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

[BloodLightning27]

James Edwards

~Dublin, Ireland~​

---

Dublin Port, Sullivan's Weapons WarehouseJames has been settling well into his new life as a Foot-Soldier for the Sullivan Crime Family. While he has yet to see too much action, most of his time was spent dealing with loitering rival gang members, some of whom would turn tail and run the opposite direction as soon as they saw the Navy SEAL Trident tattoo on his forearm. Not that Edwards really made it a secret that he was a former Soldier...or well, Sailor. Maybe word travels faster in the Criminal Underbelly then anywhere else. Outside of work, Ed wanted to keep his skills sharpened and maintaining peak physical condition as to not look bad or put on a poor performance for the Boss himself, Conor Sullivan, or the man who brought him to Dublin, James Porter himself, and with that, into the Family. Then every Sunday, he went to Church every morning, where he would continue to bond with Sinead and her young Son, Liam, both of whom he had befriended after being introduced to them during his earlier days in Dublin. Every Sunday, he would pray, still wanting to find solace and forgiveness for the lives he took on behalf of the US Government. Yes, it was during times of War, but he still took another life...numerous even, some he even looked in the eye before he ended their lives. Someone's Father, Brother...Mother, Sister...Aunt, Uncle, Cousin...Even Grandparent. Sure, to him and his superiors, those people were evil, but to others, not necessarily. And not long after he was home and out, he made the worst decision of his life, even if it brought him to where he is now. Edwards would forever regret participating in that armed robbery in New York after failing to settle into Civilian Life. The world was not a place for a highly-trained killer like himself. Back then, he killed for his Country...Now, he would kill for Family once the time comes...

On this Summer day as these thoughts finished riding through his mind, Edwards was spending it with Porter and a woman named Reina. Throughout the day, they were surveying the Sullivan Territory and its borders. From the looks of it, Edwards went under the assumption that Reina was preparing for war. Soon, he thought about the words that were drilled into his mind during the earlier days of his training. Si Wis Pacem Para Bellum...If you want peace, prepare for war. Throughout the day, James was silently marking all the possible positions that were good for a Sniper, places to take cover in a firefight and possible escape routes in the event things go wrong. This was a force of habit whenever he and his old team were scouting out areas where firefights were likely to break out.

Soon, day would break and the night would come for them. On the way to the Warehouse by the port, the trio stopped for food because Reina's stomach kept growling. Edwards agreed with it because he hadn't eaten much throughout the day either, but was able to survive for lengthy periods of time if he didn't because of the survival training he had to endure. The Burgers here in Dublin reminded him of home in Texas, where his Family was. He then thought about the final call he had with his Father the night before he left Riker's Island with Porter. While it saddened him to know that he may never see his Father again, he took comfort in knowing that his sins would not harm anyone in his Family back in the United States. Once they were at the Warehouse, Reina got the map out, but it was hard to examine due to the poor lighting. Reina then asked if he had a light. Edwards then reached into his pocket for a flashlight, as he didn't really carry a lighter, not being a Smoker anymore. "Yeah. Hope this is what you mean." He said as he flipped the switch, now giving the map a more clear lighting.

---

Interactions: Reina Richards Melanin-Gxdess | James Porter Misty Gray

 

[Pyroclast]

The Royal Taphouse
~ Bethnal Green, London ~

Bruce King​

After the life he had had, there wasn’t much that could knock Bruce off his feet. He didn’t have a crutch like alcohol or drugs - he didn’t need one when he had Darcey at his side. Yet, despite believing he had the strength to handle anything that hit him, it didn’t stop him from worrying. Between Harper showing signs of drug dependency, Trevor’s suspicious reappearance and his nephews and Jeremy taking Conor out, he had a great deal weighing on his shoulders.

That evening, he and Darcey had arranged to meet Christian Brooks, who had been tasked with finding out everything he could about Trevor. His former brother-in-law had given a convincing performance when he had shown up the week before, but frankly, Bruce didn’t believe it could be much more than that - a performance. He wasn’t exactly sure what he was expecting, but any update from Christian was better than nothing. Sitting in the main area of The Royal Taphouse with a pint of Guinness on the table in front of him, Bruce realised he had retreated into his thoughts for too long and turned to look at Darcey. He took her hand beneath the table and gave it a squeeze. “Sorry for not bein’ great company,” he uttered. “I am glad you’re ‘ere, Darcey, I’m just not in much of a chatting mood…Think my head’s in Dublin right now.”

Bruce likely would have continued to think about his nephews and Jeremy, but Christian walked through the door and he switched to focusing on Trevor instead. He stood to give the man a handshake and watched as he went to the bar, his anticipation growing. It wasn’t long before he was able to lead the small group into the back room - the same room he had brought Trevor - and he and Darcey took seats opposite Christian at the desk. His attention was immediately drawn to the file that was placed on the desk, but he made sure to meet Christian’s eyes before the man began speaking.

“Thanks for doin’ this for us, Christian,” Bruce replied. His eyes narrowed when the former detective told them he had had to look into what Trevor had been up to before he even came into their lives. That was something Bruce hadn’t considered for a very long time - not since Laura had started dating him, when his natural protectiveness for his little sister had first made him wary. Although Christian hadn’t been around back then, he still got a bad feeling that the man was about to tell him something he didn’t know. Christian told him he would rather save the more pressing information for last, to which Bruce shrugged and said, “Wherever you want to start. I’m keen to hear it all.”

The first thing the man pulled out from the file was a photograph of what appeared to be a car dealership. Upon being told that Trevor was the owner, Bruce frowned and let out a sceptical hum. The next thing was a medical record that proved the man had suffered serious injuries after being run over by a car, like he had told them. “Yeah, said somethin’ ‘bout the driver bein’ pissed,” Bruce confirmed, to which Christian then clarified that the driver responsible had never been found, rendering Trevor’s claim that they were drunk pretty much a mystery.

Bruce looked at the medical records to gather a general idea of how long Trevor’s recovery had taken. When asked if he had any questions so far, Bruce lifted his gaze back up to Christian and sighed. “I’d like to know where a deadbeat drug addict got the money to buy a car dealership,” he said. “Six years ain’t goin’ back far, is it? What happened between him walkin’ out on Harper and the boys and becomin’ a business owner?”

Interactions
Misty Gray Christian
Melanin-Gxdess Darcey

 

[BasDorcha]

Bodyworks Gym
Dublin, Ireland
Ruby Rose​

Ruby looked up as the woman walked towards her, giving a small half grin as she shook the sweat and dirt off her hands and wiped them on her shorts. “Hey there. Nice to meet you, Stella. I’m Rube.” She stuck her hand out, offering it to her before stepping back and taking a closer look at the woman. She was attractive, but she wasn’t quick to assume she was a lesbian like herself. “Thanks for meeting me here, I appreciate it, I had to get in my workout today.” She stepped to the side where her things were, picking up a bottle of water and taking a sip.

“Adam said I would be working with you for a guard position, and to have you check out my training.” She pointed to the punching bag swinging just slightly still. “So, let me show you what I got.”

Stepping back to the punching bag, she began with a series of paced punches, before switching it up with a few punches and kicks. Over time she punched harder, faster, kicking in strength and pace with her hands. After a few moments of this, she caught the swinging bag and stopped it, heaving slightly from the workout she just had. Looking over at the ring, she nodded her head, indicating the square.

“If that didn’t impress you, we can go for a round? Although…” She looked her up and down with little to no shame, grinning cheekily, “You might be a bit over dressed.”

For a moment her mind drifted back to the fight she had lost that destroyed her arm. The mixed martial arts fight was above board and city sanctioned, no dirty stuff, and she still ended up at the hospital. A beast of a woman had been her opponent, and had not been an easy one in the littlest bit. A few days prior, Ruby had been in a street fight with some guys who tried to jack a friend of hers for their money and their product. When she heard it, she went after them and got it back, but before she had succeeded, she had ended up with a fractured arm where she had been kicked before gaining control of the fight and coming out on top. Unbeknownst to her, thinking she was just sore from the kick, she entered the fight that fateful night that may have ended her budding career.

Her opponent had landed a kick in the second round that shattered the remaining bone, sending her into the hospital and a lengthy recovery. Ruby rotated her arm thoughtfully. She was better now, but the need to be in the ring was less now, as she realized how much stress it was on herself and her body.

Mentions: @Kawashima Lightning - Stella

 

[BasDorcha]

Undisclosed Location
Dublin City Center, Ireland
Jeremy Gray​

Hell, that’s where he was living. Day in, day out, without fail, hell had become his home. Jeremy looked rough. He hadn’t bothered to shave, eat, or sleep more then he absolutely had too. He had been training harder then ever, and with every chance he got. The night after the bar, Jeremy had been asleep outside of Harper’s door by sunrise. He felt like death, and his conscious was worse. Had he followed through like he intended? No, not even close. They'd got to the girls' house, and the moment it started his body ensured what his heart and mind were trying to war about. Like the pussy he was, he couldn’t even keep it up.

It was like that dream? You know the one – where you wake up in class, naked, and then you make a total ass out of yourself, twice? That’s the level of embarrassed he felt. Thankfully he hadn’t seen Kit since then, he might never be able to look at her again. Needless to say the next morning hadn’t gone well either. Little to his knowledge, Jeremy had lipstick on his shirt collar from the pretty blonde, and although she had raged at him for confessing his feelings one moment then “slipping it to the first slutty whore” he could find, nothing he could say would convince her that he hadn’t gone through with it – regardless of the reason why it never was completed.

The next few days were worse. She barely talked to him, looked at him, and only deal with him because she had too. He pretended to be fine with it – it was easier keeping the distance between them even though it was the last thing he wanted. When it came time for the Dublin trip, he didn’t even say goodbye, he left a few minutes before Kit was due to arrive and play babysitter instead. He didn’t tell her where he was going, or why, or that he might not be back. She had even asked not to see him for a while, so it cemented his decisions. He had the least to loose tonight, and he fully intended that all the brothers would make it home – with or without him. Just as well, he didn’t think he could handle watching her go down the path of no return with that devil drug in her system. It was going to eat her alive and him with it, because he realized there was little hope was going to easily discard these feelings for her.

When Spencer spoke, he listened without flinching. Spencer knew that Jeremy had no qualms about killing, torturing, maiming, dismembering or other. In fact, since that night at the bar, Jeremy had been more himself then he had been in a long time. Stoic, silent, and cold had come easier then ever. Jeremy didn’t answer Spencer, just clasped him on the shoulder. Spencer knew well enough to know that with his current mood and mindset, that was the most emotion he was going to show. When it came to a mission, Jeremy didn’t feel the need for emotions, they simply got in the way, so he’d shut them off – if they weren’t already. Currently it seemed not to be an issue he'd need to deal with.

Turning to look at Billy a few feet away, he could see every thought on his face. He was worried, but he must have thought of Erik, he got that goofy shadow of a smile that, given the right time, would blossom into a wonderful smile. He wanted to tell him it would be alright, and he’d get back to his heart, but he couldn’t, and he wouldn’t, because empty promises did not a mission make. He looked at Billy and nodded when he asked Spence to trust them. “We wouldn’t all be here together if we didn’t all trust each other, never fear Little King.” His eyes turned back towards the window, watching outside even as he listened to Alex try to reassure his brother as well.

“They’ve got it Spence, cut them some slack. We earned our stripes, let them earn theirs.” Jeremy voice was flat emotionally, his hands busy as he lit a cigarette and cracked the window near him. “You two will be fine.” He gave each boy a steady look, as if maybe trying to infuse them with some of his confidence and then turned his eyes back towards the world outside. It was going to be one hell of a night.

It didn’t matter what happened, he wasn’t here for himself, he was here for her. She could hate him all she wanted, but the asshole they were after was responsible for everything that had happened, and if it took his last heartbeat, he was going to pay it back to Conor for the pain he’d caused everyone else, and return her brothers to her.

MentionsSpencer - Misty Gray
Alex/Kit - Melanin-Gxdess
Billy - Pyroclast
Harper Heartbreaker - Bellz

 

[Pyroclast]

Roxie's House
~ Dollymount, Dublin ~

Syd Porter​

The aftermath of JJ's party was something Syd had never expected to have to deal with - because he had never expected for him and Roxie to do what they did in the first place. Syd knew it was his fault. Roxie was vulnerable, she was grieving, and he should have known better than to reciprocate her sudden advances. It had been so out of the blue and seemed to be the result of her emotional outburst - Syd had recognised that in her at the time, he could see how high her emotions were and yet he still let his own get the better of him. Sometimes he felt like he was incapable of being the bigger person when he needed to be, and that was one of those essential moments when he should have stopped her and made sure she knew what she was doing and what she wanted. He should have stopped to think about what was best, and how the children would be affected by their spontaneous actions. But, as always, he had let his foolish heart take the reins and left all logic and consideration behind.

The week after, he had tried to reach out to Roxie to apologise, but it was clear she was avoiding him. Even when they dropped the kids off at each other's houses, she didn't give him a chance to apologise, clearly not ready to address what had happened between them. What made the whole thing worse was that the kiss, the sex, every second of it had refreshed his mind of what he had been missing for the last thirteen years. Any memories of their once intimate relationship that had faded over time had now returned to its original intensity, and it left him with an ache in his chest. Part of the ache was from guilt, of course, but he also longed for more of her company. He wasn't completely confident that his emotions weren't just getting muddled up, but he could have sworn his feelings for her were returning...and he had no idea what to do with them.

It surprised him, then, when she reached out to him to ask for his help breaking the news of her pregnancy to the kids. It made enough sense that she would want him there to help support him, but now he felt conflicted about where he stood with her. If they really were on the road towards getting back together, then he might end up raising the baby with her...which, whilst it was Matthew's baby rather than his, he was sure he would love to do.

Syd wasn't sure it was possible for him to clear his head enough to turn up to Roxie's front door in an appropriate mood, but he did his best. He wanted so badly for the kids to suspect nothing that he had been overthinking everything - how to behave, what to say, even down to the way he dressed. He was trying so hard to appear casual that even dressing in his normal clothes felt like he was drawing attention to how nervous he was about being around her. After smoking a number of cigarettes, Syd purposefully didn't smoke at all for the last hour before arriving to make it less obvious that he was stressed about seeing her. By the time he arrived at her door, he was practically shaking, and when she opened it he drew a sharp intake of breath and plastered a smile on his face, all his efforts to appear natural instantly falling apart.

"Hey!" he cheerfully greeted her. The towel wrapped around her hand caught his attention just in time for her to explain that she had cut herself on a serrated knife. "Oh, well, let's get that sorted before anything else, then." Syd placed a hand on her back, ready to guide her to the bathroom, but withdrew his hand suddenly, unsure if his touch would be welcome. There was still so much tension between them, he didn't even know how to stand around her.

Once they had found the first aid kit, Syd unwrapped the towel from her hand and took a look at the gash. "Ah, it's not that bad," he uttered lightly. He ran a small towel under some warm water to wash the wound with, and, very tentatively, began to gently wipe away the blood. When the bleeding didn't seem to want to stop, he reached for a plaster and delicately taped it around her finger. "And you wonder why I don't cook..."

It had only been minutes into their meeting and he had somehow already managed to enter an intimate space with her. He had been foolish to think he could keep a distance from her in her own home. Leaning against the sink, he stared down at the floor, his thoughts racing as he recalled what had happened the last time they had been left alone. "Um...Roxie, listen," he whispered, unsure if his children knew he had arrived yet. "I'm sorry. I should have known better, I shouldn't have let that happen - I don't know what I was doing, I just let myself get swept up and I just...I feel so stupid." Tears had started to prick at his eyes and he could hardly look at her. "You've got enough on your mind without me there to complicate everything even more. I just want you to know that what I did won't happen again. And you don't have to explain a thing, Roxie...From now on, I'll keep my distance. Whatever you need."

Interactions
Bellz Roxie, the bad twin and the mama's boy

 

[Misty Gray]

Undisclosed Location
~ Dublin City Center, Dublin ~

Spencer King​

Spencer looked Billy in the eyes as the youngest of his brothers assured him he could trust them. He seemed confident he wouldn't freeze up and after a moment's thought, Spencer nodded his head in acceptance. "Good lad," he said when Billy told him he'd always have his back. Alex went on to back up their brother's words, making sure he knew they'd never leave him on his own. Alex's hand on his shoulder prompted Spencer to focus directly on him as he spoke of Conor's transgressions against the Kings, making it clear he was determined to make sure Conor paid for it all. "I believe you," Spencer reassured Alex after he explained that he wasn't going to fuck about this time.

Spencer's attention was drawn to Jeremy when the man told him to cut his brothers some slack. He glanced to Alex and Billy before shaking his head and looking down to the knife in his hand. "I ain't sugar-coating any of this shit, mate," he firmly told him. "It's on me to make sure this job gets done and that all four of us get back to our family in London. So I'm going to put the wind up the lot of ya because we've all got to pull our weight to make sure this doesn't fuck up."

"Sullivan is in the approaching vehicle..." the message was heard over the van's two-way radio.

The four men in the back of the van soon had their attention drawn up front upon hearing the message. Their darkly-dressed driver slumped further down in his seat to stay out of view as he watched the street ahead, having a better view than the others due to his position. "Hold on, fellas," the driver tentatively told them as he observed what was going on. Their Phelan decoy and his friend had been loitering close to the nearby dead-end backstreet. Headlights coming from the car approaching from behind lit up the street, but not enough to make the two hoodie-wearing decoys' faces clear. Once the vehicle had pulled up a few car lengths ahead of the Kings' van, Conor, Leo and Thomas got out into full view. "There's Conor and two younger men. One's possibly the son," the driver announced. The two decoys made a point of a walking towards to the dead-end alley, looking as shifty as intended. "Any minute now..." he prepared the Kings as he waited for the opportune moment to be created.

"Those two lads will take the bait if they know what's good for them," Spencer muttered in reference to Thomas and Leo. He then looked to the three men in the back of the van with him. "Let's get our shit together," he suggested as he shoved his retracted knife into his pocket. He then kicked the length of rope that was bundled up on the floor at his feet, making a point that they would likely need to make use of it.

Pyroclast (Billy)
Melanin-Gxdess (Alex)
BasDorcha (Jeremy)

Mention: Bellz (Thomas) Melanin-Gxdess (Leo)

 

[BloodLightning27]

~Stella Kwon~

~Dublin, Ireland~​

---

Bodyworks Gym

Well, that was one thing that both Stella and Ruby shared; they're both Athletic. After regaining her senses and brushing off the fact that she was getting a little horny, Stella proceeded to keep a straight face and shook hands with the other woman. "Yeah. Wasn't expecting to catch you mid-workout, but it's okay. I'm sure you needed something to do while waiting for me to arrive." She responded, straightening out her jacket.

Ruby proceeded to explain that they would be working together for a Guard Position, which Adam had discussed with her earlier in the week. After what happened with Leo and Ali the other week, Stella didn't think she'd be getting a job for guard duty. But she clearly thought wrong. "Yeah, he spoke with me about that. Let's see what you got then." She replied before taking a few steps back and putting her hands into her pockets.

Although she started slow, it was not long until Ruby sped up and used actual combo attacks with her punches and her kicks. This left Stella to wonder where she trained or even learned how to fight. Either way, it was evident that Ruby was a Martial Artist of sorts, something that Stella was not. In sharp contrast, Stella was just a straight-up street fighter when it came to using her hands. Well, there was also the matter of Chase teaching her Subdual Combat so that she can apprehend her enemies swiftly, given her job as a Bounty Hunter, but that was different. Quite the display that Ruby had put up. Overall, Stella was impressed. Clearly, Ruby can hold her own in a street fight, but Stella wanted to see her in action first. And it probably wouldn't be long until both women saw action. With the constant troublemakers that she dealt with week after week, Stella often used that as an excuse to start a fight and because of her status in the Mob, Authorities often looked the other way. Finally, Ruby suggested that they go for a round in the ring before remarking that the Bounty Hunter was overdressed. "Maybe not today. I already get my fill dealing with the troublemakers in the area. On top of that, I didn't bring my workout gear and I worked on both my hair and my makeup earlier. I don't need you ruining this sexy face just yet." She chuckled. "Your Hand-To-Hand Combat Prowess is very impressive. And in my personal opinion, you're much better then half the men I work with. Only question I have right now is...are you as good with a gun as you are with them hands?" Stella proceeded to ask, a smile forming on her face.

---

Interactions: Ruby Miller BasDorcha

 

[BasDorcha]

Moretti Family Home
~Brooklyn Heights, Brooklyn~
Maeve Thatcher
​

May was happy to oblige on the drink and took it back for another sip when Erik handed it back. She felt badly for everyone, but thankfully did not have the issues of feeling depressed since it had no personal affect on her. It allowed her to be strong for those around her without any qualms. When Valentina mentioned coming to London, May couldn’t help but perk up a bit. It may not be public knowledge that May was pretty alone in London, though that was changing slowly, it had been a long two years leading up to it. There had always been some deeper drive to be around people, perhaps that was why she was the way she was with the bar scene. She smiled and nodded in agreement, missing in her excitement the look that exchanged between the men. “If you come to London, you should definitely let me know, we’ll go out and have a girls night on the town!” It wasn’t much, but maybe it would help lift her spirits some to have something to look forward too.

Shaking the flask, she noticed it was already low, May hadn’t topped it off before leaving today. Handing it back to Val and nodded her head towards it. “It’s going to be empty soon, I think its not a big enough flask for such a serious situation.” She smiled lightly, softening the joke a little more. Looking around again, she noticed people starting to filter, just as Teddy had said they would. The wheels of her mind started to turn, wondering if there was something she could help them with to ease the evening. Looking at Teddy and Erik, her hand still in the crook of his elbow, “So this is my first funeral… What happens after this?” She wasn’t sure what the plans were, or how one acted after a wake.

Mentally, she noted that they would likely be staying an extra day or two and that she would need to contact Darcey and let her know what was going on. Truth was, even though it was a sad reason for being here, being needed made her feel better about herself then anything had in ages. “Do you want to see if we can find Ava, Erik? Maybe a round of drinks after this would be good for everyone…” She knew back home, in Dublin, everything was solved with a drink.

Mentions Erik/Teddy/Ava/Darcey - Melanin-Gxdess | Valentina/Erik - Misty Gray

 

[Misty Gray]

The Moretti Family Home
~ Brooklyn Heights, Brooklyn ~

Riccardo Biancardi​

It hadn't been long ago since Ricky last attended a funeral. The most recent one had been Matthew's, which proved to be a smaller affair, which made it unnervingly painful to be a part of, considering he knew the man's death was at his hands. Before that funeral, Ricky had been in attendance at his own father's. Giovanni's funeral was much larger and more like the present affair for Marcus' passing. Despite there being a large turnout, he wondered how many really cared about or had even met Marcus at all. Like with Giovanni's funeral, for many present it was more to make a point - to schmooze with Gabriel Moretti himself. During the wake, so far, Ricky had taken some time to observe those paying their respects. He felt like he could tell by now who was there for genuine reasons and who were the ones there to suck up to the Mafia boss and gain some kind of favour down the line. Of course, Ricky knew to keep such thoughts to himself. Gabriel wouldn't appreciate any wise cracks and the man was no doubt able to read people perfectly well without help from anyone else.

With Julia at his side and Ava in the same room, Ricky knew to be on his best behaviour, remembering he was in the presence of a woman who had just lost the man she loved. At least this one wasn't his fault and he didn't have to put on any kind of act like he'd had to when Roxie lost Matthew. Ricky took a small drink of wine as Ava approached and asked about mafia funerals. "Basically, yes. My father recently passed away and it was pretty much the same then too. The ass-kissers stick out like a sore-thumb, don't they?" he remarked. He avoided making a dry joke about him not knowing the deceased at his own father's funeral, but he knew his own dislike for Giovanni's supposed betrayal in overlooking him wasn't what today was about. "I recommend riding it out. Once they've done their part they'll funnel out and you'll be left with mostly those who are worth your attention," he assured her. When asked how many people worked for Gabriel, Ricky shrugged his shoulders and looked to Julia for insight. "Hundreds, maybe? You've got people working directly for him, as well as business partners, associates, allies of convenience... Not to mention dodgy politicians and other officials. I imagine people none of us three know of."

Ricky couldn't help but grin when Ava commented about Elvian having stronger drinks somewhere. "Oh, she definitely does," he knowingly told her. "If anyone is going to get away with procuring such drinks, it's going to be you," he suggestively told her. "You've lost your husband, so nobody in their right mind would deny you a stronger drink," he softened his voice to tell her.

Bellz (Julia) Melanin-Gxdess (Ava)

 

[Misty Gray]

Sullivans Weapons Warehouse
~ Dublin Port, Dublin ~

James Porter​

James wasn't back working for the mob - he certainly wasn't doing anything under Conor's employment. At least, that's what he kept telling himself. When he'd told Lucy he was going to be spending the day with Reina and Edwards, he remarked that he was giving the newcomers a tour of Dublin. Tour Guide or Chauffeur, he left it to Lucy to pick one. If there happened to be one or two of his own firearms in the boot of the car, then that was purely coincidental. James wasn't showing Reina and Edwards around Dublin because Conor had asked him to, he'd agreed to do it because he wanted to make sure his family was safe. Reina being Roxie's bodyguard meant that the woman was also responsible for protecting James' own grandchildren, so why wouldn't he help her?

They'd been out for most of the day, with James pointing out many of the key locations Reina and Edwards needed to be aware of. There were bases and hidden checkpoints hidden throughout Dublin and the surrounding area, which anyone working closely for the mob needed to be aware of. As the evening progressed, Reina made it known she needed to eat and soon. James agreed for them all to have a break and took them to one of the many fast food joints he'd visited over the years before his recent incarceration.

Once they had food, the next place James took them was near to a weapons warehouse located at Dublin Port. James stopped the engine and got out of the car, taking a moment to stretch his legs. As Reina opened out a map and asked him to point out where they were, James put the last bit of burger into his mouth. By the time Edwards had stepped in to offer his torch to give the woman some light to check out the map, James had finished eating.

"Jimmy? That's a new one. Beats Jimbo, I guess," he remarked. Stepped to the opposite side of Reina to where Edwards was, James studied the map before pointing to the area they were presently located in "Right here. We're on Fire Road," he told her. "And the warehouse up ahead is right there," he said, pointing to the map. "The main ferry terminals are south of here," he said showing her on the map. "We have to be particularly careful in that area considering how public and active it is. Might be easy for us to ship goods in and out, but we have to remember to keep it all away from the attention of random civilians."

BloodLightning27 (Edwards) Melanin-Gxdess (Reina)

 

[Pyroclast]

Undisclosed Location
~ Dublin, Ireland ~

Billy King​

It came as no surprise to hear Alex and Jeremy back up his words. They all felt equally strongly about the mission. The explosion had been a personal attack that had cost lives, cost Spencer his nightclub and injured multiple people that they cared about. Nobody had to mention Harper but everyone was thinking of her. Erik and Darcey's injuries were less serious but it was still going to take a while for them to fully recover, so Billy was doing this for them, too.

Jeremy made the point to Spencer that the job was also a chance for Alex and Billy to earn their stripes, and Billy wondered what exactly he meant by that. Spencer had assured him that he didn't have to be the one to actually do the killing, so he hoped that Jeremy wasn't expecting him or Alex to prove they were capable of taking a life - even if that life was Conor Sullivan's. The truth was, while he was confident hurting people, even knocking them unconscious, Billy would be happy if he never had to murder anyone himself. Being part of a job like this was heavy enough, but he hoped this was as far as he would ever have to go. Jeremy then looked him and his brother in the eyes with a steady gaze and told them they would be fine. Billy nodded, eyeing the man's cigarette before the knife in Spencer's hand drew his attention instead.

His oldest brother emphasised that he took responsibility for making sure the team got the job done and that they all got home safely. Billy understood where he was coming from, being the eldest of the group and the leader of the mission, but he knew his brother shouldn’t take on all the responsibility - after all, he had made it clear that he expected them all to be alert and keep each other safe. Still, he knew there was no point in arguing over semantics since they were really all on the same page and ready to go, so he just nodded his head again.

A radio message came through to let them know that Conor Sullivan was in an approaching vehicle. Billy could see the headlights move across the damp tarmac, but ultimately their driver had a clearer view of what was going on. Silence fell between the four men in the back as they all listened for further instruction. A few moments passed before the driver began to describe what he saw: Conor accompanied by two younger men, one of whom he suspected might be the Sullivan boss’s son, Leo. Billy had brought a gun with him but only intended to use it if their targets drew theirs first; he preferred the quieter, less easily traceable weapons such as knives, blunt objects or simply his fists. Given that Conor was expected to be difficult to take down given his strength and size, Billy had brought with him a set of brass knuckles to add some weight to his punches, a switchblade he tended to use as nothing more than a threat and a short yet strong length of chain, in case he came into a good position to strangle their target.

At that point, Billy stopped trying to peer out of the window and simply waited for the signal. He had all his weapons at the ready and stayed still and silent. While he waited, he leaned over and pinched Jeremy’s cigarette to steal a drag before handing it back to him. The anticipation was growing such that he began to feel almost excited and looked between the men with a confident look in his eyes.

Interactions
Misty Gray Spencer, Conor
BasDorcha Jeremy
Melanin-Gxdess Alex, Leo
Bellz Thomas

 

[Misty Gray]

The Moretti Family Home
~ Brooklyn Heights, Brooklyn ~

Gabriel Moretti and Damian Nicolosi​

Gabriel had been shocked to learn that Marcus had died in a boating accident whilst working in Italy. He'd had more than his fair share of grief, especially when most of his family died in a single attack at the hands of the Irish Mob. It was the grief then which Gabriel had used to make himself a stronger and more determined man, one who was motivated and would stop at nothing to make those responsible suffer. With Marcus, the only person he could be frustrated with was the dead man himself, but Gabriel knew that wasn't right or fair. After everything the family had been through and all of the wars they'd won, it was hard to believe Marcus had died at his own leisure, under no suspicious circumstances and without nobody to put the blame on. As terrible as any death was, Gabriel couldn't get his head around the fact Marcus had got himself killed and not even whilst conducting business.

Of course, that was Gabriel's immediate and hardened reaction. It was only when alone with Elvian that he could really show his true feelings and his grief at losing his only son - his chosen heir. His feelings of upset and loss were ones he felt he could only share with his wife. The rest of the time, Gabriel maintained his usual strict and stoic demeanour. It was easy to focus on business to distract him especially when it came to filling in the gaps and following up on any business Marcus had been dealing with in Italy. Not only that, but his awareness of the Kings' plans to attack Conor gave Gabriel something to look forward to, especially if the Londoners were successful. The funeral arrangements had also served as ideal distractions, though he left Elvian to focus on the finer details, such as the catering and flower arrangements, knowing she was trying to keep herself busy too. Though they had lost their son, it was expected that Gabriel and Elvian would have to paint a strong and united front, for the sake of setting an example to everyone else.

By the time Gabriel had come to sit down at the wake with Elvian, Damian and Harmony, he'd already grown tired of other people. The false sentiments and bootlicking of many in attendance was deep down infuriating. Of course, Gabriel maintained a professional and amicable composure, allowing such associates to get it out of their system and move on. By now he was used to such behaviour, but it felt less welcomed at his own son's funeral. When Elvian turned to him, Gabriel met her gaze and managed a smile in return, squeezing her hand as she took hold of his. "I'm well. Albeit exhausted by this circus," he pointed out, clearly regarding the schmoozing rather than those genuinely paying their respects. "And you, my love?" he asked her.

Damian maintained a neutral expression through much of the service and the wake so far. Funerals bored him. Marcus was dead and he'd been that way for many days prior to his burial. Of course, the family were upset and he didn't doubt the emotions upon hearing about his death were entirely warranted. Perfectly normal, in fact. But Damian wasn't like most people and he didn't understand really understand it. He didn't believe in God or life after death, so why invite everyone into a church to indulge in those fallacies? Still, the Morettis had provided a delightful buffet and it was a good excuse to spend a little time in New York, catching up with his colleagues and allies.

When Elvian said he didn't have to come though she appreciated it, he nodded his head and flashed a smile. "I had a lot of respect for Marcus, not to mention the least I could do is come here to support you and Gabriel." He then glanced to Harmony and nodded his head. "Besides, you might need Harmony and me to keep the guests in line. I already caught Ricky helping himself to too many sweet treats. The sugar will go straight to his head," he lightly commented, at his friend's expense.

Sympathy and lightening the mood aside, Damian knew he had to attend the funeral even if just for business alone. With Marcus dead, it left a lot of questions and a huge role to fill. What Damian was keen to know what who would fill that void. Logic would dictate it was Gabriel's eldest child, Tatiana, but logic didn't account for the fact Gabriel held old-fashioned, sexist views. So if blood wasn't strong enough to sway Gabriel, would it be his son-in-law, Teddy? A man and by all accounts, one of Gabriel's most trusted people. Damian happened to believe in both Tatiana and Teddy, but recent months had brought him to working closely with the former and he saw no good reason why Gabriel insisted on overlooking her. Honestly, Damian believed she'd done more for the Moretti business than Marcus had, so he understood the woman's frustrations.

Damian turned to Harmony and sent her an acknowledging nod. "As I've been working hard to reverse my tan whilst in rainy London, it's been a while since I last saw you. How have the Wycliffs been treating you?" he curiously asked her.

BloodLightning27 (Harmony)
Melanin-Gxdess (Elvian)

 

[Misty Gray]

The Royal Taphouse
~ Bethnal Green, East London ~

Christian Brooks​

Christian nodded in understanding when Bruce confirmed he wanted to know how Trevor had got the money to buy a car dealership. "I have a guy looking into it. If Trevor was here twelve years ago and desperate enough to accept a pay-off from Spencer, then something significant must have happened for him to be able to afford to buy a business just six years later," he pointed out. "Or, maybe he managed to take out a loan. Though I'm sure you both more than anyone would share my scepticism on there being a legitimate explanation," he remarked. As impartial as Christian tried to be during his investigation, Trevor hadn't exactly painted himself as a man who could be trusted in the past.

Bruce wanted to know what had happened since Trevor had walked out on his kids and what Christian did know would lead him straight in to reveal what he knew about May. In a conscious effort to keep Bruce focused on the other details first, the former detective needed to keep the May situation to himself for the moment. "24 years is a lot for me to piece together in nine days, but I am working on it and fitting together what pieces I do have," he explained, looking between Bruce and Darcey for a moment. "So, I mentioned learning about who Trevor was before you met him. Born and raised in Slough. He was thirteen when his father died in the Second World War. That left him with his mother and younger brother and sister. As is his form, as soon as he was old enough, Trevor took his share of his father's will and walked out on his family. Never bothered to visit them again and remains estranged from his brother, who now lives in Cornwall." Christian sat back on rubbed his chin, unable to deny his cynicism at the next piece of information. "Trevor is now living in Islington and decades after walking out on her, he seems to have reconnected with his mother over recent months. Whilst I cannot provide evidence for a man's motivations, I must point out his mother is terminally ill and receiving palliative care in a nursing home. Make of that what you will," he flatly commented, looking Bruce in the eyes. He was sure Bruce and Darcey would have a hard time believing Trevor had no ulterior motives and what visiting his mother out of the kindness of his heart, but it was the man's own fault for putting himself in a position of scrutiny.

Christian finally reached for his pint and took a small but slow drink from it. He couldn't delay the inevitable when Bruce was pressing for details of what happened after Trevor walked out on his kids. "Trevor moved around a lot and for the first few years he seemed to adopt some false names, be it for fraud or just so he didn't leave a trail whenever he decided to ditch someone to move on again." Christian flicked through his file before stopping where he needed to be and removing the photograph May had given him. Sliding it towards Bruce and Darcey so they could take a look, he briefly flipped it over to show the initials 'T.K.'. Sitting back in his seat, he gave them chance to study the photograph of a younger Trevor. "He was going by 'Trevor Kirkham' back then. Kathleen Thatcher recently sent this old photograph of Trevor to May." He cleared his throat as he worked up to the moment he would pile further stress on Bruce's shoulders. "May gave me that photograph and asked me to track down the man in in question. May's mother had sent a letter too, confirming the picture is of May's father and that he was from London. I know the last thing you need is further complications, but May is Trevor's daughter."

Pyroclast (Bruce) Melanin-Gxdess (Darcey)
Mention: BasDorcha (May)

 

[BasDorcha]

On The Way Home
~Clontarf, Dublin~
Tommy Thatcher​

Tom had returned from London feeling better, but also with a lot on his mind. He had found out that he, through his mother, was related to the Sullivan’s, the ones so infamous around town. He’d always wondered if they were related, but he figured it was unlikely since Ma and May had never mentioned it. Turned out, even May hadn’t know until recently when her… whatever he was, Christian, found out. May wouldn’t explain any more about why he was even looking, and that left a question in his mind as well, but he trusted his sister that if it was something he needed to know, she would not keep it from it, and in time she would explain.

Since then, he had been working pretty much non-stop at the garage. Syd seemed to be preoccupied lately, and as such Tom had offered to pick up extra hours to help out with the projects that were coming in. The sky had turned dark and before he knew it, night had completely fallen, and the beaut of a car he was detailing for a tomorrow pickup was almost complete. He had been thinking about possibly trying to reach Shinoa, it had been a little while since he’d seen her, but he knew that new mom life was probably taking up a lot of her time. Leo had invited him to some fighting training coming up in a few weeks, but hadn’t gone into detail – Tom had accepted without question, he could use a good workout if nothing else, and lately it felt like he had no friends to spend time with.

His army buddies had come back to wives and kids, all being older then him for the most part. It was allowed, but not extremely common, for kids barely the legal age to join the military, so he hadn’t spent a lot of his time around immature boys and girls and therefore had no real urge to go do a lot of the stupid things guys his age did. Most of the time, anyways. He was taking a final look at the car, standing back to wipe his hands on the jumpsuit that he had started wearing daily to protect his clothes. In the background, he heard the phone start ringing, surprised. Normally no one would be here, so for the phone to ring was unusual.

Heading to pick it up, he heard a woman on the other end who requested a pickup for both the car and the riders. Tom confirmed their location, grabbed the keys to the tow truck, and headed out. At first he got a little lost, he hadn’t driven this direction much, but with only a short delay he located them without fail. Turning on the hazards, he jumped out once he was parked in front of them and clambered out, smiling and waving to the car. While he waited for them to jump out, he lowered the bed of the truck and unrolled the tow hook, ready to pull the car up.

Mentions Misty Gray - Sinny/Christian
Melanin-Gxdess - Aliana
Pyroclast - Syd
BloodLightning27 - Shinoa

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Undisclosed Location
~Dublin City Center, Ireland~

Alex King

​

Hearing Spencer say he believed him, that he trusted him, gave Alex a new sense of pride. He was sure that if what they were doing had been a few months ago that he wouldn't have heard such words come out of his mouth. But knowing that his hard work was doing something - that it was paying off and his older brother was acknowledging it - reassured him that he was on the right path. His lip twitched, wanting to crease into a smile at the thought but he held off for this was not the right environment for it. Spencer then readdressed how important this job was and how important it was they all did their part. The fact that there was a chance their plan could go south was enough to make Alex be 100% focused on his part.

As the older brother, Spencer had decided to take on a lot during this job. Alex wanted to assure him that they were sharing the risk and danger equally, but were they really? Jeremey and Spencer had more experience so it only made sense they took the lead with he and Billy backing them up. In reality, they were taking more of a risk. Considering Alex felt like this whole mess was his fault, he wanted to be the one to take responsibility and do the hard parts - but he wasn't about to argue with his brother over it. Not while they were trying to focus on the task at hand nor when it was clear Spencer had already steeled his resolve. He could hear the other King soldier on the other end of the radio, letting them know Sullivan had been approaching. Alex could feel his heart beating faster in anticipation of what they were about to do, his hands shaking. Though after clenching and unclenching them he was able to calm down and focus on the task at hand.

The fact that Leo and Thomas were both with Conor was unfortunate, but it wasn't going to stop Alex from going ahead with the plan. Conor was their target and Conor was the only person he wanted to harm. It'd be a shame if both Leo and Thomas were collateral damage in all of this but he wasn't going to lose sleep over it if it did happen. With a heavy sigh he secretly prayed it wouldn't come to that. Alex then turned his attention back to Spencer as he instructed the three of them start getting their stuff together. He picked up the rope that lay at his brother's feet to get it ready to use once they'd had Conor in the back of the van. Next he reached into his pocket where his knife had been secured. With Spencer's instructions of not killing Sullivan right away, he'd opted to leave his gun in the van. Despite not being a particularily violent man with angry outburst, Alex couldn't be too sure that he'd get overwhelmed and accidentally shoot Conor prematurely. Therefore, leaving his weapon beind during the inital fight made more sense.

Alex then turned to Billy as he got his own weapons out. As his older brother he worried about him and had been throughout this whole process. He'd always seen his younger brother as a bit... Sensitive and soft and though he'd also gotten in fights it was never something like this. After Erik had killed someone in front of him, Billy had freaked out completely. Though Alex wasn't sure if it were because someone had been killed in front of him or because the shock of it all had overwhelmed him, but he did know Billy wasn't used to it. "You sure you're alright," Alex whispered, looking at him. "I just-... I know why you're doing this and I wouldn't want you doing anything that changes you, ya know."

Billy ( Pyroclast ) Spencer ( Misty Gray ) Jeremy ( BasDorcha )

Sullivan's Weapons Warehouse
~Dublin Port~

Reina Richards​

Off in the distance, behind the warehouse, there had been about four vehicle sitting idly by with all their lights turned off. In the front seat of one of the vehicles had been the man in charge, Kannan. He'd been listening to the radio he, the Kings, and the other decoy teams were speaking over. Hearing that Conor, Leo, and Thomas were on the way to the selected rendevous, Kannan took that as a sign for them to start getting ready for their portion. Hitting the Sullivans weapons warehouse was not only a random spot, but would possibly cripple their forces as far as weapons went. It'd make it harder for them to try any sort of retaliation after the death of Conor. "Boss, a vehicle just pulled up," said a man sitting in the back seat. Kannan turned his head ever so slightly to him while keeping his sights focused in front of him. "Unfortunate," he stated, looking at his watch. "For them, of course. Not us." He took off his seatbelt and opened the center console, pulling out a pistol. "We go ahead with the plan, but there'll be a slight change."

Meanwhile, Reina watched as Edwards pulled a flashlight out of his pocket she raised her eyebrows playfully. "And here I thought you were just happy to see me," she joked, eyes focusing back on her map. The added light shone on the map, revealing the different places James had taken them to. Some places had been marked with blue, red, and green - red being places of utmost importance, blue being businesses, and green being hidden shortcuts. "Jimbo gives me clown vibes," she looked at him, taking in his physical appearance before nodding her head. "Fortunately you don't look like a clown, so Jimmy." As James explained where they were and the location of the warehouse on the map, Reina reached into her back pocket and took out the red pen. She then circled the location before drawing an arrow and writing 'Toy Warehouse'.

James began to inform her about the location and how the ferry terminals worked. It was still a pretty public place even though they had their own men working the area as well. "You ever think 'bout putting something private out here that's not jus' a warehouse?" She asked, looking to James. With a shrug of her shoulders she looked around them as if trying to get an idea. "Uh, fish market. Car garage. Anything to deter pedestrians from 'accidentally' strolling through your shit and keeps the cops away - though I'm sure you don't have those problems." In her past, Reina had worked for all sorts of sketchy people and learned from each job. Now she tried to bring that knowledge to her new jobs even if they didn't take her advice. She had info so why not spread the wealth to her fellow criminal underground compadres? "You'd be able to have 'round the clock security without raising too many flags," she looked back down at her map before folding it back up and stuffing it in her back pocket. "Let's go take a peek!" Before waiting for any sort of answer - from either man - Reina put her hands into the pockets of her jacket and started walking towards the warehouse.

As Reina got closer to the warehouse, she couldn't help but feel something was... Off. The smell of gasoline had been heavy in the air and she sniffed her jacket to see if it had been her. Looking down at the ground there had been a puddle of it with trial lines off in different directions. "Jimmy, d'you guys have oil trucks or somethin' out here?" She asked, turning back to face both men. She'd never heard of them having anything to do with oil so seeing so much of it confused her. As she was taking out her gun, she could hear someone shouting, "Fuck the Irish!" Turning her head to the source, she saw a figure running away from their parked car before it proceeded to blow up. Just as she was about to processed what had just happened, a round of gunshots rattled off from the warehouse and Reina immediately ducked behind a concrete median barrier, watching as James and Edwards did the same. "Not to be obvious but, you've got a problem."

The bullets ricocheted off the median and Reina winced with each shot - not because she had been hit, but because the dust was getting in her eyes. "That sounds like," she paused, trying to see if she could hear eactly how many gunmen were shooting. "Oh, fuck, I can't even tell." She then turned to Edwards, remembering something about him being in the military. "How many do you think?" She asked, before trying to peek from the side.

James ( Misty Gray ) Edwards ( BloodLightning27 )

 

[Pyroclast]

Paddy's Diner
~ Ashtown, Dublin ~

Elena Velazco​

Something Elena had worked out since she had met Adam for the first time was that he was a very busy man. She didn’t know exactly what his work consisted of, nor did she believe it was her place to ask, but she knew it took up a lot of his time. So, when he managed to free up a whole day for her, she was delighted. The man had planned a whole day of sightseeing including Dublin’s three castles and introduced her to the classic meal of fish and chips. It was a day of firsts for her, as she had never eaten fish and chips before, nor had she ever seen a castle that wasn’t just in a picture book.

Despite the filling lunch, all the walking and activities had earned her appetite back and so when Adam took her to an American-style diner, she ordered a burger just as large as his. He asked her how she had found the day and she beamed at him, taking a second to finish her mouthful. “Today has been magical!” she finally answered. “I never saw a castle before, or eat fish and chips! You show me so much in only one day…I live in this city for some months now but I don’t see enough of it. Dublin has so much interesting things, all very different to Havana. It is nice to see where my father lives.” Her smile deepened as she looked back on the day they had shared together. “And to be with you all day, Adam,” she continued in a lighter voice. “I am so happy to find you. I am so happy you are not the man my mama say you are. You are so nice to pass the day with me, and I learn so many things from you. I hope today lasts forever!”

Adam seemed to understand that she didn’t want to end their time together just yet, as he then gave her the option to continue their long day of activities with one more. He pointed through the diner’s window at some faraway colourful flashing lights and began to describe a funfair not too far away. “Rides?” She wasn’t really sure what he was talking about but the flashing lights made it look fun, whatever it is. Besides, she was with him, so whatever it was she was sure she would enjoy herself. The only thing vetoed from their list of activities so far was apparently Dublin Zoo, to which Elena nodded. “Sí, sí, estoy de acuerdo…the wild animals have to stay in the wild. They have to stay in their country where they belong. Not like me - I belong here now.”

Deep down, Elena wondered what Adam thought about the fact that she was trying to establish herself in his life. His words and actions seemed to make it clear that he was on board with the whole situation and was glad to have her in his life, but she still worried that he might change his mind someday, or realise that she didn’t belong with him. That’s why she was doing her best to find things in common with him and was making an effort to learn English so she could fit into his life more easily. If he did change his mind, begin to see her as being out of her natural habitat like one of the wild animals in Dublin Zoo, then he might send her back to Havana to be with her mother again.

Thankfully, as finished their meals, he moved the subject onto Thomas, and what he thought about Adam being her father. Elena couldn’t help but blush and smile at the mention of the man she was becoming so fond of. “He has no fear of you, Adam,” she said with a slight giggle as she wiped the corners of her mouth with her serviette. “I tell him that you are mi papá, and he…bueno…I did not want that he thinks que yo lo ustaba - that I use him to be more close to you. I thought that when I tell him, he does not want to be with me anymore, especialmente porque he has a very difficult time right now with his familia…”

A slight frown came over her as she thought about how much the man had been struggling with all the attacks on his family, and how hard she herself had found it when Adam had been shot. She hadn’t even been able to call him family back then, but it was still distressing to see her father injured. However, despite all of Thomas’ warnings about his PTSD, he had never made her feel unwelcome in his home. Thinking of how much he must like her for him not to take his emotions out on her put the smile back on her face. “But Tomás, he is so kind to me,” she went on. “He likes me a lot, I think. Y yo…I like him a lot, too.” Bringing an elbow up onto the table, Elena rested her cheek against her hand to help cover up her blush. “And there is no change in him after I tell him the truth about you - he does not sleep with me now, but also he did not sleep with me before…”

Realising what she had said, Elena looked down and blindly reached for her milkshake. It was empty, but she still put the straw in her mouth to stop her from saying anything else, and pretended to drink from it, which only filled the awkward silence with slurping sounds. She wasn’t sure if it mattered to Adam whether or not she was a virgin, since he hadn’t been around to teach her about such things and they came from completely different backgrounds. Her mother had always been transparent when it came to sex - it was hard not to be when living in such a small and crowded apartment - but Elena realised she didn’t know her father’s opinion on it. Knowing she was fooling nobody, Elena placed the empty glass back down and dared to meet her father’s eye.

“You ask about me and Tomás, pero…what about you, Adam?” There remained a lot to learn about her father, but romance was one Elena believed was important. “Is there a woman in your life? My mother was a long time ago!”

Interactions
Misty Gray Adam
Bellz Thomas (mentioned)

 

[BasDorcha]

Undisclosed Location
Dublin City Center, Ireland
Jeremy Gray​

The guys around him were all lost in their own thoughts, thinking about each other, their loved ones back home, and how they would all play a part in this. Jeremy was thinking how he had the least to loose and he’d be damned if his three best friends, even if he wasn’t theirs, would not be making it home tonight. Conor Sullivan was not an easy mark, not like the shitty drug dealer he had killed or even a medium weight like the guy he went rounds with in the fight before he snapped and awoke to blood. No, Conor was like that once in a life time unicorn, mythical, rare, and if you could get close enough to kill it, you should count yourself lucky.

The voice on the radio came across like a distant sound through a wall of water. Jeremy leaned up between the seats, low, watching the car moving. Three shadows. He was not alone. A moment later, as the calculations began in his mind and the wheels began turning, Jeremy’s thumb was in the corner of his mouth. The universal sign that Jeremy’s training, education, and incredibly to smart for his own good brain was already doing the math. Three with Conor, more of them, but they were on Conor’s home turf. Still, this was an ambush, so long as it really was an ambush and they hadn’t been found out, so that took away half of the threat. The two in the car were young, younger than him, which means they possibly lacked enough experience to be threats

After a minute or two, he had run all the calculations in his mind, settling on one or two that had the highest chance of success. He didn’t want to tell the guys the odds, numbers put people on edge, and they were counting a lot on luck, and things going exactly how they expected it to go. Luck was not on their side, they were not expected Conor to have company, so he had taken luck out of the equation, and the answer he got was not as good as he would have hoped.

Still, there were a few scenarios they complete the mission and if things went right enough, they’d all survive the night, maybe not unscratched but alive. Picking up his two knives that fit into his boots, and one large one that fit into a holster on the back of his belt, he turned and looked at them all. He had never had siblings, but looking at them he imagined this was what it would be like – maybe not the killing and all, but the comradery. “All together now boys?”

MentionsSpencer - @ Misty Gray
Alex - @ Melanin-Gxdess
Billy - @ Pyroclast

 

[BloodLightning27]

~James Edwards~

Dublin, Ireland​

---

Dublin Port, Sullivans' Weapons WarehouseShortly after pulling the flashlight out of his pocket, his senses began to feel off, but he shrugged it off assuming that it had just been the cheeseburger he ate and that his body needed a minute to process the fact that an Irish Burger was way different from an American one. Aside from the occasional fix, Edwards had been phasing out red meat from his diet, thinking that it was one of the causes for him feeling like crap every now and then. Once Reina had made a remark about how she thought he was just happy to see her. To that, Edwards didn't exactly know how to respond, but simply chuckled and shook his head.

Soon the light was on the map, Edwards had gone back to focusing on it, save a few comments from both James and Reina. Overall, Reina was pretty talkative and social, which was a sharp contrast from James, who was more of a solitary person. While he could most likely be wrong, having only known James since Spring and only meeting Reina a little after he and James arrived in Dublin and he was recruited into the Irish Mob as a Sicario. Either way, these were just his mental notes and his impressions on his newfound colleagues. In a way, this outing did make him think about his old team in the US Navy, but those days were long passed and a lot has changed. After his train of thought finished, Edwards listened as James spoke about the Port and the Ferry Terminals. Although he had an idea, Edwards had to remind himself that he was NOT in America anymore. Things being hidden in plain sight was not something that Edwards was a stranger to. Considering that was something that his Unit did all the time overseas. It wasn't long until Reina began voicing her thoughts about the Weapons Warehouse and its location, how it was risky considering that the Port was indeed a public place. Just as Edwards was about to follow Reina into the warehouse though, that off feeling from before came again. This time, Edwards felt the need to actually reach for his gun, which was holstered to his hip. Then Reina proceeded to ask James about Oil Trucks being present, which confused the Sicario further, even prompting him to raise an eyebrow. Before he could even formulate a response, someone shouted 'Fuck the Irish!' moments before their car blew up. "God dammit!" He exclaimed in frustration.

Not that it was his car or anything, but now they had a bit of a hike to get back to wherever after this BS was over. Moments after, gunshots rang out and he drew his own gun moments after. As a bullet whizzed passed him, he proceeded to tackle James to get them both behind the nearby concrete barrier as Reina proceeded to emphasize that they had a problem. "You mean 'we', right? We got a problem? I thought we were supposed to be in this together, you know, like a team??" He replied semi-loudly, even if it was not exactly the best time for jokes.

He could hear the bullets flying and hitting the barrier that protected them. As she tried to determine how many shooters there were and play it by ear, Edwards proceeded to take a quick peek before some dust almost got in his eye due to the ricocheting bullets. He proceeded to wipe his eyes with his sleeve before Reina asked him how many shooters he thought was there...and firing at them. "Judging by all the guns discharging, I wanna say at least four or five shooters. Possibly more. This is a big place! Wish I had more firepower, because we are definitely outnumbered-" Bang bang bang "And sure as hell outgunned. But considering that they fired first, they were definitely here waiting for us. The guys I fought back in Vietnam pulled this shit all the damn time!" He emerged from cover briefly to return fire, effectively starting a firefight with their unexpected and certainly unwelcome assailants...racist ones at that considering that they did say 'Fuck the Irish', which Edwards did find funny because he himself was half-Irish.

As he got back into cover, a bullet whizzed passed his head, even grazing the hair, but didn't make contact with his skin. "So...How do you guys wanna play this out? Gotta plan it out quick before they close in on us...or more of them show up!"

---

Interactions: Reina Richards Melanin-Gxdess | James Porter Misty Gray

 

[Bellz]

Thomas Porter
The Sullivan House
~ Sutton, Dublin ~​

Thomas turned to see Leo poking his head out from around the corner, referring to him being dragged in by a cat. "Ah, you're home. I was going to assume in a moment that you forgot about me." Thomas said, a small smile forming on his lips. When Leo mentioned him being partnerless, Thomas nodded his head, a bigger smile forming. "Even dogs need a break, mate. The poor girl is getting sick of my shit I'm sure. She seemed pretty happy to stay on the couch, she likes watching the MASH reruns." The man said with a small laugh, "Anyone who says that dogs don't enjoy TV is lying to you. She's hooked."

"This is the first time I've seen you without Nat attached to your hip? Giving the poor girl a break from your antics too?" Thomas asked teasingly. "Or did you guys decide to spare me from getting a front-row seat to the lovefest?"

Thomas was sure he could have gone on for ages teasing Leo but he was quickly interrupted by Conor as he walked into the room. Thomas raised his brow as his Uncle stated that they were going out on a job. He technically had the day off, but he wasn't about to object. "You're the boss, Con." Thomas said, looking to Leo with a smirk, "But I do expect to be paid time and a half for this." Thomas had been doing his best to be more relaxed in his interactions with his family. His family responded to humor well and Thomas at some point in his life had been a bit of a ham. Tapping into that old side of him had felt near impossible for such a long time but recently he had been finding it easier and easier to do.

Living with Elena had brought out a side of him that he had thought died off a long time ago, the jokes and teasing were regular in his house now. "I assume Phelan isn't handing out candy to the orphan children?" Thomas asked his Uncle, knowing fully well that the man dealt drugs. He'd been a persistent problem for a while now and it seemed like Conor was at his breaking point. Having had family who dealt with drug addictions personally, Thomas was more than happy to take care of that trash.

Thomas raised his eyebrows as his Uncle handed him a set of keys. He had been driving for a long time but besides Elena, he didn't really drive other people around. He normally took the passenger seat. "Alright kids, let's go." Thomas said before nodding his head towards the front door, moving to open it before stepping out of the house.

Once everyone was in the car, Conor gave Thomas information on the location and the young man started to drive silently in the right direction. It wasn't long until they arrived at the location and Thomas parked...waiting for instruction.
with: Conor Misty Gray ; Leo Melanin-Gxdess

 

[Pyroclast]

The Royal Taphouse
~ Bethnal Green, London ~

Bruce King​

Christian made a good point that there had only been six years between Trevor accepting Spencer’s money and coming to own a car dealership, indicating that that’s when he must have come into some significant money. Bruce gave an acknowledging grunt when the man expressed doubt about the legitimacy of Trevor’s newfound fortune. “I find it hard to believe he had the brains to invest,” he added. “I wouldn’t trust the man with a five pence piece.”

A sigh escaped him when Christian explained that a younger Trevor had walked out on his mother and sister. Although he didn’t know the circumstances, it seemed similar to the attitude the man had had towards his children before abandoning them. He was selfish, through and through. Even hearing that he had got back in touch with his terminally ill mother, Bruce’s immediate thought was that he would be trying to make amends with her purely to get into her will. The information he was hearing disgusted him so much he wished he could have nothing to do with the man.

According to Christian’s research, Trevor had also been living under various aliases, further suggesting the man lived a troublesome and cowardly existence. Christian passed a photograph to Bruce and Darcey that showed a young Trevor, with the initials ‘T.K.’ written on the back. Apparently it stood for Trevor Kirkham, the named he was going by at the time, which meant nothing to Bruce. However, when told that Kathleen Thatcher had sent the photograph to May, Bruce’s eyes snapped up to Christian in alarm. “To May? What’s May got to do with him?”

As soon as the words left him, he got a sick feeling in his chest, and held his breath with anticipation until Christian confirmed what he was dreading: Trevor was indeed May’s father. Bruce’s eyes closed and he shook his head, letting it fall into his hands. After a moment, he dragged his hands down his face and turned to look at Darcey, holding his gaze on her for a time while he processed what they had just been told. After a period of silence, he turned back to Christian. “And there’s no possible way you could be wrong about this?” he asked in a dark tone of voice. “You know I trust you and your skills, Christian, but this is serious. More serious than even you know…”

Finding out that May was a blood relation of Conor Sullivan with a brother working for Syd Porter had worried him, but now hearing that she was also tied to the Kings via Trevor complicated everything further. Spencer, Alex, Billy and Harper now had a half-sister related to the Sullivans, meaning that the branches of their family trees were tangled together in a way they had never expected. “This is gonna change things for Harper and the boys,” he said, shifting his gaze onto Darcey. “We can’t just bury this. May knows what Trevor looks like, but if she knew any better she wouldn’t have gone lookin’ for him. I don’t see this endin’ well for anyone…”

Seeing as how their last meeting had descended into hostility towards May, he only imagined that his nephews, if not Harper too, would struggle even more to have her around. “You still want this girl workin’ for you, Darce?” he asked the woman. “‘Cause if so, you’re gonna have to help me explain to the boys why you still want her around. I don’t think they’re gonna like to find out that they’re related to the fucking Sullivans.”

Interactions
Melanin-Gxdess Darcey
Misty Gray Christian

 

[Misty Gray]

Undisclosed Location
~ Sutton, Dublin ~

Conor Sullivan
Phelan Decoy​

With Thomas driving, Conor was able to sit in the passenger seat and keep close watch on the area around them. It didn't take long to see the two suspicious looking men loitering on the pavement. Though he couldn't see their faces clearly in the dark, the stature of one of them fitted that of Phelan Sweeney. Not to mention, there was the obvious view of Phelan handing something to the other guy who proceed to quickly shove it into his back pocket. Phelan or not, the two were clearly being shifty and in Sullivan territory. "There they are. Pull over," Conor told Thomas. "When we're doing having words with these pricks, we're taking Phelan to his brothers. Cormac is a sound bloke and I think he's about done with his brother's shit too."

The three men got out of the vehicle, prompting one of the men to distinctly say the words "oh shit". Conor was quick to grab one of them by the collar of his hooded-jacket. The guy presumed to be Phelen, with his hood pulled up over his head, proceeded to sprint down the street in the direction the Sullivans had been heading. "Get him and bring him back here!" Conor ordered Leo and Thomas. "I'll keep this one company," he said, pulling the second around man to face him.

The man presumed to be Phelan was clearly a fast runner, giving Leo and Thomas that extra challenge to catch up to him as he rushed down the quieter streets. It would soon become evident he was clearly heading into more active and public territory...


Bellz (Thomas) Melanin-Gxdess (Leo)

Undisclosed Location
~ Dublin City Center, Dublin ~

Spencer King and Conor Sullivan
"Phelan's" Buddy​

Spencer had managed to catch a glimpse of Conor through the van windscreen. The Irish man towered over the young man he'd apprehended, reminding Spencer that whilst he was only three inches shorter than the big guy, it would affect how he approached his first move. Reaching forward, he picked up an unclaimed pistol from the floor but proceeded to remove the ammunition from it. One emptied of bullets, Spencer gripped onto the handle of the handgun. "After me, lads," he casually prompted his three brothers, keeping his tone relaxed despite the sudden build-up of adrenaline inside of him.

Aware of potential passing cars and witnesses, Conor dragged the presumed drug dealer into the nearby dead-end alley. Pushing the young man face-first into the wall, Conor used one arm to incapacitate his hands behind his back whilst he used his free hand to dig into his pockets. Pulling out a roll of cash, Conor flipped the young man around to face him, pressing his hand firmly against his chest to keep him pinned to the wall. "Why are you walking around with all this cash?" he suspiciously asked as he held the money up in front of the man's face. "More to the point, why would you be dumb enough to get mixed up with Phelan?"

"Felt like it," the younger Irish man replied, with a firm shrug of his shoulders. He seemed sure of himself, like he didn't have to be afraid that the boss of the Irish Mob was currently threatening him. He then proceeded to try wriggle from Conor's grip, causing the bigger man to only move in closer and put an even firmer hand on his chest.

Before Conor could question how local the young man was, given his accent sounded like he was from Cork, he felt the barrel of a gun pressing firmly against the back of his head. From behind, Spencer stood, grateful the decoy had done as he was told and kept Conor distracted. "Let the guy go and I won't blow your brains out, Sullivan," Spencer firmly warned Conor. After a brief chuckle, Conor let go of the decoy, holding his hands up and letting the roll of cash drop to the floor, to show he wasn't armed. He then took a controlled step back to allow the young man to scurry off out of the alley.

Spencer had braced himself for Conor to make the first move. He was sure the Irishman by now knew just as well as he did that he wasn't going to fire the gun and bring unwanted attention to him. Be it the police or the Irish Mob, someone was bound to respond quickly to the sound of gunfire. As predicated, Conor was quick to duck away from the barrel of the gun and turned around to try grab it out of Spencer's hand. The Londoner was just as fast, quickly taking a side step and tossing the gun aside, allowing it to clatter as it slid down deeper into the dark alley. Spencer swiftly dodged the incoming first belonging to Conor and was instead able to deliver the first blow, his fist harshly colliding with the side of Conor's skull. Despite the loud crack and the strength of the blow, Conor was quick to recover from the jolt. The action had caused Conor's head to turn to notice the other three Kings blocking the entrance of the alley. "Can't take me on by yourself, Spencer?" Conor goaded the eldest of the brothers as he looked back to him.

"Because a man like you deserves a fair fight?" Spencer asked, clearly referring to when he was jumped by the Sullivans and the nightclub explosion. As he looked the man in the eyes, it became even more evident how much bigger Conor was. A few inches alone didn't disadvantage Spencer, but the older man's imposing build and general physical resilience added up to what was a challenge for one man. A giant like Kane could likely take Conor on by himself, but this wasn't about Kane and the man was employed to protect Bruce. This was for the Kings themselves to finish. It was business, but it was also personal.

Without warning, Spencer punched Conor in the side of the jaw with one hand before rapidly dealing a trio of heavy blows beneath the man's ribs. Whilst Conor clearly felt the blows and was slightly winded, he was able to block out the pain. With his anger building, the bigger man finally retaliated using both hands to punch Spencer in succession, one in the side of the jaw and the other in the stomach. Conor grabbed the Londoner by the throat and violently slammed his back against the wall before dragging him down by the hair and slamming his knee into the side of Spencer's ribs. Pushing Spencer onto the floor Conor was quick to turn to face the others. "Who's next? Or do you want me to finish fucking him up first?" he remarked, wiping the trickling blood from his bottom lip, whilst ready for the others to jump in.

Spencer had been willing to take Conor's first blows, hoping to keep the man focused on him so the others could step in to incapacitate him whilst he was distracted. However, Conor hadn't lost his focus on the bigger picture and was still aware of the others, ready should they attack. On his hands and knees, Spencer made a point of coughing up and clutching his ribs, suggesting to those around that he was in a bad way. However, despite mouthful of blood, along with feeling the pain in his ribs and head, Spencer wasn't anywhere near done yet. He'd been through worse and he knew he could take more before he was down. Conor hadn't dumped him exactly where he'd hoped, but as Spencer spat the blood out of his mouth, he was able to stretch his arm out in front to reach for the lead pipe he'd planted on the ground nearby. Grabbing it, Spencer swung it hard against the back of Conor's knees before rushing to his feet. The towering Irishman buckled slightly before whipping around to try grab the pipe of of Spencer's hands before the Londoner could use it to deal some real damage. With Conor trying to wrestle the pipe of out Spencer's hands, his back and attention were no longer on the other Kings present...

Pyroclast (Billy)
Melanin-Gxdess (Alex)
BasDorcha (Jeremy)

 

[Bellz]

Lorelei Costello
The Funky Cat
~ Dublin City Center, Dublin ~​

Lorelei regretted agreeing to stay at work after her shift was over to get drinks. While she normally was fine with it, today had been stressful enough. She had been in a bit of a sour mood when she finally clocked out but seeing Benjie’s face immediately turned things around. A wide smile that had been missing from her face formed as they walked towards their usual small table in the far corner of the club.

The redhead couldn’t help but blush as he smiled at her in return. Lorelei had no intentions of letting this relationship run it’s course. When she was with him, she felt like everything was okay in the world, despite the turmoil around them. It was something she’d never experienced herself but had heard about from older members in her family. She saw a future with him. Lorelei had downed her last drink a little too quickly and the effects of the alcohol had washed over her faster than she would have liked overall. Benjie suggested that Aidan come pick them up and Lorelei nodded her head in agreement. "I am definitely in no position to drive at this point." She said softly before he asked if she would rather have him drop her off at home or if she’d want to stay over at Benjie’s place. Lorelei rolled her eyes as he said that his place wasn’t the Ritz or anything. "The Ritz is overrated anyway. I wanna go home with you tonight, please." She said sweetly, reaching out to caress his cheek as she noticed his skin turning red.

When he went to go to the phone, Lorelei stood up as well, moving to let her staff know that she was leaving for the evening. There had been some tension between her and her employees lately. They were understandably on edge about all the things going on with her family lately, the rumors couldn’t be hushed. She had been adamant about reassuring everyone’s safety but she knew she couldn’t guarantee it and that’s what was pushing people over the edge. Three of her employees had quit in order to not be caught up in the line of fire and now she was struggling to find replacements.

Her interaction with her employees was quick and she was at the table again when Benjie returned. Lorelei smiled as he held out his hand to her. She took it and stood, she didn’t sway but she did feel slightly inebriated. "He’s so sweet and so are you." Lorelei said, leaning in to kiss Benjie’s lips softly before letting him lead her outside. The night was warm but had a slight breeze to it and it helped pull her out of the increasingly drunken state she was falling in.

Once outside, Benjie wrapped his arms around her waist as he stood behind her and Lorelei allowed herself to rest against him almost lazily. She let her eyes close for a small moment as he kissed her cheek before he apologized in advance for anything Aidan said to them. Lorelei let out a small giggle as her boyfriend went on to say that Aidan was a massive dork and that there was a high chance he would say something embarrassing during the drive home. Lorelei smiled softly as Benjie said it would be at his expense and that Aidan thought she was great. "Awwww! I think he’s great! All of my interactions with him have been the best…I can’t say the same about my dad. But my mom is the best! She loves you…" Lorelei turned around in his arms and placed her head on his shoulder, "I love you too, you know." she murmured.
with: Benjie Misty Gray
mentions: Aidan Misty Gray ; Jason Pyroclast

 

[BasDorcha]

BodyWorks Gym
Ruby Miller​

Ruby took a break from the punching bag, grabbing up her things and tossing them into the gym bag she brought with her. She slid it around her shoulders and nodded to the door, indicating they should take walk. Once they were moving again, Ruby took another sip of her water bottle, carrying it in her hands while she talked. “I’m not to good with a gun, truth be told, I always spent more time with my hands then bullets. Maybe you could help me train. I’ve taken about every class ever offered here at Bodyworks, and some at other facilities nearby.”

Ruby looked up and seen her face and had to agree she did look sexy. Unintentionally she took another step towards her, kind of like magnets slowly drawing metal to it over a distance, until they were bumping shoulders. Taking her hat off and dropping it in the bag, the feminine features of her face became starkly visible with the shag of longer hair on top. The evening felt good outside, especially as she needed a cooldown walk with the intense workout she had just put herself through.

“So tell me more about what we’ll be doing. Are we just baby sitting rich folks or what? I know Adam hired me for protection duty, and to work closely with you, but he didn’t say much on who we would be protecting. Is it some spoilt kid who likes to make demands? Do you work with the big guy? What’s the deal?” As they walked, a group of guys up ahead were rough housing and talking smack about every girl who walked by, whistling and hooting, and then calling them less enticing names with each rejection. Most of the other walkers had made their way across the street, but Ruby would not be moved.

As they drew closer, the guys took one look at her and sneered, no pleasant comments for her. “What are ye, a foicking dyke?” Ruby narrowed her eyes, ready to respond.

Mentions:Stella - BloodLightning27

 

[Misty Gray]

Undisclosed Location
~ Dublin City Center, Dublin ~

Aidan Byrne​

Aidan had left Paddy to look after things at the city centre base. it was a quiet Wednesday night, so a lot of their soldiers were out on training exercises, either on the streets or stationed at other bases. That was why he'd offered to give Benjamin and Lorelei a ride home. Any opportunity to tease the lovebirds and he was going to take it. Besides which, since Benjamin had moved out, been promoted at the restaurant, and now started dating, Aidan didn't get to see him as much as he used to. He wasn't his son and him getting his independence was inevitable, but it didn't mean Aidan was in a rush to stop showing interest in the young man's well-being. He'd promised Kurt he'd look out for the lad and given how dangerous Dublin was, he wasn't about to stop even now Benjamin was a grown adult.

Once he'd pulled out of the yard of the base and taken two left turns, it was basically a single stretch of road until he'd reach The Funky Cat a couple of minutes later. However, halfway into the journey, Aidan's interest was directed to the familiar vehicle parked up on the side of the street. It was one of the cars owned by Conor himself. The fact it was empty and with no open businesses in sight certainly gained his attention. With nowhere to immediately pull in, he continued driving a little, straight ahead seeing a black van parked but then to the left, he could see five men in an alleyway, one of whom was clearly the Irish boss himself. "Fuckin'..." Aidan grumbled. He continued on passed the van before pulling his car up further down the street, in the next available space. As he retrieved his pistol from the glove compartment, he put in a call over the two-way radio. "Base. This is Aidan. Is anyone around Morgan Street?" Met with a silence, Aidan grumbled to himself, no doubt Paddy had stepped away from the control room. "Paddy? If you can hear me, I need backup at Morgan Street. Hurry the fuck up."

As much as he didn't want to go out alone, he couldn't sit back if the boss needed his help. Slotting his gun in its holster where it was hidden by his jacket, he got out of the car and shut the door. He then set about casually walking along the street towards the alley where he'd seen the scuffle taking place. The Kings' driver was leant against the van as he smoked, evidently keeping watch. With his hands in his jacket pockets, Aidan kept his head looking forward as he tried to look like just a casual passerby. The other man stepped away from the van and into his path. "I suggest you go around the block, pal," the driver flatly informed him, ready to attack if Aidan showed any signs of retaliation or argument.

"On? I was actually looking for a place called Frankie's Diner and hoped you could point me in the right direction. Any idea?" Aidan calmly asked.

Just as the driver was about to signal for him to go in the opposite direction, Aidan caught him by surprise and violently slammed the side of his skull against the side of the van, then again. One more smack against the vehicle and the Kings' driver was out cold. As he felt to the ground, Aidan swiped the gun out of his back trouser pocket and slotted it into his own pocket. Bringing his hand to his holstered gun, he then turned to look back towards the nearby alley, ready to plan his next move...

Pyroclast (Billy)
Mentions: Melanin-Gxdess (Alex) BasDorcha (Jeremy)

 

[Pyroclast]

Undisclosed Location
~ Dublin City Centre, Dublin ~

Billy King​

As the seconds passed, bringing them closer to the moment of attack, Billy watched as the others got their weapons ready and prepared themselves to strike. Even though there was tension in the air, it felt like the good kind - the kind that, when it eventually broke, they would all burst into action, letting the adrenaline and their meticulously thought-out plan carry them through to the end. When he caught Alex’s eye, however, he noticed the man wore a somewhat anxious look. In a low whisper, his brother asked him if he was sure he was okay and told him he didn’t want him to do anything that would change him.

Billy scoffed lightly, looking away as he slid his set of brass knuckles onto his right hand. “I’m doin’ this for Harper,” he clarified, making sure the man really did understand what he was there for. “And Erik and Darcey and Spencer, and those people who lost their lives. Bit late to try and convince me to go home now, don’t ya’ think?” Flashing his older brother a smile, Billy reached out and patted Alex on the arm. “Look, I get you’re just doin’ the older brother thing, but I’m here now, so let’s just get this done, yeah? The only thing this job’s gonna do to me is make me stronger, so quit worryin’ and quit tryna’ change my mind.”

He then turned his smile towards Jeremy, who had got his weapons together and asked if they were all ready. Even though he imagined Conor wouldn’t go down without a fight and it was likely they wouldn’t get out of it without at least some minor injuries, the fact that they were there working together to take him down filled him with confidence. He nodded at his friend before following Spencer’s gaze out of the window, where Conor was busy dealing with the decoy they had sent. His older brother gave them the signal to keep behind him, and, with one last check that he had everything on him, Billy jumped out of the van.

Staying hidden for the time being, Billy listened as Spencer made his presence known. It wasn’t time yet for Conor to know just how many people had come for him - they wanted to instil some confidence in the larger man, only to take it away. Although he was significantly smaller in stature than Conor, he believed his presence added something. Four men together stood a decent chance against the Irish giant, after all.

When it became clear that the fight had begun, Billy stepped out into the opening of the alley, just in time for Conor to look up and see him, Alex and Jeremy now blocking his only exit. Not that he expected the big man to run, but his reaction still drew a smirk from him. Conor’s confident exterior didn’t waver, but it felt good to make it clear that they weren’t interested in making the fight a fair one - after all, as Spencer’s words reminded everyone, Conor had been the first to use the ambushing technique. Now the man would know they were just as willing to fight dirty.

Billy cracked his knuckles, loosening up in preparation as he watched his oldest brother deliver a series of harsh blows to Conor’s face and below the ribs, striking at the liver. It was impressive, but Billy’s smile soon dropped when the Irishman struck back. Despite the fights he had seen his brother get in over the years, he had never seen anyone bring him to the floor so quickly. He knew it was part of the plan, but it was still unpleasant to watch. If the man could do that to Spencer, he himself didn’t stand a chance.

However, with his brothers at his side, he couldn’t let that thought stop him from doing his job. With Spencer seemingly down, Conor turned to the others and goaded them to step in for a turn. Knowing what his brother was about to do, however, Billy just held Conor’s gaze and stood with his hands in his pockets, his thumb on the button of his switchblade.

While Conor thought he had the upper hand, Spencer quickly grabbed the metal pipe he had planted on the ground before the attack and swung it hard into the back of Conor’s knees, causing him to fall to Spencer’s level. The two wrestled for the pipe and Billy withdrew his switchblade and flicked it open, ready to stab Conor in the arm or something - whatever would take his attention off the pipe long enough for Spencer to get it off him.

Just before he stepped forward, he felt someone standing behind him and turned his head in time to see a man raise a gun in his direction. In a split second, Billy launched at him; he swung his left arm out to knock the gun out of the man’s grip while his right hand slammed him in the chest to pin him against the wall. Except, his hand wasn’t empty. There was a strangled hitch in the man’s breath, as if he had been winded, and his eyes widened. For a few seconds, Billy remained trapped in his glazed stare, unable to breathe - and when he eventually looked down, he saw it. His knife in the man’s chest, his hand gripping the handle.

In a panic, Billy ripped the knife out and stumbled back, watching as the man collapsed to the ground. He had no idea who he was - he could have been one of Conor’s men, or a random Samaritan looking to break up a fight. All Billy was certain of was that whoever he was, he didn’t have long left to live. He watched him struggle for breath, choking on the blood that came pouring from his mouth, and he knew that he had killed him.

Closing the bloody knife and stuffing it back into his pocket, Billy tore his eyes away from the dying stranger and hurried back over to Jeremy and his brothers. “We’re outta’ time,” he urged them, in a strained and trembling voice. “We’ve gotta get to the van, now.”

Interactions
Misty Gray Aidan, Spencer, Conor, Benjie
Melanin-Gxdess Alex, Leo
BasDorcha Jeremy
Bellz Lorelei