Another port, another attack, another act of piracy done undercover of night: Lagoon simply didn't dare to be discovered or it would become the leper of every land around the South China Seas; as authority after authority would put them under ban — whatever about the fairness of their felonies.

RICO Act — Robbery Incorporated; that's what an increasing number of gangsters all around the globe had to say. All the pissant, impoverished, petty powers of the world saw one thing in the United States Sanction - a justification for jingling their purses to the cost of every crook's hard won gains; hadn't the hoods worked as hard for their income as any salaryman?

Right now one of the Roanapur gangs, with international links all around the South China Seas, had managed to make itself notorious by a single ill judged act of piracy and paid a harsh, heavy penalty. RICO — local versions of — were used to rifle them broke by every country along the coastline and their response? To hire Lagoon to rob it all back.

Well over a month of this wharf hopping has left the crew weary, worn out and wishing for home. It's a welcome relief for all of them to return to Roanapur. Lagoon quickly ensure that the robbers' ransom in loot has been loaded and carted off and that they have each been paid a small fortune — then Revy is off like a rocket. Rock is a lot more leisurely in his leisure time as he checks into his place and settles back in; before eventually rambling over to Rowan's; to find out if any new anime has come in, amongst the vast variety of videos that Rowan receives.

He's checked at the door check by a chick shock: Trudi is on duty sprawled over the counter; swollen eyed and bloody lipped with finger shaped bruises dotting her bare arms and two fingers strapped together. She greets him wearily in a way that startles Rock.

« Long's you on your own; follow the moans an' you'll find Rowan. »

« Huh, what, you're never on door duty; whatever happened to you? I thought the Queen of Bondage never got knocked back. »

« Fucked myself didn't I! Shoulda known better n to've challenged that She Demon. Get on in; I ain't in no mood for chat. »

Rock does as bidden and soon hears a mixed chorus of moans and groans, in various voices, which he follows to a door at the end of a corridor. It leads to a large, padded and plush boudoir in kandiflos tones; which would normally be the last word in luxury and decadence but at the moment is more like the inside of an inner city casualty ward.

« Back! Get Back! Stay Out! Don't Come In! Don't Bring That Monster Here! Nobody Fucks The Rowan! »

All this from Rowan, who is pressed hard against the far wall and is gripping a Derringer in two unsteady hands but not so shaky that he doesn't keep it fatally aimed at Rock who replies calmly and levelly — as you do to a madman pointing the business end of a gun at your heart.

« Rowan; it's only me. It's Rock; nobody else. I'm on my own. I just came to see if you had any anime; nothing else. Look I'm walking in real slow and I've got my hands up too; okay! Whatever can it be that has got you so disturbed?

The question is a touch on the dense side as, as he enters the den, Rock can see the core of the cream of the BDSM Crew cast around the room like so many broken dolls: one is curled up into a foetal ball; others seem to have broken limbs or broken spirits and every one of them is plum dark and cherry scarlet with bruises and blood and all of them are evidently exhausted — at least Rowan has come out of the corner where he had cornered himself and let go of the gun and loosened his mouth instead.

« One Month! One Month At Sea! Two Gophers. One Girl. You … could … have … had … her … hard! Why The Fuck Did You Have To Play Saints? I know her. Hell my girls know her all … too … fucked … well. Keep her hungry for half that long and you're waking a tiger. Do … You … Know … What … You've … Let … Loose!? »

« Rowan I really don't understand what this is all about; I've only just got back. Can you try to explain a little more clearly; maybe in words of one syllable. »

« Revy! She used to work here. Guns and sex are all she wants. Prissy you missed the sex. She got nothing for a … whole … damn … month. Came here to let off steam. Rowan isn't a fool; he didn't want her biz but you don't say NO to hard cash and a gun at your head. Revy wanted it rough; wanted the real rough and my Beat Team took her challenge and then: … She … Broke … Them! »

« So, umm, where is she now. »

Rock asks in a stunned voice as he looks round at the wreckage left by a sex starved Revy

« Don't know. Rowan locked himself away when she came looking for a man; his tackle isn't going in any meat grinder. She lit out and good luck to you if you find her. »

Rock sees he hasn't much hope of getting any anime today so decides to head for the Yellow Flag for a drink, as he turns everything over in his head. He finds Benny at the bar in the Flag and is glad of the company, as the scene he sees is quite surreal. A swathe of Service Girls from the Sloppy Swing are scattered and slumped around the room and all of them are steadily and seriously drinking themselves into oblivion. Their torn clothes and battered bodies make them seem like the survivors from some savage bush war. Benny beams at him and indicates he's already got a beer in for his pal, as he greets Rock.

« I'm glad to see you; it was getting rather lonely drinking here by myself. Anyways the ambience in here isn't so good today. Seems as if we both just missed Revy. »

« She was here too? »

Benny waves his beer bottle around to take in the room.

« Can't you tell? Way I hear it she came in and bought time with Madame's toughest gals only it turned out they weren't so tough after all. »

Bao chimes in — « Whadda ya mean "too" where else has she fucked over? It isn't bad enough she has to get my place shot up every other month now she's gotta eat out half the town! I'll bet she went over to Rowans. Those girls are beasts; make sure you get me a snap of what they left of Two Hands; that'll pay for everything. »

« Sorry Bao; it didn't exactly go the way that you think it should have. »

Benny chuckles at Rock's words and the way Bao stalks off in a silent sulk; then he talks.

« So, ah, I gather that you weren't spending time with Revy after all. I'm not usually one to pass judgement but it seems we've both been foolish. Naturally me and Revy used to keep each other entertained, we were convenient for each other after all. It simply felt too awkward for me to keep up the sport with another guy around but, ah excuse me, it seems you've been too moral to fill my bed as it were. »

« Benny what the fuck are you saying? Don't you have an arrangement with Jane? »

« Ah yes, I certainly landed in clover when she turned up. I never imagined I'd ever find a girl almost as wild as Revy but Jane will do for a guy like me. »

« This just doesn't make any kinda sense; Revy is always as prickly as a cactus. How could any of us possibly get that close to her? »

« Rock, Rock; you're still thinking with your Japanese head. Where's the hassle in asking her to go for a beer or a meal or to play a game of cards; sex isn't one bit different or heavier than that. »

« I suppose that's true; in our world. Then that means; all those times on the boat! »

Both men fall silent for a while, in a reverie. Being berthed together on the one boat for so long had seen them all getting quite casual and relaxed around each other and none more so than Revy. If she wanted a shower onboard she'd sling a towel and her holsters round her neck then head from her cabin to the shower or back; with nothing on her at all from below the neck. Each of the guys had been brought up dead, more than once on their voyage, by the arresting sight of a naked and dripping Revy down below decks. Then there were the exercises: unable to pack enough exercise clothes for an entire month at sea Revy simply took to working out in the buff; a shining, sweat slick vision on the foredeck. The girl swam like a seal too and all of the times they'd had to drop anchor and hideaway at sea, before the start of night run, she'd be sure to slip out of her clothes and sycthe straight into the sea; as bare and as alluring as any mermaid.

« We've got to find her! » Says Rock / Says Benny

They agree to go and ask Balalaika whether she's heard anything through the Hotel Moscow spiderweb.

« Benny, Rock; what unusual company. Do I know anything about Revy? I know many things about Revy; which would you like to hear? That she was here recently and bought out the nastiest videos I had? Oh this is something that may interest you: she said if she didn't get blown hard and soon then she was going to blow out some brains. Good fortune with your hunting Lagoon; the sergeant will see you out. »

Rock and Benny step over the threshold of the office doorway despondently. Hotel Moscow has thrashed their hopes of hearing any good or helpful intel — Balalaika chooses that last split second to call out.

« I believe she was heading for the Church of Violence »

« Ohshit; the Gunchurch » Benny says & Rock says « We've gotta catch her. »

Even for Roanapur the speed they race along the roads is reckless. They rocket up to the Gunchurch, ramming on the brakes to come to a trenchcutting halt. Eda is on the church steps observing all of this calmly as she puffs away at her cigarette. She jerks a thumb in the direction of the sluicehouse. Rock and Benny try to break the sound barrier as they speed towards the structure and round the corner to the doorway.

The top half of the splitdoor is open and Revy is leaning out of and against the lower half; clearly having heard them coming. She calls out mockingly.

« What the fuck are you shitheads doing here; noise you make will have everyone busting outta their tombs. Ain't you got any-fucking-thing better to do than stand there and make like you're owls? »

It's true; Rock and Benny are stood there in owl like stillness with their eyes saucer wide; entirely transfixed by a topless Revy. Rock gets his voice back first and stumbles out a question; just to reassure himself.

« You, you're okay then? We heard … some … kinda … stories … back in town … that you'd … gone on the rampage. But if you're okay then that's okay and, well, we'll just be going; okay? »

Revy grins fiercely as she reaches down to grab ahold of something below their line of sight. She has hold of a tousled mass of black hair and is using it to haul a young and plainly naked man into view. He looks flushed and worn.

« Sure as shit have gone on the fucking rampage; got my own Rico Act going here. »

« Hello Mr Rock, Mr Benny; I don't think we've met. I'm Rico, the new novice over at the Church of Violence. »

« That must be quite an interesting job but please don't let us disturb you anymore. »

Rock somehow manages to make his mouth work before Revy responds in a voice full of evil mischief.

« Too buggering late for that; you fuckweeds have disturbed the hell out of us an' where the shit do ya think you're going looking like that!? »

She has a point: Rock and Benny both have very prominent points below their beltlines.

« RICO Act; ya know what the fuck that is? Ya get to rob off whatever you, want legal like. So I'm robbing your asses out under you right now; get in here an' show me those poles aren't just for hanging washing on. »

Rock and Benny look at each other then shrug and grin; before making speed inside — to make a threesome of the Rico Act.