Chapter 6 Birds of a feather Flock Together
AN: Quick side note, I watched the Hansel and Gretel arc and it made me feel like a pedo. Seriously I felt kind of sick. Violence and crime are one thing, but the whole thing with the kids. I can handle the kids getting shot it happens, but the weird sex thing was too much. I'm thankful they didn't show it, but still. Well I've done my rant, still like the series, so on with the story!
There are few things in life that make your next choice in life very clear. Sometimes people turn to religion to give guidance in their time of need and to make the path clear. Others turn to family and friends to get the guidance and advice to achieve an understanding. Others just have a deep seated, and unshakable faith that the path that they have chosen and the road ahead is always well lit for them. The one thing all these have in common is that it makes the situations in life very clear. A gun to the head does the same thing.
At this time Artyom had a custom 9mm Beretta 92 pressed against his forehead. If he would have studied the gun, he would have found it to be a gleaming stainless steel work of art with mother of pearl hand grips. He would have seen the crossed swords and skulls that were delicately crafted on, as well as the fact that the barrel was extended an extra inch to give the pistol more accuracy, range, and power. If he could have examined it further still he would have found that the trigger had been modified to require less pull to fire and with internal recoil suppressors. The safety to be ambidextrous, the sights masterfully fine tuned, and the inside so clean it gleamed. Artyom saw none of this, nor did he appreciate the find craftsmanship that had gone into this weapon. All he saw and felt was the cold metal of the barrel against his forehead, and a vengeful Chinese woman on the other end of the gun.
He could still talk himself out of this though he thought assuredly. All she had to go on was a pair on Mirrored aviators. They were expensive yes, but they weren't so rare that you couldn't find another for miles around. He had seen several variants of the model of glasses he wore around the bar, some knockoffs others the real McCoy. As long as she didn't see Morrigans face they could still talk their way out of this. Even if they did, they were in a gunship at the time. Things were chaotic in a fight and some people looked very similar to one another. Artyom himself had been mistaken for other people several times in his life. People were reasonable. People used words first, and guns later. Even if in Artyoms experience, talking usually broke down into gunfights. Ceasefires never seemed to last. He put on his best smile.
"Miss there must be some mistake," began Artyom trying his best to play the part of someone caught in a very serious misunderstanding. Also trying to sound innocent. That helped too. "I arrived in town yesterday, and was just taking my girlfriend for a pint at the pub." Artyom decided to play up his English accent. "You see we're vacationing in the Pacific and thou-"
"Shut the fuck up." said the woman in a conversational tone, however there was an unmistakable hint of malice in her words. Like a creature hiding just out of sight. Watching, waiting, searching for the moment to strike.
"But miss," tried Artyom again. His efforts were rewarded with the gun being cocked against his head. If only he could reach his Pernach. He couldn't make a move without getting a third eye and Morrigan didn't have a gun on her. Thankfully she was wisely choosing to stay behind Artyom playing the part of a scared young woman who had only wanted to see the world and had thought it fun to slum for a night. Only to realize how dangerous it really was and was wanting desperately to leave, but unable to. If one would have kept their eyes on her and watched her more carefully, they would have seen her discreetly take a corkscrew off the counter and hide it in the sleeve of her windbreaker when the confrontation began. They were more focused on Artyom and his sunglasses. Lucky for him.
"Shut it you bucktoothed fuck," said the Chinese woman in a belligerent tone. Artyom bristled at the insult. His teeth were fine. He hadn't even needed braces growing up and he brushed and flossed just like he was told. He didn't have buckteeth. "I don't buy for a second that you are some goddamned wide eyed tourist taking in the sights and taking pictures for your fucking scrapbook." She leaned in closer to Artyom getting very much so in his face. "I think you went for a little fucking celebration after shooting up some boats. Am I right? Well dickhead?"
"Miss I can assure you I-"
"I already said I don't buy your tourist shit!" The gun was pushed more forcefully into Artyoms forehead. The metal was beginning to warm from the contact with his skin. If she decided she didn't want to talk anymore the gun would become very warm indeed. "You want to know how I know?" she didn't give Artyom a chance to respond before continuing. "First on your many list of fuck ups is that tourists don't carry guns." Artyom resisted the urge to look at his shoulder where his Pernach was holstered under his coat. "Second," she continued. "Tourists don't come here. the police make sure they stay away so that the fat fuck of a police chief doesn't have to do paperwork. The woman who in Artyoms and he assumed Morrigans opinion, who looked like a hooker retreated to an arms distance, but still had her pistol firmly pressed against his forehead. "And do you want to know the most monumental of your fuck ups?" Artyom looked her straight in the eyes. "Tourists get scared when someone shoves a gun in their face." She had him there.
Some of the other patrons in the bar were watching on with interest. They wanted to see if the outsider would be the latest victim of the famous Two Hands. Bao looked like he was going to explode.
"REVY HOW MANY TIMES ARE YOU GONNA CAUSE SHIT IN MY BAR?" He was practically foaming at the mouth. "I just got this place put back together, and you are threatening PAYING customers!" Wait, this happens often? Thought Artyom.
"I pay for your rat piss!" said Revy indignantly.
"Yeah," said Bao. "And you cost me a fortune, because you make me have to renovate every three fucking months. Buildings aren't cheap." From there they descended into an arguing match, completely forgetting about Artyom, except for the gun still in his face. He couldn't fucking believe it. She was angry enough to kill him in a public place, yet she would stop to argue over if she was good for business or bad? Killing was a serious business and not to be taken lightly. Artyom had killed many times in his life. Almost always behind the controls of a hind. He thought he might have killed someone with his Pernach in running gun battles he had been a part of after a bad job, but he couldn't be sure.
He saw a large black man put his face in his palm in exasperation. "She does this every time." He let out a long sigh, and hunched over the counter. Light reflecting dully in his sunglasses. He was a large man and heavily muscled. He was way above Artyoms weight class, plus he had a large calibre revolver sitting in a holster on his hip. He would be a problem. There was also what appeared to be a young Asian business man, but Artyom recognized him from the boat. He looked somewhat shocked at the whole thing happening in front of him. He was way out of depth and Artyom had no idea how he was mixed up in this, or with this crew. He was even wearing dress pants, shirt, and had a blue tie on. He looked dressed for the office, not part of a pirate crew. He didn't have a gun that Artyom could see. He shouldn't be a threat. Shouldn't being the key word, Artyom had been surprised before.
The last member of the crew was a blonde man with glasses in a Hawaiian shirt. He didn't look shocked, but he also didn't look overly troubled at the confrontation. It wasn't likely he would take part in case it ever came to a fight. He actually looked kind of nerdy. He also didn't have a gun that Artyom could see either. He was talking with the Asian man, but Artyom couldn't make out their words over the shouting. What kind of pirate crew was this? All of Artyoms staff without exception at the very minimum excluding Jacques had at least a pistol on them at all times. Most of them carried rifles around when they worked. Or a shotgun in Angelikas case. She called it her boomstick. The only reason Morrigan didn't have one was because she had just joined, and hadn't picked out a gun yet. Tomorrow she would have any kind she wanted and Besnik would be almost giddy being able to display his vast array of guns and the anticipation of what they would pick.. Artyom liked to think positively. He liked to think he would be alive tomorrow. Artyom shifted the grip on his cane. Should he pull the blade out? He dismissed that thought, it would take too long and he would wind up with a bullet in his head.
The shouting match was reaching a crescendo, and Bao and the angry woman were practically trading spit they were shouting so close to each other. Artyom felt a light tap on his back. He glanced back out of the corner of his eye. Morrigan was the perpetrator, and nodded her head lightly in the direction of The screaming match. The steel of the corkscrew glinting menacingly, the edge just visible coming out of her cuff. Artyom looked at the scene in front of him. All eyes were on the argument in front of him, and the only other threat was looking at his drink. He gave the tiniest of nods to Morrigan and held out three fingers behind his back.
He retracted them slowly. One. He and Morrigan tensed their muscles. Two. Artyom felt the familiar anticipation of a fight building in him. Three. The corkscrew came fully into Morrigans hand, and he pushed the gun away from his forehead with his free hand. It went off and put a round in the ceiling causing dust to fall. Morrigan lunged forwards with almost superhuman speed the corkscrew held like a knife. With the sound of gunfire in the bar all hell seemed to break loose. It was like someone opened up the flood gates and all the pent up violence poured out.
The muscled man was up in an instant, drawing his heavy revolver. Morrigan got to him first. She knocked it to the side and thrust the corkscrew towards his head, but it was stopped at the last second by his arm. He grunted in pain.
"Bitch," he was clearly not happy with Morrigan. Blood flowed freely from the puncture wound in his arm. Morrigan ducked a retaliatory punch, but lost the corkscrew as it clattered away from the mans arm. She had a good enough grip to pull it out, but not to hold on.
"Dutch are you alright?" asked the blonde man behind him. The other patrons in the bar were all drawing guns in case the fight escalated to the point where they would get dragged into it as well. What the hell kind of bar was this? Why did EVERYONE have a gun? It was like being in the Congo all over again. The bad part of the Congo.
"Fucking great, you can pitch in anytime Benny Boy." He lashed out with a right hook, which Morrigan blocked. Artyom was surprised to say the least. She must be one tough cookie to go toe to toe with someone twice her size. A wince of pain that showed on her face told it had been more reflex to block, than conscious decision. Morrigan struck back with a kick to disarm the now named Dutch, and his revolver clattered across the floor. Her Jaw length hair flaring around her as she fought.
"I think me and Rock will sit this one out. Besides Looks like Revy's got her fight under control. We would probably just get in the way anyways." He finished rumour
Indeed the fight was going in Revy's favour. It had started out with her going for her second gun, but with both her hands occupied, Artyom had dropped his cane then put his weight and training into a right hook. He had an easy sixty pounds on her. Maybe a little less, it should have been a knockout hit. Should have been. Blood flew from her mouth and she fell back. About one step. She dug her foot into the ground arresting her backward momentum, and looked at him straight into his eyes. Her eyes were empty except for a burning hate. Her guns were held at the ready at her sides, held slightly out from her body. He didn't have time to draw his own gun. He would have to grapple, and with a gun in each hand he was pretty much fucked. Turns out he didn't need his guns. With a cry of rage she threw her guns on the bar, and rushed him.
He blocked what he could and got in a hit or two, but he just couldn't keep up with her. She was fast and she hit damned hard. Artyom's guard was starting to break from the constant pounding, but it wasn't like it was doing him much good. She hit him all over. Head, chest, stomach, he had even stopped a knee to the groin. If it would have connected the fight would have been over. It would have only ended it sooner though, not changed the outcome. Artyoms head was fuzzy from the pounding and after a doozy of a left hook he fell heavily against the bar. Artyom had heard them call her Revy. She was a good fighter getting in at least five hits to his one, but in his opinion was a complete bitch.
"You think you can just hit the great Revy and fucking walk away! You got another thing coming asshole!" she raged as she continued raining blows on Artyom. "The only way you're leaving here now is in a fuckin body bag!" Her gloves were becoming stained red, and blood was dribbling down Artyoms face, from a multitude of cuts courtesy of Revy's fists. Artyom wasn't resisting much now. He couldn't. Revy had worked herself into a frenzy and it didn't look like anything but every bone in Artyoms body being broken was going to stop that. Luckily his bones breaking didn't stop it, a stool did.
One of the cheap wooden stools descended rapidly and broke over Revy causing her to fall heavily to the ground. A hard breathing Morrigan on the other end. She had blood dribbling out the corner of her mouth, and looked quite ruffled to say the least. Her hair was tangled and her windbreaker was torn. A few spatters of blood on her smiley tea-shirt. Her opponent Dutch for the moment was incapacitated. Rock stood up when Revy's head became acquainted with the stool.
"Revy are you okay?" he started coming over concerned for her, but was stopped by Morrigan.
"You want some of this too ya fucking pissant?" She wasn't the largest of people, but damn was she intimidating. She pointed a broken stool leg at him. He put up his hands in a placating gesture.
"Can't we just be friends and forget about this, or at least have a drink and forget about this?" He asked hopefully. A sort of hopeful smile on his face. Morrigan shut him down.
"DO I look like I want to be your bloody friend?" In all fairness to her brusque answer she really didn't.
"Well I just thought that we coul-"
"Shut it." said Morrigan with ice in her voice. "I've kicked the shit out of two people tonight. You want to make number three?" Morrigan took a half step towards him
"Shutting up now," said the mild mannered Rock. He took a couple of steps back, his gaze lingering on the downed Revy, and then switching to Dutch who was immobile on the floor.
"That's what I thought," said Morrigan spitting out a bloody wad of phlegm.
. Artyom stooped and picked up his cane. The bitch had hit him in the leg, and it was sore now. He looked at the Stainless steel gun on the bar. Still in pristine condition. Bao stood up, shotgun in hand.
"For once they didn't totally destroy my bar." he looked thoughtful for a moment then shrugged. "Guess there's a first for everything." He raised an eyebrow at the gun on the counter and Artyom had a flash of realization. "Where's Two Hand's other gun?" asked Bao in mild curiosity. Artyom had already pulled out his Pernach and was searching. Fuck where was it? Rock hadn't taken it, but the blonde man didn't have it either. Dutch was too far away to- he looked over. Artyom saw Dutch in a kneel with the gun aimed. Straight at Morrigan. Benny must have tossed him the gun. Morrigans eyes widened in understanding, and Artyom thought a little fear. You always felt some when a gun was pointed at you no matter how long you fought for. She was frozen in her tracks, eyes transfixed on the gun. Her aquamarine eyes showing in full.
Artyom wouldn't lose another comrade, he refused to have it happen it again. Too many comrades had died by his side over the years for him to lose another. He had only met her this morning, but they had fought side by side and faced death together. That was enough for him. He interposed himself between Morrigan and Dutch brought his gun to bear as fast as he could. He was too slow, his head was still fuzzy from the beating and he couldn't move nearly as fast as normal. Still he tried. Soldiers don't back down. The first round hit him in the lower chest forcing the air from his lungs. The second hit higher up closer to his heart and right over his left lung. The third hit in the centre of his chest. His grip remained firm on the cane, but faltered on his Pernach and it began to slip from nerveless fingers as he fell backwards. Morrigan caught him and began dragging him back towards the rear of the bar. Taking the Pernach from his hand and firing. It forced the pirate crew to jump behind the bar and Dutch to roll behind a column.
Morrigan couldn't believe what had happened. What were the odds that they would run into the very same pirate crew they had tangled with earlier that same day? She had been sure she was going to die when the man called Dutch had gotten the drop on her. There had been nothing she could do. She had felt helpless, and maybe even a little afraid. Then Artyom the man she had met only today, still bleeding and staggering had thrown himself in front of her. To protect her. Why had he done that? He had just met her. His body had jerked and fallen back to her when he had been shot and she had caught him. Disbelief on her face. He had seemed invincible in the air. Like nothing could touch him. Taking his gun she returned fire dragging Artyom towards the back door. The shots forced the pirate crew to take cover. She wasn't familiar with the gun, but it shot bullets and that was what mattered.
"You Bastards!" screamed Morrigan still firing. "You killed him!" She wasn't hitting much dragging Artyom's body with her, but she wasn't going to leave him behind. Dead or alive. More impacts caused Artyoms body to shake and shudder. All hitting him in the chest. Almost like fate wanted to make sure he stayed dead. A line of spent shells followed Morrigan to the door like a twisted parody of Hansel and Gretel's bread crumb trail home. She burst through the back door still dragging Artyom just as the gun clicked dry. She was surprised it hadn't run out sooner. She was sure she had fired more than twenty rounds out of the thing. Wood splinters and chunks of door frame erupted outwards as more rounds impacted after her. She didn't like what she was about to do, but it was necessary. She went to Artyom looking for spare clips on his body. She was kneeling over him, when his eyes shot open and he gasped air into his lungs. Morrigan jerked back in surprise, but unfortunately hit him in the jaw with her head.
"Artyom you're alive," said Morrigan in a mixture of surprise and happiness. She finished grabbing ammo from him, and blind fired around the door not hitting much, but causing a lot of property damage. Artyom was still just trying to breathe normally. Morrigan watched with growing curiosity at the large pile of spent shell casings growing on the ground. A voice cut through the gunfire to be heard in all its furry.
"You fucking Irish Bitch!" screamed Bao in the way only angry barkeeps can. "You tip me then tear up my bar! You're worse than Revy! I never want to see you here again!" He was easily heard over the gunfire.
"Sorry Bao," yelled Morrigan back pumping more rounds into the bar through the doorway, and Dutch doing the same back at her. The other patrons were either taking cover or using the opportunity to settle old grudges in the confusion. "I'll pay for the damages when we come back, I didn't mean for this to happen."
"If I see you again I'l- wait what?" He sounded genuinely surprised. "You're going to pay for the damages? Just like that, no complaining, no threats?"
"Yeah!" Shouted Morrigan trying to be heard. "I feel bad about this and it's partially my fault." Morrigan accentuated her words by finding out the pistol she was using had an automatic feature, and the pop, pop of rounds became a staccato of automatic fire. "Just send me a quote, and I'll cover the cost." More gunfire ripped through the bar as the other patrons started firing too. At the pirates, at Morrigan, and at each other. The walls became pockmarked will holes, and the booze behind the bar began to break and leak over the ground. The air was heavy with the smell of cordite, spilled booze and hot metal. Bullets crisscrossed through the air, and the brass casings danced away from their owners to find rest after rolling and bouncing across the floor.
"Not the booze!" shouted Bao in vain. He looked over at Benny and rock who were behind the bar with him, bullets pinging off the reinforced counter. "You going to help cover the damages?"
"Well you know how Revy is." began Benny "She just does things and-"
"Never mind," said Bao. "You guys never pay to fix this shit anyways." He sighed in resignation. "I would keep you out of the bar if Revy wouldn't kill me for doing it." He shouted over his shoulder. "You still alive Two Hands?" A low groan came back indistinct over the sound of gunfire. "Eh, she's fine."
"Thanks goodness," said Rock a look of relief on his face. "I thought she might have been dead when she got hit like that."
"You have to learn one thing about Revy is she's almost impossible to kill." Said Benny. "My bet is when she wakes up she's going to be reaaally pissed off." He let out a small chuckle. "Just keep you're head down when she comes to, kay Rock?"
"Ummm yeah, got it. Shouldn't we make sure she's alright? Or get her behind the bar?"
"You want to go out in that," said Benny jerking his thumb over his shoulder as more rounds smashed into the booze. "Than be my guest."
"Benny I need another mag!" shouted Dutch from behind his cover. Benny just threw him the other Cutlass.
"That's all there is Dutch, I can't get to Revy!"
"Shit, well get ready to move. Once it dies down a bit we're getting the fuck outta here."
"Got it Dutch, just say when."
With a cry, a slightly bloody Revy jumped over the counter and into cover. She wasn't angry, if anything she was grinning like a shark.
"Shit when did this turn into an all out fucking war?"
"Revy you're okay," said Rock happily. "Do you need any help?"
Revy just looked at him like he had just sprouted wings. "Well you can grab a gun and start actually shooting back." Seeing the look on his face she knew that wasn't going to happen. "Or you can get my boys off the counter."
"Right," said Rock. He looked uncertain for a moment. "Ummm Dutch has your guns." Revy had a startled look on her face, and the report of a Cutlas confirmed Rocks story. "Sorry," said Rock. Revy didn't answer him, didn't even get angry. How hard did she get hit? Wondered rock.
"Hey Dutch!" called Revy. I need one of my boys back!" A silver coloured gun arced through the air, and fell behind the counter with a clatter. "Don't just fucking throw them Dutch." Now I'll have to fix the sights."
"Just fucking use it!" replied Dutch, shooting off a couple more rounds. His face was slightly swollen from his fight with Morrigan, and his arm was still bleeding.
"On it Dutch." With a click clack a new clip slid home into the modified Beretta. "Time for some fucking payback." Revy got into a crouch, and jumped into the fray. Then she began showing the bar why she was the most feared gun in Roanupur.
With all the confusion in the bar, Morrigan checked on Artyom. He had coughed a little bit, and winced when she checked his chest. There was no blood. The paranoid bugger had worn a bullet proof vest to the bar. Then again it wasn't that paranoid if you actually did end up getting shot when you had it. Maybe she should start wearing one too. Especially if she was going to be in this city for any length of time.
"You good to move love?" she asked, keeping an eye on the doorway. He coughed and said something in Russian. "Pardon?" asked Morrigan.
"Yeah, I'm bloody just great." He held his hand. "Just help me up." The blood was drying on his face, and he looked awful. Morrigan pulled him up and he leaned heavily on her, cane in hand. They started
a sort of walk stagger down the alley back street.
"So what was that about me being your girlfriend hmmm?" asked Morrigan playfully.
"Morrigan," said Artyom, his tone serious.
"Yeah love?"
"Shut up." Morrigan just laughed, then clutched her chest, "ahhh bloody hell that hurts." They flagged down a taxi when they got to the street, and gave the address for their new home/office. Artyom paid extra for him to hurry. He looked over at Morrigan.
"So what did you think of your first day?"
"Well if every day is like this I expect danger pay."
"Hows twenty grand a month sound?" Morrigans eyes got comically wide.
"Wh-what?" she couldn't comprehend that amount of money. "Just for working security?"
"No," said Artyom. "I want you to be my personal bodyguard. You handle yourself well and you saved my ass today. I like skill, and you have it in spades. Plus you also get bonuses, three weeks vacation, and if we make a huge amount on a job extra pay." Morrigan broke out in a large smile.
"No ones going to lay a finger on ya while I'm around." She reached over, and took him into a tight hug.
"Ahhh fuck, ow, ow, OW, my chest!" Morrigan pulled back quickly.
"Sorry about that." she pursed her lips. "Okay no ones going to lay a finger on you starting now."
"Sounds good," said Artyom closing his eyes. "Wake me when we get to the office."
"You got it love." Morrigan sat back in her seat. It almost seemed unreal. She had just gone from just making two grand a month getting the hell taxed out of it with no real time off to making ten times that tax free plus bonuses. She looked over at her new boss already breathing deeply. He wasn't bad to look at and he had shown he was willing to take a bullet for her. Several in fact if the vest was anything to go by. She had thrown her lot in with this man, and her future was now irrevocably linked with his. She looked out the window at the field of neon flashing past the window. "Well for better or for worse I'm here now." a small smile graced her lips and she checked on Artyom again. You can never be too careful.
"Where'd that leprechaun bitch go?" asked Revy surveying the bar. Anyone who had been shooting at them was now staining the floor red. Dutch had retrieved his .44 and Revy had both of her Cutlasses in hand. Barrels pointing towards the floor. Guns held loosely at her sides.
"She ran off out the back door, with her little friend. I don't think he's dead though, I didn't see any blood when I shot him."
"That would explain why it hurt so fucking much to hit him in the chest," said Revy rubbing her knuckles." A smile broke out on her face. "So I just decided to make him a little more pretty." She let out a self satisfied chuckle. Only to be replaced by a scowl. "Well there goes my night of drinking," she said forlornly. She sighed. "I'm really starting to hate this guy."
"You and me both Revy," said Dutch checking the load on his revolver. "First he wrecks my boat, then he shoots up our watering hole." He clacked the cylinder closed on the gun. He let out a grunt of irritation. "Well let's head back to the office, we got enough booze their to drown our sorrows for a while." He holstered his revolver and looked over at Benny. "Benny boy, you want to go bring the car around and we can get out of here?"
"Sure can do Dutch," Benny skirted around some bodies lying on the floor and went to go grab the car. Revy started walking towards the door, just before a creeping pool of blood reached her boots.
"I just want to get blind fucking drunk tonight," said Revy holstering her pistols. "Goddamn my head hurts," said Revy clutching her head. "Fuck."
"You know if you want, my mother had a tea recipe that helps with headaches." said Rock hoping to help. Revy glanced over still holding her head.
"I doubt that jap crap will work, but if you want to give it a shot go for it. It's your time and money." Rock seemed to brighten at Revy's goodwill.
"Great, it should have you feeling in tip top shape, by tomorrow." Revy raised an eyebrow at him.
"Tip top? What the hell is this the 1950's?" She rolled her eyes at him. "Sometimes I think that you don't really know how to speak English." Rock reddened a little at the words. "Don't worry," said Revy. "I'm just playing with you. Let's get the hell out of here." A honking horn heralded their rides arrival.
"Time to go boys and girls," said Dutch heading towards the doors. His broad shoulders slouched in a relaxed posture as he lit a cigarette.
"Yeah, yeah we're coming Dutch." said Revy hurrying towards the door. "Rock get your ass moving."
"Coming," said Rock breaking into a light trot. "Sorry about the bar Bao," he called as he left the bar. Bao stood up from behind the bar, shotgun in hand.
"Just get the fuck out!" Shouted Bao after the retreating Rock. He sighed heavily leaning the shotgun over his shoulder as he heard the car pull away. "What a goddamned mess." The bar was in complete disarray and most if not all the furniture needed replaced. A large amount of booze had been destroyed, and he would need to completely renovate AGAIN to fix the bar up, and get out all the bullet holes. He wasn't made of money and this was costing him a fortune. With a shriek of protest a hanging light fell down taking some of the roof with it in a loud crash. Bao sighed more heavily this time. "Fuck my life." said Bao dejectedly.
"What did you get into a fight with a hippo?" asked Brent as he was checking Artyoms wounds from the bar fight. "You really should have come to me last night, it could have saved you a lot of discomfort." chastised Brent as he rubbed disinfectant into the cuts.
"Yeah," said Artyom wincing from the slight sting of disinfectant. "After the beating I took all I really wanted to do was take a nice long sleep." He grunted as Brent probed his chest looking for broken ribs. It was a mass of purple, black, and blue bruises.
"Well you still should have woken me up. If you're ribs had been broken by the impact of the bullets, it could have punctured something important or even barring that begun healing incorrectly, which would have meant surgery." He looked at Artyom trying to convey the seriousness of the situation.
"Eh I trust you on the other end of the knife," said Artyom dismissing his concerns. "By the way, hows Morrigan settling in?" asked Artyom eager to change the subject.
"Well Besniks happy that we have more firepower, and he's grilling her about her service, and running her through the paces. Besnik seems happy with her, and that's saying something." Besnik was notoriously dismissive of western military training, and he tested new recruits until they broke or the steel in their spine shone through. To have him not only say she would do, but seem impressed with her really said something about her. The ones that impressed Besnik always turned out to be the heavy hitters. "Jacques almost choked on his tea when we told him what you were paying her, and offering a share of the profits on jobs." A wry smile broke out on his face. I've never heard someone swear for so long in French." He looked thoughtful for a moment. "Then again there was this one Legionnaire I met."
"Where's Angelika by the way?" Asked Artyom trying to avoid story time with Brent.
"Oh Angelika?" asked Brent looking up. "She went to go greet the neighbours."
"Is that safe?" asked Artyom concerned. Angelika was a grown woman and had military training, but she could be a bit ditzy sometimes, and childish. Roanupur also wasn't the safest place to be in despite the illusion of civilization and a working government. Though if anyone ever tried to hurt her they had to deal with Besnik. He acted every bit of the protective father to Angelika, and one time even grounded her for coming back late constantly. The look on her face had been priceless when Besnik had said she wasn't allowed to go out for a week. She had tried, but Besnik had calmly and gingerly carried her over his shoulder back inside. She got her revenge by making him play nonstop monopoly.
"She's only going to the buildings on either side, and Angelika had got her P-83 on her. You worry too much."
"I guess so." said Artyom hopping off the examining table, and reaching for his coat.
"Where do you think you're going?" asked Brent putting on surgical gloves.
"You finished your examination right? So I'm done here."
"Not quite," said Brent as he snapped down a glove. "You've been putting it off." Artyom felt cold dread in his stomach.
"It's fine," said Artyom with false happiness. "Besides I'm only thirty four what's the odds I'm going to get it?" When he saw the look on Brents face he knew there was no avoiding it.
"Come on Artyom everyone has to get a prostate exam at some point." He guided Artyom back to the table. Despite his protests.
"But I really don't need one." said Artyom starting to panic. Brent was a tall man, standing at six foot three, close cropped hair, and his hands were also quite large. Too large in Artyom's opinion.
"Come now Artyom it won't take long, and you can never be too careful," said Brent reassuringly. Artyom looked at Brent's hands again. They really were too large.
Angelika was having a good time today. They were actually staying in a city this time, which meant easy access to running water, take out, and cute boys who didn't think she would make a good third wife. She didn't care how many cows Jamal had, she wasn't going to be a Wednesday wife.
She hummed a song to herself as she waked down the harbour front to their neighbours. She was wearing a simple white tee-shirt, and sweat pants. She wore boots out of habit, because when you work around such heavy machinery all day, you always want something with steel toes.
She felt the weight of her pistol on her hip as she walked. A constant reminder of what she had done. She hadn't wanted to kill her boyfriend, she really hadn't. She had genuinely loved him, and thought that he might be the one. He was always buying her gifts, and telling her she was beautiful no matter how much oil and grease had been on her. But when she had seen him with that kid, that little girl... she had lost it. No one had the right to do that, to be that sick. When she had come to, she had a bloody exhaust valve in her hands that she had brought home to fix. It was broken, but it still had enough weight behind it to crush his head into a pulp. Angelika had thrown up at the sight of it, and had been unable to look at the naked girl on the bed. The bed she had slept in. The bed she had made love in, to the very same man she had killed. The man who did that to children. It made her nauseous beyond belief. She had hurriedly packed, and left the house scared as hell and traumatized at what she had done. Angelika had been so scared that she would not only be found out for the murder, but also blamed for the acts done to the child. She thought she could handle the murder charge, but for the child crime to be pinned on her. It would have broken her parents hearts. She payed to stow away on an outbound freighter and left Poland and her old life behind. She was naturally a happy person, but it took a while before she could smile easily again after that, or laugh at anything.
Joining Artyom's crew, and meeting Besnik had been just what she had needed. Besnik was a nice old guy, and he seemed to think he was her adoptive father, which was cute. It was nice that he always looked after her. She had actually caught him packing her a lunch when they were going to be spending the day in the field. He had denied it was for her, but the lunch had orange juice in it. Angelika loved orange juice, Besnik hated it.
The wind blew Angelika's hair to the side, and she vainly grabbed at it before managing to get a hold of it, and put it into a functional pony tail that fell halfway down her shoulder blades. She resumed her humming, and continued walking towards an office building with a built in dock, and the end of a boat just peeking out. She walked up a metal flight of stairs, and knocked on the door, her usual smile in place. She still didn't like the gun on her hip.
Revy wasn't in a good mood today, which meant that no one else would be in a good mood either. She had been better when her headache went away thanks to Rock, but not by much. He was going over some of the finances, when he heard a knock on the door.
"Get the fucking door Benny!" shouted Revy from the couch in what was their living room. She was watching TV with Dutch, and Rock was cooking breakfast.
Benny got up from the computer and stretched. He walked out of his room rubbing the back of his neck. He went to the door and opened it expecting to find someone wanting to hire the Lagoon company out. Instead he found a smiling young women with her brown hair pulled back, and a gun on her hip. Before he could do more than blink in surprise, the young woman thrust out her hand and began speaking in a chipper voice.
"Hi my names Angelika, and I just moved in down the Road. What's your name?" Benny shook her hand completely perplexed. He looked down the harbour, and saw people unloading trucks and bringing equipment inside a warehouse as well as several other buildings.
"My names Benny," he said still shaking her hand. She still had a smile on her face even when she was talking.
"It's nice to meet you Benny," said Angelika letting go of his hand and clasping hers behind her back. Rocking slightly on her heels.
"Yeah um not to be rude or anything but why did you come over?" asked Benny. Angelika looked at him like it was the most obvious thing in the world, and he should already know the answer, but she didn't look at him like he thought he was stupid.
"Well I just wanted to come say hi to my new neighbours and introduce myself." she said leaning forward a little. She was as tall as Benny, and she didn't have to look up at all to talk to him. "You're kind of cute."
"What?" said Benny completely out of depth as to who this woman was, why she was here, and why she was hitting on him.
"Yeah," said Angelika oblivious to his surprise. "You have the whole intellectual thing going on." She finished, and stared at him. Benny stared back. "Do you want my number?"
"Ummm I's sorry miss?" he was waiting for a last name, and trying to get rid of her.
"Oh I don't use my last name, because if I do the police might find me and take me back to Poland. So you can just call me Angelika." She still had the same smile on her face and seemed completely oblivious to the fact she had just revealed she was a wanted felon.
Oh shit, thought Benny. I'm talking to a crazy lady. Okay Benny just talk to her, send her on her way, and this won't turn into the Manson family massacre. He tried to smile back, it was strained and easily false. Angelika didn't seem to notice.
"Well it was nice to meet you Angelika, but I have things to do today so I-"
"Benny who the fuck is it?" called an angry Chinese American landmine named Revy." Is it a customer?"
"Uh no it's just someone introducing herself to us, and she was just leaving."
"No I wasn't," said Angelika twisting her head to the side a bit. Benny thought for a half second her head might keep spinning like in the Exorcist, and then a demon might crawl out spewing vomit. Instead it stayed the same young woman with the clear blue eyes, and a happy smile.
"Yeah well you see," said Benny trying to explain the situation without outright saying he was freaked out by her presence. Dutch just made it worse.
"Well just show her in Benny Boy, it's rude to keep guests outside." Dutch obviously hadn't heard the conversation, and Benny really didn't want her inside his sometimes home/workplace.
"Great," said Angelika, seemingly happy at the prospect of meeting more of her new neighbours. She elbowed her way past Benny, then pulled him in after her. Benny let out a small cry of surprise, and was drug behind her. He really wanted to go back to his computers.
She was immediately within view of everyone, since the harbour office war more open than the town office they normally used.
"Hi," said Angelika waving and still holding onto Benny. "My names Angelika, and I just moved in down the road from here."
"The fuck should we care who you are?" said Revy only looking long enough to see where, and if she had a gun on her. Angelika's face fell a little at that, and she got a little more quiet at that.
"Well I just thought I'd introduce myself since I'll be umm working and living down the Road a little." She finished with a bit of a forced laugh.
"Should I care that you're going to be living down the road? Do you want me to give you a fucking gold star and say good job?" asked Revy annoyed that her TV watching time had been interrupted by the overly happy woman. Angelika's smile went away at that.
"Well I just thought that you might ahh, you kn-know be interested since we kind of are a transport com-company like you guys." She rubbed the back of her neck, but didn't let go of Benny. When she got nervous or put down she started to stutter. She hated it, but she couldn't do much about it. It was also an easy tell for Besnik when someone was making Angelika uncomfortable or unhappy.
"What do you fucking mean you're a transport company like us?" asked Revy raising her voice and standing up. Angelika visibly flinched back. She wasn't used to confrontation, and since she was nice to everyone she usually never had to deal with it.
"I-I'm sorry, I j-just thought that um maybe you uhh wo-would like to well, umm know."
"Can't you speak without fucking stuttering. If you're going to bother us, at least speak clearly you dumb bitch." That particularly hurt Angelika. She took insults very personally, and thought when people insulted her it was because of her own shortcomings, despite what they said or why. Angelika wanted to leave, but she didn't know how to go about it without seeming rude. She was spared any further insults, or having to answer Revy anymore, by the mild mannered Rock.
"Well I for one am very happy to meet you Angelika, and if you would like to tell us about yourself I would be more than happy to listen." Rock had taken off his oven mitts, and had walked over to Angelika still wearing the apron. Her smile came back full force then. Benny had felt her hand tighten on his when Revy had talked to her, and he felt somewhat sorry for her. Even if she was still probably crazy.
"Tch whatever," said Revy dismissing the whole thing and sitting back down on the couch, and returned to the TV.
"My names Rock by the way." He said extending his hand to shake hers. She shook his hand, having finally let go of Benny to shake his hand. Benny retreated in case she tried to grab a hold of him again. That woman had an iron grip. She had a thoughtful expression on her face as she shook Rock's hand.
"That's an odd name." said Angelika.
"Well it's more of a nickname than my actual name." My actual name-"
"It's okay I only ever go by my first anyways so I don't mind calling you Rock." Benny just watched silently. Why did she only do the crazy when she talked to him? Now she was only being a timid happy girl. It just wasn't fair. Revy just grunted in annoyance, and turned the TV up.
"You say that you work for a transport company?" said Dutch showing interest in the conversation for the first time since it started.
"Yup, one of the best." said Angelika cheerily. Revy though that she must have been on a lot of uppers if she was this happy.
"Well would you like to tell us about it over breakfast? I think Rock's almost done with cooking." Dutch was wearing his muscle shirt forgoing his flak jacket for comfort. He still had his sunglasses on though.
"Well if it's not too much trouble, I would like that." Where did the crazy lady at the door go? Thought Benny, it was like she had been replaced by someone else. Someone more sane. Revy just rolled her eyes.
Over breakfast Angelika told them what their company did, in general terms. She said they were a transport and security company that mostly used helicopters and Trucks to move things around. When asked how many of them there were, she said there was only a few of them on permanently, but they hired on a lot of local hires when they came to an area. Dutch asked who were all permanent hires, and so Angelika started explaining who everyone was.
"And the last one is Besnik," said Angelika taking another bite of a pancake with too much syrup in Benny's opinion. "He's the head of security at Cossack Support. He's kind of like a dad to me. He can be really overprotective of me sometimes though. It's sweet, but it's like he thinks I'm fifteen or something."
"What did he do before he joined Cossack Support?" asked Dutch. Most of his meal was untouched and he would occasionally sip his drink.
"Oh he used to be an Albanian paratrooper. He said he was involved in a few raids on NATO bases, and helped hunt down special forces who snuck in."
"Hold on a sec," said Rock. "There were never any reports of raids in the Western part of Europe by the Warsaw Pact, or the Soviet Union." Angelika fixed him with a small smile as she took another bite of her pancake.
"That's what you think."
Dutch sat back in his chair and relaxed while Revy was still in a poor mood over their guest and the events of last night. She was smoking a cigarette and steadfastly refusing to participate in the conversation.
Dutch was relieved in a way. He had been worried that the company moving in down the road had been the same one that had shot up his boat, and they had gotten into a fight with last night at the Yellow Flag. The girl was a little air headed to be sure, but harmless. She had a gun, but in Roanupur that was more common than a watch. He picked up his fork and knife then began cutting his pancake. He felt silly for thinking she had been part of a merc group.
"Oh wait I missed a couple," said Angelika with a look of triumph on her face. Dutch's knife slipped on the plate, and scratched on the porcelain. "One's really new, we only hired her on last night. Revy fixed her with a stare out of the corner of her eye. Dutch had a feeling that he should trust his feelings more often.
"Could you tell us about her?" asked Dutch keeping his tone neutral.
"Oh sure, she's pretty and her names Morrigan. She's nice, and Besnik likes her, says she's got some good skills." Angelika was cut off mid stream by Dutch.
"Could you tell us more about how she looks, and where she came from?"
"What? Oh right. Well she's a little shorter than me, but a lot tougher." She let out a small laugh. She's got black hair about this long." said Angelika showing where she meant by putting her hand just below her jaw. She had Revy's full attention now. "Shes' also got bluey green eyes, and I don't know where she's from but she sounds Irish." Now she had Revy's undivided attention, and the table went quiet. Angelika tentatively took another bite of her pancake, noting the atmosphere that the table had taken.
"So," began Revy in a dangerously low tone. "The other one from your group, it's a guy right? Blonde dirty blonde hair, blue eyes, walks with a limp, has a cane with him?"
"Yeah," said Angelika trying to stay cheerful in light of the recent mood of the table. "Have you met him? He owns Cossack Support and he fought in Afghanistan an-"
"Shut it," said Revy forcefully. Angelika quieted immediately.
"He flies a gunship right?" said Revy leaning forwards a little across the table.
"Y-yeah, it's an mi-24 hind, i-it's what I'm rated to f-fix." said Angelika nervously putting down her fork and knife. "I-I really sh-should be going." she finished rising from the table.
"Sit," Revy said in a voice that brokered no argument. Angelika sat back down. "You see these," said Revy pulling out her twin Cutlasses. Angelika recognized them immediately, her eyes widening. Artyom had been talking about those guns last night. The customized guns, and the group who had been at the bar that had beat him up. How could she have been so stupid? These people matched exactly the group that Artyom had described. Suddenly the gun on her hip didn't feel as unpleasant anymore, it felt very welcome. She began inching her hand towards her pistol. "Don't even try it bitch," said Revy cocking one of her guns and spinning the other before putting it away. Angelika put her hands up. Revy just laughed. "You know that I've been in a bad mood these past couple of days?" asked Revy. Angelika didn't trust herself to respond.
"Revy, come on we don't even know if it's the same group or someone else." said Rock trying to get Revy to calm down.
"Oh grow a pair Rock, she's obviously with them. You see the look in her fucking eyes when I pulled out my Cutlasses? She recognized them."
"You don't know that," protested Rock.
"Put the fucking pieces together Rock, she shows up the day after we get attacked by a gunship. She works on the same model of gunship, and her boss and his fucking leprechaun friend both match the description of the people who got into a fight with us last night. I've been waiting to get some payback on those two fucks, but I guess she'll have to do."
Angelika tried to push back from the table and run, but Revy grabbed the front of her shirt and brought her crashing down onto the little table causing a yelp to escape from Angelika. She tried to pull her pistol, but Revy put her Cutlass to her head.
"Give me another fucking reason, I dare you." growled Revy. Angelika let go of the gun and wanted desperately to be somewhere else. She looked pleadingly at Benny, but he looked away. She felt her stomach drop, and she began to sweat lightly. "He ain't gonna help you, you little cunt and now the only question left to ask is where do you want the bullet?"
" I-I-I-I" said Angelika unable to speak clearly because of her intense fear.
"Oh you want it in the eye?" asked Revy menacingly, bringing the pistol so Angelika was staring down the barrel. To her the dark barrel was alluding to her imminent death. "Any last words you Pollack little bitch?"
"Do-d-don p-pl-" Angelika felt tears well up, and she felt shame now in addition to fear. She wanted to leave now. She wanted to just run out the door, and go to Beznik. She wanted to just go. He would look after her, he would protect her.
"What's that? I couldn't understand you. If you can say it without stuttering I might just let you go. Can you do that?" Angelika tried, she really did. Angelika took a moment to compose herself.
"Can you please let me g-go?" She felt fresh horror build in her at her bodies betrayal, and felt the gun pressed up against her face, right in front of her eye.
The metal was cold, hard, and uncomfortable. "I'm sorry, but it looks like you just lost. Thanks for playing." Angelika shut her eyes and waited for the end. Her saviour came in the form of Rock who spoke up just before Revy pulled
"Revy you really should just let her go."
"What the fuck was that Rock?" said Revy glaring over at him. A whimpering Angelika on the table.
"Think about it," said Rock. "If they find out that we killed one of theirs, what's to stop them from getting that gunship into the air and levelling this place, and hunting us down?"
"The fact that I'm going to go over there and put a bullet into each of their fucking heads after I finish with this bitch."
"But Revy think about it. They all have military training. They're armed to the teeth, and there's a lot of guys over there. Also think about all the people unloading their stuff. You and I both know they're hardened criminals, and if the bullets start flying they're going to pull their guns. I don't know about you but those sound like piss poor odds to me." Revy just growled, and looked down at Angelika, who seemed to be saying something in Polish. Praying maybe. She pushed her back off the table, causing her to stagger back a few steps, a look of disbelief and hope on her face. The front of her shirt was stained with syrup, and had a few pieces of food stuck to it.
"Looks like today's your lucky day bitch, better start running before I start shooting." Angelika looked at Revy for a split second before taking off. She paused at Rock for a moment.
"Thank you," said Angelika in a voice little more than a whisper.
"I SAID RUN BITCH!" Shouted Revy shooting a round past her head. Angelika took off like the hounds of hell were after her. Practically leaping down the flight of stairs, and running as fast as she could back to Beznik, and the others. She didn't stop running until she was holding him, and had her face buried in his chest.
It had been hard for Artyom to convince Beznik not to go and kill everyone within a three mile radius after he had finished consoling a hysterical Angelika. She had, had food stuck to her clothing, and had been sobbing uncontrollably. She had refused to let go of Beznik, and now she wouldn't let him out of her eyesight, and became panicky when he did.
It seemed that the pirate crew from before had found out she worked for him, and had put a gun to her head, threatening to kill her. Only to be stopped, by the polite Asian man named Rock. He was glad Angelika was alright, but now she only felt safe when Beznik was around. It made him angry. Angry enough to kill. Angelika wouldn't hurt a fly, and only carried a gun on Artyoms insistence. Now she didn't take it off even when working on the hind like she normally did.
"So Black Lagoon is it?" said Artyom looking across to the Lagoon dockyard. "I have a feeling that we are going to become very well acquainted in the coming days." He gave one last look at the pirate warehouse. He was going to crush them beneath his boot heel. Grind them into fucking dust.
AN: Well I hope I didn't portray Revy as too cold blooded, or am portraying my female characters as too weak. I just see Angelika as the innocent type who doesn't like violence, and in general I think women are more sensitive than men. Not weaker, just more sensitive. I think I got Rock down pretty good. He's a bit of a wuss, but when the cards are down he can be pretty badass. I kept wondering if Dutch would have done something to stop Revy, because he does stop her from doing some stuff, but he doesn't always moderate what she does. Also I thought he would be a little mad at Angelika for the fact she was part of the group that almost completely wrecked him boat. Also the Lagoon wasn't repaired in this chapter, Angelika only saw the front part sticking out. Also I'm up to Roberta's blood trail now in the series. I figure I'll end this fic when I get to where the series is on hiatus. Also I think my chapters are getting better the more I do this, and the more I write. Again thanks for reading and keep giving me my crack which is reviews.