WHAT LITTLE GIRLS ARE MADE OF

By Tobias Christopher

The Bahamas, Present Day

Benji Martoni was walking along the isolated beach his family had bought for privacy, looking for sea shells. Benji loved collecting them and already had quite a nice collection. As he walked along the sandy landscape, the water rushing up under his bare feet, then back into the ocean where it came from just as quickly, he spotted a new addition to his collection just up ahead.

As he went to pick it up, he hadn’t noticed someone rising up out of the water… the man who’d been sent to collect the young son of the Punisher by one of the mob factions who were desperate to find anything to use against Frank Castle.

The boy remained unaware of the man who was about grab him while he examined the sea shell to make sure he had no others like it already. Just as the man was a mere few inches away, he felt something in his forehead. A sniper’s bullet had hit him dead center in his forehead, killing him almost instantly.

Benji turned around, just in time to see nothing, as the man had already fallen backwards into the water and washed away with the strong current. The boy just shrugged it off, picked up his shell and continued on down the beach.

Several yards away, hidden in the dense foliage surrounding the beach, Anya watched as Benji went on his way. This was the fourth time she’d killed someone who’d been sent to steal the boy from his home, and she was sure it wouldn’t be the last.

Several Years Ago

It seemed like a simple enough dream.

All Nikolai Ivanov wanted was to bring his family to America and live the American dream. He wanted to give them the things that, as a boy, he was always denied. A good education, new clothes, a constant supply of food that could feed an entire family as opposed to an entire family eating food meant for one. Getting out of Russia was the easy part for the Ivanov family. Achieving their dream once they reached the American shores was a different task altogether.

But through their hardships the family never gave up hope. Nikolai’s wife, Natalia, had passed months before the family had left their home to come to the United States, but Nikolai’s daughters remained hopeful that things would get better in the wake of their tragic loss. Nadya, the oldest, who had grown into a beautiful young woman, and young Anastasya, whom everyone called Anya for short. The three knew that through their familial bond, nothing would ever break apart.

It wasn’t long before Nikolai found a low paying job in a factory. It wasn’t much, but it allowed him to rent a small apartment and put food on the table. That left Nadya to watch her little sister as their father worked double and sometimes triple shifts.

“Where are you going?” asked eight year old Anya as her sister applied makeup to her already overdone face.

“I’m going out again; you’ll have to take care of yourself for another night,” Nadya told her as she walked out of the bathroom in a small, revealing outfit. “I’ve already made dinner, so don’t mess with the stove or microwave. Just watch TV until Daddy gets home.”

Nadya hugged her and left the apartment. Anya looked out the window just in time to see her sister get into a car with a much older man. The young girl sat on the couch and turned the TV on to an old martial arts movie. Nadya loved watching late night martial arts films on the local station. Bruce Lee seemed to be her only friend, to the point where started mimicking his moves as the movie progressed. Her first few attempts weren’t a great success, and the family cat paid the price for her clumsiness, but soon the girl started getting the hang of it.

It took two years and lots of saving, but Nikolai was finally able to move his girls into a nice rental home in the suburbs. It wasn’t as fancy as the other houses on the street, but it would be their home.

Meanwhile, Nadya continued going out virtually every night. Sometimes Anya would see her sneaking off with older men, sometimes with younger men. It was never the same man twice. Anya wondered why her sister was so popular with those men. She also wondered how Nadya was able to afford to sneak money into their father’s savings so they could afford their house and some of the nicer things they owned.

But being ten, she shrugged it off and went back to watching her martial arts movies, learning the art through Bruce Lee and others every night.

Then one day, something changed.

Anya was outside when she heard a ruckus coming from the neighbor’s yard. She looked over the fence and saw a boy her age was being harassed by two bullies who seemed to be in their late teens. The boy was on the ground, with a black eye and bloody nose.

“Hey, leave him alone!” said Anya as she came to the boy’s rescue.

“Go away, bitch,” said one of the teens as he went to smack her. Anya caught his hand and twisted his arm, nearly breaking it. The young man screamed in pain as she flung him face first into a tree, breaking his nose.

“You are so dead you little who-” said the other boy, but was stopped when Anya grabbed him a very sensitive area and squeezed as hard as she could, to the point of nearly popping what she was holding from sheer pressure. She let go as the older teen fell onto the grass, holding himself while crying.

“Are you all right?” asked Anya as she helped the younger boy up.

“That was awesome,” said the boy as he looked at her. “Thank you.”

It was love at first sight for the two. Anya and her new friend spent the long summer days together, hanging out in the park, going swimming and, of course, watching martial arts films together when he’d sneak into her house at night after Nadya had left.

Then one day, it happened. It was a year and a half later as the two eleven year olds were sitting on the front porch, talking about going to the martial arts movie marathon downtown. They were excited for it and started playfully pushing each other. That’s when Anya’s friend leaned in and kissed her before quickly pulling away.

“Why’d you do that?” asked Anya as she looked at him.

“‘Cause I like you,” replied the boy.

“Do it again and I’ll punch your lights out,” replied Anya.

But he’d never get the chance to do it again. A week later, his family had packed up and left their house early one morning without even saying goodbye. The last thing Anya saw as she walked out of the house to get the mail was the face of her best friend, staring at her as the car pulled down the street.

And that was the last Anya ever saw of Chip Carter.

As the years went on, Anya never tried to get close to anyone else. She was afraid of losing anymore friends, plus she’d already been labeled an outcast from the various boys she’d beaten up since she’d moved into the neighborhood. The boys were afraid of her and the girls thought she was too much of a freak to hang out with them.

But Anya didn’t care; she knew she could kick any of their asses, she didn’t have to prove anything to them. As Anya continued to grow, her sister continued her night job, even after being thrown out of the house by their father, who disapproved of his daughter’s lifestyle.

Anya remembered the night that Nadya had left home.

“I’ll never leave you, little sister,” promised Nadya as she walked out the door.

Anya had tried to remain in constant contact with her sister but when she was sixteen, she stopped hearing from her. Anya made a promise that she’d find her sister and find out why she stopped calling and writing. It wasn’t too long after that Nikolai died of a heart attack. The man passed away peacefully in his sleep, but he didn’t suffer. That left Anya all alone in the world.

Not knowing what to do, or where to go, Anya got an idea one night watching the late night martial arts movies she loved so much. She’d travel and learn about the martial skills she’d been studying firsthand. All she’d have to do is sell the house and use the money her father and sister had left for her.

So, that’s what she did.

For the next six years, Anya traveled the Far East, honing her skills from the various masters she’d sought out. As she learned, she also had hired a private detective back in the U.S. to find her sister.

When she was 22, Anya was contacted with the news that her sister had been found. She’d been going by the name ‘Monique’, and had been working as a prostitute for one Don Martoni. Then Anya was hit with the news that Nadya was dead, having died during childbirth.

Anya was on the next flight home, trying to put the pieces together. Her sister died during childbirth, but the child was born healthy, with Nadya having died almost a full day later. No, she didn’t like what her mind was coming up with.

That’s when Anya decided to do some investigating on her own. Nadya had died six years ago, meaning that Anya still had family in this world: a six year old nephew that she was going to protect, no matter what.

Unfortunately, there were obstacles.

Don Martoni had claimed young Benjamin as his own. Anya couldn’t see her sister having sex with such a fat bastard, no matter how much she’d been paid. Could it be possible that someone else was the father of her sister’s child?

Unfortunately there was no way to get close to the Martoni family directly. But there were other ways…

“You’re a bodyguard?” asked Vic Ritoli as he looked the young woman over.

“I’m the best there is,” replied Anya as she looked at the rival mob boss.

“But she’s a woman,” said Vic’s other bodyguard. “How can she possibly protec–”

Before the man could finish his sentence, the man’s neck had been snapped, leaving his body a crumpled mess on the floor.

“I like you,” said Vic with a smile. “You’re hired.”

The plan was simple enough. Use the families against each other. Wait for them to kill each other, while Anya got close enough to get her nephew the hell out of town before he got hurt. But she didn’t plan on someone interfering with her plan.

Frank Castle, the Punisher, had been in town and he was killing Ritoli’s men left and right. One lackey had been run over by a train; one of Ritoli’s sons had been shot point blank in a crowded nightclub; another son mysteriously vanished without a trace. Even an entire building full of people were gunned down in a hail of bullets. No one in Vic Ritoli’s employ was safe.

And Anya was going to use that to her advantage. Let the Punisher kill everyone for her, while she made plans to kidnap Benji. She would even help the Punisher escape after being captured by Ritoli. But that’s when she learned of another horrifying truth.

“The Punisher is Benji’s father?” asked Anya as she made her plans while doing surveillance on Don Martoni’s property. She’d overheard some guards talking about it and it did make sense as to why no one in Martoni’s family had even been visited by the Punisher, while Ritoli’s entire business was going to be wiped out.

She had to make a plan. No doubt the Punisher would reclaim his son and try to keep him safe, but in his line of business, the boy would be dead within weeks. No, Anya wasn’t going to lose her only family.

Anya would have to push her body harder, train like she’d never trained before. Then she’d kill the Punisher herself and reclaim her nephew before leaving this life for good. The night Vic Ritoli was killed, she made him the deal.

“Aren’t you supposed to be killing me instead of your boss’s lackeys?” Frank asked her.

“Yes, but not like this,” Anya told him as she eyed his scarred chest, which carried the wounds of the war he’d carried since that fateful day in Central Park. “I know all about you, Mr. Castle. I’ve never met a man as… powerful as you. To die like this would be such a waste.”

“What are you saying?” Frank asked her as he pulled on his torn shirt with the skull on it.

“I want to fight you,” Anya told him. “In a clean, no holds barred fight. I want the pleasure of killing you.”

“Whatever floats your boat, lady,” Frank said as he noticed Ritoli was gone, the trail of blood leading up the stairs. “But what makes you think I’m not going to kill you right here?”

“Because,” Anya said as she got closer to him. “I know you want this, Mr. Castle. Killing these lowlife drug dealers isn’t a challenge to you. You need something real to fight.”

Anya leaned in and kissed him. “In one year, I’ll come find you for our date.”

She tucked a cell phone into his pocket and smiled at him. “I’ll contact you with the information. Now, go on, finish what you started.”

Frank didn’t think he could trust Anya, but something was telling him she was right. He needed a good fight; something that would really challenge him… provided he lived to see such a fight. He grabbed a gun and rushed up the stairs as Anya smirked. If she hurried she could grab her passport and be out of the country soon. She had a lot of training to catch up on.

Ever since her father had died and she learned of her sister’s death, Anya realized that she’d never be whole without a family in her life. And with Benji as her only living relative, she had to do what she could to protect him. She knew that while Benji was in danger because of Frank Castle’s lifestyle, he’d also make sure the boy was safe, no matter how temporarily.

It was two weeks later when she checked up on Benji and discovered he was living in the Bahamas with Don Martoni’s younger brother and his wife, who just happened to be Vic Ritoli’s daughter, neither of them wanting to be part of the mob life. Could it possible that Benji would remain safe from the lowlifes that would threaten his life if his connection to the Punisher ever came to light?

Anya learned the answer was ‘no’ as a tape soon came into her possession. One made by Don Martoni himself, to be distributed to every mob boss across the United States in the case of his passing.

“Hello to all of my associates,” Don Martoni said as he looked into the camera. “If you’re watching this, then I’m dead and it’s by the Punisher’s hand. I’ve had this recording made because I know that son of a bitch is going to double cross me, but the last laugh’s going to be on him.”

“The Punisher’s interfered with us for far too long,” continued Martoni as other associates to his crime family watched at various places throughout the country, each of whom had received the same tape. “But the man can’t be stopped; it’s as if he has no weakness.”

“But he does have one, and I’m going to tell you what it is…”

In Chicago, a woman with blonde hair had intercepted the tape, which wasn’t meant for her since she’d gone rogue after Martoni’s death. She listened closely as the dead mob boss revealed the Punisher’s Achilles’ heel.

“He has a son.”

Anya smiled as she watched the remainder of the tape and knew she had to act fast to win the race to find young Benjamin Martoni before the others who’d soon be searching for him.

Using the money she’d gotten working for Ritoli, plus the money she’d taken before the Ritoli house burned down the night the Punisher came calling, she bought a small house just a few miles from her nephew, living in secret just up the beach.

She couldn’t reveal to Benji that she was his aunt, at least not yet. Like Frank, she realized that the less that Benji knew about the dangers in his life, the better. For now, all she could do was protect her sister’s child or die trying. As she protected Benji, she also trained. She hadn’t forgotten about her fight with Frank Castle.

The Punisher was the perfect challenge for her, something she’d been waiting her whole life for. The one fight she’d wanted since she started watching kung-fu movies on late night TV as a child. He was the one opponent she wasn’t sure she could take in one on one combat, which was what made the prospect of facing him so exciting. The fight wasn’t even about Benji anymore; she knew he’d be safe with or without Frank Castle in his life. This fight was about making Anya feel like she was about something.

Benji and his adopted brother Joshua were at an outside market while Anya was watching them from a few feet away. She hadn’t heard from her contacts in over a day, which was a good thing in her book. Not hearing from them meant that no one was heading toward her location, which meant her nephew’s life wasn’t in danger.

“Excuse me, ma’am,” said Benji as he looked over at her. “Where did you get those earrings? Me and my brother are looking for a birthday gift for our mom and wanted to know if you got them around here.”

Anya was almost speechless that the boy was talking to her. She’d been watching her nephew from afar all this time, and had never actually heard his voice. Now that she was seeing him up close, she could see how closely he resembled Frank Castle.

“I’ll tell you what, I’ll sell them to you right here,” said Anya as she gave the earrings to the boy, who gave her a few dollars. “Your mother’s lucky to have a wonderful son like you.”

“Thanks,” said Benji as he smiled at her. After he’d left with Joshua, Anya knew that taking him from his life here wouldn’t be the best thing. So she’d continue to protect him from all those who would seek to harm him.

In the U.S., in a large mansion, Howard Saint sat at his desk with his hands folded over his chin in a disappointed fashion. He knew that the Punisher would be headed his way, and soon. He knew that Chip Carter joining up with Frank wasn’t a coincidence; it was just a matter of time before they made their way to California.

Saint needed leverage over Frank, something to stop him in his tracks. Up to this point, he had nothing. Assassins obviously wouldn’t work, and after what Nicky Cavella tried to do, the other mob figures across the country decided to back off, at least for now. So Saint needed an ace up his sleeve for when the time came. Luckily, someone had stepped forward with something he might be able to use.

“I know where Frank Castle’s son is,” said Anya’s contact, “which I’ll sell to you for the right price.”