Blood In The Water

Chapter 1- High Classed

It was later in the evening when a blazing red Jaguar rolled up to the polished marble steps of the Ritz Carlton Hotel. A shorter man with a stone grey suit and dark blue tie that matched his single blue eye stepped out. His face was covered by a pristine white mask and his ebony colored cheekbone length hair that he swept back as he passed the cameras. His tall riding boots wee embroidered by golden gems that shone as he skipped up the stairs, side eyeing the cameras as his guards shoved them aside. He pressed his shoulder into the wide glass doors and loud music momentarily flooded into the cold night outside. The ballroom was shimmering with gold and chandeliers cast sparkling shadows across the dance floor. The bars sat in shadow and men crowded there like it was a meeting place. The suspicious man eyes then darkly as he passed. Some of his guards dressed in fine black satin suits brought back a glass of scotch floating with thick ice. The man took his drink and lowered his mask, a trail of inky tattoos revealed under his left eye down to where his jaw was pointed under his ear. The painted tears glittered in the light and as people noticed them, they silently crept back, keeping an eye on the man as he kept his on them.

The guards slowly blended into the crowd, leaving their escort behind as he drew the glass to his lips and smirked. A much taller man in a matching suit nodded stealthily from where he sat in the corner of the room and pushed his glasses even. The tattooed slowly made his way over, taking long strides and weaving between the dancing couples. "Didn't know you drank, Scotty." The taller man laughed, spinning his finger on the rim of his own drink and making room for his acquaintance who rolled his eyes. "If I wanted to I would. Didn't know you still got caught, Joel." Scotty's retort was sharp as he clanked the ice against his cup and quirked an eyebrow at the older boy who ran his tongue over his teeth bitterly. Joel's dark green eyes blazed as he swung his gaze onto the dance floor and sipped his drink without answering. "When'd they get back?" Scotty muttered, following Joel's attention to a tall man dancing around a group of girls with a cigar in one hand and a half drunk drink in the other. Joel leaned back in his chair, crossing one leg over the other and pulling at the tails of his black suit. "Yesterday, bailed them out before Sam could run his mouth worse than he probably already did. The kid we're picking up tonight, but that's not why I called you." Joel tilted his glass towards Sam who set down his cigar and started dancing as someone called him over.

Joel's voice shrank as he set his drink down and eyed Scotty complexly, turning his stool to face the shorter man and putting his hand under his chin. "You called to talk, I told you I'm done with this crap. I came to pick up the kid and then I'm leaving, what happened to us Joel? What happened to just having fun with the kid and Sam and messing around with the cops like every dumb punk in the gangs?" Scotty lowered his voice too and set his drink down harshly on the table, spilling it over the edge as the rich liquid splashed at the rim. Joel took a moment to turn his gaze back on Sam and instantly to Scotty, biting his lip. "We-we got bored didn't we, bored of the little runs? We had a fun time but- God Scotty, you remember that first break when we left Chicago, don't tell me that wasn't the best time of your life." Joel snapped, leaning closer to Scotty and keeping a secretive eye on anyone watching, tipping the rest of his drink back. "Bored. Yeah, bored leads to these." Scotty ran a shaking finger down the tattoos, his eyes mismatched and wide as he spun the ice around his cup. "Tell me, Scotty. When was the last time you counted those, when was the last time you bothered?" Joel mumbled blandly, absently tugging at his back where zigzagging scars from his time in jail burnt. Scotty took a breath and held it, looking around the party and finishing his drink before turning back to Joel. "Last heist, three months ago, you know how many of these I have by now? No, no you don't because you don't have any. I bet when we pick up the kid he'll have a score and maybe if we're lucky so will Sam. For the love of God, Joel, do you really think I came here because I wanted you to ask me what I wouldn't do? You know fair well that I'd do it again and I-" Scotty paused, slowly lowering his glass and ignoring the smug glittering in his friend's eyes as he sucked in a breath. "You'd do it again." Joel finished for him, sliding his empty glass towards the end of the table and pushing another drink into his hand.