Realistic or Modern The Oath - 1940s Gangster Drama - IC (Ended)

[Misty Gray]

The Sullivans/Porters​

As Nikolai addressed Conor, James walked to the nearby cabinet and poured himself a vodka. He continued to listen intently and watch Conor's face closely as the Russian spoke of eliminating the Romanos. The hit-man knocked back his drink in preparation for what he was anticipating he would have to say. He knew Conor well enough now to know he would still let his feelings for Alex conflict with the love he had for his family. James was willing to take any potential backlash from his brother-in-law. This all needed to come to a stop and fast.

Conor sent a firm nod in the Russian's direction as he spoke of liquidating the Romanos, but when Nikolai made it clear that would include Vinnie's children, the young Irishman's face gave his reluctance away. Conor wanted more than anything for Vinnie and Salvatore to be killed, but not Alex. Even if their relationship was now over and even if she hated him, he couldn't find it in himself to agree to her being killed. He bit his bottom lip as it was pointed out that James would find the whole thing straightforward. It was clear Conor was about to speak and to disagree with the plan, to let his feelings for Alex cause him to refuse. James decided not to let Conor respond until he'd said a few words himself.

"Conor," James suddenly spoke up. He glanced to Nikolai before stepping forward towards the Sullivan boss. "What happened to your mother tonight?" he questioned.

"Salvatore took her. He made me hand over the Emerald and the Pier Cafe in exchange for her life..." he explained, keeping his voice level despite the high emotions.

"Alright. So you exchanged Finn for Alex, then Shannon for two of your favourite businesses. Then what? Salvatore shook your hand and called it quits?" James sarcastically asked. "Somebody shot Vinnie and this family is the only suspect. All that happened tonight was Salvatore outsmarted you and took two of your businesses along the way. When someone attempts to murder a man like Vinnie, taking businesses doesn't settle that debt. Vinnie will still be out for blood and when he finds out you kidnapped Alex, he'll be out for more blood." James briefly glanced back to Nikolai and then sent Lucy a look which only asked that she understood what had to be done. "Our Russian guest is right," he said, fixing his eyes back on Conor. "You have to make a sacrifice, Conor, and the right choice is blindingly obvious. Cormac can see it and I'm sure Lucy can see it too..." James didn't like to put words into his wife's mouth, but he believed after everything she'd lost, she would surely agree with him. "In less than one year, this family has lost Emmet, David, Kate... countless loyal men. Who's next, Conor? If we don't act, I can tell you who's next. They will slaughter Sinead and take Savannah; and then they will kill your mother. All in return for what happened to Alex and Vinnie today."


Conor knew James was right. The thought of losing his mother, sister and niece made him feel sick to his stomach. But he'd been through this already today. He'd allowed Cormac to use is emotions to talk him into kidnapping Alex and now he felt like he was being led down the same path again. He could feel his chest tightening as his anxiety began to overcome him. That suffocating feeling once again took over him. He looked to James and shook his head. "You're not in charge here, James," he coldly argued.

"Jesus..." James replied with exasperation as he looked up to the ceiling and shook his head. "And you're not in control, Conor." He looked to the others and sighed. "Lucy, Cormac... please can you try to explain this to him?"

Conor stepped out into the hallway, expecting his sister and cousin to follow. He knew in his heart he needed to stand down from his position and he'd been fully prepared to do so only minutes ago. Now, hearing they wished to kill everyone, including Alex, made him beyond reluctant to hand over his power.


Meanwhile, James let out a long breath before turning back to Nikolai to address the Russian. "When we do this, I will be the one who kills Vincenzo. I want to watch him take his last breath and know for certain he's dead. With your firepower, I will finally gain access to do so." Similar to Conor, James didn't like the idea of killing Alex either. He'd come to an understanding with the girl and knew she was not like Vinnie. But right now, the prime objective was to take down Vinnie and Salvatore before any more Sullivans were harmed. He folded his arms as he already began to think of the intricacies of working with the Russians. "I must ask, though. What is it you want from the Sullivans in return for your assistance?"


Bellz (Lucy) Enzyme (Nikolai) neverbackdown (Cormac)

 

[Enzyme]

Nikolai Kuznetsov

​

Nikolai subtly shook his head when Conor stormed out of the room, bringing the glass of vodka to his leathery lips. "The kid has a good heart," he swallowed the fiery liquid in a controlled gulp, "I'm surprised he's made it this far." By this time, the Russians had come down the stairs, lighting up cigarettes of their own. Nikolai gripped onto the sides of the couch and pushed his heavy boots into the marble floor. "Of course," Nikolai said, allowing the two Russians to put his coat on for him, "When the time comes, Vincenzo is all yours." He knocked back the remaining liquid before placing the pristine glass back on the table. "We will allow the Romanos' guard to drop, give it a couple of weeks. Once they feel as if they have control, we'll kneecap 'em and then go in for the fatal blow."

He was just beginning to head out the wooden door as James' asked. He stood tall and still, keeping his eyes towards his idling Hudson Hornet. "Your family has been beaten mercilessly, yet, you get back up after every blow. You all pride yourself on modesty and business ethics. The Romanos, however, are blinded by greed and are never satisfied, constantly picking on smaller families like vultures. If the they were put in your position, they'd crumble like sand. You are the superior family. The Romanos are simply a ticking bomb and their time is up." Nikolai turned his head to James, his scarred eye glimmering in the moonlight. "You take credit for the slaughtering of the Italian Family and their business is all yours. We are simply the puppeteers, working the strings." He walked out into the soothing night air as one of the Russians closed the door behind them. The Romano and Sullivan finale would be the goriest the city has seen yet. Like every war, the streets must run ankle deep with blood before they can begin to dry.

Misty Gray neverbackdown Bellz

 

[Misty Gray]

The Sullivans/Porters


Bellz neverbackdown Enzyme

James simply nodded his head when Nikolai voiced his observation about Conor having a good heart. It was true and he couldn't judge the younger man for it. There was nothing wrong with having and professing such a caring soul, but it was a trait that only hindered Conor's duties as the gang's boss. In times like this, a cold and detached approach was needed. James believed he was capable of tackling the situation in such a manner. A small smirk briefly crossed his face as the Russian agreed to give him Vinnie.

In the meantime, allowing the Romanos to believe they have control would be easy. James intended to let them flaunt the pub and cafe in the Sullivans' faces; to let them grow more comfortable and cocky. The most successful strike would come when the Italians were in the mind that they had won and the Irish were crumbling around them. "Agreed. They won't see us coming," he assured Nikolai. As the Russian spoke of the Sullivans' strength and how they'd picked themselves up so often, James couldn't help but feel a sense of pride for the family he now called his own. Even Sinead, whose mind was a fragile one, was able to spring back and overcome the tragedies she'd witnessed. Nikolai was right and for all of his good qualities, Conor's reluctance to act would only cause them further blows to overcome. Although James could never completely trust an outsider, Nikolai's answer about being only a puppeteer was satisfactory and he was looking forward to working with the Russians. Regardless, when the time comes, he would ensure the rest of the Sullivans were relocated somewhere safe in case anything went wrong and Vinnie lived to tell another tale.

*****

After seeing the Russians off, James approached the three Sullivans; Lucy, Conor and Cormac. He took a deep breath before looking Conor in the eyes. "This is going to happen and it's going to happen soon. No more backing out and being afraid of innocents getting caught in the crossfire. You know I like Alex and I don't want her to get hurt, but I'd rather an innocent Romano died than a Sullivan, so we will do this. The main thing we have to do is take Vinnie, Salvatore and the other bastards down. In the meantime, we can think of how to help Alex - but you can't warn her. If you warn her then this whole operation will get back to Vinnie and we'll be fucked. Fucked by the Romano and fucked by the Russians for ruining the plans." James sighed. "So what is it, Conor? You're the boss, but you don't have to do anything and I'd prefer if you stayed back to protect the family. This is my speciality and I'm sure Cormac would happily join me?" he said, looking to Cormac for his agreement.

Conor knew his hands were tied. As much as he wanted to warn Alex, he knew there was no way of doing it that wouldn't raise her suspicions and subsequently lead to Vinnie finding out. He hated that James was right because it was as good as showing him up for how incapable he was of running the business. He'd been so worried about failing Emmet but now he wondered if he was failing him by staying where he was when perhaps stepping down was the appropriate action. "I..." he began, glancing to Lucy as he couldn't help but feel like he'd let her and the others down. "I love this family and want to ensure their safety, but I now realise I can't do that as the boss. I'm unable to make the sacrifices and tough decisions that could save us." He looked around at the three faces before decisively nodding his head. "As of now, I'm stepping down from my position as head of this family. It should never have been in my hands to begin with," he admitted, focusing his attention on James and the eldest of Emmet's children, Lucy.

"Then, you need to call the rest of the family into the lounge and announce it to them officially," James suggested. He then sent Conor a reassuring nod. "It's for the best, Conor. For everyone, including yourself. You've not been the real you for some time and it's not healthy."

Finn would be asked to help Shannon to the lounge and Peter would be told to bring Sinead. Conor would wait for all of the family to be present and comfortable before addressing them...

(I'll let you guys get a post in before I completely take over, haha. Not far from the end of the chapter now!)
​

 

[neverbackdown]

Alexandra Romano and Nicolo Romano

Alexandra let a small laugh escape when her uncle told her that she was his favourite niece due to her lippy-behaviour. "I didn't make it easy for him, I can guarantee that" she told them with a small smirk. She tried to show as much emotion as possible and to hide as much of her inner turmoil as she could. The truth was that James word's had initially effected her but since he apologised they no longer held any power over her mentality. The aftermath of Cormac's violence was physically painful but held no effect on her emotional state, her turmoil and brokenness stemmed entirely from Conor's betrayal. Alex felt as though he had ripped her heart out and crushed it into a thousand tiny unfixable pieces, yet she couldn't explain to her family why she was so effected without giving this detail away. While she was annoyed with Conor, she didn't want him killed or injured and so she hoped her family would go after that brute Cormac and leave the rest of the Sullivan's alone.
When her uncle told her not to dwell on it, Alexandra looked up at him "I wont, I'm just in pain and probably still in shock" she told him in a reasonable tone. "they're not worth being upset or damaged over" she said, knowing these were the types of words her uncle would want to hear from her. When he told her to stop attacking her father and turning her nose up at the family business, Alex slowly nodded as she bit her lip "I suppose it was only a matter of time but I now realise that distancing myself and turning away from it will not keep me out of the drama and action" she sighed as a sudden wave of tiredness came over. All she wanted to do was to lie down on her bed and to try and block this entire experience from her memory.

Nicolo listened to his sister and Uncle talk about what had happened but remained silent, allowing them to talk and taking in as much as information as possible. The Sullivan's were going to pay for this, he was going to gun down every last member until there was none left with that name in this city. They were scum and it was about time they were wiped out, he knew it wasn't the time to say all this outloud but he would be sure to talk to his uncle and his father about this at a later stage. When Salvatore addressed him, Nicolo nodded his head "I won't, I'll take care of her" he said as he placed his arm around his little sister again as they began to walk out to the car. There was a slight smirk on Nicolo's face as he thought about all the ways to keep his sisters mind of the events of today. this smirk did not go unnoticed by Alex and she groaned as she caught sight of her brother thoughtful face "I'd rather you didn't" she moaned.

Misty Gray​

 

[neverbackdown]

Cormac Sullivan ​

Cormac listened quietly to the Russian man speaking and found himself agreeing with everything the man said. While he didn't trust entirely that they were really only helping for the sake of helping , he decided to worry about that once everything with the Romano's was finished. He watched as Conor clearly stuggled with the concept of killing them all and it was obvious the younger man could not hold the power needed to head the Sullivans as was clearly seen when he snapped at James. James on the other hand seemed to be a perfect fit for the leader, the man was well controlled in his emotions and could put his heart to the side to do what was necessary for the family to survive and grow.
Cormac gave the Russians a little nod as they left before he turned to hear James speak, when James asked for him to help slaughter the Romano's Cormac smiled "This is right up my street" he agreed "Conor we'll take care of all this" he assured him but the smile slightly fell when Conor spoke up.
Cormac nodded when Conor said he couldn't be the leader anymore and Cormac found himself agreeing with this decision. The younger man had too good of a heart to be dealing with this kind of stuff and Cormac knew that in the long run this position would ruin Conor, it had already started to change him for the worst. "You need to take care of yourself as well Conor, you can't run a business if you aren't in the right state of mind or comfortable in the role" Cormac agreed with James as he gave Conor a reassuring pat on the shoulder.

Misty Gray
Bellz
Enzyme

 

[Lamia]

Athena Archer

By this time, Athena still was with Leo. Conversing and catching up with each other. "So, when can I move in?" She questioned, a small smile rested upon her lips.
She ran a hand through her hair, which has grown tremendously during her pregnancy. She focused her brown eyes on Leo.

@MistyGray

 

[Misty Gray]

Leo Davide



Leo looked to Athena and couldn't help but let a bright smile creep onto his bruised face. "You could move in right now, if I had my way," he enthusiastically told her. "Sadly, we're going to have to wait until I'm on my feet so I can shuffle the furniture around and help you move your things in," he explained. "So I'll make sure to get better fast." His eyes lingered on hers for a short time as he processed her beauty and how lucky he felt to still have her in his life.

Leo wanted things to calm down so everyone could get on with living their lives. He just hoped that Salvatore hadn't gone out to stir things up even more. Leo knew Conor had nothing to do with the beating he'd received from Luca, so he hoped the guy wouldn't be punished in his name.

Lamia​

 

[Bellz]

Peter Callahan, Finn Sullivan and Lucy Porter

with: The Squad Misty Gray Enzyme neverbackdown mentions:
Lucy stayed unusually silent after the Russian answered her question. Killing all of the Romano's seemed too good to be true, like a trick. Lucy's eyes looked to her husband's as he spoke, her arms crossing over her chest as she listened intently to his words. A small nod was sent his way as he spoke of her knowing what choice Conor needed to make. She had figured this out long before, years ago when she wondered why her brother would be receiving the role of boss over herself, the eldest. Lucy could almost laugh at herself now, she was definitely no leader either, and unfortunately, she was a woman...no one would listen. Conor seemed to be overwhelmed about all the information being thrown at him and Lucy let out a small gasp when he went as far as to speak with her husband in a cold manner, stating he wasn't the boss. Lucy could have slapped him for such words. He was missing the point entirely. Lucy looked to the room for a moment as he stormed off before spinning on her heels and following. "Conor!" she called after him,

"None of us want all this to happen like it is Conor, none of us want to have to make these sacrifices...but they have to be done." Lucy murmured to him, her hand reaching out to rub his shoulder lightly. Not much more was said until James entered the room, speaking of the plan that needed to happen. Lucy's eyes looked to the floor as she thought of someone who really shouldn't have crossed her mind---Alex Romano. That girl had been nothing but a thorn in the Sullivan's side, compared to her father, she was only a little thorn but still. Her brother loved the girl, and Lucy was torn. If she was placed in his shoes....she wouldn't let this happen. But for the sake of her family and the safety they needed, the blonde kept her mouth firmly shut. Letting the ideas of trying to get the Romano girl out of this silently turn in her head. Lucy watched as Conor spoke, revealing the truth they all knew was too real to deny. And for the first time in Sullivan history, an agreement that would most likely change a lot of things was made then. Lucy's eyes met her brother's, her lips parting slightly as she tried to think of something to say. A feeling of anxiety washed over her as she looked to James, this was a big responsibility, but he was definitely ready. She just needed to be the rock he needed, she could do this.

Once it all the info was laid out on the table, Lucy sighed softly before moving to hug her brother tightly. "We want the old Conor back, hopefully he's in there somewhere." She murmured softly. Lucy knew that would be hard for him to return to his normal self, especially with the thought of Alex being slaughtered somewhere. Following everyone into the lounge, she sat silently as the other's filed into the room.

* * *

Peter had been having a wonderful time with Sinead and little Savannah, the meeting downstairs seemed to being going in some direction, for they were called downstairs as well. Peter helped Sinead and Savannah get into the lounge and seated in one of the chairs before going to stand behind it. His arms crossed as he took in the faces around him, everyone was definitely tense. Peter was about to lean down to speak to Sinead before Finn and Shannon entered the room, "Jesus." He gasped under his breath, knowing Sinead was going to have a hard time seeing such things again. He quickly walked over to Finn and Shannon, " Needs some help?" He asked, his boyish smile gracing his face despite the seriousness of the situation. A smile always had a way of easing some tension though....and Shannon really hadn't known him very well yet. Finn seemed relieved for the help and smiled slightly back. "That would be mighty appreciated mate." He managed to get out, he himself feeling exhausted from the endeavors of the day.

Finn and Peter carefully helped Shannon into a seat, although she may have had a few words about that before both men took a spot standing on the outskirts of the chairs, wanting to the let the immediate family have the space they needed.
​

 

[Misty Gray]

The Sullivans/Porters

Sinead had been having a nice time with Peter and Savannah until she was called downstairs. Despite the fun she had been having, she didn't hesitate as she wanted to see if Finn was okay after being taken by the Romanos, as well as making sure the others had returned home safely. She sweetly thanked Peter after he'd helped her get to her seat with minimal disruption to Savannah's relaxed state. Her attention was then drawn to the lounge door as Finn and Shannon entered. She was beyond relieved to see Finn looked okay, but she was shocked to see her mother hurt. She would have rushed up to hug her mother, but the older woman sat next to Lucy. Even in her injured state, Shannon couldn't help but speak to Peter. "Thanks, pretty boy. You're finally getting a Sullivan welcome, huh?" she sarcastically remarked. As Finn and Peter found spots to the side, Shannon turned to Lucy as she put her arm around her daughter's shoulder and kissed her cheek. Despite their stressful day, she wasn't oblivious to the fact her eldest daughter was hurting and she wanted to assure her she had her back.

James entered the lounge and decided to take a seat beside Sinead, briefly allowing himself to be distracted by his baby niece. Savannah had the gift of being able to bring light to even the darkest of souls. Right now, he appreciated the baby's effect as his day had consisted of a lot of hate and destructive thoughts.

Once everyone was present, Conor stood at the front of the room where he could see everyone. His face was a clear picture of the stress and unhappiness he was feeling. He looked like a mere shadow of the Conor they'd known just a year ago. "Alright, everyone. I need to make a couple of announcements and I hope you'll let me speak long enough to get to the end," he began. His eyes didn't just move to his mother, who was bound to speak up, but they also moved to Sinead who had been in a similar situation only a few months ago. He hoped both would hear him out. "As of right now, I'm stepping down from being the boss of this family."

"You're quitting?" Shannon spoke up. More of a statement than needing clarification.

"Sure, mother. I'm quitting," he agreed. "I've failed to protect and strengthen this family numerous times. I know I was meant to be my father's heir and to continue to follow in his footsteps, but the simple truth is I am not ready. I'm unable to make the tough decisions that are required of me and that alone puts all of you in danger. I'm not proud of being a quitter, but if it means ensuring nobody in this room gets hurt again, then it's worth it." He then took a deep breath as he thought of the second thing he needed to tell them. By now, three people in the room already knew and it was bound to come out into the open soon. "I also have a confession to make," he began. He looked to Sinead, knowing he'd forced her to do the same thing just a few months ago. He'd been a hypocrite and anything she might say to him now, he was sure he deserved. "I have no excuses for what I'm about to tell you, other than the fact I followed my heart and never meant to betray you... For the last year, I've been in a relationship and with a girl I genuinely, deeply loved. She made me happy in my darkest days, but today I messed up and the relationship has now ended. That girl is Alex Romano."

Shannon tightened her jaw before taking a deep breath. Lucy would likely sense how her mother was feeling before the woman even spoke. "You dumb fuck, Conor," she spoke up, not even attempting to keep the words inside. "I can handle you quitting, but falling in love with a Romano?!" she snapped. She quickly sat forward, a movement which caused a surge of pain that practically pulled her back. "You're lucky I can't dive off of this sofa and kick the shit out of you, boy!" she threatened him. She then looked around the room to the other faces. "Is anyone else in this family fucking a Romano?" She turned to Lucy to send an expression that showed she was excluded from the question. Even though James was technically a Romano, by blood, in reality he was exempt from being considered the enemy. She looked back to Conor. "That relationship had better be over now, Conor. I will shoot you myself if it isn't."

Sinead only half processed her mother's trademark reaction as her own mind was thinking back to when Conor and Lucy caught her with Angel. Conor had been pretty angry and disappointed. He didn't take the discovery well at all and it took him quite some time to be normal with her again. All she could think was that he'd been a hypocrite the whole time. She wanted to voice those thoughts, but she decided against it. Conor had stood by her in the end and now they were close again, with him truly accepting Savannah. Besides, she knew all too well how difficult it was to deny what the heart wanted and that forgiveness was one of the most powerful acts a person could choose. On the few occasions she'd spoken to Alex, Sinead had thought she was a nice person, so she was sure Conor saw that too. After taking a deep breath, Sinead looked to Conor and sent him a reassuring smile. She was annoyed he hadn't been honest with her, but she knew she'd done the same to him, so she couldn't hate him for it.

"I'll let you kick the shit out of me when you're up to it, mam," Conor told Shannon, trying his best not to break in front of everyone. "I had Alex kidnapped tonight, so the relationship is definitely over," he assured his family, though his heartbreak was clear to see. Ready to just end the ordeal, Conor pointed towards James and faintly smiled. "I have made the decision that James will be the head of this family, from this moment forward. He's loyal, brave, strong and decisive. If anyone can take the Romanos down and protect this family, it's him."

James couldn't help but blush a little as the attention was focused on him. He always maintained that walking through a room full of armed enemies was more comfortable than having to stand and receive compliments or praise. Now was no exception. He got up from his seat and approached Conor, giving the man a firm handshake. "I accept Conor's offer and I will do everything I can to rid this family of the burden that is the Romanos. Furthermore, I will continue to help build this family's empire," he confidently assured those present.

Bellz neverbackdown Enzyme Lamia (Everyone!)​

 

[Misty Gray]

Chapter 19: The End of the War
Friday 16th September 1949
Mid-morning - Warm, Dry, Cloudy
...5 Weeks Later...
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The Sullivans/Porters
​

James Porter

It had been five weeks since Conor had stepped down from being the head of the family and announced James as the boss. To his knowledge, James felt like the family and their employees were all accepting of the decision. He knew today would be the decider as to whether he truly was the leader they needed, but that was only a minor concern to him. The main thing on his mind was securing the family's safety by taking the Romanos down, no matter the cost to himself or his life. There was a chance he wouldn't return home from the mission and he'd considered that outcome in great detail too. He'd had most of the Sullivan family check into a safe hotel a few miles out of the city, leaving just himself, Lucy, Conor and Cormac in the house. James had wanted to spend the night with his wife and though the reason was never explicitly spoken, it would be clear to Lucy even he had considered these could be their last moments together. A year ago, he would have simply walked into danger with nobody to leave behind, but now there were people giving him motivation to stay alive and return home.

Though he'd woken up very early, James had remained in bed, with his arm around Lucy so he could hold her close to him. It eventually reached a point where he knew he had to get up and prepare for the job that awaited him. He looked into Lucy's eyes before giving her a soft, passionate kiss which lasted longer than usual. He flashed a warm smile before sitting up in bed. He reached into his bedside drawer and retrieved a letter with Rayna's name on the envelope. "I intend to be right back here again tonight, but in the event I'm not..." he began, knowing Lucy wasn't oblivious to the dangerous task ahead of him - there was a chance he could either die or find himself back in jail. He handed the envelope to her. "If I don't return, please give this to my mother." James may have no love for his Romano blood, but he was intending on helping to slaughter Rayna's cousins and family. His mother was a good and decent person, so he expected she would be disappointed and devastated by her own son's actions. In the letter, he'd explained his reasons and apologised to Rayna whilst also appreciating the short time they were in each others' lives. Despite the letter, he hoped he would make it home to say the words to her himself rather than through a letter.

James got out of bed and began to dress in the clothes he'd prepared the previous night. He looked to Lucy and smiled as he took in the beautiful features of the woman he adored. "How are you feeling, love? I'm going to make things better for you and the rest of the family," he reassured her.

Interaction: Bellz (Lucy)
Mention: Lamia (Rayna)


Conor Sullivan

Despite handing the greatest responsibility of his life to James, the last few weeks for Conor had still been difficult. He'd been told to put on an act which showed submission and no retaliation towards the Italians, to make them believe they had won the war. For Conor, it wasn't a difficult task to behave in such a way as he felt personally defeated. He'd lost Alex, the pub and he believed he'd lost his own family's trust. His mother had been furious with him following his confession about Alex and he was certain others weren't happy with him either. Shannon had recently forgiven him, but it was still clear to him things wouldn't be normal for quite some time.

In his room, Conor had been packing a large bag which contained clothes, money and his passport. He intended to stick around until he knew James had been successful and his family were safe, but following that, Conor's only plans for the future involved leaving Chicago and travelling for as long as he needed to. For now, he needed to make sure Lucy got to the hotel safely once James and Cormac left to join the Russians.

Conor made his way downstairs and sat on one of the sofas in the lounge, waiting for Cormac or the Porter couple to join him. For now, he had Lady and Samson sat at either side of his legs milking him for all of the tickles they could get.

Mention: neverbackdown (Cormac)

******​

Shannon and Sinead Sullivan

The rest of the Sullivan family, along with some guards, had been staying in a four bedroom apartment in a safe hotel out of the city. Other than being in a different place, it was still like home in the sense there were plenty of members of the Sullivan clan around the place. Shannon sat in the lounge as she observed those around the room. Despite trying to distract herself, she was still thinking about Lucy and the fact her eldest daughter couldn't have children of her own. She'd been very supportive of of daughter and son-in-law, offering to help when they started the adoption process. She had contacts who could help sway proceedings in their favour. Right now, though, she knew James and Cormac needed to get their arses back safe from today's dangerous job.

Shannon snapped out of her thoughts as Savannah's crying persisted and Sinead seemed to be struggling today. Whilst being in a strange place might be unsettling the baby, Shannon was pretty sure it was more likely due to Sinead giving off a clear sense of fear and worry. Shannon stood up and walked to Sinead. "Let me have some time with my granddaughter," she suggested. She then took the baby from her daughter and began to comfort the upset child.


Sinead had been struggling with Savannah this morning as all she could think about was James and Cormac. She was worried they would get killed or the police would catch them. As much as she respected Conor's leadership, she knew the family needed James to keep them safe. More than that, she knew Lucy needed James in her life.

When her mother offered to take Savannah, she agreed as she realised she wasn't having much luck today. Her mother may not be the warmest or most maternal, but she'd brought up four kids and in a matter of seconds she'd even managed to calm Savannah. Sinead smiled as she watched her mother sit back down with the baby in her arms, feeling a great warmth at seeing how much her mother had accepted the child, despite all of the anger just a few months ago.

"Right, you lot," Shannon spoke up. "Savannah and I want some peace and quiet, so can you all piss off down to the restaurant and grab lunch or something?" she asked. They weren't allowed to leave the hotel, but they could at least leave the room and give Shannon some space. "Finn, your girlfriend should be arriving for lunch soon, right?" she asked, knowing he'd invited Eleanor to meet him. "Peter, you should join them too so you and Sinead can keep making eyes at each other," she remarked. Catching the embarrassed look of offence Sinead sent her, Shannon smirked. "I mean, you're employed to protect her, so you have no choice but to go with her for lunch," she sarcastically corrected herself.

"Oh my God. Ignore her, Peter!" Sinead tried to reassure him, her face by now a deep shade of red. But at least the teasing had managed to divert her thoughts for a time.

"And please, you lot. Find Aidan a girlfriend!" she added. "A sweet boy like him shouldn't be single."

Interactions: Bellz (Finn, Peter) Lamia (Aidan)

The Romanos

​

Vincenzo Romano

Following his release from hospital, Vinnie had spent the following weeks at Jewels' place and in her care. He'd certainly appreciated the woman's help and he couldn't deny he'd fallen deeper for her during that time. It was now over a year since Gianna had been killed and he was thankful that Jewels had walked into his life to show him it was possible to move on. There would always be a part of him that cared for his late wife and mother of his children, but he'd now been able to accept Jewels into his heart and he hoped they could have a long future together. With this in mind, he'd been quite reluctant to move back home when he was back up and about, but he knew business should go on.

Since returning home over a week ago, Vinnie had been much more welcoming of his brother. Salvatore had done a good job at holding the fort and had even managed to take Conor's pub from him - something which amused Vinnie to no end. The Italian boss didn't consider the fight over, considering someone had shot him and Alex had been kidnapped. He intended on making the Sullivans suffer for that. How he would do that he decided would become clear soon, but not before a meeting with the Russians that was planned for later in the day.

For now, Vinnie and Nicolo were over at Angel's apartment, finally deciding to clear out the dead man's belongings. It hadn't just been his injuries that had delayed the task, but Vinnie hadn't wanted to face the finality of it. He missed Angel and it had felt like one of his own children had been killed. No matter what others thought, he would not hear another bad word said about the man.

Vinnie glanced to his watch and decided it was time to call it a day if he was going to get ready for today's meeting. "Let's stop for today, Nicolo. We have to get ready." As he lifted one of the cardboard boxes, he noticed an envelope that had been hidden beneath it. He placed the box down on the table before retrieving the envelope and letting his curiosity get the better of him. From inside it, he slid out a photograph of a couple kissing and had to double-take as he recognised the couple in question. "Nicolo..." he began, his face turning from sadness to deep anger in a split second. "Tell me it's just my imagination," he said, handing the photograph to his son. Nicolo would no doubt recognised Alex and Conor as the couple in the photograph.

Interaction: neverbackdown (Nicolo)
Mention: Enzyme (Angel RIP, Nikolai) Bellz (Jewels)

******​

Leo Davide and Olivia Svensson

Leo had helped Athena to move her belongings into his house two weeks ago and they'd been excitedly planning how they would decorate the newly emptied bedroom for the babies. Whilst his leg still caused him a little discomfort from time to time and the physical scars Luca had left him with wouldn't fade for a while, he was generally in good health. His spirit and motivation to recover had been mostly aided by having Athena back in his life. He intended to treat her like a queen and he intended to treat the twins as if they were his own children. She'd given him back the twinkle in his eyes which he thought was long gone.

Suffice to say, he hadn't been overly enthusiastic when Vinnie had demanded he attended a meeting with the Russians today. He was already over at the Romanos house, along with Athena, so he couldn't be accused of being late or reluctant. He figured Alex could at least keep Athena company whilst the rest of them were out on business.

Leo sat on the sofa beside Athena and gently squeezed her hand. "Hopefully this meeting goes Vinnie's way so he'll be in a good mood when I tell him I want out so I can focus on you," he told her.


Olivia had also been given instruction to attend the meeting, which she now knew would consist of Vinnie, Salvatore, Nicolo, Leo and herself. She wasn't sure what she could offer to the meeting, other than her wonderful hosting skills and basic understanding of the Russian language. She was exceptionally fluent in numerous languages, but unfortunately her Russian was only basic. Still, she didn't mind attending business meetings, especially ones where Nicolo would be present.

Upon entering the house, Olivia greeted those present and approached Alex. "Hey, sweetie," she said, giving her a friendly hug. "Where's Nicolo?" she curiously asked about her boyfriend.

Interactions: Lamia (Athena) neverbackdown (Alex)
Mention: neverbackdown (Nicolo)

​

 

[neverbackdown]

Alexandra Romano ​

Alexandra had not been herself the last few weeks and it was obvious that her encounter with the Sullivans was still troubling the girl. While in the company of her family she tried to put on a brave face and act as normal but those who lived in the house would have heard her cry herself to sleep most nights, and the dead look behind her eyes would not go unnoticed. The physical wounds had now healed and left only a faint mark of evidence of what had happened to her but her pain was not physical, her heart had not fully healed from its break and she felt as though the hole in her heart would never fully heal.
Alexandra had been living at home the past few weeks and was beginning to miss her small apartment, she loved being with her family but nothing slipped past them and she just wanted some peace and quiet and especially some time away from Nicolo who had been borderline overbearing the last few weeks, she just wanted some time on her own but yet she didn’t want to be alone.
Alexandra felt her stomach jump and groaned before jumping out of the bed and running for the toilet, this had been happening all week and she thought she was coming down with something, she just felt exhausted the whole time and was putting it down to her inner turmoil but maybe she should go to the doctor Incase she has the flu. She was due to start back to work in a few days and knew that she couldn’t contaminate the restaurant if she was indeed ill.
After cleaning herself up, Alex slowly made her way downstairs and made herself a cup of coffee in the kitchen. She heard a voice and turned to see Olivia enter the room. Alex hugged her back but gagged slightly at the scent of her perfume, the sweetness making her stomach churn. She quickly regained herself before stirring her coffee “would you like a coffee?” She asked her with a smile before hearing her question “oh Nicolo and Papa are finally clearing out Angel’s apartment” there was a twinge of sadness in her tone as she said angels name but she cleared her throat and brought a soft smile back onto her lips.

Misty Gray

 

[neverbackdown]

Nicolo Romano ​

Nicolo had spent the last five weeks doing what he told his uncle , looking after Alex. Physically she was beginning to look better but as strong and unaffected as she tried to present herself , she had no life behind her eyes. What hurt the most was to hear his little sister crying in her room most nights, he just wished he could take the pain away but he didn’t know what was causing this pain she was feeling. She hadn’t said much about what had happened and his worse fear was that it was something similar to what had happened to Finn that time.
As he helped his father clear away Angel’s stuff the realization hit all too hard again that the man was really dead. The pain Nicolo had felt was coming back to the surface but he brushed it away so to get the job done. “Yeah I think we’ve got most of it done” Nicolo replied, he was glad to be getting out of the apartment.
Nicolo eyed his father as he watched his father opening the envelope, confusion was clear on his face as he watched his fathers reaction before slowly moving over to look at the picture. The couple was as clear as day and all Nicolo could feel was rage as he looked at his sister in Conor Sullivans arms. “That lying bitch” he growled as he looked closer at the picture to make sure that his eyes weren’t deceiving him, but it was clear that it was Alexandra in that picture. “I suppose her attitude makes sense now” he told his father

Misty Gray
Mentioned Enzyme

Cormac Sullivan ​

The last few weeks had been quiet while the Sullivans made a plan with the Russians to take out the Romano’s. He believed that Conor had made the right decision by standing down and Cormac was sure that James was a suitable replacement, the man had the right mixture of heart and the ability to shut down his emotions that Cormac admired the man and found him well suited for the position as head of the family. But tonight would be the decider if he was really fit for the role and to be honest Cormac couldn’t wait to take out the Romano’s. He couldn’t wait to see their faces as they realized that it was the end for them.
He couldn’t get over how quiet the house was with the other’s gone but it was good for peace of mind that they were out of harms way. Cormac walked into the lounge to see a Conor sitting there “how are you?” He asked, knowing that today’s planned events were surely playing over on his mind

Misty Gray

 

[Bellz]

Lucy Porter, Finn Sullivan and Peter Callahan

With: James Misty Gray mentions: Conor
The 5 weeks spent planning the end of the Romano's rule on the city went by in the blink of an eye. After Conor announced he was stepping down from his position of power, things seemed to shift, especially now that James was in power. Lucy was proud of her husband and felt he was perfect for the position. She had felt the same about her brother too, but she knew that Conor was a different person, raised differently. She certainly wasn't disappointed in her brother's decision, it would save him in the end and that's all she wanted. He was broken now, the healing process had yet to occur, but when it did they would have the old Conor back. Lucy stirred slightly as she felt James shift beneath her, head resting on his bare chest. Stretching out her legs slightly, and without saying anything, she looked up at him. The kiss took her by surprise in a good way, it was passionate, almost as if this would be the last time they did so. This made the blonde anxious as her husband flashed her a warm smile and moved to sit up in the bed. She watched as he reached for his bedside drawer and pulled out an envelope. Listening with great focus, Lucy nodded slowly in understanding at what she needed to do in case James was to not return.

Her heart thudded in her chest as the thought of him not coming back weighed down on her. In the back of her mind, she had thought about the possibility, but to face in directly in that moment was a completely different feat. After James got out of bed, Lucy followed and moved to get dressed as well and prepare herself to move to the hotel. Pulling on her floral dress, she returned to sit on the bed while brushing her hair out. Biting her lip, she thought about how to answer James. "Anxious...now that this is happening and there is talk of you not coming home to me." Lucy admitted before taking in a deep breath.

With: Sinead, Shannon and Savvy Misty Gray ; Peter
Finn had been at the hotel with the rest of the family, making sure that everyone stayed out of trouble while the plans were being executed. The last thing they needed was someone getting into the wrong hands and putting everything they worked for at risk. Finn had been seeing Eleanor from time to time the last 5 weeks, meeting at the house rather out in public for some time. He would never admit it to his lady love but he was fearful of being out since his second time being kidnapped. She seemed to sense it, as she was patient with him.

The Irish man laughed at his family as Shannon pestered them about leaving her and little Savannah alone. Finn looked down at his wrist watch and was amazed by how the time went by so quickly. A low chuckle escaped him as Shannon once again made a stab at the ever growing relationship between Sinead and Peter. Looks like Shannon found someone else to torture from now on, he was sure James would be pleased with that. "Come on guys, none of that. I may throw up my meal if I see that shit." He teased his cousin and her bodyguard or boyfriend...whatever the hell he was. "Let's head out!" Give Aunt Shan and Savvy some space!"

With: Shannon, Sinead and Savvy Misty Gray
Peter had been glued to Sinead's side for the past 5 weeks and he had no problem with it. Sure he may have been using the excuse that she needed protection to be around her constantly, but he couldn't help it. The girl made him feel things that he had never felt before, and now that he started he couldn't quit. Unfortunately for himself, this means Shannon has taken notice of this and has used everything she's got to make him turn a pretty pink. The woman was ruthless in torturing him, but he braved a face and managed to smile it off most of the time, knowing she was only giving him a hard time because she liked him...or was it?

Peter had been sitting quietly by not even engaging in the conversation when Shannon's words met his ears. Peter couldn't help but sheepishly smile as his cheeks and body started to flush pink at her observations. "I could definitely use some fresh air." Peter cleared his throat and let out a nervous laugh as he pulled at the collar of his shirt. When Finn called them to head out, Peter nodded his head towards the door at Sinead. "Come on Sin, you heard the woman. I would not mess with her." His voice was teasing but slightly serious, Shannon kinda scared him.​

 

[Misty Gray]

James Porter​

James could see how anxious Lucy was and he could kick himself for no helping the situation. He was a realist and never gave much thought to sugar coating a situation, but that didn't mean he didn't wish he could spare his wife's feelings. The fact was, he couldn't be completely certain he would return home and so now could be his last chance to say goodbye to the woman he loved. "Shit, I'm sorry, love," he apologised. After fastening his shirt, he approached her and took her hands in his. "I fully intend on returning home and being back in this room with you. I have no intention of dying. It's not part of the plan," he firmly reassured Lucy. "I just like to cover all bases, you know?" he asked.

He moved Lucy's hands so they could hold onto his waist and he placed his arms around her waist in return. "I've got all of the motivation I need in the world to return home standing right in front of me," he said, looking into his wife's eyes. "We've got a lot of plans, Lucy, and when Vinnie is dead, this family is going to be the happiest it's ever been. That's a promise." He softly rubbed her lower back and grinned. "Now, let's relax, go downstairs and get some breakfast. Okay?"


Bellz (Lucy)

Sinead Sullivan​

Sinead scoffed at Finn's comment, her cheeks still rosy from Shannon's words. "Finn, you're so embarrassing! There will be no throwing up at the table, unless you and Eleanor start kissing or something," she berated him. When he agreed with Shannon about them heading out, Sinead looked over to both her mother and daughter. Since the day she brought Savannah home, she'd always been near enough to hear her baby's cries or close enough for one of the others to alert her immediately if she was needed. Suddenly, the restaurant down on the first floor seemed a million miles away. Her anxiety about leaving Savannah hadn't been helped when she'd recently overheard mention of Salvatore once suggesting the child was better off with the Romanos. What if it was more than just a passing threat?

Sinead was brought out of her thoughts when she heard Peter speak, clearly nervous at Shannon's teasing. That brought her smile to her face as she figured that meant her mother had accepted the lad into the family mix. Peter also encouraged her to venture downstairs, so she apprehensively nodded. "Yeah, you'd best not mess with mum. She will kick your butt," she playfully told him. Her spirit soon faded again as she awkwardly bit her lip and got up walk over to Savannah. She placed a kiss on her daughter's cheek and gently stroked her tiny hand with her thumb. "You be good for Grandma. I'll be right downstairs," she sweetly told the child.

"Sinead, get your arse out of here, right now... before I slap you! Savannah will be perfectly fine! Those two strapping men over there will keep us safe," Shannon said, pointing to the two burly gang members guarding the apartment doorway.

"Alright, alright. I'm going..." Sinead gave in and turned to face the others. "Come on then, guys. One of you is paying for lunch," she told Peter and her two cousins.

Once they found a round table in the hotel bar, Sinead took a seat between Peter and Aidan, facing Finn. "Sooo, what's everyone getting?" she asked. She was trying her best to distract from worrying about James and Cormac, as well as her separation anxiety from Savannah. Deciding to push the thoughts aside and focus on relaxing a little, she turned to Peter and smiled. "Are you okay, Pete? I see my mum has started teasing you... it actually means she likes you," she assured him, speaking as though she were divulging a secret.

Bellz (Finn, Peter) Lamia (Aidan) neverbackdown (Eleanor - if you want her to join them)

 

[Misty Gray]

Vincenzo Romano
​

Vinnie nodded his head as Nicolo called Alex a lying bitch. "After everything that's happened, she..." he stopped himself as he decided he would save the lectures and disappointment for his daughter. He held out his hand to take back the photograph and let out a deep sigh as he took another look at it. He couldn't believe his own daughter had betrayed the family in this way. "Come on, let's get home so I can speak to her before our meeting."

The drive home seemed to go by in a flash as Vinnie ranted to his son. "I will have our men go out and find Conor so they can bring him back to us. I don't give a damn who they have to kill to get to him, but I want the son of a bitch alive. I want to fucking torture him until he dies. If only I'd drown the drunken lout when I first had the chance." Vinnie turned to Nicolo and looked him in the eyes. "I've never felt so disappointed," he admitted. "I will speak with Alexandra and I'll let you tell the others what she's done."

Before entering the house, Vinnie gave his men orders to get some others together to find and retrieve Conor. He asked for them to take the Irish lad to one of their warehouses and to keep him alive until he could get there.

Vinnie composed himself before entering the house and looked to those present. He sent Leo and Athena an acknowledging nod before entering the kitchen where he heard Alex and Olivia speaking. He wasted no time in approaching his daughter. "Alexandra, can we speak in private?" he asked her, his voice void of any emotion. On closer inspection, he was telling her to join him, rather than asking. "Come on, it's important."

Once they were inside the office, Vinnie closed the door but remained standing in front of it, so he was between Alex and the exit. "You know I love you, Alexandra? That I have always done everything I can to protect you? I know I may not be as warm and generous as your mother was, but I always tried my best," he told her. Both fury and upset were threatening to break through to the surface. He took a deep breath before sliding the photograph out from his jacket pocket and handing it to her. He gave her a few seconds to process the image of her with Conor. "How the fuck are you going to explain that? What the fuck is that?!" he asked, his voice now raised enough for those in the lounge to hear. "TELL ME!"


After Vinnie took Alex with him, Olivia returned to the lounge and approached Nicolo so she could greet him with a kiss. The moment was soon lost at the sound of Vinnie's furious voice. "Nicolo? What on Earth has happened?" she worriedly asked her boyfriend. Leo looked to Athena, the awkwardness clear on his face. He wondered what Alex could have possibly done to evoke such words from her father.

Interactions: neverbackdown (Nicolo, Alex) Lamia (Athena)

 

[neverbackdown]

Alexandra Romano ​

Alexandra looked toward hers father when he entered the room. When he asked her to come with him she didn’t think anything of it, her father possibly wanted to talk about how she was doing and so she followed him without argument or question.
Once in the room, Alex turned to face him and raised an eyebrow at what he was saying, she had no idea where this was all coming from and that’s when he pulled the picture out of his pocket. Alex didn’t need to look to know what it was, it was the picture Angel had of Alex and Conor kissing. Looking at the picture and seeing how happy she once was made her feel violently ill and seeing Conor ripped open the wound she had desperately tried to sew shut. For once Alex had nothing to say, no argument, no anger. She couldn’t even defend herself. As she looked at the picture, her legs began to shake before she fell to her knees in a distraught state, tears were falling from her eyes and trailing down her cheeks as she looked up at her father. “I .. I “ she stuttered before she took a deep breath to try and calm herself as she let the picture fall from her hands. “It started a year ago before all the crap started” Alex explained as she slowly looked back at her father, her voice was quiet and didn’t hold the fire that she was known for. “I loved him, it was wrong and I know that but I couldn’t help it, I really did love him and he once loved me” she knew her father would not understand but the words were spilling out. “It’s over now, he gave the orders to kidnap me, he betrayed me and “ Alex shrugged “I learnt the hard way and all I can say is I’m sorry, I don’t expect or deserve your forgiveness” she added.

Nicolo Romano ​

Nicolo nodded when his father said he would talk to Alexandra when they got home. Right now he didn’t even want to look at her, all he felt was anger, he was going to kill Conor Sullivan.
.......
When they got home, Nicolo walked straight into the lounge and gave Leo and Athena a small smile, he wasn’t in any form for small chat, when Olivia entered the room Nicolo kissed her back in greeting before taking a seat on the couch beside her. As their father’s voice began to boom in the house, Nicolo groaned as he rubbed his hands down his face in frustration. He looked at everyone in the room before leaning forward so his elbows rested on his knees “Alex’s secret boyfriend that no one knew anything about” he stated anger clear in his voice “was Conor Sullivan, we found photographic evidence in Angel’s apartment”

Misty Gray
Lamia

 

[Misty Gray]

Vincenzo Romano
​

Vinnie watched as Alex was overcome with tears and fell to her knees. Despite his instinct to console her and help her get back up, his anger was too overpowering to allow him to do so. His eyes briefly followed the photograph as it fell the the floor, before he focused back on his daughter to try gauge whether the words she would speak were genuine. She at least didn't insult his intelligence by trying to deny it and nor did she revert to her typical argumentative state, so that would only work in her favour. Vinnie turned his nose up in disgust as she said she'd loved Conor and that he'd even loved her. Whilst it was undeniable the lad was good looking and charming, the fact he was a cocky waste of space and a Sullivan should have been enough of a deterrent.

"You're damn right it's over," he echoed her words with his own slant as he looked down at her. "He was the one who had you kidnapped?" Not that it mattered, because Conor was dead without that fact. "This is why I always warned you all to stay away from the Sullivans. He used you and he betrayed you. How could you be so foolish?" he asked, his voice gradually losing the anger but developing a cold, unsettling tone.

Vinnie crouched down to Alex's level and looked her in the eyes. His face and voice both softened. "So, here's what's going to happen," he began, his voice oddly reassuring. "I've already sent my men out to retrieve Conor and when they do, I will make him suffer and I will kill him. I'll send what's left of him back to his family as a warning of what they can expect as well." He placed his hand on Alex's shoulder. "You and Athena are going to be sent somewhere safe until I know there will be no retaliation. Only when Conor is gone can I consider forgiving you. Furthermore, you will be returning to Italy." Vinnie stood back up. "That is final."

Leo Davide and Olivia Svensson
​

Olivia was stunned when Nicolo told them Alex's lover was Conor. "She lied to our faces, only a few weeks ago," she sadly realised. She placed her arm around Nicolo in hopes of comforting him. "I'm so sorry she lied to you... Vinnie's going to kill Conor, right?" she asked, though it was more a statement. She knew how Vinnie's mind worked and the Irish lad was as good as dead.

Leo covered his face with his hands when he heard the truth about Alex. He couldn't believe she'd allowed herself to get involved with a Sullivan. Still, hearing Vinnie's muffled voice from the other room only made him feel bad for Alex. She was his friend, after all, and she'd been there for him when he'd done terrible things. Hearing Olivia's words about what Vinnie would do to Conor shook Leo out of his sad thoughts. He removed his hands from his face and awkwardly bit his lip. Yet another person was likely to die and no doubt the Romanos would take down others getting to Conor. Leo was scared to think more innocents could be harmed in this war.

neverbackdown

 

[neverbackdown]

Alexandra Romano ​

Alexandra looked down as her father continued to angrily put her down, she had no fight left in her to argue with him and all she could think of was that picture. Angel had told her he would burn it and yet Alex couldn’t get herself to feel angry at the dead man.
When he asked how she could be so foolish, Alexandra hung her head “I don’t know” she said softly.
As her father knelt in front of her, Alex looked up at him and listened quietly as he spoke, her eyes widened when he said he was going to kill Conor, after everything she did not want him to die but she knew that it was too late to do anything and arguing with him on this would only make things worse for her. She sighed in defeat as she picked at a bit of loose thread on her knee before hearing him mention Italy. Alex gave a slow nod as she watched him stand back up. Maybe Italy was a good idea, she would be able to start over and have her siblings by her side. The way Alex felt she had nothing left in Chicago, now that Conor was gone and she knew that Nicolo and the others would never forgive her for what she had done. “Okay” she agreed sadly. Alex remained still sitting on the floor, unsure if she had enough strength to get up again. She did not what to face the ones in the lounge because she could only imagine how lowly they now thought of her.

Nicolo Romano ​

Nicolo nodded when Olivia spoke about Alex lying to them, when she put her arm around him, Nicolo leaned into her slightly allowing her to comfort him. “I suppose it all makes sense now, the fighting and arguing, the hatred for the attacks against the Sullivans and her heartbroken state now” he commented. “I couldn’t understand why she was still so broken five weeks on, I was beginning to worry that they had adopted Lorenzo’s tactic and used it on her” he muttered before sighing.
When Olivia asked about Conor’s fate, Nicolo allowed a small smirk to cross his lips for a brief second “yep men are on the way to get him now” he told her

Misty Gray
Lamia

 

[Misty Gray]

Vincenzo Romano
​

It crossed Vinnie's mind that Angel had kept this major betrayal a secret and were the man still alive, he would have been confronted about it. Sadly, Angel was dead and that meant Vinnie would never know the truth about why he never told him. Right now, Vinnie was just glad Alex wasn't arguing or fighting the decision to send her back to Italy. He only wished he'd made her leave sooner so she couldn't get involved with Conor to begin with. "Good, you're making the right choice in not fighting this. I should have sent you back there with Giorgio months ago... Conor Sullivan, of all the vermin in this city." All Vinnie knew was that Alex was lucky he had a crucial meeting to attend, otherwise he'd allow him to lose his cool and she'd be in deeper shit by now. Instead, he needed to remain calm and focused if he was going to make progress with the Russians.

Vinnie stretched his arms out to take Alex's hands and pull her up to her feet. "You're not sulking in here, Alexandra. Most of us have an important meeting with the Russians, and with the Sullivans about to get a wake up call, it's simply not safe for you and Athena to stay here today. Two of my men will drive you and Athena to a safe house until I can get to you both. You must remain with Athena at all times, considering her present health. Understood?" he asked.


neverbackdown

​

 

[neverbackdown]

Alexandra Romano ​

When her father commented on how good it was that she wasn’t fighting with him, Alex allowed a sigh to pass her lips “what’s the point in fighting it, there’s no point “ she muttered, what Alex meant is that with her father she never had a choice about how she wanted to live her life, how she wanted to feel about things and her opinions. Alex like the rest of her family was made to hate the Sullivans, was made to learn self-defense, sure even recently she was made move back into the house. But to her father this would sound like a completely different statement and Alex didn’t really care how he picked that up.
When he grabbed her hands, Alex allowed him to pick her up and gave a slow nod to what he had to say. “I’ll keep her safe” she told him, surety was clear in her voice. While Alex felt both physically and mentally weak and was unsure if she would protect herself if it was just her, there was one thing she was positive about and that was that she would protect Athena with her life and would not hesistate to risk her life for Athena’s.
When she believed the conversation was over, Alex left the room and made her way into the kitchen to grab her cup of coffee. She wanted to avoid the lounge at all costs. Alex stood leaning her hands on the counter with her back to the door as she tried to compose herself after that conversation with her father.

Misty Gray
Lamia

 

[Misty Gray]

Vincenzo Romano and Leo Davide​

Vinnie was content with Alex's response and pleased to hear she would look after Athena during the potentially dangerous time. He placed a kiss on her forehead before allowing her to leave the office. They had a lot to speak about later and he hoped she understood the severity of the situation. Vinnie left the room soon after and gave two of his men the heads up that they would be driving Alex and Athena to the safe house soon... and to make sure Alex didn't try anything, including attempting to contact Conor.

Realising Vinnie and Alex had finished their "discussion", Leo got up from his seat and went to find the Romano girl. The thought of what Vinnie would do to the Sullivans was unsettling to him and he just wanted to make sure Alex was okay. When he found her in the kitchen, Leo closed the door and approached her. His face was soft and sympathetic as he placed his hands on her shoulders. "I'm not angry with you, Alex," he reassured her. "But I need you to tell me something... Did you and Conor love each other? Was everything your own choice?" He needed to know that Conor hadn't taken advantage of her.

neverbackdown

 

[neverbackdown]

Alexandra Romano ​

Alex heard footsteps approaching her and sighed expecting an angry tirade off however had found her. She turned slowly to face Leo.
She remembered the time that she had given out to him when she first learned of his involvement with the family business but she hoped he would show mercy on her now. She examined his expression and came to the conclusion that he didn’t look or seem angry and this conclusion was only certified when Leo started speaking.
Alex gave him a soft and small smile when he asked if her and Conor had loved each other. “Yes, I loved him and he loved me” she told him, her smile faltered slightly “I know it was stupid but when we were together I felt free and normal, it was a break from this war for both of us, it was peace” she shrugged slightly “he made me feel special and not like the daughter of a feared mob boss but like a normal genuine girl from a normal family , I suppose it just ... felt right” all the words just came spilling out of her mouth as she finally was able to talk about her relationship. She couldn’t hold them back and instead they just kept spilling out. The smile fell completely from her face when she remembered that Conor was going to be horrifically killed and she knew that she had no power or chance to stop it

Misty Gray

 

[Misty Gray]

James Porter and Conor Sullivan​

Once they'd eaten a late breakfast, James glanced to the clock and decided it was time he headed to the church with Cormac. The Romanos were due to arrive at the church in the early afternoon, so James was to make sure he arrived much earlier to avoid any possibility of being seen by the Italians. James got up from the table and carried his empty plate to the sink. "You ready, Cormac?" he asked, turning back to face the others. He grabbed his own jacket from the back of his chair. It looked like James was leaving unarmed, but he'd already left his weapons in the car, not wanting to have them laid out for Lucy to see. With his wife in mind, James approached the blonde and drew her in for one more embrace. "You and Conor get yourselves straight to the hotel - look after each other! Make sure there's some alcohol left in the hotel apartment for me when I join you all later," he told her, his way of providing reassurance.

Conor focused his attention to his cousin and tried to hold back his own apprehension. Whilst he felt like it was his duty to be joining them on their mission, he also knew he wouldn't be able to do what they were intending on. He believed he'd be more of a hindrance to them in his current state. "Cormac, mate. Don't you be dicking about. Get yourself back to us in one piece!" he lightly ordered him. He then gave his cousin a typical Conor hug. "Good luck!" he wished him.

After one more passionate kiss with Lucy, James eventually pulled away from his wife. He gave Conor a pat on the shoulder and smiled to the younger man. "Don't you be getting intro trouble while I'm gone," he teased Conor before the Sullivan lad suddenly pulled him in for a manly hug and some sort of muffled apology.

James and Cormac had barely set off driving away from the house when the telephone began ringing in the lounge. This would prompt Lucy to take the call...

Interactions: neverbackdown (Cormac) Bellz (Lucy)

Leo Davide and Vincenzo Romano
​

Leo listened intently as Alex confirmed to him that her relationship with Conor had been mutual and that they had loved each other. "Alex, you could have had any guy you wanted. One who wasn't involved in gangs at all. There are so many men out there who could make you happy without risking your family's respect. But I know it's too late to think about that now. It's good that he made you happy and you found peace together, but you'll never have that with him again. No matter what happens." Leo gently pulled Alex in for a hug. It was partly to comfort her but mostly so he could whisper his next words into her ear. "Do whatever your father asks of you, because those two employees of his are watching you like a hawk. You and Conor are over now, but... I'll at least try to warn him. I don't want anymore deaths and I don't want Vinnie's men to go through more innocents to get to Conor."

The air was cut like a knife when Vinnie entered the kitchen. "Leo, are you nearly ready for the meeting? We're leaving in five minutes." Leo let go of Alex and nodded, making a remark he'd join them in the car after making a call to check on the hotel. Vinnie then looked to Alex and sighed. "Ricardo and Tom are waiting for you in the car. Please help Athena outside and make sure she has everything she needs. You and I will speak tonight," he assured her, struggling to make the same kind of fatherly eye-contact with his daughter that he usually managed.

Leo entered Vinnie's office and closed the door behind him before rushing to the telephone. After calling the operator and being redirected to the Sullivans' main telephone line, the phone began to ring. Leo urged someone to answer quickly, before any of the Romanos could walk in on him. When he finally heard the female voice belonging to Lucy, he spoke quietly and quickly, but his words to Lucy would be clear. "The Romanos know about Conor and Alex - about their relationship. There's already men on their way to get Conor and he will be killed. You need to get Conor out of this city and you need to get the rest of the family to safety too. Please, I don't want anyone else to die. I'm a close friend of Alex's and I know she doesn't want Conor dead." With that, Leo ended the call, only hoping Lucy would heed his words. He knew he had a lot to do before he could forgive himself, but if he could prevent more deaths it might at least ease some of the guilt he carried for killing Kate.

Once he'd got everything he needed, Vinnie entered the lounge, telling Salvatore, Nicolo, Olivia and Leo that it was time to leave to attend their meeting with the Russians.

Interactions: neverbackdown (Leo) Bellz (Lucy)
Mentions: Lamia (Athena)

The Church
*****​

James Porter
​

At the church, James and Cormac were hiding out in the church office, along with two Russian allies who were standing guard by the door. It was already decided Vinnie was James'. Cormac was welcome to take down anyone else he wished to. For now, James was comfortable in his focused silence, listening out for the arrival of the Romanos and the start of the meeting.

James had murdered many people in his lifetime and though he wasn't proud of the fact, he believed the kills were fair and for reasons he thought to be just. Whilst some men had died through James' self-defence and on the spot, other deaths had been calculated, planned and expertly executed. Quick, precise and objective. He knew killing Vincenzo Romano was going to be very different. This was personal and completely premeditated. Despite his intentions to remain focused and effective, James knew there would be other factors at play. There were almost 30 years of reasons taken from the Romanos ruining the lives of those he cared for. Still, he knew the actions he was about to take would be ones that would stay with him for the rest of his life. Lucy had told him many times he was nothing like Angel, but he knew that wasn't strictly true and he only hoped his wife would still love him the same after this.

James had on his hands leather gloves and was armed with a revolver and a pistol, but on this occasion he wasn't intending on using the guns. Vinnie didn't deserve a quick death, not after all of the pain he had caused. Also on his person, James had a garrote wire and a hunting knife. He knew vengeance and revenge could cloud a man's judgement, but he was willing to make an exception for the Romano boss.

Vincenzo and Salvatore Romano
Olivia Svensson and Leo Davide
***Early afternoon***​

​

Vinnie and Salvatore lead the way out of the vehicle to the main entrance of the church, with Nicolo, Olivia and Leo following close behind. As soon as they entered the building, Vinnie looked straight ahead to see Nikolai standing upon the alter. Whilst Vinnie wished to make progress in the meeting and strike up a beneficial deal with the Russians, he couldn't help but feel there would be some obstacles to any deal. Unlike the Sullivan bosses, Vinnie knew Nikolai was a challenge and a man beyond capable of holding his own...

Enzyme (Nikolai) neverbackdown (Cormac, Nicolo)​

 

[Enzyme]

Nikolai Kuznetsov

​

The burning cigar sat in the ashtray, withering away from neglect. Nikolai patiently rested his open palms on the sides of the pedastool. He could see the silhouettes of the Romanos from the outside of the stained glass windows, until they made their presence through the double doors. The setting was almost ritual-esque , with melting candles ascending from every short pillar. The room was naturally lit from the sun beaming through the skylights, leading a path from the doors to the alter.

"Gentlemen, please, sit." He raised his hands toward the open benches. "In front of you, you'll find a bible inside every seat crevice. If you will..." He moved for his own bible on the pedastool. "Page 324, Psalm 13:18." He cleared his throat before reading aloud, "Let me not be put to shame, O LORD, for I call upon you; Let the wicked be put to shame, let them be silent in Sheol. Let the lying lips be mute, which speak arrogantly against righteous, with pride and contempt. How great is your goodness, Which you have stored up for those who fear you, Which you have wrought for those who take refuge in you, Before the sons of men." He looked up from the book, his hands moving to the corners of the pedastool once more.

"God does not forgive sinners, after they steal and murder; commit vile acts in his own home," he softly spoke as he looked to his surroundings. "The lord asks us to love thy' neighbor as we love thy' self. To share, trust, and behold love for one another." A smirk ran across his lips. "We may wear his symbol, go to his house of worship every Sunday, and even thank him for the food on our table, but he has already turned his back on us. You pray that god will let the Sullivans perish under you shoe, as they do to you as well." He shrugged lightly, looking Vinnie in the eyes. "He cares not who wins or loses this war of yours, for when you finally depart, you'll be rotting in the caves of his counterpart. I don't mind that he'll send me straight to hell, though. I'll be shaking hands with all my old friends anyways."

"For us, a murder is simply business. It doesn't matter if it's committed in the victim's home, out in the streets, or even in the house of worship." He moved the cigar to his lips, his sinister eyes locking with Vinnie's once more. "So when I tell you, this is nothing personnel... Believe me." The Russian guards at the door tense up, their hands moving to the handles of the sub-machine guns. "I'll be shaking hands with you soon enough, Mr. Romano." On that note, the Russian men came out of the office and onto the alter, visibly armed as well. The loud bangs of their muzzles removed all imagination as to what Nikolai had planned today. The splinters of the wooden benches rained down from the sky as Romano goons flew from their seats. The men at the doors open fired as well, gunning down the unsuspecting Romano guards. Nicolo would soon find three holes the size of a quarter in his abdomen, as his blood expelled out onto the stained glass window.

Nikolai rested on the pedastool, remaining emotionless as the empty .762 shells bounced around his feet. Instead, he looked to the cross above the double doors, now faintly dusted with blood. The fire alarm was triggered soon after the gunfire, causing the sprinkler system to drench all the occupants below. Nikolai moved his fedora to his head to protect him from the pelting water.

Misty Gray neverbackdown Bellz

 

[Misty Gray]

James Porter and Vincenzo Romano​

Vinnie took a seat on one of the benches as Nikolai offered. He curiously watched and listened as the Russian began speaking, practically giving a sermon. His interested piqued as the Sullivans were brought into the speech and Vinnie's gaze became one of greater interest. All of a sudden, he was being told by Nikolai that this wasn't personal and before Vinnie could do much else, all Hell broke loose. Vinnie was stunned as bullets began ripping into the torsos of his men. He froze as he saw his son being shot at. "NICOLO!" his voiced boomed through the stone walls of the church. He reached for his gun but one of the Russian's violently slammed the back of his hand against the wooden bench, causing him to drop the gun and feel a surge of pain in his fingers. The Russian then slammed the spine of a nearby Bible against the back of Vinnie''s skull, and with the help of another he violently dragged the Italian boss towards the room James and Cormac were waiting in.

The sounds of the gunfire could be heard from the other side of the door and this put James on high alert, holding the revolver in his hand should someone unexpected enter the room. As the door swung open, James aimed his gun ready to fire. He soon lowered his arm as Vinnie was thrown at his feet by two Russians. James gave them a nod for them to stand by should anything go wrong. Otherwise, they'd done their bit and it was already agreed he would take over from here.

James put his gun away and looked down at the man who had been the root cause of his own lifetime of pain. The man who had hurt those he cared about the most. It wouldn't take any of that pain away, but it was still satisfying to see the Devil in a vulnerable position. He watched as Vinnie started to climb back up, but as the Italian pushed himself onto his hands and knees, James grabbed him by the back of his collar and dragged him up to his feet to hurry the job. Before the older man could react, James rounded on him and slammed his fist heavily into Vinnie's abdomen, where he estimated the man's freshly healed gunshot wounds sat. Vinnie let out a pained groan as he clutched at his stomach, but he soon recovered and stood up straight, a twisted smile growing on his face. "Fuck you, Porter. You're nothing," he taunted him, with a mocking laugh. James followed up by punching the man square in the left side of his jaw, causing him to stumble back and have to maintain his balance.

"Pretty soon, you'll be nothing but a rotting corpse. You're fucked, mate," James replied, his eyes practically piercing a hole in the man's skull. Vinnie touched his bleeding lip and looked to his hand to see the crimson fluid on his skin. He followed James' brief glance to Nikolai, then to the two Russians standing guard and though they weren't intervening, he knew whose side they were on. Still, he wasn't about to make this easy. Vinnie charged at James and tightly grabbed the younger man by the shoulder before sending a series of fast and heavy punches to James' stomach. James groaned as he tried to inhibit the pain and discomfort, to keep focused on what he wanted to do next. He had Vinnie where he wanted him, but he still needed to regain control over the man. Suddenly, James lunged forward and headbutted Vinnie, causing the man to stumble backwards a few steps but maintain his footing. James then grabbed the Italian by the hair and pushed the side of the his face into one of the candles. The skin of Vinnie's left cheek put the flame out and the older man let out a pained groan. In a swift move, James pulled the garrote wire from his back pocket and rushed behind Vinnie, wrapping the cable around the man's throat. James kicked the Italian's legs from beneath him, causing him to fall to his knees, only held up by the wire around his throat.

James crouched down on one knee behind Vinnie, allowing the raised knee to press uncomfortably into his enemy's spine as the wire around his neck pulled him into it. James tightened the wire and allowed Vinnie to fail in attempting to get his fingers between the wire and his throat. In that moment, James thought back to those who were dead because of the Italian. Ronan, Emmet, David, Kate... They were all people James had been close to and had been murdered because of Vinnie's orders. Then, he recalled all of those who had been hurt by the man. Lucy, Conor, Finn and himself had all been tortured by him. Sinead and Shannon had been hurt too. So many lives had been ruined because of one man, even Vinnie's own family had suffered along the way. No matter how much Vinnie now struggled, there wasn't an ounce of guilt or remorse in James' mind for what he was doing to him. "It's almost a year since the night you tortured Lucy, Conor and me..." James spoke quietly into Vinnie's ear. His voice was cold and controlled, despite the fury behind his words. He loosened the wire a little to allow Vinnie to breathe again. "Suffocation isn't a nice feeling, is it? Do you think this is how Conor felt when you tortured him that night? I hope you can feel the kind of pain he felt and still fears." James then pulled the wire tight again, holding it in place as Vinnie struggled, but once again loosening it before it was too late.

James leaned forward so he could look to the face of the man he was about to kill. By now, both men had water from the sprinklers running down their faces. James found the cold liquid refreshing, as though many burdens of his life were being washed away. Vinnie's face was a deep, burning shade of red that the sprinklers did nothing to calm. The fear in the man's eyes was clear and satisfying to James. It was at that point that James knew it was time to finish this and finally take down the monster. He loosened the garrote wire a little more, now holding both ends in one hand so he could use his free hand to retrieve the knife from its secure position at his waist. "On that same night, you also threatened to slit my throat if Lucy didn't pick which of my scars you would cut open. You used me to torture and terrorise the woman I love. Well, there's nobody begging for your life, Vinnie." In one swift move, James pressed the blade of the knife firmly against Vinnie's throat and slid the cold metal across, cutting deep into the man's skin and nerves. James pulled the knife away and let go of the wire, allowing Vinnie to fall forward onto the floor. James stood up and took a few steps back as he watched the man fight to take his last struggled breaths in a growing pool of his own blood. He replaced the knife into its holder before looking the church over to see if any Romanos remained standing.

Enzyme neverbackdown Bellz

Salvatore Romano


Salvatore sat by himself on a bench near the back of the church, wishing to distance himself from religion as much as he could. Churches were not his thing but he figured he'd have to grin and bear it for the meeting. He found himself rolling his eyes as Nikolai began his speech of sorts. Soon enough, things turned personal and that's when Salvatore was dragged out of his disinterest. As soon as the gunfire began, he was able to crouch down between the benches and luckily avoid taking any bullets unlike some of the men around him had. In all of the commotion, he managed slip out of the side door, though perhaps his escape hadn't slipped everyone's attention...​

Enzyme​

((I'll save Leo and Olivia until neverbackdown posts))