[center][sub][h1][img]https://i.postimg.cc/FHxsDqvr/punisher2.png[/img]
[b][color=white] T H E  P U N I S H E R[/color]
[color=black]T H E  P U N I S H E R[/color][/b][/h1][/sub]
[sub][h2][b][color=white] I S S U E  # 1[/color]
[color=black]I S S U E  # 1[/color][/b][/h2][/sub]
[sup][h3][b][color=white] P L I E R S[/color]
[color=black]P L I E R S[/color][/b][/h3][/sup][/center]

The first thing that Nicky Francesco sees when he opens his eyes is me sitting in a chair a few feet away from him.

[b]"What the hell is this?"[/b] he asks.

[color=black][b]"What do you think it is, Francesco?"[/b][/color]

[b]"A kidnappin'? Do you have [i]any[/i] idea what you've done?"[/b]

[color=black][b]"No, I don't. Tell me what it is I've done."[/b][/color]

[b]"You've abducted a Goddamn made man! Whatever you do to me, the Saints are gonna pay you back ten fuckin' fold if I don't do it myself!"[/b]

[color=black][b]"Can't be any worse than what they've already done to me."[/b][/color] I stand from my chair and walk over to Francesco, circling him like a shark.

[b]"You tryna scare me? I'll skin you alive, chi-"[/b] My fist slams into his nose.

[color=black][b]"Who did the Saints send after Frank Castle and his family?"[/b][/color]

[b]"Jesus H. Christ- you broke my nose!"[/b]

[color=black][b]"Did you hear me or are you just gonna keep crying?"[/b][/color]

[b]"Who the hell is Frank Castle?"[/b]

[color=black][b]"Detective. NYPD. Led a raid on the cocaine operation running out of those factories in the Bronx. Same raid that Bobby Saint was killed in."[/b][/color]

[b]"Heh, right, that fuckin' guy... Castle, I've heard the name. Why do you care?"[/b]

[color=black][b]"I care because I [i]am[/i] that fucking guy."[/b][/color]

[b]"I don't know who killed your family. I didn't even hear about your fuckin' family till I saw it on the news. I'm just a soldier, I don't run nothin'."[/b]

[color=black][b]"Then I guess I should just kill you right now and move onto bigger fish."[/b][/color]

He laughs. [b]"Bigger fish? I'm the biggest fuckin' fish you'll ever fry, zipp-"[/b] I sock him in the eye. [b]"SHIT!"[/b]

[color=black][b]"We're gonna be up all night until you tell me everything you know."[/b][/color]

I stop looming over Francesco and walk over to a table I had set up earlier. A few options lay before me: a crowbar, some pliers, and a knife. Some small part of me was screaming not to do this. That Frank Castle was a good man with a wife and kids, that he wouldn't do this to anyone.

But Frank Castle is dead. He died with his family. I buried him today.

I grab the pliers and stalk back over to Francesco.

[color=black][b]"Open your mouth."[/b][/color]

He looks down at the pliers in my hand. [b]"Wha-"[/b] I grab his jaw as he speaks, sticking my fingers into his mouth and pulling down to keep it open. I take the pliers and clench onto a molar.

A scream echoes throughout the warehouse.

[b]"FUCK!"[/b]

[color=black][b]"Who do you work under?"[/b][/color]

[b]"Christ, man, you're a cop! You can't fuckin' do this!"[/b]

[color=black][b]"Consider me off duty. Now who's your capo?"[/b][/color]

[b]"I can't tell you!"[/b]

[color=black][b]"You want me to rip another tooth out?"[/b][/color]

His eyes widen and he looks at me in terror. I'm reaching a hand out to grab him by the jaw when he shouts, [b]"BILLY RUSSO!"[/b]

Billy "the Beaut" Russo. I'd heard the name over the course of the last few years investigating the Saints and it was always in hushed whispers. Stories about a hitman who could take on any job and come out on top. He had killed hundreds of people if the stories were true, like some archangel of death.

[color=black][b]"Did Russo kill my family?"[/b][/color]

[b]"You think that your family was worth his fuckin' time!? You stupid fuckin' gooAGH!"[/b] I force his mouth open again and use the pliers to grip onto one of his canines. Then I tug. Another scream.

[color=black][b]"We've got plenty more teeth to go, Francesco."[/b][/color]

[b]"Stop, please, God, just fuckin' stop..."[/b] Blood dribbles out of his mouth as he starts to mutter a prayer.

I start lightly slapping him on the cheek. [color=black][b]"Don't check out on me yet. You've still got one more question to answer."[/b][/color]

[b]"The fuck I do! You don't kill me, the fuckin' Saints will... Just kill me already you sick bastard!"[/b]

[color=black][b]"Where can I find Russo?"[/b][/color]

[b]"He... I can't..."[/b]

[color=black][b]"You want me to keep plucking out your teeth? Use that knife over there to slit your eyes in half? Pry your kneecaps off with a crowbar? Or do you want to tell me so I can just put a bullet in you and we can be done?"[/b][/color]

[b]"... The Stardust. He likes to spend time at the Stardust Lounge in Staten Island when he ain't workin'..."[/b]

[color=black][b]"Good job."[/b][/color]

I drop the pliers and pull out my Glock, levelling the pistol at his head.

A shot rings out in the night.