Film Noir AU

[howbraveyouare]

The Blue Note was the most upscale speakeasy in town. It was also a notorious hangout for Fisk and his men. Karen wasn’t dressed to the nines in a snug, blue dress, headed inside that club for a drink – She was going in there for information. Ever since her brother had been killed in a rain of bullets all because of Fisk, she’d been determined to be the man’s downfall. She’d hoped to gather enough information tonight to go to the cops and have them do the rest of the work. She was gutsy and she had spirit, but she was no detective. This wasn’t a one woman fight. She’d need backup.

Karen slid up to the bar and waved down the bartender. She quietly asked for a martini and the name of Fisk’s right-hand man. The man pushed the drink towards her and hesitatingly nodded towards a formidable man across the room from her. Karen sighed, watching him. Maybe he would be her ticket to gathering information.

Unfortunately, The Blue Note was packed. It was full of people who wanted to talk to Fisk’s man, who wanted to talk to everyone. There were plenty of distractions, but she watched him with a laser focus.

Comments

[ex_one_shot695]

A man came around to the bar and took a seat next to Karen. The problem was that his seat was now obstructing her view of her target. Frank waved the bartender over and ordered himself a drink. "And another for the lady." Meaning Karen, of course.

As the bartender brought the drinks, Frank reached into his pocket for a case that contained his cigarettes and took one out along with a book of matches.

"You keep staring like that, they're gonna know you're up to something."

[howbraveyouare]

Karen looked at the surface of the bar and quickly downed the contents of her last martini, clearly not happy with having been found out, then looked up at the stranger. “You don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m here to have a drink.”

She didn’t dare look back at her target, however. The stranger had a point. Even if she was stalking the man, trying to get near him, she didn’t want to register as someone who was scheming about something. That would get her in a bodybag right quick.

“What brings you here?” She tilted her head, eyeing the stranger and wondering what his role in the big picture was.

[ex_one_shot695]

Frank looked at her rather than at her target. He wanted it to appear as though she had been waiting for him the entire time. "You don't look like you're here to have a drink." She looked suspicious, and if Frank thought so, it was only a matter of time before someone else thought so, too.

"I'm here for a client. I'm a detective." So he was a little better on spying on people than she was. "You wanna tell me why you're really here?"

[howbraveyouare]

Turning in her seat, Karen managed to look as if she was only speaking to the stranger. She held her drink in her hand. It was a risk talking to him candidly in this place. He could have been anybody, not necessarily who he claimed to be, but for some reason she took a leap of faith and trusted him.

“I’m here to take Fisk down. I just need to get on the inside,” She said in a low voice that only he could hear. “What’s your name?” Karen asked, in a slightly louder tone of voice. If she was going to be spilling the details of her plan, she should know what to call this detective.

[ex_one_shot695]

Take Fisk down? Frank laughed and tapped his cigarette in an ash tray before taking a puff. He blew the smoke away from her, since he wasn't about to do that to a woman.

"You think you're gonna do what the NYPD hasn't been able to do for years?" She sounded crazy! "You're gonna get yourself killed. I'm sure you have every reason to want that, but what you're saying is impossible, and the only way you're getting on the inside is by sleeping with one of those guys. You really wanna do that?"

[howbraveyouare]

Anger bubbled up inside of her. He didn’t know what a personal cause this was for her. Her eyes narrowed the tiniest bit and she leaned forward slightly. “He killed my brother. I am going to take everything from him if it’s the last thing I do!”

She sat back in her seat and sighed. After a moment’s pause, she nodded to his cigarette. “You got another one of those for me?” Times like these called for a cigarette, even if she wasn’t a regular smoker.

[ex_one_shot695]

Frank didn't doubt she was passionate about her reasons, but that didn't mean she'd succeed. "You're one woman against an entire criminal organization." He shook his head. "And too pretty to end up at the bottom of the river."

Frank frowned and reached into his jacket for his cigarettes again to open the case and offer her one. "It's Frank. Frank Castle." He struck a match to light her cigarette for her.

[howbraveyouare]

The comment about being pretty caught her off-guard and put possibly a tiny dent in her armor. She sighed loudly. He had a point. Everything she’d done, she’d done in grief. This plan wasn’t exactly well thought out for all of the gusto behind it. Karen was beginning to see the flaws in all of it.

She took the cigarette between her fingers and held it there while he lit it, then took a drag, blowing smoke to the side. “Karen Page. Wish I’d met you under better circumstances, Mr. Castle.”

[ex_one_shot695]

Frank smiled a little and took a drink. "Don't think I meet anyone under good circumstances in my line of work." He usually met people who were at their worst. No one came to a private detective because they wanted good news.

"You could make the circumstances better." That.. might have come out wrong. "How about a dance?" That still might sound a certain way. "I need to get closer to that table." He motioned discreetly to a man who was sitting at a small table with an attractive brunette.

[howbraveyouare]

His first statement got a scowl out of Karen, but after some clarification she smiled faintly and nodded. “I guess I can get you closer to that table…” She took another drag off of her cigarette and blew smoke away from him, then setting it gently in an ashtray. It might mean he’d consider doing her a favor one of these days, and as of late it was looking like she could use some favors.

Karen stood, smoothing out the blue satin of her dress. She really did look spectacular. That had all been a part of her plan to lure Fisk’s right hand man closer. What a flop that had turned out to be… She smiled at Frank as if he was the guy she’d walked in with. “Shall we?”

[ex_one_shot695]

Frank put his cigarette out, then lifted his glass and finished the last of his drink. He got up and put his hat down on the counter so he could offer his arm and they could move to the dance floor. Naturally, he noticed how amazing she looked. Karen was a knock out, that's for sure.

Once on the dance floor, Frank put an arm around her while his other held her hand so they could begin to move to the music. "Something tells me you're not gonna give up on Fisk so easy." Though he wishes she would.

[howbraveyouare]

“You’re kind of smart, aren’t you?” She smirked at him as she moved to the music. “Nah, it’s gonna take more than a scary story to get me off of Fisk.” The smirk faded from her face and she sighed. Revenge was all that really mattered to Karen. The only thing she really wanted at that point in her life was to get even on account of her brother.

“It might not be tonight, but I’m gonna get in and I’m gonna find a weak spot and it’s all gonna come crumbling down.” Karen looked at Frank with those intense blue eyes, holding his gaze.

[ex_one_shot695]

Frank figured he could give her a list of scary things Fisk has done and it wasn't going to change her mind. She might be looking at him with determination, but his eyes were just sad when they looked back. He's sorry for her and what she's getting herself in to because he doubted she'd ever get out of it alive.

"Yeah. Well. I guess it was nice meeting you." He figured he might as well say goodbye now because who knows if he'd see her alive again after tonight, depending on how fast she tried to make her move. "Like you said. Maybe under better circumstances."

[howbraveyouare]

She frowned. He might not have been able to change her mind, but his words did have some kind of impact on her. Karen knew on some level that this was an impossible task. Like he’d said, one woman couldn’t do what the NYPD couldn’t, but maybe…

“Help me get justice for my brother.” Karen looked at him, her steely expression wavering slightly, looking almost pleading. “Please. I’ll pay you.” She didn’t care how he did it. She didn’t care about much, anymore. All she wanted was to feel some peace.

[ex_one_shot695]

At the request, he laughed softly. He should've seen that coming, but it still surprised him anyway. "You're crazy. You might have a death wish, but I'm trying not to die just yet." Did she think adding one person to her revenge plot would somehow turn the tide? Granted, Frank was talented at what he did, but he knew a suicide mission when he heard one.

"Shit, I'll pay you to stop." To stop all of this before she or someone else gets hurt. "Look around. You can't take this down." Fisk was too strong. Too powerful.

[howbraveyouare]

Crazy. Death wish. All of that stirred up anger within Karen, but she could only manage to look sad. It was funny the effect someone talking sense could have on her. She bit her lip, eyes darting from Fisk’s men back to Frank. What if she could do it? But it was such a small chance. Was it worth the risk? Her thoughts were frantic thinking it over.

“Someone needs to do it.” Karen said, lip quivering slightly. “I sit at home thinking about what happened. I can’t sleep.” She frowned deeply. “They don’t deserve to sit here, living the good life.”

[ex_one_shot695]

Frank frowned as well and drew her closer so they were dancing cheek to cheek. "You're right. They don't. But you don't have a real plan, and I'm just one man." What did she think he could do against a criminal organization that big?

"Even if I could.. remove some of them, I don't think either of us would live long enough for me to get to the big man." Fisk was well guarded. He had more protection than the mayor or any other politician.

[howbraveyouare]

She hugged him close, still moving with the music for fear of standing out in the crowd. Karen just wanted to look like a couple. It was too late to worry about not disturbing Frank’s job. A mess of emotions was clouding her head.

Karen sniffled and spoke softly into Frank’s ear words that she never thought she would have said, not tonight, not ever. “Give me a reason to let go, Frank.” Maybe if she couldn’t have revenge, letting go would be the next best thing. Maybe it would be even better. Karen didn’t know. All she knew was that she wanted to feel peace again.

[ex_one_shot695]

A reason? Frank knew that letting go might be impossible. He's lost so much, too, though he doesn't start talking about it. Not here or not.

"I wish I could." His voice lets her know that he realizes how hard that is. "But you gotta have a life, right? Tell me about it." Maybe she had a life that was worth living.

[howbraveyouare]

She laughed humorlessly. Karen didn’t think much of her life anymore even though she’d been perfectly happy with it prior to the murder. Still, she went along with Frank’s request. Quietly, she sighed and put her life in a nutshell. “I’m a secretary at the Bulletin. I live alone. I keep a diary. It’s an ordinary life.”

Karen frowned, staying close to him. Maybe he wasn’t going to let her in, but right then he was the closest thing she had to a rock and she needed some kind of stability.

“What about you? Tell me about you.”

[ex_one_shot695]

"That's a good job." One that would make a lot of people happy. She was nice, attractive, and worked a job. Karen was quite the catch.

As for himself, Frank feels like that's too long of a story, but he doesn't think he should be secretive with her. Not if he wanted her to listen to him about leaving Fisk alone. "I was a Marine. Then a couple years ago my wife and kids were murdered. Police never caught the guy." So he knows a thing or two about how Karen feels.

"I tried tracking them down myself, but.." He hasn't gotten there yet. "After awhile, I ran into more people like myself. People who needed more help than the law could provide, so... here I am, doing P.I. work."

[howbraveyouare]

He couldn’t see her frown the way they were dancing. “I’m sorry. Seems like cops in this town can’t do a damn thing.” It seemed like the two of them actually had something in common, and with that it actually became easier to accept his advice of not going after Fisk. Easier, not easy. It was still a tough pill to swallow.

“Are you a good P.I.?” Karen smiled just the slightest bit. With his survival instincts, somehow she imagined him as a good private investigator.

She urged the two of them to turn a little bit so that he would have a better view of the man he had wanted to get closer to. “Looks like the two of them are talking about something intense… Why are you after him?”

[ex_one_shot695]

Frank smiled a little. "I'm alright. Not sayin' I'm the best or anything, but I can muscle my way through it." Sometimes a detective needed more than brains in this town.

Though Karen was a distracting dance partner, Frank still had his eye on his target. "Man's wife wants a divorce. Says he beats her and his kids, but she can't prove it, so if she tries to leave him, she'll get nothing. Lucky for her, he's also got a string of mistresses."

[howbraveyouare]

That was horrible, but Karen could believe it. She could believe that people could do just about any horrible thing, actually. Her heart went out to the woman and her children. It felt good to help Frank out even if only in this small way.

“He’s a first rate jerk, but it sounds like you’ve got him where you want him. You’re a good guy for doing this.” She smiled. It was hard not to like Frank. He’d done everything in his power to keep Karen alive. That alone was enough.

[ex_one_shot695]

"Almost." He's almost got the guy where Frank wants him.

A waiter walks over to the table and tells the woman she has a phone call. She excuses herself to go and answer it, leaving the man alone at the table.

"Ask him to dance." Frank says before he lets Karen go and walks away from her. He moves his way around the crowd and doubles back to the other side of the table, behind the man's view as he waits for Karen to play along.

[howbraveyouare]

Karen is good at thinking on her feet, and the moment Frank tells her to ask the other guy to dance she slips into a new person. She saunters over to the table with a smile on her face and leans over so that the neckline of her dress hangs a little lower than usual.

“Hi, handsome,” She tucks a piece of blonde hair behind her ear, looking at him in a flirtatious way. “How about a dance with me?” It kind of makes her skin crawl to think of even dancing with a low-life like him, but what needs to be done needs to be done. If she can help Frank even the tiniest bit, it’ll be worth it.

[ex_one_shot695]

Frank is a little surprised she's able to put on such an effective act. It does the job and gets the man's attention. What man wouldn't fall for that?

"Sure, doll." He says, getting up and leaving the table to go with Karen to the dance floor. "I saw you, but I thought you were with that other guy." The man glances around a bit to see if he can spot Frank.

[howbraveyouare]

“Aw, he’s nothing.” She says with a shrug, getting a little close to the guy. “I had my eye on you all along.” Her lips curl into a smile. Karen tries to stay in his line of sight without seeming like she’s trying too hard. The last thing she wants is for Frank to catch his eye.

She takes his hand and puts her other hand on his shoulder. “I like this song.” Karen smiled, not lying for a change. The music inspired her to sway a little more, her movements looking quite natural.

[ex_one_shot695]

The man smiled at her and drew her closer to him so they were brushing against each other as they danced. "Yeah? Well, you must be a woman with good taste. I can treat you right, unlike that bum."

As Karen kept the man's attention, Frank moved to the table and sat down. He looked as natural as possible as he went through the purse of the mistress who went to answer a phone call. A slip of paper was pulled out and tucked into his pocket. Then he got up and moved away from the table.

Once he was safely away, he motioned for Karen to join him as he headed out the door. He was sure she'd have no problem brushing the shitbag off.

[howbraveyouare]

Karen reached up to brush her hand against his cheek, smiling at him. Out of the corner of her eye she could see what Frank was doing. Nonchalantly, she kept dancing so the cheater’s back was to Frank. “I’m sure you could.”

She leaned in even closer to him so that she could keep a better watch on Frank while still dancing with the other man. It was probably misconstrued as her getting flirty, but she needed to keep an eye on her partner in this situation.

Frank got up and, at his motion to join him, Karen pulled back from the cheater with a tiny smile on her face. “Maybe in another life, huh?” And with that, she walked out of the speakeasy and over to Frank.

“Did you get what you needed?” She smiled a little bit, feeling like she’d done at least some good tonight.

[ex_one_shot695]

Frank waited for her outside. When she exited, he was lighting up another cigarette. A puff of smoke went into the night air and he nodded at the question, holding the stick between his lips as he reached into his coat and brought out the paper he stole.

"Personal check to his mistress. His handwriting. His signature. That and the other evidence I've collected should put the nail in that coffin."

He looked at her and smiled a little. "You did good."

[howbraveyouare]

“Yeah,” She smirked. “I’m gonna need a shower, but I’m glad I could help.” Karen paused for a moment. “We make a good team.”

It was a nice thought. Maybe they couldn’t bring Fisk down or move any kind of mountains together, but they could get things done. Karen didn’t feel so useless anymore and Frank probably had one more happy client.

“Thanks, Frank. You really turned my night around.” She smiled at him. If she hadn’t gotten those vibes earlier that he was a lone wolf, this would have been where she’d have planted a kiss on his lips, but instead she raised herself up on her toes and gave him one on the cheek.

[ex_one_shot695]

Frank didn't expect he'd make the evening better for her, but he can see that she feels better now that she's helped someone else. Guess that's why he does this. He can't really make himself feel better after what happened to his family, so for now, this is the next best thing.

At the kiss, he smiled again. It was unexpected, but clearly, he didn't mind. "You take care of yourself." Again, he reached into his pocket, but this time he withdrew his business card and offered it to her. "Just in case."

[howbraveyouare]

Karen took the card and looked at it, holding onto it. “I’ll keep this.” She smiled at him. It was doubtful, or at least she thought it was, that she would get into any kind of fix where she would need a P.I.

She pointed a finger at him and joked. “Don’t go getting into any trouble, now.” As if he would. He was the one who had talked her out of a colossal mistake. His survival skills were infinitely better than hers.

Giving him one last smile, she turned and began to walk home. “See you around, Frank.”