WolfGear Presents: New Lagoon
Pairings: Rock x Revy, Benny x Jane, OC's x Oc's
Chapter 9: Merry fricken Christmas!
I don't own Black Lagoon
Oc's: Rooker Kane, Sheila, Jamie, Mei Chang, Victor, Punk, Hans, Kelti Bernadotte, Talia "Tai" Xing
Rooker Kane wondered the busy streets of Roanapur on a mission. A mission to find a Christmas gift for his employees/roommates/girlfriends that's right girlfriends, Talia and Sheila, he was a lucky man to have two beautiful women by his side, even if it would only be temporary.
Shaking his head off those complicated thoughts, Rooker resumed his search for a suitable gift for the girls. Now the obvious choice was to get Sheila a gun and Talia something sharp, but he wanted to give them something else, something that would really mean something, but what? It was times like these he wished he had someone to ask for help. No matter what though he would have to find something today, if of all because it was the twenty fourth of December and this was the only day in Roanapur that all the Black Market dealers brought out the high quality merchandise. Such as guns that don't jam or are defective, real silk clothing, and etc.
Finally something caught his eye. A Japanese sword and female battle kimono, it would be the perfect gift for Talia, she loved swords and there was no higher quality of blade then a Japanese, and that skimpy kimono would fit her nicely.
"Excuse me, how much for the sword and kimono." Rooker asked the vender. He was older man of Japanese descent, no real surprise he was selling Japanese stuff, a thin set of glass rested on the man's nose, wrinkles and wart spots decorated his face giving him a kindly old man appearance. In this city that meant he was a cunning sells man.
"I see you have an eye for good merchandise young sir. I could part with these rare items for the low price of $50,000." The old man said quickly. Rooker raised an eyebrow, he knew the price would be high but $50,000 was a bit much.
"Ok I'll bite what makes those things so special?"
"Oh I'm so glad you asked! You see this Kimono was taken off a display at the national museum in japan it is said to have been worn by a great swordswoman during the Edo period. The sword is something of a modern miracle. Before I worked under a master swords smith back in the war making swords for the soldiers, one day General Takahata requested my master forge a blade with the lava rocks from the island of Hawaii and diamonds. The General wanted to see if the curse of the lava rocks and the ultimate endurance of diamond could be mixed with our steel. It took my master many years to discover this process and finally he crafted this sword you see before you, unfortunately by that time the war was over and the general dead, so I relieved him of it and the formula."
"So you're telling me this thing is cursed?" Rooker said skeptically. He knew there were some strange things in this world but curses? And mixing Diamond, lava rock and steel shouldn't be possible they were too different material wise to make anything.
The vender nodded. "Yes as cursed as the legendary Muramasa blades of old, but I see you are not one for such things. So how about a demonstration? If you would be so kind as to offer me one of your knives I will show you the truth of my words."
"How'd you know I had a knife?" Rooker asked drawing his trench knife form under his coat, and handed it to the vendor. Who had unsheathed the sword, the words "Death bringer" were craved in gold kanji character on the black blade.
The vendor smiled. "I was once yakuza as well. Also who doesn't carry a knife in this city?"
"Point taken," Rooker said watching the old man. He laid his knife on the table and held the katana over the trench knife and then with a quick down stroke Rooker watched his tempered steel knife get cut in half like it was butter!
The old man cocked an eyebrow. "Well young man what do you think?"
"I think I'll be taking that sword off your hands for ya." Rooker said reaching for the sword, but the old man pulled it away.
"Now I don't you think a sword like this worth a bit more than $50,000? Plus how am I to know that my master's work is going to worthy owner? I maybe a peddler but I have my honor still." The vendor proclaimed. Rooker nodded in understanding. The old man spoke truth the sword was worth more, but lucky for him knew of a way get it for much cheaper.
"I understand you concern so how about a bet?" Rooker offered.
"A bet you say?" The venter asked intrigued. What sort of bet was this man willing to make he wondered.
"You've heard of the swordsmen's fate test correct? I throw the sword up into the air and if it cuts off my arm I'll pay triple the original price, but if the blade misses and I'm able to catch in its sheath then I only pay $15,000. How about it old man? Is it a deal?" The vender pondered his options, he knew of this test and chances are that the young man wouldn't be able to do it, but his master always a true warrior can do anything, but triple price! That was too good to pass up.
"You got a deal." The vender agreed shaking Rooker's hand.
With the agreement of the bet sealed the street was quickly cleared off bystanders who also took bets on whether or not Rooker would lose his arm or his life, so far the odds was 1 to 100 with Rooker betting on himself.
Rooker stood in the center of the circle the crowd had formed around him taking deep breaths he touched the hilt of the sword. The crowd waited on baited breath and then quicker than the eye could see Rooker drew the blade from its sheath and threw it high into the air with looking where it was going!
All eyes were on the piece of razor steel as it spiraled down to earth hurling towards Rooker! Time seemed to stop, the world slowed down as all watched the impossible happen. The tip of the sword was a mere inch from piercing Rooker's flesh when suddenly he pulled his arm back without looking causing the blade to miss and allow him to grab hold of the hilt as it continued to fall, and in one swift motion he sheathed the sword. The crowd was silent.
Rooker began to chuckle. "Man, I should have asked if I could have it for free instead, because I have no fucking clue how I did that." He said rubbing the back of his head. Everybody face faulted and then handed over the bets to Rooker and went about their business. "Wow that's a lot of cash. I think that will cover the $15,000 don't you old man?"
The old vender couldn't help but laugh. He thought he was one doing the tricking, but this young man, well he was wittier then a eighty year old one and luckier than any other. Oh well at least his master craft will be in good hands.
"Aye this should cover it. As a bonus I'll forge you a knife to replace the broken one for half price. Now shove off I imagine you have better things to do then talk with an old man." The vender cackled shoeing Rooker away.
"Man I hope I don't have to play Russian roulette to get Sheila's gift." Rooker said nervously. The length he goes to for that girl.
Meanwhile in another part of town Victor was once again being dragged by around by Kelti who insisted she get Rooker's crewmates a present after he had told her how the lagoon company was doing.
"I can't believe Rooker already has two crew members and both girls! It's so exciting! I've always wanted sisters!" Kelti cried moving from booth to booth. She already had Rooker's present being shipped over, so he was covered, but she also wanted to get one for Victor and hopefully he would give her a clue about what he liked while they were out. "So what kind of stuff do these two like?"
Victor scratches his head, he really didn't know the two very well, but he would have to say: "Guns and knives most likely."
Kelti blinked. "Ok, but I'm sure Rooker is already taking care of that, so I'll need to get them something different… oh I know I'll get them same thing I'm getting Rooker!"
"And what is that?" Victor asked with interest.
"A motorcycle," Kelti pointed excitedly at the garage called Sherry Motors where a Latina woman was tending to one of the several motorcycles parked in the lot beside the garage. Victor felt like slapping himself. He was the one who ordered to have Kelti's motorcycle brought to the Hotel Moscow garage.
"Come on let's go!" Kelti called dragging Victor along with her. She instantly started chatting with the woman in Spanish, a language which Victor wasn't so fluent in, so he only was able to understand half of the conversation.
For what seemed like an eternity to Victor, Kelti finally finished her conversation with the woman, both looking extremely happy about the exchange. Once again Kelti happily dragged Victor by the hand.
"You're going to buy brand new motorcycles for two people you haven't even met yet?" Victor asked his companion. This was a strange act of kindness, especially for Roanapur, the only thing people around here give you for free is a bullet in the gut.
Kelti halted and turned to face Victor with a bright smile. "Yeah why not, money isn't that important; when I die it doesn't matter if I have it with me or not does it? Besides I still have a lot of cash left over from my numerous jobs that I did to by my passage here, so it's no problem. After I met up with Rooker I'll just work with him. He said he would need a good driver anyways."
"So you're planning to go work for Rooker?" Victor said dejected. He didn't know why the thought of Kelti going to stay with Rooker made him so… so angry, it's not like they were lovers or anything, but then again they weren't related, either. Perhaps Kelti as… no, no he couldn't assume things like that. The best thing to do would be to wait and see how the too act together first.
"Hey Victor come on you falling behind!" Kelti called. Victor shook his head and gave a rare smile.
"I'll be right there."
Meanwhile on the street parallel to Victor and Kelti, Rooker was busy looking for Sheila's gift. He had decided on a gun after extensive searching, but what kind of gun? He had considered a M4 assault rifle with a grenade launcher, and red dot sight, but remembered she already had one, then he thought a china lake grenade launcher, but he could see where that would lead if Sheila and Talia started fighting again, so in the end he settled on a .44 magnum revolver. It wasn't Sheila's favorite gun, but there were times when you needed a little more knock down power, plus they could share ammo, since he already had a set of .44's, now he just needed to find an outfit like he did for Talia. Rooker then saw something out of the corner of his eye, yes, he thought that would do nicely; it was sexy but not whorish. Without a second thought he marched over to the female vender and started bargaining, and this time he didn't need to nearly cripple himself. As he made his way back to the office, Rooker wondered how the two where handling the decorations
At the Lagoon office a closed for the holiday's sign hung in the front door with a message that read "All jobs paying less than one billion will be turned down." Not like anyone actually ever paid them that much but it was a good deterrent. Even Roanapur had to take a break from work, legal or not, and Christmas was the best accuse to do that, also this was the only day were the murder rate was lowered by 200%, but everything else stayed the same.
"So what did you get Rooker for Christmas Talia? A knife I guess?" Sheila questioned the assassin as she hung the riffs on the door. Ok, they had put up the tree, which they did not steal from the store across the street, and decorated with empty bullet casing because of the lack of bulbs.
"No, I got him boots with knives inside them. See, you flip this switch thing with your toe and the blades from out from the sides and form at the toe." Talia demonstrated, and then resumed wrapping the boots. She once again thought she would ever be doing something like this, she was Tao after all, but Rooker said that didn't matter as long as they fun, so she guessed it was ok, course she would have to be one to explain to her mother on New Year's what she was doing.
"So what did you get Rooker, A gun?" Talia teased, it was only fair since she was the one who started this little game. The red flush of color on the gun tress's face told the truth.
"While it's in the category, I got him a 40mm M203 Launcher." Talia blinked as Sheila sighed, she should have known the assassin wouldn't know what that was. "It's a gun that fires a really big bullet."
"Oh why didn't you say so, guns are so confusing, and why can't you give them a simple name?"
"You mean like watashi, Katana, nodachi and tanto?" Sheila asked naming off some of the sword types Talia always drawled on about. Short, long, medium what difference did they make they were all just sharpened pieces of steel in the end right?
"Don't you think I don't know what you're thinking twinkle. I know you just mocked my precious blades." Talia accused getting right up in the gun gal's face, throwing knife in each hand. Sheila her 9mms, but before either one could make the next move there was a knock at the door.
"Excuse me, this is Lagoon Company right? Could you please let me in?" The person at the door said. The voice was female. Both Sheila and Talia looked at each other, if it this thing with Rooker turned in to a four way God help him.
"Can't you read the sign? We're not taking any jobs!" Sheila yelled readying her guns; she motioned for Talia to move closer to the door. There was a good chance this person could be some with a gorge against Rooker, he had told them a few stories where he pissed off the wrong people.
"I know but this more personal business. Am I to guess by your tone that Rooker isn't back yet?" The voice asked, when neither girls replied, she knew she had it right. "Would be alright if we wait here for him?"
"And just who the hell are "we" how many of you are there?" Sheila barked fiercely.
"Just two," A male voice said this time, bursting through the door. Talia pounced like a cat on the intruders, but found herself floating in midair as the male intruder held both her hands above her head with one of his.
Talia waited for Sheila's classic barrage of lead, but the other Lagoon girl just stood there stupefied. "What the fuck are you waiting for shoot them?" She yelled trying to kick the intruder with her foot, but stopped when she got a face to face look at him.
"Victor?" Both girls questioned aloud. What was the son of one the biggest crime bosses in the city doing here, and who was that girl standing next to him?
"Hi there! I'm Kelti, you must be Rooker's crewmates it's nice to meet you! I'm Rooker's little sister just so you know." Kelti waved from behind Victor's imposing frame. The two lagoon girls looked at her with blank stares. "I'm guessing he forgot to mention me didn't he," She sighed. This made her so mad! Rooker did this all the time!
Before Kelti could finish her rant through her warning instincts and she quickly tackled Victor who was still holding Talia to the ground and yelled for Sheila to hit the deck right as a storm of bullets riddled the wall behind them. Luckily Rooker had the walls reinforced so the bullets didn't go into the main building.
"Come out lassie!" The Irish McLane ordered from below the street. He had been tracking Kelti for a while now, but couldn't act because of the high security of Hotel Moscow, but now he had her and her boyfriend trapped at last!
Back inside Kelti finished explaining why a bunch of Irishmen what to kill her. Sheila and Talia glared angrily at the brunette as more bullets bounded of the walls, though they were impressed that a small girl like Kelti could nearly wipe out a whole family of Irish Rebels by herself in a single night. There was still on question that needed answered though.
"Why didn't you make sure you killed them all?" Talia and Sheila demanded. One of the most important rules for mercenary work was not to leave any loose ends!
Kelti scratched the back of her head embarrassed, she knew she messed up, and the fact that Rooker had drilled that very same lesson into her head made it all the more embarrassing, but what could she do? It wasn't her fault that the asshole's father forgot to turn in his son's birth certificate.
"So who's going to be the one to go out there to end this shit?" Sheila asked. She would do it, but all her ammo was in her room, and right now she didn't feel like getting up on count high lead count above her head. Talia wouldn't be of any use do to the fact that there was no way she could get in close without them spotting her and with no cover to duck behind she was a sitting duck. Meaning there was only one person left who could win in this no win situation.
"I will rid of us these vermin." Victor declared, picking himself up off the floor, and calmly made his way down the stairs to the front door. McLane saw Victor's shadow and ordered his men to hold their fire; he wanted to see who had the balls to come face to face with him.
"Oi you the hell are you?" It was the blonde man, the one who was always with girl he was after, he didn't know who he was, but from the reactions of the locals when he passed by he must be someone with a reputation.
Victor smiled with mirth. These fools didn't know who they were messing with. "I'm Victor Lenin. I am second in command of Hotel Moscow. The fact that you don't know this shows your ignorance."
McLane boiled with anger. "Shut up you Russian basterd! I don't give a damn who you are, I'll kill ya all the same with me bare hands!"
"Really, do you think you can back that up? As you can see I am unarmed." Victor revealed opening his trench coat. Really that wasn't true, he always had some form of weapon on him, but he knew he could take these punks.
McLane bowed his head in thought. The smart thing to do would be to cap this asshole and get the girl, but his forefather's wouldn't approve of such cowardly tactics. The McLane code was fight on par with your enemy, so if this man wanted a fist fight, they would fist fight.
"Drop ye guns boys, we'll pound this asshole into the dirt the man's way. Darrel, Jeb, show him how the Irish fight." McLane ordered the two hulking red breads. The two men advanced on Victor, who was a very well-muscled man, but these two where giants compared to him, it almost made the three girls looking on nervous, if not for the two who knew what he was really capable off.
Darrel and Jeb look down on Victor as he causally placed a cigar in his mouth and stuck match to light it. He looked at the two like he was looking right through them and it scared them, that look in his eye, the look of man who knew that he couldn't be beat, It was as if he was mocking them to try.
"Well are you pups going to fight or stand there and shit yourselves?" Darrel was the first to react to the taunt, pulling his massive arm back he swung at Victor with all his might. Victor laughed at the speed of the attack and casually tilted his head to the side and watched the massive fist fly by. "My turn" He said grabbing his cigar and jabbing it into Darrel's eye! The big man let out a painful cry and fell to his knees well trying to clear the ash from his eye, and while he was doing this Victor swung his fist into the man's massive jaw and knocked on to the hard pavement shattering the Irishman's jaw and with the opportunity at hand Victor quickly slipped his shoe knife out and kicked the man right in the head effectively killing him. He then turned to the man's friend Jeb, who was so shocked at how quickly his friend was taken down that he was frozen where he stood, which made it all the easier for Victor to flip out his shoe knife again and high kick the basterd right in this jugular!
Cracking his neck Victor stared the remaining Irishmen, "Who is next?" He asked in amusement as McLane's remaining two lackeys made a mad dash for their lives only to meet with owner of the shop they just shot up. The two Irishmen came to halt in front of Rooker, who carried a large sack filled with what Victor assumed where Christmas presents, and he didn't look too jolly about seeing bullet holes in his shop.
"What in the fucking hell is going on?" Rooker demanded. Suddenly Kelti popped her head out the window and waved at him.
"Hi Rooker, these Irish guys are kind of trying to kill me, so can we deal with them first and then explain later?" Kelti asked her brother. Really she just wanted to buy more time, so she could think of a way that didn't tell him that it was her fault that his place got shot up.
Rooker's eyes burned with rage as he dropped his load on to the ground and pulled his trench knife from its sheath and in one motion cut both Irishmen almost clean in half! How dare these basterds even consider harming his sister! With a flick of his wrist he chucked his knife at the remaining Irishman, the blade pieced the man's heart just as Victor's shoe knife pieced the man's skull, a perfect kill.
Rooker pulled his knife from the cooling body and looked at the man before him, he had heard of him, but his would be the first time they met face to face. "Victor of hotel Moscow yes," Rooker greet in Russian, while offering his hand.
"Yes, and you are Rooker Kane, I have heard much about you." Victor replied in Russian taking hold of Rooker's hand. From a distance it looked like a friendly handshake, but up close you could see both men's arm veils as they tried to crush the others hand, and when it became clear that they were equal in strength, they broke apart and reached for their guns and drew so fast that no one watching could tell which one won.
Rooker smiled as he holstered his gun. "You're good. I assume you're the one who's been taking care of Kelti. That deserves a drink, come inside its time to celebrate!" Rooker proclaimed walking up the stairs. Leaving Victor standing alone in the street, the Russian turned an followed, but with a slight shake in his hand, he could have died just then, it wasn't by much maybe only a one thousandth of second, but Rooker was faster.
Inside the Lagoon office everyone held a liter beer mug filled with egg nog and vodka in their hand. Kelti handed Victor his as he took his place next to her on the couch. Standing with his mug raised Rooker began to speak: "May we have a good days work done, till we finally walk on down to the gallows to our fate, amen. MERRY FRICKEN CHRISTMAS EVERYBODY"
"MERRY FRICKEN CHRISTMAS!" Everyone yelled and began to chug their drink. They partied long into the night. Rooker gave his gifts to Talia and Sheila, both of which loved them, and vice versa, Rooker had even picked up a gift for Kelti, a new set of clothes more suitable to the heat then her black leather cat suit. Kelti happy announced that she was joining the crew as their driver and had gotten everyone including Victor a motorcycle. As they continued to drink themselves silly, Victor couldn't help but wonder how the party at Hotel Moscow was going, probably about the same here he guessed.
Back at Hotel Moscow Balalaika stared out the window overlooking three gravestones, one was Dutch's, the other's Boris her loyal comrade and Victor's father, and the third one was marked Yankee, the only man other man other than Chang to defeat her.
"Tell me Second Lieutenant Asta, where is third Lieutenant Victor?" Balalaika asked her third in command. The blonde and red haired woman saluted her superior and mentally cursed Victor for leaving her like this, without him here she and first lieutenant Seth had to run things, and even with the both of them they still struggled.
"Lieutenant Victor has not returned from escorting Ms. Kelti to Lagoon. Do you wish for me to send for him captain?" Asta asked. She was surprised though when Balalaika shook her head no.
"That will not be necessary Asta. Besides its good that Victor spends some time with them, call it a mother's hunch. " Balalaika said mysteriously. Asta didn't know if she should be asking, but what was the worst that could happen?
"Do you mean Ms. Kelti?"
Balalaika smiled again, this was really starting to creep her out! "Yes, some time with her will be good too. Now run along and enjoy the party Asta." Balalaika ordered. The third in command gave one last salute and marched out the door leaving Balalaika to her memories of those past.
Author's note
Alright Christmas in Roanapur, not much detail on the Christmas part, but I tried. Anyway Kelti joining Lagoon! And Boris is Victor's Father, though Balalaika likes to keep it a secret for certain reasons, and who is Yankee? Who does Balalaika want Victor spend time with? How many more questions I'm I going to ask? None. Merry Christmas!
P.S. No rap sheet this chapter
P.S.S. I don't know if I got the ranking in the right order, but Victor is second in command, Asta is third and Seth is forth, will see a little more of them latter.
