The Goodbye and Arrest:
Leoni swept into the room with a quick glance over her shoulder. Her cheeks were flushed and it looked as if she hadn't slept in days. Leoni was known for her impeccable style, yet tonight, she wore jeans and a small black hoodie. The hood had been pulled loosely over her head. Beneath, her dark hair had been swept into a hurried and tangled bun. Her face, although still holding its natural beauty, looked as if it had a little swelling, bruising and scrapes. She huffed in small relief as the scents around her passed non threatening information. She never broke her stride, as she moved behind the bar to snatch up a bottle of Vodka and then made her way to the back of Inn, where the dart board hung upon a wall. After taking a longer than average pull from the bottle, she procured a dart and one after another, with accurate precision, she nailed them to the target.
Stavros dressed to the nines. Always. Yet, it was with a casual sort of, devil-may-care attitude. Where buttons were meant to be buttoned, they hung loose and open...casual. His chocolate brown locks were usually in disarray and mussed by his unfortunate habit of running his hands through it. It was a habit he'd tried to break, but to no avail. He stood there for a long moment on the porch. Piercing green eyes remembered the Inn as it had been many years ago. His lids shut, as he wiped away those memories, long past gone. It was all done now. This was his reality now. Drawing in a deep breath, he pushed the door open and the room soon echoed softly with his heavy booted footfalls. An easy, confident stride took him to where he needed to go. A large, slightly calloused hand reached out to snag a beer on his way. If he remembered correctly, one could simply take what they wanted...and pay the toll later. He slid in easily enough, and then it was on to a bar stool, where he sat and turned to casually observe the patrons.
A deep look of concern etched upon his features and by habit, he ran a large hand through his hair. Dark eyes searched for Leoni and when they found her, he drew in a deep breath and sighed. He sat there, watching her and wishing he were anywhere else. Sitting for a beat more, he saw her pause and look his way. For a long moment, they locked eyes, neither one saying a word verbally. Finally, Stavros pressed his lips together in a determined line and forced his feet to move.
She felt him before she smelled him. "Stavros,?" Leoni nodded without looking as she heard his approach, and continued to throw the darts.
"Leoni, it's time,?" came Stavros's soft reply. He did not want to make a scene. It was hard enough, without making a scene. He just hoped she felt the same way.
"No." She stated simply, her eyes focused upon the target.
"It *is* time,?" he said a little more forcefully. "Look, we can do this the easy way, or we can do it the hard way.?" He felt silly even using the line, for he had heard it many times before. It was one of those things you never thought you'd have to say yourself, but in this case" it held merit.
He caught her pause and sighed heavily, his features softening a bit, "Look, Lucien has already closed down the candy shop. Your estate has been raided, your assets have been liquidated?"everything you own?" is gone. There is nowhere left for you to go. If you run, you know we will find you. If you resist us, you know what will happen to everyone around you. At least consider them.?" He paused to let that sink in.
Leoni's stomach dropped. Already"....She knew. She knew it well. Leoni had only been allowed this much freedom because there were other things Lucien deemed to be more important, but in truth, she knew it wouldn't last. She knew this day would come eventually. For the first time since he entered, she paused the dart, but refused to look at him. In her mind, fleeting images of Audrey, Magenta, the baby, Saffron, Dill and even Arts flew by....but as quickly as they became images, they slowly disintegrated into bloody lumps of unrecognizable body parts. Lucien was a monster...Stavros was right.
"Leoni,?" he whispered. He always did hold a soft spot for the woman. Lucien was the heavy hand and Stavros dealt the weary blow. He never did have a heart for this sort of thing. He was fun loving and easy going. He'd have loved to leave this job to another, but Stavros was nothing if not loyal and this was his duty as right hand. He would do it no matter what. His hand went over hers to remove the dart gently. "Give in Leoni. It won't be forever and I'll make sure you don't suffer too much."
Slowly, her fingers unfurled to release the dart. She smiled sadly. Leoni never cried, but when she did, it might've broken the Devil's heart. One tear found it's lonely path down her cheek. "He had to send you, didn't he?""
Stavros forced a smile and lifted a finger to gently wipe away her tear. His heart broke, but duty was greater than any love he could ever have for his "sister". "Leoni,?" he whispered, "I asked to do it.?"
Of course he did. She nodded understanding even as he pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her in a hug he knew she'd hate. She let it last for a moment, mainly because she knew he needed it more than she did and then pulled away. Her dark eyes drifted over the patrons as if she were trying to soak up their freedom as well. She knew Stavros didn't want to....didn't have to"But he would and he did. Her heart sank as reality of the situation spilled over her, "Okay Stavros,?" she nodded. "I'll go.?"
He expected her to fight. He expected her to throw a fit or at the very least, throw a dart. Perhaps she would trick him and make a run for it. He knew there were many things she could do but she didn't. He wondered if maybe he hoped she would. What he saw in her face, however, told him she would be going with him without incident, and maybe that's what hurt him the most. He had always admired her willingness to play the wild card and now here she was" tame before him and her fate was entirely in his hands.
Ready to go. He nodded and a small quirk of a smile played upon his lips as he saw she had already cuffed herself. It made him love her more.
"Heh, I always wanted you to cuff me Stavros, I just didn't think it'd be quite *this* way."
Stavros managed a grin in response and placing a hand gently on her back to guide her, he led her outside, where four armed guards were waiting. They would fall in line behind her with the semi-automatics they wouldn't need. Leoni was placed in the van by Stavros himself, before the motorcade of seven drove away and left the Inn where it stood.
TBC
Leoni swept into the room with a quick glance over her shoulder. Her cheeks were flushed and it looked as if she hadn't slept in days. Leoni was known for her impeccable style, yet tonight, she wore jeans and a small black hoodie. The hood had been pulled loosely over her head. Beneath, her dark hair had been swept into a hurried and tangled bun. Her face, although still holding its natural beauty, looked as if it had a little swelling, bruising and scrapes. She huffed in small relief as the scents around her passed non threatening information. She never broke her stride, as she moved behind the bar to snatch up a bottle of Vodka and then made her way to the back of Inn, where the dart board hung upon a wall. After taking a longer than average pull from the bottle, she procured a dart and one after another, with accurate precision, she nailed them to the target.
Stavros dressed to the nines. Always. Yet, it was with a casual sort of, devil-may-care attitude. Where buttons were meant to be buttoned, they hung loose and open...casual. His chocolate brown locks were usually in disarray and mussed by his unfortunate habit of running his hands through it. It was a habit he'd tried to break, but to no avail. He stood there for a long moment on the porch. Piercing green eyes remembered the Inn as it had been many years ago. His lids shut, as he wiped away those memories, long past gone. It was all done now. This was his reality now. Drawing in a deep breath, he pushed the door open and the room soon echoed softly with his heavy booted footfalls. An easy, confident stride took him to where he needed to go. A large, slightly calloused hand reached out to snag a beer on his way. If he remembered correctly, one could simply take what they wanted...and pay the toll later. He slid in easily enough, and then it was on to a bar stool, where he sat and turned to casually observe the patrons.
A deep look of concern etched upon his features and by habit, he ran a large hand through his hair. Dark eyes searched for Leoni and when they found her, he drew in a deep breath and sighed. He sat there, watching her and wishing he were anywhere else. Sitting for a beat more, he saw her pause and look his way. For a long moment, they locked eyes, neither one saying a word verbally. Finally, Stavros pressed his lips together in a determined line and forced his feet to move.
She felt him before she smelled him. "Stavros,?" Leoni nodded without looking as she heard his approach, and continued to throw the darts.
"Leoni, it's time,?" came Stavros's soft reply. He did not want to make a scene. It was hard enough, without making a scene. He just hoped she felt the same way.
"No." She stated simply, her eyes focused upon the target.
"It *is* time,?" he said a little more forcefully. "Look, we can do this the easy way, or we can do it the hard way.?" He felt silly even using the line, for he had heard it many times before. It was one of those things you never thought you'd have to say yourself, but in this case" it held merit.
He caught her pause and sighed heavily, his features softening a bit, "Look, Lucien has already closed down the candy shop. Your estate has been raided, your assets have been liquidated?"everything you own?" is gone. There is nowhere left for you to go. If you run, you know we will find you. If you resist us, you know what will happen to everyone around you. At least consider them.?" He paused to let that sink in.
Leoni's stomach dropped. Already"....She knew. She knew it well. Leoni had only been allowed this much freedom because there were other things Lucien deemed to be more important, but in truth, she knew it wouldn't last. She knew this day would come eventually. For the first time since he entered, she paused the dart, but refused to look at him. In her mind, fleeting images of Audrey, Magenta, the baby, Saffron, Dill and even Arts flew by....but as quickly as they became images, they slowly disintegrated into bloody lumps of unrecognizable body parts. Lucien was a monster...Stavros was right.
"Leoni,?" he whispered. He always did hold a soft spot for the woman. Lucien was the heavy hand and Stavros dealt the weary blow. He never did have a heart for this sort of thing. He was fun loving and easy going. He'd have loved to leave this job to another, but Stavros was nothing if not loyal and this was his duty as right hand. He would do it no matter what. His hand went over hers to remove the dart gently. "Give in Leoni. It won't be forever and I'll make sure you don't suffer too much."
Slowly, her fingers unfurled to release the dart. She smiled sadly. Leoni never cried, but when she did, it might've broken the Devil's heart. One tear found it's lonely path down her cheek. "He had to send you, didn't he?""
Stavros forced a smile and lifted a finger to gently wipe away her tear. His heart broke, but duty was greater than any love he could ever have for his "sister". "Leoni,?" he whispered, "I asked to do it.?"
Of course he did. She nodded understanding even as he pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her in a hug he knew she'd hate. She let it last for a moment, mainly because she knew he needed it more than she did and then pulled away. Her dark eyes drifted over the patrons as if she were trying to soak up their freedom as well. She knew Stavros didn't want to....didn't have to"But he would and he did. Her heart sank as reality of the situation spilled over her, "Okay Stavros,?" she nodded. "I'll go.?"
He expected her to fight. He expected her to throw a fit or at the very least, throw a dart. Perhaps she would trick him and make a run for it. He knew there were many things she could do but she didn't. He wondered if maybe he hoped she would. What he saw in her face, however, told him she would be going with him without incident, and maybe that's what hurt him the most. He had always admired her willingness to play the wild card and now here she was" tame before him and her fate was entirely in his hands.
Ready to go. He nodded and a small quirk of a smile played upon his lips as he saw she had already cuffed herself. It made him love her more.
"Heh, I always wanted you to cuff me Stavros, I just didn't think it'd be quite *this* way."
Stavros managed a grin in response and placing a hand gently on her back to guide her, he led her outside, where four armed guards were waiting. They would fall in line behind her with the semi-automatics they wouldn't need. Leoni was placed in the van by Stavros himself, before the motorcade of seven drove away and left the Inn where it stood.
TBC