The Punisher MAX #5

Punisher War Journal: "No dreams last night. Just a weird feeling that Maria is in danger. Doesn't make sense..."

"Why are we here again?" Tombstone asked Frank as the two drove a rental car from Miami International Airport. Frank sat behind the wheel while Tombstone lit a cigarette.

"Pinkerson has a meet here with a Colombian drug lord by the name of 'Rolo'. Rolo is set to deliver a shipment high grade cocaine. I plan to drop both of them at the meet and then deal with you." Frank replied, while checking his side mirrors to change lanes.

"You still plan to kill me? That's bullshit, Castle. We could get some real work done together. The Kingpin has been dead for quite a while. New York, hell the entire east coast, is up in arms. With no leader there's chaos. And with chaos, more people are going to get hurt." Tombstone replied, trying to get Frank to see his point of view.

"You're right. I could let you live. Let you become the new Kingpin. Let you control the drug trade. Keep you in line. I could do that." The Punisher said, not taking his eyes from the road.

"See! Now you're getting it! We need each other. Letting me live is the smartest thing you could do Frank. Really, it is," Tombstone said smiling.

"Yes. I could. But I won't. After this, you're dead." Frank said coldly.


"Puta mierda! Árbitro Asshole! Alguien averiguar quién es él y mátalo!" the large man yelled at the television. He stood well over seven feet tall and had a mustache as thick as Franklin D. Roosevelt's. His skin was an olive brown color with bright pink blotches on the left side of his face. He wore a floral print button up shirt and a pair of cargo shorts, with flip flops. Rolo looked as if he were on vacation. As the large Columbian sat on the balcony of the high rise hotel over looking the Atlantic he sipped a glass of El Tesoro and watched the small television that sat on the glass top table on the balcony.

"Señor Rolo, Señor Pinkerson just called. He will be arriving in un minuto," a short and skinny columbian man stated, offering a cigar from a silver case.

"Maldito hijo de puta polla bocadillo! I want to get dick sucked first. How these fucking Americans say, "blowjob?" Yes?" Rolo responded, turning off the football game he was watching.

"No es un problema, Señor Rolo. I can have two putas, very sexy chicas here within the hour." the servant replied, nodding his head in a slight bow.

"See that you do you fuck. See that Pinkerson get dick sucked to. We have dick sucking together! Today is good day!" Rolo replied, walking from the balcony into the hotel room.

The two stood silently staring at the door as the knock came.

"Hijo de puta! Fucking answer it!" Rolo barked at the servant.

"Si, Señor Rolo," the servant responded walking to the door and opening it.

Two Chinese men in black Armani suits walked into the room followed by Zhang Wei.

"Hello Mr. Rolo. It is good to meet you. I been working on my English for last few days. I apologize I no have time to learn Spanish," Zhang said, bowing deeply.

"Fuck the gringo speak! Fuck them with sticks of glass! You were sent to deal with that puta, el Castigador, no?"

"I apologize, Mr. Rolo," Zhang said confused.

"The fucking Punisher! That puta destroyed 10 kilos of best stuff years ago. I will be happy to see him dead," Rolo responded, sipping from his glass.

"Ah yes, Mr. Pinkerson hire me to deal with Mr. Castle. In return I receive exclusive rights to muling cocaine into Canada. Is beneficial for both parties. I only forced to deal with local law enforcement and border patrol. No messy ATF to deal with," Zhang responded.

"No ATF at border?" Rolo said, slightly confused.

"Getting into Canada is easy. Getting back into America is hard. Nothing to bring back, so is easy. Just deliver shipment to northern border," Zhang explained.

A knock came at the door. The Colombian servant answered it as the two Chinese men in suits drew handguns. Stephen Pinkerson walked in, followed by five men, all of whom looked to be taken in right off the street.

"Fucking shit, the traffic here is worse than in New York. At least there, people can fucking drive. Fuck Florida," Pinkerson stated as he walked into the hotel room.

"Ah, Mr. Pinkerson, you arrive. Your message was most useful," Zhang said bowing to Pinkerson.

"Message?" Rolo asked.

"We have someone on the inside working for us. They tipped us off to The Punisher and Lincoln heading down here to Florida. I deal with Tombstone, Zhang deals with The Punisher. You have nothing to worry about Rolo," Pinkerson responded.

"Let us hope not, Americano. Getting this shipment here was hard," Rolo responded, sounding skeptical, "who is this 'someone' working for you?"

Pinkerson nodded at the balcony. The three men walked toward it and Pinkerson pointed at a black sedan. A back door to the car opened and Ray Anne Hansel was shoved out of the car, with a man pointing a gun at her climbing out after her.

"Ahhh...we get dicks sucked. Today is good day," Rolo said smiling.


"Petey? Petey answer the door," Tombstone said as he and Frank Castle stood outside of the scummy hotel room overlooking the community pool.

"They go out to get something eat?" Frank asked, not liking the situation.

"I don't know. This is weird. They were told to not leave this room, no matter what," Tombstone said, knocking again.

"They?" The Punisher asked, reaching into his trench-coat, grasping a SIG Sauer P226R but not pulling it out.

"My man, Petey and some girl named Ray Anne. She seems to know you," Tombstone said smiling, staring at the door with his back to Frank.

Castle slammed Tombstone into the door and put the SIG to the back of Tombstone's head. Images of Ray Anne flooded into his brain. How much she looked like Maria. How she sounded like her. Castle's blood was ice cold.

"What the fuck is this? Where is she?!" Castle growled.

Tombstone smiled and let out a small chuckle, "Heh, do you really think I'm that stupid, Castle? Seriously? With how bad you want to end me, do you honestly think I wouldn't have an insurance policy in play already? Do you really think I wouldn't have my ass covered already?"

"WHERE IS SHE??!!" Castle yelled shoving the gun hard into the back of Tombstone's head.

"Easy, easy, the locals," Tombstone said smiling as an old woman opened her hotel room door to see what the fuss was all about.

Castle aimed the gun at the old woman. "Close the fucking door!" he yelled. The old woman hurried back into her room and quickly shut her door.

"What the fuck is going on?!" Castle asked, lowering his gun but not putting it away.

Tombstone made sure the collar of his floral print shirt was straight and turned, smiling at Frank, "I'm Lonnie fucking Lincoln. Do you honestly think I would lower myself to work as muscle for some two bit thug that bit off more than he could chew when he stepped in to try to fill the Kingpin's shoes? I've been using you the whole time Frank. You're my bullet proof vest. I use you to kill Pinkerson, and that leaves The Bronx to me. I control an entire borough. After that I make my way into Queens."

"And why wouldn't I just kill you both?" Frank asked, through clenched teeth, angry.

"Well Miss Hansel of course. You see, if I end up dead, so does she. And you wouldn't want your precious Maria look-a-like to end up dead, now would you?" Tombstone said, knocking on the door again.

"Don't you say her fucking name?!" Frank yelled putting the gun to Tombstone's head again.

"Ahh ahh ahh, the locals Franky," Tombstone said smiling.

"Fuck this," Frank said shoving Tombstone to the side and kicking the door hard sending it flying open.

"Holy shit," Frank said softly.

"Petey???" Tombstone said as he feel to his knees in despair.

Petey hung from the wall in the hotel room opposite the door, a large spike driven through his forehead and into the wall. His body was bruised and beaten and both of his hands were cut off. Blood pooled underneath the corpse.

"Ray Anne!" Frank yelled rushing into the room, paranoid. He looked around and rushed to the bathroom. As he came back out he found Tombstone on his knees in front of Petey, crying.

Frank was quiet and walked around the room until he came to a small dining table in the corner.

"Tombstone....you should see this," Frank said quietly.

"Tombstone slowly stood, wiping his nose with the back of his hand, tears streaming down his face. He walked to where Frank stood and looked at the table. On the table were Petey's hands. In one hand was a pen. The other, a note:

"Mr. Lincoln, please inform Mr. Castle that the girl is being shipped from Miami to Sacramento. If he wishes to see her alive, he will deliver you unharmed to Mr. Pinkerson in twenty four hours to the address on the back of this note. If Mr. Castle does not arrive with you unharmed in 24 hours, the girl will be given to a man named Rolo to do with as he pleases. Thank you for your cooperation. Sincerely, Petey (via Mr. Wei.)

TO BE CONTINUED!

Kick ass cliffhanger Craig, I can't wait to see how Frank resolves this situation.