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

[BloodLightning27]

~James Edwards~Michelle's House > The Road > Chez Hans | Dublin, Ireland

“Hi, perfect timing, I just finished getting ready.”

"Precision is something I am good with." He responded, chuckling as he remembered that the box of sweets was in his hands. "Oh, these are for you." He said as he handed them to her, which was enough to put a smile on her face.

Overthinking a little, he suddenly began wondering if he went overboard doing so. A gift on a first date? Then again, it wasn't like he was getting any younger. And it wasn't gonna be long until his forties was gonna be on his doorstep. Edwards wasn't bothered by it though. Unless he's paralyzed or facing any career-ending injuries, he was mostly content. If he had brought flowers, that probably would have been too much. Not to mention he wasn't sure what kind of flowers she liked. But at least he somewhat hit the nail on the head.

“Why, Mr. Edwards, I believe you’re sweet on me.”

"Well, that is the goal." He said, smiling when she winked at him.

While she went to put away the box of sweets, Edwards checked his pockets for his car keys. Thankfully it didn't take very long for him to find them. Looking back at his car, he grinned a little. Sure, that car could go fast, had a strong engine and above all, reminded him very much of home, so it did mitigate the feeling of homesickness for the most part. He then made a mental note to write another letter to his Father as he heard Michelle coming back.

“Shall we then?”

"Yeah. Let's get going." He said before they walked towards his car.

He proceeded to open the passenger for her. Once she was in, he moved to close it before getting into the Driver's seat and turning the key in the ignition, prompting the engine to roar to life. "The night's relatively young, so I hope you're ready." He said as he disengaged the parking brake and shifted the car into gear. "It's probably gonna be a long night."

It wasn't long until they were on the road. Rather then going fast like he had on the way here, he ended up going maybe a little over the speed limit, unwilling to put Michelle...and himself...in danger in the name of recklessness. After all, she was the Boss' Daughter. If she were to get hurt because of his recklessness, that would not be a very good look for him and he'd be out of a job if not going back to America in a body bag.

---

After a reasonably long drive, they arrived at their destination. Although he did consider taking her to the Oak Tree Restaurant, Edwards ended up opting out of that because chances where she's already been there. But as far as choosing to go to Chez Hans, Edwards was hoping for them both to trying something new. After parking his car, he proceeded to shut off the engine before helping Michelle out of the car. It was probably gonna start getting awkward here soon. Then again, Edwards was just overthinking because of the simple fact that he hasn't been on a date in several years. Dinner, then stargazing in the field. "So start with dinner, then we can go lay in the field, stargaze for a bit. Not sure where else to go from there, but we can figure it out as the night progresses." He said, scratching the back of his head.

Upon walking inside, the couple was greeted by a fancy dining room and it wasn't long until Edwards started feeling out of place. Compared to a few other patrons, Edwards felt underdressed, but shrugged it off because he wasn't entirely expecting the place to seem so fancy. Oh well. Thankfully, since it was a little emptier this evening, it wasn't all too noisy. Aside from feeling out of place because of how he looked, it was relatively peaceful in here. Moments after entering, the two were seated and the server left them two menus and two empty wine glasses. "Hopefully I didn't go too overboard." He said, kinda breaking the ice.

---

Interactions: Michelle Romano BasDorcha

 

[BasDorcha]

Somewhere They Shouldn't Be
~Dublin~
Jocelyn Justice​

Jocelyn pulled the car to a stop, unbuckling and climbing out with her gun in hand. Since Kit had gone and made it certain that everyone in the car was aware of the situation, there was no need to hide it anymore. They had come here for a job, plain and simple, and it wasn’t up to them to question it. Jocelyn had been hoping to become more helpful for the King’s since they helped her with her problem, plus she liked the family, she didn’t see a reason why she couldn’t help them out when they needed it. The fact they had to kidnap one child to try to find another didn’t settle quite right with her, but that was sometimes the way business worked – you did things you didn’t agree with because they needed to be done.

As she gave a frown to the group as a whole, deciding it wasn’t worth it to try and speak back for now, she waved Sinead before her, keeping her gun carefully trained on her. Once inside, she nudged the woman further in, sitting her in a chair, the single light above casting a dirty glow around the prepped room. The space was cleared of anything but the chair and a light, and as they entered Jocelyn picked up a large zip tie, using the thin but sturdy plastic strap to wrap Sinead’s arms to the chair and lock them down. Once she was complete, she went to the door of the room, stepping out just enough she could see what Kit and the Kid were up too.

The kid was an unfortunate baggage in Jocelyn’s opinion. They easily could have taken just Sinead for the information, the likelihood of Liam knowing anything about Savannah’s whereabouts was almost impossible. If the adults didn’t know, the child likely didn’t know either. Still, from the sounds of it, Savannah had taken Alex’s son first, so one good turn deserves another. Jocelyn, leaving the door open, stepped out towards Kit, her gun now tucked safely back in its holster as she offered to take over for the woman on watching the boy.

“Ready. Tied up. All yours.” Jocelyn said, holding the door for her. Hopefully Sinead would not be making this any harder than it had to be. She was all for taking out bad men, but she’d prefer to avoid hurting these two if they could help it – if they could help it.

Mentions Misty Gray - Sinead/Liam
Melanin-Gxdess - Kit

 

[Bellz]

Ani Parker
The Parker Residence
~ Islington, London ~​

Ani was all smiles as Maddox hugged her tightly, holding him just as tightly for a moment before he broke the embrace to kiss her. Hearing that work went well was always good news to her, not that Maddox allowed the bad days to get to him often...but she could sense when it was a bad day for him. "I'm glad to hear that justice is not dead." Ani commented about Janette's case, having worried greatly about the woman. She knew she had been in good hands with Maddox, but Ani had experienced firsthand just how cruel and unforgiving the world could be at times.

"I'm glad everything went smoothly today, love." Ani murmured to him, letting Maddox pull her towards the kitchen as the kids continued to chatter at the table. "I did hear from her a lot earlier today...she was still having her doubts. But I think I gave her the right push she needed." Ani said softly, a smile forming on her lips as she watched him fill a glass of water before taking a drink. When Maddox said that he thought Kerry was better off steering clear of Alex King, Ani nodded her head in agreement. The baggage was definitely bothersome, not to mention all the ties he had to the mob still. Kerry had been itching to get out of London not long ago in order to avoid the mob altogether, especially with Gabriel Moretti lurking about.

Now Kerry wanted to stay, for Alex, it seemed. There was a lot to unpack with that man and his ties to basically all three mob families. "I wonder if Kerry is thinking about the consequences...overall, you know? Getting involved with him will only bring more trouble for her. The poor dear has already been through so much." Ani sighed before Maddox turned to her with a smile.

Ani met that smile with another one of her own, "The day my food starts tasting terrible is the day you should start to worry about me, love. It's all ready to go."

Continuing on to her day, Ani looked towards the dining room, seeing the kids were distracted as she said, "I always say that my days off are never really my days off. But I love every minute of it, you know that. Kids have been keeping me on my toes since they were released from school. Finger painting was on today's agenda for a fun activity. I'll say, they look an awful lot like those Rorschach tests I've seen in your office." Ani chuckled with a shake of her head. "The kids are excited to show you nonetheless, they even roped me into painting with them towards the end." The woman sighed before her smile faded ever so slightly.

"I can't help but feel like things are getting tenser. That worries me greatly, Maddox. The kid's school was buzzing with the increase in crime, many talking about the validity of their safety." Ani was about to ask if staying in London was practical now when Riley complained about being hungry.

"I can hear your stomach growling from in here, Ri!" Ani said, an amused tone painting her voice despite her expression not portraying the same. "Dinner is on its way out." She told the kids before nodding her head towards the dining room. "Perhaps we can talk about it more after dinner? If you aren't too tired..." Before she went to the oven, Ani leaned forward and kissed her husband's lips gently, "I love you." With that, she turned to grab the food from the oven and set the rest of the table allowing Maddox to say more if he wished while helping her...
with: Maddox Misty Gray

 

[BasDorcha]

Le Diner
London
Jeremy Gray​

Jeremy at least had the common sense to look busted when Bruce took the bag away. Helplessly he gestured at Bruce as if to say, I was just trying to help. In all the time the man had been around illicit substances, he had never cared to try anything other than weed. Weed had helped him when he was younger with anxiety and depression – especially after his uncle died. He’d been offered everything under the sun during university and college but had never been interested. All he wanted in life was a cigarette, a drink, a little dope, and his girlfriend. Girlfriend… Lost in his thoughts, he chuckled out loud a bit, thinking about how he still hadn’t asked Harper to make it official. He probably should, before she tried to change her mind. `

“Common bud, if Bruce is going to kill me, at least make sure you got the energy to watch it,” Jeremy tried again to draw his friend out, but he couldn’t deny that he had no clue what Alex was going through. Still, that didn’t mean that he couldn’t try to be there for his friend. As Bruce went on talking, Jeremy pushed his food around on his plate. He’d been wanting to tell the world all his good news, but he couldn’t because so much bad was going on it would just make the good news seem… rude. He knew they wouldn’t see it that way completely, but there were a lot of factors to consider… And Harper’s consent was part of it.

“Someone is going to find them Alex, they can’t stay hidden forever. Out of nowhere a clue will drop, someone will see something, remember something, and we will be on it so quick no one will be able to stop us.” He clapped Alex on the shoulder, trying to reassure him. He wasn’t the best at being a comfort to others, the way he had been emotionally disconnected for so long, but he was trying. His and Billy’s relationship had always been easy, Billy looked up to him. Spencer, well, that was his role model when they were younger, and his best friend. Alex and he were almost the same age and while they had a lot of history, he also felt like they had the most distance between them. Some of it was Jeremy’s fault, he’d realized how shut off he’d been for so long. He wanted to change that, but of course, his best epiphanies came at the worse times.

Nothing said that better than his initial admission of love to Harper. Biting back a grin, chewing at his thumb nail he snapped back to reality, feeling guilty for again letting that push into the situation at hand. He needed to stay focused on whatever these two needed.

Mentions Pyroclast - Brucie
Melanin-Gxdess - Alex

 

[Bellz]

Nikolaus Jäger
A Place to Toast
~ London ~​

Klaus hadn't missed the way Ava put a hand on his as she reassured him that she believed him about his political stance. Her perspective on New Yorkers was refreshing, Americans tended to be...obnoxious about how great the people were there and the country was. Ava's take on her own people was laughable, so much so that he felt comfortable laughing with her. "If they are as scary as you say, I fear that someone like me would be eaten alive before I even get off the plane." Klaus joked.

The joking had ended as soon as he mentioned being in a widow's club. Klaus knew that it would perhaps ruin the mood and now he was wanting to kick himself in the ass for even bringing it up again. But he was met with another playful tone as she called him dangerous, causing him to bark out a laugh as he shook his head. "I always thought that I would be in the Alcoholics Anonymous club...then I went to one with a buddy of mine. Tough crowd, let me tell you, fräuline." Klaus cracked a smile, knocking back the rest of his bourbon before turning back to his beer that was still waiting for him to finish.

Setting the pint in front of him once more, Klaus turned in his stool further to look at Ava, once again taking in her perfect for, his eyes trailing up her body to her face without meaning to. "I will have you know, that I am probably the least dangerous man in all of London. I play by the book, perhaps a little too much. A good police officer through and through." Klaus couldn't keep a straight face as he reached up to playfully salute Ava.

"But even the best of men have their Achilles heel." Klaus drew out, his eyes once again roaming in places they shouldn't have. "I think I may have just found mine." He murmured, lifting his pint to his lips as he took a long sip. When he set the glass down, Klaus looked around for a long moment. "Being a police officer does have its perks though, free pair of handcuffs, even a spare in my bike sachel. Public indecency can't get me in trouble because who's going to tattle on a cop? It's quite the power trip. I try not to let it go to my head."
with: Ava Melanin-Gxdess

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

A Place to Toast
~London ~
Ava Moretti

​

"Oh, you don't understand how right you are," she teased. " 'Specially a pretty boy like you." The more Ava talked to Klaus the more she found herself liking him. Which wasn't a good thing, but it wasn't necessarily bad either. She was due to leave for New York in a week and she was already dreading it. Not just because she was leaving Erik in this crazy city, but now because she wouldn't be able to see Klaus again. She supposed they could trade information and he actually could come to New York, but asking that of him felt a bit too... Forward. So maybe she should enjoy this for as long as she could while she was still in London.

"You know, my Uncle says the same thing," she said, referring to the one time Roger tried AA. "Maybe that's why he stopped going." It was comforting to be able to talk about the trauma they both experienced and it not get awkward. There were many times in her past when she was unable to share something like this, but again, Klaus made it easy. He seemed to make everything easy so far and that's also what made him dangerous. Unbeknownst to her, she narrowed her eyes at him, trying her best to read him. There had to be something wrong with him, right? No one was this perfect. Or maybe he was just perceptive and knew how to charm a woman into bed. If it were the latter it was definitely working.

Ava noticed Klaus' wandering eyes once more, carefully and in a teasing matter uncrossing and recrossing her legs. She let out a slight laugh hearing him reassure her that he wasn't at all dangerous; she definitely begged to differ. "Oh, so you're a boy scout," she asked, leaning forward. "Always doing what you're told like a good boy?" Her voice had gone sultry- no longer holding back her flirtatious words. The moment she heard the man call her his Achilles heel she decided she was going to go after what she wanted. Which was, at current, the man sitting across from her. A smile spread across her face- Ava raising her thumb to her mouth trying to hide it. She felt so giddy and couldn't exactly explain why. Anticipation of what was to come next, perhaps? Klaus explained that being a cop had its perks - perks that she was definitely willing to take advantage of.

"And he rides motorcycles," she said aloud. For a moment she just stared at him, tapping her finger against the bar top. She could feel herself hesitating despite knowing exactly what she wanted to do. It wasn't until she could hear Erik's voice in her head telling her to, "Go sleep with a stranger," that she steeled her resolve and decided to listen. Clearing her throat, she turned to the bartender. "One last shot." The man wasted no time in fulfilling her order and Ava knocked it back once it was set in front of her. She turned to Klaus with a mischievous smile on her face, slowly sliding down from her seat until she was standing. With one foot forward, she leaned towards him until they were eye level with one another- her lips inches from his. "Feel like breaking some rules then, boy scout?"

Klaus ( Bellz )

 

[Misty Gray]

Blake's House
~ Sutton, Dublin ~

Adam Harper​

As he stood outside, Adam looked across the garden and moved his hand to his back pocket before remembering he hadn't brought any cigarettes with him. He probably had some around his car but he wasn't that much of a smoker that he needed one desperately anyway. Hearing Blake speak his name, thoughts of having a smoke left him just as quickly as they'd entered his head. "Hey, birthday girl," he lightly greeted Blake as he turned to face her. The smile he sent her soon faded as she asked him if he was okay and pointed out he'd seemed shaken when he'd got up from the table.

"I'm alright. Sorry for the dramatics or however that looked," he casually apologised. Still, he knew that wasn't enough to answer her questions or brush aside him leaving the dinner table so abruptly. "One minute I was sat enjoying dinner and the next... No matter how much I put in the graft at the gym or how risky a job I'm on for the business, I don't end up feeling like this. This pressure... the sudden wave of anxiety and nausea. The niggling feeling chipping away up here," he said, tapping the side of his head, "telling me I don't belong at that dinner table." He shook his head as if trying to shake off unwanted feeling of being a fraud or an imposter in their lives.

Adam took a step towards Blake and reached out to gently squeeze her hand. Feeling his own hand shaking he let go of Blake's so as not to concern her. "It's not that I don't want to be around the dinner table, but it's that I've never had that. My daughter at one side and the woman I love at the other. I just started thinking about how perfect that all was and I guess it hit me. If the other week had gone even a little differently, there could have been one or more of us missing from dinner tonight. And what happened to Elena, that was on me. I took a job at that cabin a few months back and that's what those guys were retaliating against. Elena got hurt and tortured because of me. She still wants me as her old man and I'm damn bloody grateful for that, but my actions led to her getting kidnapped in the first place. Kills me knowing any of you are suffering. But fuck..." he began, letting out an amused but relieved scoff. Anything to try distract from the tight knot in his chest. "I feel like the luckiest guy around right now with you all over for dinner. It's a life I never had and I've got to pinch myself to check it's still real."

Bellz (Blake)

 

[Misty Gray]

May's House
~ Bethnal Green, London ~

Kerry Patrick​

Kerry flashed a faltering smile when May assured her that Alex was a fool, that she was better than him. Despite being hurt and frustrated by the man, she wasn't about to join in with badmouthing him. The other women around her were his family and it was more normal for them to be able to talk about him in such a way without consequence. Besides, as upset as she was about things, she unfortunately still cared about him and was worried about how not knowing Callum's location was affecting him. On the plus side, Darcey's word about Alex at least proved to her the other three women were all used to Alex's temperament and she knew she was justified to feel how she did. At mention of the last time she played cards with May, Kerry nodded along. "Cards is clearly not my thing," she remarked. Unable to switch her mind off from her concerns, she bought herself some time my taking a long drink from her glass of wine.

Kerry scoffed when May suggested all of the King's men were masochists. This time, she was sure she'd get away with joining in on the comments. "Well, I can't say it hasn't been dramatic with those guys since the day Spencer gave me a job at the club. Their blood pressures must be through the roof on a constant basis," she joked. Even the usually seemingly more relaxed Billy had moments where she observed things weren't so calm and stress-free for him either. "You ladies have all got to be strong as hell to put up with all those guys for as long as you have."

When Harper asked May how the new place was going, then suggested volunteers for helping her settle in, Kerry nodded in agreement. "Oh, I'm sure I can help whenever I'm not working," she agreed. May then told them she'd finished unpacking so didn't actually need the offer of help. "You might not have much to fill it now, but it's amazing how soon you accumulate more stuff. I came to London from New York with barely anything and now I have so much I'm considering a clear out when I get chance." Looking around the room, Kerry notice the guns dotted around. In honesty, she found it unsettling rather than comforting. Even after the ordeal she'd suffered in New York, she still struggled to feel comfortable around such weapons for fear of them getting into the wrong hands. "Be careful, May. If someone broke in here while you were sleeping they could use those... Not to be a killjoy, mind you," she commented, trailing off in case she soured the mood for everyone.

With Darcey's question to May about having a gentleman caller, Kerry failed to hide the grin from her face. "Yes, May. Tell us. Do you have a gentleman caller?" she knowingly teased.

BasDorcha (May) Bellz (Harper) Melanin-Gxdess (Darcey)

 

[Pyroclast]

On the Road
~ Residential area of London ~
Chase Zegarra​

Fully expecting Spencer to resist, Chase was poised and ready to take him down by force. In the end, all it took was a point of Marco’s gun and the man was sensible enough not to cause a scene. When he set his carrier bag down on the ground, Chase assumed he was going to reach for his gun or try something foolish, but before the man could make a move, Dermot stepped into view from the inside of the van, aiming his gun at Spencer’s head. With two guns now trained on him, the Cockney complied without resistance. Chase stooped to pick up the bag of groceries and then, just before shutting the van doors behind him, he glanced over to the car Spencer had exited to see Erik getting out, alarm written all over his face. No doubt they would be driving after them in a matter of seconds.

Dermot instructed Glynn to drive, and Chase added that he’d better get away fast. He didn’t want to say outright that Spencer’s men had seen them - the less Spencer knew, the better- but he didn’t want to leave them any time to catch up, even if it meant drawing a bit of attention to themselves by driving at high speed. Thankfully, Glynn didn’t hesitate to tear off down the street, and Chase jumped at the opportunity to put Spencer in his place. He dealt a heavy right hook into his jaw which propelled him into the side of the van with a heavy slam, and then he grabbed him by the head and brought him down hard into his knee. By the time he had thrown him to the floor and was kneeling on his back, a fountain of blood was pouring from Spencer’s nose and mouth. Chase quickly bound his wrists with a cable tie so that he couldn’t fight back and proceeded to pat him down for concealed weapons. He retrieved a pistol from the man’s back pocket and a flick knife from his belt, tossing both over to Marco, should the man want to use them on him.

Kneeling down beside him, Chase pressed a hand down on Spencer’s chest to deter him from trying to move and leaned in close. “Listen to me, tough guy,” he spoke in a deep, commanding tone. “There is no happy ending for you here. Your family keep fighting, you’ll all end up dead.” He glanced over to Marco, drawing attention to the fact the man was in possession of Spencer’s weapons, and then looked back down to Spencer. “You tell Shona and Eddie that you love them before you left today?” he asked. “‘Cause they’ll never see you again, Spencer. This is where you end. Your death is our final warning to your brother and your uncle to back down. So if you want to say any last prayers in your final moments, I suggest you pray they make the right choice, because if they don’t, your wife and son won’t see their next birthdays.”

Billy King​

It was only because they were in the privacy of the car that Billy could stand the flirtatious back and forth he was having with Erik. "Tenner says I can make you finish in two," he flirted back with a cocky grin, leaning forward between the two front seats. Having really only just discovered sex as he liked it, Billy had been behaving like a teenager around the man, always ready and rearing to go. It didn't take much at all to get him in the mood, and part of him was considering accepting the challenge of making quick use of their time alone before Spencer returned, especially as Erik was now so close that their lips were almost touching. However, it was probably a good thing that Erik called him a pervert, because that prompted Billy to roughly push Erik's face away from him and lean back, dropping the rather ludicrous idea altogether. "Not like that, you freak!" he laughed. "Fine, if you don't want it -"

Erik interrupted him then, and his curious tone set alarm bells ringing in Billy's head. He ducked his head to see what Erik was looking at and as soon as he laid eyes on the scene, he witnessed two men escorting Spencer into their van by gunpoint. Erik swore loudly and grabbed his gun, quickly hopping out of the car, but he was too late to do anything - the van was already on the road, zooming past them. Before Erik could even tell him to, Billy was scrambling over the console to get into the passenger seat. "Don't wait for me, fuckin' drive!" he asserted, pulling his own gun out of its holster.

From the moment they set off in pursuit of the offending vehicle, Billy was trying to convince himself that Spencer was fine and that they still had a chance to get him back before it was too late. Driving through a residential area, there were a lot of witnesses around but not too much traffic. Perhaps someone would see him, but he had to prioritise their chance of getting Spencer back alive and unhurt. So, without much deliberation, Billy said, "Don't lose him!" And, trusting Erik with the job of staying close to the van, Billy focused on trying to take it down.

The Kings were widely known in London, but more for the business they did than for the violence they carried out. Apart from the attacks from the Sullivans that drew attention to them, the darkest side of their business belonged underground and they were good at keeping it there, where the public couldn’t see it. However, in times like this, where there was a real risk that Spencer could be badly hurt or killed, Billy was willing to take more drastic measures. His brother’s life took precedence over bad press, and if Bruce had a problem with that then he was ready to argue with him.

Rolling his window all the way down, Billy leaned out with his Beretta M9 in his left hand and began to fire at the wheels of the vehicle. He was trying to aim as low as possible so as not to shoot through the van doors, but it was hard enough to aim as it was with the speed at which they were meandering through the traffic. He managed to hit the bumper twice, but the risk began to feel too great - the last thing he wanted to do was hurt Spencer. So, he pulled himself back into the passenger seat and shook his head. “I can’t do it,” he clarified. “We’ll have to run ‘em off the road.”

Interactions
Misty Gray Spencer, Dermot, Glynn
Melanin-Gxdess Erik, Marco

 

[Pyroclast]

Keys Warehouse
~ Sutton, Dublin ~

Syd Porter​

Still standing in for Conor while the man healed from his wounds, Syd was taking his role as leader in his stride. Having managed businesses for over a decade, he wasn’t lost about what to do or how to handle things, but it was taking over his brain now more than ever. There was so much to think and worry about, always trying to stay several steps ahead. Savannah and Callum were out of the country, with nobody knowing their whereabouts, and Syd hated that they weren’t able to check in with them and make sure they were safe. It hadn’t taken long for the Kings to catch on to their disappearance and of course that meant dealing with confrontations from Spencer and Bruce, as well as trying to deal with Alex, who was doing his best to wreak havoc on the Sullivans’ businesses. Syd might have been more sympathetic towards Alex, having three children of his own that he had been separated from in the past, but Savannah and Callum’s safety came first, and helping them flee the war was the best thing he could do for them.

With Elena now home safe and Leo, Adam and his brother all showing strong signs of recovery from the attack at the cabin, Syd’s stress levels were beginning to ease. He had sent out a small crew to London to take down Spencer King and was expecting to hear in a few hours how it had gone. Until then, he was trying to focus on another area of his life. Over all of the violence and business-related responsibilities, Roxie still worked her way into the front of his mind. Thoughts of her presented themselves as a concern, as most of his thoughts did - was something really happening between them or was he just delusional? How seriously could he take their apparent chemistry, given that she was still grieving Matthew? Did people really believe that he had just fallen into the piano and broken it? There was a lot to stress over, but unlike the violent gang-related matters, Syd quite enjoyed obsessing over his situation with Roxie.

When she suggested that they go shopping to replace his broken piano, Syd knew they would end up confronting the fact they had had uncontrollable, animalistic sex together. As awkward as it sounded, however, he jumped at the chance. He knew how upset she was about Savannah leaving, and between that, Matthew’s death and her being so far into her pregnancy, he knew she needed company…and he wanted to be the person to provide that for her. He happily drove her to the piano shop, finding it easier to make conversation while his eyes were on the road instead of her. The lack of mention of what had happened at Syd’s house only made it harder to stop thinking about and he found himself blushing ever so slightly the whole journey there.

The first time it was brought up was when Roxie asked what sort of piano he was looking for. In all honesty, he didn’t really play it himself - it was more for Savannah, Sinead, Gwen or anyone else to play at parties if they wanted to. “Oh, well…it has to be a grand,” he answered vaguely as they approached the shop entrance. “Can’t have a music room without its centrepiece.”

As they ambled through the shop, Syd was reminded of a date he and Roxie had had in the early days of their relationship. The pair had been so effortlessly flirtatious with each other, so young and unaware of the troubles they would face. Yet, now that they were on the other side of their issues, their relationship felt so different. They had done the pursuit of each other, the falling madly in love, the explosive fights, had three children together and broken up on bad terms. Nothing could be new to them at this point, and yet the feeling that he was re-experiencing their first date made it seem like they were right back at the beginning. And if that were true, he was determined not to ruin it this time around.

Then, as if reading his mind, Roxie asked him about a camera he had bought from the thrift store on that very date, and if he had even given it to his sister. The second he looked up at her, an old Beatles song started playing through the speakers, that distinctive piano opening of While My Guitar Gently Weeps. The song evoked a vivid memory of dancing with her in his old house in New York, and between that and their first date playing over in his head, as well as the look she was giving him, Syd found himself struck by nostalgia. He could tell she was thinking the same thing as him, and for a moment he couldn’t tear his eyes away from hers, his heart hammering in time to the piano in the song. “I…yeah, I did,” he answered in a hollow voice, though he really couldn’t remember.

The tension between them was thick - there was the awkwardness, finally come to get them. Roxie cleared her throat and tried to move on, but Syd had nothing to say. He instead began to walk between the pianos, a Yahama, a Bechstein, until he finally saw a Steinway. Expensive given that he hardly played, but he had his favourites nonetheless. He sat down on the piano stool and traced his fingers along the ivory. The song continued to play softly in the background and he began to play along. He knew the basic chords and enough notes to carry the melody - enough to provide a basic accompaniment to the song and keep it up. He may have obsessed over the song a little at the dawn of their relationship and tinkered on the piano when thinking of her…he was surprised he still remembered the chords now. Before the song was over, he grew conscious of himself and pulled his hands away from the keys.

When he looked up at her, a self-conscious grin spread across his face and he looked back down to the keys. After a few more seconds’ hesitation, he re-joined the song at the second verse, only with basic chords again.

”I look at the world, and I notice it’s turning,” he sang, fully aware that he couldn’t sing in key. He glanced around the room - the only people in there were him, Roxie and the woman behind the counter, who was already trying to hide a smirk behind her magazine. ”While my guitar gently weeps…”

He continued to sing, a little louder and a little worse. ”With every mistake, we must surely be learning -” His eyes met Roxie’s again, flashing her playful look. So much of his job required him to be serious and equally wore down his mischievous side, that from time to time he had to indulge in being a little weird. “While my guitar gently weeeeeEEEEEPS -”

As though he hadn’t just screamed off key at the top of his lungs, Syd reset his expression, stood up from the piano and raked a hand through his hair, fully aware that the woman behind the counter was stifling laughter. “Well, that one sounds alright, don’t you think?” he asked Roxie with an innocent smile.

Interactions
Bellz my love

 

[Misty Gray]

The Parker Residence
~ Islington, London ~

Maddox Parker​

Maddox thought on as Ani wondered if Kerry was thinking about the consequences of getting involved with someone with as much baggage as Alex. "She's a very conflicted person, from what I've learned over the years we've known her. One the one hand terrified of having to go through what happened to her in New York again but on the other wanting to prove she can stick it out rather than give the impression she's running away. Her grandparents moved from Belfast to Boston with her to escape the judgement they faced in Northern Ireland. Then her plan for independence in New York failed. Now she's got this mindset that she can't run anymore and she doesn't want to have to start from scratch all over again. I worry about what might happen to her if she continues sticking close to the Kings, but we can't force her to take the safer option. Unfortunately, we've got to accept that she's old enough to make her own decisions and she's fully aware of the kind of danger she could find herself in."

Maddox held a faint smile on his face as he listened to his wife explain how the kids had been finger painting since they got home from school. Hearing how similar they looked to the Rorschach tests that could be found in his office, his smile grew. "Oh, well now I really am excited to see their artwork. Maybe I'll start bringing out their pictures in my sessions," he joked. His smile soon faded as Ani turned more serious and onto the subject of the violence in London. He wondered if she was toying with the idea of moving - something they'd both recently considered when they learned Gabriel was in business with the Kings. Whilst it was a constant niggle in the back of his mind, things had remained calm on that front so he'd been able to focus on the present and push aside any fear for what could happen if Moretti did seek them out. In a way, Maddox wondered if he was doing what he'd already said of Kerry: being too stubborn and comfortable in his current life to pack up and start again. Just as he was about to ask Ani if she wasn't happy in London, Riley interrupted them to point out he wanted to eat.

"What have I said about patience?" Maddox asked his son in an calm but assertive tone. "There's children starving in other countries, so you can wait a few more minutes to eat." Turning back to focus on Ani, he nodded when she said they would continue their conversation after dinner. He returned her kiss before shaking his head. "Of course we can continue after. I'm never too tired for you, love," he assured her.

As he helped Ani with getting the food ready to serve, he glanced to her. "Would you really want to have to start all over again? There's crime everywhere, you know..." he trailed off. "Only, in London, we know those who are behind it; pulling the strings. Maybe that's why it seems so personal to us rather than the other parents who have kids in Riley's school. I'm not discounting your genuine concerns. It's just a lot to leave behind to start over again. It would take time too, as I'd need to ease the transition to a new counsellor for my patients and clients so their progress doesn't unravel," he explained.

Bellz (Ani)

 

[Bellz]

Harper King
Braden Callahan
May's house
~ London ~ ​

Harper had been zoning in and out of the conversation now, though her best efforts to stay present were there. She had caught that Darcey and Kerry were happy to help with May, something that Harper had been relieved about though she couldn't understand why. May said there wasn't much left to unpack, which also brought Harper relief. When she mentioned interior decorating, Harper did find herself turning her head. She hadn't noticed the guns, which now stared at her as if they had eyes. Who needed that many weapons, especially on display? Harper was doing her best not to be judgmental of the woman, knowing that May was not exactly seasoned in all of this turmoil that came with the King family. Hell, Harper was still getting used to it. But Harper had been taught from a young age that the greatest weapon one could have in their homes was a concealed one...something that wouldn't be expected. Harper had only one gun in her house...at least her own one. It moved periodically, in order to keep it concealed without someone having seen it.

After she nearly shot Jeremy that one night, she had moved it into the floor vent near her bedroom door. Tonight it was missing, strapped to her side and covered by her flannel. Harper didn't think she'd need it, but her paranoia wouldn't allow her to leave it at home. Maybe she was becoming way too dependent on Jeremy's protection now? That thought made her feel nauseous again...what the hell would she do if he wasn't around? Nope...that's an intrusive thought...don't go down that road. Harper blinked, forcing herself to focus on the conversation. Kerry had mentioned being careful with all the guns on display saying that if someone broke in they could use them to their advantage and Harper wanted to shoot the woman a dirty look for even entertaining that thought. But she knew just how much Kerry had been through lately and Harper forced her eyes to look somewhere else.

When she looked at Darcey, the woman then insisted that May talk about her 'gentleman caller' just as Harper was about to take a sip from the wine that she had been given. The smell was making her gag but she needed to just play along. Fortunately, the name Darcey said about May's secret lover was used as an excuse to stop forcing herself to drink. A harsh laugh escaped the woman as she looked from Darcey to Kerry now. "Gentleman caller? Jesus fuck, you all sound like it's 1885. Did you show him your ankles before taking a nightcap?" Harper asked, an amused look on her face as she looked at May. "Let's call it what it is, a booty call. There is way too much stigma around women having a booty call...probably because the term Gentleman Caller hasn't burned in flames yet." The blonde shook her head.

Though she didn't want to ask May because the last god-forsaken thing she wanted to hear about was her own sister's sex life...Harper played along. "So May...about this booty call. Who is he?" The conversation was going to take a rather uncomfortable turn and Harper was not here for it. Her mind started to wander despite the question she just asked. But Harper had a feeling she knew who the woman had been pining over...
May BasDorcha ; Darcey Melanin-Gxdess ; Kerry Misty Gray

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​

Braden felt that they had waited long enough. At least, it felt that way. Sighing, he wondered if this was really the best idea once more before looking to Tom. There was really no turning back now, not unless he wanted the kid to do something stupid by himself. Braden needed to get him out alive or he'd feel the guilt until the day he died. Straightening out his ski mask, Braden moved to open the van door slowly. "Alright kid, you follow my lead, especially if you want to get the fuck out of here alive, got it?" The older man asked, looking around the sleepy neighborhood. The streets were only lit by the street lights now, rain already falling pretty steadily. It would keep them hidden enough to get inside the house without any issues...at least that's what Braden was hoping for.

Looking to Tom, Braden waved him out the van door before giving an order to Joe to stay put. If they weren't back in 15 minutes, Joe would make the executive decision to leave them both behind. Brady hoped it didn't come to that, he had Hattie waiting back at home for him...but what must be done would be done. Cutting across the street, Braden ducked behind a few trees on the sidewalk, watching around them for a moment. No one was out of their homes, no children playing in the street because of the rain...things would go off without a hitch it seemed.

Cutting from the trees on the sidewalk, they had to make it across May's lawn without being seen to get to the farther side of the house...there was a door in the back they'd be able to use. "Come on." Braden told Tom, cutting across the yard first, making sure to stay out of the light that came from the window though that didn't stop his gun from catching some of the light as he passed.
Tom BasDorcha

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​

Harper had been wishing she hadn't encouraged the conversation about May's booty call as she looked to the window again, looking past Darcey as she did. In the dark rainy night, Harper caught the smallest glimmer of light bouncing off something outside and her eyes narrowed as she saw the faintest silhouette of a person. The woman's heart stopped as she stared outside more intently. But just like her hallucination had been about a month ago, it was there and gone in a second. Harper was sure she was just paranoid still...there couldn't have been anything outside...or anyone for that matter. The blonde stared out the window for a moment longer, wondering if her mind was still playing tricks. She had been adamant with Dr. Parker this morning that she hadn't had any hallucinations since that day...but maybe she was fucking crazy.

Forcing herself to look away from the window altogether, Harper turned back to the conversation, her lips pressed in a firm line as she tried to stay present once more.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​

Braden had seen Harper look to the window, diving out of the way before she could get a better look and grabbing Tom by the shirt and pulling him roughly toward him as well. "Gotta be faster than that, mate." He muttered, now having doubts that this was going to go smoothly. Surely she saw them or at least had some sort of feeling now that they were there? Whatever the case, there was really no going back now. Braden stalked with Tom in tow, having released his shirt to fall in step behind him as they made their way towards the door, keeping ducked out of the way of the hallway window as they made their way towards it.

The door was wide open, seemingly to let in some sort of air. Braden shook his head as he looked at Tom. "Someone needs to teach your sister about safety...anyone could just waltz right in..." To prove his point, Braden took the first steps into the house but allowed Tom to get in before letting him take the lead now...
Tom BasDorcha

 

[Bellz]

Blake McCarthy
Her House
~ Sutton, Dublin ~ ​

Blake looked even more concerned as Adam's smile faded. He insisted that he was alright but the woman didn't seem very convinced as she stepped towards him. He apologized for however he had looked in there and Blake shook her head, "No apology needed...I just wanted to make sure you were okay." She murmured softly. He still hadn't given her a reason as to why he left so abruptly, but Blake wouldn't push it if it didn't come out organically. Luckily for her, he went on to explain himself moments later. Blake listened silently as he spoke about feeling pressure, something he didn't feel while at the gym or on the job. The anxiety and nausea. It saddened her greatly to hear that he felt like he didn't belong at the table with them all. Imposter syndrome was something that Blake was familiar with after Jackson died...Blake felt like there was no longer a tie between her and the Sullivans and Porters...like he was the only connection she had to them.

It made her feel weird at parties, dinners...any sort of event where she had to explain herself to other people who she was to the family that had taken her in when they hardly needed to. Adam reached for her hand and Blake took him, only to feel it shake. He pulled away far too quickly for her to try and soothe him. The man she loved went on to explain that he had never had this before...a true family, from what it sounded like. Her cheeks reddened as he called her the woman he loved...it was something she'd never get used to, and she didn't want to.

Adam voiced his thoughts about how things could have gone wrong...that day he rescued Elena. Blake swallowed hard, steeling her nerves. She had thought about that over and over again, not just about losing Adam but Elena, Leo, and Thomas as well. It would have been a plethora of losses that would have rocked everyone in ways that she couldn't - no - wouldn't imagine again. Adam blamed himself for what happened to Elena and Blake was shaking her head, "Adam you can't..." Her voice trailed off as he went on, talking about the job he had taken a few months back at the cabin. While the cause and effect were there, Adam still wasn't at fault for any of it. Choices were made, choices far beyond his control.

The amused and relieved scoff that escaped his lips confused her as he turned to her again, saying that he felt like the luckiest guy around right now...with all of them at the table. Blake's concerned expression softened into a beautiful smile as she moved to wrap her arms around him, placing a kiss on his cheek as she did so. "You deserve every single moment of this, Adam." She murmured into his shoulder for a moment before pulling away just enough to look at his face. "Don't tell yourself anything less. What happened at the cabin was not your fault, life...has a funny way of solidifying relationships, and bringing people closer together. This was just life's god awful way of doing just that." Blake said softly, looking into his eyes.

"I spent years regretting the past, the things I could have done differently...the time I lost. But if you just keep regretting the past you are never going to have a future. And your future is right in front of you, right at that table in there. For someone who has never had this, you play the part as you've always had it." The woman smiled, pressing a kiss to the tip of his nose now. "I love you, Adam Harper. And as your other half, it's my job to make sure you understand that what you have here...this feeling that seems unreal...is what you needed all along. It's exactly what you have deserved from the moment you were born and I'll make sure you enjoy every moment of it unapologetically until the day you die."
with: Adam Misty Gray

 

[Bellz]

Roxie Carriveau
Keys Warehouse
~ Dublin ~ ​

Roxie watched Syd curiously now as he sat at one of the pianos. She followed along behind him, standing beside him as his hands traced over the keys as he sat down on the bench. One brow raised as he played along with the song, catching her by surprise. Roxie had thought the piano was purely for decorative purposes, only used when the musically inclined family members were present. Her eyes looked to his fingers as they touched each key with precision.

Roxie looked up just in time to see the grin on his face before he started singing. The woman let out a small laugh, "I didn't know I was going to get a show." She said over him, putting a hand to her mouth to keep from laughing too much. The poor woman behind the counter must have been trying to do the same thing. He sang a little louder and worse and Roxie couldn't hold back the laughter now. Their eyes met and he gave her a playful glare. When he finished the song, sounding like a penguin during mating season, Roxie clapped her hands in rapid applause. "Bravo!" She said teasingly, looking at his serious face as he ran a hand through his hair.

Looking back to the woman behind the counter to see how she was fairing, she looked like she was about to burst from holding in the laughter. Roxie shook her head as she turned back to Syd. He asked her about the piano he played sounding alright and Roxie shrugged her shoulders. "I dunno, Syd. I think I'm gonna need you to do exactly that...with about...all of the pianos in here. Just to make sure." The woman said playfully before turning back to look at the woman behind the counter.

"These things would practically sell themselves if you hired him to do that, don't you think?" The brunette asked the woman who just laughed and shook her head. Roxie turned back to Syd and playfully shoved his shoulder. "When were you gonna tell me you were secretly a rockstar? You know I got a thing for rockstars." The flirtatious words came out on their own without any sort of filter. Hearing the words come out, her cheeks turned red as she stammered through something else to say, "Ah...I mean..." Roxie then turned to another piano, walking towards it as if it had called to her. "The cherry tree wood is beautiful...I know black is a classic color...but I feel like this one would really pop in your room. Plus, it's a Steinway too." Roxie moved the bench out to seat herself, pretending to flick her pretend symphony conductor tuxedo like Bugs Bunny before taking a seat.

"This one's pretty fancy if you ask me." Roxie said, her eyes playful as she turned to look at Syd. Her pregnant belly kept her from moving in any further but her fingers touched the keys delicately. Roxie hadn't been paying much attention to the music now but when she did another Beatles song was playing...

Many times I've been alone
And many times I've cried
Anyway, you'll never know
The many ways I've tried
And still they lead me back
To the long winding road
You left me standing here
A long, long time ago
Don't leave me waiting here
Lead me to your door​

The silence was heavy as she just listened to the lyrics for a moment, her eyes burning with tears. Roxie cleared her throat, shaking her head as she just looked at the keys on the piano again. When she looked over to the woman at the counter, she was nowhere to be seen. Great, now they were really alone. "I think it's between this one and the one you played on. Looking at these price tags, I promise to be more careful next time..." Roxie said, the tears now gone from her eyes as she gave her ex a teasing smile. "I feel like we really aren't fooling anyone with what happened, your mother has been giving me those knowing eyes for weeks now. She looks like she's about to burst at the seam waiting for one of us to say something."
with: Syd Pyroclast

 

[Pyroclast]

Blake's House
~ Sutton, Dublin ~

Elena Velazco​

There was still so much that Elena didn’t know about her family history on her father’s side that when Adam mentioned her grandmother, she found herself smiling at him almost in awe. Looking around at the food she must have taught him to make, she imagined it must have been wonderful to grow up with such delicious cuisine, and with a positive relationship with his mother. She was eager to ask him more about her when they were alone, and hope he might take the time to teach her to cook like him, too.

However, her smile faded when he went to get up from the table. The paella she was sure was worth the trouble, but with both him and Blake going to the kitchen to check on it, her sense of security dropped. Elena placed a hand on Thomas’ leg to ground herself and looked across at Natasha and Leo. Once again she was reminded of the double date they had tried to have. This is what it should have been like. Natasha caught her eye and began to explain how Thomas and Leo used to initiate food fights at the dinner table when they were younger, pointing out how nice it was that they could sit down as adults now. The reminder drew a chuckle from Leo, who was quick to point out that it was usually Thomas’ idea and that he was a troublemaker. Despite the light-hearted conversation and laughter around her, she couldn’t really hear it as genuine. There was a big elephant in the room that no one dared to address and throughout it all Elena kept wondering: had they been sitting at that table together longer than they had been at the casino for?

She rested her head in her hand as a creeping nausea developed within her. She glanced towards the kitchen, hoping that Adam and Blake would come back - but even if they did, she wasn’t sure if it would get better. Even though this was only a small, private gathering, she was beginning to doubt that she was ready for it. The prawns and patatas bravas remained on her plate and as delicious as they were, she couldn’t eat any more. Her heart was hammering in her chest and she felt dizzy and hot. Was it about now? Had they got this far into their date last time? Was this around the time she had excused herself to go to the bathroom and…

Unaware if she was interrupting the conversation, Elena suddenly stood up, swaying slightly on the spot and breathing heavily. Her brain had clouded up so she wasn’t sure what would make her feel better - all she knew was that she had to get away from the table, not be in the room with the four of them together. “I…” Her eyes burned with tears and she felt like was going to be sick. “I’m sorry, I…Tomás, can you come with me?” Without clarifying where she wanted to go - she didn’t really care, as long as it was out of the room - she held a trembling hand over her face, her other hand holding tightly onto Thomas’ arm for support, and waited for him to take her away.

Interactions
Bellz Thomas, Natasha, Blake
Melanin-Gxdess Leo
Misty Gray Adam

 

[Bellz]

Ani Parker
The Parker Residence
~ Islington, London ~​

Ani gave Maddox an amused look as he reprimanded their child. The relief on her face was apparent as he agreed to finish the conversation after dinner. The two of them were getting things ready, Ani falling into a comfortable silence before he glanced her away. As she was getting the kids' plates ready, Ani paused as he asked her if she really wanted to start all over again. Maddox pointed out that there was crime everywhere, and Ani understood that well enough by now...but, it was just feeling far too close to them now.

Looking at her husband, the woman nodded her head in understanding. It was true, they knew who was behind it all...and they did have some ties with people in power here. Those who could...if needed, help them in some way. Maddox was quick to point out that he wasn't discounting her feelings towards all of this and Ani smiled, "I know you aren't." She murmured. He then made it clear that it would be hard and would take time. Ani sometimes forgot about just how much work he would have to put in, in order to transition somewhere else. She would forget that there were other people depending on him just as much as she did. It wouldn't be fair to let those people struggle just because of fears she was having that while valid, were just fears at this point.

There was no danger in their lives, nothing threatening their family any longer. Ani felt silly for worrying as much as she did but it was the PTSD talking sometimes. She had seen someone for years over what she experienced, only slowing down once the kids were born. Lately, she hadn't been seeing someone at all because her work and home schedule just didn't allow for it. Plus, while Maddox was not her therapist, he did always have advice waiting for her when she asked for it.

"It's my anxiety talking again, love." Ani said softly, working to finish the kids' plates again before looking at him for a moment. "I feel like sometimes I'm still in that place, back in New York...just stuck there for eternity. I know I'm not there anymore, but my mind just takes me there whenever this stuff happens and I just want to get the next train out of here." She took a brief moment to walk into the dining room and set the kid's plates in front of them before returning to the kitchen to help fix their own plates.

"I just don't want our kids to have to see any of it. I've seen what it's done to other children..what it had done to myself, to my brother." Ani sighed, she hadn't thought about her brother in years...the memory of him soured by the way things had ended between them. Now she looked back on it all and was just saddened that she couldn't save him from himself. "I forget that you have all of these people, good people who have to watch this all unfold too, depending on you. It's selfish of me to think it's just as easy as moving when you have so many people you are helping get better."
with: Maddox Misty Gray

 

[BasDorcha]

May's House
Bethnal Green, London
Maeve & Thomas Thatcher​

Everyone mentioning the guns made Maeve blush a little. They looked real, and she supposed they would work if they were loaded, but she had only ever had them up for show. She thought that having them out should be threatening enough, she hadn’t considered keeping them loaded and ready to fire. Internally, May felt confident that as long as she bluffed her way as good as she did at cards, she might never have to fire a bullet. Leaning in she whispered to the ladies softly, as if someone might overhear them, “They’re not loaded. I just need someone distracted enough to think they are, then I’ll try to use my head the rest of the way.” She shrugged, realizing how naïve she must sound. All of these women had dealt with so much more then her, she couldn’t imagine dealing with some of the things they likely had too.

Quickly she tried to move past the obvious mess up she made with the guns, feeling like a child who had thought they did something smart but had been told it really wasn’t. just about the time she thought she was going to get a break; Darcey spun the conversation back around to her almost slip up on what her only current secret was. If she was red before, she turned crimson this time. She looked down at the liquor drink Darcey had made her and decided sometimes a little embarrassment could bring people closer, create bonds, and right now she was feeling very silly and out of place, she could use some bonding.

“Um… I went and seen Christian while he was healing… and maybe a few times since then. He’s…” She trailed off, her eyes fogging over in a bit of daydream for a moment before she bit her lower lip, covering her mouth with her hands. “He’s something else, isn’t he? It’s nothing serious right now…” The feeling silly feeling started creeping back in as Maeve thought about the fact that it might be common knowledge, she was just a hook up to everyone but her, but hopefully she was just over thinking things. “I am hoping to see him some more though.” Now thoroughly exposed, May picked up the Car Bomb and dropped the shot glass into the larger glass with beer, chugging it back. Immediately May felt like she was going to toss it right back up – something she had never had happen before.

“Excuse me ladies,” May jumped up, heading to the bathroom off the hall. As she got to the door, she swore she heard voices in the back of her house, towards the kitchen. She paused, listening. There were definitely voices, and not the radio she had playing softly in the background. She slipped off her shoes, allowing her socked feet to be silent against the hardwood floors. A few long steps down the hall, she edged her view around the corner into the door of the kitchen….

***

Tom creeped across the yard right behind Braden, thinking the man needed to hurry. When the blonde inside – must have been Harper – saw them. Braden dived, dragging Tom down with him. The man treating him like a child irked him. He knew they needed to go faster, but the man before him was the one going slow. Shaking his head, he let it go. It was not uncommon for most people to doubt him due to his age. Approaching the door, he felt ready to yell at May for being so careless, but she was too innocent to think about someone breaking into her house – and that actually comforted Tom. If she was really dealing dirty business with the King’s, she’d probably not be quite so innocent anymore.

“Yeah, I’m sure this will be a wake up call.” Tom stepped forward into the kitchen. This was the first time he was seeing his sisters new place, and he was proud of her for getting out of the slum housing she had been in before. Now he knew why she had been there; she must have been putting back every penny she made to buy this place. Knowing how hard she had worked for it, he was sad that he was now going to have to muddy it up some, his boots tracking grime from outside across her tiles. Leveling his gun in front of him, he eased into the hall directly to his left, the women’s voices echoing down to them. He waved a hand at Braden and took two steps down it, slowly moving until the women were starting to come in sight. Using two fingers, he made a swiping motion to in front of him to the left, then one finger in front of him to the right. One of them was missing, but all he could see right now was the legs of the women.

Behind him, Brady kept close, Tom waving him up the other side of the hall so they could take both angles at once. They’d find the last girl missing in a matter of time, it wasn’t like they were all six-foot-five and ready to take down men with guns.

***

In the kitchen, May watched as the two men in mask entered the hallway. If she screamed, surely, she’d be caught as well, then no one would have time to notify someone. Holding her breath, she waited until they passed, then creeped quietly to the pantry door where her phone hung right beside it. Grabbing the corded phone, she stepped into the pantry, dialing up Bruce’s pager so it would reach him wherever he was. SOS 2 Men 62 Bon-

***

Once Braden was in place, Tom counted down from three, the men bursting into the room with their guns leveled. “No one moves, and no one gets hurt. There’s one missing, where’s the other one, the girl who lives here?” Tom’s voice was thick with an Irish accent and lowered an octave or two. “Mate, you got these lovely ladies while I go find the other?” May was missing now that he could see all their faces it wasn’t hard to figure out. Backing out of the room with his gun still drawn, Tom turned back towards the kitchen, looking for his sister. When he reached the end of the hall, turning left, he saw the phone cord stretched into the closet, surprised she had already reached and dialed someone, but surely she hadn’t had time to finish her message.

Grabbing the phone cord, he ripped it out, the phone clattering out of May’s hand as it hit the door and the cord ripped out the other end as well. Throwing the door open, gun drawn on her, he waved her out, not saying a word. He kept the gun trained on her and a fair distance away knowing Maeve was quick with her hands. A simple “Get,” was all he said as the barrel of the gun nuzzled her back threateningly. In a matter of minutes May was back in her seat, and the two men focusing on the women in front of them – one much less then the other as he seemed to linger near May.

Mentions Misty Gray - Kerry
Melanin-Gxdess - Darcey
Bellz - Brady/Harper

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Out and About
~City of London, London~
Erik Snowden & Marco Jimenez

​

Marco wasted no time when it came to jumping into the back of the van. He and Chase had caught sight of Erik who looked to be in panic mode. The doors to the van hadn't even fully closed before Glynn had them racing down the street. Marco knew for sure Erik'd be following them, however, to say so out loud meant to give Spencer some form of hope. And that was the last thing he wanted. Before he could voice his concerns to Chase, Spencer began to threaten them. Considering he was in their hands at the moment Marco found his words to be humorous. They were only met with Chase rightfully punching the man in the face and laying into him.

Personally, Marco had no reason to be upset with Spencer other than making him come all the way to London. Truly he was just along for the ride. Chase, on the other hand, did. And he was definitely making that known to Spencer right then. He was handed a gun and knife from Spencer's side, Marco going, "Ooh," at the sight of them. "What are you a little girl," he said, holding up the knife. "Real men carry actual knives." He pocketed the knife and tucked the gun away in his waistband. "Escuché que era un tipo duro. El es mas puta." He said, turning to Chase. "I feel cheated." He was joking, of course, but the fact still remained. Spencer didn't look so tough with his arms bound and face beat up.

Billy didn't even need to finish his sentence before Erik tore down the street after the van. Erik had plenty of practice evading cops and racing down streets. Though the majority of those experiences had been on motorcycles, a few had been in cars. He knew how to weave in and out of traffic without causing damage and made sure to do so. If they were going to get to Spencer, he needed to make sure they had the means to do so. There was a whoosh of air, Erik glancing over to Billy to see him leaning out the window. "Don't fuckin' fall!" He warned. Though this was a mission to get the man's brother back, Erik still didn't want Billy falling out of the car and seriously injuring himself. Erik wondered if it were smart to be shooting at the van. He didn't want any of the bullets ricocheting off and injuring anyone. Plus, without them having a police presence in the city, cleaning up such a mess was bound to be troublesome.

Soon Billy got back inside the car, much to Erik's relief. It was clear Billy hadn't been able to do much so he suggested they run them off the road. "What?! Do you see where we are? You want another fuckin' mess on your hands?!" Erik tried to think of a solution, eyes reading the road signs. "I have an idea - hold tight." Erik swerved the road into oncoming traffic, the cars blaring their horns and swerving out of the way. Once he had his car lined up just right with the van he waited for a beat. He had to time things just right, otherwise, he was going to mess up his plan. "Bill," he stated, rapidly glancing between the road ahead of him and the van. "You think you can get a good shot at the driver?" Whether he said yes or no, Erik knew what he was going to do. Hopefully, he thought, it would be enough momentum to get them out of the area and somewhere less crowded.

The moment his window of opportunity opened, Erik shouted, "Now!" He immediately jerked his steering wheel to the right, slamming it against the van. There was a slight resistance but Erik kept the steering wheel firm within his grip. The two cars were forced down Tower Bridge, which wasn't exactly what he had in mind but it was better than a residential area.

Spencer, Dermot ( Misty Gray )
Billy, Chase ( Pyroclast )

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

May's Place
~London ~
Darcey Hargraves

​

For a brief moment, Darcey looked over to Harper to check on her. She looked... Distracted. With what Darcey couldn't exactly say, so she just subtly placed her hand on the girl's leg in comfort. Kerry spoke her mind about the guns which wasn't at all surprising. It was interesting, though, hearing the responses. Darcey had almost forgotten that though some of them had been through similar events, they all processed it differently. With the horrible things Kerry had gone through she seemed to hate them. However, someone like herself and Harper, and even May, found comfort in them. Instead of commenting on her thoughts, she let the conversation end and focused on May and her mystery man.

Darcey couldn't help from laughing as Harper commented on the term gentleman caller. "Oh, but a gentleman will make sure you enjoy yourself. Booty calls are there to let you down," she said, wanting to clarify the difference. All eyes were now on May, waiting for some sort of answer and it did not disappoint. Her eyes grew wide and she set her glass down. "Our dear detective?!" She looked between Kerry and Harper to confirm she'd heard the woman clearly before listening to May explain herself. She nodded her head in agreement, Christian was quite attractive but too young for Darcey's tastes. Before she could make another comment, May excused herself from the room. She looked a bit sick- Darcey figuring she drank a bit too fast. "Take your time! Gives us more time to snoop through your things!"

The older woman was trying her best to make sure the younger women were enjoying themselves. With everything going on she knew a bit of relaxation was necessary. Looking down at her cup she noticed it was empty and stood to make herself another. She didn't bother to ask if Kerry or Harper wanted another, noticing they still had theirs. "I think Christian and May would make a great-," she was cut off, a man she didn't recognize bursting into the room. He had a thick, Irish accent which Darcey figured to mean one thing- the Sullivans had sent someone there. He asked about May, Darcey immediately frowning. "Like I'd tell a couple of Irish pricks." She raised her voice, unsure where May had gone or if she'd even heard the two men enter. Whatever the case she wanted to make it known there were strangers in her home.

The first man walked away, Darcey itching to follow. She knew it was risky, however, and decided not to. Her eyes drifted to Braden next. She could swear he looked familiar but couldn't exactly put her finger on it. "D'you really think you're walkin' out of here alive?" Darcey's voice was calm and collected, but really she was worried; the outcome of this wasn't guaranteed even if she felt they had a better hand. That confidence, however, was quickly shattered the moment the first man walked back into the room. He had a gun pressed into May's back and Darcey clenched her jaw. The young woman sat down and the man accompanying her seemed to linger. Darcey watched him for a moment, before turning to look at Harper. Darcey's bag had been by the drinks. There was no way she could get to it without being suspicious. Harper, however, she'd known had her gun. It was an awful predicament to be put in, but with her eyes, Darcey tried to encourage her to pull it out- at least cause a distraction so she could get to her bag. To make sure they didn't look her way just yet, Darcey let out a dry chuckle. "This part is a bit boring, really, so can we get on with it?"

Kerry ( Misty Gray )
Harper, Braden ( Bellz )
May, Tom ( BasDorcha )

 

[Misty Gray]

Spoiler: Redundant Warning

Mentions of gore/severed body part

Around the City
~ City of London, London ~

Spencer King and Dermot Murply​

Glynn had only just lit a fresh cigarette when he was ordered to drive and Chase reiterated for him to do so fast. After taking in a long drag from it he placed the cigarette into the van's centre console ashtray. As he blew out the smoke, he put his foot down on the accelerator and sped off down the street. He'd had some time to familiarise himself with the maps central London and Bethnal Green, but he wasn't an expert on the city's streets yet. Still, he knew exactly how to get to the base on the outskirts and where they could dump the Cockney prick when finished with him.

The fast start of the van had forced Spencer to have to steady his balance and so soon after the knock to his head caused by Dermot. Before he could plan how to retaliate against three men, Chase began to lay into him, the man's fist colliding with the left side of Spencer's jaw and caused him to stumbled against the side of the van again. Another blow was dealt as Chase slammed his face down onto his knee, a pained groan escaping the Cockney's mouth on impact. The pain he felt in his mouth and nose was accompanied by the rapid flow of blood that rushed out of both. As Chase threw him stomach-down onto the floor, Spencer spat out a mouthful of blood. Feeling the man's knee in his back, he let out a brief groan before spitting out more blood. "Oh, you motherfucker," his voice deepened, laced with venom. A fighter since he could remember, Spencer hated being outgunned and outnumbered. He hated not being given a fair fight, though it was clear this wasn't intended to be a fight; it was completely one-sided as far as the Irish were concerned. Spencer felt Chase patting him down for the concealed weapons. Having only intended to go across the street to the store and back, he hadn't fully armed himself and certainly wasn't going to enter a small business with larger weapons on show. Regardless, it wasn't like the weapons he'd left in the car would have been any more use if they've been on him, given he'd been ambushed and ended up with two men aiming guns at him before he could consider using them.

Having rolled onto his back after Glynn sped around a tight corner, Spencer was able to look Chase dead-on as the man put pressure on his chest to stop him from moving and leaned in to speak directly to him. The Sullivan gangster threatened Spencer, telling him everyone would be killed if the Kings kept fighting. "Fuck off," Spencer hissed, the blood running down his face adding something more animalistic to his voice. In his lifestyle, with his history of violence and abuse, he didn't fear death by now. However, hearing Chase mention Shona and Eddie by name caused Spencer to lock his eyes on the man. As much as he would like for his dying thoughts to be about his wife and son, the thoughts he presently held were more of anguish and desperation to see them again, even if just one more time. He shook his head, trying to hold back from telling the bastard not to speak their names again, given that he was in a completely vulnerable position. Chase made it clear this wasn't all about them giving him a warning and a message to pass on to his family, but they were going to kill him and Spencer himself would be the message. Hearing the man then threaten Shona's and Eddie's lives if the Kings made the wrong choice caused a deep anger to build up within him.

Spencer's attention was drawn to Marco as the man began taunting him. Spencer turned his head to the side and spat out some more blood before looking back to Marco. "Untie my fuckin' hands and we'll fight this out like real men. No guns or fuckin' knives," he challenged the man. Regardless of being completely at the mercy of the three Sullivan gangsters, Spencer wasn't about to go out whimpering. "Come on--" he began, about to goad them into a fairer fight.

Meanwhile, Dermot's attention was divided between enjoying watching Spencer being beaten and switching his attention to Glynn's driving. The sound of bullets hitting the bodywork of the van had ceased but a glance into the van's wing mirror made it clear to Dermot that Billy and Erik were still keeping up with them as their car drove closely to the left side of the van. Suddenly, the car slammed into the side of the van, causing Dermot to grip onto the back of the passenger seat with one hand and place the other against the wall of the van to keep his balance. Glynn was forced to take a sharp right onto tower bridge. With the rain coming down faster, the windscreen wipers were struggling to keep up which added to the poor visibility on the road ahead. Suddenly the sound of gunfire was heard again, one bullet shattering through the passenger window and the second landed straight into Glynn's left shoulder. This caused the driver to lose control and swerve, crashing through the temporary construction barriers and towards a line of parked lorries. "GLYNN! STOP!" Dermot shouted. Seeing the danger ahead before their driver could begin to dodge it, Dermot turned, placing a forceful hand each on Chase's and Marco's back. "GET DOWN!" he loudly ordered them as he rushed to the very back of the van as far away from the anticipated site of impact as possible. Meanwhile, Glynn applied the breaks but it was too late to get the van to stop before it was sent violently crashing into the back of a lorry trailer bed that was stacked with construction materials. Two steel girders that were overhanging the trailer crashed through the windscreen of the car, one colliding straight with Glynn's face and ripping his head off of his shoulders.

The impact of the sudden breaking and the collision with the parked construction vehicle forced Dermot and the others to fall harshly onto the floor and into the side of the van. As they had to recover from the sudden impact and regain their bearings, they were no doubt stunned by the sight of the bloody, severed head that had landed in the back of the van at their feet. "Jesus... fuck!" Dermot spat, bringing his hand to his mouth as he looked at the unrecognisable head which he knew belonged to Glynn.

Having already been laid out on the floor, Spencer hadn't moved far from his position on the ground behind the driver's seat. He looked up to see the end of the steel girder that had stopped short of entering the back of the vehicle completely, but still managed to be dripping blood just a few inches from Spencer's head. Spencer had managed to have some pieces of glass spray from the windscreen on his clothing, but none of it piercing through to his skin. He shuffled up into a seating position with his back against the side of the van. Using the men's disorientation and shock at their driver's gruesome death to his advantage, he discreetly reached behind for a shard of glass, managing to grab it in one of his bound hands. Unable to see what he was doing, he had to carefully fumble around as he used the sharp glass to saw through the cable tie around his wrists. He felt the glass cut in his hands and arm a few times but in the grand scheme of things, he wasn't concerned about some bleeding when moments ago he'd been processing the fact he was going to die in the back of the van at the hands of the Mob. Spencer soon felt the cable tie snap but he kept his hands behind his back and maintained his vulnerable appearance as he tried to figure out how or when was best to attack the three men across from him.

Just as it caught Spencer's attention, Dermot was soon made aware of the flames that were burning in the driver's console of the vehicle, having been ignited by the cigarette Glynn had left light in the ashtray. Looking back to his remaining two comrades, Dermot was aware they not only needed to get out of the van before the fire escalated, but also that Billy and Erik were likely waiting for them outside. "We need to get the fuck out of here," he told Marco and Chase. Figuring Chase would finish Spencer off, Dermot gripped his own gun and waited for Marco to follow him before kicking open the back doors of the vehicle and jumping out onto the road. By now, there were a number of cars stopped nearby as civilians had to avoid the crash sight. Despite setting his eyes on Billy and Erik, Dermot was quick to conceal his gun given how risky it could be with witnesses and potential innocents getting caught in the crossfire. "We need to get out of here before the cops show," he said, balling his fist as he expected they'd face some resistance.

As soon as Dermot and Marco had stepped out of the vehicle to deal with Billy and Erik. Spencer rushed up to his feet and dealt a right hook into Chase's jaw before grabbing him by the collar and slamming his back against the side of the vehicle. Despite the flame growing in the front of the van, he wasn't yet concerned enough to rush out of the van without first taking Chase down to prevent him from going on to attack Billy or Erik. "Now it's fuckin' fair," he hissed after spitting out what blood remained in his mouth. Lifting his bleeding hand, he pushed some loose hair back from in front of his eyes, the fresh blood from his face and hand helpfully sticking his hair back in place in the process.

Pyroclast (Chase, Billy) Melanin-Gxdess (Marco, Erik)

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Somewhere They Shouldn't Be
~Dublin~
Nikita Blake

Kit sucked in air through her teeth listening to Sinead ask her to leave Liam out of their endeavors. "Ah, wish I could," she lied, "If it'll make you relax with the hysterics, I'm not gonna hurt him." The disappointment in her voice was clear and showed on her face. Any normal person wouldn't have been disappointed at the fact that they couldn't hurt a kid- they wouldn't even think about it. But Nikita Blake was not a normal person. Rolling her eyes she looked down at Liam. A smirk formed on her face as he informed her this wasn't exactly his first kidnapping. "Cool. Then you know how it goes." She gestured for him to walk into the house, listening as he warned her. "The right thing? Yeah, I don't care much for doing the 'right thing'. You're cute, but that's not going to make me change my mind about any of this."

Once the four of them were inside Kit closed and locked the door. Jocelyn had already secured Sinead to a chair - Kit doing the same with Liam. Though she didn't think a little kid could do much she wasn't about to risk it. She didn't say much more before turning her sights on the phone that sat in the corner. She'd paged Alex, informing him they were now at the house as instructed. While she waited for him to call the number she sent, Kit leaned against the wall. "Sinead, you know how all of this works," she started, gesturing with her hands. "I ask you a question, you try like hell to convince me you don't have the answer. I do something bad, you scream, you cry, the works. Now I, for one, don't care to do the back and forth, especially when I can't hurt you, so why don't you just-," the phone ringing put an end to Kit's little speech.

The conversation between her and Alex didn't last long. Kit updated him, saying she just got to work. Alex made sure to continuously repeat that she wasn't to hurt them. She was annoyed by how much he was reminding her so she snapped, "I got it!" Slamming the phone down on the receiver she frowned, huffing. "How many times do you think he needs to tell me how to do my job?" She asked Jocelyn, shaking her head. She then turned to Liam, pointing at Jocelyn. "You asked how Morgyn here got hurt. Wrong place, wrong time, ain't that right?" She turned to her, waiting for her to confirm or deny what she was saying. "Sort of like the situation you and your mom are in. Except they did it for no reason. We have a reason for what we're doing." Kit walked closer to Liam before dragging him and the chair he was into the far side of the room in front of Sinead. She then stood behind him, fingers playing with his hair. "Where's your daughter Sinead? And your grandchild?"

Jocelyn ( BasDorcha )
Sinead, Liam ( Misty Gray )

 

[Misty Gray]

May's House
~ Bethnal Green, London ~

Kerry Patrick​

Kerry remained silent as May spoke about Christian, albeit with a grin on her face as her friend gushed about the former detective. Although the man worked for the Kings, he didn't come across as a gangster or specifically a criminal, so she supposed May's choice in men was healthier than her own attraction to Alex. "I'm sure you will see him more," she reassured her. "He doesn't seem like the type of man to mess people around. I know that type already..." she trailed off. Kerry raised a curious eyebrow as May got up to excuse herself, but didn't think deeply into it unless her friend was gone for a long time, of course.

Kerry was taken by surprise at the sudden appearance of two masked intruders. The accents gave away that the men were Irish and no doubt working for the Sullivans. Frozen in her seat, Darcey's words to the unwanted guests didn't quite register with Kerry. One of the men left the room before Kerry fixed her eyes on the remaining masked man, Braden. When the second man returned with a gun pressed against May's back, Kerry audibly gasped. As the seconds went on, Kerry found the room around her begin to spin and blur. She could hear Darcey speaking but the words didn't register in Kerry's head.

The sound of the man's voice ordered everyone to the ground as the bullets ripped through the spirits bottles behind the bar. “ANYBODY MOVES, ANYBODY SPEAKS, ANYBODY TRIES SOMETHIN’, I’LL BLOW YOUR FUCKIN’ HEAD OFF!”...​

Kerry wiped her sweating forehead with the back of her trembling hand as she struggled to focus back onto the present situation in front of her.

The gunman wrapped his arm tightly around Kerry, forcing her back to press against his chest as he directed her attention to the club's security guards lined up on the floor beneath them. "You tell me which one dies first," his voice commanded her. With the threat of innocent civilians being killed if she didn't obey the order, Kerry was forced to point to one of the jazz club's guards to seal their fate. ​

From her position on the sofa, the sweat ran down Kerry forehead as she struggled to breathe, gasping for air whilst she placed her hand on her chest.

The sounds of gunfire echoed throughout the club. The man still gripped Kerry tightly as she was forced to watched the blood begin to pool around the bodies of the innocent victims. The smell of kerosene registered with her as the room around her was doused and the first flame ignited. ​

As visions of fire began to re-emerge from Kerry's memories, she tightly closed her eyes to try force them away. Instead, her thoughts were replaced with flashbacks of the dark, cold and damp room. The sound of rats scurrying around her feet. The pain and desperation... Kerry quickly shook her head as she tried her best not to let her mind enter even darkest places. She focused on taking deep, controlled breaths as she allowed herself to recall the sound of Maddox's soothing voice and the instructions he'd repeated to her in the past to ease her out of a panic attack. Breathing in slowly through her nose, she then exhaled out of her mouth, repeating the action for a number of times. Her eyes searched the room but she forced them to land on her friends rather than the two intruders. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she tried to maintain the composure she was slowly regaining. Rather than asking what it was they wanted, she stayed quiet for the time-being. This was clearly related to the Kings and she anticipated they would make their intentions known. She liked to think the Sullivans wouldn't be as cruel as the East Harlem and Moretti gangs, but she had also been on the receiving end of the mob's anger before and she was fully aware that Conor had changed since the night she was forced against her will to help lead Jackson to his death. She just hoped neither of the men present knew who she was and how much Conor and certain other members of the mob still held her partly to blame for the ambush on the Sullivans all those years ago.

Bellz (Harper, Braden) BasDorcha (May, Tom) Melanin-Gxdess (Darcey)

Blake's House
~ Sutton, Dublin ~

Adam Harper​

Adam sucked in a breath when Blake wrapped her arms around him and kissed his cheek. For a man who had lost count of the number of women he'd bedded over the years, he was still getting used to the kind of physical affection Blake gave him. Sex was one thing, but to be held and appreciated the way Blake did with him was still something Adam was getting used to. Of course, he wasn't ignorant to the fact that much of the reason for his situation was through his own doing and the hedonistic lifestyle he'd lived for so long. Regardless of his acceptance of the blame, when Blake reassured him he deserved all of the good things he now had in his life he didn't doubt her. When she pulled away and looked to his face, he sent her a warm smile that still had a hint of vulnerability showing.

Blake assured him what happened at the cabin wasn't his fault and that it had just been life's way of bringing people closer together. He met her gaze but remained silent as she continued speaking. He quickly nodded in agreement as she told him it was no good to regret the past. "That's the thing," he said, letting out a dry scoff. "I never regretted the past before. Never dwelled on my mistakes or wished I'd done something differently. I guess because I always felt like I never had anything to lose before. Not like now," he admitted. When Blake told him his future was with her and those around the table, he nodded in agreement. He intended to have Blake and Elena in his life for good now. He wasn't going to mess it up like he had with the rest of his family and relationships.

Listening to Blake say she loved him and assuring him what he now had was was he'd always deserved caused him to pinch to bridge of his nose in a bid to prevent any tears from forming in the corners of his eyes. "I love you too, Blake. I ain't going anywhere, and having you here with me for the rest of my days, along with Elena... that's the most a guy could ever want." Of course, Adam also had a family in the Zegarras and they all meant the world to him too, but having his own daughter and having a woman he loved were the most crucial pieces, ones that he now realised had been missing all along. "You're amazing," he told her, impressed with how patient she was and that she always knew how to talk some sense into him. He never felt like he needed to be picked back up before, but Blake and Elena seemed to have unlocked something within him. In the past, he might have seen it all as a weakness, but now, he believed the vulnerabilities he was currently feeling could be turned around and adapted into strengths.

Adam leaned in with the intention to softly kiss Blake, but in the end he pulled her in close and kissed her far more passionately than first intended. Forcing himself to pull away from the kiss, he still let his hands rest on her hips. "I didn't mean to put a downer on your birthday dinner, love. If it helps, it's not the only birthday treat I have in mind for you. The other parts are for when we've got each other alone," he suggestively told her. "I just figured it was important for us to do a family thing too. I want Elena, Nat and Collin to all get along, and for your two to be cool with me being around in your lives," he seriously told her. "So... you think I'm doing a good job, huh?" he curiously asked her.

Bellz (Blake)

 

[Misty Gray]

Inside Christian's Car
~ Parking Lot, Hackney, London ~

Christian Brooks and Damian Nicolosi​

Christian had parked his vehicle in the underground shopping centre car park and switched off the engine as he patiently waited. He looked through the rear-view mirror as he saw the familiar man approaching from another car parked in a space behind. Unlocking the passenger door for the American, Christian then sat back as the man climbed into the vehicle and pulled the door closed. "Good evening, Inspector Brooks," Damian greeted the man with an almost playful tone. "How are you on this fine day?"

"Never better," Christian coldly replied. He knew more than he liked to know about the man sitting beside him and the kinds of acts the man was happy to commit for his employers. The man's thirst for causing pain and suffering on others didn't sit well with Christian, not when he got the impression Damian did it all for fun and self-gratification. "What do you have for us?" the Scottish man asked. With them being in business together and apparently Callum's disappearance hitting on a personal level to the Italians, Gabriel had offered to help the Kings in their search for the kid.

"My boss has contacts across the east coast as well as in Europe who are spreading the word in allied territories. Miss Callahan certainly has plenty of pictures for us to circulate. Not to my taste, of course, but I'm sure you'd go for a pretty blonde like that posing around in her underwear, am I right?" he joked. Seeing Christian's stoic expression, he raised a curious eyebrow. Turning more serious, he shook his head. "Nothing new has come up as yet, but shall I tell you why I think that is?" he asked, his eyes fixing onto Christian as he demanded a verbal response.

"Do enlighten me," Christian obliged him folding his arms as he waited for the man to continue.

"The Kings aren't asking the right questions. Or should I say, they're not asking them in the most effective way. Me, I'd kidnap some of the Sullivans until the rest start talking. Miss Callahan has a kid brother, so I'd send the Irish a piece of that kid for every day they don't deliver Callum back to Alex. And I've familiarised myself with the Irish, so there's plenty of them to go round if we run out of Liam, so to speak. Lots of bits and pieces to toss Conor's way until he lets up. Following rules or some moral code gets you nowhere."

Christian shook his head in disapproval at Damian's words. "Well, thank fuck you're not calling any shots," he scoffed back at the man. "This isn't about torture and making people suffer in the name of an innocent little lad. This is about bringing Callum home to his family and not screwing up some other kid's life to do so."

Damian chuckled back at Christian and shook his head. "Alright, boy scout. What information do you have that Mr. Moretti could use to help him assist with this tedious search?" he asked, feigning exasperation with an exaggerated sigh. Rubbing his hands together, he looked to the former detective as the man handed him the papers containing his notes. Damian stayed silent as he read through through the information but slowly shook his head. "Well, this is all a lot of nothing useful, isn't it? I stand by my sentiment that the Kings are being too reasonable here." After folding the papers in half, he set them on his lap, still intending to take the information back to Gabriel should his boss see something useful in it all that he couldn't. Whilst this was reasonably the end of his brief update with Christian, Damian couldn't leave without pushing the man's buttons a little more, wishing to figure out the private investigator. "So, you used to work for the police - a former detective, of all things. Are you sure you quit your job and you weren't just fired? Honestly, if this is the kind of work you were producing, I have to wonder how many killers and rapists are still walking around these streets," he said before breaking out into an amused chuckle.

"Is that everything?" Christian asked, holding back the sudden urge he had to punch the twisted man in the face.

"Yes, that it's all, Detective," Damian said, patting the man on the shoulder before climbing out of the vehicle. "See you in a couple of days," he said, flashing a broad smile before closing the door and returning to the car that was waiting for him with the engine still running.

 

[Pyroclast]

Tower Bridge
~ London ~

Chase Zegarra​

As a father himself, Chase knew exactly what Spencer’s greatest weakness would be. He knew what nerves to touch and what strings to pull and so it was easy to instil serious anguish within him. No matter how well he concealed it with anger and hatred, however, the distress in Spencer’s eyes didn’t go undetected and as soon as he saw it Chase knew he had a better chance of taking the man down. Still, rather than ever properly showing that emotion, Spencer instead reacted to Marco’s taunting words, goading him into untying his bound wrists so they could fight it out with bare knuckles, no weapons involved.

However, the three men were cut off suddenly by a crash into the side of the van, prompting a sharp turn that sent them sliding into each other. Chase couldn’t see what was happening outside, but given the look Erik and Billy had given him as he was shutting the van doors, he had to assume they had caught up with them and were trying to push them off the road. The front passenger window shattered inwards as two gunshots were fired, and the van suddenly swerved heavily and hurtled through something that felt like a barrier. Before he could react, Chase was shoved against the floor by Dermot and instinctively brought his hands up to protect his head. A violent crash shook the van and everyone inside it; something heavy pierced through the windscreen, tearing a hole through the van and causing raindrops to lash through and pour over them. The wet weather was the last thing on Chase’s mind, however, for as soon as he opened his eyes and pushed himself up, he found himself facing a mangled severed head, and he quickly realised that it wasn’t just the rain soaking him, but the fountain of blood spurting from Glynn’s neck.

Chase was by no means a squeamish man and he had seen many grotesque casualties during his time working for the mob, but decapitation was a first. He stared at the head, trying to find any distinguishable features that matched the man he knew it belonged to - but it had been torn right through, scraped off by the force of the metal beam like a knife to a hot wheel of cheese.

Having been momentarily stunned by the crash and the unimaginably gruesome death, Chase was unaware that Spencer had managed to cut through the cable ties that had bound his wrists together. Chase’s priorities were no longer on checking that Spencer was secure, but more on the issue of how they were going to get away before Billy and Erik or even the authorities caught up to them. The bridge was a busy area with dozens of witnesses all driving through, and he had no doubt that many of them were dialling 999 at that very moment. Still, with Spencer still tied up, it wouldn’t take long to finish off the job and then he could join Dermot and Marco who had jumped out of the van to deal with Billy and Erik.

Just as he was turning to Spencer, the man delivered a hefty punch to the jaw and then slammed him against the side of the van. There was a fire rising from the centre console right next to Glynn’s body and Chase could see that it was getting worse, but since Spencer had somehow escaped his ties, he had a more immediate problem on his hands. All he had to do was kill him and he could get himself out of the blazing vehicle and leave Spencer’s body to burn.

Chase was sure he had heard his jaw crack and it sent a sharp pain to spread up through his skull, but he wasn’t ready to go down. While Spencer reached up with a bloody hand to sweep his hair back, Chase took the opportunity to slam the heel of his palm up into Spencer’s chin, causing his head to snap back. Then, with a heavy push and a hard kick, he drove him away far enough to get his hands wrapped around the man’s neck, and while he squeezed with all his strength, he dragged the man’s body up and pushed his back over the flames, hoping the burning heat would drain some of the strength from his opponent.

Misty Gray Spencer, Dermot

Billy King​

The situation was stressful enough without Erik shouting at him. “Well what options do we have?!” Billy snapped. “What, are you gonna drive into -” And although he was being sarcastic, Erik seemed to have the same idea - except that he actually went for it. Before Billy could find something to hold onto, Erik swerved into oncoming traffic and drove against the current, causing cars to skid off the road, narrowly missing them. “ARE YOU OUTTA’ YOUR FUCKIN’ MIND?!” Billy screamed at him, white-knuckling on the edge of Erik’s seat and the car door. “YOU’RE GONNA KILL US, YOU BLOODY LUNATIC!”

Over his panicked breathing, Erik asked him if he would be able to aim at the driver. With the van on their left not far away now, Billy knew what the man was wanting to do. He was furious at the idea but he yelled a ‘Yes!’ in response, which was all Erik needed. Still feeling like they were on the edge of death, Billy got his M9 ready to fire and held it with both hands this time, having let his injured arm out of its sling to help secure his aim. He braced himself again as Erik purposefully crashed into the van side-on, forcing them both onto Tower Bridge. The bridge was full of traffic which wasn’t ideal, but Billy had to take his shot while the two vehicles were still aligned and close; he fired twice directly through the passenger window and just about managed to see that he had hit the driver in the shoulder before the van involuntarily swerved away from them. Despite the high stress levels, Billy couldn’t help but smirk, knowing first-hand what a bullet through the shoulder was like.

Seeing that the van was heading towards a roadworks site, Billy nudged Erik. “Stop ‘ere,” he said. As shaken as he was by Erik’s life-threatening road skills, he was still concerned for the man’s safety. So as soon as they had pulled over, he gave him the quickest kiss on the cheek before jumping out of the car, slotting his gun back into its holster. That made him miss the crash, though he definitely heard it, as had most likely every driver and passenger on the bridge. A lorry trailer carrying construction materials had been dented as the van had crashed with violent force into the back of it, causing steel girders to become dislodged and smash through the windscreen. Billy couldn’t care less about the driver’s life - all he wanted to know was that Spencer was alive. He ran over to the van but before he could reach it, the door opened and two of Spencer’s kidnappers jumped out. Spencer wasn’t with them, but he wasn’t sure how many more there had been, nor how many had survived the crash, so he couldn’t assume that Spencer was alone. If he had to fight his way to his brother then he was ready to do exactly that.

In a matter of seconds, Billy was running head on into one of the Irish mobsters, his sling flying behind him since he had freed his injured arm. He ducked beneath the man’s arm on impact and with his full weight, wrestled the man to the ground with a violent crash. Still using his weight to keep him pinned down, Billy dealt a heavy punch into his nose, causing his head to smash against the asphalt, and kept going, firing all his energy into trying to knock the daylight out of him.

Interactions
Melanin-Gxdess Erik, Marco

 

[Bellz]

Harper King
Braden Callahan
May's Place
~ London ~
​

Harper had been listening to the conversation halfheartedly now. The nausea in her stomach wasn't the only thing she was feeling now. The anxiety was beginning to become way too much, feeling like it was clawing at her chest as she shifted in her seat uncomfortably. She hardly realized that May had left the room as her thoughts molded together. When the two men burst into the room, Harper leaped in her seat but the Irish accent demanding her not to move kept her there. Now she was fucking paying attention. The blonde went deathly still as she looked at the two men, one of them, she thought she recognized just by the way he was standing though he didn't speak.

Harper stared daggers at him as the other one asked them about May. Darcey beat her to the punch, Harper holding her tongue for now just as the man asked the other tall one if he had these lovely ladies while he went to find the other. Tom left the room, heading back down the hall. Braden looked between the women, his gun slowly panning from one to the other as he silently observed them. When Darcey asked if he thought he was walking out of here alive, the man simply nodded his head. Knowing that his voice would give him away. Tom didn't take long, some commotion from the other room and he was back with May in tow, a gun to her back.

Harper caught Darcey looking at her, their eyes meeting. Was she really the only one with a gun on her now? The woman's hands began to shake but she took a deep breath to steady them. Darcey distracted them with her words, Braden turning his gun on the woman. Counting to three, she reached into her flannel and pulled her gun out from the strap. Turning off the safety, Harper pointed it at Braden now and the man turned his gun on her. She had never had a gun pointed at her before, staring down the barrel was more terrifying than that night at the Mercury. "You don't want to do that, lass." Braden said, his accent on the thicker side now as he didn't want to be forced to actually shoot her. "The fuck I do! The first shot will be a warning right between your eyes, the second one will show your little friend here that I'm fuckin' serious!" Harper said, her voice quivering slightly though the venom that seeped from her lips was there.

"Harper, you don't-" Braden started, only realizing after he said it that he said her name. The blondes eyes went wide as the familiar man said her name, knowing exactly who the voice belonged to now. "No you don't want to do this!" She barked, hoping to distract them from Darcey long enough so the woman could reach for her purse. Harper eyed May, wondering if the man with the gun to her back would actually shoot her if Harper shot at Braden.

She didn't want to shoot Braden, she knew who was behind that ski mask. The man's stature, his voice...he called her by her name and she recognized it all. Savannah would only keep Callum further away from Alex if she shot him now. Having seen her brother hurting the past month...Harper knew she couldn't do that to him. But if Alex got ahold of him, would he have the same thought process? Harper's hands started to shake as she kept the gun trained on Braden.

Braden could see that Harper recognized him, but it wouldn't matter now. They just needed to finish what they had set out to do without hurting anyone. "Put it down." He commanded the woman, her eyes wild as they glared at him. "Fuck you!" She hissed. If he could scare her, maybe he would could get the gun out of her hands. Braden's eyes look to Kerry briefly, seeing the tears fall down her cheeks was enough to undo everything right then and there. Harper's eyes followed his to Kerry and she immediately felt the need to protect her friend, who was having some sort of breakdown now. Harper knew some of what she had gone through and she'd be damned if she let it happen again.

"I'm gonna give you to the count of three." Braden threatened now, his voice rough as he looked back to Harper. Harper's eyes looked to Darcey, there was fear behind them but she would do what she must. "1..." Braden started, she tensed, finger hovering over the trigger. He was bluffing, he wouldn't shoot her...he wouldn't, would he? "2..." He continued, but Harper made up her mind.

"3! DARCEY NOW!" The woman shouted, firing her gun towards the painting above the hallway entrance that Braden was standing under. The heavy painting fell off the wall, hitting the man in the back of the head and sending him to the floor. He wasn't moving as Harper glanced at him, now turning her gun at Tom, hoping to god Darcey had her gun now too. "Alright you Irish trash, you're going to get the fuck up and away from her right now. You can take the easy way out, or you can wait until my brothers get here to finish you off like the fuckin' scum you are. Choice is yours."
with: Melanin-Gxdess Misty Gray BasDorcha (I don't ever want to hear Harper can't handle her own again Mmk)