Black Lagoon: Broken Hearts + Damaged Souls

Chapter 16: A Sense of Betrayal

"Mr. Jimmy... how? I thought you were... dead..." Jack stuttered.

Mr. Jimmy simply zoned out. All he saw was Jack... defending the very people he hated.

"What's going on?"he asked himself. "What is this feeling?"

Suddenly he was snapped back to reality by Johnson, who shot one of the troopers in the head.

"Don't you dare freeze up on me!" he said punching his comrade in the jaw.

Genesis stood behind them with several bullet holes in her. Rock went to go pick her up but Johnson popped him in the shoulder and leg with his P-90. Jack looked on in horror as he became nearly defenseless.

Only two troopers were left by his side. They tensed up and protected Jack. "I'm about to die..." Jack cried "... and it's all Jimmy's fault."

Just then, Mr. Chang and Boris came in and pushed the US troops back. Their men picked up the wounded and ushered to Jack.

"We have to fall back to the Second Defense Line!" Chang yelled.

"Dutch and the remaining naval forces have already retreated into the city and Benny is trying to reorganize the air defenses. Come now, kid." Boris explained.

Jimmy looked on as 8 retreated up the beach. Jack looked back upon him with hatred as the remaining enemy troops rushed land. A tank pulled up through the smoke and fired upon one of the buildings still standing; more soon followed. That was all he saw as the gruesome scene disappeared behind ash and rubble.

About a half an hour later, they were all inside the Yellow Flag. Revy and Genesis were unconscious while Jack tended to Rock's bullet wounds. Revy soon awoke to the ground rumbling from explosions. She looked around and saw Jack patching up Rock. Chang and Boris directed some troops to defend the line. As her gaze wandered the interior of the bar she saw dead bodies laying about. Revy then turned to her right and saw a bloody Genesis barely breathing. Her eyes opened to meet Revy's. Revy began to cry.

"Genny... we're going to be okay..." her sister simply coughed up blood then whispered, "Heheh, hell yeah we are".

They both tried to get up and grabbed their guns. The defense barrier combusted to their left. Dutch limped out of the dust cloud.

"Son of a bitch..." he groaned as he dropped two US soldiers with his revolver. "This is the last line between them and the citizens! We must hold out here with our lives!"

Genesis, Revy and Rock hobbled outside.

Jack trailed behind them, picking up a pistol on the ground. They met with Boris, Chang and Ms. Balalaika. Bao, Yolanda, Eda and a few others joined them. Revy grinned.

"What the hell took you so long, you dumb bitch?"

Eda chuckled as she revealed a nasty shotgun wound on her side. "Taking care of business, you fucking skank."

Ms. Balalaika walked up to Rock. "You're usually the one to give speeches Rock. Amuse your soldiers with one final hoorah."

Rock gave an unamused look and then turned around to face who was left. Just as he did, Benny's plane flew over head, spinning out of control with a smoke trail following suit. Everyone heard his final words.

"Sorry guys... looks like this is my stop." His plane crashed into the Hotel Moscow building and a giant explosion rocked the streets.

Dutch readjusted his sunglasses. "Farewell, Benny-boy." A tear ran down his face as the shock wave died down.

The group then heard marching heading toward them.

"Well Rock?" Ms. Balalaika inquired about a possible speech.

Rock took a deep breath. "You all know by now that nothing I can say will make this situation any better. More than likely, we are all going to die. But in hindsight, we were already dead. In a town that never existed. In a world as unforgiving as the guns we wield. If this is how it ends, then all I have to say is that it was worth it." He limped over to Revy and embraced her, Jack getting caught in between.

Boris and Ms. Balalaika saluted each other, and similar exchanges of gratitude were exchanged for a brief moment. They all lined up as the US Army beared down on them.

The end drew near.