RUSTY | frank castle

THIRTY ONE

Karen grunted, pulling out the white wire. Lewis clicked the switch, but nothing happened. A shot rang in the basement kitchen as Karen shot Lewis's foot. Rusty ran at Lewis, Frank after her, yelling.

Rusty moved Karen quickly out of the way as she tried to get a hold of Lewis. He closed himself into the metal storage containment. Frank tried to get it open, but he locked it from the inside.

Lewis was crying as he put the white wire back.

Rusty and Frank watched as he did that through the small window on the thick, metal door.

"Oh, shit, shit, shit, shit." Karen ran from the door, following Lexi and Fender. "Frank, Rusty we gotta go."

"Karen get out of here." Frank said.

Rusty turned around. "Get outta here, you're safe. Get outta here."

"What?"

"Karen, you go! Go now!"

"Hell, no, come on!" Karen shouted. 

Frank watched Lewis recite the poem, the switch in his hand. "That's it, kid. You can do it."

Rusty realised what was happening, she pushed Karen forward with all her strength while Frank caught her by the back, pulling her as they ran from the door. Lexi and Fender were far away to only get thrown forward by the explosion, but Lewis . . . there was no trace of him left. 

Metal clanged, and shit tons of smoke was filling the room. 

Rusty was on the ground, her ears ringing. Frank had his arm around her waist, holding her close to him. The woman groaned; she turned to Frank. Her vision was clearing, and she felt Frank put a hand on her cheek, seeing if she was okay. 

"Are you okay?"

"Karen and . . ." Rusty mumbled, "and the dogs."

"You." Frank said. "Are you okay?"

Rusty turned to lay on her back, her chest and thigh and right arm all equally painful. She must have had bits of shrapnel embedded in her body somewhere. "Yeah."

Frank stood up slowly, panting. He held a hand to Rusty, who grabbed it and pulled herself up. She grunted, feeling the pain of the impact. "You okay?" She worried. "Nothing broken?"

Frank shook his head a little. "I don't think so."

Rusty saw Fender limping towards her, Lexi sore by his side. They sniffed the air, looking at the blood that remained of Lewis Wilson. His guts splattered in the container, most of him burned to ashes. 

"Come on." Frank whispered. 

Karen joined them, visibly sore.

"Hey!"

A SWAT team was at the door, their guns pointed at them all. 

"Dogs," Rusty whispered, "behind me, now."

Rusty looked at Frank. "Karen's our hostage now."

Frank nodded, getting the idea. 

"Don't shoot!" Karen said. Rusty had her close to her body and a glock in her hand. "Don't shoot."

"Hold your fire!" The officer in charge shouted. "Stand down. Everybody, stand down."

Rusty had a gun pointed to Karen's chin. She limped forward, Frank behind her with Fender in his sore arms. Rusty grunted, looking at all the officers over Karen's head. Rusty was taller than her, so she could analyse her enemy.

"Let her go, Mallard."

Rusty stumbled into the wall, putting her back against it as she grunted again. She pressed the button of the lift, Frank staying behind her as Lexi hid behind his legs. The elevator bell chimed. 

"There's no way out of this." The dark-skinned officer continued. He was the only one not in full SWAT team gear. "We've got the building surrounded."

Rusty ignored him, letting Frank walk into the elevator with Fender and Lexi before she followed. She had barely enough energy to stand up, so she hit the metal wall of the lift, kicking the button to close the door. The arm that wasn't hurt was holding the gun to Karen's throat. 

The doors closed, and Rusty let Karen go. The fiery-haired woman slid to the ground, exhaustion overtaking her whole body. She panted, watching Frank put Fender on the floor of the elevator. He still had his back paw in the air; he must have injured it badly. 

Frank stood in the corner of the elevator, his head down as he panted. Blood dripped from the side of his head and his right arm. 

"Shit, Frank." Rusty noticed a large piece of shrapnel sticking out of his arm. "That's not good."

He looked at Rusty, not seeing any shrapnel on her. What he didn't know, was that small pieces were embedded in her flesh around her body. Frank looked at his arm, shaking his head at his it.

Karen panted, but pulled the emergency stop on the lift. An alarm started blaring, making Rusty wince as her head pounded even more. 

Frank took his gun out and gave it to Karen, not saying anything. He reached a hand out to Rusty, helping her stand up. He jumped up, forcefully pushing open a metal plate on the top of the lift. It was large enough for them to fit through. Frank and Rusty looked through it for a way out. 

Frank turned to Karen, nodding to her. She whispered, "Go."

"Take care." He said. 

Frank took Rusty by the waist with one arm, helping her jump up and grab onto the shaft. She pulled herself up, grunting as she used both arms. The woman panted as she sat on top of the elevator, pulling her feet up theough the shaft.

Crouching down, Frank let Lexi jump from his back up to Rusty, who caught her and pulled her up. He then took Fender in his arms, and passed him to Rusty, who groaned as she used her remaining strength to pull up the heavy Rottweiler. 

Frank then jumped up, grunting as he pulled himself up. Rusty took him by the arms, pulling him up as well. The woman panted, resting her forehead on Frank's as they both sat on the elevator, exhausted. 

"We should get out of here." Rusty said. 

Frank looked her in the eyes, nodding. He whispered, "Yeah."