|
|
|
Charisma
Pg 158 Archer is strapping weapons down under his clothes: knives and guns. Aida is watching. Aida: Where'd you get that gun? Archer: Grabbed it from a gay bastard. Aida: Is it necessary for you to be armed? Archer: Of course it is. Murphy is also watching. Pg 159 Aida: Promise, Gatito. Archer: What? Promise what? Aida: To have faith in God. Archer: There is no God, Aida. Aida: Then whatever you believe in? Pg 160 Archer pauses in the doorway. His smile is more of a smirk. Archer: I believe in nothing. : Take care of Murphy. Murphy: Aachii. Pg 161 Night. A few windows are still lit in the police station. Tech: A wireless mic, a miniature camera, and a homing signal. Kouki: Isn't this a bit of an over-kill? Tech: It's shaped like a watch and for use in emergencies. Kouki: Just like 007. Tech: A while back an undercover cop got shot and killed. : The cops who were following him didn't notice. : Because his mic was shorted due to sweat. Kouki is starting to look a little freaked out. Kouki: Hold it! Hold it! Pg 162 : Is this gonna be alright? Tech: It's an old story. *pon pon* *pat pat* : But you're a rookie so this is best. Quincy: How is it? All set? : Enrique and Garrison. Two hulking officers are with Quincy. One smiles. It's rather disturbing. *ni* *smile* : These two will be following you at all times. Kouki: Good to meet you. Quincy: Now, Kouki... Kouki: I know! Let me say it. Pg 163 : It's my fault that a citizen, Archer Rogue, got involved. But it can't be helped. : I will definitely protect him! So... Quincy: Who's asking you to do that? Kouki: Wha? Quincy: Undercover knowledge. If you feel any danger, call in your backup immediately! : If you're escaping from danger, it's alright to drop the mission. *niya niya* *smile smile* Tech: *Safeguard procedures...* Quincy: Don't misjudge the situation. Alright? Pg 164 : Now go, Kouki! *gon gon gon go* *low rumble* Dagwood, the unnamed supervisor, and Archer are waiting in the dark by the market building. Pg 165 Dagwood: You got that, boys? Archer: Why the Bronx? There're safer places to do this, aren't there? Dagwood: It's what the other guys wanted. Kouki: And the cargo? : What are we carrying? Dagwood: Coffee beans, of course. Sup: Ok! They're done! Archer: Don't be so nosy, Ken. Pg 166 : We're getting 500 dollars for one night's delivery of coffee beans. Kouki: That's true. Sup: Is it gonna be all right leaving this to those two kids, Dagwood? Dagwood: The executives see the killing of that dealer as a declaration of war by "Cali." : Two trucks are going out tonight. : Want to wager on whether : those two come back or not? Pg 167 Enrique: They're moving out, Garrison! *ban ban* *bang bang* Nearby, Garrison is talking to a street vendor. Enrique bangs on the car door to get his attention. En: You like bagged candy that much? Garrison: 'Cause I never got to eat them when I was a kid. How's the mic picking up? Mic: "Wait a minute, Archer!" En: Nice and clear. Kouki: Wait a minute, Archer! Archer is climbing up into the driver's seat of a delivery truck. Kouki: You have a license!? Archer: No, I don't. Pg 168 Kouki is sitting in the driver's seat. Archer is leaning back in the passenger seat, looking bored. Kouki: Then why would you get into the driver's seat? Archer: It's no problem. I can drive. Kouki: It's not ok! : Leave it to me! They call me the "speeding bullet". Archer doesn't look reassured. Archer: ...... That's not very original, is it? Kouki: Shut up! En: ......... Garrison: Will those two be all right? Pg 169 At Deano's hideout: Lott: I'm not satisfied! : This is our war! : Why are you lending strength to some guy who isn't a brother? Deano: You intend to speak out against my decision, Lott? Deano looks like he means serious business. Pg 170 Lott: ..... Deano: My decision is your decision. : What's wrong? : Things got so peaceful that you forgot that? : What about the rest of you? : If you can't go back to the way things were before, leave now. : You've only got ten minutes. Foz: Toby. Toby: Shut up. Pg 171 ?: We're of the same opinion as Lott. : We can't trust someone who isn't the same race as our brothers. : Sorry. *kata* *tink* A group of them leave, dropping their earrings on the table as they go. DJ: I'm going too. BD: DJ! DJ: Don't think badly of me, BD. Pg 172 ?: I've always been a dishwasher.... and at last I've got an apprenticeship... : I don't want to throw away the life I have now..... Todd: Wait, everyone! Don't you want to pay back the enemy!? : He mocked Rocco........ Big Fist: Todd. Foz's brother starts dragging him out the door. Bro: You're coming out of here with me! Foz: No! You coward! : Toby! Toby: Don't touch Foz! Foz: Toby! Toby yanks his friend back and glares a challenge at Foz's brother. Pg 173 Bro: These little.... Louka: Give it up, Beans. : Even if they're little, they have the right to chose. : If you're going to go, you'll have to go alone. Beans: I'll remember this, Louka! Louka: I think that's my line. Lott: ...Why....? : Why is Deano supporting him this far...? That half-Hispanic.... Louka: You don't get it? You must be sick in the head, Lott. Pg 174 Louka: It's because right now he's more useful than we are. Lott: I'm not gonna listen to this garbage! *gatsu* *clatter* He tosses down his earring. : I'll never forget as long as I live that he was the one who gave me this scar! *ban* *BANG* Pg 175 Deano: Louka. : BD. : Todd. : Big Fist. : Foz. Toby. : Chicks, you're still here too? Chicks: Stop calling me "Chicks", Boss. Deano: The best of the gang. Pg 176 The truck is parked in the dark. Kouki checks his watch. Kouki: ...They're late.... : It's 30 minutes past the promised time. Archer: It's dangerous to stop in the alleys of the Bronx for a long time. : Let's look for some place we can hide the truck. *bushu* *b-dump* They drive the truck into an abandoned building. Kouki: It would be better if we really did have coffee or something. Archer: How 'bout some gum? Pg 177 In another part of the alley, men are gathered around a barrel-fire. Kouki and Archer settle in and wait. Kouki glances down at Archer. Archer: I was eavesdropping. Kouki: Eh? Archer: To your conversation with Dagwood in the office. Pg 178 Kouki: Oh... that. : Why, all the sudden...? Archer: You wanted to ask, didn't you? He's grinning up at Kouki from his seat on the ground. Kouki: Then... : You knew it was a dangerous part-time job. : So why were you interested? Archer: I already said it, didn't I? For the money. : My father's in the hospital and I have to take care of my brother. : And you Kouki leans down. : looked like you were asking for my help. Pg 179 They stay still for a moment, searching each other's faces. Kouki: "For the money" is a lie. : You're trying to earn an honest living for you brother. : And you... Archer: I lie and you lie. : You knew things I didn't tell you. And there's the time I told you I'd kill my father. Archer begins to stand up. Pg 180 : You wouldn't listen to the reason. You only pity me. Kouki: Is that so bad? Kouki looks wry, while Archer's face is harsh in the darkness. Kouki: That time when you were hurting I sympathized with you. : And that's no lie. : I didn't ask you for the reason because it wasn't necessary. Pg 181 : Do you believe me? Archer: If I do, then I'll have to trust you. Back at the police station, Oliver saunters into Quincy's office with a folder in his hand. Oliver: Lieutenant Quincy, the results of the identification have come. Quincy: We're the same rank, Oliver, you sarcastic bastard. Pg 182 Oliver: The victim was D. Auckland. *basa basa* *rustle rustle* : Cause of death was blood loss from the shot in his head. : I think based on the amount of blood found at the scene that he was killed somewhere else, then left in front of the warehouse--- : And then in front of the warehouse, once more BANG! Oliver has pointed his finger at Quincy as he reenacts the crime. Quincy: Quit it. : He's got a record of theft, assault, and drug-dealing. We had him marked as a pusher. Oliver: He had three molars pulled. --- But it wasn't a dentist's job. : And two nails torn out. Quincy: Traces of torture? : Estimated time of death is two days ago between 9 and 11 pm. : No record of the gun that killed him. Oliver: Why do you think they went to all that trouble to put him in front of the warehouse? : And the showy letters in blood and crucifying him to the shutter? Pg 183 Quincy: Plain provocation. Even if the criminal wasn't a member of "Cali", they've rubbed "Medicine's" face in the dirt. Oliver: We may have a clue to follow on this manhunt. : Two weeks ago two men had some trouble behind the bar. : A tooth was pulled out then too. : One was a black man around 25 years old, though the age isn't certain. : The other was a young brunette man. : His companion called him "Archer". : One of the bar patrons remembered it. Pg 184 Back in the Bronx: Enrique: Hey, dinner, Garrison. : So what's happened? Any progress with Kouki and the other? Garrison: Yeah. : They're still talking about the problem of trust. Enrique: That's just eavesdropping, Garrison. In the abandoned building: Archer: If you believe me, then you'll trust me too. Pg 185 : Is that the deal you want? Kouki: But there's just one thing I want settled clearly. : You were smiling. : I saw the body in front of the warehouse, and : that body was of the man whose tooth you pulled out. : Did you kill him, Archer? Pg 186 Archer: -- If I did, what would you do? Kouki: ...If you did... : I'll have to arrest you. Enrique: Kouki! What are you trying to do!? Garrison: No, wait. Pg 187 Archer: ...A cop... Flashback. Kouki: You don't have to tell me anything. : These aren't hands that fire a gun. Archer: ...Now it makes sense... Pg 188 Archer pulls his gun and aims it at Kouki's head. Next: Volume 3, part 1 |