Realistic or Modern Empire City: The Irish Mob - IC (Closed)

[Pyroclast]

Jason Costello

The sincerity of Gwen's weight loss revealed itself further when she hauled herself out of bed. Jason grimaced at the sight of her pronounced spine, how her clothes hung from her frail body like they would a coat hanger. Her words stung; in them was a level of doubt, as though she had stopped believing that their relationship could work. "Is that right?" he lightly retorted. "I'll just be goin' then, will I? Sure there's plenty of lasses 'round here out lookin' for an Irishman with a colourful criminal record."

It was hard to keep his voice level as he watched her attempt to cross the room. She used to dance in his arms, she used to be the life of the party - and now here she was, unable even to carry her own weight. But he had to try to keep the mood light. If he let himself get too serious, he was afraid his emotions might surface, and he didn't feel ready to confront them. He had to be strong for her sake, otherwise he might as well not have come to see her at all.

Seeing her roll her eyes at his question helped somehow. The subtle vestige of her former self reminded him of the passionate fights they used to have. While he was aware that their fighting was not healthy, to see that she still had some attitude in her gave him hope that she wasn't completely lost. "I didn't know better, I'd guess ye were tryin' t'get rid of me, Gwen." His light, almost playful tone of voice was negated by the sincerity in her eyes and he knew from that moment that he would have to make more of an effort to keep his guard up.

It was clear from the way she spoke that Gwen was appalled at herself for all the trouble she had caused him and her family. All while she spoke, Jason sat patiently watching her. But there was only so long that he could hear her talk about herself in such a way and soon he got up from the armchair and moved to sit next to her on the bed. Gently sweeping an arm around her back, he pulled her into a delicate yet intimate embrace. "Rory loves you. From what I can tell, she's being looked after just fine, so don't you be worryin' yerself for her. And you know, I'm happy to do more for her myself. She seems to like me well enough." He released her from his hold and instead placed a hand on her cheek, dipping his head slightly to look at her. "You're no failure, ye hear me? Sure you've had a rough time of it, life's dealt you a shite hand and all, but you're still here. You've been through it all and you're still here. You're holdin' on for Rory, for your family, for a chance at a kinder future." Jason looked down and slowly exhaled, tilting forward to touch his forehead against hers. For a brief moment he felt an urge to kiss her, but for some reason he stopped himself. Pulling away just far enough to look her in the eyes, he went on, keeping his voice soft and low. "You're not a failure, Gwen - you're a fighter. The universe will never give you more than you can handle. Just don't be forgettin' what you're fighting for."

Interactions
Bellz Gwen

 

[Enzyme]

Jackson McCarthy
​

Jackson stepped back and looked at James as he entered the room. Seeing James in a ski mask was a strange sight and surprisingly intimidating. He had known the man for decades and had only known him as his boss. With the ski mask on and only his cold eyes visible, he exuded danger. Jackson couldn't help but smile behind his mask. His friend looked incredibly menacing, and he couldn't help but admire it.

He played his role as henchman number two and stood silent while James questioned Teddy. With Jackson's ski mask on, he was just another faceless goon. Jackson stared down Teddy as the man openly defied James. It seemed as if Teddy prided himself in appearing hardened and unwavering as if he had a forcefield protecting him. It did more than dig under Jackson's skin, and with his proud, arrogant American accent - it only doubled his urge to hang Teddy from a meat hook.

Jackson grumbled, stepping away from the scene. He turned to a small chopping table, dried blood coating the oak wood. He picked up a collection of zip-ties, used to bind pig's feet, and tossed it to one of the goons beside Teddy. "Tie his righty down," Jackson said, casually picking up the unkempt meat cleaver from the tool rack.

The goon forced Teddy's right arm to the chair and bound his wrist to one of the frigid legs. "Right," Jackson muttered behind his ski mask, dragging the small chopping table across the cement floor. He set the table beside Teddy before grabbing his wrist and forcing his left hand onto the table.

"We got five to work with right off the bat." Jackson slid the rusted blade across the top of Teddy's knuckles. The warped and brittle edges lightly sliced through his skin like butter. "Go ahead and hold him," Jackson spoke to Keegan. "He's gonna wanna' pull away." Jackson raised the meat cleaver in a pre-emptive wind-up, ready to chop Teddy's fingers right off. "You wanna' keep your digits? You look at him and tell him what the fuck he wants to hear," Jackson snarled. The way he dangled the sharp blade over Teddy's hand confirmed that he wouldn't hesitate.

Melanin-Gxdess (Teddy) Misty Gray (James) Bugsy (Keegan)

 

[Bugsy]

KEEGAN LYNCH
​

Keegan didn't want to say much more, the man wasn't going to run anywhere. Not in a moving van with two armed men. He never took his eyes off of Teddy for a moment after the van had sped off, his hand going around to grab Teddy to prevent him from moving or knocking himself unconscious - even though in the long run would have been better for everyone. As soon as the van had come to another screeching stop, it was time to get the game going. Keegan wanted answers, he wanted the fastest way to Tony Harris as they dragged him into the meat freezer, much to an unknowing crowd around the front. It had thrown him to see James Porter in a ski mask, but perhaps this was important for all of them to have their role to play.

However, it seemed the man had figured out one third of the men in the room holding him captive as he launched into a confident and cocksure display of having encountered their boss. Keegan's blue eyes briefly left Teddy as he looked around the room they were stood in, his mind whirring with ideas - perhaps along the same lines that Jackson had been thinking. He stepped forward with a nod as he took hold of Teddy firmly to hold him back from bucking around too much when the pain train came rushing in. He wondered whether Teddy would have taken the threat seriously, or would continue to believe that he was untouchable from the dangling meat cleaver.

"These little piggies are definitely going to go to the market." Keegan said, his voice cold.

He would have his fun soon if Teddy didn't cooperate - there were two hundred and six bones in the body and each one would make the boy in the chair squeal.

Melanin-Gxdess (Teddy), Enzyme (Jackson), Misty Gray (James)

 

[Bellz]

Ani Sarraf ​

]

Ani struggled as Ethan wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her away from her brother, she moved in every direction she could think of, trying to pry herself from his arms. "No! NO! PLEASE!" The woman cried out hoarsely, tears pouring down her beautiful face as Alistair stepped forward and begun crushing her brother's hands with the screws. Each sound of the bones breaking caused her to whimper and Ethan adjusted his hold on her, securely pulling her against him. She dug her nails into his arm enough to make him bleed but it didn't seem like it would be enough to stop what was about to happen.

Looking to her brother's face, she saw no signs of acknowledgement from the man, no pained expression...but she saw the wetness in his eyes. He wasn't able to mentally feel emotions but his body was still human and would react to the pain as most human's do. This broke her heart and she grasped at Ethan's arms with her nails again, hoping that he would let go.

Alistair's words were serious and she had a feeling that her brother was about to pay for her mistakes in the worst way possible. "Please don't!" She sobbed as the man doused her brother with what looked to be gasoline. Her boss casually whistling sent a chill down her spine. How could they be so emotionless about taking a human life? How was she so understanding of her brother easily being able to do it, but saw Alistair and Ethan as monsters? It didn't matter who Ammon killed to her, because he never killed the people she cared about.

There was a brief pause as Alistair looked at Ammon, nodded his way and flicked the remainder of the lit cigar on him. Ani screamed out as her brother was engulfed in flames, "AMMON!!" She screamed, her voice echoing against the cement of the basement. Horrified, she watched as her brother's body burned, the skin instantly burning, the muscle underneath beginning to burn.

She tried to turn away but Ethan grabbed her hair and yanked it to make her look forward. Ani cried out, her knees threatening to give out at the sight of her twin brother becoming nothing before her very eyes. All those years, painstakingly taking care of him, looking after him. She had failed him. Now he was gone. The body didn't take long to turn to ash and the horrible stench of burning flesh filled the small room, making her gag.

There was nothing more she could do for him and she didn't know what to do with herself now that the person she had cared for since birth was gone. Anger swelled in her chest and she swung her head back to hit Ethan in the face before dipping down and grabbing ahold of his arm with her teeth. Biting down hard, she tried to force him to let her go so she could run.
with: Alistair Pyroclast ; Ethan Misty Gray

 

[RayPurchase]

Tony Harris


​

The boss sure did love his theatrics. If it was up to Tony he would have come in baseball bats swinging and cracking heads. Still it was enjoyable to watch them squirm as Tatiana began to weigh the product. You could smell the fear begin to ooze from the brothers’ pores, hell you could almost taste it, sour and acrid to the tongue. Tony continued to simply pace the room like a caged tiger, his gaze swinging to and from Carlos and Miguel. His lip curled into a smile as Gabe rather loudly declared it was time to compare the recorded weight with that on the manifest. Those jaws were closing in on the brothers. He wondered when they would start squealing and begging, it always happens at some point, some stay strong until the bitter end, until they’re broken and bleeding, hardly able to keep their eyes open and their head from swaying, or you had those who broke down nearly immediately, full of scrambling and promises. As a betting man, he would have been happy on chalking the brothers down in the latter category.

It appeared however that they still had a sarcastic comment or two, clearly they weren’t quite afraid enough. Not as much as Tony would like anyway. As Carlos butted in once more, with an attempted comment on the reliability of the deliverymen, Tony smoothly stepped up behind him, looming like some vast shadow come to life. He slipped his uninjured right arm over Carlos’ head and round his neck, pulling him back into a firm choke hold. Enough to leave him gasping for air, and his feet scrambling against the floor as Tony pulled him back.

“Now now Carlos, you had your warning. Don’t tell the boss how to manage his employees. And you’ve only bloody well gone and done it again. Maybe that skull was a bit more hollow than I reckoned,”

After holding him for a few seconds, he relaxed his grip, still holding Carlos in place and exerting an uncomfortable amount of pressure on his windpipe, but enough to allow him to breathe. He looked up at Gabriel, flashing him a wink.

“Apologies for the interruption boss. I think Carlos has rescinded his objection,”

(Interaction: Misty Gray Gabe, Carlos, Luis, Pyroclast Tatiana, Miguel)

 

[Bellz]

Gwen Bryant ​

Gwen eyed Jason as he got up from the armchair and for a moment she wondered if what she said was enough for him to leave her, but he instead to a seat beside her, pulling her in close. His arm felt heavy over her weak and bony shoulders and when he embraced her, she felt completely lost against him. Leaning her head on his shoulder, she allowed him to pull away before he placed his hand on her cheek. Lifting her head up, he leaned in close until their foreheads were touching. What he had said was true, life really had dealt her a shit hand but she was still in control of how she used it.

She was just beginning to become comfortable in the position they were in when he suddenly pulled away a bit to look into her eyes. He told her that she wasn't a failure but instead a fighter. A small, hollow laugh escaped her. "I've been fighting my whole life but this is the first time I've felt like giving it all up." Taking a shallow breath, she moved her head back to look at his face. "Last night, I stayed up watching Rory, wondering what would have happened to me if she hadn't been in my life. I might not have been around to see you again...our paths would have never crossed again. Just thinking about that..." Gwen's brows furrowed as she wondered if admitting that she needed him was too much.

She remembered that day 11 years ago vividly, the pain she felt after he left her. It's what prompted her to make the impulsive decision to move to LA. It was what made her hook up with her ex-husband, it was what made her turn to drugs for some relief of missing him. "I missed you so much. So much so that I made the wrong decisions just to get you out of my head, yet here you are. Now that you are here, I'm leaving in constant fear that you will leave, wondering why the hell you would stick around this version of me now." Gwen's eyes watered and she took his hands.

"I was weak minded, not strong enough to push you out of my mind so I did what I could to forget. But I never did. Now you are here, telling me to keep fighting for my family, for Rory. But in reality, I'm fighting for this chance with you because I have to know what could have been. Now I know and all I want you to do is find someone better than me, because you deserve it Jason, even if you don't believe it, you do."
with: Jason Pyroclast

 

[Pyroclast]

Syd Porter

Syd's smile reached his eyes when Roxie promised him that he would be home soon. Unable to see an end to his internment, his optimism was often dampened and thoughts of home became more a source of misery than one of hope. Somehow, however, it was much easier to believe coming from her. It made him feel safe to be reminded that she hadn't given up on him, that she was expecting him to come home and that his internment was only temporary.

When Roxie leaned in close, Syd did the same, revelling in her comforting presence. But as soon as she revealed what was on her mind and began to ask him questions about his treatment in the hospital, Syd's momentary bliss came to an end. His smile faded and it became increasingly difficult to look her in the eye as he struggled to think of how to answer her. Of course, he didn't want to worry her, but at the same time, he wanted to establish an honest and open relationship with her. Then there was the question of where to even begin. It didn't feel like he had any rights at all; every single part of his day was monitored and controlled to the point where he felt he had no autonomy left whatsoever.

Syd met Roxie's eyes and offered her a weak smile. "Sure I'd tell you," he assured her, then immediately wished he hadn't. In the last few days, he had been spending more hours of the day in restraints than not. They stopped him from resisting the nasogastric tubes being forced down his throat, and sometimes he wasn't even released after he was fed in case he tried to expel the food that he believed was being used to poison him. Then, on the days when he received ECT, there were the restraints that held his body down as the doctors induced agonising seizures. Not to mention the sedatives used to calm him down from the occasional fit of rage, night terror or panic attack.

As he reflected on what his life had become, Syd found himself speechless. He wished there could be a way for him to communicate his experiences to her without having to say them aloud. His eyes glazed over with tears and he let his gaze fall to the table. "It's okay," he whispered, pausing to chew on his bottom lip for a moment before rearing his head again. The movement caused a tear to fall down his face. "I've had two ECT sessions now and I think...well, I'm feeling different today. Better than I have. My head's a little clearer." Syd's face broke into a smile and he quickly wiped the tear from his cheek before letting his hand fall over Roxie's once again. "Anyway, it's all temporary, so, you know...don't worry. I'm getting out of here. I am. I'll leave it all behind me and come back to you and then we can just get on with life. Don't have to think about it ever again, or even remember it."

Part of him suddenly worried that if he didn't tell Roxie everything, he would end up questioning whether his experiences inside the facility had even happened; at this point, he couldn't trust his own mind. Then again, he was already so uncertain about his perception of reality during the build up to his suicide attempt that he didn't see what difference it would make to try to make sense of memories that he didn't even want to hold onto.

Prompted by the presence of a passing nurse, Roxie quickly steered the conversation in a different direction. She described a troubling situation that had arisen regarding the outcome of her recent fundraising efforts. Syd cocked his head, eyes narrowing in wonder. Her father's words didn't sound too convincing to him either, but he wasn't sure why. "It does sound kinda suspicious," he agreed. "But I mean...if you're the one in touch with these charities, aren't you also the one with the best idea of how many supporters you reach? Isn't that how it works? So then, why would your dad know better than you?" Syd lightly squeezed her hand, looking into her eyes to try to read what she was thinking. "Do you think he's hiding something from you?"

Interactions
Bellz Roxie

 

[Misty Gray]

Sinead Callahan​

In the Upper East Side of Manhattan, Sinead's errand to pick up the dress she'd ordered had turned out to be a bigger shopping trip than intended. She'd bought Emery a green midi-skirt which she just knew her daughter would adore and given that George had told the Callahans how mathematically gifted he thought the teenager was, the girl had surely earned a treat. Sinead had decided if she persisted to encourage Emery's academic talents, the girl might grow out of her desperation to work for James by joining the family business. One less person to worry about! The theme of spoiling her loved ones hadn't stopped there as she'd spotted a black shirt that she knew would look perfect on Peter for their next date night, so she'd gone along and bought that too.

After leaving the large clothes store, Sinead had been heading towards the small bag shop where she was hoping the purse she wanted to buy Lucy for her birthday was still in stock. There had been a moment when she had stopped in her tracks, her attention drawn to the display in the window of the children's clothes shop. She couldn't help but get lost in her thoughts as she fixated on the tiny, adorable dresses on the toddler-size mannequins. Not to mention the sweet little baby-grows that were on sale. It reminded her of the young energy she missed around the house and how she'd once come so close to having that again...

"Mrs. Callahan. Need any help there?" the nearby male voice asked the distracted redhead. Sinead gasped before turning to face the man, placing a relieved hand on her chest when she realised the source of the voice was one of James' security guards. "Apologies for startling you, but you really should be more alert around the city," the overweight, younger man delicately reminded her.

"Oh, that's alright," Sinead replied, relieved the man addressing her was a familiar one. "I have one more stop and then I'm headed back home. Thank you for your concern, though. It's really sweet."

The man nodded his head and maintained a neutral expression, trying not to let the woman's bubbly nature cause him to lose his 'intimidating aura'. "Just doing my job. I'll be right over there if you need me," he told her, pointing towards the Porter-owned nightclub he was guarding.

After her exchange with the security guard, Sinead had entered the next shop to see if they had the purse in stock that she was buying for Lucy. She was disappointed to hear they'd already sold out of what she wanted. However, the shop assistant was kind enough to call around some of their other locations until finding that the store in East Harlem had one more purse in stock, which they were willing to hold for Sinead if she got there before they closed that day. After some deliberating, Sinead decided it was worth the detour to get her sister such a good present and with Lucy's birthday only a week away, she didn't want to risk not getting the purse on time.

It wasn't that long a drive from Upper East Side to East Harlem, but it was far from a smooth one. As she tried to keep an eye out for the store in question, she'd heard a thump coming from somewhere at the front of her car which proceeded to cause some kind of vibration as she drove along the street. She couldn't ignore the signs for long as soon there was a flapping sound that was was accompanied by a pulling on the steering wheel that made it difficult to drive in a straight enough line. Seeking the next available space, she carefully pulled into it and stopped the car. She stepped out of the purple Chevrolet convertible and looked down to see the front driver's side tyre was completely flat.

"You have got to be kidding me!" she angrily huffed. She removed her hat and gloves in frustration, tossing them onto the driver's seat. She then moved to the back of the car and opened the boot where she lifted the mat to find the spare tyre. She took a deep breath before lifting the wheel out of the car and struggling to keep a grip of it against her body as she carried it to the front of the car, setting it down on the ground. She briefly looked to her hands and skirt, seeing she'd already got some dirt on them. She let out a sigh before crouching down to take a closer look at the flat tyre. She awkwardly chewed her bottom lip as she knew what she shouldn't have had to even wasted time considering, which was the fact she didn't have a clue what she was doing. Still awkwardly crouched down, she looked over her shoulder to see if any of the nearby shops looked open or if there was at least someone around who had a clue how to change a car tyre.

Pyroclast

 

[Misty Gray]

Gabriel Moretti
~ Luis and Carlos Martinez ~​

Carlos was stunned by the unexpected arm that was tightly wrapped around his throat. He struggled against Tony as he felt the man's hold restricting his air flow. Gasping for air, he attempted to wriggle out of the bigger man's clutches, only to be dragged backwards with more pressure against his airways. As Tony reminded him against questioning Gabriel's management, Carlos attempted to squeeze out an apology for his foolish error, but all that really came out was intelligible sounds. After a while, Tony loosened his hold slightly, giving Carlos more room to breathe though still placing some constriction on his throat. "Sorry," he gasped out, looking to Gabriel. "My mistake," he sheepishly added.

"That's no trouble, Tony," Gabriel replied to his trusted employee, giving a small smirk in return to the man's wink. "I take offence to your criticism, Carlos. However, there's no use in dwelling on the more minor transgressions..." he trailed off. Decisively nodding his head, Gabriel set about prolonging the silence as he carefully returned the bricks of cocaine back into the box. One at a time, he place each block back into the box, stacking them as neatly as they'd been originally packed, before closing the flaps of the cardboard box. Almost as if he was oblivious to any eyes on him, Gabriel lifted the box and casually carried it from the table and slowly placed it back on the shelving by the other boxes of drugs. He glanced to the cleaning products on the shelf below before looking up to the two armed men guarding the door at the top of the steps. He sent a signal for one to descend the stairs, whilst the other remained in his place guarding the door.

"Tatiana, be an angel and keep Luis company. He's looking awfully awkward standing there by himself. I do suspect he's quite out of his depth here," he remarked. With the attention drawn towards Luis, Gabriel pulled out his pistol and fired a bullet into the back of Miguel's knee. "Get down on the floor where you belong!" he commanded, though it was intended as an instruction for the looming guard to step in. With Miguel likely writhing in pain, he didn't get much chance to react as the guard kicked him in the back of the leg and forced him down onto his knees. Gabriel motioned for his guard to step aside before bringing a bottle of caustic soda into view and tossing the contents into Miguel's face, the powder finding its way into both eyes and causing an intense burning sensation to the man. "You really shouldn't leave this stuff so close to the stock. It's an accident waiting to happen," Gabriel's voice boomed over any pained yells and any protests.

"Please. Listen. We've--" Carlos began, the panic evident in both his voice and his continual attempts to get himself out of Tony's grip.

"The time for you to talk is done. You had your opportunity to confess and all you gave me were lies. Lies and complete disrespect." Gabriel let out a chuckle as he pointed towards Luis. "Your cousin told me everything," he began, turning to look Carlos in the eyes. "I appreciate his honesty, but that's a snake if ever I saw one. To do the dirty on his own family like that and for what? A private viewing of what happens when people betray me."

"No. It was like that. I..." Luis began, quickly looking around for any potential escape route. With Tatiana at his side and the guard at the top of the stairs, it didn't look promising to him.

"Tony, I'm bored of this one," he said, pointing to Carlos. "Do what you need to do and don't worry about the mess. It won't matter for long." Gabriel then turned back to Miguel and looked to the man. "How are you holding up, Miguel? Stop joking around and look me in the eyes when I address you," he said, fully aware of the irony in his words, given the fact he'd just thrown a corrosive substance into his eyes. "Tell me I've got it all wrong and offer me a convincing explanation."


Present: Misty Gray (Gabriel, Luis, Carlos), RayPurchase (Tony), Pyroclast (Tatiana, Miguel)
NPCs x2 Bodyguards

 

[Fletchawk]

Owen Yu
~ Ryan Donahue ~



*Knock* *Knock* *Knock* * Knock*​

The man had been following Owen for a month, or at least was attempting to. He’d been vigilantly paying attention to his surroundings, especially after the beatings he received from his last failure, so when Owen realized he’d caught a tail, he evaporated from the busy New York streets. It was another week before Owen saw the man again, and lost him just as easily, but it started to happen with ever increasing frequency. When it started to be a daily occurrence, he avoided the streets entirely, and if possible, the bridges as well. It worked for a while, until the incessant knocking on the door.

*Knock* *Knock* *Knock* * Knock*​

Danny was out working the crowd at The Lomax, and his cliente knew that, not that many knew where his place, or remembered after arriving “enlightened”. However, Owen knew the knocking wasn’t a junkie desperate for a hit. It was too loud, too steady, and no pleading voice looking to trade their soul. Normally, the landlord stood watch, as another Porter “affiliate”, from his office in the lobby, but occasionally, one would slip through in the dead of the night. Which it wasn’t who this was, not this time.

*Knock* *Knock* *Knock* * Knock*​

Owen contemplated bailing out of his usual window of entry, “But then what?” he asked himself. He had no one to fall back upon. Danny? The guy was awesome, but he owed him a few months of back rent, not to mention the guy wouldn’t hurt a fly to save his own skin. Bailey was six feet under in Texas. And Bailey’s squeeze, Farrid? He’d met the man thrice, and he already owed the man twice over. Carrick? It had been years since he’d seen hide or hair of his “father”.

*Knock* *Knock* *Knock* * Knock*​

Looking around his room for a moment, he started to wonder if it was all worth it. Aside from the rickety end table that seemed to be struggling under two dozen comic books, his room was fairly bleak. The three sets of pants, and roughly twice as many shirts in his closet had collected over the past few years. His one and only coat had been given to him by Bailey for Christmas last year. The coat, and a worn brass trumpet made up the total of his treasured positions.

*Knock* *Knock* *Knock* *Knock*​

Again, whomever it was at the door, reminded Owen that they were still there, not that he needed it. Regardless, Owen felt like he was fourteen again, helpless, and on his own. Quite frankly, it stirred something vicious within him. He was already tired of running away, but now he had to choose between running and abandoning what little he had gained, or staying and dealing with whatever was knocking on the door. As if on cue…

*Knock* *Knock* *Knock* *Knock* ​

“Fuck,” he said quietly under his breath while pushing himself off his bed, having made his choice, he opened the door to his room, and made his way to the front door to face the music.

Ryan’s fingers clenched rhythmically at his side in an attempt to restrain his nervous energy whilst quietly counting down the seconds he told himself to wait between each knocking, “...six, five, four, thr…” The noise of a deadbolt being retracted caused him to freeze, and his gaze had been burning a hole through the door itself shifted to the doorknob as he took a step away, realizing that he’d been standing barely a foot from the door’s surface.

As the moment of silence seemed to stretch indefinitely, he licked his lips and cleared his throat before cautiously acknowledged the presence on the other side, “Hello?” Silence answered, “I’m looking for a Mr. Yu,” Ryan shook his head a little at the phonetics of his boy’s name, “An Owen Yu. Korean. Nineteen, twenty in a little less than two months. Lived in Los Angeles...”

“Who are you, and what do you want?” A male voice interrupted through the door, sounding irritated.

Ryan, however, went from nervous to ecstatic, as the words as good as confirmed his, and he took a second to pull himself into the calm demeanor he practiced over the years in the mirror, “My name’s Ryan Donahue, and I’ve been looking for you for a long time. I have a letter from your mother that will explain everything,” he said, retrieving the second envelope that he brought with him to NYC from the pocket of his coat.

“Go away!”

The two words cut into the man standing in the quiet hallway, draining away the tense energy that was built up within him. Sue had warned him. She had told him that he may not want to come back. He just didn’t believe her, until now.

“Look, kid. Like I said before, I’ve been looking for you for a long time. I can’t just walk away, not now,” he said, emotionally steeling himself before the desperation in his voice broke through.

The response was louder, and more immediate, “I’m sorry my wretched mother wasted your time, but like I said before; Go. Away. Before I call the fuzz.”

His fingers rapidly clenched into fists until he combed them through his hair to prevent himself from hitting something, tugging at it slightly in frustration with each pass. To think Sue would tease him by saying he’d make a great father, and here he was already about to throttle the kid within minutes of talking to him. For some reason, it reminded him of the time that Sue asked his mother how she dealt with Ryan’s shenanigans. His mother gave her a single word as an answer, “Patience.”

Keeping that in mind, he decided it would be best to just give Owen the letter, and then give the boy some time, “Fine, but at least take the letter first. So I can at least tell her I gave it to you. Please?

There was another uncomfortable silence before a muffled voice said something indistinguishable, followed by a series of metallic noises from the door. Ryan was about to ask what he said, but the words died in his mouth when he got a good look at Owen’s face up close for the first time. From what he could tell, the boy was more wiry than he thought, about the same height as him, although he was still nearly a foot taller than his mother.

"Keep staring, and I'll start charging," Owen said through the partly open door, who eyed the letter for a few seconds before holding his hand out, "Now you and your creepy friend can tell my mother you delivered the letter, but I'd appreciate it if you left out..."

The tension in the hall changed the moment Owen mentioned the third party that was barely leaning out from the stairwell that was a few dozen feet down the hall. Ryan's posture tighten briefly, leaving a few new wrinkles on the envelope he was holding. His eyes were no long on the boy, but the shadow he'd been oblivious to. Owen watched the man's neck clench a few times as his gaze flitted between the two of them as if waiting for a clock to strike noon. The next few seconds was a flurry of motion.

"MOVE!" Ryan shouted as he charged through the door, followed by a booming roar from hallway, sending Owen sprawling on the floor.

"What the FUCK do you think you're doing?!" Owen yelled at Ryan as he scrambled to his feet, readying himself to put up a fight, but found his intruder already throwing the door's locks into place.

Turning around, Ryan's eyes scanned the flat that he'd barged into as his mind was falling back into old habits, "Kid, you got a way out of here?"

Not entirely sure of the man's intent, Owen hesitated for a moment before answering, "Yeah. Use it keep creepy old men off my trail, until you..." he replied, his wit switch seemingly stuck in the on position.

"Okay, here, take the letter," he growled, thrusting the paper into Owen's hands, "Things are gonna be right messy here in a few seconds, so go to The Emerald Pub. You know where it is, right?"

"Yeah," he nodded, not actually being to recall the exact location, but remembered it not being far off from The Lomax.

"Then scram, kid!" Ryan yelled, before another roaring blast erupted, and the section where one of the door's hinges was, exploded into fragments of wood.

Owen didn't need a second telling. By the time the third blast echoed, he was already on the fire escape. He was just hitting alleyway running when an explosion went off from the apartment he vacated, sending shattered glass showering upon him. It wasn't until he was nearly to The Lomax that he started feel where the door had been smashed into him, although he prefered it to remaining in there after whatever happened Ryan in there. A few moments later, and after banging on the service door to the nightclub, he flagged Pyroclast down and dragged him out back to avoid being overheard, as it was still slow. All the while, the envelope still clenched in his hand.

 

[Misty Gray]

Savannah Callahan​

Savannah continued to aim the unloaded gun at the tree, maintaining her stance as she awaited further instruction from her father. As Peter answered her questions, she looked to the man as she listened to his words. "I know this lifestyle has always been a thing for this family, even before I was born," she said, nodding along. She knew before she was born, her family weren't the ones in charge in Chicago and that they were fighting for power against the Romanos. In charge or not, she knew it had always been dangerous for her family. She lowered her arms and relaxed her stance when told to do so. "I know we take care of our own and I appreciate this family isn't made of monsters."

She let out a soft sigh as Peter said he hoped she wouldn't be placed in another dire situation. Eventually, Peter answered the question she'd been hoping he wouldn't ignore. He confirmed that he had killed before, though only in retaliation to threats in order to protect their family. "I understand, Dad," she reassured him. "I don't like violence, but if the people you've killed were anything at all like the men who abducted me, then I completely understand why you had to kill them."

She looked down to the unloaded gun before looking back to Peter. "It's weird to hear how outsiders to all of this think of our family, y'know? Even though he now realises how normal and loving our family is, Danny's still intimidated by the idea..." she trailed off, realising she'd mentioned Danny who she'd not yet told her parents about. "I don't want to join the family business or go around shooting at people. I just want to be able to protect myself and live my life. I just got offered the lead role in Cinderella and I want to know I can just focus on that," she said, hoping her good news would be enough to keep the conversation relaxed.


Bellz (Peter)

 

[Pyroclast]

Tatiana Moretti
~ Miguel Martinez ~

Miguel cast a sly grin in Tony's direction when Carlos told him that he didn't have to bash their heads in to hear their ideas. He wondered why Gabriel would have brought a disabled man and a woman as back up. They themselves had no one else on their side, but Miguel felt he had an advantage over those two at least. He hadn't been expecting a visit at all, but if he was reading the tension in the room correctly then he would have to prepare himself for the possibility of a fight. After all, he was guilty - and now, close to being caught.

Halfway through weighing the contents of each box for her father, Tatiana glanced over to Miguel. The look of dismay on his face was subtle, but she could tell his confidence was beginning to falter. When she was done and the measurements had been written down, Gabriel remarked that the figures had changed. "They've fallen short, boss," she confirmed, looking between the three Martinez men with a flash of intimidation in her eyes. While not physically imposing by any means, her unwavering confidence was what gave her a sense of power over them.

Miguel looked away from her and over to Carlos, the look in his eye darkening with every excuse that came from his brother's mouth. He wished to God that he would shut up - but then again, he wasn't sure what to say either. It was clear the two of them hadn't got their story straight and he didn't trust Carlos not to say something stupid.

Watching his brother be hauled into a choke hold made Miguel cringe. "Hey..." he weakly interjected, but he couldn't think of anything to say that would save his brother and himself from further harm. It was uncomfortable to watch, but when he looked away he caught Tatiana staring him down, the smallest of smirks on her face, and he felt strangely overpowered.

The sound of footsteps descending the stairs briefly stole his attention - he hadn't registered the two guards that were blocking their only exit. The sudden realisation that they were trapped and outnumbered made him start to sweat. It didn't look like there would be much of a fight now.

Tatiana didn't hesitate to make her way over to where Luis was standing as her father instructed her. She loved to make a man uncomfortable and, sensing his fear, she slowly circled him until she was standing right behind him. Suddenly, a shot echoed through the basement, causing her to flinch. A deep cry of pain emanated from Miguel as he keeled over and Gabriel yelled at him to get on the floor. Before he could collapse to the ground, one of the guards gave him a hand by kicking him in the back of the knee and the man fell face first onto the hard floor. The shock had him shaking and desperately grasping at his leg as though it would somehow ease the pain or stem the blood flow. Tatiana reached up and gave Luis' shoulder a firm squeeze, as though to remind him that they would move onto him soon enough.

Only moments later, Miguel was hit in the face by a handful of powder and he was instantly blinded, a searing pain penetrating his eyeballs and seeming to burrow all the way through his head. His hands shot up to protect his face and he began to scream in agony, the burn so intense that he lost awareness of his surroundings altogether. Tears streamed from his eyes and with every breath he took he inhaled some more of the corrosive powder, causing his breath to hitch until he choked. Far too occupied by the pain, all discussion between Gabriel, Carlos and Luis was lost on him, until eventually he managed to pick up his name. He couldn't move or open his eyes, but he heard what the man had said. It didn't seem fair that in his last chance to defend himself, he was in no state to even speak. Drawing a rattling breath, Miguel could only just croak the words, "Fuck...you...!"

Interactions
RayPurchase Tony
Misty Gray Gabriel, Luis, Carlos

 

[Bellz]

Roxie Carriveau ​

Roxie was concerned for Syd, more so than she would actually let on. Him telling her that he had two ECT session specifically made her anxious, not hearing good things about the treatment from some of the research she'd done in her spare time. There was conflicting reports on it but Roxie felt that inducing anyone into a seizure wasn't good for the brain. He stated that his head was a little clearer which made her happy but she couldn't return the smile he gave her.

It was only temporary, he reminded her and she slowly nodded her head. After steering the conversation to something different, Roxie was curious to think what Syd thought about the situation. Clearly, money was being withheld, or that's what she was thinking but she couldn't prove it. "That's what gets me, if I'm being honest. I have so much connection with the charities and I had the accountants do the calculations...the number received has changed from what it originally was and no one has batted an eye."

Thinking about her father's company and how he ran it left her feeling unsettled. When she first started working there, she thought he was doing good for the people in need but now she couldn't shake the thought that he might be behind the loss in funds. Syd squeezed her hand and Roxie looked down at their hands for a moment as she thought about his questions. Why would he know better than her? The question seemed so simple and yet she was having the hardest time giving a proper explanation. Shaking her head, Roxie opened her mouth to speak but a moment later ended up snapping it shut again. Taking a deep breath, Roxie's mind was struggling to find an explanation as to why the numbers were different a second time. Sure, the funds were taxed but she'd seen it done a million times, the government only took so much out.

"Wouldn't be the first time he's hid something from me." Roxie finally said before looking up to Syd. Her brows scrunched together as she thought about what her father could be doing and when she gave herself an answer, it didn't sound right. "I'm not an expert on this stuff but the original numbers I had don't match the numbers that are in there now...the government takes out taxes from the total amount but not enough to make that much of a difference." Pausing, Roxie took a second to look around her not wanting anyone to hear what she was about to say next.

"I think he's committing fraud, Syd. I think somehow, he's dipped into the funds raised and is using it for himself but, I don't know how I can prove it."
with: Syd Pyroclast

Peter Callahan​

Peter said nothing as Savvy said she understood why he to kill people. Part of him was riddled with anxiety wondering if that her perception of him would change. Peter loved his oldest child, even if she wasn't exactly his, it didn't make a difference to him. He loved her with everything he had and for her to look at him differently would hurt him. Taking a deep breath, Peter eventually smiled at his daughter before she looked down at the gun.

Hearing her say that it was weird to hear what outsiders thought of the family made his smile fade slightly. And then she said a name he'd never heard before and the smile was wiped completely from his face. Who the fuck was Danny? Maybe it was just one of her friends? Or was it-? Peter didn't even want to think of Savannah dating but she was very much old enough to. The way she had cut off her sentence caused Peter to look at her with suspicion, eyes narrowing slightly as she continued to speak about protecting herself and working on her career.

"I'm so glad you are so focused on your career, love. It makes me so happy to know that my daughter has goals and aspirations that she takes strides in working towards." He murmured, debating if he should just let the little slip up go.

After a moment, he sighed and with a serious look on his face, he walked towards his daughter to take the gun from her. "Time to show you how to actually use this thing." Moving to grab the magazine from his back pocket, he took the gun and loaded it before taking the stance he had showed her. "So..." He started before firing off two or three shots into the tree with perfect aim. "Who's Danny?"
with: Savvy Misty Gray

​

 

[Pyroclast]

Danny Vaughan

The Lomax had suffered some bad publicity since Syd's attempted suicide in his office during opening hours. His personal assistant, Benjamin Teller, had done his best to bribe the press to leave them alone and made sure that none of the staff took money from reporters in exchange for witness statements, but there was little he could do to control what other witnesses did with their information. The single gunshot and reports of the club owner being carried out of the building ended up making headlines and a small investigation was launched. The weekend's shows were cancelled due to the temporary closure, creating more headlines, and it began to spin out of Benjamin's control. Profits were lost, reputations damaged - but in the end, publicity was publicity, and when the investigation was over, Benjamin managed to draw in more customers than ever. At the expense of his boss, whom he had decided not to visit at the hospital out of respect for his privacy - and partly because the thought made him uncomfortable - business was doing very well, and Benjamin had built a strong reputation for himself for his fortitude and unexpectedly successful management skills.

With the club now thriving, Danny had managed to pick up some new regular customers, selling drugs faster than ever before. It was busier during the days, too, so even though he was getting paid rather handsomely for his efforts in dealing off-shift, his ordinary shifts were now more labour-intensive. Of course, despite his unsavoury relationship with the man, Danny was concerned for his boss' health and wasn't sure when - or if - to expect to ever see him again. It became a taboo subject in the workplace, but the lack of conversation about it didn't stop him from wondering about it every day. At least he was confident that he wasn't going to lose his job, since the man's personal assistant had stepped up and assumed all of his prior responsibilities, including the drug business.

Danny being Danny, he had taken it upon himself to maintain a positive atmosphere in the workplace and not let Syd's absence cast a shadow over his coworkers. Oddly, and perhaps partly because his boss was no longer there to watch and judge him, Danny began to enjoy his shifts more; even though it took up more of his time that he would have preferred to spend with Savannah or getting high, he didn't often find himself counting down the hours until he could leave. But when Owen appeared out of the blue, it snapped Danny out of his work mindset and he smiled warmly to his friend, pleased to have an excuse to step outside for a smoke break.

"Ay, look who finally crawled out of the apartment!" he jeered, pulling out a joint and proceeding to light it up. "Didn't you come here for a drink? What we doin' out back, Owen?"

Interactions
Fletchawk Owen

 

[Pyroclast]

Jason Costello

It was getting harder and harder for Jason to sit here and listen to Gwen. It was like she was forcing him to picture life without her, which he had specifically not let himself do. She had suffered a lot in life, gone through things that Jason could only imagine, but it saddened him deeply to hear that she wanted to give up. The happy memories he had of her now only burdened him as they reminded him of how much everything had changed, how far away the good times seemed now.

Gwen went on, dwelling on what her life could have been like had Lorelei not been born. "No, you're wrong there," he told her with put-on confidence, a brief smile passing across his face. "Our paths would have crossed again. It was written in the stars, so it was." But Jason wasn't so sure anymore. That night back in the summer when he had ended up at All That Jazz for the first time and seen Gwen, he had truly believed it to be a sign. It felt like the universe had brought them back together so that they could recreate the night they had first met and have a second chance at a relationship. And it could have been perfect if it wasn't for the drug slowly sucking the life out of her. Now, it seemed like that second chance was about to be snatched away from him. He would have thought it was some karmic punishment from the universe for breaking her heart all those years ago, but in his eyes she had done nothing to deserve such a fate.

As though reading his thoughts, Gwen began to describe the effect that his leaving her had had on her. The bad decisions she made to stop herself from thinking of him. Jason felt his face growing tense as it became increasingly more difficult to maintain a calm, collected expression. After the two had split up, she had entered an abusive marriage and got addicted to heroin. Had that all been because of him? Did it all trace back to the pain and heartbreak he had caused her? The thought sickened him and he pulled away from her slightly, looking down into the space between them so that he didn't have to look her in the eye.

Gwen took his hands in hers, prompting him to raise his head. He had to make sure his feelings didn't show themselves. The last thing he wanted in that moment was to damage her any further than he apparently already had; making her feel guilty for upsetting him was entirely unnecessary. Her words were like a stab to the heart. The way she talked about herself with such loathing and how, after outlining all the ways in which he had ruined her life, she still believed that he deserved someone better than her. "Gwen, don't be daft, now," he said, the intended lightness of his tone somewhat tainted by his dark mood. "There is no one better for me than you. In fact, there's no one else at all. No one ever has or ever will come even close to what ye mean t'me. For God's sake...When're ye going t'realise that I'm not giving up on you?" In the moment, Jason lost his grip on his emotions for a second and his voice wavered slightly. He clenched his jaw and took a slow inhale to steady himself as he looked deep into her eyes, willing her to understand him.

Feeling his emotions threaten to rise up again, Jason squeezed her hands and let out a sigh. He let the air around them grow calm and focused on being present with her rather than worrying about the future or regretting his past decisions. "Please keep fighting for this chance, Gwen. I can't fight it for you, only you can. Please keep on fighting."

Interactions
Bellz Gwen

 

[Bellz]

Blake McCarthy
Natasha McCarthy

​

The 7 hour and 44 minute flight was wearing down what patience Blake had left. Natasha had been asleep for most of the flight, so that was a godsend but Blake didn't sleep a wink. Once the plane touched down on the tarmac and came to a stop in the gate, Blake was one of the first people up out of her seat, reaching for her sleeping daughter before positioning her comfortably in her arms. With no carry on luggage besides her purse, she was able to slip off the plane without fighting other passengers to get ahead.

Making her way over to the baggage claim, she was lucky enough to spot her luggage before shifting Natasha to one arm and reaching down to grab both suitcases one at a time with her free hand. Knowing that she wasn't going to be able to carry everything, she gently started to see her daughter down on her feet. "Nat, baby, we're here." She told the sleepy child and Natasha let out a soft yawn and stretched her arms out. "I'm tired, mum." The little girl complained and Blake smiled as she knelt down and smoothed the girls dark locks on her head. "We'll be where we need to be soon, but I can't carry you and all the bags. So you're gonna have to use your legs." Natasha nodded her head before Blake stood back up straight. "Hold on to my pocket, I don't want you getting lost now." The blonde woman said before rolling the luggage towards the outside of the airport, Natasha in tow.

Outside, they were met by a line of men in suits holding signs with names on them. Seeing her last name on one of them, Blake maneuvered around people, looking back at Natasha repeatedly to make sure she was following before finally meeting the man near the car. "Mrs. McCarthy?" The man asked in a deep baritone and Blake smiled widely, "That's me." She said with a sign, relieved as the man went to pick up their bags so Blake could hold Natasha once more.

***​

Blake had seen the luxury that the Porter's lived in before but their new home took her breath away just like the last one had. Natasha had fallen back asleep in her arms so the ride had been quiet. Pulling through the gates, the car was followed by quite a few dogs which was normal for the Porter household. Once the car parked, the man upfront opened the door for her and made his way to the trunk to grab her luggage.

Blake gently shook Natasha and woke her up, this time she was a little grumpier, swatting her mother's hand away as she was shook. "Come on, love. You are going to have friends to play with." She tried to persuade her and it seemed to work as the little girl opened her blue/green eyes. "Fwends?" She asked and Blake nodded her head. "Lots of em" Though her daughter had friends back home, it was important that she would have some while they were in New York and luckily the family was never short of children.

After successfully getting her out of the car, the girls walked hand in hand up to the front door before knocking on it. "I'm hungry, mum." Natasha told Blake, looking up at the large house before them. "We'll get something to eat, I promise. You ready to see Daddy?" She asked and the little girl smiled widely, the spaces from where her baby teeth were falling out showing clear as day. "Yes!!" She cheered.

Answer that fucking door: Misty Gray
mentions: Jackson Enzyme

 

[Misty Gray]

Savannah Callahan​

Savannah noticed the change in Peter when she'd slipped up and mentioned Danny. She brushed it off and maintained a soft smile in her father's presence. She was glad when he chose to speak about her career. "I'm glad you're happy with it. I know most of us want to be a part of the family business, but the life I want is in the theatre and modelling. I just love being creative," she enthused. "I'm excited for rehearsals and everything else that comes with it. I thought I'd appreciate the downtime I've had lately, but honestly, it's just given me too much time to think. To dwell..." she trailed off.

Savannah let Peter take the gun from her, opening her eyes wider as he began loading the weapon. She observed him take the appropriate stance. Without delay, the man fired a couple of bullets into the opposite tree. She flinched in response to each loud bang, but soon recovered and kept her focus. However, hearing Peter ask who Danny was right after firing the gun seemed to make her a little uncomfortable. She was sure she was meant to take his actions as some kind of a warning on Danny;s behalf, but she felt there was no need for her father to show such hostility.

"Danny? Well, he's..." she began, looking down towards the ground. She cleared her throat before looking up to Peter again. "Danny's a real nice guy, Dad. He's such a peaceful person. I reckon you'd really like him." she began, sending a hopeful gaze Peter's way. "He works in a club and..." she began, deciding for now it was best to omit the full extent of Danny's job and that he was employed by Syd. "We've been dating the a few weeks. I didn't want to say anything until I was sure it would amount to anything more than just a few dates." Savannah folded her arms. She suddenly felt like she needed to defend Danny to her father. Perhaps it was because of how afraid Danny had been of her family finding out about their relationship. "He seems to like me for who I am. I don't have to pretend to be something I'm not and he seems to genuinely care about me, not like how the last two guys I dated treated me..."


Bellz (Peter)
Mention: Pyroclast (Danny)

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Teddy Wycliff

There was a stare down happening, one with a man who's eyes weren't familiar to him. He knew these eyes didn't belong to the man who had gone with James to the meeting with Moretti, so who was he? Someone who hated the Moretti family, that much was apparent. They way he got angry at the fact he was defying his little boss brought some sort of happiness within him. Pissing people off, perhaps, was something of a joy for him since he did it so easily and made people act out with anger. Teddy watched Jackson as he moved to a bleeding table and grab one of the knives, walking back over to him. Teddy shook his head, in a sort of I can't believe this sort of way, at their choice of torturing device. But then again, while his fingers had been broken, he had never gotten them cut off. The thought of it happening one of these days had crossed his mind several times, but it actually happening was something completely different. He wasn't afraid of the fact that was probably about to lose some fingers, possibly getting killed or that he had been put in this predicament in the first place. It was more so that he hadn't taken the advice of a few that he should get his life together and get serious. He had plans to, of course, he just kept putting them off.

While Teddy was staring down Jackson, he tried his hardest not show that fear as his right wrist was being tied down. He tried to lift his wrists up, but to no avail as he felt that matching cold metal. His left hand was being held down on the table Teddy could hear and see being dragged across the floor of the meat locker. His eyebrows furrowed even more in an attempt to both hide his frustrations and try some last resort intimidation technique he knew deep down wouldn't work. For a split second he thought about what would really happen if he had told him. It would be the first time he said something of the sort and Gabe would surely understand the predicament he had been put in. Teddy was his informant and family friend, meaning he valued his life above all else. But, Teddy knew better than to do anything of the sort. Granted this wasn't the life he wanted for himself but he was in it and has long since become a family. That's why it felt so nice to openly tell the Porter's off. "Piss off. You think I'll betray my family for you shits? Think about that again." Watching Jackson raise his arm, ready to chop a finger, he inwardly braced himself for the pain he was undoubtedly going to feel soon.
​

 

[Fletchawk]

Owen Yu​

Still winded from running the several blocks, he intertwined his fingers behind his head as he started pacing back and forth in front of his gracious roommate. It wasn't until he about to recall what had happened that he realized how insane it all sounded.

"I..." He started, not sure entirely where to begin, or how to describe it, so he blurted out the information he thought was most relevant to Danny, his voice cracking under the stress, "I think our place just got blown up!"

Once the proverbial dam broke, Owen didn't wait for his friend respond and started to spill what had been happening over the past month, along with what had transpired at the apartment. When he was done expounding, he guiltily faced away from Danny having realized he should've mentioned the man sooner, as if the adrenaline dump that was kicking in wasn't making him feel shitty enough.


Pyroclast

 

[Bellz]

Gwen Bryant ​

The way Jason's voice waiver caught Gwen's attention as he ask when she was going to realize that he wasn't giving up on heart. She could see the tension in his jaw and the way he slowly exhaled. He didn't want to admit what she was doing to him, that she was wearing him down. Gwen said nothing as he squeezed her hands and sighed, silence filled the room. He spoke again and told her to keep fighting for this chance words cutting into her like a knife. She couldn't say anything because she didn't want to make that promise to him. Instead, she gave him the smallest of smile, teary eyes looking up towards the ceiling a moment before retuning to stare at him.

"You know," She started, turning her head to look around the room. "Believe it or not, I really do want to get clean." Gwen murmured, staring towards the window. "I haven't been outside recently, I'm starting to forget what sunlight feels like." Turning to look at Jason, she sighed looking clearly troubled, "I haven't had a cigarette in about a week and that's how I know this has gone too far. If I can't even get out of bed and outside to have a cigarette..." She shook her head and closed her eyes a moment, her bottom lip trembling. "And with Lorelei," She croaked, opening her eyes once more, tears pooling over and falling down her cheeks. "She wants me to play with her but I can hardly move..." Swallowing harshly, Gwen squeezed her eyes shut and ducked her head with embarrassment.

Taking a moment to just cry, she let her head hang before leaning into Jason's chest, wrapping her arms around him. She composed herself after a few minutes and sigh shakily. "I hope I didn't upset you for what I said before...my drug addiction isn't your fault. I am responsible for every decision I've made..." Gwen listened to Jason's heartbeat and closed her eyes, "Love makes a person do crazy things..." She murmured.

It felt so natural to call what they had together love. Gwen was in love with him when he left her and when she saw him at the audition for a moment she thought they were going to get another chance...but she had been prideful. Sniffling, Gwen lifted her head from his chest and moved her arms from around him, sliding her hands back into his. A smile crept on her face as she thought about something he said at the auditions, "Do you remember our argument at tthe auditions?" She questioned but didn't allow him to answer as she continued on, "You said, 'I've already got what I want. What make ye think I'd want you, too?'"Gwen mimicked his accent and lowered her voice a teasing smile on her face as she did it. "Looks like you can eat those words, you want me and you got me. Deal with it."
with: Jason Pyroclast

 

[Misty Gray]

James Porter
​

James wasn't at all surprised when Teddy recognised his voice, considering they'd had the pleasure of meeting already after Gabriel tricked Noah Harris into selling the garage to the Morettis. The masks were more for the benefit of Jackson and Keegan, ensuring their identities remained protected for as long as they wished for them to be. Though he was happy to remove the mask, for the time-being he was more interested in listening to Teddy being a smart-ass back at him. "I'm afraid Mrs. Moretti is in for a whole lot of upset for as long as you and her husband persist in sticking your noses in where they don't belong."

James listened as Teddy continued on, making it clear he wasn't willing to divulge the information that had been asked of him. When told to 'piss off', James calmly nodded his head. "As you wish," he replied. Clasping his hands together behind his back, James took a couple of steps away from Teddy, allowing the other men to comply with Jackson's order to tie Teddy's hand down. All the while, James eyes, surrounded by the black ski mask, remained fixed firmly on Teddy's face, not breaking his stare as he looked down on the man. With Keegan holding Teddy down, Jackson addressed the enemy. Teddy was asked again to give James the information he'd asked for, with the threat of chopping off the man's fingers. Despite Jackson's and Keegan's intervention, Moretti's guy remained defiant, once again telling them to 'piss off'.

"Well, that's disappointing..." James gruffly trailed off. He removed the mask from over his head, seeing no need for him to hide his identity from Teddy. He looked Jackson in the eyes and nodded his head once. "We'll start with two," he confirmed, cuing for Jackson to make use of the meat cleaver he was holding ready. With his friend swinging into action, James kept his eyes trained on Teddy.

*****​

James remained on the spot for a short time, allowing Teddy's punishment to sink in for a little before moving onto the next stage. "Still don't want to talk?" James asked. He reached out to ruffle Teddy's hair before giving him a firm pat on the shoulder. He then walked away, addressing Jackson, Keegan and the guards as he did. "Tie his hands behind his back and bring him over here." James stopped by the large sink which he'd already filled with cold water in preparation. "Perhaps you'll feel a little more refreshed and ready to talk after some time underwater," he pointed out.

James would then have Jackson and Keegan hold Teddy's head, face-first, under the water until he could see the man struggling to breathe. He would then signal for them to lift Teddy's head back out and out of the water, allowing him to catch his breath back. He would have then repeat the action four more times before giving Teddy a reprieve to get his senses back. "Are you still not ready to cooperate? Tell us where the drugs are," James commanded Teddy, his voice calm yet filled with an edge that would give off the impression he might not choose to hold back for too much longer.


Melanin-Gxdess (Teddy) Enzyme (Jackson) Bugsy (Keegan)

 

[Misty Gray]

Adam Harper​

After dropping James off, Adam had headed to the Porter mansion to return his boss' car, knowing the man would return home in the same vehicle as Jackson once they were done with Teddy. After a brief chat with the guards in the garden, Adam headed into the house to use the guest bathroom. He'd tried to be quick and stealthy, wishing to avoid getting stuck helping Lucy babysit or something of that nature. He failed just as he had the front door in his sights as he was approached by the familiar blonde child. "Are you behaving yourself, Olivia?" he asked her.

"Well, yeah. Of course!" Olivia sweetly replied. She fidgeted with the buttons on her cardigan as she looked up to the man. She'd known him while Arlene was alive, as he knew the woman from back when Liam was in charge.

"You'll tell me anything! I ain't fooled by that innocent face of yours," he couldn't help but tease her. He much preferred adult interactions, but he'd remembered Olivia taking after her mother and having a sharp tongue of her own when Arlene was still alive. It was still quite recent since the woman's death and so it was clear to see Olivia was still trying to get back to normal.

Adam's observations were halted by the knocking at the front door. "I'll get it, Mrs. Porter," the man called out so Lucy didn't have to rush what she was doing. He pulled open the door and Olivia stepped aside so she wasn't in the way. Seeing the attractive blonde woman standing on the doorstep, Adam couldn't help but grin. He'd long since come to the conclusion that the Sullivan family was some kind of magnet for beautiful women and the newcomer at the door was clearly no exception. "Afternoon, Miss. Are the Porters expecting you?" he asked her, flashing a charming smile. On account of being sucked in by Blake's beauty, he hadn't really registered that the small child at her side wasn't one of the usual kids running riot around the mansion. "Need any help with your bags? Little Olivia here's been working out," he joked.

"No, you can do it because you've got bigger arms than me," Olivia protested. Her eyes had already found Natasha and so she sent the girl a bashful smile.

"Well, that's me told," Adam remarked. He then stepped aside to let Blake and Natasha enter the house. He couldn't help but send the woman another glance, but the wedding ring on her finger was a dead giveaway that he should probably keep his eyes to himself. "Is anyone else with you?" he asked, wanting to keep tabs on who was visiting the house.

Bellz (Blake, Natasha)

 

[Enzyme]

Jackson McCarthy​

Jackson's brows furrowed behind his mask as the informant, who's hand was being held on a chopping block, continued to stand his ground. Teddy was either the most disciplined chap Jackson had ever come across, or the man had become utterly delusional after the blow to the head in the van. Nevertheless, his defiance was admirable yet foolish. Jackson didn't need to look up at James to know what the man expected. With the order of two, Jackson let out a loud grunt as he brought down the meat cleaver in a mighty blow. The jagged blade came down at a skewed angle, causing a sickening tear to erupt as it shredded through the joints of Teddy's index and middle finger. Jackson snarled as he brought down the cleaver again in quick succession. The second strike had been brought down with such force that it chopped cleanly through the two fingers, just before the knuckles, and embedded itself in the wooden block underneath. The revolting crack resembled carrots being snapped, as both fingers shot off the gore-riddled board and onto the frozen floor. Without delay, hot blood squirted from the fingerless knuckles and spewed out across the cold ground, causing steam to rise from the frosted metal. Jackson let go of the handle and stepped back, as the familiar animalistic aggression seethed out of him with each heavy breath.

Teddy had held his composure before the chopping block, but after, it would've surely drained out of him. Most likely through the stubs, along with the rest of his blood. Jackson looked up to see James had taken off his mask. The sense of power had shifted before, but with the removal of the ski mask, it was solidified. James ordered the pair to move Teddy to the sink, and it didn't require an educated guess as to why. Jackson used the bloody meat cleaver to carelessly slice through the zip tie securing Teddy's right hand to the chair, most likely cutting his arm in the process.

He grasped at Teddy's shirt and, with Keegan's help, pulled him from the chair. A trail of blood was left behind as the duo dragged Teddy to the overflowing sink, it's frigidness enforced by floating icecubes. Jackson snapped his gloved fingers twice to one of the guards by the chopping board, who immediately moved to the hanging rack. He grabbed one of the spare zip ties by the pig carcass and handed it to Jackson. He slid the plastic around Teddy's wrists, having to tug it tightly so it wouldn't slide around from the continuous bleeding.

Gripping onto Teddy's collar, he and Keegan forced the man's head into the freezing water, instantly icing the man's flaming nerves. Despite the resistance, Jackson didn't let up but instead reinforced his hold. He suddenly pulled Teddy's head from the water in what seemed to be a gracious gesture. Instead, Jackson shoved the man back under as Teddy went to take a necessary breath, causing the man's lungs to fill with the icy water. They would repeat this process four more times until allowing Teddy to catch his breath properly. From there, Jackson watched James ask again with a surprising level of patience in his tone. Jackson's grip didn't let up, however, as he was ready to drive the man's head under again - maybe this time for good.

Melanin-Gxdess (Teddy) Misty Gray (James) Bugsy (Keegan)

 

[Bellz]

Blake McCarthy ​

The door opened to reveal a taller man, a guard who worked for the Porter's. Blake eyed him up and down for a moment before placing a charming smile on her face. When he asked if the Porter's were expecting her, Blake let out a small laugh, "I'm afraid they are not, I'm quite in to surprises you see. Don't want to spoil the fun." He stepped aside to let Natasha and her in and the girl who was originally by her side had stepped behind her shyly, clutching to her mother's clothing as if her life depended on it.

Blake took note of the other little girl as the guard teased her about grabbing the bags. "Help with these bags would be wonderful, I've been lugging them and this child around for ages I'm afraid." Blake joked and turned her head to look down at Natasha shyly eyeballing the entry way around her. "No one else is with me but would you happen to know if Jackson is around? I'd have to say I've rather missed my husband" She emphasized the word, noting that Adam's glances her way.

Once the door was closed, Blake took a moment to flick her hair behind her shoulder before reaching behind her to take Natasha's hand. "I'm Blake McCarthy." The blonde told Adam, "This is my daughter, Natasha." The little girl shuffled out from behind Blake and looked towards the blonde little girl. She raised her hand and waved bashfully before pressing herself into Blake's side again. "Oh come now, Nat. Nothing to be shy about. Why don't you run along and find the rest of the kids with her." Blake said, looking to little Olivia and smiling. Suddenly, another blonde entered the room. "Blake!" She called out happily as she walked towards the woman with her arms stretched out wide. "I'm so glad you could make it! Jackson is going to be so happy to see you!" They embraced for a moment before Lucy turned to Adam. "Thank you for opening the door, Adam." She said, her face clearly looking a bit frazzled from the overload of children that were at the house.

"Come on, I'll fix us some tea and we can chat in the lounge." She beckoned Blake to follow and Blake turned to Adam, smiling softly, "Thanks for the help, Adam." She murmured, eyeing him up and down one more time before following Lucy into the lounge.
with: Adam + Olivia Misty Gray

 

[Bellz]

Brooklyn Payne ​

"We've been over this a million time, Brooklyn. There hasn't been an attack on the general public by the mobs since July. There is nothing to report on them. It's time to move on to something new for now." Walter Aimes, Brooklyn's editor told them as they sat in his office going over the next stories she was going to write. "So what?" Brooklyn snapped at him, "We are just suppose to leave the people who died in that attack alone, their families without answers?" Walter moved to grab a cigar from his desk drawer and then grabbed his lighter from his pocket. Brooklyn made a face as he inhaled and blew the smoke out towards her. "You really think the readers want to know about the newest subway line being built? Fuck no!" Brooklyn argued as she shook her head, "They want to know what the fuck the mobs are going to do next, what impact they will make on the city. They want to know that their families can sleep safely at night without being blown to bits by some homemade fucking bomb or being shot at in the middle of Time Square!!" She continued to argue before standing. "You give me this chance to investigate and I promise to bring you a story that will stick, something that will boost our ratings through the fucking roof. I'm tired of sitting around letting the mob control the lives of those living in New York. I'm tired of no one talking about it, avoiding it because they fear they might be sucked into something they can't get out of." Crossing her arms, she clenched her jaw as Walter continued to puff away on his cigar. He was silent for a few moments before he sighed. "Our rating's have been low as of late..." He thought aloud. "You're the only one crazy enough to even get close to the mob. So you can forget about having a cameraman with you. You'll do this on your own." Brooklyn's face broke into a smile as she stood from her chair. "You won't regret this Walter." She told him before he offered her a small smile, "Yea, but you just might." With that, he stubbed out his cigar in the ash tray.

***​

Brooklyn was pleased that she was able to persuade her editor into letting her investigate the mobs power within the city. Most of the media outlets both print and broadcast steered clear of talking about them too extensively for fear of saying the wrong thing and being taken out. Brook wasn't fearful in the slightest. Having her fair share of rough encounters, she wasn't afraid to investigate them. Having already gotten leads of the business the Irish Mob owned, Brooklyn hopped in a taxi that would take her to the local pub.

Checking her bag, she had a tape recorder, a notebook, pen and camera along with her small pistol that she always carried with her in case she got into a sticky situation that she was forced to get herself out of. The cab soon pulled up outside of the pub and she paid the man in front before stepping outside of the car. Looking up at the front of the pub, she noted that it of course just looked like a typical business.

The Emerald had a reputation of it's own from what she heard and she was interested to find out exactly what went on within its walls. Stepping inside the building, Brooklyn eyed the area around her before making her way towards the bar. Smiling at the woman behind of it, she ordered herself a drink, "Can I get a glass of whiskey please?" She said to the woman kindly.
snooping: Misty Gray