Chapter 10: Cartels and Mercenaries
As the Lagoon Company was driving to their favorite bar, Rock couldn't help but look out the window. He was speechless, never has he seen such poverty and depravity anywhere, other than his hometown. It wasn't even 2 o'clock yet and the hookers were already out and about. And in an alley Rock could have sworn he saw a man getting stabbed to death while they were passing by. Rock uncuffed the strap holding his gun in the holster for do measure.
Eventually they reached the bar and stepped inside. Rock looked around and saw some men drinking, while others were arguing or stabbing each other. The group sat at the bar and ordered drinks. Rock had ordered straight vodka, he needed something strong after the long trip he just took.
"So Rock, where you come from" asked Dutch. "New York City" answered Rock. "So who's this Lee that Chang mentioned" asked Revy. "He's the head of the Sun Yee On faction in the US" replied Rock. "Then were right in thinking your with the Triads, cause looking at that tattoo of your's" Revy said while pointing to the tattoo on Rock's arm. It was a black Chinese dragon tattoo that started from his hand and coiled all the way down his forearm. "You must be pretty high up aren't ya" finished Revy, Rock answered, "Yeah I am. I'm one of Mr. Lee's Operations Officers, whenever we had a job or if someone was trying to get in on our shit, I am charge of dealing with it."
"So how come you decided to deliver that stuff all the way down here. In case you haven't noticed this city ain't exactly the friendly type" said Dutch. "I wanted to do a little bit of traveling, plus I've never been to this part of Thailand before so I wanted to get to know it" explained Rock. "You also said you were a Marine, did you earn any metals" asked Revy. "Yeah, Purple Heart, Legion of Merit, and the Navy Cross" said Rock, "and you know Dutch you look military too," asked Rock.
"Yeah I am, I was a PT boat captain in 'Nam, I drove patrols and, search-and-destroy operations along the Mekong Delta. That is… until I went AWOL" answered Dutch. Suddenly a man in a Spanish accent said, "Hey, gringo," the group turned around and saw three Columbian men standing behind them, the same man asked, "I heard you were selling some yayo over here, mind if we buy it off you amigo?" Rock said, "Lo siento amigo, pero ya estoy vendido. No ay mas."
"Hey listen man, don't fuckin' lie to us. Do you know who we are" said the Columbian man on the right. "A couple of transvestite pendejos, with top and bottom pussies" said Rock. That made the Latino men angry, causing them to pull out their guns and point it at the crew. Rock was not phased however, it's not like he hasn't had guns pointed at him before, so he just nonchalantly kept drinking his alcohol until the leader spoke up. "Listen maldito cono. You're going to give us your cocaine and you're going to walk away without even looking back" said the leader.
The Lagoon Company did nothing but watch as the leader proceeded to grab Rock by the soldier. Until Rock suddenly head-butted the leader and picked up the vodka bottle and smashed into the Latino man's face. In the confusion Rock grabbed the man by the wrist, placed his hand on the counter and proceeded to stab it with his combat knife, literally nailing the man to the counter. Thinking quickly Rock grabbed the leader's gun out of his holster along with his own and proceeded to shoot the other two Latino men in the heads just as they were getting ready to shoot.
When the smoke settled, everyone, even the Lagoon Company couldn't believe what they just saw It was then that Rock reached into the back of the counter and pulled out a pump-action shotgun. The still-living Latino man was screaming in pain with his hand still nailed to the counter. Rock proceeded to hit his arm with the butt of the gun and watched as the Columbian fell to the floor clutching his hand that was now sliced in half in half.
Rock turned to the bartender and said, "Hey bartender, this wouldn't happen to be loaded would it?" With that, Rock cocked that shotgun, and aimed it at the Columbian's head. The Latino man was swearing and cursing Rock in Spanish, until he was finally silenced by the loud band of the gun going off directly in his face. The man was dead instantly, and Rock cursed him saying, "stupid, fuckin' prick". He then sat back down on the bar and ordered another drink.
All the other patrons were left speechless, as they have just seen a total stranger kill three men in the blink of an eye, and he just got back to drinking as if it was nothing. The silence was finally broken by Revy, "Alright quit your bullshitting, just who the fuck are you anyway?" Rock just took a sip of his drink and said, "I'm an asshole with a gun, and a guy who hates it when his drinking is interrupted" with that said, Rock just took another sip of his drink.