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

[Misty Gray]

Adam Harper​

Adam nodded his head when Blake confirmed she would like help with carrying her luggage. He stepped out of the house and retrieved both suitcases, holding one in each hand. There wasn't much weight in them as far as his muscular arms were concerned. He took the suitcases deeper into the house, setting them down on the hallway floor at the side of the stairs. He returned to Blake and listened as she confirmed nobody else was with her. He hadn't been concerned, considering she would have already checked out with the security guards at the gates to get as far as she already had. The attractive blonde then asked about Jackson before adding on the fact she was married to him. "That could have been awkward," Adam thought to himself.

"I'm afraid Jackson isn't home right now. He and Mr. Porter are out in the city on a job." Adam paused and looked down to Natasha, sending the girl a friendly smile. He'd left Jackson and the others at the butchers shop so they could torture and kick the shit out of Teddy, but he wasn't about to go into remotely any details about that fact in his present company. "There's never a dull moment in New York, that's for sure," he said, letting out a brief chuckle. Blake was certainly attractive, but something about finding out a woman was married was an instant buzz killer for Adam. Even more of a deterrent was the fact she was married to one of Porter's most respected employees. On the plus side, the turnaround time for removing any kind of of attraction-borne awkwardness had been practically instantaneous.

"Pleasure to meet you, Mrs. McCarthy," he replied to her introduction, sending her a nod. "Adam Harper," he gave his name. He looked down to the shy child as Blake introduced her daughter. He raised his hand for a light wave and sent her an oddly reassuring smile considering the more violent, unsavoury behaviour he was often having to display. Natasha waved at Olivia and Blake then prompted the child to go find the other children. "Olivia, you should find Lorelei so you can all muck around. Wind Thomas up while you're at it," he joked.

"Hi," Olivia greeted Natasha and stood on the spot for a moment as she waited for the other girl to join her. "There's Lorelei and Thomas, but Leo's not here today. But then there's lots of dogs around this house. We can see the dogs, yeah?" She seemed to find some of her own confidence in the moment, as Natasha seemed shy, which in turn encouraged Olivia to take the lead in helping the newcomer out.

Adam remained silent as Lucy joined them and excitedly greeted Blake. Watching the two women embrace, he couldn't help but look away as he tried not to let his mind wonder. He couldn't blame anyone if they assumed the two blondes were sisters. He knew one or two of the guards outside would have a few words to say if they were standing in Adam's spot. Albeit, they'd be crude words about scoring with two sisters, but Adam was of course far too innocent to let such thoughts enter his mind...

"Ah, that's no trouble, Mrs. Porter," he said, looking back to Lucy when she thanked him for getting the door. He returned Blake's smile and nodded as the two women prepared to chat in the lounge. "See you later. I'm sure Your husbands will be home soon," he assured them.

*****​

Having spent his day guarding the hospital and then driving James around, Adam had finally been able to clock off for the day. He didn't have plans for the evening but staying alone in his apartment wasn't an option. Instead, he headed down to The Emerald to see if any of the regulars were already there. When he arrived in the pub, there was some regulars, but not the ones he liked to spend his time with. He had an aversion towards old Larry the Lech, for a start, so that guy wasn't getting any of his attention. He was pretty sure it was considered bad form to beat up an old pensioner - even a gobby one. Instead, he headed straight to the bar where Rachel was serving customers.

"Double whiskey, please," he requested. As Rachel set about filling the glass tumbler, Adam rested his left elbow on the bar and looked around for a moment before setting eyes back on Rachel. "Did you tell that brother of yours I'm pissed off with him for selling the garage? I took my bike in for a paint job at the garage a couple of blocks down and I might as well have just let a five-year-old loose with some finger-paints. Wouldn't have had that shit service at Noah's old place."

"Noah's got bigger things to worry about from his prison cell. Besides, he didn't exactly have much choice in the matter, remember?" Rachel asked, setting the drink down in front of Adam and holding her hand out for his cash. "Between you and Conor, I've had my fill of moody tough guys for one day, so loosen up, would ya?" she said, flashing a smile. Rachel looked away from Adam to serve the woman who had entered the pub and asked for a whiskey. "Coming right up!" she cheerfully told Brooklyn.

Hearing the female voice coming from next to him, Adam turned to look at Brooklyn, raising a curious eyebrow as noted her choice of drink. He sure did like women who opted for the hard stuff. "A woman with taste," he couldn't help but acknowledge her. He looked over his shoulder, surprised to see the lady was in the pub by herself. It wasn't often he saw a classy woman in the pub, especially there by herself. As if on cue, the sound of a wolf whistle was heard and predictably from the corner of the room Larry was occupying. "I'd ignore that lot. They don't get much human contact outside of each other, never mind from a female," he drily remarked.

Bellz

 

[Pyroclast]

Alistair Sawyer

If Ammon had been any other man, Alistair would have been surprised that his twin sister was making more of a fuss than him. There he was, being burned alive, and yet it was Ani's cries that filled the room. Alistair winced slightly at the ear-splitting sound, able to see her squirming in Ethan's arms out of the corner of his eye. But his main focus was on Ammon himself. He had tortured a man with fire once before, but never burned anyone to death. This would be his first time watching the process from start to finish; in a way, the whole thing was an experiment.

The sound of the man's choking as he suffocated from the hot air and smoke were only just audible beneath Ani's screams of protest. His skin soon peeled and blistered, revealing grotesque areas of raw flesh. The flames burrowed deeper into the muscle and organs, by which point it was obvious that he was dead. He barely looked human anymore, and despite his fascination, Alistair decided to employ a guard to fetch a few pails of water so that he could douse what was left of the man's corpse. Strangely, his limbs began to twitch as though the cold water had shocked him back to life - but after closer inspection Alistair determined that he was dead all the same. It must have been some kind of postmortem nerve reaction, he figured, and made a mental note to research how it all worked.

"Oh, I don't know about that, Ethan," he said, finally turning to face Ani with his hands resting on his hips. "It would only be a shame to lose her if she was worth something to us." The stench of smoke and burned flesh was nauseating and Alistair scrunched his nose slightly in disgust, taking another brief look at the deformed body. All that could be heard when he stopped talking were Ani's whimpers and the water dripping from her twin's corpse. Suddenly there came an ominous crack before the blackened chair gave way, its blackened legs crumbling under the weight. Ammon's body slid to the floor in a horrific mess, prompting Alistair to take a step back. The floor was now horribly discoloured, and he didn't want anything contaminating his shoes.

Turning back to Ethan and Ani, Alistair exhaled and stepped closer, bending slightly to be at eye level with the woman. "Here's what we'll do, then," he gently asserted. "Since we're all in need of a bit of fresh air, I'll have my two lovely guards here escort you out and you can take some time to grieve, hydrate yourself - maybe grab a bite to eat instead of gnawing on Ethan's arm, hm?" Alistair reached out and held up her chin, using a thump to wipe away some of her tears. "And then, to prove that you're worth keeping alive, you'll return to this room tonight and have this mess cleaned up before the morning. Allows you some time to say goodbye to your dear twin brother." Alistair smiled at her and then straightened up, waving to his guards to take Ani off Ethan's hands. "If by tomorrow morning this room isn't spotless and with breathable air, I'll make sure you don't make it to the end of the day. Neither you nor that precious boyfriend of yours."

Taking one last look at his work, Alistair then gestured for Ethan to follow him out of the room. "I don't know about you, but I could use a good walk after that," he suggested, with a dark chuckle. "My lungs are even more full of shit than Ani's excuses for her brother's behaviour. Let's go somewhere. How's your appetite? There's a new pizza parlour down on 3rd Avenue I've heard good things about."

Interactions
Misty Gray Ethan
Bellz Ani

 

[Bellz]

Brooklyn Payne ​

Brooklyn hadn't paid much attention to the man she had stepped by but when he commented on her choice of drink, she turned her head to look at him. Before she could reply, someone cat called her from the across the room. Brooklyn didn't turn, not wanting to give whoever it was the satisfaction of turning his way for a better look. Keeping her eyes on Adam, she smiled lightly, "They sound charming." She said, sarcasm clear in her tone. "Whiskey is the only good thing that comes from the South." She finally replied to his comment.

Eyes looking behind Adam and around, Brooklyn was getting the feeling that this place wasn't normally filled with people like herself. Once her glass was placed in front of her, she took a moment to take a drink before turning her attention back to the man. "Seeing as we both love whiskey, I should introduce myself. I'm Brooklyn Payne." She then held out her hand for him to shake. Event though she had been paying attention to him before, she was really just now noticing his appearance. He definitely wasn't the type she would normally go for but his looks weren't something that could simply be ignored. Her eyes glanced at the tattoos on his arms, interested in the artwork there before quickly realizing that she was staring.

Clearing her throat, Brooklyn moved to take a drink again. "So, clearly you know about that rather crude fellow in the corner. I take it you frequent this place?" Brooklyn didn't want to start out asking the most difficult questions, wanting to make sure she stayed conversational for now. It was better that way, people tended to be more comfortable after a drink or two which would lead to answers.

"I've seen this place before but decided today was the day to see what all the fuss was about." It was true, Brooklyn had her eye on this place for quite a few weeks, wanting to make sure the place had the right connections to the Porters. From what she knew, James Porter's brother-in-law owned the place. It was very likely that some the mobs most vital members would step through those doors. Not that she would pin anyone as the mob type, Brooklyn was getting some kind of vibe from Adam.
with: Adam Misty Gray

 

[Misty Gray]

Sinead Callahan and Ethan Turner​

Ethan had gritted his teeth when Ani bit his arm, forcing himself to remain focused despite the pain her action caused him. He tightened his grip, his arm pressing painfully tightly against her ribs. "Fucking do that again and I'll knock all of your teeth out," he darkly warned her, speaking directly into her ear.

Soon enough, there was nothing left for Ani to be forced to watch and Alistair relieved Ethan of his hold on the woman, having the other men take her from his hands. Listening as Ani was told she would have to return to clean up, a twisted smirk crossed Ethan's lips. Alistair had no limits to his cruel ways and Ethan respected that about the man.

"I'm with you on that; I could certainly do with some fresh air away from this stench. And all of this has given me a great hunger," he callously remarked.

*******​

Before heading to the restaurant, Ethan and Alistair stopped by the former's butchers shop so he could get changed into a spare set of clothing he kept in his small office. The shop had been closed for a few hours, so when changed and ready to leave, Ethan locked the door at the front of the shop.

Once the door was locked, he slipped the key into his pocket and turned to walk away with Alistair. As he set off walking, his attention was drawn to the sight ahead of them. A petite redheaded woman was crouched down by the driver's side of a purple Chevrolet. Ethan stopped and glanced to Aliastair before looking ahead again, tilting his head to get a better look at the woman's rear end in her tight skirt. "The car's not to my taste, but I'd give her a ride in a heartbeat," he remarked, with a low chuckle.

Hearing the nearby voices, Sinead got to her feet and even before turning to face the two men, she started speaking. "Excuse me, but I have a flat tyre and I..." Upon setting eyes on the two men, Sinead felt her heart sink. Her mind was instantly drawn back to the night she was tortured. She'd also watched Ethan torture Syd whilst Alistair terrorised Lucy. "I'm sorting it," she dejected changed the course of her speech, her voice losing its usual energy and spirit.

Ethan had recognised her voice as soon as she started speaking and then seeing her big puppy eyes had only confirmed who she was. He glanced to Alistair and sent him a knowing grin. "You don't know what you're doing, love," he patronisingly told Sinead. Knowing the woman was afraid and likely to have a reaction that would draw unwanted attention to them, Ethan lifted the bottom of his jacket to show her the pistol he was concealing. "You're going to keep quiet. In return, neither you nor any innocent bystanders will get shot in the head."

"Okay..." Sinead quietly replied. Her heart was racing in her chest and any urge to give the two awful men a piece of her mind was firmly held back by her fear. "Please. I don't want any trouble..." she began, her voice as firm as she could manage.

"I know, you just want your tyre changing and I'm going to do that for you. My friend here will keep you company while I grab my wrench." He was confident in his assumption the redhead had none of the required tools in her car, so he headed back into his shop to retrieve the tools.

Left alone with Alistair, Sinead folded her arms tightly across her chest. She couldn't look at him without feeling angry and upset for what he'd done to her and her family. The desire to get away from him alive and well was what kept her from speaking out against him. "I can just call someone from a payphone and get them to come fix my car. You two can continue on your way..." she suggested to Alistair.

Returning to the car, Ethan knelt down and set about dealing with the tyre change. "Well, this is nice, isn't it?" he remarked, smirking to himself as he left Alistair to occupy Sinead in the meantime.

Pyroclast (Alistair)
B Bella (Ani)

 

[Pyroclast]

Syd Porter

Syd could hear the cogs in Roxie's brain turn as she struggled to think of an explanation for why her father would know better than her on the subject. With no more questions left to add, Syd remained silent and did his best to read her as she mulled the situation over. It was clear that something was troubling her, and having heard about her less-than-perfect relationship with her father, he was growing more and more curious about the man.

When she did finally speak, every sentence was more concerning than the last. Syd wished that he knew more about him so that he could help her try to figure it out. But since he hadn't even met him yet, it was difficult to imagine why he might be stealing from the funds raised by his own company. Syd couldn't get his head around Roxie's accusations and held a hand up to slow her down. "Wait, backtrack a second," he interjected. "So your dad hides things from you? What kind of things?" He paused to reflect on his relationship with James and the fact that he and Roxie were about to become parents themselves. "My parents kept things from me sometimes, to protect me. Granted, I don't think they do it so much now that I'm an adult, but...I mean, maybe he's just..." Syd trailed off, frowning as he realised that what he was actually doing was dismissing her. He had felt dismissed so often recently - for his relationship with Roxie, their decision to keep the baby, his accusations against Maddox, his refusal to eat - even how many days he had been in the hospital for. It was exhausting constantly trying to convince everyone of what he believed in. Like him, what Roxie really needed was for someone to listen to her and take her seriously.

"Okay…" he nodded, looking her in the eye once again. "Right. So he's hiding something. As your dad and your boss, he shouldn't have anything to hide from you regarding the charity work. Have you noticed anything else change, like how many hours he spends out of the house? Private meetings, new people coming in and out? Is there anyone at the company who might be able to help you investigate this?" Syd squeezed her hand, chewing on his lip as he grew more concerned. It was yet another reason why he wished he wasn't trapped in the hospital - his girlfriend had come to him with a problem, and he was unable to help her. "Roxie, I know I haven't met your dad so I'm sorry if this is rude, but...do you feel safe with him?" He didn't need to offer her protection outright - she knew that he and his family had more than enough power to protect anyone they wanted, as well as the power to spy on anyone. All he needed to do was ask her that subtle question, his eyes locked firmly into hers as he awaited her response.

Interactions
Bellz Roxie

 

[Pyroclast]

Danny Vaughan

It took a lot for Danny to lose his cool, but seeing his roommate look so stressed put him on edge. Owen paced before him as he stood there, toking on his joint, and it became clear that he hadn't just turned up to get Danny to serve him a drink. "Damn, what's up with you?" he quietly asked, concern showing in his eyes.

Upon hearing that their apartment had blown up, Danny was completely taken aback. The joint slipped from his fingers and landed on the tarmac at his feet - he glanced down to where it had fallen but was too stunned to pick it up. "Uh…Wh-" Danny shook his head, frowning at his friend. It seemed so unbelievable that their apartment would have blown up that his first thought was that Owen was high off his face, hallucinating or paranoid. The nervous body language could have been a sign, but if Danny knew him, he wouldn't have got himself into a state like this - at least not without Danny there. But the apartment couldn't be gone.

Danny shook his head, pinching the bridge of nose as he took it all in. He knew Owen had been struggling recently, barely leaving the apartment, but had put it down to grief after Bailey passed away. Now knowing that he had actually been avoiding dangerous people, he couldn't help but feel slightly betrayed. "Owen, man, you know I'd have done anything I could to help you? You know that, right?" Danny dragged a hand across his face and peered up to the sky. He took some deep breaths and closed his eyes for a moment, reminding himself that everything he had lost was only material, that he still had money rolling in, that he and Owen were both safe. He reminded himself that Owen had difficulty asking for help and that it wasn't his fault that there was someone after him. After taking another deep breath, Danny rested his hands on his hips and looked over to his friend. "Hey, but you're safe. You got out unscathed. Let's start with that, yeah?" Without the imagery in his mind, it was easier for Danny to override the shock of what had happened and so tried to start on working out the next steps. "If there's someone there at the apartment, we don't go back. I know someone…" Danny hesitated, chewing on his lip as he tried desperately to think of something else. But he wanted to let her know he was safe, in case she saw something on the news. "Savannah. You know that girl I've been telling you so much about? I'm sure she wouldn't mind helping us out just for tonight. Come in the back room with me while I try her number."

Danny approached Owen, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder and guiding him into a quiet storage room where the phone was. While he attempted to contact the number of her apartment, his eyes fell on the letter in his friend's hand. "So what's in the letter that guy gave you? You gonna open it?"

After failing to reach Savannah's apartment, he suddenly remembered her telling him she'd be at her parents' place that day. He closed his eyes briefly, wondering if he would have to change his tone. But never having met or spoken to her parents before didn't stop him from wanting to get through to her. It took a few minutes, but he eventually found the Callahans' telephone number. Hearing it ring sent a wave of anxious energy through his body and he sent Owen a nervous smile, wishing that he had packed another joint.

Interactions
Fletchawk Owen
Bellz Peter
M misty Savannah

 

[Bellz]

Peter Callahan​

Peter wasn't sure what to think as Savvy told him that Danny was a 'peaceful guy' but he lowered his gun and gave his daughter his full attention as she went on to explain the guy she was dating. She told him that he worked in a club and that caused Peter's eyes to narrow again. Given the last two ass hats Savvy dated, Peter wasn't keen on her dating any man.

Hearing that they had been dating a few weeks was unsettling and for a moment he had to think about his previous actions. He didn't have to remind Savvy that he would put a bullet into any little shits head who breaks her heart rather she needed support. Something he was struggling to forgive her in that moment. Clearing his throat, he place his gun in his back pocket before smiling softly, "Wells that great, love. I mean...I guess I won't judge the man before I've had the pleasure of meeting him right?" That was definitely something Peter wanted to arrange sooner rather than later. It was kinda freaking Peter out the older his children go, the more adult they can. Sinead and him weren't as needed anymore to make life decisions. Oddly enough, he was feeling a little sad about that. As much as he wants to be able to retire, to have his time with Sinead. He sort of wondered, on occassion, what it would feel like to do it all over again. Because once he retires from the business, there isn't any going back. He would have so much free time with the kids being older...

"As long as you're happy, I'm happ-" Hearing the phone ring from the open windows, Peter looked towards it before turning to Savannah, "I'll get it." He said before jogging towards the house. They received a lot of phone calls but Peter always had a feeling of anxiety whenever the phone rang. Having been in the family for many years, a phone call could only be two things: good or bad. Hoping it was not the latter, Peter made it to the phone just in time, answering it quickly. "Callahan speaking." He said in an even tone, a little deeper than he would normally talk.
with: Savannah Misty Gray
Hello?: Danny Pyroclast

 

[Bellz]

Ani Sarraf​

Ethan's arms tightened painfully around her ribcage, feeling a sharp pain, she cried out and dug her nails even further into his arm but releasing his arm from her teeth. She kept her head down, not looking towards the burn corpse that use to be her twin. Alistair's gentle tone made her angry, oh so graciously letting her have time to grieve. Ani, oddly enough, let out a short chuckle at his words, shaking her head as her jaw tightened. Forcing herself to keep her mouth shut, Alistair reached grabbing her chin and forcing her chin up, his thumb swiping against her cheek. Cringing back, she gave him a look of disgust hearing what he was telling her to do. Not saying a word, Ani's lower lip trembled as she tried to contain herself in that moment. Her heart was shattered but she was at least trying to not give Alistair the satisfaction of knowing that, in vain of course.

Two guards stepped forward and Ethan dropped her, knees giving out, she felt towards the ground landing on hands and knees with a loud smack. Not allowing her to regain her strength, the guards lifted her to her feet and they walked out of the basement headed out of the headquarters. Ani was left outside, dropped to the ground like she was a pile of trash. Staying on the ground as the guards walked away, Ani allowed the shock of what happened to consume her. She wasn't sure how much time had passed before she was finally able to get to her feet but she managed to make it all the way to her car. Numbly, she started the engine and without placing on her seatbelt, she pulled out of the lot. Not intending on heading home anytime soon, Ani was on autopilot as she headed in the direction of Maddox's apartment.

People were giving her all sorts of looks as she walked onto the sidewalk in front of Maddox's building and she did her best to hide her face as she entered the building. Once she made it to his floor, Ani walked to his door and immediately fished out the key he gave her, slipping it into the keyhole before turning it to unlock the door. Pushing it open, Ani took a look around the place but remember that Maddox had a client. She wasn't too sure what time it was but she had a feeling he was still in session.

The nauseating smell that haunted her the whole trip home instantly reminded her that she needed to shower. Her head was clouded and as she walked towards the bathroom, she felt like she was moving a lot slower than usual. Eyes were sore as she turned to look at herself in the bathroom mirror, and she finally saw what people on the streets were staring at. Her eyes were puffy and red from crying, bruises were forming in the places where Ethan held her face and where she wasn't bruise she her usually caramel color skin looked grey.

Ani's eyes watered, burning as she squeezed them shut. Turning away from her reflection, she reached to grab her shirt and pulled it off of her before moving to start the shower, making sure the water was the hottest it could be.

***​

After spending what felt like hours in the shower, Ani had felt she had sufficiently scrubbed off the first layer of skin, ridding her of the foul stench. She felt clean, but she didn't feel like herself anymore. After finding a few clothes that she'd left behind over the many nights she spent in the apartment, Ani moved to sit on Maddox's bed feeling exhausted from what transpired. As she sat in silence, her mind started to wander starting to remind her of what happened back in the basement. A sob suddenly escaped her, having managed to keep herself together successfully enough to get herself to a safe place and showered, she needed to fall apart.

Falling towards the bed, she buried her head into the pillows beneath her head as her sobs echoed off the walls. She was finally able to address her failures without an audience, knowing that she should have done more to keep her brother safe. He was a monster, she knew that, but it was her job to protect him as the older twin just like she had done when they were children. The look in his eyes, she swore he was terrified and she couldn't do anything for him. Ani bent her knees in and cradled herself as she continued to mourn for the loss of Ammon.

Not sure of how much time passed, Ani placed herself on autopilot again and soon she was out the door. After having hopped back in the car, she headed in a daze towards Maddox's apartment, only knowing that she couldn't be alone with her thoughts for any longer. Once parked, Ani entered the office to see that Laura wasn't around but Maddox's office door was shut, without knocking, Ani entered to see Maddox's office in disarray, the three men intensely speaking with one another. Eye widening, Ani saw blood on Maddox's arm and began to panic, "What the hell is going on, Maddox?"
mentions: Ethan Misty Gray ; Alistair Pyroclast
With: Maddox, Conor and Mitch RayPurchase

 

[Bellz]

Roxie Carriveau ​

Roxie paused when Syd told her to backtrack for a second. Listening to his questions, she nodded her head in reply when asked if her dad hid things from her. Looking troubled, Roxie didn't answer as he continued on, telling her that his parents kept things from him sometimes but only for protection. Roxie wondered if that's what her father was doing with her family's background. She was close with her Uncle Giovanni and Aunt Sienna but it struck her as odd that she didn't exactly know what they did for a living. They were filthy rich even more so than her family, owning at least a dozen homes throughout the world. As a matter of fact, she didn't know how her family came to own so much money. None of them, including somewhat distant relatives were short of money.

It sounded like Syd was trying to come up with ways to defend her father's actions and that made her a little sour but he continued on reiterating that her father was hiding something. He asked so many questions in a row, Roxie had to take a second to run them through in her head just to be clear of what he was asking. When asked if there was anyone in the company who might be able to help her, Roxie shrugged her shoulders, feeling for some reason that whatever this was, she didn't want to drag anyone else into it.

Then the question of her safety came up, rather, asking if she felt safe around her father and Roxie was at a loss for words. Looking at Syd closely for a moment, she tried to understand his question. Feel safe around her father? He'd never given a reason for her to feel afraid of him but something that he'd said repeatedly to her in arguments stood out. "He's never given me a reason to feel unsafe but during the fight the other night, he told me that I was going to regret my decisions, regret disobeying him..." Roxie thought about it for a moment, wondering if she should have taken his words a little more seriously. "I didn't think anything of it, Syd. He's all talk. He always says something along those lines but..." Roxie's brows furrowed together, looking troubled as she thought about what she was feeling.

"You know I don't know a damn thing about how my family came to attribute so much wealth?" She said suddenly, "I mean, I've asked in the past but my father always told me it had something to do with stocks. Very vague. I haven't asked about it in years but its starting to seem clear to me that they are doing more than just charity work." Roxie's thoughts were racing as her sense of identity felt somewhat hollow. "You're family has a lot of money, I'm certain they didn't get all of it legally right?"
with: Syd Pyroclast

 

[Bugsy]

KEEGAN LYNCH
​

He would watch, somewhat as a passive observer. Impartial to the screams or noises that Teddy would make when two of his fingers fell to the floor; it had been a lifestyle that he had been brought up in - the survival of the fittest (though such rule had never been applied to his family, for he was ensuring their survival - and not very well it seemed) - violence was a foreplay here to something much greater. He did find it amusing that Teddy had put up so much resistance, it made the whole ordeal a lot more fun than someone who just gave them the information immediately.

James taking his mask off wasn't surprising at all, seeing as there was no need to hide his identity from Teddy but even so, the calmness in James' voice was akin to a calm before the storm. Keegan would wait it out to see how many buttons Teddy could push before James had enough (though with all intentions, he decidedly wanted to limit Teddy's exposure to seeing any weaknesses from their side.) He took hold of Teddy as did Jackson, holding him and dunking his head under the icy water several times before the question was posed by James.

It was either this or they could move onto something more extreme.

Like the meat hook.

"I think this one's a dead end, boss." Keegan said, his eyes fixated on Teddy. He wanted to see the man squirm. Though he was pretty sure a man as defiant as Teddy was not a man who feared death, which made their restraint even more important.

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

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Teddy Wycliff

The noise of his fingers being chopped off came before the pain of it. But as soon as that pain hit him, he scream out, frothy saliva spitting from his mouth. Teddy had endured a lot of different pains in his life from pleasurable to malicious but never this sort of pain. He had regretted underestimating them, knowing full well what they were capable of. Perhaps he thought the weight of what the Moretti's had done thus far would change their mind about severely hurting someone so important. But now, it was clear to him; clear that the Porter family was a lot more ruthless and stupid than they first thought. But Teddy couldn't focus on this right now as he had started sweating profusely and breathing hard, feeling a bit winded. There was blood everywhere and he was afraid he was going to pass out from blood loss soon. Actually, he hoped he did so they wouldn't have the satisfaction of seeing him in anymore pain. The pain hadn't subsided and he knew it wasn't going to anytime soon as they moved on to their second round of torture.

He was cut free but not without another scar to add to his collection. At the moment, he didn't have the energy to fight back against the men as they dragged him to a sink full of water. Ah, he remembered this part. In fact, he much preferred this part over losing limbs and such. The goons were showing absolutely no mercy for the man as the zip tied his hands behind his back. They were wasting no time in trying to torture the man, squeeze him for every once of information he had. But, Teddy knew better. He knew better than to betray the man who was so powerful. He would rather endure everything the Porter's were throwing at him than have to deal with Gabe.

The feeling of ice cold water against his face shocked him and brought him back to reality as he struggled to hold his breath during the ordeal. Once he thought he was getting a chance to start breathing correctly, Jackson proved to him he was incorrect as his head was shoved back underneath the water mid-breath. This caused more water to shoot up both his nose and his mouth, burning his lungs and nose. He for sure thought he was about to die in this moment and this was how it was going to be until they finally lifted his head. For a moment, he thought it was another trick to make him suffer as he spit up water and coughed violently. During his coughing fit, James asked him once again to flip on Gabriel and through the pain and suffering he was feeling, he managed a sly, yet painful chuckle and smirk before spitting on the ground. "You'll have to kill me, Porter pigs."
​

 

[Misty Gray]

James Porter
​

James quickly nodded his head when Teddy still refused, letting out a chuckle as he and his men were called pigs. "That's a fucking shame, isn't it?" He signalled for Teddy to be held facing him directly, so he could look straight at the man's exhausted face. "It's funny, you gave off the impression that you weren't just one of Gabriel's disposable thugs. Your lack of denial also tells me you know exactly where we can find the drugs." James turned away so he could briefly remind himself of their surroundings once more. He then looked back to Teddy, his face now stern and serious. "Surely, if you were so high up and so familiar with Gabriel's own family, you'd have more faith in the man to pardon your transgression. I had intended for you to still be in one breathing piece when I sent you with a message for Gabriel, but I can work around that. I guess you really are a waste of our time and you should have chosen a more reasonable employer."

That was the last time James would encourage and give Teddy a chance to save his own skin. He grabbed Teddy by the collar, relieving the other men on their hold over him. Once he had enough space, James let go of Teddy and sent his right fist violently colliding with the man's left cheekbone, sending a loud crack through the room. He followed this with three rapidly successive punches to the gut. By this point, James had lost his patience, not just with Teddy but with the Morettis as a whole. Teddy was sufficing as an ideal outlet for it in that moment. "You're nothing to us or to Moretti," James hissed at Teddy as he slammed the man's back and bound hands against the wall. James grabbed Teddy by the throat, forcing the man to keep his head upright. He held his other hand out behind himself. "Where's my knife?" James' raised voice commanded the others. Once the weapon was placed in his hand, James took a small step back whilst keeping firmly held onto Teddy's neck. He pressed the knife against the skin that was showing above Teddy's sternum. He pushed the blade deep enough to pierce the skin and he dragged the knife down a couple of inches, tearing through the flesh and drawing blood.

James pulled the knife away and let go of Teddy before taking a few steps back. "Guys, I want him laid out on that table," he said, using his knife to point to the workbench in question. "I haven't skinned a man alive before, so this'll be a learning curve for me," he told Teddy directly. "I'm sure you'll still look pretty hanging from those meat hooks..." he added.

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

 

[Misty Gray]

Adam Harper​

Adam smirked and nodded his head when Brooklyn made her assessment of Larry and the others. He wasn't about to defend them, considering he found them irritating and that the lady was correct. "You ain't found anything else to like from the South? I've had some pretty memorable times in Texas and Louisiana." Granted, some of those memories involved brief, sexual relationships with women whilst working away for the mob. Probably best not to bore the woman with such details. "You're right, though. The booze is good," he agreed, lifting his glass so he could acknowledge his whiskey.

When the woman introduced herself, Adam nodded his head and accepted her handshake. "Adam Harper," he gave his name in return. This was the second attractive woman he'd introduced himself to in a short space of time. At least this one wasn't sporting a wedding ring, and her apparent interest in pursuing a conversation was promising. "Brooklyn? That's an interesting name. I take it that's were you originate from?" Although his own accent was primarily a New York one, there was often some ambiguity when he spoke. With his mother's strong Spanish accent having influenced his and the significant amount of time he'd spent in South America, Adam's accent was prone to some mixing. "The Bronx, for me," he confirmed.

Adam mirrored Brooklyn and took a drink from his own glass. He placed his empty glass down and signalled to Rachel to get him and Brooklyn another drink each. "Yeah, I know that bloke. I'm not a fan but the owner seems fond of him," he gruffly replied as he referred to Conor. "I guess I am a regular here. It's a good place and a few of my mates knock about in here. No snooty, pretentious rubbish; just a chilled out place to relax..." He paused as the loud cheering and shouting was heard from a corner of the room that housed the dartboard. Adam eyed the nearby group and chuckled to himself. "As long as you don't mind the odd racket."

Adam looked back to Brooklyn and sent her an endearing smile as he once again acknowledged how good-looking she was. "What made you decide to check this place out by yourself?" he curiously asked. "Not that I ain't grateful for the fact it means I get to have an interesting conversation with you."

Adam sent Rachel a nod when she placed the two new glasses of whiskey on the bar for him and Brooklyn. Though the barmaid gave him a suggestive eye before she walked away, he knew she'd not stick her nose in or anything. The lads would have been all over him and trying to egg him on for chatting to a woman.


Bellz (Brooklyn)

 

[Pyroclast]

Jason Costello

Gwen needed to offload. She seemed fully aware of what was happening to her, there was no denial in her words as she explained to him how bad her condition had become. Even something so small as not having the energy to go outside to smoke a cigarette...Jason wasn't in the habit of smoking, but if he had had one on him then he would have carried her outside and given it to her right there and then. Not that it would have made a difference. The problem wasn't the lack of cigarettes, it was the immobility. That was something Jason couldn't fix.

Watching Gwen cry over her daughter was painful. Initially, Jason had come over with the intention of making her feel better, but now his own mood was affected and he wasn't sure where he could pull that positivity from anymore. He held her as she cried into his chest, closing his eyes as he rested his chin on the top of her head. She felt so frail in his arms, her skin cold and clammy. When she began to apologise to him for implying that it was his fault that her life had taken such an unfortunate turn, Jason looked up to the ceiling and sighed. "Don't worry about me, Gwen…" he murmured softly. She had used the word love to describe what they had had, which elicited a quiet, melancholy chuckle from him. He remembered how difficult it had been to get over her, but the word scared him. Every time it had crept up into his mind as an explanation for the heartache, he had stubbornly pushed it out of his mind. There was no point in loving too late. But now the word was fresh on his mind, he didn't know how to digest it.

When she eventually pulled away from him, she looked even worse than before, her eyes swollen from the crying. Her smile confused him - he couldn't tell if it was happy or sad, or somewhere between the two. Watching her carefully, Jason's frown relaxed and he gave a quiet laugh upon hearing her mimic his accent. "I can't believe I said that…" he mused, covering his mouth with one hand and shaking his head as he reflected on how they had treated each other when they had first met in New York. "I broke your beautiful hand!" Jason smiled more genuinely now as he picked up her delicate hand and raised it to his lips. "Aye, who was I tryin' to fool…'course I want you, Gwen. But if you're tellin' me I've got ye, then I'm gonna need ye to promise me you'll stick around. 'Cause I'm committed this time, so I am." Jason's expression softened into a more serious smile, gazing into her eyes almost pleadingly. "I was wrong before. You're all I want in the world, Gwen. And I promise, I'm gonna do everythin' I can t'make you happy, to give you the life you deserve. In return, you promise to keep fightin' for your chance to live that life wit' me. Do we have a deal?"

Interactions
Bellz Gwen

 

[Pyroclast]

Alistair Sawyer

With the two men now dressed in clean clothing, Ethan locked up the butcher's shop and two set off on their walk to the restaurant. Alistair drew a deep, contented sigh and smiled, glad to have escaped the putrid stench of burning flesh and smoke. "Mmm...this New York City air has never tasted so fresh," he commented, squinting against reflections of the late afternoon sun that bounced off the windows of surrounding buildings. He was slow to notice the familiar woman up ahead, only becoming alert when Ethan stopped in his tracks. The man's comment made him smile, and he fixed a firm gaze on her with a predatory look in his eyes.

The look on her face as she realised who she had encountered broadened Alistair's smile into a grin. "Hello, Sinead." While Ethan made sure she acted casually by introducing her to the pistol in his waistband, Alistair stood before her, his hands loosely connected in front of him. Ethan soon left him alone with Sinead, who had grown pale and visibly anxious. Alistair, on the other hand, was entirely comfortable, knowing that she was once again in a position easy to overpower. At her suggestion that she could find help to fix her car from somebody else, Alistair tutted. "When my friend has so kindly gone to get his tools for you? Now, wouldn't that be ungrateful? You'll get home much faster if you just let us help you out."

He spotted Ethan coming out of the shop and exchanged a quick look with him, knowing that he too was enjoying the situation. "So, how have you been, Sinead?" he asked, briefly glancing down to her arm that Ammon had sliced open a couple of months ago. "How's the family? I hear you've been going through a rather difficult time lately. Are you all holding up okay?"

Interactions
Misty Gray Sinead, Ethan

 

[Pyroclast]

Syd Porter

There was a pause between the two of them after he asked Roxie if she felt safe around her father and Syd glanced around at the other patients just to briefly scan the room to make sure everything was okay. In the seconds before she answered him, Syd thought about Maddox Parker, and about how unsafe he felt in the hospital under the care of so many nurses and doctors that worked with or were at least in contact with his counsellor. It chilled him to the bone to think that they were all lying to him and conspiring to kill him, making it look like suicide. He thought about it in every waking moment of his day. Now, imagining Roxie being in a situation with her father lying to her, he worried that she was being manipulated into a dangerous situation herself. What if he and Maddox were both out to get them? What if they worked together? Syd shivered and tightened his grip on her hand as he returned his attention to her with a slightly more alarmed look in his eyes.

Her words only pushed his mind further towards the idea that her father was a danger to her - especially hearing that it was common for him to talk to her in such a way. "Roxie, doesn't that sound like a threat to you?" he told her, a slight panic rising in his chest. He didn't give as much thought to the fact that Stefano could have meant that her decisions would have negative consequences beyond his control - his suspicious, paranoid mind would only focus on the possibility that her father would be behind those consequences. "But what if he's not all talk? What if he's… What if…" Syd trailed off, pulling his hands away from her and running them through his hair as he leaned back in his seat. He realised that he could be scaring her and fought himself over whether it was better to be alert with fear, which could further ruin her relationship with her father, or to think more openly about all the possible explanations before jumping to the worst conclusion. Given his own fears of Maddox arranging his murder, he wasn't sure he would be very good at helping her with the latter. "I'm sorry," he eventually mumbled, rubbing his eyes before slowly leaning in towards her again. He focused on Roxie's hands to stop his eyes from darting around the room. He just wanted her to be safe, but felt powerless to ensure it. Asking her to turn against her father felt like too manipulative a move to make, however, so he instead bit down on his lip and listened to her.

Syd let out a short, mirthless chuckle at her father's vague explanation of how her family had come into so much wealth. "Stocks are complicated," he muttered, but, guided by his own words, he realised that that only implied Stefano didn't believe his daughter was smart enough to understand a more detailed explanation. From Syd's perspective, Roxie was a highly intelligent woman with a sharp brain - sometimes intimidatingly so. "But I don't see why he would just stop there. I mean, he must know you're a smart woman... It's not like you wouldn't understand the truth."

Struggling to hide his concern, Syd raised Roxie's hands to his lips and then held them there, peering over them to look into her eyes. Her speculation worried him, having convinced himself that she was far more likely to be in danger than not. His mind had picked a route to go down, and all the other possibilities had fallen completely out of sight. Her father was up to something, and Roxie was under threat. He shook his head at her question. "My family doesn't give a shit about the law," he told her, lowering his voice even further. "We live by our own. The difference is, we don't keep secrets from each other." Syd chewed on his lip for a moment before shaking his head again and letting out a sigh of oncoming distress. "Roxie...If you want, I can have the mob investigate him. Just tell Sav, my parents, anyone, and they'll support you. I need you safe, okay? No one threatens you. No one. Not even your father. I need you safe, I need to know you're not in danger..."

Interactions
Bellz Roxie

 

[Bellz]

Brooklyn Payne ​

Brooklyn thanked Rachel as a new glass of whiskey was set down in front of her but she hesitated to drink as Adam questioned what made her come check out the pub all by herself. Looking down at her glass a moment, she wondered what was appropriate to say. Giving away her position wouldn't go over well if this man was affiliated with the mob and chances were the barmaid wouldn't appreciate the snooping around either. So for the time being, she would tell him something different. "I like to try out new places. This one has an interesting reputation so I figured I would come and see what was behind the door for myself. " Lifting her glass, she tilted her head a small flirtatious smile on her lips as she took a drink.

Even though she had dealt with dangerous people before, it was odd seeing everything looking so normalized. In war, it was easy to tell who the enemy was because they acted like it, dressed like it, hell, they even talked differently. But these people seemed all too normal, especially Adam. His appearance mimicked what she would assume a gang member would look like but given his open behavior towards conversation with a stranger, she wasn't so sure anymore.

Guess that's what made the Mob difficult to control, they were all just human and that sort of disappointed Brooklyn in a way. She had foolishly been expecting something more when she walked in but she was also relieved that she hadn't put herself in any danger. At least not yet, anyway.

"So you're from the Bronx, huh?" She questioned. She had noticed his accent and there was something about it that made her question where he was from, even though he had confirmed it with her. "With an accent like yours, I would assume you have to be somewhere more exotic than the Bronx, or at least your relatives?" She had been to South America many times in the past and remembered the many accents well.

"Do you still live in the Bronx?" She questioned, "Good 30 minutes away from here, working out this way?"
with: Adam Misty Gray

 

[Enzyme]

Jackson McCarthy​

Teddy's body had taken such an extreme beating, that Jackson wasn't sure if the man would remain conscious much longer. He pulled Teddy's head back by his soaking hair so he wouldn't fall into shock and land right back into the frigid water. Despite the pain the man endured, the angry words from his chattering teeth didn't surprise Jackson in the slightest. At the beckoning of James' fingers, Jackson twisted Teddy's head to face him, where the only thing in the room that was colder than the bucket of ice water, was James' stare.

Jackson released his grip on Teddy and let his hands fall behind his back as James pulled him away. The battered man was yanked in front of James to where Jackson could only see his furious' boss's hunched back. From there, he could hear the distinct sounds of flesh being beaten while Teddy's painful grunts harrowed out into the cold air, until blood started to sprinkle up onto the hanging carcasses beside the two. James' sinister snarl for his blade boomed through the dreary, hollow noises of the air conditioner. One of the attending goons didn't hesitate to brandish James' knife from its leather holster on the rack and present it to him. The group behind their boss couldn't see much, but the horrendous sounds of the blade slicing through meat echoed off the metal walls.

Teddy was thrown back into Jackson and Keegan's control, to where they caught the bleeding informant before his weak body crumbled to the floor. At the order, Jackson turned to look at the table in question. It was a large metal table with a thin wooden board on top, where the pigs had been prepared for the meat hooks. While Jackson had a pretty good idea of who his friend was and what his ethics were, he could also see the malice in his stare. He had a gut feeling that James said would he meant, and he wasn't going to stutter before flaying Teddy alive remotely.

"You did this to yourself, mate. All you can do now is die with dignity," Jackson said in a low, soft tone as he dragged Teddy to the table. He had no sympathy for the rat informant, but with what the man was about to endure, he wouldn't even wish it upon his worst enemy. The last thing the poor bastard needed was more cruel words.

Jackson and Keegan laid Teddy's pale body on top of the table. With help from the others, they fastened the shivering informant to each metal cuff offered by the table legs, chaining his limbs to the wooden board. Jackson stepped away once Teddy was secured. The last place he wanted to be was between a bladed welded by a demented James and the stupid prick who told him to piss off.

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

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Teddy Wycliff

The thought of dying didn't enter Teddy's head until he was punched and beaten by James Porter. This really couldn't be how it would end, could it? He had things to do, people to be with, things to say. Dying because of his loyalty to Gabriel Moretti was never something he thought would happen. He was used to being kidnapped, considering they always ended in him going home. This time around, it wasn't looking like that. Through the pain of the punches, being drowned, having his fingers cut off, he was trying to fight the inevitable that he was going to die if he did not tell these people what they wanted to know. It made Teddy think, just how angry will Moretti really be if he told them where those drugs were? Theodore had a very good reason as to why he would betray his boss, it wasn't like he couldn't take the torture. He was actively ready to his life on the line for this guy, surely his first peep wouldn't cause him any real trouble?

The final decision was made when he felt the blade pressed against his skin and tear. He grunted once more in pain, his body hurting all over. The man wanted this shit to end, feeling as they dragged him over to a table, strapping him down do it. After panting for a few seconds trying to catch his breath, he tried to talk and found himself struggling, almost to the point of tears. The biggest fear of his was how the Moretti family would take him once they found out he squealed. "Alright!" The shout he wanted to come out of his mouth only came out as a loud whisper that he hoped these silly goons would acknowledge. Teddy had taken enough of this beating. "I'll fucking tell you..." It was still difficult to get the words out but when he finally figured it out, he told them everything they needed and wanted to know about the drugs. It was hard referring back to his earlier lunch with Kaladin, considering he didn’t like hearing the guy talk so much. With his mind hazy and everything going in and out of focus, he finally had the address. “ 82nd and Kaiser, next to the Asian convenient store.” Some part of him was saying that he was doing something right while the other just whispered he was in for it now. Either way, he was going to get out of this place alive and Gabe would either understand or he wouldn't. The man prayed he did.​

 

[Bellz]

Gwen Bryant ​

Spoiler: TRIGGER WARNING

This post contains depictions of domestic abuse and drug use. Viewer discretion is advised

Gwen felt confident in her choice of calling what Jason and her had love. They were going to have to address it at some point but it seemed like now wasn't the time. Part of her wondered if that was too big of a commitment for Jason, to use such a word. Being reminded of the time he broke her hand, she chuckled as he picked it up and placed a kiss on it. Her worries about commitment faded away as he stated that he wanted her, that he was committed this time. Gwen released a breath in relief but she was still concerned. He hadn't said the words she'd been waiting to her. Just three little words. She was cautious as she hid the disappointment she was feeling, trying to not let it show on her face.

Nodding her head as he asked her to promise to keep fighting, "We have a deal." She said before jokingly shaking his hand before bringing it to her lips . "I know I look in bad shape, and I feel like it but this is just the withdrawals." She then reassured. She'd been struggling with it for the past 10 years on and off but this was the worst she's ever looked. Looking towards her vanity mirror, Gwen stared at her reflection the smile she had been wearing slowly fading. Jaw tightening, Gwen looked at Jason. "I know this is going to sound like a lie, but I didn't choose to do this to myself..." She started, eyes looking down at the track marks on her arms.

"I left Dublin in January of 1963, feeling that if I didn't take a chance and move to the States I never would" Gwen let out a hollow laugh as she shook her head, it had been a mistake to ever leave Dublin. "I was working in some sleazy nightclub as a waitress on Hollywood Boulevard because I was naive to think that L.A. wouldn't be expensive. I had moved into this tiny closet of a apartment above a strip club and was sleeping in a sleeping bag." Thinking about it now, she was so foolish. "Edward Bryant or Eddie as I use to call him, was a music producer and he wasn't my type at all...so charming and sophisticated. He showered me with small gifts at the end of my long shifts. He wouldn't leave me alone but somehow he persuaded me to go out with him." Pausing for a moment, Gwen looked at Jason and took both of his hands, giving them a squeeze. "He was so supportive of my dream, he had this new label and was eager for me to sign with him. I had been so excited at getting the chance I'd always wanted."

Swallowing hard, Gwen looked down to their hands another bitter laugh escaping her. "At the premiere party for my first album, I had gotten very drunk but I remember Eddie sticking me with a needle. I didn't know how to respond being so intoxicated but it didn't matter because I was immediately hooked." The feeling of heroin for the first time was something that was hard to recreate but Gwen was desperate for the feeling of exhilaration. "We got married at a courthouse and Lorelei was conceived several months later. I was never clean during my pregnancy with her and when she was born, doctors had found traces of heroin in her blood." Gwen's eyes looked back up to Jason's as they watered, "My baby would scream and scream for months, she was underweight all due to the withdrawals she was having. I experienced everything alone, because Eddie had changed after we had her...he'd be out all the time and one night..." She trailed off, taking in a deep breath as she tried to calm herself wanting to get through her story.

"One night, he came home drunk and Lorelei had been up screaming, there was really nothing I could do to soothe her. In a fit of rage, Eddie had tore into her room with the intent of shutting her up and I jumped on his back to stop him, scratching as hard as I could.." Her lower lip trembled but she fought the tears back as she cleared her throat, "He threw me off of his back and kicked my head as hard as he could. I curled up into a ball as he continued to kick me and stomp on me. I broke my arm, 5 ribs and my head split open that night." Narrowing her eyes as she looked past Jason, she bit down on her lip as she spoke, "He doped me up before telling me that if I told the hospital staff what he'd done, he'd kill Lorelei. The story was that I got hit by a car while walking across the Boulevard and that's exactly what I told them. " Her eyes blurred and she blinked harshly to contain her tears. "I missed you so much and I felt so much pain from it but it was nothing compared to the pain I went through with Eddie. I wanted to feel numb, from all the broken bones, the lacerations...the self loathing that I couldn't help myself or my own daughter. Heroin provided that for me...but I didn't choose it to begin with." Gwen's expression turned darker as she thought about what she had done to him. "He got what was coming to him." she said.

with: Jason Pyroclast

 

[Bellz]

Roxie Carriveau​

Syd's concern was causing her mind to run as she tried to comprehend the reality of the situation she could be in. He then offered to have the mob investigate her father and told Roxie that no one threatens her. It was hard for her to imagine Stefano doing anything to harm her but like Syd was pointing out, there could be a chance that his threats were not just empty ones. Roxie looked into Syd's eyes, hesitating to give him an answer as she thought about what involving the mob would do to her family. They weren't perfect but Roxie had grown comfortable with what she had with them. What if she allows Syd to have his family investigate Stefano and they do find he's been taking money from the company? Roxie wouldn't keep that to herself.

She was afraid of that, actually finding out that her father was worse than she imagined. Anxiety welled in her chest and she let out a shaky breath as she nodded her head. "It's hard for me to imagine that he would act on his words...it's always the same threat and he says it all the time." Roxie weakly stated, her mind desperately trying to come up with some explanation as to why he would act on his words. Stefano isn't a dangerous man, he never acted out violently...At least Roxie had never seen it and his patience with her was as thin as a strand of hair.
"If I allow your family to investigate, there is no way he would find out about them doing that right?" While it was hard for her to imagine him hurting her but if he found out about the Porters investigating him, her father would be smart enough to know who set them searching. Not only was she worried about herself at this point, she was also worried about Syd. He was vulnerable right now and her father made it clear that he didn't care for Porters,

Finally after a moment of anxiety filled erratic thinking, Roxie spoke up, "I didn't think I was in danger before but I think you are right. Being safe is what's most important and right now I don't feel safe with him If your family can help protect the baby and I from danger then I'll take you up on it." Squeezing his hand, she frowned for a few minutes before a small laugh escaped her. Knowing it must look odd, Roxie eyed Syd, her smile growing on her face. "I just feel sorry for whoever is going to be assigned to be my body guard." She started, "Poor sap will have to deal with my difficult ass. This pregnancy is definitely not making me more easy going."
with: Syd Pyroclast

 

[Misty Gray]

Sinead Callahan and Ethan Turner​

Sinead saw the way Alistair's face practically lit up when he recognised her, which made her feel even worse about being in the man's unsettling presence. His 'hello' to her had been met with nothing more than the redhead averting her vision towards the ground.

It was odd, but she felt belittled by the way Alistair seemed to tell her she was ungrateful for not making more of an effort to accept Ethan's offer of help. She looked up to Alistair and shrugged her shoulders. "Given the way our lives collide, I just expected you both would have better things to do than to assist a person like me. From a family such as mine..."

Whilst Ethan worked on the car, Alistair asked Sinead some questions that on face value would come across as quite pleasant. Considering the underlying issues the Porters and the East Harlem crew had with each other, it was nothing more than unpleasant. Noticing Alistair glance to her arm, Sinead unconsciously pulled her sleeve down to her wrist, wishing to conceal the scar that still sickened her to look at herself. The thought of others staring at it only upset her more. "My family's fine. We've been through a lot before now and we know how to look after ourselves," she firmly replied, looking Alistair in the eyes.

Ethan smirked to himself as he continued making a genuine effort to fix the redhead's tyre. "Yet, you're helpless after one flat tyre," he remarked, in a bid to belittle Sinead. "How's the daughter? The blonde one," he asked, but didn't look to Sinead as he addressed her. "Is she single? I've got a friend who's pretty smitten by her. Good looking lad, might I add..."

Sinead frowned as Savannah was mentioned. She balled her fists whilst tightly folding her arms. "Leave my children out if this and tell that animal to stay away from her. She has nothing to do with this whole business."

Ethan simply chuckled as he listened to Sinead protest. "That's a shame." He pulled the faulty tyre from the car and grabbed the replacement so he could set about fixing it into place. He remained silent as he expected Alistair had more to say.

Sinead looked around the street, knowing the few people who were walking by were best left unaware of her discomfort. She didn't want anyone to get hurt because of her. "Haven't you hurt my family enough?" she softly asked Alistair, maintaining eye-contact as she did.

Pyroclast (Alistair)

 

[Misty Gray]

Conor Sullivan and Maddox Parker​

Conor was growing restless the longer he spent in the counsellor's office. He needed to get out of there so he could warn his family of what Maddox had been up to and so they could start working on getting Syd out of the hospital. Not only that, but he felt it was relevant that Jackson was made aware he had a part in it all, being that he had carried out the hit on Maddox's family all those years ago. After enough talking, Conor finally sat forward and nodded his head decisively. It might not go down well with some family members, but his urge to smash Maddox's head in the same way he had done to the Italian assassin at the hospital had rapidly left him. He didn't want to end up back in prison and he wanted his nephew out. Whether or not his family agreed, Conor was dead set on tackling the situation his way. If he was to help Syd and maintain his own freedom, he knew he could only do it by working with Maddox. It was difficult to understand the prolonged and meticulous plotting for revenge that Maddox had gone through, as it wouldn't have been the kind of method Conor would have used to avenge his family. However, Conor couldn't help but feel some guilt for being partly to blame for Maddox losing his loved ones back on Dublin. Not only that, but Conor understood how Maddox felt as he too had lost family members as a result of gang wars.

"You're going to do everything I tell you from now on," Conor firmly told Maddox. "I will call your office or your apartment every day so I can have an update on your progress. If you need me, then you call my pub or my restaurant. Not my house, and certainly no creepy fucking phonecalls to James' place," he said, knowing full well the doctor had access to the Porters' contact details as they were Syd's emergency contacts. "Your first job is to get Syd out of that hospital. I don't care what you have to do, I want him back home where he belongs. Meanwhile, you're going to have to put on that mask of yours and keep that Moretti wanker's trust. I'm sure if he gets wind of this, me and him will be fighting over who gets to kill you..." Conor was interrupted as the office door was pushed open and a woman entered the office. Conor got to his feet and looked Ani over. It didn't take long to figure out she was Maddox's girlfriend.

"Ani!" Maddox said, surprised to see her in his office. His surprise turned to concern, seeing as she'd walked straight into the office where Conor had just been threatening him with their lives. "I... I told Conor everything," he informed her. She would know he'd come clean to them about what he'd been doing and how he'd had Syd sectioned.

"Yes. Your boyfriend is working for me now," he told her. Clearly, Ani was aware of Maddox's wrongdoings and wasn't quite so oblivious as he'd assumed. "Mitch. We're out of here. I need to feed back to the others." Conor headed to the door but stopped at Ani's side. "You'd better make sure your boyfriend doesn't double-cross me again. For both of your sakes..."

Once Conor and Mitch had left, Maddox locked the door behind them, not wishing for any intrusions. He was finally in a position to retrieve the medical kit from one of his cupboards. Usually so receptive to the plight of others, Maddox was so distracted and burdened that he was at first oblivious to how troubled Ani was. Beyond any concern for him, there was something deeply traumatised beneath Ani and in the moment it had escaped Maddox's attention.

Maddox sat on the edge of his desk and set about cleaning the wound. His heart was racing as the adrenaline from the confrontation slowed to wear off. "I'm sorry, Ani. I had to tell him the truth but now he--" Maddox fell silent as he looked to Ani and everything suddenly registered in his mind. She'd seemed troubled the moment the entered the room and he suspected there had already been something on the woman's mind before she even reached his office.

Dropping the cloth onto the floor, Maddox got up and rushed over to Ani, not caring about the blood that was still running down his arm. He placed his hands on her shoulders and looked into her eyes, studying her for a moment. "Ani, love. Look at me. What's wrong? Has something happened?" he worriedly asked. His immediate concern was that Alistair had done something to hurt or upset her, given the way he and Gabriel had recently been making threats.

Interactions: Bellz (Ani)
Mentions: RayPurchase (Mitch) [You're free from this scene]

 

[Misty Gray]

Conor Sullivan​

Conor had asked for a message to be passed on to Aliana, letting her know he'd be home late. After that, he drove over to Bayside, Queens so he could see Lucy and James at the mansion. When he reached the gates, Conor was granted access and informed Lucy was home, but not James. He wasn't sure how long it would be until the latter would arrive home, but he knew for sure he couldn't wait much longer to talk to Lucy when it concerned her eldest son.

With the car parked up, Conor climbed out and stepped into the Porter mansion without needing to knock on the door. He was initially greeted by a couple of dogs, causing him to briefly crouch down and playfully pet the animals. A brief smile was drawn out of him by the excitable pups, but he was soon back to the serious expression he'd sported throughout the car journey. "Luce. Where are you? I need to--" As he stepped into the doorway of the main lounge, Conor paused as he realised Blake was there with Lucy. Once again, a smile was brought to his face upon seeing the familiar woman. Jackson was practically a brother to him, which in turn meant Blake was family too. "Well, holy shit. Look who it is!" he greeted her, holding his arms out to give the woman a friendly hug. He stepped back so he could look to her face. "Jeez. I guess now the missus is here, that's mine and Jackson's mad weekend out on the piss ruined, am I right?" he teased her. It took another moment for him to realise there was a much smaller person also in the room. He looked down to the child before crouching to her level. "Ah, this must be Natasha," he said, sending the girl a warm and gentle smile. He could see the resemblance to both Blake and Jackson, which practically melted his heart. "I'm your Uncle Conor. I don't know what anyone else has told you, but I'm the best uncle. If you want the best treats and the most fun, you come to me, kiddo."

Conor knew he couldn't put off the purpose of his visit any longer, even if it did mean putting the rest of his reunion with Blake on hold. He stood back up and turned to his sister. "Luce, can we have a word? Is Jimbo's office free?" he seriously asked her.

Once in the privacy of the office, Conor closed the door but remained standing not far from it. "Luce... He was right," Conor began, quickly nodding his head. "Syd wasn't being paranoid or any of that shite. Dr. Parker has been working with the Morettis. He's been screwing with me and Syd for years." Conor anxiously ran his hand over his head, feeling stupid to have been taken in by the counsellor. "Syd tried to kill himself because Moretti ordered Parker to push him over the edge..."


Bellz (Lucy, Blake, Natasha)
Mention: Enzyme (Jackson)

 

[Misty Gray]

James Porter
​

James gripped the knife handle as he watched Teddy being dragged and then tied to the table. His face remained stone-cold as he waited for the men to finish. He'd been on the receiving end of torture multiple times in the past. He'd looked men like Vinnie Romano in the eyes and seen them enjoying the terrible acts they were committing. He'd heard from Lucy herself how the East Harlem men had relished in their behaviour when they tortured Syd and Sinead. One thing James knew for certain was that he was taking no pleasure in hurting Teddy. This was something he had to do, and whether he wanted to or not, he would do it. Showing mercy had rarely worked out in his favour in the past.

Thankfully, the fear of what James was about to do finally make Teddy see sense. The man struggled, but spoke out to say he'd tell them what they wanted to know. James approached the table and look down to Teddy, holding the knife out of sight as he urged the man to continue. "That would be wise," he said, with an encouraging nod. As soon as the man gave him an address, James turned to one of his masked employees. "Call through to the guys and have them check the address out," he urgently ordered him.

James looked back to Teddy before asking Jackson and Keegan to untie him. He then asked the remaining guard to attend to Teddy's wounds, in particular his hand which needed the most urgent of medical attention. "He's not a surgeon, so can't sew those fingers back on, but he'll stop you from bleeding everywhere else," he assured Teddy. "If the address you've given me checks out, then I'll have you back with your friends in no time and you can tell Mr. Moretti the next time I get one of his employees or someone he cares about, they might not be so lucky." He then shrugged his shoulders. "If the address doesn't check out, then I'll attach a letter to what's left of you and have you delivered to him."

******​

As it happened, Teddy had told the truth and Porter's men had the building in question raided. After being patched up enough to stop him from bleeding to death, Teddy was dumped at the garage Gabriel had conned Noah Harris out of - it was an address James knew for a fact was tied to the Morettis and was easy to get access to. Once there, the mechanics rushed to Teddy's aid and offered their help in taking him where he wanted them to take him...

Meanwhile, James and his men were driven back to the Porter mansion. The drive was a quiet one, no doubt all men involved being drained from the day at the butchers. James himself was exhausted, still somewhat sleep deprived with everything that had been going on and out of concern for Syd. "I'm going to head straight for a shower," James told Jackson, more than aware the sight of them wasn't exactly family friendly. With there being multiple bathrooms, Jackson had the option of getting himself cleaned up too.

James managed to sneak up the stairs, avoiding any family members and guests. He headed straight to the master bedroom and proceeded to clean himself up in the en suite bathroom. Once dressed again, he made his way downstairs to see if any of his family was around. He was more than aware how little time he'd spent with Thomas and Olivia lately. He also realised how much he missed being with Lucy and how they rarely got to do anything normal together. However, he worried things weren't going to improve for his home-life any time soon. "Thomas? Olivia?" he called out from the hallway.


Melanin-Gxdess (Teddy)
Enzyme (Jackson)
Bugsy (Keegan) [let me know if you want Keegan to have something else to do before the chapter ends]