The Hammel Crime Family [AU] (OPEN TO EVERYONE!)

[Christian Lucas]

The backstory:

Hammel Institute. A very fine and proud establishment. The school taught Metas and even normal children from all over the world. The staff were all very specially trained, and experts in their fields. The school was founded with the idea of helping Metas, and even today helps advocate their rights around the world where others may find them to be less than the same as humans. It is all for equality and understanding that everyone is human.

The truth though, is far more sinister. The school is, and has always been, a front. Yes, they teach, and most of the students are perfectly normal, powers aside, and go on day to day life just like everyone else. However all of the teaching staff, and a few of the students with darker pasts are much more than they seem.

It is a school of criminals. The original founders were a crime family, all of them being Metas and realizing what advantage this gave them against the world around them. Now they can be hired out for nearly any job imaginable. The art teacher is a forger, the math teacher a chop shop expert. The english professor you pass in the hallway who you see some chalkdust on? He's the main drug connection, specializing in cocaine. That boy you bullied earlier? He is a safe breaker. No, he literally breaks safes. He brings the temperature of the metal down so low, he just has to tap it and it shatters. The drama teacher is of course a grifter, the PE teacher is a trained assassin who can kill you in at least a dozen ways with one thumb. You'd need the math teacher's help to even begin to count how many ways he could kill you with his whole hand.

All of the teachers have special talents and focus on their skills, but most do multiple jobs. Don't expect the biology teacher to be a push over just because he cleans up the bodies. He knows how to use his scalpel on a living human in a fight as well. These people are not to be taken lightly. Most have criminal records that make Interpol cry.

But this was run as a business. Everyone was on working terms no matter what their histories were. It was a family. But like every family and business, they had to have an occasional sit down. This is where Christian Alexander Lucas was now.

Xander was not happy about being at the meeting. He made special effort to be there an hour early so he could sit, invisible as soon as anyone else walked in. He liked to know how things were. Information was power. He of course specialized in conman work, especially the long jobs, but was quite skilled in cat burglary, as his power would indicate. His attitude was one of cold detachment if you weren't a mark.

The meeting was supposed to start in 45 minutes, and he had settled into standing in a corner. If anyone came to it, he would make sure he got out of their way. For now though, he waited. Within the next fifteen minutes, a handful of people had gathered, and some were talking, most keeping to themselves. This was a dangerous business. Even in the family, sometimes there were fights. But these fights, you were lucky if you lived.

The room itself was huge. Honestly it could be an auditorium. Xander didn't know where you'd buy tables this size, but they would easily fit a hundred people and give them all plenty of room to sit down too. Now that there were people here, Xander was walking around, eavesdropping shamelessly. Some of the people were students from other crime families. "On loan" was a common term, but most weren't trusted with any real information for fear of another family trying to make a go.

Finally, fifteen minutes left, and most of the people who would attend were there. A few stragglers would no doubt show up, but the head of the family was very prompt. When he said seven, he would be there at six fifty-nine to stand silent for one minute, and then start. He was as prompt as he was patient.

[Vincent Meian]

Technically, Vincent shouldn't have even been there.

The tall man was previously a member of the Japanese yakuza, though before he had arrived at Hammel he had been little better than a hired killer. Since moving (or rather, being traded) to the sister school of Eisai as a "trainer", however, his tactical skills and eye for detail had been put to good use; he'd become a made man within a few months. Having his family here didn't hurt the process either, especially when his star pupil was his own eldest daughter. She herself was progressing quite well in her training.

The assassin had entered the room through another door nearly half an hour before the meeting was to begin, being early as usual and dressed in similar fashion. Unlike many of the other made men, he refused to dress in a suit; his street clothes were tailored better and hid his weapons with greater ease. Even with his sleeves rolled to the elbow (and his holsters and sheath in plain view), at least a dozen of the man's other weapons were hidden even to the trained eye. He was one of the few allowed weapons at these events; his loyalty was unquestioning, even if he had formerly been dedicated to a rival faction.

Honey colored eyes scanned the room, looking at each person as they entered. Considering that he had arrived after Christian had become invisible, he did not have proof that the con artist was there. However, he was fairly certain of it regardless; the man had a penchant for appearing out of nowhere. So, he leaned against a wall, watching the room rather than taking a seat or engaging in conversation. This meeting was one of importance, and he would not let a single detail slip his purview.

[Valentia de la Torres]

Ergokinetics were useful. And once found, they were sought after. The way they sense the flow of energy through the human body; the ability to patch and redirect signals from the brain to the wrong limb, or even alter the detail and send the wrong signal completely... What's not to want in an Ergokinetic? She was brought in to teach the younger, more hopeful students how to properly fight with their minds and bodies. Physical force was the one aspect they always seemed to focus on. But that never made for well rounded fighters, killers, thieves or assassins. A killer who trained killers not to get themselves killed. At any rate, she was bought into the trade. Anastasia had always liked to keep her close. But the improvement in her students made her worth well known and soon the concept of the money on her head was a thing of the past.

Sit downs did not make her comfortable. At Odarennyi, they were usually used to set up an insider to be killed. At least at Hammel, they let you keep your weapons.

Valentia kept to herself. Her intention was not to look at anyone in particular. But when she walked in the amount of eyes that set their gaze to her was clear. Everyone was scanning everyone; either by face or by weapons - visible and concealed. Her gun was in its tactical holster strapped to her thigh and her arms were folded with clear distance. That was no surprise. In particular, she happened to catch the pair of honey coloured eyes as they landed on her. She recognised him in passing, impressed by his skill and the way the others spoke about him. Even Eva said he was worth knowing.

Nevertheless, she stood back and read through what energy structures she could decipher.