Author's Note:

Hi there Dwellers of the Twilight,

This concludes the first arc of our story. This chapter's justifies the M-Rating. I had a lot of fun writing it. I hope you'll have as much fun reading it.

Thank you for reading and reviewing the previous chapters. It was a great help. I especially appreciated that you picked on my efforts of trying to preserve the Black Lagoon atmosphere and style.

This chapter features "action scenes" that required a different pace of narration than what I'm used to. Since future chapters will include such scenes as well (it would't be a Black Lagoon Fiction without them), please let me know your thoughts on how I managed them.

Next arc is called "Two Hands", we'll explore how our anti-heroine got her nickname, her outfit (as was requested to me on r/blacklagoon), and how she settles in Roanapur.

As always: Rate, Review, Follow and Favorite (2R2F)

Honest to God Gunslinger III

December 1993

They made it to Miami in five days. Dutch has accounted for a day of rest and a day for unpredictability. Rebecca spent the trip between lying down and dismantling the guns and putting them back together on deck. He could tell she liked the sea breeze, especially that they progressed beyond the colder part of the trip. She tested recoils for all the guns he had on the ship on the two days following their departure form Sand Hook bay.

When they got to Myrtle Beach, Rebecca asked him whether they could get to Isla Cantoy a day or two before the rendez-vous. He said that he would be able manage it, but he'd rather have a day of respite before the exchange. Her reply was rather amusing for him.

"Listen! I'm not big on fuckin' maps! What do you think I am? A fuckin'... Whatever the fuck they call the people who make maps!"

"Cartographers."

"Who cares! I need to see the place for myself! I need to test the terrain under my feet! You can't see that on a map!"

"Actually, you can."

She made a grimace. He could see she felt embarrassed. Dutch deduced she didn't enjoy being looked down upon no matter what the situation was. She tried to redeem herself. "Didn't go to college, in case you ain't guessed"

"Actually, you learn that in middle school..."

"You.."

"More importantly, I didn't plan to go there right after we get to Miami, but we'll have to make due. I can't let the lack of education of my gunman be the death of me..."

"Motherfucker..."

"What about the escape route?"

"We won't need to run if they're dead."

"Works for me. Make sure they don't encircle us."

She expected an objection from him. Most people she was hired to bodyguard had qualms about her methods. She realized then he didn't expect her to protect him.

"What about you? You don't want me to babysit you?"

"I can take care of myself. It's the ship I'm worried about. If they get to it before we do we're fucked"

She liked that. It meant she could go nuts.

"I'll take a PM-63, the Remington, and the M79. I like that baby, can't wait to blow shit up with it."

"I'll have the anti-tank ready on deck in case we need it"

"I won't lie to ya, Dutch. I'd kill to use that too, but that'll be too risky. You don't need college to figure that out. Neither of us will be on the boat while you do your little delivery boy thing. They could sneak while where distracted and make siege there"

"Got a point there."

She grinned. Dutch cut her jubilation short.

"Look at you all pleased for getting praised. Want a treat? Who's the good girl?"

"You..."

"What about the sea jargon?"

"Don't need that shit"

"If they engage in chase, I'll have to give you instructions from the pilot room"

"That's the point. I'll wrap things on land."

"Fair enough."

She was starting to feel oddly frustrated at his lack of objections.

"What the fuck's wrong with ya? Ya makin' fun o'me? "

"What do you mean?"

"First you tell me to fucking study! Then you tell me you don't fucking need it!"

"We don't wanna cramp your style, now, do we?"

"Tsk!"

"That's almost a "Thanks", isn't it"

"Fuck you! That's a full "Fuck you!""

He took her to Isla Cantoy, and left her there as she requested. He did it with a rented boat. He couldn't afford having his boat identified. Although he didn't tell Chen he was taking the boat, there was a slight probability that he had given the NPA a description of it. Chen was an idiot with money, and you can't be sure with that kind of guys. He could have given them the description without giving it much thought.

In reality, he didn't need to to take the boat all the way from Roanapur to New York. He only took the boat because with he couldn't entrust it to either the Triads or Hotel Moscow. That would have been as good as pledging allegiance. Both sides were in the edge as they were aware that their respective leaders should have fallen that night. They were looking for reasons to redeem their leaders' pride. It was bad enough that he saved Balalaika. He didn't intend to it. Balalaika knew that. She told him "Hotel Moscow does not owe the Lagoon company. They owe you". It was her way of telling him she knew his business run on neutrality, but she, and by extension Hotel Moscow, couldn't go on without repaying him.

That was the difference between bosses like Chang and Balalaika, and people like Chen. They knew that the world didn't run on money and power alone. They didn't expect or as asked you to trust them. Trust was a myth, an insult for them. They built bridges with mutual profit and respect instead. Chen, on the other hand, tended to get irritated each time Dutch declined or put his request at the end of his waiting list. This job smelled of rotten it had all the good ingredients of an old-fashioned set-up: One, it was far from the commissioner's place of business; Two, it involved a faction that had no allies in Roanapur; Three, the receiver was unaware of your reputation.

All Chen needed to fuck him over was a faulty package. Dutch knew that. So he requested a proof of the deal, so he could confirm the mass of cocaine that was in the crate was indeed the one agreed upon. Chen replied to that by saying: "Come on Dutch! I'm one of the most respected bosses of Roanapur. You think I'd sully my name to screw you over?". He called the Triads two days later to verify the authenticity of the goods. At least he had half an insurance with that.

Any other day, he would have refused such a job. Yet, given the shit-storm that was unfolding between the Triads and Hotel Moscow, here he was.

He joined Revy the following day. His contact was a man called Gao Ping. He was supposed to a Lieutenant. He contacted them an hour before he arrived to inform them about the drop-off point. It was chosen by Revy. She chose a spot among the trees. He supposed she wanted to keep herself hidden. However, it gave NPA soldiers the edge. When he made this remark, she replied: "Exactly! That's what I want'em to believe". She also refused to turn on the earpiece he gave her, suggesting that they might have their conversation intercepted.

As she suspected, the NPA sent a reconnaissance team. They sent three speedboats, each with five soldiers. She spent the night trying to stay of their sight. By daybreak, they all gathered west of the island. Dutch was supposed to dock North. Their docking there supposed they wanted to stay hidden. "That's too much for precautions. These guys are trying to fuck us for sure." She counted fifteen soldiers. She didn't want to engage them just yet. A bunch of them was bound to go see Dutch. She had to make her move then. She stayed hidden among the palm threes, while the unsuspecting soldiers made camp and waited to hear from Dutch.

Sure enough, half an hour later she heard Dutch's voice on their radio. After some chatter, three soldiers went through the jungle. Three others got on one of the speedboats and sailed south. She waited until the three men who left on foot were out of hearing distance. "Let's dance"

She put the PM-63 and the M-79 on either of her sides so she could pick them up as soon as she had taken care of few guerrillas with the Remington.

"Let's see..."

It didn't help that the guerrillas were scattered. There were only two of them that could have been taken out without her having to shift aim. That would leave seven people who would come towards her once she's given out her position.

"For fuck's sake." She decided to go through with it anyway.

She killed the two men with two shots in quick succession. She left the Remington, and picked up the other guns. The soldiers stirred. One of them shouted gesturing towards a nearby tent. They all hurried there.

"What the fuck!" She realized that the soldiers went to retrieve their weapons. "You're making it to easy!". She stormed toward the tent and fired a grenade with the M-79.

"Fuckin' A!" She quickly reloaded it taking advantage of the smoke screen. She couldn't shoot another grenade though, as four soldiers staggered through the smoke. She took out two of them with the sub-machine gun, and fired another grenade as the other ones located her and tried to take aim.

She reloaded the M79 again, and waited for someone to come out again... The smoke cleared, and yet nobody came. There was still three people unaccounted for. It was too risky to bolt into the tent. She had two grenades left besides the one she just loaded. She didn't want to waste them. She brought only five since she carried three guns and their ammo. She had that speed boat that left earlier to think about.

As she decided to leave, she heard radio chatter.

"Fuck.."

She threw caution to the wind and and went in. She barged in while firing the PM-63. That took care of the guy who was talking on the radio. There were two others lying on the ground.

"That's a wrap! Give me a break! Are these guys really soldiers? Let's go see what that fucker's up to."

Five minutes after his arrival, three men armed with AK-47 showed up. The one in the middle was Gao Ping. Without much of a greeting he nodded towards the crate and said in a broken English: "Dat it?"

"Sure is. 15 Kilo. I need your signature... Got a problem?" He asked noticing the Gao's expression.

Gao ignored Dutch, and talked to the other two men, then said something on his radio. It appeared there was no answer on the radio. He tried again. Silence. Dutch suspected that Revy took care of whoever was on the other end of the line, but he couldn't worry about that at the moment. One of the men appeared to have suggested something to Gao. Gao nodded and said to Dutch: "Write number... On paper. Kilos."

Dutch, puzzled and suspicious, showed him 15 on the invoice instead. As soon as he noticed Gao's wince turn harder, he drew he gun. A three versus one, the situation was such as him pointing his revolver at Gao while the others two pointing their guns at him.

"Don't move!" Dutch shouted!

The situation was not unexpected. Chen must have told them he was sending a different amount.

"Chen xiānshēng said bad man!" Gao said between gritted teeth.

He kept Gao at gunpoint. "Where's the bitch..." He thought.

One of the other two men reached to his radio, pushed the button on his radio and said a word in Chinese. "Fuck!" said Dutch and shot Gao, an explosion followed and Dutch was blasted away. Then he heard then machine gun. He realized that it was Revy.

"The bitch was trying to get me too!"

"Who are ya calling a bitch?"

Revy's voice was mixed with the buzz of the blast. He could tell that she was smiling through the smoke.

"Come on! The other guys spoke on the Radio when they saw me. I think they called a boat!"

"When was that?"

"About fifteen minutes ago..."

"What? You killed them before I made contact with these guys!"

"Well, if I didn't do it they would've stormed right after this fucker called." She said, kicking the corpse of the caller. " By the way! What took you so long to shoot?"

"Fuck! That was a fifty-fifty anyway... Some of us aren't trigger-happy"

"Tsk! Anyway, let's scram! If they get to the boat we're toast!"

Revy was carrying three guns and the ammo for the M79, and yet he couldn't keep up with her. She run through the sand and the palm trees as if she lived there here whole life. After five minutes of running he could see the boat. 300 meters starboard of the ship a speedboat was approaching at full speed.

"Revy! The..."

Before he could finish his sentence, Revy was on one knee, taking aim with the sniper rifle. Two shots. Five seconds later, a third one.

"Three in three! We can take our sweet time now"

The speedboat kept on circling out of control. Dutch marveled at Revy's feat. She took out three men in motion on a boat, including the pilot, without missing shot.

"You old fart! Honest to God gunslinger, he said! She's a fucking devil!" Dutch laughed.

"What?" Revy puzzled at Dutch's sudden outburst!

"Tell me, Revy. How many guys were in that backup?"

"Name's Rebecca, stop calling me that! Nine, I guess..."

"Sorry I missed that"

"What? Got some screws loose or somethin'?"

"Says the woman who killed fifteen dudes, and smiles about it"

She grinned. "Fourteen, one's yours. Are all people from Roanapur like that? If that's the case I guess I'm more than..."

"Drop that." Dutch mood sours.

Revy wasn't going to back down. She pointed the Rifle at him. "Squeal. How do I get..."

Dutch unfazed picks the guns and the ammo Revy left earlier on the floor. "The fact that you expect threatening people who live off that shit-hole with a gun changes anything shows that you are not ready for that place."

"Aha! So you're from Roanapur."

"I have a business there."

"What's makes you think I wouldn't fit in?" She asked lowering her gun.

Dutch sighed. "Come on... We have a long trip ahead of us..."

She felt cheated.

Five Days later, they were back to New York. On the trip, Revy tried to bring Roanapur again a couple of times... On both occasions, Dutch remained silent.

Dutch called Paul a day in advance announcing their return. As soon as they docked, Revy got out and went on ahead.

"That short temper was a front, after all. Just like you said. How far did you get in her head, Paul?" He whispered to himself. He had a bad feeling. He could tell Paul had a plan involving Revy. It was none of his business. but he couldn't help but think Paul was accounting for him as one of those twenty variables he was playing with.

As if on cue, Paul called.

"Did she leave?"

"What the hell are you playing at?"

"Could you come by in an hour or so?"

"Depends on your answer"

"For old times' sake"

"That's what a prostitute passed her prime tells her old costumers."

"You've seen her, what she's capable of, didn't you?"

"I missed the show. What is she to you?"

"..."

"Alright."

"Thanks Dutch."

He hang up. Paul never said thanks. He usually said "I owe you one" instead.

She left Dutch behind at the docks and went to Paul's bar.

"Fuck Dutch! I'll ask Paul and go there myself!"

She pushed the door, found Paul sitting at the "reserved" table.

"What the f..." The words died in her throat.

"Hello Rebecca! Welcome back! This is NYPD section 27 chief. I hope you don't mind taking a job straight away..."

As if she could forget that face... "So the fucker made it to chief..." she thought, "I'm sure he was exemplary..."

She felt as if her heart have swollen and was about to burst out of her throat. Her legs went hollow and her eyes stung.

She always imagined that if she ever met that bastard again, she would put a bullet in between his eyes. Yet her arms seemed to have been dislocated.

"I think I'll pass..." She said almost inaudibly...

Paul nodded. "As you can see, she's a little exhausted... How about..."

She went out before Paul finishes his sentence. She sat on a nearby bench and lit a cigarette. "That's not fair..."

She sat there. With her head hung, she let the cigarette burn.

Paul knew she wouldn't be able to do anything. "Now Dutch won't have any complaints..."

"Pardon?"the chief said.

"Just thinking out loud... Tell me chief, do you believe in Justice?"

"Wouldn't be a police chief if I didn't."

Paul felt disgusted. "Well, good sir, I don't. I believe in Retribution, though. Those who kill should be killed, those who steal should be stolen from, those who rape should be raped..."

"The good old "Eye for Eye", eh?"

Paul nodded towards his barman.

Dutch found Revy outside Paul's bar.

"Is Paul in?" He asked her.

She raised her head. "Yes. He has company."

Despite that, he went in. He found Paul alone.

"I thought you had company."

"He went to pay an overdue debt."

"God complex, still?"

"Haha. Old habits die hard, right?"

"I don't know what you did to her, but you got her bad"

"See, Dutch? That's what I like you. You have a keen eye for that kind of things."

"Feed your bullshit to someone else. Do you think she'll still be useful. Seems like you woke up a deep lying trauma or something. Besides, she wouldn't shut up about Roanapur... What have you been feeding her?"

"Don't worry about her. She knows how to vent. Although I never took it to this extreme I believe in her."

"Why are you trying to send her to Roanapur?"

"I'm trying to send her with you. I'm retiring, Dutch. I can't look out for her anymore"

"Look out for her? Since when do you that?"

"You grow soft with age, I guess..."

"That doesn't answer my question..."

"Even she doesn't know why I do it... I think she assumed I do it with all my gunmen... And I'm afraid she's too private about her past. If she's going to work with you, you're better off not knowing my reasons"

"I see... You knew i wouldn't ask her about her past, that why you think she'd be a good fit for me..."

"And that you'd treat her well."

"You didn't know I was coming here, so why did you feed her all those stories about Roanapur?"

"I was going to send for you. Fate did it for me..."

"What do you suppose I should tell her?"

"Tell her she's fired."

"Thanks"

"What?"

"You're retiring, I'm thanking you for your years of service... "

"Haha. Thanks Dutch. You're doing a good thing."

"Go fuck yourself. So long Paul. I'm taking two of your most expensive whisky as compensation"

"Compensation?"

"For pissing me off."

Paul laughed, and told the barman to comply. He handed Dutch two 60 Year Old Glenfarclas John Grant. Dutch took the bottles and went out.

He found Revy where he left her. He sat down beside her.

"Paul says you're fired."

"Is that so?"

"You pestered me about Roanapur throughout this job. What about I take you there?"

"Fuck you"

Dutch guessed it was her way of telling him she wasn't in mood. How many emotions did she express with that word?

"This is an official job offer from the Lagoon Company. The pay won't be as good as Paul's, but..."

"Look I don't know what shit deal you brokered with Paul. I ain't workin' for ya..."

"You'll find me at this number. Give me your final answer tomorrow. Here's a goodwill gift." He handed her one of the bottles of whisky.

When she gathered herself enough to go, she remembered she didn't have an apartment anymore. She went to a phone-booth and called Sonya's number. A lady answered.

"Hello"

"This is Rebecca"

"Oh, hello sweet stuff."

"Remember that thing I always said no to?"

"Yes"

"I'm in"

"Really? You're in luck, I just got three of'em. But I have company, you don't mind?"

"Even better!"

"Okay! Do you have something to write on? I'll give you the address..."

The phone in Dutch's Hotel room rung. It was Revy.

"I didn't expect you to call so soon"

"I accept your offer. I'll be at Hart Island tomorrow at dawn."

"Hart Island?"

"Yes. It's east of..."

"I know where it is. Access is restricted under NY Department of Correction..."

"You don't have to dock. People I'm going with probably have a lifeboat. I'll swim if I need to. Just be somewhere near the east"

"Okay"

"One more thing, Dutch. If we're going to work together, let's stay out of each other's business. Got it?"

"Got it"

He hung up. "She knows how to vent... Just how much did you know, you old fart!"

She took a cab to City Island. She met Sonya and her boyfriend Chuck there. Chuck eyed her and with a satisfied grin, said to Sonya: "She's a looker alright?

"Just wait and see how she fucks me. You could take a few pointers you know..." Sony said, poking his chest.

Chuck chuckled and extended his hand. "Looking forward to learn from the best"

Revy kept her hands in her pockets "Where are they?"

"Such enthusiasm!" Chuck mocked. "I took them there ahead."

"Okay let's go. Where's the boat?" she urged

"The Yacht..." Corrected Chuck. "You're right honey, she does have a temper"

"As I said, you could learn from her" Sonya said suggestively.

Half an hour later, they were on Hart Island. It was nigh-time so they had to take flashlights. Chuck worked in the Correctional Department, and walked as if owned the place. There were many abandoned buildings. Thy went into a large one.

"This used to be an Asylum" Sonya informed.

"How fitting for the two of you" she retorted.

They went on on until they arrived at the end of a long corridor. Check unlocked the lock on a chain the held the door shut. He pointed his flashlight on three teenage children. A boy and two girls.

"What do you think Rebecca?" Whispered Sonya from behind her.

Chuck was displaying a silly grin.

"Here's what I think!" She pulled her guns from her satchel and put two bullets in Chuck's kneecaps. Sonya tried to escape, but Revy's guns were faster. She fell on her face and wailed. The children squirmed. Chuck tried to get up. She shot him in the balls. He twisted and turned like a maniac. "I guess that's punishment enough for you... Here's one more for good measure!" She kicked him in the face, fracturing his nose.

She untied the frightened children, and gave the boy a flashlight. "Go wait outside. Ignore the woman you see in the hallway"

She picked up the ropes and went to Sonya, who was still trying to get away, and dragged by the hair. "You twisted bitch!" She used the rope to tie Sonya to a pipe then turned her on her back. She spread Sonya's legs violently until she fractured her hips. Sonya wails increased in magnitude. Then she stepped on her groin, shattering her pelvic bone. One scream, then Sonya's wail turned into sobs.

As she was taking care of Sonya, Chuck stopped twisting, and started crawling towards a nearby window. She stepped on his back. "You were so hard, that you forgot to check if I had guns. You and your disgusting bitch over there were so horny to rape those brats that you took a criminal with you without second-guessing her". She shifted her foot to his tail bone, and stepped it with all her strength. He was a little harder to immobilize than Sonya, but she managed it anyway.

She left the sick couple in the hallway, and exited the building. The children were obediently waiting for her against the wall. The were too weak to stand by themselves. She sat in front of them. She lit a cigarette, and examined each of them.

Now that her boiling settled down, she started to consider what she did. She hated Sonya's guts. She knew she raped children, but she never acted on it. She had no right acting righteous. She didn't do it out of anger or hatred. She let the object of her anger and hatred go. She couldn't even lift a finger against him. "I am a coward..." she whispered.

The boy asked her reluctantly: "Are you a cop?"

She gave him a blank look. He lowered his head. She eyed the other two girls. "What was I thinking?" She murmured. Those kids didn't have a future. She had no business saving them. Sonya always made a point of picking kids that had no family and were for welfare centers to handle.

She pulled her gun and put a bullet between the boy's eyes. The girls started screaming. She silenced them as well.

"Give me break!"

She hoped she wouldn't run of cigarettes before dawn. She opened the Whisky Dutch gave her.

"That's good stuff..."

At dawn, she made her way the east of the island. Dutch was docked there.

She looked at him suspiciously.

"Paul's too efficient" He said.

"So, where's this Roanapur place?"

"South China sea"

"What? Can this thing even cross the ocean?"

"No. There's a ship carrier in route there this afternoon"

"Looks like I have to learn the sea jargon, after all" she said smiling.

Dutch returned her smile. "Of course."