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

[Bellz]

Peter Callahan ​

Things in Atlantic City had gone as smoothly as Peter had hoped it would but when he had gotten the phone call that his club had been burned down, Peter's unusually perky mood turned sour. Wanting to be there for Sinead, Peter didn't hesitate to make the journey home as he knew Conor and Jackson would be good with Syd taking his place.

As he pulled into the driveway of his home, Peter didn't waste any time hopping out of the vehicle and striding towards the front door. Opening it, he had half expected all of his family to be home but when he found it was mostly empty, he was relieved that he could just focus on Sinny and Emmy for the time being. Hearing hushed voices in the living room, Peter slowed his walking as he approached Sinead and Aliana cautiously, not wanting to startle them. Hearing his wife struggle was more painful to him than anything he'd been through physically, leaning against the doorway a moment, he watched the two women as he went unnoticed. Sinead expressed that she needed to get away and Peter honestly didn't know what to think of that. He had so openly laughed in Gabriel Moretti's face about going home to Dublin but it was starting to seem like that was the only sensible choice now...at least for his little family.

Clearing his throat after Aliana asked what she could do to help Sin, Peter pushed himself from the doorway and moved to sit on the couch beside his wife. Turning and giving her a big hug, Peter cuddled his face into her hair as he let her cry in his arms. Looking to Aliana, he mouthed his thanks before leaning back to look at Sin."If we need to leave..." Peter paused as he wondered if it was worth putting up a fight to stay. Savannah had been attacked twice, Braden was out doing god knows what around New York and the only ones in their grasp of control right now was Emery and their unborn child. Did he really want to risk them getting caught up in all of this too? Working for the mob was torturing at times for him, but it also gave him a purpose. From the conversation he had with Conor and Jackson, there was no way they would be all headed back to Dublin any time soon.

He had to make the right decision here, for his marriage and he would always go where Sinead went. "We can leave. We can get the hell out of here. Tomorrow even, though I know we can't just leave without talking to the kids first. But this is too much for you, too much for me. They once again crossed a line that I didn't think they would and I'm sure what is best for us at this point is to go back home." Peter lifted Sinead's hands into his before kissing the tops of them gently. "Last night was successful but I have the feeling that now that we've held our ground with Moretti, he's not going to just stop. Mostly because he told us he wouldn't. The club is just the beginning of another shit storm. Best we get out of here while we still have the ability to. Your siblings will understand and if the off chance they don't, I will make them...okay?" Pressing a kiss to the top of her head, Peter leaned into her for a moment before giving her shoulders a tight squeeze. "I love you, Sin. I'll purchase the next tickets out of here tomorrow."
with: Sinead Misty Gray ; Aliana Melanin-Gxdess

 

[Bellz]

Rebel Holt ​

Rebel had been sleeping soundly surprisingly even though she was sleeping with the enemy when she heard the familiar click of handcuffs and a cool pressure against her wrist. Bolting up immediately, Rebel looked wide-eyed at Tati in a daze before turning to look at her cuffed wrists. "Are you fucking crazy?!" She hissed out as she tugged at the cuff uselessly. The woman told her that she was unarmed but Rebel's eyes narrowed as she looked her over.

Tati said they needed to talk and Rebel let out a harsh laugh. "Could have talked without handcuffing me to the bed sweetheart. Not a good conversational technique if you ask me." There was some anxiety in the woman's features so Rebel hushed herself as she listened to what Tati had to say. Hearing her sister was in the hospital was news to her and hearing that the only way Tati was authorized to come to stay with Rebel was a surprise. So was hearing that the woman didn't want to hurt her.

Rebel had siblings, no sisters but she had a few older brothers. Two were in prison and the other is a surprisingly good lawyer but she would want information too if someone had sent them to the hospital. Rolling her eyes as Tati finished her plea for help, Rebel once again tugged at the cuffs that were attached to the bed and looked Tati dead in the eyes.

"I ain't speaking unless you release me from the cuffs, darling. I don't have the slightest idea about what happened to your sister but if you think this had something to do with the Sullivans, I can tell you right now you are wrong." Of course, Rebel herself could be wrong. But Conor was in charge now and from what she had been hearing, he'd never set a hit out on one of the Moretti children. From her experienced, her employers tended to steer clear of family involvement and would only retaliate if instigated.

As she started to think about it, she did not that Savannah Callahan had been attacked a couple of times which in her eyes counted as one of the Sullivan children...but she would have heard about an attack being planned out surely. Not letting her expression give away her apprehension, Rebel cleared her throat and focused on Tati again. "Let me go, and I'll tell you what you need to know."
with: Tati Pyroclast

 

[Bellz]

Roxie Carriveau
Giovanni Biancardi ​

The visit with her mother and Ricky had been as tense as she'd thought it would be and as happy as she was to have seen them, she was relieved when Syd and she were finally alone with the babies once more. She was looking forward to a better night's sleep when Syd got the phone call that he had to replace Peter in Atlantic City in the morning, erasing any chance of sound sleep she had before. She did sleep a little in the end, only a few hours but it was more than she had gotten the night before and any chance of sleeping in was eliminated when the babies were having a screaming match at 6 am.

With Syd gone, the house felt empty despite having the babies around her. She couldn't converse with her twins yet so the house was mostly silent besides talking to them sweetly from time to time, trying to soothe their cries. The day had gone by slowly so Roxie was excited when expecting her Uncle and Ricky to stop by for the meeting that they had arranged.

Roxie had just finished feeding the girls when the phone rang. Answering it, one of the guards on the other end informed her that there were two men asking to see her. Telling them to let them in, Roxie placed Jeanie and Jane in their rockers in the living room before moving to the front door before she heard a knock.

Giovanni had been hesitant to meet with Roxie at one of Porter's homes but knew that with Ricky there, they would be able to get out quickly if anything had gone...well, terrible. The big burly guards at the front of the residence weren't surprising but he silently wondered what Roxie thought of living in what seemed to be a compound of sorts. She'd never lived in the suburbs, having spent all her life as a city dweller, so he wondered how this new life was treating her so far.

"What a beautiful home." He mentioned to his son as he smiled at him in the car. Once they were allowed to pull into the driveway, he focused his attention on parking before getting out of the car silently. Not aware that Syd had been called out on a job, Giovanni was mentally preparing himself to meet the man. Though he wasn't Stefano's number one fan, there was a certain loyalty that had to be upheld. He was family after all, but so was Roxie and he favored his niece far more than he favored his brother-in-law...so he was willing to give what she had going here a chance.

Before they even reached the stairs, the front door was open to reveal Roxanne's bruised face and Giovanni tried not to narrow his eyes too much, having already heard about the shiner her boyfriend gave her from Ricky. "Zio!" Roxie cheered and Giovanni's neutral features broke into a wide smile. "Hey kiddo!" He murmured as he climbed the porch stairs before opening his arms to his niece. Roxie met him for a tight hug before pulling away to give Ricky one too.

"Come in, come in! Maybe it's just me, but I'm a little chilly out here." She murmured before waving them both through the door before shutting it behind her. "Oh here comes, the puppy parade." Roxie chuckled as the dogs surrounded the new guests, not paying as much attention to Ricky as they had sniffed him out the day before.

Gio always had a soft spot for animals, so he reached down to pet each of the dogs gently before turning to the grand living room to find his great niece's half asleep in their rockers. In awe, he walked towards the babies with Roxie following behind him. "This is Jeanie and Jane." She murmured to her uncle with a proud smile on her face. "They look so much like you, Roxanne! So beautiful." Gio gushed and Roxie's cheeks turned pink.

After the three got settled in the living room, Roxie grabbed some wine and beers from the night before and placed them on the table with some glasses. After pouring herself a glass, Roxie sat back on the couch as she looked the two men over. Gio helped himself to some wine before moving to reach for his briefcase. After grabbing the will from it, he closed it and moved to place it on the floor before handing Roxie the documents.

"Your cousin tells me you want nothing to do with this...but I want to implore you to think about it some more." Giovanni murmured to Roxie as the woman looked over the documents.

Her eyes went wide as she looked over the amount of money that was left in her name. Along with the net worth of the business, they were running. It was enough to make it so she and her children would never have to work a day in their lives. Confusion swept over her features as she looked up at the family before her. "It just doesn't feel right...accepting this." Roxie admitted as she looked over other pages of the will. "It's never going to...but if I were you, I'd put the money away, for your girls, for a rainy day. I know the man you are dating has quite a bit of money as well...but you never know what might happen between you two." Though Roxie wanted to say that nothing was going to happen between them, with all the hardships they had to face, it was always a possibility that they wouldn't make it. She should have money to take care of herself and the girls if they ever did split.

"But what about the business? I know my father worked closely with Moretti but if I take this over, I would like to cut those ties as quickly as possible." Giovanni shifted in his seat as he took a sip from his wine glass. "Well, if you do decide to keep the business, you will have to work closely with us and right now, we are trying to diffuse a tightly wound situation, I think Ricky has already told you." He looked to Ricky to see if he had anything to say.
with: Ricky Misty Gray

 

[Misty Gray]

Sinead Callahan​

When Aliana hugged her, Sinead wrapped her arms around her, holding her friend tightly as she tried to absorb whatever comfort and warmth she could from her. The tears trickled down her cheeks as she heard her friend express that she understood how she felt. It meant a lot because Sinead knew Aliana had been through so much and with Conor now in charge, she was likely to spend most of her days worrying now. When they pulled back from the hug, she looked to Aliana and sighed, almost choking up and having to gasp to catch her breath back. Sinead hoped Conor and Lucy would understand, and when Aliana embraced her again, she muffled words to that extended. Lifting her head so she could speak clearly as her friend hugged her, she shrugged her shoulders. "I don't think you can do anything, Ali. I will miss you so so much, but I just can't stay here. This city makes my skin crawl."

Hearing Peter's voice, Sinead sat up straight and turned to look at him as he sat beside her. When her husband hugged her, she couldn't help but start sobbing in his arms. Her heart was breaking but his presence helped fill some of the emptiness she was feeling. It was clear he'd heard her say she wanted to leave but she wasn't sure if he'd be on board with it. She tightly closed her eyes as part of her expected some resistance, that he'd continue to maintain he wanted to keep supporting the family business. She was to exhausted to argue but still she couldn't stay in New York.

When he finally agreed to leave, Sinead let out a deep sigh of relief. She didn't want to fight with him or even be forced to leave without him, so she was thankful he was agreeing to return to Dublin with her. "This is really too much," she agreed along with him. "I can't live like this and risk the health of our baby. And I want Emmy away from here before she gets old enough to step into danger." She knew Savannah and Braden would likely refuse, but she would at least try. Emery hadn't yet found her place in New York, so she wanted her to start her adult life in a safer home.

Sinead moved back and listened as Peter spoke of his night in New Jersey. He was right that even though it went well, Moretti was bound to keep attacking and pushing to control the city. She couldn't bear to be around for more of it. "Conor and Luce have to understand. I loved the club, but it's not even about that, it's about the people who were inside. Those poor strangers and people I knew. I can't walk the same streets again knowing what happened there." She took a deep breath as she forced back the urge to cry again, thinking about Scott and her other employees.

"Emmy is staying with her friend. We should arrange for her to come home tomorrow. The sooner we get out of here, the better." She reached out to squeeze Aliana's hand. "Not that I want to leave you, honey, but I can't... I can't stay here."

Melanin-Gxdess (Aliana)
Bellz (Peter)

 

[Pyroclast]

Spoiler: Trigger Warning

Brief mention of loss

Chase Zegarra

Having only joined the mob five years ago, Chase often forgot about the personal history of those he worked for, including Peter’s prison sentence. It was always useful to hear Jasmine's insight of the Callahan family as he felt it was important to expand his understanding of the mob's stability. In the given circumstances, it wouldn't surprise him if Sinead had had enough of it all by now - but he didn't know her well enough to tell what she wanted. “She does have a lot of support, I guess,” he reasoned. “Though I heard Peter got injured last night. I’m not sure how bad it is, but it’s still another thing for her to worry about.” He fell silent for a moment, as he thought about the colleagues they had lost in the attack. It was yet another reminder of how so much of their lives revolved around chance. No amount of combative skill could have saved their lives in that situation - otherwise, Chase had no doubt that they would all have survived. It could just as likely have been himself or Jasmine slaughtered by the attackers. He turned his head to face her, taking in all the small details: the stray strands of hair that blew behind her in the breeze; the way her jacket squeezed her shoulders as she tightly folded her arms against the cold; the soft yet focused look in her eyes. If God forbid anything ever happened to her in their violent and unpredictable line of work, he wanted to etch every detail of her into his mind.

Before he could fall into a daydream, Jasmine brought his attention to the nightclub as they steered towards its side entrance. There appeared to be nobody guarding it. With tensions in the city high and rising, guards had to remain vigilant and alert every second of their shift. Chase understood firsthand that it could be hard to keep up that level of concentration, but he also understood that it only took a moment of turning one’s back for the watchful enemy to take advantage and sneak by. Given everything that had happened the night before, however, he found it hard to believe that any of his colleagues would be slacking on the job, which made Jasmine’s question all the more unsettling.

Chase stopped in his tracks and scanned their surroundings for any suspicious activity, taking in as much as the streetlights revealed. Nothing stirred, not even in the shadows. Yet, the lack of voices coming from the rear and side exits struck him as suspicious and so once they were out of public view, Chase withdrew his handgun. “Stay close, okay?”

He hovered outside the door for a moment to listen out for voices, but besides the muted rock music coming from inside, he heard nothing. After exchanging a look with Jasmine, Chase quietly pushed open the door - and what he saw set his heart beating rapidly. His eyes followed streaks of blood over to the darkened corner of the room, and when he turned the light on he saw one of their guards slumped against the wall. “Richard?” Chase called, slotting his gun back in its holster as he rushed over to examine him. When he took the man’s head into his hands, Richard’s eyes rolled open and he gave a faint groan. Blood oozed between Chase’s fingers as he held him, and it became clear the man had been bludgeoned and dragged into the corner. “Hey, you’re gonna be okay, man,” he assured the guard, but the way his eyes rolled around in their sockets wasn’t all that convincing. “We’re gonna get help for you, okay? Can you tell us what happened?”

“Four...inside,” Richard mumbled faintly. “Maybe more...” Before he could ask him when they had arrived, the man lost consciousness. “Okay,” Chase muttered under his breath, before quickly reaching up to grab a cloth and tying it around Richard’s head wound. Trying to find four infiltrators with absolutely no description whatsoever was going to be a challenge, but there was no way they could walk away while hundreds of people were in danger. “We have to find Adam and let him know what’s going on.”

Interactions
Misty Gray Jasmine, Adam
RayPurchase Johnny

 

[Misty Gray]

Gabriel Moretti​

Gabriel stood back, in front of the steel door, as he watched Teddy and Marcus step forward. They both expressed desires to make those responsible for Valentina's suffering pay, so he would give them the opportunity now. As Teddy commented on the now messed up tattoo, Gabriel didn't react and his face remain stern, compelling the man to get on with interrogating Isac. With each punch to the burned up side of the Romanian's head, Gabriel seemed to observe more intently, as if lured in by watching Isac's suffering. The slightest of smirks showed on his face before he straightened up to see how the Romanian would respond to Teddy's question.

The pain in the side of Isac's head got worse with each strike, causing him to clench his fists as he failed to silence his own pained cries. When asked again who his partner in crime was, the Romanian took a few deep breaths as he collected his thoughts. By this point, he'd as good as admitted to being one of the men who attacked Valentina. He might have been a fool to betray Gabriel, but he had enough intelligence to know even if he drew a picture of and wrote down the address of the other man, it wouldn't change anything. The fact he'd attacked Gabriel Moretti's daughter meant he was fucked no matter what. He'd witnessed the Italian slaughter men for far less. The quicker they finished the job on him, the better.

After catching his breath back, Isac looked up to Teddy and Marcus, briefly glancing to Gabriel in the background. He sucked in a deep breath before speaking in a gravelled voice from the increasing thirst. "Okay. Okay. The other man was James Porter," he spat out. "I caught sight of his pasty white Irish ass while he was getting to know Valentina up close." As he finished his sentence, he glared at Marcus and Teddy, practically goading them to react.

Despite the burning anger inside at hearing Isac speak of his daughter, Gabriel managed to maintain control - no matter how much he wanted to smash the man's skull in. The fact was: he, Teddy and Marcus all knew full well that even if Isac's tone had sounded remotely genuine, James Porter was at the auction with them the whole evening of the attack.

RayPurchase (Marcus)
Melanin-Gxdess (Teddy)

 

[Enzyme]

UNKNOWN LOCATION, New York​

Spoiler: Legend

Amato, Dimitri, Jameson

Amato stepped deeper into the confined room, which looked to be nothing more than a wooden six by eight with tattered walls. As his feet swept across the crumbled concrete and rat feces infested floor; he kicked into the rusted handsaw, which had yet to be used. Stuffing his hands in his pockets, he tilted his head to her. His eyes trailed to the large gash beside her eye, which looked to have been bleeding profusely. Now the blood had clotted around the wound, leaving a reflective layer of wet blood and entrapping her wet hair around her face. "If only we took a picture to show what she usually looks like. Gotta' be the biggest rookie mistake in tha' book." His hand reached down to squeeze her chin, sinking his fingers into her soft cheeks. He snapped her head up with a forceful grip to get a better look at her in the minimal light. "Eh, I can still see it," Amato said, raising his glance as if he were inspecting a piece of equipment.

Amato's head slowly turned back to Steve as he insulted the shorter man's appearance. While Steve cackled, Amato's face remained stern, with wide eyes, as if he hadn't heard him correctly. "You know what they say about pretty-boys, don't ya, Stevie?" Amato swept down to his stubby feet and grabbed the rusted hacksaw off the ground. "You only need a few deep slices to change that about 'em, you blue-eyed fuck," Amato growled, emphasizing his last word so heavily that spit flaked out. After a few seconds of intense staring, Amato jolted as if he were going to lunge at Steve. It was only in an attempt to make the man flinch, and soon after that, his killer stare relented, and a toothy smile appeared. "I almost gotcha, though. I almost gotcha', you sonnfa' bitch," Amato chuckled, wagging his finger to both Steve and Kerry as if Kerry was in on it.

As Kerry spoke up, Amato shot his attention back to her. His stare seemed as if he were bewildered at her audacity to speak, even after goading her before. "Up, up, up," Amato cut her off, stepping closer to her. "Don't do that," he told her bluntly, looking down at her as if he were six feet taller. "That really pisses me off, and you would hate me way more if I were pissed off." Amato's hand shot out and grabbed her whimpering skull in place. His hand traced to his leatherjacket and brandished a black oval. FLICK. The switchblade flicked out, glistening in the florescent light. "What would a few more scars do ya', anyways?" Amato laughed, bringing the blade closer to her blistered lips.

"And here she is," a voice emitted from behind the pair, as an overcasting shadow stretched across the room. A balding man in a neatly pressed suit stepped in, leading in far shorter and more stocky guy. "It looks like the sellers are here aswell," Dimitri noted, looking to Steve and Amato. "Just payin' our little girl a visit," Amato wiped off his leather jacket, retracting the switchblade back into it's body. "Gentlemen, this is my good friend, Jameson," Dimitri introduced the stocky man, who nodded his own introduction. Amato stepped forward to shake Jameson's hand, wiping the grease from his palms in the process. He then moved aside, allowing Jameson to do his inspection Kerry. Jameson stepped to Kerry in a slow, menacing manner while reaching into his jacket. He pulled out a small flashlight and shinned it into Kerry's eyes, nearly singing her pupils in the process. With a thumb pressed to her forehead, he forced Kerry to her head on a swivle. His fingers then dipped to her bottom lip, and under the excruciating light - it exposed her prestine teeth. "She's a prizewinner," Amato assured the man. Jameson kept his back to him in response, too intransed with Kerry. "And the asking price?" Jameson finally spoke up, standing to his full height above Kerry. A moment of silence seeped into the room. Amato hadn't spoken to anyone about an exact price, not even Steve. "$50,000."

Pyroclast (Steve) Misty Gray (Steve)

 

[Enzyme]

Jackson McCarthy & William Campbell ​

Jackson loosened his grip on the glass beside him, extending it out to allow the waiter to refill his beverage. Just as his drink had been filled to the brim, Conor's introduction brought his attention back to the table. "And I'm just Conor's trusty sword, here at the ready," Jackson nodded with a friendly smile. William's eyes lingered on Jackson momentarily, before flickering to Syd. He'd seen a few clippings of James Porter in the paper, yet his boy looked nothing like him. He did, however, recognize the same stern, proud facial expressions Mr. Porter was infamous for holding. "Ah, yes. I'm well aware of Gabriel's lust for your city. His family has been barking at that gate for quite some time now," William added in, stroking his narrow beard with his index finger and thumb. "It was not too long ago that Moretti's right hand came here on his own, offering their support. I'm sure you can guess what it was in exchange for, though," William shrugged, tilting his hand down to his wine glass and moistening his wrinkly throat.

"Well, if I may butt in, we're not exactly chummy wit' the Corelones like our competitors, now are we?" Jackson intervened in the most passive manner possible - reclined in his sofa chair with a glass to his lips. William contemplated momentarily, his narrow eyes looking down to the wine bottle in front of him. "No, I suppose you're not," he paused.

At Conor's mention of the club being ravaged, William gave a knowing nod. "I appreciate the sentiment, I do, but the truth is Mr. Sullivan; I'm not looking for another front to fight on," William admitted. "The war in New Jersey alone has been taxing on just about everyone involved, especially my family and the Corelones." Just as William Campbell finished his sentence, two well-dressed figures materialized from the shadows by stepping into the purple blacklight. An older man with a neatly trimmed beard and snow gray hair stood in the light with the assistance of a sharp, wooden cane. Beside him was a far younger man, perhaps in his late-twenties, with bruises and healing cuts plaguing his handsome face.

"Gentlemen, I'd like you to meet Mr. Toni Corleone, and his son, for whom I believe you met last night," William raised his hand in introduction. Jackson had to choke down his gin before he had the chance to spit it all over the table, to which a few forced coughs escaped his throat. Jackson's hand instinctively shot for his coat, to which the armed guards at the door placed their hands on their own. "Gentlemen, gentlemen, please!" William protested, throwing his arms out to calm everyone. "Everyone is here to make peace, including the Corelones." Despite Williams's words, the younger Corleone had a look that could murder, and his old man didn't look too happy either. "You sure about that, Campbell?" Jackson asked in a sarcastic manner, his hand still on his piece.

Misty Gray (Conor) Pyroclast (Syd)

 

[Misty Gray]

Riccardo Biancardi​

Ricky found himself at Syd Porter's house for the second consecutive evening. The guards still looked as miserable as they had the day before, though he figured it was mostly just the tough guy front they were paid to display. "Lovely place, ain't it? I need to blag myself an introduction to one of those sisters of Syd Porter's and get a place like this," he joked.

Once they were inside the house, Ricky dropped back to let his father and Roxie greet each other, before giving his cousin a quick hug himself. "Yep, I'm freezing my nuts off out here," he remarked when Roxie invited them in out of the cold. Ricky gave the dogs a quick pet each, never having time to own dogs himself but liking the animals nonetheless. Ricky followed behind the others as they stepped into the lounge to see the baby girls. Ricky looked around as he waited for a break in the conversation. "Isn't Syd home?" he asked. Upon receiving a response, he nodded once. "Ah, shame. I could tell we were really bonding last night," he lightly teased. He was still on the fence about how he felt about the guy, but his gut told him that beyond the hostility he was probably a decent person.

Ricky sat on the couch and poured himself a beer, letting Giovanni and Roxie speak about the inheritance and the business between themselves. The purpose of the visit was for his father to catch up with Roxie, so Ricky decided not to interrupt until invited to speak. Still, something about the way Roxie expressed her intentions to cut the Morettis loose didn't sit well with him. When Giovanni put him on the spot, Ricky cleared his throat. He sat forward and interlocked his fingers before looking to Roxie with a serious expression. "Yeah, I get that, Roxie. I can see how much of a tricky position you're in and cutting ties with the Morettis would be the easiest thing to do, given your relationship with Syd." He let out a deep breath before deciding to get to the point. "I'm sure you know that, realistically, it's not that simple. Stefano got himself tied up in a lot of serious and questionable shit with the Morettis. Not all the typical - legal - business you would be able to just sign out of. I have yet to meet Gabriel, but I know enough about him by now. I know what he's capable of and I've done some asking around to gain enough insight into what he does if he doesn't get his way." Ricky looked to his father, hoping he wasn't going too far in his openness about the situation. "Essentially, I believe it could be taken as us choosing to side with the Porters and I'm not sure how we're going to approach this. The recent casualties on the Irish side from this war are too hard to ignore and I don't think Gabriel is all talk anymore. They've come a long way since his fat fuck brother was trying to piss on the mob's doorstep." Ricky rubbed his chin and looked sympathetically to Roxie. "This is why we need to meet with Gabriel. To see what he's expecting from us and if we can cut him off."

Bellz (Roxie, Giovanni)

 

[Misty Gray]

Ethan Turner​

Ethan's night had been a busy one and after dealing with Mitch, he'd checked in with his colleagues for updates on their various missions. It was daylight when he arrived at the East Harlem Headquarters, resting the blame for his lack of sleep entirely on the lawyer. At the headquarters, Ethan had learned about Alistair being attacked and admitted to hospital. He'd been assured the boss would survive, so Ethan did what he expected Alistair would expect of him and dealt with their business before entertaining the idea of visiting the man without any updates or information he was likely to be asked for.

Once Ethan knew everything was under control, he paid a visit to the hospital. He'd opted to wear smarter attire than normal, figuring a man with a broken nose would look like less of a thug if dressed in a well-fitted suit, thus drawing less attention to himself. The nurse led him to Alistair's private hospital room and announced his presence to the patient. When asked if he was a cop, Ethan pulled an offended expression to the woman. "Do I look like a damn cop?" he gruffly asked her. Seeing her distaste at his tone, he flashed a smile to her.

Upon entering the room, Ethan saw the state his boss was in. With his missing limbs and the nurse attending to him, he was in a vulnerable position Ethan would never have expected to see him in. Still, Ethan wasn't once to be shocked or horrified, after everything he'd seen and done in his lifetime. After taking a moment to set his eyes on the rear view of the nurse's figure, he soon shifted his vision back to Alistair's face upon hearing the man's questions. Ethan didn't make any effort to respond, the woman in the room posing as an obstacle to his willingness to speak up. Thankfully, Alistair snapped at the nurse, telling her to leave the room, to which she quickly complied.

"What brings me here?" Ethan finally repeated, standing at the foot of the bed to look directly to Alistair's face. "When I heard you were pretty messed up, I had to come see for myself... They really did a number on you, huh?" he casually asked. Ethan wasn't one for sympathy or dodging around a subject and he expected Alistair would appreciate that. "Do you know who did this to you? Give me any details you can and I'll make sure they're dealt with," he firmly assured him.

"There's a few things I can update you on," he told him. "The lawyer made sure we didn't get our hands on any worthwhile documents, but he didn't get away like his paperwork had. Jed and I made sure Van Gerwin wasn't as lucky as his briefcase in escaping our grasp." He then flashed a cold, unsettling smile as he moved on to the next update. "The attack on All That Jazz was a complete success. The place was burnt to ash without any survivors. Well, except for one... I checked in with Steve earlier. He and Amato took themselves a little souvenir, or more likely a plaything where Steve is concerned," he remarked, figuring he wouldn't need to spell out a woman was involved. "We've got some men out in Midtown tonight, ensuring the Irish don't think last night was a one-off." He shrugged his shoulders and let out a short laugh. "That attack on Moretti's daughter turned out to be the perfect catalyst."

As Alistair spoke to say there were going to be some changes, Ethan couldn't miss the usual strength in the man's voice was missing. He nodded in understanding when he pointed out he wouldn't be at the headquarters for a while. It was strange to hear Alistair say he needed him, but he knew that operations had to continue even without the boss at the helm. Although leading the East Harlem Crew hadn't been an aspiration of his, Ethan knew that with Alistair out of action someone needed to organise and oversee the organisation's operations. Granted, he was often telling his colleagues and others what to do, but he'd simply earned their compliance over time through his naturally commanding demeanour rather than receiving an official title or promotion within the group. Now it seemed the others would have to respect his orders whether or not they wanted to. "Yeah, I can do that," he assured Alistair. "I'll visit you..." he began, falling silent when the nurse entered the room. His eyes followed her the whole time she was in the room and he only looked back to Alistair when she was gone again.

Ethan rounded the hospital bed and sat down in the chair at Alistair's side. He accepted the keys his boss held out to him. Access to their headquarters was nothing new, but he hadn't expected to be given the keys to Alistair's apartment and ownership of the car. "Well, it's an upgrade to the piece of shit I drive around in now," he commented, not even entertaining the fact he didn't care if he was mistaken for his boss. "The cops did show up at the headquarters, but they didn't get further than the office. The car park is still sealed off and there's a chance they might want to ask more questions. Perhaps I could have Moretti speak with his buddies on the force to discourage further investigation?" He shook his head in response to whether Steve came back. "No, Steve was occupied dealing with his takings from that jazz club." He sat up straight, placing the keys in his trouser pocket. "What about the two we've got tied up back at the headquarters - just a couple more days and then do away with them?"

Pyroclast (Alistair)

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Elvian Moretti

It warmed Elvian's heart to hear her daughter's comment on her marriage. Ever since she discovered she was having children, she wanted to make sure she set great examples. Granted, to some people being apart of criminal activities was a bad example. That didn't mean they didn't teach their kids to be good people and set good examples. She smiled at her and nodded her head. "Of course. We'll be together forever, like in the fairytales." She stated, actually blushing like a schoolgirl. There were very little things that would make Elvian Moretti blush and thinking about her loving husband was one of them.

She listened intently as her daughter spoke, basically saying the same things she had said the night before. Elvian seemed to be the voice in this home, helping all the parties speak their pieces to each other. That was her job, wasn't it? Making sure words weren't being misunderstood or taken the wrong way. With a heavy sigh, she turned to her daughter, "You know how your father is; he wants the best for you all and he's very protective. However, he is also a perfectionist and sometimes I don't think he realizes you all are not him. But he loves you very much, as do I, and only wants to make sure that you're set up for success." There was a pause as she scratched her head and patted her daughter's arm. "Unfortunately for you, you're the youngest so you get the worse part of it. Having two children out and risking their lives is something but all three? That's a lot, Val. Our entire family has been wiped out, leaving the rest of us to continue on the family tree. Bigger risk losing another one than anything, so perhaps that's a reason your father feels the way he does." While she was speaking, she was coming to her own realization of all this and took another sigh. It made sense, she thought to herself.

The conversation being turned to Teddy was something she was very interested in. She had always liked having Theodore around but never had she thought about him possibly dating one her daughter. It wasn't until Valentina was attacked and Teddy was around more that it came across her mind. Granted, the two had helped each other in the past with projects to bring to her husband, but she always saw it as two friends helping each other out. Now? It was all she could think about. Mostly because she wanted grandchildren something awful these days, but that wasn't the point. "See if Theodore would be approved for dating. Granted, he's much older than you but I can overlook it. And, if this is a sign that he's back in your father's good graces then that could only mean he'll be around more often." She gave her daughter a wink with a smile. "Hypothetically, speaking you say?!" Elvian's voice had a touch of excitement in it as she shrugged her shoulder. "First of all, you are a beautiful woman and far better than those whores he hangs around." Teddy's life was Teddy's life, but Elvian never approved of it. She liked to think of herself as his mother from time to time, and like his sometimes mother he didn't like his lifestyle. "If anything, you would be able to tame him and he would be great for you! I adore a good love story, but your father would... Probably take some time... Which I can help with!"
​

Valentina ( Misty Gray )

 

[Bellz]

Roxie Carriveau
Giovanni Biancardi ​

With her Uncle looking to Ricky, Roxie turned her attention towards him, wondering what he was going to say. They hadn't been able to talk about the subject in great detail yesterday, so surely she was missing the importance of this meeting with Moretti. As Ricky revealed it wasn't as simple as cutting ties with the man, Roxie clearly showed her disappointment. Hearing her father had gotten himself tied up with some serious shit was not surprising to her, but she had to glance over at her Uncle and wonder how he hadn't seen it coming. Or maybe he did and just wasn't going to admit to it in front of her. Ricky's assessment of Gabriel seemed just like Roxie's even though neither of them had met the man in person. Just from what she experienced with Syd's family, with Savannah. She knew if they didn't play their cards they would suffer the consequences for it and Roxie didn't want to put Syd or her family in any more danger. When Ricky said that her cutting ties with Moretti would seem like they were siding with the Porters, Roxie let out a harsh laugh. "It's kind of hard not to side with them, given my current status with Syd." She said but understood that they needed to remain as neutral as possible, which she was sure would not hold over well with Syd when she explained everything to him when he returned.

Giovanni cleared his throat after Ricky finished his thoughts, turning to look at Roxie once more before his eyes shifted to the babies who were sleeping near her. "As difficult as this position is for you, I know you will handle it with grace because you've been able to handle tougher situations." Roxie raised an eyebrow at that, wondering what was tougher than this but she just shook her head slowly. "You have a lot of faith in me." She murmured weakly as she thought things over. It seemed she really didn't have a choice in the matter and would have to meet with Moretti whether she or Syd liked it. Or she could just walk away from her father's business altogether. That...would be the sensible option and she should have immediately turned to that but something was stopping her.

Looking clearly troubled, Roxie set her now empty wine glass down on the table as she laced her fingers together in thought, resting them on her knee. "I want to just give everything back to the family...but this opportunity to run my father's business could bring a lot of good for us and for some reason I just don't think I have it in me to decline it." Maybe it was guilt but regardless of what it was, she was going to take over the business, the firm, all of it. "But why didn't you tell me about this? What does our family do? I can't help but feel betrayed, even by you two." Roxie said suddenly, changing the subject for a moment as the hurt she had been feeling for months reflected in her eyes. "Families don't lie to each other. Why should I trust anything you have to say? How can I trust that you won't lie to me again?"

Giovanni rubbed his chin as he glanced at Ricky, clearly not expecting Roxie to speak about the fact that they lied to her all these years. "Well, for starters, it's what your mother wanted. God forbid, I'll get into a battle with my sister...you know as well as I that I never win and if I wasn't running the family affairs, she would be with a vice grip." Roxie only smirked softly at the mention of her feisty mother but couldn't help but feel hurt that she had chosen to leave Roxie out of the loop. "Trust me, I wanted to tell you, love. But you are a different breed compared to us." Giovanni motioned between Ricky and himself, hoping his son didn't take offense to what he was saying. "Of course, like any Biancardi you are strong-willed and incredibly stubborn: a fighter. But you, unlike us, care what happens to the enemy. A humanity streak that none of us thugs can replicate. You of all people, feel it's wrong to take your father's money even though he tried to kill you. You feel guilty that he's dead, even though your boyfriend did what any of us would have done in that situation. You know your father and I never saw eye to eye, I would have placed a bullet between his eyes if I'd been there too."

Roxie's mouth hung open a little to speak, but nothing came of it. Giovanni offered the woman a small smile, "You can trust us and we will prove it to you any way we can, isn't that right, Ricky?" He looked to the man once more. "But we are going to need to trust you with sensitive information and that information cannot be spoken to with anyone outside of our family without our permission. Even Syd. " Roxie nose scrunched in distaste, hating that she would have to keep anything from Syd. But she understood that business was business, so she nodded her head reluctantly. "So, what exactly is the plan with Moretti? What is it that we want from him?"
with: Ricky Misty Gray

 

[Pyroclast]

Syd Porter

150 miles from home. A round trip of that distance could be done all within a day. Yet, knowing that his house was full of guests, one of whom he had never met and the other with whom he was barely acquainted, New Jersey might as well have been Dublin for how helpless Syd felt. Although he knew the meeting with Giovanni and Riccardo wasn’t for him, he had still wanted to be present for his own peace of mind. Not a lot could have dragged him away from Roxie and his two daughters just two days after their return home. On this occasion, however, outside events had expanded his concerns to the rest of the family. The horror show at All That Jazz had understandably shaken Sinead, with several of the dead victims still being identified, and the explosion at the warehouse added to the weight of the threat that hung over their heads. Syd knew as well as the rest of them that it could drop on them at any moment. His duties once again lay beyond his own house, and so he would have to learn to leave Roxie on her own.

His separation anxiety was eased by the presence of Conor and Jackson, two men in whom he had complete faith. Even if a job went sideways, he knew he could rely on them to deal with it in the best way possible. The sharp suit he wore gave him a confident stride and as he took in the atmosphere of the Seaside Club, he wondered how different it felt from the club at which his Uncle Peter had been shot, if perhaps he ought to be more nervous. Nevertheless, he was armed, and if Conor and Jackson expected it to be a peaceful sit-down then Syd had no reason to doubt them.

He shook his head at the offer of drinks as a waiter passed them by. While a sip or two may have given him a splash of extra confidence, there was no need to make a fool of himself in front of their hosts. These days, the line between the two was too fine to be worth the risk. Instead, he did as was expected and entered William Campbell’s office, sending him a smile when his uncle introduced him. Here was a man with whom they apparently shared a common enemy - or at least, a common threat - and who had done nothing to earn a place in Syd’s bad books. Yet, the only reason he smiled was to match the mood that Conor and Jackson had set. They and Peter had done Campbell a favour - a gift, as Conor called it - by trashing Corleone’s club, and that now put them in a position strong enough that intimidation wouldn’t be necessary. Campbell would already know of their power without further demonstration.

But the relaxed atmosphere came crashing down when two figures stepped into view: a white-haired gentleman with a cane and a man around Syd’s age with a badly cut up face. The light that shone over them made shadows catch in their features, adding to the darkness of their facial expressions. Syd didn’t need to recognise them to know who they were. The whole room tensed up, everyone poised to withdraw their weapons. The fact that their arrival had caught Jackson so off guard was enough to convince him that Campbell wasn’t one to trust after all.

“Why do I get the feeling your idea of peace is not the same as ours?” Syd fixed a steely-eyed glare on the Corleones before letting it settle on Campbell. “It’s not up to you to decide what we’re here for,” he warned. “You don’t speak for us, Campbell. We came to you on previously agreed terms, and those terms did not include a peace treaty with the Corleones.”

Interactions
Misty Gray Conor
Enzyme Jackson, Campbell

 

[RayPurchase]

Marcus Moretti


​

The light flickered momentarily, illuminating the corners of the dank room, it settled again however to something a little brighter than twilight. The strip light buzzed rhythmically, it could drive you crazy if you were stuck with it too long, that and the depressing decor, or lack thereof, of the basement that the 4 men found themselves in. Thankfully Marcus had gotten used to the smell of rising damp, it had caused his nose to shrivel for the first hour when he had entered the basement, but he had both acclimated to its purveyding stench, and it had been to an extent replaced by the iron tang of human blood. Marcus had never seen his father this angry, such a quiet anger to him. When he was young he had always thought he had seen the worst of his father’s temper, but that had always been through the eyes of a child, and now he could see the true fire seething beneath. Likewise his father had probably never seen him like this before either, always sheltered in some way from the true goings on of the family. Not today however, they had bundled Isac in together, a true touching father and son moment. He hadn’t paused for a moment. For years Isac had been nothing less than a loyal member of the family, not just of the organisation, you last that long and you start becoming something more. But all of that was forgotten now, washed away in the sea of this betrayal. Everytime Marcus looked at Isac, at the bruises and cuts now covering his body from the hours of work, he saw only Valentina’s bruises and cuts, her lying in that hospital bed, thoughts going back to sitting by her side, not knowing whether she would awake. That was more than enough to remove any lingering feelings of empathy of doubt over what they were doing, whether what was about to occur in this basement would change him forever, setting him on a path that led to places unknown and result in an altogether different person emerging at the end of it.

The smell of burning flesh reached his nostrils, the cries ringing in his ears, and Marcus only grinned, a dark humourless grin that would have scared him seeing it on his own features, one that would have been more in place for Tony, Ethan or one of the other well paid maniacs they unleashed when there skills were needed. He wanted Isac to feel everything that Valentina had felt, everything and more. His limbs to be shattered, his teeth knocked, his flesh seared and burned, none of it would be enough, but perhaps it would bring some modicum of comfort for everything this rat and done to Marcus’ family. He listened as Teddy spoke to him, the whimpers returning as his fist impacted into the burnt and ruined flesh of his arm. Marcus said nothing however, merely circling the chair, hands clasped behind his back as if he was listening to a half interesting radio show. He finally settled in front of the table of tools, picking up a simple claw hammer. His fingers flexed around the wooden grip, holding the steel head up to the light. It was brand new, the head unblemished by marks or imperfections, straight out the hardware shop, he wondered if the man who had purchased it had any idea what it was going to be used for. He assumed so, Gabe wasn’t exactly the sort of man who was interested in DIY renovations.

Then the tone of that voice changed, that voice that cut through to Marcus’ heart like a knife through butter. The one he was already sick of hearing. A bit more defiance now over the top of the gravelly croak of pain and thirst. Ah James Porter. A solid choice to go with, a known suspect, something to gain, suspect number one to be honest, the Montagues to their Capulets. Of course Isac wasn’t privy to the guest list of that night at the hotel, otherwise he would have made sure to pick someone else, almost anyone else to be honest, to have been his companion that night. Marcus turned, the smile had slipped now, and only a grey deathmask devoid of emotion remained as he rounded on Isac.

“Of course, James Porter, it makes sense doesn’t it Papa? Who else would be so brazen to attack one of our own if not for the usurper of New York? The King Rat who’s dishonesty knows no bounds.”

Marcus placed his left hand on Isac’s shoulder, gripping it in an almost familial way. It would only be when Isac raised his eyes to Marcus’ own flint-like eyes, that he would see that the warmth from his hand was very much only skin deep. He swung the hammer down in an arc, the head impacting on the knuckles of Isac’s right hand. With each swing there was a crunch and a pop, the bone shattering and fingers dislocating under the assault. Just like Whack-a-Mole, Marcus thought to himself, conjuring up images of his youth. With each impact another image of Valentina floated to the forefront of his mind, and the next blow came easily, until each finger was based by a bloodied ruined mess. He dropped the hammer with a thud, squatting before Isac and gripping his head between his hands.

“Apparently Mr Porter also has the power of being in two places at once! A Leprechaun as well as a rat, because this is some dark fucking magic he’s able to wield, seeing as how we were sitting but 20 feet away from him for the whole night until we rushed to Valentina’s bedside. I’m going to suggest that you think up of the actual name and it had better be the next words out of your mouth, because for every word I consider wasted or that I even vaguely dislike, I’m going to take another finger, I was even kind enough to demonstrate on your left, still got old rightie there, but for how long and what condition are you going to leave it in? Think fast,”

Marcus stood up, slapping Isac’s face away with an open palm. He wanted him to remain defiant, to take more before that fat lolling tongue gave up the information that they wanted, he wanted to work the bastard.

(Interactions: Misty Gray Gabe, Isac, Melanin-Gxdess Teddy)

 

[Pyroclast]

Steve Kelly

The wild glare in Amato’s eyes wasn’t enough to kill Steve’s laughter. While his fancy was directed predominantly at women, he did think himself handsome. What he lacked in charm he made up for in looks, and so, in the right setting, he didn’t often have to earn their attention. Amato’s response to his jeering remark at first sounded like nothing more than jealousy. When he stooped to pick up a rusted hacksaw, however, the amusement on Steve’s face wavered, until it fell away altogether. Venom spewed from Amato’s lips as he threw the insult back at Steve, and the air between them grew tense as the two were locked in an unsettling staring contest. Much to Amato’s amusement, he couldn’t help but flinch when Amato pretended to lunge at him. “You wish, asshole,” he grumbled, turning away when the man inevitably laughed.

He didn’t care to listen to more of Kerry’s whining. The sound of her whimpering voice was satisfying but as far as he was concerned it warranted no response, not unless he felt like antagonising her more. When she mentioned needing to use the bathroom, however, Steve looked her up and down. “Hey, yeah, we can’t sell her if she’s stinkin’ of piss,” he realised. “We got a bottle in here or somethin’?” Without much sense of what a woman could easily use as a replacement toilet, Steve’s eyes searched the room for a suitable receptacle while Amato took the necessary measures to shut her up.

Before he could decide on anything, a voice on the stairs let them know they had company. Following in his partner’s footsteps, Steve shook Jameson’s hand and then stepped aside. His eyes bore into Kerry with a gaze as scrutinising as their potential buyer's, as if trying to see her through Jameson’s eyes. Or at least, willing her to behave herself and not surrender control of her bladder. He found himself licking his lips as he stared at her, his mouth almost as dry as if he had just snorted a slug of cocaine, though he didn’t think he had. Perhaps it was just the excitement of their enterprising move, or some nervous edge that Dmitri and Jameson had pushed him towards. Either way, it kept him in silent anticipation, allowing Amato to take over the salesmanship.

$50,000.

$50,000.

Steve’s stomach flipped. It was the sweetest thing he had ever heard come out of Amato’s mouth. A subtle smile crossed his lips, his head buzzing with adrenaline. “And worth every goddamn cent,” he pressed. “You won't find a girl easier than this one. She'll do anythin' you ask. Pure as an angel's ass, ain't that right, sweetheart?" His twinkling eyes landed back on Kerry before they settled into a threatening glare. "Show the men that pretty smile of yours, go on."

Interactions
Misty Gray Kerry
Enzyme Amato, Dmitri, Jameson

 

[RayPurchase]

Johnny Reed


​

Johnny didn’t mind a night shift, in fact if he was really pushed he would say he actively preferred them. A day shift was always punctuated by moving things from point A to point B, if you were lucky it was someone or something interesting, but most of the time it was an anonymous crate or box, or a very tight lipped passenger to some seedy joint. Not like tonight, this was a much improved environment. Johnny could maybe have done with a partner with a bit of a lighter outlook on life, but then again given the current climate he was happy to forgo the light conversation and have Adam alongside him. In the space of a few hours the Jazz Club had been hit and the family lawyer was missing presumed dead. This was a body shot for sure, Johnny had been there at the ruins of the club, the rubble and bodies nearly fused together due to the heat of the flames that had ripped through the place. It resembled some third world war zone on the news as opposed to the streets of New York. Not that he would have told anyone but the scene had left him shaken. Adam was a mean son of a bitch, and that’s just what was needed right now. The drug delivery had gone off without a hitch however, nothing was out of place, and Johnny hadn’t seen anyone along the way to alert his suspicions. Now the glory of the night shift was coming into its own. Holding down the bar at the Lomax and making sure nothing went down here either. He’d eased into it now, and whilst Johnny would have enjoyed knocking back a few beers he knew that there was still a job to do, at least the rampant eye candy on show made things a little easier.

Johnny waggled his eyebrows at a couple of clubbers walking by them for the…. Was it the 4th or 5th time now? He’d lost count a while ago. Adam was clearly far less keen with the women’s attention. Johnny could only laugh and shake his head at Adam’s reaction.

“They’re clearly suckers for that smoldering bad boy look you’ve got going on. Don’t play dumb with me harper, you know the ladies can’t get enough of that sort of vibe. Obviously like you said they’ve come because of my boyish good looks and the way I just ooze charm, but clearly you ain’t too bad a catch yourself,”

He winked at one of the women and as Adam has remarked she instantly began giggling away to her friend as they moved on a little. They may be enjoying Adam’s cold hard to get routine, but clearly they hadn’t had enough drinks to come over yet. Johnny managed to drag his attention away from their admirers and back to Johnny as he looped back to the conversation they’d been having before such earthly distractions had swung their attention.

“Alright for some. Tries to sell us all down the river, and now he’s got his girlfriend in a nice little pad, probably got a comfy bed and a fully stocked fridge with it too. Bastard should have been run out of town, preferably off a cliff face. Politics my friend, politics, far too complex for us suckers on the frontline,”

He raised the bottle of water he had taken a swig of it. Yep a poor substitute for a cold lager, or maybe even something stronger. Still it beat being out in the street like the other 2 of their 4 person surveillance team, though saying that they probably appreciated the privacy.

“Tell me about it,” Johnny gasped rolling his eyes. “I’ve been third wheeling on every bloody job we’ve been on, sitting in the driver’s seat twiddling my thumbs and trying to stay out of their gooey eyed stares. Quicker they stop pussy footing the better for all of us,” He let out a snort of laughter, shaking his head. “They’re a good match though, and I’m sure they’re putting this time spent in just each other’s company to good use. Probably having just as much fun as us… well maybe me,”

(Interaction: Misty Gray Adam)

 

[Pyroclast]

Tatiana Moretti

Tatiana’s anxious yet determined stare remained fixed on Rebel. To see her chained to the bedpost was almost embarrassing; while she knew it had been a cheap move to catch her while she was sleeping, her reaction still made Tatiana feel somewhat ashamed of herself. She appeared more insulted than intimidated, which wasn’t exactly surprising, but there was no way Tatiana was going to relent. She wasn’t doing this for her father, she was doing it for Valentina, and so no matter how much she would have liked to explore her attraction to Rebel, it couldn’t possibly take priority while her sister was recovering from a violent, near-deadly attack.

“This isn’t personal, not between me and you at least,” she assured her, in an almost apologetic tone. Despite her efforts to make Rebel comfortable around her the night before, they hadn’t had much of a chance to actually develop any trust between them. It was safe to say that Rebel had no reason to trust her words. Nevertheless, she had to try to make her understand the position she was in. “Do you have siblings, Rebel? Kids, little nieces or nephews, anything like that? You’d do anything for them, right? Even things you don’t want to do?” Already she was struggling to maintain eye contact with the woman. Shackling her to the bed and interrogating her didn’t seem like the sort of thing they could come back from. Tatiana teased her fingers through her hair, tangled from a night of tossing and turning. “The thing is...I either have to come home with information, or with proof that I punished you for not co-operating. And I’d rather return with the first than the second.” She gave a sigh and leaned against the wall that faced the bed. “If that information turns out to be a lie - and trust me, we always find out - my father will do the punishing himself.”

No matter how much Rebel tried to negotiate her way out of the situation, Tatiana couldn’t give in. “I’m not letting you go,” she asserted. “You know something, Rebel. I know you do. And if you don’t tell me what it is, I’ll make sure you never make it home.” The hard look in her eyes proved how serious she was, but they also couldn’t hide the conflict stirring inside her. Even though she had been the one to suggest getting information out of Rebel, she couldn’t help but resent her father. It wasn’t that she wasn’t proud to work alongside him or grateful that he had given her the opportunity in the first place, but being his daughter didn’t come without its sacrifices. She could never just have a romantic weekend away without business somehow spoiling her good time. Now, she had to go against her own desire and be Rebel’s enemy like her family had trained her to be. “Why are you so sure it wasn’t the mob? Was it somebody else?” Tatiana sighed once more as she approached the foot of the bed. “I don’t want to hurt you, but I will. For my sister. Do you understand? Please make this easy, Rebel...Just tell me what you know.”

Interactions
Bellz Rebel

 

[Misty Gray]

Riccardo Biancardi​

Ricky was glad to hear that Roxie didn't want to decline Stefano's business and he showed as much with an encouraging nod. The way he saw it, someone had to run it else the family could find themselves in a weakened position in the city. It was better to hold on to it and maintain their worth in New York. Ricky let out a sigh when his cousin made clear her disappointment about being lied to. "It wasn't my place to say anything," he admitted. "Your parents were the ones who would make that decision and I certainly wasn't going to piss Uncle Stef off," he said with a scoff. He listened to Giovanni explain himself and nodded along. "He's right. You were doing your own thing - fighting the good fight. It could have soured that if you knew what us lot were up to. You were better not implicated in this." He shrugged his shoulders at his father's mentioning of them being a different breed. "Yeah, I've done some pretty unsavoury things in my time. You're not like that, Rox."

"Now everything's out in the open and you're clearly in the middle of all this, given you shacking up with Syd... You can trust us and we won't spare you any of the gory details now, unless you want us to." He glanced to Giovanni and nodded. "This old man's right," he said, pointing to his father. "Our family's business has to be kept private. We can only tell the Moretti and Syd's lot what we agree to. They can't know anything sensitive, not if it could result in us being dragged into this apparent war."

When asked about the planned meeting with Moretti, Ricky sat up straight, taking a quick drink of beer before continuing. "We need to know where we stand with him. If Stefano left any loose ends and ongoing contracts in place. If so, are we still expected to fulfil them or would the agreement have ended with your dad. My gut tells me we'd be putting ourselves in a dangerous position to try cut the Morettis off completely. I'm keen to know if there's any possible resolution that wouldn't end in more casualties and destruction. I've done my fair share of showing up on someone's doorstep with a gun and a couple of heavies to collect unpaid debts, but kidnapping women and torturing the enemy's family? Nah. I draw the line way before that." Ricky cleared his throat to return to a less dark subject. "We've got assets in this city that we need to protect, so if we can put an agreement in place that doesn't involve us getting stuck in the middle of bloodbaths and torture, it would make our lives easier." Ricky let out a dry chuckle. "I've heard Gabriel isn't the easiest of men to reason with, so hopefully we can just appeal to the business side of things and distance ourselves from the personal shit. This war isn't good for the city."

Bellz (Roxie, Giovanni)

 

[Misty Gray]

Valentina Moretti​

Valentina thought for a second when her mother said Teddy was much older than her. She lightly shrugged her shoulders before staring at the television for a moment, not really taking in what was actually playing. "It's not that much older. I don't think nine or whatever years is so bad now I'm almost 24," she protested. She'd dated immature guys in the past and they no longer appealed to her in the slightest. Teddy was older and mature, but without being stuffy and boring, which she liked about him. She looked down to her broken wrist, idly picking at the white cast with the fingers of her healthy hand and she trailed off to Elvian. "I could be reading into it entirely wrong and maybe he doesn't feel the same. Maybe he's just being nice because he feels sorry for me or something. And even if he does like me, would he dare do anything about it? If he's back in Papa's good books, he probably doesn't want to piss him off now."

Valentina turned to look to Elvian when she said she was beautiful and better than the women Teddy usually spent time with. "I'm nothing like those women, I never have been, and I hope Teddy would understand that. Be respectful..." She rested her head on her mother's shoulders. Biting down on her own bottom lip, she forced back the tears as she could no longer avoid what had been plaguing not only her dreams but her waking thoughts too. "I feel comfortable and safe around Teddy, but I hope if there can be something between us that he would be patient with me." She sniffled as she failed to stop the tears from catching up to her. "It was bad enough that Calvin hurt me," she began, mentioning her ex-boyfriend. "But those two men just treated me like I was a punchbag and a piece of meat. I know that none of it was my fault, but I still feel worthless from it." She quickly shook her head. "I'm not sure Teddy wants this level of complicated in his life," she said, even though her words were going against what her heart really felt. She was attracted to Teddy and had been for some time. She felt comfortable and relaxed in his presence, like she could always be herself, but she had to wonder if he would prefer someone who wasn't recovering from a vicious assault. She managed a small dry laugh as she tried to pick her mood back up. "Guess that leaves just Marcus to find a stable relationship for Papa to accept without fuss..."

Melanin-Gxdess (Elvian)

 

[Misty Gray]

Kerry Patrick​

Kerry flinched as Amato reacted badly to her speaking up, even if she'd initially spoken to respond to him seemingly inviting her to do so. She scrambled up to a standing position, struggling with her hands and feet bound with duct tape. As he lectured her for speaking, she was about to apologise but held her tongue as she decided against saying another word when she was being berated for speaking in the first place. Then he grabbed her head, holding it in place before grabbing a switchblade which he held to her face. Her anxiety threatened to take over and she took quick gasps for air as Amato toyed with the idea of cutting her face again. At the same time, she could hear Steve asking about a bottle for her to urinate in. She wasn't sure that would be much use, but it at least seemed like she might be spared a small dose of humiliation from wetting herself, even if Steve wasn't doing it for her benefit.

Everything came to a standstill. Amato withdrew the blade from close to her face and Steve abandoned the idea of letting Kerry do something about her full bladder. More voices were heard approaching and judging by everything her situation was telling her, the newcomers wouldn't be there to help her either. It was soon becoming clear the two men had shown up to make a purchase and terrifyingly, Kerry realised she was the item for sale.

Amato and Steve had stepped aside, to allow the stocky man to approach her. He was introduced as Jameson, not that these animals deserved names. As he shone the torch straight into her eyes, Kerry tightly closed them to block out the blinding light. Meanwhile, her whole body froze with fear. She couldn't run or scream for help, but she didn't want those men to treat her like an object, offering her up for sale like she had no say in the matter. Despite her urges to scream out, she stood trembling, opening her eyes as Jameson inspected her teeth. When there was talk of the asking price, she quickly shook her head. She wished she could tell them they could get more money if they freed her, but she knew she couldn't back up such a claim. All of the family she'd known had passed away and she was just starting out on her own in New York. Other than a few friends in the city, it was a dark and grim reality that there wouldn't be any loved ones out searching for her, pleading for her safe return.

Steve spoke up next, telling the potential buyer she would do anything asked of her. She could see his eyes fixed on her, soon turning to an scary glare. When he asked her to smile, she couldn't manage such a thing, even if she did try to force it. "No..." she quietly replied, shaking her head as tears streamed down her cheeks. "You can't do this. Please let me go," she said, gasping for breath. Her eyes fixed on Dmitri and Jameson for a time, hoping there was some kind of humanity within them, considering Amato and Steve were already lost causes on that front.

Enzyme (Amato, Dmitri, Jameson)
Pyroclast (Steve)

 

[Misty Gray]

Jasmine Carpenter and Adam Harper​

Like Chase, Jasmine stood still to take in their surroundings, paying extra attention for any details and threats that might reveal themselves. Nothing showed and it soon became clear they needed to investigate if something was going on around the club. Chase withdrew his gun and told her to stay close, which Jasmine surprisingly liked hearing coming from him. "Of course," she quietly replied. Still, she took her own handgun too, knowing she was fully capable of doing the same jobs the men in their team did.

There were no guards around the back exit, which didn't fill Jasmine with much confidence. Hopefully those on duty were just having a few minutes slacking off in the back room. Whilst Chase pushed the door open, Jasmine covered him, scanning the area outside to make sure nobody was hiding or watching them. She turned back to the door and followed Chase inside. It wasn't until he turned on the light that she saw the blood on the floor leading to the guard who was slumped against the wall. Jasmine swallowed hard before turning to the door and closing it behind them, bolting it shut in case anyone decided to follow them in. She remained by the door, gun in hand whilst able to peer through the spy-hole in the door to monitor what was going on outside.

Chase examined Richard, trying to reassure him whilst asking what had happened. As the guard mumbled about there being four inside, Jasmine stepped further into the room so she was closer to Chase and Richard. It became apparent their colleague had been attacked and those responsible were in the club. She quickly nodded in agreement when Chase said they need to let Adam know.

Adam grunted as they discussed Maddox, nodding along as Johnny seemed to share his frustrations. "Definitely politics, mate, and I've not got much patience for that." He shrugged his shoulders. "The guy doesn't seem that bad, but he's spent years putting on an act so who knows which side of him is genuine. And there's the fact he screwed with Syd's head... I'm still holding out for the boss deciding to bump him off."

Adam allowed himself to let out a chuckle at hearing of Johnny's suffering at being a third wheel. It amused him hearing someone else's frustrations for a change, so he was happy for Johnny to go on. "Ah yeah. They'd make a good couple, I'm sure. Though I'd put a bet on Jasmine making the first move," he remarked. It wasn't meant as disrespectful in either way. He'd been friends with Chase for years; long enough to know the man was far more respectful around women than himself, but he was also a little more reserved when it came to approaching them. Jasmine, however, he knew was more confident and outspoken when she needed to be, so he figured she'd make a move if Chase didn't. "Good luck to 'em, I say."

After briefly listening to the loud music, Adam's attention was drawn to the doorway as Chase and Jasmine approached them at the bar. "Looks like they're missing us," he commented, though his face remained neutral. Something about their expressions told him something was going down. He already had his holstered gun and concealed knives on him, but his mind also cast to the other firearms hidden within the wooden panels behind the bar. "Alright. What's going on now?" he asked Chase, his tone suggesting he sensed it wasn't going to be good news.

RayPurchase (Johnny)
Pyroclast (Chase)

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Aliana Sullivan

Hearing Sinead says she couldn't stay here hurt, she was one of her biggest support systems, but this wasn't the time to be selfish. She had seen her friend go through a lot of horrific events so it was only right that she left. But as much as it would hurt to see her leave, it would hurt even more to see her struggle and so unhappy all the time. Putting her own feelings aside, she took a deep breath and nodded her head. "You don't have anything to apologize for, babes. Your health, your life, and your family's life are far more important." She wasn't able to say more as the sound of Peter clearing his throat was audible. Turning her head in his direction, she gave him a soft smile. Though she knew he wasn't coming, she wished she could have seen Conor. It was times like this, when terrible events occurred, that she wanted nothing more than to be held in her husband's arms. She needed him to tell her that things were okay.

She slid over to the furthest part of the couch to give the two of them space. Her hand instinctively went to her stomach as she rubbed the small bump. She let Peter take over comfort while leaned back and listened. He was being very comforting to his wife, which made her smile. The two of them seemed to be on the same page with one another, which made her a bit jealous. Months ago, she wanted to do the same thing. Practically begged Conor that the three of them left this life behind, but none of it worked. He fought her at every turn, but there was a reason for it all right? Whatever the case, she had let it go and now was content with staying in New York and supporting her husband. Not to say she wasn't on edge about something catastrophic happening, but she trusted her husband to keep her safe. She also trusted the men who followed her around all day to keep her safe as well.

Hearing her mention she was sorry about leaving, Ali quickly shook her head and leaned forward. "Sinead. You have nothing to apologize about. You're not abandoning the rest of us and no one else will think that you are. What you're doing is protecting your family first and there is nothing wrong with that." She stated, rubbing her thumb across her friends hand. She wanted to make sure she understood how much she stood by her decision to leave. "It's not something any will fault you for, so you do what you need to and we will all support you." Ali wasn't going to try and talk her out of this, having been in the same position not too long ago. If both she and Peter were on board with this, then that was that. She doubted the Moretti's would go out of their way to hunt them down, so this was probably their best option. "Now, I don't think tomorrow will work because of how last minute it is but how does another day or so work? It'll give you plenty of time to wrap up loose ends and for you to pack your essentials. Whatever you leave behind, I'll send to you." She took a pause and drew her friend in for another hug. "I just want to see you smile again. And if Conor gets in the way then he can sleep outside."

​

Sinead ( Misty Gray )

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Elvian Moretti

All the talk of her daughter possibly starting a relationship with Teddy excited her. It had nothing to do with the person, well as much, but she instantly got this way from anyone. Specifically, the one's she got a good reading on. There were some people who had slipped through the cracks, but those people were swiftly dealt with. She sat up in the bed, moved the tray towards the foot, and crossed her legs. "Age is truly a mental thing. You could be 30 years old and still think like you're 15." She waved her hand and made a face, having had such experiences of her own with childish mean that were older. It came as a slight surprise to her when she met Gabriel, him only being a few years older than she. He was so mature and wise, a breath of fresh air from the previous men she had been with.

Listening as she brought up Teddy's intentions, she had to think. He had gone through something similar himself not too long ago. It could definitely be possible he was relating to her, helping her get through what he knew to be a hard time. Elvian shrugged her shoulders, "I mean. It's possible. However, I am 100% dedicated to making this happen regardless. As far as your father goes, I think I can work out a way to gauge his reaction. I feel that most of his attitude will be because you're his baby. The youngest." She playfully grabbed her cheek, teasing her daughter. It was nice to see her talking about a guy since her previous breakup. "I'm sure he'll be the perfect gentleman. Afterall, he does know who your parents are and know that none of us would hesitate to, ya know." She drug her finger across her neck, signifying they would kill him.

Once Valentina rested her head on her shoulder, she laid back down on her back in the bed. She could hear her voice start to crack as she talked about the attack and Teddy. Kissing the top of her head, she rubbed her arm in comfort. "Oh, baby. I don't think Teddy would ever do that to you. He's not Calvin and he's definitely not a bad person. You think I would have batted so hard for him when he was attacked? He's not perfect and I truly think he understands the situation. For crying out loud, he only has 8 fingers now. I'm surprised he's able to do what needs to be done, considering what's happened..." She took a pause and shook her head. "You just have to have faith in it. If it feels right to you, then go for it. You'll only regret it if you don't." She wiped the tears from her cheeks before chuckling at her comment about her brother. "Oh dear. I fear your brother might be a bachelor all his life. He only has room for his need to prove himself."

​

Valentina ( Misty Gray )

 

[Pyroclast]

Chase Zegarra

Thankfully, Tanya was just walking past when Chase and Jasmine entered the venue. He sent her to get medical help for Richard, which only left him with the task of dealing with the security breach. Not that it would be an easy task. The dance floor was a minefield without knowing who to look out for, and as they crossed it together, Chase felt Jasmine’s presence more strongly than before. Of course, he knew without a doubt that she could look out for herself, and trusted her capability to deal with a threat - perhaps even more than he trusted himself - but that didn't mean he wasn't still concerned for her. The crew were doing sound checks on the stage and the floor was already crowded, signifying that a show was about to start. It would be easy to lose each other if they weren’t careful.

It took no time at all for Adam to guess that something was wrong. “Adam, Johnny,” he greeted them with a nod of his head. “It’s not good. We’ve got four...at least four intruders, armed I think. One guard is down, but there could be more - I sent Tanya to check. That’s all the information I got before the guy passed out. We have no idea who we’re looking for, what they’re gonna do or what time they came here.” The stress in his voice was clear enough, but he kept a practised stony expression when scanning the floor, so as not to concern anyone passing by. “Listen, I think this place could do without more bad publicity -” Suddenly the lights went down and the crowd erupted into screams, followed by heavy feedback coming through the Marshall stacks. “Oye, coño…”

The screams were ones of excitement rather than terror, but the show starting was not a good sign - if he were to attack a nightclub, the best time to do it would be when everyone was in one place and completely distracted from their surroundings. Plus, with the floor now packed, it seemed the operation was going to be even harder to conduct. Feeling short on time, Chase turned back to the group and shook his head. “We’ve gotta find them now and stop them before they can do anything. Jasmine, you want to come into this crowd with me? You two head backstage, look for anyone unfamiliar, see if anyone’s been hurt.”

Interactions
Misty Gray Adam, Jasmine
RayPurchase Johnny

 

[Bellz]

Rebel Holt ​

Not being able to negotiate her way out of this situation was something that frustrated Rebel deeply. Pulling on the handcuff once more she let out a groan, showing her rare frustrated side. Tati's tone was almost apologetic as she announced that this wasn't personal between them but Rebel really didn't get ta shit about that. When asked if she had siblings, Rebel felt obligated to nod her head very slowly. Hearing that the woman had to either come home with information that Rebel had given her or proof that she was pushed for not cooperating put her on edge. Rebel didn't have a clue as to what Tati wanted from her, seeing as she had no clue who would have attacked her sister.

"I'm sure because I'm the Senior Guard for the Porters and Sullivans. I would have been made aware of such an attack because I would have been the one to place the order for it." Rebel saw that it was hard for Tati to look her in the eyes and she saw hard to find them, her eyes reflecting how agitated she was about this whole thing despite having a soft spot for the woman.

"I want to make this easy on you, sweetheart but let me be clear. I know nothing about the attack that was made on your poor sister and if you were hoping to hear more then I'm sorry you are going to be greatly disappointed." Once again, Rebel tugged at the handcuffs her wrist was smaller but not small enough to wiggle through the hole.

"I knew I shouldn't have trusted you!" Rebel hissed, clearly getting more and more frustrated as the minutes passed. "Did it ever occur to you that maybe the men that are working alongside you might not be as loyal as you think? Without giving too much away, I can tell you that the Porters and Sullivans have had their fair share of traitors. Since you and your family pride yourselves on being so smart, did you ever think to look into those who would know where your sister is at all times? Those who are assigned to watching her."

Rebel's eyes searched Tati's, hoping that the words she was saying would be enough to get out of this situation alive. "We work with the worst kinds of people, Tati despite what we want to say about them. Most of them are willing to do anything and everything for themselves, especially the men." This is why she dated women. "I'm sorry what happened to your sister but I think pointing the fingers at me and my crew might make you blind to the actual problem your family is having: disloyalty." That was all she had to say on the matter. Pressing her mouth into a thin line, she watched the woman carefully as she once again tugged at the handcuffs for good measure.
with: Tati Pyroclast