OOC: Well, in a last-ditch attempt to save the game, I have grabbed my trusty dice and have decided to accuse someone...please don't hurt me

IC:

Silence...Everyone in the room waited quietly, nobody daring to say a word. Nervous eyes shifted back and forth, wondering if anyone would risk speaking. Minutes passed in this uncomfortable silence. Rath sat there, knowing that time was not on their side...every minute that passed, anything could be happening out of these doors. Action had to be taken, even a guess could at least get things rolling, or get me in a safer position. A few more minutes of uncomfortable silence passed, before Rath finally gave in and said,

"Maria, earlier you said that you 'choose to keep him out of family affairs'. Now, recognize that this is but a guess, as I do not feel safe in here, locked out from the outside world. However, if seems odd that Maria would try to keep her husband isolated from the family situation. Perhaps the family knows something about her that she is trying to hide, or perhaps she has...a plan...and would like to protect Viktor from losing friends as part of this plan. If she did have traitorous intents, it would only be logical of her to keep Viktor isolated from the sitatuion. It certainly makes it easier to lie. Now, again, note that this is circumstantial evidence at best, as I have no proof of Maria preforming treachery or having trecherous intents. However, if I had to choose someone to suspect, she would be the one."

OOC: Vote Maria...for now.

"Well put and reasoned, though my suspicions still lie primarily with Viktor. Perhaps they have something to say in response to this?"

OOC: Though not a strong vote, I suppose Viktor would have to be it for me. At least for now.

(OOC: Sweet! Live...LIVE!!!)

Posted Fri Apr 15, 2005 5:37 pm:

Day 1:

Votes:
mikehendo (Victor): 1
Kitsune (Maria): 1

Not Voted:
StruckingFuggle
Nukinblackmage
Tomahawk
amlthrawn
NorthernComfort
mikehendo
Kitsune
Kaymeera
sneaky ninja

"So after all this time learning that "What happens in the family STAYS in the family" and "Our Business is our own" You're going to accuse me of being a traitor to the family simply because I DID WHAT I WAS SUPPOSED TO?"

She looks at Marcello

"Uncle, you know me. You know I would not betray my family. Are you going to let them say things like this about me?"

Marcello sat with a blank stare on his face, with his fists clenched tightly beneath the table. Point 4 from his mother's old note rattled through his mind like a mantra:

Never let people make you angry. Anybody that can control your emotions can control you. Never let people make you angry. Never. Angry. Never. Never. Never

Just as he thought he had regained control over himself, he heard his neice speak. "Are you going to let them say things like this about me?"

No one ever dared to speak against his neice. No one. They knew better. They all knew what Marcello was capable of when worked up into a rage.

He lost it. Pushing himself violently from the table, his browning still concealed in his breast pocket, he swung around behind Erathiol and placed him in a half nelson (remember, Marcello is a relatively strong, violent man).

Erathiol! Erathiol. He spoke in a mockingly kind voice as he began cutting off the other's air supply. He withdrew the 9mm with his free hand and placed it at Erathiol's temple.. Be a nice fellow now and take back the all the mean, unkind things you just said about my little flower. I really don't want to blow your fucking head off like I did the last guy who did such a horrible, horrible thing. With that, his elbow-grip over the other man's neck tightned, and he lifted him slightly out of the chair, and he pressed the muzzle harder against the man's head.

OCC: No vote yet. I will make one as more people respond. I fully expect at this point Goldy to have a gun pointed at my head telling me to quit it. But that's your call, Ender.

Viktor is shocked by what has just occured, but with ever ounce of his courage he puts his hands down on the table and stands up.

"Marcello, I know those words must have shaken you, as the shook me, because I know that you are a good man who loves my dearest Maria. But we cant let it come to this, your reaction may have been exactly what Erathiol wanted. What better way to draw attention away from himself than provoke you to the point of a violent outburst? I know you are a smart man Marcello, that is one thing that that Maria has made clear to me. Please do the smart thing and maintain a civil demenor.
As for you Erithol, my wife has done nothing against any of you. The way she worships Marcello and her Grandfather. How can any of you even begin to suspect my wife of any wrong doing, she would surely give up her own life before betraying her family."

Viktor turns to face his would be accuser.

"For you to think that I would betray Maria's grandfather, the one person in this family who has shown me nothing but kindness is unspeakable. That aside, what would you claim I had to gain by betraying this family? My business is different from this family's, and it is only because of my love for my wife and my wanting to see her happy that I even entertained the notion of moving to Vegas. Before throwing out accusations, be more careful to understand the person whom you are accusing, Edwards."

Goldie didn't as much as flinch during the ordeal. He knew his orders from the Don and he always was able to do his job, sometimes very physically. People always assumed that he was a brute because of this. Quite the opposite, but he had found that people took the brute more seriously than the scholar in his line of work, so he kept up the appearance. He looked at the struggle and uttered one word.

"Marcello"

Then returned his gaze to the opposite wall.

Marcello released his grip on the other man.

Fucker.

He steps back and crosses his arms in front of him, still holding his firearm.

And don't you dare lecture me, Viktor. I've squeezed more life, money, and fear from men than you ever will. I've seen the civil. I've often washed their blood from my wingtips. This is a time of action, not words.

He leveled his gun at the back of Erathiol's head and pulled the trigger. The room fell to stunned silence as it clicked. Empty.

Bang, Mr. Forlarani. Next time, you can be sure there will be a round in the chamber.

Viktor flinched as the pistol clicked, fully expecting the loud percussion of a bullet. This definately wasn't something he was used to. Heck, he had never killed a man, and to see Marcello just snap like that. Perhaps the man was far more dangerous than his wife had ever let on. Muttering under his breath, Viktor utters one word, that is probably only loud enough for his wife, and the person on his other side to hear.
"Marcello.."
Viktor shakes his head, and sits back down, rubbing his temples.

ooc: not an accusation, just a reaction.

OCC: You all knew Marcello had a very, very short fuse. Keep in mind that he's been under an enormous amount of pressure since the Chicago operation started collapsing, the NCC started poking about the casino, and now has his father sending a gold-tooth brute to get the family members to start offing each other. Add that to the fact that he's over protective of his neice, and you'll see that the reaction was, in fact, quite predictable.

Erathiol, while visibly frustrated and mildly shaken by the assault, tries to keep his composure. He brushes himself off, and slowly walks over to an empty corner. A small sly smirk appears on his face.

"Calm down there, Mr. Sartiel. Reactions like that aren't going to get us anywhere, or at least not to the true enemy here. Would you have preferred for us to sit in complete silence for who knows how long? We are talking now, so perhaps progress can be made.

Now, Marchello, you seem to be under a great deal of stress and pressure at the moment. Your actions and threats over what was, at most, a mild accusation, are quite telling. Now, sir, I do not know much of your present situation, but I'm certain you realize that acting so strongly to something so mild is somewhat suspicious. A justification of your actions, preferably one that does not involve me being attacked, would be rather expected of you at this point.

And please try to calm down. Like I stated before, such actions are not likely to help the situation."

He then puts his hands in his pockets and grasps, in his right hand, a specially designed pistol, loaded with tranquilizer darts. He waits there, hoping that using it will not be necessary.

Edwards turns to Viktor after watching the exchanges.

"And you would do well to realize what is happening. The reason we are gathered here, in this hotel, is because apparently we DON'T understand eachother as well as we should. All of us have been locked in here because NONE of us are above suspicion." He turns to Marcello. "A point which you should keep in mind as well." He turns back to face Viktor. "I accuse you for a very simple reason: of all the arguements, reasoning, and reactions I have heard thus far you seem the most suspicious. I will say, however, that Maria's reaction to her accusation raises a question . . ."

Edwards turns to fave Maria with a distant look in his eyes, as though he's not wanting to say what he's about to say.

"You have always been a fiercely independent woman. Why did you almost instantly turn to Marcello to defend you?"

Marcello attempting remain calm, though not succeededing, answers for Maria,
She. Is. My. Niece. What the fuck else would she expect me to do?

"Are you questioning my wife's motivations, Edwards? Do you just have something against those of us who dont live in Vegas? It would seem that being the only two here who are not living in Vegas that we would have little incentive to gain control of this family. Not to mention, again that our lines of work in New York are providing us with a wonderful lifestyle. Truly we have nothing to gain by making a power grab for control of this family."

Edwards turns to Marcello.

"Of course, had you not it would have been rather peculiar.""

He turns back to Viktor.

"And quit saying that you are above suspicion. If that were the case, you wouldn't be locked in here with the rest of us." Addressing the whole table: "We are all here because Dominic has reason to suspect each and everyone one of us. I don't like it anymore than you do, but I do know that when the Don decides something will be done, it WILL be. Given what he said, I'd say that if we don't play his game he'd likely kill us all just to be sure. Including you." Points at Marcello. "He places a large value on family, but he's not treating this as a family matter. He's treating it as a business matter."