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

[Pyroclast]

"The Big House" - Upstairs Study
(Interpol Main Safe House)
~ Tottenham, London ~

Syd Porter and Bruce King
​

Syd shook his head when Roxie reminded him that the contracts were binding, that they couldn't go back now. He wasn't even sure what he wanted anymore - only what he didn't want. And that was for his family to come to harm. "Not too far ahead," he repeated back under his breath as she stroked his arm. "Not too far ahead. Not too far ahead." His feet were grinding into the floor as he fought to contain his nervous energy and he tried to concentrate on his wife's soothing touch. Penny, his German Shepherd service dog, sensed his anxiety and came to sit beside him, resting her chin on his thigh to help calm him.

It had been years before Syd was able to see Klaus as a friend. The trauma that he and his family suffered of being torn away from their home, especially during such a raw stage of grief for his father, made it near impossible for Syd to get his head around the fact that the agent seemed to want to save them from facing prison time. It made no sense to him, and he couldn't help but be suspicious over Klaus' actions. However, as time went on, the man still showed no sign of betrayal and in fact did everything he could to support them, and Syd eventually learned to accept him. But that suspicion never disappeared completely; it was only buried, and shallow at that. Now, in this time of stress and uncertainty, it was all coming to the surface - and somehow was even more distressing than before, having spent so many years trying to trust the man.

Fortunately for Syd, he didn't seem to be alone in his suspicions. Spencer echoed his concerns, and both he and Alex demanded clarity on the expectations and assurances surrounding the operation they were being called to do - including what would happen to both London and Dublin once the Carters were gone. Syd nodded, redirecting his gaze onto Klaus. "Yeah, don't forget some of us aren't home yet. I didn't sign that contract to save London, or you. I just want to bring my family back to where we belong."

So far Klaus had remained silent, just letting everyone get their thoughts out without interruption. Roxie spoke up next, having been quiet for a while, too. She mentioned how Interpol were taking a risk stooping to criminal measures to deal with the Carter problem and that if it doesn't work, they would be in just as much trouble, too. Syd frowned. "Except that Interpol are an official establishment trusted worldwide, and we were the world's most wanted criminals, now living on borrowed time," he pointed out. "Interpol could come up with some lie to pin this whole thing on us, just throw us under the bus to protect themselves. How does our word against theirs sound?"

As uncomfortable as he felt about the whole thing, Syd wanted Roxie to be right. He was only arguing to make sure every potential issue was covered, because until then he wouldn't be able to relax. So, he listened to Klaus make his case. His claim that Interpol wasn't above breaking the rules for the benefit of the general public didn't convince Syd at all - while he had known the law to be corrupt in the past, to hear an actual Interpol agent admit that they didn't adhere to the rules sounded too much like a lie, something to try to get ex-gang members to relate to them. Plus, in his experience, the police's main priority wasn't the public. Once they got their badge, that was the side they were on first and foremost. They were far more likely to break the rules to protect themselves than to protect anyone else. "Robin Hood, my arse," he scoffed. "Even if we dob you into the UN and they take us seriously, you won't lose what we lost. Interpol may face scrutiny, it might even have to tighten its security and screening processes to save face or whatever, but at the end of the day it'll stay on its feet and will probably be allowed to keep doing what it was always doing under the surface, because it got results and as long as the public don't hear about your crimes, those results will continue to make you look good. Don't pretend we have equal power when it comes to the law. We don't have the clout to blackmail you. We handle shit our own way, outside of the law, as always. So how about this, Klaus: Interpol covers our tracks as well as it covers its own, or we will kill you and everyone you love? Huh? Shall we put that in your fucking contract?"

Interactions
Misty Gray Adam, Spencer
Melanin-Gxdess Alex
Bellz Klaus, Roxie

 

[Bellz]

"The Big House"
(Interpol Main Safe House)
Upstairs Study
~ Tottenham, London~

Roxie Porter
Klaus Jäger​

Roxie knew Syd would push back. He was like a caged wild animal in these moods and it took a lot to get him to calm down, but he was pushing back harder than most of the people in this room. Even after she reasoned that Interpol wouldn't stab them in the back because that would risk them being taken down as well. Normally he listened to her reasoning. He did listen to Klaus at least but, it only lasted so long. All of the men in this room didn't trust the law but Roxie was on the other side of that or had been. She had sworn to uphold it long ago too, like Klaus was doing now. Yet here she was being trusted, Syd trusted her the most out of everyone in this room. He needed to realize that just because Klaus and the others worked for Interpol, it didn't mean that their motivations were the same as the organization they worked for. While she wasn't exactly trusting of the organization as a whole, they had grown to trust Klaus and the rest, she did have faith in them. For now.

Klaus was a patient man, so patient that nothing crossed his face when Syd went at him yet again. He knew he was anxious, knew he wanted all of the possibilities out in the open. Wanted reassurance for his family. He was a family man, they both had that in common. Everyone at this table had that in common and that is why he thought they'd work well together. The Agent listened intently, nodding his head along with everything Syd said, taking it all in. He still didn't think he held the power. It was funny, but Klaus wasn't gonna laugh. It took years to build up a case against these two families and yet Syd was thinking he didn't have the power to take them out? Laughable. Klaus knew what weaknesses his organization had. His program for one, was still frowned upon, many were still looking to take them down. Klaus was patient, and quiet until Syd threatened him and his loved ones. Then both Roxie and Klaus spoke up, "Woah!" Klaus exclaimed, and Roxie shook her head, saying, "Syd!" In a scolding manner but still keeping a soothing hand on him nonetheless.

"You want to threaten the very people you know well and actually called your friends at one point, Syd Porter, fine. So be it. All of Interpol might not crash and burn from your downfall, but the organization wouldn't recover. They would have to rebuild. And it doesn't happen overnight. You handle your own outside of the law, I handle my own inside of it. But don't confuse my loyalties to my job with my motivations for why I took this job on. I care about people, I care about your people. The Kings too." Klaus's tone was a little harsher now, not taking the threat Syd made kindly but trying to keep the meeting agreeable.

"You have the clout, it took our organization years to build cases against your families, we need your help with the Carters. If you work outside the law then I can assure you, you have the power to pin whatever it is you like on us far quicker than we could on you. But if it is the assurance you are looking for, we will cover your tracks as well as we cover our own. A ghost in the night. Without killing anyone's loved ones in the process, got it?" He asked, his voice a little rough and Roxie looked to Syd, praying he'd just let the little bits of microaggression that Klaus was displaying go considering he did just threaten him. "Those contracts are meant to be evidence that you are working with us. You all have copies, they are notarized. Proof. Easy proof. You go down, you send me, Wesley, and the rest of my team to prison, take down the organization and leave the broken pieces. You can disappear, tracks covered. Sound like a good plan?"

"Getting that in writing would be better," Roxie said, speaking up, looking around at the others before looking at her husband to see if he agreed. "Everything from here on out should be in writing between all of us and them. Preferably official documents, like the contracts. For legal purposes."
With: Syd + Bruce Pyroclast
Spencer + Adam Misty Gray
Alex Melanin-Gxdess

 

[Bellz]

"The Big House" - Downstairs Kitchen
(Interpol Main Safe House)
~ Tottenham, London ~
Blake Harper​

Conor had asked her if she was worried about Adam. Reassuring that he's been doing all of this long enough to know when to play it safe. Of course, she knew that. It wasn't that she was worried about. She just didn't want him to agree to anything big or life-altering without talking to her first. Blake didn't have huge concerns that he would do something like that, just jump the gun and make such decisions, it was Adam. He was very calculated in almost everything he did, strategically. But, things were tense. Who knew what they were talking about up there right now? If she was caught by surprise that Conor was talking with her in the kitchen, surely they were all caught by surprise that he declined to return to his position of power up in that meeting right now.

Backtracking on the conversation for a moment, if only to distract herself, she placed the awful glass of whiskey down in exchange for her beer. "If you're looking for some spoiling, Conor. I've got plenty of that to go around. Sure Ali would love for me to get you guys some matching pajama sets or something. Ohh, or maybe matching swimsuit sets huh? For when you eventually escape this dreary English fog?" She teased, buying her some time from answering his question as she then took a sip from her beer bottle.

Once she was satisfied with her drink, she set it on the counter, shrugging her shoulders. "Adam is his own man, and my anxieties over his safety have been dealt with...mostly. I will say, 12 years of not knowing if we would ever be thrown back into this lifestyle have...coddled me in a way. Now that he's rip-roaring and ready to head back into it all, I have my reservations." She admitted to Conor, her eyes unreadable. "But what mob wife doesn't have them, hmm? Especially after the shit I've been through? Still, I'm not going to stop him from doing what he wants or feels is right. As I said, moral support, emotional support is what I'm here for." The blonde shrugged her shoulders again.

" And no, I would hope he's not intending on walking out of that meeting in charge because we didn't discuss that whatsoever. If he had any intentions of that, I would at least hope we would have a discussion before then. Which I do have faith in him to do considering we've been open about everything else for the last 12 years." Blake felt like she was rambling a bit so she moved to grab her beer to take another swig. With a satisfied sigh, she looked at the label for a moment before saying, "What does Ali think of this? About you being a part-time advisor? If shit hits the fan are you guys going to stay? or are you advising from afar?"
with: Conor Misty Gray

"The Big House" - Downstairs Small Lounge
(Interpol Main Safe House)
~ Tottenham, London ~

Bucky Gray ​

Meeting new people hadn't always been Bucky's strength. Meeting what felt like a billion new people felt like a feat and a half for him. While he had his moments of charisma and personality, it was hard to keep it up when he was in his mood. Right now, he was in a bit of a mood. The house was full of people he both knew and didn't. He had been excited to meet his Uncles and Aunts as well as all of his cousins and was perfectly polite but the reminders of his mother in his newfound family were like opening fresh cuts on old wounds that refused to heal. On top of that, while he had been initially accepting of the story his father told him, about why he was lied to all of his life by both him, his mother, and all of the adults around him, he was now having...issues with it. They had done some bad things in the past, what the heck did they do? And everyone had to go into hiding? Why? How did everyone play into this? Who out of his cousins knew what he knew and were they just okay with it?

Bucky felt unsettled after the introductions were over, the fascination of meeting his cousins faded and all he was left with was more questions and zero answers because all of the adults were busy. So, he did the only thing he could do when he was basically crawling out of his skin with anxiety. He'd excused himself politely, or in the politest way possible without sounding mean and went to find a quiet room to read in. For some time, he just opened the page he was on, which was only the 5th one, and stared at it, zoning out as he listened to the hum of voices around the house. There were so many people, so many different accents to try to understand. How was it that other people weren't getting overwhelmed? While he was somewhat used to it, there was a small part of him that felt a bit homesick as he thought about Germany. When Lottie had eventually joined him in the small lounge he was sitting in, he had peeked at her from above his book briefly. Not wanting to overwhelm her, he didn't say anything, just returning to trying to read The Two Towers but was stuck reading the same sentence over and over again for about 5 minutes at that point. He couldn't even read here.

Hearing Lottie hum to herself while she played her Gameboy caused his lips to twitch slightly, even if he was in a bit of a mood. They had met earlier with the rest of the cousins. She was chatty, full of energy and Bucky was able to keep up thankfully. All of his cousins were so different in personality but he was pretty agreeable. Or tried to be. He was self-conscious that maybe they thought he was too dorky or something. Lottie let out a groan then but Bucky fought to not peek over his book, just trying to mind his own business when she turned to him and smiled, asking what his book was about. Deciding that after not being able to actually read it that maybe he had enough time away from other people, he should try to talk, he closed it and smiled back at her lightly, a crooked grin. "Hobbits, elves, wizards, and humans...going on a quest against evil." He answered simply, not wanting to bore her with the specifics of it all. Lottie informed him that her Gameboy ran out of batteries before saying she'd never had any cousins before now, asking if it was the same for him. Then she asked where he lived before coming here, telling him she lived in Scotland. Bucky guessed she could have asked a bunch of other questions, which made him smile wider.

"I've never had any cousins before this, well, I guess not real ones. I called some kids back in Germany cousins...but, I guess we weren't actually related." Bucky said, sounding a bit confused. "You and the rest are my first real cousins." He confirmed. "Scotland sounds like a cool place to live, I've read that their official animal is a Unicorn! Happen to see any around?" He asked, smiling lightly. "I lived in Germany before moving here." Bucky answered her other question before asking one of his own, "What do you like to do for fun besides the Gameboy, Lottie?"
with: Lottie Misty Gray

 

[Misty Gray]

Arthur's Steakhouse
~ Hackney, London ~

Zachary Costa​

Zachary watched as Julia shot one of Noel Farringdon's sons in the shoulder. He briefly switched his focus to check on the various tables of innocent diners before looking back in time to see Julia fire a second bullet, into the young man's arm. Whilst he got along with both of them and would always have their backs, there was something about the likes of Julia and Damian that set him apart a little from them. He believed it had a lot to do with sanity and perhaps that he wasn't quite so unhinged. Regardless, being on the same side, he was able to work with and get along with them both just fine. They were often fascinating to watch when they did get to work. Finally, Julia put a bullet into the young man's skull, shutting up his cries for good. Zachary couldn't help but smirk beneath his mask as Julia made her joke about the steak.

Before he could answer Julia's question about who was next, the sound of a mobile phone ringtone stood out beneath the whispers and cries. The sound came from a table belonging to a married couple and their two young children. Zachary rushed to the table to grab the phone and reject the call, tossing the device onto the ground near the feet of the armed guard standing by the main exit. "Just a reminder for everyone to shut the fuck up. No more whispering and keep the crying to a low volume," he commanded. "And I want EVERYONE to put both of their hands on the top of their head and keep them there. If we don't see both hands on your head, you die. If anyone touches their phone, you and those sharing your table will die."

Watching the diners comply, Zachary turned back to Julia and Farringdon's large table. "None of you would be dying if Noel would just show his cowardly face," he lied, fully aware the mission was to kill all of them, not just the prime target. Zachary observed as Jake returned from the kitchen with the staff stepping into view in an orderly line. "All of you, sit on the floor where we can see you. Hands on your heads," he informed them as he studied each of their faces to confirm none were on the hitlist. Jake then asked where Noel was. "There's nothing loyal about a self-serving worm like that. He's still hiding."

As he'd been speaking, Zachary had noticed Noel's wife send glances in the direction of the nearby buffet table. He'd then noticed the white tablecloth moving before he then caught a glimpse of a shoe in the gap between the bottom of the cloth and the floor. He had no doubts it was Noel hiding under the table. Still, he looked to the clock and then caught Julia's attention. "It's been two more minutes." Without warning, he fired a bullet between the eyes of Noel's wife, putting a sudden end to the woman's life. "Pick another one," he told Julia, instructing her to shoot another of the occupants from around Farringdon's table.

As soon as Julia had finished taking out another of Noel's party, Zachary nudged Jake and then pointed to the buffet table. "Drag that coward out into view and deal with him," he told Jake. It became clear the man was willing to let his family be killed to try saving his own arse. There were times when Zachary knew Ezekiel was asking him to kill or threaten decent or innocent people, but it was clear to him Noel was every bit as slimy as he'd been warned. He wouldn't spare a second thought for that man's life. He was now just ready for Noel to be killed and the rest of his party finished off, then they could torch the place and make their exit.

Bellz (Julia) neverbackdown (Jake)

 

[Misty Gray]

"The Big House" - Downstairs Kitchen
(Interpol Main Safe House)
~ Tottenham, London ~

Conor Sullivan​

Conor smiled when Blake pointed out that Adam was his own man and that her anxieties over his safety had been mostly resolved. He knew in the past those anxieties had come from Jackson dying whilst out on a job. Conor himself had had similar anxieties, including all of those years ago when he attempted to protest Adam and Blake getting into a relationship together. He'd been worried Blake would lose another lover and that it would once again be because the man in question had been out on a job he'd assigned to him. Now, Conor was free of any blame or hand in Adam's fate, but it didn't mean he couldn't be concerned for him and Blake if something was to happen. "I think we all got coddled over the last 12 years. Unlike me, Adam still has a full bill of health and apparently appears fitter than ever. So it's no surprise really that he's raring to get back into the swing of things." He nodded in understanding when she said it was normal for a mob wife to have reservations, especially after what she'd already been through. "Adam's got his head screwed on - more than I ever did. Whilst there's bound to be risk, he's one of the last people I'd be worried about - he's a pro at this by now."

Conor had another drink of his whiskey, letting out a small chuckle. "If he ended up in charge without discussing it with you first, then I take back all I said about him having brains. He'd be bloody stupid to risk upsetting you," he remarked. "And I genuinely don't think he has that much dumb in him."

Conor looked away for a moment at the question of what Aliana thought about his own role in all of this. "I think she's cool with it. I'm not leading the family nor am I putting myself out in the line of fire. I know how desperate she and the girls have been to see Leo again... I figured opting in was the only logical way to do it. If I'd opted out, then we'd have zero protection and god knows how many old enemies could have access to fucking us up. Part-time advisor was the best I could offer them. Surely a lifetime of experience and surviving all those fuckers we've fought in the past has to count for something, even against this modern, man of the future, whatever the hell this Carter bloke thinks he is." He lightly shrugged his shoulders when asked if he was going to stay. "I think I'll need to start out around London, but I can advise from afar. I'd probably be more use in Dublin where I can get access to old contacts. Leo and Dermot seem to have kept their head somewhat in the game over in Ireland, sneaking past Interpol's radar as much as they can."

Bellz (Blake)
Mention: Melanin-Gxdess (Aliana, Leo)

"The Big House" - Downstairs Small Lounge
(Interpol Main Safe House)
~ Tottenham, London ~

Charlotte King​

Lottie was glad when Bucky closed his book and smiled back at her, rather than the alternatives which would have been something along the lines of either ignoring her or telling her to be quiet. When he told her about his book, her smile widened. "I don't know what hobbits are, but the rest of those sound cool. I hope they succeed in defeating evil," she enthused. In a way, she couldn't help but wonder if that's what her father, Logan and others were doing now. Having been told Spencer was going to help fight some bad people in London, it seemed to fit. She briefly laughed to herself as she thought about comparing her dad to a wizard, especially having heard comments about his beard since arriving in Tottenham and seeing her father reunite with old friends and family.

"My dad said we still have more cousins to meet who aren't even here tonight!" she told him, thinking of the Brooks' children. "What happened to your Germany cousins? Did you have to leave them behind? I had to leave some friends behind, but I think I'm going to be even happier getting to know my cousins," she reasoned. She laughed along when Bucky asked her about unicorns. "Nope, I haven't seen any of those. Plenty of horses, but no unicorns," she seriously assured him. "Scotland was pretty cool, but I think I'll like London more. There's palaces, castles, that big clock, and dungeons. Didja hear about the princess who died? I saw her funeral on TV and that was in London too."

When Bucky asked her what she liked to do for fun, she paused for a moment to think. "Well, I like learning to play guitar and I'm hoping to have more lessons here. I love listening to music, though my dad says some of what I listen to is annoying and cheesy, but I like some of the rock music he likes too. I like watching football - especially if it's dad or Eddie playing. I guess there's lots of things I do for fun. But I don't like school and being stuck in classrooms," she pointed out. Whilst she could read, she envied Bucky for being able to concentrate for long enough to tackle the book he'd been reading. "What about you? You must like reading... what else do you do for fun? Do you like music too?" she asked.

Lottie turned serious as she thought for a moment. Spencer had told her some of the truth about what he did before she was born and that he broke the law. She wondered if Bucky's dad was the same. "What does your dad do for a job... why did he have to move to Germany?" she curiously asked. "My dad owned a pub in Scotland, he coached my brother's football team, and he trained people at the gym. But he did other stuff when he used to live in London."

Bellz (Bucky)

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

The Laundrette
~ Hackney, London ~
Jakob Stewart
​

Jakob Stewart had no problem with strong, independent women who knew how to stand up for themselves. To begin with, it was something he looked for in a woman and was a huge turn-on for him. Just watching someone handle themselves without running the whole damsel-in-distress racket was enough to make him swoon. It was what grabbed his attention when he first met Daisy. However, he never could've imagined how much stress it would cause the normally nonchalant man until the Carters began to involve themselves in her business. When Daisy informed him of the warning, Jakob wanted nothing more than to tell her to stand down. That some things were just a losing battle, but he knew better. Victoria wasn't just some girl Daisy was trying to save, but her friend. Jakob knew for a fact that she wasn't going to turn her back on her friend even if it were in her best interest. It left Jakob having to figure out how he was going to keep her and her business safe from Carter - a man he knew to be as ruthless as he was relentless.

His arms were crossed on top of the bar counter, attention turned to Daisy. Even with all the people around them, the only one he could see was her. A brief chuckle echoed in his throat at her suggestion as he kissed her back. "Which car we talkin'? Your favorite is out of commission, unfortunately, 'til that new part comes in so you're gonna have to pick another," he replied against her lips. Jakob was all for the adrenaline rush and was glad his girlfriend felt the same. Finding someone who shared that sort of love had been difficult and here he had it so easy. The moment the look on her face turned serious Jakob leaned back a bit so she could talk properly. As soon as, "Just a heads up," left her lips, Jakob closed his eyes and let out a heavy sigh. She didn't even need to say that she had gotten into it with his mother; he already knew just based on those words.

As if dealing with the Carters weren't enough Jakob was also playing middleman between his mother and girlfriend. The two of them could never seem to be on the same page for more than a day. His face remained serious and unreadable as she continued to explain what the issue was this time and turned to his drink. It was still halfway full when he downed the rest of it. "Cass is definitely old enough to make her own decisions," he agreed, staring ahead at the bottle lining the wall behind the bar counter. And he really did believe she was. She was 24 years old - two years younger than he was. Jakob believed in letting people live their lives and make their mistakes if it helps them later down the road. "But, Sarah's not wrong," he said, only ever using her first name out of her earshot. "She's only got Cas' best interest at heart. Cas ain't involved with," he gestured around with his hand, "All this... Nonsense, so she ain't gonna get it. Wanting to keep her as far away as possible from Carter and his goonies is a natural reaction." Jakob was always playing devil's advocate and speaking for both parties. He felt that if he didn't all hell would break loose. He finally looked over his shoulder at her but before he was able to say any more, they were approached by said goonie.

Jakob hadn't immediately turned around when he heard his voice. He was just as defiant as his girlfriend, but he also didn't like being summoned as if he were some child. When he finally did turn around, the man flashed them his piece and Jakob clenched his jaw. It was one thing to threaten him, but Daisy? Jakob placed a protective arm around her waist. "Can't get your point across without a piece, huh? Interesting," he scoffed. He wasn't in any sort of place to disagree with the man so he reluctantly nodded his head and urged Daisy to do the same. They followed without protest to the car and once they got in Jakob stayed close to Daisy. During the ride he stared at her, silently telling her to let him do the talking. There had been many occasions when his girlfriend would speak at the wrong times and he would have to fix the situation. But, he loved her and it was something he was always willing to do. Jakob had made note of their route, keeping an eye on things. When they arrived at their destination he did the same and made sure to keep his girlfriend close to him at all times.

Jakob was surprised to see his brother standing in the laundrette with a mysterious stranger. Well, not completely. Carter had been trying to screw Abel over for a while now so it made sense. But, why now and what was happening this time was what worried him. "Abel," he greeted, eyeing the man in black whilst holding on to Daisy's hand. "What's going on?"

Abel ( BasDorcha ) Daisy, Abel ( Misty Gray )

 

[Pyroclast]

"The Big House" - Upstairs Study
(Interpol Main Safe House)
~ Tottenham, London ~

Syd Porter and Bruce King​

Syd’s breathing was getting heavier as he listened to Klaus’ response. Though the fight itself was completely outside Penny’s comprehension, she had a strong ability to sense Syd’s emotions and so she nuzzled her way beneath his hand to encourage him to pet her between the ears, something she knew could often help to soothe him. Syd dropped his glare from Klaus and instead gazed down at the dog, fondling her fluffy ears and looking into her soulful brown eyes. It didn’t distract him from what Klaus was saying, but having her there certainly made it easier to listen to.

Some of what Klaus was saying was still hard for Syd to believe, particularly that they would be able to pin their crimes on Interpol if their methods for taking down the Carters got messy and they were caught out. But it would be ideal, he thought, if it were true. When he mentioned that Wesley would be included in that, however, Syd felt a little guilty. Wesley had been a criminal once, and even though he was now trapped working for Interpol, there was a level of understanding between them. More than that, a trusting friendship had developed during their time in Germany which had strengthened after Harper’s death. He wouldn’t want to send Wesley back to prison again.

By now, he had calmed down, though was still avoiding eye contact with everyone but Penny. Roxie finalised Klaus’ point by suggesting that they put everything in writing. Syd was grateful that she was there, someone he trusted with his life bringing her legal expertise to the table. “Yes, writing,” Syd didn’t hesitate to agree. “Official documents and everything.” He finally looked back up to meet Klaus’ eye. “And if you fail us, any of us, you’ll be more than fucking sorry.”

Despite all the tension in the room, Bruce had maintained a fully relaxed composure. “Right, well,” he finally spoke up, leaning forward across the table and bringing his hands together. “It sounds like Klaus has got his next task sorted. What about ours, then, eh? We’ve gotta come up with an answer for who’ll be leadin’ each of our families through this mission.”

When Spencer had named him as the boss again, it had brought a smile to Bruce’s face. It had been 12 years since he had been anyone’s boss and so it was strange to hear himself be referred to in that way. But more than that, he had smiled because of the irony of Spencer’s words. He had called Bruce the boss, yet he was the one speaking for his family, asserting himself to Klaus, making all the right arguments and points. When Bruce had last seen him before the big split, Spencer was well on his way to taking on Bruce’s role as boss should the need arise. Now, 12 years later, he seemed yet more suited to it, as if he had spent those 12 years preparing for the day.

“The thing is,” Bruce said. “Durin’ those 12 years since the last time we was ‘ere, I ended up gettin’ a bit older. A bit creakier. This firm we had goin’ back then used to be my life, but…then life changed. I wasn’t gonna start again with all this, not at my age, not when we’d been placed in the perfect retirement destination! Course, I am willin’ to help out, but I signed that contract for a chance to be with my family again. To lead ‘em through the mission?” Bruce shook his head, and then turned to look at Spencer. “I’m no longer the best man for the job.”

Interactions
Misty Gray Spencer, Adam
Melanin-Gxdess Alex
Bellz Klaus, Roxie

 

[Pyroclast]

"The Big House" - Front Lounge
(Interpol Main Safe House)
~ Tottenham, London ~

Michael Zegarra​

The car ride to the safe house was taking far too long. Several times Michael almost had to ask Blake to pull over, but Collin was so excited to be seeing his family again that he fought against the urge. Instead, he sat up straight, stared directly ahead and took subtle deep breaths.

Being forced to leave Dublin for Cuba back in 1985 had been incredibly stressful for Michael. He had lost his best friend Liam and his church, which had been his sanctuary of peace in the time of war. Having to be the new kid at a new school with a different culture was particularly daunting since his confidence had been damaged by his being bullied at his school in Dublin. However, Cuba had turned out to be a blessing in disguise; his parents were no longer involved in violent, criminal activity, he found his place in the local church, and he and Collin became close. Closer than close. In fact, once he was settled, Michael found himself happier than he had ever been.

However, as much as he adored his life in Cuba, Michael opted to leave his home and his church and move to London with his boyfriend and his family. And, while he didn’t want to be without them, he wasn’t at all happy about the move. His and Collin’s parents had agreed to help Interpol in the war on the Carter family, which he had a sick feeling would involve violence - perhaps even putting his sisters’ safety at risk. The decision to move with them had been conflicting, but he had faith that God had a plan for him and that London was where He wanted him to be.

Even though it was a relatively cold day by Michael’s standards, he felt unbearably hot in the backseat of the car. His palms were sweaty, his throat kept constricting and his stomach felt like it was boiling up, growing increasingly unsettled with every stop and start. He didn’t usually get car sick but he was so nervous about their destination, taking their first step into their uncertain future, it was as if his body was protesting in the only way it knew how. Still, when he felt Collin’s eyes on him, Michael turned to face him and forced a smile. He looked so excited, and when he touched the chain around his neck, Michael touched his own in response. In a time and place where neither of them could express their love outwardly, they relied on their own special signals.

By the time they arrived, Michael was truly on the verge of throwing up. The fresh, cold air that hit him when he stepped out of the car felt God-given and he took a moment to breathe it in and let it wash over him. At some point on the journey, his anxiety had been redirected from reuniting with everyone onto not redecorating the interior of Blake’s car; now that he was outside and the nausea was diminishing, he realised he didn’t feel so nervous about seeing them again after all.

They were soon ushered inside, with Blake and Adam sent upstairs to meet with Klaus. Though left alone with Collin, it still surprised Michael when his boyfriend grabbed him by the hand and pulled him further into the house, and he couldn’t help but smile a little. Normally he would never do anything to risk being found out, so it was a little thrilling to see him take that risk now. It wasn’t until Collin called out his name that Michael noticed J.J. standing nearby with a pretty woman at his side. His jaw dropped open at the sight of him: all grown up, and disarmingly handsome. He supposed he was going to have to get used to that shock if he was to meet everyone else, too.

Despite feeling a little unsteady still, a genuine smile formed on Michael’s face and he returned J.J.’s hug, suddenly feeling guilty that he had considered staying in Cuba. “I’m doing fine,” he managed to get out, letting out a little laugh before pulling away from the hug to take a proper look at the man. “Wow, you look…you look really good. It’s good to see you, J.J.!”

Michael couldn’t keep the smile off his face as the charismatic J.J. chatted to them, reminding them of how their voices hadn’t even broken yet the last time they had seen each other, still able to sing the high notes in church choir. Collin gave what Michael found to be a strange response, almost looking at him with sympathy after confessing that he didn’t go to church anymore. He seemed to infer that he had at least enjoyed the company there, at which Michael blushed slightly. “Hey, it doesn’t matter to me if you go to church or not,” he reminded him. “You can have my company any other time you want.”

The way J.J. was looking at the two of them made Michael blush even harder, realising that his words could have come across as somewhat suggestive. Thankfully J.J. didn’t say anything about it, and swiftly moved on to introduce them to the woman he was with. At first Michael thought she was his girlfriend, but when he instead called her his best friend, he put that thought out of his mind. “Nice to meet you, Arabella, I’m Michael,” he said with a sweet smile. “There’s probably a lot of people for you to meet, but don’t be intimidated - we’ll get to know each other soon and I look forward to it!” He took her hand in both of his for a warm handshake before remembering that his palms could still be a little clammy and promptly letting her go.

Michael suddenly sensed someone approaching and when he turned he came face to face with Liam. As he watched his former best friend greet J.J. and Collin, Michael stood in awe. It was so bizarre to see someone he knew as a child suddenly look so grown up - to see how tall he was, all masculine and with facial hair to boot. When it was his turn, he showed the man a smile. “I’m good, I’ve been good,” he fumbled, unable to stop smiling at him. “It’s nice to see you looking so well.” And yet, he felt a little awkward standing in front of him, like they had fallen from best friends down to mere acquaintances. He didn’t know anything about him anymore. Michael slid his finger under the chain around his neck to bring it over his t-shirt - not the pendant he shared with Collin, but the little gold cross that might answer the question of his faith, should Liam be wondering the same thing he was about him.

Having received a pat on the back from Liam, it surprised Michael when Lucas gave him a full on hug. It felt nice to be called a friend when Lucas introduced himself to Arabella. He wasn’t quite sure what he was to anyone these days, nor what they were to him, but if they could start again on a friendly note then he had faith they could all become friends again with a little bit of effort. Lucas didn’t hesitate to get started on making that effort, asking them where they had all ended up and what they had been up to. Michael was grateful for his assertive and confident demeanour to lead them through the strange scenario they were all in, since he himself felt strangely shy. In his element, such as in his church back in Cuba, Michael was perfectly personable and would speak to anyone without any inhibitions, because that was, to him, an extension of his home. Here, however, he was somewhat uncomfortable and was therefore struggling to find his tongue. It was one of those times where he wished he could hold Collin’s hand.

“Collin and I have been in Cuba, in a city called Manzanillo,” Michael managed to say, as he went to the sink to get himself a glass of water. He then moved over to the sofas in hopes that everyone would follow. He was feeling mostly better now, but his stomach was still a little unsettled and if he was going to be catching up with everyone he wanted to at least be comfortable. He sat down on one of the sofas and looked up to the others, though his gaze kept moving back to Collin’s safe eyes. “Thomas and Elena were running a B&B there together, and I was doing some branding design and marketing for them,” he explained. “Collin was their in-house musician, he played piano there for the guests.” A soft smile formed on his face. “He’s really good.” And then he gave a shy laugh. “Someone else go next, I don’t know what else to say. J.J., how about you?"

Interactions
Bellz Collin, J.J.
Misty Gray Liam, Lucas
Melanin-Gxdess Arabella

 

[Bellz]

"The Big House"
(Interpol Main Safe House)
Front Lounge
~ Tottenham, London ~

J.J. Porter
Collin McCarthy​

J.J. was getting the vibe that Michael was a little overwhelmed and was getting a very similar vibe from Arabella. Even after the years of friendship, they had under their belt, she was still the hardest person to read. Though, he was a bit dumb regarding the opposite sex. He tried his best, he really really did. Women were like a book with mismatched pages from different books that someone just tore up and snuck back onto the shelf. Still, he did pick up on her energy. It was all overwhelming, for all of them, after that hellish plane ride but for her? J.J. was more worried about Ari than himself at this point. She was in a country, with his family, sure, those were the people she knew. But the rest? They were all strangers. The words she had said earlier about being here for him...hadn't slipped by him unnoticed. It was hard to give them the proper attention in all of this excitement. Especially with his mind going a mile a minute now.

Collin gave Arabella a kind smile, "No need to apologize. Clammy hands and all, still a pleasure to meet ya!" Michael greeted her warmly as well, which made him smile even wider, and before he could ask J.J. and Arabella any more questions, someone walked up behind them, causing Collin to turn.

J.J. looked to Ari, shooting her a slightly concerned look before Liam greeted them all. He only had time for a look before his cousin clasped him on the shoulder. "Hey Liam! I'm doing well in all this chaos, how about you?" Collin greeted Liam with a smile and a similar clasp on the back, "Look at you! facial hair, mate? All grown up, I'd say." His eyes followed Liam's to Michael, knowing the two of them had been extremely close given all of their religious history. While J.J. and Collin had been forced into stuff through school, Michael and Liam had done it through belief in faith, making them close. Almost feeling like he should give them privacy, Collin turned his eyes away, and that's when he saw Lucas standing uncharacteristically in the background. Lurking like a shadow. He would be lying if he said his heart didn't leap in his chest at the sight of him. Still, the brightest of smiles formed on his face though he didn't stare right at him to keep things even. Collin loved Michael, the man looked at his boyfriend as he spoke with Liam. No one in this group knew. No one knew besides the two of them. He loved-Holy shit! Get a load of you lot!

Casually, Collin turned his head, as if he hadn't already clocked Lucas lurking in the background, as if he didn't already have the biggest and stupidest grin on his face right now. God, he hoped Michael didn't read into this. It meant nothing. "Ahh the life of the party has arrived!" J.J. said, equally as happy and enthusiastic, embracing Lucas. "You look great, man. Tan! I look like a vampire compared to you...well, except maybe Liam. Sorry, Liam." The dark-haired man flashed his Callahan cousin a smile. Collin tried not to think much when he was next in line to receive a hug, but it felt like a little zap of electricity pulsed through them when they did finally hug, shocking him both in a literal and figurative sense. That was Lucas though, always had that energy...but it was more than that...clearly. Collin knew it was just unresolved feelings he had to just clear through but it was hard. "It's great to see ya." He said lightly after he let him go, smiling sweetly at him. He noticed that Lucas was staring at him a little longer and Collin's cheeks started to turn pink as their eyes met. That moment seemed to go above the others' heads...he just prayed it would also go above Michael's. Fortunately, Lucas turned his attention to Arabella, allowing Collin to relax. Only for a moment up until Michael and he were referred to as fine fellas. Yea, fine gay fellas.

So very very very very horribly wonderfully ga-. Collin's train of thought was cut off by the question Lucas asked, about where everyone had ended up. He didn't waste any time with the situation they were in. His hand went to his necklace, rubbing the pendant that he shared with Michael to reaffirm his feelings at that moment. It was all in his head. Whatever that was...was in his head. It was awkward for some and that...was just...Collin didn't know what to call it what just happened between them or didn't happen! But Lucas had a way of just pushing past that which he appreciated. They all migrated further into the lounge and Collin moved to sit down in an armchair. While he had wanted to stick close to Michael in the beginning, he knew that it could raise suspicion if they were too close. J.J. already had a look on his face earlier. Michael spoke up first, speaking of their location in Cuba as he got a drink of water before sitting on a sofa. Collin was at least happy to see he was doing better. He had been worried about him even in all of his excitement.

Cuba felt like a faraway dream now, something that was unreachable, a place they would never return to. It was cold in the UK, gloomy. While Collin had been used to such weather at one point in his life, he'd been spoiled over the last 12 years and honestly...would miss the warmth of the beaches. The prolonged sunlight. Michael's eyes caught his as he spoke of Thomas and Elena running their B&B together, where Michael had been doing his branding design and marketing and Collin had been doing what he loved....music. Playing piano, sometimes the trumpet if he really felt like experimenting with the music he wrote. He was good at both. Collin's face formed a light smile as Michael spoke of their life, only growing when he mentioned that he was good at playing piano. "Flatterin' me too much really. It paid the bills and I loved doin' it." The color returned to his cheeks and he found himself looking at his lap for a moment before he turned to briefly look at Lucas, all the while still playing with his necklace. Just as quickly as he looked his way, he turned to look at J.J. as Michael asked him about where he'd been.

J.J. gestured towards one of the other sofas, knowing she must be overwhelmed by now. He went to take a seat, smiling for her to join him if she wished. He was thankful everyone was kind to her, he knew they would be. Bit of a boys club right now but she knew Jane already and Jeanie was a monster so...that left Rhiannon, Sydney, and the other women who were around here somewhere and he was sure they would be introduced soon. J.J. got comfy on the couch and listened to Michael's brief but lovely description of Cuba. It sounded warm, wholesome, and...calm. When he turned to him and asked about where he ended up, J.J. barked out a small laugh. "We want the short answer or the long answer? I can give you both maybe." J.J. looked to Arabella, "Me, My Dad, Ma, Grandma Lucy, and sisters were relocated to Germany, Berlin to be exact. Aunt Olivia and her husband were also relocated there. Close by where all these Interpol agents work. They wanted to keep a close eye on my Dad."

"Froze my ass off most winters, as usual, my family was chaotic and problematic but...Ari and I met there so there is a silver lining to it all. Not sure if she thinks so but she's here with us so hey...that's saying some right, Ari?" J.J. asked, giving her a teasing jab of his elbow at her side. "We also made friends with a lot of people we didn't expect to. Oh, we also have a new sibling, so if you see a 5-year-old consuming a mass amount of candy with a ridiculous New York-Irish-German accent that's Sebastian. Hard to understand the kid, but he's sweet." J.J. laughed, shrugging his shoulders. He left out some parts...about all of the pain, suffering, Lucy's death. It wasn't appropriate to talk about nor did he feel it necessary. He pointed to Lucas and Liam, "Alright, you two, what's the haps? Where did you end up? I'm gathering Lucas somewhere sunny and Liam somewhere not so much."
with: Lucas + Liam Misty Gray
Michael Pyroclast
Arabella Melanin-Gxdess

 

[neverbackdown]

The 3rd Degree Nightclub
~ London, England ~

Rebecca Williams
​

Rebecca was content as she lay back into the booth, her eyes flickering towards her girlfriend as a smile found its way onto her lips. She was happy and she couldn't help the fear that came along with that, things were going too good and from her past experiences, well things always found a way to go sour.

The last time she remembered being this happy was when she had first met Jess, all those years ago in foster care, the two bonded instantly, soul mates who luckily found each other so young but the happiness and peace didn't last as Bex got moved after the incident. She had tried her best to keep in contact with Jess but time and distance is a horrible thing and the two were ultimately driven apart. Life became a lot tougher for Rebecca as she started again. holding onto the memory of the one that got away. As the years passed and Rebecca grew up Jess became a memory, a fond and cherished memory that helped her through the pains and stress of everyday life. She had just given up the hope of never feeling that same peace and love again when she bumped into the one and only Jess on a night out.
It reminded her of that saying "If its meant to be, it will be". The love had never died between the pair, it was obviously since the day they met once again as adults, so easy, so instantly comfortable with each other. "True love never dies"..

As people approached their booth , Bex finally broke from her thoughts and slightly shook her head, a bemused expression on her features as she remembered the spiral of lovey-dovey thoughts her very high mind had just brought her on "Man that ecstasy is strong". The faintest tone of a laugh played on her voice as she spoke before turning her attention to Jolene.
Bex turned in her seat, placing her feet back on the ground. "Its all good shit to be fair" she commented as Jess went through what party supplies she had for the night. Taking her own bag of white power out of her bra, Bex bent her head using her spoon shaped necklace to dish out the ideal amount and sniffing it before placing the baggie back into her bra and the spoon back underneath her dress.


As she lifted her head again and reached for her drink, her eyes were drawn towards two other people approaching their booth. "And now the party can begin" Bex sang as she realised it was Bo, a grin playing on her lips before her eyebrow raised at the girl behind her. As Bohemia introduced May to the group, a soft smile played on Bex's lips as she nodded to her in greeting "Welcome to girls night May".

Bex moved around in her seat and closer to Jess to allow the two girls to sit beside them, not that she was complaining about being closer to her girlfriend. Relaxing back into the seat Bex grabbed her drink and took a large gulp before twirling the straw in the cup with her finger somewhat absentmindedly "so whats the plan for tonight? Get shitfaced and cause some chaos?" a smirk played on her lips as she looked around at the group.

Int;-
BasDorcha - Jess/May/Bo
Bellz - Jolene

 

[Misty Gray]

"The Big House" - Front Lounge
(Interpol Main Safe House)
~ Tottenham, London ~

Lucas Sullivan and Liam Callahan​

When Arabella asked him if the other guys were always so energetic, Liam flashed a crooked smile. "They were back when we were kids but I haven't... well, I guess the answer is still yes," he half-joked. He knew it wasn't strictly true as, like himself, Michael had been relatively introverted back when they were kids. Whereas Lucas and the others had been more lively and outspoken. Liam was then drawn to Collin as he made a comment about him being all grown up, with facial hair to boot. "I'm glad you noticed. If you wouldn't mind calling my Mam and letting her know this too - she still thinks I'm a kid," he playfully remarked.

When Michael told him he'd been good, along with plenty of smiling back at him, Liam started to feel better about things. Meeting his friends and cousins again was great, but there had been doubts when Emery talked him into coming along on account of it involving his family once again getting involved in something that could turn messy. For now, he was happy to push his concerns about dangers and violence aside as it meant he could see his childhood friends again. Michael in particular he was glad to see. When he saw his old best friend bring the gold cross pendant into view, Liam sent a knowing smile back at him and nodded his head by way of confirmation. When his family moved to Kildare, then the Lake District, he had attended new churches but never managed to find the kind of guidance he found in Father Healy. When he moved to Manchester, he spent less time in any churches there, but now he was in London and not busy with studies, he'd intended on changing that. Though he wasn't presently as actively invested in spending time focusing on religion within the walls of a church, God was still very important to him.

Lucas laughed when J.J. commented on his tan and how he, along with Liam, were like vampires in comparison. "Thanks, mate. It's all that sunshine I've been getting - hell, I was getting paid to hang out on the beach most days," he commented.

"Woah!" Liam commented when Michael said he and Collin had been in Cuba. Whilst he was grateful to have been able to move around more freely than those Interpol forced into hiding, he had to admit Cuba sounded interesting and appealing. When they moved to the sofas, Collin sat in a single armchair, whilst J.J. and Arabella sat together. Naturally, Liam found himself sitting next to Michael on the sofa and Lucas sat on the same sofa to Liam's other side. Both Liam and Lucas listened on as Michael spoke about Thomas and Elena. When he mentioned doing some branding design, Liam's interest piqued and he turned to look at him directly, a curious smile on his face. Despite being apart for so long, he was pleased to hear they'd ended up following very similar career paths.

Lucas sent Collin a fond smile when Michael mentioned he'd been the in-house pianist at the B&B. "Now, that doesn't surprise me at all! You'll have to put on a show for us all, Collin," Lucas enthused. "For free, of course. You can't charge your friends and family," he teased. He then silenced himself and briefly looked down to his own hands, wondering if he was being too full on - paying too much attention to Collin over the others. Thankfully, Michael shifted the focus onto J.J. and Lucas looked up to his cousin.

Liam and Lucas were both glad to hear so many of J.J.'s family had been able to stay together in Berlin. Liam knew his mother would be happy to know both Lucy and Conor were now back, considering she'd never stopped mentioning them over the years. With mention of Interpol wanting to keep a close eye on Syd, Liam figured he had enough of an idea of his cousin to understand he had struggles with his mental health that would be concerning to the agency. Then when J.J. mentioned having another sibling, named Sebastian, Lucas grinned at him. "Now I really want to meet him to hear this accent of his for myself!"

When J.J. prompted them, Lucas turned to Liam to compel him to speak first, not wanting to steal the focus from his quieter cousin. "Me? Okay..." Liam trailed off, sliding his hand down his face as he thought about it. "Interpol allowed my family to stay near to Dublin, in Kildare, whilst Sav and Danny were each recovering. A couple of years later we all had to move to the Lake District, where my lot all still live. I moved to Manchester on my own to study graphic design at uni," he said, turning to Michael as they'd both ended up pursing that field. "And finally I moved to London a few months ago. I'm working for an advertising company and I've also got my own art studio in my apartment... Honestly, I don't have much exciting to report. I'm still finding me feet in the city and don't know many people yet, other than Callum and his dad's family." He then nudged Lucas. "How about you, beach boy?"

"Ah, I was in sunny Gran Canaria!" he told them. "I was living there with my dads, Conor, Ali, Rhi and Sydney. My dads have decided to stay there, but the others are all here now." He paused for a moment as he thought about Finn and George but then remembered to stay on topic. "I was working as a lifeguard during the day and most nights I worked behind the bar at one of the resort nightclubs. Rhi and me spent a lot of time out there partying too," he said, a broad smile on his face as he remembered their fun nights out. "I really can't complain about any of it," he said, looking around at the group before his eyes naturally landed on Collin who was sat across from him. "But honestly, I'm glad to be back with you. All of you. We need to hit some of these pubs and clubs around London - it's certainly more lively than Dublin was!" he said as he once again shared his focus around the group. "What's everyone planning on doing now they're back? You all wanting to find normal jobs and all that, or... Well, we all know why Interpol let us back here..." he trailed off.

Melanin-Gxdess (Arabella) Pyroclast (Michael) Bellz (J.J., Collin)

 

[Bellz]

The 3rd Degree Nightclub
~ London, England ~

Jolene Foley
(Jeanie Porter)​

Seeing Jess and her girlfriend being so openly affectionate wasn't Jeanie's favorite thing in the world. Not that she was homophobic, she supported the gay community. But affection of any kind, towards her or seeing it in others made her uncomfortable. She'd been able to keep her composure in front of people who were her friends, knowing that it was worth it to keep those people closer for future use rather than push them away like she did her family who served no purpose other than to drive her insane both figuratively and literally. Still, Jeanie cringed every so slightly at the sight. She couldn't reciprocate Jess's smile, simply not in the mood. But maybe the drugs would help. "You and me both." She breathed out, knocking back another sip of her drink before nodding her head towards Bex without saying hello. Bex mentioned all the shit is good. Jeanie would keep that in mind. "Not up, definitely not up," Jeanie said, her voice having a slight tremble that she doubted Jess could hear over the music. Jeanie took a seat next to her after the dark-haired woman made room for her and she took a look at the stash, 'x' sounded nice. A buzz and then a joint to even it out. That sounded like something she could deal with right now. Grabbing a pill and a joint, she took the pill with a long swig from her glass and then moved to grab her lighter from her back pocket to light the joint.

When offered some of the white stuff, Jeanie shook her head, "None of that shit. I'll torch the place." She said, a small smirk forming on her lips though she was dead serious in her words. Arson was on her long list of crimes and she had done it for much less and while completely fucking sober. Striking her lighter, she lit her joint and looked around the club, thankful that Jess had picked a spot that had more of a view but was still hidden. She could see everything from here. Still too many fucking people. Jeanie thought.

Her mind wondered if she had made a mistake in coming out, taking a deep inhale from her joint before letting the smoke sit in her chest and then releasing it when two people walked up to their table. Fuckin' perfect. The voice in her head growled. Fortunately, both women slid on the side of Jess and Bex, leaving Jeanie alone to slide out of the table if she needed to head for a quick escape. She hated to be trapped. Eyeballing the exit points, she could see the neon red signs from their vantage points. 4 of them. Only fucking 4 in a place this big. With this many people. What if there was a fire? Or a...a...a shoot-? Jeanie's heart felt like it dropped into her stomach and she found herself to be chewing on her chipped black painted thumbnail anxiously. Pulling her thumb from her teeth rather aggressively, she fixed her face into a rather impassive expression as Bohemia introduced Jess to May. And then May to Jess and Bex. Jeanie didn't know either woman so it wasn't a shock when she wasn't in the mix of introductions. Nor did she care to introduce herself in the state she was in.

Bex seemed enthusiastic about the newcomers but perhaps it was her ignorance about the dangers of it all that was bliss. Jeanie envied that. She, on the other hand, was trying to get a read on them. Jess knew Bohemia, so she passed Jeanie's first firewall, but this May person didn't.

Instead of introducing herself as an average person would, she just looked at both women, particularly May, and asked, "Aren't you a little old to be partying with the likes of 20-something-year-old degenerates?" Her tone was void of any emotion, no rudeness to it. She didn't know May well enough to be rude. Didn't know her at all. It was just a question in Jeanie's mind. One that she figured should be answered. Her eyes narrowed. Jeanie didn't want to ruin Jess's fun. At least for now. But a newcomer could do just that if they were the wrong kind. "Just asking a simple question. Make sure you ain't gonna rat us out." Jeanie's blue eyes were intense as she watched May, taking in her full appearance. She seemed to be a woman at least 30, mid-30s maybe. Little old to party with a bunch of young people right? Most people had kids and were married at her age. Hell, some had kids and were married at their age right now. Ew.

While Jeanie wasn't a stickler about who partied with them most of the time, tonight was an exception. She wouldn't be followed again. And while her head wasn't big enough to believe that this woman had anything to do with her family and the man who had been eyeing her up in the market earlier today, she could never be too careful, now, could she? If there was one thing she would take away from her dad's obsessive paranoia, it was that anyone and everyone was not to be trusted until they could prove otherwise. And it would take a lot to prove such. A. Lot. Thank you, Daddy, dearest. It was ironic because now she couldn't even trust him. Laughable almost, if she was in one of her more manic moods. She wished she could be as naive as some of the other girls in this club. This May character seemed to be one of those types. Lucky her. The weed seemed to be helping her a little more as she took another drag, but Jeanie was still on edge. She was starting to feel more uplifted from the high she was feeling rather than pinned down by the weight of her anxiety. That was better. But she wasn't gonna apologize for the question from earlier nor was she going to introduce herself yet. Curiosity killed the cat and this one liked living on the edge, even if it killed her a million times over. May and Bohemia could hate her, they hardly knew her and Jolene planned to keep it that way. She had nothing to lose.
with: May + Bohemia BasDorcha
Bex neverbackdown

 

[Misty Gray]

"The Big House" - Upstairs Study
(Interpol Main Safe House)
~ Tottenham, London ~

Spencer King and Adam Harper​

Spencer had remained silent as Roxie spoke up after he'd questioned Klaus. She pointed out how it would be stupid for Interpol to stab them all in the back as they'd go down with the Kings and Irish Mob if they failed. He smirked when she pointed out the agents would be fucked. Klaus then answered to confirm her sentiments. He went on to explain Interpol had a lot riding on the families and that they knew it would get messy, prompting a subtle nod from Spencer. He emphasised they would all go down, suggesting the Kings and Irish Mob had the power to control that, that they could drag Interpol down with them. Spencer didn't speak for the moment, not only processing if he believed that was all true but also glancing to see if Syd was buying it.

Spencer's attention was briefly redirected when Klaus said they'd managed to regain the deeds for the families' homes in London and Dublin. Of course, Spencer was wiling to sign those pieces of paperwork. His house in particular had been the home he'd expected Eddie to grow up in, by the park where there was ample space to play football. He knew Lottie would love it there too. As much as he'd eventually settled in to the pub and new life in Fort William, it was never home like the house he and Shona had in London, overlooking Victoria Park.

Syd soon spoke up and made it clear he was still sceptical about everything, suggesting Interpol could lie and pin everything on the two families. It was rare for him to find anyone more suspicious and distrusting than himself, but here Syd was putting even Spencer's supposed paranoia to shame. It was why he didn't interrupt or play down Syd's concerns. He understood the man's need to be sure and to find all of the holes in what they were being told. When the Irishman went on to suggest an ultimatum in the contract where if Interpol didn't cover their tracks they'd kill everyone Klaus and his colleagues loved, even Spencer was surprised. Still he hid it well and maintained a neutral expression, not wanting to add any fuel to any potential fire. Besides, Roxie was quick to scold her husband. It was then that it became clear from Klaus' words that Syd's family and Klaus' had come to know each other well over the years. That was a curious revelation, considering the limited contact Spencer had with Interpol over the years. There were clearly some personal feelings as a result of the level of contact they'd had in Berlin.

After further assurances from Klaus, Roxie told him getting everything in writing would be better. "I agree. We need all this official and signed. We're all going to be putting our necks on the line to help Interpol take the Carters down and we're not doing it without that level of assurance you all won't shaft us when we've done the dirty work." Spencer looked at Syd when he finally agreed, requesting official documents, but still adding a warning for if they did fail them. Things seemed to be moving in a positive direction and though it hadn't been explicitly confirmed as yet, it felt like Syd and Bruce would be working together to lead the two families towards their common goal.

Adam wasn't surprised when Bruce spoke up to press things forward by pointing out they needed to confirm to Klaus who would be leading the families. Adam was an observant man and despite Spencer already alluding to Bruce running the Kings, he hadn't quite picked up on that impression from Bruce. Therefore, it didn't shock him at all when the older man informed them he wasn't back in London to lead the Kings.

Meanwhile, when his uncle had spoken of coming up with who would be leading the family, Spencer figured he meant that Syd, Adam and Roxie needed to make the decision between themselves for the Irish family. He looked to his uncle as the man spoken of getting older over the last few years and how the family business used to be his life before France. Spencer sent his uncle a fond smile as he spoke, but as the older man continued, Spencer's smile faded and he looked around the table at the others. Bruce made it clear he'd signed the contract so he could be with his family again, which was the driving force behind Spencer doing so too. But he then felt his uncle's eyes on him, prompting him to turn to him as he pointed out he was no longer the best man for the job.

For some reason, Spencer was initially speechless. Since his late teens, he'd devoted his adult life to the family business and learning the ropes from Bruce with the intention to one day take over when his uncle no longer could. Spencer felt prepared to take over at the drop of a hat even 12 years ago, but it didn't mean he expected it to happen. Even now, when it seemed perfectly obvious, he was still surprised to hear Bruce tell them he he was stepping down from leading the Kings. It was a given that Spencer was expected to take Bruce's place and he wouldn't expect any reasonable argument against it after everything he'd done for the family business up to 1985, so he wasn't going to insult anyone's intelligence by being modest or shocked about it. He just wasn't expecting it today. "Bruce..." Spencer began, clearing his throat before studying his uncle's face. "Are you sure about this?" he seriously asked him.

With Bruce's confirmation he was handing over the reins, Spencer sat up straight and looked around the table, his eyes settling on Klaus. "In light of Bruce's decision, I will of course be stepping forward to lead the Kings in this mission," he confirmed. Despite all of the preparation and his devotion to looking out for his family for basically all of his life, it was still a lot to take in at that moment. He'd always had Bruce to turn to for guidance and at times having sense talked into him. His uncle had been the only person he'd accepted orders from and now even he wouldn't be able to command him through this. Still, his uncle had expressed he was willing to help out, which Spencer expected was something he'd feel the need to call on once in a while. The man seated to his other side, Alex, was the man he wanted working close by his side as his right-hand man. Looking to his brother, Spencer waited for him to turn in his direction and sent him a nod, along with a subtle smile. "I'd like you to be at my side, as my right-hand man - if you'll accept the position. You've looked after what was left of our family and my businesses in London, so for that you have my full trust and faith you will be one of my greatest helps in all of this." The biggest question Spencer still had for Alex was surrounding Trevor, specifically the fact he'd learned their father was working for the Carters yet still welcome with around Alex's and Phil's families.

When the time was right, Adam turned to Syd and looked him head on. "What do you say?" he asked, glancing to Roxie. "You up for taking this on?" he asked him. "I've worked directly for your old man, Conor, and Liam over all of these years. I'm offering up my support at your side, every step of the way," he assured him. Regardless of whether he could, or even if anyone thought he should, Adam didn't think he should consider leading the gang. Not only had he never discussed it with Blake, but he also believed this was Syd's role to take on. He was James' son and Conor's nephew, who had been trained within the mob since his teens. This was rightfully his position to take if he chose to. Granted, Syd had mental health concerns and Adam anticipated it wouldn't be an easy job as his right-hand man, but he believed they could make it work.

Melanin-Gxdess (Alex) Bellz (Klaus, Roxie) Pyroclast (Syd, Bruce)

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

"The Big House" - Upstairs Study
(Interpol Main Safe House)
~ Tottenham, London ~
Alexander King

Alex agreed almost immediately when Spencer pointed out that none of their lot were going to follow the Irish. Those sitting in the room may have had their own understandings and peace agreements, but those under them would never understand. Sacrifices needed to be made and egos pushed aside if that godforsaken war would end. And if it weren't, then the fact they were Irish would ruffle some feathers. Outsiders coming in to tell them how to run their business? Yeah fuckin' right, he thought to himself. "Yeah," Alex echoed, "The kids these days?" Thinking about the four youngsters on his team - Albie, Natalie, Lucius, and Archer - and how chaotic they sometimes tended to be. "A whole different breed," he commented lightly. "And the ones in London follow direction from a King - me, but a King nonetheless. So I agree that we should stick to our own families for the sake of preventing in-fighting, hm?" A decade ago he would've never thought he'd have such a grown-up response. Maybe it was him being forced to grow up or his predicament with Carter, but he found himself thinking a bit more... Long-term than anything as of late. It was a good thing of course but weird to think about nonetheless.

At the mention of Interpol not being able to handle the Carters, Alex looked down at his feet. The secret he was harboring had suddenly caused his chest to tighten a little. Spencer didn't know just how right he was when it came to Interpol and the Carters. They'd been terrorizing London for years now with no sign of weakness in sight. They had their legitimate business airtight and their illegal ones even more so. People knew the family dabbled in illegal activities but no one ever seemed to care because of the good they did in their communities! The power the Carter family welded was, in fact, massive, and Alex experienced it for several years now. He understood better than most the pressure such a family applied. The version of Ezekiel Carter Spencer seemed to remember was definitely different from the one he had experienced. "You're right there," he finally spoke up, rubbing his forehead with his index fingers. "They are. He is. So you can trust 'im," he nodded toward Klaus, "When he emphasizes how dangerous they are. We'll... Discuss more later." There was no way in hell Alex was going to discuss the recent business he'd been doing in front of the Irish - friends or not.

A bit of back and forth was had then, everyone wanting to make sure their asses would be covered and honestly, Alex couldn't blame them. The government was known to do sneaky, dirty bullshit behind people's backs just to make sure their ass was covered. As Alex didn't have a special relationship like Syd and the others seemed to with Klaus and his team, he wasn't sure how much he could trust either. Roxie being present was a good thing, it seemed. A lawyer on their side to make sure things were airtight and that their agreement couldn't be broken. "And we should all get copies, I think," Alex added after Roxie's suggestion. "Originals, updated, amendments. Anything. Whatever contract paperwork you get we should have for ourselves too," he slouched down in his seat, rubbing his top lip with his index in thought. "Sound reasonable?"

Listening to the way Syd addressed Klaus made him wonder just how close the man was with the Interpol Agent. He'd be lying if he said their relationship didn't keep him on his toes. Klaus could help the Irish more than the Kings at the end of all this. He could favor them. They were all in Germany together and their kids probably knew each other so who's to put it past them? But, Alex wouldn't share those concerns. Not here and not with them. It was something he was definitely going to speak to Bruce and Spencer about when they had a bit more privacy. Thankfully he wouldn't have to dwell on it too much before the topic was once again brought back to who'd be leading the two families. His Uncle spoke up first and without saying it with words he knew what the man was saying. Spencer would be leading the family instead of him and a large grin spread about his face. His older brother was just the man for the job and there was never any doubt about it. "Great. Now I can get back to slackin' off," he jokingly remarked, giving Spencer a pat on the shoulder. His next words, however, took Alex by surprise and his eyebrows shot up.

Spencer was asking him to be his right-hand man. Despite having handled the family businesses for a decade now, Alex didn't think Spencer was going to ask him such a thing. He always thought that when the day came, it would be Jeremy moving in as Spencer's second but he wasn't asking that. He was asking him. Alex couldn't lie - it made him feel amazing. He'd been trying for months to show his family that he was a changed man before the raid and for a long time he thought he'd never be able to. Now, sitting in this room where just a second ago Spencer asked up the biggest question he had ever asked his little brother, he'd felt he accomplished just that. Ever since having children Alex found himself to be a bit more... Emotional than usual so it was difficult to keep the happy tears inside. "Mate, of course I will," he chuckled. "As if you even had to ask me that!"

Spencer, Adam ( Misty Gray )
Roxie, Klaus ( Bellz )
Syd ( Pyroclast )

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

"The Big House"
(Interpol Main Safe House)
Front Lounge
~ Tottenham, London ~


Arabella Bellamy

Arabella was finding it increasingly difficult to keep up that smile you normally gave new people you met for the first time. When she was working it was easy. You only had to hold it for a max of 30 seconds before you could drop it and turn away. Here? Meeting the people that were important to J.J.? She needed to keep it up so they didn't think she was a prude or something. She was here to make things easier on J.J. not to stress him out even more. Michael greeted her then and when she felt how clammy his hands also were, she relaxed a little. Something about knowing that she wasn't the only person in the world who got like that was reassuring - calming, really. And with Colin's reassuring words, it had helped even more. Her smile began to turn genuine even if her cheeks were starting to grow sore. When she made eye contact with J.J. she could see the concern written all over his face. Instead of saying anything she just narrowed her eyes at him, as if telling him she knew what he was thinking and to knock it off. Her expression quickly changed, however, when more joined their group.

As Ari watched them all interact with each other, she couldn't help but pick up a bit of a vibe between Michael and... Collin? Trying to remember names was going to be hard, she thought. She wondered if J.J. had picked up on it at all, only to decide that he probably hadn't. Her best friend wasn't the best at reading people or situations; just another reason she loved calling him her friend. At the mention of Lucas working on a beach, Ari tilted her head in interest. Wanting to interact with the group and not just awkwardly stand around, Ari looked up at J.J. "Hey now, you could've had a tan of your own had you come to the beach with me as I asked." Granted, she probably asked him once or twice but that wasn't the point. She let them converse as Lucas responded to her question - Ari giving him a slight nod of understanding. "Took me a while to get used to with this one," she said, pointing at J.J. "So maybe it won't be the bad getting used to again?" She hadn't posed the question to him specifically, more like asking herself out loud if she'd be able to. And while she wasn't confident that she could she was all about trying!

They all shifted to sitting down now, Ari next to J.J. as she sat her hands under her thighs. He then began to explain more about where he ended up in Germany, the two of them making eye contact. She remembered their first meeting as if it had happened a few hours ago - how nervous he was to talk to her in that bakery. Then how awkward it had been when she started tutoring his little sister. She wasn't sure how they became friends or how he'd managed to slip in under her defenses but she was glad that he had. "A silver lining for who," she teased, gently pressing her shoulder against his. "And it's absolutely not that cold in Germany," she protested, "You just didn't know how to dress properly." At the mention of Sebastian Ari let out a warm and genuine laugh. "One of my absolute favorite Porter members for sure." Of course, Lucia was number one with J.J. slowly climbing the ranks.

Ari tried to pay close attention to what everyone was saying and the places they had been. What they'd been doing the entire time and such. It was difficult trying to place them and remember all of this information - her body unknowingly gravitated closer to J.J. She felt calmer when she was touching him, though she wouldn't realize this right away. At the mention of Interpol again, her interest was once again piqued. What exactly did they think or expect from them? To join in on the criminal activity their parents participated in? It was the first time since boarding the plane that she had actually thought about it and looked once more at J.J. Was he about to be a part of this? And if he were, what did that mean? What could she expect from something like this and should she have come at all? Her eye twitched in concern and thought and the moment she felt it she went back to that stoic face of hers. No need to worry him now when he's being reunited with his family.

 

[BasDorcha]

The Laundrette

~ Hackney, London ~​

Abel Stewart

The afternoon has started off more successfully than originally anticipated with Ezekial Carter. There were a lot of bad things to be said about the man, undoubtedly true the majority of it, but his legitimate business ethics were sharp as diamond. They walked the site, discussing different aspects of what Ezekial wanted versus what Abel's architectural eye seen. At various places they would stop and Abel would stretch out a massive blue print with a visual to what he was seeing in his head. After what seemed like a reasonable time, and Abel and Ezekial had run out of things to speak about for the moment, they headed back to the car to presumably return home.

Abel was paying attention to what was going on around him, and it did not go unnoticed when the trip suddenly shifted from a familiar direction to one he was less knowledgeable about. He chatted lightly back and forth with the powerful man beside him, but all of his senses were alerted to the new route they were following. He also carefully took into stock who was in the vehicle with them. He was definitely outnumbered. Abel began chewing on his lower lip absently, attempting to process all the possibilities of what was coming. He couldn't say the shady building they pulled up to didn't meet his expectations, but the fact that Ezekial was just dropping him off, he was thoroughly confused. A second later, almost as if the guard had timed t perfectly with Ezekial's statement, the door opened on cue waiting for him to get out.

"I-I don't understand how I could be of assistance here, maybe it would help to have more information?" Abel asked as he climbed out. He got his answer when the door was closed behind him and he was guided into the building un-ceremoniously. Abel hesitantly took a seat in one of the flimsy looking chairs, skin on the back of his neck standing on end. The sound of the []tap… tap… tap…[/i] added an air for even heavier unease. The tall, intimidating and fear inducing man stopped right in front of him. He didn't bother to respond to anything as he had no interest in sounding weak in this particular moment and was instead working out what the thug had said about Jakob and Daisy arriving soon. This immediately shifted his attitude, muscles rippling through his body as he clenched his first. What were they all about to be involved in?

As Jakob and Daisy pulled up outside, Abel stood and walked back towards the middle of the room. The moment his eyes met his brothers, a clear message of What the fuck is going on? flashed there for hm to see. Verbally, he responded with. "Jakob, Daisy. Haven't the foggiest, was hoping you knew." He took a stance close to his brother, "Seems you know us, who are you? Why are we here?" Abel asked lightly. Hs professional tone kicking in and treating them as if it were a normal conversation.


Misty Gray - Damien, Daisy
Melanin-Gxdess - Jakob

 

[Bellz]

"The Big House" - Downstairs Kitchen
(Interpol Main Safe House)
~ Tottenham, London ~
Blake Harper​

"Happy wife, happy life. As they say. I think he'd run it by me before ruining his." Blake said, winking at Conor before she moved the conversation onto him. She watched him look away for a moment as she asked the question, causing her to raise her right brow slightly. Hearing that Conor thought Ali was cool with it left Blake wondering what to think. Of course, she'd have to ask her best friend. Ali always had a differing opinion from her husband but Conor did make some fair points. He wasn't leading the family nor was he putting himself in the line of fire. Seeing Leo was their priority and that couldn't have been done without coming to some sort of agreement with Interpol. Blake nodded her head in understanding, it did sound logical. He did what he thought was right, Ali, him, and the girls would have protection just like the rest for his part-time services. When she asked if he was going to stay in London, Blake was hopeful that they would. But she knew better to think that either would want to be around the fight when it got going.

Blake would stick by Adam and her family here through whatever they felt was necessary, but she would miss Conor and Ali. After so many years of fighting the same uphill battle with different enemies, it would feel weird not having them around all the time. But she wouldn't convince them to stay nor would she express just how upset she would be when they eventually left London. No guilt to follow them. They deserved peace more than most. "Dublin. Now there's a place I thought we'd never be able to return to. Makes me happy that Leo and Natasha were able to stay, whatever life they ended up having there with the rest who managed to stay, and their children." Blake said with a soft smile before it faded slightly, "Well, London will be less fun without the two of you in it, I can tell you that much. But I'm not going to guilt you into staying and I'm not going to pretend that I'm shocked by your answer. If I were you two, I would want to be as far away from all this as possible." She said, having emphasized that if she were in their shoes she would want to only stay in London for so long.

"I think you made the right decision, Conor. Which...might be the first time I've ever said that to you in all our years of being friends." Blake chuckled, a teasing tone gracing her voice as she shook her head. "You did what you needed to and everyone here will be grateful that you even are continuing to help out with part-time stuff." The blonde said with confidence now, looking towards the kitchen entrance to where everyone was scattered throughout the house. "If Natasha doesn't get out here before you head back to Dublin though, promise me you'll keep an eye on her and the kids yea? I'm not gonna force her to be near us if she doesn't want to get tangled up in this mess. Though I'm not sure what was discussed with your boy and her. Gonna have to pick his brain later. I'll promise to be nice."

"And I'll keep an eye on Leo here, of course. Make sure he doesn't get into too much trouble. Give him those lectures if you want like Ali used to do." Blake teased, letting out a laugh. "Don't care how old they are now, never too old for a life lesson, especially in this line of work."
with: Conor Misty Gray

 

[Bellz]

"The Big House" - Downstairs Small Lounge
(Interpol Main Safe House)
~ Tottenham, London ~

Bucky Gray ​

Bucky was curious to know about what Lottie was laughing to herself about but didn't want to pry, just allowing her to do so. When she informed him that they still had more cousins to meet, he was interested in that, but it made him anxious. There were so many people. Almost too many. He found himself releasing a short breath of air at the thought of meeting more people. "My Germany cousins are actually here...some of them are part of the...Porter uh...Sullivan family I think the other last name is? We lived near some of them in Germany. They are really nice. And then the Jäger kids, but I think they are at their home right now. They are really nice too." Bucky said, trying not to sound too shaken by all the information about new people. Lottie seemed content with meeting so many new cousins, with the sudden introduction of cousins. Bucky envied that. After living the same way for most of his life, the only big change had been his mother dying or going missing, or whatever people wanted to call it. And now he had a whole family he didn't know about. Cousins, Uncles, Aunts. People who weren't his family but he had called his family due to his parents' insistence...or maybe it was Interpol. God all of this was making his head hurt.

Still, he had kept the conversation light with talks of Unicorns and Scotland. "Well darn, there goes my whole belief system on Unicorns." He teased lightly, forcing a smile before listening intently to Lottie talk about how Scotland was pretty cool but she thought she'd like London more. Bucky was excited to explore the sights too. But then she mentioned the princess who died. His brain tried to remember her name but came up short, the only thing he remembered was that one of the adults had rushed to turn off the TV after it was announced she died in a car crash. He did not watch the funeral and he wasn't aware of anyone else in his little "family" who had either.

"That was very sad." He had managed to squeak out. Fortunately, he had recovered, as he so often did. Asking her what she liked to do for fun. Apparently he hadn't recovered as quickly as he thought. The burning in the back of his eyes caused him to look down at his lap as she paused to think, giving him a quick moment to blink away any tears. When Lottie finally did answer, he tilted his head back up, listening, politely nodding along. Music was a big interest to her, learning to play guitar. Bucky never took lessons but was teaching himself at the moment. Before his-

He couldn't even bring himself to think about his mother at the moment so he just chose to shut out the thought of the piano lessons and music lessons he had with her, hanging on Lottie's every word. When she summarized that there were a lot of things she liked to do for fun, Bucky smiled, more genuine this time around having recovered more. She then added that she didn't like school or being stuck in classrooms which caused Bucky to laugh before she was asking what he liked to do, saying that he must like reading and asking if he liked music too. "I do enjoy reading, especially..." He found himself pausing, feeling like he almost couldn't admit it, "Especially upside down on the couch." Bucky said, and the words brought a natural smile to his face. "Makes it more fun and also very lightheaded so I wouldn't try it if you get easily lightheaded." He added.

"I do like music, I play the piano. And I'm teaching myself to play the guitar. My mum.." He choked on the word, hearing it come out of his mouth and wincing. "Sorry Lottie, uh. My mum taught me how to read music and play the piano. I love all kinds of music, cheesy or otherwise." He said, smiling despite the sadness he felt. He knew some kids didn't get the feeling of losing a parent so he didn't want to bring his cousin who he just met down. Lottie then turned serious and Bucky's head tilted as he wondered what she was thinking. She then asked what his dad did for a job, why he had to move to Germany. Bucky listened as Lottie described what Uncle Spencer did in Scotland but simply said that he did "other stuff" when he used to live in London. How much did she not know? How much was he allowed to say? He hardly knew much to be fair, but he didn't want to be caught saying something wrong.

"Uh..." Bucky started, unsure of how to answer. His mouth snapped shut as he thought about it. When he came up with an answer he said, "I guess he worked with your dad, broke the law before he had to move to Germany. My mum and he work for Interpol. I'm not sure how that happened though. Or my mum worked for them before she died..."
with: Lottie Misty Gray

 

[Misty Gray]

The Laundrette
~ Hackney, London ~

Daisy Richardson and Damian Nicolosi
Justin Richardson​

Daisy forced herself to keep her mouth shut as she and Jakob were escorted to the car by the armed man. In the back of the car, she caught her boyfriend’s eyes as he looked at her in a way that was urging her not to say or do anything that could put them at risk. Part of her was already feeling like they were already dragged into danger, but she knew better than to try something stupid in their present situation.

Once at their destination, Daisy got out of the car and stuck close to Jakob. When they were led into the laundrette, she was shocked to see Abel was already there. She squeezed Jakob’s hand as her eyes diverted from the armed guards to the dark-haired man dressed in black. The three of them were outnumbered and not armed, causing the concern to set in deeper. Whilst she was sure she’d pissed someone off, likely the Carters, she wasn’t sure why Abel would have been dragged along too.

“Oh good. You’re all here. Take a seat. I insist,” Damian casually ordered the three of them, though the two armed guards holding their guns and keeping their eyes fixed on the three made it clear they should comply. Abel wanted to know why they were there and Damian was also keen to get to the point. “You’re all here to stay quiet and listen to me. It won’t take long and you can all walk on out here after, as long as you all behave,” he said, pointing to the gunmen to emphasise his warning.

Daisy had to fight back the urge to be defiant and call the man any name that popped into the head. Instead, she remained close to Jakob as she sat next to him, hoping they would all get to leave in one piece.

Standing facing the three who were seated, Damian addressed them like a teacher lecturing his students. “It’s unfortunate that we’ve all been taken away from our evening plans, but I come with a warning for you both,” he said, using each hand to point at Abel and Jakob as he spoke of warnings. Daisy turned to look at them both, wondering what they were in trouble for having expected she was the one to blame. “Mr. Carter asked that you both stay in line and do as you're told. If he sets you a deadline, you had better move mountains to meet it,” he specifically warned Abel. “You both keep your heads down and don’t cause any issues, then we won’t have any problems.

Damian let a silence fill the room for a time, ignoring any questions if they were asked of him. “As for you, Daisy. You’ve had plenty of warnings already. Zachary told you to cease meddling in business that does not concern you and yet here we are now. He’s a far more forgiving man than I am. So, instead of another warning, you’ve been brought here for consequences. Now, stand up,” he said, beckoning Daisy to walk towards him.

“Fuck you!” Daisy argued, quickly shaking her head. If Abel or Jakob attempted to stand up or come to her defence, they would soon see the guns now being pointed directly at them.

“What you all need to realise, is that your actions will affect those you love. If Abel fails, then perhaps his wife will suffer because of him. If Jakob steps out of line, perhaps I’ll slaughter his mother. And if you don’t do as you’re told, Daisy, then my friends here will put a bullet in your boyfriend’s skull. Are we clear?”

As soon as Daisy approached him and stood a few feet away as indicated, Damian looked over his shoulder. “Bring him in!” he called out towards the door that led to the back room. On cue. The door opened and two more men stepped into view, holding another man upright and practically dragging him into the centre of the room as he could barely stand.

“Justin?!” Daisy asked, having to study for a moment to recognise her brother’s swollen face beneath the heavy bruising and dried blood. “What did you bastards do to him?!” she screamed out as she took a step forward to rush to her brother but was held back as Damian was quick to grab her hair. The sudden jolt to her head caused her to yelp in pain. All the while, she watched as Justin was released, collapsing onto the ground as his legs buckled beneath him. “Justin!” she cried, her eyes now filling with tears.

“What did they do to him? What didn’t they do to him is what you should be asking. Your brother has been with us for days, beaten to the brink but kept alive so you could be here for the end. I’m generous like that.” He paused as Justin attempted to speak, but only a muffled splutter escaped his bloody mouth as the drugs in his system made him unable to speak. “I guess you’ll never know what he’s trying to say,” he hissed directly into Daisy’s ear. “Maybe he’s trying to forgive you for his suffering, but my money is on him blaming you for this. Your brother has always been a liability, but your defiance is what finally led him to this messy end. Personally, I think I’m doing you a favour taking him off of your hands.” He let go of Daisy’s hair and took a step back, sending a sinister smile to Abel and Jakob.

Finally, one of the men crouched down and wrapped a cord around Justin’s neck, pulling tightly to restrict his breathing and choke him. “NO!” Daisy screamed, only to be held back by one of the armed men. Once Justin had taken his last breath, the woman was released and she rushed to her knees so she could be at her brother’s side.

Crouching down, Damian gripped the back of Daisy’s neck and pushed her head close to her brother’s now lifeless face. “Look him in his dead eyes and keep this image in your head. Every time you think about meddling or getting in my boss’ way, remember you could condemn another loved one.” Letting go of Daisy and leaving her on the floor to sob at her brother’s side, Damian stood up and looked back at Jakob and Abel. “You gentlemen heed this warning too. Stay in line and keep your mouths shut. I would love nothing more than to get my hands on Sarah or Alice next,” he said, grinning back at them. “Now. Get her out of here so I can clean up this mess,” he ordered them.

Melanin-Gxdess (Jakob) BasDorcha (Abel)

 

[Bellz]

Arthur's Steakhouse
~ Hackney, London ~

Julia Avvocata ​

Before Zachary could answer her question about who was next, a cellular phone rang, cutting through the thick tension like a knife. The woman raised both of her brows under her mask, wondering what Zachary was thinking. Normally, she would have just wiped out whoever the phone belonged to without any hesitation, but this wasn't her mission to decide who lived and who died. He was calling the shots and she respected him enough. He rushed to the table to grab the phone, rejecting it before tossing it toward the armed guard standing by the main exit. Julia stood still all the while but her gun remained trained on the table with the guests they were set out to kill. He reminded the rest of the restaurant to shut it, no whispering or anything else. Julia swung her gun around slowly, away from the Farringdon's large table just to see if any of the other guests would dare to defy what Zachary had said to do. Unfortunately for her, no one moved, hands were above their heads and they were silent, no one even tried to touch their phones.

Julia pouted under her mask. Zachary seemed satisfied with them and Julia turned back to the Farringdon's table before him. When he finally turned to back to the table, he spoke to them, saying that none of them would be dying if Noel would just show his face. A lie. But they didn't need to know that. Though Julia would love to make this interesting with a little panic-fueled stampede. She would enjoy hunting down a few of these fuckers and cornering them like a sport. Jake's voice was followed by the staff he was told to fetch, alerting them both that the kitchen was clear. "Looks like he wasn't complimenting the chef then, huh?" Julia asked Jake, her tone painted with humor even if the situation around them called for anything but that. A smile under her mask formed that no one could see but she let out a slight chuckle at her own joke before Zachary told the staff to sit on the floor so they could see them, with their hands on their head. Jake seemed to ask no one in particular where Noel was, saying there was no point in hiding him if he was letting them all die on his behalf. Julia smiled again. Loyalty was an interesting thing. It could get you ahead, sure. Or it could...in the case of all these people and even the people she had known and loved, get you killed.

Julia hadn't noticed Noel's wife at first glance but she did notice Zachary notice her. With just her eyes, she saw where she had been looking. Under a table. A shoe could be seen in the gap between the bottom of the cloth and the floor. Coward didn't even try to leave. Not only was he a coward, but he was a stupid one at that. Hiding under the buffet table. Julia pretended to not notice any of it, just holding her gun and allowing it to scan the table and the staff, watching some people shudder silently with satisfaction. Zachary looked to the clock and caught her attention, to which she nodded her head, but to her surprise, he went first, shooting Noel's wife between the eyes. Julia let out a low whistle, "Oddio!" She muttered under her breath to him, a smirk on her lips. "You got it, boss." The woman said, looking around. One of the other women caught her eye. She looked like she would squeal. Maybe. It was clear that Zachary already knew where Noel was. But hey, Julia could have her fun if they were just going to kill these people off anyway, right? Walking towards the table slowly, Julia watched as everyone stared at her.

Just a masked face staring back at them, they could only hardly see her eyes observing them. The older woman was frailer, seeming to have lived a longer life. Who she was to Noel, Julia had no idea and she didn't care. "You." She pointed her gun at the woman, "Tell me where he is. Or you end up like little Mrs. Prada over there. Dead as a doornail." The woman was defiant and didn't say a word. Annoyingly so. Julia had to admit she was impressed. "Nothing, huh?" She asked one more time, and the man next to her started to beg, "WAS I FUCKING TALKING TO YOU?!" She asked, shouting as the people in front of her jumped in their seats including the woman, who had been unresponsive before. Julia ground her teeth, looking at the man and the woman. Who to kill? Well, Zachary was running the mission. But-

Julia pulled the trigger, shooting the man first and then the woman. Not even registering if anyone screamed or if Zachary or Jake were saying anything to her as she turned on her heels to walk back towards the both of them. When she did get back to their sides, she did finally hear Zachary tell Jake to drag the coward out into view. Julia was stiff as a board watching as he did, "Well there he is. The man of the fucking hour. Hiding under a table while his family is being picked off one by one. Classy." She growled out. Sure, she was the one doing the killing. But if it was her family, she would be standing right beside them. In a way, she was never given the chance to stand loyally by her own family or the people she called her family in their final moments because she had been pulled from the fight by those Interpol morons. Sure she had this new group of people that she found somewhat of a community with...but none of them were worth dying for. This guy was a sleaze. The rest of his family would be dragged down by his sleazy behavior.
with: Jake neverbackdown ; Zachary Misty Gray

 

[Pyroclast]

"The Big House" - Upstairs Study
(Interpol Main Safe House)
~ Tottenham, London ~

Syd Porter and Bruce King​

Bruce exchanged a look with Klaus to convey his sincerity before turning back to Spencer, a softness in his eyes. It endeared him to see his nephew so humbled. “I’ve never been more sure, son,” he answered, and sat back with a proud smile while Spencer confirmed to Klaus and the others that he would be taking over. Alex’s joking remark made him smirk, and he gave a light, back-handed slap on the man’s knee, but when Spencer asked his younger brother to be his right-hand man, Bruce fell serious again and smiled at the emotional exchange between them. Even though they hadn’t seen each other for 12 years and still had a lot of catching up to do, the fact they still trusted one another with something so important spoke volumes to their brotherly bond. Of course, Bruce had a lot of catching up to do too where his nephews were concerned, but he had faith in them, and was filled with pride at the men they had seemingly grown to be and of the strength of their relationship.

With the Kings sorted out, it was time for Adam, Syd and Roxie to work out their side. Syd had his hands in Penny’s fur and his gaze on the table, his thoughts growing calmer since Roxie helped to dissolve the tension between him and Klaus. Still, there wasn’t much relief to be found yet - he had nowhere familiar to go home to, there were still a lot people to meet up with and, of course, there was the looming responsibility to inform his brother and the rest of the family about Lucy’s passing.

He stopped stroking the dog and looked up when he heard Adam address him. It took a second to realise what he was suggesting, and so at first, a small, “Huh?” was all he could get out.

Syd Porter, leader of the Irish Mob?

In a way, in the back of his mind, he had already accepted the responsibility. For his whole life Syd had always struggled with letting go, and so while the family business hadn’t been able to continue in Germany, Syd held onto the possibility of one day coming back. It was just too hard to accept a reality where he never saw his family again. However, with his father no longer around and with no knowledge of where anyone else was, Syd had been left to picture himself taking it into his own hands and starting it up again. Those thoughts had comforted him somewhat during his time in Germany, but since setting foot on British soil he hadn’t had space in his busy mind to give it any proper thought. Now that Adam was proposing the idea to him, he found himself dumbstruck.

“You want me to be…?” he uttered to Adam, before glancing at Klaus and then Roxie. His gaze finally settled somewhere distant as he sat back and mulled it over. Realistically, Syd knew he wouldn’t be able to keep any kind of distance from what was going on once the war on the Carters began. He had never been able to do that, not since the very day his father inducted him into the business. James’ face appeared in his mind and he suddenly felt a pang of grief as he remembered the man he was: a loving father, a firm leader, someone to always look up to. Reliable, strong and smart. From a young age, Syd had hoped to one day become like him. What had he said to him, on his death bed?

"You've got this, Syd."

The sudden memory moved him; it was like his father was speaking to him from the grave. Syd had had so many setbacks when it came to the business due to his severe mental health problems, but when he heard his dad say those words to him, essentially inviting him to take higher responsibility in the business and fill his and Conor's shoes, Syd was made to believe nothing could tear him down. He had to do it. He had to.

And then there was Jackson, of course. His Godfather had always believed in him, never lost faith in him even when Syd’s mind was lost…

With his head rested in Syd's arm, Jackson looked up to him with an angelic stare, as if all the pain had subsided and left him fatigued, yet tranquil. After the panic receded within Syd, and he seemingly accepted the inevitable; it was as if a breath of fresh air and settled between them. "My boy.... My boy..." Jackson drew out, his brittle lips slowly parted as the words ambled out like a gust of wind. "Look at you." Through his fading orbs, he managed a faint, weak smile. "Look at the man you've become." Even with his lids half-closed, the admiration his in stare resembled that of a proud lion, perched upon his kingdom's rock. "A warrior, a lord." Jackson's hand squeezed Syd's back in a faint pulse. "You will become... Unstoppable."

Syd took a series of slow, deep breaths until the wave of grief settled within him again, keeping his eyes open so the sheen of tears could dry before they could well up. “I have to do this,” he uttered. Then he drew a sharp inhale and turned to Adam. “But I need you by my side. Okay? Don’t go back on this.” He looked deep into the man’s eyes, making sure he could see the sincerity in them.

He then turned to face Roxie. “We can’t back out,” he said to her, keeping his voice low between them as if to create a private moment that no one else could hear. “Someone has to lead our family through this mission.” At that point he hadn’t even given a thought to his mental capacity to handle such responsibility; all he cared about in that exact moment was not losing Roxie’s support. “I can’t put this on someone else, Rox’...it was my dad’s business, my uncle’s, and I…I want to do them proud. I need to be there, I can’t stand by and not do everything I can, not when so many of us are already involved.” He cupped his hands around hers. “What…what do you think?”

Interactions
Bellz Roxie, Klaus
Melanin-Gxdess Alex
Misty Gray Adam, Spencer

 

[Bellz]

"The Big House"
(Interpol Main Safe House)
Upstairs Study
~ Tottenham, London~

Roxie Porter
Klaus Jäger​

Roxie was expecting some pushback from her words. But she was met with open agreement from most of the men. Spencer agreed, stating that it all needed to be official and signed since they were putting their necks on the line. Alex spoke up and Roxie turned her head to look at him. Given their...colorful history of him being Savannah's ex and her being her best friend. Roxie wasn't sure what to expect from him. When he suggested getting copies, the brunette nodded her head along, the smallest of smirks tugging at her lips. "Reasonable enough. Poor trees but business is business." Roxie chimed in, trying to ease the tension further for the sake of everyone around her.

She was relieved that her husband agreed as well, seeming to be calmed by that demand if only a little. But then he threatened Klaus further, saying he'd be more than sorry if he failed them and Roxie simply nodded her head in agreement. She did what she could to keep the peace but at the moment her thoughts were split even again. Klaus knew she couldn't do much to hold her husband back if he was hellbent on killing someone. "You have the right to exercise such extremes if I fail you. And if you want that in your documents. Fine. So be it." Klaus was straight-faced, clearly not liking the direction the conversation was going. Roxie wasn't sure what more she could say to help but luckily Bruce King was the savior this time, speaking up and leaning forward in his seat. He brought the attention back to their task at hand, the reason they were all sitting in the room right now, together. Klaus nodded his head silently, not speaking and just wanting them to speak amongst themselves at this point. If they were able to act more civilized without his input, then he'd stay out of it.

It didn't really shock Klaus when Bruce said he was stepping down. He anticipated such a move. After Conor refused the position, he figured that the only reason Bruce accepted such an offer was for the very reason he had just stated, family. And of course, he was willing to help them out where he could. Bruce was looking at Spencer and Klaus was also now looking at the man too. Bruce caught his eye and the sincerity in his eyes was very much real. The German nodded his head and allowed the two to have their moment. When it was confirmed that Spencer would be stepping in Bruce's place, Klaus smiled lightly still choosing not to say anything until the situation called for it. Alex was then asked if he would be Spencer's right-hand man and Klaus raised his eyebrows. Well, this would be interesting. The German tried not to think about how this was going to tip some emotional scales.

Roxie wasn't going to lie to herself. With the Kings having just figured it out and the look, Adam gave her after asking Syd the question she knew it was a possibility. Especially after opting into the contract. Adam wasn't going to take the position as boss, that much was clear. That only left the two other people in the room. It wasn't hers to take. So the only person left...was the man she loved. Selfishly, she wanted him to say no. But if not him, then who? Adam's voice had become a soft hum in her ears, as she thought back to the plane ride. Eyes glazing over in the memory of it. Syd could hardly handle it. The people, the flight attendants, he could hardly handle being just a few seats away from the kids. The toll on his mental health had arguably become worse, especially after losing his mother. Lucy. She wasn't around anymore to help pull him out of this. An achy feeling in her chest formed as she held her breath for a moment, trying to calm what she could already feel coming. Roxie had been managing, just barely getting by what she felt was the skin of her teeth. But Lucy had a way of helping her son in ways that Roxie felt she would never be able to help Syd. Sure, she'd been doing it since Lucy passed, it had been since 1993. But...Roxie was afraid of slipping up and Syd hurting himself because of it.

At the same time, a pang of guilt tugged at her conscience. She couldn't help but feel guilty for her doubts and concerns. Syd had shown resilience and determination throughout their relationship, and she didn't want her fears to undermine his potential. He had so much of it. So much more than he gave himself credit for. Sure, he wore his heart on his sleeve, but at least he was honest. Far more honest than she ever was or currently was being. And she had always been there to remind him of that. In his fragile state right now, paired with the fragility of the situation, on top of everything else. Her mind went to the kids. The ache in her chest was growing heavier making her feel a bit dizzy and causing her to shift only slightly in her seat. She released her breath through her nose slowly. Just trying to keep her head in the right place but the thoughts kept coming. Jane, J.J., Lucia, Sebastian. And Jeanie, where ever she was. They were signing them up to be targeted. More so than before. More so than ever. The peaceful life they had, or at least, the peaceful life they knew with the occasional breakdown from Syd was about to be a distant memory. It was the same things she had realized before...only amplified now.

Syd's voice speaking to Adam had pulled her from her thoughts. Her eyes briefly scanned the table to remind herself where she was at that moment before they landed on Syd, who was turning to her. Roxie's blue eyes searched his, any semblance of discomfort on her end was gone before he'd faced her. All that remained was shortness of breath, which she carefully controlled through soft inhales and exhales through her nose. We can’t back out. Oh how she wished they could now. The taste of irony was bitter, her own medicine...twice as much. Roxie was sure...he hadn't thought about himself, his own well-being, or his mental well-being in that moment. It was just the way her husband was programmed. "I-I know..." Her voice shook, breathless from the tightening in her chest. But before she could find the confidence to even gently say something along those lines, he reminded her of why he was doing this. He had parents, a family, and he wanted to make them proud. To keep the business up. He had a family he needed to protect and felt responsible for. After losing Lucy...how could she say no to him? If this was what he was meant to do? After all, Roxie felt that perhaps she had...stepped in the way of that progress-

Syd's hands cupped around hers and for a moment, it felt like everyone else had sort of disappeared. The ache in her chest had lessened ever so slightly with the physical contact. Making it easier to breathe. He asked what she thought. And Roxie knew that she could be honest. But honesty, wouldn't make the difference now. Like she had said to him and he said to her, they couldn't back out. She was caught between her love and concern for Syd and the harsh reality of their world. All she could hope for was the strength to face these challenges together and find a path that would lead to their happiness and safety."You don't have to ask, you already know my answer." She said, twisting her hands in his to grasp them. Roxie gave him a smile that was easier to manage now that she felt like she could breathe easier, saying, "Where you go, I go, and if you want to be here...leading our family then, I'll be right by your side making sure you have all of the support I can possibly offer you." Roxie looked to Adam briefly and said, "Think you and I can work together on this too? I don't want to be in the dark on things." Her eyes looked back to Syd, "But I think you can do this. There is no man better for the job in both my biased and unbiased opinion. Your Dad would be proud. I am proud." Even though she couldn't say it, she was thinking that Lucy would be too.

Klaus finally clearing his throat, looked to everyone in the room and Roxie turned to him, raising her brows after her moment with her husband was over. "Well, gentlemen...and lady. Congratulations. You all have just made your first big decision in the mission." The German smiled and Roxie's smile faded as he said this, looking around at the group of people for a moment before her eyes landed on her husband. "Still gonna need that in writing, Jäger." Roxie added, and Klaus rolled his eyes. "Yes, yes. Moving on for the moment. What I do have in writing, is some of the same things your crew downstairs is looking over. Resources, a bit of...well, dos and don'ts. Mostly just how to use the resources we have for you and a long long list of them." Klaus reached over to grab some packets of papers and handed them out to each person. "You have access to things most criminals would like to have access to. But these resources come with guidelines." Roxie was looking over the packet, just skimming it. "...What the hell is an armored personnel carrier?" She asked, looking up at Klaus. "Specialized armored vehicle to allow for transportation in armed confrontation. Like a SWAT van in the States, but bulletproof." He answered cooly, "You think a situation would call for such a vehicle?" She asked, and Klaus shrugged, "Never know. But we have it available."
with: Adam + Spencer Misty Gray ; Alex Melanin-Gxdess ; Syd + Bruce Pyroclast

 

[Pyroclast]

"The Big House" - Front Lounge
(Interpol Main Safe House)
~ Tottenham, London ~

Michael Zegarra​

Telling the others about Collin’s talent made a nice change - it wasn’t often that Michael got to gush about him, mainly on account of them being discreet. He liked the way he smiled, the way his cheeks turned pink when he received a compliment and he would look down into his lap, all humbled and shy. Michael found himself gazing across at him with a soft smile, waiting for him to catch his eye. Instead, when Collin raised his head, it was Lucas he turned to. Michael followed his gaze to find Lucas smiling fondly back at his boyfriend and his own smile fell away. Maybe it was just residual nausea from the car ride amplifying his introverted side, but seeing the way the two friends were looking at each other made him eager to be alone with Collin again. Lucas expressed a lack of surprise at what Collin had ended up doing with his life, and from that Michael was able to deduce that the two must have talked about the future when they were kids or something, and that he was simply happy to find out that his old friend was doing something he loved.

As before, J.J. managed to draw the room’s attention with his natural charisma, and Michael turned to him with a smile to listen to him answer his question. One by one, they each went around the room and gave a brief summary of where they had been. It was obvious nobody wanted to bring the mood down; J.J. was full of laughter, despite suggesting that his dad was still having issues and his family were riddled with problems, though Michael was happy to hear that he had a new little brother with a strange accent that rivalled Michael’s own New-York-Irish-Cuban medley that he had - with effort - managed to soften over the years. Arabella got his curiosity, too - she had been introduced as J.J.’s friend, but was attached enough to him or the family to move all the way from Germany to London at short notice. Still, J.J. clearly wanted to keep things brief for now, and so directed Liam to speak up next.

Liam was the one Michael had been most curious about since the split. The pair had been close friends a long time ago and he had thought about him often, wondering how life was treating him and what he was doing with himself. It turned out they had gone down similar paths, and when Liam turned to face him, he couldn’t help but smile back at him. He was keen to see his old friend’s artistic talent and find out what more they still had in common - but he accepted that it may take longer to go into the deeper stuff. How things had been for him regarding Savannah and Danny, how he was doing living in the big city on his own, and…well, there were certain things Michael liked to imagine filling him in on, too.

Maybe he could broach the topic with Collin again, about coming out. Hearing Lucas talk about his dads staying behind in Gran Canaria, Michael couldn’t help but daydream about it - how Lucas would likely be supportive and understanding, given that he was raised by two gay men…the others he wasn’t so sure about, but surely Lucas would be a good place to start - especially if Collin was apprehensive. Refocusing his attention back to what Lucas was saying, Michael consciously smiled and did his best to picture the beach and nightclubs. Really, he could only picture the beach in Manzanillo.

On the topic of nightclubs, Lucas suggested they all go out together sometime, and Michael found himself smiling keenly and saying “Yeah!” even though he wasn’t so sure - it wasn’t that he didn’t want to hang out, but if he let himself get drunk on the dancefloor, he knew he wouldn’t be able to refrain from kissing his boyfriend in front of everyone. Lucas then asked about what plans everyone had now that they were back, and Michael looked around the room waiting for someone to speak first. When no one did, he cleared his throat.

“Well, I know I sure don’t want to get too close to all that,” he said. “I only came back here 'cause it was a chance to see all of you guys again, and everyone else wanted to move. It was just our parents that wanted to join the fight, wasn’t it Collin?” He glanced at him and couldn’t help flashing him a small smile. “If I could keep doing what I was doing back in Cuba then I would, but it depends what I can find here. Thomas and Elena had to leave their B&B behind, so…” He shrugged, and took a sip of his water before looking between everyone else. Liam already seemed settled with his job and art studio and Lucas had left behind decent jobs that he could surely pick back up again in London. He looked at J.J. for a moment before his eyes settled on Arabella. “Ari, right?” he softly asked. “I mean, I guess J.J. told you everything about why we’ve all just moved back here…so do you mind if I ask, are you two…you know…?” He blushed a little. “Just ‘cause, you know…it might get pretty messed up here. I wouldn’t have come anywhere near it if it weren’t for all you guys and our families being here. I don’t mean to scare you at all, Ari, but…the last time we were all here, it was really bad, and I don’t miss that. I missed you guys, but not that.” His expression had fallen serious and he was twisting the glass of water in his hand without realising. “Can we like, make a pact to all be there for each other, no matter what happens? And of course we’ll be there for you too, Ari.” He cast a nervous smile between the new girl and his old friends as it dawned on him that all their past trauma could be built on now that their families were back in some kind of war. “I mean, you guys aren’t thinking about joining this mission, are you?”

Interactions
Melanin-Gxdess Arabella
Misty Gray Liam, Lucas
Bellz Collin, J.J.

 

[Bellz]

"The Big House"
(Interpol Main Safe House)
Front Lounge
~ Tottenham, London ~

J.J. Porter
Collin McCarthy​

Collin could have just been crazy but Lucas was paying him a lot of attention. Maybe it was the traveling that made him believe it, but as he said that his career path didn't surprise him, Collin felt something there. "Free? For friends and family, eh? I guess I can go without eating a few meals to make that happen if you want to hear it." Collin said, giving Lucas a lopsided grin. Collin's head then turned to Michael, noticing that Lucas had looked down at his hands not even a moment later. Confusing him. This was all just...so confusing. Collin just hoped that Michael hadn't really seen too much of what was going on between the two of them, his focus now on his boyfriend who was currently sitting next to Liam on the couch as Michael asked J.J. about his time in Germany. Collin was curious, though his nerves were now a bit all over the place from the interaction...as brief as it was, he just had with Lucas. Still, he was determined to be polite and focus on J.J. and Ari, trying to figure out the relationship between the two of them. J.J. was both specific and non-specific, if that was possible as he explained his time in Germany with Ari in the mix of it all.

"Careful what you wish for, Lucas, if he likes you, he won't leave you alone." J.J. teased, at the mention of wanting to meet Sebastian. After listening to Ari chime in on everything, J.J. rolled his eyes, "I will have you know, it was a silver lining for me because you keep me sane. And a silver lining for you because hey, you could use a little chaos in your life." He said with a smug, teasing smirk after he finished speaking but before Liam and Lucas had started talking, nudging her back. He didn't mean to interrupt but, this had to be addressed. "And don't let her tell you it's not that cold because it is! I just enjoy...a good outfit." J.J. said, unable to keep the straight face he tried to pull with a shake of his head. "And wait wait wait wait...." He thought back to what Ari was said, about Sebastian. "Do I not even make the favorites list? Lucia and Sebastian? Where the hell am I on that list, Bellamy? If I am on the bottom, after the 5-year-old and the 11-year-old...let me tell you, I am hurt." J.J. put a dramatic hand to his chest, and look at her with serious wide eyes before giving her a "talk to the hand" gesture as he turned to listen to Liam and Lucas given he'd prompted them to say something only moments before. J.J. prompted them again, giving a sheepish grin for interrupting but staying silent. Lucas had turned to Liam to compel him to speak first and J.J. listened to his cousin with interest.

Hearing that they were allowed to stay in Dublin was interesting, hearing that it had been on account of making sure Savannah and Danny recovered was...distressing. J.J. knew how worried both of his parents had been over them, how worried his Grandma Lucy had been at the time. He was sure his Aunt Sinead had lost her marbles over it while his Uncle Peter tried to keep things going. J.J. briefly wondered if Liam had a similar home life to him, but knew different people with similar circumstances had different experiences. It was relieving to at least know everyone was okay and they had moved, hearing that Liam was in Uni was nice. It was cool that both Michael and him ended up sharing that passion too. School beyond the required years didn't seem on the table for any of his siblings, at least him, Jane, and Jeanie. Lucia was smart as a whip. But J.J. blamed circumstances for why they didn't all end up going away to school. Now he couldn't really see himself doing anything. Then again, his Ma didn't go back to school until she was in her 30s so who knew what the future held right? J.J. briefly looked to Ari, staring for a moment longer than perhaps he intended to before looking back to Liam as he mentioned not knowing very many people in the city except Callum and his dad. That had to be weird but since they were all going to work together now, it didn't seem like an issue.

Hearing everyone's different lives was interesting to Collin, all of their experiences used to be so...singular. All of them grew up in relatively the same lifestyle, knowing the same people, growing up in the same areas every decade or so. But now? They had been all spread out through different countries. Their experiences in the last 12 years were so different and the last decade had been the definitive years, the years that made them who they were, more so than when they knew each other. Liam seemed, as quiet and reserved as ever, but seemed a lot more willing to branch out. Moving away from his parents to Uni? Big steps for him. J.J. seemed to be his usual charismatic self but there was a lot he was refusing to say it looked like, Collin only hoped that the man would be more willing to share if he needed to open up. Collin remembered him as being pretty open with them all, but it seemed like he was holding back. Michael, of course, had changed in ways that Collin hadn't anticipated but it was one that he loved most about him. He was far more confident in himself than Collin could ever claim to be. Given his nervous energy right now, Michael was brave, sweet as honey, and true to himself and his religion.

As Lucas spoke, speaking about sunny Gran Canaria, Collin was looking for some sort of change. Sure, he'd grown, was not a boy anymore but a man...but he was looking for more of a personality change. But Lucas seemed to be the exact same. Which actually was comforting. Collin watched the way he paused talking about Finn and George, his head tilting ever so slightly with concern. Collin remembered how often he was over at their house. Finn, George, and Lucas had always made him feel so welcome so...accepted. Like he could be himself in their home. He knew why. He just didn't want to even say it in his head. Instead, he listened as Lucas said he worked as a lifeguard during the day and most nights he worked behind the bar at one of the resort nightclubs. Rhi and he spent a lot of time partying, which had Collin smiling. He enjoyed partying himself but threw himself into work a lot in Cuba. He was hoping that work would pay off in London, it had a huge theatre scene. Maybe then he could let loose and party a little if he could land a job first. Collin's eyes had still been looking at Lucas as his train of thought wandered Lucas's eyes glanced his way. They always seemed to find their way back to him.

But honestly, I'm glad to be back with you... Collin heard the first part, hearing the second part of what he said at a low volume. There was no way, no way that that was just a coincidence. Right? What he said, how he said it, as he looked at him, as he said it? Collin's cheeks felt warm again and he had to look away towards Michael, who expressed interest in going out as a group. Collin raised a brow towards him, a small smirk forming on his lips. They could risk both getting too drunk and exposing their relationship, but Michael sounded eager to go out with the group. Collin wouldn't deny him of that. "I wouldn't mind going out with everyone." He enthused along with Michael, "Definitely seems to be more of a party scene here than Dublin."

Lucas then furthered the conversation by asking what everyone's plan was now that they were back. Whether they were wanting to find normal jobs or...he didn't finish his sentence. Throwing himself into the theatre scene in London was what Collin thought he wanted...but he had also been giving some thought to the other alternative. Michael had stated that he didn't want to be close to all of it. But Collin was aware that Adam had gone upstairs for some secret meeting with a few other bigwigs so...Collin felt conflicted about where his loyalties were. Michael turned to Collin, wanting to clarify that it was only their parents that wanted to join in the fight, and even though Collin was finding himself undecided, he flashed Michael a smile in return, "Y-yea." He had been so sure. But hey, he had also been sure he was straight and he was also wrong about that. "I'm sure you'll be able to find something here easily, Michael. You're great at what you do." Collin complimented him with ease, offering him a smile. It was true, Michael was great at what he did, artistic, and had beautiful attention to detail. He would find a job easily. But he was now worried that they both wanted completely different things. While also being worried that Lucas being back in the picture would throw a wrench in everything they rebuilt. He purposefully stayed silent about what he was doing, for the time being, just reaching up to gently massage his temple as he thought about it all.

"I definitely won't say no to going out, I don't actually remember the last time I've been out with a group of people." J.J. had said in response to Lucas. He had picked up on some weird vibes from Lucas and Collin, and then Michael and Collin but he couldn't figure out what the hell was going on there. Maybe it was the traveling getting to him now. Who knew? Lucas was asking hard-hitting questions as he mentioned what everyone was planning on doing now that they were back. J.J. wasn't exactly sure. He was sure that his entire life was dependent on what the hell was going on upstairs with his parents right now. Neither of them really knew what they were walking into up there so he didn't know what they were discussing. J.J. only hoped that they both weren't pulled too far into this whole thing. While he knew that his Dad was loyal to his family, he also knew that he might not be able to handle it mentally. And his Ma, he was trying to figure out what was up with her, but she was just always tired. Things had been different when he was a kid and they were involved in this stuff, they kept him and his sisters out of it. Now? Well, he felt obligated to help out. They couldn't do this on their own.

Realizing his attention had been pulled, J.J.'s head turned to Michael when he spoke to Ari. He was nodding as he assumed that he told Ari about everything, confirming that he did, even if she didn't believe her at first. What did she say it sounded like? A Bond Film? But then Michael asked for what seemed to be their relationship status and J.J's eyes went wide behind Ari as he stared at Michael, cheeks turning pink. He wanted to say that they weren't anything but also didn't want to hurt her feelings. Michael continued on, explaining things and J.J. felt his heart sink. There was quite a bit...he hadn't said. And for good reason. He found himself looking away towards his lap, thinking back to 12 years prior. It had been a difficult year. That wasn't even the right word for it, it had been a blood bath. A lot of people died who didn't deserve it. J.J. had witnessed one of them. It was a memory he did his best to block but, there were certain food items he couldn't eat anymore or even be near because of it. His heart hammered in his chest, the guilt on his face was...unable to be hidden. He wasn't really good at hiding things like others in his family were. Most of his emotions were worn on his face for the world to see. Can you take a guess of who he got that from? "'Course." J.J. said, as Michael asked about making a pact. "We're old enough now to have each other's back in a much more real sense." His voice was a bit rougher as he tried to get a handle on his own emotions that he was feeling in that moment. "It'll be okay." J.J. said, turning his gaze to look at Ari, saying it to her but it was honestly more for himself at that point. He really needed to convince himself of that now. "We'll be here for each other." Collin agreed softly. Michael had then asked about whether they were all thinking of joining and J.J. looked around the room, Collin also doing the same. Both gauging other people's reactions to the question.

"I-" J.J. started, unsure of how to answer. "My folks are upstairs right now talking with the King's heads. I'm not sure what that all means. But I've been thinking about joining, yea. Ma might kill me before I have an opportunity to even ask though." The young man gave a soft laugh, attempting to sound humorous. Collin was silent.
In Posting order:
with: Liam + Lucas Misty Gray
Arabella Melanin-Gxdess
Michael Pyroclast

 

[Misty Gray]

"The Big House" - Upstairs Study
(Interpol Main Safe House)
~ Tottenham, London ~

Spencer King and Adam Harper​

Despite Alex's joke about slacking off, he soon turned serious again at Spencer's request for him to be his right-hand man now he was to lead the Kings. His brother seemed surprised to have been asked. Spencer figured people would have expected him to offer such a position to Jeremy, but 12 years had passed since they were all together in London. Alex had changed over those years and from what Spencer had so far been filled in on, he had been doing a good job at holding the fort in London, both with what business remained but also with keeping watch over the family who had remained in the city. Jeremy's affiliation to Interpol over the last 12 years meant Spencer didn't yet know where they stood with each other, in a business sense and on a personal level. He liked to think nothing had changed between them, but regardless of Jeremy having little choice in the matter to begin with, he had been working with Interpol for years now. Would he be more inclined to do things their way now, rather than Spencer's? No matter what it came down to, Alex was the man for the job and his continued presence in London over the last decade after surviving under the Carter regime made it so he had some insights even Spencer lacked now.

Spencer fondly smiled at Alex as he watched his brother process the proposition, noticing he was trying to hold back his joyful tears. "Well, I 'ad to ask. Figured after 12 years of being an adult you'd want to regress for a bit," he teased. He then turned serious and nodded his head, glad of his brother accepting. "Then it's settled. You an' me can do this." Shifting his focus back to Bruce, he sent him a nod that symbolised he meant it; that his uncle didn't need to worry about him and Alex taking the lead now.

Adam sat straight-faced when Syd uttered back at him, clearly trying to process the idea of now leading the Irish Mob. Adam stayed silent, giving Syd chance to wrap his head around it and try come to a decision without feeling like he was talking him into it. As the younger man stayed silent, it was clear he was processing some deep thoughts, perhaps thinking about the mob leaders before him. Adam folded his arms as he sat back in his seat, briefly eyeing the Kings from across the table to see if they were going be be equally as patient to let Syd consider such a serious decision. Eventually, Syd spoke to acknowledge that he had to do it, prompting Adam to turn back to look at him and determine if those were the words of a man ready to lead or ones purely of feeling obliged to. His head and heart had to be in it to succeed. When Syd looked at him and said he needed him at his side, Adam didn't hesitate to nod in agreement. "When have you ever known me to back out, Syd? I've been with your family for decades and I'm not about to quit now. We're going to take those Carter fucks down and then reclaim our home in Dublin," he said, briefly glancing to Klaus. Regardless of whether the second part was in line with Interpol's plans, it was certainly Adam's intention.

Adam stayed silent and looked away whilst Syd focused on Roxie and assuring her he had to take over the business now. If there were any doubts about Syd's motivation to be in charge, they were washed away as he stated his case about making his family proud and the fact he couldn't put the responsibility on anyone else. Roxie then turned from Syd to asked Adam if he could work with her on this, not wanting to be kept in the dark. "Of course we can, Roxie." He figured part of her concerns was how Syd was going to mentally handle the responsibility, it was a concern of his own, but he believed they could all work through it and support Syd when needed.

With the decision being made that Syd would be leading the Irish Mob, it suddenly hit Spencer just how differently the meeting had played out compared to how he'd expected it to just a few hours ago. He'd expected Bruce and Conor to be leading their respective families with himself and likely Syd as their second-in-commands. Instead, Spencer and Syd were now in charge. Two men who had come to blows on many occasions in the past, with at one point Syd physically attacking him in Savannah's defence. He'd long since let go of that bad blood, with the truce 12 years ago certainly helping. And given the civilities between the two families so far, it seemed like the Irish lot had moved on since the Kings attacked Conor and Spencer almost killed the man. Looking across the table to Syd for a moment, Spencer felt sure they'd both moved on since those days and had matured enough to work together against their new common enemy. Working with Syd was something he knew he was open to approaching with a fresh and proactive mind, so he expected his counterpart would be equally prepared to compromise and cooperate.

Both Spencer and Adam turned to look at Klaus as the man concluded the two sides had made their first big decisions; who would be leading their families. When the man spoke of dos and don'ts, Spencer sent him a crooked smirk but held back from any remarks about rulebooks. The German then proceeded to hand out some paperwork to each of the six around the table. Spencer read it over, glancing to Roxie as she questioned what an armoured personnel carrier was. Spencer knew and couldn't help but think he could have benefitted from some of those back in the eighties. When Klaus elaborated about them being bulletproof vehicles and Roxie questioned if he thought a situation would call for it, Spencer nodded his head. "I'd say there's a high probability," he knowingly told her. Between bombs and gunfights during the Kings' war with the Irish, he knew anything was possible.

Adam hadn't even bothered to hide his smile upon reading about the weapons and vehicles available. His eyes lit up like a kid in a candy store as he nodded along to the talking around him. "Now this is what I'm talking about," he commented. His tone did turn serious as he rapped his fingertips on top of his own packet of paperwork. "If my experience back in New York and even 60s Cuba is anything to go by, we need plenty of firepower. Defences too," he said, still a part of him excited about the armoured vehicles. "But these aren't toys." Sitting up straight, Adam looked around at those at the table, but mostly focused his attention to Klaus as he decided to share some observations and suggestions of his own. "Now, I don't know what everyone has been doing to occupy themselves over the last decade or so, but in Cuba I continued to train and keep up with my weapons practice... all above board," he remarked, sending a wink Klaus' way. "What I do know, is that I've seen a lot of people around this safe house today and I'm going to put it out here now that most of them look like they need to get in shape, physically and mentally. I've seen some lads out there who clearly need to spend some time in the gym. But even the strong looking ones out there are probably rusty up here," he said, tapping the side of his head. "They need to have their heads in the game as well as learn how to properly use the beautiful weapons you're providing," he told Klaus.

Spencer nodded in agreement. Whilst he knew Logan was physically fit as well as capable in a fist fight or a knife fight, he knew the younger man had never fired a gun. He also figured he needed some fine-tuning to get his head in the right mindset for the severity of the war ahead of them. "I agree. Most of them are either new to this or out of practice from being sent off to twiddle their thumbs in whatever boring old town you dumped them into," Spencer drily remarked, clearly referring to at least his own life in Fort William. "They need training and I don't mean just whatever Interpol considers that to be. They need to learn how to fight like a King and a Porter, or a Sullivan..." he trailed off to drive his point home.

"Back in Dublin I had my own gym... We need a place to train. A big fuck-off gym and a shooting range," Adam assured Klaus. "Can you arrange that?"

Spencer turned to Alex. "How are your lot who have been helping you hold the fort in London looking? Are your employees in good shape?" he asked his brother. "I'm sure you know more than most of us what we're up against here. Are armoured vehicles overkill or just about right for this?" he asked for Alex's insight. Spencer then shifted his focus between Alex and Klaus as he thought of those who had remained in London since 1985. "Also. Klaus. I need to declare that I've come to learn that Trevor Stewart - also known as my father - is employed by Carter. Head of Sales or some shit. I'll put it out there now that I ain't got a clue what he's playing at there. The bloke doesn't have a reputation of being honest and I take no responsibility for whatever he's up to. You're lucky if even he takes responsibility for it," he said, glancing between Bruce and Alex. "What I do know, is he might find himself in the way if he stays there..."

Melanin-Gxdess (Alex) Bellz (Klaus, Roxie) Pyroclast (Syd, Bruce)