Date: Fri, 10 May 2002 07:58:08 -0700 (PDT)
From: James Geckler <jmsotc1@yahoo.com>
Subject: Punisher 10

Disclaimer: This story is a work of fiction.  It has no intentions of
resembling any real persons dead or alive.  This is entirely from my
imagination, with a little help from already established sources.  This
story is based loosely on the comic book character "The Punisher" from
Marvel Comics.  Other characters may appear from Marvel comics as well as
DC Comics.

Punisher and all related characters copyright Marvel Comics.

Blade and all related characters copyright Marvel Comics.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel copyright Joss Whedon, United Paramount
Network and Warner Bros. Respectively.

I have written another story on nifty entitled "Tales of a Real Dark
Knight".  It is in the Celebrity/Boy Bands section.  Batman may appear in
this story once or twice, as the Punisher may appear in "Tales of a Real
Dark Knight".  Any comments may be sent to jmsotc1@yahoo.com

This chapter was co-authored by Leo, author of "Tales of a Superhero Band"
found in the Celebrity section of the Nifty Story Archive.
dylan@celticwarrior.com

Thank you and enjoy.

Chapter 10 Strange Music

	Weatherby drove toward Sebring.  He did not want to completely
leave Columbus behind.  He had work yet to do, particularly with the
Friends of Humanity and their local leaders.  He dared not leave the city
to the machinations of the corrupt bigots running the F.O.H.
	"Who was behind the developing of the Friends of Humanity,"
Weatherby thought.  "I'd like to get my hands on him."
	Weatherby pulled the Suburban into an all-night convenient store to
grab something to drink.  He entered and saw a young man, probably around
21 or so, buying a case of pop.  The ruggedness of the young man attracted
Weatherby.  Weatherby grabbed his bottle of water and walked toward the
counter.
	"Hi Jerry," the cashier said to the young man.
	"Hi Alan.  How are you?" Jerry handed the cashier some money.
	"I'm okay.  Work keeps me pretty busy.  With the warm nights,
everyone is coming in to buy something to drink."
	"That's good.  It keeps you from getting too sleepy standing in
here at night."
	"Yes, it does."
	"Talk to you later."  Jerry took his case of pop and left.
	Weatherby watched Jerry as he climbed in his Ford Focus, started up
the engine and drove away.  Weatherby realized to his dismay the extent of
his work.
	Moments ago, Weatherby came to the conclusion he would not be able
to get to know anyone for reason of them getting injured by association.
But it was at this moment that he realized he would not be allowed to love
anyone, nor would he be able to allow anyone to love him in return.  He
would never know the joys of a relationship.  That saddened Weatherby.  He
decided within himself that his mission would be of utmost importance.  He
had no one in his life, no thing in his life with the exception of his
mission to punish those who unjustly inflict pain on others.  Right now the
face of the enemy was the Friends of Humanity.  And he would make them pay
for all the pain they had caused.
	Weatherby purchased his bottle of water and left.  He drove out of
the parking lot and up to the light.  The Ford Focus Jerry left in pulled
up beside him and Jerry rolled down his window.
	"Hi," Jerry said.
	Weatherby, knowing he was attracted this large man, could not allow
this man to get close.  "Hi."
	"I noticed you in the store."
	"Noticed me?"
	"Noticed you watching me."  Jerry grinned at Weatherby, enchanting
him even further.  "I saw your reflection in the window behind the cashier.
You were watching me."
	Weatherby could not lie, although he was afraid of the consequences
of being honest with Jerry.  "Yes, I was."
	The light turned green.
	"Follow me," Jerry offered.
	Weatherby longed to follow him.  Jerry turned to the left and
headed down the street.  Seeing no cars behind Jerry, Weatherby cut the
lanes and followed.
	Within moments, Jerry pulled in to an apartment building complex
with Weatherby pulling in beside him.
	"Come on up," Jerry offered.  "Let's talk."
	"Listen.  I don't want to hurt your feelings or anything, but I
can't do this."
	"Do what?  We're getting to know each other.  You think I'm
attractive and I think you are attractive.  It's not like we are going to
have sex or anything."  Jerry took a few steps toward the door and turned
back.  "Unless you want to.  I wouldn't say no."
	Weatherby looked at Jerry.  "I...it's not you.  I just can't do
this.  I'm sorry."  Weatherby turned back and, after climbing into his
Suburban, drove away.
	"God, I can't believe I entertained the thought of getting to know
him.  He could easily become a target for the F.O.H.  Why was I stupid?
What was I thinking?"
	Weatherby floored the accelerator and zoomed down the road.  He had
to harden his heart to love.  As much as he believed in love and was happy
for anyone who found love, especially a gay couple, he knew he could not do
it.  Not that he was incapable of love.  He shouldn't allow himself to
love.
	To keep his mind from wandering to what he deemed "unnecessary"
distraction, Weatherby plotted his next move.  "I think tomorrow I will
visit the Friends of Humanity in the mall.  It should prove most
enlightening.  One problem will be getting past security with weapons.  I
think I can smuggle a small gun or two inside.  I think that is what I'll
do."

	Ty pulled in to the hospital Emergency Room parking lot and climbed
out.  He went around and helped Kevin out of the car.
	"I think I can make it," Kevin replied.
	"No.  I'm going to help you.  Think of it as a small gesture in
correcting Punisher's mistake."
	"His name is Michael Weatherby."
	"Whatever," Ty replied.  "Jerk-face will work just as good for me."
	"You have to remember, whatever he may have done wrong, he's still
human and can make mistakes."
	"You weren't too fond of him when you were shot.  Why the change
now?"  Ty pulled Kevin out of the car and puts Kevin's arm around his neck.
	"You're right.  I wasn't fond of him.  But that was after I was
shot.  Beforehand, I cared about him.  Not in a boyfriend kind of way.  For
God's sake, we just met.  I cared about him as a friend.  Granted he was
stupid and got himself mixed up and shot at.  That was a mistake.  But I
know he didn't mean to do it."
	The doors parted and the two young men walked inside.  They hobbled
up to a chair and Kevin sat down.  "I'll sign you in.  What's your last
name?"
	"Simmons."
	Ty nodded and walked up to registration.  He wrote Kevin's name on
the sheet and went back to sit in a chair next to Kevin.
	An ambulance pulled up outside and a stretcher was wheeled in.
	"They were bitten on the neck.  Severe loss of blood.  No witnesses
to what attacked them," a paramedic said.  "He was found downtown near the
Axis."
	"The Humane Department is going to be busy," a nurse said to the
paramedic.
	Ty looked closely at the neck wound and saw where the punctures
were.  "Vampire," he muttered.  He turned back to Kevin and said, "Excuse
me for a minute."
	Ty entered the bathroom and locked the door.  He closed his eyes
and relaxed his body.  Using several relaxing techniques, he tapped into
the mystical world.
	"Spirits of thought and language open a portal to whom I seek.
Directus defero."
	A haze enveloped Ty's head.

	Tandy lay fast asleep in the corner of the main apartment.  Blade
sat by the window watching for anything: Punisher's return, the F.O.H.,
even a gang of vampires, anything that could be a threat or disturb them
this night.  What he did not count on was a mystical access to him.
	A haze formed five feet behind Blade about 6 feet off the ground.
Slowly, a face formed in the haze.  "Blade," it called out.
	Blade turned quick with a weapon poised to use.  "What the hell are
you doing, Ty?  I told you never to do that unless absolutely necessary."
	"It's necessary.  I'm at the hospital with Kevin.  A victim came in
that I think was attacked by a vampire.  I wanted to let you know I'm going
to investigate."
	"Don't engage without help, Ty.  I don't want to lose you to those
bastards."
	"I'm not planning on losing my soul any time soon.  I'll be in
touch this way if I need to be."
	The haze dissipated like fog.

	Ty exited the bathroom and approached Kevin.  "Will you be okay if
I leave now?"
	"Yeah.  I'll be fine."
	"I'll be in touch in a few days to see how you are doing."  With
that, Ty turned and exited the hospital and ran to his car.  Climbing in,
he started it up and took off down the road toward the spot the paramedics
indicated; the spot the vampire hunter gang had thwarted several vampires.
"I wish I knew what the hell was going on."

	Punisher made his way back toward downtown Columbus.  He planned on
watching the F.O.H. headquarters; familiarize himself with timetables of
guard changes and who comes and goes and such.

	Ty pulled up a block from the Axis.  He climbed out, reached in
back and pulled out his cloak.  He put it on top of his normal clothes and
immediately they were swallowed by darkness, replaced by form-fitting,
skin-tight black material.  Confidently, he made his way to the nightclub.

	It had been a really long ride and Dylan was glad that he got the
chance to sit down, even if it was in a club blaring loud music over the
speakers. Justin had suggested this place to all of them, and not
surprisingly, almost no one else wanted to go. Dylan had never been in a
gay club before, but it did not make a difference to him. They were all
noisy and full of sweaty bodies. Melvin, Joy and Reuben had come along to
keep Dylan company, more because of emotional blackmail on Dylan's part
than on any interest in the place. In fact, the only one seeming to enjoy
his self was Justin, who was dancing it up with some average looking guy on
the dance floor.
	"Y'know, maybe you should be dancing with him?" Melvin suggested
over the din. Dylan shrugged. "You know it's not my thing."
	"But it is Justin's, and I'm sure he'd enjoy himself more if you
were dancing with him," Melvin replied. Dylan glanced over at Justin, who
gave him a smile and beckoned him over to the dance floor.
	"Okay," Dylan sighed, getting up. "I'll do it. But I warn you,
strange things happen when I dance in a place like this."
	"I'm sure it'll be fine," Melvin laughed, shoving Dylan in Justin's
general direction.

	Cloak walked up to the door and held up his hands.  "Obvius."  The
doors burst open and in he walked.  Everyone stopped dancing and looked his
way.  He noticed a small group staring at him with a look of disgust on
their faces, which was rather interesting.  They were obviously new to the
area.  Most people in the area were used to seeing him and Dagger, Marvel
Boy and Blade appear.  Newcomers were normally shocked by people dressed
strangely.  They must have seen people in costume before.  All of this
added up to one of two things: one, they did not like those who wore such
costumes, possibly meaning they were evil themselves; or two, they did not
like wizards and those who used magicks.  "This should be interesting,"
Cloak said to himself.
	"Told you so," Dylan whispered to Melvin, who was at his side. "And
a wizard, no less."
	"What do you want?" Melvin asked the stranger, barely containing
his contempt.
	Cloak looked at the person who asked the question.  He held his
hand out, palms up and said, "Light show the hidden.  Ostendo."
	A small light formed on his palm.  It grew to the size of a
softball and flew out of his hand, encircling the crowd.  It landed on
several people and nothing happened.  When it landed on a large man, he
cried out in pain.  Everyone turned and saw his brow larger and bumpy, with
yellow eyes and fangs.
	"There you are," Cloak said.
	"A wizard and a vampire," Joy said to Reuben, pointing to Dylan and
Melvin. "Which one do you think they'll attack first?"
	"I bet they attack the wizard," Reuben said. "Twenty bucks."
	"Easy money," Joy laughed. "They'll go for the vampire."
	The vampire looked at the group of friends standing together and
back at Cloak.  He lunged at Cloak.  Cloak grabbed the vampire's wrists,
buried his foot in the vampire's stomach, and rolled back.  Using the
vampire's momentum, Cloak flipped the vampire out the door.  Cloak then
flipped up to his feet and ran out the door.
	"Occludo," Cloak said and the doors closed behind him, leaving him
and the vampire outside.

	"Okay, we go outside and get the vampire," Dylan said to his
friends. "The wizard was obviously looking for him, and that is rarely a
good thing."
	"He could be fighting the vampire," Joy said, trying to keep a
level head.
	"Not likely," Melvin quickly dismissed the absurd notion. "The last
time I saw a wizard, he was trying to control vampires and other various
undead creatures. And they were scared of him too, and tried to fight him
every chance they got."
	"That would certainly fit what just happened," Dylan
concluded. "Come, we go get the vampire. If he's controlled by the wizard,
he'll be a worse force than normal."

	The door burst open and out came the new arrivals in town.
	"Get back inside," Cloak ordered.
	"Make me, wizard," Dylan said, practically spitting the last
word. Cloak ignored the remark.
	"You don't know what you are dealing with.  It's too dangerous for
you here."
	Dylan closed his eyes and clapped his hands together as though
praying. A second later, he flung his arms out, fingers apart and slightly
curved, and his elbows bent. A sharp blast of wind blasted the vampire
across the street. Joy 'caught' it with her powers, and threw it back at
Cloak's feet.
	"Child's play," Dylan said.
	"Damn," Cloak replied in shock.  "What are you?  Wizards or
mutants?"
	"Neither," Melvin said. "Though I would compare myself to mutants
sooner than to filth. We are kindred, and our kind precedes even the
slayers."
	Cloak looked upon the group in surprise.  He had heard of kindred
and believed them to be extinct.  Apparently the information he obtained
off the Internet was erroneous.  "That guy is getting an email from me," he
replied to know one in particular
	The vampire recovered from the attack and ran across the street.
He jumped up two floors to the bottom of the fire escape and ascended the
ladder.
	"I'd love to stay and chat but I have work to do."  Cloak ran off
across the street and stopped at the building.  Looking up, he said,
"Escendo," and floated up into the air.
	"He's getting away," Melvin growled.
	"Who? The wizard or the vampire?" Reuben asked.
	"Both, duh," Melvin said, lightening up. Dylan crouched low,
getting ready to jump. Reuben did the same while Joy lifted Melvin and
herself slowly off the ground to get to the roof.

	Cloak arrived on the roof and landed safely.  Looking around, he
found the direction the vampire went.
	"Stop," Dylan said from behind him. "Your 'job' ends here."
	"You don't know what my job is."
	"I know enough not to trust you."
	"I don't know where in the hell you get your information.  I am not
bad.  I hunt and slay vampires with a Slayer at my side."
	"Then we help you fight the vampire," Melvin said. "But don't make
us think we like you any better because of that."

To Be Continued...

What do you think of the crossover between "Punisher" and "Tales of a
Superhero Band"?  Leo and I would like to hear from you.  Both of our
emails are at the top.  Email us with questions and comments.

I would like to apologize for the slowness of posting.  As you know, I have
been writing another story for this archive.  I have also had papers due
for school, which is over now for a few weeks.  Plus, in a few chapters
this will crossover over with my "Real Dark Knight" series and I had to
build this up to that point as well as catch up to the point in "Real Dark
Knight" that I planned for the crossover to happen.  I hope you understand
and I thank you for your continued support.

More to come!