Neon Genesis Evangelion/Black Lagoon

The Package

Two

The patrol boat swung around to the harbor, the boat rocking a bit more than usual because of the bullet holes. Out in the China Sea they had been ambushed by pirates, tho what they were after Shinji couldn't tell.

He had been up on the deck talking to Rock as the sun shone down on them. "We'll take the trip in stages, I think," Rock told him, "just so you don't end up on the ship too long." He smiled wryly, "You don't want to camp out here overnight, it's rather uncomfortable."

"Can't be worse then some of the hotels I've stayed in on this music tour," Shinji offered shyly, smiling a bit.

Rock chuckled slightly, then paused. He looked off into the distance, eyes narrowing a bit, "Oh hell." Before Shinji could say anything he scrambled to his feet and ran for the hatch yelling, "Revy, incoming!"

"Benny's got them on radar," Revy said, the woman walking by just as Shinji was scrambling for the hatch. She carried a very scary looking army rifle, something that looked like a prop from a action movie.

"What's the plan?" Rock asked as the ships began to close in on the Lagoon.

"I'm going up top to discourage them," Revy grinned.

"Discourage?" Shinji said weakly.

Revy ignored him as she lay on the deck, setting up the tripod and sighting through the big gun. Shinji watched from behind, noticing the attractive curve of her ass in the tight shorts and blushing faintly.

Rock noticed and smiled wryly, "I wouldn't if I were you."

"S... sorry," Shinji blushed furiously.

Revy ignored them, entirely focused on what she was doing. She squeezed the trigger and the heavy canon bucked, the bullet roaring away. A few seconds later the first nearing patrol boat wobbled then fell back, smoke pouring out.

"Scratch one," Revy purred, lining up her next shot.

"What is she...?" Shinji whispered, not wanting to disturb her as three more boats roared ever closer.

"Taking out engines or pilots," Rock answered, watching through eyes narrowed to cut down on the glare. He smiled wryly, "She's mellowed over the years."

"Huih?" Shinji blinked, faintly stunned to realize this woman was shooting people at such a distance.

"Once upon a time she'd have let them close, jumped on the other ship and killed them all," Rock sighed, his expression pained from a dark memory.

The gun roared again and another ship sputtered, bursting into flames as the two got nearer. "Get below you two," Revy said as she stood, drawing twin pistols as the two ships roared in, "it's about to get messy."

"Right," Rock grabbed Shinji and they headed towards the hatch just as guns began to fire from the surviving two boats.

"Should we really be leaving her there alone?" Shinji asked weakly, looking back as bullets twanged into the hull and the upper deck.

"Trust me, we'd just get in her way," Rock reassured him.

Peering out the window Shinji only caught bits of the fight, distorted by the limited view. Still, what he did see was awe inspiring, not to mention just a bit frightening. Guns in both hands Revy moved like a dancer, lightly bouncing across the deck as she fired, dropping men one by one. In flashes on red men died as bullets struck the boat, but Revy was always ahead of them.

Hauling a grenade out of her belt she chucked it on a fleeing boat, watching in satisfaction as the men bailed out into the sea. The surviving boat tried to speed away, and Revy pumped bullets from both pistols into it's rear. After a moment all was quiet on the deck, then she casually kicked a body off the deck over the side.

"All clear," Revy called as she took the hatch down into the boat.

Shinji flinched back from her slightly, a unconscious move that actually made the woman smile slightly. He steadied himself as he said, "You're bleeding."

Revy blinked then looked at her arm, a red streak forming where a near miss had creased her. "Well, damn," she muttered, frowning.

"Sit down," Rock ordered, "I'll get the first aid kit."

"Guess I'm slowing down," Revy joked to dutch as she sat down in one of the chairs beside where he drove the boat.

"I thought you were incredible," Shinji offered tentatively.

"If a bit scary?" Revy asked, smirking.

"A bit," Shinji decided to be honest as he said, "but there's nothing wrong with being scary, in the world we live in."

"Kid's got a point," Dutch admitted as Rock returned with the first aid kit.

Shinji had to kep from laughing as Revy hissed in pair from the disinfectant, whining like a little girl how much it stung. She was so tough on one hand, yet here she was complaining like a kid. Not that he'd do much better, but still.

It was getting into the evening as they passed the desecrated Buddha leading into the harbor of Roanapur. Dutch hadn't planned on stopping in their home base at first, but the boat had taken some hits in the firefight, and he didn't want to start the run into Japan in a damaged boat.

There was smoke in the air as the battered looking town came into view, no buildings over four stories up. "Was the city hit hard by Second Impact?" Shinji asked curiously.

"No, not really," Rock said honestly, "we lost the old harbor to rising seas, but we rebuilt it up." He took a drag from his smoke, "It's ironic that the city really thrived after Second Impact."

"Thrived?" Shinji raised his eyebrows.

"You'll see," Rock smiled slightly.

They pulled into dock, workers already waiting to begin work on the boat. "All right people," Dutch announced, "Balalaika called in, she wants to meet the kid. After that, we'll relax a bit at the Yellow Flag while we wait for the repairs."

"Is that really a good idea?" Rock asked, blinking.

"She's paying the bills this time, so...," Dutch shrugged. "Or do you mean the Flag?"

Rock grinned, "Both!"

"Don't worry," Revy slapped Shinji on the shoulder as they climbed off the boat onto the docks, "we'll keep a eye on you."

'Somehow, that's not comforting,' Shinji mused as they trooped off into the city.

The first place they stopped in was somewhere Dutch called Hotel Moscow, but it didn't look like any hotel Shinji had ever seen. Instead it felt like a armed camp, with men wandering about with guns, serious expressions on their faces. They were taken to a office that was nicely if not richly decorated, and occupied by a single woman.

Shinji wasn't sure what he expected hearing the name Balalaika, but the beautiful white-blond haired woman wasn't it. The scars on the side of her face didn't seem to take away from her looks, simply providing a unique accent. Et no matter how good looking the shapely woman was, there was also a frightening aura to her too.

"Well," Balalaika mused as she looked across the desk at Shinji, "so this is the heir to the throne." She got up and stepped around the desk, studying him a moment as she ran a hand across his cheek. "How was your trip, young man?"

"It was fine," Shinji answered, meeting her eyes as confidently as he could manage, fighting the urge to bolt out the room.

Balalaika smiled slightly, her gaze warming a bit as she said, "It seems there's a bit of iron in your spine." She walked back to her desk as she sighed, "It's a pity you weren't older, Mr. Ikari. It might make a interesting comparison..."

Shinji wasn't sure what she was talking about, and to be honest he didn't really want to know. Because if what she was implying was true, it kinda creeped him out.

"Be careful with your charge," Balalaika said as she took out a fine cigar and lit it up, "he must be in Tokyo-3 on time. Understood?"

"No problem," Dutch nodded, "as long as the repairs get done, I don't see any problems."

"It will be," the big, heavily muscled man by Balalaika said firmly.

"Boris will make sure of it," Balalaika nodded. She smiled faintly, "Show our Mr. Ikari the night like, then. Just be careful."

"Will do, big sis," Revy waved as they headed out.

The night air was calming as Shinji took a deep breath, relieved to be out of that office. No matter how nice or polite Balalaika acted there had been a undercurrent of danger around her. It wasn't that she intended to be scary, it was almost automatic from her...

Dutch seemed rather calm as he said, "All right, as your employer I suggest we relax while we wait for the repairs to be completed."

"On to the Flag?" Benny smiled.

Revy grinned, "On to the Flag."

Shinji, at that point in his life, hadn't been to many bars. In fact he hadn't been to ANY b ars, if you didn't count the tavern nearby his uncle's home. But even with that limited experience in mind, he knew the Yellow Flag was a dive. The neon light flickered and blazed, there were out cold men sprawled on the road and the swinging doors showed blood splatter on the floor.

"Well, come on," Rock patted him on the shoulder as the group boldly headed in.

Inside looked almost worse than the outside, if that were possible. The room was filled with armed men drinking, talking, playing or fighting along with a lot of booze. There were what Shinji guessed were prostitues hanging around, and he didn't want to guess what they were doing in the darker corners of the bar. Along with them there was a black haired lady in gothic lolita clothes, a sexy Chinese lady in a slinky dress and even a nun sitting up at the bar, wearing sunglasses with her habit!

:The blonde haired nun blinked in surprise as they neared then hugged the startled Shinji. "He's adorable!" she exclaimed, He looks just like a mini-Rock!"

"Eda, get off him," Revy growled, yanking the nun away. She looked up the bar, "Hey Bao, I need a drink!"

"Sit down, Shinji," Benny said, "we'll order you a soda."

To be continued...