2021-01-19 - Old Guard; New Business

Earlier in the day, Byron Thorne was involved in a failed take down of the GHPD precinct. Several cops were arrested due to it and there were a few casualties. Something was bothering the businessman, something that happened before the precinct was hit. Now he was looking for answers. Sending a message to Joey through text, he asked if the gym was crowded, usually that's his code inquiring whether it was safe for him to stop by.

Pulling up to park, the man's dressed incredibly casually, wearing a dark hoodie and sweatpants. To protect his head from the winter chill, he dons a black beanie as well. For the most part, if anyone dropped by unannounced, it looks like he's here for a private workout. Either way, Kelly was expecting him, so he lets himself in to seek out his long time friend.

The text came back eventually, though not immediately: Come around back.

In the back there's a kid that really could have been them as teenagers sitting on a milk crate playing on his phone. Teenager fucking around is the most innocuous thing someone can have, but why let Greg's old crew go to waste? Having a chirping bird at the back door is useful especially when they down't stand out. Eddie (who does not get a nickname yet, NO we are not calling you Venom, dude) looks up noting Byron. His fist goes to teh steel door and raps out a knock. "Suuup, guy. Head on in." The sound of the door itself makes a click as the lock lets loose.

Seriously does Joey know he's using glimmer? Does he pay attention at all??

Inside Joey's started to get come colour back in his face but he still looks tired. His right arm is in a sling and presently he's tackling a burger trying to catch up online. Not for nothing but even being a southpaw it is still what it is; telling. Immediately he notices the lack of the suit. He chalks it up to his friend being undercover. A look of concern creases his brow. "You ok? Lil?"

After everything that's been going down in town, Byron is being more cautious. Yes, he'd heard back from Joey earlier, but that doesn't mean that he doesn't eye these kids up with suspicion. Anyone can be bought. The knock is sounded and he's let in. Before he proceeds, he makes sure to turn back to make visual contact with one of his own security guys who is parked a good distance from his vehicle. He then proceeds forward.

"Jesus, what the hell happened to you?" That's the man's first response, but he only has so many guesses. "So what else has been going down? I mean, a warehouse explosion. And the precinct being hit." He didn't mention that in his message earlier. "I just happened to be at the precinct earlier today, checking their schedule for public events when Harvey fucking Liu and his band of merry men tried to hold the place up. I'm not quite sure the reason for it. De la Vega wasn't present and I don't know who they were targeting if anyone. Or what sort of distraction they were supposed to cause by keeping the cops busy."

On closer inspection, Byron's already dark eyes look darker as some of his capillaries had burst leaving a bruise on his eye. Something, despite his own vanity, he didn't let Lilith heal. "Lilith... Lilith's doing okay."

Joey loves locking onto those little details. Byron's family and family needs to be okay or someone gets lit up. It's really simple...ish... He pauses considering , head tilting to the side. "Let's jsut say Reyes is down a major instillation and his fuckin meth lab." There's a pause and Joey adds, "I got Darryl, his talent broker, at the safehouse I called you about. The one whose guys killed Andre...We pulled a shit ton of stuff from it too. Rhys has it. Dunno what we got yet. Didn't lose anyone." There's a pause and a small frown of disappointment. His hand waves and gestures to the folding chair he's to sitting in for Byron to park his ass. "Eeeeh they got real pissy when we shot up the damn place. They're emotional and shit what can I say. Go back to police coup." Yeah this he's particularly interested in.

Byron had heard about this Darryl, though he didn't know the man by name. Usually, unless the person using the safehouse was someone incredibly important, Thorne is rarely anywhere to be seen. This is the case for this current situation. Not that the businessman doesn't have other things on his plate. "What do you plan on doing with him?" Those dark eyes look Joey straight in the eyes, before relaxing his posture, licking at his lips, "Good, I'm sure at an operation like that, you would've turned up a lot of valuable items and resources."

Being offered a place to sit, Byron settles himself down into the chair. "The precinct hit doesn't sound like retaliation for the warehouse hit. Then again, it could be. Anyway, Liu and his gang threatened everyone in the precinct and... when things weren't going his way, he lashed out and shattered the bones of the receptionist there." Using powers, but talking with Joey, it was always strange bringing such abilities up. "We were able to take Liu down and the rest surrendered with him. One of the corrupt cops shot himself after explaining that he was only doing this because Reyes, I assume, had threatened his wife."

Well the*how* someone does something is 99% of the time less important to Joey than that it was done. Sure he glimmers. "Well that's stupid. Now she won't get the pension." Rolling his eyes up to the ceiling. he croaks, "Man... I hate this fuckin guy, B. Usually? I wouldn't waste my energy on it." Reyes is earning a special spot there. He looks back to Byron studying him carefully, "I know you got cash and a place to lay low, but you and Lil need anythin fuckin holler, brother. I need you not dead. You got a wedding to go to." There's a small hint of amusement at the superficial most concern of his on his plate at the moment.

"I was gonna... do a lot of things with Darryl." His name said like a dirty word. Joey's jaw at an angle he thinks about it for a long time and he doesn't make direct eyecontact at first, but does after the thought is fully formed. "Someone... suggested, prolly wisely, since he's a squealer, that we got a clean DA in teh city. strip our info out of it. get him to roll on Reyes. So... leverage. It'd clear some names. I mean I fuckin hate the cops but... I don't have to tell you it's hard to live two fuckin lives, man."

"Reyes isn't after me, I don't think. He is, however, after the town. Trying to wrestle that power from Monaghan." Byron says with a slow nods now, his gaze lowered. "But you're right. Right now, he's acting sporadically. I mean, the police precinct? After that attempted power move, I expected him to move quickly. With the cops out of the way, for a time, there'd be no one to stop him. Since that was a failed attempt, however, whatever plans he had earlier, he must be sitting on. And yes, I will admit, that it makes me nervous."

Did Joey mention a wedding. First of all, Byron's not even sure whether he's legally married to Lilith or not at this very moment, despite a Revision. So fuck Darryl. "Rewind for a moment. Do I have a wedding to go to?"

Joey runs his tongue over his bottom lip thoughtfully pausing, and looking up to him, "Yeah. I, um, I proposed to Nicole and she agreed to be my lawfully wedded accomplice." From the same Joey that brought Gray Harbor 30 years of 'why bother being in a relationship and making someone a liability' comes this. "We were gonna do it last month on a whim but... all this. And I want you fuckin there, man. Alexander agreed to do everything but I said nah, B's not here. Sparrow's not here. Feels wrong. I really want you and Lilith there and Reyes is fuckin that up too. But I'm not gonna do it when it gets her shot and you both damaged so...when this shit is over, man. " His good shoulder shrugs, "Yeah."

"I dunno if I'm tryin to do what you did or what, but like... I like bein a high school gym coach. I was able to balance that out and all...this shit and if Reyes continues to light up the Harbor that ain't gonna stay that way. Fucks with my shit, your shit, all of it. This definitely means they're tyin down the cops though which may mean he can move easier so... we might have to do somethin about this if the police can't." His rough hand rubs his face with a murmur, "I can't believe I just suggested we do the cops' job for em."

Of course, it's Nicole. Who else would Joey marry? Though something that amuses Byron is when Alexander is brought up. "Clayton was going to do.. everything? Like what, did he become ordained while I wasn't paying attention?" A smile slowly spreads across his lips, "You know that Lilith and I would want to be there, but I wouldn't have faulted you if you held it when you could." Brows lifted, his gaze idly sweeps across the room, "We all know how much shit gets thrown our way, wrecking all of our well thought out plans. But.." He returns to Kelly, "I'm glad that you want me to be apart of this next step in your life." Then of course, he adds, probably what Joey expected, "You know what that means though, don't you? We need to get you suited up."

Quietly, he notes the other man's discomfort with even the most subtle of movements and it looks as if Byron may address this, but he holds back for now. "Oh yeah? Being the next Coach Clayton?" Because /everyone/ knows Coach Clayton. "I mean... I'm not going to tell you that you shouldn't and that at some point, when the 'bad guys' are gunning for you while you're off on some field trip with the kids, that the whole thing won't turn into an 80's movie of some sorts." He just has to laugh at that with a slow shake of his head, "Don't worry, the kids always win in those."

There's a wrinkle of his brow now, his expression turning semi-serious. "What do you have in mind? Do you have any idea of what... Does Darryl have any idea of what Reyes might be up to next?"

Joey tries not to laugh, and manages but in spite of sporting a bullet wound, there is a grin, "Yeah. We had a fight about it and he went and got ordained. I asked em. He had a fit about it. It was great." And then? And then Byron goes into exactly what Joey would expect. "I know you wouldn't fault me cause I'd tell you suck it up, but... you're family man. We both wanted you both there so, ya know. It's paper. That's the part i'm least sweating." There's a pause and his thumb itches his eyebrow shaking his head. See, Alexander, Byron's consistent! "I told Clayton you'd say that too, and I set cash aside for it."

Be the next Coach Clayton? Joey looks around the room and back, "You know Alexander said the old man was pretty miffed he never got no Coach of the Year. He's proud of us tho. Counts for something if he finally ain't complaining but goddamn I get why he made us do so many fucking laps... but...I like the work." He reaches, the discomfort mildly showing which in Joey language translates to his prideful ass has the vicodin wearing off. "Darryl is presently being babysat off the board and contemplating what it means to be believed dead. Liu goin down is going to be useful in that. He us... they arrest his punk ass or they put him down or what? Anyone we give a shit about get hurt?"

Joey pauses and adds, "Aside from you. I'm seein all what happened there. Pleeeeeeeease tell me you got to punch a cop."

Byron chuckles at the idea of Alexander being ordained, but he seems genuinely pleased that Joey and Nicole had waited. He then blinks, "Oh? Clayton would actually bet against that?" His helping Joey obtain a suit. The rest though, well... learning about Coach Clayton being annoyed that he's being overshadowed by everyone's favorite Coach Kelly is amusing enough. "Glad there's no hard feelings. I'm also glad that you're liking this new lot in life. It's different, but you seem suited for the job."

As for Darryl, Byron nods. "Right. It would be helpful to know what else Reyes has up his sleeves. Maybe I'll do a mental sweep of the town, see if I pick up anything. But that's always difficult, because this place is trouble and I don't need to experience any one else's pain." Shifting in his seat, he states, "A receptionist at the station. Knew her for years now. Officer Mike. The one who killed himself. The one whose wife's life was threatened by Reyes. Uh.. everyone had minor injuries. That Swedish... or was is Danish bartender? And Abitha Machinae. That's all that I know."

He then laughs openly, "I shocked Harvey Liu and downed him for his arrest, if that helps." He then adds, "That's the asshole who blew my car up."

Joey is too practical? Maybe modest in taking the assessment. "It, u,, I wont' lie. As much as I hated high school it makes me happy. Just hard to do with a goddamn bullet hole in me but, ya know, it's the Harbor. No one asks too many questions. I just... I don't want Reyes to fuck it up or I swear to god with the one job I have left I will find a way to burn the world down around him again and again." Yup, there's the anger that lives and breathes in his lungs. He's not possessed.

He listens and squints at Byron, "Yeah, you're real good at reading people. Wouldn't be a bad thing to do especially on our people. I got a list of people... not with the program or who think it's ya know, fine to alter their agreement. They go first." The list goes on and there's a pause, "Might want to check on the widow. I mean I get it if he's gone there's no point in threatening the collateral damage. might be something there though." There' s a pause and both eyebrows go up, "They fucked up Mac? They burn down her goddamn shop and now this shit. And Ravin's a Dane. Like the dog but like...taller." Sure name a peoples after a puppy and he'll remember that. "Shit. I'll have to text em." There's a pause and an embittered decision of, "Ya shoulda shocked that bastard again til his balls go fucking numb. Good. Good for you."

Byron's eyes lower to view Joey's injured arm again, listening to the other man speak. Joey did bring it up, however, and it's worthy of attention. Finally, his gaze lifts, meeting with that of his friend's when he asks, "So what do we need to do to shut Reyes down for good? Find out where he's operating and take them all out?" That all sounds like a massacre, but that look in Thorne's eyes hints that he's more than willing to help out despite keeping a safe distance from Monaghan's criminal empire.

This is followed by a lone nod, "Yeah, I'll look into it. Check in on Abitha as well if possible." Being schooled on what this Ravn character is brings out a laugh, "Dane, Swedish. What's the difference right?" It's all a light-hearted enough joke. Yeah, he could've done so much worse to Liu, but there were a lot of people there at the time and he has his reputation to withhold. Looking the place over again, he asks, "You gonna be okay? I assume someone's already checked you over and you're in the healing process, right?" By how bad a shape Joey is currently in, he almost has his doubts on this.

"Well I'm sure it makes a difference to him come tax time. As for taking out his org? We just broke the knees on a big part of it. Hoping... if Darryl is smart he'll play ball and look after his own ass and we can use tools in place" not so much the system as calling the judicial system a bunch of tools really, " His good hand rotates and so on and so forth. "Liu being done, done kinda cleaned house for us. Hopefully they won't be removing any of our sympathetic assets as well."

There's a pause and the boxer's hand carefully pushes on the edge of the wound that's apparently a shot to the chest, not one to the arm. Damn near. "Had the lil Tailor stitch it up back here. No shrapnel. We got penicillin and vicodin to try to keep infection down. It's going alright. I go to the hospital though and then I have to make a report and they got me so... fuck that."

"Lil Tailor?" Byron asks curiously, before this tight smile spreads across his lips, "Monaghan doesn't have a personal medic on file yet?" He holds back from adding in 'That's just great', but the expression on his features and that tone of voice may hint that this is what he's thinking. He then asks, "How's Erin doing?" Obviously, the man is concerned of his buddy's well-being, but not enough to bring Lilith and her healing magic into the mix. Not yet anyway. "Haven't heard from her in a bit."

His posture relaxes as he leans forward, elbows digging into his thighs, hands clasped, "As for Reyes. Let me know if you need help with anything."

Joey holds up two fingers, "Was Sutton and Elise. One's out of town and I don't know what is up with Elise. Kenny Taylor , a.k.a. the Little Tailor, is my cut man. Best solution I got." He considers with a squint, "Erin's not worked for me in a minute man. Like a year? She's doin school or something or wasting her time on some asshole who don't relaly give two shits about her more than what she can do for em. Whatev. You can lead a horse to water but you can't put a goddamn gun to its head and makes it understand the value of aquaducts." Yup. Definitely hanging out with Clayton a bit. Lookit all those big ass words.

There's a small smile to Byron, "Lookit you all worried and shit. If I'm goin out it'll be like the movies and shit. Explosions from nowhere in particular. Sparklers and shit. Epic." There's a pause as he's trying to get comfortable. Uphill battle there. "Might be some good business opportunities there. I know you ain't allergic to those."

"Sutton?" Byron's brow lifts and he quickly nods. "The one who, from what my building's surveillance camera can tell me, was with de la Vega for a while before she upped and left." Ruiz and Carver... Elise, on the other hand, he could sort of guess, being that she was seeing Graham. As for Elise, he grins, "I mean, I'm that she's making something of her life, but I expected her to have kept in touch. She's no longer a tenant of mine, so I can't be overly nosy." With those same surveillance cameras, obviously.

When Joey brings up the value of aquaducts though, though that gets an amused furrowing of the brow from Byron, but that seems to be a good description of some of Erin's past relationships.

"So what you're telling me is that when you're ready to 'go', you're going to hire Michael Bay's entire special effects crew to give you one hell of a send off guns blazing?" Thoughtful pause, "I can see that." His posture straightens for a brief moment, "As much as I do enjoy myself some good business ops, I'd much prefer that you stick around a while longer before everything goes to shit."

He then asks, leaning back against his chair in a more relaxed manner again, "Is there anything else that I should know? About Monaghan, Reyes or any other important matter that may or may not infringe on the casino and such?"

Joey waves a hand and murmurs, "Yeah let's not rehash any of that, but that one. The paramedic that would yell at bullet wounds to buck to the fuck up and close." He traces his lower lip thoughtfully with his tongue contemplating all Byron's given his brain to chew on while grabbing his soda. There's a pause to confirm, "Yeah, all of em. WHOLE team. As for more shit to know? It's been not a lot of time. Gotta contact Rhys and find out if we got anything usable. Whatever DuBois thinks he has he's gonna forget right quick as it pertains to the harbor before we turn him around to use to finish burying the rest of Reyes' business. So. That's tonight. Just need to get up on my feel and Liu down? That gives me a lot to work with, bruh. I appreciate you bringing me the good news."

Byron nods slowly, looking somewhat thoughtful to the things said. "My offer still stands, but I should be getting back before Lili starts to worry. Wasn't easy giving her the slip after what I was caught up in just hours ago." It's clear that Lilith has no idea about Byron's shady business ties with Joey. Rising up from his chair, he adds, "You know I have a way with people and I only recently, I'd learned that if I wanted to, I can make people forget a chunk of their memories, which I think comes in handy when making people forget that they'd ever seen me at questionable locations."

Looking Joey over, he moves in close to give offer him a mostly careful bro hug, reaching for that initial 'shake' towards Kelly's free hand before leaning in for the hug and pat on the back. "Let me know if you hear anything else and I'll do the same, alright? You take care of yourself."

Joey has never actually told Byron about his own shady shit with Lil. that's for the two of them to discuss. Damn fine fence tho! "That... might be considerably more useful than I realized. I'll call you when I got what I want out of Darryl. I'd like him to 'conveniently forget' the particulars of his stay ad any of our business." The good arm comes around for the hug and the pat. "Yeah keep your head down. Two lieutenants down he's gonna strike or bail. Don't want you standing in the wrong place. Say hey to Lil for us when you get home?"

Shaking his head, this wry smile plastered on the man's lips, Byron shakes his head, "This town is only so large, but I'll do what I can to get out of the crossfire. Talk to you soon, man." With that, Byron takes a step back before making his way out.