InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "Don't eat yellow snow."

Leonardo Marino (i_calltheshots) wrote in lineof_fire_rpg,
@ 2008-03-11 23:15:00

uh oh. shit's going down
Who: Leo...and...others
What: the ATTACK
Where: Shangri-La Hotel; first floor, somewhere off of the lobby
When: MARCH 10; 11:51 pm
Rating: Mature
Open? to

gabelaroche for now, others to be announced.
EDIT: Now open to;

little_niccy;

illana_marino;

team_italy;

marinolaw;

spencer_nomore;

backoff_bitches

Leo didn't want to leave his wife's side, but when the lights had gone out, he felt slightly uneasy at not having any clue where most of his family was. He was responsible for their well-being, above anything else. Niccy was likely with Roxy, and Raul hopefully with Lucas and Lia, Charlie was...somewhere. He had to be sure they were fine, as it was his duty not only as their brother, father, and boss. He promised to be back in fifteen minutes, and managed to get a flashlight before he ventured off. He didn't want Illana to worry about him, and he didn't want to have to worry as he toted her along with him.

Walking out into the lobby, he swung the light over the room, catching the eyes of mostly strangers as he walked about. "Affanculo." He growled, not at all liking the inconvenience of having to look around a pitch black room with nothing but a damned flashlight to light his way. After doing a thorough sweep of the room and deciding nobody was there that he particularly cared about, he venture down the hallway to the right of him. God knows what his son was doing in the dark, with an entire hotel to wreak havoc in.

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gabelaroche
2008-03-12 07:19 am UTC (link)

Just a few minutes after the lights had gone out, Gabe's eyes had already begun to adjust to the darkness. Midnight was when things would happen. The stroke of midnight the note said. Blonde hair, balding and goes by Frankie. He'll be dressed in black tie and reek of bad cologne. A low-life cop skimming money that doesn't belong to him. It was a clear description, one Gabe had asked for to replace the one he'd received just a week ago. Dressed in his waiter attire of black slacks, a white button down shirt with its sleeves rolled up to just below his elbow, and a pristine, black tie, he had stalked just away from the cop's table so that he wouldn't be made.

And there he was. Leonardo fucking Marino. Looking smug and comfortable with his family and friends peppered throughout the dining area. Adrenaline pumped through Gabe's veins as he found his attention completely diverted to the same man he had refused to terminate. It was too easy. He was right there, with the lights going down at exactly midnight. How could he possibly pass up this opportunity? It meant a shitload of cash in his pocket, if nothing else.

Tugging at the strands of his long, dark wig, he carefully traced his fingertips over his thick but kept beard and was contemplating his plan when the lights suddenly went out. This was the opportunity, he thought to himself as he carefully placed the pitcher of water he'd been holding on the nearest table. Once his eyes had adjusted to the darkness, he slowly headed for the kitchen, using the chaos as his cover while he reached under the ice machine. Taped under the far corner on the opposite side of the door, he pulled out from a ziplock bag the long shard of glass he had prepared for the occasion. It was seven inches in length, with one end tapered off into a sharp point while the other was heavily gauzed and wrapped with duct tape for an easy grip. He slid the makeshift knife into his pocket and was back in the dining room in time to catch Leo Marino venturing off into the hallway. Too easy, he thought to himself as he glanced around to make sure he wouldn't be seen, then hurriedly tucked his tie into his shirt between buttons before snaking along the wall and toward the hallway.

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i_calltheshots
2008-03-12 07:51 am UTC (link)

Pushing open one of the doors down the hallway, he sighed when he found nothing but white sheets covering furniture just behind the door. There was probably a better strategy to finding his family right now, but as he hadn't made a mental note as to where they had gone before the power went out, he had taken it upon himself to make sure they were alright. Swear on all that was holy in this world, if his son was off smoking pot again, he would have his hide.

Seeing nobody in the hallway he was in, he decided to look in the last door of the small hallway before he'd turn back and go looking in the ballroom again. He pushed open the only other door in the hallway, and found nothing but another empty room. He was getting more than a little frustrated, and if he had some damned reception, he'd give his son a phone call. Nonetheless, he didn't like leaving Illana for so long, especially when he had promised that he would devote the rest of the evening to her. He had no way to foresee a blackout, and knew she'd understand if he was gone slightly longer than planned when it was to look for their son and his siblings.

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gabelaroche
2008-03-12 08:05 am UTC (link)

A peculiar tingling traveled up his limbs then down his spine. The same tingling he felt before he took each life, a feeling that was exciting and sobering at the exact same time. Gabe had no doubt it was his conscience's last attempt at talking him out of what he was about to do, but save for one instance, he had never been deterred by anyone or anything. He followed Leo into the hallway, staying a good thirty feet behind but slowly closing the distance between them. Door after door was pulled open, and he could see even in the darkness the frustration in the man's eyes. What the hell was he doing, anyway? Why was he walking around with a flashlight, giving away both his identity and location to anyone that was following him? Where were his guards? His brothers that were usually by his side? Surely this couldn't be that easy...

This was it, Gabe thought to himself as he watched Leo enter the last room down the hallway. It was now or never. He hurried down the hallway, glad for the carpeted floors to mask his arrival. He crossed the open door and pressed his back against the wall on the opposite side, then peeked in to catch Leo with his back to him. Without another moment's hesitation, he took the necessary long strides into the room, squeezed his fingers around the shard of glass with his right then quickly wrapped his left arm around the smaller man's throat. He held on tight, his choke hold designed to cut off enough air to make his target weak from lack of oxygen. Swinging his right arm around, he delivered the first, swift stab straight into Leo's gut.

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i_calltheshots
2008-03-12 08:22 am UTC (link)

Usually keen on another's presence, the alcohol he'd consumed earlier in the evening could easily be blamed for his lack of noticing someone coming up closer behind him. Surely Lucas might toss a pissed off look his way when he returned and mutter in that tone that slightly walked the line of disrespect, that he didn't like it when Leo left off without protection. Leo usually would laugh it off, clap him on the shoulder, and tell Lucas that he worried far too much. Leo could handle himself, and the gun strapped to his ankle was an attest to that.

Alert or no, there was very little that could prepare Leo for the silent attack that came before he could realize what happened. A yell was strangled by a strong arm crushing his windpipe, and instinct took over as he thrashed against his assaulter, attempting to break free from the vice-like grip that crushed him backward. His head grew dizzy as he thrust his elbow backward, but before he could get enough force to land a good blow, a sharp pain came from his gut, his entire body heaving with a strangled groan of pain. His hands flew up, weaker than they would have had he actually been able to breathe, and attempted to grip the man's head, press his thumbs into his eyes, anything that would get him off of him.

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gabelaroche
2008-03-12 08:42 am UTC (link)

The tiniest feeling of regret entered Gabe's mind at the way the man thrashed in his arms. Not once had he ever gotten this close to anyone before. Usually he preferred to stay a good handful of feet away, point, and shoot. Two, three shots straight into the gut and chest, sometimes between the eyes. All quick, with not an ounce of struggling and he was out in less than two minutes. The man struggled in his arms, thrashing his arms and throwing punches in the general direction of his head. Garbled groans filled the air, but he muffled it by tightening his arm around the man's throat.

Pulling his arm back, he pulled the glass from his gut in a quick swing, only to bring it down for another strike. Then another, and another, with one more in his chest. Gabe felt the glass pierce the man's right lung; heard the wheezing. The only thing he could think to do, was to apologize. Apologize to the man for who he was and the many lives he had taken, not necessarily by his own hands but by his command. Remorse filled every inch of Gabe's body, but not for the man whose life he felt was slowly slipping away. It was for his own...for Madison...and for all the innocent lives this murder would affect. But his instructions were clear. One week ago, he had read them on the piece of paper and had thrown away. Get up close and personal. Crime of passion. No guns. When he thought there was nothing left in him, Gabe pulled the shard of glass from the man's chest and swung it around and between their bodies, the gloves he had pulled on earlier covered in blood, and took a hard stab in the middle of the man's back. Then, with a strength he hadn't known he possessed, he broke the glass, his fingers wrapped tight around the taped half while the other remained in Leo Marino's back. Seconds later he had shuffled back toward the door, ducked past it and disappeared into the hallway.

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i_calltheshots
2008-03-12 09:09 am UTC (link)

His attempts to thwart his attacker were all in vain, as Leo had spent so much of his time ordering others to take on these matters, the training he'd received since he was a boy no longer seemed able to make its way into his mind enough for it to weld into his instinct. Hands balled into fists, he connected once back to his attacker's head, but his arms were so weak from loss of oxygen and blood, that he was sure somewhere in his mind that he barely caused a dent in the larger man's actions.

Muffled grunts and groans of pain garbled from his lips with each thrust of what he could only assume was a knife that entered his body. His shirt felt wet, his skin felt on fire, and his breathing came in ragged, raspy, and labored gasps as he tried to catch his breath. A loud yelp of pain came from his lips when he felt the twist of the knife in his back, snapping and leaving an intruding piece of it in his back. He reached for it futilely, but before he could fight anymore, or pluck it out, he was left to crumple on the floor. He gasped for air, staring into the dark, his flashlight too far to reach.

Curling up more into a ball than anything else, his jaw set, teeth clenched together as he fought off the darkness that seemed intent on consuming him. His arm flew to his ankle and he pulled up his pants leg. He gripped the butt of his gun and pulled it free, his eyes trying to focus as he pointed in the direction his attacker had gone, and fired a shot, the sound breaking through the otherwise quiet dark.

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gabelaroche
2008-03-12 09:35 am UTC (link)

Down the hallway. Long, quick strides, his shoes muffled by the carpet. Gabe pulled off his gloves swiftly but carefully, first the right, then the left that he used to wrap the other in. He was just a few steps from the kitchen when he heard the gunshot and he recoiled for a moment before realizing it came from too far away for it to have been for him. The muffled grunts and moans of pain buzzed in his ear as screams and startled cries floated into the hallway from the dining room.

Moments later he was back in the kitchen, empty and quiet save for the soft humming of the ice machine. Reaching under the left corner of it, he pulled out the same large ziploc bag he had used earlier and set it on the nearest stainless steel counter. His hands shook as he hastily unbuttoned his shirt, careful not to damage it in any way. He set it aside to pull on the fresh shirt inside the ziploc, wrapped the taped end of his weapon in the shirt and stuffed it into the bag along with the bloody gloves. Somehow, he managed to wrap it all tightly and taped back under the ice machine before too many worried voices carried into the kitchen.

Wiping the sweat from his brow, he took a few, calming breaths as he buttoned up his shirt and folded his sleeves, then rolled his neck until he heard it pop. Closing his eyes just then had been a bad idea, for the feel of Leo Marino's dying body was still fresh in his mind. The glass had cut into his skin the same way a knife did through a piece of meat, and he would never forget the wet sound to his grunts of pain once he had driven the glass through his lung. Shaking himself visibly, he squared his shoulders and hurried along and into the dining room, joining in on the chaos caused by the one lone gunshot.

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little_niccy
2008-03-12 02:05 pm UTC (link)

Niccy headed down the hallway, his eyes wide as he searched in vain with the flashlight. No doors were open, people were milling but no one seemed to know where they were going. He picked up speed, trying to keep a pace Roxy could manage behind him.

He spotted an open door, not far from where he and Roxy had been exploring. He pushed it open, and it was like the one they'd be in, furniture covered in cloth. It was smaller. Niccy could smell the gun powder, but with a few sweeps of his flashlight, he couldn't see anything. He took a step into the room, scanning again, more slowly, and his flashlight landed on a shoe, leading to an ankle, leading to a leg.

He rushed forward, getting set to have Roxy go call the police. He expected it to be some stranger, but his heart nearly died in his chest when he saw the pained, pale face of his brother staring up at him. He immediately began to shake, and he kneeled at his side, using the flashlight to scan him over. His shirt was dark with blood, and his eyes were rolled into his head. Sickening, wheezing breaths were coming, but staggered, not normal.

"Oh god." His shoulders shuddered, and he looked to Roxy, helpless. "Go get help." His voice was broken, and he looked back to Leo, leaning forward and just hovering there, no idea what to do. Instinct began to lead him, and he looked to Leo's chest, trying to find where the blood was coming from.

"Leo, fuck, god no." Niccy turned and looked behind him, seeing a gahering crowd at the door. "CHARLIE!!!!!" It was the only name that he could think of that could help. "Ho bisogno di mia sorella!! CHARLIE!!!!!!!" He turned back to Leo, tears streaming down his face. "You don't fucking die on me, Leo." He turned again and roared his sisters name, trying to get her, anyone, into the fucking room to help. There was a jam at the door now, and he could see people trying to push through.

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illana_marino
2008-03-12 02:13 pm UTC (link)

Illana had understood when Leo told her that he needed to go find the rest of the family, and she gave him a quick kiss before he left, making him promise to come back soon. She entered into a conversation with one of the women that was nearby, annoyed slightly that she had to pretend to like people again. Fifteen minutes had passed, and Leo still hadn't returned. Illana was starting to get a little bit antsy. She wanted her husband back at her side. Figuring that things would go smoother if there were two people looking, and also knowing somewhere in the back of her mind that Leo would be angry with her for going off alone, Illana excused herself and grabbed a flashlight of her own, going off in the same direction her husband had.

She was fine for a few moments, until she got this pang of dread in her chest. She wasn't sure what had happened, why she felt uneasy all of the sudden. She glanced around her, behind her, and didn't see anyone. The feeling of dread just intensified when she heard a gunshot ring out. Covering her mouth with her hand, she rushed in the direction that the sound was coming from. When she arrived at the door, there were tons of people there, and she heard Niccy's voice screaming Charlie's name. Was it Niccy that had gotten shot? 'Please, no,' she thought, shaking her head. She pushed through all the people in the doorway roughly, making her way through. When she finally got through, nothing could have prepared her for the sight in the room.

Niccy was kneeling in front of a body, a body that Illana knew only too well. Her hands flew to her mouth and tears immediately came to her eyes. She ran over to Niccy and Leo, kneeling down next to Niccy. "Leo? Baby, look at me," she said, her hand moving to rest on the side of his face. She couldn't tell if he was looking at her, she couldn't really see anything past her tears. Looking at Niccy, she swallowed hard. "What happened? Was he shot?" she asked, her hand still resting on her husband's cheek.

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little_niccy
2008-03-12 02:26 pm UTC (link)

Niccy didn't take his eyes off Leo, feeling someone coming and kneeling next to him. He stammered as Illana asked him if he was shot, shaking his head. "I don't know. I..." He leaned over his brother, tearing the button down shirt open. His undershirt showed gashes, and Niccy could see blood pouring out of too many open wounds. His head spun and he felt sick.

"I... I think he's been stabbed." The words choked in his throat, and he had to move away, scurrying behind a piece of furniture to vomit. He remained there for a second, trying to catch his breath, trying to get his head to stop spinning, trying to get this horrible dream to end. He wanted to wake up, snuggled next to Roxy, his brother at him with Illana.

When he could stand up strait again, he rushed back to Leo, placing a gentle hand on Illana's back. "We need to stop the bleeding." He took Illana's hands, hovering them over two of the stab wounds he could find. He saw two more, and took those. "Press hard." He lowered his hands to Leo's chest, choking back a sob at the small cry that came from Leo as his palms touched down, applying pressure. "Fuck me. CHARLIE!!! LUCAS!! RAUL!!!!!" He let his head fall back, roaring names into the room, trying to get anyone in to help them.

"He's going to be okay, Illie. He'll be okay." Niccy didn't believe it for a second, but needed to hear it himself.

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illana_marino
2008-03-12 02:36 pm UTC (link)

Illana stifled back a sob as Niccy pulled open Leo's shirt, and her hands covered her mouth again. She didn't look away when Niccy got up and ran toward something. She heard him vomitting and she closed her eyes briefly, before opening them and placing both hands on her husband's face. She leaned over his face, looking down into his weak eyes. She didn't like that look in his eyes. "You better fight," she ordered, her voice breaking. "Don't you fucking leave me alone," she added, unable to stop the sob that time.

Niccy returned and took both her hands, pressing them against Leo's chest. Illana closed her eyes tightly and swallowed hard when Leo cried out, and she pulled her hands away briefly. She knew Niccy was right, they had to apply pressure to stop the bleeding. So she put her hands back on her husband's chest, pressing down. She looked up at the people standing in the doorway and her voice took on the angry tone she used when Raul was a baby.

"What the fuck are you people doing just standing there?!" she cried out, her eyes narrowing in anger. "Go get help! Go find the other Marinos!" she instructed, removing one hand briefly to wave them away. "GO!" she screamed, the tears still streaming down her face.

Turning back to Niccy, Illana nodded. "Yeah, he will. He has to be," she said, though she didn't really believe it either. His eyes were too weak, he wasn't moving at all. Even when he had been shot he'd been more animated, and he was losing so much blood. Niccy and Illana weren't helping to stop the bloodflow, there were too many wounds. She choked back a sob again at the realization that hit her.

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i_calltheshots
2008-03-12 08:01 pm UTC (link)

Through all the mind numbing pain, there was a sense of relief that washed over him when his brother and his wife were at his side. They were there, they would get help, and Illana would kick his ass when he was better. He had to think that way, he wasn't about to leave his family to fend for themselves. "La mia schiena ... All'interno del mio ritorno..." His voice was choked, a pained garbled sound and didn't even know if the words he said were loud enough for them to comprehend. The shards in his back still caused such a deep pain to reverberate though his weakening body.

His mouth gaped open in pain when Niccy's hands pressed to his chest, and he tried to take a breath, but found it hard to do so. His panicked eyes moved from Niccy to Illana, and he could do nothing to comfort them as he fought off the darkness that wanted to consume him. His hand felt all too heavy, but he raised it up to touch Illana's face, his fingers lazily touching to her lips. The fear in her voice was like nothing he'd ever heard from her, and he wanted to make her smile, to see that brilliant look on her face that lit up every room. She was the angel that would keep him here. "Il mio amore ascendente..." He managed to get out before another rip of pain caused a guttural cry came out of him, his eyes squeezing shut in pain.

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illana_marino
2008-03-13 03:24 am UTC (link)

Illana's eyes widened as Leo attempted speaking. She reached her finger out and put it to his lips. "Shh, ti verrà bene il mio amore. Sono qui," she soothed as best as she could through her tears. He spoke about his back and she glanced up at Niccy, wondering what he was talking about. "I think he was stabbed in the back, too," she said softly, tears still falling down her face. Every Marino family member in the room was a complete mess, and she refused to leave her husband's side. Not right now.

She glanced down at him as he reached his hand up and placed it on her face, running his thumb along her lips. Rolling those lips into her mouth, she grabbed his hand and brought it to her mouth, kissing his palm. "Ti amo di più," she whispered, forcing a smile through her tears as she looked down at him. Her world felt like it was collapsing around her, she didn't know what to do. All she could attempt to do right now was sooth the love of her life as he lay there before her, groaning in pain. She closed her eyes, wincing at the sounds he was making. Unable to keep herself from letting a few sobs past her lips, she turned her face into Leo's hand that she was still holding and gave into those sobs, holding his hand as if it were her only lifeline.

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i_calltheshots
2008-03-13 04:39 am UTC (link)

Leo choked a little as he gasped for air, his eyes wide with fear, which for a man who rarely showed what he was thinking or feeling, must have looked foreign to the people he loved most. He saw Niccy and Charlie, grateful for them here, but not wanting them to have to see this. The red-haired woman who knelt by his side actually looked like she knew what she was doing. The lights flickered on, but the darkness that crept in made it seem like not much of a difference. Just the fact that a blaring headache now joined the ache of his wounds.

He fought to stay awake, not wanting to slip away just yet. He would be back, he wouldn't leave his family. He would make the bastard who did this pay. He'd go after everything he cared about and make him watch it. His heart stuttered in his chest as adrenaline picked up in him, mixing with the pain.

The one person in the world who could keep him grounded and here, was his wife. Seeing her so broken was hurting almost as badly as the damned doctor poking at his skin. His hand tightened around hers, drawing strength from her, or as much as he could. "Ti amo, ti amo..." He repeated himself, not to say goodbye, but to keep himself there, to make sure she knew. Just in case.

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illana_marino
2008-03-13 04:57 am UTC (link)

The hustle and bustle of everyone around them slowly disappeared until all that remained in her line of vision was her husband. She continuously pressed kisses into the palm of his hand, and when she felt his hand squeeze hers, she returned her gaze to his face, forcing herself to calm her sobbing. She held his hand to her face with one of hers, while her other hand reached down to gently stroke his cheek. "Tenere su, il mio amore. Basta un po 'di mantenere il più a lungo," she whispered. She continued stroking his cheek gently.

Glancing down at him, she smiled softly. "Ti ricordi quando non sapevo qualsiasi italiano?" she asked him, trying to keep his mind off everything that was happening around them. "E poi lei mi ha insegnato, sono stato così ansioso di imparare," she reminded him. She was just a girl from New York, why would she have known Italian? "Hai fatto la mia vita tanto meglio, sapete che a destra?" closing her eyes, she fought back tears again, taking a deep breath. "Ti amo tanto, Leo. Sei il mio tutto," she sniffled, her hand moving from his face for only a moment to wipe away her tears before returning to caress his face. She moved his hand from her face to press his palm against her heart, covering her hand with his.

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i_calltheshots
2008-03-13 07:23 am UTC (link)

His breathing was growing more and more labored with each raspy breath he took, but he had to fight, he had to take one more breath, and another, and another. He couldn't leave her, he wasn't done yet. He nodded as she spoke, her voice filling his ears and keeping him there, comforting him, even though she was visibly shaken. She was the light keeping him away from the black, and he had to hold onto her with everything he had.

Nodding his head a little, he hissed as a new pain flashed through his body. "Mi ricordo ... Mi ricordo ..." All he could do was listen, as even speaking those soft words made his chest ache, leaving it harder and harder for him to breathe. He felt the darkness creeping in, and had to admit that some deep form of unconsciousness would be a relief from the pain.

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illana_marino
2008-03-13 09:42 am UTC (link)

Illana noticed that his breathing was getting raspier with every intake of breath, and she swallowed hard past the lump that had appeared in her throat. She continued telling him stories about their life together, trying to keep him calm. She could tell that he was starting to drift in and out of consciousness, and it worried her more than she would like to admit. Rolling her lips into her mouth, she stared down at her husband, her heart physically hurting at this point. He mumbled that he remembered, and she smiled softly, placing a finger to his lips. "Shh, amore. Non provare a parlare, so che lei ricorda," she soothed.

Watching as his eyes closed again, she took a deep breath, giving his hand a gentle squeeze. She moved her own hand to cover her eyes for a few moments, trying to regain her composure. She needed to be strong for her husband, it was what he would have done for her, she knew. Leo would be proud of her for being so strong when this was all over. She felt his move again and took her hand away from her face, seeing that his eyes were open again. She looked deeply into his eyes and then leaned foreward, resting her forehead against his. "Ti amo. Sempre e per sempre. Non dimenticate mai che," she whispered before pressing her lips to his in a soft kiss. She pulled away, her hands wiping at the tears on her face, holding his hand closer to her heart.

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i_calltheshots
2008-03-16 07:42 pm UTC (link)

Leo fought against the black that seemed to seep in all around him, every once in a while coughing and causing a searing pain to shoot through his body. He nodded in response to his wife, as he couldn't speak any longer, just listen and comprehend that she loved him, maybe almost as much as he truly and utterly adored her.

His lips barely moved into hers when she kissed him, but he tried. He wanted to assure her that he would be fine, that she had no need to worry about him or fear what life would be like without him. He was hers, and he wouldn't leave her so easily. "Ti amo." He managed to whisper out, tasting metal on his tongue as he fought back another cough. The alcohol had done some to numb him, and this time, it was all too much for him to fight against the blackness. His eyes closed and mind fogged, but he would be back, he assured himself, he had to be.

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nightsat_roxy
2008-03-12 08:07 pm UTC (link)

While most people would be running the other way when a gunshot sounded throughout the building, she followed closely behind Niccy, running to keep up and cursing the damn train of her gown that she kept tripping over.

She stopped in her tracks when Niccy found Leo, bleeding into the carpet and choking on his own breath. "Oh God..." She gasped, her hands covering her mouth as Niccy knelt beside his brother. Her eyes welled up with tears, and she only nodded once before she took off in the other direction, screaming for help. A crowd was already forming in the doorways, blocking her way. "WE NEED A DOCTOR!" She cried out, her voice cracking as she tried to push back. "Is anyone a doctor?" Her voice was helpless as she pushed past the gawking people. "Please! Please...he's been hurt, we need a doctor!"

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backoff_bitches
2008-03-12 09:47 pm UTC (link)

The gunshot was the first thing she heard, and like everyone else, Bianca panicked just a little. She tried to ease the concerns of the people around her, but she wasn't a police officer or anything of the like, and her bedside manner did not cover somebody running around with a gun.

The shriek of a young woman cut through the panic, and Bianca pushed her way past the scared crowds to get to there. "I'm a doctor." Instinct took over, and whether or not she was putting herself in harms way, that didn't much matter. First, do no harm, was the vow she had taken when she had been granted her MD. Leaving someone to die just because she might be scared was not an option.

Finally finding the person who had been asking for a doctor, she nodded. "Where is he?"

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little_niccy
2008-03-13 01:05 am UTC (link)

Niccy heard Leo try to speak, and while he was happy to hear his brother stir, he didn't want him expending any energy that could keep him alive that little bit longer. At least long enough for a doctor to arrive. He could make out the word 'back' in Leo's Italian, all of it a bit too broken by the wheezing for Niccy to catch much more. "Your back, Leo? Che cosa circa il tuo ritorno??" His voice was rushed, then when he heard Leo speaking to Illana, he moved away, rushing to the door.

"Get the fuck out of my way before I slam your head into that fucking wall." He narrowed his eyes at the crowd that had gathered, and they parted, allowing him to move from the room. His shirt was now smeared with blood, but he paid no mind. He saw Roxy, standing in the hallway pointing a red-haired woman toward the room. "Roxy, doctor?" Roxy nodded, and Niccy grabbed the woman by her wrist, pulling him behind her and using his body to shove people out of his way, hard.

"He's there. I think he's been stabbed. He's still conscious..." Niccy sobbed uncontrollably for a second, then gathered himself. "Do what you can." He reached into his pockets, trying to still his shaking hands long enough to find his phone. He moved to a window, trying to get some reception, enough that he could dial out. He managed one bar when he turned around, and dialed quickly, calling 911.

He rattled off their location, who was hurt, his name, then left his phone open on the windowsill, still connected to the emergency operator. Niccy sprinted back to his brothers side, taking one of his hands in his, doing his best to keep out of the doctors way.

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backoff_bitches
2008-03-13 01:40 am UTC (link)

Bianca followed closely behind the brunette, only to be directed toward a young man with blood all over his shirt. Her first instinct was to check him for injury, but then he grabbed her, dragging her out through the lobby. "I will, I will." Her voice was rushed as she hurried after him, trying to see through the dimly lit room.

Finding the crumpled body on the floor, she completely went into doctor-mode, kneeling beside him. She looked at what he could only assume was his wife, and offered a quick reassuring smile. "What's his name?" She asked, her hands prodding at the body, trying to feel her way in the dark. Her fingers pressed against his wounds, immediately becoming slick with his blood. "I need a lot more light." She said to anyone who was close enough to hear her. Flashlights that could be shone on the area, anything to help her see his wounds.

"You." She said, nodding toward the girl who had originally found her. The poor thing looked like she was about to faint. "I need towels, a lot of them. Latex gloves if you can find them. A sharp knife, pairing will work best. Needles, matches, and something to use for stitching, fishing line works best. I need some straight alcohol, Vodka is the best. Bring those back and I'll need you to go boil some water. Go." She didn't bother with pleasantries or saying please and thank you, it was her job to save this man's life, they could call her a bitch later.

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nightsat_roxy
2008-03-13 05:40 am UTC (link)

There was so much going on, and so much to take in, that Roxy wasn't sure what she could do, if anything. So she stood in the middle of the lobby, shocked and dumbfounded and completely without a clue of what she could do. She watched Niccy take the doctor over to Leo, and simply stood there, waiting, doing nothing to help at all.

She was grateful when the doctor had seemed to pick her to gather supplies. At least she would be doing something to help. She made a mental note of what to gather and nodded, running off with a flashlight, which it turned out she wouldn't need, as the lights flickered back on. She ran in the direction of the kitchen, her dress gathered in one hand so she could more effectively run. Her shoes were ditched at the hallway, and she soon found the kitchen. Finding a big pot, she rummaged through the drawers, gathering things that the doctor had asked for. She grabbed a couple of knives, gloves, matches, and managed to find a sewing kit stuffed into a box in the pantry. She rummaged through the same closet, finding towels and some sort of thread. It wouldn't do, but it might suffice until she could find something else. Tossing everything into a pot, she ran back into the lobby and deposited them next to the doctor, whose name she still hadn't caught.

She couldn't bring herself to look at them. Not at Leo, not at Niccy. That she couldn't take right now. She still had things she had to get. Again she pushed her way through the crowd and got to the bar, demanding two bottles of vodka. The barkeep gave her a look, to which her voice seemed to scream profanities at him until he gave it to her. She hurried back and handed the bottles to the doctor. She needed fishing line, and had no clue where to look for it. She started pulling open doors in one of the rooms off of the lobby, looking here and there for anything that would suffice. She didn't have time to look, but there was little she could do.

What seemed like an eternity later, she finally found an old reel of fishing line, and while she wasn't sure if it was enough or the right kind, it would have to do. She nearly tripped on her dress when she spun around to run back to the lobby to give it to the doctor.

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backoff_bitches
2008-03-13 10:34 pm UTC (link)

Bianca breathed a little sigh of relief when the lights flickered on, but relief was soon gone when she saw the extent of the damage inflicted on the man lying in front of her. Her jaw set, she gave a little nod to the girl who came back with the things she needed. Reaching into the pot, she pulled out a couple of the gloves and snapped them onto her hands. She glanced from Leo, as she'd caught his name, to his wife and knew this would hurt. "Bite on this." She said, placing a small rolled up towel between his lips. The last thing he needed was to bite through his tongue. "You're going to want to hold him still." She told his wife before her fingers moved to the wounds on his body, her fingers sliding inside of them to check the severity of his wounds, and if any of his internal organs were damaged. Her brow furrowed in concentration, but she knew that there was very little she could do.

Grabbing the bottle of Vodka, she poured it over a needle and onto a rag. With the rag, she cleaned the first wound and then took the needle, preparing it. "Help him drink some of this." She said, hanging the blonde woman in front of her the vodka. It was going to hurt like hell, and that was the only anesthetic they had. She set to work, her fingers working almost in a blur as she sutured the first of his wounds with the fishing line.

"Ah, shit." She cursed under her breath, feeling inside the next wound over his chest. She knew he had punctured a lung, and they could not risk it filling with blood. "I need petroleum jelly, Vaseline. It's going to serve as a patch until we can get him to a hospital." Her fingers pressed into the wound, and she knew this was the worst kind of guerrilla medicine she had ever practiced, but still she was doing her best.

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marinolaw
2008-03-13 02:32 am UTC (link)

Charlie had been rather busy with the barkeep when the lights had gone out, figuring, she wasn't driving home, and her children were well cared for for the night, she could drown her pain with a few glasses of alcohol. She was still relatively sober when the panic set in, but she was rather disengaged to all of it.

It was only when the sound of a gunshot rang throughout the room and shrieks of fear echoed right behind it, that her heart lurched hard in her chest. While she wasn't nearly drunk yet, she was completely sober now, as something in her gut told her something was very very wrong. Moments later, she heard Niccy's panicked cries and her fears were affirmed. She flew away from the bar, fighting her way through the crowds. "MOVE!" She screamed, giving someone such a hard shove that she barely caught sight of them stumbling a little bit. She paid them no mind as she moved through the crowd. She finally spotted Niccy, and to her relief, he seemed unhurt. "Niccy." She called out finally making it into the opening of the lobby. She heard him rambling off so fast, and could only catch a couple of words here and there.

"Niccy, what's..." Her question was cut off when the lights flared back up, blinding her a little as she was so adjusted to the dark. Her eyes finally adjusted, and she was about to continue on with her question when she caught the commotion going on maybe ten or fifteen feet away from her. A sharp gasp of a sound came from her, her eyes immediately welling up with tears when she saw the scene laid out in front of her. Her older brother lay bleeding all over the floor, someone she didn't know crouched over him, while Illana refused to move from his side. "Che cosa è successo? Che ci ha fatto questo?" Her voice was a mixture of anger and pain as she drew Niccy close to her, her arms hugging him tightly to her as he looked like he was about to break in half. Not Leo, he couldn't leave them.

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little_niccy
2008-03-13 02:43 am UTC (link)

Niccy was holding onto Leo's hand, somehow trying to will him back to life, maybe transfer some of his own life force to his more deserving brother. He clutched to him as the stranger worked on him, having sent Roxy away to get supplies. Niccy was continually wiping at the tears blurring his vision, wanting to see every moment of what he'd never wanted to see. He wanted to be there for Leo, no matter how much it pained him.

He heard Charlie's voice in the hallway, shouting for people to move. Immediately Niccy darted from Leo's side, looking back for a moment to make sure the woman didn't stop working on him. Illana stayed, statuesque next to her dying husband.

Niccy met Charlie at the door, immediately lunging into an incoherent description of what had gone on in the past minutes. His face started to crumple again, and hearing his sisters voice cracking slightly with pain sent him over. He hugged her tight to him, breaking down completely. His knees shook, and he clung to her, feeling every bit the baby at that moment. "Troppo sangue ... Egli è stato pugnalato ... Egli non andremo a fare ... Perché è stato Leone? Egli è il più forte. Egli è il capo. Egli è colui che è forte abbastanza per sopravvivere ... Troppo sangue ... Troppo sangue. Oh Dio, Charlie. Leo non ..." Niccy broke off and sobbed hard into his sister's shoulder.

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marinolaw
2008-03-13 02:56 am UTC (link)

Charlie clung to Niccy as he sobbed, her own tears flowing freely down her face before she could even think to try and stop them or be brave. Bravery was completely lost here, as from what she could get from Niccy, Leo was in horrible shape. "Shhhh, Niccolo." She murmured, her hand smoothing over his hair as she held him there, soothing him as she would one of her children. She cried, tears dropping onto his clothes as she bowed her head against his shoulder, her arms tightening.

"Sarà bene ... Egli è così forte, che sarà lui a fare, egli ha. È Leo ... Egli non sta per andare ovunque." Even as she spoke, her own voice was riddled with doubt, and as much as she truly, truly wanted to believe that Leo would make it through this, she had never seen more blood spilling from a body in her life. Pressing a kiss against the crown of Niccy's head, she tugged him with her back over to Leo. She didn't want to be far, and needed to be closer to him, just in case she was needed. A hand moved away from Niccy to touch Illana's back, just letting her sister in law know she was there. "Please tell me he'll be alright." She asked the stranger, her voice quiet and shaking through the sobs that threatened to shake her body.

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little_niccy
2008-03-13 03:06 am UTC (link)

Niccy shook his head at his sisters words, a gutteral cry coming from him as he tried to speak. "C'è troppo sangue. Voglio credere che egli farà, ma non lo faranno. Non riesco a guardarlo morire. Egli deve essere salvato. Egli è Leonardo. Egli è il più forte di tutti noi. Se cade, cadono tutti noi. Non posso portare questa famiglia, e vorrei essere in linea successiva. Non posso, Charlie. Sono debole." Niccy babbled uncontrollably, his voice breaking and cracking, his breaths coming in violently shuddering sobs. He moved away from Charlie as she moved toward Leo, coming to stand beside her.

He felt like a small child, having to be lead around. He wanted Roxy. He wanted Lucas. He wanted his father. More than anything, he wanted Leo. He wanted Leo to stand up, jump up like this was some horrible, out of control joke. It suddenly because surreal, and Niccy just stood there, staring at the scene, no idea which direction to move, who to look to, where to be. He bit down on his lower lip, hard, until he could taste copper in his mouth. His eyes roamed the scene slowly, and everything trailed behind itself. Voices echoed. Voices murmured.

He was completely lost.

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marinolaw
2008-03-13 03:33 am UTC (link)

Charlie quietly allowed him to ramble on, just holding him through his hysterics. "No, no..." She paused, touching her hand to the back of his head before she pulled back enough to look in his face. She cupped his face in the palms of her hands and shook her head. "No, per me ascoltare Niccy. Non è lei ... Se ..." She hesitated again, unable to make herself stay it. Leo couldn't die, he simply could not. They could not go on without him, he was the rock upon which they stood, and without him... "Non siete i prossimi in linea. Mi si prenderà cura di esso. I promessa." She would take care of it, it was her duty to do so.

Everything other than her family seemed to blur around her. The people looking on, the noises of people around them, all of it was just too much to take in. She just needed her family, needed for everything to be okay. That, and whoever did this to suffer a painful and horrible death. She knelt beside Leo, one hand still tightly holding Niccy's hand as she brushed her free hand over Leo's head. "Tutte sarà bene, fratello." She murmured, pressing a kiss to his forehead.

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little_niccy
2008-03-13 03:49 am UTC (link)

Niccy watched Charlie as she bent over their brother. Leo looked small, but Niccy could still see a spark in him. It brought him back around again, seeing Charlie there, seeing Illana next to Leo. He swallowed hard against the tears that didn't seem to want to stop coming, and squeezed Charlie's hand. "I called 911. Someone should be coming."

Niccy knelt down next to Leo, leaning down. He dropped his head to Leo's, whispering into Leo's ear. "You will make it through this. You will be the head of this family come tomorrow morning. Please, we can't lose you. You're too strong. I need you." His voice wavered at the last part. "You'll be okay, god dammit." Niccy paused for a moment. "
Ti amo, fratello. Si prega di sopravvivere. La famiglia ha bisogno di voi." He kissed Leo's cheek, then pulled away, looking behind him as he wiped the tears that broke down his cheeks again.

He looked to the doctor, pausing for a moment. "He said something about his back. I think they might have stabbed him in the back too..."

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cole_fletcher
2008-03-13 04:34 am UTC (link)

Cole had decided to leave Charlie alone, he didn't want to invade her space even more than he already seemed to and piss her off. So he kept off to the side, toying with the idea of leaving. That was, until they made the announcement that you weren't able to leave. Which just pissed him off, but he kept to himself for the most part, starting up conversation with a few people. Then, the lights went. He was more annoyed than anything, this entire evening seemed to be going incredibly horribly. Well, everything except that kiss he shared with Charlie. That was the best part of the past six months for him.

He was becoming increasingly annoyed with the entire situation, when he heard a gunshot. He was immediately alert, worried about whomever it was that had just managed to get shot. His curiosity took over, and he made his way towards where the sound seemed to come from. As he neared the commotion that had gathered, he heard a man crying out Charlie's name. His mind went into overdrive, imagining things he never wanted to see in his head. Ever. He imagined Charlie lying on a floor, shot and bleeding to death. He reacted, breaking out into a run and searching for the source of the screaming. He noticed a group of people had congregated around one doorway, and he figured that was his best bet. It was dark, he couldn't see. And that was making him even more worried.

He finally pushed past the group of people, and as he was doing so he got a glimpse of a figure crumpled on the floor and his heart stopped. His knees got weak and his hands covered his mouth. Then, the lights came on. The figure crumpled on the floor wasn't Charlie. His heart finally started beating again and he was able to stand without worrying about his knees giving way. He recognized the man, it was Charlie's older brother Leo. His eyes scanned the room and landed on his wife, comforting her younger brother Niccy. He took a few deep breaths, letting his heart slow. He was far from being fine again, his wife's brother ... his brother-in-law ... was laying on the floor seemingly bleeding to death. He recognized Leo's wife kneeling next to him, holding his hand and crying, and his eyes snapped back to Charlie again. He moved against the wall, keeping out of the way. He was there if she needed him. And if she didn't, then at least she knew he'd be there if she did.

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gabelaroche
2008-03-13 06:12 am UTC (link)

Chaos. It was pure fucking chaos in the entire place and already Gabe was starting to feel more than just claustrophobic. The majority of the attention was at the end of the hallway - the same hallway he had retreated from just minutes ago. Once he had joined the masses, he put on his surprised and frightened expressions for his fellow waiters, exchanged a few words to plant seeds of doubt that he was the man responsible for Leo's attack, then somehow slipped back out into the kitchen. Staying as calm as he possibly could, he reached under the icebox for the ziploc bag then headed for the room that had been sectioned off for the evening's servers.

Only ten minutes had gone by but already it was ten minutes too many. He sifted through the jackets until he found his, tucked the ziploc bag into the left inside pocket and draped the heavy black jacket over his left arm as casually as possible. It was slightly bulky but not enough to catch attention. Hurrying toward the hallway, he peeked out and watched as one Marino after another bullied their way through the crowd to join their brother. It was the perfect opportunity for him to disappear, so he slipped into the hallway and down into the opposite direction, using the shadows to cover his tracks. By the time the lights had turned back on he was outside the building, walking briskly toward his car that was parked a block away. The sound of sirens filled the air, but they were far enough into the distance that by the time they had reached the hotel, he was inside his car, driving home at a leisurely pace sans his beard and long black wig. He looked the epitome of cool on the surface but his insides began to twist and turn until he felt the need to pull over, push open the heavy door of his 1968 Ford Shelby and vomited his breakfast, lunch and dinner.

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little_niccy
2008-03-13 10:47 pm UTC (link)

Niccy stayed at Leo's side as long as he could handle, but when the doctor started sewing him up, it all became too much. He reached over and squeezed Leo's shoulder, then stood, sliding past Charlie. Niccy offered his sister a quick hug and a kiss on the cheek. "I can't stand here. Non riesco a guardare la loro opera su di lui. È tutto troppo." He hoped she understood. His being there, in the way of the doctor, with Charlie and Illana there... He needed to corral the rest of the family.

He was forming a mental checklist in his head: find Lucas, find Lia, find Raul, find anyone else Marino aligned. They all needed to be in the room, they needed to be here if the head of the family fell.

Niccy steeled himself, trying to figure out where he could be helpful, when he saw Roxy. His mind went blank, and the next thing he knew he had his arms wrapped around her, a fresh sheet of tears covering his cheeks. He held her more tightly than he meant to, but couldn't let go. "Roxy, what the fuck am I going to do without him?" His voice was nearly silent, at a high pitch that made him sound nothing like himself.

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nightsat_roxy
2008-03-16 07:21 pm UTC (link)

Having left everything the doctor needed by her side, Roxy had stepped away, giving the family room to breathe, and the doctor room to work. Her arms wrapped tightly around herself, she watched the scene laid out in front of her, tears in her own eyes as she stood there, helpless in it all.

Her face twisted in phantom pain when Niccy looked at her, and she had no idea what she could do to help him. Here, the man she loved most in the world was in danger of losing his brother, and for the life of her, she couldn't help him. Her arms wrapped around him tightly when he fell onto her, one hand sliding up his back rhythmically in some attempt to soothe him. "Shh...don't talk like that." She murmured against his ear, shaking her head back and forth. "You can't think like that." She said again, meaning it completely. Leo needed their strength right now.

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little_niccy
2008-03-17 12:48 am UTC (link)

Just having Roxy there was of greater comfort than Niccy could say. He needed her then, he needed her almost more than he needed the rest of his family. She held a different part of his heart, and Niccy needed someone outside the family, who was feeling the ache but not in the same way.

Niccy shook his head, letting his chin rest on her shoulder. He couldn't help but think it. Leo was bad off, everyone could see it. The doctor seemed more frantic than she should've. Leo was barely able to whisper words to Illana. He could barely breathe. It all seemed too far gone for Niccy to think any other way.

In hushed tones, he spoke, whispering to Roxy. "I don't want to think that way, but fuck, I am. I mean, look at him..." Niccy glanced over his shoulder, wincing and turning away. "It's bad, Roxy. It's so bad... And I don't know if she heard me, the thing about his back..." His face broke again, his brows knitting and his eyes shutting at the sting of fresh tears in his eyes.

He clung to her, resting his cheek on her head. It was all overwhelming him. He noticed that Raul had shown up at some point, and he was now next to his father and mother. Lucas had shown up too, and Niccy felt he should go to talk to him, at least give him a direction. He knew Lucas, Lucas would want direction in a situation like this... But Niccy could do none of it. He was paralyzed by the idea that Leo was going to die.

"Fuck, fuck FUCK!" Niccy cursed, his voice still hushed. He pulled back and looked down at Roxy, his eys glassy from crying. He sniffled, turning his head to wipe his nose on his shoulder. He looked at her again, and shook his head. "I can't do this."

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team_italy
2008-03-14 10:18 am UTC (link)

A gunshot was one of the most distinguishable sounds he could hear, he always remembered the sounds he never wanted to hear again better than those of the opposite sentiment. A gunshot was the muffled noise from another room as Raul Marino sat on the floor playing Jenga with his brother Purcel. A gunshot was the punctuation to the end of a heated argument. A gunshot was the trigger for emotion; anger, sadness, nonchalance. A gunshot was a faux-solution to the problems of his world and when somebody else pulled the trigger in a hotel occupied by his family and friends, the noise Raul Marino never wanted to hear again was the noise he ran towards.

He’d been located in an out-of-bounds area, exploring the upper levels of the hotel with an ambitious red-head. The hotel on the upper floors was already in pitch-black when the lights had gone out, rushing downstairs to find the entire foyer in darkness was surreal. There was no logic in the panic of the other guests; they ran to each other, they ran from each other, some stood rooted to the ground, there were idiots screaming and people crying. Raul Marino raced past them, sticking his shoulder out and pushing his way beyond the crowd.

He recognized Cole first and his stomach churned. If Cole was there, his Aunt was there and that meant that someone he knew was hurt. He broke into a run, recognizing more faces as he neared; Charlie, Roxy, Niccy. The realization and the actualization hit simultaneously as he saw his Mother by his Father’s side. Everything stopped. Raul Marino stood rooted to the spot, staring down at his Father, his mind refusing to process the scenario. It wasn’t happening because in all the uncertainty of his life, Raul was certain that Leonardo Marino could not be felled.

Moments passed before he slowly dropped to his knees beside his Father, “You’re just fucking around, right?” his voice was strained as he fought to speak, as he desperately tried to disprove fact, as though his Father would agree and everything would be okay again, “You’re just fucking around, because this isn’t supposed to happen, not to you”

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spencer_nomore
2008-03-16 07:34 pm UTC (link)

Hearing a gun shot, it took all the self control Lucas had not to draw his own weapon as he made his way through the crowd. He saw a few cops standing around, looking as if they were about to go crazy, and tugged Antoinette into what he deemed as a safe place, and instructed her not to move. He moved faster through the crowd, pushing and shoving as he needed to. It didn't help that he heard Niccy screaming, and gasps and shocked, pained sounds coming from the lobby.

He literally shoved one man out of his way and into another person, but paid them no mind as he ran in there. The scene in front of him was like something from a nightmare, one he'd had on more than one occasion. He saw Niccy and Roxy holding each other, crying. Raul and Illana crouched with Charlie by...Leo. Leo, bleeding all over the place as some stranger worked on him. His instinct was to push her away and demand that someone he trusted take over instead, but right now it didn't look like they had that luxury.

"Fuck..." He said, unblinking as he stared. His instinct was to fight and run, to kill the bastard who did this and make it hurt. He didn't care why this had happened, or how it had happened. The only thing that mattered is that it did happen, that someone had deliberately done this to a man who had been better to him than his own father.

Now there was one of two things he could do. Stand here, be supportive, weep with his family and do nothing, or he could take off after the person responsible, he could follow any sort of trail he could find, and put the training Leo had given him to good use.

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