"Roberta, oh uh, we were not expecting you to arrive until next month. I hope that there isn't an issue that has come up," Rock was not prepared for this.
"No, the timeline for the meeting was simply moved forward. The Young Master sent me ahead to finalize arrangements before his arrival next week. He wanted me to contact you as soon as I was able to," her expression never changed as she spoke.
There was no one that scared Rock as much as Roberta did. Having seen her rampages twice, there was little surprise to that fact. Actually, the entire city was scared so shitless of her, the sewers were known to leave the city at the mere mention of her. Yet here he was face to face with her, alone, with no one that could even think to stand up to her if she went feral.
"Senor Rock, if you are worried about me attacking anyone, be at ease. My Young Master has forbidden me from even arming myself, unless the necessity is unavoidable. I am simply here to make sure that things are arranged with the two primary, leaders, of the city, and make sure that he has suitable lodgings. Is Senorita Revy, not here at the moment," the woman was maintaining an unreadable expression, however she wasn't openly hostile at the moment so he forced himself to relax.
"I am on the sidelines at the moment due to an event yesterday. Revy and the others are currently on a job. I wish that we had been contacted about your early arrival so that I could make appointments to meet with Chang and Balalaika. It shouldn't be too hard as far as things go. Let me go make a couple of calls, and we will go from there. Has Heidi made you comfortable," Rock started towards the phone in the kitchen.
"Si, Senorita Heidi, though her lack of speech surprised me at first, she has been quite a suitable hostess. I am unsure of how someone of her nature arrived to this, infierno, and maintained such a charming demeanor. Has she been here long," the woman asked.
"Almost a year, working for us. A little over a year in total. Her father was killed, another random body in this place. One of our other new employees brought her in, and she has been a big help in keeping the office in reasonable shape. Everything stays clean, and according to Chang she makes an excellent cup of tea. Was your trip here, decent," Rock just wanted things to stay civil, because if she decided to go nova, he was fucked, up the dick, up the ass, and out of existence.
Roberta nodded, "It was pleasant enough. Gracias for asking. Have you been well yourselves?"
Rock already knew that she really didn't care. She was trying to stay civil for the sake of Garcia, rather than her personal opinions. That suited Rock well enough as long as she was willing to keep it up, he would remain professional, and courteous. Hopefully he would stay alive.
"We have been, as well as you would tend to expect. How are Fabiola and Garcia doing? Dutch didn't mention after he talked to him a few months ago. How old is he now, twelve or thirteen," this Rock did kind of care about.
"Thirteen. He is more and more taking over the management of the estate, and Fabiola is acting much closer with him than I now. I feel that she is more appropriate with her personality to assist him than I, given the recent years. She has quite the head for dealing with crop buyers and transporting companies. We have been able to add additional servants to the staff, so the estate itself is being brought back into its former glory."
"That's good to hear. He deserves it, he is a strong child, and he should be an even stronger man when he is grown. How is the political situation? I've heard that it isn't improving very much. Is it causing him any concern," Rock was worried with the seeming rise of the communist population that the news talked about in Venezuela.
Roberta closed her eyes, "He isn't concerned, however I am. I fear that many of the ideas that my former comrades espoused are being spread. I am starting to make emergency plans to allow us to flee should violence ensue. I hope that he will not be losing his home while I live, but I know that such people are not known for kindness, even to those who are kind. Though, Senor Rock, I can't help but notice that something seems to bother you."
Rock had reached for the receiver when she said this and he stopped, "So even you have heard about me killing a man. Why must it be such a big deal in this place? People get shot all the time, for much less reason."
Roberta was surprised. She had noticed that he did seemed bothered, but had not heard. She did not know him well enough to say for sure, but she had not thought him to be the kind to kill a man. It was bothering him, which, she for some reason felt pity for him and how it seemed to be affecting him if he was that paranoid about her knowing before she asked.
"I, was not aware of the situation, Senor Rock. I take it the event has bothered you greatly. I will not ask, if you do not wish me too."
"It isn't killing the man that bothers me. He was trying to kill our new crew member. I picked up the gun he dropped, and shot the guy attacking him in the back of the head. So if you are about to start calling me a hypocrite, or trying to make me feel better, don't. I'm fine. I don't plan to lose."
A day later found the Lagoon sitting still in the waters a hundred miles off Roanapur. This was the approximate area that the pirates were supposed to have been operating in, however the radar set didn't even show any merchant shipping for them to go after. It was reeking havoc on the mindset of the two gunslingers of the crew, as they wanted to shoot someone with the cannon they had so lovingly dubbed and marked on the barrel as "THE FUCKING CANNON".
"This fucking sucks, where are the cocksuckers? I mean, shouldn't we have even looked like a good target," Revy was hanging over the barrel bored as she had ever been.
Ethan was laying behind it moving it left and right with his foot, "Are you maybe getting the idea that he decided to play us or something? I mean, this place is deader than when you walk out of a room."
"You're one to talk. FUCK, just fucking something. What the hell have we done to deserve this," Revy was getting even more bored than she thought was possible.
In the cabin Benny and Dutch just watched them. In truth, it was actually just a ploy to get Rock alone so he could think, and Dutch had gotten the cannon himself after Ethan had noticed an auction listing in a magazine for it and said it would be awesome. It had come in the day that Rock had shot the man, but that occurring had interrupted the plans he had originally of having it installed to surprise them.
"So, do you think that this was that great of an idea Dutch? I mean, Revy is bad enough, but you know how Ethan gets when he is royally pissed. I would rather deal with three pissed off Revys versus that," Benny said.
Dutch shrugged, "Thankfully he has a cooler head. They'll get over it. Besides, this also takes their mind off of things, and I think they are hurting themselves over this more than Rock. Especially Revy. But hey, they have the fucking cannon, they can't be too mad at me."
"They do love that cannon, I mean a disturbing amount, but they love it. Give them a chance and they would probably load us down with as many guns as possible to just before we sink. Poster children for the Second Amendment. You think Rock is going to get over this." Benny finally looked away from the two on deck.
Dutch pushed his glasses back up, "I don't know. I never thought this would happen. Rock has resisted becoming like us as hard as he could. Honestly, you don't fit in that well, you just are better able to drift in it than he is. I mean look at Heidi, she scares me because not only does she not speak, have you noticed she doesn't make that much noise regardless. If she isn't using a vacuum, she can almost disappear. The darkness of Roanapur won't have to try, one day she will simply accept it. Honestly, I am glad that he is having this crisis, because it means that he may be able to stay where he is, rather than join us in the night."
"Dutch, you ought to start writing self help books or something. That was inspiring and insight- uh, Dutch, do you see that blip on the radar," Benny had caught something on the screen out of the corner of his eye.
Dutch looked over, "Not big enough for a merchant ship, or any Thai naval vessels. Not small enough for a pleasure craft, and way too fast. Get up in the nest, and tell them to get The Fucking Cannon ready. Good lord, now I am treating it like that."
It took only a few moments for the boat to come to readiness. Ethan was ready on the trigger, and Revy with the loading. Benny was scanning the horizon with a set of binoculars, looking for any craft coming in, and Dutch with his hands on the throttle.
"Oh, shit, Dutch, that is something that looks like us, but, not. Also they have a cannon, it looks bigger than ours. Like, I think that's a Bofors, that's a Bofors. We may want to run," Benny wasn't used to being above deck like this.
"Where is the gun located. Fore, midships, or aft," Ethan asked.
"Uh, like halfway between midships and aft. Why does that matter," Benny called down to him.
"Because The Fucking Cannon is on is our fore deck. We can play chicken with them, and hit their cabin. Knock out their driver, and veer off, then when they have to stop to readjust to the situation, we come around for a torpedo run. We have four tubes ready. With luck we have them in a few minutes," Ethan's plan was sound.
"Well, not idea, but do we have a better idea. Speak now or forever hold your peaces, because I am going pedal to the medal now," the throttles clacked against their stops as Dutch slammed them forward.
Ethan planted his feet as the violent move threatened to throw him to the deck. In its heyday the Black Lagoon would have had seventeen men crewing her for combat. Right now she had less than a quarter of that, not to mention only a single 37mm cannon as armament. It all was going to come down to how good of a shot Ethan was with the cannon, and if the fifty year old high explosive ammunition was any good.
The other boat had noticed them now, and was trying to take a slight angle to them to bring the 40mm into play. They had the rate of fire advantage if they had enough people to keep it up, but the Lagoon company had the range advantage, and the sheer insanity of the two people running their gun.
Shots started firing from the other boat and were landing short. Ethan waited until he heard one ping off the Lagoon's deck before he opened up, and walked his fire onto the cabin. Even from where they were they heard the glass shatter, and saw the light patterns as the shells detonated on the bulkheads. Ethan them walked the fire down the hull to the waterline, and the boat started to slow.
"Dutch, we have a jam up here. I can't do anything about their gun right now. You better be ready to turn and burn on the torpedo run," Ethan called as he started trying to free the breech to resume firing.
"Well, here goes the first PT boat torpedo run at something other than a helicopter since 1945. Let's hope they don't run deep," Dutch turned them away and got about a mile before he turned straight into their side and put the engines at full throttle again.
Ethan and Revy took cover as the other boat started shooting, the rate of fire somewhat inconsistent. Shots were falling everywhere but on them. The distance started closing, until finally Dutch hit the igniters and the two starboard torpedoes left their tubes as Dutch pulled to port. Luck was with them as the torpedoes ran true, leaving white streaks in the water as they traveled to their target. The other boat blew apart in a gigantic splash, debris and fire raining down.
"God damn it Dutch, God bless the U.S. of A. That was fucking glorious. Whew," Ethan and Revy both were smiling like idiots as they looked at the sight.
"Let's not do that again," he cut the radio and sat back, "Well, shit. I didn't expect there to actually be some kind of pirate out here with anything bigger than a zodiac. Guess I don't have to tell them that I was playing them for fools now. I'm the one that got played for fool. Fuck it, I am too old for this shit. That was incredible, I never thought I would use the torpedoes a second time."
The atmosphere in the office was still tense. Roberta sipped on a cup of tea as Rock sat doing his best to ignore her presence. Heidi was checking on them occasionally, which disturbed Roberta some since she always just appeared there. Like she was a shadow coming into existence.
"Senorita Heidi is quite, interesting. Has she always moved this silently? Given my past, you can understand how unsettling it is to me," she was getting tired of the heavy silence.
"She just started it a few months ago. We really haven't questioned why, given how questioning things usually go in this place. As long as she does her work, and doesn't attempt to kill us in our sleep, she can be as quiet as she wants," Rock, answered blandly, hoping that the phone would ring and give him a reason to leave the room.
"I see. You, do not want to be in the same room as me, am I right Senor Rock? I can understand, considering how you have seen me in the past. I would be some what concerned if you were comfortable around me. I know what you see, the Bloodhound, and not the maid. I struggle with that now, ever since what I did here a year ago," Roberta said understanding his position, if not truly caring for his comfort.
When she said that, Rock thought back to the mirror. Was that his own version of the Bloodhound, something that threatened to swallow him, and take over if he let his guard down. The moment that he fired started playing back in his head, on a constant loop. Was it him, or was it the part that wanted out that pulled the trigger. Was it a part he should want to kill? Or was it a part that he should dominate, and make a simple tool for himself.
"Senor Rock, are you ok? You, are troubled? What is truly the matter," at this point, she did start to care, because she saw something she recognized.
"You want the truth? I liked killing the bastard. It was exciting, the adrenaline something I never saw coming. I hate that I enjoyed it. I shouldn't have enjoyed it. But, if I hadn't done it, someone I care about would have died. That one bullet, I don't know what it did to me, but it was more than it did to the dead man," he told the woman.
Roberta felt a shiver down her spine, "I, in a way understand. It can take a lifetime to understand actions like that. I had many comrades, who never could, who couldn't live with it after taking a life. We buried many of their own acts. Even I, have never truly made peace with what I have done, it just took me longer to start realizing what those acts have done to me."
"I have a question then, what do you see in the mirror? What looks back at you in your weakest moments," he looked directly into her eyes, something he wouldn't have had the courage to do at any other time.
She turned away and answered quietly, "I see only a dead mujer, and El Diablo staring over her shoulder."