a facade `

[mascnking]

dylan

“I’m getting the sense that some might feel like there could be a better suited leader than a young woman who wants to play with the big boys?” The brunette asked since that was how she had been treated when she first came into the academy. Mostly because she had the ego of a cocky man, and a lot of them were pissed that she could knock them out too. Her brow rose when the male mentioned back up and she could only show her excitement in the way her grin turned lopsided. “Come on now, you really got to ask? It’s been a while since I’ve gotten my hands dirty. I’m always game, King.”

“It’s a big gang, lots of guys older than her that’ve been in this scene longer.” He returned with a nod of his head, leaning back against the hard seat of the cruiser. Mason knew Harlow was capable of many things, especially given that she’d seen some of them firsthand. A grin soon curved his lips, Mason nodding his head, “Figured you would be. I’ve got to play my cards right, but I’m guessing I’ve got a short window to work with. I need her father still locked up when I make my move.”

[mascnking]

cheyenne

“I have a feeling that I did…because that’s disgusting,” she reached for her napkin and started to wipe the signature dish from her mouth. “I do-because good lord how can anyone eat that slop?” she reached for her iced tea and drained it to get the taste out of her mouth.

“Yeah, they usually are. Cook’s been trying to come up with something unique, nearly fails every time.” He spoke as if he went there nearly every week, which he pretty much did. “Most people don’t. Unspoken rule to avoid the signature dish at all costs.” He watched her down her drink with a chuckle, “Get rid of it?”

[mascnking]

dylan

Dylan blew the male a kiss and a wink through the mirror, then grinned at the male. Sometimes she felt it was unfortunate that they were similarly on the opposite side of the law right now as it would have been a lot easier if he came out from being undercover. Then again, some things were more important. As he spoke, she sighed aloud and nodded. “Yeah, I know who you’re talking about? How much of a threat is she? Think she can make it work?” While children often wanted to follow the steps of their parents, they were big shoes to fill and if she would crumble and burn herself, then it would make their job simpler. “But yeah, I can do that.”

There were times when Mason wished that he’d never taken up the undercover work. Wished that he could be back in New York, living his day to day life without the risk of meddling in a gang. But then he’d never have gotten back in touch with his brother, wouldn’t have been able to save him from what was to come. “Definitely less of one than her dad is. She’s got trust and loyalty, but it only extends so far. A lot of these guys came in expecting her dad to be in charge, not her.” And if the doubt was already creeping in, it wouldn’t be long before something started to slip. “Thanks, that’ll help a lot. Might even need to call you for backup. That is, if you’re game.”

[mascnking]

cheyenne

“What….in the hell….” was the only thing Cheyenne could say when she ate it, and it tasted quite…different. “What the hell did I just taste just now?”

“Don’t tell me you got roped into the signature dish,” he spoke the words after overhearing the woman at the table next to him. The chuckle that followed came of its own accord, “You’re definitely going to need something to wash that down quick, or you’ll probably be stuck with that aftertaste for a good while.”

[mascnking]

dylan

“Shame, convicts don’t get special treatment, King.” The girl said with a little quirk of her lips and a playful shrug of her shoulder. Funnily, she actually began to find that his presence had grown on her which only made it difficult since he was meant to be a lowlife criminal. When the conversation turned serious, she peered at him through her mirror and nodded. “I’ve heard of him. Gruesome shit. But nothing recent, why?”

“Damn. You know, that really hurts,” he chided with a wrinkle of his nose. Leaning forward, he rested his shoulder against the barrier separating them. Rolling his lips, Mason nodded his head to her words, “One of his boys turned him over, got him locked up. With him gone, his daughter’s taken over. I have a feeling if she’s out of the picture, the Jackals will crumble. But I can’t really move forward with that if your guys are planning to release him soon. Think you could get me intel on the case?”

[mascnking]

dylan

Dylan couldn’t help but smirk when the male mentioned going to a drive through before they arrived at the station for their monthly arrest and share con. She would arrest him for some petty crime and gather any new information he had. “Not that bad of an idea,” she said with a nod, eyeing the surrounding restaurants as she drove. “Plus might be worth it to see you try to wiggle up to the glass and catch the food I try to squeeze through the slot.”

Shifting on the uncomfortable back seat, he leaned forward, closer to the glass separating them. “Oh, come on. You wouldn’t just pull over to hand it to me? You’re a cold woman, Sutton.” He grinned, finally leaning back. Wiping a hand across his jaw, he glanced out the window of the squad car, “You hear anything about Alejandro DeMartel?” 

[mascnking]

harlow

His denial only made her all the more curious as to why he wanted her to take point, perhaps he doubted her; in which case he could all he liked, she wasn’t here to prove herself. Despite it, she rolled her eyes and nodded, moving past him to head towards the backroom of the building where the figure head of their rival likely waited for them. It wasn’t ideal, but a momentary documented accord between them would garner certain problems they both shared incapable, that and it’d give the Jackals an opening to bring in a new shipment. “The guys are only a block away if things go bad, don’t let them go bad.” Whatever decision she’d made to bring him as her second was..– questionable, but he’d done all he had to to earn her trust, and her fathers. The reminder had Harlow looking to what she knew to be his own weapon beneath his clothing, wondering whether he’d offer her the same moment of unflinching loyalty he’d offered her father the night he was arrested. “They’re trigger happy, so maybe it is better you don’t take point, you’d no doubt just piss them off.”

“Call it being courteous,” he grinned along with his joking words, hoping to ease whatever her mind was likely conjuring up. He needed her to trust him, just as her father had done. Whether that was because of who his brother was or because of what he’d shown he was capable of doing, Mason would stand behind it. What they were going to do, he needed to visibly see her taking action in it. The more he could add to her folder, the more likely something would stick when he finally acted. Her father was already down, and it wouldn’t take much to get her down either. Her words, along with the shift of her eyes, had his hand moving, fingers sliding under the hem of his shirt to show her the gun tucked in his waist band. “If anything goes bad, I won’t hesitate.” Allowing his shirt to fall back down, Mason followed closely behind her, making sure to keep an eye out. “Funny. I’ll have you know, I’m a very likable guy.”

[mascnking]

starter for @dylansutton

There was a certain level of smugness plastered to features as Mason lounged in the uncomfortable backseat of Dylan’s cruiser. Before coming to Westport, it’d been nearly a decade since he’d last been in the back of a cop car, and in handcuffs. “How about we take this bad boy to the drive thru? I’m a little hungry,” he teased of the woman sitting in the front seat, the pair of them working to keep up the appearance.

[mascnking]

harlow

“Since you seem so unsure of yourself and I can’t bank on that, looks like it.” She might have usually let someone else take it, her new stance among the gang wasn’t as welcomed by everyone as might have been expected, but she’d earn it by running things as they’d always gone, “Try to keep up, King.”

“I’m not unsure of myself,” he quipped with a scoff. No, there was so much more to it than that. He needed her hands on this instead of his own. He couldn’t very well use this in his case if it had his fingerprints all over it. “Always do,” he returned without missing a beat, following her as was expected.

[mascnking]

connor

“Let’s just call it a gut feeling,” he mused with a half-smile, as though it were a personal inside joke that only Connor were privy to. “And a girl.” It would be a sore lack of truth to exclude that meeting Harlow had been one of the driving factors as to why he stayed, why he planted roots in some tiny Georgian town. When it came to discussing personal matters with his brother, the eldest King held no reservations about admitting his own shortcomings or lack of foresight with certain aspects of his life. He wasn’t perfect and made no claims otherwise. “Like I said, guys in their early twenties aren’t known for smart decisions.” A rarity that people ever asked Connor for his opinion on current matters, most often he figured they just assumed his agreement always lay with Harlow. “I think he made a mistake and shouldn’t be crucified for it, but I also know that loyalty means everything in the gang. Actions have consequences; I’m just glad she hasn’t gone off the deep end with them.”

There was a slow, yet steady nod as Mason listened to the words spoken by his brother. A gut feeling, one that hadn’t ever taken him back to New York. Back to him. “What girl?” But even as he questioned it, his own gut twisted at the knowledge he already had. Harlow. It was one of the many reasons that bringing her down, along with the rest of the Jackals, may be slightly complicated. If Connor was at all like the boy he’d grown up with, he knew how dedicated he could be. Which left only two options for the younger King; either divide Connor from Harlow and the Jackals, or take him down with them. Either option was not going to be an easy one. And as loyal to the law as Mason was, there was still a part of it that remained the small boy back in New York, waiting for his big brother to come save him. Lips rolled together as Connor spoke, Mason taking it all in strides. The end result of what happened to Ryker wasn’t what was bothering him, but rather, if Harlow decided that the risk was too great to leave the kid unharmed, who would she have exact the punishment? “Guessing something like this hasn’t happened before, huh?” If there was one thing he could give the Jackals, it was their endless loyalty. He shared the same respect for the badge he wore back in New York.

[mascnking]

connor

“A bunch. Mostly through the Carolina’s and never for more than a few weeks. Westport was the first place worth settling in for longer.” And now it appeared to be the only stop left on his route, finally having some semblance of family and stability for the first time in thirty plus years of life. “And how many twenty-two year olds do you know that have it all figured out?” Adult by legal standards, but a person’s early twenties were perhaps the most chaotic chapter by far. “Well he’s not dead yet, but that doesn’t mean he’s welcomed back with open arms. There are consequences and Harlow will decide them.”

There was a divide within Mason, half of him wanting to hear more of what Connor did in his life and where he went, while the other half wanted to blow him off. All this time that his brother had spent moving from one town to the other, Mason had remained in New York. “Yeah? Why here?” He questioned, curiosity getting the better of him. “I mean, it can’t all be because of the Jackals, right?” Maybe there was hope for his brother, maybe he could figure out a way of keeping him out of this. Lips rolled together, because he knew he couldn’t tell Connor of his own life. At least, not the truth. “Fair enough,” he finally offered up, following his words up with a chuckle. His hand lifted, fingers scratching at the back of his head. The kid meant nothing to him, another casualty of breaking the law, but he wondered if he should act on it. He could tip off the local PD, maybe get someone to pick him up before anything happened. But he also couldn’t jeopardize what he had already established and worked so hard for. “Right, of course,” he nodded his head, recalling the basics of what he’d learned prior to taking on this work. “So then, what’re your thoughts on this?”

[mascnking]

starter for @harlwdmcrtel

“You want point on this?” He asked tentatively, shifting his gaze around the area that they now stood in. Everything had been moving fast since the arrest of Alejandro, and Mason was making a point to assure that he was available when or if Harlow needed him. There was already news circulating in the police station of what was going to happen to the head of the Jackals, and the moment that Mason heard what he needed to, he’d take Harlow down just like her father. For now, he needed to ensure that he had enough evidence to keep her away when he finally acted.

[mascnking]

sullivan

“Yeah, it is. And no, it’s not for fucking sale.” She paused as she looked at him. “Or was that even what you were going to ask?”

“Thought so. And not exactly what I was gonna ask,” he quipped with an easy grin. He could understand the need for the statement. Happened all too often with his own bike. “Was just gonna ask what you’re working with. Don’t quite recognize it.”

[mascnking]

starter for @sullivanabernathy

“That your bike over there? Saw you by it, but wasn’t exactly sure,” he questioned with eyes shifting from her to the bike then back to her.

[mascnking]

connor

“Not quite yet. I haven’t sundowned often enough to earn that jab, thanks.” Though Connor had long since been used to joked which preyed upon his status as the oldest Jackal below Alejandro himself. Granted, his general attitude certainly did him no favors either. “New York’s crazy is understandable, this place… Small towns just love making their own drama.” If he hadn’t cocooned himself within the shell of Westport and built a life over the past decade, it might have been enough to pack his bags. “Ryker’s just that— a kid. Not one I like much for obvious reasons, but we were all young and dumb once. Even me.” A quiet callback to mistakes made between the brothers once upon a time. “I’m just shocked Harlow hasn’t skinned him alive in the town square yet.”

There was an audible scoff emanating from him, the only response to the older King’s words. It wasn’t that he had nothing to say, but he figured that a nice break from the petty comments was well deserved for the both of them. Plus, there were more important matters to discuss. “Yeah, and how many small towns have you lived in?” Though he had just been throwing jabs at Connor, the question came out genuine. Even if they’d been torn apart from each other for more than a decade, that didn’t mean Mason wasn’t interested in hearing what his brother had been up to, or where he’d gone. “He’s twenty-two,” and a gang member at that, “I’d hardly call him a kid.” By twenty-two, Mason was already enlisted with the NYPD and patrolling streets he used to nick wallets from strangers on. For the sake of himself, he chose not to touch on Connor’s brief personal comment. “So --- what’s gonna happen to him?”

[mascnking]

connor

“You do remember how to recognize sarcasm, right?” After all, their original meeting in Westport occurred within the confines of the very mechanics shop that they both worked. Not to mention the position left them forced into side-by-side diagnosis of various vehicles. “Sounds like just another day in this place, I can’t say I’m totally surprised.” Though things had certainly grown stranger since the Hawthorne girl’s demise. “I meant the stuff with Alejandro… How much do you know about what went down?”

“Figured your old age was kicking in,” he countered with a barely visible twitch of his lips. Was it fair of him to poke fun at Connor? After all, he hadn’t exactly settled into the idea that his brother was here, after all these years. “Figured New York was a shit show, this town is even worse,” he mused with a roll of his shoulders. While he was used to fires and destruction, he wasn’t exactly used to getting locked in with a fire. “Right ---,” he rolled his lips together, wondering what he should offer up. His eyes shifted over familiar and similar features, almost wondering whether Connor took after their mom or dad. “Nearly all of it. Heard that Ryker kid fucked something up, had Harlow raging at him when the cops showed up to arrest her dad.”

[mascnking]

mckenna

“Have you seen you? You don’t exactly scream music festival, rock concert at best, but a whole festival? I’m baffled, Mr King. Completely baffled.” Releasing her hold on him, she stepped back a little too preoccupied by the music to take note of her balance all that much, “Only one condition? You drive a hard bargain, but I feel like you already knew that.” Chewing at the inside of her cheek she looked down at her leg, lifting it to the tip of her toe to move it left to right slowly, “You know, not yet.. but I feel it coming, you know? We’re definitely in the final stages of possession. Think you can handle that?”

“Can’t a guy just wear a t-shirt and jeans in peace,” he quipped with a laugh, unable to hide the amusement in everyone’s shock that he was even here. Then again, he’d rather not be. A brow peaked, a hand hesitating in the air in the event she needed some assistance. When she seemed to stabilize, he dropped it back by his side, “Negotiations can be considered.” He smirked easily, eyes dropping to her leg as she lifted it. His head canted, lips pursed as a hand rubbed against his jaw, “That’s a tough call. I mean, I’m all for seeing how this plays out. But I’m also not really wanting to be its first victim.” He directed his gaze back up to her features, “Suppose I can stick it out for now. But don’t blame me if I try to douse you with holy water at some point during the day.”