*Updated 29-04-2018*

Chapter 10 - New Surroundings

As the helicopter landed a distance away from Vaas' compound, Rosa's stomach began to flutter.
Would Vaas still be interested in her? Had he forgotten all about her? What if there is someone in her place?
Thoughts and question buzzed around Rosa's head like bees.

"We have arrived, Miss Volker." said the pilot over the headset.
Rosa stared at her new surroundings. The compound was on a small island within North Island as she could see that the water would be used to an advantage over enemies. She could just about see the compound and there were some pirates guarding the entrance.
Pirates?, thought Rosa, I can see that Vaas hasn't been training his men.

The chopper door opened and Rosa stepped out, the smell of the sea and the sand reminding her of South.
"We are to take you to the entrance, Miss Volker." said the pilot, "Vaas' men do not know you are coming."
Two privateers stood behind Rosa and the pilot next to her as they began to walk to the compound.
"Does Vaas know that I am coming?" Rosa asked to the pilot.
"I'm not sure, Miss." he replied.
Nobody spoke until they reached the entrance. The compound was covered in graffiti that Rosa couldn't work out. The two pirates at the gate were taken aback.
"We are here with Rosa Volker, under Hoyt's instruction." said the pilot.
The two pirates looked dumb founded.
"Can you let us in, then?" said the pilot, beginning to become agitated.
The pirates nodded and opened the gate.

Rosa stepped in first and was in awe. There were quite a few pirates milling around and their were a few women, who looked like prostitutes, hanging on some of the men. There was a thud of music that could be heard, not too loud and all the pirates were either drinking or smoking. There was a woman dancing on a pole on a make shift stage, wearing nothing but a thong and the highest heels Rosa had ever seen. A couple of pirates were watching her, mesmerized. Vaas' men seemed so much more unorganised and laid back than Hoyt's men, and they all still wore the red tank top and bandana that Hoyt's men wore 3 years ago.

Rosa and the pilot continued walking until a pirate approached them. He was about 5ft 9", smaller than Vaas and his skin was a lovely caramel colour. His hair was short and styled, brown, and his eyes matched. He wore the common red tank with the bandana tied around his wrist and he had an AK-47 slung over his shoulder. His pants were camouflage and his boots black.

"Can I help you?" he asked, a Spanish accent clear in his voice.
"Is Vaas around?" asked the pilot.
The pirate shook his head.
"Vaas is out right now. How can I be of aid?"
Rosa felt a pang of disappointment but cleared her throat.
"I'm Rosa. Hoyt's daughter. I've come here to stay and work with you."

The pirate raised his eyebrows.
"So you're the infamous pirate, Rosa. I'm Raul." he said and he smiled.
"Looks like our work is done here, Rosa. Please call Hoyt as soon as you can." the pilot said.
"Thank you for all of your help." she replied and the pilot and the privateers turned around and left

"Would you like me to show you around?" Raul asked and Rosa looked at him.
"Sure. Do you have any idea when Vaas will be back?"
"Either tonight or tomorrow morning, usually." Raul replied.
"Where has he gone?"
"To Badtown, a village away from here. He has to take care of some business."

Raul put his arm out and gestured for Rosa to walk forward. She was constantly looking around, taking it all in. There was a warehouse at the back of the compound and there was a huge graffiti painting that Rosa could just about make out.
"What's that?" she asked, pointing at it.
"Vaas did that the day he got here, from what I'm told."
As they walked closer to it, Rosa held her breath. On the doors of the warehouse was a beautifully spray painted picture of a rose. It was huge and underneath there were some words in Spanish:

'Estaré esperando por ti, princesa' ; 'I'll be waiting for you, princess.'

Rosa smiled and turned to Raul.
"Has he ever mentioned me?" she quizzed, and she felt nervous.
"Only once." replied Raul and Rosa felt a little deflated.
"Vaas and I are quite close. I'm like his right hand man. There was a day about a year and a half ago, when we both got really drunk and high and he said to me: 'I'm waiting for her amigo, my Rosa. She'll come.' and then I passed out. And you haven't been mentioned since and I don't like to pry otherwise my balls would be gone."

Rosa didn't know whether to be happy or sad; happy that he had remembered her or sad that Raul mentioned that Vaas was high. Her memories of her untainted island boy were starting to melt away.
"How often does Vaas use drugs?" she asked, tentatively. Rosa hoped she hadn't lost too much of Vaas to addiction as she knew what it could do to people.
"Near enough all of the time. He said it's to take the pain away and to numb the memories of his time in the tribe." replied Raul.
Rosa thought about it and knew that with her out of sight, Hoyt would probably be giving drugs to Vaas. She wasn't stupid. She would just have to accept it

"Are you here because of him?" Raul asked.
"Yeah. Hoyt always told me that when I was 20 I could have and do whatever I wanted. I asked for a gun and to move here because of Vaas. It's actually my first time out of South Island compound." Rosa admitted, a little sheepishly.
"Seriously?" said Raul, shocked, "Hoyt wanted to protect you then?"
Rosa nodded.
"From what we all know, you're an amazing fighter. Trained by Vaas and Hoyt."
Rosa gave a smug smile.
"Fuck yeah." she breathed and Raul laughed.

"You'll have fun with the rejects then." Raul stated.
"You still got them all here?" Rosa asked, now intrigued.
She hadn't killed a reject since Vaas had left as he took them all with him.
"Yepp" said Raul, "Vaas is ruthless with them, he has them all shitting themselves at the mention of his name."
Rosa chuckled.
"That's Vaas alright."
"Do you fancy a beer?" offered Raul and Rosa offered.
"I thought you would never ask."

Raul and Rosa sat on an abandoned couch and chatted all night. Beers were passed and Rosa felt herself getting a little light headed. 'Yonkers' by Tyler, The Creator blasted over the speakers and the beat pounded through Rosa's body. Whenever the gate opened, she looked but was always let down as it was never Vaas.

"Hoyt seems like a tough guy." said Raul, raising his voice a little over the music.
"He's just like that with business. He's actually a big softie." replied Rosa and Raul laughed.
"So you and Vaas have history then?" he asked and he opened up another beer.
"Yeah. Yeah, we did. I don't know whether it will be the same though."
"How do you mean?"
"Well, does he have someone else? And being a pirate leader, I imagine he's had his fair share of women."
"Yeah, he has had a couple. Nobody of importance, just prostitutes. They leave before he wakes up. I'm sure some of the women are scared of him but they can't say no."

Before Rosa could reply, a scream interrupted their conversation. One of the rejects was banging on her cage and it started to piss Rosa off.
Can I? she thought. Of course I can, Hoyt doesn't control me anymore.
Rosa put down her beer.
"May I?" she asked Raul and she motioned towards the reject.
"Knock yourself out. She hasn't shut up since she arrived." Raul replied and took another swig of his beer.

Rosa got to her feet and was a little unsteady but made her way to the cage. She busted the lock open with her knife as she didn't have any keys and she dragged the woman out by her hair. The woman's hands were tied and Rosa dragged her to the stage, centered in the compound. She pulled the woman onto it and flung her down on the ground. The woman was crying and screaming and the familiarity came back to Rosa.

"Please." she started, "SHUT THE FUCK UP!"
Everyone in the camp turned to Rosa and someone had turned the music down.
"I hear you've been quite the screamer since you've arrived." Rosa said, he voice full of venom.
"P-P-Please." the woman pleaded.
Rosa tutted.
"I don't like people who beg." Rosa stated and she pulled out her gun which she had yet to use.
The woman continued to scream.
"You're starting to piss me off. You're worthless. And, you've given me a headache with your fucking whining. Therefore, you must die."

All of the pirates stared at Rosa as she cocked the gun and brought it in between the woman's eyes and fired. The blood bounced back onto Rosa and the body fell to the floor, the feeling of power pumping through Rosa's arm and around her body. She loved it. Rosa hadn't noticed that a group of pirates had walked into the camp when she was dragging the woman out of the cage. A distinctive mohawked man pushed his way through the group of pirates that had gathered around Rosa and looked at her.

"Bravo, princesa. Bravo."

Hope you guys enjoyed! The power couple are back, woop! I have plenty more instore! Happy reading!