Chapter 16: Building the Team
The intelligence report landed on Justin's desk at 11 PM.
Frank Castle. Former Force Recon Marine. Living in New York with wife Maria and two children. About to cross paths with organized crime in a way that would destroy his entire life.
Justin had been tracking the situation for months through Ghost Network assets—corrupt cops on a gang's payroll, escalating violence in Central Park, a family picnic scheduled for exactly the wrong place at exactly the wrong time.
In the original timeline, Frank Castle's family died in crossfire. Frank became the Punisher, a vigilante killer driven by grief and rage.
Justin was going to prevent that.
"AEGIS, get me Frank Morrison and the ARES Division."
"Sir, it's nearly midnight."
"I know. This can't wait."
Thirty minutes later, his team assembled in the briefing room. Frank Morrison, his head of personal security. Five members of ARES Division. All of them enhanced, capable, and used to unusual orders.
"Central Park," Justin said, pulling up maps. "Tomorrow, 2 PM. There's going to be a shootout between rival gangs. Corrupt cops are involved. And a family—completely innocent—is going to be caught in the crossfire unless we intervene."
"Intervene how?" Morrison asked.
"Neutralize the threat before it happens. Non-lethally if possible. The gangs, the cops, everyone involved. We move in before the civilians arrive, and we end this before it starts."
One of the ARES members—Sarah, enhanced reflexes—raised her hand. "Boss, that's a lot of moving pieces. How do we know where everyone will be?"
"Because I've been watching them." Justin pulled up surveillance photos. "Ghost Network has been tracking these people for weeks. I know their patterns. I know their plans. And I know exactly when and where they'll be vulnerable."
Morrison was frowning. "You're risking a lot to save one family."
"I'm risking resources to prevent a tragedy that would create something worse." Justin met his eyes. "Trust me on this one, Frank. We stop this, we save more than just four lives."
The operation went perfectly.
ARES Division hit the gangs at their staging points—warehouses, cars, before they could reach Central Park. Non-lethal takedowns, flash-bangs and tranquilizers, everyone neutralized within minutes. The corrupt cops were harder—Justin had AEGIS deliver comprehensive evidence of their crimes to Internal Affairs and the FBI simultaneously, forcing arrests that removed them from the streets.
By 2 PM, Central Park was safe. Normal. Families enjoying sunny weather without knowing how close they'd come to violence.
Justin watched from a distance as Frank Castle arrived with his wife and kids. Watched them spread out a picnic blanket, watched the children play, watched Maria Castle laugh at something her husband said.
They had no idea. Would never know.
Frank Morrison found Justin by the park entrance. "We got all of them. Gangs in custody, cops arrested, no civilian casualties."
"Good. Thank you."
"Want to tell me what that was really about?"
Justin watched the Castle family. "Preventing the birth of a monster."
"I don't understand."
"You don't need to. Just know we did a good thing today."
Three months later, Frank Castle received a job offer.
The interview took place in Justin's office on a Wednesday afternoon.
Frank Castle sat across from him, a file folder unopened on the desk between them. The man was built like a tank, with the careful stillness of someone trained to notice threats. His military record was exemplary—Force Recon, multiple tours, decorated service. And more importantly, his psychological evaluations showed someone who hadn't been broken by war.
Yet.
"Mr. Hammer," Frank said. "With respect, I'm not sure why you want to interview me. I've been out of the Marines for two years. I'm doing private security. My skillset isn't exactly corporate."
"Your skillset is exactly what I need," Justin replied. "I'm not looking for a typical security consultant. I need someone who does the right thing when it's hard. Who protects people under their command. Who I can trust with my life and my organization."
Frank's expression was skeptical. "You don't know me."
"I know your record. I know your character. And I know you're the kind of man who'd die before letting innocent people get hurt." Justin leaned forward. "I'm offering you head of security for Hammer Industries. Protection, threat assessment, personnel training. Excellent salary. Full family healthcare. And the satisfaction of knowing you're part of something that actually matters."
"What kind of something?"
"The kind that's preparing for threats most people don't know exist yet." Justin gestured around his office. "I'm building technology that will save lives. But technology is only part of the solution. I need people—good people—who can protect what we're building and use it responsibly."
Frank studied him. "This feels like more than corporate security."
"It is. But I'm not asking you to do anything illegal or immoral. Just to help me build something worth defending."
"And what's that?"
"A future where families can have picnics in Central Park without worrying about getting killed in crossfire."
Frank's eyes narrowed. "That's specific."
"I pay attention to violence patterns. Want to reduce them." Justin slid the folder across. "Employment contract. Read it. Think about it. Talk to your wife. But I hope you'll say yes, Frank. Good men are rare. I'd like to work with one."
Frank opened the folder, scanning the terms. The salary was generous. The benefits were excellent. And something in Justin's pitch had resonated.
"I'll think about it," Frank said.
"That's all I ask."
Yelena Belova fought like a demon.
Justin watched through helmet camera feeds as his ARES team engaged the Red Room operative in a Prague alley. She was fast, brutal, and completely unaware that this was a rescue operation instead of an ambush.
Natasha moved through the fight like water, redirecting her sister's attacks, refusing to strike back. "Yelena! It's me! It's Natasha!"
But Yelena's eyes were empty. The conditioning ran too deep.
"Now!" Justin ordered through comms.
Three team members hit her with tranquilizer darts simultaneously. Enough sedative to drop a horse. Yelena staggered, still fighting, until Natasha caught her.
"I'm sorry," Natasha whispered. "This is going to hurt. But I promise you'll thank me."
They restrained her in the mobile medical unit, strapping her to a bed with reinforced restraints. Justin waited with the chemical counter-agent—a compound his Scientific Intuition had designed specifically to disrupt Red Room neural conditioning.
"Are you sure this will work?" Natasha asked. Her voice was tight with fear.
"95% certainty. But Natasha..." Justin met her eyes. "It's going to be violent. The conditioning breaking—it's not gentle. She'll fight it. She'll scream. And you'll have to watch."
"I can handle it."
"I know you can. I'm just warning you it's going to hurt."
They administered the counter-agent through IV. For thirty seconds, nothing happened.
Then Yelena started screaming.
Her body convulsed. Her eyes rolled back. The restraints creaked as she thrashed, fighting invisible enemies, reliving every trauma the Red Room had inflicted while erasing her personality.
Natasha gripped her hand, tears streaming down her face. "Hold on. Please, hold on. You're safe. I've got you."
The seizure lasted four minutes. When it ended, Yelena went limp, breathing hard.
Then her eyes opened. Focused. Aware.
"Who are you?" she whispered.
Natasha's voice broke. "Your sister. And we're going to destroy the people who did this to you."
Yelena stared at her for a long moment. Then she started crying—deep, wracking sobs that sounded like they were tearing her apart from the inside. Natasha unstrapped her and pulled her into an embrace, both of them weeping.
Justin stepped back, giving them privacy. This moment wasn't for him.
Through his headset, AEGIS spoke quietly: "Sir, that was the correct decision."
"Yes," Justin said. His throat was tight. "Yes, it was."
Two weeks later, Justin stood in his command center, looking at his expanded team.
ARES Division had grown to fifteen enhanced operatives. The Widow Network had five freed operatives who'd joined willingly. Frank Castle had accepted the security position, bringing professionalism and military discipline. Ivan Vanko was producing breakthrough reactor technology. Maya Vasquez's prosthetics division was revolutionizing medical technology.
And in the corner, Yelena Belova was teaching hand-to-hand combat techniques to newer recruits, her movements sharp and precise. Alive. Free. Herself.
"You've built something remarkable," Natasha said beside him.
"We've built something remarkable," Justin corrected. "I couldn't have done this without you."
"I'm still reporting everything to Fury."
"I know. I'm counting on it, actually. Let SHIELD see that we're assets, not threats."
Natasha was quiet for a moment. "You're preparing for something. Something specific. When are you going to tell me what?"
Justin opened his mouth to answer—
"Sir!" AEGIS's voice cut through the room. "Priority alert. Astronomical anomalies detected in New Mexico. Energy signature consistent with theoretical Bifrost technology. Analysis suggests Asgardian activity is imminent."
The room went quiet.
Justin felt his heart rate spike. Thor. The first true proof that gods existed. That the universe was stranger and more dangerous than Earth realized.
It was beginning.
"What's happening?" Natasha asked.
Justin pulled up the data on the main screen. Energy readings that defied explanation. A pattern that could only mean one thing.
"Something's coming," he said. "Something from another world."
"How do you know that?"
Because he'd watched this movie. Because he knew Thor was about to fall from the sky, stripped of his power, exiled by Odin. Because the timeline he'd been preparing for was finally catching up.
"I just know," Justin said. "AEGIS, get me everything we can on New Mexico. I want eyes on whatever's coming."
"Acknowledged, sir."
Natasha was staring at him. "You knew. You've been preparing for this."
"I've been preparing for a lot of things." Justin turned to face his team. "Everyone, listen up. We just got confirmation that the universe is stranger than anyone thought. What happens next is going to change everything. But that's okay. Because we're ready."
He hoped that was true.
Outside, the sun was setting over New York. Somewhere in New Mexico, a god was about to fall to Earth. And Justin's carefully constructed plans were about to face their first real test.
The void marks pulsed on his arms. Fifteen months until critical corruption. Three years until the Chitauri invasion.
And now, gods were real.
"AEGIS," Justin said quietly. "Update all strategic projections. Factor in extraterrestrial contact. And pray we're ready for what comes next."
"Praying is not in my capabilities, sir. However, I calculate 68% probability of organizational readiness for emerging threats."
"That'll have to be good enough."
Because ready or not, the world was changing.
And Justin had to make sure humanity survived it.
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