Averagefictionalrose
Member
Hello All,
I have been role-playing for 10-plus years and I am seeking some fresh stories! This is a current craving of mine - a plot idea I cannot get out of my head.
IDEA: Odessa moved to America when she was 10 years old. Her father had died in 'suspicious circumstances' in Greece so her mother and aunt moved across to New York. They intended to move across to California but made a life for themselves in New York and never moved. Odessa graduated high school with top grades and went to Yale to study Art History. It gave her what she needed to begin to pursue a career in Art conservation and curation. She gained a conservation job at the Met and was living, what she thought, was her dream life. But that changed quickly. Her mother grew ill and between student loans, healthcare and rent, Odessa struggled to look after everyone. So one thing led to another and she began selling fakes. In her three years before being arrested, she made quite an amount of money selling fake artwork, the occasional real one, alongside fake documents for those who needed them. She even set up a black market, high value, art dealership in an old Met warehouse. She was only known as Thalia. Even her Mafia Lover only ever knew her as that; one way she thought she would be safe until she wasn't.
A young hot shot FBI agent tried to take down her lover. But Mafia Bosses being what they are - he gave up Odessa instead. Never truly pleased with the arrest, the FBI agent was constantly searching for other ways to bring down this ring leader. His answer? Give Odessa her old life back and create himself an asset.
I have been role-playing for 10-plus years and I am seeking some fresh stories! This is a current craving of mine - a plot idea I cannot get out of my head.
IDEA: Odessa moved to America when she was 10 years old. Her father had died in 'suspicious circumstances' in Greece so her mother and aunt moved across to New York. They intended to move across to California but made a life for themselves in New York and never moved. Odessa graduated high school with top grades and went to Yale to study Art History. It gave her what she needed to begin to pursue a career in Art conservation and curation. She gained a conservation job at the Met and was living, what she thought, was her dream life. But that changed quickly. Her mother grew ill and between student loans, healthcare and rent, Odessa struggled to look after everyone. So one thing led to another and she began selling fakes. In her three years before being arrested, she made quite an amount of money selling fake artwork, the occasional real one, alongside fake documents for those who needed them. She even set up a black market, high value, art dealership in an old Met warehouse. She was only known as Thalia. Even her Mafia Lover only ever knew her as that; one way she thought she would be safe until she wasn't.
A young hot shot FBI agent tried to take down her lover. But Mafia Bosses being what they are - he gave up Odessa instead. Never truly pleased with the arrest, the FBI agent was constantly searching for other ways to bring down this ring leader. His answer? Give Odessa her old life back and create himself an asset.
Picture New York on a grey day. That isn't hard is it. There is some sun but it's hidden well by smoke clouds and becoming more hidden as the air changes and gives way to showers of rain. The kind where you think you won't get soaked so you risk no coat but in the end you arrive at your destination completely wet through to the skin. Odessa Milos didn't mind this, inside a small wooden cladded room she stared through the only window and imagined what it would be like to feel the damp rain once more. She had been inside for five years. Of course she had gone outside, wandered aimlessly around the concrete courtyard enclosed by ten feet tall fences topped with barbed wire and spikes to really put people off from escaping. But that had been down South, no New York weather there, no dreary cold rain. Its always different when it falls in the city. Sounds different, smells different and even tastes different; of metal and concrete instead of trees and the sea. Six hours she had been held in that room, after a six hour transfer from her delightful cell, she was beginning to grow tired of the disturbing silence. She had been given a cryptic phone call from her lawyer just before leaving;
"You have to take the deal you will be offered. It's the only way you'll get out again. You're appeal won't go through otherwise."
Watching the bustling side streets filled with people rushing too and from places from the sole window, she replayed his words again and again. She had to convince herself if this was a door about to be opened would it bring her back to the life she had? She ignored the small voice in her mind reminding her how that life landed her here in the first place.
A loud rap at the door pulled Odessa from her thoughts and here eyes moved from the skyline to the guard opening the door and the suit who walked through.
"Miss Milos" the suit said, with a light smile meant to put people at ease. Odessa had seen this before and knew what it really meant. "Please, take a seat."
After the suit had sat and extended his hand in the direction of the empty seat opposite him, Odessa slowly made her way towards it and made sure it scraped across the hard floor before she sat. In the moment that followed she put the name to the face. The face that had been at her trial, quietly opposite her in interview after interview and the one who accompanied the officers who took her to prison. Agent Peter Jacobs. FBI.
"I'm sure you remember me,"
Peter undid a button on his jacket and leaned back in his chair as an attempt to match Odessa's own laid-back approach to the situation she was in. An act to hide the racing thoughts whirring around her mind. That smile. That easy going smile meant he wanted something. No. He needed something. The smile didn't quite reach his eyes.
"I hope you've had a pleasurable stay. Learnt something from your time."
Odessa had expected paperwork. Every time she had met with her lawyer or the warden or a journalist, there had always been a pile of paperwork. As if that was somehow meant to show they were serious about the upcoming conversation. But no, Agent Jacobs had nothing. No bag, no laptop, no papers. The lack of any visible information intrigued her. It was then she cast a glance to the corners of the ceilings, where one might expect to see security cameras. Nothing. She ran her teeth across her lip as she thought. Whatever the outcome of this spontaneous reunion was, there was no way she would be going back down south any time soon.
"I can see you haven't lost your touch as a thrilling conversationist so I'll get straight to the point. When you were arrested you were in a relationship with a Mr Leo Stanton"
"Had." Odessa cut across the agent as he spoke. Perhaps if he had come with a file, he might have got his information correct.
"I'm sorry?"
"At the time of my arrest I had been in a relationship with Leo. It ended a week before. It was, if I remember correctly and I should remember correctly, as should you – we were both there – It was the reason I was arrested in the first place. One of Leo's snitches put you on to me so you'd stay away from him."
The sigh that left her lips anticipated a great deal of exhaustion at yet another line of questioning. As she folded her arms across her chest her stare grew colder. If an outcome was a different prison – he may as well hurry up. Save everyone the time of the rookie getting his information wrong.
"I see you haven't forgotten a thing." The agent's smile was interrupted, yet again, by Odessa's thinly vailed patience.
"Haven't had the time to."
Her sarcasm wasn't lost on Peter who did his best to restrain the scoff from rolling off his chest, choosing to now lean across the desk instead.
"Indeed. Well, Mr Leo Stanton has been firmly on our radar for far longer than you were and we are at the stage of doing something about it. Time enough, I know. But if we act on everything quickly then we loose more than we would gain. The point, Miss Milos," Peter continued, not allowing Odessa any more opportunity for interjection. "The point is that you are being given an opportunity to leave your cosy cell and return to your previous life. My superiors would like to take down Stanton and you are my best chance of doing that."
"You're being given responsibility now? I thought you just made notes and got coffee." Odessa tilted her head as her eyes narrowed. Was he serious? The lack of any other agency presence led her to believe either he was but the operation was small which meant he still wasn't fully of the leash. Or, he was still serious, but he was conducting the operation beyond the books. Neither option was filling her with great confidence.
Choosing to ignore her snide comment Peter continued, "We need you to return to your life of selling fake art and serving as a front for Mr Stanton's operations. So that we can get into his inner circle and take him down at the most opportune moment."
"You have to take the deal you will be offered. It's the only way you'll get out again. You're appeal won't go through otherwise."
Watching the bustling side streets filled with people rushing too and from places from the sole window, she replayed his words again and again. She had to convince herself if this was a door about to be opened would it bring her back to the life she had? She ignored the small voice in her mind reminding her how that life landed her here in the first place.
A loud rap at the door pulled Odessa from her thoughts and here eyes moved from the skyline to the guard opening the door and the suit who walked through.
"Miss Milos" the suit said, with a light smile meant to put people at ease. Odessa had seen this before and knew what it really meant. "Please, take a seat."
After the suit had sat and extended his hand in the direction of the empty seat opposite him, Odessa slowly made her way towards it and made sure it scraped across the hard floor before she sat. In the moment that followed she put the name to the face. The face that had been at her trial, quietly opposite her in interview after interview and the one who accompanied the officers who took her to prison. Agent Peter Jacobs. FBI.
"I'm sure you remember me,"
Peter undid a button on his jacket and leaned back in his chair as an attempt to match Odessa's own laid-back approach to the situation she was in. An act to hide the racing thoughts whirring around her mind. That smile. That easy going smile meant he wanted something. No. He needed something. The smile didn't quite reach his eyes.
"I hope you've had a pleasurable stay. Learnt something from your time."
Odessa had expected paperwork. Every time she had met with her lawyer or the warden or a journalist, there had always been a pile of paperwork. As if that was somehow meant to show they were serious about the upcoming conversation. But no, Agent Jacobs had nothing. No bag, no laptop, no papers. The lack of any visible information intrigued her. It was then she cast a glance to the corners of the ceilings, where one might expect to see security cameras. Nothing. She ran her teeth across her lip as she thought. Whatever the outcome of this spontaneous reunion was, there was no way she would be going back down south any time soon.
"I can see you haven't lost your touch as a thrilling conversationist so I'll get straight to the point. When you were arrested you were in a relationship with a Mr Leo Stanton"
"Had." Odessa cut across the agent as he spoke. Perhaps if he had come with a file, he might have got his information correct.
"I'm sorry?"
"At the time of my arrest I had been in a relationship with Leo. It ended a week before. It was, if I remember correctly and I should remember correctly, as should you – we were both there – It was the reason I was arrested in the first place. One of Leo's snitches put you on to me so you'd stay away from him."
The sigh that left her lips anticipated a great deal of exhaustion at yet another line of questioning. As she folded her arms across her chest her stare grew colder. If an outcome was a different prison – he may as well hurry up. Save everyone the time of the rookie getting his information wrong.
"I see you haven't forgotten a thing." The agent's smile was interrupted, yet again, by Odessa's thinly vailed patience.
"Haven't had the time to."
Her sarcasm wasn't lost on Peter who did his best to restrain the scoff from rolling off his chest, choosing to now lean across the desk instead.
"Indeed. Well, Mr Leo Stanton has been firmly on our radar for far longer than you were and we are at the stage of doing something about it. Time enough, I know. But if we act on everything quickly then we loose more than we would gain. The point, Miss Milos," Peter continued, not allowing Odessa any more opportunity for interjection. "The point is that you are being given an opportunity to leave your cosy cell and return to your previous life. My superiors would like to take down Stanton and you are my best chance of doing that."
"You're being given responsibility now? I thought you just made notes and got coffee." Odessa tilted her head as her eyes narrowed. Was he serious? The lack of any other agency presence led her to believe either he was but the operation was small which meant he still wasn't fully of the leash. Or, he was still serious, but he was conducting the operation beyond the books. Neither option was filling her with great confidence.
Choosing to ignore her snide comment Peter continued, "We need you to return to your life of selling fake art and serving as a front for Mr Stanton's operations. So that we can get into his inner circle and take him down at the most opportune moment."
