@justifiedmuses​ ♦ || Plotted Starter || ♦ Stax for Teague
Everyone wore their battle scars differently. Ned entered the marines a complete rookie. Patriotic and meaning well, but way over his head. Joe had saved him several times. It forced him to look at the world with a wider eye. He listened more, maintained more boundaries, and engulfed himself in the law. The need for an outlet to keep his brain challenged was far too great of an opportunity to pass up. He not only passed the bar, but was in the top 5% something he never knew he could accomplish until then. His journey to the man he was today was a long one, but it was by no means easy. In fact, it was starting to feel easy when he decided to rope his best friend into his business. Figured it would be a good opportunity for both parties. But he’d been so wrong.
No amount of planning could have prepared him for the shit show he was now enduring. All from the aftermath of his friend’s rage. Bugsy might have crossed the line, but Joe had done something that had ripples. Ripples that were still cascading and mixing together. L.A. was in a stand still and everyone wanted to be the new king. He felt pushed against a wall, but he wasn’t going to turn Joe in. No, the fight was much bigger than that now. It would be serving his death sentence. Either way, he felt he needed to meet with him privately. The Clover Club felt as good a place as any. They’d already met once before right after the debacle, but the powder keg he’d warned had gotten far worse. He wasn’t sure Teague knew the full extent.
He took his place at the bar, and ordered a whiskey, before taking out one of his cigarettes. The cops were at an impasse, with no leads to the killer. But the mob was doing their own restructuring. They wanted someone’s head. As he lit his cigarette, he saw Joe come up. He placed the end of the cigarette to his lips and exhaled shortly after. “There’s a war out there, Joe.” his cigarette remained between two fingers, while with his other hand, he took a sip of his drink. “Mickey’s makin’ a big stink. But I think they’re as lost as the cops are.”
