(Here's my revamp, retake on one Frank Castle. There's some changes, hope you like it)
Marvel Genesis: The Punisher
Frank Castle looked around the room slowly and deliberately. It was full of the worst of society; murderers, rapists, con artists, hookers, thieves…scum! Scum that should never see the light of day again to bother ordinary decent citizens. But they did and that is why he had a job
“Docket number 616-2A the people vs. Wilson Fisk. How do you plead?”
“Not guilty your honour!” snapped the defence lawyer who earned about a thousand dollars to say that sentence.
“The people request Mr Fisk be remanded in custody your honour” said Frank as he rose to address the judge.
“On what grounds?” replied the lawyer “My client is a respectable member of society”
“You’re lucky you’re not under oath” retorted Frank “Your client is a…”
“Finish that sentence Mr Castle and I’ll have you up on slander charges so fast that…”
The judge smacked his gavel several times “Enough gentlemen! I have a lot to go through today and if you two bicker like children I’ll send you to the back of the line! Now Mr Castle, state your case”
“Thank you your honour” said Frank adjusting his tie “As I was going to say; Mr Fisk is a flight risk and the head of a criminal org…”
“Objection!”
“Alleged criminal organisation” restated Frank
“Fine! Bail is set at $25,000”
“Your honour!” cried Frank and the lawyer simultaneously
“Next docket number bailiff”
Frank looked over at Wilson Fisk as he stared right into him. He was an imposing man, almost as wide as he was tall and most of it muscle. The bailiff clamped some cuffs on the well dressed man and led him away, but Wilson’s eyes never left Frank’s. Wilson’s lawyer ran in circles like a puppy quoting clichés. Frank packed up his stuff and left the court room in disgust.
The Ennis Bar, NYC
Frank looked at his scotch and ice, studying it and thinking about the world
“Little early isn’t counsellor?”
Frank looked up to his professional acquaintance Ben Urich standing beside him. He’d known Ben for fifteen years, they weren’t friends but they could tolerate each other’s company, talk shop and trade information. Ben took a seat.
“Yours is on route” replied Frank as the barmaid placed another drink at the table
“Heard about Wilson, must be a new record”
“What how low bail was or that the cell door never even shut before he was back on the street again?” snarled Frank as he took a swig
“You sound like a cop”
“I was a cop! Sometimes wish I still was…”
“Ahh the vigilante or super hero conundrum” smirked Ben as he raised his glass
“Here’s your next story” said Frank “I’m Spider Man!”
“You’re too old to be Spider Man” laughed Ben “Captain America maybe”
Frank swore as he downed his scotch and waved for another round
“Look Frank, you’re doing a better job as a district attorney than you ever could as a cop, heck even as a SEAL. You’re putting the bad guys away. You’re actually making a difference”
“But often the punishment doesn’t fit the crime Ben” said Frank, a tone of darkness in his voice “These…animals deserve to be…”
“Punished I get it” said Ben “But that’s not how it works, we both know that. I chase down a story, expose the seedy underbelly and hope that people like you can send them away forever. But as you’ve seen people are people and sometimes a jury of one’s peers are just twelve morons in a box. Sometimes they have better arguments, bigger wallets; sometimes YOU don’t have enough evidence”
“It’s not right” mumbled Frank
“But it’s the law” said Ben
Frank glanced at his watch “Dammit! I gotta run. I was supposed to meet Maria and the kids in the park” Frank threw a handful of bills onto the table “You know if you told me who some of your sources were I could get some bigger convictions”
“Reporters privilege and the first amendment” cheers’d Ben “Give my love to Maria”
Central Park
Frank runs across the park to see his family surrounded by five men. He pours on the speed and they casually walk away. His kids tackled his legs as his wife slapped him across the face
“WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN!?!” shrieked Maria, her beautiful face awash with tears
“I got caught up” said Frank “What happened?”
“They said to tell you to drop the case” she cried “What’s going on Frank?”
“Work followed me home” he replied, his anger boiling inside
“Daddy” Frank looked down at his boy who held a slashed and deflated soccer ball “They broke it”
Frank clenched his teeth “Call 911” He ran after the group “Hey! Yeah you! Want to try that mobster act against me huh?”
The group stopped and turned, each with a cheesy, dopey grin on their faces
“What do you mean Mr Castle?” said the leader “We were out for a stroll”
“Isn’t it a lovely day to record things on your phone” said another as he raised his cell phone up “I can paste this straight to the interweb”
“You come near my family again!” growled Frank, his fists clenched “And so help me?”
“Are you threatening us?” asked the leader “That sounded like a threat?”
“I feel threatened” said another goon
“I think I should report this to the police” said the leader as he pulled a doll from his jacket and squeezed its head in his big calloused hand. Frank glared at him; he knew it was his daughter Lisa’s doll, his anger washed over him like a wave
“You come near my family again and I’ll kill you” Frank whispered through gritted teeth
“Did you threaten me again Mr Castle?” asked the leader “Speak up so the world wide web can hear you flush your career away”
Frank flinched and grabbed his eye “Oh you animal!” Frank wiped his hand down his face “Did you just spit on me?” Before the response could come back Frank lashed out a punch smashing the leader’s nose across his face. One of the others swung a punch but Frank easily ducked it and smashed his fist into the man’s ribs, smiling a bit as he heard the wet snap. He grabbed him by the collar and tossed him to the ground towards the others “Why would you spit on me and attack me?”
The leader looked through his bloodied hands up at Frank, the other gang members looking for the signal to jump in. Several tense seconds passed
“Everyone put your hands up and get down on your knees!” came the order
Frank glanced over his shoulder to see two uniformed officers, with guns drawn behind him. Frank quickly complied leaving the gang members slightly confused and exposed. Frank smiled at them, hoping they’d be dumb enough to try something and maybe, just maybe an officer would put a bullet through them
Log in to comment