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

[Misty Gray]

George Sanderson​

When Finn eventually began to apologise and edge away from him, George slowly nodded his head. He couldn't protest or beg the man to stay - he didn't want to prolong the doctor's discomfort. He bit his lip and once again nodded as Finn told him he needed some time. George couldn't argue or deny him of that, not after the bombshell he'd just dropped on him. "Look after yourself, mate," he called out to Finn as the man said they'd be in touch. George had already decided he would keep his distance and not get in the way of his friend sorting out his own life. If Finn happened to wish to see him again, he was sure the man knew where to find his dingy apartment. George remained standing alone in the alley for a time, simply gazing towards the ground as a numbness seemed to overcome him.

The walk home was something that George seemed to do without any thought. He already knew the journey like the back of his hand. Even the shift between the crowded city to the more isolated areas didn't phase him this evening. He blocked out the homeless man begging for spare change and only just avoided bumping into the burly man smoking outside the textile factory. Eventually, he reached a rougher side of town and approached the cafe he lived above, ascending the stairs to his own apartment.

The apartment was cold and unfeeling, making even his prison cell seem more homely. At least back there, he was never short of some form of company - even when it was the hostile kind. Since leaving prison, he'd lost his family, lost his job, lost contact with inmates he called friends, and now he'd lost the only person on the outside who had wanted to spend time with him. It started to feel like being honest wasn't doing him any favours. Still, the one thing he would not begrudge was Finn's choice to walk away. The man was entitled to that.

When he entered his bedroom, George began unfastening his waistcoat. His eyes glanced down to his bed, resting on which were the job applications and resume he'd been working on. He draped his waistcoat over the nearby chair before falling back onto his bed, alongside the files he'd tossed onto the mattress earlier that day. He was about to pick one up to read it over when he moved his hand away and slumped back against his pillow. No legitimate employer would give him a job after looking at his history. Feeling like he had nothing to lose, he began to seriously consider how easy it was to provide false information and forged documents. All he knew was money was running out and he had the resources to change that, even if it meant going back to his old ways.


Bellz (Finn)

 

[Pyroclast]

Adam Morgan

A large shadow was cast over Adam as Gideon moved past the window over to his side of the desk. The man loomed over him and Adam could feel the man's powerful gaze penetrate his skin. He stayed still in his chair as Gideon spoke, unable to move away. These ideas? In his weakened state he struggled to comprehend what Gideon was referring to exactly, but he did his best to listen all the same. It seemed he was right, though; in the three weeks since he had arrived at the IWU's warehouse, Adam had gradually lost sight of who he was. Whenever he tried to think of the past, it became less clear - his life had fallen apart so rapidly that his mind had barely had the chance to make sense of what had happened. He used to argue with his father about joining the IWU, and had always ardently refused, but now, he couldn't even remember why.

Gideon's words made Adam raise his head slightly, but he still didn't meet the man's eye. It had felt like such a waste for his father to be killed, but even more so if Adam had lived without ever truly knowing who he was. Maybe that was Adam's fault - maybe he should have tried harder. Listened more. Even joined the damn union, to make him happy. With these thoughts in mind, the impact of Gideon's next words was even stronger. Jared. When Adam had first learned of Jared's evildoing, his opinion of the man had been damaged. However, after his father died and he broke up with Mallory Porter, Jared had shown him nothing but support and kindness. It had blinded him of the man's twisted, brutal side. But now Gideon was reminding him that Armstrong's power of deception had lead to his father's death, and his perspective of the man was once again changed. Adam felt ashamed for once being such good friends with him. A couple of stray tears escaped his eyes as he continued to listen.

"Then...I won't," Adam uttered as he choked back tears. Blood continued to trickle down his face from every orifice, his unsightly head wounds splitting open with every slight movement. "I won't fail. Just...just...tell me how to not make the same mistake that...my dad made."

He looked over to Gideon, who now stood by the window, and caught a proper look at the woman he had only been vaguely aware of before. When his eyes focused, he immediately recognised her. The way she seemed to stare at him with such interest and enthusiasm confused him a little - it was as if she was excited, as if something good was about to happen. Adam looked back at her for a moment. She had played a fairly constant role in torturing him, but had equally helped to shift his perspective on everything. There was no question that he was in a dark place - so dark that he didn't even recognise himself anymore - but she and Gideon had told him that, after hitting rock bottom, the only way was up. And the only way to get there was to detach from the past. The beatings had made him ashamed of trying to hold onto his old beliefs, but at this point he wasn't even sure what he believed. He didn't like feeling so lost, but now he wanted to regain a grip on his life again, which seemed to be the opportunity the IWU was offering him. Maybe she really did mean the best for him. Maybe something good was about to happen.

Interactions
Enzyme Gideon
Bellz Minnie

 

[Bellz]

Minnie Abernathy​

Minnie stayed silent as Gideon went on to speak, pulling Adam further and further down into their well planned trap. Smirking as Gideon referred to them all as family, she couldn't help but think about how strange those words sounded. The more she thought about it the truer the statement sounded, the IWU would look out for their own as long as their own followed the rules. Looking at Adam as Gideon spoke to him, she smiled once again, unable to hide her own excitement over their newest members future. The brunette remember being in Adams shoes at one point, not to far back in time. She had once been lost too, trying to pretend to be someone she wasn't. Minnie hid her true self behind the blinds of sanity, going day by day, night by night without facing who she really was.

Tuning out Gideon's words as he went on to speak about Oliver, she continued to think about her past. Thinking about it caused her to look to Adam's wound on his head again. A part of her wanted to stand up and address the wound, feeling as though the man wouldn't make it through this whole conversation without patching and cleaning it up. Still, she stayed where she was and patiently waited until Gideon was done speaking to clear her throat.

Adam looked her way and she could see the confusion in his eyes. Regardless, she continued to smile at him, leaning forward in her seat and crossing her legs. "Still with us, doll?" She asked slowly, starting to see that the blood lost might be getting to him. Minnie looked over to Gideon who was continuing to stare out the window. "I'm afraid if we don't patch him up soon, he might not make it through this conversation..."
with: Adam Pyroclast ; Gideon Enzyme

 

[Fletchawk]

Ryan Donahue​

Although he wasn't expecting the sharp retort from Sinead, Ryan didn't react much to it as he could tell that he wan't the intended target. Sure enough, Sinead returned to form and apologized for the outburst, even though he didn't find her spark of anger unbecoming. Ryan only nodded to acknowledge her appreciation for volunteering to speak to Peter about the man's troubles, as he was trying to keep his face from showing the tightening in his chest. While he listened to Sinead tell him about Conor's predicament, Ryan brooded briefly over whether the feeling that coiled around his heart would fade with time.

Taking a deep breath, Ryan was about to correct Sinead and agree to deliver the spare set of keys when she continued to speak. Her reasoning was to try and get him and her brother mend their relationship, as though the redhead was at least partly reading his mind. Ryan was about to tell Sinead that he did intend to try and mend ties with Conor when he heard another approach. It only took a brief second to glance and see that it Rudy, but that was all the time that Sinead apparently needed to continue. Of course, Ryan had noticed that Savannah was a bit too old to be born in Dublin, but he saw no reason to question it, as it wasn't any of his business. The revelation that the girl's father was affiliated with the Romanos certainly caused him to paused, as he was caught off guard by the information. Again, Sinead had sent Ryan's mind into a flurry, causing him to temporarily forget that they weren't alone.

The chuckle started awkwardly, partly because the news initially sounded so bizarre to him. While the absurdity of it was denied by her expression, and that caused him to stop, but only briefly. Ryan had spent more time than he cared to admit thinking about his feud with Conor over the past several months, and with help of his Ma swatting some sense into him while he visited her during Easter, he'd come to realize his error. Ryan had been ready to apologize to Conor for letting the fact that he let his hatred for the Romano family come between them, especially if Alex truly wasn't involved with his father's death. While he still wasn't fond of the fact that the Romano woman would still remind him of her family, she'd rather scarce of late, so the feeling hadn't been aggravated much.

So when Sinead asked if she repulsed him, Ryan couldn't but to continue chuckling. In part because he initially found the thought of finding her repulsive absurd, but it quickly shifted to laughing at his own embarrassment, as Ryan knew his reaction would've likely been different had he not spent months challenging his own preconceptions due to his fight with Conor. "No, Sinny," Ryan said once he stopped chuckling. "It took longer than it should have, and for Ma to smack some sense into me, but I know now that I was wrong for holding what Conor had with that Romano woman, Alexandra, against him," he stopped for minute, realizing how small of a man he was, and acknowledging it as yet another reason he was unworthy of the woman in front of him, "So, if I know I'm wrong for holding grudge against your brother's ugly mug, what are the chances that I'd find you, or your children, repulsive?"

With added realization of how unfit he was to have the feelings he did for Sinead, it took quite an effort to force a smile. At moment, Ryan would've welcomed anything to distract the barbwire that was painfully constricting inside his chest, and fortunately, there was not only Conor needing his keys, but Rudy was standing awkwardly nearby. "Don't worry, Sinny was just rightly telling me off before sending me on an errand," Ryan said with a spuriously unbeat tone, finally paying heed to Rudy's presence. Ryan then walked towards the workbench and pulled out a sizable metal box to place on its surface. It took very little time for him to produce the spare set of keys to Conor's Imperial, and he grabbed his holster and coat from the rack nearby before he actually looked at Rudy in full. "You look like you've had a fun day. Since, I'm heading over to the club, you want a drink?" Ryan offered in dry humor, as he was well beyond needing one himself.


Misty Gray [Sinead] Shireling [Rudy]

 

[Misty Gray]

James Porter​

When he reached the security gates, James held out the opened cigarette box to Brian, offering the man a smoke before taking one for himself. He placed the stick in his mouth and lit it up before handing the lighter to the guard to use. Once finished with it, Brian returned the lighter to James before addressing his boss. "You've got blood on your chin, mate," he pointed out. James briefly ran his tongue along his cut lip and shrugged his shoulders. He was known for playing down his injuries, but in this case, it really was nothing. "Gotta admit. I thought you'd be in worse shape. Or wasn't Rich there?"

"Fuck off. Worse shape?" James scoffed. "Nah, I'm surprised too." That was all that James was prepared to say to Brian on the matter, never being one to freely spill his personal feelings on matters. That kind of conversation was saved for a very close few and not his tactless senior guard. He swiftly decided to change the subject and get down to the reasons for his presence. "Whose is the red Chevvy?" he curiously asked. When Brian informed him it belonged to the redheaded singer, James couldn't help but laugh. "I should have known. If I didn't know better, I'd swear Sinead and Gwen were sisters. The red hair, the singing, and now the same model of car."

"Two redheaded sisters? Sounds like a fantasy of mine," Brian drily remarked, before shoving the cigarette back in his mouth to silence himself.

"Ah, come on, Brian! Fucking hell..." James groaned at the tasteless joke. He didn't even want to think about his sister-in-law in such a capacity. Thankfully, his mind was more focused on simply being grateful to know Sinead was seeing her friends rather than still hiding away. He was aware of Peter's change in personality since his release from prison, but he felt it was still early days and from his own experience, he knew it was normal for the experience to change a man. However, he would monitor it based on the fact Peter and himself had always been two very different people; even James' younger self had been cold and detached - more so than he was now. He'd always respected the fact Peter was different to himself and much more open. For now, he was comforted to know Peter was in the capable hand's of Jackson, his second-in-command. Deciding to move on to his other question, James looked to Brian again, but the man seemed to already know what was on his boss' mind.

"The ferry was a little delayed leaving England, but it's due into the port in about thirty minutes," Brian informed him. Shannon had taken Arlene and Delilah to London for a week, but the women were expected home that evening. "Ah, mate. Lloyd and Clive are convinced you're punishing them for something," he said, with a chuckle. Those were the two unlucky men tasked with chauffeuring the ladies during the trip. "Those three mouthy women together for an entire week? Fuckin' torture, that is."

"You think?" James laughed along. "Perhaps I'll give the lads a bonus for their trouble... Between you and me, this place has been heavenly. The peace and quiet... I'm sending them off to Australia the first chance I get," he joked. "You don't repeat that, mind you. I'm not getting on the bad side of the mother-in-law," he remarked.

Once he'd got all of the answers he needed, James headed back towards the house...

LateForDinner (Nathan), I believe.

 

[Misty Gray]

Sinead Callahan​

Sinead eyed Ryan closely as he chuckled at her question. Whilst she knew there was a chance her question could backfire against her and actually lead Ryan to falling out with her too, her faith in the man prevented her from worrying too much. If he really cared for her as much as he had previously told her, she didn't believe he would hate her for something she did more than a decade ago. The man's chuckling seemed to reassure her that she was right. When he finally spoke to say he wasn't repulsed by her, a relieved and somewhat bashful smile formed on her lips. She let out a deep breath she hadn't realised she'd been holding in for so long. Her grin grew at mention of Ryan's mother knocking sense into him. He explained he now realised he was wrong to hold a grudge against Conor. Despite her own worries over Peter and her ongoing consideration for how Ryan felt about her, she was at least glad to know the friendship between Ryan and Conor could be mended. "I'd say there's no chance at all you could find us repulsive. Especially not those adorable children," she said, sending him a sweet, almost childlike smile. "And, um. I mean, this isn't exactly relevant, but... Conor and Alex have separated for real now. The dumbo realised what we'd all seen ages ago - that he cares for Ali. He's not the sharpest tool in the box, right?" she lightly teased.

Sinead's features returned serious again. She didn't want Ryan to think she was ignoring what he had told her all of those months ago. Despite her depression and worrying about Peter, Ryan's revelations surrounding his feelings for her had been on her mind often. Everything was just too much for her to process alone, and she had felt alone with most of her deeper thoughts. But she owed it to her friend not to act ignorant of the subject. "Ryan, what you told me..." she began, her voice quieter than she intended. Before she could speak louder and say more, Ryan's attention had already been diverted elsewhere and he addressed a third party in the room. Sinead turned around to see Rudolph standing in the doorway and she sent him a friendly, acknowledging smile. "Good evening, Rudy," she greeted him. "My dear brother has locked himself out of his car," she looked back to Ryan as the man retrieved the spare keys. "Apparently, you're not supposed to make fun of Conor when you get there. But, y'know, he spent years playing jokes on me when we were kids..." she playfully encouraged the man.

When Ryan pointed out that Rudolph looked like he'd had fun, Sinead studied the other man again. Rudolph couldn't hide his face forever and she arched her neck to see what he was trying to keep hidden. "Have you been fighting, Rudy?" she sternly asked the man. Of course he had. When were the men around the place not involved in some kind of dangerous or violent job? The only relief she could take was that she knew Peter hadn't been out on the same job with Rudolph. Whilst she knew Jackson was often involved in the dangerous side of business, she was hoping the fact her nephew being with them meant it was nothing to worry about. She didn't believe Lucy would let Syd go out risking his life. "I'll leave you two boys to clean yourselves up before you head out for drinks," she said, referring to the black smudges on Ryan and the blood on Rudolph. "And Ryan, please speak with Conor." She had hoped to speak more with Ryan about what was on her mind, but it certainly wasn't an appropriate time or place, so she hoped another opportunity would arise. "Stay safe, you two," she sweetly told the men, before she rushed out of the garage.

As she approached the Porter house, Sinead did everything she could to hold herself together. The last thing she wanted was for Lucy to be concerned about her when she needed to be relaxing for the rest of pregnancy. The redhead took a deep breath before opening the front door and entering the house. "Luce?" she called out. The place was surprisingly quiet and her sister was nowhere to be seen. She stopped in the centre of the living room as her eyes were focused on the family photographs that hung from the wall. Seeing the picture of her father with her and her siblings caused her to choke up a little. He always knew how to reassure her and even if he didn't, he somehow still always managed to cheer her up. Sinead slowly approached one of the sofas and curled up at one end. Soon enough, she was joined by Lady, who jumped up and spread out across her lap and invited the redhead to softly stroke her fur. "Hey, fluffy," Sinead quietly said as the tears began to roll down her cheeks.

Fletchawk (Ryan) Shireling (Rudolph)

Conor Sullivan​

When Conor stepped out of the jazz club, one of the doormen nudged his arm to get his attention. "Is this place not good enough for you, big lad?" the burly man asked. "I'll be sure to let Mrs. Callahan know."

Conor turned to the man and smirked back at him. "If anything, it's too good for me. The drinks and music are too fancy for my tastes, but my sister already knows that." Conor pointed towards the Sky Haven. "If any of the lads come looking for me, let them know I'm next door. I'm hungry, again," he informed them.

When Conor entered the Sky Haven, he only briefly glanced around before letting the hostess take him to an empty table near to the entrance, where whoever was bringing his keys could easily find him. He set his cashbooks for two of the pubs down on the table and began checking through the records to look out for any discrepancies. Whilst he knew Aliana was happier with Leo running her restaurant, he still missed having a nerd like him working alongside him. The lad seemed to have an extra insight that made it easy for him to spot anything untoward. Conor briefly broke off to order a pint and a burger, but soon buried his head back into the books.


Fletchawk Shireling Enzyme

 

[Bellz]

Finn Sullivan​

From the moment he had left George, Finn was finding it harder and harder to breathe as his car came into view. It wasn't right for him to be leaving his friend this way. What kind of a friend was he to leave George while he was down. Running across the road to get to his car, he unlocked it quickly before throwing himself inside. Once the car door was shut, his tears picked up, falling down his face in long rows as he started the car and took off towards home. There was so much on his mind and although George had told him that he had nothing to process, he really did have to go through what just happened. Gripping the steering wheel a bit tighter, he pressed his foot harder against the gas pedal as tried to let out some pent up frustration. As sweet as George's confession had been and although Finn was flattered, there was an aspect to all of this that creeped him out a bit. Finn could hardly function normally when a woman had a crush on him, but a man? What was he suppose to do? He felt wrong for rejecting the man's advances...he hurt him past the point of no return it looked like. Surely there was something that he would have to say to George...they couldn't just end it like this...right?

***​

The ride home had been quick due to the speeding Finn had done to get there. He was left alone with his thoughts for far too long and as he pulled into the Porter's familiar driveway, he was a crying mess. The loss of his ex and his friend were too much for the man to handle. Putting the car into park, he turned around to grab his briefcase from the backseat being reminded of the case that was being built against him. Just another thing to add to his shit list. The Doctor looked exhausted as he stepped out of his car, shutting the door behind him, his eyes swollen and cheeks pink from releasing his sadness. All he wanted to do now was have a drink and be left alone. Not bothering to look around for others, he made a beeline for the front door. Oddly enough, none of the dogs sounded off to alert others that he was home...he was met with complete silence.

Sighing, he didn't bother to take off his white coat as he headed straight for the kitchen, stepping into the seemingly empty lounge. He had walked halfway through the room when the sound of soft cries other than his own caused him to pause in his journey. Turning towards the sofa, he noticed Sinead for the first time, "Oh Sinny, hi..." His eyes took in her appearance, she looked much like he did at the moment: sad. "Sin..." Finn said softly, voice full of concern as he immediately forgot his own needs and walked towards the sofa to tend to his cousin's. Taking a seat next to her and Lady, the Doctor set down his briefcase before leaning over to give Sinead a good tight hug. "I know how you feel." Finn admitted brokenly, voice cracking as his mind went back to the things he currently had lost.
with: Sinead Misty Gray

 

[Enzyme]

Carter Dresden​

Carter leaned back in his seat and crossed his arms, lightly shaking his head. "How?" Carter tilted his head, staring the man dead in his eyes. "Corruption is far from irrelevant in this conversation, Mr. Sullivan." Carter couldn't help but smile at the audacity the Garda had. "You're the detective - open yer' fuckin' eyes," Carter said spitefully. "We got half of our employees massacred a few months back, our whole factory set ablaze, and your lookin' at us when our leader and his family is slaughtered in cold blood?" Carter shook his head once more, spitting on the floor beside him. "Either you lot are too afraid to admit the Porters, once again, are slaughtering families or yer' heads are too far gone up yer' own arses."

Carter scrunched his face as Kennedy finished speaking, shooting up into a sitting position. "Yes, they bloody do!" Carter spat. "Your Commissioner, the new mayor now, is in Porter's pocket - just like the last one."

"If the Gardai isn't gettin' paid off by the Porters, then you lot must be the most brain-dead pricks to ever inhabit this wretched country. They've been extorting every store in Dublin for over a decade. They're called the mob for a reason, you cockhead. Why don't you actually do yer' fuckin' job and let me get on with mine." Carter leaned back in his seat, keeping his arms crossed. "Before you ask again; no, we all support each other. Everyone loved Jared."

mpower (Kennedy)

****************
Jackson McCarthy​

The rapid gunfire of the AK-47 left Jackson's ears ringing. His hands gripped the steering wheel so tightly that it began to rip the fabric underneath. John had recovered from Syd's kick and began to wander about in the little divot on the floor. "Get me home, Jackie. I'm not havin' fun on anymore." Jackson gritted his teeth as he violently twisted the steering wheel to shake the cars off of them. "I'm workin' on it, ya' dope!"

As the car behind them smashed into their bumper, Jackson violently rocked forward. "Fuckin' hell," he muttered. He contorted his arm behind his seat and fired at the car behind them. He got out three shots before he was met with the sound of an empty magazine. CLICK. He rapidly mumbled a string of incoherent curses as he gripped both hands back on the steering wheel.

They had taken the side streets to return to Dublin, the scenery slowly changing from withering buildings to tall trees and foliage. Shifting up on a one-way, the Cresta shot down the path to Dublin. They had managed to gain a few car-lengths between them and their attackers, but the men following them were still determined.

Suddenly, a bright ray of flashing red slammed into the nearest assailant, ramming the car into a narrow ditch. The car behind it slammed on its breaks, as another Gardai vehicle cut it off. A third cruiser car pulled up on the fork in the road as well. Turning its attention to the Porters. "Bollocks..." Jackson said as he looked into the review mirror.

Bellz (Peter) Pyroclast (Syd)

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Aliana Cartwright

Ali was sure there was something she didn't know concerning the two woman. You could just tell they weren't huge fans of each other, and Ali was curious as to why. Another conversation for another time, she thought to herself. Watching them down the alcohol was a clear sign to her that ordering the shots was a good idea. While it wouldn't get them drunk, it would loosen them up a lot, she thought. Oh yeah, definitely have to ask Blake about this later. She thought to herself before focusing on the matters at hand.

Watching as Evelyn observed the ledger, she watched for her facial expressions and paid close attention to her responses. While Ali didn't suspect the woman of stealing anything, that meant nothing. She could have had someone else steal it just so she wouldn't have to lie. There wasn't much she knew about the other woman, so she was very hesitant to begin with. However, after seeing her honestly confused reaction, she was able to let her guard down a little. After a sip of her drink, she replied to her. "Oh, I agree. Even during our most successful week, we weren't even close to running out. So, you can imagine my surprise when we come close to it during a boring week." With a slight shake of her head, she laced her fingers together and leaned forward, a slight intimidating air around her. That was one of the things that changed about Ali a few months ago. She went into that warehouse just a business owner and came out a new person.

When she was asked if she believed her, there was a slight hesitation. Again, there was very little she knew about the woman and she learned to trust no one. "I'm giving you the benefit of the doubt, only because you deserve it." There was a slight pause, which was Ali trying to decide if she wanted to say her next sentence. She glanced at Blake to check her reaction to the whole ordeal before focusing on Eve. "That and, and please forgive me for being so crass, but you aren't stupid enough to steal from me or the Porters." Just as she was about to say more, it seemed like something had grabbed the two women's attention, to which her own attention was then grabbed. She followed their gazes and muttered her own choice of cusses before abruptly standing up.

To say she was about to pissed was an understatement as she started for the door. One of the guards started to ask her what was wrong, but she just raised her hand to silence him and kept walking. "Let Leo know I found the source of our issues and I'll be back." She ordered. The irate woman then looked back to make sure the two women were following her, but mostly to ask Evelyn, "Those two aren't with you, are they? If they are, I hope you know this fucks up everything for you." Her words were harsh and within reason, but she hadn't meant to say them. Aliana was just annoyed and angry that people would steal from her in the first place.

Blake ( Bellz ) Evelyn ( Misty Gray )

​

 

[mpower]

[Detective] Kennedy Sullivan​

Kennedy did not know what he had expected from this man, but now his inner peace started to finally crumble. He hated absolutely hated it when suspects refused to talk, or even worse, tried to pick up on the interrogation and misdirect it. During the rant of Carter of the Gardai and corruption, an eruption of wroth started to form in his guts, firstly starting to visualise in his eyes. He could discuss with this man for hours until they had to release him, but his name had created a barrier here and the obvious resistance Dresden set up to keep himself from spilling any information. At least they knew his stance on the Police and the Porters by now.

"Pausing interrogation. Detective Kelly will take over after the break." And on that he pressed the button, exhausted by this small exchange of words already, his eyes shut down and broke off the eye contact finally. He audibly breathed out as he knocked twice on the table, signalising Kelly that he shall not enter nor interrupt yet. Hopefully, his fellow Detective won't stop him from what will come now, Kennedy thought as he stood up and slowly circled the table to get next to Carter Dresden. From his elevated position in relation to Carter, Ken could glance down on the man's head.

And just there, his right hand clenched into a fist and shortly afterwards flew into the stomach of Carter, Kennedy's hip rotated with the punch to support the amount of force, enough to hopefully let the man lose the focus of his body posture. Then, practically just after his fist disconnected from the man's torso, Kennedy planted his left palm on the backhead of Carter, shoving it violently forward towards the table. A grunt emitted from his throat, due to this sudden physical exercise. "It is Detective Sullivan you massive prick. And before you do a sly comment about corruption. I do not give a fuck what a snake like you thinks of us"

As he turned away, he told Kelly: "Fucker tripped during the break. Make sure you stay to this story, Kelly", and swiftly left the room. Maybe this had some repercussions to him but he thought he had enough stand in the Gardai to survive it, as long as Kelly kept his gob shut all should be fine though. What Carter thought of him was practically worth nothing for him, he knew though that he maybe had to watch out after this, judging by that fact that Carter and his lot could massacre entire families.

Enzyme

 

[Pyroclast]

Evelyn McKenna

Evelyn nodded to Blake's suggestion that they investigate, her eyes still fixed on the door. She too had the strong impression that the two were not members of staff. So, unless they had mistaken the door for an exit, it was likely they were up to something. Evelyn stood up and followed Ali. "They're not with me," she assured the women. Rather than take offense at their mistrust, she put it aside and focused on the situation at hand. It wasn't worth turning on each other when they needed to band together to face the suspected thieves.

Though the door to the storeroom was now shut, the muffled sound of a bottle smashing could still be heard. Without regard to the other customers in the establishment, Evelyn broke into a run as she made her way to the door, hoping to catch them in the act. When she entered, there was glass all over the floor, the freshly spilt alcohol still trickling between the cracks in the floor tiles. With a quick glance to the now almost vacant shelves, Evelyn stepped carefully through the mess in her heels, before dashing to the exit.

"Hey!" she yelled. The two people she had seen before were now making their getaway in the car park. Evelyn hurried down the ramp before removing her heels and running after them in her stockings. The gravel was rough underfoot, but at least she could run faster. When she caught up with them, she reached out and grabbed the woman by the shoulder. "You'd wanna stop and give that back," she growled. "We won't stop chasin' ye 'til ye do."

Interactions
Bellz Blake, Griff
Misty Gray Saoirse
Melanin-Gxdess Aliana

 

[Misty Gray]

Sinead Callahan​

Sinead hadn't heard the front door being closed as she'd been spilling her thoughts to the cuddly dog on her lap. At least with Lady, she could say anything and know her words would be kept secret. Lady also wouldn't talk back at her and tell her to pull herself together. As far as the redhead was concerned, she had genuine reason to be worried about her marriage and to be fretting over her muddled feelings.

The dog's head lifted seconds before Finn even spoke, causing Sinead to snap out of her thoughts in time to hear her cousin greet her. Her mouth opened to speak, but she gasped for air as she saw her sweet cousin looked deeply troubled himself. She was by now used to her family and friends going through dark periods. For the most part, she felt it was her duty to try to brighten their moods and offer them comfort, if not advice. With the exception of the last few months, she had made it her duty to be a light in her family's stressful lives. The other person who posed as a similar source of comfort and encouragement was her kind-hearted cousin, Finn. To see him now, looking just as unhappy, forced Sinead to try push aside her own upset.

Sinead moved into to Finn's tight hug and gladly accepted it, wrapping her arms around him to match his gesture. Lady briefly looked to the pair before standing up from on Sinead's legs and jumping down onto the floor, finding a new place to lay, curled up at the cousins' feet. When Finn told her he knew how she felt, Sinead picked up on how broken his voice sounded. Hearing her cousin sound so unhappy made her begin to quietly sob, her shoulders visibly shaking and clearly felt by Finn as they continued to embrace. She didn't speak for a few minutes, simply continuing to hug the man in hopes she could provide him with some comfort. The silence allowed for some contemplation for the redhead. He was right about knowing how she felt, as far as her troubles with Peter were concerned. Finn and Eleanor had started dating around the same time Sinead met Peter. They had both been in their relationships for the same amount of time. Whilst her marriage was crumbling, there was still hope things could be repaired, but for Finn, his relationship was over and beyond reconciliation.

Sinead pulled away from the hug and sat back so she could look to her cousin. She held one of his hands between both of her own tiny palms, giving his a gentle squeeze. "I'm sorry you're hurting, sweetie," she softly told him. "You deserve better than this." She then rested her head on Finn's shoulder as she once again wondered what could have possibly gone wrong for him and Eleanor to have not stayed together. It made her grow even more fearful for herself and Peter. "I wish I could make your pain go away," she quietly told him. She cleared her throat as she recalled Finn had recently had a visit from Peter's first cellmate, George. Hoping to help Finn focus on something more positive, she decided to ask about the man. "Have you seen your friend since he visited here?" she asked him. "Peter told me George was good to him when they were in jail together." Sinead also remembered Peter once telling her George thought Finn was cute, but she didn't really think that was relevant considering her cousin wasn't attracted to men.

Bellz (Finn)

 

[Enzyme]

Carter Dresden​

Carter could see the growing frustration in Kennedy's facial expressions. His reaction caused Carter's smirk to widen, as he was successful in getting to the man. By the look in Kennedy's eyes, he hadn't expected to be met with such a defiant force, and it was showing. Carter wanted to make sure the Garda knew they'd never get anything out of him, or any of them for that matter. The IWU had the most radical members Ireland had ever seen, they were unbreakable. Carter's aura contrasted heavily with Kennedy's, proving that he could do this all day.

Kennedy's finger clicked the recorder and ceased the incessant buzzing noise. Carter cocked his eyebrow as the detective stood up, the pent-up sigh showing that Kennedy was perturbed beyond control. Carter was satisfied with himself, expressing it by the way he cockily leaned back in his chair and continued to file his nails against his jacket.

As Kennedy walked toward him, away from the door, his fist to Carter's untensed gut caught him off guard, causing him to let out a surprised yelp. Carter hardly had time to recuperate from the hit before his head was lifted and slammed down. His upper lip smashed against the corner of the table, slicing open the top of his gums and splitting his upper lip. Carter slowly rose up from the impact with blood running down his jaw as Kennedy's spiteful words spewed out.

The two detectives exchanged positions, Kelly quickly buttoning his blazer as he moved in. Carter's eyes didn't jump off of Kennedy, even as Kelly sat down. Instead of twisted anger on his face, it held nothing more than a crazed smile. "You'll get yours, detective." Carter spat out blood, splattering it across the cold pavement. "You'll get yours." He then let out a sadistic laugh, baring his bloody teeth.

mpower (Kennedy)

 

[Pyroclast]

Syd Porter

Ever since he first fired that gun at the pub and saw the violent tremor in his uncle's hand, Syd had felt a little wary of his stability, of both his physical and mental grip. Thankfully, Peter demonstrated his ability to continue by taking the rifle, and quickly offered to switch places with him so that he could get a better aim. Syd let him scramble into the backseat first while he dug around for his own pistol and then climbed over into the passenger seat, being sure to keep low.

He took a moment to catch his breath, glancing at Jackson before squeezing his eyes shut and bringing a hand up to still his reeling head. Even though he knew he couldn't take too much time for himself, he was beginning to run out of steam. When the AK-47 fell silent, he turned his attention back to his uncle; the way he crouched with the gun as he tried to count himself to a state of equanimity had Syd concerned. He wanted to do something to ease his uncle's stress, but the situation was so tense that in the end he did nothing but watch him.

Syd kept watching, almost in a weary trance, as Peter heroically took one of the cars out. It was only when the second vehicle began to gain speed that he snapped out of it and automatically raised his own pistol to fire through the shattered rear window above John's head. Jackson had the same idea, and the cacophonous sound of gunfire filled the interior of the car. If that didn't sober up John, he didn't know what would.

A premature wave of relief washed over Syd when he saw two Garda patrol cars cut them off from their enemy, but it was quickly replaced with dread when another appeared and began chasing them. Even with the degree of power that the Porters held within the Gardai, Syd didn't think they would be very sympathetic if he started shooting at them, too. He turned in his seat to face the road ahead. "They're driving a Ford Prefect," he mumbled. "Jackson, your engine's got twice the power. You can outrun them easy." He looked to Jackson, a spark of desperation in his swollen, blackening eyes. Then, out of the window, he caught sight of a road sign to Swords. "Turn off here, look - if we head into town we might be able to lose them on the winding roads. They won't be able to catch up with us after that, trust me."

Interactions
Enzyme Jackson, John
Bellz Peter

 

[Enzyme]

Jackson McCarthy​

Jackson's eyes continuously shot back to review mirror as they drove, having a clear view through his shot-out back window. Jackson's eyes scanned the large sign as they passed it, informing them that they were entering Swords. "I'm afraid that doesn't mean shit now, lad. There's no way we'll be able to hit even half our top speed in Swords," Jackson gritted through his teeth, frantically scanning the road.

Another Ford Prefect pulled up behind them; their flashing red sirens illuminating the dark alleyways. With the longest road in the vicinity stretching roughly twenty-meter, there was little hope of them out running the cruisers before more Garda showed up. Instead, Jackson slowed down to give off the appearance that he was pulling over. To sell it, he shifted into 2nd gear and ran the rpms up to 3,000, causing the exhaust to sporadically backfire and give off the impression that the car was dying.

The facade seemed to work; the cruisers slowing down along with the Cresta. Just as the vehicle appeared to be pulling over to the curb, Jackson shot the stick back into its proper gear. The engine roared to life, and the Cresta shot down the road like a bullet. The sudden maneuver caught the Garda off guard, the two men scrambling to catch up.

As the Porters rounded the sharp corner, Jackson caught sight of a line of cars along the curb. Jackson quickly pulled into an open spot. Perfectly fitting in front of a parked semi tractor-trailer, missing its cargo on the back. Jackson's fingertips glided to the switch on the car, immediately shutting off the headlights and allowing the roaring engine to simmer down to a low murmur. Jackson barely had enough time to tell the men in the car to keep their heads down before the fords came tearing past. They didn't seem to give any notice to the parked Cresta and continued down the road.

Jackson waited a few seconds before pulling out of the parking spot. He knew the Garda would circle the neighborhood soon, so he didn't want to stick around too long. Slowly pulling down the road, he continued to drive as if they were bystanders, despite the condition of his car. As they drove, the street lights between the intervals of darkness exposed the cars blemishes in a bright yellow hue.

Pyroclast (Syd) Bellz (Peter)

 

[mpower]

Det. Kennedy Sullivan​

'You'll get yours, Detective'. That sentence remained in his head as he rushed out of the building, having said goodbye to the desk officer with a "Hrmpf". The maniacal laughter gave him a fucking shudder, and not many people or things had accomplished this before. Maybe he does not have to worry about repercussion from his side but from that of Carter, he thought as he ignited the engine of his speedster, racing out of the parking lot of the station to the streets of Dublin. On his way, he ignored a few red lights and speeded more than it was good for, but thankfully there wasn't all too much traffic today. In a different life of Kennedy, he would have gone back to that room and put a cap into the head of Dresden, but that was not honourable, or justice. That was not Kennedy anymore. There wasn't a war anymore, where there were no rules and people looked away if you did something questionable. But as he thought of it, there already was a war, but he hoped or rather believed that he was on the winner side.

Though his mind was filled with anger and his fingers clenched around the steering wheel like around the neck of Dresden, Ken's breathing was slow and controlled. And as soon as he arrived at the street leading to the Porter Mansion, his finger loosened their death grip slightly on the inspection of the big house. Still highly speeding, he arrived with screeching breaks at the front port, flicking his chin to Brian as he ignored any comments today, just waiting for him to open.

As he made his way through, he inspected James and figured it might be worth a talk. Kennedy slowly drove up and parked his car in front of the large house, exiting his beloved vehicle, though for once he did not leave his badge and pistol in the car as he usually did, having them clipped on his belt, only halfway hidden by his jacket. With a few large steps he closed up to James and nodded at him: "Hello there, James", he greeted him, his voice posing a total opposition to his welcoming words. His right hand brushed through his hair and his eyes checked the perimeter, a nervous gesture he had adapted to since his childhood.

Misty Gray

 

[Misty Gray]

James Porter​

James only got so far towards the house when he stopped to greet the youngest of the guard dogs, Duke. The man balanced the rest of his cigarette between his teeth as he crouched down to signal for the dog to sit and then alternate placing its paws in each of his hands. After successfully responding to the commands, James playfully pet the dog on the head and praised the "good boy". It had taken longer than expected, but the dog was now fully trained and all that was left to do was convince some of the others around the place he was an intelligent dog. Still, he was certain Conor was itching to claim the animal as his own pet. Conor would just have to get his own dog!

James stubbed the butt of his cigarette out and only now took the time to look more closely at his bruised knuckle. He has no doubt Richard's face was injured more, but still, he was sure gripping the barbell to lift the weights in the morning would be more uncomfortable than usual. James was drawn out of his thoughts as he watched Kennedy pull up in the driveway and soon get out of the car. The Detective appeared agitated from the offset and whilst James had his own irritations circling his mind, he would always push them aside to check on his family and how theirs duties were working out. James briefly looked away as he watched Duke return to the guards by the gates, but he then focused his attention back to the Detective.

"Hello, Ken," he replied to the man, buying himself a few extra seconds to study his demeanour. The man's body language was all the confirmation he needed to back up his initial assessment of the man's state of mind. "Do you have something you need to tell me, Ken?" James asked. Whilst it had intended to come out as an invitation for Ken to offload whatever was clearly troubling him, the Detective might perceive it as suspicion or a knowing accusation. James didn't know about the interview with Carter, but he was sure there was something he needed to know...

mpower (Kennedy)

 

[mpower]

Det. Kennedy Sullivan​

Kennedy noticed the dog leaving James, sparing no form of affection to it as they exchanged their greetings. He did not make any effort to cover his worries and wroth but yet noticed that James throughout inspected him before he followed with the next question. It sounded as if Ken had a secret and James wanted to find out what it was, for a moment his right hand twitched as he feared his addiction had been discovered, but his mind was logical enough to deduct that James noticed his rather unsettled behaviour.

He took a deep breath as he shrugged with his shoulders, scratching the back of his head. "I don't know. Just had a stressful day and finished it with an absolute prick ." He inhaled audibly as he leaned against a wall, shoving his hands against his hips, blinking slowly as he tries to control his breathing, hopefully stopping his approaching headache. He really needed a shot and time alone, else he might collapse sooner or later, those days working through surely did not do good to him.

"I had a nice chat with Carter Dresden. That asshole knows things surely, 'bout the massacre and all, but he was sealed off like a mute and put all blame on the Porters. I swear to god without Kelly I'd have cut that guy his tongue out and wipe that smirk off his face. Well...", he paused once again as he chuckled, thinking back on how he had actually wiped that smug gaze out of Carter's face. He was satisfied when he thought of it, it was not very smart to do or the best outcome, but he still felt like it was the best emotional way for him. Maybe he was now on Carter's 'No present' list, but he wasn't the type of man to fear easily. Though he certainly knew how to watch himself. Most likely he should avoid his apartment and keep his gun nearby, his jacket unbuttoned and his eyes active. "I guess I fucked him up a wee bit. Split his lip against the table and hit him in the gut, fucker provoked me and talked about how corrupt this is and how corrupt that is. Mayor's corrupt. Gardai's corrupt. Everyone is corrupt and the head of that corruption empire is...", he halted and pointed at him as he smirked a rather ironical and sad one, "...he did not talk all too fondly of us, to be honest."

Misty Gray

 

[Bellz]

Peter Callahan​

Peter was ready to continue to hold off the cars that were chasing them, but suddenly a flash of red caused the man to go rigid, gripping the rifle tightly as he began to sink back down and out of view of the Gardai. They had ran the enemies off the road, but they continued to chase them down the street. Peter watched the road ahead from the center seat with wide eyes. He felt like someone was choking him and he lifted a twitching hand to it as he rubbed it gently. The world around him was beginning to fade away. Looking closer outside, he could his peripheral vision start to blacken around the edges, getting narrower with every second, making it look as though he was looking out a long tunnel. "We..." He was going to speak about losing them, needing to figure out another plan, but all he could say was that one word as he fell silent. Coughing, continuing to feel like his throat was closing, he sucked in deep breaths forcefully as he was trying to stop the panic attack from coming.

He was needed in that moment, but the flashing lights behind them reminded him of the last job he had worked before going into prison, the one that had put him there. To his horrifying surprise, Jackson began to slow down causing Peter to gasp out, "What the fuck--?!" He wasn't going back, and as the car continued to slow down even more, Peter could hardly see or hear anything anymore. The man slumped against the passenger side door, trying to figure out an escape route. Leave them. Was all his mind could conjure up, seriously considering leaving Jackson and Syd behind to deal with the mess themselves. If he were thinking rationally, Peter would have known how wrong that was...

Gripping the door handle, ready to jump and make a run for it, Jackson surprised him once again and suddenly took off without warning, fooling Peter and the Gardai who were now struggling to catch up with them all. Peter didn't let go of the door handle as he squeezed it tightly. His heart pumped heavily and quickly, as if he'd just ran a mile, grinding his teeth intensely as he stared at Jackson through the rearview mirror. "Are you trying to kill me?!" He barked a little too harshly. But that was all he said, knowing he needed to get a handle on himself. His heavy and quick breathing could be heard as he set down the rifle on his lap and placed his head in his hands. He stayed very still as his eyes began to water, not even noticing that they had parked until Jackson told them all to keep their heads low. Staying still for a few more moments, he lifted his head slowly when he believed they passed, revealing the mess he was.
with: Jackson Enzyme ; Syd Pyroclast

 

[Enzyme]

Jackson McCarthy​

Jackson's eyes shot to Peter as the man barked at him. Jackson took his attention off the road and gave Peter a deathly stare, eyeing him up and down. Peter looked as if he were on drugs; all hyped up and breaking out in cold sweats. Jackson's hand shot out and grabbed around the heated barrel of the AK-47, ripping it from Peter's grasp. "Pull yourself together," Jackson snapped at Peter, giving him one more disapproving glare. He then tossed the AK-47 in the back seat, beside Syd.

The ride back was calm and quiet, the occasional distant siren putting Jackson on edge. Once they had made it back into the heart of Dublin, Jackson used the familiar side streets to keep the shot up car out of view.

Jackson navigated through the high-class area and decorative roads. Most of the families had retreated inside, so he needn't worry about grabbing any attention.

Once Jackson pulled up to the gate, he could see Brian sitting in his booth, newspaper in hand. As the man lowered his paper, his eyes shot to the size of dinner plates. "I know," Jackson responded to the man's surprised expression. "Must've hit a pothole," Jackson shrugged. Despite the sense of humor he still held, his face gave away how exhausted he was. His blazer was gone, his shirt was covered in sweat and blood, and his tie was a jumbled mess. The man opened up the gate for them, allowing them to access the driveway.

Pulling up in front of the garage, Jackson stepped out of the driver's seat and opened the back door. John had sobered up enough to stand, using the support of the door to climb to his feet. "Well, that was quite an adventure," John chuckled.

Jackson slammed his fist into John's gut, causing the man to double over and collapse onto his hands and knees. Letting out a reflexive gag, he puked out his liquor onto the gravel road. "Get up!" Jackson snarled, grabbing the man by his back collar and pulling him to his feet. He shoved the man in the direction of the front door, which the man didn't resist in following his orders.

Bellz (Peter) Pyroclast (Syd)

 

[Misty Gray]

James Porter​

James raised a crooked, curious eyebrow as Kennedy started by mentioning his stressful day and how it had ended. James was aware that Carter had been taken to the station, but hadn't heard anything since. Who was questioning the man and what had transpired was all information he had yet to learn. Apparently, the Detective standing before him was able to divulge the missing information, perhaps even save James from having to speak with Donnelly for a second time that day. James eyed Kennedy, noticing how unsteady the man appeared, but as the man continued to speak, any such concerns were pushed out of Porter's mind.

Kennedy made it clear he was the one who had been interviewing Carter. As expected, the IWU man hadn't spilled any information surrounding the Armstrong deaths. What was surprising was how much the man had seem to get to Kennedy. Whilst it wasn't at all surprising Carter could cause frustration in the best of people, it was a little concerning that the Detective had been sucked into it. James gave an unconvincing smirk in response to Kennedy's chuckling, but he was mostly keen for to man to continue his explanation. James ran his fingertips through his hair and tightened his jaw as Kennedy informed him he'd attacked Carter. He admitted the man had provoked him into a violent retaliation - one which had apparently left visible marks on the prick. Holding his tongue for as long as the man continued speaking, James quickly nodded his head along with mentions of corruption.

"Well, of course Carter is going to speak ill of this family, the Gardai, and anyone else who doesn't agree with his cause. The IWU will gladly throw out accusations of corruption and murder, even when their own hands are covered in blood. They hide behind their cause and will taunt their enemies - try to get a rise out of them." James let out a deep sigh and slowly shook his head, before snapping back to look Kennedy in the eyes. "It sounds like you played straight into Carter's hand. He tossed the bait out and you fucking took it. Jesus, Ken..." James trailed off, his tone remaining level, but the disapproval evident in his words. "Cut any crap and give me a straight answer. How much cleaning up am I going to have to do on this one? The Commissioner, Donnelly... are they going to cover this up or do I have to spend my evening convincing them to do so?"


mpower (Kennedy)

 

[Fletchawk]

Ryan Donahue​

Sinead's words before she acknowledged Rudolph's presence did not go unheard, and while Ryan had been able to lock his face into place, they still stirred up a great amount of unease in him. While Sinead didn't finish the sentence, the tone and fact that she didn't finish it after realizing they weren't alone, alluded to the topic. He'd hoped that she would of not brought the subject of his confession up, since he would've likely kept it to himself had his lips not been loosened by copious amounts of whiskey and the sight of a pretty yellow dress that night. While his heart swelled a bit at the thought of Sinead giving what he said some thought, his head would've rather that she'd forgotten what Ryan had said. Following her cue to not continue in present company, Ryan said nothing as he watched her leave the garage out the corner of eye. "Let's go," Ryan said a bit shortly to Rudy before grabbing the keys to the '56 Ford Fairlane.

Since his passenger apparently picking up on Ryan's dour mood, as most of the car ride was tainted by it, the trip to the Callahan's music club was terse until they pulled into the shared parking lot. As they got out of the car, Ryan finally asked, "So what happened to you? Did the Duncan boys get a bit frisky?" While he had spent the majority of the day with his head under the hood, Ryan was still fully aware of where James went and who'd went with him. Since he had the whole the car ride to temper his mood, Ryan was able to flash a half-hearted smirk at Rudy across the top of the Fairlane before they made their way inside.

Given that All That Jazz was where he was told to look for the Conor, that's where they went first. While Ryan had made note of the businesses that were affiliated with the Mob, he had not been a regular pateron, even before his 'vacation' to New York. So, it wasn't really odd when the bartender gave him a scrutinizing look when he asked after Mr. Sullivan. Taking the spare set of keys out of his pocket and showing them briefly, Ryan explained, "Apparently the jughead locked himself out his car, and Sinead sent me over to rescue him," as the barkeep's stance loosened, Ryan went on to order drinks for himself and his companion. "Give me a double of some decent bourbon and whatever he wants," he said as jerked his head slightly towards Rudy. As the barkeep poured the drinks, he told informed the two men that Conor had skipped across the lot in search of food.

At the mention of food, Ryan's own stomach chose to remind him and those close by that he'd skipped lunch. Acting as though it didn't happen, Ryan tipped the barman and then placed a few extra bills on the bar in front of Rudolph, "I need to talk to the big lug privately for a bit, so why don't you have a couple of drinks before following, yeah?" Ryan said as he winked knowingly to the man. Had Ryan been in a better mood, he'd might of teased the man for allowing his lip to be bloodied, but instead walked out the door and made his way across the lot to Sky Haven.

With the time being between the usual time for lunch and dinner, the hostess that greeted him immediately, and then looked a little disappointed when Ryan revealed that he was looking for a Mr. Sullivan. It wasn't apparent when he was led to Conor by the hostess, but when he arrived, Ryan was flabbergasted at sight of the bruiser looking over account books. While he knew Conor wasn't a particularly stupid man, it was still an odd sight to Ryan from what he'd remembered of the man. "I'm looking for a Conor Sullivan. Big. Blond. Not bright. Bit of a womanizer. You wouldn't have happened to have seen him, good sir?" Ryan asked in an overly sarcastic manner, announcing his arrival.

Shireling [Rudolph] Misty Gray [Conor]

 

[Misty Gray]

Conor Sullivan​

Conor remained optimistic as he worked through the books for the pubs, noticing that everything appeared above board. It was unsurprising, as the pubs and restaurants where relatively straightforward, whereas the casinos and hotels where the more complex businesses to manage. That was where the "boring briefcase nerds" got involved. Conor had always pictured Leo as becoming one of those guys, albeit a more likeable one, but now the lad was managing the restaurant and that was perhaps a safer choice, at least.

Paperwork wasn't Conor's favourite part of the business, but he appreciated it had to be done and he certainly knew it was all part of proving himself capable to James. There was something about this attempt that felt right to him, that he wasn't going to fall so easily. Things with Alex were over and for the first time in a decade, he'd stopped feeling like there was something holding him back. When Alex had shown up in Dublin, he'd believed she was what had been missing for all of those years, but now it seemed like closure had been what he'd needed all along. With Michelle now in his life and his relationship with Aliana developing, Conor finally felt willing to get himself on track and maintain the self-control he'd had over the last few weeks. He hoped this could extend to business too. It had taken a lot for Conor and the others to talk James into taking even a few days off when the baby was born. The boss had eventually agreed, knowing deep down Lucy and the baby would need his full attention at the start. Conor knew this meant he would need to stay focused so he could best assist Jackson in ensuring the business continued to run smoothly. So, as much as the numbers he was staring at weren't overly exciting, they were important in showing he could sit down and focus.

The sound of a familiar voice allowed Conor to break away from the books for a time. He set his pen down on the table as he listened to Ryan address him. A slight smirk developed on the blonde's lips and the expression would have been more blatant had recent issues not arisen between the two men. Still, something about his old friend's sarcastic teasing caused Conor to feel like he could loosen up more with the man than he'd felt able to since Alex's arrival. Conor looked up to his old friend and shrugged his shoulders. "I'm afraid you've got the wrong man, Sir. My name is Conrad Summersby," he informed him, feigning a posh-sounding English accent. He then cleared his throat and extended his arm to offer Ryan a seat opposite himself. "Not that bright?!" he scoffed, now back to his usual voice. "I'll have you know I can do my eleven times table now!"

The exchange was briefly interrupted as the waitress placed Conor's meal on the table in front of him and offered Ryan a drink. Once she had left, Conor rotated his plate so the fries were facing Ryan. "Want some chips?" he offered the man. Conor was about to reach out to pick up his large cheeseburger when something dawned on him. "Ah shit. Are you here with my keys?!" he asked. His concern was both that Sinead had purposely chosen Ryan to take the keys to Conor and also that Ryan may well be one of the men likely to take the piss out of him for locking his keys in the car in the first place. "I should have known she'd have gone straight to you," he said, a knowing grin and a slight blush on his face as he said it. He didn't leave much of a pause before clarifying such a statement. "Typical of Tink to attempt an intervention, am I right?" he asked, wondering if Ryan had also seen through the redhead's gesture.

Fletchawk
Enzyme

 

[Fletchawk]

Ryan Donahue​

Although seeing Conor hunched over and checking numbers was strange sight to him, the man's sense of humor certainly evoked a nostalgic feeling of the friendship they once had. No longer harboring ill feelings towards Conor, it felt almost easy to fall into the wonted banter they once shared. "Oh? You're a learned man now? I hope you paid the child that tutored you well." he said, followed with a short guffaw that ended when a waitress arrived with a plate of food. The sight of it made his stomach grumbled lowly, and when the waitress asked if Ryan wanted something to drink, he nodded in interest. "If I could a second order of what Mr. Sullivan got. I'd appreciate it, ma'am," he said, flashing a friendly grin.

With the smile remaining on his lips, Ryan shook his head at Conor's offer, since he'd likely inhale the man's fries before his own food arrived. "Ding, ding, ding, we've got winner!" Ryan said as he pulled the spare set of keys out of his pocket and spun them around his trigger finger, "You know, it was mentioned you were trying keep this under wraps," he then made an exaggerated gesture of thinking before he continued, "It would be a shame if word got out about it, but fortunately for you, my silence is cheap, as in hamburger and fries cheap," he finished as Ryan made obvious eyes at the man's still untouched food, sliding the keys across the table.

While Conor debated on whether to cave to the friendly extortion, Ryan switched the subject of Sinead's 'intervention'. "Yeah, well, to be honest, it would've happened eventually. You needing be to rescued just made it sooner rather than later." Ryan's face then skewed into an awkward look as he thought about how word his apology without losing too much face, "It's just that I came to the realization that I was wrong for holding your, now apparently, past relationship with the Romano woman," while Ryan's face had stiffened a bit as he waited for the man's reaction.

Misty Gray [Conor] Enzyme [???]

 

[Enzyme]

Mickie Mickinely​

The noisy gray Pennant pulled up sharply in front of Sky Haven. The vehicle's motorist, Mickie Mickinely, stepped out onto the open road with a leather jacket covering his shoulders. Pulling a cigarette from his coat pocket, he struck a match off the box in his pocket. By the time the tip of the stick had been singed, Evan and Jack had stepped out as well. Mickie adjusted the edges of his jacket and looked up to the restaurant's front doors.

Mickie allowed Evan to walk in front of him, seeing as the man was their superior. While Evan led the pack, Mickie hung back and enjoyed his cigarette, casually walking into the joint with a hop in his step. The place was calm and elegant, but had a family-friendly atmosphere to it; the perfect place for the IWU to bully into signing their protection contract.

Mickie strolled up to the greeter, leaning against the podium. He took one more drag of the cigarette before smothering it into the wood, beside the greeter's stack of papers. He took his time before speaking, ridding the remainder of the smoke from his mouth in an exaggerated blow.

His steel eyes then slid to the greeter, accompanied by a malicious smile. "Is McGrath in?" His scratchy throat sounded as if it had endured one too many cigarettes. "Me and the boys needa' have a word wit' him."

Melanin-Gxdess (Leo) Misty Gray (Evan) Shireling (Jack)

Present: Misty Gray (Conor) Fletchawk (Ryan)