Lion’s Den
Escalade
(ATTN: Othello, Tivoli)
“For a dead man you sure do worry an awful lot.”
Othello laughs grimly.
“Don’t worry. It’s in my best interest to keep us all alive for now.”
The big man indeed seems to be channeling a half crazed NASCAR driver. The Civic Center comes in view as he takes a corner.
Rally and Lion’s Den - both threads merged into new heading:
Danny’s Last Dance
Civic Center Parking Lot
(ATTN: Othello, Tivoli, Forbes, Dino)
Echcelon’s keen (and only) eye spots a curious Escalade, sliding into a parking space across the street from the waning rally.
Forbes and Dino casually walk over, crossing between the almost standstill media traffic parked in the road.
The passenger and rear passenger seats are unlocked an waiting. Waiting inside, strapped to the overhead bar behind Othello is the much-pursued Tivoli.
“Losing the fucking feeling in my arm over here. When you gonna cut me loose Big Red?”
Rally
McCready hears the squeal of tires around the corner. He turns to Dino.
“They have arrived,” he says. “Now, if you’ll just give me a moment.”
His eyes scan the crowd and find the two victims he is looking for. He walks slightly forward, towards the first, a bearded homeless man in a military jacket. He can smell the man’s stench from here. The homeless guy sees McCready and walks forward to meet him. The name on his jacket reads “Springsteen,” and the markings are that of the Marines.
“Gotta change, mister? I needa bed, a place to sleep…”
Forbes reaches into his pocket and pulls out several hundred dollar bills. He extends them to Springsteen.
“This is enough for a week at the 54th Street Y. There’s one condition.”
Springsteen’s eyes widen. His Gollum like fingers reach for the money, but McCready pulls them back.
“There’s one condition.”
The man nods.
“You have to go up to the stage, get Mr. Avery’s attention, and ask him what his connection is to a Jimmy “Three Rings” Tivoli. He’ll blow you off-don’t let him. Keep asking and harassing him. Say you have proof. But don’t let the cops catch you-OK?”
“I never liked those rich fucks anyway,” Springsteen says.
Forbes smiles. “There’s a good man.” He hands them the money. “That’s five hundred. I’ll be watching you.”
He spins around and disappears back into the crowd, towards Dino. As they walk to Othello’s car, he passes a grandma on a cell phone, eagerly regaling her children with the details of the event and “oh how cute that Mr. Avery looks in his nice suit.” It is this last comment that sets McCready off.
He reaches over and whips the phone out of her hand, flinging it to the ground.
“I. FUCKING. Hate. Cell. Phones.” he says as he stomps it into tiny little pieces. The little blue-haired lady can only look on in shock.
Once he’s finished with her cell phone, he lights up a cigarette, then turns to the elderly woman, sneering.
“Call the cops. I dare you.”
She raises her hand to summon the police officers. He slaps it down with two hundred dollars.
As he bends down to pick up the parts of the cell, he says. “That’s enough to get cell phones for you half a dozen kids, grandkids, and great-grandkids. Compliments of that cute Mr. Avery’s rival. Now. I dare you.”
He blows cigarette smoke into her face and she coughs. McCready turns to Dino.
“Let’s get th’ fuck outta here.” he says as he slips the parts into his jacket pocket.
As he makes his way towards Othello’s van, he hears the Marine starting to ask questions and he smiles.
Heist
Though deeply disturbed by what he has just witnessed, Virgil feels that he cannot take the risk of leaving his current position. All his senses now in alert, he tries to keep an eye on both the guards and the man.
PROTECTION, PT. II
Paulie breathes hard for a moment or two, then collects himself. He drops the AK to the ground like it was a child’s toy, his eyes focusing on a lovely pair of these:
He hunts around and finds the appropriate ammo clips, slamming two in the pistols and eight more into his pockets. He hefts the two Uzis with a satisfied grunt.
“If you’re gonna cheat on your girl, do it with a supermodel.”
He looks to the door, readies himself, then rushes forward through it, knocking it wide with his shoulder. The Uzis are up and ready to shred the first Triad member he sees.
“The fuckin’ cavalry is here!”
Danny’s Last Dance
Civic Center Parking Lot
(ATTN: Othello, Tivoli, Forbes, Dino)
“When you quit bitching, so about a month from now, if you live so long.”
He cracks the window and shouts. “Hey ladies get a move on.”
Danny’s Last Dance
Civic Center Parking Lot
(ATTN: Othello, Tivoli, Forbes, Dino)
Dino can’t help but admire McCready’s sudden plan of action. Fuckin’ clever, this guy.
The cellphone incident somewhat worries Dino. But the professor has handled the situation as smooth as a pissed of Bond.
Dino smiles then hears Othello calling for them.
Danny’s Last Dance
McCready says to Dino as he swings open the passenger side door, “Riding in the back with that fucker would allow for too many temptations. You don’t mind, do you?”
He climbs in the front seat and slams the door shut.
“Let’s rock and roll,” he tells Othello as he checks his new Desert Eagle.
Danny’s Last Dance
Civic Center Parking Lot
(ATTN: Othello, Tivoli, Forbes, Dino)
Dino nods his head and sits beside a nervous-looking Tivoli.
Danny’s Last Dance
“Put on the seatbelts boys. We’re gonna hall ass.” He heads out with authority and strains of “Night on Bald Mountain” fill the cab.
“Next stop your friendly neighborhood Savings and Loan.”
Danny’s Last Dance
McCready reaches around and grabs the seatbelt, catching Tivoli shooting daggers at him out of the corner of his eye, as Othello throws the car into high gear and begins to haul ass.
As the car speeds through Coldstone’s dusty streets, “Night on Bald Mountain” doesn’t miss a beat. McCready pauses to listen to the music.
“Ah, Mussorgy. Fitting that the last picture painted of him was that of a madman. I wonder, would that be how our unwilling passenger might look if Roman had his way with him? I see you are using the London recording of Dutoit’s Montreal Symphony. A beautiful recording, London digital at her best.”
He closes his eyes and lets the music wash over him.
“Warm and richly detailed, like a good wine. A beautiful recording. Marie and I used to listen to this often. I always prefered Solti’s Chicago Symphony recording of Pictures at an Exhibition myself…”
Danny’s Last Dance
“Me, I like Fantasia.” The black man shot the professor a wink.
Heist
Bank Lobby/Vault
(ATTN: Roman, Frank, Virgil, Winters, Chelsea)
Slow motion. The surge of adrenaline and fear kick the air into a dizzying mist.
Chelsea moves towards the restroom door, pacing casually. Unexpectedly, she takes a fall, stumbling right into the armed gentleman. Both collapse to the floor with a thud.
Eyes turn to the collision. The security guard by the door rushes to assist. With their attention diverted, Roman and Frank turn to Winters, still working at the keypad.
Roman knows better. The man is making errors… calculated errors. The system is likely the kind to report such repeated discrepancies to security.
“Just can’t get the last two digits right…,” Winters chuckles.
Danny’s Last Dance
Escalade: Downtown
(ATTN: Othello, Dino, Forbes, Tivoli)
“Look prick,” Tivoli turns to Forbes as if he’d grown a new pair. “You can take your fucking chamber music, and shove it into your faggot asshole.”
He turns to Dino. “And you… one of the family. You wouldn’t be pals with this fuck if you knew even half of what he’s done. This tight-wearing, ice skating mother fucker shot Capella. He’s the one that put him in the fucking hospital. He worked for that slanty-eyed bitch that finished him off… that wacked Tony…”
Tivoli has apparently had enough, and had given up on biting his tongue and cowering in fear.
Heist
Roman looks to Frank. “Cover me.” Roman holsters his weapon, grabs Winters left hand, and bends his “pinky” finger 180 degrees back. A sickening, small crack is heard.
Protection Pt. II
Ray’s Guns and Ammo
(ATTN: Julian, Paulie)
Julian writhes on the floor. Paulie steps out to see diRossi take a bullet while firing over the counter top with a .45 pistol.
At least six Chinatown Charlies have descended on the storefront, stepping past their fallen comrades and laying waste to the panes of glass in front of the black metal bars.
A tattooed, bandana wearing Triad bounds into te store, looking for survivors to shoot. He turns towards the “vault” area… only too late. A sadistic grin lines the “Jester’s” face.
heist
Frank swears quietly as he sees Winters fumbling. He turns, and sees Chelsea being helped up by the security guard.
In the pitch black of the gentlemen’s inside jacket, he sees something. A flash of gunmetal. Quickly, he mutters under his breath to Roman.
‘By the restroom. Black suit.’
Frank reaches into his sleeve and clicks off the safety as he looks to Virgil.
Danny’s Last Stand
“Pull this fucking car over,” McCready tells Othello. “Right the fuck now.”
Heist
Winters shrieks sharply. “…why?!” he whispers.
The nearest guard (not at the restrroms), hears the commotion, and makes his way to the vault.
With his good hand, Winters completes the code with no more mis-steps. The latch is released, and the large metal block slowly slides outward.
Quote:
| Fett: heist Frank swears quietly as he sees Winters fumbling. He turns, and sees Chelsea being helped up by the security guard. In the pitch black of the gentlemen’s inside jacket, he sees something. A flash of gunmetal. Quickly, he mutters under his breath to Roman. ‘By the restroom. Black suit.’ Frank reaches into his sleeve and clicks off the safety as he looks to Virgil. |
As soon as Frank reports his finding, he notices the group scattering. Chelsea stands, the man she collided with is on his feet. Keeping a keen eye on things, Tobiasi notes the gun is now absent from its holster, and the owner is yet unaware of his loss.