A/N: This story was a challenge given to me by Lawrence Helmbain a few months ago. I must admit that this was different from style of storytelling that I am used to namely due to the fact that this strays away from the main story line.
As difficult as it was figuring out a good plot for this and writing up more drafts that I could count, I found myself excited being given this good of a challenge.
Without further adieu, I hope that you readers will take a good liking to this
P.S., Pardon me coldblue but that promise of mine will just have to wait just after this one.
Rock found himself under a light blue sky. Tiny petals flew around him but felt no wind kiss his face. His surroundings were muddled in figures and strange shapes. His sight, His eyes were a complete blur. Beyond was blank white as though a fog had covered everything in its white embrace.
He couldn't move from his spot but neither did he want to. Looking around the emptiness, he noticed a person standing not a few feet away from him. A man or a woman, he could not tell. All he saw was a tall shadow. Formless. Shapeless. A silhouette.
The figure turned its head towards Rock. Almost as though it had taken notice of him. Slowly it turned and approached him. Becoming clearer and clearer at each step. It came not far from him when the silhouette opened its mouth as though to speak. Rock peaked his ears. Eager to hear, eager to ask and to understand what was going on-
"Wakey wakey, Rocky baby!" A booming voice spoke out from the darkness. The sound of a hammer clicking followed soon after.
BANG!
"Aaaaaaaaaaaah!" Rock screamed as jolted out of his bed in alarm. In reflex, he rolled over to his side and ended up falling off to the ground.
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAahahaha!" Revy cackled wildly, vainly holding back her laughter. Fresh gunpowder smoked out of her trademark Cutlass pistol as Revy waved it about in the air.
"What the Hell, Revy?!" Rock cried. Both his hands were covering his right ear as he tried drowning out the ringing noise. "Ever heard of – ack! – knocking? Or even a nudge? I'm not a heavy sleeper you know!"
"Yeah, hehe." Revy said with a few chuckles in between. "Though about it, but I said nah! Doing this is a lot funnier. Hahaha!"
"Ugh." Rock sighed. "I have to remind myself to get a better lock for my door."
"Pffft." Revy scoffed. "As if you think THAT would stop me from barging in? I could pick- or better yet break that lock just to mess with you."
"Hmmmm." Rock considered. "Good point. Can't have myself buying a new lock once every week."
"By all means please do. Cuz I already broke yours." Revy said casually as she twirled a broken padlock on her hands. "On the bright side, I COULD use a leg work out. You'll never know when there'd be bigger doors that needs knocking down in between jobs."
"If only I could handle what comes next after that everyday. Damn." Rock mumbled as he rubbed his ears. "Speaking of which, what do we have for today? As much as I know that you'd fuck with me for no reason whatsoever, shooting me however makes it sound so urgent."
"Oh yeah." Revy said. She dug into her pockets and took out a crumpled piece of paper. "We got some delivery jobs around the city and a few pick ups. Benny lent us his car. We'll meet Dutch by the docks at noon once we're done with all that for a job."
"Hope that it wouldn't be like the last one." Rock yearned. "My body's still sore after all that running and hitting pavements from last Monday."
"We'll know it when we get there." Revy shrugged. "So get your ass off of bed and go get dressed before I shoot your other ear off and have you crawling for a new hearing aid. I'll be outside by the car. By the time I'm finished with my smoke and you're still not down then go find yourself another ride, amigo."
"Good luck with getting all those done on your own without me then." Rock called out before Revy could close the door behind her. "You'll do a good job talking to those guys without me anyway."
"Just don't take too long you got that?" Revy replied with a finger sticking out.
Chuckling under his breath, Rock grabbed his towel from his closet and made his way to the shower. As he stripped himself off of his clothes, his eyes lingered to the mirror and took a moment to look at himself. He gave off a soft whistle as he saw how much he changed.
Rock must admit that he was impressed with how well he turned out. Life in the city had changed the way he looks and how he carried himself. His muscles were not large but well formed and fit. Toned and filled with a decent 6 pack to boot. This must be one of the few good things that Rock ever got out of the city. Well, that and a decent living. Running for dear life, adrenaline pumping, and dodging lead from crazed gunmen 24/7 ever week really works up ones appetite for exercise.
The risks that Rock painstakingly remembered involving in getting it was another story. Small scars and light bruises imbedded on his skin were proof enough that none of what he does was just fun and games. It was also a warning that the next one could be his last if he wasn't too careful since he got all of it for sticking his neck too far.
The most recent addition in his collection was the one imbedded in his chest. Oddly enough it was something close to sentimental for him. He almost could still feel the burning metal churning in there despite having nothing there. It was a souvenir from Fabiola, the young Mini-Maid of the Lovelace Family.
It was sort of a thank you note from the girl for all Rock's efforts in helping them. Namely finding the young master's missing Head Maid or as people of the underworld would call, the Bloodhound of Florencia. In the end he succeeded when other's backed out and with the young master with no one to turn to. Rock saw himself as a Samaritan, one who acts entirely out of good will. He had won in the end.
Fabiola saw differently however. She perceived Rock as someone who enjoys toying with people's lives, or in this case the young Master's, for his own enjoyment. She called him a sadist who would risk it all for the ultimate gamble just for the sake of winning.
"You are the biggest bastard of the lot," Rock remembered her telling him. "You are already…a true resident of this city."
Those words shook Rock to his very core. He was beginning to question his status in the city. What he is. Do her words prove true to what he has become? Is he truly a villain? Is he still the same Rokuro Okajima, the innocent salesclerk from Japan or Rock, criminal of Roanapur?
His thoughts about this will have to wait as Revy blared the car's siren from outside, telling him to hurry up. Fixing up his tie one last time, he made his way out of his apartment building with a sandwich on his mouth and a cup of coffee on his hand.
Revy stood just outside the building. Casually she leant with her back on their red car smoking the last inch of her cigarette. She was about to stamp out the ashes before Rock entered the vehicle and started up its engine.
"Alright then, Rock." Revy said. "Lets get going. First stop is at East side. The hospital. We got a package note for some meds and drugs that they need. You got that?"
"Yeah, got it."
"Hey, Rock" Revy nudged at him. "You're wasting gas blacking out like that. You okay there?"
Rock was being sulkier than usual with his head pointing down. Revy was sure that it wasn't due to any sleepiness but from something else. She gave a sigh when she saw his eyes were staring on his left hand that held on to the wheel. A long white line etched on his skin was visible. Extending from his palm to his wrist.
"You still bothered by that?" Revy asked crabbily. Her gaze looked out the window and lit herself a cigarette. "I thought we got through that already. You did what you had to do so get over it. Jesus."
"I know." Rock sighed. "Let's do this."
Rock shook his head awake and thought nothing more of his troubles. He'd prefer keeping his head on the game. Danger lurks in every corner in the city after all, even in the morning. With a turn on the stick, he set the car up to gear and drove it down the street.
Ever the stoic man, Boris stands in uniform right behind his Kapitan, Balalaika of Hotel Moscow. He acts as her shadow, never speaking his mind but weighing every word spoken by the assembly. He was the Kapitan's ever-vigilant sentry who oversees things that even Balalaika would overlook. He is needed more than ever as they conduct their weekly meetings with her mob's branch leaders.
Balalaika leaned heavily back on her leather chair and pondered on the reports being given by her officers. All the while, she has yet to smoke since the meeting started. Unknown to the others, Boris took this as a sign that the Kapitan was in distress.
Things were not looking too well for Hotel Moscow these past few weeks or, if their sources could be trusted, the other Head Gangs. Upstart gangs were taking in territory like a cancer in untold numbers answering to no one but their own. No matter how many they take down, it seems like another pair takes its place.
Like starving dogs to scraps, they tear at each other's necks as they vie for power. As entertaining as it was to watch them kill each other, their actions were running rampant in the city. Their activities were going unchecked; wars were erupting in the streets, drugs are filling the street under many names as well as contraband with the 4 Pillars not getting any piece of it and officials were being paid off for their own ends. Up until recently they were going as far as attacking Hotel Moscow cargo ships as well as killing off their men and officers. Income for the month was also at its lowest in the year.
"And what of the others?" Balalaika asked. Her eyes lingered on the untouched seats in front of her. "Are there casualties from the Mafia? Cartel? Triads?"
"Yes Madam Balalaika." One of the officers said. "They too are losing some of their top men."
"This wont mean that we'll let them out of the loop however, Kapitan." Dima, another officer, spoke. "I have my moles dug deep in with them. They wont pick their nose without us knowing it."
"Good." Balalaika nodded before scanning to the other reports. "I believe that would be all for now. You are dismissed."
The men all rose as one and gave Balalaika a military salute before making their way to the door one by one. Boris obliged himself to open the door for them and close it behind them. They waited in silence as the footsteps died away.
"Damn." She gave a small sigh as she read on. "I liked that Lester. That's no fitting way to go. Getting his throat slit in an alley. I could almost admit that I feel sorry for him."
"That man ordered a hit on you, Kapitan." Boris reminded.
"I know," Balalaika said. "Small time boss he may be, but you can't help respecting a man that stubborn. A little danger, after all, makes us all feel young."
"Yes, Kapitan." Boris said.
Boris's earpiece unceremoniously rang for an incoming message.
"Sargent Boris." The receptionist called. "Pardon for the intrusion but two people from the Lagoon are here to see Madam Balalaika. Two-Hands and the Japanese man. They are waiting in the lobby in front of me. Should I let them through sir?"
"Kapitan." Boris said to Balalaika. "Revy and Rock of the Lagoon Company is here."
"Bring them in." Balalaika replied. Her eyes were still glued on her documents.
"Let them through." Boris said to his earpiece. "The Kapitan will be waiting for them."
"I've just realized something now, Sargent." Balalaika said. She paused for a while to light up a cigar. "We've been rather scarce with the Lagoon Company since our operations in Japan. I rather miss their company."
With all due respect, Kapitan." Boris said. "But a time off with friends is a luxury that we cannot afford as of late. Especially with what is all happening now."
"Of course, Sargent." Balalaika gave a small chuckle. "But this has nothing to do with any sentimentality. All strictly business. I'm only anxious to meet them now because they seem to be the only we can rely on nowadays. What do you think off all these recent changes in scenery in this city lately, Sargent?"
"Questionable." Boris said as he approached the desk and looked at some of the documents. "At first glance, they seem random but I am starting to see a faint pattern in some of these."
"What do you see?" Balalaika asked.
"The timing of some of these acts seems organized." Boris elaborated. "It hides itself with the anarchy that the city is already experiencing with the other gangs. Take for example Lester's death. As soon as he died, large shipments of goods arrive a day later and are distributed in his territory. Not long after his area and the other nearby territories become disputed and wars pop up between the gangs. Amidst all that commotion important figures, officers and bosses from old and new gangs get killed off."
"And this would result to what exactly?"
"I believe that someone is profiting from all this. And not only would this be happening in the late Lester's territory but in other places as well possibly. This could be a coincidence however, Kapitan. As of yet, I cannot be sure."
"An interesting Hypothesis, Sargent." Balalaika nodded. "That is actually not that far from what I have had in mine myself. I actually wasn't listening to half of the entire meeting since I was too preoccupied with these patterns. However, I have a few exceptions to your given."
"Oh?" Boris raised an eyebrow in slight awe. "And what would that be then, Kapitan."
"There might be more than one player in this roulette." Balalaika said. "Might be from Chang or the other Pillars. Might be from an outside power. Upstart or someone powerful, I don't know. Only thing I am sure however is that a storm is brewing, Sargent. And I don't like what endgame they have in mind."
Being an international criminal organization, something like this is normal for them. They have faced these troubles before and they end up overcoming them eventually. That doesn't mean that they prefer it happening from time to time however. This was no laughing matter.
Before Boris could think more of it, furious knock came barging in from the door. He walks towards the door welcomed in Rock and Revy to the room.
"Sup there, Boris." Revy said. "Nice seeing your ugly mug again."
"The same could be said about you, Two-Hands." Boris said with a small smirk. Before Revy could react, he turned his attention to Rock. "Nice to see you too."
"Yeah." Rock said. "Business as usual, huh?"
Boris simply nodded and led them to their seat. He took a moment and noticed something different about Rock. His eyes looked a colder. Curious as he was to figure out what that meant, he couldn't dwell in it now. There was business to be done.
"Hey Sis." Revy said to Balalaika as she casually seated herself on a vacant seat. She had quite the rapport with Balalaika to call her by any other name. Most know her as Madame Fry-face but not within an earshot of the cold Russian woman. "Your people are going nuts downstairs. Where's the fire?"
"Nothing that you should be worry about, Two-Hands." Balalaika replied. "Nor does it concern with the business I have with you. Is that clear."
Her gaze then turned to Rock who was about to seat himself in the chair next to Revy. Boris noticed her pausing for a second. Her stern, no-nonsense attitude faded for a moment as her eyes dilated and gazed at the boy. Not long within that moment did Balalaika turn her attention back to Two-Hands.
"You're the boss, boss." Revy said with a two-fingered salute.
"What do you have for us today, ma'am?" Rock asked.
"A pickup job over the high seas. Your specialty." Balalaika said. She handed over a folder to Rock. "All info that you need is in there."
"Wouldn't it be better to tell us about the mission straight forward instead?" Rock said flatly. The folder remained untouched between him and the mob boss.
Things went quiet in that room that you could hear a pin drop. Balalaika herself was taken aback by the suddenness. She was completely caught off guard by the frankness of the statement. Even Revy looked at Rock with a glare that said, 'what the fuck do you think you are doing?' or 'I don't know where this is going but you better shut the fuck up now.'
"I usually expect this to come from Two-Hands." Balalaika said in amusement. "But from you? Why the sudden change of face, Rock?"
"Just gone through a long day already this morning." Rock replied. "I don't feel like doing more work than I should over a simple pick up job."
"Oh but there's where you're wrong." Balalaika said. "This isn't just some regular pick up job that I'm about to give to any delivery company. This is some pick-up job that I'm about to give to a company that I have come to trust and rely on. In the current status that my organization is going through nowadays that is something I need right now. The reason I am telling you only this much is because I am afraid that I have bugs dug into my office so deep that I cant enjoy my caviar without them hearing every munch as I take a bite."
"Now if you please." Balalaika motioned to the folder in front of her.
"Fair enough." Rock complied and took the folder. "I hope that no offence was taken."
"Oh no." Balalaika laughed. "I happen to be familiar with that feeling from time to time too. We all want to shoot our heads off when we roll over the wrong side of the bed. Just consider yourself lucky that I'm in not in that mood today else I'd be calling in someone to get me a new carpet here in my office."
"Count myself lucky then, Miss Balalaika." Rock chuckled. He then cleared his throat and turned to a serious tone. "I didn't realize that the situation regarding your organization had been quite serious recently and you are all on edge. Again, I apologize for any insults perceived. Regarding this job you have for us, is there anything else that you'd like to tell us about it?"
"Yes. Be vigilant and on your toes" Balalaika replied. "Things around this mad house is getting even madder as you may have heard. Something tells me that something big is about to happen here soon and I don't want my favorite smugglers getting in the crossfire. Apart from that, nothing else. You are both dismissed."
"Alrighty then, Sis. We'll catch you in the flipside." With that said, Revy stood and made her way to the door. Rock followed after making a curt bow to Balalaika. He immediately began scanning through the folder as Boris opened the door for them. A loud punch, a yelp and falling papers were heard no sooner before the doors even closed.
"Rock seems a lot feistier now does he?" Balalaika observed. "Whether what he did was a smart or a stupid move. One thing is certain though, I guess this city is beginning to get to that man's head."
"Yes indeed, Kapitan." Boris said. "A lot must have happened to him with all that's happened. He has the 1000-year stare. I could see it in his eyes."
"That man simply never ceases to amuse me." Balalaika said. "He is as indecipherable as a Vegas card dealer. But before we get any deeper in the mystery that is Rock, we have business to settle. Have the car made ready to go in 5 minutes. I'll be down shortly."
"Yes, Kapitan." Boris saluted.
"Makes you wonder what's happening in that head of hers, huh Rock?" Revy asked as soon as they got back in the car. "One moment, she's greeting us like old pals, next she's hiding secrets from us, then she laughs her ass off after you came as far as pissing in her lawn. I'm telling you, that lady is going bonkers, or better yet Bi-polar. I don't know. But more than that, what the fuck was going on with that head of yours Rock?"
"Huh?" Rock said without taking his eyes off of the folder. "You say something?"
"Pfft. Nothing." Revy replied in an annoyed tone. "Anyway let's get to the Docks and get this whole day over with."
Revy looked over to Rock and fumed. Rock did not pay attention to anything that she just said. His eyes were still cemented on the documents in the folder. Instantaneously, she knocked over the folder from his hands.
"Hey!" Rock retorted. "The fucks your problem?"
"Abso-fucking-lutely nothing." Revy said smugly. "Now get the car started hotpants and lets get going. I want this day to be over as much as you."
With Rock on the wheel, they drove off from the Bougenvilla Company parking lot and out onto the streets. As he made a turn on a curb, he abruptly stepped on the breaks as a series of black cars sped passed the opposing street in unison. The abrupt stop sent Revy bumping her head with the windshield.
"You'd think that being a top mob boss, she could have hired a better driver huh?" Rock said.
"Funny." Revy retorted as she rubbed on the bump on her head. "I could say the same about you, fucktard. Give a little warning next time will you?"
"If we did, we'd owe Benny another repair job, Dutch will have us on our necks for the medical bills and the possibility of Balalaika changing her carpets from both our brains." Rock calmly retorted. "Now be thankful that I didn't else you'd have a bigger bump than that bruise on your head."
"And how am I sure this isn't just payback for earlier?" Revy asked.
"Please." Rock said as he lit himself a cigarette. "I'm above petty revenge. Least of all from you. Gotta say, I'm kind of used to it already."
A sudden crash and the sudden outbreak of gunfire erupted from nearby put their conversation to a halt. People were running passed them in panic. A stray bullet lodged itself on a lamppost next to where their car was and gave of a dull ringing noise as it ricocheted off.
Rock drove out of the street. He drove not far to the open but just enough for them to catch a glimpse of what was going on. Not a minute had passed and already the streets were in chaos. Something akin to a warzone.
One of Hotel Moscow cars lay wrecked on the sidewalk with a large truck pinning it down. Its engines were smoking. Wounded men from the former were pulled out and carried into cover amidst the gunfire. The ones from the latter remained where they were, dead as the swine that they were.
A group of men were shooting from windows and rooftops, pinning down the Russians in the streets. The Russians in turn had their military experience to thank. They never panicked, never faltered and moved as one unit. Precise and adaptive, they dispatched their enemies with ease with little to no casualties. With Balalaika on the helm of command their victory was ensured.
Rock had seen enough and set off the car to the other side of the street. He drove away from the warzone and looked for another route for their destination.
"Rock!" Revy shouted. One of her cutlasses was upholstered, primed and ready to fire. "The fuck do you think you're doing? Turn this car around! They need help over there!"
"They don't need our help and we aren't needed there." Rock said flatly. "She's handling things well enough regardless. We'll just get in the way. We're late enough for the docks too as it is."
"As hard as it is turning away from all this," Revy sighed. Her Cutlass pistol was holstered back in place. "Its even harder to admit that you're probably right on this one. Still, hope that Sis'll be okay when we'll get back. Hate to miss out on a good paycheck."
Rock replied with a hearty laugh.