[center][img]http://host24.qnop.net/~mikefury/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/chow2.jpg[/img]
[color=black][b][u]A Week Later; Noon
Frank's Van; New York City[/u][/b][/color][/center]
[color=darkkhaki][b]"Testing, testing, 1, 2, 3... Can you hear me, Punisher?"[/b][/color]

Dave's, or I guess Microchip's, voice buzzes in my right ear through the earpiece he had crafted for me. He figured it'd be easier to use this to keep in contact than using burner phones or, as I had been doing for the past week, heading to his house every other day. Can't say I blame him; I'd hate to have some homeless wretch keep showing up at my door, too.

[color=black][b]"Loud and clear, Micro."[/b][/color]

[color=darkkhaki][b]"Sweet, it works. The range should be enough to reach all the way to Gotham, if not a little further. Anywhere beyond that, we're gonna have to use a burner phone."[/b][/color]

I nodded, realizing only a moment later that he couldn't see me. [color=black][b]"Right."[/b][/color]

[color=darkkhaki][b]"And speaking of testing out the range on this thing... I got a job for you in Bludhaven."[/b][/color]

At this, I quirk a brow. [color=black][b]"Bludhaven? Seems a little out of my jurisdiction, Micro."[/b][/color]

[color=darkkhaki][b]"Punishment knows no jurisdiction."[/b][/color] I can practically hear the smirk in his voice.

[color=black][b]"... You've been waiting to use that for a while, haven't you?"[/b][/color] He chuckles, with a quick 'yeah'.

[color=darkkhaki][b]"But really man, why do you feel like you need to stick to New York? There's a lot of crime in Bludhaven that needs your, ah, 'brand of justice' as it were. And if you're worried about running into that Bat guy, I hear he only sticks around Gotham."[/b][/color]

I pinch my nose and release a sigh. [color=black][b]"... Alright, I'll check it out. Send the details."[/b][/color]

[color=darkkhaki][b]"On it."[/b][/color] I pull out the old LexCorp laptop Dave had given me, flipping it on and loading up... Man, it really hurts to say this... Loading up [i]vigilante.net[/i], an online forum for vigilantes across America. It's underused, and rightfully so considering how stupid it is, but Dave figured it'd be a great place to communicate if I'm ever out of range or if he needs to send info. Surprisingly enough, Punisher was taken as a screenname. Same with Punisher1, Punisher2, 3, 4, so on and so forth. I eventually just settled on Castle90.

[b][color=darkkhaki]Microchip89:[/color][/b] Here's the details on that 'development' in Bludhaven.

Attached to the message was a folder with a small text file, as well as a few images. I downloaded it and read the text file.

"The 'development' is... Well, I'm not too sure. Reports say that strange guys have been going in and out of an old hospital that's been abandoned since the mid-80s. Sometimes, they come in with groups of people, who never come out. The police were called and investigated, but found nothing... Good thing you're not a cop anymore, huh? You should check it out. If they aren't expecting a visit, then maybe you can figure out what's going on in there."

The images were satellite pictures of Bludhaven. One showed the whole city, with a circled area. Another was a close-up of the circled area, with yet another circled area. A third was [i]that[/i] circled area, with one final circle around a building. The last image was that building, a derelict hospital with a faded green sign reading 'Sister June's Hospital'.

Well... Time's wasting. I close up the laptop and climb into the driver's seat of the van, starting it up.
[hr][center][b][color=black][h3]ISSUE #13
IT WASN'T GONNA BE ALL SUNSHINE AND LOLLIPOPS[/h3][hr]
[u]A Few Hours Later; Evening
Outside Sister June's Hospital; Bludhaven[/u][/color][/b][/center]
The setting sun casts the hospital in an eerie orange glow, almost as if the universe itself is warning people off from entering it. I was never one to listen to warnings. I tap the button on the earpiece to connect to Dave. [color=black][b]"Micro? Micro, can you hear me?"[/b][/color]

[color=darkkhaki][b]"Not-----ell, sa---nk?"[/b][/color] His voice is cut off every other second by static. With a sigh, I boot up the laptop and go onto vigilante.net.

[color=black][b]Castle90:[/b][/color] At the hospital.
[color=darkkhaki][b]Microchip89:[/b][/color] Alright, think we found out how far the range for the earpiece is.
[color=black][b]Castle90:[/b][/color] I'll get back into contact with you when I've cleared it out.
[color=darkkhaki][b]Microchip89:[/b][/color] Sounds good. Be careful, Frank.
[color=black][b]Castle90:[/b][/color] Don't you know me at all?

Before he can respond, I shut off the laptop, snickering slightly to myself. Leaving the van, I look up at the hospital, noting the graffiti decorating the dull gray exterior in splashes of colorful profanity. Most of the windows were smashed and boarded up. I didn't know what I was gonna find in there, but I had a feeling it wasn't gonna be all sunshine and lollipops.

The front door was barred, which meant I'd have to scout around the building for another entrance. Pistol in hand, I walked the perimeter of the building in search of an entrance, the eerie quiet putting me on edge. Within the building I could hear... Something, I'm not quite sure. A muffled screeching sound. It sent a chill down my spine, and made me clutch my pistol tighter.

I looked up, seeing a window that wasn't boarded up. I might be able to reach it. Holstering my pistol, I looked to my left, spotting a cardboard box that looked like it'd support my weight. Seeing no better option, I grabbed the box and set it down in front of the window, stepping onto it, jumping up and grabbing onto the windowsill, just barely. With a grunt, I pulled myself into the hospital.

I could barely see anything, the only light being what little was creeping in through the window. Even then, that light was fading fast. It's times like this I wish I had a flashlight. Pulling out my pistol, fastening on the suppressor, and taking the knife from my boot, I continued forward, keeping the gun and knife at the ready. Can't get caught off-guard if you're already preparing for the worst.

As I continued down the hall, I heard voices around a corner, and saw a faint light. Pressing myself up against the wall, I sidled over and peered around the corner. There were two men, flashlights in hand and heading my way. I could see the faint outline of a holstered pistol on one man's hip. Quickly, I snapped my head back and kept still.

[b]"Yeah, that sick bastard gets a kick out of it. Fuckin' animal he is."[/b]

[b]"At least [i]we[/i] don't get off on it. It's just... Business for us."[/b]

[b]"Amen, brother."[/b]

That sounds ominous. At least Dave was right. There's something wrong here.

They were just about to walk past me. Taking in a deep breath, I prepared my knife and pistol.

I jumped out.

I stuck my knife through the nearest man's nostrils, killing him near instantly before he could react. Using the knife as a sort of handle, I swung the corpse into the other man, knocking him to the ground. He struggled to push the corpse off himself. By the time he was done and pulling the pistol out of his holster, I had my own leveled at him.

[b][i]*Bang!*[/i][/b]

I probably alerted anyone nearby with that stunt. I stopped, listening for anything that'd indicate there were guys coming my way. Nothing. Slowly, I pulled my knife out of the man's face, sticking it back into my boot, before picking up the flashlight and continuing on, pistol in one hand and light in the other. I pressed onward, heading deeper into the maw of evil like some poor caricature of an ancient hero.

The sound I had heard outside erupted below me, and this time, I could clearly tell it was... Screaming. Some sick shit was going on in this place, and I intended to find out just what the hell that was and punish those responsible. I may be a violent, borderline psychotic bastard, but I still have some morals. Keyword being [i]some[/i].

I took the stairwell down. As I exited the stairwell and looked ahead down the dark corridor, I took note of the group of figures, about four or five, standing at the other end near a doorway. I heard the screaming again, emanating from the room those guys were guarding. I switched off the flashlight and slid into one of my vest's pockets. Pistol at the ready, I crept closer to the men, keeping to the darker areas.

I counted them all as soon as I got close enough. Five. I could do this. I'd just have to be fast about it. Taking in a deep breath, I unholstered my other Glock and aimed the two pistols at the group. No time like the present. I ran forward, firing off two rounds that hit two of the men right in the head, taking them down quickly. The others quickly spun around to meet me.

I ran to the other wall, jumping up and using it to kick myself forward. I toppled into one of the men, him grunting as he hit the ground, while using the opportunity to gun down the other two. I jumped up into a kneeling position, doing a quick spin kick and knocking the man's hand away as he rose it to struck me. I stuck a pistol under his chin.

[b][i]*BANG!*[/i][/b]

I stood up and kicked the door in, pointing my pistol around to locate any hostiles. There was only one man in there, dressed in surgeon's clothing that was covered in blood. He was unarmed, and I scanned the room over to see if there were any other host-

... Oh my God.

Jars, filled with human organs. Kidneys. Livers. Intestines. Lungs. Hearts. I looked back to the man, standing over a gurney where a young Hispanic man was laying, his torso cut open and various organs missing.

[color=black][b]"... What... What's going on here?"[/b][/color]

The surgeon spun around, looking terrified. [b]"What!? Who are you!?"[/b]

[color=black][b]"I... What..."[/b][/color]

[b]"Don't hurt me! It's not what you think!"[/b]

[color=black][b]"What have you been [i]doing[/i]?"[/b][/color]

[b]"I-I do research! Important research! I just need to..."[/b]

I rushed forward, sticking the pistol against the man's head. [color=black][b]"What have you been [i]DOING[/i]!?"[/b][/color]

He raised his hands above his head. [b]"I-I... I harvest organs! Resell them! I help people! D-don't shoot, I-"[/b]

[color=black][b]"Give me one Goddamn reason I shouldn't blow your brains out right [i]fucking[/i] now!"[/b][/color]

[b]"I c-can pay you! I have money! Lots of money!"[/b] He stepped back, grabbing something from under the gurney. My mind screamed gun. Instead he produced a pile of cash. [b]"See! M-money! Lots of money!"[/b]

[color=black][b]"You sack of [i]shit[/i]!"[/b][/color] I swing the pistol, the barrel nailing him in the cheek. There's a loud crack when I swing again and hit him in the nose.

[b]"P-please! I'm not doing anything wrong! I get people the o-organs they need!"[/b]

[color=black][b]"YOU'RE STEALING PEOPLE'S ORGANS! THAT SOUNDS PRETTY [i]FUCKING[/i] WRONG TO ME!"[/b][/color] I drop the gun, and kick him in the chest. He topples over into a groaning heap on the ground, clutching at his bruised and bloodied face. I crouch down on top of him, ripping his hands away from his face and delivering punch after punch.

I keep at it for a while. Maybe hours, even. All I know is by the time I'm done his head resembles tenderized hamburger meat more than a face, and my knuckles are cut and covered in blood, some of it my own and most of it his.

I leave the hospital, not even bothering to wipe the blood off my hands. When I get back into the van and boot the laptop up to tell Dave I'm back, I find dozens of messages from him.

[b][color=black]Castle90:[/color][/b] I'm back.
[color=darkkhaki][b]Microchip89:[/b][/color] Jesus Frank, what took you so long?
[color=black][b]Castle90:[/b][/color] Nothing. Just forgot to check in. Wasn't much in the hospital, just some gangsters squatting. I took care of them.
[color=darkkhaki][b]Microchip89:[/b][/color] Oh, thank God.
[color=black][b]Castle90:[/b][/color] Yeah. Still, think I'll keep heading around for a while. There might be some serious shit in the cities without their own resident superhero.
[color=darkkhaki][b]Microchip89:[/b][/color] Yeah, maybe. You sure, Frank? You weren't too keen on leaving NYC.
[color=black][b]Castle90:[/b][/color] I'm sure. Think I'll just hit a few cities. Might even go as far as LA or something. When I hit the other end of the country, I'll head back.
[color=darkkhaki][b]Microchip89:[/b][/color] Sounds good. I'll see you then, Frank. Be sure to keep in touch.
[color=black][b]Castle90:[/b][/color] Will do. See ya.

I logged off.

All I knew was that if there was shit like this, in cities without their own Flash, or Superman, or Wonder Woman, or Batman, or Spider-Woman, or any other costumed crusader you can think of, then maybe it would be best to travel around. Might even be able to set up a franchise or something... The Punishers, if you will. Heh. That sounds pretty damn good.

I start up the van, and make my way out of Bludhaven.