AN: First of all I want to thank my wonderful partner Mii (goldenweeking on tumblr) for working together with me on this piece. Check out her art! There is a link on my profile.
Second, thanks to imperialmint for organizing this once again.
And sorry for being late, life happened. Anyway, I would be really thankful for reviews.
-viv
"There's no way we are going to do it like that!" Kid interrupted Apoo. "That plan is bullshit!" the redhead stood next to the table and gestured wildly to emphasize his stance. "Our weapons aren't good enough! Have you an idea how much the necessary upgrades would cost?"
Hawkins sighed. All of their alliance's meeting went on like this.
"Come on!" Apoo called out. "The idea is good! We should just-"
That was when the door opened and Killer's masked head appeared. "There is somebody who wants to talk to you," he explained quickly. "And I believe you should hear them out."
"Who is it?" Kid asked before one of the other two could open their mouth. He hated being interrupted during meetings and Killer knew that. He wouldn't disturb them if it wasn't important.
"Jewelry Bonney," the masked man replied calmly.
"Let her in," Hawkins spoke up. "The cards say that we should hear her out."
Kid rolled his eyes but nodded at Killer to indicate that he could allow the woman in. Apoo wanted to protest but was shut down by Bonney who had already entered the small backroom of one of Kid's bars. He had opened them when the prohibition started – one could make easy money with alcohol.
"Yo," the woman greeted, looking around with interest. "What a cozy place."
"What do you want?" Hawkins asked, forcing Bonney to spill.
"Well," she started. "May I sit down? I will sit down." she took place on one of the chairs and looked in the round, giving the men around her a wide smile. "So, where do I start? Maybe with the money that could be in for you if you decide to help me."
Apoo turned to her with interest, leaning forward a bit. "How much?" he asked.
"You should ask what she wants from us first, moron!" Kid called out with annoyance, but it was clear that he did it only to annoy the other. After all, it was him who had pointed out that they would need a lot.
"Calm down. One step at a time," Bonney raised her hands in an attempt to conciliate the two. "A lot of money. I don't know the correct amount but if my information is correct there will be some millions for each of us if it works out."
Bonney straightened up, aware that she now had the attention she had wanted and needed. "And for what I want – I need you to help me rescue my gang."
The words hung heavy over the room. The offer was tempting but helping a rival who could become your biggest enemy at any time should be thought through. On the other hand – each of the three men already worked with such a rival, meaning that they were still better of than Bonney even if the whole thing backfired.
"I'm in," Hawkins spoke first after moving a few of his cards on the table.
"Shouldn't we discuss it in private first?" Apoo glared at Hawkins.
Kid stared at Bonney. "I'm in too," he muttered. "But you dare to betray us and I will personally rip you apart – piece after piece!"
Apoo looked between the others, way too quiet for his usual self, obviously pissed, thinking hard about the possibilities. "Alright. I'll join too," he gave in after a few seconds. It was not like he had a real chance of not going with it when his two allies had decided to help Bonney.
Bonney ran. Somebody was following her.
She turned around a corner, slipping out on the slick tiles. It had been raining not long ago.
"Fuck," the pink-haired woman cursed. "Fuck!"
She tried to run again, but had obviously hurt one of her legs. "Shit, shit, shit.."
Bonney looked over her shoulder, seeing how the bike that had followed her appeared down the street. She had thought it had lost her.
Bonney started to run again, ignoring the pain in her leg with every step. The alley was dark and deserted. It was late after all. She turned around another corner, speeding up.
And yet another. If she was lucky, her follower hadn't seen where she went. If they got her too, who would save her crew?
Bonney had to support herself against the wall as the pain shot up her leg. "Fuck," she cursed under her breath. She needed some deep breaths before she could walk again, still needing the support of the wall.
The roar of an engine.
Bonney looked in the direction from which she had come just to see her follower slow down. Panic mirrored in Bonney's eyes and yet she didn't move. There was no use. Better save the energy for fighting. Maybe she could jump on his bike?
Bonney tried to make out the silhouette of her pursuer but was blinded by the bike's light.
"You have forgotten your bag," the man spoke and hold up a bag when he stopped not far away from where Bonney was standing. She shield her eyes to see better but there was no use.
"What?" the woman cried out. What the hell?
"You have forgotten it at Kid's place," the man explained again and threw the bag at Bonney, who caught it even in shock.
Than it struck her – the man was the same she had met earlier in the evening! Kid's right hand! Massacre soldier Killer! It was his voice!
"God, you have scared me!" she laughed out loud in relief.
"I know," he muttered and turned on his machine again. "Good night."
"Good night?" Bonney looked after him in confusion. What the fuck had been that?
"I am so stupid," the girl spoke as she ran a hand through her hair. "So plain stupid."
"Indeed you are," a voice came from behind her, causing Bonney to fall down on her ass.
"Urogue!" Bonney hissed with annoyance, barely hiding her anger. Her hand didn't leave the knife in her pocket.
"Did they agree?" he asked, ignoring the deadly glares Bonney shot his way.
"Of course they did. It was easier than expected!" she hissed, trying to stand up again, cursing in the process.
"Good. Than let's proceed to step two.
Kid didn't even look up from his phone when Killer sat down next to him on the couch in his private room, occasionally sliding the tides in that one stupid game.
Killer put down his mask and took a can of beer from the table and opened it before leaning back. "She is working with somebody," he muttered before taking a huge gulp from his beer.
"Surprise, surprise," Kid's voice was dripping with sarcasm as he swept over the screen once again, still not giving his best friend a single glance. "The question was who is she working with," he emphasized the who more than it was necessary as he was talking with Killer who was his right hand for years.
Killer shifted in his seat, moving a bit away from Kid before he replied. "Mad Monk Urogue."
"That bitch!" Kid jumped up and knocked over the table in front of the couch in the process. He turned to Killer. "I KNEW that there was something wrong with this stupid deal! I knew it! God, only Trafalgar would have been worse!"
"Maybe he works with them as well," Killer muttered with amusement. He was one of the few people who could find something positive in Kid's occasional rage fits. In his eyes they were funny.
"He doesn't," Kid threw his hands into the air. "That crazy bastard has formed an alliance with Strawhat. And seriously, I have no idea who I should pity more!" Kid laughed out loud.
"What are we going to do about it?" Killer questioned in between sips from his beer.
"Don't tell anybody," Kid replied calmly, his eyes cold and calculating. "We should keep it between us as it could be useful later on."
Killer rose an eyebrow, making the scars on his face dance with the movement, and waited for Kid to continue.
"It's not like we are going to work with Hawkins and that idiot Apoo forever."
"Are you ready?" Bonney asked, her eyes searching the huge room for her partners.
"It's not the right moment," Hawkins interfered before any of the others could reply. "Wait for my signal," he hissed.
One could almost hear Kid roll his eyes at that moment, but he didn't comment – getting into an argument even before they finished step one of their plan would have cause huge problems – especially as they were out in public and aiming to kidnap a certain influential politician known for his shady methods and yet getting away with it while reaching important positions. According to Bonney's information Doflamingo has become responsible for the country's gold reserves not too long ago and could lead them straight to them without getting them trapped inside thanks to the alarms alerting half of the country's military forces. Even Kid, who preferred loud and flashy actions had to admit that in this case it was smarter to try to not cause too much uproar. If the plan worked, they would obtain impossibly huge amounts of gold while letting the government clueless about their identities which was crucial for the next step – freeing Bonney's crew.
X Drake picked up the speaker of the antique phone in the guest room. He dialed the number carefully while still listening for any sound from outside. After all, the intruders may have realized that he noticed their presence.
"Yes?" he voice at the other end was an unpleasant one but Drake didn't care.
"There are intruders in the mansion. Professionals judging by the equipment they use. There are three of them inside and at least one, but probably more somewhere outside in a van. We have caught snippets of their conversation.
"Orders?"
"Eliminate them," X Drake replied calmly and hung up.
"Get out of there!" Hawkins ordered out of the sudden.
"Why?" Kid hissed back, looking around carefully. "We don't have him yet."
""My cards-"
"Shut up about your cards!" Kid argued back, searching the crowd for any abnormalities.
"Yeah, everything is alright," Bonney joined in. "Neither Kid, Apoo or me have seen anything that would suggest that something is wrong."
One could hear angry huffing through the communication devices in their ears.
"Get the hell out of there!" Killer's voice joined in out of the sudden. "There are black cars surrounding the building. Something is going on!"
"What?" Apoo hissed.
"Get. Out. Now." Hawkins said slowly. "Or stay and die."
"What's going on Killer?" Kid asked, his eyes scanning the room for ways out.
"We are not sure. Either they know about us or it's something else. We can't tell," Killer replied.
"I am sure it is us why they are here," Hawkins argued again. "My cards are never wrong."
"Alright. Let's go." Bonney agreed.
"Sure- No! There is Doflamingo!" Kid barely hid his excitement.
"But-" Bonney tried.
"We are going to get him!" Apoo interrupted her, shooting murderous glances in her direction.
"Fuck, go out!" Even Killer sounded distressed by now. "They are leaving their cars!"
"We will use Doffy as a hostage," Kid muttered. "He should be important enough."
"Sounds like a plan!" Apoo agreed. "Killer, a plan!"
Everything afterward happened in such a rush, there wasn't a single person who could exactly say when the huge chandelier exploded. One thing was sure yet, after the man dressed in black, looking like mafiosi from a movie, stormed into the mansion, hell broke loose.
First of all, the guests panicked, the bodyguards of those important or rich enough to have one, took out their weapons and a small figure started shooting to get the room silent.
Capone, an underground boss like Apoo, Bonney, Hawkins and Kid, one of their rivals to be concrete, stood there and shot into the air. "Listen here, scumbags. Nobody move! Me and my men are going to secure this place!"
That was when one of his men pulled a young woman on her hair, the grand-daughter of a politician, and hold the weapon to her head.
It took Kid several seconds to realize that it indeed wasn't Bonney, as they both had pink-hair, and they weren't revealed. Yet.
"Move," Bonney hissed into Kid's ear, glaring at Apoo who moved to them from the other side of the hall, dodging people and furniture that were thrown into his way.
"Let's forget Doffy and go," she pleaded.
"He's gone anyway," Apoo muttered upon his arrival.
"Killer?" Kid whispered into his mic. "Do you hear me?"
No answer.
"They have blocked the communication to the outside," Apoo's annoyance was obvious. "They are good!"
Kid pulled out the hearing aid from his ear and threw it onto the ground, before destroying it with his heel. "You should do that to."
"Not like we haven't found you already, Mister Eustass," Capone laughed from behind Kid. "You are too slow!"
Instead of turning around, Kid stormed forward and grabbed Bonney, before changing his direction suddenly and running to the window. Luckily, Apoo got the hint and did the same, aiming for the window behind Capone, who was firing at Kid, who was currently the number one at the list of young criminals, the Supernovas, and therefore his goal.
Killer, who had been expecting from Kid to do something like that as it was his usual escape method when everything escalated, drove of to where the others have fallen. He didn't give a damn about crashing the black cars surrounding the building, thanking god for Apoo's bulletproof car, as the mafiosi fired at them from the windows.
"Turn around!" Hawkins commanded from behind. "That way we can load them into the back!" he explained when he realized how that sounded.
"Hawkins! Help me with Kid!" Bonney yelled when he opened the back. "They got him! But he is still breathing!"
Hawkins jumped out, while Apoo hurried inside, and dragged Kid back together with Bonney, who was covered in blood but seemed to be fine other than that.
Just before they reached the truck, the roar of an engine cut through the air and before they could even realize it, there was a huge man on a motorbike and pulled Bonney on it. "Wha-?" Apoo called out from the truck, but just like he appeared out of nowhere, Urogue disappeared in a heartbeat and took Bonney with him.
Apoo banged on the door. And again. "What takes that bastard so long?" he barked.
"We come unannounced," Killer replied in his usual matter, the mask hiding his feelings about Kid's critical state from the others.
"Still, that shitty doc-" Apoo continued, turning to Hawkins.
"Is here." Law's voice came from the door, stopping Apoo's speech. "What do you want?"
"Kid needs medical attention," Hawkins stated briefly. "And there aren't many doctors who wouln't either shoot him or call the police."
"What makes you so sure that I won't do neither?" Law asked drily, but stepped back, allowing the three other men to carry Kid inside.
"Put him there," he motioned. "What has happened that the three of you are here with him, and there's no sight of your gangs?" Law questioned while throwing random utensils at the table next to where Kid was placed.
"What we did had to remain secret. And we don't trust each other enough." Killer explained.
"So you won't tell me?" Law asked with a grin.
"No."
"What the hell was that with Bonney?" Apoo was raging.
"They kidnapped her." Killer muttered, staring out of the window.
"But who?" Apoo pulled his arm, forcing Killer to face him. Not that it was of much use as he still wore his mask.
"I don't know." Killer replied, calmly, jacking his arm away from Apoo.
"You know something!" Hawkins stepped closer to them, his eyes not leaving Killer.
"What do you want?" the masked man stepped even closer, making Hawkins' nose almost touch his nose.
"The truth," Hawkins replied, staring Killer down.
"There is none," Killer let out a low laugh that let both Hawkins and Apoo shiver. They hadn't seen him laugh before.
Law was pulling out glass and bullets from Kid's body for over two hours now and there still was no end to it.
"What the fuck have you done this time?" he muttered with annoyance. Sometimes, Law asked himself why he even continued saving Kid's life, as the only thing he always got back were insults and a bad attitude.
He ripped away another piece of clothing, revealing Kid's left arm. "Shit," Law muttered upon seeing the mess. "You are a lucky bastard if you can keep it."
He continued his work until something caught his eye. He slowly opened Kid's hand and pulled out the piece of paper he had been clenching the whole time. He must have gotten a cramp that hadn't loosened until now.
"What's this?" Law muttered under his breath, straightening the printed paper soaked in blood. Or not paper. It was something else. His eyes widened when he saw what was on the not-so crunched side. It was a playing card. A joker.
Law marched into the living room where Killer, Hawkins and Apoo have moved to staring each other down. Or at least Hawkins and Apoo did, one could not tell with Killer and his mask.
"You have to spill," Law announced, ignoring the tense atmosphere.
"How's Kid?" Killer asked, ignoring the question.
"He will live and keep his limbs. Some ugly scars but it's not like he doesn't look like trash already." Law replied in his usual cocky way, knowing that Killer wouldn't talk until he knew how Kid was. He was such a lapdog. "What was your plan?" Law asked again, his eyes flying from one man to other. "Either you talk or I will make sure that you won't leave this place in one piece."
"Are you threaten us?" Apoo jumped up from his chair.
"I am just stating facts," Law frowned.
The doorbell rang.
"Who's that?" Apoo asked.
"The hell I know. I didn't expect neither you nor those who are disturbing my peace now. I hope for you that it ain't the guys you angered." Law muttered and left the room to check the door.
It didn't take long and he returned – together with Bonney.
The silence hung heavy around the room and more than one wished for one of Kid's tantrums to break the tension.
"What are you doing here?" it was Hawkins whose ice cold voice filled the room. There was no anger nor accusation in it – he was clearly waiting for an explanation before his judgment.
Bonney finally stepped next to Law and the others could see that she was shaking.
"I-I don't know where to start..." she whispered.
"Maybe with the guy you were working with behind our backs – Urogue." Killer leaned forward in his seat.
"What?" Apoo jumped up."She really was working with somebody? And you knew?"
"He's dead..." Bonney muttered, but nobody noticed, thanks to Apoo's shouting.
Law rolled his eyes. "You should start with your plan and how Joker is involved?"
"Joker?" Bonney slowly turned to him, her eyes wide.
"You didn't know?" Hawkins asked calmly. "That's surprising."
Apoo pulled at his hair, letting out a low growl. "You knew that we would come across Joker and didn't tell us?" he asked in an accusing tone.
Law pinched his nose."Obviously, there have been a lot of secrets. So fucking explain now so we all can get out of this bullshit you started. I should kick all of you out but I can't kick out a patient I already started treating."
Bonney sat down abruptly and pulled her knees close. " One day Urogue approached me and presented me a plan where I would dress up as the daughter of a diplomat, Rebecca. He believed that the politicians wouldn't be able to tell us apart thanks to our hair and somehow it worked – a guy called Spandam told me about Doflamingo being the key to the gold reserves when we met." she sighed. "Of course we needed more people to get Doflamingo, but we needed you to think that your partner is weak and on your mercy so you would trust us – therefore we decided to present you the tale about my gang being arrested. They have been with Urogue in reality. We agreed on him keeping away from you in case the plan backfired, but obviously we failed as you found out about it." she looked at Killer.
"So you were playing us all along?" Hawkins spoke with anger.
"And you too!" Apoo pointed at Killer. "You didn't tell us about it."
Killer shrugged. "Kid's decision."
"What happened next?" Law interrupted before Apoo could kill any of the present.
"Well, we agreed to help her and decided to kidnap Doflamingo." Killer continued the tale.
"Speaking of which, why didn't you tell us that Doffy is Joker? And why did you join if you knew in the first place?" Apoo turned to Hawkins.
"My cards told me that it was a good idea." Hawkins explained. "And isn't his identity common knowledge?"
Bonney rose her arms against the sky in a silent plea while Law facepalmed. "Many people are trying to get behind Joker's identity as he keeps it top secret and you assume everybody knows?"
"You lack even more common sense than expected." Apoo muttered in resignation.
"Anyway, the plan was to kidnap Doflamingo at a private party in the mansion of one of his colleagues. We managed to sneak in, but somehow they caught notice of our presence and soon enough Capone appeared. He went straight for us, what means that it was planned. You know the rest," Killer finished. "But how the hell did you figure out that Joker is involved?" he turned to Law.
Law pulled out the card he had found while treating Kid's injuries. The Joker covered in blood was answer enough.
Apoo shook his head. "But why are you here? Alone?" he asked Bonney.
"As I said, Urogue is dead. They killed him. And my gang." she whispered, staring at the floor. "I didn't know what to do."
The room fell silent again.
"So what are we going to do now?" Hawkins looked around the room with expectations. "We can't sit here and wait till they get us too!"
"We should blow them up!" Kid' voice came from the door, causing everybody to turn their heads abruptly.
"What-" Law started, but Kid didn't allow being interrupted.
"Simply get some bazookas, go to Doffy's home and blow up shit. If they are dead, they can't kill us."
Getting the bazookas had been easy and they were enough men, getting the vans hadn't been a problem either. Each of them had done stuff like this before, even though in a smaller scale. They arrived at Doflamingo's estate in the middle of night after making sure that he is at home. All of them were there, Hawkins, Apoo, Kid, Killer and Bonney, and their gangs.
Apoo lit the mansion on fire while the others started shooting. Bullets and grenades rained on the house, but soon enough on the attackers as well as Doflamingo's men weren't ready to give up just yet.
Blood was everywhere, pain and screams – a gang war not like any before.
Hell broke lose that night and many lost their lives. Doflamingo fell, and Kid lost his arm, Killer's face burned and Apoo let his live on the battlefield. Hawkins and Bonney were lost, maybe they survived, maybe not.