Isabella put her car into gear wordlessly and began backing out of Blackpanther's casino.  She contemplated what she was going to say to him.  She felt horrible when she first saw him, his appearance suggested he'd had a VERY bad night and yet, the way he was with her walking out - she was sure it was an act of some kind.  Why in the world had he insisted on playing the fool?  Why would he lie just to get her out at this ungodly hour of the night.

She grit her teeth in silence, unsure of what to say to him.  Every moment that passed she became more angry, thinking of how she must have looked coming to fetch him in that 'state' ... and what other mobsters might be whispering about her tomorrow.  Will they think she took him to her home like some two-bit whore?  She was the Left Hand Man of an important family, she couldn't have people spreading vile gossip about her.  She liked Elias and would put herself at risk for his good, but making her look like she was involved in something she wasn't... that was beyond the pale.  He'd never done so much as brought her flowers and she never done more than kissed his cheeks as she would any family - and now, assuredly, there were people who would think she was sleeping with @Elias.

Finally she opened the discussion with, "You wanna tell me where I'm going?  It's not like I've ever been to your place before."  Her tone betrayed her annoyance.

Elias noticed that Isabella's tone was quite stern..and he looked over in her direction whilst she was driving...he reached down to the car stick and she brushed his hand away instantly...Elias knew something was drastically wrong with Isabella...was it due to the fact he'd interrupted her night by getting himself into a drunken mess? He thought back and realised he'd probably drank at least two whole bottles of Bourbon Whiskey before blacking out and waking up to Isabella's sweet tone..

My dear...thank you for coming to my aid...I know I could always depend on you, this is what true family values are, to be here for one another, and I sincerely appreciate what you have done for me..you have such a calming effect on my well being, my head is still spinning like crazy, yet for some reason...I just can put this dizziness aside when i'm with you..if you just pull over for a moment as you're driving quite fast right now...I'm so sorry if I've caused you anger my dear...

Elias still unsure about what had happened in Isabella's head, to change her mood from comforting & caring...to being sharp and brash with him..

She looked over at him and gave him a glare.  "You really are going to stick with that 'I was drunk' story?  Elias... whatever your last name is... don't THINK I didn't realize you were perfectly capable of walking out of that casino on your own!"

She let out an angry huff.  "I can't imagine what possessed you to have them call me tonight and put on that charade.  What sort of woman do you take me for!  To think I was worried about you - to think I was actually considering taking you back to my place to nurse you back to health and ... and...  GAH!"  She let out an angry roar and turned her attention back to the street.

Elias grabbed the hand of Isabella once more as she went to get out of the car; clearly not wanting to be anywhere near Elias in proximity..her hand slipped away from his once again as she got out of her brand new car, only collected a day ago from Somnyoneshoe's dealership.... Prepared to walk away from Elias and her new car - Elias shook his head frantically, he shouted Isabella's name, just as his voice began to break under the pressure she turned around and saw the anguish on his face...

She started to walk back towards him, now doubting herself once more? Was this a double bluff? Was Elias really that conniving that he could trick her again...or was she overthinking the door incident and making a mountain out of a molehill...? Elias began walking towards Isabella too, until they were in close proximity once more, and before Isabella had a chance to speak, he pulled her close and kissed her..this was a huge risk that could well of got him killed, but it was at this moment Isabella realised that the charade that happened in the casino wasn't actually a charade at all...it was more a cry for help, Elias was run wild with emotional baggage and he sought to find the answer at the bottom of a Whiskey bottle...

'Sometimes dear actions speak far louder than words, but all I can tell you is this...I didn't call you form the casino, because I wasn't physically able too, I blacked out! It was BlackPanther who made the call on my behalf... Elias took in another deep breath before continuing... I knew there was one person who could get me out of this state, and that person is here...standing next to me once more...you've always been the one standing next to me...don't you see that...this is what i've been trying to tell you...

The kiss was so unexpected she didn't know how to respond to it.  Outrage flooded her and then as the kiss continued, she found herself quite enjoying it.  The truth was she had wanted to kiss Elias, but the circumstances were hardly appropriate.  So, as she came down off the bliss and rush of a passionate kiss - listening to his words spoke in a rush - her dreamy smile faded and her left hand came up and impacted his cheek with all the force she could muster.

"HOW DARE YOU!?!"  She snarled taking a step back from him.  "You... you... you think you can just kiss me and tell me how much you need me without so much as having told me your last name, where you're from or any of the details of your past and I'm going to roll over and fall for you?!?"

Tiny, Tim, and Nails were getting out of the car approaching them quickly, Isabella assumed they meant to restrain Elias.  "Miss!"  Tiny called out loudly.

"Not now Tiny!" she called back.  "I got this!"  She turned back to Elias.  "I am the daughter of Salvatore Fucking Luciano - the DON of Detroit and I am his Left Hand FUCKING Man!  You don't have any God Damned right to fucking touch me unless I tell you so - I should fucking shoot you were you God damned stand!"

"MISS LUCIANO..."  Tiny said more firmly, nearly to Elias now.

"DON'T YOU PUT HANDS ON ELIAS, TINY... OR I SWEAR TO FUCKING GOD AND ALL THINGS HOLY, I WILL SHOOT YOU!"

"BELLA! It's the cops!"  Nails inserted himself in front of Tiny and pointed out the cars approaching them from both sides.

"Son of a ..." She said realizing there was no time to get in the car and drive off without them catching.  "Fuck my life..."  She muttered as the cop cars pulled up, lights going, but sirens off.  Uniforms didn't step out, however, men in suits did.  This, she realized in horror, wasn't the cops at all.

"Miss Isabella Luciano?"  One man said, the rest of the FBN Agents had their hands near their guns.  "I'm afraid you and your men are going to have to come downtown with us.  We have a few questions."

"I can't imagine why, Mister...?"  She realized he hadn't introduced himself.  "We ain't done nothin' wrong."

One of the men rudely scoffed, clearly not believing her.  She pretended that it didn't bother her.

"Just the same, Miss Luciano... I am Agent Gerard of the Detroit FBN field office and you ARE coming with us."  He looked to the other men, "Cuff 'em and put them into the cars."  

She turned to Elias, giving him a look that he had to know was a bit of fear.  The young mobster had NEVER been taken in by Federal Agents before.  She touched his arm, gently, and whispered, "Dad's gonna kill us."

Just before the cuffs were placed on Elias and he was taken away with Isabella he managed to whisper to her...'Landucci...my last name is Landucci' he let out a cheeky smile in her direction...FBN agents have caught up with me before, this is purely routine, it's nothing to worry about dear, it's just a process...we have to follow through it until on of our inside agents can infiltrate and get us freed...you just need to make sure you keep quiet...and keep that beautiful, innocent look about you...the agents will lap it up.'

Elias, putting on a brave face was certain that this was nothing to worry about - however he'd not encountered Agent Gerard before..this could be some threat to Elias & Isabella, he could easily be the latest agent in this underground world trying to make headlines by catching a known criminal..Elias had been around for a long time, his record was long, and dangerous yet until now had always managed to slip through the system with whatever it took, whether that be a murder, or a less violent bribe.

Elias could tell Isabella was still uneasy about what had happened before, he held her hand again, but this time it wasn't snatched away, and she actually linked her fingers with his, almost as if she needed comforting. Elias knew there was still a vulnerability to Isabella that not many people would ever see, she had a tough upbringing and was always keen to show a tough stance to anyone who she kept at arms length.

'Trust me dear...this'll all work out fine, it's really nothing to worry about, and just so you know, I'm not asking anything of you...I don't expect anything of you, but once again my emotions got the better of me, and it was easier to show..than to tell.'

Isabella and Elias were thrown violently into the back of a car.  Once inside, under the cover of darkness, she leaned into Elias.  She could feel the warmth coming off of his solid form - it helped to put her at ease and make her confident enough to focus.  She tried to remember everything that @JoliBebe had ever told her about what to do when the coppers nicked you.  

Stay calm.  Keep your mouth shut.  Ask for your phone call and a lawyer.

Something told her that these guys weren't those sort of cops though.  Agent Gerard in particular - the way he looked at her was the same way children eyed penny candies in the five & dime.  It made her skin crawl.  She wondered if this was about the school district shit in Chicago.  Had they figured her out or was this about something else?  If so, what?

She occasionally spared a look to Elias, to let him know she was okay now - he didn't have to worry, but she suspected he would regardless.  He had no better clue what all this was about than she did.  

The brick building wasn't at all like a cop shop.  There were no lights or signs outside that made it obvious where they were at all.  The agents pulled them out of the car, one from each side so they were officially separated and as they went into the building Elias was taken down one hallway and she another.  She didn't even KNOW where Tiny, Tim, or Nails had gone to.

The room she was brought into was empty save for a metal table and two chairs... and one very intensely bright lamp.  She was placed into one seat and the agents escorting her left.  Agent Gerard sat across from her with a rather large manila file folder in front of him.

"It's nice to finally meet you, Isabella."  Gerard said politely.

"I wish I could say the same.  I'd like my phone call, please."  She responded with equal politeness.

Gerard nodded, "We'll get to that."

"Until I get my call, I have nothing to say to you Agent Gerard."

Gerard pulled some gruesome photos out of his folder and began to lay them out in front of her.  Wretched sights that if she hadn't been recently acquainted with her father's handy work, would have turned her stomach inside out.  She tried to avert her eyes but it was hard.  Agent Gerard was making sure she got sight of them before putting them down.  One after another they came out... more than she expected.  Men.  Women.  And even one boy who she was sure was no older than 15.

"This,"  He said.  "Is the work of a true devil, Miss Luciano.  A devil you can help me stop."

"I wish I could, Mr. Gerard, but I'm sure I am no one of importance and so unable to help."

"Don't underestimate yourself Miss Luciano.  Where your father is concerned you are of the utmost importance."

So this was about her father.  She should have known.

Gerard pulled out another photo and put it in front of her, this time it was of Mr. McNally - the union leader her father had killed the other day, the man she'd had thrown into a machine to cover the murder of.  "This one... this wasn't your father though, was it Miss Luciano."

"I have no idea what you're talking about and have nothing further to say."

"You put this man into a machine, we have witnesses who will testify to that affect.  You're going to jail for a very long time Miss Luciano... you may become the first woman in Michigan history to be executed for your crimes."

She looked at the poor man's photo and remembered what his body sounded like as it fell into the gears of the assembly line.  She couldn't help but blanche.

"So you do have a conscience."  Gerard said.  "Good.  We may yet save your soul Miss Luciano."

"I didn't realize the FBN was in the business of saving souls, Mr Gerard."

"Agent Gerard... and no.  We're not, but you're a beautiful young girl," The way he said this unnerved her utterly.  "... who's clearly lonely after the death of her mother, maybe so lonely that you've been tricked into doing evil by a man with no morals or scruples what so ever."  He reaches across the table to her cuffed hands and touches them with his, ever so lightly.  "I save you Miss Luciano... save you from prison, from execution and from the fires of hell if you'll let me."

She needed to get out of this room.  She wanted to run but the chains held fast.  "What do you want from me?"

"The FBN wants you to testify in court against Mafia DoSalvatore Luciano and his associates including the crime lord Marie Lucania of Chicago.  If you do this we'll put you into witness protection - change your name, give you a whole new life.  You'll disappear and your father's allies will never find you.  You'll be free of the old these monsters have over you and you can start again fresh.  Forgiven of your sins."

"I'm sorry... but what's a Mafia?"

Gerard sighs.  "I know what you're told to do when brought in Miss Luciano, but I assure you, resisting me will only make your life more difficult.  Give yourself into my care... let me save you from certain doom."

Was he joking?  Did he have witnesses to what she'd done at the Ford Factory the other day or was it a bluff?  It had to be a bluff.  No one was there but her and her bodyguards.  No one knew what her dad did or what she'd done after.  

"I'm afraid I can't help you.  I have no id-"

Gerard stood up and slammed his hands on the table causing Isabella to jump violently.  "We'll stay here all night if we have to Miss Luciano!"  

"I want my phone call."  She said again, meekly.

"Not yet."  He said and continued to question her... for several very LONG hours before taking her back to a holding cell with Elias.  By the time she was returned to his side, she was exhausted and clearly had been on the verge of tears.  Isabella was trembling but tried to act tough, tried to act like the man had not gotten to her... but he had.  She hadn't said anything, but more than once she nearly did.  

"I want my phone call."  She said again as they shut the cell door on her.

"You'll get your call when Agent Gerard says you can get your call."  the agent said as he walked away leaving her and Elias alone.

For what seemed an eternity for Elias...staring at the cell wall for hours on end when he heard footsteps outside...the brass key was put inside the door, twisted and the bolts released, the door swayed open to reveal an officer escorting Isabella back..she looked absolutely exhausted, but Elias had to be so careful with 'the filth' nearby, and in close proximity. Nothing that he could or should say would make a difference right now, and it would all be taken down and used as evidence, no matter if a lawyer was present or not. From the look of tiredness on Isabella's face, she's been worn down to almost depletion of all emotion..her face looked drained, and this infuriated Elias even more. He felt powerless right now to help her, but he had a plan..

He gestured Isabella over, stood up and let her flop into his arms, and felt that if she stayed here for much longer, would probably fall asleep in his arms. 'I can only imagine what you've been put through in there by that asshole Gerard. There's something not quite right about him. It's almost as if he knows more about this world than he should, don't you think? The reality is this...we're innocent until proven guilty, and no matter what he tells you..he's lying out his ass, how-ever convincing you think he is, that's his job. He'll try to turn you, but he obviously underestimated you, as have many people in your life to date. He doesn't know who is fucking with.'

Isabella looked pleased to of had faith restored in her by Elias, he knew she would never turn no matter how much pressure was put on her, but when someone else feels the same way, it made her feel better. 'They do legally have to give you a phone call, so choose it wisely my dear, make sure they're trustworthy, and send the best fucking attorney money can afford. Everything is circumstantial, all they have is two people, standing outside a car who shared a spontaneous kiss, and I'm not sorry for what I did. It's out there now...'

Elias in the moment took Isabella's hand once more and kissed her again. I'm with you, albeit in a difficult situation and if we can't see each other at our best...lets see each other at our worst! Before letting out a chuckle..

'Now we've been here for long enough, they're times up...! Lets get that phone call made now, I'd love a Bourbon Whiskey!'

The door unlocked and this time a uniformed police officer appeared.  "Miss Luciano, you can make your phone call, we'll be holding you in the women's cells downtown until the FBN decides what to do with you."

She looks to Elias, "Mr. Landucci, you're free to go."

Isabella turned to Elias, "Go home.  I'll call my dad and I'll call you tomorrow."  The police officer was clearly more aware of who she was because she looked away while Isabella kissed Elias.  With her hand still on his cheek she said,  "You will make tonight up to me Elias Landucci - but for now go, and get my guys out of here, okay?" 

Elias looked back at Isabella before agreeing 'I absolutely will, you have my word on that dear, it's going to be a hangover that i'll never forget. I'll make sure to get in contact with Tim, Tiny & Nails and sort the rest. Get that phone call as soon as possible. The quicker we get you out of here, the better and quicker we can get on with our lives...'

He left the cell feeling completely empty, like he was leaving the other half of him behind...and it broke his heart.

Isabella was sat down at the 15th Precinct and FINALLY allowed to use the phone at 6am.  She was barely able to keep her eyes open as she dialed @Salvatore_Luciano and @Marie_Lucania's home number.  She knew her father would have taken his usual private flight home in the evening to spend the night with his pregnant fiancee.  She knew calling him like this was probably the worst thing ever but she couldn't even remember Spartacus' phone number she was just too frazzled.

The phone rang, once.  Twice.  And then someone picked up. 

"No one has read me my rights yet..."  She said quietly.  "So I'm not under arrest... yet."  she swallowed.  "But an agent from the FBN has questioned me... extensively.  I'm at Detroit's 15th, the woman here says they are holding me until they get word back from the FBN on whether or not there are charges, but they are FINALLY letting me have my phone call."  She glared at the cops, though she knew it wasn't their fault she'd been denied her rights for hours.

Lucky was fast asleep when Marie started shaking him. He didn't know what she could want at this hour... It was probably a craving of some sort but he really wanted to sleep. 

He could feel Marie keep shacking him over and over so he finally woke up and looked over at her. 

"The stores are not open yet can you wait a little longer... or find something in the house?" he says still half asleep. 

Lucky woke up when he heard what was going on. He grabbed the phone from Marie. 

"What happened Isabella? Tell me everything" he told her. 

Lucky couldn't believe any of the Detroit Police would be stupid enough to arrest her. Something was different and he wanted to know who he had to pay a special visit too. 

"Daddy."  She'd never called him that before and, to be perfectly honest, the moment the word escaped her lips she wished she could take it back.  She was THAT rattled.  "I... I got a call about a friend who was really drunk so I went to pick him up and get him home safely.  We had some issues on the way to his house and we pulled over.  That's when the agents came to us."

She drew a steadying breath.  "About 8 hours ago they separated me from my friends and started asking me questions about the most horrible things... the photos they showed me were..."  Her voice trailed off, this was more acting than anything.  She honestly was more worried about her Dad being disappointed or about a murder charge against her than she was about some dead schmoes.

"They asked me questions about you and Marie.  They wanted me to tell them things I know aren't true.  They said if I lied they'd protect me and hide me away from you and our friends forever but I didn't... I wouldn't lie Dad.  I couldn't."

Lucky listened as he daughter spoke. He had to choke down his anger at the who the Male friend was she was with... That would have to wait and he could find out from Tiny and the other men he assigned to her. 

"Ok Isabella tell them to fuck off and I will be there shortly with the lawyers to get you out. I want the names of these agents who are they?" he asked her. 

Before he got her out he would have to deal with the agent running this sham of an operation. 

"He's a man by the name of Agent Gerard.  He's..."  Her voice trembled, something about this man clearly bothered Isabella to the core of her bones.  "Dad, he told me if I didn't lie about you, Marie, & your business... he'll have me arrested for murder."

"That won't happen I will take care of it. I am leaving now and heading to Detroit the lawyers will be there shortly to get you out," he said to her. 

Lucky hung up the phone and got dressed in a black suit and tie. He headed down and kissed Marie goodbye before heading out the door to the airport. 

He was going to deal with the FBN agent personally and when he was done there would be no more problem.