Eda appeared from one of the bunks dressed in much more professional attire. Not even wearing her sunglasses, she stepped out into the main are of the ship, where she told the group that she was going to get them to safety. Revy was confused by her friend's change in behavior and attire, but Roberta already knew, and Rock figured it out quickly.
"You're a US agent." He said, smirking slightly at having figured it out. Eda nodded.
"CIA, I believe." Roberta added.
"Why are you letting us into the US?" Rock asked.
"Part of Grouse's plan. He said if he was taken out, I was to get you all out and request an airstrike to level Roanapur. Balalaika taking over was exactly the opposite of what he wanted."
"Did he think he could run the city himself?" Revy asked, still confused and angry at her friend's deception.
"No. He planned for someone else to run it."
"Who?"
"You, Rocky-boy," The agent said, giving the Businessman a small smile.
Rock stepped backward, shocked and confused by the revelation. Grouse wanted him to rule Roanapur? Why the hell did Grouse think he was a suitable candidate for being in charge of the City of the Dead? Then again, if he was in charge, he could make thing work the way he wanted them to. He could be there to step in before the killing started, and be an arbiter between the factions to prevent any undue bloodshed.
Rock mulled over the news, pacing back and forth, weighing the pros and cons. But he realized that none of it would matter.
"Did you say airstrike?" Rock asked.
"Yeah. He said that if he was unable to install you as the head honcho, Uncle Sam's supposed to level the place."
"You can't do that!" Rock yelled, his emotions starting to get the better of him
"Oh yeah, why the hell can't I!" Eda yelled back, although she was somehow less intimidating without her glasses.
Rock's outburst faded, and he adopted a colder demeanor. "If you do that, then every criminal organization that was based there will be looking for somewhere else to call home. What country has the highest crime rate in the world?"
Eda grimaced. As much as she hated to admit, Rock was right. If Roanapur dies, then all the criminal scum from that hellhole will settle down in America, a country with a huge crime problem already. She couldn't let that happen.
"You got a better plan, Rocky-boy?" Eda said through gritted teeth.
"As a matter of fact, I think I might." Rock said, smirking.
Entering the United States was no problem with Eda's help. Grouse was rushed to a hospital, where he laid unconscious, his mind trapped in an endless horror.
He wasn't in any place he'd been before, but it still seemed oddly familiar. It was a very long hallway, with doors at even intervals along each wall. The walls themselves were covered in tacky wallpaper, and the floor with old carpet. The scenery reminded him of a hotel. He looked behind him, the hallway extended further than he could see in that direction. Looking forward, he saw the hallway ended in a turn not too far away.
Deciding to go that way, He started down the hall. Rounding the corner up ahead, he was startled at the appearance of someone else in the hall.
She wore a leather jacket over her hoodie, and ripped, faded jeans. A bandage covered a wound on her cheek. Her messy, dark red hair fell in front of her eyes, but it didn't cover them up. He could see them clear as day. The girl before him had no life in her eyes.
"Becky?" He asked, looking down at the small girl before him. She looked up at him, her face unchanging, that blank, unfocused stare burning into him. He knew something was wrong. This wasn't the Rebecca he knew.
Revy kicked the couch in the hotel room where they were staying. She'd had time to think about what Eda being CIA meant. It was basically a betrayal. Revy had probably given that bitch a lot of info when they talked.
"Fuck!" she yelled, kicking the couch again one last time. Rock watched her outburst from the window, still deep in thought about how everything would play out from now on. He could anticipate what would happen next, if what he knew about Dutch proved to be correct.
"Revy, do you remember what you said to me, when we were in Japan?" He said, as his partner plopped down on the couch, crossing her arms.
"No. What did I say, Rock?" she hissed, still very angry over Eda's revelation.
"That I didn't belong in Roanapur. That I wasn't fit for the world of the night."
Revy raised a brow, wary that her partner was about to start one of his melancholy speeches that usually happened when things went south.
"But what if…" He said, getting up, "What if this is a chance to make Roanapur somewhere I belong?"
"What do you mean?"
"There's no balance of power anymore. Hotel Moscow has total control, but that won't last for long. They'll probably set up some kind of regime, be very up-front with letting everyone know they are in charge. But that's not the way it works." He started, his eyes getting that fierce gleam that came when he had worked everything out. "Smaller groups will want to challenge them, and no matter how good they are, no one lives forever."
The delivery of those four little words made Revy feel something she hadn't felt in years. She was afraid. She was afraid of Rokuro Okajima. Even more outrageous, she was afraid of him.
"Rock…" She started, readying herself to snap him out of it if he got too far.
"Let me finish." He asked, before starting again. "They aren't settled into full power yet. If we take them down while they are still adjusting, then we can assume control of Roanapur for ourselves."
Revy took a step back, what Rock was suggesting was downright suicidal. "You realize how fuckin' crazy that sounds, right?" She scoffed. "You're talking about taking on Hotel Moscow, do you realize that?"
"Revy, I've thought this over. Believe me, if I didn't think it would work I would never have said it."
The Businessman stood up from the window, moving towards the seething Gunslinger.
"But we can take the city for our own. Make it a place where we live by our rules, and no one else's. Can you imagine? It could all be ours."
Revy leaned back on the couch, lighting up a cigarette. She couldn't lie, she had thought about what life would be like on top. No more killing for the next meal. No more stealing out of need. Hell, what criminal in that godforsaken city hadn't thought of taking control. But thoughts like that got you killed. Then again, they were looking at backup from Uncle Sam. Revy had overheard Rock's discussion with Eda, and they were looking at a large strike force to secure the city. Maybe their odds weren't so bad, considering how the Gray Fox had managed to fare against their hunters. Hell, they even had the maid. Revy looked her partner dead in the eyes, and she didn't see the Businessman. No, she saw those hooded eyes, the beginnings of that smirk that belonged to a mastermind.
She threw the smoldering remains of her cigarette into the ashtray, standing and facing Rock.
"Well then, Rocky baby." She said, flashing a grin of sharp teeth, "Let's paint that fucking town red."
He ran, dragging Becky by the arm through the endless hallway. Why the fuck didn't the hallway end? He panted, out of breath, slowing to a halt as he ran out of energy. He wondered if any of the doors would open, if any of them would lead to safety. But they were all locked, every single one of them. That is, until he found one particular door. 217 was the number. He'd seen it somewhere before. Opening it up, he was greeted by another hallway, identical to the one he had just left.
But there was someone at the end of the hall. Hand in hand, dressed in matching, dark green outfits and silver hair, they stood before him.
"Will you play with us?" they said.
He ran the other way, yanking Becky in the opposite direction.
Dutch set another crate down in the hold. That should about do it. Wiping the dirt off his hands, he left the hold, walking onto the deck of the ship. Rock waited at the edge of the dock, cigarette hanging from his mouth. Dutch could see he'd changed a lot in the past few weeks. He'd chosen to wear a black coat and a pair of shades. Dutch chuckled. Sonofabitch was turning into quite the replacement for Chang.
"Well Rock my man, looks like this is it." Dutch said, arms crossed.
Rock took the cigarette out of his mouth, blowing smoke. "Sure I can't convince you and Benny to stay? After it's all over, things could go back to the way they were."
"That's where you're wrong, man. Everything's different now. You and Revy, you're different. Dangerous. I'm not saying anything against you, but my experience is telling me to stay the hell away from that city while I can. Hell, I've been in this business for ten years, man. I just might throw in the towel."
"I'm sorry to hear that," Rock said, taking another drag of his cigarette. "You've been a good friend, Dutch. You taught me a lot about surviving in this world. I owe you my life."
"C'mon kid it aint that big a deal."
"Revy would have blown my head within ten seconds if it weren't for you." Rock said dryly.
Dutch shrugged, recognizing the point Rock made.
The Lagoon shipped off that night, disappearing into the dark. Rock and Revy stood on the dock, watching the ship leave for the last time.