ATTENTION: I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING OF THE JOHN WICK FRANCHISE OR BLACK LAGOON. ALL CREDIT BELONGS TO THE CREATORS AND THEIR CORRESPONDING PARTNERS! COVER ART IS NOT MINE AND DONE BY THE AMAZING ARTIST TOM CAGE!
{]| PILOT |[}
{]| Excommunicado Voyeur |[}
"My, My Jonathan. What have you done...?"
[CLASSIFIED Years Ago - UNKNOWN, U.S.A]
"Bloody hell, it looks like Tiananmen Square in here!" Officer David Wilkes exclaimed, looking at the bloody mess left in the bar. It was covered in corpses, laying on one another by the double. Blood and internal body fluids painted the floors red, leaving no trace of its original color. It looked as if a firing squad had been called in to assassinate everyone in the building. Such a massacre clearly could not have been done alone. Only a team, a militia or organized unit can pull something as horrifying as this. "What the hell happened here?"
"That's what we are here to find out." A scruffy light-hearted voice casually answered his partner. Cautiously entering the bar from the entrance was Officer John Frederica, Wilkes' partner in investigating this phone call. Judging by his more collective expression, a massacre like this wasn't new to the blonde. "If anything, I feel bad for the bar owner. Stone and Anders should be here. They confirmed their arrival about a few minutes ago- ...Wait! There they are!" Officer Frederica approached a shorter female officer and her taller brunette partner.
Officer's Jessica Stone and Quinton Anders were taking a statement from the bar tender of what hat happened. They were occupied as of the moment.
Wilkes and Frederica mapped their way across the maze of bodies, taking into account the population. Men and Women of all race and status were united under their current overlord, death. No children were seen among the bodies, giving the officers relief in this fragile situation. Making sure not to get in the way of crime scene analysists and photographers, Officer Wilkes stayed against the wall, moving up to the bar with his partner.
"Hey John, what do you think went through these blokes mind before they met their maker?" Wilkes attempted to make some conversation to lighten the mood. Each body they stepped over, each blood puddle they ventured into, weighed down the young officer's heart more and more.
"Nachos?" Frederica lightly joked.
"Really?" Wilkes furrowed a brow at Frederica, clearly unamused at his humor and timing.
"What? Could be one of them. I mean this guy over here looks like he was thinking about some sort of dish." The taller blonde officer pointed to a body that was faced down in his food.
Officer Wilkes stopped in his tracks, gazing upon this lifeless corpse. It was a business man in a grey suit. His hair was covered in blood, sweat and food particles, reflecting his final moments. Wilkes focused on a small hole in the guys head. It wasn't blown open or expanded like a bullet hole. "John, come check this out. This hole in his head. Its small and deep."
"Hmn. Just like his wife- This hole couldn't have been a bullet. In all my years of experience, the hole would have been bigger. Even a .22 Long Rifle round couldn't make this kind of hole. Its too narrow." Frederica looked at the direction the hole was pointing in. Following its direction, both officers fell upon another body with a similar injury. Small narrow hole in the side of the head remaining consistent in size. "This can't be a gun. What kind of blade would do such a thing?"
"Bullocks." Wilkes' voice was restrained as his throat tightened. "A pencil..."
Frederica approached his partner who was at the scene of the third body. In the side of his neck, clean through, was a pencil. "Oh."
"Shit, mate." The younger officer backed up from the scene. "So that's three dead, with a bloody pencil."
"Yeah this one is going in the books of stuff I never thought I'd see or want to see. Let's go meet up with the others. They probably have more from the bartender's story." After a few pats on the back, Frederica and Wilkes finally arrived to their partners. They were interviewing a Vietnamese man who looked like he was in his late 40's, early 50's. He had brown hair and a mustache to suit. The officers notices his white shirt and brown vest to compliment; classic bar tender attire.
"So yeah. I was pourin' this guy his drink when all of a sudden the guns came out like its a damn Rambo movie! Of course I knew the drill, so I ducked under and loaded the shotgun behind the counter. Titanium and Tungsten. Does a lot for ya when people are tryin' to turn you into swiss cheese every other week." The bartender sighed, "I just want a bar that doesn't go up in flames. Is that too much to ask for?
Tapping Officer Stone on the shoulder, Frederica crossed his arms. "Status on the witness report?"
"Yeah." Stone shrugged. "Our witness here, Bao... I believe its pronounced, stated that this all originated from a confrontation at one of the booths. Words were exchanged, people started escalating, followed by shots fired. He said he made a 'Dinner Reservation' for the bar. Whether this was 'personal' or 'business', will come back to us in a few weeks. If these were all mobsters, then case closed." She was stiff in her expression, knowing the agreement the police department had to follow.
Anders nodded, "Anything else, Bao? Before our crews do any more poking around?"
"Yeah! There was a guy, he was with these Russians. Three of these randoms rushed him so he grabbed a pencil from the bar and took them to hell with it." Bao shrugged. "It was kinda cool and oddly sickening. I may never sleep again, but you think this is bad? Wait till you go upstairs, that's all the guy did on his own. The pencil guy, to be clear. Oh and he used a gun for upstairs, not the pencil."
"Frederica, Rookie, go take a look upstairs. I'll do some more prodding around and dictate whether we pull out or not." Stone held out her palm and tapped her finger once in the center.
"Alright Dave." Frederica gestured for his partner to follow him. "Let's go see the damage."
"Right." Wilkes obliged.
The two of them stepped over more bodies as they entered the area behind the whole bar floor. The stairs leading up to the dark second level were dripping with blood. Frederica drew his handgun, activating the flashlight on it. 'If the bartender said the upstairs is worse... it had to have been HIM.'
Wilkes trailed behind as they entered the darkness unknown. Both officers split at the threshold splitting up to find a light switch. Wilkes navigated his path along the room wall, running his hand along its smooth tiled texture. His hand hit a box, instinctively drawing the officer to feel it for a switch. Flipping it on, the lights flickered before paving way to the sight of more bodies before them.
"Well shit." Frederica shivered.
Wilkes held his composure, fighting every urge to gag.
Bao was right; this was far worse. The bodies occupying the floor suffered a far more creative fate than death by bullet wound. Necks were cracked in directions they shouldn't be in. Throats cut and sliced like a birthday cake. One woman was suffocated to death by a man's tie. The corpse it belonged to has blood still leaking out between its legs.
Officer Frederica returned his firearm to its proper holster. "There's less bodies up here... but the method's used to put these bastards on hell's plate is just-"
"Indescribable. Do you think we'll be able to get these sons of bitches? If this was one guy, we will need the entire force on this one's arse." Wilkes followed suit of Frederica, recognizing the room was clear.
"Hmn. Dave, how long you been on the force?" The taller blonde questioned.
"About roughly 6 months. Been me aspiration since I was just a little runt to join the police. Why?" Wilkes responded. The question from Frederica was odd. He was still new to the police force and his partner should know. Frederica and Wilkes have been riding together for about two weeks.
"I see. It hurts. Let's get back to the others, they will be waiting for us downstairs. There's something you're going to learn today about this world. Not everything is what it seems..." Frederica lowered his voice when implying the status quo of their world.
Returning downstairs, Bao was serving drinks to Officer Stone and Officer Anders. The two were poured shots of alcohol; or the alcohol that wasn't destroyed after the gunfight. Bao opened the register retrieving a fancy looking gold coin. It had special designs and markings on it, none of them relating to any known form of currency. Four of them were placed on the table. 1 going to Officer Stone and Anders respectively, and the others meant for Officer Wilkes and Frederica.
"Listen..." Bao stated. "You guys were new here, so I didn't know if you were IN or not. But yeah, it was the Tarasov Mob in tandem with Hotel Moscow. They got a new little asset. His name's John Wick. Guy looks calm like a morning ocean, but rile him up and you get a damn collateral count like Kristallnacht."
"Hotel Moscow is out here? Why?" Officer Anders sipped his drink after prodding into this.
Bao shrugged, "I don't know. Miss Balalaika is an unpredictable one. I guess it's an attempt to establish a stronghold here on American soil. Probably to build some espionage teams or find other Ivans who want to run away to her little shoot-to-thrill. Beyond me guys, I'm sorry."
"It's alright, Bao. Maybe you should get out of this place. Go somewhere your bar won't be chewed up and spat out." Officer Stone giggled. "But I agree. Miss Balalaika is a woman of many faces."
The bartender gave his fair share of a chuckle, "Maybe I should. I'm sure Miss Balalaika is fine with her results. If Viggo Tarasov is reporting all this to her, I don't see any reason she should complain."
Officer Anders finished his shot and slid it forward for Bao to refill, "We'll pull out, now that we have our understanding. But remember, Bao, if any of these people are innocent, we may have to question you. You know our agreement with the Continental."
"Yeah yeah don't worry! These guys... were just regulars." He shrugged. "They're all mobsters. Ivans, Chinglishes and American-Johnnys. You can still check em', but I don't gotta worry."
"Then that's good for you, Bao. That's few hours and reports we won't have to waste our time with." Anders remarked.
Officer's Frederica and Wilkes descended from the back stairs with pale faces. Wilkes more than Frederica when it comes to the shock. They rounded the corner to see their other cop buddies having a drink with Bao. Frederica was ready to put on the tough-cop demeanor when he recognized the gold coins on the bar. Bao was IN. "Oh. So fill me on the details." he spoke as if he knew they had all the intel.
Wilkes had a discontent face when returning to the downstairs area. 'What in the devil? Why are they havin' a sip with the bartender? Aren't they supposed to be doing their bloody job? Taking statements, taking pictures, real police work! They're just sitting on their arse like there's no care in the world!' David mentally scolded the other officers in how unprofessional they were acting. "Excuse me, but, why are you all drinking?"
"Me? I ain't drinking! I'm standing!" Frederica lightly joked.
"Not you, John, those two! Anders and Stone!" Wilkes gestured to them.
The other two officers looked at each other and started laughing. Jessica Stone reached her arm out, putting it around the blonde officer. "Ahaha! Frederica! You inform the rookie yet? Well, chill out kid, we're waiting for our 'Dinner Reservation". Once that happens we can leave the scene and move on. Until then, stay put and take a breather."
Officer Frederica softly sighed, taking both coins and putting it in his pocket.
The bar doors suddenly opened up, grabbing the attention of all in the room. Bartender, Police Officer and Crime Scene Analyst alike, all froze in their tracks when presented with their new company. A small old man in a black leather jacket and fedora stepped into the bar. Behind him were four other dark-dressed men, carrying cleaning supplies and tools in their hands. The short old man curled a smile from ear to ear. "Bao, It's good to see you again. Jessica, John, Quinton. Good to see you too."
"Finally! You're late!" Bao yelled from across the bar, getting a sinister chuckle from the cleaner. "Good to see you too, Charlie. Guess Sawyer isn't in today?"
"She's on another job..." Charlie looked up at his men before nodding his head. Upon that signal, his crew began to go to work. Charlie himself stepped up to the bar, looking up at Frederica. "So, this your new partner? He seems fresh off the pan."
"Yeah. Like a Fish- wait no- don't laugh! Let me redo that!" The laughter of the other officers made Frederica blush red in embarrassment. "He's on his first special ride. Guess who did all this...? Hotel Moscow and Tarasov's new toy, John Wick."
"John Wick..." Charlie turned more pale than he already was. Looking down on the bodies, he took off his fedora and placed it to his chest in respects of the dead. "Seems this was just a warm up for him..."
"A warm-up?" Wilkes nearly choked. "So who's our man?"
"John Wick." Bao called out. He served two more shots of alcohol to Stone and Anders. "Same with Viggo Tarasov and Miss Balalaika. But they abided the High Table's rules and our end of the agreement with you guys; the police. So to sum it all up, you guys go home and watch tv or see yer kids, I don't know."
Frederica nodded, "Understood, Bao. Then that's a wrap. Come on Wilkes, let's head back and clock out."
"Wait. What do you mean rules? Agreement-?" Officer Wilkes noticed the bodies being transported via plastic wrap and taken away from the analysists. Speaking of analysists, they all left the scene of the massacre. "Are you bringing those to forensics? An analyst to examine the bodies? This case isn't done. This John Wick person is a wanted man! We should be going after them! These people may have been criminals, but a crime was still committed!"
"Oh boy. Seems we got a cowboy on our hands..." Charlie sighed, looking down at the floor. He gave Wilkes a pat on the shoulder and walked away to aid his men. "Well, rookie, let's just say they're going to a place you won't ever have to worry about."
"Cowboy?" Wilkes stood there confused. "Hold on-"
Bao and the officers all sighed in defeat upon hearing this. Wilkes. So young, yet so much a cowboy. "Listen, if you're gonna invite us to a Rodeo, do it while Charlie is still here."
"Alright... so-" Frederica was cut off by Wilkes questioning.
"Why are these bodies not being taken by police? Why are our detectives and analysts leaving? Why are we so unprofessional? We should be taking Bao down to the station and questioning him. Same with that man and his crew! They know who the suspect is. If we are to uphold some form of justice and the law then we are to protect and bloody serve!" He declared. "Why are we acting like we are in kahoots with this Wick and his mobster blokes?!"
"Frederica, I think you may need to Rodeo your cowboy." Officer Stone broke the silence. She noticed Frederica's eyes were shaded as he took a deep breath. "We are in agreement with these people to protect ourselves and those innocent. IE society."
"Agreement? Well I'm not gonna be getting my hands dirty. And Frederica, I expected more from you! You all? This isn't justice! This is hypocrisy!" David turned away from his partner looking at them in disgust. This whole thing, was just wrong. He didn't join the force to get mixed in with a corrupt police force. They were letting crooks and criminals walk free if they followed some agreement? 'Bullshit...' Wilkes hissed mentally.
Officer's Stone and Anders got up from the bar after waving of Bao. They walked past Frederica and Wilkes, patting the taller blonde on his back. The female officer spoke up sullenly, "Give Charlie my regards. We'll get out of your hair and call this a wrap." She then gestured for her partner to follow her out the front.
"Stone! Anders! You...! Frederica..." Wilkes protested. "I expected more from you. And here I was starting to look up to you. I can't believe-"
"Frederica to Anders." The officer paused for a moment before making his decision. "Alert mission control Officer Wilkes was found among the bodies at the crime scene..."
"10-4 Frederica, Over."
David's eyes widened and his heart stopped. Seeing his partner reach for his weapon, Wilkes barely had time to shout, "WAIT!"
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The sounds of four consecutive gunshots suddenly rang out from the bar. Charlie's clean-up crew was used to this kind of predicament. In the end, they simply resumed their work of cleaning up Bao's bar. Charlie emerged from the darkness with his neutral sinister smile. His hat was off, looking down on the body of Officer David Wilkes. The fresh smoke from Frederica's handgun spelt it all.
"Hmn. Another one? What is this, the third cowboy you had to rodeo?" Charlie's raspy tone pinched the ears of Officer Frederica.
"Yep." Bao commented.
Emotionless, the blonde officer placed his gun back where it belonged. "Unfortunately. I'm sorry to do this to you Charlie." He took out the spare coin that was intended to be given to Officer Wilkes and placed it in the old man's hand.
"And here I thought was going to start charging you. But I suppose we can call it even. Sad thing to see, he wanted to be a hero, didn't he?" The short old man nudged the officer.
"Goodnight Charlie." Frederica cut short a potential conversation and sighed. He left bar and the rest of the clean up to Charlies Special Disposal Services.
"That happen much?" Bao perked up his head, wiping down the bar counter.
By then, the upstairs area of the bar was cleaned and wiped down. Dead bodies were wrapped up and tossed into special clothing, designed to keep the disposables in place. The floors were mopped, windows washed and broken items replaced to the best of the company's inventory. Last but not least, fallen Officer David Wilkes was wrapped up in a special body bag. The blood from his body was mopped and shined to look like nothing had even happened. Needless to say, in the end, Bao was thankful his bar was back to normal.
"Your replacement drinks will be here within a few days, compliments of The Continental. Oh- and to answer your question... its common..." Charlie replied after the clean up job was done.
Bao shrugged. What could he do? This was just another day in the hellish criminal underworld. All humans did what they needed to in order to survive. "Well uh, here ya go Charlie. Once again, sorry about the last minute body. Take care, alright?"
"Hmn." Charlie bowed his head once before putting on his black fedora. "Bao, Sleep with one eye open. Balalaika's Baba Yaga doesn't know rest..."
"Yeah." Watching the clean up crew leave his bar, Bao sighed. Placing two hands on his head, he sat back and poured himself a drink. As much as that saying was Charlie's bad attempt at a joke, there was some truth lying in his words. Bao gulped it down remembering the brutal actions of John Wick. Right before his eyes he witnessed a pencil take the lives of three men. "Ah.. Shit..."
Baba Yaga...
"With HIM around... I gotta get out of this town..."
To
Be
Continued...
Welcome to a new story! It is I, Crold! And I have a new story for you all starring two amazing pieces of media that fit together so well! I know, I know, this is just the first chapter, but I still have plenty of plans to make this story a hell of a ride for all! I know its a bit late, but I should probably give a fair warning. Since this follows Black Lagoon and John Wick, there will be a LOT of mature themes, language, brutality and other prospects that might cause some people to be offended or triggered. If you are reading this for John Wick and Black Lagoon and you feel offended at any point in time, I advise you click off and make an appointment with your doctor to get the stick removed from your ass.
Back to the story! This chapter was just exposition and set the stage for the main story! This pilot is to lure in readers, gain a following and reviews in order to see how you the audience will react! The main story will begin Chapter 2 where we will- Ah. You thought I was going to tell you what was going to happen! Ha! Good luck! You will all just have to wait for Chapter 2.
But yes, I laid out this chapter to mend in and world build. The High Table is in control of the criminal underworld internationally. Organizations like Hotel Moscow, Hong Kong Triad, Tarasov Mob all fall under The High Table. The Continental is the main independent organization that unites them all. The criminal underworld and The High Table have stretched its claws to control the people, politicians, police, banks and services all to do its dirty work. Following the next chapter, we will see how our famous Lagoon Company operates under such rules and regulations.
SO please! Favorite! Follow and leave your reviews! I love to read them as see your thoughts!
Interested in a JoJo Part 4 X Fate Stay/Night Xover? Check out my story Heaven's Shining Diamond!
I'll see you all on the next one!