Topic: Regaining Respect

Liam Owens

Date: 2016-09-28 12:13 EST
Disrespect.

There were a lot of things that Liam Owens tolerated. For him, the usual day-to-day was quite different from other common citizens. A proverbial 'day at the office" could have him supervising a drug deal, transporting human cargo for sale, having his life threatened or taking the life of someone who just happened to get in the way.

But disrespect wasn't one of them.

For a man that was self-made, growing up as on kid on the vile streets of Hells Row in Terminus, Liam came from nothing. Starting out in his late teens he began working as low-level muscle for The Terminus Syndicate and found out quickly that he had a natural talent for brute force — and uncanny marksmanship with a firearm. The title of muscle quickly changed to Hitman. Before long, he was officially inducted into the organization as a Soldier. Now, years later, that title was Lieutenant.

Liam ran a crew with three soldiers under him, and more than a dozen guys below that; most of them holding the same ranks he once held, although others performed other professions. Muscle. Hitman. Driver. Transporter. Slaver.

Each one of those professions earned respect, and respect rose from the bottom towards the top. If anyone got out of line, or showed disrespect, they were dealt with — whether they were in the organization or not. Sometimes, those random bodies that were found on the news, behind alleyways, stuffed in dumpsters or found in trunks at the bottom of the docks were just some poor sap who got out of line, or a little loose with their lips, and they found themselves on the wrong side of a barrel.

To Liam, disrespect was a fate worse than death. In death, your respect, your honor is carried with you. It ends there. That last breath that was taken was the last bit of respect that you had earned. Disrespect, however, was a stain on your ego. A reputation that preceded you with a putrid odor before even entering a room.

That was why disrespect wasn't tolerated.

Almost a week's worth of sunrises and sunsets came and went since the last time he was disrespected. Rhy"Din was filled with overly opinionated people, especially ones that have had a few drinks in them. People that couldn't mind their own business, or made it their business to mind others. When Liam decided to become verbal at the Red Dragon Inn one night about the service, or the lack thereof, there were more than a few people that told him what to go do with himself. One of them took a swing, and that person was met with a bullet. A kind reminder of what happens when someone thinks they can lay hands on him. Then, there was another individual. A ?hero' type, a local hero who threatened his life and walked away breathing that night.

It festered on Liam's soul with such disdain that it was as if an infection was eating him inside out. He was no novice, he wouldn't outwardly show that emotion or even let anyone know it was there. To him, to his organization, sometimes disrespect wasn't best dealt with immediately on the spot. Sometimes it was best dealt with at a moment when the other party least expected it.

That moment was tonight.

Liam Owens

Date: 2016-09-28 12:35 EST
Red Dragon Inn, Rhy"Din City 1:26am

Vinny Vermicelli sat behind the wheel of his BMW looking through his windshield over the tops of his leather-gloved knuckles, keeping a watchful eye down the street from over a block away. He was a solider for the Syndicate, and a driver when Liam needed him to be. Sitting next to him was Eduardo Malt, soldier and professional hitman, wearing dark clothing and a wide-brimmed felt hat, pulled down to just his eye level. The key's were in the ignition, but the car was off. No lights, dark interior and tinted windows. Aside from Liam Owens, no one knew that they were there.

Both of their eyes were fixated on a central location, their target. Parked just outside of Red Dragon Inn was a red vehicle, a Tryke. One wheel in the front, two in the back, with a large see-through canopy over the top of it that resembled a cockpit. It was a one-seater vehicle, not big enough to have any passengers, but big enough to be driven by a rather large individual. It had been parked there seemingly undisturbed, quietly waiting for its owner, who was a patron at the inn.

The evening was drawing to a close. It was a weeknight, lacking the usual weekend crowd which made it less busy. Most of the other patrons had either already made their way home or were shuffling out for the evening. The owner of the Tryke was hard to miss, rather unique in stature and not easily confused with others that might be drinking that evening. When he appeared, Vinny and Malt recognized him right away.

Andu Kirost.

Emerging from the tavern was a figure that was nearly ten-feet tall, his stature alone could be considered intimidating, but that was the least of his appearance. The man had the face of a bull, brown fur with a long snout. Large horns grew from either sides of his head, their tips looking as they they were coated in gold and adorned with various carvings of oriental symbols. Wearing a long brown trench coat, bright Hawaiian shirt and jeans, any skin that was exposed through his attire was covered in a variety of tattoo's. For all intents and purposes the man was a Minotaur, a half-bull half humanoid creature, similar to those of Greek mythology — however with his own distinct style in clothing.

The two men didn't speak a word. They barely moved as Andu reached for the vehicle and opened the hatch. The pressure sensor had been engaged. It was only a matter of time now. They watched as the Minotaur sat in his transportation, the protective hatch eventually closing down on top of him and settling back into its sensor with a small spark.

BOOM!

Light exploded onto the street. A fiery explosion sent shockwaves down the block causing car alarms to trip, and a few windows in the close proximity to shatter. The Tryke erupted into a red fireball, with smoke and flames mushrooming towards the sky from the initial blast. It was a technique almost as old as organized crime itself. A car bomb.

Vinny pulled out his cellphone from his coat pocket. Thumbing in the passcode he cycled through his recent contacts and selected the top-most one. The screen changed, the call was placed, and he held the speaker up to his ear. A moment later it connected.

"Yeah?"

"It's done boss," was Vinny's reply.

"Good."

"Alright.?

The phone was down, and the call had ended.

Vinny reached down and turned the keys in the ignition. Placing the car in drive, he turned the lights on and casually pulled out into the street, heading down a side street to avoid heading right towards the fire that was engulfed directly in front of them. There was no need to speed, no need to draw attention to themselves. This was just business after all.

His eyes shifted over to check on Malt, who was sitting now with his arms crossed. A smile appeared on Malt's face, his top set of teeth practically shining as he was please with the end result. The car was making its way back to Terminus, and Liam Owens was regaining his respect.

Andu Kirost

Date: 2016-09-28 20:46 EST
Andu sliently slips out of the Red Dragon, and up to his scifi looking trike. Lifting the canopy, he drops into the driver's seat, and pulls the canopy down.....

BOOM!!

The next thing he knows, Andu is sitting amidst an inferno, his trike totally trashed around him, the shattered canopy flung some where he can't see through the flames. For several minutes, until he hears the approach of the emergency vehicles, he just sits there in stunned surprise.

When the emergency vehicles arrive, Andu struggles to stand, having found himself sitting on the ground as the much lighter parts of his Trike were scattered in the explosion. A wave to the emergency crews to show he is alright. Then Andu sorrowfully stares at the inferno that used to be his prized trike, as they put out the flames. Glancing down at himself at a comment from one of the crew, Andu growls, and rips off the few remaining charred bits of his shirt and tosses them onto the flames with a curse.

"I'll have a crew stop by tomorrow to remove the.....remains." Andu tells the crew, before turning to stomp off toward the south, walking home to cool off.