8232/City Fall: Fleeing the Scene

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City Fall: Fleeing the Scene
Date of Scene: 21 June 2019
Location: Punisher's Battle Van
Synopsis: Punisher drops off a college kid who he evacuated from the scene of the attack on his safehouse.
Cast of Characters: Punisher, Shredder
Tinyplot: City Fall


Punisher has posed:
In the moments Punisher left the van, Microchip had closed the door to the girl in the back, instead monitoring her through the corner camera hidden somewhere in the 'roof' of the back. The girl would be alone... but not unwatched.

The sounds of gunfire can be heard distantly for them both as David drove the Battle Van around to the exit as Punisher had instructed... and a scant ten seconds later the back of the Van opened again, with a wounded and weary Punisher practically diving inside, before Microchip started to drive again, the doors auto closing without assistance.

"Micro, do you have any idea what just happened? That didn't have any sort of obvious drilling involved." Punisher questions wearily as he sits up, his M4A1 being used to help him up, before it idles against his chest. "I don't know Frank. We'll need to check the police report when it pops up in the database."

Meanwhile, the Battle Van is driving... and Punisher looks to the girl, "you'll be fine in a few blocks, miss." Punisher stands in front of her, the carbine being put to the side for now, with the armory locked up.

Shredder has posed:
    The young brunette in the car has seen better days. She's not shot or injured, but there is a look of complete terror in her face. She's covered in the dust and coughs due to the asbestos that was invariably in the building's construction that was turned into a gagging cloud with the collapse. She wears a simple NYU T-shirt and running shorts, and scampers back against the wall of the van as the Punisher enters, after he announces she will be fine in a few blocks, she looks guarded, but relaxes a little. "What is happening? What was all that? Are you shot!?" She spots the bulletholes in his midsection.

Punisher has posed:
As if on cue, the Punisher starts to pick the spent rounds on his vest off of it... and he places them next to the rifle. "You just got caught in the middle of an ambush. There's a large group of terrorists trying to kill me." Punisher smiles, "that was their latest attempt."

"We're about to get into the garage complex, Frank. She can get out in there." Microchip announces over the speaker.

Shredder has posed:
    "And you were wearing body armor?" she says, "Who runs around in body armor?" She looks around at the van. "This is like... the batmobile or something. Wait, you're going to make me get out? What if you're followed, they'll think I'm with you!" She shakes her head. "I don't want to be killed, I was just out running!"

Punisher has posed:
"They're not idiots, and neither are we." Punisher explains casually as he moves to sit down on the bolted down computer chair next to the desktop station, "keep your head down, and you'll be fine." He reaches out and takes one of his cleaning rags, and hands it to her, along with a bottle of water, "Just clean yourself up a bit, and they'll never know the difference."

Shredder has posed:
    The young woman opens the bottle, and takes a drink, before realizing the purpose for which it was given. She catches herself as the van makes a turn, planting her hand against the side of one of the consoles. She wets the rag, and starts to wipe the dust from her face and her legs, turning to face Frank as she does. She has good legs, too.

Punisher has posed:
Unfortunately for Frank, his life means making connections with the average person is just asking for them to be put at risk. Still, he can appreciate a sexy woman, and he gives her a nod as they start up the garage ramp.

"You can call me the Punisher. What's your name?" Punisher asks as he continues to remove ammo from his vest. The ninjas threw more than a few things at him, and there are holes in his trenchcoat where the bullets went through.

Shredder has posed:
    "The Punisher?" She asks, "Like, THE Punisher? The terrorist?" She looks a little uneasy. "I wouldn't expect a terrorist to save me," she confesses. "This is really confusing. I'm Betty. Betty Sanders," she says. She tilts her head back, cleaning her neck, and attempting to clean her shirt. That doesn't go as well, removing some of the dust and smearing the rest.

Punisher has posed:
"A lot of people don't understand me. I'm only a terror to those who deserve it, little girl." Punisher notes, "Those who make life worse, or ruin the lives of others. People who destroy everything around them like a cancer. Sadists, psychopaths." This time an arrow is grabbed, and snapped in half. It didn't go through the vest completely, so it's safe to pull the arrowhead out, and it clatters on the table in the bin where all the rest of the ammo is going.

"I wage war so the people on the street can breathe easier." Punisher continues as the Battle Van slowly moves into a parking space. "You should be safe here."

Shredder has posed:
     Betty continues to sit on the floor of the van. "That sounds lonely," she comments. "I mean, it'd be really dangerous, does your family know you do this? I think my dad would have me committed if I tried to do something like that." She doesn't look like a particularly hard person, though.

Punisher has posed:
"Why so curious about the 'terrorist'? I thought you'd want to go home as soon as you could and report this to the police." Punisher presses.

Shredder has posed:
    There's a slight blush. "Sorry, I guess just built in," she admits. "Journalism major. I want to be like Anderson Cooper, and go report on the big stories in the world. I hear a story like what you're telling me and..." she gives a shrug and a slight smile. "I guess I just can't help myself. A little crazy I guess. I think my folks hope I'll settle for a regular anchor position somewhere in a farm town." She stands to her feet, "Besides, I figure if you wanted to murder me, I'd probably be dead already." She turns around, "How does my back look?" she asks. The answer of course is obvious, it's covered in dust from the collapse.

Punisher has posed:
"Still a lot of dust." Punisher notes offhandedly, "most of the news outlets sensationalize or draw the wrong conclusions on what I do. There's a reason people call it the lamestream media." Punisher points out. "Can't really trust what they say, and if they can't find a story, they lie about it."

He shrugs, "after years of that bullshit, I've pretty much given up on ever having the real story behind my fights publically known."

Shredder has posed:
    "Could you help?" she asks, passing the rag behind her and lifting her dark hair. "I think that's terrible. I have a cousin in Australia," she says, "He was a good guy, but he had a girlfriend that made him out to be this big monster. Went to all thew news stations in their town. He ended up arrested and put in prison. Turned out she just wanted to take his house and money..." she gives a pause. "Destroyed his life. Part of why I want to go into investigative reporting. I want people to hear the true story. When I report, I want people to know that it's not hype."

Punisher has posed:
"You're going to fight an uphill battle in every sense of the word if you try to break into the mainstream with that attitude. Your best bet would be the independent groups." Punisher finishes picking stuff from his vest, finally, and he stands. Without the trenchcoat bunched up around his chest, Betty can easily see the gear web underneath it, and the white skull on the vest. It looks like something out of an action movie.

The rag is taken, and he efficently wipes her down. His movements are fluid, but precise. He's done this sort of thing before. "People who look for the real story are treasures that tend to be ruined. I hope for your sake you can handle the fire."

Shredder has posed:
    After being wiped down, the young woman turns around, standing rather close, within the personal space distance. Could be argued that she's that close because they are in a close quarters van. "I think I can," she answers while meeting Punisher's eyes. All the confidence of a college student who is certain she can conquer the world.
    "So? she asks. "You going to tell me?" she asks.

Punisher has posed:
"Tell you what?" Punisher frowns slightly at her, his body shifting slightly as he moves backwards, and begins to open the back doors.

Shredder has posed:
    "The story." comes Betty's simple response. She doesn't move. Contrarily she has both feet rather solidly planted.

Punisher has posed:
"And what story is that?" Punisher asks, watching her. He takes a look out into the garage parking floor, checking for anyone besides them.

Shredder has posed:
    "Come on," Betty says, "You said you aren't dumb. You go around, you shoot up bad guys, create huge messes that get you branded as a criminal. The whole world thinks you're the bad guy." She shakes her head. "Nobody just decides to do that. I may be twenty-two years old, but I'm not an idiot. You only do something like that if something drove you to it." She still doesn't move from her spot.

Punisher has posed:
There's a moment as Punisher studies her. Then... "Look up the Central Park Massacre, May 17." Punisher informs her. "If you're as good as you say you are, you'll figure it out quickly enough." Is this a test of her skills? Maybe. "Who knows, maybe you'll figure out the rest from there."

Shredder has posed:
    Brown eyes study back, shifting to focus on one steel blue eye and then the other. After several seconds, she responds. "And the story today?" she asks. "Or maybe I should ask, what's the story going to be tomorrow? We both know the news is going to paint you as guilty. I can help. I don't just go to classes. I work for the Washington Square, NYU's publication. I have an internship at Channel Six."

Punisher has posed:
"Maybe later, kid. If you're that gung ho on going against the grain, I'm willin' to see where it can go." Punisher leans forward and takes a notepad, writing something on it... then, he hands it to her. "A PO box you can use to contact me. Put messages inside, and I'll get them eventually."

He gestures with his head out, "Now get. I have some work to do."

Shredder has posed:
    Betty reaches out to take the note, studying it as if committing it to memory in case she loses it. She folds it and puts it into her bra on the left side. "PO Box? How will you get ahold of me?" she asks. "I'm the one who needs the story." She puts one hand on her hip, that youthful rebellious spirit challenging him. She knows he isn't going to hurt her. "Come on, you gotta give me /something/."

Punisher has posed:
"I know who you are, and where you work. Part of our work is finding people on less. I'll get ahold of you later." Punisher offers.

Shredder has posed:
    "My own personal stalker," Betty quips. She reaches out to snatch the pen out of Punisher's hand dexterously with two fingers, and then reaches across her to take the notepad, maintaining eye contact as she writes down her phone number and e-mail using her peripheral vision. She's left-handed. She hands back the pad and pen directly.

    "Hell of a first date, Punisher," she offers in a mildly teasing tone. "Try not to get yourself killed, okay?" she says. She drops the posing a little, and repeats more sincerely. "Okay?"

Punisher has posed:
"That's always the plan." When the pen is snatched, he doesn't go into any sort of defensive posture. Instead, he looks on with a raised brow... before he gestures outside once again. "Good luck with getting home."