The police are securing the hospital crime scene. Karen calls Foggy and tells her what happened, and Foggy admits that he hasn’t seen Matt since the previous night. He tells Karen that he will meet her at the precinct and he shouldn’t talk to anyone until then. Foggy arrives outside the hospital and overhears the police confirming that the hospital is locked down and the shooter isn’t there. There were reports of shots on the rooftop of a nearby building.
Foggy goes to the building and talks his way into the apartment past the secured front door. He gets to the roof and finds no sign of Matt. He checks nearby buildings, talking himself in the same way, and finally locates Daredevil lying unconscious. Foggy gets Matt’s mask off and confirms that his friend is alive but shell-shocked.
Back at Matt’s apartment, Foggy points out that Matt underestimated his opponent, the “Punisher.”Foggy says that he saw what Punisher did at the hospital, and they’re going to meet at the NYPD to make a deal for Grotto with the DA. Matt insists on heading out, pointing out that Punisher will wipe out the cops just like he took out the Irish Mobs and the Mexican Cartel. Foggy tells him that he needs to get rest, and then consider retiring his Daredevil identity. When he tries to pick it up, Matt grabs it and tells Foggy to let it go. He warns that Punisher isn’t going to go down easy and he needs to help. Foggy tells him to stay there and get rest, and he’s sick of covering for him. Until then, Matt needs to trust him to do his job.
At the station house, Karen assures Grotto that the building is secure and the lawyers are on their way. Foggy finally arrives and tells Grotto that Matt is sick. He then demands to know who the one man is that wiped out the Irish Mob. Grotto admits that there were rumors that it was one guy but he figured it was some kind of urban legend. Brett comes in and tells Grotto that they’re putting him into protective custody until they get him into WITSEC.
Brett talks to Foggy and Karen outside, and says that the DA office is sending someone over to negotiate WITSEC for Grotto. Brett advises Foggy to take whatever deal the DA offers, and explains that Punisher is a vigilante targeting crime families in a fatal kind of way. He warns that the police force is split on whether they support Punisher or not, and Brett figures that eventually someone innocent will get caught in the crossfire. There have been several “Devil Worshippers,” inspired by Daredevil, but Punisher is the worst by far.
Matt is getting himself a glass of water when he’s suddenly overwhelmed by noise. After a second it fades away and Matt realizes that he’s deaf.
DA Samantha Reyes arrives at the station house and immediately orders her people to prepare Grotto for transport. She points out that Foggy has never negotiated a witness protection agreement. Her assistant, Blake Tower, suggests that they recuse themselves so that Grotto can bring in a more experienced team. When Foggy objects, Reyes points out that one day they will need to ask a favor of the DA’s office.
Undeterred, Foggy asks for the number of US Attorney’s office. He starts to call it anyway and says that only the Feds have jurisdiction with WITSEC. When Foggy threatens to deal with them directly, Reyes tells him to hang up. Once Foggy does so, he figures that the DA’s office wants to take credit for bringing in Punisher with Grotto’s testimony. He makes it clear that Reyes will have to deal with their firm, and she dismissively says that first they need to see if Grotto is worth her time.
In the interrogation room, Grotto offers everything about the Irish Mob. Reyes isn’t impressed and says that she wants someone who is still alive. They want Grotto to wear a wire and get information out of Edgar Brass. Grotto refuses and Foggy talks to him privately, and warns that the Feds will ask for the same thing. Reyes says that they know Grotto has worked for Brass before. If he3 doesn’t agree then they point out that Punisher knows exactly who he wants to hit. If Grotto walks then Punisher will come after him. Reyes steps out to take a call, and Blake says that they’re close to putting together a profile on Punisher.
A meth-head is trying to sell stolen goods at a pawnshop when Punisher comes in. The owner, Clint, quickly sends the meth-head on his way and his new client demands a NYPD mobile communications rig. When Clint warns that it’s illegal, Punisher tosses him a wad of bills. Once he’s satisfied that Punisher isn’t a coop, Clint gets out the rig. Punisher pays the asking price and ask for the video tape from the store’s surveillance camera. Clint hands it over and Punisher pays for the shotgun he spotted underneath the cover. Once Clint unloads it, he offers some underage porn videos. Punisher turns over the Closed sign on the door, finishes his coffee, picks up a baseball bat, and advances on Clint.
Foggy and Karen go back to their office, and Karen admits that she’s been going through the morgue reports. She worries that she could have died in Punisher’s hospital attack, and wonders if she’s drawing killers her way. Karen wonders if she deserves it, but refuses to tell Foggy what she means. He assures her that it’s fine and goes out to get coffee.
Matt distantly hears someone knocking on the door, and realizes that his hearing is slowly coming back. He opens the door and Karen apologizes for startling him. Karen admits that she’s barely holding on and Matt hugs her. She figures that he’s having problems with the alcohol that Foggy told her as a cover story, and Matt tells her that there’s nothing to worry about. Karen figures that he’s in denial, She says that she’s there for Matt if he wants to tell her his problems, and Matt agrees. Matt then asks for details about the meeting with Reyes. He figures that they need to put together a file on Punisher and figure out what makes him tick. Karen finally suggests that they created Punisher by supporting Daredevil. Matt points out that Daredevil never killed anyone, and Karen notes that they don’t know for sure. She wonders if the city makes good people pick up guns and shoots people, and then hastily that Punisher could be a good person. As Karen goes, she tells Matt that they care about him.
Matt goes to Melvin to have his helmet repaired, staying in the shadows, and Melvin notes that the shot placement was precise. Punisher could have finished Daredevil off but just fired a warning shot. When Melvin worries that he’d be doing something illegal, Matt warns that Punisher has already killed dozens and will eventually kill someone innocent. He insists that he didn’t lead Punisher there, and Melvin says that he’ll have to make a new helmet. All he can do for now is reinforce the cracks and replace the padding, but Melvin warns that it won’t keep him safe. Matt tells him to do his best, and Melvin goes to work.
After the police finish at the Burren Club, the maskless Matt sneaks in and examines the place. He finds some blood leading to an alleyway outside. He goes out and finds a chain on the ground. Matt picks it up and smells the same blood on it, and follows the drops of the same blood down the sidewalk. They lead up to a man washing down the sidewalk in front of his shop. Going into a nearby building, Matt breaks into an apartment and a guard dog on a chain barks at him. He offers it some chips and realizes that it’s injured, and smells the gunpowder of the dozens of weapons in the apartment.
The Dogs of Hell are working out of a chop shop when Punisher pays them a visit and guns them down.
Matt continues checking Punisher’s apartment and hears the portable NYPD communications rig playing broadcasts. Reyes is on one channel monitoring Grotto as he goes in to see Brass.
Foggy and Karen are with Grotto as Reyes rigs him with a wire. Foggy assures her client that all they need Grotto to do is get Brass to admit that he’s dealing drugs again. Grotto is less than willing to help, but Reyes reminds him that they’ve got plenty of criminals that want to get out of the business by cooperating. Foggy tells Grotto that it isn’t a deal he can walk away from, but Grotto wonders what happens if Brass puts a bullet on him. Karen assures him that he’s getting a second chance, and tells Grotto let Brass do all the talking. Grotto reluctantly gives in, braces himself, and thanks Karen for her help. When he asks for a kiss for good luck, Karen jokingly gives him the finger and Grotto says that he’ll take it. Once Grotto leaves, Karen asks about Matt and Foggy says that he’s sure he’s fine.
Grotto nervously goes to Brass’ place and finally calls out to the man to say something. There’s no answer at first, but then a man emerges from the shipping crates. A cop grabs him and tells him to shut up. Meanwhile, Reyes’ people lose the signal. The officer tosses Grotto a Kevlar vest and coordinates with the other men. Foggy and Karen, listening in, realize that Reyes set the whole thing up as an ambush for Punisher. The officers announce that a target is in-bound.
A semi comes barreling through the gate into Brass’ shipping yard. The cops shoot it until it slams to a halt, and they find a Dog of Hell, dead and taped to the steering wheel. Meanwhile, Punisher moves to the top of a nearby water tower and aims at Grotto. A smoke grenade lands next to him and Daredevil uses the diversion to attack Punisher. A police sniper opens fire, hitting the water tank, and the water sprays down as Daredevil knocks away Punisher’s rifle and attacks him. The two fight and Punisher, grabbing one of Daredevil’s batons, hits Daredevil in the head.
Karen sees Grotto warns, but Foggy tells her to stay put. The sniper reports to Reyes that they do not have a clear target, but Reyes tells him to take the shot. The police open fire and Punisher runs for it. Daredevil goes after him and continues fighting, and a cop hits Punisher in the arm. Punisher sends himself and Daredevil through a skylight, and Foggy runs out.
Inside the building, Punisher and Daredevil both wake up and brace to fight each other again. Daredevil’s hearing goes out again and Punisher closes in on him.
Foggy runs to the roof and finds Daredevil’s baton. He looks down into the skylight with the police, and they confirm that Punisher and Daredevil are both gone.
Written by Gadfly on Mar 20, 2016