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

Chapter 37: War, Part 1 - Ghosts of the Past

From a distance Roanapur looked like its usual self. But, there was an air of tension that couldn't go unnoticed. The Lagoon Company docked their boat and made their way to the head office. Dutch made a call to Hotel Moscow, he had told Balalaika he'd gone out for Revy and Rock and that he'd call her as soon as they got back.
"Miss Balalaika, Dutch here," he said. "We're back in Roanapur. How are things so far?" After a few moments Dutch hung up the phone.
"So what's the plan, Dutchy?" Revy asked.
"We got a meeting at Hotel Moscow with Balalaika and Chang," Dutch answered. "Gotta be there as soon as possible."

Benny drove as fast as possible to Hotel Moscow, nobody was gonna complain given the circumstances. Inside the main lobby was a whole arsenal of weapons, soldiers were busy prepping their weapons. Boris was there to greet the Lagoon Company.
"Privet, comrades," the stoic Russian greeted them with a salute. "We will meet with Kapitan in her office."
The elevator ride up started silently.
"Got some big guns out there, Boris," Revy commented, leaning against a wall of the elevator. "Shit must be going sideways fast."
"Not incorrect, Two Hands," Boris replied. "Kapitan will explain things better than I can."
The hallway leading to Balalaika's office was also full of men armed to the teeth.
"Can't be too cautious, eh?" Revy snickered. Rock could tell she was just trying to lighten the mood.

Inside the office was Balalaika of course and some of her men, along with Chang, some of his men, and his deadliest assassin, Shenhua. While elegant looking, Shenhua was more or less on equal footing with Revy when it came to killing ability.
"Ooh, Twinkie and Dumbass finally arrive, yes!" Shenhua exclaimed in her typical broken English.
"Nice to see ya too, Chinglish," Revy greeted back with a middle finger.
"Much friendlier greeting than usual," Shenhua chuckled. "Guess letting Dumbass tap that ass has given you much sunnier disposition."
"You wanna fuckin' lead enema!?" Revy exclaimed, flashing one of her cutlasses
"That more like it, yes!" Shenhua continued to chuckle. "By the way, Twinkie, congratulations on marriage to Dumbass."
"Where the fuck did you hear that news?" Revy asked with clear annoyance.
"Word travels pretty fast around here, Two Hands," Chang chimed in. "Plus, you were shouting it very loudly at one of Roanapur's favorite watering holes. I also give my congratulations to you both. Maybe when this is over I'll be able to give you two a wedding present."
"As happy as I am for the happy couple, Baby," Balalaika interrupted, calling Chang by a nickname he didn't care for. "We really should get down to business." She then shot him a wink.
"How many times do I gotta tell ya not to call me Baby!?" he exclaimed with embarrassment. "But, she is correct. We do have important business to get to."
"Is it true that Ronny the Jaws is the cause of this upcoming war?" Rock asked, getting straight to the point.
"It would certainly appear that way," answered Balalaika, taking a drag of her cigar. "Dumb fucking dago things he's got enough firepower to take us on."
"He has assembled a rather impressive army," Chang chimed in.
"Is it true some of these men served under you, Miss Balalaika?" Rock asked.
"Indeed it is," she answered. "It's not so surprising, really, these soldiers didn't get disgraced like myself and my men. Still, they are not to be taken lightly. I'm sure they've kept up on their training, otherwise I highly doubt they'd have been recruited by that sniveling brat."
"He got every gang in town that was ballsy enough to go up against us on his side," said Chang, lighting a cigarette. "Plus a bunch of mercs, ex-military guys, cops too..."

At that last statement there was a bit of a pause in Chang's voice. He gave a particular somber look towards Revy.
"What's up, Chang?" Revy asked with great suspicion.
"Just don't shoot the messenger," Chang began. "Kay, Two Hands?"
He tossed her a manila envelope, which she caught with ease.
"The fuck is this?" she asked.
"Does the name 27th Precinct mean anything to you?" Chang asked with great reluctance.
Revy's eyes went wide, and her pupils shrank to pins as soon as she heard this question. Her heart began racing like crazy as she prepared to look at the contents. Rock put his hands on her shoulders as she opened the envelope and pulled out the contents. There were pictures and profiles of various men, all appeared to be in their 40s, all listed as being cops for the NYPD 27th Precinct. Revy dropped the files as she collapsed to the floor onto her knees.
"Revy!" Rock exclaimed, going to his wife's side. "What's going on?"
"C-C-Collins!" Revy finally managed to get out, her body tensing up.
Rock looked at the file marked "Steven Collins." Rock glanced over the file, saw that this Collins guy was a police officer from New York. It didn't take long for him to put two and two together.
"Revy... is he?" Rock didn't complete that sentence, Revy's nod said it all.
This was the man who assaulted Revy when she was a teenager. This was the man responsible for leading Revy down her path as a killer. Her whole body loosened slightly when Rock embraced her.
"What the fuck is goin' on, Rock?" Dutch asked. Rock handed Dutch the file and he glanced over it quickly. "Shit!"
"I'm really sorry, Two Hands," said Chang, taking a long drag of his cigarette. "If this is too much for you, I'll understand."
"What big deal?" Shenhua asked.
Chang leaned over to her and whispered something into her ear, her shocked expression said it all.

Revy stood up, the killer look was back in her eyes.
"Collins is fuckin' mine!" she exclaimed. "Any of you fuckers touch him, you're fuckin' dead! I don't give a shit who you are! This cocksucker is mine! Understand!?"
The silence was all she needed for confirmation.