Technical was on his way to Visas headquarters for a mandatory meeting she had called. He was told to bring a couple of his most trusted with him, as well as protection. TommyAngelo was keeping him calm on the train ride. Technical looked over to TommyAngelo.

"We didn't fuck up, did we? This meeting is a bit rushed, so it has to be important."

He checked his sidearm to make sure he had loaded it properly.

"It's not often Visas tells me to bring this piece with me."

Other passengers on board became instantly nervous when the weapon was visible. The trained reached Downtown, TommyAngelo and Technical made their way over to The Exiles stronghold. Everyone was on high alert, the guard duty appeared tripled today. They both entered the conference room. Technical looked around the room to see Visas, Hayley, Duplicity and CullenBohannon were present, he drew out his gun.

"Alright... Who are we killing?"

Isabella, you've a very ugly woman, with an ugly personality and a suspicious looking throat. If I didn't know better, I'd say you were a man.

TIIYAH by name and tear by nature it would seem. Sammy made a statement that I felt was a very good one:

"The question exists as to why Don Voodoo could not call on the districts of New York to support him, however it's not to be directed at the districts of New York. "

A threat is a threat, no matter the time frame. In between that time and the time the first shot was made, we aren't all privvy to information that may have raised further concerns for Duplicity.

Steampunk quietly stood in the background as she listened to Duplicity calmly and rationally explain her reasons for her actions. Then, as others spoke she noticed the escalation in tone as some interjected their view on the subject at hand. She decided it was time to put her two cents in.

I, for one, appreciate when the time is taken by any leader to give the people enough respect to offer an explanation for their decisions and actions. Whether you feel these actions were justified is basically a moot point, it won't change anything. Don't get me wrong, stating your opinion or clarifying events is your right and you should be heard, although I implore you to please avoid profanity it just makes you look trashy and dilutes your statement.  I feel that some of you aren't looking at the big picture, it really doesn't matter if she was right or wrong in your eyes.

Duplicity, like her or not, kissed a lot of babies and shook a lot of hands to get to where she is. This is her time to shine and protect her position, as well as, those around her as she sees fit. We lead lives of crime people and in this game of life Duplicity is the one that owns the ball right now... if someone makes her feel threatened, is she going to take her ball and go home and wait for someone to break in and steal it? Hell no, she's gonna throw that ball as hard as she can at their head and look to her team for support. 

In my eyes Voodoo seemed like a good man and hearing of his death and the others that perished saddened me, but like I said, "In my eyes."

We don't all see things the same and at the end of the day, the one holding the ball wins.

I think that this really has been blown out of proportion. Here I am, Super Tyrannical Rex, John, to have his input on things.

Rawr.

Isabella  is looking for work that does not entail the hands across America theme. Judging by the pile shit she just stepped in she would have say only an idiot would bite when it comes to work.

 Fact: The supposed threat was a month ago and did not take place exactly as stated above.  Excuses!

First off, Isabella, only an idiot would bite it, but you were stupid enough to step in it.  Also, the time scale has no fucking bearing to this matter. Perhaps Duplicity felt that this threat would only be fulfilled in a timescale longer than a month where Voodoo could have had more practice with his own gun and gain more guns. It also gave time for Duplicity to train her guns. Just because you are maybe too short sighted or stupid to see the bigger picture behind war tactics, doesn't mean other people are.

Onwards and upwards towards Despondent.

SammyGato, let's think about this. Latin's Detroit was fiercely loyal to him and New York was apparently not loyal to Voodoo. Do you think there was such a shift in behavior between generations to warrant the drastic shift in loyalty? No. So what's the difference between that Detroit and this New York? The answer is the influence of a group of friends who are notoriously loyal to each other.

Of course, when it's handy for yourself, blame other people. It's not that people felt isolated in your family? No, of course not! Everyone in the other districts of New York and in your family were all coerced by these group of friends!! That is the most logical......sorry, moronic, reason I have been given. Perhaps it was your poor inability to even talk to people that caused it? Maybe, it was the fact that New York was basically going no where underneath you? I wonder how many times people in New York, bar your district, actually heard from you or had some sort of correspondence from you? I bet I could probably count it on one hand.

Nope, none of those reasons. It was definitely this group of friends. Perhaps your bloodline can now wrongfully blaming Eredin for anything and everything? I am not very hopeful of that.

Now on to the lovely TIIYAH.

As for the rest of the New York, I doubt my mother would be very fond of how you turned your backs when push came to shove and the tough got going, i would also highly doubt how you great you would feel if it was your district that was in yesterday's situation and if Voodoo and the district of Brooklyn had done nothing at all to help you, but unlike you, the people whom fought yesterday are much better then that. Disappointing is a real understatement. You can find whatever excuse you wish to, in the end, how i see it you picked to save yourselves and turned back on your own City leader. I hope that you find good pleasure in watching those whom gave their lives where you would not and that you are very proud of yourselves.

That is pretty much down to your mothers, or your own judgement. No one can take away an opinion from you, but perhaps some facts may enlighten us all. Yes, New York is a city, but it also has individual districts, FACT. Albeit making a full city, these individual districts have their own structures and thus, their own opinions, FACT. Not just these other districts, but people from Brooklyn itself didn't fight for Voodoo, FACT.

It feels like your core point is the same as Despondent's. It's everyone elses fault apart from the hierarchy of Brooklyn. Please, where there is smoke, there is fire, and if it shows that people from Brooklyn didn't fight, that there is something not right within the confinements of Brooklyn.  But, this is not just restricted within Brooklyn, but with the other districts of New York also. If Voodoo was such a great and courageous leader, wouldn't the other districts have helped? No, of course not, at least that is the answer when we use your logic. The way you are making this is that everyone is at fault, except Voodoo. Perhaps the fact that people were not willing to back Voodoo means that the fault lies upon him, rather than everyone else?

Anyway, this is all far too serious for me. I need to go off and brush up on my French accent, and go and do what tyrants do.

John wanders off looking for the closest baby with candy, so he can steal the candy and slap the mother.

Oh JohnHartman, I'm so glad you offered to bring Eredin into the discussion.

Wrongfully blaming Eredin? Are you high? Somebody for the love of god please explain to me how the log of a PM between Voodoo and Eredin that was handed over directly into the hands of the Chicago leadership by Eredin himself does not make this his fault. The people who saw it were actually asking themselves "is he trying to get him killed?" There is no way to argue that point.

Now that we have established that Eredin caused the situation, albeit unintentionally, lets's talk about his lack of loyalty. Was he slighted by Voodoo's introverted nature? The two sat and talked to each other all day, all the time. There was nobody that Voodoo spoke to more the Eredin. So this bullshit reason of him not speaking enough doesn't fly. Voodoo should have had Eredin's loyalty by your twisted logic of needing to be coddled and talked to all the time and Eredin should have had your loyalty, JohnHartman. You knew about the attack in advance and he did not. You acted without his go ahead. That makes you a rogue. You made unauthorized hits and he chooses to ignore it. This after throwing such a fit about some words said in the streets by a member of the LV leadership that offended the bloodline of one of his members. So in the good book of Eredin it's ok to kill things you don't have permission to but it's not ok to say something mean, but most likely true in most people's opinions, about how someone's bloodline has conducted themselves?

And before SammyGato chimes in and says "I don't know what you're talking about" I'm referring to the uproar over what Alistair said about the Melis bloodline.

Oh hello there bloodline of Voodoo (at least I am guessing that anyway),  pleased to meet your aura of salt. Let me respond to some of your constructive responses.

Wrongfully blaming Eredin? Are you high? Somebody for the love of god please explain to me how the log of a PM between Voodoo and Eredin that was handed over directly into the hands of the Chicago leadership by Eredin himself does not make this his fault. The people who saw it were actually asking themselves "is he trying to get him killed?" There is no way to argue that point.

First off, I was addressing the fact that cries for the Bronx to get involved were made. How could one such as Eredin allow the mighty Voodoo be slain by every other city and district in this world of ours! Rabble rabble rabble! Surely he should have got involved and basically doom Bronx to a neat and tidy death! Rabble rabble rabble! Sure, the MISTAKE that Eredin made by passing on the logs did not help the situation, that bit is definitely true. If only you didn't say it and cause this fucking situation in the first place? Yes, the primary causal factor and reason to you being killed, alongside Brooklyn, is YOU. YOU were the one that said the threat, or however you want to word it, towards Chicago, YOU paid the price for it. All I am hearing here is a whole lot of YOU. Nah, must be someone else at fault, huh?

Now that we have established that Eredin caused the situation, albeit unintentionally,

Nope, you caused it. I could make another big point on how YOU caused it, but I would be repeating myself.

Was he slighted by Voodoo's introverted nature? The two sat and talked to each other all day, all the time. There was nobody that Voodoo spoke to more the Eredin. So this bullshit reason of him not speaking enough doesn't fly. Voodoo should have had Eredin's loyalty by your twisted logic of needing to be coddled and talked to all the time and Eredin should have had your loyalty, JohnHartman. You knew about the attack in advance and he did not. You acted without his go ahead. That makes you a rogue. You made unauthorized hits and he chooses to ignore it. This after throwing such a fit about some words said in the streets by a member of the LV leadership that offended the bloodline of one of his members. So in the good book of Eredin it's ok to kill things you don't have permission to but it's not ok to say something mean, but most likely true in most people's opinions, about how someone's bloodline has conducted themselves?

Oh great, you talked to one person all day. That's what makes you an incredible leader of New York. Do I have to draw out the dramatics? Do I need to repeat myself on my previous point? Just because you made the effort to talk to one person, doesn't mean that anyone else should have been at your side. How does this affect the district of Manhattan? Why would they side with muteness? If you are introverted then should you really be "ruling" a city? I will leave that for others to answer, but I know what I would say. As for myself being loyal to you, why? Why should I have been loyal to you? When did you make a conscious effort to talk to me? When did we ever pass each other in the coffee bars? I don't really recall a time to be honest.

Also, the need of being coddled and talked to is a bit far considering you NEVER talked. Please, I should just get on my knees and start worshiping muteness. That's what you call fucking twisted logic.

Also, you call for Eredin to have my loyalty. I did nothing but act in the best interest of Eredin. Please stop flirting with the idea that I went "rogue". We are grown men and women, this is a fucking tough world, we do what we have to do to keep ourselves and others safe. Please, if you are really fixated with the idea that "John went rogue, Eredin should kill you waaaah waaaaah waaaah", then you should really find another life style choice. Nothing is black and white, nothing is straight forward, and for you to even try and use that as a point just shows your naivety towards this world of ours.

Please, continue using the rogue card. It's not getting old, or desperate in the slightest.

Well did you or did you not attack Voodoo's BG against Eredin's orders (wishes if you want to sugarcoat it)?

How is disobeying your OWN district leader not Roguing?, I guess with your views and values, no one should listen to their leader, be it City leader, District Leader or Crew Leader. And although you may have seen it as acting in Eredin's interest, that was not a call you should be making when you have already been told to by the person you answer to had already told you not to.

I am not going to sit here and go back and forth about this as I have said everything I had to say prior to either being blocked or they suicide their character or whatever the case may have been so I will say a few things and be done with it.

Yes I made the best choice for my district, yes the log came from, yes the log would have never even been shown had Voodoo not felt the need to take what was said as a threat and heard me out fully before making the decision to go to Duplicity which caused this big scene, I would have never felt the need to have to send the logs to prove that NY wanted no harm towards Chicago, nor want the death of Kimble, nor said that Kimble was threatening me. I will not take 100 percent blame for this, I will take my 50 percent blame and accept responsibility for that.

Now on to that 50 percent responsibility, did I feel bad sitting around watching Voodoo die? You are damn straight I did, did I accept blame for it? Your damn skippy I did to damn near everyone I talked to which is well basically everyone as you can clearly tell. Did I defend Voodoo and go against the decision made to attack him for 24 hours after that? Yes I did.

However with all of that being said do I now regret the decision I made? No, No I do not, after two of the three structure of Bronx insulting me afterwards, and the big one who I considered an amazing friend hit listing me, no I do not regret the decision I made, nor will I ever now, you wanted to get your points across? That is fine I can understand that, but general talking not throwing shit into peoples faces and insulting them is the way to go about it, none of this which was done by any of those that died that day, which is why I am over it and this will be the last thing I say about this matter.

Well did you or did you not attack Voodoo's BG against Eredin's orders (wishes if you want to sugarcoat it)?

How is disobeying your OWN district leader not Roguing?, I guess with your views and values, no one should listen to their leader, be it City leader, District Leader or Crew Leader. And although you may have seen it as acting in Eredin's interest, that was not a call you should be making when you have already been told to by the person you answer to had already told you not to.

Oh TIIYAH, thank you for replying. I am glad you asked that. I actually shot before Eredin even said anything, ergo I was, for the most part not going "roguey woguey". I admit, I shot one more bodyguard after what Eredin said, but by this time it was self preservation. How would I know that Voodoo or anyone else, wouldn't have taken a shot at me? After all, I had previously shot. So yes, it was out of the best interest of Eredin. Also, like I said, using the word "rogue" against someone in a war status is at best, extremely weak. Need I repeat what I said to Voodoo's bloodline?

Just a correction I meant Brooklyn insulting me, silly mistakes like such occur when the majority of your time has spent without sleep due to these events but alas you get the point.

While I am at it, John did not have my approval to attack Voodoo no but he was not a rogue in my eyes, in my eyes he defended the alliance he swore to defend, the alliance we as a whole swore to defend, I am not going to kill someone over that, nor am I going to accept 50m to kill them either to make people feel better who have spent the past 24 hours hurling insults at me.

End of the day John has been loyal to me since day one and you can keep questioning his loyalty or even telling me he will turn on me and doing whatever it takes to try to get me to kill them but it won't happen, I am fully capable of making my own decisions, and for this situation, I made the right one.

You're right. Voodoo deserved to lose Manhattan. I didn't mention them because you're right. Score one for turncoats everywhere, they were justified i suppose.

Now as far as Voodoo being the cause of this war, he said something to Eredin in private concerning relations with another city. Eredin gave that damning information to Chicago. So it's not that he didn't help the situation as you say. He created it. Without him being an accidental snitch it was just the leaders of a city discussing a threat that had been made toward them. You say though that the fault lies with Voodoo for saying it in the first place. If only he didn't say what he said this would have been fine. If only Voodoo didn't discuss things with Eredin this would have been fine. Wait a minute. Not talking to people is what you're complaining about.

I didn't mention you being loyal to Voodoo. You are confused. Why did he need your loyalty? He didn't auth you. He never would have authed you. He didn't talk to you because he didn't like you and he expected Eredin to maintain control of you. Eredin authed you. You are his responsibility. If you acted on his behalf then he flipped on Voodoo as much as you. There's a chain of command and you were near the bottom good sir. Ahh but your point. I forgot about it. Don't get involved if you'll die. Very classy. Loyalty goes out the window if you'll die.

I'm terribly sorry if bringing up the "rogue" idea here once is too much for you. I'll refrain from speaking about it again if it pains you so much when I call it like I see it.

Eredin, stop clinging to this notion that it was Voodoo's fault you sent that log. He told Duplicity that he didn't appreciate threats. It was done. There was nothing to fix. You were trying to fix a personal relationship  and while trying to do that you messed up. He forgave you for that. Until it came to war over it and you left him to fend for himself that is. Whatever. Put that aside. Going by your reasoning you and he were both 50% to blame yet he is 100% dead and you are 0% dead. And on top of that someone acting "in your best interest" helped make it that way. (Not to be confused with that R word I'm always trotting out)

I'm not trying to insult you Eredin. I'm just trying to open your eyes to what you did. If you accept what John did that's fine. Just stop trying to pretend like you maintained loyalty to Voodoo. 

Now as far as Voodoo being the cause of this war, he said something to Eredin in private concerning relations with another city. Eredin gave that damning information to Chicago. So it's not that he didn't help the situation as you say. He created it. Without him being an accidental snitch it was just the leaders of a city discussing a threat that had been made toward them. You say though that the fault lies with Voodoo for saying it in the first place. If only he didn't say what he said this would have been fine. If only Voodoo didn't discuss things with Eredin this would have been fine. Wait a minute. Not talking to people is what you're complaining about.

If only Voodoo didn't talk to the one person he bothered talking to. Please, take what I said out of context and try and turn it into some sort of witty comeback. It's really good, or it would have been good if I didn't address this point in my last reply. Perhaps there is a correlation between being a mute and memory loss? We may never know.

What started this chain of events? Could it be the issue with Melis' bloodline? No, it couldn't have been that because nothing was said against Chicago with that. Could it have started with Eredin coming to you, rather annoyed about things? No, it couldn't have been that, because again, nothing was said about Chicago. Could it have started when you issued the statement against Chicago? Oh yes! BINGO! THE REALISIATION LIGHTS ARE GOING OFF! DING DING DING! The origin of this incident is when you uttered the words you did. That is the origin and the causal factor of all of this. You created the situation in the first place. The situation only arose when you said those words. I don't know how else to say it. I can try French? I did Latin when I was a teenager, I wonder if that would help?  Please, get off the blame train and accept that you caused this. Not "oh Eredin was an accidental snitch", or "Oh Eredin came to me blah blah blah". He never forced you to say what you did. Those words were of your own thought process and your own actions. Please, blaming someone else is the easy way out.

I didn't mention you being loyal to Voodoo. You are confused. Why did he need your loyalty? He didn't auth you. He never would have authed you. He didn't talk to you because he didn't like you and he expected Eredin to maintain control of you. Eredin authed you. You are his responsibility. If you acted on his behalf then he flipped on Voodoo as much as you. There's a chain of command and you were near the bottom good sir. Ahh but your point. I forgot about it. Don't get involved if you'll die. Very classy. Loyalty goes out the window if you'll die.

 Well you talked about Voodoo should have had Eredin's loyalty, and Eredin should have had my loyalty. You worded it like there should be a link there, I'm sure I am not the only one to have made that assumption? Perhaps, if you worded your rebuttal a little bit better, it would have been made clearer for people to see? Anyway I digress off the subject.

Also, you talk about being near the bottom of the chain of command? I don't know if this is supposed to be some sort of insult, or if you are just trying to make another half point? I mean, if you want to be pedantic, I don't think being the first auth of a city district as being "near the bottom". I don't see hands as being near the bottom of the chain of command either, but alas, maybe you only see yourself at the top as being the only link of that chain. You and Eredin? You, Eredin and your auth? Of course not, you wouldn't be that stupid, would you?

I'm terribly sorry if bringing up the "rogue" idea here once is too much for you. I'll refrain from speaking about it again if it pains you so much when I call it like I see it.

That's OK, Voodoo number two, I am sorry if you actually can't address the valid point I brought forward, and can only reply with an attempt at humour/sarcasm. I am sure you saw what I mentioned what I said about being a rogue towards TIIYAH, and just chose to ignore it and make a humourous retort.

I maybe jinxing this, but I think we are getting along fine. Fancy a drink, mate? I will pay.

I never said I maintained my loyalty to Voodoo, I said I defended him in saying he would not have attacked Chicago and I still firmly believe that and that won't change.

Now that is out of the way, you said it was a private conversation, yet you made it public by going to Duplicity, then by what you said to Duplicity you put my relationship with Chicago in harms way by making it seem as if I was trying to get a highly responded man in Chicago killed which was far from the case. You keep putting all of the blame on me that is fine I am a big guy I can handle you and your lackeys bullshit, you may not be trying to insult me but your lackeys are and that is fine, they can do as they please.

Simple fact is it was no longer a private matter the second you took it to Duplicity which then made it a problem, that is how I view it and will always view it, now as I said I am not going to keep arguing this, I just told you I didn't maintain my loyalty to Voodoo, so you get what you wanted said there, we will agree to disagree on everything else and I am done with this as I have said everything I needed to say to you here, and in private over the past 24 hours if that isn't enough then so be it.

Yes thank you Eredin. You did not maintain your loyalty to Voodoo and it had nothing to do with the reason that has been presented. That's all I wanted from you. 

John, when Voodoo said it to Eredin there was nothing wrong with it. There was no problem at that point therefore it was not the origin. The problem came when that fateful sentence reached Chicago. That is the origin of the problem.

Chicago threatened New York, the Bronx specifically. That line was a response to that. A threat to New York was being discussed between leaders of New York. Damn Voodoo for addressing security.

Well Mr. Hartman, I'd say I was smart enough to get this dialogue going and I see you bit right into it. have a good evening because I surely will.

There is no point to continue on with this thread. The war is over. No one is going to change there opinion. Its just going to go round and round in circles with threats and blames. oh well what do I know. 

John ill take you up on that offer for a drink. looks like no one else will. 

Memento_Mori sighs,

Young bloodlines first and foremost nothing good will happen by coming out here today. This will all be pointless drivel or an excuse for someone to hold a grudge against you. Any older bloodlines coming by to make a fuss about the death of a parent you should know better by now.

Memento_Mori takes a swig from his flask,

Go home you're all drunk! Damned lightweights...

Memento turns to Isabella,

Congratulations on getting a conversation started by making a pointless and naive statement. Do you want a sticker?

Memento rips a star decoration off of a nearby poster, picks a bit of used gum off the bottom of his shoe and sticks it to Isabella.

I made it just for you, do you like it? I hope you're happy, you really deserve it. Enjoy your evening, and if you feel the need to bite something else that gum probably still has some flavor in it!

Memento then turns to ProfessorChaos,

You're not really good with accepting any shred of fault as your own are you? It's not that people don't make those statements to trusted allies, it's that they shouldn't or at least they shouldn't word it like that when speaking about someone I'm guessing your ally is on good terms with. If Eredin shouldn't have sent the message along, the opportunity for such an accident was only present because you made a statement like that and complaining publicly over an accident is childish. This whole thing wreaks of another awkward falling out from the perspective of an uninformed outsider and your reaction to your ancestor's death is embarrassing. Go home, you're drunk. You'll make your own way fine if you just move on and stop... whatever this is...

As for John's actions which you felt the need to comment on, he did exactly what any good CL should've done. A move against a target with a huge gun was going down and his district head was in an emotionally compromised position. History says fence sitters get hit and hard. Fence sitters often get shot by those going down because they're the biggest target available, or because the winning side remembers and doesn't forgive them. So, options are to sit on the fence, pick the suicidal option, or help his own personal allies finish off the big before the big target can do too much damage. It's not really a tough call from an emotionally distant position. Showing loyalty to the people you have a relationship and history with while keeping yourself and your allies safer by helping to pick off the target as quickly as possible is the rational response of a leader in that spot. Simple as that if you aren't coming from an emotionally compromised position yourself.

Memento then turns to Alpha,

I'm quite a few drinks ahead but I'll tag along for another free drink. I even have a wonderful place in Chicago we can pass out at, the cafe owner will even bring us our orders if she's there and we're sober enough to write them down or talk.

Memento then starts drinking before getting any kind of a response.

I'm not sure what we're trying to achieve at this point. We're in this situation because decisions were made, decisions I imagine a great deal of thought went into. There is unlikely to be any sudden change of heart now.

This is business, Eredin protecting his business and the majority of New York from an event he most likely saw as counter-productive to business. What if said attack had gone through?

A conflict of that magnitude would have put us back to where we were a nearly two months ago. I can't speak for the reaction Vegas and Detroit would display, however I imagine New York would not come out on top.

Having the foresight to protect the business of the city and entire community sounds like a pretty decent move to me.

I'll leave you with this. All this talk of rogues made me suspect the definition fits one side more than the other, so I blew off an old book and looked it up.

.A vicious and solitary animal, especially an elephant that has separated itself from its herd.

.An organism, especially a plant, that shows an undesirable variation from a standard.

I never received a request to help from Voodoo, I never received anything from Voodoo, nothing went out on a mass scale for a call to arms.

There are/were mobsters who were no fan of Voodoo but due to their impressive moral guidance in regards to loyalty to their city would have stood their ground with him regardless of what their crewleader said because they knew who the actual city head was.

That call never came.

Why did it not come? Voodoo was the city head and if he'd mass mailed out he was under attack he'd have got support from elsewhere, but the fact is he did not.

Somebody already mentioned it, but the real question here is why did Voodoo think he couldn't call on at least some of the rest of NY to help him? Dig a little deeper into that question and you may find the answers you're looking for.