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Post by Deaths on Jan 20, 2017 1:10:13 GMT
It’s February 3rd 1923 President Warren G. Harding is in office, and he has promised America a “return to normalcy”. With that he declares war on organized crime, following that he calls in the national guard to destroy the criminal underworld of New York, Las Angeles, and Chicago. Once the martial law was lifted, most of the major crime families were decimated. This has caused a power vacuum in all the major cities, now is the perfect time for young upstarts, or some grizzled veterans to seize power of their own. “Chicago has become a shadow of its former self the organized crime kept a lot more order than people realized. Now every two-bit goon with a bad attitude, and a few friends thinks they can do whatever they want. Drunks litter the street as show of how ‘successful’ prohibition has been. The police do their civic duty busting the heads of the poor, while protecting the rich. By why am I telling you this you know all about this don’t you boy?” An old beggar looks up at Tommy a cold wind still blows as snow is starting to fall. “Chicago is burning kid you’d best find a safe place to hide.” The drunk continues his rambling.
Tommy looks on in disgust and the only reason he is still listening is out of respect to the old man. “Listen you old geezer, I don’t know or care what you’re talkin about.” Tommy begins his New York accent shines through. “Here’s a nickel, it’s not shiny so I guess you can’t do whateva you want, but it’s better than nothing.” He walks away from the old man finding, after a short walk through the cold streets he pulls out his pocket watch to check the time. It was already six p.m. he was going to be late for his meeting with Charlotte. This was their first time talking not true a phone and he wanted to make a decent impression. Charlotte told him to meet at a speakeasy by the name of ‘The Brick Mansion’ she told him how to get in apparently their shared last name still has some weight behind it, and most people who know it still give them the time of day.
Upon entering the place it is pretty packed. Just like back in New York off duty cops, the wealthy, the poor, and the deranged all come together for a nice drink. Tommy doesn’t see the girl yet so he sits at the bar, scanning the room an old instinct the war taught him. The only thing out interest to him was five local boys barely seventeen getting a bit rowdy, throwing comments at the barmaids that were less then kind. Mostly about what they wanted to do them, and how great they were at doing it. A few gave a couple of angry stares at the barkeep when they thought he wasn’t looking. 'Mick' was a word they sure loved to say 'leprechaun' too. This wasn’t his problem though, but he knew sooner or later it was going to be everyone’s problem whether they wanted it or not.
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Post by Envy on Jan 20, 2017 1:33:36 GMT
"Hey I know you young fellas are here for a drink but don't brother the dames here there working as hard as ever. If you don't like that then you can just fade out of my bar then yeah schmucks." Seeing the man just sitting down at the bar walking towards the man Naos asks "So what can I get you fella anything for you thirst we got so what's your poison?" he then picks up a empty glass and begins to clean the glass waiting for a reply from the seated man.
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Post by snipsnap on Jan 20, 2017 2:44:34 GMT
Eleanor rolled her eyes at the jeering boys. Evidently the security was slacking a little tonight letting these young'ns into the bar. Barely out of puberty and hear they are, hootin' and hollerin' about things they could only dream of getting, especially from her. Perhaps Josie would oblige them, she was a bit of a floosy and an airhead to boot. She saw Naos put them boys back in their place and make his way back behind the bar, helping that clean-cut fella who desperately wanted to appear like he wasn't waiting for someone. Winking at the two, (gotta give people a reason to come back), she adjusted a curl that came loose and straightened out her apron before turning her attention back to her work. Carefully placing her drink orders on a tray she looked up from the bar to plan a route to her tables that would save her feet from being involved in some random couple's foxtrot gone awry, when those boys started on again, this time very plainly speaking to her. Never a moment's peace, she thought rolling her eyes again. She was fully prepared to ignore them when one of them had the audacity to touch her shoulder, right where her scar was. The boy, whose breath dripped with the stench of whiskey, whispered in her ear, "Now pretty lady, where'd ya get such a nasty scar?" Eleanor's response was automatic, landing a nice clean right hook on his jaw, knocking him back onto the floor. His gaggle of friends stared in shock before their faces twisted in anger. Before they could get a peep out, Eleanor simply picked up her tray and went about her business. These boys were not worth the tips she would lose if she didn't sit on a lap or two while on her rounds. Besides, she didn't mind leaving her messes for Naos and his hired help to clean up. Over her shoulder she shouted to the barkeep, "Better get those folks outta here before they kick up a ruckus, ya hear?" Approaching one of the speakeasy's many guests, she lamented that it appeared she had broken a nail. Rather unfortunate.
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jackygirl
Red Card
My milkshakes bring all the girls to my dungeon
Posts: 704
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Post by jackygirl on Jan 20, 2017 3:05:06 GMT
Jane sat in a corner nursing her bottle of whiskey. Somethings never changed and of them was that drunk lads would hoot at anything in a skirt but that was the barmaid's lot. She gave a half-hearted cheer when one of them got thumped down for the count, very well deserved in her opinion. She'd been fired for doing something similar although with her knife instead of a fist. She'd only managed to get the money for this by sticking and robbing some wop who'd been mistreating the ladies of the night. Once this money was gone she'd have to think of something else but that'd come later right now she was getting royally pissed.
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Post by Envy on Jan 20, 2017 3:19:52 GMT
“I told yea schmucks not to piss of the dames some of the dames here are as tough as my Aunt Vernon hell she was able to knock my pop out in one punch and the man was double her size. Now you four who you learn how to properly respect a dame in my speakie then you can come back till then you four are banned.” Lifting the Boob Eleanor just had knocked out and another boob Naos carries both of the boys on his shoulders. Calling over one of his Burnos they escort the other two outside along with Naos “Never speak a lip to the or you four will see why I'm called O'Brian.” To prove a point to the group he pulls out a silver-plated M1911 out of his left pocket. “Now fade into the background and go to school or something and do something instead of bothering my barmaids and customers!” Yells Naos as he walks back in and spins the revolving bookcase that's the entrance to the brick mansion.
Stepping back behind the bar Naos called out to Eleanor “ Holler for me if you have any problems or if you need something doll.” Says Naos getting back to serving other customers and cleaning glasses.
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Post by snipsnap on Jan 20, 2017 6:06:47 GMT
"Well aren't you just the bee's knees! Thank ya very kindly," Eleanor hollered back with a smirk. He was a real drugstore cowboy but at she least could rely on him for some steady dough, a tough thing to find these days. Lots of people trying to rebuild their lives. Looking around at the splendor in the room around she couldn't help but chuckle to herself. They did a real bang-up job trying to shut down places like this. They destroyed families yes but they never destroyed the trade. National Guard didn't even bother trying to go into New Orleans. Tough people down there. Tough people that she missed everyday. Shaking off these thoughts, Eleanor turned back to her bartending. Slipping tips and secrets between her hands as she flitted between the tables, quick as a fox. She wasn't sure if Naos knew about the shady business that occurred at his VIP booths, but Eleanor was more than happy to be the messenger between these tables at any given time. Patrons trusted her discretion. How could she be a good actress someday if she couldn't handle something like this? The hush money wasn't so bad either, paid for some real nice additions to her closet and jewelry box. Making her way back to the bar, she wiped it down, sauntering closer to where the young gentleman still sat. He seemed very familiar, and her tables were very interested in whether or not he was related to who they thought he was. All she needed was a name. Pouring a bourbon on the rocks, she settled it in front of him, "On the house, since you seem to be new around here. Got a name hot-shot?" She began pouring other glasses, in order to seem casual and disinterested enough for him to feel comfortable answering.
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Post by DodoDestroyer on Jan 20, 2017 7:10:27 GMT
Charlotte hurries on her way to The Brick Mansion. She's already late as she struggled to find one of the staff available to cover for her time, but eventually found her savior in the sweet lad called Donald, who happily accepted her proposal. She was happy that she found somebody to do her a favour without using the weight of her surname, which she has never used since her father's passing during martial law. It seems whenever somebody discovers her name is DeWitt, suddenly everybody wants to do everything for her. She appreciates the thought, but when it's mostly from mobsters, it can be a little unsettling. She hoped that she could get out of the crime family business once martial law set in. She succeeded, but her sister, Marie, insisted that she must take over the family business in place of father. This distressed her, but came as no surprise. It may take time, but Charlotte hopes she can convince to let this all go. For now however, she is going to meeting another sibling she never knew existed until 3 months ago, Thomas.
When he first contacted her over the phone, Charlotte was in disbelief at first. But once they began talking about their similarities, she knew that he must be her half brother. She was delighted at this news. After losing her father, she felt a little empty and lost count of the times Marie had to comfort her when she was in a sobbing mess. He didn't play favourites and treat both girls with the same amount of affection and care. He always said family is important and to cherish every moment and respect them as you would respect yourself. Charlotte intended exactly this when she would meet Thomas and let him feel welcome. That didn't help calm the nervous feeling inside of her though. What if she didn't make a very good impression? Father used to say she inherited her mother's natural charm and kind heart and was instantly likeable the moment somebody spoke to her. She hopes it would work this time.
Charlotte finally arrives at the Brick Mansion and makes her way inside. She felt a little out of place, she rarely ever comes to a bar since this isn't a place for young women to reside in, but she chose this location so Thomas would feel more at ease. Men enjoy their drink in places like this, right? As she walks through the place, she recognises some familiar faces. Mostly mobsters that either worked for father or joined alongside meetings he had. Still, Charlotte smiles sweetly at them in a friendly gesture. She was just too polite to avoid eye contact. She sits down in the area she told Thomas to meet. There's too many people to scan through and she still isn't sure what he looks like, but her booth was empty upon her arrival. The bartender knew her family name and reserved the spot for her when he caught wind of her meeting. She anxiously waits for Thomas, maybe he's already here and will come over after seeing her sit down in the booth. She hopes anyway, the rowdy atmosphere of the place doesn't help her nerves.
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Post by Deaths on Jan 20, 2017 7:58:07 GMT
That Sheba had quite the punch, this wasn’t a regular punch there was a bit of technique behind it. Girl like that either had a tough life or a tough father. Looking back at the bartender, Tommy was about to order a bourbon to calm his nerves, when the man was busy throwing out the young ‘schmucks’ as he kept calling them, poor man had an addiction to the word. No Tommy didn’t worry it was better to get those kids out of here before someone important got hurt. Having a hard time keeping his eyes of the barmaid from before Tommy almost didn’t notice the colt the bartender was holding until it was being shown off. Never one for subtly Tommy couldn’t help, but look at the door every few minutes making sure he didn’t miss his new family. He kept opening the locket and focusing on the photo inside, then quickly scanning the room for her face. He didn’t mind admitting to himself a wandering eye or two kept catching the dame from before. Looking back at the locket he begins to worry, if Charlotte was alright, would she be safe in this part of town, was this last name of theirs actually useful. These thoughts fill his head as he plays with the small gold chain, a moment later his concentration is broken as a glass is placed in front of him, he didn’t remember ordering, and before he knew it she began to speak.
He couldn’t help but agree places like this had their regulars and are quick to notice an outsider. Stumbling unsure if he should give his real name he looks at his tattoo and mumbles a little, he never was good at talking to woman. “B…Brooklyn is fine.” He says immediately kicking himself the New York accent filled every syllable of that sentence, if the name didn’t give it away it was clear he was from way out of town. Before he can make another blunder, he spots her, he was certain it was her as she went to the table they agreed to meet at. He took careful note of all the older men giving her respectful looks, that relaxed him a bit. A smile grew as he stood from his stool completely ignoring the woman and the drink, out of habit he reached into his pocket and threw the first coin he felt onto the bar. To his dismay, he threw away his last half dollar; he spent everything he had on this trip he really needed every penny, but it’d be rude to take it back. “Sorry I’m here for someone, thank you for the drink.” He walks away leaving the drink behind completely untouched and heads to Charlotte's table.
He inhales in an attempt to calm his nerves and makes his way to her table. “Charlotte?” He asks quietly, before he takes a seat opposite of her. “It has to be you, I mean the photo is a little old, but you look just as beautiful in it as you do now.” He takes out the locket opens it and slides it across the table. “I’m Thomas, but please call me Tommy.” He begins to talk faster than normal his accent can’t keep up with the speed of his words. “There’s so many things I want to ask you, but I guess you have a million questions too. Ma always said lady’s first so please go ahead.” Tommy can’t contain his happiness it’s as if the whole world doesn’t exist outside of this table.
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Post by DodoDestroyer on Jan 20, 2017 8:50:05 GMT
Charlotte looks in the direction her name was heard, blinking a few times in surprise. As soon as she looks at the man in front of her, she knew it was Thomas. He had the same deep brown eyes her father owned, even the same gleam in them whenever he look upon her or Marie. She can't help the smile spreading across her face as he speaks. She finally got to meet him, she feels overjoyed yet her nerves increase. She wants to make a good impression so when he hands over a chance to speak, she gathers her words and is careful not to trip over them. She always took Pride in speaking well.
"You look just like him. Daddy, I mean." She says softly. He really did, not only the eyes but the shape of his face, his height, the curls in his hair. It was as if she was looking at a photograph of her father when he was much younger. It was a surreal but wonderful thing to discover. "First of all, let me apologise for Marie. She wished she could come, but there was work on to be done in the ledgers." The bright look on her face falters slightly but quickly returns. By ledgers, she means Marie is taking over all the work their father left behind. Charlotte wishes her sister would let it go. The martial law was a way out for them, for her anyway... "But you're right, we both must have a lot of things to ask each other." her voice is cool and calm, but inside she's a bundle of nerves. What to ask first? Should she start with something about his parents? His life? She decided to ask the first thing that came to mind.
"So, you came from Brooklyn? You travelled quite the distance. I must ask, what was it like living there?" She asks. Okay, good start. Letting him talk about his home, it will help him relax a little.
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Post by snipsnap on Jan 20, 2017 19:32:57 GMT
Eleanor's nose wrinkled a little bit as the man, 'Brooklyn' (the accent gave away that's probably his birthplace), got up and made his way to a table in the back. A table reserved for only one specific guest. Checking just to be sure, she caught the sights of the lesser known DeWitt sister, Charlotte?, she didn't quite remember. She was the one that ran as far away from her family business as possible. Glancing up at her paying customers she gestured to the table, revealing the identity of their mystery man. They all looked on, undeniably intrigued. Eleanor could only imagine what the more formidable sisters, Marie and Wrench (she only heard of this sister through the grapevine), would make of this situation. The idea of Marie having to loosen her reigns on the business for a brother she never knew she had? Utterly enthralling if she ever got the chance to watch this go down herself, but Eleanor wasn't one to judge. She only cared about those willing to pay for this kind of knowledge. Downing the drink he left, Eleanor thought to herself, 'So the bastard prodigal son returns'. Everyone knew about Anthony DeWitt's...indiscretions...before he took the big sleep but there were never rumors of another child. Perhaps because this one was raised far away...Eleanor shook her head, trying to physically shake off all these speculations she was making. It wasn't her place, and it was not wise for her to get too involved. She had to admit though, the DeWitt son was quite keen.
Eleanor grabbed her tip off the table, tucking it safely inside her brassiere. Looking over the bar there was a woman savoring a bottle of whiskey in the corner. She was a regular whenever she had cash to spend, and was better left alone once she got her bottle. Otherwise everyone in this juice joint seemed content enough. Looking on at the performers as they started their next set, Eleanor mimed the movements in smaller motions, trying not to knock over anything. It had been too long since she'd gone dancing.
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Post by Firefist on Jan 20, 2017 23:03:32 GMT
In a corner booth of the speakeasy, three men were playing poker. The first man was Jack Bentz, a Bruno who was currently on break and the man with the most money in the game. Secondly, there was Freddy Goodwin a regular boozehound who always keep a bottle of whiskey nearby and would take a shot each time the cards were dealt, moneywise he was nearly breaking equal. Then there was Eddy 'Ed' Farwell, who's last few dollars were sitting miserably next to two empty bottles of beer, he had one of his hand propping his head up as he stared at the deck while the other hand poured himself the last amount of beer in a glass which barely filled half of it.
As the deck was shuffled in Jack's experienced hands, he glanced over to Ed and said "The stress finally getting to you huh? To be honest I thought you would have given up when you lost that $60 to Goodwin's 4 of a kind but you just kept going didn't you." Jack then started dealing out the cards to everyone on the table and then the flop which was a 5 of hearts and 6&7 of spades.
"That's what I would have done if that happened to me." Chimed in Goodwin as he took a look at his hand then proceeded to pay the $5 dollar blind.
Ed ignored them and went to look at his hand, which was an 8 of diamonds and a king of spades. 'I'm going to win this, I'm sure.' Ed thought to himself.
"Just you wait, I'm going to bankrupt the both of you!" Ed proclaimed with confidence, then downed the rest of the beer.
"You slay me" dryly replied Goodwin after a shot of whiskey.
After Ed's declaration, the three started to beat their gums as the game progressed.
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Post by Raz on Jan 21, 2017 6:23:02 GMT
The Brick Mansion was a common stop for John. Most days he'd stop by after a hard day's work providing protection for a warehouse downtown. Some days though he'll be stopping by after bloodying up some yanks face cause he didn't pay his protection fees. It had been a system that worked. Bust some heads, carry some crates, and stand guard. It was dull and uninteresting but most things were in this town. Interesting, tends to end with your throat cut and dumped in an alleyway. Hell, it's so much like Dublin that he half expects to hear the pub songs of home as he stepped inside. He took off his tweed cap and ran a hand through his greasy sweat strewn hair. Today he had to break a man leg and his brothers jaw because he forgot to make a payment. The same story every time, they forget, they get a warning like this and they try it again in three months. He sighed as he put his cap back on. Inside was his home away from home. Nao was at the bar as always, tending to it with a fatherly care. Nao was an upstanding fella as far as a citizen of Chicago goes.
In the corner a poker game was in progress and some locals were being knocked on their ass after messing with the serving girls. John ignored this and moved to the bar. He put a nickel on the bar and slid it towards Nao. "Take just a bottle of anything cold and strong." The beer was good here as opposed to everywhere else in the city. It was like a bottle directly from home. Since Nao had some Irish in his blood he was able to understand good beer. "Anything new going on around here?"
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Post by Deaths on Jan 21, 2017 6:55:05 GMT
A large bang crashes into the garage door. Dom got up furious he hated being disturb especially on cold days like these. Pull the door open he see Martin and the boys. “What do you saps want now? I thought you were at O’Brian’s place for the next few.” Noticing Mikey’s bloody nose he squints. “Mikey what the hell happened to your nose?”
“Listen Dom, that mick sucker punched us then started waving a gun around.” Martin began explaining. An evil smile grows on Dom’s face. He looks around at the boys with Martin and waves them in shutting the door behind them.
“We can’t have that now can we. I hate when they get all uppity.” Dom’s smile is still going strong. He walks into the back of the garage and opens his arms in a dramatic fashion. “Take what you need and go avenge yourselves.” A poor man’s armory sits in front of them. Chains, Pipes, baseball bats, and more sit ready for the taking, the punks grab what they can carry overjoyed with their new found confidence. Trouble was brewing, but this is nothing new.
(Back at the speakeasy)
“Do I really? Ma said that when I was a kid, and I wouldn’t know I’ve never seen him.” Tommy felt a bit of pride at her comments. “I’ve only been here a day, but it’s the same as this place. A handful have everything, and everyone scrapes by trying to survive.” Tommy looks around the room he always like to watch people, trying to figure out what they were thinking. A few men were playing cards, with a huge stack of cash. The cute barmaid was drinking Tommy’s drink “Oh well easy come easy go.” He thinks to himself, turning back to Charlotte. “Um well, my mom told me she met dad when he was in New York on a business trip. She never told me what kind of business, but I guess I know now.” There’s a bit of an awkward silence he coughs and continues. “She was a nurse and he was hurt on the job, and well nine months later I popped out.” He has a soft playful laugh trying to relax himself.
He can feel the stares of the room on him, the people that were kind to Charlotte were now focusing on him. Was his secret out already? Looking back around the room he notices the barmaid dancing a little he accidentally makes eye contact, he smiles at her then continues his talk with his sister. “Ma died from the flu back in 1912, Vinny took care of me. He was a kind old man that raised my ma and now he raised me. I dropped out of high school and lied about my age to join the war. After that I became a mechanic working for Vinny, not to brag but I’m the best mechanic you’ll ever meet.” He smiles showing his confidence, adding to his brag. “Then one day I got a letter from a guy named Anthony. It turned out he was my father and that he was dead. I went from single child to orphan to baby brother in one sentence, life is kind of funny like that.” He keeps an honest smile while looking at his sister. “So, I grabbed everything I could, took all my money and headed out here. Judging by the eyes staring into me, I think my secret is out. I wasn’t sure if I should use our name, just in case. Enough about me I want to know about all of you. You, Marie, and Claire. They didn’t seem to interested in meeting me. I don’t blame them I wouldn’t trust some schmuck that was probably here for my dads money.”
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jan 21, 2017 9:32:22 GMT
Staring blankly at the movement of bright urban scenery from the back of a bulky moving car, Marie sat in contemplative silence behind two guys from the family who she had decided to bring along with her in preparation of an unwanted situation. She didn't have to give the driver any directions because she knew that he knew exactly where they were headed, the speakeasy where her sister was about to meat a man claiming to be their distant brother. The men chose not to start any conversations with Marie either, knowing her distaste for unnecessary chatting well by now. Though she had originally surprised Charlotte by telling her that she intended to stay at her office and deal with the usual work rather than meet her long-lost brother, she had actually intended to keep careful eye on her sister from the beginning. "Paper work" was just a cover-up for research into the possibilities of an extra sibling, research that actually produced results much different than her original impression of the news. When Charlotte first told her about the mysterious brother, Marie initially ridiculed her sister internally for actually believing it, expecting it to be a sloppy attempt by a stranger to gain some stake in the business. After looking into possible familial ties within New York, however, many of man's claims that Charlotte told her about seemed to add up. Of course, this didn't clear the stranger from suspicion at all. She knew that it would be more than possible for an imposter to conduct the same amount of research about the same things and base his ruse around it. Because of this, her purpose for making the trip in person was primarily to see to the safety of her sister, knowing that Charlotte wasn't comfortable with the mob enough to bring along personal protection. Marie generally found her sister's innocence and ability to trust despite the reputation of her family to be naive, but it was a part of what made her sibling so dear to her. Her mind briefly set on her other sister, Claire, who had her own reasons for not meeting her supposed brother. She found her two sisters to be alike in important ways, despite their vastly differing traits. She believed that Claire's overconfidence made her just as childish as Charlotte's innocence, but she truly cared for little else in her life at this point other than than the two of them. Her mind quickly changed back to immediate concerns and began to once again focus on the meeting. She was simply prepared to see that Charlotte comes out of this situation unharmed, whether the stranger was her actual brother or not.
As the view of the her destination came into view, Marie straightened her posture in anticipation of the events to follow. After her diver parked alongside the speakeasy, she stiffly beckoned the men who were carrying small, concealed guns within their suits to follow her inside. "Don't follow me around in here once I decide to confront them." She told the men in an even tone. "When I do, you'll find seats at the bar where you can keep a close eye on the three of us." The men nodded their ascent and followed her into the crowded bar, where Marie recognized the faces of almost everyone who she saw. Her eyes moved along the edges of the bar from behind her thin glasses, taking in the various conversations and key figures before finally settling on who she had came here for, her sister. Unconcerned with the various sets of eyes that began to focus on her from the crowd, she continued to motionlessly stand in the central area of the bar where she took a moment to assess the conversation between Charlotte and the man at the table. The man who she was talking to certainly looked to be related to the family with his somewhat curly dark hair, brown eyes, and various similarities in facial features. Marie felt a pang of emotion at the sight of the man, who looked to be as closely related to her as possible. For the first time since the beginning of the brother fiasco, she began to feel some of the same hope that Charlotte seemed to feel. The moment was nearly powerful enough to send a strong expression of emotion over the woman's pensive face, but she easily suppressed it. Though her original plan was to interrupt their conversation and strictly question the man immediately after arriving at the building, she now felt a bit more reluctant. She decided to spend the beginning of her time at the bar in silent observation, so she casually drifted to the seats of the bar that her guards chose and sat next to them, keeping a side view of the conversation all the while.
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Post by DodoDestroyer on Jan 21, 2017 10:35:00 GMT
When Tommy mentions that he never saw their father, Charlotte reaches into her handbag and fishes out a framed photo, she brought it with her from home to show to Tommy especially. It is of the trio of sisters standing beside their father sitting in his chair. Anthony DeWitt is in his mid sixties here, but the resemblance to him and Tommy is very apparent. It is a lovely photo, even Claire is smiling a little in it. This was taken last year, one month before his death. "Here. That there is Marie, and that is Claire." Charlotte says, pointing to each girl respectively on the photo.
She listens to his story attentively. She has already become aware of the stares around the bar. Most of them are probably curious why this newcomer is chatting cheerfully with one of the DeWitt sisters and one or two of the older customers might be suspicious of him. A lot of people were protective of Charlotte. Claire had proven to look after herself and Marie keeps closed off that she barely attracts any unwanted attention. Charlotte has always been the more vulnerable of the girls but made friends with many of her father's mobsters, so they always looked out for her where she went. Charlotte is sympathetic about Tommy's mother. The girl's own died shortly after Charlotte was born, she never got to know her and only has the stories Marie and her father told. She wished she had time to meet her, though. Charlotte is suddenly concerned when Tommy says he used everything to just get here. "You don't have a place to stay in the city?" She can't let him sleep on the streets, she will talk to her sisters in letting him stay with them.
"Well, I'm the youngest of us three. Daddy always said I was the more sensitive type growing up. Scared of bugs, didn't like getting dirty. Your typical little girl." She laughs a little. "Daddy said I melted everybody's hearts with just being me. A lot of people working for him began viewing me as family, always doing things for me whenever I needed help, they were such sweethearts. I soon owned my own little shop called 'The Flower Pot.' Daddy helped me bring the business through it's upstart and I fully took it over, business has been pretty good this year for me." Not in a good way.. Those who perished during the martial law employed her for the flower set ups for their funerals. Her ledger took up five pages with the amount she needed to do.
"Marie is the oldest sister." She continues. "She's pretty strict, like a taskmaster to me and the people who work under her. She was always an inside girl, preferring her own company and surrounding herself in work, so she's really smart. Daddy always said to her she could run circles around that fancy professor called Einstein. She was going to be a nurse, went to study all about it in the fancy schools around Chicago but... after Daddy died, she felt the responsibility to take over what he left behind, she felt that it was her duty to continue the family business." She looks down for a moment, she worries that Marie might be taking on more than she can handle, but she has faith in her sister. She's tough as nails and if anybody can do this, she can. She just hopes she will stay safe.
"Claire is... Different from other women. It might be difficult to understand her behaviour sometimes and you may not understand some parts of her at all, but don't judge her so quickly like most do. You two might get along well, she is a Mechanic as well!" Charlotte says that sentence with cheerful hope. She hopes Tommy will try to understand her Claire's... Lifestyle choices... "She works at Al's workshop a few blocks from here and actually a regular at the Brick Mansion. While me and Marie always chose to play with dolls when we were little, Claire preferred trying to wrestle with other boys. Daddy just thought she was just going through a phase since there was not many other girls to play with in those times. As she grew up, she made some choices that Daddy didn't approve of, but he still loved her as much as he loved us. She's protective of us two, doesn't trust people easily.. But she will always give them at least one chance."
Charlotte sighs happily, she believes Tommy will be accepted by her sisters after they... Haze him... Charlotte wrinkles her nose at that thought. She didn't like the idea of the hazing, Claire will especially tough on him and Marie will most likely give him some difficult tasks... But she has faith in him. "So you mentioned not having a place to stay? I should take you to Marie, she may be able to help you out of this pickle."
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Post by DodoDestroyer on Jan 21, 2017 11:12:27 GMT
Claire makes her way to The Brick Mansion. She finished her work at Al's as soon as she could. Two stolen cars came in today and got it stripped down to the bare bone, then she disassembled the bones and got them on sale for the market too. She has wrote down all the parts and the prices they got sold for, she intended to give this to Marie since she will want to know about the income the chopping side of business is bringing in. She will also get a word out to the man who provided the cars and hand over payment for delivery. Some pay her for stripping and some she pays them for bringing in more business. But for now, her mind is on this so called brother.
Claire doesn't believe a damn word of it. Charlotte seems to fully trust the words of this stranger and now even Marie is starting to have some thoughts if he's for real or not. Claire didn't want any part of this nonsense and made it known to them, she would have stayed at Al's but then caught word Charlotte went there on her own. Sometimes, she can't believe how the poor girl can be so innocent that it's dangerous to her health. She let Al know what was going on and left for the speakeasy. She also has some time to chat to O'Brian too. She offered protection to the Irish man and while other people torment him because of his heritage, Claire just looked past it. She knows how it feels to be judged just because of your lifestyle and treated him like she would treat one of her fellow workers at the workshop. He pays on time too, which is an added bonus.
She enters the speakeasy. She speaks to some of the regulars with some small talk and listening to a crude joke here and there, laughing along with them. Soon, she spots Marie at the bar. The girl painfully looks out of place, but nobody will tell her that. A booksmart girl surrounded by all these rowdy men? She might as well be dressed in a brightly yellow dress. She then spots Charlotte in a booth with another man. He must be the one who claims to be the brother. She takes notice of the curls of his hair, his brown eyes, even his smile that looks very similar to her father's. Suddenly, Claire is starting to have doubts in her steadfast claims. He looks very much like their father, it is something that has shaken her stubborn suspicions. Maybe Charlotte was right... But it doesn't mean his intentions aren't of ill, he might only be here to snatch away a piece of the family's money, the money Marie and Claire have worked hard to earn.
Claire heads over to the bar next to one of the mobsters Marie brought with her. Sister has done well to make them blend in, she wouldn't have recognised them if she didn't know this one personally. "Whiskey bottle." Claire says to the barmaid and then looks over to Charlotte and the mystery brother, then back to Marie. "Shit. He looks just like our old man, doesn't he?"
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Post by snipsnap on Jan 21, 2017 19:12:55 GMT
Eleanor caught the not-so-mystery man's smile and couldn't help but smile back. He was a curious one, she'd give him that. Not like most of the men the drudges of Chicago brought out of the woodwork. Then the Brick Mansion welcomed two unforeseen guests in very short order, and the fury and wrath on their faces were priceless until they looked at the table where Charlotte sat with their no longer distant half-brother. Both women's faces softened in a way before hardening back up. Eleanor was just finishing helping the two bodyguards that sat down when the DeWitt sisters made their way over as well. Knowing about Marie's penchant for hating chit-chat and not wanting to upset the other sister that she didn't know very well, Eleanor wordlessly turned and got the bottle of whiskey and two glasses and set them down. She poured out even shares in each glass before recapping the bottle and leaving it in front of Wrench.
Sensing an opportunity she decided it was best to strike up a conversation with Charlotte and Brooklyn. This could be a big pay day since the other sisters seemed rather reluctant to go over there themselves. She put a couple of tiny glasses of champagne on a tray and walked around offering them to guests. She kept an ear towards their table, picking up pieces here and there. For one his name was apparently actually Tommy. Birthplace, dates, names, it was a lot to process with very little context when she noticed Charlotte pull out a photo of their family. Eleanor instinctively grabbed the locket on her own neck hidden beneath a couple of fake pearl necklaces. It was the last photo she had of her own father. Pausing for a moment memories of her father flickered across her mind like a movie reel, all those nights at the boxing ring, the bookies, the parties. It was so surreal. She could practically her that old Southern jazz filling her ears. Her mind drifted for a couple moments then, all at once, she remembered herself and her purpose here. Eleanor dropped her hand and approached the table that Charlotte and Tommy were seated at. "You've drawn a lot of attention Brooklyn," she laughed a little, turning and gesturing a hand across the room and in doing so caused all of the watching eyes to suddenly turn away. Fixing an almost predatory gaze on Tommy she added in a sultry tone, "And if it's anything to you Brooks, my name is Eleanor, but you can call me Ellie." She smiled devilishly at him before setting a champagne glass down in front of each of them, and not waiting for a reply, she turned to Charlotte and asked, "Can I get you anything sugarplum? You don't seem like the drinking type but you look a little...pale, do ya want a water?"
At this point it was all for show, with the watchful eye the DeWitt sisters were keeping on Charlotte she was sure they noticed her presence. All Ellie needed them to do was be a little curious about what was said.
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Post by Envy on Jan 22, 2017 0:56:09 GMT
"I just got some hooch in from Ohio this stuff just came in and lucky it's on the rocks as we speak. Usually I charge ya but for tonight john this one on the house" Walking into the backroom Naos grabs a ice cold glass of beer from his makeshift cooler that was filled with fresh ice. Walking back towards the bar he places the beer in front of john and hands him the nickel "As things going on for me it's copacetic, I've got a job that I love in one hand and dough in the other hand. For the things going around here is the usual some boys were getting an edge earlier before Eleanor nearly take the head off one of the lads. I threw them after that but still Eleanor I swear she packing some heat in that hand of her's hell she might even be as strong as my aunt Vernon and that was a Jane you never wanted piss off. Hell she once but the life out of a couple of bimbos that happen to ticked her off. Right now the kids of the Dewitt's are here discussing business I suppose."
Picking up a couple of glasses and then starts to pour hairs of the dog for each of the men at the bar walking back towards john he says "Enough of about me how goes your day John?"
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Post by Firefist on Jan 22, 2017 1:55:10 GMT
As the game ended Ed miserably stared at the last of his dough being taken away by Jack. Jack forced him to go all in during betting and won with ease soon after, however, all Ed needed was a four of any kind and he would have won, but the card never appeared. It was a seriously bad string of luck which caused him to lose, yet that's what Ed like about gambling, the fact that winning or losing was all in a draw of a card, though he preferred the winning part rather than losing. The money currently on Jack's side of the table was his last of his funds which were meant to last him the rest of the month, besides from a pair of C's in a letter in one of his jacket's pockets, but that was for his family back in Detroit. Considering that he didn't want to starve to death, he was going to have to find work and preferably soon.
"Hey, Ed, I will pay you $5 if you get me some corn, how does that sound?" Spoke Goodwin interrupting Ed's train of thought.
"I'll also give you $5 if you get me one as well." Jack quickly added in.
"That sounds swell, thank you very much." Ed replied with a small smile as he extended his hand for the other two to put their Rubes in, which they promptly did. Ed then stood up from the corner booth and took a look around the Brick Mansion. On the stage, a small band were playing some jazz and there was quite the Doll singing, in the booths the regulars were beating their gums about everything and nothing, but most of them would take a quick glance over to some table where two people were sitting, though he couldn't see much more than that since that barmaid Eleanor gave that gesture which made everyone look away instantly. Ed decided to put on his jacket, then his fedora and headed towards the bar.
"Hey Naos, two glasses of corn on the rocks, please." Ed politely asked Naos. Ed liked Naos, mainly because the Brick Mansion was his favorite juice joint ever since the prohibition started and Naos kept the place running which earned some respect in his books, as he imagined it wouldn't be easy to run a juice joint with all the things involved, like dealing with the young fellers earlier, he definitely couldn't run a place like this for long without being on the nut in a week.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 22, 2017 2:18:38 GMT
Ignoring the other familiar faces who moved around the speakeasy, Marie discretely searched Charlotte's expression for any mistrust towards the stranger, but found none. It was obvious at this point that if she would have to convince Charlotte that the man had been lying, it would be a very difficult task. With how closely she was staring at the conversation behind her and trying to concentrate on its words through the loud buzzing of the crowded bar, she hadn't noticed Claire's arrival until she sat down next to the motionless woman and begin to speak. Her expression betrayed a small bit of surprise at being suddenly approached by her sister, though she wasn't surprised that she had shown up to the meeting after all. Her eyes fell over her sister's appearance which, though she had long gotten used to it since childhood, she saw as something that only stood to make her dear sister a bigger target. Marie ignored the other glass of whiskey that the woman had put next to her and noticed as she made her way back over to Charlotte and her guest. She took her attention away from Claire enough to watch the waitress get comfortable with the two and become curious about the nature of what the lady was doing. Deciding to save such thoughts for later, Marie's attention once again returned to the arrival of Claire.
Marie ignored her sister's question and prepared to berate her for what she thought that she had come to do. Her eyes fell to the bottle of whiskey that Claire had ordered before meeting her sister's with as much contempt as she could muster. "Why exactly did you come here?" Marie asked, though she felt that she already knew. "To get drunk and start a fight with someone who may be your brother?" Her words were cold, though she didn't necessarily mean what she was saying. She knew that Claire had probably come in order to protect Charlotte from her trustfulness, but Marie felt that she knew enough about how aggressive Claire was and that her way of protecting Charlotte would cause far much more trouble than necessary. She wanted this meeting, whatever it would lead to, to go as smoothly as possible and she knew that Claire's feelings towards the stranger could cause a problem. Though she actually trusted that Claire had come with better intentions than she questioned about, Marie's expression remained as she waited for her sister's answer. She felt somewhat bad about the demeanor that she had greeted Claire with and has more respect for both of her sisters than she typically lets on, but she feels that she has to be strict with them to keep them from trouble. She feels that she has to be strict to protect her younger sisters from themselves. Of course, the guards sitting at the table knew better than to meddle with the conversation and began to awkwardly turn their attention elsewhere.
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Post by Deaths on Jan 22, 2017 4:19:34 GMT
Martin and the boys walked down the street there was five of them in total, and they were high on youth, and overconfidence. How could they not be excited, Dom gave them his blessing, and he owned this side of town in their minds anyway. Truth be told Dom was just a small fish, just big enough to have a crew of fifteen guys, running small jobs and selling stolen items. He didn’t own anything, but the warehouse they hung out in, but like most young men he had delusions of something more.
Being about a block and a half away the boys discuss their plan. “Mikey when I go in you guys spread out a bit. Make sure no one sneaks up on us. Dom gave me one of his revolvers, we won’t use it unless we have to.” Martin was getting more and more excited with each thought that crossed his mind.
(Meanwhile)
“That’s great that you have your own shop. I’ll have to see it sometime, I’m happy you have something to make you happy.” Tommy keeps his smile going, today has been the happiest day he’s had in a very long time. The bar is getting fuller by the second, the music was playing and the place was getting louder by the second. Tommy leans in so he can hear Charlotte better. He keeps looking at the photo they all look so happy, he can’t help but feel unwanted. “Why didn’t he…. until he died.” Tommy accidentally let his thoughts slip out. Truth be told he wished Anthony contacted him sooner, why he didn’t take him in when ma died, or when he got back from the war, or any of the other times in the last twenty years, why was he ignored like an unwanted burden. “I’m sure Marie, isn’t too bad just give me a hint or two so I know what I to say I need to make a good first impression with her, if I want this to be worth it. She sounds like a good girl.” Marie was definitely intimidating especially for her size, but she was the head of the household so Tommy had to make her happy no matter what. “Well let’s hope Claire goes easy on her baby brother.” He laughs a bit, though his mind is interested he couldn’t help but wonder what Charlotte was getting at.
His concentration is broken by drinks being dropped by a green-eyed angel. Tommy can’t help, but smile back at her. “Please call me Tommy, Brooklyn is what they called me in the war, and well it looks like my secret is out.” He motions to the crowd of on lookers desperately trying to not look like they were looking. A feeling comes over him as he sits there talking to Ellie a small boldness creeps in, and since you only live once. “I was wondering something, I’m new in town and I don’t know any good places to go dancing….” He leaves a small pause as he looks at her in the eyes a sly smile sits on his face. “Would you like to show me where some good ones are sometime?” He winks at her and turns back towards Charlotte.
“No please, I’m fine I have a hotel room for the week, I don’t want them to think I’m some bum who wants their money. It isn’t the ritziest place, but it’ll do.” He softens a look toward Charlotte, he can tell she’ll do anything to help. “How about a compromise, ask Claire if she can get me a job at Al’s I’ll do whatever work she wants done and I’ll do a great job at it. That way I can earn their respect. I don’t want to be a charity case.” A desperate seriousness takes over him as he delivers his speech. “I’ll break my back for them if I have to.”
He hushes his tone for a second and leans in closer to his sister. “There is something I need to tell you though. Dad’s letter was strange, I left it back in my room, but the first page was him apologizing about everything and asking me to find you three and help you. He said with him gone they’ll need someone to keep them together. I guess he meant me.” He keeps whispering, but his face grew more serious. “The second page though…it was a list of names and places I don’t know. He wrote on it to keep it away from Marie, but especially Claire. Can I show it to you? I don’t know what all of it is, I’m kind of nervous about it to be honest. If these were his last wishes though should I act on them? Should I let the others know about it? You know them better than I do, I’ll do whatever you recommend.” He leans back in his seat awaiting her response.
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Post by Raz on Jan 22, 2017 6:18:16 GMT
"Mighty kind of you mate." He said pocketing the nickel. "And that's just what I've come to expect from El. She reminds me of my Marie. She nearly turned me into a eunuch when I showed I was interested." His Marie had been killed during the rebellion, stray artillery blast collapsed the roof of the building they were in. She had been devoted to the cause just as much as he had been. He took hold of the dark brown bottle and twisted the metal cap off with ease. He tipped it back and enjoyed the ice cold yet bitter taste of the drink.
"Ah, just had to knock some young yanks around. You know how it goes. They start thinking once things are comfortable for awhile that they don't need to pay up at the end of the month. Then I have to go and remind them why they need protection. Honestly, it's not much different from back home. Only difference is that back in Dublin it was the men wearing the kings colours that dealt out the beatings." He said with a sigh thinking back to the days before the Easter rebellion. James Connolly had such high hopes for a free Ireland. Those dreams were dashed against the rifles of the British army. "Bloody tans." He said taking a swig from the bottle. "So, the DeWitt's are here eh? Care to catch me up on who they are. I've heard the name but I don't know much about them."
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Post by DodoDestroyer on Jan 22, 2017 9:12:10 GMT
Claire takes one glass and sips some of the whiskey from it as her sister speaks. The words are harsh and sound as if she is expecting the worse from her own blood. Claire would think that too if she wasn't so used to this attitude she has. Father had it towards her too, cold and strict but it was just how he operated with her. Claire is stubborn and gentle words would fall upon deaf ears, sometimes the only way to make her listen is to be a little more commanding.
"Our baby sister is here, meeting a total stranger, alone. We can't have that." She responds to her after finishing her sip. "And I'll admit, looking at him when I came in, there is a chance he is a DeWitt. I'm not here to beat him round the speakeasy unless he gives me solid reason to. Charlotte's health in a dishonest place like this is my concern." She takes another sip and then looks at her sister with their possible brother, then back to Marie. "But why are you here with a hopeful gleam in your eye when you look over at them? With two armed boys none the less? You stick out here like a sore thumb." She says bluntly. Claire wasn't very good at being subtle with her words, so she grew a habit of saying things straight. She slips the piece of paper of the sale underneath Marie's whiskey glass too. "By the way, here's what you asked for." She then turns her attention to the barmaid getting sweet with Charlotte and the mystery man. Claire immediately was apprehensive of the maid. The sweet little lady personality almost seemed like an act. She wants something from this... If she starts bothering her baby sister, she will mention it to Marie. Gotta keep a cool head on for now.
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Post by DodoDestroyer on Jan 22, 2017 9:30:38 GMT
Charlotte hears Tommy mutter three words as he looks at the photograph. She didn't quite hear what he said, farrowing her brows in mild confusion, she lets it go for now as he continues to speak. She reminds herself to ask him what that was about when she has the chance.
Charlotte notices the barmaid coming over and her light flirting towards Tommy. Oh, she assumes he must be popular with the ladies with how he then smoothly asks her to go dancing, she gives him a bright smile when he looks back over to her. He's charming as well as confident, especially in a place he is unfamiliar with. "Oh, water will be fine thank you." Charlotte says politely and smiles softly at the barmaid.
Charlotte mulls his words over in her head about asking Claire for work. She's tough and will most likely will try to break his back with the workload, but that's not what has her worried. Claire does business in the workshop that is less than legal and she doesn't want her pulling Tommy into that as well. That is her main concern with her sisters, Tommy may be tempted by what they do to keep hold of the DeWitt's money load. "Of course, I will talk to her about it." Charlotte says after a few seconds of thinking. How could she decline? Here's her brother, needing some work and it's her duty as her sister to help him survive out here in Chicago, but she will talk to him and Claire later about avoiding getting dragged into the darker parts of the job...
Charlotte leans in as well to listen to the words he has to say. They're serious, Father always was a bit mysterious at times and a lot of things he said to her were cryptic and needed clarification from her siblings. She nods her head in approval, it is a simple task to help with. "Yes, do show me. I'll help whatever way I can."
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Post by snipsnap on Jan 22, 2017 23:12:24 GMT
"No problem doll, I'll get that fer you in a jiffy," she grinned gently down at Charlotte, such a sweet girl. Kind of amazing to see someone so untainted by Prohibition and the powers that be. Moving her gaze back at the newly dubbed Tommy she replied, "And I'd certainly love to accompany you anytime sweetheart, just give me a ring," Ellie winked as she pulled a small business card out of her brassiere, careful not to jostle her tips for the evening out as well. She normally saved these for serious clientele with particular vendettas, but she was willing to make an exception for such a dapper fella. Some would call her line of work being a snitch, but she preferred grifter. Sounded a little more classy, and slightly more marketable. She slid the card over to him across the table, just as he pulled out a letter. She was able to scan it a little bit, before decorum would suggest she should skedaddle.
Eleanor sashayed away from the table, going over the names she saw she recognized most of them, but she didn't get a good look at anything else. Still, a very odd list to have. The people ranged across class, respectability, race, and gender. What could a guy like him do with a list like that? New in town, barely knows his own family. She barely noticed how contorted in confusion her face had become until she caught sight of herself in a mirror behind the bar. Quickly shifting back to her normal, carefree smile she walked up to the bar, listening to Naos regale John with stories from earlier this evening. Letting a stray hand run across John's back as she passed behind him to enter the bar, she greeted him, "How'r you tonight, John? I reckon it's mighty cold out there by now." She cautiously looked over at the DeWitts with a smile, before filling a glass of water for Charlotte.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 23, 2017 0:10:13 GMT
Marie's posture and face relaxed a bit as her gaze left her sister's and returned to the conversation that was now between three people. After observing the barmaid's mannerisms more closely, it became clear that she was acting differently towards her sister and supposed brother for a reason. A few ideas of why the woman was integrating herself so closely sprang to mind, but none of them demanded any immediate need for caution. She instead began to bring her attentive gaze to Tommy, if that was his real name, who seemed to be gearing up to direct the light conversation to more serious business. She noticed that Charlotte still had the expression of absolute trust on her face without a hint of guard in her expression. Marie was a bit disappointed with how Charlotte was handling situation, especially since she had made it expressly clear to her that Tommy couldn't simply become their brother on his word alone. At the same time, though, she felt her expression soften slightly at how happy her sister seemed to be in this moment. Marie was conflicted between keeping her sister safe from manipulation but also from the crushing disappointment that would come if he turned out to be an imposter after all. She silently decided that she would relent on interrogating Tommy, only for the sake of her sister.
"Yes, then I've come here for the same reasons that you have, Claire." Marie answered her sister and was silently proud, though she still continued to keep a sideways glance on Charlotte's table. She ignored her sister's comments on Tommy, despite having thought the same thing when she had first walked in. She also narrowed her eyes at her sister a bit when she commented on the hopeful gleam of her eyes, wondering when exactly that Claire had gotten so good at reading her. Regardless, she also ignored that part of the question. "I've brought the men in case this situations turns into something completely different than what we're expecting, though I suppose we wouldn't need them now that you're here." She said, turning to give Claire a brief smile before tuning back to keep her watchful eye. "I.. didn't come here with the intent of being incognito." She answered with a brief pause after being told of how much she stuck out at the bar. "Originally, I had planned on joining the conversation immediately after entering." She felt a bit insecure about her reasons for choosing to instead secretly observe, so she decided to stay vague.
Upon noticing the paper that Claire put under the glass sitting on the table, Marie lifted the unwanted drink and removed the paper. She stared blankly at the paper and read through it, noting the acceptable results. When her eyes moved to Claire, though, she softened slightly. "You've.. been doing well, lately." She said in a monotonous, though soft voice. What would've been light praise for anyone else to give was made more difficult to say due to how rarely she gave any praise at all. Perhaps it was due to her approval with how Claire had handled this particular situation, but Marie was unsure why she had just given such casual praise for so little. She broke her attention away from everything else and stared at the table in front of them. "Regardless, I've been thinking that we should go easy on this man around Charlotte despite our own mistrust."
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Post by Deaths on Jan 23, 2017 3:19:08 GMT
It was still cold the snow was light, but besides that it was a gorgeous afternoon. The doorman to the Brick Mansion stands outside leaning against the wall, wearing a heavy coat silently cursing the weather. When out of nowhere a rock smacks him on the left side of the head. Furiously he turns towards the assailant Martin stood smugly with a middle finger raised in defiance, he bravely runs down an alley away from the guard. The chase begins, but doesn’t last long the doorman turns at the entrance of the alley and walks smack into a swung baseball bat. Luckily, he feels no pain, mostly because he was knocked out. (Back inside) Distracted by Ellie’s beauty Tommy reaches into his pocket, and pulls out his father’s letter. “Huh? I swear I left this at home.” He thinks to himself he begins to hand the two papers over to Charlotte as a business card is placed in his hand. He is shocked at the moment, he didn’t expect it to go so well with Ellie. He laughs to himself and mutters “I think I’m going to love Chicago.” He’s almost giddy, as he watches Ellie leave. He keeps the conversation going as he continues to watch Ellie. “So, what do you think? The first letter is hand written, I figure you might be able to prove that it’s his.” Dear, Thomas DeWitt
My name is Anthony DeWitt, the man who fathered you. I won’t insult you by calling you my son, for I have never been a parent to you. My time isn’t long for this word, the federal government along with some of my rivals are closing in on me, and if you are reading this I am in jail or worse. Regardless of which I will be leaving behind three daughters whom I love very much. These girls are your sisters, and I request, no beg that you help them.
With me gone every snake in Chicago is going to be coming after them. As a father, it is my wish that my children live good lives. I will not allow my sins to claim them as well, Marie will be taking over my work, as Claire will still be herself. Those two I have complete faith in their ability to succeed, in our particular business. Charlotte is too good for this world, and I fear someone may go after her to get to her sisters. I wish for you to contact my daughters, go to Chicago, and protect them as you are the man of the house now. I don’t know if they’ll except you for they don’t know of you, present them this letter and hopefully they will. If you choose to do this I will be forever in your debt, I have no right to ask anything of you, but I’m a desperate man looking to save everything he has. Anthony DeWitt
P.S. Tell my girls I love them all more than anything in this world. As he follows Ellie with his eye’s she gets behind the bar, she makes small talk with one of the men there, and sends a smile towards two women…. they look strangely familiar. Thomas looks at the one in glasses, they make accidental eye contact he turns and looks at the other one, he’s definitely been noticed. He turns his head towards the photo of the girls, then back to the bar, back and forth his head turns until he looks at Charlotte more scared then the first time he charged into a trench in the middle of nowhere France. “Charlotte…they are here, and they are looking right at us. What should I do?” Tommy tilts his head towards his sisters. ((OOC Snipsnap I stated he didn't have the letter on him oh well it's here now ))
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Post by Raz on Jan 23, 2017 4:08:02 GMT
"I'm doing alright, Ellie. Just another day on the job. Thought I'd spend some of my hard earned cash here at this fine establishment, only for Naos here to say my money's no good." He said with a grin. "Feels damn near like Taffigans pub back in Dublin. Good company, ice cold beer, and a beautiful lass with fiery red hair such as yourself got me thinking I'm back home. But yeah, I was certainly noticing a nip in the air today. Saw a few flakes coming down earlier. Prices for wood is about to skyrocket I bet." He shakes his head and looks to Naos. "You should think about getting some hot cider in stock. With the cold coming in it'd be nice to have something to warm you up."
He notices Elanor's stare landing on the young woman she had been speaking with. He glanced back at the girl with mild curiosity before looking back to Ellie. "So what's the story there? Haven't seen her around much before. She looks almost as out of place here as a Catholic nun would. Seems a bit too...well behaved to be hanging out round here." He said noticing she was hovering near the one Naos said was a DeWitt. Or maybe he was referring to her? Could be he was speaking about all of them? They do have a certain resemblance to each other. Regardless, it certainly wasn't a normal thing to see the children of an old family in one place.
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Post by DodoDestroyer on Jan 23, 2017 5:43:19 GMT
Claire watches the barmaid walk back over and begin talking to another patron. Not two seconds in and he's already asking about Charlotte and their supposed brother, who now she can label with the name Tommy. She was right to be suspicious, the girl is clearly a gossip and soon this news will spread like wildfire. No surprise really, all three of Anthony DeWitt's daughters are in the same place at the same time, that would raise questions. She glances at the barmaid one last time, takes a sip of her whiskey and brings her attention to her sister again. She smiles a little at her sister's comment with not needing the men here now she has arrived, then listens with interest when Marie says she was going to go over there. "But then you became unsure... Because you didn't really expect him to look so much like dad, right? I feel the exact same way." Claire confesses with sigh.
She notices Marie's hardened gaze grow softer once she reads the paper, as well as compliment her. This was an unusual thing for Claire to hear from her sister. While Claire was a stranger when it comes to praise, it's downright alien hearing it from her older sister. She shrugs in response, not really sure how else to react to this. "It's just business as usual. Slow day actually. But it's only a small piece of the family business. With martial law lifted, we can begin recruiting. We're lacking soldiers lately, but that's just my view on things, take it as you will."
Claire already doesn't like the idea of taking it easy on Tommy, making it clear with an arched eyebrow to Marie's request. "Around Charlotte, yeah. When we have him alone, I'm gonna be as hard on him as I am to any newcomer. If he's an imposter, I'll figure it out by how easy it is to break him." She looks over to him, where they make a few seconds eye contact, she holds the gaze until he looks away. "Well I'm glad you didn't choose to be incognito, because it looks like we're gonna either go over to him or he comes to us." She says in a hushed voice to Marie.
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Post by DodoDestroyer on Jan 23, 2017 6:11:38 GMT
Charlotte takes the letter and begins to read it carefully. It's definitely from her father, he had a certain air of class when he wrote words onto paper, these words match that class perfectly. It's legitimate. Her face falls a little at the knowledge her father knew his time was coming, she knew that the martial law would judge him harshly thanks to his reputation, but it still hurts to know that he knew he could do nothing to prevent it. She is also curious as to why her father never contacted Tommy until now, he always stressed to her and her sisters that family always comes first, so why does it seem like he abandoned him? But the worst part is coming up. What has her more worried than anything is that he states in the letter people might be after Charlotte herself. But why? She made sure to stay out of the business as much as she could, she has little experience with this sort of thing nor has she made any enemies in Chicago, let alone any with a criminal background. So why would she be a target for them? She is powerless to stop them if they do. Marie and Claire would always keep watch for threats against her and those who respected her father always make sure her wellbeing was okay, but she can't be watched over all the time...
She continues reading. She feels a feeling of dread growing in her stomach. She doesn't know much about mobs, but she knows a hit list when she sees it. The wording her father used, the list of names. It is clear what he wants Tommy to do; get rid of these men and women. What shocks her more is some of the names of this list treated her like their own daughter, they surely couldn't be after her, her father must have made a mistake... But he was never wrong. All of this sudden information is making Charlotte grow visibly anxious by the second. Is this some initiation as well as a plea for help? Something her father set up for him to accomplish to prove his place in the family... It seems likely... She drops the letter on the table as if it caught fire and looked up to her brother, pitifully. She doesn't want him dragged into the business, it's hard enough knowing that both of her sisters live this life. She wants Tommy to live an honest life, like she has.
Charlotte's anxiety causes her to miss Tommy's discovery that both her sisters are here, she looks at him with pleading eyes. "You don't have to go through with this. I never wanted any part in this business and you don't owe Daddy nothing, so you don't have to be either, you don't have to prove your place in the family, I have already accepted you and Marie and Claire also overtime. The people... I know some of them and I.. I don't know. I don't know what words to say for you to let this go but I'm begging you, don't get caught up in this. I'm sorry I'm asking for a lot." her words are desperate and pathetic, coming out in a fast stream. Her confident tone and careful words are swept away with the wave of panic. Her eyes begin to well up with tears. She can't have her brother risk his life for this when they have only just managed to connect, she can't.
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