2897/Call To Arms

Call To Arms
Date of Scene:	18 October 2017
Location:	Unknown
Synopsis:	Starring: Frank Castle as Sylvester Stallone, and Norman Osborn as a way-more-evil Bruce Willis. This fall, don't miss the prologue to the greatest action hit since Ares' involvement in the Trojan War.
Cast of Characters:	Punisher, Green Goblin

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Punisher has posed:
    It is late afternoon. The sun is dipping below the tall buildings of Midtown casting long shadows even down here in Greenwich. The air is cooling off as the sun drops, but it is still comfortable out here even without a jacket. At a coffee shop, there are a couple of table sitting out front. At one table, a pair of hipsters try to imitate Italian mobsters while sipping their little cups of espresso. At the other, Frank Castle sits with a mug of regular dark roast coffee. He is sitting so his back is against the wall and one hand stays below the table at all times even as the other picks up the coffee cup to sip. He has a newspaper in front of him and someone just passing by, it might look like he is reading it even if his eyes jump from the page to scan back and forth up the street.

Green Goblin has posed:
Norman Osborne and Frank Castle, though they are about as opposite as two men in this fine city can be from each other, share one common attachment: numerous contacts in the Department of Defense. It just so happens that for Osborn, however, these contacts are from Pentagon weapons contracts and numerous political favours, rather than any time spent in the service of his country. No, Norman Osborn isn't a hero.

But he is, on occasion, known to wear the mask of one when it suits his aspirations. Political, business... self-preservation. The hit on the Bykov weapon shipment would have had Castle's fingerprints all over it, even if it weren't for the footage that Lane woman took from the scene. Norman knows all the stories about The Punisher. He knows he's a soldier, through and through. When he sets himself on a mission, he doesn't stop until he completes it. Or, sometimes, when there is even more important work to be done. It's these kinds of thoughts that Osborn has been mulling over, before finally putting in a call with one of his Government contacts.

Norman is almost surprised to see Castle sitting in the pre-determined spot, passed along by one of his old pals in the Army - a favour called in, one of countless owed to the weapons contractor and NYC power player.

Getting out of his tinted sedan, two security-men in the front, Osborn puts on a pair of sunglasses against the dipping light - his bright green eyes so very, very sensitive to light these days. And slowly, holding his hands in the open, suit jacket unbuttoned to show he's not got a pistol on his belt... Norman begins to walk towards Frank. Not trying to hide his approach, trying to make it very clear HE is the contact... but not saying anything just yet. It wouldn't do to shout their business across the street like this. No, Norman just keeps approaching, holding his hands out, smiling that calm, creepy smile.

Punisher has posed:
    Frank's eyes follow the sedan as it pulls up. It is about the right time for his old squad mate to be showing up. When he sees Norman Osborn get out of the car, he tenses in his chair. "What the hell..." he mutters to himself, bringing his coffee cup to hide his words. Now Osborn is coming over here and looking right at him. Frank's eyes narrow as the businessman approaches. Finally as the man gets close enough to not shout, because Norman is right that their business is not to be shouted across streets, he says just loud enough for Norman to hear, "That is close enough, Mr. Osborn, especially with the two gorillas there." He is sitting perfectly still now with eyes moving from Norman to his security men.

Green Goblin has posed:
Coming to an immediate stop, Norman's grin just widens, hands moving from his side and rising slightly higher. His voice comes out in calm, measured tones - almost as if he'd expected Castle to do far worse upon first sight - "Frank, there's no reason to be concerned. You think I'd set this all up, come down here personally to try and pull something on The Punisher himself?" he says, dismissing the very notion with a chuckle, "I may be egotistical, but I'm not an IDIOT."

The last word is said with some harshness, a slight edge to his voice that is quickly smoothed over as he continues to give his well-oiled sales pitch, still keeping his hands out in the open, security men hanging back. "No, Mr. Castle - why would I want to do anything to harm you? You might be the only man CAPABLE of saving this city, after all..."

Punisher has posed:
    Norman is close enough that he will probably here a click of a hammer being pulled back, but no weapon makes an appearance. "So you got Bower to set up a phony meeting with me?" He shakes his head slightly, but his eyes don't leave the businessman. "Tell me one reason I should let you sit down here after doing that. And spare me the exaggerations. I don't do anything to save the city. I just put bad men down one at a time. Problem is," he says as he leans forward slightly with one hand still not in sight, "there are always more."

Green Goblin has posed:
"You know, Frank, I was half-expecting you to pull that on me the moment I showed up," Norman says calmly, more rational than any man should sound with an armed Punisher grilling them, "I'm glad you're sparing these citizens the sight of needless violence. Don't you think they've seen enough lately?" he says, his inner salesman kicking into motion but still not taking another step forward - the last thing he wants to do is make Frank Castle feel like he's backed into a corner. That's how people get shot.

"Your friend, happens to be my friend, Frank. We're not as different as you might think," says Norman, with a straight-face, coming across as deadly serious - in fact, barring the Punisher recently targeting some of his OWN men, he does have a certain respect for the... finality of the man's methods. "In fact, that's why I insisted we approach you with this..."

He makes a point of look around at the various citizens - nobody within listening distance, but even so he says, "Listen, Frank, I can give you the pitch standing up - or we can sit down like men and talk. Or, you could shoot me. Won't that look great? The Punisher guns down Mayoral Candidate Norman Osborn... the NYPD will love that."

Punisher has posed:
    Frank remains still for a few moments more almost like a cobra spreading its hood and just holding there. Finally he settles back in his chair. Quietly, he brings the handgun up from under the table and eases the hammer back into position. Once Norman has seen this, Frank covers the weapon with his napkin. He nods finally towards the other chair. "Thing One and Thing Two stay over there."

Green Goblin has posed:
Norman lets out a quick chuckle, keeping his men at a distance with a quick, dismissive hand-wave. With that, he holds open his suit jacket for a brief moment just to further convince Frank - as though the man couldn't spot a piece from a block away - that he's unarmed, before he takes a seat across from the man. As soon as he pulls his hands back from the table, there's a small USB drive in between them - no tracking devices attached, no malicious software, just data... casualty counts, intel on holdovers from the recent Invasion, articles criticizing SHIELD's response to the situation (many of them by media outlets that Osborn himself privately funds).

""Out of respect for your job duties," he says without a HINT of irony, continuing in calm and professional tones as he gets right into business, "I won't keep you longer than necessary. We. Were. ATTACKED. Frank. Not just this country, but this entire PLANET," his voice suddenly becomes more raised, more passionate, though still maintaining a discret volume, "You've been in war, Frank. You've seen what it does to the innocent men and women trapped in the middle. You may think I'm some petty businessman - but I am... a PATRIOT," he says, with a slight grin, "and I cannot abide this poor reaction by the men and women tasked to protect innocent American citizens. People died, Frank. And what is Fury doing, in his floating fortress in the sky? NOTHING."

Punisher has posed:
    Eyes flick to the USB drive but he makes no motion to grab it. He looks back up at Norman. Frank is probably a damn good poker player because his face shows nothing right now. He remains silent during Norman's pitch. Finally he speaks, "You are right. I have been at war. I have seen innocents caught in the crossfire. We have that in common but I doubt little else." He pauses for a moment as if wondering if he should continue, but finally does. "You being a patriot, I don't know. I see those massive megacorporations like the one that bears your name, not giving a damn about anything but the bottom line. I've cut out the middle man and protect those that need it by punishing the guilty. Like I said, don't know how much it helps, but I don't believe I am something I am not."

Green Goblin has posed:
Norman pulls his face back slightly, a small scowl playing at the corner of his lips as his claims of patriotism are called into question. He responds quickly, sharply even, tapping his index finger on his side of the table firmly, "Short sighted approach, Frank. You know how many American lives my technology has saved? How many of OsCorp's prototypes made it out into the field? I don't expect some Special Forces throat-cutter like yourself to understand - this is why I dealt with the boys in Washington - but MY company is... was... an American INSTITUTION."

He pulls his finger off the table-top, leaning back slightly clearing his throat again, "But you're a smart man in your own way, Frank. You wouldn't still be drawing breath if you weren't," he says, no doubt referencing the entire NYC criminal underworld - including, ironically enough, Norman Osborn himself - who want The Punisher dead and buried, "I don't expect you to trust me. I just expect you to do what's right. And to avenge to loss of life on American soil. The Apokolips Invasion. There are still holdouts, pockets of leftover Parademons... you might have seen the recent attack in Central Park - only the intervention of Wonder Woman prevented the loss of innocent lives. How long can this go on? Where is SHIELD? Where are the AVENGERS? We need more, Frank. We need men who will do what NEEDS to be done. Without caring about how it looks on the front page."

Punisher has posed:
    Frank still seems skeptical, but he has seen the news. He has seen a parademon up close and seen the terror it brought to a neighborhood. Just one. And there could be more out there, and Frank knows it. He keeps still even as his mind is working. Finally he says slowly, "Alright, Mr. Osborn. You have my attention. Now what?"

Green Goblin has posed:
Norman is pleased, though he does his best to keep his face impassive, emotionless - he's something of a poker player himself, when not wearing a Halloween mask and flying around on a Glider.

"Well, Frank. Now you take that USB Drive. You take it back to wherever you plan to sleep tonight. You can be sure that I won't have my men follow you, though I don't expect you to believe me either, so feel free to take the LONG WAY," he says with a grin, spreading his hands out in front of him and leaning back even further into his chair, "Do you know anything about Greek Mythology, Frank? Ares, the God of War? Would you believe he's semi-retired? Odd, how the wheels of war just keep turning without him... but he's here. In New York City. What information we have, is in those files," he nods to the drive between the men. "I think he would make a valuable addition. I think you might find other men. Capable men, like yourself. Men with experience. Who can get their hands dirty, and still sleep like a baby at night."

"And then, I want you to get in touch with your friend Bower. I want you to tell him you're ready."

He pauses, then inhales, looking Frank directly in the eye and not flinching, "I know you hate me, Frank. But in this, we want the same thing. Vengeance for the dead. You'll have a budget. You'll have support, if you want it. Your men plan your own missions; hell, who could do it better? Sound appealing, or should I just take this drive and go try and find SOMEONE in this goddamned city who still CARES?"

Punisher has posed:
    Castle remains still trying to decide if he trusts him. Well, no, he doesn't trust him, but is the information good. He can look it up with some verification. If it is bugged, he would find it and kill anyone following him. There doesn't seem to be much of a downside except possibly going in debt to Norman Osborn. Finally, he reaches across quickly and palms the USB drive, pulling it back and out of sight in one quick movement. "I will look into this. I will look into Ares." He pushes back slightly from the table. "You know if this is bugged, I will find out. Anyone you try to send after me, will come home in a bag. We are agreed on this point?" he asks as he stands up.

Green Goblin has posed:
"Some of the men in the Pentagon wanted Hercules, but I INSISTED on the other alternative," he mutters to himself, almost as an afterthought - obviously Ares was his pick, as Frank himself might have been. After all, Norman Osborn does have an eye for talent. "Take your time, Frank. But not too much time. Innocent lives are at stake every moment that our protectors sit on their hands," he says firmly, rising up to stand himself and buttong his suit jacket up for the first time since he arrived. Now that the business is concluded, he glances hastily at his watch, then back at Frank - locking his bright green eyes onto the man for just a moment. There's a manic sheen to them, for a second, and then it's gone.

"Rest assured Frank, I have bigger concerns than where you lay your tortured head at night. Nobody is following you. You may not believe it, but your country still has a use for you, Castle. Do your duty, if you're still up to it."