The following is a non-profit, fan work based off the respective works of Rei Hiroe and Christopher Nolan
All rights belong to the original creators, Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc., and Madhouse Inc.
The Bluefire Phoenix presents...
A File from Operation Dusk Hour...
Chapter II: Renegade
Fucking Roanpur. I could see the old Buddha statue in the distance off the bow of my little sailboat. Never thought I'd make it back to that shit heap of a town before my number was called. It had been four years since I left.
The city was far worse than I remembered. Half the place was blown up and the rest of it was falling apart. Not that I was in much better shape. Dark heavy bags weighed down my eyes which were bloodshot from caffeine and liquor. My hair was longer now, reaching the small of my back and hadn't been able to dye it in years.
I never really give a damn about my personal appearance. But seeing the city again reminded me that a ton of shit had changed since that night.
And it was a hell of a night. It was about four years ago. Four crazy years. I still wasn't sure what happened. It started when Rock disappeared in the city about two weeks after we got back from Gotham. I had just fully recovered from my fight with the Batman. Rock had been in and out like that a lot. He usually made it back by sundown.
Not that night. I volunteered to go bring him back. Hell was bubbling closer to the surface. Balalaika's troops were out in force. Boss Chang from the Hong Kong Triad responded with his own men. The other crime bosses quickly joined in too.
They mostly kept to their own turf. It turned some streets into a multiracial mockup of the DMZ between the Koreas. I had to tread carefully.
There was a tension on the streets. Everyone with half-a-brain had taken cover. The rest of us were either too stupid to hide or too excited to get in the action. Russians were starting to sweep buildings. Various screaming and shouts started afterward.
It wasn't like Sis to stir shit up like that. Had she decided to just take the town? No, even I knew that the city couldn't be run by a single crime boss.
Things were heavy and quiet for that first hour. Around one in the morning was when things went to hell. No one figured out who shot first. But soon bodies started filling the streets.
Rock was nowhere to be seen. I was getting desperate. Bullets were flying all over. I never found him that night.
Nobody knew where he was. I spent what little time I had over the next year trying to find him. Some of that bastard's tact must've rubbed off of me at some point because I got more information just talking to people rather than my usual method of shoving a Cutlass in their face.
A lead finally broke about a year after we had returned from Gotham. I broke off from Lagoon Company as soon as I could. Rock was apparently in Bangkok. I was going to catch him and ask him what the fuck his deal was. He wasn't going to walk out on us without a word.
So I smuggled myself to the city. He wasn't there. But I found a lead that said he was in Singapore. Thus began a long journey of following rumors across the Pacific. Each new rumor was vaguer and more absurd than the last.
Now he was apparently back in Roanapur. Honestly I wasn't sure if I was happy to be back. It was going to fucking great to get some real action after some pretty quiet years. A few bar fights and low key shootouts with petty thugs weren't what I called real action.
At the same time though, I liked the quiet. Being away from the city was relaxing. The stress of finding Rock really ruined it.
I brought my ship into dock. There was hardly anyone around. Usually there were at least a few smugglers or con artists hanging around. A bomb went off somewhere in the city.
Fucking perfect. I moored my boat just a few blocks down from Lagoon Company's headquarters. The smell of death and decay filtered back into my nose. It was like an aphrodisiac. I felt the bug itch as I holstered my guns. I hadn't been able to wear my weapons out in public in months.
Normally I had to wear a jacket to hide them or abandon them all together because the more "civilized" parts of the world frowned on open carry weapons. What bullshit. I stepped onto the dock and headed for the Yellow Flag.
I was mostly curious if it was still standing. I tied my hair back as I entered the street. Should have cut it before coming back, but I guess I had gotten a little soft in my years away. Hopefully there wasn't going to be a fight.
Shapes moved in the shadows. Most likely they were survivors of Balalaika's private little war, scavenging what they could in the lulls. I had seen a few other places like this in my travels. I never stuck around long because they were rarely destinations.
I saw one of the forms pull out a cellphone and wander off. My heart beat started to rise as I came across the Yellow Flag. Or Bao had gone through a massive remarketing campaign and rebranded the place as the White Flag, seeing as that what was flying above the establishment.
The inside was still the same as I remembered, mostly. There were fewer seats and the shelves were looking a little lacking. Business was slow seeing as I was the only person in the bar at the moment. Bao looked up from his cleaning. A million things flashed through his eyes.
"Revy? Is that you?" he hesitantly asked.
"No it's fucking Marilyn Monroe, of course it's me," I angrily growled as I walked up to the bar. Bao put down the glass and grabbed his shotgun. He aimed it at me, forcing me to stop. "What the fuck Bao, I haven't done shit to you in years!"
His eyes were alight with panic. "Get the fuck out of here Two-hands!" he shrieked.
"What the hell man?" I asked. Bao looked confused.
"Sorry Revy, but Balalaika put a price on your head," he said. "I'd like to help you, but you're a wanted woman in these parts." He motioned towards the bulletin board. There was my face on a wanted poster next to a similar one of Rock! Sis wanted us alive for fifty grand me and one hundred for Rock. What the hell was going on? What kind of fucked up planet did I land on where Rock has a higher bounty than me?
I ran out of the bar. A group of seven ragged punks had gathered outside in the dusk. Most had simple melee weapons but a couple had AKs. They all looked half-starved and foaming at the mouth.
Every one of them looked angrier than the hounds of hell. I drew my guns. None of them flinched. "Get the fuck back!" I yelled. They took a step forward.
"No, Two-hands. You're our ticket out of this shit stain of a city!" one of them retorted. I cocked my pistols and started to plan out the best way to Lagoon Company. It was going to be fun.
Two of the punks on the side went to flank me. If I took both of them out at the same time, then the three in the center would rush me before I could re-establish my stance. Even if I took out the flankers and the center force, the two guys with the rifles still had me pinned. I'd need a shield.
Adrenaline filled my veins. I'd make an arc right to left, taking out the flanker and a center guy on each side. Hopefully the survivor will be stupid enough to keep up the charge. He'd be easy to beat up close quarters and become a bullet blocker.
Alight. Let's go fuckers. I started perfectly.
One to head. Brain splatters. Hits ground.
Two to chest. Heart bursts. Hits ground.
Three to chest. Internal bleeding. Hits ground.
One to head. Eye explodes. Hits ground.
And dodge right. Grab extended arm. Break said arm. Twist owner around.
Bam, go time.
The guys with the AKs were looking nervous now.
"Hey come on guys, let's just leave the woman alone!" my meat shield screamed. Bam. Bam. I took out the gunmen and delivered a coup de grâce to the whiner. Damn, I guess all the good fighters were already dead.
I quickly holstered my guns and walked away. A shot fired from behind. My left arm went numb. Blood started to run down it. I turned around, laying waste to the fucker that survived.
A truck pulled up from around the corner. I heard them speak Russian. It was time to go. I limped down into an alley and started towards Lagoon Company.
I climbed up those familiar stairs and opened the door. Benny was sitting there reading a book. He looked over at me. He smiled for a moment before noticing my arm. "Oh my god, Revy!" he shouted as he ran over to me. I couldn't help but laugh a little as he steadied me.
Benny hadn't changed. Time seemed to have just skipped over him. Even the stubble on his face seemed the same as it was the day I met him.
He took me to the old couch that looked way rattier than I remembered. He quickly grabbed a first aid kit. "So where's Dutch?" I hissed out as Benny applied some rubbing alcohol to my wound. Benny then started to remove the bullet.
"Dutch is out in the Lagoon running an errand. So what are you doing back? I thought Balalaika's bounty on you would have kept you away," Benny responded. He started stitching up my arm.
"Well I just found out about it myself," I replied. "And I heard Rock was back in town so I wanted to check it out."
Benny looked confused. "Kevin said he was in Jakarta," he said.
"What?" I said. I tried to sit up but my arm shot up with pain.
"Easy. Just sleep. We can catch up tomorrow," Benny said from a long way away.
I woke with a start, shooting straight up to the sound of an echoing pitter-patter somewhere in the office. My hands went right for my Cutlasses that were in my holster on the coffee table. Benny left a note.
"Dear Revy, I went out to get some gear. Behave while I'm gone. Help yourself to the fridge. Fucking A," I grumbled as I stood up. With a quick stretch I walked over to the fridge. It was filled with crap and beer. Great.
Another pitter-pater came from the other room. I closed the fridge and walked towards the sound. My heart beat faster and faster.
The next room was empty but I heard something move behind me. I saw a wisp of something disappear. Something fell over with a loud thud. I walked around the corner to see a little kid getting up. My shadow ominously fell over the child.
The kid turned around. My heart stopped and my legs started to quiver. It was like staring into someone sicko's twisted idea of a prank mirror. I saw my eyes and his hair, my cheeks and his jaw.
We shared a moment of recognition. I knew it was her. I…I never thought I'd actually see her. The kid was a little girl who wore a little dress made out of a bad Hawaiian shirt. The little girl seemed as scared as I was.
I heard the front door open and Benny whistling. He set his things down before walking in on the scene. I turned around to him, my body was quivering. "Is that…is that," I repeated a few times. Benny just nodded.
"Yes Revy, she's Lee," he said, "your daughter."
I don't know how many times I had been shot or punched, but that hurt more than anything else. Next thing I knew, I was sitting across from Benny at the table while Lee played on the floor with some toy cars. I could feel every time she looked over to me. I would turn to meet her gaze but the girl quickly went back to her playing.
"Why'd you keep her?" I asked with as little rudeness as I could muster. Benny shrugged. He passed me a cup of coffee then brought up two fingers.
"One, if your maternal suddenly instincts kicked in we didn't want end up dead after telling you we gave her away. Two, we're your friends Revy. We care about you and we care about Lee," he said.
I looked over at Lee while she was playing. Half her hair was spiked up and the other half was gently patted down. She was a pretty girl with a round face and expressive eyes.
The door opened up and Dutch entered. I apparently drew all his attention. "Well, well I didn't think you'd ever return to Roanapur," Dutch said. He kept walking. "You still looking for Rock, 'cause I just heard he showed up in Honolulu the other day."
"Yeah nice to see you again too Dutch and I am," I retorted.
"Well just get out of here ASAP. I don't want you bring down the wrath of god on us," he grumbled. Dutch walked past me without a second glance.
"I think you should stay awhile, spend time with Lee," Benny said.
I cocked my eyebrow. "Why?" I asked.
"Because she's only ever seen you in pictures and knows you through what very few stories we can tell her. Look, there is no way she'll ever have a normal childhood. It would be stupid to think otherwise. But let her have a memory of her mother," he retorted.
I crossed my arms. "Come on, I'm not her mother. I pushed her out of me and bolted as soon as the doc said I could."
"Then why did you keep her? Dutch said he would have helped you. He'd have taken you wherever you would have liked."
"I don't know I just did okay!" I shouted, jumping to my feet and slammed my fists into the table. I noticed Lee was shaking in fear at the sight of me. I sighed and returned to my seat.
"Look, you must have had her for a reason. Just talk to her, get to know her. That's all I'm asking," Benny requested.
"I'm not meant to be a mom, Benny. As soon as it's dark, I'm getting out of here," I said. Benny just nodded.
Rock wasn't here and that was all that mattered. He valued his own life too much to risk it here. I snuck out the window at nightfall.
Sneaking back to my boat was easy. I started prepping to leave. I heard a creak behind me. My hand instinctively pulled my gun and aimed it…right at Benny and Lee. The girl wore a hat and a backpack along with her dress, and was clutching a picture frame.
"What the fuck are you doing here?" I whispered. Benny shook his head.
Lee stared at the. "Mama," she whispered back. "Mama, don't go."
I blinked. "Sorry kid, but I have to," I muttered. I turned around only to feel something lock onto my leg. Lee had wrapped my leg in a hug. Her eyes were staring up at me with tears. I looked back to Benny only to find him walking towards me.
Lee looked up to me. "I…I…I, I guess you can come along if you'd like," I finally said. The little girl nodded. I lifted her onto my boat. Benny shouldered his own backpack. "Are you coming too?"
Benny nodded. "What about Dutch?" I asked.
"He's hiring some part timers until we come back. All of us. You, me, Lee, and Rock," he said. He climbed onto the boat. Had he planned this all along?
The question followed me as I brought the boat out to sea. I watched her sleep. Her gentle breathing raised her chest up and down as she lay under a blanket in the cabin. What the fuck was I doing?
The kid didn't deserve this. But it was probably safer with me out on the sea than in Roanapur. At least Benny had come along too. He knew way more about her than me.
All I knew was that for now it was off to Indonesia and hopefully some answers.
To Be Continued...
A/N: Well nothing major there, guess that's all...
No, I'm kidding. Among the things I get iffy about in fanfiction is adding an OC kid to a pairing. Especially with Rock and Revy in question. I have a hard time seeing those two in a domestic setting like that. Not saying it can't be done, and I'm going to try. Back on topic: part of legacy is children, a literal biological piece of us past down to the next generation. For Revy, being one not prone to long term thinking, Lee is very much a big piece of her legacy, whether she likes it or not. I think it adds a new layer of complexity to play with.
What's in a name? Well for Lee, I wanted something that sounded both eastern and western. It turns out that Lee worked out well. Next was choosing between Li and Lee. I went with the English version mostly because she's grown up with Americans so that makes more sense.
Until next time, what was the wall that was written on {a barrier only of the mind}