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

[Bellz]

Peter Callahan​

Though he wasn't expecting to hear Danny on the other line, Peter wasn't surprised when the young man introduced himself as a friend of Savannah's. Peter laughed out loud but allowed the man to continue talking as he explained that he needed to talk to her. Peter turned to look out the windows, seeing his daughter waiting patiently. "Well, she's kind of busy at the moment." He said at first before sighing. "But who am I to deny you to talk to her. A friend you say? She was calling you something different during our conversation...boyfriend?" He paused to allow the young man to explain himself but cut him off after a moment.

"Look, kid, I'm not going to scare you off or anything but I'm going to be clear with you on one thing: My daughter has enough problems in her life right now...if you become one of them, I will swear to you that I will personally take care of you. Are we clear?" He waited for Danny to respond before nodding his head. "Glad we are on the same page. Let me grab her for you." With that, he placed the receiver down on the table before walking outside. Smiling at Savannah, he nodded his head towards the direction of the phone inside.

"Boyfriend seems nice enough, voice is a little high but hey, we've all been there." He snickered, "He says he needs to speak with you, that it's pretty important. Why don't you go take that and then we can see about you actually firing this gun, hmm?"
with: Savannah Misty Gray
Flexing on: Danny Pyroclast

 

[Bellz]

Gwen Bryant
Thomas Porter
Lorelei Bryant ​

Thomas laughed as James told him a tip for the future. Nodding his head, he raised a thumb up in understanding. "Yea she didn't look too happy about that." He commented. Gwen smirked and shook her head lightly at Thomas before she turned her attention to James as he talked about the trouble he'd been in today. "Ah I've never been better, Jimbo." Gwen said a forced smile showing on her face. In all honesty, she felt even worse now than before Jason came over. "Thought I would come down and see what all the commotion was about. I see that Jason managed to slip by you unnoticed. Some big brother you are." She teased lightly, rolling her eyes and reaching out a fist to punch his bicep.

Gwen was about to answer his question about guests but Rory was quicker. "There is some blonde lady here with her kid! The girl's name is Natasha! She's not much of a talker." Gwen laughed at that observation, "No one talks as much as you do, kid." Rory didn't take that as an insult as she smiled with pride. "OH! Look! My Barbie is fixed Thomas! I forgive you for earlier." She said, showing Thomas the doll. The boy looked at it, "Huh, I was sure that it was done for. Just make sure Barbie doesn't start walking around on her own at night. I'm still convinced she's a zombie." The boy said before looking up at his dad.

"I'm not trying to be rude dad, but I'm starting to think there are too many people here." He observed to which Gwen laughed again. "It is getting a little crowd in this big place." She agreed with the boy. Remembering what she had come down for, Gwen started to slowly shuffle towards the backyard. "Why don't you go greet your unknown guests? I'm gonna go have a cigarette, maybe I'll come harass you after." She told James before releasing Lorelei's hand. "Go on and play with little Olivia, darling. I'll be back inside in a little while." Thomas waved goodbye to Gwen and Lorelei before turning back to James. "Are we going to watch that movie now? I already said hi to the guests in the house."
with: James Misty Gray

 

[Fletchawk]

Ryan Donahue
​

Had the situation not been more dire, Ryan would've been impressed at the speed that his son vacated the building, but his admiration was cut short when the second hinge was blown off the door. Sliding away against the wall away from the door, he fruitlessly scanned the room for anything that could be used as an actual weapon in the few moments it took for the intruder to start trying to kick the door open. Fortunately, the few locks that Ryan managed to engage provided enough resistance to buy him the time to make it to the small kitchen area and rip open some drawers. However, as his focus switched rapidly from searching for an improvised weapon and the rapidly collapsing door, some narrow red streaks on the wall caught his eye. He hadn't even felt it.

"Shit," Ryan growled while grabbing a paring knife from a drawer, and then ducked behind a counter as the door gave way.

Once the door crashed down, there was a moment and half that only the faint noise of street traffic could be heard. Then he heard some faintly familiar thuds from something hitting the floor just around the corner from where he was crouched. Before he could place it however, the explosion made the grenade's identity known.

The pain was what dragged Ryan back into consciousness. His mind groggy, he weakly scrambled to his hands and knees. Feeling as though he'd been kicked in the chest by a mule, Ryan instinctively coughed a few times before he could stop himself. The muddled thoughts kept the panic at bay, but not the stinging pain that radiated from his left side, namely his ear. Grinding his teeth in order to force some cohesive thoughts together through the pain, Ryan realized that he had no idea how long he'd been out, or where the enemy was. So with a fearful jerk, he twisted himself around to check his surroundings.

The explosion had shredded wall and part of the counter that was between it and Ryan, but he didn't have time to wonder how he'd survived it. Taking most of the damaged doorway was a hulking shadow of a man staring down at him, a vicious sneer painted across the man's homely face. The man's weapon, a sawed-off single-shot shotgun, looked like a toy in his hands as it was held at the ready position. The man's mouth started to moving, the pink and white contrasting vividly. All Ryan heard however, was a muffled ringing. Still fighting off the pain, he acted on the first thought that came into his head; Attack!

Mustering what little energy remained in him, Ryan lunged at his assailant, a wild yell raging from his throat. This apparently startled the man, as he visibly flinched, which allowed Ryan to close the few feet between them and get a hand over the barrel as it was being brought to bear. There was a brief burning sensation before the weapon discharged, and he could no longer feel his hand anymore, although he felt the shot impact the ground between his legs. His other hand managed grasp the collar of the man's light hoodie. Before he could put his knee into his opponent's side, a powerful shove ripped Ryan away and sent him sprawling across the linoleum kitchen floor.

The man didn't wait for Ryan for regain his balance and closed the distance in stride to put a heavy boot into his face for good measure. Even with all his senses either stripped away or screaming in pain, and his body getting heavier by the moment, Ryan tried to slowly rise once more. This would be met with a blast to his chest after a few seconds, slamming him back into the floor. He struggled to curse his opponent in his final breath, but all that came out was a momentary wet gurgle before fading away.

~Fin​

 

[Misty Gray]

Conor Sullivan and James Porter​

Conor let out a relieved breath when Lucy told him he was doing the right thing. "I could have killed him and in the past, I'm sure I would've, but then it would have been something out of my control - acting on my anger like I used to before. Maybe that too was all part of Parker's plan to rewire my brain so I'd never smash his head in out of anger. If it wasn't for his counselling and the help he's given me, I genuinely believe he would be dead by now. Instead, I knew what I was doing. I knew I wanted to hurt him but I also had to keep him alive if me and Syd would stand any chance at living. I stepped back and considered my actions, so now I hope it pays off. I hope I can get Syd back home."

When Lucy mentioned a drink, Conor nodded his head and showed a subtle smile to match Lucy's. "Just one drink, yeah? I'm sure you know where James stashes his best booze."

Conor waited for Lucy to retrieve a drink before thanking her and taking a small mouthful of the alcohol. "Luce, I hope you and Jimbo will trust me with this one. As mad as it sounds, I think I believe Parker will help us. He didn't have to come clean, and telling me the truth only brought more risk on himself." He quickly shook his head as he thought for a moment. "I owe it to this family to pull my weight and help keep everyone safe. When I look at you I can see you're not really happy, Luce. James is exhausted too, because I figure he's never had a break from all of this bollocks. You've both always had so much weighing on your shoulders and I feel bad about that. I was a waste of space in Chicago and you lost out because of it. The very least I can do is get your son home."

******​

James frowned as Gwen teased him. It wasn't so much the teasing, more that she'd brought Jason into the conversation. "Jason? We should all be grateful he did get out of here unnoticed. If Sinead was able to fight back against those blokes back in the club, then it doesn't say much for your knight in shining armour," he remarked. It wasn't that he expected the guy to risk his life to save his sister, but he was still pissed off the guy hadn't tried at all. "It's probably best he is out of here, then you can focus on looking after yourself without babysitting him too."

When Lorelei mentioned their guests, James smiled as he figured they were Blake and Natasha. Hopefully it would improve Jackson's day after the job he'd been out on earlier. He then rolled his eyes as Lorelei and Thomas shared some more words about the Barbie doll. Soon enough, both Gwen and Lorelei made their exits, leaving James alone with Thomas again.

"It is getting crowded," he agreed as he went quiet for a moment. "We'll watch the movie in the guest lounge as the main one sounds to be busy enough. How about you get some snacks from the kitchen and get our private movie theatre ready, yeah?" Once Thomas went to carry out his task, James went to the main lounge to grab a bottle of whiskey, but seeing Jackson with his family brought a soft smile to his face and rather than interrupt them, he backed out of the room. Knowing he had more alcohol in his office, he headed there instead.

James found his office door was unlocked, so as he turned the doorknob, his face dropped to a serious expression, hoping none of the children had managed to somehow sneak in. He was glad when he saw Lucy and Conor on the sofa, but they seemed to be in a serious conversation, which he found concerning. "Luce? Is everything alright?" he suspiciously asked, expecting her to tell him yet more bad news...


Bellz (Lucy)
Mentions: Bellz (Gwen, Thomas, Lorelei)

 

[Misty Gray]

Savannah Callahan​

Peter had said he wouldn't judge Danny until he'd met him, which drew a nervous smile from Savannah as she considered it. "Hey, please try not to scare him off, Dad!" she protested. "He's really nice and he makes me feel good about myself. Unlike the other jerks ever did." As Peter began to speak, to say as long as she was happy he would be, Savannah softly smiled. The moment was interrupted as the telephone could be heard ringing from inside the house. Peter rushed back into the house to take the call. Savannah sighed before slumping on on the garden bench. She was sure the call would be business-related and her training session would have to be postponed. Right before she'd been about to use the gun for the first time...

After a little while, Peter stepped outside and beckoned for her to join him. She lightly slapped her father's arm when he joked about Danny's voice being high. "Be nice!" she lightly berated him. Her cheeks were by now a deep shade of red, quite embarrassed that her father had already spoke to Danny. Apparently the call was important, which caused her to turn her expression more serious. She nodded enthusiastically as Peter suggested the training session was still on.

Savannah approached the telephone and lifted the receiver from on the table. She anxiously bit her lip. Not only was the truth out, but Peter had already spoken to Danny over the telephone. It was all suddenly happening too fast and she hoped Danny wouldn't feel intimidated or frightened off. "Danny? What's wrong? Are you okay?" she spoke down the telephone. She glanced to her father, her cheeks still flushed. "I mean... hi!" she softly added.


Pyroclast (Danny) Bellz (Peter)

 

[Enzyme]

Jackson McCarthy​

After having his adrenaline reserves drained, Jackson's awareness had begun to shut down for the day. By the time his delayed reflexes registered the high-pitched squeal, a tiny human was already wrapped around his legs like an Airspeeder on an AT-AT Walker. "Oofa!" Jackson let out as his daughter bolted at him. "Is that who I think it is?" He asked in the most excited dad-voice ever, as he pulled the leather gloves off and shoved them in his pockets. His smile grew as he bent down to scoop up Natasha, hugging her tightly and supporting the back of her head with his ringed hand. "Well, hello, beautiful!" He mumbled softly, kissing the side of her head. By the tone in his voice, it was evident that seeing his daughter genuinely brightened his mood tenfold.

His eyes trailed up to his stunning wife as she appeared from the corner as well. "Why? Do I have somethin' on my face?" he asked with a smile, the lighthearted banter he shared with her immediately returning. As Blake grew closer, Jackson held out his free arm and pulled her in, planting a kiss directly on her cheek. "Must've been a bloody snoozeville at home for you two to come out here to see the old man." He returned the soft kiss, unable to wipe the stupid grin off his face. He had left his home behind, but the most significant pieces of what he longed for found their way back to him.

He loosened his grip on Natasha to let Blake pull her away, giving Natasha's arm one more squeeze. At Blake's comment about him having a long day, he shrugged lightly. He looked to his daughter and rubbed his finger against her tiny nose. "Every day is a long day for Daddy, but now that you're here, we're gonna have so much fun!" He made an exaggerated shocked expression when Natasha exclaimed that she made something for him. "You did not!" Before he could question her further, she darted from the room on her teeny legs.

His soft grin shifted to a confident, tantalizing smile as he looked back up to his wife. He took a second before responding, studying her features to see what details he had forgotten. "Oh, luv', I wish I did. As much as I enjoy testin' my limits, I'm certainly not bouncin' back anymore." He, pulled her into him slightly, resting his hand on her hip. "Whatcha' think of New York so far? Hate it yet?" he teased.

Natasha reappeared from the living room with a handful of pictures, to which Jackson instantly threw back on his shocked appearance. "There's no way you did that on your own! Mommy must've helped!" He accused, tugging on Blake lightly.

Bellz (Blake/Natasha

 

[RayPurchase]

Tony Harris


​

Tony didn’t really need much encouragement. The pair had taken them for fools. Even when they’d come knocking on the door they’d been unable to put their own stubbornness and pride to one side and beg for forgiveness. It wouldn’t have made a difference in the grand scheme of things, however it would have got them a considerably cleaner and painless death. Too late for that now. He applied increased pressure on Carlos’ neck, his windpipe slowly being crushed under Tony’s arm. He held him there, feeling his feet scrambling, and his hands trying to desperately claw at Tony, it was to no avail though, they did little more than claw at his coat, catching on the pockets and lapels. He leaned in and whispered in Carlos’ ear.

“Now this is how easy it could have been,”

He let go and kicked him in the square of the back, sending the man sprawling, he collided with the wall and fell into a crumpled heap, coughing and spluttering for breath, his eyes reddening rapidly, numerous tiny blood vessels having broken from Tony’s vice like grip. Tony rounded on him like a hungry predator confronting a wounded animal, he could smell blood now. He may only have one arm, but he could deal with this with both of them tied behind his back. He brought his right foot down on Carlo’s left ankle, an audible crack filled the basement, like a breadstick being snapped in half. It was soon replaced by a cry of pain.

“Now I know you’re going anywhere mate. And I want you to now do me a favour. Durin’ your last agony filled moments before you shuffle off this mortal coil and join the choir invisible, remember this was all down to you. I would like to say I find no enjoyment in this, but what’s the point of lyin’ to you,”

He shrugged off his coat and hung it from one of the wracks. Giving his legs a shake and rotating his right shoulder, limbering himself up. He raised his right hand, his eyes closed as he slowly turned round.

“The crowd goes silent as he lines up to take the kick… and this… is for the cup,”

His eyes flicking open he sprinted the short distance between him and Carlos, and with a grunt, the shined black leather shoes connected with Carlos’ chin. The sickening wet crunch of the hidden steel cap in the toes was enough to make your toes curl. Carlos’ head snapped back, accompanied by the rattle of teeth raining against the floor.

“Oh he’s only gone and hit the post. Looks like we’re goin’ to have to give it a few more tries, eh my old mucker?”

Carlos wasn’t in the best place to respond, his mouth filling with blood, a series of whimpering groans all that he was able to get out. The kicks now began raining down, impacting his face, chest, crotch. Whatever was exposed. Blood and flem flew under the furious assault. Tony’s eyes were ablaze as his furious assault continued. A symphony of Tony’s grunts and Carlos’ cries of pain rang out, echoing off of the walls like some demoic chorus. After what felt like an age Tony stopped, his chest rising and falling, his right shoe stained with blood and altogether chunkier debris. He leaned against the wall and slid down it, sitting next to Carlos, he propped the man up, his own breath ragged and infrequent, a wet whistle coming from what had once been his nose, now a bloodied wreck in the middle of a bruised and battered face. Even dental records wouldn’t help with this mess, not unless they put all the teeth back in individually. Tony ruffled Carlos’ hair. He grinned up at Gabriel.

“Well at least my modeling career isn’t the only one that’s gone down the swanny eh boss,”

He reached into his pocket and removed a flick knife, extending the blade and holding it against Carlos’ throat. He slowly drew it across, the blade cutting through the bruised flesh with ease, tearing arteries, muscle and his windpipe in one easy motion. He didn’t have any fight left in him as yet more blood began to pour, followed by a low wet gurgle as he desperately tried to breathe through his ruined neck. Tony wiped the blade against Carlos’ jacket, before pushing himself up. Without a word he grabbed his jacket, and pulled it back on, brushing the wrinkles out with one hand, and straightened his tie. He tutted as he looked down at his shoe.

“Only just got them cleaned as well,”

He grinned at Tatiana. Clearly Gabe had big plans for his daughter, taking her along on a job like this. Maybe not the most dangerous one going, but one that sent a very clear message about messing with the Moretti business. Teddy had integrated himself with the family more than himself, made sense being the smooth operator he was, probably already considered Uncle Teddy and got a christmas card from the lot of them. But it seemed like Tatiana was the one to keep an eye on, the heir apparent perhaps?

“You’re gettin’ all the perks on this job. I’m in a half mind to complain about favoritism here,”
( Misty Gray Gabe, Pyroclast Tatiana)

 

[Pyroclast]

Tatiana Moretti

With Tony now torturing Carlos, the noise in the room was deafening. Miguel was bleeding out from the hole in his leg, his hands more occupied with covering the burning substance corroding his eyes than trying to apply pressure to the bullet wound. His cries of agony were soon accompanied by that of Carlos as Tony stamped down on his ankle, breaking it with utter professionalism. Tatiana felt Luis shudder beside her and at a single glance it was clear that he was having serious regrets about bringing his cousins’ crimes to Gabriel’s attention. The man wrapped his arms around himself, making himself look meek and vulnerable. Even though he was a lot bigger than Tatiana in height and build, she knew he would be easy to take down.

Tony continued with his show and Tatiana rolled her eyes as the man commentated his actions as if he were in a football stadium. It was clear that he was enjoying himself and she let herself laugh lightly as she watched him torment the man. Luis turned to look at her, horrified that she could enjoy something so brutal, and she noticed how pale his face had turned. She brought her laughter to a halt and instead sent him a stern glare. “Don’t look at me, look at him.”

By this point, Carlos’ face was so misshapen and so drenched in blood that he was barely recognisable. Tatiana took a moment to observe her father’s body language, how calm and collected and professional he had remained during this whole encounter. Despite their differences, Tatiana had to admire him for the way he carried out his work. She was willing to bet that no boss did their job with such poise. The wet spluttering sounds coming from the battered and bloodied man slumped against the wall were his last, but they were immediately replaced by Luis’ own whimpers as his fear finally surfaced. His quiet weeping combined with the ceaseless groans of Miguel’s writhing form made Tatiana cringe and she looked to her father with an eyebrow raised. Finally, he put Miguel down for good, which only left them with one man.

Listening to her father intimidate a man was one of her favourite things in the world to observe and she cast a smile in Tony’s direction, knowing that he would be enjoying it too. Her smile moved to mirror that of her father’s, who asked her to put an end to Luis’ life. “It would be my pleasure,” she agreed. Moving around to be facing Luis, she placed her hands on his arms and looked him in the eye for a moment. He was shaking all over, braced for a death he knew he couldn’t escape. Tears poured from his pleading eyes but he didn’t dare say a word. Tatiana stayed there for a moment just to tease him before raising her hands further and beginning to unbutton his coat. Confused, Luis let his arms drop. “Wh-what are you doing?” he asked her, but she didn’t say anything. Once all of the buttons were undone, she moved behind him and gently pulled it off his shoulders. It was enormous, far too big for her, but that only meant that it would fit nicely over her own coat.

Tatiana fastened it as high as it would go, catching Tony’s eye again and winking at him with an amused smile as she imagined how childish she must look. She waited for Luis to follow her gaze over to Tony before reaching for the knife strapped to her thigh and hiding it in her sleeve. There was a moment of silence before Tatiana said, “Luis.” As soon as he spun round, she plunged the knife deep into his stomach, twisting it as much as she could before pulling it out and stabbing him a second time, and then a third. The man doubled over with a blood-curdling scream and she stepped back to watch him drop to his knees. So focused on the pain and the immense quantity of blood pouring out of him, Luis didn’t notice her step behind him again and gasped when she hauled him upright and placed the bloody knife against his throat. She let his breathing escalate to an inhuman level before slicing deep across his flesh. A surge of blood projected from his throat, reaching over to where Miguel lay. Not realising how fast her heart was beating, Tatiana took a second to catch her breath before getting to her feet. Luis fell forward and collapsed into an expanding pool of his own blood. She briefly wiped her knife on a clean area of Luis’ coat before slotting it back into its holster and taking his coat off. She dropped it into the mess of blood and stepped back as it spread across the floor towards her feet. The blood from the three men was beginning to mix in the central point between their lifeless bodies. It was a magnificent display of carnage.

Tatiana glanced at Tony and then at her father. She wouldn’t explicitly admit that she wanted to leave, so instead she crept over to the stairs and leaned against the banister as she waited for them to follow her. “You're quite the showman, Tony,” she complimented the man, giving him a teasing smile. “I hope you’re as eager for a drink as you are to kill a man. I for one need something to put their pathetic cries out of my mind. God, what a bunch of snivelling babies...”

Interactions
Misty Gray Gabriel
RayPurchase Tony

 

[Pyroclast]

Danny Vaughan

Eyes closed, Danny held his breath as he waited for Peter to decide whether to let Savannah talk to him. He agreed in the end, but his relief was cut short when he heard that Savannah had already referred to him as her boyfriend. “Oh,” he replied, feeling foolish for having his lie exposed. “I mean, yeah, we’re -” But Peter cut him off, laying on some kind of threat that Danny was sure he had practiced on Savannah’s other admirers in the past. “Clear as the sky, sir,” Danny answered, then peered out of the window to make sure there wasn’t a single cloud there to spoil his conviction.

He uttered a quick thank you when the man agreed to let Savannah talk to him, grateful to have been given a chance. Still holding the phone to his ear after Peter had left, Danny placed a hand over the mouthpiece and flashed his eyes at Owen. “So far, so good,” he told him, focusing on the bright side rather than the awkwardness of his brief interaction with Savannah’s father. “You alright?” he asked, while there was a pause in the phone call. “There’s a water cooler in the corner there, if you want…”

Soon Savannah came on the line and Danny returned his attention to the call. Even in her concerned tone, her voice was soothing to him. He softly laughed at her bashful greeting. “Hey, Savannah,” he replied. Then he paused, not knowing where to begin. He kept his eyes down on the utility table, his face growing serious as he realised that he and Owen were now homeless. “Yeah, don’t worry. I’m okay.”

For some reason, it was harder for him to admit it to her than he had expected. Perhaps it was her reaction that he was dreading, or the fact that he would be burdening someone he cared about who was already going through so much. But then he reminded himself that she would only find out later if he didn’t tell her now - it would be all over the news soon enough. “Um,” he started, fishing for his Zippo lighter to pass to Owen as a way to remind him about the weed. He so desperately needed a smoke and he was sure Owen would benefit from one, too. “Sav, something bad just happened,” he finally admitted. His voice was a little strained as he found it increasingly difficult to remain fully calm. The reality of it all was starting to hit him and saying the words aloud only made it worse. “Owen and I lost our apartment. Some dudes turned up and there was this explosion and...and I don’t think we can go back.” Danny paused, closing his eyes before letting out a slow exhale. “I don’t know what the hell is going on, Savvy...but we have nowhere to go. Is there a chance we could crash at your place? Just for tonight? Or, you know, do you know anywhere else we could go?”

Interactions
Misty Gray Savannah
Fletchawk Owen

 

[Misty Gray]

Savannah Callahan​

Savannah couldn't help but smile to herself when she heard Danny's voice greet her. They didn't always get to see each other for days on end, so it was always nice to at least hear his voice. There was a pause before he told her he was okay, which only did a little to ease her concerns. There seemed to be some hesitance in his voice as he struggled to answer her. This worried her as she wondered what had happened to him or if he was building up to breaking things off with her. Her heart raced in her chest as she anticipated what he would say next. With her family's history and her mother's anxiety, Savannah often expected if something bad could happen, it would.

Danny's words confirmed something bad had indeed happened. Savannah placed her free hand lightly on her chest as she nervously chewed her bottom lip. "What is it..." she said in a whisper. It wasn't intended to be said so quietly but it had been all she'd managed to get out. Her eyes widened when he explained there had been an explosion at Danny's apartment. "What?! Which guys? Who would do that?" she quickly asked. She took a deep breath and ran her hand through the length of her ponytail. "Are you sure you're both okay?"

Danny asked if they could crash at her place or at least if she knew somewhere else. She looked to Peter before lowering her eyes towards the floor. She thought for a moment but she didn't really know of anywhere she could tell them was okay to stay at. "Okay... You can stay at my place," she began. She caught her father's eyes and sent him a look that she hoped would tell him to trust her. "Just for tonight, until we can think of a better solution. I'm staying over at my parents' house tonight, so I'll have to clear it with Brady first, but it should be cool - it was my place first!" she remarked. "You can crash on the sofas," she added. She had nothing to hide, but she didn't even let her brother nosey around in her room. "I'll make sure my uncle's security guards get a heads up too. They've been keeping an eye on the apartment block since... y'know..." she trailed off, obviously referring to Steve and everything else that had been going on since. "Just. Be careful and if someone is hassling you, you should tell my family..."


Pyroclast (Danny)
Mentions: Bellz (Peter, Bradon) Fletchawk (Owen)

 

[Pyroclast]

Alistair Sawyer

To any passers-by, Alistair would have looked like a friend of Sinead's with the way he smiled so warmly at her. She assured him that her family could look after themselves and he nodded. "Good, good. So you have. Well, I'll be sure to not forget that..." He looked over to Ethan, watching the man work on fixing the woman's car and wondering if he might purposefully alter or damage it in some way. His comment made Alistair chuckle, smirking at the mention of Steve. He had forgotten about the young man's affection for the girl, but of course he knew it was only part of the show that Steve liked to put on. Alistair didn't worry about him actually caring for Savannah in the way he worried about Ani and Maddox, because he knew that Steve was far more vulgar than that. It was part of his act, an easy yet convincing intimidation tactic.

The mention of Savannah roused Sinead and Alistair noticed the way she clenched her fists. "Now, now, Sinead, there's no reason to get upset," he taunted her. "If you and your family know how to look after yourselves, like you said, then Savannah has nothing to worry about. You know how young men are - they don't always think with their heads, if you catch my drift."

Sinead looked around before settling her eyes on him, and Alistair once again smiled courteously at her. "Hmm. Have I hurt them enough?" He looked off into the distance, folding his arms as he pretended to have to think about it. "I think that's more a question for your family than it is for me. After all, I only do what needs to be done. If your family gave me no reason to hurt them, then I would leave them alone, wouldn't I?"

Draping an arm around Sinead's shoulders, he positioned her to face Ethan, who was now fitting a replacement tyre onto her car. "But maybe there is room for a friendship instead, look. Because, see, now you owe us a favour. You could even see it as a peace offering - for every helpful thing you do for us, we take another step back. Your family would eventually be safe. Savannah could have her shining career that she's destined for. Your nephew - well, perhaps he's a bad example in this case. But if you're concerned about everyone else...might be something to keep in mind, hm?"

Alistair gave her a pat on the shoulder before letting go of her and walking over to Ethan. "How's it all looking, there?" he asked. "My watch says it's getting close to dinnertime. If Mrs. Callahan makes us late, I'll have to count that as another favour she owes us." Turning back to Sinead, Alistair sent her a wink - but there was nothing in it to tell her that he was joking.

Interactions
Misty Gray Sinead, Ethan

 

[Misty Gray]

Gabriel Moretti​

Despite his irritation at having to deal with the Martinez men at all, Gabriel had be pleased with how his time at the barbers shop had played out. He'd rewarded Tony with the gift that was killing Carlos and with the freedom to be as messy about it as he'd wanted. The man hadn't disappointed him, as expected. The thing that had really impressed him, however, was Tatiana's behaviour throughout the job. She'd been both confident and intimidating in her role, not to mention being able to deal with Luis without any hesitation. Gabriel may have issues where his daughter's sexuality was concerned, but he had no concerns over her capabilities within his organisation. She was reliable and effective, which certainly didn't go unnoticed by him. Added to that, both Tatiana and Tony seemed to get along well with each other, which was always a bonus.

The driver took Gabriel, Tatiana and Tony back to the Moretti residence, leaving the others to deal with the drugs and the mess that was the barbers shop basement. Gabriel stepped out of the front passenger side of the car, a thin yet content smile on his face as he looked upon his house. "You two must help yourselves to those drinks Tatiana mentioned. A reward for a job well done," he told his eldest daughter and Tony. He walked to the house but remained standing at the bottom of the steps that led up to the front door. He lit up a cigar and set about smoking it before entering his home. He sent Tatiana a nod and a smile, showing her he was proud of her work that day.

Once finished smoking, Gabriel headed into the house. He greeted Elvian with a hug and a kiss before making a teasing comment about not being able to smell dinner yet. He was then approached by Valentina who wasted no time in outstretching her arm to hand him some paperwork. "I found some great locations for potential business venues in the city. Classy and flash, yet discreet enough to go by unnoticed. Want to look through them with me?" she offered to her father.

"Hm..." Gabriel mumbled as he accepted the paperwork from Valentina and flicked through the papers. He nodded his head in approval but soon changed the movement to a head shake. "Perhaps tomorrow, Valentina. Leave this with me to look over when I get a few minutes. I need to finish up some other paperwork in my office whilst I await Rhys' arrival." Aware his youngest daughter was putting in effort to the business where she could, he sent an encouraging smile. "Much appreciated though. We'll discuss this in the morning."

"Of course. Don't you and Rhys be sat in the office all night..." she trailed off before turning and walking away. The fact more of her father's employees were leaving Miami to join them in New York was promising to Valentina. Whilst initially unhappy about leaving Florida, she was starting to enjoy New York. Not only that, it filled her with more hope the Porters would be taken out of the picture soon. Justice would be served for what they'd done to her family a few years ago.

Enzyme (Rhys)
Mentions/At da house: RayPurchase (Tony) Melanin-Gxdess (Elvian, Teddy) Pyroclast (Tatiana)

 

[Pyroclast]

Syd Porter

Resting his elbows on the table between them, Syd’s fingers toyed with Roxie’s as he gazed into her eyes, a soft smile set on his face. “Yeah?” he quietly asked her when she informed him of her upcoming OB-GYN appointment. “You wanna find out the gender already? Don’t you like surprises?” He brought her hands up to his mouth and began to tenderly kiss them. Really, he was so happy at the thought of going home to live with her and become more involved in the pregnancy that he didn’t mind letting her make all the decisions. “Well, try to book the appointment for the day of my release so I can go with you. I always pictured us doing these things together.”

Syd followed Roxie’s gaze down to the sonogram on the table and his eyes fell on the tiny, bird-like splotch in the centre of the image. Even though it didn’t resemble anything like a human, his heart still swelled at the sight of it. When Roxie spoke of the pregnancy passing by too quickly, Syd sighed. “Yeah, I want to experience it all with you, too.” Casting his eyes down to her stomach, he imagined the tiny life form growing inside of her. “You slow down and wait for daddy, hear me? I’ll be home for you soon…” Syd drew Roxie’s knuckles to his lips, only looking up to meet her eyes when she mentioned that she also wanted to go out on a date. “We’ve really only been on one date?” he asked, trying to trace his memories all the way back to the start of their relationship. A lot of it was a blur - not fixed to a certain point in time or muddled with something else - but there were also significant portions that he couldn’t recount at all. It scared him to not be able to rely on his own memory.

“Honestly, Roxie, um…” Under the table, his leg began to bounce up and down, but his face remained calm. He continued to stroke her hands, focusing on the softness of her skin and the tiny details of her fingernails. “So much happened between our first date and, you know, ending up here, that I just don’t really remember. I don’t know how, I guess I was just slowly losing touch with myself, maybe he put me on the wrong medication...and since the ECT started, I’ve been losing more. But that date we had, when we went to replace your dress and you got that leather outfit? We went back to my place and danced and then…?” He broke into a boyish smile as he recounted it, only posing it as a question for reassurance that he had remembered it all correctly. “I’ve held onto that. The whole time, I knew that was what I wanted to go back to. And I think I can do that now, maybe. I wanna take you out.” Syd leaned in towards her, excitement and warmth shining in his eyes. “First thing after our appointment, I’m gonna take you out on the best date you’ve ever been on!”

Syd laughed at her mention of his mother. He couldn't remember the last time he had laughed. “She has a wrath, I’ll give you that,” he agreed. It pleased him to hear that the two had been speaking together. “I’m sorry she yelled at you. You’ll see she has a heart of gold once you earn her trust. When I get out, we can spend more time with her, my dad, my little brother and even the rest of my family if you feel like you’re ready for it. They’d all love to see you, I’m sure. Especially my Aunt Sinead...she’s always been a sucker for romance.”

Syd thought about his family for a moment, and all the people he hadn’t seen since before he had almost shot himself. It made him slightly anxious to see them again - mostly because he wasn’t sure what they were expecting him to be like when he got home. Then he started to think about Roxie’s family, none of whom he had any recollection of meeting. “What about your family, Roxie? Have they ever expressed an interest in meeting me?” He chewed on his lip for a second, supposing that they may not have heard her talk about him before he got her pregnant. If that was the case, he had no doubt he would have ended up in their bad books from the very start. “I know my family’s big, but I don’t know much about yours. Is there anyone else besides your parents that I can hope to meet?”

Interactions
Bellz Roxie

 

[Misty Gray]

Maddox Parker​

Maddox was relieved when Ani agreed to a few more weeks in the city, to allow him time to stick to his word by helping get Syd out of the hospital. Once that was done, his intention was to get well away from New York and to not look back at the grim, tainted city.

Maddox sent Ani a sympathetic frown as she told him she didn't want to go back. It broke his heart to see her so devastated by the loss of her brother and the cruelty Alistair had made her suffer through. He lightly shook his head when she mentioned her concern upon seeing him with Conor. "Deep down, I believed it was a risk worth taking. I've spent a lot of time with Conor; listening to his thoughts, his fears and his aspirations. When I told him the truth, it was because I believed it was safe to do so, that he wouldn't kill me there and then. Admittedly, there was a split second when I considered that he may have flipped, but he proved he was in control. I think he's the only chance we have."

Ani's hand caressing his face was soothing, then the soft feeling of her lips pressing to his filled him with warmth and hope. She'd helped him to reconnect with his human side - to imagine a life beyond revenge. If he had any chance at a normal future, he owed it to her. "You're the best thing to happen to my life in a long time and I've never felt the way about a woman as I do about you. I should be thanking you, love," she gently told her.

A lump formed in his throat as Ani mentioned not being afraid of death. He didn't want to think of her suffering or dying. "Don't put yourself at risk for me, Ani," he told her. "It's a beautiful sentiment and it warms my heart to here you care so much for me, but I don't want to imagine a world without you in it." Ani then returned to the matter of having to clean up back at the EH headquarters. She told him she would have to go alone. Whilst she made a valid point, it still didn't sit right with Maddox. "I know you're right, but I wish you didn't have to do that alone. Are you sure you can handle it? I want to be there with you." He wrapped his arms around Ani's waist and pulled her in close for a hug, placing a series of kisses on the side of her head as he held her. "I don't want to let you go, love. You have to get out of there as soon as you're finished and you have to stay at my place from now on. Please, Ani..."


Bellz (Ani)

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Teddy Wycliff

Theodore sat in his own blood, panting and waiting for the information to come back. He wasn't lying, so he knew things were going to be fine but those little moments were agonizing. The pain he was in was the worst he had ever felt and he was beginning to get lightheaded from his loss of blood. Once the location he had given was finally confirmed, James ordered one of his men to stop the bleeding and he never thought he'd be more grateful. If he lost anymore blood, he was sure he was going to be dead. The next few moments were a blur for him. What started as a blink turned into him passing out. When he awoke, he was being patched up by some of the mechanics at the Moretti's new garage. It was confusing to go from blinking to now waking up with cuts, bruises, dried blood, and two missing fingers. His body ached, his face was sore and the only place he wanted to be was the Moretti's. Plus, he needed to get there to tell Gabe about what happened.

Elvian spent most of her day going through the family's finances, making sure things were alright from their move over. The new member of their family sat at her feet while she shuffled through papers with her reading glasses on. He wasn't too much of a hassle, which was a good thing for her and the family. Gabriel was sure to find a way to get rid of him if he turned out to be a nuisance, but he wasn't as yappy or energetic as she thought. Her flower shop was nearly complete as far as renovations were concerned, and the flowers she was going to include were growing quite nicely in her garden. The sudden sound of a thud made her and the dog jump in shock and look at each other. Elvian put down the papers and her glasses, opening her desk drawer and grabbing a gun. She hid them all over the place, just in case she needed them. With gun in hand, she told her puppy to hush before tiptoeing to where she heard the noise. There was a grunt as she aimed the gun at this mysterious figure. "Don't move!" She shouted, before realizing who it was. "Theodore!" All the moving had gotten to his aching muscles and he now lay on the floor of her home, struggle to move any of his limbs. Elvian could see all the blood dried on him and his clothes, and internally wanted to freak out. She knew she couldn't, however, because of the situation. Instead, she called one of the men that were lingering in her kitchen to get water and asked another to get him upstairs into one of the bedrooms. She was going to get him all cleaned up before her husband had returned.

It felt like hours passing by while taking care of Teddy. A lot of what he was talking about wasn't making any sense, but the main portions of the story did; Theodore Wycliff had dimed on Gabriel Moretti. She understood why, of course, and she couldn't imagine her husband would want one of his best men sacrificing his life. But, sometimes he could be very unpredictable. So for now, she wouldn't tell him about Teddy being at the house when he returned until she talked to him first. The two men that helped her were told to get rid of the bloody clothes, clean any sort of blood marks left behind, and not to say a word. As she was reassuring the younger man that things were going to be okay, she heard the door open. Gabriel, Tony, and Tatiana had all returned home and Elvian had to put on a face; something she was good at. She approached her husband and smiled, the smell of smoke hitting her as she placed her hands on her hips. "Smoking? I swear you want to drop dead before we have grandchildren." She chastised, looking at the watch on her wrist. She had been taking care of Teddy the whole time, she forgot about dinner. "I got caught up in work." It wasn't really a lie, Teddy was work, but still. “I take it things went alright?” Valentina coming into view made her breath catch as she had forgotten she was still at home. By her demeanor and the focus she was giving her father, she hadn’t heard anything concerning Teddy. Elvian decided to start dinner first before telling Gabe about there unfortunate friend. “I’ll go start dinner.”
​

 

[Fletchawk]

Owen Yu​

He hadn't intended to leave out that it had been the Donahue man that had mentioned The Emerald Pub, but Pyroclast attention got diverted, and Owen's train of thought continued on to more pressing thoughts, like whether or not to run back to the apartment in a bid to reclaim at least an armful of their stuff before the police secured it. He mainly wanted his brass and jacket, he could go without on the rest. While his roommate likely had little attachment to most of the things in the apartment, he was sure that there were some personal items that Danny would prefer to have rather than not.

His attention was drawn back to Danny when he silently motioned to a stool closer to the phone, and if the mood had been better, Owen would've thoroughly enjoyed the front row seat to Danny's awkwardness. His suspicion as to why was confirmed when Danny pulled out the papers. It wasn't an unusual request when Danny had his hands busy, so he was mildly proficient. In a way, he was grateful for something to focus on, even if only took a minute or two. Owen didn't normally partake, but figured taking a few tiny puffs to get it lit would also help the nerves. After passing it to Danny, he motioned that he was done, knowing his limits were nowhere near that of his friend.

More than anything, it was the guilt that weighed heaviest on him. If had only affected himself, he would've be relatively fine, but he couldn't shake the guy, and now Danny had to ask for favors in order for them to not be on the streets. To him, it was his fault, at least partially. His side ached a bit where the door knob had nailed him, causing him to remember the injuries from the last time a tail had caught him. That time, it was just him that paid the consequences, and now Danny was also paying for his mistakes. Owen felt like he was finally understanding what Father had said about needing strength in order to achieve one's goals.

Owen looked over at Danny when he asked to crash, and waited a moment before raising his eyebrow, making it apparent he wanted know the answer as well. After all, it would let him know just how screwed they were.

 

[Pyroclast]

Danny Vaughan

Savannah sounded understandably concerned at the news and all Danny could do was watch Owen's hands as he rolled up his quick fix, his band-aid solution to his nerves. It wasn't often that he got scared; when life threw him a challenge, he was almost always able to tap into a rational, level-headed state in order to navigate through it or talk himself down. This time, though, he was talking to someone else, which wasn't quite the same. He hadn't had a chance to come up with an optimistic perspective yet - there were too many problems to solve at once, and even though he was making efforts to find a temporary place to sleep, he wasn't sure what would happen to the apartment, let alone all of the things inside it. Including the drugs. Which would inevitably lead to an investigation, an arrest, and some kind of punishment from the Irish Mob. Then there was the identity and whereabouts of Owen's stalkers to worry about, too, and the question of who actually blew up the apartment and why. On top of that, the two would eventually have to find somewhere more permanent to live. Without a plan to tackle any of those issues, Danny felt himself begin to lose his composure. His hand was trembling slightly when he reached out to accept the joint and he muttered a quick, barely audible, "Thanks."

"I don't know, Savvy," he answered, in a slightly hollow voice. He really wasn't sure how to answer any of her questions. "I don't know..." Feeling a weight develop in his chest, Danny drew a long inhale from the joint in his hand and held his breath for a couple of seconds before exhaling in a slow, controlled manner. After a short wait, Savannah accepted his request for refuge and he breathed a short sigh of relief. "Thanks, Sav, thank you so much," he gushed, turning to Owen and flashing him a smile. "Nah, that's great, sofas are perfect! Braden will barely notice us, I swear." At her mention of informing the security guards at her apartment, Danny nodded once he caught onto what they had been placed there for. Savannah was already dealing with plenty of her own threats, which he supposed could explain why she was staying with her parents tonight, but the guards' presence suited him well, knowing that Owen was also at risk.

Her suggestion to inform her family if he or Owen were in danger at first made him recoil, but then he remembered that he already had his own connection to the mob through working for Syd and he could therefore ask as an employee rather than as Savannah's boyfriend. "Thanks, I'll bear that in mind," he responded, toking on the joint some more. He was beginning to feel calmer already. "I'll need to assess everything first. Sav...I'm serious...I owe you big time for this. You're the best. Alright, I'm gonna let you go before your old man thinks I'm wastin' your time...but thank you. I'll call you later, okay?"

Once he had hung up the receiver, Danny turned to Owen and let out a short breath. "We got us a place for tonight," he confirmed, though he was sure Owen had already worked that much out. There wasn't much time to be relieved, however, as his brain had already moved onto the next problem. "God, dude, all my shit was back there," he groaned, holding his head up in his free hand and bringing the joint to his lips again. He tried to work out roughly how much of the drugs he would still have stashed in his room since Syd had given him his load for the week. His mind was going faster than he could breathe and he almost choked as he continued on. "We gotta grab it before someone else does or we're both in deep shit!" Jumping to his feet, Danny bounded over to the door leading to the main room so that he could inform Tanya, his coworker, that he had to leave early. Before he pulled it open, however, he turned back to face Owen. "What was it you were askin' me before? Somethin' about a pub?"

Interactions
Fletchawk Owen
Misty Gray Savannah

 

[Enzyme]

Rhys Caddel​

The intoxicating fog of cigarette smoke clouded the interior of the 1969 Continental, seeping through the cracks of the tinted window. The men in the vehicle, who were blessed with a tan from Miami's seaside, had no concern with being perceivably armed. An AK-47 was slumped against the knee of the man in the passenger - while the driver had an Uzi slung around the headrest by a sling. Rhys was the only man in the car not armed, at least not visibly. He resided in the middle seat with a newspaper strewn across his lap, it looked dated, labeled the 22nd. His dark glasses only left the paper once the vehicle's nose turned into Moretti's estate, to which his eyes scanned the building he had become all too accustomed to.

"Fuck, boss, no one needs a house this big," the man in the passenger seat commented. Rhys rolled the cigarette in his fingertips, before disposing of it out of the window. "It's a reflection of power. If you don't know that, then you have none." Rhys flattened his blazer as he stepped out of the car, taking another look at the New York landscape beyond the neatly trimmed hedges. Home sweet home. The passenger of the vehicle stepped out to hand Rhys a briefcase with his AK-47 hung over his shoulder, breaking the man's solitude. Rhys accepted the briefcase, giving him nothing more than a glance of acknowledgment before stepping to the house.

Rhys ascended the steps into the manner, stepping past the various armed guards stationed around the entrance. He stopped in front of the head of security, who was looming around the pristine floors. Rhys's hands trailed to the arms of his dark shades, revealing his eyes to the familiar guard. "Where's Moretti?" Rhys asked bluntly, having no intention of catching up with the man. After being pointed in the right direction, he left without another word, leaving his personal men to roam around the yard.

Rhys stepped to the doors, lightly tapping his knuckles against the wood. He then turned the handle and stepped into Moretti's office, his proud presence booming off the cabinets. "Moretti," he greeted his boss with a smile, setting the suitcase down, beside him.

Misty Gray (Gabriel)

 

[Misty Gray]

Sinead Callahan and Ethan Turner​

Sinead held her tongue as Alistair taunted her, saying Savannah shouldn't have anything to worry about. He made a flippant remark about young men not always thinking with their heads, which caused her to quickly shake her head. She disagreed, believing not all men were so disrespectful, but she kept her thoughts on that matter to herself. "Just tell him to back the hell off and leave her out of his - and your - rotten games." Sinead glanced down to her scarred wrist, reminded of how her own pain and suffering had seemed like a game to Alistair and the others.

As Alistair went on, he placed his arm around Sinead's shoulder. The redhead tensed her body, disgusted by the physical contact but too afraid and stubborn to wriggle away or lash out at him. She looked down to Ethan as the man continued replacing the tyre. Alistair told her she owed them a favour, which caused her to tighten her jaw at the sheer audacity of the man's words. Considering what Ammon had done to her on his boss' command, she felt Alistair had no room to claim she owed him anything. "Savannah and Syd are kind souls. You're being cruel for the sake of cruelty."

"Are you one of those fucking hippies, love?" Ethan gruffly spoke up, eyes remaining fixed on the tyre as he tightened up one of the bolts. "Come back to my place if you've got some free love to go around," he remarked.

Sinead's expression was one of disgust as she stared into the back of the man's head. Alistair patted her on the shoulder, causing her to flinch slightly. Still, she was relieved when he finally took his arm away from around her. She folded her arms around her waist, just wanting to disappear in that moment rather than have to spend a second longer holding her tongue in front of the heartless and disrespectful men. There had been mention of helping them being a peace offering, one which would help her family be safe. She wasn't sure what to make of his words. All she wanted was for her loved ones to be safe, but the men before her were cruel and not to be trusted.

Ethan was just about finished when Alistair asked for a progress update. The man tightened the last bolt before standing up and turning to look at his boss. "I'm all done here. This car should run smoothly now," he confirmed. He bent over to lift up the damaged tyre and carried to the back of the car so he could dump the car part in the boot. He slammed the lid shut before returning to Alistair and Sinead, "I for one am in no mood to be late for dinner. I'd already worked up an appetite." He brushed past Sinead and returned to his shop so he could return the tools he'd been using. He then returned to Alistair and rubbed his hands together. "Let's get going, as I'd hate to drown Mrs. Callahan in further debt to us."

*****​

Once the two men had left, Sinead got back into the driver's seat of her car. With the doors locked, she'd spent some time just sat in silence as she dwelled on the exchange she'd just had to endure. She hated that she'd felt so powerless to do anything. It sickened her that she would have to drive back home in her beloved car, knowing the enemy had fixed it for her. The same man who had tortured Syd. It took a lot, but she eventually willed herself to start the engine and drive herself back home.

When she arrived home, Sinead parked the car up and slammed the door shut. When she entered the house, she tossed the keys down on the top of the drawers in the hallway, almost as if it offended her to be holding them. She kicked off her heels and hung up her jacket before heading upstairs to get changed out of her dirty outfit. It was only when she was dressed in fresh clothes and emptying the contents of her handbag that she realised she'd never got around to buying Lucy's birthday present. "I can't do anything right," she berated herself. She knew she was meant to start cooking dinner for her family, but she felt overwhelmed by what had happened in the city. Instead of going down to the kitchen, she curled up on the bed, not wanting to burden Peter and Savannah when she expected they would be enjoying training.


Pyroclast (Alistair)
Mention: Bellz (Peter)

 

[Misty Gray]

Gabriel Moretti​

After making a few business calls, Gabriel had set about looking at the paperwork Valentina had handed him. Despite brushing off her input until the next day, he had been keen to see what ideas she had come up with. The venues she'd sourced seemed promising; selected with care and understanding of the security needs. He'd expected no less from her, but he made a point of not gushing over her input. If she felt it was difficult to gain his approval, then she would be motivated to work harder. It was the same for all of his children. The last thing he wanted was laziness and complacency in his family.

The light knocking on the door pulled Gabriel out of his thoughts and he closed the files as the door was pushed open. He looked up from his desk to see his consignee enter his office. Rhys was smartly dressed; a trait that he always appreciated in a person. Gabriel rose from his seat and rounded the desk to greet his adviser. He gave the man a firm handshake and a pat on the top of his arm as he acknowledged him. "Rhys," he replied, sending the man a welcoming smile. With the likes of Teddy and Tony having joined Gabriel in New York from the start, it was good to see the remainder of his most trusted men arriving from Miami. New York was feeling more like home every day and having his closest adviser join them only strengthened that. "I trust you had a safe journey," he said as he returned to his seat at the desk and motioned for Rhys to sit opposite in. There were some spirits and glass tumblers to one side of the desk, which Gabriel motioned to should Rhys wish to help himself to a drink.

"Given that you are here, am I correct in believing everything in Miami continues to run smoothly?" he asked Rhys, prompting him to explain how he'd left things there. "We have much work to do in New York, so you'll be wise to settle in and make yourself comfortable around the city. Business is much busier and more testing in New York, but I'm sure we can both embrace the challenge when the pay-off is so great. With the loyal assistance of Alistair Sawyer and Stefano Carriveau, we've managed to make a huge dent in the Porter empire, especially where the drugs trade is concerned. I would like for you to attend the next meeting I have with the two gentlemen as we determine our next move in taking New York."

Enzyme (Rhys)

 

[Enzyme]

Rhys Caddel​

Rhys returned the nod with a discreet smile, meeting his boss with a firm handshake. He moved to the seat opposite of Gabriel's desk at his request, sitting down on the soft leather sofa and placing the briefcase on his lap. "Miami was rather uneventful, thankfully. A few men had a run-in with the Montendre Crew at some nightclub, but those responsible were dealt with accordingly." His fingertips glided to the clamps of the briefcase, snapping them open. "As for the contracts," he pulled the thin papers from the case, placing the small stack on the side of Gabriel's desk. "Consider South Flordia renewed." He gave Gabriel a confident nod, reinforcing that the deed was done.

Rhys drifted to the El Dorado Rum offered on the side of the desk, pulling two tumblers off their padded coasters. He listened to Gabriel as he filled the two glasses halfway, nodding along as the man spoke. Gripping the glass by the base, he handed it to Gabriel across the desk. "Alistair, the snake..." He said in a pondering tone, taking a short sip from the glass. "Only a matter of time before he turns back and bites the feeding hand." His eyes trailed back up to meet Gabriel's, accompanied by a small shrug. "I'm sure he'll wait for the Porters' house of cards to collapse first."

His eyes flickered to the office windows as Gabriel mentioned the meeting he would attend, sticking his tongue to his cheek. "How have the hits been handled?" he asked, sitting up in his sofa chair. "Last I heard, James' brother made it out." He gulped the rum, his eyes slowly narrowing. "And the Enforcer? We'll need to renew that one as well."

Rhys placed the glass on the table, running his tongue across his bottom lip as he silently pondered. "Maybe it's time we put James in our sights. He's gotten weaker." He stroked his shaved chin, looking back to Gabriel. "He lost a big shipment; his partners must be getting pissed. He's a lot more vulnerable now."

Misty Gray (Gabriel)

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Because Elvian had taken so long to make dinner, she needed to whip up something quick and easy. Rummaging through her cupboard to find things, she came up with the idea to make Polenta. Usually they only ate it as a side dish, but then she had the wonderful idea to make a big muffin out of it and add different things to go along with it. It only took about 30 minutes before her successful experiment was done and plated. All through her time in the kitchen, she thought about how she was going to bring Teddy’s condition to her husband’s attention. With Rhys now in the office, she was struggling with how to approach Gabriel with it. To give the food a little time to cool down, she went back upstairs to check on Teddy.

Teddy hadn’t fallen asleep whatsoever, instead looking up at the ceiling. The thoughts running through his mind were preventing any sort of sleep to take over. For sure he was going to have nightmares about the torturing, the pain wasn’t going to go away for a while, but the main thing was how his boss was about to respond. He wasn’t afraid of his boss’ anger; he had told information instead of dying for it so he understood. He was worried about what would happen if he didn’t kill him. Would Gabriel still feel the same about him once he found out? Would he still trust him? There was nothing worse to him than being shunned after his father did everything he could to get him where he is today.

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of Elvian entering the room. Her voice was soft as she spoke to him, but she knew there was something serious coming. “Gabriel is back and he’s in his office with Rhys…” He could tell she was also nervous, perhaps for what would come to him. “I don’t want to delay this any further so if you can, I think we need to go and tell him what happened.” Elvian didn’t actually think they should tell; she knew. The longer they delayed the inevitable the worse things would be for the both of them. Plus, maybe they could plan fast enough to take care of the Porter problem. Elvian stayed by the door as Teddy slowly and painfully removed himself from the bed.

It took a while for the two of them to make it down the stairs as his body was very exhausted. Elvian told him to wait a beat while she went and grabbed her husband’s food as well as one for Rhys. It was still hot, but just the right kind of hot. Teddy leaned against the wall next to the door, awaiting Elvian to do her bit before he walked in. “Just… Give me a second.” She lightly tapped the door to give the men a second before walking in, leaving the door ajar for a moment. Looking at Rhys, she gave him a smile and set the plate on the table next to him. “So, you finally join us here in New York. Nothing like Miami, right?” As she walked over to Gabriel, she gave him a serious look, placing his own plate in front of him. “I don’t mean to interrupt your meeting, but I’m sure you’ll agree that what I’m about to tell you is far more important.” Elvian would never interrupt her husband’s business if it weren’t serious so the fact she was doing so now meant something.

Taking a step out of the room, she helped Teddy inside and to the couch, opposite the side of Rhys. Sitting down made him wince, to which Elvian apologized. His face had begun to turn purple from the bruises and his eye shut from the swelling. All the bleeding had thankfully stopped, but now the after effects were taking place. Elvian closed the door so only the four of them remained. She would only stay in defense of Teddy until told to leave. “Now, before anything you need to hear him to the end, Gabriel.” She gave him a stern look before giving the same one to Rhys. “You BOTH do…” After a brief pause, she looked to Teddy and he took a deep, painful breath before explaining everything that happened. Once he reached the end, he looked at Gabriel with nothing but regret. “I’m sorry. They’re even more… Ruthless than we thought. He was actually stupid enough to try and kill me.”

 

[Misty Gray]

Gabriel Moretti​

Gabriel listened as Rhys updated him on things back in Miami. 'Uneventful' was what he wanted to hear as it meant he could focus on the organised chaos that was New York. He nodded along as he was informed any troublemakers had been dealt with. As paperwork was placed on his desk, Gabriel leaned forward and flicked through the pages, pleased to have confirmation that South Florida remained firmly in his possession. "This is most excellent," he spoke up. He set about adjusting the pile he'd disrupted so it was neat and orderly on his desk.

Gabriel took his glass of rum from Rhys and didn't hesitate to take a small sip from it. His adviser's words regarding Alistair were unfavourable ones, suggesting the East Harlem leader would eventually betray them once the Porters had been taken down. "The man has given me no cause for concern, thus far," he pointed out. Still, a crooked smirk crossed his lips as he admired Rhys' suspicious mindset. "But, as you know all too well... Only a fool would completely trust any man. The only person you should ever put your complete faith in is yourself." He set his glass down on the table as paused for a moment. "We'll make sure Alistair doesn't get the opportunity to turn on us, if that becomes his inclination."

Gabriel tightened his jaw at mention of how the hits had been handled. "Quite pitifully," it pained him to admit. "James' brother should have been an easy one, yet the two morons who took the job on ended up getting themselves killed. From my understanding, the Porters left a ghastly scene in that hospital bathroom - they made a mess of Marty's skull," he explained, doing well to recall the dead hitman's name. "I still want Warren Taylor dead, though the Porters don't seem to be letting him out of their sight as it stands. Perhaps he'll grow cocky once he's out of hospital and putting himself back into the firing line. As for Mr. Lynch - he's a Sullivan through and through, so I'm inclined to agree with you. I'll put you in charge of the arrangements."

The conversation soon steered to James Porter, making Gabriel's expression seem somehow even more stern. "He'll soon come crawling on his knees to us..." he trailed off, taking a long drink from his glass. The Irishman hadn't suffered enough as far as Gabriel was concerned. Syd and Warren were both still alive. Conor was still out of prison, even coming across as less useless and more intelligent than Gabriel had given him credit for. "He still has much to lose..." the Italian began. The light knock on the door halter the conversation and spared Gabriel from admitting making James suffer wasn't just business, but was admittedly personal. If the man was dead, then how would he suffer?

When Elvian made her entrance, Gabriel held back his frustration at having his meeting interrupted. She had brought food and there was clearly a good reason for her to enter his office. Rather than dismiss his dear wife, he sat back and allowed her to speak. Elvian briefly stepped out of the room and Gabriel sent Rhys a glance before he helped himself to a mouthful of food, taking advantage of the brief break. He looked up to the door to see Teddy entering the room. The man was a mess and the sight caused Gabriel to swallow his mouthful of food and let his fork drop onto the plate, creating a brief clinking sound. As Teddy sat, Gabriel stood up, looking down on the beaten man. Teddy was practically family and one of the few people outside of blood that he cared about. Not quite a son, nor a brother, but some combination of the two that made it discomforting to see the man so physically harmed. "Theodore? Who did this to you?" he asked, his voice low and controlled, but clearly carrying a deep fury within it. In Gabriel's mind, the only way to deal with whoever was responsible was to kill them without question. Elvian commanded Gabriel and Rhys to both listen to everything Teddy had to say before doing anything.

Gabriel sat quietly and listened as Teddy explained what had happened. As the story went on, the Italian's inner anger intensified. Not only had James had the audacity to torture a man Gabriel was close to, but Teddy had given the piece of shit the information he'd asked for. It wasn't often that Gabriel found difficulty in a situation, but the matter that had been presented to him was complicated. Had Teddy been practically any other employee or associate, Gabriel would have put a bullet in his head with his own gun for betraying him. But the man sitting battered and broken was family, which created conflict within Gabriel's thoughts. "Well, I had been having a pleasant day..." he trailed off, apparently regarding slaughtering the Martinez man as 'pleasant'.

Gabriel pinched the bridge of his nose, shaking his head as he let out an exasperated groan. "That Irish rat disrespected us and you gave him what he wanted?!" he asked, moving his hand away from his face and staring directly at Teddy. "He had Kaladin killed and was rewarded for it," he hissed. Gabriel turned to Rhys and tapped his hand on the desk a couple of times. "Mr. Taylor and Mr. Lynch aren't the only ones I want putting down..." he began. He took a moment as he carefully considered his next words, deciding if he truly was wiling to change the course of his plans at that moment. "I want him dead," Gabriel began, briefly turning to look at Teddy's bruised face before looking back to Rhys. "It's time for James Porter to die. I will not have that rat disrespect and harm this family any further!" he said, his voice now raised.

Gabriel fell silent and straightened out his already tidy collar before focusing back on Teddy. By the time he spoke his next words, his voice was once more calm, but his face retained its irritated expression. "It pains me to see you in this condition, Theodore. Porter is an animal and his actions towards you will not go unpunished." Gabriel glanced to Elvian, certain she'd fight Teddy's corner but he wasn't about to back down. "Giving him the address really was your only option? Surely you could have thought of a better way out of the situation than giving the Porters anything. How will you put this right?" he asked.

The fact he hadn't killed Teddy on the spot or dismissed him from his office was at least a testament to the fact that Gabriel considered him to be family. Still, as he would do with his own children, he would expect them to take steps to making up for disappointing him. Regardless of the fact Teddy had been faced with little choice, Gabriel was too angry that the Porters had won that particular battle to admit it.

Enzyme (Rhys) Melanin-Gxdess (Teddy, Elvian)

 

[Bellz]

Lucy Porter​

Lucy nodded her head before standing to grab her brother a drink. Once she gave it to him, she took a seat beside him again, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. Conor told her that he hoped James and herself could trust him. "We trust you." Lucy murmured gently, giving his shoulder a squeeze. He then went on to say that both James and her looked exhausted and not happy, which made Lucy frown deeply. She thought she'd been hiding it well but she knew she had her moments. Biting her lower lip, Lucy rested her head against Conor's shoulder and let out a shaky sigh. "Thank you." She said in a whisper. The door shifted slightly and Lucy's eyes watched as James stepped through it, a serious expression on his face.

Sitting up, the blonde's eyes started to burn. It was painful to have to address this all over again, but James needed to be informed of what happened too. "Welcome home." She said, managing to place a small smile on her face. "Come sit with us." Waiting for him to shut the door and take a seat, Lucy removed her arm from around her brother and leaned back into the sofa as she looked at her husband.

"Syd was right about Dr. Parker." She started, her head turning to look at her brother. "He confessed to sending Syd over the edge to Conor. He's lucky to be alive right now but that's what we need to talk to you about." Eyes burning, Lucy took a moment to try and control her emotions before continuing on. "Conor made the decision to spare Dr. Parker's life in exchange for his help in getting Syd out of that place. He wants our support and has made the point that both of us look incredibly exhausted and unhappy. He wants to help keep our family safe and I think that using Dr. Parker to our advantage was a very smart decision."
with: James + Conor Misty Gray

 

[Enzyme]

Rhys Caddel​

The corners of Rhys's mouth slightly bent up to a smile when he was told that he would be put in charge of the hits. The men in question had proven to be more than a branch in the Morettis' cogs, and he was confident he would be able to take care of them. Instead of responding, Rhys's hand drifted to his blazer's pocket. Producing the cigarette pack, he slapped the bottom against the side of the table. He stuffed the protruding cigarette in his lips and smoothly sparked the tip with his zippo lighter. Rhys took a deep drag, allowing the sounds of the singeing cigarette to fill the void of silence temporarily. "It's done," he nodded to Gabriel, a gush of smoke tumbling from his lips.

Gabriel's reluctance to move on James visually pained Rhys to the core. His calm and collected demeanor briefly faltered as he went to rub his brow in frustration. He knew better than to openly criticize Gabriel for his lack of self-control in separating personal vendettas and business, but even Gabriel must've known how much it disappointed Rhys. He stuffed the cigarette back in his mouth to prevent himself from blurting out the obvious - James Porter didn't need to suffer; he needed a bullet in his head.

Unfortunately for Rhys, Elvian opened the office door before he could calm himself enough to protest. Despite this, he gave her a polite smile as she set the food in front of him. "Only the traffic," he said to Elvian with a soft chuckle, thanking her for the meal with a seldom nod.

He watched Gabriel dig into his food first, as Rhys decided to stick to his cigarette. At his Boss' sudden bewilderment, and the clink of his fork, Rhys looked behind him to see the bloody mess that Teddy was. "Oh great," Rhys muttered spitefully.

Rhys sat back in his chair as Elvian told them to here him out, Rhys specifically called out. Rhys did as he was asked to do, battling against his nature to interject at specifically troubling elements. After Teddy finished, there was a moment of silence as the information was absorbed. "They should've killed you," Rhys added, pointing to the fact that Teddy should've died with that information, with the loyalty he had promised.

Rhys visibly lit up as Gabriel concluded that it was time for James to be taken out. It appeared Teddy had some use in him after all, as he seemed to be the catalyst for Gabriel to finally mark James for death. Rhys muffled his satisfaction with a hefty gulp of rum, cringing slightly at the burning sensation. "Well done, Teddy. You served your purpose as James' message, and it was well-received." He smiled at Teddy, giving him a patronizing congratulations as if he had done something remarkable.

He leaned back in his chair, allowing Gabriel to decide Teddy's fate with silence, as Gabriel was evidently conflicted due to the man's close affiliation with the family. Rhys sipped his drink casually as Gabriel faced the predicament and by the tone in his voice, Rhys assumed it would take little support to push Gabriel to either conclusion. As Gabriel mentioned that there had to have been a better way, Rhys decided to add his two cents. "Sure there was, you could've given your life, like any truly loyal man would've. Now, you're nothing more than a crooning liability," he tisked, shaking his head slightly. "What a shame," he softly mumbled, looking back to Gabriel, giving him a stare that confirmed which option he supported.

Misty Gray (Gabriel) Melanin-Gxdess (Teddy/Elvian)