#atlantastarters

[giocastiglione]

The screeching voice of Thea Collins exasperated the hell out of Gio. He’s used to politicians and their empty promises and flowery words, but Collins had a voice that was just utterly irritating. He had to watch this though. He wanted to be updated about things, especially when the Mayor wants to rant about cleaning the streets and whatever other bullshit she wants to spew. 

“... and I will stand by my promise to purge Atlanta’s streets of the Mafia-style gangs that have come forth—“

Bang. A single gunshot. Chaos. Cameras were pushed to the floor as people ran aimlessly. 

Gio pried his eyes away from the TV and got his phone. A few phone calls later and he would find out the DA Alastair Wright is dead. 

The inevitable meetings and phone calls would happen soon. As far as he was concerned, everything was airtight on their side so it could only have been the Dixie Mafia’s doing. It was probably going to be a long day, and since it was the calm before the storm, he took the chance to come down to the steakhouse at his hotel to have a late lunch.

Seated alone as he cut through his medium rare, he took a swig of the red wine beside his plated before chewing down on his steak. He took a glance at the TV by the bar playing news reports of the shooting. Atlanta would be on lockdown. Everyone would be checked and vetted. Gio had to prepare, and what better way to prep than with wine and steak?

He felt someone come up to the table as he watched the TV from afar. When he finally was able to pry his eyes away from the screen, he looked up at the person. “Fancy seeing you here,” he said. 

[detectivesilasking]

He was curious to see the turn out. Badge tucked neatly into his pocket, as Silas crossed the foyer of the event hall. Dressed in black to filter through the crowd, not lingering long enough, no one would ask questions. But he presumed curiosity—if four people died—at the hands of someone, there’d be a name to blame. And they would be in this building. He wasn’t about to quick announce his intentions—he was smarter than that. Moving to the refreshment stand, making himself a coffee, and standing off to the side, where he spotted someone already lingering. “Shame, isn’t it?” He commented to the person on his left. “They were all so young.”

[dixiechickxkeegs]

keegan was staring at the semi blank page with a frustrated expression. she’d been trying to get the sketch she was working on right for the last hour. nothing she tried she was happy with. she let out a groan and dropped her head on her sketchbook. 

[leylaxdiaz]

Sunglasses shielded puffy eyes, even having a personal connection with death didn’t prepare them when it struck again. Leyla had only known Gio--she could recall their most recent conversation, something amusing about what Gwyn had said, her their mutual tether. Remembered how they’d scrambled to look for him during the blackout. Shoulders rolled back to push back that overwhelming sense of dread and guilt, opting to distract herself by speaking to others there at the wake. “How did you know them?” A vague enough question, offering the other the chance to speak up about one or all of the dead. 

[dixiepresident]

He stood there, unknown by most, one hand tucked in his pocket, the other slowly pulling sunglasses from the bridge of his nose with a sudden slight smirk. There was something gratifying about watching their darling mayor speak, ushering about some new-wave of justice for people who should’ve been giving thanks to their presence more than judging them for their crimes--literally. “Well now, we can’t have that.” He commented, his lips curving into a smile. 

[westdawes-blog]

There was nothing that bothered Westley more than having to be patient -- it just wasn’t a skill he possessed, even though he needed it more than any other skill he had. He pressed his luck, used his words, threats, sweet talk, reason, logic, and when that failed, his fists if it meant he didn’t have to wait for things. It got him places most of the time, but even he couldn’t punch his way out of doing one of the most common things everyone had to go through: waiting at the DMV. His licence was one of those things he needed to go through legit channels to renew when the time came, needing to remain out of any legal troubles he could for his well being and thus having to sit in the packed, hot room just so he could drive without getting into trouble. 

Driving was not just a means to get from points A to B, but part of his job as well. Transporting cargo on his back wasn’t an option no matter how large he was. So he sat, uncomfortable in the small chair as his body was far to built for it, stuck between two people as the Georgia heat and seemingly busting air conditioner added to the the list things testing his patience that day. His knee bounced, fingers drummed his thighs as tell tale sighs of his anxiousness to get out of there while his free hand scrolled through the news from his phone. It was tolerable until he got the feeling that someone was watching him. IT was a feeling that he was particularly sensitive too already,but this was more annoying as it felt most like the sensation of someone reading over his shoulder -- or rather glancing at his exposed phone. So he turned to face them, never one to hesitate in a stare-down if it meant that the person knew he was aware of what they were doing.

[violetgallagher]

There were a lot of things Violet enjoyed.  Wine, bubble baths, massages, pedicures, and new shoes were all near the top of the list.  Finding herself in a bar wasn’t an unusual circumstance.  More often than not Violet was there, finding ways to pass the time, sipping away anything bothering her.  Now unfortunately that meant it was harder to avoid those she needed to avoid.

Sitting down on the bar stool, she picked up her glass and playfully lifted it as she made eye contact with her companion.  “Enjoying your evening?”

[hxrrris]

“You hear about the world tongue-twister champion getting arrested?” Teddy promptly interrupted, his hand all but nearly cracking the table in half ( or it, admittedly, might’ve been the other way around ) as he slapped the surface. “I hear they’re gonna give him a really tough sentence.”