DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN BLACK LAGOON
Rock wakes up when he hears footfalls on the deck. He remains motionless until they stop then he opens his eyes to see Dutch standing next to him. It's still too early for the sun to start its climb into the sky but the first rays can be seen on the eastern horizon.
"We got your company on the phone if you want to talk to them." Dutch states, lighting a cigarette. "Go into the hold and find Benny."
Rock gets up and goes down into the hold. "Hey Rock." Benny says holding an earpiece out to him. Rock takes it.
"This is Okajima Rokura." He says into the mike.
"Okajima this is Kageyama. Are you being treated well?" Kageyama says.
"Yes sir. I'm sorry about the disc. I couldn't keep it from the pirates." He replies.
"Don't worry about it. It will be taken care of shortly. Just so you know Okajima, even though you failed you have been promoted to manager, but I was sorry to hear about your death. We will hold a funeral for you this afternoon and I've already told your parents good things about you." Kageyama states in an emotionless tone.
"Excuse me sir but I don't understand." Rock says trying to put shock into his voice. He knew this was coming, even if it was part of the plan, it still came off as rather heartless. He wondered if any of the men he had turned on felt the same as he did now.
"The orders for those who are after the disc are to either reacquire or destroy it. And since your captors aren't going to hand it over peacefully, well you get the jist of it." Kageyama says nonchalantly.
Rock just holds the earpiece in silence thinking about whether he should warn Dutch and the others or not.
"Well I hope you got to enjoy yourself. Goodbye." The earpiece clicks as the line goes dead. Rock hands it back to Benny who looks at him with a confused look.
"Be ready." Rock says as he walks back up on deck. Leaving Benny thoroughly confused wanting to ask just what he meant by that.
Dutch is still on deck when Rock returns. He hands Rock a cigarette and lighter. Rock lights it and lets out a heavy sigh.
"So how much are they paying and where are we supposed to drop you off?" Dutch asks looking out over the ocean.
Rock looks out to the east to see the rising sun. "Zero and wherever you want."
Dutch raises an eyebrow at that. "So they have left you for dead. Hmm…guess they don't take very good care of their employees. So what are you going to do?"
"Don't know but that group from last night will be coming after you. They either want to take the disc or destroy it." Rock replies, still looking at the sun.
Dutch just shakes his head. "Nothing's ever easy."
Revy still lay awake after reading all the printouts that Benny had given her on Okajima Rokura. He found almost nothing dating past 6 months ago. It was like he just appeared out of nowhere. No birth certificate, no address, no school history and no employment history, nothing from before the last six months. Just who the hell is this guy?
Flashback
"I can't find anything about him except that he has been an employee of the Asahi group and living in Tokyo for about six months." Benny states utterly confused.
"What do you mean? He can't have just appeared as a full grown man and gotten hired by one of Tokyo's top companies." Revy states matter of factly. "There has to be something."
"The only thing I can think of is that his past has been deleted or hidden. Maybe he is using a false name?" Revy scowls at him. "Alright I'll keep looking but I'm not making any promises. Why don't you just ask him? At gun point if you have to if you're so interested."
"Because he won't tell us dumbass. Dutch already asked him and he didn't get anything out of him." Revy states. It's easy to see she is starting to get angry.
"Well if Dutch doesn't have a problem with him why do you? He hasn't done anything to make us worry. You should just let it alone. We don't ask you about your past." Benny says and Revy gives him the 'do as I say or I am going to kill you look'. Benny turns back to his computer and begins the search anew.
End flashback
Revy decides to get up since she can't sleep and heads to the cabin to talk to Dutch. She hears Dutch and Rock talking on deck and can't resist the urge to listen to the end of their conversation.
Benny is looking at his computer screen still trying to find stuff out about Rock when he hears the radar beep. He casually looks over expecting a fishing boat but what he sees is not what he expects.
"Dutch, Grab the binos and look south by southeast! Quick!" Benny yells at the top of his lungs.
Revy comes running on deck as Rock and Dutch both look in the direction specified by Benny. She looks and sees the assault helicopter heading their way.
"Russian urban assault helo. It appears to be fully armed with a Gatling gun and rockets probably heat seekers too." Rock says to himself not realizing he spoke out loud. Revy just gawks at him.
How does he know that? Who the hell is he? Revy thinks to herself.
"Benny let's get moving, full speed. Revy you know what to do." Dutch says, acting as though he didn't hear Rock, not taking his eyes of the helo.
Revy immediately looks away from the surprising man and opens the weapons bin on the deck. She begins pulling anything out that maybe of use. Dutch heads back into the cabin.
"Rock, give Revy a hand," he says before disappearing from view. Rock just smirks when Revy tosses him an AK-47.
Should I tell her that this gun is only going to remove some paint? I think I'll let her find out on her own. Rock says to himself.
Revy pulls out an RPG and begins to take aim when rounds come flying at them from the helo. Rock drops the gun and leaps over at Revy covering her with his body. Dutch maneuvers the boat so they aren't an easy target.
"What the hell did you do that for?" asks Revy as she gets up then she looks and sees bullet holes right where she had been standing. She makes a mental note the grabs the RPG again and takes a shot.
The helo easily evades and continues firing. Dutch maneuvers out of the cove then the helo fires rockets in his path so he has to divert. Dutch tries again, with the same affect. Revy tries firing with an automatic rifle, it doesn't phase the helo. Dutch tries again to no avail. The only route left open takes them up a river that hasn't been mapped. The helo quits firing and follows them into the river mouth.
"Rock, Revy, get in here." Dutch yells. "Benny, find out where this damn river leads. Hack some satellites or something, and get Balalaika on the horn."
When Rock and Revy come inside Dutch is hanging up the phone. He doesn't look at all pleased.
"So what's the plan?"Revy asks.
"We can go until this river ends, abandon the boat, or try to run past his guns. Apparently he thinks he is some kind of cowboy and likes his opponents to face him." Dutch replies.
"Can't we just wait until he runs out of full?" Benny asks.
"No he'll come in and finish up off before then." Dutch says.
No one notices Rock heading back on deck while they are in their conversation. He goes to the weapons bin and finds exactly what he is looking for. A .50 caliber BMG. He smiles to himself as he pulls it out and checks the ammunition. He finds two armor piercing rounds and quickly loads them into the magazine then loads the gun. He looks for a good place to set up and realizes it is in the front using the top of the cabin as support. He moves over there quickly and takes aim.
"Uh Dutch? What is Rock doing?" Both Dutch and Revy look out the window and see Rocks lower body pressed firmly against the glass.
"I don't know. Revy, go check on him."
Bang
Rock gets the upper rotor in his sights but with the motion of the boat it is rather hard to keep it there. He braces his foot against the bin behind him to help control the recoil and closes his eyes. He breathes carefully, thankful that the boat doesn't rock too much and that the helo is flying straight, and opens his eyes. He is about on target as he is going to get. He lets his breath out slowly while steadily squeezing the trigger.
Bang
He sees the round ricochet off the helo mere inches below his target through the scope. He quickly reloads and adjusts his aim a little higher, fully aware that Revy is now standing at the hatch looking at him.
"You might want to cover your ears if you're going to stand there." He says to Revy, while not taking eye away from the scope. She just looks at him not even registering what he said. "Suit yourself," he says.
He takes careful aim again. As he breathes out he applies slow steady pressure to the trigger. He silently prays that this round will hit on target since it's his last shot. He puts the final pressure on the trigger.
Bang
Rock sees the round puncture through the hydraulic hose and watches the fluid spray out followed by smoke and the helo begin to fly erratically. He smiles to himself as he takes the rifle out of his shoulder and takes it back to the bin. He sees that Revy is no longer on deck and he turns to watch his handy work as the helo looks as though it is about fall out of the sky. He turns back to the cabin to see Dutch, Revy, and Benny all looking at the falling helo. Once it crashes into the sea they all turn to look at him. Rock gives them a shrug and heads into the cabin and grabs a cigarette.