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Maya Stillwater

Maria's best friend, she also lived within the Bistro and is well aquantied with the Oocheto Family.

0 · 2,123 views · located in Chicago, IL

a character in “The Black City”, as played by xfaithyx123

Description

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Maya Stillwater

Role:

Cocktail Waiteress/Maker

Age:

23

Gender:

Female

Skin tone:

Pale rose

Eye colour:

Dark chocolate brown

Skin features:

A mole on her right shoulder and a tattoo on her left hand that stops just below her elbow, her ear lobs and her right rook are pierced also.

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Height:

5'8 Foot

Weight:

132Ibs

Hair colour:

Dark brunette

Hair style:

Can change from straight, curly and tied up but she always has a full fringe.

Body Appearance:

Slender with muscular tones that are flattering to her hourglass frame, she has a big bust and ass.

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Sexuality:

Bisexual, she is openly do as she has a high sex drive.

Personality:

She is a witty character and always finds herself in sticky situations though her silver tougue can get her out off nearly everything and as a Cocktail Waitress/Maker she can get alot of tips for this. She as strong willed and hard to break and cames secrets locked up unless someone gives her something she wants as in her words, ''Knoweledge is Power.''

She is a good listener too making her a great friend and spy. You can never see her as predictable because she simply isn't as she can easily become a friend as much as a foe but with the Oocheto family her loyality is thick and unshaken, not even her most desired thing or person could make her betray them, she would die for them is she needed too.

History:

She grew up near the Oocheto family and her ability to listen but stay hidden got her noticed at a young age, she was only nine years old and was living on the streets, they took her in whether it was out of pity or usefulness she didn't know or care she was just happy to be able to have a home even if she had to work behind the Bistro until she became the age of eighteen to work as a Cocktail waiteress/Maker though she only learned to make cocktails at the age of 20 and has been doing it since.

She also has high training in kick boxing, of course only a number of people know this like Maria, her best friend and Cole Maria's brother. Most of the Oocheto family know this but rarely see it, but when they do it is both surprising and helpful. She is not bothered by the idea of dirtying her hands with other people's blood.

She lives in the Bistro just a small room as hers, more like a walk in wardrobe but she didn't mind, as long as she had a place ot sleep, wash, eat and put her clothes, bags, shoes and cash she was happy plus she could drink as much as she wanted. What? Just because she works with and lives with the Oocheto family doesn't mean she isn't going to have fun!

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_-*Her theme song*-_

So begins...

Maya Stillwater's Story

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Maria Mae Occheto Character Portrait: Martin Ross Character Portrait: Maya Stillwater Character Portrait: Kazuki "Daniel" Takahashi Character Portrait: Jackson Hughes Character Portrait: Terron Wilks
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Daniel Takahashi

After he'd finished with his shower, the slender young man parked himself in front of a place he rarely stood for long. Cleaning the mist off the mirror in his bathroom he took a long moment to examine the wounds that peppered his body; his face didn't look nearly as bad as it had yesterday thanks to the anti-inflammatory part of the pain medication he'd taken- his lip was now just slightly larger than normal and the bruising around his eye was turning a lovely purple color- and luckily the rib Maria had popped back into place didn't seem to be broken- it too was splotched in various shades of violet and crimson. It was still obvious he'd been roughed up recently, but he no longer looked like the walking dead- well, no more so than usual. Daniel was still in more than a little bit of pain- especially when he took deep breaths- but he could live with it.

When he'd taken as much of his own face as he could stomach, Daniel retreated back to his bedroom to change into something a bit more work appropriate than the jeans he'd just tossed into the dirty clothes basket. In his current state it was out of the question to put on any form of button-down, let alone a tie, so the translator settled for a dark sweater with a plain white undershirt that wouldn't irritate the abrasions littering his shoulders and side. After that he struggled on a pair of pale grey, wrinkle-resistant slacks to complete his work attire.

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Even if Martin had finished the work he was supposed to turn in today, there was always plenty more where that came from lying in piles around his office- so he couldn't afford to take the day off. Besides, the only place he would go was the hospital, and he could imagine the scolding he'd get if he showed up to face his mother looking as he did. The thought of his okaa-san made him wince a little as he was reminded that he'd been so busy the last couple of days he hadn't called her as he should have. So on his way out of the door he grabbed the bus pass he rarely used- he had left his car in the employee parking at Buca-and his cellphone, dialing his mother as he locked the door from the outside.

Chatting away in Japanese with the older woman, he hobbled his way down the stairs of his apartment building and out to the bus stop at the end of his block; half of his attention was on the conversation and the other half was scanning the surrounding area surreptitiously. The majority of the conversation that continued even as he was standing in the back of the over-full public transportation was him giving the occasional "ćÆ恄" or "恈恈,恻悓ćØ恫?" in response to the long stream of words his mother constantly spewed at her son. The twenty-five minute ride to the busstop nearest the bistro was spent entirely in this fashion to his distress; the entire time every other person on the bus had been staring at the strange Asian kid covered in bruises nattering away in some random language no one understood.

Daniel limped into the front door still on the phone. For a moment he stood out of the way of the entrance listening to his mother prattle on about how none of the nurses understood her need for good and proper tea before he finally gathered up the courage to interject, "恊ęÆć•ć‚“...ä»Šć€ć‚¢ćƒ«ćƒć‚¤ćƒˆć§ć„ć¾ć™...ćÆ恄ćÆ恄,恘悃恂...恂ćØ恧恭? ćÆ恄, ć¼ćć‚‚. Ok... Ok, Bye." The second he clicked off the phone he sighed in relief, hissing as his side protested the heavy breath. Sliding the phone into the backpocket of his pants he began his circuitous route toward the back stairs and his office- trying his best to blend in to the scenery so none of the customers would notice his beaten face.


Terron Wilks

Maria's nonchalant response to his distress made him throw up his hands in over-dramatic dispair, "It's not like I wanted to leave my kitchen to you thugs! Freaking line-chefs and their complaining... is it so wrong to throw a cleaver at a guy a couple times?" The last bits were added in a mumbled undertone so that the customers wouldn't hear him; it wouldn't do for their lovely patrons to think the chef was insane, and he certainly didn't want any stain on his reputation. Just to make sure his small explosion hadn't done any damage, he turned to the nearest man leaning on the bar and offered him a lop-sided grin before speaking, "Don't mind me, just had to make a few complaints to your bar-mistress." Terron winked brightly at the scruffy man, adding loudly as he disappeared back toward the kitchens, "If you have any complaints to make about your bar-mistress, don't hesitate to join me in the kitchen."

As he trekked across the bistro back to where he was most needed he stopped to greet a few regulars who sat around the tables interspersedly. The chef paused longest next to Jackson and Maya's table, greeting both of them with broad smiles. "Hey Beautiful, long time no see! I missed you," he addressed the voluptuous brunette as he leaned down to place a quick kiss on her cheek. Maya had always been one of his favorites, Terron never missed a chance to chat about the handsome gents that came and went in the business with the woman. After he'd greeted her, he offered Jackson the same smile- although with a more flirtatious glint to his eyes, "And if it isn't Mr. Jackson Hughes. Now it really has been a long time, huh? Can't say that I havent' missed that handsome face."

A loud crash jerked Terron's attention quickly back to the stainless-steel doors leading to his realm, and he quickly excused himself from the two, "Sorry- we'll have to catch up later... Duty calls..." The smile on his face faded quickly into a stern look reserved only for his underlings in the kitchen as he turned on the heel of his black shoes and strode confidently toward the kitchen, the double doors clanging shut behind him. The doors weren't fast enough to cut off the exclamation the head chef uttered once out of sight, "Mon Dieu! I really can't leave you fucking idiots alone!"

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Maria Mae Occheto Character Portrait: Maya Stillwater Character Portrait: Lance Coyer Character Portrait: Jackson Hughes Character Portrait: Terron Wilks
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Terron had come and gone from the bar in a flash, his hissy fit appropriately noted not just by the Occheto girl, but her clientele as well. She rolled her eyes when he sauntered off to gush at Maya and Jackson. "Kill me now," Maria muttered as she wrung her bracelet-embellished wrists and turned her back to the crowd. Her hair sparkled under the bright lights, the flat iron having done a very impressive job on her otherwise voluptuous and undulated mane. Under her rather short dress she wore high waisted black shorts, just to be safe considering the length of the material. The purpling of her throat was poorly masked by Armani silk foundation.

She saw him, that much was true. It was way before the bar bantering died down though. No matter how cruel and unintentional, she would lock eyes with him, break contact and transfer focus away to some other customer. She wondered how any other mob daughter would deal with the unmovable presence of an FBI agent in a place that might as well be her second home. No matter what intentions he had or claimed to have, she had to operate as if she were on dangerously thin ice. It was against her general code of conduct to treat strangers with disregard and a sort of coldness, but the guy was shady. He waltzed in and out of a literal bloody mess and just... Just acted like it was nothing. That was how an Occheto or one of their henchmen acted, sure. But not a fucking FBI agent.

When she could no longer put him off, she bent at the waist and leaned across the counter with her elbows on the polished veneer, "To what do I owe this pleasure?" Her musing was sardonic but somehow charming all at once. Before he could rejoin, she placed a delicate index finger to her puckered, crimson lips, "Hold that thought." She turned to grab a bottle of Wild Turkey. Upon her returning pivot, she stated, "I figured I pick your drink since you're playing in my house now." The words flowed out of her mouth with such momentum that she didn't have time to grimace at how much she sounded like her father. "Drink up," she crooned as she extended a hand wielding a full glass towards him, her eyes encouraging and devious.

(Sorry for the shortness. I'm at work and typing from the phone is hard)

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Maya Stillwater Character Portrait: Cole Occheto
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Aurora had responded to Jackson's question about what she thought of Maya. She had explained to him that she liked the girl and thought that she was nice and pretty and not to mention smart as well. She was just relaxing with the boys there, everything seeming to be going well and nothing bad to really drag them down...well at least her anyways. She still didn't know the full story to what happened the night before, and she wasn't going to ask either. Somethings were just best left unanswered.

As she had gone out with Cole and got into the car with him, she allowed him to take the drivers seat with out too much of a fight. Always letting him do what he wanted and not complaining either. When they had got to the bristo she was starting to get out of the call before dropping her cellphone in the left side of her seat. With a small huff she dished her hand into it and was feeling around for the silly then. While she was doing that she heard Cole's phone go off and was listening to him talk, though his words had hit a soft spot with her, even though she knew it wasn't directed to her what so ever. She waited for him to get done talking, before she spoke up or said anything. Even then she would choose her words carefully.

"All us Russian's aren't too bad." she said giving him a wink as she started to put her phone back in her pants pocket. "If you ever need help with them or anything, I can try and lend a hand when ever." she said happily. And with that she closed the door and happily started to skip back inside as she got ready for work. Her hair now having been tied up into a high pony tail and swaying from one side to another with each step she took.

Getting behind the bar, she soon started to get to work, ordering drinks and food and anything the customers would ask from her. Every now and then she would chit-chat with some of them, some even becoming a bit of friends with her as she had gotten use to having them around and had already got to know their names.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Maria Mae Occheto Character Portrait: Maya Stillwater Character Portrait: Aurora Ivanova Character Portrait: Jude King Character Portrait: Jackson Hughes
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Jackson Hughes

He and Maya sat under a dim-lit chandelier, vermilion with hints of orange hues. The way it accented Maya's flawless skin was enough to make any man feel famished. He must have looked like a hungry wolf, his eyes eating her up and loving every bit of the outfit she wore while imagining it heaped in a ball beside a bucket of ice. "Ah, hmm," Jackson cleared his throat as he fixed his eyes on something other than the slope of her collar bones, the curve of her hips, "Text me later, I have to go figure some shit out." He slid her a card and smiled.

If the night went as planned, he'd have Maria rethinking what she did a few months ago, Maya in bed around eleven, and more alcohol in his system upon hanging out at Windy City for a while. If anyone were to interfere with those planned proceedings, Jackson might get a little cranky. With a gulp of air, he marched towards the bar. He wasn't quite sure what he wanted to say or do as he awkwardly sat on a stool, unzipping his Supreme jacket a little. He was relieved when he saw Aurora was the nearest bartender to his seat while Maria prattled from a couple feet away.

"Hey little girl," Jackson toyed with a handsome grin, "Get me some Wild Turkey, no ice." He nodded to Jude, sitting to his left and talking to Maria a little. It was a good thing, it would give him time to ponder his quandaries. And from the looks of Maria, she was irritated and by no means welcoming of Jackson's company.


Maria Occheto

Growing less and less active, the restaurant drained as servers slowed and full, satisfied customers grabbed for their umbrellas. For the first time that evening, the TV broadcasts and music could be heard throughout the dining hall crystal clear. A light swung on its hinges as a family of four left with leftovers in hand. The wind rattled the doors, oscillated some of the fixtures. Maria's annoyance was cut short as the door was pleasantly yanked shut by one of the hostesses.

Her eyes idly traced to the end of the bar where Jackson was sitting now, vexing her nerves further. Why wouldn't he just go the hell away? It was no secret that the ill-entertained man enjoyed and almost took pride in fucking with her. She'd regard him the same was as Lance if that were the case, to which she knew damn well Jackson would be sent reeling to lick his wounds like a pathetic dog in no time. It was funny that he had such mannerisms but inwardly was as emotionally feeble as Snow White.

"He went to the bathroom," Maria crooned to her dainty, adorable friend and coworker, "If I had it my wayā€¦" An evil grin stitched across the tempting Italian woman's face. She let her words linger and fall off into the ambience like dandelion seeds on the wind. A voice worthy of emmy's tongued Maria's name causing her to pivot in the direction of none other but Jude. Perhaps the two got on so well because they were matching in macabre penchants. Or maybe it was that Maria fancied Jude, being that he was once sent to assassinate her father. "My, my." Maria trilled at the handsome man.

"You can't imagine," she continued, throwing a rag over her shoulder and reaching on her tippy toes to lean over the counter, "Well, you probably can." A petite hand graced the back of Jude's neck as she whispered in his ear, "I've never entertained the idea of using an electric turkey carver on a human until this federal idiot climbed into a seat and made himself at home." She pulled away then, smiling pleasantly and fronting, "Want a drink?"

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Maria Mae Occheto Character Portrait: Maya Stillwater Character Portrait: Vladimir Torchev Patranko Character Portrait: Cole Occheto Character Portrait: Jude King Character Portrait: Jackson Hughes
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Aurora looked to Maria as she started to talk about Maya and how she had started to cry when Cole called her out in front of everyone. A small frown falling onto her face, she knew Cole wasn't the gentiles person in the world, epically when he was mad or upset. "Is she okay though?" she questioned as she stood there. "I mean what if it was an accident, you know it has happened before. Sometimes it's hard to tell who is with the FBI or anything like that." Aurora explained as she stood there.

Her hand had gone back to the spot where she had been shot at before, a subconscious moment she always made when remembering the night Cole and Jackson flipped out. Shaking her head she watched her friend walk away, and soon looked to the Jude who had talked to her, "You are from...Ireland right?" she asked as she tilted her head to the side a bit. "Or Scotland maybe, sorry I always get those two confused." she told him laughing.

Turning her attention back to Jackson. Frowning slightly, she reached forward and started to pull on his cheeks. "Yeah, but I can still kick your butt." she said laughing. She did that for a few seconds before pulling away, still laughing.

When she heard someone walk into the restaurant, she turned her eyes to the man and gave him a kind smile like always. She watched as a hostess was getting him taken care of and left him be. Her eyes started to trail around the bar a bit as she looked back to Jackson. "So where is your partner in crime, I haven't seen him for a little bit." she said speaking of Cole. She was kicking her legs back and forth as she sat back behind the bar, humming softly.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Maria Mae Occheto Character Portrait: Maya Stillwater Character Portrait: Kazuki "Daniel" Takahashi Character Portrait: Aurora Ivanova Character Portrait: Jude King Character Portrait: Jackson Hughes
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Accepting veracity had never been more difficult in Maria's life as she gathered herself just inside of the castle of lies itself. Things appeared delightfully as she had left them except for a handsome young man who she didn't recognize. Her verdurous eyes somehow trailed towards the terrace to befall Jackson's gaze, which ripped through her like a tsunami. Any enterprise she could contrive wouldn't be enough, so she figured much like her father, she'd make something up to defer the true state of things. There was no one she could tell. When her sights trailed off to Jude, still parked at the bar as she had asked him to, an honest smile plucked at the corners of her mouth.

It wasn't until Daniel came to her side that she grinned and shook a little like a wet dog. She was grateful for his concern and just the sight of him. Relief dispersed under the layers of confusion. All Armani Silk had been washed away by the rain, laying bare the ugly discolored skin of her otherwise slender neck. "Me? What about you? How are you feeling?" She'd return his questions with more questions, caroming every approach. Factuality clawed at her insides, impatient. It wanted to spew from her mouth, but she instead dressed herself in knockoff contentedness aside from being damp and cold. Before she could even greet Terron, he was turning on his heel again. She creased her brow. "Did you like the tea?" Maria remembered, her eyes vacant as she asked Daniel. Speaking of tea, the stranger she picked out from her usual crowd drew closer, brandishing a cup of hot tea.

"Oh, that's cute, thank you." Her tone was flat, non-intentional. What she meant to say was 'that's sweet' but peradventure her concentration was misconstrued and maybe irretrievable. It was truly sweet of him to come to her aide. A mighty squall of wind disconcerted Buca, the very window seals rasping at the storm's attempt of extermination. "Nasty out there," she mused as she tugged at the skirt of her dress, tempted to wring it out. Looking back to Daniel, she beamed an open-mouthed smile, "You wanna' go play in it?" Forestalling with absurdity would be her ordnance tonight.

Through the kitchen doors marched Aurora and Terron, side by side like a couple of undaunted servants. They wore towels on their arms, reminding Maria of the adorable protocol butlers used. As lost as she felt, the sight of Daniel, Aurora, Terron, and Jude felt like home. Off to the side a bit she could see Maya, acting a little beside herself. Usual customs would consist of Maria going to her friend and offering a shoulder on which Maya could lean, but tonight, Maria didn't feel too generous or humane.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Maria Mae Occheto Character Portrait: Martin Ross Character Portrait: Maya Stillwater Character Portrait: Vladimir Torchev Patranko Character Portrait: Kazuki "Daniel" Takahashi Character Portrait: Jackson Hughes
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Jackson Hughes
Below him, a mass production was made of Maria being wet. Some rookie from the bar with a half-bloodied face rushed to her holding tea with an offering approach. Even though he half expected it, there was the Asian translator, glued to Maria's ass as soon as she walked in which inevitably caused a jaw ache from clenching his own teeth so forcefully. He had to look away, which was successful to say the least as he found Maya sitting alone despite all the pandemonium where poor Maria was concerned.

A hypocrite was what Jackson was and somehow he was brazen about it. He wanted to offer her a smile, to do something more, yet was angry when others beat him to it. Deep down, he knew he wasn't going to budge from the banister unless by some miraculous turn of events the windows shattered and some hefty gale threw him over the rail and landed him at Maria's petite, pedicured toes. Turning away from the galling view, he returned to Martin's office and snatched a drink.

Regardless of what many people or felt about Jackson, though occasionally dimwitted, he was inborn about their emotions. He was better at reading facial expressions than words. There was hesitance in Martin's face and he was clearly disheveled by the state of affairs. Martin lied right through his teeth, but Jackson wasn't going to pry too much about his conscience, settled or unsettled. "Who is that guy, anyway?" Jackson propped himself up against a wall, careful not to further disturb anything that had or had not been haphazard from Vlad's rampage.

The flaxen drink in his hand tinkered against the boundaries of the glass, less than half full and overpopulated by ice cubes. He didn't mind, he just usually avoided ice. It was common; most of the people he came to know within the Occheto's and their dealings had a problem with --- or just liked drinking. Coping wasn't always elementary, either. So many turned to it to ease their nerves and pooling afterthought.


Maria Occheto

Her deflection was combated with Daniel's forthright confrontation. It made her quake a little inwardly. Not wanting to talk about it was her first goal, her second was to not worry the already anxious young man that she maybe was too fond of. The way his charcoal eyes searched her made her feel like she had holes all over. He was more than likely, figuratively, seeing right through her. She picked up on his intuition early, days before where she stood now. And it could have been that particular rationale that caught her attention.

Came no riposte from Daniel, which reproclaimed that he was onto her and she couldn't disguise her anguish as easily with him. It was exciting and devastating all at once; bittersweet. She never underestimated his intelligence and second sight, it was that she never expected him to speak on any of it. Since --- well, Jackson, no one had peered through her. "What?" She tilted her head, curious about the expression Daniel wore as his eyes bore into her soul and even pounded on the confines of her mind. "What are you thi ---"

His hand daringly reached for her maimed throat. Blinking rapidly, her eyes attempted to follow this movement. His cool finger tips against the bruises stung and tickled at the same time, sending a potent shiver up and down her spine and chaos in her stomach. When they locked eyes, a beguiling, genuine combination of green and gray, her face slackened a little. She'd have carried herself fine but, butā€¦ There was Daniel, utilizing this emblematic key to her thoughts and torment. And when unlocked, open, she feared everything would come pouring out at once. That was the last thing the kid needed on his plate. She raised a hand to lightly grasp his wrist but recoiled when she saw that it was still tainted with Frank's blood. Free of tarnish, her right hand softly gripped Daniel's wrist, but she had no idea what to say. Her body and feelings were giving way and all of her poise was disassembled just from his touch.

"I'm fine," she finally uttered, weak and quiet, her face scrawled with shame and despondency. "I think I need a vacation," she admitted in a hushed tone, "I'mā€¦ I think I'll rent a hotel room in town tonight actually."

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Skye Keaton Character Portrait: Suri Desmond Character Portrait: Maria Mae Occheto Character Portrait: Martin Ross Character Portrait: Maya Stillwater Character Portrait: Vladimir Torchev Patranko
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Cole Occheto

"I suppose you're right." Big Daddy said in crippled English, harsh under his leaden Sicilian accent. The feral weather whipped rain across what skin was exposed of Cole's as he and his friend hauled the body towards his car. After dumping the lifeless form into his trunk with a thud, he brushed his hands off and tossed the gun in on top of Frank. "I'll get this all handledā€¦"
"Don't leave a trail." Big Daddy grunted, attempting to light a cigar.
"Do I ever?" Cole beamed with confidence and derision.
"Wellā€¦"
"Man, shut up." Cole shut the trunk.

As he paced back to the driver side, he remembered the note in his pocket. His bad luck was simultaneously unsightly and strewn in every which way. Now he had to worry about a potentially pregnant girl he hooked up with months ago, a dead cop in his trunk, the revelation that he had a sister he never knew about, and Mae going off on a rampage. Ground painfully, his teeth clamped together as he waved off his father who was already walking back to his car, fighting against the droplets to ignite the end of his smoke.

Flecked with water, his face still seemed content and unfazed. His azure eyes burned through the black, waterlogged night from the driver seat. He supposed there was a slight upside to the entire ruination; he didn't hold a grudge against his father. Whatever he did was his business and even though it was a betrayal of grand proportion, Cole couldn't have cared less. Revving the engine, he kept the car in park as the interior was pervaded with blasting heat. His thoughts refused to stumble upon something worthy of saying to the teenage girl who he thought was in his back seat. It was probably weighing her down just as it did Mae, and sympathizing words were hard to find.

"I'm not going to keep you like some sort of hostage," he finally breathed as he pulled off his damp coat and tossed it into the passenger seat. "What happened tonight was ten different levels of fucked up andā€¦ I'm sorry Skye. We didn't know. Whatever you feel, whatever you want to do when you get out of this carā€¦ You're entitled to it. I can't make any of this seem lessā€¦ bad. It sucks." He wanted to kick himself for how dense and unhelpful he sounded. When he looked into the mirror, there was no one.

"Shit," he muttered. Any type of focus he could have hoped to attain was lost as he wondered what to do about his not-so-one-night-stand. If he had the concentration to, he'd be cursing himself in his own mind for being so selfish but the nucleus of his notions was all but gone. He got out of the car, letting it run as he glanced around just in time to see Skye's silhouette being brutally smashed by a car.

"No," Cole barely managed, the words drying up in his throat and hardly rasping their way out. He broke into a full sprint towards Skye, crumpled in the road. Blood veiled her face, expressionless but still alive. "Skye," he forced, touching his fingers to the veins on her wrist. She's still alive, he thought as he gathered the tiny girl who was his other baby sister, into his arms. He had an entire cabinet of implements sure to weigh him down with guilt by the time he finally returned home. But for the time being, he had to get her to a hospital. Then his thoughts darted back to the body in his trunk. Fuck, I'm going to have to leave her at the ER.

Jackson Hughes

Windy City seemed to be more of a primary destination for the night rather than Maya's hotel room that was Jackson's gratuity. She was mentally off in uncharted territory, that much he could tell from the expression on her face when he had squinted over the indoor balcony to see what she was up to. If he wasn't about to dive face-first into Maria's affairs, he wasn't going to explore Maya's either. After all, he had saved her from herself less than twenty four hours ago and, he didn't feel like he owed anyone much of anything. Well, except Martin.

The renowned translator shouldn't have had to put up with such malarky from a big boy with his panties in a bunch, regardless if it concerned an agreement typed up by Martin or not. Jackson was ultimately the right hand of Big Daddy, one of the very first young enforcers and one of the most critical. Blameworthiness freckled his conscience for not paying more attention when Vlad flounced into Buca with a chip on his shoulder. The dirtying of hands was tackled by enforcers, not scholars and blue stockings.

He drained two large glasses consecutively then wobbled back onto the open second floor plan to check up on the state of things below. He caught Maria just as Daniel plucked her hand away from his wrist. A spiteful simper wrenched at his mouth as he watched but was annihilated when Daniel spoke a remnant that indicated he was driving her home. As the translator ambled up the stairs, obviously afflicted by his injuries, Jackson raised an eyebrow, "You sure you can drive her? I can do it, you don't look so good."

Before he had an opportunity to act the least bit sympathetic, key word being act, the young man was down the stairs again. Grumbling, Jackson pivoted and went back into Martin's office.



Maria Occheto

Spirit of inquiry danced in Maria's in other respects, nostalgic green eyes when Aurora let the stranger off withā€¦ a job offer? Shrugging discreetly, she cared too little to ask about what the meaning of it all was. At that moment in time she was just void and fractured in more ways than one. But at Aurora's advice about not starting fights, Maria mumbled, "Oh boy."

Mama Russia. It was perfect. Aurora had this maternalistic way to her and was always quick to take anyone under her wing even if those wings didn't fly her where she wanted to go half the time. It was her selflessness that drew Maria in and even made her worry for the young girl's feeble heart where her brother was concerned. In spite of all precautionary warnings, they still ended up together happily which still didn't cease to blow Maria's already splintered mind. The recollections of she and Aurora's first few encounters hurt her brain as she seemed too ill prepared to reminisce about anything after the way her night unraveled.

Maria's grasp was deplumed by Daniel, to which her hand abated and hung limp at her side, useless. He was asserting himself for once which caught Maria off guard seeing as she was the one who wouldn't take no for an answer about taking him home just the night before. How the tables had turned so quickly. Expressing concern for her was a painful condition he prompted. And this was due to the fact that such genuine regard was only displayed by her mother and Aurora, as far as she could remember. If it came from the opposite sex, it would more than likely cause an inextinguishable bearing of soul. She wasn't ready for all that, but it was probably too late.

She nodded vacantly, no longer attempting to be evasive. He tootled away with haste and a hiss from his undoubtedly bruised ribs, only to return jingling keys. "Yeah I just have to grab my phone from my carā€¦ The Sheraton is likeā€¦ Five blocks away, are you sureā€¦" Her eyes met his and she realized it was futile to even ask. Her head bobbed up in down as she relented into submission. The two exited Buca to brave the distance between the entrance and their vehicles, inundated by cruel, wet conditions.

After snagging her wallet and phone from her car, she followed Daniel to his. She pried the door open and flattened the stranger's jacket over the cushion of the passenger side. When she sunk into the seat, she flicked her index finger against the touch screen of her iPhone to see she had received a message from Suri:
Hey doll, I have run into a problem that I have to take care of so I don't think ill be able to come to Buca's tonight. ā™„S.

Huffing quietly, she tucked the phone back into her wallet. Good thing Suri had no way of seeing her tonight, or there would be serious hell to pay. Having Daniel be her chauffeur and caretaker of sorts was a blessing

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Character Portrait: Maya Stillwater
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Maya woke up in her small cubby hole for a room in the Bistro, it was always hers, even as a child and even though she has money she could never leave this room of hers, like it had a hold on her, but nothing unpleasant, perhaps that is why she continues to sleep here. She'd sit up in her bed, looking up at the shelf, the shelf held books, a lamp and even the teddy 'Big daddy' gave her as a child, the only pink thing she would openly say she likes, even to this day.

She'd look at her teddy for a moment, eyes saddened for that moment of time then as she slowly looked away, determination replaced the sadness, whipping the covers from her naked body she'd jump up, hair naturally wavy though it looking nice, she was always so lucky that bed hair looked good on her after all. She'd then slip her knickers on, a thong to be exact and the matching bra, they were made of lace, black lace. She'd then slip into some skinny jeans, black also and a loose royal blue top, with a low cut V collar that showed her cleavage, but in a tasteful way. She'd put on gold chain around her neck and a couple of bracelets on her left wrist. Today she put make up but no red lipstick and no thick line of black eyeliner on her top eyelid, she just looked like a natural beauty.

She'd slip out of her room, shutting the door and locking it, slipping the key into her bra along with the money she picked up from in between her pillow case and turned. She'd walk into the main part of the Bistro, seeing she would the only one here she'd feel a little uneasy, she'd look to the wall and saw the shoes she wore that night before trying to jump off the pier, she'd sigh at her stupidity before slipping them on, adding to her height. She'd then walk to the front door, her studded heels tapping as she did, hips swaying side to side.

She'd then start to pull open the blinds, light peering in causing her to squint her eyes but she proceeded to open them, the light flooding into the Bistro then she'd unlock the door and step outside, taking in a breath of fresh air, for once the early morning had a bit of sun, this made the bitter cold more bearable. She'd then unlock the chains around the window guards and pull them across and out the way, they were so that no fools would smash the glass windows or break in.

She'd step back into the Bistro, turning on the radio and the till, along with the lights in the dimmed area of the Bistro and she'd sigh in contempt, happily with her efforts, and hopeful Cole, Maria and the others would be also...

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Skye Keaton Character Portrait: Suri Desmond Character Portrait: Maria Mae Occheto Character Portrait: Rosalinda Romero Character Portrait: Martin Ross Character Portrait: Maya Stillwater
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For once it felt like Chicago went undimmed as the ivory illustration of the city spun around Jackson and Cole. Snorting, Jackson tugged at his jacket and commented, "You better get ahold of Maria before she does some stupid shit. I hate to tell you what to do - you just know how she gets. She's, you know, she - she operates on a completely different level than we do. Don't give her too much time to think or she could put everyone in a lot of trouble."

His pale eyes glanced at his own phone in response to Cole's finger-tapping on the display. Contemplating whether or not to get ahold of his ex himself he shook his head then returned the phone to its hiding place in his pocket with almost a look of defeat painting itself on his face. His muscles jerked beneath his clothing, too eager to bust someone's head or do something, anything. Last night he had let way too much shit slide and it was no one's fault but his own. With the current state of affairs, he felt obligated to do a lot more than he had been, and there would be no more of his feelings getting the better of him.

Cole shifted uneasily at a response he got from Martin. On top of what he had just found out about his cousin's fiance, he was irked that Jackson was telling him to go fetch his sister. Suspecting that Jackson just wanted Mae where he could see her and guard her, he dismissed it.

Squinting into the sunlight, he thought it best to keep his mouth closed until it was all figured out. He technically had no moral commitment to Rosa but when it came to a female being mishandled and maltreated, his skin crawled. She could have come home with him - he could have taken her anywhere she wanted. But she slunk off into the night to configure a plan without the help of the Occheto's or their associates. Women and their pride.

What could Cole really have expected? He worked in a business that was overpopulated with stubborn women who thought they were all-knowing and constantly insisted that their way was the sensible way. Like Maya, brilliantly sexy yet painfully easy. And Suri, irresistible and lethal with a tendency to violence. Then there was Mariaā€¦ Yet, he couldn't put his sister into words. And Rosa, well, she was just plain old intriguing with her fawn skin and playful teasing. Had he been as bitter as Jackson, he may have thought Rosa deserved whatever landed her in the hospital. But he didn't. Cole wasn't that calloused.

He responded promptly to Martin's text while shrugging at Jackson, "She'll be fine. I'll call her in a few and see what she's up toā€¦ I should probably swing by Memorial to check in on Skye and - yeah, see skye." Cole hit send as his jaw hardened, hoping Martin would be there when he arrived:
I can't afford any more of this bullshittery man. I'll see you soon, stay put.

"Stay here with Aurora and be on top of your listening game. You have a tendency to zone out and not pay attention. If she says anything that might sound like she knows, tell me man. Do me this solid. I'll be back by six and if I'm not I'll meet you at the club."

With a shrug, Jackson agreed and flicked his cigarette onto the pavement carelessly. At his height, the shadows that casted from beneath him and onto the cement were petrifying in size. "Just be careful I guess dude." Jackson started back towards the front door while Cole slid into his car, reaching behind him to grab a spare tee shirt. Once he pulled on a plain gray pocket tee, he turned out onto the road and followed a string of traffic lights until he reached the phenomenally big hospital.

He jogged to the front desk, smacking the surface with anxiousness. It wasn't his intention to be rude or obnoxious but he definitely had an obligation towards Skye. "Hi, looking for Skye Keaton? She's my little sister." It suddenly didn't sound foreign or feel weird to say it as he embraced the idea of having another sibling to look after. But inwardly he was a self proclaimed failure of a big brother, especially after all the things he allowed to happen. The CNA behind the counter peered out from the side of her computer, lowering her glasses and requesting that he sign in and provide ID. He did as he was told, was directed to her room and disappeared down the hall before the CNA could say, "She's stable butā€¦ not in the best condition."

When he burst through the door of the sanatorium's patient room where Skye was located, he ignored everything else around him and sunk at her bedside, on his knees. Her dark hair fell all around her face, bruised and battered from the car 'accident'. Little hands curled at her sides, littered with IVs and tubes. "God dammit," he swallowed a lump in his throat uneasily.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Suri Desmond Character Portrait: Maria Mae Occheto Character Portrait: Rosalinda Romero Character Portrait: Martin Ross Character Portrait: Maya Stillwater Character Portrait: Kazuki "Daniel" Takahashi
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It dawned upon Cole that he wasn't entirely prepared for the real exposition that involved Rosa's misfortune and what exactly it encompassed. He visibly cringed at creased his brow when Martin's words hit him like a blow to the gut. "ā€¦She was sexually assaulted last night." Burdensome as it was on his conscience, the rising number of women he'd let down, he had to accept it and handle it as it were. He couldn't go back in time and change any of it.

He recalled the impotent and betrayed look in Rosa's eyes from the night before, the shock and the shame. Envisioning his sister pointing a gun at their father made his mind plummet, promptly topped off with the horrible smashing sound that ripped through the rain when he turned to find Skye run down in the street.

As a man it was his duty to keep women safe and in the span of two days he'd forced a handful to participate in murder, thrown his sister to a couple of Russian dogs so they could sexually assault her in front of him and Martin, let Rosa come into similar harm, and allowed Skye to storm off and get struck by a careless driver. His father always told him there was little time for feeling regret or sympathy but - Cole wasn't as cold as Antonio. He could turn his back on a lot of things but not when it came to deliberate danger falling upon those he cared about.

"Cole, I'm not sure what exactly is going on because it's obviously more than just Rosa. But I can tell you that I will do everything that I can to help you if you'll let me."

At the offer Cole's conscience boiled with macabre plotting. With enough people on his side, he could do anything. Martin's brains, Jude and Jackson's brute force, Maria's cunningness, Suri's blood thirst. Hell, maybe he could even sweeten the deal and bring Maya into it so she could get ahold of that Russian prick Vlad. Daniel might even prove beneficial to the entire conspiracy.

"You're a good man," Cole finally uttered with translucent, charcoal indigo eyes focused on Martin, "Tonight could get a little messy; so I'm going to brief you to the best of my ability. My dad's been fucking around - I have a little sister. Not Mae. The new waitress, Skye. All of this shit, on top of the little mishap with those Russians, and now Rosa is thrown into the mix with my cousin who belongs to the fucking Chicago department. Someone's gonna' get eliminated, someone has to. We need to eliminate the problems. That's all there is."

He choked on the sentiment he was about to reveal that entailed what happened to Skye last night, but he shook his head, "Mae pointed a gun at my dad last night. Everything's upside down right now. What we need to do is get to Windy City tonight and make sure we have Jude if nothing else. Something needs to be done about this so-called, insubstantial alliance we now have with the Russians. Cause' as far as I'm concerned," he put his hands to his sturdy chest, "I don't fuckin' want it."

Allegiance to his family came in no purer form than what Martin had just proposed. Cole was going to take all the help he could get. "We'll talk about what we're going to do with this whole association with our foreign 'pals' tonight. I can't fuckin' think straight until they're dead."

With that, he stood up and shoved the chair away from him. "See you in a couple of hours man." He turned on his heel and breezed out of the hospital to collapse into his car. The Occheto's had been steadily digging a grave for years and as it stood at that point in time, it may have been bottomless. But with a few extra hands, Cole might be able to get out of it.

ImageHe found himself parked outside of the boutique where, inside, Madame was skillfully racing back and forth in her pumps. The image of a curvy and determined femme never failed to pleasure Cole. Pushing himself from the vehicle, he strode inside, "Suit me up, my French delicacy. I got big plans tonight."

The porcelain-skinned ingenue spun to greet him, fanning her face with eager exaggeration as her cheeks turned a light pink, "Cole! Mon amour! How long it has been!"
"Tell me about it," he said flatly and scaled the racks of Armani suits.
"Do you plan on getting your hands dirty?"
"ā€¦Definitely." He smirked.

In a blur of fine fabrics, he came to find himself in a perfect suit that had a fit incomparable to anything else he wore. He smoothed the seams, looking at himself in the mirror as Chantal dangled a pair of gloves in front of him. Laughing at the over-the-top addition, he mused, "Are you for real?" The sultry shop owner only brought a finger to his lips, making him put them on.

He straighten the jacket, staring at his reflection. "Well damn," he grinned and dug out his card to hand over to Chantal. With a shrug, she again shook her head and disappeared into the dressing room, "My treat. Have a wonderful evening!"

Heads turned incessantly as he returned to his car, females making their attraction known like a dog in heat. Smiling to himself he revved the engine of the Ford before coming to notice his phone lighting up. "1 Missed Call." Grabbing for it, he scrolled through to see Aurora's name. He pulled the car away from the curb as he dialed out to see what she called for, headed in the direction of the strip club.