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

[Fletchawk]

"Yeah, I hear you," Owen affirmed before taking a swig from his drink. It was certainly better tasting than the stuff he'd drank in the past, not that it was a difficult thing to achieve.

He struggled to keep his eyes from rolling when Danny reminded him to act his age. "Look who's talking, man. Make sure to act old enough to work here," he retorted, catching a laugh before it nettled his ribs. When Danny tossed him the coin, Owen barely saw it arching towards him, looking like a tiny silver ball as it gyrated through the air. His hand shot out almost instinctively to snatch it out of the air, and the moment he felt the dime was secure, Owen instantly regretted it. A sharp inhale that morphed his face into a grimace was the result from his aching body bewailing the sudden motion. Not wanting to draw more concern from Danny, Owen quickly salvaged his composure before heading off to try to get in touch with Bailey.

The first payphone somehow had a penny crammed into the coin slot, rendering it useless. Fortunately, the other one was seemed less abused, and Owen dialed her apartment number. After the dial clicked back into place, he let it ring a few times. But after the fourth ring, he figured that she was either not there, severely hungover, or both, so he hung up, and repeatedly pushed the coin return button until a soft clink of the coin being spit back out was heard. Calling her "workshop" yielded an answer, although it was one the "clerks" instead of the woman herself.

The usual one word greeting growled through the receiver, "Yes?"

"It's China."

"She's looking for you."

"Did she say why?"

"No."

"I'll swing by tomorrow. Got a clinker with East Harlem."

"Said it was urgent."

"Tomorrow," Owen repeated, and then hung the receiver up. Despite the fact that the call took less than a minute, both sides conveyed what they wanted to. He thumbed the coin return again, but knew it was a fruitless endeavor.

Returning to the bar, he took a final draft of his drink, said farewell, and thanked to his roommate, and made his way out of The Lomax.

Pyroclast [Danny]
Mentions: Pilgrim59 [Bailey]

 

[Misty Gray]

Ethan Turner and Arlene Sullivan​

When Alistair once again approached her and crouched down before her, Arlene made sure to keep her eyes fixed on him rather than show her fear by looking away. He spoke of how her family had many enemies, which wasn't news to her. They'd had many dangerous enemies and rivals in the past, some of which she'd been involved in fighting against alongside her relatives. Whilst the men in the room with her were no doubt enemies of the Porters, she had already come to realise at least one man, Ethan, was an enemy she'd managed to earn all by herself. It was clearly personal to him. As for Alistair, she could only assume he was enjoying the whole thing and was eager to disrupt the Porters' control over the city. She'd met men with the same goals during her time in Dublin. Only one such group, the IWU, had been able to make a significant and destructive mark on her family. Was Alistair another man who stood a chance at making his presence known?

The man lifted her chin and seemed to study her features for a time as he assessed her beauty. It was a beauty she'd always downplayed. She'd avoided pretty dresses and fancy handbags, choosing clothing that she believed would leave no question that she was a woman who wanted to be in control, not a precious flower to be fawned over. It had always proved an effective tactic and she believed she wouldn't have got as far in business as she had without adopting that strong, independent personality.

Once the man walked away, Arlene let out a breath she hadn't realised she'd been holding in through the tense moments. She looked down to the floor as Alistair asked her if she had any last words. There was a brief moment where she searched her mind for leverage, for information they would find useful. The grim fact was, she believed she would be killed regardless. Alistair's own words about Patrick; "It's always fun when they think they are going to be set free", repeated in her head once again. She wouldn't betray her family and certainly not when she would have nothing to gain from it in the end.

"I have no words for my daughter that I would give to you," she hissed, raising her head to look at the man. "My final words to you, however..." she began, slowly nodded her head. "Go fuck yourself!" Before she could speak any more words, her head was dragged back as Ethan grabbed her hair with one hand. Arlene tightly closed her eyes and chose to block out any further words. If Ethan was inclined to utter any words about his dead wife, Arlene didn't want to listen. Her only regret for that part of her past was that the bullet she put in Ethan wasn't a fatal one. She'd never felt guilty for killing Rose in the past, so she wasn't going to feign remorse in her last moments. Instead, all she chose to focus on was Olivia and the memories she had of her daughter's sweet face. She told herself the girl was in the safest of hands, where Lucy and James would take care of her. With Conor's and Sinead's families, Olivia would never be short of friends and would be spoiled rotten by her aunts & uncles. It would be a better childhood than Arlene had suffered through. Olivia would be a better person...

Ethan brought the knife to Arlene's throat and in one swift moment, the blade sliced deep through the flesh. The woman was slaughtered, like it was just a regular day at work for the butcher. The man let go of the blonde's hair and allowed her to fall into a heap on the floor as the blood pooled out of the lethal wound. Ethan stood up and stared down at the woman for a time. Though the vow he'd made all of those years ago had finally come into fruition, there was no joy in it. Rose was dead and now her killer was too, but that was all. There was no cure for the cold brutality he'd carried on with him for most of his life. The only victory was that Arlene Sullivan was finally dead, free to rot with Liam and Jack.

Ethan grabbed a nearby cloth and wiped the blade of his knife clean before calmly placing the weapon down on the counter. He looked to Alistair and casually smiled to his boss, sending the man an accomplished nod. "Now, where is our young protege?" he asked about Ammon. "Miss Sullivan has made quite a mess here," he drily remarked.

Pyroclast (Alistair)

 

[Bellz]

Lucy Porter ​

Lucy was quiet as she let James speak his mind on the subject of retirement. As much as she wanted that for him, it was a reality that it was hard to make it to that point in this type of business. He made the point that this was the only life they knew, as they were born in it. It was true, as much as Lucy longed for something different with her life, it had always had the business looming over her. Lucy wondered with her husband for a moment as he spoke allowed, what if things played out differently? It was honestly something she hadn't really thought about, as she was too busy caught up in this reality of theirs. At the mention of her father's blessing, Lucy drew in a shaky breath, the emptiness that filled her chest was a familiar feeling, one associated with the guilt that she had been fooled.

James made a very compelling argument on the life they had, all the good things before them, the beautiful children they raised. The blonde smiled softly, a look of fondness on her face at the mention of their kids. She leaned in to meet his kiss before he made a promise to her. This made her smile lightly and laugh, "It was me and you before the kids came along if you forget. If I can handle Old Man James then, I think I could handle you now." She teased and lifted a finger to poke at the tip of his nose. "I plan on having a whole house full of pups, at least till our children finally get the hint that I want my grand-babies!" She joked, and after the laughter died down, a voice was calling out to them from the main area of the apartment.

"Seems like one of them might have heard me." She said, her cheeks turning pink with slight embarrassment as she stood and walked towards the office door to open it. "Syd?" She called out in return before walking a bit out into the main room to find him standing near the entry way. "I thought that was you!" Lucy said happily as she clapped her hands together once in delight. Noticing the hesitant look in his features, Lucy immediately wondered what was wrong. "Everything alright?" She asked, "Are you hungry? Thirsty, tired? I can fix you up something and get a space set up for you." Lucy had worried about Syd after what happened at the party and she wondered if he was going to want to talk about it.
with: James Misty Gray ; Syd Pyroclast

 

[Bellz]

Dr. Ani Saraff
~New York Medical Center~​

Once the drama in room 4 was taken care of, Ani knew that it was the end of her shift. It had been a long day and she deserved to go home and get some rest, but she knew she had other business to attend to. With a case of valium injections she stole from one of the supply rooms in her purse, she had just clocked out and was on her way down the hall, about to turn a corner, someone collided with her shoulder and caused her to stumble in her heels slightly. The sound of a briefcase falling to the floor could be heard as well as a familiar voice. Turning her head down to see the man who was straightening up now, she realized that it was Dr. Parker. The man awkwardly smile, which caused her own smile to form on her face. The pink on his cheeks was endearing, he seemed a bit flustered.

Her arm was banged up only the slightest and the dull ache was already starting to fade. Having worked closely with Maddox in the past, she had already begun to notice some of his behaviors. She wondered if he knew that she herself had been watching the man closely. Psychiatrist always interested her, as the human mind was truly a mysterious place. As hard as Ani tried to take care of Ammon, she knew that the man before her could be some help in that field. It seemed with age, Ammon was becoming harder and harder to control. It sounded wrong, but he had to be under someone's close watch, her brother could do a lot of damage left unmedicated. Her hand moved to pat the lump in her purse. The question Maddox had asked her had taken a second for her to register. Clearing her throat, the woman lifted a soft hand to move a strand of hair from her eyes, "Well, Maddox, I believe I may have to saw this arm off now, the damage is far to extensive to keep it, see?" She wiggled her body slightly, letting her arm go limp as it dangled. Her eyes were playful, an emotion she was able to mimic well thanks to her being around so many normal, functioning people.

Although Ani wasn't nearly as bad as her brother, she had noticed growing up that she was far more disconnected from her emotions than most people. Maybe it was the way she was raised...she could remember as a child, sucking up what she felt to persevere. With most men, the feeling only went so far as mere attraction, but something felt different about Maddox. He was a brilliant man, and she adored brilliance. Maybe it was the appeal of him being a psychiatrist that made her attracted...that maybe he could handle the way she was.

"I'm only kidding. I think I will make a speedy recovery, but what about you?" Her own eyes looked to his arm before flickering back up to meet his eyes, "Need me to chop it off?" She once again joked, before her thoughts wondered what he was doing here this time. "Everything alright? Patients doing well?" It was hard for her to not talk about business.
with: Maddox Misty Gray

 

[Misty Gray]

Maddox Parker​

Maddox couldn't help but let out an amused chuckle when Ani suggested the damage to her arm was severe and required drastic measures of removal. The way she wiggled in an animated manner to strengthen her point only served to evoke a fond smile from the man. That was, until he realised he was likely looking like a smitten fool in the process. Still, the beautiful woman's humour only served to make her more attractive to him. Smart, professional, good-looking, and apparently funny too. He tightened his grip around the briefcase handle as he mentally berated himself for potentially coming off as unprofessional and maybe even a little awkward.

Still, Ani continued the jokes and Maddox couldn't help but respond in kind. "Me? Oh, noooo!" he quickly responded when asked if his own arm needing amputating. He lifted the affected arm in the air and placed it back down by his side. "See? My arm is perfectly fine. No need to bother the good surgeons here with an emergency amputation," he playfully reassured her.

When Ani asked about his patients, Maddox grabbed the opportunity to reunite himself with his professional and less embarrassing manner. "Everything is good, Ani. I've been working from my clinic all day, but I got a call to come here and deal with a distressed patient. It's going to be a tricky one, but I'm going to have her assigned to my care in the long-term," he explained. It wasn't often he got to talk about his work on a personal level and even when he did, Maddox was limited by how much he could disclose. "How about you? Hopefully your day hasn't been too heavy?" he enquired.

Despite his gratitude towards business talk for distracting him from making a fool of himself, something was still niggling at the back of his mind. Why hadn't he acknowledged Ani in this way before? Perhaps his session with Syd hadn't only affected the client. The younger man had been concerned about being single at his age and had left with the goal of taking a step forward towards the dating scene. Deep down, it was something that weighed on Maddox's mind too. Even if he was often busy with work, there was still a part of him that had time for a relationship. He knew he couldn't keep living the way he had been. He'd been out with women and brought a few of them back home with him, but there had never been a spark or a mental connection between then. Ani, however, she seemed to tick all of the boxes. He already knew the woman was intelligent and independent, so there was no chance of another awkward situation of the conversation falling flat over dinner.

Maddox briefly looked over his shoulder to make sure nobody was in earshot and therefore no witnesses to him potentially being shot down. Satisfied, he looked back to Ani and sent her a warm smile. "Ani, would you like to go out on a date with me sometime?" Should he have thrown the work "date" in? Maybe he could have just told her he had tickets for a concert and had a spare ticket, but then that would have devalued his wish to spend time with her. Plus, it would be a fib as he didn't have tickets. He could definitely get some tickets. Maddox snapped his thoughts shut, knowing better than to let such things attempt to implant doubt in him. He'd taken the plunge and how would he find a woman if he didn't take these risks? He maintained a composed expression and didn't look away from Ani. He was a confident man and even thought his attraction to Ani had threatened to wreak havoc with him, he had very quickly picked himself back up. "I'm free next Saturday..." he persuasively added.

Bellz (Ani)

 

[Pyroclast]

Syd Porter

Seeing Lucy walk out of James' office fully clothed brought a great sense of relief over Syd and his face immediately relaxed into a beaming smile. She always seemed so pleased to see him, even if they had only been apart for a few hours; even if he had disgraced himself the night before. He stepped forward to kiss her on the cheek before entering the room properly and leaning with his hands against the back rest of the sofa. "Um," he began, pausing to chuckle at his mother's endearing fussing. "I'm fine, mam. Actually, I'm not staying for long. The dogs are missing me." There was a lot playing on his mind and the look on his mother's face made him wonder if he was so easy to read. She always seemed concerned with him, doing her best to make sure he was alright, and sometimes it made him feel guilty for wanting to keep some things to himself. In less than 24 hours, Syd had managed to get himself in trouble with Roxie, Mitch and possibly his own father. The Roxie dilemma was in control, now, having made plans with both Maddox and Savannah to resolve the feelings between them. The Mitch dilemma...he believed was best left unsaid for now. It had been an outburst, and wouldn't necessarily happen again. Besides, as long as the lawyer took his threat seriously, he wouldn't quit until at least after he had helped Conor to be released from prison.

Syd sent his mother a reassuring smile. "I just came to see how you were while I was in town. To apologise, you know, make sure dad's not mad at me or anything..." He gave a sheepish laugh, shoving his hands into his pockets. "It wasn't my intention to embarrass him, I promise. Or you. Or myself, or Roxie, or anyone. But all the same...thanks for helping me get to bed, if that was you. I hope you had more fun after I left the party. I was having a great time!" It seemed too often that Syd was apologising for something. Having some idea of how much Lucy worried about him, he made his tone of voice as cheerful as he could without it sounding exaggerated. Sometimes his words came out sounding more melancholy than he intended, and he knew that his mother of all people would pick up on it.

"Shall we have something to eat then, before I head off?" A quick glance to his watch told him that it was too late for lunch, but he moved off into the kitchen nonetheless. His hangover may have pushed all his mealtimes out of sync, but he had to remember that his parents had more sense and more self-restraint, and therefore would probably have already eaten. "Get dad and Trouble, if they're here. We can eat together." Syd smiled at her over the bar as he filled the kettle, hoping to redeem himself by doing something nice for his family.

Interactions
Bellz Lucy

 

[Bellz]

Dr. Ani Saraff
~New York Medical Center~​

Ani was pleased to hear that everything was good on Maddox's end, knowing the stress of having to deal with many patients could take it toll sometimes. She listened with great interest about one patient in particular and the woman honestly felt sympathy for the patient. It was odd, how she could just shut it on and off like that when she wanted to. Ani had never really been able to figure out herself, as a person. In this world, there seemed to be only two sides to the coin, good and bad, dark and light. Ani was never able to figure out where she fell, like her brother so easily had done. She envied those who could just be their true selves without feeling so lost. The woman was always confused with her lack of sympathy and empathy when it came to those who fell under her knife for the wrong type of reasons, but in the hospital it was different, she actually cared.

"Not heavy at all, surgeries were a breeze. Only had to deal with a unstable patient because I decided to step in and help." She shrugged her shoulders lightly, her head tilting to the side ever so slightly. She noticed Maddox look over his shoulder suddenly, which caused Ani to raise a single brow, looking over his shoulder as well. The warm smile he sent her caused her own to form again. The question came as a shock to the Doctor clearly, as her smile halted in forming completely and her eyes widened.

Not that she felt it was anyone's business, but when it came to the opposite sex, Ani had a difficult time keeping a man for longer than a few hours. "You want to go on a date with...me?" She clarified, voice revealing the slight disbelief she was feeling. Men normally didn't ask her out outright like that, she chalked it up to her intelligence, they were far too threatened by the time the conversation was over. Another part of her knew that she pushed men away for a completely different reason: her brother. As much as she loved her twin brother, he had a habit of taking things very near and dear to her heart and finding a way to crush it while still saying he loved her. Ani had always felt this strong urge to protect him, and she was sure that he learned to abuse that by now too.

Maddox was different though...she was sure if it ever came down to it...No. Ani couldn't give into that thought. Ammon would just ruin it. Looking at the handsome man before her, she wished that she could allow herself to think about this date becoming something more for once...

Noticing that she might have been quiet for too long, the woman cleared her throat a wide smile forming on her face as Maddox added that he was free next Saturday. "I can definitely do next Saturday, Dr. Parker. Now should I call you directly or should I set up an appointment with your front desk?" Another teasing tone appeared in her tone, hoping to cover the shock she was feeling about the whole situation.
with: Maddox Misty Gray

 

[Bellz]

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]

Chapter 3: He Who Has No Charity Deserves No Mercy
Saturday 10th July 1971
...one week later...
Evening (6pm) - Sunny, Dry, Cool breeze
******************************

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


New York Correctional Facility
~ Lower Manhattan ~
​

Conor Sullivan

Ever since Aliana had visited him, Conor had been struggling even more to keep out of trouble. He was losing hope that he'd ever be able to make it up to her once he was out of prison and that gave him a little less incentive to behave himself inside. It was the thoughts of Leo that kept him from making a mistake. His son had been excited at the prospect of him getting out of jail and he'd assured the boy there'd be a party when that time came. He couldn't disappoint his kid. Even if his own spirit was being knocked out of him, he refused to let Leo's heart break too. Conor knew he just had to hold on a little longer. Maddox had suggested the parole hearing would take place in a few days's time, but Conor was expecting his lawyer to confirm the date when he next visited to go over the case details.

The last few days had felt like the most difficult. It seemed like the closer it got to his potential release, the more people wanted a piece of him. The guards seemed to be hounding him more than ever, waiting for him to take one step out of line so they could put a charge on him. The inmates Conor didn't get along with were attempting to stir him up. Worst of all, there were some allies who were trying to drag him into their fights, either ignorant to his desperation to get out of jail or selfish enough to want their muscle to stay right there with them. He couldn't blame his friends for their self-preservation, but it still felt like a kick in the teeth.

After spending the afternoon in the gym, Conor returned to his cell to relax in peace and continue to minimise his potential of getting involved in any rule breaking. As he approached the substandard furniture that passed off as a bed, his eyes were drawn to the torn up photographs that had been scattered across the mattress. They were his pictures, ones of his family and friends. He reminded himself of his sessions with Maddox, to take deep breaths and consider the consequences of his gut reactions. He tightly clenched his fists as he focused on the fact he'd be able to see his loved ones in the flesh if he kept himself in line. It was surprisingly easier than it used to be and as much as it pissed him off that someone would destroy his property, it was all replaceable. Instead of reacting, he began to carefully collect the pieces of the photographs together. He knew only an idiot with a wish to spend some time in the infirmary would do such a thing. Or, someone who wanted him to react. Either way, Conor would not take the bait.

Once the photographs had been disposed off, Conor climbed onto his bed and laid down. He wasn't sure when the lawyer would arrive and until then, he was more than happy to stay in the cell on his own. Peace and quiet.

RayPurchase (Mitchell)

Lincoln Music Hall
~ Upper West Side, Manhattan ~
​

Maddox Parker

Maddox had been relieved when Ani didn't knock him back after he'd asked her out on a date. It felt strange to do things the "old-fashioned" way, rather than just meeting a lady in a club and taking it from there. With Ani, it felt different. There was a genuine attraction to the woman and he wanted to go all out to make sure she had a good time. He'd managed to get tickets for a performance at the Lincoln Music Hall. It hadn't been the first choice of venue, but it had been the best choice. The tickets he'd managed to buy were for a private box in the theatre where they would also be served a fine dinner. He could say a lot of bad things about his stepfather, but one good thing he had learned from the short-tempered man was how best to spoil a lady.

After parking his dark blue 1970 Ford Mustang in the lot across the street, Maddox made his way to the music hall and stood by the entrance as he waited for Ani. He was intentionally a little early, not wanting Ani to get there first and find herself standing alone if she had to wait for him. The performance they would be listening to was an Austrian classical orchestra and one he hadn't yet heard despite his many trips to the theatres and music halls in New York. All he did know was that it was a relatively classy event and so he'd switched his usual neckties for a bow-tie and worn an equally tasteful suit.

As he stood outside, the sun was still bright and when out of the shadows, it was warm, despite the slight chill in the breeze. He was just glad there rain had kept away, knowing how the weather could easily affect a person's mood, especially those who had got dressed up for a nice evening out. He hadn't offered to pick Ani up at her place, not wanting to come on too heavy and make her feel awkward. Still, should the evening go well, he'd certainly offer her a lift home.


Bellz (Ani)

The Lomax
~ Midtown, Manhattan ~
​

Warren Taylor

Following the shooting outside Sinead's club and the disappearance of Arlene, security had been tightened around Porter businesses and residences. Warren had spent much more time working in the city rather than around the Porter mansion, but he hadn't minded at all. He'd wanted to get more involved in heart of his brother's business and this seemed like the next step forward for him. He doubted his mother would be overly approving of it and he knew for certain his father would disapprove, but this was what Warren wanted. Ever since he was a child and he'd witnessed James and Lucy attacked at their own wedding, he'd had an interest in the business and a need to stand by his brother's side of the family. He didn't consider Italy his home, not when it was always soured by the blood ties to the Romanos and the general proximity to the Italian Mafia.

With James and Lucy out on business, along with some of their security detail, Warren had offered to keep an eye on the businesses around Midtown. He'd checked in on some of the restaurants before reaching Syd's club, The Lomax. With peak time approaching, he decided to join the security guards manning to door. He wanted to keep an eye on the streets but also pay close attention to those entering the club. It could have been pure chance that the previous shooting had happened outside of a family member's business, but both James and Warren weren't willing to take any chances. With that in mind, Warren was going to spend some time watching over Syd's club that evening, knowing how busy the place could get and how difficult it was to spot any suspicious figures in large crowds. Catching individuals on their way in was a much easier way of scoping out any unsavoury characters.

"You were checking her ass out," one of the security guards teased Warren, pointing towards a group of women who had just been let into the club. "What are the ladies like is Oz? No, wait! Have you ever seen a kangaroo in real life?"

"How many times do I have to tell you? I lived in Italy. Barely even been to Australian myself," Warren rolled his eyes as he reminded the man. His attention was then drawn to another group of women and he sent them a charming smile. "You have a good evening, lades," he pleasantly greeted them with a boyish wink. Whilst they lapped up the attention, Warren had still been checking there was nothing suspicious about them. Attractive women could be just dangerous as any men.

Mentions/In the club: Pilgrim59 (Bailey) @Inb4Cloaker (Farrid) Fletchawk (Owen)

​

Currently Active Cast: Misty Gray Bellz Pyroclast Melanin-Gxdess Fletchawk shadowz1995 @Inb4Cloaker Pilgrim59 RayPurchase
​

 

[Pyroclast]

Chapter 3: He Who Has No Charity Deserves No Mercy
Saturday 10th July 1971
...one week later...
Evening (6pm) - Sunny, Dry, Cool breeze
******************************

******************************​

Danny Vaughan

The sun was getting lower in the sky but it still shone as as brightly as it had at midday. Having just finished his day shift at The Lomax, Danny stood at a payphone on a street corner in Midtown, making a collect call to Bombay. The rates were fairly high for calls between the United States and India so they didn't do it often, but postage was slow and after a few weeks, letters didn't quite feel like enough. As much as he missed his family, the independence had forced Danny to discover more of the gritty reality of New York and he wondered if his parents could tell how much he had changed when he spoke to them on the phone. Since they had been the ones to introduce Danny to drugs when he was young and had had several dealers over the years, he had had no trouble in telling them about his current line of work. Still, even though the commune in which he had been raised had always been very open and communicative, Danny was unsure now of how much to tell his parents about the gangs that he had fallen in with. The real world was apparently a lot more secretive that the one he had known, and he didn't want to worry his parents with tales of his dangerous encounters. Not all his customers were as warm and friendly as his old community had been.

Danny wore a soft smile as he strained to hear his father gush about his troublesome baby "nephew" - the son of one of their family friends who had moved to India with them - over the sound of the Manhattan traffic. He stood just beyond the reaches of the shadow cast by the awning of the old St James Theatre as he listened, his eyes vacantly scanning the posters that hung around the doors. "No, no girls, no guys, nothin' like that," he reported, grinning as he imagined his father's disappointment. No matter who he was talking to, one of his parents always made sure to check up on his dating life. "I said I'd write to you if I had anything worth reporting, didn't I? Besides, I've got enough..."

A young woman pushed open the door of the theatre and instantly caught his eye, causing him to trail off. The first thing that he noticed about her was the blonde hair that flowed gracefully past her shoulders and when he caught a glimpse of her face, he knew that he recognised her and lost focus on the phone call altogether. A light blush came to his cheek and he pushed himself upright, drumming his fingers against the payphone impatiently. "Dad, listen, sorry to cut you off, but I've gotta go," he tried not to sound too urgent, but he knew that the woman would be about to set off. "Yeah, it was great to catch up - I love you, too - namaste -" Without further hesitation, Danny hung up the phone and stepped a little closer to the theatre doors. His eye caught hers, and he smiled at her, looking slightly flushed. "Hey," he spoke up, unable to wipe the soft smile from his face. "I remember you - you came in to The Lomax last week. Syd's cousin, right? How're you doing?" For some reason the idea of approaching her seemed stupid now - if he had left himself a few more seconds to think it over, he probably would have decided not to. He didn't know what to do with his hands, so he folded his arms and tried not to look awkward. Regardless of whether it was a good idea, he was talking to her, now, and so would have to work out a way to navigate the conversation. "I'm Danny," he stuck his hand out, hoping she would tell him her name. He wasn't sure what his boss would think of him trying to get to know his cousin, but something was compelling him to talk to this woman, something that he didn't want to ignore. "Did you just see a play?"

Interactions
Misty Gray Savannah

 

[Bellz]

Ani Sarraf​

Ani looked herself over in her mirror, smoothing out the fabric of her blue dress, turning from side to side, she wondered if this was appropriate enough for a date. "Youse look like a fuckin' slut." Ammon growled out from his corner of her room, the words stung like an open wound, but she chose to ignore him. "I've prepared dinner for you and its waiting in the fridge." Moving towards her dresser, she picked up a pair of diamond earrings to place them in her ears. "Why youse gotta go to this anyhow? Youse know what those types of guys want." His voice was low, the uncharacteristic Brooklyn accent he acquired as a young man prominent in his voice. Ani sighed heavily, "Its not any of your business Ammon, but this is important to me, so could you just please stop." This caused her brother to let out a dark chuckle, brandishing a knife from his pocket as he stood and took a few steps towards his sister. "How can youse even live this lie? Dear sister? This isn't who youse are..." He said lowly, the knife he had grazing her shoulder blade gently, causing the woman to turn around quickly and grab his wrist.

"Don't make me sedate you, brother." Ani growled out herself, her own heart racing. As close as they were, she knew that eventually her brother could become too uncontrollable. If she ever ended up dead, she was sure that he would be the one to blame....Ammon chuckled again. "I quite like the sedatives, its a nice high youse know. The things I see while under it, just miraculous really." The tone of his voice was too alarming for Ani and she knew that now wasn't time for conversation with him. She honestly hoped that he wasn't around when she returned, maybe he would go pick on someone else for the evening.

"Bye Ammon." The woman said, moving to grab her purse as she shoved the man away from her and heading out of her bedroom towards the front door. "Don't be here when I get back." Was all she said before slamming the door shut behind her.

***​

Ani parked her white, 1970 Pontiac Trans Am before jogging as quickly as she could across the street to the front of Lincoln Music Hall. Her eyes looked out for Maddox and when she spotted him, a breathless smile appeared on her features and she slowed to stand in front of him. Looking him up and down, a warm tingling feeling ran through her, he looked great! "This is quite the venue! I've never been to a music hall before." Leaning forward, she decided to grace his cheek with a small kiss. "You looking dashing." She commented before looking towards the hall itself. "Shall we go in?"
with: Maddox Misty Gray

 

[Misty Gray]

James Porter​

James had been cutting it fine getting ready to attend the tour of the venue Roxanne Carriveau had picked out for the charity event. Since Arlene had been reported missing and Scott had been shot the previous week, James had been working hard since to make sure security was tightened around the businesses and residences belonging his his family's empire. In addition to that, he'd spent a lot of time making phone calls and putting pressure on his contacts within the police force to find Arlene. The more days that passed, the more dire the situation seemed. He would like to believe there was an innocent explanation behind the woman's disappearance, but he was a realist and history had taught him to assume the worst. Until she was found, he would only assume her disappearance was suspicious. Other than putting on a light-hearted and reassuring face for little Olivia, James had been in a foul mood all week and those closest to him knew it.

One of the few things that had gone to plan the previous week was the fact Dante had successfully executed Kyle Summers and after the heavy night James had had last Saturday, it was music to his ears when he received the call from Dante confirming the job had been successful. There had been no suspicion the Porters way and no cops knocking at his door, so it seemed the hitman had cleaned up well after himself too.

Dante had accompanied James and Lucy in their car to the Plaza Hotel, whilst a driver had picked Aliana and Braden up from the Callahan house to take them to the hotel. James turned to Dante and sent the man a formal nod. "If we're going to agree to holding the event here, we need to know it's secure. I want you to assess the place with us today; pick out any security flaws and help me plan how best to make sure the event is safe," he told the man. Having had some bad experiences in large venues in the past, he wasn't overly comfortable about the hotel without making sure they had full control over the security measures.

When the vehicle was parked up outside the hotel, James rushed to Lucy's door to open it for her and take her hand to help her step out onto the pavement. "You're stunning, love," he muttered into her ear, placing a kiss on her cheek. James looked up at the building, studying its large size and many windows. He'd been inside the hotel before, but only for business meetings over dinner. He had yet to seen the ballroom Roxie had picked out. His attention was drawn away from the hotel when Roxie greeted them. James outstretched his arm to shake the woman's hand. He knew she was Savannah's flatmate and he was also aware of the trouble she'd had with Syd at the party. Knowing alcohol was involved, as well as two attractive young people, James chose not to let her slapping his son affect his impression of the woman. This was business and what happened at the party wasn't relevant right now.

James walked with Lucy and Dante at either side, expecting Syd, Aliana and the others to follow on. He allowed Roxie to lead the way and listened as she gave them an overview of the hotel. All the while, James' eyes were scanning the room, looking out for potential security flaws and already trying to decide how many guards would be acceptable. He figured Dante would be contemplating the same information, plus more! James stopped in the lobby as Roxie gestured around them, nodding his head as he indeed appreciated the extravagant interior.

Roxie asked if they had any questions so far. James glanced to Dante to see if the man had any input, before he cleared his throat himself. "Have you held any events here before? I trust you'll appreciate a high profile event like this would require strict security measures. Do you have any assurances of that?" James was sure he was meant to appreciate the decor and compliment it all so early into the tour, but he always was to the point.

Bellz (Lucy, Roxie) shadowz1995 (Dante)
Mentions: Pyroclast (Syd) Melanin-Gxdess (Aliana) TBC (Braden)

 

[Fletchawk]

Ryan Donahue
Somewhere in the Heartlands, August 14th, 1965​

The night's blackness threaten to flood the bus, staved off by the struggling reading lamp a few rows ahead. The diesel engine's low and continuous rumble lullabies its passengers as it pushed them towards their destination. Su-yeong's charcoal hair draped over his lap as she slept, worn out from the week's events. Ryan's empty gaze watched the dark landscape pass behind the faint reflection of Perry Barone. A man who died during the civil warfare that still engulfed Los Angeles, the city that was his and Su-yeong's home, and was almost Ryan's.

For four years and some change, Ryan was gone. In his place, Honest Perry, the Italian soldier inhabited his body. He was a mask initially. Hard, rigid, and ill fitting, but would eventually splinter into a persona that harbored Ryan's depraved qualities. His nickname highlighting his only virtue. Despite the fact that Ryan no longer needed him, he could feel Perry still haunting him, as if he merely kicking his feet up til he was needed again.

His eyes shifted to the woman that was curled up to fit on their seats. As his calloused fingers combed through her raven silk, Ryan wondered how he, a man who'd committed such great evils, could ever be worthy of something so soft. He'd done nothing, and yet she stayed. The child they shared was still missing, the already faint trail gone after his years of being an involuntary brute for Di Giorgio. The boy would be fourteen in a few months, and would mark the fifth year since he was separated from his mother.

It was difficult for Ryan to feel genuine affection for the boy he never met, but he was the only piece missing from the thing he desired. A family. He didn't know how long it would take, but he'd find Owen. Whatever the cost.

 

[Misty Gray]

Sinead Callahan
~ Olivia Sullivan ~​

Sinead's anxiety had been in overdrive since Scott had been shot and she'd learned of Arlene's disappearance. Knowing her worries and catastrophising would only make her worse, she'd started taking her medication again. She'd stopped for a while but knew the signs by now and those signs were telling her to keep it under control. Thankfully, Farrid had done a good job at treating Scott and the bar manager had reassured her he wasn't going to quit his job, so he would return to work when he was physically able enough to do his work. Although there had been one or two times where Peter had shown his irritation to Sinead, her husband had been pleasant all week too. It had all helped to keep her nerves under control and by yesterday, she was feeling high-spirited and offered to babysit the kids whilst everyone else had plans this evening.

Sinead had agreed to look after Thomas, Leo, Lorelei and Olivia. Though it wasn't even dinnertime, she could hear children's footsteps thudding around the house, and she was already questioning her generous offer! Still, she couldn't deny how much she missed having young children around the house. The place was so quiet now her kids were growing up. Emery was locked away in her bedroom, listening to her music and unlikely to rejoin the living until dinner was served.

There was one child not running around the house and that was Arlene's blonde-haired daughter. Since being dropped off at the house by Lucy and James, Olivia had practically stuck to Sinead's side the whole time. As Sinead checked on dinner, she kept voicing her thoughts, hoping to fill the potential silence that would have existed otherwise. "That's a huuuuge roast, Olivia. I hope you're hungry. I am and I love beef!" The woman closed the oven door and took the oversized oven gloves off of her dainty hands, hanging the items on the nearby hook. She then crouched down to Olivia's level and smiled at the child. "We've still got another hour until dinner is ready." She softly smiled at the child, pushing the girl's blonde locks behind her ears. She felt sad for the girl, knowing that despite her young age she knew something was very wrong. It broke Sinead's heart to think that something bad had happened to Arlene and that the little girl may not see her mummy again. "Now, I know you like soda. What's your favourite kind?"

"Lemonade..." Olivia was quick to reply. Her "aunt" Sinead's voice had a sweetness to it that the girl found reassuring.

"Oh. Well, that's perfect. I have so much lemonade in the fridge. Soon you will have lemons falling out of your ears!" Sinead got up and walked over to the fridge. She cringed as she heard the distant expletive that came from Lorelei's mouth elsewhere in the house. "Don't you be swearing, Olivia. Children do not swear, especially not under this roof."

"That's okay. My Mum says that anyway. She says the f-word and the b-word, but told me to pretend I never heard the c-word that one time," the girl casually replied, shrugging her shoulders. Arlene wasn't one for holding her tongue and Sinead knew that all too well.

Luckily Peter's voice redirected Sinead's attention and saved Olivia a lecture about not using profanity. "If it's the boys making Lorelei swear, then I agree it's time to play elsewhere," Sinead said, sending her red-headed niece a disapproving frown. Honestly, she suspected Gwen might have been the source of Lorelei's language. Come to think of it, Sinead wouldn't have been surprised if Leo had thrown in some swearwords himself, knowing all too well how Conor was liberal with profanity around the kids. "My family is just a bunch of potty mouths, am I right?" she playfully asked, deciding not to sour the mood. "Lorelei, honey. Could you take Olivia to the lounge and see if there's a game you both want to play? I will bring some lemonade through to you both soon."

Once the girls had left the kitchen, Sinead turned to Peter and let out an exhausted sigh. "Isn't it nice to have kids around the house again?" she asked smiling brightly. "Please tell me Thomas and Leo are not causing trouble upstairs? Leo can be a real little terror at times... I blame Conor's genes for that!" she complained. She then looked Peter in the eyes and softly smiled. "How are you doing, darling? You hanging in there?" she asked. She hoped their house being turned into chaos for the evening wouldn't get to her husband too much. She'd hoped it would proved a nice distraction for them both, but was now worried her agreeing to babysitting so many kids at once might not have been what he really wanted. She just couldn't say no to helping her family out.


Bellz (Peter, Lorelei)

 

[Misty Gray]

Savannah Callahan​

Savannah laid out on the cold, wooden floor. The damp, red liquid covering her forehead as she remained lifelessly still on the floor. The top of her arm was throbbing as she tried to ignore the dull pain she was feeling. Her eyes stared straight ahead, seeing only the heavy blacks boots of the man standing over her. If she could give him a piece of her mind in that moment, she would. Instead, she kept still and waited it out. Finally, the man walked away and she knew she could get back up soon.

"Excellent!" Andre's voice called out from his seat. He clapped in an exaggerated manner. "Well done," he praised the three people on the stage. The young boy who was playing Oliver hopped down from the stage and joined the manager for a debrief. Savannah sat up and accepted the hand that was extended towards her to help her up. It was assistance from the same man who had been standing over her seconds ago.

Savannah accepted the man's hand and got up to her feet. She then slapped the top of his arm and pulled a disapproving face. "Henry, will you be careful next time?! You're not supposed to actually grab my arm so hard. It's called acting, remember?" she berated him. The 30-year old man soon apologised, to which Savannah clearly forgave him with a nod and a soft smile.

"Oi! Bill Sykes!" Andre shouted up to Henry, choosing to call him by his character's name only. "It looked amazing, but try not to actually kill our Nancy, will you? At least not until the last show," the man teased.

"Wow. Thanks, Andre. Real nice, that..." Savannah sarcastically called back to the man. She moved her hand up to push some hair back from in front of her face and cringed as she touched the fake blood that was still on her skin. "Ugh. Gross," she remarked, looking to the sticky substance now on her hand. "Well, that's me done for today. I'll leave you boys to run through the rest." With that, Savannah left the stage and retreated to the dressing room to get herself cleaned up.

**************​

After eventually getting cleaned up and changed into her pretty pink dress, Savannah made her way out of the theatre without further delay. She exited through the main entrance, not wanting to leave out of one of the rear doors as she didn't feel it was safe, not after years of having it drilled into her how cautious she had to be in the city. The streets ahead were busy and full of life, reassuring Savannah that nobody was going to grab her so publicly. She often wished she didn't have to even think such thoughts, but there was no escaping her family's legacy and name. From the corner of her eye, she saw someone approaching her, causing her hand to briefly tense as she held onto the handle of her handbag. When she turned to directly face the young man, she soon recognised him from Syd's club. Relaxing, she returned the man's smile and sent an acknowledging nod his way.

"Hey," she replied. She stopped still on the spot, a few steps aside from the theatre entrance. He remembered her from the club and he'd retained the information that she was Syd's cousin, so she was sure she didn't need to feel at all cautious around the young man. "I'm doing well. How about you?" she returned his question. She noticed the way he folded his arms but didn't think too much into it. "Well, Danny," she said, repeating his name. "I'm Savannah, though people usually call me Savvy or Sav," she sweetly told him.

When asked if she'd just seen a play, Savannah looked confused at first. She then looked over her shoulder to the theatre doors and then turned back to Danny as she let out an amused laugh. "Well, yes. Yes, I have. I've seen it so many times already," she told him, playfully rolling her eyes. She took a small step towards Danny and found it was her turn to awkwardly fold her arms. "The play isn't out until next weekend, so I've just had another long day rehearsing," she admitted, blushing a little as she did. "I'm playing Nancy... from Oliver Twist. Do you know it?" she curiously asked him.

"And what about you, Danny? Were you heading inside to see a show?" she curiously asked.

Pyroclast (Danny)

 

[Fletchawk]

Ryan Donahue
Saturday, July 10th, 1971
​

Ryan double checked to make sure the address matched the one written gracefully on the corner of the folded envelope he'd been using as reference. The house wasn't as big as the one in Dublin, although it was still handsome. Other than a quaint iron wrought gate threaded by ivy, the waist high masonry that lined the street was broken only to allow a length of driveway pass through. The man leaning against the '67 Impala parked out in front of the house was already eyeing him, smoking a cigarette as he spoke with his compatriot who sat in the driver's seat. Not wanting to seem more suspect than he already was, Ryan crossed the street after checking both ways. He was hardly surprised when the man motioned for him to stop as he approached the gate.

"Callahans ain't seeing no one today. Family get together. Try again tomorrow," the man said matter-of-factly, his friend nodding in agreement.

Ryan thought it over, and after few seconds of deciding on how to circumvent the two men, he held out the worn envelope that was still in his hand, "Look, I'm just an old friend stopping by. So how about you take this, and let Peter and Sinny decide, because I'd rather not have to bother James in order to call you off. Would be just be a waste of everyone's time, yeah?"

The man didn't immediately take the paper, and Ryan thought that he might call his bluff, as he didn't really have direct line of contact with James. That was actually why he was visiting Sinny and Peter first, to get in touch with James. While they had been friends in the past, Ryan wasn't affiliated with Mob anymore. What's more, he'd taken up the business again, albeit under a different name, despite it was against the oath he'd taken in order to retire. But after momentary look to his companion, which ended with a shrug, the man flicked his dwindling cigarette into the street, took it and looked it over.

"Fine. It's not like we gots anything else better to do. Pat him down while I go show them this," he said, gesturing for his compatriot to get out of the muscle car before passing through the gate and up to the house.

Ryan watched the man walk up the cement pathway to house as the other one lugged himself out of the car. The driver was rather chunky, and the shape of him reminded Ryan of a rather unpleasant man back in LA. He felt his face reflexively scrunch a bit at the memory, but fixed it before the man was aware of it. In order to cleanse the thought, Ryan turned his attention to the vehicle that the man was sitting in.

"V8, right? Looks like a beautiful monster. More of a speedster man myself..." Ryan's old '57 Corvette, Elise, came to mind with a bittersweet fondness. He'd debated getting a replacement after losing her during the Watts Riots, but he didn't really like the dual headlamps on the newer models, and the money was put to better use.

Misty Gray [Sinny] Bellz [Peter Pan]
Also at the Callahan Daycare: Melanin-Gxdess [Conor's spawn]

 

[RayPurchase]

Mitchell Van Gerwen
New York Correctional Facility
~ Lower Manhattan ~

​

Thank god for the breeze. Mitch stared up at the sunny skies above him. It could have been a real swelter. The building he stood in front of threw shadows his way, the nature of the building almost absorbing the rays of light, sucking them in. It was drab and artless, a concrete block plonked in the middle of Lower Manhattan. That weekend at the Porter’s and the subsequent day with Roxie felt like a distant memory now. His left eye flickered, and his hand scratched at his neck, unfortunately what had occurred later on that Sunday was still much fresher in his memory. The threats hadn’t meant so much, water off a duck’s back, besides his job was to get Connor our, and that had been his job before his altercation with Syd. However, the physical altercation, despite the lack of any permanent marks, he could still feel the fingers wrapped around his throat. The sheer fear and lack of power that he had felt, if he could avoid ever seeing Syd again that would be a perfect situation, if most likely a very unlikely one. He let out a deep breath and shook his head, shaking his demons loose, worrying could wait, the job came first.


Gripping his briefcase in one hand he strode confidently to the entrance. Placing his briefcase onto the desk with a thunk, he raised his state identification, already in his hand.



“Mitchell Van Gerwen, Attorney at Law, here to see my client Conor Sullivan, one of the standard meeting rooms will do.”


And with that he was already making his way through security, his briefcase being pawed over by some faceless guard as he was patted down.


“And I want all recording equipment and devices shut down, no sneaking anything through, otherwise I’ll have you lot by the balls, you hear me?”


What followed was some hurried and rather unnerved yammering from the young man on the front desk, looked like he’d only been in the job a few weeks, and now Mitch had breezed by him like a hurricane. A guard was already escorting him to one of the meeting rooms. It was pretty cold and unwelcoming, the furniture all metal and the walls and ceilings devoid of any decoration or humanity. It was like this on purpose however, its also where they would conduct police interviews, it was all about stripping away any familiarity or comfort, put you on edge. He stopped by a coffee machine just by his entrance to the room, he assumed this was only on this side, the prisoners would hardly have gotten such a luxury. He glanced at the guard as he removed a handful of quarters from his pocket.


“Just one second officer, just need one more to get me through the day,”


He slipped a couple of quarters in the machine, receiving a black coffee and a white coffee, before stashing a number of sugars in his pocket, and side stepping into the room, his briefcase hanging from a couple of free fingers. He placed the two cups and the briefcase on the table, before chucking a quarter in the officer’s direction.


“Get one while you’re at it Officer, I’ll wait here until Mr Sullivan arrives,”


The Officer grabbed the coin out of the air, muttering a thank you as he left. All about small mercies and favours, keep the guards sweet, a coffee here, an extra Danish brought in there. Stick and carrot. He settled down onto what proved to be an incredibly uncomfortable metal chair, and opened his briefcase, removing a stack of papers. He reached into the pocket of his grey suit and removed a pair of light brown spectacles, placing them on before running through some preliminary notes. Might as well get some light reading in before Connor arrived, then things would get interesting.

(Metion: Pyroclast Syd, Bellz Roxie, Misty Gray Connor)

 

[Pyroclast]

Syd Porter

The general mood among the mob had been rather dark since hearing of Arlene's disappearance. Her young daughter, Olivia, had been placed in the care of Lucy and James, so Syd believed that she would be looked after well. He knew from personal experience that they were good at looking after troubled children so he didn't doubt that she was in safe hands. Even so, the girl's presence served as a reminder of the dangers that came from being a member of a high profile family, and so the uncertainty of Arlene's whereabouts had been dominating Syd's thoughts all week. Although nobody dared verbalise their suspicions, Syd had a feeling that the general consensus was that the woman was most likely dead. It was a grim thought, and by no means meant that they had given up hope, but the family had unfortunately known similar situations from past enemies and by now had learned to expect the worst. The underlying question, assuming that her disappearance was some kind of message to the mob, was who their new enemy was and what they wanted.

Arlene's disappearance coupled with the shooting at Sinead's club had successfully distracted Syd from his own troubles regarding Roxie and Mitch. When he had returned home to find Farrid fixing up the bar manager, his concern had shifted from his own behaviour to the new apparent dangers that had begun to surround the mob. The safety of his family was always his primary concern, and at present he understood that they needed his attention to be with them. His young brother, Thomas, he felt especially protective over during this time - being born into a crime family was always going to bring complications to the boy's life and he wanted to do his best to ensure that he had nothing to be afraid of, that the problems the family faced wouldn't have a damaging effect on him as he grew up.

With so much else on his mind throughout the week, Syd found himself a little unprepared for his meeting with Roxie. Of course, being a matter of business, he didn't doubt that any lingering tensions between them would be set aside, but, having not found the time to make amends with her yet, he still wasn't sure how she felt about him. After the poor first impression he had made on her at the party, Syd was determined to give off a more professional air this time. He had shaved, picked out a smart, neatly-pressed suit, and spent a decent amount of time trying to make his hair look perfect. Keeping up appearances for the sake of the family's reputation was something Syd considered important; the fact that he was thinking about Roxie the entire time that he stood in front of the mirror wasn't enough to make him realise how much of his efforts were in fact to get her attention.

The building that contained the venue in question was not one that Syd was hugely familiar with - apart from one meeting he had attended there in the past, he had never had reason to set foot inside the Plaza Hotel. Its architectural grandeur impressed him and he was eager to see how the ballroom would compare. As soon as they arrived and Roxie appeared to greet them, Syd grew slightly nervous. Surrounded by family, however, he was able to hide it well enough and reached out to shake the woman's hand. The only time he had ever made physical contact with her was when she had slapped him across the face, so the more gentle gesture of shaking her hand had an unexpected effect on him. The feeling of her skin against his made him blush slightly and a polite smile was all he managed to give her.

As soon as Roxie began to speak, Syd stopped concentrating on the building and the reason they had come. She seemed to carry off her professional attire with effortless glamour, and the confidence and enthusiasm in her tone of voice was somehow less intimidating than it had been when she had spoken to him at the party the previous week. Instead, her charisma was alluring and gave him an impression of how independent and driven she was. When they stepped into the hotel's foyer, Syd glanced upwards to admire the exquisite detail of the ceiling, but his attention shortly fell back on the woman giving the tour. He watched her lips move, imagining how soft they would feel against his. His eyes followed her manicured hands as they gestured around the room, but didn't look to where they pointed, instead thinking of how they would feel to hold. Distracted by her beauty, he had barely listened to a word she had said so far, and it was only when James asked a question about the security of the building that he fully returned to the room around him.

"And while we're on the subject of security," he interjected. "What's the policy here on bringing in our own staff for an event? For instance, guards and bouncers who we can trust, who are familiar with those on the guest list, can be more valuable than staff provided by a third-party establishment. Is the room hire a package deal or are we allowed some freedom where staff hire is concerned?" Syd stood with his hands together in front of him, keeping his eyes on her as he spoke. So far he had allowed himself to pay more attention to her appearance than to what she was saying, so now he had to remind himself that he was here on business, to put his fantasies out of his mind and concentrate on the purpose of the visit.

Interactions
Bellz Roxie, Lucy
Misty Gray James
shadowz1995 Dante
Melanin-Gxdess Aliana

 

[Misty Gray]

Maddox Parker​

Maddox watched as the beautiful woman in the stylish blue dress approached him. Were he not a man so comfortable in himself, he might have questioned if she really was his date for the night. Ani looked stunning and he couldn't deny she was a breathtaking sight. When she stopped in front of him, he returned her smile with a warm one of his own. The woman placed a kiss on his cheek before she complimented how he looked. The man's smile only broadened at her gesture and words. "And you look amazing, Ani. A million dollars," he told her, genuinely take back by how good she looked. He reciprocated the kiss she had given him with a very light one of his own on her cheek, conscious not to do anything that would potentially smudge her make-up or make her feel at all awkward.

Maddox placed his hand very lightly to the centre of Ani's back, so delicately that his hand was hovering close to her skin but not actually touching it. Once they reached the door, he pulled the hand in question back and used it to quickly pulled the door open, stepping aside so Ani could enter the building first. Once inside, they were both greeted by the young hostess who took the two tickets from Maddox before leading them up the maroon-carpeted staircase to the private box. Maddox offered his arm out to Ani, not wanting her to struggle or risk tripping in her heels as they ascended the stairs. Even if she didn't accept his arm, he would still hold his arm ready behind her should she stumble. "I haven't heard this orchestra play before. They're from Vienna and I believe they're very well received," he informed Ani as they walked.

The two were soon shown into their private box and led to the table for two that overlooked the stage from the right-hand side. Maddox helped Ani into her seat before sitting down alongside her. A menu was then handed to each of them before they were left alone in their private room to decide on their food and drinks. Some light music was being played in the auditorium as a warm up to the big event, giving everyone in the main seating area below the chance to find their seats. It also gave Maddox and Ani time to think over the menu. "I hope there's plenty on the menu to your taste," he spoke up. In his mind, he was already sure he fancied the filet mignon, but his focus was first on the alcohol menu, knowing the waitress would come to take the drinks order first. "What do you usually like to drink?" he curiously asked Ani. Rather than rudely keeping his eyes on the menu whilst she spoke, Maddox made sure to look to her and show he was giving her his full attention in that moment.

Bellz (Ani)

Conor Sullivan​

Conor heard the footsteps approaching his cell but he chose not to move from his relaxed position on the worn mattress. Judging by the jingling sound of keys that accompanied the purposeful steps, it was easy enough to deduce the man who would soon stop at his open cell door was one of the prison guards. When he heard the guard speak his surname, a smirk crept on his face. The rules were that a prisoner had to stand up with his back against the far wall when a guard called his name from the doorway. However, the man who had said Conor's surname didn't command such protocol from him. In his own time, Conor sat up before eventually standing up on the floor. "Officer Gregg. Good vacation?" he casually asked the man. The decent staff at the prison could probably be counted on one hand, as far as Conor's opinion was concerned. Gregg was one of them and the officer's less uptight manner made Conor more willing to be compliant.

"Lawyer's here to see you, Sullivan," Gregg told him, nodding his head for the prisoner to follow him. "Any chance you could cooperate with the guy? We're all getting sick of seeing you taking up space now," he remarked, with a hint of humour in his tone.

"You'll have to put a good word in then, won't ya? Help me get out of your hair sooner," Conor said, following on behind the guard.

Conor was soon brought to the visiting room and was told by Officer Gregg to sit in the chair opposite Mitchell. "I'll be out there if you need me," the guard assured the lawyer, pointing to the corridor directly outside the interview room door.

Conor did as he was instructed and sat in the empty seat. Once the guard had left the two alone in the room and closed the door behind him, Conor relaxed in his hard chair. He stared at the lawyer for a time, thinking over how difficult he may have made the man's job since he was assigned by the Porters to get him out of jail. Even now he was desperate to get out of prison and get his life back on track, it took a lot of conscious effort for him not to be a jerk to Mitchell. Conor had no respect for authority figures, primarily cops and politicians. To him, lawyers didn't fall far from the same tree, even if they were twisted in the favour of his family. But, Dr. Parker had until recently been shoved into the same box of disdain by Conor and now the prisoner was able to appreciate what the shrink had done for him. He knew he would have to suck up his pride and try to make Mitchell's job easier too. After all, nobody would benefit more from his cooperation than Conor himself.

"Evening, mate," he greeted the lawyer, sending him a nod. "Saturday evening and you're stuck in this shithole talking to me. I'll try not to waste too much of your time," he said, glancing to the man's briefcase. No doubt the lawyer would want to get straight to the case rather than making conversation, so Conor would do his best to stay on track. "Where are we at?" he asked, inviting the lawyer to start. Mitchell would have already been made aware the parole hearing was in five days' time, but the prison staff hadn't felt compelled to inform Conor of such an important date.

RayPurchase (Mitchell)

 

[Bellz]

Peter Callahan/Lorelei Bryant​

Peter let out a laugh as he led Lorelei into the kitchen, Sinead commenting on the swearing done in the family always was amusing to him. You'd think at some point she would have to get use to it. That was his girl, so sweet and pure. "Wonder how it all started, you know, which great great great grandfather passed that down." He grinned and let go of Lorelei's hand as she was instructed to go play with Olivia. Lorelei seemed happy and eager to take on a new friend and held out her own hand to the girl. "Come on, you can stay close to me if you want, I'll protect you from those shitheads!" Peter's eyes went wide and he let out another laugh, "Lorelei! One more time and we are going to have a serious talk!" He reprimanded her, but the girl just looked ahead and nodded, "Yea yea, sorry Uncle Petey, Aunt Sinny!" Before much could be said more on the subject, Lorelei hurried her pace and turned the corner to head into the lounge with Olivia in tow.

Peter watched the girls leave for a moment, still shaking his head before looking to Sinny with an expression that said Can you believe this kid? Sighing, Peter smiled as Sinead commented on having kids around the house again. "Oh yea its nice..." He murmured breathlessly, feeling like he could finally stand still for more than a second. Enjoying the time he had with Sin, he decided to lean against the counter. Nodding his head, the man shrugged his shoulders, "If I could handle prison, I can handle these monsters." He said, his tone was teasing but not light in the slightest. His right eye twitched at the reminder and he turned his head to look away from his wife.

Clearing his throat, the man stared at the coffeemaker in the corner. "It really is good to see kids back in our house. As much as they stress me out, I love them all to pieces." His tone was lighter this time and the twitch in his eye had disappeared, looking Sinead up and down, he started thinking...."You know, its been a while since we've been out on a--" Out of the corner of his eye, he saw someone approaching. Turning his head sharply, he raised his eyebrows to find one of the guards from outside standing in the kitchen doorway.

"Sorry, this arrived for you. Man didn't give his name." This caused Peter to be cautious as he reached for the envelope the man gave him. Looking at the front, it was address to a man he thought he would have the pleasure of never seeing again. Eyes narrowing, Peter's shoulders stiffened before he turned his head to the guard. "Let him in, he can come find his way into the kitchen." Peter wasn't going to go greet a man who wasn't welcome.
With: Sinead Misty Gray ; Ryan Fletchawk
mentions: Olivia Misty Gray

 

[Misty Gray]

Sinead Callahan​

Sinead was glad when she saw Peter lean against the counter as it meant he wasn't in a rush to leave the kitchen which she interpreted as him wanting to spend some time in her presence. When he made his comment about being able to handle the monsters after surviving prison, she nodded her head and was about to laugh along at his comment. Instead she noticed the way he looked away and her smile was briefly replaced with a small frown out of sadness for her husband's suffering behind bars.

"Kids sure are stressful, but it's worth it for their sweet little faces. They always seem so happy to see us and are so much fun to be around. I miss that now our babies are all grown up. Savvy is so mature and doing so well in the theatre, she never has the time to spend with us. Brady is never home... always off with his friends and not wanting hugs from his crazy Mum anymore. And all Emmy wants to do is hide away upstairs with her music, if she isn't trying to sneak out with her friends. They don't want to spend time with us two oldies anymore," she pointed out, with a soft sigh.

Sinead caught Peter looking her over and she blushed a little as she wondered what he was thinking. He then began to speak but was soon cut off when one of the security men caught his attention. Sinead briefly hung on his words, trying to figure out if he was going to suggest what she thought he was. She was sure he was going to say they should go out on a date and the idea brightened up her eyes. However, she couldn't press him to finish his sentence as the guard was soon speaking and handing a letter of some sort to Peter. Hearing her husband tell the other man to let their visitor in, Sinead curiously walked to Peter's side. She peered over his shoulder to see the envelope he was holding. It didn't take her long to recognise the writing as her own and to see the fact the envelope was addressed to Ryan.

"Ryan's here?" she softly posed the rhetorical question to Peter. She hadn't seen her friend in over a decade, not since he left Dublin to go on a personal mission in search of his own son. Sinead and Ryan had written to each other since then, though their letters had grown scarce over time. Ryan's arrival at the house was certainly a surprise. Despite being aware Peter wasn't exactly happy with Ryan's presence, Sinead couldn't help but feel happy at the prospect of seeing the man she'd known since she was a child. She was sure his first point of call would have been to see Conor, but that was obviously tricky seeing as her brother was in prison.

Sinead briefly took hold of Peter's hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. She hoped Peter would be okay with Ryan visiting. Despite her husband's standoffish posture, she was sure it would be fine. All of those years ago, back in Dublin, Ryan had admitted to Sinead that he had feelings for her at that time. But nothing happened between them and she was sure Peter couldn't possibly know of that. Surely he would have brought it up before now?

When Ryan eventually found his way to the kitchen, Sinead smiled brightly at the man. "Look who finally remembered to come visit!" she happily greeted him. In her usual tactile manner, she gave her friend a hug but the fact she was conscious of Peter's tense mood meant she soon broke away from the embrace. She then took a few steps back to stand by Peter's side again and briefly looked up to acknowledge her husband's reaction, hoping he wasn't annoyed with her for being excited to see their old friend. "How are you doing, Ryan? What on Earth have you been up to in all of this time?"

Bellz (Peter) Fletchawk (Ryan)

 

[shadowz1995]

Dante was quiet for most of the car ride.

The time he spent after the assassination was complete had been spent in relative ease. His employer, James, had understandably summoned him once more to scope out this venue where another big gathering of people was supposedly going to be held once again. If the Roman was being honest, he had the tendency to tune out when people spoke parties, gatherings, or things of that nature.

All he wanted to do was understand his role in the grand scheme of things and execute his job flawlessly as he so often did.

So, it came as something of a blessing when the mafia boss gave him the order to start searching for security flaws and counter measures. It spared him the pain of having to listen to the lady describe the place in detail and he could keep his mind and eyes occupied with something that actually interested him.

All in all, Dante didn't like this place. Far too large. Too many possible entrances. Lots of angles that it could be approached from. Choke points. It was an assassin's dream come true and while the Porter family could easily supply the men necessary to cover everything, Dante despised the unknown when it came to hired help.

So, the solution was somewhat simple, "This place is very big and has a lot of possible entrances for intruders. My suggestion is to select somewhere with little to no windows. No need for a marksman to kill someone from distance because you're making it easy. Also, have hired security placed around the entire place at proper positions to make use of the chokepoints in the hallways."

"That being said, keep the unknown help on the outskirts of the event. Once you get closer to the event itself, make sure it is guards we know and trust. The security that runs in or directly around the gathering should only be your most trusted members."

Misty Gray (sorry it's short. I'm working atm and I just wanted to get something out for ya)

 

[Bellz]

Ani Sarraf​

Ani's cheeks warmed as Maddox told her that she looked like a million dollars. Though her salary wasn't anywhere near that, she was glad that she had succeeded in the glamorous and classy look she was going for. As the pair headed towards the inside, Ani's thoughts returned to her brother for only a moment, thinking more about their other job than Ammon himself. She wondered when they would be needed again and she hoped that it wasn't anytime soon. Taking Maddox's arm as he politely held it out to her at the stairs, she glided effortlessly up them. Years of having to attend formal events with her adopted parents gave her this particularly useful skillset. One hand at her dress, she lifted it slightly to make sure she didn't trip as she listened with interest to what her date had to say. Nodding her head lightly, she smiled at the information but didn't say much until they reached their box. "I look forward to hearing them." She told him eagerly, honestly surprised that she wasn't breathless from the climb.

The table was perfect, overlooking the stage from the right. Ani looked down at the rest of the crowd for a moment before taking the seat that was pulled out for her. With the menu in her hand, the woman looked over it cooly, her eyes already glancing towards one of the salads and choosing the chopped garden. Then her eyes turned towards the drinks and a small smile formed on her lips, she was always picky about her drinks. Her brown eyes looked up towards Maddox as he asked what she liked to drink and she tried not to look bashful as she set her menu down for a moment. "I think I have to come clean with you now and say I haven't the slightest clue." A light chuckle escaped her as the pair made eye contact. She appreciated a man who could give her his full attention. "What do you like? Maybe I can sample that, if that's not too much trouble?" The woman's cheeks were warm and she opened the drink menu once again, eyes glancing over it.

"Problem is, I like everything but when it really comes down to it, I can't chose a single one." Ani bit her lip, once again closing the menu before looking back up at her date. "Tell you what, maybe you can surprise me?" The waitress made a speedy appearance and asked what they wanted to drink. Ani watched Maddox with a curious expression and when the drinks were ordered and the waitress left, Ani smiled widely. "I'm positive I will not be disappointed." She spoke cheerily. With her food order decided, Ani kept her menu closed and watched as people continued to take their seats, it seemed like the performance was due to start soon.

"How have things been since we've last spoke?"
with: Maddox Misty Gray

 

[Bellz]

Roxie Carriveau ​

00:09:20

Although the tour had started out talking about the Plaza itself, Roxie knew the conversation would be steered towards security rather quickly, and she was prepared for all the questions the men had to ask. James started off by asking if she had hosted any events at the location before, to which she immediately nodded her head. He finished off by asking if she could assure that the even would have strict security measures, which she smiled easy at with another nod of her head, "Of course, Mr. Porter, I take my events very seriously and the safety and comfort of my clients is very important to me." Before she could say much more, Syd made himself known to her for the first time since shaking her hand out front. Her large blue eyes glanced his way with interest and she gave him her full attention as he continued on the topic of security. When he finished, Roxie nodded her head slowly and took a moment to plan out what she was going to say.

The woman was already aware of her control around this man, or lack of, so it was important to gather her thoughts before she went embarrassing herself like she had that night at the party. A deep pitted feeling formed in her gut, a reminder of what she had done in front of these people. "Well," She started, trying to get her mind of her own self loathing. "It hasn't been a problem with my past clients, the hotel is happy to accommodate toe your security needs and if they aren't, I can certainly make sure they see different." The confidence in her voice was once again unwavering as the pair seemed to stare one another down for a moment. Roxie was the first to look away, reminding herself that she was working. "Upstairs, we will actually be meeting with some of the security staff from the hotel....If you would all follow me this way, we are going to head to the elevators..." Roxie looked to Syd in particular again, noting that James, Lucy and Dante were in a conversation of their own now.

"You Porters are all work and no play huh?" She said casually, falling into step beside Syd as they made their way towards the elevator ...

***​

00:07:00

A white Cadillac pulled up to the Plaza Hotel and a blonde haired woman in a tight bun stepped out with the help of the driver. In her hands, she held a neatly wrapped gift box, champagne colored with a gold bow around it. A little tag hung from the ribbon, addressed to someone special who was visiting the hotel today. Holding the box as delicately as she could, the woman sauntered towards the front desk with a bright smile on her face, "Caio" was all she said before leaving the package on the desk counter and turning to head back out to the car. The front desk manager looked at the package and immediately called security. A large man in all black appeared minutes later, "Caio" he said, lifting the package before heading towards the elevators where Roxie and the others had headed.

He fell behind slightly and watched as they took the first elevator available up to the 5 floor, where the ballroom was located. Waiting for another elevator, the man stepped inside next to a mother and small child, who slowly looked up at his tall frame with wide eyes. The man turned his head to stare down at the child, his mouth twitching in the creepiest of smiles, causing the child to squeal out in fear and turn to her mother for comfort. The man left the elevator on the fifth floor satisfied as the child continued to wail.

Instead of heading into the ballroom with Roxie and the rest, the man moved down the long hallway towards the kitchen, where he would drop off the gift with one of the serving staff.

***​

00:05:50

The elevator opened up to reveal the Grand Ballroom, decorated in elegant colors of White, Champagne and Deep Violet. "Out of all the ballrooms in this hotel, I thought this one suited the Porter lifestyle." Roxie pointed out to the group as they stepped out onto the ballroom floor. The woman had to smile at her own work coming to life, the colors matched perfectly and gave her the modern look that she was striving for with these particular clients. Ricardo, the bronze of the security operations, stepped out of the kitchen wearing his normal all black attire.

"Ahh Ricardo! Ciao! Roxie greeted him happily as she gestured to the group, "These are my new clients, they were wondering about the security measures and what are policy was on allowing their own personnel. I told them it wouldn't be a problem and I can assume that I am correct?" With a single eyebrow raised, her eyes were pointed in the large man's direction. He didn't twitch under her gaze like other men might, but instead he nodded his head and grunted once.

The brunette turned her head towards Syd in particular, "That's his special way of agreeing with me." She murmured. "So I assume with the security measures taken care of, this venue is alright for your event? I can always find another if this isn't what your family is looking for, but this one just screamed at me."
with: Syd Pyroclast
mentions: James Misty Gray ; Dante shadowz1995 ; Ali Melanin-Gxdess

 

[Pyroclast]

Jason Costello

The last words that Jason had exchanged with Gwen were bitter and full of resentment. Whatever compassion and love he had felt for her in the past had been pushed deep below the surface; at first, to help him to move on from her, but now also as a way to work with her on a professional level. Unfortunately it seemed he had pushed it down too far, for now he was struggling to even be civil. Seeing Gwen with a young girl at her side had shocked him. Of course, he had to remind himself that 11 years had passed since they were together, and therefore he couldn't expect her not to have lived her life during that time - even though, despite the change of surname, Gwen had seemed offended at his suggestion that she was married. Communication had never been a strong point of theirs even when they were together, so there was a lot about her that he didn't understand yet. Her behaviour, her past and her present situation were a mystery to him - he just had to try not to provoke her.

Jason sat in the auditorium with his jazz shoes already on, surrounded by the rest of the cast that were set to rehearse that day. To have got one of the leading roles in the musical was a dream come true for him - even Gwen's late arrival couldn't dampen his excitement to begin this defining chapter of his career. The director's introductory words inspired him to look around at the members of the cast that he would be working with on the project. Those of them who had witnessed his fight with Gwen had already seen a dark side of him - he exchanged one of two awkward glances and realised that he would have to make an effort to change their impression of him. If he let his temper get the better of him then he could lose his part, and that was the last thing he wanted.

Soon he and Gwen were directed into the dance studio to work on one of the duets, accompanied by choreographer, Angelica and musical director, Henry. Jason still felt tense around Gwen but he was determined not to let her presence put him off doing his best. So far, the two hadn't acknowledged each other; the suggestion that he had made after their callback to keep their distance while off stage was apparently being put to the test already. Realistically, however, he wasn't sure how long they would be able to keep it up now that they were to actually begin rehearsals.

It surprised him when, before saying anything else, Angelica approached them and warned them that their previous behaviour towards each other would only land them in trouble with the director. He frowned at the choreographer, a little shocked himself. However, before he could let his pride get the better of him, he managed to draw a deep breath and keep his reaction controlled. "Listen, you have nothing to worry about, alright?" he assured her, with a quick glance to Gwen. She looked mortified by the accusation, which only embarrassed him further, and though he was managing to keep his composure, he couldn't help the defensive tone that showed in his voice. "There's nothing going on between us that's going to get in the way of the show. I promise. I'm here to play my part and that's it."

Once again, he looked to Gwen, wondering if she actually believed his words. He was being serious, but given how easily Gwen seemed able to light his short fuse, Jason wasn't sure that he trusted himself not to lose control around her. The two would be working together very closely, after all. Angelica's expression remained serious as she looked between the two of them, clearly as uncertain as Jason as to whether or not she could trust them to behave professionally. Yet, she didn't waste more time over it, knowing that they had a lot of ground to cover where the choreography was concerned.

Jason's eyes fell to his feet momentarily as Angelica took a few steps back, beginning to envision the scene. "Alright," she spoke up, clapping her hands together. "Let's get to it, then. This song takes place in Cliff's apartment, where Sally is begging him to let her stay. It's a very upbeat number, with a great deal of passion and energy from Sally. She is desperate, but not pathetic, and so her vibrant personality is her greatest selling point. Gwen, that's really what you need to emphasise here, okay? Be loud, expressive, theatrical. You are trying to make Cliff envision the fun that she would bring to the place. But there is of course a heavily flirtatious element to her words - you are his 'source of stimulation', remember - so there will be a lot of teasing involved in the way you move." Clearly eager to see her vision come to life, Angelica's expression had now brightened considerably and she winked at Gwen before continuing. "Because I'd like to see how you two look against each other, I think it would be good to begin at Cliff's verse, towards the end of the song. This is the point at which Cliff is finally allowing himself to imagine the fun they would have living together, and so, with both of you now on the same page, the passion and energy flows not just from Sally but from Cliff, as well."

Jason had his arms folded and was listening to the woman's description intently. But when she paused and shook her head at him, he grew confused. "What?" he asked, wondering what he had done this time.

"You two are standing so far apart!" she observed. "Jason, turn to face Gwen for me." He turned to her, his eyes immediately locking onto hers. "Now take three steps forward, that's it - and take her into your arms, like you're about to dance with her. Yes, like that - but bring your bodies closer together, so that you are touching." It was at this point that Jason found himself unable to keep his eyes on her. It felt just like it had all those years ago, when it wasn't for work that they were dancing, but for pleasure. Her scent transported him back to the night they first met, when he invited her to dance in front of a room full of people. Despite claiming to not know how, she had taken his hand and let him lead her - lead her into a tumultuous relationship, fuelled by passion. Much like Cliff Bradshaw and Sally Bowles.

Henry proceeded to count the steps for them, and Angelica then instructed them to dance, just to see how they looked as they moved together. Jason did as he was told, but he didn't feel like he was in character without the music to properly back them up, and so even though his steps and posture were to a professional standard, he couldn't help but feel awkward. His heart beat rapidly as he held Gwen close against him and he tried desperately to imagine that she was another woman, anyone else but her.

Interactions
Bellz Gwen