A man who has lost much. A man forever making war on those who took so much from him. A special man. One whose army training marked him as a natural marksman. This is a man obsessed with vengeance. With retribution against those that killed his family a long time ago. Some call him insane, others calculatingly cruel. Where those who would strike against the innocent go, he follows. His mission is a simple one. Street criminals must be made to pay for their crimes. His is the man exacting that payment . He is judge, jury and executioner. He is
Punisher war journal entry number 1111985:21 " I came here to the Island of Isla Suerte after a
month of tracking dead ends and ghost trails. I've been looking for a mook who's a bit of a spook
himself. The Man is known as "the Taskmaster". He's a highly paid assassin/personal trainer to
the evil. It took me a long time to find this guy, and I'm not there yet, but I'm getting close....."
Castle walks in khakis and a short sleeved , flowered button down shirt. Looking like any of the
other thousands of tourists and vacationers. He's carrying a camera bag big enough for a nice
video camera. But you can bet what he has in there doesn't shoot film.
Frank Castle sits at an outdoor cafe, one of many that dot the "Island of Luck" . Along with an
almost limitless number of casinos. A pretty waitress approaches his table, wearing a flowered
sash and a half top, while carrying a plate filled with fruit.
"Greetings Sir, Would you like to order a drink?" She places the tray of fruit on the table,
flashing a smile his way.
"No thanks. "
She sits next to him , crossing her legs, showing him a rather ....provocative view.
"Is there anything I can get for you sir? Anything at all?"
Her smile is pure candy and all things sweet. Telling of pleasures of the flesh. Castle doesn't
even blink.
"Get me a diet coke , then get a break."
He throws her a couple of bucks at her as she smiles once more, stuffing them into her top and
shaking everything she's got as she leaves.
Castle continues to stare at those around him from behind the relative safety of his sunglasses.
"Nothing yet." He muses to himself. "Where would he hide? This island is big enough for a man
to hide for years from prying eyes. But this guy is a natural spotlight lover. He lives for
adulation, especially the grudging type. Usually from someone he's beaten."
Frank Castles gaze continues around, finally stopping at a hilltop above him. A hilltop which
houses the Olympus casino and Gaming parlor.
Night. At the doorway of the posh casino a man enters , wearing a white suit. The balmy
temperature perfect for his attire. His jet black hair has been dyed blonde and he wears blue
contact lenses as well as a fake mustache. One of the many arts The Punisher has learned in his
many years is that of disguise. It's an act he executes flawlessly. Castle circles the casino.
Spending a hundred here on a hand of poker, a few hundred there. Losing at every table.
Purposely. Hours pass. In that time Frank Castle thinks back to what brought him to this spot. A
mysterious visitor to one of his numerous safe houses, with an offer of never having to Punish
again. As long as he takes care of training the next generation of urban warriors, the next
generation of Punishers. He agreed. This alone surprised him. Recently Castle had to much on
his mind concerning his late friend Microchip, as well as others who payed the ultimate price at
Castles expense.
Finally , after hours of this Castle feels something, an intuition that's pointing him in a certain
direction. An intuition he immediately obeys. His intuition is more a battle hardened sense of his
surroundings then anything else. And right now it's telling him to go to the high rollers table, the
one he now realizes is filled with noise and laughter. Two women fall all over an impeccably
dressed man who continues to win large amounts of money with every hand. Immediately Castle
recognizes his prey, even without the make up he usually wears. The Taskmaster has come to
town.
Castle approaches the table and sits across from Taskmaster, laying a thousand dollars on the
table. He's handed chips, and begins to stare at the man he's been hunting. Instantly Taskmasters
mood changes, from loud joviality , to intense concentration. Then he speaks ,as he stares at the
Punisher.
" Do I know you?"
"Not yet. No."
"Hhhmm, you look familiar. We've never met?"
"No. Never. "
The dealer intercedes. "Gentlemen, are you prepared to place your bets?"
The Punisher smiles. "Absolutely."
The first hand goes to Taskmaster, as does the second. With each subsequent victory,
Taskmaster begins to relax.
Castle finally wins a hand, then a second, then a third.
"What's the matter friend?" Castle asks, " Not used to losing?"
"Naaahh, besides the game's not over yet. There's plenty of time."
"All depends on where you sit I guess Mister. Some of us have all the time in the world to
MASTER little TASKS like this game, or others, more challenging."
Taskmaster stares, no doubt through a disguise of his own as well. His eyes narrow as he tries to
place the man before him.
"What games do you like to play Mister...?"
"Prince. You can call me Mr. Prince." Answers Castle with a stoic face.
The next game goes to Taskmaster, as Castle is really beaten by his opponent.
"He just used my own game plan against me. Even his mind must share his power of
Photographic reflexes ." Thinks Castle, "He's going to use my own playing style against me.
Good, Let him think I'm not aware of it. Let 'im get sloppy."
The two men play many more hands, Taskmaster winning for the most part, as all other
competition at their table slowly moves onto less.... predatory games. These two men are going
at each other as sharks. No quarter asked and none given.
"Who is this guy?" Muses Taskmaster, "Obviously he knows all about me, but that shouldn't
even be possible. I covered my trail. Real well too."
"Time to make my play." Thinks Castle.
In quick succession Castle takes three hands. Each time using a different strategy he hasn't tried
yet, and never repeats .
"Games over. I win." Castle stands up from the table.
"Not yet, I've got the final hand." With that Taskmaster kicks the table over, towards Castle , who deftly leaps over it and lands practically on top of Taskmaster.
"Haha! Good move whoever you are, try this one. I learned it from Iron fist!"
Taskmaster lunges out with a dragon stamp kick in Franks stomach, that doubles him over.
Taskmaster lands his right foot, and immediately brings his left knee up , into Punishers face,
snapping Castles head back with a sickening crack, trailing blood, Frank rolls backwards and
away from Taskmaster, giving himself working room.
Frank grumbles, "You're good Taskmaster, but nothing you've got is original. Me? I'm one of a
kind." As he was speaks Castle reaches in to his jacket and removes a hard plastic knife, with a
cutting edge that would split soda cans. He hurls it at Taskmaster in one fluid motion.
Instinctively Taskmaster raises his arm, where his shield normally hangs, only the shield isn't
there. The knife embeds itself with a Thwack !
"Arrrgh! You dirty sonuva--UNGGH!"
The Punishers thrust kick catches Taskmaster in the face, as he lands Frank backhands the
forearm with the knife imbedded in it, sending blinding pain through Taskmaster.
"Time to go Taskmaster." Punisher sweeps the Taskmasters leg out from under him, but it's not
over that easy, Taskmaster , obviously ignoring his pain, kicks upward from the floor, catching
Castle in the crotch. Instantly he somersaults backwards and away, Bolting for the door, with the
Punisher in hot pursuit! Suddenly and finally security arrives, half a dozen large men in suits,
wearing headsets, and heading right for the still running pair.
"Stay outta the way kids, you're outta your league here." Taunts Taskmaster , as he rips the knife
from his own forearm with a snarl of pain , and in one motion throws it into one of the security
guards throats . With a gurgle the big man goes down, permanently.
"Not called for you maniac. These men are only doin' their jobs."
"What Punisher? Now you have a conscience? And yeah, I figured out it was you under all that
dye and makeup."
"Good for you Taskmaster. But I'm still taking you down . Permanently."
"Haha, you think so Castle. So tell me, who sent you? The Commission? The Scourges? Who?
Someone's not happy that I'm offerin' my services to the highest bidder again."
Suddenly they're outside, the security forces two steps behind them when they un-holster guns
and begin firing.
"What the hell?" Yells Taskmaster as he dives for cover. Castle silently ducks below the hood
level of the cars in the darkened lot, quickly stripping off his tuxedo and leaving it behind.
Underneath is his signature Skull T-shirt (Sans Kevlar this time) and black Spandex pants. "This
shit is no protection." He thinks, "But at least I blend in now." Silently Castle makes his way to a
nondescript SUV at the rear corner of the lot. Popping a button on a remote, the rear door opens
and the Punisher dives through it, as it closes behind him. An instant later he's flooring the small
truck and leaping it over the hedge line behind him in reverse. With a roar the truck rockets
away, as several security goons continue firing. Then a black Mercedes suddenly exits the
casino, heads hang out from both sides of the car, as sparks of light glow an instant before the
bullets hit the SUV .
"Hell!" Thinks Castle, "I didn't want to kill any of these guys, but if they don't give up the
chase...."
Suddenly they're pulling up to his side , firing almost nonstop. But amazingly the bullets bounce
off the trucks glass and body panels.
"Good bye boys." Grins the Punisher, as he slams his truck into their car , forcing them off the
road and into more finely groomed hedges along the access road to the casino, an instant later ,
they're back, slamming the Mercedes through another span of hedge, roaring up behind the
Punishers black Durango, now firing sub machine guns they pulled out of somewhere.
"Okay, I gave you your chance. No more." He punches a button on his shift lever, and a console
opens up above his rearview mirror. Castle punches a few buttons, and instantly a "heads up
display" appears on his windshield, displaying the Mercedes in the rear . He presses a button on
the console that says "eye point aim". Instantly a pointer begins to follow his eyes movements.
He lines up a cross hair that appears with the Mercedes center grille. He taps a button on the
console, and instantly the rear bumper of the Durango hinges downward, revealing a sinister
looking nosecone. Instantly the rocket fires, using a "Cold" fuel type to not explode the gas tank,
the short range missile rockets the hundred feet separating the two vehicles and instantly blows
the front of the Mercedes off, as Castle speeds away into the night.
Twenty minutes later Frank Castle is in his room and has cleaned the dye from his hair, and
removed the fake mustache, as well as facial makeup . He's watching a local news channel that's
showing the fight inside the casino, as well as a few outside shots. But luckily , it looks like no
one got any footage of his truck before he blasted his way out of there. Then there's a knock on
the door. The Punisher grabs a Glock pistol off the bed. Its all plastic body dull in the unlit room.
"Open up Castle, we gotta talk. C'mon, I know your in there."
"I can't believe this, it's that idiot Taskmaster.!" He thinks, astonished.
Castle tears the door open, sliding side ways, and throwing himself down between the window
and the bed, aiming at the doorway, expecting a thrown weapon or a barrage of bullets. Nothing
happens. Only Taskmaster walking in , wearing his costume now.
"White flag time hero. You and me, we gotta talk."
"Bout what freak face? I'm here to take you out, to stop you from spilling the beans on an op
that's after my own heart in a lot of ways."
Taskmaster sits down at the desk in the room, keeping his arms wide, and his palms open. "Why
are you here Castle? Who sent you? What'd they tell ya? I was spillin' the beans on this big
operation that they want you to take over? A trainin' job? To train the next generation of Shadow
warriors? "
Castle nods slowly, as he holds his gun unwaveringly on the garishly garbed Taskmaster.
"Didn't you question it Castle, how these guys got into your base of operations, wherever it is
and how they talked you into doin' whatever they want you to do? You ain't a hit man. But that's
what you're actin' like now. What's the deal? You havin' trouble thinkin' straight lately?* Yer
mind in a fog? You know why? They been targetin' you fer a while. Usin' mind control rays they
been slowly pumpin' you with. I seen 'em do it over and over. To many times. Your bein' used
boy. Wake up"
* See last issue, Frank DID find his mind fogged during his talk with the Scourge messenger .
"NO! "Shouts the Punisher as he leaps up from his sitting position, "No one uses me again!
EVER! It's happened before* and I'll never be somebodies puppet."
*Frank refers to the Jackal way back in Amazing Spider-Man #128
He spins angrily, his eyes gleaming with a menacing, reflected glow in the darkened room.
He walks up to the Taskmaster and stares him in the face.
"I want all your information on this group, who are they? What do they want from me? Why me
in the first place, and why do they want you dead?"
"Siddown then son, we got a long night ahead of us. You got the beers?"
Next : Infiltration
Punishing Mails C/O [email protected]
Punisher #1 - This is about 78 times better than the one Marvel just
published. You have a real understanding over who Frank Castle is and that
makes the story a lot better. The plot of Castle beginning to question his
war is fascinating, and something that should have been done long ago. I
can't wait to see how this one turns out!
TJB
Thanks TJ ! Once again your opinions count big time! I hope you enjoyed this issue too.