Chapter 24: The Punisher Wants Me Dead?
The New York subway system contained a labyrinth of maintenance tunnels and abandoned passages.
S.H.I.E.L.D. agents were spread thin across the underground network and had found no trace of their target.
Three hours later, the anesthetic finally wore off and Ryan regained consciousness.
His first priority was checking the reinforced case containing his serum samples. Once satisfied they were intact, he pulled himself up from the damp concrete and began feeling his way through the darkness.
"Still no sign of him?" Peggy Carter asked, standing in the middle of the main tunnel with growing frustration.
The field agent shook his head. "The maintenance system is like a maze down here. Without architectural blueprints, completing a thorough search could take days."
Peggy sighed and checked her watch. "We can't keep disrupting subway operations indefinitely. Pull everyone back."
She had anticipated this possibility. Steve had failed to capture Ryan in 1970, and history seemed to be repeating itself.
What concerned Peggy most was the prospect of losing their target completely after this botched operation.
However, she wasn't panicking yet. Ryan no longer possessed Pym Particles for time travel. As long as he remained in this timeline, she would eventually track him down.
All agents retreated to headquarters.
Back at the Triskelion, Peggy returned to her office followed by Captain America.
"Peggy, are you alright?" Steve asked with concern, maintaining a respectful distance.
Peggy forced a professional smile. "I'm fine, Steve. You should get some rest."
Steve was deeply confused by their relationship dynamics. He'd expected things to develop naturally between them, but after two weeks of working together, she seemed to be deliberately avoiding personal interaction.
Of course, Peggy couldn't explain the real reason for her emotional distance.
Steve assumed that after seventy years frozen in ice, Peggy had moved on and found someone else. Heartbroken but understanding, he kept his feelings to himself.
As soon as Steve departed, Maria Hill entered with urgent intelligence.
"Director, you need to see this."
Hill handed Peggy a secure tablet. After reviewing the footage and zooming in on specific frames, Peggy frowned.
The satellite imagery was grainy due to low-light conditions, but it clearly showed a humanoid figure flying through the night sky, propelled by flames from its feet.
"This was captured over Malibu, California airspace. The flight pattern matches theoretical powered armor specifications."
Peggy returned the tablet and issued orders. "Contact Nick Fury—have him investigate this immediately. Also, recall Natasha Romanoff and Clint Barton for immediate deployment."
Ryan had proven too powerful for Steve Rogers alone. Peggy planned to assemble her best operatives into a specialized capture team.
"I'll reach out to them immediately."
As Hill prepared to leave, Peggy stopped her. "What's the status on the apartment laboratory search?"
"Agent Coulson is supervising the forensic team. Apart from standard laboratory chemicals, we haven't recovered anything significant."
"Understood. Carry on."
Late that night, Ryan emerged from a manhole cover, oriented himself, and immediately began moving through Hell's Kitchen's back alleys.
He stuck to shadows and avoided areas with obvious surveillance cameras.
A patrol car on the main street suddenly turned toward his position. Ryan immediately ducked into a deeper alley, preparing to find an alternate route.
The narrow passage appeared to be a service entrance for a bar or restaurant. Two figures stood by the door, smoking cigarettes in the darkness.
Ryan paid them no attention as he passed by, focused on avoiding the police sweep.
Click!
The distinctive sound of a pistol being cocked made him freeze.
Ryan slowly turned to find a gun aimed at his head.
"Hey, what's in the case, friend? Open it up."
The high-end titanium briefcase looked expensive—far too valuable for Hell's Kitchen. The only time this street thug had seen similar cases was when his boss used them for cash transactions.
Greed had overcome caution when he spotted Ryan carrying it.
Rather than answering, Ryan studied the gunman's build and posture, assessing threat level.
"What, are you deaf?"
The barrel pressed against Ryan's temple just as another pistol materialized in the thug's peripheral vision—held by Ryan.
"Whoa, easy there, man. Let's stay calm."
The would-be robber immediately backed off, recognizing the shift in dynamics.
At that moment, automatic gunfire erupted from inside the building—sustained bursts that sounded like a small war zone.
Screams and shouts mixed with the weapon fire created absolute chaos.
BANG!
The service door exploded outward as a heavily built man emerged. He raised his weapon and executed the second thug with a single headshot, then immediately swung his gun toward Ryan.
BANG!
Ryan reacted instantly, yanking the first thug in front of him as a human shield.
Blood splattered across Ryan's face and chest as the bullet found its mark.
The shooter prepared to fire again, but Ryan hurled the dead body at him with superhuman strength.
The gunman dodged the improvised projectile, and when he turned back, Ryan was already within striking distance.
A casual backhand sent the pistol flying from the man's grip. The shooter responded immediately with a right hook aimed at Ryan's jaw.
Thud!
The punch connected with no effect whatsoever. Ryan stood unmoved while his attacker clutched his hand in obvious pain.
Refusing to quit, the man attempted a kick, but Ryan caught his ankle effortlessly.
"What's your problem?" Ryan asked conversationally.
The man's voice carried the flat tone of someone who'd seen too much death. "Either kill me or let me go. Nothing matters anymore."
This puzzled Ryan considerably.
"If life is meaningless, why are you murdering people? Wouldn't suicide be more efficient?"
"No!" The buzz-cut veteran's demeanor shifted dramatically. "I need to avenge my wife and daughter! I still have one target left. Let me go!"
Suddenly, electrical sparks from overhead power lines provided enough illumination for Ryan to clearly see the man's face.
Frank Castle. The Punisher.
Former Marine Force Reconnaissance, expert in all forms of combat and weapons systems, with specialized training in underwater operations, interrogation, and intelligence gathering.
He possessed no superhuman abilities, but he was arguably the most lethal vigilante in New York.
During a family picnic in Central Park, Frank had witnessed a mob execution. His wife Maria and children Lisa and Frank Jr. were murdered to eliminate witnesses.
Frank was the sole survivor, left for dead.
Using his military connections and investigative skills, he'd tracked down those responsible, but the justice system had failed him. Corrupt officials and legal technicalities allowed the killers to walk free.
Frustrated by institutional failure, Frank decided to dispense justice personally.
These experiences had transformed him into something beyond traditional heroism—he would show zero mercy to anyone involved in criminal activity.
End of Chapter 24
join patreon for update and advance 40+ chapters
https://www.p-atreon.com/c/Soulforger
(Just remove the hyphen to access Patreon normally.)
"If you're enjoying this story, don't forget to drop a Power Stone and Review! Your support keeps me motivated and helps the novel reach more readers."
"100 Power Stones this week = 1 extra chapter release!"
"500 Power Stones = 2 extra chapter release ."