Roanapur, Thailand,1996
Fuck, it was hot.
Usually, Astrid didn't mind the Roanapur heat. It was one of the things she liked about the place. She liked being able to go out at night unrestricted by the cold, liked moving indoors to out, unhindered. Especially at night, she liked the way people spilled out onto the streets, and how you could leave a place without the signpost of getting your coat. She liked the heat, had spent most of her life in hot countries, but today was too damn hot, and she wasn't in the mood.
Revy's only AC unit was in her bedroom, and Astrid was sprawled out on the couch, sleeping off the night before. It was past midday, but she didn't want to move, even though her mouth was dry and she needed a smoke. Just a few more minutes.
The door opened, and Astrid opened one eye, looking at the intruder from under the arm she had slung over her face, comfortable in the knowledge her Beretta was within arm's reach. But it was only Rock.
"Bedroom," she said in a gravelly voice, smirking slightly at the blush creeping up the Japanese man's face. She was in her underwear and a tank top, no bra, like that was such a big deal. You'd see more walking down any given street in this town, but Rock had always been different. She listened to Rock walk down the hall into Revy's room and reluctantly rolled off the couch as she heard him try to get her up.
Astrid walked over to the sink and looked briefly for a glass, before giving up and taking a drink directly from the tap, holding her long dark hair back as she did so. Then she splashed her face a few times, cooling herself down and waking herself up at the same time.
Revy came back in, smoking a cigarette, trailed by Rock, who politely offered one to Astrid.
"Work?" Astrid asked Revy, taking Rock's offering and leaning forward so he could light it for her.
"Yeah," Revy replied, rubbing the back of her neck and looking up at the ceiling, still seeming half asleep. "Last minute job." Revy glanced at her for a second, and Astrid could see the wheels turning; it was always obvious with Revy. "Maybe you should come with," she added, seeming amused for some reason.
Astrid had known Revy long enough to know there was something going on that she was missing, but she was too hot and hungover to care right now. And besides, working with Lagoon Company was always a good pay-day, not to mention they had the support of Hotel Moscow, making jobs for them relatively risk free... relatively.
"Sure," she replied, shrugging and heading over to where her clothes lay crumpled on the ground. Cigarette hanging from her mouth, she tugged on her low rise, bootcut jeans, and brown weathered moto boots.
"Who's the job for?" Astrid asked, making use of the two hair ties around her wrist, one to tie most of her hair up into a messy, half arsed ponytail, and the other to tie her white tank top into a crop top. She left her jacket where it lay on the ground. It was too fucking hot, she'd get it later.
"Dunno," Revy said, Rock by her side, looking uncomfortable. Which meant she knew. Astrid shrugged, kneeling on the floor with her hand under the couch, looking for her cigarettes. She found them, but the lighter was missing. Whatever. Finally, she fastened her brown leather thigh holster around her leg and secured her gun. She felt gross. She wanted to brush her teeth or take a shower, but that all seemed way too complicated right now.
"Whatever. Ready when you are." She put her worse for wear pack of cigarettes in her back pocket and found her lighter in there, too.
The Lagoon Company office was a short walk from Revy's apartment, and an almost equally short walk from Yellow Flag, which was exactly the way Revy liked it, and exactly why Astrid had crashed at her place the night before. Revy was a friend, sort of. As close to a friend as you could get in Roanapur. They went back. So sometimes the pair of them went drinking when the rampant testosterone in the city got to be too much.
They arrived in no time, and the mystery of Revy's amusement was answered the moment they stepped inside.
"Hey, glad you could join us," Mr. Chang greeted Revy with his back to the door as the three of them entered the room. He was flanked by four of his little brothers, all of whom Astrid knew by name. His presence woke her up better than that splash of cold water back at Revy's had. She walked to stand parallel with the sofa, over his right shoulder. He paused almost imperceptibly, shifting slightly, then continuing as though nothing had happened, not looking at her, and answering Revy's question about what she had missed. But he knew it was her.
Embassy bombings, terrorist organisations, and the Triad's offices blown to Timbuktu. Sounded like a real shit show. Astrid focused on the Lagoon Company team standing opposite her, Revy and Benny laughing at Chang's story about how he threatened to crush a Bulgarian's nut, Rock looking vaguely morally affronted about the whole thing, and tried not to stare at the back of Chang's head. It had been a while since she'd seen him. Longer since they'd... it'd been a while. The combination of his presence and her hangover wasn't helping her concentrate.
Revy glanced at her from across the room, still laughing, and raised an eyebrow with a smirk. Revy just loved pushing buttons, and Astrid knew she found it amusing to watch her try to keep her mask up around this man, who's cologne she could smell from where she was standing. Two Hands could dish it out, but she couldn't take it. Even the slightest hint of teasing regarding her obvious feelings for Rock and she'd fly off the handle. Which was exactly why Astrid left the poking and prodding to Eda.
Satisfied that her entertainment for this mission was sorted, Revy moved to the window while Chang explained about the briefcases. Four decoys, one with the actual documents. Astrid blinked, and the next second Revy was throwing herself across the room yelling something it took her a moment to process, and all hell broke loose.
"R-P-G!"
Chang, along with everyone else, stared at Revy for a moment, then he moved so quickly it was almost inhuman. Astrid had just begun to turn when he leapt off the sofa and slammed into her, bringing her to the ground with him on top just as the windows exploded and the office turned into a warzone.
Slowly she opened her eyes, her ears ringing, finding Chang's face millimetres from her own. His lips were moving, but she couldn't hear a word. Then, all at once, her hearing came back to her, along with all her other senses.
"-you okay?" Chang was saying, his hand on her chin to make her look at him, his other arm propping himself up so his weight was no longer on her. Her body ached from the force with which he'd tackled her to the ground, and her head was still ringing, but Astrid had the feeling both of those issues would go away soon enough.
"Yeah-" she started to reply, at the same moment Chang's 'little brothers' and bodyguards got to their feet and rushed over, guns raised.
"Dailo, are you all right?"
Chang stood up, pulling Astrid to her feet in one swift motion that made her head spin.
"I'm fine. Man, these guys don't waste any time," he said, taking his guns from his little brother, dual Berettas, the same make as Astrid's own, and a cigarette, which someone else lit for him. Chang asked for the emergency exit, and Revy volunteered to show him.
"Great, a guided tour," Chang quipped. Behind his sunglasses, Astrid knew his eyes were on her, but then he turned away, his whole focus on the issue at hand like she wasn't even there. Taking her cue from him, she drew her own Beretta from the holster on her thigh and cocked it, moving out of the way of the door right before Chang and Revy smashed it down.
Revy had been trained by Chang, the only person in Roanapur with more skill as a dual wielder than her. Together they made a deadly team. Lagoon Company, with Astrid in tow, followed in their wake, Rock clutching the briefcase to his chest.
"Chang's cleared a path for us!" Called Dutch, leading Benny and Rock out onto the balcony, Astrid bringing up the rear and shooting a couple of stragglers that had arrived after Revy and Chang had blown through the hallway. She followed them over the balcony, hearing Chang call out the password as they piled into the car, knowing what it was before he said it.
"Don't forget, the password is -!"
The five of them in one car didn't make for a particularly comfortable experience. Revy, who had shoved Rock in the back before getting in herself, followed by Astrid, was sitting in the middle seat with one foot up on each chair in the front. She pulled out her cigarettes and took one, offering the pack to Astrid who accepted. She rolled down the window before lighting off Revy's who got her light from Rock. The car was already stifling.
"Next time you have a surprise job for me," Astrid said, her head tilted back against the seat, eyes closed, "I'll pass."
Revy laughed, her usual cackle,
"Aw, comon'," she said, nudging Astrid painfully in the ribs. "How often do we get to see the boss man in action, amirite?"
"Speaking of which," Rock said, in his careful, analytic tone, "Astrid, do you know Mr. Chang?"
Astrid would have rolled her eyes if they hadn't already been closed. Revy laughed, even louder than before.
"What makes you say that, Rock?" Astrid asked, curtly, not opening her eyes.
"Well, he didn't so much as greet you when you came in, I admit," Rock continued, obliviously, "but when Revy gave the warning he went right for you, and knocked you down to shield you from the blast. It was like he didn't even hesitate."
"Yeah Asti, what was that about?" Revy asked gleefully, nudging her in the ribs again and earning a sharp nudge back. Astrid took another drag while Dutch raised an eyebrow at Revy in the rear-view mirror.
"I dunno, Rock," Astrid replied, keeping her tone nonchalant, "chivalry?"
"I don't think so," Rock pushed, earning him a groan from Dutch, "a guy like Chang-"
"Rock, what have I told you about where nosiness gets you in this business?" asked Dutch, cutting Rock short while struggling to be heard over Revy's laughter.
"I'm sorry," said Rock, "I didn't mean-"
"It's fine, Rock," Astrid interrupted, pulling out the hair tie holding up her hair and letting it spill over the back of the seat. "Yeah, we know each other. But I haven't seen him in a while. Shut it, two hands," she added to Revy, who was still in stiches.
"And if you know what's good for you, Rock," Dutch said from the front, "you'll keep that bit of information to yourself."
"I understand," said Rock, after a brief pause where Astrid was sure she could hear the gears turning in his head, "If information like that, that Mr. Chang considered you someone worth protecting, got into the wrong hands, it could be..." he trailed off, searching for the words.
"Bad," Astrid finished for him. "Yeah."
A couple of days later, job done without a hitch (unless you considered Rock getting himself kidnapped a hitch), Revy, Rock, and Astrid found themselves drinking at Revy's place. Astrid had stopped by to pick up her jacket, which had stayed crumpled on the floor where she had left it. Rock had already been there. Astrid knew better than to comment; nothing wound Revy up tighter than teasing her about Rock, especially when Rock was there to hear it. Eda liked to push that button, even going as far to flirt with Rock when Revy was around, but Astrid knew better. Glass houses, and all that.
So, Revy had just handed Astrid a beer like it was implied she would be staying, and the three of them set about getting drunk. After beer number five they were out of cigarettes and started a game of rock, paper scissors to determine who would go out to get more.
"Ah, shit! No fucking way you guys, one more round!" Revy slammed her half empty beer bottle down on the coffee table, making it foam up and spill over.
"Come on, Revy, we've already done best out of five," Rock said, diplomatic yet firm. "If you don't want to make good on the deal just say so."
"Urgh, fine," Revy screeched, standing up and grabbing some cash from their outstretched hands, "but you cock-suckers had better not drink any of the good stuff while I'm gone."
"What good stuff would that be?" said Astrid, before draining the last of her beer. "And get reds, Revy, none of that weak ass shit." Revy waved a hand over her shoulder as she left to indicate she had heard her. She shut the door to the apartment, leaving Astrid and Rock alone.
Rock sat on a battered chair, tie loosened, nursing his beer. Astrid sat on the floor opposite him, knees up and back against the sofa, playing with her lighter.
"Hey, Astrid?" Rock said after a moment or two of comfortable silence.
"Yeah, Rock?" Astrid replied, standing up and heading over to the fridge for two more beers, even though Rock was still only half way through his last. She returned, opening them as she went, and was setting the bottles down on the coffee table when Rock spoke.
"You don't have to answer me, and I promise whatever you say won't leave this room," here we go, thought Astrid. She had been wondering when this was going to come up again. "But how exactly do you know Mr. Chang? By that I mean, what is your relationship with him? Does he have something to do with how you ended up in Roanapur?" He paused for a moment, contemplative, and drained his beer. "I just can't figure that guy out."
Astrid sighed. His last comment put her on edge. A lot of people wanted information on Chang. If it had been anyone else... she would have told them to go fuck themselves. She didn't like talking about herself, or her past, and she especially didn't like talking about Chang.
But, she thought, Rock was different from everyone else in Roanapur. At least, Revy saw him that way. And Revy wasn't the type to live with her head in the clouds. He wouldn't try and use anything against her, and he wouldn't talk. Shit, hadn't Revy said the same when they had been trying to get him back from the group holding him hostage? He won't talk, even if they put him in front of a firing squad.
"This doesn't leave this fucking room, Rock, you got that? Not a word or I swear I'll take you out myself." She kept her eyes on his while she spoke so he knew she was serious, and he nodded. "Okay then." Astrid took another long drink, trying to think where to start. How could she explain how a military brat from the USA had ended up in bed with a triad boss?
Astrid's father had been military, U. S. of A., not particularly high ranking, due in part to the fact that he had shit for brains. By the time Astrid was ten she had lived in six different countries, the family moving with her dad to wherever he was stationed. Her mother was an alcoholic waste of space who cowered at her father's rage and took her feeling of powerlessness out on Astrid when they were alone. Not all GIs were heroes. Astrid's father was the kind that was sent to the front lines to be cannon fodder, but somehow, he just kept coming back, like a bad habit. He hated himself, hated his life, hated his family. He probably had PTSD or some bullshit like that. Whatever, it's not like the name mattered. All Astrid knew was he was a mean bastard. She'd spare the gory details.
Well, a man like her father couldn't fly under the radar in the army forever. They were stationed at a military base somewhere in the middle east when he started to get paranoid that he was about to be called up for disciplinary measures. That's when he'd had the bright idea to go AWOL, family in tow. Astrid had been eleven at the time and had fought him as he dragged her out of bed in the middle of the night, only to get smacked around for her troubles. He told her to shut up and do what she was told. They got all of three miles before they were caught, and her shit-for-brains father had started shooting. The rest, as they said, was history. The military fired back and that was that. With her parent's dead, act one of Astrid's life was over.
Act two involved being shipped back to the states and put in "The System," with her own personal social worker, and a carousel of shitty foster homes and even shittier Homes, with a capital h. Life then had been grey; grey skies, grey concrete jungle, grey walls. Cops were not to be trusted; they fucked girls like her over. Astrid had been sixteen when she ran away, sixteen and three days when she had been caught. Stupid fucking idea. But she hadn't known any better.
And so, began act three; the traffickers.