Bad VooDoo

[Frank Castle]

Punisher War Journal: 5606

I tracked the drug shipments back to New Orleans, figures a drug named VooDoo would originate from this cesspool. The green liquified drug grew fast in the school districts of the Bronx.. following cases of murders and suicides.. all the victims or killers spatting off about demons and monsters. Of course, most were gang bangers and hood rats, so no tears about them killing each other or themselves, but a little girl was brutally beaten and her life stolen from her when she returned home from buying her drug addicted mother medicine. The mother was found cutting half her own face off in the bathroom. 

From a nice tip directed me to a suppler trade off at the westside port. The area is very low lighted so I set up on a tall roof top where I have a clear shot of the area. Now I just have to wait for the sobs to show up. If this tip is a bust, will have to return to my informant in hope he hasnt bleed out too soon.


The punisher lays out on the roof top with his rifle pulled tightly to his shoulder and his eye focused through the scope. His movements are quick and soft as he surveys the area until two sets of headlights catch his attention. *About time* The cars slowly approach each other from opposite direction then stop about 30feet from each other. 

Moments later doors open, Frank is easily to determine one is a local gang from the amount of smoke bellowing out
when the doors open and the colors flagged round their necks, head and shoulders. *What the F**k are these jokers doing messing with this high level drug, they are just a small time gang.* Frank moves his rifle up across the way to check out the other car. The group are well dressed business looking men, but packing major heat by their bodyguards. Frank twists a few dials and zooms in on the man carrying the briefcase. *now.. who are you guys* 

Frank breathes in deeply recognizing a face, a face he hadnt seen since his service in the miltary, a face of a man that shouldnt be alive. *Colonel Davis Michaels... no way... he died in Cuba* Frank looks away for a moment, his mind getting lost in a flashback of the day his Colonel was killed during a mission. His attention was snapped back to reality by the sound of gun fire. Frank snapped back into focus zooming out to see the full range of what was happening. The gang opened fire on the suppliers, a huge fire fight was going down. The guards were dropped to the ground as more gang members came up from behind them.

The two business men calmly looked at one another then back toward the gang leader. The guards squirming on the ground injected themselves with a vial of green liquid. *is that VooDoo he just shot up?* Frank readied the chamber with a live round as he watched the two guards stand back up still being shot and just moving toward the gang like it was nothing. The guards began literally tearing the gang members apart with their bare hands. Frank zoomed in on a guard's head, the gently squeezed the trigger sending a bullet through the man's eye socket and out the back of his head. The guard stumbled backwards with his head flung back like it was nearly taken off his shoulders, however, it just slowly lifted his head back up to stare at where the bullet came from. Frank put another two bullets into the guard's head showering the second guard with the remains of his partner.

Frank stood up with his rifle, the skull on his chest glowing in the moon light. The two business men looked up then started walking toward the car paying Punisher no mind. The guard in a mad crazy frenzy started running toward the building, his body glowing green.. glowing brighter and brighter as he got closer. "What... the... F...."

Frank started running toward the opposite side of the building. *This Cant be good.*

Once the guard reached the building his body erupted into a large explosion, taking out the entire building and surrounding area. Punisher jumped off the building as half the block as well as him was engulfed in the green explosion.


to be continued.....

[Elektra]

Elektra was growing very bored very quickly. Her trip to New Orleans had been, until this point anyway, a drudgery. She had been hired to teach a group of private muscle the art of stealth, and they had proven to be quick and thorough learners indeed. It seemed almost too easy at some points, but maybe she was just losing her edge in the more competitive world of personal security forces.

Oh, the money the Greek assassin got was nice enough, and New Orleans always held other adventures as long as she did not cross paths with Belladonna Boudreaux or her minions from the Assassins Guild. That woman was a nightmare, and much more of a primadonna than a true leader.

((I guess I can go to the French Quarter)) she said as she drove her red Maserati through the streets of the city, weaving her way through the night until she heard a rumble in the distance and a rather distinct green glow coming from an area filled with warehouses. ((I wonder if one of the ships blew up at the port?)) she thought as she watched people running away from the docks. She pulled her car into one of the side streets and took off on foot, her sais at her sides. Dressed in what for her was casual attire, her usual red garb nowhere in sight, few could mistake the statuesque assassin for a local as she ran toward a collapsed building. She started to hear sirens in the distance and turned for a moment, hoping the local EMS would be on hand soon to help any injured people.  

((What is this green glow from?)) she mused as she saw a few people struggling to get out of the rubble. One looked very familiar. ((Punisher? What is he doing here?))

If Frank Castle was here, something bad had to be going down. He didn't exactly just show up without good reason. ((I  have a feeling I'm going to regret this))

As she made her way through the rubble, Elektra got close to Frank. She couldn't yell his name because she might blow his cover if he had any left. "Do you need help?" she asked as she suddenly stopped and saw the green glow shifting a bit under the debris. "And are we alone? Somehow I doubt that."

[Frank Castle]

Frank managed to push himself from rubble, he heard a familiar voice, the image of the woman moving toward him was blurry but soon came to focus. He mustered up a grin as Elektra took his arm. She helped him up from the debris as he crawled from under a large piece of metal. "Elektra, what the hell are you doing here."

He winces as she helps him sit away from building as the green flames flicker, the glowing chars on metal and stone turn to black as the flames go out. "I dont think anyone is alive that didnt escape when that freak blew himself up with some sort of biological bomb."

Frank stood up hold his left ribs, the sound of police sirens forcing him to move sooner than his body wants. "Need to see if any clues were left behind before the locals destroy any leads."

They slowly walked through the debris toward where the gun fight had first started, Frank looked around on the ground hoping for anything at all. He clenched his fist out of frustration, his lead went cold.. the suppliers escaped and there was something even more dangerous that surfaced from this drug. "well we better.. " He stopped mid-sentence as he turned back toward Elektra. Perhaps the drug fumes were reacting to him, perhaps he hit his head harder than he thought. He watched Elektra for what seemed like a hour, he shook his head from the thoughts then noticed something at her foot. He walked toward her kneeling down close to her leg. He swallowed hard then looked up at her then flashed a badge of sorts. "Great work Gorgeous. The lead I was looking for." 

The two snapped their heads seeing police lights flashing up the darkness. "Thats our signal we been here too long."

The two started to take off but light moans stopped them in their tracks. Frank walked over to a destroyed car that belonged to the gang leader. He tossed away a car door seeing beneath it a badly injured man. Frank smirked, "Well my luck keeps getting better by the moment. Hey Doc Monna" The gang leader gasped in fear as the very familiar skull became visible through the blood covering his eyes, but before he could react he was yanked up by his hair. Squirming in pain he grabs the hand lifting him by his dreadlocks. "Doc you not looking so good. Come on.. Lets talk business."

Frank began dragging the man by the hair as they walk off from the scene to a couple warehouses down, far enough away from the crime scene to not attract attention from the local law and far enough away they couldnt hear his screams. Frank turned down an alleyway between the warehouses and tossed the gang leader hard against the wall, busting the man's nose on the concrete wall side. "Now.. Doc.. Going to ask some questions, and depending on how many you get right will determine if I drop you off at the hospital or Carlos' territory."

"Just so you know I mean business and really dont feel like running after anyone tonight." Frank side kicked the gang leader's shin snapping it like a twig. As soon as Doc Monna opened his mouth to scream in pain, Frank grabbed his head and slammed it into wall causing a few teeth to shoot out the mans mouth. "Now.. that we understand each other.. Lets begin, eh Doc."

Doc Monna spat out blood over the wall cursing at Punisher in his native Jamaican tongue. "F.. you Punisher.. Ask your Damn questions and get me to a hospital, mon."

Frank walked away looking around as if looking for something as he talked, "Questions number 1, Are those bastards the only suppliers of VooDoo.?"

Doc wiped his mouth looking at Elektra then glanced over to Punisher, "Yeah Mon, we used to be gettin our sh.t from dem Southies, but we be decidin it time to move up, mon. So we took out dos middle men pieces of sh.t."

Frank glanced back over his shoulder with eyes that could make anyone wet themselves, then kept looking around. "Question number 2, Why did you start a firefight if you wanted take that role of being the Main supplier to the South?"

Doc shook his head, "That was da plan mon, until. My baba sis got her brains bashed in because of da VooDoo. Dis became personal."

Frank stopped walking and stood there for a moment, "I see.. became personal because it was your family that was killed. Think that makes it better?" His hands ball into fists so tightly it opens a nearly closed wound to open leaking blood to the ground at his feet. "after all the death you caused by distributing that VooDoo poison.."

Doc looked down almost disappointed and ashamed, "Last question Doc.. Who are the suppliers?" Frank questioned as he bent down digging something from under a dumpster.

Doc winced hopping on one leg while holding his broken and charred right arm, "Daknow dat Mon, we jus have da number ta call. Now please mon.. get me to da hospital."

Frank walked back to Doc and without a word shoved a broken bottle into Doc's throat, Doc's eyes grew wide then rolled to the back of his head bleeding out the bottle end. "Wrong Answer Doc."

He pulled out a mini computer from his wrist and punched a few buttons. Soon his bike roared down the alleyway. He tossed a helmet behind him then slipped on the bike looking toward Elektra. "So.. you coming with me? We can catch up on a few things.. like what you are doing here in New Orleans.. wait.. maybe I dont even want to know."

 

[Elektra]

"I actually have my own..." Elektra started to reply to Frank, but then a quick check behind her revealed her Maserati was now a casualty of the green flames. "Yeah. Helmet's great. Seems part of my payment just went up in smoke."

Elektra had not been phased one bit by Punisher's strong arm tactics with his contact. The mention of drugs didn't surprise her one bit, but Frank saying the damage and green fire had been caused by a man who had blown himself up was a bit more than she had suspected.

As she got on the back of Frank's bike, Elektra shook her head as she took one last look at the Maserati. "I was here as a trainer for a private security team. The smoking hulk back there was part of my payment. Luckily it wasn't all of my payment. Now, before we take off, fair is fair. What exactly is going on?"

Elektra kept coming back to the exploding man as she looked at the devastation around her. "Frank, has Roxxon come up in your digging on this case?"




 

[Frank Castle]

Frank smirked looking back at the destroy Maserati, "Want to know how many vans I go through in a month?"

As he roared the engine to life, he could feel a small tug on his sides from Elektra slipping on the bike behind him. Frank shot a look over his shoulder at the name Roxxon. He says nothing but turns to face forward. "Have a small Ops setup here in New Orleans. Seems we have quite a bit to talk about once we get there."

Frank leaned forward pressing his bike to zip out of the alleyway and down the streets of New Orleans cutting off a few cars that slammed on their breaks to avoid from hitting them. *Roxxon... what do they have to do with all this.. What has Elektra involved in them* He tries to tie the knots of the leads and clues to formulate some sort sense of it all. Feeling Elektra grip around his waist causes him to push his bike faster. Cars zipping by as he swerves in and out of traffic, passing between cars with only inches of clearance.

Miles later, Frank finds what he expected, people trying to tail him. He glances slightly back giving Elektra signals with touching the bottom of his eye, holding two fingers then thumbing to their rear. "We have a company of 2 behind us".

He leans closer to the bike cutting the air resistance and easier maneuverability. The two cars have to break their cover to even try to stay on their tail and having to speed excessively to catch up to tail them again. Then the sound of a semi-auto rattles off as sparks tap around the bike. Frank presses a button on the bikes handle, a metal panel slides back and extends out a mini gun rack holding two guns on each side near the rear of the bike.

[Elektra]

"Oh, you have a way with gifts, Frank," Elektra said as she reached for one of the guns and looked at the mirror on the right hand side of the bike. "Nice to know they are not any of the people I trained this week. We might actually stand a chance of getting rid of them. And before you ask, no, I was not working for Roxxon. I've just been hearing a lot of rumors of late about them."

By now Elektra had turned back and started firing on these bozos following them. She had no clue if they were drug dealers, Roxxon muscle or some other unknown player in the chess board that was called New Orleans. "I know they aren't Assassins Guild. Belladonna Boudreaux would not be stupid enough to try and take you out."   

Elektra wished that she and Frank could change places, but doing that on a moving bike would be akin to suicide. He was a much better shot. She was no slouch, but she always felt more comfortable with bladed weapons. "You wouldn't have a nice rocket launcher tucked in your back pocket, would you? Bet that's in the van."

Bullets kept whizzing past them as Frank kept maneuvering the bike away from their assailants. "Anything like a narrow alley we can move through?" she asked as she kept firing. Elektra had managed to hit the windshield of the first car, but the shot had missed the drive. "I know. I'm wishing for the impossible."

[Frank Castle]

Frank smirked after Elektra asked about a rocket launcher, she knew him way too well. He leaned his head out to the side to look back then quickly jerked back as a bullet destroyed his side mirror. He began formulating a plan inside his head, if they stayed on the streets innocent people would end up getting harmed.

"Anything like a narrow alley we can move through? I know. I'm wishing for the impossible"

"Your wish is my command, one narrow passageway coming up. Hold on tight!" Frank slid the bike hard on its side, using his knee plates to guide the back into the slide without touching the ground. The bike began slowing a bit then at the right moment he roared the engine alive again causing the tires to spin out as they shot off over the sidewalk and into an alley that lead to an open park.

He slid the bike to a stop as a trolly car zipped by. He took a look behind them then breathed out slowly. "Well they will now either try on foot, give up or take the 25min drive around the block."

Sounds of screeching echo down the alley followed by yelling "They went down the alley!.. Come On!"

"Well thats what I half expected" Frank said as he pulled out a side pistol. He gripped the gun with both hands to increase his accuracy, he didn't want to chance a miss and hit an innocent driving down the other street. He waited, patiently, with his breathing very calm almost not breathing at all.

Two men suddenly came running down the alley flailing their guns up toward them, but they were stopped by to pops. The bullets nearly taking their heads clean off, another guy was about to turn the corner before the wall next to him was sprayed with his partner. Frank slipped off the bike and started walking down the alley way with his pistol pointed toward the alley wall. "Give it up or its going to be your head next pal."

Frank could hear the men behind to wall cursing and discussing something to one another. He switched up his laser sighting and pointing it just passed the wall's edge as he kept walking. One of the men took a peek around the corner and another pop went off taking the top of his head off. "I got a whole clip left fellas, a bullet for each one of you."

He could hear more cursing then sounds of feet running off followed by the local law screeching and yelling to the people to stop. Frank holstered his gun and started going through the dead men's clothing, looking for anything that would lead him to who sent them. He cursed to himself finding nothing on the bodies. He turned a guy's head to the side revealing a tattoo, one he seen before. Finding all he needed he walked back to Elektra. "Time for us to go. Seems someone is buying into the gangs around here."

Frank slipped back onto the bike then looked to Elektra, before speed back off onto the street heading to his secret warehouse.

[Elektra]

Elektra wasn't phased at all by what had just happened. She's seen it all in her lifetime and thensome. A little blood and splattered brains were nothing new in her line of work. 

When Frank got back on the bike, they sped off again, and this time she saw red flashing lights disappearing behind them in the shattered side view mirror as police and EMS showed up in the alleyway. "Yeah, I don't think we need to spend our night explaining all that to the locals. They should be grateful to you for what you're doing. A lot of innocents could have been killed by those idiots or by less thoughtful enforcers. We ought to know."

Elektra knew vigilante was likely the correct word to use to describe Frank, but it was not always the best one. He was more guardian angel than anyone would suspect, and he was often the only friend many of those who crossed his path really had.

"What did you see back there? That goon seemed to have something that held your interest before the police announced their arrival. And I doubt is was his cuff links that made such an impression."
 
Elektra held fast to Frank as they zipped through the streets to their final destination. She knew that whatever they were walking into was likely a powder keg, but she'd see it through. He'd backed her up more than once, and she owed him a favor or two.

 

[Frank Castle]

Frank pulled up to a pretty shorty looking run down gas station. He pulled the bike around the back then pulled out a remote. The dumpster pulled away from the building revealing a narrow corridor with a ramp. The ramp lead them in a circle exiting to a large area underneath the station. The area was pretty spacious considering. The west wall was lined with weapon racks, the east wall several practice targets and martial arts practice stations, the north wall had several computer stations setup with huge screens and the south wall where they exited between two large steel drums that stood from floor to ceiling.

Frank parked the bike close the weapon area's workbench then killed the engine. "Not much I know but it suits me fine for this area."

"Frank!" a sweet voice yelled out as someone latched to his waist. The little girl buried her face into his stomach holding on tightly.

"Whoa.. Easy easy."

The little girl looked up at frank with a pouty angry look. "You said you wouldnt be gone long"

Frank pushed back the girls hood and smiled, "Yeah.. and I wasn't compared to normal." He ruffled her hair then introduced her to Elektra. "This is my friend Elektra.. Elektra, this is Sasha."

The girl circled around Frank realizing now someone else was there then peeked around his side shyly "Ello."

Frank shrugged then walked toward the computer stations, Sasha latched to his side peeking back at Elektra from under her hood. "The guys had gang tattoos.. local gang here in New Orleans.. not big time.. Carlos' tribe of dumb@$$ kids."

Frank felt a tug on his jacket, "the Jar" Sasha point at a jar almost full of dollars, next to 4 full jars.

"Yeah sorry kid." Frank stuffed a dollar in the jar and stepped to computer station and began typing away. "So Elektra.. you ever come across a drug named VooDoo? Green vial of Death?"

Frank pulled up a map of the United States.. Green and red markers in patches around major cities with several ids of Gang members, drug dealers, random joes and now a badge of one of the bodyguards that he attached to New Orleans. "Roxxon hasnt been on the radar for years.. and defiantly not the drug business.. I want to know all you know.. might tie in why a sob goon of a child company was doing at the VooDoo sell tonight.. you know the one that was green and blew the f__k up like an package of C4."

"Ahem.."

Frank stuffed a dollar in the jar next to him as he faced Elektra.

[Elektra]

Elektra looked around at Frank's command center and smiled. "You say it isn't much, but that really isn't true. It has everything you need and nothing more. In our line of work, it's perfect." As she glanced at the weapons racks and back to the computer terminals, Elektra couldn't help but wonder where Frank had done his shopping.

The arrival of the young girl Sasha caught the assassin off guard a bit, but she knew Frank was often looking out for kids on the streets. "Hello, Sasha, it's nice to meet you," Elektra replied as she stopped to watch Frank drop a dollar in a jar. When he dropped a second one in, she finally realized why he had so many jars filled with cash around the room. "I see you keep Frank on his toes, Sasha. That's a good thing," she added with a slight grin. "But now back to business. Roxxon has been dabbling in a lot of biotech weapons work of late on top of their energy business dealings. Variants on the super soldier serum. Things like that. So drugs of this type might not be such a stretch. Especially if the people using them explode. They might have had a bad batch of whatever they are making hit the market, or they could be field testing it to make sure no one blows up down the road. I wouldn't put it past them."

Elektra took out her phone and handed it to Frank. "You're welcome to anything on there that might help. No one needs kids being put in harm's way by these fools."

[Frank Castle]

Frank took Elektra's phone then plugged it into his computer system. He typed a few commands and started downloading the data off her phone. He sat down in the chair and started cross referencing the data collected. "You might be onto something babe. You seem to never miss your mark do you Elektra."

He gave a smirk back at Elektra as he pulled up the data on the screens. "Seems at least one person in the largest circles of deaths were or used to be employees for a child company of Roxxon. However.. none of those deaths hit the news or papers."

Frank leaned back in the chair rubbing his chin, "But why push it off as a drug.." He pauses for a moment, "Well pushing it as a drug would return the highest amount of results." He pauses again... "But why were the guards able to control it to an extent."

*Not your normal pile of drug dealers and mob bosses Frank.. this is Roxxon you are talking about.. Leave it to someone else*

Frank looked over to Sasha, who was happily playing with a raggy doll on the arm of his chair.

*Like hell you will.. Elektra is right.. They will suffer for what they did.. Leaving it up to someone else would just allow them to avoid being Punished*

"Well Elektra... " Frank tossed her the phone back, "Know anyone that might have more information on Roxxon?"

[Elektra]

Elektra looked at the screens and then back toward Frank. This was all getting that same bad feeling vibe to it now that she looked at the images in greater detail. "It wasn't all that easy to see the pieces to the puzzle until now, and I don't like what I'm seeing."

As she sat and looked at the screens, Elektra knew things were only going to get worse and that calling in a few extra favors might be a good idea, but she also knew Frank liked to work more or less alone. One partner was usually more than enough for him. Add any more, and it got too crazy most of the time.

"From what I've been seeing in my travels, someone is trying to dig into a connection between Weapon X and Roxxon. And no, it isn't Wolverine. He probably knows about the person who is digging, but he isn't involved up front. Not yet anyway. Have you ever had dealings with a guy who goes by the name of Maverick?"




 

[Frank Castle]

Frank walked toward his weapon stash listening to Elektra, the more she talked the worse the situation seemed to get. Would be his first run in with mutant crazy psychopaths but he preferred to leave that mess with their own kind. "Maverick... hrmmm.. Doesnt ring a bell."

He released a clips from his guns then slipped in new ones as well as refilling his pouches with clips. "Weapon X and Roxxon.. that doesnt sound pleasant. Sounds like someone is trying to develop a chemical bomb they can release into public as sleeper cells until the time comes."

"If Weapon X is involved I am surprised that Furball isnt, Maverick one of them too?" He questioned as he started packing a couple cases.

"Sasha, get your things girl.. going on a trip soon."

Sasha smiled and ran off to pack, "Good this place stinks"

Frank smirked turning his attention to Elektra again. "Well how about we go ask a few people and see where it leads us."

[Elektra]

"I am sure Wolverine knows more about this than even I am willing to admit," Elektra said to Frank as Sasha went to get her things. "Maverick is a former Weapon X operative. German, I believe. Worked with Logan and Victor Creed back in the day. Now, from what I've heard, he's trying to take down the whole operation. Another man named Wraith is likely involved in this background digging."

Elektra tried to think about anyone in SHIELD who might know what's going on. "I've gotten wind that SHIELD is investigating some possible Roxxon-related weapons dealings as well. Oksana Petrova is calling in favors herself to get intel, or at least that's what I heard. Have you met her? Goes by the name Magnetrixx? And do you want SHIELD as far away from this as possible? The thought that some of their loose cannons could get this and do something bad with it is making me nervous. I may work with them from time to time, but I don't trust them. Oksana is fine. But her handlers I have no clue about."

[Frank Castle]

Frank shook his head, not recalling anyone by the name of Oksana Petrova or Magnetrixx. He made a groan thinking about SHIELD being involved, they were too caught in red tape for his liking. Elektra was right though, they needed intel to tie the lines together. Sasha was collecting her things as well as the jars of money arranging everything in her duffle bag. She zipped up the bag then stood there with the bag held tightly in her hands looking at Frank.

"All set." She said happily tilting her head slightly to the left and smiling.

Frank looked to her, for a moment he was sent into the past. She was being hunted by some anti mutant group. He normally didnt interfere with Mutant activities, however, they made the mistake by crossing his path while murdering innocent people.. mutants or not.. they were innocent. He left her in the care of the only person he knew could hide and protect her while he went to Punish those responsible. He tried to bring her to mutant teaching organizations.. but most were destroyed or scattered due to the war against mutants. Since then, she has always been by his side.

Coming back to reality, Frank smirked and ruffled Sasha's purple hair. "Alright.. let shut this place down and set the failsafe."

Frank turned back to the computer and started running a program, the weapon racks and targeting dummies shifted back into the wall and disappeared as the wall slid closed hiding them from view. Red lights flashed around the room as the building slowly became dark, sections of lights turning off like a dark void slowly moving toward them until they were completely shallowed by darkness except for the tint of red from the remaining lights. "Ok.. that does it, security systems in place. Lets go."

Frank stood next to Sasha and held her hand tightly, then held his hand out to Elektra. Sasha smiled up at Frank as her eyes began to glow bright purple, "Coming Elektra?"

Elektra smiled taking Frank's hand, Sasha also quickly took Elektra's hand smiling up at her. "Yay, glad you are coming with us."

Frank shook his head then a bright purple light flashed over them, like a sudden lightning strike. The room flashed brightly then darkness swallowed up the empty room. The three were gone...

TBC - New York: Bad Voodoo: Part 2