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

[Misty Gray]

Valentina Moretti​

Valentina couldn't help but beam upon hearing Teddy's comment about her being beautiful. She wasn't typically someone who had low self-esteem or hang-ups about the way she looked, but since her ordeal, she'd felt anything but beautiful. Today was different, though. Getting dressed up and stepping out of the house was helping to remind her that the world was still moving even if she hadn't been. "You're looking pretty handsome yourself," she told him as she stepped into his apartment upon being invited to. She could sense Teddy might be nervous, especially as he was typically a confident man. It made her feel better in herself to know she wasn't the only one feeling that way.

She walked with Teddy into the kitchen and couldn't help but notice the distinct smell of burning. "Teddy! Have you been stealing recipes?" she asked him as he threw the burnt bread away. "The other day I managed to burn a cherry pie I'd made from scratch. Maybe it's catching on!" She took a seat at the counter whilst he set about preparing lunch. When he remarked about her making him nervous whilst he was cooking, she made a point of putting one elbow on the counter and resting a chin on her hand, purposely fixing her eyes on him. "Do you feel nervous yet?" After making him suffer on the receiving end of her stare, she sat up straight and instead casually watched him to avoid putting on any pressure. Still, she couldn't help but cock her head to the side as she took in the endearing sight of him focusing on the cookbook. She found it quite relaxing watching him.

When Teddy looked to her, Valentina met his gaze and listened as he asked if there was something she wanted to do. Her instant thought was that she was already doing it. She was on a date with Teddy and that already made her happy enough. "I would like to go with what you've got planned. It would be a shame to waste the thought that you've put into today," she assured him. "So..." she began, flashing him a smile. "What is it you have planned for us?" she curiously asked.

Valentina felt relieved that she was able to push the dark clouds aside to relax and be more herself on the date. Despite the initial nervousness, things felt natural and nothing was forced. She was already enjoying their date and felt comfortable with Teddy. It may have been early days, but she was reminded there was still light in the city and hope for her future.

Melanin-Gxdess (Teddy)

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Aliana Cartwright-Sullivan

Aliana honestly hadn’t wanted to leave Dublin, but knew they wouldn’t be gone from home for much longer. The moment she had been waiting for for a long time had finally come about, her family moving back to Ireland. Despite being born in New York herself it had never and would never feel like home to her. It would always be the place that had taken her father from her and ruined her childhood. Dublin was more her home than anything else. Plus, having all of her children born in one place would make her happy. While Jackson’s death and funeral had been a depressing affair, she was able to shove those thoughts aside for the moment for the wedding that was happening.

Today was a big and exciting day for the family, being George and Finn’s wedding. It had been a while since there was one in the family and Ali actually loved them. The stressful part Lucy was currently taking care of wasn’t it, but seeing two people head over heels in love with each other say their vows was heartwarming. The family deserved a moment of pure peace after everything that had gone on. She had woken up early that day to get Leo ready, figuring the day was going to be hectic. “If the ceremony isn’t for hours, why do I have to get dressed now?” Leo asked, the grumpy tone in his voice apparent. Leo’s body was still adjusting to the time difference and had knocked his sleeping rhythm completely out of whack. “Because Lucy may need my help and I won’t have time getting you in your tux.” It wasn’t the answer he wanted to hear so he just crossed his arms. Ali had a feeling he was going to be a brat for the next few hours, which she was not looking forward to. Hopefully once he was around his cousins he wouldn’t be too much of a headache.

“So obviously we’re going to have to find houses close to each other, Sin. That way we can just run over whenever we’re bored or lonely or need a break.” Once at the manor, Ali had set out to help prep whatever she could. Leo had gone in search of an empty bedroom to take a nap, instructing his cousins not to bother him until he was rested. Ali was taking a small break to speak with her friend, possibly more excited about not having to be apart than anything else. Sinead was the kind of friend that kept her level headed and from killing her husband, so of course she was happy they wouldn’t be an ocean away. She opened her mouth to say something more when Lucy walked in, a crisis on her hands. To say she was not looking forward to taking over was an understatement, so she was going to have to scheme a way to keep Lucy handling familial functions. “What? How do you not have anymore of the same flowers; aren’t they a florist?” She shook her head at the thought before nodding her head. “Either way, I think that would be a nice idea. Besides, once we’re all home who cares about the yard? I don’t know anything about flowers, but I shall try my best!”

​

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Teddy Wycliff

Teddy chuckled at the thought of Valentina burning pies. Considering all the cooking Elvian had done over the years and how perfect it always seemed to come out, he would have never imagined it wouldn’t be the same for Valentina. “You? Burning stuff? The world’s best cook didn’t pass her skills down to you then?” He teased, moving to place his now chopped tomatoes into a bowl and out of the way. He could definitely feel her staring at him and when he could take a break, he looked up at her. “I’m going to tell you a secret that no one else knows and it would be nice if you kept it to yourself. Can’t have anyone thinking I’ve gone soft.” After wiping his hands with the towel across his shoulder, he stuck his pinky out to make her promise. Once the promise was secured he took a deep breath. “I’m always nervous around you. So you can stare as much as you’d like it won’t make things worse.” He shot her a wink before immediately dropping an empty carton on the ground. “See? I’m already a mess.”

As he set about to finish the Italian version of eggs Benedict, he listened to her speak. A part of him was relieved she had opted to go with what he planned as he was very excited about it. It would be his first genuine date with someone he cared about, which was important. Thinking about his plans made him realize that he was going to probably experience a lot of firsts with the woman and it made him smile to himself. Once he turned his attention to her he grinned. “How do you feel about ice skating? The perfect excuse to embarrass ourselves in front of each other and get that portion out of the way.” He turned around to look for something, seemingly lost for a moment before he remembered he was poking for plates. Even though he made it sound like a joke, he wasn’t kidding about how nervous he was.

A lot of it was stemming from his past and wanting to show her he was definitely different. Steve’s stupid voice was on loop in his head, making him doubt he would even be good enough for the woman in his apartment. Being loyal, being a proper boyfriend; he was suddenly doubting that he would be good at it. It was annoying that he had let the man get to him in the first place but he couldn’t help if what he had said was basically correct. He cared for Val, liked her a lot, but at the end of the day would that be enough for him? The timer had gone off to remind him to take the eggs out of the pot as he started plating their brunch onto their respective plates. “Uh orange juice or adult orange juice?”



​

 

[Misty Gray]

George Sanderson
​

George couldn't believe he was getting married today. It might not be an official wedding in the eyes of the law, but the planned ceremony was more important than that to him and nothing else could make the day more special. He was excited and nervous. He was very happy there were people wishing to see him and Finn say their vows. George couldn't wish for more than what he had. Marrying Finn was the most important thing to him, so everything else; the beautiful ceremony and the attendees, were all a great bonus to him. It was sad to know that none of his own family were going to watch him get married and that they would have never accepted him being with a man. It was strange to think a family that was part of a notorious criminal organisation was the one that would kindly welcome him into their lives and homes. Since Shannon had patched things up with Finn and made amends with George, there were no insecurities about his place in the Sullivan Family. George truly felt like he belonged.

Until his suit arrived, George was happily lounging around in his normal clothes. He wasn't oblivious to the rushing around Lucy and the others were doing, but when he'd attempted to offer his help, he found himself to be mostly getting under the feet in his naturally relaxed manner. Instead, he'd tiptoed away and left the others to it. After spending some time watching the Porters' dogs run around in the garden, George went in search of humans to talk with and distract him from letting his nerves catch up. As he approached the bottom of the staircase, he saw Finn and stood by the stairs with his arms folded. "I heard you're getting married today, Doctor Sullivan. Who's the lucky guy?" he playfully asked. He then straightened his face and meet his gaze. "How's Lucy getting on?" he asked, letting out a light chuckle. "Everyone's going to so much effort. I wanted to help, but I think I was getting in the way."

Bellz (George)

Sinead Callahan​

Sinead had been planning on wearing her favourite pink dress for the wedding, but her growing bump meant the dress was too tight. Unlike when she was pregnant with Savannah and also with Braden, she wasn't going to get away with a small belly this time around. Just like with Emery, Sinead knew this one was going to be hard work. Instead, Sinead had put on a cream and silver sparkled dress that was more loose fitting on her. Regardless of being pregnant, Sinead wanted to work hard to help with setting up the wedding. She adored Finn and he had always been there for her no matter what. He was a bright ray of light in her life and one of her favourite people. It all made her want to work hard to make sure the wedding was perfect for him and George. Besides, the busier she kept herself, the less time she would have to get herself upset over the fact Savannah was leaving with Shannon that evening and moving over to London.

Sinead smiled when Aliana said they would have to have houses close to each other In Dublin."Oh, absolutely! You simply need to make sure Conor only looks at places in Sutton. That's were me and Petey will be. And Blake will be close too," she assured her. "Don't take no for an answer. I'll help drill it into Conor's head if you need me to," she firmly promised. She knew it had been a very difficult decision for her brother, but Sinead was ecstatic the rest of her family would be moving to Dublin too. She knew she'd made the right choice when she first wanted to leave New York.

Sinead's attention was diverted to Lucy who joined them in something of a stress. "Uh-ohhh, annoying news is never good," Sinead responded to her sister's announcement. "They fell off a truck?! Are they flipping stupid at that shop?" she complained, quickly shaking her head. "To the garden we go!" Despite being concerned about messing up her dress and shoes, Sinead charged out of the house and into the garden to find the flowers in question. She wasn't going to start chopping at them herself, but she would hold the flowers her sister handed her. "And you're sure pink won't complement the colour scheme?" she curiously asked. She knew her sister would refuse, but it was worth a try.

Bellz (Lucy) Melanin-Gxdess (Aliana)

 

[Bellz]

Finn Sullivan ​

Finn watched Lucy walk off to find the others all the while he was shaking his head at her. Finn didn't want anyone stressing at his expense today but he knew that with Lucy, it couldn't exactly be helped. She worried about every little thing constantly, she's been that way since the beginning. Sighing, Finn was about to go see if he could make himself useful elsewhere when George's voice caught his attention. Watching the man standing by the stairs and folding his arms, Finn raised a curious brow at him a smile spreading across his face that he couldn't help. His question made Finn laugh and he reached up to rub the back of his neck lightly,

"I would consider myself to be the lucky one if I am being quite honest, Georgie. I don't deserve him." He murmured before the man asked how Lucy was getting along. "Bah, you know her by now, she's running around like a mad person trying to perfect every little thing. I told her not to worry so much but after being related to her for so many years, I know what I told her basically goes in one ear and comes out the other without much thought to it." Finn chuckled as well before moving to take a few steps forward to hold George in his arms.

"How are we doing? You aren't going to get cold feet on me, are you? Don't want a runaway groom on my hands? I'm not the best runner." He said teasingly before kissing the top of the man's head. After a moment of teasing, however, Finn took a small step back to look at his love with a serious expression. It was stupid to have anxiety about George getting cold feet, but given Finn's past relationship history, it couldn't be helped that he was nervous about it. "I don't want you to feel overwhelmed by any of this, love. I know the women are making such a fuss about this but this doesn't have to be as big of a deal as they are making it out to be." He told him softly.

"If all the commotion is too much I can tell the rest to relax. I know I can get overwhelmed by them at times, they mean well but they just carry a lot of stress, if you know what I mean." Surely George could read that clear as day, his family though lovable and whole was a stressful bunch of characters and things tended to be more chaotic around the house than relaxed. Another thought came to Finn's mind as he thought about his family, the fact that George wasn't going to have any family of his own to celebrate with them all. "How are you feeling about your folks not being here? I haven't heard much from you on the subject but I just wanted to check-in. Even though they aren't here...this family is your family now too. And hell, they love you a lot."
with: Georgie Misty Gray

Lucy Porter ​

Rubbing her temples gently, Lucy nodded her head at Ali's words and Sinead's reaction as she asked how the florist didn't have any of the same flowers, "They are indeed a florist, but apparently not a good one." She huffed before nodding once again at Ali's point. They were all going to be heading back to Ireland and although Lucy treasured her garden, it wasn't going to matter what it looked like once they left for home. Sinead enthusiastically started charging out into the garden and Lucy looked to Ali with an exasperated expression before following quickly behind her sister.

Sinead asked once again if she was sure pink wouldn't compliment the color scheme and Lucy shook her head firmly. "Sorry Sin, no pink. Yellow is the main color here which means I have to cut up my beautiful sunflowers." Lucy pouted before moving to the garden shed to grab some shears. After grabbing two pairs, she handed one to Ali and kept the other for herself. "Okay, we all remember what the flowers were supposed to look like. I basically have all the same ones in this garden. Try to cut the ones that won't show during the ceremony. I think it would look odd if Finn and George were walking down the aisle along a bunch of butchered flowers. I know this year was terrible but we want to make this ceremony as beautiful as possible."

Lucy moved to the sunflower patch and took a deep breath before cutting off one. She let out a small squeak of sadness before handing the sunflower to Sinead. "So how are my two favorite ladies feeling today? Need anything from me while I am running around the house like a crazy person. If you are craving something sweet I have prepared lots of sugary things that are waiting to be unveiled in the kitchen." She told Ali and Sinead, turning to look at them with a small smile before moving to behead another flower.
with: Ali Melanin-Gxdess ; Sinead Misty Gray

 

[Misty Gray]

Valentina Moretti​

Valentina wasn't expecting Teddy to say she made him nervous, but she hoped he was feeling that way because he was genuinely interested in having a relationship with her. She hoped his nervousness wasn't a result of her intimidating family and she wouldn't forgive any of them if they actively pushed Teddy away from her.

"Ice-skating?" she asked, her eyes opening wider as she thought about it. She let out a small laugh as he pointed out they'd be able to embarrass themselves while they were at it. "I love ice-skating, but I think I'll have to play it safe today," she said, bringing her bandaged wrist into view. "Though that just mean's you're going to have to hold my other hand and also break my fall if needed," she commented. She wasn't really worried about falling but she figured she'd have to be careful nonetheless. "It'll be fun," she assured him, quickly nodding her head. "As long as I don't cramp your style," she teased.

There was a brief lull in conversation as Teddy seemed to be trapped in his own thoughts for a time. Valentina gazed down to her hands and idly stared at her painted blue nails for a time. She didn't take it personally, but at the same time, she was sure whatever was going through his mind involved her and their growing relationship. There were times that she wondered if Teddy would have a change of heart; perhaps he would be put off by the thought that she came with baggage. Knowing what she had been through when Steve attacked her, she was sure most men would want to steer well clear of her. Could she blame Teddy if he did that too?

The sound of the timer going off snapped both of them out of their thoughts and Valentina sent him a warm smile. Although insecurities were there, Valentina had always been self-confident before the attack, so she refused to let the attack change that. She hoped if Teddy wanted to back out, he would have the guts to say it. For now, she refused to let assumptions get in the way. She watched as Teddy filled their plates and then nodded her head in approval. "This looks so good, Chef," she praised him. When he asked about her drink preference, she let out a brief scoff. "Adult orange juice, of course," she confirmed.

"Thank you for all of this, Teddy. I love that you've put some thought into it all." She cut into the food and ate a piece to taste. "It's really good," she assured him, after swallowing the bite.

Eventually, Valentina had to address something that was hanging in the back of her mind. "How are you feeling since the other night? I'm sorry you had to get involved in that. My father told me what you did and you seem to be back on his good side." There was nothing romantic in what Teddy had done when he killed Steve, even if she was glad he had. The way she saw it was that he was carrying out family business and regaining her father's trust in the process. She cared for and trusted Teddy before that night, so she wouldn't accept that the killing was done in her honour. "I'm glad Steve is dead and I'm glad Papa has stopped treating you like shit. I just want to say that none of that affects how I already felt about you and I don't want Steve to ever be associated with our relationship... assuming I get a second date, of course!"

Melanin-Gxdess (Teddy)

 

[RayPurchase]

Marcus Moretti


​

Here it was, the culmination of the last few months, the violence and upheaval, the blood and treasure spilt, victory was in their grasp. What had been imagined as a romp to inevitable victory had turned into a slog, a match that went to overtime and was marred with ejections, injuries and sideline fights. But they were here now. And somehow despite all of the discord and disagreement, Marcus and his family in many ways had emerged even stronger than when they had left Miami. His father had brought them here, to the finish line, and Marcus had doubted him, after all mistakes had been made, but he had done it.

After dropping off Valentina it was just the two of them, and it hit Marcus as to how much his own position had changed. A few months ago it would have been Tati sitting here, his father's right hand in the family, whilst he was just the heir in name alone, there by benefit of his sex as opposed to proving himself. But now it was the two of them, number 1 and number 2, and that caused his chest to swell with pride to no end. He hadn't spoken to Tati about it, hadn't really had the chance, but whilst her star was dimming, his was in ascendancy, that would be a difficult conversation at some point. The younger sibling eclipsing the eldest, but he had no qualms, he deserved this seat.

Marcus stepped out of the car, the tower block reflected back in the polished leather of his shoes, and straightened his suit and tie. He stared up at the building, the glare of the sun reflecting off of it causing him to squint. Marcus smiled at his father's comment. "I hope not. I'm not entirely sure that they can afford to lose many more," Sullivan and Porter. One a blunt oath, and the other a victim of the prison of his own mind. James Porter stepping down had proven to be a game changer, all past history between their families aside, he had been a wily fox, dishing out defeats to his father's plans. His heirs however, it would be under their watch that they would be cast out of New York.

It must have been some sort of cosmic joke, that when they approached that elevator the two men themselves were already in there. It looked like this final journey would be one they'd all be sharing. Marcus' grin grew, and he chuckled as he flipped his gaze away from the barely disguised gritted teeth of Conor and stared up at the ceiling of the lift, light on his feet and hands, practically swinging was Marcus. His attention was caught though by the rhythmic clicking of Syd's lighter, opening and closing repeatedly, whilst an unlit cigarette lay clamped in his teeth. In the tight confines of the lift he could almost smell the tobacco. Marcus couldn't help himself, here they were, a final shot perhaps?

"You'll want to be careful with that," He said nodding at the cigarette. "Will be the death of you. If you want to quit I could recommend you a really good therapist,"

(Interaction: Misty Gray Conor, Gabriel, Pyroclast Syd)

 

[Misty Gray]

Conor Sullivan and Gabriel Moretti
Riccardo Biancardi​

Syd was right about cops being everywhere and that Ricky had intentionally picked the place for the meeting. Still, Ricky hadn't accounted for the face the Morettis and Sullivans would end up stuck in a lift together. The cops wouldn't be able to stop a murder from taking place behind those closed and confined doors! Conor was glad to hear that Syd thought he was making the right choice. He'd expected more resistance from the family and that people would be demanding he gets revenge for those the Morettis have killed or hurt. Hell, even Conor himself a few months ago would have furiously demanded a messy revenge. But now he knew it was time to save his family from further suffering. Vengeance was no good if it meant losing more loved one along the way and thus creating an endless loop of wishing to avenge the latest dead.

The time in the elevator was awkward and uncomfortable for Conor. For Gabriel, the atmosphere could be felt but it seemed to just wash over the man's overly level head, finding amusement in it more than anything. The sound of Syd flicking his lighter was something of an annoyance, but all things considered, Gabriel was willing to leave it be as the irritating Irish rats would be out of New York very soon. Then came Marcus' comment aimed at Syd. A low blow that brought reference to the therapist who had nearly pushed Syd to his death and messed with Conor's head too. Gabriel stifled any laughter and maintained a stern face despite the amusement hidden beneath his cool exterior.

Marcus' remark almost caused Conor to lose his composure and jump to his nephew's defence, but he instead had to lock away the thoughts of beating the living shit out of Marcus and forced himself to try make it to the end of the meeting without spilling blood. Thankfully, the elevator reached the appropriate floor and a 'ding' sounded before the door parted ways to let the four men escape the tin can. It seemed Conor couldn't help himself completely and as the four men exited the elevator into public view, he made a comment of his own for the Morettis to hear. "I wouldn't get too carried away, lads. Don't be throwing any explosive parties in celebration of the deal, eh?" It was a low blow, but Marcus had opened the door to such low blows by bringing up the double-crossing counsellor.

Hearing the joke about his family's massacre struck a nerve inside Gabriel, but a deep breath was enough to keep those wounds tucked away so he could bite his tongue. Gabriel made sure to be the first man to enter the room where Giovanni and Ricky were waiting and he took a seat to Giovanni's side at the round table, letting Conor sit next to Ricky. The younger Biancardi sent his father a glance, surprised to see the four men enter the room together in one piece and not arguing. Perhaps the cops were having a positive affect, or even crazier, maybe the men were growing up. "Here we go," he muttered to his father, expecting Giovanni to get things started. "Welcome, gentlemen," Ricky pleasantly greeted them, giving each of the four men a handshake.


Bellz (Giovanni)
Pyroclast (Syd)
RayPurchase (Marcus)

 

[Bellz]

Giovanni Biancardi ​

Giovanni had been waiting for the moment the Sullivans would break. As he had told Conor prior, he could have avoided a mess of things if he would have just agreed to Moretti's willingness to make a deal in the first place but it seemed the Irish likes to do things the hard way. Much like schoolgirls in grade school, the mob system had an efficient way of gossiping and once news of the job gone wrong in the abandoned subway station graced Giovanni's ears, he knew the Irish would cave. It was sad that another life had to be lost in order for things to be made right but that's how the universe seemed to work these days. Although Gabriel was fairly easy-going in wanting to make a deal with his family, Giovanni was more interested in making a deal with the Sullivans. Though he wouldn't dare say it out loud, he trusted their character more than Morettis. Despite what they were going to lose in New York, the Sullivans would be able to expand in Ireland which opened up new opportunities for trade for Giovanni and his business.

Having already discussed things with Gabriel about how the territories in New York would be divided once the Sullivans left. Giovanni was well aware that the one thing the Sullivans had that both Italian families were after was the Cuban trade. Ricky had oh so graciously been driving Giovanni up a wall with his complaints about having to be stuck in the middle of such a deal but Gio had explained to him on more than one occasion that this was just how business was done. Gio was sure he would get massive headaches from the deal as well but this was what had to be done.

Gio sat still, calmly looking out the long line of windows that revealed the beautiful concrete jungle before them. Ricky shifted next to him and let out a long dramatic groan. Giovanni rolled his eyes at his son, the boy lacked patience which Giovanni had been thinking a lot about lately as the time to write up his will grew closer and closer. The fact that Ricky was his only child was troubling. He loved the boy dearly, but there were things that Gio had apparently failed to teach him. Patience was one of them, he guessed. Ricky broke the silence and Gio turned to him with a raised brow. His son joked about getting as far from this place as possible and although it was clear the man was joking, Gio understood that if his son had the opportunity to not be here, he probably wouldn't be.

"As stubborn as they are, my boy, I have confidence that for both of their family's sakes they will be able to work out an agreement." GIo said with unwavering confidence in his voice. Gabriel hadn't given him a hard time about the potential deal and now the Sullivans were left without any more cards to play. It was time to cash out for the Irish, all the luck they had left was used up and dry. Gio's eyes looked to the clock after a moment and just as he was starting to wonder where the men were the doors opened, Gabriel stepping through first and then Conor and then the rest.

Giovanni let out a soft chuckle, "Well this is pleasantly unexpected. All of you walking in together. I expect this process to be fairly quick and easy then, seeing as you probably got whatever pleasantries you could muster painfully out of the way. Please sit. Nice to see you all again."

Once all the men were seated, Gio leaned back in his chair and placed his hands together on the table. "So, I am sure you lot have plenty to do today. My family is known for their rather speedy business, so I will make this as painless as possible." Reaching for his briefcase, Gio pulled out the copies of the agreement for everyone at the table. Once it was passed out, Gio smiled charmingly at the bunch. "Worry not about the fine print, I have even highlighted it so it's easier to read. No secrecy in this agreement I can assure you. Please take a moment to look everything over, if there is anything that's questionable to you we can discuss and revise here."
with: Gabe & Conor Misty Gray ; Syd Pyroclast ; Marcus RayPurchase

 

[Misty Gray]

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

Maddox Parker and Kerry Patrick
Adam Harper​

Maddox was starting to lose track of how long he'd spent locked away, but in all honesty he'd not made an active effort to keep counting anymore. His days were at least brighter knowing Ani was there with him every day, but he couldn't help but wonder if she regretted her decision. He certainly felt bad that she'd sacrificed her own freedom to be with him in some strange version of limbo. Much time was spent talking about the past or imagining hypothetical futures, because the present offered very little of interest. Kerry's frequent visits across the hallway to see Maddox and Ani did provide some breaks in the day. Helping her talk through things at least put his counselling skills to use and in the helpful, altruistic way he'd lost sight of during his campaign against Syd and Conor, Kerry was still deeply traumatised, but if given the opportunity to have a life, Maddox believed she would overcome the scars of recent weeks.

So far today, Maddox and Ani had been alone in the dull apartment. It was difficult not to feel lethargic each day when there was no motivation or incentive to do anything productive. Productive activities were honestly very limited. Maddox stood by the window and looked down to the ground below. "The guy with the red sports car has blocked the restaurant loading bay again," he informed Ani. "Maybe today's the day the restaurant owner loses it and smashes the car up. I'm sure he came close yesterday," he remarked. On the inside, Maddox was rolling his eyes at the mundane conversation he'd instigated.

Maddox yawned before turning to face Ani. "I bet you're beginning to realise just how much of a real catch I am," he pointed out, flashing a smile. "On the plus side.... um... the rent is free?"

Adam hadn't been in the best of places following the ambush at the train station, which got to him considering he'd always been so good at distancing himself from others and accepting death as a part of the job. Rebel, Jackson, and too many others had been killed that day. Between working every waking hour, Adam had attended almost all of the funerals. Whilst he'd been in touch with Chase and worked jobs with his friend, Adam hadn't done anything in the way of socialising, leaving his friend to spend quality time with Jasmine.

Today, he was to carry out a task Conor had set him the night before. The job was to get rid of the burdens that were Maddox, Ani and Kerry. Adam was aware of the deal that was being made with the Morettis and he was surprisingly on board with it. Usually, he would have demanded the war continue until every Moretti was dead, but Adam knew an Irish victory was by now unlikely. Back in Dublin, the family would be safe and business could get back to normal without having to fight in a war at the same time. Part of the Irish Mob's new start evidently involved dealing with the three traitors in the safehouse.

Adam first went to the room Kerry was in and without explanation demanded she followed him to the apartment Maddox was being kept in. Despite his coldness towards the young woman, Adam by now understand that her fear and traumatisation had left her feeling forced to betray the Sullivans. He just didn't want to outwardly show that and make her think he forgave her completely. Adam didn't knock on the door, simply joining Maddox and Ani in the apartment with Kerry following him inside. Adam motioned for Kerry to stand with Maddox and Ani so he could face all three at once. Adam reached into his back pocket, causing Kerry to hold in her breath in fear of what he was reaching for and what was to come next.

Adam brought his hand into view before tossing three passports down on the coffee table. "Mr. Sullivan wants all three of you gone, and considering you've all crossed the Morettis along the way, I suggest you all quickly fuck off far away from New York." Conor had shown the three traitors mercy and Adam was actually on board with that. He could very easily have been told to give each of them a bullet in the head and he would have executed such a mission without hesitation. However, Adam had come to believe Maddox had turned his back on being a double-crossing snake. Ani had apparently done a number on the creepy East Harlem boss so she'd turned her back on those psychopaths. Kerry was just some innocent kid caught up in a gang war and as much as part of him still blamed her for his colleagues' deaths, he knew she'd faced an impossible decision. "We've got some of your stuff in bags downstairs and I suggest you just get out of this city now. Your car's still in the parking lot," he informed Ani.

Bellz (Ani)

 

[Pyroclast]

Syd Porter

For a moment, Syd thought they might get away with spending the elevator ride in silence. But Marcus had to open his mouth. At first Syd said nothing in response, instead latching his stony eyes onto the young Moretti to read his expression and try to work out what part of him thought that it was a good idea to start off the meeting with a poor dig at Syd’s past. Without dropping his gaze, Syd reached up to pull the cigarette from between his lips and said, “Didn’t know you were so concerned about my health, Marcus. But thanks for the unwarranted advice - I’m sure you know what you’re talkin’ about.”

When the doors of the elevator finally sprung open, releasing them from the confined space, Syd once again allowed the Morettis to make some distance before he followed. Just being close to them was making his skin crawl. He was just drawing in a deep breath when Conor made a jeer of his own and Syd couldn’t hide the breath of laughter as he exhaled. He did his best to cover it afterwards, of course. The last thing he wanted to do was spoil the meeting or risk changing Gabriel’s mind, but they were mortal enemies after all - Syd had never seen anyone make it through a meeting with someone they despised without being cruel to each other in some way, no matter how civil they were supposed to act.

The second they entered the room to join Giovanni and Ricky, Syd couldn’t wait to get the meeting over and done with. It was bad enough having to watch Ricky interact with his children, but doing business with him just made it even harder to like him. Still, he shook the man’s hand, albeit without a smile. “Great spot you picked out here, Rick. Gotta love the smell of bacon…” Before he had even found somewhere to sit, the cigarette he had been itching to smoke was lit, and he made a point of subtly blowing the smoke in Marcus’ direction before taking his seat.

Giovanni was behaving pleasantly enough, but he had exactly the kind of warm smile that made Syd unable to trust him. When the man told them not to worry about the fine print, Syd made a point of going over everything at least twice, scrutinising every line and the meanings between them. Once he was done, he raised his head and took a long look at Gabriel - the man who would be taking their place on the throne. Imagining him staking claim to their territory, their clients and customers. Syd had been over this a dozen times already, however, and had concluded that the part of him that was sad to be leaving was the part that was driven by pride. The part that wished it was Gabriel and Marcus who had been knocked down too many times and whose only option now was to go back to Miami if they wished to be free of the threat that constantly loomed over them. By handing New York over, he would lose his nightclub and a few good friends. But ultimately, while it pained him to give Gabriel what he wanted, Syd knew his heart would always belong in Dublin. As soon as the documents were signed, they would be able to start really looking forward to a life without the Morettis and the East Harlem gang around.

Suspicious as to why Giovanni had so eagerly reminded them that the meeting should be over quickly, Syd set his copy of the accords down and took a quick drag of his cigarette. “You know, we’re actually not in too much of a rush here,” he said, mainly to challenge Giovanni’s authority. “With any luck, this’ll be the last we see of each other for a long time - so let’s not waste it. Has anyone got any more to say about this agreement? Any more insults you’re itching to get off your chest, Marcus?” As he blew out another exhale of smoke, Syd’s eyes landed on the younger Moretti for a while, but his question was really addressed to the whole room. After all, it wasn’t like the meeting could get too out of control with all the cops scurrying around. His leg started to bounce up and down as it often did when he was anxious, but the movement was only slow this time, almost appearing controlled.

Interactions
Misty Gray Gabriel, Conor, Ricky
Bellz Giovanni
RayPurchase Marcus

 

[RayPurchase]

Tony Harris


​

Loose ends, nothing more irritating, that final strand flapping in the wind, everything else neatly tidied away. That's all Alistair was right now. A boss in name only, his men dead and buried, his empire in tatters, his legs crushed and broken. Maybe they could have let him go, let him live out his days as a well off cripple. But that's the thing with loose ends, if you don't tidy them away, there's always that liability you'll trip over them down the line, and they'll cause a whole lot of damage for such a little thing. It was just good business is all. For Tony the East Harlem lot had proven to be ferocious allies, and his time with Steve and Ethan had created something of a bond between them. As such he was glad that he hadn't been the one to have to put a bullet in Steve's head. He would have done it with no questions of course, the man had slipped his tether and gone rogue, he had to be put down, but Tony was just glad that he didn't have to do it. You didn't make many friends in this business, and Steve, even if not a friend, had been through the same fire as Tony, and that left a bond. But Steve was dead now, little left but the memory of the man, and even that would fade with time. In fact the faster that Alistair, the last connection to the East Harlemites, was dealt with, the faster all of it would fade, just a footnote in this particular chapter of the history of New York.

Winter was beginning to slip away now, and Tony on the sidewalk in front of the penthouse, his hands in the pockets of his heavy black coat. He could have done without the coat, it was mild enough to get away with the suit and waistcoat underneath it, but the bulky jacket wasn't a fashion statement, instead it concealed a few of the tools that he would be needing this morning. For the best part of 2 hours he'd been staking the place out, and he'd come to the conclusion that Alastair wasn't quite being cautious enough, but then again given the time he'd been in hospital, maybe he had no idea about the Moretti anger heading his way. From their coming and goings on the shift change that morning there were 2, possibly 3 guards inside. Other than that it was one nurse who had arrived, and of course Alistair. Subterfuge had its merits, give him a week of planning and he could have been in and out with no one knowing at all. But Tony didn't have the time, he knew that right now the boss and his son were sitting down with the Irish and their Bianncardi middle men. He'd voiced exactly how he'd felt about it, they had the Irish on the ropes, why let up now when they could have the whole city to themselves? But he'd been told to wait and see what comes of it, no promises made, but Tony wasn't an idiot. He had seen what the scare with Valentina had done, it had driven that killer instinct out of Gabe. Where there had only be conviction, now there was an element of fear. Tony would make sure to rekindle it though, this would be no peace, it would be a truce at best. Gabe just needed the right people whispering in his ear. But now it was back to the task at hand.

It was all about confidence. Confidence could open doors and create opportunities that no amount of planning could if backed by a shaky disposition. Strolling into the lobby of the apartment building with the air of a man who had walked its corridors numerous times. There were no guards down here, just the concierge for the entire building. Now here Tony was taking a calculated guess. Under that desk was most likely some sort of alarm, whether it went to the penthouse or the police Tony wasn't interested in finding out. The man would be well paid enough to stop anyone from going up, but also well paid enough to keep his mouth shut and go along with East Harlem business. And everything now hinged on Steve's body still being dead and buried. Still striding towards the internal lift, he barely turned his head to speak to the man.

"Steve for Alistair, tell him it's urgent, concerning the Morettis,"

And with that he stopped in front of the lift doors. Now came the moment of truth. If the concierge knew enough faces then Tony was rumbled and this was going to turn into a full blow fire fight. But if he just knew the names, or if orders had been left. Then that would be enough. He could hear a telephone conversation going on, Steve's name being dropped and then a silence that lasted mere moments but felt like hours. It was shattered by the ringing of the lift bell and the doors sliding open. He could only suppress a grin. As soon as the doors closed again he reached inside his jacket removing the Beretta from the armpit holster, at the same time removing the silencer from his other pocket and methodically screwing it into place. Silencer was something of a misnomer, it would still make enough noise that Alistair would most likely hear the muffled gunshot from the Penthouse once he emerged from the lift. But none of the other residents would hear a thing, and that was enough. Tony had just racked the slide the doors opened and he was confronted by two guards. They were most likely armed, but neither had withdrawn their weapon. And why would they? It was Steve they were expecting to see. Tony could see it in their eyes, the momentary confusion as they stared at him, that moment between your eyes seeing and your brain working out what it meant. The realisation came soon enough however once they saw the gun clamped in the hand rising to meet them. With two pulls of the trigger they had crumpled to the floor, a fine red mist plastering the walls of the corridor. Sweeping out of the lift, gun raised and extended, Tony stepped over the guards and entered the penthouse itself.

(Interaction: Pyroclast Alistair)

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Aliana Cartwright-Sullivan

“Oh, don’t you worry. I have a plan for that.” Ali gave a wink to Sinead, a mischievous grin on her face. She had plans on how she was going to get her way with the house they lived in once they were home. Granted, she’d let him have some say so in what features their home had but ultimately the decision was sure to lie with Aliana herself.

Walking with Lucy to the garden, she gave her back a reassuring rub before smiling at her. “You got this, mama bear. We’ll help you.” Once they reached the flowers, Ali did her best not to get dirty. Somehow she just knew Leo would give her a talking to just as she always had and she didn’t want to deal with that. Sinead mentioned the pink flowers again, which made Ali look immediately to Lucy. She knew the woman was against them and had planned everything to a T, meaning no pink flowers. She took a pair of cutters from her and squatted down to the ground in front of a row of sunflowers. They were a beautiful addition to the home and she felt bad having to cut them up. As sad as it was they had to go, the bouquet they would have later was going to be worth it.

Ali moved to carefully assist in the massacre of the sunflowers, making small talk as she did. “Oh no, you have a lot on your hands today. There are plenty of little monsters running around. Plus, when the boys come back we have our personal servants back.” She joked, handing a flower to Sinead. “Really, if there’s anything else you need us to help you with, don’t hesitate. You’ve been running around like mad.” Ali had to give her sister props for handling everything as well as she had. Not just with today but over the past years she had taken care of basically everything with nothing but a smile on her face. How she handled the stress of everything she never understood, but she sure did appreciate having her around.

​

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Teddy Wycliff

Teddy let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding when she expressed her excitement about ice skating. It hadn’t occurred to him that her arm hadn’t been fully healed until she mentioned it. Internally he would berate himself, but on the outside he had to play it off. “Well, what if I told you this is all apart of my plan to get closer to you?” He joked. “Cramp my style? You could never do that, kid. If anything I’d think an old man like me would cramp yours.” He wasn’t that old, but he definitely did feel like he was. The gray hairs on his head and face were evidence of that, though he had been blaming that on stress.

Once Valentina opted for adult juice, he nodded his head and went towards the cabinet to grab two glasses. “Adult juice it is.” While he worked on mixing up some mimosas, he couldn’t help but smile at her compliments. It was the first time he had done something like this for anyone and he was glad she was his first. In fact, he was looking forward to all the firsts he would have with her. “Why thank you. I won’t tell you how many times your mother slapped me while teaching how to make a poached egg. Such a simple yet painful process.” He shuddered at the thought and rubbed the back of his head where Elvian had smacked him. Pushing the thought aside he slid her glass in front of her and positioned himself on the other side of the counter so they were facing each other.

He listened intently as she mentioned the night with Steve, the event solidifying his role in the Moretti family. It was his second killing and while he wasn’t happy about getting blood on his hands again, he knew and understood that it was necessary. “Well first things first. It’s not assuming you get a second date because that’s already been decided. I’m going to take you out on dates until you fall hopelessly in love with me.” He winked at her before raising his cup to his lips to take a sip before addressing her other concerns. “Second. You don’t have to apologize, Tin, because it’s my job. I had a lot of atoning to do for betraying the family. It doesn’t matter how you look at it, I made a selfish decision that day and had to pay for it and I’m glad it was with Steve’s life and not mine. However, even if that circumstance had never existed I still would have killed him for you based off the simple fact that it’s you.”



​

 

[Pyroclast]

Alistair Sawyer

The nurse hovered over him, holding the telephone to his ear so he could still smoke his cigar. Hearing Steve’s name, Alistair was immediately suspicious. Steve hadn’t been in touch with him for three weeks now, which wasn’t like him. Alistair knew it wasn’t wise to trust a drug addict, but Steve had proven himself to be an exception - he always got the job done, and while he wasn’t the most attentive man in the world, Alistair trusted him to get in contact with him when asked. Given his recent promotion in the wake of Ethan’s sudden death, Alistair expected him to give daily updates on the work and he knew that Steve had understood that. So, when he disappeared, Alistair could only believe that he had finally been caught. “Send him up,” he instructed the concierge after a long pause, and then nodded at the nurse to hang up the phone. She didn’t understand that anything was wrong until she saw Alistair’s face, and then her smile disappeared completely. The room fell silent for a second before Alistair cleared his throat.

“Melissa, will you go into the cabinet there and get the revolver for me?” he asked.

“The - the what?” she stammered. “Mr. Sawyer, if there’s a man comin’ upstairs, shouldn’t I put some clothes -”

“The revolver, now!” Alistair snapped his fingers impatiently as he tried to wheel himself to be in line with the door.

“D-do I have to load it? How do I know if it’s loaded already?” The nurse’s voice was rising in panic as she fumbled with the gun, but Alistair’s eyes were fixed firmly on the door ahead. Before he could answer her, two gunshots rang out from the hallway and Melissa screamed. “Wh-who are you, Mr. Sawyer?!” she cried. “What’s -”

“You shouldn’t be here, alright? Just get the fuck out,” he barked. Even without looking, he sensed her hesitation - frozen with fear, perhaps also unwilling to leave her patient.

Before she could think to move, the door burst open, eliciting another scream from Melissa, and she instantly pointed the gun at the man’s face.

“Tony,” Alistair calmly addressed him as he raised his hand in the air, the cigar still wedged between his fingers. Keeping his eyes on the man before him, he tilted his head towards the woman in her underwear. “This is my nurse, Melissa,” he said, keeping his voice low and steady to ease the tension in the air. “I’d appreciate it if you let her leave before you and I move onto business. Through the fire escape, which is down the hall and to the right.”

“I got your gun, Mr. Sawyer,” she reminded him, in a tearful voice.

“Leave it. Just shut up and get out.”

He heard the gun be placed down on a hard surface and then a hurried shuffling as Melissa grabbed what clothes she could find. “I’m gonna get you help, Mr. Sawyer, I promise,” she cried as she tottered down the hall.

“What’s the deal, then, Tony?” Alistair asked, although he knew exactly what the man was here for. He took a long draw from his cigar before adding, “You should know I don’t take home appointments.”

Interactions
RayPurchase Tony

 

[Misty Gray]

Conor Sullivan and Gabriel Moretti
Riccardo Biancardi​

Ricky often sensed when he wasn't behaving how his father would prefer him to. Whilst it was a million miles away from the secret abusive punishments he'd suffered during his teenage years as an apparent result of him being an insolent youth, it was still easy to sense even the subtle cues that he's actions weren't impressing his father. Ricky knew he had to be serious and when it was called for, he would be on his best behaviour. The arrival of the Morettis and Sullivans was his cue to be professional. Syd's general hostility towards him threatened that from the onset, but Ricky didn't react. After Syd had killed Stefano and had physically harmed Roxie, even if during his sleep, Ricky couldn't help but think he was the one who should be hostile to Porter, not the other way around. He remained open-minded as a whole about the Irish Mob, though. Their hearts seemed to be in the right place, whilst the Morettis were far more ruthless. If this was personal, Ricky would be on the side of the Sullivans, but it was business, so he knew he had to look at it from the more profitable and workable perspective. Those benefits would only be achieved with the Morettis running New York, even if Gabriel did unsettle him. Ricky let out a short laugh at Syd's comments about him picking a place surrounded by cops, but he stopped himself from making any remarks in return. There was enough conflict between the Sullivans and Morettis without joining in.

Gabriel listened as Giovanni spoke, telling them the process would be quick and painless. For a man who had taken New York from the Irish through patience and the inflicting of a lot of pain, the idea of the final step being so easy seemed quite alien. Gabriel still wasn't sure about Ricky, but perhaps with a few more years and more experience, he'd become a worthy business ally. Thankfully, he had more faith in Giovanni and that was why he was going into business with the Biancardis. Gabriel took his copy of the contract and raised a curious eyebrow when Giovanni said not to worry about the fine print. It could be his own wife asking him to sign a birthday card and Gabriel would still read every word for himself. Given the importance of the paperwork he intended to sign now, Gabriel was going to read every bit of what was written. If even one word was out of place, he would notice. The man set about reading the paperwork and though he was taking in the words being spoken at the table, he wasn't going to let the others distract him.

Conor read through the papers in front of him. Nothing he read was a surprise and none of it was different to the agreement he'd tirelessly gone over with Mitch. As far as he was concerned, it was all as they'd discussed and ready for him to sign. Yet, as his hand gripped the pen, he wasn't making any effort to have the ink touch the paper. He looked to his nephew as the younger man opened the room up for questions and seemed to be baiting Marcus into more exchanging of words. Even that wasn't enough to distract Conor from what was really going on in his head. It was the same thing that had filled his thoughts for weeks now. Imagining killing Gabriel Moretti. Sure, there were cops outside the room, but if he was quick and creative he could slaughter the Italian Boss before they had time to swarm in. But then what? He'd end up back in prison, but worse than that, his family would still be left fighting for their lives in New York and no doubt Marcus would jump into Gabriel's place. The only way to stop the war and to prevent more lives from being lost was to sign the contract. He let out a sigh but still didn't move the pen any closer to the paper. Instead, he fixed his eyes on Gabriel long enough for the man to finish reading and return his stare.

"Well, I don't have anything to add about the agreement," Gabriel confidently spoke, in answer to Syd's question. "This is the best outcome for everyone. This city will finally be able to prosper and live up to its full potential." He shifted his focus back to Conor, barely hiding the small smirk from his lips. "New York will finally be cleansed of its vermin problem and those filled with rotten intentions will not be permitted to gnaw at the city's soul."

"That's rich coming from a man who aligned himself with East Harlem," Conor snapped back, now placing the pen down flat on the table, having still not signed the contract.

"I never intended to reach my goal the clean and ethical way - not with your family involved. East Harlem served its purpose and now all of those freaks have been taken out of the equation. New York will thrive. I believe Dublin will thrive too, with your family ensuring its full potential is explored. That's why I think all of us can benefit from this business arrangement." Gabriel let out a sigh and shook his head. Without hesitation, he signed the contract in front of him, having no problem with the agreement. "This is the best outcome your family will ever get. By all means, tear it up and throw away the last chance I will give you," he said, directing his attention to Conor and Syd. "Your family will be leaving New York, either on a plane or in body bags. I can do this either way. The choice is yours," he said, pointing to each of the contracts in from of Conor and Syd.


RayPurchase (Marcus)
Bellz (Giovanni)
Pyroclast (Syd)

 

[Misty Gray]

Valentina Moretti​

Valentina found it funny that her mother had been teaching Teddy to cook, but she generally found it amusing how the older woman bossed him around. Valentina was a good cook herself, her slip up with the pie had been more the fact that her sleep deprivation had caused her to nod off whilst the dessert was happily baking away in the oven. She wasn't going to tell Teddy that though as it would risk getting into a mood-killing conversation about her trouble sleeping. It was more fun to joke about the fact she burnt the pie just has Teddy had ruined the bread he'd made.

Valentina took a sip of the mimosa as she listened to Teddy, her smirk hidden behind the glass as she kept the drink held to her mouth. When she placed the drink down on the counter, she was still smiling. "I intend on turning up to every date, in that case. Let's see how many it takes before I apparently inevitably fall in love with you," she sarcastically remarked. Despite the momentary return of the sarcastic Valentina he was more familiar with, it seemed entirely possible to her that she could fall in love with him. She'd been attracted to him for longer than she ever admitted to anyone and she'd already started to fall for him. She suspected if circumstances were less complicated and raw, that journey to love would happen much quicker. "And you're not even old, Teddy. I like to call it 'mature' and if you're concerned about those little grey hairs, you can just dye them. But who knows, maybe you'll turn into an irresistible silver fox! A few more years working with my father is sure to speed up that process!"

Valentina's expression fell serious when Teddy responded to her point about Steve. "It's weird, because you killing Steve isn't romantic like some fairy tale with a knight in shining armour slaying the demon and winning the girl's heart. But I still appreciate you saying that. In some weird way, it makes me feel good knowing you would do that for me." She shrugged her shoulders, not wanting to dwell on trying to decipher her still clouded mind. It would all make sense one day, she was sure. She reached her hand forward to grasp Teddy's over the counter, gently stroking his skin with her thumb. "You shouldn't say that you made a selfish decision. I don't care what Papa or anyone else says, your life is worth way more than than money and drugs. It really pisses me off that anyone would make you feel bad for choosing to live over that. I know how business works, but I don't care. You were one of the family long before that night and they shouldn't have been so cold. I for one am glad you chose to live. I'm not saying I couldn't get through this shit I've been through without you, but you're certainly helping. You're reminding me that not all men are scum... Just most of them," she remarked.

Melanin-Gxdess (Teddy)

 

[Bellz]

Ani Sarraf ​

Ani was honestly surprised that she was still sane at this point in time. The days blended together into weeks and Ani wasn't sure how long she'd been locked away with Maddox for now but it seemed to be nothing short of a lifetime, almost. Despite being locked away, Ani was extremely happy that she could be with the man she loved, and every day she got to see his handsome face was a treat and a blessing for her. When things were a little slow between the two of them, Kerry always was a welcomed addition to the apartment. Ani was very interested in the young woman's wellbeing, as she had been through so much, and listening to Maddox help her through her problems made Ani feel reassured that she would get through it all.

Ani sat on the old couch while Maddox stood looking out the window. Her lips twitched softly as he informed her that the guy with the red sports car was once again blocking the restaurant loading bay down below. He said that maybe today was the day the owner would finally lose it. "He does seem to possess an immense amount of patience to have allowed that man to park there more than once." Ani commented. Maddox yawned before turning to face her saying that he was betting that she was beginning to realize how much of a real catch he was. Ani giggled sweetly and reached out for the man to join her on the sofa. "Now, Dr. Parker, if I didn't think you were a catch I wouldn't have volunteered to have myself locked away with you. I don't do that for just anyone, you know?" She murmured.

Once he was seated, Ani wrapped her arms around him tightly and planted a kiss on his lips gently. Before she could say anything more, the door burst open and revealed Adam with Kerry in tow. Ani moved to a standing position quickly as the man demanded, Kerry, moving to stand beside Maddox and her. Ani's heart began to thump wildly in her chest wondering what it was that Adam was going to say.

He hastily informed them that Conor wanted the three of them gone and considering they all crossed Moretti, he suggested they quickly get away from New York. It became immediately apparent to Ani that they were being released and the woman nodded her head firmly in agreement with what Adam was saying. He told them that some of their stuff was in bags downstairs and once again suggested getting out of the city immediately before telling Ani that her car was still in the parking lot.

Ani looked to Maddox and Kerry before looking at Adam. "We'll leave immediately." She said on behalf of all of them before moving to grab what little stuff she had in her possession in the actual apartment. Once everyone had everything they needed, they moved out of the apartment without looking back and headed downstairs. Once they received their stuff, they were directed toward's Ani's car in the parking lot and she was given the keys. Praying she had enough fuel in her car, Ani directed Kerry and Maddox to get in before starting the car quickly. Looking at the fuel gauge, she was relieved to find that the tank was almost full.

Looking to Maddox, Ani wondered where it was they should go. Anywhere out of New York was the obvious answer and they had talked briefly about where they would head if they were let go but Ani wanted to confirm with him. "Where to, love?" She asked gently.
with: Maddox & Kerry Misty Gray (F R E E D O M)

 

[Misty Gray]

George Sanderson
​

George let out a sheepish laugh and blushed when Finn said he was the lucky one to be marrying George. "I would say it's you who deserves the world, Dr. Sullivan," he assured him. He smiled along as his husband-to-be spoke of how Lucy was rushing around to sort the wedding. "Ah, your cousin is practically a super-woman, though I'm sure no reassurance from anyone will get her to calm down. I think she has an innate need for perfection and I suppose the best we can do now is fully appreciate the masterpiece she's created. I'm just glad she's been here to help us. Apparently we're far too laid back for all of this wedding-planning," he joked.

"My feet are very much warm and fixed right here with you. I won't be doing any running away. I'm pretty nervous about having all eyes on us, but I will get through that because it means I'll be married to you, love," he firmly told him before placing a kiss on his lips. "You know me, Finn. I'm not used to a big fuss. Everything I've been through since we met has been truly special and I appreciate every moment of it." Before meeting Finn, George had been in prison for ten years and he had very low expectations for his life once released. His life since meeting Finn hadn't just gone beyond his expectations, but every day felt exceptionally special to him. "But, if the ladies want to spoil us, who am I to refuse it? I'll just try not to awkwardly stutter my way through the day."

When asked about his own family, George's smile dropped but he soon shrugged it off. "I'm glad they're not here. They had their chances to accept me for who I am but they rejected me. Even when Dad died, Mum and my siblings still didn't make an effort to reach out to me. I'm happier without them. Your family, I mean my family now, is all the family I need. I'm glad they've accepted me, because they're a real easy family to love," he said of the Sullivans.

Bellz (Finn)

Sinead Callahan and James Porter​

Sinead had let out a small sigh when Lucy once again refused any pink flowers, but she soon moved on seeing as yellow was a pretty and happy colour in itself. "Ohhh, it's going to be a gorgeous ceremony," she echoed her sister's words. She hummed a melody along to herself as Lucy and Aliana got to work on cutting some flowers to use. As she was handed each one, she delicately placed them into a basket. Each time a flower was beheaded, she pulled an exaggerated cringing expression, expecting Lucy wasn't overly comfortable on slaughtering the flowerbeds either.

Sinead listened as Aliana assured Lucy she was fine and declined help from the already busy blonde. "Hmm. Well my personal slave is around here somewhere, so if I need anything, he can oblige," she said of Peter. In reality, her husband had been the best and fully supportive, so she was just mentioning him to reassure Lucy she didn't need to help her too. "And you know all of that sugar is getting eaten today. The kids had better get out of my way because I'm all about the chocolate right now," she said with a playful laugh.

The three women heard footsteps approaching from behind as James joined them outside. He knew all about the colour scheme for the wedding. He knew just about everything about the wedding ceremony having listened to Lucy fretting over it all in the run up to the big day. Still, as he watched the women picking flowers to compensate for the useless florist, he couldn't help himself and made his comment. "Hey, what about those ones over there? They would look really good with the other colours you've got going on," he addressed the three women and specifically pointed to some pink flowers planted nearby.

"I know, right?!" Sinead excitedly agreed before the penny soon dropped that her brother-in-law was joking with them. She playfully slapped him on the arm before handing him the filled basket to hold. "For that, you've got to help us now!" she berated him before picking up another empty basket.

"I'm just glad the guards are looking after the dogs today. If Bruno could see you now, Luce. After all of those telling offs he had and now you're out here wrecking the flowers yourself," he continued to tease his wife.

Bellz (Lucy) Melanin-Gxdess (Aliana)

 

[RayPurchase]

Marcus Moretti

​

Well that certainly had the intended effect. Yes Syd had kept his poise, but he could feel the resentment simmering below the surface. If these long months had taught anything it was that Syd was a loose canon, never truly in charge of himself. Marcus wondered if he would ever truly be trusted again? He'd already been passed over for leadership with the old man stepping down, instead Conor assuming his place. The man would destroy himself, Marcus was sure of that, it would just be a case of the right people pushing the right buttons, a nudge here and there, Maddox had already proven that it would work, even if he hadn't had the balls to finish the process himself. It was just a question of how many people Syd would take down with him when it finally happened. Still it was a relief when those doors opened without an incident occuring, whilst Marcus was happy to jab some elbows in some ribs, he didn't want to be the one to cause everything to collapse, not yet anyway. Though Conor's comment came close, it clearly generated a similar response from his father. 5 of them, that's all that was left, where before the Morettis had numbered in the multitude, all gone now. And yet they'd still won New York back hadn't they? Still Marcus found it in him to let out a chuckle as Syd blew a cloud of cigarette smoke his way, momentarily shrouding his face.

"Cheap as shit brand I see,"

He muttered through a sardonic grin, just loud enough for Syd to hear as they drifted apart. The Biancardis were here now to keep everyone civil, no more self policing. They had as much to gain as anyone else, they were to be the middlemen, kings of half of New York, at least in name. Whilst it rankled Marcus that the Irish would still have a semblance of control over the city, at least it would be a good Italian name on the official deeds. He exchanged handshakes with the pair of them before taking his seat next to his father, lifting up the document and proceeding to flip through it. There was no need of course he had read it countless times now, but it was a useful prop, as Giovanni played his part of the host, getting the formalities out of the way. Still it looked like Syd hadn't forgotten his little comment. Leaning back in his chair Marcus gave a rolling shrug of his shoulders.

"Any more insults? Not sure what you mean Syd, just enquiring into your good health. Besides I don't want you to miss the ferry back home, seats in the steerage like your forebearers? Don't want you to miss a nice reunion with the family there. Just make sure to say hello to the old country for me,"

Marcus' smile slipped from his face however as his father spoke. Gabe was right, this was more than a peace offering, this was a chance of survival for the Irish. The war wasn't won, not by a longshot, but the tide had been turning for a while. The Morettis would win, one way or another, their numbers most likely even fewer than the 5 who remained, but one of them would be left standing, and the Irish would be nothing but a name on the wind. And Marcus would get into bed with anyone, people who made the East Harlem gang look like peace loving hippies in order to achieve this. They just had to accept this fact. Insults stung, but the truth, that cut far far deeper.

"If you're looking for an apology you're not going to get it. Just like I'm not expecting an apology for the Moretti blood you spilt all those years ago, when you burnt down our family tree until only our branch remained. This is business, we can try and dress it up any other way, vendettas or revenge, some noble cause. But it's all money at the end of the day, it's pride that gets in the way and makes you hang in until you're left with empty pockets wishing you'd sold weeks ago. Do the smart thing and sign, you all go back to Dublin and get to live some sort of life. Exile yes, but still a home. New York is ours now, and behind all the bluster I think you both know that too,"

(Interaction: Bellz Gionvanni, Misty Gray Conor, Gabriel, Ricci, Pyroclast Syd)

 

[RayPurchase]

Tony Harris
​

No bullet met him as he turned that corner into the penthouse proper, which was the best kind of welcome that he could receive. There was a scream from the nurse, but as for Alistair there was only cool recognition. He'd known. Of course he had, Tony could see it in his eyes, no surprise or fear, just acceptance. Tony should have shot the nurse really, no one left behind, no mess. But he owed Alistair something, and it was a small favour. Despite the promise of help, nothing would arrive in time, and Alistair knew that too. Tony lowered his handgun a little, the barrel aiming just below his feet.

Tony let out a deep sigh and shook his head. "I think we both know the deal Alistair. I knew that the second I walked in, you knew that Steve wasn't going to be the one walking through those doors. I let the girl out because I liked you boys, we had a fucking connection there, so all this it's just business, but you know how it's going to end,"

The East Harlem Crew had been the dogs of war that they had needed, Steve, Ethan, Luke, they had all been good men, the sort of bloody handed men needed to get the job done. The sort of men who could have seen this thing through to the end. Tony knew that a few miles from where he was peace was being signed. Peace, when full unconditional victory should have been theirs. Harlem had both nearly won it and then nearly lost it for them. If they'd just held it together for a few more months.

"Why the fuck did you do it Alistair? You knew what Steve's plan was and let it play out, you could have stopped it and think of what we could have achieved here. No need for any of this shit, and we could be crushing those Irish fuckers." Tony's hand was shaking slightly as he spoke to Alistair, his voice beginning to rise. "Tell me, you owe me that much, why the fuck did you do it?"

(Interaction: Pyroclast Alistair)

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Teddy Wycliff

Once he heard her sarcastic tone, he let out a playful gasp. It was nice to see a glimpse of the old Valentina come out, even if it were just for a moment. “So you want to fall in love with me then?” He teased, nodding his head. “I knew it. Well, with this information I’ll make sure to just keep taking you out on dates.” His hand moved to his beard, absentmindedly rubbing the pepper colored strands in thought. The only reason he even kept the thing was because she said it was nice. Had he even seen a strand of hair in the past it would have been cut clean off. But he had grown very attached to it, giving both his hair and beard their own routines in the morning and at night. Granted some woman didn’t like him with the beard but his girlfriend did and that’s all that matter at the moment. “A silver fox you say? Think I’ll keep the grays then. Besides, beats spending money covering up grays you and your father give me anyway.” He ran a hand through his hair just as absentmindedly as he had his beard.

The thought of the meeting his boss and Marcus were at sat on his mind, thinking he should have offered to tag along in case things went left. Granted, that was the version of Teddy who thought he was now comfortable with taking a life if need be. If he were being honest, he would rather not but knew that if it were asked of him he would. Gabe made it clear that he no longer had to prove himself, but did have to prove his adoration for his daughter. So why did he still feel like he had to do things that made him uncomfortable for his boss? Whatever the reason he was trying not to dwell on it since he was currently on a date. There would be plenty of time for self-loathing later. Hearing that she didn’t find what he did romantic in a sense made him nod his head. “That doesn’t mean go causing trouble. I’ll do what needs to be done if you’re hurt but you, little lady, will pay for it.” He hid his smirk behind his glass again, getting rid of the orange liquid inside before putting it into the sink. Feeling her hand on his he looked at her, a serious look soon settling on his face.

Teddy thought about that day a lot, though he didn’t show it to those around him. It wasn’t the first time he had been kidnapped and beaten, but it was the first time he wanted to be alive. At the time he had a crush on Valentina, but it often found it hard to believe that a small crush was the reason he wanted to be alive. He glanced down for a moment before looking back up and smiling at her. There was a brief pause before he slowly made his way to her side of the counter. “You’re just a softie.” He joked, leaning against the counter. “It comes with the job, that much I know and understand. None of that matters anymore, though. However, I am glad you saw me as family along with the rest of the Moretti bunch. Kind of sucked not having any siblings to grow up with, though I’m glad I didn’t. I already have to look after you.”



​

 

[Pyroclast]

Syd Porter

From the way Marcus spoke about his family, Syd could only imagine that it was purely an effort to wind him up. Where class was concerned, Syd didn’t believe the Morettis had any sort of high ground; it was true that many of the Irish mobsters had risen from nothing, but after decades of business expansion, money was the last thing they were short of. The point was to see how low Marcus would go when given the opportunity to freely insult them, and Syd, while not impressed, was surprised that wealth was what he went for. Cheap cigarettes and seats in the steerage? He had at least expected something true.

Even with his short temper and fired-up nerves, Syd found it easy enough to brush off Marcus’ attempts to aggravate him. A bit of back and forth between the two younger men didn’t seem too serious - they might even be able to throw a few fists and still wave it off. But Gabriel and Conor had the power to reignite the war. So it was when Gabriel spoke up that he felt the tension in the air thicken. The man always spoke with poise and in such civil sit-downs as this it was often only his words that gave away his malicious nature, the rest concealed by a polite, gentlemanly air. Of course, that was only so that he could claim the upper hand if he or Conor lost their composure, and unfortunately he knew that the two of them had a reputation for doing just that. Syd glanced down to the table as Conor set his pen down, noticing that he had still not signed the agreement. Doubt crept into his mind as he wondered if the outcome of this meeting might change.

After Gabriel had finished making his last threats, Marcus spoke up once again while their side still had the floor. At first Syd scoffed at his talk of apologies - to him, that wasn’t part of their business and never had been - but was silenced by what the man said next. There seemed to be a distinct difference in perspective between the Morettis and the Irish. Syd wasn’t exactly interested in being rich, but maybe it had just been too long since he had had nothing and he now took for granted the privilege their wealth had brought them. Even so, it wasn’t money that inspired him in the business like Marcus had insisted. On the face of it, it had become a race against rival gangs - money brought power, power brought protection, and protection meant that his family and businesses could be safe. But on a deeper level, it wasn’t about money, power or protection; it was about challenging the system that had failed so many, by building an empire outside of the law. If James and Lucy hadn’t adopted him all those years ago, Syd was sure he would never have found such success. He had direction, family, support, love, freedom, a purpose, and it was the mob that had built that structure for him. Perhaps that was what Marcus was missing; he had never had to live with that question of, what if?

“Will you give us a minute?” he said to Giovanni suddenly, putting out his cigarette as he got to his feet. He put a hand on Conor’s shoulder, encouraging the man to follow him as he strolled out of the door.

Keeping an eye on their surroundings in case any cops might wander near, Syd kept his voice low and said, “You alright in there?” he asked, keeping his voice low. “You put your pen down. You’re not having second thoughts, are you?” If he were being honest, there was still a part of him that hoped his uncle would change his mind, but at this stage, it was mostly just his stubbornness and the fact that the Morettis were clearly trying to provoke them. “That fucking gobshite Marcus is trying to make it all sound like they’re making the decision for us, like they’re in control of us of something. But they’re not. They’re both just fucking with us. Seriously, I’m about ready to just fucking bash their heads in now -” Syd’s eyes nervously scanned the corridor once again and he lowered his voice further before continuing. “But at the end of the day, this is what we wanted, isn’t it? We sign this stupid agreement, we all get to go home. New York is bigger than Dublin, sure, but we’re the ones that make that Irish city so powerful. Forget everything they said to wind us up - this is all up to us.” Syd folded his arms around his chest as he looked his uncle in the eye. “So, what do you wanna do?”

Misty Gray Conor, Gabriel, Ricky
RayPurchase Marcus
Bellz Giovanni

 

[Misty Gray]

Conor Sullivan and Gabriel Moretti
Riccardo Biancardi​

Ricky remained quiet as he watched the Morettis and Sullivans doing what they felt compelled to do. There were words being throw around that were founded on deep-rooted history and sensitivity between both parties. Faces on one side clearly frustrated whilst those on the other reflecting a proud kind of smugness. Despite all of that, Ricky was at least grateful there wasn't violence or a hint that things were about to erupt into some kind of physical fight. Hopefully they'd have it out of their systems soon. Whilst Gabriel's ultimatum of signing the contract or suffering more pain was intended to encourage Conor to sign the contract, Ricky couldn't help that think it would have the opposite effect. In Conor's shoes, Ricky would probably feel inclined to rebel against the Morettis too, but surely even the Sullivans knew this was the best way out of their losing battle.

Gabriel had sat back and listened to the exchanging of words between Marcus and Syd. Whilst it wasn't doing anything to get the deal secured, he was inclined to observe the exchange. Sure, he was revelling in hearing his son speaking up, but he was also keen to hear more of what Syd had to say. It was a trait of Gabriel's to let people keep talking, especially in highly tense situations, for it was often in such moments that the speaker would say too much. The more they said, the more he had to work with and decipher for subtleties that could be used to his own advantage. By this point, however, there wasn't much left he needed to learn about the Irish Mob. Despite being a patient man, even Gabriel couldn't help but roll his eyes when Syd and Conor stepped out of the room. He tuned to look at the men still seated. "They're a bit slow to catch on. I used to think it was my strong accent that caused confusion, but the contract is written in English..." he remarked to Giovanni in a dry manner.

Conor reluctantly followed Syd out of the room, only offering an apology to the two Biancardi men. Like Syd, Conor also looked around once outside the room, to make sure no nosey cops were nearby. He quickly nodded his head when asked if he was alright, but the frustration was evident in his face and through his restless fidgeting. He briefly bit down on his bottom lip before shaking his head. "It all makes sense. It's even a good deal... Those smug motherfuckers are just making it hard to want to sign, you know? It's the best deal we'll get but they've got more to gain and that's what's messed up about this." He let out a big sigh, realising Syd was struggling for the same reasons, with Marcus having been winding him up. "Ah mate, all I want to do is kill the pair of them, but we can't. Like you say, we get to go home to Dublin and our family stays safe. Your kids and my kids get a calmer life away from this Hellhole. This city has no soul and neither do those Moretti pricks. They'll get what they deserve one day." Conor flashed a small smile to Syd when asked what he was going to do. "I'm going to sign the contract and then we've got a wedding to go to."

Conor returned to the meeting room, his towering height made more evident as he walked tall. He returned to his place at the table but didn't sit down, instead leaning over and briefly flicking through the page to make sure nothing was missing. He then took the pen and scribbled his signature on the contract. After he and the others signed off any other relevant paperwork, Conor smoothed out his jacket before moving on to shake Giovanni's hand and then Ricky's. "I look forward to doing business with you and please accept my condolences that you will be stuck doing business with Count-fucking-Dracula."

Conor took his copies of the paperwork and left the room with Syd. Ricky then excused himself from the room before rushing after the two Irishmen. "Wait a minute," he called to them and took them to once side to quietly address them. "You've made the right decision, for your family's sake. I know enough about what the Morettis have already done and I'm certain it was going to get much worse for your family." Ricky took in a deep breath before focusing his attention to Syd. "What I really want to say is... look after Roxie and the girls, please? It's a huge weight off knowing they're not going to be stuck in the middle of this war any longer," he sincerely told them. Ricky didn't stick around for long before returning to the office where his father, Gabriel and Marcus were. Closing the door behind himself, he then returned to his place at the table.


Bellz (Giovanni)
Pyroclast (Syd)
RayPurchase (Marcus)

 

[Bellz]

The Sullivan/Sanderson Wedding

​

After the arrival of Conor and Syd, everything was in place and ready to go for Finn Sullivan and George Sanderson to get hitched. The ceremony was absolute perfection as to be expected and the pair sealed the deal with their first kiss earning a roar of applause and cheers from their closest family and friends.

Finn was all smiles as his family cheered, finally he had done it. After years and years of heartbreak and failed relationships, Finn had managed to find the man of his dreams. After they shared their first kiss as a married couple, Finn had nothing but eyes for George as he watched him look out into the crowd of people. Soon the wedding march began to play once more and Finn squeezed George's hand before leading him back down the aisle, making sure to thank his cousins for making this day so special to both himself and George on the way. Everyone followed behind the couple back into the house where the after-party would be taking place.

Lucy bustled around quickly making sure the music was playing before hurrying to set all the food out on the appropriate tables. The bar was being tended by bartenders she had hired for previous events so there was nothing else she needed to worry about except one thing. She had also hired a few waiters to serve champagne to everyone so she didn't have to run around doing it herself. Once everyone was situated in the main area with a glass of champagne in their hand, Lucy turned down the music and cleared her throat.

"I hope Finn and George don't mind, but I thought I could say a few words about the pair." Looking to Finn, the man gestured happily for her to continue. "Finn, I don't think any of us can put into exact words how grateful we are to have you be apart of this family. You had a rough go in life at the beginning but you persevered and became the best doctor New York has ever seen!" Finn blushed a deep red before waving his hand at her lightly as if to tell her to stop but she kept going. "You have been there through thick and thin with us since the beginning and I think it's safe to say, you have never let any one of us down. You deserve this and more my dear cousin." Lucy then looked to George, "Once again, I think I am at a loss for words at just how grateful we are to have you be apart of our family now George. You have been a huge help with the children to where I and some of the others in this family are able to catch a break. But not only that, you have helped our Finn here grow into an even more incredible man. You are an incredible human being and the fact that you and Finn make each other so incredibly happy fills my heart with so much joy. Although you aren't officially married in the eyes of the law, I am sure that one day, you both will once again be able to say "I do." But to us, it doesn't matter if your marriage is legal or not, you are family now. To Finn and George!" Lucy cheered happily, lifting her glass a little higher before moving to take a sip.

With that, someone started the music up again and Finn had to wipe some tears from his eyes before turning to George. "Its official, Mr. Sullivan, now that we've tied the knot, what's next on our list of things to do? I will give you anything you want, literally anything. I love you." Finn murmured sincerely, taking a moment to be with his husband before they were both whisked away to do some heavy drinking with the men.
ACTIVE CAST: Misty Gray Pyroclast RayPurchase Melanin-Gxdess @ Me

(THIS IS IT Y'ALL )