The Syndicate

[Gafe]

An alarm buzzed. Saul Luna looked at his watch. When he raised his head the lawyer noticed his secretary looking at him. Worried. "Is it time, Mr. Luna?" She asked anxiously.
He smiled at her, one of those smiles with something resembling sympathy. "It is, Irene." He waited for the words to sink in. "But don't you worry. My replacement is very much like me. You'll take an instant liking for him, I'm sure." Saul started selecting objects from his new desk, with which he stuffed his pockets. "His views resemble mine, and he's as good as I am in what we do, if not better. He's an old acquaintance, I wish I could be here to greet him, but I'm running late.
"Good luck, Irene."
". . .Good luck, Mr. Luna. . ."

Someone knocked on the door. Everyone in the office looked up from their work and then every face turned to Irene. Of course, who else to greet someone if not the secretary? She walked up to the door, removed two locks and turned the knob around. Her hands were shaking.
The man in the door wasn't what anyone in the workplace expected. He was a chubby man, as one could see judging from the lumps in his clothes. He was wearing a trench coat, a hat, sunglasses and a scarf over his mouth. Apparently, he was one fo those men prone to getting the chills.
"You must be Irene," he said in a raspy voice. "My name is Louis Silvan."
Irene was speechless. Then she saw the man's cheeks contract in a way that could only mean he was smiling.
"Now, let's get to work, ah? Saul told me there were several things to look over by tomorrow."

[Vale]

"Alright..." Treybore spoke, thinking about the locations as to where Luna could be. "This has gotten too deep for him to be staying in his office, and from what the SPD tells me, they shot and killed his body double in his office." Cyrus Treybore thought, tapping his spoon against the side of his coffee.

"He once told me.." Cyrus paused pulling out a card--the restaurant where Saul was to meet Rosa and Him for dinner. "To come here for dinner. Maybe if we're lucky he'll be there, or someone who knows something about him would know." Cyrus spoke as he got up and walked from the table--obviously skipping out on the check. He never liked waiters, or burristas, and especially hated bartenders. The cocky pricks.

Moving swiftly through the city streets, they surprisingly made great time, reaching 'Noir Soir' the fancy restaurant that confident attourney wanted to have them meet. Thankfully however, Cyrus still had women on the mind, one most notably as the one leaving the restaurant with an order.

"....Irene...isn't it?" Cyrus asked, stopping the girl.
"I've a few questions for you. We're looking for Saul, The Syndicate is after him." Cyrus spoke. "Now, before you speak, I want you to listen carefully. You know who I am. You know what I've done, and what I will do to you if you do not co-operate. Is that clear?" Cyrus spoke, brandishing a devilish smile, "Now tell me..." He sighed.


"Where is Luna?"

[Gafe]

A man in a heavy trench coat appeared behind the terrified Irene. Two gloved hands gripped the secretary by her shoulders and pulled her behind him. As he did so he whispered, "Get the order to the guys, they need their food, ah?." Irene nodded, turned around and ran from the scene, affording one last look at the man that had just recently threatened her, Mr. Wright.
Once the female was out of sight, the spectacled man turned his face, though his eyes could not be seen it was clear his gaze met Cyrus's. A frown was visible.
"Let's get things straight, you and I," he began, "you are not to talk to Irene - save for a hello maybe, you are not to come close to Irene, you are not to touch Irene and you are not, in any way, to threaten Irene ever again, ah?." She was Saul's most prized person in the world, his innocent, hard-working secretary. He had to keep her safe at all costs.
The heavily-attired man waited a moment, after which his frown ceased. He leaned against a table of the restaurant. "Now, Valentine you want Luna, do you? It's too bad Luna doesn't want anyone, not even you. Pity he left really, he could've put those Syndicates behind bars too, he got busted because of who you led to him." Such a long speech was difficult to hear from behind a scarf and with a speaker that had a raspy voice. "He doesn't want to work with you anymore, ah?" The man waited for the words to sink in.
The next moment, he appeared to be grinning. "I, however, do." The man offered his hand to shake. "My name is Louis Silvan, I'm one of Luna's most trusted friends, you could say, a lawyer too naturally."
"Saul told me about you and the Syndicate and all that jazz, I want them out of the picture too. And these must be your henchmen, Saul didn't mention those."
"Now, be a sport and introduce us, ah?"

[Gafe]

Adrian looked at both the detectives before him. Yes, yes, they were quite like they'd been described to him. Perfect, maybe the cases could be properly solved now. Their introductions had been conducted with ease, and the young man was eager to begin any of the three jobs he'd been sent to do. He was young, but he was capable! He'd trusted in him, ater all.
"As I understand it, Detectives, there are three cases of high importance taking place in the present time. Two of these, the murders of prostitutes and the Saul Luna case, have been placed on your shoulders, and I'm here to help you with those!" He grinned at them, charming as ever (Adrian McLean was a man of looks, in all honesty). "But I have info on the building that blew up in the city - or rather, a body with a name. If you'd like to, we could pursue this case too. I've got paperwork ready for it."
He walked over to a table and opened his briefcase. Photographs of CSIs, newspaper articles and plastic bags filled with. . . stuff were all but vomited out. Evidence of the scenes, essential for a criminalist such as McLean.
"Wendy Carver, Nadia Chelyabynsk, some Diane girl, girls all with something in common other than Ezekiel Young, as Mr. Luna dictated" He recited. "Saul Luna: suspicious lawyer who disappeared the night dead corpses were found on his car, his body double dead and his office a mess. There are subtle clues the CSI missed. I'll share my info with you, if you share yours with me.
"I understand you met with Luna the day before he disappeared, correct?" Adrian leaned on the desk. So it began.

[Vale]

Cyrus smiled a bit.
"I'll leave you gutted on the side of the U district you two bit punk." Cyrus spoke, smiling a bit. "Although someone with the balls that you have, is worth keeping around." He spoke, crossing his arms.
"They're my associates, not my henchmen. If Saul told you anything, I'm amazed he didn't tell you the truth." Cyrus spoke, showing his Interpol credentials, each with watermarked and hologram prints.
"Saul was to be taken into protective custody to ensure his safety, the fact he's fled the coop might have compromised his safety. The two Soldiers sent to his office were to eliminate the man whom he was meeting with...but alas, that too is irrelevant." Cyrus spoke, one last bit before sighing.

"Saul's most valuable to us, due to his knowledge and connections. What can you offer, Silvan?"

[Aubs]

As Asher and Rosa got into her limo, Asher couldn’t help but to recall the way Gwyn had been behaving. “Something was really wrong with her back there Rosa,” Asher confessed, looking out of the window at the passing buildings. “I’ve known her for the past two years and she never has seemed this off. You think she has something up her sleeve?” He glanced over at Rosa after noticing that she hadn’t commented on anything since he’d asked her about the man in black. “Rosa,” He placed his hand in his curls and grimaced his lips. He didn’t understand why he felt so out of the loop all of the sudden. Rosa stopped threatening his genitals, while Gwyn completely became a whole other person. This is too much, Though Asher looking back out of the window again. Rosa’s silence proved that she wasn’t talking to him. At least not at this moment as her mind seemed affixed on other things. All I want to do is go back to my place, chill on the couch. Maybe eat a bite or two. I need to change out of- He paused as the limo pulled up to the head quarters. Well, what was left of it. “Son of a bitch!” Quickly jumping out of the vehicle, Asher panicked.



“What the HELL MAN!? What the hell!” He paced back and forth, throwing his hands up in the air and swearing at the top of his lungs.“My shit was in there! My shit man!” He shoved a couple of people out of the way to get closer to the building. “This cannot be fucking happening to me right now man. Why can’t things just like be perfect man! DAMN!”
“Excuse me, Mr. Leighton.” Came the familiar voice of a secretary who worked in The Syndicate. Asher couldn’t recall her name, but he was positive that he knew her.
“Yeah?” Asher inquired, pouting some.
“All of your important things were rescued before the explosion sir?”
“Are you positive?” He asked, thinking about his secret stash of adult videos hidden under his mattress.
“Yes sir, everything. Even your porn.”
Asher awkwardly laughed. “Haha. Uh, I don’t know what you’re talking about. My what?” He didn’t know how else to react, but it was obvious he knew.
“Your porn, Mr. Leighton, it was saved. Now, we have much more important business at hand. Here,” The woman calculatedly spoke, removing a blackberry from her trench coat pocket. “You will find the new coordinates to the new HQ.”
“Awesome.” He began to walk a way before he turned around to thank the woman. When he turned though the woman was nowhere to be found. I really need to find a better hiding place this next time…

Upon arrival at the new head quarters, Asher said his goodbye from Rosa at the moment and rushed into the building to make sure what the woman spoke to him at the old HQ was truth. Low and behold, she was. He held his magazines and videos in his hands smiling as he embraced them. Phew… thank god.

[PsychoKath]

Miero nodded at Guilford's back. He was an honorable man, she knew, the chance that she would not have his support was highly unlikely. However, she and Guilford alone would not be able to change everything- she needed those who were truely loyal to the Syndicate and everything it stood for. She stood from her chair and left the room- Neve was still chatting away on her cell phone.

Miero walked the halls of the new HQ- those who had found their way to it stopped and stared. Finally her exsistance was made public- the Tri-Sisters no longer had to hide their identity at the request of a woman who had never loved them. She, that is to say 'they', would get revenge on Mommy dearest and bring the Syndicate up from the ashes all at the same time. Speaking of ashes, turning a corner she found that Asher was back.

"Hello there," she announced her prescence. Mirage always felt the need to be sneaky- Miero on the other hand felt that it was good for people not to suspect you to sneak. That way, when you did choose to sneak, no one suspected you to. "Can you guess who I am? Or better yet, what I'm here for?" She smiled a deadly little smile.

[Grimn]

Guilford sat in his office, awaiting the arrival of Raphael. He had contemplated the proposal that Miero had offered him. Pestilence stood behind him, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed across his chest. The man’s blond hair was in his face and the officer’s uniform he wore seemed somewhat out of place in the organization known as the Syndicate. “So have you decided to strive for the power after all” asked the man, a cruel smile on his lips. “Pestilence you of all people should be able to predict my moves” rasped Guilford. “Well regardless when are you letting us have some real fun” asked the man, reaching behind him to take out a silver revolver. He began spinning the chamber around and around, seeming to not even realize what he was doing. “I am sending War after Gwyn” rasped Guilford, his hands resting upon the desk. “What? That hunk of metal gets to lumber off and have fun. You know he will mess it up” complained Pestilence. “He will carry out the directives assigned by his god” replied Guilford, his words becoming a bit colder. “Pestilence had a small attitude and independence about him, but he did have quite a few uses. He was Guilford’s bishop in this giant chess game. Able to carry out many different tasks and also being successful at each and every one of them” thought Guilford. His thoughts were broken up by the arrival of Raphael. The head Acolyte sat in front of Guilford and looked at the man. “What is it that you would have me do” asked the man. “Raphael, we are going in a different direction” began Guilford. “Look into the archives and begin Operation Y” rasped Guilford. Raphael’s eyes did not show the slightest bit of surprise, it was what Guilford expected of him. “Also command War to go after the traitor Gwyn” rasped Guilford. “Send Asher along with him. It should prove a good test of whether or not he is loyal to the Syndicate or his friend” said Guilford. Raphael placed his arm over his chest and gave a small bow and then departed. Guilford got up and exited, heading towards the old tower that once served as the radio tower of the airfield. He enjoyed being far above the tarmac below, the sun setting behind him. Death materialized beside him, also gazing out. The man’s helmet hid his facial expression but Guilford theorized that he was deep in thought. Death had always been quite reflective in the tests and Guilford found this somewhat comforting. Guilford withdrew a blackberry from his coat pocket and sent two messages. One went to Pestilence. “Asher is on his way to your office, inform him of his mission and tell War to begin preparations to depart” read the message. The second message he sent to Asher. “I need to see you in my office” read the message. Guilford placed the blackberry back in his coat pocket and resumed his gaze back out over the tarmac.

[Bryden]

Neve. Was. Furious. Absolutely livid. Of course, the sociopathic lack of facial expressions was a bit of a mask. It made it increasingly difficult to tell just what was going through her head. And that was a good thing. Most people could not possibly handle the things in Neve's ever-edited head.

She was losing control. She could feel it. The world was spiraling out of her grasp, and at such a speed that she might have been frightened, supposing she could feel any such emotion.

Where had she gone wrong? At what point had her total and complete control begun to slip from her fingers?

Had it been with Guilford's overtly rebellious move to blow up the building- her building? And it had been hers. Even if the money was laundered and the deeds were under the false names of false names. He had not asked for her permission. Such a move he never would have made even a few months ago. No matter where Neve was, no matter how dire and immediate the situation, he would have found a way, some way to get in contact with her. To seek her guidance and consult on the matter. To ask her permission before making such an extreme, rash move.

But then, what had changed in him to prompt him to ignore her station above him? What had changed within Neve's precious Syndicate?

Had it gone all the way back to her daughter? The girl's first transformations. Neve had not been frightened. Merely interested when a toddler's mood swings and temper-tantrums became something... more. Back then, Neve had seen nothing but a strategic advance. More pawns to play. Control one sister, you could control both. Until the third showed up. That one had been the dangerous one. She had been able to take complete and total precedence over the other two sisters, and switch herself off and on at no one's will except her own.

Neve did not regret. But she knew she should have found a better method of control over her daughters. Something that would keep all three in line.

Perhaps that had been it after all. The beginning of the fall.

The fall....

No. No there would be no fall. Neve was not about to allow that to happen. She WOULD regain absolute control once more. Even if they overthrew her, even if she had to kill them all and begin anew.... she would get her Syndicate back.

Not a doubt in her mind.

[Vale]

::Needs Gafe to Post to continue on with Yug, Jaya, Myself ::

[Gafe]

A raspy croak left Louis's lips, it was quite probable that none of the three people before him recognized the sound as a laugh. He went on for a few seconds, as if what Cyrus had told him was truly hilarious.
"You are aware that Saul seldom tells the truth, ah?" he began, "And not only this, but your 'protective soldiers' also happened to kill a man on the spot, a man that looked too much like Saul." Louis laughed again. But that qas wuite enough on that subject.
"Oh, my boy, you crack me up." This time, instead of an openheareted laugh only a few silent chuckles followed.
"Saul is valuable for his connections and knowledge, ah? Yes, well, Luna is what he is because of me. All those people he knows I introduced. Half his knowledge was won by experience, the other half I taught. I was his teacher, I am older than he is, and thus have as much, if not more, wisdom than he does.
"I've already agreed to work with you, but it takes two to make a deal, Valentine, ah?" Louis Silvan offered his hand.

"And who knows? Maybe Saul will eventually agree to show his face again." And he laughed again.

[Aubs]

After he made sure his possessions were alright, Asher roamed around the new headquarters. For the most part, everything still seemed the exact same as the other one. Uptight assholes.. check. Awesomely hot secretaries, check. Weird guy staring at me in a trench…. Ew. He turned away from the man staring at him and had been face to face with Mirage. Or was this one Mirei? Asher was definitely praying for the latter, but what he hadn’t been aware of was that a third personality, Miero had been exposed. Glancing at her menacing smile with her surprisingly lively eyes, Asher couldn’t decipher which one it had been. So instead of responding to her question, he awkwardly stared back at her until he thought to something to say. Damnit. I don’t know which one this one is. She should seriously wear some kind of nametag that makes it much easier. Asher thought, slightly smiling back at the young woman. Say something shithead.
“You’re Mi-e- No, you’re Mira-” He sighed. “If I get it wrong you won’t like murder me, will you?” He asked with the most serious tone ever. It had taken him a few minutes to realize what he had said. “uh… I think I’ll just guess what you’re here for.” He decided, ignoring any past comments before that one. “You’re here to bring me some totally boss Girl Scout cookies you’re selling, yes? Either that or there’s a job you want me to help you with? However, I’d much prefer it if you were bringing me cookies. I’m starving and haven’t gotten a bite-” He paused feeling the vibration of his blackberry in his pants pocket. Taking the phone out, he saw that he had gotten a text from Guilford.

“I need to see you in my office,” the message read. The text surprised Asher. He had never thought of Guilford as the type of person to even know who he was. Asher had worked pretty lower level jobs compared to the ones Guilford worked on so for Asher to have gotten a message meant he was getting a chance to work with the big boys, or he was being killed. He seriously feared having to meet with someone and finding out that he was going to die. Anytime someone wanted to meet with him in their office the possibility of dying always crossed his mind.

He nervously glanced at Miero. “That was a message from Guilford, he wants to see me in his office. I'm more than positive you already know what this is about, right?”

[PsychoKath]

She couldn't help it- she openly laughed right out loud at him. Her laugh was a mix between warm and cheery/ cold and menacing. Quite an interesting combo. She had to hand it to her sisters- they sure knew how to make an impression. Giggling, she reassured him. "I am neither Mirei OR Mirage; you haven't met me yet. I'm Miero," she announced and shook his hand. Poor guy looked to be in shock.

"There are three of us, but I haven't showed myself since we were 7, but given recent events we felt it was best that I got to come out and play. I'm what you might say a mix between Mirei and Mirage- I have the emotions AND the firepower. Much more fun than just picking a side. And yes," she added, " I feel I may have some idea about what that message is about. Walk with me." Miero looped her arm through his and began to drag him along at her brisk pace up to Guilford's office.

"See," she continued, " Given recent events and betrayals, it is very important to know who is and isn't loyal to the Syndicate. It seems as if you are the first one whose loyalty is unveiled."

[Aubs]

After Asher found out that the girl he was talking to was neither Miero nor Mirage, but another of the sisters, Miero, he had been left in a state of shock. There were three of them? Wow. This made everything much more confusing for Asher who was already somewhat perturbed whenever he had been around the girl. However, Miero had explained that although she was a different person, she was a blend of both sisters. While she could still kick Asher’s ass like Mirage, he was happy that she had maintained the kind side that Mirei had. “I guess that’s a good thing that you’re, uh, well… you.” He spoke, shaking her hand. He had no longer been overly nervous as before, but he was still keeping a guard up in case her intentions were to hurt him like he feared
"I feel I may have some idea about what that message is about,” Miero spoke, as she threaded her arm through Asher’s and proposed that the two of them walk together. This eased Asher some as he didn’t know what the message or meeting could possibly be about. ‘That’s good,’ He thought, continuing to walk with her. I’m not going to die. At least not yet. I haven’t fucked up anything so I should be in the clear.

“Given recent events and betrayals, it is very important to know who is and isn’t loyal to the Syndicate. It seems as If you are the first one whose loyalty is unveiled.”
Asher wanted to jump for joy upon hearing her say that. YES! HELL YES! HE WASN’T GOING TO DIE! The Syndicate could sense his loyalty, which was great because Asher was far too dumb and far too lazy to even begin knowing how to betray anyone. He would have to be more than nonchalant to want to think negative about the Syndicate. This was good, however, he could tell that by betrayals they were speaking of members who weren’t to be trusted. Gwyn had been the first person to cross his mind. She was definitely one of those people Miero had been speaking of and it was weird because Asher had always seen her as a sister, the way the two always joked with each other. Gwyn was his closest friend and he was losing her. She was a rat and that led Asher to believe that she’d been that way all along. “Do you know exactly who is betraying us Miero?” Asher inquired as the two of them headed into an elevator. They were closer to the meeting in Guilford’s office any minute now.

[Eva]

Missy turned her head to Marcus. He was her senior; he'd know what to do. "This is not very formal, Mr. McLean. But we are willing to comply." Marcus said. Missy let out a light breath. Good; she didn't want any confrontation. "We did meet with Saul Luna. He gave us some info on Ezekiel Young, and offered to tell us more at a later date. Unfortunately, we'll never get the opportunity, with him being on the run." Missy said. "We're willing to cooperate fully, Mr. McLean." Marcus added.