Sorry for the wait on part 2! Thanks for Reading!
Chapter 3 Morning Glory Part 2
Thump thump thump!
Dutch hollered, "Benny! Unlock the damn door!"
"Right! Sorry about that Dutch." Benny replied. He rushed over to unlock it and let Dutch inside.
"Yeah, I'd bust it down if I had to, but I don't want to do any more damage to the place if I can help it, repairs aren't cheap. Balalaika's insurance won't cover... God damn! They let you have it too didn't they? Shit man." Dutch said.
Dutch observed the sunlight beaming through the ventilated wall. Noting the shot-out lights, windows, and fridge.
"Oh noo, not the fridge too, Fuck! Oh wait, ohhh no, nonono ooh please no..." He wandered over to check the shelf where his premium liquor sat in the main room.
Benny asked, "What is it?"
Dutch turned around to face Benny. The expression on his face was one of intense rage, his eye twitched, his fists clenched.
"Well what's the situation? Where are these other guys you were talking about Benny boy?!"
"Uhh.."
Breaking his usual calm and controlled demeanor, Dutch shouted, "WHERE ARE THEY!"
Benny was shocked to see him so upset.
"UUHHH!" His nervousness increased with Dutch's anger, "They're uhhm, uhh the Italians are coming next! Rock called ahead to warn us, they got his number somehow, and threatened us, they're coming, they'll be here any minute Dutch!"
Dutch replied, "Goood, let them come. Benny, get the pig out of the pen for me. I want to give them a heartfelt welcome."
Dutch stood with one hand on the shelf, looking at the destroyed liquor he cherished. He shook his head, feeling equal parts anger, disbelief, and disappointment.
"O-okay boss you got it."
Benny made his way across the room, and saw the broken bottles of Ardbeg liquor on the shelf as he passed by. Not a single bottle survived. He opened the utility closet in the hall, and pushed the clothes, mops, brooms, and other junk aside, revealing what was left of the Lagoon Company's workshop armory. Four shelves, three of them mostly barren, save for a few empty, or near empty boxes of pistol ammo, and a rusty .22 derringer that sat in a dirty ashtray. The fourth shelf on the bottom seated what Benny was looking for. Underneath a white cloth laid over it to keep the dust off, a clean & pristine Vietnam-era M60 machine gun sat ready and waiting.
Benny said, "Damn, that's an awkward son of a bitch to carry."
He handed the cumbersome weapon to Dutch, who had no problem handling it. He eyed it up and down with a gleeful expression, admiring every feature.
Dutch commented, "I got this baby from the Rip-off Church after that job Rock concocted came to an end. I figured it would come in handy on a rainy day like today."
Benny walked back to the closet.
"How many belts do you want?" Benny asked.
"All of them, Benny boy, all of them. I'm not losing my office again to some morons that can't shoot straight. And this time I'm here to do something about it, so I'd be hard pressed to pass up the opportunity to return the warm spirited sentiment." Dutch replied.
Benny returned with 20 something belts of 7.62x51mm ammo for the M60, totaling up close to 25,000 rounds.
"Dutch, you really love that scotch don't you."
"Mmhhmm, yeah, I do. One of those bottles are, or were, worth about as much as this M60. Well at least in Roanapur anyways. You've had some of my Ardbeg Benny, so don't tell me you can't understand to some degree."
"I mean I'm more of a beer guy myself Dutch, soo.."
Dutch chuckled. "I knew it! A proper single malt, aged scotch, that tastes like a gift from god, it's wasted on you Benny boy! You haven't got the refined palate, like little old me. Don't worry, it'll develop in time."
He pulled the cocking handle back and returned it forward. Opening the top cover, Dutch loaded the first belt into the M60.
Benny was slowly getting more and more nervous as he watched Dutch link up shorter ammo belts into longer ones.
Benny asked, "Heh! Okay Dutch, I guess so. Well ahh what can I do now?"
Letting out a deep sigh, Dutch walked over to the coffee table where the hard drive sat, miraculously unharmed, and grabbed it. He walked back over to Benny, took his hand, and placed it in his employee's hand.
"Take it."
Benny was quite surprised. "What?!"
Dutch spoke in a serious tone, "If I die Benny, and that's a big IF, you can do what you want with that hard drive, that fucking thing is cursed. And, whatever is left of the Lagoon Company after this next shit storm is yours too. This workshop, all the cash and assets we've got tucked away, the Lagoon, they're yours. Got me?"
Benny replied, wide eyed, "Wait you can't really be serious Dutch, what about Revy? She's been with you way lon.."
Dutch looked out at the Lagoon as he spoke, "I know that Benny, but all this time she's never bothered learning how to run & maintain the Black Lagoon like you have, and she doesn't know how to run the business side of things like you can. And Benny, take care of those two if it comes down to it, you guys might be my employees, but we're all one big alcoholic family. So just help em out, you know, keep them in work."
Benny's response was a saddened expression, and a quiet, "Okay Dutch, I will."
"Now go down to the Lagoon and grab the sawed-off grenade launcher and nades off that dead guy on the deck. Revy wouldn't mind having a new pocket cannon, and we need all the firepower we can get. And bring me Revy's M79 with her pouch of grenades too. You're gonna go and pick up Revy and Rock, and if I'm still alive by the time you get back, we're taking the Lagoon out for a nice and long, motherfucking vacation." Dutch said.
"Okay, you got it boss."
Benny made his way down the stairs fast, hustling to grab the grenade launchers from the Lagoon.
When Dutch finished linking up the belts for his M60, he got three large stacks of US dollars out, to pay for the to-go order of munitions from Praiyachat. He placed them on the coffee table, along with the keys for the GTO. Shortly after, Benny hustled back up the stairs clutching the hard drive, 40mm grenades, and M79's with a white-knuckled death grip.
"Dutch, I'm ready to go, I got everything, I think." Benny said.
"Grab the keys and cash on the table before you go, we're gonna need that ammo soon. I'm down to a pocket full of shotgun shells and twelve rounds for my Smith & Wesson." Dutch said.
"I'll grab the take-out on the way there if I can." Benny said.
Benny stuffed the cash into the pockets of his cargo shorts.
"Get it on the way back Benny, and have Rock can go in and pay the guy. That new cashier there has been seeing more of him lately with Revy dragging him about on collection & delivery jobs like she was. He'll recognize him." Dutch said.
"Okay good call." Benny said.
Dutch threw spare belts of ammo over his shoulder.
"Call me if you end up seeing the Italians when you're on your way there Benny, now go!"
Benny took the stairs down to the GTO two at a time.
"I'm off then, good luck!" Benny hollered.
Dutch took the short time he had left to think about the battle that was about to come to his doorstep.
12:40 PM
Benny secured the hard drive, cash, and M79 in the glove box, and laid the grenade bandolier in the backseat. Starting the GTO, he peeled out onto the road with his foot to the floor, hoping the deafening roar of the engine would drown out his frayed nerves.
He was just entering a side street in Roanapur when he reached into his pocket to grab his cell phone. He ended up dropping it on the passenger seat as he wracked the steering wheel hand over hand, forcing the GTO to roar and squeal her tires through another corner. Scooping it back up, Benny dialed Rock's number. He was just under a few kilometers away from Revy's apartment, and he figured it would be best to give them some sort of heads up beforehand.
At the same time Benny was dialing Rock's number, a black sedan with its windows all tinted out, came tearing around the same corner in Benny's rearview mirror. It was not very far behind him. Three more blacked out sedans and a grey SUV followed suit, all of them trailing close behind the lead sedan.
A mafia man stuck his upper torso out of the passenger side window, haphazardly wielding a Beretta 93R with one hand.
BRRRAP! BRRRAP! BRRRAP!
The man fired off his machine pistol into the back of the GTO, shattering the rear window and ventilating the trunk with bullet holes.
This forced Benny to duck, losing his phone again. He then tapped the brakes, and wracked the wheel to the side and back, steering the roaring GTO into oncoming traffic.
Benny focused as he zipped past, weaving through the cars and motor rickshaws blaring their horns at him. He noticed in the rearview that the attackers had backed off considerably, but still held close at 10 or so car lengths. They were weaving and racing through the same oncoming traffic as he was, not skipping a beat.
Shifting down as he approached a busy market intersection, Benny slammed on the brakes, whipped the rear end of the GTO around in a tire squealing U turn, and mashed down the gas again. The GTO's engine roared, and the tires screamed. Benny charged towards the cars that were trailing him. The pursuers attempted to stop and block the intersection in order to trap the approaching muscle car, but it was too little too late.
Just as some of the doors opened on the cars, Benny blasted past the blockade through an opening between the right-most car and a storefront. Driving on the sidewalk, and taking out a pile of trash bags on the curb in the process. He shifted gears once he was past the roadblock, and kicked up a cloud of dust and trash, now thundering towards the outskirts of Roanapur.
Certain he had lost his pursuers, Benny fumbled his cell phone out of his pocket once more. While bounding over the poorly maintained back roads, he mashed Dutch's cell number into his own. He pulled off the road to turn around and head back into Roanapur.
Benny had finished making his turn, and had finished rolling down the windows when Dutch picked up.
"This is Dutch."
"Dutch, I got made on the way to Revy's apartment, I think I lost them though. The bastards shot up the rear of the GTO, but she's still rolling. You're gonna want to be on the lookout for five cars, a grey SUV, and four blacked out sedans."
Dutch spoke quietly, "Alright good lookin out Benny, yeah I've only seen one sedan so far, but I'm sure they'll all come real soon. Hey make sure you get Revy back here in one piece, she may not be able to walk, but she can still shoot."
He was lying in wait. He had opened all the windows on the company building, and had picked a good position that overlooked the road in both directions. Dutch decided to open up on the first sedan, he had the high ground. Kill or be killed, he figured.
BRAP!BRAP!BRAP!BRAP!BRAP!BRAP!
Benny held the phone away from his ear as the machine gun fire blared right into his eardrum.
He replied, "Uhhh you got it boss, you can count on me, uhh please don't die.."
Dutch spoke to Benny in between bursts of machine gun fire, "Bennyy boyy! If I die make sure you throw me overboard!" BRAP!BRAP!BRAP!BRAP! "With a bottle of Ardbeg in my hands alright?!" BRAP!BRAP!BRAP!BRAP!BRAP!BRAP!
Suddenly, a blast screamed through the tiny speaker in the phone, and the line went dead. And in the distance, Benny heard a bomb blast echo inland from the direction of the Lagoon Company office.
"SHIT! Dutch!?"
Benny looked at his cell with a shocked expression, wondering if that was the last thing he'd ever hear from his boss.
He then dialed Rock's number once again.
1:00 PM
Revy sat resting her head in her arms on the cool surface of her table, grinding her teeth in a slow boiling anger, while Rock slowly paced from one end of the room to the other. His senses and nerves were on high alert, as he was going over the conversation with Benny that was cut short in his head, replaying it over again and again. He was also remembering how close he came to losing Revy the other day, and how this situation might lead to that being an actuality soon, if he didn't come up with a plan of his own.
Unknowingly, Rock had been mumbling his plans out loud under his breath for the last ten minutes.
"I know the cab business is ran by the Italians behind closed doors, so that means I'd need to.."
Revy snapped. "YOUUU! Need to shut the fuck up Rock, and Sit. The. Fuck. Down."
She had drawn a cutlass on him, and was motioning over to the chair across the table with the business end of her piece.
"You're getting on my fucking nerves. I haven't got the stomach for your god damn mastermind bullshit ANY FUCKING MORE ROCK!"
As Revy said this, she didn't have her usual soulless killer expression on her face, instead her features depicted a wide-eyed horror, mixed with plenty of anger. Yet there was something else in her eyes that Rock couldn't place. Her hand quivered and shook slightly, as she tried to level the sights right between his eyes. Even though she was sitting down, she had to try hard to steady herself, and hold herself upright on the table with her left hand while she aimed.
That gunshot must've really been worse than it looked, and to think she could keep all that pain inside on the car ride to the doctor, without even letting on it was so bad. That is amazing.
The look that flashed across her face in that moment though, that was what made Rock stop dead in his tracks. That unhinged and emotional, violent outburst, while he knew it was a sign of impending injury or death, he couldn't bring himself to get angry at her over it anymore. Imagining the horrific things that she had to endure to get the way she was, that has often been curbing his interest in trying so hard to correct her behavior lately.
He's seen that look in her eyes before, a look he still has yet to discern. He saw it briefly when she nearly shot him after the U-boat fiasco, and he saw it again before she kicked his ass after the job he forced Lagoon Company into a few months back. Although the look had only flashed through her eyes for a short moment then.
A recurring thought popped into Rock's head, She might just simply love what she's become now. I mean, the woman really does seem to enjoy her line of work after all.
Rock was certain he had peeled back, or picked at another layer of the emotional shell she's wrapped herself in. Though this time he had done it unintentionally and at a very, very, bad time. He followed her demand, deciding it would be bad to defy her at a time when they both really needed to be level headed.
His expression was a calm and disarming one as he raised his hands slightly in a placating gesture. He walked back to the table and sat down slowly. He made sure to keep his hands visible and, on the table, with the hope that she would pick up on his non-threatening body language.
Her expression had shifted into one of unhinged rage, and Revy was practically growling by the time Rock was seated.
Shit! this is bad, I'm not gonna be able to grab for her gun this time if she decides she's had enough of me!
Rock bowed his head a little, and apologized, "Revy, I am sorry."
His eyes began to show the fear that was building up inside. He began to break out into a nervous sweat.
Revy erupted again, "Youuu told me Dutch said we're to stay fucking put where we are Rock, so WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT?!.. OOOooo... oowwh fuck."
Revy's aim faltered, and her expression suddenly changed to a pained one. She looked down as she placed her cutlass on the table, and clutched her wound with both hands.
Her head hung low, and she spoke in a shaky and quiet tone, "Ahhh Rock, mmmMMmm... it hurts..."
Rock stood and walked over to the fridge, immediately shrugging off his own nerves from the confrontation they just shared. He returned to her side with pain pills, water, and the ice bags from earlier.
He spoke calmly, "Here Revy, take these."
Revy took the pills without a word, and when she was done, Rock held offered a hand and helped her stand up. She wrapped an arm around his frame and he guided her over to the bed nearby. After laying her down, he grabbed the ice bags nearby, handing one to her for her head. Rock placed one gently on her wound, holding it in place himself as he sat on her bedside.
The two stayed there in that position for some time, neither one wanting to mention the situation beforehand. The faint sound of another bomb going off in the distance made Rock start to think down the same train of thought he had been earlier.
He remembered what Benny had told him earlier on the phone.
I hate to admit it, but leaving Roanapur for a while sounds like a great idea right about now.
Rock's hand was still on the ice bag when his phone started to ring on the table. He took Revy's hand and placed it on the ice before he got up to answer. All of Rock's nerves had rushed back to him when he picked up on the third ring.
"Benny?! Are you guys okay?!"
Benny had to raise his voice over the sound of the roaring engine, "Rock! I'm on my way right now to pick you two up! I'll be there in five minutes or less, make sure Revy is ready to go by the time I'm there alright?!"
"Okay, we'll be out front!" Rock said, hanging up.
Rock pocketed his phone and Revy's pain meds. He then grabbed Revy's cutlass and tossed it to her.
"Revy! Catch."
Revy caught her piece with an unnatural grace, and holstered it as she sat up on the bed.
"Well? The fucks going on Rock? Did the Italians blow up the Lagoon or something?"
Rock replied as he got Revy's crutch out from underneath her bed, "Benny said he's on his way here, he'll be here in a couple of minutes. We need to get down to the entrance now Revy."
Revy said, "Well, so much for my oh so fucking peaceful day off."
Rock helped her off of her bed, and acted as her human crutch as the two made for the door. Revy hissed from time to time while she moved. By the time they made their way to the top of the stairs, Revy had decided she'd had enough once again.
Stopping before she took the first step down the stairs with Rock, Revy shrieked, "RRRRR GOD DAMMIT! I FUCKING HAAATE THIIS!"
She threw the crutch down the stairs, making a hole in the dingy drywall of the stairwell as it clattered and bounced down the steps.
Revy threateningly insisted, "Rock, you're a good coworker, so you're going to be verrryy fucking collaborative, and carry me now, do you understand?"
Revy wore the expression of a crazed killer as she spoke.
She then followed her request with a CLICK of her cutlass, pressing it lightly into Rock's side.
Rock though the idea sounded good, so he feigned a scared expression.
"Revy! You don't have to make me do that at gunpoint. Please, just put your gun away." He said.
Revy holstered her cutlass, chuckling like a madwoman.
"Ohhh you really are something else Rock, and here I thought you really did grow a backboOOHH HEYY! What are you?! OW! Easy!"
"Just remember Revy, you asked for this." Rock said, as Revy protested.
Rock swept her legs out from under her, and lifted her up into a one-person arm carry as he descended down the steps cautiously. She wrapped her hands around his neck as he carried her, her bangs hiding her eyes as she continued to curse and complain into Rock's ear about his behavior. By the time the two had reached the bottom of the stairs, Revy had a light blush on her face.
Rock walked past the crutch and eyed the soda machine down the hall.
Oh, now isn't that convenient.
He spoke with a slight smile, "Benny should be here any moment, would you like a soda to pass the time Revy?"
"Ohh veryyy funny rock, like I really need that shitty humor of yours right now." Revy grumbled.
Rock walked over and gently set Revy down onto her feet right next to the soda machine, so she could lean on it. He then fumbled with his wallet and fed some Bahts into the machine.
"Well? Take your pick, Revy. If you can't have alcohol, you better get some caffeine before you go losing your mind on me again."
Revy mashed the Classic Cola button on the panel twice.
"Don't start thinking that your gonna get me to quit drinking with this crap, Mr. Japanese. And you damn well deserved it earlier, you're an employee Rock, not some pseudo anti-crime boss dipshit. So quit tryin to act like one, alright?"
Rock spoke with a quiet and calm tone, "Uh-huh, Okay Revy. But you can believe me when I say this; Roanapur would have much less to offer for me than it does already, if my trusty drinking partner suddenly gave up the bottle." He squatted down and grabbed the two cans of cola. "I fully intend to take you to the yellow flag, and buy you your own bottle of Bacardi when you've completed taking your prescription meds."
Rock stood, and handed her a soda.
"Uhhahh.." Revy had to shake off the stunned look and light blush that had crept onto her face. "Hey now! You ought to.."
rrrRRRRT! HOOONK! HOOONK! ... HOOOOOOOOOOOOONK!
Revy cracked her soda.
"Well shit, there's our ride." She said.
HOOOOOOOONK!
Rock said, "We really need to go now, come on."
He was about to pick her up again.
HOOOOOOOONK!
"I think I can walk on my own now RrooOOCK!... RRRrrr.." Revy growled.
Miraculously, Revy managed to keep her soda from spilling as she was scooped up. She carefully balanced it in her left hand while she bounced lightly in Rock's arms. She slung her right arm around his neck for more stability. As she was being hustled outside, Revy listened to his huffed breathing, and watched the strain in his neck and shoulders as he moved her quickly to the car. She began to feel something she hadn't felt for the longest time, something she could barely recognize... a small sensation of..
Ka-clunk.
Her moment of clarity was interrupted by the sound of the passenger side door opening on the GTO, and the sight of an angry looking Benny in the driver's seat.
Revy said, "What's got you so torqued Benny? Did you lose another beloved computer of yours?"
She shoved Rock in the backseat after she was set down next to the car.
Benny yelled, "For your information, yes, I actually did lose another one Revy. I also just got off the phone with Rock and he said you would be out front when I got here! And look at my car!"
He pointed a hand back at the rear of the GTO for emphasis.
"What's the problem Bennyy booyyy, did daddy Dutch forget to give you allowance for another one?"
She cackled at her co-worker as sat down in the passenger side.
"Actually!" Benny unlocked and slammed open the glovebox. "He did give me an allowance."
Revy's eyes went wide when she saw what was inside.
"Whoah, now that is some serious dough, and what is this... oooo hoohoohoooo, now this looks like a fuunnn time."
She grabbed it as soon as she saw it, and began admiring and inspecting it thoroughly. The sawed off M79.
Rock saw the hard drive sitting in the glove box as he sat in the back seat.
Rock asked, "Benny, is that the.."
"Yeah Rock, it is." Benny replied. He started the GTO.
"Now, we've got to drop by and pick up a take-out order from old man Praiyachat. Dutch had me place a large order of ammo and explosives earlier, in anticipation of this shit hitting the fan." Benny said.
"Boss man's always one step ahead of the world." Revy said.
Benny looked at Revy with a serious expression.
"I really hope so Revy, because if he isn't this time around, you can start by saying hello to your new boss."
Revy erupted in laughter, "HAHAA! Now that is fucking hilarious, oh my god, Rock! Did you hear what he just said?!"
She turned around to look at Rock, who had a grim expression on his face. Seeing that caused her to face forward again, and resume fondling her new grenade launcher. She muttered about how Rock always kills the mood somehow.
Rock caught Benny's eye in the rearview mirror, and a look of understanding flashed between the two men.
He then spoke up, "Revy, I don't think Benny was joking."
"Oh really, you don't say Rock." Revy replied, plainly.
She popped open the break action on the M79, clearly uninterested.
"When I left the office, Dutch seemed like he was getting ready for world war three. He had me help him get the M60 set up, and fetch your own personal grenade launcher for him to use Revy. It just so turns out that the first wave of guys to attack were a bunch of heavily armed, plain clothed, Vietnamese fisherman. They appeared to be the same guys that tried to take out you and Dutch the other day." Benny said.
"Not a whole lot to go on." She replied.
"Yeah, well at least from now on we can be sure of what our attackers look like, and who to give a wide berth on the water." Benny said.
While he bounced around in the back seat of the GTO as it roared through Roanapur, Rock found himself staring, with a deflated expression, at the 40mm grenades that sat beside him. He knew very well that he was likely to arrive at the scene of a bloodbath shortly, and witness Revy contribute to it.
After a few brief minutes, the GTO screeched to a stop outside of Praiyachat's back room gun shop. Rock got out of the car and went inside with all three of the large stacks of US dollars stuffed in his pockets. After banging on the sliding cage door for a what seemed like a minute straight, the cashier finally showed up and let Rock in.
The cashier silently took the tall stacks of USD from Rock, and tucked them behind the counter. He then nodded his head toward a large unmarked burlap sack that was laying up against the wall, behind Rock. After thanking the man, Rock hefted the bag outside like an oversized sack of groceries. As soon as it was loaded into the shot-up trunk, and Rock had gotten back into the GTO, the trio thundered back to the Lagoon Company HQ.
1:25 PM
The GTO turned slowly around the corner onto the road outside the Lagoon Company office.
Rock had already heard the gunfire long before he saw anything. He counted 20 something cars bunched up in the road ahead, with their occupants scattered throughout the firefight, all in the midst of what appeared to be a three-way gun battle. Most of the cars were riddled with bullet holes, some were on fire, and one was in pieces, like it had been popped like a balloon. Only scraps of the lower frame were left, and the surrounding pavement was charred black as night.
Rock saw what he thought was Balalaika's motorcade, far on the other end of the road. A road which had become a body-littered warzone. Rock counted them all, as the GTO idled past, and rolled over a few, of about 30+ bodies all over the road. Almost all of them were face down, appearing to have been shot in the back as they attempted to flee.
Another recurring thought that Rock has had before, popped into his head once more.
I can't believe, that in such a short time since I was last walking on this road with Revy, that all of this carnage can happen so fast. I guess I shouldn't be surprised, I'm still in Roanapur after all.
The GTO idled along slowly, inching ever-closer to the conflict.
Benny asked, "How are we going to do this Revy? Fast and loud? Or slow and steady?"
"Are you kidding?! Fast and loud, dipshit! Punch it!" Revy demanded.
She hung out the passenger side window of the car, un-holstering a cutlass.
Rock shrunk down lower into the backseat. He nervously said, "Ohh boy here we go again.."
Benny slammed on the accelerator, and the GTO's engine roared to life like a wild beast. It closed distance rapidly, thundering towards the still-raging gun battle.
BLAM! BLAM! BLAM! ... THUMP! ... BOOOOM!
Revy shot a man crouched behind the front fender of a sedan with her cutlass. She then followed up her shots by firing the M79 at three men that were advancing towards the Lagoon Company building. She popped back in the car quickly, and tossed the grenade launcher back at Rock, who was laying pancake flat in the backseat so he didn't get shot.
Revy had her crazed, chaos loving grin on her face as she shouted, "Load me up Rock!"
BLAM! BLAM! ... BLAM! BLAM! ... BLAM! BLAM!
Revy had drawn her second cutlass, and was rapidly dispatching targets out in the open. Benny maintained the GTO's speed, weaving through the destroyed cars lining the road, expecting a hail of bullets to rip through them at any moment.
"Revy! Here!" Rock shouted.
He passed the stubby M79 up front to her.
"Gimme that!" She snatched the launcher from Rock's grasp.
THUMP! ... BOOOOM!
Revy destroyed another car with the grenade launcher, blasting apart the occupants pressed up beside it who had used it as cover.
Of the few men that were still alive, most of them were distracted by the second exploding sedan. One after another dropped dead onto the cracked pavement, paying the ultimate price for losing their focus in the heat of a gun battle.
The GTO screeched to a stop next to Balalaika's motorcade, now on the correct side of the battle.
Revy was the first out of the car. She stood and leveled the sights of the shorty M79 on another group of attackers, but before she could fire, they dropped dead under the trained gunfire from Balalaika's men.
Benny got out and crouched in front of the GTO, putting most of the car between him and the incoming gunfire. He shouted towards the Russian crime boss, "Miss Balalaika! Where's Dutch!?"
Balalaika was pressed firmly up against the side of the Lagoon Company building, peeking and taking the occasional shot down the road with an SVDS. She responded by pointing a finger up at the office section of the building.
As if on que, Dutch popped up in a window overlooking the road. He shouldered his M60, and let off a thundering racket of machinegun fire.
BRAP!BRAP!BRAP!BRAP!BRAP!BRAP!
Dutch swept the stream off gunfire over the road, burning through a couple hundred rounds of ammo. He cut down about ten more enemies with the aid of Balalaika's gunmen. They were firing their AKMs and Stechkins in semi auto and short bursts, forming a flanking formation as they fought with an unnatural efficiency. Rapidly and effectively pushing the Italian mafia further back into their defensive positions. The few that decided to flee up the road from which they came, all collapsed like ragdolls. Dead or dying next to their brothers who had tried and failed to run away earlier.
Rock watched the exchange with a heightened sense of terror, witnessing the gun battle lose it's steam, as the enemies were reduced to stragglers, and then as there were no more. The battle had suddenly taken on an eerie silence, and there wasn't a single sound. It was like someone had put the world around him on mute, and all he could hear was his own nervous breathing.
Rock stuck his head out the passenger side to get a better view. He then jumped out of fright when he saw Revy's face peering back up at him from below.
Revy spoke quietly, "Rock... It hurts.. even with the pain pills."
She sat, back propped up against the GTO's passenger side door, clutching her wound again. Rock quickly exited the car out of the driver's side, and was crouched down beside her in an instant.
"You need to bring your heart rate down Revy, and stop trying to walk on your own. Here, let me help you up."
Rock continued tending to Revy.
Meanwhile, Dutch made his way down the steps outside the office. Balalaika stood below him, watching him descend down the steps.
Balalaika teased, "Well that sure was exciting Dutch, and here I thought you were just a boring old sailor."
"I sincerely thank you Miss Balalaika, for the show of force here today. And while I do believe I could've handled that all singlehandedly, just fine on my lonesome," Dutch chuckled. "I really do appreciate the assist."
Balalaika smiled slyly at the man and replied, "Oh suurre cowboy, you had that one well under control."
The two bosses slung their weapons onto each of their backs, and shook hands. Whether or not the two noticed they were standing in a large puddle of blood, and whether or not they cared, nobody paid it any mind.
Dutch spoke to the rest of the Lagoon Company, "Rock, Benny, Revy, you guys go and collect the guns and ammo, any valuables, and all the cash you can find off of the bodies. We owe Miss Balalaika for this, and a good way to start paying her back is by dividing up the spoils of our little victory here."
Balalaika translated part of that into Russian, Хорошие рабочие люди! Ни один из вас вниз, это то, что я хотел бы видеть! В то время как наши союзники собирают богатства наших врагов для нас, чтобы наслаждаться, радоваться! Все вы будете хорошо пить сегодня вечером!
Her men erupted in a short cheer after she spoke. Translates to: Good work men! Not a single one of you down, that is what I like to see! While our allies collect the riches of our enemies for us to enjoy, rejoice! All of you will drink well tonight!
Revy piped up, "You can't be serious Dutch, we should fucking keep all of them! After all we're the ones wh.."
Dutch sighed before he interrupted her, "Revy! Christ, just shut up and go do it, help load the Lagoon or something. Rock, make sure you help her down into the Lagoon. I got dibs on the two vintage 1918 Berettas off the guys by the other entrance, tuck them away in the Lagoon's cargo hold when you find em Benny."
Balalaika chimed in, "Ah Ah Ahhh, Dutch, I think I'll be having one of those for myself."
Dutch teased, "Okay, so you do have a taste for vintage firearms then."
"Oh, now Dutch, I have half a mind to be offended by that statement." Balalaika warned.
The two continued on talking while Benny and Rock grabbed a few guns to take over to the lagoon. Rock was acting as Revy's human crutch again as they began to make their way off of the road and towards the wooden pier. Though before they made their way there, almost out of instinct, everyone stopped and tensed up. Revy sensed it sooner, she had already drawn her cutlass with her free hand, racking the slide with her teeth.
A final black sedan approached the scene slowly from the same direction the GTO had come. This caused almost everyone to shoulder their guns again, and aim at the approaching vehicle.
Out stepped the current sitting Italian crime boss in Roanapur, a man known as Ronnie, or, "The Jaws," depending on who you asked.
He got out the back of the sedan, and ran both of his hands through his hair, teetering on the edge of his sanity as he looked around at the carnage. He walked closer with his 4-man escort, who were armed with shotguns and handguns, though none of them dared to raise a gun.
Ronnie was nearly frothing at the mouth when he spoke, crazed, "Balalaika! WHAT IS THIS?! What, do you think you can do this shit and not have a.."
Balalaika asked exhaustedly, "Dutch, would you please?"
Dutch roared, "SHUT THE FUCK, UUP!"
BRAP!BRAP!BRAP!BRAP!BRAP!BRAP! BRRRRT! BRAK!BRAK!BRAK!BRAK! BLAM! BLAM!
Ronnie and his entourage were blasted into bits before they even hit the ground, with some limbs shot off, and heads exploding into bits, as Dutch opened fire. So did everyone else in the vicinity, aside from Benny, Rock, and Balalaika. All that was left where him and his men once stood, was a blood-soaked pile of gore and body parts.
Balalaika looked at the pile of gore as she spoke to Dutch, "Roanapur has been awfully crowded with him around. So in a strange way, I guess I need to thank you Dutch. You helped resolve that matter, and with such rapid and direct means, so thank you!" A wicked laugh followed her words.
"Hey they damn near destroyed my place of business, I'll be damned if I just let them try and take my life, or worse, destroy the Lagoon. That brings me to another point, my place of business. Uhhh, I don't suppose your standard insurance plan covers premium liquor by any chance now, does it?" Dutch asked.
The two bosses talked amongst themselves as Benny and Rock combed over the corpses of the nearly 90 dead attackers. They sorted and piled up guns, a few hand grenades, jewelry, cash, and spare ammunition into the GTO, and into the trunk of Balalaika's sedan. The two men held back vomit as they looted the corpses. Some of the bodies had caught fire, while others were barely recognizable. Revy sat in the driver's seat of the GTO, criticizing and teasing both Benny and Rock each time they loaded valuables into the car.
As he worked, Rock realized it was the bodies that were killed on the spot, dead before they hit the ground, those bothered him the most. Fortunately they were the most clean to work with, usually just lying limp in a pool of their own blood. It was the looks of terror, excruciating pain, or fear, frozen on some their faces. Those looks, the expressions that the dead around him wore, Rock had worn those looks on his own face, more often than he'd care to admit.
Once they were done, Revy drove them down a short gravel road alongside the building, around to the pier. After being helped inside the Lagoon by Rock, Revy stacked the guns inside of some wooden crates below deck as they were passed down to her. The three worked as a team with Benny handing them across the gap to Rock, who then walked over and handed them down to Revy.
Revy inspected most of the guns as she tucked them away, noticing that most of them were WW2 vintage. There were six M1 carbines, two M1 Garand rifles, seven Beretta Model 38 submachineguns, three Ithaca 37 pump shotguns, five M3 Grease guns, seven M1A1 Thompson SMGs, three 1921 Thompson SMGs, and a large nylon bag full of 30 something handguns from various manufacturers. There were some modern machine pistols and assault rifles as well. And then there was the WW1 vintage 1918 Beretta submachinegun, the bag of ammo and explosives from Praiyachat, the hard drive, and the guns from the fishermen who attacked beforehand. After it was all said and done, Revy was exhausted and in pain. She knew she needed rest.
"I'm tanked, I'll be in my cot until we leave." Revy said.
Rock asked politely, "Alright Revy, can I get you anything while I'm up here?" Rock looked down the hatch from above deck.
Revy replied with a middle finger, "Nooo Rock, I'm fine, so fuck off." She walked out of eyesight, off towards the forward cargo hold.
Rock found this amusing.
Okay, back to our work relationship when the others are around. I see how it is Revy.
"Cheery, as usual." Benny said.
Rock replied, "Yeah, I guess so."
Benny changed the subject, "Well now that we're done with that, I'm going to go ahead and scavenge what I can out of the bedrooms and office upstairs, clear out the safe, and finish loading up the lagoon with the basics, won't take me but a moment. Hey, head up and let Dutch know we're ready to leave port."
"Ok, will do."
Rock walked back up around the building and approached his two employers from behind. He took a moment to eavesdrop the tail end of Balalaika's conversation with Dutch.
"You should know already Dutch, I always deal with the local authorities ahead of time, so all that's left now... is a long and tiresome discussion about this unfortunate mess."
Dutch replied, "Yeah, well, I'm taking the Lagoon and everyone out to sea for awhile. We're gonna stay out at sea as long as we need to, and maybe do a couple odd jobs while we plot our next move."
Deciding he didn't care to hear more, Rock walked closer and spoke up, "Sorry to interrupt you two, Dutch, we're all ready to go, Benny's almost done prepping the Lagoon."
"Alright, Balalaika, thank you again." Dutch said. He shook her hand once more.
"Most certainly Dutch, I'll call you when I have another job for you."
As the two men walked back down around the buidling to the pier, Dutch handed Rock the M60. They were commenting about how damn awkward it was to carry, and how damn loud it was compared to Revy's handguns.
Balalaika had one more thing to say, "Oh and Rock?"
The two men turned around and looked up at Balalaika, who was standing on the edge of the road above them.
She continued, "Take good care of two hands, it would be a shame if Roanapur was to lose one of it's finest gunmen. Now, you all go and enjoy your little vacation, Goodbye!"
Balalaika turned and gave them a small wave as she walked back to her motorcade.
Rock replied as she walked away, "Uhh I will, thanks!"
Rock turned and looked at Dutch. His boss had pulled out a lighter and held out two premium cigarettes for Rock.
Dutch said, "Let's get, the fuck out of here. Am I right?"
Rock took both the cigarettes, accepted the light, and let out an exhausted chuckle.
"Honestly, I couldn't agree more Dutch."
END Chapter 3
Benny and Dutch are going to be fading back into the background character group way more, as Revy recovers. I'm going to be writing this fanfiction more around Rock if I can, as well as introducing my OC soon-ish. I have the next chapter sort of in progress, and another in the stew pot. Would you guys like shorter chapters? Longer chapters? I'm new to writing fanfictions, or any semblance of a story for that matter. This is my first attempt at writing anything at all, so I guess all I can say is: Thanks for Reading!
What I'm listening to while I write: My Body by LSG, Do G's Get To Go To Heaven? by Richie Rich, Night Moves by Bob Seger, Hot Sunny Day by Celly Cel, Fascination (2016 Remaster) by David Bowie, and All Along The Watchtower by Jimi Hendrix. Jimi burned that sound into the pages of history. If I had to pick a song to mow down hordes of mobsters with an M60, at a boathouse just outside of a place like Roanapur, that song. That is what I'd have playing.
