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

[RayPurchase]

Mitchell Van Gerwen
Porter Residence

​

Mitch lets out a low groan as the light filters through a crack in the curtains, seeming to bore a hole straight through his right eye. He slowly opens his eyes blinking several times the room coming into focus around him. Given the fact that he had taken full advantage of the free bar, admittedly not to the point of incapacitation but definitely to the point where driving was best avoided, he had decided not to risk the drive back to Manhattan. He’d managed to find himself a spare room, I mean this place was a palace, Porter could probably have managed to accommodate half the guests if he’d chosen to, perks of living outside the city limits he supposed, acres of room.

He eased himself out of the armchair that he had bunkered down in for the night, it was comfy enough, and he himself wasn’t comfortable enough to sleep in the bed, thoughts of Mr or Mrs Porter coming in and finding a legal advisor passed out in the bed, being found in the armchair seemed a bit less socially awkward. He shook his head and chuckled as he made his way towards the door, glancing at his watch as it caught the daylight. Best sleep he’d had in some time, his week was normally dominated by nights lasting into the early hours, and his days spent between the office, the state penitentiary or various police stations, this made a nice change.

He slowly eased the door open, glancing either way down the hall. It was pretty quiet, either people were still asleep or already gone. He crept near silently along the corridor, his socks sinking into the carpet, his shoes in one hand. Thankfully after just a couple of meters he came across an open door revealing a bathroom within. He popped in shutting the door behind him. Leaning over the sink and splashing himself with some water. He looked up at himself in the mirror, offering himself a grin, he smoothed his hair back, the water washing away any lingering grogginess. What a night, his grin slipped a little. He hadn’t seen Roxie since the Syd incident, hadn’t seen Syd either. I mean the latter was most likely still in the house somewhere. He licked at is lips, the guy hadn’t been in the best state last night. He didn’t know him well enough to know what exactly, but Roxie seemed pretty pissed off, near enough harassing the poor woman. And as for Roxie… well it appeared to be going well, until the altercation on the dance floor. She’d almost said yes to drinks till, well till Syd. He glanced back down at his watch, he should probably leave soon, overstaying welcome and all that, not to mention the fact that Rex was probably taking this opportunity to chew his way through most of the soft furnishings. Grab a coffee, get the old neurons firing again and be on your way. He throws one last handful of water over himself and towels his face off, heading downstairs hopefully in the direction of coffee.

As he came down the stairs he could smell the powerful scent of freshly brewed coffee, leading him on like a siren’s song. He rounded the corner into the kitchen, first catching sight of Roxie, a grin appearing on his face.

“Read my mind, anymore of that coffee going ar…”

He trails off as he catches sight of Syd. His grin slips for a brief moment, but he quickly slips back into the easy grin. Hey maybe sobriety would work for him, take the edge of that had appeared last night.

“Morning Syd, how you feeling?”

He asked innocently enough, making sure not to allow any hint of suspicion of judgement creep into his voice, he was probably beating himself up about it already, in the same situation Mitch knew he would be.

(Interactions: Bellz Roxie, Pyroclast Syd)

 

[Bellz]

Roxanne Carriveau
​

Noticing Syd in the kitchen caused Roxie to quiet down in speaking with Arrow, when the dog didn't immediately go to him, he called her and she walked over happily. Roxie smiled slightly at the scene before Syd finally said something to her. The words sounded a bit harsh as they came out, once again leaving her confused. Her head looked down slightly, eyes glanced towards the floor, when she did look up again, Syd was holding his hand out to her. Roxie's eyes stared at it for a long moment, a smirk forming on her face as he sighed and informed her that he wouldn't spill it on her. Once the cup was out of her grasp, the woman clasped her hands together.

The apology really wasn't expected, as she thought she would never see the man again after last night. It sounded forced and judging from the miserable look on his face, he wanted to just get it over with. She thought about what she was going to say in return. Roxie was sure that rejecting the apology would do her no good, he didn't seem like the groveling type. So she shrugged her shoulders lightly, offering the man a breezy smile, she said, "Don't worry about it. Alcohol does some crazy shit...I'm not usually one to over react." Of course she wasn't going to apologize. As far as she was concerned, she had nothing to apologize for, and if he didn't see it that way...well that sucked for him.

Roxie took a step in the direction of the nearest exit, wanting to get out of there before the awkwardness could fully grasp her, however, someone's familiar voice caused her to stop. Not a second later, Mitch stepped into the kitchen, his words trailing off as he saw Syd. The brunette couldn't hide the warm smile from forming on her lips as she looked at the man. Roxie had been fortunate enough to get one of the beds upstairs but she had wondered where Mitch slept, hoping he hadn't had a fitful night.

The woman stayed silent as the lawyer drew his attention to Syd. Her eyes glanced between the two men curiously before finally keeping her gaze on Syd, Mitch's question making her curious to know exactly how he was feeling. With the tension between them, it seemed like pleasantries were thrown out the window. Not that she would admit it out loud to anyone, but after the night was through, she worried about the man who had been so rude to her earlier in the night. He didn't seem like himself from what she could see, especially when he spilled his drink on her. But she knew she would never really know what this Syd Porter was like, making sure that after today, she'd never lay eyes on him again.
with: Syd Pyroclast ; Mitch RayPurchase

 

[Pyroclast]

Syd Porter

Despite the seemingly perfect opportunity to smooth things over with Roxie, Syd wasn't expecting her to be ready to forgive him. Everything that had happened was still fresh on their minds, and apart from her being Savannah's roommate, there was nothing tying the two together that was incentive enough for their relationship to be important. Unfortunately, as the business and general life had taught him, Syd knew that first impressions counted for a lot. Her minimal acceptance of his weak apology, then, was as much as he could have hoped for. He mustered the smallest of smiles, then looked away again, taking a sip of coffee as the woman began to make her exit.

A second voice caused Syd to raise his head and when Mitch appeared in the doorway, the tension in the air suddenly thickened. His sentence was cut short as the two men locked eyes. Roxie's warm smile towards the man didn't go amiss, and when Mitch asked him how he was feeling, he wondered why he wouldn't have asked Roxie first. Surely this was the first time they were seeing each other today? Either the lawyer was making fun of him for the state he had been in the previous night, or he and Roxie had...No. Surely not. The two were total strangers. But there was that look she was giving him...

Even though it was an innocent enough question, Syd couldn't help but glare at the man. It was only of his own embarrassment that being in a room with Roxie and Mitch was putting him in such a sour mood, but he couldn't help it. The guy was so nice, so cool, so level-headed; she was sweet, with her beautiful, warm smile directed at the lawyer. Syd felt his cheeks colour and he turned his back on the pair, moving to wash up Roxie's coffee mug with some haste. "Just fine, Mitch," he mumbled. "You sleep well?"

Having not eaten anything all day, Syd was by now pretty hungry, but he couldn't think of anything worse than staying to eat something while these two were still here. Downing his coffee in one, Syd ran the empty mug under the tap and dried his hands. "Well, I've got an appointment, so..." His voice was charged with tension as he looked between the two, a forced smile upon his face. "Sorry to have to leave you. Help yourself to breakfast, or whatever you call it this time of day." With that, Syd promptly left the room. Not that it was any of his business, but he couldn't help but hope that the pair wouldn't get up to anything behind his back.

~ Midtown Medical Center, Manhattan ~​

By the time he had reached Manhattan, Syd was in a much better mood and his hangover had simmered down to practically nothing. The journey had kept him alert, providing him with something else to focus on for a bit so that he could stop obsessing over Roxie and Mitch, and he had even managed to grab something to eat on his way. Furthermore, entering a professional environment had pulled him back into a much calmer state. Syd gave the receptionist a warm smile as he approached the desk. "Afternoon," he said, his tone much more gentle now. "Syd Porter, here for my appointment with Dr. Parker."

Laura looked up to him and returned his smile as she finished filing away some papers. "You wait here, honey." The woman left Syd hovering by the desk, running his fingernails along the grain of the wood and studying the calming pictures that hung on the walls. It had been four years that he had been coming to this medical centre now, and he knew the place by its every detail. She proceeded to make her way to Dr. Parker's office, giving a light but audible knock on his door. "Sir, your 2 o' clock is ready for you."

At her cue, Syd entered the room, extending a hand to greet the doctor. "Good to see you," he said politely, offering the man a smile. "How's it going?" While the appointment with his counsellor was of course about his own well-being, it still seemed wrong to skip formalities. In the 8 years that Syd had been receiving professional help, he had gone through a number of counsellors, dismissing many for their poor advice, lack of understanding or general weak personality. Since moving to New York and finding Dr. Parker, however, he had never had reason to doubt the man's expertise and always felt welcome in his presence. Having built a good relationship with him over the years, Syd felt compelled to uphold it.

Interactions
Bellz Roxie
RayPurchase Mitch
Misty Gray Maddox

 

[Pyroclast]

Danny Vaughan

The Lomax held a very different atmosphere by day as it did by night. After Friday night's usual chaos, staff worked from the break of dawn to fix the place back up to a clean and tidy condition, ready for the afternoon when it would reopen as a more casual space. Blues music played in the background, not too loud but audible above the chatter and clinking of glasses. After nightfall, when the club resumed its thriving energy, Danny mostly worked as a drug dealer, moving between the dance floors and the on-site smoking area. He had a few regulars by now, but there were plenty of customers to be found and he knew all the right places to look. On days like this, however, he took on a more legitimate role, working the bar, taking phone calls, filling in others' jobs and helping to set up backstage.

For the last twenty minutes or so, Danny had got himself caught up in conversation with a group of banterous kitchen porters. "Danny, you're meant to be on bar!" an impatient voice rang out, causing the young man to hop off the counter and set his own glass down. He excused himself from his group of colleagues, who would no doubt get on with their work much more efficiently once he was gone, and returned to the main bar, where it appeared they were considerably short on staff. "Ah, shit," he muttered, noting the number of people currently waiting to be served. Just as he was about to tackle the queue, one of the bouncers called his name. Rolling his eyes, Danny shot an apologetic glance at his overburdened coworker before exiting the bar.

"What is it?" he asked, subconsciously mirroring the larger man's pose by folding his arms.

"Kid's come by with a message for you. Says you got a delivery from China...?" There was a short pause as Danny thought over the man's words. "If he's wasting your time I can -"

"Oh wait, no, I know what this is. Yeah, don't worry, it's work-related. Tell him to come round the back."

While the bouncer undoubtedly had the higher rank, Danny spoke with such conviction that he simply nodded. The two parted, only to meet at the door to the storeroom moments later. The second he laid eyes on his roommate, he could tell something was wrong. "Damn, Blue, what's up with you? You get jumped or something?" Danny stepped aside to let Owen in. "What've you got for me?" Noticing the shortness of breath and the stiff way that he held himself, a look of concern crossed Danny's face. "Sit down, man...are you okay?"

Interactions
Fletchawk Owen

 

[shadowz1995]

Thankfully, the party had gone quietly and the night was even quieter. Whether that was due to the fact Dante, Warren and the other armed guards were present or simply because nothing was going to happen that night anyway, the man did not know.

It also didn't really matter. Alls well the ends well. No one had to die that night.

After the hitman was done watering and doing the proper maintenance for the flora in his flower shop, he headed off to the summons of his employer, James Porter. Dante had left a vase of his freshly imported Chinese flowers outside the shop with a nametag on it. It was addressed to his favorite little gun nut since it seemed he was going to be away on business today and he might not be in when she comes to pick up her promised bouquet.

Hopefully, she'll enjoy these ones. Pilgrim59

----------------------

The Roman mafioso double checked all of his equipment before heading up to meet with the boss. It was an urgent summons and considering the topic of discussion Mr. Porter had secretly divulged to him during the party, Dante could only imagine it was for work. His Real Job as the rumored assassin of Porter family.

He opened the trunk and suppressed the urge to start laughing. He had to remember to give Bailey a bonus for her great work. She was always able to get her hands on the fun stuff for the job.

The hitman adjusted his tie and put on his trilby as he journeyed onwards. He came face to face with the half-sibling of James and his own coworker, Warren. If either of them could help it, they both preferred to do their jobs seriously and quietly. Dante dipped the front of his hat forward to the guard in a respectful greeting before entering the room where Mr. Porter awaited him.

"Sir." He greeted respectfully. "You called for my presence?"

Misty Gray

 

[Pyroclast]

~ Broadway Theatre, Manhattan ~ ​

Jason Costello

This was it. All the lines were in his head, his Irish accent wiped, and his next big shot was waiting for him right behind that curtain. Save for the familiar nerves that made his heart beat a little faster than usual, Jason's confidence was in the right place. Going in without a script was vital if he was to make a greater impression than all the men who had gone before him - after all, he was the last in line.

When at last his name was called, Jason took a deep breath, clasped his hands together and walked out onto the stage. There were three judges there, two men and a woman, all sitting on the front row with clipboards on their laps.

"You're here for the part of Cliff Bradshaw, correct?" the woman asked him.

"That's right."

She gazed at him for a moment, seeming to size him up, then whispered something to one of the male judges. "So, Jason, you're going to be starting with Why Should I Wake Up? and then we'll have you begin at Act I Scene 10. I'll be reading lines Sally's lines for you. Ready?"

"I was born ready." Jason had been living with an American accent for several days in preparation for this, and now it came out so naturally that the judges wouldn't even be able to tell that he was from Ireland.

"Then cue the music." The woman looked up at him with an expectant smile on her face, and the two male judges raised their heads, too, all with their clipboards at the ready. During the auditions, the only people in the auditorium were the judges and a few other auditionees seated at the back, their faces obscured by the darkness. Yet Jason could already feel a build up of adrenaline pumping through his veins as he stood there in the spotlight, and couldn't wait to release it, doing what he loved best.

Having been a dancer his whole life, Jason naturally filled the space on stage when he acted. Each note was hit with enthusiasm, each line charged with emotion until at last the scene came to a natural break and, breathless, he fell out of character. The judges did not have much to say, which he took as a good sign. Nothing had seemed to go wrong, not a single word had been missed; he had truly felt like someone else up on the stage. Still filled with adrenaline after being dismissed, Jason didn't spend much longer than five minutes in the green room, not wishing to miss any of the auditions for Sally Bowles, which were to come next. He slipped into the auditorium through the main door and took a backseat. If he had got the part, then one of these women would be working with him for many weeks to come. But even if he didn't, he was eager to make his own guesses at who would be getting her role.

Interactions
Bellz Gwen

 

[Bellz]

Gwen Bryant​

Lorelei Bryant​

The redhead looked at her doctor with a blank stare, wondering if she had heard him right.

"I'm sorry.." She mumbled lightly, "Could you repeat that?" She asked before the doctor smiled kindly and nodded his head, "Congratulations Mrs. Bryant," The words sucked the oxygen from her lungs and her ears rang. No. This isn't right, this wasn't suppose to happen. It was clear as day that she wasn't expecting such words and she even looked unhappy about it, the doctor seemed to sense this, "There are other options we can take, abortion is always an option." Gwen's wide brown eyes flickered up, she wasn't sure about her being pregnant, but knew for sure she didn't want that. "Um..no. Thank you. I'm sure my husband will be ecstatic." There wasn't much confidence in her words as she said this, but the doctor didn't give it much looking into as he wrote her a few prescriptions for what was apparently morning sickness.

There was one person who came to her mind that day and she hadn't been sure what it meant. Jason had been thrown from her thoughts for many years. Keeping the man locked behind a door, she hadn't thought of him until the day she knew she was having Lorelei. It was stupid to think of, she knew it, but long ago there was a time where she thought he could have been the one.

Lorelei was still sleeping off the night before as Gwen laid beside her, gently stroking her fingers across the vinyl Jason had given her a long time ago. Looking at her reflection in it, she could just see the dead look in her eyes. Silently, she clutched the vinyl closer to her chest. She hadn't dared listen to it, not since before she murdered her husband. Her thoughts were lost as Lorelei turned in her sleep. Then, looking over at the time, she knew it was about time for her to get up.

Once the girl was up and they both had gotten ready, Gwen lead them down the stairs to grab a bite to eat before leaving. With that, the girls headed on their way into the city with the help of one of the family's drivers. It was an enjoyable car ride, her daughter always curious as ever, she had a lot to say about the world passing by and a LOT of questions to ask. "Mommy? Mommy? Mooommmm?" Gwen felt the pressure of a small finger poking into her arm and she snapped out of her trance of looking out the window, "Oh..yes?" She asked the girl, "I said, are you nervous?" This was a hard question to answer. Truth was, she was terrified. It had been too many years since she had been on stage, able to perform in front of anyone. Who knows how she would do with this audition. She couldn't have thanked her brother enough. A Broadway show! It was everything Gwen dreamed of and more! She was still relatively new to the acting scene, so she hoped that she didn't look like an amateur in front of the other performers.

Lorelei gasped as she looked out the window, "Look at all the flashing lights mom!" Gwen ducked her head to look out the same window as her daughter and smiled at the buildings passing by, glowing in the shade of the towering architecture around them. The lights felt like they were calling her home, and something about them made her feel warm and welcomed. Looking ahead, she saw the building they needed to stop at, "Pull off to the left." She instructed and when the car came to a stop, Lorelei was the first one to grab ahold of the door handle.

Stepping out of the car, Gwen looked up at the theater marquee all lit up in lights...She could imagine her name being on there someday, possibly soon if today went well. "Come on mom! You're gonna be late!" Lorelei urged, pulling on Gwen's hand, but the woman stood still, frozen. It had been told to her years ago that she didn't have what it took to make it. In L.A., she wasn't shit without her husband...how was she going to pull this off? "Its going to be okay." Lorelei said gently, seeming to sense the fear in her mothers expression. The redhead looked away from the marquee and down to her daughter.

The woman had to remember who she was doing this for, because it definitely wasn't for herself. The little girl before her believed in her when others hadn't, got her through the baddest of days when Gwen thought she wasn't going to live....protected her from the hands of those who tried to hurt her. She couldn't fail. "Let's get in there." She spoke softly before Lorelei practically jumped for the glass double doors. Once signed in and given a number, Gwen chose to sit towards the middle a little farther towards the back, not wanting to draw attention to herself or the little girl who she brought with her. The song and scene she had prepared rang in her head, ready and aching to be performed on that stage before her eyes. Her heart raced, but something in her was revived...she was ready to do this.

They snuck in through the velvet double doors into the theater, taking a seat towards the back. It seemed like they missed quite a bit. Taking a seat, her eyes were on Lorelei for a moment before they turned towards the stage. Expectantly waiting for the next performer, the woman took a deep breath as she tried to calm her shaking limbs. It had been 2 days clean and her body was just not having it. Clutching the armrests lightly, her hands slipped from the sweat on her palms, causing them to fall to her lap. Toying with the hem, a name was called that caused her to freeze all together.

"Think he'll do good mommy?" Lorelei whispered to Gwen, but the woman couldn't speak, her mouth going dry. He was in New York? What the hell was he doing in America? Gwen turned in her seat, looking towards the entrance they had just walked through. A few others had sat on either side of her and Lorelei, so there was no chance for an easy escape. By then the music had started and her panic thoughts were soon drowned out by the haunting voice of her past.

The redhead felt like an animal in a cage, there was no way out. Instead of leaving, risking it all to escape him, she sunk back into the padded seat. Her eyes closed and she leaned her head forward to cover ears. All she could hear was his voice and it was the most unpleasant betraying sound. Finally, she could just barely hear the judges announce that it was the ladies turn. Head snapping up, Gwen watched as Jason disappeared behind the curtains and she turned to Lorelei quickly, "Alright, wish me luck." She breathed, just as her name was called. Her heart raced as she stood and shuffled through the row of seats towards the stage.

She quickened her pace, wanting to get the audition over with, her eagerness to get it done may have been confused for confidence, but she was anything but. The judges addressed her and she did her best to smile. "So unlike the men, we will be starting with Act 1 scene 6 and then you will go on to perform Maybe this time. Are you ready?"

Gwen bit her lip, nodding her head slowly, which the judge took as a sign to begin. Her acting wasn't the best and she knew that, but what she didn't have in acting she made up in singing. Knowing that the song would be her strong suit, the redhead tried not to dwell on her scene as the silence took over for a moment as they readied the music. Unconsciously, she found herself looking out towards the audience, her mind not thinking about anyone else but her little girl. In the end, she was the only reason she was here, she reminded herself.

"Maybe this time, I'll be lucky
Maybe this time, He'll stay
Maybe this time
For the first time
Love won't hurry away..."​

Before she knew it the song was over and Gwen found it incredibly hard to breath. When the judges excused her, she practically ran behind the stage towards the green room.
with: Lorelei ; Jason Pyroclast

 

[Misty Gray]

Maddox Parker​

Maddox was brought out of his thoughts by the gentle knock on his office door. He got up from his seat and called out to permit Laura to open the door. He was halfway between the seat he'd been occupying and the door when his secretary informed him of Syd's arrival. This prompted Maddox to stop in his tracks and remain a short distance from the doorway. "Send Mr. Porter in," he kindly asked her.

When Syd entered the room, Laura closed the door behind him so as to ensure the session remained private between the two men. Meanwhile, Maddox accepted his client's gesture and gave the man a firm handshake. When Syd said it was good to see him, Maddox nodded in a manner which told him the feeling was mutual. "And you," he pleasantly told him. "Things are going well," he answered the man's question, sending him a smile to back up his answer. "Take a seat," he said, holding out his arm in the general direction of the armchairs and couch, giving Syd the option of where he wished to sit. "Would you like a drink?" he offered him. By now, Syd would know the drinks on offer usually ranged from water to coffee, rather than the kind of drinks he had been consuming the night before.

Once Syd was settled, Maddox sat down in his armchair, his posture coming across as relaxed and casual, rather than formal or uptight. He was by now aware of the depression and suicidal thoughts that Syd had been struggling with over the years, but it was not a topic Maddox would actively begin a session on. "What have you been doing since we last spoke?" he questioned, his tone for now remaining casual despite his genuine interest. "Have there been any developments or changes for you recently?" he asked the younger man. It was always up to Syd how much he said and how deep his response may be to the question, but it was often a useful place for the counsellor to start at.

Pyroclast (Syd)

****************

Detective Smithson
~ New York Police Department ~

The Detective sat at his desk with the telephone receiver in his hand as he waited for Lucy to answer the call. When he eventually heard the woman's voice, he leaned forward in his seat and glanced to the paperwork in front of him as he began to speak. "Mrs. Porter. My name is Detective Donald Smithson from the NYPD. I'm working with the police department in Connecticut who are investigating the potential disappearance of Arlene Sullivan. In the meantime, you are listed as an emergency contact and a legal guardian for Miss Suliivan's daughter." The man paused for a short moment before continuing to speak. "I'm unable to give out information pertaining to the case right now. However,if you are able to come to this department and can take care of the child until this is resolved, I can arrange for Olivia Sullivan to be brought here from Connecticut, straight away."

Bellz (Lucy)​

 

[Bellz]

Lucy Porter
​

The morning had been quiet as most of the house was sleeping off the night before, but Lucy found herself waking up pretty early for the amount of drinks she had consumed the night before. Having breakfast with James, Thomas and whoever else was around for it, she cleaned up the area once done and decided to deal with the aftermath of the party.

Fortunately, it wasn't as bad as she had predicted and was able to get control over it with help from a their main housekeeper. Thomas was quite active, playing with the dogs out in the yard like he loved to do. Lucy had just finished grabbing the last of the glasses from the main lounge area when the phone began to ring. Hurrying over, she quickly reached for it, "Hello?" She answered, listening as a male voice addressed her formally on the other line. Hearing that it was a Detective from the NYPD made her stiffen slightly, but she tried to remain calm and silent as the man went on.

Hearing about Arlene caused red flags to go up in her mind, and the fact that the man was 'unable' to give her more information was frustrating. "Of course." She murmured, "I'll come to the station right away."

***​

Lucy and Thomas arrived at the station quickly, she didn't bother to have one of the drivers take them. Walking through the doors, Lucy gripped her son's hands tightly as they maneuvered through the crowd of people. All sorts of character Lucy would rather Thomas not see were lurking handcuffed in the halls. The boy seemed to move closer to her and she walked a little faster.

Once they were inside the Detective's office, Lucy offered a small smile to the man, using her free hand to shake his own. "Hello, we spoke on the phone. Lucy Porter..."
with: Detective Smithson Misty Gray

 

[Misty Gray]

James Porter​

Dante soon arrived at the apartment and once the man had been allowed access inside, he was able to make his way to James' desk. "Afternoon, Dante," James greeted him. His tone remained neutral as they got the pleasantries out of the way, his mind focused on business and therefore presenting himself more professionally the the evening before. "Take a seat," he offered, motioning to the chair opposite.

"As you know, we're currently holding Billy Granger. The prick is proving to be quite the squealer," he informed him. "A valuable shipment of ours was intercepted and stolen a couple of weeks back. Two of our men were injured in the process. I'd already established Billy was involved, but he wasn't the only traitor that evening. To try and help himself, he's also named Kyle Summers as being involved."

James sat back as he gave himself one last chance to reconsider what he'd decided, but there was no part of him wishing to change his mind. "Neither Billy nor Kyle know who they're working for, but they each received a decent pay packet for stabbing us in the back. Billy still has some use for the moment, but there is nothing Kyle can tell us that is of any value. He's fucked with us one time too many and I'm not willing to give the man another chance to screw us over again. The man has no integrity." If he was being honest, Kyle had grated on him during previous interactions. "I want you to take Kyle out of the equation. Whatever it takes, I want the traitor dead. Can you do that?" he ask, looking the man in the eyes. "I have his home address, but I've had it confirmed he tends to leave home in the early evening and spend his Saturday evening throwing his weight around at that sleazy club, The Red Lounge..."

shadowz1995 (Dante)

 

[Inb4Cloaker]

Farrid Al-Assad​

Spoiler: The Coup

“Some day, somehow, you’ll be called upon when the time is right. You may try to ignore it, but the urge to reforge your future will be like an ocean. And you won’t be able to resist the rising tide.”

Farrid staggered, a scuffed Mossberg 500 cradled between his arms. He heard a voice, beyond the scope of his natural perception. The words were familiar, but the ground that he stood upon was anything but. Where was he? As though everything else around him was obsolete, Assad quickly searched the ground with a lazy stare. Sandy stone tiles supported him, and created the foundation for the scenery around him. As sound rushed to meet his ears, the Syrian rebel snapped his head up to view what surrounded him.

He was standing amid a crowded courtyard, men covering his flanks left and right. The people he stood with looked nearly identical, albeit with different variations of their equipment. The faces that were not covered by shemaghs or masks were unrecognizable, blurry even, to Farrid. Everything about the scene was lucid to the medic, as though he couldn’t recognize even the most basic features of where he was. The people around him were armed with rifles similar to what Farrid possessed, and their outfits consisted of a generally similar pattern. Dark grey and light brown colors intertwined, creating a chaotic yet seemingly organized sense of uniformity between the men. Some had explosives, some had operation specific equipment on them such as radios or carefully composed assault vests, and a vast majority of them sported dark grey helmets. Farrid was bewildered, they used to compete over helmets in the field when they were found. How is it that he couldn’t remember something as significant as this?

On the balconies surrounding the ornamental courtyard were more of the same people, watching eagerly as a lone figure moved between their ranks. Noticing the person of interest, Farrid fixated his gaze on the man as he descended towards the stone stage within the middle of the gathering. The rambunctious crowd quickly silenced themselves in a mass of hissed hushes and jarring elbows. Only the steps of the single, determined figure could be heard rebounding off the walls. When he finally took his position within the center of the platform, Farrid took note of the mans appearance. Darker skinned, bald, bearded and wearing a brown jumpsuit complemented by yet another assault vest; the man looked livid. As though the crowd could sense this, they shifted in their spots and adjusted grips on whatever weapons they held.

When the man spoke, Farrid couldn’t understand the words that were leaving his mouth completely. Yet he felt them. The speaker gestured with his hands after seemingly yelling one single line, and the mass of armed men, Farrid included, screamed back with an unbridled reaction. Assad could sense intense emotions welling within him; a mixture of excitement, anger, and preparedness building at a rapid pace. The man spoke again, louder, and with more energy. Everyone surrounding the medic listened without batting an eye, mesmerized by his words as they committed each phrase to memory. Again, more cheers from the crowd and Farrid. This time, however, the gathering began to chant, stomp, and thrust rifle barrels into the air with a noticeable rhythm. The finale for the speech was about to occur, and the sand ladened air carried a type of fanatic need that overwhelmed the senses. They all knew what would come next.

When the final words were uttered, madness ensued between the men within the courtyard. At once, the insurgents began to scramble out of the assembly. Running and pushing one another towards the exits, the mass of people swept Assad, who was following suit without hesitation, with them and out of the gates. Sprinting without signs of slowing, Farrid only decreased his speed when a slip of paper escaped the confines of his pocket. Skidding still for a moment, Assad glanced around at his rushing comrades before stalking the parchment as it blew away. After a few futile grasps, he caught it in midair with a cry of triumph. Initially, he was about to pocket it, but he ended up focusing his attention on it for one split second too long.

The paper was the very same one that his friend sent him, along with the saber he presented to Mr. Porter. With shock registering within his subconscious, Assad felt his jaw drop partially, along with the scattergun he now held with one hand. With his joy and racing mind instantly coming to a halt, he understood in that moment why everything he saw was something he couldn’t remember.

Farrid slowly allowed his eyes to flutter open, a deep and calm breath being absorbed as he came to. He knew he had another episode, yet this one was very different. He has never endured a dream about events that he couldn’t vividly recall, and this vision had displayed something that was both familiar and foreign in nature. Along with the unusual dream, he didn’t jolt awake or accumulate tension during the course of him sleeping. Typically, he wouldn’t finish an episode through and through without his body interrupting at some point. Finally, Assad came to terms with the realization that it wasn’t entirely unpleasant until the end, which was bizarre in its own rights. Nothing matched up, and while the medic was plagued by questions, he feared nobody could provide reasonable answers.

The Syrian driver was currently resting in his bed, torso propped up against the backboard, with a multitude of papers around him. On his lap was his partially assembled Mossberg 500, devoid of the barrel and pump, which was resting near the foot of his mattress. The square of space he inhabited was relatively clean, although it had the occasional tourniquet or crumpled piece of paper lurking atop some of the wooden furniture he had. Much of his room was generic for an apartment, consisting of a twin sized bed, wooden desk with a matching chair, nightstand, and a few drawers. However, there were a few personal twists that the medic had applied to his living quarters. These involved several papers, most likely personal letters, that were written in messy and informal Arabic pinned to the back of hit door, a locked, steel cage that appeared to house various forms of equipment, a dated picture that was nailed to the wall, and finally, a particular flag that covered the window opening.

Emitting an undignified sigh, the medic reluctantly swung his legs off the mattress and turned to a more proper sitting position. Allowing himself a moment to recover from his unexpected nap, Assad looked down at his attire. Wearing a light tan button up with rolled sleeves and a pair of dark brown cargo pants, the prior insurgent fought through his haze of sleep and recalled what he was doing.

The night before went off without issue, he watched his friend get slapped, and he ended up driving back home as planned. Farrid wound up having a drink or two of hard liquor after that, but couldn’t quite remember what he did before heading off to bed. He could only assume it was unimportant. He ended up departing the apartment in the early morning, despite his late night, and visited his small medical facility for some equipment layouts and a self induced hangover IV. Shortly after, Farrid went back home and, after searching for a way to occupy his Saturday, ended up cleaning his weapon while reading through a few letters. He had managed to complete his task for the most part, but must’ve gotten too comfy when reassembling his scattergun. That, in combination with reading, was enough to push him back into the drift of sleep.

Casting a gaze around his room, Farrid spotted the dated image on the wall. Looking over the black and white photo, Assad saw himself and several of his fellow allies from back in Syria. They were all standing atop a decrepit building, and were making rather rude gestures. Farrid was not, however, he was instead holding both his hands in the air with peace symbols, a twelve gauge slung over his shoulder, and a broad smile on his face. The prior insurgent noted that he seemed to be in higher spirits back then. Shifting his gaze to the flag, he watched as the fabric flowed in serenity over the open window. It was more like a curtain than a banner at this point, but it’s symbolism was not lost of the prior insurgent. The cherry colored flag depicted two golden scimitars, crossed at their tips with a golden star between them. As sunlight peaked through the thin fabric, Assad absorbed the sounds of the city from behind the open window. An expression of longing crossed his features, and the Syrian driver was forced to look away in fear of delving too deep into his own thoughts.

His averted gaze resulted in him spotting his desk, currently occupied by an open envelop and a single piece of fresh paper. It was a return letter, and was intended to be sent back to his friend in thanks for the gift, but Farrid also needed to address an intricate question that his far away ally had challenged him with. His mind had been absent of the words he needed to convey on the paper, but the dream had given him a type of insight that couldn’t be ignored.

Forcing himself off of his bed, Farrid quietly stepped over to his chair and kicked it out before letting himself down into it. He looked at pen resting atop the readied envelop.

“Am I really considering this?” Farrid said quietly to himself, swiftly plucking the pen from its idle position. Between this, his nagging feelings for the woman who inhabited the same apartment, and the lack of sleep he was receiving, Assad didn’t know what he was considering at this point. He had taken Syd’s advice into account, but for whatever reason, his mind was telling him to ignore it entirely, and instead, focus on his career and the matter at hand. Decidedly, the medic clicked his pen and began to press the point against the blank parchment.

“Won’t hurt to ask...” He muttered before engaging himself in the process of replying to his friend. While his pen scribbled away, another envelop lay on the floor, torn open ungracefully the day before. Assad had forgotten to discard of it, and the empty packet had now been kicked closer to his partially open door. He intended to shred it, mostly because of its cryptic nature.

Raquib Thani
Al-Assad, Farrid

Those words were the reason he folded over the letter while it was in his truck earlier. Most packages he had simply read his first name, and was devoid of an official format. This envelop in particular, however, had his full name and rank stamped onto it. He hadn’t seen his rank written since he was out East, and certainly didn’t expect to see it now.

العودة إلى المنزل

Mentions: James Porter Misty Gray Syd Porter Pyroclast Bailey Baker Pilgrim59
Interactions: None.​

 

[Pyroclast]

Syd Porter

At Maddox's offer of a seat, Syd perched on the edge of the couch closest to the counsellor's own chair. "Oh, uh...just a water for me, please. Thanks." Syd soon settled into a relaxed position, crossing his legs and leaning against the arm of the sofa. The ambience of the room was always tranquil; spacious, tidy and well-decorated, the air even carried a pleasant scent. Everything had been designed to create a relaxing setting for the client, and, unless something was particularly upsetting him, it worked on Syd well. Even so, conversations about personal issues were often hard to ease into, especially when things weren't going well.

Syd took the glass of water in hand and played idly with it as he listened to Maddox's questions. "Just keeping on top of work, mostly," he answered. It felt good to report something positive. "Between the nightclub and the family business, I've got enough to keep me on my feet every day, and I still find time to walk the dogs every morning. I don't want to speak too soon, but...things have been pretty manageable lately." If he could have ended things there, he would have felt proud of himself. But scenes from the morning and the previous night were playing on his mind, pressuring him to speak up. Glancing to Maddox, Syd sent him a weak smile before taking a sip of his water, his gaze then settling somewhere beyond the window. Of course, he didn't have to admit to any of it. This wasn't confession. But while work had been manageable for the most part, there were other elements of his life that he didn't have such good control over. Despite the brief conversations he had had with his mother and father at the party, the subject wasn't always an easy one to have with them. At this stage, at least, it was less awkward to discuss it with a third party.

Clearing his throat, Syd brought his attention back to Maddox. "There was, uh...something I wanted to talk to you about, actually." He placed the glass of water down gently on the coffee table and shifted in his seat. His hands came together, and he began to absent-mindedly fiddle with the platinum wedding ring on his finger. There were often many rings on his fingers these days, partly to draw attention away from the one ring he knew he probably shouldn't be wearing, but also because, when the time called for violence, they made his punches that little bit more effective. But it was always that particular ring that he had a habit of toying with.

"I know we've talked about this a lot in the past, but it's been a while since - since we had a bit of context." For some reason it was hard for him to proceed with this topic, always believing it made him sound pathetic. He couldn't help but notice all the other men his age that seemed to navigate this aspect of life with ease. "It's women, doc," he sighed, emitting a sheepish laugh. "Always the most attractive ones. I turn into a right bastard when they talk to me - I can't seem to control it. It's confusing for everyone involved, and it's not fair on her. I know I need to work through it, but I don't know where to start." The anger in Roxie's eyes flashed across his mind and he brought a hand to his cheek. "Last night, we threw a birthday party for my dad, and there was this woman there...really beautiful. I mean, really beautiful. She was nothing but sweet when we spoke, but in the end I drove her to slap me right across the face." It sounded even more ridiculous to him now that he was sitting here recounting what had happened. An exasperated laugh escaped him, but there was a sadness behind his eyes, and he looked down to his hands, gripping onto his fingers to stop himself from touching the ring. "I don't know what to do."

Interactions
Misty Gray Maddox

Bellz Roxie (mentioned)

 

[Pyroclast]

Jason Costello

With the thrill of performing still rushing through him, Jason could barely sit still as he readied himself to watch the next set of auditions. He had nowhere else to be that day, and so decided to take the time to enjoy every performance there was to come. The first name, Gwen Bryant, made his eyes narrow slightly, a distant, uncomfortable memory suddenly brought to the surface of his mind. Gwen wasn't a name he heard much these days, having spent so many years in prison and then moving away from Ireland, so it wasn't often that he thought of the woman he had been in love with all those years ago. Back when he knew her, he had had very few possessions beyond a stolen AJS motorbike and a collection of various alcohols. His life had revolved around drinking, crime, debt and keeping it all a secret from the woman he loved. Getting his lucky break in acting had been exactly what he needed to pick himself up after their break up, and he had tried never to look back to his old life. Not much remained from it now, save for a few memories.

There was something about this woman, though. Not just the first name, but her general appearance...the long, red hair flowing over her shoulders particularly stuck out to him. It was uncanny. But the chances of it being the same woman were so slim. Still, when she began to sing, it made the hairs on his arms stand on end in a way that rang familiar with him. His posture stiffened and he wore a look of discomfort on his face as he watched her perform. He wanted so desperately to believe that it wasn't her, but his confidence was diminishing by the second. The lyrics struck a cord with him and as she looked out into the audience, Jason could have sworn that she was singing directly to him. No, in this light she wouldn't possibly be able to make him out...Then again, if she had been sitting here moments ago, she would know that he was here.

"That's Gwen," he whispered to himself, leaning forward in his seat in disbelief. A lump formed in his throat and a darkness fell across his eyes as he stared at the woman on the stage. Part of him wanted to run out of the theatre, but shock held him paralysed in his seat. Once again, she held him in rapture, spellbound by her stunning voice...it was unmistakably his Gwen. As soon as she rushed off stage, Jason instantly made his own swift exit. Before he had time to think about what he was doing, he found himself heading back to the green room.

His pace slowed as he approached the door, heart racing as he anticipated the encounter. Suddenly the door opened, causing Jason to flinch. But it was just one of the other men, one who had gone just before him. He must have noticed the look on Jason's face, because he paused on his way out and gave him a light pat on the shoulder. "Hey, what's the matter? You look like you've seen a ghost." But Jason could only smile weakly at him in response. The bastard had no idea. Swallowing his nerves, he placed a hand on the door and pushed it open. With most of the auditionees either waiting in the wings, sitting in the auditorium or already having left the building, there were only a few people in the green room now. Of course, Gwen, with her distinctive beauty, stood out to him immediately. Resting an arm against the wall, he spoke up, unsure if she had noticed him yet.

"So, ye made it to Broadway, then." Despite the obvious tension between them, a small, unstoppable smile broke onto his face from being near her again. "I guess there's no better stage for a voice like yours."

Interactions
Bellz Gwen

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Aliana Cartwright

Ali had stayed in bed for a few hours after waking up. Seana was out handling some business of her own, leaving Leo to bother his mother. It was around 8am when he joined Ali in her bed in his blue frog pajamas, Charlie the dog following him as usual. She stared at the ceiling while he got under the covers and stared at her. "Mom, are you nervous or something?" He asked her. The night before, she had told him that she would be the one taking him to see Conor. Both he and his grandmother were shocked at this, considering how much she would say how she would never step foot in that prison. In all honesty, she was shocked herself seeing as she didn't visit Allen yet and he was her father. 'It's not for me...', she kept reminding herself. She was doing this as a favor to Sinead to help her out with Peter. Never before had she seen Sinead in the form she was in the previous night and it broke her heart. Anything she could do to help her feel better she would do; even if that meant speaking to Conor.

Ali turned her head to Leo before opening and closing her mouth. She was going to spew a lie, but he was smart enough to tell when she did lie. "Am I nervous? Very." Leo nodded his head. "Well, I don't think you should be. I mean, dad will be stoked to see you." She had to think about that; would he really be excited to see her? After she separated from him when he possibly needed her most? She had gone off and started dating anyone else but even still. She hadn't visited or written to him and sent her mother to take Leo to see him. If anything, she thought he should resent her. With a small smile on her lips, she shook her head. "I'm sure he's more stoked to see you than he is to see me." Leo sat up with a grin on his face before jumping out of his bed and running out the door. "Alright then, let's go!"

A few hours later, Aliana sat in the parking lot with her hands tightly gripping the steering wheel. Her heart felt like it had sunk into her stomach, making it feel heavier than usual. She was trying to get herself together while Leo dug around in his bag, looking for some headband he had taken a liking to. Once he found it, his sudden "Mom I'm ready!" calmed her down a bit. The two of them walked into the prison, Leo high fiving one of the guards he had often seen. After they had been checked and allowed inside, Leo led her to the visitation area, no doubt very excited about seeing his father again. Once he came into sight, Leo shouted to which Ali shushed him before her breath caught. How long had it been since she had seen him? Days? Months? Years? She had lost track to be completely honest. She sat down in a chair in front of him, thinking of her purpose of coming here. 'For Sinead,' she thought to herself. Before she had a chance to speak, Leo did. "Hey dad! Wha gine on?" To which, Ali looked at him in shock. She forgot that her mother taught him some things in her own Bajan dialect. "Remind me to ask what else my mother has taught you."

​

Conor ( Misty Gray )

 

[Bellz]

Gwen Bryant​

Somehow Gwen had made it into the green room without taking anyone else out on her way. Pushing the door open, she stumbled into the brightly lit room and lifted both arms to shield her burning eyes from the light. Her heart hiccuped in her chest, as she moved her arms down and ran her hands over her face, most likely ruining some of her makeup. The adrenaline from performing hit her like a ton of bricks, but the mix of that with her already aching and pained body was unpleasant. The lights were too bright and they were making her head throb, but there was no way in hell she was going back out there with him. It had been 11 years, 11 fucking years since she saw his face and for some reason they happened to end up in the same place at the same time. Her head was spinning and she stumbled towards a chair before taking a seat. Gwen was so consumed by Jason that she hardly thought about how her audition went...and it was just starting to dawn on her that she had finally done it. In that time she gave up Jason, she also gave up her passion, which ironically was what brought her to the States...

____________________________________

Spoiler: Trigger Warning

The Material you are about to read depicts very real like situations of abuse and domestic violence. Viewer discretion is advised.

January 21st 1971​

A door slammed from upstairs as Gwen walked out of the master bedroom, carrying a suitcase packed with God knows what in it, as she basically threw whatever she could find inside from her drawers. "Where ya goin'?" Edwards' voice was gruff, slurring as he called out to her from the couch calmly. How could he be so fucking calm? After the fight they just had. Her lip and upper cheek was sliced and swelling, nose bleeding he acted like he hadn't just thrown a glass at her. As Gwen moved towards the stairs she passed Lorelei's room, wondering if the girl had slept through it all...she knew that she would have come out otherwise...

She squeezed her swollen red eyes shut as she tried to hold back her sobs. She couldn't leave her, You don't have a choice! her mind screamed at her. He wouldn't dare hurt Lorelei....would he? She prayed not as she jogged down the stairs.

Oh come on darling, you are putting on a wonderful show," A low rumble stirred inside the man's chest before he let out a burp, "Fuck you Edward! I'm leaving!" Gwen shouted at him, her eyes wide as she moved towards the door, which was only around the corner and down the short hall. Not expecting Edward to get up quickly, she thought she was home free, but her mistake was not keeping an eye on him. Just as she was about to reach for the knob, a large hand gripped her shoulder tightly, spinning her around before shoving her so harshly that she slammed against the door, "NO!" The redhead screamed out in fear as Edward then gripped her throat, grasping at her chin with his fingers and squeezing until she couldn't speak.

"Leaving? Oh Gwen, where would ya go? No one wants ya, no one's gonna hire ya..." He squeezed her chin harder, causing her to cry out, trying to wiggle free from his grasp. "Silly little Irish girl, come all the way from over the rainbow for what? Fame? Fortune? Dreams?" Edward smile unevenly and Gwen could see the dead look in his eye, fear gripping her as she knew what was coming. He leaned forward, the booze on his breath smelling as if it had been poured directly down her nose. Mouth tickling her ear, he whispered, "You're nothing without me."

___________________________________​

Those words rang in her head as she stared out across the room. Had she finally done it? After years of believing that she was nothing, that she could do nothing....she'd finally done it. Suddenly, she thought about Lorelei sitting by herself in the auditorium and stood up quickly, knowing the girl was probably wondering where she was. But just as she was about to make her exit, the door from backstage opened. Gwen froze as her eyes took in Jason. He'd hardly changed, physically and she was sure mentally as well. His voice was familiar, but anything but comforting as he spoke to her. She couldn't even muster a fake smile as she simply stared at the man. "Jason..." The redhead breathed out, unaware that she had been holding her breath for so long, her lungs burned as she coughed slightly, turning her head to the side as she raised a hand to her mouth. The air was warm, she felt like she was showering...she was sure he could see the glisten on her pale skin and the trembling of her limbs by now.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Her head turning to face him again, raising an eyebrow expectantly she looked for answers. "Because if you are following me or something, I promise you that would be a big mistake." Not that she felt in danger at all with Jason when they had been dating, but things had changed, she specifically had changed. Men who were outside of her family and friends were something to be cautious of. Dealing with the people she had to get her quick fix, she was always on the defense...compared to the breezy, carefree woman she use to be.

"If you are here to throw the past back in my face, go right ahead. Wouldn't be the only thing you've done to hurt me." Her voice was hoarse, fists clenching. Gwen didn't want him here, he couldn't be. Her life wasn't perfect, far from it in fact, but she knew that with him here it would spin her until she couldn't stand anymore.
with: Jason Pyroclast

 

[RayPurchase]

Mitchell Van Gerwen
Porter Residence

​

Mitch maintains his gaze as Syd glares at him, reflecting the anger with the barest hint of emotion, merely a stoic reply. He was pretty good at that to be honest, if you’ve got some petty criminal, or worse a detective yelling in your face they latch onto that sort of conflict and feed off of it. You simply match their stare, give them nothing, like dealing with a rabid dog, and right now he couldn’t help but compare between that and Syd, he’d appeared almost punch drunk last night, clearly talked Roxie up the wrong way and now there was actual anger in the gaze that was being directed his way. He’d offered the olive branch, been polite multiple times, only so many times you can do that before they start beating you round your head with said branch.

“Glad to hear it. Slept like a log, best sleep I’ve had in ages,”

He sounded anything but glad to hear it, his voice deadpan and emotionless as he grabbed himself a mug of coffee, leaning back against the counter. Taking a slow steady sip the tension was palpable, and this allowed him to collect himself. He looked towards Syd as he forced out an excuse, very forced even sounded like it near enough pained him, and offered him a small polite smile, and little more. He watches him as he leaves, his body relaxing as he hears the front door close. Clearly Syd Porter was not in the greatest states of mind, but it was still no excuse first this evening, and now this morning, whilst he’d acted like a gentleman in the fact of increasing hostility. He wasn’t going to say anything, not here in the man’s father’s house, but elsewhere... He turns his gaze towards Roxie, his smile returning, filled with warmth this time. No idea how she did it, night spent at a house with no change of clothes after a night of drinking, and a healthy amount of whiskey spilt on her, and she still looked stunning. He looks towards the dress she’s wearing.

“Did your original outfit manage to survive last night then? I’ve got to say outfit number two still gets 10/10 from me, even with my distinctly average eye for fashion.”

He chose to ignore the Syd issue, he was gone now, out of sight out of mind, why dwell on him when you could dwell on a much more pleasant present.

“I’m not sure if you’ve eaten yet, I know I can’t just survive on coffee alone, lord knows I’ve tried. I was thinking of driving back to the city, we could bump that drink up to a late lunch if you fancy it?”

I mean it was bold, but she seemed keen last night, and best possible way to purge any though of Syd getting out of his familial home, back on his turf, the big apple. Besides it was out of hours, office was closed till Monday, wasn’t like he had to be anywhere.

(Mention Pyroclast Syd
Interaction Bellz Roxie)

 

[Misty Gray]

Maddox Parker​

Maddox cast his eyes to the glass of water Syd was idly holding and his observation caused the counsellor to seemingly mirror the man's movement. However, Maddox then diverted from reflecting Syd's holding of the glass, instead bringing the drink to his lips and taking a small sip of the clear liquid. He brought the glass away from his mouth to reveal a reassuring smile as he listened to the man speak of how his business and family had been keeping him busy. He placed the glass down carefully on the nearby coffee table but maintained his pleasant expression at mention of walking the dogs. Growing up in the same house as his strict and controlling stepfather, Maddox had never been permitted any kind of pet. The time spent at home for him and his sister when they were youngsters was devoted to even more studying or training in the various sports teams they'd be made to join. Now he was an adult, his responsibilities meant he spent little time at home and so he still couldn't commit to having a pet.

"It's good to spend time doing the things you enjoy. Manageable is a step in the right direction, isn't it?" Maddox encouragingly asked. Despite Syd's positive words, there was still some uncertainty behind it all and the club owner's weak smile made it clear to the counsellor that there were still some things weighing on his mind. When Syd looked out of the window, Maddox chose to maintain the silence to allow the younger man some time for reflection during the pause. He knew if the silence was allowed to continue for a short time, it could prompt the client to think deeper and speak up without cues. It was a case of using the judgement he'd nurtured over time to know the right amount of silence to allow before deciding to give the client a prompt to elaborate on. On this occasion, the pause served its purpose and Syd soon spoke up about what was on his mind.

Maddox nodded his head when Syd told him there was something he needed to talk about. "Of course. Go on..." he softly encouraged him. The counsellor's eyes briefly glanced to Syd's hands as the younger man unconsciously played with the wedding ring he was wearing. Having seen Syd for the last few years, Maddox was aware the man was widowed, having lost his wife early on at the hands of a brain tumour. When Syd confirmed women were his troubles, a small grin showed up on Maddox's face, showing his own understanding as to how complex romantic relationships could be. When Syd mentioned how negatively he acted around good looking ladies, it didn't take much thought for Maddox to have an idea of the root cause of such behaviour. However, there was a mention of the birthday party, which caused Maddox to sit forward slightly. It was fast approaching another anniversary of his biological father's death and no matter how much experience he had with helping others through their grief, it never stopped Maddox from thinking of how much he missed his own father. Before such thoughts had opportunity to surface, he cleared his throat and managed to effectively distract from showing any signs of the brief obstacle in his own mind. His focus in the present was on Syd and the importance of assisting the man.

Maddox allowed Syd time to continue explaining what had happened with the woman at the party. When he heard she'd slapped him across the face, Maddox pulled a kind of cringing expression which clearly showed he too had been on the receiving end of such a response in the past. He didn't attempt to hide behind his posh accent or profession; he'd had his fair share of romantic failures and embarrassing experiences. He felt no need to hide the fact he too was only human from his clients.

Syd brought his explanation to an end by stating he didn't know what to do. "It's my understanding you hadn't met this woman before yesterday?" he asked for clarification. "If there is a likelihood of seeing this woman again, would you seek conciliation with her?" Maddox briefly covered his left hand with his right, making a clear gesture to the wedding ring finger, which for the counsellor was free of any wedding band. "We've spent some time talking about Skye and managing your grief over her death. I believe this is the first time the topic of other women has come up in our sessions." Maddox paused briefly to allow time for Syd to think about his assessment. "What is happening now is perfectly normal but naturally it's going to bring uncertainty with it. Do you think the loss of your wife might be playing some part in this, Syd? What do you think Skye would want you to do?"


Pyroclast (Syd)

 

[Misty Gray]

Detective Smithson & Olivia Sullivan
~ New York Police Department ~

Lucy arrived at the station, but there was quite some time before she was taken to Detective Smithson's office, as he was occupied with a case. When Lucy and Thomas entered the office, the Detective didn't need an introduction. She was the wife of James Porter and the cop knew enough of that family to recognise the boss' wife. Still, he outstretched his arm and shook the woman's hand, nodding along as she spoke. "Apologies for your wait, Mrs. Porter. I'm Detective Smithson," he confirmed his name to her. He looked to Thomas and sent the boy a friendly nod, but he then looked Lucy in the eyes. "Do you think we could speak privately? My colleague is presently with Olivia, so Thomas could join them in the the private waiting room," he suggested.

Once the boy had been accompanied out of the room by the female officer, the Detective offered Lucy a seat at his desk. "Mrs. Porter... Have you been in touch with Arlene Sullivan recently?" he asked Lucy. "She left for her night shift at the casino last night but never made it to work. When she didn't return home this morning, the babysitter was unable to get through to Arlene's 'boyfriend' and she eventually contacted the police. We've been unable to locate Arlene and her boyfriend, Patrick Dawson, hasn't shown up for work since last weekend." The man's expression was serious as he watched for Lucy's reaction. The family's reputation meant the Detective was more inclined to watch for any signs she could be holding information back. "A short distance from Miss Sullivan's house, we found diamond bracelet on the ground which has been confirmed as the one she had been wearing when she left the house last night."

*******

Olivia sat quietly in the waiting room. She hadn't uttered a word during the ride in the police car from Connecticut to New York. The only time she'd responded to anyone was when the female police officer offered her some soda, which evoked a brief nod from the child and the acceptance of the said drink. Like her mother, she didn't much like the cops, but given the circumstances, her silence wasn't personal to them. The fact her mother hadn't returned home and from the secrets Arlene had told her, the child had no choice but to think the worst.

When Thomas was brought into the room, Olivia looked up and immediately recognised her cousin. It had only been a few months since Lucy, James and Thomas visited Connecticut, so no time at all to forget what her own cousin looked like. The six-year old girl continued to look to her older cousin and let out an audible sigh before finally looking back down to the floor.




Bellz (Lucy, Thomas)​

 

[Misty Gray]

Conor Sullivan​

Conor sat at the table, nervously tapping his foot as he waited to see who was visiting him. It pissed him off when the guards didn't tell him who was coming to see him as he was confident they knew damn well who it was beforehand. Soon enough, he heard Leo's voice shouting across the room and Conor rushed to his feet, using the back of one leg to push the chair a little out of the way behind him. There was a huge grin on the man's face as he acknowledged that his son had been brought to see him. Soon enough, his eyes found Aliana and the realisation that after years of not seeing each other, the woman had finally shown up. His smile had by now faded as he was stunned into silence by thought of why she'd come to see him after never doing so before and the fact she'd separated from him.

Before Leo made it to him, Conor was approached by a guard who demanded the prisoner sat back down at the table. Conor's head snapped to the other man as he felt irritated at being ordered to sit down. "Fu--" he quietly began, but quickly held his tongue and took a long, deep breath to stop himself from reacting. As much as he wanted to argue back, he knew it wouldn't do him any favours. Not only would aggressive responses to the guards jeopardise the case that was been compiled for his release, but he remembered his conversation with Allen about Leo. Hearing the boy was developing something of a short fuse worried Conor. He didn't want Leo to turn out hot-headed like he was. He didn't want his son to cause problems for the likes of Aliana and Seana. In light of those thoughts, Conor took a deep breath, relaxed his face into a smile, and sat back down at the table just in time for Leo and Aliana to sit down opposite.

"Hey, kiddo!" he greeted him. A fond smile took over Conor's features and remained there for some time as he listened to his son. "I've got to be honest with ya. This place is boring, mate. I've done absolutely nothing interesting or remotely fun. How about you? Got a girlfriend yet?" he playfully teased the kid. "I bet you were a real charmer at your Uncle Jimbo's party."

Unable to ignore the fact Aliana was sitting opposite him for the first time in years, his eyes fell on the woman for a short time. She was still as beautiful as he remembered and he couldn't help but acknowledge that. Realising he was staring, he looked away for a moment and his expression turned serious again. She'd separated from him and hadn't come to see him, so he reminded himself she probably still wanted nothing to do with him. He sat back in his seat and folded his arms. "I'm surprised to see you here, Ali. What's the problem? Is Seana alright?!" he asked, seeing as his mother-in-law was always the one who brought Leo. He tightened his jaw as he awaited Aliana's response. He hated what had become of them. After everything they'd been through, it saddened him to know they were no longer together and that he had disappointed Aliana too many times. At the same time, it hurt that she hadn't visited him since he'd been locked up.

Melanin-Gxdess (Aliana, Leo)

 

[Bellz]

Roxanne Carriveau
​

The tension was so thick in the kitchen you could cut it with a knife. Roxie continued to stare at the two men silently as they made pleasantries before Syd excused himself and practically ran out of the room. Before she could comment on the awkward encounter, Mitch spoke up, surprising her with compliments as he had the night before. Her cheeks warmed and she bashfully smile as she turned her head away slightly, feeling embarrassed about her burning face, "They dress did not survive, unfortunately." She informed him before immediately following with "Oh stop, you're too much!"

He went on to bring up food and Roxie could feel her tummy rumbling, she'd had her fill of coffee, but food was something she could always go for. Roxie let Mitch finish speaking before nodding her head happily, "I always fancy food, you never even have to ask me, it will always be a yes!" She teased before she looked down at her outfit again. As appreciative as she was for the dress, she couldn't where it out during the day, it was truly the definition of a cocktail dress made for the evening.

"Shall we head out then? I feel like we have probably overstayed our welcome." Once again, she thought of Syd and his attitude towards the both of them. She'd dragged Mitch into this apparent mess and she would make sure he would be spared, at least, she would do her best.

"If we could stop by my place? I hope you don't mind, I just don't think this dress would be suitable. " A shy smile formed on her face. Once they were settled into the car and on the road, Roxie sat comfortably back in the passenger seat and sighed, she felt like she could finally breathe again. "That house was kind of constricting for it being so damn big." She commented randomly, turning her head to glance at Mitch for a moment, "Thank you for rescuing me."
with: Mitch RayPurchase
mentions: Syd Pyroclast

 

[Pyroclast]

Syd Porter

Spoiler: Trigger Warning

Heavy mention of death, loss, caregiving, attempted suicide and grief

One of the reasons that Syd liked and respected his counsellor was for his ability to show a human side. Since professionals in this field were required to set aside their own personal experiences and feelings to focus on those of the client, it was common, or so Syd found at least, for counsellors and therapists to resemble robots. And who in their right mind would trust a robot to guide them through complex psychological issues? With Maddox, it felt more like a conversation than an assessment of the human mind. It was still often hard to open up about his deepest of problems, but at least in this room he wasn't left feeling discouraged.

When the counsellor asked for some clarification about how well he knew Roxie, Syd looked up at the man and shook his head. "Conciliation?" The word went over his head, but in the context he figured he understood what the man had meant by his question. "I tried to apologise to her, if that's you mean. But I don't get the impression she wants to see me ever again. I'd never met her before last night, but she's my cousin's roommate so...I don't know, I guess it's likely we'll cross paths in future. And if that does happen, I'd like to avoid getting slapped." Mitch sprang to his mind then, reminding him of how well the lawyer and Roxie had seemed to get on. The two had danced, exchanged nauseating smiles, possibly even spent the rest of the night together. Syd sighed, knowing that his attraction to her was utterly pointless. "This isn't about me and Roxie, though. It's about me and...women in general."

The way that Maddox was gesturing to the ring finger on his left hand seemed like some kind of signal to Syd, and in that moment he realised that the man had caught on to what he had been doing. In slight embarrassment, Syd put his left hand in his pocket and placed his right flat against the arm of the sofa in an attempt to control his unconscious habit. Then the man mentioned Skye, and how this was the first time the topic of other women had come up in their sessions together. Syd looked up, surprised. "It is?" Had it really been over four years since he had last discussed the prospect of dating with a counsellor? It came as a slight shock to him. It really said something about much he had let life go by. Sure, he had tried to push himself out of his comfort zone in the past, to put himself out there and see if he could find somebody else. But the few encounters he had had had turned out to be too much for him; he had let himself give up, and perhaps too soon.

Maddox went on to ask him if the loss of his wife might be affecting his current behaviour, and what he thought Skye might want him to do. This had him lost for words. His gaze drifted to the space on the couch beside him, gently rubbing the ring in his pocket as he thought of the woman he had lost all those years ago. "I think she..." he began, but his response was forced. He wished he had an answer, but the truth was he had no idea. From the very beginning of their relationship right up until the end, he and Skye had gone through a great deal together, supporting each other and caring for each other throughout. It been a team effort between the young couple to make their last months together the best they could, focused entirely on making the other feel loved. It was the first and only time Syd had ever felt that level of closeness with another person. Skye wasn't just the love of his life - she was also his best friend. "It's not something I've talked to her about," he admitted quietly.

It was true that he and Maddox had discussed his complicated bereavement process extensively in the past, and Syd recognised the huge improvements that he had made in the last 9 years. Still, he sometimes worried that he might sound crazier than he felt. "I hate to bring this up because it sounds like a big step backwards - and I swear, I've made progress on this - but...You know, I never believed in an afterlife until she died, Dr. Parker. I couldn't comprehend that she didn't exist somewhere, in some form. And I still can't. It just doesn't make sense to me. I know now that I've got a lot going for me, a lot to live for, so I don't...I don't really find myself talking to her much these days. But I still believe she's around, in a way. The whole reason I kept trying to..." He cleared his throat, not wanting to refer to his suicide attempts aloud. "...was because it seemed unfair that I was allowed to live and she wasn't. Skye spent years of her life locked away in an orphanage, so she always appreciated being outside, whatever the weather. She loved the rain. But she'd never feel it again, she'd never go outside again, so how could I?"

Realising he had rambled on, Syd grew conscious of himself and caught Maddox's eye. He hadn't got this deep during one of their sessions in a little while and really hoped that the counsellor didn't think he had regressed. "I mean, I'm over that now, obviously," he quickly added. "I have no problem doing those things. There's just one thing left, that I can't..." His throat became dry all of a sudden. He wanted to take a drink, but if he didn't finish his sentence, Maddox might read into it more than he wanted him to, so he dared himself to continue. "It's love." He paused. His fingernails had been digging into the leather; he relaxed them and took a deep breath. "Skye died loving me. If she's stuck in the afterlife now, forever, doesn't that mean her love is eternal? So then, how am I meant to love anyone else? How am I even meant to be with anyone else? If I start seeing someone, eventually she'll want me to give her my entire heart. No one wants to have to share me with my dead wife, you know? But I can't give them my entire heart, because part of it is still with Skye - and I can't get it back, either, because it's in another world now, whatever world she's in, and the only way to cross the barrier between my world and hers is if I kill myself. And I don't want to do that anymore."

A lump had formed in his throat, and he closed his eyes for a moment to focus on his breathing. "Sorry," he whispered. "I just can't see a way forward."

Interactions
Misty Gray Maddox

Bellz Roxie (mentioned)
RayPurchase Mitch (mentioned)

 

[Pyroclast]

Jason Costello

It didn't matter that it was tinged with bitterness; hearing Gwen speak his name sent a wave of emotion through him, and he couldn't quite suppress the boyish smile on his face. The idea of the two of them meeting again had turned over and over in his mind, especially in the first year after they had broken up, but after a while Jason had given up on it. It had become too much of a fantasy in his head to ever seem like something that could actually happen. That he was standing in front of her now, in Broadway Theatre of all places, felt like something of a miracle to him. He couldn't help but feel excited that his old fantasy had finally come true.

Despite the stunning performance she had given on the stage, however, it was clear upon closer inspection that Gwen wasn't in the best shape. Her coughing brought to his attention the sheen of sweat on her pale skin, the trembling of her hand as she brought it to her mouth. Jason's smile faded, but he stayed where he was, waiting for more of a reaction from her. Not to his surprise, it wasn't exactly a positive one. When she accused him of following her, Jason laughed.

"Don't flatter yourself, Gwen. I know full well ye had no intention of ever seein' me again, and I respected that. What makes ye think I'd try somethin' after, what - 11 years?" Keeping his eyes on hers, Jason pushed himself off the wall and shoved his hands in his pockets. The reason he had come to New York in the first place was because his mother, a famous singer whom he had not heard from in 27 years, had reached out to him after reading about his success in the paper, inviting him to New York for Christmas. Rather than seeing it as a way to reconcile with her and his sisters, however, he had seen it as a sign that it was time for him to try to move his career onto Broadway. Since he had never really opened up to Gwen about his childhood abandonment when they were together, now didn't seem like an appropriate time to explain the real reason he had ended up in New York. "I'm here same reason you are - I'm just following my dream."

Jason's attention drifted to Gwen's clenched fists as she spoke aggressively to him. She looked unhinged, a look of fury in her eyes and her words filled with venom, and Jason would be lying if he said he wasn't disappointed that their first meeting in 11 years was turning out to be so negative. Though, with the way they had left things, he wasn't in the least surprised. "Gwen, stop it," he gently asserted, not wanting to provoke her lest she threw one of her clenched fists in his direction. "I get that seeing me here is bringing a lot of memories back, but I'm not tryin' to throw anything at ye so will ye just calm down, for God's sake?" There were only a couple of other people in the room now, and Jason had grown aware of the attention that he and Gwen were drawing to themselves. Taking a deep breath, Jason pinched the bridge of his nose before moving his hands to his hips and looking at her with a serious expression on her face. "If ye don't wanna talk, fine. Get out of here. Who knows, we might not even get the roles. But I'm not leavin' this city, Gwen...things are goin' well for me and I wouldn't give up this dream for anyone. And neither should you. Just look how far we've come! We're standin' in the green room of fuckin' Broadway!" He let out a breathless laugh, taking in the reality that had for so long been nothing more than an inconceivable dream. "I've already got what I want. What makes ye think I'd want you, too?"

Interactions
Bellz Gwen

 

[Bellz]

Lucy Porter
​

"No worries." Lucy murmured to the Detective as he apologized for the wait. Firmly shaking the gentleman's hand, she dropped it back to her side after and lightly took ahold of Thomas' hand. When asked if they could speak in private, Lucy looked down to the boy for a moment silently before nodding her head. She wasn't sure she wanted to leave the kids alone with someone from the department, but it seemed that she had no other choice. Turning to Thomas, she smiled gently, "Remember your cousin Olivia? Can you keep her some company while I talk with the Detective, I'm sure she could use someone to play with. " Thomas' eyes never left the Detectives, not really one for law enforcement, as he was raised to be, he didn't want to leave his mom alone in the room with the man. But he sighed before nodding his head reluctantly, "Okay." He murmured before he was accompanied out of the room.

Lucy took the seat offered to her and listened closely as he began. When asked if she had been in touch with Arlene lately, she didn't reply. Knowing better than to answer such simple sounding questions without the presence of their lawyer was foolish, so she let him continue on. Her eyebrows knitted together in confusion as he explained that Arlene had not returned home from work and the babysitter was unable to get ahold of her boyfriend...

This was all red flags for Lucy but she tried not to seem panicked as she nodded her head slowly. Maybe she just didn't want to be found...maybe there was something she had to do? Lucy was trying to make up excuses as to why her cousin could have disappeared but she was honestly coming up short. The blonde wasn't unfamiliar with these types of interactions with the Department, she was very well aware that the man was waiting for some sort of reaction, some sort of sign that she may have been withholding something.

Lucy had nothing to hide, but that didn't mean she was going to react or speak freely. Instead of asking the questions about Arlene, she decided to direct her attention to the department itself, "So what does this mean? What will you be doing in terms of searching for her? Because from the way you are making it sound...we could be looking for her body, instead of her...is that what you believe is happening Detective?" Lucy didn't want to hear that Arlene may have been dead, but all the signs pointed in that direction. Her bracelet wasn't with her and from what Lucy recalled, she never took it off.

All she could think about now was that poor sweet girl in the other room, confused and sad about her mother's disappearance. Lucy hoped that she could help the girl through this as she wasn't planning on bringing another little one into her home.

***
Thomas Porter​

Thomas shuffled into the room Olivia was in and tried to smile as brightly as he could at the little girl. Obviously something was the matter and Thomas didn't like seeing any of his family so down in the dumps, so he walked over to her and sat beside her. "Hi Olive." Thomas said, a smirk forming on his face as he called her by her nickname he gave her. When she simply sighed and looked back down to the floor, Thomas frowned and looked around the room.

There wasn't much around to entertain them, a police station not being any place for children, it would be difficult to find something to play with while waiting for his mom. Biting his lip, the boy turned back to his cousin and then wrapped his around her shoulders, "Hey...its okay to be scared you know..." He murmured softly, "I use to think it wasn't okay...cuz my dad, he's all big and strong and tough and stuff. But my mom told me that fear makes you brave. So if you are scared, you're actually really brave!" Thomas smiled widely once again, raising his eyebrows as he hoped his little speech would cheer her up.

But then he had another idea, "You wanna play a game?"
with: Detective Smithson / Olivia Misty Gray

 

[RayPurchase]

Mitchell Van Gerwen
En route to Manhattan


​

Mitch grins broadly, shrugging his shoulders, his face lighting up yet more as Roxie’s cheeks flush red.

“I’ll stop once you stop enjoying it,”

He couldn’t help but glance towards the ceiling as Roxie mentioned them overstaying their welcome. I mean they probably should have left hours ago, who knows where the rest of the family were, long gone already, or even worse still asleep upstairs and about to come down to find him liberally helping himself to their coffee. He nods his head enthusiastically as he drains the last dregs of his cup.

“A fine idea. Slip out now and no one will be any the wiser. I feel things would get a bit awkward if we were still here once it comes round to dinner time, bit harder to explain,”

They settle into the car, the Chevy Chevelle cruising through the suburbs, the afternoon traffic being pretty light. He reaches into the glove pocket and removes a set of sunglasses, popping them on and resting his arm against the open window. Sun was shining, cruising through the green suburbs, and he even had a good looking passenger, so far it was shaping up to be a much better weekend than he normally had. He couldn’t help but grin, it near enough stuck on his face.

“No worries at all where’s your place? I mean I’d say you look great, but then again I guess it’s maybe a little bit too dressy for a Saturday lunch. You’d class up any joint just by walking past it,”

He glances towards her for a moment as she visibly relaxes. He’s glad that she seems to be as relaxed as he is, normally he’d be a gibbering wreck a this point, but this felt good, it felt right. Maybe it was the fact that he could have a normal conversation with her, or maybe it was the residual affects of last night’s booze, but either way, things were good.

“Ah don’t worry, my whole job resolves around rescuing people from confinement, it’s just that in this case it was a particularly comfortable place of confinement. Place was nice enough, hell so was most of the company. Still middle of nowhere isn’t it, drawbacks of suburban life, guess it’s a sign of James getting old, getting a place out in the sticks,”

(Interaction Bellz Roxie)

 

[Bellz]

Gwen Bryant​

Jason told her not to flatter herself and she swore she wanted to just swing a right hook into his cheek. What bothered her the most however, was how he could look so damn pleased with himself all the time, that bugged her more than anything. She hadn’t realized how much she hated that smug look until this very moment. Rolling her eyes, she grumbled something underneath her breath when he said to get out of there. That’ exactly what he probably wanted and to hell if she was going to give him the satisfaction, so for the time being, she sat planted.

He wouldn’t give up on his dream for anyone? How selfish was that? Hearing those words brought a lot of strange feelings to the surface, ones that she had been trying to lock up away for years. How could he do this to her? It was infuriating! Gwen did everything not to flinch as his last words to her. What made her think that? 11 years ago, he whistled a different tune! Or at least, that’s what he lead her to believe. Hearing him only talk about his dreams and goals was tiring and the more she stood in his presence the more irritated she got. ”I don’t know Jason, just a wild thought I guess. You know, what we had back then was nothing to you was it?” She pointed at him now, taking a step forward as she did. To hell with the people around them, she didn’t care if she made a scene, this was Broadway after all!

”11 years may have gone by but I still don’t forgive you, so if you think I’m just going to stand with you and listen about how your life is going so well, that’s hilarious because I’m not.” With that, the redhead stepped out of Jason’s way, moving towards the exit to the theater before he could say anything more.

Gwen practically stormed out of the green room, wanting to get as far away from Jason as possible, as fast as possible. She had to slow herself, as people were still auditioning and she had enough sense to not be rude to people who didn’t deserve it. Stepping silently back into the dark auditorium, her eyes looked for Lorelei and found her still sitting in the same seat she had left her in. The girl seemed to be locked in a trance with all the music and singing going on, any other day, it would have warmed Gwen’s heart, but in that moment, all she wanted was a cigarette.

Climbing the stairs towards the back of the auditorium, she was quick to fetch Lorelei before stepping silently out of the theater and into the outside air, which was a god send for Gwen as she gulped down a breath. Twitching fingers reached inside her handbag, looking desperately for her pack of smokes. When they couldn’t be found, Gwen let out a frustrated sigh and placed the bag on the ground before kneeling down.It took a few more minutes until she found the pack in one of the many pockets she had, lighting it up quickly, the first hit was heaven.

Hearing a giggle from behind her, Gwen turned to see Rory playing with what looked to be a ladybug on her hand...regardless of the mood she was in, Gwen couldn’t help the strained smile that formed on her face at the sight.

***​

As expected, the callback list was posted right outside the theaters inside entrance and when Gwen went to check if her name was on it, she was in shock. There were only two who were called back for the role of Sally, the other woman was somewhere around. Before she could celebrate too much, her eyes glanced over to see who had gotten called back for Cliff. Seeing Jason’s name on that list wanted to make her leave right then and there. Gwen could tell James that she didn’t get the part and it would be as easy as that. She would never have to see the man again and quite frankly, that’s what she wanted.
”What does it say, Mommy?” Lorelei asked, who was busy trying to stand as tall as she could on her tiptoes to see it. Gwen said nothing at first as she continued to stare at the list, was she willing to lie for this? Was she willing to give up her dreams just because Jason entered her life again? He had made it clear that he wasn’t going to stop for anyone and that was really all she needed to hear.. He wasn’t interested in her and she was just fine with that, never wanting to get tangled up in that mess again, she was happy he moved on. Or at least, she tried to be.

”I got a callback.” She told Lorelei, there was no turning back now. Surely if she didn’t go now, her daughter would be the one to rat her out to James. Swallowing harshly, Gwen lead the girl back into the auditorium and took a seat towards the front this time. Noting that the judges were giving her a strange look, she tried to ignore it, knowing that it wasn’t the best choice to bring a child with her to something like this.

Once the rest of the auditionees were inside and informed of the decision that had been made, it was time to get down to the real work. The female judge looked around at the people seated a moment as she cleared her throat, ”Congratulations everyone, you’ve made it past the auditions and are officially in callbacks. Now this is how we are going to do this : It is very crucial that we find our leads that have a great amount of chemistry, it needs to feel real. Knowing that none of you have most likely never met each other before, this is going to prove to be rather difficult. We will be taking the scenes one, maybe twice if we feel that something else can be done. Do not be surprised if we pair you with several people, again, we want to find a pair who will really wow the crowd, alright? Good!” She clapped her hands together once before smiling and grabbing the clipboard from underneath her arm.

”Okay,” She sighed out, looking at the papers on her board. Placing a finger on it to read out names, she called, ”Gwenneth Bryant.” Of course, she just had to go first. Standing slowly, the judge smiled brightly, ”Ah, there you are...you will be paired with...let me see,” She flipped through the papers a few times before she seemed to find the other name she’d been looking for,

”Jason Costello?” Gwen’s jaw nearly dropped, ”Um I’m not too su-”"Alright! Let’s get this going!” The woman interrupted and Gwen snapped her mouth shut again. Her eyes didn’t dare turn in the direction of Jason as she moved towards the stage. Her heart pounded in her chest but it felt like it was about to burst through. Clearing her throat, Gwen reluctantly turned to face Jason once he made it onto the stage.

”Okay people,” One of the male judges spoke up, ”We will actually be doing the scene Jason had done for his audition, Act 1 Scene 10. Taking it from the top.”

with: Jason Pyroclast
mentions: James Misty Gray