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Despite the pain, his lips remained curved into a smug smirk. One, which remained drowned in the darkness stretching out in the space between them. One, which he allowed to touch his eyes and ignite small flares in them. A silent promise that they'll continue this conversation some other time. Perhaps. As much as he enjoyed the little game, the heated banter, he knew there was no more time to be wasted. He may not have been around the time of the fire but he'd heard rumors of the night that had landed him on the job. He'd made a promise to Nico that it won't repeat, not on his watch at least.

He'd spotted the missing blonde, too, even if not verbally noting it. He wondered if she'd at least texted back but judging by the worry creeping like a shadow over Mia's face he figured she hasn't. Knowing the woman, though, he wasn't so worried. All the Barone girls knew how to fend for themselves he'd learnt and Cami seemed the type to raise hell to prove a point. "I prefer the old fashioned ways." Eli shrugged, getting closer to inspect the locks himself. He was pretty sure the old ways weren't going to work on these doors. Rich people had a thing for making sure they were safe even if they lived in a house made entirely out of glass. "And these seem powered by some sort of a system, but I can still try."

Even in the dark room, locked in when they both knew that danger was lurking and that the worst could happen, they still were competing like they'd come to do with each other. Outside this room, the two had started a tally of the times Mia got away from him versus the times he managed to track her down. It was a game between the two of them, and despite the threat looming over them that they were both aware of, it seemed they couldn't stop. Locating his foot in the dark she slammed her heel into his foot at the second princess. "Just a taste." Mia promised, her voice sweet in the dark but he knew she'd follow through if he kept pushing her.

Her phone pinged, a good sign that they had service, and some of her siblings and cousins chiming in. As they circled, they found Nico and the others, but one glaring one was missing. Cami. Worry churned in the pit of her stomach given the focus the Family had received the last time something went wrong. "Cami's missing." She told Eli, her words tense. But Mia couldn't sit around and do nothing like Nico was doing. Even if it was fruitless, she needed to do something. Heading towards the locked doors, Mia leaned down to inspect them using her phone as a light. "How good are you with locks?" She asked Eli, knowing he was right behind her.

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"Yeah?" Eli sounded intrigued by Santino's reply. He knew better than to pry in business that didn't concern him so all he'd ever heard about the man and his family were rumors that spread among the shadows. Rumors that didn't sound much different than the ones spread about the rest of the Barone family. The ones he was slowly learning had a lot more truth to them he had hoped for. "And what's that?" He asked mostly because he enjoyed keeping the small talk, too tired to discuss any of what was currently going on around town. He needed the break from it all. Maybe he was indeed getting too old for this line of work but he couldn't imagine himself in an office, behind a desk, talking to clients all day about what security system to buy for their home. "So that's your excuse then? Escaping the silence by drowning it in loud music?" Eli smirked, turning to order another drink. "It's a vicious cycle. You can't avoid it forever and once you think you're ready to face it, it'll come twice as fierce." He'd been there, he knew. He never knew the true face of silence until the day he had to walk home on his own and was greeted by it. "But then who am I to judge you." He finished, tilting his head back to pour the shot in one go.

"The type of music I like doesn't draw the crowds." he said with a simple shrug. He could be self indulgent or a prude businessman, but he couldn't be both. He knocked his ring against the side of the glass—three short taps—then let it rest in his lap. Not watching the dancers anymore, just letting the motion blur into something mindless. Background noise. He let the word massacre sit for a beat, maybe two, before he finally spoke—quiet, dry. “Yeah,” he said. “That’s one word for it.”

“Thing about chaos,” he said, “is people think it’s the storm you’ve gotta worry about. The explosion. But it’s not. It’s the silence after. And considering everything that's happened these past few weeks, I feel like I can hear a fucking pin drop, and I don't like it." Between the death of that dirty cop, Nico's takeover as Don, Cami's release, it feels as if he should be hearing more grumbles, but he isn't.

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A smirk tugged at the corner of his lips at the mention of Mia's name, but Elion knew better than to let it stretch across his face or even touch his eyes in the slightest. He'd been expected to be called for a talk sooner or later. Maybe not because of the reasons Nico had mentioned but he wondered if the ones he expected to hear would be voiced out at some point during the conversation. He waited for silence to stretch out a moment before shifting in his seat, leaning forward. "And what are you suggesting we do about it?" It didn't feel like Nico was asking for advice. This whole conversation reminded him so much of the one they had right before he was assigned as Mia's bodyguard. When Nico already knew what he was going to ask him, what he wanted and it felt as if he already had a plan set in motion in his head this time, too. "You know your sister wouldn't like it doubling on her security, right?" He leaned back. "No matter how discreet you believe it'll be."

The brief response was one that he had expected, one that he preferred. He hadn't asked for ins and outs, after all. "Mia." he returned, cutting straight to the point as he did so. "I think she's put a target on her back," a pause, "Or a bigger one." he may have been wrong, but if he didn't cover himself for those what ifs, then surely he wasn't sitting in the right position. Nico, was, looking out for one of his own, knowing that whatever his sister thought of him, he'd always ensure she was safe. "Would like to discuss what we're going to do about that." and considering Eli was assigned to his sister, it made sense to converse.

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Lifting an eyebrow, Eli's attention suddenly shifted from the need of caffeine in his system to the young man. He couldn't help myself but notice similarities between the rest of the kids growing behind the Family's closed doors and a reflection of his own rebelion as a youth. "Is that so?" He clicked his tongue, his lips curving in a some vague form of an amused smirk despite the emotion barely touching his eyes. He didn't show it but he was finding the whole situation rather amusing. Made him wonder what the rest of The Family thought about his so obvious incompetence, suggested by Emiliano's words. "No offense but I'm not taking advice from someone who lacks the expertise just like I wouldn't trust myself giving advice on how to fix a broken ankle." Though two missions in Iraq had taught him plenty about patching up wounds and fixing broken parts but he still wouldn't trust himself to give advice in modern life setting. "I thought you had one of those fancy machine that like to steal your coins more often than giving you what you want but I guess I'll have to wait while we're out to get my coffee then. You said it, I shouldn't slack on the job." He shrugged, tilting his head towards the closed door.

Actually, Emil hadn't really knew that his taunting was a fact until Elion admitted it himself. He'd just figured. He and Mia weren't close by any means, he couldn't remember the last time he'd talked to her, honestly. He'd read from a mile away the bodyguard situation though, one didn't have to be a genius to understand it. "Could be." Emil laughed at that, a humorless laugh, though he did find it almost funny. "She didn't have to say anything, I could tell. If I did other people do too, so focus on that rather than acting like it's all a part of a masterplan, my guy." He said matter-of-factly, not an ounce of emotion behind his words. Emil often chose not to care about anything, but security within their organization had failed way too often recently. "Follow the signs and you'll find the coffee shop, it's that easy."

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A single moment of peace and quiet -- well, maybe less of the quiet since it was in moments of utter silence that his most intimate and disturbing thoughts found their way back to the surface to haunt him. Was it so much that he asked for? A single moment to himself. A glass of whiskey on the rocks close by. Elion couldn't recall ever being one of those lucky suckers to get what he wanted. Even joining the Marines was more of a need than a want. A need to put all this build up anger in his youth to service before he'd turned to yet another statistic of how mess up kids tended to become petty criminals going in and out of jail constantly.

"My guess is it never got a name in the first place." He replied after a moment of silence and avoiding the woman in hopes of her going away. She was a tough one, not the type to give up. Sometimes he even wondered whether it was the determination to help as a young professional that made her go to such lengths, or was it a form of obsession she was unaware of she'd formed after he'd quit their sessions. After another moment of silence stretching between them, Eli finally acknowledge her with a side glance. "The usual?" He asked and raised his hand to get the bartender's attention.

closed starter  · @cfcrossfire location  · sip happens

she chooses to dance a delicate line — but it's less like a tightrope walk and more like a reluctant sobriety test. can you touch the tip of your nose with your index finger ? can you lay off from caring about another person when they're no longer your responsibility ? elion was not technically a client, and hadn't been for a while. in fact, he spent such little time in the female's office that she often wondered if their sessions had even happened in the first place. perhaps they were a figment of her imagination, based purely on the worry she harbored for the obviously damaged man. but she couldn't quite call him a friend either. their relationship existed some place in the middle, where sticky bar tops replaced a therapist's couch. seneca recognized him immediately by the back of his head, the width of his shoulders. sip happens was a familiar place, but she always found herself floundering around upon first arrival, searching for a beacon of safety. " you're always here when i need you, " she announced herself, sliding in the barstool next to him. " i swear you're like, part of the bar decorum at this point. might as well be like that guy. " with a coy grin, she pointed to a taxidermy buck hanging on the wall. " what do you think his name is ? " she'd swim in small talk until finding her footing. or at least until she got a beer in her hand.

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Hearing the good news brightened Elion's mood. He didn't see it as much of a deal since installing a couple security cameras in the shop and arranging for a man to keep a look out during the nightly hours was nothing compared to some of the operations he used to plan and carry out in the past. It couldn't even compare with the 24/7 service he was currently providing The Family as Mia's bodyguard. But it was evident it meant the world to the young man. "You've already pain for the service. Just let me know if you ever decide to make any changes. As I said before, I doubt you'll be needing the in person protection for the long run, but it's up to you. If it gives you a peace of mind to have someone walking the perimeter at night..." His voice trailed off. "And you know, putting a good word for me wouldn't hurt." He was mostly joking since taking on new tasks at the moment had been put on a hold but a little marketing would never hurt still.

He chuckles at the question, feeling relief that he can report good news. “There hasn’t been any lately. Not since you came to help out. I’m not sure how I can thank you for that.” Cassidy has seen any one trying to steal from him lately. At least as far as he has noticed. And that’s a good thing for him since he doesn’t have much inventory to lose. “I credit that to you truly. I don’t know how things would be if I didn’t get your help. Thanks for that.” He stands behind the counter, going through the register to count the money. “I feel like owe you more than I’ve paid. Is there anything else I can give you?”

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Elion might argue his judgement had been clouded since birth. Or at least since early childhood when the people responsible to teach him values had failed at it. It's what had made him the perfect soldier later in life -- while others were hold back by silent questions and moral dilemmas, he'd conduct each and every order precisely. No questions asked. The line between right and wrong already blurred long before he even learnt the meaning of these two words.

"You should hide it better if you don't want people touching it without permission first." He shrugged, not feeling like explaining himself to her. Her methods of intimidation might work on others but had little to know effect on him. Elion didn't even flinch when Mia leaned in closer, her face an inch from his. The air around him suddenly filled up with a sweet scent he assumed was her perfume. His lips curved into a polite smirk at the proposal. "You'd like that, wouldn't you?" He mused. "Why not put an end to it right now?" Pulling up his phone, he offered it to her. "Call your brother and tell him how I'm already slacking on the job." He dared. "Who knows maybe the next one to take my place would agree to these terms? But this small agreement won't last long, trust me." A moment of tensed silence stretched. "So what's it gonna be?"

Mia had only had a bodyguard one other time in her life. When she’d gone off to college far away and out of her father’s reach, he had made certain she still knew she may be on the other side of the country but he still controlled her. The bodyguard he’d hired to blend in and follow her at college and law school hadn’t been for her safety, he’d been there simply to report back to Enzo and to make sure she didn’t forget Enzo’s ever present control. When she had returned to L.A. the man had been discharged. Her life had never been important enough to guard before. And even with the whole board now dead, Mia still didn’t believe Eli was here only to keep her safe.

“I know your judgement is clouded enough to help yourself to my alcohol.” She raised an eyebrow at the man, daring him to explain. But he was right, Mia didn’t know him. Though she didn’t want to know him. She simply wanted him gone. Or at least content enough to leave her alone. He’d still get paid either way, and she’d pay him more to report back lies to her brother. “Don’t call me sweetheart.” Mia closed the distance and leaned over the table, her gaze icy enough to freeze someone. “You’ll slip up at some point. Just admit defeat now. You’ll still collect your money from my brother, and I’ll pay you extra to leave me alone.” Her gaze studied his face. “Everybody wins that way.”

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Leaning back in his chair, Elion allowed another formal smirk to curve his lips. "You offend me, Giada." Despite the choice of words, though, his tone bore no hard feelings at all. Allowing for a moment of silence to stretch in the space between them, Elion silently weighted the pros and cons of striking a deal with the woman sitting across from her. Coming here, already aware of what she might ask of him, was a risk he'd willingly taken. The peace between the founding families was handing on a single thread yet only the ones close enough to one or more of them knew it. Yet. No one knew when The Hollow might strike again and whether it won't throw more oil into the already simmering flames. "As long as you don't ask for my personal services, I don't see it as an imposition." He sighed after a long moment of silence. "Though my business has been put on a hold lately, I still keep in touch with people who would gladly agree to do the job you're offering." Another pause. Another moment of intense silence stretching between them. "However, if you'd allow me to give you a friendly advice — don't make enemies among your friends. Now's not the time." He waited for the words to sink in before detouring back to the business talk. "So, shall I make the calls?"

Through the silence, Giada studied Elion's features, noting the small tug at his corner of lip. She could practically see the wheels turning inside his head. How he was piecing together her request, probably weighing out the options and all her probable motives. Something she most certainly expected. While she liked to think she had always been in good favor with Elion — given their shared interest in Mia's well-being, she knew better than to think that recent events hadn’t turned the tides and that the Donatelli name carried equal weight as some of the other Founding Families. Which meant that she too was beginning to feel like an outsider, and perhaps they shared some more common ground.

“Personal, however before we continue on,” Giada began her tone matter of fact, a brow raised as she leaned forward and pressed her forearms to the edge of her desk. "I would also greatly appreciate your discretion on the matter, and if that is an imposition I understand, and you can forget I asked."

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Given the most recent events, the mention of his kids pulled a string of unease. Not because Elion believed Nico would consider making a move against them; not unless he gave him a reason to, which he didn't intend to. He knew his father, not very well, but enough to know he'd earned his trust in the ability to do his job right. The same level of trust he'd earned with Nico. "They're good." He kept the response brief. Not only because he didn't wish to disclose more, but also due to the rift between him and his kids after their mother's death. He knew now he had to be a better father to them then, but there has always been a selfish part to him; one which didn't allow him to swallow his grief and be there for them, instead he'd let them watch him fall apart then build himself back up in a way that pushed them away after graduation. "But I don't think discussing my kids' well-being was what you called me for, right?"

As Eli walked in - at Nico's personal request - he turned off the monitor at his desk, gave a slight nod and gestured for him to take the seat across from him "How're your kids?" he asked, making that attempt of casual conversation before getting to the real reason he'd called him in. Nico's prior thoughts here had landed on to his sister, Mia. Ever since she won the case against the LAPD, he couldn't shake the feeling that she needed extra protection - not necessarily from the force, but the lunatics that roamed through the streets of L.A. Nico had always been preemptive, but since taking the title of Don that little switch had upped it's ante.

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Smug smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. His body turning towards the man with his eyes being the last to peel off from the dance floor to meet his. "Funny of you to say it, considering this is your place and you're the one in charge." But he got it. Sometimes one had to make sacrifices and indulge the needs of the public. Reaching for his glass, Eli mimicked the quiet gesture and took a sip. Eyes falling and watching as the liquid swirled around the edges, ice cubes clinging side-to-side. "What a masacre, huh?" He mused, referring to the night of the yatch party and the events, which followed. He wondered what Santino's opinion was of it all. Whether it mattered to him or not. After all, all some people cared for was for life to carry on its course, for the wheel to keep spinning no matter who was in charge or how.

Santino moved through Echelon like a man born from the bones of the place. He didn’t need to announce his presence; the space shifted around him, subtly, like it knew who’d built it, who kept the lights on and the floors clean and the blood off the books.

He spotted Elion at the bar almost immediately. A fixed point, always watching. Santino respected that—Mia didn’t keep anyone around who wasn’t sharp, and Elion had a way of moving like he already knew where the exits were. Useful. Dangerous, if pointed in the wrong direction. But Santino wasn’t worried.

He stepped up beside him, nodding briefly to the bartender without needing to speak. His drink—always the same—appeared with silent efficiency. “Don’t worry,” Santino said, lifting the glass but not drinking yet. “I hate the music too.”

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It took time for Eli to realize how quickly he'd slipped into the comfort of a simple routine after meeting his wife until everything he knew was practically ripped away from him in a single moment. He didn't even had the time to process it through, despite the years spent visiting various doctors so they could get the same exact conclusion each time -- nothing serious, everything looks fine, she may carry on with life with such condition and do regular check ups once a year. Until it wasn't enough.

This job. This girl and her constant attempts to outsmart him or push him away with her witty remarks. They'd managed to bring back the long lost spark inside of him. The one he believed to be buried six feet under long the corpse of his late wife, drowned in the simplicity of family life he'd grown so accustomed to for the past twenty years of his life. "Now I'm curious what's gonna be your next move, princess." He didn't plan to keep teasing her; it wasn't the time, nor the place for it. But the temptation was stronger than him and if he had to be honest, Eli always had a soft spot for his vices. Rubbing the spot her elbow had crashed with his ribs, he followed her around the room. "How about you set up a meeting somewhere and we can all get the hell out of here before it gets worse?" And something was telling him this night was only going to get worse.

There was a way that Eli moved in the dark room with a competence even Mia could notice in the absence of being able to see. Mia, who was usually so easily angered by those who were incompetent, could easily admire it in others when they finally had something between their ears. The irony was not lost on her that if she had any trust for this man, they could have made a good team. He stood toe to toe with her every day, and though she did give him the slip sometimes and win their little competitions, there were times where he beat her. He could keep up with her and that wasn't an easy thing.

She was quick with a jab to his ribs with her elbow as the name slipped past his lips one more time. She could practically hear the smug smirk on his lips as he did. "Hope that was worth it. Next time I won't be so gentle... once we are out of here." Mia shot back, unable to let him have the last word. But her attention quickly went to those few she cared about. Her family for one was rushing to the forefront of her mind. "Texting them now." Mia spoke as her fingers shot out texts to each of them since for now it seemed they all still had service. But Mia didn't have to say it out loud to know that they were both thinking of the macabre dinner and the fire from the last time someone messed with them. While she had no emotions about Enzo missing, she didn't want to see any of her family members replaced on that table. "Ok, let's circle the room."

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closed starter for @yocassie location: red eye records

It's been a while since Elion had been to the record shop. The last he was here, it wasn't as a client but as a contractor. He'd been meaning to stop by and check how things were after installing security cameras and personal entail during the nightly hours but between chasing after Mia and the recent events, he'd simply put his personal service at a pause. If there were any issues, though, he would have heard of it already. Still, he liked getting a feedback. "So how are we with the petty crimes?" He asked, resting against the counter.

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closed starters for @aqxatofana location: a bar somewhere in la

They could meet at Nate's office, but there was certain charm in the informal setting of a run down bar with music from the 90s playing in the background and people's chatter filling up the space, offering certain amount for privacy since every conversation dissolved into another. Elion had picked a table in the corner, tucked away from prying eyes yet giving full overview of the place and its guests. A glass of whiskey on the rocks sat in front of him, fingertips glued to the base. Thirty minutes had passed before the arrival of the other, Eli had counted them. But being late wasn't unusual for Nate. Especially when work these days was more than the usual. "Heard you've wanted to talk to me."

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His fame seemed to preceed him. He wondered whether it was Mia who had broken the news of her escapades with Emil, or were rumors already spreading and painting him in not a very bright light. He wouldn't care, as long as Nico believed in him and his competence to do the job, he was safe. And he'd proven times and times that he was indeed competent to keep Mia safe. Whether she liked it, or not. "She's with her sister." Eli replied dryly, following a moment of silence.

There was tension in the air; the type you could almost cut with a razor knife. A result from long working shifts for the both of them and the shadow of the unknown -- the attacks, The Hollow resurfacing, the news and how everything shifted afterwards. The order they were all familiar with and accustomed to suddenly destroyed. "Did she tell you about it? Could be that I'm just letting her think she'd outsmarted me, if that's what she wants to believe."

Emil arched an eyebrow at the bodyguard as he stopped him on his way outside, clearly wanting to take a break before any nonsense. Such was not his luck because there was someone in his way. "Dude, why are you yelling? I'm right here." He recognized the man shortly after and looked around, searching for the blonde woman that should be around wherever Elion was. Mia Barone was nowhere in sight. Not rare from what he'd heard. She seemed to outsmart her bodyguard often. Emil finally looked back at the other man, a puzzled look on his face. "Did you lose Mia again? Wow, that's gotta be a new record."

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Eli respected it when people cut straight to the chase, never being the type the enjoy a small talk. Sometimes it was necessary, but most times her preferred the silence. Listening carefully at what Giada had to say, a smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. He'd known this would happen. Ever since Nico had usurped the throne and even before it, while it was only just a thought -- in idea waiting to be set into motion, he had this gut feeling the rest of the founding families would idly take a step back and agree. Maybe a couple people would; the ones who didn't care much of who was in charge as long as peace and balance were restored within the organization. But were they really? Tension was simmering, he'd tried to voice out these concerns but he knew his place. He may care for the Barones, but he was still a stranger in their home.

Back at Giada's office, Elion realized the silence had stretched longer than intended. "It depends on the service you're looking for. Are we speaking personal security or general re-enforcement?"

Giada hadn’t been settled in her office for more than ten minutes when there was a knock at her door. A manicured brow arched at the sound, and she kept her irises fixed on a sketch for a new weapon-friendly line she was designing. Because after everything — the botched vote and her actions that followed, she needed to take certain precautions to ensure hers and her family's safety, perhaps even from within her own organization.

"Ah, yes Mr. Leone. Please, come in, sit." Giada welcomed her company as she shuffled her designs into a neat pile on top of her desk. "I know you're busy, so I'll cut right to the chase." She added as she straightened herself up. Her switch to business as usual was instant. "I'm in the market for some extra security, and what I'm looking for is your recommendation. Would you know of anyone in the field worthy of the position?"

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closed starter for @emilianodelacruz location: silverlake general hospital

Elion paced back and forth in the hallways outside Camilla's hospital room. The farthest he'd go being the end and back, despite the amount of security entail placed by the door. But he knew better -- Mia would seized each and every opportunity to get away from his grip and point it out at him later. She'd done it far too many times already, but as someone had started to purposely target memebers of the Family, most importantly members from the founding families, he'd been on the watch day and night. The tiredness written all over his face being proof of it. "Hey!" He stopped in his track, noticing a man in white robe. "Where I can get a cup of good coffee?"

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closed starter for @santinobarone location: echelon

Echelon was far from the setting he'd normally chose. Despite his affiliation with the refined and polished class of society, deep down Elion remained a rebel. Someone who found charm in the run-down bars with low rock country music in the background instead of the electric tunes blasting from the speakers and blinding, flashing lights. But he never got the say when it came to nights out; he was simply a shadow, which followed.

Each time the story repeated itself. He'd either lean against a wall or make his way at the bar as long as it gave him a quick and easy access to the blonde at all times. Elbow pressed against the counter, he followed with watchful eyes before a presence to his right caught his attention. Their last conversation was brief, enough for Elion to say his condolences before the night took an unexpected turn for the worse. Right now he wasn't sure whether he should strike a conversation, or not, so instead he gave the man a chance do so, if he wished.