Realistic or Modern Family Ties: 1980s Gangs - IC (Ended)

[Melanin-Gxdess]

The Oak Tree Restaurant
~Dublin City Centre, Dublin~
Aliana Cartwright-Sullivan
Leo Sullivan
Rhiannon Sullivan
Sydney Sullivan

Seeing Conor interact with Sydney and her whimsical ideas made Ali smile. She knew that Sydney - and her other two children - were going to cherish the time they spent with him. It was a part of the reason why she had been so frustrated as of late. Aliana herself knew that tomorrow was never guaranteed which is why she wanted them all to spend as much time together as possible. His voice telling her about the crayons grabbed her attention as she smiled at him. "Anything for the Princess, then," she stated, watching as Sydney's little fingers opened the small box. She wasted no time in putting the red wax against the paper and getting started. Conor then reiterated her instructions about writing on the paper and not the table, threatening to sell her toys if she did. Ali wasn't able to stop him from using her toys as a threat as she cleared her throat at him. Her lips were pursed and she shook her head at him. There was nothing more traumatizing than having your toys sold, she figured and giving her youngest daughter more nightmares was the last thing she wanted.

The moment Conor mentioned anything about her toys Sydney paused and looked at him, horror in her eyes. "Anyone but Teddy." She pleaded, referring to her Teddy Ruxpin. Ali, for one, found the damn toy to be creepy so she would be fine with it getting sold. But because she knew how important the toy was to her, she wouldn't... For now. "Daddy's not going to sell your toys, Syd. Just make sure you stay on the paper." She reassured. Sydney dramatically put her hand over her chest and shook her head. "Thank goodness," she said, turning back to her coloring. She had been so lost in her own little world that she missed Conor instructing Leo to explain the situation.

The look on Conor's face made it clear to Leo he wasn't about to drop the topic so easily. He was worried about what the man was thinking about at the moment. The last time he had seen his face look like this was during the party. Leo had yelled at Natasha and in turn, he had gotten yelled at by both of his parents. Looking between his the two of them again he was struggling with what he should say. He knew how much family dinner's meant to his mother but at the same time, he wanted to reassure his father he hadn't done anything regrettable. "It's just..." He started fidgeting again, unsure of how either of his parents would take to him saying anything. "It's about business," he finally said looking to Conor. "No." Leo turned to Ali with a confused look on his face as she raised her hand to him. "I rarely get our family at one table for long and you are not going to spend our time talking about business." She paused to turn to Conor with a serious look on her face. "Whatever it is, the two of you can discuss tomorrow - I mean it." It was rare of Ali to put her foot down and become so serious so quickly. These nights meant a lot more to her since her heart attack, meaning she was going to make sure they went perfectly. Leo picked up on this and glanced down at his hands under the table. Thankfully the waiter came and took their order giving them a moment to regroup. Once the man walked away he continued speaking, explaining his slow pick up on the hints.

"Listen, Nat and I have been friends for a long time. I've never, you know, saw her as a girl I would date. N-Not because she isn't dateable or anything. It's just she's... Nat. Besides, we always go out to dinner and hang out as friends. How was I supposed to know this was different?" Rhiannon rolled her eyes. "She called it a 'date' stupid. And you guys went somewhere really fancy; you usually go to those weird casual dining places or to McDonald's." Rhi was almost disgusted with herself for saying the word, causing Ali to chuckle to herself. Since when had the girl developed such a refined palette, she wondered. Now that Leo thought about it his sister had been right. Everything was right there in front of him, but he was a bit slow on the uptake. But seeing as she was a little know it all, he wasn't about to tell her that. "But I know now and I'm going to make up for it so." He was glad Conor had changed the focus to his mother and sister giving him a moment to breathe. He crossed his arms and tried to focus on their response but ended up lost in his own thoughts. Rhiannon, on the other hand, was glad to be in the center of attention for the moment. "...I settled for the double," she started, a frown on her face, "I changed my program to incorporate the simpler move for now." She took a moment to take a sip of her water before continuing. "Uhh... Well, you missed the one where I placed second like, three weeks ago, but don't worry! We're doing a charity show so you'll be able to see that!" Rhiannon hadn't been oblivious to her father's absences, but she did know he was a busy man and accepted it. Whatever time he did he gave to her and her sister which was more than enough for her.

Conor ( Misty Gray )​

 

[BloodLightning27]

Chapter 4: ConfrontationsSaturday 13th April 1985
...3 weeks later...
New York City: Afternoon - Sunny, Warm, Cloudy

~Riker's Island: Bradley Beckett & James Edwards - Into The Belly Of The Beast~​

Both James and Bradley were now almost a month into their fifteen-year sentences. Back on Bradley's first day, James had stepped in to help him after he had gotten jumped by other inmates and promised to protect him for the duration of their sentences. In addition, they had made an acquaintance in Nicholas Ramsey, another inmate and one of the inside men for the Moretti Crime Family, or so both James and Bradley had heard from the whispers of the other prisoners. James' own life was made a little easier once he learned that both he and Bradley were Cellmates. Not to mention that Ramsey had pointed out the their cell was relatively close to James Porter's, Riker's Island's Top Dog. Sadly, the meeting with Porter was delayed as the man in question had been taken to Solitary Confinement after attacking a Prison Guard. Why, neither Bradley nor James knew, but the younger man had hoped that it wasn't for no justifiable reason, given how corrupt and malevolent some of the guards were in their behavior. Bradley had zero trust with them as they did nothing to help him when he got jumped and partially beaten up.

Today, the Top Dog was being released from Solitary Confinement, as both Bradley and James saw him come into the exercise yard. Briefly, they saw Ramsey and Porter chatting with one another, though it did not seem like Porter was all that happy to see him. Because he was likely in a bad mood, having been in Solitary Confinement all that time, both James and Bradley made the silent agreement to steer clear and keep their distance, not looking for any trouble. Though chances were trouble would eventually find them in some capacity. Over the last few weeks, James had been teaching Bradley how to defend himself, teaching him some of the combat techniques that he was taught as a Navy SEAL, but was surprised at how fast the younger man picked up on it, even praising him for being attentive and a fast learner, as it took him only two or three tries to get certain techniques right, others only one try. A few other surprises for the former soldier included Bradley's background as the son of a Wealthy Couple, the fact that he was a Book Worm at heart and how he was an Athlete back in High School. The two bonded over their tenures in Sports, mainly American Football, Basketball and Soccer, with James again being both surprised and impressed by Bradley's knowledge in Rugby. In turn, James shared some of the stories of his tenure as a Sniper for the Navy SEALs, thinking that it was only fair as he was getting to know his cellmate.

Their conversation was soon disrupted when Nicholas approached them to inform them that Porter was in the yard and pointed over to him, where he was sitting and talking with another man, and he didn't seem as agitated as he was when Nicholas spoke with him. Both Bradley and James looked at each other, skeptical about approaching Porter. "Alright. Thanks for letting us know." James nodded before helping Bradley to his feet. "I'll let you take the lead, kid. He'll probably be friendlier with you then me. But if anything happens, I got your back, okay?"

Bradley nodded and felt slightly more confident. Not wanting to waste anymore time, both men decided to take their shot and go speak with the Top Dog, and who they perceived as his Second-in-Command if not his Bodyguard. The closer they got, the more nervous Bradley became, mainly because of the other inmate. James on the other hand, wasn't all that scared, having been through worse when he was deployed in Vietnam, but still had his concerns and reservations assuming what he and Bradley heard about him was true, particularly his connection to the Irish Mob. "Excuse me, we're looking for...Mr. Porter?" Bradley spoke up feeling nervous and intimidated as soon as he made eye contact with Kurt, the other inmate speaking to Porter.

James Porter, Nicholas Ramsey Misty Gray Kurt Reznik Pyroclast

 

[Pyroclast]

Residential Area
~ Bethnal Green, London ~

Syd Porter​

Syd had always had a close relationship with his cousin Savannah, ever since he first started dating the Callahan family’s nanny, Skye. After Skye passed away a few years later, Syd and Savannah were brought closer by the grief they shared. They were there for each other after Savannah killed a man in self-defence and when Syd made his first fatal attack, which included killing Roxie’s father. Savannah having been the one to introduce Roxie to Syd’s life, they also shared a love for her. The two had plenty on which to relate to each other and their close bond was something Syd hoped would never break. Throughout the families’ ups and downs, Syd considered his relationship with Savannah to be one of the most consistently positive ones in his whole life. There was nothing that Syd wouldn’t do for his cousin - however, that sometimes involved protecting her regardless of whether she wanted to be protected. Perhaps if it was up to him, he would be more inclined to listen to her and let her deal with the situation in her own way, but Conor felt that Spencer was disrespecting her by continuously bothering her to bring Callum to London and Syd had to admit that he agreed. While he saw the benefit of staying civil with the Kings, he believed it was only a matter of time before their nagging grew into threats and he didn’t want to find out how patient they were willing to be.

Along with his Uncle Peter and a few other soldiers and enforcers, Syd had been sent on a trip to London to pay Spencer a surprise visit, with the intention of setting him straight. Syd was aware that Savannah wasn’t happy about it and he did feel guilty about not being able to side with her, but it was easy for him to justify what he was doing given that it was a matter of Savannah’s safety.

In the back of a hired Series III Land Rover, Syd sat opposite his uncle and two other enforcers, an extendable baton tucked under his arm and a walkie talkie in his hands. The other was in another vehicle up ahead, driven by another Irish mobster who was helping them track the London gangster while keeping a low profile. They had had eyes on Spencer for the last few days, observing his routes and routines, waiting for an opportune moment to interrupt his day. Finally having caught him at a time when he was alone and not surrounded by his people, the gang were readying themselves to catch him.

”Approaching a bus stop on Stepney Green. Looks like he’s stoppin’ for a smoke, over.”

The crackle of the walkie-talkie cut off and Syd caught his uncle’s eye as he slipped a pair of brass knuckles onto his right hand. “Stepney Green bus stop, let’s go!” he called to their driver. The hired vehicle launched into motion, zooming into the bus lane before coming to a halt right past where Spencer was tying his shoelaces. With a heavy kick, Syd flung the back door of the rover open and jumped out. As Spencer turned to face him, he flicked the baton open and swung it forcefully into the man’s stomach to make him double over; he was then able to grab a fistful of his hair and smash his head down against his knee, busting his nose open at the bridge. With the help of his uncle and the two other enforcers, they bundled Spencer into the back of the Land Rover. Within seconds, the vehicle was back on the road.

“Good to see you, Mr. King,” Syd spoke down to the man, twirling the baton between his fingers. Their two accompanying enforcers had Spencer in a firm grip, disabling him from reaching for any hidden weapons he may have on his person. “Been a long time since we had a good catch up.”

Interactions
Bellz Peter
Misty Gray Spencer

 

[Bellz]

Braden Callahan

Savannah Callahan's House
~ Islington, London ~​

Braden had joined his father and Syd on their trip to beat the shit out of Spencer, however, he wasn't going to partake in the violence. Lately, Braden had been shying away from the fighting lifestyle due to his daughter who asked too many questions when he came home bleeding. He found it easier to assist the mob in other ways such as being the watchdog. The group was staying in Savvy's place while she was in Dublin. She had come back a few weeks prior to be with Roxie during her time of need. Once the two other men left, Braden was left by himself to watch over the place. It was his job to make sure that while they were taking care of Spencer, no funny business took place in his sister's house. After Spencer would be let go to return to his family, Braden needed to watch the place in case the Kings wanted to retaliate in a quick and unorganized matter. He had a few men watching the perimeter of the house just in case that was to happen while he sat inside quietly watching the news. The news had turned from local events to events worldwide and Braden turned up the volume as he listened to the reporter who was reporting from California. Something about the 70s had brought about a plethora of men acting alone who were mercilessly killing mostly young women. Serial Killers was the hot new term for such people and it seemed as one was caught another one decided to take their place. The reporter talked about a killer nicknamed The Night Stalker who was wreaking havoc in Los Angeles. Hearing about his current killing made Brady's jaw set and he shook his head slowly before turning the TV off altogether.

While things had been relatively peaceful for his family since the treaty was put into place back in 1972, the world around them seemed to have turned more violent without their help. The focus wasn't on the mobs or the drugs that were being peddled by them as it had been in the 70s. Now it was all about gruesome murders, more and more people desperate to have their momentary fame by taking many people's lives. It made Braden ill. Realizing that he was having way too much time to think, Braden moved to stand and stretch his hands above his head for a moment. Letting them flop to his side, he moved to do a little walk around the house. Making sure to check if all the windows were locked.

Once he checked every window, he made his way back downstairs. That's when he heard a knock at the door. Braden went stiff for a moment just staring at the door. When he heard someone knock again, Braden moved to place his hand on his gun that was tucked into his jeans. Walking slowly to the door, he finally made it before looking through the peephole first. Seeing a familiar and beautiful face, Braden let out a soft sigh, chuckling lightly to himself as he moved his hand from his gun and moved to open the door to greet her. "Well, this is unexpected, hello Kerry," Braden murmured as he took in her full appearance. "How are you doing?"
with: Kerry Misty Gray

Thomas Porter
Blake McCarthy

Bodyworks Gym
~ Dublin City Centre, Dublin ~​

Thomas had been really enjoying working, not that he would tell anyone that outright. It gave him something to focus on and to distract any unwanted thoughts. On the days that he wasn't working, he was hanging out with his nieces and nephews, helping his brother with them since they arrived at his place. Things had been going smoothly since being at Syd's up until his mother dropped the bomb on him that she and Olivia were coming to stay at his house as well. She promised to stay out of his way and so far, she kept to her word but every time she could catch him alone, she tried to speak with him about their relationship and he just walked away. Lucy then had recruited Syd and Olivia to talk to him and Thomas them out as well. He had just started up therapy sessions again since he moved so he was optimistic that perhaps it would continue to help him make breakthroughs in his relationship.

For the time being, Thomas was perfectly fine with keeping people at an arm's length from his heart. Well, except for one person who'd he only met one time before. Elena had left an impression on him that he just couldn't shake. Be it her beautiful looks or that adorable accent...Thomas felt a strange connection with her but he wasn't sure if she felt the same. Currently, he was with Adam waiting for a drug drop-off. He had been into the man's gym a few times already as working out was his release from his frustrations and he had a lot to be frustrated about but he hadn't been in his office before. So Thomas briefly looked around before Adam caught his attention telling him to keep an eye out for. "Roger that." He told Adam as the man handed him the spare locker key. Thomas shoved it into his pocket before listening as Adam told him where to bring the bag and what would happen after they checked the contents. "Easy enough." Thomas said, flashing the man a rare smile before the man led him out of the office into the main gym area.

Thomas walked over to grab the cloth wraps from the bin before moving to wrap his hands as well. Once they were wrapped, Thomas started with some stretches. Adam seemed curious to know how things were going with him, directly asking if he had spoken with his mother and his sister since they arrived. "Ahh, very briefly yea." He answered vaguely. Hearing that Olivia was coming in for a job interview made him wonder just how long they were staying for and why. Lucy hadn't really explained why she was in Dublin once more, keeping things to herself like she usually did when she wanted to keep her children safe despite the fact they were all adults now. Thomas smirked as Adam said that his sister already had the job and that if she was anything like his mother and her mother, then he was confident she'd keep people in line. "Oh yes, Olivia is the perfect combination of both of them. The kid was bossing Syd and me around when she had no business doing so."

Thomas moved to bend down to touch his toes, stretching out his legs and back as much as he could since those were his problem areas. Always aching. Thomas was relieved that Adam decided to ask him about Elena when he was bent over because his cheeks warmed instantly. "I actually haven't...I've been so busy with working and then help Syd with my nieces and nephew at home...I haven't been able to come up for air." Hearing that she was doing a lot better in the position than Adam previously thought made Thomas secretly smile. "She seemed very determined to get it right. I'm glad she's got a handle on it now. I might drop by after work and see if she's around."

Knowing that Adam had a date with Blake a few weeks ago, Thomas looked up at the man briefly with a sly eyebrow cocked. "What about Blake, hmm? Have you guys seen each other since that date of yours? I Gotta say I'm impressed. You got more game than myself and my brother combined. Despite my father landing a beautiful woman like my mother, Syd and I have seemed to ward off any woman who is interested in us with our bad attitudes and trauma." Thomas cracked another rare smile before moving to stand up straight. Blonde hair caught his attention and for a moment, he thought his mother had shown up to ruin his day for some reason. But a quick realization confirmed that it was Blake, "Well, speak of the devil." Thomas said, waving Blake over.

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything." Blake said as she reached the men, to which Thomas just waved his hand. "Ah, actually we were just chatting. How are you doing? How's Natasha and Collin?" Blake smiled at Thomas, "They are doing great, thank you for asking. Natasha is apparently not talking to Leo...but you know how that goes I'm sure." Thomas frowned deeply, wondering what the hell happened there. "Ah, maybe I can talk to her and see what's up." Thomas offered uncharacteristically to which Blake seemed surprised. "I think she'd like that." Blake told the young man before turning to Adam. "Sorry I haven't called in a few days, I had to have a parent-teacher conference with Collin's teacher because he's failing a class. And then I've been dealing with a moody daughter on top of trying to deal with work. I hope you can forgive me? I was thinking we could get a drink whenever you are done here tonight, on me?" The look in Blake's eyes was something Thomas had seen before, the adoration in her eyes that his parents often shared when he was younger. Thomas suddenly felt like he was intruding, "Imma go stretch over here, let you two love birds chat. Let me know when you are ready, Adam." Thomas said before moving to lift some weights.
with: Adam Misty Gray
mention: Elena + Syd Pyroclast ; Olivia Misty Gray ; Leo Melanin-Gxdess

Lucy Porter
JJ Carriveau-Porter
Jeanie Carriveau-Porter

Callahan Residence
~ Sutton, Dublin ~​

Lucy was relieved that at least two of her children were excited about the prospect of her being in Dublin. She left a few days after James had told her and Olivia to go and they were currently staying at Syd's house. Thomas seemed less than thrilled to have her and she had tried on many occasions to try and talk with him but he wouldn't budge. She even tried to get Syd and Olivia to talk to him for her and he shut them out too. Lucy couldn't help but feel bad for putting Syd and Olivia in that position but she didn't know what else to do. Her son was pretending that she didn't exist and it wasn't sitting right with Lucy at all. She did enjoy the time that she had with her eldest son and her grandchildren though, keeping her from falling apart when Thomas was just outright mean to her. Then when the kids were at school and Syd was working, Lucy went to visit Roxie. The woman seemed more than relieved to see her when she had visited the first time and she'd broken down in her arms at the front door. Lucy sympathized with the woman greatly, having had to go through the same thing with Blake more than a decade before. When she had visited Roxie the first time, the house had been a mess and smelled of stale cigarettes. Lucy was beyond worried about her and her mental well being but the woman said the same words to her that James always said, that she was fine and she could take care of herself. Savvy had also flown into town to help her friend with her grieving around the same time as Lucy, so the blonde was at least comforted that Roxie wasn't completely alone.

They had spent a few more moments together before and after Mr. Moore's funeral before the woman announced to Syd that she was heading to New York for business. Unfortunately for the children, both parents were scheduled to leave at the same time which had never happened before in the past and the children were beyond nervous to not have them there. Lucy tried her best to reassure them, reminding them that they had her, Uncle Thomas, and Aunt Olivia in the house to protect them but of course, they were still very worried. They had been quiet the first day or two, behaving well for Lucy but that good behavior was only temporary as JJ was currently causing trouble with his sister in the back of the car as Lucy drove to her sister's.

"OW! JJ! Grandma! JJ flicked me!" Jeanie squealed before JJ gawked at her. "Because she flicked me first!!" JJ cried to which Lucy rolled her eyes at them through the rearview mirror. "We shouldn't be placing our hands on each other, you two!" Lucy berated them, "Remember we need to be on our best behavior going over to Auntie Sinead's. Jane is the only one being an angel." The girl was usually the quieter of the three but she had been more silent than usual. Looking to the girl in the mirror, Lucy gave her a soft smile before she pulled up to Sinead's gate. Rolling down the window, she smiled at the guard who told her it was nice to see her again. "Likewise." She told the man as he opened the gate for her. Once parked at the driveway, Lucy turned to look at the children. "Again, let's be on our best behavior or we won't be able to make your favorite cookies tonight for dessert." She told the kids who nodded their heads obediently. "Alright, come on." She told them before opening her door and hopping out of the car.

Not having to knock, Lucy just opened the door and called out to her sister and nephew. "Hellooo? Sinny? Liam? We are here!" She announced and walked with the kids further into the house. Finding the two Callahans chatting, JJ ran up to Liam immediately, "Liam! Hi! I missed you!" He told the boy despite only having seen in a few days prior. Hugging the boy, he then looked to Sinead and moved to give her a hug as well. The twins did the same before heading off to do their own thing like they normally did. JJ looked to Liam excitedly, "Want to go play catch or something?' He asked the boy. Lucy nodded her head, encouraging them to go play. "Go on. Aunt Sinead and I are gonna talk for a while." She said to the boys, watching them head off before looking to her sister. "How you holding up, love?" She asked first, knowing that she always had a hard time with her husband and son going off on a job.
with: Sinead + Liam Misty Gray
mentions: Syd Pyroclast ; Savvy + Olivia Misty Gray

Lorelei Costello

The Funky Cat
~ Dublin City Center, Dublin ~​

Lorelei's cheeks reddened as Benjamin expressed that he was happy to see her too. Luckily, the dim lights in the club would conceal them better. "A Coke, you got it." She said and when he thanked her, she smiled, "It's the least I can do for you. If you want anything else please just let me know." She told him earnestly. When he said that she didn't know how she did it, Lorelei tilled her head in confusion, but then he explained that he didn't know how she managed a place like this and still look so glamorous on a busy night. Lorelei's cheeks couldn't be any redder and the smile on her face was so wide it hurt her face. Before she could say much, the tripod he was leaning on slipped out from under his elbow and he stumbled forward. Lorelei was quick to help catch him if he were to fall forward all the way, her hands firmly grasping his shoulders. He managed to grab the tripod before it fell to the floor and seeing that he was gonna be okay, Lorelei quickly moved her hands away from him, her cheeks still flaming red. She was sure he was blushing just as much as she was now. He then suggested that they should get his drink and show him where to set up his camera before he made a bigger fool of himself. Lorelei chuckled and nodded her head before leading the way.

Gesturing for him to stand near the bar, Lorelei moved to grab him a Coke, and just as she set it down in front of him, she smiled sweetly at him. "Thank you...for the compliment by the way. I would say that it takes a lot of effort for me to look like this even on a busy night but...when you have an equally glamorous woman as a mother, she teaches you all the tricks to pull off glamor effortlessly." Lorelei said. "Though if you were to catch me on a day I'm not working or if I'm at home...you'll find me in sweatpants and a large t-shirt." She chuckled, allowing him to get a few sips of his drink before gesturing for him to follow her.

"So I know that you wanted a spot that really showed off the stage so I made sure to reserve this table for you that basically gets a view of center stage and most of the people around it." Leading him to a table that sat two, Lorelei watched as the next amateur singer walked on stage a bit drunkenly. "Some people are great, other's sound like a loud screeching bird but hey, as long as they are having fun and have confidence in themselves that's all that matters." She told him with a smile. "You should get up there at some point, I bet you got pipes to complement that handsome face." She said, being a little forward now that he had complimented on her appearance before. Moving to look at her watch on her wrist, "Karaoke will go on for about another 30 minutes and then we switch to the live bands again."
with: Benjamin Misty Gray

Roxie Carriveau

Burger Joint
~ On Broadway + W. 76th NY, NY ~​

Roxie let out a light laugh as Ricky expressed that he didn't want her coming over to his place to borrow sugar. He then was serious when he said that it was for the best that she bought a place in New York, stating that it should help ease some people off the both of them. The car ride from then on was quiet as they made their way towards the destination that Roxie had picked out a few weeks prior.

Though she was dressed a little well for a burger place, Roxie had seen plenty of businessmen grab a bite in their professional attire back in the 70s so she was sure it wouldn't look out of the ordinary to the workers or customers who religiously at there. When they arrived, Roxie saw Gabriel and Teddy waiting out from and the brunette took a slow and steady breath to calm her nerves. She had been relying on medication to help calm her for the past few weeks but after learning how addicting the medication was, she decided to try and ease off of it. The last thing she needed was to become a druggie on top of all the shit she was going through. Having seen how it almost ruin Gwen's life, that was not a road she wanted to wander down if she had the choice. Ricky allowed the ladies to step out first and Roxie immediately walked towards Gabriel, her chin held a little higher than normal hoping to exude the illusion that she was confident in her decision to meet with the man even though in her head, she felt like running as far away as she could.

Hearing her full name roll off his tongue left as bad of a taste in her mouth as it had the last time she had talked with him, the only person to call her Roxanne was her father as he felt that Roxie was the name of whores. Hearing Gabriel use it only reminded her of the relationship her father had with the man. Despite not liking her full name being used, Roxie shook the man's hand firmly, making sure to let him know through the handshake alone that she was ready to discuss business. It had been something that she'd picked up in her years of being a lawyer, a weak handshake to those seeking to take advantage told that person that she was weak and would be manipulated easily. She made sure to look Gabriel in the eyes with a smile of her own, their hands separating as Gabriel expressed his condolences for her loss. Reminding herself to not lose it, Roxie's smile faded as a solemn expression replaced it. "Thank you, Gabriel. As much as grief makes it feel like the world and everything in it stops turning, I know that there are important matters to attend to." She said in her firm yet the professional voice that she often used with clients.

Roxie watched as Gabriel then moved to greet Ricky and Reina before she moved to greet Teddy with a firm handshake as well. Once the greetings were out of the way, Gabriel gestured for Roxie and Reina to walk in first, Roxie nodded her head, murmuring her thanks again before walking inside. A small smile formed on her face as she took in the small joint, the place hadn't changed at all in the decade since she'd been gone and it was kind of nostalgic to see everything still the same. With New York constantly changing, it was nice to see that some things never changed. Moving towards one of the booths in the corner, Roxie sat down before allowing Reina to take a seat beside her, wanting the woman to be close to her in case things turned sideways.

Once everything was settled, someone came over to take their order to which Roxie just ordered herself a tea. Once the waitress was gone, Roxie looked to the men at the table before moving to grab her notebook from her purse. She was sure that it would puzzle the men so Roxie looked to them openly, "I never go through a meeting without taking notes now. Nice to get things written without depending on my memory to remind me of what we talked about." She explained. Sighing, Roxie looked to Gabriel. "So, to address the huge elephant in the room, I understand that there are many people not happy with the succession of power within our family's business." Roxie said matter-of-factly, looking at Ricky briefly. "Ricky tells me that you have some doubts and I figured we could meet to discuss how to work those out and to discuss business moving forward."
with: Gabriel + Ricky Misty Gray ; Teddy + Reina Melanin-Gxdess

 

[Misty Gray]

Scallion's Pub
~ Sutton, Dublin ~

Savannah Callahan​

Savannah had been in Dublin since the end of March, the day after her latest altercation with Spencer. Whilst she understood the Kings needed to have access to Callum, she refused to back down on this one. She wanted to support Roxie and be there for Matthew's funeral. Her close friend's fiance had been a sweet and kind man, so Savannah had found it upsetting to knowing he'd been killed and in such a cruel way. Even though the purpose of her visit to Dublin hadn't been so much a fun social call, there was no way she would be leaving Callum in London. The boy had spent most of his life in London, where he was born, so when any opportunity came for him to visit the Irish side of his family she was going to take it. Savannah had intended to return to London a couple of days ago, with Roxie travelling to New York and Callum having had chance to spend time with his family. However, after hearing about the issues she'd been having with Spencer, Conor had refused to let her return to Dublin. This was backed up by her parents, Braden, as well as Syd. Whether or not they had her best interests at heart, she was angry with them for no doubt making things with Alex's side of the family more uncomfortable for her. She hadn't set out to upset them, but now she feared she'd no longer feel welcomed by those she got along well with; Shona, Harper and Billy. Regardless of the fact she was taking steps to move to Dublin, she'd wanted to do so whilst remaining on good terms with the Kings.

As much as she'd tried to be annoyed with her mother, Sinead made it difficult to maintain the cold shoulder. After the woman encouraged her to make the most of her extended time in Dublin, she decided to spend time catching up with her family and friends. When Danny had called her to arrange a proper catch up, she jumped at the chance to see him again. With Sinead predictably enthusiastic about the meet up, as well as keen to babysit Callum, Savannah was able to look forward to an evening out. Especially excited to be spending time with the man who had been her first love, all of those years ago.

Savannah was driven to the pub by one of her family's driver's. The older man had been quite the gentleman, getting out of the car once parked outside the restaurant so he could rush around the vehicle to meet her with an opened umbrella to protect her hair from the rain. Although it gave her flashbacks of her time in London on the sets of a shows or a modelling shoot, she still blushed at the kind gesture. After thanking him, she walked to the pub entrance on her own and closed the umbrella, giving it a quick shake before entering the pub. She removed her coat and draped it over her arm before walking down the staircase to the main seating area. She heard Danny call her name and looked to see him standing up from his seat. She smiled brightly as she approached him. After propping the umbrella up against the wall and putting her coat over the backrest of a spare chair, she accepted his warm hug. "Hey, Danny," she softly greeted him. "You're looking pretty damn fine yourself," she returned his compliment. She then sat across from him at the table and looked to him for a time, unable to shift the smile from her face.

When Danny asked her how she was doing, she couldn't help but let out an exasperated sigh. "I'm just about managing. Matthew's death was terrible and it broke my heart seeing Roxie so upset. He was such a good person," she sadly told him. When asked how things had been in London, she let out yet another sigh. "It's been testing, that's for sure. I thought things were improving. I let Callum have plenty of sleepovers at his aunts and uncles places, but then when I needed to return her to support Roxie, Spencer was being a real jerk about it. Practically told me to stop taking Callum away from London so often and to visit Dublin on my own. It just really bugged me, you know? I go out of my way to make sure Callum see both sides of his family and it's still not enough for them." She sat back in her seat and folded her arms. "And now I'm not allowed to go back to London just yet. Some of my family have gone to London to see Spencer and now I feel bad for opening my mouth about it all. I didn't want anyone to get hurt, but I needed to tell my family about the way he was being with me."

Savannah paused enough to realise she'd soon offloaded a lot of stress onto Danny. She let out a small laugh and lightly shook her head. "I'm sorry, you really didn't need to hear me complaining like this!" she apologised to him. "My time in Dublin isn't begrudged, that's for sure. I've had an audition for a TV role that's going to be located in Ireland and I've been looking out for other casting and modelling opportunities. Plus, I get to see my family for longer and.... well... me staying here longer than intended means I get to spend time with you again." She uncrossed her arms and sat up straight, studying his handsome face. She'd been so attracted to him 13 years ago, but time had changed him, and if she was being honest, she found him even more physically attractive than she had when they were both younger. "Come on, Danny. Tell me how you've been. I hope you've not been getting any grief from anyone," she firmly told him.

Pyroclast (Danny)

The Zegarra Home
~ Sutton, Dublin ~

Jasmine Zegarra​

Like her husband, Jasmine was surprised that Michael had continued going to church. Not only had he gone along to keep Liam company on his week of detentions, but Michael had continued to go to church even when neither boy was obligated to. Whilst she found her son's new interest somewhat strange, she couldn't find fault in it. Her son wasn't out causing trouble, breaking the law, or doing anything unhealthy, so the best she could do was support him in his new interest, no matter how unexpected it was.

After a day stuck indoors with the children, Jasmine was relieved when Emilia's and Safia's bedtimes approached. Her daughters were adorable and full of fun energy, but a full day of it whilst trapped indoors was quite exhausting. Chase had taken the two girls off to bed, leaving Jasmine to sit back and relax on the sofa with Michael. When her husband rejoined them, Jasmine looked up to him and sent a loving smile. Were Michael not present, she'd tell Chase how hot he looked. Before meeting Chase, she'd never imagined settling down and having children, but now she couldn't imagine living any other way. Even though she sometimes missed the thrill of working for the mob and getting her hands dirty, she wouldn't go back to that life and risk leaving her children without a mother.

"You haven't missed a thing. We waited for you," Jasmine assured Chase. She kept her eyes on the television screen as she listened to Chase asking Michael if he'd seen the film before. She let her husband explain the movie synopsis, taking in the information. When Michael asked if they were going to kill the old lady, Jasmine shot a glance to Chase, but he answered the question before she needed to. "Those mean old Disney witches," she playfully echoed her husband's words.

Suddenly, Michael asked his parents if they'd ever killed somehow. Jasmine kept her eyes focused on the television screen, trying to figure out where on Earth the question had come from and how the Hell they would send the conversation on a major detour. As the boy explained Father Healy had been talking about killing being a mortal sin and going to Hell without repentance, she turned to look at him. Suddenly she saw a downside to her son being so interested in church. As for the question itself, for which Michael was still requesting an answer, there was only one response she could give. She had to lie. The truth was far too heavy a burden for a child to carry on their shoulders, not to mention any kind of admission could easily land her and Chase in trouble down the line, especially if Father Healy got wind of it. Forcing herself to remain composed, she lightly shook her head as she met Michael's gaze. "No, sweetheart. And this is a very serious thing for you to be thinking about. Are you sure spending time at church isn't troubling you?" she asked, her voice showing concern.

Pyroclast (Chase, Michael)

 

[Pyroclast]

Kurt Reznik​

Never in all of Kurt’s time spent moving between New York’s prisons had he made a friend so soon after arriving. Over the past 20 years of his life, prison had taught him how and when to trust someone better than all his rough experiences in early life ever had. He had seen even the loyalest of men be manipulated into betraying their friends. He understood the danger of promises. Even joining a gang for protection, status and power could land a man in deeper trouble with other inmates than he otherwise would have been. A man like Kurt - tough and experienced, both on the streets and within prison walls - would cope fine on his own and so it was probably the wiser idea not to purposefully involve himself too much with the other inmates, especially in a supposedly temporary environment like Riker’s. However, he didn’t mind keeping James at his side, given that they were cellmates. The relationship between cellmates was the most important one of all, so he considered himself extremely lucky.

Despite their newfound friendship and their family ties on the outside, the respect Kurt held for James meant that he knew not to involve himself in his affairs, as the man had requested. Of course, he wouldn’t like to see him get hurt - or worse - but he knew when to leave a man to fight his own battles. Because James tried to keep Kurt out of his affairs, the attack on the CO after visitation had at first seemed like a totally idiotic move. The way James had asked him to keep their cell tidy shortly before punching the CO implied that he was intentionally trying to get into the box. Kurt worked out on his own that it could have had something to do with his business with Moretti, but he didn’t have a clue as to what.

With James gone, Kurt felt he was getting a more accurate picture of what life in Riker’s should be like. Making friends immediately was rare and often unwise, so not having James around was almost more normal for him. He thought about the man during those three weeks and the changes to his behaviour that he might see when he finally returned to their shared cell. Knowing from many personal experiences the toll that a lengthy stint in the box could have on a man’s mental health, Kurt was prepared not to take any aggression or absent-mindedness personally. However, on the day of his release back into the main housing unit, he seemed to have held it together fairly well. After a brief acknowledgement, Kurt left him to go at his own pace, watching from afar as the man walked up and down the yard.

He saw an interaction between James and another man whom he had seen around the unit but hadn’t met personally. He seemed to be getting on his friend’s nerves, but there didn’t seem to be any trouble arising. It wasn’t long before James got away from him and came over to sit on the bench beside Kurt instead. “No apology needed,” he shrugged, at the mention of James’ deliberate trip to the box. “First I thought you really lost it, bookin’ yourself into the box like that. But I guess you had your reasons, right?”

When James asked him how his visit with Benjie had been Kurt leaned back against the wall, idly watching the other inmates wander around the yard as he cast his mind back to the meeting with his son. “Yeah, Benjie’s good,” he said, his lips twitching into a smile. “He’s real good. I told him about your offer to help get him over here more often and he was really pleased. Here’s hopin’ he finds the time in his busy life!” He chuckled briefly before falling quiet again as he mulled over the three weeks that James had missed. “I kept the cell tidy,” he answered, with another shrug. “Dunno’ anythin’ happened that you really need to know about, ‘cept some asshole tried to bargain for your place in our cell. I don’t know why he wanted it - coulda’ just been some power move to feel big and tough - but anyway, he was all bark and no bite. COs wouldn’t let him have it anyway, so you’re all good.”

With his eyes on the yard, Kurt quickly noticed when two inmates - one barely out of his teens - turned towards them and started walking in their direction. “Hey, you know these two?” he asked James, still keeping his eyes on the pair. Kurt sat forward slightly, resting his hands on his knees as he readied himself for some kind of confrontation. Without so much as an introduction, the young man asked to speak to Mr. Porter, his fearful eyes meeting Kurt’s cold, questioning stare.

Interactions
Misty Gray James
BloodLightning27 Bradley, James Edwards

 

[Misty Gray]

Residential Area
~ Bethnal Green, London ~

Spencer King​

As a vehicle pulled up slightly past the bus shelter, Spencer looked to it out of the corner of his eye. Still, he didn't rush to investigate as it didn't seem out of the ordinary and in the East End, the Kings didn't need to be looking over their shoulders. However, as he heard the loud thud caused by the vehicle's rear doors being kicked open, he quickly finished tying off his lace so he could turn to face the commotion. It seemed his over-confidence about the safety of his streets was about to be proved an error. Without time to react, he was forced to double over as the baton smacked hard against his stomach. He let out a groan as the pain winded him. Before he had chance to recover and retaliate, his attacker grabbed him by the hair and slammed his face down against his knee. This sent a deep and heavy pain in the bridge of his nose, stretching out to his forehead. He didn't get much time to be concerned about the blood now running out of his nose as two more men assisted his attacked, dragging Spencer into the back of the Land Rover.

No sooner had he been bundled into the back of the vehicle had it set off moving along the road. Spencer was forced and held into a sitting position as Syd addressed him. The Londoner practically growled as he fought against his captors to gain control and fight back. The attempts were futile and he was being restrained enough that he couldn't reach for his handgun nor for his pocket knife. He stared directly at Syd when the man spoke to him. He lightly shook his head as the very familiar man said it had been a long time since they had a good catch up. "Well, we don't exactly have family gatherings these days," he pointed out. "Ain't that right, Grandpa Peter," he asked, looking to Callum's grandfather. He tilted his head a little, trying to redirect most of the blood that was coming from his nose away from his mouth. "Come on, fellas," he began, pausing to catch his breath back. "What the fuck is this about? Do we all really want to go down this road?" He once again attempted to pull away from the men restraining him, letting out a frustrated deep breath at being unable to break free and fight back.

Bellz (Peter) Pyroclast (Syd)

 

[BloodLightning27]

Chapter 4: ConfrontationsSaturday 13th April 1985
...3 weeks later...
Dublin: Evening - Mild, Heavy Rain, Overcast​

~Dublin: Shinoa Bradford~

Pregnancy Tracker

Progression: 38.4/40 Weeks

Countdown to Labor & Delivery: 269/280 Days

Weight Gain: 67/68 Kg

Three weeks passed by uneventfully outside of her attempting to establish contact with her Father. She had completed the first letter and sent it out the following day. Mostly she had to hope for the best because she wasn't sure how long it would take for her letter to reach him in Portland. Sadly, waiting for a response didn't stop her pregnancy from progressing and she was now three weeks bigger. As of two weeks ago, she started seeing her Midwife once a week and it would continue until childbirth, which she was still anxious about since she was likely going to go through it alone. While checking through flight guidelines, she drafted out a rough timeline of how much longer she was going to be in Ireland. Right now, she could not board a flight as she was now well-passed thirty-six weeks. As different airlines had different policies, Shinoa estimated that she had between three and six months, though it would seem that her Midwife had the final say, as it was dependent on how healthy her newborn Daughter is, and how strong her Immune System will be. With this going through her mind, one thing was for sure; Shinoa wanted nothing to do with her Biological Mother ever again and was more then happy to replace her, whether it was her Father remarrying (if he has) or she had another strong Mother Figure in her life, whichever came first.

For this evening, as the heavy rain drenched the usually vibrant city of Dublin, Shinoa wasn't able to go out for a walk or spend a day at the park. There was also fishing, but she didn't really eat seafood often enough, not to mention she didn't really have a place to store them for extended periods of time. However, there were also too many fish to avoid during pregnancy per warnings from her Midwife, as there were fish that contained higher levels of mercury then others and that was dangerous for her unborn baby. Thankfully, she just caught salmon most of the time, which was safe for her to eat, so Shinoa didn't have to worry all that much. Taking her mind off of that, Shinoa then started wondering how to spend her night as she was feeling rather cooped up in her Hotel Room.

While laying in her bed, Shinoa looked down at her swollen belly, gently massaging it to soothe her unborn daughter, who has been kicking and fidgeting a little more over the last couple of days. She then thought about what her Midwife had reminded her. 'A stressed Mom means a stressed baby.' Those words echoed through her mind as she took another deep breath, frowning as her baby kicked where her hand was. Suddenly her stomach growled. Looking at the clock, she saw that it was dinner time. Or at least around this time she would be eating dinner. She didn't have a fresh catch from the river or anything. Given the time, restaurants should still be open. Maybe eating out would be a nice change? Not to mention there were several restaurants nearby as her hotel was within walking distance of the city centre. Slowly, she got out of bed, straightening out her hair and changing from one dress to another. Expecting it to be rather cold and extremely wet, she was sure to grab a coat and an umbrella. Putting her slippers on, Shinoa grabbed her purse and quietly left the room after turning off the light and locking the door. Once she got outside, she opened up her umbrella and started walking, one hand keeping a tight grip on her umbrella and the other going into her pocket.

 

[Misty Gray]

Bodyworks Gym
~ Dublin City Centre, Dublin ~

Adam Harper​

Although Adam knew Thomas was young and unlikely to be setting his mind on just one pretty woman he'd met in a bar weeks ago, he'd still brought it up if only as a means to lighten the mood a little. Thomas was clearly a man with many troubles and past traumas on his mind, so Adam liked to think bringing in some light conversation might help him relax a little. Still, he wasn't sure Thomas had even been setting his sights elsewhere since meeting the barmaid. He nodded along as the young man mentioned how busy he'd been with work and family, understanding the work part, at least, tended to find ways of soaking up a lot of a person's time. Other than the Zegarras, Adam didn't have anyone else to call family, just a lot of good friends and many of whom also crossed into the 'colleague' territory. "You should drop in and see her," Adam encouraged Thomas, taking his words as a signal there was some interest. "You might still be young, but don't spend all your time focusing on the job. Make time for your personal life," he advised him, clearly speaking from experience.

Naturally, Thomas turned the conversation on Adam's own potential romantic life. He let out a dry laugh as the young man asked if they'd seen each other since their date. "Once or twice, yeah," he confirmed. Although it might seem like he was being coy, he wasn't. The two had been taking things slowly, having since met for a coffee and ended each date by returning to their own respective beds. It was new territory for Adam and he quite liked approaching things in a different, more mature manner. Not that the banter and openness between the two wasn't still present. He put on his boxing gloves and dealt a couple of warm-up blows on the punchbag ahead of him. He soon held his hand out to stop the apparatus from swinging, then focused back to Thomas. "Well, trauma ain't so easy to overcome and I'm not going to begin to tell you guys how to overcome that. But bad attitudes? I reckon that's on you, Tom. You've already admitted you think you've got a bad attitude, so now think about how you're going to change it," he firmly advised.

With his view already partly focused on the main entrance, Adam had seen Blake enter the gym, but it was only when Thomas pointed out her arrival that he felt he could let his mask slip, a pleased smile forming on his face. It was only when she reached them and asked if she was interrupting anything that it dawned on him he was half-dressed. The red boxing gloves on his hands made it difficult to simply grab his vest, so he decided any fumbling around to cover himself up would only make things more awkward and draw attention to it more. Thomas picked up the conversation, asking about Natasha and Collin, to which Adam listened to with interest. It seemed that Natasha and Leo had fallen out again, causing Adam to lightly shake his head. "Kids..." he grumbled. Thomas offered to speak to Natasha, prompting a subtle nod from Adam. Blake then turned her attention to Adam, apologising for not calling recently. "Ah, don't sweat it, there's nothing to forgive, Blake," he reassured her. "I may be a man of leisure, but I understand all too well how important it is for you to put the kids first, especially when they're having drama." He began removing the boxing gloves as he continued to speak. "Which class is he failing in? Not that I'll be any help if it involves Shakespeare or some other drivel," he joked.

"A drink? That sounds great," he accepted her invite, his eyes lingering on hers for a short time. Thomas had clearly picked up on the atmosphere and was quick to excuse himself. "Little shit," he remarked, in response to the 'love birds' comment. His face and tone then turned more serious as he briefly focused on their work. "Sure, I'll give you the heads up when it's time to do your bit, Tom," he assured him. Once Thomas had walked away, Adam tossed his gloves aside and grabbed his vest, putting it back on to cover his chest. "It's good to see you," he told Blake, just in case he'd been at all detached so as not to embarrass Thomas. "Are you doing okay, though? Aside from the kids being kids... You sure I can't offer you a free gym induction while you're here?" he remarked.

Bellz (Blake)
Pyroclast (Thomas, Elena)

 

[Bellz]

Peter Callahan

Residential Area
~ Bethnal Green, London ~​

Although he always preferred to be home with his wife and youngest son, Peter found himself incredibly eager to head to London. When Conor made it clear that he felt that Spencer King was disrespecting his daughter, Peter knew he needed to visit the man to set things straight. Despite Savannah not being his child by blood, he still felt very protective over her having raised her with Sinead since she was an infant. Hearing that Syd would accompany him was slightly surprising, figuring the man would want to stay with his children since the shooting of Roxie's fiancé. However, when duty called, you couldn't exactly ignore it in this line of work...well unless one of the wives decided to fuss about it. Braden had decided to come along as well, wanting to make sure he could help his sister in any way he could.

Following Spencer around London was probably the easiest thing Peter had done in years and for that he was grateful. He wasn't getting any younger and all his years of fighting were starting to catch up with him. He had arthritis in just about every place that had been beaten to a pulp. The worst of it was his back, which was so unbearable at times that he would wake up in the middle of the night and just walk around, unable to sleep in one position for very long. Hearing one of their men over the radio, Peter's eyes met Syd's and the man slipped on a pair of brass knuckles. Since he was the younger one, Peter was gonna let him get a few good punches to make sure the man was incapacitated enough to get into the car.

Peter would save his strength for when he really needed it. He watched as his nephew kicked the back door of the rover open and jumped out. Peter followed quickly, making sure he had his baton in his hands in case Spencer tried to struggle anymore once he was down. With the help of two other men and Syd, Peter was able to shove Spencer into the back of the Land Rover and hopped in as well.

Once the car was back on the road, Syd spoke. Peter stayed silent as he looked at Spencer waiting for him to speak. Peter smirked slightly at the brits reply and listened as he asked what this was all about. Seeing him fighting against his men, Peter backhanded the large man to get him to quit. He let out a curt chuckle before his face became dead serious, "Come on, Spence? You really don't know what this is about?" Peter's patience was starting to thin as he shook his head. "My daughter told me that you were harassing her about going to see her family. And after what your shit for brains brother put her through, that just doesn't sit right with me ole chap."

"From what Savannah tells me, you're going to be a father soon. So let me ask you, wouldn't you do anything for your kid? Because if there is one thing I've learned about being a father...it's that I would commit even the most heinous acts to make sure they were safe." His voice was menacingly serious as he glared at Spencer with contempt in his eyes. "My daughter and her son are allowed to go wherever they damn well please, she is not tied to this fucking place like a dog on a chain leash in the front of your yard. After what your brother did to her, she doesn't owe you or your family anything! Is that clear? Because if it's not, I can beat you senselessly until you get the picture."
with: Syd Pyroclast ; Spencer Misty Gray

 

[BloodLightning27]

Chapter 4: ConfrontationsSaturday 13th April 1985
...3 weeks later...
Dublin: Evening - Mild, Heavy Rain, Overcast​

~Dublin: Stella Kwon - Scattered Mind~

Following the attempted debt collection in the Casino alley, Stella soon found herself developing a crush on Emery, her Boss' Niece. Not wanting to screw things up, Stella wanted to stomp it out and let it fade. Three weeks later, it was easier said then done. Several thoughts traversed through her mind. Like, was it okay? Would Conner be upset with her if she tried to ask Emery out? Having this crush had to be against the rules. There was no way she was getting away with dating the Boss' Niece! Wait, was she even into women? As Stella's thoughts scattered and went in different directions, she took a deep breath as she entered the parking lot of Bodyworks Gym, a place where her Colleagues and other members of the Irish Mob liked to go and work out. Usually, Stella would come in at an earlier time, but collecting debts (Other then Clayton) for Conner had been keeping her busy, not to mention the Drive-By Shooting in Downtown that took the life of Roxanne's Fiancé, Matthew, or so she has heard from the whispers of her other Colleagues. Because Stella didn't really know anything and wasn't all in the loop, she couldn't really say much. No words of comfort, no talking to others, etcetera.

All in all, it was a sad story, but she couldn't help but wonder...who was responsible for Matthew's death? Sighing as she just wanted to clear her head, Stella shut off her Mustang after pulling into a nearby parking spot. Grabbing her Gym Bag, she made her way into the gym. 'WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH ME!?!?' she asked within her mind, even punching her steering wheel...which did hurt a little bit.

Going towards the Women's Locker Room, Stella proceeded to get into a change of clothes and put her belongings into an unclaimed locker before putting her own padlock on it. She then proceeded to tie her hair into a Ponytail and then grabbing some Boxing Gloves from her bag. Quietly she walked out of the Locker Room, avoiding eye contact with the other patrons, even putting her hood on as she proceeded to make her way towards an unoccupied punching bag. Putting her gloves on, she proceeded to begin her workout, hopes that it would help her clear her scattered and conflicted mind, which she found very out of character.

Nearby: Thomas Porter, Blake McCarthy Bellz Adam Harper Misty Gray

 

[Misty Gray]

Savannah Callahan's House
~ Islington, London ~

Kerry Patrick​

Working at a club belonging to the Kings, Kerry had been feeling like she was in a somewhat uncomfortable position recently. She and Savannah were close friends, which meant she was aware of the building tension between her employer and her friend. She didn't want to get stuck in the middle of a feud. Whilst she was sure she would choose Savannah if made to, she would prefer Spencer didn't try to involve her in his private life. So far, other than the odd interrogating question about her friend's whereabouts and long-term plans, Spencer hadn't made Kerry feel uncomfortable, yet.

For now, she'd been taking Maddox's recent advice and keeping an eye out for employment in a place that wasn't affiliated with the Kings, the man reminding her all too well how difficult it could be getting stuck in the middle of a disagreement. More specifically, how dangerous it was to be involved with both sides when one side was the Irish Mob! In all honesty, Kerry wasn't even sure if she wanted to stick around in London if things remained how they were, including the odd ignorant comment she received from those who recognised her Northern Irish accent. Savannah had been looking to find acting work in Dublin and she'd gone as far as to suggest Kerry moved to Ireland with her if she landed a role. Kerry was seriously contemplating taking her up on the offer.

Savannah had returned to Dublin to support Roxie and she'd given Kerry a spare set of keys so she could check in on the place once in a while, especially for if any important post had been delivered. As she walked past her friend's house that evening, on her way home from her afternoon shift at the club, she noticed the lights were on in the house. Deciding to return Savannah's keys, she walked to the front door. Not wanting to just let herself in unannounced, she knocked on the door and waited for her friend to answer. She was taken by surprise when it was Braden who opened the door and greeted her.

"Hi Braden. I guess it's unexpected on both sides," she replied to him, following up with something of a shy laugh. "I'm doing well. How about you? How's little Hattie?" she asked, remembering him showing her his daughter's photograph the last time they'd met. "Oh, so I..." she began, unzipping her handbag and digging her hand inside to retrieve the spare set of keys Savannah had given her. "I saw the lights were on and I figured Savvy was home, so I thought I'd return her keys. I'm pretty confident all of the plants have survived in my care," she assured him. "Is Savvy here?" she enquired, loosely holding the keys in case Braden decided to take them from her.

Bellz (Braden)

 

[Misty Gray]

Residential Area
~ Bethnal Green, London ~

Spencer King​

Spencer's head jolted sideways when Peter backhanded him to stop him trying to struggling from the grip of the two man restraining him. He let out a growl as he turned back to Peter, blocking out the throbbing in his cheek from Callahan's strike. At gatherings where the Kings and Callahans had been in the same place, Peter had generally come across as an amicable man. As Peter was Callum's grandfather, he'd gone out of his way for things to be friendly and civil between them all. Much of the pleasantries were no doubt done by both sides for the sake of keeping Callum happy. Spencer wasn't quite a father yet, but he already knew what lengths he'd go to in order to protect his kid. Hell, he already tried his hardest to look after his little nephew and keep the boy safe. That meant he did understand why Peter would go out of his way to protect his daughter, Savannah. But that didn't mean he would accept it, nor the actions the old man was current taking against him.

Spencer lightly shrugged his shoulders as an act of defiance when Peter's question suggested he should know what his current predicament was about. When the man went on to point out he'd been harassing Savannah, Spencer groaned and slowly shook his head. Upon hearing Alex being referred to as 'shit for brains', Spencer tightened his jaw, not impressed hearing his brother being spoken of in that way.

Spencer was sure the men were serious, he could tell by Peter's menacing tone alone, but it didn't mean he could just cower down. "Sav isn't in any danger, so you don't need to be protecting her from us. This shit right now, you smacking me about and slating my brother... It's all uncalled for." His arms being held, Spencer twisted his head to wipe the remaining damp blood from his nose onto the shoulder of his coat. He then looked back to Peter and Syd. "I ain't done shit to Sav and I've never threatened her. I like her and I've always welcomed her into the family. Harper and Shona think she'd a great lass. Alex fucked up - he knows it and so do I, but he loves Callum to bits. So yeah, it's been hard for us when Sav's just taken off to Dublin, not giving second thought about it being our turn to look after the boy, and that we might have made special plans for him." He exhaled deeply, in frustration. A hot-head by nature, he didn't like being restrained and held back the way he was, it made him feel naturally aggressive. "I spoke to Sav and told her she needed to start discussing her plans with the rest of us, that Callum is as much a King as he is a Callahan. It's not right keeping the kid away from his dad. But we all know how soft she is, so she's blown this all out of proportion. I know she's a good actress, but this isn't as dramatic as the princess is making it all out to be. So stop this car and let me get the fuck out. Go back to throwing your weight around in Dublin, where the little Irish folk will bow down to your bullshit."

Pyroclast (Syd) Bellz (Peter)

 

[Misty Gray]

Rikers Island Prison
~ Rikers Island, New York City ~

James Porter​

James firmly nodded when Kurt said he figured he'd had his reasons for getting himself thrown into solitary. "Yeah. I mean, the officer was disrespecting my wife... but I had intended on doing something to get thrown into the box anyway," he admitted. "Needed some time away to think, but despite getting some peace - perhaps too much peace - I'm still in the same spot with Moretti as I was before," he said. He briefly glanced towards the lone figure of the inmate Gabriel had ordered him to kill.

Despite his own sons not visiting or reaching out to him, it still warmed James to hear Kurt talking about Benjamin. It at least served as a reminder of life on the outside and how much family meant. He was happy to hear the young man was doing well and was pleased with the offer of joining Sullivan employees when they flew to New York. "Ah, that's great news. Hopefully you'll get to see a bit more of him now and you can rest assured he'll be in safe hands getting here," he told him. "He might be busy, but it seems like the kid's keen to see you as much as he can. You couldn't get him to have a word with my two lads, could you?" he joked, falling silent after a dry laugh.

He nodded in appreciation to hear the cell had been kept tidy, but raised a curious eyebrow upon hearing someone had tried to muscle in on his place in the cell. "Ah, this place is full of parasites, always trying it on... Unless the guy took a fancy to you and just wanted to get close," he remarked, turning to Kurt with a smirk.

The conversation was cut short when two inmates approached them. Kurt asked if he knew them, to which James subtly shook his head. "No, I don't know these two," he answered his friend. He looked to James and Bradley, his face cold and void of emotion as he looked them over. They'd have to be pretty stupid if they were planning on trying to start something - especially the one who was practically a kid, probably only Olivia's age. His next thought was that they were going to try asking him for a favour, which happened often enough.

The youngest looked nervous, though given his age, James wouldn't be surprised if the kid spend every moment he was in jail practically shitting himself in fear. "You found him," he told Bradley when the young man asked for Mr. Porter. James sat up straight and looked both of the newcomers up and down, but then set his focus on Bradley. "What's the problem?" he asked, not used to being asked for by name. "If you're after drugs, you're wasting your time with us," he assured him. Granted, James was in control of the drugs supply in Rikers Island, but he kept his distance from the actual distribution and dealing within the walls. Making sure everything ran smoothly and in order was his part in that mess.

BloodLightning27 (James, Bradley)
Pyroclast (Kurt)

 

[Bellz]

Blake McCarthy

Bodyworks Gym
~ Dublin City Center, Dublin ~ ​

Blake was all smiles as Adam agreed to get a drink with her after he was finished at the gym. She felt bad going MIA for a few days but with her children keeping her annoyingly busy, she had to put him on the back burner. Watching as Thomas excused himself, Blake let out a soft chuckle as Adam called him a little shit. Once he was told that he would be given a heads up when it was time to do his bit, Blake and Adam were left alone. Adam tossed his gloves aside before moving to place his vest back on. Blake did her best not to pout as he covered up his muscular chest instead focusing her attention on his words as he asked if she was doing okay aside from her children being children. Blake shrugged her shoulders and found herself laughing again as the man asked if she was sure he couldn't offer her a free gym induction. "Hey, I'll take anything if it's free. But I haven't been to a gym in years." She said before poking herself in the stomach. "My abs could definitely use some work." She said teasingly before her face turned serious.

"If I'm being perfectly honest with you...I uh, started seeing my therapist again. It's been like 4 or 5 years since I last saw him." Blake murmured lightly, looking around her to see if anyone was close enough to hear what she was saying before returning her attention to Adam. "I had been told a while back by him that it would take some getting used to, going back into the dating scene I mean. I just..." She trailed off, her cheeks blushing furiously before she made a nervous face. "I mean, I'm not sure about your intentions...but I just really want this to work between us. And even though I am loving the time we are spending together, I have this never-ending feeling of guilt for trying to take this step. I figure I should start seeing my shrink again so I could get some guidance." Blake confessed, a small smile forming on her face.

"In my youth, I had a tendency to self sabotage my life for the sake of other's happiness. I grew out of it when I started to become more confident in myself and when my father passed. I loved him dearly but he always had a plan for me, one that I followed almost to a tee. And then I started following someone else's idea which eventually led me to the Porters and Jackson. After he died I fell back into those tendencies..." Blake sighed and shook her head, "I want this to work and if it doesn't I don't want it to be because I fucked it up." Looking into Adam's eyes, Blake lightly smiled at him. "So, how's it going training the little shit over there?" She asked Adam, changing the focus on her to him now. "Poor Lucy says he's ignored her completely since she's been here. And they are living in the same house currently. Is he just as moody with you as he is with her?"
with: Adam Misty Gray

 

[Misty Gray]

The Oak Tree Restaurant
~ Dublin City Center, Dublin ~

Conor Sullivan​

Conor caught the look Aliana sent him when he threatened to sell Sydney's toys. He didn't see a my problem with his banter, even when directed at his youngest kid. Heaven knows, they'd have to get used to it growing up in his household, not to mention it would help them grow a thick skin. Still, seeing the horror in his youngest's eyes was part adorable, but also tugged at the heartstrings. Aliana was first to speak up to ease the child's concern, confirming no toys would be getting sold. The 'thank goodness' from the child, along with her dramatic hand on chest, caused the man to chuckle a little. "Nah, your toys are safe, cutie. Especially Teddy. We all love Teddy so dearly..." he trailed off, grinning at Aliana because he knew how much that particular toy creeped her out. "Teddy will be with us forever and ever."

As Leo began to explain his argument with Natasha related to business, Conor's curiosity intensified, but was soon deflated again when Aliana interrupted to tell them business talk wasn't permitted on their rare family time together. Catching the woman's serious expression, Conor decided against putting his foot down to overrule her, if only to spare the girls from a cold shift in tone. He lightly shook his head before looking back to Leo. "We'll talk about this tomorrow," he firmly assured him.

Leo went on to speak about how he'd been confused abut the fact his date with Natasha had been a date. This prompted a reaction from Rhiannon and the girl calling him dumb . "Hey, when you get a few years older and you've been out drinking enough alcohol, you'll not be fussy about where you buy that late night burger from," he defended McDonald's. He then quickly shook his head as he looked to Rhiannon. "Hypothetically, of course. Let's face it, you're not going out drinking until you're at least 30 and even then, I still might not allow it," he informed her. He picked up on Leo claiming he wouldn't be able to make up for it with Natasha, but he decided he'd save that lecture for their private conversation too.

Conor's attention then rested on Rhiannon as she answered about her ice-skating. "The double? That's still good too, right? You'll be doing the triple soon enough, it's just a case of training and practising. Not to mention hard work and commitment, which you're already doing anyway. Not like my lazy arse when I was your age," he reassured her. Then Rhiannon pointed out that he'd missed her recent competition, where she'd placed second. He didn't like that he had to miss her competitions, but where business was concerned, there were a lot of meetings he simply couldn't back out of. Apparently, he'd traded missing important events due to being drunk or getting arrested, for missing them due to his work responsibilities. "When is the charity show? I'll do everything I can to be there," he told her, stopping short of making it a promise he might be forced to break.

One thing he was determined to do was take the family away for a vacation during the school holidays in summer. "Alright, everyone. Here's a question for each of you. If we could go on holiday, where would you most want to go?"

Melanin-Gxdess (Aliana, Leo, Rhiannon, Sydney)

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Burger Joint
~ Manhattan, New York City ~
Theodore 'Teddy' Wycliff
Reina Richards

The two weeks Teddy and his family spent in Miami hadn't been enough. Though it was really an opportunity for Valentina to relax and de-stress herself, having his family all together was still good for his children. His kids were sure to cherish the memories that were made on the beach and at Disneyland and that was enough for him. On their last day, there had been resistance from the three of them to which he had to explain they still had a home. Despite sharing their despair at having to leave, he knew they couldn't stay in Miami forever - there were still a lot of things that needed tending to. Teddy hoped this little vacation had the intended effects for his wife and that she would be more relaxed. The moment they got home they were able to get back into their normal routine; school, work, and the like. Things seemed to be going well for Val, so he was able to relax as far as that was concerned.

The only worrisome issue he had left was the Biancardi situation. Ricky had set up a meeting between Roxie and Gabe with Teddy, Ricky, and Reina being in attendance. In Teddy's opinion, a woman in charge was a nice change to see. It wouldn't be another contestant in the dick measuring contest which was a relief. However, he didn't believe now was the time to make such a change. He shared Gabe's feelings as far her connections to the Sullivan's had gone and understood why the man disliked the situation. He had been thinking of how he was going to approach the meeting when Gabriel turned to him and asked about the vacation. "Ah, I think so. God knows I've spent more on souvenirs than I did the actual vacation, so they damn well had better." He joked, before turning serious. Of course, the man had turned around and revisited the conversation the two of them had about a month ago. The topic of Valentina working less was a very sensitive one. It was another place Teddy begrudgingly agreed with his father-in-law, but he didn't know how to bring it up to his wife without making her feel... Incapable. He knew eventually he would have to get over that and it seemed that time was now. "I would be honored to continue being your righthand man and deflating more egos for you." He let out a soft chuckle. "I'll... Talk to Tin about it tonight then. I've been waiting for the right time and now that she's more relaxed this should be a good a time as any."

The two of them arrived at the same time as the others, Teddy and Gabriel waiting for them by the door. It was strange to see Ricky trailing behind Roxie instead of Ricky being in the lead. Even though it had been about a month he still hadn't quite processed the rise to succession just yet. Teddy then followed Gabriel's lead at addressing Reina and Ricky - watching as Reina suppressed herself from making a face. The young woman appeared to be attempting to be on her best behavior, forcing a smile. "Moretti," she simply said before turning her head to survey the area. He couldn't see it from behind her black sunglasses, but Teddy was sure she had rolled her eyes. Reina had found Teddy to be an interesting opposite to his boss, not being such an old geezer all the time. Teddy, on the other hand, found her to be just as much a wild card as her boss. He gave her an amused smile as he greeted her before turning to Ricky. Teddy returned the man's enthusiasm before shrugging his shoulders, one hand in his suit pant pocket. "Not in this concrete jungle. I took the wife and kids down to Miami for a couple of weeks." Ricky may not have been the sanest of people at times, but Teddy appreciated everything else about him. He was unapologetic in his opinions and rarely held his tongue. Teddy appreciated someone who didn't conform to what everyone else was saying and instead forming their own thoughts.

Once inside and seated, Reina ordered herself fries and a shake. Though this wasn't necessarily an eating type of meeting, Reina was hungry and wasn't about to forego eating because of it. Teddy ordered himself water and listened as Roxie got things started, watching as she took out a notebook. "Hey, whatever works for you. Wouldn't want to miss out on anything important, right?" He offered her a genuine smile before turning to his boss, waiting for him to speak.







Ricky, Gabe ( Misty Gray ) Roxie ( Bellz )​

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Maverick's
~Queens, New York~
Ava Moretti

The first thing Ava was drawn to was the woman's hair. Ava had been very monotone as far as her own fashion pallet went and this young woman was so... Bright. It definitely wouldn't work for Ava, but she did like it all on Harmony. Times were changing and the younger generation was a lot bolder and she could appreciate that. "Carter, be a doll an' bring a few shots back, won't ya?" Carter nodded his head to her before disappearing behind the door. Ava asked Harmony to give her one more moment as she set about making sure the rest of the chair was sanitized before letting her sit down. The smell of sanitizing solution had begun to fill up the room causing her to couch and chuckle. "Sorry. With the craziness goin' on around here I have to make sure everything is squeaky clean." She gestured to the chair with her hand as she took off her wedding ring, slipping it into her back pocket. She then slipped her hands into some black gloves. Once Harmony had made herself comfortable Ava kicked over her own smaller chair to sit on. "Alright, little lady. Usually, I know everyone who sits in that chair an' they know me; seen my work." She rolled over to a messy-looking bookshelf full of binders and random books. It took her a few moments to find what she was looking for; a black photo album with polaroids of tattoos. "Here it is." With a triumphant smile, she rolled back over to the girl and handed the album to her. "Just to give you a better idea and a little more comfortable you can look through this."

There was a soft knock on the door and Ava waited for a slight moment before hearing the knocking again. It was their secret code to let her know everything was all good and he wasn't the police. Carter opened the door slightly to hand her two shot glasses and a bottle of whiskey. "Thanks, baby," she said with a smile, watching as he left the room. She set both the glasses and the bottles down and got to work pouring the two of them a shot. "So usually I freehand my work, it's a lot easier that way. Stencils just feel so... Limiting? I dunno; I hate them. So instead of stencil, I will use this bad boy," she paused to show her a red ink pen before continuing, "Then I'll go over it with a blue one, an' if you like it with put the needle down." She shrugged her shoulders, handing the young girl a shot glass. Without much hesitation, she knocked her own back and swallowed without making a face. "So, do you have an idea of what ya want?"


Harmony ( BloodLightning27 )​

 

[Misty Gray]

Callahan Residence
~ Sutton, Dublin ~

Sinead and Liam Callahan​

Sinead had just settled Callum and Hattie in their beds when she heard the car pulling up outside. Although she would normally have let her grandchildren stay up later to spend time with Lucy, they'd both been quite tired so she decided it was best to let them sleep early rather than watch their tired little faces as they battled to stay awake. Making her way downstairs, she hummed a melody to herself. Stepping into the lounge she saw Liam deep in thought. Her son's quiet moments concerned her at times, but she only hoped he'd perk up now some kids his own age were visiting. "Liam, baby, are you going to play with your cousins she softly asked, sitting back down beside him as she studied his face. Before he could respond, Lucy called out to them and the house lounge livened up as their guests entered the room.

Sinead smiled when JJ rushed to greet Liam and told the boy he'd missed him, before the two hugged. She found it sweet how the boys were with each other and she hoped JJ would be able to cheer Liam up for the evening by distracting him from his current concerns about Peter and Braden. Not missing her turn, Sinead gave JJ a tight hug and a kiss on the top of his head. She then gave the twins a warm hug and kiss too. "Girls, if you're going to play upstairs, you'll need to used your quiet voices. Callum and Hattie are sleeping," she softly told the girls. When JJ asked Liam if he wanted to play catch, Sinead nodded her head to encourage Liam. "If you're playing outside, you need to take your shoes off when you come back in. I don't want rain trailing in on my clean floors, misters," she sweetly warned them.

"Mam!" Liam grumbled, but didn't stick around to talk and instead took Lucy's encouragement, leaving the lounge with JJ. "I missed you too," he told his cousin in return as they walked off together. "How are you doing? I still miss Mr. Moore," he admitted, knowing it was closer to home for JJ. "But he's in Heaven, you know. Father Healy has told me so much stuff and I know Mr. Moore is in Heaven," he assured JJ, hoping it would be helpful.


Sinead had given Lucy a tight hug and once the children had all gone off to do their own thing, she sat on the sofa beside her older sister. "I'm holding up okay, I think. I just keep wondering what they're doing right now and hoping they're not in any danger. It's one thing doing this job on our home soil, but they're in London. I've been told over and over that the Kings don't have anywhere near the power our family does, but even so, London is their territory," she fretted. "And I'm worried about Savvy now. I've wanted her to live in Dublin for a while, so I'm glad she's here at the moment. I just know she's going to struggle, because Callum loves the Kings just as much as he loves us. He's not going to like if it he can't see his daddy and even though Petey will always be her father, Savvy has often wondered about what Angel would have been like if she'd met him. She won't have the heart to keep Callum away from his dad, but I'm worried that's going to become so complicated now."

Letting out a deep sigh, Sinead brought her hand to her forehead. "I haven't even offered you a drink or anything. What are you having, Luce?" she asked. Once drinks and snacks were sorted, Sinead returned to the couch. "How are you? I'm glad you're staying over here for a bit, but I never go to ask why. What about James? Is he okay?" she asked. "And is Thomas talking to you yet?"

Bellz (Lucy and kiddos)

Bodyworks Gym
~ Dublin City Centre, Dublin ~

Adam Harper​

Adam grinned when Blake said she'd take anything that was free. When she poked her stomach and said her abs could use some work, he let out a soft laugh and shook his head. "Well, I think you look great the way you are," he assured her. "I just think it's good for everyone to stay fit and healthy. Even those who are already smoking hot still need some cardio and resistance training to keep the body functioning at its best," he explained. "Not that I'm trying to get you to sign up for a membership," he remarked.

As Blake began to tell him she'd started seeing her therapist again, Adam reached out to lightly touch her shoulder and lead her a short distance away where they could sit together on an empty bench. All the while, he made sure to maintain a clear view of the gym entrance. He nodded along as Blake told him she'd been talking with her therapist about going back to dating. When she made a comment that she wasn't sure about his intentions, Adam looked her in the eyes. He was torn; wanting to tell her he hoped they could end up in a relationship for the run long, but afraid of saying it in case it sounded like he was getting ahead of himself or coming on too strong. "I'm not going to put any pressure on for you to rush this. You talk to your therapist and take as much time as you need. I don't think you should feel any guilt about this, but I'm probably biased and don't have personal experience to speak from."

Then Blake went on to say she wanted a relationship with him to work and not fail because she fucked it up. "I doubt you could fuck it up," he assured her. "If you want, we can agree now that if things didn't work out, we can blame me. I've got previous relationship fuck-ups under my belt from my younger years, so I'm used to taking the blame," he joked. Whilst he wanted more than anything for Blake to overcome her doubt and guilt, he knew he couldn't push her into rushing into a relationship with him. He'd been patient for some time already, so he was willing to wait a little longer.

"Training is going great. Tom's a fast learner and listens to everything he's told." He let out a dry laugh when asked if Thomas was moody with him. "Nah, he seems pretty chilled with me, considering the shit he's got going on in his head and at home. It's probably easier for him to relax around me than his own family. As much as I hope he'll stop ignoring his mother, I'm best staying well clear of that one and not interfering. I'm more useful to him as his work mentor and I think me butting in to his family life could jeopardise that. Although, I may have been trying to give his love life a nudge," he mischievously told Blake. "I've been getting him to talk to the new barmaid again," he explained, a playful grin forming on his face.

Bellz (Blake)

Burger Joint
~ Manhattan, New York City ~

Gabriel Moretti and Riccardo Biancardi​

Gabriel followed Roxie to the booth, trying his best not to turn his nose up at the choice of establishment. He motioned for Teddy to take a seat opposite Reina, whilst he himself sat directly opposite Roxie. Ricky, meanwhile, had the option to sit at either side of the booth, but as was usual in his position, he didn't feel he should pick a side to sit on. Instead, he grabbed a chair and sat himself at the end of the table, with Gabe and Roxie closest to him. The waitress came to take the group's orders, to which Gabriel requested a coffee. Ricky, raised a curious eyebrow when Reina ordered fries. After a brief smirk in her direction, he looked to the waitress and nodded. "Double cheeseburger, fries, and a large Coke," he casually requested. He had quite an appetite and little care for whether ordering a late lunch was appropriate under the circumstances.

Keen to get the meeting started, Gabriel was glad when the waitress left and Roxie addressed business. He nodded along when the woman explained why she was taking notes. "Of course, Roxanne. You're new to this whole thing, but perhaps in time you'll gain enough confidence to rely on your own memory," he commented. When the elephant in the room was addressed, Gabriel sat up straight, happy to be getting straight to the point. He followed the woman's gaze as she turned to Ricky whilst mentioning people not being happy with her succession in the business. Looking back to Roxie, his face turned stern and serious. "Riccardo is quite right. I have significant doubts which need addressing," he told her.

There was a brief pause as the waitress returned to the table to serve everyone their drinks. Even when the waitress had left, Gabriel remained silent, keeping the others hanging as they awaited him continuing with what he'd been about to say. After calmly taking his time to add the correct amount of milk and sugar to his drink, he then carefully stirred it. After taking a small sip of coffee, he placed the mug down and decided he wanted to continue speaking.

"Okay, Roxanne. First doubt is whether or not you're up to taking on the role. I'm going to ignore the fact that you're a woman, because I've been told by enough people now that my views on the matter are apparently outdated. But there still remains the matter of experience and capability to make difficult, unpleasant decisions. Riccardo has the experience and seems all too comfortable doing the unpleasant... Can you genuinely say you'll be able to do it?" he asked her.

Gabriel then decided to move on to the other big questions. "Giovanni worked with myself and Conor to secure a truce all of those years ago. The man was sufficiently neutral to oversee that agreement was conducted fairly, for which it has worked for years since. I believe many parties from all sides are concerned about how the agreement will continue in the wake of Giovanni's death." Gabriel cleared his throat. "You are not seen as neutral, Roxanne. You've been in bed with the Sullivans - literally - and your children's father is Syd Porter. This would make anyone reasonably concerned about where your, and as such Biancardi loyalties, will lie moving forward. And I believe I was well within my right to find fault with you rushing back to Dublin after Giovanni's funeral, without giving so much as a thought to your responsibilities in New York."

Gabriel took another drink of his coffee before glancing to Teddy then Reina. "I am keen to hear what everyone else thinks. I don't believe my concerns are unwarranted and I know many are in agreement with me, which is why I wanted to address it. But I'm open to hearing opposing views..."

Bellz (Roxie) Melanin-Gxdess (Teddy, Reina)

 

[High5ives]

Oswald “Ozzy” Taylor

“Taylor! Keep those fuckers pinned down! Alvin, Smith, down the side alley!”

Ozzy shouldered his rifle, peering around the corner of the brick home he was hiding behind. What had started as a small street skirmish had quickly turned into an all out firefight, and now his inexperienced Lieutenant was doing his best to maintain control of the situation.

“I don’t see anything! Where are they firing fro-“

Ozzy’s voice was cut off by a bullet shattering the bricks just above his head, spraying a cloud of dust up into the hot, summer air. He practically dove back behind cover, nearly dropping his rifle to the ground beside him.

“Taylor! Lay down some fuckin’ fire!” The Lieutenant yelled again, but Oz was too shell shocked to understand a word of it.

It was only his second week in Ulster, and up until now things had been peaceful. Ozzy had just assumed to stories from other soldiers were just that, stories. Tall tales soldiers told one another at the pubs, trying to earn the pretty girl’s attention. Ozzy hasn’t even considered the possibility that the stories were real.

“Taylor! Get your ass up and put rounds down range!” The Lieutenant yelled, grabbing Ozzy’s rifles and shoving it into his chest.

Ozzy snapped back into reality again, peeking around the corner and blindly furring his weapon. It was all he could do, where he had no idea for the enemy was.

“Taylor, the fucking windows! Second floor!”

Ozzy glanced up where his Lieutenant instructed and could just make out the gun barrels poking through the broken windows. “Sir!” Ozzy yelled before peaking his own rifle around the corner of the building again and unloading what was left in the magazine.

“Alvin, Smith! Move now!”

Alvin and Smith, men Ozzy had never met before being assigned to this unit, ran from the building they were all huddled around. The alley was just across the street. A meager twenty feet at best.

“Taylor! Covering fi-“

This time it was the Lieutenant that was cut off by the deafening sound of an explosion. Ozzy had no idea where it had come from, whether it was thrown and fired from something. Alvin and Smith were there one moment and then just gone the next. Limbs and gore were the only thing to mark that they had been there before.

“Taylor, fuckin’ move!” The Lieutenant yelled, pushing Ozzy back into cover.

Ozzy dropped his rifle, looking down at the blood spray that covered his whole right side and instantly flying into a panic. “I-I’m hit! Sir, I’m hit!” It was hard to tell which blood was his and which was his comrades, but Ozzy couldn’t plainly see where bits of shrapnel had torn into his skin. “I’m bleeding!”

“Keep your fucking head down, Taylor!” The Lieutenant snapped back, just before an Armored Personnel Carrier came roaring down the street. The gunner on top immediately opened fire on the 2nd windows the IRA had been shooting. Machine gun fire drowned out all else.
-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-

“Oz, I been callin’ your big ‘airy ass for ten minutes!”

Ozzy just stared down at the empty glass in front of him. A few precious drops of whiskey hid in the bottom, slowly being diluted by the melting ice. Half burnt away, a cigarette hung loosely from his lips, it’s smoke trailing up slowly in front of his eyes.

“Oi! We had a deal! I’d wipe your tab, you keep bringin’ in folks with the fights! There’s a whole crowd in there waiting for ya!”

The barkeep was a small man with a nasally voice that Ozzy couldn’t stand. His arms were stringy, and his clothes were ill fitting. Whisps of hair danced wildly on top of the little man’s balding head as he hurried around his small bar, shooing people into the large back room where a makeshift boxing ring had been set up. The bar itself was nearly in shambles. It was a hole in the wall that only locals seemed to know about, and these fights were the little man’s last hope at bringing in more business.

Ozzy reached for the dark bottle at his right, pouring himself another glass and draining it just as quickly, causing the small man to let out an exasperated breath.

“Oz. The Lad back there waiting for ya is Irish...” He spoke with a timid tone.

Ozzy let out a deep sigh before taking another drink, this time straight from the bottle.

“You should have started with that, you stringy little I'm uncultured.” Ozzy grumbled, his voice rumbling up out of his chest like a volcano waiting to erupt.

Ozzy stood slowly. He was steady, despite the half drained whiskey bottle that barely hung between his fingertips. His footsteps were slow too, but deliberate. One step after another, marching back into the back room where a small crowd waited. The air in there was thick with tobacco smoke, and Ozzy could see the haze. Not that he was looking. His eyes were already locked on the only man standing in the boxing ring. “That him?” Ozzy muttered, never taking his eyes off the man.

“Yeah Oz, that’s him.” The Barkeeper confirmed. “Give ‘im hell.”

Ozzy flicked his cigarette on the ground and passed his bottle to any hand that would take it. Arms roped with muscle tensed and tightened as Ozzy entered the ring and peeled his dirty, sweat stained shirt off his back.

“This the big bastard you all been talkin’ me ear off about?” The Irishman taunted, pointing a skinny finger at Oz. “Bloke is already half drunk, give me a challenge!” He went on, laughing and smiling at the crowd.

“Oz...” The Barkeep warned, but it was too late.

When the Irishman turned his back to Oz to face the crowd, Ozzy rushed forward, wrapping his arms around his waist and flipping the man up over his shoulder and back down to the floor in a reverse tombstone. The man hit the floor with a loud BANG or what might have been a ‘crack’. Not that Ozzy gave a damn either way.

“We’ll get up then, you fuckin’ lowlife greenskinned rat!” Ozzy spat down at the man, towering over him as he writhed on the floor holding his collarbone.

“You fuckin’ broke me arm!” The Irishman yelled up at him, eyes frantic with both pain and now fear.

“And?” Ozzy grumbled, bringing his foot back and then slinging the toe of his boot into the man’s chest, earning a yell of pain and a sharp gasp from the small crowd. “Consider it payback for your fuckin’ friends in Ulster.” Ozzy spat.

Ozzy’s hand clenched into a tight fist before coming down sharp on the Irishman’s jaw, practically bouncing his head off the floor. The Irishman didn’t say anything after that. In fact, he didn’t move.

Ozzy stared down at the man for only a moment before reaching down and plucking his wallet from his pocket.

“For my tab. Now another bottle.” Ozzy said, shoving the wallet into the bartender’s chest as he made his way back to his empty seat at the bar...

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

The Oak Tree Restaurant
~Dublin City Centre, Dublin~
Aliana Cartwright-Sullivan
Leo Sullivan
Rhiannon Sullivan
Sydney Sullivan

Ali playfully glared at her husband as he noted Teddy would be with them forever. With her luck, some new and better toy would be out soon and she would be able to stick the damned toy somewhere she would never see it again. Perhaps even give it to some other family who didn't mind creepy toys. 'You're going to pay for that,' she mouthed with a mischievous smile on her face. She shot him a wink before raising her glass to her lips and taking a sip of her own water.

She was glad he had dropped the topic willingly, not in the mood to get into an argument. With her husband's temper and her own stubbornness, it was sure to sour the mood and create a hostile environment. If they were to have an argument she would prefer it be just the two of them where the kids couldn't hear them. She never wanted her children to hear them when they had disagreements because she didn't want them to worry. Leo had been privy to them at a young age and Ali didn't want to make that same mistake twice more. Ali turned to Leo with a softer expression on her face. "If it just can't wait, then you can discuss it after we've spent time together." She looked back at Conor. "Is that okay with you?" She kept the sarcasm from her voice as she could tell he was curious as to what business Leo would want to discuss. If she were being honest, she was too. However, Leo had asked to speak with his father and not her so she would butt out for now.

Rhiannon turned her nose up at the thought of eating McDonald's, causing Ali to look over at her. "Rhi, since when do you not like eating burgers?" The young girl shook her head, tapping her finger against the table. "It's super freaking greasy, are you kidding?!" Rhiannon looked at her family members with a shocked look on her face, causing both Leo and Ali to laugh softly. Her diet consisted of healthier food due to her figure skating, which meant she was definitely not eating at such places. She turned her attention back to Conor once he started speaking about drinking. "I'll have you know I'm sticking to wines and champagne once I turn 18," she stated, putting emphasis on 18. There was no way she was waiting until she was 30 to start drinking alcohol. "I'm not going to be drinking the same stuff you guys drink nor going to shady places like Leo." She made a gesture to her brother before crossing her arms. "Hey! I do not go to shady places. They're well-respected establishments." Rhiannon looked at him with an eyebrow raised. "Sweaty dorm rooms are not well-respected establishments." Aliana looked back to Conor again, shaking her head. "I blame the fancy schools. They've created a proper debutante!" She teased.

The moment Rhiannon told Conor he had missed her performance, Ali watched his expression. She made it a point to at least record them for later since she knew how work could be. "I mean, the double is good, sure, but if I can land the triple I would be the youngest one in my group to do it." She smiled once he praised her for her hard work. There was something about hearing it from her father that meant just a bit more to her than hearing it from her mother. "Thanks! The charity event is in two weeks, so hopefully, you'll be able to make it. If not, I'll just have Leo record it again." Leo and Ali gave a tentative glance to each other, knowing that there was always a possibility of something happening to take him away. They'd tried their best to soften most of the blows when he wasn't able to make it, but it didn't make it easier.

"Vacation?" Sydney's head suddenly popped up at the word. She had been listening to everyone speak, though because she didn't have much to contribute stayed quiet. "Vienna!" Ali looked at her youngest with a curious look on her face. "Syd, what's in Vienna?" Sydney shrugged her shoulders with a smile. "The State Opera House!" Rhiannon giggled to herself, knowing exactly where she had found the information from. "We've been reading about some of the composers she listens to," she said, smiling at her sister before turning to Conor. "I would like to go skiing." Leo nodded his head in agreement. "I second that." Ali just shook her head. "Bora Bora sounds nice, though, you may have to decide, love." She said with a slight chuckle. "It seems we're all over the place."




Conor ( Misty Gray )​

 

[Bellz]

Roxie Carriveau
Burger Joint
~ Manhattan, New York City ~​

Upon observation, Roxie could conclude that Teddy was nothing like Gabriel by the way the man gave her a genuine smile. Roxie offered the man her own small smile before her face turned serious once more as Gabriel answered her. Noticing that Reina and Ricky had ordered food, Roxie was going to wait to eat until after the meeting was over and she was safely back at the hotel. Despite the nostalgic feeling she got from the joint, she knew that it was unprofessional to eat in during a meeting. She didn't care what her cousin or bodyguard did, but she would hold off till the end.

Roxie didn't like the way Gabriel commented on her note-taking. While yes, she wanted to make sure she didn't forget any details...the reason she took notes was more due to the fact that people tended to go back on their word. Roxie had dealt with it many times before and that was why on top of taking witnesses with her to meetings, she wrote down what had been discussed. Despite her secret irritation, she kept herself calm and collected, knowing that everyone except perhaps Reina was looking for her to make a mistake. Any reason to prove she wasn't worthy for the position she was given.

Hearing that Gabriel had significant doubts which needed addressing, Roxie nodded her head silently waiting for the man to continue. The waitress came back with drinks and Gabriel seemed to take his time to think bout what he was about to say...though she wasn't sure if that was exactly what he was doing. Perhaps he was wanting to build suspense? He was hard to read. Roxie moved to take a small drink of her iced tea, not needing any sugar to make it sweeter. When Gabriel was finished tending to his coffee, he took a sip before continuing on.

Roxie set her glass down and placed her hands together on the table as Gabriel addressed his concern about whether or not she was up for taking on the role. Hearing that he was going to ignore the fact that she was a woman made Roxie raise her brows in surprise, as she was almost sure he would have started on that tangent. She had been prepared to rebuttal it. Instead, he asked her if she would be able to make unpleasant decisions that her cousin was all too comfortable with making. He asked if she would genuinely able to do it. Before she could answer, he moved onto the bigger questions and Roxie allowed him to continue.

He revealed that he and others did not see her as neutral given her connection to the Sullivans. Roxie had to fight hard to not roll her eyes as he pointed out she'd literally been in bed with Syd all those years ago and bore his children. Gabriel pointed out that he was well within his right to find fault with her rushing back to Dublin after her Uncle's funeral without apparently giving any thought to her responsibilities in the city.

He then gestured for anyone at the table to give their opinion and Roxie looked from Teddy to Reina, wondering if they had anything to say. After a few moments of silence. Roxie cleared her throat and sat up straight before looking Gabriel in the eyes. "To answer your first concern, while I acknowledge that yes, Ricky is well versed in this lifestyle that I have only been recently exposed to...I believe I have just as much ability to make the unpleasant decisions." Roxie paused for a moment to think about what she was going to say next before speaking, "I'm sure you are more than aware of what I do for a living. I went to law school with the hopes that I could make a difference in people's lives who deserved it." Roxie gave a small laugh before shaking her head, "When my Uncle asked me to work for our family, I didn't hesitate. I've worked to defend some of the most disturbing people I've ever had the displeasure of knowing, people who committed heinous crimes against my fellow women. I currently do the same at my firm in Dublin. While it might not be the same as murder, I feel that I've made my fair share of unpleasant decisions to make sure that these sick people walk free or at the very least get a shortened sentence. It's not something I'm proud of...but I do it because it's my job." Roxie looked to Ricky and Reina for a moment before looking back to Gabriel.

"You can expect the same from me with this position, the same dedication." Roxie took a moment to think about his next question and the waitress gave her a bit more time to think as she came to the table to serve food. Once everything was settled and the waitress was gone, Roxie looked to Gabriel once more. "My connection to the Sullivans is superficial. I understand that my connections to them raise a concern about where my and my family's loyalties lie but I can assure you that as far as business goes, I will not sway one way or the other. I do regret not taking care of business in New York while I was here...and I often think that if we would have stayed, Matthew would still be here." Guilt was welling up inside of her and Roxie had to bite the inside of her cheek to hide it from showing on her face.

"I have taken more measures to make sure I can be here on short notice, I actually found a townhouse in Queens that I bought earlier today. Like Ricky, I will be splitting my time between New York and Dublin to assure that this truce continues to go as smoothly as my Uncle left it."
with: Gabriel + Ricky Misty Gray ; Reina + Teddy Melanin-Gxdess

 

[Pyroclast]

Shona King​

After making sure the house was clean and tidy for Shirley’s arrival with biscuits already laid out on the table, Shona settled into her husband’s arms on the sofa for a rest while she waited. She lifted her head from his shoulder and looked up at him with a smile when he called her gorgeous and suggested that she was out of his league. “What, a kind, handsome man comes to my rescue and I’m supposed to not fall in love with him?” she smiled, gently teasing her fingers between the buttons on his shirt. “Well, don’t punch too hard. I’d rather you saved your energy for...other things.” Knowing they couldn’t do anything while expecting a guest, Shona only sent him a teasing look and reached up to quickly kiss his cheek before settling back into his warm embrace. “Mmm, you’ve done a perfect job with it,” she said of their nursery, placing a hand on her belly and rubbing it in a slow circular motion. “I can’t wait to introduce our little baby into the world.”

Shona was slower to get to her feet when the doorbell rang but she watched Spencer welcome Shirley into their home. It always warmed her heart to see the kind way that he spoke to people, and especially people that she had introduced him to. That wasn’t a huge number of people; outside of her immediate family, consisting of a mother who didn’t always recognise her and a sister that she isn’t close to emotionally, Shona didn’t exactly have many people to bring into their relationship. Meeting Spencer hadn’t just filled her life with love, but also with a close network of people - his own family, friends and associates. She always loved to welcome anything and anyone that he introduced her to, eager to get to know the people who mattered to him. But the fact that Shirley was a friend she had made on her own made the woman mean something special to her.

“Hi, love,” Shona sang as she stepped forward to give Shirley a warm embrace. “Come and sit down, make yourself comfortable!” Before sitting down herself, she turned back to Spencer when he announced that he was going out for a short time and bring takeaway on the way back. “Ooooh, anything, everything,” she enthused. “Well, nothing too rich. Or fatty. Something light but filling...you know.” The soft kiss that Spencer pressed to her lips left her with a tender smile as she watched him make his way to the door. “Take a brolly, Spence, it’s tippin’ it down out there!”

The breeze that swept through the door before it shut made Shona shiver and she pulled the crocheted throw from the sofa to drape over her shoulders. She laughed at Shirley’s comment about her grumbling stomach and gestured to the plates of biscuits on the coffee table. “Please, help yourself to biscuits,” she offered. “I swear my stomach’s a bottomless pit these days. This little baby is ravenous, I’m afraid to go anywhere without a snack in my pocket because I just get upset when I’m hungry!” She laughed at herself before leaning forward and taking a biscuit for herself.

“So, you must be getting close now,” she commented with a warm smile as she pulled her feet up onto the sofa. “Are you getting nervous? Excited? How are you feeling about becoming a mum?”

Interactions
BloodLightning27 Shirley
Misty Gray Spencer

 

[Misty Gray]

The Funky Cat
~ Dublin City Centre, Dublin ~

Benjamin Reznik​

Benjamin followed Lorelei as she led him back into the main area of the club, all the while willing himself to stop blushing and act normal. He stood at the bar as the redhead went to grab him a Coke. He glanced over his shoulder to the stage before turning back to the bar area, sending a polite nod to the nearby barmaid as they briefly made eye-contact. Lorelei re-joined him and placed his drink down in front of him. He returned her smile and lightly nodded his head when she thanked him for the compliment. "Well, it looks like your mother taught you very well," he assured her. He then let out a soft laugh when she mentioned she could be found in sweatpants and a t-shirt when not working. "Oh, of course. You've got to be comfortable when relaxing."

Benjamin took a sip of his drink before carrying the glass in one hand and the tripod in his other, following Lorelei to the spot shed reserved for him. "This table is perfect," he assured her, standing on the spot for a moment as he observed the stage to confirm it really was a suitable location. His eyes then landed on the drunken person who made their way onto the stage to sing karaoke. A grin lingered on his face as he set up the tripod and camera. "I'd say they're all having fun, even the ones who shouldn't give up their day jobs," he told Lorelei. When she suggested he should give it a go himself, he let out a bashful laugh and sent a brief glance to the stage. "I mean, I don't think I'm a bad singer, though I'm also not great, but I'm still not sure I'd have the confidence to get up there and sing whilst this sober," he told her. Despite providing the reasoning against him committing to trying karaoke, his attention did still linger on the stage as he thought about how he'd do it.

Benjamin took a moment to set his camera at the right height and angle, peering through the viewfinder to check he was in a good spot. As a woman attempted to sing on the stage, Benjamin saw the opportunity to get a couple of natural shots, snapping away before the moment was lost. He then stood up and looked back to Lorelei, nodding as she said they'd be switching to the live bands in 30 minutes. "I can get photos of this and the live bands, so you'll have plenty to choose from."

With the song coming to an end, Benjamin took the break between singers to focus on Lorelei again. "I went to visit my dad during my vacation. Aidan had planned a surprise trip to New York," he told her. "And you know, I learned the craziest thing. My dad is now sharing a cell with your uncle James. It sounds like they're getting along pretty well too," he told her, a warm smile on his face. "Do you hear from your uncle much?" he curiously asked.

Bellz (Lorelei)

 

[Pyroclast]

Billy King​

“Fuck you, Erik,” Billy grumbled, brushing his friend’s hand off his shoulder. He knew he was being teased, but he didn’t get why Erik wasn’t taking him seriously. As he raised his glass to his lips, he caught Erik scribbling something down on a napkin and was told that he was being saved a second time. “What do you mean a second time? There was just the one -” Erik smoothly slid the napkin over to him and he saw what looked like a telephone number written on it. For a moment Billy just stared down at it - given the conversation, it would make sense that the number was that of Mary Rowland, but he was reluctant to believe it. “No way,” he said, shaking his head. “Nah, you’re havin’ me on, mate. You expect me to believe you remember a random six digit number from three weeks ago?” He looked up at Erik with a puzzled expression, his disbelief morphing into a grin, which in turn grew into laughter. “Fine, I’ll humour your stupid prank,” he relented, grabbing the napkin in his fist as he hopped off his bar stool. “But if I get through to some brothel or somethin’, I’m cuttin’ you off for a week!”

Still doubtful, Billy moved into the back room and unhooked the phone, keeping his eyes on Erik through the open door. He dialled in the number and he sighed as it began to ring, preparing himself for whoever picked up.

”Who is this?”

“Er - this is Billy, Billy King,” he stammered, surprised to hear an old woman’s familiar voice. “Calling from The Royal Tap-”

”Are you ready to meet, Mr. King?”

Billy cleared his throat, his eyes searching for Erik. He couldn’t believe it. “Is tonight alright with you?”

“Be there in 15 minutes. And don’t be late.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

When Billy returned to the bar he had a mystified expression on his face, unable to comprehend the trick that Erik had pulled. “Every time,” he muttered. “Every time we hang out, Erik, I swear I learn something new about you. What else are you hiding from me?” As he reached for his pint, he threw a quick smirk at his friend before draining the glass and slamming it on the bar. “Right then, Kim Peek, get that drink down ya’ and let’s make a move. You can decide what I owe you while we’re on our way.”

* * * * *​

Knowing the London traffic would likely hold them up, Billy, determined not to be late, convinced Erik to walk in the rain with him. By the time they arrived at the storage facility, stepping indoors came as a relief. The sharp contrast in temperature made Billy sneeze, and he was just trying to shake the rain off his coat when a voice echoed from across the lobby.

“No umbrella? You two are absolutely drenched.”

A woman who looked to be in her late sixties or early seventies pushed herself away from the wall. She herself looked immaculate, with hair like spun gold that flowed past her shoulders in weightless, bouffant waves, and dressed from head to toe in black designer clothing. Billy still wasn’t fully sure how exactly Mary Rowland had worked her way into organised crime or how she made her living, but like any serious gangster she clearly understood the importance of image. Unlike most in the business, however, she had about her a graceful deportment and poise that would see her blend into high society. Billy wouldn’t have been surprised if Mary Rowland was not her real name, but rather a pseudonym that she adopted when climbing down from her upper class life and into the criminal underworld.

Billy, who had dressed himself with consideration towards their meeting, now found himself somewhat self conscious in her presence. With a sheepish look on his face, he withdrew a hand from his pocket and swept it across his sopping hair in an attempt to squeeze out the raindrops.

“Well, you look lovely, ma’am.”

“Thank you, darling,” she replied, wearing a confident smile that suggested she was used to such compliments. Mary looked each of them up and down and flashed her eyes at them in a way that made Billy question if she was checking them out or looking down her nose at them. “Come on, then,” she beckoned, and turned on her heel to lead the pair through a double doorway. “I’ll show you to your room.”

The dominant sound of her high heels clicking on the concrete floor ahead set the atmosphere of the high-ceilinged facility. Following behind her, Billy glanced up to Erik and sent him a small smile. If they weren’t walking and in Mary’s presence, he might have let himself reach up to pinch the raindrops hanging from the tips of Erik’s curls, but he forced himself to fight the temptation.

Eventually they came to a stop outside a red metal door, the number 36 hanging over it.

“Now, look, I don’t have all night,” said Mary as she turned to face the pair. “So, if you don’t like it, I’d prefer you tell me now than change your mind later.”

Seeing that she was about to pull the unit door open, Billy jumped forward to save her the trouble, but she was faster than he expected and did it without help. Instead he stood back and took a good look at the storage space she revealed to them.

“All the security in this facility is provided by me, so you needn’t worry about anyone investigating your unit while you’re not here,” she informed them. “Whatever you decide to keep in here is your business, but I do discourage human trafficking and torture. If you abandon your unit and leave it a mess, I’ll have your heads.” She gave them that same sly, almost seductive smile that made Billy feel like a little boy. He doubted that she was being literal, but he didn’t know her well enough to know when she was exaggerating.

“No need to worry, ma’am, we won’t bring you any trouble,” he assured her with a nod, keeping his hands clasped together in front of him. After a quick glance to Erik, he turned back to Mary. “This is perfect. Where do we send the rent to?”

Mary immediately handed him a card with her bank details on and Billy took it from her and hid it in his coat pocket before Erik could see it for more than a second. She then passed the keys to Erik and reached to shake his hand, before shaking Billy’s.

“I’ll leave you to get familiar with the place, then,” she smiled, and began making her way back down the corridor. “Don’t catch a chill in this rotten weather!”

As the click of her heels grew distant, Billy stepped into the storage unit to get a feel of the space. It was bigger than their other ones, and he already knew they could store a lot of drugs and weapons in those. When he reached the back wall, he turned to lean his back against it and looked over to Erik. In such an enclosed, private space with nobody else around, he felt the temptation to get up to something with his partner, but he couldn’t think of anything in particular that they could do.

“I don’t know why,” he began, a mischievous smile spreading across his face. “But I always thought it’d be fun to hire out one of these just to fill it with cushions and bedding and stuff. Hang up some lights, make it all cosy. Cheeky little pad to bring women to when you don’t want them to actually stay the night!” He laughed to himself, before shaking his head at his childish fantasy. “Hey, so did you catch what her card said when she passed it to me just now?” he asked. “Does your memory just capture information like a camera and store it in your head forever?” He couldn’t help but be impressed by Erik’s skills - first his quick reaction that had saved his life and then his ability to withhold vital information that would otherwise have been permanently lost. “I do owe you twice over now, I’ll give you that. I mean it - anything you want from me, anytime, any place, you just say the word, yeah? What can I do for you besides pour you free drinks forever?”

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Melanin-Gxdess Erik