Realistic or Modern The City: 1990s Gangs - IC Thread

[Misty Gray]

Old Distillery
~ Undisclosed, London ~

Zachary Costa
...and Grant​

Zachary listened to Jane as she said her father would come for her. She then shouted that the man was going to kill him. "He won't get the chance for that," he assured her. He stepped back and watched on as Grant poured the petrol. Both Jane and Ari being doused in it causing them to scream out even more. Jane began pleading for them not to do it, Zachary sucking in a breath as she sobbed that she wanted her mother. Another reminder of why he kept his own son at a distance, not wanting his kid caught up in this lifestyle. If only the Porters and Kings had the same concerns for their children.

Ari then spat, the young woman reacting with anger rather than matching her friend's upset. Grant let out a laugh at her threat. "How about I call up my boss now and let him know two little girls are threatening us? I'm sure he'll give a shit, love," Grant argued back. "When they find you, they're fucked along with you. My dick will stay right where it belongs."

Zachary rolled his eyes before crouching down in front of the two young women. He proceeded to tape Ari's mouth shut and then Jane's. The corner of the tape on Jane's mouth not quite stuck down to her skin. "No more screaming or chatter, it won't help you," he firmly told them, looking Jane in the eyes as he did.

Grant stepped out of the room whilst Zachary taped a strip of sandpaper to the floor less than a foot along the path of where the door would swing open. Moving outside of the room, he got down onto his knees before he pulled the door towards him, giving enough room to reach his hand inside and tape a row of matches to the inside bottom of the door. If the door was now to be pushed open wide enough, the matches would strike against the sandpaper, igniting the petrol in flames. Zachary pulled the door fully closed before pointing to the building exit. "Time to go," he told Grant.

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

Old Distillery
~ Undisclosed Location, London ~

Spencer King​

When he heard Syd in his earpiece telling him to get to the office, Spencer didn't hesitate to rush there. "Bring the fucking key!" he yelled at Wesley, briefly grabbing the man's arm to make him follow to the office.

Seeing Syd in tears and on the edge, Spencer had to force himself not to spiral into a similar direction. His temper had got him into trouble over the years, so he knew he needed to stay in control if he was going to give any of the four abductees a chance at survival. Still, the more time Shona was gone, the harder it became. He couldn't lose her. Not again. Even the time she was in the hospital over a decade ago had been difficult enough. The thought of her being hurt or even dead now was something he didn't want to think about, but he was certainly feeling it in his chest. "Fucking open it" he echoed Syd's words, sucking in a deep, strained breath.

It didn't take a genius to work out the crude message the contents of the safe was giving. Even before Syd spoke out to say the bastards were going to set Jane on fire, Spencer was already processing that thought about Shona. "We need to find them. Now, god damnit!" Spencer shouted, his eyes filling with tears. Syd didn't give room for deliberation as he snatched one of the addresses and rushed off. Spencer picked up the other, sparing a quick glance at it. "If any of you want to come, hurry up, I'm not waiting a minute longer," he spoke out before rushing off to get to his car.

With Klaus in the passenger seat, Spencer sped off to the address that was written on the paper. Familiar with the city's roads and no stranger to breaking the law when it came to the highway code, he reached the abandoned distillery in the quickest time possible. He rushed out of the driver's seat, but didn't immediately run into the building. It was eerily quiet around them, with no sign of vehicles or others. It felt too suspicious, prompting Spencer to look around for any potential places a gunman could be hiding ready to pounce. Other than the building ahead of them, the area was quite open, even if poorly lit. The moonlight was enough to provide some illumination, with Klaus possibly noticing the fresh tyre tracks in the mud.

Spencer retrieved his torch from inside his car door and switched it on as he approached the building. Before he shone it in any of the dark windows or rushed into the building, one window stood out as the room inside was already lit up. "Shit!" Spencer hissed as he rushed to the window. As soon as he cautiously peered inside, he saw Jane and Ari sat on the floor, clearly tied up. He tried to scan inside the rest of the room, trying to see if anyone else was with them. "Two of the girls are in there!" he called out to Klaus, tapping on the window to catch their attention. This still felt off. The two young women were left in plain sight and Spencer could help but think they were both walking into a trap.

Pyroclast (Jane) @Melanin-Gxdess (Ari) Bellz (Klaus)

 

[BasDorcha]

Greenwich Park Playground

~Greenwich Park, London~​

Jeremy Gray

The moment their hands touched, Jeremy felt a zing of electricity from their touching palms straight to his chest. He didn't even notice that the contact had gone longer than necessary as in his mind it was over so quickly he almost found himself reaching out for her hand a second time, though he did not actually act upon it. Instead he found himself watching every reaction out of her as if trying to memorize the contours of her face and read between the lines to see if anything was registering for her. Her smile - it was something he had missed for so long. He could feel the wetness blooming in his eyes again, gathering at the edges but never falling this time. It made his gaze extra shiny, as he looked around, trying to be polite and not continuing to stare. Internally he was fighting, struggling, between wanting to whisk her away and keep her until her memories came back, to get to know the girl he was certain could be his, and logic firmly reminding him he sounded completely bottoms up looney even to himself.

As she finally dropped his hand, he quickly shoved them back in his pockets, scared what he would do if he didn't put them away from her as fast as possible. Rachel Fitz. Rachel did not fit. Harper fit. Shut up or you'll be the next person in the hospital when she reports you for being a lunatic. He prevented his face from giving him away, though he did slowly regress back to a man of his true age, though seemingly more balanced now between the two version of himself that have flashed to the forefront. Looking over the park, he turned, ready to walk away and give her space, looking towards to road to decide his next move when she continued, gaining his attention again. When she was if he was going to be alright, he gave her a softer, only slightly sad smile, as he nodded. "I believe I will Ms. Fitz, but I would not deny having the company if you'd like to provide it. I was just thinking myself it was time to move along." His eyes glanced up, finding Laura across the park and seeing her nose turning a bit pink in the slowly cooling air.

"I don't live far, and if you'd like, I can call you a cab or something." What was he doing? What was agreeing to let her walk him home as if he were a defenseless schoolboy going to help with anything? Still, he didn't want to leave her presence, so he'd take any offer she'd provide him to keep going. And who knows, maybe the house would help if her if it was Harper, another familiar sight that was their home at one point. Standing a bit away, he shrugged out of his jacket, hooping it over his arm with the intent of offering it to her or Laura for some extra warmth as they left. "Please, I'll wait, go ahead and collect your daughter. If you need something to help her stay warm, you can cover her with my jacket, I won't need it while walking quite yet. Little bodies get colder much easier than us grown folks."

He laid it between them on the bench in case she needed it, took his original seat and patiently waited while the woman collected her daughter and things to leave. She thought she was doing this to take care of him, but in Jeremy's mind, he would feel much safer if he knew that she okay until the last possible minute he could. He pulled out his phone and checked for any new messages. One from Bucky just checking in on him made him smile, which he quickly replied back to that everything was good and he had something to tell him - not about the woman Rachel he couldn't get his hopes up about that - but he was certain his son would love to hear that his father was purchasing a bookstore that he intended to let him hangout and help in. Once they went to it together, he would share stories about his mom with him, about the hours they had sometimes spent sitting in chairs reading together, going over books, enjoying coffee and tea.

After giving the woman some time to collect her daughter and prepare to go, he finally stood back up, grabbing his jacket if she hadn't decided to use it as an extra blanket in the stroller, and gave a a playful wave of his hand towards the street. "Ms. Fitz, if you're ready." As they left, he put his hands back in his pockets - his one way of controlling the need to reach for her, carefully keeping distance between them. The park was closer to the house than he realized at first, only a few blocks away with Bucky's friend's house in the path of his return. He had thought about picking him up during the walk home, but now decided not to. With any hopes, he would be inside and not outside when they passed. He could take a different route but it would be a major cut around making it seem like he was trying to keep her longer than necessary and he wasn't trying to freak her out. He would do his freaking out later.

He had so many things he wanted to say, but struggled to say any of them, so as they started out he quickly explained it would only take about ten minutes or so to reach his home - their old home his mind threated to shout out. "Do you need me to call a cab to meet you at my house?"

Bellz - Rachel doesn't Fitz, it's definitely a Harper.

 

[Bellz]

En Route to Rescue!
~ Covent Garden, London ~

Jeanie Porter​

She had the choice to leave. She could have made progress in uncovering the mystery within... if her sister was in danger, she could have been ahead of the game, already planning steps ahead — but there she sat, debating whether to stay put in her father's car. Hunched in the back seat, she occasionally peeked out to check for any signs of movement. The entire area seemed deserted. Surely her family wouldn't be foolish enough to leave everything to the authorities? Despite her absence for a while, she knew her father well enough to understand that in situations like this, he preferred to handle things himself.

Jeanie's right leg tapped nervously in the car, causing the suspension to sway lightly in response. She chastised herself, placing a hand on her knee to halt its motion. What if Jane was already gone? Would she even feel it? The emotional gulf she had created between herself and her family not only distanced her from her parents but also fractured her bond with Jane. Any inklings she might have sensed from Jane could have easily been muddled with her own feelings.

Absorbed in her thoughts, Jeanie failed to notice someone approaching the car. With his typical burst of anger — justifiably so this time — her father slammed the driver's side door shut, making her flinch. The car didn't start immediately, and he erupted into a string of expletives that Jeanie herself had uttered on numerous occasions. He appeared so rattled that he couldn't get it to start. What was happening?

Jeanie's chest tightened as he uttered Jane's name, urging her to hold on. Where on earth was she? Endless dreadful scenarios flooded her mind as the car finally started. She stifled a gasp of surprise as he tore out of the parking lot, causing her body to slam against the unforgiving leather back seat. She struggled to stay in place with each sharp turn, her hands pushing against the car door to prevent her head from colliding with it. As he straightened out and accelerated into traffic, Jeanie weighed her options for revealing herself without risking getting shot. In an emotionally charged state, Syd could act impulsively, and firing blindly into the back seat was not out of the question.

Reveal herself and risk being a target or just voice that she’s in the car and lay low before revealing herself? The second option was safer.

"Dad?" Jeanie's voice finally broke the silence, ensuring it carried over any road noise or potential curses he might still be muttering. "It's Jeanie!" She raised an arm, revealing her hand before gently pushing herself off the back seat to show her face in the mirror, allowing him to register her presence. "Don't shoot!" Both of her hands were raised now, her face tense as she watched him closely for any signs of accidental aggression.

Jeanie allowed him a moment to react, and once it was clear she didn't have a bullet in the center of her chest, she rolled her eyes. "Before you start lecturing me, save your breath. I’m not the one who got my sister into this mess in the first place." Jeanie carefully maneuvered herself into the passenger seat, observing his erratic driving amidst traffic. "Jane needs me. I'm here for her. I wouldn't typically involve myself in whatever bullshit you've got going on, but Jane is the exception. I'll make whoever decided to mess with her pay tonight and then I'm out." Her voice cracked with emotion, tears threatening to spill from her eyes, but she maintained her gaze ahead. After composing herself, she released a stiff breath and turned to her dad. "Fill me in. What are we fucking dealing with? Who are we dealing with?" Her tone turned dark.
with: Syd Pyroclast -- Hello Father!

 

[Pyroclast]

En Route
~ London ~

Syd Porter​

The driving wasn't a problem. It was the roads. For over 40 years Syd had been driving, fixing, modifying, even hot-rodding vehicles both for fun and for business, be it legitimate or not. He knew the roads across much of Ireland, New York - even Berlin. But London? That was new territory for him. The roads were dense with traffic and he didn't know his way around. Too many people drove like they were late to get somewhere, which angered him, for who could have business more urgent than his?

Just as he was getting out of Covent Garden, a voice sounded over his shoulder and he felt someone pop up behind him. Already on edge, Syd jumped and accidentally pressed the accelerator. He had to suddenly swerve to avoid hitting the car in front of him. “Mother of -” he belted. When he looked in his mirror and saw his daughter, his shock only grew. “What the ffff- Jeanie, what the hell are you playing at?!”

When she asked him not to shoot, he made an effort to swallow the expletives on his tongue, and instead turned his eyes back to the road. The fact she felt the need to ask at all reminded him of the man he was trying to be. Jeanie knew how volatile he could be when he felt threatened, and though he knew she understood he was ill, he still didn't like his children to be exposed to that side of him.

“Jeanie -” he started, but she interrupted him, telling him not to lecture her. He was almost too bewildered to see her to lecture her anyway. As she manoeuvred herself into the passenger seat, which must have been a challenge with Syd's high-speed driving, he let out a wild laugh. “What the fuck is happening?” he asked himself.

His daughter proceeded to answer the question, explaining that she couldn't let Jane suffer alone, that her twin needed her. That she intended to make her assailants pay before the night was over. “Like shite you will,” Syd told her, his voice raised from the panic. “It's bad enough these fuckers got to Jane, you think I'm gonna let them near you, too?! It's my fault she was taken, Jeanie. It's always my fault. I try to keep you all safe but I never - GO AROUND HIM, YOU FUCKING SHITEHAWK BASTARD!”

The heel of his palm slammed against the car's horn as he waited for the driver in front to take their chance at overtaking a paused bus. A sob rose up inside him and he screamed it out. In the end he managed to overtake them both and race ahead, but by then he was so worked up the road was beginning to blur behind a veil of tears. “I can't let you go near them, Jeanie, I can't,” he implored. “You can wait in the car, but -” Even the thought of leaving her alone in the car during the exchange would put her in danger, especially since he didn't know how long it would take him to find and rescue Jane and the others. “God, you just - you shouldn't be here!”

Still, Jeanie insisted on knowing what and who they were dealing with. Syd sucked in a breath, fighting to keep his focus on the road. He didn't want to scare Jeanie about the level of danger Jane was in, especially if she was already going to try and fight for Jane herself. She at least didn't need to know who they were. “They took Jane, a-and Collin, and Arabella and Shona King,” he managed to get out. “To one of two locations, I don't know which, but I think they're going to - they're gonna set fire to -” He couldn't bring himself to say it. “So you cannot go with me, Jeanie, you can't. Please. I can't risk losing you.”

Interactions
Bellz Jeanie

 

[Misty Gray]

Paper Mill
~ Undisclosed, London ~

Damian Nicolosi​

Damian listened intently as Shona squared up to him and Julia. The woman wanted to protect Collin, asking them to let the young man go and she'd let them do whatever they wanted to her. "Oh, but it's more fun if you scream and fight," he told her, pulling an exaggerated pout. "I like your guts, though. It refreshing to hear. Granted, you can't have much self worth being married to that aggressive Cockney thug." When Shona went on to offer herself to him, Damian looked her in the eyes, feigning a lustful expression as best he could. Despite having no sexual desire at all, he maintained the stare before chuckling to himself. "No thank you. Don't take it personally. I'm sure you're a very beautiful woman, but that idea does nothing for me."

When Collin growled at them, Damian shook his head. "We brought you here so we could kill you. The games just make it more fun for us all." He nudged Collin forward, demanding they all entered the building now. "Our real targets will get what they deserve too, but for now, they get to feel the pain of knowing you two died because of them."

Damian dragged Collin into the building, using the handle of the gun to hit the back of his head when he didn't maintain the suitable pace. "Walk in a straight line before I take my irritation out on Mrs. King," he warned him. There were stacks of paper on the hallway inside the building and there was already a distinct smell of petrol in the air.

Once inside the stock room deeper in the mill, they'd see it was filled with boxes and piles of paper. Damian rushed to securely tie Collin hands to metal storage racking. He pointed for Julia to tie Shona on the opposite side of the shelving rack, so she and Collin would have their backs to each other.

"You'll both get a bit of time to say your prayers and all of that nonsense, but the fire will soon catch up to you both," Damian taunted them. Leaving the store room and moving to the building exit ready to make a quick escape. Damian looked to Julia with a crooked smile. "Would you like to do the honours or shall I?" he asked her, igniting his lighter as he held it up towards her.

Pyroclast (Shona, Syd) Bellz (Julia, Collin, Jeanie)

 

[Bellz]

En Route to Rescue!
~ Covent Garden, London ~

Jeanie Porter​

Jeanie's gaze hardened as her father's panicked voice cut her off abruptly. With a wary glance at him and the road, she ensured their safety wasn't compromised. Despite her father's self-blame, she refrained from agreeing with him before he slammed on the brakes, forcing her to brace against the dashboard. Wide-eyed, she watched the car in front, wincing at the blare of the horn and her father's anguished cry. Holding her breath, she counted to ten, suppressing the urge to flee the momentarily halted car. A painful sensation simmered in her chest, prompting her to grip the dashboard tighter.

Ignoring her father's tearful conflict, Jeanie's gaze remained fixed ahead as he accelerated past the car and bus. Trying to steady herself, she felt her right leg bouncing with nerves. A fractured laugh escaped her lips. "Wait in the car? Are you crazy?" she hissed, finally turning to confront him. This was all his fault, and if Jane died tonight — Jeanie went rigid and clenched her teeth. She sensed he was skirting around the truth, shielding her from the severity of the situation. Whether for her sake or his own, she couldn't discern, but it only fueled her frustration.

"You'll never be honest with me!" she burst out, her voice edged with emotion. "Even when my twin is fighting for her life because of your failure, yours and Spencer King's, to protect her. Why shield me? I don't want it. I don't need it. I want to protect her." Her father's unfinished words hung heavily in the air, implying a threat of fire to two locations. Panic surged through Jeanie, a red-hot rush that chilled her to the core. Silently shaking her head at first, she then shook it more violently before slamming her hands against the dashboard.

"No!" she growled, her voice strained with anger and fear. Though her hands trembled with the urge to strike, she resisted, knowing it wouldn't help, even as her frustration boiled within her.

"NO!" Jeanie's voice pierced the air, her gaze locking fiercely with Syd's. "You've already lost me. We're lost, you and I. But Jane needs me!" Her tone was desperate, on the brink of pleading. "Would you stay in the fucking car if Uncle Thomas or Aunt Olivia were in danger?!" she challenged, her eyes narrowing as she crossed her arms. "I wouldn't have broken into your car, and faced you again in such close quarters, if I didn't want to throw myself in front of a bullet, into a fire, or whatever it took for her!" Tears welled in her intense eyes, her resolve unwavering.

There hung a heavy silence for a brief moment before she spoke, her voice laced with determination. "I'm going — or you won't see me ever again." It was a threat, yet not an empty one. Jeanie had been wrestling with the idea of leaving since her family's return. If Jane weren't present, if her father attempted a futile solo rescue…and failed — Jeanie would vanish again. "You need my help. Let me help you and stop worrying about me. I've managed the past four years without you, and if you decide I can't help you, I'll manage the rest of our lives just the same."
with: Syd Pyroclast

 

[Pyroclast]

En Route
~ London ~

Syd Porter​

Deep down, Syd knew he had to hold it together. But once he started getting upset, it was near impossible to stop himself from spiralling. There wasn’t time for grounding exercises or breathing techniques; he was barrelling through the streets at 70 miles per hour, with one daughter at risk of imminent death and another fighting him from the passenger seat, determined to put her own life on the line to help rescue her twin. It was an impossible situation: on the one hand, if he slowed down to force Jeanie out of the car, he might waste precious time finding Jane whilst also risking his last chance to have a relationship with Jeanie; on the other hand, if he let Jeanie come with him, then her life would be at risk alongside Jane’s.

Jeanie shouted back at him that he was never honest with her and never would be. Syd didn’t have time to process fully what she meant by that, but he could already feel her slipping away from him. She seemed to be arguing that Syd didn’t understand her need to protect her twin, emphasising that it was down to his failure to protect Jane that she was in danger to begin with. “And I want to protect YOU!” Syd cried, slamming his hands down on the steering wheel. “Because I love you! You don’t seem to understand that I love you, Jeanie - you think your life can just be thrown away like it’s not worth anything, but it is to me! To your mother, to Jane! I couldn’t live with myself if I - if you - Christ -”

Despite the decades of experience Syd had with driving, it was always a challenge to do it whilst in a bad headspace. This time, his heart was racing, his head was pounding and he could hardly focus. He felt all this intense, manic energy boiling up inside him, and the car seemed like it was closing in on him. It was hard to breathe through the rising panic, hard to see through the tears. It was picturing Jane’s last moments, the terror engulfing her completely; it was having to go home and tell Roxie their daughter was dead; it was watching Jeanie run into a burning building and not come out again - or worse still, her being captured by the same people who had captured Jane, and him being forced to choose who gets to live and who has to die. Everything was building up and up and up inside him and he didn’t have the space to let it out. He wanted to escape. He found himself fighting the impulsive urge to crash the car, just to make everything stop.

Jeanie’s anger and desperation seemed to match his own. Her words erupted out of her, and Syd could feel that she was suppressing an urge to unleash more than just words. But she held it together just enough, and instead argued that she was already lost to him. Syd couldn’t be surprised to hear it - after all, she had run away and had made no effort to get back in touch with the family - but it still cut him deeply. Jeanie then tried to get him to imagine if it were his own siblings in danger, and whether he would be okay with staying in the car like he was asking her to do. “‘Course I wouldn’t stay in the fucking car, but Jeanie, that’s completely different and you know that!”

Unlike most of his children, whom he tried to keep sheltered from the details of the family business, Syd understood that Jeanie knew more than she should. She was unstoppable in that way. So, he didn’t feel the need to remind her that he had been a soldier for the family for most of his life, that over the years he had gained extensive training and experience and had killed dozens of people in numerous ways.

He was speaking so fast he was almost tripping over his words. “I know you want to protect Jane, and - and I know, I know what it’s like to not care if you live or die, I know too well the complete desire to sacrifice yourself to save a loved one but for God’s sake, if anyone’s putting their life at risk in this operation then it’s going to be ME, not you! I am NOT losing a daughter today, so just, please, for the love of Christ, don’t get involved!”

His hands twitched as they gripped the steering wheel and he ground his teeth as he tried to pull his focus back to the road again. He only hoped he was going the right way. His eyes welled up with tears again at the thought that he might fail Jane one last time. He hardly noticed the silence he and Jeanie were sitting in until she spoke again. Discarding his pleas as if he had said nothing at all, she insisted that he was going to let her go or he would never see her again. The tears all seemed to crash down his cheeks at once. “I just want you alive,” he said, his voice thick with emotion. “If that means you never speak to me again, then…”

Suddenly, there it was: the paper mill. It wasn’t on fire - at least not yet. Maybe they weren’t too late after all. “I think we’re here,” he said, rolling the car to a stop. Before Jeanie could move, he reached out and grabbed her shoulder. “Stay behind me. And make no noise.”

Interactions
Bellz Jeanie

 

[Bellz]

Paper Mill
~ Undisclosed Location, London ~

Jeanie Porter​

Jeanie clenched her teeth, tasting the metallic tang of blood as she held back the urge to retaliate. Her self-control, usually tenuous at best, seemed nonexistent at this moment, particularly with the man beside her exhibiting even less restraint—especially while driving. Glancing ahead, the brunette noted his erratic speed and the subtle swerves that bordered on dangerous. A lump formed in her throat as she realized that pushing him too far might jeopardize their mission to save Jane. Whether intentional or not, his irrational behavior posed a significant threat.

She cringed involuntarily, unable to suppress the full-body flinch, as her father's hands slammed against the steering wheel. He claimed he was acting out of love, a desire to protect her. But each word grated against her, her teeth grinding together as he insisted she didn't grasp his intentions. What he failed to comprehend was the pain his declarations inflicted—the suffocating weight of his professed love, leaving her feeling unable to reciprocate safely.

Jeanie avoided meeting Syd's gaze as he criticized her, accusing her of treating her life as expendable. Despite her fists tightening at her sides, and nails digging into her palms, she refused to look at him. In the urgency of her sister's plight, she couldn't help but ponder how many times her mother had pleaded with him to value his own life, to recognize its significance to her and their children. Time and again, she wondered.

She closed her eyes, pressing her fingertips against the bridge of her nose to maintain focus. This wasn't about her, nor was it about her father's life. It was about Jane. Jane's survival was paramount; she still had so much life ahead of her. "Really, Dad? Completely different?" Jeanie's frustration bubbled over. "I may not have all the experience of this messed-up life, but fundamentally, I'm doing what I've been taught—taking care of our own, right?" Jeanie wasn't naive. She understood her family's history, their actions, and the consequences they faced ever since Matthew was shot in that parking lot. While some kids remained blissfully ignorant or even found their parents' exploits thrilling, Jeanie saw it differently. She witnessed the toll it took on those she loved, the deaths and tortures it brought. Selfishly, and perhaps naively, she couldn't help but wonder how her parents and family might have turned out had they not been entangled in such corrupt power dynamics.

Jeanie grappled with the painful realization of just how similar she and her father were. He understood her, perhaps too well, comprehending the reasons behind her emotions to some extent. Yet, despite this understanding, he was willing to sacrifice himself, risking his life as if it held no value. Which he had just lectured her for. There was no guarantee of his survival, no reassurance that he would emerge unscathed from their destination. With each passing minute, as they drew closer to their unknown destination, Jeanie couldn't shake the gnawing uncertainty of how this reckless journey would conclude. "You're asking me to do something that I can't do. That I won't do. Jane would never forgive me, Dad. I would never forgive me!"

Once again tonight, a pang of regret pierced her as she stole a glance at her Dad, tears cascading down his cheeks. His voice trembled with emotion as he expressed his sole desire: for her to be alive, even if it meant she never spoke to him again. But as quickly as the regret surfaced, it dissolved upon the sight of the paper mill—their destination—coming into view.
with: Sydward Tennisballs

***​

Paper Mill
~ Undisclosed, London ~

Collin McCarthy
Julia Avvocata​

Collin's eyes burned with a fury he hadn't known lay dormant within him as Damian and Julia elucidated the reasons behind bringing Shona, him, and the others into this. With each word, the resentment surged within him. He hesitated for a moment when nudged forward, but quickly straightened his stance, ready to confront Damian, refusing to step foot into the building as instructed. Yet, he found himself being forcibly pulled, his resistance growing with each step, until a sharp blow to the back of his head silenced his protests.

The impact of the gun didn't instill fear in Collin; rather, it was the ominous promise that followed that compelled him to comply without hesitation. Papers littered the surroundings, and the scent of petrol hung heavy in the air, causing Collin's mouth to parch. He dared not glance back as Julia's command to Shona "Keep up!" accompanied by a forceful shove, echoed through the space, propelling them deeper into the building.

With no hint of gentleness, Julia seized Shona's hands and expertly bound them to the shelving rack, ensuring the knots were tight enough to restrict circulation should she attempt to break free. "Pfft, prayers…I doubt they’ll have time for that with the amount of petrol and paper in this dump." Julia scoffed, a smirk playing on her lips.

"You're both twisted," Collin spat, straining against his bonds as Julia merely grinned in response. "Consider that a compliment and a stellar review of our work ethic. You might want to crack a window or two; things are about to heat up," she taunted, sticking out her tongue before turning her attention to Shona. "Enjoy the show as he struggles for breath," she added with a malicious smirk.

Walking towards Damian with all the patience in the world, Julia pulled a quick-thinking face over his question. "If you wouldn’t mind?" She asked sweetly, before taking the lighter. Once ignited, the paper took to the flame as quickly as anticipated, soon it was spreading but they were already bounding out, she squealed, "Now to watch our work from a safe distance!"

Collin’s eyes widened as he saw the flames, watching them leave Shona and him to the flames. "S-Shona?" He asked, stuttering as he stuck in a deep breath while he still could. His legs started to tremble, making it hard to stand but he couldn’t move from the position given he was tied to the spot. "T-thank you. For t-trying." The smoke that started to billow burned his eyes but tears had already formed and were moving down his cheeks, "I-I’m sorry you got caught up in this."

***
​

Jeanie watched her father shift in his seat. When she turned to look at the mill, it looked empty…no traces of life anywhere. Certainly not what she would have thought an active hostage situation looked like. As if he knew that she was even thinking about shifting in her seat, her Dad grabbed her shoulder and she eyed him questioningly but stayed silent. Slowly, she nodded her head and allowed him to get out first before following behind. Patting her back, she mindlessly felt for her gun — as she normally would in a situation that called for it — only to find that it was missing. The woman nearly growled out but bit the inside of her cheek, the fucking event. She left it at home. Stupid, stupid, stupid… 



Very gently tapping her Dad’s shoulder, she made a little gun symbol with her fingers raising her eyebrows. Surely he had to have one, they weren’t going to go in there without one…were they? Then something caught her eye, light — orange light from one of the windows. Eyes went wide and she broke the rule, "Dad, look!" Jeanie hissed out, pointing to the window, "We have to go!" She said in a hushed tone before she started to maneuver past him...

Suggested Song choice: Burnin' Up by the Jonas Brothers.
with: Jeanie is with Sydward Tortellini Pyroclast
with: Collin is burning up with Shona Pyroclast
with: Julia and Damian are getting away with it Misty Gray

 

[Pyroclast]

The Paper Mill
~ Undisclosed, London ~

Shona King​

In the past, Shona had, unfortunately, been given plenty of opportunities to stand up to those who had negative things to say about her husband or their marriage, and she hadn’t hesitated to defend him every time. This time, however, she knew better than to argue. These were people who had just shot four civilians and kidnapped three more, besides herself. They had already demonstrated a penchant for violence; injuring those four models seemed so unnecessary to Shona that it was easy to imagine they had done it just for fun. Yet, in an unexpected way, it was that penchant for violence that Shona was banking on. She stared Damian dead in the eyes as his eyes poured over her, apparently considering her offer with some graphic imagery going on in his mind. It made her feel sick and her heart race with fear. But then, when it became clear that neither Damian nor Julia had any interest in taking her up on her offer, it made her feel even worse. That was all she could think of that might have spared Collin, and it hadn’t worked.

Despite not really knowing Collin at all, her maternal instinct was driving her to protect him at all cost. Her bargaining might have meant leaving her children motherless and Spencer a widower, but she couldn’t let somebody younger than her, likely somebody’s son or brother, have his life stolen too soon if she could do something about it. Still, it all seemed unreal to want to be tortured, assaulted, enslaved, killed - she would do it for him, of course, but she never thought she would be in a situation where that was the more desirable option. As much as she wished she could punch Damian and Julia in the face, she knew it was safest to comply, if not for her sake then for Collin’s. Neither of them could afford to cause trouble - she had to do everything she could think of to try to diffuse the situation rather than make it worse.

Collin demonstrated the consequences of that when Damian pistol-whipped him for resisting being led into the building. It made Shona physically wince. He threatened to take his frustrations out on her, and though it scared her to think what that might entail, she hoped he would take them out on her rather than Collin. Julia shoved her forward then, almost causing her to trip, and when she looked up, she saw paper stacked and scattered everywhere. The place had either been abandoned, or vandalised - no doubt the job of the Carters. There was also the distinct smell of petrol stinging the air, and the power of its stench told Shona exactly what they had walked into.

Their kidnappers didn’t hesitate to tie each of them to a shelving unit - on opposite sides so they couldn’t see each other. Shona’s wrists were bound so tightly she couldn’t even twist them, and the ties were almost cutting into her skin. Her worst fear was confirmed when Damian and Julia mentioned fire. “They’ll know who did this,” she called after them as they both made their way to the exit. “My husband will find you and kill you!”

Of course, such threats were never going to save them. She only had herself to rely on, now. Shona continued to look around in desperation, determined to come up with some kind of escape. As long as she was alive, she was going to think, she was going to try. If she had only minutes left, she was going to use them.

But Collin drew her attention when he spoke up, his voice quiet and teeming with fear. He thanked her for doing her best for him and apologised for her getting caught up in this. And it broke her heart. “No,” she said, her eyes on the wall ahead of her as she listened to him softly cry. “No, Collin, please…” Suddenly tears were sprouting from her eyes and she had to take a moment to make sure her voice was level before she continued. “None of this is your fault, love. I’m…I’m so sorry. You don’t deserve this.” She hated the thought of the poor young man dying in this way: away from home, without any of his loved ones, tied up and left for dead in a burning building. Shona tried to turn her head to look at him, but the way she had been bound meant she couldn’t turn enough to see him at all but for a blurry impression of his hair at the very edge of her peripheral vision.

An orange glow flickered beyond the window of the door. Pretty soon, that glass would smash, the doors would blow open, and with the help of the paper and petrol, the fire would swallow up the entire room in mere seconds. They would die by the flames before the smoke could even asphyxiate them. “Collin,” she said, her eyes filling with tears. “Think of someone you’ve lost. Someone who loved you. We’re going to go see them, now.”

* * * * *

The Paper Mill
~ Undisclosed, London ~

Syd Porter​

As he checked himself over for the weapons he had packed on him, an HK P7 on his belt and a Buck 110 in his pocket, Syd kept glancing up to see if he could spot anyone exiting the building. He debated bringing the Tec-9 that was stashed in his glove box, but ultimately saw no point in carrying too much. “We're not too late,” he told his daughter, keeping his voice low. “But no fire means the enemy could still be on site. You just stay close to -” He felt her tap his shoulder and when he turned to look at her and saw her making hand gestures of a pistol, he just stared at her. Did she even know how to use one? Syd had been handling firearms for long enough that he knew they were only safe in the hands of someone who really knew their way around one. He knew she had her own somewhere because he had seen her drop it when he had first met her in the corridor of her apartment building. But that wasn't proof enough that he could trust her with one in this situation.

Before he could make up his mind, Jeanie suddenly alerted him to a window on the building, where an orange glow was starting to flourish. “Shit!” Syd jumped out of the car and called back to Jeanie, “Stay in here and don't move!” With his gun in hand, he raced towards the building. His tears had dried and his manic energy was under more control now that he had found the right place. He just had to make his way inside, free everybody and help them out of the building before it was too late.

The door to the mill wasn't locked, but that didn't matter. The real obstacle was the fire. As soon as Syd flung the doors open, the outside air fed the flames, causing them to billow towards him and choke him with a cloud of thick, black smoke. The entrance opened up to a series of work spaces with no doors between them to block the fire’s route. It was already everywhere. “JANE?” Syd called out as he carefully waded through, coughing into his sleeve. “COLLIN?”


The sound of flames crackling, wood splintering and metal clanging just one room away was getting louder. Tears spilled down Shona’s cheeks as she wracked her brain for a solution. There were some small, fogged up windows near the top of the wall above some shelves - if she could just get free, maybe she could untie Collin and help him out through the window somehow. Shona began trying to dislocate her thumb to make her hand small enough to escape her bounds, but she had never dislocated anything before and didn't know what to do. The more attempts she made, the further away her chances seemed of getting out alive. Just as she was on the verge of breaking down in tears, she heard a voice call out for Jane and Collin and her focus snapped towards the door. Without a moment's hesitation, she screamed, “IN HERE!”


After what felt like minutes but in reality was only a few seconds, Syd burst in through the doors, chased by a huge plume of black smoke. He rushed to slam the door behind him to minimise the spread of the fire, but smoke was already seeping in from the gap beneath the door. He reached them in a flash, and grabbed Collin by the shoulders. “We're getting out of here,” he told them both, quickly flicking open his knife before working on cutting Collin loose. “I promised your dad I’d always take care of you,” he quietly said to him, before moving on to free Shona. “Where’s Jane? Where’s Arabella? Where’s my daughter?!”

Interactions
Bellz Collin, Julia
Damian

 

[Bellz]

Earlier in the Evening...

Greenwich Park Playground
~ Greenwich Park, London ~

Rachel Fitz
Ft. Laura Fitz​

Rachel's relieved smile greeted Jeremy as she heard he'd be alright and didn't mind her company. Despite his reassurance, she couldn't shake the feeling of needing to ensure his safe return home... wherever that might be. "A cab would be wonderful, thank you," she murmured, watching him casually remove his coat, a slight quirk on her brow. "You're too kind, truly," she added, acknowledging his gesture towards her daughter, who grew colder by the minute. With a gentle prompt, Rachel turned to follow Laura, noticing the rosy tint in her cheeks. "Come along, dear. It's time to head out." Convincing Laura to leave without a fuss proved a bit challenging, but Rachel attributed it to her daughter's newfound friendships and exhaustion.


"I promise we'll come back another day, just like always," she assured her daughter, gathering her up in her arms and gently wiping away the tears, though she knew they were partly an attempt to persuade her to stay. Laura fell silent only when she noticed Jeremy, an unfamiliar adult as she was being settled into her stroller and fastened in securely. Her gaze lingered on him as she sniffled, prompting Rachel to click her tongue gently. "Laura, sweetheart, it's not polite to stare." But Laura remained fixated on Jeremy, ignoring her mother's admonishment and gazing intently at him.

Rachel gestured towards the jacket Jeremy had left on the bench and reached for it. "Come, sit back," she urged, tucking the coat around Laura and planting a tender kiss on her forehead before rising to face Jeremy. "Thank you. The poor thing is freezing," she remarked with a sympathetic smile. As Jeremy gestured towards the street and inquired if she was prepared, Rachel nodded gently. "Lead the way, Mr. Gray."

The silence enveloped them, a strange blend of comfort and unease. Rachel sensed there was something unsaid, yet she couldn't grasp it. Laura's silence signaled she had likely drifted off to sleep, adding to the tranquility of their stroll. Only the sound of their footsteps and the gentle rustle of autumn-bare trees disturbed the quiet. Dead leaves crunched beneath their feet and the stroller's wheels. Jeremy mentioned it would take roughly 10 minutes to reach his home, his words hurried, and Rachel couldn't shake the feeling of conflict she detected in his eyes whenever she glanced his way.

"I wouldn't mind, but we can always call one once we arrive. The cab service here is surprisingly prompt despite the quiet surroundings," Rachel smiled before shifting her gaze ahead. "So, Jeremy, what do you do?" she asked, trying to sound casual. "And forgive me if that comes across as prying. Have you always been based in London?"
with: The Caller you are trying to reach is unavailable BasDorcha