When he arrived at Roanipur he beached the sloop on and weighed the anchor to prevent it from being washed away by the high tide.

He then walked into the city and headed straight for a surgeon that would fix the hole in his shoulder for the right amount of cash.

After a few hours with the surgeon he paid 200 USA dollars. And got a skin graft and a metal plate screwed to his shoulder blade. It would take him 6 months to fully recover. He then rented a new apartment on the outskirts of the city far away from HQ.

After 6 months of taking it easy taking a real job as a bartender in some high class hotel and doing light exercise, today was the day to start training in earnest. He could already run 20km in 20 minutes and could run 100m in 12 seconds, a month ago he had started doing push-ups sit-ups and pull-ups so now he could do 100 of each. he even improved his reaction time. He started by trying to do 100 push ups on one hand , then 100 sit-ups, 100 pull ups one handed then punching for 5 minutes straight, then kicking for five minutes straight.

After his first training session he walked straight to the gunshop, then he saw Dutch and hid he then felt Dutch's energy, his energy was twice what Dutch's was. He waited until he was gone and when there was no other energy signatures other than the owner he went in.

"Hello what can I get for you"

Rock "I'm looking for a gun for medium to short range but never used one in my life but now I realise I need one to stay alive I would prefer if I could be able to kill in one shot I am also looking for a really tiny pistol that I can quick draw from my sleeve that has at least 4 rounds. And a quality 6 inch survival knife with fire starter flint inside the handle."

"Ah you are looking for a revolver, very simple and easy to use, here this is a blued 357 magnum synthetic grip with a 5 inch barrel with six shot capacity it is easily concealable and perfect for defence no safety just point and pull the trigger. The other gun that fits your description in my shop is the baby browning it can easily be concealed it fits in your palm without a problem, it uses 25 ACP and holds 6 rounds. About the knife I'll have to get my cousin to modify a knife with a wood handle, it could take a few weeks." showing Rock the guns

Rock "this may be a stupid question but do revolvers come with more than six chambers?"

"Ah never got asked that before but yes they do I assume you want as much capacity as possible without sacrificing damage. There is one it is a bit pricy as it is a smith and wesson Performance centre 627, it uses 8 357 magnum rounds with a 5 inch barrel and has a wood grip."

Rock looks at it "almost perfect can I get it blued like the other you showed me ? How much for the guns and customisations, 1000 rounds of 357 , a box of 25 ACP and a concealing holster for both so that I can lift my hands up without showing the browning."

" yes it can be blued for an extra cost one of my cousins can do it but if you want the whole gun blued it will take a week. That lot plus bluing the 627 would come to 24000 Thailand Baht"

Rock "yes I want the whole thing blued and I want to keep the wood grip I like it much better than the plastic grip. How about 900 American and I will return here to buy more bullets. I want to practice shooting a 357 8 shot do you have another I can borrow ?" waving the cash

"Yes i have 3 others so you can borrow one while your one gets blued. You drive a hard bargain but deal I'll even throw in a free cleaning kit for both guns, I hope to do business again with you mr..."

Rock"Anonymous" he handed over the cash and received everything

"Ah the knife will be ready in a few weeks I'll call you when it's ready mind if I get your number?"

Then Rock asked "sure I'll give it but ah how do I use these things " referring to everything

The trader taught him all the required knowledge on how to use the holsters especially the browning holster it was to be put on the opposite arm of the hand that was going to operate it. The trader showed him how to load and operate the guns as well as the safety on the browning. He also showed him how to clean each of the guns with the cleaning kit and suggested he clean his guns after each shooting session.

They then swapped numbers.

Rock" thank you very much I'll see you soon." As he puts the empty guns in their holsters then rolls up his left sleeve puts the browning holster on his left arm then in rolls the sleeve and does up a button. He the pulls his shirt out of his pants lifting it up at the back and puts the holster with the revolver between the inside of the pants and his back angled towards the right, then drops the back of the shirt. He then tried to go for the browning but his hand got stuck in the sleeve. " looks like I'll need to have custom shirts made with wider sleeves." He then grabs the cleaning kit and the bags filled with ammunition boxes and walks out of the store.

"Have a good one."

Rock exited the store now he needed a target to practice on.

He found an open clearing in the surrounding Forrest near his apartment and used that as his training ground. He did his exercises everyday as well as practicing his shooting.

After a few weeks he picked up the gun and knife

"Hey there mister come for your blued gun ,more bullets and the knife."

Rock "yes but still got a few hundred left so where's the gun and the knife?"

"There both right here" the owner turns around and opens a drawer getting the gun and the knife and putting them on the counter "right here my cousin said that he had to make a recess and a trapdoor so a flint fire starter can be locked inside. To release it all you need to do is open the latch on the pommel and the door will open revealing the flint." The knife was in a sheath, Rock took it out to look at it it was 5mm thick at its thickest and had a hand guard as well as a rosewood grip, rock opened the trap door to reveal the flint, he took the flint out and struck it with the back of the knife causing a spark. Rock then put the flint back and closed the trap door. Rock then put the knife back in its sheath then undid his belt and looped the knife sheath on the belt till it was on his right side and away from the front pocket where his right hand can easily get at it, then did up his belt again. He took out the borrowed gun from its holster which he made sure before coming here was empty, put it on the table then took his customised blued 8 shot 357 looked at it was dark blue all over with a matte finish 'perfect now it can't be easily seen when I take it out' Rock thought and put it in his holster behind his back.

"Your starting to look like a true Roanaporian now though you still appear mostly unarmed, I see you don't want to look too armed, so if any one pulls a gun on you,you surprise them and blast their brains out am I right."

Rock"you got the gist of it."

After a month he used all 1000 rounds and could shoot dead centre at 100 meters. He could also quick draw his 357 and shoot 8 targets in one and a half seconds as long as they were within or at 15 metres away. He had practiced 8 hours a day every day.

Now he needed to shoot moving targets.

He headed back to the shop and bought a remote control clay target launcher and 1000 clay targets as well as 1000 bullets. A month later he could now shoot one bullet per clay target and could shoot both targets with one bullet each.

He then started weight training as in putting on 1kilo weights on each limb, on the chest like a vest and wearing them while exercising, once he could achieve his previous accomplishments in the weights he then increased it. After a year he could now do his original accomplishments in 10kilo the last two months he spent 2000 rounds shooting both moving clay targets still targets at 100 metres and 8 targets in one and a half seconds at 15 meters with the 10 kilo weights on.

He then took off the weights and got used to his new power speed and strength for the next month after spending 1000 more rounds he was able to takeout the eight targets in a split second.

Now he felt his energy it was almost exactly what he felt from each of the soldiers. He could now take out every one in the damned city if he wanted their energy was pathetic however he would die if he tried as his training boosted speed but maintained endurance so whatever damage he could do was within 20 minutes.

Now to find the mercenaries he concentrated and meditated then felt like he could feel all the energies of the city but nothing that stood out like those soldiers Although he could not feel the area where the Italian Mafia branch was it was too far away, so they either were not from here or were in the Italian mafia territory. Now it was time for some good old fashioned detective work and to meet back with the Black Lagoon Company.

Revy had taken the loss hard almost every one she met that pissed her off even slightly got shot or killed.

She was currently drinking her problems away with Bundaberg rum.

A couple of thugs were talking" what ever happened to that penguin that used to hang out with the lagoon mercs I haven't seen him for a while?"

The other thug" think he died?"

" probably due to his stupidity I mean how can you survive without a gun in these parts I'm surprised he even lived as long as he did in the first place, it's almost an achievement."

The other thug "ha an accomplishment all right in stupidity."

They both laughed

Revy turned on the stool facing the thugs.

Revy" the fuck you say. 'Bout Rock"

Both thugs"oh shit"

Revy "oh now you realise"

She pulls out both guns and shoots each twice in the chest. Their bodies slump off their seats on to the ground.

Dutch was on the boat cleaning his new gun, he had decided to trade in his revolver for a Glock 45ACP, it was as reliable as semi autos get plus 15 rounds is better than 6 and the bullets were easy to come by as it was the second most used handgun calibre to 9mm. Rocks death had a huge impact on him it was like he was back in Saigon loosing his entire team again, he needed to be better equipped to protect the rest of his crew, he even taught Benny how to control the boat better so that Benny can be the get away driver, he even taught him how to use a Kalashnikov as it was the most used gun by pirates. So Benny could defend himself better. All this was done so he can always have Revy's back in a gun fight and keep the crazy bitch alive.

Benny was up on top of the bow of the boat smoking a joint of weed, reflecting on Rock how the guy never touched a gun and was in some of the most dangerous situations and stayed alive.

Benny "I smoke this weed for you man you loved this stuff whenever we got some once a month we got baked, man if your listening where ever you are one day man we will share a smoke in purgatory man I will probably have lived a full life if I'm lucky. I hope they have weed where you are dude if your watching us take a puff."

Benny then saw a figure wearing a white shirt casual dress pants and a blue tie approaching the boat "who are you dude?"

Figure "you should know you invited me for a puff."

Benny looking closely sees Rock "yo I knew this stuff was strong but damn letting me see your ghost is worth it I gotta remember the type of weed it came from."

Rock going with the flow just climbs on the boat and sits next to Benny.

Rock "could you pass the joint."

Benny"you sure? I thought ghosts can't touch anything."

Rock "I can do what I want."

Benny "sure man just don't drop it"

Rock takes a short inhalation of the joint. "Benny this is really the strongest stuff you ever bought."

Benny "your telling me, I can see you man and your dead."

Rock"that's the thing though I didn't die the bullet missed my heart as soon as I got to shore I stopped the bleeding then cauterised the wound. But then the mercenaries came back so I had to remove all traces of my existence"

Benny still baked" man your definitely dead man I enjoy conversation with you bro but it's time you relaxed and went into the light and passed over, just rest in peace dude"

Rock" I'm serious I'm not dead " unbuttoning his shirt to reveal his scar just above his heart to his collar bone" look at this feel it Benny I am alive I went to the surgeon as soon I could"

Benny touching the wound "I'm baked dude I can feel you but you shouldn't be real maybe I'm going nuts."

Rock "your not nuts where is Dutch he'll work it out take me to him."

Rock hands back the joint.

Benny "sure dude what ever you need"

Benny then led him to Dutch who had just finished cleaning his gun and was putting it back together.

Benny "yo Dutch wanna see Rocks ghost" as he leads the way to Dutch Rock follows.

Dutch "what!?" As Benny comes into sight he sees a sees a familiar person with an open white shirt, blue tie and casual dress pants.

Dutch dropping the gun"the Fuck how's this possible Rock, I thought you died it's been one and a half years"

Rock"I was busy adapting to my current mindset of survival at all costs."

Dutch then notices the large knife on Rocks belt "Good to see you alive but I see you still hold your values against guns how the fuck did you survive?."

Rock shrugged then buttons up his shirt."After being shot I played dead then when they left I swam ashore it was excruciating. I made a tourniquet then made a fire cauterised the wound with a hot rock destroyed the any traces of my existence in case the mercenaries came back and they did but didn't find me, when I was in the water I found out it was a hit and I was the target orchestrated by someone who called themselves The General. Then I went to a surgeon after I stole and sailed a sloop using the stars as my chart and came to the out skirts of Roanipur, I didn't contact you coz I wanted to stay dead in their mind till I can fight back"

Dutch " damn you swam with a bullet wound from a 50BMG interesting story what have you been doing for the last year and a half"

Rock getting in a fighting stance" fight me and find out"

Benny"whoa whoa there Rock how much did you change"

Rock "enough I changed the amount I thought I required to survive, oh and Dutch weapons are allowed but no bullets in guns if a gun clicks facing the opponent the opponent looses, back of knives are allowed no blades I need to know that I can survive out there."

Dutch"all right then you seem to have thought things through."

Dutch puts the gun back together then points at Rock,

Rock isn't there instead Dutch feels his hand holding the gun being twisted forcing him to drop it , once he does he is kicked into the wall on the other side of the room. Dutch gets up off the floor as quick as he can only to find a smirking Rock who then gut punches Dutch, doubling him over.

Dutch "no one has done that for a long damn time you have certainly improved but the fights not over yet."

Dutch charges Rock attempting to tackle him to the ground, he grabs Rock but The former office worker doesn't fall instead he lifts his hands above his head clasping them and slams them on Dutch's back, slamming Dutch to the ground, he then draws his knife then quickly presses the back of the knife and moves in a cutting motion around Dutch's neck. He had won and easily. He then offered a hand to Dutch who took it and was helped up.

Dutch"what the hell did you go through to think that this was merely just enough to survive."

Rock "the mercs were toying with us they could have killed you all they were pros and they only used as little bullets as needed their energy was through the freaking roof at the time."

Dutch"energies what you been smokin while you were away, but I have to admit that they had Kalashnikovs yet only used the semi auto and damaged both the fuel tanks and the steering bar for the rudder in only three shots, the rest were to keep Revy pinned down."

Rock "I need to interrogate some one who knows who The General is."

Dutch oh that's easy " it's Achille D'Angelo."

Rock "now I need to get info on him everything that can be found. Before I do any of that I need money the kind that you guys make. "

Dutch"welcome back to the crew time to meet Revy she is at The Yellow Flag."

Rock" I swore that the Lagoon was lower and thinner and had a sharp front."

Dutch "I got modifications done by shipwrights to be able to carry larger cargo and be able to open the front like a barge unloading 1 truck of stuff or 2 cars, because of the modifications our profits have multiplied by 10 for carrying cargo."

Rock"Interesting I better go see Revy."

Rock then made his way there.

Revy was still drinking the Bundaberg, the yellow flag was empty only Bao was there. Then she heard the door open she tilted her head so she could see who it was in the peripheral.

Standing there was some one in a custom white shirt blue tie and casual dress pants with shiny black shoes. Revy "I don't it believe it , HOW THE FUCK ARE YOU ALIVE ?"

Rock "Luck and skill Revy, Luck and skill. Good day to you too Revy"

Revy"DONT GIVE ME THAT SHIT I... I thought you were dead, now you come barging in here like its fucking another day."

Rock "it is another day for me another day of living."

Revy pulls out one of her guns "you fucking asshole how the fuck did you survive."

He then told her the same story that he told Dutch.

Revy "well fuck me you are really hard to kill swimming with a bullet wound in the salty river that took guts" she lowers the gun.

Rock"not guts, guts don't help you deal with the torture. Survival that's what drove me the unadulterated need to survive."

Revy "well whatever wanna drink."

Rock "sure a glass can't hurt." He turns to Bao and looks him threateningly in his eyes "this bar stays closed until I say so and I am still dead got it Bao."

Bao"holy shit man you've changed"

Rock faster than the eye can see grabs Bao by the neck and pulls him close to his face" DO WHAT I SAY GOT IT."

Bao now actually feeling threatened" shit man of course you are still dead"

Rock let's him go gently.

He turns to Revy " same with you I am dead to the world till I say otherwise."

Revy "why ?"

Rock "I have a contract on my head, I barely survived last time I was the target not you lot."

Revy"Who ordered it and who did you piss off? I'll kill em my self just tell me who"

Rock" don't know why can't be sure of the who. So keep your guns in their holster until I have a plan."

Revy"fine, wanna drink?"

Rock "yeah ok"

They drank all night Rock had to carry Revy back to the HQ.

The HQ was an old two story apartment complex that Dutch bought when he had saved plenty of money doing mercenary work or smuggling jobs. From the entrance door there was a hall way the first door to the right was a lounge and to the left was the stairs, the Kitchen was the second door to the right and the dining table was in the same room. The bedrooms were all located up stairs. The complex had a hidden entrance it used to be at the end of the hall down the second set of steps however that was bricked up a new entrance was built in the last room to the left of the hall way under a bed that could be easily moved. In the basement an armoury was built in there to hold weapons and ammo and crates of stuff.

The next day he called his land lord as he packed up all his things in his apartment and put them on the Company trailer connected to the Company Pontiac that he had borrowed from Dutch. Called the land lord and cancelled the lease. He also quit his job as a waiter. He moved back into his old room back at HQ it was left exactly as he had left it the day he 'died'.

Dutch came into his room "so moving back in again, wow you bought a target launcher what did you use to destroy the targets with what with your knife."

Rock "when we are on a job you'll find out."

Dutch"playing it close to the chest I see any way I managed to get a file on The General as a welcome back present."

Dutch then hands him the file

Rock "thanks Dutch I'll put it to good use. Say speaking of jobs, I don't want to talk on the phone ever I still want to stay 'dead' to the world until I know enough about him to make a move. I'll go on missions do the accounting like I used to as well as negotiations but Balalika can't know I'm alive neither can her soldiers, less people know the better."

Dutch"I figured as much I even told Benny to keep it from his girlfriend and everyone else that he talks to."

Rock "thanks Dutch, any jobs to take?"

Dutch "yeah we got one it's a simple pick up and deliver, we depart tomorrow."

Rock"simple what like last time, if you see only armed men blow their fucking brains out I'm not taking chances and have a sniper rifle handy because it was a sniper that got me."

Dutch"geez you've changed"

Rock"death tends to do that."

Dutch leaves and closed the door.

Rock looks in a box of books he bought on survival and pulls out a book safe on the same subject, this was custom built to have finger print and iris scanner built in that opens it, he takes out his guns and holsters and puts them in the book. He sets up a collapsible single book rack and puts all his books there including the safe.

He then walks down to the borrowed car gets a trolley and puts on a single multi media system radio CD player that looks like its ancient as it it so huge. He then pulls the trolley off the trailer with the system and takes it to his room, he then plugged it in. This was no ordinary ancient media system it had been gutted and the insides were made with the lastest technology that was thin making a huge recess inside in side the plastic layer was a steel and concrete layer, this is a hidden safe for his ammo with again finger print and iris scanner.

Rock thinks to himself' man I had to hunt for my food and take the left overs from the hotel meals, but these were worth every penny I spent.'

Revy opens the door "hey cool you got a sound system never owned one only stole them."

Rock"have fun trying to steal this one even I can't lift it."

Revy takes this as a challenge then tries to lift it only for her hands to slip and her to fall over."I don't remember them being that heavy."

Rock "it's difficult to steal. Plus I wouldn't recommend it, if you want to listen to music just ask."

Revy "I was joking "

Rock "I know that's why I made the offer."

Revy "thanks why don't we try it."

Rock then turns the radio on and tunes it to Revy's favourite station. The music then blasts through out the whole building till Rock turned the volume down.

The next day they were on their way to their designated location and Rock was extra vigilant using all 6 of his senses.

When they got there Benny was in charge of the getaway while Dutch, Revy and Rock headed towards the boxes they were supposed to shift. In front of them was a arms dealer and his body guards. Rock could feel no snipers.

The crew without any trouble took the crates and put them in the hold then they got paid half, they then took off with out incident heading for the final destination. On the way there though.

Dutch was driving Benny was in charge of radar "Dutch we got nine bogies coming in on our right."

Dutch "shit, Revy you know what to do, Benny take the wheel."

Dutch got up, looked in the armoury and grabbed a Kalashnikov with a grenade launcher attached instead of his shot gun he needed range plus he can just spray bullets at each target in bursts, grabbed magazines and grenades put them in a tactical vest, put that on and went out side to join Revy. Rock hearing Dutch went to the hatch and peeked out to see the commotion Revy was jumping from boat to boat using her grenade launcher from the first time he met her, she blew up 2 boats then ran out of grenades. After a while watching the battle unfold Dutch and Revy were chewing through bullets but the enemy kept coming and they were quickly running out of full magazines then a thought entered Rocks mind.

If Dutch and Revy died then with no one left to oppose them I could die so could Benny, 8 plus 6 is 14, even exhausting my two guns it would not have been enough to kill the remaining enemy to ensure my survival. I need to use my skills to turn the battle in my favour. These soldiers are mostly using Kalashnikovs I need to get one and use it but I need to flank them first using the element of surprise I'll take out the first boat with my revolver then use their Kalashnikov to take our as many soldiers as possible.' He told himself.

"Benny see that furthest boat get me near that, when I say so drop the anchor."

Benny "you can't be serious if I drop the anchor we'll be sitting ducks,."

Rock "Benny do you know how to operate a Kalashnikov?"

Benny "yeah Dutch taught me, why?"

Rock "I'm going to use one."

Benny "what!?"

Rock "tell me now no time."

Benny "to load it you get a magazine and put it in the big bottom hole till it clicks. To chamber the round move the big lever down to the first indent spot and pull the handle sticking out the side till it can't move any more then release it. Now ready to fire a full auto to go single shot the lever has to be down to the most bottom indent. To remove magazine you press the lever in front of the trigger guard and pull out the mag. "

Rock "thanks I'll take it from there then. Now that we are approaching get ready to drop" as he scrambles up to the open hatch.

"Not yet, move more towards the rear of the boat. Not yet not yet NOW." The anchor quickly dropped it hit a rock on the bottom and the boat quickly swung coming parallel to the boat.

Rock scrambles out of the hatch and jumps, pulls out his revolver while in mid air.

As he is in the air falling towards the the boat faster than the untrained eye could see he cocks the hammer aims and

BO BO BO BO BO BOOOM

All six men on the boat drop their weapons and collapse dead.

Rock then lands rolls pushes the revolver into his right front pocket. Picks up the nearest Kalashnikov faster than the eye can see checks if its loaded and changes the fire mode to one shot.

Then like a thunder storm Rock aims then fires his gun at the targets in his sights.

BO BO BO BO BO BO BO BO BO BO BO BO BOOOM click

Aiming then shooting one bullet at the first target then in a split second aiming and shooting at the next target making 13 bodies from 3 boats collapse dead. Rock ejects the mag picks up a fresh extra magazine from the closest dead body, loads the rifle then in the same manner wipes out 2 more whole boat crews plus a few left still alive on the boat that his gun ran out of bullets on.

He heard an explosion coming from the last remaining boat he looked at it Dutch was standing on one of the boats that Rock himself had cleared.

Sensing no other enemy was alive, he picked up all the magazines for the Kalashnikov including the empty one and a bullet free tactical vest it had no armour plate and had more ammo pouches than the rest it seemed to be custom made with 8 pouches they were doubled up in 4 groups of two. He found 8 magazines and put all of them in it then wore the vest.

Dutch, Revy and Benny were left looking astounded at him with mouths open with awe.

Revy" The fuck happened?"

Benny"Rock happened"

Dutch" this what you did practice shooting so you can use guns in the field."

Benny"actually he used his own then stole the Kalashnikov."

Revy and Dutch both" HIS GUN?"

Rock casually as if nothing out of the ordinary happened "let's get back to the boat"

Then without warning he bent over and vomited all over the deck "I can't believe I just killed one two three fuck it I killed a shit ton of people I took their lives I took human beings lives I stole them from their parents families children and wives, I , I'm a monster."

He then drops the Kalashnikov on the boat away from the puke but doesn't bother taking off the vest. He just sits down away from the puke and closes his eyes.

Dutch"let's take all these weapons and ammo and Benny pick up Rock."

Rock then opens his eyes having realised something, he gets up, picks up the Kalashnikov walks through the puke to another Kalashnikov that had a sling, he removed the sling and installed it on his, put his rifles safety on then walked through the puke again and slung the rifle across his back.

'I did what I had to do to survive'

When he was picked up he didn't say a word he just got on the boat, climbed down the hatch and sat down on the bench then placed the rifle flat on the ground.

Dutch "hey Rock wanna talk about what happened out there."

He didn't respond he just pulled out the revolver from his pocket and put it back in its holster behind his back.

Revy"sweet a revolver easy to use easy to shoot and reliable."

Dutch"not now Revy."

He didn't talk the rest of the trip even when they finally delivered the cargo.

While Dutch and Revy were delivering the cargo Rock borrowed Dutch's Kalashnikov cleaning kit and cleaned his rifle. Then put the kit back. He also checked the number of missing bullets in the magazines he picked up and discovered that his rifle took 7.62x39 rounds.

When they arrived at port

He took his cut and then went straight to his room, took out the revolver and cleaned it then put all handguns and holsters in the book safe.

He then read the whole file on the this General and committed it all to memory.