Chapter 7: Conquer

Over the next week, several grey armoured jeeps like the one Kane had escaped in were seen driving around the city. The Black Marchers had arrived in full, it seemed. There were firefights daily between Kane's men and the soldiers Chang and Balalaika had sent out on patrols. Half of the firefights ended with the Black Marchers winning, which was frightening to say the least. Each time they won, their numbers increased in that specific part of the city. It was almost as if they were taking over. By the end of the week, the entire southeast portion of Roanapur was more or less under enemy control. Kane's jeeps made constant drives around to make sure their enemies did not try and enter their territory. Chang was not happy. He was basically unapproachable, his temper now easily lost at the mere thought that an outsider had managed to bring his people into the city and make his home there against the will of the Triad. Balalaika was far more calm about the matter, though if the past was anything to go by, she was just as annoyed as him. She just didn't show it so obviously. Of all the patrols that Roanapur's soldiers had defeated, none contained Kane. The elusive leader of these highly skilled mercenaries was nowhere to be seen. He could be anywhere right now. That was what worried them most. The fact that he was left to his own devices within the city was unacceptable. He was a master of stealth and he would likely target Chang and Balalaika. They were in as much danger as the Wolf at this point.

"So we just wait around here?" asked Revy, irritated to the last. They had been doing nothing for the last week. The most exciting occurrence was when one of Kane's jeeps pulled up outside the apartment and Revy had taken his soldiers out herself. They were probably searching Roanapur for the three individuals Kane now wanted dead. If he was still concerned with lose ends, the Lovelaces were in incredible danger too, for that matter.

"We don't have a choice," Dutch told her. "We can't do anything now. We have to wait until either Chang or Balalaika gives us a call. Kane is out there somewhere. Until they pin down a location, we're useless."

"Bullshit!" Revy argued. "I say we take the fight to his patrols. They'll never know what hit them!" She took her Cutlasses in her hands, eager to spill some blood.

"If you want to go out there and get yourself killed, be my guest," Dutch told her challengingly. He only now realised he was standing and his hands were balled into fists. "But the rest of us are sitting tight. Got it?" There was an eerie tension as Revy remained silent with her weapons in her hands. Finally, she holstered the guns and took a seat.

"Jeez, Dutch," she exhaled. "You don't fuck around."

"She's got a point," Wolf interjected, zipping up his jacket and throwing his duffle bag around him. "Why don't we have a look around? See if we can figure out where Kane makes his home? He has to be using one of the apartments in the area as his base." Dutch almost considered that for a moment.

"If you think you can find him, go ahead," he allowed. "Just don't bring them back here guns blazing."

"No promises," Wolf told him as he left. Roberta, who no longer wore her black dress and had donned her combat equipment, followed him. Revy was close behind. They didn't exactly have a lot to go on. Their plan consisted of heading to Kane's district and having a look around. But it would not be long before trouble found them. Truthfully, they were not so concerned with finding Kane as they were with blowing off steam. One of the armoured jeeps was up ahead, approaching them slowly.

"What's say we give these fuckers something to be afraid of?" Revy asked, once more readying her guns. Wolf smirked.

"You read my mind." He took his Desert Eagle from its holster and aimed it at the jeep. The shot would not get through the glass but it would alert the mercenaries to his presence. He fired. The jeep immediately pulled in just feet from them. Roberta held a cheap Glock in her hand. They were eager to see what she was capable of. Once the jeep's doors flung open, they were not disappointed. She quickly gunned down two of them and dodged an attack from a third. Wolf violently beat down the fourth man until he could no longer take a breath while Revy riddled the fifth with so many holes it was a surprise there was anything left of him to bleed all over the pathway. The three of them essentially punched and shot their way through the southeast of Roanapur. Their killing spree eventually led them to the Yellowflag. That jeep was still parked outside.

"Fuck it, anyone up for a drink?" Revy asked. Neither of the other two answered, though it went without saying that they could use a drink after the last couple of hours. They swiftly entered the bar. Bao looked up to see them enter only to wave them away. It was then that they noticed five Black Marchers harassing the customers. They were asking about Wolf, from the sound of things. Revy recognised the woman that was currently being interrogated; Shenhua. This would not end well for the man who had presumed to grab her arm and yell all manner of expletives at her. Before he could do anything, her blade had already cut through his torso. He grunted for a moment as blood began pouring from his mouth. Shenhua kicked his body to the ground. Just as the other Marchers looked as though they were about to retaliate, Wolf unsheathed his own blade.

"Hey!" he called, advancing on the men. "I heard you were looking for me." His blade bit into one of the mercenaries with anger and speed reminiscent of Kane. The rest of the mercenaries didn't stand a chance. They were defeated in minutes.

"Damn, Chinglish," Revy exclaimed, "you really know how to skin an ass." Shenhua smirked as she pulled her blade from one of the bodies with a sickening squelch.

"I see you got dragged into mess too, hm? And who is your friend?"

"Wolf, meet Chinglish," Revy sneered. "You two will get on just great." Wolf sheathed his blade.

"Ah, so you are assassin Marcher Boy was asking about," she whined. Wolf was about to retort when he noticed one of the men was not dead. In fact, he held a small device in his hand, a device he had just pressed on. A detonator.

"The jeep…," Wolf whispered, the realisation sweeping over him. "Everybody down!" The orange flash that met his eyes had the entire bar engulfed in minutes.