In Shadow - Ch 6 - Very Bad Men

 Content Warning: Domestic Abuse, Misogyny, Drug References, Adult Content, Pervasive Language

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"Corrie, get the fucking door," George T barked from the sumptuous couch.

"OK, George," she answered sweetly.

Hastening across the luxurious apartment, she silently kicked herself for not moving fast enough. Though, the doorbell had only just rung, and the couch was closer than the kitchen where she'd been unloading the dishwasher. Of course, George and Damian were watching their show, so they couldn't be expected to answer the door. 

Really, Corrie thought, she was happy to do whatever George needed. After all, he was going to help her become a real actress (not like... before). George was an important man, with all kinds of connections. He even knew Cassie Goth. He'd gone to school with her.

"Hello. Can I help you?" Corrie asked, opening the door.

"Damn girl, I bet you could," the bald man said, look her over. Raising his voice, he added, "Right now, though, you can tell that lowlife street pusher, George T, that he's got company."

"'Lowlife street pusher?' There's only one man left who's stupid enough to call me that in my own home," George called.

Leaping up, George crossed the room to grasp the bald man's hand. 

Behind him, Damian stood and exchanged menacing looks with the big, blonde man who followed the bald man inside.

"Max fucking V," George said to the bald man. "How the fuck did you get into the country?" 

"I can smuggle enough coke to keep you in business," Max V replied. "It ain't too hard to get a couple of people in."

"What's with the new muscle?" George asked, nodding at the blonde man. "Where's Wolfgang?"

"He's working," Max V said simply. "This is Crowe."

"Come on in," George said. "Sit. Corrie, move your dumb ass and get us some beers."

"Sure thing, George," Corrie said quickly, rushing to the fridge.

"I'm good, thanks," Max replied.

"I don't drink... beer," Crowe said with a small grin.

"Every damn time," Max traded a grin with his muscle. Corrie spotted the private joke between the two men, even if she didn't understand it.

"Well, I want a fucking beer," George said, taking a seat at the table.

"So, Wolfgang's 'working' and you're at my door," George said once he had his beer. "I think can safely fucking say you're not here because you got sick of tequila and señoritas. So, to what to I owe the fucking pleasure?"

Quietly, Corrie settled herself on one of the kitchen stools. Better to stay close, she thought, in case George needed anything else.

"Marco called me," Max replied. "He wants me to do some rat catching." 

"No shit, the Mariah B thing?" George chuckled. "Yeah... not only did Carla G fuck that up, she fucked up so bad it hit the news. What do I always tell you, Damian? Never send a whore to do a man's job."

"Carla was careless," Max said levelly. "She underestimated what she was up against."

"What? 'Riah B's just another one of Marco's dumb whores," George scoffed. "The man ought do a better job of keeping his bitches under control."

"I'll tell him you said that," Max grinned coldly.

"Tell him," George snarled. "The fuck I care. He's only boss of the Family because the cold bastard, Grey, made it happen. We'll see how long he holds onto it when word gets out that one of his bitches sent ol'Nick away."

"And if Marco falls, you'll be there to take his place, won't you?" Max said softly.

"You said it, not me," George smiled back at him.

"Won't that be an interesting day," Max replied. 

"Until then, I've got a job to do," Max continued. "'Riah B... and her girl, Miranda Goth."

"Miranda Goth?" Corrie said excitedly. "Cassie's daughter? I heard that her father was a... well, that he worked for the Landgraabs... but that Miranda, and Cassie and Gwen, Miranda's other mom, all secretly work for the Agency... like her grandma, Bela... and that they all took down the Landgraabs together and..."

"Corrie!" George barked. "Shut the fuck up!" 

"So, Cassie's brat," George growled, turning back to Max. "Figure's she'd turn out to be a dyke like her mom pretends to be. You got a history there. You grabbed the brat once... and lost her."

"I trusted the wrong person with a job," Max said. "I don't plan to make that mistake again... or to underestimate Miranda."

"What can that little dyke do?" George sneered.

"You know better," Max said significantly, his eyes dropping to the burn scars peeking out from George's shirt sleeve. 

Corrie knew those scars covered his arm, and much of his body. She'd asked George once how he'd gotten them. He'd gotten really angry and hit her some. She'd never asked again.

"What do you need?" George asked after a long silence.

"Eyes," Max said simply. "I know the two of them slipped out of Tartosa. My gut says they came back into the country. I've got a few places to look, but they're going to hide deep. You've got people. You owe me a favor or two from back in the day... and you've got your own history with the Goth family." His eyes settled on the scars again. "Have your people keep their eyes open. Let me know if they see anything useful."

"And then?" George asked.

"Well, like I said, that will be an interesting day," Max said with his cold smile.

"Alright Max," George said, rising. "I'll put the word out."

"Thought you'd see it my way," Max replied, taking his hand.

"Damian will show you out," George said. "I'll be in touch."

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"I don't trust him," Crowe rumbled once they reached the street.

"That's 'cause you're not an idiot." Max smiled. "Old Georgie's a lying treacherous son of bitch... but then, he is a criminal."

"There used to be a code," Crowe said sternly. "It set the Families apart from common ruffians."

"Anyone ever tell you you're old fashioned?" Max grinned. "George has the connections we need... and he's invested. He's got a grudge against the Goth ladies. It'll motivate him. Besides, if anything goes wrong, he can take the fall... and I won't feel the least little bit bad about it, code or no code."

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"Who the fuck told you to talk!" George shouted.

"I'm sorry, babe," Corrie said. "I... I got excited. You know I'm a big Cassie fan."

"Fucking bitch," George snarled. "I don't want to hear it!"

"I'm sorry," Corrie whimpered.

"You don't repeat a word of what you just heard," George snapped.

"No George, of course not," Corrie said desperately. "I won't say anything."

"You're damn right you won't say anything," George said. "And you won't say a damn thing when I have a meeting. Never again. Your whore mouth is only good for one thing. Remember that!" 

"Yes, George," Corrie said shakily. "Yes, I know that."

It's my fault, Corrie thought. I shouldn't have said anything. I should have kept my mouth shut. I should have known better.

He's going to make me a real actress, she reminded herself. I'm going to be a real actress. 

I won't have to do this forever. 

In Shadow - Ch 5 - Olde Mill Lane

The farmhouse had stood on Olde Mill Lane, in one form or another, for time out of mind.

Like most of Old New Henford, the farmhouse had been held by a branch of the Watson family. as tenants of the Crown, until Walter Watson, last of the Olde Mill Lane Watsons, failed to return from the Great War. Through the latter half of the 20th century, it had passed from tenant to tenant, none of whom held onto it for long. 

Finally, at start of the 21st century, the late Queen, in one of her eccentric fits, declared the farmhouse and its lands the rightful inheritance of 'my noble cousin, Gwenivar Silveroak, Guardian of the Western Gate.' What precisely the Western Gate was, and whom it should be guarded against, was unclear. So was the exact nature of Gwen Silveroak's supposed kinship to the Royal family. The whole matter caused a brief stir, until the increasingly eccentric Queen announced that she was appointing her cat, Mr. Mittens, as Bishop of Brindleton, and the news cycle moved on.

Ms. Silveroak, a painter of minor celebrity, had quietly moved into the farmhouse and the folk of Old New Henford had found her to be polite, helpful, eccentric and a very good gardener. However, she continued to cause a stir, firstly by marrying another woman - and no less a woman than the famous musician Cassandra Goth - and secondly, some years later, by disappearing along with her wife and their daughter, Miranda, in a night of mysterious violence that the media would come to call The Mill Lane Incident. 

Folks were almost relieved when, after Gwen reappeared, she moved to Glimmerbrook and gifted the farmhouse to a nice young couple, Jake and Beth Volkov. They, however, only lived there a few years before returning to Moonwood Mill and renting the farmhouse out to, of all things, a community of local artists.

It was, Aadi felt, rather a lot of history for one house. 

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"I can smell the smoke coming from your ears," Jake Volkov, elbow deep in fixing the broken 'fridge, said.

"What?" Aadi blinked.

"Something my dad used to say," Jake said. "'You're thinking so hard I can smell the smoke coming from your ears. What's up?"

"It's a lot of history for one house," Aadi mused out loud. They were pretty sure Jake couldn't read their mind, but you never knew.

"It's an old house," Jake shrugged.

"That should do it," he added, closing the 'fridge. "Let me know if it gives you any more trouble. Anyway, yeah, it's an old house. I guess apartments in San My don't have history."

"Oh, I don't know," Aadi said with forced cheer. "My parents' apartment has some History. Word on the street is the last tenant got killed in a mob hit. So, actually kinda similar History."

"Except Cassie and Gwen weren't killed, on account of them being alive and all," Jake pointed out. "Also, the Mill Lane thing... wasn't really a mob hit."

"That's how you met Miranda, right?" Aadi said.

"Yeah, right after," Jake said. "She hid out with us."

"You know, something else I've been Thinking About," Aadi said. "The whole Mill Lane Incident has been all over the news again since... Anyway, I'm surprised we haven't had any lookie-loos coming to see the Scene of the Crime. For that matter, this is like Cassie's House. Big, bright Star like her, I'm surprised we don't get a regular parade of fans."

Jake chuckled, "You know, I asked Cassie and Gwen about that once, when Beth and I lived here... Gwen called it a Charm of Misdirection. It's like... if you don't know how to find the house, or aren't led here, you just won't see it, or you'll forget you were looking for it, or get distracted. She said it takes someone with a strong will and a lot of determination to get past it."

"Weird," Aadi breathed.

"All part of the wonderful weirdness that comes with being friends with Miranda, I guess," Jake smiled. 

"Says the werewolf," Aadi pointed out.

"Yeah, well, I've been a werewolf since I was a kid," Jake chuckled. "I'm used to it."

"Puppy, I'm a gay, non-binary, karaoke singing artist with blue hair," Aadi laughed. "I Get it."

"I guess you do," Jake smiled. 

"Puppy?" he added as they walked out of the kitchen.

"Sounded right," Aadi said. "You don't like it?"

"I like it," Jake laughed.

"So, you have refrigeration again," Jake told the others, who were out enjoying the warm summer night. "Oh, and thanks Jordan." 

"What did I do?" Jordan asked.

"You didn't try to fix the 'fridge, boo," Aadi teased. Jordan was, without doubt, the love of Aadi's life but they could not be trusted with tools.

"I still think I could have fixed that sink," Jordan insisted.

"Thanks, Jake," Abbey smiled. "For saving us from Jordan's DIY disasters." 

"Any time," Jake grinned. "Say hi to Amber for me? I'm sorry I couldn't get here before her bedtime."

"She'll pout about missing you," Abbey sighed, thinking about the inevitable tantrum when her little one learned she'd slept through a visit from 'Uncle Jake,' "but I'll tell her."

"Jake, can I talk to you about something," Aadi said softly. They'd been putting it off, they realized, but Jake was about to leave. It was now or never.

"Anything," Jake said with a confident strength that reminded Aadi that this man, who wasn't much older than they were, was a husband, a father and a leader of his community. 

"Our little M&M's," Aadi started, then realized Jake might not know that nickname for their friends. "Miranda and Mariah... you know they're in trouble... on the run from Very Bad Men. I just... shouldn't I be Doing Something."

"You want to help her," Jake said. "So do I... but the best thing we can do right now is what we're doing."

"We're not Doing anything," Aadi said, struggling to keep their voice down.

"Yeah, we are," Jake said calmly. "We're keeping the home fires burning. They're going to need a safe place to go to. Probably not right away... too many people know about this place even with the Misdirection thing... but someday they're going to need a familiar place, a safe place, to come to."

"Is it... safe?" Aadi asked, realizing that Jake was right. The Bad Men knew about this place. Wouldn't they look here?

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The White She-Wolf snarled softly. There was no scent of her prey here. Instead, the air was thick with the scent of mortals and of other Wolves. The Wolf scents were familiar, the scents of rivals. They crisscrossed the fields. They came here often, a pack patrolling the boundaries of their territory... and He was here now. The pack leader. His scent filled her. The Wolf in her whined, as instinct demanded she roll over, show her throat, surrender to him. The Woman in her growled in frustrated refusal to submit. 

She would not yield. 

She would watch and wait. The prey would come. Then Jake Volkov would show her his throat... and she would rip it out.

In Shadow - Ch 4 - Living Situation

"Hey... umm... Genie... I hate to ask but rent is due soon," Gabbie said. "You've got your half this time, right?"

Days had gone by without any more word for Miranda or Mariah. Genie had the strange feeling that life was moving on and standing still at the same time. 

"Yeah, we're good," Genie sighed. "I'm sorry about last month. Things just kinda got away from me. No more spending money on frivolous stuff... like food."

"You really don't want to ask your folks for a little money?" Gabbie asked, clearly more curious than anything.

"Very no," Genie said, shaking her head. Yes, her family had giant piles of money, inherited from her grandfather, Jacques Villareal. Their house was really more of a mansion, and they even had a live-in butler. Genie hated all of it. 

"Between my dad's politics and my mom's... everything... I don't want anything to do with them or their money," Genie continued. "Besides, I'm working now, so we should be OK."

"OK, great," Gabbie said.

"Speaking of work, I should get going," Genie said. "That background research isn't going to do itself."

"Another exciting day in the life of an intrepid reporter," Gabbie grinned.

"I'm sure it is... for the actual reporters," Genie laughed. "One of these days, I'll actually get to do a story instead of just research, but for now... well, rent's due. See you tonight."

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"What are we watching?" Gabbie asked.

"City Council election debates," Genie said, a little surprised that she actually was watching. After a day spent doing research on the candidates, she'd honestly planned on coming home and zoning out to a cooking show. Instead, she felt drawn to watch the debate.

"Why?" Gabbie wondered. "Also, is that guy wearing a..."

"A llama suit?" Genie replied. "Yes. Yes, he is." 

"Again, I ask - why?" Gabbie huffed out a little laugh.

A quick knock at the door was immediately followed by Gabbie's boyfriend, Anthony. Genie was long used to the fact that wherever Gabbie was, Anthony was sure to turn up eventually. At least this time, he'd knocked before barging in. At least this time, Genie thought, she was dressed.

"Evening ladies," he said cheerfully.

"Hey," Gabbie replied with a dreamy smile.

"Hi, Anthony," Genie said. 

She still didn't really get why Anthony and Gabbie didn't live together. He spent most of his time at her apartment... but since, if he did, she'd be out on the street, she wasn't going to make an issue of it.

"You watching the Council debate?" Anthony asked, interested. He'd been a Political Science major when they'd all met in college and was now working for the local Representative to the Lower House. He'd even talked about running for office himself in a few years. 

"We are," Genie said. 

"Genie put it on," Gabbie said. Despite her boyfriend's political ambitions, Gabbie had never shown the slightest interest in the subject.

"So, Mr. Holloway, would you care to comment on Councilor Baxter's eccentric performance during tonight's debate?" Genie asked, in her best reporter voice. 

"Representative Ojo's office has no comment," Anthony replied in his own official-sounding tone, then he chuckled and added. "Off the record, the guy's gone bug-nuts crazy."

"Are you two going to talk shop or are we going to..." Gabbie leaned in and whispered something in Anthony's ear.

"And that's my cue to exit," Genie laughed, making quickly for the door. "Have fun you two. Try not to break the bed."

OK, so it wasn't an ideal living situation, Genie thought, but it could be worse. At least this time, she made it to the door before they started making out.

"Hey, Genie," the guy from the apartment across the hall greeted her as she passed the mailboxes.

"Good evening, Mr. Scott," Genie said brightly.

"Going out?" He asked.

"I thought I'd give the lovebirds some privacy," Genie said. 

"Well, you take care," Mr. Scott said seriously. "I saw Representative Friend on the news last night, talking about the crime problem... and you know this isn't the best neighborhood."

"I'll be careful, Mr. Scott," Genie assured him.

Mr. Scott meant well, she knew. She was a little disappointed to learn he was listening to the doom-and-gloom rhetoric Representative Friend and his Axis party was pushing. With her dad - the less-than-Honorable Representative Rohan Elderberry - now aligning himself with Friend's Axis party, she really wasn't a fan. Honestly, crime was actually down since the Landgraab Syndicate had been broken up and Nick Alto was in jail. She still couldn't quite believe that charming Mr. Alto had been a crime boss.

Of course, thinking about that brought her back to thinking about Miranda and Mariah, out there somewhere, on the run...

I have to do something, she thought, but Aadi was right when they said they have no idea what to do.

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Author's Note: The characters of Gabriella Moretti and Anthony Holloway were originally created by simmaddness in their Britechester Roommates household and were downloaded from the Gallery.

In Shadow - Ch 3 - Update

To: GenieBerry, FabulousAadi 

From: ProsperosDaughter

Subject: Update

Hey guys, 

We're OK. You know how those reporters exaggerate things. Except you, Genie. I know you're going to be a great reporter. Anyway, I'm going to be fine. It's just a bad situation with M's uncle and his Family. So, we're going to get some distance from them. We'll probably be out of touch for a little while but we're OK. Don't worry. Don't look for us.

M says hi.

All our love, M&M 

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"What does it mean, Aadi?" Genie Elderberry cried into her phone.

It had been a week since the story of the attack on Miranda Goth hit the news. A week Genie had spent worrying about her friends and former college roommates, Miranda and Mariah. Aadi Bheeda, the fourth of the Darkwing House roommates, had been the only person she could really talk to, the only one who really understood. 

"I think it means they're OK," Aadi's voice replied soothingly. "That's the important part."

"'... a bad situation with M's uncle and his Family'," Genie read out. "You know what that means, right? Mariah's uncle? Uncle Nick!  As in Nick Alto and the Alto crime family!"

"To be fair, he isn't really her uncle," Aadi put in. "I think he's actually like some kind of a cousin."

"Aadi, they're on the run!" Genie burst out. "From gangsters!"

"Girlfriend, breathe," Aadi said. "They're OK. You've heard Miranda's stories. This isn't even the first time she's been on the run. And Mariah is one tough bee'yotch. They can take care of themselves. She just wanted us to know... so we didn't get into trouble looking for her." 

Like other people did last time, Aadi thought. She still blames herself for people getting killed looking for her after the Mill Lane thing. Which is Not something that's gonna make Genie feel better about this  sitch. 

"But they're in trouble," Genie said. "Shouldn't we do something?"

"Girl, I am a dazzling non-binary urbanite with flawless fashion sense," Aadi said with a grin, "but I am also currently up to my well-toned ass in chicken shit. Actual chicken shit. Country living is an ad-just-ment, let me tell you. My point, my little Blackberry, is that while I am many amazing things, I am not a superhero like our M&Ms."

"Come on... you're Secret Agent Double-O Aadi," Genie laughed, recalling an old joke and another time when the drama of their friend's lives had almost overwhelmed them all. 

"I do look fabulous in a tux," Aadi chuckled.

"Shouldn't we do... something?" Genie sighed, sobering. 

"Yeah," Aadi admitted. "I just don't know what. Yet. Until we do, we just need to do what we do."

"That sentence got away from you, didn't it?" Genie chuckled.

"You know what I mean," Aadi smiled. "When they need us, we'll be there... whether they like it or not... but rushing in blind is a Bad Idea. Right now, we just have to trust that they really are OK."

"OK, OK," Genie agreed. "I'll leave you to deal with that chicken shit situation."

"Thanks," Aadi groaned, rolling their eyes.

"You're not going to let this go, are you?" Aadi asked after a quiet moment.

"No, I'm not," Genie said. "But I promise I'll call you before I do anything really stupid."

"Good, because why should you have all the fun," Aadi chuckled.

"Now, go deal with your chickens," Genie said, "and say hi to Jordan for me."

 "Be safe, Genie," Aadi said.

"You too," Genie replied earnestly.

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"They're OK!" Genie announced brightly, emerging from her closet-like bedroom.

"Who's OK?" Gabbie said with a puzzled blink. "Oh, Miranda and Mariah."

After college, Genie had been determined to make it on her own in the City, but making it on her own wasn't all that easy. Luckily, Gabbie Moretti, another fellow UBrite student, had been looking for someone to share rent.

"Yeah, I got an email from Miranda," Genie said. "She says they're OK and..."

"That's great," Gabbie said. "Hey, is it true what the news is saying? That Mariah's, like, a gangster? I always thought she was kinda sketchy back in college... and I heard Miranda's family is mixed up with organized crime too. I mean why else would these things keep happening to her?"

"What? No... I mean..." Genie said, flustered and a little angry. "Mariah's OK, really. She just got into trouble but she's really OK. Miranda too!"

"OK, OK, chill," Gabbie said soothingly. "I didn't mean anything by it. I was just asking. You're the one who hung around with them."

That was the heart of it, Genie thought. They're my best friends and they're in trouble.

In Shadow - Ch 2 - Predators

Outside, Del Sol Valley baked in the summer heat, but inside the Orchid lounge, the laboring air conditioning managed to keep the air comfortable.

Mr. Grey's eyes, cold and calculating, studied the evening's crowd - a mix of tourists and locals eagerly rubbing shoulders with a few minor celebrities and a handful of entertainment industry workers, probably keeping an eye on the talent. 

His practiced gaze spotted the Others. Like lions in high grass, a pair of vampires worked the crowd. Were they simply here hunting, he wondered, or was their presence a subtle message. Either way, Grey thought, it was a good reminder. No matter how high he had risen, how strong he had become, there were still more dangerous predators in the night. 

Carefully aware of those hunters, Mr. Grey turned his attention toward the task at hand. 

Marco Tennari had clearly blocked off an entire section of the lounge for his private use, no doubt reveling in his authority as the new head of the Alto crime family. The men who had been assigned to keep the crowds away nodded acknowledgement as Mr. Grey passed but made no move to block him. They knew better.

"Well, if it isn't the man himself," Marco said cheerfully. "Candi, this is Mr. Grey. Grey, this in Candi."

"Of course she is," Mr. Grey said, coldly considering the young woman.

"Candi's an actress," Marco continued. "We were just talking about a role for her."

"I'm sure," Mr. Grey replied with a brief, chilly smile that never touched his eyes.

"Join us," Marco said. "I'll have one of the boys bring you a chair."

"I need to speak with you," Grey said. "Privately."

"Always business, this guy," Marco said to Candi. "Give us a minute, honey." 

"Sure thing Mr. Tennari," Candi bubbled with false brightness that forced Mr. Grey to reconsider his assessment of her acting skills.

"Hate to see you go, but I love watching you leave," Marco chuckled.

"Oh you," Candi smiled back. 

Seeing the quickly and skillfully hidden disgust in her eyes, Grey raised his assessment of the young woman still further. Useful or dangerous, he thought. Something to be considered when he had the time. 

"Damn, do you see the tits and ass on that girl?" Marco grinned. "We can get her something over at Symphony... after I audition her a bit more."

"I'm sure," Mr. Grey replied.

"Grey, are you sure you're not dead?" Marco chuckled.

"Quite certain," Mr. Grey said coldly. In fact, he thought, glancing over at the vampires, he was entirely alive, human, and mortal. "I simply don't see the need to spend my energy in the pursuit of... actresses. As a married man, yourself, I would think you could find other avenues for your... energies." 

"There are things a man can do with a girl like Candi that he can't do with his wife," Marco said importantly. "Nick would have understood." 

"You should hope so, since it's his daughter you're cheating on," Mr. Grey mused. "Regardless, your interesting views of marital relations are not what I wanted to discuss."

"You sent Carla G to Tartosa," Mr. Grey continued. His completely neutral tone did nothing to make the words less of an accusation.

"We had a rat problem," Marco snarled, suddenly sobering. His immediate shift to focusing on business reminded Mr. Grey that there were good reasons Nick Alto had named the man his successor. "I sent Carla to deal with it."

"I warned Mr. Alto that involving Mariah in the business was a risk," Mr. Grey sighed almost imperceptibly.

"I remember," Marco nodded. "If he'd listened to you, he wouldn't be in prison now."

"Learn from his mistakes, Marco," Mr. Grey said.

"What's the problem?" Marco asked, his face flushing.

"Beyond the obvious, and well publicized, fact that she missed?" Mr. Grey's voice actually betrayed a hint of emotion. "The problem is that Miranda Silveroak-Goth was injured during the attempt."

"What the hell, man? You always act like this Miranda girl shouldn't be touched," Marco snapped. "Nick sent guys after her twice for Ms. H. Fuck, going after this Goth girl for H was a big reason Nick brought Mariah into the family." 

"Actions I advised against on both occasions," Mr. Grey replied.

"What is your hard-on with that girl?" Marco asked. "Is it that she's the kid of that big-time singer or... No, wait... Is it the girl? Did we finally find a bitch that makes some other part of you stiff?"

"No," Mr. Grey said, his usually bland voice dripping with contempt. "Miranda Silveroak-Goth is a key figure in the feud between the witches of the Silveroak family and the vampires of the Dark Court... to say nothing of her importance to the intrigues within the Dark Court itself."

"Fucking witches and vampires," Marco groaned.

"Precisely," Mr. Grey snarled. "I repeatedly advised Mr. Alto not to involve the Family with Lady Hel... or Ms. H as you call her... and her faction of vampire rebels. He felt that she could be a valuable ally, given the close ties between the Landgraab Syndicate and her rival master vampire, Count Straud." 

"Well, the Landgraabs are in jail. Nick's in jail. No one's seen this Count Straud for years. Even Ms. H disappeared," Marco said. 

"My sources say she, at least, has been destroyed," Mr. Grey said, regaining his usual expressionless calm. "Though whether it was her rivals within the Dark Court, or Miranda, or perhaps even Mariah, who did the deed remains unclear." 

"Regardless," Mr. Grey continued, "we had the opportunity to end the Family's participation in Silveroak-Vampire feud... until you sent Carla to Tartosa and she injured Miranda Silveroak-Goth. You have all but announced in the international press our continued involvement in this conflict, at a time when we have no remaining allies among the master vampires."

"Fuck," Marco groaned.

"Crudely but accurately put," Mr. Grey said.

"Alright, you're the Family's consigliere," Marco said. "You got any advice or are you just here to tell me Carla fucked up."

"We know someone who may be able to resolve this for us," Mr. Grey replied. "He has ties to the Dark Court and has worked for the Family before..."

"Yeah," Marco smiled. "Yeah. Call him."