- "I'm expecting our targets to come in armed and ready to fight. They believe they are there to capture a dangerous enemy. When they find us waiting instead, I don't expect them to come quietly."
- ―Dinah Madani[src]
The Ambush at the Abandoned Warehouse was a covert Homeland Security operation, planned by Dinah Madani and Sam Stein to smoke out the people hunting Frank Castle. While Billy Russo put together a team of former Anvil contractors to kill Castle, Madani and Stein lured them into the trap. The operation was a disaster, during which Stein and several Homeland Security agents were killed, while Russo managed to escape without getting caught.
Background[]
- "We have to go after Castle. He's the last witness."
"And get in the middle of a government operation? Hell of a risk."
"Risky is him being captured and talking about Kandahar to save himself from a lifetime in prison." - ―William Rawlins and Billy Russo[src]
During a failed sting operation on the Greek Mob, Dinah Madani found out that Frank Castle was still alive, but chose to divulge it only to Sam Stein. Madani was distrustful of the Homeland Security after Carson Wolf's corruption was revealed, so she and Stein investigated Castle on their own. Madani requested Stein to find information on the soldiers that served with Castle, including Gunner Henderson. William Rawlins, who had been listening via a bug planted in Madani's office, had Billy Russo send a team of Anvil contractors to take Henderson out before Madani could get to him.
However, as the team landed in Kentucky near Henderson's location, they were attacked by Henderson and Castle, during which Rawlins found out that the latter was alive. Although, the entire Anvil team was killed in a firefight, Henderson did perish from blood loss, while a wounded Castle was rescued by Micro.[2] On the next day, Madani and Stein were informed of Henderson's death, so they investigate the site of the firefight. Madani concluded that Henderson was not alone and theorized that Castle was there with him, which they confirmed by analyzing the blood traces.[3]
Dinah Madani and Sam Stein find a bug in the office
As Madani tried to pursue the lead through Russo, it eventually dawned on her that Henderson was targeted immediately after they brought up his name. Realizing that someone had been listening on them, Madani and Stein searched the office and managed to find a bug planted in the bookshelf.[4] They chose not to report the bug and alert their enemies and instead devised a plan to lure them into a trap. Madani and Stein acted out preparation for a fake operation to catch Castle who was allegedly planning to buy ammunition from Jack DeLeon. While feeding Rawlins false intel, Madani informed several Homeland Security agents of the true nature of their operation to lure their targets in a trap and get them.
Billy Russo puts together a team to go after Frank Castle
Rawlins informed Russo about a supposed Homeland Security operation to apprehend Castle and stressed that they needed to take him out before he could talk. Russo claimed that after losing many of his men going after Henderson, he could not use any Anvil contractors, so Rawlins provided him with funds to hire people outside Anvil. He reached out to Mike Bashille, Spencer Geiger, Jim Pruitt and Tom Weems, who were on the run after a botched Anvil contract in Iraq, where they opened fire on civilians. Russo convinced them to join him for an operation to eliminate Castle, promising them enough money to start over outside of the United States.[1]
Ambush[]
Billy Russo's team gets ambushed by the Homeland Security
- "Federal agents are dead, and Stein died for nothing. As soon as everyone figures that out, I'm finished. I... I used Frank Castle's name as bait. I went after the people trying to kill a dead man."
- ―Dinah Madani to Billy Russo[src]
Once William Rawlins gained access to the fake tactical plan from the Homeland Security systems, Billy Russo and his team were preparing to move out. Concealing their faces with masks, the five of them entered the Abandoned Warehouse, where Frank Castle was supposed to meet with Jack DeLeon. The team surveyed their surrounding in search of Castle, before Dinah Madani, Sam Stein and Homeland Security agents showed up from their positions and ordered them to surrender. Russo responded by shooting one of the agents in the head, initiating a firefight with Homeland Security.
Dinah Madani and Sam Stein fight Billy Russo's team
As both sides were exchanging gunfire, two Homeland Security agents attempted to flank Russo's team, but one of them was killed. Madani then repeated the order to drop the weapons and surrender, to which Russo ordered his men to take Homeland Security down. They attempted to pin Homeland Security down with suppressing fire, however, one of the agents was able to shoot Jim Pruitt down. As the firefight progressed, the Homeland Security pressed forward and Stein managed to take out Mike Bashille while covering Madani. As Russo's team was down to three, Madani commanded Stein to flank and get behind them, while she would cover him.
Billy Russo kills Tom Weems on his way out
With the odds stacked against them, Russo decided to bail and pushed Spencer Geiger out of the position for him to get shot by Madani, before getting to the exit. Russo killed one agent on his way out, but when Tom Weems attempted to follow him, Madani managed to wound his leg. Although Weems was begging for help, Russo considered him to be a liability and finished him off with a headshot before retreating. Left alone, Russo left the warehouse and shot down an agent pursuing him, before Stein caught up to him him and demanded him to surrender.
Sam Stein gets killed by Billy Russo
With Stein holding him at a gunpoint, Russo dropped his gun and got on his knees with hands behind his back. Stein then came closer and unmasked his enemy, being caught off-guard by realizing they were up against Russo all along. Russo used his moment of vulnerability to use his hidden blade to stab Stein in the neck and escape. Once Russo was gone, Madani arrived and to her utter horror, she found Stein bleeding out on the ground. She held Stein in her arms and desperately tried to call for help, but Stein succumbed to his wounds, unable to tell Madani about Russo before his death.[1]
Aftermath[]
Dinah Madani mourns Sam Stein
- "This is a Homeland Security investigation."
"Well, I'm not sure what jurisdiction Homeland Security has over CIA agents' conduct on foreign soil, Agent Madani. And Rafi can tell you, we generally clean our own dirty laundry."
"It's not that simple, Marion. Several of our agents were killed in an operation not five miles from here. On US soil." - ―Dinah Madani, Marion James and Rafael Hernandez[src]
The operation was a disaster with numerous agents killed in action, which left the Homeland Security unprepared for the terrorist attack that occurred later. Dinah Madani was deeply affected by Sam Stein's death as she blamed herself, and initially refused to talk to Rafael Hernandez about what happened.[5] However, after Frank Castle being alive became a public knowledge and Micro told her about William Rawlins, Madani told Hernandez everything, including the bug in her office.
She revealed that Castle was connected to Ahmad Zubair's execution and named Rawlins as the person in charge of the conspiracy. Hernandez then handed her files on the men she fought at the warehouse and Madani noticed that all of them used to work for Anvil. She headed over to Royal Hospitality to talk to Billy Russo about it, but he feigned ignorance. Soon after, Lewis Wilson attempted to kill Stan Ori, so Madani rushed there to intercept him, before encountering Castle. As they had a standoff, Russo suddenly shot Castle and ignored Madani's orders to stand down. She realized that Russo had been working with Rawlins and that he was the one who killed Stein, but the New York City Police Department broke off the standoff and Castle got away.[6]
Dinah Madani confronts Billy Russo
Madani summoned Russo to Homeland Security Headquarters and attempted to pressure him into testifying against Rawlins, but he knew Madani had nothing on him and denied everything. Hernandez then arranged a meeting with Marion James, informing her about Rawlins illegal dealings and the Operation Cerberus. James denied Rawlins' involvement and promised that the CIA would look into it, but Madani claimed that it was now a Homeland Security investigation. James questioned Homeland Security having jurisdiction to investigate a CIA officer, but Hernandez told her that Rawlins was linked to deaths of their agents on the United States soil, which complicated the situation.[7]