CH - 55

The two snipers were staring down the end of a barrel. Not physically, but metaphorically. They were trapped between a rock and a hard place. Again, not in reality. But their situation definitely felt akin to that sort of metaphor. It was as if all these random idioms suddenly made sense, and they could relate.

Bo held his back to Kazuki's, staring down Captain Vergo of the Marines. Kazuki stood facing Lieutenant Smoker, freshly appointed to his new station. Neither of them seemed in a forgiving mood. There were lines that one did not cross, under suspicion or not; Marines didn't turn on their commanding officers.

"What is going on here?" Lieutenant Smoker asked in a deep, rough voice. He looked to Vergo, who seemed to be a bit roughed up.

"They made an attempt on my life, Lieutenant," Vergo said calmly.

"Why would you two do such a thing?" Smoker asked, appalled. They had done some work with Smoker. He had not directly overseen their missions as Vergo or Reluji had, but he had still gained some familiarity with the two. So to him, this was very far out of left field.

"I was holding them for questioning. You heard Rear Admiral Reluji's reports," Vergo said. "I was about to send them to the cells for the night, then have them processed in the morning, where they would be tried for their crimes."

"Please, Lieutenant," Kazuki pleaded. "You have to understand. We were set up!"

Lieutenant Smoker stood, unmoving and seemingly unconvinced. "What I understand," he said, looking back at Captain Vergo, "is that you attacked a superior officer during an interrogation. What else is there for me to understand?"

"DAMMIT! LISTEN TO US!" Bo shouted in rage.

"They're going to kill us!" Kazuki said on top of Bo's exclamation.

"You're traitors to the Marines. You turned pirate. Why would I listen? And why would that matter to me if you were going to be executed? This is the land where the Pirate King himself was executed. If you're to die, shouldn't it be a pirate's honor to die here?"

Vergo nodded. "Right you are, Lieutenant. Now help me round them up. I'll commend your assistance to the upper brass first thing in the morning. I'll see to it you get those points toward your next promotion."

"Thank you, sir."

Kazuki's face twitched. His body shook. He couldn't handle it anymore. "This is what it means to be a Marine," he said lowly so that only Bo could hear him. "To accept every word without question. To be thoughtless. To be a murderer."

"Kazuki," Bo said lowly, "we have to get out of here. My family's waiting for me. I can't leave them to rot in some dungeon."

"I'm sorry, friend. It looks like this is where our path ends. We don't have any other outs."

Bo gulped. "Well then, at least we'll go out swinging."

The two readied themselves for the fight. They had already undergone one unfathomably trying ordeal going up against Vergo just now. They were exhausted.

BANG!

Everyone looked back toward the entrance of the base, where they heard what sounded like bombs going off.

"What the hell is going on?" Smoker asked out loud.

Kazuki thought to take advantage of the Lieutenant's distraction. He pulled on Bo's arm to alert him, and then tried to rush past Smoker on the left side while he was staring off across the base.

Smoker jolted himself back to attention and threw himself in front of Kazuki. He drew a long black steel baton from his back and held it out at arm's length.

Bo stopped suddenly behind Kazuki. "Fuck. There's no way out."

"Don't think escaping will be that easy," Smoker said.

"Good job, Lieutenant," Vergo commented. "Now let's secure the prisoners. We need to get them back in cuffs!"

Smoker held his attention on the snipers in front of him. "Alright, let's go!"

Captain Vergo and Lieutenant Smoker rallied together to herd Bo and Kazuki from getting away. Vergo clasped onto Bo and Smoker grabbed Kazuki by the arms.

Bo tried to struggle free from Vergo as he latched on. "Dammit, let me go!" he shouted. He tried to throw an elbow into Vergo's face, but Vergo already had a solid hold on him.

Vergo squeezed Bo's arms tightly together, making him groan in pain, and then returned the cuffs to Bo's wrists, keeping his arms locked again.

Smoker did the same with Kazuki, forcing him to wear the metal bracelets on his wrists like some common criminal. But Smoker kept a keen eye to ensure Kazuki didn't have the opportunity to pick these ones.

Bo swore furiously as he was forced to walk out of the corridor and out into the streets of the base.

They began to head toward the jails when they heard it again.

BANG!

What is that…? Kazuki asked himself. It couldn't be… could it? No, he shook his head and continued walking.

"Captain, I think something's going on," Smoker said.

"If it is, the rest of the Marines can take care of it. We're not the only ones here. The others know what they're doing. We have our own task to take care of."

They continued on for a few minutes. They had to walk toward the noise to get through to where the jail was on base. They turned down one of the main streets to find one of the building sides had been blown to pieces, and was now blocking the street.

Vergo took a look around to see some Marines in the area. He went to them, while still holding tight onto Bo. "What is going on here, Marines?" he asked.

"Captain! Lieutenant!"

The troops rallied in formation and saluted. There were apparently no officers in charge of the situation.

"There have been attacks around the base."

"We haven't found the culprits yet."

"We believe it might be bombs being set off remotely."

Vergo listened to their reports. "Stay in the area just in case something happens. Keep on your guard and alert us if anything arises. We need to get these pirates to their cells, immediately. We'll come back to check on the situation once we've finished."

"Yes, sir!"

The officers turned away from the debris and set up conversing to the side.

"We need to get around this rubble," Vergo said.

Smoker took a look about. "What about through here?" he said, pointing toward an alleyway.

Vergo came upon it and checked out the alley. It was just behind one of the larger buildings that would take an extra half hour to walk around and would leave them out in the open in a square. The alley was protected on the side because it had a wall running along its side. "This should work. Let's go."

And then Kazuki saw it. He nudged Bo and gave a quick head nod in the direction of an alley. Nobody else would have been able to see it. To the untrained eye, it would have just blended into the darkness of the night. But to their honed sniper's eyes… they could see it.

Bo nodded.

Then, as the Marine officers pulled the snipers into the alley, they suddenly went into a frenzy. Bo and Kazuki began wriggling and writhing their way out of the officers' grasps.

"CALM DOWN!" Lieutenant Smoker shouted.

"What's gotten into you this time?" Vergo commented. "You can't win this fight. You could barely handle just me with both of you. You're not going to be able to take us both on now, with just yourselves."

"Heh," ughed.

"You're right there, Captain," Kazuki said with vehemence. "With just ourselves, we can't take you on."

And then a fell swoop came down from the building roof above them, and a man dropped down on the one side where Vergo stood, blocking the way to the alley. He stood up tall, taller than Vergo, and stared down at them.

"What the hell is going on?!" Vergo demanded.

"Captain!" Smoker shouted.

Vergo turned away from his new opponent for just a moment to see that another had blocked their way, behind Smoker. He was standing practically still and coated in the blackness of the night, so Vergo could not make out their features. Now they were blocked on both sides, with traitors in their arms and enemies holding their path.

"What do we do, sir?" Smoker asked.

Vergo didn't have time to think up a plan. Before he knew it, Bo had broken out of his grasp. And Kazuki had wrangled himself out of Smoker's. The snipers each took turns throwing a kick at their oppressors, knocking them back, and then they ducked down out of the fray.

The tall man swung a fast left hook across Vergo's face, knocking him into the wall of the alley. And the shorter man on Smoker's side threw an uppercut into Smoker's stomach, making the Lieutenant reel.

And then the four of them ran off.

"You guys came back for us!" Kazuki said, running his hardest to keep up with Halcen and Grey.

"Talk later," Halcen said. "We gotta get outta here!"

And they kept running their way through the Marine base towards their escape.

Behind them, Vergo and Smoker had taken off after them. They had taken a hit, but it wasn't enough to keep Marine Officers from pursuing their convicts. And they were fast.

"Stop!" Vergo demanded.

"Why are we always running?" Smoker said.

"We gotta get out of here before they catch up!" Halcen shouted.

"We'll take a detour!" Kazuki said. "I know another way out!"

"Can't! We gotta hit the checkpoint!"

"Checkpoint?" Bo asked. "Aren't we just trying to escape?"

"Do you really think I'd break into a Marine base without a plan?" Halcen laughed.

And they kept running. Halcen looked back to see the dark-haired man was the faster of the two, and was catching up quick.

If we don't do something quick, he's gonna catch up, Halcen thought to himself.

The Marine Officer presented a problem.

"WE GOTTA PICK UP THE PACE!" Halcen shouted. "We don't have time to stand around and fight these guys! We gotta hit that checkpoint!"

Everybody else kicked it into overdrive. Kazuki was having a hard time keeping up as it was, but he dug deep and sprinted even harder, desperate to keep up. Pain began shooting through him, but he grunted and pushed through it. His body wasn't meant for this. He was not a distance runner. But he wasn't going to let himself get caught and throw Halcen's plan into ruin.

After a little ways, they saw it. They were only about halfway through the Marine base. There were two massive stone columns to the sides of each other, attached to a giant archway overhead. It was set tightly between two different buildings. They could make out the structure in the moonlight.

"Alright, here we go!" Halcen shouted.

"What's going on?" Kazuki asked.

"Just don't slow down!" Halcen shouted.

Vergo was still on their tail. He was still a ways back, but he was gaining. Smoker was behind them too, but only able to maintain ground. There was something to be said about the difference in their power. Smoker was an officer too, but Vergo was just that much superior.

In response to the pirates picking up the pace, Vergo did the same. He began sprinting as hard as he could to catch up to the fleeing criminals. He began catching up even quicker.

Halcen looked back at the man and saw that the man persisted to gain on them. Halcen grimaced. This guy just doesn't quit. He looked forward toward the arches. They were still too far off from the columns. The Marine was going to catch them. I gotta do something about this guy. Without stopping or slowing down, he shouted "Grey!"

Grey looked at Halcen.

Halcen motioned his head toward their pursuer. "Arms!"

Grey nodded.

Halcen jumped forward as Grey ran even faster. Grey stopped hard, his legs and feet dug down hard into the ground and he slowed to a stop, dust billowing as the snipers kept running. Halcen raised his legs upward as Grey lined up his outstretched arms for Halcen's feet. The tall man took the brunt of the force from Halcen's body and flung all his might into shooting Halcen the opposite direction.

Halcen loaded his legs with black Haki and came rocketing at the pursuing Marine.

Vergo's chest coated with Haki the same time that Halcen's legs came in and bashed into him. Vergo had been running full speed, but wasn't able to stop in time to dodge or fully prepare for the blow. His torso took Halcen's wicked legs with full force, and he groaned.

Halcen's body carried with momentum as they collided. He dug his feet into the Haki-coated chest, then thrust with all his might to throw Vergo off his feet. Halcen's body ping-ponged back off Vergo's body and sailed back toward Grey.

They watched Vergo go flying toward the opposite building. Vergo was able to move his Haki to his back as his body smashed through the stone side of the nearest building. Wood and concrete rained around him as he crumpled to the ground.

Halcen landed on the ground in a hard thud and began rolling, dust blooming. He quickly got back up to take a glance at their pursuers. The white-haired Marine had stopped to ensure his superior was okay. He was going to take a few extra moments to get back up. That was all they needed.

Halcen turned back to their group, where Grey had already caught back up with snipers, and started running to catch back up. Once he was there, he gaffed. "He can use Haki too?"

"That's Captain Vergo. He's very proficient in Haki," Kazuki said, barely able to get it out.

"That's not good," Halcen said.

"How so?" Grey asked.

"If somebody else is that talented with Haki, I lose my edge."

Everyone else got quite. What bode ill for their Captain bode ill for them all. They all resumed their focus. They continued running until they actually hit the archway.

"Alright, here we go!" Halcen shouted as they rushed out.

And suddenly the whole area exploded with a smokescreen. Dark smoke enveloped a huge radius, covering them from sight, while also stagnating their own view. It was hard not to stumble and fall.

Kazuki coughed.

"What the hell?!" Bo shouted.

"Don't worry. It's part of the plan!" Halcen reassured them.

BANG!

Then suddenly, there was a big blast behind them where the archway was, and an erupting fire tore it apart with a big explosion and the stone collapsed.

"Fuck," Bo shouted with surprise.

This would cause a massive disturbance to keep the eyes off them, and Halcen could now safely lead them out of the Marine base, through Loguetown, and back to their ship.

Once they finally did arrive back at the Black Tail, they were able to stop running. They all sighed in relief as they all fell to the wood deck in heaving tiredness. Their bodies thrummed and pounded. They tried to catch their breaths. This was a very risky mission, but they managed to pull it off.

"Did everything go well, Captain?" Morkine asked.

Halcen looked up to see everyone else was accounted for: Fein, Jin, Shira, Jory. "Yes, it did, let's get out of here, now! Before they catch back up!"

"WAIT!" Bo shouted.

Everyone turned to see Bo, standing up and shaking.

"I can't leave."

"Why the fuck not? You guys are wanted criminals in the eyes of the World Government now! You can't go back to the Marines! We risked a lot to save you! What the fuck else could possibly be stopping you?!"

"My wife and son."

Halcen's face caught in distress. "What…?"

"They have my family, Halcen. The Marines took my family when word went out that we betrayed Reluji."

"Oh, fuck."

"I can't go without them. I can't. Not with them locked up in cages like common criminals!"

Halcen stood, silently listening.

"I'm sorry, but I can't go with you. I have to stay here and save them."

"And how are you going to do that?" Kazuki jumped in. "You don't even have any weapons!"

"I don't know… I'll figure it out," Bo said. He calmed down for a moment and look at Halcen. "Thank you for saving us, but I can't be around to return the favor." His face twitched.

Halcen looked Bo in the eyes. "You gotta be fucking kidding me."

Bo turned to start heading off the ship. "No. Unfortunately not."

Kazuki stepped in front of Bo to block his way. "YOU'LL DIE IF YOU GO AT THIS ALONE!"

Bo chuckled. "If you think dying for my family scares me," then he looked straight into Kazuki's eyes and his shone with doubtless intensity, "then you don't know me at all."

"That's not what I'm saying, damn it!" Kazuki shouted. "If you die, they stay imprisoned, regardless of your 'noble' sacrifice. Do you really think that helps them any?"

Bo gulped. "I have to at least try." Then he tried to take a step forward.

Kazuki refused to move. "At least let me help!"

"No!" Bo shouted. "You've already got enough on your plate." He looked back to Halcen. "Get outta Loguetown. You don't need this extra trouble. And you make sure Kazuki comeswith you. Don't let him follow me off this ship."

Halcen stared into Bo's eyes. Fucking hell. It's just one thing after another with these two. I got what I came to Loguetown for. But now all this… shit… keeps happening. Halcen nodded.

Bo turned to leave, but Kazuki got in his way again. "No way!"

Halcen spoke up. "He doesn't leave the ship."

Everyone looked to Halcen, who had just been standing there, watching and listening.

"You're not serious?" Jory asked. "Are we really just gonna let Bo go?"

"Halcen?" Grey said.

Halcen ignored them, and walked up toward where Bo and Kazuki were having their spat. "You're going to have to stay here." And then he grabbed tightly onto Bo's arm, and looked at the man dead in the eyes.

"Are you… trying to stop me?" Bo swiped his arm away.

"Don't be stupid, Bo. It doesn't have to be like this."

"Be like what? My family needs me! You guys need to get out of here! This isn't a fucking game!"

"Then why are you playing like it is!?" Halcen shouted.

"Excuse me?"

"You know damn well you can't do this alone! So why do you have to pretend like everything falls on your shoulders? Why are you trying to be a martyr? Why can't you use some common fucking sense?"

"Don't test me, Halcen."

"If you go out there, alone, what's gonna happen to your precious family, huh? They're gonna remain imprisoned for an eternity, or at least until the Marines feel like they're no longer useful and kill them."

"You don't know that's going to happen! They could let them go! If I die, they have no use for them anymore!"

"And when has the World Government ever been in the mercy business? Think about it. And even if they do decide to let them go, you're still dead, which means your wife is a widow and your child will grow up fatherless, burned and betrayed by the Marines. They'll have no way of getting back on their feet."

"Shut up," Bo growled, clutching his arm tightly.

"Your child will take to the street, begging, and your wife will be reduced to a common whore."

"SHUT THE FUCK UP!" Bo swung his right arm at Halcen's head.

Halcen stepped to the left and caught Bo's arm with his own two, preventing him from moving.

Bo responded by clutching his left arm around Halcen's neck and pulling.

Halcen was able to use his Haki to prevent it from hurting, but he couldn't move. Bo had a tight grip.

This was where Fein and Grey stepped it. They both grabbed onto Bo and dragged him back, kicking and hollering.

"Let me go, damn you!"

But they were too strong.

"Hold him down," Halcen said, walking up to them.

Bo's eyes lit with raging fire. "I swear to God, Halcen."

"What? What are you going to do? Do you see how easily swayed and defeated you are. You can't move. It only takes these two to hold you. Imagine going up against a whole swarm of Marines yourself."

"Fuck you!"

"Listen," Halcen said lowly. "It's not my fault if these horrible things come to pass. You're the one that's making a shitty decision. But unfortunately for me, I can't just let you go and fuck all this up. Your family is only going to suffer, and I will not be held responsible for not stopping you. You need to think, man. I know that's not your specialty, but really give it a try." They he raised his eyebrows as he stared Bo in the eyes.

Bo seethed, but he seemed to be calming down a bit. He breathed deeply and stared at Halcen. "I really can't do this alone, can I?" he said, choking up.

Halcen just shook his head.

"Then what do I do?" Bo's voice broke between statements. "They're all I have left in this world. Everyone… everything else has fallen apart. What do I do? I can't let this be the end of them."

"So what do you need to do?"

Bo looked earnestly into Halcen's eyes. "Please… help me."

Halcen just nodded. "Let's fucking go."