Home Sweet Home (c)

[Risk]

"Because you need me," said Risk calmly, looking right back at Eastman. "I was one of your best -- even at twelve. Your kids are sloppy and leaving traces behind. And if you want your gang to stay afloat and away from any danger, then you need me. Because despite what I did, you were all still my family. Someone's after you."

((No, they don't know he's a cop. I haven't really thought about what it'd be -- I just know that he betrayed them with a gig he was in charge of. The only reason I see him turning his back on them is if it had something to do with his family...))

[Macbeth]

If she'd been stupid enough to reveal her surprise, Macbeth's eyes would have widened. She had a fairly good idea where Risk was going with this, and she didn't know whether it was a good idea. But she could hardly come out and say that, so she just looked up at Eastman with her usual fierce expression and snapped, "And if you can use that pipsqueak outside the door, you can use me. I'll take on any task you want to prove it. But it's a two-for-one deal."

She knew it was risky to get snarky with a gang leader. She also knew it was the only way to live up to Risk's description of her, as opposed to looking like a useless milksop he'd just dragged along as a prop.

Eastman gave her a thoughtful, rather amused glance, then turned back to Risk and didn't look amused at all. "What do you mean, someone's after me?" Half a dozen rival gangs were always after him and it wasn't news, so this had better be good.

[Risk]

Risk knew well enough not to mention who was actually after Eastman. He wasn't about to go undercover for the gang he who used to be a part of when he was really going undercover for the newsies by doing this while at the same time hiding the fact that he is currently an undercover cop. He was about to do it. And he knew it'd make his head hurt.

"The cops are pressing down on gangs," he finally replied. "They're starting to ask around -- they found me and heard I used to be a part of it. They're asking anyone who used to be or any of the older crew." He hoped his fib would work. If this didn't work, he didn't know what else to come up with on the spot.

[Macbeth]

((I LOVE his hilarious number of undercover gigs. The future Risk/Goblin/Wraith alliance is going to be unstoppable.))

Eastman sneered at him. "We've got the cops in our pocket. Why would they be stupid enough to start causing trouble now?"

Truthfully, though, the idea worried him. There'd been quite a bit of trouble lately. Girls rescued from the brothels, one of them with a family; escapes from the Refuge; and of course, the ugly incident with Tristan Shamien and his own former employee, Jimmy, at Heather Mae's. If the cops thought he was slipping, losing control, they might well have decided that their alliance with him was no longer necessary, that now was the prime opportunity to take him down.

"So you'll be working for me and feeding the bulls false information, is that it?" he growled, mulling it over.

[Risk]

((Seriously. I don't know how Risk survives with all the things he does, haha!))

"That's how it works, doesn't it?" said Risk calmly, trying his best to hide his smile. "Word gets around, Eastman -- you sure you're training your kids right?"

[Macbeth]

"Oh, I train them right," Monk said, his eyes boring into Risk's. "It's just so difficult to identify the traitors. You've got to keep a sharp eye on them at all times, and be ready to...terminate any project that gets out of hand." Satisfied that the threat had sunk in, he snapped the door open. "Sammie will find a suitable assignment to test your loyalty," he said, turning to include her in the order.

Macbeth's hand, meanwhile, was threatening to cut off circulation to Risk's hand, and she could only hope he was getting the right message: This guy's gonna have you killed the second he thinks he don't need you.

((Off to bed! <3))

[Sammie]

Risk was going to make Goblin pay for this. If he or Macbeth (geez, he didn't even want to imagine) ended up stuck in Eastman's gang, he was going to hunt Goblin down for getting him into this mess. He simply squeezed Macbeth's hand in return. He knew what she was thinking and wasn't about to argue with her about it. At least not now.

"Prisoners," said Sammie, once Eastman shut the door. She looked at Risk, her face serious and stern. "You remember how that goes or are you going to run away with them like you did? Get answers out of them until they wish they were bleeding."

((Gnight!!))

[Macbeth]

"I've done it. Once," Macbeth said softly, looking the girl in the eye. And yes, she knew better than to lie to Sammie. There were some things she hadn't told even Risk.

And there were some things she wouldn't mention now, like how she'd thrown up afterward, and Archer told her she didn't ever have to do it again. Monk Eastman was not Archer. And she was not looking forward to this, though she kept her face ice-cold and didn't even glance at Risk.

[Sammie]

Risk gaped at Macbeth once he heard her reply. Macbeth did... what?

"Good," replied Sammie, a small smirk on her face. "The both of you can go. And if I find any of them gone the next morning, Eastman will have your heads. Alec, I'm sure you know where it is." And with that, she turned around and left the pair.

"Uh, B-Beth..." muttered Risk once Sammie was gone. "You don't have to..."

[Macbeth]

"Then why the hell am I here?" she demanded, finally letting go of his hand and crossing her arms. "I ain't just a prop, y'know." She had other things to ask him, but this wasn't exactly the time or place. "So where are we going?"

[Risk]

"Yeah, I know," replied Risk, sighing. Without thinking, he gently took her hand again and led her further down the hallway. He turned the corner and up another flight of stairs. It was amazing how he remembered everything.

Finally reaching another door, Risk knocked some code on the door. The door swung open and they were greeted by another thug, who stepped back to let them in, showing three blindfolded young men that were tied to their chairs. Risk gently squeezed Macbeth's hand and stepped inside.

[Macbeth]

At this point, Macbeth wasn't sure whose sake the hand-holding was for, which meant it was probably for both of them. "Well?" she said, looking at the thug with a slightly bored expression, like she did this every damn day. "Who are we starting with and what are we trying to find out?"

[Risk]

"Left one," growled the thug. "They were trying to sneak in here. Find out."

((Wahh, I'm doing work from home which is why I'm slow! ))

[Macbeth]

((No worries! I'm just thrilled that the board works for me again because I downloaded a proxy server. ;D))

"Right," Beth said, glancing at the guy in question and then, very casually, at the thug again. "You ain't gotta hang around, y'know. I've had guard duty, I know how fucking dull it gets. Just lock us in and go grab some food or something. We got this covered."

[Risk]

((Hahahah I love you))

"No. I'm staying here," answered the thug, glaring right back at Macbeth.

"He won't leave. It's his job to stay here," whispered Risk, pulling Macbeth away from him. "C'mon, let's just get this over with."