Author's note:
It's been more than 10 months since my last update. I guess I pulled a "Hiroe Rei" I apologize for that. I thank all those who liked the previous arc and asked for an update. Your words are the fuel for my motivation. Life has been hectic. I've been working on it however from time to time. Over the past two weeks, I put in 200~300 words a day when I got back home and managed to put together this chapter. I hope you'll like it.
A second author's note outline future plans for this fanfiction.
Next chapter, hopefully, due in three to four weeks.
This chapter is about Revy first few days in Roanapur.
January 1994
Rebecca intended to stay with Dutch until she figures out her way around Roanapur, then split. If her conversations with him on the last job were any clues, the dude was a vault. He wouldn't leak even she put holes in him. She gave up on trying to pick clues here and there before getting there. They arrived in Roanapur by early January. As soon as they arrived, Dutch made some calls from a phone booth while she waited by the docks. Her jeans and her jacket bothered her. Even her T-shirt was too hot for Roanapur. The humidity of the seaside didn't help.
"Let's go grab some drinks," Dutch said upon returning.
"Sure."
They went to a bar called "The Yellow Flag".
"What a weird name..." She remarked.
"Yeah... The building used to belong to the Chinese Triads. Now it's neutral grounds. The bartender who bought the place is Chinese too, so he kept the name."
"Nobody asked for a history lesson"
"Sorry, I'm naturally talkative."
She wanted to say was "Talkative, my ass!" but she abstained. Dutch spent the trip to Roanapur reading books and drinking Scotch. He was only talkative when he was the one asking the questions. He asked her to confirm pieces of information on a file Paul produced for him. It was a record of her and the jobs she did. Everything was there up to how many bullets she used. It pissed her off that Paul even mentioned that she never got hooked on any drugs. She didn't tell him that, and yet it seemed he dug into her medical history. Which meant he knew about…
She stopped herself from thinking. All that was behind her now. She went from a shithole to another… Only time will tell if it was worth it.
"Hey, we're partners now... Not somebody I hired"
"I thought I was your employee..."
"Well, you are. But when it comes to shooting, we are partners. Got that?"
She glanced at him. He put so much weight on those last two words that she instinctively lifted her head to read his expression. It was useless, though. The shades added another layer to his impassivity.
"Ain't that all I'll be doing?"
"If shooting a gun was your only skill, I wouldn't have hired you..." He pushed the door to get into the Yellow made his way to the counter with Revy on his heels. He took a seat on one of the stools. Revy sat beside him.
"Found yourself a girlfriend, Dutch?" The bartender said. He was a man in his fifties, with thin mustaches.
"Nah... She's my new employee. Her name is Revy. Revy this is Bao"
"Name's Rebecca, cocksucker!" She said slamming the counter.
"Haha! And here I thought you were the boss, Dutch" Bao joked.
"Well, she's got a tight ass. Nothing a beer won't fix" Dutch said half-laughing.
"Gonna stick it up her ass? Gonna drink it after that?"
Rebecca reached over the counter and grabbed Bao by the collar. "Look here, you.." In return, Bao Raised an eyebrow at her and, uninterested, he side-eyed Dutch. "I said LOOK HE...!"
Before she could finish what she was going to say, Dutch sent her flying with an uppercut to the chin that left her staggered on the floor.
None of the other customers seemed interested in a man hitting a woman.
"She's an amateur, ain't she?" Bao asked Dutch as if was talking about a kindergarten incident.
"She's new here, but she's no amateur... Come on Revy, sit down. There are plenty of people you're going to strong-arm. Bao ain't one o'them", He turned to Bao: "Hey, Bao. How did things go? Which side's on top?"
"None. They formed a council. The Colombians and the Italians sat down the Boss and that war-crazed woman, and they agreed to call it a day..." Bao said while putting a beer mug in front of Dutch and another in front of the stool Rebbeca was sitting on. She needed to drink to numb the pain. She got to her feet, sat down and started drinking. In any other situation, she would have killed Dutch on the spot. She didn't how many allies of his were in the bar. There would be a chance for payback.
"Those two won't let go of this" Dutch said.
"You got that right. As long as they keep away from here, I ain't complaining." Said Bao in a semi-angry voice.
"Anything else I should know?" Dutch asked.
"Richie Leeroy came asking for you many times..." Bao said in an uninterested tone.
Dutch kept silent. No matter how many times he told him he wasn't a getaway ship, Leeroy kept on bringing him trouble.
Dutch went on asking Bao questions about many things in Raoanapur. Bao was a gossip and it helped Dutch acquire a preliminary assessment of the situation in Roanapur. The information wasn't free of course. A proper "tip" was in order to keep this kind of service. Revy kept on chugging beers while they were talking.
An hour later, they exited the bar. Revy dragged her feet. He didn't know whether it was his uppercut or some kind of weakness alcohol that made her sluggish. He had to make the rounds on his regulars. It was a good opportunity to show Revy around and to introduce her. As many newcomers, he suspected that she intended to have thing her way by pointing her gun at every bastard. He had to label her as an insider as soon as possible. He excluded Chang and Balalaika from his visit list. No matter who he went to see first, the other would interpret it as a tacit declaration of allegiance. They went back to his office to get the car. Revy was sweating like a pig by the time they arrived.
"Fuck it's hot!"
Dutch gave her a T-shirt. He planned to provide firearms and first payment of rent for her living quarters as part of the job privileges. Back in Hart Island, he had asked her to leave her guns behind. You can't be too careful with guns. Although Paul made sure the guns used in his jobs weren't traceable, there was no saying if it meant not traceable to Paul and co. or simply not traceable to Paul. Revy might be sharp, but Paul managed to keep her in her the dark. He couldn't afford to trust her word on it and was prepared to wring the guns out of her. She was strangely cooperative about it, though.
"Here's your pay for the first week. I suggest you go to the market tomorrow and buy yourself some clothes for this weather."
She counted the Cash.
"That all!"
"Payments are made on a weekly basis. Got a problem with that?"
She didn't want him to suspect that she intended to take off.
"No, that's alright. So what do we do now?"
"There are some stops I've gotta make. Promised you a pair of guns, didn't I?"
"Euh..."
"Did you read the contract before signing?"
She looked away in exasperation.
"You don't say..." He continued " You won't live long here if you don't know what is it exactly you're getting outta a deal"
"Get bent!"
"That's exactly what you'll end up doing"
She flipped her middle finger at him. She put the oversized T-shirt he gave her. She looked like a rapper in it.
"Our first stop is Pairachat"
As the alcohol effect wore off, her chin started to ache. She tried to numb to pain by squeezing it and rubbing it.
"Sorry about that" Dutch said. He was sitting beside her, driving.
"Wait until I get my guns"
Dutch pulled over. He put weight on each of his words: "Let me explain something to you. Do you remember when I told you this place was a graveyard?"
She didn't reply.
"People here don't fear death, they are already dead. Well, most of the ones you'll be dealing with anyway. The rest are small fries you'll learn to recognize. You have to learn to play the long game. Kill a merchant and his loyal customers will fuck you up. Kill a policeman and the rest of the police force will descend on just to reassert their authority on Roanapur. Some people are best kept alive."
"I want some cigs. I guess whoever sells cigs are on that don't-touch-list of yours"
Dutch smiled. "Something like that..."
He put the car in motion again.
"What's with the drama scene?"
"I was prepared to let you go"
"Is that how it gonna be? I do things your way or I'm out?"
"Not quite. You do things your way as long as they don't interfere with my way"
"And if they do?"
"Any deal you sink is deducted from your pay"
"Gimme a break..."
They arrived at Pairachat's. "This is our stop."
"Hey, I gotta get some cigs!" She looked around upon getting out of the car, trying to locate someplace that'd look like a convenience store.
"He sells cigarettes too. Let me ask you something. How do you run that fast when you smoke like a chimney?"
"Survived my whole life on dirty air..."
Dutch didn't say anything in return. He rattled the sliding grate that was protecting the door. A young man appeared. He looked at Dutch. Closed the door. A minute later a short geezer appeared. He opened the grille.
"Dutch, my man! And here I thought I need another carrier"
"Your stock is going to last you for the next ten years"
"Not with Boss Chang and Mz Balalaika at each other's throats."
They both laughed. Revy started to wonder who were those Chang and Balalaika everybody was talking about. The order (or lack thereof) was tilting as the result of their actions. It seemed she needed to learn about them if she were to survive in Roanapur.
"So what brings you here?" Pairachat asked.
"Her. She's my new employee." Dutch replied, his thumb pointing toward Revy.
"Dual pistols?"
"As if you needed to ask," Dutch said, smiling.
She gathered from the way Dutch introduced her that it was the first time the geezer heard of her. She couldn't wrap her mind around how he had appraised her preferred style.
"Your posture, your aplomb, your standing position, your build, and the way you examine your surrounding", the old man answered the question she didn't ask.
Revy looked at him intently. It was bad if she were easy to figure out. Pairachat smiled. It pissed her off that the geezer was looking down on her.
"Don't worry" Dutch said as he noticed her gritting her teeth. "Not everybody's like him. Told you you'll know the ones to keep alive"
Pairachat went behind the counter and brought up a box. He opened, displaying two odd-looking guns.
"I customized this myself. I dub it Beretta M92 custom "the Pairachat sword cutlass special". A fine piece, if I say so myself"
She took the guns. They felt great in her hands. They weren't heavy nor light. She checked whether they were loaded, and they were.
"What do you think?" Dutch asked.
"They're awesome" She whispered.
"Haha! Dutch you found yourself a gun-lover!" Pairachat laughed.
"Aren't we all?" said Dutch, grinning.
"Nah! You're no gunman, you. You know how to handle a gun, but you're far from being a gunman. Where did you find her?"
"Paul"
"He still alive?"
"Last time I checked."
"The old bastard!"
"You got that right... How much for..."
"It's on the house. Don't worry, I won't ask for any favors. You brought me someone who would do my guns right. I should be paying you..."
Revy was jubilant at her new guns. They got a shoulder holster. It was convenient that she could carry guns in the open here. All she needed was tight fitting clothes to wear under the holster. She knew she would go back to Pairachat's. She just hoped that he wouldn't refuse her as a customer if she split from Dutch.
The following stop was not as fun for Revy as the first. It was at an S&M strip club owned by a guy who still lived in the 70s named Rowan. Dutch warned her that Rowan was a little much to handle. He was immediately proven right the minute Rowan had Revy in his field of vision.
"Oh! Mama! Didn't expect you to bring me a gift, Dutch ma'man! She's a looker, alright! Let's see... Eyes say dom, booty says sub. What do you say, sister?"
"Sorry Rowan," Dutch interrupted what seemed to be an extended retort from Revy that may have ended badly considering how eager she was to test her new toys. "I hired her for a different set of skills. She's under contract for the time being. She becomes useless, she's yours to negotiate with. The shipment arrived a month ago. Why the fuck do you always leave your goods without picking them? They take storage area. Next time I'm gonna have to charge you for late pick-up."
"Come on Dutch! Ain't we brothers meant to stick with one another?"
"I ain't your brother. Next time, she'll come by instead of me"
"Gladly," Revy said, her voice full of murderous intent.
"A dom." Rowan simply said, as if he hasn't been just marked by the grim reaper. "First thing in the morning. Dutch ma'man, what do you call her?"
"Revy" Replied Dutch
"It's Rebecca, cocksucker!" She was getting pissed off at that nickname.
"Cocksucker That your last name, honey? " Rowan joked."We've GOT to change that! Well, maybe not..."
That was the last straw. She drew a gun, but Dutch rounded on her almost immediately. He knew this was going to happen. He didn't really mind it though. He almost hoped for it. Now that she made a scene, Rowan was bound to talk about her with whoever he met next. He counted on his gossip and network to lay the groundwork for introducing Revy to people he couldn't visit.
"Damn! You two would be perfect for a show here..." Rowan commented.
"I'll pretend I didn't hear that." Replied Dutch, while dragging Revy out.
After making a couple of other stops, Dutch found Revy a decent apartment by Roanapur's standards. Dutch felt that between, Richie, Bao, Pairachat and Rowan's people, she'd be already a solid enough rumor in the city. They had to make a final stop at the Church. Revy did an elaborate effort of showing her boredom by inhaling and exhaling smoke loudly.
"Our final stop is the rip-off Church," Dutch said in reply a to Revy's passive aggressiveness.
"Rip-off?"
"You'll see."
She kept silent. Dutch thought she has been strangely patient and receptive throughout the day.
The Church was a reliable emergency supplier of firearms. Sister Yolanda, the Head Priestess, referred to him by Dutchy-boy. He knew she could tell it annoyed, but she kept on using it. She was a strange one-eyed old woman. People in Roanapur have all sorts of legends about her. She told him on the phone earlier to go directly to the manse. She didn't seem to like her clients entering the Chapel. A nun in he late twenties was waiting for them at the gate. She stood there with her hands on her hip. She sported pink shades and chewed gum. As if it wasn't enough to make her stand out, she had a shoulder holster above her robe with a Glock 17L. As soon as they got out of the car, she said: "The Sister is waiting for you, follow me. Leave your guns in the car."
Dutch gave Revy a nod to signify it was okay to do as the nun said.
Sister Yolanda was waiting for them with a cup of tea. "Have a seat, Dutchy-boy", she said we a hoarse melodic voice.
They made their way to the sofa opposite of Yolanda.
"Halt!" The younger nun pointed her gun at Revy. Being held at gunpoint in a narrow space, Revy didn't have a choice but to stop. "You haven't been invited to sit"
"For fuck's sake". Revey glared at the nun. Dutch was outside her field of vision and she didn't afford to turn his way. She left her guns in the car.
Neither Dutch nor the old hag said a word. The just sipped tea silently.
"I see you brought company," Yolanda said finally.
"She's my new employee. Name's Rebecca." Replied Dutch, "You updated your payroll, as well."
"Yes. Eda was hired in the wake of the strife that came upon us in the last few weeks. How was your vacation?"
"I left on a job."
"Of course, you did. Eda dear, she's not a threat, you can leave her be"
Eda lowered her gun but her eyes didn't leave Revy's. The tone of her voice changed.
"I knew you looked familiar! How did you end up here?" she said, lowering her glasses.
"Euuh... What are you doing in Church, you nympho?" Realizing who she was.
Author's Note:
This fanfic is planned to stay ongoing as long as Black Lagoon Manga is ongoing, maybe even beyond. A new arc would be started each time an arc in the manga concludes. Each time I put together 2000 to 4000 words, a new chapter will be published.
Future arcs:
Arc 2: Two Hands
Arc 3: My Kung-Fu is stronger than yours (Benny Recruitment)
Arc 4: Rokuro (Untold elements of Rock's backstory)
Arc 5: Rock (First few days of Rock at Roanapur)
Arc 6: Shot for shot (The night at the Yellow Flag after "Ring-ding Ship Chase" events )
Arc 7: {Title not decided yet} (Aftermath of Rasta Blasta)
Arc 8: Baby, light my fire (Aftermath of Calm Down Two Men)
Arc 9: Innocence (Aftermath of Blood Sports Fairytale )
Arc 10: {Title not decided yet} (Aftermath of Goat Jihad and Rock'N'Roll)
Arc 11: Going Home (Prologue to Gangsta Fujimura Paradise)
Arc 12: Coming Home (Epilogue to Gangsta Fujimura Paradise)
Arc 13: {Title not decided yet} (Aftermath of Goat Jihad and Rock'N'Roll)
Arc 14: {Title not decided yet} (Aftermath of Greenback Jane)
Arc 15: Out of the twilight (Epilogue to El Baile del Muerte)
Thanks for reading.