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

[Misty Gray]

Jasmine Carpenter and Adam Harper​

Jasmine watched Chase as he checked the guns she'd swiped from the East Harlem guards had enough ammunition. When he handed them back to her, she sent him a soft, appreciative smile. "Have you got enough too?" she asked him. She didn't doubt both Chase and Adam were fully prepared, but she still wanted to make sure. She didn't want to be the one leading them into a potentially dangerous situation if they weren't appropriately equipped for it.

Adam had expected no less than to be smacked for his teasing of Chase and Jasmine, but it hadn't deterred him in the slightest. "Ow. I'm telling the boss on you," he playfully sulked before chuckling to himself. Jasmine's cheeks had turned a deep shade of red in response to their friends teasing. She was by now used to giving and taking banter, but this time it was a little different. There were romantic feelings involved now, so it was a relatively new territory for her to have it out in the open for Adam to to joke at. Not that she wouldn't get used to it, but this was all very new.

The car was parked up with the butchers shop in their view. Jasmine looked to Chase when he handed her the bottle of water, accepting it so she could cure her thirst. When asked if she wanted to be dropped off with Finn first, she looked Chase in the eyes for a moment before quickly shaking her head. "No. I'm not injured enough to further delay us finding Mitch." She gently squeezed his hand and knocked back the rest of the water. When he pointed out how she'd be missing for days and had a stab wound, she looked away to instead gaze on the building they suspected Mitch was being held in. In her mind, she was sure she could battle through any existing injury and tiredness. However, Chase's concern forced her to consider what she was getting herself into. Were they already in the middle of a dangerous job, she would have no choice but to fight it out. Instead, they were sat calmly inside a car planning an attack in advance. She had chance to really think first. Though she believed she could see it through, she now had doubts planted in her head. She hadn't been active enough for the last few days to really test if she could push through her injury, nor had she slept. There was a risk her sleep deprivation could cause her to make a mistake which could put Chase and Adam in danger. A risk that right now was certainly avoidable.

Jasmine looked to Chase and let out a frustrated groan. "Alright. I know. I'm a liability right now, huh?" she rhetorically asked. "But I'm not sure we can waste time getting me to Finn, can we? I don't want to drag you both down, though. Where's the nearest safe place you can drop me off?" she finally gave in.

Pyroclast (Chase)

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Theodore Wycliff

'She's teasing me... He thought to himself, hearing her call him an asshole. That much was true, he could be, but he didn't want her to think he was too. She did say it with a smile so maybe that was a part of him he had accepted. If she could accept the fact that he was an asshole, could there be hope that she would let him show her how different he was? That he would abandon the way of life he had become so accustomed to just for her; just to make her happy and comfortable. Granted, he feared a woman or two coming out of the woodwork on some possible bullshit, but he trusted Valentina would understand it was in his past. If she had returned the feelings he had for her, then he would do whatever he needed to clean it up.

He tried to focus on what she was saying, but could only focus on the fact that she had just confessed her feelings to him. It seemed she had feelings for him longer than he thought she did. Honestly, he thought they started forming around the same time as his own. Teddy knew he wasn't crazy when he was in the hospital room; when he was comforting her. He had felt something between them then but didn't want to say anything and now he was beating himself up. Why had he waited so long before confessing? Before just letting him feel for her? He was afraid of a lot, but what has being afraid ever gotten him in the past?

His thumb rubbed the back of her hand, his heart skipping a beat at her words. He felt like a stupid high school kid getting his first girlfriend, but he was doing his best to keep that a secret. Valentina would be his first real girlfriend and hopefully the only one. Teddy was sure that this was the girl that was going to change his life for the better and if it didn't work out, he was at least glad to have experienced it. He let her say her piece, nodding his head to show he understood. She had gone through something life-changing and he wasn't going to fault her for it in the slightest. He gave her a smile and kissed her hand softly. "Believe or not, Valentina, I want to be with all versions of you. If you're broken, then I want to be the person who puts you back together. I want to be there for you through whatever you're going through; no matter what. You're definitely the most important person in my life." He smirked at her and shook his head. "As long as I can have you, be with you, I don't care. I'll be there for you in whatever capacity you want me in. When you're ready for me, I'll be there... Hopefully not beat up or dead but that's a conversation for another time." He took deep, satisfying sigh. "So... You've been crushing on me for a while... That's cute."
​

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Aliana Sullivan

Aliana paused in thought, actually having to think about how old her kid was. He had been growing up so fast she was starting to lose track. She snapped her fingers, it finally clicking. "Ah, he's 11 now. His birthday was just last December." She smiled at her. "Do you plan on having kids? Once you get past the toddler years they aren't so bad." She joked. "Ten out of ten would definitely recommend it in the future. There's nothing like it in the world." She was rubbing her own stomach before realizing she had gotten lost in her own world and apologized.

While making sure the room was okay for her, she listened to her talk. It was sad to hear that she really didn't have anyone to find comfort in. She was here all alone and that was probably the scariest part for her. Wherever Aliana went, she always had someone with her and it was the opposite with Kerry. The one person she did have didn't remember her, so may as well be along. Her heart went out to the poor girl as she shared with the older woman. "Hey, we're going to take care of you so you take your time figuring it out." She wanted to offer her a job at her restaurant, but it may be too soon to do such a thing. Later, when she was better, then maybe. "Why don't you wash up and we'll be waiting for you downstairs, okay?" She suggested, standing up to leave her.

Once she made her way downstairs, she kicked her shoes off and threw them in a nearby closet. She would look for them later, but for now, she wasn't too worried about them. She made her way back into the kitchen, smiling at her husband. He asked her about Kerry, to which she nodded her head while rummaging through the refrigerator for a wine bottle and glass; her glass for the week. "I want to say yes. I really do but things like this change people in negative ways... If Maddox can get through to her and help then I think there will be a chance she can get through it." She still didn't like the idea at all, but she trusted Conor knew what he was doing. There wasn't a lot of wine in her glass, but she was for sure going to savor every drop after such an emotional day. "As long as it's controlled and you don't track blood in the house." She shrugged, hiding her smile behind her glass. She carried her glass and beckoned him to follow her to the lounge after moving the sandwiches out of Charlie's reach. The two of them sat together, making small talk as she asked him to put stuff together for the baby's room and other small errands. She heard Kerry walking back down and nodded her head to Conor.

Pushing herself off the couch, she met her at the bottom of the stairs. "You ready to eat, love? Conor made sandwiches; one of the only things he can make properly." She teased.

​

Kerry, Conor ( Misty Gray )

 

[Pyroclast]

Syd Porter

Syd turned his face into her palm as she stroked away his tears, breathing in her calming scent. Often when in a state of stress even a loving touch would have made him recoil, but this time he accepted her embrace without issue. So long had it been since the couple had treated each other with affection that now, as he received her in his arms, he realised just how much he had missed her. He felt her body tremble against him as she wept, and her voice carried such genuine sorrow when she expressed how much she cared about their little family that he couldn’t argue with her. “I believe you,” he whispered into her ear as he stroked her hair. “I’m fighting for our family, too. We can fight together.” Her cries willed him to hold her tighter, breathing deeply to encourage her to calm down. “Shh, babe, it’s okay…”

She pulled away and planted a tender kiss on his lips, and then the two sat in silence for a moment, Syd watching her eyes closely. There was an ebbing emotion in them that gave him an intuition that she had more to say. When it did come out, and she confessed to having been struggling with the babies, he felt guilty for not having noticed. From the moment Roxie told him that she was pregnant, Syd had felt a powerful paternal love residing in his heart. He knew that Roxie had been back and forth about it at first, and their relationship had taken more than a few knocks throughout her pregnancy. For him, his first few days of fatherhood had been packed with worry and concern for both the babies’ and Roxie’s health. The birth had been a traumatic one, with the twins being born far too early and Roxie’s heart stopping for a few horrifying minutes. He remembered the extreme level of stress she had been under in the lead up to her entering labour, and he took on a great deal of the blame himself. It made sense that she was spiralling downwards, but with his trust in her having been so unsteady since her first meeting with her family, he hadn’t done much in the way of acting on his concerns. He hadn’t tried to sit her down and listen to her because he was too anxious to go near her, too paranoid. How cruel he felt now.

The corners of his mouth lifted into a soft smile when she suggested that they had taken the wrong babies home, but he couldn’t quite tell if she was joking or being serious, so he didn’t comment. Instead, he simply listened, something he felt he hadn’t done for her for a long time. When she was finished, Syd put a hand to her cheek and then moved it up to her forehead. He could feel her distress simmering beneath the skin in a way that he recognised from his own breakdowns. Somehow his paranoia had abated, at least about Roxie’s motives, and he believed every word that came from her mouth. Of course she didn’t want to bring harm to anyone - Roxie wasn’t the sort of person to ever intend harm.

After a moment, he heaved a sigh and stood up, holding his hand out for her to take. “Come on,” he gently asserted. “Come with me.” With her words ringing in his head, Syd led her upstairs and into the twins’ nursery. Their night lights were on still, illuminating Sinead’s beautiful woodland mural, with fairies and unicorns and bunny rabbits all dancing between the trees. Syd couldn’t help but smile proudly at what he now had. Still holding Roxie’s hand, he crept over to their bassinets where they lay next to one another, sound asleep. The room was so quiet, so peaceful. After watching their tiny chests rise up and down for a moment, Syd drew Roxie close and pressed his lips against her head. “You love them,” he whispered. “And you’re concerned about them. That doesn’t sound like a bad mother to me.” He pulled away just enough to find her eyes with his, and reached a hand up to caress her tear-stained cheek. “You’ve been through a lot of trauma, Roxie, physically and mentally. And so have Jeanie and Jane. The connection will come with time, I promise you. Look at me. I promise, okay?” Guiding her to face him, he looked deeply into her eyes and gave her an encouraging smile. “We read a lot of books on this, didn’t we? Don’t they say that it’s the first three years that are the most important for bonding? I didn’t even meet my mam until I was eight years old. Lucy, I mean. That’s eight years of my early life without any bonding, and look how close am I with her now!” He held his gaze steady as he stroked her hair. It broke his heart to see her so miserable, more so to know that he hadn’t done anything to help her due to his own paranoia. The last thing he wanted was for her to go down the same dark path that he had. If he could just get her the help he knew she needed before it was too late, then…

A sudden chill came over him, and he looked down to the sleeping babies once again. Two beautiful daughters and a loving girlfriend...It should be perfect. “Roxie, what if…” he whispered, his once-confident tone now laced with uncertainty. “What if I could...find you somebody to talk to?” His mind was already spinning, terrified that he was making promises he wouldn’t be able to keep. After the reaction he had had to Conor’s mention of Maddox, Syd knew he still wasn’t ready to trust the psychiatric healthcare system. But if he was in control, maybe he could ensure safety. He could do a thorough background check; watch them for a while, keep an eye on them, make sure they had no ulterior motives and were never approached by the enemy. Surely Moretti wouldn’t be working with psychiatrists who specialised in postnatal depression. Syd looked at her again, hoping she would read his concern purely as concern for her health. “Would that - would that help you?”

Interactions
Bellz Roxie

 

[Bellz]

Lucy Porter ​

Lucy felt increasingly nervous about speaking with Olivia and although she could figure out why it still puzzled her. This little girl wanted to be apart of the family James and she had created but Lucy was reluctant to let go of Arlene. James was right, they would make sure that she wouldn't forget her mother and she would never be short of family members who knew her. When James left to get Olivia, Lucy watched him go before turning back to look at all of the photos on the mantel of the fireplace. At this age, Lucy thought her family would stop growing, that she would just sit and watch her children grow old and start having their own children. Having Olivia meant that she would once again get to have all of those precious moments with another child and honestly Lucy was so excited about that. Syd was now off taking care of his own babies, Delilah and Mallory were doing their own things, and pretty soon Thomas was going to be doing the same. Lucy despite wanting her husband to retire was honestly unsure of what she would do with herself if she didn't have the ability to take care of her children anymore. Olivia was her chance to raise another child and Lucy was going to enjoy every minute of it as she had with all of her kids before her. She would make sure the girl felt loved and accepted, so far, she thought she was doing a good job of that.

James returned with Olivia and the girl looked to Lucy and let out a big sigh as she sat down. Lucy raised an eyebrow at her as she confessed that she threw an ornament into the trash, claiming that she didn't break it. The blonde woman looked to her husband, a smile forming on her face as she tried to hold in her laughter. "Oh it's okay, love. Bruno and you aren't in trouble." She told the girl as she moved to wrap her arm around her. "We just wanted to talk to you about something else."

Pausing, Lucy looked to James for a moment before looking back down at Olivia. "You've been with us for a while now and I know James and I can never replace your mother...we don't want to. But..." She paused again, her eyes watering as her emotions threatened to get the best of her. "We would really like to be your parents...if you'd have us. Syd and Thomas can be your brothers. We love you so much and it's not right for you to be without a family. So James and I thought that we would make it official, hmm??" Looking at the girl, Lucy tried to gauge her reaction.

"Would you like to be a part of the Porter family, Olivia?" Lucy knew that the girl would want to because of what James had overheard but there was still a part of Lucy that was anticipating a different answer. Not wanting to get her hopes up, Lucy watched the girl carefully, doing her best to smile without breaking down in front of her.
with: Olivia & Jimbo Misty Gray

(I'm not crying, you're crying!)

 

[Bellz]

Blake McCarthy ​

With the food set in front of her, Blake was relieved that Jackson agreed with her about the city. It was a great place to visit for sure, but they had stayed for way longer than Blake was comfortable with and getting home was always on her mind. Watching Jackson eat was always entertaining, sometimes she felt like he needed a bib. Scooping some soup into her mouth with a spoon, Blake hummed at the taste and nodded in agreement with his compliment of the place. "This food is great!" She said.

Moving to steep her chamomile tea, Blake chuckled at Jackson's comment about him surfing and Natasha looked up at him with wonder in her eyes as she was playing with a piece of broccoli rather than eating it. Making a face at her father telling her to eat her greens, Natasha shook her little head. "These little trees are gross! They smell!" She complained.

Blake laughed, "But they are good for you, dear. Make you big and strong! You know who eats broccoli?" Natasha looked at her mother skeptically, "Who?" She asked and Blake smiled, "Princesses. You want to be a princess right?" Natasha's eyes lit up like fireworks but then she smiled. "Dad says I'm a princess." She argued and Blake laughed. "Okay fine, how about a Queen? Queens eat greens too." Once again her daughter's eyes lit up and then she grabbed the broccoli by the stem. "Can I have dessert?" She then asked to which Blake nodded, "After you eat some of your greens." The girl then nodded her head and took a big bite of the broccoli, her face reflecting perfectly what she thought of it.

Blake laughed once more. "Good girl." She told her daughter before returning to Jackson's question he had asked before she had to coax their daughter into eating. "I think a change of pace is exactly what this family needs." She said honestly though once again she thought about her pregnancy. Jackson was having such a blast talking about Australia that there was no way she was going to spoil his dreams with the news that they weren't going to be able to travel in a month or two.

Moving her teabag from the hot water, Blake brought the mug to her lips and took a small sip, blowing on the steaming water gently in an attempt to cool it down. "Anything to get out of this cold would be good with me. I think Australia is a wonderful idea. Would you want to stay in Ireland for a little while before heading there?"
with: Jackson Enzyme

(okay now I'm crying)

 

[Misty Gray]

Valentina Moretti​

There hadn't been much of the usual glow to Valentina's face since the attack, but the feeling of Teddy's thumb stroking the back of her hand brought noticeable colour to her cheeks as she couldn't help but blush. She couldn't stop a nervous laugh from escaping her mouth as she acknowledged the pair of them sitting like a couple of awkward teenagers. Then Teddy kissed her hand and Valentina's heart suddenly starting racing in her chest. Although the feeling was similar to the anxiety she'd been experiencing recently, she was easily able to differentiate the cause of these palpitations. The reason was a welcomed one, so she was happy to let the feeling pass.

When Teddy said he wanted to be with all versions of her, she couldn't help the stray tears that accumulated in the corners of her eyes. He'd seen at at her worst and in her mind she still looked a mess, so for him to still be interested in her was a huge deal. He wanted to help her recover and find herself again. She let out a gasp as she seemed to forget to breath for a moment, fixated on the man's desire to be with her and the patience he was willing to show her.

Valentina looked Teddy in the eyes and sent him a warm smile. "You've changed, Teddy. Or, at least, you're acknowledging and showing a side of you that you didn't before. I do believe it - that you want to be with me. You've seen me at my worst; a physical and emotional wreck, but you still want to stick around? That's how I know there's more to you than you've let most people see. I don't really think you're an asshole," she assured him, squeezing his hand. When he pointed how she'd been holding a crush on him for a while, she let go of his hand so she could use hers to cover her face with in embarrassment. "Oh please..." she scoffed, shaking her head. She then moved her hand away and gazed at him. "How could I not? With you walking around the place in your fancy suits whilst flinging around that charm of yours?"

Valentina looked across to Teddy and anxiously tapped her foot on to floor. After just finding out the man she'd been attracted to for some time felt the same way, she felt like there should be more of a follow-up. If this very meal had happened a couple of weeks ago, she knew for sure she wouldn't be sitting with a table between them and she'd have no doubt moved in for a kiss. But she knew this would play out differently now and she'd warned Teddy of that, to which he'd practically promised he'd stick with her throughout. She folded her arms around her waist for a moment before clearing her throat and sitting up straight. "Come sit with me," she told him, patting the backrest of the empty dining chair next to her. Assuming he did as she'd asked, Valentina then leaned in towards him and rested her head on his shoulder. After sitting that way for a short time, she soon took Teddy's hand so she could manoeuvre his arm around her shoulder whilst keeping her head resting against him. After a few deep breaths, she closed her eyes and allowed herself to relax with him by her side. She felt safe and natural in his presence, which she was extremely grateful for. She'd been worried she might have frozen up after what had happened to her at the hands of other men.

Melanin-Gxdess (Teddy)

 

[Pyroclast]

Chase Zegarra

In response to her question, Chase withdrew an M1911 and opened his outer jacket to reveal a store of spare magazines. “Locked and loaded,” he grinned. “And for good measure -” he pulled back the cuff of his sleeve to reveal a switchblade fastened to his wrist. “We’ll be okay.”

Jasmine’s response to his suggestion that they drop her off with Finn was just as stubborn as he had been expecting. He hoped that she would change her mind but he didn’t want to push it in case he offended her. The sound of voices on the other side of the street caught his attention and he looked out of the window to see that a guards was gesturing to one of the others; he had withdrawn his gun and was now holding it closely at his side. Chase watched cautiously, until Jasmine drew him back into conversation. It should have come as a relief to hear her give in, but then he saw one of the guards cross the street up ahead, with the other two staring directly at him through the car window. “You know what, I don’t think we have time to -”

Suddenly the window shattered, a bullet narrowly missing Chase’s head. Before the glass could even hit the floor, Chase threw himself over Jasmine, reaching to pull the handle on her door. “Out, out!” he urged, already with his gun in hand. Almost physically pushing the injured woman he had feelings for into a shootout was the very opposite of what he had previously wanted to do, but if they stayed in the car they would be sitting ducks, too easily surrounded and without a good aim on their attackers. Once he had tumbled out of the car, Chase looked up to see the man who had crossed the street standing nearby, gun already raised. The two shot at each other simultaneously such that it rang out as a single explosion. For a split second, Chase feared he had been shot, but he registered no pain, and he was alive - which was more than could be said for the man sprawled across the pavement a few feet away.

Interactions
Misty Gray Jasmine, Adam

 

[Bellz]

Roxie Carriveau ​

Roxie hated feeling out of control and that's exactly what was happening. She wasn't sure when she had become so dependent but the once independent person she was had basically disappeared. Syd placed his hand on her cheek before moving it to her forehead, she was hot and miserable. After a moment of them both sitting in silence, he stood up suddenly and Roxie stared at his hand, wondering where they were going.

Gently taking it, Roxie stood up and followed Syd up the stairs to the twins' nursery. Roxie's cries had stopped immediately, not wanting to dare wake up their babies for fear that neither of them would get sleep tonight. Tiptoeing towards the bassinets with him, Roxie stared down at their sleeping forms and although she was feeling incredibly sad, she smiled briefly. Syd drew her in close and Roxie wrapped her arms around him, her head resting against his chest as she continued to watch their girls. Her eyes watered as Syd insisted that she wasn't a bad mother, tears spilling down her cheeks as he pulled away just enough to take her cheek in his hand.

He was completely right, she and the girls had been through a lot of trauma recently. He said the connection would come with time and Roxie found herself nodding gently at his promise that it would happen. His smile was so encouraging that she returned it, blinking away some more tears as he mentioned the books they read and bonding time. The literature had said that the first three years were the most important. Syd made a very compelling point that Lucy and he were so close and yet he was adopted at the age of 8. Closing her eyes, Roxie nodded her head gently. She knew that she was being really silly, that the connection with her girls would come soon enough but that didn't help to soothe the emptiness that she was feeling whenever the girls couldn't be consoled.

Feeling Syd jolt slightly, Roxie snapped her eyes open to watch her boyfriend's face. His question shocked her, her eyes going wide. She had been right there with him after what Maddox did to him, she knew that this was such a touchy subject for him, and yet here he was suggesting that he could find her someone, asking if that would help. Roxie's mouth opened to answer but after a moment, it closed without a word. She knew that it was in her best interest to see someone before her emotions got out of hand. Syd and herself were different in the way they expressed emotional trauma. Roxie normally wasn't one to lash out with the exception of that time right before she went into labor with the twins...she liked to internalize things which was a pretty dangerous game within itself.

A part of her wanted to really just brush everything she was fussing about off, wanting to not force Syd into doing what he was uncomfortable with. But she hadn't suggested this and she would have never given his feelings towards the psychiatric healthcare system...but here he was suggesting it all on his own. Realizing she was silent for a little too long, Roxie looked up at Syd and nodded her head. "I think...I think that would be best. Although I feel like I'm inching farther and farther past the point of help.." She whispered honestly. "But that's all the more reason to see someone I suppose." Looking towards the girls, Roxie watched them sleep for a few more moments before nodding her head towards the door. Taking Syd's hand in hers, she led him out of the room before gently shutting the door.

Once they were further down the hallway outside of her room, Roxie instantly wrapped her arms around Syd's neck, pulling him into a gentle kiss. Pulling away after a moment, Roxie looked at him with a serious expression on her face. "I don't want to make you uncomfortable with finding me help, Syd. I was there when you went through all of that, I know how much it scares you. But I just want to tell you that it means so much to me that you would put all of that aside to help me." Reaching up once more to hug him, she leaned close to his ear and whispered, "I love you so much. With your help, I am gonna get through this. Thank you." Pulling away slightly, she smiled as brightly as she could for him, hoping that it would help show him that she was serious about continuing to fight for themselves and the babies.
with: Syd Pyroclast

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Theodore Wycliff

"You've changed, Teddy." He wasn't sure how to take to those words, considering everything that happened to him. A year ago, he was sure he was always going to stay the same. He was content in his lifestyle, in the kind of person he was, in himself. Teddy never really had intentions of changing his ways or settling down. That is until he was given a second chance at life. He wouldn't dare give the Porters the recognition, instead leaving it up to fate. Fate was giving him a second chance to get his shit together, settle down, start a life with someone new. It had even thrown Valentina in the mix, though he was sure she had always been apart of that plan. "I-..." He cleared his throat, the sign of him being nervous settling in again. "Want to change for you and be better for you." There was hesitation in his word but not because of her or because he was unsure. He just wanted to make sure he was saying these words correctly and that she understood how serious he was. She did, which was a relief as he listened to her basically read him. "That's a part of me I didn't even know I had, to be honest." His voice was soft as he looked down at the table. He wasn't even sure if he was capable but had a feeling the woman across from him would bring it out.

He pretended to fix himself up, running his fingers through his hair and offering her one of those charming smiles she talked about. "Oh, this look? The look of an older, sophisticated man? Yeah, I get it." He let out a small chuckle before locking his eyes with hers. He had to admit, this feeling he was experiencing while being in her presence was something he wanted to have for a long time. Even though it was annoying because he wasn't used to it, it still felt warm and inviting. He was more than willing to do as she asked, moving over to her side of the table to sit with her. He was hoping she couldn't hear how loudly his heart was beating, especially since she had put her head on his shoulder. Instinctively he moved his head to the top of hers, as they sat in silence. It wasn't an awkward one that he had experienced with previous women before, but a comfortable one. Being able to do that was something he was looking forward to and was glad he found it in someone like Valentina.

A part of him was surprised at how quickly she took to him, figuring any kind of intimacy was going to take time. She had let him basically hold her, kissing the top of her head softly. They sat there together, peacefully and Teddy couldn't ask for anything more. That is, until her father crept into his mind. He softly chuckled, breaking the silence. "So uh... Who's telling Gabe?"
​

 

[Misty Gray]

Kerry Patrick and Conor Sullivan​

It didn't show on the young woman's troubled features, but Kerry had like hearing Aliana talk about Leo. Though she didn't know the family and hadn't met the boy, it just gave her some sense of normality. Not only that, but it made her feel less intimidated by the fact she was staying in a gangster's house. The Boss of the Irish Mob, to be more precise. She wasn't sure how long it would last, but Aliana's friendliness made her feel less afraid of Conor - or at least of his position in the city. When she had been asked if she planned on having kids, Kerry had confirmed it was something she intended on doing one day. It was only when she was on her own that Kerry really thought of the question in light of how her life had suddenly changed. She couldn't find it in herself to look ahead at the moment; it was as if she was no longer guaranteed a tomorrow.

After a week of living in dark and squalid conditions, she'd appreciated the warm bath more than she thought was possible. It allowed her to feel a little more human, as did being able to comb her hair and put on some clean clothes her hosts' niece had kindly given to her. After a while of resting on the guestroom bed, Kerry forced herself to get up and return downstairs, so as not to seem rude to Conor and Aliana. She knew the least she could do was show gratitude for their hospitality and not waste whatever food had been made for her.

*****​

Conor nodded in understanding when Aliana seemed hesitant to say Kerry would be okay. "She's suffered because of my family's business, so the least I can do is offer her help and the chance to recover. If I didn't believe Maddox could help her, then I wouldn't risk her well-being like that. I've looked into him since we found how what he was really up to and he has a good record for helping his patients. He was just a slimy, sick bastard when it came to our family." He thought for a moment before continuing. "And that information Kerry gave us about Moretti's facility could be huge. I've got guys out investigating as we speak."

Kerry softly smiled when Aliana offered out the sandwiches Conor had made. "I'm sure they're really good," she said, just grateful for the offer.

"Hey, if you've got a problem with my cooking you'd better take it up with the educational system, Ali." He then chuckled and looked to Kerry, "Really, though... My old man was great in the kitchen and I always thought I'd inherited that. But my wife has spoken, so I must be wrong." Soon Kerry sat on the sofa across from Conor and Aliana, taking small bites from the sandwich as she listened on. "Your accent, Kerry. Northern Ireland, right?"

"Yeah. I was born in Belfast but moved to Boston when I was 10." Although Conor came across a friendly, she was struggling to look him in the eyes. Knowing his position in the Irish Mob was intimidating, no matter how hospitable he was being. "Where are you both from originally?" she asked then, though looking to Aliana first.

Melanin-Gxdess (Aliana)

 

[Misty Gray]

James Porter and Olivia Sullivan​

James couldn't help the smile that forced itself onto his face when Olivia spoke about the broken ornament. Considering the business and generally how the family operated, he couldn't even be mad at her for being sneaky in throwing away the ornament. She was apparently doing so to protect Bruno, which was both adorable and oddly admirable. The family always had each others' backs and it seemed liked Olivia was looking out for her 'friend'. The mischievous dog did have a habit of getting himself into trouble, after all.

James watched Lucy and Olivia, sending his wife a reassuring nod as she began to address the real matter at hand. At mention of her mother, Olivia looked down for a moment as images of Arlene entered her mind. It had felt like so long ago since her mother had been killed, but at the same time, she sometimes woke up in the morning still expecting Arlene to come home after a late shift at the casino. It never did happen and really she knew it wouldn't. Hearing that Lucy and James wanted to be her parents caused the blonde child to quickly look up, first across to James and then turning her head to look to Lucy. "I've never had any brothers before," she said, thinking about Syd and Thomas. "I like it here. There's always lots of fun and dogs and people to play with." She quickly nodded. "And my most favouritest things are you two. I would really love you to be my parents," she said, an excited smile taking over her features.

"Yes, please can I be a Porter?" she asked, looking up to Lucy for confirmation that would be okay. "I think this is like how my mum became a Sullivan. She told me she became Liam's sister when she had no parents. I think she would be happy about this, wouldn't she?" As she thought about it, Olivia smiled to herself but then became overwhelmed with tears of happiness from realising she would have people she could call her parents.

Bellz (Lucy)

 

[Misty Gray]

Valentina Moretti​

Valentina kept her eyes closed, allowing all kinds of thoughts to enter her mind before she was able to push them away. Isac was taken care of. She'd seen his face and been able to identify him. That only brought a little relief to her when the second man was, to her knowledge, still roaming free. All she had to go on for the man dressed head to toe in black were his cruel eyes which were lit up beneath the streetlight. The coldness that stared down on her that night still tormented her dreams. It was the unknowing that made her feel so on edge. Despite knowing how diligent her father was when it came to the employees he allowed onto his premises, even the guards standing outside the house made her feel uncomfortable. The thought that it could anyone, including one of the very men standing at her front door. Part of her wondered if it would put her out of her misery to just go out and stare each of them in the eyes to be sure, but the stronger part of her simply wasn't ready to face the possibility of standing face-to-face with the monster. She was torn between wanting to confront the attacker and being too afraid be near him again.

She hadn't expected to feel so at ease in any man's arms, including Teddy's, but now she was in that position it felt right and any apprehension about being so close to him was soon gone. Valentina felt like she had control over it. They were in her house and she was with a man she both knew and trusted. Even more than that, they were in an embrace on her terms. She'd told Teddy to sit with her and she'd invited him to hold her. She wasn't being controlled and they were both on the same page.

The kiss he placed on her head caused her heart to skip a beat as she embraced his tenderness. He understood and respected what she was going through which meant a lot to her. She could hear Teddy's heart rapidly thumping in his chest, but that only comforted her more. She interpreted it as him being just as nervous as she was which in turn convinced her he was being completely genuine. If he had no real feelings for her, she didn't think he'd be giving off the kind of signals he was. "I'm so glad you're here," she whispered to him as she kept her head resting on him.

Teddy's chuckle caused Valentina to sit up straight and look to him. When he mentioned her father, she briefly grimaced. "I could tell him and as I do I will remind him this is my life, that he has to stop trying to control his own family. Honestly, nothing he could say would change my mind about this... about you. I would make sure he knows he has no choice in the matter, other than to accept it and like it. I'm sure my mother would fight our corner too." She let out a sigh and sat back to look Teddy in the eyes. "Nothing he can say will stop us from doing this, but... I think you know him well enough and he's old-fashioned. I think it would work out better for you if you told him. That way you'd be a 'gentleman'; he wouldn't get to call you a coward for letting me do it for you; and he might appreciate your commitment, that you're serious about this." She lightly shrugged her shoulders. "I know you're not a coward and I'm not asking you to prove anything to us. I just know my father is set in his old-fashioned ways. Annoyingly so."

Melanin-Gxdess (Teddy)

 

[Pyroclast]

Steve Kelly

The sound of Arturo’s tortured scream set Steve’s insides ablaze, sending a bright, shining euphoria shooting through his veins. His breathing turned heavy and erratic almost to match his victim’s, and when the Italian wretched and expelled a mouthful of blood down his front and onto Steve, he reflexively licked the warm red liquid from his lips and chuckled. He tried to plead again that he was innocent, but Steve only mocked him with an exaggerated pout. “Aww. You make such a compelling argument I’m almost tempted to let you go. Not quite enough to hold up in court, though, is it?”

“God, Marcus, I thought your daddy was into tough guys,” he sneered, shooting a glance at Bogdan. “But here we are with goody-two-shoes Jesus freak and kissass teacher’s pet over there. So quick to point the finger, Bog. You’ll say anythin’ to keep the heat off your back, won’t ya’? Even shove your buddies into the fire.” Steve turned back to Arturo and pulled the blade from out of his mouth. Giving his thigh a tight squeeze, he pushed himself up onto his feet and slowly made his way over to Bogdan. “I know you think you’re just bein’ loyal, Boggy baby, but I can tell the difference between real loyalty and just plain kissin’ ass. Boss don’t wanna hear about how perfect you are, he just wants the truth. Right now, his little girl is curled up in bed, all messed up about what a couple sick motherfuckers did to her, and instead of comin’ forward you were just gonna go about your boring, empty life, eatin’ twinkies on the job and wishin’ your fat ass could get a pretty girl like Valentina to give ya’ a second look.” What had started out as a bit of tormenting had turned into genuine disgust, as displayed in the glare he shone down at Bogdan, and as he was turning away he spat on the man, a gob of saliva splattering onto his cheek.

In the other chair, Arturo was still struggling not to choke on the blood pouring down his throat. It was dripping from his chin onto his chest as he did his best to cough it up instead of swallow. Steve stood over him, simply watching him for a moment before resuming the crouched position he had taken earlier, twirling the stiletto between his fingers. “I’m disappointed, church boy. I really thought you might have some conviction. See, you can hide whatever you want from us, but you can’t hide from the big man upstairs. Now all I can do is pass the judgement onto Him.” Slowly, he slid his cheek along Arturo’s until he reached his ear and whispered, “Say hi to San Pietro for me.”

Reaching up blindly, Steve grabbed a fistful of Arturo’s golden curls, yanked his head upright and forced his lips against his in a frenzied kiss of death. The switchblade was thrust into his gut once, twice, three times before Steve finally released him, letting his screams fill the room. He was breathing heavily as he stared down at his victim, transfixed by the fountain of blood spurting from his orifices. Then, drawn from another burst of adrenaline, he began to hit him with his knife as if it were a blunt weapon, slashing him across the face until he was barely recognisable. There were likely many other tools and weapons on the table that would do a more efficient job, but Steve was already fond of the stiletto for its aesthetic value and was intending on holding onto it after the job was done.

Once satisfied with the mess he had made, he hauled Arturo’s chair over to Bogdan and positioned it so that the two men were face to face. As he caught his breath, Steve leaned over the back of Arturo’s chair and watched Bogdan take in the sight of his colleague. A haunting minute passed where Steve said nothing at all. Then, without warning, he pulled Arturo’s head up once again and slit his throat. A projectile stream of blood sprayed over Bogdan and Steve didn’t once take his eyes off him, as though recording his reaction to replay in his mind when he went to bed that night. When the show was over, Steve cut the rope from Arturo’s wrists and ankles and tipped his body onto the floor, tossing the chair behind him. “Last chance, Bogdan. Give me somethin’ useful, or else your final words.”

Interactions
Misty Gray Arturo, Bogdan
RayPurchase Marcus

 

[Misty Gray]

Jasmine Carpenter and Adam Harper​

Whilst the two in the back of the car spoke about Jasmine sitting out the job, Adam focused on checking his weapons regardless. Slotting his pistol in the holster at his waist and sliding the retracted knife in his pocket, he then moved on to retrieving the AR-15 from underneath the front passenger seat. After loading the rifle, he put a couple of spare magazine into his coat pocket. His attention was drawn to the voices from nearby outside of the car and he was about to interrupt his two friends in the back when a bullet smashed through the window. "Motherfu---" Adam began. Instinctively, he pushed the car door open and practically rolled out of the vehicle in a bid to stay low whilst shielded by the car. He reached into the vehicle to drag out the AR-15 and hold it ready in his hands.

Adam had been about to call out to check on Chase and Jasmine when he caught sight of the woman pretty much falling out of the car. Chase soon followed and was quick to fire at the man who was approaching them, taking the man down without getting himself injured. Adam nodded to Chase and Jasmine before he briefly peered up over the car roof. He saw the other two men were now approaching. He grabbed an old towel that was stuffed in the inside of his car door before getting Jasmine to toss it up onto the car roof. The gunmen were predictably quick to react, firing off bullets at the rag they'd for a split second thought was someone stepping into view. Meanwhile, Adam closed the car door so it wasn't in his way. Still crouching down, he shuffled towards the front of the car and fired a couple of shots off over the car bonnet. The first bullet missed any target whilst the second bullet ripped straight through the left-eye of one man and caused him to drop his weapon in an instant. The second man began firing towards Adam, forcing him to take immediate cover. Bullets were then systematically fired into the side windows of the vehicle, until glass was sent shattering onto the three taking cover behind the car.

As the man with the mangled eye and skull fell dead to the ground, the other was still moving in on the group. Jasmine managed to catch sight of the remaining man approaching the vehicle. Through the already broken windows, she aimed her pistol and fired at the man. Although the bullet hit him, it merely tore through the skin at the side of his waist, her limited vantage point making it difficult to deal a critical blow. The man rushed towards them, his gun aimed ready to fire as he prepared to round the car where Chase would be the closest to him.

Pyroclast (Chase)
[Sorry. Post sucks.]

 

[Pyroclast]

Chase Zegarra

It all happened in a matter of seconds; by the time Chase’s eyes found Jasmine and Adam, another shot rang out and a second guard was on the ground, lying dead in the middle of the road. Jasmine took a shot through the broken window of his Corvair, but the bullet only caught the oncoming assailant at the waist, and the impact wasn't enough to stop him. Chase knew that the man would soon appear on his side of the car, so instead of waiting he jumped out at him and, at close range, shot him in the cheek. He collapsed over the hood of his car before sliding down out of sight. Without time to give it much thought, Chase leapt up to put another bullet in his head just to make sure he was down for good. Little did he know that the man was still alive, and in his last living moment just managed to clip the underside of Chase’s arm with a shot of his own. The wound seared at the surface, but after quickly checking that his arm was fully mobile, he was able to easily push it out of his mind and return his attention to the others.

As far as he could see, there was nobody else with eyes on them - nobody armed at least - so he moved to Jasmine’s side. “Are we all okay?” he asked the pair of them. Considering they had just had a public gunfight, Chase knew they couldn’t afford to hesitate; either they had to advance into the building or make a getaway to safety. The fact that the guards had recognised them from inside their car parked across the street suggested that they had been watching for the mobsters’ arrival and that heavily supported what Jasmine had overheard from Ethan. Whether they would find Mitch alive was another question, but not one that the team had time to wonder.

Once it was established that nobody was hurt, the three closed in on the shop. Chase was expecting shots from behind as they advanced, perhaps more guards appearing in response to the gunfire that would have echoed down the street, so he was still on high alert when they reached the door. Of course, entering after business hours wasn’t exactly straightforward. With a quick nod of acknowledgement to Adam and Jasmine, Chase bit the bullet and fired his gun at the lock. All it took then was a kick and the door flew open. He knew that it could be mere seconds before more guards appeared, and he had no real idea how many to expect, so speed was vital. At the risk of them killing Mitch before they could reach him, Chase kept his pistol raised and ready and burst through the staff door. He instantly collided with a guard who must have been rushing to where the shot had fired from and ended up tackling him to the ground, sending the man’s handgun spinning across the tiles. He put up a decent fight as he attempted to free himself, but his chances were over as soon as Chase smashed the butt of his pistol against the guard’s head; he only needed to stun him for a second in order to fire a neat hole into his skull.

Before he could take his next breath, another door was flung open and he looked up just in time to see the barrel of a gun pointed right at him. Without hesitation, he dived off the body of the guard and onto his side, narrowly dodging yet another bullet, and clumsily shot at the man from his horizontal angle. He managed to hit him in the kneecap, causing him to lose aim on his next shot and miss Chase’s head by at least a foot as he collapsed onto the cold tiled floor behind the stainless steel island counter.

Interactions
Misty Gray Adam, Jasmine

 

[Misty Gray]

Adam Harper and Jasmine Carpenter​

"Chase!" Jasmine spoke in a loud whisper as the remaining man shot at him. She could see his arm had been hit, but she forced herself to hold back the concern for the time-being as the man himself didn't seem concerned by his own wound. Thankfully the three guards outside were soon taken down relatively easily, despite Chase taking a little damage. She quickly nodded her head when asked if she was okay, with Adam letting out an affirmative grunt as his confirmation.

"Are you okay?" Jasmine asked Chase.

"Time to get moving," Adam gruffly suggested. Given the shithole corner of town they were in, the cops weren't even a remote concern to him. The only real concern was the likelihood of more of the East Harlem Crew showing up. He'd had a long few days and wasn't feeling the usual excitement he would in this kind of situation. There was no time to play with the enemy, they just had to take them down swiftly and get the hell out of hostile territory.

As the three of them approached the butchers shop, Adam took the lead whilst Chase covered the group from behind. With a slight limp, Jasmine followed Adam, keeping one of the guns she'd stolen from her captors firmly in her hand and ready to use. When they reached the door, Adam stepped aside with his rifle aimed at the door in anticipation for what would be on the other side once it was opened. Chase shot the lock to destroy it before kicking the door open. Chase rushed in and was immediately in a scuffle of sorts with one guard. As soon as the Cuban had taken down one guard, another showed up. A bullet hit the guy's kneecap but he took cover behind the steel counter. Jasmine wasted no time in rounding the counter and firing two bullets into the side of the man's skull.

The three of them searched through the shop before Adam slowly pushed open the door that led to the basement. The downstairs was in darkness until he flicked on the switch to light up whatever was at the bottom of the wooden staircase. He carefully walked down the first few steps before stopping and crouching over to scan the basement. He couldn't see anyone there, nor any reasonable place for hidden gunmen to be hiding. There was a door within the room, presumably leading to some kind of storage room or cupboard. "You two keep guard upstairs in case more of those inbred fuckers come here," he told them. With them both remaining at the top of the stairs, he figured they'd be on standby to help him if he did step into danger. He handed Jasmine his rifle so he could take hold of a more portable weapon.

When he reached the bottom of the stairs, he approached the door in question. The bolts were on the outside, which told him he was in no danger of someone jumping out at him. Still, he stood with his gun aimed at the door before lightly kicking the bottom of it with his boot. He'd heard some slight movement coming from the other side of the door. "Is that Mitchell Van Gerwen?" he gruffy asked. "My friends and I might need a crooked lawyer after the mess we just made tonight." After receiving a response from the lawyer and recognising the man's voice from back at the auction, he was satisfied enough. Gun still trained on the door, he unlocked the bolts and kicked it open, raising his pistol ready to fire. He relaxed when he saw Mitch tied to a chair. He looked like he was bleeding and had clearly been roughed up, but Adam wasn't concerned the guy was about to drop dead at his feet or anything. "Got him!" he shouted up to Chase and Jasmine.

Once they'd helped Mitch upstairs, Adam continued to support him as they approached the exit. "Let's get out of here before any more of those wankers show up," he suggested, expecting Chase and Jasmine would provide cover on the way out to the car.

"Looks like there'll be a line at Finn's door," Jasmine lightly commented. She sent Mitch a smile, relieved they'd managed to get to the lawyer before it was too late.

Pyroclast (Chase)
RayPurchase (Mitch)

 

[Misty Gray]

Arturo and Bogdan ​

Bogdan watched as Steve terrorised Arturo next to him. He could see the East Harlem man was enjoying torturing the God-fearing Italian and more than likely he was getting off on it all! Seeing Steve lick the blood that Arturo had expelled onto his face caused Bogan to briefly turn away in disgust. Steve was a whole other breed of man or more likely was mentally ill or psychotic, Bogdan thought. When Steve turned to address Marcus and mentioned Gabriel, Bogdan lowered his head. He'd always worked hard for the Morettis and respected the boss, so it was an extra kick in the teeth to find himself in his current predicament.

"I'm not trying to save my own skin, just trying to make sure whoever hurt the boss' daughter gets punished," he argued, despite knowing it was futile. "I'm not kissing ass!" he protested. He supposed in a way he was. Rather Arturo took the fall than himself. When Steve mentioned Valentina's suffering, followed by putting Bogdan down for his weight problem, he tightened his jaw in frustration. "I didn't touch her and I had nothing to do with what happened to her. Only some messed up in the head, sick motherfucker would attack a defenceless woman." Bogdan pulled a disgusted expression to reflect how he felt upon being spat on by Steve. If he were in a position to do so, he would gladly knock Steve down a peg.

Bogdan watched on as Steve returned his attentions to Arturo who was still spluttering and coughing up blood from the back of his throat. The Romanian watched on in horror as Steve stabbed his friend three times in the stomach. Then it got worse as he proceeded hit and slash the man across the face with the knife. Bogdan's own breathing got out of control as the horror of the scene made him feel anxious about his own fate. The men, especially Steve, were out for blood.

Steve dragged Arturo in his chair and positioned him facing Bogdan. The Romanian stared at the Italian's mangled face before closing his eyes and quickly shaking his head in disbelief. He opened his eyes just in time to witness Steve slit the man's throat and put him out of his misery once and for all. The blood sprayed on Bogdan, causing him to wretch until some sick came up into his mouth. With little choice, he swallowed it before staring defiantly at Steve. The man untied Arturo and threw his lifeless body onto the floor.

"What else can I give you?" Bogdan angrily protested. "You've just killed the fucker who attacked Valentina. There's nothing else to tell you. Just let me go now!" He could see in Steve's eyes there was no intention of letting him go. He took a deep breath before looking desperately to him. "Listen. I've got a family. A wife and two young kids. Just let me go back to them. Let me go, you sick fuck. Just tell me what to do to make you let me go." He shook his head, feeling like his words were falling on death ears. "You're messed up. Real mashed in the head. Fucking backwards freak," he hissed.

Pyroclast (Steve)

 

[Pyroclast]

Steve Kelly

Just like Arturo - or any of his victims - Bogdan’s pleas meant nothing to Steve. He always knew exactly what he wanted, and the only thing he ever had to do was work out the most fun way of getting it. In this case, he wanted Arturo and Bogdan both to take the fall for the violent attack on Gabriel’s daughter - but if that was all, then he could have sped the job up a bit even with Marcus observing him. No, the best part for Steve wasn’t the result, but the process. The thrill of putting somebody down only lasted a minute or two and then it was gone. When he knew that a situation would end that way, he liked to drag it out long enough to make it memorable, unique to all the other kills he had made. If asked, he could probably count them all up and turn them into a statistic, but he didn’t see why he would want to do that when he could instead lie in bed unpacking the details of each one.

Listening to Bogdan now was one of those times. He didn’t care what the man had to say and he had no sympathy for him, but the fear breaking through his attempted stoic exterior was amusing to Steve. The way his eyes produced no tears, yet he was disturbed enough to gag at the sight of Arturo’s gaping throat. The escalating aggression in his tone as he begged for mercy. Steve smiled broadly, revealing a row of blood-stained teeth from when he had kissed Arturo. He blew out sharply to clear the excess blood from his lips. “Hmm, a wife and two young kids, huh?” he repeated. The desperation in Bogdan’s pleas fuelled Steve’s sinister smile. “Don’t worry. I’ll personally see to it they’re taken care of when you’re gone.”

After kicking Arturo’s body out of the way, Steve stepped close to Bogdan and sized him up. He was sure the man would loom over him if he was standing and would probably be stronger too, for the weight he would throw in behind his punch. It made it all the more satisfying to know that he didn’t stand a chance, now. He glanced back to the buffet of sharp tools for any last minute inspiration, but ultimately, he was in love with the stiletto. He could have drawn out the torture for far longer, but he was aware that Marcus was watching him, and also that he knew Bogdan didn’t match the description that Valentina had given of her attacker. So, to reduce the risk of Marcus trying to stop him, Steve skipped the foreplay and went straight for the Romanian’s throat. He stabbed him upwards first, just for a feel of something new, and then tore the knife down sharply like he imagined Ethan would open a pig. He repeated the motion again further down, and when his entrails slunk to the floor in a dripping heap Steve decided his work was done. For the first time in his life, he stood in slight shock of the mess before him and wondered if he had gone a step too far. Just a note for next time, he supposed, and with just one deep breath he managed to regain his composure. The man’s guts were still shifting and sliding out when Steve turned away, but he only heard the sounds - his eyes were now drawn back to his knife, gazing upon it in awe as if he believed it held magical properties. As he passed Marcus with a smile, Steve twirled the blade between his fingers and said, “I’m keeping this, by the way.”

Interactions
Misty Gray Bogdan & Arturo, god rest their souls
RayPurchase Marcus

 

[Bellz]

Wednesday 24th February 1972

...1 day later...

Giovanni Biancardi ​

Giovanni understood that he was asking a lot of his niece but in order for this all to run smoothly, she needed to play her part. The drive back to Syd’s house was silent after Roxie gave both himself and Ricky an earful about how she didn’t want to be involved anymore. When they did drop her off at home, she didn’t say goodbye or anything, storming out of the car towards the house.

Gio was sure she wouldn’t call to tell him that she’d contacted Conor but when his office phone rang later that night he was surprised it was her telling him that Conor agreed to meet him at one of his offices the next day. She hung up in a haste without saying goodbye once more.

***

The ride to Conor’s office wasn’t very far from his own office and with Ricky in tow, they entered the main area after being checked by one of the many guards that were guarding the building. Giovanni didn’t have any sort of weapon on him, confident that he wouldn’t need it in the presence of the Irishman. After his guards let him and his son in, the Italian smiled wide at Conor as he reached out his hand to him. ”Conor Sullivan! It’s a pleasure to finally meet you. You may not know a whole lot about my son and me but we certainly know a whole lot about you.” Realizing that may have sounded weird, Gio kind of cringed, ”That doesn’t sound right. You just have quite a reputation in New York. And well, Roxanne has told me a little bit about you.” He said before turning to Ricky to introduce his son. ”This is my son and Roxie’s only cousin, Ricky. He’s my second-hand man with my day to day operations.”


After he was asked to sit, the pair took a seat opposite of Conor and Giovanni looked around the office for a few moments. ”So I won’t waste your time, Mr. Sullivan. I realize that you are a very busy man.” This conversation was starting to sound like the same one he had with Gabriel the day before. He was going to leave out talking to the man, for the time being, wanting to ease into the conversation without being directly declined just yet. ”Now, my family has been here for a very long time. Longer than your and Mr. Moretti’s family. Now New York has never really had the best reputation with violence or gang involvement, however, we have noticed in the last few years that things have gotten progressively worse.” He paused, allowing Conor to say what he wished before continuing on.

”As the leader of my family’s business, I want to make sure our businesses still stay intact as this war is not only affecting your families but other families surrounding the areas around you. But I also want to make sure no more innocent lives are taken. I heard what happened at your Jazz Club and it pains me to think of all those lives lost.” Giovanni looked to Ricky to see if he wanted to say something before he dove right into talking about the deal he had for Conor with Moretti.
with: Conor + Ricky Misty Gray

 

[Misty Gray]

Thursday 24th February 1972
...1 day later...

Conor Sullivan and Riccardo Biancardi​

Despite knowing his day would be busy enough, Conor had still agreed to meet with Giovanni and Ricky. It was curiosity more than anything that led him to agree. Given how badly the meeting with the Campbells had gone, Conor was curious to see which side of the war the Biancardis wished to align themselves on. Surely Roxie's involvement meant they'd be more inclined to work with the Sullivans, but there was the fact Stefano had been working directly with Gabriel before his death.

After helping Kerry settle in with Maddox and Ani, as well as following up on more leads and plans for attacking Moretti's new facility, Conor made his way to the office in time for his meeting with Giovanni and Ricky. When they arrived, he gave them a pleasant greeting and handshake before offering them their seats at the desk. "A pleasure to meet you both too. Well, here's hoping you only heard the goods things," he remarked. "Unfortunately, the only member of Roxie's family I knew enough of was Stefano and I'm not going to sugar-coat my feelings towards that man."

Ricky held back from smirking or agreeing on the matter. So far, the rumours of Conor being tall and confident checked out. "Ricky. Pleasure to meet you," he introduced himself, nodding along to the description of him being his father's right hand man.

When they got down to the purpose of the meeting, Conor listened carefully as the Italian explained how the violence had become worse over recent years. "I'm afraid you might need to start looking closer to home to find the cause of the growing tensions. Stefano himself was heavily involved with Gabriel Moretti, helping him to throw bloodshed and war onto this city." Conor paused as he thought about the lives lost at Sinead's jazz club, slowly shaking his head. "This city won't see peace until those bastards are wiped out." Conor let out a sign before looking Giovanni in the eyes. "Are you here to propose a solution to this war? A way to spare further destruction and prevent further deaths?"

Bellz (Giovanni)

 

[Bellz]

Thursday 24th February 1972

...1 day later...

Giovanni Biancardi ​

Giovanni agreed that he should have been looking closer to how for the source of the violence, letting Stefano help out with his business was a huge mistake but that mistake worked itself out thanks to the Porters. Giovanni felt like he owed the Sullivans/Porters a way out of this madness and he was hopefully going to provide that for him. "Now my family, besides my rejected brother-in-law haven't chosen a side in this war. In fact, we'd like to stay right in the middle." He looked to Ricky to see if he agreed, which he knew he did before continuing on.

"Now I am not going lie to you, I had a meeting with Gabriel earlier." He paused to let Conor soak that in for a moment. "I am a man of business and I feel that as such, I should be looking into all of my options. While I know you won't agree to work with him. I simply ask that you hear me out. "

Pausing once more, Giovanni sighed heavily, "Now, I know in the midst of you protecting your family, it's hard to think about other's lives. Not saying that it hasn't ever crossed your mind, but my family is simply here to propose a compromise...with crackdowns on business from the law, times are tough in New York City for gangs. As I'm sure you understand."

"Gabriel wants you folks gone, he's made that perfectly clear. As a family man, I'm sure you understand that staying here is only hurting your family more than helping." Gesturing from himself to Ricky, he smiled, "Seeing as my niece and your nephew are together, I wanted to extend my help, a mediator as sorts between Moretti and yourself. Now I know that may not sound like much but we could really work something out if you are open to it."

"Moretti's offer still stands and while I don't have much of a hand in this fight, I think it's generous enough to offer your family--a fresh start. My niece has made it clear that your family has suffered enough. New York isn't what it use to be." Trying to gauge the Irishman's reaction, he looked towards the window behind him before looking back at Conor again.

"You won't have to deal with him directly any further, however, I would really think about this again, Conor Sullivan. Everything we hold dear, our families...they are all on the line, and from what I can understand, Moretti isn't going to stop until he gets what he wants. Sometimes, you just have to throw the dog a bone, eh?"
with: Conor + Ricky Misty Gray

 

[Misty Gray]

Thursday 24th February 1972
...1 day later...

Conor Sullivan and Riccardo Biancardi​

Conor was glad to hear Giovanni say his family hadn't chosen a side in the war, but that was merely on account of it meant they hadn't chosen the Morettis' side, as some other families already had. Still, staying in the middle didn't sound much better and certainly didn't sound like it could be a comfortable spot. Hearing the Biancardis had already had a meeting with Gabriel caused Conor to raise a sceptical eyebrow. "A real charmer that one, right?" he drily remarked. The comment evoked a brief expression of amusement on Ricky's face before the man straightened turned serious again.

Conor stayed silent as Giovanni laid out his proposition. As much as he kept wanting to interrupt, he held his tongue until the Biancardis were finished. Once again, the same offer he'd heard at the auction was extended to him. Letting Gabriel buy out the empire in New York and him letting the Irish return to Dublin without further death or obstruction. Of course it sounded like a fair offer, but it was one Conor didn't feel he could accept. He was bound by the need to do his family proud. He struggled to see how anyone would be proud of him for quitting the fight and losing the city Jack, Liam and James had kept hold over for decades. Besides which, the opportunity to get to Gabriel and hit the Italian's business had arisen. If things went as intended, the planned ambush on the Morettis at the train station tomorrow could deal a heavy blow to the Italians. Conor's sights were set on killing the bastard - not onaccepting his offer and handing over New York to him.

"No," Conor finally spoke, slowly shaking his head. "A dangerous dog like Moretti needs putting down. I suspect you only know part of the shit that man how done to even just to get where he is now. If he isn't going to stop until he gets what he wants, then he simply has to be stopped. After what he, your brother-in-law and the other nutjobs he associates himself with have done to my family, to innocent people in this city... The last thing he deserves is to be rewarded for it by giving him what he wants. My nephew and your niece were dragged into this, and each of them could have died as a result." Conor closed his eyes as he thought about the last week. The dozens of people who had died in the club. The torture and almost horrific fate Kerry had come close to. "I don't claim to be a good man. I'm far from it. Neither were the men who led this city before me. But in no way am I as horrific as Moretti. The only way this mess stops is if Moretti and the rest of his associates in New York are taken down."

Conor was fully aware that continuing the war with the Italians would make more of a mess in the city and there would be more casualties. He hoped that after tomorrow, that wouldn't be the case. All he had to do was get to Gabriel and once that man was dead, it would be easier to take down the rest of them whilst they were vulnerable without a strong leader. "I'm sorry. I appreciate your offer and your decision not to take Moretti's side, but I can't give up. Not now."

Bellz (Giovanni)

END OF CHAPTER
​

 

[Misty Gray]

Chapter 18: The Final Nail
Friday 25th February 1972
...2 days later…
Evening - Cold, Rain Showers

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Moretti's Office
~ Murray Hill, Manhattan ~​

Gabriel Moretti

Gabriel had been discussing the plans for the train station facility with Ethan and Steve for the last hour. It was interesting dealing with Ethan instead of Alistair, but the Italian rarely had trouble adapting. There was no question that Ethan was committed to his job, taking everything seriously and desiring success just as much as Moretti himself. However, unlike Alistair, it was clear Ethan didn't seem like a man who enjoyed sitting in meetings. With Alistair all messed up in hospital and with little hope of returning to his former glory any time soon, Gabriel figured Ethan would have to get used to more meetings. Then there was Steve, a man Gabriel had no doubts would rather be anywhere else but sitting still in any office. The young man was a bloodthirsty savage. A man with no boundaries and no regard for others. An exceptionally disturbed man, but one who had proved useful to Gabriel's cause and as such he was pleased to have him fighting in the war against the Sullivans.

Bringing the meeting to an end, Gabriel stood up from the sofa and sent the two men an approving nod. "If this is the success I believe it will be, there will be a great pay-off." Gabriel looked Steve in the eyes, trying to gauge what was going on in the man's head. He knew preventing the sale of Kerry hadn't gone down well with Steve, but the man had still gone on to see to it that the second of Valentina's attackers, Arturo, had been dealt with. "Your reward from this will be more than what you would have got for selling the young barmaid," he assured Steve.

Gabriel walked the two men to the door and as they left, he instructed Teddy to enter the office apartment. Before closing the door behind them, he asked his two armed bodyguards to wait on outside the office door. Despite him having the discussion take place in his office so his family couldn't intervene, the matter was personal more than business. Once the door was closed, Gabriel motioned to the dining table rather than the lounge area he often conducted business meetings. "Theodore, take a seat," he greeted the man and pulled out a chair directly opposite the younger man. The main reason he'd chosen to sit at the table was so he could get a closer and more direct look at the apparent object of Valentina's affections as they spoke.

The Italian knew why Teddy wanted to speak with him. Gabriel had been firmly told by the women of his household to give the man a fair chance and he was willing to do so. He'd been told many times in the last week how he needed to let his children breathe. It didn't mean he was going to back down and agree with everything, but he was at least going to listen first. He sat up straight and interlocked his fingers, resting his hands on the table. He looked Teddy in the eyes and invited him to speak up. "What is it you wish to discuss with me, Theodore?"

Melanin-Gxdess (Teddy)
Mentions: Pyroclast (Steve)

*****​

Valentina Moretti and Ethan Turner

Valentina had needed to go into Manhattan that afternoon to hand in an assignment at university. Feeling nervous about being on campus again after it was where she was taken from on the night she was attacked, she'd asked her mother to accompany her. Flanked by two of the family's guards, she'd managed to do what she needed without having some kind of breakdown or anxiety attack. Afterwards, she'd suggested they went for an early dinner at one of her father's new restaurants next to his office tower in Murray Hill. It hadn't only been to spend time with her mother and to be out of the house for a while, but she had another motive. She knew Teddy was going to be seeing her father in his office and she wanted to be around in time for the two men finishing the meeting. If her father hadn't taken it well, she wanted to be on hand to stand up for Teddy against Gabriel.

As she and Elvian stood in the elevator as it climbed to the fiftieth floor, Valentina spoke about Teddy. "He's been amazing with me," she went on. "I wasn't sure how I would be with him, but it all just felt right. I feel safe and happy with him." She fell silent when the elevator doors opened. One of the two heavy-set security guards approached and Valentina briefly tensed up before forcing herself to relax. "You don't need to search us," she bluntly reminded the man. He hadn't forgotten and wasn't intending to do so. Valentina had simply set the boundaries in case there was any confusion. As the dull pain in her head caused by her recent concussion returned, she fumbled in her handbag to retrieve her packet of medication. "I need some water," she muttered as she quickly set off to find the water fountain in the waiting area by Gabriel's office.

In her haste, she collided with Steve as he rounded the corner with Ethan. Having bumped into Steve's chest, the pain her already injured arm cause her to drop the box of pills on the floor. She carefully crouched down to retrieve the box before slowly standing back up. As she got up, she noticed Steve's watch before seeing the scabbed-over scratches on his wrist. Something didn't sit well in the back of her mind but a sudden mental block stopped her from figuring out why. Once she was fully standing, she lifted her head to look to Steve's familiar face. "Sorry," she quietly apologised for bumping into him. Along with a brief sheepish smile, her eyes met his and she held the gaze for a short time before Ethan distracted them.

"Mrs. Moretti and Miss Moretti! As always, it's a pleasure to see you both," Ethan spoke up. He retrieved the two coats from the hooks in the reception area and tossed Steve his to put on. "Your husband is in another meeting right now," he told Elvian. "The man is quite the slave driver," he trailed off as he walked over to the elevator and pressed the button to open the doors. "Speaking of which, we've got to get started on Mr. Moretti's latest task," he said, looking at the wall clock to make it clear he was conscious of the time. Once Steve was in the elevator with him, Ethan wasted no time in pushing the button for the level of the underground parking lots. It was only when they were safely in the car and he'd started the engine that Ethan turned to Steve. "I haven't stood so close to Valentina before. No wonder you couldn't help yourself," he remarked, sending a knowing smirk Steve's way. Soon enough, his foot was on the accelerator pedal and they were on the way to the night's big job.

Valentina remained on the spot as she shared her attention between Ethan and Steve. The older man had spoken the family surname a few times but she didn't really register what he was saying. There was a sudden ringing in her ears and although she looked like she was paying attention, her thoughts were suddenly stuck in a thick cloud inside her mind. Soon enough, the two men had disappeared into the elevator. Valentina's heart was pounding and her chest seemed to be getting tighter by the second. "I need some water," she gasped, her throat feeling dry as she spoke. She started walking towards the water fountain but soon stopped in her tracks and pressed her healthy hand against the wall to steady herself as she began to feel faint. "Mama..." she gasped as she struggled for air. "I feel sick. Where's the bathroom?" she asked, holding onto her mother's arm, clearly shaking as she did. She'd been in the building dozens of time and had used the bathroom before, but she couldn't think straight in the midst of the panic attack.

Pyroclast (Steve) Melanin-Gxdess (Elvian)

Sullivan Safe House - Apartment Building
~ Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan ~​

Kerry Patrick and Maddox Parker

Despite having a lot weighing heavy on her mind, Kerry had managed to fall into a deep sleep at the Sullivans' house two nights ago. Whilst the comfortable bed played a part in that, it was more the fact she had been sleep-deprived since the night she was abducted from the jazz club. Conor and Aliana hadn't woken her up, letting her sleep for as long as she needed. Then yesterday afternoon, they had taken her to the safehouse in Hell's Kitchen. Whilst the rundown apartment block was every bit a downgrade to the beautiful Sullivan house, Kerry didn't mind. She knew it was for her own safety and it hadn't felt right to her taking advantage of Conor's and Aliana's hospitality.

Upon arrival at the safehouse yesterday, she was introduced to Simone and shown to the apartment she would be sharing with the bodyguard. It all seemed nice enough, but in the back of her mind, she still felt apprehensive about the whole setup. After settling in a little, Kerry had then been taken to the apartment Maddox and Ani were being kept in. She understood the two were in hiding from the Morettis and their associates after betraying them. It somehow felt reassuring to know she wasn't the only person there who had been on the receiving end on the monsters' wrath. Kerry had also been told that Maddox was being kept in the safehouse because he had crossed the Sullivans. Judging by what she'd heard of the mob, she had to wonder why Conor had kept the man alive. Was he different to his enemies? Not as cruel as Steve and Amato had been?

Despite her reservations, Kerry had spent a few hours talking with Maddox and Ani. The couple had both been kind and friendly to her. She couldn't help but feel reassured in the counsellor's and Ani's presence. Be it their shared experiences with the criminal gangs in New York or simply the Dr Parker's expertise in his job, she hadn't really wanted to return to the apartment she was sharing with Simone.

Today was Kerry's second time with Maddox and Ani. Whilst it was something of a therapy session, the counsellor had been allowing for Kerry and Ani to casually chat along the way. He'd had very clear instructions and warnings from Conor. The mob boss had made it very clear this was a chance for Maddox to finally prove himself a changed man. He'd also made it clear that if there was any sign he was manipulating and messing with Kerry's head, both he and Ani would be killed. Maddox didn't need to be threatened into helping Kerry. He could see from the moment he set eyes on her that she was deeply traumatised and in need of help. Even if he were still at all inclined to get revenge on the Sullivans, there was no part of him that would mess with an innocent person. Kerry was clearly yet another unfortunate victim of the city's gangs and she deserved every bit of his and Ani's compassion.

Kerry was seated on the sofa across from him, her skinny shoulders hunched over and she stared towards the ground. After what she'd told him and Ani about the way she was tortured, beaten and almost sold to some disgusting pervert, Maddox wasn't surprised she looked so fragile. But this evening, she seemed more on edge than she had the previous night. Twitchy, nervous and somewhat evasive. Again, that wasn't surprising given her ordeal, but something didn't sit right in Maddox's head. He sat forward and sent her an encouraging smile. "What's on your mind, Kerry? What's the first thing you think of?" he softly asked her, briefly glancing to Ani.

"Has Conor Sullivan really kept you both here for all this time without Mr. Moretti getting to you? Do you really feel safe here?" She looked up to the couple, her hands trembling with nerves. "After what I went through and then meeting Mr. Moretti, I didn't think anyone could protect me from those monsters. I didn't think anyone could be as powerful as they are." She paused as she contemplated whether to ask her next questions. "Even though you both did things against his family. Do you really think Conor will let you go?" she asked, clearly still afraid despite being saved from the Morettis.

​

Bellz (Ani)

Currently Active Cast: Misty Gray Bellz Pyroclast Enzyme Melanin-Gxdess RayPurchase
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[Bellz]

Chapter 18: The Final Nail
Friday 25th February 1972
...2 days later…
Evening - Cold, Rain Showers

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Lucy Porter
Blake McCarthy
Roxie Carriveau
Peter Callahan ​

Lucy was ecstatic that Olivia was so eager to have her and James as parents and after the night was over she was ready to tell everyone else. There were a few things that needed to be taken care of the next few days, however, so she stayed rather silent about it until things were done. Now while the men minus James and Peter, Lucy was hosting a little get together to try to keep everyone's minds off of the fact that what they were doing was dangerous. Roxie and Blake were helping in the kitchen with the food while Ali and Sinead were keeping an eye on the children who were home. After everything was ready, Lucy with the help of the ladies brought the food into the main lounge area for everyone to snack on. Thomas was running like a mad man around the house, once again playing a game of tag with the children even though Lucy had told him to keep the game outside.

Shaking her head, Lucy looked to the women in the room with a sigh. "I could have sworn I told them to take all of that noise outside, I just don't want them-" A loud crash could be heard from the other room and the chatter went silent for a long moment. Lucy moved to pinch the bridge of her nose as Blake laid a hand on her shoulder. "Sounds like one of the more expensive items in the house is now destroyed." She commented with a grin to which Lucy rolled her eyes at the blonde. "Oh yea, laugh it up. Your house isn't being subjected to the chaos so it's funny when it's not happening to you." Thomas poked his head from around the corner with Natasha looking very guilty. "The dogs ran into the china cabinet in the other room, mom!" Thomas announced and Lucy narrowed her eyes at her son. "Well, you better let the dogs know that if they don't take their game outside, they will all be grounded." Thomas' eyes widened before nodding his head firmly. "Let's go tell those pesky puppies, Tash!" He told the smaller girl before taking her hand a leading her out.

Lucy looked to Blake with a small smile for a moment, "I can't blame Natasha for following in the footsteps of my crazy child." She said before turning to Ali and Sinead. "And you both want to go through this madness again. I commend you really. And you," She looked to Roxie with a teasing smile on her lips, "Just you wait. Soon those little babies will be crawling and then walking, and nothing around your house will be spared." The brunette chuckled and shook her head, "I am so not looking forward to that, Luce." She told the woman honestly before turning to her daughters in the bassinet Lucy had dug out from when Thomas was a baby. Lifting Jane into her arms, she cradled the baby in them as she rocked her gently, noticing that for once she wasn't fussy around her.

"I guess I am willing to deal with the madness again though," Lucy told the group, "Because little Olivia expressed that she wanted James and me to be her parents." She told them excitedly even though she had just expressed how maddening raising a child was. "James and I are going to make it official very soon and we will have another daughter!" Clapping her hands together, Blake and Roxie both looked excited for the woman. "She's an awfully sweet girl, Luce. You both are so lucky to have each other." Roxie said honestly. She knew that Syd would be excited to have another sibling to love, knowing that he loved Thomas with everything he had. Lucy smiled, her eyes seeking out James before moving up to take his hand. "Having a 5-year-old in our old age was never really planned, but honestly what is nowadays? We are just blessed to have this big family that we do." Lucy looked to Sinead and Aliana once more, "And you two, having two sweet new members to add to your growing families. I am so excited for you both. How are we feeling? Is there anything I can get you?"

Peter had just stepped back into the room after taking a moment to himself outside. Hearing Lucy offering the women anything was not unusual to hear but Peter was curious as well to see if his wife needed anything. Moving to come to sit beside her on the couch, Peter draped his arm over her shoulder and leaned to press a kiss against her temple before looking into her eyes as she answered Lucy's question. Retirement suited Peter well, he didn't feel as terrible as he had when he was on the jobs all the time and he finally felt like he could just be himself for once.

with: Ali Melanin-Gxdess ; James + Sinead Misty Gray

Gwen Bryant​

Spending time with Lorelei and Jason was making Gwen feel whole again little by little but she wanted to spend some more one-on-one time with just Jason after realizing that they hadn't really gone out together since they were back in Dublin. So tonight, Gwen decided they were going to go out on the town. She was feeling a lot better than she had in a really long time and it was all because of Jason, besides Lorelei, was what was keeping her fighting and she really wanted to show him just how much she appreciated him. So after booking a reservation at a fancier restaurant that was sure to break her bank account. Gwen told him to be ready at 7 and to dress in something a little nicer than normal, she was currently on her way to pick him up. As much as she loved the motorcycle she knew it would do nothing for her hair she had just worked hard to do.

Arriving at his apartment, Gwen hopped out of the car and noticed Ruben lounging around in the courtyard below his place. Smiling brightly, Gwen moved to him and lifted the fat cat into her arms. "You are getting bigger and bigger every time I see you, mate." She told the cat as she walked to Jason's front door. Knocking three times, she returned to petting the cat gently as Jason opened the door. Ruben squirmed out of her arms before rushing inside the apartment and Gwen laughed sweetly. Taking in her boyfriend's appearance, she smiled widely. "You always take my breath away." She murmured sweetly before moving in to give him a kiss. "Now come on, we don't want to be late." Holding out her hand she let Jason take it before leading him out of the apartment towards the car.

***​

They eventually pulled into the parking lot of this French restaurant right by the ocean on the second floor of a sweets shop, both places were owned by the same person. It was a small place but it had the best views and really great food from what Gwen had heard from locals. After they checked in, they were seated by the window which overlooked the shore towards the Statue of Liberty with the moon shining right above it. They were both handed a menu and Gwen ordered herself a glass of wine without really thinking. After the waiter had left, Gwen gave Jason a face that explained she hadn't thought about her choice in drink. "Oh shit, I hope you don't mind me ordering wine." She said worriedly before moving to take a piece of bread that was sat on the table for them. Moving to take a bite quickly, Gwen chewed thoughtfully for a moment before setting the rest of the piece down on her small plate she was given.

Wiping her hands on her napkin she then reached forward to take Jason's hands in hers. Smiling almost bashfully, Gwen cleared her throat. "I know this isn't our usual scene, but I really just wanted to show you that I am grateful for everything you've done for me this past couple of months. And I thought trying something new fit our character, seeing as how we are both the adventurous types." Even though they had talked about it very briefly a while back, Gwen was somewhat nervous about talking about moving in together.

"I know you and I both have been trying to find new jobs and with All that Jazz gone...we haven't really had the income but..." She paused, "As soon as we do find jobs, I really think I am ready to move out of my brother's house. I know we talked about it briefly but...are you ready to take this relationship to the next level? I know having me is one thing, but having Lorelei living with you is another. I just want to make sure you are okay with that...I know she loves you so much already as much as I do I'm sure. But if you aren't ready for that, I completely 100% understand."

Squeezing his hands, she looked down at them for a moment before her eyes returned to his. "You have just proved to me in every way possible that this will work between us, that we can be a team. I know I'm still recovering and I have a long road ahead, but I feel like I can't properly recover without you by my side. "
with: Jason Pyroclast