Realistic or Modern Gangs of Birmingham - IC Thread [Open]

[purplecowdutch]

Jackie Walker - fundraiser - thomas, felicity and elizabeth neverbackdown


Jackie wasn’t completely sure if he was allowed to be at the whole fundraiser thing but he wasn’t going to pussy out and he was in luck aunt Caroline was so fond on him, the black eye he was walking around with was enough punishment. Getting hit by a girl of all Fletchers, was definitely the worst that had ever happened to him.

Secretly he’d hope Richard wouldn’t find out what he had done though he felt stupid for even needing that sort of approval. Richard wasn’t his father and his father would have had him promoted on the spot, he was sure of that. He didn’t know what Thomas had told his father or anybody else but there was no better time to find out if he was to trust then right now.

Jackie had to admit he didn’t catch a lot of sleep before going to the fundraiser but just in case used some of his leftover snow, a quick bump would wake him up. He had bought some off Scott right before he went MIA since their last conversation, surely he wouldn’t have been whacked or he’d have heard about it.



Even though most of the seats were still free when Jackie had arrived, he already claimed a seat next to Felicity and his partner in crime, Thomas. His aunt Caroline seemed a little busy so he send her a quick kiss from a distance, the rest of the Walkers he’d get too later nor did he think anyone would actually wanted to talk to him. He had took a glass of complimentary champagne from the blonde doll who got an extra tip just for saying hi to him. The glass was emptied in less than five seconds when he made some eye contact with Robert, he wasn’t afraid of him- no, he wasn’t but he wasn’t jumping to have that conversation.

‘Can I get another one, sweetheart?’ Jackie stopped the girl for another drink while he listened to his cousin ramble on about what they pulled the other night. He gave his nephew a side eye as he told her they weren’t really thinking, a big fat lie of course.

Jackie shrugged when Thomas gave into his sister when she looked at the two, almost begging them to not cause any trouble. If anything Jackie was too stubborn to give in to anything Felicity said, the two didn’t get along most of the time, even as kids and he remembered clearly throwing those spitballs at her when Richard was teaching them.



While Thomas was complimenting her hard work, Jackie’s attention wandered to the blonde who normally seemed so unreachable but was now in the same room as him and her father right next to her. Elizabeth. He totally forgot she obviously would show up here and this was his chance to make a good impression. Jackie slicked his hair back while he turned his attention back to his lovely family.

‘Yeah, I don’t know why you’re so worried. There has to be a fucking earthquake to turn this boring fundraiser into anything more enjoyable.’ He gave Felicity a quick smile to soften this harsh joke and nodded when Thomas said the three of them should just stick together. Maybe another time.

‘We definitely need to catch up,’ he said as he gave Thomas a few pats on his shoulder, ‘and even though I’d love to hear all about how Felicity decorated the place, I see someone I’ve been wanting to talk to for a long time, so if you guys don’t mind.’
Jackie chugged the champagne glass in front of him and squeezed himself out of the chair and the table.

Jackie was happy he took that final bump before going in because he looked way too confident to walk up to the major’s daughter with him in a 5 mile radius like that with a black eye on top of that.

He casually wurmed through the crowd and found the nearest chair and scooted it next to the blonde girl who looked like a dream to probably a lot of men ánd women in this room.

‘I thought I was dreaming, but it’s really you,’ Jackie greeted her and looked towards the Walker’s table to check if he wasn’t being too obvious. ‘I didn’t make it till the end of your shift last time, I was hoping we could do a raincheck,’ he pulled a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket and offered her one, hoping she would take it and they’d keep talking.

 

[neverbackdown]

The Royal Hotel
- Birmingham City Centre, Birmingham -

Victoria "Rory" Fletcher

​

Rory simply nodded in return as Tony accepted her promise. It was only one night, all she had to do was avoid that area of the room and keep her attention on someone at their table and it would all go swimmingly. Well at least she hoped it would, once the Walkers kept away from her then she would do the same. Although if that idiot Jackie came anywhere near her then she wouldn't be able to stop herself giving him a second black eye.

Tony's warning was quickly followed by her mother's and Rory looked towards her mother with a tightlipped smile playing on her expression, nodding her head to show that she was listening to her. It was one thing to mess around with Tony and Rory couldn't help herself when it came to her brother, but there was an unmistakable more serious shift in Rory when her mother addressed them. Rory had always looked up to her mum, she was a force to be reckoned, courageous and skilled but she did it all with an elegance and grace that Rory hoped someday she was have.

When Dorothy mentioned handling Caroline herself, Rory raised an eyebrow as her interest piqued and she couldn't help but giggle at Tony's comment "I would definitely love to see you take her Mum" she agreed with a nod, her eyes slowly drifted towards Walker's table and towards Caroline as she looked her over before she looked back at her Mother "It would be too easy for you though" she added with a smile.

A smirk played on her lips as Tony pulled her into his side, looking at him briefly before giving her attention back to her mother "scouts honor" she commented amusement clear in her tone and expression as she held her hand up in the scouts sign as a small laugh escaped her lips at his next comment. "Thank god we weren't born Walkers, stiff miserable things that they are" she laughed but quickly stifled it after one look at her mother's expression. "Best Behavior" She confirmed in a more serious tone as she looked to Tony and her mother confirming that she listened to both of their warnings to her.

"Right I don't know about you but I definitely need a drink before whats sure to be an incredible boring speech by Robert" she commented in an almost sing song voice before turning in her step and walking back towards the table, just in time for the bottle of wine to be dropped down by a server. The bottle had barely touched the table before Rory picked it up and poured herself a glass, also pouring one for Julia and anyone else that wanted a glass of wine.

Taking a sip, a pleasant and rather unusual smile played on her lips as she sat down in her seat. She looked around the table before raising an eyebrow and looking towards Julia "Where's Sully gone?" she asked curiously noting he was not present at that moment. Julia confirmed that he had gone to bar and Rory nodded in response as she looked around them but before she could spot him, her attention was drawn towards her brother and mother taking a seat at the table "so like how long does the speech part last? and basically how long do we have to stay ?" she questioned.

*******
Int;-
Tony Misty Gray
Mother dearest/Dorothy Bellz
(at table) Malcolm ReverseTex
Mentions ;- Sully BeyondDandy

 

[Misty Gray]

The Royal Hotel
- Birmingham City Centre, Birmingham -

Beth Henderson and Gerald Henderson​

Beth had been joking around with her brothers whilst the Mayor caught up with Robert and Richard. Their mother had gone to the ladies room some time ago but Beth knew for a fact the woman will have ended up enthralled in some conversation before even reaching her destination. Usually, these kinds of events weren't to her taste, but having Aidan and Carl with her made it all much more tolerable. It wasn't often the three siblings were together these days, so they were making the most of it. Their father was too occupied tonight to bother them about their missed opportunities and plans for their futures, so all was calm.

As her brothers were focused on the waitress Carl had taken a shine to, Beth was left to react on her own when Jackie placed himself in the empty seat beside her. She caught Aidan briefly look at the newcomer from his position to her other side, but her brother had opted not to intervene. The three siblings knew better than to butt into each others' business, but she was sure Aidan would still have something to say if he wasn't impressed. He knew what he could do with that though...

Beth let out an exaggerated laugh when Jackie swooped in with an apparent chat-up line. "Oh, real smooth," she drily told him. When he cast her mind back to the night the Walkers had their family dinner and he was flirting with her, she remembered it clearly. "You were too far gone to have take me anywhere," she pointed out. "Where did you end up that evening?" She declined his offer of a cigarette but smiled nonetheless. "Rain check, huh? Are you sure you can last a full evening and stay sober enough?" she teased.

Beth's smile faltered when her father returned to the table and sat directly opposite her and Jackie. Unlike her brother, Gerald made no secret that he was staring at her and Jackie. He studied him for a moment before speaking up. "Good evening. Jackie, is it?" he asked, aware of the Walker family member even if they hadn't directly spoken. "Do you and Beth already know each other?" he curiously asked. As much as he liked and worked closely with Robert, he didn't want his kids getting too close to any of the dangerous Walker family, so that needed nipping in the bud.

"Yes, we do, Dad," Beth spoke up, hoping to shut the conversation down fast.

"What do you do for a living, Jackie?" Gerald asked, wanting the man to answer a question for himself.

purplecowdutch (Jackie)

 

[ReverseTex]

In scene: Misty Gray @BasDorcha

Bonnie Moody

​

Bonnie’s initiation

Bonnie couldn’t help but be surprised by Alfie’s sudden lust, being so open about it around his mother seemed crass. Perhaps it was her Southern manners kicking back in. Caroline’s comment about men being brainless made her smile, considering how improper her son was being present. Both Walkers began to chat about the event, mentioning Alfie’s sister and someone else she hadn’t met yet. But by Caroline’s remarks, she could tell his mother was certainly a force to reckon with.

Alfie’s sudden mention of her past caught her off-guard, some of the information she didn’t give him. Where did he learn about her parents? Her younger self might have left at the mention of them, but she needed to face it. She needed to play it smart in front of his mother, she was certainly being tested for something. Right as she was about to respond, Alfie yet again distracted her. The tingling sensation from his touch flowed through her body, threatening to send her crashing down.

“Yes, well I'm not close with them anymore,” Bonnie started, trying to break her mind from Aflie’s distraction. “I didn’t enjoy being paraded about like some object, yes Alfie, like at a Cotillion ball.” She sent a teasing knee into his thigh, careful not to do more in front of his mother. “I needed to forge my path in life, not follow along in some predetermined plan. Now that I'm my own woman, I'm grateful to have the chance to live life how I see fit.” She glanced at Alfie, knowing her words were laced with double meaning. “So I don’t have much to say about them Mrs. Walker, sorry to disappoint,” her attention turned back to his mother. Alfie and his mom exchanged pleasantries, enough time to break from his seductive spell for a moment. When Caroline mentioned her name, she politely smiled, he certainly was. But she couldn’t let him be anything more. She was in too deep.

Bonnie figured it would be best to shift the conversation off herself. Cornered by two Walkers, now was her chance to learn a bit more about the mysterious family. “So Mrs. Walker, I'm pretty new to town. Alfie explained y’all have a rather large family. Are they all here tonight?” Her eyes scanned the room, genuinely curious to see if she could spot anyone who looked related to them. The Walkers seemed similar to her own family, so she was curious to know if any of his siblings were like her in her youth; abrasive and avoidant of events like this.

 

[BeyondDandy]

The Royal Hotel
- Birmingham City Centre, Birmingham -

SULLY FLETCHER
​

The Gala lived up to its expectations. Classical music boomed from the live band, a lovely rendition of an old classic Sully could recall from his youth. Patrons mingled amongst one another, dancing, chatting, and drinking. Sully had concluded his list, the names he could remember were given to the faces he found familiar. Everyone else was a number for lack of creativity. Though amongst them, lingered one of the biggest names at the party. And she was coming for him right now.


Like a panther maneuvering its form through a narrow branch, Felicity moved through the crowd untouched. Her Pink Lady was firm in her grip. Her heels tapped the floor quietly. Sully tried to listen for them but not a click. She was light on her feet. Sully stared at her figure. He gazed at her from the tip of her feet to the brown in her eyes. She was slender and had a good figure. Muscle defined her legs and arms - likely from her years of dance. Her dress was expensive. Daddy’s money. Her jewelry one in the same, a statement piece no doubt. She was representing something much bigger than herself. She was young, beautiful but held herself to a high standard for someone her age. She was worn down and tired however, frustrated perhaps Sully thought as she approached him by the side and addressed him like a hotel manager should.


He smiled at her, turning to face her as he put his drink down - giving his back to his family at the table nearby. He saw her eyes shift towards them. Smart. She checked her surroundings to ensure she wasn’t outnumbered in this situation. Maybe she wasn’t all money. Sully smiled at her, genuinely. “Can I get you a different drink, Ms. Walker?” He asked, gesturing to her untouched Pink Lady on the tabletop and dismissing her formal question. “Your best scotch for the lady,” he asked the bartender, noticing there was no ring on her finger to yield her a higher title than miss.


“Beautiful event you’ve thrown. It must’ve taken a lot of work to get all of these…gentlemen together.” Sully smirked, picking up his glass for another sip of his own drink. He put it back down and took a step closer to her. He wanted to make her a little uncomfortable, to see cracks in her character or better yet, through her facade. “You look lovely tonight.” The compliment struck dry, but was true. Sully found her stunning. He remembered her from his childhood. She was older than him, but not by much. He had a crush on her just like all the other kids. Felicity Walker was the golden child, destined for greatness. She was ambitious, cunning, polished and more importantly to the poor kids, rich. Her mind don’t mingle much with the likes of Sully, but there were occasions where they did meet - Sully just didn’t remember them much. How funny the world was to now, years later, have her only fingertips away.


Turning to the bar as the tender brought Felicity her scotch, Sully nabbed a napkin from nearby and asked the man for a pen. He quickly abided and walked off to help the next person. Sully looked over at Felicity then started to write on the napkin. As he wrote, he spoke to her. “Listen, I’ve got business with your father. I can’t go into details here, this is all to my family’s surprise. I’d appreciate it if you don’t overreact to what I’m about to tell you.” Sully finished writing and snagged the pen, dropping it in his coat pocket as he playfully winked at her. He folded the napkin and slid it next to her scotch. “I’ve got a friend coming from London in a couple of days. He’s bringing some product samples with him. I want you at that meeting, Felicity.”


Sully looked over his shoulder at his family table. They looked preoccupied with whatever nonsense Tony had planned for them. When his eyes dashed back to meet Felicity’s, he gestured to the napkin next to her drink. “That’s the address to that meeting. If all goes well, I’ll need your help securing a facility. My friend has a lot of inventory he wants to bring over and well… I’ve got no real estate for him. But you…” Sully paused, looking at the tall ceilings and finesse of the Royal Hotel. “You do,” he smiled. He could sense the wheels turning in her, wondering how many lies were hidden in each truth. Trying to decipher Sully like a crossword.

“I’m helping your father get rid of mine. His business has crippled us for too long. I want this childlike feud between us to end. Help me do this and your father will give you the keys to the world. Felicity Walker, Fletcher killer.”

Misty Gray

 

[Bellz]

The Royal Hotel
- Birmingham, England -
- Monday 1st December 1975 -


Dorothy Fletcher​

Instructing her children to behave, echoing the sternness she once directed towards Norman in similar situations, stirred memories within her. Norman, always resistant, would dismiss her efforts, much like her children were doing now. Their lack of seriousness weighed heavy on her heart beneath the facade she wore. Though her smile remained strained, she took calming breaths through her nose, striving for a natural demeanor.

They believed themselves to be amidst ravenous wolves, yet they were the ones who were insatiable, to the extent that Dorothy feared losing control. Her children, growing older, lacked the ability to be swayed as they once were, their inexperience leading them astray. Their anger towards the Walkers fueled a dangerous fire, one Dorothy feared she couldn't extinguish. She found herself the matriarch of a pack of young wolves, relentless in their pursuit, willing to silence anyone who opposed them. Dorothy, however, didn't share their fervor. Her passion lay solely in the protection of her children.

Norman had ingrained bad habits and morals, now imprisoned, leaving her to rectify the mess he'd left behind. Tony, susceptible to his own inexperience and anger, posed a similar threat. Dorothy strained to maintain a smile as Tony acknowledged her warning, resisting the urge to express the severity of the situation more forcefully. It was all out of love, of course." I mean it!" she exclaimed, her voice falsely sweet, masking her true frustration. She wanted to urge them both to avoid foolish actions, reiterating her earlier threat. Rolling her eyes at her eldest son's remarks, she shook her head. "As tempting as it is to fix those dreadful highlights, I must heed my own advice. Best behavior."

Dorothy locked eyes with her children, a playful glint in her gaze as Tony pledged to behave, albeit with a mention of how much worse things could be, referencing the Walkers. Her attention shifted to her youngest, observing Rory's expression closely. Rory responded with a scout's honor sign, affirming her commitment to good behavior. Dorothy simply shook her head, withholding any comment, still focusing on Rory, who quickly added her own promise to behave. Reaching out, Dorothy gently cupped Rory's chin in her hand. "So beautiful," she murmured softly, expressing her gratitude. As her hand fell away, she glanced at both Tony and Rory before Rory declared her need for a drink.

"Almost always better with a drink or two," Dorothy quipped, nudging her children gently. "Let's join the other troublemakers and ensure nobody else causes a scene."She trailed behind them, stealing a brief glance across the room at Robert, puzzled by his assumption that she could keep her kids in line. Her brows furrowed, barely lingering on his face before diverting her gaze. Despite the years passed, her heart still betrayed her, fluttering at the sight of him. Chin lifted defiantly, she concealed any hint of vulnerability and headed toward her family's table.

At events like this (however formal or casual they may be), her husband's absence loomed large, starkly contrasting her presence. Once missed keenly, now his absence was merely a hollow reminder, often felt on the left side of the table where he should have been seated. Anger simmered within her, flushing her cheeks as she glanced at her children. There was much left unsaid, a weighty silence surrounding the topic of their father. With a rigid posture, Dorothy took her seat, abstaining from pouring herself a glass of wine as she typically would. Rory inquired about Sully's whereabouts, prompting Dorothy to scan the table. Pausing, she briefly considered whether Robert's lingering glance held any significance worth exploring. However, Julia's response that he had gone to the bar dispelled any further thoughts on the matter.

"Looks like we're in for a lengthy round of speeches," Dorothy remarked, her tone carefully neutral. "But as for how long we stay after them, well, I'll defer to your brother on that decision," she remarked, shifting her gaze to Tony. "After all, we're here to make a good impression, aren't we, Tony?" She attempted to keep any bitterness at bay, though the notion of attending solely for his business endeavors wasn't exactly her preference.
with: Tony Misty Gray ; Rory + Julia neverbackdown ; (at table) Malcom ReverseTex

 

[purplecowdutch]

Jackie Walker - fundraiser - elizabeth and her family neverbackdown


Jackie wasn´t sure how everybody was connected to Beth but he made sure she didn´t have a boyfriend a long time ago, so at least those men weren´t any threat to him.
She laughed, that's a good start. Her smile was beautiful and though he may started with different motives, he actually caught himself being attracted by her charm and her beauty.
She almost felt out of his league, the kind of girl who would walk by while he catcalled her with his friends from the pub. No chance in hell she would ever look their way though.

'I could have definitely taken you places, maybe just not the places you were hoping for,' he teased her back with a slight smirk on his face although he was kind of bummed out he made a fool of himself.
'Actually, Richard, the old lad, brought me home.' That was lie number one. 'I am very sure.' And there was number two.

'Last time got kind of lonely and Richard didn't appreciate me grabbing his butt like that,' he jokingly added, unfortunately not a lie.
Though Jackie could barely finish his sentence, feeling the burning stare of no one other than the mayor on him. It was like they were teenagers getting caught, Jackie did not expect him to meet her dad like. . Well, not after the night he just had.

Jackie eventually looked up at the man after lighting his cigarette while he nodded at his question. He knew his name, probably because Robert had been talking. Right now Jackie was hoping only the good stuff.
Before he could answer his question, Beth already answered. She seemed on edge and it made him feel a bit paranoid, the mayor's eyes were practically piercing him at this point and he was sure the whole black eye thing wasn't helping.

'I do all the jobs nobody else likes to do,' Jackie answered the man, fiddling his fingers under the table. 'Robert's my uncle, my father passed away a few years ago,' he added, giving as little detail as possible to this story as he could.
'But enough about me, congratulations with the whole mayor thing,' Jackie found himself an abandonded pint on the table and rose it in the air. 'Cheers to you and your beautiful, talented daughter.' Too much on the nose? Jackie tried to ignore any insecure thoughts, chugging the glass in a few seconds. Maybe Beth and him were more alike than he had at first thought. She seemed less secure with her father there or maybe she was just emberassed. Somewhere deep down he wished he could protect somebody he cared about, somewhere deep down he probably thought she could save him.

 

[ReverseTex]

The Royal Hotel
- Birmingham, England -
- Monday 1st December 1975 -
Misty Gray

Dr. Richard Finley

Richard leaned into Robert’s embrace, “After everything I've done for you, I'd at least hope I could scrape by with your vote!” He teased. “I didn’t speak out of term there, he walked into it. Can’t expect me to go easy on poor Gerald just because he’s got a fancy title.” When Robert agreed with him, he wasn’t surprised. His comment about some Fletchers being more flexible than others made complete sense. Emotions aside, working with one another was more beneficial than working against each other. Businesses fractured, families suffered, and the list went on. “I believe you,” he nodded, glancing behind Robert to make sure no wandering eyes followed them. “Hopefully I can provide a bit of encouragement on that front.” He tilted his head to the stage, mindful of the time. “Stay handy will ya? In case Felicity needs something, best be by the stage in case you’re needed.” The piano player noticed him waiting, returning a nod to notify him he’d wrap up. Once the music slowed, he gracefully made his way on stage.

Richard stepped up to the mic, modestly waving to the crowd before him. “Good evening everyone, it’s quite the honour to stand before you. I want to thank you, as an extension of the Walker family, for your attendance and generosity.” He allowed the crowd to politely clap before continuing. “If we haven’t met yet, I'm Dr. Richard Finley; chief coordinator for the Charles Walker Memorial Gala. Yes, I'm well aware you don’t need a doctorate to plan an event, but would anyone expect less from Robert at this point?” The jest got a polite amount of laughter, just enough to keep the crowd focused. “Now, it would be remiss to not pay respect to our lovely gala’s namesake… I knew of Charles before I even got to meet the little tike. My time in the service with Robert gave me a lot of respect and insight. I learned, well, he liked to babble, had quite the aptitude for waking his mother up at night, and had his father’s stubborn attitude.” The crowd chuckled at the baby humor. “I digress, as I grew alongside the Walkers, they grew up with me. Charles was a good lad, I tutored him in his earlier years till he went off the university. I watched him grow up, like many of you did…” He paused, letting the crowd sit with their memories. “Whether you sit here tonight in sorrow or frustration, we all can agree a life was taken too soon.” He scanned the crowd, careful not to linger on the Fletchers or Caroline too long.

“Charles cared about this city, which was why we felt it was appropriate to revitalize our donation process this year. All proceeds generated tonight are going straight to relief efforts around Birmingham. I want to emphasize how grateful the Walker family is for your charity. Your money will be put to proper use.” The crowd clapped again. “Lastly, I want to thank a few people who made this wonderful event possible. First, Felicity Walker, probably reorganized your table a half dozen times. Without her effort and tenacity, tonight wouldn’t be possible. Let’s give her a hand, shall we?” He turned his hands away from the mic, clapping gently, alongside the crowd. “Next, I want to thank Robert and Caroline Walker,” he glanced to the side of the stage and then to Caroline as the room clapped. “Tonight, we mourn and celebrate with you. To my partner in crime, may Manston keep up humble and the future keeps us hungry,” he smiled to the side where Robert stood. “To my dear sister-in-law, thank you for keeping us boys in line all these years.” He glanced at the clock on the back wall, the next event was due to start soon. A few people entered, likely the set-up crew for the auction that was planned next.

“Once again, thank you everyone. Please stick around, and enjoy the drinks and food! Have a good evening!” Richard stepped away from the mic, the applause a bit louder now that the pleasantries weren’t needed. He noticed the supposed set up crew, raising weapons… No. This couldn't be. There was security... The audience and music had everyone's attention focused forward rather than behind. He was the only one who saw it. Gunmen... Without a second thought, he hurried off the stage, throwing himself over Robert. They were here for him, most certainly. The sound of gunfire, screaming, and glass shattering filled the air. It took him back in time for a moment, to a place he'd long forgotten. The War. A searing pain flared in his upper right leg, one he injured long ago in the War. "Fuck!" He shouted, rolling a hand back to hold his thigh. The fracture in his lower leg from the War was long healed, minus the occasional pain flare-up. Now, his leg throbbed entirely, he could feel the blood pooling in his hand.

​

 

[Misty Gray]

Robert Walker and Mayor Gerald Henderson​

With his brother on stage, Robert stood at the side. His stance was tall and proper, as it tended to be. His hands were linked together behind his back as he watched Richard do what he was so good at. Before the speech began, he cast a brief glance towards the Fletchers table, where Dorothy and Rory were close by with their backs to him.

Robert's focus fixed back onto Richard as the man began to address those in attendance. Of course, it didn't take long for Richard to make a playful joke at his expense, suggesting he'd gone all out by getting a man with a doctorate to plan the event. A smile grew on his lips as he nodded his head to play along in agreement. With the mention of Charles, Robert spared a glance across the room to Caroline, hoping she was holding up well in that moment. His eyes then found Richard again, with his wingman pointing out he'd known of Charles before even meeting him. Charles had been four months old when Robert left Birmingham to fight in the Second World War, not returning home until his son was five. But in those years, Richard had been there, hearing about the boy as and when Robert received updates from home.

Robert shifted his arms from behind and instead folded them at his chest at the mention of Charles' death. Regardless of his feelings, he maintained a neutral expression for the sake of their guests. He then smiled with mention of the donations to relief efforts around Birmingham. Regardless of his criminal empire, Robert cared about his birth city and since returning home from the war, he'd made it his mission to rebuild and expand on it. The people deserved that.

After mentioning Felicity, Richard then thanked his partner in crime, prompting a subtle smirk at his choice of words. The mention of Manston brought a more serious expression to his face. It was there that Robert and Richard first met. He'd found a brother in Richard whilst there, as well as friends in Dean and their other squadron members. But there were a lot of bad memories and scars from his time at the war. Months of torture followed by having to rebuild himself as a human were always going to be bitter memories. Even though his ordeals had made him the stronger and more determined man he was now, they also had negative and lasting effects.

Once the speech concluded, Robert clapped with enthusiasm and a proud, warm smile etched on his face for his dear brother. The guests standing and clapping blocked some of his views across the room, including meaning he was blocked from being able to see Caroline now. Robert's attention was suddenly drawn to Richard as the man seemed to rush from the stage towards him. Before he had a chance to question it, his brother threw himself in front of him at the same time the familiar sound of gunfire was heard. This was followed by a second gunshot. It took a moment for him to realise how close one of the bullets had been to hitting him. Richard's loud shout made it clear where it had ended up. "Richard!" he yelled. Immediately, his mind snapped back to 1941, when his wingman was shot in the back of the shoulder. This time, however, it was his thigh that had been hit.

Robert pulled Richard down low against the side of the stage, trying to dodge further bullets. His focus snapped to the nearby Fletchers, realising they had to be close to the line of fire. His eyes immediately found Dorothy who he was glad to find was unharmed. Rory, however, had been hit, drawing a look of concern from him. But that wasn't where his attention should be. Richard was his focus and the man had taken a bullet intended for himself. "Have you been hit anywhere else?" he desperately asked him, conscious they might still be in danger, but more than that wanting to help his wingman.

With Robert: ReverseTex (Richard)

The Royal Hotel
- Birmingham City Centre, Birmingham -

Tony Fletcher​

Tony sat back at the table, directly across from Rory. Ahead of him, behind Rory, stood Robert who had been speaking to Richard, clearly getting ready to start the speech. Rory asked about Sully's absence at the table, to which Julia explained he'd gone to the bar. "Let's hope he knows his way back, else we might not see him again for another ten years," Tony commented. It was intended as a joke, but his serious features made that questionable. He still didn't feel like he'd properly connected with his brother since he'd returned, and he couldn't pinpoint why. In Sully's defence, at least he was putting his mind at least where their mother's safety was concerned.

Tony nodded in agreement when Dorothy mentioned the lengthy speeches awaiting them. "Absolutely, we're here to make a good impression. Every one of us is staying here until the bitter end," he firmly told them. "We need to prove we're serious here and not quitters. Plus, think about the poor little homeless kiddies at Christmas. They'll appreciate our donations," he reminded them.

When Richard got up on stage to give his speech, Tony sat back and stayed quiet. Regardless of the issues with the Walkers, he was going to be respectful at the event, and that included paying attention to the man's words. Other than Richard being a Walker, by all accounts but blood, Tony didn't have an issue with the man himself. He didn't seem quite the same as the snooty family, but he must be to share their company so voluntarily. The mentions of Charles made Tony even more sure he'd done the right thing by commanding Marco to stay well away. Having known Charles personally when they were kids, even he had some positive memories, regardless of how much of an arsehole he was. As an adult, he became unbearable. Tony stuck to his belief that many people could have wanted to kill Charles, it was just unfortunate Marco had been cornered into beating them to it.

When the speech was over, Tony joined in with the applause, though remained comfortably slouched back in his chair. When the first gunshot was fired, he was snapped upright and quickly twisted to the right in his seat to look over his shoulder to the source of the gunshot. At the same time, a second shot rang out. The second gunman, Rowan, had a direct line of fire, aiming his gun at Tony. It could be argued that he too was aiming for Robert. However, in the commotion and the quick movement of Richard dragging Robert out of the way, Rowan missed either potential target, the bullet instead ripping into Rory's shoulder.

"EVERYBODY GET DOWN!" Tony shouted. With Dorothy and Julia either side of Rory to tend to his sister, he rushed out of his seat, grabbing Malc by the arm. The two nearest gunmen, Jude and Rowan, sprinted out of the emergency exit. Tony followed after them, whilst trying to keep an eye out for any other shooters along the way.

With bleeding Rory: neverbackdown (Julia, Rory) Bellz (Dorothy)
With Tony chasing Gunmen 1&2 (Jude & Rowan): ReverseTex (Malc)

The Royal Hotel
- Birmingham City Centre, Birmingham -

Caroline Walker​

Caroline found it curious when Bonnie mentioned not being close with her parents anymore. She pointed out not liking being paraded around by her family. Caroline knew all too well what that felt like. It was all she'd known when she was younger. Having only daughters, Caroline's father chose her to prime for the business. It helped that she'd been the one growing up who showed the most resistance to the expectation to simply get married, have children, and be a housewife. Dealing with her father's associates made her learn even more that she had to stand up for herself. Marrying Robert was enticing to her. Not only could she have a family, but he treated her as more than just the woman who would be his wife and the mother of his children. Attending business events with Robert wasn't about being paraded around, but being there as a legitimate player in his business and someone who's voice warranted being heard. Bonnie had chosen to walk away from her family, which Caroline thought was well within her right. Robert had been Caroline’s legitimate escape from her parents.

Bonnie turned the questioning onto Caroline, who decided to oblige her with an answer. "Yes, we have a large family, though only a few of us are here today. Three of my kids are here. My youngest daughter, Diana, is perhaps like yourself. This isn't her scene and I wouldn't dream of forcing her to join it," she explained.

"Come on, we should get to our table," she instructed Bonnie and Alfie, after a glance at her watch. Caroline made a point of having Bonnie sit next to her so she could further probe for information. For now, the Texan woman was off the hook as Richard began his speech. Caroline looked at the stage intently, smiling fondly as her brother-in-law addressed everyone. Her eyes found Robert by the side of the stage a few times. He wasn't far from the Fletchers table, but he didn't seem to be paying them much attention, his eyes focused on Richard instead. As they should be!

When Richard thanked her directly for keeping him and Robert in line, she nodded her head and smiled in a knowing fashion. Regardless of how headstrong and intelligent the two men were, she believed they needed her input to keep them on the right track. She was taking the credit she believed was due.

As soon as the speech was done, Caroline stood up and clapped with enthusiasm, always happy to champion Richard. Not only because of the genuine friendship she had with him, but also with the knowledge that her husband may not have returned from the war alive had it not been for his wingman saving his life.

The applause and Caroline's joy were soon snapped away by the sound of gunshots. Although two were heard in the distance, it was a third that gripped Caroline's attention. The third gunman, David, had exited the restrooms dressed as a waiter, only to stop by the Walkers table where he had a clear and direct shot of the Mayor. The man spoke up, his words to the Mayor sounding personal, before he opened fire. Three close and personal bullets ripping into Gerald's chest.

The distant shouts for everyone to get down prompted Caroline to act. "Get down!" she told Bonnie, grabbing the young woman's shoulders and leading her to take cover under the table. With multiple shots heard, she thought it too risky to try moving at this point. "Thomas! Alfie!" she shouted, hoping they would take cover too.

"Are you okay?" she asked Bonnie, looking the woman in the eyes. Regardless of the sense of independence the American gave off, she was a guest of the Walkers and Caroline felt responsible for that.

Having not seen the commotion around Robert, Caroline hadn't yet realised her husband and Richard were in danger too.

With Caroline: ReverseTex (Bonnie)

The Royal Hotel
- Birmingham City Centre, Birmingham -

Beth Henderson and Gerald Henderson​

Beth quirked a puzzled eyebrow when Jackie spoke of Richard, telling some joke about grabbing the older man's behind. She held her tongue, not wanting to continue that conversation in case their joking about the respectable man about to give a speech was overheard by others.

Gerald knowingly nodded his head at Jackie's vague answer about doing jobs nobody else did. With what he knew about the Walkers, it didn't need too much imagination to think of the type of dirty work a criminal empire involved. All the more reason Jackie shouldn't be sitting next to his only daughter. He already knew of Jackie's relationship to Robert and that Robert's biological brother had died years ago, so he didn't comment.

Jackie then suggested there had been enough about him in the conversation. Gerald disagreed. He wanted to question the man across from him more. But not at this event. When Jackie raised his glass for a toast to him and Beth, Gerald didn't join in. He simply held his stare. "Beautiful, talented, and too smart to cross paths with trouble," the Mayor responded to the toast. Gerald wasn't the only displeased man at the table, with Aidan turning to glare at Jackie too. Whilst Beth's brothers preferred not to butt into her business, they were certainly protective when it came to clear red flags. Jackie practically had a warning sign above his head.

"Let us continue this later," Gerald brought the conversation to an abrupt end, shaking his head at Beth in disapproval. With Richard on the stage, the Mayor focused his attention on the speech. Beth reached for her glass and took an uncomfortable sip of wine as her cheeks turned a deep shade of red. Her head was lowered as she sheepishly turned to face the stage, anything to try to distract her annoyance.

Once the speech was over and those at the table stood to give their applause, Beth found herself nervous about how the conversation around the table would now go. She never did find the answer as everything suddenly took a turn for the worst. It all happened so fast. Three loud gunshots rang out close by, followed by the blood immediately pooling out of the holes in her father's chest. It was only when she heard the words "I told you you'd pay" that she became aware of the gunman nearby. Even before he briefly fixed his eyes on her, she knew it was her ex, David. A sudden wave of nausea overcame her.

David turned to flee the scene, but Beth's attention was on Gerald as he collapsed onto the floor in a bloody mess. Aidan, Carl, and their mother rushed to the man's side. Beth screamed in shock, the tears streaming down her cheeks as it hit her what had just happened. "Dad!" she shouted before covering her mouth with her hand and rushing past Jackie to move closer to her family. The Mayor was still breathing, but the amount of blood wasn't a good sign. She reached out to the side, gripping Jackie's arm to try to steady herself as she began to shake with fear. She couldn't even start to process David's involvement when her father was on the floor bleeding out.

Between guests rushing to take cover or trying to flee the venue hall, the room was thrown into disarray, making everything feeling even more overwhelming.

With Beth and Mayor Henderson: purplecowdutch (Jackie)
Close to Gunman 3 (David): @BasDorcha (Alfie) neverbackdown (Thomas)

The Royal Hotel
- Birmingham City Centre, Birmingham -

Felicity Walker​

Felicity had raised a curious eyebrow when Sully offered her a different drink. Her untouched drink wasn't because she didn't like the Pink Lady, but because she was suspicious of the man's motives for getting it for her. He then ordered her a scotch, something more to her father's taste, but she didn't decline. Perhaps by the time they were finished talking she'd have a night's worth of alcohol lined up on the bar.

She nodded to acknowledge his compliment about the evening she'd thrown together. "It's my job," she simply told him. One thing that irritated her in life was that people assumed she didn't work hard, that she lived off of her parents' wealth. Sully's compliment about her appearance was met with an unmoved expression. He was a Fletcher, so she couldn't accept anything said to her wasn't without an ulterior motive. Their families simply didn't get along, so this kind of interaction wasn't natural. Even as kids, without the full knowledge of their families businesses, the kids of both families weren't really friends, separated by their relevant class.

Sully soon got down to the reason for wanting to speak with her. His revelation he had business with her father was a shock. She knew her father kept much of business to himself, but couldn't imagine him working with any Fletcher. Not when he wanted to wipe out their businesses, along with them being the prime suspects in Charles' murder. It didn't add up. He told her not to react, so she adhered to that by barely reacting at all, simply watching as he wrote something on the napkin and slid it to her, revealing an address. When he explained he had people from London coming with samples, she raised a sceptical eyebrow.

Regardless, she folded the napkin and delicately slotted it in her dress pocket. She furrowed her eyebrows when he suggested she had access to somewhere for his contact's inventory to be kept. As tempting as it was to be given the chance to do something for the business that would cause her father to take notice of her, she couldn't help but maintain her suspicion. Her natural state was to be cautious. This had to be some kind of a trap. "Why haven't you taken this information to my father? If you're working with him, then surely this is all information he needs. He would have access to properties much easier than I do," she pointed out.

Richard's speech started, causing Felicity to fall silent on the matter. "Stay here," she commanded Sully. Richard was by all accounts her uncle and she wouldn't talk during his speech out of respect. "I still have questions for you," she asserted to Sully. As she listened to the speech, she found her cheeks reddening as Richard drew attention to her part in organising the events. A smile broke onto her usually serious and stern face as the crowd clapped at her hard work.

No sooner had the speech finished did the chaos around them ensue, with Felicity caught in a panic upon seeing a commotion towards the front of the stage, both where her father and uncle were, but also near to her family's table. "Oh shit!" she gasped. She rushed forward to get to her family, but instead collided with the heavy figure of a supposed security guard. He grabbed her from behind, wrapping one arm around her neck whilst holding a gun to her head. As she struggled, the gunman, Harvey, tightened his arm around her neck. He stared Sully down, daring him to make a challenge. "Walk away," Harvey growled at Sully.

With Felicity and Gunman 4 (Harvey) at the bar: BeyondDandy (Sully)


You might be needing this layout to see where everyone is positioned:

​

 

[ReverseTex]

The Royal Hotel
- Birmingham, England -
- Monday 1st December 1975 -
Misty Gray

Dr. Richard Finley

​

Richard couldn’t protest when Robert moved him off and towards the stage in the heat of the moment. Thankfully, it made for a decent shield amidst the gunfire. “Just my shit leg,” he strained, the searing pain frustrating more than anything else. “We had security! This shouldn’t be happening,” he rambled. He could hear the shooting and shouting, enough to cause concern. With Robert over him, he couldn't make out much happening around him. He did notice his brother’s attention to the Fletcher table, someone was hit.

“Caroline and the kids?” He asked, not concerned in the slightest about his state. This wasn’t his first time in this situation, he could handle it. The same couldn’t be said for others.

---

In scene: Misty Gray

Bonnie Moody

​

Bonnie didn’t like the idea of being dragged around by Caroline. She reminded her of her mother, cunning like a viper despite the pretty exterior. Perhaps if she wasn’t so jaded towards her mother, she may have enjoyed breaking away from Alfie. But for now, she couldn’t squish her anxiety. Thankfully, the speech broke any chance of interrogation. His mother seemed amused with the man speaking, realizing he was her brother-in-law and Alfie’s uncle. As he spoke, she tried to decipher if the two men looked alike. She couldn’t see much semblance. When Caroline stood to clap, she remained seated and clapped politely. She didn’t know these people, so why fake a reaction to please his mom?

When the gunfire broke, her mind went back to her brief job in Libya. She’d done everything to run from it all. Run from her past, but now, she was faced with it. She could act, or play the victim. This whole evening seemed to be a game of chess with her past, reminding her of every bad thing from it. Her mother, the wealth, the guns. All of it. No matter how much she denied it or ran, it always followed her… At that moment, she decided enough was enough. No more hiding. She needed to be herself.

Bonnie pushed Caroline under the table, her shouts to her son’s to take cover echoed over anything she could say to Alfie. She had a brief moment to glance at the room: the men at the stage were in danger, the table near them, and one more across the room. Ducking under the table, not knowing who the people were, she figured Caroline would know. “I’m fine,” she took a deep breath, glancing over Alfie’s mother to make sure she was well. It was clear this wasn’t her first shootout.

“The men at the stage, the fancy guy next to us, and some girl,” Bonnie pieced together who she saw hit. Of course, it wasn’t much to go off of, considering she didn’t have names. But she hoped Caroline could piece it together. “We can’t make it to your husband, we need to stay and help nearby!” She shouted over Beth’s screaming nearby.

---

In scene: Misty Gray

Malcolm Murray Jr.

Malcolm wondered why he was even invited to this gala. He wasn’t one for fancy parties nor was Jen. Perhaps with his education, Tony and Julia thought it best to bring him over his sister. But at the same time, he was quite daft in social settings like this. Wearing a suit felt like Hell, reminding him of attending his father’s trial… When the older Walker men, Richard and Robert, came to visit, he sat quietly. He didn’t want to draw any attention or speak, in fear of familial recognition. Thankfully as the night went on, the Fletchers slowly dispersed the table and kept themselves socially occupied.

Conversation all around him continued, he chose to silently pick at the various appetizers he collected. This was all quite a show of wealth, that was the point he supposed. If they needed donations, then rich people needed to be pampered. When Tony mentioned they all had to stay till the end, he sighed, not enthusiastic about the idea. The speech came next, from the doctor that visited the table earlier. He certainly seemed like a uni professor, carrying himself comfortably in front of such a large crowd. The speech was well-enough, clapping politely along with the table. Like Tony, when the shot was fired, he turned his head to look. The gunman was aimed at Tony.

Malcolm ducked down, trying to evade any stray fire the best he could. He felt a tug, from Tony, to get his attention. Without a second thought, he nodded, they could easily nab them. He followed Tony to the exit, passing his boss now that the adrenaline kicked in. He was fitter and a bit younger, despite Tony’s decent shape, so it was no surprise. As the two broke through the exit, the cool December air nipped at his face. They appeared to be in a back lot behind the hotel, poorly lit as well. With the exit door broken, the alarm from inside could be heard. He glanced towards the corner, seeing the gunman trying to break away in a sprint. “I’ve got him, back me up Tony,” he said simply.

He heaved himself over the railing that protected the exit, landing on his feet. Breaking into a sprint, he managed to catch up to the gunman, tackling him rugby-style. In the mess of the tackle, the gunman’s gun slid past them. Malc didn’t hesitate to lay a few blows on the man, sitting on his chest to pin him, wanting him stunned till proper authorities arrived. He glanced behind him, Tony not far behind. He’d let Mr. Fletcher handle this till the coppers arrived.

 

[purplecowdutch]

View attachment 1158764Jackie Walker - fundraiser - elizabeth and her family neverbackdown

The conversation was tense and not going as smooth as he had expected, Jackie tried saving it by toasting but Gerald had very different plans. His face stayed neutral as Jackie lifted the drink, which he may have realized was probably not even his glass but the mayor’s since he didn’t look too happy cheering on his daughter.

When he opened his mouth to add to the toast, it became a lot clearer that he didn’t appreciate the young man and his interest in Elizabeth.



He caught a glimpse of the gaze her brothers send over and confidently refused to look away. It was really now or never and even though Beth seemed emberassed, she didn’t seem uninterested.

Gerald cut the conversation off but hinted putting it forward another time, that’s good. Jackie wasn’t even aware Richard had entered the stage but soon recognized the familiar voice. Richard never seemed to have a day off, Jackie never understood why a man like that would get anywhere near a man like Robert but I guess when you survived the war, you pick your own battles.



Jackie gave a quick gaze to Beth while he endured the speech, he had the urge to use again as he fiddled with his cigarette when Charles was mentioned. He had blocked out most of his emotions, just like when his father had died. He didn’t remember getting his father getting this whole ceremonal thing and it made him bitter. Bitter how they treated his dad and were now treating him.



His mind was definitely taking a walk with the boy and he was now desperately looking for a drink before he glimpsed at Beth and gave her a quick, awkward smile.

Before he could even think about getting up, he saw Richard launching at Robert and hearing gunshots firing through the room.

Jackie automatically grabbed his waist but he didn’t bring any weapons or anything to protect him. Of course.

It was Charles memorial gala, there was not supposed to be any need for any protection.



Jackie crouched to the ground as he saw one of the guys dressed as an waiter approach, fuck this. They were here to kill him was his first thought but no, the shooter went straight for Gerald.

Jackie winced as he saw the shots go straight through his chest, he’d grown pretty numb to it but still it was a nasty sight to see and if they aimed for the chest, they aimed to kill.



Who the fuck were these guys? The shooter looked straight at Beth, telling her something about he warned her. Confused was an understatement, Jackie stood up when the guy turned around and pushed himself through the fleeing people closer to the now surrounded mayor. He felt someone grab his shirt, Beth was clearly panicking. Why the fuck would that guy know Beth? The mayor’s beautiful, talented and too smart to cross paths with trouble daughter.

Jackie gave her a quick, stern look to stay put. He should’ve looked if his family was okay but thoughts and cocaine were running through his head and veins.

Jackie forwarded to Gerald and Beth’s brothers, both looked in terrible states compared to five minutes ago and even their dislike for Jackie had seem to dissapear for a moment.



He probably wasnt the best pick to aid someone and got kicked out of militairy academy but still knew enough to know what to do if someone got shot, close that shit off.

‘Beth, you need to call a fucking ambulance right now,’ he yelled to get over the chaos that emerged before looking back at the mayor while he put his jacket off. ‘He’s going to pass the fuck out,’ he mumbled more to himself than the others but made sure her brothers heard it. ‘Don’t fucking panick, it’s going to be fine. Your dad is going to be fine.’

Jackie got a few flashbacks even saying the words, he remembered when he was five and his dad had a bad drunk, he would throw his empty bottles against the wall. Jackie picked up one of the pieces, he was scared he was going to get the blame and so he did. The shards had cut his palm, the bleeding wouldn’t stop and Jackie wouldn’t stop crying. His father, the lovely man, was furious and grabbed the young man. The burning pain of the leftover alcohol that was poured straight into his wound, he could never forget. He then wrapped a cloth around it and it healed in two weeks, Jackie told everyone at school about it and felt pride. His dad saved him.



Jackie looked for a glass on the table, something that looked like alcohol before crouching next to the mayor and pouring some of the alcohol on the place he got shot. It looked bad, really bad.

He handed the jacket to one of Beth’s brothers who sat a little closer to his dad and commanded him to wrap it around the wound as tight as possible.

He looked up at Beth, shaking on her two feet, Jackie felt his anger boiling up at the guy who did this to her and why? Was she maybe not as innocent as he thought?

‘We need to get him to a hospital,’ Jackie added, looking at the mayor feeling his hands shivering a bit. He needed a big drink after this. A very big one.

 

[Misty Gray]

Robert Walker​

Robert quickly nodded his head in acknowledgement when Richard confirmed he'd been shot in the leg, but nowhere else. Naturally, Robert's thoughts were guided back to 1940, when Richard picked up a messy leg injury after his Spitfire had crashed. He hadn't left his wingman's side then and he struggled with the idea of doing so now.

His friend's ramblings about security did nothing to calm his own bubbling anger. Any of the Walker guards working that night were screwed later. "They'll be dealt with when we're out out of this," he asserted, the aggravation clear in his voice.

Robert removed his suit jacket, doing his best not to let his concern for Caroline and the kids overcome him. This wasn't the first time he and Richard had been in this kind of situation, but it was the first time he had to worry about his family caught up in the danger too. Folding up his expensive suit jacket without second thought, Robert pressed it firmly against Richard's bleeding leg wound. He'd had to do this before too, only that time it had been Richard's shoulder that had been shot. The shooter that time had been the sadistic Nazi who had tortured Robert for months before Richard saved him. Max's face was still as fresh as it had been over three decades ago and for a moment, the thought of him reached Robert's face and eyes. It was a weary look that most people never got to see, and one even Richard was unlikely to witness in the more powerful and assertive man of the present day. "I thought we'd stopped getting ourselves into these situations," he remarked, a dry humour breaking into his voice.

Grounding himself back to the present, he managed to regain his usual control, pressing even firmer against Richard's wound. "Do you think you can maintain that pressure against your leg for a bit?" he asked his brother. "I need to make sure the others are unharmed," he explained.

Standing up, Robert move to round the stage and find his family. He caught sight of Alfie and Thomas in the distance, but he couldn't see Caroline or Felicity. He stopped in his tracks at the sight of the Mayor on the floor, his chest soaked in blood as Jackie helped tend to him. A firm hand against Robert's chest pushed him back in the direction he'd just left. "Boss, you need to stay down," one of his security guards asserted as he led him back to Richard's side.

"Where the bloody hell were you a few minutes ago?!" Robert furiously asked. "Where are my wife and daughter?!"

"Mrs. Walker is safe, she's taking cover. They're both fine," the guard assured him, unaware of Felicity's current situation. "You both need to stay here until we're certain it's safe," he asserted, including Richard in his instructions.

"Like hell I'm staying here!" Robert protested. He looked back at Richard to gather his take on the matter and to make sure he was holding up well.

With Robert: ReverseTex (Richard)

 

[BeyondDandy]

The Royal Hotel
- Birmingham City Centre, Birmingham -

SULLY FLETCHER
​

Sully realized Felicity was too smart for deception. Too cautions. He stared into her eyes and could see how calculated she was. He was a sucker for eyes, but right now he was more intrigued by what she was thinking. She was like a banksafe. Uncrackeable. Before Sully could attempt to control the losing battle and answer her most crucial questions, the room went silent. Dr. Finley took the stage and addressed the crowd. Felicity ordered Sully to remain at the bar, which he gladly obliged. He leaned his back against the bartop and finished his drink. He eyed the crowd, his family and the speechgiver.


The crowd reacted to everything Finley said like he was some sort of prophet. They clapped and cheered. They awed and sobbed. It was comical. If money was the root of all evil, everyone at the gala was wicked. The speech went on to address Charles and his unfortunate demise. Sully knew Charles as a kid. Not personally, but from friends of friends. He also heard stories of the man he grew up to become all the way in London. Rumors revealed he was some sort of degenerate playboy. People like that deserved what they got. Despite Sully’s intentions in coming back home, he was still his father’s son and grew up with certain beliefs. ‘Treat others the way you wish to be treated, don’t be a wanker’ - his father’s saying.


As Finley’s speech reached its end, chaos arose from the shadows. Gunmen. Three, maybe four raised arms. Gunshots were aimed at the stage, certainly meant for Robert or Finley. Sully did not expect it and did not see if those bullets struck their targets. Bodies clashed all around as patrons rushed towards the emergency exit. Sully watched as stray bullets struck some of the rich, bodys falling limp against the hard hotel tile. He tried to put eyes on his family but could not see amongst the masses. As he prepared to move towards their table, he watched Felicity taken by force right before his eyes. The barrel of a gun firmly pressed against her temple. The gunman’s other arm wrapped around her neck.


Sully froze in place as time appeared to slow down. The screeching noise of god fearing souls went silent. His surroundings blurred as he fixed his eyes on the situation before him. Sully did not recognize the gunman. His features however appeared local. Fair skin. Dark circles around his eyes, likely from long hours of work or drink. His hands were dirty with black smut. Mine worker or auto repairman maybe. He looked military but didn’t act like it. His hands were trembling and he was sweating nervously. Sully didn’t have his gun with him. Gala security searched everyone on entry, so he’d left it in the car. Regret. But where was security now?


The gunman spoke. His accent rung Irish, maybe Scottish - it was hard to tell the difference sometimes. The man told Sully to walk away, giving him an outs. A free pass. They were after the Walkers then. Sully thought about the proposition. A free ride to get the hell out of dodge, get his family and leave the damn Walkers to their own fate. But Felicity. He looked into the girl’s brown eyes again. The stern and confidence she exhibited earlier had completely faded. She looked afraid. Her eyes appeared to beg Sully for help as her breath labored as the gunman jerked her to him. Sully bit down, clenching his jaw as bravery and stupidity took over.


Sully dashed forward. Harvey moved the gun from Felicity’s temple and aimed it at him. Sully quickly grabbed the man’s hand with both of his own and pushed it upward towards the ceiling. A gunshot rang from Harvey’s weapon, the bullet crashing against the chandelier overhead. The crowd cried in fear. Glass fell from above like a cold shower. Harvey let go of Felicity who fell to the floor, freed of his grasp. Harvey fought Sully for control of his weapon. Both men clasped their hands around the base of the gun, tugging and yanking at the weapon. Another shot. Sully shoved his head between his own arms and struck Harvey in the nose with the top of his skull. Blood burst from Harvey’s nostrils. The man fell back and lost control of his gun. The black tinted 9mm fell into the sea of glass by the base of a nearby table. Sully gazed at it momentarily and was struck by a hard cross he didn’t see coming.


Harvey’s strike took both men to the ground. Sully rolled back. His hips turning over his shoulders. Like a gymnast he found himself back on his feet. Harvey fell forward onto his chest. He rushed up on all fours like a cat. For a man his size he moved swiftly. Sully dashed towards the gun. Harvey did the same. The larger man jumped at Sully. As he crashed over the slimmer man, the two clashed against the side of the table into the sea of glass. Drinks spilled. The table flipped on its side, tablecloth and all. Harvey mounted Sully, striking down at him frantically. Harvey looked for his gun as hammer fist came down on his opponent. Sully blocked most of the punches with his forearms and elbows, weaving his head as he tried to squirm out of Harvey’s mount.


Harvey spotted the gun. It was only a few feet away. He reached for it as a bystander rushed to help Sully. “No, stop!” Sully urged as the well-dressed man lifted his hand to strike Harvey. Gunshots rang and the bystander fell face first right before then. Three bullet holes in his chest. Blood leaked from him, puddling under the man, turning his white collar red. His body jerked as he wheezed for air. Blood filled his lungs and suffocated him. Within seconds the man was gone. His eyes stared at Sully, motionless and faded. He’d been killed. Harvey turned his attention back to Sully and moved the barrel of his gun to face him. His finger reached the trigger prepared to kill.

• • •​

Cold air whistled past the duo as they trekked through the woods. The trees seemed to speak as they danced with Mother Nature. Sully looked up at the active branches. They looked like moving limbs. A crack under his foot broke his concentration. He looked down to see he’d stepped on a small twig. It broke in half and caused a loud crack to echo with the wind like phone lines. Sully looked up at his father who stared down at him with frustration.


“Watch your step, boy!” Norman whispered harshly. He nabbed Sully by the collar and dragged him onward, shoving him to the front. The youngling fell to his knees at the forceful shove. He looked back at his father and got back to his feet. This to him was normal. “Sorry, da.”


The two continued deeper into the forest. They trailed a young buck for the last few miles and finally caught up to him. Sully’s eyes went wide in amazement. He smiled. “Look da!” He whispered to his father and pointed. Norman nodded and knelt down next to Sully, bringing his finger before his lips - shushing his son. Sully knelt down as well. Norman reached under his right arm and swung a brown polished Remington around into his hands. Sully looked at his father in fear, confused as his eyes darted back and forth from deer to father. “What are you doing?” He asked his father. Norman didn’t respond. He lifted the weapon, placing the stock between his shoulder blade and chest. He pressed it against his body, drawing his cheek near the base of the weapon. He tilted his head, squinting one eye as the other peaked down the barrel.


“Da, what’re you doing?” Sully asked again, a harsh murmur. Norman ignored him once more, pulling the bolt handle and bringing the weapon ready. He inhaled deeply and held his breath, bringing his finger on the trigger - pressing against the give. With a sharp exhale he pressed through, firing a shot almost three thousand feet per second. The blast boomed through the woods. Sully was quick to bring his hands over his ears, closing his eyes and shrugging his shoulders. He wasn’t expecting the noise and shrieked with fear. When he opened his eyes his father had already mounted the rifle back around his shoulder and started towards the fallen creature.


Sully was afraid to be alone and followed close behind. They moved down a short slope before reaching the buck. Sully stopped in his tracks as his father reached the animal, kneeling down next to it. The poor thing was still breathing, labored. It struggled to get air and heaved with each breath. The hole in its side had punctured one of its lungs. “Come here, boy,” Norman called out. Sully gulped, dragging his feet as he approached his father and the deer. Sully got a closer look, the helpless animal stared right back at him. He could see his own reflection in its dark eyes and felt like the killer. Sully couldn’t help himself and began to cry from guilt. He wiped his tears with his coat sleeve but they wouldn’t stop. “We have to put it out of its misery,” Norman explained, dropping his rifle and drawing a knife from the sheath tied to his belt.


Sully looked at the knife. He was agitated. Norman waved him in, trying to calm him down. Sully approached. “Here.” Norman gave Sully the knife, showing him how to hold it with both hands. “You have to put it here,” he instructed, putting his finger at the base of the buck’s neck. Sully shook his head as more tears escaped him. “I don’t want to!” Sully cried. The buck started wheezing, jerking for air. “He’s suffering, Sully.” Sully looked through his watered eyes at the buck. He held the knife firmly in both hands reluctantly as his father guided his wrist to where they needed to go. The tip of the knife found the base of the buck’s neck. “Okay. You have to press now.” Sully did reluctantly. The boy started to break down as he felt the buck’s heart stop. His father grabbed his hand, squeezing it.

“It’s going to be okay, son.”

• • •​

Blood surged out like a fountain. It gushed all over Sully’s black coat. He held the shard of glass firmly inside Harvey’s neck, pressing into his pappy skin. He coughed instantly, dropping his gun as his hands rushed to his neck like a magnet. He fell to the side, off of Sully who now scooted away. Harvey applied pressure to his wound, rolling side to side as he gasped for air. The glass had cut into his carotid, disgorging him. Sully got to his feet, watching over the squirming man. He crumbled down like a wet straw wrapper. Sully picked up the 9mm they’d fought over and checked the chamber for a round. He stretched the tweak in his neck as he approached Harvey. He lifted the muzzle, calling out to Harvey who’s red inflamed eyes stared back at him in fear. Harvey was dying and was afraid. He was suffering. Sully aimed and pressed the trigger sending a bullet through Harvey’s head - ending his suffering.


The Fletcher loosened his grip, bringing the gun back down near his hip. He looked himself over. His best clothes were ruined but he didn’t suffer any mortal wounds. He sniffed, looking around to see Felicity still on the ground near him. He looked back up through the crowd, once again trying to get eyes on his family. People had scattered and it was easier to see, but he still couldn’t find them. He looked back at Felicity. Sliding the gun into his pants, Sully rushed to her aid. “C’mon, we gotta move!” Sully urged the girl, not giving her much of a choice as he pulled her to her feet by the arm. If another Walker ended up dead tonight the Fletcher’s were in for a war. Sully knew Richard would question who was behind this attack if he survived it. The Fletcher family, just like in Charle’s case, would be first on that list. If Felicity died tonight and people knew Sully could’ve done something, he’d be in the ground with her by the end of the night.


“C’mon!” He urged Felicity, dragging her through the sparse crowd by the hand. The exit looked blocked, the lobby entrance just the same. There weren’t many places to go so Sully rushed them behind the bar. He dropped to his ass, bringing Felicity down with him. Their body’s now covered from the bullets by four feet of carved cabinet - hopefully it would hold. To his left was the bartender, shaking in his boots. He had his shirt collar in his mouth and covered his head with his hands. He was frightened and crying. Sully looked over Felicity, biting his bottom lip. “It’s going to be okay,” he reassured her with a stern look, squeezing her hand to make sure she was with him.

Misty Gray

 

[Misty Gray]

The Royal Hotel
- Birmingham City Centre, Birmingham -

Tony Fletcher​

The gunman, Jude, who had managed to shoot Richard seemed to have disappeared into thin air by the time Tony and Malc had followed outside. However, the gunman, Rowan, responsible for shooting Rory, was still in sight. Malc overtook Tony to chase down Rowan, giving Tony chance to scan the area around them in case Jude was still around.

Malc's call out to Tony snapped him to catch up to him. It was better to get one of the gunmen rather than none. He climbed over the railing and continued on ahead. Seeing Malc tackle the bastard to the ground brought a smirk to Tony's face. He slowed his pace as Malc smacked the gunman a few times. Tony, meanwhile, kicked the gun further away so there was no chance of Rowan getting it.

Relieving Malc of the duty of sitting on the gunman's chest, Tony crouched down to the bastard's side. Grabbing him by the neck, he slammed the back of his skull against the ground beneath him. Kneeling down with his knee digging into Rowan's chest, Tony leaned in close. "Who the fuck are you working for?" he hissed. This clearly wasn't the Walkers' doing, which raised the question of who else they needed to be concerned about in the city.

"Just let me go. You hate the Walkers too. We did you a favour," Rowan desperately reasoned, glaring between Tony and Malc.

"You shot my sister, dipshit! She ain't a Walker. Now answer my fucking question!" Tony furiously spat, briefly tightening his grip on the gunman's throat before loosening his hold for him to speak.

"I'm working for you, Mr. Fletcher. Or at least, that's what I'll tell the police if you hand me over to them. You paid us to kill Robert Walker and the Mayor. You told us to wound your sister so it made your family look like victims too. If you don't let me go, then I've nothing to lose by snitching on you to the pigs..."

With Tony chasing Gunmen 2 (Rowan): ReverseTex (Malc)

 

[neverbackdown]

The Royal Hotel
- Birmingham City Centre, Birmingham -

Julia Fletcher

&

Victoria "Rory" Fletcher
​

"Tony...." Julia exclaimed in an almost exasperated tone as she lightly swatted her Husband's arm but amusement was clear on her expression as she shook her head, stifling the laugh that was threatening to bubble out. Looking around the table she could see that no-one other than Rory seemed to find the comment amusing and the expression on the youngest Fletcher's features made Julia raise an eyebrow as she waited for whatever truly outrageous comment the girl would make but it seemed she decided against commenting after looking towards Dorothy, much to Julia's relief.

Rory sighed as Tony confirmed they would be present for the entirety of the evening, the smirk quickly slipping from her lips as she leaned forward "To the kiddos of the street, May our torture give them peace" she mumbled lifting her glass as though cheering it before taking a large gulp of her glass of wine. Realizing her own insensitivity even before she caught the somewhat disapproving glance from Julia, Rory bit her lip as she looked down towards the table in front of her. She was happy that they were doing their bit to help those that needed help but she hated this whole gala politics of how they needed to be seen doing the good, in her mind it made the whole things seem ingenuine and posed.. It painted the picture of how the rich will help those in need but only if the world can see, hence building votes and a loyal fan base. It was a politically charged act and they were playing the fools with them which only added to her bitterness at it all. Although as much as she tried to push the point that it was the politics of it all that annoyed her, it was glaringly obvious that her only real problem was the table of Walkers present only a couple of feet away from them.

As Richard's voice began to sound through the speakers, Rory and Julia both sat back in their seats, turning their full attention towards the stage as a sign of respect, neither girl really having an issue with the doctor per say and so the respect was easily given, well by Julia at least, it seemed to be a great effort for the youngest to remain sitting upright without a look of boredom on her expression but nonetheless her effort was noted with a smile and wink from Julia as the pair made eye contact. As Charles' death was mentioned, Julia released a heavy breath as she felt herself sink slightly into the chair from the heaviness of the speech and the truth about Charles death that felt like a heavy weight on her chest. It was no question that Julia would protect Marco and she would carry this secret to the grave but the burden of a secret like that was a heavy weight to hold and she at times felt as though it was crushing her. She always found it ironically amusing that the truth was meant to set you free and yet she found the real truth gave nothing but restricting pain.

As the speech finished Rory clapped as she quickly turned around in her seat to face the table again. Her mouth opened to speak, a most definitely unsavory comment on the speech just heard but the first gun shot stunned her in silence. Her eyes shot towards the direction of the noise as her eyes landed on a second gunman standing behind her brother. The world seemed to move in slow motion as Rory's eyes widened and she began to shout her brother's name in warning "Tony ... watch" the remaining words cut from her lips before it managed to escape as the bullet ripped into her shoulder, taking her breath and thoughts away in an instant. Everything seemed to happen at once, she heard Tony shout for everyone to get down, the undeniable pain began to spread through her being as she felt her arm beginning to get warm and wet as she was bundled from her chair and onto the floor. Her head turned to look at the hands on her shoulder, as Julia held napkins tightly over the wound in an attempt to stop the bleeding.

Hearing Tony's footsteps retreat, Rory instantly shot up to follow him but she was sternly pushed back down onto the floor as Julia leaned over her again "don't you dare so much as move unless we tell you" the sternness of Julia's voice shocked Rory as she obediently lay back down and allowed her sister-in-law to tend to her shoulder. She felt Julia move her as she closed her eyes, the hands on her shoulder becoming almost unbearable as she focused on her breathing to stop the sudden spinning sensation that the pain was causing.

Julia looked down at Rory as she held her hands down over the wound in her shoulder. She watched Tony leave the room before feeling the resistance of the younger Fletcher trying to get up and involved in the chaos, thankfully it didn't take much to push her back down onto the floor with the pain seeming to weaken the girl and she didn't hesitate to use a voice that was reserved for moments like this, when she needed to be heard, obeyed and not questioned. As the blood soaked through the napkins and began to stain her hands, Julia looked around for something else to use, eventually grabbing her black jacket as bundled it into her hand and placed it against the wound. She began to lightly lift Rory's shoulder to see if there was an exit wound but a pained groan from Rory made Julia put it back down.

"Are you okay?" she asked Dorothy as she quickly looked over her Mother-in-law to make sure she was okay before she scanned the room to see if they had a clear route to an exit but as she took in the unfolding chaos it became clear that there was more gun men than initially thought and she couldn't help but sigh in frustration before she looked back towards Dorothy as Rory spoke.

Opening her eyes, Rory looked at her mother and gave her the best smile that she could muster in that moment "At least the speeches are over" she commented with a twinkle of amusement present in her eyes but it didn't seem to quite meet her tone or lips.

*************
Interactions;-
(Previously) Misty Gray - Tony / ReverseTex - Malcolm

(Presently) Bellz - Dorothy

 

[Misty Gray]

The Royal Hotel
- Birmingham City Centre, Birmingham -

Felicity Walker​

No matter how prepared she thought she was for the darker side of her family's business, having a gun pressed against her head rendered Felicity defenceless in that moment. She was sure if she could try think like her father and channel into the survival techniques he'd used to get this far in life, she might stand a chance. However, the touch of the gun's barrel as it pressed into her skin made it impossible to summon any such thought. She wondered if she shouldn't have been so dismissive of what she thought was Robert being a control freak and instead listened to him more. But surely even he couldn't fight or talk his way out of her current situation?

Felicity tried to hold her breath, as if even the slightest movement might cause the gunman to squeeze the trigger. But the gravity of the situation and her awareness that her father or Richard had been shot at made it impossible not to feel the stress. The Irishman gave Sully the option to walk away. Of course he'd take the man's offer - he was a Fletcher and would have no desire to risk his life in order to help a Walker. Especially not when his family had murdered Charles. Still, when her eyes met Sully's, she couldn't hide the desperation in them as she struggled to control her breathing, to stop herself from panicking.

Everything then happened so fast, with Sully rushing at Harvey and trying to wrestle the gun from him. Thrown aside, she used her arms to shield her head as another gunshot sounded and glass from the damaged chandelier rained down on those below it. Naturally, she fell down to the ground having lost balance in her heels. As she watched Sully and Harvey fight it out, she covered her mouth with her hand. She wasn't at all squeamish towards violence, but she was concerned Sully was going to get himself killed by the gala's uninvited guest.

Seeing the wealthy bystander attempt to step in to help, Felicity struggled up to her feet to try drag him away, but Harvey had been quick to shoot the man down. She wanted to rush to help the bleeding man, but with their attacker holding his gun again, Felicity froze on the spot. She saw the gunned down man take his last breath, prompting her to slowly back away. "Please..." she began, about to try reasoning with the gunman as he focused on Sully again.

Sully managed to overpower the man, using a shard of glass to stab him in the neck. Felicity watched on as Harvey struggled, the blood pouring out of his neck wound. Sully then proceeded to put a bullet in the man's skull, putting the bastard out of his misery. A sudden wave of relief overcame Felicity and she move back down to the floor as she tried to catch her breath back.

When Sully turned his attention to her, she nodded when he said they had to move, allowing him to help her back to her feet. She rushed behind the bar with him, moving to sit down beside him where they were shielded. As she controlled her breathing, she felt Sully squeeze her hand as he reassured her. She reluctantly nodded her head before turning to see the shaking bartender. She reached out to briefly squeeze his shoulder and sent him a reassuring nod.

Turning back to Sully, she wasn't sure how much of the blood on him was from his own injuries. Regardless, she grabbed a towel from one of the shelves behind the bar and passed it to him. "Did you see what happened to my dad and Richard?" she worriedly asked. She figured Sully wouldn't have reason to care about her family over his, but she hadn't seen any Fletchers being shot at. All she knew was shots were fired at Robert and the Mayor.

As she steadied her breathing, she observed Sully for a moment before clearing her throat. "Thank you. You were under no obligation to help me, but you did..." she told him. As much bitterness as she had for the Fletchers, she would give credit where due tonight.

With Felicity at the bar: BeyondDandy (Sully)

 

[Misty Gray]

The Royal Hotel
- Birmingham City Centre, Birmingham -

Beth Henderson and Gerald Henderson​

Beth caught the stern look from Jackie but her focus shifted back down to her father as the man groaned in pain. When she was told to call an ambulance, she turned ready to rush to the telephone, but the number of people between her and the doorway stopped her in her tracks. That and hearing others already shouting for ambulances to be called deterred her from moving. Besides, she didn't want to leave her father's side. Turning back, she looked down at the bleeding man again as the blood pooled around him.

She watched as Jackie tended to her father, all the while her hand covering her mouth to keep in her sobs. Along with that, a wave of nausea that had overcome her and was threatening to throw up anything she'd just been drinking. She watched as Aidan wrapped the jacket around their father to put pressure against the wounds.

When Jackie said they needed to get him to the hospital, Beth quickly nodded her head. "Ambulances have already been called," she told him. "I can't make them get here any sooner!" she desperately shouted at him through her tears.

Aidan, meanwhile, appeared to panic as he tried to shake Gerald awake but with no response. The Mayor's face had turned a deathly shade of white and the man's open eyes were clearly no longer responsive. From her position, Aidan's head blocked her father's face from her line of sight. "He's gone," Aidan spoke out, in a calm sense of shock. "He's dead!" he suddenly shouted, the anguish clear in his voice.

In that moment, the tears streamed down Beth's face as she backed away. She tripped, stumbling back into the nearby chair before she burst out into sobs, burying her face in her hands in despair.

With Beth and RIP Mayor Henderson: purplecowdutch (Jackie)