11426/Family Obligations

Family Obligations
Date of Scene:	03 May 2020
Location:	Clinton (Hell's Kitchen), Manhattan
Synopsis:	Nick heads home from his aunt's place. A man attacks Grifter. It ends badly.
Cast of Characters:	Phantasm (Drago), Grifter

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Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
It is a reasonably peaceful Sunday evening and Nick has had a busy day. Church, practice, gym, and, because its been awhile. Dinner at Aunt Fiona's.

It's an awkward time. While they get along now, the nature in which Nick ended up spending most of his childhood with her did lead to a lot of unhappy memories. Most of which, were from the very area she refuses to move from. Despite Nick's efforts to get her to consider.

Dinner was served, eaten, formalities exchanged and familial obligations are complete, leaving Nick to step out from the apartment building to make his way down the human lit streets of the kitchen. He turns, walking towards a subway entrance, hands slipped into jacket pockets and knitcap helping to obscure his features from those who might recognize him.

Grifter has posed:
Grifter's not far behind. Hell's Kitchen is just a route to go from A to B to C to wherever he's going. Tonight though? Yeah sure, he's trouble...and in it. There's been some heroin shot up thug after him, some guy with a pocket knife and a desire to steal Cole's wallet and stab a few holes in his kidneys. Cole's just walking, minding his own business as he's watching Nick. Oh yeah, it's actually a nice night in this shithole of New York, as Cole calls it. Which is a fair wyay to describe Hell's Kitchen, really. Cole's not got a lot of good things to say on this bit of the East Coast...go figure.

Stepping under a stret light Cole finally hears footsteps and grits his teeth, watching the knitcap in front of him. Yeah great, a junkie that...

sniff sniff, reeks of cheep alcohol and whatever he's got in his system. Cole's not caring much. he just objects to being followed, really.

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
Being that Nick is in the front of this walking train of insanity, he is not aware of the third person. The general sense of someone looking his way is still there, but that's likely caused by Cole's general proximity. The entrance to the subway is across the street which leads to Nick stopping, turning his body 90 degrees to face the street while his head turns to assess traffic in a manner indicative of childhoood conditioning.

One glance in a direction lingers as Cole and his shadow comes into his line of vision. The mask on Cole's face does merit the most amount of attention however. It's a fashion choice. That's for sure.

The glint of metal does manage to draw his attention back to the other guy and considering proximity... Well fu-

"KNIFE BEHIND YOU!" He warns.

Grifter has posed:
Well, snap.Trenchcoats don't do good with slashes in them any. Nah. Cole grits his teeth behind the mask. Okay fine, keep the fight here, don't involve the guy who just yelled there's a knife. Alright then. Alright, fine kick this guy's ass.

Or....not? Hey, Cole brings his arms up to block the knife. Sure, take a slash to get a punch in, or....he lowers his arm to draw one of his pistols and cranks it all the way down to stun level shots. At this distance....forget aiming. Just smack him over the head or, or....something

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
Nick turns his body and starts to take a step towards the scuffle but upon the pulling out of the pistol, he stops his forward momentum. Oh! Well, looks like one guy brought a knife to a...weird gun fight?

He steps back. Curiously watching what is likely to be a short encounter. Something tells him that mask guy has things covered.

Grifter has posed:
Indeed, Grifter does. Sort of. Oh. Great. He misplaced the setting, and....aieek. Okay, that was going the wrong way with turning the weapon down, he'd jerked it up to fire, and cranked it up as high as it'd go. That quite literally blasted an armor piercing shot through the poor guy. Eh. Cole's used to killing, and this was an accident anyhow. Even if the guy had a nasty looking wound. Yowch.

Armor piercing, deadly shot. Yowch. Okay. Somebody find a body bag then, Cole just gave the coroner's office work. And there go his guns into his coat again as he looks around, shaking his head. He'd genuinely tried to go to stun but when he'd jerked his pistol up, he'd changed the setting without noticing, and....well, crap.

A quick rifle through the guy's pockets puts his mind at ease. This guy had been, apparently, robbing people all night. Jewelry, wallets, car keys. Cole shrugs and begins to pocket the stolen things.

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
SHIT. Eyes widening, Nick bites his lip and crosses the street, heading down into the subway. Yeah, he does not need to be near this. His steps move quick. Opting not to be near the masked figure that he does not know. And more importantly not being near that gun.

Grifter has posed:
That's where Cole's going too, really. Getting outta there. Leaving the crime scene and taking his weapons with him. And, oh yeah, returning the stolen things, tooo. Thieves stealing from thieves to return stolen property. Apparently, there is honor among theives...and victims?

That's a first. But hey, Cole's done his good deed for the day, shot a guy robbing the helpless. Curse you, principles. Curse you again for him having to explain to Voodoo and Zealot just /what/ he's doing. All...hey yeay, I need your help to return stolen things. no I didn't steal them....type things. This is gonna take all night.

There goes his plans for a good night's sleep. Fuck you, criminals who give Cole more work!

Behind the mask and lenses, Cole's eyes are narrowed, and there's no smile on his lips. He's not happy about this. And e stands out, too. Great. Time to just lose himself in a crowd

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
Instead of heading directly to the main platform, Nick checks behind him before he ducks around a corner, bringing a hand up to his face like he's got a bit of a headache, he starts to shift. Nothing major. Just a mirroring of his facial features. But considering what he saw, he's acting a little extra cautious, that's all.

He stops, taking a bit of a breather in his quiet area as he considers what to do.

Grifter has posed:
Grifter's run right past Nick, though he looks over his shoulder. Oh. Oh, it's the guy from the coffee shop. Great. What's Grifter going to do, buy him coffee and chat with him more? That thought does cross his mind...somewhat. Sure, sure...but....nah.

Keep yourself out of trouble, Grifter. Just blend in. Mask's still on, mind...which is a bit of a mistake

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
After being sure that no one is following him. Nick takes a deep breath and fishes out his phone, dialing three numbers. Giving a shake of the head, he leans back against the wall, listening to the ring tone.