Black Lagoon Book 3

"Rock, you fuckup!! This is a royal mess you've gotten us into now!!" - Revy

We return to the adventures of The Black Lagoon Company,  a team of couriers who work out of the fictious Thai city Roanapur, a wretched hive of scum and villainy that is set in the mid-1990's. They are named after their boat which is an old World War 2 torpedo craft. The crew is made up of Dutch, an African-American Vietnam Vet who leads them.  Benny, a white American who handles the tech.  Chinese-American Revy "Two Hand" and Japanese ex-salaryman Rock.  The other main players are Hotel Moscow, the branch of the Russian Mafia located there, which is made up of Afghan war veterans and lead by the facially scarred Balalaika.  This volume sees the conclusion of "Bloodsport Fairy Tale" in which the local Italian Mafia hired two psychopathic young Romanian twin teenagers called "Hansel and Gretal" as assassins, who had suffered so much horrific abuse in the past they saw killing as the only thing they had left that made sense to them.  After murdering two Hotel Moscow soldiers, they decided to turn on the people who hired them and we start this story with them taking on the Italians.  After that tale comes to its grim conclusion we move on to "Goat, Jihad, Rock And Roll" in which our team of couriers gets caught up in thwarting a terrorist plot against mainland USA.  This is a seinen manga meaning it's most definitely not for kids and has an incredibly bleak and cynical worldview.  You have been warned.


[Note:  This manga is "unflipped" so must be read from right to left]

BLOODSPORT FAIRY TALE: Hansel and Gretal tell the Italians they want the borscht as the main dish, "we'll start with the macarone as the appetiser".  And they lay into the shocked and surprise men with gun and axe.  As the fight carries on Chang from the Chinese Triad stands outside and tells him men to contact Hotel Moscow, "having them in our debt will prove quite helpful."

Meanwhile Revy's frenemy Eda from the Rip-Off church calls her up and says the cops are on the move and they can get a prime position on claiming the reward for killing Hansel and Gretal.  Balalaika meanwhile tells her men that the two they lost were irreplaceable, they have a plan and are ready to put it in action:

Balalaika: "The spirits of our lost brothers will transform our guns into avenging angels.  Let your kalashnikovs be the instruments of our venegeance.  Deliver 5.45mm rounds upon them that their maws may be left in ruins!!"

Chang then receives a reply from Hotel Moscow telling them to evacuate the target area immediately.  Chang says that's old news and takes hold of a pair of guns as Gretal blasts one of his men down.  But she tells him they can't stay and fight, "till we meet again" she gleefully says as she kills the rest of his men.  "Swell" says Chang "can't tell you how relieved I am".

Gretal versus Chang.

Revy and Eda are with a few other bounty hunters who are staking out the same place.   Eda though realises that something is wrong, Balalaika should be here.  Revy agrees that it's not right there is no Hotel Moscow presence.  Revy says that this trap is too easy to catch coyotes like the twins.  So they figure out which back-streets would take them to Hotel Moscow and off they go.

Chang is on the phone to Balalaika saying if he'd known the twins were there he'd have brought better gunmen.  And they stole his car so he'll have to walk home.  Balalaika says she is on track with their plans and it's only a matter of time now "before the opening salvos ring out".  

A black sedan comes hurtling down the street where the bounty hunters are waiting, it has tinted windows so they can't see inside but the bounty hunters unleash their firepower on it anyway. The car flips over and crashes, but when they look inside they see two dead non-white teenagers.

Hansel and Gretal hurry down a back alley, Hansel says it was a good deal hiring two stand-ins for 5,000 baht.  Gretal says she feels a bit sorry for them but he says "it's kill or be killed.  Those are the only choices in this world".  She agrees and he goes on to say "and that's why we must kill more.  Many, many more".

Balalaika is told that the twins are proceeding exactly along the route they expected and thanks to the bogus information Chang spread around the bounty hunters are behaving exactly as planned.  Hotel Moscow squads are herding and shadowing the twins to lure them in the right direction. Then they hear unplanned gunfire, it's Eda and Revy who have made contact with the twins in a back street.

Eda and Gretal.

Gretal asks them what the bounty on their heads is.   Eda says it's 80 grand. Gretal says that they took much more than that from the Mafia's offices, what if they gave them 150 grand instead.  Eda asks Revy what they should do, Revy says "the answer's obvious.  We'll take it all."  Then a squad of Hotel Moscow soldiers arrive and Balalaika says they are cleared to neutralise Eda and Revy if they get in the way.  Revy sees sense and tells Eda to back off.  Hansel and Gretal decide to split up to hunt down the Russians, they kiss passionately and part.

Balalaika is sitting on the edge of a fountain and is told that one target has been lost but the second is moving towrds the designated position.  Balalaika tells her men to not allow the targets to catch wind of their intent.  Finally it is time and she sends her second-in-command to take charge of the sniper team.  She sits alone, "right then... time to bring this pathetic carnival nonsense... to an end".

Meanwhile Eda and Revy are bickering over the not having anything to show for going after the twins.   After hurling insults at each other, Revy leaves to go back to the office.  Eda doesn't want to be left alone in this part of town but Revy tells her she's not some schoolgirl and a fuming Eda is abandoned.  But not alone as Gretal comes out of the shadows behind her and presses her rifle into Eda's back.

She tells Eda that she needs her help, once her brother kills Balalaika they'll need to get away quickly.   The Mafia were going to take care of that but they killed them.  Eda asks why they are still going after Balalaika if the man who hired them is dead?

Gretal: "What's the point?  Why you ask? Silly lady.  You want to know why?   Because we want to, that's why.  There's no other real reason. We do it because we want to. That's all."

She then very creepily fondles Eda's breasts and says she needs to tell her about a getaway specialist.  Someone who is reliable and capable.

Back with Balalaika she tells Hansel there is no point hiding. He comes out and she says they should have a liitle chat. Hansel says let's talk about the men of hers that they killed. He gleefully recounts the torture they put them through, then he brings out his axe saying she'll join them soon enough.  Balalaika says it's the end of the line for him, but before he dies he must apologise for what he did.  She tell him to "kneel".

Yeah... not gonna lie, this is grim.

And on that command one of the snipers shoots him right through the leg shattering his kneecap.  He tries to hobble forwards and raises his axe and the sniper blasts through his hand.  He lies on the ground and she tells him he was in their hunting grounds and is about to die like the "crazed little shits... that you are."

Hansel: "I'm not going to die.  I won't die. I've killed so many people.  I've killed lots and lots and lots and lots,  That means we can live much longer.  We have so many more... more lives.  We're immortal. Good heavens yes. We never ever die..."

Balalaika says that's an interesting world view.  She then says she could take him and have him tortured, even the score.  But she is not sick or twisted, "and for that reason I will simply watch you die".

She tell him that with his wounds he won't last longer than ten minutes so she offers up the last moments of his life to the souls of her men that he killed.  Reality sets in for Hansel and he begins to cry until finally he expires.   Her men return to her and she says she is sorry she insisted the do things this way. She gives orders to keep looking for that other one but she is returning to the office saying, "perhaps it's my age showing sergeant.  I feel tired... by God... what a world we live in."

Like "time to look at kitten pics" level of grim.

Gretal is aboard the Black Lagoon singing a song while the crew listen with trepidation.  Dutch says a client is a client and it doesn't hurt that she has paid them 150 thousand dollars plus fifty cases of 12.7 ammunition. Gretal is down in the hold, Rock is in with her while a scowling Revy sits outside, gun cocked and ready.  Gretal tells Rock that was the first time she sang that song for someone who wasn't her brother.

She sits in his lap and tells him that he's different from the others. Rock says he's still not used to this life.  Gretal says he's a good person, she is good at spotting good people.  Upstairs Balalaika is on the phone to Dutch.  She asks him if he's aware of what he's doing?  Dutch says he is, and she is free to come after them, "we're couriers after all.  We're always up for a chase."

She asks him if he has any "sentimentalism?"  He says he doesn't run a charity, he has a job to do and that's all there is too it.   She says she's already set a few things in motion.   Benny comes in saying there is something incoming from the north.   She says it's strictly business, they are both doing what they have to do and hangs up.  She then asks her second-in-command if the Black Lagoon will continue that direction, he says they will as long as they don't hound them too hard. 

Benny tells Dutch that it's the Vietnamese navy patrolling the edge of Thai territorial waters and it's undeniably the work of Hotel Moscow who have their claws in every corrupt authority there is.  They discuss where they can go, and decide on making for a getaway fixer called "Elroy" at Pangkal Pinang.  Dutch tells Benny to contact him immediately.

Hansel and Gretal's sad story.

In the hold Gretal complains that she can't watch the sea.  Rock says has she never had a good look at the ocean?  She says never, not in the orphanage or in Sicily, "all that surrounded us were grey walls."  They were born in the mountains "surrounded by the stoney cliffs of the Carpathians.  It was always cloudy, and it was a lonely place to live."  Then the old men came and they were surrounded by "blood and darkness ever since."

She goes on to say that she would have conversations with her brother about "why God would be so cruel to us."  But when the other children were brought to them and they beat them everyone watching was laughing.  So she and her brother laughed as well.  And they thought that this must how the world was set up.

God had set things up so that some force that turns the Earth is generated when a person takes the life of another.  So they would kill and kill and kill some more "and that would make the world go around."  Rock asks her about her brother who died because of that arrangement, "doesn't that make you sad?"

She takes the long-haired wig off to reveal short hair and she says that "he's" always with his sister dearest, "after all, we never die.  We're part of the eternal cycle."

Gretal: "This world wouldn't exist if we didn't have to kill.  That's why we exist, why everyone else exists.  So you see, young sir.  Killing doesn't make us sad.  The stench of blood.  The screams.  The warmth of vital organs.. we've come to love it all!"

Rock lunges forward and hugs her tightly, "no.  No, that's wrong.  That isn't what this world is for."  He goes on saying the world exists to bring happiness and the blood and darkness is just a small part of it.  Gretal thanks him, stands back telling him how nice he is and "won't you accept this gift?"  And she pulls her skirt up offering herself sexually to him.  Horrified Rock runs out and an incredibly angry Revy walks in and punches Gretal.

Only Revy gets to mess with Rock's head!

Revy then sits and tells her that it's a shame Balalaika didn't get Gretal as well.   The world would be better off without "miserable punks" like you.  Gretal tells Revy that she smells just like her and that she is just like her too.  Revy just brushes this off saying she doesn't give a rat's ass if she is, "you mess with him once more, and I'll kill you.  You say one more thing to piss me off, and I'll kill you."

Up on deck a stricken Rock is damning the people who turned two children into predators.  Benny comes up to him and tells him he's got to learn to not take these things so hard.  Rock grabs his collar, but calmly Benny tells him there is no saving Gretal.  If she had been shown kindness, gone to school, made friends she would have been OK.  But it didn't turn out that way for them.  Rock slumps in grief as Benny tells him kindly but firmly that "this discussion is over."

Later they arrive at the island they are handing Gretal off to Elroy on.   She runs off the boat and says goodbye to Rock saying maybe they can meet again one day, "just the two of us over a nice lunch perhaps?"  Rock smiles weakly saying that would be nice.  And then Elroy pulls a gun out and shoots her in the head.  She falls backwards just saying, "Oh... the sky.. how beautiful.." and dies.

OH LOOK AT THE PRETTY KITTENS.

Elroy just says "Hotel Moscow, Dutch.. what else?"  Dutch says he flushed his career down the toilet doing that.  He says he has a son with cancer and he's realised he's too old for this line of work.  This is his last job and Hotel Moscow gave him a nice price too, "I'd say this shitty assignment is a perfect way for me to leave all this behind." Revy looks down reflecting on Gretal's last words.  Dutch tells Rock to get a canvas sheet to cover the body.  But Rock says no, this way she can look into the sky "and enjoy the ocean in eternal rest."

GOAT, JIHAD, ROCK-AND-ROLL: The story begins with a news report of a terrorist attack on a US embassy in Zaire which killed nearly forty people and was claimed to have been committed by the "Islamic Front Of National Salvation".  Back in Roanapur Rock wakes the sleeping Revy saying they have a rush assingment and they are both to return to the office pronto.

The client is Mr. Chang of the local Triad.   He is sitting the the Black Lagoon Company office talking with Dutch.   Apparently his office got partly demolished.  He puts a briefcase on the table saying that it is the source of his misfortune, "still it's worth it."

He got it off a Bulgarian scumbag trying to make a buck in his territory, big mistake as only the Rip Off Church is allowed to sell weapons by them.  They picked this man up and tortured him and he turned out to be an intelligence operative, he was quite well connected.  In exchange for not having his balls cut off he handed over a document, "it's an itinerary for a fun little field trip that Hezbollah is planning."

This man was connected to various nations and groups that share the same goals, "sort of like a goodwill diplomat of the underground scene."  Chang contacted Hezbollah about acquiring the document but they refused to pay his "finder's fee" so he told them he'd shop it around.   As a result his offices have been blown up so he came here and has a proposition for Dutch.

There are five suitcases.  Everyone leaves Roanapur at the same time.  They head out in different directions with four as decoys.  Their destination will be the Philippine army base on Basilan.  They have two days to get there and deliver the document to two CIA operatives waiting there. 

Dutch says that's not enough time.  Chang says there's never enough time, but the embassy bombing is only the start. 

Chang: "By the time Hezbollah are finished with their field trip, there'll be a new president sitting in the Whitehouse."

Uncle Sam jumped at his offer because of the bombing.  He's hired a getaway driver to get them to the base once they get to Basilan.  With escorts if they need them.  He's counting on Dutch who says this will be an expensive job.

RPGs are a daily hazard in Roanapur

Before they can go on, two terrorists armed with RPG launchers fire on the Black Lagoon offices.  They all duck as the blast hits.  Dutch says he can't do a job when Chang is "leaking intel like a seive."  Chang pulls out his guns saying he'll get them clear and Revy goes with him and much gunfire ensues.

Dutch, Benny and Rock grab the suitcase and follow behind the mayhem.  More terrorists appear, but Revy and Chang kill them all.   Chang gives Revy tips on how she can improve her technique as they fight, she says she isn't much compared to him but she keeps trying.  And he says coming from a Chinese-American that is a very admirable attitude.

Finally Dutch, Benny and Rock make a break for the boat with Revy following, Chang shouts after them not to forget the password when they get to Basilan. We then cut to two men, a Middle-Easterner called Ibraha and a Japanese man called Takenaka. Ibraha says they have eyes on all the couriors and will slaughter them all.

Ibraha and Takenaka.

Takenaka says they underestimated Chang and quotes Mao regarding the need to pay attention to worthy enemies.  Ibraha says those are empty words from an atheist.  Takenaka says he's an atheist too.  Ibraha says that's different, he's a comrade.   Takenaka says that they should focus on the ocean, the land routes are probably decoys.  He ponders where they might be making contact with the American Imperialists.  He decides to take care of overseeing the ocean route himself.

He tells Ibraha they should move up their operation in New York. Ibrahah says that's impossible it's been years in the making.  They are going to use the subway system to "turn Manhattan into the island of the dead."  They are going to use a bio-chemical weapon like some Japanese terrorists used only on a bigger scale.  Takenaka walks off saying he "quit being Japanese... over twenty years ago."

On the Black Lagoon they are suddenly being chased by multiple small motorboats, Benny tells Revy to deal with them, "make 'em dance, hard and fast"  She grins and says  "they're gonna twist and shout right into the afterlife." She sits up top, the boats are keeping their distance for now so she will pick them off with the Bren gun and Remmington. Dutch however is worried that the boats aren't closing in on them and them not attacking is really bothering him.

Takenaka is flying off to where he believes the ocean courior is heading for.   He warns his men that the Black Lagooners will be a tough nut to crack and to be careful.  We then cut to Revy holding a sniper rifle saying to Rock who is next to her.

Revy: "Goddamn jerks!  I'm all ready to get intimate with 'em... but those shy fucks won't come up on stage for me."

She fires on one of them and it explodes.  Revy realises they have been rigged up "for fucking kamikazes."  Dutch says they can't punch through or they'll be swarmed and sunk by an explosion.

Things just naturally explode whenever Revy comes close by.

Rock comes down into the control room and is told the boats don't seem to be forcing them to change their heading but are following them to a secondary location, probably a much larger hijacked ship they've picked up on radar.   That ship will stop them and they'll be boarded.   Dutch is ready to hear some ideas.

Rock says they should use the torpedoes, but Revy says they don't have any, the tubes are empty.  Rock suggests an RPG aimed just above the waterline.  Revy says it wouldn't have enough of an effect on a cargo ships bulkheads.  They then debate manuvering so they could set off the exploding boats near the big ship.  Semtex is brought up and when it's explained to Rock what it is he has one of his crazy ideas.

Takenaka is at the airport being told over the phone about the situation with the Black Lagoon.  He tells them to sink the boat along with the documents.  He tells the person to make sue Ibraha makes his way to where he is going too.   After a conversation with a Japanese man waiting for his flight, he carries on his way.

On the Black Lagoon they are close to the freighter that's moving to cut them off.  Revy is lying on deck with a harpoon that has multiple bricks of semtex tied to it.  Dutch makes a hard turn to starboard as soon as she fires the harpoon at the ship.  They then punch it and sail away as fast as they can.  A small detonator goes off and all the bricks of semtex explode ripping a hole in the freighter and sinking it.

Revy: "Hell yeah baby.  We could've blown Godzilla to bits with all the explosives we packed into that thing".
Dutch says there are still some enemies out there, Rock and Revy will be dropped off close to Basilan and take the Zodiac there while Dutch acts as a decoy in the Black Lagoon.

However Takenaka is already in Basilan and calls Ibraha who starts yelling at him over the phone.   He is told the blockade failed but it's now definite that they are headed to Basilan.  It's a place where American agents come and go and there is an anti-terrorist special ops base nearby.  Through gritted teeth Ibraha says this is not a game, it is "a crucial precursory skirmish tied to the coming jihad."

Takenaka says it's all a game.  Things are getting more interesting so he may as well enjoy it.  He got hold of the password for the getaway driver, he'll have the upper hand with their next move.  He'll leave the mopping up party to Ibraha.  Angrily Ibraha hangs up on him.  Takenaka says he needs to lighten up to himself. He has checkpoints on each major road and they need to be able to pull out of the city in three minutes in the event "we have to forcibly abduct them."  He wants to avoid a nasty firefight even though they have "their own charm."

On the Black Lagoon Revy and Dutch plan out what will happen next.   Dutch and Benny will stay aboard and when Revy gives the word, will come and collect them.   There is another message from Chang that Rock needs to hear but we don't hear it.  We cut the two people waiting to pick up the carriers of the documents on orders from Chang.  The woman notes cars going past them more often than they should and the man wonders if it's government forces.

Takenaka tries to trick Rock and Revy into handing the briefcase over.

Revy and Rock arrive at Basilan, they note that it's quieter than they would expect.  Revy says the security forces are off fighting guerrillas.  Then a car pulls up and it's Takenaka.  He introduces himself as their driver.  She was expecting two drivers, he says the other is off taking a piss.   She asks him what's the password.  He delivers it, "Chang, Chang, Chang... the TriChang society". And Rock breathes a sigh of relief.

Apparently it's a pun that hasn't travelled well via translation.   But Revy says that Chang was "way fucking smarter than you think."  She has a message from him to give Takenaka, "For I am the Lord of Mount Tai".  That's the declaration that the God of death is about to pass judgement over him.  Chang had set up different passwords "to catch dipshits like you."  She says he should laugh it up.

Takenaka doesn't seem bothered, he grabs his sub machine gun and opens fire while Revy unloads her guns into his car.  A terrorist that was hiding in the back of the car leaps out and grabs Rock and the suitcase, pulling him into the car and Takenaka floors the accelerator and speeds off.  The two real drivers hear the gunfire and while the man who is snorting coke doesn't want any trouble she says, "No. Trouble yes.  But work important."

Another day, another mass gunfight.

More cars circle Revy firing on her and she fires back but things look bad.   Then the female driver up and flings knives at the terrorist with a machine gun and kills him.  Revy demands to know if they are the getwaway driver and the man affirms they are and Revy gets in the car and they chase after Rock.

Inside they tell Revy they are only here to transport her to the base, but she tells them Rock has the important documents.  The woman, who the man calls "Shennua" holds a curved blade to Revy's throat. But Revy hammers home the point that Chang hired them to deliver the documents.  The two go quiet.

Rock meanwhile is surrounded by people pointing guns and swords at him, "welcome to our liberation zone.".  Takenaka says he checked the briefcase and it was completely empty.  Rock says he knows nothing about that.   Takenaka says that they'll take their time  asking him, they still have some time left.

Shennua suggests twenty percent of the Lagoon traders cut to help out.   She and Revy go back and forth as the man, named "Leigharch" freaks out saying it's going to be impossible to rescue Rock.  But Revy and Shenhua agree an amount while Leigharch yells at her for having a death wish.  And they drive towards the terrorist base.

Rock in the enemy's hands.

Rock is sat in a interrogation cell with Takenaka.  He surprised to see he's Japanese, then he goes silent.  Takenaka introduced himself and asks Rock's name.  Rock asks what difference knowing it would make.   Takenaka says it would make him easier to talk too. He starts reminiscing about his time living in Japan and asks if Rock misses being away from there.

Takenaka: "Why are you taking such risks with life, young man? There're other ways of making a living  Japan is the land of the petite bourgeoise now."

He feels empathy with Rock because they are both outsiders who don't belong there any more.  Rock stubbornly insists they are nothing alike.   He wasn't driven away like Takenaka was. He may be young but he'd old enough to remember what he did in the past.

Takenaka says he left Japan and devoted himself to a "simultaneous worldwide worker's revolution."  He's not a loser because he has a goal and the will to follow through on it.  Rock says he has goals and ideals too.  Then Ibraha snaps and holds a gun to Rock's head saying he wasn't interrogating Rock at all.  He demands to know where the documents are.

Back with Revy and Shennua, they tell Leigharch to wait for them and if he bolts Revy will hunt him down and kill him. She tells him to lay off the drugs too, but Shennua says he drives well even when his brain is in outer space.  And bickering as they go, Revy and Shennua head off to rescue Rock.

Rock still has Ibraha holding a gun to his head.  Takenaka tells them a story about a man who came to town and preached to make the world  a better place.  A first people listened, but in time everyone lost interest and no one cared about what was wrong with the world. One day a child came up and asked why he was preaching still. The man said he knows it's a hopeless dream but the reason he won't stop is because when he was young that was his purpose in life and "I'm not about to betray that part of myself." Takenaka's story has warped into him talking about himself.

There is a long pause.  Then he gets up and says there is no need to beat Rock he's no soldier just a delivery boy.  If he doesn't talk by tomorrow they'll shoot him.  Ibraha doesn't want to wait until tomorrow.  Takenaka tells him to be cool, either Rock has the documents or the woman he was with in the village does so they'll concentrate on finding her.  Although she might show up wanting to bust Rock out.

Shennua and Revy "bond".

Revy is looking at the camp through binoculars, Shennua says they move camp often and don't do anything fancy like lay mines. But there will be a few booby traps and claymores.  Revy plans for them to hit when it gets dark and when Shennua calls her "Ching-lish gal" Revy threatens to shave some meat off her ass when this is over.

Left alone in the cell Rock can only sit and damn his situation.  Then Revy and Shennua break into the camp and start shooting.   They take several men down, as she stabs one Shennua says:

Shennua: "They used to doing the thrusting, Not having things thrust into them.  Men..."

Shennua says they need to be quick if Rock spills the beans. But Revy says he's a tough nut to crack, "I doubt he'd talk even if the trumpets of Judgement Day sounded."

Takenaka and Ibraha are arguing.   Ibraha demands Takenaka makes Rock talk right now, he must have the documents as the rest were decoys. They also haven't been able to track down Revy either.  Revy who has just blasted her way into Rock's cell.   They smile at each other and she tells him to be good a little longer while they get the hell out of there.

Revy isn't a damsel in distress, she rescues 'em.

Shennua greets him saying he "must be the fuckhead she talk about".  Revy tells him she's hired muscle. He asks what to call her, she says "Marian... Susan... It no matter".   The car comes screaming up and they dive inside, not before Rock exchanges a significant look with Takenaka who is lying amongst the bodies of the other terrorists.

A drug crazed Leigharch bellows random comments saying "Jimi Hendrix is calling to me. Says we gotta go defeat the Klingons!!"  Takenaka says they have balls as they drive away and he and some others get into jeeps to chase them in. Rock starts to tell them about the conversation he had with Takenaka but the others are more concerned with dealing with their pursuers.

 Shennua climbs on the car roof and starts throwing knives with deadly accuracy causing two jeeps to crash into each other.  But there are more still after them, Revy and Shennua go after the ones on the left and right each.  Leigharch suddenly yells out "Hey man look! It's Raquel Welch and Jane Fonda man... shit they want me to follow them!! Ohgod - Ohgod - Ohgod... are we headed for the legendary nude beach?!"

And cue chaotic gun and drug fuelled escape sequence.

And on that surreal note we end this volume.  "Goat, Jihad, Rock-and-Roll" will wrap up in volume 3.  The two arcs have a wildly different tone. "Bloodsport Fairy Tail" is straight up tragedy and a good focus episode on Balalaika, a Mama Bear when it comes to her men, but you can also see how hollowed out watching a child die of blood loss leaves her.  There's a nice continuation of the understated protective instincts Revy has for Rock when Gretal upsets him. He's still not quite hardened to this life and reacts as the voice of the audience would.  You have to remember that Hansel and Gretal killed a man by hammering nails into his head amongst other atrocities, did they ever stand a chance?  Maybe into a gentler world someone could have saved them and rehabilitated them, but not the world of Black Lagoon.  "Goat, Jihad, Rock-and-Roll" is a more light storyline, with Rock having a crazy idea that saves the ship again and Revy going to his rescue without complaint.  The two real getaway drivers are a fun pair and there is the mystery of just where the documents have got to still to be answered.  Gunplay remains thrillingly depicted,  Rei Hiroe is masterful at depicting gun battles and crazy naval shenanigans.  He marries realism with a certain amount of manga exaggeration to great effect giving us a fabulous drawn comic to read.   Join me then in a few days time for the conclusion of "Goat, Jihad, Rock-and-Roll" and the beginning of the next arc.