caught.” You realized. “When she was first trying to catch him, the DA at the time didn’t know how he was getting that much product into the country… I never would’ve guessed.”

“Treated him like an empty carcass.” Gunner continued and he was both disgusted and heartbroken over it. “Jim and all the rest of them in there.”

“Who was it?” You continued when you noticed Frank was growing tense. “Who was in the room, Gunner?”

“The colonel, Bennett - the guy who ran the mortuary - and Orange… I didn’t know who was in on it. I didn’t know who I could trust.”

You heard the feedback before you saw them. When the high-pitched sound rang in your ears, you spun behind you to see the incoming helicopter.

“We gotta go.” You said quickly, adjusting your lens to try and see further. “Now.”

“They with you?” Gunner asked as he hauled Frank to his feet.

“Shit, no.” He answered. “Livia, who are they?”

“A problem.” You muttered and saw the row of soldiers coming your way. “They’ve got body cams, live feedback but I can’t figure out where it’s going.”

“Time to go to work.” Frank told you, offering a small nod to you. You returned the gesture and peeled away from the group, habitually reaching for a gun, only to come up empty.

You cursed quietly when you remembered that you had ditched them back near the cabin as a show of allegiance. You sighed quietly and armed your Bites while you ducked behind a fallen tree trunk. While remaining hidden, you scanned the area to see a trio coming your way. You noted the rifles in each of their hands as they stayed on alert as they crept forward. You had to acknowledge that they had the weaponry advantage but you had the element of surprise. And you were rather resourceful.

When the first one landed in front of you, you hooked one foot around his ankle and slammed the other into the side of his knee. There was a sick ripping sound as he collapsed with a loud scream. You moved quickly to cover his mouth with your knee and the more weight you leaned onto him, you began to hear a crunch and you weren’t sure if it was the branches beneath you or his jaw.

You saw the knife handle at the soldier’s belt so you snatched it quickly. First, you slammed the butt end against the body cam and the lens shattered, but your mask told you it was still functioning. You shrugged it off and raised your arm in anticipation of the next soldier. When he finally showed, you flicked the blade quickly and it buried itself at the base of his throat and a deep red stream of blood shot out. Instincively you closed your eyes and the warm liquid splattered across your cheek and mask. You wiped it away quickly and noticed the soldier beneath you had stopped squirming.

You climbed off and removed his rifle, slinging the weapon over your own shoulder before leaning closer to the body cam.

“Наслаждаетесь шоу?” You said lowly, seeing the red light blink to show that it was currently being watched from the other end. “Не волнуйся.” You smiled slightly as that thick stream of blood trailed down. “Мы тоже придем за тобой.” (Enjoying the show? Don’t worry. We’ll come for you, too.)

You heard the crunch of footsteps against the leaves and lifted the gun quickly. You lined your shot and as soon as the third soldier faced you, you fired straight through his eyeball and he fell limp immediately. You pushed yourself up, nudging the first soldier with your foot and getting no response. You gave a small, indifferent shrug before you began searching for Frank and Gunner. There was a sharp whistle and you saw the man waving you over.

You took your position next to Frank, Gunner stationed on the opposite side, and you three began firing against the next wave from the team. You and Frank alternated shots, popping out from your covers for seconds at a time to take someone down. Gunner leaned over to fire an arrow and you heard the shout. You glanced over and saw a second shot pierce his chest.

“I got it.” You said quickly, drawing Frank’s attention. You nodded towards Gunner before you two switched positions, allowing Frank to go to his friend. Though Frank was stubborn and refused to stay down, which got him shot in the side. “Get some cover. I’ll find you.”

You nudged him aside with your shoulder and jumped over the fallen tree, landing in a low crouch as the shots hit the tree. You kept your head down until the bullets paused and you fired back, hearing two different voices shouting. You surveyed the area quickly and saw two more coming at you, hopping over a log not too far away from you.

You hurried to your feet and got behind a tree, lining the weapon with your body to keep it hidden. You flicked out the blade at your wrist and looked over to see neither soldier had noted your position. Either that or they didn’t care. Regardless, it worked in your favor. You crept behind the one closest to you and jammed the knife through the side of his neck, the other hand covering his mouth to hide his gurgled shout.

You lowered him carefully to the ground and yanked your blade out, freeing your bloodied hand. Looking down at it, you saw the stream of blood coming from your own shoulder. You glanced at your chest and saw the long line across it. The sight made you groan slightly but you made a mental note to deal with it later.

You moved after the other from the pair, careful to match your steps to his. When you were close enough, you jammed the short blade through his back and heard the squelching sound of his now severed spine. You twisted and pulled out, letting his body fall unceremoniously to the ground. You knelt to take the knife from his belt and heard Lieberman giving Frank directions.

You heard small shouts as Frank and Gunner dealt with the pair that was closest, and you used your lens to see the secondary pair that Lieberman was referring to. You made your way to your friend quickly and Frank’s hand closed around your arm to bring you with him. Despite your mild pulling away, Frank dragged you along.

Once there was enough space, Frank gestured for you to try and help Gunner. Gunner leaned against a fallen tree and Frank took position with the rifle. You knelt beside his friend and inspected the wound, though you weren’t sure if you would’ve rather found an exit wound or not. Two quick shots sounded, followed by the thud of limp bodies. Given what you had already taken out, there should be only one pair left.

Frank helped you get Gunner to his feet and you moved ahead of them. Gunner muttered something about you and where Frank found you but you kept your focus forward. Your mask picked up the drone above, which showed the same origination as the comms channel, so you trusted it. You led your trio around the last pair until you were able to watch them pass you. Once they did, you felt their anxiety.

They must’ve known their team was being picked off, one by one. They had walked into a slaughter, though they expected to be the ones ambushing. Their small team, likely even friends, were being left in pools of their own blood, by three figures in the shadows. They didn’t know who they were facing, but they knew their opposition was better. You, Frank, and Gunner were better than them, despite their likely elite or at least high-ranking status. But something about them, their vibrating hesitation and drumline for heartbeats, led you to wonder if it was actually an Anvil team.

But if it wasn’t, why would Billy bring it up to you?

You realized quickly that something wasn’t adding up the way it should and it led you to some tricky speculations that Billy was still in contact with Agent Orange. While it would be an overall useful connection, it did seem to disappoint you a bit. You made a small noise of disgust to yourself before raising your Bite, the bright red glow momentarily illuminating your vision.

You fired on one of the last pair before disappearing out of sight, just before the bullets came in. The man fired aimlessly, shouting his plan to kill you. You scoffed quietly and threw the borrowed knife, watching it bury itself into the man’s leg. He cried out before Frank grabbed him and slammed his own blade into the man’s throat.

Once he fell limp, you two retrieved Gunner and attempted to get him back to his cabin.

The walk felt like an eternity and you knew - Gunner knew it too - that Frank’s friend wouldn’t make it. The two collapsed against one of the trunks and you knelt on Gunner’s other side. You felt awkward, out of place beside a dying man you didn’t know. While they exchanged last words, Gunner reached out and took one of your hands. Your brows furrowed and your first thought was to pull away, but you decided quickly that you could offer comfort to a man who was now dying after fighting beside you.

Maybe you really were a curse.

“Promise me you’ll bury me, okay?” Gunner managed and the words were as desperate as they could be.

“Okay.” Frank answered, looking over at you for the same commitment.

“Yeah.” You nodded. “Just stay here, okay? We’ll be back.”

“We’ll be back.” Frank repeated.

You two stood and you were quick to recognize that Frank wouldn’t make it very far. You cursed quietly as you caught him just before he fell over.

“Goddammit, Frank.” You complained as he leaned more of his weight on you. “You don’t get to die on me in the middle of fucking Kentucky.”

You reached up and pressed on your scar.

“I can’t get him back on my own.” You said quickly, carefully lowering him to the ground. “Get your ass over here, now.”

You yanked your mask down to hang around your neck and reached under Frank’s jacket. The gentle pressure you applied caused fresh blood to bubble out and coat your hand. Your other hand patted your belt and the gauze you kept wasn’t enough. It wouldn’t be able to pack the wound enough to be of real help. It was too dark to fully see the extent of the damage and the leaves and branches around were going to do you no favors.

You had two choices. Wait for Lieberman to show up - assuming he would be able to find you two - or leave Frank to find Lieberman and bring him back. The second option was contingent on you being able to find your own way back in the dark so you decided you wouldn’t move. You wouldn’t abandon the one friend you hadn’t been able to push away.

Using your teeth, you pulled off a glove and allowed your exposed hand to cover the wound instead. You shoved your glove into your belt and leaned more weight into Frank, feeling the thump steady against your hand. You weren’t entirely convinced it was a good thing, to feel less of his pulse, but you had to keep faith in the resiliency of Frank Castle.

If a bullet to the head wasn’t going to kill him, neither would a bullet to his side.

After you didn’t know how long, you saw Lieberman’s flashlight. He helped you load Frank into the van and offered you a small collection of items to help. He drove quickly as you worked in the back, though you had to straddle Frank in an effort to allow some stability during the trip. You carefully dressed the wound on his side and managed to insert the IV for fluids and antibiotics without problems.

“You’ll need to get Curtis Hoyle.” You explained as LIeberman drove frantically and you climbed off, reaching for your sweater from your bag.

“What? Wha- Why? What’s wrong with him?” He answered quickly, the anxiety in his words bouncing off the empty walls of the van which made you shiver as you undid the zipper down the front of your suit. You peeled the bloody material down your arms and rubbed some of the excess off with a cleaner area before pulling your sweater over your head, letting out a sharp hiss as you stretched the cut across your chest.

“I don’t know.” You answered honestly before yanking your boots off. “I’m not a doctor but could be from blood loss. Could be the beginning of an infection. Could be something bloodborne that got passed during the fight. That’s why you need to get Curtis when we get back.”

“You can’t help him?”

“I’ve done all I can, Spook.” You groaned and shimmied out of the rest of the suit to change for your regular pants.

“Is he gonna die?”

“No… He’s too stubborn.”

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