Chapter 26: One Final Soiree

The light was beginning to fade when she awoke and soon enough it would be dusk. Roberta glanced towards the door to make sure nobody had tried to force their way inside while she had been sleeping. She twisted on the spot to try and alleviate some of the stiffness in her limbs and relieve the pain of having been sitting in the one spot for hours. It was quiet in here, though the distant sound of gunfire did meet her ears from outside. Revy must have been taking the fight to the New Order ever since she parted ways with Roberta. With any luck, there would be very little resistance on the way to rescue Garcia. Roberta suddenly remembered the Wolf, but it sounded like she was the only one in the building, unless he had been sleeping as well. Then, she felt something around her neck and her hand went to it. It was the golden crucifix given to the assassin by Usagi Matsumoto. He had fastened it around Roberta's neck while she had been sleeping and then left her be. She had made it clear that this was something she needed to do alone and that she did not desire or require the assassin's help. Still, some part of her thought he would ignore that and try to assist her anyway. She clutched the crucifix tightly. She was satisfied that he respected her wishes, regardless of the fact that he did not truly understand why she had to go it alone. He had also been a good friend and a trusted companion to her and her family during the last two years, even if their relationship hadn't always been the steadiest. If she did not see him again, she hoped that he would keep fond memories of her and that he could one day find a peace of his own away from this city. But there was no time to dwell on any of that right now.

Roberta brusquely pulled herself to her feet. The rest had been badly needed, especially after the fight with Revy. She was not completely recovered, but she had been reenergised enough to justify going after Garcia straight away. There was no time to waste. She hurried out the door and her eyes darted around the area for any sign of her enemies. There were no more footprints or signs of the earth being disturbed since earlier, so they had not come to find Hawke after all. That was good. She could take them by surprise this way. She turned the corner and headed in the same direction Revy had, where Alejandro had gone, on the off-chance the hostages were with him. Regardless, they had to be somewhere in this hamlet.

Roberta made her way towards a small red car, crouching down and taking cover behind it. There were three men gathered nearby with guns in their hands chatting about unimportant things. Roberta did not need information from them, she had enough to go on now and it was only a matter of time before she came upon Garcia. The New Order were of no use to her now. Allowing them to chatter for a few more minutes, she unsheathed the knife and leapt up onto the roof of the car with the blade held out from her body. The men all started and looked up at her in shock, her hip-length hair gathered around her like a dark shroud. These men knew that the Bloodhound had been reborn for one night only and that she would bring them death. Roberta jumped towards them and sliced the knife through the air, severing the jugular of one of the men. Before they could react, she had disembowelled a second and the third was already retreating when she pounced on him like a dog, pinning his arms to the ground with her powerful legs and swiping the knife in a backwards motion, its blade almost decapitating him. He was dead more or less instantly. Roberta did not stop there. She climbed off the dead man and knelt down low to the ground, sniffing the dirt and following the scent further inland. The gunfire did not cease, either, and several members of the New Order drove passed the buildings in cars and jeeps to assist their comrades who were more than likely being slaughtered by Two-Hands.

Roberta poised herself and started sprinting towards the road at the edge of the settlement, kicking her legs into the ground and propelling herself into the air. She landed on one of the vehicles, plunging her knife into the metal roof to keep her positioned there. She could hear the cries of alarm from the passengers and the jeep swerved for a moment as the driver temporarily lost control. He kept driving, however, much to Roberta's satisfaction. She was using him to take her to the very top of the hamlet. She knew that was where the Young Master would be. The scent of these men and the tracks in the dirt were widespread near the coast and in the middle of the settlement, but Roberta could track none of them to the furthest point from the ocean. If they had been there, it was only to bring the hostages for safekeeping. On top of that, Hawke may have been a diversion, a trap lying in wait. The New Order members who worked for him knew what she was like and they probably predicted she would go after Hawke. The best way to ensure she never saw the light of day again was if they lured her to him and kept the Lovelace boy as far away as possible. Hawke must have requested to fight her alone, as well, which would explain why none of his people had been nearby or even attempted to come and find him. Roberta would find Garcia somewhere near the countryside where the buildings ended, and the driver of the jeep was doing a fantastic job of cutting her journey in half.

As soon one of the passengers stuck his head out the window to see who it was on the roof, Roberta lifted one foot and launched it into the back of his neck. While he was disoriented, she removed the knife from the roof and drove it deep into the base of his skull, into his brain. That was when the driver brought the jeep to a stop and Roberta was forced to go on the attack, but she had a vantage point up here. Unless of course the men within decided to-

BANG!

The shot came up through the roof and caught Roberta in the side. She tumbled backwards and landed on the ground with a thud. That had been unexpected and Roberta had only just started to consider they might do that before it happened. Her knife had also fallen from her hand and it lay on the ground five feet away, out in the open. She had no hope of retrieving it without being killed. The men all exited the jeep and prepared for a fight, but Roberta had a different idea, a risky play that could result in her untimely demise if these people did not fall for it. She went completely limp on the ground and pretended to have been killed by the bullet. Hopefully, they would not notice the fact that it only struck her in the side before she could make her move.

"Is she dead?" one of the men asked. They did not close the doors so it was difficult to determine how many of them there were, but judging from the sound of their footsteps there must have only been three left alive.

"Be careful, Jenner," a second man said. That was two, confirmed. "It's the bitch Hawke has been after."

"What the hell is she doing up here?" a third man asked. No others spoke for the duration of Roberta's feigned death and she decided to act under the assumption that she was correct about the amount of them.

"Oh god," the first man exclaimed. "You don't think she fucking killed him?"

"I don't think anything," the second man said. "You make sure that shot took her out. I'll radio for reinforcements." As he grabbed his walkie-talkie, the man apparently called Jenner knelt down behind Roberta and leaned in close to try and see if she really was dead.

Roberta heard the sound of the walkie-talkie and that was her cue. She parted her lips and bared her fangs like a true Bloodhound, giving Jenner only a glimpse of the creature that would kill him. Then, she moved upwards and sunk her teeth into his neck. He roared out in pain and Roberta could taste his blood trickling into her mouth. The only one of the two remaining men who had a clear view of what was happening opened fire, but Roberta was too quick and she moved Jenner into the line of fire with only her teeth. The shots his companion let off killed him. Distracted by this turn of events, the shooter recoiled and bore witness to what he had just done. That was as good an opportunity as any. Roberta released Jenner and scrambled across the ground with her feet and hand in the dirt like a three-legged wolf. Her teeth shredded the trouser leg of the shooter and drew blood from his ankle. As he cried out for help, Roberta dragged him to the ground with her jaws and wrested the gun from his hands. She lifted it into the air and brought it down like to club to smash in the man's face. She did this multiple times until he was dead.

"You fucking crazy bitch!" the driver roared, the only one left in her way now. "You're a goddamn animal! Nothing but a fucking rabid dog!" He was attempting to cock his own weapon, his hands shaking in fear after the display of utter carnage he had just seen. Roberta could not let him get the better of her. She dropped the gun and picked it back up in the proper position, the way it was meant to be held. She pointed it at the driver as if she was going to shoot him. She was aware of her limitations and how difficult it was for her to use weaponry anymore, but she had to try or he would be the one ending her life instead of the other way around. Holding the gun as securely as she could, she moved her ring finger into the trigger guard and aimed for the head. She had used guns since becoming maimed the other times she had come to Roanapur, but it was not something she was capable of anymore and she was taking a huge gamble by even attempting to do so now, but she had to try. The adrenaline and bloodlust that had been fuelling her actions up to now, the very last reserves deep down inside her that she had been saving, were spent at long last. This was the only way she was going to survive. She closed her eye and pulled the trigger as much as she could. A shot rang out into the air. Roberta felt a red hot sensation spread through her flesh, overtaking her entire right forearm and making her hand go numb. The gun fell out of her hand and she opened her eye. The driver was standing where he had been. There was a hole in his forehead from the shot Roberta fired. The recoil of the weapon had been too much for her waning strength to endure and her hand was in extreme pain now as a result, but she was alive and relatively unharmed otherwise.

The dead man went limp and crumbled to the ground. It was over. There were no more of the New Order nearby and Roberta could go after Garcia unhindered now, but she did not do so right away. She sat there in the dirt and started weeping uncontrollably, incredibly aware of the horrible display she had just put on. The four dead bodies were mangled and slaughtered by her hand and she put her face in her hand at the thought of it. The elation at the thought that she could finally stop killing like she intended to long, long ago and return home with her family was overwhelming and it was understandable to become emotional after everything she had been through. Her life had been long and full of horrors most people would have been broken by. The things she had seen were burned into her mind forever, as were the things she had done. Those that died by her hand could never be returned to life and she had to bear that guilt alone. And it was emotionally shattering to finally be able to put it all behind her and have a peaceful life. But the joyousness and happiness was short-lived as she became inordinately aware of how the promise she made long ago, to lay down her arms in service to the Lovelace family, had been broken many times and how much of an effect that had on them. Pius and Fabiola were in Roanapur right now because they had come to look after Garcia and Roberta. The boy, also, had been subject to far too much as a result of Roberta's actions. Even ignoring everything that had happened since the Grey Fox team came here, Garcia was exposed to an amount of bloodshed that would inevitably scar him for the rest of his life. Roberta still remembered the day he discovered just how dangerous she could be, when he broke down in the Yellowflag exclaiming to Rock how he did not know who she was, that she was not the Roberta he had come to know. While he had overcome the initial shock and proclaimed his affection and love for her as a valued member of his family, there had been many instances since where he was forced to witness the things the Bloodhound was capable of. It caused her immense pain to come to terms with the fact that she had been responsible for much of his anguish these last few years. And so she cried, the complicated feelings and years of unaddressed pain escaping her like a tsunami.

The tears streamed down her face and she allowed the emotion to wrap her up in its bittersweet embrace.

"Young Master…please forgive me…," she stuttered. "I am so sorry, Master Garcia…" She knew there was nothing to forgive, that Garcia loved her unconditionally despite her flaws and the blood on her hands, but that did not change the fact that the things she had done had been a great burden to him and, no matter what, he was a changed person because of it. He may not grow up to become a bad person or walk in the darkness like she at one time feared deep down, but he was forever altered by his experiences. Roberta hated herself for forcing him to face the horrors of the world of darkness. She loved him so much, more than she had ever loved anyone in the world, and she would spend every second of her remaining life working to undo all of the pain she had caused. Failing that, she vowed to herself to never leave his side again, to do everything in her power to make sure he could live in peace so that one day he might forget the things he had seen and live an uneventful but fulfilling life as the patriarch of the Lovelace family.

"I swear to Santa Maria, to Almighty God and all of the angels by his side, that I shall never take another life." She grabbed the two crucifixes around her neck and held them together as she prayed and made her promise under witness of the heavens above. "I will live out my remaining days by your side, Master Garcia. I swear to always be there for you and to make it my goal to heal the scars I have caused to cut their way into your gentle soul. I may not be able to atone for my sins, but I will bear the weight of yours for the rest of my days. As I served your father, I will serve you, and we can return to Venezuela so that we may live in peace…together." She inhaled deeply through her nose and let the air out through her mouth, releasing the crucifixes and letting them hang loosely around her neck.

"Roberta?" The Colombian woman almost jumped out of fright, turning to the left to see the source of the voice. The jeep had stopped near a small house, one whose windows were slightly ajar. She could not see inside, but she knew that voice and it filled her with joy to hear it finally. She clumsily stood up from the ground, bracing herself against the jeep and staggering over to the doorway only a couple of metres away. Once she was standing by the doorframe, she took a breath and opened the door itself to reveal the contents of the room. And there he was, Garcia Lovelace, tied back to back with Rock from Lagoon Company.

"Master Garcia!" Roberta exclaimed, taking the knife in her hand and going to free him from his bonds by slicing the rope. Once free, he hopped down from the table he was on and stood there, looking at Roberta with an expression on his face of both worry and delight. He must have noticed her injuries and the damage that had been done during her fight with Revy, but he was also clearly happy to see her. He came towards her and Roberta came to one knee so she could hug him. She never wanted to let him go again. When she finally released him, with some reluctance, he was smiling at her. It looked as though he may have become teary-eyed.

"I heard what you said, Roberta," he told her, his voice cracking for a moment. It was unclear if this was because he was getting emotional or due to his age.

"You did?" Roberta asked, her cheeks becoming red in embarrassment. She did not intend to say those things to him directly, at least not today. It had been a private vow between her and God. But she was happy as long as her words pleased him, which they very clearly had.

"Those things you were saying…I appreciate them, Roberta. But you will not have more of a burden to bear on my behalf. I can't ask you to do that."

"And I would not ask you to share the weight of my sins, Young Master. That is not fair of me." Garcia simply shook his head, but Roberta did not understand.

"Don't you see? There is no need to carry your sins with you because there are no sins to carry. You've more than atoned for your past mistakes and you deserve to live in peace. And that's what we'll do, like you said…together." Roberta suddenly realised what he meant, and her gaze went to the corner of the room where she noticed two figures were standing. The Japanese man she had killed a long time ago and the man from Havana disappeared, able to hound her no more. She had finally made up for her crimes and, while her guilt would never truly be gone for good, she had the strength to accept herself for her actions and that strength would allow her to go home with her family. She wiped the tears from her eye with the back of her hand.

"I love you, Master Garcia, with all my heart." Garcia hugged her again and she held him close with her arm.

"I love you too, Roberta."

The maid only now took note of Rock, who had not moved despite being freed from his bindings like Garcia. He sat in the same spot, but he was watching their exchange with a vague smile on his face.

"Let's go home," Garcia told her, turning to face Rock also. "Aren't you going to come back to Roanapur?"

"No, I don't think I will," Rock told them.

"It is dangerous here, Mister Rock," Roberta told him. "Your friend, Revy, she is looking for you but I do not know if she will find you in time. There are still dangerous men in the area." Rock looked towards the open doorway and out into the evening. It was dark, the sun having disappeared completely only minutes ago. Rock did not appear worried.

"I have faith in her," Rock said simply. "I'll wait here. You two should get going. You both look like you could use a rest." Of that, they had no doubt. They both turned and made their way towards the outside. "Hey, Roberta." They stopped when they heard him and Roberta turned to face him, resting her weight on Garcia's shoulder. "You saved him, okay? He was right, your sins can't follow you anymore. You did everything in your power to make sure he was safe. Because of you, he gets to go back home. The ghosts of your past have no power over you, now." Roberta was taken by surprise to hear those words from him, but she appreciated them greatly.

"Thank you," she told him. "I hope you can atone for your own sins one day, Mister Rock. It is never too late, you must know that." On that note, Rock could certainly disagree.

"Remember what we talked about, Rock," Garcia told him. "You can't lose hope, okay? There is still time for you." Rock simply smiled at the blind optimism of the young boy and his maid.

"You two take care of each other," he told them. "You've earned a peaceful life." They left him in the room, then, and headed back for Roanapur while Rock patiently idled in anticipation of Revy finally coming upon him. He genuinely did wish the Lovelaces well, even if he did not agree with their assertions about his life. But they had found peace for themselves, that was the main thing, and it made some small part of Rock incredibly happy to see that.