The Gunslinger & the Salaryman: A Love Story for the Ages

Chapter 20: Work Reunion

     "Who?" Revy asked again, picking her ear a little bit in the process.
     "My old supervisor, Kageyama," Rock answered. "From Asahi Industries."
     "The piece of shit who declared ya dead?" she asked, finally remembering who he was. Rock simply nodded.
     "I did give Mr. Okajima a chance to rejoin us," Kageyama retorted. "But, he decided he'd rather stay in this decrepit city."
     Rock's old boss then noticed the guns holstered at his sides.
     "You seem to have adapted well, seeing as you're carrying weapons now."
     He then arched an eyebrow looking at Rock's shirt.
     "You've even gone for an... interesting new look."
     Revy showed noticeable aggravation at this comment, not that Kageyama had any way of knowing she got him the shirt.

     Rock pulled out a cigarette, lit it, then took a drag. He motioned to Revy if she'd like one too, she nodded, and he lit and handed one to her.
     "So, Kageyama, what brings you back to this part of the world? I'm guessing not business?"
     "It's for revenge," Kageyama answered. "On you!"
     "You fuckin' kiddin' me?" Revy asked deadpan, cigarette dangling from her mouth. "If anything, Rocky Baby here should be the one wanting revenge on you."
     "Not that I'd want it really," replied Rock. "Best thing that could ever happen to me."
     He then turned to Revy and gave her a wink and smile, she blushed a bit at this.
     "So what? Things not go well for you after our last encounter?"
     "That would be an understatement," Kageyama replied. "Not long after, the board of directors discovered that news of your death was... exaggerated. They felt I was now a liability since you were still alive and could possibly blow the whistle on everything we'd done. So, I was terminated. My wife discovered some of my indiscretions and left me..."

     There was a moment of silence before Revy began bursting out with laughter.
     "You fuckin' serious!? You wanna kill Rock because some other cocksuckers fired you!? Ain't his fault you had shitty bosses and a shitty marriage!"
     "Your partner has a colorful mouth on her, Mr. Okajima," Kageyama said, remaining calm. "I've pulled my past resources to have you and your colleagues taken out. Admittedly, it hasn't been as simple as I'd hoped. So, I decided to come down here, and see to things personally."
     "I can't believe this shit!" Revy exclaimed. "We got shot at and Rock ended up in a fuckin' coma because of petty fuckin' bullshit! Can I shoot this fucker already!?"
     "I certainly wouldn't object," Rock shrugging nonchalantly.
     "I wouldn't advise that," Kageyama interjected. "Unless you want your parents to remain alive."
     "Excuse me?"
     Rock asked. Kageyama then produced a photo and slid it across his desk. Rock walked closer for a better look, going wide eyed with the reveal. It was a candid shot his parents, both clearly walking around Roanapur. It had been nearly seven years since he'd seen either of them.

     "How long have they been here?"
     "A couple days now," Kageyama answered. "Spur of the moment contest win. They of course have no idea you're here, as they still assume you're dead."
     "So, you're using them as a trump card, so I don't just shoot you now?" Rock asked.
     "Perceptive as always, Mr. Okajima," Kageyama smirked. "The men I hired have orders to call every hour to make sure I'm still here. If I don't respond, well, I'm sure you can guess."
     Just then, the phone rang.
     "That would be them now."
     He picked up the phone, saying a few words before hanging up.
     "Now, where were we?"
     He noticed Rock and Revy giving him looks that were less intimidating and more embarrassed for him; Revy even gave a slight chuckle.
     "I fail to see what's funny."

     "Can I please tell him?" Revy asked, in between snickers.
     "Sure, why not," Rock smiled at her lovingly.
     "You've just gotten a call from your goons," Revy began.
     "Yes, as I stated before..." Kageyama began to say.
     "Not fuckin' done, shithead!" Revy exclaimed. "Your goons got another hour to get back to ya, Roanapur ain't that big a place to traverse, we got a pic of Rock's folks, and we got the backing of the fuckin' Russian Mafia to help us make sure nothin' bad happens to them. The fuck do you still need to keep you alive for?"
     She gave Rock's old a boss a moment to process all she had just said, noticing panic to form in his face. She then smiled widely, getting that killer look in her eyes.
     "You should leave this diabolical planning shit to the supervillains, dickmouth."

     Kageyama then went for a gun hidden in a desk drawer. But, before he could take aim, Rock fired one shot, blowing the ex-manager's hand to bits, only a couple fingers were left. He screamed out in shock and pain as Rock got closer to his former boss, now aiming the gun right against his forehead. Rock gave a look to Kageyama he'd never seen before.
     "You fucking shot me!" exclaimed Kageyama.
     "Not shit," replied Rock. "You were about to shoot at us. Not my fault I was quicker to draw."
     Rock then flicked one of Kageyama's still attached fingers, making him cry out some more. Revy snickered at this but was also turned on by Rock's intimidation of this idiot.  
     "I may not be on the friendliest terms with my parents, but that doesn't mean I want their lives being threatened for something they're not even involved in."
     "So what?" Kageyama struggled to say, clutching his wound to try and stop the bleeding. "Going to kill me now?"
     "I'd like to," Rock said casually, taking a drag of his cigarette. "But, I know that Miss Balalaika would like to get some info from you. I'm more than satisfied with crippling you, I can't say what she'll will do to you."

     Rock grabbed Kageyama's phone to call Hotel Moscow.
     "Miss Balalaika? Lagoon Company. Yes, we found the person causing trouble. You'll be surprised when you see him." Rock smirked then gave her the address. "They should be here soon."
     "Fuck you, Okajima!" exclaimed Kageyama.
     "No thanks," Rock retorted, then punched his old boss in the face. He didn't knock him out, but he was definitely leaving a black eye.
     "And the name's Rock."
     Rock took the phone and made his way back to Revy, who grabbed him by his shirt collar for a hot and heavy kiss.
     "Damn, Rocky Baby!" she exclaimed after pulling away. "That was so fuckin' sexy the way you intimidated that dumbass!"
     "Eh, it was nothing," he chuckled, blushing and scratching the back of his head.
     "Don't kill the fuckin' mood!" she nudged him.

     Balalaika and Boris arrived not long after, prepared to question the man responsible for the recent events.
     "My, my, this is a small world, "Balalaika chuckled. "And which of you is responsible for the mutilated hand?"
     "That would be this stud right here, sis," exclaimed Revy, wrapping her arm around Rock's neck and grinning wide.
     "You've come a long way, Rock," Balalaika smirked. "Don't you agree, Comrade Sergeant?"
     "Da," Boris replied, smiling slightly, proud of Rock's improvement as a marksman.
     "You may go now," Balalaika said to Rock and Revy. "I doubt you want to see what happens next."
     "See ya later, sis," exclaimed Revy as she and Rock left the building holding hands.

     As they made their way back to the car with Dutch and Benny they could hear some blood curdling screams already coming from the building. Revy cackled as they got in the car.
     "What a fuckin' pussy."
     "Went well I'm assuming?" Dutch asked while smoking a cigarette.
     "All things considered, yeah," Rock replied nonchalantly.
     "So, what did this guy want?" asked Benny.
     "Explain later," said Rock. "First we need to make sure my parents are ok."
     "What!?" Dutch and Benny exclaimed in unison.