8191/Panic at the Disco

Panic at the Disco
Date of Scene:	06 July 2019
Location:	Harlem Paradise - Club in NYC
Synopsis:	Elektra interrupts June's sting operation. After some discussion, she offers to help.
Cast of Characters:	June Connor, Elektra

---

June Connor has posed:
    Harlem's Paradise. Upscale, but exciting. Loud music blares, lights flash over the gyrating bodies. Drugs are inevitable here, but in theory there aren't any.

    What definitely is here is Antonio Melisandre. Known imbiber of something worse than drugs. He likes to purchase young girls for his pleasure. Word is that he's supposed to be present tonight. He's not on the dance floor though, not with his money. Odds are that he has one of the back rooms.

Elektra has posed:
There's no particualr rhyme or reason Elektra is here, unless you count being bored. That and the Foot clan had been known to recruit from places like this. As well as deal. She'd dressed for the occassion. Little red clubbing dress, scarff about her neck. Bright lipstick. Sparse jewelry. She looked a part while she sipped a drink, sitting in a booth, looking out over the dance floor.

Nothing suspect yet, but sooner or later something would happen. She could bide her time till then.

June Connor has posed:
    Walking up the steps is a mildly familiar face. June's hair is different. Again. Her hair is cropped into a boy cut. It make her look even younger than she is, but then that's the idea. Tonight she's a platinum blonde, and she doesn't have the earings. Her black skirt is far too short, but then that doesn't stand out in this arena. Her top is what appears to be a t-shirt that is too short, hanging only down to the base of her ribs. She doesn't seem to have spotted Elektra, and walks past in knee high boots, making her way across the balcony toward one of the rooms with a man that looks to be older, perhaps in his early sixties. He isn't thin, but not quite fat either, a few extra pounds under his white club shirt and matching sportscoat. June laughs with him, looking like she's genuinely having a good time. On the arm of Antonio Melisandre. Metaphorically at least. In reality he has a hand on her rear.

Elektra has posed:
Oh my. Things just got.. well, they were already promising to be interesting. Now they were more interesting. She calculates the odds that June *wants* to be there and comes up with two scenarios. The first rather more disappointing than the second, but both requiring her to bide a little more time. She can, however start scoping out the paths she will need to interfere or intercept, and casually rids herself of her table.

No hurries yet, just a meander towards those stairs, making it ever so casual.

June Connor has posed:
    "I can't believe it! That's amazing!" June says in the voice of a giddy schoolgirl. Not the voice that was heard on the street of a cynical foul-mouthed snot. She tilts to one side, bumping against Antonio. "Wow, I think I'm a little drunk," she observes with a smile.

    "Well, maybe we should go grab one of the back rooms so you can sit down," Antonio suggests, guiding her along. June seems to remain rather oblivious to Elektra, her attention on Antonio as he leads her to one of the rooms, opening the door. "You know, having money has its perks," he comments to her as he guides her inside.

Elektra has posed:
Oh, yes, money does have it's advantages. And while she's not bought herself a back room, Elektra does still rather reek of the attitude that goes with any amount of money. Or at least she's employing it as she engages the stairs and heads up. It's been her experience that people don't stop you if you act like you belong where you are.

But why does that little ninny thing she's doing anyway?

June Connor has posed:
    June steps in, and Antonio gives her a quick butt squeeze before following. He has a self-assured smile on his face as he steps in, and turns around to close the door behind them.

Elektra has posed:
Elektra makes her way upstairs, and, because she is just the sort of pain in the ass that she is, and expects that whatever it is June thinks she's accomplishing, it's not going to go as smoothly as all that, her next point of action is to invite herself into the room. Only with a lot less knocking than most people would use. None, in fact.

June Connor has posed:
    They really should have locked the door. That's probably Antonio's thought as the door is opened. Nobody is necessarily undressed, not at this point. June is on her back on the couch, the older man over her, caressing her face when he turns around, and June simultaneously turns to look at the intrusion. It takes a moment, but a look of recognition crosses her face. That look of recognition is replaced by a wincing narrowing of her eyes that seems to say 'what are you doing here?'

    "Hey, this room is taken," Antonio says, as if it were all an accident. He has a look that seems to indicate he expects her to apologize or at least excuse herself for the intrusion.

Elektra has posed:
"My bad," Elektra drawls casually. "Though, since I'm here, why not make things more interesting. A little two on one action?"

Oh, yeah, he's meant to think the very obvious, and very wrong, that she's inviting herself to a rather more carnal threesome than she means. But then again, that's his problem, isn't it?

June Connor has posed:
    The comment elicits a rather puzzled look from both june and Antonio, for different reasons most likely. Antonio knows better than to think this is a real offer. "Uh," he gives a slight laugh. "I think we're good here, right Britney?" June nods. "Yeah..." she says slowly, trying to figure out what Elektra' trying to pull.

Elektra has posed:
"How very disappointing," Elektra pouts. "Brittney looks like a charming young thing. Perfectly ripe for the picking, wouldn't you say? Of maybe you'd rather try something your own size? After all, a big, strong, sleaze of a man like you, picking on little girls. Afraid, Antonio? That is your name, isn't it?"

She knows it is, but she's hoping to disarm him further. She's expecting a fight. That she's prepared for.

"Let the little girl go. We'll talk."

June Connor has posed:
    Antonio sits back up on the couch. "Okay, so you know my name, but she's here on her own accord. Maybe you could find another guy who's lonely tonight." He gives a dismissive shooing motion with his hand.

    June, for her part, just lays there, looking like she isn't sure what to do with the situation in front of her. An act? Or genuine? Hard to say.

Elektra has posed:
"I'll watch then," Elektra says simply. "Unless you think you can make me leave."

His shooing gesture is ignored with much amusement. Better men - and women - had tried that before with less success.

June Connor has posed:
    "Maybe I should go," June says, realizing that Antonio is at an impass with Elektra. She sits back up, and starts to stand to her feet. Antonio catches her by the wrist, and pulls her back down to the couch.
    "No, I'll handle this," he says. "Look, lady, I dunno what you want? But I don't know you. Don't want to know you." He gets to his feet. "And certainly don't want you infringing on an intimate moment between myself and this wonderful young woman." He walks over, and reaches out to put his hand on Elektra's shoulder

Elektra has posed:
Reaches out to. Doesn't make contact. That is, he tries, and she blocks him. Emphatically.

"Let's try this again. You're a low life lying piece of sewer scum. And you're not doing business here tonight. Do we understand one another?"

"The girl comes with me. Or shall I break that arm to make my point." Words calm. Quiet. Collected. And said with the aura of one who has no doubt she can deliver upon the threat.

June Connor has posed:
    Antonio frowns. "Now look here, bitch-" he says, only to be interrupted by June sliding between the two of them.
    "Whoa whoa," she says, holdig her hands up over her head as if in surrender. "Let's scale it back. Um, Mr. Melisandra," she says, maintaining her girlish voice. "This is my Aunt Freda," she gives a look back at Elektra, her face face turned where Antonio can't see for the moment, she gives a rather angry scowl at her before turning back as if it never was. "I better go," she says. "Bet my mom sent her after me."

    There is a certain whiteness that comes over his face, as if he's afraid of what that entails. How old is June actually? Or how old did she say she is. It'd be believable that she is a young high school girl if someone claimed it.

Elektra has posed:
"Now, see, was that so difficult?" Elektra smiles sweetly at the man, and fires off a spate of Greek at the girl that amounts to, 'Your mother is going to hear about this, but first you and I are going to talk'.

No, she doesn't expect June to understand it, but he might.

Before she leaves, though, Elektra leans in to whisper against the man's cheek, "Touch another child and I will kill you. Slowly and painfully. You'll be begging before I'm through."

June Connor has posed:
    Antonio doesn't answer, but June doesn't wait for a full conversation regardless. She is walking toward the stairs already, heading down them in a rather decisive pace. Clearly she's not happy about what just happened. The high heel boots clap on the stairs as she makes her way away from the scene, not interested in slowing for Elektra to keep up with her.

Elektra has posed:
Elektra follows out after the girl, close on her heels, letting June lead the way. Expecting that she may well have to 'encourage' her to leave the establishment. Either way, she and June are going to have a talk - a talk that likely should have happened sooner than this.

When they've exited the building and are far enough away, the woman murmurs, "I don't know what you think you were doing, but you play dangerous games, little girl. You aren't as clever as you think. If you want him, we can take him, but not like that. He'll want you even more now after that little taste, and knowing you're forbidden fruit."

June Connor has posed:
    June doesn't actually need any encouraging. Her reason for being there has been spent. "Okay Auntie Freda," she says with a scowl, turning around as she leaves. "I wasn't after him. I'm after the guy who supplies the girls. He's ordered them for some big events in the past, just don't know who it is that's sellin' yet. Why the hell should you care?" She looks livid, a wrinkle forming under her bottom lip in a scowl. "You think you're some knight in shining armor or something? Come and rescue me from the big bad pedophile?"

Elektra has posed:
"No, I think you have no clue who or what you're playing with. You like to think you're clever, but you aren't. This is twice now. As to why? Because I was you. Only moreso."

She gives the barest of chin nods to June. "How old are you? 18? 17 maybe. No more than 20 I'd say. How long have you been at that? Given Saki and his training techniques, maybe 13. So, 5 years. 7 tops. do you honestly think that you've learned all that there is to learn in that time? Those men have been doing this longer than you, and you're going in without backup to situations where, unless you've learned to hide that little tattoo of yours, words will make it back to his ears what you are doing, and the next little trap you spring will be your own."

June Connor has posed:
    "23." It's a lie, but she'd fool a polygraph with it. June shakes her head. "Like to think I'm clever? I'm doin' what I know how to do. If I was clever I'd be in way less shit than I am. Not that it's any of your fucking business. Been around assholes like that one since I was 14." Implication clear of what 'being around them' means. "And before you go on your 'poor child' routine, nobody kidnapped me, nobody sweet talked me off the street. Was my own stupid choice. And I hate the Fuckin' Foot," she says, lowering her voice from the moderate yell. "But they were the ones who got me out." She shakes her head. "It ain't always as simple as people like. It's real fuckin' complicated. Okay?" She looks up at the sky. Can't see stars though, not in this city. She puts her hands on her hips, pacing.

Elektra has posed:
"You lie well, but you aren't." Elektra isn't Matt, but she can sense things well enough. With some training, she could likely learn to lie detect like he does. However, she doens't need that to know the girl is lying regardless of what a polygraph would say.

"You're going to get yourself killed.. Brittney. Though we both know that isn't your name."

She gives a soft chuckle at the protests. "Oh, my dear. You believe that, because he's that good at what he does. I was you, remember? Only my training started when I was 6. Not in earnest then, but enough. It caught the eyes of those who were looking for me. By nine, it was in earnest. My life became the training. And I believed every single bit as much as you that it was my choice. And to make it so, they murdered my father."

"There's little someone with vengeance on their mind won't do. You want the Foot vanquished, then you need to go about it smarter than you are now. Not piecemeal. Not alone. Not rushing in brashly announcing yourself the way you do. Do you think Saki has no clue how to find you? My dear, I am willing to bet that he could have your whereabouts in less than 48 hours if he truly wanted you. No. My guess? He has plans and he's waiting for the opportune moment."

A shrug. "For all I know, you're doing the culling he'd have to convince someone else to do, for him. Without even drawing attention to him. As me how I know? BEcause I was him. You see, I've been both sides of that coin, little girl, so how be we stop lying to one another, drop the chip off of your shoulder, and we actually talk about what is and is not possible here."

June Connor has posed:
    "Fuck, there's thousands of Foot," June says, "You think they are broken up about me? This life, nobdy makes it to retirement. Somewhere down the line, we all run into somethin' we can't handle."

    She seems to freeze for a moment when Elektra mentions her father. "I'm sorry about your old man," she says, her tone a little more sympathetic. "That sucks." There's clearly a nerve there. "I get you wanna be helpful," she says. "You don't want me to get dead, though, I'll be damned if I can figure out why you should really care. I ain't you. I wasn't no million dollar baby. Just a girl who got the ass end of life, and spent too much time getting shit on to know the difference." She lets out a sigh. "I'm not after the Foot. You don't fight the Foot. And really, maybe they are still doin' what's gotta be done. Crime is down in the city." She glances at an indeterminate distant point through a building.

Elektra has posed:
"Oh, but we both know he is, don't we little girl." Making it clear by her intonation that once she has a name, that will stop. "He wants you because you wear that mark. You wear it because you gave your word. By leaving, you took away part of the power of his words. He doesn't care about you - he cares about that. Power. Only he put that in a pretty little package and called it family and honour."

She shakes her head as June spits out about not being a million dollar baby. "Do you think that's what I'm talking about? Money? That is why you will fail, little girl. You fail to see that we are the same. Money is not part of this equation. It never was. Other than, as you say, you had no choice. What choices, truly, did you have, when he held out his hand and offered those things to you? None. You say you chose, but if you'd been offered my money or that life, at the same time, which would your hand have reached for?"

She doesn't wait for an answer.

"The Foot is the crime in this city. Like the Hand was under my rule. Let us not pretend here. Crime under rule is still crime. Admittedly, I believed it was better to know how and were those things were meted out - until it was me setting the bounds on it. And I discovered that as much as I believed I was in control, I wasn't."

A small laugh for the matter of crime down in the city. "The Hand left when I betrayed them, little girl. Their business here, alone, accounts for the drop in crime. All Saki did was step into that vacuum."

June Connor has posed:
    There's a wry smile, as if something sounds familiar to June. "Yeah, people with money always say that. My mom said that. Bitch can drown in it for all I care. But you wanna sit here and debate politics?" she says. "I ain't a politician. My girls and I, we take care of shit because it takes people like us to do what those assholes in City Hall will never do. Justice." She gives a decided nod.

Elektra has posed:
Well, that was interesting. So the girl had money in her past by the sounds of it. Or close enough. Maybe not her but..

"No. This isn't politics. At least not city hall. But the streets are politics. You say you offer justice? Saki runs a higly organized business, little girl. You and your singular strikes are not going to bring him down. Nor will your friends. I presume you mean the the one from the alleyway?"

It didn't matter.

"He's been doing this longer than you've been alive. It doesn't matter what you call it, but you need more than what you have to bring the Foot down."

June Connor has posed:
    June shakes her head before answering. "Not gonna try to take him down," she says with a splaying of her hands. "I'm gonna try to take down the shit who's trafficking girls to the slimeballs like Melisandra. And I'm gonna find out who that guy is and take him out, and I'll hang their dicks on my door when I'm done."

Elektra has posed:
Oh, now, /that/ has Elektra's attention. "Oh, my very dear, why didn't you say so. I'm sure we could find some appropriate leather tanning techniques for you.. but first, how would you feel about something of a partnership in this matter?"

June Connor has posed:
    June gives a skeptical look at Elektra. "You want to help me?" she asks. "Maybe. But you gotta know, I'm not after limp dick Antonio. And really, I ain't after the guy selling to him. I'm after whoever's at the top." She arches one platinum dyed brow. "Cuz one thing's for sure, there ain't no honor among thieves. You make a power vacuum, you disrupt business, and you might get a few of them to off each other before the dust settles. Wash, rinse, repeat." Perhaps she has a little more forward thinking than she lets on.

Elektra has posed:
Elektra's lips curl over a smile that could chill a lake.

"I want them all dead. Not the street sweepers. Not the dock workers who look the other way. But every last one of them who sits back and profits off of those containers of children being sold into the unthinkable. I want them dead in such a fashion that everyone left behind fears for generations of their ancestors expecting retribution for what they've been part of."