Realistic or Modern Empire City: The Irish Mob - IC (Closed)

[Misty Gray]

Jasmine Carpenter
Adam Harper​

Adam smirked when Chase pointed out he knew how to handle himself. "He probably wishes he'd aimed the blade at my throat," he casually pointed out. Adam had long since stopped fearing what his enemies could do to him. Considering everything he'd gone through and the people he'd murdered or injured, he'd grown to expect losing the fight one day. Whilst he'd rather win every time, he wasn't going to allow himself to feel any apprehension about his line of work. However, Chase's mentioning of the family and Peter's kid's caused Adam to feel more concerned. Since befriending Peter behind bars, Adam had also come to know more of the Irish family personally. If he was being honest, he'd grown quite fond of them and they were certainly worth protecting. If anything, he was more concerned for their lives than his own. He was still waiting for the go-ahead from Conor to pay a serious visit to the gang who had almost killed Savannah at the arcade. "I called it in to those on security at the Porter house and let them know about my altercation. Simone's going to pass the details on to the boss," he assured Chase. "All the boss has to do is say the word..."

"Well, give me the heads up and I'll be right there with you," Jasmine calmly pointed out. Having spent some time as Sinead's protection, Jasmine had got to know the Callahan kids a few years ago, so didn't like to think that they were being dragged into the violence now.

"Ah, yes. 'Rest' is definitely an English word. The Spanish blood in me is what keeps me going strong," he said, flexing his uninjured bicep whilst trying to draw a reaction from Jasmine.

"Isn't your father American?" she drily asked.

"Yeah, and he's a lazy bastard," Adam was quick to reply, letting out a chuckle. He didn't believe it was at all far from the truth. His father might have been the breadwinner when Adam was growing up, but in the household it was his mother who he recalled had to do everything - practically waiting hand and foot on the pompous prick. Adam never did hold the man in high-esteem, but his mother and siblings had always defended the old man.

Getting back to the topic at hand, Adam patted Chase on the back before crouching down to retrieve the box his friend had kicked. For the time-being, he stored it on one of the shelving racks, between two indistinct boxes, until he was ready to start bagging it up. He chuckled at the suggestion of taking some of it for a boost to himself. "Ice-cold? You're such a romantic," he remarked, shaking his head in amusement.

It became apparent that Chase and Jasmine needed to be getting back on with the job. Chase mentioned that Conor would have his and Jasmine's heads if the drugs were stolen. Adam was about to respond when his friend went on to tell Jasmine the hat suited her. He briefly observed the pair, trying to recall how often they worked together and if there was some kind of in-joke. As tempting as it was to make some teasing comment to try embarrass his friends, Adam deciding against making any jokes that might make them uncomfortable and therefore jeopardise their working relationship. Instead, he chose to focus on the comment about the boss having their heads if they messed up. "I wouldn't want to get on the wrong side of the new boss. Mr. Sullivan's got quite the temper and a violent reputation to go with it. Y'know, back in jail some of the guys compared Conor to that comic book character. You know the one... the Hulk," he pointed out. "Best not make him angry," he said, turning away as he chuckled.

"Okay. Back to work, then," Jasmine said. She straightened out her cap, ready to step back out into the pouring rain. As they walked to the door, Jasmine looked to Chase with a smile planted on her face. "So you think it suits me, huh? I'm afraid Micky's not getting it back."

Pyroclast (Chase)

 

[Fletchawk]

"Eomeoni, I need to go back. I owe too much, left too much, to not go back."

To say that his mother that dismayed at his words was like saying a miser was slightly miffed at losing their life savings. Su-yeong gave a litany of reasons for him to stay, at least until after Thanksgiving, and it left Owen torn. He wanted to stay, to reconnect, to discover more about the biological father that knew for less than a minute. The man that died delivering an old worn letter. The man that never stopped looking for a son he never knew. Feeling the need to find out more about his "real" father, Owen had left with little more than a short promise on a note for his friend, Danny.

"I'll be back. 오웬"

* * *

​

It was during the small hours of his birthday that he was woken by the gentle nudging of his new grandmother, Mary. Once Owen had sat up in the couch he'd been sleeping on for the last several days, the old woman eased herself into her usual chair. Owen had been made aware of her senility, but the woman watched him with a focused intent.

"What is it, ma'am? Do you need something?"he asked, blinking the sleep from his eyes.

"You'll be late if you don't leave soon," her voice barely more than a whisper.

"Late for what?"

"The train, my dear. It leaves for New York in a few hours," she said, her gaze shifting to the coffee table not quite between them.

Following suit, Owen realized that there were three things that weren't there the night before: a trench coat, what looked like a cigar box, and a fat envelope. She must of read his face when looked back at her, because she just shook her head a bit before gesturing it towards the things on the table.

"The coat was my late husband's. But my son inherited my family's side of broad shoulders, and I couldn't bring myself to tailor it. It should fit you reasonably though, so happy birthday," she said, pausing for a few moments as she stared the table, "The gun was your father's, and yours by right. He left it behind, and paid dearly for it. I won't let you repeat that mistake," the stoneiness of her voice increasing as she stared at it, "And the money is a loan for train fare and anything else you might need in New York. So now you owe me, and I expect you to return in order to make good on it."

Owen only nodded in compliance while he opened the box to confirm that there was indeed a firearm inside. The leftover grogginess slipped away instantly at the sight of metal and his grandmother's intent finally clicked in, "She'll come after me, won't she?"

"Not while I'm still alive, as my care was among the few things my son requested of her before he left. Whatever you might think of her, she's a woman that holds true to her word," she said, a wispy smile playing on her lips, "Besides, I'm sure you have questions about the man behind the curtain, and I doubt you'll find those answers here."

* * *​

The city welcomed back with a chilly indifference, and many of his contacts were out of reach for the holiday, leaving the street level toughs to handle things for the day. The old apartment that he and Danny shared was still condemned, but empty. So he made his way to The Lomax, looking for Danny, and the man he'd stonewalled before leaving, preferably in that order. Turning the corner to the club's service entrance, the body of a large truck had taken up most of the alleyway. Given the time of night, and the club's affiliation, Owen decided against interrupting what he assumed was a delivery.

Seeing no need to hide his presence, he took shelter under the small overhang of the door to light a cigarette. Despite the smoothness of a higher quality brand, his throat was raw from the chain smoking he'd done to ease the anxiety of being trapped on a train for an entire day, but the warmth of his grandfather's coat reminded him that it hadn't been the worst birthday either. His lack of sleep was making it difficult though, to keep his mind from wandering from the business that needed to be addressed, to keep from reliving memories he wasn't sure were real, and from dwelling on the very distinct possibility that everything about the 'Father' that raised him was a lie.

The turning of the door handle snapped him back to reality, and the build up of ash dropped from the wasted cigarette as his head jerked to see who was coming out of the building, "Merry Christmas." he said loudly, causing his throat to throb while he leaned against the building.


Pyroclast (Chase)
Misty Gray (Harper & The Spice Girl)

 

[Pyroclast]

Chase Zegarra

“Let’s just be thankful he’s not as bright as you are, huh?” Despite Adam’s indifference, there was a touch of concern in Chase's tone. He knew that Adam wasn’t the sort of person to dwell on near-death experiences, nor what could have been; similarly, Chase had never felt hesitant to put himself in harm’s way, and the only thing he ever ruminated on was why that might be. Getting injured was no pleasant experience and he felt content with his life, never encountering thoughts of wanting it to end. Death, to him, was just part of life - everyone met their end at some point, and if he went out fighting then he would at least die with honour. Yet, although he identified with Adam’s calm approach to death, it wasn’t quite as easy to hear it from someone other than himself. At least the man was more serious about the safety of the more vulnerable family members, and Jasmine was also quick to volunteer her help at the boss’ command. Chase gave them a decisive nod, proud to work among such devoted and capable people.

From watching Adam joke around, no one would be able to tell the day he had had. Chase found humour in the apparent truth of it; he couldn’t remember a time in his life when he hadn’t been working, even in infancy. It was a part of growing up on a tobacco farm under his Cuban father's influence, never being without something to do. Even in the strong heat, production didn’t slow down. Jasmine’s quip drew a smirk from Chase and he leaned towards her. “Let him have it, Jasmine,” he murmured, not too discreetly. “I think it’s his ego that keeps him going...”

As the man turned back to his job, he warned them about Conor turning into the Hulk if they lost the large shipment of drugs. “Hey, Spanish blood, remember?” he jokingly called after him. Despite Conor’s reputation, Chase didn’t feel intimidated by the man, having enough confidence in himself to right his own wrongs were he ever to fail him. Still, Adam’s warning was fair - he knew it wasn’t worth the risk of leaving the goods unattended and so didn’t waste any more time hanging around. The thought of being alone with Jasmine again after their personal conversation hadn’t crossed his mind until she referred back to his passing comment about her looking good in Micky’s cap, a sweet smile on her face. Without a word, Chase pulled the cap over her eyes so that she wouldn’t see him blush and pushed the door open.

“Woah, watch it -”

The young man he had almost hit with the door turned to face them and exclaimed a festive Christmas greeting. Squinting against the heavy rain, Chase threw him a puzzled look before turning to Jasmine. “How long were we in there?” He took a moment to look Owen up and down. It surprised him to see him on the doorstep considering he hadn’t passed him at any point. After a brief glance at his watch, Chase asked, “You here on a job, Blue? I haven’t seen you in ages. We’re heading to the storage unit if you want something to do, unless Adam is expecting you?”

Interactions
Misty Gray Adam, Jasmine
Fletchawk Owen

 

[Fletchawk]

Owen Yu​

"Not long," he said, gesturing to the unfinished cigarette, "Just got back, from visiting family I guess, so I'm checking in."

Owen was having trouble placing either of the two's names after his thoughts were wrenched from elsewhere, so he greeted them with a quick grin before taking a final puff from his vice to buy himself a moment or two. The man looked familiar, and his brain wanted to say that his name started with a 'C' or a 'S'. The woman drew up a complete blank, but her boyish apparel and handsome features were certainly appealed to Owen's taste. Moving aside for them to pass, he grabbed the door to keep it from closing.

"Thanks for the offer though, but no need for me to be a third wheel," he said coyly, "Unless you're having troubles keeping up, in which case, I wouldn't mind having a try after I'm done here..."

After giving the woman a playful wink, Owen flicked the remainder of his cigarette off into the cold, damp night and headed inside. Once there, he waited for the door to close behind him before he continued, whistling loudly to alert whomever of his uninvited presence. He hoped Danny was on duty, and that he'd be able to explain his disappearance before facing the real music.

Pyroclast (The Cuban)
Misty Gray (Adam, Jasmine)

 

[Bellz]

Gwen Bryant​

Despite being furious, Gwen gave her love the floor as he explained the reasoning behind why he lied to her. She was being a bit hypocritical and she knew it, but she had thought that they were past all of the lies at this point in their relationship. Crossing her arms, she raised her eyebrows as he explained his mother whom she only heard of briefly in the past. He was emotionless for the most part but Gwen had known him long enough to tell that what he was saying had affected him greatly in life.

His mother’s name was very familiar and Gwen felt dumb that she hadn’t put the two together before. If it was a snake it would have bit her right in the fucking face. What didn’t make sense to her was how a mother could not want her own son, Gwen loved Lorelei with everything she had despite her drug problem and Gwen herself had never felt unloved by her own mother so she had no idea what it was like to feel the way Jason did. But she was trying to understand.

When he spoke of them being in New York and how he had been invited to see her, Gwen’s heart softened as Jason’s head hung. He’d come here for his dream...and that was taken from him. Gwen couldn’t help but feel responsible for it all, for his failing start on Broadway. They were both without jobs now...which that realization only just begun to hit her. Shaking her head, Gwen didn’t feel as angry as she had before when she stepped out into the rain. He apologized and Gwen merely shrugged, releasing a heavy sigh as she looked towards the house where the party was still going on.

”I’m not upset anymore.” She said before closing the gap between them and throwing her arms around his neck. Burying her wet head into his soaked jacket, she allowed herself a few moments to process everything before lifting her head. ”My mother was never like that...so I don’t know what it is your going through but I’m not going to make it worse by giving you a hard time about it now. It just took me by surprise.”

Pulling away a little more, she shook her head and laughed. ”I don’t know how I didn’t realize your mother was Dana Costello, I’ve actually seen some of her work. Not my style anyway, good to know she’s a total bitch.” She said with an amused tone before looking back up at the sky, shivering a bit. ”Maybe we should head back in, now. Sneak in before Lucy sees us soaking wet. I’m afraid she’ll kick us out on the porch before she lets her hardwood floors get damp.”
with: Jason Pyroclast

 

[Misty Gray]

Adam Harper​

Once Chase and Jasmine had left him alone, Adam set about finishing off checking what little was left of the remaining stock before he was to focus on the delivery he'd just received for the club. Amongst the thumping sound of the heavy music playing out in the main area of the club he could also hear muffled voices outside of the loading bay door. Given the fact the voices sounded calm and had immediately followed the departure of his friends, Adam figured Chase and Jasmine were just chatting outside.

Concentrating on his work, Adam didn't break off until he heard the door close. "Fuckin' hell, haven't you two got work to be doing--" Adam turned around, surprised to see Owen standing where he expected to see Chase or Jasmine. Adam folded his arms as he gave the younger man the once over. The last time he'd seen Owen was when he was interrogating him and Danny following Ryan's death. Given it had happened at their apartment and Ryan had for some reason been following Owen, it had obviously caught the Mob's attention. Owen hadn't really given him information to work with and the young man soon after left the city.

"Well, look who it is. If you're looking for your mate, I'm afraid you're not going to find him around here," Adam said of Danny, in something of an ominous manner. After a brief pause for effect, he continued. "He's halfway across the world in India," he was quick to explain. Adam had done what was asked of him regarding questioning the lads and making them take responsibility for almost losing a huge amount of drugs. Though it wasn't his job to now keep pressing for information and so could be as civil as he wanted, Adam felt there were still many unanswered questions about what had happened to Ryan. Whether Owen knew the answers or not, Adam felt he should have stuck around to help with the investigation. "I have to admit, I didn't expect to see your face around this city again. What are you after?" he bluntly asked, given he expected Owen to be just as closed with information as he had been the last time. Still, throwing him out of the club wasn't Adam's first instinct. Owen must have had good reason for showing up again.

Fletchawk (Owen)

 

[Pyroclast]

Jason Costello

At some point during his speech, the atmosphere had changed. Gwen no longer looked like she wanted to smack him. The two gazed at each other for a moment before Gwen finally relented and moved in to embrace him. Jason accepted her warmly, as though they weren’t standing in the pouring rain, and rested his chin upon her head. “It’s in the past, now,” he told her. “I’ve a life to live, one wit’ you, and Dana has no place in it. The only reason she sent that invitation is ‘cause she finally heard my name somewhere and knows the power is in my hands. She just wants to clear the air before I get the chance to make it big - big enough to ruin her name by exposing what she did. But I don’t care what she wants. Everything I have now, I have in spite of her. Maybe I did need a mother, once, someone to keep me out of prison…” Jason smiled to himself, briefly reflecting on the time he served. It seemed like a lifetime ago. “But I’m a grown man, now, so I am. I’m at my first Thanksgiving, and I’ve got you in my arms. As long as I have you, life can’t be bad.”

Jason looked down to her with a tender smile, having to blink heavy raindrops out of his eyelashes to see her properly. Her sweet laugh touched him and when she confessed her dislike of his mother’s work, he chuckled and gently rubbed her ice-cold arms to warm her. “Ah, I could never bring myself to watch anything of hers,” he admitted. “But your review is always the most important to me, so I’ll take your word on it!”

It wasn’t until Gwen shivered and suggested that they went back inside that Jason realised how stupid it was that they hadn’t already. “Yeah, let’s not wait for the rain to stop. Standing here getting drenched like a couple of fools…” He took her by the arm and ran back up to the house, letting her set the pace since she was wearing high heels.

The atmosphere inside the house had grown and the chaos was no longer confined to the dining room. Loud rock music rang through the halls, accompanied by terrible drunk singing that made Jason physically cringe. “I think your nephew’s enjoying himself,” he remarked, stomping the rain from his shoes before taking Gwen’s hand and leading her upstairs. Once they were in her bathroom, Jason shrugged off his sopping jacket and pulled a towel from the radiator. It was warm in his hands, emphasising how cold the rest of him was. He stepped close to Gwen and began to gently dry her hair for her, wiping away droplets of rain from her face and taking care not to catch her earrings as he tried to warm her ears with the hot towel. “There,” he softly spoke, matching the quietness of the room. Her nose was pink from being out in the storm and his probably was, too, but it was her deep brown eyes that he was most drawn to. “Feel better? Want me to run ye a hot bath or d'ye want to just change and go back down?”

Interactions
Bellz Gwennie

 

[Fletchawk]

Owen Yu​

Owen's breath caught in his throat for a bit when he saw Adam's backside, and instantly regretted announcing himself. While meeting Adam was certainly on Owen's agenda, running into him alone was what Owen considered less than ideal. Not that it mattered now with the man's gaze locked upon him.

Having not enjoyed the unnecessary pang of loss inflicted by Adam's vagueness, an ugly twitch rippled across Owen's face as he struggle to keep it straight. Even with the metallic weight pressing against the small of his back, the afterthought of using it only came after his head recovered from flashing red. Owen didn't know for sure if Adam was telling the truth, but he rationalized that Danny wouldn't have mentioned where his family had lived unless it was necessary for Adam to know, and thus more likely to be true than not. Plus, Owen reminded himself, he couldn't risk burning the one bridge he currently had available in NYC. However, this bridge required a toll, one that he had refused to pay due to not knowing where it would lead, but now he needed to find out.

"Why else would I be here?" Owen said, forcing the corners of his mouth to curl upwards while folding back his coat to reveal its inner pocket. Sticking out of it, was a letter that he'd read dozens if not hundreds of times on the way to Chicago, barely sandwiched by a frayed envelope, "I owe you a letter, yeah?" Not waiting for a response, Owen removed the shabby pieces of paper from his coat, and closed the distance between them and held them out, "I won't expect a cracker jack like yourself to be able read Korean, so I'll translate. Ryan Donahue is..." Owen paused to correct himself, "...was my father. My real father. And that's why he was there. To find me. That's also why I skipped town. To find out for sure, which took a bit longer than I expected. Sorry about that."

Owen felt like the words should've affected him more, but Ryan Donahue was just a man he'd been acquainted with for a few short moments before the man and Danny's apartment got blown to hell. Part of him wished that his father's death meant more to him, but another told him that he shouldn't miss what he never had.

"As for what I want, it's the same as before. I want to be in the loop, and a guarantee that Danny or me won't be washing up onto the Hudson shore anytime soon would be nice too."

Misty Gray (Cracker Jack)

 

[Misty Gray]

Adam Harper​

When Owen folded back his coat, Adam allowed his arms to casually drop by to sides, thus closer to his concealed handgun. It wasn't that he specifically believed Owen had it in him to sudden open fire, but there was nothing to lose from being prepared for even the unlikely. When the young man produced the letter, a small smirk crossed Adam's lips before he reached out to take the papers from him. Although Owen started by pointing out it was written in Korean, it didn't stop Adam from opening out the letter to glance over it for himself. "You're right there," he commented. English and Spanish had been all he'd needed to get by in life. As Ryan Donahue's name was mentioned and followed by a pause, Adam's eyes were dragged away from the letter to instead glare at Owen as he waited for him to spit the words out. When he did say more, it was to reveal that Ryan was his father. Adam let out a short chuckle, but his initial disbelief soon passed and he decided to take the revelation seriously. When it came down to it, there were people far higher up in the hierarchy who could deal with verifying and digging deeper into such a claim.

"Well, that's certainly a revelation I wasn't expecting," Adam told him. "I suppose it gives an explanation for why Ryan was following you..." he trailed off. Adam folded the letter back up but maintained possession of it for a little while long as he thought things over. He then handed it back to Owen. "Keep that safe as I think the boss will want to see that."

Adam leaned against one of the storage cupboards as he listened to Owen tell him what he wanted, for both himself and for Danny. "Given what you've just told me, I can't make any promises about where exactly you go from here. I think the boss is going to want to see you," he informed him. "Not sure if you've heard, but we're under new management. Conor Sullivan's in charge now and he was pretty close to Ryan." He grinned and briefly pointed to Owen. "I mean, surely that's gotta work in your favour. I certainly don't think you'll be washing up on the shore anytime soon. As for Danny, he's only away for a few weeks. He's somehow managed to make a good impression on young Miss Callahan. How the Hell he managed to pull a classy girl like her is beyond belief, but fair play to him. Unless he fucks that up, he's out of the woods too."

Adam folded his arms again and let out a deep breath. "So, are you up for the fact you're probably going to be meeting with the boss?" His mind was then cast back to the apartment Ryan had been blown up within. "Your old place is still a pile of rubble. Where are you staying?" he asked, out of curiosity more than anything.

Fletchawk (Owen)
Mention: Pyroclast (Danny)

 

[Bellz]

Lucy Porter ​

"It's hopeless." Lucy told her husband as he told them to throw a ball outside. James whispered into her ear that they spoil him too much and Lucy chuckled as he kissed her cheek, "I'm starting to think that too." Everyone started to leave the table but Lucy sat comfortably in her seat as she observed the mess that was left over. Part of her was unwilling to clean up such a disaster after eating her food but another part was eager to get things looking clean once more.

James' joked around with Mitch and Rachel about Conor and Lucy rolled her eyes, "If anything, just grab the man by the ear, he hates that. Use to drag him all the way to Shannon when he was being a little twit."

Looking to Blake and Aliana, Lucy raised her brow, "Did the boys say what they were up to?" She asked the fellow blonde curiously to which Blake just shrugged her shoulders and gave sort of a hopeless sigh, "Like they would tell me what they are up to, Jackson is probably afraid of what I would do to him if I found out, so it's probably for the best that I don't know." Lucy chuckled and shook her head before looking at James, "Stay away from them yea? I don't want you getting caught up in their foolish ways." She murmured before lifting her glass and observing Syd as he danced around excitedly with her sister.Lucy smiled lightly before looking to her husband once more, "Syd is absolutely plastered...but I'm so relieved to see that smile on his face again." The music was a little loud but Lucy wasn't going to destroy a good time. Instead, she sighed, "You know, ever since you decided to step down...it starting to feel like this is the beginning of the end for a lot of us. Not in a bad way, but like a story...everything we've been through, everything we've done...has led up to this feeling...completion or rather the conclusion. " Lucy lifted her glass and took a sip of her wine as she continued to observe the people around her. "All there is left for us to do is enjoy our family and our time left on this earth. We've got nothin' but time, love. What do we plan on doing with it?"
with: James Misty Gray
mentions: Syd Pyroclast

 

[Bellz]

Roxie Carriveau ​

Roxie was told to keep Syd from drowning himself in alcohol but with very limited range of motion, Roxie was finding that to be a difficult task. "Woah woah...hey..." She said as he took Gwen's drink that he had offered to Sinead from her and began to drink it. Shaking her head, Roxie knew that it was hopeless and she didn't want to be the downer in the situation. Figuring he was with his family and in a good mood, she accepted his kiss asa he moved to go dance with his aunt. All the talk of the nursery was exciting but Roxie wanted to take a break from talking about the babies for a little while, despite the excitement, she was increasingly getting more and more nervous about it all. With only a few people left at the table, Roxie turned to Savannah with a smile.

"How you doing, sweetheart?" She asked as she picked at some of the left over food that Syd had piled on her plate without her permission. "So I can finally see now that all your family parties are like this...which is pretty awesome, actually." She was about to say something about her own families parties but that was sort of a sore subject at the moment. Roxie hadn't been very fond of her father but despite that there was this feeling of deep loss that she felt. Not only had she lost her father, but the rest of the family including her beloved Aunt and Uncle refused to speak with her anymore. Her relationship with her father had always been trying but it had never been rough with the other people in her family. "It's nice to be surrounded by people who are so accepting of me and the babies. I don't think I've said this before...but thank you for inviting me to that first party." She murmured to her friend, turning her body slightly to watch her boyfriend dancing weirdly.

"It's so crazy to see him so happy...I never thought I would see the day with everything that's been going on." She smiled before turning back to Sav, "So how's that Danny fellow of yours? How's living with your brother? I'm sure if its torture I can try to persuade Syd to let me move back in with you." She chuckled at her words and shook her head, "As long as you don't mind two crying little girls...I don't want to put you through that." She said.
with: Savannah Misty Gray

 

[Fletchawk]

Owen Yu​

Owen could only nod in response to the fact that one the most powerful men in the city would be interested in meeting him, some kid barely scraping by a living while staying with his drug dealing best friend. At least, that's how it was a month ago. Now all that Owen owned was on his person, and his only friend was on the other side of the world if Adam was being truthful. Despite not being promised anything, Owen felt assured that he'd be able to at least be able walk about the city and keep his skin intact. Until he met with this Conor Sullivan that is.

"Well that'll be his mess, won't it?" Owen jested, "But yeah, it's not like I got much else going on. So I'm down for meeting your boss. I got a few things to ask him myself." Owen didn't answer Adam's last question immediately, as he hadn't really given it much thought before. He'd assumed that he'd crash at wherever Danny was staying, but that was obviously not an option. However, he wasn't completely up shit creek, thanks to the funds his grandmother had loaned him. "Dunno, just got off the train this morning. Probably find a weekly to crash at for now," he said.

The idea of affording a weekly's inflated prices was still foreign to him, and the possibility of them not having a vacancy was moderately high. Still, Owen knew he could break into and crash at his old condemned place that Adam mentioned for the night, and if for some reason that didn't pan out, there were a few hidey-holes in the city he could make use of. Musing on if the landlord had bothered to throw out the furniture or not, he tucked the shoddy envelope back into his coat and started towards the exit he'd come in through earlier.

"Anyway, I'll keep in touch," he said loudly as he pulled his near empty pack of cigarettes out of his coat. A thought crossed his mind as he pushed the door open, causing him to turn around and call out, "Oh, and tell Mr. Sullivan that if he calls Mary, do it early in the morning. She's pretty faded by the time noon comes around," as he tapped the side of his head and stepped back out into the cool, damp NYC night.

Misty Gray [Adam]
Mentions: Pyroclast [Danny Bombay]

 

[Misty Gray]

James Porter​

James listened on as Lucy questioned Blake and Aliana about what their husbands were up to. It became clear the only people who knew what was going on were the three men in question. Despite any curiosity and the mystery around it all, James easily brushed it off and knocked back the rest of his whiskey. If there was a time to embrace his lack of responsibility and take a break from managing things, it was now. Lucy turned to him to keep away from whatever foolish things they were up to. "Yes, ma'am. I'll be a good boy," he sarcastically replied.

James had his attention drawn to their eldest son's drunken state and he couldn't help but grin as Lucy pointed out it was good to see the younger man happy. "Of course. He's got a lot to look forward to," he commented. Still, James had his reservations, hoping his son would remain in the happy state of drunk.

There was talk of the beginning of the end, causing James to chuckle a little at his wife's words. "Hey, don't write us both off just yet, will ya?" he remarked. "I think if we look around there's enough to keep us going for another chapter. There's Thomas to un-spoil. I've got cars to fix. There's grand kids to babysit..." he trailed off. Regardless of the examples, James was struggling to imagine every day being as free and relaxed as the last few weeks had been. He wasn't sure if sitting still suited him. "And now we've got more time for vacations away from here," he was quick to add.

Bellz (Lucy)

 

[Misty Gray]

Chapter 15: First Impressions
Wednesday 16th February 1972
...3 months later...
Early Evening - Cold, Dry, Clear Skies
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The Olympia Hotel - The Grand Hall
Charity Auction
~ Midtown, Manhattan ~
​

Gabriel Moretti

The last few months for Gabriel had been productive and a great success, in the Italian's eyes. He'd secured new business deals, including purchasing a pub that was frequented by members of a few NYPD precincts. The previous month, he'd met with the arms dealer, David Johnson, where he purchased a significant number of weapons and explosives. Finally, Tatiana, Tony and Teddy all returned from their duties in Miami a couple of weeks ago. Gabriel was confident existing ties had been reinforced and new ones formed in his former home. Although he still had to break through to the Cubans, Gabriel had confidence some of the leads identified in Miami could prove useful over time.

This evening, Gabriel was on his best behaviour and he was sure he could even secure himself a career in theatre with the performance he would put on during the charity auction. With New York's rich and powerful, the media, and not to mention some highly respected people present at the event, Gabriel was determined to switch on the charm. Whether unspoken or openly expressed, the reputation of the Irish Mob on the city was no secret to many of those present that evening. Being a businessman without a smudge on his name in the city, Gabriel knew the evening would be a perfect opportunity to make a good impression. With charitable donations and the right words in the right ears, Gabriel was certain he could bend some of those with power into his direction. In addition to Teddy and Rhys, Gabriel had made sure Elvian and his two eldest were present for the event, in order to highlight that he was a family man and not just a wealthy businessman.

After a number of items had been auctioned off, a break had been granted, giving everyone present the chance to mingle and get their glasses filled again. After some schmoozing with the Police Commissioner, Gabriel sighted Conor Sullivan and Peter Callahan returning from the bar with drinks. The other thing he was intending to get out of the event was being able to introduce himself to the new boss of the Irish Mob. With heavy security at the auction, not only from the cops but also from Conor's men and Gabriel's men, it was strongly guaranteed there wouldn't be guns at the table. Not to mention, only a complete moron would choose to cause a scene or break the law with high-level lawmen and the Mayor himself present. This was the safest opportunity for both parties involved to sit down and attempt a civil conversation.

"I believe we have a Mr. Sullivan. There's no time like the present, my good friend," the Italian boss quietly told Rhys. Gabriel excused himself and Rhys from his family's round table, leaving Elvian, Marcus, Tatiana and Teddy to converse amongst themselves. With Rhys by his side, Gabriel approached Conor and Peter. This was the third time he'd been face-to-face with Peter, but it was the first time he'd met Conor. The new boss of the Irish Mob was taller and heavier set than Gabriel, and carried with him a natural confidence, but it didn't intimidate the Italian - very little did. "Mr. Sullivan. Mr. Callahan," Gabriel addressed them in a neutral manner. He pointed towards a quiet rectangular table in a largely unoccupied corner of the room. "I believe it would be beneficial if we all took this opportunity to become acquainted, whilst we find ourselves in a rarely neutral setting such as this."

​

Enzyme (Rhys) Melanin-Gxdess (Elvian, Teddy) RayPurchase (Marcus) Pyroclast (Tatiana)

**********​

Conor Sullivan

Conor hadn't been looking forward to the auction. The charity aspect he was on board with, but it was the stuffiness of the event and knowing people would be putting on an act that wasn't exactly his thing. However, as the boss of the family, he knew he had to embrace those kinds of formal events just as much as he was comfortable in the rougher and dirtier aspects of the job. The evening was about making the best impression and for him, he knew that meant being on his very best behaviour. Still, with his family, Rebel and Adam at the table with him, he was sure they'd all make the best of it and get some good fun out of the night. Gratefully, James had agreed to attend the auction. The former boss spent the first half hour of the evening either introducing Conor to 'important' people or at least pointing out who was who in such a public and political setting. Conor appreciated his brother-in-law's help, even if James and Lucy did then opt to take their seats at the private table at the back of the room.

After the first series of auctions were out of the way, an intermission was called to allow people to socialise for a while. The waiter came to the table offering out glasses of champagne, to which Conor forced a smile to hide his disappointment at the choice of drink. However, Sinead soon spoke out to the others at the table about wanting snacks and a non-alcoholic drink - fluttering a eyelashes in Peter's direction. Sinead's request reminded Conor that Aliana perhaps wanted something pregnancy-friendly too. He decided to join Peter on a trip to the bar, where he could grab himself something stronger to drink than champagne.

On their way back with the drinks and snacks, Conor caught someone out of his eye and turned to Peter. "Looks like the Italian wanker is eyeing us up..." Conor trailed off but stopped talking as Gabriel and Rhys approached. Gabriel introduced himself and invited Conor, along with Peter, to accompany them to a quiet table to talk. It wasn't a surprise and James had told him to expect Gabriel would take advantage of such a situation. The Italian seemed to be the kind of smug bastard Conor had expected, but he hid his distaste and nodded, keeping his expression equally neutral. "We'll be right behind you, after offloading these," Conor replied, holding up the snacks he was carrying along with his pint of beer.

As he placed everything in the centre of the round table, Conor leaned down and placed a kiss on Aliana's lips. "We'll be right back. I promise I won't throttle the smug prick," he whispered into his wife's ear. Conor's hand remained on her shoulder for longer than he'd consciously intended. It had been on Christmas Day that Aliana revealed she was pregnant with their second child together. He was excited by the news, despite the fact it hit home harder just how much responsibility and need to survive he had on his shoulders. Like Peter with Sinead, Conor had been reluctant to bring Aliana to the auction, but he relented in the end. After eventually letting go of Aliana, Conor patted Peter on the shoulder as a cue for him to join him at Moretti's private table.

Conor and Peter took their seats opposite Gabriel and Rhys. "Well, you all know who we are and we all know who you are," Conor began, referring to Gabriel. He then looked to Rhys and sent the serious-looking man a nod, inviting the man to introduce himself before the point of the meeting could get underway.

Enzyme (Rhys) Bellz (Peter)

**********​

Sinead Callahan and Adam Harper

At nearly four months pregnant, even in the figure-hugging dresses Sinead wore, the baby bump remained small enough to only be noticed by those paying attention in the first place. Despite the physical signs remaining minimal for the time-being, the behavioural and emotional symptoms were much easier to identify. Compared to some of the men in her family and the mob's gang members, Sinead's temper wouldn't be intimidating, but her hormonal mood swings still came with a bite. Having ceased her medication for the duration of her pregnancy, Sinead had been trying her hardest to monitor her changes in mood and see her counsellor more often in place of the drugs.

When she learned of the charity auction her family were attending, Sinead nagged Peter to let her attend with him. It had felt like too long since she'd attended any fancy events and she wanted to squeeze what she could in before the later stages of her pregnancy. The fact Aliana would also be attending whilst in the same position helped Sinead to build her case. All glammed up, she'd enjoyed the event so far, even if she was fully aware the Moretti lot were in the same room.

Sinead had been craving milkshakes, as was always the case during her pregnancies. However, the fancy venue didn't provide such a beverage so Sinead had instead sweet-talked Peter into seeking out some kind of snacks for her and Aliana. As Peter and Conor made their way back from the bar, Sinead noticed Gabriel and Rhys intercept them. Having already met the Italian boss once before, Sinead knew exactly who he was. "Ugh. That man makes my skin crawl. What a stupid, smug piece of dirt," she grumbled to Aliana, Rebel and Adam.

"Whoa! Easy with that blue language," Adam sarcastically remarked, finding it hilarious how the redhead refrained from swearing. "Although, I'd say a more accurate description is that's he's a fuc--" He stopped as Peter and Conor returned to the table only to excuse themselves to go speak with Gabriel and Rhys. Adam made eye-contact with Peter and sent him a reassuring nod. Adam had been all set to spend the evening out in the parking lot with the others until he heard both Aliana and Sinead were attending the auction. Given that both women were pregnant and thus a greater risk should anything kick off, Adam offered to be present inside the venue to ensure the women were safe. It wasn't that he doubted Rebel's capabilities, but Peter was a friend and if it helped ease any anxieties, he had no issue with doing the job. Still, he did take some issue with having to dress smartly and rub shoulders with so many pretentious people. He tended to reserve his suits for dates or weddings, but this was neither of those. He pulled at his tie, loosening it a little so he didn't feel quite so restricted.

Sinead nervously bit her lip as she watched her husband and Conor walk away. She looked to Aliana to see if her friend was equally concerned. "Those jerks will be civil, right? They'd better not be trying to wind up Petey and Conor," she fretted. She couldn't help but look around the room again, suddenly feeling a little more vigilant, especially if there was a chance any of the East Harlem bunch were present, having had some very unpleasant encounters with Alistair and Ethan.

"Here I was thinking I was going to have a boring night, but look at me now," Adam began, hoping to distract everyone from their concerns. "I'm surrounded by three attractive women. Living the dream!" he remarked. He expected to be berated or mocked for his comments, but that was fine if it meant it distracted Sinead from worrying. "Although, I'm not going to risk getting on the wrong side of Pete or Conor, so I guess you draw the short straw, Rebel," he teased, adding a wink. Despite offering himself as bait for anyone to take their anxieties out on, he made sure to remain vigilant, keeping an eye on their surroundings and making sure his employers remained in sight. He expected Rebel would be doing the same.

Bellz (Peter, Rebel, Brooklyn) Melanin-Gxdess (Aliana)

​

James Porter

With some of New York City's rich and powerful attending the charity auction, James was quick to highlight to Conor the importance of being in attendance. It was a good opportunity to shine a positive light on the family businesses - the apparently legal ones - whilst also rubbing shoulders with figures who were useful to the mob as business allies. James knew the Morettis would have the same idea but as long as everyone maintained civilities, it wouldn't be difficult to make a good impression. As tempting as it was to sit out the event himself, James knew it was the first Conor had attended as the boss and so he felt he owed it to him to be there too. James made sure he and Lucy got a private table away from the front of the large room, but he had made himself available to show Conor around and introduce him to the family's allies or those deemed important to maintain positive relationships with.

Along with a direct donation to the hospital, James had been glad to see Conor get into the spirit and bid for some of the auctioned items. Although, Gabriel had taken part too and on at least one occasion James was sure Conor was only placing bids to make sure Moretti ended up paying out more. Soon enough, there was a break in the auction proceedings, giving everyone the chance to mingle. James was perfectly happy remaining seated with Lucy and accepted the drinks offered to him, despite champagne not being a drink he was especially fond of. He put his arm around Lucy and placed a kiss on her cheek. "I hope Thomas and the girls aren't causing Blake any stress," he spoke up.

James' thoughts were soon directed away from thoughts of childcare to the view they had towards the front of the large room. Conor and Peter appeared to be in conversation with Gabriel and Rhys, before the four men eventually moved to be seated together at a private table. It was no surprise that Moretti would grab the chance to speak with Conor, but it still came with a mild concern. James was sure Gabriel was too smart to show himself in a bad light in such a public gathering, but he could only hope he wasn't cocky enough to try bait Conor into any unpleasant behaviour. "I hope your brother knows what he's doing," James told Lucy. "It's not that I don't have faith in him, but Moretti is a crafty bastard. I wouldn't put anything past him."

Bellz (Lucy)

The Olympia Hotel - Parking Lot
~ Midtown, Manhattan ~
​

Ethan Turner

If Ethan could have chosen where he would be this evening, he would have simply opted for the EH Headquarters or even cleaning up at his butchers shop. However, as part as Moretti's idea to have his and Alistair's employees work together, Ethan found himself accepting a job at the charity auction. Thankfully, Ethan was to remain outside the venue on account his presence wouldn't go down well, considering he'd been one of the men to torture Lucy, Sinead and Syd, as well as tormenting Sinead and Savannah on separate occasions. Ethan was thankful to be one of the men tasked with staying out in the parking lot as backup and to keep an eye on Moretti's cars.

Another man who wasn't to enter the hotel was Tony; should he speak up and risk being pinpointed as the very cockney who made the phone-call the day Warren was killed. Leaning against his car, Ethan reached into his coat pocket and retrieved a box of cigarettes. "Smoke?" he offered Amato and Tony, before lighting one up for himself. "It's a bit fucking cold out here, but I'll take this over being in there, any day," he remarked, pointing towards the hotel. "Not that getting the opportunity to wind Sullivan up wouldn't be fun in itself."

After taking a long drag of his cigarette, he blew out a cloud of smoke before nodding in the direction of the group standing by the cars across from them. "Then again, we've got our own Irish pricks over there, if things don't liven up soon."

RayPurchase (Tony) Enzyme (Amato)

**********​

Jasmine Carpenter

Other than a trip to Boston to spend Christmas with her mother, the last few months had been business as usual for Jasmine. She'd spent more time working with the likes of Chase, Adam and Johnny, with Jackson often assigning them tasks on behalf of Conor. Jasmine had quite enjoyed getting her hands dirty and spending increased time dealing with the drugs and weapons shipments. This evening's job was a little different to her recent ones. She and the others had been assigned to chauffeuring and bodyguard duties, with members of multiple mob households in attendance at the charity event. Whilst anyone inside of the hotel was there unarmed, those keeping watch over the mob's cars were were the opposite, with weapons not only on them but also concealed inside the vehicles.

Leaning against the car the Callahans had been dropped off in, Jasmine looked between Chase, Johnny and Jackson, managing to crack an amused smile as she thought of their friends indoors. "I bet Adam is having the time of his life at the fancy auction," she joked, letting out a small chuckle as she imagined he was having quite the opposite time. "It might be fucking cold out here, but I think the others drew the short straw."

Not only aware of the Morettis present inside the hotel and thus the need for them all to remain ready to act at any given moment, she was also aware of the Italian's employees in the same parking lot. "Just a shame about the three Neanderthals across from us," she drily remarked, having briefly caught Ethan's eye.

Enzyme (Jackson) Pyroclast (Chase) RayPurchase (Johnny)

Currently Active Cast: Misty Gray Bellz Pyroclast Enzyme Melanin-Gxdess RayPurchase Fletchawk
​

 

[Pyroclast]

Chapter 15: First Impressions
Wednesday 16th February 1972
...20 days later…
Early Evening - Cold, Dry, Clear Skies

Syd and Roxie's House
~ Oakland Gardens ~​

Syd Porter

Syd and Roxie had never had much of a chance to discover what ‘normal’ meant for their relationship, but the life they had settled into since Roxie had been brought home was probably as close to it as they had ever come. Shortly after the turn of the new year, it was decided that they were both ready to move back into their home in Oakland Gardens. The family had suffered immense heartache and stress but Syd was ready to start 1972 by looking ahead. At last, the future looked bright.

Not everything returned entirely to the way it had been before, of course; although Syd had made a full return to work, he was trying to manage his nightclub as remotely as he could. It wasn’t ideal since he found it harder to stay organised when his work was kept in multiple places - he frequently misplaced papers and forgot to chase up phone calls - but he was determined to make it work for the sole reason that Roxie was becoming less mobile. Now 7 months pregnant with the twins, it no longer seemed sensible to leave her in the house for long periods of time with only the dogs and the guards at the gates for company. Besides, after almost losing her, Syd wanted her close.

Alongside his duties in the mob and at The Lomax, he had tried to take on as much of the household chores as he could so that Roxie could rest. He had always taken care of things largely by himself before she had moved in, but his standards had been different back then. While he was comfortable in his own mess, he wanted better for Roxie. That applied to food too, though his efforts to cook grander things often backfired - what sounded like a delicious menu ended up as burnt roasts, soggy pies and collapsed puddings. But he was doing his best. After all, feeling a target on his back at all times meant hiring external help was out of the question.

Even though he had a perfectly functional home office, Syd had chosen to work in the lounge to be closer to Roxie. The house was quiet while she rested and as the silence dragged on, the papers seemed to get harder to concentrate on. Just as his boredom was reaching a peak, the front door opened and all three of his dogs came bounding down the hall, leaving wet, muddy paw prints on the rug. “What did I tell you about wiping your paws on the doormat!” he tutted, bending down to give them kisses. They were always calmer after he had walked them than when one of his guards did it on his behalf. No matter how worn out they were, their excitement to see him always drew a further burst of energy out of them, muddying the floor and disturbing the peace. Once Syd’s face had been sufficiently licked, the three of them moved over to Roxie and started bumping their noses into her legs for more attention. “Gentle!” Syd called, to which they instantly made more effort to contain their energy. Their presence had livened up the atmosphere significantly, giving Syd a well-needed break from his tasks. Gazing fondly at the three of them as they surrounded Roxie, Syd came to sit on the floor with them and stroked their ears to settle them down. “How’re you doing, babe?” he asked her with a smile. “Want me to get you anything?”

Bellz Roxie

Apartment in Upper East Side​

Danny Vaughan

The leisurely holiday that Danny had taken to see his family in Bombay had been sharply contrasted with the amount of work he faced on his return. Owen was finally back from his own excursion, and that had pushed the pair to finally settle into their new apartment in Hell’s Kitchen. With both of their absences and Syd’s very gradual return, it took some time to reconfigure their duties and positions in the mob’s cocaine business. But eventually they managed to get things running smoothly and Danny started to work alongside Owen more often. This time, they were on an unofficial job - to supply cocaine for one of his frequent customers’ private parties. Having established himself as The Lomax’s resident drug dealer, it wasn’t an uncommon invitation to receive, but he had never done this sort of job with Owen at his side before.

“His name’s Hugo Roland - the third,” Danny explained, unable to suppress a smirk. “His dad’s a big property investor, got his name on a lot of apartment complexes in Manhattan, and he’s basically just a talentless trust fund kid with an endless supply of money to keep him at the top. You know - an Upper East Sider. But rich kids got rich friends, so these parties are a goldmine.” The apartment block in question loomed over them as they loitered outside the entrance for a quick smoke. “He’s a regular at The Lomax so you’ve probably seen him around, but I get the impression he mainly comes to get his hands on the good stuff. There’s not much to respect about the guy, but he’s a loyal customer of mine. Of ours. So be cool, yeah?” The cigarette stump was flicked carelessly onto the tarmac and he looked to see if Owen was ready. “And we’re here on business remember, so no fooling around,” he joked, hooking his arm around Owen’s shoulders and walking with him into the building. He knew his friend wasn’t one for indulging in drugs himself, especially on the job, and that already made him more professional than Danny had been when he had first started.

Having only ever seen the apartment in full party mode, it was hard to believe anyone actually lived there. His eyes drifted from a woman in a highly-embellished bikini and shimmering flares smoking against a pillar to a cluster of half-naked men getting intimate in the conversation pit. “Damn, it’s like a high-class porno set in here,” Danny commented. There was no sign of Hugo, but given the entire place was thriving with activity Danny didn’t assume he would find him any time soon. “You want a drink?” he casually suggested, keen to make himself at home. But when they reached the bar, Danny noticed they were being eyed up by a group of nearby women, and it wasn’t long before they were approached.

“I recognise you,” one of them said, fixing her sultry eyes on him as he went about browsing Hugo’s collection of spirits. “You work at The Lomax, right? You’re the one people go to?”

“That depends what you’re looking for,” he answered, carefully measuring a safe quantity of alcohol into his cocktail to avoid getting drunk.

The touch of her hand sliding onto his chest made him look up, and it was then that he noticed one of the other women hooking her fingers through Owen’s collar and drawing herself close to him. “I’m looking for someone to do it with me,” the first woman murmured into Danny’s ear. He took a step back and gently lifted her hands off him. “I’m just supplying tonight, girl,” he told her.

“You got a girlfriend?” she asked him, not sounding at all put off.

“Yeah, I do.” He couldn’t help but smile slightly at the word. It had been several months since he and Savannah had started dating but thinking about her still made him blush. Danny glanced back to Owen, and the woman followed his gaze.

“What about your friend, is he a nice boy like you?” She wandered over to Owen then, reaching up to run her fingers through his hair. “Or is he gonna have a little fun with us tonight?”

Interactions
Fletchawk

 

[Bellz]

Chapter 15: First Impressions 

Wednesday 16th February 1972

...3 months later…
Early
Evening - Cold, Dry, Clear Skies​

Gwen Bryant

New York Drug and Alcohol Drug Rehabilitation Center ​

It had been a long 3 months since Gwen had checked herself in to the rehab center. Despite hearing the rumors about places like it, Gwen was actually getting the right treatment for her addiction. The withdrawals only appeared in ticks now and then compared to the shaking, sobbing mess she had been when she started the program. Jason had surprised her by checking himself into rehab as well and the pair had been helping themselves since after thanksgiving. The clock on the wall behind her individual addiction counselor ticked loudly as the silence filled the room. Ms. Silverstein cleared her throat and Gwen blinked as the counselor looked at her expectantly. "Shall I repeat the question, Mrs. Bryant?" She asked softly to which Gwen looked at her with confusion in her eyes. "I'm sorry, you asked a question?" She murmured. The middle aged brunette nodded her head and turned to her clipboard before writing something down. Gwen looked to it as she scratched away, wondering what the assessment said about her. "Are you feeling any new side effects on the methadone we prescribed you?" She asked after a moment and Gwen nodded her head immediately.

"Well, for one...that. It seems that conversations are becoming a harder task for me than usual. Sometimes I just forget I'm in them completely." Gwen said as she tilted her head. "I know this is a newer drug, so is this normal for me?" Ms. Silverstein nodded her head in return, "We are still trying to determine if it is or not...but from what I've seen in other patients with your addiction, yes...it's quite normal." Gwen scrunched her nose in distaste and the counselor looked at her with raised brows, "Something wrong?" Gwen sighed, "I just didn't think that the main way to fight this addiction was by taking a whole different drug entirely. I still feel like I'm high as a kite most days..." The woman nodded her head before folding her hands together on her lap in front of her, "Well unfortunately for someone who's taken heroin as long as you have, Ms. Bryant, the only option that is safe and controllable is the methadone. I know it makes you feel this way for now, but with time, you will be able to ween off of that too." Shifting in her seat, the woman looked to the watch on her wrist. "Its about time for you to start group therapy. Remember to stop by your room to get your 2nd dose of the day before heading to the group room." With that, Gwen stood up slowly, wrapping her jacket around her tighter as she stepped out of the counselors office and into the hallway.

Heading to her room, she wondered where Jason was at this time before allowing the nurse to hand her the 2nd dose of the day. Once the nurse left, Gwen looked in the mirror a moment at her appearance. The medication she was on was doing its own sort of chaos but at least she looked healthy and had enough of an appetite to maintain her weight. Sighing, Gwen tugged at the sleeves of her jacket before heading back out into the hall towards the group room. The only thing she looked forward to in group therapy was seeing Jason. Everything else about it was absolutely awful, hearing people's stories about how they hit rock bottom was anything but uplifting and it sort of turned Gwen into a pessimist internally. Entering the room, Gwen took a seat her usual chair next to where Jason sat.
mentions: Jason Pyroclast

 

[Enzyme]

Rhys Caddel​

Since the botched assassination attempt, Rhys' meticulous mind hadn't been given time to rest. There were very few times Rhys had ever fallen, and when he did, he had a hit-the-ground-running approach. Rhys had worked to repair his image as a more than competent Consigliere, starting by refusing the help of Alistair's men. Despite his personal feelings towards the man. He knew to accept the men as a crutch would be seen as a weakness. Instead, he kept East Harlem entirely out of the loop. Rhys rallied the support of Alistair's men in a manipulative manner, by having his own men, detached from the Moretti Crime Family, firebomb stores in predominantly Italian sectors of Harlem.

These string of attacks caused what Rhys' coined the "Shamrock Fever," where a subconscious hatred for Irish blood brewed under the seething lid of the Italian working class. Whereas the owners would believe the Irish Mob was responsible for these arson attacks, it was Rhys who was pulling strings and prodding them in the right direction. While Rhys didn't consider himself war-mongering per se, he couldn't deny the opportunity this feud presented, which was a large slice of American apple pie.

The auction had been going reasonably well. Out of good grace and intending to puff out his chest, Rhys had even butted his way in and won a top of the line boat. While he was prone to seasickness and had an irrational fear of what laid below the dark exterior of the water, he was sure it'd be an excellent addition to the docks, with his last name painted upon the back. It was that image alone that had him waving his stick.

Rhys had been etching the names of a few police lieutenants he had yet to bribe or threaten into a small notebook when he felt Gabriel lean into his ear. He pressed the little pencil to his lips as he looked up, watching Conor retreat from the bar. Rhys moved the small notebook into the pocket of his blazer, before adjusting the edges of his bowtie. He smiled to those at their table, before patting the stomach of his jacket down and following behind Gabriel.

He stopped beside his boss as they intercepted the Irish gangsters, a friendly smile plastered on the lower half of his face. As he looked to each of their faces, a mental photograph was taken. He studied each of their age lines and facial scars, for they might very well be the ones to perish under his meticulous planning. Pulling out a chair for himself, Rhys rested the blazer over the headrest. He then sat down, folding his hands on the soft tablecloth. "Gentlemen," he offered, raising his hand to shake theirs if they accepted. "I am Rhys Caddel - Consigliere to Mr. Moretti's family." His crooked smile seethed maliciously, but his blue eyes fronted a friendly demeanor. "I am grateful for the boat. While I'm not particularly fond of sailing, it was the generous proceeds that had me hook, line, and sinker," he smiled.

Misty Gray (Gabriel/Conor) Bellz (Peter)

********

Jackson McCarthy​

Jackson blew a string of air into his cupped hands, warming the pale skin that had begun to turn a light blue. While he'd prefer to spend his time inside the banquet, lord knowing he was dressed for it, he was still partially responsible for securing the perimeter. Despite his head of security days being long behind him, it was a severe habit Jackson picked up from his Dublin days - far worse than poison down his hatch or nicotine in his lungs. As much as he loved sitting outside a parking lot in the blistering cold, he'd rather step inside and check out the festivities. Once he was confident that the fundraiser was secured, he'd do just that.

The group across the lot from them didn't help comfort the pit in his stomach, although he knew the Italian thugs were more fond of antagonizing rather than stepping up. He sipped the warm, steaming coffee as his sheep-dog-like eyes stared them down from the side of the Callahan car.

Jackson's ears perked up as Jasmine spoke, although his stare remained unaltered. Jackson's opinion on the woman who had taken a liking to boss him around was warm, which was considerable due to his old-school beliefs. She was young, robust, and had a bit of sharp charm to her. If he were ten years younger and his left finger was absent a golden eyesore, he did not doubt that he would've instinctually pursued her. As for the other two, he had gotten to know over the past few weeks, Johnny and Chase, he found them enjoyable to be around, but they simply didn't give him the butterflies quite as well. Nevertheless, he chuckled softly, bringing the foam cup to his lips.

He could hear the insufferable shouts from the shortest of the trio, his steel eyes narrowing on the pudgy Italian. "They're like chained-up dogs. As long as their master has 'em tied up, all they can do is bark." He lifted three fingers off of his cup in a mocking wave, before clasping his hands together once more. As much as he'd love to say the insults were rolling off of his shoulders, he hadn't slept particularly well the night before, having to tend to his sobbing daughter. He had no intention of stepping out and walloping the smug bastard, but he wouldn't outright refuse if the men approached. "Maybe one of 'em can break free and give us an excuse to shut 'em up."

Misty Gray (Jasmine) Pyroclast (Chase) RayPurchase (Johnny)

********

Amato "Rooster" Castello
​

Amato was less than pleased with his role in the fundraiser. He would've much rather been inside, lowballing the auction and mad dogging Porter guests. While it was most likely those possibilities alone that landed him on parking lot duty, he was just as bitter as ever. Amato reached into his winter coat, pulling out a metallic flask. If he was going to stand outside in the blistering cold, he sure as hell wasn't going to do it sober.

"It's fuckin' bullshit, is what it is, Turner," Amato commented, furiously twisting the cap back on the flask. "We could be inside, rubbing up on some big tit broads and winning some real macho shit, but instead we gotta' stand out here, freezin' our cogliones off staring at these ugly mutts."

He accepted the cigarette, clamping it between his teeth as he allowed Ethan to light it up. The coursing smoke did it's best to calm Amato's nerves, but he was far too riled up to be soothed. He shook his head at the Porters across the lot as he muttered, "Unfuckin'believable."

His head snapped to Tony beside him, who he imagined was just as upset being put on lot duty. "What about you, you human wrecking ball? Aren't you pissed, Tommy?" He asked bluntly, flicking the cigarette prematurely to the concrete. "You know what? Fuck this shit. I'm not gonna watch these fuckin' pricks all day without givin' 'em my two cents."

Amato stepped off the car, looking to the Porters. "Hey, shitheads! Don't you got anything better to do than stare at us all day? I know you're used to porkin' your roadkill lookin' girlfriends, but give us good lookin' Italians a break!" Amato shouted, his breath instantly freezing up. He let out a chuckle to his boys behind him, as the Porter guards expressions remained unfazed. He looked to the one woman in their group, immediately singling her out. "What about you, toots? The fuck they hire you for? You're about as much muscle as my little niece's teddy bear!"

Amato threw his arm at them as Jackson waved him off, stepping back to the Moretti van. "What a big fat waste of time," he muttered to his buddies, using his coat to wipe the fog off his glasses.

RayPurchase (Tony/Johnny) Misty Gray (Ethan/Jasmine) Pyroclast (Chase)

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Aliana Cartwright-Sullivan

Even though Aliana had put her foot down about attending the charity auction, she was like her husband and was no longer looking forward to the auction either. It wasn't for the same reasons, however, but because of constant bathroom trips, fatigue, and certain smells making her gag. Every time she returned from the bathroom, she felt herself just going straight back not too long after. It was easier to just be home, where the bathroom was closer and she didn't have to walk in heels. Thankfully the sickness only hit her in the morning hours so she didn't have to focus on that. If she were being honest, she wanted to punch whoever told her being pregnant was great. Granted, she already had one kid but she still had these reservations even now. If she didn't want that girl so bad she'd have said to hell with it all together. The upside to it was the pink dress she was going to get to wear. Unfortunately, the small bump that was starting to form on her stomach was hindering it getting zipped up, which threw her into a fit of emotions and tears. It wasn't until the 6th dress that she found the sparkly black one, the one that showed her legs and wasn't too tight. The best part of it was it had pockets! Which she had just discovered and was very excited to show Conor. If one were to be quite honest, she was probably more excited about the pockets than Conor was Christmas day.

The charity auction was actually exciting to be at. There were so many things being auctioned off and Ali wanted them all. At one point, after buying three paintings, she had to give her checkbook to her husband so she wouldn't participate in anything else. They were all just so eye catching to her that she couldn't help herself. At the break, she was thankful to Sinead for hinting to Peter to get her snacks and other goodies. It made Conor join him which she was super grateful about. One because she truly did need a snack, but also she wanted her one glass of red wine a week. During her pregnancy with Leo, her doctor informed her it was okay to drink wine and she was overjoyed. She'd been saving her one glass for this night and she was about to cash in. Sinead's voice broke her trance as she followed the woman's gaze to Gabriel. She knew of him, the man who was causing so many issues and shared her friend's disdain for him. Adam teased Sinead's lack of curse words in her description and as he was going to correct her, stopped at the sight of their husband. "Fucking asshole is the title I believe you're looking for." The sight of her husband dressed up made her heart skip a few beats, something she should probably get checked out. Ever since their sessions with Louise, they've been closer to each other everyday. But ever since she discovered she was pregnant, he became more alluring to Ali. She didn't get to enjoy the kiss for long as he had told her he was going to speak to the enemy. Because of his hesitant touch on his shoulder, she knew she couldn't show an ounce of worry. Instead she just nodded her head and smiled at him.

Turning her attention back to the table, she took a deep breath and picked up her cup. She gave Sinead's knee a reassuring pat as she shook her head and took a sip of her wine. "With the people present in this room right now, they wouldn't dare." Even though she was trying to be confident for her friend, she was also worried. They had been attacked at events and in public before, so it was something that could happen. But for the sake of not being stressed out, either woman, she had to show a confident face. She had to appreciate Adam's attempt at keeping them occupied. "We're quite fertile, so I don't think you'd want that." She joked, letting out a slight chuckle. "I also don't think you'd be able to handle such a delicate flower such as Rebel here."
​

Conor, Sinead, Adam ( Misty Gray ) Peter, Rebel ( Bellz )

 

[Fletchawk]

Owen Yu
​

"Oh, joy. My favorite kind of people," Owen said, rolling his eyes while he still could as he followed his friend into the building, "Don't you worry, sir. I'm good at playing it cool. Not like I could smart off to the gangsters when I ran deliveries. Except for you. But that's because you're a big softy." Owen flashed his buddy a quick grin as he held the door open for him.

While what he said was true, as dealing with dangerous people provided Owen with plenty of practice of keeping a civil tongue, it was Carrick, his 'Father', that initially ingrained the futility of losing one's temper in him. It also helped in a way that until recently he didn't the skills to add any bite to his bark. Owen could only run, so his words needed to be just as agile as he was when required.

A low whistle escaped Owen when the two of them entered the penthouse. It might not of been his first time seeing one, but the grandeur still had an impressive effect on him. It was shame that the things decorated the place had more depth than the people that owned them. Still, that was why he and Danny were there. To prey on such shallowness.

"Sure, but keep it real light." Owen said quietly, aware of the eyes that were watching them.

When the first set of eyes approached, more followed. Not that it surprised him. They were more than easy on the eyes, and apparently 'easy' was an apt way to describe them in general as well. While Owen showed little interest in one that teased his collar, he did get a kick from the sight of his friend blushing. However, once it was clear that Danny wasn't interested, the tart turned her attention on him. It was then that an opportunity popped into his mind, and a playful smile answered her question.

"Hardly," he said with a laugh, welcoming her touch with one of his own. Tracing line of her back, he mirrored the motion she teased Danny with, "The things I'd do to your sweet little body would make the devil blush," Owen's voice rumbled as his lips brushed her earlobe.

"But," his voice returning to normal as he abruptly stopped and pulled away, his teasing smile fading as his attention turned to his friend, "I'm also working. So if you want me to play with you, you'll have to wait until Danny Bombay here sells out." Giving the young woman a final wink, he reached for the second glass that Danny had just finished preparing.

Pyroclast [Danny Bombay and the Harlots]

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Elvian Moretti

Elvian Moretti had grown used to going to certain functions as a power move and quite frankly, she would never tire of it. Knowing her husband was powerful and his reputation had meaning, it was one thing she loved about him amongst the many others. She had closed down the flower shop, for the entire day in preparation for the night. It was completely unnecessary but she deemed it necessary in order to be extra presentable. This was going to be her first time going out with the family in the face of enemies. She had to make an appearance no matter what the circumstance. In the back of her closet there was a black dress she had never worn that she set out as she did her hair and make up. Some days she wished she and her husband really could just go out together, have dinner or something but he was so busy with things lately she didn't want to bother him. It was something trivial and she knew he shouldn't be bothered with such things, especially after their recent failure. His soldiers may not have picked up on it, but she could tell how much that failure bothered him. It was supposed to be one of the greatest things accomplished, but James Porter was still alive, still breathing, and in the very room they stood in.

The Moretti family had walked in together, her arm linked through her husbands as they found the way to their table. The auctions were very nice, having taken notice of people really participating. You could say whatever you wanted about the Porter family, but they were very generous with their money. Whether it were because they were trying to attain for their sins or because they were genuinely fair people would never go through her head. Regardless of this charity auction, they had killed her family and attempted to kill the ones still alive. They were horrible people. During their break, she was enjoying her family being in one place and sharing laughs and smiles. It wasn't until Gabe excused himself that her smile faltered and she watched him walk away. Raising her glass to her lips she hid this twitch and continued talking to her family. "So, my children and Teddy, are we still enjoying the city or are we getting tired of it?"

Theodore "Teddy" Wycliff

Teddy did not want to return to New York from Miami. He knew his purpose there was to reinforce the Moretti name and such, but he enjoyed Miami so much more. Besides, New York had been the place where he failed his boss, something that never happened before they moved to the city. But what could he do besides follow direct orders? The trip had been proven to be quite successful, as well as other ventures they had been seeking out. Tonights venture was to rub elbows with some big wigs; police chiefs, city officials and whatnot. He was going to try his best to get the assistants to these men liquored up for the sole purpose of getting more information out of them. Now, if some of the assistants happened to be women then it was a bonus conquest for him. It was nice to be back in New York, however, after redeeming himself and being around his family. He knew Gabe would more than likely never truly trust him again but he had trusted him to go to Miami in the first place and that was enough for him. Now, he was at the table with his family enjoying laughs and alcohol.

He had noticed each and every one of the Porter gang members from those he knew were more hands on and their wives, fiancee's and girlfriends. The one he was most interested in physically seeing was Aliana, the wife of Conor Sullivan. Ever since he had baited the other man with his wife, he had been curious as to seeing what she really looked like. She, like many of the other women in the group, was beautiful and could understand why anyone would get defensive over her. She wasn't his type to be fair, but still. Watching as Gabe and Rhys left the table to intercept Conor and Peter, he shook his head. Teddy wasn't the only failure amongst the ranks it seemed and he was actually grateful for that. El's voice grabbed his attention as she brought up something to make light conversation. In his opinion, it was fun but there was just something about Miami that he liked better. "It's not Miami, but the women here are more fun, for sure."
​

 

[Pyroclast]

Tatiana Moretti

There was always pride to be taken in representing the family at public events, and nothing like a charity auction to boost their public image. Nevertheless, Tatiana could hardly enjoy herself in the presence of the gangsters responsible for her family's massacre. She watched her father as he and Rhys left to converse with Conor Sullivan. Gabriel was always so well composed when he needed to be, his thoughts and emotions almost completely unreadable. For her, on the other hand, it was a game to try not to let her disdain and bitterness show through.

“Getting tired of it?” Tatiana couldn’t help but laugh at her mother’s question, at first receiving it as a joke. When her laughter died she took a sip of wine, her eyes landing on the Irish Mob’s table. “It’s not the city I’m tired of…” Of course, Tatiana wasn't running out of energy, but rather patience. The mob held significant power in New York and though she knew it would take a while to fully dismantle their reign, she longed for the day that they were gone. She had a lot more to say on the matter, but even when Teddy voiced his own opinion, she found herself unable to give him her attention. So subtle was her disapproving glare as she observed the Mob that it hardly showed to soften when her eyes fell upon a familiar face. The woman who had served her at All That Jazz was there, more stunning than ever before - though Tatiana wouldn't even admit it to herself. She recognised the compulsion to stare at her from all the other women who had previously caught her attention and wondered what would happen if they made eye contact. Three mutual glances was normally all it took to secure enough of a connection to bring the two together and, more often than not, Tatiana got what she wanted. But in this case, the same rules didn’t apply. Her beauty was toxic, forbidden on a level even Tatiana couldn’t justify.

With a small sigh, she finally turned back to the table, doing her best to clear the woman’s face from her mind. “There’s nothing dull about the women in Miami, Teddy,” she drily teased. “They’re just less desperate for a man.” Catching his eye, she flashed him a small smile. The pair had spent some good time together both throughout and between their jobs in Miami, but the city was still her home and so she had taken well advantage of the opportunity to revisit her favourite hot spots in search of female company. It had reminded her of what life was like before the Irish Mob became such a problem. “The difference between Miami and New York is more obvious than that: Miami isn’t full of asasini nenorociți.” With a huff, she threw another glare in the direction of the Mob’s table, allowing herself to steal another glance at the attractive woman. “It offends me that we have to sit here and pose with them when all I want to do is slit their fucking throats.”

Interactions
Melanin-Gxdess Elvian, Teddy
RayPurchase Marcus
Bellz Rebel
Misty Gray Gabriel
Enzyme Rhys



Chase Zegarra

After spending the first 29 years of his life in Cuba, Chase struggled to acclimatise himself to New York’s cold winters. Even beneath his thickest coat he wore two jumpers, and it still took conscious effort to relax his chattering teeth. He wasn’t one to complain, and especially not on a job, but when Jasmine expressed pity towards Adam for being inside he couldn’t help but groan. “I miss Cuba...”

Opening his pack of cigarettes drew a disappointed sigh from him, his breath visible in the cold evening air. “Last one,” he said to Jasmine as he twirled it between his fingers, not even considering extending the offer to Jackson or Johnny. “Wanna share it?”

As if he had heard Jackson’s suggestion that a Moretti guard might start something, one of them stepped forward and did exactly that. Chase watched with indifference, neither intrigued nor intimidated by his insults. When he targeted Jasmine, however, he felt his heart stir.

“Ah, underestimating you, that’s smart,” he quietly commented, swinging the cigarette from his lips and releasing the smoke in a slow exhale. “I mean, he’s one to talk. It’s probably good he’s not in there with the rest of them. Fat ass manatee probably have a heart attack climbing the stairs.” It wasn’t in Chase’s nature to hurl insults at somebody unless it was in good humour and he was very good friends with them. Often he found that building tension was a waste of time - it was far more productive to skip past the verbal foreplay and dive into the action. Yet that didn’t stop several from spinning through his mind as he watched the man retreat. “Was that it? He didn’t actually want a fight, then?” Chase dug under his sleeve to check the time. “I wonder how long until he barks again. Boss won’t be pleased if we start a fight back here, so I’ll listen to this all night if I have to. If they’re trying to distract us, it’s not gonna work.” A hard shiver went down his spine and he hitched his ice cold hand up into his many cuffs before tucking it under his arm. "But man, if we set one of their cars on fire, I wouldn't mind some heat."

Interactions
Enzyme Jackson, Amato
Misty Gray Jasmine, Ethan
RayPurchase Tony, Johnny

 

[RayPurchase]

Jonathan Reed

​

It was cold, devilishly so in fact, Johnny could feel the wind nipping at him beneath his coat, and stinging at the bare skin of his face. He'd only just got back into the city a few days ago, having spent a week back home in Carolina, but he was pretty sure in the space of that week the temperature had dipped further. Still at least he had found himself working from the confines of a fully heated car, to be honest it was one of the best perks of constantly being behind the wheel. Whilst the heavies were sweating or shivering outside lugging who knows what, Johnny was in temperature controlled heaven. Not so much today however. The four of them were stood near enough shivering outside the hotel, watching the cars and their opposite numbers like hawks. He pulled the collar of his jacket up, providing something of a shield against the wind, the end of the cigarette that hung from the corner of his mouth burned a dull red. He laughed along with the others at Jasmine’s comment.

“I give it 30 minutes until old Adam ends up sticking his fist through some near priceless piece of art. That man is not a charity auction kind of guy. And hell we may be shivering our asses off, but at least we ain’t cooped up with a den of politicians and what not. They call us the crooks eh?”

He looked over the 3 opposite. Dogs was the right term alright, a pretty mangy looking bunch, but that could just hide the fury of the bite they could unleash. It turned out that it was the smallest of the three that chose to bark first. Like a Jack Russell he was, yappy little bastard. Johnny let out a low whistle, a grin morphing onto his previously grim features, the cold wasn’t exactly the greatest to be in.

“Eesh he’s an angry little guy ain’t he. Want me to go over there and show him a bit of southern hospitality Jas? Or do you want the pleasure yourself,” Clearing his throat, Johnny yelled across the Car park towards Ethan. “I’d keep your Poodle on a chain Sir, seems to have itself a bit of a temper problem,”

Johnny continued to lean back against the car, cocky grin in place. "Nah leave the cars, waste of good parts, I say we just hotwire them if they don't fancy handing over the keys. I could do with some new wheels,"

Tony Harris


​

Just a 15 minute walk around the corner from that frozen car park there was a bar. Nothing great, faded decor, unfriendly barman, and drink prices were a dollar more expensive than they had any right to be. Right now though Tony knew where he would rather be. Now if there orders had been looser in regards to maintaining the peace, then it would be a much closer call. However as it stood Tony, Ethan and Amato were left outside, deemed to be far too much of a set of loose cannons to be let inside, and as a result they were trying to maintain an uneasy peace with the Irish rats opposite them. Miami had been a nice escape, back to familiar home territory, no scrapping for every square inch of territory or ever shipment, in fact it had almost proved to be a holiday in comparison, and one that Tony had needed. It wasn’t just Moretti being magnanimous though, the Irish had been on the lookout for a Cockney in the employ of Moretti, which didn’t exactly include many people in the organisation outside of himself. It was the reason he’d been sent away, and another reason why he wasn’t allowed within the Hotel. He’d cocked up, James Porter should have died at his hand. No one had said anything of course, in fact if anyone other than maybe Gabe had said anything they would have got a fist to reply. He’d been mulling over the whole situation however, what he could, no, should have done differently, how he should have recognised a different bloody voice. Revenge would be his, he’d vowed that, the Irish were hunting for his identity, and him, but nothing more dangerous than chasing a predator into a dead end.

He glared across the gap between the two groups, the hatred in his eyes almost burning through the crisp evening air.

“Take your pick boys, I’m happy to take on a pair of the pricks if need be,”

Tony flicked his eyes towards Amatto. The angry little fucker was on fine form this evening, almost enough to put a smile on Tony’s face. “That’s the trick little rooster, I’m always pissed,” He let out a snort of laughter as Amatto let loose on the Irish crew opposite them. He gave him a slap on the shoulder as he stepped back.

“Waste of time is right. There is still a war goin’ on right? Let the bigwigs have their glasses of fizz and pretend they’re above all the nitty gritty stuff, and let us scrap it out down here, all old fashioned like,” He winked at Ethan. “Can show off how hard you Harlem boys are, heard a fair few rumours and fire side tales about you in particular, could give us a little showcase,”


Enzyme : Jackson, Amato
Misty Gray : Jasmine, Ethan
Pyroclast : Chase

 

[Misty Gray]

Jasmine Carpenter and Ethan Turner​

Ethan quietly nodded along as Amato expressed his thoughts about being shoved out in the cold rather than suited up inside the fancy hotel. Brushing shoulders with the higher-classes, the politicians and the rest of them didn't much appeal to Ethan. He wouldn't need to sneak a gun inside as with a little imagination he was sure he'd be able to slice open the first snobby bastard who looked down their nose at him. "I suppose you're right about the women, at least. Saw a couple of beauties making their way inside earlier," he chuckled, whilst using his hands to gesture a woman's chest.

"Maybe you should ask Mr. Moretti nicely to let you into his next fancy meeting. He looks exactly like the kind of guy who will happily take requests," he lightly teased, though more at Gabriel's expense than Amato's. But, clearly, Amato was wound up having the Irish rats standing not far from them and Ethan didn't feel at all inclined to discourage him from addressing the enemy in a provocative manner. If the Irish made a move against them, Ethan would happily reciprocate. He took a long, calming drag of his cigarette as Amato talked at the Porters. Ethan couldn't help but smirk as the shorter guy gave them a piece of his mind. With the focus shifted onto the woman within the other group, Ethan flicked his cigarette butt onto the floor and shook his head. "She's gotta be a hooker, because the only other use for her would be in the kitchen," he remarked.

Upon hearing the comments of the other men, Jasmine couldn't help but roll her eyes. She was getting used to those kinds of remarks, but usually it was easy enough to fire back at them with a piece of her mind. She wasn't sure she wanted to risk instigating a fight out in the parking lot - at least, not unless they'd been ordered to do so. She nodded her head in agreement at Jackson's comment about Moretti's men being like chained up dogs. Jackson had been a relatively recent arrival to the operations in New York, though she understood he'd been with the mob for much longer than she had. Knowing how close he was was the Boss and the family, she couldn't help but look up to him, even if it wasn't necessary. "You sure Mr. Sullivan didn't want us to just put those three dogs down while we're all out here?" she remarked.

Jasmine looked to Chase and sent him an alluring smirk as he mentioned them underestimating her. After he'd removed the cigarette from his mouth, she reached her hand out to take it from him so she could have a couple of drags herself. As she blew out the smoke, she couldn't help but chuckle at his remarks referring to Amato's weight. She gave Chase the cigarette back and slowly shook her head. "Yeah, let them keeping barking. They might tire themselves out soon." She grinned at Johnny's comment and shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. I reckon I could take him on myself. He can't be that much taller than I am," she snorted.

Ethan turned his attention away from the Irish lot and looked to Tony as the man spoke about wanting to scrap. "Your boss can only have so many fancy meetings before he let's us loose," he said, not considering Gabriel to be his own boss as he was under Alistair's employment. "Let's face it. The leprechaun's aren't smart enough to listen to anything intellectual Moretti might put out to them. Soon enough he'll lose patience with reason and he'll give us the go-ahead to do things the old-fashioned way," he knowingly remarked, briefly reaching to his waist to feel the handle of his gun.

Tony referred to his reputation with the East Harlem Gang and Ethan let out a brief laugh as he recalled some of his recent jobs. "It has been a while since I was able to go to town on one of Porter's lot, though." Unable to resist throwing out some more bait to pull in the Irish bunch, he purposely raised his voice for them to hear. "I've been dealing with the Sullivans and Porters for years. They might try to look calm and unfazed, but the minute they come close to danger, they turn into quivering wrecks. Porter's wife and her redhead sister, I could forgive for being weak. But Porter's own son? A grown man? He cried like a fucking child. I should have just slit his throat and put him out of his misery when I had the chance," he remarked, fixing his eyes on Jackson for a time. His mind was briefly cast back to Arlene, who he had finished the job on, and he couldn't help but smirk as he recalled the bite the woman had.

Enzyme (Jackson, Amato)
Pyroclast (Chase)
RayPurchase (Johnny, Tony)

 

[Pyroclast]

Danny Vaughan

It had been so long since Danny and Owen had gone out together that he forgot how much of a charmer his friend could be with women. He didn’t hear the words he uttered but he saw her bite down on her cherry red lips and caught the way she pushed her chest up against his. It seemed the cocaine was no longer the first thing on her mind. Even when Owen pulled away and told her he was at work, the lust in her eyes didn’t fade. She was confident that he - or possibly both of them - would give in to temptation sooner or later. “In that case,” she said, reaching out to lightly trace a finger down Owen’s torso. “I’ll buy it all.”

“Woah, take it easy, there,” Danny chuckled. “Listen, it’s a gift from Hugo. Only reason we don’t dump it and leave is so we can get to know our customers...and so the guy doesn’t try and do it all himself.” He withdrew a small sealed pouch from his jacket and placed it into her hand, closing her fingers around it. “You know what you’re doing?” She hesitated, which seemed purposeful and made her friends behind her giggle. “Don’t lie to me,” he added, knowing how keen she was for attention. It was only when one of the friends pulled her away by the waist that he realised he hadn’t moved his hand from hers and quickly stepped back. “She always pretends like it’s her first time,” she explained, taking her hand and leading her away. “Come on, Cherry. I wanna feel alive!”

Once they were alone, Danny leaned back against the bar and took a swift sip of his drink. Of course, he was happy in his relationship with Savannah and had no interest in pursuing anyone else - but it was still hard to stop himself from imagining the women doing lines off each other’s bodies, no matter how uncomfortable it made him. He made a brief exchange with a man who walked past him, but even as he explained the deal and where to find him in future, his mind was on Savannah. Charisma had always been Danny’s greatest tool when dealing with customers both old and new, but there was a fine line between charming and flirting. Now that he was no longer single, he had to figure out where that line was. Owen, on the other hand, was held back only by his professional work ethic. “You could’ve made her night, dude,” he teased, giving his friend a nudge. “She was totally into you. When’s the last time you hooked up with a girl, anyway?”

Interactions
Fletchawk Owen

 

[Bellz]

Peter Callahan ​

Peter was on red alert tonight despite the fact that they were all in a somewhat neutral setting. Despite his pleading, Sinead pushed him to take her to the auction and how could he say no to such a pretty face? He didn't want to do anything to ruin the happy bubble they were in over the last few months so he agreed to take her along. Taking a glass of champagne from the waiter, Peter took a small sip before Sinead irresistibly batted her long eyelashes at him, asking for something to snack on and a non-alcoholic drink. Peter smiled at her, "Of course, my dear. I'll be back shortly." Setting his glass down on the table, he scooted back his chair and stood. Conor decided to join him and the pair walked to the bar and ordered a drink for Sinead along with some snacks. Once both items were in his possession the pair started to make their way back towards the table when Conor turned to Peter. Not having noticed Gabriel at first, Peter raised his brow and slowly turned to look at the man as he made his way over to them.

Peter straightened up and turned to look towards their table where Sinead was sitting with the others, eyeballing Adam, he nodded his head slightly in his direction before turning back to the Italians as they addressed him. "Yes, let me drop these of to our lovely wives, we'll be with you shortly." Peter turned on his heels and made a beeline towards the table. "Here you are, darling. I'll be back, looks like the Italians want to chat. Enjoy the auction okay?" Once again, Peter made eye contact with Adam before offering the man a smile at his reassuring nod. Feeling that Sinead was in safe hands, the men walked back towards the table that the Italians were seated at.

Keeping his face neutral, Peter pulled out a chair to the right of Conor and took a seat. "Now, Mr. Moretti, you have the floor, like you said, this is a rare opportunity so I assume you want to talk business." Peter then looked to Rhys a moment, simply taking the man in as he watched him from across the table before turning to look at Conor, wondering what the Italians wanted to discuss.
with: Conor + Gabriel Misty Gray ; Rhys Enzyme