The Taste of Pain | A Frank Castle Fanfic

Blackbird to Raven

Chapter song: Criminal by Eminem
Foreshadow

Her vision was blurred, she could only see the flames coming from the two cars that were flipped on their side. Lena's ears rang as she forced herself to get on her knees. She let out a cough as she progressed into a stand.

She looked ahead to see a tall man in a black hoodie approach her. "Lena." His deep intimidating voice echoed.

Her vision started to clear and the ringing in her ears stopped. The man grabbed for her elbow. "No, Frank, I got it." She mumbled under her breath as she fully stood up. Her shirt was ripped along with her jeans. She walked to the white van as Frank attended to the woman who was driving the navy blue car.

~

As Frank was putting the guns away David stitched up a scratch on Lena's shoulder. "You weren't joking when you said that you were shot." He said after pulling a stitch through. "What's it from?"

Lena sighed, "It's from a fight I had with an ex. It ended badly."

David tied off the stitch and dabbed a tissue on Lena's arm as Frank was loading up some supplies. "Where'd you think you're going?" Lena asked as she stood up.

"I'm going to try and talk with my friend Gunner," Frank replied.

She breathed deeply, "You're gonna get yourself killed, we just got back from stealing all these guns."

"I'm coming with." David chimed in.

Frank let out a laugh, "If Gunner doesn't want me there then I'd also have to look after your ass."

"Then I'll g-" Lena tried, but Frank cut her off.

"No, we just got back from you being hit by a car." He said as he got in the driver's seat of the white van.

David went up to the passenger's door and sat in the car. Lena could hear the two talking but couldn't make out what they were saying. Before long the van pulled out of the abandoned warehouse. Lena threw her hands up in frustration as she walked to the kitchen to help herself to coffee.

~

Three hours later David burst through the warehouse doors with a man that was unfamiliar to Lena. The two men carried an unconscious Frank to the kitchen table.

Lena grabbed for her gun and aimed it at the unfamiliar man, "Lena! Put the gun down! This is Curtis, Frank's friend." David yelled as he cut off Frank's shirt.

She put down the gun, "What happened to him?"

"He went to see Gunner but he shot Frank with an arrow. Then a group of soldiers attacked them and now we're here." Curtis replied as he grabbed medical supplies.

Lena stood watching as Curtis and David took the arrow out of Franks' shoulder. She would sip her coffee from time to time as David cringed at the arrow being pushed through Franks' chest. The two men patched Frank's chest up then moved him to his cot. Lena sat down in front of his cot and watched with a daze in her eyes.

~

Frank woke abruptly. He immediately sat up and started to look around.

David rushed to Frank's side, "Where is he? Where's Gunner?" Frank said frantically.

"Gone," David replied.

Frank looked around again and tried to push himself up more but David held him down. "I- I gotta find him."

David nodded his head no, "I gave him a proper burial." Frank laid back down in disbelief.

~

Crrr the radio static started to form words. "Blackbird to raven... b- blackbird to raven." Everyone's attention peaked.

"What is that?" Lena asked David, he shrugged and turned his attention to Frank.

"Do you know what this is?" David asked as the message kept replaying.

Frank gave a quiet sigh, "It's Billy Russo, a good friend of mine."

"Does he know you're alive?" David asked.

"No," Frank replied. "But I'm gonna go meet with him."

Lena broke her silence, "What if he's working with homeland?"

Frank got up and walked to the car, "He's a friend that I would take to the grave. He's part of my family."

Lena and David both watched as Frank drove off. They were both worried that he was going to get himself caught. But after the many close calls Frank had, it wasn't likely that his identity would be discovered.