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!
{] 02 [}
{] ExcommunicadoVoyeur [}
"Alright. We'll dock here for the night." Dutch instructed. Carefully watching his torpedo boat pull into the harbor, he extracted a cigar from his pocket to light. He let out a heavy puff of smoke once he felt the boat align with the bumpers along the dock. "I'll be honest, Benny, I never thought I'd see this place again."
The earpiece around Dutch's ear transmitted to the man under the deck. Wearing a classic Hawaiian shirt and glasses was none other than Benny in the flesh. "The big apple? Wouldn't be my first choice of living if we ever got out of Roanapur, but there's definitely worse out there. You sure Rock and Revy will be able to find us?"
"Oh yeah they will." Dutch chuckled, turning next to the giant vessel they parked beside. It was a giant retired aircraft carrier deemed the Intrepid Air and Space Museum. Due to their vessel being a torpedo cruiser, it blended right into the militaristic themes. "This is the only one in New York. I'll be damned if another carrier like this pulls in."
"Odd's of that are small, but never zero, Dutch. It shouldn't be out of the ordinary to be concerned about them. I get that those two are more than capable of handling themselves, but this is the first major international job. By everything the client set up for us, they must be loaded." Benny pointed out. After shutting off the boat's engine, he climbed out from under the deck to join Dutch.
The larger man nodded with a smile. Dutch was usually indifferent about jobs, but this one kept him in a mood comparable to pure euphoria. "Oh yeah. If we pull this off, we could probably take a vacation to the Bahamas. I hear it's nice this time of year."
"Late Fall? I guess." Benny sat on the deck, overlooking the Hudson River and New York's West Side Highway. His attention from the city shifted to the sound of a black speed boat cruising towards their vessel. Plastered on the side of the smaller craft, in big white letters, was a single word.
POLICE
"Dutch, we have a situation here…" The blonde man called out.
"Huh? That time of the night already? Benny, see if you can sneak off the boat and get into the city. I haven't a single doubt that those two will need a ride. I guess I'll just have to talk to them." Dutch let his cigarette fall onto the deck before crushing it with his boot.
"What are we doin' here, Rock? It better be worth the fuckin' pay. This place gives me the creeps every damn second I'm here."
New York City. The last place Revy would ever think she would return too. Also, the last place she ever wanted to return to. Keeping her hands buried in her hoodie pocket, she kept walking up the busy street as if there was not a care in the world to her. Noticing her malice energy, everyone who she approached quickly stepped out of her way. No one wanted to be the unlucky punk who sends Two Hands over the edge. Following behind her was a familiar Japanese businessman wearing a white long-sleeved shirt and black tie. No matter how many people cowered before Revy's presence, Rokuro was unphased by it. He has seen Revy's moods. But of all things, this was perhaps one of the worst things he's seen.
"Alright, so we're on Wall Street. Just up ahead we make a right onto Beaver Street and Pearl Street." Rokuro looked up from his phone, seeing they were a few minutes out from their destination. Noticing Revy still a bit hunched over to herself, he repeated himself once more. "Just up ahead-"
"I heard you the first damn time, Rock. Repeat it and you won't get the chance." The venom in her voice scorched his name. "I just wanna get this damn package and go already. It's one thing that Dutch has been strict with the job details, but the fact that I gotta bask in this shithole is something else."
Rokuro took a few paces closer to Revy, walking alongside her. "New York? I mean I always wanted to go here on business. Besides, Wall Street is where all the rich stock brokers work. This is where people looking for the land of opportunity began. I mean yeah it has its bad parts. Every city does. Hell, this place is actually a paradise compared to Roana-"
"Let's just say this isn't exactly the fuckin place of golden opportunity you believed it to be. If you keep running your mouth about this place, I'll make it so you won't have one to talk with."
Such a remark silenced the businessman immediately. She spoke in that terrifying voice, last surfaced during a certain U-boat incident, it was a universal sign to shut up. 'It's one thing for Revy to be upset about being dragged somewhere with no details, but this is different. Like a year ago. I hoped I'd never see that Revy again. But.. maybe-'
The directions guided Rokuro and Revy towards a sleek round building sitting in between both streets. Both mercenaries stopped and looked up at it. Revy put both hands on her hips. Scanning its entrance, its windows and outdoor layout, her mind was processing a strategic escape plan in the event it would be needed. From Dutch's description, obtaining the package should be 'easy as pie'. These apparently were trusted people they were dealing with. Knowing this, Rokuro checked the business card and his phone for a confirmation on the building. The door and the overhand both had two words in gold writing.
CONTINENTAL NYC
"This is the place." Rokuro noted, "1 Wall Street Court, Continental New York City."
"Finally. Now we got some breathing room for a bit." Revy opened her jacket, pulling out a cigarette. Retrieving her lighter, she lit the roll and blew out her puff into the air. "From out here it looks like no one's home. Guess our timing is just 'perfect'..."
Rokuro didn't truly grasp what Revy was referring to. Was she talking about a set up? An ambush? Just how it was really quiet for that time of day? "Yeah, I get what you mean. Let's go. Apparently these are people we don't want to keep waiting."
"Fine." Ignoring the no smoking sign, Revy walked up each stair and into the world of the Continental Hotel. Stepping into the lobby was like entering a gate to another world. Exquisite architecture, people buzzing about, beautiful furniture and artistic displays made up this paradise. When she was informed of a 5 star hotel, they meant a five star hotel. "Holy crap." Revy slipped from her mouth.
"This place… is amazing. This is where the package is? I thought it would be at some post office. Guess you can't be too sure with anything." Rokuro dismissed any further thoughts.
Walking about and looking at all the expensive decorations made the girl's mouth water. Her mood made a sudden 180 shift. "Ho ho… you know what this means? These are rich high rollers, goldfingers, you name it! We are getting enough dough to put us in the big leagues. Not that we need to be there, but you get the point. I wonder how much these go for…"
Rokuro stayed close to Revy, not going too far from his big guns. The instructions were to meet with a man who worked behind the check-in desk. He separated from Revy once his eyes honed in on the concierge. "Looks like up there is who we need to talk to. As much as it's nice, looking at paintings all night won't do squat for us."
"Hmmn…" Two Hands droned.
Rokuro and Revy approached the front desk, another beautiful craft of the Continental.
The concierge was clearly to be made out typing away at his computer. He had dark brown skin, a perfectly tailored suit and glasses to accompany this formal attire. Once in proximity, his attention immediately shifted away from his work. "Good Evening." The native accent in his voice grabbed the foreigners attention faster than they could respond back. It had a sense of welcome and even comfort to bring both of them to ease. "May I have both your names please?"
"Yeah." Revy rested her arms on the desk, leaning forward. She reached into her back pocket before pulling out a gold coin and sliding it forward to the man. "Rock. You do the talking."
"Oh uh, well Good Evening sir, we are here to see the manager regarding Lagoon Company services you guys ordered. Is he in?" The businessman asked.
The Concierge, Charon, smiled at them and nodded, "The manager is ALWAYS in… But! He had left me a specific set of instructions for you. You would be Miss Revy and Mr Rock, correct?"
"Correct, sir," Rokuro confirmed. "We-"
Suddenly, the entire room began to fill with the buzzing and ringtones of multiple phones. First it started by the front doors, then it made its way all the way back to the desk. Everyone who received the text immediately tended to their phones. It was like a hivemind just took over, influencing hotel goers to all stand up at once and leave. While Rokuro and Revy looked confused, shocked even, at this anomaly, Charon frowned. The order had been given. The countdown had begun.
"We don't have much time, would you two be as kind as to follow me, please? Now." Charon quickly reached into his suit jacket pocket, pulling out a set of keys. He marched out from behind the desk, escorting the mercenaries to the elevators. "I'm sure you got the memo about the most recent ordeal?"
Revy slightly scowled, "Surprisingly not. Our boss has kept details to a minimum. Fuckin annoying if you ask me. So if I'm honest here, Flashy Noir, we have no idea what we are getting into."
"Yes, Sir. We are rough with details. We were just given a location and to ask for the manager. What is this place, if I may ask?" Rokuro boarded the elevator with Charon and Revy once it arrived. When the doors closed behind, he saw the man push the basement level button, sending the elevator into a gentle descent.
"This… is an elevator." Charon declared with a straight face. Even in panic, gentle humor found its way through the man.
A snicker came from Revy as she looked away. "Ah forgive him, he's new to the game here. Well, relatively new in this shitbook."
"Ah, I see. Well, Mr Rock, If you asked the average person to imagine a hotel for… our kind of clientele, this might not be too far off the mark. But our patrons are not what the public imagines. They are professionals. So I can assure you two, that no matter which branch they enter, anywhere around the world, the members of the Continental always act their best." Once the elevator arrived at the basement, Charon once again escorted the mercs towards the mail room.
Rokuro connected the dots, remembering the second Roberta Crisis. "I see. So that's where Garcia was staying. Back home, Mr Chang runs that place… but I guess I just never looked too hard into it. But it's oddly the safest building there."
"Indeed. Our clientele are rivals by day, but they can easily sit down and share a drink. That is how The Continental operates. First rule is that no business will be conducted on any Continental grounds. This is also a no smoking establishment." Charon didn't hesitate to remove the cigarette from Revy's mouth and put it out in an ashtray, conveniently placed in an elevator pocket.
"H-Hey!" Revy cried out. The man ignoring her just made her simmer with annoyance.
"If you wish to smoke, please consult the designated smoking lounges. Thank you." The door to the mailroom opened up, revealing walls of PO boxes and other storage units. "As a guest of the Continental, one is protected by the rules this institution affords. That person is expected to abide by those rules as well."
"Gotcha..." Rokuro's eyes trailed up and down. They walked past super small boxes for simple letters. Further down the aisle, they reached larger scaled ones. Small devices and perhaps weapons can fit. Led further by Charon, Rokuro spotted the PO boxes were now getting larger and larger in size. "We are looking for a box number…"
"This one." Charon retrieved keys to unlock the PO box door. With a jiggle and turn of the lock, it opened up wide, ready for access! Returning to the mercenaries, Charon handed them a black Nokia-style phone. "This is your package, Mr Rock."
Revy's face immediately turned sour. Her free hand balled shut and her eye twitched. "Are you shitting me? I got pulled halfway around the world by the skin of my ass for a crack phone?"
"May I suggest remaining quiet for a few moments while I finish delivering you your instructions, Miss Revy" The suited man didn't hesitate to fire back. Seeing the woman as indifferent or potentially escalating, he pointed to the phone as it powered up. "This is about to be the most valuable device in the city. Your package to bring home with you… is on the move."
"On the move…?" Rokuro received the phone from Charon, powering it on immediately.
"Correct, Mr Rock. This is a burner meant only for tracking the individual on the other side. Once you make the call to your asset, you are to introduce yourself as the Lagoon Company reaching out about a Ferry Ticket. Passage, if you will. Once they hang up, the tracking device in the phone shall connect to their location. You will be able to see them and they will be able to see you." Once finished, Charon scanned his eyes, meeting Revy's impatient look.
Revy facepalmed and let out a sigh of annoyance. "So the package is actually some random guy? What the-"
"Your package, Miss Revy, is very important to us and what you are being paid for." By the increase in Charon's volume, it was clear his patience was running thin. "Now. I suggest you get your package within the next two hours or else things will turn rather difficult…"
"Next two hours? Why is that?" Rokuro had to account for a time constraint now. Two hours? Why?
Charon blinked, making no noises or sudden moves. He glanced at Rokuro, then at Revy. "That is when the hunt begins. Every eye in this city will be wanting your package. Let us waste no more time." He raised his arm slightly, gesturing that it was time to move.
Before Rokuro could waste any more time, Revy cut him off. "Two hours? Right. Well, we will get this bastard in one if it helps you sleep at night, Flashy Noir." She retrieved both her weapons from under her winter hoodie and inspected them. She then smirked devilishly. "Oh we will get him all right."
"Very well. Your pay will be wired to your boss when the package is in a safe condition. But for now…" He reached into his pocket, giving Revy a handful of gold coins. They all had the marking of the Continental and criminal underworld. Charon had to admit it was amusing seeing Revy's eyes glisten. "... a personal thank you and courtesy of the Continental. We thank you, Lagoon Company."
EXCOMMUNICADO IN EFFECT - 6pm EST - 2:00:00
"Well that was a whole shitshow and a half right there. We came to get a package just to track and search for the actual package! Tch. Dutch, what the hell did you sign us up for?" Two Hands groaned. She emerged from the Continental with Rokuro by her side. Once at the bottom of the stairs, she looked both ways and nudged him. "Hey Rock, you got the crack phone still?"
"Yep! Crack phone acquired." He displayed it.
"Good. Let's give our package a ring and get on with this. Like Flashy Noir said, we have two hours before some 'Hunt' begins. Now If that's not a load of horse shit." She sighed, before recovering another cigarette to replace the one Charon extinguished. Now that they were outside, she shouldn't be getting shit from anyone else. "Hunt. Hunt. What could that mean?" Revy pondered.
Rokuro wondered as well. He sat down on the step and looked at the phone. "I'm not sure. As you said, I'm relatively new to this world. But if there's anything I remember, he mentioned rules. We have rules back in Roanapur, but they are different. Crime families and organizations are in tandem with one another. There are designated routes and turfs you know not to go on. I've never seen those coins. Revy, we pay with real money. So why did Dutch give us those coins?"
"Hmn. Well, I'll be honest. There isn't a lot I remember. Dutch knows more about that shit than I do. Everywhere else is 'High Table' territory. Imagine the rest of the world is a Roanapur but its own empire. Stricter rules, more consequences for breaking them, a more professional setting. 'Fry face' is more involved with them." Two hands huffed.
"Miss Balalaika? But Roanapur is isolated. You even called it 'The Forbidden City'. She deals with the High Table?" Rokuro noted.
Revy nodded and pointed up to gesture he was correct. "Perhaps. Or just a stupid rumor to stir her up and her group of Ivans. Roanapur is a city left for dead. So rotten the main criminal underworld doesn't want to touch us. Our rules are flimsy so we will have to find our package and move. Ask Dutch about it later or whatnot. Did you make the call like I asked?"
"Oh! Right!" Dialing the main speed-dial key, Rokuro put the phone on speaker for him and Revy to hear. The droning tone of the ringing went on for a few seconds before it went silent. Rokuro looked at his partner in confusion. Then their device displayed 'Connected 00:00:21' yet there was nothing coming from the receiving end. "Hello?"
…
…
…
"Maybe you need to use the greeting Flashy Noir told us to say. If not, it's a dud." The brunette shrugged.
"Hello, we are calling you regarding your purchase of one Ferry Ticket. Passage." Rokuro complied.
CLICK
Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr…
Both Rokuro and Revy met each other's gaze with the same level of confusion. How can this be? Did they call the wrong number? Was their phone truly a dud? All of these possibilities scavenged 'Two Hands' mind like a pack of wild eagles; all of them looking for an answer. This just made her utterly hiss. They had come all this way just to get a dud phone and phone call. Great…
Blink!
Blink!
Blink!
Before Revy could do anything brash, the phone screen lit up, showing their current location and the package's location. The hunt was on! Time was ticking!
"Well shit." Revy smiled. "Seems we now have our case! Easy. An Easy one-two. We get to the package, get to the boat and get the fuck off this smelly island, ya dig?"
"Yea, I dig, loud and clear." Rokuro faced in the direction of the package's location and began to walk forward. "Now come on. Let's get to them before anyone else does!"
Following suit, Revy stayed close behind Rokuro to make sure he didn't get too far ahead of her. As she ventured past the Continental, her 'spidey senses' started to tingle. No matter where she looked, the hairs on the back of her neck were standing up. Revy felt her heart beating faster than normal and her head sweating more than usual despite the cold Fall air. Sometimes she glanced to see that her feet were touching the ground when she ran and not floating in some horrible nightmare. New York City chilled her to the bone. Every single aspect of it.
On the second floor of the Continental Hotel, Charon stood against the side of the window. His gaze traveled, locked onto Revy and Rokuro. When they disappeared up the street, he tilted his head towards the glass in hopes to see some remnants of them. But they were then gone and out of his sight. "Are we in play, Sir?" Charon turned around to face another man in the room.
"Yes, I suppose we are." The man who answered him wore a perfectly tailored suit to fit his rather hefty body. His long wavy silver hair and wrinkled face gave way to his age and experience. Winston leaned forward, nodding his head. "I believe those two can reach their objective in time."
"Do you expect them to make it out?" It was fine for Charon to voice his concerns. The current ordeal with their friend and associate was dire. Could they really trust two random people they got wind of by ear?
Winston shrugged. "A 17 million dollar bounty on his head and everyone in the city wants a piece of it…" He paused, facing the desk attendant with a neutral expression. "...I'd say the odds are about even. Especially now, with those two in the picture now."
"I see. The two hired guns from Roanapur. Not to bring any dirt to Mr. Rock, but I don't take him for the hired gun. He doesn't have the scent of a killer." Charon noted.
"You are right, Charon. Nor does he appear to be one." Winston made a weird face before nodding once. "Roanapur? ...The forbidden city? I haven't heard that name in years. You have to admit that while those people are seen as the rats of our world, there is still some respect you need to have for them. Roanapur is said to be the lowest part of hell on earth."
The other man nodded in agreement. There was a term for people who fled to Roanapur or even associate with that city. "Ronaks. Is what they are, but I am in no position to put labels on people I haven't known. All I can do is pray that they complete their mission." Charon walked towards the door, opening it for his superior to follow through. "It is out of our hands now."
"Very well." Winston placed both hands in his pants pockets, stepping over the threshold from his private room. "If we know anything about the Ronaks is that they know how to get their hands on things that don't belong to them. How can we forget our little wanted friend here drove out the biggest Ronak stronghold here."
Closing the door behind him, the bald male took a moment to remember what Winston was referring to. How could he forget it? The Tarasov Mob shindig and how they were single handedly removed from the face of the earth. "How could I forget? Now, let us get back to business."
Back on the ground, Rokuro and Revy set their sights on the location the tracking device was given. This do-or-die mission required the utmost smarts when approaching it. As quoted by Winston, everyone in the city wanted a piece of this contract. Anyone would do anything for the money. Emerging from an alleyway across the Continental Hotel, a couple of figures dressed in all black peeked out. They took a hard glance in the direction Rokuro and Revy were running before conversing amongst themselves. Whispers were traded, nods exchanged and actions planned. One of them opened up a flip phone as they descended into the darkness of the alley.
EXCOMMUNICADO IN EFFECT - 01:30:34 - 6pm EST
Inside a car rental agency, a blonde customer looked up from his newspaper and shrugged. He wore a familiar orange and green Hawaiian shirt with black glasses. Feeling his phone vibrate in his hands, he answered it and started chatting.
"What's up, Revy? Everything alright?" Benny answered. He resumed reading the newspaper while waiting for his service number to be called.
"Eh, it could be worse. When we got to the place it turns out the package is elsewhere on the move. They gave us a crack phone to track it. Rock and I are heading North to where it's supposed to be. What's your ETA with some wheels?" Revy panted while on the phone with Benny.
"Hmn…" Benny looked at his service ticket number: 115. "It says now serving 44. I'm a couple numbers ahead. It may be another hour or so before I can get us a car."
"Dammit! And I sure as hell ain't taking a fucking cab. Crawling with city filth." The brunette spat.
The blonde analyst turned a page of his paper after adjusting his shoulder so the phone can stay comfortably still. "Well, I don't know what to tell you. I can't control the wait times here."
"How's Dutch? What's he up to?" Revy asked.
"Dutch is chatting it up with some 'Old Friends' of his at the dock. He was able to get police protection on the boat. Crazy how this world works." Benny pointed out.
"Shit, really? How the hell did he pull that one off?" This was all too much of a good win for the Lagoon Company. They were pirates! How the hell did they get the authorities to side with them? Revy's curiosity was begging for this.
Benny was truly lucky. When the police boat had pulled up to ask them what they were doing, Dutch took easy care of it. He remembers Dutch handing them a small amount of gold coins; Coins he had seen used very little times. The police then tipped their hats and started chatting it up with Dutch as if they had been colleagues forever. This allowed Benny to slip off the torpedo boat and get a cab into the city.
"Just one of those things. I'm not complaining. What's the rush? It's New York. Breathe in the city air. It's a place where we don't have to worry about someone coming up from behind and knocking us dead. I say enjoy it while we are here." Little did the man know how those words would set off his colleague.
"Fuck that! Listen here, the next time you tell me to enjoy this shithole, it's your ass! When we got the package we were told that we have two hours before some hunt begins. I don't know what that exactly is but I don't want to fuck around and find out." Revy curled.
'Hunt…?' Benny sat up a bit more, concentrating on what that meant. The scene that just happened before him replayed in his memory. A hunt is about to happen… 'That guy who was just in here looked pretty banged up. The normal civilian probably wouldn't notice, but most people in front of me faced him then unanimously eyed up the clock. What are you on about, Two Hands…?' He mentally started plotting. "Listen, Revy, I'll see if I can pull a few strings and speed this up a little… I'll have to call you back."
Rokuro and Revy both came to a stop at a street corner, waiting for the crossing signal. Both of them were panting after covering such a distance in a short amount of time. A lack of a vehicle made reaching this package an extremely laboring process. "Alright…" The brunette stood up and stretched her back. "We'll keep at it."
"Good. I'll let you know"
Beep
"So, what's it looking like, Revy?" Rokuro asked after catching his breath.
"Tch." She faced him while handing him the tracking phone. "He's stuck at some place waiting to get a car. Fucking ridiculous if you ask me. OoO wHaT's tHe rUsH? bReAtH iN tHiS cItY aIr!" Her voice lowered to mock Benny's words. Hearing him tell her to enjoy that god forsaken city was just an utter shitbox for Revy. Thinking about taking the smallest liking to it caused her to shake in fury. Revy was angry a lot, but it was noticeable that this mission made her more tense and irritable than usual.
'Ever since Dutch let us off at the ferry she has been more antsy. Something about this place just gives her some serious bad juju. Has she been to this place before? Does it resonate with her somehow? Maybe it's just one of those things I'll never understand. I'd be a complete idiot to straight up ask her.' Rokuro took back the device and glanced down at the screen. The grid-like pattern simply showed the outline of Manhattan and two dots. One was where they were and the other was the location of their package; John Wick. "Hey, Revy?"
"What is it, Rock?" She responded with a low tone hiss.
"..." His consciousness almost forced him to ask. "Nothing. I was just thinking about the fastest way to get there. How about we try the Subway trains? The key is just figuring out which line takes us more North."
"You know what… fine. I can't fuckin sulk here forever. I'll save my peace of mind for another time. Fuck it…" Shrugging into her hoodie, Revy held her tongue, eyeing the subway steps across the street.
As soon as the signal turned green to cross, the two of them started walking forward. Midway across the street, Rokuro picked up the sound of a motorcycle approaching him and Revy. Confusion arose as the light was red for traffic to stop; this biker seemed to ignore it while heading towards the two. Like the Veteran criminal she was, Revy instantly grabbed her partner and threw him to the side.
"Rock! Get down!" Two Hands yelled out.
Commotion erupted as other pedestrians witnessed the biker nearly plow into them. Was it an accident? Were they distracted or just drunk? The answer was a mystery until the biker slowed down, turned their bike and faced them.
"What the hell is going on? Revy?" Rock sat up from the pavement.
"Eyes up! Even on the other side of the world these shits don't know when to rest!" Had this been Roanapur, Revy would have started blasting already. This was New York, a totally different environment. Revy risked hitting and even killing someone with a stray bullet. Also this person hadn't identified themselves worthy to blast… yet…
(Black Lagoon OST - Don't Stop!)
The biker revved their engine and drew a nightstick to display. This was a weapon and a declaration of war. Had the hunt begun sooner?! Speeding towards Rokuro, the biker had his eyes dead-set on that device. Just as Charon said, that device was now the most valuable item in the city.
"Shit!" Rokuro was no useless pawn among the masses. While Revy was his hired gun, he still knew how to grow a pair to survive. Just as the bike was in proximity, Rokuro used both his feet to kick at it as hard as he could. The result was enough momentum to roll over his shoulder and enough power to make the bike tip over. Panting heavily, the businessman was hoisted to his feet by his colleague.
"Good shit, Rock! But something tells me this fucker isn't done! Run! Let's go!" They took off across the street and into the crowd of New Yorkers, aiming to dive down the steps of the Subway when-
BOOF!
Revy was hit with a direct clothesline to the face. Being knocked down, she spotted a hooded man dressed in all black standing above her. Rokuro had met another fate. He was punched in the gut and then shoved to the ground by two more hooded thugs.
"Gah!" The tracking phone rolled out of Rokuro's hand and out into the sidewalk. A few stray feet kicked it around before it finally stopped centimeters away from a gutter. "No! Shit. Gaah!" The man was kicked in the ribs, curling into the pain. 'The phone!'
"Oh no you fuckers don't!" Revy said screw it. Sweeping the stranger's legs and bringing him into the ground, she was confident that a direct shot would have minimal consequences.
BOOM! BOOM!
Revy retrieved one of her custom plated cutlasses and fired two shots. One into the stranger's chest and one into his head. The only pro about those gunshots were the scattering of fleeing civilians. Finally, Two Hands had more room to see where her partner was. "ROCK!" She screamed.
BOOM!
Just as a thug took out his firearm, Revy blasted them in the side of the head. With that adversary now dead, Revy was able to get on her feet. Rokuro took the liberty to push back at the assassin's feet, making them wobble and throw off their aim on Revy. With stray shots fired, Revy had to roll into cover. It wouldn't help Rokuro if she was dead.
Looking below himself, the thug noticed his original prey had slipped away from his grasp. What was more dangerous than that? This prey, Rokuro, was able to slip into the crowd like camouflage. "Shit…" They spat. Quickly focusing on Revy, they snuck up to the doorway she retreated to. Turning the corner, they grabbed the woman by her arm, throwing her to the ground like-
"N-NO! Please don't hurt me!"
The thug noticed the woman they threw to the floor was… not Revy. Quickly turning around, they got a faceful of door with a-
SLAM!
Using all her might, Revy kicked the door open from the inside, knocking back her opponent. Not a moment to lose, Two hands went on the attack. She grabbed the thugs arm and disarmed him of his gun. That lasted a second until her hair was grabbed and she was yanked off. "Raaah!" No matter how tough she was… hair pulling still hurt. Thes opponents were no ordinary Roanapur thugs or druggies. They were more; a word Charon had said: 'Professionals.' The assassin was in a defensive stance as they threw a left jab into Revy, followed by a high kick.
"That does it asswipe!" Cutlass back in hand, she aimed it at the thug and fired.
BOOM!
Her opponent was quick to kick the gun out of her hand, having the shot strike one of the building walls. Their foot then stomped on Revy's hand, pinning it to the concrete sidewalk. Wincing from the blow, the brunette quickly ducked under a roundhouse kick meant to put her out of commission. Ceasing the opportunity, she struck her attacker in the groin with an uppercut, using her free hand.
'Gotcha!' Freeing up her trapped hand Revy grabbed his face to cover his eyes. With a swift blow to the throat and a dead-leg, Two Hands brought their struggle to a close by kicking her attacker into the street. Sighing, she looked at the poor woman who was nearly mistaken for Revy. "Hey toots, I appreciate trading places." 'Shit…' She mentally groaned. The shock was settling from her hand, allowing the pain to set in. That was one of her hands not as effective as the other. "Fucker got me good. Wait a second, Rock? Rock!"
Rokuro was nowhere to be seen. Among the fleeing crowd of people, dead bodies and hystery, her colleague was nowhere to be seen.
"Raaaaa!" The last thug grabbed his gun and shot at Revy twice with a-
BOOM! BOOM!
"Too slow…" Two Hands commentated.
(End OST)
Watching the enemy assassin fall dead in the street was the second most relieving thing to bear witness to. The first one would be if she can find Rokuro and the phone he was holding. "Rock… don't tell me you bailed or got yourself killed somehow. ROCK!" 'Motherf-'
VRRRROOOM! VROOOM! VROOOM!
Recognizing the sound of that motorcycle, the brunette shot back around instantly. That past biker seemed to be wanting more from the Roanapur Duo; Ronaks. As he sped up to Revy, there was a more different atmosphere to this attack. Unlike a silly ole nightstick, this biker now had a gun.
POOM! POOM! POOM!
Revy dived behind a parked car and ducked as the biker was shooting at her. Scraped up and bruised, she hopped back to her feet, aiming her cutlass to fire back at the biker. When she was about to pull the trigger, she couldn't help but hold her breath in shock. What she saw made her chill to the bone. Rokuro. He was bounded and tied to the back of the biker as they drove off.
"You… YOU LITTLE SHIT! GET BACK HERE!" Revy started to run after that bike. The more she ran, the more her pain weighed down her movements; the further away Rokuro got from her grasp. Stopping to pant and nearly vomit, Revy hung her head low above the sidewalk. "This damn city. This damn job. To hell with all of it! Stupid Continental! Stupid High Table! Stupid bullshit!" She threw a trash can to the ground and held her hair as if ready to rip it out. 'Ok. Calm down, Rebecca. If you get this worked up you won't be able to solve jack shit. You're in this God Forsaken city where everyone is a crook here. Some are just better at hiding it. I have blood on my hands once again and lost my partner to some fuckin cross-eyed asswipe. Think!'
Back on the torpedo boat, Dutch sat on the deck with two other officers. With High Table gold coins at their feet, they all were puffing cigars and taking a break from the pressure of the outside world.
"Man, that's one hell of a story." Dutch commented, putting out his cigar. "I used to have a lot more of them but as time went on they just started to fade. Sorry Officers."
"It's alright, happens to the best of us." One officer commented. He adjusted his hat while taking in his cigar. "When you've been on the force for over 30 years, you see some serious shit. But a boat full of Nazi's? What is this 1942?"
Dutch gave a chuckle, agreeing with the officer's laughter. Telling stories about Roanapur always entertained the people who lived in the outside world. Their environments were completely different. One was founded on rules to avoid joining the animals. The other was breaking the rules to survive in a world full of animals. "Yeah… heheh."
(Black Lagoon OST - Don't Look Behind)
VRRRRVRRR VRRRRRRRRR VRRRRRRRR
Dutch felt his phone vibrate four times; Revy's tone. Reaching into his pocket and picking it up, he put his phone to his ear with a simple. "What's up, Two Hands? Everything alright?
"Dutch…" Revy's tone was in pure defeat. Her voice sulked heavily, letting its sourness seep through the line.
Dutch wasn't prepared to hear the next three words that left her mouth. They had such luck getting this job and successfully pulling this plan off. Why did things have to go so wrong? Remaining silent, Dutch let Revy's voice seep in.
"I lost Rock…."
To
Be
Continued...
Well Howdy! Welcome to Excmmunicado Voyeur! I first want to say thank you all for your patience. Of course I am currently working on Heaven's Shining Diamond and also have a college life with a really challenging major. My hobbies that enjoy also overlap this time. I honestly don't know how I do it. But here is the first chapter! Unlike the other story these seem to be more shorter chapters due to the fact that I am creating these scenarios in my mind and promoting a lot of originality to them. Instead of going by simple Black Lagoon episodes or even the John Wick Chapter 3: Parabellum movie, all of these aspects of the story are original. Bits a pieces of fragments have been taken but this story is going to be an original.
I saw there were some concerns for the timeline this story will take place in. As these two worlds are naturally one, I would have to say its a bit too early to tell. There were some suggestions and desires to see Wick contribute to the main storyline but that is up to question. While it would provide more content to work with, it wouldn't be totally original and take spotlight from certain characters as there are two main guns in the area; Revy and Wick. ORIGINALLY, my mindset was after Roberta's Blood Trail. SPEAKING OF!
This first arc is of course taking place in New York City, Revy's hometown and most dreaded destination. I do plan on including more characters from Roanapur in the story. But as we see, Revy and Rokuro are dropped in New York to retrieve a package that a client has ordered them to retrieve. Now under High Table Territory, the two must do what they must to collect their objective before the hunt starts! But of course! If you read my authors note this far I suppose I will reward you with this post credit! Enjoy!
(End OST)
EXCOMMUNICADO IN EFFECT - 01:10:47 - 6pm EST
Blink!
Blink!
Blink!
The screen of the phone continued to blink every two seconds. During these two seconds, the 'ferry ticket' and 'package' had their locations updated to one another. From the large group of people gathered in Times Square, one of them seemed to gain attention from everyone they encountered. Multiple heads turned and gazed at the prize, street performers broke character to stare and those working at a hotdog cart paused serving on sight of the suited man. His body was tightly built, standing at a solid 6' 1", as shown from his black suit and tie. The bruises on his face were barely able to be covered by his long hair.
Not wasting a moment, the holder of the phone quickly broke away from the area and turned down an alleyway, followed by a grey pitbull. Before he could go any further towards his destination, something else began to rack his mind.
Would he have enough time to get to that place?
"And I told them no! You gotta get your act in line, I'm not the one who's crazy!" The long-haired man froze as he noticed a young homeless man emerge from a trash shelter. After locking eyes and falling silent, the homeless man revealed his golden Rolex watch, tapping it with a crazed smile. "Tick Tock Mr Wick…"
"Tick Tock…"
To
Be
Continued...