He lets them know he's out there and he's not going away. No respite, not even for a second. Keeps them scared. 
Appearing in "In the Beginning, Part Two"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Cesare Crime Family
- Lenny
- Larry Barrucci (First appearance)
- Nicky Cavella (First appearance)
- Carmine "Pittsy" Gazzera (First appearance)
- Ink (First appearance)
Other Characters
- Massimo Cesare (Corpse, skeleton or other remains)
- Nadine
- Herbie (First appearance; dies)
- Delta Force (Mentioned)
Races and Species:
Locations:
- Earth-200111
Items:
Vehicles:
- Punisher's Subaru
Synopsis for "In the Beginning, Part Two"
At one of the many funerals made necessary by the recent actions of The Punisher members of the Cesare family argue between themselves about what their next move should be. While they're arguing he explodes an SUV with a bazooka, because "you get the other guy on the ropes, you keep him there."
The group in the penthouse watch the news in shock, and Roth and "Fat Boy" begin to argue. Roth posits that "Fat Boy" is scared of his old friend and wasting time, at which point "Fat Boy" grabs Roth by the testicles and explains that: one, he is not as soft as he appears; two, his name is Microchip, not "Fat Boy"; and three, he worked with Frank Castle for ten years, helping him become an efficient killing machine; so yes, he is scared after seeing the work he just pulled off. With that he orders Bethell to get his squad ready for a strike that night.
Elsewhere, Frank converses with Nadine, a prostitute. She tells him the lack of Mafia higher ups, either through death or from being scared, has lead to quiet streets. He notices a young looking girl and asks about her--how old is she, if she's hooked on anything yet. He suddenly kills her pimp, giving his money clip to Nadine with the instruction to send the girl home with half and tell the new guy to "watch himself."
Still elsewhere, mobster Larry Barucci meets up with Nicky Cavella and his soldiers Ink and Pittsy in a restaurant. Larry explains that The Punisher's massacre left the local family in a power vacuum, with only one man--Big Jackie--ranking higher than soldier, and him being in the hospital. With no one left, Larry turned to the Boston based Nicky, who's been "exiled" from New York for 15 years for the ruthless way he conducts his business. Nicky agrees to help solve the Punisher problem, but doesn't plan on leaving the city again afterward.
That night The Punisher is preparing the go "hunting." Microchip, Roth, O'Brien, and Bethell watch him as he steps on to the street, with Microchip warning not to deploy men if things go wrong as he'll be dead, instead be ready to send guys if things somehow go right. With that he jumps out of the van and calls to Frank. Frank turns around but hesitates just a second before drawing his uzi. Microchip raises his shotgun and shooting him in the chest with a shotgun. Stepping over the body, he shoots Castle in the hand as he reaches for his uzi, then a third time.
Notes
- On the tombstone of Massimo Giovanni, whom Punisher killed in the previous chapter, Giovanni's year of death is listed as 2004, confirming the events of In The Beginning as taking place in publication year.
Trivia
- Clam chowder actually is served in two different ways, the white "New England" version lacking the tomato of the red "Manhattan" style. There's a longstanding stereotype of people from the New England area rejecting the Manhattan style out of hand.