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

[Bellz]

Gwen Bryant ​

In the end, Gwen ended up going into James’ office by herself which was a little bit relieving to her. She needed a bit of one on one time with James since the pair had sparsely gotten time together in the past due to her addiction. Gwen smiled as James rounded the desk to hug her and she stepped into his arms, giving him a tight squeeze. Nodding her head at his question as they separated, Gwen looked down to Olivia for a moment before answering, ” Feeling much better, well in control again.” She murmured before swiping her hand at her brother as he joked about the rehab place being sick of her. ” Quite the opposite actually, I really missed home.” Once again she looked to Olivia and offered the girl a big smile, ” Thank you for keeping Lorelei busy, love. You two are quite the pair.” After reaching to give Bruno a pet, Gwen looked to James and cleared her throat, ” Do you think we can have a moment...away from little ears?” She asked and once Olivia was out of the room, Gwen sighed and moved to take a seat on the couch.

” These last 3 months have been pretty eye-opening in terms of who I once was and who I really want to be. I know for years since I moved, I haven't been the best sister to you and Lucy and I haven't been the best mother to Lorelei but I want to tell you that I am really going to try to be the best I can be." Gwen smiled softly at James before continuing on, "I have a lot better outlook on life now despite all the things happening with our family and I feel like now that I've taken care of my addiction I can finally be closer to all of you."

Thinking of how long James and Lucy had been taking care of Lorelei, she knew what she needed to do to make it up to them and in all honesty, t wasn't so bad. "I really want to make it up to you guys and Lucy already told me that I didn't owe you anything but this is more for my sake than your guys' so...I would love to watch the children for a night so you two can have a break. I have yet to see you go out on a date this year, though I did miss Valentines' Day...but regardless if you went then, I would like to give you the opportunity to go again. I need to start pulling my weight around here and I thought this would be a good way to start."

Gwen was aware that she probably owed her brother a lot of money from past things but she knew he would turn her down if she offered anything from her minimal amount of savings so she decided to hold her tongue. "I am going to be looking for a job again soon since I screwed myself with the show...I would really like to work at the club again so I want to ask Sinead as soon as possible." Pausing for a moment, she sighed, "My addiction counselor said that it would be hard to come back to the house and I'm afraid she was right...I can't even step into my room now because things feel so different from what they use to be even in this small amount of time. I think when I can get enough money to, I'll move out...I've been in your hair for way too long, big brother, well...with what hair you do have." She teased, chuckling slightly before turning serious again.

"If it wasn't for Lucy and you, I would be out on the streets and I want to make it clear that I really appreciate everything you have ever done for me since the moment we became familiar with one another. I know you hate getting mushy but I love you and it's been a really long time since I've said that so...just thought you should hear it."
with: James Misty Gray

 

[Bellz]

Ani Sarraf
Finn Sullivan​

Finn smiled at George's remark but it faded into a small smirk as he wondered what James was going to think of him helping Ani. Finn never really got involved in any of the family business stuff and thank god he was never directly pulled into it but this would be his first time having anything to do with it. "I'm sure we could win them both over with some cake and a pint." Finn reassured both himself and Ani before nodding at George's question, "Not too sure about bringing the kiddos into this but hell if all else fails then I'm sure we could, but I'm sure Lucy wants to talk to you about the wedding." Looking towards the clock, Finn nodded his head to himself before standing. "If you want to leave your car and your dog with me, Ani, I think that would be best. If James does let you go see Maddox, they'll be taking you in their own car." Moving to grab his coat, he also grabbed George's and helped him into it before grabbing his key off the table by the door.

The car ride wasn't uncomfortable but Finn wasn't very talkative given the fact that he was having to do this whole thing under the radar from other family members. Sure, Lucy had agreed for them to come over to see James but she was sure she didn't agree with what Finn was asking of them both. Not bothering to knock on the door of the Porter's home, Finn let the three of them inside and the dogs came running over excitedly. Ani looked as tense as ever although she did bend down to greet the dogs and as Finn was taking off his coat, he called out to Lucy. The blonde made it to the front room quickly with a smile on her face for Finn and George, "Hello, loves! George, I'm going to steal you away for a bit to talk about the wedding, Finn told me that you guys have been having a hard time picking colors and I think I have a system that can help you!" Ani observed the blonde shyly and was quite aware of the distaste she already had for her when Lucy turned her way. "So this is her?" Lucy asked drily and Ani looked down at her feet.

Finn, being the nicest man in the entire world, saw the reaction and moved to wrap his arm around Ani's shoulder. "Yes, this is a good friend of mine Luce, from the hospital...brilliant surgeon, Ani Sarraf." Lucy didn't bother holding out her hand to shake but instead nodded her head once. "I'll go check to see if James is available, why don't you three have a seat in the lounge." Lucy turned on her heels and left to head down the hall quickly and as she did, Finn shook his head. "Please don't take that too personally, Ani...it's not really you who she's upset with." Ani nodded her head but regardless of doing that, she felt extremely awkward in the house. "Let's go sit you down." Finn murmured before turning with her towards the lounge. "This house is amazing." Ani commented softly to which Finn nodded his head in agreement. "You and I probably make the most money after James and Lucy and we still couldn't afford a place like this." Finn laughed and Ani smiled slightly as she looked around.

There were a lot of things but Ani never really liked the fancy things, she found more practicality in saving her money for trips away or for her future family but she guessed just like her former employer, the mob made lots of money and what else would they spend it on?

After a few moments, Lucy returned and nodded her head towards Ani. "He'll see her in a few moments, Gwen returned from rehab today so he's catching up with her." Finn nodded his head, smiling at the news that Gwen was home. "That's great! I'm so glad she stuck it out for three months." Lucy nodded before turning her attention to George, "Alright Georgie, you and me in the kitchen, you already know I have samples of things for you to taste along with color schemes to look at, so let's get going!"

Finn reached for George's hand and kissed it, "I'll come to join you after I talk to James with Ani, love. Save some of those samples for me!" He said before the pair left the room and it was just Ani and Finn.

with: George Misty Gray
mentions: James Misty Gray

 

[Pyroclast]

Tatiana Moretti

Growing up in Sicily had given Tatiana a taste for the ocean, and so while staying on the Long Island peninsula, she knew without asking for a menu that the best thing to order would be seafood. Not only would it be familiar to her, but she believed it to be a traditional aphrodisiac. With Rebel in the bathroom getting dressed, Tatiana knew she had to take advantage of being alone, and not just to order whatever she liked from room service. As far as the telephone chord would extend, she opened cupboards and drawers, crouching beneath counters and groping the backs of shelves searching for bugs. “Yes, the penthouse suite.” The top drawers were lined with a thin wooden insert, enough to leave room for something small and flat, and she slipped her hand beneath it to check for wires. “Excellent. I’ll make sure we’re dressed.”

She hung up the phone and sighed, somewhat defeated. It should have been a relief to find nothing suspicious, but she would almost have preferred to have found something and been able to get rid of it. Instead she was left feeling just as uncertain. What’s more, she was out of time - Rebel came out of the bathroom looking relaxed in gym shorts and a baggy t-shirt, and Tatiana couldn't help but smile at her. “Much better,” she commented. “Now it feels like summer, with you dressed like that!” Any efforts to catch the woman out would have to be reduced to careful phrasing and inconspicuous movements from that point on. That, or she would have to be the first to strike.

While Rebel made herself comfortable in one of the armchairs, Tatiana rifled through the record collection. Most of it seemed rather obscure, but her fingers eventually landed on a Sam Cooke album that she knew would create a romantic atmosphere - or at least, the illusion of one. Rebel began to question her intentions for coming to Montauk with her, but Tatiana had a practised poker face and kept her attention on the record as she gently tipped the vinyl out of its sleeve. “Well, thank you,” was all she said at first, when offered luck in gaining information from her. There was a second of silence before the needle landed on the spinning black wheel and Cooke’s smooth, soulful voice floated across the room. With music taken care of, Tatiana finally turned to her with a sceptical smile. “Time off, huh?” She noticed that the woman had taken a seat with no appropriate space for a second person. “Then if those little glances we gave each other across the room were just a coincidence, if you’re really telling me that not even a little bit of you was in it for the competition, then why did you invite me?”

Tatiana was slowly piecing together an impression of the woman. Her general air of confidence was betrayed by the openness of her questions; however she composed herself, it was clear that she wasn’t as relaxed as she wanted to appear. She was concerned, poised for a threat, and Tatiana knew she had to break through it. She pulled up a chair and straddled it, leaning forwards over the backrest to face Rebel. “If you want me to be the first to admit it, then fine.” She spoke in soft, deep tones, her sultry eyes fixed on her. “I want more than just time off,” she spoke frankly. “I want to break out of my chains, leave my responsibilities at the door and just live life my way. For one weekend. No missions, no war, no one to answer to...” Beneath her gaze, Tatiana’s hand inched forward and lightly grazed Rebel’s exposed thigh with the back of her fingernail. “We spend all our time guarding other people’s secrets. What if you and I had a secret of our own?”

Interactions
Bellz

 

[Enzyme]

Amato Castello​

Amato's eyes widened as a voice beside him spoke up. The barrel of his M12 swept across the ground until it reached a man with a neatly trimmed beard - hiding below the lip of the bar. "And who de' fuck are you?" He spat, tilting his head down and staring at the man, even if the eye contact wasn't mutual. As the man gave the code, there was a moment of silence that settled over the room. Amato looked up to the stage at the guard. The men remained sat on their knees, their beady eyes locked on the ground, with a look of defeat. Amato took that as a sign that what the mysterious man told them was the real code. The group had bought themselves some time with the factory and the cut lines, but the police wouldn't remain oblivious forever. Amato didn't want some timewaster burning up the limited opportunity they had.

No matter his intent, Scott was bold to speak up, so there had to be no question of power dynamics in the room. Amato's curious expression shifted with the arching of his brows. In a sudden step, tip of his boot shot out into the gut of Scott, forcing him to tumble over. "Get up, you schmuck!" Amato barked, Amato's hand extended down to the collar of Scott's shirt, yanking him up to his knees. "Up!" Amato barked once more, throwing the man onto his feet.

"Into the office," Amato sharply ordered, jabbing the round tip of his M12 into Scott's spine. "Try anythin' funny, wise guy, and I'll blow your lungs out ya' chest." Amato forced Scott to march forward, prodding him with the barrel to keep a steady pace. The two men disappeared into the darkroom, no longer under the illusioned safety of the spectator's eyes. It was now just the two of them.

Amato stepped past the bleak window, two thin strips of light illuminating his malicious facial features, including his growing, sinister grin. "Go on." Amato rammed the M12 into a nick in Scott's spine, forcing him to stumble forward towards the decimated bookshelf. The thin beams of florescent streetlight lit up the safe like a narrow spotlight, highlighting it among the strewn books and documents.

"Look at that - a little baby takin' his first steps," Amato chuckled menacingly, holding the aim if his submachinegun down by his waist. "I hope you weren't talkin' out your ass, for your sake," Amato sneered. "I really don't like liars," Amato hissed in a hushed whispered.

Misty Gray (Scott)

 

[Misty Gray]

Conor Sullivan​

Conor watched as Peter used the saxophone to take care of one of the guards. A chuckle escaped him as he held back from making a remark about how offended Sinead would be at seeing musical instruments being treated so disrespectfully. The big guy rolled his eyes as more guards approached - and with guns in their hands. When this was followed by Peter reaching for his own handguns, Conor practically growled at the thought of an imminent gunfight. He found bullets to be a real killjoy, even if he was armed with loaded weapons himself. Although, he supposed the fun had gone on long enough already.

As Peter and Jackson set about dealing with the guards at their side, Conor seemed to have his own situation to deal with. He glared at the three men who were now circling him, taking a moment to acknowledge their heights and build. As he was studying them, he was certain they were focused on him in return, figuring out how best to attack to effectively take down the Irishman who's size none of them could match. Sooner than expected, one man lunged towards him with a stick in hand. Clearly the man hadn't been smart enough to take a more calculated move alongside his two dumb friends.

Conor was inches from being whacked across the back of the head with the stick was he swung his arm out to grab one end tightly. A brief tug-of-war took place between the two men before Conor pulled the stick towards himself, causing the man to stumble forward, creating a barrier between Conor and the other two opponents. In the swift move of letting go of the stick, Conor's stuck his elbow out in time to collide with his attackers lift eye-socket. Reaching for the man's wrist, Conor violently twisted it, hearing a crack before the man was forced to let go of the stick and let it drop onto the floor. Aware of being outnumbered, Conor wrapped one arm around the man's neck, pulling him in against him chest. As much as he'd have preferred not to, he reached down to his waist and gripped the handle of his pistol. The man in his grip struggled, throwing off Conor's aim slightly, leading to him quickly firing off a few bullets, two of which ripping into chest of one of the men who had been about to attack.

Conor slammed the handle of the gun against the skull of the man he was holding, before violently yanking upwards the arm of his that was constricting the enemy's throat. A crack of the cervical vertebrae followed before the man fell limp in his grasp. Conor let go, allowing him to drop to the floor before making eye-contact with the currently unscathed man. "Will a bullet to the head do?" he asked, glancing to the gun he was now aiming at the guard. "Or are you still wanting to get up close and personal?" he asked, glancing down to the unconscious man at his feet.

Bellz (Peter) Enzyme (Jackson)

 

[Misty Gray]

Scott Masters​

The man with an attitude bigger than his height had looked to Scott and asked the man who he was. "Bar manager," he lowly mumbled to back up the validity of his claim to knowing the code for the safe. After giving out the code the gunmen asked for, Scott was rudely rewarded for his help by being kicked in the stomach by Amato. The shorter man grabbed Scott's collar and dragged him up to his feet.

Scott may have been the bigger and fitter man, but he was also the one with a sub-machine gun pressed into his spine, so therefore wasn't about to try anything stupid or heroic. Despite Amato's warning not to try anything funny, Scott remained silent, accepting it was useless to speak up to confirm he was complying. Scott entered Sinead's office first, with Amato following close behind. The time spent in the office in the past had always been a pleasant experience, with meetings and chats with Sinead always been a bright, energetic atmosphere. Now, it felt like he was standing in a completely different room. It was dimly lit and any joy had been sucked out of the office; out of the whole club.

Scott was knocked forward by the end of Amato's gun, the barrel digging into the centre of his spine. Scott looked the safe head on, remembering how Sinead had often had to stand on her tiptoes to reach the back of the secure hole in the wall to retrieve whatever might have been left behind inside. "I'm not lying," Scott said, speaking through his clenched jaw. He reached his hand up towards the safe and began entering the pin code. "3-7-5-1..." he spoke aloud as he unlocked the safe, figuring it would prove he hadn't been lying when he gave the code out in the main club.

Scott swung open the front of the safe before allowing his arm to drop to his side. Knowing the gun was still being aimed at him, he remained facing forward so he didn't make anything that might be considered a sudden move. As is eyes looked into the safe, he recalled what he knew to be in there. Wads of cash, contracts and staff contact details. Other than the money, he wasn't sure if there was anything there the mob's enemies would find of use. Considering Sinead's business ethics, the jazz club was pretty clean compared to other mob-related premises. "That's all of the cash. I filled the safe myself before the evening shift started," he informed Amato.

Enzyme (Amato)

 

[Misty Gray]

Riccardo Biancardi​

Ricky kept a gentle hold of Jeanie when Roxie left the room after Syd. As he lightly rock the baby girl, he looked to his aunt and cocked his head in the direction of the kitchen. "This is going well, yeah? I mean... it could be going much worse," he pointed out. Considering Stefano's murder, the mob war he felt he was due to be stuck in the middle of, and the issues Syd had had, it really could have been a bigger disaster.

When Roxie returned, she announced it was time to feed the girls. "Oh right, yeah. I can go out and... um... not be present for that..." he stopped talking as he realised Roxie was carrying two bottles for the girls, thus removing his desire to get out of the room. "She definitely likes me," Ricky informed his cousin as he carefully handed Jeanie back to her.

With the announcement Syd had ordered food, Ricky raised an emotive eyebrow. "Yeah, I get it. We're Italian, therefore we like pizza. That's such a lazy generalisation." He then grinned as he rubbed his hands together. "But I'm not complaining. I'd eat pizza every day if I could, so Syd made a good choice on that one." In the blink of an eye, Ricky's face turned more serious as it often did when he needed to talk business. With twins content being fed and Syd still in the kitchen, he sat in the armchair opposite Roxie and cleared his throat. "My dad needs you and me to have a meeting with him soon. With Stefano gone, there's a lot to sort out on the business side of things. This is a real mess of a situation we're going to be stuck in the middle of. I mean, I'm not looking forward to meeting this Moretti guy, but I think things will be even rougher for you given your relationship to the Porters."

Pyroclast (Syd) Bellz (Roxie)

 

[Bellz]

Rebel Holt ​

Rebel's cheeks warmed as Tati painfully pointed out their little glances back at the charity event. She had been trying to push that whole interaction from the back of her mind since the moment she arrived at the hotel in hopes that Tatiana wouldn't be there but who was she kidding now, the woman was right in front of her. Observing her up close, she was more beautiful from this view and Rebel had to tell herself to keep it together over and over in order to not fall for that tantalizing gaze. Rebel let the relaxed look on her face remain as Tati pulled a chair to sit in front of her, not daring to make any sudden movement, she raised her chin a bit defiantly. Raising one brow up slightly, she listened as Tati went on to admit why she had shown up.

She stated clearly that she wanted more than just time off, that she wanted to break from her responsibilities, to live her life her way for once. Rebel had been so caught up in her eyes that when Tati's hand grazed her thigh, she flinched, physically backing the armchair out of her reach. At first, the words she wanted to say caught in the back of her throat, causing the woman to clear it harshly as she forced herself to look away from Tati all together out towards the window and the moonlight. "We could get in so much trouble for this." Rebel murmured deeply as she turned her head slowly to look back at the woman again, catching her dark eyes with her own green ones. "I'm sure you'd get off easy since your daddy is your boss, but believe me, if Conor Sullivan or James Porter were to find that I did this...I wouldn't live to see another day." The fear of being caught was terrifying to Rebel but at the same time, it really did excite her. She had already come to terms with not being able to outrun the mob if she did anything stupid years and years ago into her employment but she never really imagined herself being in a situation like this.

The music took over the silence and Rebel listened to it for a moment to calm her racing thoughts. It was romantic but surely that's only what Tati wanted her to think it was an illusion. "It's true, we could have our own secret...but wouldn't that be adding to the extensive list we already keep?" She wondered out loud, not necessarily saying no to her question as she glanced over the woman once more. "For all you know, darlin' this whole thing could be just to make you comfortable before I slit your throat in the middle of the night while you are sleeping...do you really want to take that chance?" Honestly, that was a question Rebel really needed to ask herself. This whole situation was one big chance and there was no guarantee that she would even wake up tomorrow morning.

With that thought going through her mind, Rebel had made up her mind. "Fine, this is all strictly pleasure...no business involved whatsoever. I can do that for one weekend, I think." It was going to be a big secret to keep but she was sure she could do it. Before she could say much more, there was a tentative knock on the door and Rebel practically leaped out of her seat to answer it. Seeing that it was the room service, Rebel opened the door wide to let the man in, and at first, he gave both women an odd look that made Rebel want to roll her eyes. Men really couldn't look past heterosexuality, could they? It was every man's fantasy but the actual idea of two women being together for their own sexuality stunned them into silence. "Thanks, man." Rebel said before ushering him out and shutting the door.

"If I had a dollar for every time a man has looked at me like that, I think I would be as rich as my employer." She said with a slight chuckle before taking off the cover of one of the plates. "Oysters? Interesting choice..." She commented with a smirk on her face.
with: Tatiana Pyroclast

 

[Bellz]

Peter Callahan ​

It had happened so quickly that Peter's mind was still attempting to catch up with what was going on around him. He was on the floor one second and then in the next, a lucky guard had managed to lock him in a vice grip while another took a baton and swung at his rib cage. Peter gasped as the air was forced out of his chest and he coughed up a fair amount of blood as he doubled over. Before the guard with the baton could get another swing in, Peter swung his head back forcefully to collide his head with the guard's face who held him from behind. The man cursed and released him rather dumbly and that's when Peter made a reach for his gun which laid on the floor a few feet beside the body he'd attacked before. The baton hit him in the back this time causing a sharp crack to ripple through his back and made him fall towards the ground. Grabbing the gun as he fell, he rolled over on his back despite everything in him screaming not to and as the guard lifted his baton, exposing his stomach, Peter fired 3 shots right into his lower torso before shooting him in the chest once just for good measure. The man hit the ground like a ton of bricks and not a moment passed before the bloke he had head-butted was aiming a gun at Peter.

Peter pulled the trigger without hesitation and a second after the man pulled his own before falling towards the floor. Gasping out as a bullet ripped through his lower right side, Peter rolled onto his knees and stood up as carefully as he could before looking to see that Conor had a handle on his own group who surrounded him. It was deathly quiet in the room now as the guards were ticked off one by one and all who was left was the three men. Peter tried to remain standing straight for as long as he could before moving to sit down in one of the chairs that had impressively survived the fight. Gasping, he lifted his shirt to examine the bullet wound and shook his head. Once Jackson and Conor had taken care of their men, Peter let out a harsh chuckle as he spits out a mouthful of blood again. "I'm getting way too fucking old for this, mates." He commented with a hiss before pressing his shirt against the side of his wound harshly, trying his best to stop the bleeding.

"Well that was quite the shindig...is that what these kids call parties now? I can't keep up anymore. And god, I have another one on the way, with a whole new vocabulary that I'm going to have to bother to learn once they get into their teens." Peter shook his head before moving to sit up straight, catching his breath before shakily pulling a cigar case out of his pocket. After lighting it, he took a long drag and was relieved that it helped center him. Sinny wouldn't even know that he took up smoking again, at least for now. "What now? We torching this place or what?"
with: Jackson Enzyme ; Conor Misty Gray

 

[Bellz]

Roxie Carriveau ​

Roxie rolled her eyes at Ricky as he said Syd was making a lazy generalization about Italians and just before she could remind him that he'd never turned down pizza before he said it himself. "You should be lucky I even want to feed you, Rick." She told him, her voice teasing before her face grew serious just as her cousins did. Looking down to Jeanie for a moment, she reached and lightly swiped her thumb across the baby's cheek as she fed before her head snapped up as Ricky talked about Gabriel Moretti and how it would rough for her to be there during such a meeting given her relationship with the Porters'. Looking towards the kitchen where Syd was still busy getting dinner arranged, Roxie's eyes looked widely at Ricky. "Are you sure I should be there for that interaction? I mean, I'm sure any deal our family is making with Moretti will want to be kept from me given my close connection...or, maybe I'm wrong. What is it exactly that your dad wants to gain from speaking with him?" She asked, once again her attention looking towards the kitchen. There was no way in hell Syd was going to have her within 1 million feet of Gabriel Moretti let alone in the same room but she guessed it was sort of on her to handle this stuff since it was her father's job before...but Ricky was second in command now, at least that's what she got from the situation.

"I just don't know if Syd will be okay with that, Ricky. I mean, you know full well I am very independent and will do whatever it is I want to do but..we are a team now and I can't just lie to him about this. Does Uncle Giovanni really want me there? I know he reached out to me about talking about my father's will but I barely want to do that as it is." Her mother then turned to her very suddenly and spoke so quickly that Roxie had to ask her to slow down. Angelica was very certain that Roxie should take the money from the will and that her father wanted her to have it. Shaking her head, Roxie was pretty defiant on the subject, "I can't, mamma. It's wrong on so many levels! I'll feel nothing but guilt over this, forever if I take it!" Once again, her mother insisted on which Roxie just held up her hand after a moment, silencing her. "I really don't want to talk about this right now." She said truthfully to her mother to which the woman respected her boundaries, thankfully.

Looking back to Ricky, Roxie shrugged her shoulders, "If you and your dad really want me there, then I guess I can talk to Syd. I mean as you understand, that monster is a pretty sore subject for this family but I'm just now understanding that our family has a fucking card in this whole messed up situation. I just hope your father knows what he's doing, I hope you know what you're doing."
with: Ricky Misty Gray
mentions: Syd Pyroclast

 

[Pyroclast]

Spoiler: Trigger Warning

Descriptions of grief

Chase Zegarra

The stiffness in his smile gradually relaxed as he listened to Jasmine’s comforting words. Six years on, it still took courage to smile through it. He knew he was putting on a brave face for her sake, but that was what his job was, after all: bravery, tenacity, leaving all one’s baggage at the door. Whenever he went out on a job, no matter what it involved, nobody let their personal issues hold them back. From where he stood, everyone - with the exception of Syd, whom he had to watch unravel over the course of several months - appeared professional and pieced together as though untouched by trauma. Given the heartbreak and torture the mob had suffered, however, he was certain they must put on the same brave face every day. Unveiling his pain for even a few seconds was a risk in his eyes. There were enemies all over the city, hidden in plain sight - exactly what he and Jasmine were watching out for from where they sat - and if they were ever caught with their guards down, that only made them easy prey.

That was Chase’s reasoning, anyway. However, the way that Jasmine spoke about becoming detached put it into a new perspective for him. He took comfort from detaching himself, but never speaking about it took its toll on him. When looking back, Chase skipped past the trauma and instead returned to happier times, when his father was still alive. Everything he needed to release lay dormant, and even looking at the paintings on the walls of his apartment, no one would guess that he had any demons at all. For instead of sorrow, his work expressed only the sweet nostalgia of a childhood in Cuba: the early morning sun peeking over the misty mogotes of the Vinales Valley; the synesthetic scent of tobacco lathes; triangular drying huts dotted across the farmland; tocororo birds; the rows of colourful houses as he remembered them, down to the distinctive broken porch of his friend Rigo’s house that never got repaired after he had accidentally kicked a ball through it. It was a much simpler life. The nights were long, the winters warm, and a hole in the porch was just jumped over with laughter. He didn’t have things, he didn’t go on holidays, but he had a home, a purpose, friends and a good father. He remembered it like it was yesterday - yet, at the same time, it felt like a whole lifetime ago.

At some point the smile on his face had faded and Chase found himself staring down vacantly at the table. It took a moment for Jasmine’s words to sink in but when they did he looked up at her, once again taken aback by her glamour, and muttered a soft, “Thank you.” He couldn’t help but wonder why she was willing to put her life at risk for the mob. Perhaps like him, she didn’t feel like she had much to lose. “Don’t be hard on yourself, Jasmine,” he added, clearing his throat. “I think we’re always learning...but maybe so far what working here has taught you is what’s important for you now. The lives of the people you protect, the money you earn for protecting them, or giving back to the city that raised you.” He shrugged, his expression nothing but sincere. “It’s a big risk, to gamble our lives. If we choose to take it, we’ve got to make sure we really believe in what we’re doing.”

Chase’s eyes widened when she told him she had been learning to fight since she could walk. He couldn’t help but think being raised by a gangster must have robbed her of her innocence at an early age. He may have turned to a life of crime, but he had been old enough to make that choice when the opportunity arose and had always been grateful to at least have had a happy childhood. When she pointed out that she was able to defend herself in the crime-ridden city of New York as a result, however, he understood why she didn’t speak of her father with resentment. Just as he was about to ask what had happened to him, she clarified that he had gone to prison for life. “I’m sorry to hear that,” he replied solemnly. “I’m glad you can still see him, Jasmine. I’m sure he’s grateful for your visits. I don’t think I would have met your dad, but I remember Liam Sullivan. He was a good guy to work with.” Thoughts of Liam led Chase’s mind back to his father’s death, bringing the conversation to a pause. Jasmine had approached the topic with the kindest of intentions, but now that his grief had been brought to the surface, he was already struggling to bury it again. His chest was aching and if he didn’t find a way to detach himself just like she had warned against, he wouldn’t be able to concentrate on his job. With a heavy sigh, he sent her a gentle smile. “It all comes at a price, doesn’t it?”

Taking a deep breath to centre himself, Chase straightened up in his seat and looked out across the restaurant. “Okay,” he said, knocking his fist against the table. “Come on, let’s stay alert. If we let someone get past us, the boss might not send us out together again.” There was a brief pause before he cleared his throat and added, “And of course, you know...the threat to the establishment and everything.” He fought back a smile at his unprofessional slip up - but what better way to ease the aching of his heart than to instead dwell on Jasmine’s confession of enjoying his company? She liked working with him. She cared for him. And while he understood that it didn’t necessarily put him at an advantage, it still pleased him to hear that she hadn’t just come from a date.

Unfortunately, Chase wasn’t able to hold onto that pleasant thought for long, as a figure in a long, dark coat suddenly burst through the door. Chase’s hand instinctively flew to the pistol on his belt, but hesitated when he saw the host greet him in a friendly manner. The two appeared to know each other, and when the man turned their way and began to approach their table, Chase realised it was only Darragh, who had accompanied him on the rescue mission on Liberty Island.

“You scared me, Darragh,” Chase grinned. He was about to stand up to shake his hand but Darragh instead quickly pulled up a chair to their table. He was breathing too heavily to speak, and took his hat off to fan his face with it. “You okay, asere? You look like you just ran a mile.”

“It’s started,” Darragh panted. “Factory’s up in flames. Phone lines are all dead. We’ve gotta clear this place out in case it gets hit.”

Chase looked at Jasmine, his face deadly serious. “Alright, Darragh, you speak to management and Jasmine and I will -”

“Nope, this one’s yours,” he huffed, staggering slightly as he got to his feet again. “I’ve gotta get to the next place. Got no car, taxis could be hijacked. Just clear the place, yeah? Good man. Good to see you, Jasmine.”

“Hey, don’t give yourself a heart attack, okay?” Chase warned as Darragh headed for the exit. When he was gone, he looked to Jasmine and gave her a nod. “Right. Let's shut this place down.”

Interactions
Misty Gray Jasmine

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Elvian Moretti & Teddy

Both Elvian and Teddy were nervous about what Valentina was going to say, non-verbally said through the look they gave each other. Although they trusted her, it was more of a 'What will Gabriel think?' sort of thought that coursed through their minds. Teddy knew she wasn't going to say anything that would be detrimental to the family business without first talking to her father about it, but he was still nervous. Watching as the cops stood at the foot of her bed, he crossed his arms in a sort of protective manner. He was watching them the same way Elvian was, eyes glued and daring them to say something stupid. Elvian's chat with them outside led to nowhere, much to her dismay as they didn't want to leave without getting answers. "Delaying the investigation," they had told her multiple times. But the health and wellbeing of her child were first and foremost and she didn't care about their investigation. If Val didn't want to speak, she wasn't going to speak and she would be damned if she let them force her to do so. The look the cop gave her after informing them of the five minutes they had made her raise her brow. He should be lucky they were being allowed to talk to her at all.

When Val started to speak, recanting on the attack, Elvian placed her hand on her daughter's. It was rough to talk about it, that much she did know. But the mother would pay attention to the daughter's reactions and everything else while she told her story. Teddy had been paying attention to the detail of the story, trying to see if he himself could point out what was true and what was false. Granted, eventually, she would tell them the truth but he wanted to get started now on finding her attacker. He did his best to keep his facial expressions under control, not wanting the police to pick up on any of it.

There were portions of the story he knew were a lie, but understood her reason behind telling them. Elvian, on the other hand, was finding herself in a difficult position as she couldn't tell which was a lie or the truth. She knew she wasn't going to tell them the truth without her husband being present, but still. One thing she could tell was that her daughter was reliving something as she had zoned out and dropped the cup of water on the floor. It splashed against Teddy's legs, breaking the current trance of thought at the moment. He moved towards her, but realized that what he had in mind to do wasn't a good idea with Elvian there. Elvian, on the other hand, had sprung back into angry Romanian mother mode.

"Okay, she's told you all she can now get! You're upsetting her!" Watching the two officers leave the room, Teddy turned back to the girls and gave a deep sigh. He wasn't going to ask any questions at the moment, letting Elvian tend to her daughter. Stroking her hair, Elvian tried to calm her down with soft words and humming. "It's okay... You don't have to talk anymore. It's okay."

Teddy spoke up after hearing her confession, realizing Elvian was focused on her kid. "I put two and two together, Tin. Not only did they attack you but the attacked the family and we're going to find out why, alright? All you need to worry about is getting better." Elvian agreed, nodding her head at the end of his sentence. "They'll pay for it, darling, I swear by it." The only concern Teddy had while listening to Elvian's reassurance to her daughter was the 'they'. He didn't even know who 'they' was and he hated not knowing. But, it did mean he had work to do.
​

 

[Enzyme]

Amato Castello​

As the green sphere of the safe flashed, Amato's growing grin radiating in a virescent hue. A single beeping noise was all that was left for confirmation, as the metal door slowly swung open. Amato stepped closer while Scott informed him that all the cash was in the safe, with a slow menacing pace in his dawdle. Amato could tell that Scott was telling the truth with the help of a fluorescent streetlight, which lit up the inside of the stuffed safe. "You did good, Manager. You did real good," Amato nodded to Scott. "Why don't you take the rest of the night off?" Suddenly, a bright flash consumed the dim office, as if some sort of stun grenade had popped off in the center of the room. The quick flash was followed by a deafening pop, and then nothing else, as the light quickly retreated back to the empty shadows.

Scott's body would've done a remarkable job at blocking out the excruciating pain, but he'd soon find it hard to breathe, and then soon enough - impossible to stand. Amato bent down to his knees as he followed the Bar Manager to the ground, his cold, wide eyes not once leaving Scott's fading orbs. "As a matter of fact, you should consider this your permanent retirement." Amato's finger traced to the torn-up wound that rested just right of Scott's heart. "But, stick around as long as you can. I wouldn't want a Porter scumbag like yourself to miss the fireworks," Amato chuckled while lightly squeezing Scott's cheek, followed by a patronizing tap.

Amato then stood up, pulling another silk bag from the inside of his coat. Handful by handful, he began stuffing the bag with numerous bills and contracts. Anything within the safe was free-game in his mind, and if it was valuable enough to be locked away, it'd prove some sort of worth for them later down the road.

A soothing whistle rang out from the office, before Amato followed it outside, swinging the full bag like a flagpole. Amato's dress shoes swept over the spilled liquor and broken glass as he took his time returning to the middle of the bar. He then comedically spun around on the heels of his shoes, until he faced both Steve and Tony, who seemed to still be preoccupied with the guards on the stage. "We are very, very happy," Amato assured them, nodding his head as his wide smile surpassed the mouth hole of his ski mask.

Misty Gray (Scott) Pyroclast (Steve) RayPurchase (Tony)

 

[Misty Gray]

James Porter and George Sanderson​

James listened as Gwen spoke of how she felt about not being the best sister. He quickly shook his head but didn't interrupt her, waiting until there was a pause for him to speak. "I've not exactly been the best brother, have I? Hell, I did try to help and steer you away from the drugs, but I was always getting dragged off to the next business crisis," he reasoned. "You're a good mother to Lorelei and now you can get back on track with her. She might be young, but she understands and doesn't think badly of you. I've seen bad parenting, and unfortunately that came from our dad, as much as I loved him." It was true that he was devastated and still thought about Ronan, but he wasn't about to pretend the man was a shining example of a good father.

James smirked when his sister offered to babysit so he could spend time with Lucy. "One night? I think you owe us more than one night," he said, with a chuckle. "How about I schedule you in for the next five Saturdays?" he teased. He listened as she spoke of how she would be looking for work and then a new place to live. He slowly nodded his head, though he didn't want her to feel like he wanted to rush her out of his home. "Ah, Sinead will like that. The club has really taken off over the last couple of years so she'll be keen to keep a full line-up. I guess she shows old crooks like me that it can be done the legitimate way," he remarked. "If moving out is what's best for your recovery, then I get that. Just don't move too far away, yeah? And don't ever feel like we're pushing you to leave. Having Lorelei around the place has been noisy, but she and Natasha helped bring Olivia back out of her shell after Arlene's death."

He warmly smiled as Gwen expressed her gratitude for being able to stay, rather than ending up out on the streets. "You're family and that means we've always got to have each others' backs. I failed Eli and Warren, but I'll be damned if I let you down too. You're always welcome here. Never be afraid to come to Luce or me for help." James stepped closer to Gwen and gave her a firm hug. "Is this enough mush now, for one night?"

*****​

When they entered the house, George was greeted by the dogs, as was normal to him by that point. After giving them a bit of attention, his focus was directed to Lucy as she joined them. "Evening, Lucy," he pleasantly greeted her. He let out a slightly nervous laugh as she said she was going to steal him away to talk about the wedding. "Ah, did he tell you I'm useless at picking a colour scheme?" he joked. George's smile faded when Lucy made a dry comment about Ani. He figured the situation wasn't going to be a comfortable one, but it didn't make it any less awkward. Thankfully, Finn was good at trying to ease a tense situation and he showed it by reassuring Ani whilst speaking respectfully of her. George couldn't help but admire his fiance for a brief moment. Whilst Lucy went to speak with James, Finn continue to reassure Ani.

Soon enough, Lucy returned and told George he needed to join her in the kitchen for wedding planning. He smiled lovingly at Finn as the man kissed his hand and happily nodded his head. "Don't take too long, because you know I've got a sweet tooth," he playfully warned Finn. "If there's chocolate in there, I can't guarantee I'll save you any." He then left the room with Lucy before Finn could say much in response to his light threat. As soon as he was alone in the kitchen with Lucy, George held his arms out at his sides. "I'm going to level with you, here. I thought this would be easy, but it turns out I'm a pretty useless wedding planner!"


After speaking with Gwen, James entered the lounge and closed the door behind him for privacy. He'd transferred the office phone through so he wouldn't miss any calls, but for now he had a guest to focus on. "How's it going, Finn?" he greeted the man with a friendly smile. He then looked Ani over, noticing the bloodstains on her clothing. His expression was no longer quite as friendly as it had been for Finn a split second ago. Still standing, James folded his arms before letting out a sigh. "You must have some balls to show up here, Ani," he broke the silence. He was aware she was romantically involved with Maddox and also of her ties to the East Harlem Gang. "Were you around while those animals tortured my family?" he asked her, thinking of the night Lucy, Syd and Sinead were harmed.

James quickly shook his head, figuring she wasn't there to confess to or apologise for her past sins. She was there because of Maddox; another who had brought harm to James' family. "If you had any sense, you wouldn't have shown your face around here again... What is it you want from me?" he abruptly asked. He didn't like that Finn was stuck in the middle of it, but it didn't stop him from being blunt with the woman. "Past sins aside, I'm sure you can do better than Parker. A bloke's gotta be sick in the head to pull the shit he did - dead dad or not."

Bellz (Gwen, Ani, Finn, Lucy)

 

[Bellz]

Gwen Bryant
Lucy Porter
Finn Sullivan
Ani Sarraf ​

Gwen rolled her eyes as James teased her about owing them more than just one night as a babysitter, stating he'd schedule her in for the next 5 Saturdays. It was good to know that Sinead would like to have her back at work at the club, Gwen, whilst hungry to be on Broadway, new she'd blown that chance a few months ago and was now ready to move onto something stable for a while before she tried anything like that again. When James asked that she shouldn't move too far away, Gwen gave him a small smile and a firm nod. She had done that years ago and she didn't want to experience life without her family close by again. She knew she needed them greatly just as much as they needed her, which sometimes she thought they really didn't but that was beside the point. Hearing that her daughter had helped ease little Olivia out of her shell was great to her, she knew her noisy, rambunctious child could bring out the personality in anyone given the chance and she was so happy that she'd made friends with her cousins.

"I won't hesitate to come to you or Lucy anymore, James. You have my word." She murmured before they hugged once more. James then asked if that was enough mushy stuff for one night and Gwen let out a laugh. "Yes, yes, it's all over now. You can return to your stoney glory now, James." She murmured before Lucy entered the room to state that there was someone at the house to see James. Noticing the expression on her sister-in-law's face, Gwen knew it wasn't good company so she excused herself and reconnected with Jason a little bit down the hall.

"Hey, you." She murmured with a smile on her face before kissing his cheek lightly. "That went well." She informed him, "My brother might not look like it, but deep down, he's a real softie." Gwen chuckled before looking around them in the hall for a moment. "I uh, I don't think I want to go upstairs right now...did you need to go back to your place? I can always come with you if you want." She offered.
with: Jason Pyroclast

*****​

Despite the cold greeting she gave Ani in the lounge, Lucy's smiley disposition had returned once she was in the kitchen with George. George immediately admitted that he was useless at planning the wedding and Lucy laughed lightly. "Weddings are very stressful, I cannot tell you how many times I wanted to pull my hair out during the process of it all but once you get the finished product, it's all very worth it." She said before moving to the fridge to pull out some food that she wanted George to try. "As much as I enjoy a caterer, I understand the importance of safety for your wedding, so I figured the best way I could help you and Finn would be to make the food myself. Now I'm glad you have a sweet tooth because there is a lot of chocolates and desserts that I've been slaving away at making that I need you to try." Pulling out homemade fudge bars, cupcakes, candies, and a few cakes, she smiled proudly at all of them. "Now you are gonna have to save some of it for Finn but please help yourself to any of these, the kids will most likely sniff this out soon since they have been eyeballing me for days over it but that's okay, I can always make more!"

Lucy set a few of the desserts in front of him before leaning against the kitchen island, "Do you both have a color theme in mind? The garden is full of so many colors so you have a lot of options!"
With: George Misty Gray

*****​

Finn stood up when James entered the room and Ani did the same very slowly. "You know, it's going, all this wedding stuff is keeping me busy outside of work." He murmured lightly before James turned his attention to Ani. Not surprised to see the cold expression, Finn once again wrapped his arm around the woman for comfort as James grilled her with questions. "I don't seem to have a lot of sense right now, Mr. Porter." Ani admitted quietly before clearing her throat to address his question of what she wanted from him.

James then added that she could do better than Maddox and she snapped her mouth shut for a moment as he talked about what he'd done. Ani never agreed with Maddox on what he had to do and she wished that James would be able to believe her on that but she knew if she said it, it would only really make things more confusing and even worse for her. "Well, to start, your family won't have to worry about Alistair Sawyer any longer." Her hand motioned to her bloodied outfit, "He's permanently crippled after I ran into him with my car and my dog tore off his arm." Ani's eyes watered at the reminder of what she'd done but she shook her head to clear her thoughts as she continued on. "Even though I wasn't directly involved with what happened to your family, I still understood what torment Alistair was putting you all through. But you have to understand and I understand if you don't agree with me but...Alistair and Gabriel were holding Maddox's family and my family above our heads to manipulate us. I can only speak for myself, but I would have never done what I had done with that gang if it hadn't been for that. I'm not that kind of person...I couldn't even end Alistair's miserable existence after he took my twin brother's life." Ani felt like she was saying too much, but she knew being transparent with the former mob boss would help her in the long run.

"If I may," Finn murmured to which Ani looked to him with a surprised expression on her face, "Having worked with Ani closely since I arrived in New York, I can attest to her character. And in no way am I taking Maddox's side, however, I think we need to look at this situation with the slightest bit of empathy. Again, I love Syd very much but we can't ignore the fact that people other than our family are also suffering at the hands of EH and the Moretti's. Fear makes people do, horrible, horrible things." Finn looked sincerely at James and motioned Ani to continue on.

"I'm turning myself in. I guess that's what I'm here for. I've been looking for Maddox for months and knowing you have him, all I ask is to see him. If you are going to kill him, you can do the same with me. We were both running from Alistair and Gabriel last time we saw each other. I know you say I could do better, Mr. Porter but I know that I can't because he's the only one for me. I know what happened to your son was all Maddox's fault but please understand that he wouldn't have done it if Gabriel hadn't threatened to kill me. He's not that man, I don't expect you to ever believe that now, but he's not and I know he's sorry."
with: James Misty Gray

 

[RayPurchase]

Marcus Moretti



​

That went as well as could be expected. The two Moretti men, the last Moretti men, the anger between the pair simmering. Marcus could feel his father straining at the leash, much like he was. There would have been a time that he would have shirked under his father's gaze, melted away under its intensity. Not now though, he met that piercing gaze with the fire behind his own. His own fingers gripped the door handle, the leather squeaking in his grip. What he didn't expect though was Gabe's admission of fault. A shared fault yes, but fault none the less. That in itself was a victory, not something that he had heard grace his father's lips for as long as he could remember. Marcus shook his head, the anger he had felt dying nearly as quickly as it rose.

"Our fault. Not just yours. I ain't some kid who doesn't know better. I knew the dangers as well,"

Marcus' eyes flashed red however as Gabe turned on him momentarily. Lecture? Lecture!? This time his hand thudded against the dashboard.

"And maybe you've been so blinded you can't see what's it doing to us all, to Mum, Tati, fucking Val who's lucky she's not breathing through a tube right now or not breathing at all," There it was again. The guilt trip, the mediocrity of Miami. Even now as he appeared to calm, he had to push the buttons didn't he. "I'll take mediocrity and a chance for my family to live out something of a normal life. Away from this shit heap of a city, let the Irish have it, let them have it and rot for all I care,"

Marcus wrenched the door open, as he did however he turned once more. "I'm going to find those dirtbags who had the audacity to attack my sister, I'm going to kill them and make it a slow. And after that I'm taking Val, I'm taking Mum and if I have to drag her I'm taking Tati, all of them away from here. This place is Death nothing more. If you want to keep on chasing it, you can stay, I'll shed my tear and move on with what's left," With that he slammed the door, already striding towards the entrance to the hospital. He didn't know whether his father was going to sit them, come after him with words, or a blow from behind. All that he knew was that if he had stayed in that car any longer, an escalation beyond hot words was certain.

(interaction: Misty Gray Gabe, All the Morettis)

 

[Misty Gray]

James Porter​

James raised a curious eyebrow when Ani said he didn't need to worry about Alistair any longer. He couldn't help but smirk as she explained what she'd done to the man. "Should've finished the job," he coldly grumbled. It was difficult not to react any other way after what that man had done to his family. When she started talking about how she and Maddox had been forced to work with his enemies, James finally sat down on the couch opposite Ani and Finn. His arms remained folded as her listened to her explain she wasn't like the East Harlem lot, even mentioning how Alistair had killed her brother. Her revelations about how the East Harlem Gang had affected her actions seemed to line up well with what he already knew about the sick scumbags.

When Finn spoke up, James looked to the man whilst thinking how lucky Ani was to have someone as good as him fighting her corner. Finn spoke positively of Ani's character before moving on to mention Maddox. James was by now fully aware it had been Maddox's father and uncles he'd had murdered back in Dublin. Still, with that blame on his own shoulders, James struggled to see past how Maddox had sought revenge; spending years manipulating Syd and Conor to eventually get revenge. As much as James understood how it felt to want to avenge loved ones, when it came to imagining how close he came to losing Syd, it was near impossible to sympathise with Maddox. However, James slowly nodded at the statement of how fear makes people do horrible things. He supposed when he chipped away at the surface, James knew part of what had motivated him to kill most of Moretti's family had been fear. Fear of losing more friends and family like he had when he was at war with the IWU in Ireland.

James silently listened to Ani speak of her feelings for Maddox and how she was willing to be killed as long as it meant she was reunited with him. He unfolded his arms, resting his left elbow on the sofa arm whilst he brought his hand to his face, pensively rubbing his unshaven chin as he considered what she was saying. Lowering his hand, he subtly shook his head before looking Ani in the eyes. "The thing is, I'm not in charge of things anymore, and where Maddox is concerned, it's up to the new boss what happens. Which is lucky for you, because I would have killed your boyfriend months ago if it had been up to me." James supposed that was where Conor was a better man than himself. But one thing for sure was that he wasn't going to interrupt Conor's business trip with this. Maddox had been locked away since November, so he could keep for a few more days. "Alright. I think I can compromise," he said, glancing to Finn, knowing the man was part of the reason he was being reasonable. "I can get you to Maddox, but you won't be able to leave once you're there and where he's staying isn't exactly some five star hotel. When Conor returns, he'll decide what happens to the both of you." James paused and glanced to the door. "It's not too late for you to turn away and get out of New York," he suggested.

Bellz (Ani, Finn)

 

[Misty Gray]

Scott Masters​

Scott glared at the masked man as he made a comment about him doing good. The bar manager's expression remained unwavering as he tried to maintain a calm exterior so as not to ruffle the gunman's feathers. However, for all of his restraint and cooperation, he was rewarded with a sudden bullet that ripped into his chest. Scott flinched as the shock of the action rendered him momentarily unable to process what had just happened. Then there was the pain in his chest, close to his heart. He let out a brief splutter as he dropped to his knees. The hand covering his wound had quickly become soaked in blood but the struggle to take a normal breath became a more pressing matter.

Scott heard the further taunts Amato was spitting out, but he was in no position to respond. After squeezing and tapping Scott's cheek, Amato set about filling a bag with the contents of the safe. Scott struggled to remain kneeling, slumping sideways against the wall as he watched Amato from the corner of his blurry eyes. Scott spluttered again, this time bringing up blood into his mouth that had come up the back of his throat from his chest.

After Amato had left the office, Scott's eyes focused on the desk in front of him and the shadow belonging to the telephone that sat on top. Scott knew he didn't have much time left for himself, but if he could at least call for help he might be able to save some of the others in the club. He didn't get chance to discover the lines had been cut. Scott had barely leaned forward when the pain in his chest intensified. He stretched his arm out towards the telephone, but he felt his energy dwindling by the second. His vision became completely blurred as a strong light-headed feeling overcame him. He collapsed in a heap on the floor, on his side, gasping for air as the choked up more blood onto the office carpet.

The last thing he really thought about was his friends and colleagues in the club, hoping they would have a better fate than himself. Soon enough, everything went black as his heart stopped and then his brain shut down completely, to leave him lifeless in a growing pool of his own blood.

Enzyme (Amato)

 

[Pyroclast]

Spoiler: Trigger Warning

Misogynistic slurs, sexual harassment, depictions of grief and death

Steve Kelly

The room fell quiet when Amato guided the bar manager into the office with the nose of his gun. Several minutes had passed now since they had first stormed through the doors and many of their hostages appeared to be beside themselves with hopelessness and fear. All around him Steve could hear the low, desperate mutterings of prayers, the fear on their breath, the barely stifled sobs. A woman protectively bent over her child, whom she had scooped into her lap; groups of friends clung to each other, their foreheads touching the floor. The bassist’s hand draped lifelessly over the edge of the stage and one tearful young man was trying to subtly reach up to hold it from where he lay. Steve could have shot him for not being still, but he didn’t want to waste his ammunition on somebody who wasn’t directly trying to cause trouble or stop him from doing his job.

“Who are you? Why are you doing this?”

It took a moment for Steve to work out who had spoken up, but when he found that it was just a civilian in the crowd he couldn’t help but laugh. “What’s it matter who we are? What you gonna do about it?” he taunted. “All’s you gotta know is, you’re not in a position right now to be askin’ dumb questions. So ‘less you wanna end up like those sorry assholes -” he gestured to the bodies of the two that had attempted to escape. “- I’d shut up and do what we say.” Steve glared at the man until he gave in and submitted.

A gunshot sounded from the office and Steve tightened his grip on Kerry in case she fainted or tried to wriggle free. “Don’t even think about it, slut,” he growled, twisting the barrel of his MP5 into her temple. Amato emerged shortly after, swinging a full sack of cash in his hands, and Steve returned his grin.

“Alright, you got what you came for,” one of the guards boldly spoke up. With Scott presumably dead or otherwise badly injured, he felt a need to represent the hostages, fill the gap in authority that would rival that of the gunmen. “You don’t need to kill anyone else. Let the girl go.”

Steve scoffed, his look of disdain hidden by his mask. “Yeah...I don’t take orders from a man on his knees.” In one swift motion, he opened fire along the row of kneeling guards. Blood spurted into the air like a fountain and, one by one, they collapsed into a heap. One of the bodies rolled off the edge of the stage onto a woman and she shrieked before bursting into loud, uncontrollable sobs. She wasn’t the only one who couldn’t contain their distress. At first Steve laughed, his eyes glimmering at the sight of her, but he switched to a more menacing tone to address the room. “HEY!” he barked. “Didn’t I say no screaming?! Didn’t I say that? God, nobody fucking listens!”

The cries and whimpers that travelled around the room were much louder than before, with many more of the hostages now thrust into a full-blown panic. “I think it’s time we finished off the job, my dudes,” he called to Amato and Tony, a fresh glint of excitement in his eyes. Once they were in motion, Steve returned his attention to Kerry. “Looks like your cuddle buddy’s dead, little girl,” he sneered, slipping his hand beneath her shirt to pinch her waist. “But don’t worry. I’m here for you. And I ain’t never lettin’ you go.”

Interactions
Misty Gray Kerry (RIP Scott!)
Enzyme Amato
RayPurchase Tony

 

[Misty Gray]

Gabriel and Valentina Moretti​

Gabriel sat with a steely expression etched on his face as he listened to the tirade he had apparently triggered from his son. Clearly, it was an outburst that was a long time in the making, with the current environment and Gabriel's words finally coaxing it all out of him. The action and sound of Marcus hitting the dashboard had briefly caused the older man's eyes to twitch and a subtle movement of his jaw showed, but the man maintained a cool exterior. Over the years, he'd developed the ability to hide any emotional reaction and remain stoic during many a verbal attack. Starting with his own father's strict lessons and being further developed in exchanges with his enemies or during heated business meetings. To give nothing away left the opposition with nothing to use against him.

This was different. Valentina had been seriously hurt and Marcus was drilling into his father's head how much the business was affecting his family. Gabriel blinked a few times, stuck between knowing his son was right and having a deeply rooted, stubborn pride that prevented him from accepting that his son was standing up to him. He shook his head as Marcus said he'd rather live a normal life in Miami. It was as though his son thought it was so easy to just pack up and leave New York. It wasn't just about Gabriel's own desire for power, but he felt he owed it to his father and Francesco to finish what they'd started. From his own point of view, Gabriel could see the light at the end of the tunnel and he couldn't find it in himself to just turn away from that; to return to Miami and let his family's killers win.

As Marcus reached for the door and informed him of what he was going to do to Valentina's attackers, Gabriel nodded his head. That was at least something they could both agree on. However, Marcus went on to say he'd be taking the rest of their family away from New York, which certainly didn't meet Gabriel's approval. However, the slammed of the door and Marcus storming off gave Gabriel a moment to be deterred from shouting back in some angry tirade. Instead, he sat back in his seat and watched his son march off towards the hospital entrance. It was no place for a family domestic, he knew that much.

The view of the hospital doorway drew Gabriel's thoughts back to the reason he was parked there. For one of the first times he could remember in a long time, he felt nervous. There was a sudden apprehension about entering the hospital room again. The sight of Valentina in the hospital bed had pained his heart every time since he first saw her there three nights ago. It wasn't helped by how cold Elvian had been towards him and now Marcus was furious with him too. Usually, he was perfectly comfortable and confident about walking into a room full of people who disliked him, but this time it was his own family and that wasn't so easy to rise above.

Gabriel rested his head back against the car seat, closing his eyes as he tried to overcome the emotions that were breaking through the surface. He hadn't felt such sadness since before he'd overcome his grief for his massacred family. He felt his hand trembling as he tried to fight back the sudden feelings of grief. He knew he couldn't step out of the car until he'd regained control and composure. When he entered the hospital room, he believed he had to show strength and confidence in order to reassure his family everything was going to be okay. Gabriel Moretti wasn't supposed to show weakness.

*****​

Valentina focused on her mother's face as the woman gently reassured her. There was a moment where she felt disappointed in herself. She wanted to prove to everyone that she was strong enough to take care of herself, but now she was laying helpless in a hospital bed and breaking down in tears. Despite resenting herself for breaking down again, she felt so glad in that moment that Elvian was there to remind her she wasn't alone now.

Valentina turned her head as Teddy spoke about wanting to know why the men attacked her. Given what she knew about one of them, the same question circled in her head too. Were they simply animals out for blood or did they have a reason for attacking their own side? "Teddy... Mamma... They--" Valentina fell silent as the room door opened. It took her a moment before she properly focused and saw her brother had joined them in the room. She managed to break a smile as Marcus approached. It was the first time she'd seen him since before she was attacked. Even in her state, she could tell her brother looked upset and angry, though she figured that wasn't out of the ordinary considering what had happened to her. "Marcus," she spoke up with the hoarseness still breaking into her voice. Although there was no hiding the devastation from her face, she still attempted to crack a joke to reassure him. "You look rough, brother. Are you trying to steal my thunder?" she weakly joked, but was able to flash another brief smile. "I'm glad you're here," she told him. It hadn't escaped her attention that her father was still missing and that was shown when she briefly looked towards the door as if expecting him.

A few minutes later, Gabriel entered the room. His eyes briefly scanned across Elvian, Marcus and Teddy, but he was able to look passed the expected hostilities when he realised Valentina was finally awake. Any thoughts of his altercation with Marcus possibly continuing were pushed aside in that moment. He rushed to his youngest daughter's bedside and crouched down. placing a kiss on the back of her hand whilst he gently stroked her cheek. "I'm so glad you're awake, sweetheart," he gently told her, his voice audibly cracking as he did. His face had softened considerably, likely more noticeable because it was on his usually stern face.

"Papa..." she began, showing a relieved smile that he was finally there. There were a number of indirect circumstances that had led to her being attacked and she was aware many were because of decisions her father had made, but she didn't have it in her to blame him for the attack. The men who hurt her were the ones to blame. Still, in her position, she wasn't in the frame of mind to reassure her father. "I've never been so afraid. I didn't think I'd see any of you again," she said, now addressing all in the room.

"It's okay, you're safe now," Gabriel assured her. The longer he looked at her cuts and bruises, along with hearing the upset in her voice, the more the fury within him rose. "Listen to me, love. The Porters are paying for what they've done and the mongrels who attacked you will be punished... You're going to go back to Miami where it's safe. I won't--" Gabriel fell silent as Valentina slowly shook her head and pulled her hand away from his. Seeing his daughter's agitation, he stood up straight so as to give her some space to breathe.

"Papa, I love you so much, but... Jesus. Fuck!" she began, frustratedly fighting back the tears so she could get out what was on her mind. She took a deep breath before scanning the faces of her family and then fixing her vision on Gabriel. "You just don't get it." She coughed a little and looked around for another cup of water but ended up just continuing to get things off of her chest. "When I wanted to stay in Miami, I had no choice and you made me come to New York. But this is my life and I'm capable of making my own decisions. Dictate to your employees, but not to us... I'm staying in New York." Sensing Gabriel was about to argue, she practically groaned at him. "I've already spoken to the cops and I told them enough to satisfy them, whilst telling them nothing for your sake." She took a deep breath, grateful to finally get things off of her chest and know she had her mother, brother and Teddy likely in agreement with her. "The Porters should pay for killing our family, but I will not have them suffer in my name. They didn't do this to me. I saw the face of one of the men. He was one of yours," she said, fixing her eyes on Gabriel's shocked expression.

"Valentina, are you sure? You can't say something like that if you..."

"I'm sure." She clenched the fist of her unbroken arm as she recalled his face, both through business in Miami and New York, and then from three nights ago whilst she was being attacked. The tattoo on his shaved head and his crooked nose. There were parts of the attack that were hazy or she wanted so much to block out, but his face was clear. She had no doubts. "The one I saw was Isac. Can't mistake him," she said of the Romanian who had supposedly been a loyal Moretti employee for some years.

Melanin-Gxdess (Elvian, Teddy)
RayPurchase (Marcus)

 

[RayPurchase]

Mitchell Van Gerwen



​

Mitch pulled up panting, briefcase clutched to his chest and his heart hammering in his ears. He had his destination, The Emerald. There would be plenty of manpower there, he'd be safe. It was a 30 minutes away, less if he ran constantly. But right now it felt like it might as well have been on the otherside of the continent. As he had shimmied his way down that god forsaken fire escape he had heard the wood splintering from his office door several metres above him. Judging by the lack of pot shots being taken at him as he sprinted across the street, they must be after him alive, especially with any sort of subtlety long since thrown out of the window. Mitch's hand went to his left pocket, but it met only empty fabric, he began to panic, his hand flying to the right breast pocket to be met with the same.

"You fucking idiot Gerwen, shiting fuck fuck fuck..."

He knew just where it was. Top drawer of his desk, right hand side. Sitting there on top of a couple of notepads, the handgun he'd decided to get all those months ago. The one time he needed, the very first time, and he'd left it behind in his panic, all thoughts of it fleeing from his mind as he scarpered out of the window. Mitch didn't have enough time to beat himself up though as he heard the footsteps of the chasing figures who would happily do that for him, emanating from the alley he had just exited. He had to keep going, even as his feet cried out in protest, the black leather shoes being hell to run in. But he knew if he stayed here those would be the worst of his problems. He set off once more, shoes clicking against the filth stained concrete of the alleyways, already he was more or less lost in this rabbit warren, he had a rough idea of where he had to go, but losing his pursuers ranked far higher as an immediate concern. Past endless nondescript locked doors and fire escapes he ran. Just keep going, don't stop, don't look back. For the first time he felt true fear. Back at the theatre he had thought he felt it. But he was just a bystander, today he was the prey, and the wolves had his scent.

(interaction: Misty Gray Ethan)

 

[RayPurchase]

Tony Harris


​

Chaos rained in the club, screams and gunshots echoing this way and that, the terror was palpable in the air, heavy and encompassing. Even the guards were cowed, their day job of handling the odd feisty drunk providing little preparation for this co-ordinated assault. The single shot from the office produced a scream that soon died down, replaced by a sense of shock. For a moment silence fell upon the club. Only to be broken once more, whistling echoed down from a corridor leading to the ballroom, the bulbs had been clipped in Steve's spate of indiscriminate gunfire. Eyes turned to the source, but amongst the inky darkness nothing could yet be seen, only the thud of footsteps, and that chilling echoing whistle that reverberated off the walls. The sheer nonchalance of the sound already setting people of edge as they tried to look upon this new arrival.



Tony emerged from the gloom. His uzi hanging from his right hand, the strap coiled around his right hand, in his left was a metal jerrycan, the liquid within was sloshing about as he waltzed down the corridor as calm as a man simply walking to the shop. That devillish, almost playful grin morphed into place as the whistling died. Steve was already having some fun with some bit of skirt who had probably been working behind the bar before said bar had been effectively torn to shreds.

"Good fuckin' lord Steve, I leave you here for 5 minutes and you've made a right bloody mess. Can't take you anywhere can we," Tony began making his way down the bar, unscrewing the cap from the jerrycan and liberally sprinkling the liquid within over the wooden top, the sharp tang of kerosene hitting his nose. "You ain't takin' her with us are you. You saucy dog, you're gonna have to share, otherwise I'm just gonna have to pull rank,"

He let out a bark of laughter, flashing a wink at the woman as he moved over to the curtain setting to work on it as well. The cries of the hostages increased as a few drops began to fall close to them. With a growl of anger Tony chucked the almost empty jerrycan across the ballroom, smashing into a table it flipped it over, sending some of the few surviving glasses and bottles smashing to the ground. "WHAT PART OF SHUT YOUR FUCKIN' MOUTHS DIDN'T YOU UNDERSTAND?" He screamed turning on the hostages, flecks of saliva flying off his lips. "Now you lot shut the hell up and no one ends up gettin' shot. Some of you asked questions and that's what happens," He jabbed his uzi towards the line of guards, lying in a still spreading pool of crimson.

For a few moments the screams died once more, shaking his head he turned towards Amato, noticeable returning alone from the office.

"You got everythin' Rooster? Afraid to say I'm not particuarly feelin' this place. Bit too cheesy for my taste, I say we find another bar to give our custom to,"

(Interaction: Pyroclast Steve, Enzyme Amatto)

 

[Misty Gray]

Kerry Patrick​

Kerry had fought hard to keep her sobs quiet as she watched Scott being taken away to the back office whilst Amato had his gun pressed into the man's back. Although she bit her lip to try silence herself, Steve would have likely felt her body shaking in time with her silent crying. Scott had given them to code for the safe and complied with them throughout, yet the masked men were still treating him like an animal. Their lack of mercy only made her fearful for herself and everyone else trapped in the club. The sense of impending doom was only intensified as the room had fallen into a relative, uncomfortable silence. The sounds of people whispering prayers and quietly crying was heartbreaking. As a civilian spoke up to question Steve, Kerry's eyes frantically shot towards them as she was filled with concern for how they'd be treated for speaking up. Steve threatened them but thankfully didn't bring harm to them.

Hearing the gunshot from the office, Kerry was unable to hold back the scream that naturally escaped her mouth, nor the desire to struggle from the monster's hold. Steve tightened his grip on her, causing her to gasp as the action brought a pain to her lower ribs. She couldn't help but audibly sob, but was shocked into silence as she felt the barrel of the gun twisting into the skin of her forehead. "He gave you what you wanted," she said in a defeated whisper. Whilst the gunshot could have just inflicted a minor wound on Scott, everything that was happening only led her to believe he'd been killed. She might have only known him for a short time but he'd been welcoming to her in that time and he'd risked his own safety to comfort her when the gunmen had first shown up. He didn't deserve to die, she was sure of that.

One of the guards bravely spoke up, telling Steve to let Kerry go. What followed happened too fast. Multiple lives were wiped out in mere seconds of gunfire. The sight of all the blood being spilled caused her to tightly close her eyes and drop her head back against Steve's shoulder. She wished she could switch off and block it all out, to wake once everything was over. Instead, she heard Steve's cruel laugh in her ear and in return he likely heard her terrified cries in his. The man suddenly shouted at everyone in the room, causing Kerry to snap her head forward and open her eyes again. She took a few deep breaths, trying to contain her own cries so she wouldn't be on the receiving end of Steve's anger given her very close proximity to him.

Steve told his two apparent colleagues it was time to finish the job. Kerry wasn't sure what that meant for her, but she was distracted from those thoughts when Steve took pleasure in Scott's death. She forced her own mouth closed, knowing it would be useless trying to defend Scott now by reminding them he'd cooperated. Feeling Steve's hand slide under her shirt so he could pinch her waist caused her to visibly cringe and his words about not letting her go caused her to uncontrollably shake. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she tried her hardest to stay quiet and hopefully be rewarded for her compliance. Then the tallest of the gunmen spoke up, making a crude comment as he questioned if they were taking her with them. The men were sick and all she could do was hope they would let her go free when the decided to leave the club.

As she watched the club being doused with kerosene to no doubt set the building ablaze, she took a deep breath to muster some strength from her exhausted body. Enough energy to speak quietly so Steve could hear her, but not so loud that she would be causing too much disturbance to anger him more. "You're letting us all go first... please?" she pleaded in a whisper.

Enzyme (Amato)
Pyroclast (Steve)
RayPurchase (Tony)

 

[Bellz]

Ani Sarraf
Finn Sullivan ​

Despite Finn having spoken up for her, Ani's heart dropped as James Porter shook his head slightly after what she said. He then went on to say that he wasn't in charge of things anymore and it was lucky for Ani that he wasn't because he would have killed Maddox months ago. Holding her breath as he went silent again, Ani turned to look at Finn for a moment with wide eyes before James spoke up again, saying that he could think of a compromise as he too looked at Finn. The Doctor squeezed Ani's shoulders as he was happy to know that James was willing to compromise with the woman. Ani didn't dare smile but she was overjoyed to hear the compromise he had for her. Like Finn had warned her, James told her that once she was taken to Maddox she wouldn't be able to leave, but she didn't mind that at all. There wasn't anywhere else she wanted to be than with him. James then paused and glanced towards the door for a moment, suggesting that it wasn't too late for her to turn and run away once again.

Looking towards the door herself, Ani hesitated on answering him right away. She was doing the right thing, right? Maddox would have to be happy to see her...or would he be angry that she'd come back? She could run but there was no way she'd be able to forget him, she would always have to live with the what-ifs. "Thank you, Mr. Porter. However, I don't have anything left outside of New York. With my family all dead, it's just me and without Maddox...I don't have anyone besides my dog, who I'm sure will live nicely without me. I'm tired of running, I think now I'm just ready to the consequences of my actions." Finn gave her shoulders another squeeze before nodding his head at James. "Thank you, James. I'm sure whatever Conor does decide will be for the right reasons."
with: James Misty Gray
(a very smol post from a very tired Bella)

 

[Misty Gray]

James Porter
Maddox Parker​

James heard the rest of what Ani had to say and he eventually let out a deep sigh as he made a decision. "The dog can't go with you tonight. Conor's employees have enough to deal with without feeding your dog. Is it being taken care of?" he asked. Regardless, he moved on to key matter at hand. "Alright. I'm going to arrange for a couple of my guards to take you to Maddox." It wasn't just that he couldn't leave his telephone that night, but James didn't want to accompany Ani as he preferred to keep his distance from the man who had messed with Syd's head. Whilst he had self-control, he honestly didn't believe he would feel compelled to exercise it. He looked to Finn and nodded. "I trust Conor will do what he thinks is best," he agreed.

The drive from the Porter mansion to Hell's Kitchen was about 40 minutes. Neither the driver nor Simone said much with Ani seated in the back of the vehicle. They'd had strict instructions and understood who Ani was, so didn't want to distract themselves by giving in to the tense atmosphere. Once they arrived at the building of the Irish-owned apartment block, the driver slowly brought the car to the rear of the building and parked it up directly in front of the fire exit. Simone got out of the vehicle and knocked loudly, giving her name before the door was pushed open from the inside and she was met by two heavily armed guards. Simone returned to the car and pulled open the rear door, inviting Ani to step out and follow her.

The two women ascended four flights of stairs, in the cold and damp stairwell, with the two armed guards following close behind. Upon reaching the appropriate floor, Simone pushed open the fire door and led Ani down the corridor until they reached apartment number 36 where two Sullivan guards stood conversing. They'd had the heads up about Ani's arrival but had opted to keep Maddox in the dark about the whole thing. One of the men smiled at Simone before turning it into more of a smirk as his eyes landed on Ani. The lanky man then turned to the door giving a few loud knocks before pushing it open slightly to call inside. "Parker, you better get dressed and tell that woman you're screwing to hide. You've got a visitor!" he called out. He was pretty sure the counsellor was dressed and there certainly wasn't anyone else in the dingy apartment with him.

"Ignore him. You can go on inside," Simone told Ani. Once the woman had entered the room, Simone pulled the door closed behind her. "Neither of them are to leave unless Mr Sullivan says so himself," she reminded the men around her. With that, she headed down the corridor so she could return to the car she'd arrived in and get back to the Porter residence.

Contrary to what the guard had shouted into the room, Maddox was fully dressed and alone as he sat on the old three-seat sofa that occupied the mostly empty lounge area of the old studio apartment. Maddox had simply shook his head to himself and didn't make much of an effort to move, deciding to finish the paragraph he was reading before seeing who it was this time. The apartment had become something of a place for the odd employees to hang out in during their break. Be it to try winding Maddox up or to have a genuine conversation with him, as he suspected Adam's early visit had been for. Either way, the guards didn't give him much chance to cause trouble, even if he felt compelled to plan some elaborate escape that would undoubtedly just lead him to getting killed anyway. As it stood, Maddox knew full well the crappy apartment he was being held in remained the safest option for the time-being.

Maddox closed his book and looked towards the door. It took a moment for him to register that the woman he was seeing was real and that he wasn't starting to hallucinate from being confined inside for months. When it did become clear she was real, he shot up to his feet. "Ani?!" he called out. Though he'd been working out with so much downtime, the limited food and lack of fresh air showed in his pallor face. He rushed towards her and wrapped his arms around her, holding her tight in his arms. "I thought I'd never see you again," he desperately told her. Forcing himself to let go, he took a step back to look to the face he'd only seen in his memories for the last few months. She was still as beautiful as he remembered, albeit appeared deeply troubled. "I'm so glad to see you. But... what are you doing here? It's not safe, Ani," he fretted, his eyes brimming with tears.

Bellz (Ani)