ghosts from the past.

Truth be told, Madalyn didn't really recognize the fact that she had painted a target on her back until Frank pointed it out. She swallowed around the lump that had formed in her throat at that thought, the color draining from her features just a bit. She had no clue what she had gotten into, in part because not everything was written into the file and in part because Frank hadn't been ready to tell her everything. Now even more so than before, Madalyn felt like she had the right to know but she wasn't about to approach that subject with Frank. Not right now, not after everything that had just happened.

"I'm sorry, Frank," Madalyn apologized quietly, after he had finished speaking. "I know I fucked up and I shouldn't have said anything to Sam to begin with but for what it's worth, I didn't give them anything else. Madani already has her suspicions that you're alive, this just gives her a bit more fuel and that's about it. She doesn't have any real proof and I'll make sure to keep a better eye on your file and anything she gets into. Low key, so no one knows about it."

Madalyn cleared her throat, bliinking away the tears that were lingering in the corner of her eyes. "I guess you were right about one thing though. The people in the CIA are fuckin' stupid," Madalyn said bitterly, letting out a dry laugh. She bit back a sigh, looking around, anywhere but at Frank. Her heart was beneath her feet, somewhere that she wouldn't be able to reach any time soon.

"I'll let you know if people catch onto my trail so you can be aware of potential threats but that's the only time I'll contact you, Frank," Madalyn spoke, drawing in a deep breathe as she turned her attention back to him finally. "Other than that, I won't bother you. We both have shit to tend to and maybe this is just the way it's supposed to be between us. Sucks but it is what it is."

Frank wanted both to roll his eyes at her and to pull her into his arms and tell her it was okay. Instead, he walked over to the chair he had been sitting at and pulled it a good distance away from the table before sitting. He propped his elbows and his knees and clasped his fingers together, resting his forehead on his balled fists. He sighed. There was going to be a shit storm coming, that much he knew. He looked up at Madalyn and studied her for a few minutes. He let out a harsh chuckle and rolled his eyes as he shook his head.

“Never fuckin’ been able to shake you when you look at me like that so stop it,” Frank tried to tease with her, but his voice was harsher than normally. He was sure she understood. His chin was now resting on his hands, back hunched as he thought about where they needed to go from here. “I wanna tell you the shit, but I don’t know if I can know, Madalyn…”

Frank sighed, feeling like he was pinned beneath a rock and a hard place. He wasn’t sure if he was gonna feel okay talking to her about the shit she wanted to know any time soon, but if Madani knew he was alive, she sure as hell was gonna start talking. He was sure she knew more than anyone else.

“Look, I’ll just tell you this. There was a lot of illegal, off the books shit that happened over there. I killed a lot of fuckin’ people, Maddy, a lot. But I was ordered too, just fuckin’ followin’ orders and—” Frank swallowed the lump in his throat. “One of Madani’s was one of ‘em.”

Frank looked away, suddenly feeling very ashamed of his actions all over again. He shook his head. “I ain’t getting’ into the logistics and shit with you right now, I don’t have the fuckin’ patience or energy for it—I just, I… Madani has it out for me and that’s why I would have rather you not fuckin’ say anything. She don’t know all what happened, but I’m sure she knows my ass is involved.”

Madalyn simply rolled her eyes at Frank's comment, not having the energy to take it anyy better. She huffed, chewing on the inside of her lip as she studied him. She waited for Frank to speak, figuring that it was probably better that way. That whatever she had to say didn't really matter, not if Frank wasn't open to hearing it to begin with. She swallowed as Frank began to speak, bracing herself for whatever was coming her way. She wasn't sure what she thought it was going to be but it ended up being better than she had originally thought.

She shrugged her shoulders, looking down to her hands that were clasped in her lap. "You don't have to tell me, Frank. It is what it is, whatever we're up against. We'll figure it out because if anyone can, it's you and me. I'm the smarts though," Madalyn teased softly, allowing her lips to quirk upward in a small smile before it dropped just as quickly as it had appeared.

The color drained from her features when Frank explained that there was plenty of illegal activity. Sure, Madalyn knew that much. And truthfully, she wasn't really that surprised about the rest of what Frank told her either. But it was the realization that Frank was admitting it to her, trusting her with the information, that made Madalyyn's blood run cold.

Madalyn stood, slowly tiptoeing toward Frank. "I've spoken to Madani about it, Frank. She doesn't... she doesn't want to take you down necessarily. Not for that, anyway. She wants to make the people who were in charge pay. The same people you're after, she's after," she paused, standing in front of Frank now. "I won't tell her anything else, I swear to you. I'm just trying to say that maybe... maybe Madani on your side isn't such a bad thing, y'know?"

Whatever it is we’re up against, her words ran in his ears over and over. Frank wasn’t even completely sure that he was going to be okay with letting her do more work with him; hell she had already broken one rule, not to mention the biggest fucking rule that he had implemented—and he had implemented it for a reason! But frank knew that she wasn’t going to go down with out a fight. She wasn’t going to be content with just covering his tracks. She wanted to be involved. Always wanted to be involved. Frank sighed and shook his head. “We’re? What do you mean we’re?” Frank looked at her, amusement evident in his eyes so she’d knew he was only kidding, but he was still pissed and feeling betrayed.

“Look, I know that Madani might not be out to get ta just me, okay?” Frank confirmed, nodding his head with his words for emphasis. “But I know she’s willin’ to go through me or fuckin’ take me out in the process, Madalyn. You gotta know that too, don’t ya?”

Frank looked at her almost pleadingly, hoping that she was going to understand the point he was trying to get across. “Don’t know if I want a gal like her on my side any how…” Frank pondered with a finger on his lips. He wasn’t looking at her now, more so looking directly behind and above her head. “Associates with people who go around spillin’ the beans ‘n shit.” Frank knew it was a low blow, but he couldn’t help himself as he sat there smirking at her. He decided it would be the last comment he made…. For now.

Madalyn rolled her eyes, exhaling sharply as she fixed Frank with a hard look. “We as in you, me, Lieberman. Whoever else is on your side,” Madalyn answered dryly. She was sure David was heavily involved in just about everything that Frank did and while she wasn’t sure what that all involved, Madalyn would take the plunge. For Frank, of course, but also for the justice that hadn’t been served yet. The justice for things she wasn’t even aware of yet but if she had been, they would have made her blood run cold.

Madalyn let out a small sigh, giving a nod of her head. “Yeah. I know she’s willing to but you get her on your side by working with her, not so much against her. You have to realize that...right?” She asked, raising a brow.

Pursuing her lips, Madalyn waited with baited breathe for whatever Frank was going to say to her. And she wasn’t the least bit surprised by his comment. “For fuck’s sake. No, she doesn’t. We both work separately, our only real connection is Sam... and that we both work for the CIA. Nothing more, nothing less, Castle.”

She took a deep breathe, letting her feet carry her toward Frank before she could think better of it. Standing not even a foot in front of him now, Madalyn studied his features for a moment. “Can I... Dunno, have a hug?” Shit, Madalyn knew she was making a damn fool out of herself but she was telling herself she didn’t know when she would see Frank again. If she would see him again. She minus well take advantage of his presence while she could.

Frank wanted to open his mouth and tell her that there was no real line drawn in the sand to where they stood at the moment, but in all honesty he was ready to get this conversation over with. Frank had always hated awkward shit, and well right now, it was pretty fucking awkward. He shouldn’t have to have someone telling him who he should and shouldn’t work with. While yes, David did help him out, he necessarily wasn’t working for or with David. He wished that Madalyn would just understand that. He wished she would leave it alone and just go back to the initial thing Frank wanted and needed—for her to cover his tracks. But Frank could see that it wasn’t going to happen any time soon.

“Let’s get this one thing straight,” Frank said, trying his damndest not to growl his words at the women who was sitting across from him. “I ain’t workin’ with Madani. If I makes you happy, I won’t try ‘n go after her or anything like that,” Frank paused to shake his head. “But I ain’t fuckin’ workin’ with her, Madalyn. That’s gonna be a hard fuckin’ no from me. Don’t try and make me do somethin’ I ain’t willing to do, and I’ll let you do whatever the hell it is you wanna do. But don’t push me into somethin’ I don’t want right now.”

Frank watched as she stood, baffled as she promptly walked right over to him. He couldn’t help the small smile that tugged at his lips when she asked for a hug, she sounded so small and so timid—so unlike the person he used to know. Frank wiped his hands on his pants a stood up, nodding his head as he reached out his arms. Frank’s embrace engulfed her as he brought her to his chest, his back rigid with the feel of human contact this way. “Sorry for yellin’ and shit.”

Madalyn let out a sigh, shaking her head at how angered Frank seemed to be at the suggestion of him working with Madani. She was sure that he had a vendetta against the government as a whole and she couldn't really say she blamed him but as far as she was concerned, winning over the enemy wasn't necessarily that bad of a thing. She cleared her throat, nodding slowly when Frank insisted that she dropped the subject. She still stood on one side and Frank so clearly on the other but she wasn't going to bother to continue pressing the matter. If Frank felt that strongly about it, she would let him have that.

She would be lying if she said that she didn't notice the way that Frank's body stiffened as she slid her arms around his waist. Logically, Madalyn knew she should have stepped away and given him space because he was obviously not all that comfortable with the idea, even if he didn't voice it. But Madalyn, she was being selfish and she wasn't afraid to admit that. Not for just a few seconds. Letting her eyes flutter shut, a little smile settled on Madalyn's features, even before Frank apologized.

Laughing, Madalyn stepped back, hoping that her makeup was still in place enough that Frank wouldn't notice the tinge to her cheeks. "Sorry for yelling? Did I just hear you right? You're sorry for being loud? Frank Castle, are you feeling okay?" Madalyn teased, biting at her bottom lip. She looked up at him through his lashes, eyeing him for a moment. "S'okay," Madalyn spoke softly, a bit more serious this time around. "I fucked up and I'll admit that," she said, giving a shrug of her shoulders. "We just gotta.. we just gotta move past it and kick some ass, hm?" Madalyn said, smirking slightly now. "I mean, you'll do most of the ass kicking but I bet I could do my fair share. Maybe even take the famous Frank Castle on."

Frank would be lying if he said he didn’t feel at least the tiniest content with her in his arms. The smell of her shampoo was making him drowsy in the best of ways. He had forgotten just how well she fit against his chest. He closed his as and embraced the feeling for a fleeting moment, before pushing it back to the depths of his mind. That wasn’t a road they needed to travel down at the moment—or possibly even ever again. He shook his head and couldn’t help the genuine chuckle that passed his lips as she started to speak.

“I am fully capable of apologizing for when I have been an ass and shit,” Frank said, the smallest amount of defiance in his voice. “I just… I just didn’t come over here and expect you to say that. Thought you were gonna tell me you didn’t wanna help me anymore or you had found out some bad shit or something. You just threw me off guard, s’all.”

For some reason, Frank wanted to tell her she didn’t need to apologize. Madalyn had always been a brutally honest individual, and here he was trying to change that. Trying to have her lie and cheat and sneak around to so something for a fucking convict. Frank knew she was always loyal to those she loved and trusted, telling them everything she had to tell. He assumed this Sam person was one of those people. But just because Madalyn trusted them, didn’t mean Frank was going to. Therefore, he wasn’t going to stop her apology.

Instead, Frank reached out and squeezed her shoulder when she backed away. “We’ll get this shit worked out as long as it doesn’t get me fuckin’ killed in the process.” He smirked at her, knowing that she knew what he was trying to say. “Can’t go cuttin’ our noses off to spite our fuckin’ faces. We’ll figure it all out.”

Madalyn had been relieved when the tension dissipated when Frank had visited her apartment for a second time. Hell, she had known he was going to be pissed off and he had every right to be. She knew that. So when things turned out better than she'd expected, Madalyn certainly wasn't going to fight it. She settled on the fact that she needed to be a bit more careful in her knowledge of Frank being alive, she couldn't throw it around like it was common knowledge or even acceptably to be aware of.

Sitting in her office, Madalyn was focused on the job in front of her. She was trying to track down a high ranking member of Al-Qaeda. These people meant nothing to her, all she thought was that they needed to be brought to justice. Of course she thought a fair trial was better but even she had to admit that sometimes, them just... disappearing was better than the alternative. Sometimes people had to pay their debts with their lives.

She was sure that she was onto something, leaning forward in her seat as her eyes narrowed. Her attention focused forward, Madalyn hadn't seen Sam coming so she jumped slightly when he opened her door and shut it quickly. Madalyn's brows pulled together at the look on Sam's face. She couldn't quite place the emotion but whatever it was, there was something off and it had a sour feeling forming in the pit of her stomach.

"Sam... what's up?"

Madalyn's hackles raised when Sam started talking to her about Frank but then, there was a shift in the conversation that she hadn't been expecting. She laughed softly, shaking her head slowly. "Russo's good, Sam... I don't know. I know you don't like the guy but Frank," she paused, hesitating. She wasn't supposed to admit anything about the vigilante but here, she felt like she was at an impasse. "I think Frank would trust him. I mean, they served together and now Russo has Anvil. There's no way in hell that he's dirty, shit's probably just a weird coincidence. Right?"

Sam Stein was sure that Billy Russo was one dirt mother fucker. There was just something about him, something that was off. The way that pretty face would contort into a small, devilish grin when Rawlins was mentioned or the way he thought his smirk was hidden when Madani would talk about her lost partner. Sam had a hunch about Russo, he was sure that the man was involved in shit he ought not be involved in. Sam had a gut feeling, when they got to the end of all this shit, that Billy Russo was going to be at the end of their path. He just had no way to prove it. And know with his new found information of Frank Castle still being alive and being connected with Madalyn, she was the first person that he could confide in about it.

Sam walked into Madalyn’s office with purpose, closing the door and quickly sitting down. “What do you know about this Billy Russo guy? You think he has anything to do with this shit?”

Sam listened to Madalyn’s answer, but something still wasn’t adding up… It just wasn’t. Sam rubbed his chin, thinking about how to go about this situation. “Just seems like he’s getting real close to Madani for all the wrong reasons, I just, I dunno, I don’t like the guy. He gives me a really bad fucking feeling and I think he is connected some way… I just gotta figure out how first.”

Sam leaned forward, clasping his hands together as his forearms lay across his knees. “I’m gonna dig some shit up and figure it out. I think he might be behind some shit and your friend Frank might not know it yet… I know you got ties with Frank and I’m assuming you want what’s best for him?” Sam waited for her to nod. “I think me and you should uncover this guy, Madalyn.”

Madalyn frowned as Sam continued to press the issue about Billy Russo. She had never met the man, had no reason to. So she had no real opinion on the man other than knowing that he had served with Frank. She pursed her lips, her eyes narrowing slightly as she studied Sam. She had worked with the man plenty, they'd grown close enough that she considered him her best friend.

"Okay, okay," Madalyn spoke, holding her hands up in defense. She leaned back in her chair, relaxing a bit. "If you can dig something up on him, anything, I'll be on your side. You know I will," Madalyn agreed, saying a silent prayer that Sam was wrong. Frank had already hurt so much, she could only imagine how much worse he would feel if it turned out his best friend wasn't as great of a guy as Frank originally thought or hoped.

She pointed a finger at Sam suddenly, an idea popping into her head that she was sure would make Frank proud. Hell, it made her proud. "I'll back you, shit, I'll even help you do some digging if you need me to but don't say anything else about Frank to Madani. I don't care if it's the most mundane detail that doesn't matter. She'll pick it apart and Frank, he doesn't need Madani on his trail right now. He's still got shit to sort out..." Madalyn trailed off, swallowing as she fixed Sam with a hard look. "I don't condone what he's doing, Sam... but I'm just saying I don't think he's doing anything that anyone else wouldn't do. I mean.." Madalyn trailed off, sighing as she shook her head. "Forget it. Let's not argue logistics, they don't matter any way."

Madalyn glanced toward the time before turning back toward Sam. "Let's grab a bite to eat. I'm starving."

There was no doubt in Sam Stein’s mind that he was going to dig up something on Billy Russo. When the agent put his mind to something or had a hunch, he was going to follow it through until the very end. Nothing was going to stop Sam from figuring out what the hell was going on with that guy. Not only did he have his partner, Madani, to worry about, but now he had Madalyn’s wellbeing to worry about.

Sam nodded along as Madalyn scolded him about not saying anything to Madani about Frank. Sure, Madani was his partner, but Madalyn was his best friend and that’s where his loyalties laid. With her. “You got it, Mads, I won’t say shit.” Sam smiled at her and held two fingers up. “Scouts honor.”

---

Frank Castle had spent the past few day’s laying low. As low as he possibly could. He was paranoid ever since Madalyn confessed what she had done. Frank was looking over his shoulder, waiting for a fucking CIA agent to pop out and grab his ass up. He knew it was unlikely because he trusted Madalyn, but Frank Castle didn’t trust the two fucks that she was confiding in.

Frank sat in the bunker, bullshitting with Micro about his wife. Frank had been going over and checking on Sarah and the kids ever since the incident in the driveway. His mind flashed to Madalyn and he was suddenly curious on how the girl would react if she knew he had bought Micro’s wife flowers. Frank smirked to himself. He thought for a moment and figured he should give Madalyn a call and see if there had been anymore talk from the CIA bigwigs about one Frank “the Punisher” Castle.

Madalyn had thought that Sam wouldn't be able to find anything that was suspicious. She was sure that Frank trusted Billy and if Frank trusted the former marine, so did Madalyn. She saw no reason not to. Hell, she had no real need to be cautious, not like Frank did. But when Sam came to her with several pieces of paper, all print outs of Billy Russo's banking activity, all pointing to several bank deposits into William Rawlins' account, Madalyn felt the skin on the back of her neck raise. Goosebumps littered her skin and not for the first time, a weird feeling that she simply couldn't shake settled in the pit of her stomach.

She hadn't thought it was weird, until Sam pointed out a few facts that had her further unnerved. Rawlins was a high ranking agent in the CIA, Billy Russo was a former Marine, owner of the private military group by the name of Anvil. Why was Russo funneling money into Rawlins' account? Madalyn wasn't sure but she had to agree with Sam, it was one helluva coincidence.

Madalyn took the papers from Sam, promising that they would go out for lunch in a few days. Just as soon as she had the time to spare. That night, Madalyn went home and read over the information again and again. None of it really was connecting yet but she was almost sure that it would be interesting to Frank, she'd be looking out for him after all. That had to be a good thing, right?

Her phone was sitting on the opposite side of the dining room table so when it rang, Madalyn very nearly jumped out of her skin. Reaching for it, Madalyn rolled her eyes at the number that flashed across the screen. Speaking of the devil.

"Hey," Madalyn greeted Frank almost immediately, chewing on the inside of her lip. Raising her eyes to the ceiling, Madalyn said a silent curse. "Can I come over?" She blurted out, wincing at how awkward it had to sound.

"I have some information that you might find interesting and I think it might be good if... if, David, that's his name, right? Is there because..." Madalyn trailed off, shrugging her shoulders. When she realized Frank couldn't see her, she bit back a huff. "I know it probably seems suspicious or stupid or something but I think that Sam might be right about what he's on to..." Madalyn said, hoping that Frank would see the sense in what she was trying to get at.

Frank raised his eyebrow as soon as Madalyn rushed out the question of her coming over. HE looked around at the dwellings, briefly wondering if it was a place he should be bringing her to. No one knew about the bunker besides David, Curtis, and himself. Frank clenched his jaw, silently sighing through his nostrils as he battled with the decision of allowing her to come over or not. Why wouldn’t she be trusted there? Well, apparently, she was now working with Frank. How he allowed her to weasel her way into that one, he would never quite truly figure out. It seemed as though The Punisher still did have some softness in his heart.

“I mean, fuck, I guess you can come over here?” It was more of a question than an answer, as he was now looking to Lieberman who had his eyebrows raised and alert present in his eyes. He shook his head a Micro as if to say, ‘don’t fuckin’ worry ‘bout it.’ David screwed up his face and shook his head at Frank, but quickly turned his attention back to the computer in front of him when he realized his input was not needed. “Yeah, you can come. Just… Whatever, yeah. Sure.”

Franks ears perked up and his attention was more focused on what Madalyn was saying when she started to trail about information. What information could she have possibly uncovered? Clues and tracks and tips were all sorts of welcomed, anything that could lead him closer to the fucks that played a hand in his family’s death. “Information? On what?” Frank bit down on his lip when she mentioned Sam. God, he didn’t want that guy having anything to do with what was going on. He was fucking Madani’s partner for Christ sake. Frank knew he was going to have to swallow a little bit of pride when it came to that one. Madalyn seemed adamant that the man could be trusted and Frank trusted Madalyn’s judgement... Most of the time.

“I’ll get David to send you our coordinates securely, ain’t safe to have this place out there for the public to find.”

"You mean, I can't blast it all over social media?" Madalyn countered back, unable to contain the roll of her eyes. She smirked to herself, quickly saying 'goodbye' and hanging up before Frank could say anything back to her. Waiting as patiently as she knew how to, Madalyn was on her feet and rushing toward the address that had been sent to her. In one hand, Madalyn gripped the papers and the other, it shook as she stepped up to the door of the bunker. She had been nervous before but now, she was feeling all sorts of doubts that she wasn't so sure she was going to be able to get through. Would Frank believe her? She couldn't remember the last time that they had seen each other before the murders and she knew Billy had served with Frank. Bonded long and hard, over things that Madalyn could never hope to understand.

Swallowing as she lowered herself into a chair beside where David sat in front of his array of computers, Madalyn pulled the papers from the file. She set the file down on the desk before launching into a description about what Sam had uncovered, without giving away the names just yet. She knew that convincing Frank that this was a worthwhile lead would be hard but she hoped if she went about the information first and connected the names after... that she might be more successful.

Madalyn cleared her throat, reaching up to run her fingers through her hair. "Willian Rawlins, he's the one who received all of the deposits," she paused long enough to take a deep breathe, her eyes finding Frank's. "Willian Russo is sending them. Monthly, from his Anvil business account. I know you aren't going to like it, Frank, but Sam's had a weird feeling about it for as long as I can remember. And for what it's worth, I'm starting to agree with him. "

Frank wasn’t sure what to make of the information that Madalyn had just spoken to him. Immediately, his face hardened, and a deep frown settled into his lips. He shook his head pushing the papers back towards her. His was still shaking his head, over and over. She was lying, it was doctored. It had to be. There was no way that Billy Russo was still in contact with that dirty fuck, let alone sending him millions of dollars. There was no way in hell. It couldn’t be true.

“They’re fake,” Frank rationalized. “They have to be fake or someone has hacked into his account and sent those—”

Frank watched as David reached across the table and grabbed the statements. David’s eyes were searching and scanning the documents, trying to find any hint that they may have been falsified or that it was suspicious activity. David shook his head and slid the papers back over to Madalyn.

“It’s a set amount that seems to be sent at the same time every month, Frank.” David mumbled, voice soft as to not piss Frank off anymore than he clearly was. “It seems to be set up that way. There is no way it could get passed Russo’s radar. Not with that amount and with it happening on the same day every time.”

Frank stood up abruptly. His blood was boiling—he had been betrayed. How could his brother do this to him? Frank would have laid his fucking life down on the line for that man at one point. And now he was banding up with the very man who sent his family to their graves? There was no fucking way. Frank softened for the briefest of moments, looking Madalyn directly in the eyes, hurt laying beneath the pools of brown that were his own eyes. “Are you sure?”

Madalyn hadn't really been as prepared as she thought she was to tell Frank what she thought was going on with Billy Russo. Frank had been betrayed by the government that he had defended for a majority of his life, had been betrayed by the very people that had been in direct command of him. The people that he was supposed to be able to trust with every ounce of his being, they had looked at him as nothing more than a warrior who had no feelings, no emotions whatsoever. And now, Madalyn was here to tell him that the man who Frank had once considered a brother, well, he was perhaps not quite as trustworthy as Frank had thought, as he had hoped.

She was more than a bit relieved when David pointed out the transfers' authenticity. It seemed that Frank took the man's word sincerely, that he thought highly of David even if he was more annoyed by the hacker than anything else.

Swallowing back the swell of emotion in her throat, Madalyn looked up to Frank slowly. Her heart broke for him because as angry as he was, as angry as he looked, Madalyn could see the hurt in his eyes. She nodded, watching Frank with baited breathe. Without looking at David, Madalyn spoke softly. "Can we.. have a minute? Please?" David eyed her warily, letting out a sigh as he nodded before leaving the area to give them their privacy.

Madalyn slowly pushed to her feet, as if afraid that if she moved too quickly, she might spook Frank. "I'm sorry, Frank. I don't... I didn't want to tell you but I think you deserve to know everything that may or may not be involved in this case," she paused, fear flashing across her features as a thought dawned on her. "Sam. He's always had a thing against Billy because he says Russo is too damn pretty. That he doesn't like how close Russo is getting to Madani," she said, her eyes roaming over Frank's features as she spoke. "Russo is getting closer and closer to Madani every day. Now, it could be pure coincidence but I don't think it is. Russo's history with you, Madani's interest in you, in Cerberus..." Madalyn trailed off, clearing her throat. "Does Billy know you're alive? If he does, he's playing Madani in hopes she'll find you. Or at least... at least it's a possibility that we need to be aware of."

Madalyn lingered in front of Frank, wanting to reach out and comfort him but she felt like if she did, he wouldn't like it and upsetting Frank when he was in such a shitty position to begin with, that was the last thing she wanted. "Sam's going to keep working hte case, see if he can't find more concrete evidence because he's a stubborn bastard. I'll... I'll report back to you, whatever he finds. If I think it's important. Okay?" Madalyn's arms were stiff by her sides as she struggled to remain professional, to keep this the way she was sure Frank wanted it to be. This was more about him and his story than it would ever be about her, trying to take the attention and put it on her own selfish desires wasn't something she was willing to do.

Frank wasn’t sure what to think. His mind was reeling. Anger and sadness and betrayal and plain just pissed off. Half of him wanted to go and find that fucker William Russo and give him a piece of his mind. The other half wanted to break down and throw a fucking tantrum. It was almost as if this life would just not let up on Frank Castle. It kept badgering him and breaking him and testing him. He was never going to be able to rest. He was never going to be able to breath. He was never going to be able to trust anyone—anyone except…

“Hell no, he doesn’t know ‘m alive.” Frank looked at Madalyn with a hard glare. Fuck, he knew this wasn’t her fault. He knew she had nothing to do with those transfers and surely she didn’t having anything to do with the relationship that seemed to be between Russo and Rawlins. But here he was being an asshole to her when all she was trying to do was give him information. She was just trying to help. Madalyn was just trying to look out for him. Frank sighed, running a hand over his face. “’M sorry. I just—” Frank looked at her, a sense of pleading hiding behind the rage and anger that was flaming in his eyes. “This is such bullshit, Maddy. After everything I fuckin’ did for him, after he watched my fuckin’ family—” Frank’s words were breaking, throat swallowing them, but he had to continue. “He watched the die, Mads, he fuckin’—he was there! And he knows this shit, how am I supposed to—how am I supposed,”

Frank huffed, turning away from her briefly. He knew if he kept going he was going to start yelling and that eventually turned into breaking shit or going after the person who laid behind his anger. But Frank had to play this one smart. He couldn’t be rash. He sighed and rolled his shoulders before he turned back to Madalyn. He reached out a hand and grabbed her bicep, giving it a gently squeeze. “I ‘preciate you tellin’ me and bringin’ this here.” His eyes flicked downward and he licked his lip. “What do we do now?”

Madalyn's shoulders visibly relaxed when Frank confirmed that Billy didn't know that he was alive. If she was right about this, if Sam was right about Billy being still in contact with Rawlins, it was probably a good thing that he didn't know Frank was alive. She let out a small sigh, reaching up to run a hand through her hair. She was feeling surprisingly exhausted for how boring her day had been but with t he load of emotional things that had been piled on her shoulders, Madalyn thought maybe it was fair that she was this tired. She looked up to Frank, shaking her head when he started trying to apologize.

"No, Frank. Stop, it's fine," Madalyn waved off his apology, shaking her head when he he continued to rant. Her heart broke as Frank's words did, only able to begin to imagine the sort of pain he felt at the moment. She shook her head, hesitating as she watched Frank turn away from her. "I'm the one that's sorry, Frank. I'm sorry that I'm the one to break this to you. I can imagine how you're feeling because if this shit is right then..." she trailed off, sure she didn't need to piece together what the bank transfers were hinting at.

Madalyn's stomach churned as Frank turned back toward her. She was battling the urge to comfort Frank but she didn't know how he would react, if he would welcome it or if it would only serve to push him further into the hole he was in. But then Frank's hand wrapped around her bicep and her logic went out the window. She stepped forward to wrap her arms around him, giving him as tight of a squeeze as she could. "You keep doing what you're doing and Sam and I will do what we're doing. I'm going to talk to him and make sure that he tells me anything and everything that Madani is discovering about you so that we can stay one step ahead. And when the time's right, I'll be by your side when this shit blows up," she promised softly, stepping away from him finally. Madalyn didn't know everything she had gotten herself into but she'd be damned if she didn't help Frank out, especially after what Sam had discovered about Frank's best friend.

Frank truly had no clue where he was supposed to go from there. He had just found out that the one person he thought would never betray him, besides Cutis of course, had done just that. It was funny, really. Frank never knew and never understood why people did what they did in the shadows. He knew that Billy had become very successful with Anvil, but now, now Frank just wanted to destroy all of that—just like Billy had destroyed any chance of Frank ever coming clean to him. Part of Frank felt as though he was being irrational, that he was making a bigger deal of this than what he needed to… But, the other part of Frank felt sick—felt this gut feeling that something was wrong. His heart wanted to make excuses for Russo. There had to be a reason, right? But his mind and his brain and the logic that Frank held with in him told him that something dirty and way fucking shady was happening here.

When Madalyn mentioned Madani, Frank stilled. If this woman was close to Russo and he was now doing dirty shit—there was no telling what Billy had said to her about Frank. Especially if he was now teamed up with Rawlins. Frank hoped like hell that Billy wasn’t lying on him or spreading shit about him that was false. “He’s prob’ly telling her a whole buncha bullshit about me,” Frank laughed bitterly, accentuating his frustrations with a dramatic roll of his eyes. “No tellin’ what the hell is going to happen from here, Mads.”

Part of Frank wanted to track the fucker down, or at least go to Curtis and see if he knew anything about what was going on. However, Frank didn’t want to be let down with anymore disappointment. “Gonna need you guys to run a check on Curtis before I talk to him. Dunno who I can and can’t fuckin’ trust anymore.”