5404/The Contessa and the Killer

The Contessa and the Killer
Date of Scene:	19 September 2018
Location:	Unknown
Synopsis:	Frank witnesses Ekaterina being viciously murdered in front of him only to have her fully recover within about 5 minutes.
Cast of Characters:	Ekaterina Vespucci, Punisher

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Ekaterina Vespucci has posed:
Frank must have overslept. This is understandable since he had been in a rather intense albeit onesided firefight the night before. Embarrassingly he'd chosen the boudoir of Kat the woman who'd made a pass at him the same night before amongst other things. Amazing how things move so quickly. Well they were about to get a whole lot weirder if that was even possible. He would awake to a showered and changed Kat who is standing over him with those large alluring eyes of hers watching him intently eating a bowl of pasta. "Wake up sleepy dead. You've slept half a day. Can't say I blame you..."

Punisher has posed:
Darkness surrounds him. And the unmistakeable pop of gun fire. Somewhere off in the distance muzzle flashes erupt as the only form of light in an otherwise world devoid of light or features. Pop pop. The flashes and the sounds move closer. Pop Pop. Then suddenly the flash erupts directly in his face. POP.

With a start, Frank's body shifts and he quickly sits upright on the couch breathing heavily. His eyes wander back and forth as if he is somewhere else and not seeing what's around him in Kat's room. After a moment he closes them and shoves his thumb and index finger into his eyes to clear them, swiveling his legs off the couch and planting his boots on the floor.

Another moment goes by before he finally looks up at Kat to see her standing there eating pasta. Exhaling a long sigh, he hangs his head and rubs the back of his neck, "Been a long time since I've slept that long."

Ekaterina Vespucci has posed:
"You must feel safe here," Kat says smiling amiably, "with me." She has to add. Looking about she says, "I got you some food and a change of clothes. You might want to shower - mine is over there. I hope you like pasta as I am Italian it is kind of a staple around here." She continues, "I have something to show you before you depart. And um don't forget the painting of you." She pointed to the 'gift' she had produced for Frank. A photorealistic portrait of him on the first night they met apparently done from memory.

Punisher has posed:
Continuing to rub the back of his neck, Frank glances up at Kat as she offers a change of clothes and food. Ordinarily he wouldn't accept, but in this case he's starving. Slowly rising to his feet, he tilts his head to the side and cracks his neck, "I appreciate it."

He glances over at the painting that she did for him and nods, "You're a talented artist." He glances back over at her and offers a slight smile and another nod. Noticing the food, he steps over and takes the bowl of pasta and starts tearing into it, eating like he hasn't eaten in a while and doesn't know when he'll eat again. Being Italian himself, he appreciates a good bowl of pasta.

Ekaterina Vespucci has posed:
"You're welcome. Thanks for saving my life." Kat says. "Don't forget to grab that shower - can't have my guests leaving here worse than they arrived." She regard the painting, "Thankyou - alot of people go for impressionism over realism nowadays or worse abstract modern crap. I can't brook such stuff. Must be alot of people like me or else my galleries would go broke."

Punisher has posed:
It only takes Frank about 2 minutes to finish the bowl of pasta before he sets the bowl down and wipes his mouth with the back of his hand. "Thanks," he says in response to the food. It was good. Pasta is difficult to mess up but it's really difficult to make it delicious. She's deceptively good for her age.

Glancing across the studio towards the restroom and closes the door behind him to prep for a shower.

Ekaterina Vespucci has posed:
Kat cleans up merrily as Frank showers affording him some privacy. She gathers her papers and checks her email. She isn't the kind to talk through the bathroom door. Even if she does stuff herself and talk with her mouth full. When Frank is ready she is sitting on a table waiting for him.

Punisher has posed:
Once he is clean and finished, Frank emerges from the washroom and glances over at Kat, "Thanks for letting me stay." He doesn't ordinarily do that, but was exhausted after the previous evening's events. He tosses his clothes into his duffel bag on top of the various weapons stashed inside and tugs the zipper shut before picking it up and hoisting it over his shoulder, "You said you had something to show me?"

Ekaterina Vespucci has posed:
"Yes." says Kat - she leads Frank out of a side door, "This is my salley port - like in the medieval castles a secret exit as it were. I recently came across some items of interest in a property I purchased. War relic hardware you might like to see..." Kat leads Frank down the alleyway and when she reaches the mouth of it that is when it happens.

Kat turns and gives Frank a brief glimpse of that stars in her eyes expression she was making last night. She is walking not too far ahead of him when she is grabbed and something resembling a riot barrier was thrown across the end of the alley and pinned down by two strong men. It is too high and slippery to clamber over and altough quite possible for Frank to move on its own with two bully boys holding it in place it would take a superhuman feat to punch through. Frank's way back in the compound and out the front is through one of Kat's palm reading security doors. Frank is a spectator to something horrificly familiar once again.

A burly mediterranean looking gentleman grabs Kat by the hair and beats her head up against the barrier. He then fires several shots in rapid succession through her abdomen practically disembowelling her. The next bit he wants someone to see - he doesn't know or perhaps even care that that person is Castle. This man in his crelty and hatred doesn't want an open casket funeral for our Contessa. He opens her head. Even puts out one of her lovely eyes with his three remaining rounds. A couple of fingers fly off one of her small hands as she groggily tries to protect herself. Looking Frank right in the eyes menacingly he tosses the ruined pile of flesh to the ground. The once talented, eccentric beautiful girl. The men flee and Frank can batter down the barrier. But he will not get out in time to pursue them. Only to survey the damage they have done. Or have they?

Punisher has posed:
Following Kat out into the alley, he instinctively glances from one end to the other. Being in his line of work it's always good practice to know your surroundings and locate exits and possible points of entry. Of course that doesn't prepare him for what happens next.

As they reach the mouth of the alley Frank is stopped in his tracks when a barrier is thrown down in front of him. He immediately lunges forward, shoving his shoulder agains the barrier. It gives but only a miniscule amount as the brutes on the other side are more than capable of holding it in place. "No!" His lips peel back across his teeth as he sneers against the barrier, planting his feet firmly on the ground and attempting to push through. Giving up on forcing his way through, he takes a few steps back and pulls a pistol out from his holster and levels it towards the thugs on the other side and squeezes off a pair of rounds directed at each one. Unfortunately the barrier stops the bullets easily and he's forced to watch Kat be brutally murdered steps away.

When the deed is done and the men retreat, Frank slams his body into the barrier again and once he is able to shove it aside, he holsters his weapon and steps towards Kat, kneeling down. "Shit!" He reaches down and scoops her up into his arms and retreates back into the alley to return to her studio. Kicking her door open, he rushes through her room and into the area where her men have been each time he's passed through, "She needs help!"

Ekaterina Vespucci has posed:
The gesture perhaps not unappreciated of lifting Kat's corpse is what many would describe as futile. Kat barely has a head left when Frank reaches her. There is no pulse. She is not moving. She is very definitely dead. But there is an unnatural writhing on the body. The security door when opened by the concerned skeleton crew shows a demonstrably shocked Chris and Gary who had been sleeping. They are initially horrified but after a quick glance at eachother they lead Frank back into her boudoir. "Put her on the table and watch," says Chris with exhaustion. No point trying to hide it anymore. "She'll be up and about... just watch," says Gary - though both look concerned. And indeed something has begun to happen to what remains of Kat - already there is alot more of her than when Frank picked her up.

Punisher has posed:
Following Kat's goons into the room, he places her down on the table and already notices that she looks much better than only a few moments before. He takes a few steps back and glances at Chris and Gary with an expression that is a mixture or panic and confusion. "There's no way," he says more to himself than anyone in particular. He saw her get more or less destroyed by at least half a dozen gunshots. Surely she can't recover from that.

He's proven wrong, however, as he sees her body clearly repairing itself. He reaches up and wipes a trickle of sweat from his forehead with the back of his forearm, smearing some of her blood across his face.

Ekaterina Vespucci has posed:
Kat reforms - it's like a cheesy special effect only it is real. Soon both her fingers are back. Her head takes shape the fastest. The goo that was left of one of her eyeballs becomes a new perfect simacrila of the previous one. Her face even her hair is back to normal. Apart from the bloodstains that is. Abdomen takes a little longer. All in all Kat is Kat in bloody torn clothes with her bra showing. It all takes two minutes total though it seems much longer. Suddenly Kat gasps and is bolt upright kicking and screaming eyes wild. Objects fly about the room. Chris and Gary grab her. "Hold her down you don't want a rogue External busting up the place!" they yell to Frank. Whatever the hell External means.

Punisher has posed:
When Kat begins to scream and flail around almost uncontrollably, Frank steps forward and gently but firmly holds her arms against the table just below her elbows. He glances down at her and furrows his brow, "You're okay, you're okay." He speaks calmly and repeats that she is, in fact, okay.

The scene and the sound of his own voice throws him back to his time as a marine holding down a soldier who had been hit by an IED so the medic could administer morphine. Telling his brother in arms that he was okay even though he knew damn well he would never walk again. But he kept repeating it. It calmed them down to hear that they were going to be okay.

He blinks and snaps back to reality and places a hand on Kat's forehead, "You're okay."

Ekaterina Vespucci has posed:
It takes another minute for Kat to calm down. She is hyperventilating. Finally she speaks, "Oh God Chris I hate it so much why can't I just stay gone!"

Chris replies angrily, "Don't you dare say that." A simple statement without elaboration.

When let go Kat flops. "Leave me guys. I'm fine." they leave reluctantly. "Not you though," she says to Frank. "I think I owe you an explanation."

Punisher has posed:
When she finally manages to calm down, Frank removes his hands from her arms and takes a few steps back, stepping from one side of the table to the other, walking off his increased heart rate while occasionally glancing over at the girl who was dead 5 minutes ago but now appears to be completely fine.

He nods a few times as the others leave the room, "I've seen some fucked up things before, but this is pretty new." He motions towards the blood on the table and still covering her clothes and hair where there were parts of her before, "You were in pieces."

Ekaterina Vespucci has posed:
"I've been in worse states. Burnt at the stake. Beheaded. None of it works on me. That stuff apparently even works on vampires but not me. I'm a mutant - an External - a special breed. Ever hear of En Sabah Nur - otherwise known as Apocalypse?" Kat straightens herself on the table shakily getting herself into sitting position.

Punisher has posed:
Sure, Frank knows about mutants. Everyone does at this point. The name En Sabah Nur doesn't ring any bells, though. And if his name is Apocalypse he probably isn't the best guy to know. "Never heard of 'im," he replies.

He rubs his chin between his thumb and index finger, his skin scraping across the stubble on his face, "So you just can't die is what you're tellin' me?"

Ekaterina Vespucci has posed:
"He's bad really really bad. In fact most of us are bad. There are about ten of us and only about two are mildly altruistic. I'm one of course. But what we get up to against eachother and the plays we make - well lets just say it's more the bad guys versus the badder guys when it comes to externals. I'm like Apocalypses bratty younger sister. And by younger I mean I'm only about 1200 years old - he's something like seven thousandy. There's even a lady in New York who I know who may be as old as twenty thousand years old. Don't believe me? I have proof - at least as far as I am concerned." Kat rises slowly, "Well yes I can be killed but I can't really die. Unless I am killed in a very specific way by another External. And at least one of them has tried in my case. But we generally try to stay away from killing eachother. There are so few of us." She motions Frank to her computer. "Let me show you something."

Punisher has posed:
1200 years old? Then why does she look like she just made it through her teens? Honestly if he hadn't just witnessed her coming back to life after being nearly ripped apart, he would've just turned around and left without another word. But given the circumstances he actually finds himself believing her.

He doesn't respond to her explanation, but instead walks over to her computer to step around the desk to take a look at the screen she is motioning towards. His mind has slowed down and he doesn't really know what to think or say. He's just taking it one step at a time for now.

Ekaterina Vespucci has posed:
Kat calls up a series of pictures the first is a crude tapestry and illustration. Kat points out a lady with very large blue eyes. "Not the best picture. This is Engelberga of Parma - she was... is I guess a Supponid. One of the oldest noble families in northern Italy. She went on to marry Louis the second Emperor of the Holy Roman empire. She had three children one of whom died. She became Empress in her own right when her husband died and was involved in alot of political argy bargy of the time. Got deposed. Kidnapped. And poisoned. Very Game of Thrones. That show gives me flashbacks. I grew to hate that birth name Engelberga it did not age well. But hey look me up I made wikipedia. I am a legit historical figure! What do you think Frank? Must've been that army I marched on Rome over my Brother in Laws divorce. Those were some wierd times. Anyway when I was poisoned I died and ironically I think this triggered the recessive genes. I stopped aging. And yes I had already had 3 kids before I stopped aging at about 19 - we had them young back then. Hardest thing was watching them die incognito not being able to comfort them. Honestly it was the Dark Ages - I thought I was a witch when my powers manifested. I was a devout bad Catholic."

She flips ahead. "I have no real pictures but I did play a hand in the initial recoquista of Spain from the Moors who had destroyed Visagothic Spain. Picked up Arabic whilst I was doing that. I hate the modern Arabic - you know it has no vowels? Can you imagine English in mirror writing without A E I O U?" Kat continues, "Here's another picture - Elisabeth Bathory the blood Countess. Recognise the lady in waiting behind her?" Again large cornflower blue eyes - very much Kat. The earlier picture was harder to tell. "That lady went nuts. We were close very close and then she became a mass murderer and I had to flee. They caught and walled her up later on."

"So I sponsored a few more misadventures - the worst thing I funded was the Spanish Armada. Sir Francis Drake put that at the bottom of the English channel. No real pictures there but I still have documents."

"Modern era," Kat says flipping much further ahead, "Recognise this strapping fellow? Benito Mussilini is his name or Il Duce they called him. The leader of facist Italy during the second World war. Recognise that lady behind him?" This time it very defnitely is Kat. She flips forward and dashes past a racy portrait that appears to be of her naked in a renaissance style of painting. Frank gets a flash of it though. "Ah around the 1400s I went to Sandro Botticelli's house and got drunk and apparently that painting was the result. My leaked nudes apparently - and even they have a considerable vintage. Want to see them?" Kat offers. "Sandro painted all of his darn women the same. I really don't look like that naked. Pear shaped backside with small boobs yeessh." She looks down at her chest. "I should do a self portrait - but Sandro's is embarrassing enough. Don't need a second out there."

Punisher has posed:
The long historic account of Ekaterina's life falls on Frank's ears like some kind of interactive documentary. His eyes scan over the screen at the various images that she brings up for him, including the nude portraits, and he just stands there silently watching.

He straightens and takes a step back and folds his arms across his chest and shakes his head, "That's quite a story." He looks from the screen to the apparent 1200 year old 19 year old, "And so what made you settle on Ekaterina Vespucci after all of the other names you've carried over the years?"

Ekaterina Vespucci has posed:
"Ooo I forgot that - around the 1400s I married into the Vespucci clan in Italy after I was in Russia for a while. I was masquerading as a Russian noblewoman called Ekaterina Sokolov. Ekaterina is sort of Russian of Catherine. but hey guess who my step son was? Amerigo Vespucci. As in the explorer America was named after. He thought I was a gold digging whore even though I had more money than his whole family. Mixed families always suck. I even partially funded his expedition later. I liked the name so I kept it. And the title Contessa - even though I've been an Empress. Go figure."

Kat thinks, "Full disclosure I can teleport and have highly sensative senses especially sight. I can see microscopically and at great distances in the dark. That is how I kept making you when you snuck up on me. It's impossible to do catch me unawares unless I am distracted which I often am. Crushing on you in that alley was a big mistake. Plus I have this central sensatization problem which is severe sensativity to pain. A paper cut is like a bullet wound. Can you imagine what getting killed feels like? I go insane for much longer periods than you just saw me do." Kat pauses, "I may need your help again Frank... that man that killed me I know him. His name is Donitelli Fuchinello..."

Punisher has posed:
When it rains it pours it would seem. Getting a little more of the girl's history, Frank walks back around the desk and lowers himself onto the arm of her couch, placing his hands on the tops of he knees and resting his weight on them.

Her abilities at least explain why she was able to sneak up on him so suddenly not just once. At her mention of crushing on him again he glances up and looks mildly confused once more. He doesn't quite understand why a 1200 year old former Empress would be crushing on a former marine-turned-killer.

"Donitelli Fuchinello," he repeats. Another name that doesn't sound familiar. "Who is he?"

Ekaterina Vespucci has posed:
"He used to be a Gnucchi enforcer. I think you may have come across them. He was supposedly the 'victim' of an assault when he fought Gary and got pounded by him after an attempt to rearrange my face. I am supposed to be a witness in court against Donatelli defending my man. I even hired Matt Murdock to represent Gary. Don't tell Gary yet that I was killed by him. I am only recently alive again and don't want to be killed again. But here's the lark - Donatelli thinks I'm dead. I really want to surprise him at court. He's a supersticious type by reputation." Kat looks to Frank mischeviously. "You've been off the grid with enemies before haven't you? How should I play it? I mean this guy really thinks I am dead. Should I haunt him?" She smiles again.

"I think we should be friends at least Frank. More if you want," she looks at herself covered in her own gore. "Now I need a shower." She continues, "But think about it not to be indelicate Frank but we both have trouble hanging onto friends and family. I at least will very likely hang around long enough to wear out my welcome."

Punisher has posed:
A Gnucci enforcer. That name he is familiar with, as he's run into some of that family before. Maybe even their from Donitelli. He won't forget the face or name again if that is the case.

Glancing up at the mention of Matt Murdock being hired to represent Gary, Frank nods. If she shows up in court with Fuchinello thinking she's dead he'll likely collapse from a heart attack himself.

He shrugs as he considers her question and folds his arms over his chest once more, "I'd consider lying low until the trial. Less risk that way. Don't press your luck." Although based on the fact that he's sitting here talking to her she doesn't really need much luck. Maybe she should fuck with him.

He looks up at her again at the mention of the nature of their relationship and purses his lips, "I appreciate it.." He catches himself almost calling her 'kid'. 1200 years old. She's probably older than his entire family tree. "You're better off finding someone a little more permanent I think." With that he rises to his feet and grabs up his bag again, "I should be going." Beginning to head out of her studio he pauses and glances back over at her, "I can take care of this Fuchinello asshole if you need me to."

Ekaterina Vespucci has posed:
"We like who we like Frank," Kat says helplessly, "Aren't you a little flattered?" Kat asks. "I'll let you know. Thanks for caring Frank." She seems grateful for the company. The mood lightens even after all the wierdness.