Los Angeles: Blood Moon - ❌🎃🟩ch9-a-friendly-reunion

Chapter 9 Location: Alister’s Place (Underground Casino) Players: Billy @Billy O’Riley (Ash) ST: @Gemini| Jesse “Loki” Hill Previous scenes: #❌💀🟩ch9-new-phone-who-this

In Shadow Hills there was a bar where most people would just go in and socialize, called Lucky’s. It seemed like a regular bar, where people could drink and socialize. However, if someone ordered a specific cocktail, there would be a whole other part of the bar opened up that was behind an “Staff Only” door, this door lead down to an underground casino and to the manager’s office. Only certain people were given the cocktail name, as that meant either someone on the inside gave you the info, or a regular to the casino, either way, it got you in, though they may ask who you got the password for later on. The bar was not that busy that night, and the bartender was listening to classics on the radio like Bon Jovi, or Billy Joel, the two regulars were quiet, not disturbing the peace as they had their bourbon. The atmosphere certainly fit warm and cozy feel on the outside with the neon sign, more of an old time classic feel when one walks in. That was the charm that place had, at least.

A Taxi pulled up to the place, and Billy exited, still in her grey jacket and jean pants. She glanced further back the road, assuring she hadn’t been followed before entering the bar. She didn’t bother to take a seat, but walked toward the inner most seat in the bar, motioning the bartender within earshot. Unlike her usual boisterous self, she kept her voice hush and requested a specific drink, as Alister had described to her, and followed the directions around the corner to the staff only door. The small woman made her way down, the edge of the knight falling away as she descended into the depths of the hidden establishment.

Soon as she descended down on he steps, she was greeted with a full floor of casino games from black Jack, roulette, to poker. It was not that busy that night with only a few people, regulars, having picked their spots at blackjack and at poker, this seemed to be a slow night for their businesses both above and below. A man was waiting for her when he touched down on the bottom of the steps, he looked like the floor manager based on how he was dressed. He had a little bit of weight on him, and a clean shaven head and face, and the suit seemed very nice, not too expensive but it he did have some style. He greeted her giving a little grin, when he spoke, he had a deep voice, but at that moment he was neutral and it was clear he had done this many of times as he said, “Welcome down to the club Miss,” He paused before having one of the clearly younger guys, a man around Billy’s age or less, with dark brown hair that was slicked back with basic polos and slacks on, holding a heavy looking container. That was when the floor manager then also asked, “Before I forget, I need you to drop any weapons you got into here, you’ll get it back on the way out.”

Billy gave a nod and replied in a thick Scottish accent, “Aye, just don’t be suppressed how much I got” before first putting the hidden holster with a gun on the counter, followed by 1/2 dozen throwing knives. She think for a moment and with a look of “fuck it” just places her bag on the counter, “Really can’t be bothered fishing my ligh’ers outta there.” Before looking up with a smile and saying “Actually here to see Alister, do ya know where I can find ‘em?” She asked.

The young man was the one that was surprised, but the floor manager seemed amused, it is clear he has seen some of the players do this where they carry a lot of weapons, but when they come in they just spend some time taking it out one by one. With that the young man was sent off, and the floor manager raised an eyebrow hearing the request, he said, “Hmm, the boss said specifically he ain’t seeing anyone tonight.” He was being matter of fact, not rude, just telling her what was told to him. That did not stop him from following up with, “Would you like for me to relay a message? You seem to know him, I can only assume that he’ll know you. I can do that.” He has clearly said this to other people before as well, it was kind of the point for the floor manager to be calm and placate, but be forceful when he believed there were some type of cheats going on.

Billy raised an eyebrow and laughed, “He feckin told me to come ‘ere! “ before pausing and sliding one of the knives, hilt first to the manager. She’s had these knives for years and the used to be 12 of them. “Show ‘em tha’ and tell him Billy O’Riley from Glasgow is finally ‘ere. “ She said, content with the message. “Thanks fer humorin’ me”

He gave a little nod taking the knife and he made his way around the corner of the wall where he knocked on the door and waited for the Scot to say come in, and the door opening and closing. Billy would be waiting for a few minutes before she could hear the floor manager coming back, knife not in his hand, but he offered a grin and said to her, “Go around that corner, and his door is right there, no need to knock, he knows you’re coming in.” He gave her a nod and let her go on her way, as he then told the younger man to call for him when someone else came down as he went on his way to make sure the games were running smoothly.

20:04

( @Billy O’Riley (Ash) )

In the time she waited, the woman took off her jacket and tied it around her waist, her tattoos on full display. As the man came around the corner, Billy gave a wide smile and a bit of a bow “Thank ya kindly, sir.” before moving around the corner and doing as told. She entered the room and close the door behind her, her grin giddy as she looked up expectantly, hoping to see her old friend again.

Alister looked a bit different than when she had met him, it had seemed he had died his hair and his beard a black, though, with who he was working with, it was no surprise that he would want to fit in with the group. He smiled seeing her, he has the knife in his hands, but he placed it on the desk, going around it and offered her his embrace. Him saying, “Finally, ya came ta see me.” His Scottish accent as thick as hers, he had not changed much sides from the hair. (edited)

20:15

Billy paused trying hide her smile behind a straight face, “So yer a big shot now… still can’t get over the black hair, what’s wrong with red?” She complained before the facade quickly broke into a delighted giggling mess of a woman. She rand toward and hugged the man who was much larger than she was, it was almost comical. After squeezing as hard as she could, which really wouldn’t be much to the mountain of a man, she chimed, “It’s so good t’ see ya again!”

He looked to her when she asked what was wrong with the red. But chuckled with she broke the facade. Him patted her her back enjoying her embrace. “It’s good t’ see ya again as well.” He looked to her after hugging her for a bit, and gave a little smirk. He was ecstatic seeing her again, him offering her a seat as this was going to be very casual for her and him. He did not need to be the big bad boss at that moment. So he pulled a chair for her and then pulled a chair for himself as he commented, “Was hopin’ ya didn’t need t’ see me after our last discussion a few weeks back.* He said sitting down and looking at her, curiosity on his face as he stroked his beard and asked, “So, what changed ya mind?”

Billy let go, still grinning wildly before plopping into the luxurious seat that made it clear just how small her frame was. As the conversation shifted she sighed with a melancholic half smirk, as if she had forgotten her woes upon entering. “Aye, was hopin’ I could visit with bet’er news.” She sat up continued trying to keep the conversation a bit lighthearted , “Seems like the universe has made the choice fer me and dragged mah sorry arse back in with or without mah permission “ with a sigh she grew more serious. “Couple days ago some folk rolled into the bar I work at n’ shot at mah boss when he didn’t agree to join their heavy handed rampage. He’s fine. Turns out there’s a newer group in town that are trying to recruit some folk en mass n’ don’t take kindly to bein’ told no. This isn’t a problem that raw man power can solve either.“ Billy propped an arm on to the armrest of the chair and rest her head in one of her hands. “Turns out that they paid another visit, but this time I was werkin the bar. Woman by the name of Balle, red head, got mah name, fame, n’ number before Volg could run ‘em outta there. It was only after that they told me just how bad these folks are and it tracks like one of them rapid hostile takeovers. By the sounds of it they’d be bold enough to try n’ raid durrin’ daylight too. Good news is, Volg has contacts and might be able to clean house against the intruders. Bad news is, till then, they know mah name ‘n face so I need to keep a low profile. Doubt they’d try too hard, but ya know how this goes, tryna get leverage n’ the like.” She stopped, letting the words sink in, give him time to think. She quietly summarized, “I came to give ya a heads up, n’ hopefully get a place to crash till this blows over. No need to get yerself involved any more than that.”

Alister listened to the woman tell him about what was going on. And from what she could see, he was maintaining a solid poker face at the mention of this group. Only cocking an eyebrow hearing what they were like, and hearing the name Balle and what her hair looked like. He was taking in all of the details, and seemed to be digesting them when she was done, he stewed over this for a moment. Keeping quiet about all of this at first, before saying to her, “Sounds like they’d be a issue for me an’ me frien’s already.” He said, scratching his chin, and looking at her, he nods after thinking about it, “If it’s that bad, then I can help ya lay low, I promised ya that I’d help ya if ya came t’ me. I’m not guessin’ comfort’s a’ issue right?” Billy would see that he contemplating, a little bit of concern when he was talking about the potential of the group she had mentioned causing issues inside the town. In regards to when she had said the name Balle, his brow furrowed turning his poker face into a scowl for a moment before returning back to a contemplative look. It was clear that this got the gears in his head rolling whether or not he knew what she was talking about. “Ya can take refuge ‘n ‘ere.” He continued, pointing at the couch behind him. It seemed that on good days, his office doubled as a break room, but the couch looked big enough for her to rest on if she needed. (edited)

Billy took note of scowl and added “If ya know what I’ve heard about her… maybe if ya know more, ya know she has friends who yer men on the ground won’t stand a chance against.” She nodded, “Nay, so long as it’s clean.” She glanced at the couch with a smirk, “aye, certainly.”

“Trus’ me, I won’t do anythin’ stupid.” He had a good head on him, he would have never gotten this far if he was not level headed. He looked around and smirked, trying to lighten the mood, despite the clearly dangerous position that she was in. “Looks clean enough t’ me eh?” This was when he got up and went into the locker, he had a blanket and a pillow within just in case he decided to sleep there before. Him laying the blanket and the pillow on the bed with nod to her before closing the cabinet. Him sitting back down afterwards, him resting back into his seat, saying to her, “Jesus, can’t just be a friendly reunion huh?”

Billy chuckled and nodded “I can’t thank ya enough Alister… I’ll need to cook ya yer favorites again. It’s the least I could do. “ As she sat on the couch with the sheet and the pillow a thankful smile appeared, “it’ll be like ol’ times.”

(1 suxx for insomnia so she sleep) (edited)

“Ya know, ya don’t have t’, but I know ya gonna insist, all I ask, ya make it for me staff, it’d be selfish o’ me not t’ let them have some o’ ya cookin’.” He said as he gave a smirk knowing that her cooking was good. Him then telling her as she sat on the couch, him turning to face her as she did so, responding, “I hope so, wish we coulda talked under better circumstances. But ya always gotta home ‘ere.”

Billy chuckled, at ease. “Righ’ I’ll get up la’er n’ werk about the kitchen a wee bit. “ Billy took off her shoes and sat back. “ Thanks, I really appreciate it. “ she quietly murmured.

===End===

(recap?

)

Recap: Billy arrives at a bar in Shadow Hills. After giving the secret password in the form of a drink order, she was escorted down to a hidden Casino where she requested to see Alister. After a bit and a knife to prove who she was, Billy entered an office and was greeted by her old friend, Alister. She gave him a kine friendly version of the Sabbat incursion and asked simply for a place to stay. He agreed and this is where Billy will be sleeping till everything blows over.