Realistic or Modern A Family Affair: The Irish Mob - IC (Ended)

[Bellz]

Minnie Abernathy​

Minnie rolled her eyes at Evan as he said she was preying on innocent men. Yea. Right. Taking a step forward, she took the offer of a cigarette, lighting it before sticking it between her lips. "Oh don't give me that shit Evan, you are so far from innocence, you can't even see it." The brunette utter as a sweet smile grew on her face. "Well believe it or not, you and Carter are the only two decent men in this joint. Emphasis on decent." She sighed, now looking rather sad, "Its amazing what I have to settle for with this job, but I guess you'll have to do." She wiggled her brows in a suggestive manner, taking a long drag of her cig before removing it from her mouth and blowing it out in his direction. "I'm incredibly bored, and since you are wondering, I wanted to see if you would accompany me on my patrol around this dump." Minnie bounced on the balls of her feet before rocking back on her heels, swinging her arms as she went, "It would mean the world to me you know." She was never one for asking first but she'd rather get straight to the point this evening rather than fuss around like they normally would. She didn't have time for flirting, at least not yet. A second went by before the girl sighed impatiently and tapped her foot, "Alright, time's up. Now you have no choice. Grabbing his hand, she walking in the direction of the factory floor.

After she was sure was going to follow, she let go of his hand. "You have no choice now, it would be pointless to walk in the other direction. Plus, you get to enjoy the view of this sweet ass walking so, win for me, win for you." Minnie took another short drag of her cigarette, looking back at Evan playful as she bit her lip. "So how in trouble are you?" She asked curiously. Her eyes glanced around a moment, remembering that she was suppose to be looking for weaknesses in security. She knew soon it wouldn't matter and she wouldn't be stuck doing shit like this.

with: Evan Misty Gray

 

[Bellz]

Lucy Porter​

When they were back at the hotel, Lucy took some time to relax, her feet feeling sore as she laid on her bed. Lucy got dressed slowly before her sister called her into her own room. Lucy excitedly joined her sister, with the offer of her hair being done, she was looking forward to the pampering. As her sister asked how she wanted her hair done, the blonde pursed her lips as she looked at both of their reflections in the mirror. "An updo would be great, I trust you know how to style my hair Sin." She murmured, leaving her sister to create whatever she wanted. She was about to inform her sister that they had at least had a month in mind for the wedding when she continued to speak, reassuring her more now that they were in private. Lucy looked to Sinead in the mirror as she spoke, nodding her head lightly as she continued to brush her hair out. She was touched that her sister was ready to help Lucy with her little one, the years that Lucy had looked after Sinead's children never seemed like a hassle to her, as she loved her nieces and nephew with everything she had. "He's always going to fret about business I'm afraid." Lucy said with a sigh as she thought about James. "His heart is in a good place though, I'm just as worried about the business if we are being completely honest...worried if things were to take a wrong turn..." The blonde trailed off before biting her lip, "I can't think about that." She quickly told herself before glancing back up at her sister's reflection.

"James and I have decided on a month by the way," She said with a small smile, "Although I'm just unsure if its going to be enough time after the baby arrives..." Lucy's eyes looked troubled. "August is enough time right?" She asked softly. Lucy was nervous for the babies arrival, not particularly keen with the idea of how it was to happen. She just couldn't wrap her head around it all yet. "It feels like everything has gone by so quickly, I know the baby will be okay once born but I wonder how I'm going to be...I think...I think I'm scared Sin." Her voice had hushed to a whisper as her eyes glanced away feeling embarrassed about revealing such a thing to her little sister, who had three beautiful children that she had given birth to.
with: Sinead Misty Gray

 

[Enzyme]

Jackson McCarthy​

Jackson glanced back to his watch, the hand seconds away from striking its mark. He gave Blake one more reassuring squeeze before picking up the Beretta M38 up off it's resting position. He spoke up, giving everyone in the van a fair amount of eye contact. "Alright, all. We've given them warnings, we've tried to be civil, and they've done nothing but torment our family and cause chaos to our peaceful city. They need a message." He racked the slide back on his Beretta M38, causing a loud clicking sound to emit from the submachine gun. "This is the message." Jackson clicked out the back of the van, causing the blinding light to flood into the small box. He and another Porter stepped out and held the double doors of the van open for the others. Looking to the right, the Porters in the other van had stepped out as well.

Heaving the heavy trench coat over his shoulder, he fixed the cabbie cap low over his eyes. He then pulled the strap of the submachine gun over his shoulders, allowing it to swing freely by his side. The mob-like group walked up to the door, causing the two IWU men guarding it to jump up. They hadn't even moved for the weapons on the ground, instead immediately throwing their hands up. "Turn around and do as I say if you want to live," Jackson ordered calmy; a few Porters aiming their guns up. Jackson and another man grabbed onto the men's collars and pushed them up against the wood doors.

Before anyone could speak up, a loud combustion roared from the upper floor. A large fireball blew out a few windows, the shaking managing to crack the rest of the glass in the blast radius. Glass shards showered down on them, the dull pieces bouncing off of Jackson's trench coat. The IWU men they were holding shook from surprise but didn't dare move.

"Showtime," Jackson muttered, shoving the man he was holding onto the wooden door. The two bodies of the IWU men simultaneously broke open the doors, stumbling out into the main entrance. Jackson instantaneously pulled the submachine gun up from its sling, not hesitating to pump lead into the IWU man's back that he had previously kept hostage. As the man collapsed, Jackson redirected his aim to the endless rows of assembly lines in front of them. The rest of the Porters quickly caught up in distributing gunfire, causing splinters of wood to practically rain down from the ceiling. Endless bodies collapsed, some trying to run away and others going for a weapon nearby to defend themselves. Jackson didn't let up, instead, he pressed forward and riddled the men trying to escape through a blown out window.

Bellz Melanin-Gxdess Misty Gray

****
​

The explosion was harsh and quick. They didn't get to see the spectacle that the others did outside. Instead, a large wall of black smoke rolled out in front of them, consuming the hallway from which they came from. The sprinkles were quick to respond, showering the halls in the area. A few screams and cries could be heard from the hall, but they were overpowered by the pitter patter of gunfire from downstairs.

One of the doors in the hallway swung open, surprised to see a large Butch standing in their way. The man shoved his foot against the chest of the unsuspecting IWU worker, causing him to collapse back against his associates behind him. Before the men could let out a plea, Butch raised his sawed-off double barrel up at them and released two powerful shotgun blasts one by one. Butch's furious eyes remained behind his dark shades, the image of his two dead pals etched into his mind.

Riley looked off to a few men running out from behind a corner. They tried to escape deeper into the west wing down the narrow hallway, leading Riley to aim up his snub nose revolver at them. He pulled the trigger four times, each ear-splitting bang echoing. Two of the four men collapsed, one of them getting up and continuing to run while the other attempted to crawl away. Riley quickly caught up with the maimed worker, emptying two shots into his spine and putting him to bed.

Shireling Misty Gray

 

[Misty Gray]

Evan Shaw and Jared Armstrong​

Evan let out a playfully devious kind of chuckle when Minnie told him he was nowhere near innocent. "Only Carter and me, eh?" he curiously repeated. "You're probably right. Stick with us two and you'll be on the right path. Well, you'll probably find yourself in all kinds of trouble along the way..." he trailed off, taking a long drag from his cigarette. "We've all had to settle and that's why we're all here now. If we keep up the hard work, the pay-off will be worth it in the end." Evan rolled his eyes when she asked him to join her patrolling the factory floor. When she eventually grabbed his hand to lead him to the staircase, he didn't resist. "Fine, but I'm only doing this because you begged and not because Armstrong asked." He then leaned back a little and made no secret of checking her out from behind. "Actually, I am doing this for the view," he played along.

Minnie asked him how much trouble he was in and Evan shrugged his shoulders. "I believe the heat is off. Armstrong's got the election in his thoughts and so I suspect he'd prefer to keep us all sweet so he can focus on all of that mayor shite. Otherwise, I suspect this pretty face of mine would be at the bottom of the River Liffey by now."

The two had descended from the second floor and were on the first floor when the sound of the explosion practically shook the walls around them. Evan instinctively retrieved his handgun from the waistband of his trousers. With his free hand, he touched Minnie's shoulder and quickened their pace, leading her to the door at the bottom of the stairs on the ground floor where the factory workers were. Evan froze on the spot and looked to Minnie for her to do the same. He could hear the sound of heavy gunfire and he wasn't about to open that door wide enough to get hit himself. Instead, he pulled the door very slightly open and glanced through the gap he'd create between the frame. He saw the gunmen attacking the workers. Some of the IWU had been quick enough to pull out their own guns or try duck for cover, but Evan knew it would be dumb to step into the middle of it all. He closed the door and pointed back up to the top of the stairs. If he was more heavily armed, he might have taken great pleasure in storming the room and getting in some shots of his own. With the added explosion, it brought him back to the old days when he was considered a hero for slaughtering the enemy.

"Are you good at climbing? Because we're going back up there and getting the fuck out of here... and we're doing it via one of the windows," he informed her. He wasn't about to risk rushing through corridors looking for the next safe stairwell or exit if there was a chance of more bombs going off.


Jared had been intercepted on his way to find Gideon. Instead, he'd found himself held back a little as he'd been asked by one of his men to sign an invoice for some fabrics. After eventually finishing up with his employee, he continued on the second floor corridor until he found Gideon in one of the offices with some armed IWU men. "Gideon, I need to speak with you about the weapons shipments," he began, making it clear in his expression it was to be a private conversation. That conversation didn't get the chance to continue as the explosion further down the building caught everyone off guard. After a stumble, Jared's head shot back to Gideon. Meanwhile, the armed men around them rushed to the corridor to check the scene...


Bellz Enzyme Shireling

 

[Pyroclast]

Dale McKenna

After handing the new set of weights to Peter, Dale made his way back over to the bench and lay flat on his back, ready to pick up where he left off. But as soon as he had a grip on the barbell, Peter spoke up and his words brought Dale to an immediate halt. Slowly, he let go of the weight before he had even lifted it and sat back up to observe the man, a curious look in his eyes. "Porter, you said?" he asked, leaning forwards and resting his elbows on his knees. "Funny. My daughter Evelyn answers to that name, too. They took over some time after the Sullivans moved to the states."

Having spent so many years in prison, Dale had learned a good lesson in keeping private matters and personal history as secret as possible. Men in the prison would use anything they could against each other - often, the harder you were to read, the easier it was to survive. There was something about this man, however, that fascinated Dale - the possibility of them sharing contacts on the outside aroused a curiosity that he wanted to satisfy, even if it meant breaking the rule of not sharing incriminating details of his outside life. Of course, it wasn't impossible that they were talking about different Porters, but Evelyn had told him everything about her involvement with the mob and since Peter had mentioned something about running the city, Dale didn't think it worth paying much attention to the possibility. He was no idiot, and knew a connection was far more likely. As Peter concentrated on his lifting, increasing the speed as he grew more agitated, Dale got to his feet and wandered over to him.

"At least you got someone to depend on, Callahan. My family are travellers - I grew up doing manual labour, committing small crimes, and we all depended on each other. Everyone had a role. Same thing with the Sullivan gang." His voice was low now, so that no one would catch what the men were talking about. "Even if you spend your whole life working as a team, doesn't mean you can't survive off your own back. When I arrived here, it was the first time I had no one to trust. Does it look like I gave up to you?"

Peter eventually brought the weights back down to his side. His expression seemed to have changed from one of uncertainty and intimidation to one of determination and strength. Dale planted his hands firmly on the man's shoulders. "You can provide for your family, Callahan, and when you get out that's exactly what you're gonna do. Keep working for that name - it's better than working for the man. There's a reason your brother-in-law keeps you close. It's 'cause he needs you. 'Cause you're a team." Dale patted Peter's shoulders and then stepped back. All this talk of working in a gang was making him think back to his early days working for the Sullivans and he realised that there was still a part of him that did miss it. The action, the responsibility, the sense of community. Being taken away from that active criminal life and presented with a fixed routine had mellowed him somewhat - he had had years to distance himself from who he used to be and the duties he used to take on. But God, he missed being needed like he was back in the old days. He missed being part of a team.

Interactions
Bellz Peter

 

[Misty Gray]

Conor Sullivan​

Although he'd heard Alex go to answer the door, Conor knew he should go see who their visitor was, seeing as he was in charge of keeping an eye on things at the house. He stepped into the hallway in time to overhear the female visitor explaining she'd been working for James for some time. Upon looking to see who was standing at the door, Evelyn was vaguely familiar - he was sure he'd seen her working with Alan over the years. He stepped into view and walked towards the door, with a cheerful smile on his face despite knowing Alex was present and still not in the best of moods with him.

"Good afternoon," he said. Once close enough, he outstretched his arm to shakes the woman's hand. He briefly glanced to Alex before focusing back on Evelyn. "I'm Conor Sullivan. Unfortunately, James is away for a few days and most of the others are out working today..." He paused as he failed to think of the lady's name. "I think I've seen you before. You used to work with Alan, right?" he asked, hoping his question would prompt her to properly introduce herself. "Is there something I can help you with now you're here? I'm not quite James Porter, but I'll help where I can," he pleasantly offered.

Pyroclast (Evelyn)

 

[Misty Gray]

Sinead Callahan​

"An updo? You've got it, Luce!" She scoffed at the remark about knowing how to style her sister's hair. "Just leave it to me. I know exactly what I'm doing." She began to gently brush her sister's hair, smiling to herself as she decided on how she was going to style it. "I always wondered what I'd look like as a blonde, like you and Conor..." she thought aloud.

Sinead slowly nodded her head when Lucy said James would always have business on his mind. She bit her lip before letting out a sigh. "James is a sensible guy - I'm sure he knows what he's doing. I think this trip away needs to happen more often, or even just making sure he does the little things with your kids. When I was younger, it used to upset me when Daidi was always so busy with business. Not just because I missed his attention, but because of how much I worried he wouldn't come home. Part of the reason I moved out of our home and into that apartment was to stop myself from worrying. I figured if I didn't know when was out doing something risky against the Romanos, I didn't have to worry about him." She thought back to how the apartment had eventually been targeted by the Romanos, forcing her to move back to the family home. "I hated when I lost my independence again and had to return home, but that was all I hated. I'd missed you all so much. Those first couple of days back at home were the best. We were all together again and I felt safe knowing Daidi was around too... All I am saying is, make sure James takes time out to switch off and just be a dad. Your kids need memories like those, not the bad ones the business brings with it."

Sinead smiled brightly when Lucy announced they'd picked a month to get ready for the wedding. She thought over the suggestion of it being August and hummed for a moment to fill the silence whilst she concentrated. "No. Go with September. Give yourself a little more time to get used to the baby and to have a routine, so you can then begin obsessing with the wedding arrangements. Obviously I'll be there to obsess with you, but I can't do it all, right?" she brightly suggested. She didn't want Lucy to be worrying about giving birth and getting married so close together, figuring a little rest between the two would be better.

Sinead put the final touches to Lucy's glamorous updo, before placing her hands on his sister's shoulders. "You're worrying and it's normal, but please stop, would ya?" she sweetly asked. "You're stronger than you're giving yourself credit for and I know you can do this. Whatever is on your mind, you can tell us, alright? And we're all going to be here for you. Just tell people what you need and we will help. I promise."

Bellz (Lucy)

George Sanderson​

George allowed his smile to drop when Finn mentioned his next step after finishing with Eleanor was to find himself. It saddened the prisoner to hear Finn was lost and confused about himself and his life. He wished he had more time to talk him through things and more privacy to do so more openly. "What am I going to do with you, Doctor Sullivan?" he playfully asked. "Perhaps if I get out of this place, I could start charging you for my advice and counselling. You willing to pay up?" he joked. His own grin continued to grow. "Honestly, mate. We've all felt lost at some point and anything I can do to help, I will." No matter how much he reminded himself that Finn was into women, George could help but read a different signal from his friend. He could only put it down to the fact he was attracted to the doctor and it was just his own wishful thinking at play.

George was dragged out of those thoughts by the booming voice of the warden calling out a five minute warning until the end of visiting time. The prisoner groaned and failed to hide the disappointment from his face to hear his time with Finn was to come to an end. "Why do your visits fly by so quickly?" he curiously asked. "I'm really glad you did come to see me today, especially when you weren't obliged to be here," he said, referring to the fact he hadn't attended the prison to keep Sinead company this time. Perhaps mentioning how Rich had ditched him all those years ago had brought a vulnerability to him, but George couldn't help but ask his next question. "If I don't get my parole approved, are you still going to visit this lonely fool? I'd like to hear how things are going with you after... after Eleanor."

Bellz (Finn)

 

[Shireling]

Rudy Meyers
​

The explosion hit Rudy like a truck, although he knew it was coming. He staggered a bit before he took his gun from his clipboard, dropping the now useless portion of his disguise so he could brandish the firearm with both hands. The explosion was still ringing in his ears as he watched Butch and Riley begin dispatching the IWU goons who came into the hallway to see what was afoot. Rudy waved smoke away from his face and shouted, "Let's make sure this prick Armstrong is dead!"

He tightened his grip on his weapon as the sprinklers doused him, not wanting the water to make him lose his grip. As a few gunmen appeared at the end of the hallway, he got the drop on them, lowered himself to one knee and fired. The first bullet ripped through the leading man's torso and dropped him like a stack of bricks, while the others scurried into a nearby room for cover and to return fire. Rudy followed their motion and thus they were engaged in a gunfight down the length of the hallway with Rudy unaware of Jared's location and unable to go back and corroborate that he had been killed in the blast because of all the smoke.

Enzyme Misty Gray Bellz Melanin-Gxdess

 

[Bellz]

Minnie Abernathy​

Minnie nodded her head lightly as Evan explained that the heat was off him. Armstrong was so distracted with himself that he wasn't paying attention to his workers, Minnie liked it that way. Minnie let out a giggle, "I think you mean horse face baby." She cooed to him as they descended down from the second floor. They were both silent for a moment as they walked down the few more steps to the first floor when the building shook fiercely. Minnie echoed Evan's movement and grabbed her handgun. Her jaw clenched as she followed Evan towards the door at the bottom of the stairs. Minnie was about to take another step towards the door when Evan froze, causing Minnie to almost bump into his large frame. Normally she would've had something witty to say about such a movement, but now wasn't the time as she heard the chaos that was ensuing on the other side of the door. "What are you doing!?" Minnie hissed in a low whisper as Evan cracked the door open, the woman took a step back towards the steps ready to get the hell out.

Evan shut the door a moment later and pointed to the top of the stairs, without hesitation Minnie nodded her head already taking a few steps up the stairs, not waiting for him if he was going to be slow. When he gave an escape plan, Minnie froze. Climbing?She wasn't the best at it. Unless it was climbing on to someone... The girl gave Evan a wide eyed look before sighing. "Well are just going to have to find out." Without waiting another second, Minnie began to climb the stairs back up to the second floor. The smoke that was beginning to make it's way into the hall as they reached the second floor was black and burned the eyes. "Shit." Minnie hissed out as she waved her hands in front of her face, trying to dilute the smoke around her as she was forced to breathe it in. "Which window?" Minnie asked turning her head to cough before raising her handgun and turning to look down the halls, finding it hard to do because of all the smoke. As much as she wanted to panic, she knew it wouldn't do any good and she wanted to get out of this ambush alive. It was Jared they wanted. Not her. Besides, in her mind she would rather die from smoke inhalation or falling from a window than in the hands of those scum downstairs.
with: Evan Misty Gray

Blake Walsh​

Blake was still as she kept her eyes closed, counting the seconds until it was time. Her hand still in Jackson's as she gently squeezed it. Not much of a religious gal, she still reached out to someone, anyone to watch over them. They had lost too many, it was the IWU's turn. Jackson squeezed her hand suddenly causing her to open her eyes and look to him. The woman nodded her head along with his words. They had given them every chance, too many chances if she was being completely honest. The doors to the van were then opened as the message they were giving was clear. Blake and the others filed out of the van and she waited for Ali before walking by her side. The woman was worried for her, knowing how nerve wracking this could all be the first time around. "You can do this." Blake told her gently before loading her own weapon, holding it in a ready position in front of her. This was the only words of encouragement she would be able to give the woman before her mind would shut out the world around her.

As they walked towards the door, a large and intimidating bunch, the two guards had sprung up from their relaxed positions. The men were like puppets as they were told what to do. Blake's finger hovered above her trigger, trying to control her urge to just open fire. So much anger was pent up inside of her. She had seen the good and the bad, the right and the wrong. Exposed to both sides. To sum it all up, she had made the right decision and would stand by it. Before she could get too trigger happy, an explosion shook the building, causing windows to shatter. Blake dipped her head as the glass fell onto the group. With that explosion being the signal to begin the chaos, the doors were open and all hell broke loose. As the rest of the group poured in behind Jackson who was practically doing the job for them all at first, Blake looked to the IWU men who were caught by surprise, the look of shock on their faces before they were impelled by unthinkable amount of bullets. Blake snapped into action as she was finally able to do what she had set out to do. Get revenge.

Blake had stepped forward before aiming her gun at a few men trying to escape. They weren't directly part of her problems, but they were gonna pay for it like they were the fucking source of it all. Her finger pressed down firmly on the trigger and the release of the bullets from the barrel was as satisfying as taking a deep breath, so much so that there was a smile beginning to show on Blake's lips.
with: Jackson Enzyme
mentions: Ali Melanin-Gxdess

 

[Enzyme]

Gideon & Carter​

Gideon looked up from his desk as Jared stepped in. He slid the paper on he was writing aside, smoothly pushing it under a stack of manilla envelops. "Go ahead," Gideon spoke, positive that the weapons crates were sitting in the loading zone. A violent shake interrupted the conversation before it could go any further, disturbing the items on Gideon's desk which had been sitting peacefully. His eyes looked to the armed men in the room, who immediately stepped out to check and see what had happened. As the door to the room opened, the sounds of gunfire slipped in through the crack. "And here I was beginning to think the Porters were spineless." He stepped up from his desk, adjusting the edges of his leather coat.

Carter peered out of the room, pulling his handgun from his waistband. The hallway was obscured by debris and water, the floating clouds of black smoke ominously flashing red from the fire alarm. The blaring sirens made it hard to tell which direction the gunfire was coming from, but the men pushed forward regardless. Gideon calmy followed behind as well, not having to look behind him to know Jared was following. "There's no way we can make it to the fire escape, I can't see a damn thing," One of the men remarked, pulling his soaked shirt to his nose in order to not choke on the soot. "Then we will push through the fire," Gideon calmly ordered, stepping closer to the cloud of smoke.

As they pushed closer the gunshots grew louder. A few men in front nervously raised their guns, rapidly aiming between objects. Silhouettes of running men could be seen before they were engulfed by the smoke. Gideon and Jared remained in the back of the pack, Gideon calmy trudging through the decimated hallways.

At the sight of armed men in maintenance uniforms, the group felt the comfortable opening fire. From the cover of the haze, the first bullet struck Riley, blowing clean through his side. Riley rocked forward from the shot, looking back to the hallway from where they'd come. He grasped at his side, unable to feel the pain through his pumping adrenaline. He moved to push forward, but the cylinder of his revolver only rotated, with a heartbreaking click. He was met with two more bullets, tearing through his chest and stomach. His only option was to try and run, but even movement was becoming a hassle on its own. He only made it two feet before he collapsed, twitching violently on the carpeted floor.

Misty Gray Shireling

 

[Pyroclast]

Evelyn McKenna

As she was talking with Alex, Evelyn heard one of the doors behind her open and her attention was caught by a man entering the room. His eyes were on her, a smile upon his face as though he was welcoming back a friend. She had no idea who he was, but smiled back all the same and shook his hand when he offered it to her. When he told her his name, a look of mild surprise crossed her face and she couldn't help but look him up and down.

Evelyn nodded her head when Conor asked her about Alan. "Evelyn McKenna," she clarified. "I did, for quite a few years - I'm the one who manages Mr. Porter's stock, see, but those boys were the ones doing the dirty work. Did you know Alan yourself? It was such a waste, if you ask me. They were good workers. Good men." The sombre topic kept her face straight, but inside she was brimming with excitement. It took her a moment to realise that she had been staring in reverence at the man before her and her face suddenly broke into a smile again. "Please excuse me, Conor," she said, taking a small step back. "It's just, I think our fathers were once good friends. You're Emmet's son, aren't you?" Looking the man in the eyes, she was hit with an unexpected sense of belonging. She had found work with James through her affiliations with the Sullivan gang; since Dale's imprisonment, she had decided to stay loyal to them, knowing how much they meant to him. The members that had stayed behind in Dublin after the Sullivan family moved to Chicago had raised her like family, treating her only with respect and love.

"I wasn't expecting to meet a Sullivan today," she lightly laughed, hoping she wasn't making him uncomfortable. "It's so good to meet you properly, Conor. My dad used to work for your family, he's told me so many good things..." No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't wipe the smile from her face. "Do you mind if we sit somewhere? Really, I came to ask Mr. Porter if our contract could still continue, since we lost the men in the workforce that were willing to transport his goods. If he has other trusted members in mind, he'll need to contact me so I can put in a good word for them at the warehouse and get them a job. Since he's not here, will you pass on the message for me, Conor?"

Interactions
Misty Gray Conor

 

[Misty Gray]

James Porter​

When Syd made his comment about them being on holiday to get away from business talk, James closed his eyes and slowly nodded his head. If only it was so easy to switch off, especially during the downtime they were currently having whilst the ladies got themselves all dressed up. He'd even hoped his earlier business meeting with William Russell would replace his concerns about the IWU with a different kind of business arrangement, but things on that front had gone too smoothly to give him any reservations.

Syd assured James that he was getting better and he didn't have anything to say on the subject. His son's response felt blunt and to the point. If he did have any lingering worries, he didn't want to talk about them with his old man. In all honesty, James had already dragged himself enough out of his own comfort zone to attempt this heart-to-heart with the lad. He decided not to press his son any further, figuring both of them would suffer for it. Regardless, he might mention it to Lucy as he figured Syd might find it easier to open up to his mum. Like himself, with anyone other than Lucy, it seemed Syd wasn't one for talking about his feelings where business was concerned.

James glanced to his watch as he sat back on the sofa. It was too early to call back to the house for an update from Conor yet, so for now he would have to patiently wait. "Does Skye take this long to get ready?" he asked, to break the silence. "I've clocked in a lot of hours just waiting for your mother and aunt to get ready. I probably learned more about your Uncle Pete whilst just waiting for an evening out with those two than any other time." Mentioning Peter reminded James that he needed to give the man another telephone call soon. He'd wanted to visit him on occasions, but was aware his presence in the visiting room could stir up some of the other prisoners and bring more attention to Peter's mob ties. Many of James' scars were from his own times in jail, where Romano had men on the inside more than willing to get revenge on the Sullivans and Porters. It was during his time in prison that James was forced to become a survivor and to learn how to block out the pain, to switch off his emotions. "I'm looking forward to having Peter back out here with us lot," he admitted. "He made a huge sacrifice for the rest of us."

Pyroclast (Syd)

 

[Bellz]

Peter Callahan​

Peter didn't miss the recognition in Dale's expression as his words about the Porter's seemed to catch his curiosity. The man slowly nodded his head at his question and quirked an eyebrow up as he spoke about his daughter, saying that she answer to the same name. Peter smirked softly as Dale brought up the name Sullivan. He wondered if Dale knew the situation between the Porters and the Sullivan, if he knew that they were the same family. The name even though he heard it enough at home, made him think of Sinead. The first time that they had really connected. The day by the pool...The warm and splendid memories filled his heart with love...he missed her so much. The man went quiet as he used the image of his beautiful wife to motivate him, to keep him going. He would have spoken more of his wife, the name she came from...but then he remember the warning that George had given him. About information in prison, how it could be used against him. Somewhere down in Peter, he still wanted to see the general good in everyone he came to meet. But now, that belief was damaged, bruised and tainted by the hardships of reality.

Dale surprised him though, Peter had been apprehensive of the man, unsure if he could really trust him. Here he was now, sharing something that may have been personal to him. Peter leaned forward a little more as the man's voice dipped low, making it clear to Peter that he wanted to keep the information private. The blonde felt bad, he was complaining about family that had been there for him since the very beginning. He always appreciated James' generosity, but over time he just wanted to give something back. Dale then placed his hands firmly on Peter's shoulders causing him to tense slightly. Peter's brows furrowed together as Dale spoke again, not sure if he believed him. Sure, he would be able to provide for his family eventually, but James had far more qualified and capable men to do his bidding. He keep him close because Sinead wants to be close by. Peter stayed silent, not agreeing with Dale about that particular statement. However, they were all a team, regardless of who was needed or not. Dale then patted his shoulders before taking a step back.
Peter cleared his throat and shuffled from one foot to the next. The information and encouraging words were definitely new for him in a place like this. He honestly didn't know what to think of it. As he looked around for a moment he didn't want anyone to hear what he was going to say next. "It sounds like you are familiar with the Sullivan gang?" he asked lightly, wanting to get a little bit of confirmation though he would understand if the man didn’t want to dive any deeper on the subject. Instead he set the weights down and let out a little laugh. Peter has changed, he wasn’t as trusting as he once was and somehow, Dale was okay in his mind. The apprehensive feeling he had was fading away.”Look Dale, I’m not going to lie...I’m finding it very hard to trust what you are saying to me...you hardly know me and yet here you are trying to encourage me. I use to see the good in everyone, even the ones who would hurt me. I’m a changed man now and yet you somehow have made this new me trust you. Thank you.” he finished nodding his head in the man’s direction.

with: Dale Pyroclast

 

[Misty Gray]

Evan Shaw​

Once back on the floor above the factory where the shooting was taking place, Evan stood still to get his bearings. He heard Minnie question which window and he momentarily held his hand up to show her he was thinking. As he mapped out the building's surrounding in his head, he knew where they needed to escape. "Alright. Down the corridor," he said, pointing right and nudging for her to set off walking. "Then turn left when we get to the end and it'll be the second or third window." As they walked, he kept his gun held ready to fire, making sure to keep checking behind them both. The window he had in mind overlooked a side street where the factory lorries tended to be parked up. Once they'd climbed out of the window, he expected there wouldn't much height for them to drop from to land on the roof of a van.

The smoke seeping through the floorboards had hindered their view on some parts of the corridor, causing Evan to shield his eyes with his arm for a short time until they entered clearer air again. When they finally reached their destination, Evan grabbed the bottom of the window frame and briefly struggled with the jammed window before finally forcing it to lift it open. Evan stuck his head out of the window to check things were clear on the ground. One of the trucks was parked where he expected, having had previous had altercations with the delivery driver about him parking on the pavements like a "complete tosser". As it happened, the bad parking worked in Evan's favour right now. Evan took a step back from the window and held out his arm. "Ladies first... I'll cover you," he said, waving his gun in the air. "Unless you want me to show you how it's done," he teased.

Bellz (Minnie)

Jared Armstrong​

Jared was mentally kicking himself for leaving his gun back in his office, realising until he could get his hands on a weapon he was going to have to rely on his men to cover him ahead. He followed closely behind Gideon whilst the other armed men went out in front. It was clear the fire escape wasn't the best idea considering the poor visibility the smoke had brought on. Reluctantly, he chose to follow Gideon's suggestion and push through the fire. The man always stuck Jared as a survivor and one with good instincts, so Jared was willing to go ahead with the man's plan.

The gunshots grew louder and Jared made sure to remain alert should any of the shooters happen to get him in their sights. His eyes also scanned for any downed men, who would no longer need the firearms he could relieve them of. The smoke became thicker and this made Jared to realise the location of the explosion wasn't a good sign as far as Oliver was concerned, being that the man had stayed back in Jared's office.

Enzyme (Gideon, Carter) Shireling (Rudy)

 

[Bellz]

Lucy Porter​

As Sinead talked about their father, Lucy's features reflected the guilt she always felt whenever he was mentioned and missed by others, especially her siblings and her mother. The mistake she had made that day was one she could never take back, and that was a hard lesson that she had to learn. Lucy understood well the worry that her sister felt for their father. She too had worried for him whenever he had a job, just like she worried for James now. The blonde wanted to tilt her head as the memories came flooding back to her, but remembered that her sister was still fussing with her hair. She smiled softly as Sinead got to the point of her words, wanting James to take some time to really be a dad. Lucy agreed with her, that the business needed to be kept out of her children lives, but with them being old enough to speak for themselves, it was hard. The little one that would soon be in the world was the only one she would be able to make sure was completely safe from such dangers...

As honest as she wanted to be with her husband, it wasn't like he could just flip a switch and be a different man with a different life. They both chose the life they were living now, there was no going back at least until the legacy of their family was passed on to someone else. They still had a lot of years before that would happen. Instead of voicing her worries, Lucy decided to save them for a different time, knowing how much her sister and husband hated to see her so concerned. August was too soon and Lucy nodded her head slowly, understanding the reasoning behind it and trusting her sister's judgement. "September it is then." Lucy murmured lightly with a smile on her face. She was truly excited for another chance at their wedding but anyone could still see how worried she was. Sinead had finished her hair and Lucy let out a gasp at how glamorous she looked. "Oh Sinny. Fine fine. I'll stop being such a worry wart." She turned her head to smile up at her sister, "Thank you. I love you." Standing, she moved to hug Sinead tightly. "You are an artist!" Lucy said gleefully as she turned to look at her reflection again.

After a few seconds, smile on her face slowly faded as she bit her lip, "I want the kids to be able to enjoy the time the time they have just being kids, I really do...but they are so focused on helping the business that I just don't know how its possible anymore. They aren't little, they have a voice and I am so proud of the individuals they have become. But Delilah spends all her time with Leo, Mallory is out doing god knows what with god knows who, and Syd...well he's just like his father, and just like James...there isn't anything I can do to stop him from doing what's right." Her head turned, speaking of Syd and James reminded her that they were waiting on the them to get ready.
with: Sinead Misty Gray
mentions: Syd Pyroclast

 

[Bellz]

Finn Sullivan​

Finn couldn't help the smile as it continued to grow wider on his face. George teased and joked with him, his cheeks turning pink as the man once again called him Doctor Sullivan The name sounded a little too intimate for just being friends but perhaps so was the name Georgie. "Oh I think I need as much help as I can get. How much you charging?" He joked in return. Things turned serious as George said that everyone felt lost at one point. Finn was then touched when he sincerely offered his help. Finn nodded his head slowly his smile genuine, his eyes looking on as George seemed to be thinking about something. Finn was about to pick his brain when a loud voice caused Finn to jump slightly, tensing his muscles as the voice said that they had five minutes left. George groaned and Finn echoed his disappointment sighing softly and shaking his head.

The man chuckled softly as George asked why the visits went by so quickly. Once again, he was in the company of someone who made time disappear, One second they were greeting each other and the next they were unfortunately having to say goodbye. It had been a long time since Finn had felt something like it. Finn nodded his head in agreement with George as he spoke about Finn returning to the prison to see him on his own. At first, he had been unsure of his decision but as he sat with George, getting ready to say goodbye, he knew that he would return to the man if he didn't make parole. Coincidently enough, George asked if he would return, wishing to hear how things were going after Eleanor. Finn didn't waste a second, nodding his head instantly and smiling reassuringly, "I'll be there. I promise." Finn murmured lightly.

Eleanor was a hurled that he was going to have to get over...it was time for it. "You want to know a secret Georgie?" Finn asked sweetly as he leaned forward towards the man, beckoning him to lean a little bit. When George did, Finn whispered, "You are gonna get out of here." His voice was hushed but confident. After a moment, he leaned away. That's when it was time to go. Finn's smile faded away and the disappointment he was feeling too over his features. "Wish me luck, mate." Finn huffed as he stood up from the table. "When you get out, come find me." He said, and as if reflective, he winked Georgie's way before turning and making his way towards the exit.
with: George Misty Gray

 

[Misty Gray]

Conor Sullivan​

"A pleasure to meet you, Evelyn," Conor replied as the handshake ended. When she explained she managed James' stock with some of the guys, it all made sense to him why she seemed familiar. A small frown took over his features when she asked if he knew Alan. "Yeah, I had drinks with the bloke a few times and I get some of my booze for the pubs from you guys. It's a real shame about what happened, though I'm sure the guys responsible will get what's coming," he assured her.

Conor noticed Evelyn was staring at him and rather than feel at all uncomfortable, he took the same time to check her out, as he did with most women he met. Not that he was about to start flirting or anything of the sort when he had Aliana on his mind! He quickly nodded his head when she mentioned Emmet and a fond smile grew on his face when thinking of the man. "That's me!" he confirmed. "Our dads were mates? I'd love to speak with your old man and hear about the kinds of shit they got up to. I mean, if..." he trailed off. Given that death surrounded the criminal life, he suddenly hoped Evelyn's father wasn't dead too and he hadn't just put his big foot in it, as he often did.

"Well, I'm sorry it had to be this Sullivan you met," he remarked, with a jovial chuckle. "Lucy's the brains in this place, but she's away with James and Sinny. Mam is out shopping... Hey would she know your old man?" he curiously asked. He knew how actively involved his mother was in the business when she first met Emmet - before Lucy and the rest of them were born. Conor smiled in return as Evelyn spoke of her father's praise for the family. Despite the nature of their business, Conor was always proud that James, and Emmet before him, had always treated their employees with respect and considered every member as at least a friend.

"Oh, shit. My apologies. Let's go sit down," Conor said, realising the lady had been stood around for long enough. He sent Alex a sheepish nod before leading Evelyn to the dining room. "Do you want something to drink?" he offered as they walked. Once sat down, he listened to the reason for Evelyn's visit. "Well, I can't speak for James on this one, but I'll certainly pass your message on to him and I'm sure he'll have the right men for the job. I'll definitely put a good word in myself - I need those deliveries," he added. "So, how have things been for you since what happened at Christmas?" he curiously asked.


Pyroclast (Evelyn)

 

[Pyroclast]

Syd Porter

After sitting in silence for a minute or so, Syd took a deep breath and looked back up, bringing his feet up onto the sofa with him. He had let himself get worked up too quickly by assuming that James would kick him out of the business if he gave off the impression that he couldn't handle it. Really, he was just trying to be a good, caring father. It wasn't Syd's intention to create an emotional distance between himself and his parents, but he had always struggled to open up about such things, even with people he could trust and with those who really cared about him. Apart from Skye. Since they had started dating, she had worked quickly on him, somehow able to draw candour from him with little to no effort. His expression changed from a frown to a soft, vacant smile as his train of thought lead him to her.

When James mentioned her name, Syd's eyes jumped to him, half-believing that his father had been able to read his thoughts the whole time. "Oh...nah, she's always the one waiting for me to stop fussing over my hair," he joked, smiling fondly at memories of going out with her. His aunt was right - he did miss her, and more than he had expected to. James' mention of Peter made his smile fade slightly, but he liked to hear his dad talk about him. His uncle had made a huge sacrifice for the family and it was something he thought about every day. Having Sinead and the cousins around was a constant reminder of his absence, and seeing their struggle on a daily basis had brought Syd closer to understanding the situation. Still, although he could see what it was like to be on the outside, he still had no solid idea of what Peter's life was like on the inside. "It does feel wrong to not have him here," he agreed. He paused for a second before asking, "Do you think he's doing okay in there, dad? I always try to reassure Sinead but really, I have no idea. I'm just trying to make her feel better. But you, you know what it's like in there..."

Interactions
Misty Gray James

 

[Shireling]

Rudy Meyers
​

As the bullets flew past him in the hallway, he saw Riley just ahead. His gun ran dry, and he promptly caught a bullet and crashed to the floor, their first casualty. Rudy hoped that his own side would make their way up the stairs soon, considering that he and Butch were pinned down alongside whoever was trying to make their way down the hallway. He had enough spare ammunition that, if he was conservative, he could keep the IWU men pinned down for at least a few minutes.

He kneeled low the ground (so as to be able to see his opponents and be able to breathe) against the doorpost he was using as cover, ducking behind it as bullets made impact on the frame and sent splinters of wood flying. Stealing a moment to fire, he leaned out far enough to get a shot clear and rattled off three shots down the hallway - the bark of his Browning Hi-Power in the closed space making his ears ring again. He ducked his head back behind the post and fired off two blind shots in their general direction to keep them pinned down.

Enzyme Misty Gray Bellz Melanin-Gxdess

 

[Misty Gray]

George Sanderson​

George couldn't hide the deep smile from his face and the familiar blushing to his cheeks when Finn promised he would still visit him if he didn't get out on parole. As Finn mentioned a secret and leaned close to whisper it to him, George had to consciously force himself to remain physically neutral. The man's face was closer to his own as it had ever been and George felt the butterflies in his stomach and the heartbeat speed up in his chest. Hold yourself together, Georgie. When Finn assured him he was getting out of jail, George smiled brightly. Finn sat back again and George masked his lovesick smile with a bright grin. "Thanks for the vote of confidence, mate. It means a lot!" he coolly told him. He then nodded as Finn asked him to wish him luck. "Good luck. You're tougher than you realise and I know you'll approach Eleanor in the best way possible." He couldn't hide the disappointment as Finn stood up, but it was all directed at the wardens and the fact the visit had to come to an end. It had been a long time since George felt like someone was truly listening to him and that he was important to someone's life, even just as friends. Of course, he had Peter for conversations but his cellmate was currently in a bad place and George was struggling to coax him out of it. Dale often provided decent conversation too, but their hobbies meant they didn't get much time to communicate during recreation. Like Peter, George was certain his presence amongst the fitness equipment would attract a lot of attention.

George snapped out of his thoughts and quickly nodded his head. "I will come find you, Doctor Sullivan," he softly assured him. George caught the wink Finn had sent him and had to force himself to look down to his hands, to hide the fact the gesture had made him blush yet again.

**********​

After visiting was over, George was once again search by Officer Frost, who made the affair less pleasant by making some snide remarks about him having a new friend. Of all the wardens, George was sure he'd miss that prick the least, should he finally be let out of the place. Still, the typical remarks from the warden weren't enough to spoil the good mood George was now in, thanks to his handsome visitor. There was still a fair bit of recreation time remaining, so George entered the communal recreation area and grabbed a book from the small bookcase. As he went to find an unoccupied table to sit at, he passed the doorway to the gym. He stopped for a moment to observe Peter and Dale conversing together. It was a promising sign and George hoped it would help his cellmate to build up his confidence. George was snapped out of his thoughts as another prisoner brushed past him and made a remark about "girls" not being allowed around the weights. The usual kind of insult he was now used to.

"Ah, fuck off, mate," George retorted, with a crooked smirk and a roll of his eyes. Having been close enough to the gym for one day, George sat down at the table not far from the weight room entrance and opened up the book to start reading. Strangely, he found himself unable to concentrate on any of the words. He hadn't even paid attention to the title of the book he'd randomly selected. His thoughts were committed to both Finn and his potential parole, so there wasn't much room for concentration.

((Just tagging y'all prisoners. Bellz (Finn, Peter) Pyroclast (Dale) Enzyme (Darius)

Sinead Callahan and James Porter​

"September is perfect!" Sinead enthusiastically agreed. "Ohhhhh," she began, eyes wide open as if something shocking had suddenly occurred to her. Her expression then turned to an excitable smile. "What about the colour scheme?! Bright and colourful? Soft and elegant? Even little baby can have a cute little wedding outfit... Okay, this is going to be adorable, right?" She was genuinely excited, but was also hoping to distract Lucy from her concerns and bring out her creativity instead.

"I love you too, Sis," Sinead said, hugging Lucy in return. "Well, I've had a lot of practice with Princess Savvy demanding I play with her hair. It helps that you're a gorgeous canvas to begin with."

Sinead then listened to Lucy's concerns about the kids. As she did, she took a little time to check her own hair out in the mirror and make sure the figure-hugging dress she was wearing looked good on her. It didn't matter that she wasn't out on a date with Peter or trying to impress anyone at all, Sinead just liked to dress up for her own benefit. Other than when working, she didn't get the chance to dress up and with Emery around the house, there was always some paint or dirt waiting to mess up Sinead's clothes.

"Perhaps you'll get more time with Delilah now Leo's started his studies again?" she offered, turning back to Lucy and giving her full attention. "Mallory is just being a teenage girl, I suppose. Do you think she has a boyfriend?" Sinead fell silent as she awkwardly bit her lip. There was a time she had a boyfriend (Angel) who she didn't tell her family about and there was obviously a reason for the secrecy. "I think you should ask Mallory to open up to you. Don't even give her chance to deny having a boyfriend, just jump right in there and invite him over. I totally think she has a boyfriend. Why wouldn't she?" Sinead said, hoping her playful tone was masking the thoughts about her own sneaking around with Angel that had just crossed her mind. "As for Syd, I think you're right on that one. He's very much like James and he knows what he wants. As much as I don't like it, Syd is an adult now and he really does want to help out with the business. All you can do is support him and make sure he knows he can stop at any time."

Sinead took hold of her clutch bag in one hand and held Lucy's with her other. "Alright, let's put the boys out of their misery and head out for dinner. I really, really want something involving chicken..."

***********​

James couldn't help but smile to himself as Syd spoke fondly of Skye. It was clear the young couple were serious and it filled James with pride to know his son was dating such a decent girl, one who he believed would be a good influence on Syd.

When Syd asked if he thought Peter was doing okay in prison, James glanced away for a moment as he wondered how to answer his son's question. The favoured response for James was always the truth and perhaps telling Syd the truth would also drive home the need for him to avoid getting caught by the cops. With Sinead and her children, James had to sugar-coat his words and tone down the severity of the issue, but he didn't want to lie to Syd. "I don't think he is, if I'm being completely honest," James replied, looking back to Syd. "Pete is an important part of my business and he's always carried out the jobs I've asked of him. He's smart and he knows his way around firearms... But he wasn't prepared for prison at all," James explained.

"I wasn't far past 20 when I did my first stint in jail and I struggled, but I was far more equipped for than Peter is. Since I could walk and talk, I had to fend for both myself and Eli most of the time, with my old man always out working with Emmet. I learned from an early age how to fight and how to survive. How to fight to survive. After Romano had my old man murdered in prison, I started to get under the bastard's feet and piss him off enough that when I first ended up behind bars, Romano had his thugs on the inside beat the shit out of me and torture me at every opportunity. It took me some time to build up my strength and block out the pain, and it took a lot of sacrifices to make friends on the inside. I managed to do it in the end, but..." James shook his head, neither him nor Syd noticing Sinead and Lucy had emerged from the bedroom to over hear his next words. "I was more equipped to deal with prison than Pete is and I struggled to survive in there, especially when my name was like mud around the Romanos. Pete's struggling in there and he's far less prepared for it. I am very concerned about him, but we all just need to keep reassuring Sinead..."

As she overheard the back end of the conversation between James and Syd, Sinead tightly squeezed Lucy's hand as she felt herself begin to shake. She knew Peter was hurt when she'd seen him cut and bruised on her visit. Everyone had tried to play it down as just a prison scuffle, but hearing James' words now just confirmed what she'd suspected. "I can't do this..." she spoke up for everyone to hear, as the tears begin to form in her eyes and she released Lucy's hand from her grasp. Not wanting to burden the others, she returned into her bedroom and perched herself on the end of her bed. All of the terrible things she'd imagined Peter was going through had pretty much been confirmed to her now and it broke her heart to know how much her husband was suffering. He was all alone and there was nothing she could do to change that.

Bellz (Lucy) Pyroclast (Syd)

 

[Bellz]

Lucy Porter​

Lucy smiled as her sister tried to reassure her, just as James often did. She wanted to stop her constant worrying but it was just what a mother did, and she instantly felt sorry for what the three of them had put their own mother through back in the day. "I'm not sure if she has one honestly. I wouldn't doubt it, Mallory is too beautiful for her own good and she knows how to work it." Even though they weren't blood, Mallory still acted much like Lucy had when she was a teenager, as much as she didn't want to admit it. Lucy cracked another smile as Sinead told her to ask Mallory. She would have to soon. Keeping her parents in the dark wouldn't be a wise move. She would find that just being honest would be the easiest route to take. If the boy she chose to be with was a keeper, James and herself would definitely tell Mal. Lucy snuck around when she was a teen, she remembered the feelings that she would get from it all, she knew what it was like. "If she's not telling me, there's got to be something up with him..." She murmured more to herself than to Sinead. Her sister was in agreement with Syd, the young man was shaping up to be a James Jr. which was definitely a good thing. James didn't hover as much with Syd, but Lucy was just as worried about their boy as she was their girls. There was mistakes that he could make that would effect his future. His relationship with Skye was encouraged by everyone but Lucy hoped that he understood to take it slow. He was still far to young for children, in her honest opinion. Marriage was a little different, she encourage it in a few years if Skye and him lasted. But there was no rush for any of her children to grow up.
But they seemed to have different plans, and it broke her heart. Resting a hand on her tummy, Lucy thought about how she would be able to have more time with this little one. "I really hope he knows that he doesn't have to be involved..." She said looking at her sister through the mirror before sighing, ready to head into the other room.

***​

Lucy and Sinead walked out into the main room quietly, not making their presence know as the two men were in what seemed to be a deep conversation. Lucy froze and tensed as she caught James' words, her head turned to look at Sinead with wide eyes. When Sinead had returned telling them all of Peter's condition, there seemed to be a silent vow to downplay how serious it was. Lucy hated to hear the stories of James' time in prison, even though she would ask about it once in a while when they were alone. Lucy slowly shook her head as her sister spoke up, tears filling her eyes as she released Lucy's hand. The redhead quickly turned and returned to her bedroom as Lucy watched her go. The blonde turned back to look at James and Syd, biting her lip as she knew that it was going to take some time to calm her down. "I'll be back." She murmured before turning and heading back into Sinead's room. She paused at the doorway and knocked on the wall gently. "Sinny, love?" She asked as she shuffled slowly into the room.

Without waiting for an invitation to sit on the bed, Lucy sat beside her sister and wrapped an arm around her. "You can't worry about him." Was all she said at first, her eyes looking ahead of her. "Remember how you were telling me not to worry? Well now I'm telling you." There was a teasing tone to her voice as she smirked softly. "If we spent all our time worrying about our husbands, children and family...we would fall apart." Lucy honestly didn't know how her mother did it, she was such a strong woman, who always seemed collected even in the worst of situations. "If Peter wasn't going to make it, he would have gave up at the beginning. He needs you. You need to take care of yourself for him. Next time you visit you have to stay strong, he has so much to worry about in there that he won't have time to worry about you...But knowing your Petey, that's all he'll do if he sees you like this."


with: Sinead Misty Gray
mentions: Syd Pyroclast

 

[Enzyme]

Upstairs Conflict​

The sight of Riley collapsing alerted Butch away from the dead IWU men, torn to pieces by his sawed of Stevens 311. Snapping his head towards where the gunfire originated from, he could make out a faint muzzle flash through the cloud of thick smoke. The pouring water from the sprinklers hadn't resolved the visibility issue, instead intensifying the thickness in the black soot. He didn't need to fully see the shooters to identify where the gunshots were coming from, as the divider beside him and Rudy was being blown away in chunks. Butch made the rash decision to split the shooters aim and form a more stable besiege.

Running from the cover of the wall, he fired two shots out of each barrel of his gun from the hip. The first shot disappeared into the smoke with no effect, while the other struck the wall beside them, blowing a foot hunk out of the wall and decimating one of the fire alarms. As he slumped into the divider adjacent to Rudy, he rubbed the inside of the barrel to clear detritus and loaded in two fresh shells.

The gunfire appeared to be more sporadic, as everyone was conserving their limited ammo. Gideon had calmly stepped to the side of the wall, to avoid the onslaught of gunfire. Three of the armed men crouched beside the indents of the wall, using the very little cover they had to suppress the Porters. "We need backup over 'ere!" Carter shouted over his shoulder, positive that armed IWU men were still finding their way through the decimated halls. Carter then crouched behind one of his own men for cover, firing over the man's shoulder at where he believed Butch to be hiding.

Shireling Misty Gray

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Aliana Cartwright

Jackson's words broke Ali out of her meditating mind; the one where she would prepare herself for all the dead bodies she was about to encounter. Of course, she had seen dead bodies before but never were they dead because of her weapon. Tonight would be an entirely different story. She wasn't going to freeze up in the face of the enemy; she wasn't going to regret any of this later. None of this was just about her but about Tommy. This was about the revenge for Tommy and her brother to Ali. She wasn't going to let them or the people around her down at the moment.

When they all emerged from the van, Ali began walking with the group, only to be stopped by Blake. She was giving her words of encouragement, which were greatly appreciated at the moment. Ali gave her a small smile before grabbing her gun and nodding. She was officially ready, maybe not for just anything but at least for what was about to come. As the group walked up to the door, the gun rested in Ali's dominant hand, her right and she shook her arm still getting used to the weight. Everything that happened next happened quickly.

Next thing she knew, she was trying to cover her face and shoot at the same time. She had got off a couple of shots, some of them quickly ending some of the enemies lives the others leaving them writhing in pain. Ali could have ended their suffering, but since they were the cause of hers she wouldn't. She was being careful, making sure to duck in and out of cover with each pull of her trigger. There was a lot more adrenaline pumping through her veins than before and she could feel her heart beating faster than it ever had before. When she went back into cover, she paused for a second, getting her head back together. There was water and smoke everywhere and she knew she couldn't sit here too much longer so she looked for her team. Her eyes caught Jackson’s as she attempted to shout over the sound of bullets and guns reloading. "We need a plan to get out of this. What's next?!"​

Rudy ( Shireling ) Jackson ( Enzyme ) Blake ( Bellz )

 

[Misty Gray]

Jared Armstrong​

The onslaught of gunfire continued, although becoming more sporadic, which led Gideon to move to the side of the wall to avoid bullets. Jared moved to follow the man and get out of the path of the gunfire. As he did, he felt one of the bullets rip into the outer side of his left thigh. Although it was undoubtedly a stray bullet that hadn't been aimed at him, it didn't make the man any less angry about it. The pain radiated through Jared's leg, but he managed to keep any pained groans lower than the other sounds that were going on around them. He remained next to Gideon, his back pressed up against the wall whilst his left hand was placed firmly against the bleeding wound at the top of his leg. He made a conscious effort to hide his discomfort and remain fully attentive to the situation.

As the water from the sprinklers continued to soak them, Jared pushed some wet hair away from in front of his forehead. Getting soaked only added to the anger he was keeping inside. He was already calculating how he would get back at Porter's mob and use this situation to his own benefit, should he get out of today's attack alive. He glanced down towards the floor and in the poor visibility conditions could just make out the water on the floor being turned a light shade of red around his feet as the blood ran down his leg onto the ground. Suddenly, his eyes darted to Carter who demanded more backup. He was at least grateful to have a man as capable as he was to coordinate the IWU's defence.


Enzyme (Gideon, Carter) Shireling (Rudy)

 

[Pyroclast]

Syd Porter

Syd listened to his dad with great interest as he spoke of his time in prison, hanging on to his every word. When he was a child, full of natural curiosity, he had asked James about where he had got his scars from, so he already knew that he had done time. The way he was describing it now, however, helped him paint a much clearer picture of his experiences. Syd couldn't help feeling a little guilty that he had withdrawn himself from his father's question when he was being so open in return. Although it was horrible to imagine someone torturing his father, he appreciated the way James didn't sugarcoat things for his sake. It made him feel like a grown up and a real member of the gang, no longer just a child who needed protecting from the dangers of the outside world. The respect he had for him only increased as he learned more of his history and everything he had suffered through. He had sustained so much hardship, injury and loss, yet had come through the bravest, wisest, most composed man Syd had ever known. When he told him stories of his past such as this one, Syd took care to listen to every detail to see how he could learn to be just like him.

Syd wasn't exactly surprised by James' judgement of Peter. That wasn't to say that he didn't hold a lot of respect for his uncle, having seen him go through a lot to help his father over the years. The memories were all still clear in Syd's mind: of Peter sitting in his living room being treated for a gunshot wound by Finn just a few months ago; of the many weeks he had spent helping Sinead through her recovery after she was poisoned; not to mention all the trials of parenthood Syd had seen him go through since his first cousin was born. James saw all of that and more, but he was right - though Peter may seem tough in Syd's eyes, he didn't have all those years of experience behind him like James did. "It sounds like the kind of place only people who have been on the inside could ever understand. So maybe - hopefully - I never will," he said, too engrossed in his father's story to notice Sinead and Lucy standing in the threshold of the room. "But Sinead never will either, so we'll just keep trying to convince her he's okay, just like he probably does."

Syd spun round when he heard his aunt's voice and saw her retreat back to her room with tears in her eyes. A wave of guilt and confusion came over him and when his mother left to follow her, he turned back to James. "Did she hear us?" he asked quietly, though he didn't really need an answer. With a deep sigh, he dragged a hand over his face and tried to trace back through the conversation in his head, wondering how much of it she had caught. They were supposed to be going to dinner any minute, and now his aunt was crying because of them. Feeling responsible and guilty for making her upset, he got to his feet and began to pace the room - then, looking to his father, said, "We should probably explain ourselves..." He hesitated for a second before striding over to her room and gently wrapping on the door. "Aunt Sinead? Look, we're sorry...can we come in and talk?"

Interactions
Misty Gray James, Sinead
Bellz Lucy