Member
Hey Im Jordan
Chocolate
RPM
Barham
Rinanina09
Deadline
Vixere
Jones SparrowCollab with: @Estylwen (Thorned Rose, various NPCs)
Hearing the girl's scream, several adults ran to her. Being associated with Omakase meant they were no strangers to conflicts, but Poppy had made it known that she did not like her children getting involved. Sure, the orphans and members alike were attacked often when they were away from the Omakase properties, but it has been years since any incident happened so close to the orphanage. Was it a personal grudge from someone unfamiliar with the boss of this district? Wouldn't be unlikely, given the boy's rebellious streak. Or was it an opponent aiming to stab Poppy where it hurts?
One of the adults, a burly man who was in charge of security, ran past her to the streets to see if he could catch a glimpse of whoever abducted one of theirs. Another, a teacher-caretaker who was nearby, embraced the panicking girl and asked in a gentle tone, "Can you tell me what you saw? We need to know who took him." The teacher and the last adult watched the girl intently, eager for any information she could provide. They had security cameras, but they needed to know what they were looking for first.
The girl sniffled while she was embraced, trying desperately not to cry. Hastily rubbing her eyes, she pointed at the receeding SUV that had taken Noah.
"I- I saw four men in these fancy suits, like what Miss Leroux wears. And I remember what she taught me- always look at the license plate! KVG-8850! That's what it said."
The security guy took note of the vehicle the girl had pointed to. He shouted something like "I'm going after them", before bolting around the corner to grab his motorcycle. Desperately hoping that the SUV wouldn't disappear before he could hit the road.
She looked up sheepishly. "Will you save Noah?"
The two adults left nodded to each, wordlessly confirming their next actions. The teacher turned her attention back to the girl, continuing to comfort her. "Of course we will. We're all family here. You did well remembering the plate number. We adults will get Noah back in no time. Now, let's get you inside and comfortable. We can't have another one to worry about, can we?" The woman's tone was teasing at the end, giving a little boop to the girl's nose. Her arm around the girl made to steer her inside.
The small girl gave a little giggle, easily allowing herself to be returned back to the Orphanage.
Meanwhile, the other man pulled out his phone while walking briskly to his office. With the press of a button, he dialed the emergency number on his phone. The phone in Omakase's Penny Stakes hideout rang briefly before it was picked up.
"We've got a situation. A child was kidnapped by an SUV, likely another faction by the description. The plate reads KVG-8850. Messani ran after them, but I doubt he could tail them for long. Tell me we can get eyes on them."
As Messani made to follow after the black SUV, a very interesting thing would happen. After about five minutes to hairpin turns and screeching through traffic, the van turned off into an alley. By the time Messani arrived, however, all he would find was the black SUV with its back doors wide open. The occupants, and Noah, were long gone...
Poppy felt unusually agitated today. She was supposed to receive a shipment of smuggled goods at the docks today but didn't have the patience for it. The shipment was exotic mushrooms, some hallucinogenic, some poisonous, and others simply coveted for their taste. A client was craving decadent fungi, and it didn't hurt to order a few extra items from their mushroom dealer.
After delegating her second-in-command to go in her stead, she decided to stroll along the food promenade and check on her tenets. The draft from the river cooled her head, but the restless feeling wouldn't go away. Poppy chose a random restaurant to enter. Maybe she was low on blood sugar. Even if she was fine, it didn't hurt to stock up on some energy for her Gyft. It was a quaint little bistro, the only worker in sight was a homely woman, sitting behind the bar. Poppy sat before the woman, presumably the owner, and ordered pizza bites with a glass of apple cider. Maybe it was her upbringing, her tastebuds were more satisfied with the common foods even when she had access to the most gourmet.
The homely woman smiled, revealing a gold tooth. "Hey hun, you got it. One plate 'o pizza bites and a cider coming right up."
She stuck a recipe to the window on the back wall, and a lone chef gave it a peek, quickly disappearing again to, presumably, make it. The convince with hot comfort fare was that they were relatively quick and easy to make. While the owner prepared the cider, a hot basket of bites slide across the window's shelf. These were both placed in front of Poppy, and the owner flashed that dazzling smile of her again.
"Let me know if you need anything else, dear."
Poppy could only return the woman a curt nod. The fresh goodness tasted bland in her mouth. Logically, she knew the bread was perfectly soft, and the tangy tomato sauce was well-seasoned to balance out the greasiness. But her nerves were as taut as a piano string. She knew something was about to happen.
The minutes passed in quiet bliss. Until, slowly, a gentle creep took the air. A draft from the outside entered through the swinging door, and footsteps clicked across the worn floor directly towards Poppy. A silver-haired man took the bar stool beside her, waving the owner down.
"An apple pie shot, please. Two, one for me, one for the nice lady," He said, side-eyeing Poppy.
The owner stared for a moment, her entire demeanor shifting to something a bit more cautious. The shots were made and placed in front of the two.
Indeed, the new presence in the bistro set something off. It wasn't just the air from the outside that stirred the stale atmosphere. It was the man himself. Poppy scrutinized the man as he moved beside her and called for the shots.
Poppy knew the air about him. He was someone from the same world as her. He wasn't someone she recognized, not that she was particularly good with faces. She was sure he wasn't from a nearby faction, though. Those, she was well-acquainted with. His actions spoke that he had come for her. What for, was the question.
She ignored her food and her new drink. "Can I help you with something?" She asked tersely, not one for beating around the bush, especially with her recent irritability. She kept some semblance of civility, not knowing what the man wanted, but her furrowed brows told of her impatience.
The man merely smiled, tossing his shot back, letting the now-empty glass clink with gusto against the counter. He sighed softly, appearing the relish the taste of alcohol on his tongue, before he side-eyed Poppy. If he noticed her impatience, it didn't affect the slow, non-chalant speed at which he spoke.
"Got a job for ya, Poppy. There's a dirty cop that's run outta usefulness. I want you to take some of your boys and... lift some evidence off her. Something that will incriminate her.
"Think you can do that for me? I'll pay you well for it, of course."
However, there was some good news. The phone was picked up in Omakase's Penny Stakes Hideout, and a smooth tone answered. "I'm tapping into the CCTV now..."
There was a click of a tongue. "No good. The license plate was flagged, owned by a Matteo Dinero, but it's already been abandoned. However, I'm currently tracking three suspect vehicles that just left the vicinity. Your boy could be in any one of them. Getting eyes to follow them now while I keep on the CCTV..."
People began moving at the Penny Stakes hideout. Once they got a name, one guy took to search who this Matteo Dinero was. More eyes helped with the CCTV footage, and calls were made to those out in the streets. One of these calls was made to Messani, updating him since he was one of the closest in the area.
After some time, the one running the identity search shouted to the group, "Hey guys, I don't think you'll like this. This Dinero guy is the underboss of Thorned Roses. I hope they lost a vehicle recently, 'cuz otherwise, we're in for some big trouble."
Omakase's call reached Messani at the perfect time. The card had confirmed the team's earlier suspicions -- that this was much bigger than just a violent mugging of a child. The Thorned Roses must have some form of demand.
The guy who was obviously the leader of this group let out a sigh. "Shit. Alright, keep doing what you're doing. I'm gonna call this in to Pops." he walked over to a corner for his call, just far enough that he wasn't surrounded by background noise but still wouldn't miss any new information they gained.
The phone rang once. Twice. No answer. She shouldn't be busy right now.
He tried calling again, knowing Pops would pick up the second call even if her hands were tied up.
Mentions: Emily @LanaStorm Interactions: Matteo Dinero (NPC)
Poppy's leg bounced as the stranger dragged out his words. Oh great, more headaches to deal with. She knocked back the delicious shot, hoping to take the edge off. Coincidentally, apple pie shots were one of her favourite drinks. It reminisced of baking she did with Mrs. Leroux. The man seemed a little more agreeable once the sweetness enveloped her from the inside.
With a clearer head, Poppy pondered his proposal. She would never turn down good money. Plus, so far, the job didn't pose too much potential danger. Omakase at least have an amicable relationship with the Penny Stakes precinct, having a reign on the most volatile members who lived out in tents, and enough money to bribe those in Grey Heights to turn a blind eye to the lesser transgressions.
"If you know me, you know I don't like risking my boys. Tell me more about this target." Poppy took a sip of her cider, now tasting more sour than she'd liked in contrast to the aftertaste of the shot. She clicked her tongue. "Oh, and may I know who I'm dealing with? You obviously know who I am, so it's only fair to introduce yourself." She cocked her head with a smile that didn't reach her eyes, not that he had once faced her to study her expression yet.
He gave a wolfish grin, "A lady who ere's on the side of cautious. I can respect that."
His eyes glanced back to the owner, "A rum and coke, if you could. Double-shot."
The drink was placed in front of him. He gave a satisfactory sip before holding the glass by its rim, forearms resting on the bar. His dark eyes glanced side-long at her.
"Your target's name is Emily Newport. Runs a corrupt cop division in Gold Rim. Easy enough job to lift a bit of their paper. Anything that would get her put behind bars for at least five, ten years would do."
He hovered his glass against his lips, before snorting in light-hearted humour, recounting a joke only he knew, before he gave a slanted smile to Poppy. "Matteo. Mister Matteo Dinero. But you can just call me Matteo, hun."
Poppy quickly noted the information about this corrupt cop. Gold Rim, a bit far from her base... and a bit close to where he was. A cop too. But no matter, she didn't need to show herself for this.
Before she could continue her thoughts, her phone rang. She turned it off without even looking at who it was. It would be bad form in the presence of company, with whom she was discussing business no less.
While her previous thoughts were interrupted, she found no reason to turn the man down. "Matteo," she began. Her face now sported a business smile to match his grin. His name did ring a bell â Thorned Roses, was it? Now Gold Rim made sense. "I will gladly do business with you, but --"
Her attempt at negotiating the terms was cut short by her phone ringing again. She knew that it meant urgent business. "Excuse me, I must take this call. One of my boys might've set fire to our backyard." She attempted to make a joke before slipping away to take the call.
The man on the other end began explaining the trouble that had found them. Her heart wrenched when they said it was Noah who was taken. Her Noah. Surely, it was a coincidence they had chosen him out of the dozens of children she housed. She pushed aside the fear that was grappling at her. She needed to stay cool to handle the situation and to hide the fact that he meant so much to her.
At the mention of Thorned Roses, her eyes darted to the man nursing his second drink. A growl rose in her throat along with the feeling of anger. She gripped her phone in her hand, letting it fall from her face as she strode back to her seat. In her rage, she subconsciously activated her Gyft ever so slightly, and her fist flew to the handsome man's face in a blur.
"Maybe you should've opened with how you kidnapped one of my children." She gritted through her teeth, her mind trying its best not to dwell on who exactly had been taken.
Matteo didn't react. In fact, he may have welcomed the beating as the fist connected with his face. His only move was to slightly turn his head, anticipating she might be violent. That way, her fist would land on his cheek.
Still hurt.
His drink was knocked from his hand, shooting across the bar and shattering on the floor. The owner paled, but didn't move from her position, only stepping back a little. Matteo didn't move from where he had been forced back, instead, his eyes locked on her.
"That's strike one, sweetheart. Hit me again, I dare you."
He sighed, grinning a little as he straightened himself in his chair, fingers brushing against the raw skin on his cheek.
"Rest assured, your Noah will be returned to you in one piece so long as you behave. Or I might have to get creative in how I carve up his face."
Poppy's eyes narrowed at his wording. No, he couldn't possibly have known. His threat did pull her out of her blind rage, however. Physical assault might not have been the best course of action here. But he deserved it.
Matteo's smirk widened a little, seeing the rage and struggle in her eyes, before shrugging. "You got a week. When you got the goods, return here. And maybe, maybe, if you have the best behavior, I'll let Noah go, hm?"
She wanted nothing more than to wipe that taunting smirk off his face. If her knife if not her raw fist. But alas, he'd caught her by the throat with a hostage in his hands. Her fist clenched and relaxed. It wasn't like she had any other options.
She eased away from him, tone icy cold. "I like to think myself an honorable businesswoman, but if that's how you're going to play it. So be it. I will hold my end of the bargain. You better hope Noah comes back to us without a hair amiss. You wouldn't want the wrath of my group unleashed on you." She certainly wasn't known as Mother Goose for writing nursery rhymes.
With that, Poppy spun on her heels and stormed out of the restaurant. She needed to get moving if she only had a week. She wasn't going to let go of the leads she already had on Noah's kidnapping either.
Poppy Orphanage, Penny Stakes
Hearing the girl's scream, several adults ran to her. Being associated with Omakase meant they were no strangers to conflicts, but Poppy had made it known that she did not like her children getting involved. Sure, the orphans and members alike were attacked often when they were away from the Omakase properties, but it has been years since any incident happened so close to the orphanage. Was it a personal grudge from someone unfamiliar with the boss of this district? Wouldn't be unlikely, given the boy's rebellious streak. Or was it an opponent aiming to stab Poppy where it hurts?
One of the adults, a burly man who was in charge of security, ran past her to the streets to see if he could catch a glimpse of whoever abducted one of theirs. Another, a teacher-caretaker who was nearby, embraced the panicking girl and asked in a gentle tone, "Can you tell me what you saw? We need to know who took him." The teacher and the last adult watched the girl intently, eager for any information she could provide. They had security cameras, but they needed to know what they were looking for first.
The girl sniffled while she was embraced, trying desperately not to cry. Hastily rubbing her eyes, she pointed at the receeding SUV that had taken Noah.
"I- I saw four men in these fancy suits, like what Miss Leroux wears. And I remember what she taught me- always look at the license plate! KVG-8850! That's what it said."
The security guy took note of the vehicle the girl had pointed to. He shouted something like "I'm going after them", before bolting around the corner to grab his motorcycle. Desperately hoping that the SUV wouldn't disappear before he could hit the road.
She looked up sheepishly. "Will you save Noah?"
The two adults left nodded to each, wordlessly confirming their next actions. The teacher turned her attention back to the girl, continuing to comfort her. "Of course we will. We're all family here. You did well remembering the plate number. We adults will get Noah back in no time. Now, let's get you inside and comfortable. We can't have another one to worry about, can we?" The woman's tone was teasing at the end, giving a little boop to the girl's nose. Her arm around the girl made to steer her inside.
The small girl gave a little giggle, easily allowing herself to be returned back to the Orphanage.
Meanwhile, the other man pulled out his phone while walking briskly to his office. With the press of a button, he dialed the emergency number on his phone. The phone in Omakase's Penny Stakes hideout rang briefly before it was picked up.
"We've got a situation. A child was kidnapped by an SUV, likely another faction by the description. The plate reads KVG-8850. Messani ran after them, but I doubt he could tail them for long. Tell me we can get eyes on them."
As Messani made to follow after the black SUV, a very interesting thing would happen. After about five minutes to hairpin turns and screeching through traffic, the van turned off into an alley. By the time Messani arrived, however, all he would find was the black SUV with its back doors wide open. The occupants, and Noah, were long gone...
Grey Heights
Poppy felt unusually agitated today. She was supposed to receive a shipment of smuggled goods at the docks today but didn't have the patience for it. The shipment was exotic mushrooms, some hallucinogenic, some poisonous, and others simply coveted for their taste. A client was craving decadent fungi, and it didn't hurt to order a few extra items from their mushroom dealer.
After delegating her second-in-command to go in her stead, she decided to stroll along the food promenade and check on her tenets. The draft from the river cooled her head, but the restless feeling wouldn't go away. Poppy chose a random restaurant to enter. Maybe she was low on blood sugar. Even if she was fine, it didn't hurt to stock up on some energy for her Gyft. It was a quaint little bistro, the only worker in sight was a homely woman, sitting behind the bar. Poppy sat before the woman, presumably the owner, and ordered pizza bites with a glass of apple cider. Maybe it was her upbringing, her tastebuds were more satisfied with the common foods even when she had access to the most gourmet.
The homely woman smiled, revealing a gold tooth. "Hey hun, you got it. One plate 'o pizza bites and a cider coming right up."
She stuck a recipe to the window on the back wall, and a lone chef gave it a peek, quickly disappearing again to, presumably, make it. The convince with hot comfort fare was that they were relatively quick and easy to make. While the owner prepared the cider, a hot basket of bites slide across the window's shelf. These were both placed in front of Poppy, and the owner flashed that dazzling smile of her again.
"Let me know if you need anything else, dear."
Poppy could only return the woman a curt nod. The fresh goodness tasted bland in her mouth. Logically, she knew the bread was perfectly soft, and the tangy tomato sauce was well-seasoned to balance out the greasiness. But her nerves were as taut as a piano string. She knew something was about to happen.
The minutes passed in quiet bliss. Until, slowly, a gentle creep took the air. A draft from the outside entered through the swinging door, and footsteps clicked across the worn floor directly towards Poppy. A silver-haired man took the bar stool beside her, waving the owner down.
"An apple pie shot, please. Two, one for me, one for the nice lady," He said, side-eyeing Poppy.
The owner stared for a moment, her entire demeanor shifting to something a bit more cautious. The shots were made and placed in front of the two.
Indeed, the new presence in the bistro set something off. It wasn't just the air from the outside that stirred the stale atmosphere. It was the man himself. Poppy scrutinized the man as he moved beside her and called for the shots.
Poppy knew the air about him. He was someone from the same world as her. He wasn't someone she recognized, not that she was particularly good with faces. She was sure he wasn't from a nearby faction, though. Those, she was well-acquainted with. His actions spoke that he had come for her. What for, was the question.
She ignored her food and her new drink. "Can I help you with something?" She asked tersely, not one for beating around the bush, especially with her recent irritability. She kept some semblance of civility, not knowing what the man wanted, but her furrowed brows told of her impatience.
The man merely smiled, tossing his shot back, letting the now-empty glass clink with gusto against the counter. He sighed softly, appearing the relish the taste of alcohol on his tongue, before he side-eyed Poppy. If he noticed her impatience, it didn't affect the slow, non-chalant speed at which he spoke.
"Got a job for ya, Poppy. There's a dirty cop that's run outta usefulness. I want you to take some of your boys and... lift some evidence off her. Something that will incriminate her.
"Think you can do that for me? I'll pay you well for it, of course."
Omakase Hideout, Penny Stakes
However, there was some good news. The phone was picked up in Omakase's Penny Stakes Hideout, and a smooth tone answered. "I'm tapping into the CCTV now..."
There was a click of a tongue. "No good. The license plate was flagged, owned by a Matteo Dinero, but it's already been abandoned. However, I'm currently tracking three suspect vehicles that just left the vicinity. Your boy could be in any one of them. Getting eyes to follow them now while I keep on the CCTV..."
People began moving at the Penny Stakes hideout. Once they got a name, one guy took to search who this Matteo Dinero was. More eyes helped with the CCTV footage, and calls were made to those out in the streets. One of these calls was made to Messani, updating him since he was one of the closest in the area.
After some time, the one running the identity search shouted to the group, "Hey guys, I don't think you'll like this. This Dinero guy is the underboss of Thorned Roses. I hope they lost a vehicle recently, 'cuz otherwise, we're in for some big trouble."
Omakase's call reached Messani at the perfect time. The card had confirmed the team's earlier suspicions -- that this was much bigger than just a violent mugging of a child. The Thorned Roses must have some form of demand.
The guy who was obviously the leader of this group let out a sigh. "Shit. Alright, keep doing what you're doing. I'm gonna call this in to Pops." he walked over to a corner for his call, just far enough that he wasn't surrounded by background noise but still wouldn't miss any new information they gained.
The phone rang once. Twice. No answer. She shouldn't be busy right now.
He tried calling again, knowing Pops would pick up the second call even if her hands were tied up.
Random Bistro, Grey Heights
Mentions: Emily @LanaStorm Interactions: Matteo Dinero (NPC)
Poppy's leg bounced as the stranger dragged out his words. Oh great, more headaches to deal with. She knocked back the delicious shot, hoping to take the edge off. Coincidentally, apple pie shots were one of her favourite drinks. It reminisced of baking she did with Mrs. Leroux. The man seemed a little more agreeable once the sweetness enveloped her from the inside.
With a clearer head, Poppy pondered his proposal. She would never turn down good money. Plus, so far, the job didn't pose too much potential danger. Omakase at least have an amicable relationship with the Penny Stakes precinct, having a reign on the most volatile members who lived out in tents, and enough money to bribe those in Grey Heights to turn a blind eye to the lesser transgressions.
"If you know me, you know I don't like risking my boys. Tell me more about this target." Poppy took a sip of her cider, now tasting more sour than she'd liked in contrast to the aftertaste of the shot. She clicked her tongue. "Oh, and may I know who I'm dealing with? You obviously know who I am, so it's only fair to introduce yourself." She cocked her head with a smile that didn't reach her eyes, not that he had once faced her to study her expression yet.
He gave a wolfish grin, "A lady who ere's on the side of cautious. I can respect that."
His eyes glanced back to the owner, "A rum and coke, if you could. Double-shot."
The drink was placed in front of him. He gave a satisfactory sip before holding the glass by its rim, forearms resting on the bar. His dark eyes glanced side-long at her.
"Your target's name is Emily Newport. Runs a corrupt cop division in Gold Rim. Easy enough job to lift a bit of their paper. Anything that would get her put behind bars for at least five, ten years would do."
He hovered his glass against his lips, before snorting in light-hearted humour, recounting a joke only he knew, before he gave a slanted smile to Poppy. "Matteo. Mister Matteo Dinero. But you can just call me Matteo, hun."
Poppy quickly noted the information about this corrupt cop. Gold Rim, a bit far from her base... and a bit close to where he was. A cop too. But no matter, she didn't need to show herself for this.
Before she could continue her thoughts, her phone rang. She turned it off without even looking at who it was. It would be bad form in the presence of company, with whom she was discussing business no less.
While her previous thoughts were interrupted, she found no reason to turn the man down. "Matteo," she began. Her face now sported a business smile to match his grin. His name did ring a bell â Thorned Roses, was it? Now Gold Rim made sense. "I will gladly do business with you, but --"
Her attempt at negotiating the terms was cut short by her phone ringing again. She knew that it meant urgent business. "Excuse me, I must take this call. One of my boys might've set fire to our backyard." She attempted to make a joke before slipping away to take the call.
The man on the other end began explaining the trouble that had found them. Her heart wrenched when they said it was Noah who was taken. Her Noah. Surely, it was a coincidence they had chosen him out of the dozens of children she housed. She pushed aside the fear that was grappling at her. She needed to stay cool to handle the situation and to hide the fact that he meant so much to her.
At the mention of Thorned Roses, her eyes darted to the man nursing his second drink. A growl rose in her throat along with the feeling of anger. She gripped her phone in her hand, letting it fall from her face as she strode back to her seat. In her rage, she subconsciously activated her Gyft ever so slightly, and her fist flew to the handsome man's face in a blur.
"Maybe you should've opened with how you kidnapped one of my children." She gritted through her teeth, her mind trying its best not to dwell on who exactly had been taken.
Matteo didn't react. In fact, he may have welcomed the beating as the fist connected with his face. His only move was to slightly turn his head, anticipating she might be violent. That way, her fist would land on his cheek.
Still hurt.
His drink was knocked from his hand, shooting across the bar and shattering on the floor. The owner paled, but didn't move from her position, only stepping back a little. Matteo didn't move from where he had been forced back, instead, his eyes locked on her.
"That's strike one, sweetheart. Hit me again, I dare you."
He sighed, grinning a little as he straightened himself in his chair, fingers brushing against the raw skin on his cheek.
"Rest assured, your Noah will be returned to you in one piece so long as you behave. Or I might have to get creative in how I carve up his face."
Poppy's eyes narrowed at his wording. No, he couldn't possibly have known. His threat did pull her out of her blind rage, however. Physical assault might not have been the best course of action here. But he deserved it.
Matteo's smirk widened a little, seeing the rage and struggle in her eyes, before shrugging. "You got a week. When you got the goods, return here. And maybe, maybe, if you have the best behavior, I'll let Noah go, hm?"
She wanted nothing more than to wipe that taunting smirk off his face. If her knife if not her raw fist. But alas, he'd caught her by the throat with a hostage in his hands. Her fist clenched and relaxed. It wasn't like she had any other options.
She eased away from him, tone icy cold. "I like to think myself an honorable businesswoman, but if that's how you're going to play it. So be it. I will hold my end of the bargain. You better hope Noah comes back to us without a hair amiss. You wouldn't want the wrath of my group unleashed on you." She certainly wasn't known as Mother Goose for writing nursery rhymes.
With that, Poppy spun on her heels and stormed out of the restaurant. She needed to get moving if she only had a week. She wasn't going to let go of the leads she already had on Noah's kidnapping either.
