THE SWEENEY - Log 5
Apr. 18th, 2026 08:29 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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xp_logsTopaz finds her paired up with her former nemesis in the middle of his former territory.
WARNING: Explicit content and language.
South London had always been Adam Destine's preferred territory. While there were plenty of criminal opportunities north of the river, the south was more of a dumping ground for immigrants and the less fortunate, making it an environment he could move through easily and anonymously. Or, at least, used to. This Adam had spent his years around the ocean, learning the ins and outs of New York City, and was forced to rely on the memories of his other life to navigate it Now, he was trying to do it paired with Topaz, a woman who he had memories of as a particularly sadistic member of the Black Court under Amanda's command and as an innocent woman he'd obsessively tracked, tortured and tried to destroy.
New Orleans was a lot less complicated, he considered as the trudged along the streets of Brixton.
Topaz kept her eyes ahead, mostly ignoring her partner. They just had to work together and keep each other alive. She could be professional. Didn't mean she needed to be friendly.
She kept turning her head slowly, tilting every now and again like she was listening to something. She fell back into step with Adam and spoke in a soft voice.
"We're being watched."
"This is their territory. They protect it." Adam said, giving his neck a stretch. "So Louie OK and I have a history. It's a bit violent."
"Shocking." Topaz had been doing well at keeping her sarcasm to herself. She could be excused for this one slip up. "I suppose that explains the hostility. How bad? On a scale of ran over his dog to murdered a member of his family?"
"He's called Louie OK because that's the only gesture he has fingers left to make. I- well, the other me burnt his left hand to a stump to make a point." Adam said quietly. "He might hold a grudge."
"Yeah, the other you was really into fucked up poetic punishments."
Topaz swept her hand unconsciously through the air as she spoke like she was trying to scoop something up. Getting into a fight with the people they needed information out of wasn't preferred. She kept her gaze moving as she mentally reached out for the people she could feel nearby, trying to placate them. No danger here. Nothing to worry about.
"To be fair, the you I remember was even worse." Adam said. He was consumed with guilt from the other mind that he'd absorbed, but he also remembered people like Topaz as monsters.
She considered that for a moment, then nodded. "You know what? Fair enough. Every alternate version of myself that I've met was pretty awful. I can't throw stones."
"If it helps, the other me was a piece of shit. He did awful things to you and your family. I hate I have to be him to do the right thing." Adam said, squaring his shoulders. "But Mandy told me that personal isn't the same as important. I'm going to do my best to fix this because it's the right thing."
Topaz kept her gaze scanning the area around them, giving it more attention than it really needed considering she also had a mental eye on everything.
"Just don't turn into him. I'm not going to keep raking you over the coals about it because logically I know you did nothing wrong. But I also know he is in the back of your head as well. Don't let him out. That's all I ask."
"I don't think this is how it works but I-" He stopped talking as men suddenly emerged around them, fanning out. "No lefts here, mates. Just looking for Louie OK. You tell him Adam Destine needs a word in his shell-like ear." He said, his voice changing completely before his hissed where only she could here. "If you got a way to make them agreeable, now is the time."
Topaz's jaw clenched at the voice, but she was already working on the men before Adam asked. Not that it mattered - the flood of fear they felt at Adam's name probably would have sent them scurrying off just as fast as she could.
"Uh, right," one of the men stuttered. He gestured at the others to stay where they were and act as guards, then hurried off.
After a long moment, a dark skinned man walked out, his left hand a stub as he walked up. "Fuck you Destine. Fuck you. You come into my house and you-"
"Shut it unless you want to be Louie II." Adam hissed in a way that made her nerves jump. The sheer evil and ruthlessness in the undercurrent of his voice froze everyone.
"Right, right, easy on. Easy on." He said, waving his good hand. "What do you want?"
"We're looking for someone," Topaz said quickly. She was nobody in this exchange, but sometimes that was better than being known. "Alistaire Stewart, went missing about a week ago."
"The Sweeney? Someone doffed him did they?"
"Not sure. But if they did, they'd need some big muscle to do it with a little magical sprinkled in. Like, say, some bad boy Yardies supported by a Trini magic user who needs help opening his catsup bottles."
"Hold up, hold up. None of my boys had anything to do with any plan to pop that guv."
"You're lying." Topaz said the words simply, as if commenting on the weather. "I know you're lying, so spare us the dramatics." She pushed a little more fear into Louie's head as she spoke, tilting her head toward Adam. "Maybe just tell him what he needs to know and you can keep your remaining fingers, yeah?"
"OK, they came to me about pinching the guv. I said no. Not like they wouldn't love coming down on us if it slipped out. Heard that the Three Eddies supplied the muscle instead." He stammered.
"You didn't do anything to help? Didn't provide any men?"
"Not a thing. That's the Irish." He said quickly. "I can see a higher payrate setup suss well enough."
Adam transfixed him in a basilisk stare for a moment before nodding. "The Three Eddies?"
"That's the rabbit. Can't be sure it runs."
Adam nodded and passed over the wad of bills. "Fair enough."
"Cheers," Topaz said with a nod, turning away and meeting Adam's gaze for a minute. Not exactly the lead they were hoping for. But it was better than nothing.
WARNING: Explicit content and language.
South London had always been Adam Destine's preferred territory. While there were plenty of criminal opportunities north of the river, the south was more of a dumping ground for immigrants and the less fortunate, making it an environment he could move through easily and anonymously. Or, at least, used to. This Adam had spent his years around the ocean, learning the ins and outs of New York City, and was forced to rely on the memories of his other life to navigate it Now, he was trying to do it paired with Topaz, a woman who he had memories of as a particularly sadistic member of the Black Court under Amanda's command and as an innocent woman he'd obsessively tracked, tortured and tried to destroy.
New Orleans was a lot less complicated, he considered as the trudged along the streets of Brixton.
Topaz kept her eyes ahead, mostly ignoring her partner. They just had to work together and keep each other alive. She could be professional. Didn't mean she needed to be friendly.
She kept turning her head slowly, tilting every now and again like she was listening to something. She fell back into step with Adam and spoke in a soft voice.
"We're being watched."
"This is their territory. They protect it." Adam said, giving his neck a stretch. "So Louie OK and I have a history. It's a bit violent."
"Shocking." Topaz had been doing well at keeping her sarcasm to herself. She could be excused for this one slip up. "I suppose that explains the hostility. How bad? On a scale of ran over his dog to murdered a member of his family?"
"He's called Louie OK because that's the only gesture he has fingers left to make. I- well, the other me burnt his left hand to a stump to make a point." Adam said quietly. "He might hold a grudge."
"Yeah, the other you was really into fucked up poetic punishments."
Topaz swept her hand unconsciously through the air as she spoke like she was trying to scoop something up. Getting into a fight with the people they needed information out of wasn't preferred. She kept her gaze moving as she mentally reached out for the people she could feel nearby, trying to placate them. No danger here. Nothing to worry about.
"To be fair, the you I remember was even worse." Adam said. He was consumed with guilt from the other mind that he'd absorbed, but he also remembered people like Topaz as monsters.
She considered that for a moment, then nodded. "You know what? Fair enough. Every alternate version of myself that I've met was pretty awful. I can't throw stones."
"If it helps, the other me was a piece of shit. He did awful things to you and your family. I hate I have to be him to do the right thing." Adam said, squaring his shoulders. "But Mandy told me that personal isn't the same as important. I'm going to do my best to fix this because it's the right thing."
Topaz kept her gaze scanning the area around them, giving it more attention than it really needed considering she also had a mental eye on everything.
"Just don't turn into him. I'm not going to keep raking you over the coals about it because logically I know you did nothing wrong. But I also know he is in the back of your head as well. Don't let him out. That's all I ask."
"I don't think this is how it works but I-" He stopped talking as men suddenly emerged around them, fanning out. "No lefts here, mates. Just looking for Louie OK. You tell him Adam Destine needs a word in his shell-like ear." He said, his voice changing completely before his hissed where only she could here. "If you got a way to make them agreeable, now is the time."
Topaz's jaw clenched at the voice, but she was already working on the men before Adam asked. Not that it mattered - the flood of fear they felt at Adam's name probably would have sent them scurrying off just as fast as she could.
"Uh, right," one of the men stuttered. He gestured at the others to stay where they were and act as guards, then hurried off.
After a long moment, a dark skinned man walked out, his left hand a stub as he walked up. "Fuck you Destine. Fuck you. You come into my house and you-"
"Shut it unless you want to be Louie II." Adam hissed in a way that made her nerves jump. The sheer evil and ruthlessness in the undercurrent of his voice froze everyone.
"Right, right, easy on. Easy on." He said, waving his good hand. "What do you want?"
"We're looking for someone," Topaz said quickly. She was nobody in this exchange, but sometimes that was better than being known. "Alistaire Stewart, went missing about a week ago."
"The Sweeney? Someone doffed him did they?"
"Not sure. But if they did, they'd need some big muscle to do it with a little magical sprinkled in. Like, say, some bad boy Yardies supported by a Trini magic user who needs help opening his catsup bottles."
"Hold up, hold up. None of my boys had anything to do with any plan to pop that guv."
"You're lying." Topaz said the words simply, as if commenting on the weather. "I know you're lying, so spare us the dramatics." She pushed a little more fear into Louie's head as she spoke, tilting her head toward Adam. "Maybe just tell him what he needs to know and you can keep your remaining fingers, yeah?"
"OK, they came to me about pinching the guv. I said no. Not like they wouldn't love coming down on us if it slipped out. Heard that the Three Eddies supplied the muscle instead." He stammered.
"You didn't do anything to help? Didn't provide any men?"
"Not a thing. That's the Irish." He said quickly. "I can see a higher payrate setup suss well enough."
Adam transfixed him in a basilisk stare for a moment before nodding. "The Three Eddies?"
"That's the rabbit. Can't be sure it runs."
Adam nodded and passed over the wad of bills. "Fair enough."
"Cheers," Topaz said with a nod, turning away and meeting Adam's gaze for a minute. Not exactly the lead they were hoping for. But it was better than nothing.
