Re: SHOT in the Back

by Big Uri Mon Jul 30, 2012 3:26 pm

"Not surprised you got checked for the crazies," Lauren replied smoothly. His opinion of himself was lot lower than his brother's had been. It seemed prison had brought him back down to earth, or at least most of the way. It was a bit too early to say."Figured you might even get the chair, if I'm honest. That's something to be thankful for, eh Sieg? Anyway, I'm gonna have to search you for a weapon before I let you see Elena."

by Dobi Boshi Mon Jul 30, 2012 3:34 pm

"It's standard, really, everyone get tossed into some sort of therapy in the joint, or at least the folks on my block did. Personally the chair might have been the best thing for me, though that's the coward in me who wants an easy way out speaking. Death is always the easiest way out, the suffering is short, if you're lucky, now living - now that's the hard trick. I couldn't take it in the earlier years, though I'm use to the nightmares and stuff now.

"Didn't really seem to affect me when I was still loose the first time, never really stopped to think about it. It was from one crime to the next. But in prison all you can do is think and look at yourself, and what I saw when I looked at myself, what I had become to push Damon to that... it was horrifying." Siegrain continued talking, not even missing a beat as he ground to a halt, throwing up his arms and spreading his legs so Lauren could pad him down.

It was funny, the guards were always checking inmates for make shift weapons and the like. He was so use to it by now he didn't even care that he could have easily refused Lauren's search if he wanted. Though he didn't have anything on him, there was no point.

by Big Uri Mon Jul 30, 2012 3:50 pm

"That is the coward in you talking, I think," Lauren replied gently, beginning to pat him down, not really expecting to find anything. She didn't really care what he thought of her opinion, he didn't particularly matter to her. "I thought about it a few times during the worst years of my life, the times after I was discharged from the orphanage and before I joined the force. Nowadays I'm glad I didn't."

by Dobi Boshi Mon Jul 30, 2012 3:57 pm

"Well see," Seigrain murmured, "it's all about finding something to give you meaning. I don't have that right now, hoping this little chat with Elena will clear up things for me, then I can go and find my purpose. I sure as hell ain't planning on being one of Elena's puppets, anyway."

by Big Uri Mon Jul 30, 2012 4:05 pm

"Really? I thought that was exactly what you came her to become," Lauren replied, voice dripping with sarcasm. She finished patting him down, and stood up, smoothing down her skirt. She pointed at a house about halfway down the street, walking along towards it. She never really rushed, strutting along than looking particularly eager to get back. "Elena's working in there, she'll see you."

by Dobi Boshi Mon Jul 30, 2012 4:08 pm

"You go where the answers are, and sadly for me, Elena's the one's that got 'em." Siegrain muttered, slightly annoyed with Lauren's sarcasm. He'd been starting to like her, too. He'd never been one to appreciate sarcasm from other people. It was annoying. "Good luck with whatever it is you do around here," he shrugged, walking off towards the house that had been pointed.

"Let's get this over with," he sighed, banging on the door three times.

by Big Uri Mon Jul 30, 2012 7:39 pm

"I'm sorry, didn't mean to offend you," Lauren apologised, genuinely. She didn't need to care, she knew, but she still felt bad being needlessly mean to the man. He had been through a lot, after all. And she did feel the need to be friendly to everyone she met for as long as she could. It had started as a coping method, but she had passed that stage now, and didn't feel the need to resort to coping methods any more. She had cut down on her drinking quite a lot, too.

by Dobi Boshi Mon Jul 30, 2012 8:35 pm

Bakura stood before the large floor to roof window in his office. He wasn’t sure why, but over the years he had reigned as the mayor of Marisol he had taken to looking out the large window as a habit. It gave him some sense of comfort, knowing that all that dwelled bellow was under his heel; that nobody could reach up from the depths of the scum riddle city and try to take all he had worked so hard for from him.

Miss Pierce seems to think she has a shot at it, though, his eyebrows knitted together at the very thought. The women, he could not deny, was a brilliant puppet master, even on par with himself, but she lacked much of the influence he held thanks to his seat of power. If she is able to take out Nelson Ching as she plans and get a foot hold established as the leader of the Chings, she could prove extremely troublesome. Thankfully, he had everything worked out: he was ‘helping’ her get what she wanted and in exchange she would use the Chings to wipe out the de Luca’s and back his re-election, not that he needed it, but in making her think he did helped give off the illusion she held more power over him than she actually did.

Keep her arrogant and let her think she held the upper hand, it was how he’d defeated ex-mayor Donald Wilkins after all. The man thought he had it all won before the game was over. And whilst Bakura could not deny he himself was almost assured he had this battle already won, he had taken measures to ensure that any errors would not cripple him, he could take a few good hits before he was in real trouble.

But he was using his newest friends to play the families off against one another. He knew how they thought, by using his new friends to set both families against one other they’d start their war again, before his puppets blindsided them from the shadows as the third fraction. Both families would no doubt try to use the damage caused by his puppets as a way of gaining the upper hand over the other, only then would they turn on this new group who they’d probably see as insignificant for anything other than helping to beat down the other. It was what they’d done before, he’d done enough research and digging to know that much.

It’d all work out; he assured himself as he turned away from the window and headed for his desk.

Time to kick things off, I think, he decided, picking up the phone on his desk, quickly punching in a number and waiting out the ringing. After a few moments the phone on the other end was answered and he was greeted with a deep yet calm and jovial “Yes?”

“It’s Bakura,” he replied, walking around his desk and pulling his chair out, before dropping into it as he continued. “I wanted to check on things are progressing. I’d like to get everything started as soon as possible, if things go our way we can see this all finished and done with before Christmas.”

“Ah, yes, Mr Mayor,” the voice came again, still relaxed and chirper, “things are going well. As you predicted. Doctor Prescott has been working hard, he meet with you this morning, didn’t he?” Rhetorical, he knew in an instant. “But yes, the Orpheus Sphere is progressing nicely thanks to the money you’ve be supplying us with.”

Bakura frown; progressing nicely? He was paying them a small fortunes worth, with it the Sphere should have been completed and ready to go by now. He couldn’t really move without it either, Orpheus was his trump card.

Orpheus was a drug doctor Prescott had created a few years back, designed originally to act as a pain killer stronger than morphine: it had some unintended side effects.

The drug worked. All too well in fact. It seemed to cause a release of powerful endorphins in the brain that dulled the main senses whilst giving the user a sense of euphoria; the good doctor had described it as an enhanced orgasm, enhanced a hundred fold were his exact words, without the actual orgasm – a rather disturbing way to put it but in nonetheless helped to show just how powerful the drug was. But when it wore off, people came crashing down worse than a three week caffeine bender. It wasn’t pretty. They demanded more and more, taking it without regulation just to make the rush last longer, and it took more and more Orpheus each time to make it last.

In the end however it overloaded the brain, like a computer running to many programs at once it crashed. But there was no reboot button for this system crash. Completely and utter body shut down after the brain practically self-destructed on itself A nasty way to die – made even worse by the fact that due to the effects of Orpheus, people probably didn’t even realise they were dying.

Usually it was taken as a liquid, shot up through a needle into the arm like many other standard drugs. But the Orpheus Sphere was designed to hold a very special, enhanced version of the drug that came in a gas state. If anyone was exposed to the gas, even breathing a milliseconds worth of the stuff, they’d shoot up higher than the moon, and come back down to die as the self-destruct hit the brain full force, and because they’d experience it coming down off the drug, they’d feel every moment of the agonizing death.

It was with this little bomb that he was going to kill both families once and for all. He found it funny, he'd used the prototype to kill off Damon Karmts and now the by-product would destroy everything he'd pretty much died defending.

Of course, there would be collateral, but it was acceptable levels, enough that his popularity would not bomb because of it when this Orpheus attack ended up killing innocent people. But, as the hero Marisol wanted him to be, he would weep and declared that their deaths did not lack meaning, that they were heroes who had suffered a horrible fate to ensured that the families would die with them.

It would get him re-elected for sure.

But back on track, however; “How soon until it’s finished?”

“Fear not, Mr Mayor, the Orpheus Sphere will be completed on schedule, I can assure you that.”

“Good,” he nodded to himself, if it was still on schedule then he could still start his move, a little slower than ideal but at least he could still start. “You and your brother are clear for your other duties. Make sure and get it done right, I don’t accept failures.”

There was a long pause, and Bakura had to wonder if he’d pushed a button of some sorts. He hadn’t planned on doing that at this stage, not with this man at least, he’d do it later when his and his brother’s usefulness had dried up and he no longer needed them. Until then he didn’t want to anger them as to keep them in line.

“But of course!” There it was, but despite the ease and delight with which his conversation partner spoke, Bakura was smart enough to know there was something else there. He’d have to keep an eye on both of them. The reason he had to calibrate for mistakes was because of this man and his brother after all. They were dangerous if not managed correctly. Very dangerous.

“Very well, I’ll let you get to it.” And with that, Bakura hung up.

Reclining in his chair he allowed himself putting his feet up on the desk, he flicked on the TV, already reports of lower level Chings and de Luca's attacking one another were rolling in, the attack had only been a handful of hours ago, too. The peons had jumped the gun for a chance to earn extra credit and shoot up a rank or three, just as he had suspected and neither side would forgive murder of their men, regardless of who started the fight in the first place. And off in the distant streets of Marisol he could hear sirens again. Sirens like four years ago.

All according to plan...

---

"What a fool," Bakura's contact from the other side of the phone thought to himself as the so-called mayor of Marisol hung up. Whistling to himself, he swaggered out from the little make-shift office he'd made for himself and his brother, staring out at a few of their best men who where sat around, cleaning their weapons and conversing quietly. Yes, yes things were moving along as scheduled indeed. "Well then," he announced himself, addressing everyone present, including the two assailants from the attack on Andrea's apartment building, "shall we get to work?"

---

OoC: Holy shit, Batman, plot development! And also an overview of what exactly Orpheus is and what it does to a person. Remember it, it'll get more and more important later on.

by that fang Mon Jul 30, 2012 10:20 pm

"So how is this going to go?" Myrrh asked softly, now at de Luca HQ. Dominick swiveled his chair so that his back faced his bodyguard. Myrrh wasn't too offended; he knew that Dom was trying to hide his expressions, and that knowledge enough revealed it all.

"I sent Genevra away," Dom said after a brief silence consisting of him staring at the wall and Myrrh staring at the back of his chair. "I'm not risking her health now. She's in a private hospital in Luxembourg."

"I suppose Carlotta won't know this," Myrrh guessed. The teenage girl had given up visiting her mother after the clan wars concluded; Genevra's amnesia would not be reversing. Similarly, the girl had discarded her memories of her father, deciding her family would include only those who'd raised her.

"No, she won't. I want to keep her out of the line of fire. Andrea too," he added after careful deliberation. "I don't know how reasonable that is, considering her background and upbringing, but I want to try."

"Such orders have never been given before," his bodyguard mused. "Especially in the face of this...discovery." Betrayal, he wanted to say, but they had no solid evidence, and Dom didn't need any more pressure. The assault had not only insulted the de Luca pride, but also provided an opportune moment for the de Lucas to strike back - and most of their clan members wanted to retaliate. The younger members wanted to participate in a war they'd not gotten a chance to taste last time, maybe make a name for themselves; the older members knew what this would lead to, but had grown up embracing such chaos. Precious few de Lucas supported an option less than full out war.

Suddenly, Dom spun around and slammed his fist into the desk. The neatly stacked pile of folders on the edge of said desk fell to the ground in flurries of loose papers. Neither man acknowledged this.

"I'm sick of this peace," Dom ground out. "I'm sick of it all." Myrrh nodded in understanding. "Can you believe it? Dominick de Luca! The head of the clan, servants, slaves, and riches all a finger's snap away. You lead a life of luxury; there are so many people out there starving and selling themselves on the streets; Dominick, why, you have it all." What had started out as a snarled rant quickly deteriorated into sarcastic ramblings. Myrrh was glad no one was present save himself; their leader going off the deep end would certainly put a damper on morale. Of course, Myrrh was used to such things. The de Luca line was not foreign to insanity, after all.

Dom placed his elbows against his desk, his hands cradling his forehead. "I wasn't raised like this," he admitted quietly. "I was heir, yes, but I wasn't ever taught to deal with this. Father was never supposed to step down, and if he was killed, the only thing we thought I needed was a gun. I don't know how to save a clan intent on throwing themselves into war. Tact, leadership, control, ambition - what am I supposed to do, Myrrh?"

The bodyguard walked forward, somehow producing a throwing knife from the folds of his clothing. The design on the hilt was extravagant, the whole blade silver in hue. It was a work of master craftsmanship, probably costing an arm and a leg. Dom recognized it instantly. "This is...from that time, isn't it?"

"Keep it," Myrrh advised. "I have many more." Dom reached out and accepted the knife from the man's calloused fingers. Myrrh Fabloue's famed throwing knives. "You're a good guy," Myrrh continued, holding onto the hilt of the knife for a fraction of a second before relinquishing his grip. "The de Luca clan has accepted you as a leader, and while they may waver, ultimately they look to you for instruction. They trust you, just like they trusted your father. You were infinitely lucky you were born a de Luca - don't protest," he said as Dom opened his mouth. "Because you are Dominick de Luca, you will never, ever be alone."

Dom relaxed into his chair. He exhaled evenly. "Some tea would be nice, Myrrh."

The bodyguard offered the ghost of a smile and busied himself with the request. As Myrrh fiddled with electronic tea maker off to the side of the room, Dom made his decision.

"Surveillance," he said. Myrrh shot a short glance at him. "I want it increased on and in the Ching compound. Find out what Ching is doing. I want more guys in the police force, and get some of those hitmen out of retirement. The de Luca won't take this standing down. An accident. That's what we'll call this." He grimaced to himself. He knew Andrea would probably be upset that this was all he was doing. An accident. Any dimwit with half a brain cell could tell it was an attack. "Training regiment gone wrong. Give them the benefit of the doubt." Dom nodded to himself, and it was clear that he was talking about the Chings. "But we'll be ready. If another attack comes, we'll be ready, and I swear to any god who will listen, if any more de Luca blood is spilled on this sorry excuse for a goddamn war, I will see to it that all of Marisol remembers why they once lived in terror of our name."

He found himself surprisingly worked up, and as Myrrh approached him with a plastic cup bearing his tea. Dom forced himself to breathe. "Go home, Myrrh."

Myrrh's eyes widened. "Sir? This is hardly time for--"

"You've your orders, Fabloue," Dom snapped. He composed himself. "Just...go home. Get some rest. See to it that Andrea is comfortable. I hate to say it, but I'll be needing you later. For now, I can deal with HQ by myself."

Myrrh saluted, half out of reverence, half out of amused reminiscence. "Yessir." He turned away to walk out (something he'd not done since he'd been in grade school and hadn't known any better), and Dom smiled at his back before turning to pick up his papers.

...

Since his house wasn't very far from HQ, Myrrh walked home, his stolen vehicle parked unceremoniously in the first empty parking lot he found. He let himself in, finding the door unlocked, and made a mental note to reprimand Carlotta later. The door to the basement was wide open. Myrrh wagered this would be where he'd find Carlotta and her (his?) company.

"I'm home," he called down the staircase, taking off his coat and moving to the closet to hang it up.

Carlotta started at Myrrh's voice. He very rarely came home before dark, signalling that something was very, very right or very, very wrong. Picking up Max with some difficulty, she approached the stairs.

by MrMissMrs Random Mon Jul 30, 2012 10:31 pm

"Put me down!" Max said with a pout, his face turning red in embarrasment.

"Back already?" Adnrea commented out loud, walking after 'Lotta. I wonder what Dom said...

by that fang Mon Jul 30, 2012 10:39 pm

"I'm practicing lifting weights," Carlotta told the red-faced toddler. "That way, I'll be stronger." Nonetheless, she put Max down after scaling the stairs. Myrrh was walking back from the coat closet.

"I trust you've all settled in, then?" he asked Andrea. He ran his fingers through his hair, feeling exposed in his t-shirt and jeans and wishing the thermostat was set a bit higher.

by MrMissMrs Random Mon Jul 30, 2012 10:46 pm

"I'm not that heavy." The little boy remarked, before running around once more.

Andrea nodded. "More or less. 'Lotta offered to get us some groceries. Both of you will have to get used to eating home cooked meals." She joked, before her face turned serious once more.

"How is Dom?"

by that fang Mon Jul 30, 2012 10:58 pm

"Well, I'm pretty weak," Carlotta informed Max. She then turned her attentions to the adults. "Could I get that list, by the way? Since Myrrh's here, I should be able to get those groceries before dinner."

Myrrh raised an eyebrow at her home-cooked meal comment, especially since his idea of dinner was whatever he could scavenge from the fridge (usually something atrociously sweet, since Carlotta did the shopping).

"Dom is...getting along," Myrrh allowed. "It's hard on him, you know. All these changes, so quickly; he's only barely hanging on. But he's a de Luca, and you know, they go down swinging." He paused. "Don't do anything dumb, Andrea. That's what Dom wants to say. You've got a life now, so don't throw it away for something dumb like the conflict."

by MrMissMrs Random Mon Jul 30, 2012 11:34 pm

"Oh," Max took one o 'Lotta's arms and lifted it up and down. "Noodle arms!"

Andrea frowned at this. She knew that it would be bad if she got back into the conflict if it started up again, when now she had so much more to lose. It's still my family though...

"Tell Dom that I'm not the little kid who believes in fairytales anymore, Myrrh." The woman frowned, before turning to Carlotta. "Karl and I will get that to you in a couple of minutes."

She walked back down the stairs to where Karl was. "We should get that list made up."

by Ra The BlazeWingPhoenix Tue Jul 31, 2012 12:13 am

"I'll get on that now," Karl offered to her, since he had nothing else to do and was going to let them talk it out. Att he moment, he wasn't that happy... He just wanted something to do.

by that fang Tue Jul 31, 2012 11:02 am

Carlotta lifted Max up again in one quick motion, spinning him around, and then setting him back down on the hard wood floor. "This...is harder than it looks," she confided, rubbing her arms.

"That's what he's afraid of," Myrrh murmured to himself. He shrugged at the girl and leaned back against the wall. "We didn't find anything definite at the crime scene, so Dom is calling this an accident. We'll pretend nothing happened."

by MrMissMrs Random Tue Jul 31, 2012 11:05 am

"Wee!" Max laughed as he was spun, before stumbleling back onto the ground and falling, though he quickly picked himself up. When he ehard Dom's words he didn't understand a bit of it, but he got the basic facts. "But they blew up our house!"

by that fang Tue Jul 31, 2012 11:15 am

Myrrh glanced at the child, but he was embarrassingly inept at dealing with children. "Uh, yeah, they did," he said, clearly uncomfortable. "But see, we don't know who did it, so we can't do anything."

by Stabberz Wed Aug 01, 2012 10:05 am

Ethan continued speeding, completely oblivious to Lena's pleas. His eyes glazed were narrowed and he swung the bike through a red light and began to swerve in and out of the oncoming traffic. The faster they got into de Luca territory the faster he could see the only blood relative he had left.

Andrea was meant to have been the one of the best at one point. Damon had certainly had a lot of faith in her. How the hell had she not been prepared for what was going to happen.

This along with other thoughts were nagging at his head as he swerved the bike at dangerous speeds through the streets. Despite the inferiority complex there was one thing that Ethan knew. He was a much better biker than Damon ever was.

----

Elena frowned slightly as she watched all the proceedings over the CCTV that was installed everywhere. The microphone that she'd secretly placed on Lauren also helped her keep track of the conversation.

"So he thinks I have a weakness..." She mused aloud. "I may have a bond but it doesn't mean I won't throw it away..."

---

OOC: Back by popular demand~

by MrMissMrs Random Wed Aug 01, 2012 12:11 pm

Max frowned. He wanted the police who did it quickly and put them in jail forever!

by Big Uri Wed Aug 01, 2012 1:45 pm

Lauren stepped past Siegrain carefully, managing to stay on the path with difficulty while still not touching him. She pulled out a set of keys, opening the door to the house for their guest. She looked around to see if anything was out of place, before pointing to Elena's door for him.

"Honey, we're home," she sing-singed jokingly.

by Dobi Boshi Wed Aug 01, 2012 3:00 pm

"Funny, that's what I was going to say," Siegrain murmured, walking in behind Lauren, "though, y'know, only with more sarcasm and resentment."

---

OoC: Honestly not joking, that's what I was going to put before I saw Uri's post. xD

by Book the Hero Wed Aug 01, 2012 5:58 pm

Lena groaned as Ethan just ignored her. If they weren't on a speeding motorcycle right now, she'd probably have slapped him by now. With a sigh, she returned to the headset. "He's not responding!" She responded to Lila, yelling over all the noise.

by Stabberz Wed Aug 01, 2012 6:01 pm

Elena turned impassively before letting her own traditional smirk fall onto her face. Her icy cool eyes narrowed as she scrutinised Lauren and Stefan.

She reached for her glass and poured some of the drink down her throat.

"What can I do you for?" She queried her eyes taking note of every breath and movement.

by Dobi Boshi Wed Aug 01, 2012 6:26 pm

"You mean you weren't listening in on us?" Siegrien asked, raising an eyebrow in disbelief. "Alright, I'll play along: long time no see Elena, I'd rather not be here, but I've got some questions and you're probably the person with answers."

---

"Oh, he'll respond, when I shove my foot up his ass!" Lila screeched down the phone. "You hear me, Ethan!? This isn't your fight and it has nothing to do with you you stay out of it!"

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