Delivery

Chapter 15

"You missed, brother dear," a small voice said, "That's so unlike you."

It was a voice that she hadn't heard for years. A voice that belonged to someone dead, but then recent experiences had taught her that the dead don't always stay dead. Above her a short grass sickle was just barely impaled into the hatch of the Lagoon. She looked and saw them. Both of them stood there, and both of them were the same as they had been when she first saw them.

"Oh, I remember her," the girl said, "She was mean, not like big brother."

She narrowed her eyes at them, "We have two of yours, get off before you make things uncomfortable for them."

There was a shared laugh, "She thinks that we're supposed to bring them back brother," the girl said, "Isn't that funny?"

"It is dear sister," he replied, "We're only interested in saving big brother. Everyone else wouldn't surrender."

The girl opened the package she was carrying, the large Browning Automatic Rifle came out, and Revy ducked before they fired. One came close to the hatch and she shot them, causing their head to explode. A satisfied smile crossed her lips before she watched as liquid wax began to form the head back. She watched as the head formed, and a small smile appeared on what looked like melted wax that was just starting to harden.

"Oh my, what a big gun," the girl said, "but mine's faster."

"Stop," Rock's voice carried, "You don't want to do this."

"Big Brother!" a happy squeal escaped her lips, "I missed you!"

Rock neared the hatch, seeing the girl he had seen shot in front of him. The way she had expressed true happiness at seeing the sky for the first time, the way she sang so sweetly, and he knew that there was no denying that whatever innocence she had ended up being put to death. He gave her the slightest smile. He had wanted to save her, and her brother, but in the end he realized that the chance to save them had been ages before.

They had been twisted by the trauma they suffered, becoming monsters of their own fashion, and now they were monsters of a different kind. He stood there, letting her see him, and he hoped that there was enough of who she had been to let him keep her attention. He moved closer to Revy, and she could see something he had. She had to admit, a grenade might work better. She wanted to kiss him, but at the moment they were facing a much more serious problem. She watched as he looked up the hatch at her. His smile never wavered. Instead he seemed to study her.

"I'm sure that the one who sent you has specific plans, right?" he asked, "And I wouldn't want you to get into trouble over disobeying them."

She grinned at him, "You're a good big brother," she cooed, "Looking after us like that."

Her brother peeked over, "He is nice, dear sister," he said happily, "I'd love to have him as a big brother."

They both looked at him, and he swallowed, "So, shouldn't it stand to reason that you let us know what you want?"

The girl grinned as her head, hair, and face finally stiffened into hardened wax, "Oh, we're to capture the ones traveling with you, and he doesn't mind if we kill the crew except for two. He wants two alive."

She smiled at him, "I already decided to keep you alive big brother."

He nodded, "Thank you," he said, "but wouldn't keeping our entire crew alive be better?" he asked, "You know in case you need to escape, or they need someone else to operate their yacht?"

Revy watched as he worked them, and she had to admit that he seemed to have them eating straight out of his hands. Both of the children remained on the deck of the Lagoon, hovering right over the hatch, and Rock stayed talking to them. She watched as he touched the ladder. She wanted to stop him, to keep him from climbing up, but she understood that he had to. He had to climb up in order to sale what he was planning to them.

She moved behind him, and took the grenade from him. The handle of it felt heavy in her hand, and she knew what he was planning. He was going to get them together, and she was going to use the explosive. It would hopefully be enough to put them under, of course she didn't doubt that he would try to save them, but this was his backup. As far as backups went it was a decent idea. She saw Tsurara nearing her. The Snow Woman had watched the entire ordeal.

"They're Loa," she said softly, "Spirits of the deceased transferred into wax dolls."

She looked at her, "how do you defeat them?"

She looked toward Ling Ling, "I don't know, but she might."

Revy looked at the living dead woman, and she honestly wasn't sure if she wanted to approach her. It wasn't because she had been dead, and was resurrected, but instead it was because she'd observed how manipulative the woman seemed to be. She reminded her a great deal of Chang, and while she respected Chang's ability she didn't think much of his personality. Sure, he was true to his word, which was important in Roanapur, but beyond that he wasn't above using someone to his own ends if he so desired.

Rock could do the same, but she knew that he wasn't as twisted as Chang was. He did what he did in order to save people. It annoyed her to no end, but she respected him for it. With him above she needed to get up there, but she needed to know how to beat those two if it came down to it. She walked toward Ling Ling who had been watching.

"I will go up with you," she said simply, "Loa are voodoo, something that I have little experience with, but something I do know about. Believe me, you will want the backup."

Getting to the deck Revy saw the two loa. Neither had harmed Rock, but both seemed determined to get him to the yacht itself. Revy looked for how they managed to get closer when the air rippled around them. Slowly the illusion lifted. A woman, who seemed similar to the top heavy bitch downstairs, stood near them. She grinned and held her hands up. A pair of wings folded themselves around her shoulders. The dark leathery bat wings looked demonic, yet it seemed to fit the redhead that stood there. She looked surprisingly American, her green eyes were the clearest Revy had ever seen before.

"Ah, well I suppose it was only a matter of time," the woman said, giving a slight bow, "I'm the children's escort."

She noticed that she was wearing a strippers version of a school girl's uniform. The skirt reminded her of catholic school. Not that she attended for long. The white shirt was open, revealing a black lacy bra, and the freckled skin seemed almost creamy white.

"Now, I suggest that you let those children talk to their adoptive brother," she said with a smile, "And dear Calin will listen to you, perhaps more."

Ling Ling smiled, stepping forward, and she raised her hand. For a moment there was nothing and then Calin screamed. She jumped back and a shallow cut appeared on her. She looked toward Ling Ling who gave a smile, "Oh dear me," she said, "Did I nearly hit you? I shall have to try harder."

Revy watched as the living dead bitch squared off against the other individual acting like the chaperone for the two formerly dead brats. Seeing that she seemed to have things under control she moved toward the two, still uncertain of what to do, but ready with the grenade if needed. The girl had survived a direct shot to the head, and her head basically exploding to pieces only for it to reform out of wax.

It was something she hadn't expected, and honestly she wasn't sure how to deal with it. As she neared them she could see them still trying to lead Rock, but he was slowing them down with his talking. He was asking them questions, getting them to think, asking them things, and they were responding. No, her Rocky Baby might not be someone that would hold a gun to fight. But that didn't mean that he was helpless. He was intelligent, and he was playing to his strengths. At the moment he was making them both think, to question what they were supposed to be doing, and attempting to make them think about what they wanted. He was doing more than just attempting to appeal to their better nature, and she could see the evidence of it.

Finally the girl shook her head, "We're sorry big brother," she said with a sad smile, "We have to take you back over. The one that brought us back said that he could send us back if we disobey Xia-Long."

She could see the attempt at reasoning coming to an end. If they were told that, and she was sure that they were, then they would do whatever they were told in order to continue to exist. She didn't want to admit it, but she would be in the same boat. She would do whatever she had to in order to remain in the world. It wasn't that much different than what she already did. That was before this trip, before she was able to see further than the next job.

There was a small sense of hope, and she hated that the mini maid was right about a few things. She had been right about the fact that she wanted Rock to save her. That she did see him a certain way because of the idea of who he was. She realized that her Rocky-Baby was more than some salaryman from Japan. He was a complex man, one that used his mind in the same way she used her guns. He was dangerous because he was a schemer, and that was just as dangerous as anything that she did.

But he did his best to save others. Even now he was attempting to save these two, and they were both already dead. She wasn't sure what he was planning on doing with them if he did save them. Was he planning on becoming their father? Would that mean that she would end up being their mom? The both of them were dangerous, and sure they'd fit in Roanapur, but they had already pissed off Fry Face. If she knew that they were basically immortal and unstoppable she would make it her mission to find a way to hurt them.

Eventually that would mean that she would come after Rock. She knew what would happen, and she didn't want to see it. Going up against Fry Face and Hotel Moscow was a fast way to find her bullet. It would be practically hand delivered by one of the Ivans. It might even be delivered by Fry Face herself. Of course that was if Chang didn't get her first. It wasn't common knowledge, but she knew that the two of them occasionally hooked up.

They were frienemies with benefits, and from what she learned they would meet at a neutral place, no weapons, do what they wanted for an hour or so, and then leave. The both of them had sworn that they would be the only ones to kill each other. If she offed Fry Face, by some miracle, then she would be facing the Triads and Chang himself. Neither option was a good one, and that was if they took those brats back with them.

She readied the grenade, preparing to use it on at least one, when Ling Ling hopped closer to them. She noticed that the living dead bitch was dragging the redheaded chaperone that had with the two brats. She dropped her and the children looked at her.

"Oh, did you beat her?"

She smiled at the girl, "I did," she said with a soft smile, "She wasn't really a fighter though, was she?"

The boy shook his head, "You smell different."

Her smile brightened, "That's right, I should smell similar to you both, right?"

He nodded, and she made a small hand gesture. When she did a bright light shined from his forehead, and on the girl a bright light shined from her right hand. Neither light dimmed, and they seemed to pulsate almost like a heartbeat.

"What's that?" Revy asked, looking confused, "I don't get it."

Ling Ling smiled, "Their talismans," she said simply, "hit those and it will dispel them and allow them to rest."

The two looked at them both, moving to block Rock, "He's our big brother!"

Ling Ling smiled at them, "Children," she said soothingly, "You've been brought back into a realm of pain. Allow us to grant you some peace. It is a mercy after all."

Revy looked at Rock and then at them, "So this is actually better for them?"

Ling Ling nodded, "I can sense their souls," she replied, "They're in torment, in pain, because they were ripped from somewhere peaceful."

She glanced at Rock "You want to save them, and this is saving them," she said soothingly, "They deserve their rest."

Both of the children began to move when he placed his hand on their shoulders, "Do you remember where you were?"

The girl looked at him, and it wasn't a look of fear, "It was beautiful, a white beach for as far as the eye could see," she said in a whisper, "Wasn't it brother dear?"

He nodded, "Yes dear sister," he replied, "A beautiful beach, a wonderful place. We saw the sun, felt the air, and no one was there to hurt us."

"Is being here better?"

She looked at him, "Yes," she said before she grabbed one of her brother's knives, "Because you're not there." she sliced at him and the moment she did Revy shot her through the hand.

The girl's eyes widened, she opened her mouth and a white mist poured out of it. She could see the shape of a girl standing there, and before he could react she shot the boy where the light was shining. His head exploded like the girl's and the same white mist formed. The two mists touched one another, practically dancing, and she watched as they moved off of the side of the boat, dancing on the air, free of the confines of the earthly vessels they were forced to reside in.

Ling Ling looked at her, "It was a mercy, not that I personally believe that you wanted to grant them one."

She nodded, and then she saw Rock. He was slumped, and she neared him. The knife had hit him, cutting a deep wound. It wasn't deep enough that he was in danger of his intestines spilling out, but he would need stitches. Even so, he wasn't even paying attention to it. Instead he was looking at the girl.

"How could they do this?" he asked sounding angry, no, he sounded pissed, "How could they do this to her again?"

He looked at Ling Ling, "How could they bring her back away from being at peace?!"

She shook her head, "Whoever preformed the ceremony didn't care," she replied, "They were proficient killers, and to be honest if they weren't so obsessed with you I'm certain that they would have killed most of us."

He looked at her, "Does that mean that you were only able to kill them because of my being here?"

Ling Ling looked at him, "She pulled the trigger," she said pointing at Revy, "But you, my dear boy, were their bullet."