Chapter 8 - The Rooftop
Amy's computer had pulled it off. She texted Mina: "The bottom of his armchair." She smiled as the phone alerted her "Message sent." She stood looking on for a few minutes. Suddenly she felt her hat being pulled off leaving her tiara to be exposed. Her gloved hand reached up to grab it as Amy turned around to see a black-haired girl in a waitress uniform with a mean scowl on her face. She twirled the beret around on one finger.
"Raye?" Mercury said. "What are you doing here, don't you have work?"
"I got fired," Raye said with a hoarse voice, "Again!"
"What? Why?"
"And on top of that," Raye threw the hat back to Amy, "I almost got hit by a cab!"
Amy couldn't even get a whimper out before Raye continued to vent.
"And, to top it all off, Serena, or Usagi or whatever the fuck her name is TOOK MY JOB! Serena could't weigh herself with a scale!"
Amy was unusually annoyed by Raye's confrontational attitude, "What is with you Raye?"
Raye continued to vent, "Let me guess, you and Sailor V are out finding a cure for cancer. Or maybe you're about to catch some bank robbers. Oh no, wait, King Kong is on top of the Empire State Building and Sailor V's getting him down!"
The bluenette raised her head in annoyance.
"And what am I doing Sailor Mercury?" Raye was now shouting at the top of her lungs. Enough people on the streets could turn their attention to the shouting girl.
"Don't call me that," Mercury snarled, "Sailor MARS!"
"I wish I could be Sailor Mars. But no! I have to babysit little Serena while you two are out doing what I USED TO DO!"
"Raye," Amy calmed down, "I know you're upset about Mina but-"
"Oh fuck Mina!" Raye made a 360 degree turn back toward the blue hair shouting up into the sky. "Fuck her. Mina's just a backstabbing undisciplined cunt!"
Amy smacked Raye hard into the face. Raye brought her hand to her face slowly and stared into Sailor Mercury's eyes. Amy was struggling to catch her breath. "I'm sorry Raye, but I won't have you badmouthing your own fellow soldier, the love of your life."
Raye hesitated rubbing the side of her face. "Not anymore. The two of us are finished."
Amy's dropped her head. She looked back to Raye putting her gloved hands on her shoulders, "Don't say that Raye. Mina still loves you."
Raye still stood there cold.
"And you do too."
Raye's eyes simmered down. She was just about to respond when a loud boom and rumble sent the Sailor Scouts to their knees.
"We've been waiting for this moment for a long time Sollozzo," Dante said smiling with his gun pointed at Sollozzo's face. "But this time?" He shook his head in excitement, "God Damn!"
Sirico nodded his head with a smile as well, his gun out. Sollozzo's two men stood there with their hands up. Sollozzo himself, cigarette still in his hand, did not have his hands up. Instead his eyes fixated on Sailor V. She smiled at him waving her famous and lethal index finger.
"All right guys," Sollozzo turned his eyes to Dante, "Let's get down to business. How much do you want?"
"You really think," Dante said without moving a muscle, "You can bribe your way out of this one?"
Sirico picked up the thought, "Even if we did take bribes, it would take a lot more than you even have Sal."
"Don't be so quick to decide," the drug dealer smiled. He looked over to Sailor V, "Sailor V over there, you know she works with Sailor Moon."
"I don't work with Sailor Moon," Sailor V said convincingly, "She works in Japan."
"Oh cut the bullshit!" Sollozzo started to get more confrontational. He turned back to Dante, "There is currently a bounty out on Sailor Moon-"
"Yeah yeah yeah," Dante said, "I hear all about it, the hundred-mil. Look Sal, the longer we-"
"Hundred mil?" The criminal laughed, "Not anymore, the bounty has gone up," he hesitated, "To one billion dollars."
Sailor V's eyes nearly popped out of her glasses. Sirico was surprised to hear of this, but Dante was still skeptical.
"Bullshit!" Dante snorted, "Nobody offers a billion for a hit, not even for political assassinations."
"Dante," Sollozzo continued, "I lie about many things as you know, but this, I'm not lying about. The contract for Sailor Moon's life is one billion dollars. That's a thousand million. Ten figures!" He pointed to Sailor V, "And that girl right there knows who she is. She can take us to Sailor Moon, we can ice her and retire to Costa Rica." He took a puff of his cigarette.
"I keep telling you," Sailor V spoke up, "I don't know who she is."
"What do you say sergeants?" The criminal ignored the heroine, "Even split up, a billion is more money than you two will ever see in your life."
Dante's concentration faded as his eyes vacillated between Sailor V and Sollozzo. "A billion dollars…"
Sirico couldn't maintain his composure either, "That's a lot of money."
Sailor V couldn't believe what she was hearing from her colleagues, "You're not seriously considering this?"
Neither of the officers answered her. They were lost in their thoughts. Sollozzo laughed realizing he may have gotten to them. He and his men still didn't want to move on the off-chance the suits would shoot them.
"You two," Mina lectured, "Are sworn officers of the law. You just caught the drug criminal of the century. You're gonna throw that away for money? I've been saving this world for over six years. Should all that be for nothing?"
Dante shook his head and regained his composure, "She's right. Billion or no billion Sal, you're going in the slammer."
Sollozzo's eyes were full of evil as he took his cigarette out of his mouth. "I'm sorry you feel that way." Within seconds, Sollozzo flicked the cigarette over the officers' heads. Dante knew Sollozzo was just trying to distract them and didn't flinch. Sailor V however watched as the cigarette fell to the ground near the window some ten feet away from where they were standing. A sudden explosion sent all of them to their feet.
Amy and Raye got up from the ground to see the side of the Sollozzo's building on fire.
"Oh my God," Amy shouted, "Mina!"
"She's in there?" Raye grabbed Amy's shoulders.
"Yes," Amy shook off Raye's hands as she kicked off her pants and her trenchcoat to reveal her full Sailor uniform. Luckily, most of the people around were running away from the fiery building.
Raye's shield began to deteriorate as overpowering feelings of love, guilt and concern caused her jaw to drop.
"I gotta go in." Amy began to run across the street before Raye grabbed a hold of her glove covered arm:
"No," Raye said, "I'll go in. You need to stop the fire."
Amy pondered for a split second and acquiesced to Raye's command. Raye ran into the smoking building, disappearing out of Amy's sight. She wasted no time.
"Mercury Aqua Rhapsody!" Sailor Mercury said running towards the building. Ice water shot from out her gloved hands into the smoking building. The fire began to subdue. Within seconds of her actions, sirens appeared at light speed.
Sailor V was the first to get up from the explosion. Dust and smoke filled the air. But through her glasses, she could see Sollozzo running out the door. She immediately ran to catch him but was stopped by one of his henchmen. The big bald man held onto her. Luckily, Venus didn't have to do anything, because Dante tackled the guy to the ground out of nowhere. Mina watched as Dante wrestled with the man. Where was his gun? Sirico ran over to help his fellow officer but was pinned down at knife point by the other henchman.
Mina had no time, somebody had to chase down Sollozzo, and his desire to take out Sailor Moon only intensified her desire to catch him. She could feel Sailor Mercury's Ice storm entering the room as she exited the room into the hallway. With sirens echoing downstairs, she knew Sollozzo would be smart enough to go up onto the roof instead of the street. Sailor V ran up the staircase, nearly three steps per stride.
Sollozzo made it up to the roof. He had stuffed one of the officer's guns down his belt, the other was in his hand. Sollozzo did not appear to be a junkie. He was in tip-top shape, perhaps a match for the Sailor scout. Sollozzo could hear footsteps coming up the staircase. He instinctively ran behind a metal air vent facing his gun towards the entrance.
As Sailor V broke through the door onto the roof, Sollozzo impulsively pulled the trigger. Of course, Sailor V could count on her quick reflexes and super vision to just barely jump out the way. As she landed hard onto the ground, a quick shot of her Venus Crescent Beam hit the air vent pushing Sollozzo on his back to the ground.
Back down the street, the DEA entered the building. Amy could hear the sounds of gunshots and beamshots coming from the roof. Mina, she thought. Amy ran for the door, but a DEA officer held onto her.
"You can't go in there," he said, "This is a crime scene."
"I'm a Sailor Scout," Amy said fighting the man, "Sailor V is up there, I have to help her."
The man pushed her away, "Armed forces only Sailor Scout."
Mercury simply shot a couple bumbles into the man's face causing him to scream and grab his eyes. As she ran into the building, realizing this was not her way, she shouted, "Sorry!"
Back on the roof, Sollozzo picked up his gun preparing to fire at Sailor V again. Running as fast as she could, Sailor V jumped into the air, missing Sollozzo's shot and kicking him hard into the face.
This didn't stop the drug-dealer. He jumped up and punched Mina in the chest. Mina had taken many punches before, but his was strong. She had not felt pain like that since she used to fight the Negaverse. Taking a second to catch her breath, Sailor V watched the man running for the edge of the building. He jumped clear off! The blonde ran to the edge of the building. Sollozzo had not only landed on the next building some ten feet away, he was still running.
Sailor V easily jumped off the building and right onto Sollozzo! He screamed in pain as Venus tried to apprehend him. The two struggled in an intense jujitsu fight. Sollozzo was certainly a worthy adversary.
"You're dead!" Sollozzo said in a deep breathy voice, "You and your precious Sailor Moon are gonna be dead before you know it."
"Shut up!" Mina said in pure anger, and her fist immediately went for his face. Sollozzo showed no signs of pain. Who was this man?
The drug dealer gave Sailor V a knee into her breast. She screamed in agonizing pain, grabbing her chest. He kicked her so hard in the chest, she went flying clear into the wall of the building she had jumped from. Mina had enough reflexes to grab hold of the roof with one hand. Her body dangled eight stories over the hard ground. She was in so much pain, she couldn't even pull herself up. Instead, a finger slipped off of the building. It was only a matter of time before she fell. Her super jumping and landing skills were temporarily nullified.
This surely was the end of Sailor V.
Back down in 4E, the DEA officers escorted Sollozzo's two men downstairs in handcuffs. Sirico and Dante came out of the building, bruised, but unbroken.
"Did Sollozzo or Sailor V run by you guys?" Dante asked one of the officers.
"No," the officer said, "But I thought I saw the other one, the blue scout run up here."
The same officer who got maced by Mercury ran up the stairs and yelled at Dante, "Some bitch sprayed me in the eyes!"
Dante and Sirico were confused to see this, "What? Who?"
"She came in here," he answered rubbing his eyes, "Said she was a Scout, she had blue hair. I tried to stop her from coming in the building, but she sprayed bubbles in my eyes."
"You idiot!" Sirico said, "She's with us!"
"Clemons," Dante looked back to the other DEA officer, "Where did she go?"
He pointed upstairs, "She was running upstairs when I saw her."
"Let's go!" Dante, Sirico and Celmons all ran upstairs.
"Aw," the other officer said limping up the stairs holding his eyes, "Son of a bitch!"
Mina screamed in terror. Just as her hand slipped off and she began to plummet off the building, her fall suddenly stopped. Mina's eyes opened. She looked up to see another gloved hand holding her own. Amy? Mina could see the face and falling black hair of the one holding onto her: Sailor Mars, in full uniform! Mina was in such shock, she couldn't even bring herself to say 'Raye.'
"I gotcha!" Raye shouted to her ex-girlfriend. And she pulled her back onto the roof with all her strength. Mina collapsed into Raye's arms. She moaned in pain from her sore breast. However, a small whimper of a voice whispered, "Raye."
"You're okay," Sailor Mars said holding onto her.
"Mina!" Sailor Mercury ran towards the couple. She crouched down right next to Raye to see her blonde friend. Raye handed her into Amy's arms with an unusual look of concern on her face. Mina on the other hand was struggling to catch her breath. A familiar scene sent a shiver down Amy's spine, "Mina are you okay?"
"I can barely breathe," Sailor V whispered holding onto her breast. Amy quickly pulled up Sailor V's leotard to examine her, leaving her breasts fully exposed. Raye sat and watched without saying anything.
Amy grabbed a hold of Mina's breast, it was swollen, but as she felt it and felt the area of her sternum, there appeared to be no broken bones or ribs. Certainly she would have a bad bruise on her breast, but she would be okay.
"You're okay Mina," Amy said rubbing her breast ever so softly, "I think you just got the wind knocked out of you." Mina's breath began to settle thanks to Amy's soft words and soft feel. Sailor Mars got up and walked away very slowly. Amy turned her head to her confused, "Sailor Mars?"
Sailor Mars continued to walk away towards the door. Mina managed to stand up. She pulled down her top. "Raye!" She shouted holding her chest, "Aren't you going to say anything?"
Sailor Mars stopped and turned around. Her face had no expression, "I'm glad you're okay Sailor V." She was silent for a moment, "Just be careful out here." Without another word, Sailor Mars opened the door and walked downstairs.
Mina watched as her ex-girlfriend disappeared. She was as much at a loss for words as she was when Raye first revealed that she loved her. Sailor V was now injured, without her girlfriend, and without any of her friends.
Except one.
Sailor Mercury walked up to Mina and held her by the waste. The blonde immediately turned around, "Sollozzo!" She shook off Amy's hand and ran to the edge of the roof. As she scanned the neighboring building, there was no sign of the drug dealer. She looked everywhere, but he was long gone. How could this guy have beaten her and swept away so easily?
"Mina," Sailor Mercury ran up to her, "You need to take it easy."
"Amy," Mina looked at her, "We gotta find Sollozzo, he's looking for Serena. He wants the money!"
"You running around Manhattan," Amy said, "With an injured chest isn't going to help the situation. You need to get home and rest. We'll find him."
Of course, Mina thought, Amy's always right. Mina reluctantly turned around. Sailor Mercury put Mina's arm around her shoulders to help guide her down.
The three officers emerged from the door to see an injured Sailor V in the arms of Sailor A. Sirico stepped forward concerned, "Is she all right?"
"She'll be fine," Sailor A explained, "I just gotta get her home."
Sirico nodded his head. The three officers walked towards the edge of the building as the two scouts walked to the door. When they met in-between, Sailor V grabbed Sirico's by his shirt.
"Sirico," she said in a weak voice. Everyone stopped where they were. "Sollozzo got away."
Sirico's head came down off his shoulders, but her grabbed the scout's shoulders, "Don't worry, we'll get him."
"He wants Sailor Moon," She whispered, "You gotta stop him."
"Come on Sailor V," Mercury said, "Let's get you home."
Dante picked up his radio as Sirico watched the girls disappeared into the building. "All units," Dante spoke up, "Suspect Sollozzo is still on the loose. We need a full search within a ten mile radius now-"
"This is worse than we thought Amy," Mina said as they made their way for the stairs. "The bounty is now a billion."
Amy stopped and stared at Mina in terror, "A billion dollars?"
"Yeah," Mina said holding her injured breast.
Thoughts raced across Amy's mind faster than lightspeed. Looking back to Mina, she sighed, "Well, luckily she's safely hidden. There's nothing we can do about it right now. Let's just get you home."