Black Lagoon > 13. The Vampire Twins Comen

I can't think of his name, fratele mai mic. Who was it that said, "The ultimate love is cannibalism"? Edgar Allen Poe?

I don't think so, sora mai mare. Wasn't he a necrophiliac?

Richard Matheson?

I couldn't say for sure.

I wonder if they were ever treated to this scent.
The smell of life flowing out from the body.

The scent of rust and sea salt.

The smell of a man's last breath.

It's true. We're very fortunate, sora mai mare.

I wonder how long before the people of this city start to move.

This is our eighth. I guess we did kill a few we didn't plan on killing. Everyone will be coming to try and kill us now. I really can't wait, sora mai mare.

Yes, fratele mai mic. I can't wait either.


Hello, Lagoon Company. Oh, hi, Mr. Boris. What? Okay... so the meeting is cancelled?

Yeah. Sorry 'bout that. I'll call you within the few days. We'll work something out.

What's up, Rock?

Looks like the meeting's been cancelled. He didn't say why, but I guess something must've come up.

Dutch, you think it's that?

Probably. And I'm pretty sure that won't end well.

What are you talking about?

What the fuck... You seriously haven't heard anything about this?

No, I...

There's been a bunch of murders.

Not to sound callous, but homicides aren't unusual in this city.

Yeah, I know murder isn't exactly front page news. But when they're targeting Hotel Moscow, that's a different story.

Hm? Hotel Moscow?

They found five corpses, all with ties to the Russians, and that's just in the last month.

Revy, that information is out of date. There's six now.

In any case, it means some asshole's tryin' to pour gas on an open flame. And you can be sure that in this city where the balance of power walks a tightrope on its fuckin' hands, we'll all be knee-deep in blood before this ends.


Another one's been killed. An accountant this time. Are we in Beirut? Mogadishu, perhaps?

That's enough already.

Do I need you to remind you why we decided to meet here today? This is an era of coexistence. And I'd like to preserve this equilibrium we've managed to reach through all the bloodshed and bullets. Miss Balalaika.

Is that so, Mr. Chang? Maybe you can refresh my memory. When did I say I wanted coexistence?

Again with that mouth of your, huh? A fuckin' peasant Ivan bitch who thinks her shit don't stink. Priceless. Go back to digging your potatoes.

Hmph. Well I guess we can't all be Italian, right? Which reminds me, I heard that guido guts tend to smell like a pig's. Is that true?

Fuckin' bitch.

Okay, I think that's enough, both of you. Or have you forgotten why we're all here? All of us hold grudges against each other over one thing or another, right? However, it's also in all of our own best interest to cooperate at this time. If you've got business to discuss, then I'm all ears. But you can feed your personal honor to the dogs. That's just something you accept in our line of work. Miss Balalaika. This may be news to you, but some of my men were hit as well.

Hmm...

A member of the 14K and a directly affiliated executive. In the whorehouse on Rachiada Street. They were killed the same way yours were.

What's going on, Chang? Someone here's trying to shift the balance of power! Abrego! Look at me!

H-Hey, what the fuck! I have nothin' to do with this shit! You and me, we had some issues between us in the past, but I thought we worked all that out!

Okay, fine then. So, do us all the favor and ask Verrocchio who did this.

That's bullshit, you know it, Fry Face. It so happens we lost one of our recruiters as well.

So what does that make, nine bodies?

Listen. No one from this city would pull somethin' like this. It's probably some drifter; someone who doesn't know how things work around here.

All right, if we're gonna agree that these killings are the work of some outsider, we can start working together to hunt down whoever's responsible. Also we'll make a declaration. We don't need our people killing each other out there. Any objections?

I don't like this. It's a goddamned farce.

Shut the fuck up.

Balalaika, I wouldn't be so hasty if I were you. I doubt it's in your best interest to rip this entire city apart.

Gh. Is this a social gathering, Mr. Chang? Are we going to play a hand of gin rummy next? Let me be absolutely clear about this. The reason we came here today was to make our position known. Hotel Moscow will not tolerate people who obstruct our operations. Whoever dares to will be destroyed, denounced, then we'll kill his family, his friends. Even the pet dog, if we feel it's necessary.

Hmmm... That went well.


Look. Everyone in here is carrying a gun of some kind. It's like we're in a parallel universe where everyone's Clint Eastwood.

Why wouldn't they be? Right now there's a fuckin' headcase out there who thinks he's some kind of punisher.

Punisher? One who gives punishment. But punishment for what, exactly?

Who knows. These days, Roanapur is like popcorn. It's just simmering on heat right now, ready to pop at any minute.

Have you heard, Revy? Apparently, there's a bounty.

How much?

Fifty grand. And that's not Thai Baht, either. It's in U.S. Dollars.

Fuck. They're really serious about this, huh? What're we waiting for?

Well, do you have any leads?

Uh, no. But if it's an outsider, it shouldn't be that hard to find.

It's true. An outsider would be easy to spot. The city's not that big, after all. At least that was the case with the Lovelace maid.

But no one seems to have a clue where this outsider is, which means someone's providing a hideout. We just don't know who it is yet. And that's what's got everyone on edge.

Well, I really don't give a rat's ass what happens as long as my place don't get shot up again.

Heh. You worry too much, Bao. You know, this is a neutral district. No one's gonna start anything here.

Well, if it isn't Two-Hands. My, you're drinking the cheap shit again, are you? Business ain't so good lately?

Eda! What the fuck!

Who's she? Th-That sister from the Rip Off Church!

Well, well. I see you brought Romeo with you. Hi there! How you been? Why don't you ditch this wild boar and come drink with the real woman, baby?

I know your night's not complete 'til you're getting banged by a stranger. Fuck off!

Ooh, scary. Hear that, Romeo? You never know when she's on the rag. She's pretty irregular.

You asked for it, bitch. Let's step outside, you and me!

Don't get your panties in a twist, Two-Hands. I didn't come here to pick a fight with you. I've got a story that might interest you. One that might be worth some money.

You're talking about this bounty, right?

You heard?

Actually, Revy and I were just talking about that. I doubt there's anyone left in the city who doesn't know 'bout it.

Hah, well, that sucks. But at least I don't have to waste time explaining it. So what the hell are we waiting for? Let's go get it. Some of the eager ones have already started, you know? It goes without saying the mafia are gonna be involved, but there are freelancers coming too. From what I hear, the Yun brothers, Big One Emilio, Ronny CK.

Fuck me. It's like assassin Olympics.

Yeah, and that's not all. Green Tooth Johnny, for example. What a joke that guy is. I mean, he actually came and ordered an elephant gun from us. Heh. I dunno what the hell he was thinking.

Someone must've told him he's up against a dinosaur or somethin'. If he uses that, he'll be scraping this guy off the fuckin' ceiling.


Better get our asses in gear if we want a chance at that money. Fifty grand is too much to ignore.

Yeah, no shit. So haven't you got any other information, Eda?

There's one thing I just heard.

Hmm?

Early this morning, the Caribbean Bar on Buran Street was completely destroyed. And I hear that Hotel Moscow is ready for war. I guess a collector of theirs was killed, so Fry Face is pissed.



BLACK
LAGOON



Hey. What a pleasant surprise.

Yes, sure. So is there anything you wanna tell me?

They found one of the waiters alive. Though he won't last long. But he made a statement. Apparently these two kids show up at about four in the morning. Twins, dressed like they were going to a funeral, all in black. And from the sounds of it, they were spooky little brats, right outta The shining or something. Well, the bartender takes one look at them and tells them, "This is no place for kids, you gotta get outta here." But before he can throw them out, they pull out your Bougainvillea Company business cards and say,

Most of the time we meet our guests at Miss Balalaika's place, but...

We were told that tonight, we'd have some guests to meet here. Didn't they tell you?

Go around to the back.

Okay. Thanks a lot, mister.

Our guests will recognize us as soon as they see us. We'll use that corner, okay?

If at that moment, the bartender had contacted you, he might not have been killed. But he sealed his fate when he decided not to disturb you so late at night. Not long after that, your collector arrives at his usual time to pick up that night's earnings from the bar. The collector asks the bartender, "How the night's been goin'?" He tells him, "It wasn't a great night," and so on. Nothing special. Then, outta nowhere...


Hi, there. Would you like to play with us? Please, mister. Let's play.

Gah, fuck! Sakharov! It's them!

They figured it out. These men actually have good instincts, sora mai mare.

They do. Fratele mai mic, I don't think we're very good at this yet.

It can't be helped, can it? So what do you think we should do, sora mai mare?

I guess we have no choice now. We'll call upon an angel for every one of them. They do say heaven's a nice place, after all. Don't they?
Bad boy, you mustn't run away.

Sora mai mare, let's bring that one back with us! We could play with him!

Sure, fratele mai mare. Sounds fun.

Oh yes, it will be.

Damn it!

This one's heavy, sora mai mare. Can you help me?

But that's a boy's job, fratele mai mic. It's not very ladylike to carry heavy things.


Then, after they manage to shove the collector into their parked car, they go into the bar, where they continue shooting until they're convinced everyone's dead.

Did anyone see the license place? The make of the car?

A black sedan, a Japanese make. That's all we know. 'Course we're currently investigating its whereabouts. Oh yeah, and one more thing.

Hmm?

Apparently they're white, but not from an English-speaking country. They kept addressing each other in some other language. Something like, "bună seara" or somethin'. And every time they addressed each other they used these phrases. Now what the hell was it? "Fratele mai mic," err... "Sora mai mare."

Listen, Watsap. I want this thing to stay local, do you understand? The last thing we want is for the military to get involved.

Of course, it goes without saying. I like this city the way it is, you know. Oh yeah, hey, Balalaika! Naturally we'd like to get in a nice little hunt as well! The reward's open to civil servants too, right?!


That man disgusts me. Honestly. However, it's my mistake. I simply didn't account for this type of threat. I thought if I sent them out in two-man cells, they'd be safe.

Sakharov and Menshov were completely blind-sighted by this. No one thought the assassins were children.

Remember Panjshir, though. Half the enemies we fought were children. I've heard that even souls can accumulate fat. I suppose that goes for us as well.

You are absolutely right, Kapitän. Let this be a lesson for us.

Comrade Sergeant, I cannot allow our forces to be weakened any further. Assemble an investigative team from outside our organization - people we can afford to lose.

Right.

That now makes eight soldiers we had to put in the ground, Comrade. I never get used to it no matter how many die.

Since the day we took our oath, we've all been prepared to die in battle. Like any of us, Sakharov knew the risks involved.

I won't let them kill again, Sergeant. And I will have those brats pay for Comrade Sakharov's life with their blood. I won't rest until they're dead.


Damn...

So, what's happening out there? Has anyone managed to catch the fish yet?

Nope. And it ain't gettin' any better.

One mistake and we're all fucked. I'm talkin' a real shit storm. Balalaika is planning to use the services of Visotoniki.

Visotoniki?

Crazy bitch. Does she wanna rip the whole city apart?

Her commando unit. In their Ivan language, they're called the Visotoniki. These soldiers were under her command long before Hotel Moscow existed.

With her at the head, each and every one of them functioned as a killing machine. They're all former paratroopers from the Soviet War in Afghanistan, with enough training to win World War III.

That's what makes them different from all the others. They're disciplined, unified, and show no mercy.

I'd tell you one thing: I'd stay the fuck away when those guys are pissed off - a two hundred mile radius at least.


♪ My mother has killed me ♪
♪ My father's eating me ♪
♪ My brothers and sisters sit under the table ♪
♪ Pickin' up my bones, and they bury them ♪
♪ Under the cold ♪

Holy shit... What the fuck are you two doing...?

Changing! See, we can't wear our old clothes anymore. The blood got on them, and now it's dried like glue. So we needed new clothes. It's fun, you should try it. Every time you hammer a nail into his head, he twitches just like a fish. He still moves, even though he's not breathing anymore. I think it's called spinal reflexes or something.

Do you have any fucking idea how angry Boss is right now?! I only wanted you to dissect that Ivan bitch! I never said anything about kidnapping her associates and turning them into goddamn science experiments! Now here's what's you're gonna do: you're gonna finish the job and get the hell outta the city. Because I've fuckin' had it with babysitting the two of you!

I can't believe those damn brats! Talk about having a fucking screw loose. Moretti! What they did to that Ivan, it ain't right!

No shit. Worse part is now we gotta get rid of that corpse. Not even a cleaner would do that one, damn it!


Does this phantom killer have any idea what he's dealing with? If so, he's gotta be insane.

It's rare even in this place, but you come across them now and again. Seeds of evil. Nothing but trouble. Even amongst the garbage of the underworld, they're considered outsiders. Usually, these tads would go wild, cause a lot of damage, and then wind up dead. But every so often, you get one with instincts like a beast and a sharp mind, and they manage to survive. Being on hinges is the only way these people know how to live. They leave nothing but death and destruction in their wake.

The only thing they all have in common is hate. People like that, they hate everything and every one. If you ask me, their real problem is that they're so filled with hate; they hate to a point where they can't even remember what they hate or why they hate it to begin with. In the end, they suck everything around them in before going out in a blaze of glory. Well, they're the only ones who know for sure what's going on in their heads. If there's one thing you learn in prison, that's it.

...

Rock!

Eh?

She asked for you. It's from the lady of the hour, so to speak. Miss Balalaika.


Sora mai mare, I was wondering...

What is it?

What should we do?

I know what I wanna do. We've never tried with an Ivan before, have we?

No, not that, sora mai mare. I mean those guys.

Oh. We should be able to get rid of them eventually. I hate being scolded and being hit for no reason. It makes me wanna cry. Don't you agree, fratele mai mic?


Bună seara. It's a Romanic language, Italic language, but... Hmmm...

I thought, given your occupation you might recognize it. Oh, excuse me. I meant former occupation.

Hmmm... Bună seara.

Okay then, how about this other phrase, "fratele mai mic"? Anything will help. Whatever comes to mind. A place, a name...

I seem to recall someone from the European branch teaching me something that. But, off the top my head, I really couldn't say.
Vampire...!

What did you say? What do you mean by that?

Those words... they have something to do with vampires.


It smells very strongly of blood, fratele mai mic. Let's take a bath.

But it's such a nice smell. It's a shame to waste it, sora mai mare.



<Preview>

The Chinese woman from Lagoon Company and the sister from the Rip Off Church are with them.

You may crush them if necessary.

#14
Bloodsport Fairytale