ZACHARY QUIROA
Human
Posts: 62
Played by:
Ange
Last seen May 3, 2024 19:13:36 GMT
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Post by ZACHARY QUIROA on Feb 28, 2023 19:37:43 GMT
”Here, lemme get that for you.” Manny was gonna be pissed. Zach grimaced faintly as he took the bag from the old lady and stepped back to hold the door for her. She shuffled past him, her walker squeaking on the tile floor. By now Manny was probably already down at the end of the block, ready to tear him a new one for taking too long. Hey, it wasn’t him this time, it was Mrs. O’Roarke from apartment 104.
She paused by her apartment door, trembling old lady fingers having a hard time gripping onto the key. Zach bounced from foot to foot, resisting the urge to look over his shoulder to see if Manny was storming back, his piece already in hand, ready to either get rid of the delay, or him – it only took one sus time to have Manny flipping from that tenuous state of trust into absolute paranoia. He reached out his hand, ready to pull the same line again, but she was rattling the key into the lock finally. Mrs O’Roarke continued her slow shuffle into the apartment, gesturing him ahead of her with an age gnarled finger.
”Just through there, thank you.” If she hadn’t been so damn polite about it, he’d have been out the door, already jogging down the block to catch up. She was though, patting his arm as she squeaked towards the living room.
The kitchen was tiny, cluttered in that way his abuela’s had been when he was a kid. Zach opened a couple of cupboards, figured where the stuff went and unpacked at top speed, folding the bag to add to the ones in a drawer before he popped back out. ”Next time you need to go to the store for anythin’ ma’am, you can just ask me, ‘kay?” Manny would probably think the old lady was trying to get claws into him, but there wasn’t something sus about every single person, even in this town.
Mrs O’Roarke smiled sweetly at him and nodded, but she already seemed to be drifting away in that old timers way as she reached for the remote control – as big as a damn brick – on the doily littered coffee table. Zach waved back, dipping towards the door. Maybe she wouldn’t even remember he’d been there to help in five minutes time, but Manny sure as hell would.
Zach started jogging the minute he slapped through the front door of the building. He knew where Manny was heading and took off on foot after him. Back home walking woulda been dangerous, but this town was different in a kinda spooky way if you asked him. Less immediately dangerous, more … what did they call it? Like that movie – Insidious? Looking both ways, his gaze restless, he trotted down the sidewalk. He could see Manny in the distance, not stopped at the corner like he expected, maybe too restless for that already. Yeah, he was fucked.
Dodging around a mother walking her baby in a stroller, Zach finally slowed to a walk. He was probably only twenty yards from Manny now, could catch him even if Manny was still walking at a clip. Surely any second he’d turn and catch him coming up on him. If it looked like he was flustered it’d only make it clearer that he hadn’t come right after him and just been, like, a little slow.
He let out a long breath, rubbing the back of his hand over his mouth, blotting away the thin slick of sweat on his upper lip. There wasn’t much he could do about the smell of it, if Manny happened to catch a sniff, but the fewer visible signs the better. Glancing aside at one of the shiny store windows, Zach checked his hair. He had a hand in it, shoving back a curl when he caught the eye of the guy standing peering in at the … whatever that shit was.
What the fuck? A high whine escaped his throat for just a second. Manny would fucking flip if he thought people weren’t listening. Like what part of stay put was so fucking hard.
A quick glance down the street showed Manny about to cross – just fifty yards from the club already, any second now he’d be looking back. Zach calculated his time, figured maybe he had enough. He planted a hand shoving at the guy’s shoulder. ”Hey, gilipollas, what the fuck are you doin’?” Keeping his voice down when Manny was so far away now probably wasn’t necessary, but you saw that man’s cold, soulless eyes snap to you often enough and you learned to be cautious. Don’t summon the devil and all that shit.
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ENRIQUE DE LA PEÑA
Shapeshifter
Posts: 65
Played by:
Julia
Last seen Mar 22, 2024 22:48:16 GMT
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Post by ENRIQUE DE LA PEÑA on Apr 7, 2023 18:31:45 GMT
━ if you support evil, you are evil ━ PLAYING THIS GAME WAS INCREDIBLY RISKY. There was always a risk, Ricky supposed, but it’d been a while since he’d shifted into the face of one of their gang. Back then, it’d been his father’s, supposed to be passed down to him. He almost wished he could’ve taken it to dismantle from the inside, but Ricky knew that would have never worked. Their dad lost trust in him early on, and there was no doubt he would’ve done something against his morals. No, the only way to handle it now was to make sure they all ended up in prison.
But his baby brother was notoriously paranoid, and Ricky knew it wouldn’t be easy to explain this away. The cartel member was low-ranking, forgotten enough to remain on his own in what Ricky assumed was their home base. Through exclusively non-fatal means, the man was subdued and tucked away where he wouldn’t be disturbed. He’d likely wake up, figured he’d dozed off, and not tell anyone for fear of being reprimanded. Ricky thought it was a decent plan.
He slipped into the street, walking with a frame far bigger than his own, though not as big as the ginger with the problem that required he frequent the club. He followed Manny at a distance, assuming Zach had found something or somewhere else to keep busy, as he’d disappeared along the route.
Manny was held up by a traffic light, keeping him in one place for longer than Ricky felt comfortable with. He stilled by a nearby store, turning to the window, watching the reflections. It was good he’d stopped, too, as he saw Zach come rushing up the street, finally slowing somewhat as he attempted to catch up. Ricky saw Manny jaywalk and puffed out an irritated breath━due to the crime and because it only increased the distance between them. He thought about changing faces before entering the club, though he’d have to ensure whoever he shifted into wasn’t already inside.
He glanced back at Zach in the window, and cursed quietly under his breath when recognition flashed across the man’s face. Ricky supposed it would’ve been worse if he were dressed up as himself.
Zach came across the street, and Ricky practically waited for the reprimanding, thinking of a way to play this off so the man left behind at the “safe house” might still be believed. Actually, any accusation would be too much for Manny, and the man would likely be disposed of anyway. Ricky was trying to avoid that as much as he was arousing suspicion. But Zach was far softer than Ricky’s little brother, and there was a chance he’d want to avoid a headache himself.
“Watchin’ the boss’s six.” Ricky replied in the man’s gruff voice, though it wasn’t hushed like Zach’s. His eyes━blue in a striking contrast to his dark features and thick, black beard━flicked sideways to where Manny had gone, then back to Zach. “He’s far enough now. He tell you t’stay behind, too?” Ricky asked with a shit-eating grin, unable to help himself with the jab. He wasn’t sure how this guy acted before Ricky’s takeover, but he made sure to roughen up his language and speak improperly, like a man who hadn’t finished high school and had no life but one filled with crime.
ZACHARY QUIROA | no notes.
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ZACHARY QUIROA
Human
Posts: 62
Played by:
Ange
Last seen May 3, 2024 19:13:36 GMT
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Post by ZACHARY QUIROA on Apr 17, 2023 19:27:13 GMT
He’d had this game as a kid – a mule you had to load up with stuff like you were about to go riding the thing into the wild west. As carefully as you could you hung the saddle on its back, hooked on a bedroll, a rope, a cowboy hat, a frying pan, hoping the entire time you weren’t gonna get the thing bucking. It’d always made him laugh, scrambling for cover from the game as the mule finally blew. It wasn’t til a couple of years later that he realised that in a way Manny was that mule. Practice meant that he knew when the load on Manny was growing too big and he was getting twitchy, but still Zach wouldn’t have bragged that he could predict the exact moment that Manny would go Buckaroo!.
Losing Ricky at the station. All the nosing about at the club. Taking enough time today that he was likely to be waiting there, nostrils flared, temper radiating off of him when he arrived. It was all loading up and he was sure he could hear the tick-tick-tick of the gears ratcheting up in his brain. If someone else laid that last peace on then he’d live another day. His time wasn’t endless though, not when he was so close to Manny in all of this. If Manny’s hand was the one on the weapon then it’d be punishment for something he’d screwed up, but that wasn’t the only way out of this. If it was someone else’s then maybe it’d be a power play – a stupid one, cause it wasn’t like Manny was gonna lose much sleep over him being dead. They’d been friends for years, he’d made himself indispensable when Ricky had turned and walked away. It wasn’t enough though, it didn’t make him the chosen one, he was just a little less likely to die than the jackass who hadn’t listened to Manny’s instructions to stay put.
You had to be a little tapped to willingly work for Manny. Zach had seen the look on his ma’s face, had watched her wring her hands when he came to visit like that was gonna be the last time she saw her boy. He’d known though, had walked into his spot with eyes wide open and the confidence that he could do what Manny needed him to. These other idiots saw dollar signs, or prestige, neither of which you could take to your grave to you. Some woulda stepped on their mother for it, others would try and step on him, not that it would give them the boost they thought they were getting. Was that what this asshole’s game was?
Dark eyes squinted hard, lines cutting their way across Zach’s brow. He pushed at the guy again, meeting those eyes that were pale and blue as a gringo’s. ”That ain’t where you were meant to be. He’s got someone watchin’ his six, and doin’ it better than this.” A sneer pulled at his lips for a moment before it dropped away. Zach took a half step back, dragging his hand over his mouth. The curse slipped out, muffled against his palm as the fucking moron grinned, like the whole thing really was a game. ”No. He didn’t tell me to stay behind. He needed me there, and instead of me gettin’ to the club with him, I’m back here dealin’ with your deaf ass. Estás pero si bien pendejo.” He puffed out a breath, dragging his hands up to bracket the sides of his head. Maybe if Manny didn’t come back looking for him…
Tension had him squeezing the sides of his head, like he could stop his brain from exploding in there. His frown deepened, his chin ticking back and forth as he tried to shake off the idea that someone they trusted enough to bring with them here to this postcard little town was gonna fucking stupid enough not to listen. ”I thought you were better than that,” he muttered, twisting like he was gonna take another look for Manny. Zach stopped, turning back slowly to stare at the guy. He had been better than that. This wasn’t some fresh off the boat moron looking to prove his chops here. They had this down to a rhythm now, one that suddenly broke off in his head with an uncomfortable rattle, like a snake about to strike. ”What time did I tell you we’d be back …” His throat was going tight, the rattle getting louder and louder until Zach wanted to tear it out of his head. Manny woulda pulled shit like this, testing him, making sure of his people, but Manny had still been hustling down the street to the club. Ricky though … they’d been two peas in a pod, both de la Peña brothers capable of just morphing into anybody else.
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ENRIQUE DE LA PEÑA
Shapeshifter
Posts: 65
Played by:
Julia
Last seen Mar 22, 2024 22:48:16 GMT
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Post by ENRIQUE DE LA PEÑA on May 16, 2023 15:51:45 GMT
━ if you support evil, you are evil ━ BETTER THAN THIS? RICKY COULDN’T RESTRAIN his patronizing chuckle, like Zach didn’t know how to do his own job. He didn’t, clearly, if Ricky had managed to get so close without some intervention. Well, it’d come eventually, but it took longer than Ricky had imagined Manny’s tight ship would allow.
Finally, Zach let him go, and Ricky readjusted his clothing and puffed out a breath, irritated by Zach’s roughhousing (in and out of character).
“I’m the fucking idiot, but you’re the one who fell behind before you got t’me?” Ricky scoffed, though he quickly realized his brain had automatically translated the Spanish phrase. He didn’t let it show on his face, but Ricky mentally cursed himself━it had to be common amongst Manny’s gang, though, right? He didn’t imagine many gringos got by without learning a few key phrases. Hopefully this tall, blue-eyed lowlife had a pocho mother whose genes lost the battle against his father’s.
Ricky’s eyes ticked sideways, finding Manny again just before he disappeared into the club, and then he puffed out a breath and looked back at Zach. He’d had so much potential to go down the right path after Ricky broke away from his family, but he’d chosen to stay, to engage in the life of a criminal, and so he’d go down with the rest. His own actions had brought him here. Ricky just wished he could lose Zach now, but it seemed he was stuck here until he fixed this.
And Zach’s trust was fading at a rapid rate.
He could practically see the wheels turning behind his eyes, and perhaps some of his brains remained despite years under Manny’s thumb. Well, it didn’t have to be knowledge, as Ricky well knew; all of these men (especially Manolo) were in touch with their lizard brain, and knew, like cockroaches, how to keep themselves alive despite extenuating circumstances.
The inevitable question came, the one that would exercise Ricky’s ability to think on his feet. “Dunno, didn’t haveta remember it after the Boss told me t’come with. Guess he didn’t trust ya enough for that info, huh?” Ricky’s borrowed lips twisted into a smirk around all that scruff, and he raised his arm, pushing it against Zach’s chest as he stepped forward, trying to get him back a few steps. “Better get to ‘em ‘fore he takes your head off, huh?” Ricky turned, trying to progress toward the club again, confident that Zach wouldn’t want to catch up after staying so far back… unless he’d use Ricky’s new shell as an example when they got there.
ZACHARY QUIROA | no notes.
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ZACHARY QUIROA
Human
Posts: 62
Played by:
Ange
Last seen May 3, 2024 19:13:36 GMT
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Post by ZACHARY QUIROA on Jun 10, 2023 18:25:04 GMT
Nobody else had a temper like Manny – even their dad had kept a better hold on his anger than his youngest son – but Zach felt his own start to bubble beneath the paranoia and fear as this dumb son of a bitch chuckled at him. He hissed out a breath, clamping his teeth down around the sound. Keeping themselves on the downlow here in town meant not blowing up at assholes who took jabs at his ego in the middle of the street. God he wanted to though. He could almost imagine the sting in his knuckles as this guy’s nose broke, gushing blood, teaching him a lesson with that coppery wash and a little humiliation. Manny wouldn’t care about that if it knocked a little incompetence out of his organisation. But … he would care if it wasn’t the gilipollas, but Ricky instead. The settling of ruffled feathers didn’t convince him otherwise. Ricky had always been particular about what he wore, buttoned up tighter than a shirt at church on Sunday. Not vain, but some of Manny’s guys were, strutting about like working for the de la Peña meant you were the shit. Zach studied the guy nervously, trying not to let anything but exasperation show on his face – just in case this wasn’t Enrique, with his blood hound like manner.
Zach frowned, the jab not feeling half as sharp now, even when it should’ve been worse this time around. Something blocked it, had his mind somewhere else, somewhere bad. Plenty of people in the organisation were bilingual – Manny wasn’t exactly gonna trust every gringo asshole who wanted a piece of their award winning pie. His paranoia meant people were selected carefully, even if it didn’t always mean they had all the lights on up top. If they didn’t pick up Spanish before, if they made it all the way to high school and hadn’t already got someone knocked up or were rotting out their septum from what was going up their noses, then they caught a few words eventually. Had this guy? Had he been yelled at enough before.
He let his hands fall slowly, stepping in close again. If he leaned forward he coulda put his lips to the guy’s ear, bitten into that shell of cartilage if he wanted to channel Manny a little. ”You’re the one tryin’ to cover up by shiftin’ the blame now. That makes you the fucking idiot. You wanna go there now? Point fingers and whine to the boss that you broke orders because I was a couple minutes late? OK, bro, let’s go, come on…” Zach’s smile was twitchy around the edges, the sweat trying to bead on his upper lip as he barked the accusations out at high speed, like an automatic weapon spitting bullets into his head, hoping to tell if it was empty or not by seeing if it hit something.
Was he? Had Ricky decided to creep close?
Maybe a decade ago he woulda been able to tell in instant. They’d been close as kids but Ricky’s choice to turn against the family had changed all of that. Doubt swam thick and greasy in the pit of his stomach. Maybe barfing all over this guy’s boots would force the revelation. He wasn’t scared of Manny, not the way this guy – maybe Ricky – was hoping he would be, he was scared of getting all this wrong. He wasn’t Manny, he didn’t get a kick out of violence.
”Dunno,” Zach croaked as he parroted the guy. Didn’t have to remember. Nobody who worked for Manny got that sloppy – not after the first time at least. Any sign of a screw up and Manny removed them from the situation permanently. Manny was going to take his head off, not because he’d messed up, but because Ricky had got this close. Fuck!
Stumbling back, Zach, shook his head again, resisting the urge to moan ‘no’. He swallowed hard, squaring his shoulders like he could meet this problem face on. Scuttling backwards, he planted himself in Ricky’s path. ”He trusted me more than the guy you’re pretendin to be. Yeah, he was stupid and he might not’ve listened, but he wouldn’t have been this ballsy about it. You not worried that he’s gonna take your head off in the end, man?” The smile turned nervous as he stopped dead, holding his hand up like he could get him to stop. ”Long time no see, huh? How you been doin’ Ricky?” This wasn’t a friendly little catch up, those couldn’t exist while Ricky continued to stand on the other side of the line. This was trying to stop World War III from flattening this town.
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ENRIQUE DE LA PEÑA
Shapeshifter
Posts: 65
Played by:
Julia
Last seen Mar 22, 2024 22:48:16 GMT
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Post by ENRIQUE DE LA PEÑA on Jun 23, 2023 18:05:16 GMT
━ if you support evil, you are evil ━ RICKY HAD FUCKED UP ONCE BY RESPONDING to Zachary’s Spanish, but he wasn’t about to make the mistake a second time, not with the rapid-fire (but understandable) words coming at him. Even if this asshole’s mama was a white-washed Latina, he probably wouldn’t be able to understand all that, and Ricky wasn’t taking the chance. He paused to listen to every word, though, not tuning out like a non-speaker might’ve, scoffing at Zach’s lecture. He shook his head at it, hoping he wasn’t showing too much understanding. He was a detective, after all, not a fucking actor. He had more brains than that.
Zachary began to look a little shell-shocked, though, like he couldn’t figure out what was going on, perturbed to no end by Ricky’s behaviour. The issue with changing into someone he didn’t know, hadn’t observed, were these one-on-one interactions. He hadn’t intended on coming face to face with Zach, only listening in on one of Manny’s conversations with the club owner.
He shoved Zachary out of the way, but it wasn’t a moment before he walked backwards and stood in Ricky’s way again. He’d figured it out. Damn. He should’ve done more research before jumping at the bit just to get ahead. This wasn’t like him, but he coudn’t help it━it had felt like months without movement on their case. Recognition slid over his face briefly before the borrowed features went hard once more, and he stepped forward to give Zach another shove across the chest. “What you’re sayin’ makes no fuckin’ sense. Get outta my way. Ricky ain’t my name.” But he didn’t know what it was, so he kept pushing until he could get past, grinning almost evilly. “You think I can’t be ballsy? Like you’re in charge, man. Don’t gotta respect you. Fuck outta my way.” He was scrambling now, desperate to get to Manny before he lost any chance of getting that information.
ZACHARY QUIROA | no notes.
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ZACHARY QUIROA
Human
Posts: 62
Played by:
Ange
Last seen May 3, 2024 19:13:36 GMT
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Post by ZACHARY QUIROA on Jul 10, 2023 18:27:33 GMT
Dark eyes skewered the guy, waiting for some flicker of understanding to spark in the paler ones looking back at him. He hadn’t noticed it before he’d responded the first time, hadn’t paid enough attention until that had hit like a sucker punch. Little screw ups like that had killed people before, especially when Manny had been the one to notice them. If this guy had ended up at the club …
Nausea swam in his stomach even though the jackass started to scoff at his words – like he didn’t understand but he got the gist of things. Or like he was pretending he didn’t. Manny didn’t hire guys who were too smart – those were the ones more likely to try and make a move on you, thinking that they knew better. This guy had seemed like he was trying to engage some brains, but it all just got a little too fishy. Stinking like shrimp left out in the sun. Manny hadn’t picked him because he was Sherlock fucking Holmes either, but he had spent enough time with the family to know when he was about to put his foot into a big steaming pile of caca.
The sweat had started its slow trip down the hollow of his spine, leaving him shuddering at the feeling. He wasn’t wrong. This guy wasn’t who he was making himself out to be and … joder! Fuck!
Zach rocked back as the guy went to bolt, shoving past him. He was heading in the direction of the club, maybe, but it didn’t mean he’d reach it. If this was Ricky he’d make a show of it, maybe try and get him in enough trouble that Manny would flip at him leaving his big brother untouched. Scrambling back, Zach tried to stop him. His hand was up between them, his fingers twitching as recognition seemed to flash in that face that wasn’t Ricky’s. He’d known it. Stunned by the revelation of the size of Ricky’s balls here in him trying to slip in under the radar, Zach didn’t brace himself as he got shoved back. He stumbled, feet scrambling to keep him upright.
”Nice try,” he snapped after a moment, gripping onto the guy’s sleeve, yanking him to a stop. ”Enrique. I guess you don’t want Manny knowin’ you’re sniffin’ so close huh? Hide behind that ugly mask and maybe Manny won’t sniff you out. He’s smarter than that, y’know? Paranoid too.” Zach was sure he wasn’t telling Ricky anything new with that. Manny had stayed in business by being crazy about that shit – no amount of care Ricky had given him before had prevented that from happening. The product Manny had tested all those years probably hadn’t helped either.
He hadn’t thought he was capable of laughing, but the sick feeling slid away as the bluster turned to full bullshit. Zach kept his grip but brought up his other hand to jab a finger at the guy’s chest. ”You could be, but this guy? Nah. He’s a good little soldier. That’s one of the places where you fucked up.” Assuming he wasn’t in charge when Manny wasn’t there was another way he had. That trust had lasted for a reason and he didn’t plan on screwing it up now. ”Don’t run man. Not yet. Let’s catch up huh? At least gimme time to tell you to back the hell off of him. This ain’t your castle to knock down. Leave him alone, or what happened with the present’s gonna look like child’s play, yeah?” It wouldn’t be a finger being delivered to the station, maybe it’d be the sheriff, or that partner of Ricky’s. A head staring up out of a box as the sort of warning that maybe wouldn’t be strong enough even then.
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ENRIQUE DE LA PEÑA
Shapeshifter
Posts: 65
Played by:
Julia
Last seen Mar 22, 2024 22:48:16 GMT
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Post by ENRIQUE DE LA PEÑA on Jul 27, 2023 18:22:34 GMT
━ if you support evil, you are evil ━ RICKY WAS WELL AWARE OF HOW PARANOID his little brother was, and the point of this mask was to ease some of that. Manny never would’ve figured it out. And, if he had, Ricky knew the signs well enough to slip away before Manny’s agitation reached its boiling point. The plan was a bust by this point━he couldn’t go stumbling into the club with or without Zach━but Ricky still tried to get there, or away from Zachary, at the very least.
“Fuck off.” Ricky growled, still somewhat in character, as he tried to pull his sleeve from Zach’s grip. He could send the other man flying straight into the pavement, but that would get him no closer to his end goal.
And then Zach laughed. He fucking laughed, and Ricky wanted to embed his fist in the man’s cheek for it. He wasn’t normally so violent, but perhaps it was the face he was wearing━or the face in front of him, the one that forced Ricky to remember the betrayal from an old friend.
Ricky frowned deeper when Zach’s finger needled into his sternum, his borrowed eyes narrowing. “Catch up?” He scoffed, both hands coming up to snatch Zach’s jacket in his hands, jostling Zach around like he could shake some sense into him. “What do you know about that? Did you help him do it?” Ricky gritted his teeth, remembering the ghost he’d seen the day it was delivered. He wondered if Zach chopped it off himself; if he even had the stomach for it.
“You know what, sure, we’ll catch up. How about you come down to the station with me, huh?” Ricky turned them and shoved him back against the brick wall. “Tell me all about what you and Manny were doing today, the meeting you had with Hector Dacre. How’s that sound?” He smirked. There was no way in hell Zachary would do any of that, but Ricky liked uttering the threat━reminding Zach that, if he was crazy enough, he could blow the lid off this entire thing.
ZACHARY QUIROA | no notes.
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ZACHARY QUIROA
Human
Posts: 62
Played by:
Ange
Last seen May 3, 2024 19:13:36 GMT
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Post by ZACHARY QUIROA on Aug 20, 2023 18:40:41 GMT
Fucking off simply wasn’t an option at this point. It was cling on and try to stop Ricky from doing whatever he was planning on doing, or cling on and hope he could find out enough of what Ricky was up to that he could feed it to Manny and stop him from tearing his head off for not picking up on this before now. It was self-preservation at the basest level. Ricky had just the same strength as Manny, could take care of him just as easily – he just wasn’t likely to. Unlike his brother Ricky had never seemed to want to get his hands dirty. The family could be more than what they were, they could crawl out of the mud, be cleaned up. Maybe they would’ve managed to if Ricky hadn’t bolted off to become some hot shot crime fighter.
Zach clung on with the tenacity of a small, yappy dog. Ricky had a few inches on him, more in this form, more weight too, but you didn’t stick around with the de la Peñas as long as he had by being a pushover. You learned when to use your teeth – smaller and blunter than Manny’s but still capable of biting. You strapped on a big brass pair and puffed out your chest and you gave orders to assholes like the one Enrique had turned himself into. You did anything to stay alive.
Swaggering a little like that brass pair were in place, he’d laughed, and then tugged Ricky in to jab a finger at his chest – miraculously he hadn’t twitched in anticipation of getting it snapped off as he’d done it. ”Yeah,” he puffed. ”Catch up. Have a little chat like we used to. There was a time, man …” Before Ricky had made his choice and he’d made his. They’d been friends, probably even closer than he’d been to Manny. Times changed, and so did allegiances. Bracing his legs, he tried to lever himself back as Ricky got a hold on his jacket, but yeah, he’d been right, he was outmatched here. His boots scuffed on the floor, scrabbling around to try and find purchase. Zach sneered, his upper lip curling. ”You think I held him down and chopped it off for him? Use your brain, man. You were always smart enough to figure out exactly what happens. Guess you got soft over the years.” And he’d gotten too ballsy for his own good. Dumb move. One that was going to get him in trouble one way or another. The avenues he had to get out of this unscathed were rapidly shutting down.
”How about no,” Zach yelped. He kept his grip on Ricky’s sleeve, even as his shoulder blades smacked into the brick wall. Zach tried to bounce off of it and steam in again, but it all felt pointless now. ”You got a problem with us goin’ for a drink in town now? There’s only so many places round here. The club’s as good as any other. They do cheap booze, maybe get a little dance in later. Who gives a shit who owns the place? Whatever that guy does is his business, we keep ours close, you know that. Unless you been doin’ some forgettin’ while you were sittin’ in that big chair playin’ at being Columbo. Back the fuck up.” Zach had puffed out the order. Now he was letting go of Ricky, hitting the guy in the chest with the heels of both hands, trying to push him back. Holding him here definitely didn’t feel like such a smart move now.
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ENRIQUE DE LA PEÑA
Shapeshifter
Posts: 65
Played by:
Julia
Last seen Mar 22, 2024 22:48:16 GMT
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Post by ENRIQUE DE LA PEÑA on Sept 14, 2023 20:55:07 GMT
━ if you support evil, you are evil ━ HIS BRAIN TOLD HIM THAT IT WASN’T likely Manny did it himself, no matter how desperate he was to torture his older brother. Zach had always been too much of a follower, though, a mama’s boy through and through. They’d changed in their adult lives, chose their paths, but they hadn’t changed that much. It was fine, though, because━whether or not Zach did it━Ricky was already sure he knew the story.
And he was sure they were using the club as an outlet to dispense their product, and he wanted to watch Zach squirm when he asked about it. A yelp was good, too.
“How about we make a deal? If you haven’t done anything nefarious with Manny in that club, you can get yourself free.” And, no matter how much Zach struggled and pushed, that wouldn’t happen unless Ricky wanted it to. “No?” He taunted, “Then I suppose I will take you in for questioning.” He wasn’t giving into Zach’s bullshit, nor would he let him go free on his word alone. Ricky had seen what was going on with his own (well, sort of) two eyes.
However, as much as he would’ve liked to drag Zach back to the station, he couldn’t while wearing this face, and bringing him in would have too much information leading back to Manny. Ricky knew Zach wouldn’t give anything up, but he was still a face, a record, a history, and Ricky couldn’t let Joel see that. Not while he still hoped he could save his brother.
Abruptly, Ricky pulled Zach toward him and off the wall, then shoved him to the ground. “Watch your back,” He hissed, “Now, go run and tell Manny you let me get too close to him because you weren’t doing your job.” Ricky smirked, taunting him again, before he turned and swaggered away, silently cursing himself for how this turned out.
ZACHARY QUIROA | zee end!
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