LudariusCanesMom stands by the window watching her son play outside. She smiled as Ludarius ran around in circles, gleefully chasing a piece of newspaper that was blowing around in the wind. He laughed and giggled as he chased the paper. LudariusCanesMom had to stop herself from opening the window to call out to Ludarius and remind him that running around in circles like that makes him dizzy. 'Let him play," she told herself silently. 'He's had a rough day.' The day had indeed been trying for Ludarius. Today he killed AbbyHoffman.

LudariusCanesMom sat down in a chair nearby the window and spoke softly.

I suppose many of you are curious as to what led to the demise of AbbyHoffman this morning in Detroit. I'll share what details I can without compromising our family's interests, but hopefully this will shed a bit of light on the situation for anyone who may have been alarmed by today's actions.

Yesterday, our fine city saw the arrival of two new Captains that were additions to what is being referred to as the Detroit Experiment. One was a delightful young man by the name of Revolve and the other was the late AbbyHoffman. It was more company than we were used to here in DT, but we knew that new arrivals would be forthcoming, so none of this was a surprise to us.

What may have been surprising, if not even dissapointing, to many was the fact that upon the initial launch of this experiment that there had been no bloodshed between any of the DT factions, as is usually the case in these experimental cities. My son and the other two young men that have set up their respective camps here in Detroit have worked together quite peacefully. There has been no friction and no reason for violence.

Along came AbbyHoffman. My mother's intuition kicked in and I detected turmoil. Revolve was shot at in a very suspicious manner, this on the heels of some indications that Abby wanted to see Revolve out of the way. It's my own speculation that Abby viewed the otherwise unknown Revolve as the odd man out, or perhaps felt threatened by his presence in the Motor City. I couldn't say for sure. I do know however that things were no longer without stress in our city and my son decided that he would need to go. An angry kin to the late AbbyHoffman returned and demanded answers, wanting to know what happened, as well as confirmed our suspicions in a correspondence.

I suppose LudariusCane happened. el-oh-el

Make no mistake, no one is denying AbbyHoffman's right to try and plot against another leader here in DT, and quite frankly no one is holding that against him either. This is after all at the end of the day, a competition. We reserved our right to do the same, and felt it was the best thing to do. None of this was personal, and we wish his next of kin well in his future endeavors.

I'd like to take this opportunity to wish Revolve the best with his, as well. Welcome to Detroit and best of luck to you, young man.

Understand, there will not always be an explanation given to instances that occur inside DT city limits. There may be instances that we feel would be compromising and/or inappropriate to discuss. Not everything will be for public consumption. But in the meantime, we hope this satisfies some of your curiosities.

Embarrassed, LudariusCanesMom realizes she is sitting in an empty room talking to herself and stops speaking. She calls for Ludarius to come inside. It is time for his nap. She tucks Ludarius into bed and leans over to kiss him softly on the forehead as he sleeps.

Sleep well, my sweet child. You deserve it.

<em> runs through the house real quick, startling Ms. Cane </em>

Its Abbie. AbbieHoffman.

<em> runs quickly to hide </em>

Its Abbie. AbbieHoffman.

Oh my! Indeed it is!

LudariusCanesMom blushes and performs mannerisms that dignified ladies do when they are embarrassed

Neon listened in and then made a comment.

"May AbbieHoffman rest well. Yet, you say there will not always be an explanation gave. This means that you guys are planning more instances? You are not willing to work with those that join Detroit and attempt to avoid any other removals of a new bold?"

"Or are you trying to say that 'should' another issue arise in Detroit, god forbidding, your family won't exactly come forth with the reasoning if you felt it unnecessary. I may be reading into this wrongly, so feel free to correct me, but that is just what I am getting from what I was just told, by you, yourself."

"I truly hope all of Detroit would want to work together, because I heard the blood bath that started the Las Vegas wasn't very pretty and many died."

Why thank you for your well-wishes Neon! You may feel free to interpret as you will. Or assume perhaps I accidentally left the word should out, much like I accidentally mispronounced Abbie's first name wrong.

I hope that I speak for all of the existing captains here in Detroit when I say that we will always look to resolve our differences and any problems that should arise in the future peacefully and without having to excercise the show of violence that you've witnessed today. Unfortunately, as I am sure many of the other respective leaders in the rest of the country are well aware not everything in our life can be settled amicably and with a kind word, and that sometimes we must reluctantly resort to the gun.

This situation with AbbieHoffman was indeed regretable. But even more regretable is that it was a situation made by his own hand, he played the game and lost.

"Or are you trying to say that 'should' another issue arise in Detroit, god forbidding, your family won't exactly come forth with the reasoning if you felt it unnecessary. I may be reading into this wrongly, so feel free to correct me, but that is just what I am getting from what I was just told, by you, yourself."

Again I hope that I speak for the rest of the Detroit families when I say that we will continue to do what we believe is in the best interests of our respective families and our city as a whole. If this means withholding certain information from the public arena, then so be it. I for one hope that we can be open with our friends in the other cities across the country but this is not always the case.

I hope that's cleared some of your confusion up a bit Neon.

Id hardly call setting up, then dieing shortly after 'playing' the game. Lets be fair in our statements, the late Abbie didnt even unpack his first bag before he was shot dead.

I think you may be selling our dear departed friend Abbie a little short Ragnarok. He knew very well what he was doing, or planning to do as the case may be.

Planning to do, and doing are two different things. Seems like our dear Abbie was shot for essentially something he may have considered doing, not for something he actually did.

His name is Abbie Hoffman. His name is Abbie Hoffman. His name is Abbie Hoffman. His name is Abbie Hoffman. His name is Abbie Hoffman. His name is Abbie Hoffman. His name is Abbie Hoffman. His name is Abbie Hoffman.  etc.

Poor little guy. I doubt he was much of a threat to anyone or that stupid. He was... “soooo” desperate for the position (not sarcasm) that it would not make any sense for him to make a move not even a day in. I also am pretty sure he couldn't shoot a mountain. I guess we can leave everything up to speculation... If speculation is enough then I can't imagine this experiment is going too well in DT... but I could just be misinterpreting what was said...  If Telkin, I mean... Abbie actually wanted to do something like make a move on someone, then it'd be a surprise... but I don't know how he could be expected to do anything given his ineptness at the range. Perhaps, if there was "evidence" of his threat or supposed or speculative....

and here's where things go black

... it was said that there won't always be explanations in DT... That's weird because this seems to be in the form of an "explanatory speech." There are vague reasons... these speculations in it, but there is something strongly lacking... I find it strange for someone to write an "explanatory speech," without an explanation, only speculation. It would seem to me that an explanation… or rather actual evidence is kind of inherent in "explanatory speech." Usually, people wait to write one until they have all the information gathered. Unless, it really is just only speculation and this isn't even an "explanatory speech" at all which is essentially what you claimed in saying that there won't always be explanations... Right. There won't be explanations... in what would seem normally to be an "explanatory speech." But this isn't an "explanatory speech." This is a "speculative speech" that seems lacks “evidence” or “reasons” or an “explanation,” but I suppose having “evidence” would make it an "explanatory speech"... and I'm going in circles in the nature of didacticism to show that hearing something gave the auditor no answers for something that would seem to be a "speech" where "answers" or where "explanations" or where "evidence" or really where just substance... would be due. But, these things mentioned were not claimed to be part of this “speech” or I have now learned, any future of such “speeches,” but it makes no sense as to why they aren’t as this “form” of a “speech” usually has an “explanation,” “answers,” “evidence,”etc…

shrugs and skips around off into the meadow with pinwheels and lolly pops

It seems I have had an interesting start to my bold suit but in such a competition I suppose it's to be expected.

What AbbieHoffman was planning or had planned I was none the wiser I had spoke with him briefly and all seemed amicable between us. If he was indeed planning to have me killed i bear no ill will to his kin. It's survival of the fittest and I got lucky this time.

I think the fact that the other Captains in Detroit had got on without a shot fired previous to Abbie and I arrival a couple of days ago proves that they are working together to make Detroit flourish once more. Hopefully I will be able to help with the rebuilding, but only time will tell.

Ragnarok, this is true that he hardly had time to unpack his bags, but neither did I before I was shot at and if Abbie had a hand in the shot on me surely the death of one is better than the death of many in a city that is trying rebuild?

Hey guys, sorry I wasn't able to do this myself, (IRL) things kept me from giving this speech, but we wanted to get this reason out in a timely manner. Let me clear this up for some of you peers out there.

AbbieHoffman conspired against my ally Revolve, doesn't matter when the fuck he did it or even if he considered doing it or if he planned on doing it...this info got in my hands and I learned that Abbie was ready to bribe me to fuck over my new found accomplice. I took care of it before quandary bore, this was an inner-city conflict and trust me if it wasn't for the outburst of curiosity I was getting in my mail box, I wouldn't be here. Neither would my mother.

Truth is, Detroit can choose to explain everything or explain nothing at all. Its our option, its the city we have been given the opportunity to build and its certainly not mandatory we've to give an explanation for every affair that materializes in the Motor City. SpikeSpiegel, this is how my mother chose to release the petite matter we dealt with today. I don't care if its a damn Goomba that comes into our city and plots against our allies or a Made Man that colludes against our accomplices, matters like this one will be handled swiftly time and time again with an "option" of releasing it to the mass. An option.

Ragnarok if you think if the way Abbie went down wasn't fair, I don't know what to say man. Survival of the fittest, its either go hard or go home out here.

Survival of the fittest, its either go hard or go home out here.

I think this pretty much says it all. We all know how these experiments/contests go; You do what you have to do to survive and maintain your allies. Thank you both (LudariusCanesMom and LudariusCane) for speaking up. As you have said, you were under no obligation to say anything at all. The best of luck to all of the families in the Motor City.

I understand what you're saying. :P

However, this was initially a speech written to "everyone," the masses, if I'm not mistaken. So, since DT is separate, I guess there's no need for an explanation out here in the streets? It's just optional? Alright. I can understand and accept that.... but something that seemed like the beginnings of an explanation was written/shared and... I was questioning the form of the speech. It was missing "things" that the non-experiment cities would have included or been asked to add on in the city "streets" (which was pretty much what I was doing... asking for what would be expected in other cases). Since it seemed like this was a speech directed to everyone in all the cities, the masses, I was expecting the same things that I would expect etc etc. not gonna start that again...

I suppose, I'm just trying to gather the differences in expectations one should have when something like this does occur in DT in reference to the "streets" that we all share. If it's to be kept in DT, then I guess I won't read something that's said regarding a DT internal issue in the streets the same way at all, with the same expectations, since it is in fact your "option" to share. I went into this reading it as an archetypal "explanation speech," but clearly that's not the case for DT for the reasons that you noted. 

I guess it's settled then. I'm informed... But, one thing that I think should be universal in all cities is respect of the dead. So....... I do not think it was a "petite matter." Someone died today, and no death is "petite," rank regardless, experiment or non-experiment city regardless.

RIP AbbieHoffman. I wish the best to the families of Detroit, and yes go hard or go home.

skips around with pinwheels and lollies, nursing a hangover

Mr. Spiegel, I think you have misinterpreted somethings...

First off it is never a leaders obligation to share with the public the reasoning behind their decisions.   Leaders will often come to the street after a war or a takedown to explain what led them to act the way they did but it is never right of the public to know.   It is on the leaders to chose whether or not to give us their interpretations of what caused the incident or to hold their tongue.

Secondly, while Detroit may be an "experiment city" the leaders are not experimental leaders.   I would hope that the community at large would expect the leadership in Detroit to be on par with that of the other cities.  We don't want people to expect anything less from us purely because of where we call home.

Finally, an explanation was given.   Mr. Hoffman was a perceived threat.    Whether this is justfys his death was a call that fell onto the leadership of Detroit and they acted accordingly.   Also in response to Ragnarok's statment "Planning to do, and doing are two different things. Seems like our dear Abbie was shot for essentially something he may have considered doing, not for something he actually did."   Its not very smart to only react to things.   A threat should be neutralized before it does its damage.

Clearly Mr. Hoffman had friends who are upset about his untimely demise...  this is understandable, although it is also a harsh reality with the lifestyle we chose.

May the dead rest in peace.

Being a practitioner of medicine I have come to think of Detroit as a big Petri dish and the crews that set up there the bacterial colonies that will spring forth after being swabbed onto the agar awaiting its arrival. I have read the stories and diaries of those who came before me so do know of the successful, but very drawn out, experiment that Las Vegas was before it became a deserted city left to the vultures in the desert.

Detroit is an experiment within a big lab, This Thing of Ours being the lab, and all parts of it are experimental including the leadership as their positions are not all written in stone (Or are they?). Sorry if this hurts someone's feelings, but it's the way the entire kafuffle is viewed by some. The stronger bacteria will thrive and a colony will form, others will fail and pack their bags to go back home, and now we see that some will be neutralized with the most powerful weapons here loose lips, hot heads, itchy trigger fingers, and The Rumour Mill.

To look at the leadership of Detroit as anything other experimental is something some of those that make up the population of these cities will be unable to do until it is "over" as there is no guarantee that any of the current leadership will earn the rank of Godfather any time soon allowing for the unpopulated cities to eventually be experimented upon as well.

There is no guarantee that the results will not be manipulated in some way or another by other cities. This is how it has been with other "experimental" cities and how it will be in the future experimental cities. After all, everyone wants allies and it's a great way to get your friends in power.

It is a given that alliances will be formed to force people deemed "unacceptable" by the current leaders out. Of course people will be upset when deaths happen. I'd be more worried if at least some of our population was not upset, but to rush to the Streets with an announcement such as this, with the mispronunciation of his name and vague statements that have been made was a waste of our time and yours. You could have just summed it up with "We killed him because we didn't like him or want him here." or "He wasn't in our plans so we removed him."

I encourage growth within our cities and hate to see it stunted with events such as this as do many others. However, as we have seen in the past these experiments are time consuming and prevent other cities from being colonized until the "Powers that Be" are confident their experiment will end with the results most beneficial to their own safety and wellbeing. So for the next few months we shall sit back and watch the city of Detroit while other cities go ignored and the staff at City Hall grow more and more frustrated with how things are being carried out. In a worst case scenario we will see them drop off the map as we have seen happen in the past.

I wish those who are current leaders in this experiment well and look forward to seeing fresh faces attempt to make their way in Detroit in the future, but in the end you are all just an experiment, leaders and members alike until there is a Godfather and we can begin the long process of nagging for the opening another city to another experiment.

The whole experiment thing is getting old and it's proven to be a very slow way of doing things in a place where slow isn't always a good thing when the population is barely increasing and certainly not at a pace that would please City Hall. People get sick of no change and no growth so they leave. It's boring to those new to our world and I'm starting to wonder when the next "original" idea for another experiment that will end up deciding who is capable and deserving of being a leader will spring forth from someone's mind. I just hope it's not another experiment, contest, or installment of Mafia Survivor.

Abbie had dreams and aspirations, just as the other members of the experiment have. His were cut short for whatever reasons have been given and not given. Rest with the angels Abbie. Even if you were an asshole, you deserved more than you got.

Maybe by New Years we'll see all of the cities full, but I for one am not counting on it as growth seems to be a bad thing these days.

If you're going to kill someone and say "Survival of the fittest", then sack the fuck up and just say that from the beginning. Don't beat around the bush with this "well I heard from Bob who heard from Bill who heard from Jimbo who heard from Sarah-Beth who heard from Luann who heard from Ellie that maybe at some point this guy might try and do something to me."

It's a contest. You shot Abbie. He lost the contest. You're still eligible. Just say that.

For fuck's sake.

Jerusalem, my reasons for killing Abbie remains the reasons to which my mother pointed out. I hope to God that you've heard my mothers speech as well as mine properly because your idiocy reaches to a much crazier extent that my dead beat father Moussey. You have quite the -brain to assume that I killed a weak, petty CL like AbbieHoffman for no reason. Im quite irritated that me and my mother both had to clarify the reasons to Abbie's demise and yet you for some odd, fucking moronic reason assume that I would step on someone like him for fun.

When I said survival of the fittest I was countering Ragnarok, inferring that you need to pre-plan before coming to DT. What you're -brain thought out loud in no way correlated with the point me and several DT upper structures were trying to make.

Vaticus can help with your -brain man, his only failure was my father, dead-beat Moussey.

If you're going to keep hiding behind your idiot excuses when, quite frankly, "It's a contest. He lost. We're still winning" would suffice to fill your whining about "having" to explain (really, I'm trying to help you out here), and then go off and belittle me for TRYING to help you, could you at least have the common courtesy to, I don't know, learn the difference between "your" and "you're"?

One is possessive: "Your ego is way too big for your actual accomplishments, or lack thereof."

One is a contraction of "you are": "You're really dumb for whining about not wanting to have to explain things in a poster started by your mom... explaining things."

It is, honest to God, first grade English.

Wow. In all my family's ( was that right Jer? I dont remember first grade so well. ) time in and out of this world, knowing Jerusalems family, throughout the years, I gotta say... I agree with him.

Shakes head

What a day....

But yes, Ludarius, I see it as Jerusalem was trying to help you as well. Sufficient enough to say, it IS a contest, and whatever my ties to Hoffmans lines may be... He lost. However crude Jer's words are, hes still, to a degree, pretty fuckin right.