Chapter 5.
A/N: Rocky is set to go. Or is he? I know Apollo died but who thinks since this is AU I should include the old American? Admit it; everyone had a soft spot for him. I don't think I'm going to include Adrian because even though this is AU and I loved Adrian and Rocky together it would get too complicated. I couldn't write it anyway. Oh and that is the reason Mickey is in this fic. Paulie is a maybe if he becomes a necessary in this fic.
Ross drove them to Tool's.
"Hey! I was just going to pick Mick up" Tool said by way of greeting.
"Well that's one less thing to worry about then isn't it?" Barney remarked as he walked up to him.
"Cheers for offering, kid" Mickey said with a smile, very politely for a grouchy old git like he could be.
The others just nodded or flapped their hands upwards by way of greeting, drinking beer or talking amongst themselves about a range of stuff. Lee was considering a proposal.
Barney shuddered, more earache.
Tool shared a knowing look with him, his eyes dancing with humour.
Barney scowled at him.
"Y'know Lee, if all goes wrong you know who to talk to" Tool dropped his comment in slyly. Lee looked up at him, nodded with a 'Are you crazy?' expression for interrupting.
Sometimes Barney wished Rambo would strangle Tool and he'd be excused because Rambo was the 'crazy' one.
I ain't.
I know that but they don't. Actually aren't I supposed to be the crazy one? Otherwise there'd be no you or Rocky.
Thanks for making me, Rocky interjected as the conversation went silent.
But of course Barney was only kidding anyway; if he really wanted he'd strangle Tool himself.
Barney sat down near Toll Road and listened contently as the conversation flowed with casual interjections by Mick who for the most part was silent.
A little ribbing of Lee and Lacy's relationship with some clever retorts and Barney stopped paying attention.
-/-
Rambo decided to have a healthy lunch of five egg whites and a burnt piece of toast. Not great on taste but healthy. The looks off the guys though. He would have laughed but he was eating.
"Soo that any good?" asked Lee sounding awkward. Almost as if he didn't want to speak but as no one else was breaking the awkward silence...
"Not great, but it's the best lunch. Lack of high carbs and good protein" he told him.
"Yeah true"
Everything lapsed back into silence. It was starting to bug Gunnar. Sure he wasn't close to Rambo. None of them were, well, maybe Tool. But then again Tool got on with Rocky, Barney and Rambo.
"You know... Rocky can box; Barney can lead us through hell and back and still keep us alive. With the patience of a saint of course, so... what's your special thing?" Gunnar asked blatantly ignoring the raised eyebrow from Yin. And the slightly shocked look of everyone else.
"Guerrilla warfare, rescuing POW's and destroying the camps" Rambo told him matter of factly, "Escaping almost uninjured and still able to go back and do it all over"
"Soo... you do that often?" Gunnar continued now Rambo opened up.
"It's practically a hobby of mine"
"Ah well in that case, could you take all of us out?"
"Maybe depends. Is there a time limit?"
"Let's say two weeks and you only have a knife of your choice and a pistol but you only got seven rounds"
"Yep" Rambo told him, "I could do it with three"
Gunnar didn't snort with derision. He would have with Rocky or Barney but he didn't feel like pushing his luck with someone who didn't particularly care about their welfare. Rambo would probably do it and save him for last just to prove it.
"Amazing" supplied Lee dryly, "Thanks Gunnar I now know that if you do anything I have less than two weeks to get out of the flaming country"
"Hmm what about physical combat only?" Toll Road asked speculatively.
"Wouldn't know I haven't fought you guys" Rambo honestly told them.
They stared at each other. What happened to the guys' ego? Ah well who cared. Rambo started to walk away... but he paused.
"Hey Rocky is training for his son right? So big guy what do you think quick sparring match? Dirty boxing of course" He had hardened his expression making it standoffish and challenging. Clearly to help Caesar's decision as he stared at him.
"Dirty boxing? Rocky only does honourable boxing?" Caesar seemed alarmed.
"Yeah but Gazzo won't. Gazzo is a good guy. Most of the time or he was at least. I need to help Rocky's, Barney's and my body cope with dirty blows and help Rocky remember how to counter 'em oh and by the way. No Rocky does cheat. A lot" He explained as if it should have been obvious, Rocky made a sound of affirmative in Rambo's head.
"Maybe but only if we get some real gloves and gum shields" Caesar relented.
"Yeah and I'm going to need to speak to Spider Rico?" Rambo seemed to question. Yeah Spider Rico, his alter ego Rocky supplied. Honestly the guys called Spider? Asked his other ego Barney.
"Philadelphia?" asked Lee. Rambo nodded and said;
"I'm going tonight. You can come if you want" Rambo shrugged.
"Actually you better come in case I change persona"
Everyone nodded in affirmative.
"Us too?" asked Mickey coming in.
"Sure" Rambo told Mickey with a soft voice. He knew Rocky loved this man and therefore this little old man was under his care. Same for Tool and the team, Barney loved 'em so they were staying. Not that he would admit it.
At around 9pm they all left by train to Philadelphia, they also all did the clever thing and catch a nap on the train. Even Rambo, except he was only lightly napping. His guard was up, as usual.
Around 3am they arrived at Philly's train station. As soon as they stepped off the train...
"Hey Rocky" shouted multiple people. Rambo waved and smiled. He didn't know the men but he presumed Rocky would nod and smile. Suddenly a picture of someone flashed in his mind. It was of a man shorter than Mickey with a bulging waistline and grey hair with a bald patch on the man's crown. For an odd reason he seemed to associate this man with Adrian, Rocky's wife.
He shook his head and continued when that extremely white fog overtook his mind again.
"Hey Mickey, look for Paulie would you?"
"Hey Rock, why do you think Paulie's here?" Mickey questioned.
"I dunno I'm just missing' Paulie I guess"
Mickey glanced at Rocky as he kept waving to more and more people. Sometimes he wondered what happened to the brain damage Rocky used to suffer from. He was sure the doctors had diagnosed him with it. Even though it didn't stop him having that flaming' street fight and the exhibition fight with Mason Dixon.
He supposed that it healed or Rocky was the only one suffering from it because he was the only one who knew about. One of those physiological things where you convince yourself something and if it's a cold or something you actually start suffering from the symptoms.
Odd little things happened like that all over the world. So Mick decided not to think about it.
"Do you know where Rico lives?" Tool asked Rocky.
"No but I know where to find him y'know?" Rocky said rhetorically.
"Okay let's go" Lee said waiting for Rocky to go ahead.
Rocky led them to a church.
"Hey Father Carmine!" Rocky shouted.
A man shouted back in Italian.
"Yeah, yeah I know, long time no see to you too. Have you seen Spider Rico?" Rocky asked the priest in English.
The man replied fluidly.
"He's here? Good. Yo Rico!" Rocky started to shout towards the end of his sentence.
"Rocky! You disappeared off the face of the frickin' Earth why now?"
"Best time y'know?"
"Oh really, why?"
"That's what I want to speak about. So c'mere"
Spider walked over casually. He had lost most of his muscle, in fact he had practically lost it all and he saw the other guys casting a critical eye over Rico. So he pulled Rico into a half hug to show that he respected the man and so should they.
Lee stared at the man. Rocky had fought this guy? No wonder he won. But then Rocky dragged him into a half hug, Lee chose to wait before criticizing.
"Yah Rocco let us go" Rico said smiling.
"Sure, anyway how you doin'?"
"Pretty well, but enough about me you disappeared what about you?"
"Oh I'm good y'know, just wanted out for a while" Rocky told him using his signature phrase 'y'know'.
"Oh yeah sure, you back for good?"
Rocky couldn't answer that it wasn't just his choice.
"We'll see how it goes okay?" Rocky tried to dodge giving a proper answer and thought he got away with it.
"No then" Spider stated.
"It's not a no it's an unlikely" Rocky told him.
"Sure Rocky, sure. I'm sorry about your son, he was a good kid. Came to church often" Rico commiserated. Rocky smiled a small, sad smile.
"Actually Rico, that's what I wanted o talk to you about. Gazzo? Still in Philadelphia?"
Rico gave him a sympathetic look.
"Yes. Usual place, the docks. But sometimes he's in Andy's" Rico shrugged.
"Thanks Rico. But Father Carmine? Still going strong isn't he?" Rocky tried to lighten the mood.
"Yeah, he's got heart problems now though. On strong med's. But he's happier than ever" Rico agreed. Rocky blanched, seemed everyone had issues.
The Expendables shared a worried look; another issue for Ross/Rocky/Rambo?
The guy had way too much to deal with.
A/N: Not too short eh? So they found Rico. Now if I was to bring Apollo back what would you think? I have a cover story for his "death" and "funeral" sort of.