(Open)Dive In!

[Alessandra]

In downtown Sacramento, off one of the popular club streets, sits a row of dive bars. Not a place you would find tourists or college kids looking to see and be seen.

No, this was a hole in the wall bar usually with a bike or two parked out front, a place where someone could drink and not be bothered, and maybe cut a deal or two. If you were lucky, maybe find an ally.

Tonight, there was a Gran Torino parked out front.

But for the Savage, the Prince of Sacramento and Boss of the local Mafia, this was her thing, this was where she did business and could be herself. Well, to a certain extent of course. Here, she had a table that was set aside for her, the bartender knew her drink of choice and he kept the glass full. She had full view of the door and could be seen.

Wearing a black tank top over dressy type pants, tattoos on display, the Savage took a sip from her glass, dark eyes roaming over the bar. So far, her night had been quiet, and she was enjoying that, no business, Domain or otherwise. But who knows, maybe someone will come in and catch her eye for a conversation. An inked hand absently picks up the newspaper as she lowers her eyes to read it.

[Alessandra]

Bookkeeping!

[Circe]

A loud engine tunes down as another vehicle arrives to join those parked. A figure wearing a solid looking coat enters the bar. Actually shaking her jacket to get off some imported dirt, Circe looks a little irked. There were a few things some folks might note about her as well.


The glasses maybe? The hole in the jacket's left breast? Or perhaps the small case she literally shoves into the arms of a man trying to talk to Circe. There seems to be a blast of desert heat following her as she glares at the stumbling back man. "I clienti facevano schifo, retribuzione parziale.. Overstock at site 18. I'm drinking on your tab," the tone makes it clear, he doesn't get to argue.


Nor does he, nodding as he signals the bar and then bolts out the door. She was not figuring out what to do after that deal went so bad. Circe makes for the bar, irked by a lot. "Tequila," she demands. Looks like the bartender is getting it and paying it to the tab.

She really needs to tap down her mantle, but is still pissed at the barter the client attempted. She returned it with interest.

[Alessandra]

It wasn’t the sound of a car pulling up outside that drew her eyes from what she was reading. It wasn’t Mary’s attire either.

But it was the Italian. That would always get a native Italians attention. She didn’t get to speak her native tongue much outside her Haven these nights.

Dark eyes look up and see Mary, well, being Mary. Not that Ale knew her very well, but the woman always seemed to be quite fiery. Looking back down,“Non è un buon modo di fare affari Mary.” Comes the Italian, said with jest as she raises her glass to her lips. “Ti fa sembrare difficile.” And Ale had literal years on the woman. Trust her in that one.

“How you been?” a smile pulling the corners of her lips up. “Come join me for a drink.” A nod to the bartender, she had this.

[Circe]

Circe gets her tequila and looks up to see who is speaking the fancier of her two favorite languages. Oh, it is Sofia the mob empress. That is a surprise, and she is dressed down. Good think she ditched the suit for tonight's work in the desert. "No, non lo è. Ma avevo una rete di sicurezza a prova di proiettile per aver rifiutato il loro" then pauses as she realizes what she meant, "Ah. Bene Dama De Luca, sa benissimo che avevo ragione che il cliente era, beeeeh," Circe opens her duster a little to show that her angry bunny shirt, which has a hole that Sofia might recognize right below the duster's hole.


A bullet hole.


"Sus," Circe tilts her head with a smirk, the dry heat seeming to finally disappear. A trick of the mind for the others? No, Circe dialing back the mantle.
"E gliel'ho detto. Spesso. He was worried avout fist, not tab. Oh ho ho ho!" Well, Circe felt justified with her anger. I told you so wasn't enough for a nine mill kick. Circe takes a drink of her straight tequila. The blur wasn't coming anytime soon, but it would help with the rib pain. This wasn't worth a Goblin Fruit.


"Ah, thank you I shall accept," she'd neither burn bridges nor turn down a drink with a mundy friend. "Work has kept me busy," she shrugs, "So many buyers and there are so few suppliers," she will walk over to Sofia to join her at the table. "Well, how about yourself? How have you been doing lately?"

[Chambers]

Clubs, parties, and cruises were all well and good and worked fine when keeping an eye on the populace but in the dead of Winter while many rediscovered the annual bought of piety to one who had walked the realm of death and seen no God waiting, they seemed deluded.

No, the Winter tradition for this Necromancer was to find the closest thing to a quiet English pub he could manage and have a pint or three to help against the cold. It was the sense of quiet acceptance that he looked for, on such occasions no rambunctious youngsters looking to make a scene, no crowds prone to busting into song, something more personable than all that. So, a dive bar fit the bill just fine.

Tweed long coat buttoned against the weather he pushes through the door, face a little red from the chilly walk. Taking a moment to survey his choice and get some feeling back in his fingers Cambers will of course spot not one but two people he recognises all be it from different prior excursions. Given they seem mid conversation Small world the Englishman not being rude will nod and smile in acknowledgement, if either happens to look to the door, but not wanting to interrupt immediately heads to the bar to order a pint of bitter.

[Alessandra]

Chuckling, “My point stands.” Though maybe Mary got the customers who couldn’t afford Ale’s services or were too afraid. The Savage was very picky with who she did business with.

Raising her own glass as Mary accepted the offer, “So goes the world of the business we are in. never a dull moment or down time,” thinking over something, “If it’s suppliers you need,” a shrug, “I might be able to help with that.” Taking another drink, “For a price of course.” Because nothing was free.

“Oh, pretty much the same as you, work has my night pretty filled. Everyone wants or think they need something, never ends.” But, that was how Ale liked it, always going.

As the door opens once again, dark eyes turn from the exotic Mary to see who came in.

And color her surprised, it was the mummy from Halloween. This wasn’t a place she expected to see him at. The nod and smile were returned, as was a gesture to the table in case he was looking for company. And if not? It didn’t bother her.

[Circe]

Circe shrugs and nods with an agreeing expression, "I have anger issues, often sharing them." She admits, taking a seat she joined Sofia at her side, not wanting to not look away from the door too much.


It was a precaution for tonight. There shouldn't be anyone pursuing. For several reasons.


She raises her glass back at Sofia. The Summer Queen showing respect to the queen of Sacramento's crime. "And travel time too," she adds as another issue. "Being mechanically inclined in my field, well, some people want custom work. And if they pay enough, I travel," and Circe pauses between sips to considers the offer from Sofia for additional suppliers. "I am flattered, and would love to peruse your products. But I'm not the boss and after tonight," she laughs, "We have an overstock problem that was supposed ta be exported well out of town. So I could make the same offer to you," she smiles as she tries to return the favor, "If yer business is interested in the excess stock. We got it right now."


Circe was fairly certain that the reason that Leon primarily dealt in purchases and sold to folks not living in Sacramento would be fear or respect for Sofia. That and he probably paid tribute to her. Maybe Sofia just didn't know Circe was pretty much middle management? Or the engineer with people skills, however that quote went from Office Space.


Sofia is looking at someone who entered? Her eyes quickly search for it, looking for someone with specific tells. It wasn't them. Good. It was some handsome mundy? And Sofia was inviting him over? "Not interrupting a date, am I?"

[Chambers]

Paying for his pint, Chambers will accept the invite over. A good conversation definitely fell into the realms of personable atmosphere ... just don't take Mary's ideas for mixing drinks this time, that I can't remember exactly why is good enough reason.

'Good evening ladies. Sophia, Mary. Pleasant night I trust?' Nodding to each in turn as he takes a seat across from them. Mary's comment is enough to bring back most of the memories of the embarrassment she'd caused him on the cruise, although not enough to get a reaction this time. 'As interrupting goes I certainly hope I'm not.' Both dressed pretty casually, clearly know each other, I could well be. Best start thinking of a reason to jump ship just in case.

[Alessandra]

“Ah, see, I don’t travel for anyone. They want my time, they pay me for it, and it’s a nonnegotiable price. Plus, they come to me.” And that was that.

There was a shallow nod of some sort of understanding, “See, that’s why you have to be your own boss. I could never go back for working under someone.” Nope, she’d worked her ass off to be the boss for a reason. Laughing, “My business has exactly what it needs for the current state of the market. But I’ll keep your offer in mind, and pass along that I know someone with stock.” Sort of a favor. Ale could do nice things.

But there wasn’t a gun moved, or a crime committed that Ale didn’t know about and approve or disapprove of first.

An eyebrow raised at Mary, “A date?” looking surprised, “No.” nothing against mummy guy, but he wasn’t Ale’s type.

“Mason, right?” making sure her memory was still intact. “Pleasant enough. And yourself?” the Savage was one who thrived in solitude, but was learning to thrive with others around. Much like she did years ago. “Not interrupting at all.” Why were they worried about interrupting? Would someone invite you to join them if they didn’t want you to? “How’s your evening been going?”