SHOT in the Back

Carlotta watched the family with a distant expression on her face. It was a sad feeling, although she didn't fully understand why she felt that way. It was a familiar feeling, and as she grew older, Carlotta had found herself thinking so more and more.

Andrea noticed the look. "You know, despite the De Luca's being a family, most of us are on our own. Have you noticed that, 'Lotta?"

"No, you won't," Doque stated sternly, walking down the stairs. It was her job to make this kid normal, and she couldn't exactly do that if she was always toting guns and knives. Who knew parenting could be so hard?

"Would you liek to tell your mother that lunch will be ready soon?" Karl asked of Max with a small smile on his face.

"It's easier to cope with," Carlotta responded without thinking. "Since we live in such a dangerous town, keeping away from people protects you from being hurt if they're attacked or killed. It's a defense mechanism most people discovered during the clan wars." She stopped to consider something. "Although during this respite, most people moved on to create families. The coming storm will hit hard..."

"Do you believe that?" Melena asked, glancing at Doque to judge her reaction, "In this city?" While even through the peace there was still violence. It just couldn't be helped. The fact that it was a de Luca resident could only spell trouble for her and the Chings, not the Mel had any intentions in getting involved anymore.

Andrea nodded her head solemly. Those assassin's job may not have been to kill them, but she and her family were now in the eye of an oncomming storm. She hoped they would last.

"Gotcha!" Max nodded, before running back to Andrea dn Lotta. "Mommy, Lawtta, food ready!"

"Alright, we better get to the table then." Andrea said, picking up the boy as she went.

Karl smiled as he strained the noodles, and tossed the sauce in, stirring as he divided it into four plates. Giving Max a smaller portion than the rest. The whole thing still confused him. But then he felt it as slightly ironic that it was the second house he lost.

Still, he didn't want to think about the landlord calling about this. No doubt they would, and demand that they somehow get money to pay for it.

Maybe he could just get rid of his cellphone...

Max happily walked to the table, climbing onto on of the chairs and folded his hands on the table while waiting for his plate. Andrea took her own plate and Max's, turning to Carlotta.

"Do you have any smaller utensils he could use?"

Ethan had heard the explosions and had hopped onto his brothers old bike as soon as he had. Having called Lena to get him information and details he had taken off at borderline illegal speeds. It hadn't been until he'd parked near to the scene that he'd finally begun to understand.

The Ching's had attacked Andrea... there was no one else it could've been. Max must have been in the house.

He growled to himself and retched his phone from his pocket, immediately dialling Lena's number. He waited until he heard her answer and his gaze darkened. "I'm on my way back, get me as much information as you can from the De Luca's, I want to know Andrea's number and where they'll be housing her."

Lena nodded, worried about the three herself. "I'm on it, I'll try to have it by the time you're back." She said, heading over to her computer. "I'm going to hang up, get here soon." She said, before proceeding to do so.

She then began quickly making calls, and using her computer to gain knowledge of the location. She soon discovered that they were being station at Myyrh's and 'Lotta's place. Once she learned this, she headed outside, waiting for Ethan to show up.

"I'm still here, ain't I?" Doque asked gruffly. "If I'd given up hope on Marisol, then I would've just abandoned the place. Stop thinking so high and mighty of yourself just 'cuz your last name is Ching. You're not in anymore danger than the rest of us." With that said, the woman continued down the stairs, feeling a bit annoyed. Then again, she always felt annoyed in uniform. Of course, more de Luca versus Ching violence wasn't going to help her mood. One could only hope that it was just a coincidence that a de Luca home had been bombed.

"I'm not all high and mighty," Mel replied uninterestedly, "I don't appreciate getting shot in the back. Twice. By a rifle." True story. It had hurt like hell. and she had seen her own blood. Which had pissed her off and made her really happy at the same time. No one talks about what happened next and she couldn't really remember.

"And you won't," Doque stated, obviously done with the matter. She really hated the families, and while Mel she could tolerate, when she got all "Ching-y," the woman found herself even more annoyed than usual. She started walking faster, glancing over her shoulder to make sure her charge was keeping up.

Mel just kept quiet, hugging her teddy bear a bit tighter. It wasn't her fault she was trained to think that way. It was instinct to her, to be wary of getting shot. Being a former Ching, of course she'd be wary of going to a place where it was quite obvious the Chings had attacked, or so it seemed, because she didn't really keep in the loop anymore. The Police Officers didn't make her feel any safer because what the hell had they done in the past years about the Chings and de Lucas?

Doque sighed, falling back so she was next to Melena and wrapping an arm around her. She didn't want to hurt the girl's feelings, just make her stop thinking of herself as a Ching and more like a normal person. She was supposed to integrate her into normal life, after all.

Melena smiled slightly, but it was gone in a flash. "What exactly happened?" she inquired curiously, letting a bit of emotion into her voice. She could better deduct a plan of action if she knew what happened.

"All I know was there was an explosion. I doubt there were any casualties, otherwise they would've told me to get a taxi and get over there," Doque answered. Not much had been disclosed to her over the phone. She was still pretty eager to get to the scene of the crime, though.

"A gas explosion?" Mel continued. It really wasn't much info to work with...she hated walking in blind, one of her biggest fears. If she couldn't see the blood....then what was the point in living?

"You can question the people actually on the scene. The fire's been put out, anyway," Doque sighed, shaking her head. This kid was impatient, and she didn't know how to deal with that.

"Well okay....." Mel answered with monotone, looking up at the sky. Birds. birds had blood. Maybe she could kill a bird. But, Doque wouldn't be happy. Plus, baby birds were cute....but not crows. Crows were ugly. Crows could die. Blood. She almost cracked a smile at the thought.

OOC: Maybe she should be in a mental institution...

"I have the forks right here," Karl said as he placed down a few forks, including a smaller one for Max. He then sat down and put his plate in front of him. "I should go grab some food soon." he said, glancing at Andrea, and then Carlotta, and then Max.

'If we're going to be staying here for a bit..."

When the plate was set down Max picked up his fork and started to stab the noodles with his fork. Once he succeeding in successfuly piercing one he would open his mouth wide, and a couple of times the noodle fell off before her could get a bite back onto the plate.

Andrea nodded. "But are you sure that's safe? I know we need to get food but..."

"I hope it will be," Karl said with a sigh, looking around the kitchen. "I mean...we do need food. Preserved food isn't that great..." And that wasn't the Chef Side only speaking.

He really did mean it. Preserved food would only last so long...

Andrea still looked unhappy. She wanted to ask Myrrh if it was possible for one of the lower De Luca soldiers to get some groceries, but that would be almost like giving orders. She gave that up... or at least thought she had.