firebrand

❛  i —–  ❜ a pause for a moment, and silas shifted to a polite laugh,  ❛  okay ❜ it was the moment that she welcomed him to follow her for a drink.  ❛  it shouldn’t be too difficult, considering this place is practically bathing in liquor. ❜ but still, he stood from his place and took a step closer to maggie xue, still wearing his most charming smile.  ❛  lead the way ❜

She crooked her head to the side. Eyed him for at minute, before turning on her heel and started walking. “If you keep up the good jokes I have a personal stash somewhere.” He was invited along again with a 'come-hinter’ gesture. “We cobras do know how to have a party.”

Cortez observed the power the woman in front of her had over her minions, though he wondered if it bothered her that they had once been loyal to another before her. He, for certain, would question the trustworthiness of those ex-savages. “A battle may be won, but I fear the war is only just beginning– would you not agree?” Cortez replied calmly, not making a threat of war but pointing out that one was most certainly brewing. “I was invited,” he said quickly. “Though if the generosity of a snake is short-lived, I will be surely on my way,” the lawyer challenged, testing the leader of his rivals.

Maggie sighed heavy. Of course the night would not be without questions like that. “I couldn’t even if I wanted to. Though I hoped for a scatter... well.. dreams are dreams, right?” She commented in a more serious. It may bore her but she could not let face fall infront of an enemy. Especially someone so cool and collect. It could mean trouble if he walked away thinking her weak.  “As long as a savage can hold back their nature, they are welcome to drink and dance. If you act nicely, I’ll even keep your glass full myself.”

❛  ah yes, you can tell.  ❜  he smiled at the woman, taking note of every bit of artistic ink that crawled upon her skin ( slithered ) and made a shrug of his shoulders. ❛  take a look around here and you’d think the obama administration came back with a fiery vengeance, am i right? ❜ he smiles, making a motion with his hand to accept the offer, ❛  whiskey neat. ❜ 

“We are the fiervy vengeance, but I hope for Obama himself he stays out of it.” Her lip curled, eyes and her full attention now on him, when he entertained like that how could he not. “Walk with me and I’ll find you some.”

     rosanna was sitting by herself, scrolling through a new york times article in the middle of the party. she looked up when the older woman spoke. “yeah, i would like one.” putting the phone back on her pocket, the blonde stood up next to the woman. “it is, indeed – i didn’t really notice how many of us are truly in here. it’s nice.” she admitted, and looked at the fresh snake tattoo on her ankle. “plus, the tattoos look good.”

“I think its good for all of us to finally see the strengt and actual size of our organisation.” Her smile soften. Smoothly she took a seat beside the other, “I’ glad you like my concept.” Gesturing to across her body, she showed of her own in the light. “It got me through a lot of times and I hope it will be a sign of strenght for the rest of you.”

“Thank you for the offer, but I do not drink,” Cortez replied with a soft, gentle smile. Even in the face of the number one enemy, even stood on the remains of the mansion of his late friend, his facade never faulted. Cool, calm, collected. “I will take a cigar, however - if you have one, that is,” he requested. “And what exactly is it that you are celebrating?”

“A minute or two and I might.” She grabbed the back of a shirt, pulled someone close and whispered into their ear before sending them off. Now that power was hers, one had to be a little bit generous ― or whatever the notion was. Heels clicking as she walked closer. Small smile. “We are celebrating ourselves. There is no good in winning, if you don’t know how to enjoy it. Why are you here?”

he’s watching her, something rigid this way comes it seems —- niko is nothing if not overtly CAUTIOUS to his surroundings. it’s a natural element, a means to survive which is all he knows how to do so at her words he simply smiles, waves one hand as if it was nothing and carries on a fruitless endeavor beyond waiting for what maggie wanted to talk about.  ❛  i’m certain you didn’t come here to offer congratulations, though.  ❜ why would he think otherwise, one may ask? the fact was niko wasn’t blind to the shift in stride, he took note of how she walked more with her legs than with her hips, the most subtle of changes and niko was just simply waiting for whatever else would come out of the woodwork at him this week.  ❛  so why don’t you tell me what;s going on. ❜

Her eyes flickered. Sending a message of uncertainty. How could he look so easily through her. She took a deep breath. Having only been a fly on the wall it was something new. Both a task and a pleasure for her. “I have a message for you.” She stepped closer to him, her eyes focusing on his. A new form of serious, not something used often in her earlier occupation. She straightened her back, falling back into her confidence as leader. She wanted to show how powerful she had become. “A message from the snake. King Cobra.” 

king simply shrugged at her statement, not making much of it. he had grown with all the luxury a life of crime could offer, even though his father never let him forget where it came from. all the blood spilled so he could have silk sheets, all of the lives ruined so he could have the latest video-game for christmas. it had given him a taste for it, for the destruction and the money and the thrill of power it gave him. ❝ that could be easily arranged, but i don’t think it’d solve things in the long run. ❞ he pondered for a moment. ❝  we expected them to crumble once balthazar was gone, but they just found a new idiot to take his place. if we really want to get them to fall apart, we’ll probably have to ruin them from withing. or have the fbi do it for us. ❞

Maggie’s eyes shifted. Debating whether to put him in his place or take the idea in. But the logic of it she couldn’t deny. “You’re saying something.” She twirled the glass in her hand. Thoughts popping up with him throwing something like that on the table. “Though I am a big fan of up close and personal, perhaps it is better to have someone else do it.” She found an armrest to sit on, crossed one leg over the other and sipped on her glass. Eyeing him with new interest. This was more of her style than celebration. “Any suggestion? Certainly, either of us is going to come anywhere close to them.”

❝  i’m  a  great  assassin,  and  an  okay  cook,  but  i  appreciate  the  self  esteem  boost. ❞  he  put  some  water  on  the  stove,  turning  back  to  maggie  while he  waited  for  it  to  come  to  a  boil. ❝ she  was,  she  was.  tough,  too.  i  think  you  two  would  get  along. ❞  or  maybe  not.  but  if  wes’  mom  loved  his  dad,  surely  she  would  look  past  maggie’s  gang  affiliation. ❝ i  guess  you’re  my  new  mom  now,  huh?? ❞

For a moment she just starred. Like he was moon man. And finally, it cracked. She laughed. From the bottom of her stomach, she laughed, whole-heartedly. “Wes. I.. think highly of you. I would protect you with my life. But I will never, never, never, ever be your mom.” She shook her head, she loved him but with her view of him, the idea was just bizarre. “Better your own mom stays your mom.”

            nevena paced around the room, eyes never leaving from maggie’s position, a calculated glare in her eyes. “i’d rather not, actually, it’ll be fun watching niko rip you to shreds now that i think about it.” she smirked, letting out a dry laugh as she stopped in front of where the girl stood. “why don’t you tell me what bright idea you had planned once you got inside here, hmm?”

“You think I’m some movie villain? Gonna tell you my evil plan before I run off and kill someone?” She snapped the gun and held it ready in her hand. Slowly as ever movie towards the door. A wrinkle on her nose formed. “He is hopefully brighter than that. Killing me helps no one. Neither does holding me here.”

maggie would be that extra yessssss hiss hiss mf there is when a tiny one on her arm i’m dying

something doesn’t BODE WELL, from the times that he’d sat in on meetings in which balthazar requested his presence, niko had learned to pick up a tell or three when something was about to go against his favor. perhaps it was the blush in her cheeks, the strange sense of ENTERTAINMENT that she’d bestowed upon asking how he was doing, but he took the bit, allowed the mention of their brief sexual history pass over them before shrugging a shoulder.  ❛  well enough. i’m here. ❜ a motion with his hand signifies it is her turn to answer and his gaze studies upon hers with his head canted to the side without another word.

A turn on the heel. She faced him again to get a look of his face. Eyes flickering up and down his person. Though her years as an escort had made her quite the judge of character, she was not quite able to pick up his mod. She crooked her head to the left, “... Different. If that is how one can describe... change.” Another snicker. She leaned her body against a chair. Striving to look comfortable, like she owned were she walked. Looking like more of a leader was the least she could try. “I guess things changed for you as well - word travels fast. Congrats.” She offered him a meek smile.

giovanna found herself pacing the same streets she did everyday, trapped in a routine. lighting up a cigarette at the same corner as usual, the flame flickered bright against the dull, grey surroundings on a dull, grey sunday morning. a lip of smoke curled into her mouth, before slowly trailing back out into the sky. she was calm. “isn’t it funny? you’d think after all these years people would start making buildings prettier. ancient architecture was so intricate and beautiful. now we’re poisoning our world with grey. and plastic.” she murmured, entraced by her own thought, barely aware of anyone around her. 

Like a shadow in the crowd, Maggie had been making her morning jog when she spotted the other. She pulled down her neck warmer to reveal her mouth and make herself recognisable. Stealing the cigarette from the younger, she took a drag before speaking. “It’s practical, Gio. That kinda shit is easy to wash or paint over. It makes a job necessity, way easier. Blood would just be hanging onto the walls in the old shit.”

 ❝ what??  gang  leaders  can’t  nap??  color  me  surprised. ❞  he  wasn’t  actually,  barely  getting  any  sleep  himself.  there  were  a  lot  of  things  to  help  maggie  with,  even  as  an  assassin.  thank  god  he  didn’t  handle  any  of  the  paperwork,  that  could  be  a  disaster.  wes  only  glanced  over  at   her  for  a  minute,  not  great  at  knowing  when  something  was  wrong.  ❝ sure. ❞  he  turned  to  get  the  supplies  out  of  the  pantry. ❝ lucky  for  you,  my  mom  raised  me  to  be  a  bit  of  a  chef.  and  an  assassin.  and  a  fuck  up.  she  was  a  very  well  versed  woman. ❞

“I hope you’re a better cook than assassin then.” She winked at him. Face more mild, perhaps a tint of enjoyment. She would only question his abilities in fun. Or else he would not be at her side. If one weren’t competent in that field, one was dead. She swung her legs, not unlike a school child. Looking more relaxed than she had in some time. She was safe. “You’re mother sound like an absolutely fantastic woman.”

            her body stiffened as she recognized who was standing in the room. “maggie xue,” nevena stood up from the bed, making sure to keep her distance, “you’ve got a lot of nerve bringing your ass into our headquarters.” her hand reached around to the small of her back, fingers resting on a pistol that was within the band of her pants. 

The moment of hope quickly gone, Maggie stood up in full height. With calculated steps, she mirrored the others movements, but still tried to get closer to the door. “Just go back to sleep.” She hissed. Gun on her thigh, she slid down her hand to grab it as sneakily as she could.

the night air bit at maddox’s exposed legs as she walked down the street, her heels clicking prominently against the pavement. night was calm, night was empty. it was the perfect time for mads to clear her head and she was taking full advantage of it after a hefty day’s work. taking a seat on the bench, the redhead gazed up at the sky. astrology had always been something that interested the girl; the idea that your life could all be dictated by the stars. 

grabbing a fresh cigarette from the packet, maddox placed the straight delicately between her lips before patting down her pockets. shit. no light. glancing around the almost abandoned park, she caught sight of a figure. “hey! excuse me! you gotta light?” she cocked her head to the side, raising an eyebrow in the shadow’s direction.

It wasn’t her usual task but Maggie felt a need to look out for the younger one. So just for one night, she had followed the thief. Just to make sure. Not because she was slightly paranoid on the younger’s behalf with the new way their world was forming. No-no. She had perfectly good reasons for being there. And walking two steps behind the other not to get caught. And almost bodyslamming a guy she thought was a savage.

It was a sigh of defeat when the other asked for a light. She fiddled with her pocket. Ignite the small flame and hold it out for the other. “... Fancy seeing you here, Maddow.”