#post plot drop

[nicobarone]

with: @celestinadlcruz

As he moved through the room, his attention shifted from face to face, each one briefly illuminated by the glow of their phone screens - the only source of light at present, since without them they’d all be stood in the dark - eventually, however, his focus locked onto one face in particular, one that caused Nico to change his course of direction entirely as he moved towards Celestina. He reached for her hand without a word or care for who she was stood with, giving a gentle pull so she'd move into him as well as with him. His voice was low, quiet enough for just her to hear as he leaned in, "I need you with me, can't keep you safe if you're not."

[ccxcooper]

Yacht Party with Nolan Fitzpatrick @nolanfitz

It had only been minutes since she'd finally located Nolan, barely halfway into her tipsy inspired ribbing of him when the alarm had rang, cutting into her off the cuff monologue. "Saved by the bell." Except none of her teasing had actually managed to be severe, it was an expression of affection if someone knew to read into it well enough. As the masses shuffled towards the room they were to gather in she couldn't help but make disparaging noises at the crowd, impatience killing the buzz she'd built up from her hours of drinking. "Does no one know how a queue works." Eventually everyone filed in and she found a spot beside her boss, doors slamming not long after. It took her a moment to realise something was wrong as the darkness surrounded them, only panic from other people piercing through her alcohol fog to suggest this wasn't the plan. People around them started to move towards the door with little regard for whether or not they were in their path, trying to open them to no avail. "Oh yeah, everyone keep pushing. 'Coz that's gonna help." A particularly hard shove had her wobbling in her heels, grasping his arm for balance. A brief sense of vulnerability washed over her, suddenly all too aware that she had no idea what was happening nor what it meant for her. But the feeling is squashed down, reaching for a joke instead. Voice was kept nonchalant, lighter than she was feeling. "Y'know, it could be worse. At least I don't have to look at you now the lights are out."

[jessi-reyes]

Jessica: Call if needed 🪡 🩺 [5 minutes later] Jessica: Please don't need me. Be smart.

[carmenabalos]

WHO: Lucky de la Cruz @staincdvermillion LOCATION: Inside the locked room

She knew something bad was going to happen. How could all of the players controlling the city be in one place without the Hollow striking again? Were they all that dumb? Carmen had tried to get her people as prepared as they could be walking into the party tonight. Pushing for them to arm themselves if possible. To be alert and not do anything stupid. And yet they all found themselves locked in a room with no power, tensions rising and worse a fight broke out. Carmen had been trying to find her people and after doing a head count figured out Diana was missing. The feeling of lead dropped into her stomach and Carmen didn't want to panic or think what would happen to her friend... her best friend if she was being honest. She had to keep cool and keep herself together so she could protect Echo and find Diana before the worst. While others were focused on the fight, Carmen was at one of the doors that other's had abandoned, inspecting them with the flashlight from her phone. She heard someone approach behind but didn't look up. "Do you know how to pick a lock?" She asked the mystery person, attempting to even find some part to pick as this side of the door was nothing but smooth wood.

[declanxbell]

Yacht Party with Tatiana Uche @dispitcous

It would be a lie to say that everything since coming into the ballroom hadn't been surprising. But what had caught him off guard most of all was hearing Tatiana's voice as well as he words. First confusion had gripped him, then concern. They didn't know each other well enough for him to be certain it seemed out of character for her and he wondered if their predicament had affected her. "Are you good?" It was a question he usually stayed away from, never wanting to be asked it back but it felt as good a time as any to break from that mentality. As he waited for a response he dug around in his jacket pocket for the flask he'd put in there earlier. There wasn't much his father had bothered to teach him but he had passed down the flask that his father had given him, and his before that. Pulling out the whisky filled family heirloom he extended it out towards Tatiana. "Want some?" He couldn't wait for her answer in silence, instead attempting some levity and hoping it didn't fall flat. "Probably should be rationing it but if you don't tell anyone we could stretch it out."

[imanixkline]

Yacht Party with Carmen Abalos @carmenabalos

The lack of information was quickly wearing away at her already thin patience, even the challenge of trying to work out what was going on was doing little to quell her irritation. Phone in hand she'd long since forgotten that she was supposed to be conserving its battery, too focused on trying to dig up any kind of clue or evidence about the situation they were in. But signal was avoiding her, no matter which of her usual tricks she employed and so usually serene brow was creased by a deepening frown. There was a sound of footsteps again, coming to a halt next to her and she barely had to glance up to know that it was Carmen. If anyone else was going to succeed where she was currently failing it would be her. "Are you getting anything?" It was a more abrupt greeting than usual but she didn't have it in her to postpone asking the question that was on her mind with passive pleasantries.

[msmelissalin]

texting - Gideon

Melissa: I can't see you, where are you? Melissa: Did you leave already?

[ayda--demir]

Ayda: you are somewhere safe?

[maria-azenha]

where: post plot drop berkeley manor who: @johnnparsons

Maria felt her body tremble, a pain resonating in her, but when she was told to go, where she couldn't fathom to watch what might unfold, her legs carried her down the hall, looking for refuge.

She managed to stumble down the hall, vision blurry by the tears that swelled in her eyes, and she could hear the voices.

"We're going to die."

"Everyone get down."

"Is she dead?"

"Fuck, we need to get her out of here."

The screams haunted her dreams, but it was always painted in red, and no matter how hard she tried to ignore the intrusions, they never left.

Her back pushed into a nook down a hallway that held some semblance of quietness, sliding down to her ass, pulling her knees to her chest.

"Make it stop...." She mumbles to herself, hating that she finally gave into her demons, facing buried into her knees.

[eleanorxshipley]

Self-para (Post Plot Drop).

Awards After Party.

At first Eleanor thought it was some sort of sick joke-- just a horror movie flickering on the giant screen. It only took her a moment as gasps and growls filled the air to realize this hell was all too real. She didn't even know the person that was butchered and tortured, but her stomach churned at the sight, and the thought of how their last moments on earth had been spent.

It reminded her that despite the bubble she had been exiled to when it came to the different factions of their city, there were some honest-to-God monsters among them. Some in this very room. Eleanor had always the mind-set that if someone were nice to her she had no right to not be the same unless given reason to be wary. That was now out the window. Even if she didn't have a target on herself, Eleanor wasn't sure who to trust, either.

Feeling like the indulgences of the evening were about to be all over the floor if she didn't leave, Eleanor swiftly fled the room, but tried not to cause a disturbance. The last thing she wanted was attention to her weakness. Finding the nearest bathroom that she could, Eleanor drew her hair up and out of her face, just in case.

Her hands trembled and her body felt too weak to even rid herself of the churning contents. Instead, Eleanor tried to calm herself with several splashes of water to the face; uncaring if it ruined the make-up she had spent so much time on just hours before. When she had been kind of excited for the night and the awards she was up for. When there was still a sliver of optimism that everyone could gather for once without any bloodshed.

Clenching the edge of the countertop in desperation, Eleanor silently prayed. She prayed that her and everyone else would get out of that place unharmed. Especially those she cared the most about. That footage would haunt her in nightmares to come, but even worse, it made her think about Henri.

Had his murderer killed him him in one clean shot? Or was he tortured until beaten to a bloody pulp? She had been spared the details of his death save from it being a gunshot wound, but had always wondered what really went down. The very idea that some heathen could have taken Henri's sweet soul in a similar manner brought Eleanor to her knees, sobbing. It was all her fault. Not even her hands were clean anymore.

The blonde's breathing escalated, making it difficult to even think, but Eleanor knew she needed to escape. Or search for her loved ones and make sure they were safe. By the time she slipped out of the bathroom, footsteps rattled the mansion. Some she was sure were scattering to hide - others may have been hunting. Hanging out in the small guest bathroom was not an option, even if no one cared to come after her. It was too far to slip outside, nor was it an option when her friends and family were trapped inside. She couldn't lose any others in her life.

Bright eyes misted over with the burn of salty tears, as Eleanor high-tailed it to the kitchen, hoping it might be a harmless place to make camp. That the worst she might stumble upon would be a pissed off chef barking orders at his staff. However the place was silent. Eerily silent. Spotting a kitchen knife on the butcher block, Eleanor quietly took the weapon just in case it was necessary. She really didn't think she would be on anyone's radar. Then, again, maybe the guy in the video hadn't been either.

Eleanor had always been told to never hide somewhere you couldn't escape. Not to allow someone to back you into a corner. Yet, at the sound of footsteps she realized there were only two options for her. The pantry, or freezer. Neither were a great choice, but as voices grew louder she knelt to the floor and crawled her way into the roomy cupboard, thankful for the door that hid her away from sight. The thin crack in the heavy wood allowed her a small peek of the shadows wandering around the room.

Unfortunately for Eleanor, she couldn't make out a word. They could have been civilian wait staff, or fellow innocents trying to hide like herself. Everything sounded like a rampant buzzing. But she couldn't chance it. Shaking fingers curled around the handle of the knife in preparation. The jolt of her phone vibrating with texts from Lara and Samar asking if she was alright made her jump slightly, and she fished her phone out of her handbag to respond and let them know not to come to the kitchen for her. She couldn't take a chance on losing either of them.

Both texts were unsent, for the slam of something in the kitchen (perhaps the freezer door or door to the room itself, she wasn't sure) slammed with impressive strength. Out of anger or frustration... or hell-- knowing this crowd, they may have hid a body in there. The force was so fierce that it not only literally shook Eleanor, but the pantry shelves as well, causing several of the cans and items to rain down on her. Eleanor narrowly dodged a jar of spaghetti sauce as it shattered to the ground, dousing the floor and her dress in what looked like blood.

Eleanor tried to avoid the shards of glass that now sprinkled the floor, which distracted her from one last scuffle of a few spare pans careening to the floor. The very last one, as if a magnet to her, rammed Eleanor into the head on the way down.

Eleanor's phone and knife skittered across the floor as her body slumped, succumbing to the shroud of temporary darkness and unconsciousness.

[nicobarone]

with: @staincdvermillion (lucky go lucky)

Nico glanced over towards Luciano, having already established where the de la Cruz was moments prior - which was easy enough to do, especially when he was completely unbothered by this entire situation they had all fallen into. It didn't go amiss amongst the worried chatter that Lucky was sat there without a care. He was either capable of hiding his responses well, or he was a psychopath. There was no in between from where Nico sat. "Enjoying yourself?" it's a simple comment, accusing, almost.

[david-pavoncello]

where: berkeley after party post plot drop who: @gianna-palazzolo

David made his way further into the house, phone in one hand, scanning his surroundings with each step he took.

Why the fuck aren't they texting back?

His head turned when he caught sight of one familiar face, weaving around a person before coming up next to her.

"Have you seen anyone?" He knew his absence was noticeable, but he was learning, working, for his godfather because he wanted to be more.

A second passed and he glanced Gianna over. "Are you good?" He had a feeling she was more than capable of holding her own, but that didn't stop him from asking.

[jessi-reyes]

Jessica: Are you safe?

[ceceliaahathaway]

closed Event: Cobwebs in the Dark Dated: 23rd of March, 2024 Location: A Nightmare; The Berkeley Estate

It occurs to her that there are people – women like her, their lives untouched by tragedy and hanging, lifeless men– getting ready for bed right now. Women all across London, Chicago and the World, who don't have to wonder what it might feel like to be hanged by the neck till you no longer have a pulse. Universes coexisting side by side, yet so distinct that one could easily mistake them for separate entities.

She can't pinpoint the moment she encountered Adam, or perhaps when he encountered her, but what remains vivid is the struggle against him. She couldn't simply save herself; her girls, Val and Lisette, were here too. But, his hand is strong, much stronger than her own and his words, can't be argued with, "I can't lose you."

Once in the car, her fingers find her phone, sending out an 'Is everyone okay?' text to her little world. It's difficult to manage, as Adam's hand still hadn't let hers go. Thankfully, they were driving the automatic tonight. She glances across at her husband and finds herself trapped in his despair for her. Would he still care so much if he knew? She couldn't help but wonder. Surely, she didn't deserve it. And still, she wouldn't have pried her fingers from his grasp or offered up any misfortunate truths that would've had him certainly letting go. And, in her own pathetic desperation she held him tighter, her fingers draining of colour in her sad attempt to hold on to him.

The sound of metal hitting marble, echoes throughout the house, as Adam puts down the keys and turns to enact all security precautions in the house. Cece finds herself stuck to her phone. A notable absence, why hasn't Lisette returned her message? She's with her children. Yes, she's gone home to hug her children, wouldn't you? She watches as Adam closes, locks, secures everything, before she feels something wet against the back of her leg. She spins and sees the culprit. Happy, oh so always, naively happy. She almost cries when she sinks to the floor and pulls him onto her lap and holds him like she would hold one of her own children.

Adam, finds her a few minutes later still on the floor holding the very confused, but nonetheless happy Happy. He pulls her up and tells her he's going to run her a shower--- she corrects him, "no, us. Run us a shower." She's doesn't always have to be so direct with him, but tonight she can understand his hesitancy. She's fracturing. And he's worried about applying too much pressure to that, and she gets it but what he doesn't get is that he's the adhesive.. she needs him to hold herself together right now. And yet, she's got to ask him again, "I can't be here alone tonight, Adam," before he's shedding himself out of his suit (any other time she'd tell him to hang it up first but not tonight) and walking over to find her body in the steam. It's easier with him here, pressing into her, to fight away the tears.. sometimes it's just too easy to let the hot water trick you into letting out a little of your own. She doesn't want to do that. Not over some Russian.

She kisses him, hungry, and desperate.. she knows he can sense it. And still, when he pulls back for answers, she slams her lips to his so hard she's sure they're going to turn purple tomorrow. By the time they're back in the bed, she's shaking.. "Darling, let's get you in some clothes..."

"I had an affair."

She senses his disbelief, yet she doesn't say anything else to help convince him further. She just... stares, unwavering, until she sees it.. hit him. Oh, God. What has she done?! For all the time she's known Adam, she's never seen him look at her like that. Like, she's no longer a person. Though, supposedly he's right to, because she certainly doesn't feel like one.

She can feel her phone buzzing, but she's trapped in another world, another horrible nightmare that she can't escape. Only this time she's the one responsible. "Adam..." He's not hearing it. He's not even looking at her, as he goes about packing his overnight bag (the one she got him for Christmas last year), and pushes Happy out of his way because the dog can't seem to understand that Adam in shoes can mean anything but 'walkie time.' But, it can. This time it means: 'I'm leaving you.' For tonight? For good? Cecelia’s chest tightens.

"I'm so, so sorry. It was a mistake.. It was one time.. it was--" She grabs at him. He throws her hand back. She's... cold. Then, suddenly, she's alone. Her body collapses onto the cold, polished cement floor of their garage. Did she truly pursue him all the way down here? She cries herself into a half sleep where she's with Adam back on Anderson Island. Where she's remembering back to everything she did right. Though, somehow, that hurts more.

Grabbing at her phone, she texts one more person, she oddly feels like she can trust, @msmelissalin 'Are you okay? Are you free? I--' She can't be so selfish. People.. lost people tonight. So, did she, she could argue, but then again she could also argue they had no choice in the matter. She backspaces the text. Lying back down on the cold cement, she once again finds herself asking.. what she needs to do in order to fix it? 'Cause Adam was right. She really can't lose him either.

She looks up as the door creaks open... Adam? No, the sound of soft paws suggests otherwise. He approaches, sniffing her with confusion until she reaches out, pulling him down beside her. "Don't leave me. I love you," she pleads, her words sincere. She can't bear to lose anyone else tonight, not even a dog who doesn't understand what she's saying. Happy doesn't resist, pressing his weight into her chest as she clings to him desperately. "Don't leave me," she whispers until her voice grows hoarse and Happy's snores fill the garage, echoing loudly off the walls. "Don't... leave... me..."

[oliviacoppola]

Pour a little salt, we were never here

Date: March 22, 2024 Warnings: none Where: Berkeley Estate, post plot drop

The fact that her first thought upon watching the video was to look for Giorgio absolutely disgusted Olivia. She wanted to wretch at the very thought. Part of his appeal was the fact that he was an absolute trash human being that wasn’t even worth developing feelings for. After all, she wasn’t even his only mistress.

And yet, here she was, scanning the rooms in the absolutely massive mansion as she was trying to make her way out, just to make sure he was still alive. Luckily, she wasn’t too far lost in the delusion to think they’d have some romantic reunion, or that he was sparing even a second to think about her in this moment.               She’d seen Patrizia glaring at her enough times over the course of the night to know where her boyfriend’s attention would be.

If Olivia was smart, she’d bow out gracefully. Theirs was not a relationship meant to last, after all. But, the siren’s call of her designer clothes, fancy apartment, and the white powder nestled in the very bottom of her purse that sustained her through long nights at the bar and even longer nights out on the town had what little soul she possessed in a vice grip. And that was enough to fill her soul.

So why was she acting like a lovesick little girl over fucking Giorgio Pecatti?

She’d long since lost track of just what room she was in when she saw them. It wasn’t long, just a quick glimpse of the two figures stealing a moment alone to reassure them. For the first time all night, something other than a frown or glare graced Patrizia Pecatti’s face. If she wasn’t mistaken, Giorgio looked almost tender with his arms wrapped around his wife and his face pressed into the top of her head. A sign of the love the pair once had, still had if she wasn’t kidding herself.

Olivia didn’t want that with Giorgio. She never wanted that with him. So why was the fact that she wasn’t even a thought in his mind stabbing her directly in the chest?

Olivia tore her gaze away and started moving along with the crowd once again. She reached into her purse and pulled out her phone. Barely looking at the screen, she typed out a quick message to Alex and slipped it back into her purse.

[Olivia]: I’m not ready for the party to end. Got anything new for me?

[svetavorshevsky]

FOR: @lismarstclair WHEN: 22nd of March, 2024. WHERE: Berekeley Estate. Following from SELF PARA

Those who'd told her to leave tonight had no idea that games had been underfoot all night. Waiting, watching, pretending that art was the most fascinating thing she could be interested in. No, she'd been watching, biding her time until something gave her a good enough time frame; and while they'd delivered the distraction, it hadn't come without loss. The video had simply been enough for her to accelerate her plans.

Sveta slowed like a cat stalking its prey while hatred leaked into something akin to a grimace that touched her lips, curling cruelly. Fingers clawed at the false bottom of her purse until fingers connected with that singular needle. Undetected, she'd held her breath, shoulders back when they'd searched them. Their misfortune of missing it in their 'thorough' search, brought a smirk to her lips.

One step closer, chaos erupted.

Two steps closer, people were erupting.

She checked, Vitaly eyeing her as he made his way over, and grinned something close to devilish as he nodded. The car was ready, and Pavel was in place. The time was now, and they had to act fast. Disregarding the handbag, which had been empty save for idle perfume she could replace, grasping the needle close to her person, until she was directly behind her target.

"Say cheese, we've missed your smile."