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

Melanin-Gxdess @Fletchawk

shadowz1995 @Inb4Cloaker @Sushi Muncher @undine @KomradeTrappy @nearlyflowers

Misty Gray · Apr 29, 2019

Chapter 2: The Big City
Saturday 3rd July 1971
...the next day...
Afternoon - Sunny, Warm, Dry
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Porter Family Apartment
~ Upper East Side, Manhattan ~

James Porter

James hadn't gone overboard with the alcohol the previous night, especially with the knowledge he had to be up early and back in the city the next morning for business. When he woke up the next morning, he made sure to stay for breakfast with Lucy, Thomas, and anyone else who was still around at the time. He knew his family would have preferred for him to stay at the mansion for the day, but the best he could do was assure them he'd be home for dinner. Deciding to let Farrid have the morning to himself following the party, James grabbed a ride into the city with Warren who had already offered to drive Savannah back to Manhattan.

Once at his large apartment, James spent much of the morning going over paperwork and making calls. Billy Granger had managed to spill some details to his captors and that made James more willing to stick by his decision to keep the man alive for a little while longer. It would be a waste to kill him when there was still a good chance of squeezing more information out of the backstabbing weasel. It was one particular admission that had caught James' attention and he'd spent the morning getting confirmation from sources he trusted. That had in turn led to James requesting Dante's immediate presence in his office as mid-afternoon drew close. He had a job that he was sure the man's expertise would make light work of.

Warren was guarding the inside of the apartment, keeping himself stationed by the door. The two brothers would often make very little conversation, with Warren always taking his time on duty very seriously and James often appreciating the lack of distractions. However, the mob boss soon found himself with a little downtime which allowed him to sit back and consider the job he needed Dante to do. In the past, he would have been open to hearing out those who had crossed him and give them an opportunity to redeem themselves. But that had only brought more danger and loss to his doorstep. He pushed up his left shirt sleeve, allowing himself study scar that ran down his arm. He had many scars, most of which on his upper body, which all had a story behind them and most had taught him a lesson over his lifetime. The one on his left arm had been inflicted by Gideon Burnell and had served as a reminder of how showing mercy in the past had endangered those he cared for. James had spent a couple of weeks in hospital and even longer at home recovering, having sustained a broken arm, ribs and eye-socket on that violent night. After that experience, there was no time for mercy or second chances in his line of work, not if he was to hold onto those he loved and the empire he had built.

shadowz1995 (Dante)

New York Correctional Facility
~ Lower Manhattan ~

Conor Sullivan

Conor had woken up in a particularly bad mood that morning - more so than normal for the man who was frustrated about still being stuck in prison. The fact he'd spent the night thinking of all of his family and how he had no doubt been missing a great party had sent him off to sleep feeling miserable. His mood hadn't improved after sleeping on it. As the day went on, Conor chose to spend the afternoon recreation time alone in his cell rather than working out in the gym or playing board games with those he considered friends.

As he laid back on the almost adequate mattress, his peace was disturbed when another inmate slipped into his cell and stood a couple of feet from Conor's bed. "We're planning to jump Donnie and his gang tonight. We could do with your help, Sullivan," Clint told him.

"No..." Conor distantly replied, keeping his vision focused straight ahead rather than looking to the man he was responding to. "I'm not getting involved in this one."

"Ah, come on! We need you. Mate, with your strength and connections, you could run this fucking place. Donnie's gaining friends and if we're not careful, he'll be running everything around here. That guy's dangerous, but you could knock him the fuck back down," Clint pleaded his case.

Conor finally turned to the man and sat upright before suddenly standing up so he was towering Clint. "When I said no, that was your cue to stop spewing that shit to me. I'm trying to stay out of trouble so I can get out of this hole and back to my family. Donnie doesn't scare me and I'll be out of here before he gets more morons together to suck his dick for him." Conor clenched his fists as he reminded himself to stay calm and keep his aggression locked away. The last thing he wanted to do was jeopardise the hard work of his shrink and his lawyer. "I know you're in this place for a long time, so all the more reason for you to learn how to fight your own battles. Just leave me out of it, alright? I have a chance to get out of here real soon, so I ain't wasting it."

**********

Later in the afternoon, Conor and a dozen other prisoners were led to the large visiting room where they were all seated at their own table whilst awaiting the arrival of their visitors. As he sat at the table, he looked to the two empty seats that were facing him and he wondered who was coming to see him. Whilst he always enjoyed visits from his siblings and friends, he hoped it would be Seana bringing Leo in to see him. He'd learned no to expect Aliana anymore, so Seana was the next best thing as she would always have Leo with her.

Melanin-Gxdess (Aliana)

All That Jazz (Jazz Club)
~ Upper West Side, Manhattan ~

Sinead Callahan

Keeping to her word, Sinead didn't have much to drink at James' party as she wanted to give Peter the freedom to get drunk and possibly enjoy himself. By the time they needed to head back home, Peter was indeed highly intoxicated. Having only had a cocktail at the start of the evening, Sinead drove the Callahans back home, with the exception of Savannah who had chosen to stay over at the Porters' house. Whist the blonde's excuse was that she wanted to stay until the end, Sinead wasn't entirely convinced it was her only reason for not wanting to go home with them and sleep in the bedroom they'd kept as hers.

Once home, Sinead helped Peter upstairs and tended to him until he was fast asleep in bed. When she woke the next morning, she was curled up on her side of the bed with her back to her husband. She rolled onto her back and turned her head so she could look at Peter as he continued to sleep. Although they'd had a small time of peace and closeness at the party, she was unable to ignore the fragility of it all. She was uncertain of whether he would wake up happy to see her or if he'd wake up in a bad mood. Would they start their day with more arguing? She reached her hand out to gently stroke the man's cheek as he continued his deep sleep. "Please come back..." she whispered.

Sinead soon got out of bed and went into the bathroom to shower. Taking advantage of the time alone and the sprinkling water blocking out any sound, she allowed herself the time to cry, to let out all of the emotions that had built up since their argument the previous day. She felt helpless and from that she felt selfish for thinking of herself. She'd been broken many times in the past and her family, especially Peter, had been there to put her together again. Now Peter was the one who needed supporting and she kept telling herself she had to suck up her own feelings for the sake of making sure her husband received the help he needed.

Once dressed, Sinead headed downstairs. She was surprised to see Emery ready for the day ahead and that was her cue to put on a bright smile so her kids didn't have to worry too. "I'm making some sandwiches for lunch before I head to work. I'm taking requests. What do you want in yours, beautiful?" she brightly asked her youngest daughter.

"Thanks for the offer, Mum. But I'm going to Katie's for a bit and her parents said I could eat lunch there," Emery informed her. Her friend only lived a five minute walk away, so she knew there wouldn't be any arguments. "I'll see you at the club in a few hours," she said, placing a kiss on Sinead's cheek before rushing out of the house.

"Don't be late!" Sinead called out. Emery had been wanting some new clothes and a guitar, but her parents had told her to earn the money herself. As a result, the teenager had taken some shifts at the jazz club. Sinead was looking forward to training her daughter and getting to spend some time with her. It wasn't only Peter who was slipping away from her, but she felt like her kids were barely around either, now old enough to be doing their own thing. After a deep sigh, Sinead continued on with making up some sandwiches for Peter and Braden. She made a small one for herself but after a couple of bites, her appetite remained absent and so she ended up her sandwich away.

One it was time to go to work, Sinead returned upstairs. "Peter, I've made some sandwiches for when you get up and you should probably have yourself a strong coffee." She walked over to the bedside table next to Peter, placing a glass of water and an aspirin down for him. She looked to see he appeared to still be asleep. "Okay... Well, um. Katie's dad is going to bring Emery to work in a few hours and I'll be working until late. If you want me..." she trailed off, but fell silent. "That's where I'll be if you need me." She watched him for a moment before walking away.

Sinead arrived at the jazz club and approached Scott at the bar as he chatted with the barman. "Afternoon, Sinead," Scott pleasantly greeted her. He soon picked up on the fact the smile on her face wasn't a genuine one and she appeared troubled. He asked the barman to continue serving before speaking quietly to Sinead. "Do you need to talk? I'm always happy to listen, you know that," he said, sending her a reassuring smile.

"No..." Sinead said, quickly shaking her head. She stared at Scott for a moment, only now remembering Peter's words the night before and her husband's apparent threats towards her employee. She had no reason to suspect there was anything untoward about Scott, but the last thing she wanted was for him to get hurt. "I'll be fine. Can you make sure the stage equipment is ready for tonight's performance? Before it starts getting busy in here," she abruptly asked, not making time for personal conversation.

Mention:

Bellz (Peter)

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

Emery Callahan

Emery had enjoyed the party the night before, especially as she'd managed to get a couple of drinks from Peter and Lucy. The only thing that soured the night for her was when it had been time to leave and Savannah had opted to stay over at the Porter house for the night. Not only did she miss spending time with either of her siblings, but it irritated her to think the reason her sister was staying away was because of their parents. It was easy for Savannah to distance herself from the arguments that went on at home, but Emery felt trapped and forced to go through it all on her own. Sometimes she wondered if it would be easier for her parents to just split up and then she wouldn't have to hear them fighting anymore. But deep down, she just wanted her parents to get their heads sorted out and to be as close as she remembered them being back when she was a little girl.

Emery had been eager to get out of the house for the day and had gone to her friend, Katie's house for lunch and hang out with her for a few hours. As it approached 2pm, she knew she would need to think about heading to the jazz club. She was looking forward to helping her mother out at work and to earn some money for herself along the way.

St James Theater; and The Lomax
~ Midtown, Manhattan ~

Savannah Callahan

"If you're not aiming for perfection, then you don't belong in this business. Start over!"

Savannah rolled her eyes as she sat on the front row seat watching on as Andre berated the youngsters who were practising their scenes as members of 'I'm unculturedin's Gang'. She wasn't involved in the particular scene and hadn't had to rehearse anything since two hours ago. It had been six hours since she arrived at the theatre for rehearsals and she was growing bored of spectating as the manager berated everyone for performances she felt had been great. "How much longer are we going to be?" Savannah quietly asked, catching Andre's attention without interrupting those rehearsing on stage. "We were meant to break off for lunch two hours ago..."

"Lunch?" Andre asked, turning to face the blonde Callahan daughter. "You don't need lunch, love. I've seen some of your photo-shoots. You'll spoil that amazing figure and it's too late to be getting your Nancy costumes altered if you start piling on the pounds," he told her. He sent her a charming smile, as if she was meant to take his rude comment as a compliment. The man looked to his watch and let out a groan. "You can get off for the day, Savannah. You've been spot on today, so I don't need you to run through anything else... I suspect these little retards are going to occupy the rest of my afternoon."

Savannah quirked a curious eyebrow at Andre's offensive choice of words, but she knew to hold her tongue. One day she would land an even bigger role and would be managed by someone else. She was sure she'd have to channel her redheaded family members and give Andre a piece of her mind when that day did come. "Alright. See you Monday!" she simply told him as she started walking to the dressing room to change out of costume.

"Tomorrow!" Andre corrected her, as if expecting she would show up on a public holiday.

"Dream on, darling. I said Monday!" she called back, without stopping or turning to face him.

**********

Savannah wasted no time in changing back into her red dress, which landed a few inches above her knees, and a pair of high heeled shoes, as was normal for her. She always liked to make an effort with her choice of clothing and that was mostly down to her own need for perfection. Whilst she never judged others for their own dress sense, she was often highly critical of herself and so had to make an effort to please her own eyes more than anyone else's. One thing she was sure of was that Andre's penchant to belittling others on their weight grated on her. Knowing her own underweight mother had suffered with eating disorders in the past meant the man's rude words often hit a nerve with Savannah and it made it all the more difficult for her to hold her tongue when the man became offensive.

It was only a ten-minute walk to Savannah's intended destination, so she set off walking on foot to The Lomax. She was hoping to catch up with Syd after the party the night before. After the commotion that had occurred during his drunken dancing, she wanted to know what had happened with him and Roxie. If he needed help building bridges, she wanted in. As far as she was concerned, her cousin really needed help! Plus, she didn't want any bad blood between her family and her friends. After a walk through the busy city, she finally reached the nightclub and flashed a smile to the familiar security guards who didn't need to think twice about allowing the young woman entry. She headed towards the bar where she was sure she could order a snack, but she kept scanning the club for any sign of Syd.

Pyroclast (Daniel)

Currently Active Cast:

Melanin-Gxdess @Fletchawk

shadowz1995 @Inb4Cloaker @Sushi Muncher

Bellz · May 27, 2019

Chapter 3: He Who Has No Charity Deserves No Mercy
Saturday 10th July 1971
...1 WEEK LATER...
Evening (6pm) - Sunny, Dry, Cool Breeze

Roxie Carriveau

Roxie had been successfully able to speak with the Porters about charity events, she hadn't been sure how, but she had. Her stomach was in knots now as she looked herself over in her bedroom mirror. Her appearance was quite different from what she had been wearing at the party, so she hoped that it would make her look more professional. She was meeting them all in front of The Plaza Hotel, a venue highly recommended in New York, even by her own family. Her briefcase sat open on her bed with all the paperwork needed if they were to use the hotel, which she hoped they did as it would be another event with her name behind it. Sure she was the charity event organize her with her families business, but she felt the Porters would open a whole new door for her, becoming an employee for someone other than her family could give her exactly what she wanted. To be away from them.

***

The Plaza Hotel, Manhattan

The driver rounded the car and opened her door quickly, giving her a hand as she stepped out of the vehicle with her briefcase in hand. Straightening out her dress, she hoped she looked as she intended to. The driver shut the door before nodding his head to the woman, "I'll be waiting down the street." he told her to which she nodded her own head in return. With that, the woman's head turned to look up at the massive building before her. She had been coming here since as long as she could remember. The hotel had a high reputation of being one of the best in all of New York. Their gaudy, over the top decor was something that brought in the masses, as it was unique to see such glamorous ballrooms such as these anymore. The hotel was always booking events but since they knew who Roxie and the Porter's were, they were willing to let the family have first dibs on which venue they wanted. The Grand Ballroom was the most impressive and could hold a large amount of people, she was sure the Porter's would be pleased with her recommended choice. They were due to arrive shortly but Roxie moved to step inside the lobby to make sure everything was ready to be presented.

"Do we have the half and half set up as I asked for?" She asked the front desk manager, who nodded his head. "Decorated in the White, Champagne and deep violet you asked for. " This was pleasing to hear, the color scheme was on the bolder side, but she knew that the Porters themselves were a bold type of people. "So we have the seated example and the cocktail example. I also would like to have the menu I prepared ready to go, I want this to be as simple of a process as possible. No one likes to fuss about with this type of stuff." She commented. Once everything was worked out with front desk, her eyes looked to the giant clock above her. It was time for her to head back out..

"We will be ready to go in about 5 minutes." She murmured to the man before turning and heading back out towards the front of the building. Once again, the knots in her stomach were forming. This was a big deal. She hadn't seen the Porter family in a minute, not since the party... The brunette had a lot of time to think about her actions that night and as much as she didn't want to admit it, she felt that she overreacted to Syd's mistake. She was aware that he might be present, and honestly, she didn't know what to think. Only having seen each other in a party setting, she was sure the professional side of him was much different, as was her own.

Can't go slapping him again today, Rox. She reminded herself, as she had a feeling the family would only let that slide once. The woman just hoped he would be civil...if he came at all. The cars pulled up to the front and Roxie immediately put her game face on, smiling sweetly as she came to open the door for the Porters. "Welcome!" She said happily as she backed up to let them get out of the car, greeting James and Lucy first, she reached out her hand for them to shake. "Thank you so much for taking time out of your busy lives to come see this wonderful venue. I promise you, you won't regret this tour." Roxie spoke with confidence.

When greetings were out of the way, Roxie suggested that they begin their tour. "This is the famous Plaza Hotel. It debuted in 1907 and has remained a New York Icon since then. Its a well established staple for lavish society affairs, which is why I have brought all of you hear today!" They stepped through the lobby doors and Roxie smiled at the beauty inside, "The Plaza's prestigious address continues to define elegance with unmatched service and ever-evolving modern sensibility , as you can see before you." She lifted her hands to gesture around them. "Any questions you have for me so far?"
with: James

Misty Gray ; Syd

Pyroclast ; Dante

shadowz1995 ; Ali

Melanin-Gxdess ; Lucy and Roxie (me)
mentions:

Peter Callahan, Thomas Porter, Lorelei Bryant
~Callahan House~

"48...49...50! Ready or not, here I come!!" Lorelei shouted as her little feet ran as fast as they could around the corner she had been in. The little girl turned her head looking from as high as she could, to as low as she could. "Come out come out!" The girl taunted with a giggle as she continued to look down the halls of the Callahans home. It was easier to play at Uncle James', where the dogs could help her sniff them out. Pouting slightly, she was beginning to give up hope. "Oh come on you guys! Where are you?" She wondered, walking past a hall closet Thomas had been hiding in. A slight shift caused his foot to scrape the wall, causing Lorelei to hault in her steps. The redhead narrowed her eyes as she stared at the closet for a long moment. Reaching a hand out, she turned the knob before pulling the door open, "GOT YOU!" She shouted before the boy leaped out of the small room and ran down the hall. "Gotta tag me first remember?!" He told her and the girl groaned out. "I don't like all this running!" She complained as she watched her cousin jog up the stairs.

"No fair, no fair! I got littler legs!" She took the stairs a lot slower, unable to lift her legs as high and fast. Her eyes didn't spot Peter as he too was climbing down the stairs, "Whoa! He chuckled as the girl collided with his leg, causing her to fall back, Peter quickly reached out and grabbed her shoulders, "You almost fell back down the other way!" he said before looking at her frustrated features. "What's wrong?" The girl pouted and shook her head, "Thomas says we have to tag the person if we find them. But I don't member that being a rule!! This caused the blonde man to chuckle again. Looking up towards the stairs, he called for Thomas, who immediately revealed himself hiding in another closet. "Why don't you play the way the little girls know how? I'm sure it will be just as fun." This caused the boy to frown, "How is it my fault that she's too short?" Lorelei stomped her foot against the stairs and pointed a finger at the boy, "You are just too big, you shithead!" Thomas and Peter's jaws fell open at the same time, silence fell over the three.

Thomas broke it by saying, "I'm so telling your mam!" This has little affect on Lorelei as she snorted, "My mam says it all the time!" Peter was quick to intervene, "Now now, that word is not going to be used in my house, especially when its coming out of a 7 year olds mouth. Lorelei, apologize and let's go see Olivia, ya? I think you and Thomas need a break." He looked to the girl, who crossed her arms stubbornly, turning her nose up at having to say sorry.

Peter huffed out a sigh. He didn't realize babysitting would be this hard. "Alright, maybe later. Thomas, go find Leo. Lorelei, come on." He reached to take her hand as they both descended down the stairs towards the kitchen where he believed Sinny and Olivia to be. "Sin?" He called out, rounding the corner and entering the kitchen. "I think Lorelei needs to take a break from playing with the boys for now."
with: Sinny and Olivia

Misty Gray ; Leo

Melanin-Gxdess
mentions:

Gwen Bryant
~Broadway~

Gwen flicked at her cigarette as she stood outside the theater. The woman had been in shock that she had gotten the part of Sally Bowles which she found out a few days before. After the argument Jason and her had gotten into, which had been way more dramatic than what they had going on on stage, she was sure they both would have been dropped. In fact, she prayed for it. God decided to make her suffer for her sins however...wait, there was no God. The redhead let out a dark chuckle at her inside joke before bringing the cigarette to her lips again and finishing it off with a long drag before letting it drop from her fingers. Crushing it with her heel, she coughed slightly before deciding that she had stalled long enough. It was time to face the music.

Wishing Lorelei was with her now, the woman stepped inside the lobby of the theater before moving into the actual auditorium itself. Looked like everyone had come a bit earlier than her. "Ahhh Mrs. Bryant, so lovely for you to finally join us." The directors voice was laced with irritation and Gwen internally flinched at his tone. "Regardless, let's get this show on the road people. Dancing shoes on! I will give you 5 minutes to warm up, then I want to get the couples dances out of the way first. Jason, Gwen, you will be working with Angelica and Henry on Perfectly Marvelous, the rest will be taking it from the first number which will be taught by myself. Any Questions?" Everyone looked around the room. "Welcome to Broadway, take a look at everyone around you because you will become closer than family over the long months of this production." The director with those words, clapped his hands together.

"5 minutes to warm up!" He reminded the cast before turning to his table over in the corner of the stage. Gwen bit her lip and set her bag down in the chair beside her before fishing out her jazz shoes. Taking her time to put them on, she didn't really bother with stretches before the time was up. "Alright! Time to get going! Angelica, Henry, Jason and Gwen...you all can use the dance studio in the back. The mirrors will be helpful. The rest of us, gather stage left!" There was no time for talking as everyone moved from where they had been standing or sitting before.

Gwen knew Jason was in the room, but the woman was doing her best to avoid the man for as long as possible. It was important that she try to keep this job, especially after her falling off the deep end again the last time they parted ways. James was only going to give her so many chances. Gwen wandered her way into the dance studio where she continued to try her best to avoid Jason, at least for as long as she could. This seemed to be clear to Angelica as she walked into the room.

"I'm going to tell you both right now, that whatever you have going on is not going to go over well with the director." Her hand waved around the two as she raised her eyebrows at them. "I want to keep this studio nothing but professional, understood?" Gwen, who was honestly shocked the woman had said anything at all, nodded her head quickly with a gulp. Her eyes finally glanced at Jason, hoping he would agree to this too.
with: Jason

Pyroclast
mentions:

Misty Gray · Jun 19, 2019

Chapter 4: Somewhere to Call Home
Friday 16th July 1971
...6 days later...
Afternoon - Sunny, Dry, Warm
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New York Correctional Facility
~ Lower Manhattan ~

Conor Sullivan

In the cold, windowless bathroom, Conor stood in front of the mirror staring at his reflection as he fastened the buttons of his black shirt. It felt strange to be wearing something other than the grey prison uniform he'd been made to wear every day for the last few years. It felt weird dressing in his own clothes. It felt good to wear something that was to his taste and that fit him to some standard. After tucking his shirt into his trousers, he fastened his belt around his waist. He had to make use of a belt-hole he hadn't touched the last time he'd worn it. Though he'd managed to keep up with his fitness and maintain his muscular physique, he knew he had some work to do. Food was limited in jail and so he'd lost a little weight. It might not be too obvious to others, but Conor could see it. Once he was back on the outside, he would be free to fill his face with more food and then work out even harder in the gym.

Once fully dressed and his hair styled, Conor followed the impatient-looking prison guard out of the room. As they walked to the reception, the guard turned to him and smirked. "You'll be back here before Christmas."

Choosing to ignore the man, Conor quietly stood at the desk as the guard handed him a clear bag containing his belongings. After checking everything was present, he signed the piece of paper and handed it back to the guard. Before turning away, his stuck his hand into the bag so he could fish out his wedding ring and his watch. After a moment of thought he placed the ring on his finger, where he believed it still belonged. He then fastened the watch around his wrist before grabbing the handle of the bag that contained the rest of the bits that belonged to him. "Well, I wish I could say it's been nice knowing you, but that would be a blatant fucking lie," he told the guard. He then turned away, chuckling to himself as he was led out of the prison by another guard.

"I'll keep your cell empty for you!" the first guard called out to Conor, pleased to get the last word in.

After being let through various locked gates, Conor eventually passed through the last security zone and off the prison grounds. His parole hearing had been a success and he was finally free to get on with his life again. There had been limited time permitted to go outside in the prison yard, but it had never felt the same. The air he was breathing now felt fresh and the bright sunlight was able to hit him, no longer obstructed by the high walls that surrounded the prison grounds. Although he would have to keep seeing Dr. Parker and checking in with the parole board until his probation was over, this was freedom. All he needed now was to get into Ryan's car so he could be driven well away from the hole he'd been living in for the last few years...

@Fletchawk (Ryan)

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Interview Room

Like Conor had, Mitchell had learned the outcome of the prisoner's parole hearing the previous day and would likely have been pleased with their success. Today's visit wasn't to see the familiar face of Mr. Sullivan. This time, Mitchell would meeting Allen Cartwright. James had given Mitchell the go ahead to speak to Allen and assess the man's case. The lawyer would then need to report back to James as to whether he believed there was a chance of helping Allen out; that the man stood a chance of being released. Only then would James pay Mitchell to get the man out of jail.

After being abruptly disturbed from reading his book, Allen was led to the interview room by the miserable-looking prison guard. With Mitchell already seated at the table, Allen was told to take his seat across from the lawyer so the two men could talk through the case. "I'll be right outside the door," the guard said, both as a warning to Allen and a reassurance to Mitchell.

@RayPurchase (Mitchell)

Melanin-Gxdess (Allen)

Porter Family Home
~ Bayside, Queens ~

James Porter & Olivia Sullivan

James had been awake and out of bed since 4am. After getting dressed, his first action had been taking the dogs for a walk which had apparently been his way of warming up. Once back home, he'd spent the next hour or so working out in the gym in the basement of the house. It was one of his favourite places to think and he had a lot to consider these days. He could have spent hours exercising, but he was concerned about Lucy and the kids. His wife had taken Arlene's the death the hardest or a close second to the the blonde child who had been left orphaned.

After a quick shower, James spent some time alone with Lucy. There wasn't much to be said in that time, but he was at least holding her close and trying his best to show he was there for her. The rest of the morning seemed to pass them by. Although he had a lot of business to sort out, he made sure not to spend too much time stuck in his office. With the explosion and Arlene's murder, James wasn't willing to let their enemies think they could keep targeting the family. Messages and examples would have to be sent, with no expense spared. His mistake in the past had been showing mercy, so he wasn't willing to do it so easily again. If his orders were deemed extreme, James was willing to take it on the chin. If it meant sacrificing the conscience he'd clung so dearly onto, he was willing to do so. His family came first, even if what may come would repulse them. Dante understood what had to be done and James understood how far the hitman was willing to go. He would let the man exercise his skills.

Aside from the explosion and Arlene's death, there was something else eating at James. The way things had been left with Syd wasn't being taken lightly, but James wasn't ready to confront his son and risk further argument. With tensions high and stress surrounding them, James wanted to approach Syd with a clearer head. Too much had already been said without more being added to it in the heat of the moment if they buckled under grief. When James and Syd get around to talking, the older man wanted it to be on good terms and with no risk of further escalation.

In the afternoon, James had spent more time making business calls before forcing himself to step away for a while. At least until his meeting with a former employee later that day. He spent a little time standing in the back garden so he could smoke a couple of cigarettes before finding Lucy to spend some more time with her. As he took the last few drags of his final cigarette, he felt a presence nearby and looked behind him to see Olivia standing by the door with Bruno the puppy following her. The girl hadn't spoken very much since finding out her mother was dead and for the most part had been clinging to Lucy or the dogs for comfort. She let out a small, sad sigh before shaking her head at James. "She smoked a lot too," the child spoke up, clearly in reference to Arlene. "She told me to never copy her."

"Yeah, she wasn't wrong. Don't do this," James admitted as he stubbed the cigarette out and disposed of the butt. It was one of the only times all week the girl had spoken to him or anyone who wasn't Lucy, for that matter. "Shall we go inside and find Lucy?" he gently asked the child. Olivia quickly nodded her head in agreement and walked back into the house with James. "Luce? Thomas?" James called out from the hallway.

Olivia trailed behind her uncle, with little Bruno walking closely by her side. She felt safe with the Porters, but she was worried she'd have to leave soon. She was worried she'd have to go into care like a girl who used to live in the same neighbourhood back in Connecticut.

Bellz (Lucy, Thomas)

Midtown Medical Center
~ Midtown, Manhattan ~

Maddox Parker

The session had drawn to an end and Maddox stood up with his client to walk him to the door. Philip was a former soldier who had been injured and deemed unfit for duty in the mid-sixties. The man had been struggling to accept that he couldn't fight for his country and was suffering with PTSD going back to his time with the army. He didn't feel comfortable or accomplished if he wasn't fighting for something. "Remember, you're not alone, Philip." Maddox jotted an address and telephone number down on a piece of paper and handed it to his client. "The group meets on a Tuesday evening. They're all former soldiers, just like you. I'm not saying you must attend, but it might help to talk to others who are going through similar issues. If you don't feel comfortable speaking up, they won't judge you for simply listening." When the man nodded his head to acknowledge the doctor's suggestion, Maddox pulled the door open to let him leave the room. "I'll see you in a couple of weeks," he told him and sent a reassuring smile to the man.

Briefly catching the receptionist's attention, Maddox sent her a nod. "When Mr. Callahan arrives, please bring him right in," he instructed Laura.

Maddox returned inside and took a seat on the couch as he waited for Peter to arrive. He had to admit, when it had first come up that Mr. Callahan wished to come to him for therapy, Maddox had considered passing the man on to one of his colleagues in the medical centre. It wasn't that he didn't want to help the man, but he had to consider how wise it was to be treating three members of the same family consecutively. His concerns had passed him by just as quickly as they'd entered his mind. It wasn't in him to turn away someone who requested his help. He was a professional and adhering to the conduct of confidentiality, he determined it wasn't an issue. He wouldn't be sharing information between the family members and so it was only fair that they would be treated as individuals. As well as that, Maddox was more familiar with clients or patients with criminal and violent pasts. It wouldn't be right to push Peter off onto someone less experienced.

Maddox was still in a good mood from hearing that the parole hearing had gone in Conor's favour and the man was getting out of jail. It left Maddox feeling optimistic that he would have a successful session with Peter.

Bellz (Peter)

Callahan Family Home
~ Forest Hills, Queens ~

Sinead Callahan

Sinead had barely slept over the last few days. Hearing from Lucy about Arlene's death had hit her hard. Along with worrying for Peter, hearing of her loved ones being injured and nearly blown up in the hotel, as well as the recent shooting Scott fell victim to, it felt felt everything was falling apart. Sinead had spent the first couple of days sat up in bed unable to stop thinking about what had happened to her poor cousin. She'd also tried to follow up on James' warning and make Savannah move out of the apartment she shared with Roxie, but it turned into an argument which Sinead had been too exhausted to finish. Her daughter was right, that it was history repeating itself. Sinead had been forced to move back home when she was Savannah's age and she had lost a lot of her independence and strength from that. Sinead couldn't ruin things for Savannah, so she relented but instead made sure the security of her daughter's apartment was increased.

As the days had gone on and her sleep patterns destroyed, Sinead was sure she was slipping into a manic episode, but she was trying her hardest to ignore it. She'd been distracting herself as much as she could and was jumping between tasks as she struggled to concentrate and contain her energy levels. Trying to block out all of the terrible things, she was forcing herself to only think of the positives. Peter was seeing a new therapist; one who had worked his magic with Conor and was helping Syd too. Conor was being released from prison today. Though still recovering to gain full use of his arm and shoulder, Scott had gone back to work and hadn't ran a mile from the club as Sinead had been fearing.

Only focus on the positives.

Sinead had been rushing around the house all day, cleaning the rooms and making everything around the house look perfect. It was almost as if she'd forgotten how untidy her brother had been the last time they'd lived under the same roof. Deep down, it was another way to keep her hands and mind busy. Her energy wasn't all a product of her psychological difficulties, because she was genuinely excited to have Conor home and finally out of the prison. She just hoped she wouldn't have to be the one to break the news about Arlene to him.

Knowing things were difficult between Conor and Aliana, Sinead had begged her best friend to come over to the house. Even if Aliana didn't want to be present when Conor showed up, the redhead knew it would mean the world for Leo to be there to greet him, at least. She wanted Conor's first day home to be a good one. She hoped it would go down better than both of Peter's first days back home from prison had been.

Whilst she waited for Aliana and Leo to show up, Sinead once again set about mopping the kitchen floor.

Melanin-Gxdess (Aliana, Leo)

Currently Active Cast:

Melanin-Gxdess @Fletchawk

shadowz1995 @Inb4Cloaker @RayPurchase @Fluffykitty9000

Misty Gray · Aug 12, 2019

Chapter 5: An Unexpected Twist
Saturday 24th July 1971
...8 days later...
Evening - Warm, Cloudy, Light rain
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******************************

St James Theater
~ Midtown, Manhattan ~
"Oliver Twist"

Savannah Callahan (as Nancy)

The majority of the play had already taken place and the short intermission had just come to an end. As the audience finished up their conversations, the curtains opened up again to reveal the scene of a the pub where Savannah sang what would be her final song 'Oom-pah-pah'. As the musical number ended, the on-stage scene shifted from inside the pub to the empty street where a nearby bridge stood.

Nancy and the young boy, Oliver, stopped running in the centre of the stage. Nancy pointed up to the raised area where the old man, Mr. Brownlow, stood waiting to be reunited with the orphaned boy he wished to adopt. "Can you see him?" she quietly asked the boy, to which he nodded. "Go on, quick!" she told him. After giving the boy a tight hug, he was about to rush up the steps to meet the old man on the bridge. Before Oliver could leave, a furious man marched onto the stage. It was Nancy's lover, Bill Sykes. Believing she had betrayed him by going to hand Oliver over to Mr. Brownlow, he grabbed both Nancy and Oliver, dragging them away from the steps. Nancy tried to fight Bill off, forcing him to let go of the boy. In the scuffle, Oliver was allowed to break away from Bill's grasp. Meanwhile, Nancy continued to struggle against Bill as the man grabbed her arm before repeatedly lashing out at the woman, dragging her behind the steps and out of the audience's view.

As Henry, the man playing Bill, loosened his hold on the woman his character had just killed, Savannah acted her fall onto the stage, landing back into the audience's view. Savannah laid out on the cold, wooden floor. The damp, red liquid as the pretend blood covered her face as she remained lifelessly still on the floor. Her eyes stared straight ahead, seeing only the heavy black boots of the man standing over her. She then closed her eyes as she heard the man rush away. In the play, Bill Sykes would then grab Oliver and flee the scene with his loyal dog following behind him. All Savannah needed to do was remain silent and still. She anticipated the two actors playing the passers-by would shortly arrive on the stage to discover Nancy's dead body, along with the old man playing Mr. Brownlow. Then, her scene would end as the story progressed back to Bill Sykes and the rest of his gang...

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

Front Row Seating

Sinead and Emery Callahan

The last week for Sinead had been all over the place. With Conor and Finn back in the picture, she'd had plenty of catching up to do with the men in question. Although Ryan was back on the scene, she'd done very little catching up with him, on account he hadn't wanted her showing up at his place and she sensed the atmosphere her husband presented in the man's company. That was something she hoped to address when she, Peter and Ryan would eventually go out for lunch together. She'd also been busy with work, helping Scott manage the place and training Emery up as a hostess during the daytime shifts. But most of all, Sinead had been rehearsing for her own performance and she'd performed in another club two nights ago. It had felt good to be up on stage singing and having fun doing one of the things she most enjoyed. All in all, she'd been distracted enough to avoid dwelling on the recent deaths and the ongoing fragility of her marriage. Still, she had felt a little change on that front and felt like Peter was a little more open to her. She still hoped they could go back to the old days or at least that she could get her Petey back.

This evening, however, her focus was on Savannah and she was excited to finally see her daughter perform in the play she'd worked so hard on. Although she was a little annoyed with Braden for not making it to his sister's show, she decided not to dwell on it. Sat between Aliana and Emery, Sinead kept making sure to lean forward so she could look to Peter, sending him soft smiles as she sought to gauge his thoughts on their eldest daughter's performance.

Someone else who had left his seat empty was Conor. Her brother had assured her he would attend one of the shows in a few days time, but she'd still hoped to have everyone there together. She understood he didn't want to put a downer on Aliana's night out, but she also thought attending the show at the same time might have helped bring the estranged couple together. Sinead simply wished her family would stop drifting apart and work out their differences.

As the intermission came to an end, Sinead returned from the bar and sat back in her seat. "You okay, honey?" she softly asked Aliana. Sinead remained sat close to her friend as the play started again, humming along to the musical number whilst smiling proudly as she focused on Savannah singing and dancing. Her eldest daughter was usually quite reserved, so it still came as a surprise to Sinead when she saw the blonde up on stage, commanding the audience's full attention. "I always found this song catchy," she told Aliana.

When the song ended and the scene of the play took a darker turn, Sinead couldn't help but lean forward and send Peter a soft, concerned smile. She briefly stretched her arm out passed Emery to give Peter's hand a gentle squeeze. She then retracted her arm and sat back again, shuffling closer to Aliana. She knew the story of Oliver Twist and she'd be quite nervous about watching Nancy's story come to an end. Although she knew full well it was acting, Sinead still couldn't help but cringe as Savannah lay on the floor. The 'blood' on her face and the lifeless expression were enough to cause Sinead to reach out to take Aliana's hand. "I just want to go up there and hug my baby," she quietly told her, flashing a nervous smile. "I'm so proud of her. She's so good."

***

Emery had been annoyed that Braden had got out of attending the theatre. Mostly, it was because she wished she'd been able to refuse the invite herself and instead sneak out with her friends. However, as she settled into her seat and the show began, she soon found herself glad she was there. The play was interesting and she was loving seeing her sister up on the stage. She did find herself wishing she'd seen the play before having to read the book for school. It could have saved her a lot of time on that particular essay!

"You sure that's my sister?" Emery asked Peter as she linked arms with him. Having studied the book, Emery knew what was coming next, so couldn't help but cast Sinead a glance. "Mum's gonna lose her shit," he whispered to her father. Funnily enough, watching 'Bill Sykes' hurt the character Savannah was playing struck a chord with Emery. "Wow, what a dick! I ought to go up there and see how he likes being smacked about," she said, in a strange way of sticking up for her sister. "Still... Savvy kind of looks convincing," she quietly admitted.

Bellz (Peter)

Melanin-Gxdess (Aliana)

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

Private Box

James Porter

James had been grateful for the chance to step away from work for a few hours and was looking forward to watching his niece on stage. With his whole life having revolved around crime and violence, he felt a sense of pride whenever members of his family were successful in their own rights. There was Lucy with her modelling, then Gwen, Sinead and now Savannah all involved in the performing arts. Not to mention Finn's success in the field of medicine. It was refreshing to step out of the business and take interest in his family's other achievements.

They were spending the evening away from work, yet James never could turn his back on it completely. He had two of his trusted guards standing by the doors of the private box along with others positioned throughout the theatre. Concealed on his person, James had two more things he trusted, in the form of two pistols. The location of the private box he, Lucy and Mitchell were seated in offered not only a prime view of the stage, but also a sufficient view on the auditorium itself. With the news of Bailey's and Kyle's deaths, along with Arlene's body being found, James couldn't be anything both vigilant, regardless of having his employees standing guard.

During the intermission, James hadn't strayed from the private box. Instead, he was standing where he could continue watching those in the lower seating areas, as well as the staff and the movement around the exits. At the same time, he pressed Mitchell for an update on Allen's case and if there were any conditions of Conor's parole that he needed to be aware of. Inviting Mitchell to the show hadn't been just as a gesture of gratitude for the lawyer's help, but he also wished to discuss wanting the man's help relating to adopting Olivia. Now Arlene's death was official, it was only a matter of time before the authorities came sniffing around about the welfare of the orphaned child.

When the show started up again, James remained standing for a short time, his eyes for a time fixed on Roxie who had managed to place herself next to Syd throughout the show. "If I don't bill her for that seat I'm billing Conor for bailing on us," James grumbled as he sat back in his seat between Lucy and Mitchell. "Sinead's going to give him some grief for cancelling on us - if she hasn't already." James understood that Conor had a lot to catch up with and still needed to get his head around been out of jail. His complaints were really brought on from seeing Syd with Roxie again. No matter how much he wanted to trust the woman, too much was happening for him to let his guard down.

As the plot unfolded on stage, James sat back with his arm around Lucy and his free hand rested over the gun at his waist. He briefly looked over his shoulder, sending Rebel a glance and an acknowledging nod as everything continued to run smoothly. Watching Savannah play dead caused James to clear his throat and softly rub Lucy's shoulder. Given all of the death they'd experienced in their lives, it was too familiar a scene. Even with all the knowledge in the world it wasn't real, it still wasn't comfortable seeing his niece in such a position. "Can I go down there and kill Bill?" he drily remarked to Lucy and Mitchell. "We'll keep the dog, though," he was quick to add, along with a smirk.

@RayPurchase (Mitchell)

Bellz (Lucy, Rebel)

The Porter House
~ Bayside, Queens ~

George Sanderson and Olivia Sullivan

The last week had been like some crazy dream for George. With Finn's promotion and then finally seeing the house that was to be their new home, the man kept wanting to pinch himself to check he was awake. Those of the family they had spoken with seemed glad to have them around. He was excited to settle down in New York and hopefully find work for himself. There were lecturing and tutoring opportunities that he was intending on applying for. There had even been mention of the Porters needing a tutor for Thomas and Olivia, though he'd not yet felt comfortable approaching that possibility. No matter how much Finn trusted him, George wasn't sure what James thought of him and he certainly didn't want to push his luck, expecting the Porters would be extremely selective as to who they let teach their kids.

Whether it was purely a coincidence or a stroke of genius on Finn's part, he and George found themselves babysitting for the kids whilst most of the family were at the show or working on other commitments. Not only would it help George to meet Thomas and Olivia, but he figured it would also give him and Finn chance to see if they really could handle having their own little family. Having never babysat before, he was a little apprehensive about it.

Thomas, Leo, Lorelei and Olivia. It hadn't taken George long at all to remember their names. He was counting that as his first success. A few minutes ago, Olivia had approached George in the lounge with a peace of paper in her hand which had a poem written down in the child's handwriting. The girl had been reading it out to him to check if it sounded okay. As he listened, he soon realised it was a poem for about her mother who had recently been killed. "That sounds perfect, Olivia..." he softly encouraged the girl. He couldn't imagine how she must have been feeling, even if the news of Arlene's death wasn't as fresh to the child as it was to the cops.

"Thank you, because I'm going to read it at the funeral. So I didn't want it to be rubbish," she informed him. The girl folded up the paper and placed it in her pocket before rushing over to Lorelei to see what the other girl wanted to play.

George got up from the sofa and approached Finn, sending the man a warm smile. "How am I doing so far?" he half-joked. "More to the point..." he began, looking around the room. "Where are the two boys?" he asked. Though Conor had been laughing when he told Finn and George they'd need eyes in the backs of their heads where the lads were concerned, George couldn't help but take the man's warning seriously.

Bellz (Finn, Thomas, Lorelei)

Melanin-Gxdess (Leo)

Currently Active Cast:

Melanin-Gxdess @Fletchawk @Inb4Cloaker @RayPurchase @Fluffykitty9000

Misty Gray · Aug 31, 2019

Chapter 6: Digging Up the Past
Saturday 31st July 1971
...One week later...
6pm - Sunny, Dry, Warm
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******************************

The Lomax
~ Midtown, Manhattan ~

Savannah Callahan

Savannah had stayed at her parents' house since her ordeal the previous weekend. Her parents had been fussing over her and Emery had been making an effort to distract her whilst also being sensitive. Even though she loved the comfort and warmth her loved ones were giving her, she began to fear she'd get too caught up in it. It would be easy to fall into a position where she became too reliant on her family to protect her whilst she stayed locked away from the world's dangers. She was always proud of her mother's achievements and the woman's career, but she knew Sinead had made too many sacrifices where her young dreams had been concerned. Savannah didn't want to compromise. She felt she'd worked hard to get even where she was in her theatre and modelling careers, so she didn't want to back down during the momentum. The final straw had been the reminder of how her mother had been forced to move back home after one of her own performances was ruined by the Romanos attacking over two decades ago. Sinead had said herself it had been the moment she'd started to lose her independence and her fire. Savannah wasn't prepared to follow the same path, so last night had returned to the apartment she shared with Roxie, even if security had been heightened outside the place.

Andre had been pestering to speak with Savannah so she'd eventually agreed to a meeting. She'd demanded the meeting too place in The Lomax, feeling it was somewhere secure and public enough to make her feel comfortable. Although the still healing cut on her cheek couldn't be concealed, she'd managed to cover up the remaining bruising with make-up. She preferred to avoid looking in the mirror until the marks were gone, seeing them as a reminder of how Steve and Luke had made her suffer. She only wished she could ignore the ongoing aches and pains from their heavy handed actions.

Savannah sat at the small table in the corner of Syd's club, whilst Andre was seated directly opposite her. Her legs were crossed and her arms folded as she tried to look her manager in the eyes as he continued to speak to her. She didn't like the man, but he was a pathway towards the future she wanted, so she gave him more leeway than she cared to. "Thing is, Sav," the man went on. "The reviews for the show were all bloody great. They loved it and they all praised your performance. That shooting cost us profits on the last few shows, but we can make it all back, if you keep working with us. What I need you to do is speak to a reporter, as soon as possible. Tell her about your ordeal and let her print a story in the paper. Maybe don't put any make-up on and utilise those injuries. People love a good sob story, especially when the victim comes out of it fighting."

"Sob story? Victim?!" Savannah sat forward and placed the palms of her hands down flat on table, staring daggers through the man's skulls. "You really have no respect for anyone, do you? I'm not speaking to any reporter. All you're interested in is yourself and your profits."

"Shit. I'm sorry, love. You know I'm not good with words..." Andre said, rolling his eyes. "I'm thinking of you as well. If you don't try to turn this back around to help yourself, then you might as well give up on showbusiness now. People will be interested in your story and if you show them you're a survivor, your popularity will skyrocket. I want you to be in my next show, but that can't happen if the public is too scared to attend the theatre again because all they remember is some poor actress getting hurt. Seeing you fight this will prove to them it's safe, not to mention you'll come out of it smelling like roses. You might not like it, but you have to manipulate the press and the audience if you want to get anywhere."

"I need time to think about it," Savannah relented. She knew the man's ideas could work. Even if he was only thinking of himself, she knew it would benefit her in the process. On one hand, it felt wrong to use what had happened to her, but on the other hand, it felt right. In a way, it could feel empowering to stand up and be unafraid to show her face in public. To show the men who hurt her that she wasn't their victim.

"Good girl. I'll call you first thing Monday to arrange a meeting with the reporter," Andre told her. He stood up from his seat and sent her a warm smile. "Remember, though. Let them see the cuts and bruises. You're still pretty without the make-up."

Hearing the word "pretty" brought Savannah's thoughts back to one week ago and how Steve had used the same word. Thinking about the awful man unsettled her and hearing that word reminded her of how sickening the man had been. She practically jumped out of her seat and pointed at Andre. "Don't you call me pretty. You don't say that to me, ever." Seeing the slightly stunned expression on the older man's face, she tightened her fists before taking a deep breath to relax herself. "It's unprofessional, Andre. You're my manager and old enough to be my father. Please. Just don't do it!"

After a brief and stunned apology, Andre continued on his way and left the club. Savannah slumped back down in her seat and brought the almost empty glass to her lips. She knocked back the remainder of the cocktail before sheepishly looking around the club, relieved nobody seemed to be staring at her following her slight outburst. Still holding the empty glass in her hand, she debated whether to get another drink or to head back to her apartment.

Pyroclast (Syd)

Porter Family Apartment
~ Upper East Side, Manhattan ~

James Porter

James would be lying if he said recent events hadn't been taking their toll on him. There had been a lot going on, including the sombre affair of Bailey's funeral; a scene all too familiar with the man but never any easier. He knew Arlene's would follow, once the investigations in Connecticut allowed her body to be released.

Following the attack at the theatre and then the mysterious, threatening phonecall, he'd had to switch everything up a few gears. More security everywhere and keeping more tabs on their suppliers. Not to mention having to have more eyes and ears out around the city. He felt he owed it to Savannah to find the men who had hurt her. He would have been out to find and punish them no matter what, but having his niece make him assure her he would only fuelled him further. He had to know she felt safe and if that would come from knowing her abductors had been taken care of, then that's what he'd have to do.

He'd already spoken with Warren and his other guards following the attack, prodding for as much detail and evidence from them as he could. He'd now arranged for Peter, Aliana and Rebel to meet with him at his apartment. They'd all been present at the attack and he wanted to know if they'd managed to find any information out since. Whether it was any more memories of the night in question or information they'd managed to source over the last week. As it turned out, he'd been presented with a big clue from one of his guards earlier in the day.

Once all four of them were sat around the coffee table in the lounge area of his apartment, James initially asked them if they'd managed to find anything out or if they had any new concerns they needed to be aware of. He then moved on to put forward the information he'd had passed on to him. James reached into his inside pocket and removed a passport sized photograph before handing it directly to Peter. "Witnesses described this man as the one who'd been waiting in the getaway car outside the theatre. You saw the men close up, Pete. Is that him?" James asked. Peter would recognise the man in the photograph as the one who held a gun to Savannah's head. "His name is Luke Holland and we're most likely to find him over in Harlem. He works security at the Lawrence Hotel." James paused to think for a moment. "We need to see how much information we can drag out of him. He could lead us to who's been pulling the strings."

Bellz (Peter, Rebel)

Melanin-Gxdess (Aliana)

The Emerald Pub
~ Midtown, Manhattan ~

Conor Sullivan and Rachel Harris

Conor hadn't been struggling to sleep since the attack at the theatre and his niece being harmed. Everything he was trying to overcome was threatening to reach the surface again. The need to get too drunk to think about his family's problems. The urge to lash out and beat the hell out of anyone who looked at his loved ones the wrong way. That suffocating, drowning sensation that was brought on when his mind was dragged back to the night Vinnie tortured him.

On the flip-side, Conor had sought positive assistance and coping mechanisms. Spending time with Leo had proved calming to him, even when the kid was acting out. Every time he saw anything of his own hot-headed ways present themselves in the boy, Conor was quick to put a stop to it. In a way, trying to steer his son away from aggression help him to push his own impulses back. The other person who continued to proved a positive force in his desire to change was Dr, Parker. Maddox had continued to reassure Conor that it was easy to change and exploring his unresolved past traumas would pay off, with patience. Conor was being patient. On his counsellor's advice and with Aliana's wishes in mind, Conor had continued to sit out any mob business, at least until he was sure he could actually help them without getting himself locked up again. In any downtime he did have, he found himself working out in the gym and had been making good progress in getting back into the strict routines he'd kept before his time in prison.

Conor had decided to spend some time at the pub, always finding the energetic atmosphere oddly soothing. The regulars were almost always there just to have a joke around and get drunk. The only judgement they passed was the kind one would take as banter. The odd crude joke or some light-hearted mockery. Conor was craving that playful normality. Knowing he'd be around the place for a good part of the evening, Conor had asked Mitch to swing by if he got chance, so he could give the lawyer the free drinks he promised and to see how the guy was getting on since the theatre attack. He didn't doubt Mitch had been far from his comfort zone that evening.

Conor walked behind the bar and picked up the receiver of the phone before dialling through to the apartment upstairs where Ryan was temporarily residing. "Mate, you planning on getting your arse down into the bar? I need a date and you'll look good on my arm," he told him. "Plus, I thought we could have a drink and a talk. Maybe follow up on any lead you might have about your lad. Be quick, before Rachel falls in love with me. She's giving me the come to bed eyes," he teased, knowing the woman was standing within earshot. He then hung up the telephone.

"Like fuck I am, Conor!" Rachel protested. "I just wondered when you were going to get out from under my feet. You don't realise how much room you actually take up!" she said, squeezing past him as she carried a crate of bottles to the front of the bar. "Penelope, love. You want to put this lot in the fridge?" she asked her young cousin.

Conor briefly studied Penelope, noticing how young she was, especially to be working around his rowdy regulars at the pub. He trusted Rachel wouldn't let her cousin work there if she thought she couldn't handle it. "You know Braden, right? Good looking lad, ain't he?" he asked the girl, flashing a playful smirk. "I'm only messing with you. In all seriousness, you let me know if any of the blokes here give you shit. I'll sort 'em out," he assured the young woman. He was about to head back to his table near to the bar when he turned back to Rachel. "Mitch might pop in this evening. Make sure his drinks are on the house," he reminded her. He already knew Rachel had met the lawyer so she'd know who she was giving free drinks to. Conor then returned to his table and sat back down, finishing up the pint he'd left there in confidence nobody would touch it. They already knew not to even sit at his table when he was in the pub.

Rachel remained on the spot for a moment as she was reminded of the lawyer. As small smile presented itself on her face as she thought back to the man who had turned up in the pub overdressed. She was looking forward to seeing if he'd reassessed his choice of clothing this time around. Snapping out of her thoughts, she turned back to Penelope to help her load the bottles into the fridge. "The thing you need to know about Conor is that he likes to joke around. If he teases you, you'll find it's just easier to play along. If you act offended or embarrassed, he'll just do it even more."

@RayPurchase (Mitch) @Fletchawk (Ryan) @Fluffykitty9000 (Penelope)

Currently Active Cast:

Melanin-Gxdess @Fletchawk @Inb4Cloaker @RayPurchase

Bugsy

Misty Gray · Sep 22, 2019

Chapter 7: The Enemy of My Enemy
Saturday 7th August 1971
...7 days later...
Late Afternoon - Dry, Warm, Breezy
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******************************

Midtown Medical Center
~ Midtown, Manhattan ~

Maddox Parker

That morning...

Maddox sat back in his seat as he listened to Conor speak about his troubles with Aliana and how his responsibilities towards his family's business was affecting his marriage. He explained how the woman had again threatened to take Leo away if he ended up back in prison. The counsellor kept his face neutral and nodded along as he encouraged the man to continue speaking. All the while, all he could think of was how the man hadn't deserved to have a wife and son in the first place. It never even threatened to show on his face, but the thought of Conor never seeing his kid again when he does end up back in prison was what made his patience worthwhile.

Conor continued to speak. "She doesn't have any faith in me to be smart about this. I've learned not to go punching people whenever they piss me off and I know I should approach disputes calmly. To use my head. Sorry, mate, but she doesn't seem to trust your judgement. I told her you'd never have helped get me out of here if you didn't think I'd become a better person." Conor smiled as he spoke to the man, grateful that he and Mitch had stayed patient with him for so long. Grateful that they believed in him. "I just know that I have to support my family. My sisters and nephew went through a lot last week, so how could I just leave them to deal with that shite on their own? Hearing what happened just brought me back to it all. Y'know, when I was tortured..."

Maddox nodded along, having spent a number of sessions talking about when Conor had been tortured two decades ago. Frankly, he was getting sick of hearing the man go on about it, especially now the information had served its purpose the previous weekend. He would feel bad for Conor, if he was an innocent man who had done nothing to invite the torture. But, as long as Conor's psychological wound remained opened, it could be manipulated. As could Conor's ever powerful need to protect his sisters. It had become apparent during the man's time in jail that he was prone to overreacting when anyone spoke of Lucy or Sinead in the wrong way. "Conor, you've been making amazing progress and though your wife might not see this yet, I have no doubts you will prove yourself to her. Despite everything that's been happening around you and to those you care about, you've stayed calm. In just a few more months, I can stop writing my reports for the parole board and you can live without your probation hanging over your head," Maddox said, in his subtle way of reminding him of how he still had power over the man's freedom. "I have some ideas of how we can tackle the past tortures that trouble you and if you're willing to face them head on, we will do it in your next session. What do you think?" After a brief hesitation, Conor quickly nodded in agreement. "Good. Now, tell me what you have planned for the rest of your day. I want you to stay out of trouble," he said, with a small grin.

"Jeez, alright, Mam!" Conor feigned offence at being lectured. "I'm heading to the gym after this and then I'm heading out to catch up with my cousin. Don't worry, he's a medical professional and an upstanding citizen, so best behaviour. Is that okay with you, Doc?" he joked.

******

After Conor's appointment, Maddox had some free time to head out into the city and grab himself lunch from a nearby cafe. Had there been more time, he would have arranged to meet with Ani. Things had been great for the couple over the last week and a the weight of hiding things from her had been lifted from his shoulders. Instead, he was able to be open and honest with her, to which she was thankfully understanding of. With all of the darkness in his life, she was the light that gave him hope for a future. One that he could look forward to after the Porters were defeated.

When he returned to his office, Maddox had a casual chat with Laura. His receptionist was just as blind to his darker side as Conor and Syd were. She was a sweet and hardworking woman, one whose presence Maddox welcomed. Even if she did persist in questioning him about his love life.

Maddox returned to his office and waited for his next client to arrive; Farrid Al-Assad. The man had been coming for counselling for a while, but it had only been recently that Maddox had learned the man was employed by the Porters. So far, he hadn't been instructed by Moretti of where to take Farrid's sessions and the information gathered from them. Still, Maddox couldn't ignore who the seemingly decent medic was loyal to.

@Inb4Cloaker (Farrid)

Apartment Tower Block
~ Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan ~

James Porter

Warren slowed the car to a stop down the backstreet between the two tall apartment blocks. The side door to one of the buildings was kept ajar as one of Porter's guards stood by awaiting their arrival. Warren would remain in the car after James, Peter and Keegan had got out, keeping it parked up behind the line of residents' vehicles that already occupied some of the narrow street.

In the early hours of the morning, members of the mob had managed to ambush Luke Holland as the man walked home from his shift at the hotel he worked at. He'd been bundled into the back of their van and transported to the run down apartment block in Hell's Kitchen; a residency under Porter ownership. Since then, the man had been bound and guarded by two Porters guards, who hadn't made any effort to make sure the man had a comfortable time, given his role in Savannah's kidnapping a couple of weeks earlier.

As he sat in the front passenger seat, James reminded himself that along with Keegan, Peter was seated in the back seat of the car and was to be a part of their interrogation of Luke. Before any questioning would start, Peter would be able to confirm the man they had detained in the dingy apartment was indeed one of the men who had abducted Savannah. Then they would be able to proceed in dragging answers out of the slimy bastard.

"You good with this, Pete?" James calmly asked as he took final stock of the weapons he had concealed on himself. "You will both start off asking questions. If he doesn't want to answer, then we start encouraging him," he said, figuring both Peter and Keegan knew 'encouraging' would involve violence. "I'm sure I'm not alone when I say that bastard doesn't deserve to walk out of here alive for what he did to Savvy, but we need to be patient and make sure he's still able to give us answers when he's had enough." James wasn't outright saying Luke would walk out alive and that all depended on how the man in question would respond during his interrogation. He just wanted to make sure Peter was going to be able to stay in control of the situation, no matter how much it would be justified to kill the man who had hurt his daughter. James was feeling it too, especially whenever he thought of the men who had abducted his wife and son the previous week. He knew he'd have to adopt a massive amount of self-control not to kill those men on sight. "You alright with this too, Keegan?" he questioned. Though the man might not be as close to Savannah as they were, James understood Keegan had been close to Arlene and by now they'd pieced together that Luke was affiliated with the men who had recently murdered her.

Bugsy (Keegan)

Bellz (Peter)

Lucky's Steakhouse and Bar
~ Midtown, Manhattan ~

Conor Sullivan

Earlier that day...

After his counselling session with Maddox, Conor had done as planned and headed to the gym. The prison gym had been just about adequate, but hadn't been anywhere near as well equipped as the one he was now paying to use in the city. Still, with such a comparison in mind, he didn't begrudge the membership fee at all. Besides, other than a couple of inmates the company in the prison gym hadn't been as pleasant as the people he was now working out with. There was only brief time to socialise as once Conor got started he was in a world of his own for the rest of his workout. Not only was it therapeutic and cathartic, but he was determined to regain all of the weight and muscle prison had caused him to lose.

Behind every forceful swing of his fist into the punchbag, were thoughts of the recent weeks. Seeing his loved ones injured and distraught the previous week had been lingering in the back of his mind. The fact those responsible had known about the torture that had happened decades earlier added to his frustration. Not only did he want to know how they knew so much but he was furious that they would use it to hurt his family now.

Knowing he wasn't able to help his sisters and nephews last week had motivated him to decide to go back to working for James. With Aliana and Leo in mind, he knew it would be difficult staying out of trouble but he also knew he'd come a long way over the last few years. So when his offer to help James and Peter interrogate Luke was declined by the boss, Conor accepted his brother-in-law's decision. Instead of arguing with James, he understood he had to sit the job out until he'd got used to being back on the field again and had proven he wouldn't lash out at the guy they were going to be questioning.

******

The counselling session and gym session had done the world of good for Conor, leaving him feeling relaxed in time for his evening out with Finn. Before getting ready to go out, Conor had relaxed around the Callahans' house. He'd been catching up with Braden and Emery, whilst Peter and Sinead were out of their house with plans of their own. His niece was rightly furious when talking about the men who had hurt her mother, as well as those who had attacked the theatre prior to that. He couldn't help but notice how much the fiery redhead resembled his own mother, Shannon. She was tough and outspoken. He didn't doubt the teenager's ongoing desire to work for James would cause problems for her parents as time went on. At the same time, he felt reassured that his niece was so confident and aware of her family's situation. As long as she kept out of trouble, he felt he didn't need to worry about her.

After getting ready, Conor drove out to Finn's new house to pick the man up so they could head into the city. After marvelling at his cousin's new house and briefly greeting George 'the bookworm', Conor and Finn set off to one of his favourite steakhouses, which he just had to treat his cousin to. Plus, the relaxed and laid back atmosphere was always a must, as Conor wanted to avoid the fancy places. All he had in mind for the evening was a catch up with his favourite cousin along with a hearty meal and a few pints.

Once they arrived at the restaurant, Conor requested a booth for them to be seated at by one of the windows. He couldn't help but smile at his cousin, looking forward to hanging out like they used to, even if they were both older and more sensible by now. He barely needed to look at the menu. He'd identified they hadn't stopped serving the large steak he used to order prior to his prison time, so his decision was already made. He placed the menu down flat on the table and sent Finn a cheesy grin. "I've missed you, mate," he admitted. "Come on. Tell me all about you and Georgie. It makes me real happy to see you happy."

Bellz (Finn)
Tags: @RayPurchase (Tony)

Melanin-Gxdess (Teddy)

Currently Active Cast:

Melanin-Gxdess @Fletchawk @Inb4Cloaker @RayPurchase

Bugsy

Misty Gray · Oct 26, 2019

Chapter 8: Test the Waters
Friday 10th September 1971
...5 weeks later...
Mid-Afternoon - Sunny, Dry, Breezy
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******************************

Rockefeller Center
~ Midtown, Manhattan ~

Warren Taylor

The last five weeks had felt uncomfortably calm and peaceful. It wasn't that he wanted any more trouble for his family and the business, but given everything that had happened, the silence was disturbing. It felt to him like something was brewing and everyone had to remain on constant alert until they could find out the source of the recent attacks. One matter that had finally been given some sense of closure was the farewell to Arlene Sullivan. A little over two weeks ago, on the 24th August, the woman's funeral had finally been able to take place. The whole family and trusted employees had been present during the ceremony, with some relatives travelling from other states and the UK, including Shannon. Security had been high, not only with members of the mob standing guard, but members of the police force showing up in case anything kicked off. Thankfully, everything had gone smoothly and the likes of Olivia were able to say goodbye to Arlene without any distractions. After the ceremony, most of the family were invited back to the Porters' place and a lot of alcohol was consumed that evening. Despite the sombre affair, things ended on a relatively positive note, with family being able to reconnect and spend time together without thinking of business for one day.

Over the recent weeks, it had become clear that James wanted Warren to get deeper into the business, which pleased the younger brother. It feel like he'd finally proved himself, with James finally willing to let him get his hands dirty and trusting that he could handle the pressure. Of course, Warren was sure his parents had been the ones to hold James back on the matter, but given the troubles the business was having, James needed all the trusted help he could get.

With the added responsibility, it also became clear that James wanted Keegan and Warren to work together on jobs, no doubt allowing Warren to learn more from the older man along the way. Today, they had been spending much of the time in Manhattan, checking in on the security around Porter-owned businesses to ensure everything was running smoothly and any concerns were addressed. With their car parked nearby, Warren had suggested they took a short break to grab something to eat from one of the nearby takeaways. They had a little more time to kill until they were expected to pick Savannah up from her photo shoot and get her home safely.

As they stood inside the sandwich shop waiting to be served, Warren placed his hands in his pockets and briefly glanced towards the ice-skating rink in the distance. He could make out the distant figures of people gliding along the ice. Even outside of the rink, the Rockefeller Center was bustling with movement and energy. As much as he enjoyed the city, it often made him wonder how many people around them were a threat. Whilst he and Keegan were often employed in surveillance, he imagined there was a high chance they too could be watched without realising.

He looked back to Keegan and addressed the man. He wondered how he was feeling now Arlene had finally been laid to rest, but he decided against bringing it up unless Keegan did first. "Everything seems to be running as expected, but I'm not convinced," he admitted. "The sooner James finds out who exactly we're dealing with, the better I'll feel. I'd rather know who we're meant to be looking out for. In fact, I'll be happy when we've got rid of the lot of them," he added, his voice lowered in case of prying ears.

Bugsy (Keegan)

********

Ethan Turner

Ethan had done as was asked of him by staying away from his butchers shop over the last few weeks. As the Morettis came closer to confronting the Porters directly, there was a sense of confidence around not only the Italians but also the East Harlem Gang. Though still keeping away from his shop for the time-being, Ethan was confident enough to keep attending to his duties when called upon. It hadn't escaped the gang's attention that Luke Holland had gone missing five weeks ago and Ethan had found himself accompanying Steve on jobs since.

Presently, the two men weren't on a specific job but were trying to find more leads on what had happened to Luke. Everyone who aligned themselves with the gang knew what they were signing up for at the time and Luke was no exception to the rule. Still, the man had been an asset to the gang and had seemed to work well alongside Steve. If the man had been killed or harmed, then Ethan was inclined to demand retaliation towards whoever was behind it. It didn't take a genius to work out who the prime suspects would be.

"I'm not going to sugarcoat it. It's been five weeks since any of us last heard from Holland," Ethan began. He paused as his attention was briefly focused on the people skating on the nearby ice rink. "And if the Porters are behind his disappearance, then rest assured they will pay for that."

********

Savannah Callahan

Between auditions and family dramas, Savannah had worked on a number of modelling shoots over the last few weeks. Although reluctant at first, she had done a swimwear and lingerie shoot for a high end clothing brand. Whilst she was worried about how her parents would react to those photographs, she reasoned with herself that her Granny Shannon had done the same when she had been her age. Should an argument come up, she would be sure to fire that back at Sinead and Peter. Besides, she had a career to build and rent to pay, and following the theatre attack she'd been told by Andre himself that she couldn't afford to be picky for the time-being. Today's photo shoot had been nothing at all concerning - quite the opposite, in fact. Savannah had been doing a photo shoot with cats and kittens. Considering her love for felines, it had been more like fun than work and was even quite therapeutic.

After the shoot was done with, Savannah got changed in her dressing room. She still had a good hour before Warren and Keegan would swing by to pick her up in between their own jobs. Instead of waiting around at the studio, she'd decided to do some shopping in the nearby plaza. Not only was she still quietly suffering the trauma from her kidnapping, but it had been a few weeks since Roxie had moved in with Syd. Savannah missed having her friend around the place to talk to and figured she'd see less of her as time went on. Sinead and Peter had tried to make Savannah move back home as they didn't want her living in the city alone. Thankfully, Braden had agreed to share the apartment with Savannah. Although having her brother live with her again wasn't exactly an equal replacement for Roxie, it was certainly better than moving back home. Besides, he tended to keep to himself or brood around the place in his own world, so didn't really stick his nose into her private business.

As she walked through the city, Savannah kept her hand gripped on the handle of her shoulder bag, knowing to be cautious of petty thieves around the place. Before making her way to the shops, she stopped alongside the ice rink in the Rockefeller Center and for a time observed as people skated around the area. She loved going ice-skating and as it dawned on her she hadn't been in some time, a small smile crept onto her face as she thought about inviting Danny to join her on their next date. They'd seen each other a few times over the recent weeks and she was keen to make sure they continued to do so. Things felt so natural and carefree around Danny. They could enjoy themselves without her feeling like she had to be anyone but herself. Not only did he knew who she and her family were, but he also seemed to genuinely like her and appreciate her more than her past boyfriends had.

Savannah stepped away from the rink and began making her way towards the shops. As she walked, she felt the sudden uncomfortable feeling as a small chunk of gravel found its way into her shoe and under her foot. She suddenly stopped and removed the black high-heeled shoe from her foot, tipping it upside-down to shake out the gravel. After putting the shoe back on she took a step forward to continue walking. However, still distracted from looking straight ahead, she bumped into a man as he walked towards her. "Steady on, blondie..." Ethan mumbled, as he held his arm out to hold the top of Savannah's arm to stop her from falling into him

"Sorry..." Savannah quietly apologised. Her eyes only briefly looked to Ethan as her attention was soon drawn to the man he was with. She recognised Steve immediately. Considering his face had been plaguing her mind since they day he abducted her, how could she forget him? Her heart suddenly began to race in her chest as she began to visibly tremble and take struggled breaths. She felt sick as all of the fear she'd felt that night came flooding back to her. "Please, just let me walk away," she desperately asked Steve as she moved her arm away from Ethan's loose hold.

"What she's talking about?" Ethan asked, sending Steve a curious glance. However, it was only a few seconds before it dawned on him who the young woman was. He couldn't help but let out a small chuckle at the situation. It appeared a Porter had literally walked straight into his hands and he found himself wondering if they should take advantage of the situation or step well away from it, considering the number of witnesses around them.

Pyroclast (Steve)

Harris' Motor Repairs
~ Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan ~

Rachel Harris

Rachel had been keeping an eye on Noah's garage for years, despite having no interest in the dodgy place and its far from legal operations. So, when Noah had told her he wanted to sell it to one of his oldest friends, Jonah Finnegan, she couldn't help but feel some relief that he was finally freeing her of one more burden. She'd suggested handing it over to the Porters, but Noah was set on rewarding his friend for helping to keep the place running for all of this time. Rachel had no issue with selling the place to Jonah, but everything was too official for her liking, with Jonah bringing along a couple of guys to oversee the signing of contracts and the cash transaction. Perhaps she wasn't trusting enough, but she didn't want to get ripped off by some dodgy contract full of loopholes, so she'd asked the only lawyer she had any trust in to come to the garage with her to confirm everything in the contract checked out. She wanted to be completely rid of the garage and to be paid a reasonable amount for it. Given how reckless Noah was, she wouldn't have been surprised if he'd only asked $10 for it all, which thankfully he hadn't!

Rachel sat outside the garage as she waited for Mitch to arrive for the meeting. Jonah and his two "friends" hadn't yet arrived, which she was glad about as she wanted a little time to chat with Mitchell before the business transaction got underway. A clattering sound could be heard in the workshop as the burly mechanic, Anton, worked away at repairing one of the cars. She'd asked him to stick around until the meeting was over, appreciating a little extra security.

When Mitch arrived, Rachel got up from the old wooden bench she'd been perched on and sent then man a warm smile. "Afternoon, Mitch," she happily greeted him. She used her thumb to point to the old brick building that housed the garage. "I know it doesn't look like much, but this place brings in a decent profit," she assured him.

********

Jonah sat in his apartment as he waited for Tony and Teddy to come collect him so they could go to the garage to complete the sale of Noah's business. It had been three weeks since Noah had asked him to buy the business from him, to which Jonah had refused. However, a couple of days later, there was a knock at Jonah's door and it wasn't long before Jonah felt compelled to buy the garage. Today was the day and as he waited for the two men to collect him, he felt quite nervous. There was a lot at stake for him if the deal didn't go ahead successfully, so he hoped Rachel and Noah wouldn't change their mind about wanting to sell. After all, Noah's life and Jonah's fiancee's life were both at risk if things didn't go as planned...

Teddy, meanwhile, had received copies of the contract that Moretti wanted signing. Everything appeared above board, with Jonah apparently asking a fair price for complete ownership of the business. There shouldn't be anything on paper that would make Mitch suspicious. Then, it wouldn't be long until Jonah would sign the place over to one of Moretti's own trusted associates and in the process take a business that had until then served the Porters when needed.

@RayPurchase (Mitch)
Mentions:

Melanin-Gxdess (Teddy) @RayPurchase (Tony)

All That Jazz
~ Upper West Side, Manhattan ~

Sinead Callahan

The last few weeks for Sinead had been positive ones where her marriage and self-esteem had been concerned. Peter had been more intimate and close with her, which she'd loved every moment of. She knew he was still troubled, but the fact he'd let her get close to him had done a lot to give her hope and joy. A few days after Arlene's funeral, Sinead and Peter headed to Cape Cod for their week away, leaving Conor to look after Emery and keep an eye on the house. The vacation had been well overdue, finally allowing Sinead and Peter to spend some time alone together, to talk and be close. By the time they returned home, Sinead had more of a spring in her step and less of a dark cloud following her around.

Savannah had meant to have had a shift at the Jazz Club that afternoon, but she'd instead begged Sinead to cover for her so she could do some modelling instead. Although this wasn't the first time her daughter had cancelled a shift, Sinead was happy to cover as she herself loved playing the piano and what better place than her own? Sinead had asked Peter to join her that afternoon so they could have some drinks together and listen to the young, male singer - Isaac Jordan - she'd booked to play in the club that day. Having heard him in a smaller venue, she wanted to give the young guy a chance and the afternoon slot seemed like a big enough platform without being too daunting for him.

Sinead finished the last piece of music and handed the stage over to Isaac. After taking a moment to stand by the stage and observe the 19-year-old singer, she was happy that he was confident. She then tiptoed towards the bar in her stiletto heels and placed her arm on Peter's shoulder as he sat on one of the bar stools. "Another for Peter and a Mojito for me, Scott," she pleasantly asked her bar manager. She then looked to Peter with a pleased smile on her face. "How are you doing, honey?" she asked, hoping he had been entertained enough whilst she played the piano. "Isaac has a nice, smooth voice, right?" she enthused about the singer performing. "Once I know he can do this, I want to book him for some evening slots, when the place is properly full. What do you think?"

Bellz (Peter, Rebel)

********

Gabriel Moretti

For Gabriel, one of the best parts about being a "dead man" was that nobody expected to see him and for a little bit longer, he was able to walk right on his enemies' doorsteps without causing anything of a stir. The man had taken Tatiana and Marcus with him that afternoon, showing them around the city and pointing out the places they needed to be aware of. Be it locations they were safe to wander into, or locations he intended on owning soon enough. The afternoon out had been relatively relaxed and in spots considered safe for the Italians at present. However, Moretti wasn't one to shy away from anything and he was ready to test the waters a little. A handful of his men had already entered the Jazz Club a short time before their arrival, seating themselves where they could keep an eye out for the boss.

The Jazz Club had been checked out before and Moretti had identified it as one of the more relaxed of the Irish Mob's businesses. Or, an easy target. For now, he wasn't intending on causing trouble or catching too much of the wrong kind of attention. He wished to scope out the business and get a handle of the Callahans. Though neither were likely to take over the business should James Porter be removed from power, he had it on authority they were vital to keeping the Porters' Empire strong. He'd heard some details about Sinead from the East Harlem members who tortured her and he'd heard some details of Peter from Maddox. Now, he was curious to meet them in person and identify if they were like he'd been told Syd was: two more weak links in the family's structure.

Along with Tatiana and Marcus, Gabriel walked right on up to the entrance of the Jazz Club, allowing the guards, including Rebel, to look them over before being allowed to step inside the place. Despite it only being mid-afternoon, the place seemed relatively busy for a club. Gabriel saw promise in that, especially if he would one day find the business under his ownership. He requested a booth with a view of both the stage and the bar area. As the pianist continued to play the music, Gabriel took his seat in the booth, motioning for Tatiana and Marcus to sit next to each other so he could face them both as he addressed them. He looked towards the redheaded pianist again before speaking up. "The lady playing is Sinead Callahan and I believe Peter Callahan is around here too."

When the waitress came to take their drinks order, Gabriel sent the young woman a charming smile before requesting a brandy, then offering to buy his son and daughter their drinks too. "I have to admit, this place is much classier than I expected for something under ownership of the Porter rats." He smirked to himself as Sinead finished playing her music and joined who was presumably her husband, Peter, at the bar. "I'd quite like to speak with the Callahans. Perhaps we'll be making enquiries about booking your mother's next birthday celebrations here. Do either of you think you could get them to come here to discuss that with us?" he challenged Tatiana and Marcus, hoping they'd rise up to the test. They would know he had no intention of using the place as a party venue whilst it was under Porter ownership, but the story merely served as an excuse to speak with the Callahan couple.

@RayPurchase (Marcus)

Pyroclast (Tatiana)

Callahan Family Home
~ Forest Hills, Queens ~

Conor Sullivan

With Braden now living with Savannah and Emery staying over at a friend's to work on a college project, Conor had been promised by Sinead that he'd have a good few hours with the house to himself. Conor had invited Aliana over so he could cook dinner for them and so they could take some time to talk in private. With everything that had been going on recently, he'd found himself having to take a lot of time to think and keep his feelings in check. He was almost two months into his six month parole and he'd been happy with his ability to keep everything under control. With his marital troubles and the altercation he'd had wiith Teddy and Tony, Conor was feeling pleased with himself for how he'd been reacting to it all. He'd been spending time with James and helping the boss out with the workload, showing a keen interest in the business. Conor knew Lucy was struggling with all of the stress and though he hadn't said anything, he could see the most subtle of cracks within his usually controlled brother-in-law. They'd spent two decades fighting and defending the family so it was unsurprising they looked like they needed a rest.

As he expected Aliana to arrive at any moment, Conor put the finishing touches on setting out the dinner table for two, hoping it would impress his wife. The stew had been slowly cooking in the oven for a while, so he knew it would be ready whenever they were both ready to eat. He remembered when his father would cook for the family and the stew was always his personal favourite. He hoped to be able to cook for Aliana and Leo again, as a family. There were many things he felt he was behind with, mostly due to wasting time and getting into trouble. He still wanted to make Emmet proud and to make the Sullivan family tree even bigger. Before he could entertain that idea, he knew he needed to have a successful evening with his wife. There were two points he knew had to be addressed and he'd been thinking all afternoon of how to approach them. The first being that he'd decided Leo should remain in New York. When Aliana had first suggested their son was sent away, Conor had been caught at a vulnerable time when his sisters and nephew had been tortured. Now, he believed the boy would be safe and protected at home. The second conversation he needed to have with Aliana was around their marriage and future together. He wanted to ask her if she'd let him back into their family home, even if for one or two days a week, to trial things. He felt they'd made a lot of progress over the last few weeks and he was sure they would get their marriage back on track.

Melanin-Gxdess (Aliana)

Midtown Medical Center
~ Midtown, Manhattan ~

Maddox Parker

tumblr_336d325d31d21b09a8263e729d4bde50_acbb1428_400.gif

Maddox had spent the morning leading a support group consisting of a dozen former soldiers. A handful of them he was already familiar with from one-to-one counselling sessions and had joined the group on the doctor's recommendation. He didn't always attend the group as one of his associates supervising was often enough to maintain some direction for the groups members to share their thoughts. Today, Maddox wanted to sit in with the group and make sure things were all still moving as he intended. One of the former soldiers was a plant, already employed by the East Harlem Gang to casually plant seeds into the other men's heads - to steer those deemed appropriate to join their cause. Philip Brooker was someone Maddox had identified from his own counselling sessions and the plant in the group sessions had agreed the man would make a good soldier for Alistair's gang. Fearless, committed, albeit disposable.

As the session came to an end, Maddox finished up with some closing words, urging the troubled men not to give up and to keep fighting for what they believed in. "Remember, you are all men of great purpose. Your former superiors might have used you and turned their back on you, but that does not mean you were not valuable." Maddox spoke with passion and conviction behind his words. "You should take pride in your strength and bravery. There is always something worth fighting for and you will all find new ways to defend those who need it."

As the men all exited the room, Maddox motioned for Philip to stay back with him. The former soldier complied and waited until they were alone before looking Maddox in the eyes. "Dr. Parker?" he curiously asked. "Did you find something for me?"

"Yes, I did, Philip. There's a fight here in New York that you can be a part of. You will be a great asset to these people," he said, handing Philip a piece of paper with a telephone number that would indirectly put him in contact with the East Harlem Gang. "There's an evil trying to control this city and you can help to put a stop to that."

*******

After the group meeting, Maddox had returned to the medical center to write up some of his reports. He had a session later in the afternoon, but until then, his diary was free. He was expecting Ani to pay him a visit in the meantime and so made sure to stay in his office so he'd be there when she did.

As he waited, Maddox stood out in the small patio area that overlooked the city. He'd had a meeting with Gabriel the night before and if he was being honest, he'd left it feeling overall displeased. The issue that was Conor Sullivan had been the primary topic. Not only had the man in question held it together during the confrontation with Teddy and Tony, but Conor's relationship with Aliana was in the process of being repaired. Maddox had worked hard to gain Conor's trust by helping to get the man out of jail, but after speaking with Gabriel, it seemed like his plan had worked too well. Gabriel was now concerned that Conor was going to become difficult to control and manipulate. As such, he'd now demanded Maddox started looking at undoing all of that hard work. Maddox had assured Moretti that he knew what he was doing and still had plenty of control over Conor, still knowing which buttons to push and how best to trigger the man's temper. Despite respecting Moretti, it had grated on Maddox to have his work questioned. It irritated him when Moretti even went on to remind him that his relationship with Ani should not distract him. Still, he maintained civility with his superior and remained confident in the work he was doing, knowing Moretti would soon realise he had no need to question his work.

Maddox returned inside his office and sat down on the couch, deciding to having a coffee while he waited for Ani. Until then, he considered the next direction he would take Conor in. That, and his upcoming session with Syd. He understood the younger man had managed to get personally on Stefano's bad side and it felt like it wouldn't be long before Maddox was told to give Syd a push towards another breakdown.

Bellz (Ani)

Currently Active Cast:

Melanin-Gxdess @Inb4Cloaker @RayPurchase

Bugsy

Misty Gray · Nov 24, 2019

Chapter 9: Fragile Minds
Friday 17th September 1971
...1 week later...
Afternoon - Sunny, Dry, Warm
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Harris' Motor Repairs
~ Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan ~

Gabriel Moretti

Today was going to be a big day for Gabriel Moretti. Not only was Maddox set to deal with Syd Porter, but Gabriel was finally going to come face to face with James Porter himself. The back office of a mechanic's garage hadn't been the setting he'd originally had in mind, but it still had some charm to it. Gabriel and Teddy were seated at one side of the rectangular table with two empty chairs opposite them. Moretti looked to the door, sending an acknowledging nod to the two heavily armed bodyguards who were stood ready to disarm James and anyone who might accompany the Irishman. Despite the presence of heavily armed guards, some even waiting out back in case things did kick off, Gabriel's intention was to talk to Mr. Porter in a civil and productive manner. He was fully aware it would take a great amount of self control to conduct himself in a professional manner towards the man who had ordered for his family to be massacred a few years ago. The Porters would get one chance to do things the easy way and this would be it.

Gabriel turned to his left, where Jonah still awkwardly against the nearby wall. After buying the garage from Noah Harris, the man had then signed it over to one of Moretti's closest associates, putting the business under the ownership of the Italians. The man had proved useful to Gabriel, informing him that Porter's car had been brought in for a respray after the paintwork was damaged the previous week. It was Jonah who had called James earlier to tell him the car was ready to collect and arranged an approximate time when James would be down to get it. With his own fiancee's life at risk and having been closely watched by Moretti's men for the last week, Jonah had little choice but to betray the Porters. "Straighten yourself out, would you? In just a few more hours, you'll be out of my hair and back to that lady of yours. Get a grip," Gabriel coldly warned Jonah.

Gabriel took a long drag from his cigar before turning to face the man seated next to him. "How are you liking New York, Theodore?" he curiously asked Teddy. "Don't you just love the hustle and bustle of the city? The unlimited opportunities?" He flicked some cigar ash into the glass ashtray in front of him. "A vast improvement from Miami."

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

James Porter

James had quite simply been overworked in recent weeks but he'd always managed to keep a level head and remain focused on the job at hand. However, the argument he and Lucy had with Syd the previous week had managed to cut deep and caused James to feel the overwhelming exhaustion that he'd usually be able to brush aside or work off in the gym. He hadn't seen or heard from his son since the argument. James had tried to reassure Lucy throughout and give her the support she needed to overcome the upset the fight with Syd had caused her. Knowing he could only do so much, James had been handing some of his duties over to Conor as well as giving Warren the increased responsibility the younger man had been asking for.

When he heard his car was ready to pick up, James decided the fresh air would do him good and he had business in the city to attend to whilst he was there. He asked his chauffeur to drive him to Hell's Kitchen, picking Peter up along the way. Whilst he wished for his brother-in-law to accompany him on his business in the city, he also had a more personal reason for wanting the man to join him. With Syd's mental health apparently deteriorating, James felt like he was out of his depth. Not only had Peter been been seeing a counsellor himself, but the man also had experience in dealing with Sinead, throughout the woman's own psychological troubles and past breakdowns. James hoped Peter could provide him with some kind of insight. Some way to approach his son before their relationship was broken beyond repair.

Once the chauffeur had pulled up outside Harris' Motor Repairs, James and Peter stepped out. After giving a tap on the car roof, the driver drove away in the vehicle, with James intending on driving himself and Peter around the city in his own car, once collected from the garage. "Have you met Jonah before? He and Noah used to work for Liam. I've been told Noah was always a loose canon but Jonah seems to have his head screwed on," he prepared Peter as they entered the garage. The place was quieter than he'd expected, but he figured the mechanic must have finished for the day. James spotted his car and approached it to take a look at paintwork that had previously been damaged during Syd's angry tirade. Nodding his head in approval at the repair, he led Peter to the back office so he could pay Jonah and get the car keys.

After knocking on the door and hearing Jonah's voice call for them to enter, James and Peter stepped into the office, immediately met with by the two heavy set armed men, each holding a semi-automatic rifle which were aimed at James' and Peter's heads. "Throw your weapons onto the floor. No funny business," one of Moretti's bodyguards gruffly ordered the two Irishmen. Peter might be surprised to recognise Mr. Durante patiently seated at the table with a stern expression on his face...

Bellz (Peter)

Melanin-Gxdess (Teddy)

The Emerald Pub
~ Midtown, Manhattan ~

Conor Sullivan & Rachel Harris

It had been almost a week since Conor had moved back into the house with Aliana and Leo. Everything had felt right when his wife proposed he returned to their family home. Sinead and Peter appeared to be back on track and Aliana finally believed Conor had changed for the better. Everything felt perfect.

It still felt strange waking up in the morning. After years in prison, he'd barely got used to waking up in a comfortable bed in warm house. The room at the Callahans had slowly eased him into that, but he'd still been waking up alone. Now he was back home, he not only had the comfort but he was waking up in bed with his wife next to him. It was all too perfect and now his only reservation was that he didn't deserve it, that someone would just try to take his happiness away. It was only the times he was alone with his thoughts that he had chance to worry about things and he was sure Dr. Parker would be willing to hear him drone on about it all.

Thankfully, there wasn't much time to worry. Aside from his business duties, he'd been spending a lot of time with Aliana and Leo. Things were going well with his wife, with them getting close again and them both enjoying being in each others' company. Conor had also been able to bond with his son again, helping him with his schoolwork and playing sports with him. He was aware the boy had been making things difficult for Aliana in his absence, so Conor had put his foot down when needed and made it clear Leo had to improve his behaviour. Conor knew it wasn't enough to be a fun dad and much like in business, he wanted make sure he was taken seriously.

That afternoon, Conor had arranged to meet both Mitch and Farrid at the Emerald Pub. On account of his time in prison, Conor hadn't yet had the opportunity to meet Farrid and he understood the man had been out of the country for the last few weeks. James had briefed Conor on what had happened to Bailey and how it has affected the medic. With the Boss already stretched and going through a bad patch with Syd, Conor had been taking on increasingly more jobs to ease James' workload. Hearing that Farrid wished to get back into his duties with the mob, Conor jumped at the chance to finally meet the man and to update him on what had been going on over the last few weeks. Conor was all too familiar with grieving for loved ones lost through gang wars, so he felt he had some understanding of what Farrid had been through. Still, he was aware Mitch and Farrid already knew each other, so decided the catch up might go down better if the medic was also in the presence of someone he already knew. Besides which, Conor hadn't spoken to the lawyer in a little while and had a little catching up to do with him too.

Having arrived at the pub early, Conor made sure his table in the corner of the room was kept empty whilst he chatted with Rachel behind the bar. There was something he needed to discuss with his recently promoted bar manager and this was the ideal time. Conor stood with his arms folded as Larry continued to witter on about something to do with the horse racing, or some crap. Rachel was being as patient as ever, but Conor's eyes rolled as he gave in. "Alright, Larry. Take your pint and fuck off back to your table. You're giving me headache, mate," the Sullivan man said, waving him off.

"Well, you'll wish you'd listened when I win big on this one. Bloody wanker..." Larry grumbled on as he walked away from the bar.

"Ah, he's such an old charmer," Conor lightly remarked, grinning at the elderly man's complaining. Conor then turned his attention to Rachel and once she was facing him he addressed the matter at hand. "What's this I've heard about you letting your brother sell the garage? Should have come to us instead of that Jonah bloke. Considering my family get their cars fixed there and all..."

Rachel tossed the towel she'd been holding onto the counter and folded her arms as she looked up to meet Conor's eyes. For some reason, his questioning rubbed her up the wrong way. "It was Noah's business and it's up to him who he sells it to. My brother isn't getting out of jail any time soon, if ever. I was sick of being tied to that place, so I was glad when he decided to sell up. I'm sorry, Conor, but neither you nor James get to tell me what to do with that place. It was Noah's choice to make and I supported it. I'm happy the shithole is out of my hair." Rachel shook her head , trying not to take it personally that Conor was questioning her. "As for Jonah... He's Noah's best friend and he has been since they were kids. He'll keep it running better than I could have and he's keen to keep doing the jobs your family requires. Nothing changes, except it has someone in charge who actually wants to be." She sent him a crooked smile. "Don't you start questioning me like that, Conor!"

"Alright. Alright. I get it. It just seemed off that you didn't mention it to me first when I'm trying to keep tabs on all of the businesses and our associates..." Conor returned her smile, knowing Rachel was smart and wouldn't do anything impulsive. Deciding to change the subject onto something lighter, he stepped around the bar so he was now standing on the customer side. "Mitch is meeting me here soon. You ever gonna go on on a date with the bloke?" he teased her.

"You mind your own bloody business, else I'll give your favourite table away to Larry and his alcoholic pensioner friends," she said, reaching over to slap Conor's arm.

@Inb4Cloaker (Farrid) @RayPurchase (Mitch)

All That Jazz
~ Upper West Side, Manhattan ~

Sinead Callahan

Sinead had been interviewing for new bar staff since the morning and as the day progressed, she decided to invite Lucy and Aliana to the Jazz Club that afternoon. She was aware of the trouble Lucy was having with Syd and decided it might do her sister some good to get out of the house for a few hours, along with some female interaction. As for Aliana, Sinead had a week's worth of updates to drag out of the woman since things had gone well enough for Conor to move back in with his wife. Sinead hoped a few drinks and a bright atmosphere might help all three of them unwind.

Whilst she waited for the two ladies to arrive, Sinead sat at the bar with Scott as they finally decided who should get the job. "Natasha, it is, then!" Sinead excitedly confirmed. She then suspiciously eyed Scott as he grinned in response. "She's getting the job because she was the best. Not because you think she's cute, mister!" she lightly berated him.

"Woah! I know that," Scott replied, holding his hands up defensively. "But. If she happens to fall for my charm and good looks, then who am I to refuse her?"

Sinead shook her head in playful disapproval. "Doubtful. She seems pretty smart, so you've got no chance." Of course, Sinead was teasing. She knew Scott was a respectful person and that any relationship would be completely natural. She was always grateful he'd stuck with the club, even after been shot a couple of months ago. It felt good to have someone she could trust helping her and Peter run the place. Even if Peter was still a little cold towards the bar manager. "I'm going to take my drink and chill out in the booth over there. Let Luce and Ali know where I am when they get here," she told Scott.

Melanin-Gxdess (Aliana)

Bellz (Lucy)

Savannah's & Braden's Apartment
~ Lenox Hill, Manhattan ~

Savannah Callahan

Savannah hadn't been sleeping well since she'd fallen into Steve's clutches for a second time. Despite Keegan and Warren saving her from further harm, it had been enough to drag up everything that had happened the night she was abducted from the theatre. The nightmares had been so vivid that she'd been snapped awake from her sleep sweating and shaking. If she wasn't being forced to 'relive' being tied up on the dark boot of the car, she was once again having Steve torment her both physically and mentally. That twisted man's face was there when she slept and often taunted her in her waking hours. She felt trapped. Too afraid to leave the apartment, as if her mere existence invited trouble and the only safe option was to stay inside. But that solution only served to make her feel isolated and alone. She had visitors, phonecalls and Braden living there, but that did nothing to help. She yearned to be out living and performing on stage, not hiding away from everything she enjoyed.

With Braden out with his friends, Savannah was alone in the apartment. Seated on the chair in her bedroom, she gazed out of the window as she practised her music on the keyboard. As she played the music, her fingers gradually slowed until her thumb was simply pressing down on a key, playing out the low note until silence filled the room. She was sure she'd heard a sound. "Braden?!" she called out. There was no response and no sound. After taking a deep breath, she continued to play the music, allowing her mind to drift off as she thought about her shift at the club the next day. She didn't want to let her mother down again, but the more she thought about working in the busy club, the more exposed she felt. The image of Steve sitting in the club by the stage, smirking at her as she played the piano suddenly entered her thoughts. She slammed both hands down on the keyboard, the loud noise filling the apartment until she pulled her hands away and stood up.

"Braden?!" she shouted, rushing into the kitchen and then the lounge area, but finding nobody else present. She rushed to the apartment door, checking it was still locked and bolted from inside. The third time she'd checked since Braden left earlier that day. The apartment was too quiet, with Braden having even taken the dog out with him. She hadn't been sure about having a dog living in the apartment at first, but she'd grown to love having a pet around and now she was alone, she wished Braden had at least left the dog at home with her for comfort.

When her eyes caught the clock on the wall, she gasped upon realising she was meant to be meeting with Danny in less than thirty minutes. She rushed back into her room to get dressed and do her hair ready for their date. She knew she needed to get out of the apartment and she felt safe with Danny. There was no way she could stand him up.

Soon enough, Savannah was ready and as she grabbed her handbag from the kitchen counter, she was pleased to see she was right on time to meet Danny. However, as she stepped into the lounge, she became fixated on the view out of the large window, looking down onto the street below her. She observed people casually walking by. Cars being driven up and down the street. She couldn't see anything untoward or suspicious. After a good ten minutes of watching, she finally accepted it was safe to go outside.

Savannah had arranged to meet Danny a block away from her apartment. She didn't want to stray too far from home but she also wanted to spare Danny the discomfort of possibly meeting Braden or one of her other family members. Though she walked as fast as she could in her stiletto shoes, she was still at least ten minutes late when she finally reached Danny. She'd never been late for their dates and in general life, she was almost always on time.

Seeing Danny brought a smile to her face and being out in the fresh air, in his presence, seemed to make all of the negative thoughts leave her. "I'm so sorry I'm late. I lost track of time and I was..." she stopped herself as she realised she was talking too fast. "I'm just sorry and I hope you didn't think I wasn't going to show up." She moved forward to embrace him, hoping to feed off of the warmth and security she tended to feel when in his arms. "I know a cute little restaurant nearby that we can try." Having not been eating much lately, she'd built up an appetite.

Pyroclast (Danny)

Currently Active Cast:

Melanin-Gxdess @Inb4Cloaker @RayPurchase

Bugsy

Misty Gray · Dec 15, 2019

Chapter 10: Taking Stock
Tuesday 21st September 1971
...4 days later...
Morning - Overcast, Breezy, Warm
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"An empire toppled by its enemies can rise again, but one which crumbles from within - that's dead forever."

New York City Hospital
~ Midtown, Manhattan ~

Warren Taylor

The job four days ago hadn't exactly been a success for any party involved. Whilst the East Harlem thugs had been deprived of the expensive shipment of drugs on account of them being destroyed in the explosion, it had come at a severe cost. Quinn had been killed during the attack - stabbed to death by Tony. Another cherished member of the family had been taken away, leaving everyone shocked, but Keegan and Declan obviously most deeply affected. Backup hadn't taken long to arrive on the scene, but it had been too late for Quinn who had died in his brother's arms. Warren was found in the road, having attempted to go to Keegan's aid before collapsing in a barely conscious heap. Having lost a lot of blood, the colour had left his face but he was still alive despite the way he looked.

Warren had been driven to the hospital whilst other gang members remained on the scene to hide any incriminating evidence to protect the Porters involved. The shot man had spent hours in surgery, with his family having been prepared for the worst. Well, as prepared as James could have been considering the existing heavy toll Syd's attempted suicide and the revelation of Moretti's continued existence the same day. Whilst the surgery had gone well, it had still proved to be a waiting game.

Warren had remained under heavy sedation since the operations he'd undergone. Though he'd been awake at points and heard some of what his visitors had been saying, it had mostly been a blur until last night when James had stopped by again. Warren had still been minimally verbally responsive to his brother's words, but he started to understand everything more clearly. When it did sink in that Quinn had been killed, Warren couldn't help but feel guilty. Perhaps if he'd fought harder to get up and keep fighting, then Keegan's brother wouldn't have felt the need to. Perhaps if he hadn't been stupid enough to get shot in the first place, then he could have changed the other man's fate.

Having also overheard James and Lucy talking when they they assumed he was sleeping, Warren had learned about what Syd had done. So when he could say something to his brother, Warren told him to make sure he went and spent time with Syd instead. James couldn't help him heal any faster from his gunshot wounds, but he had some chance of helping Syd through his depression.

Conor Sullivan

Conor had been stunned to find out about Syd's suicide attempt and frustrated that his nephew wasn't permitted visitors on the psych ward. Despite the arguments with James and Lucy, Conor hadn't realised things had got so bad for Syd. Whilst he knew Maddox was bound by patient confidentiality, Conor had been surprised that the counsellor hadn't given any clues or suggestions he should be worried about his nephew. Conor had a lot of respect for Dr. Parker and couldn't deny how much he'd been helped by the man. He had never had cause to question Maddox's abilities and he trusted him, at times feeling like he was a man he'd enjoy being friends with. To know he hadn't been able to prevent Syd's decline was difficult to process. His nephew must have been truly desperate and troubled, which concerned Conor even further. If Maddox couldn't help him, then who could?

As James and Lucy hadn't yet been allowed to visit Syd, Conor knew it could be some time until he could see his nephew. Considering Syd's situation, Warren's almost death, Quinn's actual death and the revelation of Gabriel Moretti being the one behind the family's recent troubles, James was considerably stretched beyond what one man should have to struggle to handle. Conor had been trying to lift some of his brother-in-laws workload, allowing the man to try focus on his family without too much business weighing him down further.

The hospital seemed to have more cops around than usual, but they couldn't be trusted to organise a piss-up in a brewery. As such, members of the gang had been stationed at the hospital to keep an eye on things and make sure Warren had no unwanted visitors. Conor and Jackson had been working together to keep things under control during James' limited presence. Between increasing security, giving orders to the gang members, and briefing the family members, they hadn't yet had enough time to work on the offensive against the Morettis. The first priority was ensuring everyone's safety. That was why they were presently entering the hospital Warren was recovering in. They were going to drop in and see Warren, but not before assessing the ongoing security around the hospital. Moretti had made it clear to James that things were becoming personal, so they knew that meant any of their family could be considered at risk.

"I've not seen Jimbo like this before, not even back when all the shit kicked off in Dublin," Conor admitted to Jackson. "Not that I can blame him. His son and his brother are in hospital - that's pretty heavy on its own. Not to mention knowing we have some smarmy wanker fucking with us all."

Enzyme (Jackson)

Moretti's Office/Apartment
~ Murray Hill, Manhattan ~

Gabriel Moretti

A lot had happened recently, which was why Gabriel had called a meeting with his close associates. He'd given Alistair and Stefano a time to arrive at his apartment so they could all catch up on the progress each of them had made. Gabriel was confident they would have plenty to discuss. He'd also told Maddox to attend the meeting, though he'd arranged it so he would have a little time with the other two men before the therapist joined them.

Already sat to his side was Teddy, who Gabriel had picked up on his way to the office. He poured them both a coffee from the pot, knowing the armed guards by the door would grant their expected guests access when they arrived. "How are things going for you, Theodore?" he asked. He appreciated the man's input with the business but also considered him one of the family, given the relationship he had with Elvian and the kids. Gabriel already had a son of his own and Marcus always did him proud, but Teddy was the closest thing to a second son. "Have you and Tony been staying out of trouble?" he asked. It was meant as a dry joke in this instance. The time to evaluate the failed drugs transportation was to be discussed in the presence of Alistair.

Once Alistair and Stefano arrived, Gabriel offered them a seat on the opposite couch, along with a drink of coffee. Even for the Italian, it was too early to be bringing out the strong alcohol. "We have much to discuss this morning. Maddox will be here soon to update us on the matter of Syd Porter," he said, giving Stefano a knowing look given that the man's daughter was pregnant with the Irish rat's child. He sat up straight and adopted a stern expression as he looked back to Alistair. "Friday's delivery didn't go as expected, did it?" he asked. He then cleared his throat. "I'm sorry that you had to lose two of your good men during that whole mess." Though he was fully aware of it, he didn't think it needed mentioning how much the destroyed drugs had been worth. "I understand Tony and Steve fought back harder. They managed to kill another member of the Sullivan lot and hospitalised James Porter's brother." Gabriel briefly turned to Teddy and sent the man a smirk. "I'll move on to James Porter soon, as Theodore and I had the pleasure of meeting the man himself a few days ago. What I will tell you is that I've put out a hit on James' brother, so I doubt the man will even make it out of his hospital bed. My only regret is that the medical staff have had to waste their time on him at all."

Gabriel took a sip of coffee before sharing his focus between the two men opposite him. "Before I continue with what I know, please indulge me. Stefano, Alistair, what do you have to update Theodore and me on?"

Melanin-Gxdess (Teddy)

Pyroclast (Alistair)

Bellz (Stefano)

All That Jazz
~ Upper West Side, Manhattan ~

Savannah Callahan

Savannah had been pleased that Braden and Roxie hadn't gone off to tell her family about her relationship with Danny. It wasn't that she wanted or liked keeping secrets from them, but she just wanted some time to explore her relationship without the added pressure of her family watching them. If Danny felt intimidated by them, he had every right to and Savannah hoped her parents would see it from her perspective. Anyone would be forgiven for running a mile from the mob but she wanted Danny to stick around and hopefully soon they'd be ready to make things more public.

Twice since she'd had her panic attack, Savannah had called London to speak to her grandmother. She loved and respected all of her family, but there were times she needed to hear things from Shannon's perspective. The woman was known for being harsh and straight to the point, which the blonde felt she might benefit from at the moment. It wasn't only the woman's honesty that she needed, but also some advice about one aspect of her career. Both Shannon and Lucy were or had been models. Savannah had seen some of their past shoots and admired how confident they had been in some of their sexier pictures.

From the two calls, Savannah had been advised in no uncertain terms to learn to fight for herself, learn how to call the shots and to do whatever she dreamed of. Even though she already knew all of that, coming from her grandmother gave her more courage to actually try. In the photoshoot the previous day, Savannah had finally agreed to modelling skimpier clothing and she actually felt comfortable doing so. The main condition she'd given was that her sleazy manager was to be nowhere in sight. Things were on her terms and she felt good being in control of the session. The likes of Andre and Steve had taken away her self-confidence, talking down to her and treating her liked some pretty little object. Now, having managed her own modelling shoot and for once ditched the "princess" look, she felt empowered. Even the knowledge her parents wouldn't be overjoyed about the modelling didn't deter her. She expected they would come around to the idea. If not, maybe she'd just set Shannon onto them!

Today, Savannah was going to see her mother at the jazz club to ask for some shifts. She knew she couldn't hide away forever and hoped she'd feel comfortable playing in Sinead's club again. When she stepped out of the cab, she tipped the driver before turning to look at the building in front of her. She knew the place would be quiet in the morning, with the earlier daytime hours being mostly for customers wanting brunch or lunch rather than those wanting to knock back the drinks whilst feeling classy about it. It was also when rehearsals and general admin work took place. She knew things would be safe so early on.

Before entering the club, Savannah noticed her Auntie Aliana, who owned a restaurant just a couple of doors down. "Ali!!" she called out, beckoning her aunt over. She was someone the blonde had hoped to see soon and so took advantage of seeing her in that moment. "Hey, can we talk? In the club?" she asked her. "I need your advice about some things. I would ask my Mum but she's already got a lot going on and this is something you might be able to help me more with." Savannah awkwardly ran her fingers through her hair. "Sorry. I should be asking how you are first. Is Uncle Conor still looking after you and Leo?" she sweetly asked.

Melanin-Gxdess (Aliana)

Currently Active Cast:

Bugsy

Misty Gray · Jan 23, 2020

Chapter 11: Pushing for the Truth
Monday 27th September 1971
...6 days later…
Late Afternoon - Mild, Breezy, Clear Sky
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Midtown Medical Center
~ Midtown, Manhattan ~

Maddox Parker

Ever since his last meeting with Gabriel, Maddox had struggled to get his next session with Conor out of his mind. Like he had done with Syd, the counsellor knew he had to unravel all of the hard work he'd put in to helping Conor. Despite his ill-intentions, he'd felt proud and happy with the progress he'd made with Conor. Despite the man's crimes and his part of the mob, Maddox had to admit that he'd grown to like the Sullivan man. He'd suffered losses which had helped him to become a prisoner to his aggressive impulses, but underneath it all Conor was a kind and compassionate man. It's what made it so hard to now use Conor's suffering against him to draw out the dangerous and self-destructive emotions in order to push him to the brink. It had to be enough to push Conor into snapping and to ensure there was enough evidence to end up back in prison having broken his parole. From there, Moretti had his own plans and they all ended with Sullivan's gruesome death.

He hadn't slept much the night before, not only through worrying about his session with Conor but also through his concern for Ani. Maddox had hoped she'd accept his offer to move in with him, where he would know she was safe and where he could have had some of his own friends keeping watch over his apartment. The thought of what Gabriel had ordered him to do to Syd and Conor was tearing Maddox apart. If he didn't do as he was told, Ani's life was at risk. If he did, he wasn't sure how he would be able to look her in the eyes - how could she still love him after that? He knew it would be so much easier to finish what he'd set out to do had he not fallen for Ani and had his eyes opened to a better life. Despite that turmoil, he loved her and no matter how much he considered it, he couldn't push her away. He'd offered her the opportunity to step away from him a few days ago and she'd declined, instead choosing to stay with him.

The day had seemed to drag as he anticipated seeing Conor. As he saw his client, Philip, out of the office he knew the time was upon him. "I'll see you in a couple of weeks, Philip. Stay out of trouble," he added. Though said as a joke, the former soldier was working for the East Harlem lot, so he was fully aware that job invited trouble. With his client gone, Maddox looked around the empty waiting room before approaching Laura at the reception desk. He was fully aware he was the only doctor left working on that floor of the medical center. He'd intentionally arranged for Conor to have the last session of the day so he knew his colleagues would be out working in their external surgeries and institutions. "Mr. Sullivan is my last appointment of the day, you might as well finish up early, Laura. There's no point waiting for me to go home," he told her. The GPs on the ground floor would still be working, so he knew security wouldn't be an issue. It was simply better that Laura wasn't dragged into this one...

Mention:

Bellz (Ani)

The Emerald Pub
~ Midtown, Manhattan ~

Conor Sullivan and Rachel Harris

"Conor Sullivan, you've been in a shitty mood all afternoon!" Rachel berated her boss as he emerged behind the bar having just slammed his office door on his way out of the room. She turned to the big man and studied his distant gaze for a short time. He then proceeded to fasten up his jacket as he apparently ignored the woman. "Well, I suppose you're going to the right place if you're in a bad mood. Make Dr. Parker earn his fee and all that..."

"It shouldn't be too busy for you tonight, Rach. I'm sure you'll get plenty of time to show Jenny the ropes back here," Conor said, clearly trying to ignore what Rachel had said. He took a deep breath and shrugged his shoulders. "Can't say I want to give the shrink any more of my money, but it's not like I have much of a fuckin' choice, is it?"

"I thought you liked your counsellor? Not so long ago, you were raving about him being a 'top bloke'."

Conor shook his head glanced to the door. "That was before Syd tried to top himself again. I don't understand how he could go downhill so suddenly nor how Dr. Parker couldn't see it coming. Maybe I do like the bloke, but come on, it's Syd... I've got a bone to pick with Dr. Parker!" Before there was chance for further argument, Conor marched off out of the pub to attend his counselling session.

Rachel awkwardly bit her lip as she deliberated over whether or not to be concerned about the man. Whilst she trusted he knew what he was doing by now, she worried the counsellor was one of the last people Conor should be taking his frustration out on. Without further delay, she moved to the back office and dialled the number of Mitch's law firm. After eventually getting through to him, she couldn't help the small smile that appeared when hearing his voice. Though they'd been out for drinks together a few times, she had admittedly been stubborn about her attractino to him, waiting to see how long it would take for him to speak up if he did feel the same. "Mitch, it's Rachel. We're still on for drinks tomorrow, but that's not why I'm calling." She paused before deciding it was better to be cautious. "Conor's just headed out for his appointment with Dr. Parker and he's in a foul mood about it. I'm probably looking into it too much, but he's upset about Syd being sectioned and his words were that he's 'got a bone to pick with Dr. Parker'. I'm concerned he might do something to screw up his parole and wondered if you could get over to the medical center, seeing as you know the shrink."

@RayPurchase (Mitch)

Martínez Barber Shop
~ East Harlem, Manhattan ~

Gabriel Moretti
~ Luis Martinez ~

With Tony and Tatiana seated in the back of the parked car, Gabriel sat in the front passenger seat with their driver, Paolo, sat the the wheel. The vehicle had been parked up on the street for five minutes. In front of them was a vehicle that belonged to two of Gabriel's bodyguards; one waiting in the car whilst the other had headed to the row of businesses across the road. The place that was of interest was 'Martinez Barber Shop', located between a bakery and a jewellers. Gabriel looked to his watch after briefly squinting as he looked to the door of the bakery. "Closed already? Shame. I was going to treat us all to some doughnuts once we were done with the Puerto Ricans," he remarked.

The purpose of their visit to the barbers was not a social call. Gabriel had been noticing a decrease in weight in the drug supply by the time it reached his own warehouses. The men tasked with delivering the drugs in question were led by Miguel Martinez - leader of the Martinez Crew and owner of the barber shop. Gabriel had very recently learned from Luis Martinez that his cousins, Miguel and Carlos, have been stealing a portion of the drugs to sell on for themselves. Tony and Tatiana had been briefed on the information Luis has so kindly offered to Gabriel. "We get the three of them down in the cellar so I can take stock of what we have. I would like to keep quiet about what we know to give Miguel and Carlos the opportunity to come clean." He turned to look between Tony and Tatiana. "Confession or not, both of those traitorous thieves will not be leaving the cellar alive," he said of Miguel and Carlos. He had his thoughts on Luis too, but he would be the easiest to deal with. Gabriel briefly glanced to the healing wound on Tony's cheek and smirked. "We'll all try to make sure you don't further jeopardise your modelling career," he remarked. Despite the light-natured remark, he wasn't going to ignore the fact the Porters had managed to injure one of his best men. Outside of his family, he took a special dislike at the thought of Tony and Teddy being injured.

The guard returned from checking out the barbers shop and approached the vehicle, waiting for Gabriel to lower the window so he could speak to him. "Luis is in there with his last customer and I saw the two brothers head towards the back office." Gabriel nodded his head and proceeded to step out of the vehicle, expecting Tatiana and Tony to do the same. Paolo would remain in the car ready to drive the group away at the drop of a hat. The two bodyguards retrieved their firearms from the car in front and followed the Morettis and Tony towards the barber shop, but the two men dropped back for the time-being.

Upon entering the barber shop, Luis was handing the customer his change before the freshly groomed man left the shop. "I hope you gave him a discount, Luis. That wasn't your finest work, I have to be honest," Gabriel told him. He looked over his shoulder as the two guards stepped into the salon, one of them twisting the sign in the window to read "Closed" before locking the door from the inside. "We're here to check the inventory," Gabriel knowingly told Luis. "Lead the way and collect your cousins from the office, would you?"

"Yeah... sure..." Luis awkwardly began. He had a feeling he knew things wouldn't end well for Miguel and Carlos. They'd been stealing drugs from the Morettis and he knew damn well the kind of punishment they would be facing. It would be difficult to witness, but he was tired of being treated like dirt by them and he was eager to take over the Martinez business. This was Luis' time to take some power and riches for himself. He walked to the back of the shop and pushed open the office door where Miguel and Carlos were sat talking. "Guys, we've got visitors. Mr. Moretti wants us in the basement to check inventory on the special deliveries," he said, clearly referring to the cocaine.

As he followed Luis to the back of the shop, Gabriel had casually swiped his hand along one of the styling stations and discreetly taken one of the cut-throat razors from the unit, slotting it into the front pocket of his trousers. He turned to Tatiana and Tony, sending them an approving nod that signalled it was show time. Gabriel didn't like being betrayed and the cost for such a crime was most severe.

Present:

Misty Gray (Gabriel, Luis), @RayPurchase (Tony),

Pyroclast (Tatiana, Miguel),

Enzyme (Carlos), NPCs x2 Bodyguards

The Callahan House
~ Forest Hills, Queens~

Savannah Callahan

The attack at her mother's club had been another terrifying experience for Savannah, but there had been much to take from it and the blonde knew she could use it to her benefit. When approaching her parents to ask to be trained to defend herself and to use a gun, she knew she'd had something to use against any protests they - or specifically her mother - would make. Whilst she'd been hiding under the desk in her mother's office, Savannah had seen the way Sinead stepped up against the man and even managed to shoot him twice to make him back down. Though Sinead always played it down, Savannah knew her mother was strong-willed and had courage, so it was comforting to see the woman put it into action. Despite the fear the violence brought her, Savannah was proud of her mother. Still, when Sinead initially refused her daughter's request for Peter to train her, Savannah reminded her of what had happened in the club and how she wanted to be able to defend herself in the future, rather than hide underneath a desk. With a little persuasion and admiration from Savannah, Sinead finally caved in and agreed. After all, she would rather her daughter was a fighter than a victim.

As she waited in the lounge for Peter to start their training, Savannah entertained Emery's cat with a toy mouse. Hearing her mother's voice, she looked up to see the woman retrieving her car keys from the coffee table.

"I'm going into the city to pick up my new dress... Gimme a hug seeing as you're at your Mama's house for once!" Sinead said, beckoning her daughter towards her. The two women hugged each other and Sinead placed a kiss on Savannah's cheek. "Alright, be careful and make sure you stay for dinner. I'll make something special for us all," she excitedly told her. She was hopeful Braden would show his face and make it a full house, but she knew it was already a miracle Savannah was staying for dinner.

"Dinner sounds great, though I was hoping I'd be able to stay overnight too? We could all watch a movie on TV," she suggested to her mother. Of course, Sinead excitedly confirmed her daughter could sleep over. Once her mother had left, Savannah set about tying her hair up ready to train with her father. She was already kitted out in a vest top and some jogging bottoms - a rare sight for the young woman who was almost always wearing a dress.

When Peter joined her, Savannah sent a smile his way. She was looking forward to spending some quality time with her father as she hadn't had much opportunity since she'd moved into her own place. Even when she did live in the family home, it was difficult to have one-on-one time with Peter when Emery and Braden were present. "Alright, Dad. Don't go too easy on me, yeah?" she joked. "Unless we're going straight to the guns while Mum's out of the house. Not that she's got room to talk these days..." she remarked, referring to Sinead getting a couple of shots in at Regan, the previous week.

Bellz (Peter)

Currently Active Cast:

Bugsy @Fletchawk
**Sinead, Adam, George and Valentina are all open for interaction. Let me know if you want to arrange anything...**

Misty Gray · Feb 24, 2020

Chapter 12: Freedom's Taken, Never Given
Friday 22nd October 1971
...One month later…
Late Afternoon - Cold, Breezy, Overcast
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Callahan Family Home
~ Forest Hills, Queens ~

Sinead Callahan

The last month for Sinead hadn't been a kind one. She'd barely slept the night following her interaction with Alistair and Ethan. The next day, she was told of Ryan's murder and the news had plucked her into a depression she'd managed to fend off for quite some time before then. Though she was often aware of Ryan being an awkward subject for her and Peter, there had been no withholding how she felt about losing him. Despite the romantic feelings Ryan might have once had for her, one thing that had been permanent and mutual between them was the friendship they'd had since they were children growing up in Chicago. The knowledge that she would never get to see Ryan again broke her heart and she struggled to see beyond her grief for the first week. She didn't leave the house and barely ate a thing for the first seven days. She was tired of those she cared about being hurt and killed. The world once against seemed like a dark and hopeless place to her. With her family's intervention and her own concerns about ending up in the same place as Syd, Sinead returned to her counselling sessions and accepted she would have to start taking her medication again.

Ryan's funeral had taken place in Chicago a week ago, with Sinead and Savannah attending, along with Conor, Aliana, James and Lucy. She understood why Peter didn't attend, even if she did long for his embrace during the days she spent back in her birthplace. Not only was it hard attending her friend's funeral, but it was difficult being back in the city where she'd left so many difficult memories behind. It had also proved to be a time of reflection for both Sinead and Savannah, given that their biological fathers both died in the heart of Chicago.

*****

It was now three days since Sinead had returned home from Chicago. Her mind felt clearer and she was able to get back as close to normal as she could, even if there were times when her grief popped back into her thoughts when she wasn't keeping busy. Syd was due to come home that day and whilst she was excited to see her nephew, she neither wished to overwhelm him nor feel overwhelmed herself. Whilst Savannah and Emery had gone to stay at Lucy's house for the night, Sinead was content to spend some rare time alone with Peter.

With the house to themselves and time off work for both of them, Peter had arranged a date night for him and Sinead. Even though the said date was taking place at home, Sinead was still excited about the occasion and was getting herself dressed up as though they were going out to a public venue. Having barely left the house or got dressed prior to the funeral, Sinead wanted to make an effort in order to feel positive and happy about herself. Not only that, but she wanted to make it up to Peter and to hopefully brighten his day upon seeing her in the little blue dress she'd been saving for a date with him.

As she did the finishing touches to her hair and make-up, she was drawn back into some other thoughts that had been lingering in her mind. Savannah was dating but the girl hadn't even told her about it until after she'd slipped up in front of Peter. Sinead had always been encouraging and excited by the prospect of her kids dating, so it had hurt to know Savannah had been keeping her relationship secret. Granted, she had once kept her relationship with Angel a secret, but that was for far more complicated reasons. From what she understood, Danny was a nice boy and he certainly wasn't working for the family's enemy. Sinead concluded Savannah was simply growing up and she no longer wanted to confide in her mamma with every detail as she had in the past. Everyone was growing up too fast...

Once she was ready, Sinead descended the stairs and called out Peter's name. "Mr. Callahaaaaaan! I'm here for our date," she melodically called out. By now, a bright smile was growing on her face as she began to feel an odd mix of excitement and nervousness in anticipation of their cute date.

Bellz (Peter)

New York Hospital
~ Manhattan ~

Maddox Parker

Maddox's last month had been tough. He'd been working hard to get Syd released from the hospital and at the same time having to keep Moretti from growing impatient and suspicious. All of this whilst doing everything he could to support Ani as she grieved for her brother. On Maddox's suggestion, the Porters had requested a new counsellor to take over Syd's treatment, which meant it was difficult for Maddox to get near to Syd, thus creating a good explanation for why he'd been unable to kill the young man on Moretti's order. Maddox had suggested to Dr. Henderson that he took over Syd's treatment in his place. All the while, Maddox would slip in ways his colleague could best appeal to Syd's better nature. Syd's family, his upcoming fatherhood, as well as his love for his pet dogs. They were all ways Maddox was sure would bring out a calmer, lucid and more hopeful side to Syd. Not only that, but Maddox had recommended Syd's medication returned to the dosage he'd been taking when he was at his best - before Maddox intentionally reduced it to enable the man's downfall. Whatever Dr. Henderson went along with, it seemed to work and Syd was expected to be released from hospital today.

Conor was expected to call Maddox that evening, so in the meantime, the counsellor was to act normal. With all of his appointments over with earlier than usual, Maddox had offered to drive Ani to work and pick her up at the end of her shift. They soon arrived at the hospital and Maddox parked his car up in one of the spaces, turning off the engine so he could speak to Ani a little before she had to start work. "It's nearly over, Ani," he softly reassured her. He held her hands in his own and looked her in the eyes. "Syd's going to go home today and the Porters will know I kept to my end of the deal. As soon as Conor confirms it, we can leave this place and go somewhere far away." He gently squeezed her hands as a stray tear escaped his eye and rolled down his cheek. "We'll finish packing our bags when you get home tonight and we'll get the Hell away from this shithole of a city. I want you to experience a better life than what this place has to offer and I want to explore it all with you. I love you, Ani," he assured her. He lifted both of her hands to his lips, placing a kiss on the back of each.

Bellz (Ani)

Gabriel Moretti's Office
~ Murray Hill, Manhattan ~

Gabriel Moretti

It would have been easy to put a bullet in Teddy's skull or throw him to the dogs, were he not considered a part of the family. The likes of Elvian, Valentina and Tony fighting the tortured young man's corner made it even harder for Gabriel to shun the man. It was true that Teddy had to work hard to regain Gabriel's full trust again and to replace the missing stock, but all things considered, it could have gone much worse for Teddy. Along with Tony, Teddy had been sent out on various debt collecting jobs over the last couple of weeks. Teddy's smooth-talking needed to be taken advantage of and Tony would be there to finish up when the talking had failed.

Gabriel had other things to focus on today. Whilst he was preparing to bring Maddox in for a progress report in the coming days, there was another meeting that was to take priority for the moment. It was the matter of putting an end to James Porter. Any lingering doubts Gabriel had about killing James had been throw out a couple of nights ago during a conversation with Valentina. After berating her father for not being sensitive enough to Teddy's plight, she reminded Gabriel of who the real enemy was. Valentina hadn't held back in reminding her father of every family member who perished in the explosion the Porters set up a few years ago. She demanded to know how much longer she had to wait until the man responsible was dead. Whilst Gabriel put his daughter back in her place and forced her to back down, he did take her words seriously. Gabriel knew it was time to deal with James Porter.

With Stefano otherwise occupied, Gabriel had requested Rhys and Alistair attended the meeting. Gabriel and Rhys arrived at the apartment a couple of hours before Alistair was due, with the Italian boss taking some time to look over a map of the city as he pointed out their most valuable parts of the city, as well as the businesses he had in his sights to seize control over. When Alistair did arrive, he would be granted access to the apartment by the two armed guards standing in front of the door.

"Alistair, take a seat," Gabriel greeted his associate, giving the man a firm handshake. Though he kept in mind Rhys' previous concerns that the East Harlem boss may well betray them one day, he didn't acknowledge it as he offered them both a seat on the sofa. There were drinks on the coffee table and Gabriel didn't feel the need to invite them to help themselves, assuming they knew to do so without some pleasant invitation. "As I mentioned during our call, we're here to discuss the imminent demise of James Porter. My good friend Rhys has an idea of how to do so and I think it's something your men could assist him with, Alistair," Gabriel explained, prompting Rhys to elaborate...

Enzyme (Rhys)

Pyroclast (Alistair)

Porter Family Home
~ Bayside, Queens ~

Conor Sullivan

For the last month, Conor had been all over the place, mentally. He'd gone from feeling proud of himself for taking an intelligent route in dealing with Maddox, to grieving for the loss of one of his closest friends, Ryan. He'd felt himself being torn apart as he acted the controlled man in charge of getting Syd out of hospital whilst in the confines of his own home he was a mess. With so much weighing him down, it had only been a matter of days before Conor turned to the bottle just to block out his thoughts and to get some sleep for just one night. Although he'd made a point of drinking at home, to avoid any possible fights were he in the pub, he still felt like he'd failed. Not wanting to risk losing Aliana and Leo again, he knew he needed to fight to stop himself from falling back into his old ways.

Two weeks into his grief over Ryan's death, Conor attended his counselling session with Maddox. The sessions had been continuing purely to keep up the act for the benefit of the Morettis should they been watching. It had been Conor's intention to only use the appointments to check up on Maddox and to gain as much information as he could about the Morettis. As much as it pained him and embarrassed him to admit, Conor had ended up seeking Maddox's guidance to keep himself from becoming what he'd worked so hard to get away from. The counsellor found it easy to help Conor, despite the barrier that had been built up between them since he admitted to his deceit. He liked to think he was helping Conor to get through his grief in a healthy way, but he wasn't about to start congratulating himself. He knew he had more repenting to do before he could consider his conscience anywhere close to clear.

Conor had grown confident that Syd would be getting out of the hospital soon, having looked into the effort Maddox and Dr. Henderson were making. This gave Conor some time to attend Ryan's funeral in Chicago. He'd been aware of the enemies Ryan had collected over in California, but he knew any kind of retaliation would have dire consequences, so such a matter could never be rushed. Instead, he spent the days in his birthplace contemplating the loss of his close, childhood friend. After giving Ryan a good old send off, Conor had taken the opportunity to visit his father, Emmet's grave. He'd spent some time there alone, using the moments to remind himself of how much he owed to his family and how he could only succeed if he stayed level-headed. He eventually left Chicago without his good friend, Ryan, but gained further motivation to make sure his family won their war against the Morettis.

Conor had been back home a few days and today was the day Syd was finally getting out of the hospital. Maddox had kept to his word and had put in overtime to get Syd released, whilst trying his hardest to keep Moretti sweet. Now, Conor was sat in the lounge of the Porters house, along with Aliana, Jackson and Blake, as they awaited Syd returning to the house with James and Lucy. Despite his relief and joy at his nephew getting out of the hospital, Conor still couldn't shift the grief that was lingering within him. The children were in high spirits and usually Conor would join in to only further encourage their playful natures, but today the noise was grating on him. His head was pounding as his grief and concerns occupied his thoughts. How many more friends and loved ones would he lose before his family could relax? How would James want him to deal with Maddox once the counsellor had done his job in helping Syd get out? Would Syd resent Conor for not killing the counsellor? He believed he'd done the right thing and it had paid off because Syd was to be let out, but how could he explain that he now wanted to keep to his own end of the bargain and spare Maddox?

As the kids continued to play in the lounge, Conor massaged his forehead before glancing between the other adults, shaking his head to show the high-spirited commotion was draining him. "Kids! Go play out in the garden, would ya? Uncle Jimbo's dogs haven't been walked today, so give them all some exercise. It's an order, not a request!" he told them, though it was mostly aimed at Leo before the boy attempted to argue. Conor's eyes briefly fixed on the cigarette box on the fireplace which probably belonged to James. Smoking had never interested Conor and it still didn't. He always found it interesting that many of his family and friends smoked, especially when they were stressed. It was apparently a more socially acceptable output of stress than his methods of getting drunk were.

Conor looked at his watch before speaking up to no one in particular. "What time did they say they'd be back? I feel like I've been sat here for hours," he remarked, hoping nothing concerning was holding up Syd's return.

Enzyme (Jackson)

Bellz (Blake)

Melanin-Gxdess (Aliana)

Currently Active Cast:

Melanin-Gxdess @Fletchawk @RayPurchase

Bugsy

@RayPurchase (Marcus) - TBA

Misty Gray · Mar 25, 2020

Chapter 13: To Kill a Patriarch
Friday 5th November 1971
...2 weeks later...
Early Evening/Sunset - Cold, Breezy, Overcast
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Porter Family Apartment
~ Upper East Side, Manhattan ~

Warren Taylor

Despite Keegan's murder and approaching funeral, Warren had managed to get himself some freedom over the last couple of weeks. Granted, it had come with much argument and him having to admit to his older brother that he was seeing someone. Whilst he was free to date who he wanted, the fact Simone was already tied up to the mob and lived in the same building James' apartment was located in was considered complicated. Still, at least her place was considered safe enough for Warren to be in.

Warren had spent the night with Simone and the pair hadn't got out of bed until the afternoon. After both had a quick shower, Warren proceeded to get dressed, using those few minutes to consider how he was going to approach the next conversation. "So, I've got to head across to James' place now. I'm already late and there's a lot going on tonight," he began. With the plans to rescue Roxie and deal with Maddox, James had requested Warren's presence and assistance in maintaining communications. "Tomorrow we could go out for dinner..." he trailed off as he fastened the buttons of his shirt.

"Could doesn't sound very committal. I'm going to need something more definite than that, else I might just find myself a better offer." She tightened the towel around her body before turning to him and placing her hands on his shoulders. She leaned in towards him, as if about to kiss his lips, but quickly pulled back as soon as he took the bait. "Should I book us a table for tomorrow?" she suggestively asked, keeping him at arms length.

"Of course. You're the boss!" Warren agreed, flashing her a playful smirk. As Simone relaxed her arms, he moved in to passionately kiss her.

*****

James Porter and Warren Taylor

James had been busy and up late the previous night. It had been busy in his home's office as he ran through the plans for the two main jobs his family were to be carrying out. Jackson and Syd were leading Roxie's rescue mission. Meanwhile, Conor and Peter were to deal with Maddox. If the counsellor had crossed the family again, the orders were for him to be brought in so James could deal with him. He was aware of how delicate a situation it was, for if anything happened to Maddox, it was highly likely Conor would pay the price and be thrown back into jail. As much as James wanted to slaughter Maddox, he preferred the second possibility, the one where Maddox had been honest with them and Roxie would be found. If that was the case, then the orders were for Maddox to be put under protection for the remainder of Conor's parole. After that, James had no interest in the counsellor's safety. The Morettis could do whatever they wanted to him once he'd served his purpose to the Porters.

James had been slightly annoyed with Warren for not getting to the apartment on time that day, but he soon let it go as he became aware he'd hardly given his brother much room to breathe lately. James had spent most of the day out on business, but for the rest of the day he needed to stay reach of the telephone as he awaited updates on various different missions that were going on that evening. "You planning on telling Mum about your new girlfriend, then?" James asked Warren. Though he was teasing and there was a smile with his words, it was clear James was forcing out the light-hearted conversation to mask his deep stress.

"Ah, come on. It's not official or anything like that, yet. Just two people having a bit of fun..." Warren assured him. He sat down on the leather sofa and turned his head sideways to look to his older brother. "So, did you say Lucy was heading over soon? You both doing alright?" he curiously asked.

"Yeah, I'm expecting Luce shortly... We're both good, but all of this shit going on is becoming exhausting... for both of us," James admitted. He tapped his fingers against the empty coffee mug whilst massaging his forehead with his free hand. "How about you make yourself useful and make us both another coffee?" he asked, forcing a smirk.

Warren sat back and put his feet up on the coffee table. "Nah, mate. It's your turn. I made the last two! You're not the boss of me," he teased.

"Wow. I'm telling Mum!" James joked, despite struggling to shift his concern about Syd and Jackson.

Mentions:

Bellz (Lucy) @Fletchawk (Owen)

Porter Family Home
~ Bayside, Queens ~

Sinead Callahan

Sinead had had a spring in her step when Peter agreed to try for another baby with her. Although her husband hadn't been on the same wavelength until recently, it was something she had been wanting for quite some time. She just hoped their recent efforts would be quick to reward them. Her own excitement was held back upon finding out that Roxie had been kidnapped. Peter was already looking set to become more protective were she to become pregnant, but he'd stepped it up a gear after hearing about what was happening to Syd's pregnant girlfriend. The thought of something happening to Roxie and the baby concerned Sinead greatly. She prayed that they would make it out safe and well. The thought of the unborn child being harmed was deeply upsetting to Sinead and it was slowly opening up old wounds, ones she'd never been able to fully overcome.

With their husbands all out of various jobs, Sinead, Aliana and Blake were all together at the Porters' house, along with all of the children. Gwen was home too, but Sinead had hardly seen much of the fellow redhead, but it wasn't uncommon. Sinead sat on the sofa with Olivia standing in front of her as she plaited the blonde girl's hair. "Sweetie, I'm convinced you think I'm your personal hair stylist, because every time I'm over here, you make me do your hair," she lightly teased the child. "Not that I'm complaining. It's a long time since Savvy let me plait her hair and Emmy was never a willing model to begin with," he remarked. Once the plait was finished, Sinead tied the end with a small hair elastic and light;y tapped the girl's shoulder. "Okay, you're good to go. Make sure those boys aren't making a mess in the garden."

Once Olivia and any other children had left, Sinead sat back and looked to the two other women. She didn't want to overthink and start worrying about their husbands who were out on dangerous jobs. Instead, she thought about the one prospect that was keeping her positive throughout their families troubles. "Oh, how I miss having little ones of my own," she mused aloud, though the uncontrollable smile on her face made it clear something was keeping her happy. "Children are just the best! Do you ladies think you'll each have more children? Little brothers or sisters for Leo and Natasha?" she curiously asked.

Melanin-Gxdess (Aliana)

Bellz (Blake)

Moretti's Office/Apartment
~ Murray Hill, Manhattan ~

Gabriel Moretti

As expected, Maddox had taken the bait Stefano had laid out for him. Gabriel was a cold, ruthless businessman and his primary goal was to rip the city from under the Porters' feet. Even so, it was disappointing to have it confirmed that Maddox had betrayed him. The men had worked together for years, with the Italian growing to respect and even care about the counsellor. They'd both lost loved ones at the hands of the Porters and it was on that basis that had helped Gabriel form a supposedly mutual alliance with Maddox. That's what made the man's double-crossing harder to accept and it was why he would enjoy personally delivering a slow, painful death to the filthy little rat.

Seated on the couch across from Alistair, Gabriel lit up a cigar and offered one to his close associate. The Italian then sat back as he placed the cigar in his mouth. He glanced to the soldiers guarding the door in the distance, before looking back to the East Harlem boss. He removed the stick from his mouth, holding it between this thumb, index and middle finger. "What a disappointment he turned out to be," Gabriel spoke upon, subtly shaking his head. "I'd grown quite fond of Dr. Parker over the years. Grew to consider him a decent man and even sympathised with his cause. That's what makes his betrayal difficult to accept. That's why he will suffer for crossing us." Gabriel took another drag from the cigar before leaning forward and balancing it on the edge of the crystal ashtray. "He will suffer a slow and painful death. I had hoped Ani would be found in time so she could get to witness what she caused. I suspect it was that whorish witch's influence that caused Parker to turn weak and pathetic. If only we'd let her burn with her loony brother."

It had only been that morning that Gabriel had received official confirmation of Maddox's betrayal. His office telephone had been bugged and a call the counsellor had with Conor Sullivan had been tapped into. Though cleverly vague, it had been more than enough to know the Porters were planning on rescuing Roxie and that Maddox had been the one to divulge her location. Since then, Gabriel had ordered his men to deliver Maddox to his office - and still breathing. Gabriel wanted to personally make sure the counsellor suffered for crossing him.

It wasn't all bad that day, as Gabriel was anticipating confirmation of James Porter's assassination. As fulfilling as it would have been to watch his biggest enemy die in front of him, Gabriel was by now content to be rid of the mob boss no matter the method. With James gone, it would be easy to take advantage of the chaos and upset. The city was practically in his and his allies' hands. One by one, they would pluck the other key members out from the Porter ranks until there was nothing left but whimpering children and their weak-minded mothers. The empire was about to crumble and those left standing would be knocked down, ready to be trampled over.

Pyroclast (Alistair)

The Emerald Pub
~ Midtown, Manhattan ~

Rachel Harris

The last couple of weeks had been stressful for Rachel. Her brother, Noah, had been hospitalised in the prison infirmary after being severely injured when a group of inmates beat him up. Though the prison reports concluded it had been an equal fight which Noah had lost, Rachel had dragged the truth out of the brother. He wasn't the only Sullivan-affiliated prisoner who had been hurt in recent weeks. Rachel knew it was the Morettis flexing their power and sending a message to the Porters - in particular, to Conor. It was only a matter of time before they managed to kill her brother and Rachel felt like she was living each day expecting the call from the prison. Given Noah's impulsive and controversial nature, Rachel knew she couldn't blame anyone but him for his current predicament. It made it difficult to resent the Porters for what was happening, but still, she hated that her brother was practically a sitting duck and being used to send a message to the mob about Moretti's growing power.

Rachel had decided the take the night off from running the pub and had invited Mitch to spend some time out together that evening. Before heading out to dinner, they'd arranged to meet at the Emerald as Rachel had moved into the apartment above the pub couple of weeks ago. With her cousin moving away, Rachel had no need for the larger apartment they'd been occupying and considering she was becoming part of the furniture at the pub, it seemed easier to move in.

Rachel sat by the bar as she sipped from her glass of wine. She was expecting Mitch at any moment, but in the meantime, she was occupied enough observing the game of darts two of the regulars were playing.

@RayPurchase (Mitch)

Teddy's Apartment
~ Manhattan, NYC ~

Valentina Moretti

Valentina had been fully aware of the situation with Teddy. She'd been horrified to see what the Porters had done to him when they got hold of him all of those weeks ago. Despite appreciating her father's business and hating anything that benefited the Irish thugs who had killed her family years earlier, she held no ill will towards Teddy. Along with her mother and Tony especially, she'd been fighting the man's corner and defending him to her father at every opportunity. Teddy was family and beneath Gabriel's cold treatment, Valentina knew her father still had some kindness for him. If he didn't, then Teddy would surely have been killed before now.

The youngest Moretti child felt she had something in common with Teddy at the moment and that was a need to prove herself to Gabriel. She had so many ideas for the business and had been out doing her own research for ways to help the Morettis take their rightful place in New York. The tricky part was trying to get her father to spare some time to listen to her. In fact, she'd had to arrange an official meeting with Gabriel the following day to discuss her plan. Whilst she knew he was testing her and seeing how hard she would fight to impress him, Valentina found her father's ways too formal at times.

Standing outside Teddy's door, Valentina knocked heavily to gain the man's attention. In her free hand, she clutched at a folder containing some paperwork she'd compiled to present to Gabriel the following day. She was happy with her research, but she wanted Teddy's input. Perhaps they could both work together and impress Mr. Moretti at the same time. "Get your lazy ass to the door, Teddy!" Valentina called out.

Melanin-Gxdess (Teddy)
@RayPurchase (Marcus) [Let me know if you don't have capacity to play Marcus this chapter]

Currently Active Cast:

Melanin-Gxdess @RayPurchase @Fletchawk

Misty Gray · Apr 19, 2020

Chapter 14: Thanksgiving
Thursday 25th November 1971
...20 days later…
Evening - Cold, Rain, Wind
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Callahan Family Home
~ Forest Hills, Queens ~

Sinead Callahan

Sinead had been deeply upset when she learned Savannah had killed someone. Although she knew her daughter only did it in self-defence, she was terrified it would affect her daughter's mental health and her confidence to follow her aspirations. The last thing she wanted was for Savannah to end up like her; in and out of counselling, or on and off of medication because of how her traumas affected her psychological well-being. Sinead wanted the best for her children, which included wanting them to live safely and free to follow their dreams. She couldn't help but feel like she'd failed her eldest daughter after she'd promised so many years ago that her baby girl would be shielded from the darkness of the world.

Despite the terrible circumstances, Sinead couldn't deny she did enjoy having her eldest children living back at the house. With everything going on with the family business, it was both comforting and a nice distraction having the house more lively again. Catching up with her kids and making bigger meals for her family had kept her occupied despite the hundreds of worries floating around in her head. Despite what had happened, Savannah seemed to be coping better than Sinead expected and despite demanding more escorts protecting her daughter, she'd been glad Savannah was still going ahead with rehearsals and modelling. She had also liked having the opportunity to meet and converse with Danny. She'd been concerned upon hearing of how he made a living through his involvement with the family business, but she couldn't deny he seemed like a sweet boy who cared for Savannah.

Today was Thanksgiving and Sinead was looking forward to heading to her sister's house for a big family dinner that evening. Before then, she had a gift for Peter than she'd been waiting since the day before to surprise him with. As they began to get dressed up for their evening with the family, Sinead stood gazing admiringly at the red dress she'd laid out on the bed to wear for the party. She hadn't had many opportunities to get dressed up lately, so she was going to make the most of this opportunity. She stroked the material of the dress before turning to Peter and sending him a bright smile.

"Okay, Petey. Seeing as today is such a special day, I thought, why not make it even more special?" she sweetly told him. She stepped closer and took both of his hands in hers as she looked up to gaze into his eyes. "Honey, you're going to be a daddy again! I'm like, already four weeks pregnant and we're going to have a little baby in time for summer!" she excitedly told him, bouncing on her tiptoes. "Isn't this amazing?" she asked. She suddenly released Peter's hands as she brought her hand to her mouth to try hold back the emotions that suddenly took over her. As she became choked up with sobs, it would be reasonable to assume she was overcome with tears of joy.

As Sinead sat back on the bed and hid her face behind her hands, it became clear the overwhelming cries were not as straightforward as her deep happiness. She forced herself to move her hands away and look up to face Peter. "I'm so scared, Petey. What if something--" She stopped and used her sleeve to rub the tears out from her eyes. "I need to tell you something and I just pray you can forgive me..." she said, her face practically pleading with him.

Bellz (Peter)

Savannah & Emery Callahan

Amanda-Seyfried-Stewart-Shining-photoshoot-2008-849.jpg

Savannah had been grateful for the support her family and friends had given her since she'd killed the man in the arcade. She was sure she wouldn't have been able to cope with what she'd done without the people she cared about helping her through it. As much as she missed her independence, she'd quite liked living with her family and catching up with them all. She was also glad Danny had been able to hang out with her at the house. Her family seemed to like and accept him, which certainly helped take one worry away from her. He wasn't going to be around for Thanksgiving as he'd travelled to Bombay to visit his parents. Savannah couldn't deny she missed him, but at least she was able to busy herself and keep her mind focused away from the considerable guilt she still felt for killing another human being.

Rehearsals and photoshoots had been a great distraction, but now she'd been granted a few days off to celebrate the holidays with her family. They were due to be heading to the Porters' house for dinner, but Savannah knew her mother would take longer to get ready to leave. Having gotten closer to her mother again whilst living back at home, Sinead had let Savannah in on her secret already in a bid to give her some good news for a change. It had worked and Savannah was happy with the news that she was going to have a baby brother or sister.

As the three Callahan siblings waited for their parents to be ready, Emery made a request for Savannah to play some music to pass the time. The redheaded teenager laid across the sofa as she listened to her sister playing the piano and singing along to 'Imagine' by John Lennon. Anyone who'd spent long enough in the Callahan house lately knew it was a shared favourite song of Sinead's and Savannah's.

Mentions:

Bellz (Braden)

Pyroclast (Danny)

Gabriel Moretti's Office
~ Murray Hill, Manhattan ~

Gabriel Moretti

What should have been a day of multiple victories three weeks ago had turned out to be nothing but a colossal failure. Gabriel had decided to see past the failed attempt on James' life, trusting the men who had been directly involved with the plan to not mess up again. However the fact Maddox managed to escape had been a blow, considering his capture was meant to be straightforward. Then he learned not on that Syd and Roxie had got away from Stefano alive and well, but Stefano himself had been killed in the process. The death of one of his closest associates had not gone down well with Gabriel and frankly he was still angry about it. One thing for sure, was that he intended to attack the Porters again, but he was going to make sure the didn't rush into the retaliation. He wanted a calculated and meticulous plan that would take the Irish down for good, with no chance of more rats rising from the rubble to dare challenge the Morettis again.

Part of his plan to secure more business and associates was the reason he'd called Rhys, Teddy and Tatiana to his office for a meeting. It wasn't that he didn't care about Thanksgiving, but he believed there was no such thing as a holiday where his business was concerned. Besides, he'd had lunch with his family and he was sure they'd have drinks later that evening. Business was far more pressing. Tatiana was already at the office, on account they'd travelled there together from their house. He didn't doubt Rhys would arrived promptly and if Teddy knew what was good for him, he wouldn't dare be late. After further requests from his family, Gabriel had decided it was time to give Teddy a chance to prove himself and make up for his mistakes towards the business.

The only thing that had seemed to go right three weeks ago came from an unlikely suspect, Valentina. She'd proposed they took ownership of a pub which could prove beneficial to the business and in forging allies within the NYPD. Negotiations were due to take place, but Gabriel didn't have the slightest doubt the bar would be in his possession before the new year.

Gabriel sat down in his armchair and poured himself a brandy, holding out the decanter to offer Tatiana a drink. "Tell me, Tatiana. Do you miss Miami?" he asked. His tone sounded curious, but most people knew that most of Gabriel's questions had purpose rather than being small talk to fill the time.

Pyroclast (Tatiana)

Melanin-Gxdess (Teddy)

Enzyme (Rhys)

Porter Family Home
~ Bayside, Queens ~

George Sanderson

George was both nervous and excited about his first Thanksgiving with Finn's family, despite knowing most of them well enough by now. Although he had known many of them from over a decade ago back in Dublin, he hadn't been present for such a large gathering with them. Ultimately, the greatest thing he was thankful for was the loving relationship he had with Finn. With Finn in his life, anything else was just a bonus. Still, George had time to be thankful for all of the other gifts in his life. His friendships with the Callahans, Sullivans and Porters were something he never imagined he'd have, especially during the ten years he spent locked up in a prison cell being treated like dirt. He was also grateful for his and Finn's decision to move to New York. Since then, George had found two forms of employment. One was teaching adult evening classes and the other was tutoring the children at the Porters' house. Even Emery had managed to claim some of his time for Maths tuition, which he gladly gave as he believed she was smarter than she cared to admit so he wanted to unlock her academic talents.

When they arrived at the Porters' house and Finn had parked the car, George couldn't help but peer out of the window as the rain poured down onto the gravel driveway. "We should have brought an umbrella. My hair's going to be ruined!" he joked and flashed a playful grin. As soon as they stepped out of the car, George ran through the rain to the sheltered porch of the house, hopping up the steps before turning to face Finn. He looked into the man's eyes, admiring how the rain would never dampen the handsome man's looks. He blushed a little before nodding towards the front door, biting his lip with a brief apprehension. "You're sure they've set a place for me at the table? I don't want to outstay my welcome," he nervously asked. He wasn't completely sure where the sudden nerves came from, but he assumed it was a product of not having many large family gatherings. Even all of those years ago when his parents hadn't yet disowned him, the holidays were never much fun, with the Church and his father always managing to put a downer on even a child's Christmas.

Bellz (Finn)

Currently Active Cast:

Melanin-Gxdess @Fletchawk @RayPurchase

Misty Gray · Jun 26, 2020

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

Gabriel Moretti

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

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

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

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

Enzyme (Rhys)

Melanin-Gxdess (Elvian, Teddy) @RayPurchase (Marcus)

Pyroclast (Tatiana)

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Conor Sullivan

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

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

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

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

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

Enzyme (Rhys)

Bellz (Peter)

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Sinead Callahan and Adam Harper

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bellz (Peter, Rebel, Brooklyn)

Melanin-Gxdess (Aliana)

James Porter

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

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

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

Bellz (Lucy)

The Olympia Hotel - Parking Lot
~ Midtown, Manhattan ~

Ethan Turner

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

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

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

@RayPurchase (Tony)

Enzyme (Amato)

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Jasmine Carpenter

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

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

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

Enzyme (Jackson)

Pyroclast (Chase) @RayPurchase (Johnny)

Currently Active Cast:

Melanin-Gxdess @RayPurchase @Fletchawk

Misty Gray · Jul 31, 2020

Chapter 16: Not a Soul Left Unscathed - Part 1
Saturday 19th February 1972
...3 days later…
Evening - Dry, Mild, Clear skies
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New York City Hospital - Parking Lot
~ Lenox Hill, Manhattan ~

Gabriel Moretti

The evening of the auction had proved to Gabriel that the Sullivans were beyond reason. Lacking the intelligence to see when they were fighting a war they would lose. As if Conor's stubbornness hadn't drilled the message home enough, there was the damage the Irish bunch had done to his vehicles. However, all of that paled in comparison to sickening move they had taken when they had Valentina hospitalised following a violent attack. The bastards who claim to have humanity, yet wiped out most of the Moretti family. The same bastards who still acted as though they were on the more decent side of the war, whilst his defenceless daughter was brutally attacked. The night of the auction had been the giant ignition to the burning war which had been threatened for quite some time. Gabriel hadn't intended to destroy the city he wished to conquer, but if it meant flushing out the rats, it would be worth the expense of rebuilding anything which fell.

Although retaliation towards the Irish Mob was on the cards as soon as Conor and Peter refused Gabriel's generous offer, the attack on Valentina had pushed the Morettis to take more decisive and severe action. Their businesses would be decimated with little regard for those taken down along the way. Their associates and partners would be shown the dangers of associating with the rats. Not only did Gabriel want to destroy the enemy's business, but he wanted the Sullivans to hand over to him those who had laid a hand on his daughter. He wouldn't rest until he'd witnessed their suffering.

Gabriel had been back and forth between his office and the hospital. Plans had to be made to ensure the attacks on the Irish Mob were carried out successfully and he had made sure to give out his orders directly, to make sure there was no confusion among his employees or allies. Gabriel had brought Marcus along with him, fully aware his son needed more of an active role within the business, especially with Valentina's well-being hitting each member of the family hard. With Tatiana on a mission to try extract information from one of the mob's own employees, Marcus was to accompany his father in orchestrating the plan of attack against the Sullivans.

Once everything was set in place, Gabriel and Marcus were able to return to the hospital once more. The drive there was no longer filled with Gabriel going over the plans that were about to be put into action, which meant a silence filled the vehicle. Elvian had been cold and distant with Gabriel over the last few days, which the man took as confirmation she was still blaming him for not protecting their daughter. Something he knew was his responsibility for but was no longer something he could change. He could only change how he was treating their enemy from now on and hopefully protect his family better in the future.

Gabriel was also aware of the fact Marcus had been holding something back for days too. After pulling the car into a spot in the hospital parking lot, Gabriel switched off the engine but didn't move to get out of the car. He figured once they were back with the rest of the family, he wouldn't get an opportunity to speak to Marcus in private. He turned to his son and looked the young man in the eyes before nodding his head. "Now would be a good opportunity for you to get it off your chest. I can tell there's a lot going on in that head of yours," he calmly invited Marcus to speak out.

@RayPurchase (Marcus)

New York City Hospital
~ Lenox Hill, Manhattan ~

Valentina Moretti

Valentina had been in the hospital for the last three days, since she'd been attacked and then found unconscious on the street by a concerned members of the public. For the last couple of days, she'd been in and out of consciousness. Even when she was awake and aware enough of her surroundings, she was too tired and confused to say much at all, simply giving light nods or shakes of her head when pushed to. At times, she was grateful for being so tired as it saved her from having to try to piece together the fragmented memories that had been returning to the front of her mind. Although she was sure the recollections were real and accurate, she was having to try fit them together in order, but doing that meant having to relive the attack in her own head. Even though returning her a state of sleep was an escape, even those rewards were temporary as her dreams were a cruel mix of her memories and something intensely surreal no doubt bought on by both the concussion and the painkillers.

As the evening progressed, the persistent heaviness in her eyes was wearing off, along with sleep no long being a readily available option. With a more alert frame of mind, she'd also been able to piece together her ordeal with more certainly, for all of the grief that brought her. She opened her eyes more than she had in days, though the bruising and swelling around her right eye made it difficult to open that one fully. She glanced down to her left hand to see the cast that had been fitted to aid the healing of her broken wrist. The pain was very real, yet she felt detached from herself, like it was someone else's arm she was looking at. She looked up, allowing her eyes to scan the room before they rested on Elvian and Teddy. In her half-conscious state, she'd picked up bits of her family's conversations over the course of the day. Angry words about revenge and suffering. Heated tones of voices that were laced with venom. She couldn't blame her loved ones for feeling that way - she felt it herself. Amongst the fear and heartache, she was angry too. "Mamma," she spoke out, looking for Elvian's hand with her own healthy one. She then looked to Teddy, sending him a nod. On a normal day, she might have been embarrassed about him seeing her in such a state, but any thoughts of personal grooming and looking presentable were far from her concern. Besides, there was something of an understanding, as it was only a few months ago that she had seen him in a beaten and humiliated state. She looked back to Elvian as her mind seemed to fall back down to Earth with a thud, knowing everything she was feeling was a reality. "Where's Papà? Marcus and Tati?" she asked, gasping for air as the intense pain in the side of her skull began to hit her. She lifted her hand to her head, almost ripping the IV out from under her skin. "When are they coming back?" she anxiously asked, forcing the words out whilst struggling to catch her breath back. She seemed to recall they'd been there earlier, but she hadn't been in a state to say anything to them.

As if on cue, the room door was opened by the young female nurse who entered the room along with the middle-aged male doctor. As the nurse set about checking Valentina's heart rate and blood pressure, the doctor set about shining a light into his patient's eyes along with asking some straightforward enough questions to observe the young woman's speech and memory. Despite still feeling groggy and her throat being dry, her answers gave no cause for concern as far as any brain injuries were concerned. Valentina was sure she could have told the doctor that to begin with, but she knew he was just doing his job. "It just hurts," she said, bringing her hand to her head. "Everything just hurts" she firmly told him, the tears lingering in her eyes. The doctor nodded his head and after telling everyone he was satisfied there were no immediate concerns of brain injury following the concussion, he gave the nurse instructions to administer more painkillers.

Valentina watched as the two medical staff then left the room. Her vision was still cloudy, but partly due to her eyes feeling raw and watering. She made out the figure of one of the two police officers who had been waiting outside the room. She was sure she recalled them already showing up and being told to leave by her family, but she knew there was still a chance that had been part of some other weird dream she'd had. Valentina tried to sit up, but failed as the pain in his ribs was intensified by the sudden movement. She took Elvian's hand again and looked to her mother. "Get rid of them. I won't talk to them without Papà here. They need to fuck off," she lowly muttered. She remembered enough to give them her statement by that point, but she wouldn't do it without Gabriel present. If they twisted her words or somehow tried to manipulate things, she wanted him to be there as witness.

Valentina turned her head to look to Teddy, letting out a sigh as she focused on his face. "I bet you had better things in mind for your weekend than this, huh?" she drily asked. Despite her flat tone, she was glad for his presence. If not to support her, then at least to keep her mother company.

Melanin-Gxdess (Elvian, Teddy)

Savannah's Apartment
~ Lenox Hill, Manhattan ~

Savannah Callahan

Savannah didn't like to jinx things, but she couldn't help but think things had been looking up for her lately. There were so many good things happening that it was easy to forget the terrible things that had happened to her and her family recently. She tried not to think about the man she had killed months ago, finally accepting she had no choice but to defend herself. Her family had done everything to assure her that what she had done would never come back to haunt her - or at least, she wouldn't be haunted by it outside of her own conscience.

There had been so much hope that even before her evening with Danny had started, she had a spring in her step. With Sinead pregnant, she was going to have a new baby sibling and Aliana was also going to gift her with a new little cousin. As if that hadn't been enough joy, the twins had been born healthy just three days ago. Savannah had excitedly visited the twins in hospital the night before, practically melting at the sight of the adorable tiny girls. Then, when Syd and Roxie had asked her to be the girls' godmother, she had to do everything in her will to stop herself from fainting. Of course, she hadn't hesitated to accept, after she'd stopped crying little tears of joy.

With everything going on and auditions for her role in another upcoming theatre musical, it hadn't been possible for Savannah to spend Valentine's Day with Danny, so they'd arranged to spend time together this evening. Although Braden was often out and about, she never knew when he'd return to the apartment. After being warned by her family not to venture anywhere risky during escalating tensions with the Morettis, she had to be more creative in her plans for date night. In a moment of inspiration, she'd decided to set up a date for them on the roof of her apartment block. In the summer, it made a perfect sunbathing spot, and in those evenings, it was a good place to hold outdoor gatherings with her friends. Granted, February lacked the same kind of heat those summer nights brought with them, but she decided that wouldn't stop her.

Savannah had set up the table and chairs out on the roof, with the fairy lights lit up along the edge of the wall that overlooked the city from four storeys above. On the kitchen counter was a bottle of wine and a picnic basket of snacks, not to mention a couple of thick blankets she'd folded up ready. Whilst she waited for Danny to arrive, she sat reading her script ready for her next rehearsals on Monday.

She hoped Danny had taken her seriously when she told him to wrap up warm, as she wasn't sure Braden would appreciate her letting Danny borrow his hat and scarf.

Pyroclast (Danny)

Currently Active Cast:

Misty Gray · Sep 6, 2020

Chapter 16: Not a Soul Left Unscathed - Part 2
Sunday 20th February 1972
...Next day…
Evening - Dry, Mild, Clear skies

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Moretti Base - Basement
~ Tribeca, Manhattan ~

Gabriel Moretti

The florescent strip-light lit the otherwise miserable and damp basement room. The 15'x15' room was relatively bare. Against one wall, an old metal table had various knives, blades and tools set out. In the corner a large bucket filled with water. The centre of the room was a focal point, where Isac sat restrained to an old wooden chair, his wrists bound by heavy duty tape to the arms of the seat. Dressed in only his boxer shorts, the shivering Romanian's exposed chest showed the heavy bruising from the beating he'd taken when he'd first been dragged to the heavily-guarded Tribeca base late the previous night. The bleeding mouth was the result of Gabriel's fist, as was the rapidly forming bruising around Isac's throat from the Italian's tight, suffocating grip.

Gabriel, as well as Teddy and Marcus, had been in the basement for a couple of hours. Though there had been some physical torture to accompany the mental, it had all been just a warm-up. Clearly, the easy path had been rejected by Isac, as the man had refused to answer his boss' questions. Gabriel was a patient man, but he was also one who valued his own time, so the fact his the Romanian was wasting it was wearing thin. "I told you, Boss. You're got the wrong guy. I've known your family since way back in Miami and I would never hurt Valentina," he pleaded. Although he saw the way Gabriel's eyes burned deeper when he said Valentina's name, Isac continued, forcing a tone of desperation into his voice. "Please. She must be mistaken. She was messed up pretty bad, yeah?" he tried to reason.

"No! I trust my daughter's recollections are accurate. You were a man I allowed into my home and to protect my family. She's seen your face many times over the years. Not to mention she recognised that crooked nose and hideous tattoo of yours." Gabriel threw a heavy knuckle into the side of the Romanian's nose, the heavy crack echoing in the room to confirm the man's nose had just been broken. "You have no alibi. None of your friends or colleagues can vouch for were you were that evening. But, you were one of the few who held the knowledge of where my daughter would be. Plus, it has come to my attention that you had been expressing impatience and criticism for my methods - you wished for the war with the Irish to erupt."

"You're wrong..." Isac began to argue, the blood from his nose sneaking into his mouth as he spoke. He was silenced as Gabriel pressed a strong hand against his face, forcing his head to turn sideways and any resistance against the Italian's powerful hold to be useless. With his free right hand, Gabriel grabbed the gas lighter from the back pocket of his trousers. His eyes were focused on the serpent tattoo above the left ear of the Romanian's shaved head. Igniting the flame, Gabriel allowed it to touch the man's tattooed skin, the fire melting the man's flesh on contact. Isac screamed out in pain and struggled in his seat, unable to move his head in any direction as Gabriel's hold continued to restrict any movement.

Gabriel's eyes remained focused on the man as he kept burning away at the skin until he'd destroyed the whole tattoo. He extinguished the flame and moved the gas lighter away, letting go of the man's head and taking a step back to assess the damage. The skin where the tattoo had once been visible was now blackened, with clear, yellow-ish liquid seeping out of the wound. "Now that's an improvement. I always did hate that ugly tattoo," Gabriel hissed at the man. "I'll ask my question again. Who was the man you were with?"

Once the shock of the attack wore down, Isac realised most of the pain from the burn had died out, along with many of the nerve endings at the location of the deep burn. Still, his broken nose was throbbing in pain and he was aware things were likely to get worse. No longer denying his involvement, but not explicitly admitting to it, he looked to Gabriel and then the other two men in the room. "Maybe Valentina was seeing things. Double-vision or something? I wasn't with anyone else."

Though the man had as good as confessed to his involvement, it wasn't enough considering Gabriel hadn't had any doubts anyway. However, the man's defiance was clear. Gabriel turned away and stepped closer to Marcus and Teddy. "Are my questions unclear?" he rhetorically asked them. "Maybe you should both ask him. Perhaps I'm wording it all wrong?" he sarcastically remarked. Knowing his son and Teddy wanted revenge and answers too, he was inviting them to go ahead and have at Isac.

Melanin-Gxdess (Teddy) @RayPurchase (Marcus)

Callahan Family Home
~ Forest Hills, Queens ~

Sinead Callahan

Sinead hadn't been prepared for the cops standing on her doorstep late last night. They'd informed her of the attack at her jazz club, telling her the building had been burned to the ground and apparently with no survivors from inside. Somehow the officers had still expected to get some kind of useful information out of her after breaking such news. All they received were shakes or nods of her head in response to anything they asked her. She couldn't speak, instead lost in her thoughts as she couldn't switch off from imagining how terrified everyone must have been before suffering a horrendous death. The police eventually gave in and left the shocked woman in peace.

Once she was alone in the house, only her thoughts were left to keep her company. The realisation that her employees and customers had lost their lives for her dream was heartbreaking. There was a part of her that believed she didn't deserve to be alive after people had been killed looking after her business for her, whilst she'd been sat deciding what colour scheme to have in the nursery. Her anxious pacing eventually led her into the music room and she was reminded how the world around her had repeatedly tainted her lifelong aspirations of performing. Starting from the night in 1948 when Vinnie Romano had a man butchered in her backstage dressing room, she felt like she'd been cursed, that people were always suffering around her. The anxiety soon spilled over, leading Sinead to make a mess of the music room; a place she wound usually go to relax. Shards of the glass vases were left scattered across the now scratched and dented glossy black piano. Pieces of paper from the torn up sheet music were scattered all over the wooden floor. Anything that had been on a shelf had found itself on the ground after being launched across the room.

Feeling like she needed air to breathe, Sinead had stormed out of the house and into her car. Her unconscious mind had naturally led her into Manhattan, where she abandoned her car as close to the police cordon as she could get it. She set eyes upon the charred and still smoking ruins of her burned out club. Sunrise had been still a couple of hours away, but it was as clear as daylight there was nothing left. Nobody was left. She could feel her heart breaking in her chest as she sobbed for the dozens of lost souls. Old employees and new ones, who had all been working to maintain her dream were now gone. Good friends like Scott had perished but she was still alive. Sinead believed that she should have died with them, that it wasn't fair they had lost their lives. She was grateful that she wasn't alone that night as she had the growing life inside of her to lead her away from such thoughts. To harm herself would have brought harm to the innocent life that hadn't yet had chance to come into the world. Not to mention, she could never do something so cruel to Peter. She was stood trapped in her grief and she couldn't knowingly subject her loved ones to the way she was feeling in that moment. But one thing was for sure - she had to escape this life... the world that was New York.

Sinead couldn't remember much of it, but she had been sat on the wall in the same spot, shivering, for some hours until mid-morning when she was helped into her car and driven back home by Adam. The man had made arrangements for Peter to return home and have Syd take his place with the business in New Jersey. He had also encouraged Aliana to stay with Sinead in his place until Peter returned home, not wanting to leave the woman alone.

Now seated on the sofa with Aliana, Sinead was awaiting Peter's return. For much of the day, she'd been in the same kind of daze, struggling to say much and unable to stomach any kind of food. She could hardly keep her hands from over her stomach, somehow hoping to protect her unborn child from the horrible world around them. She soon snapped out of her trance and turned to Aliana, tears suddenly escaping her eyes to scramble down her cheeks. "I can't do this anymore, Ali. My whole life I've wanted to stick by Luce and Conor, whilst making a life for myself, but I can't have all of that. Not here. I need to get away from here and spare at least one of my babies from this living Hell."

Melanin-Gxdess (Aliana)

Bellz (Peter)

Moretti Family Home
~ Staten Island, New York City ~

Valentina Moretti

Valentina had woken that morning still feeling anxious about her surroundings when the only place she wanted to be was in the comfort of her own home. The nurse had removed the various tubes she'd been connected to and was now only giving painkillers as tablets. The doctor had said himself that all they could do now was monitor her whilst she rested. This had given Valentina enough foundation to demand to the staff and to her family that she was discharged from the hospital to recover at home. She eventually got her way and was allowed to check out of the hospital in the late afternoon. It had been a painful and uncomfortable car journey, but she'd tried to contain most of the discomfort so she wouldn't be driven straight back to the hospital. She figured she was going to suffer wherever she was, so she'd rather be recovering where she felt safest.

With the men of the family out dealing with Isac, and Tatiana away, it was just Valentina and Elvian in the big house that evening. After spending days in the hospital bed, the thing she had been craving most what a hot bath. Even though she couldn't get her bandaged broken arm wet nor the dressing on her head, she was still content enough just sitting to soak in hot water in the steamed up bathroom. Despite the calming atmosphere, she still felt lost, like she was trapped inside a broken body. She was yearning for a new shell, one that would let her feel strong enough to fight back, rather than the body that presently felt weak and sent her pain from the slightest of movements.

Valentina had been in the bath for well over an hour before she realised the tepid water was rapidly turning colder. She struggled to dry and dress herself in some fresh pyjamas, all the while unable to check on her reflection in any mirror. She felt helpless enough without catching a glimpse of the damaged physical appearance everyone else was seeing when they looked at her. She wanted so much to fight back, but her physical and emotion injuries were still too raw.

Valentina soon climbed into her bed, finally able to take a deep breath as her sore body practically sank into the soft mattress. She'd asked her mother to join her so they could watch television and have snacks. Admittedly, a part of her just needed the company. She figured Elvian would have the same things on her mind too, so she decided to speak up. "I hope they make Isac suffer. I just wish I could be there to watch," she admitted. Although she was more than certain Gabriel, Marcus and Teddy could look after themselves, she still found herself concerned for their safety. It was bad enough that dozens of people had been killed at the jazz club, wrongly in her name, without her loved ones getting hurt because of her too. She was also still aware of someone else who was missing. "Have you heard from Tatiana? Should she still be gone now we know it wasn't the Porters? I hope she's okay," she said, turning to look her mother in the eyes. Somehow, worrying about her family helped distract her from what was had happened to herself.

Melanin-Gxdess (Elvian)

The Lomax
~ Midtown, Manhattan ~

Adam Harper

The nightclub had become busy over the last hour and the music seemed to be getting louder, even if it wasn't. Usually, Adam didn't mind loud music, but he wasn't in the most pleasant of moods. He hadn't managed to track Mitch down the previous night and he would be willing to put high stakes on the lawyer now being dead. The briefcase containing confidential files had manage to land in the possession of Porter allies who dutifully handed it back over to the mob. Adam updated James on the situation and suggested someone informed Rachel, because he'd be damned if he ended up being the one to break the news and likely have to deal with an emotional woman that night. His night hadn't ended there as he was then brought in to the fact that the Callahan's club had been burned down, with dozens perishing inside of it. If he had his way, he would storm into the hospital and gun down Moretti, his family, and the rest of the psychopaths the Italian lot associated with.

Adam was out through the night and the sun had already risen when he finally got into his car to retreat home for some sleep. He'd ended up seeing Sinead on his way there and thoughts of sleep were held off for a few more hours. It seemed he wasn't going to get out of dealing with an emotional woman after all, but considering Peter was a friend, Adam couldn't help but put the effort in. As it turned out, Sinead was in a silent state of shock, rather than a sobbing wreck. As much as he cared for the Callahans, he knew providing the comfort she needed wasn't part of his skillset, so he arranged for Aliana to join Sinead until Peter could get home.

Adam eventually got a few hours sleep before starting his next night shift. Tonight he was working with Johnny. After delivering the drugs to store room of The Lomax, they were to remain at the club and instead work surveillance from the bar. Adam didn't usually mind, but he was feeling particularly irritable, itching for offensive action rather than defensive. Still, these were the boss' orders and Adam didn't often question the man in charge.

A couple of young women had walked by Adam and Johnny too many times for it not to be noticed. The ladies wanted to be seen, but the only attention they were getting from Adam wasn't the kind they wanted. "I wish those two would fuck off," he grumbled to Johnny. "Look at my face," he said to his friend, displaying a cold and clearly annoyed expression. "What part of this says I look the slightest bit interested in fucking either of them? It must be you, Johnny. You've got the handsome and approachable vibe going on. It makes young women turn into giggling fools," he remarked. From their spot by the bar, he focused on the entrance for a time, watching as more customers were granted access by the two bouncers on the doors.

"To top it all off," Adam began, returning back to an earlier conversation about the two events the night before involving the lawyer and also the Callahans' club. "Some of the guys mentioned Dr Parker's got his girlfriend shacked up in the safe-house now. Lying fucker told me she'd ran a mile when she learned he was a snake." He looked to his watch and let out a small groan before lightening up a little. "I wonder how our friends are getting on down the street," he said, referring to Chase and Jasmine who were checking in on The Emerald Pub. "They seem to be getting along more these days, don't they?" he remarked, with a knowing expression on his face.

@RayPurchase (Johnny)
Mentons:

Pyroclast (Chase)

Misty Gray (Jasmine)

Currently Active Cast:

Misty Gray · Oct 7, 2020

Chapter 17: Confinement
Wednesday 23rd February 1972
...3 days later...
Early Evening - Cold, Dry, Windy
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NYPD Midtown Precinct
~ Midtown, Manhattan ~

Conor Sullivan

Conor's birthday weekend hadn't been as enjoyable as he'd hoped and he'd returned home with an altogether bitter taste in his mouth. How James and Liam had kept up an alliance with the Scottish cowards for so long was beyond comprehension, but with enough on his mind he'd spared himself from getting into a war of words with James about it. The fact was, he'd nearly been killed three nights ago by some jumped up little piss-ant whose family was in bed with the Morettis. Once the opportunity became apparent, Conor intended on paying the Corleones back for that mistake.

Conor hadn't been able to tell Aliana exactly how close he'd come to being killed in New Jersey, but he'd likely said enough to give her some idea, especially when it came to him singing the praises of Jackson's and Syd's quick reactions. Between spending time with his wife and son, Conor had also pushed himself through some gruelling workouts in hopes of burning off the anger that was building inside of him. Gone were the days of being able to let out his aggression by beating the shit out of any man who got in his way. Now he had to let the employees he paid to do the dirty work do it for him whilst he focused on keeping the business afloat.

Some feelings he could display in their natural form were his sadness and upset about what had happened at his youngest sister's jazz club. On a more personal level, hearing Sinead, Peter and Emery were leaving New York was heart-breaking to him. Throughout her life, Sinead had always stayed wherever the family was, but to see she'd finally given in showed how devastated she was. He understood and knew it would be wrong to try talk the Callahans into staying, but having always been so close to his sisters it felt like another piece of him was being stripped away.

Conor had spent today with Aliana and Leo, wanting to make up for being away over the weekend and generally being so busy. After being treated to some junk food and ice-skating, Leo was dropped off at the Porters' house to have a sleepover with his cousins. Conor's intention had been to spend time alone with Aliana, which had been going well until they received a telephone call from the police station. The Detective had informed Conor that they had a young woman there who had survived the attack at All That Jazz. In her current state of depression, Conor knew Sinead wouldn't be up to accompanying him to police station, but with Aliana often checking up on the jazz club on Sinead's behalf, it turned out she'd met Kerry on the young barmaid's first day. It wasn't just the fact Aliana could verify Kerry's identity, but from the Detective's words, it seemed like a female presence might be appreciated by the shaken young woman. Conor didn't consider his appearance scary and he knew he could be reassuring when needed, but to someone who had never met him and was already terrified, he was sure he could appear very intimidating.

Once they were both ready to leave the house, Conor embraced Aliana in his arms and gave her a gentle kiss on the lips. "I'm sorry, love. We'll get some time to relax together soon. I promise," he softly reassured her. He reluctantly let go of her and let out an apprehensive sigh. "Come on, let's go get Syd and then then we'll all pray I don't punch any coppers tonight," he half-joked.

*****

Although he had no intention of interrogating Kerry, the fact she was present inside the jazz club during the attack that wiped everyone else out, made Conor hopeful she would be able to provide them with some useful information. As such, he'd asked Syd to join him and Aliana, to make sure none of them missed any details or descriptions of assailants that would prove familiar or at least useful.

As they walked towards the entrance of the police station, Conor tried to distract himself from overthinking about how much the places grated on him. "How's Roxie and the lil girls doing?" Conor asked Syd, sending his nephew a warm smile. After the brief conversation, they were approached by Detective Randall who clearly didn't need any introduction to Conor, but he still introduced himself to both Syd and Aliana.

"The girl's in a bit of a state, physically and mentally. The doctor has patched her up, but it's still clear as day she's been dragged through hell," the middle-aged, balding Detective informed them as they walked down the corridor. He stopped before reaching the relevant door to finish briefing Conor and the others. "We were called this morning when some workers at the docks in Hell's Kitchen heard Kerry Patrick calling out for help in a locked shipping container. The officers found her tied up on the floor in the corner, covered in blood and shaking." He tightened his jaw, clearly frustrated by his next words. "She told us what happened inside the club, but said she couldn't identify any of the assailants. She said she wanted to talk to your lot, though. Why do I think she will suddenly remember more information when she talks to you? The sooner the people of this city learn you lot aren't the law, the better," he bitterly remarked.

The Detective led them to the interview room and pushed the door open to reveal the clearly traumatised young woman sat trembling at the table. Between the bruising and cuts, her skin looked pale and dehydrated, along with her eyes red raw through no doubt prolonged amounts of crying. Conor felt sorry for the poor girl, but at the same time he still hoped she'd be able to tell them something they could use. He took a step aside, inviting Aliana to step in front to provide more reassurance. He then turned to Detective Randall. "Nah, mate. No. We're not talking in there with you nosey bastards listening in. You're going to take the four of us to a private room and one that will feel less like a bloody interrogation," he commanded.

Melanin-Gxdess (Aliana)

Pyroclast (Syd)

Moretti's Office
~ Murray Hill, Manhattan ~

Riccardo Biancardi

Ricky was a confident man who was rarely afraid to speak his mind or make himself the centre of attention. He was an extrovert and a talker for sure. So it was surprising to himself that he'd been feeling some apprehension about meeting with Moretti. Gabriel's reputation was once that made it clear he didn't like to be disappointed and that those who opposed him were often made to suffer for it. Ricky knew that now more than ever he would have to be very careful about the words that would leave his mouth when talking with Gabriel. What really piled on the pressure what the fact that Roxie was involved with Syd Porter - one of Moretti Family's greatest rivals. It was no fun being stuck in the middle and trying to make the wisest business decisions whilst trying to avoid upsetting his dear cousin, Roxie.

The drive into Midtown had been relatively quiet, considering Ricky was in attendance. With the driver and Giovanni in the front, Ricky had sat in the back taking any opportunity to make the odd joke or remark about something he'd spotted during the journey. They'd already discussed the situation enough and knew it was difficult to completely predict how the meeting would go with Gabriel involved. Once the driver parked up the car in the reserved spot in the underground parking lot, Ricky cleared his throat and suddenly had a rush of energy overcome him. "Too late to back out now, kids," he remarked.

With the driver waiting in the car until the end of the meeting, the three Biancardis entered the elevator where they were briefly scrutinised by the eyes of a security guard. Once the elevator doors were closed, Ricky pushed the button for Moretti-owned 50th floor of the skyscraper. "Fiftieth floor, huh? Hello, god complex," Ricky joked to try break out of the perceived tension.

As soon a the "ping" sounded to alert them they'd reached the desired level, the elevator doors automatically opened. The three Biacandi's were greeted by a handful of armed guards who proceeded to frisk search each of them in turn. "Steady on. That's not a gun down there," Ricky sarcastically remarked to try put off the big guy who was patting him down. He had toyed with the idea of keeping his gun on him but decided it wasn't worth the trouble, so had left it in the car.

Gabriel Moretti

Since the night of the auction, Gabriel's days had been long and busy, yet he was still standing with his face as stern and determined as ever. Although it had felt somewhat cathartic inflicting suffering onto Isac, it hadn't done much to ease the fury within him that was set alight when Valentina had been attacked. He suspected that raging fire wouldn't be extinguished until he found the second man who had dared to lay a hand on his daughter. Only when that man was rotting in hell would he feel a sense of satisfaction. Marcus and Teddy had done well three nights ago, with Gabriel content with how they'd carried out their duties. What had come as a surprise where Teddy was concerned was what Elvian had discussed with him a couple of days ago. She'd made Gabriel aware that Valentina had feelings for Teddy and there was a chance those feelings were mutual. Of course, Gabriel's immediate reaction had been one of disagreement; vocalising a need to stop such a relationship before it had chance to even begin. However, with Elvian's persuasion and Valentina's recent demands for him to stop suffocating his offspring, Gabriel had decided to back off for the time-being. With any luck, Teddy wouldn't share Valentina's feelings or at the very least would be too afraid to complicate his own life by following up on them. What was certain, was that Gabriel would be keeping a close eye on the man who had a reputation for being a womaniser. He would not allow his own daughter to be messed around by Teddy nor be another notch on the man's bedpost.

Personal life aside, business was going great for Gabriel. The biggest challenge to his goals was the Irish Mob and he believed any threat they posed was being weakened by the day. Along with the attacks on Sullivan businesses over recent days, the trembling gift that was Kerry had come into his possession. From her broken and defeated eyes, Gabriel's faith was only strengthened.

Today, Gabriel was meeting with members of the Biancardi family. Stefano's death had left a hole in his plans and that was a flaw that needed to be quickly resolved. He was aware Roxie would be joining Giovanni and Ricky. Given her relationship with Syd Porter, Gabriel found it more than intriguing that she was willing to meet with him. One of the guards standing by the door on the side of the office alerted Gabriel to his guests arrival. The Italian boss stood from the couch and approached the door as it was pulled open. He smiled to the Biancardis as he stopped opposite them.

"It's good to see you again, Giovanni," he said, firmly shaking the man's hand. He then looked to Ricky, having seen or heard passing mentions of him in the past, but nothing more. "Riccardo, it's a pleasure to meet you," he said, with another firm handshake. He then turned his attention to Roxie, expecting her reaction to be the most interesting. He studied her body language to gauge if shaking her hand was appropriate before doing so. "Roxanne, I've heard much about you, so it's a pleasure to finally meet. I hope you are coping well following the terrible death of your father. Stefano was a great ally and an exceptional businessman." He outstretched his arm towards the comfortable seating area, comprising of couches and a large coffee table in the centre. "Take a seat and help yourselves to drinks..."

Bellz (Roxie, Giovanni)

Former East Harlem Police Station
~ East Harlem, Manhattan ~

Jasmine Carpenter & Ethan Turner

A few hours earlier...

The old police station had shutdown a couple of years ago, abandoned for a time before being claimed by the scum of East Harlem. More accurately, the likes of Ethan Turner, as Jasmine had learned. The entrance to the boarded up station still had a grotty old desk and worn out chairs and benches around, with a single lightbulb illuminating the area where a couple of guards had been stationed since Jasmine had been 'incarcerated' three days earlier. There were two cells were at the end of the dark corridor, only lit by the distant light from the reception area and the small square window high up in the cell that let in some moonlight. The only occupied cell was the one Jasmine was in. It still had a small metal bedframe and grubby old mattress on top for her to rest on. There was a toilet and sink, though no working plumbing to make them at all useful. Instead, two buckets of water had been left in the cell, presumably to compensate for the lack of plumbing in the cold, damp room.

Jasmine had understood why Chase had agreed to her being kept as insurance whilst he flew Jed and Lyle out to Cuba. She was certain he would have had some kind of plan and had no intention of giving the enemy what they were demanding. Three days in of being confined in almost darkness and with some pretty vulgar men guarding her, she had to admit things were starting to get to her. She was considering how long she should sit patiently before deciding something had gone wrong and she needed to figure her own way out of her confinement. She'd been given water and minimal food - enough to replenish the energy she'd lost through bloodloss. She'd spent a lot of time pacing the short length of the cell and exercising her legs, wanting to make sure she could push through the pain of her injury if she needed to.

As she sat in the cell, Jasmine heard the male voices speaking and it was clear the two goons sat around in the reception had been joined by someone else. Footsteps were soon heard approaching and the corridor light switch had been flicked on, the old strip light on the ceiling flickering due to the poorly maintained electrical circuits. A familiar face soon came into view as Ethan stood on the other side of the cell bars, displaying a broad smile before it suddenly dropped to a more sinister, cold expression. There was still some bruising in the inside corner of the man's eyes and a cut on his noise from when Chase had broken it a week earlier. Jasmine could see the malice in the man's eyes and though she did a good job at masking any apprehension, her undeniably vulnerable position couldn't be ignored, it broke through her façade to reflect in her eyes.

"This isn't too different from Joseph's home, is it?" he asked, making a clear reference to her jailed father. "I haven't forgotten that night in the parking lot," Ethan said, as if anyone would forget after just a few days. "Thought you were pretty fucking clever, didn't you?"

Jasmine shrugged her shoulders and scoffed at the man. "What do you want? Will an apology help your balls grow back?"

Ethan chuckled along with Jasmine's comment, though inside he was weighing up unlocking the cell gate and shutting her up. Deciding that would feed into her taunts, he kept a creepily calm demeanour as he addressed her in a low voice. "I hope for your sake your friends come back for you soon. I hope for my sake the one who broke my nose... Chase, wasn't it?" He tapped his fingernails on the metal bars. "I have no intention of letting you out of this cell alive. For being a cocky little bitch, I will make sure you suffer in here. Even after Chase has given the details that were asked of him, I'm going to make the bastard watch." Considering the Cuban was the one who broke his nose, Ethan was clearly out for his blood.

Before any more threats could be made, one of the men walked down the corridor and Ethan approached him to meet halfway. "The guys are waiting for you outside. Said you're all heading to your butchers shop? Need a hand?" Shane asked.

"With the lawyer? Have you seen the guy?" Ethan mockingly asked, shaking his head. He then turned to point to Jasmine's cell. "You keep your eyes on that bitch. If she gives you any lips, shut her up for the night," he said. It didn't matter to them that Jasmine could hear their conversation, on account there was no intention of her getting out of the station alive.

Mention: @RayPurchase (Mitch, Johnny)

Pyroclast (Chase)

Turner's Butchers
~ East Harlem, Manhattan ~

Ethan Turner

For the last week, Mitch had been kept in the basement of Ethan's butchers shop, where the lawyer had been taken to after a heavy beating from Jed on the same backstreet he'd been cornered on. Mitch had been further beaten by Jed and Lyle upon first arriving at the butchers shop and since then had been locked in the small storage room. After the first night, Mitch had been oddly left alone for the week, other than being visited once a day to be given minimal drinking water. The room dimly lit by the staircase lighting that had crept in through the doorframe proved to be very isolating, no doubt giving Mitch plenty of time alone with his own thoughts.

This evening was different. Mitch had been dragged upstairs out of the basement and tied to a metal chair in the blinding bright back room of the butchers. The room was like a refrigerator. Hanging on the walls and rested on the work surfaces were various large knives and cutting tools. If the smell hadn't already made it clear days ago, Mitch would realise he was in a butchers shop. Likely not the most comforting place to be held captive.

The two armed men who had brought Mitch up to the room remained silent as they stood by the door. Soon enough, Ethan entered the room with blood-stained overalls and gloves over his relatively smart clothes. The white shirt had red patches on where the apron had failed to protect the fabric, but he didn't seem to care much. "Good evening, Mr. Van Gerwen. I hope you haven't been missing me too much," Ethan greeted the bruised and restrained lawyer. He walked straight past him to the walk-in freezer and for a short time it sounded like he was pottering around out of Mitch's view. One of the armed men pushed a small square table a few feet in front of Mitch before Ethan returned into view, holding a severed pig's head in his hands, which he casually place on the table in front of the lawyer, the slaughtered animal's face positioned to 'look' in his direction. Ethan stood behind the small table, looking down at Mitch as he patted the top of the pig's head with his right hand.

"I've given you plenty of time to think," Ethan began, his face deeply serious. "I should have slaughtered you the minute you tossed the briefcase out of my reach, but I'm a reasonable man," he remarked, though was aware of the irony in his owns words. "One way or another, that head of yours will make its way back to Conor Sullivan. The question is, will it be still attached to your body or will I have it delivered in a fancy gift box?" Once again, Ethan allow a wide smile to creep onto his face. "You might have thrown the paperwork aside, but there's still plenty of knowledge in that head of yours. The Sullivans have some important investors involved in their empire. I have no doubts you have some of their names stored away. Start giving me those names or you'll end up like this poor swine."

@RayPurchase (Mitch)

Moretti Family Home
~ Staten Island, NYC ~

Valentina Moretti

It had been a week since Valentina had been attacked. Knowing her father, brother and Teddy had dealt with Isac brought some comfort to her, though she knew the worst of the two men was still out there. She could see how much it was eating at Gabriel, Tatiana and Marcus to know they hadn't been able to find the second attacker yet. She understood that because it was getting to her too, knowing the bastard was probably still free to roam, unpunished.

Though the nightmares continued, she had managed to get plenty of sleep since being discharged from the hospital. She also found herself able to walk about more as the pain was wearing off. Sick of sitting up in her bedroom, she had forced herself to get dressed and make some effort to look nice despite the lingering bruising. With her broken wrist still bandaged and healing, it was tricky for her to do the kinds of things she would usually do to fill free time at home, such as baking or gardening.

In the end, she'd settled on sitting in the conservatory that afternoon to read through one of her university textbooks. She wasn't sure if it was because of her recent trauma or something that had been going on in her mind since before it, but she was having trouble focusing. No matter how hard she tried, she felt no motivation to focus on her studies. There were doubts she'd been having since moving to New York. Added to her feelings for Teddy now sitting at the front of her mind, she knew trying to study was a lost cause.

When the sun had started to set, Valentina left the darkening conservatory and instead laid herself across the sofa in the main lounge. With both Gabriel and Marcus out on separate jobs, the house seemed quiet. In reality, members of the family were often busy, but Valentina was feeling it more today as she was stuck inside without much to occupy her mind. As she thought about her family working hard to find her attackers, she couldn't help but let her mind wander back to Teddy. The fact he had helped her brother and father deal with Isac, no matter how brutal the act, only served to make her appreciate the man even more.

Melanin-Gxdess (Elvian, Teddy)

Currently Active Cast:

Misty Gray · Oct 30, 2020

Chapter 18: The Final Nail
Friday 25th February 1972
...2 days later…
Evening - Cold, Rain Showers

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Moretti's Office
~ Murray Hill, Manhattan ~

Gabriel Moretti

Gabriel had been discussing the plans for the train station facility with Ethan and Steve for the last hour. It was interesting dealing with Ethan instead of Alistair, but the Italian rarely had trouble adapting. There was no question that Ethan was committed to his job, taking everything seriously and desiring success just as much as Moretti himself. However, unlike Alistair, it was clear Ethan didn't seem like a man who enjoyed sitting in meetings. With Alistair all messed up in hospital and with little hope of returning to his former glory any time soon, Gabriel figured Ethan would have to get used to more meetings. Then there was Steve, a man Gabriel had no doubts would rather be anywhere else but sitting still in any office. The young man was a bloodthirsty savage. A man with no boundaries and no regard for others. An exceptionally disturbed man, but one who had proved useful to Gabriel's cause and as such he was pleased to have him fighting in the war against the Sullivans.

Bringing the meeting to an end, Gabriel stood up from the sofa and sent the two men an approving nod. "If this is the success I believe it will be, there will be a great pay-off." Gabriel looked Steve in the eyes, trying to gauge what was going on in the man's head. He knew preventing the sale of Kerry hadn't gone down well with Steve, but the man had still gone on to see to it that the second of Valentina's attackers, Arturo, had been dealt with. "Your reward from this will be more than what you would have got for selling the young barmaid," he assured Steve.

Gabriel walked the two men to the door and as they left, he instructed Teddy to enter the office apartment. Before closing the door behind them, he asked his two armed bodyguards to wait on outside the office door. Despite him having the discussion take place in his office so his family couldn't intervene, the matter was personal more than business. Once the door was closed, Gabriel motioned to the dining table rather than the lounge area he often conducted business meetings. "Theodore, take a seat," he greeted the man and pulled out a chair directly opposite the younger man. The main reason he'd chosen to sit at the table was so he could get a closer and more direct look at the apparent object of Valentina's affections as they spoke.

The Italian knew why Teddy wanted to speak with him. Gabriel had been firmly told by the women of his household to give the man a fair chance and he was willing to do so. He'd been told many times in the last week how he needed to let his children breathe. It didn't mean he was going to back down and agree with everything, but he was at least going to listen first. He sat up straight and interlocked his fingers, resting his hands on the table. He looked Teddy in the eyes and invited him to speak up. "What is it you wish to discuss with me, Theodore?"

Melanin-Gxdess (Teddy)
Mentions:

Pyroclast (Steve)

*****

Valentina Moretti and Ethan Turner

Valentina had needed to go into Manhattan that afternoon to hand in an assignment at university. Feeling nervous about being on campus again after it was where she was taken from on the night she was attacked, she'd asked her mother to accompany her. Flanked by two of the family's guards, she'd managed to do what she needed without having some kind of breakdown or anxiety attack. Afterwards, she'd suggested they went for an early dinner at one of her father's new restaurants next to his office tower in Murray Hill. It hadn't only been to spend time with her mother and to be out of the house for a while, but she had another motive. She knew Teddy was going to be seeing her father in his office and she wanted to be around in time for the two men finishing the meeting. If her father hadn't taken it well, she wanted to be on hand to stand up for Teddy against Gabriel.

As she and Elvian stood in the elevator as it climbed to the fiftieth floor, Valentina spoke about Teddy. "He's been amazing with me," she went on. "I wasn't sure how I would be with him, but it all just felt right. I feel safe and happy with him." She fell silent when the elevator doors opened. One of the two heavy-set security guards approached and Valentina briefly tensed up before forcing herself to relax. "You don't need to search us," she bluntly reminded the man. He hadn't forgotten and wasn't intending to do so. Valentina had simply set the boundaries in case there was any confusion. As the dull pain in her head caused by her recent concussion returned, she fumbled in her handbag to retrieve her packet of medication. "I need some water," she muttered as she quickly set off to find the water fountain in the waiting area by Gabriel's office.

In her haste, she collided with Steve as he rounded the corner with Ethan. Having bumped into Steve's chest, the pain her already injured arm cause her to drop the box of pills on the floor. She carefully crouched down to retrieve the box before slowly standing back up. As she got up, she noticed Steve's watch before seeing the scabbed-over scratches on his wrist. Something didn't sit well in the back of her mind but a sudden mental block stopped her from figuring out why. Once she was fully standing, she lifted her head to look to Steve's familiar face. "Sorry," she quietly apologised for bumping into him. Along with a brief sheepish smile, her eyes met his and she held the gaze for a short time before Ethan distracted them.

"Mrs. Moretti and Miss Moretti! As always, it's a pleasure to see you both," Ethan spoke up. He retrieved the two coats from the hooks in the reception area and tossed Steve his to put on. "Your husband is in another meeting right now," he told Elvian. "The man is quite the slave driver," he trailed off as he walked over to the elevator and pressed the button to open the doors. "Speaking of which, we've got to get started on Mr. Moretti's latest task," he said, looking at the wall clock to make it clear he was conscious of the time. Once Steve was in the elevator with him, Ethan wasted no time in pushing the button for the level of the underground parking lots. It was only when they were safely in the car and he'd started the engine that Ethan turned to Steve. "I haven't stood so close to Valentina before. No wonder you couldn't help yourself," he remarked, sending a knowing smirk Steve's way. Soon enough, his foot was on the accelerator pedal and they were on the way to the night's big job.

Valentina remained on the spot as she shared her attention between Ethan and Steve. The older man had spoken the family surname a few times but she didn't really register what he was saying. There was a sudden ringing in her ears and although she looked like she was paying attention, her thoughts were suddenly stuck in a thick cloud inside her mind. Soon enough, the two men had disappeared into the elevator. Valentina's heart was pounding and her chest seemed to be getting tighter by the second. "I need some water," she gasped, her throat feeling dry as she spoke. She started walking towards the water fountain but soon stopped in her tracks and pressed her healthy hand against the wall to steady herself as she began to feel faint. "Mama..." she gasped as she struggled for air. "I feel sick. Where's the bathroom?" she asked, holding onto her mother's arm, clearly shaking as she did. She'd been in the building dozens of time and had used the bathroom before, but she couldn't think straight in the midst of the panic attack.

Pyroclast (Steve)

Melanin-Gxdess (Elvian)

Sullivan Safe House - Apartment Building
~ Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan ~

Kerry Patrick and Maddox Parker

Despite having a lot weighing heavy on her mind, Kerry had managed to fall into a deep sleep at the Sullivans' house two nights ago. Whilst the comfortable bed played a part in that, it was more the fact she had been sleep-deprived since the night she was abducted from the jazz club. Conor and Aliana hadn't woken her up, letting her sleep for as long as she needed. Then yesterday afternoon, they had taken her to the safehouse in Hell's Kitchen. Whilst the rundown apartment block was every bit a downgrade to the beautiful Sullivan house, Kerry didn't mind. She knew it was for her own safety and it hadn't felt right to her taking advantage of Conor's and Aliana's hospitality.

Upon arrival at the safehouse yesterday, she was introduced to Simone and shown to the apartment she would be sharing with the bodyguard. It all seemed nice enough, but in the back of her mind, she still felt apprehensive about the whole setup. After settling in a little, Kerry had then been taken to the apartment Maddox and Ani were being kept in. She understood the two were in hiding from the Morettis and their associates after betraying them. It somehow felt reassuring to know she wasn't the only person there who had been on the receiving end on the monsters' wrath. Kerry had also been told that Maddox was being kept in the safehouse because he had crossed the Sullivans. Judging by what she'd heard of the mob, she had to wonder why Conor had kept the man alive. Was he different to his enemies? Not as cruel as Steve and Amato had been?

Despite her reservations, Kerry had spent a few hours talking with Maddox and Ani. The couple had both been kind and friendly to her. She couldn't help but feel reassured in the counsellor's and Ani's presence. Be it their shared experiences with the criminal gangs in New York or simply the Dr Parker's expertise in his job, she hadn't really wanted to return to the apartment she was sharing with Simone.

Today was Kerry's second time with Maddox and Ani. Whilst it was something of a therapy session, the counsellor had been allowing for Kerry and Ani to casually chat along the way. He'd had very clear instructions and warnings from Conor. The mob boss had made it very clear this was a chance for Maddox to finally prove himself a changed man. He'd also made it clear that if there was any sign he was manipulating and messing with Kerry's head, both he and Ani would be killed. Maddox didn't need to be threatened into helping Kerry. He could see from the moment he set eyes on her that she was deeply traumatised and in need of help. Even if he were still at all inclined to get revenge on the Sullivans, there was no part of him that would mess with an innocent person. Kerry was clearly yet another unfortunate victim of the city's gangs and she deserved every bit of his and Ani's compassion.

Kerry was seated on the sofa across from him, her skinny shoulders hunched over and she stared towards the ground. After what she'd told him and Ani about the way she was tortured, beaten and almost sold to some disgusting pervert, Maddox wasn't surprised she looked so fragile. But this evening, she seemed more on edge than she had the previous night. Twitchy, nervous and somewhat evasive. Again, that wasn't surprising given her ordeal, but something didn't sit right in Maddox's head. He sat forward and sent her an encouraging smile. "What's on your mind, Kerry? What's the first thing you think of?" he softly asked her, briefly glancing to Ani.

"Has Conor Sullivan really kept you both here for all this time without Mr. Moretti getting to you? Do you really feel safe here?" She looked up to the couple, her hands trembling with nerves. "After what I went through and then meeting Mr. Moretti, I didn't think anyone could protect me from those monsters. I didn't think anyone could be as powerful as they are." She paused as she contemplated whether to ask her next questions. "Even though you both did things against his family. Do you really think Conor will let you go?" she asked, clearly still afraid despite being saved from the Morettis.

Bellz (Ani)

Currently Active Cast:

Misty Gray · Dec 31, 2020

Chapter 19: The Homeland
Saturday 11th March 1972
...2 weeks later…
Late Afternoon - Clear, Sunny, Mild

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Moretti Family Home
~ Staten Island, NYC ~

Valentina Moretti

Every day for the last two weeks had been a challenge for Valentina. Knowing her father had Steve in captivity and not being permitted to go anywhere near the man who attacked her was difficult. Whilst deep down she knew it was for her own good, it didn't make the desperation go away. She wanted to know he was suffering, but more than that, she wanted to know Steve was dead and nobody would have to see his twisted face again. It seemed that today would finally be the day, with Gabriel, Marcus and Teddy leaving hours earlier to deal with the bastard for good. Valentina wasn't about to deny or sugarcoat the fact she wanted Steve to suffer, to die a painful death. She had said as much to her family on numerous occasions. Perhaps once the night was over she would be able to relax and feel able to focus more on trying to move on with her life.

Valentina had been grateful for the support of her family and friends, even if she had come to blows with her father on a few occasions. Not only was her family doing well at helping her, but Teddy had certainly brought some light her way too. Though it was early days in her recovery and their relationship, Teddy gave her hope for a normal future and she was intrigued to see how things would play out between them. She hoped her heart was right and the faith she'd put into the man would be rewarded.

As the men of the family were out doing what needed to be done, Valentina and Tatiana had arranged to spend some much needed sister-time together that evening. As she waited for her sister to return home from her own duties, Valentina had decided to distract herself by preparing dinner for them. She had made two pizzas ready to cook when Tatiana arrived home and had just finished making a cherry pie when another headache kicked in. Despite the discomfort the headache brought, she was determined to finish. After carefully putting the pie in the oven, mindful of the weakened wrist that was still healing beneath the bandages, she finally retreated to the lounge to rest a little. Hoping to ease the headache, she closed her eyes for a little moment and curled up on the sofa. Though her sleep was improving, she still woke most nights and struggled to get back to sleep. The lack of proper rest was the reason she ended up falling asleep in that moment...

Valentina suddenly woke up to the smell of burning and almost rolled off the sofa as she scrambled up to rush into the kitchen where she the smell intensified. She switched off the oven and pulled open the door, using a towel to waft away the smoke. She let out a frustrated groan whilst pushing open the kitchen windows to let some air in. "Fucking useless..." she grumbled as she tossed the towel across the worktop. She'd been hoping to prove a point by doing something for her family instead of them looking out for her so much, but instead she felt she'd failed miserably. She left the now black pie into the oven to cool down and instead slumped down at the kitchen table. Hopefully the pizzas would be enough of a treat for her and Tatiana.

Pyroclast (Tatiana)

Jasmine's Apartment
~ Hunters Point, Brooklyn ~

Jasmine Carpenter

The day after the ambush at the train station, Jasmine finally returned to her own place after being away on jobs for a few days and sleeping at the safehouse. It was only then that the news reached her that her father had been killed in prison two days earlier. The official story was that her father had been stabbed to death during a prison fight and a prisoner already serving multiple life sentencing was charged with his murder. Nice and convenient, she'd figured. It hadn't taken much asking around to come to what Jasmine considered was the truth, that Joseph's death had indeed been arranged by the East Harlem lot when they'd been threatening to gun down everyone in The Lomax. It made sense to her, as whilst she was being held hostage in the abandoned police station, Ethan had made numerous taunting references towards her imprisoned father. At the time, she'd brushed it off as merely Ethan bluffing and trying to get a rise out of her.

Given his own grief, Conor hadn't hesitated to give Jasmine a couple of weeks break from the job so she could deal with her personal life. In all honesty, she wasn't as devastated as she'd imagine she would be, no doubt because she'd known for a long time her father would die in prison, whether through old age or killed by another prisoner. Given his reputation as one of Liam's former employees, it had always been a matter of when.

The funeral had been a couple of days ago. Just a simple, small send off with Jasmine and her mother, along with some friends Joseph had picked up over the years. Whilst Jasmine was glad to see her mother, she was more grateful when the woman eventually left and returned to Boston a few hours ago. It felt like her mother had only come along to nag Jasmine about turning her back on the mob, but she would never get her way on that and Jasmine certainly couldn't manage more than a few days living with her mother away from any action.

Once she was sure she was rid of any further guests, Jasmine got in touch with Chase and invited him over. She hadn't seen him for days and was hoping he hadn't felt pushed away during the stress of getting her father's affairs in order. Not to mention the fact she didn't want to expose the poor man to her mother so early in their blossoming relationship.

Pyroclast (Chase)

Currently Active Cast:

Misty Gray · Jan 26, 2021

Chapter 20: The Truce
Wednesday 15th March 1972
...4 days later…
Mid-Morning - Sunny, Clear Skies, Mild
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42nd Tower Block
~ Midtown, Manhattan ~

Riccardo Biancardi

The Biancardis had reached out to both the Morettis and the Sullivans in recent months to try ease the tensions and all try to come to some kind of an agreement for the sake of the city. Gabriel had shown willingness to make a deal, but of course, on the provisions of his own terms and requirements, as expected. Conor, however, had very clearly and vocally refused what had been offered when Giovanni and Ricky last met with him. Although it was frustrating, a part of Ricky could understand why the Irishman had refused. Not only was it pride coming into play, but they would essentially be selling off the empire the family had built over many years to the enemy and leaving the city they'd called home for years. Unfortunately, that was the sentimental side of Ricky. The realistic part of him knew the Sullivans were losing the war and Moretti's offer was surprisingly fair. Granted, the Italian's gains would only continue to grow once he took over the empire, but the Sullivans would be spared more bloodshed and given the opportunity to expand their businesses in Ireland and its surrounding territories.

When they received contact from Conor just days ago, Ricky was relieved to hear the Sullivans were finally willing to see reason and agree to Gabriel's offer. It wasn't all selfless, of course. The Biancardis had already discussed with Gabriel how they would divide the New York territories once the Irish were gone. Essentially, Ricky knew the cost of peace in New York and the Biancardis being able to continue their own profitable business in the city wouldn't come without compromise. That compromise being that they would continue to act as the mediator between the Morettis and the Sullivans. The relationship the Sullivans had built up with the Cubans wasn't one that could be broken and if either the Morettis or the Biancardis wished to conduct business with the Cubans, they would have to do it through the Sullivans. Just thinking of being stuck in the middle was already giving Ricky a headache, but the chaos in New York City was a much bigger and bloodier problem as things stood.

Conor and Gabriel had both agreed to meet in order to settle things peacefully. Productively. Although it was the best outcome for all involved, Ricky was still dreading the meeting and sitting between two men who had intensely ill feelings towards each other. The Biancardis had been tasked with choosing the venue, to make it not only neutral but peaceful too. The conference room was booked out in a tower block in the middle of Manhattan. Taking place in the room next door was a day long training and team building session for some of NYPD's finest new recruits. With cops and their superiors swanning around the 14th floor like they were on a field trip, Ricky's point was sure to be made. Whether Gabriel had the local police departments eating out of his hand or not, even he would be foolish to try anything with so many civilian and law enforcement witnesses around. Ricky was confident no blood would be spilled today.

That only left the matter of no doubt having to listen to verbal bullets being fired from both sides. As he sat next to Giovanni at the round meeting table in the centre of the room, Ricky massaged his temples before looking to the wall clock and letting out an exaggerated groan as he realised the two mob bosses would be arriving soon. Despite Conor practically telling them to piss off the last time they met and Ricky having a so far frosty relationship with Syd, the young Biancardi favoured the Sullivans as far as human beings went. Gabriel carried with him the kind of imposing and commanding presence of male authority that Ricky didn't much like. For business, however, Ricky saw the importance of keeping the Morettis on side and he would be the smart, professional Ricky he was expected to be.

"So, I was thinking. I could go get us all coffee, from somewhere really, really far away. Meanwhile, you can hold the fort here until sometime after the end of the meeting, yeah?" he drily joked. Knowing he wasn't going anywhere, he cleared his throat and talked more seriously with his father. "Do you think they'll both go through with this and not just end up throttling each other? We've met Gabriel and Conor. 'Stubborn' doesn't even touch the surface..." he trailed off.

Bellz (Giovanni)

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

Gabriel Moretti

It had been agreed that only two men from each family would attend the meeting. Whilst the kind of business being conducted would usually attract the likes of Rhys or Teddy, on this occasion it was Marcus who Gabriel had decided would accompany him. One day, a very long time away, Gabriel hoped, it would be Marcus filling the role as the Moretti Boss and so it was only fitting he was present at such a crucial meeting. Besides, Rhys as well as Gabriel's lawyers had seen the contracts many times before, so it didn't seem appropriate to waste their time today. It was more important for his heir to be present.

Gabriel had felt an improvement in the atmosphere at home over the last few days, since Steve had been taken care of. Valentina had wanted to know the truth and that the man had suffered, so Gabriel had been open with her about how Steve had been dealt with. Despite the unsavoury details, it seemed to put his daughter at ease. It also served to fix the tensions between Gabriel and Valentina. Following the conversation he had with Teddy, he was also inclined to step back and give his daughter her own space in her relationship with his employee. When Valentina informed the family she was going to spend some time at Teddy's place, it was only logical for Gabriel to offer her a ride there today as he and Marcus were heading in the same direction on their way into Manhattan.

Once Valentina was out of the car, it left Gabriel and Marcus alone in the back of the vehicle with the driver and bodyguard occupying the front seats. It wasn't long before they arrived at the tower block in question. The men remained in the vehicle as nearby employees scoured their surroundings to check there weren't any surprises awaiting them. Once it was confirmed secure, Gabriel stepped out of the car and waited for Marcus to join him. As they walked alongside each other, Gabriel looked to his son. "This should be straightforward, but with the Irish rats involved, we must remain on guard," he reminded him. "The Biancardis are invested in this succeeding, so I doubt they would be foolish enough to cause any problems. We just have to hope Mr. Sullivan and Young Mr. Porter haven't lost more braincells overnight. Who would have thought either of them would make it this far," he remarked.

As they approached the opened elevator carriage, Gabriel caught a glimpse of two familiar Irishmen already inside. Not one to show cowardice or discomfort, Gabriel quickened his pace so he and Marcus could step into the elevator Conor and Syd were already inside of. "It would appear we're all heading up to the fourteenth floor," he said, flashing a brief smile.

Conor Sullivan

It had been hard saying goodbye to Jackson. Conor wasn't sure if and when he would stop feeling the hole his friend's death had left in his heart. Some clarity did come out of his time in Dublin, from speaking with his family and friends, as well as reconnecting with the city he held dear to him. There was no disputing that Dublin was his home and whilst there would be losses to signing over the New York empire, Conor knew he and his loved ones had everything to gain where it counted. It was clear most of them were unhappy in New York and moving all of their assets to Dublin was the best decision, if only for everyone's well-being. The punch in the gut was that it meant the Morettis would get what they wanted. Conor had spent many sleepless nights planning ways to get back at them. The most efficient way of putting a bullet in Gabriel's head or stabbing him in the throat and getting away with it. But there was no support nor encouragement for it from those around him. Those he was closest to were ready to leave the cold and soulless city, so he knew it would be another reckless act on his long list of reckless acts were he to fuck it up for his family now. The Morettis would be paying a fair price for the Sullivan-owned empire in New York and their trade with the Cubans would remain dependent on Conor's approval. All Conor had to do was swallow his pride and sign the contracts.

With Syd's interest in the family business, Conor had wished to bring him along to the meeting. Although they both had wounds caused by Moretti, he expected his nephew would manage to deal with the situation and given the nature of the meeting, there was no danger expected. Still, the two of them hadn't stepped foot in the building until some of his own employees had scoured the place looking out for any danger or suspicious activity. They also had men stationed at all sides of the office tower block to keep an eye out from all angles. As they approached the elevator, Conor briefly gripped his nephew's shoulder and looked to him. "You good, mate?" he asked him. "This is going to be fucking painful, but we just have to grin and bear it. Think of how much better things are going to be back in Dublin. No bastard will stand a chance against us back home." He then flashed him a smile. "Besides, the quicker we get out of here, the sooner we can get back to the wedding!"

The elevator doors opened and Conor stepped into the empty carriage. He pushed the button for the 14th floor but the doors were too slow to close. Had they been quicker, the two men approaching the lift wouldn't have made it in time. Conor looked to Syd as the Morettis approached, practically holding in a disapproving grunt.

"It would appear we're all heading up to the fourteenth floor," the strong Italian accent belonging to Gabriel was heard.

"What are the chances of that, huh?" Conor replied, practically through gritted teeth. He then relaxed and flashed a broad smile to the two Morettis. "Do you know if refreshments are being provided?" he asked with a chuckle. On the inside, Conor hated being stuck in a tin box with two men who were behind his family's misery. The men to blame for Jackson's death. Any thoughts of smashing their skulls in before the elevator reached the floor in question had to stay firmly in his own mind. Far too many witnesses had seen them enter the building for him to make a bloody mess of the walls.

@RayPurchase (Marcus)

Pyroclast (Syd)

Teddy's Apartment
~ Manhattan ~

Valentina Moretti

Though the nightmares remained, Valentina had found it much easier to actually fall asleep since having confirmation of Steve's death. She was sure it wasn't the moral thing to do to wish harm on others, but after what she'd been through and considering who her family were, what did any of that matter anymore? Steve's end was bloody and painful, for which Valentina felt no shame for being glad about. Her broken arm was still healing, but even when the bandages were removed and the physical scars faded, she doubted the memories and mental wounds would ever completely leave her.

With her father set to achieve the goal he'd been working towards for many years, Valentina had decided to look to the future herself. She'd spent too much time locked away at home keeping the outside world at a distance. She needed to step out into the city, whether her father was running the it or not. The fact Teddy had invited her to his place was all the more reason for her to get back with the living. She was looking forward to spending some time with Teddy and without any of her family nearby. It was a date, she had no doubts about it. Even though he'd seen her at her worst and still wanted to be with her, she still wanted to make an effort. It had been weeks since she'd styled her hair properly and worn something nice, so she picked out a long dress and due to her injured arm she enlisted in her sister's help to fix up her hair.

Gabriel and Marcus had dropped her off at Teddy's place. She wasn't oblivious to the fact there was a guard sat in a nearby parked car keeping watch over the apartment building. As long as he stayed in the car and away from her date, she didn't care.

Despite knowing Teddy and already having shared their feelings for each other, this was basically the first time they'd spent time together since and without others around. As such, Valentina felt a little nervous as she approached the door to his apartment. It was the good kind of nervous, though, the one accompanied by the fluttering of butterflies in her chest. She smoothed out her small black jacket before delicately knocking on the door to get his attention. When the door was pulled open, she couldn't hold back a natural smile, nor could she prevent herself from blushing. "Hi..." she said, brushing some loose hair behind her ear as she took a moment to compose herself. She then looked back to Teddy and couldn't help but smile. "I heard there was free food and drink here. Did I get the right place?" she teased.

Melanin-Gxdess (Teddy)

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