chap. 3 - Punisher

The rest of Saturday was as usual, me helping Jess get information and contacts, after that she walked me home, where I handed her some more information from our current contracts.

On Sunday, Jess and May take Peter to the park, with 4,5,6. I'm not leaving my family unprotected right.

My spades 7, 8 and 9, come back to me bringing 5 smartphones, with mine being the main one and with the AI I would like. As soon as they are delivered to me, I ask them to save Frank Castle's family, and that as I pull them out of the middle of the firefight, I blow up a grenade like it looks like a gas leak.

I also negotiated the purchase of the building where I live, and since there are vacant apartments, I decided to leave the ones on the top floor free and rent the first 3.

I took my car and went to the press conference that Tony had requested. After all, I am one of the shareholders of the company, and I need to know what is going on.

When I arrive, I see Pepper and Happy on the side of the podium, together with Phil Coulson. I approach.

"Mister Nox, surprised to see you, it's been a long time since you've shown up for meetings," a nervous Pepper tells me trying to smile.

"You don't need Mister Vi, you know me well enough to know that. And I stopped going to meetings because of your boyfriend over there," I say pointing at Tony.

"He's not my boyfriend Ric, stop it." she says exasperated.

"That's how good it is, when you remember that I am also your friend and not just a partner in the company." I laugh at her, which earns me a punch on the shoulder and a smile from her.

She was the girl I went out with when we were in college, then she started modeling, and we became friends. Then she quit fashion and went to work with Killian, which didn't last long because of the harassment. After that she went to Stark where she started working and was nicknamed "Pepper" by Tony.

"Good reveal also Mr. Coulson, how's work going?" I ask a nervous Phil, but that's for another reason.

"It's going well Mr. Nox. And you don't have to call me sir, Phil or Coulson is enough for me." he says still nervous.

"Okay, then, I'll do that as long as you relax a little and call me something other than Mister Nox," I tell him smiling.

He visibly relaxes, as I pick up my cell phone and text him his number. "Now you have my number, contact me if you need me."

He takes the cell phone, saves my number, and puts it away again.

Tony then finishes his speech, Obadiah tries to undo the face of someone who has sucked a bad lemon, I say goodbye to everyone and go home.

I don't get in touch with Tony for one simple reason, I don't like him.

Arriving at the building, I find a woman and two children, frightened but whole and alive. I already know who they are, so I quickly take them to the apartment I have prepared, and explain the whole situation to them.

They are happy to be together and alive, but worried about Frank.

I tell them that he is alive and that he will get better, that I will prepare new identities and passports for them, and that if they want to go to another country, I will help them.

They deny it. They want to stay and wait for their father/husband. Then I offer her to work as my secretary, so that her family remains safe and secure, and when possible, whole. She agrees and I tell her she starts the other week.

I leave the apartment and tell number 10 that as of today, his job is to protect the building. What he understands between the lines.

I arrive at the apartment and prepare an orange juice and some goodies for the staff, but what I didn't count on was seeing the arrival of a frightened Peter and helpless May.

I take care of Peter for a while, so that he can relax. This will still be in his memories for a while, so I distract him with games and play, drawings and movies as much as I can.

Seeing the child sleeping exhausted, I go to take care of the women. First I go to Jess, who was only a little shaken up, but was fine.

May, on the other hand, was a little worse. While she was protecting Jess and Peter from the bullets that no one knew where they were coming from, and that miraculously did not hit them, she saw a woman and two children near the merry-go-round that had exploded due to what she thinks, a gas leak.

It scared her too much when she realized that it could have been her and the children instead of that mother and children.

I comfort her as best I can, and take her to the room she usually uses to rest here and feel safer.

With the return of 2 I now have all my swordsmen gathered in one place. I tell 8 and 9 to protect the Parker's, 7 will protect Jess, 6 , 5 and 4 will look for information on the Cerberus operation. 3 will take care of the Castle family, 2 of Frank and 1 is my arm in case I need something.

I ask number 1 to switch places with 9 for a brief time, once they switch I ask him to make me 6 more smartphones.

I take 3 of the smartphones and ask Eve, my AI, to research and create some fun games on the smartphones while I wrap the others as gifts.

I go to Jess, put her in the children's room, cover her up and leave the room closing the door.

I go to my room, undress and lay down on the bed for my meditation/sleep.

I 'wake up' early, do my stretching, get dressed, wrap the other 3 smartphones for gifts, ask Eve to create new identities the Castle family will change to Prince.

While she does this, I do my morning run and exercise, get home around 8am, where I find everyone still sleeping, I head to the shower.

I start preparing a sumptuous breakfast, as we will have visitors today.

Number 9 comes back with the smartphones I asked for, switches places with 1, and I go to the Prince's apartment.

I knock on the door and find them sitting at a table having a cup of coffee. "I see I'm late, I was going to invite you for breakfast," I say with a defeated smile.

"I don't see a problem, we can have another one." says an excited Frank Jr.

Seeing the family smiling and joking I feel more relieved.

"Well, before we go then, let me explain something," I say as I look at them seriously, closing the door behind me, "You are now the Prince family, you bought this apartment a week ago when your mother got a job as my secretary. Unfortunately I will have to use yesterday's event to justify the loss of your documents. So be strong for your father okay?"

The children nod to me and Maria confirms that she understands.

They walk me to my apartment, where they find two children sleeping in the living room.

"Oops, forgot to wake them up" I laugh. "Sit down, I'll wake you all up" I say giving them a wicked smile. Which makes Frank and Lisa laugh.

"I so wish I could give my little soldier a present, but I will have to find another one since they are sleeping." I speak loudly and notice Peter's little head rise up quickly.

"No" he yells , which makes the Prince family and I laugh.

"Ok then, today's mission. If you wake May and Jess you get a present" I say and regret it.

Young Peter smiles and says looking at the Prince brothers "Big sister and brother come with me, so Uncle Ric has to give 3 gifts."

'Damn kid, you're 9 years old and you already got the idea of reading the contract between the lines' I think as I make an indignant face.

The two little Prince boys look at me and I smile. "I'm going to count to 10 or you will lose". I barely finish saying and I see Peter pulling Lisa and Frank along.

I leave the wrappings on the table as I put the food on the table. As soon as everyone sits down and the children see 3 parcels, their eyes glaze over.

"No, not until after I finish eating breakfast."

And so the morning goes on.