|
Post by captainjeanlucpicard on Jul 3, 2017 21:10:46 GMT -5
Calvin
Beatrice was a beautiful girl. At 21 years of age, her skin was vibrant and her breasts supple. She also had flowing red curls to complement her piercing green eyes. Most importantly, she was not only one of Maria's best talents, but Calvin's favorite pastime aside from being a criminal. Beatrice wasn't particularly fond of him - not of any of her clients, really - but played the part of starry-eyed admirer beautifully.
In one of the many private rooms in the basement of the Golden Goblet, the pair shared a brief moment after finishing their initial business.
"Are you speaking tonight, Calvin?! I do so love to hear your words... They're just so REMARKABLY inspiring. I don't think that Darwin gives you enough credit, you know." As he buttoned the rest of his shirt, Beatrice let her hands glide over the tops of his shoulders before caressing that special spot on the back of his neck. She leaned forward, whispering, "Maybe tonight I'll come upstairs to watch you, would you like that? You can pick out my undergarments." She gave a devilish smirk.
"No, no," Calving started, "While that would be lovely, I love my wife, and I don't think parading you in front of her would do either of us any good. You certainly do look lovely in that black pair, though - the lace ones. Not that you're ever in them for very long when I'm around." He finished tying his tie, gave Beatrice a generous tip before leaving, and exited the basement.
"Hello, everyone, hello. I'm sure you're all aware of who I am by now." The groups of dancers, drinkers, and minglers took a few seconds quieting down. Calvin waited with a brazen smile decorating his lips. "I don't have a lot to say tonight, just a few words of appreciation for everyone who has made tonight possible. First, I must thank my dear friend Fletcher Darwin and my wife Emilia. Those two are constantly at my side, and almost as essential to the Golden Bulls as myself. Almost." He grinned.
"Additionally, thanks are obligatory for the leaders and members of the Silver Rats and Spiders. I admit, your names escape me at the moment - I've never been good with them and," He gives a hearty laugh, "I've already had the pleasure of enjoying several drinks tonight." Dissenting whispers arose from the audience, with more than a dozen people clearly agitated at the lack of respect.
A harsh buzzing noise fills the rooms, the lights violently flicker and die, and pitch black surrounds everyone in the room... stirring tensions to a breaking point.
|
|
|
Post by alicia on Jul 4, 2017 4:08:11 GMT -5
Clarence
Clarence took small sips of his champagne as he hung back and watched the celebration. He was not, as a general rule, inclined to getting himself drunk and and then dancing nearly half-naked on a table-like the gaggle of young women to his right, for example. Clarence grimaced and turned away, dumping out the rest of the champagne into a potted plant near the side of the room. He didn't like wasting the expensive drink, but he hated alcohol. Before, alcohol had been fine; he indulged now and then as all young men do, but that was about it. After his time with the Silk Skulls, though, he couldn't stand the stuff.
He couldn't stand loud, extravagant parties like this one after his time with the Silk Skulls, either. Yet here he was. Ms. Smith had requested that he attend (it was a request, mind you, not an order), so he had agreed. For what reason, he didn't know. Perhaps because she valued his insight on this...madhouse. In any case, Clarence would have done anything for Helen Smith, so he came. Even if he knew that he would feel really, really, really uncomfortable.
Clarence faded into the background, like he always did. He was quite good at that, actually. It was perhaps the trait that Ms. Smith valued the most. That, and his uncanny ability for remembering everything. He looked around-Jacqueline Reynolds was about ten feet away from him, looking decidedly out of place, while Helen Smith had made her way to the other side of the room. She was talking to two young men wearing fancy suits; Golden Bulls, most likely. I wonder what she wants with them, thought Clarence absentmindedly as he spotted Margaret Fitzpatrick and Maria Moretti conversing some distance away.
They were sent by Calvin Bates to talk business, Helen replied silently, almost as if she could read his thoughts. Oh, wait-she actually could.
Clarence arched an eyebrow. Right now? And here? Goodness, I don't see how you'd even be able to hear each other talk. What did you say to them?
I told them-very, very politely, of course-to fuck off.
Clarence suppressed a short of laughter. Meanwhile, Helen continued. Who the hell does Calvin Bates think he is, sending his cronies to talk "business" with me? I told them I'd speak to him or Darwin, and him or Darwin only. Both of them at the same time, if Calvin preferred. A pause. Speaking of Mr. Bates, he'll be giving his speech soon. According to Madame Moretti's thoughts, he's downstairs with one of her whores right now.
Clarence turned to the front of the room, keeping an eye out for the face man and "leader" of the Golden Bulls. Of course, Darwin's true role in the gang was a closely guarded secret, but nothing was a secret from Helen Smith. He knew that Helen preferred speaking with Darwin over Calvin-she wholeheartedly disapproved of Calvin, if only because his manners were "absolutely horrid".
Calvin Bates appeared, and Clarence listened attentively as he started speaking. Then, Helen's voice in his head-
Mrs. Fitzpatrick is going to cut the electricity. Be ready for anything.
|
|
|
Post by Dalton on Jul 4, 2017 18:24:41 GMT -5
Margaret Fitzpatrick
"Maria!" Margaret exclaimed as embraced her and then kissed each other on the cheeks, "You look like you're dying of boredom my dear, why don't we have some fun?" Margaret asked Maria, as she sheepishly grinned in excitement. "Oh god please!" Maria said excited, she knew Ms.Fitzpatrick would have some kind of scheme prepared for tonight "What do you have in mind?" "You know how tonight is the second anniversary of peace?" Margaret asked, "During Calvin's speech tonight, I'm going to show how much of an illusion that peace truly is!" The two women giggled, Margaret took Maria by the arm and lead her to a fuse box in the back of the building.
The women waited for Calvin to begin speaking then put her hand on the fuse box. "Wait!" Maria said "Let Calvin finish his speech... he might actually make things worse for himself!" Margaret smiled at her friend's stroke of genius, then got into position for the fireworks to explode
Louis Judge
Calvin wrapped up his speech and the around broke out into applause. "Arrogant prick" Louis muttered under his breath, as he saw looked over and saw Antonio giving him a side eye from across the room. Louis gave a coy smile to Antonio before he turned his head over to Helen, the leader of the spiders, who did not seem enthused about the speech either.
Then the lights went out...
Louis and just about everyone in the room went into full panic mode, Louis pulled a revolver out of coat pocket with his left hand and a hatchet off his belt with his right hand, he could not believe the audacity of the Golden Bulls to deceive the gangs of New Cordova tonight. Louis' mentor, and the previous leader of the Silver Rats, believed in a philosophy of victory without fighting. It was a long shot but Louis figured he had to give rousing speech that might convince the Calvin and Darwin otherwise. He looked around the poorly lit room to see everyone pointing guns and various other sneakily brought in weapons at each other.
"Silver Rats! Do not fire until we are fired upon first! Show them we do not fear death! Stomp the Rats out tonight and we will leave a plague upon the mighty bull and it will bleed and die along with us! Listen excuse for men, this fight you can not win! Fear me or die by our hand!
The silver rats in the room began cheering and yelling
|
|
|
Post by Aliswag on Jul 6, 2017 10:39:41 GMT -5
She had been enjoying herself immensely. Her fellow Rats were being as delightful as ever, telling jokes that would make even a sailor blush and sharing their drinks with one another. Ginny never felt out of place with them, they did not care that she enjoyed the company of women, they did not care that she was unlady-like or uneducated, and they treated her with the respect that she had earned on the streets. Most people just looked at her boyish clothes and uncouth laugh and then treated her like she was a little girl. Most people did not know she could kill them with her pinky finger. (Well, she figured she could kill them with her pinky finger, she had never actually tried to do that). But their joy was interrupted by the leader of the Golden Bulls, in all of his arrogant glory. Her fists tightened ever so slightly at the blatant disrespect that the pathetic leader of the Golden Bull showed to Louis. Not remembering his name? How could anyone meet Louis and forget him? Perhaps she was biased due to her fondness and loyalty to her leader, but she found that he was a memorable person. Not many men of his color had any semblance of power, even in the city. Tuning out the rest of the speech, Ginny drank heartily from her flask while he spoke. It was pure gin, as was her typical drink of choice. It wasn’t due to irony, but by how cheap gin had always been and how easy it was to conceal. Unless you were close enough to smell it or tasted it yourself, it typically looked as if she was drinking water. Not that she often drank in public. As the speech came to an end, something buzzed and zapped loudly, and then the entire room went black. She stood and got into a fighting stance, relaxing a bit when she heard Louis’s voice calling for them to remain calm and clever. But then a voice, a voice too posh and too privileged to have come from any Spider or Rat uttered a particularly nasty word about Louis. A word that made her blood curdle and rage rise up in her throat like bile. She turned towards the voice, ready to kill the man the moment the lights came up. The tingling in her blood told her that a force field was around her skin, courtesy of Tony, good. She could hurt others, but nobody could touch her. Antonio When the lights went out, Antonio forgot all about Florence, except for her squeaking little scream of fear. Why would a girl who consorts with the Golden Bulls be so afraid of the lights going dead during a party on their own turf? Although it was likely stupid, and although it would cause near excruciating pain, he envisioned the room, particularly the placement of Louis and his wife as well as the placement of his sister. He knew where they were, he knew how they would react and what they would do. Pushing out his energy, pushing out the force field that protected against all manners of knives, bullets, and fists, he felt as if someone was shoving nails into his skin. The pain was nearly blinding, but he kept concentrated, feeling comforted by his closest friend’s voice. If anyone hurt his family, Tony would not rest until everyone involved was dead. But hopefully he would not have to ever do that. After all, he had a force field, and the others? They had no clue.
|
|
|
Post by alicia on Jul 19, 2017 14:54:17 GMT -5
Maria
If there was one thing Maria could appreciate about Margaret Fitzpatrick, it was her penchant for crashing parties of any kind.
She just made everything so much more interesting.
Calvin's speech was as uninteresting as expected, and his not-so-subtle dig at the Spiders and Silver Rats was stupid, but also expected. Maria glanced in Helen Smith's direction-she looked as haughty as ever, with not a hair out of place. She wasn't able to locate Louis Judge before the lights went out, thanks to Margaret.
Margaret was truly so wonderfully amusing, sometimes.
Chaos enveloped the Golden Goblet. Maria stayed put with Margaret and simply observed, reveling in the madness. She could hear Rats accusing Bulls and Bulls accusing Rats (but nothing from the Spiders, because they never got directly involved, and Helen Smith was a boring, prissy old woman anyway).
Just then, Maria felt someone bump into her, accompanied by a startled "oh!". In the darkness, she could barely make out the face of Jacqueline Reynolds, an older woman who ran an inn.
"Ms. Reynolds. What a surprise. I was not expecting you to attend, if I am to be perfectly honest. These parties do not seem to be very, ah, enjoyable for you," Maria said sweetly.
Jackie gave Maria and Margaret a small, strained smile. "Yes, well, I am not quite sure why I came myself," she replied, chuckling softly. "Everyone was getting drunk and it was rather...uncivilized. Everyone was forgetting their manners. And, well, after the lights went out-" Jackie's eyes strayed to the fuse box, and Maria and Margaret's proximity to it-"I decided that I'd had more than enough excitement for one night. It's back to the inn for me." She laughed.
She knows, but she won't say anything, because it would be too "rude", thought Maria. Oh, my sweet, sweet Jacqueline. Some day, you will have to pick a side. Make sure it's the right one, hmm?
"Well, have a good night then, Ms. Reynolds," replied Maria. "Get home safely."
Jackie smiled at Maria. "Thank you, Ms. Moretti. Have a good night." And with that, she was gone. Maria watched he retreating form for a moment. Her hair was too long to be considered "fashionable", as was her dress. But then again, Maria despised flappers. So Jackie's fashion choices were alright, if not ideal.
The chaos and confusion continued. "You know, Margaret," began Maria out loud, "I've half a mind to tell you a secret about Calvin Bates, seeing as he's probably the most irritating person on this earth," she said with a sly smile. "I'm not sure if you're already aware, actually, but let's just say that Mr. Bates isn't always the most faithful of husbands."
Maria leaned in closer, lowering her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. "There's this girl named Beatrice who I picked up from the dockside after she did some work for me," she began. "Wild red hair, eyes that will break your heart. Young, too-only twenty-one." She paused delicately. "She also happens to be our darling Mr. Bates' favorite."
"Do with this information as you will, but you didn't hear it from me." Maria winked playfully, her eyes dancing. Revealing the Bulls' secrets was truly one of her favorite pastimes.
Clarence
The lights abruptly flickered off. Clarence immediately began searching for Margaret Fitzpatrick, who was reportedly responsible for all of this.
Have you seen Mr. Darwin? Helen's calm, silent voice cut through the chaos like a knife.
Clarence cast his eyes around quickly, and when he failed to spot the Bulls' "second-in-command", he shook his head (even though Helen wouldn't be able to seem him doing so). No, I have not. Why?
A thoughtful pause. Then:
He can manipulate electricity as well. I was wondering where he was, actually. He does not seem to be in here with the rest of us. Mr. Bates thinks that he's in one of the back rooms.
Clarence frowned slightly. Interesting. Well, we already knew that he did not like these events very much. They're just an excuse for Calvin Bates to show off his wealth, after all.
Very true, my dear Mr. Roberts. Very true, indeed. Helen fell silent for a moment. In any case, there will be plenty to write about for tomorrow's paper. We should have enough sales in the next month or so to renovate your office building. Lord knows you need it-that place is absolutely filthy.
Clarence chuckled quietly to himself. Smugglers aren't always the cleanest of people, I find, Ms. Smith. Especially after they've been at sea for a couple weeks.
Hmm, you have a point, but nevertheless, we must try. Now, what the hell is going on?
I was wondering the same, Ms. Smith. I was wondering the same.
|
|
|
Post by Dalton on Jul 25, 2017 18:44:59 GMT -5
Margaret
"Well isn't that a useful bit of information" Margaret said as she smiled at her friend, "Never worry, I would never sell you out... who would I have fun with at these gatherings without you." Margaret and Maria watch Jacqueline walk towards the exit of the club, "It's a shame she holds hersel "Step 1 of my plan is complete, the rift has been shown between the Rats and the Bulls, now thanks to this wonderful piece of information that Maria gave me, I can get exactly what I want out of Calvin..." f back she could truly be such a strong woman" Margaret admitted, then turned to watch Louis Judge yell his usually preachy bullshit.
Louis
Feeling his skin tingle he knew that Antonio was using his powers to protect him, Louis always loved Antonio for his loyalty. Besides his wife and child, Gianna and Antonio are the closest family that he had. They are more than just soldiers and work associates, Antonio was one of the few people that could truly console Louis after the death of Cornelius White, the father figure that Louis prayed he'd have in his life as a child.
The lights flashed back on to a scene of confusion among the crowd, each side was waiting for the other one to attack but neither wanted to strike first.
"The fuse box must have blown out" Helen yelled trying to get everyone to put their damn guns down.
Louis scanned the room to see Gianna in a physical altercation with some bougie Golden Bull. "Gianna!" he yelled! as he jumped off the bar counter and rushed to pull her back, "It's not worth it! Killing him for his mouth makes us no better than them!" She was roughly 100x stronger than him, that's a testament to her strength as he is a governmentally produced super solider.
"Come on Gianna, this isn't worth starting a war over, let's go back to the Silver Sewer and get out of this mess" He pleaded with her
|
|
|
Post by Aliswag on Jul 27, 2017 16:25:27 GMT -5
Gianna
She had been filled with a rage when Louis had grabbed her, but after a split second, she knew he was right. Her entire body had relaxed and she let him pull her away. Now, after some time away from those disgusting bourgeoisie bulls, Ginny still was full of desire for revenge on that man. She had even gotten one of her... associates... to get her his name and address. Yes, she would show him what it meant to disrespect Louis, she would show him what the payment is for being an utterly insufferable prick. But there wasn't time for that, in fact, Ginny was already running late for a meeting with Louis, Tony, and the Spiders. Their help would be paramount in destroying the Bulls once and for all. She could feel the weight of the jewels and riches on her body.
Breathing in deeply, she continued her travels through the city, her high waisted pin-striped pants and gray button down shirt felt constricting, and the jacket she had on to hide her weaponry was slightly warm for her tastes. But she would rather always be slightly masculine than feminine. She hated being underestimated, despised feeling like those around her thought of her as weak. As well as that, Ginny wanted the world to see that she was just as serious about her line of unsavory work as any man. All in all, Ginny desired three things in life; a broad, some gold, and most importantly, respect.
As she turned another corner, Gin felt her body slam into someone else. She tensed, eyes assessing the woman in front of her.
Antonio
He stood near Louis, the weight of his two pistols digging into his hips. There was a certain exhaustion to Tony that day, although it did not stop him from constantly scanning the area for threats. He never could truly predict when someone would do something dangerous, and it was his responsibility to keep Louis safe. As he always did and always would.
"Gin is late, as always," Tony said testily, although his eyes crinkled with warmth. "Perhaps if we lied and told her that there was a thieving job here, she would have come sooner." Next to him, he heard Louis chuckle softly. Although both of them were on edge about the meeting, they remained relaxed with each other, as they always were. How could Tony not be loyal to the sharpshooter who was like a brother to him? As the seconds on his watch ticked by, his thoughts went oddly to the washing girl, Florence. Her parents had been good people, but then again, so had his parents.
Life was never fair, he thought bitterly, although it could be better and more fair, if those fucking Golden Bulls were all dead.
|
|
|
Post by alicia on Jul 27, 2017 20:02:29 GMT -5
Clarence
After the lights came back on, the party proceeded as it had, with an excess of both alcohol and noise. But even the most expensive champagne in the world couldn't soothe the tensions that Calvin Bates had pushed to the breaking point. There was a sinking feeling in Clarence's gut-a war was coming. And this time, it would not be of his making.
1923
Clarence and Mr. Earl Jones, one of the leaders of the Silk Skulls, arrived at the meeting place-one of the speakeasies owned by the Skulls. Helen Smith, the leader of the Spiders, was already there. She was a veritable battle-axe of a woman, with flinty ocean-blue eyes and a mind like a steel trap (or so they said, anyway). Clarence had also heard rumors that she was a telepath, capable of reading thoughts, the same way that Earl Jones was inhumanly strong. He supposed that there was no way to find out for sure, but...
"Ms. Smith," Jones greeted, taking a sip of the champagne that had miraculously appeared at their table. "Would you care for anything to drink?"
Helen spared the champagne bottle a glance. "No, thank you, Mr. Jones, but it was very kind of you to offer."
Jones grinned at her-all teeth and no mirth. "Suit yourself, Helen. Suit yourself." He took another sip of the champagne.
The two began to discuss what they were there to discuss. Clarence listened carefully, taking notes as he could. Whatever he didn't note down, he purposefully remembered-Clarence was capable of remembering everything that he read, saw, or heard.
As they talked, Clarence bit his lip and implemented the first stage of his plan. He would not live under the constant threat of Jones's abuse forever. Could not.
Clarence thought about everything that Jones had done to him. All the humiliation and degradation, all the bruises and broken bones and pain. He vividly remembered the previous night, and a shiver of fear ran through him. Jones was drinking champagne; a lot of champagne. It would be the same tonight.
He then thought about the beginnings of a plan to overthrow the Skulls. It was a dangerous plan, this one, but he hoped that with the help of the Spiders, it could be done. The Bulls were angry. The Rats had always been tetchy, and they would be furious after Clarence convinced Jones to crack down on them.
Finally, he appealed directly to the sharp-eyed woman. Please, Ms. Smith, help me. The Skulls can be gone for good-you know as well as I do that you are not getting any fair deals out of them tonight.
The discussion was getting nowhere. Clarence risked a glance at the leader of the Spiders; she appeared as impassive as ever, making no indication that she had registered Clarence's pleas. Had he been wrong all along? It was only a rumor that she was a telepath, after all.
Then, suddenly-"If you would allow me to speak to your accountant, perhaps we could come up with a more balanced trade deal, one that we can both agree on. We will, of course, run it through you for approval." Clarence's heart was in his throat.
Jones looked at Clarence as if seeing him for the first time. "Oh. Y'want to speak with Clarence?" He waved his hand. "Go on, then."
Helen pursed her lips. "Very well. Mr...?"
"Roberts," Clarence supplied helpfully. "Though Clarence is fine as well."
"Mr. Roberts, then. Do you realize how much money it truly takes to be importing all of these...goods?" Helen's eyes scanned over the half-faded bruises that decorated Clarence's face.
What will I receive in return?
Clarence almost jumped out of his skin as a voice pierced through his thoughts, as clearly as if it was spoken audibly. He abruptly glanced up at Helen, though her face was unreadable.
Clarence nodded slowly. "Yes, Ms. Smith. I do indeed. Could you perhaps give me an approximate sum, to see how much I must work with?"
Anything you want. Anything.
"That information is confidential, Mr. Roberts." Helen's voice was as cold as ice.
Clarence detected a light hint of amusement in her silent words. Tsk, tsk. Be careful with that kind of language, my good sir. What if I prove to be just as bad as Mr. Jones here?
Clarence inclined his head. "I understand."
Pardon me for being forward, Ms. Smith, but I sincerely doubt that you are 'just as bad' as Mr. Jones.
Helen nodded. "Just know that it requires a very, very large sum of money."
A silent laugh inside his head. You know much about me, I see. Well, I cannot say that I am not against the idea of ousting the Skulls. But you seem to have the situation under control, with the Bulls and the Rats. Nevertheless...I am always willing to engage in this petty gang warfare if I reap some reward from it.
"Of course, Ms. Smith. With all due respect, I, too, would also have you know that running an establishment such as this one is not without its associated costs," replied Clarence.
Please. Whatever you desire. Money, information...anything.
This time it was Helen's turn to incline her head. "As does any profitable venture, my good sir."
I am fond of information, mmm. Fine. You get me Maria Moretti in a place were I can easily read her thoughts and dig through every inch of her head, along with every scrap of classified information that you can get your hands on, and we have a deal.
"So it seems we are at an impasse. I propose that we go forward with the initial cost that Jones has offered to pay, and we also give some percentage of the speakeasy's earnings back to you. Is that fair?"
Clarence wasn't surprised by Helen's request. Maria Moretti was a mistress of information, second only to Helen Smith herself. And even Ms. Smith's telepathy had its limitations.
That can be arranged. Is there anything else?
Helen laughed. "Why, it depends on the percentage, of course, Mr. Roberts."
A pause. Clarence felt a slight shifting at the back of his head. Images flashed through his mind like pages in a book. He surmised that Helen was looking through his memories. He relaxed and let her do so.
Hmm. I want you, too, I suppose.
"I understand, Ms. Smith. Perhaps five percent to start?"
You want me? Whatever for?
Helen snorted derisively. "Fifteen, or nothing."
I suspect that you're the real reason why the Skulls have become so profitable. What a shame. Your talents are wasted with these brutes. I assure you, Mr. Roberts, that you will be treated with the utmost politeness and respect if you come to us after the Skulls are eliminated, and you would be doing much of what you have been doing for the Skulls for the past few years...minus everything that Mr. Jones has inflicted upon you, of course. I would offer you the position right now, but it seems that Jones has you trapped. Threatened your family, did he, hmm? How crude of him.
"Ms. Smith, please be reasonable."
I...I have never thought about it that way. Clarence mulled over this for a moment. He did like working with numbers. Alright. I accept.
Helen narrowed her eyes, turning her focus to Jones. "What is not reasonable is Earl Jones showing up late, getting drunk, then forcing me to speak to his subordinates. I will not stand for this. Good evening, gentlemen." And with that, Ms. Helen Smith grandly swept out of the speakeasy.
Good, good. I suspect that this deal will be most profitable for both of us, Mr. Roberts. Most profitable, indeed.
1925-Present Day
Clarence glanced towards Maria as he forced himself back to the present. If she knew that he'd gotten her father to frame her for a crime she didn't commit just so that Helen Smith could comb through her mind for anything of use while she was stuck in a jail cell, well...she'd most likely kiss him angrily.
And with Maria, any kiss was deadly enough to kill.
"Are you ready to go, Mr. Roberts?" asked Helen, seemingly appearing out of nowhere.
"Ready when you are, Ms. Smith," he replied.
The Rats want to meet with us in three days, Helen said silently.
Clarence raised an eyebrow. Oh? What did you say this time? Surely not what you told the Bulls, no?
A silent laugh rang out inside his head. Goodness, no. Mr. Judge himself came and asked. We are going to use your office, if you have no objections. Mr. Judge wanted to have the meeting in the Silver Sewer, but I told him that I was not stepping within one hundred feet of that place, and besides, Ms. Wang would have his head if he allowed me into her domain.
Understood. Are they actually that worked up over Calvin Bates? wondered Clarence.
Apparently they are, my dear Mr. Roberts. Apparently they are.
Three days later
Clarence's office was located in a nondescript warehouse a short walk from the hustle and bustle of the piers and quays, right smack-dab in the middle of Whisperwind Wharf. The ground floor of the warehouse was filled with old crates and barrels, with Clarence's office in the very back corner. However, if one managed to make their way through the labyrinth of used crates to Clarence's office, they still would not be able to find the underground black market. That was only accessible via a trapdoor hidden beneath an old settee.
Clarence sat in a wooden chair behind his desk, waiting for Helen to arrive with Louis Judge and Antonio. He had tidied up his already organized office the day before, double-checking that any sensitive documents were safely locked away. There were two chairs for the Rats in front of the desk, a tea tray on top of the desk, and a bottle of whiskey stowed safely away underneath. Of course, neither Clarence nor Helen was particular fond of alcohol, but Clarence was nothing if not hospitable.
Clarence checked his watch for the millionth time. Any moment now, he thought, adjusting his glasses slightly. Any moment...
I've found them. We're eased your way now, Clarence, said Helen, and Clarence relaxed slightly. They were coming.
|
|
|
Post by Dalton on Aug 4, 2017 19:53:09 GMT -5
Margaret
Making herself at home in Calvin's office, Margaret begin to look through all his shit on bookshelves and on his desk. He was running late and Margaret was not at all in a patient state. She had the deal of a lifetime for him, it was a win-win! She gets what she wants, and Calvin will be a step closer to serving Louis Judge's head on a silver platter at one of his fancy parties. "I wonder if Calvin would invite me to the victory party if he won...it'd probably be more gaudy than those stupid "peace parties", especially if he didn't have to cater to the simplistic tastes of those sew...er...I mean Silver Rats. Then of course what if Louis won? I doubt he'd even make an event out of it, he'd probably just buy his legion of the poverty a beer and call it a day." She thought to herself as she was waiting. The door opened, "Hello Calvin, I surely hope Beatrice made your lateness worthwhile." she said smiling
Louis
Louis and Antonio followed Helen into her strange meeting place in a warehouse. A strange location choice, considering the spiders must have a more glamorous speakeasy or casino they could host at, then again maybe a glamorous locale isn't the best place to host a secret meeting these days. The trio went through twists and turns of boxes through the warehouse... a feature that makes Louis feel uneasy. "If this is a trap, I'm thankful to have Antonio with me" he thought to himself as they walked through the labyrinth, subtly putting his hand in a position he could quickly draw his hatchet from coat. Eventually the labyrinth did reach an end... into an office room, seats were seat up and tea was waiting for them. "Thank you for having us Helen, and a pleasure to see you Clarence, I think this is our first work related meeting..." Louis said as he and his friend took a seat.
"I'm going to put it bluntly, I want an alliance between The Rats and The Spiders, I think it might be the only option we have if we want this "peace" to continue."
|
|
|
Post by alicia on Aug 17, 2017 23:28:19 GMT -5
Jackie
Jackie had left the party as soon as the trouble started. She wanted no part in that mess, thank you very much. Besides. Tea and a good book were far better company than drunk dancers.
A few days later, Jackie was back to her old routine. She rose with the sun, making her way down to the kitchens and ensuring that all was in order. After the cook got the bread in the oven, Jackie asked her if there was anything she needed besides what she already had meticulously noted down. As usual, Jackie's shopping list was spot-on, but she found that it never hurt to ask.
She helped Caleb wipe down some of the tables and straighten a few chairs, before helping Winifred draw the curtains and set out vases of fresh flowers, chatting amicably with her as they worked.
"How's David?" Jackie asked pleasantly, referencing the other woman's husband.
Winifred made a disgusted sound from the back of her throat. "He's a lazy pile of horseshit, that's what he was, if you'll pardon my forwardness, miss," she replied. "Got fired two months ago and hasn't moved since. I'm the one doing all the work 'round our house. He won't even wash his own damn clothes!"
Jackie laughed lightly. "You do know that you are always welcome to take more food home to your children," she said, giving the other woman a warm smile. "Lord knows that we've got plenty here."
Winifred shook her head fervently. "I already take plenty back with me every night, and you know it. Look at you, going out to the market every single morning!"
Jackie endured Winifred's playful admonishments with a placid smile. "You know that I'll never change my mind, Winnie, so you might as well get used to it," Jackie teased. They finished readying the dining room for the day just as the first guests began filtering in. Jackie grabbed her list and her basket. "I'm off, now," she called. "I won't be too long." Jackie politely nodded a "good morning" to the guests sitting down for breakfast before sailing out the door.
The walk to the marketplace near the Docksides was pleasant enough-it was more of a stroll, really, than a walk. Jackie breathed in the crisp air and let a happy expression fall over her face. Life was just fine, and Jackie knew that she would die happy if all she ever did was run her inn. Jackie turned the corner, and suddenly, she walked straight into somebody else.
"Oh!" Jackie exclaimed, startled. "I'm terribly sorry. I'm afraid that I wasn't watching where I was going," she apologized sheepishly as she picked up her empty basket and brushed off her clothes. Jackie's gaze flitted to the person that she'd bumped into-with the trousers and the coat, Jackie would have mistaken Gianna for a very short man if it weren't for her delicate features.
Jackie smiled a greeting. "Good morning, Gianna," she said, remembering when she taught the girl in school. She'd been a flighty, rambunctious thing, and Jackie could always see a fierce fire burning in those dark brown eyes. "How do you do?"
Clarence
Clarence nodded politely at Louis and Antonio as they entered his small office. The space was organized but cramped, though Clarence was willing to put up with it if it meant an added level of safety. Helen took the seat beside him.
"Thank you for having us Helen, and a pleasure to see you Clarence, I think this is our first work related meeting," Louis said.
Clarence heard Helen's silent voice echo through his head. Louis is armed-a hatchet in his coat. Antonio has two pistols. Neither of them know where Gianna is.
Clarence mentally arched a brow. Armed, are they? Are you expecting trouble?
A pause. Clarence could almost feel Helen pursing her lips. Not at all, my dear Mr. Roberts. Not at all. You know how picky I am about spilling blood; it is most uncivilized, and I would hate to ruin your neat little office with blood stains.
Clarence grinned inwardly. He knew for a fact that Helen had a viciously practical revolver hidden under her coat.
"I'm going to put it bluntly, I want an alliance between The Rats and The Spiders, I think it might be the only option we have if we want this "peace" to continue," Louis told them, a tad abruptly. Clarence let his gaze slide over to Helen-his job would be to watch, wait, and advise if necessary.
Helen, for her part, remained impassive. She tutted quietly. "Manners, Mr. Judge," she admonished, reaching for the teapot. She poured all four of them a cup. "Milk or sugar, Mr. Roberts? And you, Mr. Judge? Mr. Battaglia?"
"Milk, please," replied Clarence. Helen busied herself with distributing the milk and sugar before settling back in her chair-she always drank her tea black.
"Now, Mr. Judge," began Helen. "Since you put it so bluntly, I shall be blunt with you as well. I see no way that an alliance between you and me will benefit the Spiders as a whole. With all due respect, Mr. Judge, what do you have that we want? We have no need for another speakeasy, nor do we have need for more-for the lack of a better term-gunmen, and to be frank, Mr. Judge, whatever smugglers you can offer me are half as skilled as the smugglers under my employ at the moment. So, let me be blunt, Mr. Judge: I am not currently seeking an alliance with you, or the Bulls, unless you can provide a benefit for the Spiders."
Clarence watched Helen take a sip of her tea, her razor-sharp eyes trained on the leader of the Silver Rats. Clarence calmly sipped his tea as well.
The silence stretched on. "Well," Helen said, gesturing towards the teapot. "More tea?"
|
|
|
Post by captainjeanlucpicard on Aug 20, 2017 21:40:38 GMT -5
Calvin
"Hello Calvin, I surely hope Beatrice made your lateness worthwhile."
As he entered the office, Calvin gave Margaret a calm smile. "Hello, Margaret. I was told you'd be stopping in. Am I a bit late? Sorry if I am - business as usual, you know."
He walked toward his desk, glancing toward a red velvet seat in the corner of the room next to his fireplace. Typically, Darwin either handled the business meetings or at least sat in on them - in that very chair. Where is he? No matter, I don't plan on meeting with Margaret long, even though she does... look especially fine today. Before sitting down, Calvin let his hand brush the side of her thigh. "What brings you here today, gorgeous? Anything I can do?"
|
|
|
Post by Aleksseolinks on Mar 3, 2022 19:52:51 GMT -5
We will help you promote your site, backlinks for the site are here inexpensive www.links-for.site
|
|
|
Post by Aleksseolinks on Mar 3, 2022 19:54:16 GMT -5
We will help you promote your site, backlinks for the site are here inexpensive www.links-for.site
|
|
|
Post by Aleksseolinks on Mar 3, 2022 19:56:21 GMT -5
We will help you promote your site, backlinks for the site are here inexpensive www.links-for.site
|
|
|
Post by JamesHep on Mar 12, 2022 16:10:34 GMT -5
|
|