Note: Part of this chapter appeared in Arisugawa's Locket, my other fanfic.

Tales from Roanapur

Chapter 19

Mart Sue caught the blond looking at her from the crowded bar, and took a drink of her now warm beer. It was late evening, and a bunch of them were at the Yellow Flag, winding down from a long day's work.

"She's TOTALLY checking me out," Grantz noted, the younger man making sure he was tidy and ran a hand through his hair.

"Doubt it," Mary said, feeling eyes on her.

Mind you, the German's ALWAYS got eyed a bit. Even though a few months had passed, they were still the newcomers in town. At least the other gangs had, mostly, learned it was a very, VERY bad idea to try to whack them. There was also at least one of the local 'working girls; eyeing some of the troops, so there was THAT...

"Use protection, boys," Mary murmured as she drank.

"Refill?" Bao asked as he hovered nearby.

"I'm good," the brown haired woman finished her drink, then set the bottle on the table. "Hey, Weiss?" Mary addressed the other man.

"Yes, ma'am?" Johann asked, the slightly older man frowning a bit.

"I'm leaving," she told him, "you're most senior officer, make sure everyone gets home."

"Yes ma'am!" he fought the urge to salute.

'You can take a man out of the army, but not the army out of the man,' Mary thought, amused.

Of course some of it was the insane training Degurechaff put her recruits through. She had gotten permission to take the unit out 'wilderness training' and apparently it was pure hell. She even had them SHELLED at one point!

Mary waited a moment, then said, "You're Eda, right?"

"How did you know I followed you?" Eda asked, her eyes hidden by sunglasses, wearing a tight t-shirt and racy cut off shorts as she stepped into the light.

"Doing the work I did, you get good situational awareness," Mary replied briskly.

"We've met, I think," Eda said.

"Yeah. My squad was guarding a negotiating team, I remember you were there," Mary said quietly. She paused then continued more forcefully, "Look, I don't care how you ended up here. None of my business anyway."

"Fair enough," Eda agreed. She then added, "Besides, two long lost Americans should stick together, right?"

Mary shrugged, "Maybe."

"Catch you later," Eda waved, leaving.

As Eda walked away, Mary saw the gun tucked in the back of her shorts and wondered if the other woman would have shot her if she hadn't offered to stay silent.

"Weird fucking town," Mary sighed.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"Nicely done, Colonel Degurechaff," Mr Chang noted, visiting her office.

"I have no idea what you mean," Tanua said mildly.

Mr Chang looked amused.

Both of course knew he was talking about their grabbing Peking Duck, but neither would admit it. Ronnie 'The Jaws' was furious, but he didn't know who had done it and there was no evidence. He, of course, suspected Tanya...

"I would suggest you not kidnap away staff from other members of the council," Mr Chang added mildly.

"Not confirming anything, but I'd call it a rescue," Tanya noted.

Mr Chang grunted.

"And if you treat your staff well, they won't ask us to get them out of a bad situation," Tanya added dryly.

Mr Chang couldn't really argue that, everyone pretty much agreed Ronnie was a awful boss and shit human being.

"We have news on the person who leaked the information on the Church of Violence op," Tanya changed the subject.

":How..," Mr Chang blinked.

"Erya is very good, even if a bit distracted lately," Tanua said, amused. "And apparently he was foolish in spending his new gains."

Mr Chang looked amused, "I see."

"Dan Wisner's also dead, annoyingly," Tanya scowled.

Mr Chang frowned, "You didn't...?"

"No. We wanted to question him first," Tanya pointed out. She scowled, "Someone's tying up loose ends."

"And the killer escaped?" Mr Chang guessed.

"No trace of them," Tanya agreed, "we're back at square one."

Mr Chang nodded glumly.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"Sorry, we should have grabbed him before they could off him," Erya admitted to them glumly later that evening

"Not your fault," Tanya shook her head.

The three met in a private room in the read of their headquarters. It was set up as a sort of hybrid meeting and break room, with a fridge, several chairs and a decent couch that they had acquired somewhere...

"You warned me we should grab him as soon as possible," Tanya added. "I held off hoping his employers would show up."

"Drinks?' Visha asked, the taller woman pouring herself a vodka.

Erya shuddered, "I can't believe you drink that straight."

Visha shrugged cheerfully, "It's my Russian heritage."

Tanya sipped her beer as she sighed, "And she drinks it like water, while I can only have two or three beers and get plastered."

"Poor you," Erya teased, having rum.

Visha took her drink and sat by Tanya on the couch. "Well, at least the Church knows we're trying... we want to stay on their good side," she noted.

"Hmm," Tanya agreed. "They are too powerful a player in this city to cross. Plus, those guys hit US too..."

"Revenge!" Visha toased, and they all tapped glasses.

A bit buzzed Tanya added, "Well, at least we have some good news... I hear your friend Aya is back home."

Erya blushed slightly. "Yeah. Still off duty for a few days though."

"So now you need to make your move!" Visha encouraged.

"What move?" Erya flushed.

"Don't look at me," Tanya said quickly, "Visha was the aggressor in our relationship."

"I've heard," Erya checkled. Visha had realized her former commanding officer would NOT make a move for ethical reasons, so...

"I think we all agree you like her," Visha pointed out, "and not just as a friend."

"And she's a grown adult," Tanya pointed out.

(Aya had arrived in Roanapur as a teen, but several years had passed. Really, it was surprising the younger woman had held on to her innocence here...)

"I don't even know if she likes me that way," Erya sighed. She added, "Or even likes women like that, in general."

"That.. is a bit tougher to figure out," Visha admitted.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"Rum," Revy ordered after surrendering her pistols reluctantly.

"Whiskey," Greenback Jane said, the blond woman pushing up her glasses. She took in the crowd as she noted, "Busy night?"

Nabiki, who had stopped by to warn Revy not to start any brawls, made a face. "Busier than I'd like, honestly."

"How the hell does this bar pop up in Roanapur, anyway?" Revy had to ask.

"Whoops, trouble. Gotta go," Nabiki hurried off.

"She totally dodged that," Jane shook her head.

"Well, whatever. Arisugawa';s Locket just turns up occasionally," Revy shrugged. "Best not to think about it."

"Let's grab a table," Jane led her off.

Once they were sitting Revy scowled at Jane, "Okay, you wanted to see me. So talk."

"Were you serious when you threatened me?" Jane asked.

Revy blinked, then realized what Jane meant. Not THAT long ago, Jane had suggested that she wanted to bang Rock too, and Revy had threatened to basically FUCK Jane into submission. It had shut her right up.

"Seriously?" Revy looked at her thoughtfully.

Jane turned her glass in her hands, "I really am a nympho, you know. I don't... I don't get satisfied, even if I tired poor Benny right out." She sounded frustrated as hell.

"Any you want me to...?" Revy drank some rum as Jane nodded. "You been tested?" she checked.

"Me and Benny both. I'm not THAT stupid," Jane admitted.

Finishing off her drink Revy got up, "What the hell. We'll rent a upstairs room. Come on."

"Uh, right," Jane followed.

"Have you ever tried fisting...?"

To be continued...