- "Did he take her?"
"She showed up, and I grabbed him, and she ran." - ―Frank Castle and Curtis Hoyle[src]
The Ambush on Amy Bendix was a failed assassination mission by John Pilgrim, aimed at executing Amy Bendix.
Background[]
- "This is not a place where people live, this is a place where people hide."
- ―John Pilgrim to Curtis Hoyle[src]
John Pilgrim chases Frank Castle and Brett Mahoney
In an attempt to eliminate Frank Castle, John Pilgrim arrived at the Sacred Saints Hospital where Castle was supposed to be detained by the NYPD, but Castle managed to escape before Pilgrim arrived. However, Castle ended up being confronted by Brett Mahoney who took Castle under his custody and got an ambulance to get him to the 15th Precinct Police Station. Pilgrim stole a police car and chased an ambulance through the city, trying to shoot Castle down. During the chase, an ambulance ended up falling off the bridge, although both Mahoney and Castle managed to survive the fall.
Pilgrim then prepared to follow Castle and Mahoney to finish them off, however he was suddenly struck by Dinah Madani's car. Madani attempted to arrest Pilgrim, however, he managed to sneak behind and steal her car to get away from the bridge. Once finding himself in the clear, Pilgrim checked the engine of the car and destroyed a tracker, so the Homeland Security would not pursue him. Afterwards, Pilgrim went through Madani's GPS history to find Castle's hideout and followed an address he found there.[3]
Ambush[]
John Pilgrim threatens Curtis Hoyle
- "Castle and the girl."
"Who?"
"I have no quarrel with you, but I also have very little time. So, if they're your friends, and you're thinking of showing them loyalty, of protecting them, it would be better if you didn't." - ―John Pilgrim and Curtis Hoyle[src]
John Pilgrim eventually arrived at the Campervan Hideout and although he did not find Frank Castle or Amy Bendix there, he encountered Curtis Hoyle and threatened him with a gun. Pilgrim warned Hoyle not to try to reach the shotgun near him and asked him why Dinah Madani visits the caravan, not believing that she and Hoyle were sex partners, like he said. Pilgrim knew that Hoyle had an information he needed and asked Castle and Bendix were, but Hoyle denied any knowledge of them. Pilgrim understood that Hoyle was covering up for them out of friendship and said that although Pilgrim had no quarrel against Hoyle, he could not let him go.
Curtis Hoyle tries to stop John Pilgrim
Hoyle continued to deny everything, however, Bendix returned to the hideout to inform Hoyle that they managed to break Castle out of the custody. Pilgrim immediately tried to get to Bendix, only to be attacked by Hoyle who disarmed Pilgrim and told Bendix to run. Bendix then reached for a shotgun and shot him in the leg, but it did not stop him, so she attempted to escape. Hoyle managed to drag Pilgrim away from Bendix who managed to get out through the secret passage, and engaged in a fight with Pilgrim. As Hoyle was determined to prevent Pilgrim from chasing Bendix, he armed himself with a knuckle duster and brutally beat Hoyle up.
Amy Bendix escapes from John Pilgrim
With Hoyle unable to defend himself Pilgrim threw him through the wardrobe, before striking him across the face with the shotgun. The hit then knocked Hoyle unconscious, but Pilgrim, despite being armed with the shotgun, decided to spare Hoyle's life. Pilgrim stepped outside of the caravan to find Bendix, unaware that she hid inside the trunk of Pilgrim's car. Assuming that Bendix was now long gone, Pilgrim got into a car and drove back to the hotel to tend to his wounds, with Bendix in the trunk.[3]
Aftermath[]
Curtis Hoyle is found by Frank Castle
- "I do not have time for your bullshit, you understand me? I'm looking for your man. He took a kid, David, and she is very important to me. I need to get her back."
- ―Frank Castle to David Schultz[src]
Returning to the Campervan Hideout, Frank Castle found injured Curtis Hoyle who informed him about an encounter with John Pilgrim. Hoyle told Castle that Pilgrim tried to get to Amy Bendix, but she managed to escape and he had no idea where she was, as he was knocked out by Pilgrim. With Bendix nowhere in sight, Castle started to interrogate David Schultz to get Pilgrim's current location, but Schultz had no idea about Pilgrim and the conspiracy, forged by his parents. Castle then managed to reach out to the Schultzes and offered them to exchange their son for Bendix's life, although they did try to threaten Castle.
Amy Bendix follows John Pilgrim
Meanwhile, as Pilgrim returned to the hotel and went to tend to his injuries, receiving a call from Schultzes, who ordered to ensure David's safety, otherwise his sons would get harmed. Bendix grabbed a shotgun and considered getting after Pilgrim but she knew that it was too dangerous, so Bendix contacted Hoyle and Castle, informing them about Pilgrim's current location. Bendix told Castle that she simply wanted to know where Pilgrim was, so he could be dealt with once and for all, before Castle engaged in a duel with Pilgrim. However, Pilgrim managed to survive in the gunfight and took Bendix hostage and told him to bring David to an exchange if he wanted Bendix to live.[3]