- "I let him do something really stupid. I gave him my word I'd let him sacrifice himself for us."
"Are those men gonna kill him?"
"If he doesn't kill them first. All he wants is the chance."
"I hope he does it. Those men? They deserve to go to hell, and I hope he sends them there."
"More likely he's being tortured and/or killed right now. And there's not a damn thing we can do about it because we don't have the first clue where he is." - ―David Lieberman, Sarah Lieberman and Dinah Madani[src]
The Capture of Frank Castle was a brutal torture of Frank Castle by William Rawlins and Billy Russo before the tables turned and Frank killed Rawlins.
Background
- "You want that family back. I want Lieberman, and I want you."
"That sounds about right."
"I'll set up the exchange, then." - ―Billy Russo and Frank Castle[src]
The Punisher interrogates the last agent.
After interrogating and killing the last Anvil agent, Castle used his phone and called Billy Russo. Castle accused Russo of not having the balls to face him in person and sending his men to do the dirty work. Punisher vowed that the two would have a face off and one would kill the other. Russo denied the face off form happening, as Castle was a wanted and likely be captured or killed by Homeland Security.
Castle warned him that if anything happened to the Liebermans, Micro would release everything on Operation Cerberus. The two agreed to have an exchange for Micro and Castle in exchange for the Liebermans.[5]
Capture
Russo watching the exchange from afar
- "Get him!"
"In the van, now!" - ―Billy Russo and Anvil Soldier[src]
At the exchange, Russo was placed above and had a sniper rifle to watch. However, Homeland Security agents came and Micro was presumably killed in the crossfire, Russo continued to shoot at the security agents and had Castle captured, taking him back to Micro's hideout to stop the countdown clock on Micro's computers. [5]
Torture
Billy Russo gets into Frank Castle's face
- "You are nothing but a grunt! You do not get to take me down. You are gonna beg to me. Blood loss is gonna make you weak. You're gonna slip in and out of shock. You will know pain and fear. Fear, Frank. Your ribs must be cracked. I'm gonna take all the breath out of your lungs, out of your lungs, until you can barely whisper and the last word out of your mouth is gonna be "please, please, please.""
- ―William Rawlins to Frank Castle[src]
Frank was captured by Billy Russo who wanted to unlock Micro's computers which were on a countdown clock. Castle asked Russo did he trust Rawlins, similar to how he trusted Morty Bennett before his murder. Rawlins answered that he and Russo had some mutual interest. [5] Rawlins put on his gloves while Castle asked were they the same ones he used to torture Ahmad Zubair, Rawlins replied that these were special and for Frank's interrogation only. Rawlins proceeded to slap Castle around and punch him repeatedly while the latter mocked him. Rawlins stopped the torture after two hours of beating Castle, taking a break while Russo convinced Castle to enter the codes into Micro's computer. Rawlins told Castle he was deeply disappointed on how he broke so easily under torture.
William Rawlins arrives to torture Frank Castle
However, Frank was using their overconfidence to get the blade he hid under his chair, which he use to furiously stab Rawlins in the chest. Russo attempted to stop Castle but the latter continued and bit Rawlins on the neck, causing the agent to scream in agony. As the two wrestled, Russo struck Frank with his gun, leading to Frank letting his grip go. Rawlins proceeded to kick Castle in anger and knocked him unconscious. [5] Enraged, Rawlins mocked Castle for being nothing but a military grunt and didn't have the right to kill him and continued to torture him. Russo interrupted Rawlins and told that they should focus on wiping everything on Micro's computers, and will kill Castle himself. Rawlins refused, stating that he wanted to kill Castle for everything he took from him and have the latter begging for his life. Russo questioned what Rawlins had meant by Castle taking things from him, as Rawlins had inadvertently revealed that Marion James had taken his position from him.
Billy Russo threatens to execute the Punisher
Rawlins continued to torture Castle by pushing his finger into his wound; causing Russo to drag Rawlins away. Rawlins reminded Russo that he pulled Russo out of the mud after Afghanistan, and reminded Russo that he murdered Homeland Security agents and gotten this far by him. Russo claimed that he wish Castle had killed him back in Kandahar, causing Rawlins to laugh in his face. Russo proceeded to place a gun to Castle's head, leading to Rawlins to pull out his handgun, ordering Russo to step away and not take away his revenge, stating that Castle owed him an eye.
Unbeknownst to Rawlins, Russo had cut Castle's cord, allowing him to kill the agent. Russo left Castle's side and took away Rawlins' gun, who continued his torture by injecting Castle with adrenaline to keep alive long enough. The Anvil agents left after the hacker succeeded to wipe all of Micro's files as Rawlins proceeded to test Castle's heat beat. Rawlins grabbed the weapon he would to get his revenge on Frank, holding a blade to stab out his eye for payback.
Frank Castle brutally kills William Rawlins
Castle stopped Rawlins, knocking him on the ground, learning of Russo's betrayal. Rawlins stabbed Castle into his side, but the latter took it out of his side and stabbed the agent's throat and shoulder. Russo watched from afar, allowing Frank to kill his former ally. Castle told Rawlins that he was a reminder of the crimes he committed and the punishment that came for them. Castle proceeded to punch the agent repeatedly, ending his life by pushing his thumbs into his eyes. [5] Castle then fell to ground beside Rawlins' corpse, tired of holding his own from his torture and killing the CIA agent.
Aftermath
- "I wish... I wish I could see your face."
"What are you talking about?"
"When you realize..."
"Realize what, Frankie?"
"...That you're done. You lost everything. Everything you give a shit about... is gone. Gone." - ―Frank Castle and Billy Russo[src]
Russo commented that he like to see Castle work as his former friend breathe exhaustively from his attack. Billy went to the dying Castle, he questioned what Castle meant to see the look on Russo's face when he realized what he done and had lost everything. Before Russo could kill Frank with Rawlins' gun, Dinah Madni's Homeland team came and went inside as Russo was shot in the shoulder. Russo was forced to escape as Madani and David Lieberman rescued Castle from near-death. [5]