Realistic or Modern A Family Affair: The Irish Mob - IC (Ended)

[neverbackdown]

Michelle Romano​

Michelle watched as the doctor introduced himself to her dad before the pair walked off. She sobbed quietly as she put her head down to rest on her knees, grownups only talk in private when something very serious has happened and Michelle was very aware of that fact. Her mother couldn’t be dead, what would she do without her? What would happened to Michelle now if she is. All these thoughts were swimming in her head as she thought back to that morning, she had a fight with her mother about something as silly as school and now she felt terrible, what if that was their last conversation?.

Michelle looked up again when her father approached them and sat down, she really didn’t like the look on his face as he turned to her and by the tone of his voice used, Michelle knew something was seriously wrong. She listened to his words as tears streamed down her cheeks, she didn’t fully understand what a coma meant but she had a feeling it was good.

The word sleep is what affected her the worst however as she knew a deep sleep can sometimes be how grownups explain death. Michelle didn’t know how to control her emotions in that moment , finding it hard to keep them in check as they were too overpowering for her. Michelle got up off the seat quietly as she paced back and forth in front the seat as her body trembled. She stopped walking however and stared at the wall in front of her, for a moment it looked as though she was about to hit it but instead Michelle fell to the ground “she can’t die”she basically shouted, the agony she was feeling only heightened in her voice , the force of her sobs were causing her chest to hurt as she remained sitting where she had fallen. “She can’t leave me too” Michelle said a lot more quietly



Bellz Misty Gray

 

[Pyroclast]

Syd Porter

Syd was relieved when Skye took the hit well, admiring her fighting spirit as it only seemed to spur her on. He readied himself for her counter and listened carefully as she described her past experiences with fighting.
"Nice one," he grinned, trying to sound encouraging. "If you can break a girl's nose just like that, you must already be pretty ahead in the game. Guess I'd better watch out!"

The mood shifted however when Skye answered his second question. With the dejected way she had lowered her arms and the vague descriptions of her past abuse, he realised that it probably wasn't the kind of thing she wanted to delve into. A twinge of guilt came over him as he realised the mistake he'd made in asking her something insensitive. The grin fell from his face and he stood up straight, lowering his own fists.

"Skye, hey..." he said. "You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to. I wasn't thinking. I'm sorry..." He took a small step towards her, to lightly touch her arm with his gloved fist. "I know the kind of shitholes orphanages can be. It's like you couldn't even pay them to care. If the memories of that place ever get you down, you can offload them onto me - coming from where I did, I'll probably understand." Syd bit down on his lip, feeling bad for having spoiled the mood. "So if you don't want to get into it, please just forget I asked. I'll give you a free shot at me, if it'll get your mind off it," he offered, sending her an encouraging smile as he stepped back and opened his arms to make himself vulnerable.

Interactions
Misty Gray Skye

 

[Misty Gray]

James Porter
~ Detective Donnelly ~​

James stirred his coffee as he listened to Philip speak. Of course, he admired the man's courage and willingness to put himself at risk to stand up for the city. He couldn't agree more about people needing a fearless leadership figure, as his experience of many law enforcement or political figures was that they were crooked cowards. What James did hate was his lack of control over the current situation, yet him still feeling obliged to help the cops today. He didn't trust that they'd been as thorough in their security measures as he was have and wasn't sure if eating brunch was the most productive course of action for him. "Well, I can't argue with your desire to present yourself as a figure of courage in these times," he admitted. "I've watched some of your colleagues come and go - I can barely recall any who weren't cowards in some way."

James smirked when the man mentioned how they hadn't always seen eye-to-eye. They'd had their fair share of disagreements and debates, with both men being passionate about their beliefs and unwilling to hold back on what they were thinking. At least Philip understood James wasn't like the other gangsters plaguing the city, even if he did still direct and participate in criminal activities. There would always been someone trying to run the city's criminal underworld, but James believed he at least tried to balance his immoral acts with compassion and humanity.

James gazed out to the parade as he felt Philip's hand on his shoulder. He let the man speak before turning to look at him. "You know I support your election campaign. but I didn't have you down as an idealist, Commissioner." James shook his head. "You're not a god. You can't snuff out your force's corruption and put an end to Dublin's organised crime." The mention of him going clean brought a hopeful smile to James' face, but he'd been in the game for too long to be distracted by fantasies. Of course it would be nice to live a clean and normal life where his family didn't need to worry about being shot at or kidnapped. But a life like that was never going to happen. To go clean and let go of all of his family's criminal holds would make them vulnerable. There were plenty of snakes, like Jared, waiting to replace the Porters and he didn't doubt they would move it to take down all of his family. Whether he wanted to be or not, James was stuck in his position for the long run. This was the life he'd inherited from his father and the one the Sullivans had been handed down by theirs. "I believe we've been through this too many times, haven't we? I know there's rats and snakes in Dublin, just waiting for the perfect opportunity to rise. I care about the public, which is why I've worked hard to keep the other gangs and dangerous people down in their places. My family and friends have been hurt in the process, but I know the alternative would be much worse."

When asked what he pledged allegiance to, James looked away from Philip and focused his attention to the crowd outside. He wasn't going to go into detail about his motivations, but would offer him something to consider. "You and I are not so different in our concerns for this city."

Enzyme (Commissioner)

 

[Misty Gray]

Conor Sullivan​

Conor ran his hand down his face and glanced to Finn as Michelle began pacing the floor in front of them. His usual reaction to problems was to get drink and fight. His natural behaviour towards responsibility was to step away from it completely. This was different and the situation wasn't something he could ignore. Michelle was depending on him now, so he couldn't drown away his worries for Alex in alcohol. He watched the child as she stared at the wall and the look in her face made him think she was going to lash out and hit the wall. It's what he would do.

When Michelle fell to the floor and sobbed her little heart out, Conor rushed to his feet. He crouched down to her as she said her mother couldn't die and leave her too. Without warning, the large man reached out to her and placed his hands under her armpits so he could effortlessly lift her up. As he stood again, he held his daughter close to him, letting her wrap his arms around his neck whilst he placed a kiss on her cheek. He used one arm to hold her securely in place and gently stroked the back of her head with his free hand. "Your mam isn't a quitter, love. She'll put up a damn good fight. You and I know how strong she is," he firmly told her.


neverbackdown (Michelle)
Bellz (Finn)

 

[Fletchawk]

Ryan Donahue​

The whiskey definitely helped dull the pain in his body and it calmed his nerves as he strolled through the large crowds that had showed for the parade. The amount people and veiled threat had him on edge as there were so many people and, if he was right about the sniper, windows. Ryan feared that the Garda receiving help from the National Guard would only be a detriment to the Commissioner's safety. In his mind adding more individuals with rifles only made his and Rudy's job harder, like finding a needle in a haystack but there were now decoy needles added into the mix. That's if their enemy wasn't just stringing them along and this whole effort was for not.

Ryan stopped and closed his eyes as he tired to refocus and center himself for a second. Too many avenues of attack. Too many potential threats. Too many ways for this to go wrong. He took a deep breathe to lower the volume of the info that his training was telling him. Part of him doubted that there was even going to be an attack, it felt as though it would be too obvious, even with a sniper.

"I don't like this. I feel like we're deer in an empty field and we're not even the ones being targeted." Ryan rolled his shoulders uncomfortably in yet another attempt to relieve his unease and soreness as he addressed his compatriot, Rudy. Checking the time on his wristwatch, he saw it getting close to the time that James had told Rudy and Ryan to meet him at the at the hotel entrance and tapped on the face of it to attract Rudy's attention to it.


Shireling [Rudolph]

Alexander Quinn Armstrong​

Quinn had pushed the contretemp between him and his father to back of his mind while spending time with his mother and sibling, but his focus was drawn to the people that surrounded them. There was the usual feeling of happiness and unity of a parade, but he wasn't sure if the sense of unease was why the National Guard was there or if they were the cause of it. He knew why they were there but it was no less unsettling. Choosing to shut that line of thinking out of his mind, Quinn turned his attention back to his energetic sister and their mother.

"Lily, slow down. The parade hasn't even started and you'll likely run out of film before it even starts at this rate." He chuckled a bit, as he doubted that she'd ever run out as the girl seemed to be able pull rolls of film out of thin air. He enjoyed these moments that he spent with his family, although it always seemed to a member missing lately. As much as he wanted his father to be successful and do good in the world, Quinn wondered just how much of his father would be left for them. His thoughts made him feel guilty as reminded himself that he still needed to go check in at the Tailor shop.

After posing with his mother for his sister's photo, he turned to to address his mother. "Mother. As much as I enjoy our family get-togethers. I still need to check on the store today." Quinn gave his mother a bright and reassuring smile. "Don't worry, I won't abandon you just yet, as I intend on escorting you ladies to your destination first." His voice was cheery although a slight crease on his forehead appeared when the mention of the tailor shop briefly reminded him of the chess game that he played earlier. Still, an idea pushed the thought away as looked to his sister. "How about I take a few pictures of you and mother?" Quinn's hand outstretched to accept the camera that had seemed to be cemented to his sibling's fingers.


Bellz [Faye] Misty Gray [Grace]

 

[Misty Gray]

Shannon Sullivan​

Shannon had figured Lucy would defend Alex, but that never threatened to stop her from still speaking her mind. She didn't want to have a debate with her daughter right now, so let her have her say without continuing to present any further contradiction to it.

She listened curiously as Lucy started to make a weird and unenlightened comment about how she'd been feeling. She made it clear that she was worried about having to tell James if the procedure hadn't been successful. "I think this family is overdue some good news, so let's stay positive, alright?" she suggested. There were many things she'd been unable to control or make right her family, and unfortunately, she was unable to personally make it so that Lucy would get her wish today.

Shannon walked closely next to Lucy as they were shown to the examination room. They both sat down as they waited for the nurse to join them. "Positive thoughts, Lucy," she said, lifting her daughter's hand in hers and placing a kiss on the back of it. "Just picture James' happy little face," she remarked. Shannon then sat back as Lucy underwent a physical examination and blood tests.

Bellz (Lucy)
((I figure you're controlling the nurse and the results?))

 

[Misty Gray]

Skye McKendrick​

Skye grinned when Syd mentioned how he'd better watch out. "Oh, no. I was angry with that bitch. I don't think I could ever hit you like that, Syd," she softly assured him.

She sighed when she realised her dejection had affected Syd too and killed their fun mood. She didn't really like to dwell on things and had thought she was over those memories by now, but apparently not. Still, she flashed a reassuring smile to Syd and shook her head. "Don't apologise. It's normal for us to share things and ask questions about each other. It's just shitty that particular part of my life sucked," she told him. "Those hags are out of my life now, so they can drop dead."

When Syd opened himself up for her to take a free shot, she grinned as contemplated doing exactly that. She took a step forward, about to take a jab at him, but instead, fell into his opened arms and gave him a tight hug. Even though the gloves were a little restrictive it didn't matter. She placed her head against his shoulder and smiled contently. "How about you, Syd. Had any fights that you're cool to talk about?" she asked him.

Pyroclast (Syd)

 

[Bellz]

Faye Armstrong​

***Mayoral Parade***​

Faye's eyes watched the large crowds around them and couldn't help but feel a sense of nervousness. She was enjoying herself but something about not being able to see the amount of people was continuing to eat away at her, especially with her children running around with her. "Grace, don't go too far ahead. You too Quinn." She murmured softly, a soft smile presenting itself on her face. Her daughter seemed excited, and one might assume it was due to the Parade, but she new little Lily far better than anyone. Her daughter took on her more artistic traits and was excited for the opportunity to see life through the lens of a camera. Rolling her eyes as she suggested that taking happy pictures in front of shrubs would piss off Jared, "Oh Lily!" Faye said to her daughter in a teasingly stern voice. Regardless, Faye posed with Quinn and she smiled widely for the camera. It was after then that Quinn turned to her, reminding her that he still needed to check in on the Tailor Shop. Something about that just made her smile fade, clearing her throat, Faye nodded her head slowly, "Oh.." Was all she couldn't murmur to him as she was somewhat disappointed with the interruption of family time. She cleared her throat once more before putting on a brave face when her son quickly reminded her that he wouldn't abandon them just yet. "You better not Mister!" Watching Quinn reach out for Grace's camera, suggesting that he take a few photos of them, Faye chuckled, "Well hurry up then! I doubt I'll look this good if we continue to walk in this could for very much longer!" She said in a teasing voice to her children as she pulled her coat closer to her.

Her eyes watched them and wondered what they thought of this whole thing. Faye wasn't particularly pleased with the announcement that Jared would be running for Mayor, but she knew that she couldn't hold back her husband who worked tirelessly to provide for his family, her best friend who had been there for her since the beginning of it all, the man she loved. Her eyes watched her children interact and she wondered if they thought the same thing. She wanted her children to be able to have the perfect life, she wanted to let them have both of their parents while they still had the chance. When she spoke with Jared about this campaign, she hadn't really thought about how much time it would take out of their family life. His previous position already took up so much time, and she felt as though it had really effect their children's lives.

Not having Jared around was odd, it felt like a whole part of her was missing. A cold breeze passed through causing her too shiver and sniffle slightly, she wondered if her nose was pink from such whether as her mind snapped out of its thoughts, smiling at her children she shook her head, "Okay, Okay, if someone doesn't get a picture with their mummy in the next five seconds..." It was an empty threat of course but she held out her arms for one of her children to fall into them and take a picture with her.
With: Grace and Quinn Misty Gray Fletchawk
mentions: Jared Misty Gray

Peter Callahan​

***Porter House***​

Peter hadn't denied his wife when asked to go over to the Porter's after Finn had to head to the hospital with Conor. Peter was worried for Conor about Alex's condition and he hoped that little Michelle wouldn't have to face heartache of losing her mother. To distract his mind from wondering thoughts however, Sinead wanted to head over to the Porter's instead of being stuck in the house all day. Peter agreed to such a distraction and made sure Sinead didn't argue with him as he lifted her into his arms bridal style and walked her over to the house. Plopping her onto one of the many comfortable sofa's in the Porter's house, he grabbed a blanket and tucked his wife in tightly before smiling largely. Down the hall, he could hear the children playing with the dogs. Luckily that would provide distractions for a while as Peter sat on the couch, lifting up Sinead's feet and sitting them on top of his lap when settled in.

Massaging the balls of her feet lightly, the man shook his head gently before smiling at Sinead. "Oh lovely lovely Sinny, I would much rather be home taking care of my wife than being shot at...but don't tell James that." He said before he heard the pitter patter of tiny paws running across the tile. Soon enough, little Pistol could be seen running away from the children, turning quickly and jumping up onto Peter's lap, "Ahhh, there's a rat on me!" Peter gasped out before letting the little dog snuggle into the blanket, seeming desperate to get away from someone. Most likely Emmy, as she liked to pick up the only dog who was small enough for that. "Sinny, you cannot worry about work when you aren't healed yet, I'm sure everything is alright my dear. Don't try to hurry up and get better on my account."

Letting the little dog on his lap snuggle closer to him, he let out a sigh and chuckled at the sight. "Besides, this time allows me to make some new furry friends," He looked down at Pistol. "I still think it's a rat, but you know whatever floats Lucy's boat."

With: Sinead Misty Gray
mentions:

 

[Bellz]

Lucy Porter​

***Dublin Hospital ***​

Lucy didn't have time to argue with her mother as a nurse popped into the room far too quickly and was ready to begin the testing. The physical examination was a piece of cake and flew by as Lucy stayed silent and let the nurse do as she needed to. When it came time for the blood test however, the color drained from Lucy's face as she looked to her mother for support. She was nervous for a number of reasons, ones of which she really didn't have any control over. "Now you are just going to feel a tiny pinch." The older nurse whose name was already forgotten spoke to her, seeing the nervousness in the woman's movement. Lucy couldn't help but give a bittersweet smile at the nurse, almost wanting to say that she had been shot on numerous occasions, and that a needle was far more painful than anything she'd ever encountered. But as the needled was stuck into her skin and into her vein the blonde didn't mutter a sound. Instead she just closed her eyes a moment and let the nurse fill up the tubes with the right amount of blood she needed. About a minute or so later, she pulled the needle out and covered the tiny hole left with a cotton ball and medical tape. "Give us some time and we should have this done in no time, hang in there dear." The older nurse gave Lucy a reassuring smile before heading out of the room with the tubes of blood.

Lucy looked towards Shannon a moment, giving a slight laugh, "Funny, I've been shot with a bullet before and yet, needles are still up there on my list of fears." Moving off the examination bed, she took a seat next to her mother before looping an arm through hers and leaning her head on Shannon's shoulder. It was going to feel like time was moving at the pace of a snail. Staying positive was proving hard to do as the woman let her thoughts race, wondering if the did come back negative, would she be able to face all that heartbreak again. She was beginning to think that it wasn't worth it, that maybe this whole thing was for nothing as she stared at the white wall ahead of her.

***

The door opening made Lucy jump slightly in her chair and she stared the nurse down as she tried to read the woman's face. A doctor followed in behind her and Lucy moved her head off her mother's shoulder as she stared at the man with wide eyes, trying to assess the situation now. Biting her lip, Lucy looked towards her mother a moment before the doctor held out his hand's for the test results that the nurse had on paper in her hands. The nurse smiled towards Lucy before handing the Doctor the papers. "Now Mrs. Porter is it?" To which Lucy nodded her head quickly. "We ran all the blood tests that we could to see if the procedure was successful..." The way the Doctor was speaking with her, the blonde was ready for disappointment. Her eyes filled with tears as she was ready to hear the words that she was so sure was coming. "And we are happy to say that they did, Congratulation Mrs. Porter, it was successful. According to our hCG tests, you are actually about 6 weeks along." Lucy's tears fell down her cheeks as she placed both hands over her mouth. She couldn't believe the words that came from the Doctor's mouth. Turning her head, she buried it into her mother's shoulder as she felt embarrassed by the tears rapidly falling. The Doctor didn't seem to mind and he let the blonde have her moment as he turned to the nurse, quickly giving her things to cover before excusing himself from the room.
With: Shannon Misty Gray
Mentions:

 

[Misty Gray]

Grace Armstrong and Arlene Sullivan​

Grace rolled her eyes at Quinn as he told her to slow down so she didn't run out of film before things got properly started. It was almost as if he didn't think she was prepared for it, but she was definitely prepared and had extra rolls of film taking up half of her shoulder bag. "You underestimate me, dear brother," she playfully replied. When Quinn then mentioned needing to check on the tailors shop later, she folded her arms and pulled an exaggerated frown. "Hmm. You know who you remind me of? Our sweet father," she teased him, referring to Jared's obsession with work. "You're not leaving us until you've spent some time out here, Q!"

A smile grew on the teenager's face as her brother offered to take her picture with Faye. She lifted the strap from around her neck and handed the camera to Quinn. As she tidied her ruffled hair, Faye demanded someone hurried up to get their photograph taken with her. "Alright, Mum. Calm down..." she said, with an exasperated sigh. She then fell into her mother's arms and posed with her for a photograph, a bright smile planted firmly on her face. She briefly glanced behind them, checking the shrubbery that decorated the front of the Monarch Hotel was perfectly positioned behind them. Content, she then faced the camera and let Quinn take their picture. "Aww, man. We need to get a picture with all of us together..." she suggested. It wasn't often the family was all out together and even now they weren't a full house, but three of them was a rare enough occurrence these days.


Arlene had found her own way to the parade, so as not to be seen with any of the Porters or their affiliates. She'd been maintaining a casual appearance whilst keeping an eye out on those around her, looking for anything at all suspicious and listening to conversations as she passed people by. She'd noticed Ryan and Rudolph nearby, also observing those present just as she was. As she made her way closer to the hotel entrance and also nearer to the stage where the Commissioner would make his speech, her elbow knocked into Quinn's arm and she quickly turned to see who she had lightly collided with. She overheard Grace saying she wanted to have a photograph taken together, presumably wanting the photographer to be in the picture with the two ladies. Arlene figured she should offer to take the picture for them, a gesture to apologise for knocking into Quinn and also a way to keep herself looking natural at the parade.

"Sir, I do apologise," she said to Quinn, flashing the younger man an apologetic smile. She was acting by toning down her usual dry and sarcastic tone, but her words were genuine, nonetheless. As she looked between Quinn, Faye and Grace, she could only assume they consisted of two siblings and their mother, but there was an absence of a father figure. It was far from a new concept to her, but she still took note. The three people were completely unknown to Arlene, but anyone local who knew even a little of Jared Armstrong would recognise the man's family, being that he was a well-known businessman, charity fundraiser, and now a Mayoral candidate. Any of the Porters' members present would most likely recognise Jared's wife and kids too. Having only just arrived in Dublin, Arlene smiled at the seemingly random family of three and held out her arms to make her kind gesture. "Would you like me to take a picture of you three together?" she offered.

"Yes, please! Q, pass the lady my camera and come join us," Grace beamed, beckoning Quinn to stand with her and their mother for a group picture.

Bellz (Faye) Fletchawk (Quinn)
Mentions: Fletchawk (Ryan) Shireling (Rudolph)

 

[Misty Gray]

Shannon Sullivan​

Shannon remained in her seat as Lucy had her examination, allowing herself to read the various posters that were stuck up on the walls. When it came to the blood test, she knew how much her daughter disliked needles, even without seeing the colour drain from the blonde's face. She got up and stood to Lucy's free side, gently squeezing her shoulder as the nurse took the blood samples from her other arm. Shannon couldn't help but watch as the tubes filled up with the blood, not at all perturbed by the sight of the red fluid. She'd seen enough of it in her life and in all kinds of circumstances, but it was never something that affected her in the least.

Shannon returned to her seat with Lucy and let her daughter rest her head on her shoulder. "Hmm. With the idiots we've had to deal with, I'd have thought you'd be used to annoying little pricks by now," she joked, hoping to relax her daughter a little. She followed her gaze to the white wall and frowned. "Doesn't it piss you off how white and soulless the walls here are? You'd think they'd make it a little more welcoming. Honestly, a tin of paint, some stencils and a little payment, I'd make this place look nice."

When the door opened, the nurse and an attractive male doctor stepped inside. "Damn, he's already improved this room," she whispered to Lucy and nudged her arm. As the man began speaking, Shannon placed a comforting arm around her daughter's shoulder. As much as she hoped for good news, Shannon was more of a realist and had prepared herself to have to deal with a heartbroken daughter today. She was pleasantly surprised when it was good news and Lucy was given the news that she was pregnant. A large smile took over the woman's face and she couldn't deny, she felt a little choked up herself. When Lucy buried her head into her shoulder, Shannon gently rubbed her back and kissed the top of her head. "Congratulations, love. I'm so happy for you. You and James deserve this," she warmly told Lucy. A brief smirk flashed on her face before she made her next comment. "And, hey. I guess James will be made up to know he hasn't been firing blanks all along," she teased.


Bellz (Lucy)

Sinead Callahan​

Sinead contently sighed as Peter massaged her feet. "You're so good at this," she softly told him. She smiled when he told her he'd rather be looking after her than out working. "Nooo, I won't tell James. I don't want him giving you rubbish jobs in protest," she assured him. She arched her neck to look down to the source of the light pattering sounds but Pistol soon made his presence known as he jumped up onto Peter's lap. "Awww, nooo, Petey! He's not a rat. He's just an adorable puppy that never grows up," she sweetly protested. She too figured Lucy's purse dog was avoiding Emery and the girl's persistent need to cuddle him. "Oh no, Pistol. Is Emmy suffocating you?" The youngest Callahan child was very affectionate, though for a small animal, that could be far too much. "Uncle Petey will protect you!"

Sinead let out an exaggerated groan as Peter told her not to worry about work. "Ugh. I know... but I hate feeling so helpless and not showing my face at the club. You know how it is. When I was younger, everyone just thought I was naive and I had to fight for my independence." She knew her family would say her relationship with Angel had proved them right all of those years ago, which is why she felt she had to work double hard to prove herself now. "I just want to make sure people know I can look after our children and I can run the club."

She giggled when Peter persisted to refer to Pistol as a rat. "If my sister hears you, I'll be the one taking care of you. Lucy loves her little growth-challenged puppy!" Her laughter slowly faded as she thought of Lucy's undisclosed hospital appointment which then led her mind back to Alex's hospitalisation. "I hope Alex is going to be okay, and that Conor is coping... They were both there for me when I was rushed to hospital and I feel bad I can't help them now." She was aware most of their family were unaware of what was going on as they'd gone to the parade before hearing the news about Alex. "Little Shelly needs her mummy. My heart aches for her and Conor right now."

Bellz (Peter)

 

[Shireling]

Rudolph Meyers
​

It was getting to be about that time, and Rudy had to say that he had never attempted to stop an assassination before---but it was perhaps the hardest thing he had ever done in his career as a criminal. The only thing that compared was spotting Wehrmacht snipers burrowed in the snow in the Ardennes, or hiding in the belfries of old French churches. His eyes were instinctively drawn to the flat roofs of the townhouses and the old-style spires of the roofs of the banks and churches. Too many places for a potential shooter to hide, and all he had at the moment was a small caliber revolver, not the type of weapon most famed for taking out snipers.

He turned his head quickly when Ryan said something about the difficulty of the job. To be honest, he wasn't paying attention and it came out as a mumble to him, but he understood his gesture to his watch as signifying it was time to meet James, so he turned heel and made ready to walk that way.

Misty Gray Fletchawk

Kieran Joyce
​

Kieran also was not far from the parade. He was standing on the steps of a nearby house to get a better view of the parade. Under one arm he carried a fairly cheap field camera and a pair of binoculars, while in one hand he held a notebook and pencil. He wore a tweed coat with a green waistcoat, and a brown hat with a press card in the band. Although he had written for the school newspaper at Notre Dame, he never expected to be working the news again in his life---let alone in a foreign country.

He looked to see what he presumed to be a couple, Grace and Alexander, setting up a camera, then over to Rudy and Ryan. He wondered if Mr. Armstrong would really make a move on the Garda Commissioner, and if he did what the ramifications would be. He couldn't help but think, as a tertiary thought, of how valuable a first-hand account would be to the papers.

 

[Enzyme]

Commissioner Philip Morris

​

Philip's eyes slightly dragged to James at his response, a small smirk curling up his lips. "Then I'm glad to have you by my side." His attention was caught by the signaling of one of the Garda. "Show time," He mumbled, adjusting the edges of his pristine coat. Escorted by two Garda, the three men surveyed the crowd around the Hotel. A small path, in the center of the crowd, led all the way down to a large stage, protected by metal traffic barricades. As the men walked down the narrow opening, Gardai surrounded them on all sides. Even with this protection, Philip couldn't shake the apprehensive feeling. The crowd was boundless, covering every inch of concrete that the block could offer. Anyone in the sea of faces could fire a round into his skull and no one would be the wiser as to where the bullet came from. With the large threat of the IWU looming over his shoulder, he felt like a deer in the crosshairs of a hunter's rifle.

Despite his timid interior, his exterior couldn't be smoother. With the help of slow, deep breaths, he casually ascended the metal stairs without so much of a tremble. On stage, he had four Garda on both sides, assault rifles slung over their shoulders. His eyes looked to the crowd as he turned to the microphone. With that many people, it made it hard to make out the features of a single face. His hand adjusted the microphone on the wooden stand, his other hand smoothly pulling the written speech from his coat pocket.

He cleared his throat before edging the microphone closer to his lips. "People of Dublin, lend me your ears, for with the ability to comprehend, comes the ability to unify under one ideology," His hands shifted to both sides of the podium, his confidence in public speaking slowly coming back to him. "Lend me your eyes, see me for what I am, a human, just like you. I require food, water, and shelter to survive. These traits, however, don't make someone human. It's the feeling of compassion, sense of what is right and what is wrong, and the drive to see your fellow man succeed."

His gaze fell upon the crowd, seeing it as a single entity rather than a mass. "Lend me your hand, let me guide you through the darkness that these men around us have created. For the obliteration of buildings and the slaying of political figures does not define Dublin. Too long we have been under the boot of organized crime, under the shade of a lawless solar eclipse."

Every word from his mouth came directly from his heart. Unlike most politicians in Dublin, there was no subterfuge behind his words. "The night is always darkest before the dawn, ladies and gentlemen. I swear to you, on my family's honor, the dawn is coming. If you give me the opportunity to point Dublin in the right direction; I will do whatever it takes, day and night, to mold this city into something we can all be proud of."

Misty Gray (James/Jared/Arlene) Bellz (Blake/Faye) Shireling (Rudolph/Kieran) Fletchawk (Ryan/Alexander)

 

[Fletchawk]

Alexander Quinn Armstrong​

It annoyed Quinn when his sister compared him to their father, although he knew it was a jest, he felt a little guilty from the truth of the statement. The amount of people was increasing as the parade came closer to starting, but he largely ignored them as his focus was on the camera that had been handed to him. He noticed that it wasn't heavy but it had a certain weight to it as Quinn gave his sibling's camera a quick look over. While he didn't have a photographer's eye, he understood the basics of its operation. Quinn turned his attention and the camera's lens towards his mother and sister, he grinned mischievously as he kept a cheeky response to the remark about the cold.

Fortunately, he was done with taking the photos of Lily and their mother when his arm was bump by a passerby. Turning quickly to identify the person, Quinn smiled softly when greeted by a rather handsome face. "One would hardly call it an offence to bump into someone with such a charming poise. Still, your etiquette is appreciated." Seeing the woman pause, he tilted his head a little to the side as he was caught off guard by her accent. Lily's command refocused his attention to the situation and he quickly handed the woman the camera. "Thank you kindly, miss." Quinn quickly took his place behind his mother and sister as he stood almost a head taller than both, placing a hand on each of their outer shoulders.

Although he was tempted to pinch his sister on the backside of her arm for her comment earlier, he thought better of it for the sake of the photo. Immediately after the photo, he pulled his mother into a light hug. "I'm sure what he's doing right now is important. Just keep smiling, mother. It gives us all strength." Quinn had lowered his voice as so only his family could hear him. He normally wasn't overly public with his affection, but he'd felt her unease throughout the day and took the moment of contact to comfort his mother. Quinn gave her a quick reassuring smile before turning to the woman that had taken their photo for them. "Thank you again, Miss..." Quinn accepted the camera and relayed to his sister without deviating his gaze. "My name is Alexander, the energetic one is my sibling, Grace, and the other is my serene mother, Faye."

He had attempted to make introductions and socialize with captivating blonde that had helped them, but was interrupted by Commissioner Morris's making his presence known on the stage not far from them. The heavily armed men that guarded the stage reminded him of the unease that was underlying the mood of otherwise attentive crowd. Quinn was also of rapt attention as the man spoke of his intentions as Mayor of Dublin. The Commissioner's words rang with a clear honesty and part of him wished the man luck in the coming campaign. While Quinn wanted to support his father and his want of wanting what's best for the city, he couldn't help but think that the man on the stage as a more qualified candidate.

Misty Gray [Grace + Arlene] Bellz [Faye]
Mentions: Enzyme [Morris]​

 

[Misty Gray]

Mayoral Election Parade
Dublin City Centre​

James Porter
~ Detective Donnelly ~

James sent Philip a nod of agreement and encouragement when the man expressed he was glad to have him by his side. When the lawman received his signal to head outside to the stage, James quickly brushed passed the two escorts to take one last look at the surroundings outside before Philip emerged from the hotel. He saw Ryan and Rudolph close by so approached the two men. None of them had a clue that above them on the fifth floor, Jared and Blake were watching the stage. "I hate not being in control of this shit," he admitted to the two men as he instinctively felt for his holstered gun that was concealed under his suit blazer. "If anything happens to the Commissioner, an ambulance is parked up down the side of the apartment block," he said, pointing in the opposite direction to where they were standing outside the hotel. "The cops are in charge of this one, so essentially, if anything goes wrong here, it's on their heads," he reminded them. "That said, it's in ours and the public's best interests that Commissioner Morris lives long enough to win the election." Regardless of Philip's threats to put a stop to all organised crime, including James' activities, the man was good for the city. Jared was the complete opposite, as far as James was concerned.

"I'm not convinced all of the police officers present have the commissioner's best interests at heart, either. So I'm inclined to be suspicious of any help they appear to provide. If anyone attacks Morris, then we are permitted to use reasonable force to take them down," he told them, having cleared it with Donnelly. James was cut off as the commissioner began speaking. He briefly glanced to the man, but his focus was on everything else as he scanned those around the stage and then looked out to the crowd to scrutinise everyone watching. His attention briefly focused to Arlene as he noticed her conversing with Jared's wife and kids. She was a tough woman and capable of holding her own, but it still caught him a little off-guard to see her conversing with the Armstrongs. Either she was playing a cunning game or she was clueless as to who they were. Whichever it was, he hoped she was being smart about it. His attention was then switched to looking upon the apartment block opposite him. There were so many windows and vantage points that if a sniper was to be used, it would be damn near impossible to stop and equally difficult to locate the exact location of the shooter.

Tommy had parked his car up outside the Rose and Crown Pub just a minute away, but he'd been asked to keep position at the opposite end of the crowd to keep watch from behind everyone.

Fletchawk (Ryan) Shireling (Rudolph)
Mentions/nearby: Enzyme (Commissioner) Bellz (Faye) Fletchawk (Quinn) Shireling (Kieran)

The Monarch Hotel
Fifth floor, overlooking the parade, and opposite a six-storey apartment block.

​

Jared Armstrong

Jared let out a short chuckle as Blake suggested the task of proving her worth would be easy if Elijah had managed to do so. "It was a damn shame Ciara let him get himself locked up again. A man like that would have been very useful with the right level of control and direction. Ciara wasted the opportunity by getting emotionally involved. You should never mix business with pleasure, Blake," he reminded her, but kept an oddly reassuring smile on his face. His happy expression only grew when she asked who she was to take care of. "Now, my initial idea was to let you put a bullet in Jackson, but a woman as skilled as you can be put to greater uses than killing some meaningless thug." Jared stood up and motioned for Blake to also get out of her seat. He remained a few feet from the window as he peered down to the crowds below. "You're going to kill Commissioner Morris. He poses a threat to my election campaign and therefore a threat to the needs of the IWU."

Jared pointed in the direction of the lounge at the other end of the penthouse suite and asked her to follow him. The position of the lounge area was a little closer to the stage the commissioner would stand upon. The blackout blinds were completely closed, except for one which floated a few inches about the bottom of the frame, blowing ever so slightly in the breeze caused by the slightly opened window. Already set up on the stand was a sniper rifle, directed through the opened gap in the window and aimed towards the stage.

As they stood close to the rifle, Jared placed his finger to his lips to hush Blake for a moment so he could listen closely to the commissioner's speech emitting through the speakers. "I will do whatever it takes, day and night, to mold this city into something we can all be proud of." Jared let out a short whistle. "Just listen to him go. Hell, even I want to vote for him!" he remarked. He then folded his arms and cocked his head to the side, giving Blake her signal to do her duty. "Get it done, now, before the man finishes," he ordered her. "And don't try to do anything stupid, will you?" he said, pointing to his armed guard who wouldn't hesitate to hurt her.

Bellz (Blake)
Mention: Enzyme (Commissioner)

 

[Pyroclast]

Syd Porter

Syd braced himself when Skye positioned herself to punch him. It took him by surprise when she instead launched herself into his arms, but he didn't hesitate to return the tight embrace. His playful grin transformed into a warm smile as she rested her head against his shoulder.

"There are many I could tell you about...I have a pretty extensive history," Syd admitted. He wasn't sure how much to disclose about the fights he'd got involved in, but he wanted to give her an honest answer. "Fights were a big deal in the schools I went to. Often when something needed settling, someone would get picked to fight on their behalf. I was fast, fearless and always keen, which made me a common choice even against big guys. Growing up around my parents - I mean, my birth parents - and then the orphanage, I'd already learned to take damage pretty well." He paused for a moment as he poured through memories of his younger teenage years. It struck him as odd how long ago it all felt now, even though he'd only left school a couple of years ago.

"There was one time I'll never forget, though," he continued, his voice sounding a little distant as he wondered why he was telling her so much. "I was up against this real tosser, Gareth Lynch. He was bigger than me but had no real idea how to fight, so it wasn't hard to get him on the ground. The crowd kept cheering me on so I just kept hitting him...I didn't realise he'd smashed his head against the concrete and was already out cold. I never saw him wake up before the ambulance took him, so I thought I'd killed the fucker. One of the longest weekends of my life." He frowned slightly at the grotesque image of Gareth's bloodied face that had returned to his mind. "Needless to say, I was expelled from that one."

Syd let go of Skye and pulled his gloves off. "It was the only thing I was good at in that godforsaken institution. I had fun, and the popularity it got me was cool and all, but what I should've been looking for really were friends who cared if I got hurt." He looked up at Skye and gave her a smile. "'Course, I don't get into many fights these days. I need to control myself better if I'm going into the family business. Not be so reckless." Syd sent her a wink, but deep down he was hoping that he hadn't damaged her opinion of him in any way. He didn't want to ever be a burden on her or for her to lose patience with him, but his past behaviour meant that he didn't have the best track record of holding down girlfriends. That was the real reason he was so set on changing his priorities. In his eyes, Skye deserved better than the kind of guy he'd been in the past, so he was determined to stick to his word now.

Interactions
Misty Gray Skye

 

[Bellz]

Blake Walsh​

***Monarch Hotel****​

Blake watched the man's expression change as he seemed pleased with her response to him. She stood with him and slowly stepped around the chair and followed him as he looked towards the large window that looked at the crowds below. Blake saw her own reflection in the window, her blonde hair was in its natural state, soft blonde hair that fell in soft waves down her back, tuffs of hair slightly lifted in the back and some of them were stained a dark red. Blake followed where Jared was pointing with her eyes before he motioned again for her to actually walk with him. Her mind was numb as she tried to block out the pain from her scalp and what she was about to do. Commissioner Morris was a threat to Jared precious campaign and apparently that meant he was a threat to the IWU. Blake clenched her teeth as she took in the sniper and the small opening in the window, that would conceal her and the rifle perfectly.

Staying silent as Jared motioned her to, she listened closely as well. Morris was quite the public speaker, one who keep a crowd feeding out of the palm of his hands. Blake's eyes looked to Jared as he whistled lowly, causing her to jump slightly. Her heart raced as Jared went on with some sarcastic short speech, she wasn't in the mood to listen to him any further and she knew that her time to prove herself had come. Jared then nodded his head towards the sniper and she nodded her head once in return, clenching her hands into fists to keep from revealing how much they trembled. Taking a few firm steps towards the sniper, she slowly reached her right hand out, resting the butt of it against her shoulder. She could see Commissioner Morris through the small opening and took in a deep breath. She was trembling and for reasons she really couldn't explain. Blake wouldn't dare turn around, as Jared would most likely wouldn't have mercy on her and would have one of his goons finish her off. Just do it! Her mind screamed at her. And it seemed like the Commissioner was finishing his cheesy speech.

Blake once again focused up. The shot was lined up, all she had to do was pull the fucking trigger. In...out." Her mind reminded her to breathe, but she was far to shaky, far too nervous to even make this shot. SHOOT!! Her index finger, which had been resting on the trigger instantly pulled it back, letting the bullets fly. But something was off, she trembled harshly and her aim was instantly thrown off. She didn't care, she had made the shot. She watched Commissioner Morris go down, heard the screams and shouts from the men protecting her and the innocent parade goers. The blonde turned to Jared, wondering if he would just finish her off despite having finished what he started.

With: Jared Misty Gray
mentions: Commissioner Morris Enzyme

Lucy Porter​

***Dublin Hospital ***​

Lucy didn't know what she would do without her mother. She could either brighten up a room or make it her bitch but Lucy had always loved that about her. Right now, she was brightening it up. Even after she was given the wonderful news, her mother still had to jab at her funny bone. Through the tears of happiness the blonde let out a rather loud chuckle and scoffed immediately afterwards,"MUM" Lucy shook her head and let out another series of laughs before wiping underneath her eyes. Rolling her eyes, she couldn't help the wide smile that was beginning to make her cheeks hurt. "I guess that would make him rather happy." She said, her tone mimicking her mothers before looking towards the doctor and nurse apologetically. The doctor cleared his throat lightly and nodded his head, "Well your nurse here will give you all the information needed and I want to see you back here in a month or so for your first check up. " With that, he looked almost relieved to escape the awkward conversation turning and practically running from the room.

Lucy waved him away before turning to the nurse who just smiled and laughed off the Doctor's reaction. After giving Lucy a few paper's on pregnancy along with a slip reminding her that they set an appointment for one month from then, the nurse sent them on there way with all of that information and Lucy left the hospital feeling a lot better than she had felt going into it. The blonde's armed was looped with her mother's as they were walking out towards the entrance of the hospital. When passing through Lucy saw Conor, Finn and Michelle. She looked to Shannon a moment, knowing she might not support the relationship between Alex and Connor, but she knew she would keep it together for Michelle. Walking over to them, Lucy tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Hey..."

With: Shannon +Conor Misty Gray
Mentions: Michelle neverbackdown

Faye Armstrong​

***Mayoral Parade***​

Faye rolled her eyes at her children, knowing both of them didn't like hearing that they were more like their father than they thought. It wasn't fair to her, that they didn't give their father the proper chance. There were times when Faye often thought that she had lost the man she had fallen in love with, but ever day, she saw more of the old him and less of the man she had grown to dislike. Smiling for the camera, Faye kept her face light and happy for the sake of her little family who was missing an important part of the picture. She was about to speak to Quinn to express how she wished they could all be in the picture, a young woman bumped into him and they began to converse. Faye was silent as Quinn took his place behind the two of them and she once again managed to pull a smile for the camera.

"I don't think I approved of you being so tall, my boy." Faye murmured affectionately before her son pulled her in for a light hug. She nodded softly along with his quiet words, feeling blessed that she had children to hold her up through all of this, reminding her that she could be strong. Quinn turned towards the unknown woman before Faye sucked in a light breath. As introductions were made, Faye nodded her head and offered the blonde woman a smile before all attention was turned towards the stage. As Commissioner Morris started his speech, even Faye couldn't help but be captivated by the smooth words that left the man's lips. Jared was just as qualified for the position but there was just something about the man that stood out. Jared had made the decision to run for Mayor rather quickly, and while Faye supported him wholeheartedly, a part of her wished she had the courage to just say what she truly felt.

Faye wrapped her arms around Grace a moment, smiling at her softly as she looked on towards the Commissioner. Everything was so silent, that the sound of gunfire tore through it, it caused Faye to almost scream out, a strangled cry escaping her lips. Faye looked at the stage where the Commissioner had once stood, before pulling her daughter towards where the crowd was running. "Let's go!" She demanded her children.

With: Grace and Quinn Misty Gray Fletchawk ; Arlene Misty Gray
mentions: Jared Misty Gray

Peter Callahan​

***Porter House***​

Despite the light conversation about Pistol, Peter could see how distraught Sinead was about what people thought of her. "Love, who cares what other's think about you? I mean, I think you are doing a marvelous job at raising our children and managing the club, but sometimes, we need a break." He murmured as he looked down at the small pup who had nestled into his lap. Peter shook his head with a sigh before looking back up at his wife, gently continuing to massage her feet. "Hey, I can take on Lucy any day, but throw James in there and I might be heading for the hills for a while." He said, putting a teasing smile on his face, wanting his wife to cheer up a bit. But as she brought up the Alex situation, he knew she wasn't going to be cheered up so easily and honestly, neither would he.

"Alex has been through a lot, if I recall from everyone's stories about her. I think she can certainly pull through my love. Michelle is a little fighter and Conor...well he's a big boy Sinead." Peter murmured to her as he dug his thumbs a little bit further into the balls of her feet, hoping to relieve some of that pressure from her feet. "We can be there for all of them. And I can't promise you that things will get better, but they are all very very strong."
With: Sinead Misty Gray
mentions:

 

[Misty Gray]

Jared Armstrong​

Jared stood back with his eyes fixed on Blake as she hesitated. Whilst it was frustrating to watch, he knew the commissioner would get shot today whether Blake pulled the trigger or someone else did. It would simply be less complicated if Blake complied with her orders now. She eventually squeezed the trigger. The sound of the gunshot was immediately followed by the screams from those standing in the crowd below. Jared took a few steps back and stood on his tiptoes to look down to the stage from one of the uncovered windows, ensuring he remained out of sight. He saw the commissioner collapsed on the stage with his entourage surrounding him. There was no time to confirm the man was dead, but he'd clearly been shot and the priority was getting out of the hotel before it was too late. There would be another distraction to assist his getaway, but that didn't mean Jared shouldn't rush now.

"Well done," he commended the woman as she turned to face him. He then reached into his inside pocket, which for a split second would worry Blake as she was already considering if the man was going to kill her. Instead, he grabbed a set of keys and tossed them to his guard. "Pack up the equipment and get out of here as soon as. Don't bother checking out, Mr. Hargreaves," he said, referring to the fake name his employee had used when checking into the suite.

"Keep your mouth shut and follow me," Jared ordered Blake. He briefly lifted his jacket to reveal his concealed gun, reminding her not to try anything stupid during their escape. Jared cautiously stepped out of the room, noting the corridor was empty other than one of his guards. The guard lead them towards the emergency exit, checking everything was clear ahead of them. The stairs eventually led them down to the underground parking lot, where a pretty basic looking black Ford Anglia awaited them. It would draw less attention to them once the driver pulled out of the parking lot and merged with the traffic at the back of the hotel. "Get in," Jared told Blake, pointing to the back seat of the car which he would follow her into.

Once the driver had set off, Jared turned to Blake and smirked in her direction. "I have to admit, I thought you'd bottle it, Blake." He glanced out of the window at the people who were dispersing from the scene of the shooting. "We're going to drop you back off at your apartment so you can get yourself dressed properly," he noted, only now choosing to acknowledge the lack of normal clothing she was wearing. "I hope I can trust you, Blake. I have an election campaign to work on and the Porters to silence. Their next move will be to try undermine me, but I have ways of persuading them to back off." He looked to Blake and smiled. "On the subject of silencing people. I have to ask you, Blake. How is your relationship with Ciara? I believe I have convinced her of the consequences should she say too much, but it would be in everyone's best interests if you would keep reminding her of that fact. She's going to be spending quite some time in jail and the wardens don't take too kindly to those who almost kill cops. Even so, I can see to it she suffers tenfold."

Bellz (Blake)

 

[Misty Gray]

Skye McKendrick​

Skye closed her eyes as she listened to Syd speaking about his past. She was content in his arms and fully attentive to what he was saying. It soon became clear he had a rough school life, where it seemed the boys had little choice but to fight to get by there. And that was after his life with his birth parents and the orphanage. When he went on to explain about Gareth, who's head he'd practically smashed against the floor, she briefly opened her eyes as she processed it. She wasn't one to judge his past after the things she'd experienced, but her initial thought was that he may have unintentionally killed the guy. He soon confirmed the guy did survive and a faint smile crossed her lips, glad Syd didn't have to live with the burden of killing someone. "I'd have expelled you too, Mr. Badboy," she lightly told him.

When Syd let go of her, Skye followed his lead and removed her gloves too, tossing them to one side on the floor. She perched herself on the end of one of the weight lifting benches, lifting her feet up and crossing her legs as she looked up to the young man as he continued to speak. "Oh my. What did James say when you got expelled?" she curiously asked. She expected he'd be furious. In reality, James had been quite forgiving of it, having not cared about school himself when he'd been a kid and believing Syd would still come good. The man didn't need his kids to get some poncy job, he just wanted them to be driven and successful. Still, James had been pissed at Syd for almost going too far and being reckless, along with giving him a lecture about not getting caught in future. "No, I think you're very grown up now, Syd. Your dad was training you earlier so I'm sure he wants you to join him in his business," she softly told him. "And, you have friends and family now who do care if you get hurt." She smiled at him and nodded her head. "I reckon your parents are proud of you. I know I am," she said, with a smile. "I still feel bad about getting you into trouble when your sisters and I snuck out the other week, though. I guess I need to stop being reckless too."

Pyroclast (Syd)

 

[Enzyme]

Carter Dresden​

"This place is gonna fuckin' roast," The gasoline splashed upon the floor as the goons indiscriminately dumped the liquids. "It's ceramic, this shit won't burn." Carter watched on as the men argued, letting out an exasperated sigh. "The floor installation is made of polystyrene, it'll light up like a candle. Now, get back to work - we don't have all day." The metal canisters banged as they forced the liquid out, covering every inch of the small room. Unlike the men present, Carter knew just how much damage this would cause. The small cafe was attached to buildings on both sides. If the fire department wasn't quick enough, the whole block would be set ablaze in no more than half an hour.

After the last canister was carelessly discard upon the floor, the men stepped towards the back exit. The smell of gasoline, while somewhat intoxicating, caused Carter to look away from the men. "Christ, did you pour it on your clothes? Get outta' here before you light yourselves on fire." The men chuckled to each other, stepping out into the alleyway. Carter pulled the rolled up newspaper from his back pocket, searing the edge with a match. "Let's end this," One of the goons said, a sinister smile poking from ear to ear. Carter returned his malicious expression, holding the open fire towards the cafe door. "Don't be stupid. This is only the beginning."

_____________________________________

Commissioner Philip Morris

​

A small portion of the crowd's attention was drawn to a black cloud stringing up the sides of the apartment walls. Even Philip's concentration was broken, his gaze drawn to the peculiar sight. Smoke poured out of the open slits of the main door and flooded out onto the streets. Before anyone could register what was happening, the center glass window to the cafe exploded, a large fireball following close behind the shards of glass. The explosion was enough the shake the concrete they stood on, a few people engulfed by the refrigerator sized fireball. Screams soon erupted and people began to disperse from the center of the road. Philip stood shellshocked, holding both the microphone and notes in both hands.

The Galda rushed to Philip's side, but their reaction time was too late. A bullet cut sharply through the strap of his kevlar vest and into his left shoulder, just below his collarbone. It felt as if a string was attached to his back, as the force of the round ripped him to the floor of the stage. There he laid, a loud ringing emitting in his ear drums. Perhaps it was the earsplitting sound of the bullet ripping through his tendons or maybe it was just the shock of his body attempting to mask the pain.

His muddled eyes looked to the Garda standing over him. They looked at him as if he were an extraterrestrial being, their expressions struck with confusion and terror. "Get him the fuck out of here!" They attempted to drag him off the stage, hoisting him by his waist to avoid touching his mangled shoulder. While pulling him to the ambulance James had set up, he was met with multiple voices, begging for a response from him. He couldn't find his voice, instead forced to sit with his own thoughts and process what had just happened.

Misty Gray (James/Jared/Arlene) Bellz (Blake/Faye) Shireling (Rudolph/Kieran) Fletchawk (Ryan/Alexander)

 

[Misty Gray]

Grace Armstrong and Arlene Sullivan​

Arlene couldn't help but smile brightly when Quinn complimented her charming poise. "Manners cost nothing," she assured him. She took the camera from him and as the Armstrongs positioned themselves ready for the photograph, she took a brief look at the gadget to identify the location of the shutter button. She then held the camera up to her face and peered through the view finder before taking a couple of snapshots of the family. "You three look gorgeous," she assured them.

When Quinn introduced himself and his family, Arlene gifted them with yet another warm smile. "It's a pleasure to meet you all. I'm Arlene," she told them and returned the camera to Quinn. She didn't have time to say much more as the commissioner started his speech. She folded her arms and turned to face him, but her eyes were busy scanning the crowd nearby. As the man spoke of the organised crime problems, she suddenly felt right at home. New York, Chicago and Dublin all had crime problems, and all of them involved her own family. Not that she felt bad about that, as she believed the Sullivans and Porters were the good guys.

Grace took some photographs of Commissioner Morris before lowering her camera and listening closely to his words. She believed her father to be a good man, just like the man standing on the stage. He clearly wanted what was best for people. The only difference was, the commissioner wasn't her father, so him being mayor would be better in her own selfish way. She would prefer if Jared had more free time, rather than busying himself with politics now. She hoped the crowd liked the speech as much as she did. "Ohh, I like this guy!" Grace spoke up as she leaned back into her mother's arms. As soon as the gunshot was heard, Grace froze on the spot. Initially, her mind darted back to the National Guard she had photographed earlier. Their rifles had freaked her out enough before this point. Her eyes fixed on the commissioner as he collapsed onto the stage with a bullet hole in his shoulder.

As Faye pulled her, Grace resisted, her thoughts focused on hoping the poor man would be okay. She was snapped out of that when Arlene stepped in front of her and blocked her view of the stage. "You heard your mother, Grace. You should get away from here," she told her as she caught sight of the fire in the distance. She turned away, her jaw tightening at fact nobody had managed to prevent the commissioner from being attacked.

Grace loosened up and allowed Faye to pull her away from everything. She glanced to Quinn to make sure he was with them. "That poor man. Who would be so cruel? Sick bastards..." she trailed off.

Bellz (Faye) Fletchawk (Quinn)

 

[Misty Gray]

Sinead Callahan​

Sinead managed a weak smile as Peter reassured her, but soon enough it grew into a genuine one. She couldn't stay grumpy around her sweet husband for very long at all. "Thank you, baby. It's a joint effort, though. You're such a wonderful daddy and husband. I dread to think what my life would have been like if you hadn't walked into it," she told him. She looked to her hand as she contently studied to the wedding ring on her finger. Whilst she believed she was a capable mother and manager, she knew it had been Peter and Savannah who had helped her find herself again years ago, when she felt like she would never feel true happiness again.

Sinead looked back to her husband, letting out a pleased sigh as she felt his massage doing its bit to relieve some of her tension. "I hope you're right about Alex. Conor only just filled that void in his heart and little Shelly deserves to have a life with both of her parents." She pouted at mention of Conor being a big boy. "Ohhh, I knooow," she sweetly replied. "You know that we worry about each other. Usually, it's him worrying about me, but this time I'm concerned for him. I just hope his daughter's presence is now enough to stop him from being his old reckless self." She bit her bottom lip and quickly nodded her head. "But you're right. They are all very strong and they've got lots of us to look out for them." She pushed herself upright a little and moved her head forward towards Peter. "What I'm really worried about in this very second is... when someone's going to get me another drink. Hmm?" she teased him. "Might as well milk this while I can, yes?" she playfully added, the hoarseness in her dry throat audible. "Gosh, I bet I've got so much making up to do when I'm better. In all kinds of ways," she flirted, with a playful wink.

Bellz (Peter)

 

[Pyroclast]

Syd Porter

"He was less bothered about the expulsion than he was about what I did," Syd explained. He stood before Skye, who had seated herself on one of the weight benches, and scratched his head for a second before letting out a laugh. "Honestly, I think the lecture was softened by the fact that I came out on top - if they knew how many falls I've taken myself, I'd have been in trouble far more often. How they put up with me all these years, I don't know...I must have given them so much grief. I don't know why I'm laughing, really."

Despite only being early afternoon, Syd was beginning to feel the tiredness setting in again. It was mostly from the exercise, but the lack of natural light in the basement didn't help. He lay down on the mats a few feet away from Skye, propping himself up on one elbow and running his hand over the creases of cracked leather in the mats. Skye's kind words reminded Syd of the conversation he'd had with his dad that morning and he remembered all the encouraging things he'd said.

"Nah, you're right. What am I talking about...of course they don't see me as a disappointment. I shouldn't even question it," he said, a bemused frown forming on his face. "Sorry... Mr. Badboy became Mr. Patheticboy for a moment there." When he looked up he immediately caught her eye, and took in the soft smile that graced her lips before the same one began to spread across his.
"You need to stop feeling bad about that, Skye," he said. "First off, no amount of trouble could stop me going after you when you could be in danger, so I have no regrets. Second...I don't know about you, but up until we got caught I was having a pretty good time." The disturbing memories he'd reawakened had now been replaced with one of Skye in her knee-length blue dress, her hand upon his shoulder, standing close to him upon the bar...

Before he knew it, Syd was grinning like an idiot again, and he dragged a hand across his face to try to suppress the blush that was now surfacing on his cheek.
"Tell me something about you I don't know," he said through a yawn. "I want to know you better. And if you stop talking I might just fall asleep on these mats..."

Interactions
Misty Gray Skye

 

[Fletchawk]

Ryan Donahue​

Ryan and Rudy didn't have to wait long before James came out of the hotel. He turned his attention from the surrounding crowd and building when James addressed them. "Great." The word was so dry and heavy with sarcasm that carried through with the rest of Ryan's response. "Never thought I'd be protecting a police commissioner from their own force, but here we are." He knew James had only sided with Commissioner Morris out of necessity, but he still didn't like it. Ryan's discomfort with their allegiances only grew as he listened to the man's speech.

The familiar sound was what affected him first and before he could identify the source as a fireball that erupted seconds from a building nearby. His senses were assaulted as the sound of the hungry flame greedily expanded through the air. There was only a split second before the wave of heat washed over them, but it lasted much long in Ryan's mind. His sudden terror and adrenaline spike froze the world around him as he watched the angry fire bellow outward from the building in towards the street. When the heat finally reached him, everything started moving faster than he could comprehend as his focus narrowed on the inferno. Ryan closed his eyes, trying to disconnect himself, but it was burned into his mind. He knew what was coming as the world around him continued to blur until it reshaped into something horribly familiar.

It was suddenly night and he could smell nothing but his burning home. He could feel the asphalt under his feet and muted sirens were in the background, but the crackle of the blaze was crystal clear. The fire wasn't the only light but it easily out shined everything else with it's evil glow. The wail of his distraught mother echoed in his head. Ryan remembered ignorantly asking where his father was even though the answer was painfully obvious. The words were muted as well, the cackling laughter of embers overcasting him. He watched as the roof crumbled underneath its own weight and it showered the night sky with sparks that drifted away with a fatal beauty. Ryan had never felt colder as the realization washed over him.

The echoes of the gunshot brought his flashback to a halt as his training and years of practice wrenched him back to reality. Ryan's eyes flicked open to reveal the situation around him. He could still feel a chill as he instinctively reached for his firearm but it was quickly evaporating, as he quickly scanned his comrades for wounds. Not detecting the familiar sight of a gun wound on his comrades, his view shifted to the next person of interest. Ryan had to stop himself was charging onto the stage when he saw the Commissioner collapsed and his surrounding guards swarming to protect him. Best not. I'm not wearing their colors and they'll like shoot anyone unfamiliar. He could now smell the fire and it was affecting his decision making, so he turned to their leader, James. "What are your orders, sir?"

Misty Gray [James] Shireling [Rudy]
Mentions: Enzyme [Morris]

 

[Enzyme]

Jackson McCarthy

​

After escaping through the aqueduct system under the docks, Jackson climbed up onto the streets. He had seemingly lost the men that had captured him, no longer able to hear their distant shouts and clattering of their feet upon the wood. Injured, confused, and half-conscious; Jackson aimlessly ascended up the narrow streets. He had decided to ditch the handgun he had stolen, after trying to shoot at the feet of the men on the docks, only to have the gun jam from the excessive water in the slide. Jackson wanted to find some sort of familiarity in the scenery around him, in order to get back to the Porters, but he hadn't a clue as to where he was. The head-pains were getting worse and his feet weren't getting any lighter. Not too far from the shore, he collapsed on the sidewalk beside a bakery.

Jackson awoke in a sterile bed, secured in Dublin's Beacon Hospital. From the diagnosis he was given by the doctor who was overseeing him - Jackson was suffering from a severe concussion, fractured bones, and dehydration. Jackson wasn't ready to hold an alibi, nor was he in the right state of mind to fabricate one. Instead, he gave the doctor an unsatisfying string of slurs until the man decided that he was too injured to hold a coherent conversation.

After being left alone to rest, Jackson's eyes drew to the open window. His mind wandered to James, to what he would think of his abrupt absence, before falling on Blake. The last thought of Blake was her being dragged away. That was enough to slap any sense he had right back into his damaged skull. He could feel the cold-sweats begin to form, his hand instinctively moving for the IV catheter in his wrist. The panic began to set in and, even this injured, he knew he had get out of there.

Misty Gray
Mention: Bellz (Blake)