Seated in a large restaurant, Raymond Takahashi picks up glass noodles from a bowl of soup. He is dressed in an orange collared dress shirt tucked into black trousers, a red tie, and brown dress shoes. The restaurant is large and spacious, yet barely occupied. A Vietnamese waiter props a plate of Szechuan style pork and noodles on a table in a booth, as James Apuna, dressed in a black dress shirt and black jeans, prepares his fork. By the entrance, a set of water tanks housing fish and lobster glow a bluish hue, meshing with the grayish color of the restaurant.
Suddenly, an Asian man steps into the restaurant, Type 54 pistol in his right hand. The man is dressed in a light pink buttoned collared shirt, the shirt unbuttoned, a white undershirt, grey jeans, and a pair of sky-blue sneakers. He is bald, wearing a gold watch, and is sporting a very faint Vandyke beard. He has somewhat pale skin, round cheeks, and a round chin. The man walks up to Takahashi and puts the barrel of his Type 54 pistol to Takahashi's forehead. A couple of patrons scream and run to the kitchen. Takahashi bites into his chopsticks out of shock, causing a splinter of wood to lodge itself into his lower lip. James Apuna drops his fork and draws a Nambu Type 94 pistol, a shocked expression on his face.
The man with the Type 54 presses the barrel further into Takahashi's forehead and darts a chuckle towards Apuna. Apuna slowly approaches Takahashi, aiming the Nambu pistol with both hands at the unidentified man. The unidentified man turns to Takahashi and says in a Korean accent "My name is Ji-hoon Seok. I know who you are, Mr. Takahashi. I know about your business, about your trade. I know about your sister…I know where she is. $500,000, American. That is what it will cost for me to not pull this trigger. I will kill you, and I will kill your sister, and I will kill everyone in your family. I will drag your sister here and fuck her as you watch, right before I cut open her throat. I will find your family and wipe out your entire bloodline. $500,000, American. In unmarked bills. Two days from now, this restaurant, 2:00 P.M. Deal?"
Takahashi sits in his chair in complete horror and shock. He opens his mouth, the broken ends of the chopsticks falling out of his slightly bloody mouth and onto his soup. He hyperventilates, almost about to have a heart attack. Without daring to look at Seok and the barrel of his gun, he mumbles out "D…D…Deal…"
Seok nods, taking a step back, the barrel leaving an imprint on Takahashi's forehead. Aiming his pistol at James Apuna, Seok coldly says "$500,000, American. Two days from now. This restaurant. 2:00 P.M." He speaks as if he rehearsed his words several times in front of a mirror. Seok walks backwards as James Apuna, sweating and nervous, stands between Seok and Takahashi. Seok reaches the fish tanks, nods once again, and bolts out of the restaurant.
James Apuna turns Takahashi and says in English and Hawaiian "Kala mai ia'u! Shit, I did not see him coming." Takahashi places his right hand in his mouth, his hands still shaking. He pulls the splinter out without flinching, wiping the bloodied piece of wood on the tablecloth. "Call Chang," Takahashi mumbles, still in shock. Apuna stares at Takahashi and asks "I didn't hear you. What did you say?" Takahashi turns to Apuna, all the color in his body gone. His face almost a ghostly apparition, he says "Call Chang. Bai Ji-Shin Chang."
Inside his bedroom, Dutch lies on a bench press, a 200-pound barbell above Dutch and on its rack. Meanwhile, sitting on the sofa, Rock snacks on a bag of cheese puffs while watching a game of sepak takraw on the television. He is shirtless and in black shorts. Rock licks his fingers and wipes some of the cheese powder onto his shorts. He reaches into the bag again, only to find it empty. Frowning, he tilts the end of the bag upward and lets crumbs and cheese powder slide into his mouth. As he crushes the bag in his grip, Dutch yells out "Rock? You still there?!"
Rock climbs off the sofa and approaches a waste bin, replying "I'm still here, Dutch." After a pause, Dutch asks "Is Revy still here? Benny?" Tossing the empty bag into the bin, Rock approaches the kitchen sink and says "No, I think they left." As Rock washes his hands, Dutch blurts out "Spot me. I'm about to bench press."
Rock steps into Dutch's bedroom and spots the bench press and barbell. Dutch says "It's 200 pounds. Think you can handle it?" Rock glares at the barbell and says "200 pounds? What's that in kilos? To be honest, I never have been in an actual, authentic gym in my entire life." Dutch clears his throat and says "Come over here and try to spot me."
Rock steps behind Dutch, taking a deep breath. As Rock grabs onto the bar, Dutch says "Make sure that my hands are equally spaced apart, and that the bar is right above my chest. Do not jump in unless I say so or if it's on my throat. Let's do a dry run." Dutch grabs onto the bar of the barbell. Rock nudges Dutch's left hand to bring his hands at even spacing. Dutch notices this and says "Good, you are listening."
Dutch grabs the barbell and lifts it over his neck. Rock nudges the barbell slightly forward, bringing the bar over Dutch's chest. Dutch grunts and nods. He brings the bar close to his chest, and then feigns difficulty in holding the barbell. Realizing the point that Dutch is making, Rock reaches onto the bar and prepares to pull it up. With significant difficulty and some help from Dutch, Rock pulls the barbell back up and onto the rack. Dutch nods and says "Good enough."
Rock slightly pants and says "200 pounds? Damn." Dutch laughs and says "I weigh around 280, and I can bench up to 350. You should look in it, we move a lot on the job." Rock nods and says "Okay. I weigh around 75 kilograms…I think that is around 165 pounds. My record in bench pressing is 0." Dutch laughs and says "All I need for you is to make sure that my throat isn't crushed."
Dutch grips onto the bar. Rock nudges and adjusts his boss' grip into equal spacing from the ends of the barbell. Dutch pulls the barbell off the rack and raises it in the air. Rock adjusts the barbell so that the bar is above Dutch's chest.
One repetition. Two repetitions. Rock scratches the back of his head, wanting to speak up. Three repetitions. Four repetitions.
"So Dutch, did you hear about those Indians that were shot in the apartment?" Rock suddenly blurts out. Five repetitions. "Yeah, I heard," Dutch replies. Six repetitions. Seven repetitions. "They robbed a bank car in Malaysia," Rock blurts out. Eight repetitions. Nine repetitions. "Yeah, I read about that," Dutch replies. Ten repetitions. Eleven repetitions.
Rock swallows saliva in his mouth and blurts out "That was us, me and Revy." As Dutch locks his elbows for the twelfth repetition, his brain processes Rock's comment. A blank look sprouts on Dutch's face as he says "…the hell?" He loses his grip on the bar, the barbell falling towards his chest. Rock lunges forward and grabs onto the barbell, the bar barely a centimeter from Dutch's chest. Dutch adjusts his arms and grabs onto the barbell, and the two of them pull the barbell back onto the rack.
Dutch calmly wipes sweat off his forehead and sits up. He turns toward Rock and calmly says "You really need to pick your moments when you drop that kind of news." "Well I'm letting you know now. It's New Years Eve and me and Revy wanted to invite you and Benny for drinks. Our treat. Not the Yellow Flag…someplace downtown. I've been thinking of the Wat Pho Tavern."
Dutch frowns, nods to himself, and says "The Wat Pho is nice. I appreciate the invitation, and I'm sure Benny would as well. As for the robbery, the police haven't released any details on the apartment shooting…did you and Revy leave a mess? Any witnesses?" Rock shakes his head and says "We used ski masks and gloves, and we burned our clothes. I got shot, that's why I have the extra tape on my chest. I cleaned the blood I left behind to the best of my abilities…cold water. It's not perfect but I doubt that the Roanapur Police Department will trace this to us."
Dutch nods his head and says "Alright. Fine with me. Next time don't talk to me when I'm lifting." Rock nods and says "Sorry Dutch. It was a stupid mistake on my part. Do you want to finish?" Dutch nods and says "Yeah, from the beginning. 15 reps, just stay quiet."
Driving in the Town Car, Rock, in his shorts and his salaryman dress shirt, and Revy, in her black tank top and shorts, speed through the Red-Light district of Roanapur. Revy, in the driver seat, yells out "WHY THE FUCK DID YOU HAVE TO TELL HIM?! WHAT THE FUCK WAS THE POINT OF THE SKI MASKS AND SHIT?!" She coughs and adds "What, you were expecting a pat on the head and a Scooby snack?!"
Rock groans and replies "And you don't think that Dutch won't find it suspicious on how we are not asking for money from our bank accounts?! Or if I'm suddenly walking around in a Breitling?! What if we get robbed? I know, some shady bank in Panama or wherever that Dutch uses is not exactly trustworthy, but I'd rather risk that then risk having someone lunatic firebomb our studio for no good reason. It's not the first time that happened!"
Revy grinds her teeth and yells "All the fucking preparation! The ski masks! The burned clothes! The fuck was that for, huh?!" Rock slams his right fist against his car door and exclaims "That was to keep the police from finding us, not Dutch! If the police would have found us, they would have taken almost all of our money for themselves, if not everything! On top of a bribe! Revy, now the money is Dutch's responsibility, not ours. And besides, I invited him and Benny to the Wat Pho Tavern. We are splitting the bill for the four of us."
Revy glares at Rock menacingly and yells indignantly "Oh we are paying for it, eh?! Not you…but we?!" Rock slams his back against his seating in frustration and yells "Yes, we! It's called making our superiors feel respected. This a good thing we are doing. In the future, maybe, we really screw up somewhere, Dutch remembers this. Paying it forward. I know what I am talking about here."
Revy groans and asks "And what does Benny have to do with this? Why is he getting a handout?" Rock groans and says "I think he is still upset over how the Feng incident ended, with him picking brain matter out of Jane's hair." Revy shrugs her shoulders, calming down. She says "Okay, but Benny and I have no problem. I don't see why I have to pay for his drinks." Rock laughs, rolls his eyes, and says "You could always throw something painful at his head later, call it even."
Revy snickers and says "There's always fucking that, that's true. Alright Rock, fine, whatever, just make sure that Dutch and Benny aren't going to be drinking that shit with gold leaves in them. You sure Dutch wasn't pissed off?" Rock laughs and says "I think he was a little angry that I sprung the news on him while I was spotting him during bench presses." Revy bursts out into laughter and says "You were spotting Dutch?! How?!" Rock shakes his head, laughing, and says "With great difficulty." Revy continues to laugh at a lower intensity, asking "How heavy was the barbell?" "200 pounds," Rock quickly replies. Revy snickers and nods, saying "Not amazing, not too bad. I got a routine I can show you. Should pack on a few pounds of muscle by spring time."
Rock shakes his head and says "As long as I don't break my spine, I'm alright. So, what you are thinking about for dinner?" Revy mashes the horn as a gray Citroën BX cuts in front of the Town Car, stopping before a red light. "Oh you shit!" she yells out as a middle finger is extended out of the driver side window of the Citroën. Revy rolls her window down and sticks her head out, yelling "Put that finger away before I shove it up your asshole!" Rock shakes his head and chuckles, saying "You know that whoever it is…in that car…you probably won't ever see again."
Revy returns to her seat and says "Well anyway…to answer your question, I can go for a massaman curry." Rock turns the car radio on, cutting into the middle of "California Dreaming" by The Mamas and the Papas. He rolls down the window and reaches into his black shorts for a pack of cigarettes. Placing the cigarette in his mouth and lighting it with a lighter, Rock takes a drag and says "We start work on Friday." Revy nods and says "Yeah, I know." She drives through an intersection, navigating around an elderly Vietnamese woman that is standing in the middle of the road with groceries.
Exhaling smoke, Rock says "Two days ago, a new General Secretary was elected in Vietnam. Phieu Kha Le, replacing the previous General Secretary Do…something. I forgot the previous leader's name." Revy snaps her fingers and points at Rock's cigarette. Rock smiles, takes a drag, exhales, and hands Revy his cigarette. As Revy exhales smoke, she asks "What does that have to do with anything?" Rock shrugs his shoulders and reaches for his pack once again, saying "It could be relevant. The new General Secretary used to be in the Vietnamese Army. A high ranking general."
"So?" Revy says as Rock lights a second cigarette for himself. Rock scratches his chin and says "New upper management, means new middle management scrambling to pick off the hanging fruit. Zappala has to have some local connections to operate that recycling scam. Maybe it means something, maybe I am just overthinking things. Anyway, yeah, Thai is good with me. 'Elephant Spice' again?" "Yeah, the usual."
Seated inside a lounge area in the Bougainville Trade Company, Martin Zappala, dressed in a green and white plaid collared shirt, beige trousers, and black sandals, and Fred Viapiano, dressed in a white collared shirt that is covered in small, black fleur-de-lis, black jeans, and white tennis shoes, each eat a plate of pelmeni dumplings on a coffee table, the dumplings smothered in sour cream. Zappala breaks a dumpling in half, letting minced pork and beef fall out of the mussel-shaped shell. Viapiano nods and says "These are pretty good, thanks. Hey Marty, these are like your dad's pierogi, right?"
Zappala wipes sour cream off his lips and says "My dad didn't cook, Freddy. And I fucking hate pierogi." Balalaika seats herself across from Viapiano and turns to Zappala, asking "You are Polish?" Zappala tilts his head side to side and says "Half. I switched to my mother's name. Organization doesn't like to induct anyone with a last name that ends in ski, you know how it is."
Balalaika stirs a cup of coffee with a spoon, saying "Let's skip any further pleasantries and focus on the task at hand." Behind her, inside the room, Polansky seats himself on a reclining chair next to a refrigerator, watching a Thai cartoon. Sipping from a bottle of Baltika 3 lager beer, he occasionally laughs at the cartoon, not understanding a word of it. He is shirtless and dressed in brown shorts, wearing grey sandals. Balalaika grinds her teeth and drowns out Polansky's occasional laughter.
As Balalaika sips from her cup of coffee, Viapiano nods and says "We're here about turf and property, that's the long and short. We know that you have a lot of turf and property that those fanooks from Sicily used to own, just collecting dust. So, I propose a buy-in."
Balalaika nods and takes a gulp of coffee. Setting the cup down, she asks "How do you wish to start this?" Viapiano pulls out a folded map from a back pocket and places the map on the table. He unfolds the map and stretches it out. The map has several pen markings on it, various locations circled, crossed-out, and highlighted, with various notes written on the side. Viapiano sticks his fork into the last dumpling and eats it. Setting the fork down, he wipes sour cream off his lips with a napkin and steps closer to Balalaika and the map. He points at a street on the map and asks "You got a figure in mind?"
Driving in Benny's GTO, Black Lagoon Company cruises through the streets of Roanapur. At the driver seat, Benny is dressed in a black collared shirt and beige slacks. Seated in the front, next to Benny, Dutch takes a drag from a cigarette, dressed in a greenish-blue and white polka dot collared shirt and dark blue trousers held up by his signature belt. Behind Benny, Rock is wearing his salaryman dress shirt and a pair of new, brown slacks that are held up by a new, brown, leather belt, the dress shirt tucked into the slacks. Behind Dutch, Revy is wearing a dark blue tracksuit with sky blue vertical stripes on the sides of her tracksuit top and her tracksuit bottom.
Knocking ash off his cigarette and onto the asphalt, Dutch says "Rock, Revy? I got your money into the bank. Taking an eight-point laundering fee as opposed to the usual five. They needed some extra compensation to justify the risk with the larger deposit." Revy sighs and says "Fine…thanks Dutch. Eight percent…jackoffs." Benny crosses an intersection and asks "What are you talking about?" Dutch leans back in his seat and asks "Did you read about the shootout in the apartments on Muang Street?" Benny nods and says "Three dead Indians that were wanted in half of Southeast Asia for robberies…total bloodbath. No witnesses so far and police have no idea where to begin…wait a minute. That was you two?"
Rock nods and replies "Yeah, us." Dutch exhales smoke and says "Mind if you walk us through? I always like a good strong-arm story." Rock nods and says "Revy kicked the door open and I went in first. There was a woman snorting a lot of cocaine, a guy watching TV. I shot at the guy, Sudhir, and missed. He ducked into a hallway in the apartment, and the woman raised her gun at us. I got a shot into her, Revy finished her off. In the process, cocaine mist cloud got kicked into the air and the two of us accidently snorted some of it. My face was numb."
Benny laughs and says "I did read in the newspaper about the police finding a lot of coke on the floor." Rock yawns and says "Yea…after Revy killed her, Sudhir and another Indian were talking between each other in separate rooms, across from each other. Revy took the side of the hallway entrance that was closer to the door outside, I took the side opposite of Revy."
Revy interjects, saying "And then the Sundance Kid here entered the hallway and took a door to the dome. The guy was spraying from behind the door. I got him the jugular, but that asshole snuck in a bullet that grazed Rock's side." Rock groans and says "It was deeper than a graze, Revy." "Did we have to dig it out? No? Then stop scripting a drama."
Rock raises his arms in defeat and rolls his eyes as Benny says "That's one of the reasons for why I don't stick my head out like the rest of you do. I consider bullet holes to be a mess to my general routine." Revy scratches the back of her neck and says "Fucking mosquito bite! Anyway, out of nowhere, Sudhir comes out with a shotgun! I ducked back into cover before he could get a shot off. Rock jumped from behind the door and pinned Sudhir to the walls and shot him with his M9. *Bang* *Bang* Then we went to work ransacking place. Somehow, Rock found the money under the sink, all rupees. Got the money changed, took half, made more than 70 grand together…a real good take."
Benny grimaces and nods, impressed. He says "140 grand is a lot in one apartment." Rock yawns and says "And that's why we have banks." Dutch exhales smoke and says "And now Rock and Revy are treating us to drinks." Benny's eyes light up as he asks "Oh, so you two are picking up the tab at the Wat Pho?" Rock nods and says "Yea." Benny grins and yells "Oh Jesus! Sorry you two, but I'm celebrating tonight!" Revy groans and says "Yeah, be happy it's New Years Eve, dipshit."
The GTO parks behind a grey Jeep CJ, the Wat Pho Tavern right in front of the CJ. The four exit the GTO, with Dutch crushing his cigarette on the pavement. Benny locks the car as Dutch takes the lead towards the entrance of the Wat Pho Tavern. Right above the entrance to the Wat Pho is a green awning that has a picture of a golden sleeping Buddha.
Dutch steps into the tavern, with the rest of Black Lagoon Company following suit. A Vietnamese server in a tuxedo greets the group with a slightly annoyed grin. As Dutch prepares to say something, the Vietnamese man awkwardly smiles and blurts out "A moment." He turns to another Vietnamese man, the man dressed in a grey buttoned down dress shirt tucked into black trousers, appearing to be the owner. The server asks in Vietnamese "Should we allow them in?" The owner grimaces and surveys Black Lagoon Company, tilting his head back and forth. After a pause, he asks "Ask them if they are fine with just drinking."
The Vietnamese server turns to Dutch and says "Excuse me, but I am afraid that you and your friends are underdressed. We are willing to let you in the bar. However, we cannot seat you at the restaurant…I am sorry." Dutch sighs and says "That's alright…we came here for the bar." The Vietnamese server nods and extends his right hand toward the bar. Dutch, Rock, Revy, and Benny each seat themselves on a stool, in that order from left to right, in the otherwise empty bar. An Asian man with long, black hair tied into a ponytail, dressed in a pink collared shirt and black slacks, rims a margarita glass with salt. He places the glass on the counter as a server takes the drink.
The bartender turns to his audience and says "Hey…you speak English?" Benny nods and says "Yea, we do." The bartender smiles in relief and says "Good, my Thai and Vietnamese is…not good. Name's Clarence, what can I do for you?" Dutch smirks and says "I'll have a glass of the most expensive thing you have." Revy mutters "Here we go." Clarence thinks for a second, and then says "That will be Don Julio Real, Extra Añejo, tequila." Benny yells out "Don Julio Real Extra Aged?! Let's go! I haven't had a Don Julio since I left Mexico." Revy groans and digs into her arms, saying "Fuck!"
Clarence laughs and says "I take it that you two in the middle are paying. Say...where you all from?" Dutch speaks out "Me, Benny…the guy in the black shirt, and Revy, the one in the tracksuit, are all from the States. Rock here is from Japan." Clarence's eyes light up as he says "I'm from the States too. Portland, Oregon. Japan? You gone a long way." Rock laughs and says "Yea, I have." Clarence turns to Rock and Revy and asks "What you gonna have?" Rock says "Dark and Stormy, regular Bacardi is fine." Revy says "I'll take a zombie, nothing snooty with the liquor."
Clarence nods and says "Coming right up." As he prepares the drinks, Revy asks "Hey Benny, ever had a scorpion with your tequila? Or mezcal? Back in Mexico." Benny mimics dry heaving and answers "Oh damn, you brought back some Vietnam War memories. Not a scorpion but I got into this stupid fight in Durango that had me eating ten of those mezcal worms to settle a bet. That was nasty, ugh. Strangest thing I ever ate." Clarence recoils in disgust as he serves Dutch and Benny their tequila.
Dutch laughs and says "Strangest thing I ever ate…" The three turn their attention as Dutch taps his fingers on the counter, and then answers "Ever had fried bull testicles? My college friends back in Detroit took me to upper peninsula. I was promised a lap dance at a Canadian strip club and they pulled a prank on me, saying it was fried shrimp. Never again." As Clarence places Dutch's drink on the counter, Benny laughs and says "You should try lutefisk or p'tcha. Hey, anyone wanna grab some jellied cow feet? Ha!" Taking a sip of Don Julio Real, Dutch replies "I had prawn mee for lunch, no one wants to see what it looks like regurgitated." Clarence, serving Rock and Revy their cocktails, says "Yeah, I'd really appreciate that."
Rock winces for a second, and then grabs his dark and stormy, saying "Anyway, it's New Years Eve, well, for us at least. Roanapur willing, '98 is a year of smooth sailing and fat wallets." Revy snorts and says "Amen to that." Rock twirls his straw once to let the black rum and ginger beer diffuse, and then raises his glass, as Revy, Benny, and Dutch follow suit. "To '98," Dutch says. "To '98," Benny reiterates. "Made it to another one of these. To '98," Revy concludes, as the four of them take healthy sips from their drinks.
Clarence laughs and says "I'd pour myself a glass but I like having a job." Revy surveys Clarence and says "I recognize you…you were that lifeguard on the beach here in Roanapur. The one who saved that little kid from that shark last August. The governor of Trat gave you some award, right?" Clarence sighs and says "That's me alright. Please, no autographs." The entire Black Lagoon Company erupts in laughter as a waiter approaches the bar with an order. Clarence goes to work as Benny says "I heard about that too. Did you actually punch that shark?" Clarence nods a few times and says "Dead on. All 170 pounds of Chinese muscle, right in the face. I'm still kinda happy with myself for that." Revy snickers and sarcastically says "Muscle…yea right."
"Oh you know it. Though I can't say that I want to return to lifeguard duty. Not many tips in that," Clarence says, mixing a cocktail. Benny raises his glass and says "One more Don Julio Real, the extra aged one again." Revy groans in annoyance as Dutch orders the same.
"$234 in drinks. Not bad, not bad at all," Dutch smirks to himself, staring at the bar tab. Revy groans as she and Rock fish out their wallets. They split the bill, with Rock adding a $35 tip on top of the bar tab. Benny pulls out his cell phone and stares at the time. Looking up, he says "It's still 10 P.M. Want to head over to Gustavo's for Texas hold 'em?" Revy glares at Benny in confusion and asks "He's having poker on New Years Eve?" Benny nods and says "Yea, same rake as always, and he's using the TV to watch the fireworks." As Rock says his goodbyes to Clarence, Dutch and Revy turn to each other and nod. Benny glares at Rock and speaks "I take that as a yes…hey Rock! We're going to Gustavo's."
"You cool to drive?" Dutch asks, looking at Benny. Benny nods and says "Yea, I'm saving my liver for the free beer at Gustavo's place." Dutch nods as the four approach the exit.
Inside Chang's penthouse loft, Takahashi screams and clutches onto Chang's shoulders, dressed as he was earlier. Yelling frantically, Takahashi says "You promised! You said that this will be a simple management job! Sell narcotics, handle production, distance myself from everything else! You said that this will be a simple administrative position, that police wouldn't be an issue! Why didn't you tell me this in the country club?! Why didn't you tell me that lunatics might try to wipe out my family?!"
Chang, dressed in a black, collared, Hawaiian parrot shirt, patterned with multi-colored parrots on green palm leaves, and dark blue trousers, replies "Calm down, Ray." Takahashi screams, pulling hair out. He replies back "Calm?! A lunatic threatened to hunt down my family! He said he was going to kill my sister. I DON'T HAVE A SISTER! Basil…Chang…I'm terrified! You promised your protection!" Chang twitches and grinds his teeth. At his threshold, Chang yells back "WILL YOU PLEASE SHUT THE FUCK UP ALREADY?! You didn't think that this could happen?! Are you that much of an idiot?! HUH, RAY?! Wake up! Grab a coffee, down a scotch, jerk off…I don't care just shut the fuck up already! Right now, you are affecting my thought process, and it is getting on my nerves. So…sit down!"
Takahashi sits down on a leather sofa chair, hyperventilating. Chang stares at Takahashi and says "You want a drink? I have Johnnie Walker." Takahashi shakes his head and waves his right hand, wiping away tears with his left. Chang sighs and says "So I take it that Shaoxie didn't tell you about his latest pest control operation?" Takahashi stutters and asks "N-no, what do you mean in 'pest control'?" Chang smiles and shakes his head, saying "Shaoxie is a very smart man. He wanted to make sure that your reaction was genuine." Takahashi stands up and asks "What the hell are you talking about?"
Chang waves his right index finger around and says "Your partner, Shaoxie Tong…he trusts the personnel that he brought in. He can vouch for them. I can vouch for Duclair and the select couple of personnel that I myself recommended. Several of your men, the others, have been brought in only by background checks. Shaoxie spread false but harmless rumors about you, within your organization, to see if anyone has loose lips. Looks like someone did. Now, you got yourself a serious problem." Shocked, Takahashi rubs his forehead and says "Shaoxie did this? I…well, I now know that I need to speak with him."
Chang sarcastically smiles and says "I thought as much. By the way, did you catch the name of the guy that was extorting you?" Takahashi nods and says "Ji-hoon Seok." Chang laughs and says "Seok? Interesting. If you're going to be extorted by a psychopath, might as well get an Olympic medalist in that event." Takahashi sits down and asks "What do you mean?" Chang sits down on an opposite seat, a coffee table separating the two, and grabs a tall glass and a bottle of Johnnie Walker Black. He pours to slightly less than a third of the glass and seals the bottle of whisky. Getting off his seat, glass in hand, Chang approaches his kitchen and says "I know Seok. Well, I know of him. If he actually knows where your family is, he'd follow through on the threat. He likes to engage in extra-curricular activities, as one might say, independent of the Koreans in Bangkok. This wouldn't be the first time that Seok went lone ranger and almost caused a gang war."
Chang reaches into his refrigerator for a bottle of Coca-Cola. Unscrewing the cap, he pours the coke into the glass as Takahashi asks "Why would Shaoxie do such a thing? What would people want with my family?" Chang sighs and says "You saw how someone reacted with information about a fake sister. Imagine how people would react if someone found out that you take it up the ass and have that boyfriend of yours in Honolulu…that chiropractor whose name I forgot. No one would take you seriously! Listen, I don't care…that's your choice, your lifestyle. But the facts are facts, and right now, you are an unknown element…and a not respected one at that. Listen, I've been hearing things…and from what I gathered, people think of you as an idiot that is completely over his head. Are you? You tell me. I didn't give you this opportunity as a gift, Ray. I brought you in keep this island from tipping over. I rather spread the wealth around, within reason of course, and I want the right rivals in the right positions to ensure that everyone would make as much money as possible with as little bloodshed as possible. That's why you are here. So tell me, Ray, are you in over your head?"
Takahashi takes a deep breath and calms down, saying "No, I am not in over my head. I understand." Chang puts the bottle of Coca-Cola back in the fridge and stirs his Jack and Coke with a small, silver spoon. As he stirs, he asks Takahashi "So what is your next move?" Takahashi exhales a deep breath and says "I am not certain…I came here for help. Help for what…I wasn't sure. Now I am…so let me pick your brain. Basil…Chang, are there any recommendations that you have for me?"
Chang tosses the silver spoon into the sink and takes a sip of his cocktail. Satisfied, he takes a large gulp of it. After a pause, Chang says "For one, you are the boss. You are the Mountain Master, the Don, the King, however you want to call it. Here's your moment." Takahashi laughs and says "I do admit that I must have looked somewhat pathetic. I do have an idea, Basil." Chang approaches Takahashi, glass of Jack and Coke in his hands. Sitting down in his original seat, Chang says "I'm listening."
Takahashi leans forward and violently smirks, saying "Your talk of your organization reminded me of a clever tactic that the Triads have used. Where they would hire a bunch of addicts to exaggerate their numbers during street confrontations, to intimidate a rival gang, to intimidate anyone." Chang takes a sip of the scotch and coke and says "Sai ma. Show of force, they call it in Cantonese. I was involved in organizing a few of those back in Hong Kong…we would hire opium addicts, drunks, starving kids. We would pay them some money just to show up, and to wear some kind of uniform. Sometimes we would give them free food, free clothes, you get the idea. All they did was stand around and try to look slightly intimidating…it is a great tactic. Very effective in diffusing a violent situation."
Takahashi nods and says "I have a similar idea in mind. Seok would probably flee if anything was out of the ordinary. The time he picked for me to pay him…the restaurant is usually extremely busy at that time. 2:00 P.M., when everyone is having lunch. If that restaurant would be empty, which it would have to be if he will be dealt with at that moment…he would disappear. I am thinking of having a show of force…of sorts. I want to hire a couple dozen of your men, plus any women that they know, plus a few other people. Maybe Kaeo or Mongkut or Kamol, maybe they have people to spare. I want them to fill up the restaurant, becoming an artificial crowd. I want the waiters to tell any incoming patrons that they are full. Then, when Seok is close enough, I want the doors sealed and Seok dealt with. We will settle a price, for both the show of force and the handling of Seok."
Chang laughs and sips on his cocktail, watching Takahashi reveal a side to him that Chang never expected to see. Takahashi asks "What is so amusing?" Chang places his cocktail on the table and says "That was probably the smartest thing that you ever said since you came here. To be honest, I was starting to worry that you were out of your element. Maybe Seok holding you at gunpoint…maybe that caused something to snap in you. Maybe." Takahashi grimaces and says "Perhaps. Since I arrived, I nearly suffered three heart attacks. It has been a learning experience. Regardless, Seok threatened to wipe my family out, and that is a threat that I cannot take lightly. A message must be sent, one that tells Roanapur that I am not a doormat. So Chang, do we have an arrangement?" Chang grabs his drink and takes a sip, saying "Yes, it is agreed."
"Orale! Black Lagoon Company is here!" Gustavo exclaims as he proceeds to confiscate everyone's weapons, starting with Revy's two Cutlasses. Proceeding with Dutch's and Rock's guns, he unhooks the chain to the door and allows Black Lagoon Company to step inside the backdoor of his mini mart. Locking the door behind them, Gustavo, dressed in his light pink sports jacket, purple undershirt, and light blue trousers, motions at the poker table and says "We only got two vatos at the tables. Fridge is stacked and we are watching the fireworks at midnight."
Entering the poker room, Rock spots an Asian man with short, combed black hair, dressed in a grey collared shirt with diagonal green stripes, and a slightly tanned Western European-looking man with wavy hazel hair combed to the right, dressed in a black shirt that says in red lettering "Evidently Chickentown."
Rock sits to the right of the European-looking man, Revy sits to the right of Rock, Benny sits between Revy and the unnamed Asian man, and Dutch sits to the right of the unnamed Asian man. Gustavo approaches the poker table and says "I take it you haven't met these two yet. The bolillo, a tourist from rainy England, here to catch the sun and not the clap." The Brit sarcastically laughs and says "Oi, name's Will. William Baird." Rock nods and shakes Baird's hand. Gustavo laughs and says "Oye, I wouldn't recommend touching that hand. Who knows how many ladyboy culos that that hand has been in?" The entire table, aside from Baird and Rock, snicker in laughter as Rock wipes his hands on his pants and Baird says "You know he is just taking the piss over here." Revy glares at Baird and says "You got piss on your hands? Stay the fuck away from me!" Baird groans and waves his arms in defeat.
Gustavo tosses Rock and Revy each a bottle of Negra Modelo. He tosses Benny a bottle of Corona Extra and Dutch a bottle of Dos Equis Amber. Baird passes Rock the bottle opener as the four of them say "Thanks." The four of them proceed to drink their beers.
Gustavo, amused, points at the unnamed Asian man and says "Hey Rock. We got another guy from Japan. Meet Koji Tanahashi." Rock leans forward and says "Hey, doh kokara kitano? I'm from Tokyo." Koji leans forward and says "Same, Akihabara district." Rock frowns in pity and says "Akihabara? That must be a madhouse, living there." Koji grimaces and nods, saying "Oh yes! Between all the electronics and otaku stores attracting tourists and locals alike by the truck load and constant blast of advertisements...I don't mind it though. I got used to it." Revy glares and asks "The fuck is an otaku?" Rock laughs and says "Well…how do I put this? Alright, otaku goods are pretty much anything that can be collected for a hobby, like comics, cartoons, dolls, so on. Otaku are basically collectors. Some of these people are kind of bizarre…there's some stigma involved. Though last time I checked, Akiba town was still mainly selling electronics." Koji folds his arms and says "They are on the decline…now those comics and cartoons are becoming more popular commodities. Porn getting big there too, both real and otherwise. I'm actually thinking of opening up a store there if I could scrap together the yen."
Rock laughs and asks "Catering to the otaku crowd? Be careful that you don't attract another Miyazaki Tsutomu." Koji glares at Rock in fear and says "Oh God, I hope not." Benny gets up and says "I got to take a piss, Gustavo. Bathroom is opened?" Gustavo laughs and says "Go on. I think Thailand found their candidate for the 100-meter Olympic sprint." As Benny bolts towards the bathroom, Dutch turns to Rock and asks "Who's Miyazaki?" Rock answers "Local serial killer, less said the better."
Koji shakes his head and says "I don't like how the media in Japan is trying to pin anime and horror films as the cause of it. Whatever happened to crazy being crazy? It's just bad for business when I'm thinking of opening a store for just that. Anyway, I hope that bakayaro hangs. What a monster!" Rock sighs and says "He is not going to hurt anyone else. He won't get released." Koji glares at Rock and says "Oh yea? Watch. Some asshole in the courts will try to make him look rehabilitated and let him go free during the appeals. Why? Political points! Just watch." As Benny returns to his seat, Revy laughs and says "Not our problem."
Gustavo snickers and nudges Rock, saying "Hey Rock, ask Japonés here on what he does for a living." Baird laughs and says "Oh this is going to be entertaining!" Koji sighs, rolls his eyes, and says "Alright, I own a website where I draw and upload pornographic cartoon images. Yeah, I know. I draw hentai, laugh it up. Hey, there's a lot of money in it!" Everyone except Koji bursts into laughter as Revy uses her hands to make an image of a five-legged squid getting a handjob. Koji rolls his eyes and says "I get enough jokes from my friends, alright. Seriously, there is a lot of yen to be made from that, in subscriptions…in advertising revenue. So don't judge."
Benny laughs and says "You know, this reminds me of that time that I fucked around with the NSA of America…kinda. This was after I joined Black Lagoon Company. I heard that the NSA were doing internet wiretapping…and yes, I know I'm in Thailand, but there's always a chance. So to amuse myself, I started typing up keywords like .50 caliber sniper rifles and Bill Clinton campaign stops, and searched for those, checking a few websites. Then I looked up a few conspiracy theory websites to really make sure that…if anyone is watching, that I have their attention. Then I searched 'Japanese Tentacle Porn' and clicked on some nasty video. I watched a couple of seconds of it and immediately ran outside before I vomited. I still check my email every now and then to see if I get a cryptic message that says "Fuck you. Sincerely, NSA."
Everyone except Revy snickers at Benny's anecdote. Revy simply glares and hisses, yelling "Why…are you…such a fucking faggot?!" She tosses her now empty bottle of Negra Modelo at Benny, clocking him in the forehead. "OW! That hurt!" Benny exclaims as Gustavo yells "Orale! Tranquilo, tranquilo!" Revy glares at Gustavo and says "I walked in and saw that shit! It took a couple of amobarbitals and a glass of rum to get that image out of my head!" Everyone snickers except Revy and Benny, the latter rubbing his forehead and former yelling "Don't laugh! It's not fucking funny!"
"So Gustavo, when are we gonna play a hand?" Dutch inquires, sipping his beer. Gustavo turns on the television and says "Carajo, in a few minutes. The New Year starts in fifteen, I want that to pass before I start a game." The television plays a New Years broadcast in Singapore, showcasing a marina. "Que lastima, Thailand doesn't celebrate New Years like in Mexico. Best we get is Singapore with its fireworks display. Pinche time zones!" Gustavo laments, reaching for a bowl of grapes and tearing one off the vine.
Rock sips on his beer and says "Hey Koji, Will, you two are a long way from home. Not celebrating with family?" Baird exhales a deep breath and says "This here bloke is soaking in every minute of his holiday in Thailand. I dread my return to Bristol. Air traffic control…work is complete bollocks!" Koji smirks and says "That's why you should work for yourself. I don't have any superiors giving me quotas. I don't have to work myself to death just to keep my job. I just draw to make money. Only rush is to keep my wallet nourished." Revy sarcastically laughs and says "Yeah, you just draw tentacle dicks drilling little girl's assholes, you sick fuck!" Koji opens both palms of his hands and rolls his eyes, saying "Hey, I don't draw that. I mainly do BDSM pictures." Gustavo laughs and says "Hey, draw whatever you want, vato. Pornografía is recession-proof."
"So how's Bristol? I never visited the U.K.," Benny asks, curious. Baird grimaces and nods slowly, saying "How do I put it? If I would describe Bristol to you, I would say that it is akin to the local post office. As in, it's full of mentals and mingers. As opposed to Brighton, the city that I was born in, which is instead full of arse bandits."
"Callate, it's about to be the fireworks," Gustavo interjects, tossing Revy, Baird, and Koji each a bottle of Negra Modelo. He then chews on a grape and reaches into the fridge for a bottle of Tecate. They all turn their attention to the television, beers in hand. As the clock hits midnight and the fireworks are released, Gustavo raises his bottle of Tecate and yells "Happy New Year! Dios willing, may the year bring great luck and wealth to us all!" The rest of the table extends their beers for a toast, saying "To 1998!"
As Rock takes a long gulp of beer, a sudden sense of anxiety overwhelms him. He stands up and asks "Excuse me, but where's the bathroom?" Gustavo nudges his head to the left and says "First door on the left." Rock nods and turns toward the bathroom. Stepping inside, he locks the bathroom door behind him and turns to the sink, his anxiety turning to dread. Feeling sick, he falls to his knees, turns toward the toilet, and vomits his dinner into the bowl.