5921/Black Sky: A Thin Line

Black Sky: A Thin Line
Date of Scene:	05 December 2018
Location:	Unknown
Synopsis:	Summary needed
Cast of Characters:	Daredevil, Punisher
Tinyplot:	Black Sky

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Daredevil has posed:
Donatelli Fuchinello, it was a name Matt had almost forgotten with Elektra's death, the war with the Hand, and the sudden problem of being the owner of a company you knew nothing about. Though when an informant gave up the name and his whereabouts, it all came back. Ekaterina and her 'murder' at the hands of the mobster. Kat was dirty, no doubt, but it didn't give Fuchinello a pass.

More than that, Matt craved something simple, and putting a thug like Fuchinello away fit the bill.

So, Matt finds himself crouched across the street from Fuchinello's favourite 'massage' parlour, he can hear what's really going on, as much as he wished he couldn't. Though one of the girls uses the name, Donatelli, and more than that the car parked out front with a couple of guys standing watch is a dead giveaway.

Deciding to wait out Fuchinello rather than burst in fists flying, Daredevil stays on his perch across the street, face scrunching as he listens in, Fuchinello was finished what he came to do, it'd only be a matter of time before he came out to the car.

Punisher has posed:
Even the normal senses of the toughs outside can hear the approaching, shuffling footfalls. Heavy boots pound against the sidewalk as a man in a dark hoodie moves toward the parlour. A large duffle bag is slung over his shoulder, knocking him slightly off balance and giving him that shuffling gait. His breathing is heavy; likely out of shape, to the normal observer, but Daredevil can hear the steady, strong heartbeat. The man isn't winded in the slightest.

A few dozen feet from the massage parlour, the man stops and adjust his load on his shoulder, hiking it up higher on his back as he digs in his pocket. A small package of cigarettes is removed and he draws out one with his lips before replacing the pack. He then gives a few pats at his pockets before grunting in frustration and turning his attention toward the bodyguards.

"Hey. Hey buddy? You gotta light?" he asks as he takes the cigarette out from between his lips and starts approaching the men.

"Left mine at home. Stupid, right?"

He's not trying to hide his voice and Daredevil can recognize it instantly. Looks like Frank Castle has business with Fuchinello tonight, too.

Daredevil has posed:
Daredevil notes the man too. Frank's act is good, he realizes something is up but doesn't recognize who it is until he speaks.

"Frank," Matt breathes.

More than that he can hear Fuchinello saying goodbye, and heading for the door.

Daredevil leaps from his perch.

Meanwhile one of the guards looks over at Frank, considering him a moment. "Yeah, sure," he says, reaching into his pocket for a lighter, he pulls it out and sparks up the flame.

Punisher has posed:
"Thanks, man."

Castle places the cigarette back between his lips as he closes the gap between himself and the man. Leaning in, the cigarette quivers slightly in his lip until he reaches up and holds it still. His other hand comes up to rest on the man's hand to bring the lighter toward the cigarette and holding it open.

He watches the lighter for a moment before his eyes flick up toward man's face with a stony, emotionless gaze.

Without warning, Frank drives his hand upward, using the element of surprise to shove the lighter, still lit, up and into the man's face, aiming for his eye.

Daredevil has posed:
There's a moment, just a moment , where the man's eyes meet Frank's and he knows he's fucked up. The next moment sees the ligfhter shoved up into his face, scortching one of those eyes.

"Oh god," the man staggers back reaching into his coat for his gun.

His partner, does the same, but before his hand touches steel, he's dropped tot he ground by a baton coming out of the night. A figure in red follows, grabbing the baton up off the sidewalk and hitting the man across the face with it, putting him out for the count.

The burned man draws his gun.

Punisher has posed:
Castle barely even registers that the second man has hit the ground as he focuses on the one whose lighter he borrowed. He does, however, notice the appearance of Daredevil. It's hard to miss and it signals that he's going to need to move faster, or he's going to be fighting these two and the Devil of Hell's Kitchen.

He lunges forward, the heavy bag coming off Frank's shoulder and swung around to bat the drawn gun to the side. With Frank's other hand, he draws a combat knife.

"Didn't need your help, Red," Frank calls back to Daredevil, even as he drives forward with the knife in his hand.

The blade comes up in a high arc as Frank aims it downward toward the other guard's neck and shoulder.

Daredevil has posed:
"You're not the one that needs help, Frank," Daredevil says, moving into the path of the knife shoving the man aside. He tries to block the blade by going arm to arm instead of going for the blade. "They do."

Though as much Daredevil was putting himself in the mix to keep these guys alive, it doesn't mean it's appreciated. The burned man raises his gun, trying to fire around Daredevil to hit Castle.

Daredevil kicks out driving the man back, but he still has rounds in his gun.

Punisher has posed:
"You meddling little..."

The rest of Frank's insult is lost to the grunt of exertion as Daredevil gets his arm up and blocks the blade. With a soft thud, the bag is dropped onto the sidewalk as Daredevil kicks the thug back. Frank releases the knife from his right hand and catches it by the handle in his left.

"Ain't gonna argue this with you, Red. But ain't gonna let you stop me, either."

Frank then takes a step forward, closing the small space between himself and Daredevil as he releases the knife. He doesn't aim at Daredevil but at the guard's arm in an attempt to disarm him before he can shoot.

Using the momentum of the throw, Frank tries to move around Daredevil, to put himself between the thug and the hero. Just in case the guy does get a shot off.

Daredevil has posed:
The insult gets a smirk from the Devil. Though Frank's move catches him off guard. He's expecting a stab, not a throw, he does drive his helmet at Frank's face, but he's out of position to stop the throw.

Damn it.

The blade buries itself in the man's arm, the gun drops to the concrete. Though Frank's move to stand between Daredevil and the gun isn't missed by the vigilante.

That's when the door opens and Fuchinello begins to step onto the street. He doesn't get far, as soon as his eyes fall on the red suit, then move to Frank, they widen, then he ducks back inside followed by the sound of the bolt clicking into place.

Matt can already hear him running for the back, screaming about the Punisher. It's chaos inside.

"You're here for Fuchinello? I can't let you kill him, Frank. You know that."

Punisher has posed:
The headbutt leaves Frank's face a bloody mess. Frank snorts and then spits a gob of bloody mucus onto the side of the street as he pushes away from Daredevil.

"Dammit, Red. Enough of your idealistic bullshit. Ain't no one gonna miss that sonnuva bitch and you know it."

Frank spins then, sending a closed fist toward the bodyguard's head. Put him down for a while until he can put him down for good. At the end of the spin and punch, he drops down to pick up his bag again and sling it over his shoulder.

"Just walk away, Red. No one's gotta know. These two assholes won't be talking. Now get out of my way. Gotta go rat hunting."

Daredevil has posed:
Daredevil steps back when he's pushed away, his hands raised palms towards Frank.

"It's not about people missing him, Frank. It's about what's right, it's giving him, yes, even him a shot at redemption, to repent and make a change in his life," he says. "I've seen it Frank and it's beautiful but if he's dead, that's gone for good."

The words are heartfelt but tired as are his reply to the request to walk away. "You know I can't, Frank," he raises his hands in a boxer's stance. "But you can walk away now Frank, Fuchinello doesn't have to die, I /promise/ you, he will face justice."

Punisher has posed:
"That's bullshit and you know it, Red. You know it. What about the people he killed? What about the people that died because of him? Where's their justice? Where's their chance to have a life? That piece of trash had his life. He made his decisions. Them people? What about their decisions? You talk about justice? Code of Hammurabi, Red. Oldest set of laws in the world. Eye for an eye."

With his bag over his shoulder, Frank starts to move to get around Daredevil. He keeps one eye on the door and the other on the man standing in his way.

"He's gettin' away. Get out of my way. I don't wanna fight you, Red. Don't agree with you, but you're not my enemy. Don't want to take you down, but I will if you push it."

Daredevil has posed:
"They'll get their justice when Fuchinello is behind bars," Daredevil says. "And I'd like to think we've advanced beyond Lex Talionis."

As Frank tries to move past him, Daredevil sticks out his arm to put a hand on the other man's chest.

"Frank, don't make me fight you," he says. "We take him down my way, we get him tonight, and Fuchinello is behind bars where he can't hurt anyone. Try to go your way, and the only one taking punishment is the both of us, while he gets away. What do you say? Truce?"

Punisher has posed:
Frank looks down at the hand resting on his chest and then back up toward Daredevil's face. Any other man and he would have taken that as a challenge. But that's not Daredevil's way. If he wanted to fight, there wouldn't be time to ponder whether or not a challenge had been issued. Kind like Castle. Strike hard and fast. The end result just tends to be different.

"You know, you really are a pain in my ass, Red. Fine. Your way tonight."

There's no point in arguing it anyway. He knows that Daredevil will never see things his way and there will always be other nights for Fuchinello. He can delay it, but he can't escape his punishment.

The heavy bag in Frank's hand is dropped to the ground and he opens it up. He removes a shotgun and a box from which he begins to load the weapon.

"Don't worry. Beanbag rounds. Hurt like hell, but he'll survive. Let's go get him before it's too late."

Daredevil has posed:
Frank's read is right. If Matt wanted to take Frank down, there'd have been no words or challenge just the fight. They were too evenly matched for anything else.

Matt lowers the hand though when Frank starts to speak, he knows Frank wouldn't bother talking either if he wasn't going to let it go.

"I get that a lot," Daredevil says with a tight grin.

Cocking his head, Matt can hear the back door of the place burst open, footsteps moving fast behind the place.

"That works," he says of the bean bag rounds. "And he's gone out the back. You want to go down the alley, I'll go up top and cut him off."

Punisher has posed:
Frank cocks his gun before he hoists the bag again and slings it over his shoulder. It'll slow him down a bit, but it's better than letting the contents fall into the wrong hands.

"See you on the other side."

Frank's combat boots thud on the sidewalk as he starts moving toward the alley. He doesn't have the ability to hear Fuchinello's movements, but he has no reason to doubt Daredevil. Crossing Castle will just make it harder to reason with him in the future and Daredevil isn't stupid. He knows that already.

Some may call out to Fuchinello. Try to make him afraid while he's being hunted. Castle doesn't. He wants Fuchinello to feel confident. Make a mistake.

Daredevil has posed:
Even without super hearing it doesn't take long for Frank to get to where he can hear Fuchinello's movements. The man is running hard down the back street.

He reaches the corner, and then steps up to a car with a gun in his hand, he yanks the door open and grabbing the woman inside by her hair. "Get out of the car, bitch," he grows shoving the gun in her face. She screams and flails as he pulls.

Once Frank rounds the corner, Fuchinello will be in sight with his back to the former marine.

Punisher has posed:
At the end fo the ally, Frank slows to a stop and presses up against the corner of the building. The yelling from Fuchinello keeps him from turning the corner completely and instead he just takes a peek around the building's edge. Just as he suspected: a hostage.

The bag is lowered again, carefully this time, so as not to make a sound as it settles on the ground. He'll need to be careful. Shooting Fuchinello in the back will only cause him to shoot the woman.

Frank slings the shotgun onto his back and tightens the strap attached tight against his chest. The knife he had used earlier is drawn again.

'Knife to a gun fight, Frank...'

"Okay, Red... If you're gonna make a move, now's the time..." he mutters to himself and starts moving slowly and silently toward the mobster's back.

Daredevil has posed:
From his perch above the scene, Daredevil waits, his senses focused on the gun. The woman's screams echo in his ears, and Fuchinello yanks her hard against her seatbelt. "Undo it now!"

That's Daredevil's moment. The gun lowers slightly and Daredevil lets his baton fly clinking off the car once before hitting the gun out of Fuchinello's hand. It skitters across the chill pavement to rest against the curb.

Fuchinello scrambles for the gun as Daredevil dismounts the building.

Punisher has posed:
The scrambling Fuchinello is met with a swift kick to the midsection as Castle springs as soon as the gun is knocked from the man's hand. The heavy boots Frank wears are more than enough to stop the man's momentum toward the weapon, given the force Castle puts into the kick.

A second later and Frank is on the mobster, laying his weight down onto the man to pin him to the ground, knife still in his hand.

"Ekaterina says hello," he grunts into Fuchinello's ear as he brings the weapon down, handle first, toward the man's forehead. His word means something and he told Daredevil he wouldn't kill the man tonight. There was no promises about not beating him bloody, though.

Daredevil has posed:
Daredevil's final jump brings him down near the car. He turns his head towards a woman, "Drive to the nearest hospital," he tells her. "Get them to call the cops."

She'd be a witness for the prosecution to pile the attempted carjacking on top of the other charges.

The woman shuts the door and drives off.

Fuchinello squirms under the Punisher. "I didn't do-" whatever weak ass excuse he was going to give dies with the blow to the head and is replaced with wordless expressions of pain as Frank lays into him.

Daredevil didn't stop him. Frank had kept his word about killing, and frankly Matt didn't really care if they had to wheel Fuchinello into court to face justice or not.

Punisher has posed:
Frank gives Fuchinello a few punches, even after he stops squirming, and the stands up. The mobster is bloody, but Frank was careful not to push it too far. Take it to the edge, and then pull it back.

"All yours now, Red. Let's hope Murdock and Nelson can do their part. Heard they were leading the legal charge to get this piece of crap behind bars for life. Waste of good taxpayer money, if you ask me, but you already know that."

After wiping the blood from his hands off onto his pants, Frank replaces his knife. "Least I know he ain't gonna feel too good when he wakes up. Small victories."

Daredevil has posed:
Daredevil reaches down to pick up his baton, he yanks the top off unwinding the cord, to tie up Fuchinello.

"Thanks Frank," he says, not just for getting Fuchinello, but sparing his life. "Them? Yeah, I heard the same thing. Not like them to take a case for someone like Ekaterina. Word on the street is she's crooked."

Yes, he was probing. He trusted Frank's judgement, if he was willing to spare Kat then there might be some extenuating circumstances not told by the rumours.

Kneeling to tie up the mobster Daredevil continues, "This is going to seem like a strange question, but you hear anything about guys in black," he makes a face. "Like ninja."

Punisher has posed:
"Think they're crooked, too?" Frank snorts a laugh. "Nah. They might be too righteous, but they ain't crooked. Least, nothing I heard about them is. Now, Ekaterina, she walks a line. Ain't managed to step too far on the wrong side yet..." Frank just lets that threat hang there. He's not out to hunt down everyone, and Kat hasn't hurt anyone that he knows of just yet.

At the question about the ninja-like figures, Frank narrows his eyes at Daredevil. "That sounds more like your department than mine. Can't say I've heard anything about ninjas. Nothing more than the usual craziness, anyway."

Daredevil has posed:
Daredevil smirks faintly as he pulls Fuchinello's bonds tight. "In this city, I think just about anyone's corrupt," he says of Nelson and Murdock. "But yeah, for the most part they just get themselves into trouble." He does give Frank's take on Kat some consideration. "But she's involved in crime?" he asks. "Not looking to take her on, but I'm curious how many of the rumours are true."

As to the ninja, Daredevil nods, "Usually is, but they're here, Frank, and I'm doing my best to get them out of the city." He releases the cord from the baton and stands with Fuchinello laid out at their feet. "But there's a lot of them, so, if you think you can keep this truce of ours going a little longer," Daredevil frowns. Was he really doing this? "I could probably use your help."

Punisher has posed:
"Yeah, she ain't clean. But she ain't as dirty as most and she's a snitch. Easier to let her slide when she feeds the goods. Far as I know, she's fairly harmless. But I keep an eye on her."

Frank chuckles a bit, shaking his head as he walks over to retrieve his gear. "Shit, Red. More talk of this truce. If there's really so many, you may need to permanently thin the herd. Give 'em pause. Make 'em think maybe coming here ain't such a good idea. You know they'd do you if they could, just to get a foothold."

Tossing the shotgun back into the bag, Frank turns back toward Daredevil. "Shit, Red. Ain't got nothing else goin' on, now that Fuchinello is down. I'll help. But I ain't makin' promises that they'll all see another sunrise. Played by your rules with this dirtbag. But this, this was a one-time deal. If I need to, I'll put them down my way. Otherwise, no deal."

Daredevil has posed:
"Good," Daredevil says of Frank keeping his eye on Kat. "You know how it is in that life, nobody can be completely harmless."

That's all that he says about the woman, caution was one thing, but he didn't want to give Frank any ideas about taking her either. He was walking his own fine line by dealing with Frank both legally and morally. A line that was getting thinner by the moment.

"I hear you, but they don't get to decide who I am, they've taken too much from me already. If I beat them it's going to be on my terms, not theirs," Daredevil says, fingers clenching around his baton so hard the leather of his gloves creak. "No killing while you're working with me," Daredevil says. "But if you have to defend yourself..." he says and leaves it there.

If nothing else, Daredevil bending even that far spoke to how serious he took this. Or just how much he hated the Hand.

Punisher has posed:
Frank considers the Devil of Hell's Kitchen for a long time before replying. He's gotten the Devil to bend this far and he can't help but wonder just how much further he can push it. But that is for another day. Agree now and see how things go. As his mother always said, it's easier to beg forgiveness than ask permission. At the end of the day, he's confident Daredevil will let things slide in the heat of battle, so long as it's Frank pulling the trigger and not him.

"Deal," he finally says as he bends to the bag again and opens it. Even though it is clearly packed with equipment, it only takes him a second to find what he's looking for: a handheld radio. "So you can contact me," he tells Daredevil as he tosses it over.

There's a grin on his face that is reminiscent of the cat that ate the canary. He actually looks happy at being thrust into a new war zone.

"Be seein' you, Red."

Daredevil has posed:
Daredevil can't help but think 'what have I done' but then it was a line he crossed when he let Stick help him in the tunnels. He knew the Hand swordsman Stick had fought didn't walk away that night, even if he didn't see the old man strike his head off.

But the Hand had taken Elektra from him, so the rules were different.

Snatching the radio from the air, he says, "Good," and even sounds like he means it. "And you'll hear from me soon."

He attaches the radio to his suit. "Later, Frank."

Then he's zipping up to the roof with a line from his other baton.