#to think about about how quickly anton would be jailed

[w0lf1sh-blog]

Anton: I’m am the scariest fucking lone wolf to ever win. I live and breathe independence and thrive working alone fuck teams and fuck alll yall

Also Anton: *kept on a leash by Fargo’s shorter than his own dick*

[badchoicesposts]

Loyalty or Royalty

Chapter 16

Summary: Mia Bhatt spent years trying to escape her past, trying to escape the feeling of betrayal that was left in her heart after the fire, and she finally had. She was marrying the King of Cordonia and was finally going to get her happily ever after. But, after a momentary lapse in judgement caused her to send a wedding invitation to someone she was sure had forgotten about her, she realizes that sometimes the past has a way of crawling back to you.

Author’s Note: In this fic Anton and The Sons of Earth were caught before the wedding. Also this story will contain flashbacks that will be in italics.

Pairing: Liam x MC (Mia Bhatt), Platonic!Colt x MC, Past!Logan x MC

Word Count: 4,132

Taglist: @flowerpowell, @dcbbw , @texaskitten30, @kingliam2019 @hopefulmoonobject​ @lovehugsandcandy @los-cafeteros @desireepow-1986​ @lovemychoices​, @kimmiedoo5

Catch Up: Masterlist

Jason whipped his head around just in time to see Kaneko waltz out from behind the pile of metal. 

“Hello, Jason,” Kaneko said, marvelling at the shocked expression on The Brotherhood’s faces.

“What the hell is this?” Jason asked as the rest of the MPC walked out and surrounded them as well. 

“Payback,” Colt said with a smirk. 

Wallace was seething and he lunged in Mia’s direction. She froze for a split second, and before she could think, she ducked under his outstretched arms, throwing her leg out and kicking him in the shin. The man let out a loud groan, and Mia kicked him one more time in the crotch, smirking at the shocked expression on Colt’s face. However, her moment of victory was soon over because while everyone was distracted, they failed to notice the figure creeping up behind her. 

Mia let out a loud gasp as two strong arms wrapped around her waist. Her back collided with Jason’s hard chest as he held her tightly against him, giving her no room to move away. As if holding her so tight that she could barely breathe wasn’t enough, Mia felt the cold metal of a gun against her temple causing her blood to run cold.

“If you even think about trying anything, she’s dead,” he threatened, looking directly at Kaneko. 

Mia had been in dangerous situations before, but she had never expected to have a gun to her head. Sure, she had come face to face with the barrel of a gun during the assassination attempt, but that day Drake had managed to push her out of the way before anything had happened to her. But, if Jason decided to pull the trigger now, that would be it for her. She would be dead. 

She was faintly aware of the sound of police sirens filling the air and the FBI yelling for him to stand down and release her, but all she could focus on was Kaneko. 

“If you come any closer I’ll shoot!” Jason threatened, his voice dripping with malice.

Mia desperately tried to remember anything that Mara had taught her about self defense, but her mind seemed to be drawing a blank. The only thing she could seem to remember was that scene from Miss Congeniality where Sandra Bullock’s character said to remember to S.I.N.G.. But, surely that didn’t work in real life. Even if it did, it would be too dangerous to do it while he had a gun to her head. What if she elbowed him in the stomach, and he pulled the trigger accidentally? She needed to get him to lower the gun. 

“C’mon, Jason, you don’t want to kill me. That’ll just make things worse for you,” she said.

She could feel the gun shaking against her head as he hesitated momentarily at her words. However, after a second, his grip on her only tightened. 

“I told you I’d kill you if you tried anything. Besides, if I have to go to prison then my life’s already over, so I might as well go out with a bang,” he said, laughing at his own play on words.

Mia fought back a wince at his words, racking her brains for some other way to get him to stand down, or at least lower the gun to a place that a shot wouldn’t be lethal. 

“I’m a queen, Jason. Killing me won’t be like killing anyone else. My husband will make sure that you get the harshest punishment possible,” she said. 

She could feel Jason’s body tense up once again at her words, but he made no move to release her.

“You have a kid right? Was it a boy or a girl? Do you really want to risk the chance of never seeing them again? Because that’s what’ll happen if you kill me. You’ll be in jail for the rest of your life and that’s all they’ll remember you for. Killing someone. They’re bound to find out. My death would be all over the news. Do you think they would ever forgive you for that?”

Maybe she was pushing it, she wasn’t sure. She wasn’t trained in hostage negotiation, so for all she knew she was making things worse. But, she was trying. All the law enforcement agents continued to yell at him to back away, but she could tell that their words weren’t doing anything to dissuade him from shooting. 

Jason lowered the gun ever so slightly, and Mia saw her opportunity. She took a deep breath and before she could properly think over what she was doing, she brought her arm forward and swung it back hard, her elbow colliding with his stomach. She then immediately stomped on his foot before quickly ducking down as Jason let out a pained groan and the air filled with the loud bang of the gun going off. 

The FBI and L.A. cops closed in and handcuffed both Hester and Jason. Everything seemed to both freeze and happen too quickly in the next few moments as Mia looked up and noticed Detective Wheeler and another cop bent over the spot where Kaneko was just standing. She couldn’t even remember standing up and running over to them or having Colt join her. She could barely remember an ambulance arriving and paramedics loading Kaneko into the vehicle. She could barely remember Drake escorting her to the car and driving her to the hospital.

“Bhatt, are you okay?” Drake asked softly.

Kaneko had been rushed into emergency surgery and the crew had all gathered into the waiting room, desperate for an update on his condition.

“Apparently all I’m good for is getting the people I care about shot,” she said sarcastically, biting down on her bottom lip to keep from crying.

“It’s not your fault,” Drake tried to reassure, placing an arm comfortingly around her. “Shaw had a gun to your head. If he decided to shoot you would have been dead. You did what you had to do to survive.”

“Yeah and I got my dad shot in the process,” she shot back.

“This is going to sound extremely selfish of me, but better him than you,” Liam’s voice broke through their hushed conversation causing Mia’s head to shoot up. 

She immediately jumped out of her seat and launched herself into his outstretched arms.

“Are you alright, my love?” Liam asked, holding onto her for dear life.

“No. Liam, I swear if he dies because of me I’ll never forgive myself,” she said.

“Nothing’ll happen to him. It’s Pop. He survived his car exploding. He’ll survive this,” Colt said, a look of resolution on his face. “He’ll survive this and then we’ll all be free, and this’ll be over.”

  Mia exchanged a nervous look with Logan and the rest of the crew. Even now Colt refused to believe that Kaneko wasn’t invincible. However, instead of trying to dispute Kaneko’s mortality with her brother, she simply nodded her head solemnly and snuggled closer into Liam’s side, trying to hide her tears in his chest.

“Do you guys remember that time Toby tried to throw Kaneko a surprise birthday party?” Logan asked, breaking through the tense silence with a soft laugh.

Mia pulled her face away from Liam’s chest and offered him a small smile, moving over to sit down in one of the waiting room chairs and pulling Liam along with her.

“Yeah, and he almost burned down the garage trying to bake him a birthday cake,” Mia concluded, causing everyone to chuckle quietly.

“Do you remember the phase Pop went through where he would only play 80s music in the garage?” Colt asked, the ghost of a smile making its way onto his face. 

Mia remembered that time vividly. 

~~~

Mia angrily wiped at her eyes as she walked out of the breakroom and into the shop. Even at only ten years old, she always pushed herself to do her best in school. She had been naturally good at school anyway, but she knew how her father would react to her not doing well, so she pushed herself even harder still. It wasn’t because she wanted good grades, although she did, she needed good grades. 

The past few weeks had been rough. She had gotten the flu from Colt who had gotten it at school, and her school work had managed to fall on the back burner. Her mother didn’t mind it. Of course, she didn’t. Her ten year old daughter was fighting a fever and a whole horde of flu symptoms. If one or two tests grades dropped down in that time, it wasn’t that big of a deal in the grand scheme of things.

However, things were completely different with her father. He had just finished chewing her out for making a B on a quiz, and she had sat there while he threw criticisms and obscenities at her for the past hour. Kaneko looked up from where he was bent over looking under the hood of a car and let out a soft sigh. Mia missed the conflicted look on his face before he moved over to where she was standing. He crouched down to her level and gave her a soft smile, reaching out and brushing her tears away.

“What can I do to see that beautiful smile again?” he asked softly. 

Mia shrugged her shoulders and wrapped her arms protectively around herself. As Kaneko looked at her sadly the sounds of Everybody Wants To Rule The World began to play from the small radio in the corner of the garage. He walked over and turned the music up before making his way back to her. Teppei grabbed her hands and began spinning her around, leading her in a playful and energetic dance. He scooped her up in his arms and spun the both of them around in time with the music, causing Mia to laugh happily and wrap her own arms around his neck tightly. 

“I wish you were my dad instead,” she said softly, resting her head on his shoulder. 

Kaneko squeezed her tightly for a moment, resisting the urge to tell her that he actually was.

~~~

“No way!” Logan exclaimed. 

“Pop didn’t dance!” Colt said, looking at her like she was crazy. 

“He did with me. It was only once, but I held onto that ever since,” Mia said, resting her head against Liam’s shoulder. 

The next few hours passed by excruciatingly slow. After about three cups of coffee and the crew telling a million stories about Kaneko, the doctor finally came out to give them an update.

“Your Majesty,” she said, properly acknowledging Liam and Mia despite the circumstances. “The bullet missed your father’s heart by just a few inches. When he was brought in, he was in critical condition. But the paramedics managed to get him here just in time. He’s still unconscious right now, but given time, he should make a full recovery.”

“Oh, thank god,” Mia gasped out, finally letting out a relieved breath and decompressing.

“When can we see him?” Colt asked.

 “I can take the three of you to see him now,” she responded kindly.

Mia, Liam, and Colt followed the doctor down the hospital halls silently. They were both still buzzing with nervous energy, but it wasn’t nearly as overpowering as it was before they knew about Kaneko’s condition. Mia paused momentarily as they rounded the corner and they saw two burly police officers standing guard in front of a private hospital room. She and Colt exchanged nervous looks but proceeded to follow the doctor into the same room anyway. Once inside, they were met with the sight of an unconscious Kaneko. Their eyes immediately shot down to where he was handcuffed to the bed.

“What the hell is going on?” Colt asked.

 Mia looked over to where Liam was giving the both of them a nervous and guilty look.

“This was part of the deal he made,” Liam said. “He traded his freedom for the crew’s.”

“What the hell are you talking about?” Mia asked. “He said that everyone would be free as long as we helped them catch The Brotherhood.”

“The FBI wasn’t okay with all of you just getting off without any punishment. So, he offered his freedom for everyone else’s.”

“Why didn’t he say anything?” Mia asked.

“Because he knew it would upset the two of you,” Liam answered. “He asked me not to tell you.”

“Why would he do that?” Colt asked incredulously.

“For the two of you. For The Crew,” Liam said, walking over to where Mia was visibly upset. “I’m so sorry, but this was his decision.”

Mia sunk into his arms as she looked over to the sleeping Kaneko. However, as much as she wanted to stay in Liam’s arms where things always managed to seem okay, she pulled herself away and walked over to where Colt was staring down at his father in disbelief. She pulled him into her arms, and he held onto her tightly.

The next twenty four hours passed by with all of them waiting for Kaneko to finally wake up. Mia was getting stir crazy, but she couldn’t bring herself to leave the hospital. Liam kept trying to tell her to go back to the hotel to get some sleep, but she refused to leave Teppei’s side. When he finally opened his eyes, it took everything in her to keep from bombarding him with questions. Instead, she calmly made her way over to his side and took a hold of his hand.

“How are you feeling?” she asked.

Kaneko blinked at her repeatedly, taking a few slow, labored breaths.

“Tired,” he answered, his voice hoarse. 

Mia grabbed the pitcher of water that was left on his bedside table and poured some into a small cup for him and helped pour it into his mouth. 

“Pop, why? Why did you do it?” Colt asked, approaching the bed and looking down at Kaneko sadly. 

Kaneko let out a strained sigh, and Mia perched herself onto the edge of the bed next to him. 

“Because, I have a daughter who I’ve made far too many mistakes with and a son that I’ve pushed away for too long. This was my chance to make things right. I can make sure that you live your lives free of the consequences my mistakes have caused,” he said. 

Mia fought back another set of tears and rested her head against his shoulder.

“I’m sorry,” she said, her tears falling onto the thin fabric of his hospital gown. 

Kaneko tried to wrap his arm around her, but his arm was roughly stopped by the metal handcuffs. The best he could do was wrap his hand around her arm in a comforting manner.

“Don’t apologize. This is how things are meant to be,” Kaneko said.

There was a soft knock on the hospital room door and Bastien entered, causing Mia to sit up and wipe her eyes.

“I’m sorry to interrupt, Your Majesties. But there’s something you have to see,” Bastien said, giving them a sympathetic smile.  

Mia got up from her spot on the hospital bed and walked over to where Bastien was standing next to Liam and tapping on his phone. He held the screen out for them to see and a Cordonian newscast started playing. 

“...Queen Amelia’s father, Teppei Kaneko, was the leader of the infamous Mercy Park Crew, a gang of car thieves that operated in Los Angeles, California where Her Majesty was born. Our sources have informed us that Kaneko was involved with Anton Severus and the extremist group The Sons of Earth and may have been involved in the fire that burnt down Applewood Orchard.”

[7-wonders]

Totally F***ed

Summary: Michael lays out the terms and conditions for this screwed-up marriage you’re now unwillingly a part of.

Word Count: 2322

A/N: Hey hi hello! Trigger warnings first, I guess. TWs for forced marriage, mentions of kidnapping, kind of getting close to dub-con (but not really bc there’s no smut). This is the second part to Mad Love, which I’ll have linked down below. Thanks for reading, feedback is always appreciated and requests are always open!

Read Mad Love (aka part one) HERE

When you were little, you used to love carousels. The cheerful music that played nonstop, the beautiful painted horses that were forever frozen to one pose, and the whirling of the ride around its fixed axis. Most of all, you loved picking your favorite horse and throwing your head back, letting the world blur around you. The music, the colors, the people, the smells, they all morphed together until you were nearly dizzy from the overload on your senses. Your current situation has you feeling like the small child on the carousel again, but with less cotton candy and more Satanists.

Your head is spinning as you try to keep up with everything that’s happening. The followers had swarmed to the front of the room after Michael had given them the signal, hands gripping at your clothes and lifting you into the air. Every so often, you get a glimpse of a face; the expressions are all the same, with their creepy smiles and wide eyes. They’re cheering and singing while they carry you out of the ‘sanctuary’ (can you call it a sanctuary if it’s in a Satanic church?) and into another area of this still-unfamiliar building. Michael’s enjoying this far too much, smirking and waving at those that carry him next to you.

While the man responsible for this mess relishes in the attention, you’re scoping the place out. There’s windows out here, and the light filtering through makes you think that the ‘church’ itself is a large basement-type building. There’s a few doors around you, but none of them look like a main door that would lead outside. From what you can discern, there’s not much security around here, with the main bodyguards being the ones that guard the room you were just in.

You land ungracefully on your feet, the people carrying you obviously not coordinated with lowering you to the ground. Michael stands in front of you, cheeks red and hair mussed, and takes your hand in his. Loud cheers bubble up from the crowd as you’ve reached what you’re assuming is the final destination. Michael pulls you through an open doorway, Anton smirking and closing the door behind you. The music and yelling is muffled now, the group of revelers getting farther away from the sounds of it. It’s just you and Michael now, which honestly terrifies you more than all of the previous events.

If this was a normal day, you’d appreciate the sudden silence and lack of people. But it’s not a normal day, and you almost find yourself wishing the ‘believers’ were still here. Michael, who’s exuded confidence since the moment you woke up, suddenly looks nervous as he shifts his weight from foot to foot. He lets go of your hand, and you immediately wrap your arms around yourself as a pseudo-shield.

“How are you feeling? Can I get you a drink?” Your throat burns, but you don’t want to be drugged again.

“Water?” Your voice comes out as a whisper, and you’re mildly surprised Michael could hear you. Michael makes quick work at fulfilling your request, handing you a heavy glass with water. Although you’re nowhere near an expert when it comes to detecting foreign substances in drinks, you still sniff your drink to make sure.

“It’s just plain water, I promise. I would never drug you; that was my Ms. Mead’s doing.” You nod, finally taking a small sip of the water that’s followed by a much larger gulp. You drain the water quickly, Michael looking on as he takes dignified sips of his own drink. “Would you like some more?” You shake your head, so he places both empty glasses on the dresser.

“What...what are you gonna do to me?” Michael smiles softly in what you think is an attempt to reassure you.

“Well, after the wedding comes the traditional bedding ceremony. My father would prefer I make an heir sooner rather than later, but I’m in no hurry.” He shrugs, explaining this like he would explain how to get to the nearest gas station. Your body tenses when you realize what he means by ‘bedding ceremony.’

You want to knock him out, wrench open the door and run for freedom. The headlines flash through your head, all about how ‘girl escapes local cult’ and ‘Satanic church kidnaps woman to be unwilling bride!’ In this happy ending, everybody would go to jail and you’d have a fun story to tell people from now on. Instead, you know that you’re stuck. You’ve seen his powers, how he forced you to cut his hand just by looking you in the eyes. If, by some miracle, you did manage to get past Michael, there’s no guarantee the hordes of Satanists wouldn’t snatch you the second you open the door. You want--no, need--to survive, and you’ll do anything to get out of here.

As he approaches you, your limbs lock in fear. He gently pulls the zipper down your dress, and you allow it to slip down your arms and pool around your ankles. You clench your eyes shut, since there’s no way you can look this man in the eye. You’re left shivering in just the slip that you were wearing when you woke up.

“So beautiful.” He mutters, picking up the pendant hanging around your neck.

“Just get it over with, please.” You stutter, flinching away from him. You’re not sure why it’s him calling you ‘beautiful’ that has you wanting to throw up everywhere, but it gets you to finally speak up. Michael reacts entirely differently than you thought; instead of throwing you on the bed and having his way with you, his hands leave your body entirely as you hear his breathing pick up. When you finally open your eyes, you see him standing with his hands held in the air and his eyes opened wide.

“You...you don’t want this?” You’re feeling bold, apparently, as you bark out an incredulous laugh.

“What part of today made you believe that I would actually enjoy this? Certainly it wasn’t the kidnapping part of it all. Could it be the forced marriage? Or maybe you using magic in order to get me to cut your hand open? That was quite the turn on, let me tell you, nothing like being stripped of your free will.” Your voice is dripping with sarcasm as you glare at him. When he reaches for you, you jump back. “Don’t touch me!”

“No, hey, I wasn’t going to do anything bad. You’re shaking, I just wanted to help you out.”

“Oh, now you wanna help?” You scoff, rolling your eyes. Michael ignores the barb, instead grabbing a blanket from the bed and wrapping you in it. You begrudgingly take it from him, holding it around your shoulders. Michael’s biting his lip as he looks at you, pity in his eyes.

“Do you...want to take a shower?”

“No funny business?” You ask.

“You have my word. Let me find you some clothes, okay?” You watch closely as he rummages through the dressers, eventually coming up with a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt. He hands them to you, taking care to not touch you. “Take your time. There’s a lock on the inside of the door, if that’ll make you feel better.” You spare him one last glance before closing the bathroom door, fumbling with the lock as quickly as you can.

You remain in the shower for a long time after the water grows cold. After furiously scrubbing every part of you that had been touched by Michael or one of the Satanists, you just stood and let the water fall over you as you thought. Eventually, your thoughts start to spiral, and you find yourself sitting on the cold tile floor, your tears mixing with the shower itself. You only get up when your fingers are considerably pruned up and your legs are numb. There’s a towel hanging on the rack outside of the shower door, and you grab one and wrap it around yourself.

Water droplets fall off of your dripping hair, making you hurry to get changed into the clothes Michael gave you so you can towel off your hair. The sweatpants sag off of your hips, but the shirt is large enough that it falls down to mid-thigh. You realize with mild disgust that these are Michael’s clothes, but there’s really nothing that you can do about it. While you dry your hair, you search for a brush or a comb. Coming up empty, you have no choice but to hang the towel back up and let your tangled hair dry all the way.

Michael looks up when you open the door. He’s also changed his clothes, switching out the cloak and tailored suit for his own pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt. He looks utterly dressed down, and a lot like the boy you used to know. There’s no alternate place to sit besides the bed, so you choose to lean against the wall facing Michael.

“Do you need something to brush out your hair?” He asks, waiting until you nod to stand. He disappears into the bathroom, coming out moments later with a brush in hand. “Let me know if this makes you uncomfortable, but can I...brush your hair for you?” You visibly cringe at this, giving him his answer.

“Uh, probably not?” You awkwardly hold your hand out for the brush, but he withholds it.

“Will you at least sit down? I just want you to be comfortable.” You hold back the rolling of the eyes. If he really wanted you to be comfortable, he would help you leave right now and turn himself in to the cops.

“Don’t touch me.” You say sharply, waiting for confirmation before you move.

“I promise you, (Y/N).” Luckily the bed’s king-sized, so you have a few feet in between. “Do you have any questions? I imagine today’s been a lot for you to take in.” He asks, leaning back against the pillows while you start to work on the knots in your hair.

“Why me?”

“I already told you this. We’re meant to be together, we’re made for each other. I know that sounds crazy to you, but it’s not. Satan made us to be each other’s soulmates.”

“You’re fucking delusional.” You spit, grimacing when you hit a particularly gnarly tangle.

“I’m not! You were chosen for a reason, we wouldn’t have crossed paths so many times like we did.” Your nostrils flare, but you move on to the next question.

“Fine then, why were you so confused that I wasn’t...looking forward to your twisted ‘bedding ceremony?’” Michael runs a hand through his hair before sighing.

“Our vows were also supposed to be a bonding ritual. It was a way to make the transition to my wife easier for you, bring out the feelings that lie within your soul. I wasn’t aware that it didn’t work on you, or else I would have never even tried that. I may be the Antichrist, (Y/N), but I’m still a gentleman.”

“When can I go home?” You fire your final question at the man, who stands up and crosses to a drink cart you weren’t aware was there.

“You do, of course, have free will. You’ll wake up tomorrow and walk right out the front door, and the secretary will tell you to have a nice day. You’ll go back to school, work, resume your relationships with your friends and family. But rest assured, if you try to go to the police about this, or tell anyone what happened, there will be dire consequences.”

“I’d like to see you try!” You snort. Michael’s demeanor shifts once again, going from relaxed to calculating as he chuckles deeply.

“The Cooperative, those people you saw out there? We’re the largest organization out there. Basically the Illuminati, if that helps you. We have members everywhere; politics, business, sports, law enforcement.” He hints, letting you know that the police will do nothing without actually saying it. “And, your parents? Is your mom still enjoying her job at (Y/M/J)? Or how about your dad, has he gotten that promotion yet?” He smirks as your eyes widen.

“You wouldn’t dare.” You hiss.

“Oh, but I would, and I think you know that.” You’re kidding yourself if you don’t think he would harm your loved ones, the man literally had you kidnapped in a well-lit parking lot. He’ll stop at nothing to accomplish his own fucked up goals.

“So, what happens now?” You finally say, Michael smirking triumphantly.

“I already told you.”

“I know that, but as your…” Your lip curls into a sneer. “‘Wife,’ what would change in my life?”

“You’d be expected to stand by my side at various Cooperative meetings, as well as helping with some executive decisions. In addition to this, you’ll spend the weekends with me.”

“No way!”

“Yes way. I said you could go back to your normal life, I didn’t say that there wouldn’t be stipulations to that. The alternative to this is always being by my side no matter what, if you’d prefer that?”

You breathe deeply, trying to make sure that you don’t go ballistic in this moment and do something that you’ll end up regretting.

“And if I do this, you’ll stay away from my family and friends?” He holds his hands up, which you think is supposed to be comforting but it’s actually more mocking than anything.

“You have my word.”

“Alright, then.” His smile only widens, his teeth looking particularly sharp in the lighting.

“Fantastic. I’ll leave you to get some rest and I look forward to seeing you next weekend.” He walks out the door with a skip in his step, and you chuck the hairbrush at the wall the second the door closes. What the hell did you get yourself into?

Tag List: @sammythankyou @let-me-try-mom @ultragibbycentralworld @sebastianshoe @nana15774 @queencocoakimmie @lichellaw @grim-adventures58 @dandycandy75 @trimbooohgodplsnoooo @alexcornerblog @everything-is-awesomesauce @ccodyfern @jimmlangdon @dolceandchalamet @omgsuperstarg @queenie435 @dextergirl12345 @americanhorrorstudies @sloppy-little-witch-bitch26

[resetmypatientviolence]

We Owe Him (Drake x MC)

Pairing: Drake x Jaela (canon)

Word Count: 2,644

Rating: PG-13

Warnings: Langauge, Suggestive Themes

Song Accompaniment: Broken Crown-- Mumford and Sons

Description: Rocked to the core with Liam’s question-- asking if their child can be heir to the Cordonian throne-- Drake and Jaela discuss what answer they should give their friend. 

Author Note: Still can’t believe PB didn't put in a conversation about this. Well, I fixed that here. Enjoy! Masterlist is found on my blog bio.

The cool ocean breeze hits her face. But instead of relaxing her, readying herself for another evening tangled up with Drake, it hits her like a brick. She tenses, sweeping over to the minibar as Drake shuts the door gingerly—and even that is too loud in the stillness of their former safe haven, lost and drunk on whiskey and each other for two weeks. But now?

Jaela huffs under her breath, wrapping a sheer cover up around her body, exposed to the elements all day and Drake’s needy gaze. The lock turns and music follows, Drake setting up for the evening, as he always did. Instead of a look that’ll send him to his knees, Jaela glares at him pouring two whiskeys. Who even are you, Drake?

Drake catches her glare and freezes, paling. Good. Cower. This is going to be a talk.“A… Abdi…? What’s… what’s wrong?” Jaela says nothing but sips the amber liquid, savoring the burn. She did good all day today after she voiced her concern and doubt over Liam’s preposterous request. Really, she wanted to tear into Drake—Drake of all people—to agree—no, think it was an honor—so quickly to this. On the last day of their honeymoon. No warning. No… no nothing. Just Liam begging them to give Cordonia an heir because he can’t. And for what reason?

She realizes she hasn’t spoken when Drake approaches her. She’s pouring a second glass, lips pursed, teeth grinding together. Good. It took so much out of her to put on a smile, to laugh, to enjoy the day with friends while her husband…. Jaela sighs, raising her eyes to him, finally. “You…” She looks away, unable to hold his gaze.

“Jae…” Like a feather his fingers traces her cheekbone, looking deep into her eyes. He’s worried. “Jae, baby, tell me what’s wrong, please. You seemed so happy today. We have an extra night—”

She bursts like a pipe, steam exploding and twisting high into the air, whiskey sloshing over the glass and to the floor. “Who even are you, Drake Walker?” she shouts, unable to hold back the words that were contained within her all day, biting her tongue each time she looked at her husband.

“Wh—”

“An honor? An honor to have our child be the heir to the Cordonian throne? You, Mr. Nobility-Is-The-Root-Of-All-Evil thinks—no, you didn’t even think—that it would be an honor to give our probably not yet conceived child to Cordonia—to Liam—just like that?!” Her face is warm—no burning—and Jaela can’t help at the tears the spring into her eyes. It was like a knife of betrayal from Drake on the beach. Sure she hid it well, jaw dropped for only a second, but she was able to turn it around—to be as she was taught. To hide. To contain. To not show her emotions as a noble.

Would her child ever get the chance to cry? To express themselves—or will they be lost to a life her nor Drake never experienced growing up?

“I… I…” Drake steps back and runs a hand through his hair, eyebrows lowered. “Jaela, listen—”

“No,” she snaps, setting down the whiskey, most of it spilled in her tirade. Melodic beats trickle through her ear canal, but she can’t hear anything but her ragged breathing and the shuffle of Drake’s feet. Gone is the pale, replaced with red. “Drake… you… you realize that what Liam is asking of us, right? What burden he’s not only placing on us to get pregnant as soon as possible—and it could take years—but what he’s doing to the future we envisioned? The future for us? Our… our baby?”

She touches her flat, bare stomach, lips twitching. Hell, she could be pregnant now and not know it. Not like her and Drake were always safe before the honeymoon. Drake’s sigh is heavy and he hesitantly steps towards her, his words coming out slow, as if he’s trying to process the reality of her statement. “Jaela… I know it doesn’t make sense why I’d say that…”

“None,” Jaela responds, gripping his hands in hers, pleading, almost. Her tears shine and his shoulders slump. “No fishing trips lost to the wilderness. No cabin trips with just us. No teaching them to be a normal kid—as normal as it can be. No chance to get a scraped knee and to understand pain. No chance to just… to just be a kid. Instead it’ll be diplomacy lessons and cameras and—and I understand they’d have some of that, and that my pregnancy would be important—but now— now it’ll be the biggest thing and we’ll go crazy. And… and god, Liam’s going to be like fucking Rumpelstiltskin with our baby, Drake. He’ll take them and—and—"

As she speaks, her voice grows more and more hysterical, grip tightening on his hands. They should be in bed now. Not… this. Jaela hates it—and hates how she had to pretend that it was all okay that her husband said it was an honor, like he wasn’t even thinking of her and what they wanted for their child, discussed time and time again on the very island.

Drake shushes her with a tender kiss to her forehead, a small smile on his lips. How is he smiling? “Jaela…” He says, quietly, then leads her to open window. Moonlight glitters on the ocean. In the distance, Maxwell jumps in the waves while Hana watches. The ocean breeze dries her cheeks, small tear tracks fading away. “First of all, Liam isn’t going to take our baby like that. That’s ridiculous.”

She frowns but let’s Drake come behind her, arms wrapped around her body. They sway in place, his chin on her shoulder. “And… yes. I… I know what we might lose. But that’s… that’s a big might, if we agree to it.”

“Didn’t we already?” Jaela sighs, thumb rubbing circles on his hands pressed firmly on her stomach.

He shakes his head. “I said it would be an honor, not that we’d agree to it then and there. I wanted to talk to you first. Think of it… it is an honor he’d think of us, right?”

Jaela rolls her eyes and snorts. “The child of an American commoner and a half-American commoner to rule a whole country when he is more than capable of making his own—yeah, that makes sense.” She stops and Drake says nothing, the look in his eye clear. She didn’t answer the question. “Fine,” she huffs. “I… I guess it’s an honor.”

He kisses her earlobe, nipping it a bit. She ignores the sensation that blooms. She’s mad at him still. “I know we might miss out on those things. But what’s stopping us from still raising them like we want?” His fingers curl against the stomach that could very well hold the very heir to Cordonia at this moment. Jaela knew the press would be looking for a bump the second she stepped off the plane. Even if it was impossible. But now to add the pressure of being the heir to the throne?

“Oh… you know… everything that comes with the crown—”

“No,” he says, turning her around, nearly nose to nose. “No matter what, our kid will know that their parents were commoners and this is what a piece of common life is. Fishing trips. Scraped knees. Breakfasts around our kitchen table made by me. The moments in between that make life worth living and peaceful. We’ll do whatever it takes, even if they’re going to be Queen or King of Cordonia.”

She offers a smile. Truthfully, she can see it. There would be nothing to stop them from making sure their kid, heir or not, has those moments of normalcy that will ground them in life. She’s sure they’d blow off Liam’s diplomacy lessons for a weekend trip that Mara can barely keep track of. There’s no doubt. It’s Drake and Jaela. It’s them. What else would there be? But…

Jaela gulps and steps away, pacing in a small circle. “But the danger.”

“We’re already in danger—”

“This is extra—”

“We have the best…” She glares. Drake sighs. “We have a pretty good security team and Anton is in jail. Nothing will get them—or us. If you think Liam is protected now, just wait until you see a royal kid.”

Damn him for making sense. But, still… something fails to settle within her. While there is an inkling of seeing Liam’s point and agreeing to this insanity, something tugs on the edges of her mind, wanting a real answer. There’s more to this than appeasing the public. There’s a reason for this rush. “Drake…” Jaela meets his eyes, cupping his cheek in her hand. She can only ask and plead with her eyes for the truth. “Before I agree to anything, I need to know the reason why Liam needs this done. It’s more than just for the people. You have to know more—”

“We owe him, Jae,” he says, quietly. At that, he steps away from her, running a hand through his hair. Jaela’s jaw drops, staring at his back in shock. They… owe him? For what?

“We absolutely owe Liam n—”

“But we do,” he says, turning fast. The air seems to be sucked out of the room with his pained expression, the guilt and weight of the world all on his shoulders and plain to see. His expression, too, is clear—it’s obvious he’s been hiding this pain away all day, putting the guilt and sense that he owes Liam behind a smile and the word honor. It’s not an honor: it’s Drake’s guilt.

Heart beating out of chest, Jaela puts her hands on his chest. His heart pounds just as hard as hers. Tears gloss his eyes and he blinks fast, wiping at them. “Drake…” she begins, soft, gentle. She wants to be mad. To be furious. To yell and scream and cry and shout how they don’t owe Liam anything. Because they don’t. But how can she with Drake looking like this? All of his armor is gone, his true feelings and reasonings for the world to see. She can’t be angry. She can only be sad, truly.

“I know… I know, logically, that we don’t, Jaela,” he starts, touching her hands, looking down at their union. His words are shaky and slow, struggling to come out. To admit. “But… but I feel like we do. Liam… Liam gave me everything. A place to stay. Friendship.” They lock eyes. “You.”

Her breath catches, heart in her throat. “He didn’t—”

“Think about it, Jaela. He fell in love with you. The first woman he loved. That was you. And what happens? She turns him down for his best friend… literally while he’s asking her to marry him. Does he find the best friend and beat him half to death? Does he leave this woman in the United States to never see him and his best friend again? Does he beg and plead and promise her more than he can give? No. He gives her a duchy, stands by his best friend’s side during their wedding, and he even gives them a tropical island to escape the world for a few weeks. Liam… Liam gave me—us—everything and all I’ve done is take from him. The least we can do, Jaela, is promise him that our child can be the heir.”

Silence follows for a minute, Jaela—and Drake—letting his words sink in. The truth. Reality. The fact that everything Drake said… is right. Liam gave them everything and asked for nothing in return… until now. Jaela gulps and draws a big breath, sliding her hands down his torso and around his waist, head over his heart. He wraps his arms around her, cheek against her head. There’s one more thing she needs to know.

“How… how bad is the situation in Cordonia? He wouldn’t ask us this if it wasn’t… desperate.”

Drake grimaces, tightening his hold on her. “He told me a bit while you and Hana were laying out. Despite all the instability before… there’s pressure like no other for Liam to produce an heir. It’s… it’s a symbol, more than anything. A symbol that things will get back on track, that Cordonia will be safe and secure, and if anything, it’s a welcome relief to focus on Cordonia’s future when the recent past has been rocky. A symbol of hope, he said. And… and since he wants to marry for love… he needs to placate the public as best he can. They need something to believe in, to trust and respect Liam, and as archaic as it is… a royal baby is the only thing. It’s the next step after a royal wedding.”

Jaela shuts her eyes, shoulders relaxing. Drake’s right. He’s 100% right. “Liam can change heirs, correct? If he finds love and marries and has his own… it’s not set in stone that our baby will be heir, right?”

She feels Drake smile against her, arms tightening. “Yes. I’m sure, if anything, our child will be young and won’t have a memory of being appointed heir to a country.”

Jaela looks up at him. A smile breaks out on her face. She’d do anything to help Cordonia… and Liam. And besides—if saying their baby will be heir is enough to placate the masses (and who knows how long it’ll take before an heir comes along) and help Liam, one of her best and dearest friends who gave her the world and asked for nothing in return—then she… she can do it. She can’t believe she’s about to say it. “So long… so long as Liam agrees that our child will be nothing more than a placeholder to keep Cordonia appearing strong and united—and that we get to raise them in our duchy under our rules—then… then yes, I think… I think I want them to be heir to Cordonia. For Liam.”

Drake’s smile matches hers and his eyes light up, the two on the same page. “Then… then that’s what I want too, Abdi. And I promise you that we’ll make sure this baby is the most grounded royal heir that the world’s seen. That’s a guarantee. Everything we talked about is still going to happen. I swear my life on it.”

Is it what they talked and planned for? No. But Jaela knows that if anything, their baby being heir won’t matter to them in the long run. The only thing that will matter is them. Whoever they are, and whoever they end up being. Whether… heir or not, it’s their baby. Only theirs. Their baby, a product of love and want and desire like no other. A true family. That’s what she wants—and that’s what matters when it comes to beginning their future together.

Without warning, Drake picks her up and Jaela laughs, legs wrapped around his waist as he walks to the bed, setting her down. He hovers over her, a hungry look in his eyes. Jaela bites her lip. From fighting and guilt to agreeing that they’ll give Cordonia a heir to…. Her eyes travel down his body. He’s certainly ready.

Drake runs a hand down her body. “I know we didn’t plan for this, exactly. But you have to agree that at least it’s pretty damn fun with this whole heir making process.”

Jaela snorts and pushes down his swimming trunks, pulling him down to her. “Only pretty fun, Walker? I’m about to blow your mind at how fun this heir making business can be.”

And for their last night on their honeymoon, that’s exactly what she does.

Disclaimer: All characters and rights belong to Pixelberry Studios.

Permatag: @youwontlikewherewewillgo, @mfackenthal, @hhiggs,  @ashtonmore, @enmchoices @the-everlasting-dream, @hopefulmoonobject, @krisnicjack, @museofbooks @ladynonsense, @innerpostmentality, @thatcatlady0716, @lizeboredom, @choicessa, @boneandfur, @tmarie82, @speedyoperarascalparty, @thatspicegirlssong @zigthetwig @craftytacotrashdream, @blackcoffee85, @akrenich, @trr-fangirl, @client-327,  @thewolvesss, @desiree-0816

Drake: @fairydustandsarcasm

Fic: @burnsoslow, @hamulau,  @indiacater, @aworldoffandoms,@nikkisha16, @american-duchess, @dreamsofouterspace, @lady-calypso @jens-diamondchoices, @jlynn12273, @queenlorelaiwalker12, @slytherindragon, @callmetippytumbles, @jamesashtonisbae, @endme420, @mindlessdreaminxo, @strangelycami, @ksuha1719, @lizarellachoices, @duzyzubr, @samara-rani, @silversparrow02, @tim-thefrog, @effervescentsass, @the13thdoctorbetterbeginger,@i-just-use-this-for-choices, @ellenholmesick, @saivilo, @wonderfulmagnificentrose, @ehkw1989, @jaey-jelly, @hopelesslyxhope, @likesmichaela, @omfgsoup, @pedudley, @mymandrake, @tinypenguincheesemachine, @puppy-rollins, @ughhhxjazzy, @puppymaster101, @personthatlovesshippings, @girlwiththejacket, @xovalkyrie,@dwarf-stan, @jellymonster, @choices-drake-zig

[mfackenthal]

MFR #10 Minipost: TRR

TRR Fanfic is abundant and I love it!  

Here’s a list of the work I read for TRR in the last two months.

Epiphany (series) by @ao719

In this series – we get to see what may have happened in Liam let fear keep him from proposing to MC (Daniella) when he had the chance. Instead, he didn’t choose her out of fear that doing so would put her more in harm’s way.  When Daniella returns and Liam has to watch her fall for another man … let’s just say sparks fly.  Come see if Liam can prove he still has what is needed to get the girl.

The Consequence of Secrets – Part 18 – The ICU by @blackcatkita

The pregnant Queen is finally awake.  She’s on anesthesia and a bit high – so that’s entertaining.  Liam’s anger is thawing towards Drake (finally!) This series is so good – so if you haven’t started it – it’s time to catch up.  And if you’ve been waiting for the next chapter – here it is!

Vengeance (series) by @ao719

Colette comes to Cordonia on a mission.  Drake seems to know her and be able to vouch for her.  Liam, of course, falls for her quickly.  As people in high places end up in jail for their illegal activities, Colette’s life is threatened.   Is Colette a danger to the crown?  Will Liam be able to keep her safe? 

Guarded Hearts by @lolablackwrites

In the most recent chapter (37), Bas and Alice are back together.  Bas asks Alice to move in with him!  We get more of BFF Frankie.  A delightful conversation occurs between Alice and Bertrand.  This chapter made me snort coffee.  It hurt but it was so worth it.  As the president of the Bastien Fanclub – I’m telling you that you must read this if you love Bas!

Worth the Wait by @speedyoperarascalparty

Happy Father’s Day Drake Walker!

The Sins of the Father by @sawyeroakleyscowboyhat

Liam learns that Drake is his brother.  Come find out how that happened.

Running on Fumes by @cocomaxley

When exhausted men babysit their children, they learn the importance of tagging their strollers.

Liam’s Journal (series) by @whenyourheartskipsabeat

TRR book 1 through Liam’s 5 senses.  You know the story – but not this intimately.

A Question of Paternity (series) by @whenyourheartskipsabeat

Riley marries Drake and quickly learns she is pregnant.  Is it possible that Drake is not the father?

Marry Me by @theroyalweisme

Drake watches the love of his life marry someone else.  It’s beautiful anguish. 

Family Secrets (series) by @whenyourheartskipsabeat

Bertrand knows there’s a sister Beaumont out there.  Maxwell doesn’t.  Maxwell invites Nev to come compete for Liam.  The stage is set for secrets to reveal something good or make life more complicated.

Whatever Comes Next by @drakewalkerwhipped

Drake and Jaela are on their honeymoon.  This is a chapter of love, smut, tenderness AND plot. 

A Twist in the Tale by @whenyourheartskipsabeat

Things are a little different in this story about when Liam learns what happened with Tariq.

Living with Consequences by @argylemnwrites

Drake and Riley agreed their child could be the next heir to the throne and regretted it almost immediately … come find out a few of the reasons why.  I particularly love how Drake and Riley are on the same page at the end. 

Sweethearts (series) by @elles-choices​

Liam is King.  Lola is a fashion icon.  They’ve found a way to get back together but that’s still not public knowledge.  In this NSFW chapter, Liam lets Lola know that she can be seen with someone else, but he owns her body and heart.

July 1: Home by @darley1101

Liam and Karin (MC) take a moment to breath and remember how lucky they are.

Finding Riley (series) by @emceesynonymroll

An amazing AU where we learn that Riley isn’t who she originally claimed to be but she may just be what Cordonia needs.  This was so creative, I was hanging on every new chapter.

Unexpected (series) by @ao719

Driam x Riley – it’s NSFW, it’s sexy, no one has been able to clearly think through their feelings on their own, let alone share those feelings … but there’s a lot of love to go around.  I cannot wait to see where this one goes!  And in the meantime – every chapter is HOT HOT HOT!!!

We Owe Him by @drakewalkerwhipped

The conversation we all deserved between Drake and MC about naming a child the next heir. It’s real, it’s honest, it’s intense.

The Secrets Out (series) by @ao719 (CGW)

Liam has a cousin that Anitah had a one-night stand with and never mentioned anything … Liam is very drunk when he learns this and says shit he never should have even thought.  Check out this series to learn how Liam learns this truth and then whine with me for more so we can learn how Liam gets out of the dog house. 

One Handsome Devil (series) by @onehandsomedevil-trr

Follow the TRR story that you love with greater details.  Drake with with MC (Kate) and right now Liam is with Hana.  Liam and Hana is not a pairing I usually like – but it works.  Come see why.

The Royal Honor by @katedrakeohd

This is going to kind of follow the plot of The Royal Heir … but with @katedrakeohd flair. 

Pas de trois (series) by @ritachacha

Maxwell has married MC (Riley).  She has had a few flings with Liam … which Maxwell has just recently learned and is not thrilled by.  Liam has asked for permission to be with Riley so that an heir might be born.  No one seems to be speaking their full truths – least of all Riley and Maxwell.  But the sex they’re having is hot.  I can’t wait to see where things go from here.  

Fall Apart (series) by @debramcg1106

Riley and married Liam and let’s just say that Drake is not handling that very well.  Drake has friends who want to help – and some who will force him to get help.  Will he accept it?

Totally, One-Hundred Percent Brand New Information by @argylemnwrites

A delightful story about how and when Maxwell figures out that Riley has fallen for Drake.  Maxwell is such a good friend!

Treason Never Wins (series) by @whenyourheartskipsabeat

Liam and Riley are trying to get down the aisle, but Anton may find a way to stop the wedding.  Will everyone survive?

Don’t Confuse Having a Career with Having a Life by @choicecrossover

Ana De Luca interviews Bastien and Rinda.  While I believe that MFackenthal would give a better interview, I am in love with Bastien and Rinda.  This interview is just one more reason why.

Worlds Collide: Prologue by @cordoniansgonewild

An AU to the original AU – The start of a social season where Liam isn’t the only guy looking for a partner in life.

All He Wanted by @emceesynonymroll

Drake wakes up one morning to the life he always thought he wanted … but everything is not as it seems.  Come figure out what is going on. 

Be Careful What You Wish For (series) by @bobasheebaby

Liam does not accept that Rebecca could really choose Drake and he continues to pursue her after their marriage.  If you get in Liam’s way – you may end up dead.  Can Liam be stopped?

I’m Flossy by @cordoniansgonewild

Liam’s dance is caught for others to see. 

The Pain is In the Knowing (series) by @ritachacha

In this beautifully written and bittersweet story – Maxwell is in love with Savannah. Will he tell her or let her marry his brother?

Obsessed (series) by @speedyoperarascalparty (CGW)

Drake and Pam have a stalker.  This person is closer than we want.  Danger! Danger!  Can Drake keep Pam safe?

More than This by @hopefulmoonobject

To be honest, I had a small hand in the creation of this one – so yeah yeah bias blah blah blah.  But seriously – it’s sooooo good and popular demand has asked for it to become a series.  I cannot wait to see where things go!  Leo is trying to turn a new leaf.  He’s getting clean from alcohol, but other addictions are harder to let go … then he meets a woman that might just be worth staying healthy for.

The Masterlist for @stopforamoment

Bas and Rinda.  Rinda is my spirit animal.  This series is AMAZING!  It’s the slow burn of slow burn.  I had to edit a few chapters just to get a damn kiss!  BUT Rinda is full of life.  She’s soulful.  She brings out a lighter side for Bas.  The humor in this series will surprise you at times.  I read series 1 – 6 in two days and will be catching up on the next 20 series as soon as I can.

All the Stars (mini-series) by @ao719

Liam and MC (Lauren) have a child, but Lauren stays in New York to raise their child.  Can Liam convince her to come to Cordonia? Bring some tissues for the later chapters. 

The Commoner’s Wife (series) by @dcbbw

Riley has married Drake – but is it out of obligation or love?  Liam and Riley are having an affair.  Liam wants Riley but he also wants the sneaking around to end.  What does Riley want?  Drake isn’t as in the dark as everyone is trying to convince him to be.  It’s complicated and sexy and I cannot wait to see where things go from here. (Many thanks to @darley1101 who told me to read this!)

All Is Not What It Seems (series) by @whenyourheartskipsabeat

Is Liam cheating on Riley with Hana?

Addicted (Preview 2) by @indiacater

Liam and Naima were addicted to each other in the past.  They’ve been forced apart but now Naima is back – and the addiction is too.  Things are going to get delightfully messy. 

Crazy Week by @butindeed

It’s all in the title ;)  It’s a crazy week for Riley, Liam, Drake, Hana and more.  A TRR AU.

A Peek Behind Liam’s Instagram (series) by @the-soot-sprite and @zaffrenotes

Pictures may say more than words – but that won’t keep the Cordonian crew from sharing their opinions.    

Shameless Promotions:

The MFackenthal Show with @cordoniansgonewild: Think Ellen meets choices.  In this episode, the ladies of Cordonian’s Gone Wild take over The MFackenthal Show – let the shenanigans and drinking commence while you learn how these four ladies make the magic happen.

From the World’s Collide AU with @cordoniansgonewild come 5 interviews with MFackenthal and the guys:

**MFackenthal Interviews Liam from @cordoniansgonewild

**MFackenthal Interviews Drake from @cordoniansgonewild

**MFackenthal Interviews Rashad from @cordoniansgonewild

**MFackenthal Interviews Leo from @cordoniansgonewild

**MFackenthal Interviews Maxwell from @cordoniansgonewild

[dukereviewsmovies]

Duke Reviews: Iron Man 2

Hello, I'm Andrew Leduc And Welcome To Duke Reviews, Where We Are Continuing Our Look At The Marvel Cinematic Universe...

As We See The First Sequel For Tony Stark, Otherwise Known As Iron Man Called Iron Man 2...

Taking Place 6 Months After The First Film And Before The Events Of The Incredible Hulk, Tony Resists All Phone Calls From The U.S Government...

(Start At 0:45, End At 0:51)

To Hand Over His Iron Man Tech While Also Dealing With His Declining Health From The Arc Reactor In His Chest As The Element That Powers It Is Slowly Killing Him. Meanwhile, Rogue Scientist Ivan Vanko (Played By Mickey Rourke) Has Developed The Same Technology And Built Weapons Of His Own In Order To Pursue A Vendetta Against The Stark Family, Will Tony Get The Government To Back Off And Stop Vanko At The Same Time?

Let's Find Out As We Watch Iron Man 2...

Starting In Russia In The Room Of Anton Vanko Who Watches The Ending Of The First Movie. Calling His Son, Ivan To His Room, Anton Tells Ivan That That Should Be Him And That All He Can Give Him Is His Knowledge Before Anton Dies...

After That We Watch A Montage Of Ivan Making An Arc Reactor Before We Get A Title Card...

6 Months Later, Tony Stark Makes A Fantastic Enterance And A Maaaarvelous Introduction At The Opening Of The Stark Expo Which (According To Psylocke Disguised As A News Reporter) Is Going To Be Going On All Year...

Signing Autographs While We Get A Stan Lee Cameo...

Stan Lee Cameo!

Tony Eventually Makes It Out To His Car Where He's Confronted By A U.S. Marshal (Who Is Actually Sue Storm From Fan4stic) Who Gives Tony A Summons To Appear Before The Senate Armed Services Committee...

Which Actually Should Be Called The Larry Sanders Show...

And The Next Day In Washington D.C., Stark Meets With The Committee, Headed By Larry Sanders Himself, Gary Shandling Who Tries To Get Tony To Turn Over The Iron Man Suit To Hydra...

Oh, I'm Sorry I Meant To Say The American People, (Laughs) Have No Idea Why I Mentioned Hydra, Let's Just Forget I Ever Said It...

Having Their Primary Weapons Contractor, Justin Hammer (Played By Sam Rockwell) Make A Speech Why Tony Being Iron Man Is A Bad Idea, They Soon Have Rhodey (Now Played By Don Cheadle) Enter The Chamber As Over The Past Year Rhodey Has Made A Report On Iron Man...

Having Rhodey Read A Specific Paragraph In His Report (Despite Them Telling Rhodey That He'd Be Testifying In A More Comprehensive And Detailed Manner) He Reads It, However Despite The Senator Telling Rhodey To Stop He Goes On To Read Another Paragraph That Shows The Good Of Tony As Iron Man Than The Bad...

Showing Photos That Show That Enemies Around The World Are Making Manned Copies Of The Iron Man Suit, Tony Soon Shows That All Those Copies Are Years Behind Him And Will Most Likely Never Come To Fruition...

(Start At 3:13, End At 4:39)

Back In Russia, Ivan Starts Production Of His Electric Whips, Which He Manages To Get On-Line...

Meanwhile At Tony's Malibu Home, We Discover That The Arc Reactor That's Keeping Tony Alive Is Apparently Killing Him And Tony's Continuing Use Of The Iron Man Suit Is Accelerating His Condition As Another Palladium Core Has Been Depleted And Despite Running Simulations No Other Element Can Be A Suitable Replacement For The Palladium Core...

With Pepper Coming In To Talk About Buisness, Tony Finds It Completely Boring And Decides To Make Pepper CEO Of The Company. Completely Speechless And Not Knowing What To Say, She Eventually Says Yes...

As Ivan Buys A Ticket To Monaco, Tony Boxes With Happy...

Even Though The Last Time Jon Favreau Was In A Boxing Or Wrestling Ring He Got His Ass Handed To Him And His Girlfriend Broke Up With Him Because He Wouldn't Quit, Even Though He Had Broken Every Single Bone In His Body...

While Pepper Tries To Get Tony To Sign Over His Company While Also Hiring A New Assistant For....Tony....

This Is Natalie Rushman, (Played By Scarlett Johansson) Who Quickly Becomes Tony's Assistant After Kicking Favreau's Ass Again...

Seriously, Jon, How Long Can You Stand In A Ring Without Getting Your Ass Kicked?

And Tony Finds Some Hot Pics Of Natalie That Defiantly Belong In A Victoria's Secret Catalog...

Going To Monaco With Pepper And Natalie For The Monaco Grand Prix, They Run Into Elon Musk And Justin Hammer And His New Squeeze, Christine Everhart...

While In The Bathroom, Tony Decides To Pull A Bruce Wayne In The Dark Knight Returns And Race His Own Racecar During The Race, But Unbeknownst To Tony, Ivan Vanko Is There And He Is Out On The Race Track With The Intent To Kill Tony...

Knocking Tony's Race Car Off The Road, Vanko Tries To Kill Tony Despite Tony Trying To Fight Him Even Without His Suit But When Happy And Pepper Arrive, They Give Tony His Mark 5 Suit So He Can Fight Vanko...

Going To Prison To Talk With Vanko, He Tells Tony That He Comes From A Family Of Butchers And Thieves And That His Father Is The Only Reason That He's Alive, Saying That If You Can Make God Bleed, Then People Will Cease To Believe In Him...

After Tony Leaves, Vanko Gets Dinner Along With A Note That Tells Him To Enjoy The Potatoes Only To Discover That The Potatoes Are An Explosive Device...

Killing Some Guy The Guards Placed In His Cell That Looks Like Him, Ivan Sets Up The Explosive Device And Walks Out Of His Cell As It Blows Up...

Getting Grabbed By 2 Guards, They End Up Taking Ivan To Justin Hammer, Who Busted Ivan Out Of Jail Because He Liked What He Did To Tony And He Wants To Be His Benefactor To Which Ivan Accepts...

Back At Tony's Malibu Home, The News Is All Over The Monaco Incident, And It's Gotten So Bad That Rhodey Has To Tell Tony To Get On This Or Else The Army Is Going To Take Tony's Suits Whether He Likes It Or Not...

However, Noticing That His Friend Is Not Doing So Well, Tony Eventually Tells Rhodey What's Going On With Him, Which Leads Rhodey To Worry About Him Saying That He May Like Lone Gunslinger Thing But He Doesn't Have To Do This Alone, But Tony Just Tells Rhodey To Trust Him And That He Knows What He's Doing...

Meanwhile At Hammer Industries, Hammer Shows Ivan Where He'll Be Working While Also Showing Him His Own Brand Of Iron Man Suits That He Wants Ivan's Help With Stating That He Wants To Make Iron Man Look Like An Antique Which Ivan Tells Him That He Can Make That Happen

Later That Night, Tony Prepares For His Birthday Party With Natalie As Tony Asks Her That If She Knew That This Was The Last Birthday She Was Ever Going To Have, How Would She Celebrate It And Natalie Tells Him That She Would Do Whatever The Hell She Wanted Whomever She Wanted...

And Boy, Is She Going To Regret That!

Tony Gets In His Iron Man Suit And Gets Stonefaced Drunk To The Point It Takes Rhodey In The Mark 2 To Stop Tony...

(Start At 0:46, End At 3:29)

Well, At Least All Life Didn't Stop Instantaneously And Every Molecule In Their Bodies Didn't Explode At The Speed Of Light...

With Rhodey Flying Away With The Mark 2 And Placing It In The Military's Hands, Tony Goes Out For Doughnuts Only To Have A Conversation With Nick Fury (Played By Samuel L. Jackson) Who Reveals That Natalie Rushman Is Really Natasha Romanov Otherwise Known As The Black Widow, Who Gives Tony Some Lithium Dioxide To Take The Edge Off While He Finds A Way To Fix The Problem...

Telling Fury That He's Gone Through Every Element To Try To Replace The Palladium But None Are Feisable, Fury Tells Tony That He's Wrong And He Hasn't Tried Everything...

Meanwhile At Hammer Industries, Hammer Sees How Ivan Is Doing On His Iron Man Suits Only To Discover That He Has Turned Hammer's Suits Into Drones. Not Happy About This, All Hammer Tells Him That They Better Be Impressive....

Returning To His Mansion With Fury, Natasha And Coulson, Fury Tells Stark That The Arc Reactor Is Based On Unfinished Technology That His Father Said Was The Stepping Stone To Something Greater And Something So Big It Was Going To Make The Nuclear Reactor Look Like A AAA Battery...

(Start At 1:15, End At 3:32)

With Fury And Romanov Leaving Tony With Coulson And A Box That's Been In Their Custody For Ages, Tony Figures What The Hell And Gets To Work As The Military Gets Justin Hammer To Update The Mark 2 With His Weapons...

Back At His Malibu Mansion, Tony Watches A Film Reel Of His Father That Looks More Like Howard Stark's Funniest Home Videos At First But Then It's Soon Revealed To Be A Secret Message To Tony...

(Start At 2:13, End At 2:59)

Visiting Pepper At Stark Industries, Tony Tries To Tell Her Everything Even The Point That Natalie Is A Spy (To Which She Tells Tony To Drop Dead In Russian) But Pepper Just Doesn't Want To Hear It From Tony Anymore To The Point That She Goes Back To Work...

But Before Tony Leaves, He Looks At His Father's Model Of The Original 66 Stark Expo And On It, It's Enscribed That The Key To The Future Is Here, Which Has Tony Thinking That Whatever His Father Left For Him Has To Be In The Model So, Tony Decides To Take The Entire Model Back To The Mansion, So J.A.R.V.I.S. Can Make A 3D Model Of It...

Flipping It Upward We See That The Model Looks Like An Arc Reactor, Getting Rid Of Nearly Everything On The 3D Model Except For The Pavilions Which He Uses As Protons And Neurons As The Framework To Discover The New Element...

J.A.R.V.I.S. Tells Tony That The New Element Will Make A Viable Replacement For Palladium If Synthesized, So, Tony Gets Back Into Construction Mode In Order To Do So

With Coulson On His Way To New Mexico For The End Credits Scene, Tony Gets To Work On Synthesizing The New Element And Succeeds With The Reactor Accepting The New Element...

Back At Hammer Industries, Ivan Gets To Work On Some New Electric Whips As Hammer Calls Him To Say That Larry Sanders Wants To Pop By To See The Drones But Telling Hammer That The Drones Won't Be Ready By The Time They Arrive, Hammer And His Men Pay Ivan A Visit...

As Hammer Says That He's Going To The Stark Expo And When He Gets Back They're Going To Renegotiate Their Deal And If He Doesn't Make Good On It, He's A Dead Man. Leaving Ivan With 2 Guards, He Takes Care Of Them Before Calling Tony...

Tony Tries Tracing The Call But Ivan Hangs Up Before The Trace Can Be Completed. Believing That Hammer Might Be Involved With Vanko, Tony Puts In The New Arc Reactor And Tells J.A.R.V.I.S. To Put A New Suit Together...

That Night At The Stark Expo...

Honestly, If Justin Hammer Was Going To Come Out To Music Why Wasn't It This Music?

Anyway, Justin Hammer Begins His Presentation By Introducing The Hammer Drones...

(Start At 1:32, End At 3:20)

But Before Hammer Can Finish What He Was Saying, Tony Arrives In His Brand New Mark 6 Armor To Tell Rhodey That Vanko's Alive And He Believes Hammer Is In Cahoots With Him, But Before Rhodey Can Do Anything His Suit Locks Up And The Drones Go On-Line And Start Attacking Not Just Tony But Everyone Else...

Tony Tries Hacking Into Rhodey's Shot But He's Unable To And So Is Hammer, Who Is Attempting To Get The Drones Back On Line As Pepper And Natasha Arrive To Figure Out What's Going On But Not Wanting To Tell Them, Natasha Puts Hammer In An Arm Hold Which Makes Him Tell Everything...

Tony Dodges Rhodey And The Drones Attacks While Natasha Goes With Happy To Hammer HQ To Deal With Vanko...

Eventually We Get A Scene Where Tony Saves A Young Boy In An Iron Man Mask (That's Supposed To Be A Young Peter Parker) From A Hammer Drone...

Yeah, This Is One Theory I Don't Buy Even Though Marvel Confirmed This Because The Age That This Kid Is Now And The Age Peter Is In Civil War Don't Seem To Add Up To Me....

Tony Continues To Dodge Attacks From Rhodey And The Drones As Natasha Arrives With Happy At Hammer HQ...

(Start At 1:19, End At 3:19)

When Natasha Eventually Arrives At Vanko's Room, She Finds Him Gone Which Gives Natasha An Opportunity To Both Shut Down The Drones And Get Rhodey Back On-Line To Which She Succeeded At That...

(Start At 1:31, End At 4:38)

With Hammer Arrested, Vanko Arrives In A Brand New Suit And Starts To Give Both Tony And Rhodey Trouble Eventually Leaving Them With Only One Option Left And That's Crossing The Streams...

(Imitating Bill Murray In Ghostbusters) I Love This Plan!, I'm Excited To Be Apart Of It!, Let's Do It!

With Vanko Near Death, He Sets His Suit And All The Drones To Self Destruct, Knowing That Pepper Is Near One Of The Drones Tony Races Off To Save Her...

Saving Pepper In The Nick Of Time, She's Not Exactly Happy To See Tony Saying That She Can't Handle The Pressure Anymore To The Point That She Quits Her Job, Understanding Why Tony Accepts And Kisses Her...

The Next Day, Fury Has A Meeting With Tony To Show Him Romanov's Assessment Of Him For The Avengers Initiative To Which She Decides That Iron Man Should Be Involved But Tony Stark Shouldn't. This Leads Fury To Decides To Use Stark As A Consultant...

Refusing At First Because Fury Can't Afford Him, Tony Says He'll Do It On One Condition And That's That Larry Sanders Gives Him Their Medals In Washington That They've Earned For Saving Everyone And He Makes It Happen...

In The End Scene For This Movie, We See Coulson Arrive In New Mexico Where He Makes A Phone Call To (Maybe) Nick Fury To Tell Him That They've Found It Only For The Camera To Zoom Out To Show Us Thor's Hammer...

This Movie...Is Okay..

It Has It's Good Moments And It's Bad Moments, I Love The Fight Scenes In This Movie, The Stuff Between Tony And Nick Fury Is Interesting Along With Most Of The Story Where The Rest Is Just Okay Or Groan Worthy And To Tell You The Truth I Can And I Can't See Why People Hated The Movie So Much, Yeah, It's Iron Man Against Another Guy In A Suit Of Armor But So What? The Scene Was Awesome And I Really Liked It, The Story Doesn't Go Anywhere? Bullshit, It Doesn't!, Black Widow Was A Wasted Character? Yeah, Kind Of But In A Movie About Iron Man, You Can't Make It Completely About Her And Not Focus On Iron Man, Some Complaints May Be Stupid And Others May Be Right But Either Way I Still Love Watching This Movie And I Say See It...

Till Next Time, This Is Duke, Signing Off...

[lenfaz]

Sea Squad, ch. 13 (13/14)

Summary: Killian Jones has always managed tough spots in his con life… but never like this one. His brother is out of jail and convinced the only way to win his name back is to heist the casino of a major Vegas mogul, leaving Killian to do the planning. He now has to deal with a half-brother desperate to gain a name of his own, an ex-fling that carries her own torch against the casino mogul, his brother losing his mind over his ex-wife,  his former mentor’s depression and the one woman he can’t get out of his mind giving him chase. Ocean’s Eleven AU

Rating: M

Content warnings: semi-explicit sexual content, law-breaking (they are thieves, liars and con men), mild violence (someone will get punched), mention of former relationships (for the main pair) and cheating (but not for the main pair)

Banner (link to banner post) and art by the amazing @clockadile Go check her art tag for the fic here!

This fic would never exist without the wonderful @sambethe who convinced me to do over hot chocolate on one cold Chicago afternoon and virtually held my hand and betaed this fic for months. thank you SO much for everything you do.

A/N: A long time ago there was talk about Hook & his sea friends and a few collective posts shaped the idea of a Sea Squad. This fic is the attempt to bring that creativity to life. Tagging @queen-mabs-revenge   @thesschesthair   and @jvosketches as they were part of that initial thinking back in the day. If a few things sound familiar, it’s because they are based on the movie.

Link to  FFnet & AO3

on tumblr: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8  9 10 11 12

Chapter 13

I did something stupid back in the day, lad… and while trying to fix it, I might have uncovered something that I’m not sure if you wanted to know.

Now, we don’t have time and I know everyone thinks I’ll make it. But just in case… if you want to know who you are, Henry… talk to Smee, lad. Tell him to show you what we found out.

Anton’s punch to his gut pulled Killian from his thoughts. Taking a deep breath, he grunted and slammed his fist against the floor, holding onto the pain. His face had remained almost unscathed, nothing but a small bruise along his left cheekbone and another on his jaw. As much as he wanted to preserve it completely, he knew Gold wouldn’t buy it if his face was unscathed.

The door opened while he lay on the floor, and Killian closed his eyes for a brief second, playing the part of a beaten-up rival. His hand moved to hold onto his ribs, grunting in pain.

“Get him up,” Gold ordered, and his two goons moved to follow orders, pulling Killian up without any consideration to his possible wounds. Once again, Killian mustered all his energy to play his part. Lifting his head, he met Gold’s eyes. His suit jacket was askew, his shirt untucked, and a couple of buttons were missing. His pants had dust marks all over them. Tilting his head to the side, Killian smiled at Gold, wincing at the very last minute to show pain.

“Gold, I didn’t think you’d grace me with your presence. Not when you had such a wonderful host tending to my every need.” He spat on the floor - a mix of saliva and blood. Anton had been gentle, but the man was a still a half-giant with a steel punch. “Tell me, how is the other fight going? It is as fixed as this one?”

“Did you have a hand in this?” Gold scrutinized his face, his eyes drilling a hole on Killian’s forehead.

“A hand in what?” Killian moved his eyes around room, working to appear as if he were assessing the space. “Your wife? You know I did.”

The punch came from his left, one of Gold’s goons hitting his cheekbone and making Killian see stars. He moved his jaw left and right. He deserved that one, but he couldn’t help himself. He’d say it again if the opportunity arise.

“I’m going to ask you one more time, dearie.” Gold leaned on his cane, his mouth twisting in a grimace. “Did you have a hand in this?”

“Gold, I have no bloody clue what you’re talking about.” Killian spat the words, ensuring he was delivering them with the appropriately frustrated tone. “I’ve been locked up in here, a room with no view I might add, my body getting closely acquainted with the fists of your roughneck.”

Silence stretched between them, feeling the room with a thick air of anticipation as Killian waited and waited some more, his face devoid of any emotion except confusion, pain, and tiredness. He was pulling out all the stops on this one. It would make Nemo proud if he could see him. But alas, no cameras in this room.

Finally, Gold tilted his head, his face contorting into a condescending smile. “Fine. You’re free to go, Mr. Jones.” He moved to address his man. “Show him out. We have work to do.”

Killian made a show of buttoning his shirt back up and tugging at the lapels of his jacket before he made to follow the men out of the room. One more step down, only a few more to go.

He needed to give the delivery of his lifetime and he needed to do it at the appropriate time in the appropriate place.

After all, it was all about the setting.

/-/

“Are you sure you don’t want me to stay?” Emma asked the question for what felt like the eleventh time, although it truthfully was only the third or fourth. A duffel bag laid open on the bed and a suitcase already stood by the entrance. Her packing was almost done. She hadn’t brought much - part of always being on the road or on the run meant you got used to living with only carrying the essentials - and she was finishing arranging her toiletries in her bag.

She’d been in Belle’s suite when she’d received the call from Gold. It hadn’t taken her by surprise. The moment the power went out, Emma knew her chances with Gold were gone. And if she were honest with herself, Emma knew the moment she didn’t inform Gold that she’d spotted Killian Jones lurking around his casino, she’d made her choice. And now she had to live with it. Belle had gone with her to Emma’s room and was currently pacing back and forth.

“I don’t want you to get into trouble.” She pulled the sides of her cardigan sweater tight over her frame, averting her eyes.

“I don’t care about being in trouble, Belle.”

“I’m sorry, Emma” Belle was on the verge of tears. “Robert, he sometimes-”

Emma closed the distance between them and laid a comforting hand on Belle’s arm. “Hey, hey. You’re not responsible for what Gold does. Or Liam, or any of them for that matter.” She smiled, an idea coming to her. “Belle why don't’ you come with me? What are you going to do here anyway?” She didn’t want to leave Belle alone - or at the mercy of Gold if he figured out who was behind the robbery. It wasn’t just that she’d promised Killian, it was that Belle didn’t deserve to be caught in the crossfire.

Belle shook her head, pursing her lips. “I can’t… not yet. I just I need time to think.”

Emma kept her voice gentle. “Think about what?”

“Whether or not I can trust him again.”

Emma didn’t ask which him Belle meant, because by the frazzled look in her eyes, she wasn’t sure even Belle herself knew. She only knew she couldn’t leave her here in this state.

“How about a cup of tea before I go?” Before Belle had time to protest, Emma shrugged her shoulder. “Look if Gold wants to time my exit and remove me forcefully, so be it. I’m a big girl, I can take it.”

Belle pondered her words for a moment before she gave Emma a small smile. “Let me get the Keurig settled.” She stepped out of the bedroom and moved into the living room. Emma quickly shut her duffel bag and grabbed it. She was about to leave the room when her phone rang. The screen read Unknown Number. Her heart beating frantically on her chest, Emma took the call.

“Hello?”

The voice that spoke sounded tiny, like it was far, far away. “Turn to channel 88. Make sure Belle is watching.”

Reaching for the remote, and fearing the worst, Emma turned on the TV. The image on the screen and the little piece of sound she was able to catch had Emma quickly raising her voice as she called for Belle.

“Belle, come here! You might want to ditch the tea and bring some alcohol instead.”

/-/

We’re all set.

Those words were exactly what Killian had been waiting for as he slowly walked down the hallway, dragging his feet a little in an effort to show he’d been beaten to a pulp by Anton.

He lifted his head and spoke into the emptiness ahead of him. “What happened tonight? Did you get robbed or something?”

Gold’s reply from the other side of the hall came almost immediately. “Stop.”

Stopping in his tracks, Killian bent his head as he turned around, hiding his smirk. When he finally looked up, Gold was in his face.

“I am going to give you one more time to come forward, dearie. Where is my money?”

“Are you willing to make a deal for it, Gold?” Killian waited for two seconds, letting the words sink in and peak Gold’s interest. “What if I tell you that you can get your money back if you give up Belle?”

Gold raised his eyebrows and twisted his lips in a grimace. “Belle, huh?”

Killian shrugged. “What can I say? My brother still loves her. They were happy together.” Meeting his eyes directly, Killian dropped the affable mask. “You and I both know the only reason you went after her was because you knew it’d bring my brother pain. And therefore, it would bring me pain.”

Gold didn’t even flinch, his smile turning into something evil and maniac. “Oh yes, I intended to make you suffer. I still do.”

“Careful there. You need me if you want to get your money back. So why don’t we try that again?”

Gold hesitated and Killian knew he was weighing in on his options. Was his hatred for Killian and his family so deep that he’d risk never seeing his hundreds of millions again? Killian wasn’t going to give the man too much time to make a decision. “Do we have a deal, Gold?”

“Fine.” Gold huffed and Killian allowed himself a tiny smile. It would be out of character if he didn’t at least show some satisfaction about one-upping his nemesis.

“I know some people. I made a few new contacts while teaching celebrities to play poker in L.A. Give me a few days, I’ll find out who has your money.”

Gold wasn’t impressed, not in the least. He clenched his jaw and Killian had to bite his tongue to keep the smile off from his face. “I will hunt you down, dearie. This is not over. I can still make you suffer.”

Killian adjusted the lapels of his suit. “That threat got old a few years ago, and you’ve burnt more than your fair share of bridges since then. Especially with the people you’d hired to hunt me down last time. Such a tricky thing, not paying your debts.” Killian paused and shot him a small grin. “And let’s face it, anyone else you can think of hiring to hurt me and my brother like us more than they like you. So unless you’re willing to get your own hands dirty, which we know you aren’t, you’re left with no other choice."

Gold’s eye twitched and for a moment there, Killian thought he was going to punch him. But in the end, he simply gave Killian a dark look before turning to one of his security guards. “Call the police. Alert them of Liam Jones possibly breaking his parole, as I’m sure he’s nearby, and turn Mr. Jones here into their custody. He was acting suspiciously on casino grounds.”

Well, that was nothing that a little charm and some bail money couldn’t fix. And Killian had both in spades now. He let the guard walk him to the casino lobby. As he was being escorted, the ding of the elevator made him turn his head just in time to see Emma and Belle quickly making their way out of the hotel, carrying a suitcase and travel bag between them. They were close to the entrance when Ursula approached them.

As he waited for the police to show up, Killian couldn’t hide his smile. Belle and Emma clearly had gotten the message.

All was well.

Almost.

[kiss-my-freckle]

Something that stuck out to me in that little bit of conversation between Tom and Red in the Fall Finale. Because the only person we saw Red warn about the suitcase, was Lena, and that was a warning he gave to her through Crespin. 

Red: They’ll be here soon. Tom: Who will? Who are they? Red: I was hoping you could tell us. Tom: Nik had a friend, took DNA off the bones, ran a match, and got killed for his trouble. So did Nik. Red: And Lena? Tom: How do you know about her? Red: We have to move. I warned you and your friends. Tom: My friends. The guy who threatened Lena, told her to stop looking - he worked for you.

Tom’s last line reminds me of the 5x3 scene after their arrest-

Tom: These guys work for you? I thought I was going to jail - that I was never gonna see my family again. You’re telling me this whole thing was about getting some guns?

Interesting, since it went from bones to guns in the suitcase at the house. But back to the point... Red already knew about Lena being taken, since Crespin already spoke of it. 

Red: Tom and the others? Crespin: Status unknown. But - Red: But what? Crespin: Raymond. It’s not good.

Adding in, that it doesn’t show how Red even learned of Pete and Lena, nor showing Crespin having warned Nik and Pete. But he was already at the gas station when Tom and Lena arrived, so he at least knew they’d be there. To find Tom after he and Lena left that gas station, Crespin either knew where Pete was staying, or he followed Tom and Lena to the motel. From the motel, Crespin had to follow Tom and Lena to know where Ian took them. I’m thinking Crespin knew where Pete was staying, and was there for their kidnapping. Especially with the clerk not willing to give out information. The “can’t say, don’t know” like Anton Velov. 

More to the point, was Pete using credit cards at the gas station, but obviously using cash for the motel. Lena didn’t get a call about the motel using her credit card, so they had to rely on seeing the key that was in Pete’s car. So why was Pete using Lena’s id to obtain credit cards when he obviously had the cash to rent the motel. 

Backtracking to the moment Red met Tom outside the courthouse, where Tom got information on Pete not being married and the insurance company scam. Red already knew about Pete and Lena at this point, since he had Crespin telling Lena to stop looking for Pete McGee. So at this point, one would think Red had already sent Crespin to warn Pete, going in the order of which Tom reached out to these “friends.” 

I’m not sure of it yet, but I think Red was going through Crespin in every sense. Allowing it to play out, following its playout, and covering Red’s tracks in both. I think the gun-bone switch threw him off guard, and that’s when he had every reason to worry for Liz’s safety. So now I’m trying to track backwards to see where Red actually learned about Pete and Nik, and how he actually learned it.

Interesting too, is the scene cut between Tom and Lena at the gas station to Red’s statement to Arthur. 

"It's easy to move quickly when you don't care about quality control."

I believe that’s what he and Crespin have been doing. 

Dembe: We should have backup. Red: Too many people know about this situation already. This needs to end now.

Ian is the only one left who knows initial intention. The need for the bones and the CODIS search. The CODIS search is worthless without the bones - and the bones of the right person.

[starswillshineond]

Lights On

Trembling with fear and left with a hoarse voice from screaming for help, it simply is a scary dark place for a young girl to be in. I was about to try freeing myself again when I suddenly heard footsteps. If I were to die, I wish others would know what I have found out this day that led her to this situation.

I am Angie, I’m a teenager who loves detective works and being a spy. One subject that I particularly love to follow around is Jake. He is the town’s most eligible bachelor and he’s very kind too. I have a huge crush on him and it all started when he saved me from being bullied by our neighbour, Anton. Jake is like my knight and shining armour, he does not only save me from Anton, but he also help others in times of needs. He is everything a woman would dream of, he is everything I dream of. However, since I am still a teenager, he only treats me like a younger sister. This made me wish to be a woman real fast so that me and Jake could be together. But since that is way too impossible, I am just here looking at him from a far. I was admiring Jake so much when suddenly Anton came by. He caught me drooling over Jake, leading him to bully me even worst. I was about to punch him in the face when suddenly, I saw someone who not only caught my attention, but also everyone’s. It was a very beautiful lady, so perfect that it makes me envy her so much. I can tell that she’s not from around here just by looking at the big luggage she was carrying. Jake, the hospitable man he is, helped the woman carry her stuff and all I could ever feel is the blood rushing through my veins. I followed them, leaving Anton behind with an AJA expression imprinted by that woman. I don’t know why I am feeling this way but I guess this is what they call jealousy. As I continue to follow them I have learned that woman’s name, Kiana, and that she is here to do some research about the town. She stayed at one of the small hotels here and I can’t help but notice how Kiana flirts with Jake. Weeks past by, and Kiana is still here, accompanied by Jake at all times. Others say that the two of them are now dating, and I can’t help myself but feel jealous. Day after day, their relationship is evidently growing. I felt sad but there’s nothing I can do about it.

I was on my way home when I saw Anton, sweating like a sinner in church. It’s obvious that he was shock to see me and it seemed like he was caught doing something bad. I asked him what he was up to but he just shrugged me off and went ahead like nothing happened. It was also quite strange that he didn't bully me this time. There’s something that this guy is really hiding and of course, me being the detective wanna be,  decided to follow him around like a spy. Days passed by, and there’s really something off about Anton. I kept on thinking what could have made this guy change so much, until a shocking news spread all over the town.

Kiana went missing and was last seen with bruises on her arm. Others say she was acting oddly these past few days too. She doesn’t talk to anyone anymore and doesn’t want to even see Jake. Some of the ladies in our town says that maybe Kiana is with another man but that doesn’t answer why she has bruises on her arm and it is also imposibble that Jake could have done it to her. Right? While thinking of all the possible reasons, Anton came into my mind. Could it be him? Is he the reason why Kiana left Jake and disappeared out of the blue? If I want some answers, I should probably  go to Jake or Anton. I want to help solve this mystery so bad so after minutes of thinking, I decided to go to Jake. I should know how he is coping up with this situation and I kinda miss him anyway. The moment I knew about him and Kiana, I started to stay away from him because I can’t help but feel sad that it wasn’t me whom he’s with. Oh well, enough with the drama, I went to his house and found him talking to some of his neighbours. I can really see how worried and sad he is. Oh Jake, if only I could take away the pain you’re feeling right now. After his neighbours left, I called him and said hi. He was glad to see me but the pain he is in right now is evident in his eyes. I was about to try comfort him when the cops arrived. They were asking him if he could go with them to the police station. I really wanted to go with him during that time but he asked me not to because he believes that the police station is not a good place for me to be in. Oh please, I think I’m born for that place. Anyway, I decided to stay behind since I can’t argue with him anyway and I need to go to Anton’s place to ask him some questions. My intuition has been telling me he has something to do about this whole disappearing thing. I arrived at their house and was greeted with hugs and kisses by his mom. My mom and his mom are actually best friends since they were in college. Shocking isn’t it? How the tables have turned when it comes to heir children. I asked aunt Josephine where Anton is and she directed me to his bedroom. I wanted to back out during that time because who wants to go to their enemies bedroom anyway? It’s like entering a lion’s den or going into a battle field without knowing what could happen. Before I can even protest, aunt Josephine opened the door and pushed me inside his room. I turned back but aunt Jo told me to go and talk to him because he’s been feeling down these past few days. As if there’s something I could do about it or if I even care. I was brought back to earth from talking to my self when Anton spoke to me and asked me why am I here and that I should leave instantly. I can’t deal with his attitude and this was really a bad idea so I decided to leave but something caught my eye. His ankle is bandaged and there is pictures of Kiana in his desk. He noticed me looking at the pictures and he quickly hid them in his drawers. Now he is very angry about me being here and insisted that I should leave or else. But I’m not letting this one slide even though fear and curiosity is rumbling all over me. I asked him about the pictures and if he’s to blame about Kiana’s disappearance but before I can even finish what I was about to say, he pushed me outside of his room and locked the door. He is really hiding something and I think he is to blame about Kiana’s disappearance. I wanted to go to the police and tell them about everything I found out but aunt Jo is a very dear person to me and my mom. I can’t help but feel guilty about this and I feel like I’m being torn between things. After thinking and convincing my self that I should do something, I decided to go back to Jake’s house and tell him everything I know.

After hours of waiting for him to arrive, he finally showed up. He was shocked to see me still there but then asked me to go inside to have some milk before he accompany me home. I was kind of offended when he said milk but then just shrugged the idea off. I’m about to tell him a very important thing that could help solve where Kiana is. I told him everything about Anton and asked him what should we do. He told me that we should call the police and that I should tell it to them myself. The police is suspecting him of Kiana’s disappearance and if he can’t show evidence that he has nothing to do about it, he might go to jail. Hearing about this and getting the idea of Jake going to jail, I can’t help but feel hurt about it. I don’t know what to do anymore. I want to help him out but I can’t bear to see aunt Jo heartbroken because her best friend’s daughter turned his son in. I told Jake about this scenario and he completely understand. He then asked me to stay away from Anton and to never listen to him as he might manipulate me to go somewhere too and might do something to me. I just nod at him and he then drove me home. All through out the ride, I kept on thinking about Anton and how could he do such a thing. I know he is bad but I didn’t expect him to do something worse. When I arrived home, I went straight up to my room and pondered about the things that is going on right now. Jake drove me home, he is now finally noticing me and I can actually be of help for him. Maybe if this thing happened weeks ago, without Kiana going missing, I would have probably freaked out. But where could Kiana be? Is Anton hiding her somewhere? Could he probably killed her? Just thinking about Anton killing makes me cringe in disbelief but at this point, I don’t even know what to think anymore. I wanted to solve this type of things but if it happens to someone you know, things can get pretty hard.

Even though the things I have noticed about Anton points at him being the culprit, I still need to weigh and study things out. It could be just coincidence that he is sort of caught up in this situation. I started to channel the detective in me and search for clues and possibilities. If I am to look at the prime suspects, it’s between Jake and Anton. Kiana is always with Jake and Anton started acting weird days before she went missing. If I want to help solve this mystery, I need to act fast because Kiana might me in great danger.

Days passed, and there is still no sign of Kiana’s whereabouts. Jake was proven not guilty about Kiana’s disappearance but I won’t stop from keeping an eye on him. Lately, he keeps on contacting me and asking me things about Anton. I know he is only worried about Kiana and what Anton could have done about this, but I can’t help but feel uneasy about the way he acts right now.  Anton is locking himself in his room and doesn’t want to talk to anyone, even to his mom. Aunt Jo is worried sick about him and asked me to go and talk to him because maybe he just needs to talk to someone whom he trust. I laughed at the idea of him trusting me but decided to give it a go since I wanted to investigate too. When I arrived at their house, I found him in their living room pacing back and forth. When he saw me entering, he looked at me intently as if he is waiting for me to arrive. I know Jake will hate the idea of me coming here alone but I really have to do this. Anton grabbed my hand and brought me to his bedroom, locking door behind. I am truly scared but if anything goes wrong, I will not hesitate to use my taser to this guy. He told me to sit down and to not tell anyone what he is about to tell me. He unlocked his drawer and took some envelopes. I’m guessing it is the pictures I saw in his desk. Before showing it to me, he told me not to trust anyone because what he is about to reveal to me could put my life in danger. I looked at him like he was crazy, if what he’s going to tell me will put my life in danger then I’m out in here. I was thinking about leaving when I realized that what I am about to know might save someone else’s life. I asked him what is it about but before he answered me, he looked at me with a worried face. I felt uneasy, it’s as if he’s memorizing my face like he won’t see me again. I cleared my throat to snap him out of it and it worked. He then opened the envelopes and to my surprise it was a picture of me and Jake. I asked him why does he have pictures of me and Jake and he answered me without hesitation. He told me that he’s been following us both around because he is afraid that I will be the next victim of Anton. I asked him “Victim of what?”, he then answered “Murder”.  I laughed at what he said because he doesn’t even know anything about Jake. He didn’t answer and just stared at me and I can’t help but to feel uneasy and scared. I kept my cool and asked him who did Jake killed and how did he know about it. He paused for a second and told me that Jake killed Kiana because he was obsessing over her. I thought to myself, if you look at the two of them it’s clearl that Kiana is the one obsessing over Jake. Anton spoke and told me that it’s true that Kiana is the first one to be obsessing over Jake but when he found Kiana talking to some of the guys from our town, he started being abusive and obsessing over her. I was astounded because it’s as if he read my mind. I then asked him how he knew about this but he seemed reluctant to say. I insisted for him to do so or else I’m out. He asked me if I can still remember the time when I caught him sweating so bad. He was actually following Jake and Kiana that time because he noticed something fishy about the two. Jake was beating Kiana and because of that, she was planning to leave him. She loves him and wouldn’t do anything to hurt him. She was talking to men from our town because she needs a research to finish. However, Jake doesn’t understand her because he only believes that Kiana is flirting with the other men. One day, Anton witnessed Jake beating Kiana so bad that he can’t contain himself from barging in. Since that day, he noticed a very dark side of Jake that no one in this town would ever suspect. Kiana  asked for Anton’s help to leave the town and Jake but he found out about it. Jake went ballistic and was pointing a gun to them that’s when they decided to run separately. When Jake shot Anton, he did missed but still left a bruise on Anton’s ankle. He continued to run but knows nothing as to where Kiana is anymore. He went looking for Kiana afterwards but can no longer find her. He wanted to go to the police but he realised thatJake’s father is the wealthiest man in this town. He could easily turn the table around. There was no witnesses aside from me that is why, he is reluctant to report because  Jake’s family could easily turn the tables around. He didn’t want to involve me with this but after knowing that Jake is keeping an eye on me, he was sure that he is planning something about me. After hearing all this, I felt weakened. I can’t believe that Jake is like that or wether Anton is telling the truth. I just kept silent because there is a lot of things going through my mind. After a while, I asked Anton if I can go home now, what I have learned is just too much for me to take in right now and I need to think straight. He nodded and decided to bring me home. I stopped him because I believe that this is a bad idea. If what he’s saying is true, Jake could probably somewhere watching us. If he’ll see me with Anton, he will surely think I am in his side. It’s better to keep things low because we don’t know what we are up against or who I am up against.

When I went outside of their house, aunt Jo was their waiting for me and asking me how did it go. I just shrugged and told her that Jake doesn’t want to talk to me no matter how hard I try. While talking to aunt Jo, I was looking all around to see if there’s someone spying on us and I did. I saw Jake from across the lot looking at me intently. I can’t read his face but he surely looks scary. I bid aunt Jo goodbye and told her I’m sorry. I acted calm and went up to him like I normally would if I’ll see him on the street. I asked him what he was doing there but he just grabbed my hand. We went to a small building across the block and with no joke, I am totally trembling with fear. The building is very old and looks very creepy. Judging by the looks of it, it seems like it is abandon for years. We went to one of the rooms in the building and surprisingly, it looks nice in the inside. Nicer than our living room even. He is still not talking to me and was just getting some stuff all over the place. The silence is so deafening so I asked him why he brought me here. In my mind, I was thinking of a thousand of ways for me to leave this place if ever he will do something bad. I sneaked out my phone and dialed Anton’s number. If there is something that’s going to happen to me, at least someone knows where I’m at. I was dropping hints as to where we are while talking to Jake so that Anton will have the idea of where to find us. With a very serious tone, Jake asked me why I am at Anton’s house when he clearly instructed me not to. It’s very clear that he is angry with me but I have never seen him this way before and it’s making me more scared. I told him that aunt Jo asked me to because Anton needs all the help he could get. After hearing this, he shouted at me and started to throw things. I am thinking that Anton might be really right about Jake. He is not what we think he is. I tried to explain to him but he just kept on throwing things, even hitting me in the arm. I lied to him by saying that we didn’t even talk because Anton won’t open his door. He slowly calmed and composed himself. He was then begging for my forgiveness because it was not his intention to scare me or hurt me. He was just scared that something bad might happen to me because I went to Anton’s house alone. He noticed the wound on my arm that he caused and started to talk to himself. He was beating himself because he hurt me. I can’t understand this guy anymore and I really do believe that there’s something wrong with his mental state. I tried to talk to him, telling him that I’m okay and it’s just a scratch. He slowly calmed again and started to talk like the way he used to do. He went to another room to get some bandage for my wound. I was thinking of leaving but when I was near the door, he sprung out of nowhere. He asked me where I was going and I just told him I wanted to go to the bathroom. He grabbed my and asked me to sit down so that he can clean up my wound. I told him that I should leave afterwards because my mom would be worried if I’m not home yet before 6. He agreed and insisted to bring me home. I just nod even though I’m really scared to be with him. I just want to really go home right now.

We were about to leave when his phone rang. He asked me to wait for a while because he needs to take up this call. I wanted to tell him that it’s okay if I’ll go by myself but before I can even utter a word, he was gone again. This room is full of doorways that leads to who knows what. He was really taking a while so I decided to look around and look for clues or evidences. While walking around, I noticed a frame that looks crooked. I straightened it out but to my surprise, it opened a passage going down. I look around to check if Jake is in sight but he is not. I can still hear him talking to someone from the other corridor. I went down and picked up  my phone, luckily Anton is still on the line. I asked him if he heard everything and he said he did and recorded it. He also said that he called the police from the different place. I told him about the passage that I am in right now and told him to stay on the line because I might find something here. I hid my phone and started to go downstairs. As I reached the lower floor, I noticed a very awful smell coming from somewhere. I turned the lights on to see clearly and was surprised to see the room filled with flowers. I scanned the room and started to tremble when I found Kiana on the bed wearing a white gown. I wanted to scream but I was too afraid to get caught. Kiana is here but she’s dead! It stinks so much that I wanted to vomit so much. I can’t believe what’s going on right now. This is crazy! How can someone do this to her! I picked my phone again and told Anton that Kiana’s body is here but before I can finish talking, I felt dizzy and everything went pitch black.

I woke up with a throbbing pain in my head. Someone hit me in the head for sure because right now, blood is all over me. I gathered all the strength I have left and tried to get up but then noticed that I’m chained on a bed. I screamed for help but I think there’s no use. There’s no windows around me but I can tell that I am still in the same building. Shouting at the top of my lungs, now I’m left with a hoarse voice. I feel so weak but I am determined to get out of her. I am not dying here and absolutely not today. I am only chained in my ankles so I started to look for something to free myself. I remembered having a bobby pin on my hair. Good thing I’m a girl scout before because they taught me how to unlock chains like this using pins. I am so near from freeing myself when I suddenly heard footsteps. I stopped what I was doing, hid the pin and acted like I was still unconscious. Someone opened the door and checked me. I can’t fight this guy, I’m too small to fight him with my bare hands. If I want to leave this place alive, I need to think really wisely. Moments after, the person left and I continued to free myself again. After the chains came off, I looked for something I can use as a weapon. The room I am in is like a regular room, it sure doesn’t look like a place for prisoning a person. I found a small knife and went outside carefully. I walked down the hallway and was able to went outside of what seems to be like a living room. Good thing there’s no one at site and I feel like Jake is out there probably putting flowers all over Kiana. I ran towards the exit of the building and was glad to see Anton near the door. I hugged him and told him that we should leave as soon as possible because Jake is still in the building. He comforted me and tried to calm me down. I tried pushing him towards the door but he told me that we needed evidence to put Jake in prison. Jake’s father is filfthy rich and he could just pay someone to trash the case if we don’t have much evidence. I told him that the call he recorded would suffice but he told me it’s not enough. I told him that we should just go to the police and let them catch Jake. He just looked at me and slapped me really hard that I fell unconscious. I was slowly gaining conscious and noticed that Anton is carrying me back into the building. I wanted to fight, I wanted to let go, but I don’t have the strength to even shout anymore. I just cried because I don’t know what to do anymore. Anton dropped me on the floor and I saw Kiana’s corpse sitting in one of the chairs across me. On the other side, I saw Jake tied up and completely beaten up. Anton started to talking about everything that really happened while sitting next to Kiana’s corpse.

Jake and Anton is actually brothers but from a different mother. When Jake was still young, his father impregnated their house maid which is aunt Jo. Since Jake’s father is from a wealthy and influential family, they can’t afford to have scandals like this. So to solve the problem, their father paid aunt Jo a wholesome money to keep quite and to stay away from the family. Jake was living a lavish life while Anton and his mother were struggling. Anton accepted the fact that he is just a mistake and that it’s okay if their father won’t help them. But when Kiana came to town, he was determined to have her. He tried to court her properly and all but he simply can’t compete with his brother Jake who has everything. He started going crazy about her and threatened to kill her if she won’t go with him. He visits her every night in her room without anyone suspecting because he works for a pizza delivery. Every time he sees her still with Jake, he would beat her up. One day, while Anton was planning to leave the town with Kiana, Jake caught them and tried to save Kiana. When I saw him that night, he was actually looking for Kiana who was hiding nearby. After I went away, Anton came back and dragged Kiana to this building.

This place is actually owned by Jake’s mom and when she died, she gave it to Jake. Anton knew about this place and already knows the secret chambers here. He was determined to end their life together here to frame up Jake also. When Anton and Kiana arrived to this place, Kiana tried to escape and accidentally opened one of the chambers which is where I found Kiana’s body. She hid there but was later found by Anton. Anton tried to molest her but she fought really hard. Anton choked her and accidentally killed her.

While saying this to me and Jake, Anton was crying and then laughing again. He is kissing Kiana and was caressing her. Asking her for forgiveness and telling her that everything will be alright. He then looked at us and said that it is our fault that Kiana is dead. Now he is going to kill us both to give justice to Kiana. I can’t help but think about my family, my friends, my life and how I could have lived a better life. Jake started shouting at Anton telling him that he should let me go and just kill him instead. Anton laughed at him as if he was crazy. He can’t just let me go because I have seen too much, he said. I tried to go to Jake’s side and Anton just let me do so. He was laughing like a lunatic because he says that I can now finally say how I really feel towards Jake before we die. I hugged Jake and thanked him for everything he has done for me but he slowly whispered in my ear. He told me that if he say ran, I should run as fast as I could. I wasn’t able to fully process what he was saying when he suddenly tackled Anton and shouted for me to run. I was shocked but I ran as fast as I could. I was able to get out of the building and I noticed that it is very late at night. There’s no one in the street that I can ask for help. I was running and running until I saw our house. I was too afraid to go to the police station because at this state, Anton could catch me anytime. When I arrive home, I’ll ask for my mom’s help and call the cops.

I entered our house and it was really dark. I scream to call my mom asking her to call the cops and come down. I locked the door behind and headed to my room. When I entered my room, I can see a figure standing near my desk. I switched the lights on and the I realised who it was.

“Hello Angie. Looking for something?”

                                           ——- The End ———-

[thedeadshotnetwork]

World leaders are embracing bitcoin because they're scared of losing control Reuters/Alexander Zemlianichenko World leaders are embracing cryptocurrencies so that they have some say in its future. Russian President Vladamir Putin pulled a complete 180. Last yea rthe country considered jailing bitcoin owners, but now has invested in crypto mining companies. Cryptocurrency may be one of the biggest threats to governments, security and the entire financial system that we’ve ever seen. It can help fund terrorism and its anonymity makes it almost impossible to track. Most importantly, it is poised to revolutionize global finance and banking. But our new Enemy No. 1 can’t be fought; it can perhaps be controlled. Banks have figured that out and are bringing crypto currency into the fold. The superpowers—U.S., China and Russia--will have to face the new reality. They love to hate it and hate to love it. Regardless, if they don’t embrace it, they won’t be able to control it. An enemy you don’t control is a much bigger threat. So, welcome to the new balance of power, funded by cryptocurrency. "This will ‘uberize’ banking to the extent that the major banks are spending billions to get into this Blockchain," says Frank Holmes, legendary gold investor, CEO of US Global Investors and Chairman of HIVE Blockchain Technologies , the first public company where investors can participate in the build-up and infrastructure of crypto-mining. " Bitcoin is the catalyst for crypto-mining the way emails were for the Internet. When we first heard about the Internet it was for the 'dark world', but with email, it exploded and became mainstream. Ethereum takes crypto-mining further with smart contracts," Holmes told Oilprice.com The period of uncertainty is over Russia is embracing it, with an eye to dominating it. China has banned it. The U.S. is struggling to figure out how to regulate it. But nothing can hold it back. And now, many believe the uncertainty is over. China tried to ban it in September , making it illegal for residents to trade in cryptocurrencies or start-ups to raise funds through ICOs, completely shutting down local cryptocurrency exchanges. Bitcoin’s price plunged 40 percent. Then it recovered almost immediately. This was a reminder that cryptocurrency is an autonomous system that can’t be knocked out. "The ethos behind blockchain has been tested," Ken Sangha, COO of Open Money and the Open Project in San Francisco, told Forbes . "A central, organized and powerful authority -- China -- said 'no' and we all have been tested worldwide because of it. But the system flexed its muscles. It's doing what it was supposed to do." And its muscles are the envy of tangible currencies everywhere. Bitcoin hit a record $6,000 per coin on 21 October. Naysayers came out of the woodwork to say it couldn’t possibly last, and definitely couldn’t go any higher. Wrong again. By the last week of November it was approaching $10,000 a coin . Threats and opportunities The potential security threats are clear and present, but let’s put things like new avenues of terrorism funding into perspective. At this point, terrorist groups are certainly eyeing their options with cryptocurrency, and testing the waters. In January , we saw what appears to be the first case, with the Indonesian government claiming that members of the Islamic State were transferring Bitcoin to each other. Terrorists could create a virtual currency that is even more powerful and untraceable —one that can completely bypass the global banking system. It hasn’t happened yet, but the potential is there. While terrorist groups may be mildly courting cryptocurrency, it’s not widespread. Speaking to Newsweek , the Rand Corp’s Joshua Baron, a cryptographer and mathematician, says he doesn’t really see Bitcoin as the “go-to currency for terrorists”—yet. “It does not offer enough anonymity.” While terrorism is a threat to the security of all states, another threat to the U.S. is an opportunity for Russia: sanctions busting. The rise of digital currency means that Russian officials sanctioned by the U.S. and the European Union have a way to send and receive money . While the U.S. Treasury’s Terrorism and Financial Intelligence unit puts sanctioned individuals on a blacklist that keeps them from doing any business in U.S. dollars, cryptocurrency, which isn’t backed or controlled by any state, makes it possible to bypass the blacklist. But even this pales in comparison to the bigger story here: Bitcoin and its fellow cryptocurrencies are challenging the foundations of the global banking system. Disruption of the global banking system at this point is “inevitable”, Bala Venkataraman, global chief technology officer of banking and capital markets for Computer Sciences Corp, whose sister company runs the IT backbone of the National Security Agency (NSA), told Newsweek . “Cryptocurrencies could become the new driver of international business and financial transactions, and that would be transformative, if not revolutionary,” says Dr. Makarenko, whose consulting firm advises Fortune 500 companies. But here’s the problem: “If we don’t truly understand how they are operating, who is controlling them and how to avoid it being used for illicit purposes, it may inadvertently turn out to be one of the most innovative turning points in the underworld, whether it’s organized crime, terrorism financing or corruption.” The crypto ‘embrace’ is all about control Just last year, Russia was toying around with throwing Bitcoin owners in prison , characterizing cryptocurrency as an infectious pyramid scheme. Now, Vladimir Putin’s Russia is ready to embrace cryptocurrency—if only to control it. The real push started in July , when a Putin aide unveiled his cryptocurrency mine: an industrial-scale server farm called Russian Miner Coin. In September , the company held an initial coin offering (ICO), raising over $43 million in Bitcoin and Ethereum. Then came the regulatory push. After all, Russia has lost an estimated $310 million this year alone due to lack of ICO regulation. In late October, Putin issued five presidential orders for controlling cryptocurrency. This means everything from taxing coin miners and regulating initial coin offerings (ICOs) to creating legislation for new blockchain tech and setting up a single payment space, presumably with the Central Bank. Still, the Russian government is not entirely unified on the issue. The Central Bank thinks blockchain is cool, but isn’t keen on cryptocurrency itself. They’d like to have something like a crypto-ruble that could track transactions from cryptocurrencies into rubles. It’s far more than a fad. Cryptocurrencies are becoming increasingly visible across Russia. Mining is becoming so pervasive, in fact, that computer stores are having a hard time keeping graphic and video cards in supply . The Russian Finance Minister, Anton Siluanov, has even gone as far as to say that cryptocurrency will soon be treated like regular financial securities . There’s no point in prohibiting this reality, says Siluanov. The U.S. might be of the same mind—broadly speaking, but it’s moving at a slower pace in the race to control the world’s new currency. And it’s its own worst enemy in this scenario, says Dr. Tamara Makarenko, managing director of West Sands Advisory, a UK-based global consulting firm. But Russia, for one, is much more motivated. Cryptocurrency is a great way to skirt sanctions. “The U.S. is rightfully concerned about cryptocurrencies, but like anything that may have a negative impact on national security, there are way too many stakeholders that need to be brought to the table to discuss, so the U.S. is not capable of acting quickly,” Dr. Makarenko told Oilprice.com. “The right conversations are taking place, but at the end of the day, it is in the U.S. interest to secure the value of the global position of the dollar.” So, while China is banning cryptocurrency and the U.S. is still trying to figure things out, Russia seeks to dominate. But just like China’s ban will be largely ineffective, so too will Russia’s move to dominate. Cryptocurrency is stateless, and that is its real power. It can be regulated, but not enslaved. Resilience Proven, Investors Flock to the Future Right now, about 85 percent of the world’s bitcoin trading volume comes from China. Countries with heavily subsidized energy are obvious ether mining haunts, but now the colder countries have something to offer that has nothing to do with the government, and doesn’t involve any legal gray areas that will come under scrutiny. With even Putin’s IT advisor getting into the great game, hoping to challenge China’s hegemony in Bitcoin mining, the race is on in full force. They’re hoping to capture 30 percent of the global cryptocurrency mining share in the future. Japanese billionaire Masatoshi Kumagai , co-founder of giant GMO Internet, announced plans recently to invest over $90 million in a new Bitcoin mining business that will operate as a fund, partially by soliciting capital from investors and repaying them in cryptocurrency. In North America, billionaire backing is going into HIVE, via Lionsgate Entertainment and Goldcorp superstar Frank Giustra , a legendary mining figure known for being in the right place at the right time—and always in front of a trend. The new Great Game is virtual reality, and while governments are busy trying to figure out how they can control it, investors are busy sinking billions into what is fast becoming a story of industrial-scale cryptocurrency mining. Now that everyone’s seen how resilient Bitcoin is, not only are things moving to the industrial phase, but everyone’s weighing the best venues for mining. Because even though this is virtual reality, location still matters. That’s why HIVE has set up in Iceland, where Mother Nature’s natural cooling is friendly to these massive computing facilities, and where the massive energy required to mine cryptocurrency—in this case Ether--on an industrial scale is cheaper thanks to plentiful hydroelectric and geothermal sources . First, HIVE put $9 million into Hong Kong-based Genesis Mining Ltd ., which just built the biggest ether-mining facility in the world—Enigma. Genesis acquired 30% of HIVE in the deal. A second deal in mid-October saw HIVE close a $30-million bought deal financing, completing a $7-million investment by Genesis Mining, acquiring a second data center in Iceland. And now HIVE is setting up in another ‘cold country’— Sweden —with Genesis. From China and Russia to North America, virtual is the reality. It’s no longer a question of whether cryptocurrency will survive. It’s a question of what it will disrupt on its way to the top of the global finance chain. NOW WATCH: Here’s why your jeans have that tiny front pocket November 29, 2017 at 06:26AM

[tortuga-aak]

World leaders are embracing bitcoin because they're scared of losing control

Reuters/Alexander Zemlianichenko

World leaders are embracing cryptocurrencies so that they have some say in its future.

Russian President Vladamir Putin pulled a complete 180. Last yea rthe country considered jailing bitcoin owners, but now has invested in crypto mining companies. 

  Cryptocurrency may be one of the biggest threats to governments, security and the entire financial system that we’ve ever seen. It can help fund terrorism and its anonymity makes it almost impossible to track. Most importantly, it is poised to revolutionize global finance and banking.

But our new Enemy No. 1 can’t be fought; it can perhaps be controlled. Banks have figured that out and are bringing crypto currency into the fold.

The superpowers—U.S., China and Russia--will have to face the new reality. They love to hate it and hate to love it. Regardless, if they don’t embrace it, they won’t be able to control it. An enemy you don’t control is a much bigger threat.

So, welcome to the new balance of power, funded by cryptocurrency.

"This will ‘uberize’ banking to the extent that the major banks are spending billions to get into this Blockchain," says Frank Holmes, legendary gold investor, CEO of US Global Investors and Chairman of HIVE Blockchain Technologies, the first public company where investors can participate in the build-up and infrastructure of crypto-mining.

"Bitcoin is the catalyst for crypto-mining the way emails were for the Internet. When we first heard about the Internet it was for the 'dark world', but with email, it exploded and became mainstream. Ethereum takes crypto-mining further with smart contracts," Holmes told Oilprice.com

The period of uncertainty is over

Russia is embracing it, with an eye to dominating it. China has banned it. The U.S. is struggling to figure out how to regulate it. But nothing can hold it back.

And now, many believe the uncertainty is over.

China tried to ban it in September, making it illegal for residents to trade in cryptocurrencies or start-ups to raise funds through ICOs, completely shutting down local cryptocurrency exchanges.

Bitcoin’s price plunged 40 percent. Then it recovered almost immediately.

This was a reminder that cryptocurrency is an autonomous system that can’t be knocked out.

"The ethos behind blockchain has been tested," Ken Sangha, COO of Open Money and the Open Project in San Francisco, told Forbes. "A central, organized and powerful authority -- China -- said 'no' and we all have been tested worldwide because of it. But the system flexed its muscles. It's doing what it was supposed to do."

And its muscles are the envy of tangible currencies everywhere. Bitcoin hit a record $6,000 per coin on 21 October. Naysayers came out of the woodwork to say it couldn’t possibly last, and definitely couldn’t go any higher. Wrong again. By the last week of November it was approaching $10,000 a coin.

Threats and opportunities

The potential security threats are clear and present, but let’s put things like new avenues of terrorism funding into perspective.

At this point, terrorist groups are certainly eyeing their options with cryptocurrency, and testing the waters. In January, we saw what appears to be the first case, with the Indonesian government claiming that members of the Islamic State were transferring Bitcoin to each other.

Terrorists could create a virtual currency that is even more powerful and untraceable—one that can completely bypass the global banking system. It hasn’t happened yet, but the potential is there.

While terrorist groups may be mildly courting cryptocurrency, it’s not widespread. Speaking to Newsweek, the Rand Corp’s Joshua Baron, a cryptographer and mathematician, says he doesn’t really see Bitcoin as the “go-to currency for terrorists”—yet. “It does not offer enough anonymity.”

While terrorism is a threat to the security of all states, another threat to the U.S. is an opportunity for Russia: sanctions busting.

The rise of digital currency means that Russian officials sanctioned by the U.S. and the European Union have a way to send and receive money.

While the U.S. Treasury’s Terrorism and Financial Intelligence unit puts sanctioned individuals on a blacklist that keeps them from doing any business in U.S. dollars, cryptocurrency, which isn’t backed or controlled by any state, makes it possible to bypass the blacklist.

But even this pales in comparison to the bigger story here: Bitcoin and its fellow cryptocurrencies are challenging the foundations of the global banking system.  

Disruption of the global banking system at this point is “inevitable”, Bala Venkataraman, global chief technology officer of banking and capital markets for Computer Sciences Corp, whose sister company runs the IT backbone of the National Security Agency (NSA), told Newsweek.

“Cryptocurrencies could become the new driver of international business and financial transactions, and that would be transformative, if not revolutionary,” says Dr. Makarenko, whose consulting firm advises Fortune 500 companies.

But here’s the problem:

“If we don’t truly understand how they are operating, who is controlling them and how to avoid it being used for illicit purposes, it may inadvertently turn out to be one of the most innovative turning points in the underworld, whether it’s organized crime, terrorism financing or corruption.”

The crypto ‘embrace’ is all about control

Just last year, Russia was toying around with throwing Bitcoin owners in prison, characterizing cryptocurrency as an infectious pyramid scheme.

Now, Vladimir Putin’s Russia is ready to embrace cryptocurrency—if only to control it.

The real push started in July, when a Putin aide unveiled his cryptocurrency mine: an industrial-scale server farm called Russian Miner Coin. In September, the company held an initial coin offering (ICO), raising over $43 million in Bitcoin and Ethereum.

Then came the regulatory push. After all, Russia has lost an estimated $310 million this year alone due to lack of ICO regulation.

In late October, Putin issued five presidential orders for controlling cryptocurrency. This means everything from taxing coin miners and regulating initial coin offerings (ICOs) to creating legislation for new blockchain tech and setting up a single payment space, presumably with the Central Bank.

Still, the Russian government is not entirely unified on the issue. The Central Bank thinks blockchain is cool, but isn’t keen on cryptocurrency itself. They’d like to have something like a crypto-ruble that could track transactions from cryptocurrencies into rubles.

It’s far more than a fad. Cryptocurrencies are becoming increasingly visible across Russia. Mining is becoming so pervasive, in fact, that computer stores are having a hard time keeping graphic and video cards in supply.

The Russian Finance Minister, Anton Siluanov, has even gone as far as to say that cryptocurrency will soon be treated like regular financial securities.

There’s no point in prohibiting this reality, says Siluanov.

The U.S. might be of the same mind—broadly speaking, but it’s moving at a slower pace in the race to control the world’s new currency.

And it’s its own worst enemy in this scenario, says Dr. Tamara Makarenko, managing director of West Sands Advisory, a UK-based global consulting firm. 

But Russia, for one, is much more motivated. Cryptocurrency is a great way to skirt sanctions.

 “The U.S. is rightfully concerned about cryptocurrencies, but like anything that may have a negative impact on national security, there are way too many stakeholders that need to be brought to the table to discuss, so the U.S. is not capable of acting quickly,” Dr. Makarenko told Oilprice.com.

“The right conversations are taking place, but at the end of the day, it is in the U.S. interest to secure the value of the global position of the dollar.”

So, while China is banning cryptocurrency and the U.S. is still trying to figure things out, Russia seeks to dominate.

But just like China’s ban will be largely ineffective, so too will Russia’s move to dominate. Cryptocurrency is stateless, and that is its real power. It can be regulated, but not enslaved.

Resilience Proven, Investors Flock to the Future

Right now, about 85 percent of the world’s bitcoin trading volume comes from China. Countries with heavily subsidized energy are obvious ether mining haunts, but now the colder countries have something to offer that has nothing to do with the government, and doesn’t involve any legal gray areas that will come under scrutiny.

With even Putin’s IT advisor getting into the great game, hoping to challenge China’s hegemony in Bitcoin mining, the race is on in full force. They’re hoping to capture 30 percent of the global cryptocurrency mining share in the future.

Japanese billionaire Masatoshi Kumagai, co-founder of giant GMO Internet, announced plans recently to invest over $90 million in a new Bitcoin mining business that will operate as a fund, partially by soliciting capital from investors and repaying them in cryptocurrency.

In North America, billionaire backing is going into HIVE, via Lionsgate Entertainment and Goldcorp superstar Frank Giustra, a legendary mining figure known for being in the right place at the right time—and always in front of a trend.

The new Great Game is virtual reality, and while governments are busy trying to figure out how they can control it, investors are busy sinking billions into what is fast becoming a story of industrial-scale cryptocurrency mining.

Now that everyone’s seen how resilient Bitcoin is, not only are things moving to the industrial phase, but everyone’s weighing the best venues for mining. Because even though this is virtual reality, location still matters.

That’s why HIVE has set up in Iceland, where Mother Nature’s natural cooling is friendly to these massive computing facilities, and where the massive energy required to mine cryptocurrency—in this case Ether--on an industrial scale is cheaper thanks to plentiful hydroelectric and geothermal sources. First, HIVE put $9 million into Hong Kong-based Genesis Mining Ltd., which just built the biggest ether-mining facility in the world—Enigma. Genesis acquired 30% of HIVE in the deal. A second deal in mid-October saw HIVE close a $30-million bought deal financing, completing a $7-million investment by Genesis Mining, acquiring a second data center in Iceland.

And now HIVE is setting up in another ‘cold country’—Sweden—with Genesis.

From China and Russia to North America, virtual is the reality. It’s no longer a question of whether cryptocurrency will survive. It’s a question of what it will disrupt on its way to the top of the global finance chain.

NOW WATCH: Why Korean parents are having their kids get plastic surgery before college

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[badchoicesposts]

Loyalty Or Royalty

Chapter 2

Summary: Mia Bhatt spent years trying to escape her past, trying to escape the feeling of betrayal that was left in her heart after the fire, and she finally had. She was marrying the King of Cordonia and was finally going to get her happily ever after. But, after a momentary lapse in judgement caused her to send a wedding invitation to someone she was sure had forgotten about her, she realizes that sometimes the past has a way of crawling back to you.

Author’s Note: In this fic Anton and The Sons of Earth were caught before the wedding. Also this story will contain flashbacks that will be in italics.

Pairing: Liam x MC (Mia Bhatt), Platonic!Colt x MC, MC x The Mercy Park Crew

TRIGGER WARNING: VERY BRIEF MENTION OF PARENTAL ABUSE

Taglist: @flowerpowell​​, @dcbbw​​, @texaskitten30​​, @kingliam2019​, @hopefulmoonobject​, @lovehugsandcandy​, @los-cafeteros​​, @desiree-0816​, @lovemychoices​

Prologue, Chapter 1

Mia watched with a smile as Colt blew out the seven candles on his birthday cake. He was only two years older than her, and she didn’t understand what the big deal was but she knew that as soon as his parents left the two of them alone, he would be teasing her for still being five while he was seven. It was a small celebration, with just the two of them and both of Colt’s parents, and although they were doing their best to fake smiles, both children could feel the tension in the room as Teppei and Annya shared subtle glares.

Annya rose to help Colt cut the cake, guiding his hand and portioning out two pieces for both children, leaving them alone to enjoy the chocolate dessert. Annya exited the room to place the knife in the kitchen sink, and Teppei followed soon after her, the sound of a whispered argument making their way out to where both kids were sitting.

“They’re always fighting,” Colt sulked, picking at his cake unhappily. 

“At least your dad doesn’t hit you and your mom when they argue,” Mia said, having been no stranger to unhappy parents. 

Even at such a young age, she knew it wasn’t right, and she couldn’t help but wonder why her mom didn’t do anything to stop it. She supposed it was because after her dad did it, he would always apologize and buy the two of them flowers.

“I know what would make me feel better,” Colt said, a mischievous smile breaking out over his face. 

Mia was just about to ask him what he was talking about when she gasped at the feeling of cold chocolate frosting on her face. 

“That’s not nice!” she exclaimed.

However, Colt could tell that she wasn’t actually angry because of the wide smile she had on her face as she reached over to grab her own piece of cake. She pushed it into his face and giggled softly at the angry scowl that she could see through the clumps of brown cake and frosting on his face. The two continued to throw cake at each other, laughing uncontrollably until Annya’s scandalized gasp caused them to stop. Even as she ushered the two of them into the bathroom to get cleaned up and tucked them into Colt’s bed for the night, they continued to laugh quietly to themselves. 

~~~

“We’re going to the reception in an actual horse drawn carriage?” Mia asked, a small laugh escaping her lips as Liam helped her into the vehicle. 

“It seemed appropriate,” Liam responded, wrapping his arms around her shoulders and pulling her into his side.

“Have I told you that I loved you recently? Because I really do,” she said, nuzzling her face into the side of his neck. 

Liam let out an uncomfortable sigh, causing Mia to pull away. 

“What is it?”

“I... I hope you still feel that way in a few minutes,” he mumbled, squeezing her hand gently.

“Why wouldn’t I?” she asked with an amused smile.

“I may have asked the staff to change around the seating arrangements so that Colt and Ellie could sit with the rest of us at dinner,” he said nervously. 

Mia immediately moved away from him.

“What? Why? Why would you do that?” she asked.

“Because I can see how much you care about him. He should be there to properly celebrate with us, and I figured it would give you two a chance to talk,” Liam tried reasoning with her.

“Liam, this is our wedding reception not a therapy session,” she argued.

“I know,” he said, reaching over to grab her hand. “I just thought that it would be a good chance to just enjoy each other’s company instead of fighting.”

“I appreciate what you’re trying to do, but you shouldn’t have,” she said, just as the carriage pulled up to the reception venue.

Liam helped her out of the carriage, and the two entered, the sound of cheers meeting their ears. They made their obligatory rounds around the room before settling in for dinner. Mia shot a glare in Liam’s direction as she sat at the largest table in the room, which was actually two tables pushed together to form one large enough for them and all of their friends and family. She wasn’t shocked at all to see that she was seated directly across from Colt and reminded herself not to roll her eyes in front of the entire court. 

“So, Mia, are you going to introduce us to your friends?” Leo asked, causing her to share an uncomfortable look with the rest of the crew. 

“Right, um, everyone this is Colt and Ellie. Colt, this is Leo, Maxwell, Hana, Olivia, and Liam’s stepmother Regina. And you already know Drake and obviously Liam,” she said making the awkward introduction as the first course was served. 

Everyone else already knew each other because the rest of the crew had arrived a few days before the wedding. 

“Well, it’s an honor to meet you, Colt. I can tell you’re obviously someone who means a great deal to Mia,” Liam said kindly.

“Someone who used to,” Mia muttered under her breath, although everyone heard her. 

She grabbed her wine glass and downed it all in one go, and one of the servers quickly stepped forward to get her a refill. She saw Colt raise his brows in surprise at the action, but he didn’t comment. Liam cleared his throat uncomfortably and rested his hand on Mia’s thigh in a reassuring manner. 

“So, Colt, what do you do for a living?” Liam tried again, to which Mia let out a loud laugh. 

“Yes, Colt, what do you do for a living?” she asked, her voice dripping with sarcasm. 

She watched as Colt’s jaw clenched ever so slightly and his grip on his fork tightened. 

“I, uh, I’m in between jobs right now. But, my last job was… as a mechanic,” he said through gritted teeth. 

“Do you live in New York as well?” Liam asked. 

“You know, Li, that’s a great question!” Mia exclaimed, turning to Colt and giving him her full attention. She raised her eyebrows at him expectantly as she waited for him to answer the question. 

“I’ve spent the last few years moving around a lot,” Colt answered, and Mia saw Ellie give him a nervous look. 

“Moving around where exactly?” Mia asked. 

“A lot of places,” he said, meeting her gaze head on.

“Like where?” she asked more insistently. 

“It’s not important,” Colt responded. 

“Mia, maybe we shouldn’t-” Logan tried to interrupt.

However, at this point, Mia was too far gone to stop. She held her hand up to silence him and kept her eyes locked onto Colt’s. 

“Where have you been, Colt? Where have you been for the past seven years?” she exclaimed, everyone going silent around her. 

“Look, Mellie,” Colt began, letting out a tired sigh.

“No! Don’t take that tone. Don’t act like me wanting to know is some kind of inconvenience to you or like I’m being unreasonable!” she whisper yelled across the table to keep from drawing attention from the tables around them. “And you don’t get to call me ‘Mellie’ anymore!”

He was always the only person that called her that and hearing him say it now only added to her irritation. It had originally started because he had trouble saying “Amelia” when he was a kid, and it just stuck, even when everyone else around her started calling her “Mia”.

“You think I left because I wanted to?” he asked, dropping his fork and leaning in towards her from across the table. “I left because I had to!”

“Yeah, Colt I know. I understand that just fine. I understood that when the cops came looking for me to get information on you and your father. I understood that when everyone else left too. But, you see the difference with them is that they had enough common sense to get in contact with me. They had enough common sense to let me know that they were okay. They had enough common sense to let me know that they were still alive!” she said angrily, finally letting all of her hurt and anger out. 

“I’m sorry, Mellie,” Colt whispered, his voice just as pained as hers. “I couldn’t risk it.”

“Sorry isn’t good enough!”

“Mia, please. He didn’t stay away because he wanted to. You should have seen how much it hurt him not to-” Ellie began to say.

She stopped though when she noticed the murderous look on Mia’s face. 

“You’ve got to be kidding me. You kept in contact with her?” she gasped out, the guilty look on Colt’s face answering her question. “Go to hell, Colt!” 

“Are you really jealous right now?” he asked, his voice almost amused. 

This only served to make her even more angry. She was angry that he could even find it in himself to think of any of this as funny when she felt like she was falling apart. 

“Yes! I am! You were always the only constant that I had in my life. You were the only person I ever fully trusted, the only person I ever felt safe with. You were the only person I had left after that fire, and you up and left in the middle of the night with no warning. You didn’t even say goodbye. Do you know how much that broke me? Do you know how much sleep I lost wondering if you were okay or if you were in jail or if you were lying dead in some back alley? Do you know how long I waited to hear back from you? How long your mother did? And trust me I know how ridiculously co dependent this all sounds, but it’s still the truth. But, instead of getting in contact with the only two people who would have done anything to hear from you, you reached out to some girl that you knew for four months. Of course I’m jealous! I thought I meant more to you than that!”

She pushed herself out of her chair and stormed out of the ballroom. She could hear footsteps running behind her, but she kept going until someone’s strong grasp on her shoulder stopped her from moving any further. 

“Mia, I’m sorry, okay? I get it. I shouldn’t have handled things the way that I did, but I’m here now,” Colt said. 

“No, you shouldn’t have,” she said, her voice cracking as tears streamed freely down her face. 

Mia broke down completely and collapsed into his arms, crying uncontrollably into his chest and gripping him like her life depended on it. 

“I’m sorry, Mellie. I’m so sorry,” he mumbled into her hair as he gripped onto her just as tightly. 

Mia wasn’t sure how long the two of them stayed that way before she pulled away and wiped her face. 

“I’m still so pissed at you,” she confessed, looking everywhere but at his face. “But, I won’t have you thrown in the dungeons. Yet.”

Colt laughed nervously.

“Thanks. Your, uh, husband seems nice,” he said awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck.

“He’s great,” she said with a small smile. “He’s wonderful, and I’m so lucky to be with him.”

“Did you, uh, tell him anything about me? About the crew?” he asked.

“No. The only person that knows anything about that stuff is Drake,” she admitted, feeling a bit guilty.

“Well, you’re going to have to tell him now. You kind of made a scene in there,” Colt teased, causing her to roll her eyes.

There was something so normal about Colt teasing her, something that felt so familiar and happy. But, there was also a part of her that still wasn’t okay with it yet. 

“Don’t do that,” she said tiredly in reference to his joke. “I can’t do that with you yet. I can’t joke around like that when I’m still not completely okay with all of this.”

Colt stopped smirking and nodded his head awkwardly, looking to her for an indication of what they should do now. 

“I’m going to go to the bathroom. I’ll see you back in there. We still have to get through the wedding toasts and the first dance before this is all over,” she said. “By the way, you’re probably going to have to make a toast. Try not to say anything that’ll make me mad at you again.”

With that Mia turned and went to the restroom, pressing her back against the closed door and taking a minute to catch her breath. After a few moments, she pushed herself off of the wall and looked at her reflection in the mirror, cringing when she noticed how puffy her eyes looked. She pulled her phone out of her bra and shot a quick text to Ximena asking her to meet her so that she could help fix her makeup, and then grabbed one of the spare hand towels from the bathroom cabinet. She ran it under some cold water, removed her glasses, which she refused to get rid of no matter how much Maxwell encouraged her to get contact lenses instead, and placed the cloth over her eyes. It was a trick she learned years ago to help reduce the swelling, and one that she had used countless times when she wanted to make it look like she hadn’t just had a breakdown before returning to her regular activities. 

“Everything okay in here?” Ximena asked, opening the bathroom door and pushing her way in. 

“Yes. No. Kind of,” Mia said, moving the rag away from her eyes as the other woman approached and began shuffling through a makeup bag. 

“What did he say?” 

“He apologized. He didn’t give any kind of explanation or tell me where he was or what he was doing, but he apologized, and I know how much of a big deal doing that probably was for him,” Mia said as Ximena set to work on her face. “I’m still upset, but it’s tiring being so mad, and I would actually like to enjoy the rest of my wedding.”

“Your new friends all have a lot of questions,” Ximena informed her. “They kind of fixated on the words ‘fire’, ‘police’, ‘jail’ and ‘dead’. Logan did his best to fend them off, but you’re going to have to tell them something.”

“I know. I’ll talk to everyone tomorrow. But, now I’m going to go back out there and slow dance with my handsome husband,” she said, linking her arm through her friend’s and leading her back to the ballroom.

Mia took her seat beside Liam and leaned over, giving him a sweet kiss on the lips, grabbing his hand where it rested on the table.

“I love you, and I’m sorry for losing it,” she whispered in his ear. 

“I’m sorry for changing the seating arrangements,” he murmured back, resting his forehead against hers. 

“Don’t be,” she said with a soft smile, “I know you meant well.”

The couple turned back to their friends just in time to see Leo standing and raising his glass for a toast.  

“So, as everyone knows, I’m the brother of the groom and the family disappointment,” Leo began, causing chuckles to erupt all over the room. “Even growing up I knew that Liam would make a better king than I ever would. He’s kind, compassionate, and there’s nothing he loves more than Cordonia and her people. Or, at least that’s what I always thought. From the moment I met Amelia Bhatt I knew that there was finally something he loved more than this country. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him look happier than when he’s with her, and if there’s anyone in this world that deserves to be happy, it’s Liam. So, here’s to the new couple. I wish the two of you a lifetime of happiness.”

There was a light applause from all of the wedding guests, and Mia and Liam both stood to give Leo a hug. 

“Take care of him,” he whispered in her ear right before they moved away from each other. “He needs someone to put him first because lord knows he doesn’t do it for himself,”

“Don’t worry. I will,” she said, squeezing Liam’s hand as the two took their seats once again. 

The room filled with silence as they waited for someone else to begin speaking, and Mia kicked Colt’s leg under the table. He jumped at the intrusion and glared at her as she motioned for him to stand up. He did so grudgingly, glancing around the room with a nervous look on his face before clearing his throat and beginning to speak. 

“So, um, I’ve known Mia my whole life. She is one of the kindest, smartest, and toughest people that I know. I’ll be the first to admit that I haven’t always been the best friend to her. But, even when I mess up she’s always there to help me set things straight because that’s just the kind of person she is. When she loves someone or something she does it with her whole heart. She looks past the bad or negative, and she tries to see the best in everyone and everything. That’s one of the greatest things about her, and I can tell that that’s exactly how she feels about Liam and about Cordonia. Not that Liam or Cordonia is bad!” he said frantically when he realized what his words implied. 

Mia facepalmed as he continued floundering for a way to correct himself. Maybe this wasn’t a good idea. Colt was never really good with words.

“I just mean that when it comes down to it, she’s willing to fight through difficult times if it means doing the right thing for the people and things that she cares about. What I’m trying to say is that it doesn’t take a genius to see that Mia loves Liam, and I have no doubt in my mind that she’ll make an amazing wife and queen,” he concluded, nodding to the room awkwardly before dropping back down to his seat and chugging all of his champagne. 

Mia bit back a laugh at his discomfort and reached across the table to squeeze his hand. 

“Thank you for saying that,” she whispered kindly, causing him to smirk at her.

“So, did I succeed in not pissing you off any more than I already have?” he asked.

“You almost ruined it, but you fixed it in the end there,” she said, removing her hand from his and letting Liam shake his hand. 

The rest of their friends took turns giving a short speech about the two of them, and by the end of it all, Mia and Liam were both holding back tears of happiness as they cuddled into each other. Even Regina, who Mia was sure hated her, had nothing but kind words to say. Soon after the toasts were over, the orchestra began to play and people slowly began to make their way onto the dancefloor. 

“Dance with me,” Liam muttered in her ear, pulling her out onto the dancefloor where he began leading her into a waltz.

Mia matched all of his steps and everyone’s eyes were on the newlyweds as they continued to glide across the room effortlessly. Liam spun her out a side door in the ballroom and onto a private balcony, causing Mia to laugh softly as she remembered how he had done the same thing the first night of the social season. 

“Those were some smooth moves, Your Majesty,” she said, pressing her lips to his. 

Liam kissed her back softly, and the two of them melted into each other’s embrace. They pulled away from each other after a few moments. However, Liam didn’t release his hold on her. Mia rested her head against his chest and began fidgeting with his bowtie. 

“I’m sorry that today was such a mess,” she said softly. “I invited Colt because as hurt as I was, such a big part of me still wanted him here. I just didn’t anticipate all of the negative feelings that would come along with him actually showing up.”

“What happened, love?” Liam asked, pulling away so he could look down at her but keeping his hands on her hips. “You’ve never told me much about your past, about your life in LA, and I wanted to respect your space, but I need you to talk to me.”

“I wanted to tell you, Li. I really did, and I still do. I was just so scared of what it would bring up. It’s not a time of my life I like to think back on, and to be honest, I was worried you would judge me for it,” she admitted nervously. 

“Mia, I love you with everything in me. There’s nothing you could say to change that,” he said, looking down at her with a tender gaze. 

“You do deserve to know, but not tonight. It’s our wedding night, and I want to focus on us. I’ve already spent enough of this day worrying about Colt and forcing you to worry about him too. Tomorrow we’ll have everyone meet us in Valtoria, and we can talk about it then. Okay?” she asked, smiling at him hopefully.

She felt terrible that their entire day had been spent focusing on Colt, instead of the two of them actually enjoying the fact that they were finally married. 

“Okay,” Liam said swooping down to pull her into another quick kiss before guiding her back into the ballroom. 

Liam pulled her onto the dancefloor, and the two of them spent the rest of their reception swaying in each other’s arms