ofcdizaino

[ofcdizaino]

Cleo was glad she was getting out there more, being social. Not that she wasn't already a social person to begin with. Despite her goal of being invisible in her line of work, Cleo could easily admit that being the center of a crowd was a desire of hers. Why else would she put herself out there and sing for crowds multiple nights a week?

It felt good to be adored.

Cleo smirked into her glass at the words, "Well, it wouldn't be the worse thing to be at a party." She took a sip of her drink, "Every party has a clown and every party as the true center, it's only a matter of time or drinks for them to come out."

open to: all setting: pretentious party at anaïs’s place

In a Gatsby-esque display of showmanship, the party is only just starting at the odd hour of one-am.

Wine bottles decorate every room, half-drained or yet to be opened. The perfect finishing touch against chatter, a vast collection of paintings, marble floors and marble counters, hosting good people and even better liquor.

As Anaïs makes the rounds, she carries a glass in one hand, and her very own bottle in the other — every once in a few beats, refilling for herself. Like a bratty child, she’d decided this singular label is one she won’t share.

“Careful,” she warns the person she finds near the center of the crowd. “Every party needs an entertainer, and you look like quite the ringmaster.”

Beat. "Alas, I suppose there are a lot of clowns and apex to go around."

[ofcdizaino]

tag dump!!

[ofcdizaino]

meet cleo

tw: gun mention

— BASICS

full name: cleo sherece di zaino

nickname: clebear (only by family and close friends), songbird

preferred name: cleo

age: thirty-five

birthday: july 15th

zodiac: cancer

birthplace: essex, united kingdom

current residence: new york, united states

nationality: english

ethnicity: english, saint lucian, dominican

affiliation: the brotherhood

occupation: lounge singer at INSERTHERE & thief for the brotherhood

— PERSONAL

gender: female

pronouns: she / her / hers

sexual orientation: heterosexual

romantic orientation: heteromantic

relationship status: single

education: general certificate of secondary education

positive traits: adaptable, candid, alluring, incisive, resilient

negative traits: brazen, sarcastic, irritable, sly, deceitful

— FAMILY

birth father: jerome di zaino

birth mother: dahiana di zaino (neé bello)

sibling(s): older brother (36-40)

— BIOGRAPHY

Living the life that Cleo had now quite literally looks glamourous and she was proud to strut around looking like a million bucks, regardless of the fact that she more than likely stole majority of what she wore. The life she has now wasn't exactly the dream she had in mind but she was proud of herself either way because she clawed her way from rock bottom and she was never going to forget that.

It all started when she was around eleven years old.

Those first ten years of her childhood were average to say the least. Her parents were high school sweethearts and acted like every day was their honeymoon and her older brother was the role model of anyone's dreams. Cleo looked up to her brother because everywhere they went he was always so kind and helpful or people were praising him for the kindness he extended to their community. She wanted nothing more in that moment and for her future to receive the same prise her brother did and be someone's role model so she made the plan for herself to follow in her brother's footsteps to achieve this goal.

Cleo followed her brother around, even when he wasn't aware that she was there, to make sure she did everything he did and on one occasion, Cleo was following her brother into town and picked up on something that she almost missed and had missed the number of times she'd trailed after him before. She watched as her brother did nothing but smile and shake hands while also stealing from people's bags and pockets with such practiced ease that it amazed her.

Later that day, Cleo went to her brother's room and confessed to following him around and to seeing him take things from people. Her brother was less annoyed that she was following him and more concerned that Cleo could tell their parents and shatter his golden boy image; he worked hard to cultivate this persona and it was the cover he needed to be able to steal in the first place. Cleo quickly spoke on how amazed she was by his skill and didn't want to tell anyone else about it because she wanted him to teach her how to steal like he does. Her brother was put off at first because Cleo was so young, younger than he was when he first started stealing but she was his little sister and the soft spot he had for her was fairly large. From that day on, every day after school, Cleo and her brother went through "workshops" to learn and master the art of pickpocketing.

Within the next couple years, Cleo was excelling at stealing. She was so quick, in and out of peoples' pockets and purses, and better than her brother was at her age and even now. Cleo's eyes became bigger than her stomach so to speak and the desire to steal bigger things than petty cash and wallets grew with each small score. She expressed this desire to her brother and he shot her down very quickly. Cleo was only thirteen years old and there was no way he was going to allow her to be involved in the bigger, heavier jobs that she came to learn were carried out by her brother and a few of his friends which he tells his parents is just "charity work". Cleo begs every day for her brother to teach her more or even just let her come with him on one of his jobs and eventually Cleo wore him down to the point of allowing Cleo to be the lookout for him.

The excitement buzzed throughout her entire body as the day of the job approached; Cleo was could barely contain herself as she counted down the days, hours and even minutes. The night of the job came and as far as their parents were aware, Cleo had a sleepover she was going to and her brother was going to drop her off before heading to an event for his "charity work". Her brother had gone over the plan many times with Cleo and his team, not wanting to screw this up with his sister being present. The job itself was lifting three antique cars from a secured lot without tripping any alarms or alerting the owners whose home was located on the property of the car lot. Cleo did her own due diligence and studied up on boosting cars despite the fact she was told she would only be the lookout but her study came in clutch. One of the members of her brother's team had fallen through and the plan only worked with four of them; three to boost the cars and one to drive Cleo away when all was said and done.

Cleo told her brother she was more than capable of help him break into the car; she had even brought along her own creation of a device that allowed her to be able to reach the gas and brake pedals to drive away. Her brother tried to shut down that idea and call the whole thing off but Cleo proved herself with the knowledge she gained and the rest of the team agreed this was their only shot; the getaway driver was just that and boosting cars was not his specialty. Cleo's brother felt like he had no other choice and reluctantly agreed to allow her to fill the spot on the team. Everything was running smoothly and going according to plan but the one misstep that they never considered was the silent alarm and the sound of sirens put everyone in high alert. Cleo's brother and the other man on the theft team weren't close to getting their cars ready but Cleo had sailed through her part in record time. Her brother wanted to abort everything and hightail it out of there but Cleo was running on a high and told her brother she was getting her car and he should go in the getaway car.

Without another word, Cleo hopped into the driver's seat and started the car up and before her brother could even stop her, one of the owners comes barreling out of their home, shotgun in hand, and Cleo told her brother again to get out of their before anyone is put in jeopardy. With those last words, her brother and his friend take off towards their getaway car and leave the lot before the police round the corner and Cleo puts her car into gear and dangerously speeds away. When she retells this story to people, no one ever believes she not only successfully broke into the car but that she got away with it. It was like something out of a movie and the rush of it all was the most thrilling thing she'd ever felt, a feeling she planned on repeating.

When she finally met back up with her brother and his friends, no police on her tail and in the antique car, they were more than impressed and thus started a very new path for Cleo. At the age of 14, she shifted from small petty theft to boosting cars and she had the record to prove it. Cleo at one point just did things for the thrill of it and getting caught was quite literally not a big deal in her mind. Her parents were completely disappointed in the life their daughter was choosing and kept droning on and on about being more like her brother. They surely had no idea how much like her brother Cleo was becoming. As she got to the end of her teenage years. Cleo was very well known amongst the local law enforcement and she was even running around with her own crew. Her brother was impressed with how far she'd come and even started working jobs with her and her crew.

By the time Cleo reached her early 20's, she was one of the most skilled thieves in England and it had even come to the point where she, on her own or with her team, was being hired for jobs and being paid to steal. Cleo did always say when she was little that whatever she decided to do in life for a career that she hoped it was something she enjoyed doing and getting paid to do it, she just didn't know it was going to be in a criminal aspect.

Since she decided to go down this path, Cleo's parents felt they could no longer tolerate her way of life or hearing about her being arrested again so they made the tough decision to cut Cleo out of their life and subsequently her brother as well. Cleo never once regretted the turn her life took, she found something she was good at and she found a family that had her back in any situation. Life threw her a curve when she met a man that changed her life.

Cleo could admit she wasn't one for a serious relationship; at this time, at the age of 31, she hadn't had anything close to a steady relationship or really even a steady fling. Majority of the men she went out with were just covers for a job or to use them to get information and then there was the small portion that were just there as something to do when she got bored. This rare jewel came out of nowhere and definitely when she least expected him, especially coming out of an Edgar Allen Poe themed speakeasy. The moment she spotted him at the bar, he truly in her mind was nothing more than another conquest, another warm body for the next night or whenever she needed him. The night progressed as all the other had; she turned on the charm, light but flirtatious touches, and in almost a blink of an eye, Cleo and her new man of the night were entangled in the sheets until the sun came up. The next morning, Cleo was all ready to give the guy the business and see him out but after the first four hours went by of nothing but good conversation and laughter, the gears in Cleo's head began to go into overdrive in realizing she was genuinely enjoying his company.

One night turned into a week and that week turned into months and before she knew it, Cleo was celebrating a year together with a man she thought was only going to be a distant memory. Her brother and team would poke fun at her for the fact she was "going soft" but she knew it was all in good fun as they were happy for her for finally finding happiness in someone and trust in another person. He never questioned what she did for a living, mostly because she told him she was a "consultant", nor did he poke or pry as to why she and her parents were no longer in contact. What she hadn't known was how her criminal lifestyle was going to turn everything in her relationship upside down.

Despite the arrests on her record or any injuries she and her team sustained, Cleo felt like she was on a high and living a very lucrative life. Until her last job in England.

She was hired for a solo job that was supposed to be very intense and possibly dangerous; her brother had strongly advised her to turn it down because he'd always told her that no job was worth risking her life over. Despite her brother's warnings, Cleo took the job in the hopes that the money she earned from it would give her and her team better means of living as their previous jobs weren't of the high caliber that could give them a high status lifestyle. The job was supposed to be stealing from a very prominent and powerful man in London; she wasn't told what she taking nor did she question it because she knew the less she knew the better. It was supposed to be quick and simple, no mistakes, but it all went wrong.

See what she hadn't known was that the man she had been sharing her bed with, the man that she was so vulnerable with, was an agent for MI5 and had been tasked with getting close to Cleo to figure out her operation and arrest her and her team. They could never get close to figuring things out in the past because Cleo had been so careful about how things were carried out as to not be traced back to them; she could be brought in for questioning over and over again but they would never be able to trace anything back to her.

Until now.

In a matter of minutes, the sound of thundering feet were heard and several agents were in the office, guns drawn and aimed at Cleo. To this day, she can still remember the heartbreak of watching the man who claimed to love her step forward and aiming a gun at her. She was brought in for questioning and with everything that had happened that night, plus the small amounts of evidence from various crimes she'd committed, there was no way for her to finesse her way out of this. Of course this was all made worse by the fact her now ex-boyfriend was the one that was interrogating her. She felt a burning anger with each question, an anger she'd never felt in her entire life.

News broke about her arrest, very outlet and form were running the story and it was the only way her brother knew what had happened to her as she would've normally checked in with him and it had been nothing but radio silence for far too long. Based on the information reporters were saying, Cleo's brother knew she was in deep trouble and no lawyer or special loophole was going to get her out of this one. The team had suggested hacking their way into the system and getting her out somehow that way but her brother knew that not only would MI5 trace that back to them but Cleo wouldn't want them to take the risk and end up where she was. Her brother had mentally exhausted all their options to help Cleo except for one that he was hoping he wouldn't have to use. Years ago, when he first started stealing himself, he had made the mistake every novice thief makes — stealing from the wrong person. Well in this case it was the right person; the woman he stole from had actually stolen from who he later found out was a member of the Brotherhood gang. He retrieved the item and returned it to the member and was told that if he ever needed a favor to just call. He had no clue what would be done or even if there'd be any help at all but it was the only solution.

Her brother made the call, not much information on Cleo having to be said as the story was running everywhere, and without another word from him the reply "We'll take care of it" was said and the call ended.

Back at MI5, the hours of interrogation were draining for everyone — Cleo and the agents included. The lead agent was just about to call it as they said they had mountains of evidence that added up to a conviction and lengthy jail sentence when a phone call came in. Cleo was left alone and in suspense for all of two minutes, the seconds ticking by on the clock in the room ever so loudly, before her ex and the lead agent came back with a woman in a suit in tow; she revealed herself to be her lawyer and that the interrogation was over. She didn't miss the look on the agents' faces as she walked out of there.

The next time she saw her ex again was in court when her case was being presented for the first appearance. Each piece of evidence and testimony that the prosecutor had presented was just torn to shreds by her lawyer, with doubt placed on almost everything or a plausible explanation given. By the end of the hearing there wasn't a single piece of evidence that hasn't been refuted; they were even able to provide evidence that she worked for the man she was attempting to steal from as security consultant to test possible threats. The judge felt like he had no choice but to rule that all the charges be dropped and for Cleo to be released immediately. The shock and disbelief was evident in the courtroom but no one was more shocked that Cleo; she's not one to have fear in her majority of the time but from the moment she was arrested, she truly believed everything was over.

Her brother greeted her as she exited the courtroom and she had never been so happy to see him. Before he could explain to her what happened, Cleo's ex came up to her and expressed he was shocked and angry that she was getting off without consequence, that he doesn't know how she made it happen but she better realize this streak of luck will run out before leaving the two of them and leaving the courthouse. Cleo's brother reassured her that everything was going to be okay and that there was someone she needed to meet. He brought her to her lawyer which confused Cleo as they'd already met but her lawyer explained that she has connection with people in New York who have had their eye on her based on her reputation and an offer was being made to put her talents towards a greater purpose.

Cleo was blown away that she was practically being scouted but hesitant as she knew accepting this offer meant leaving those her team and her brother behind. Her brother could sense her hesitation and spoke up, telling her he knows she has some reservations but that MI5 wouldn't stop coming after her and for her sake, being protected under a large organization would be better than having to do things on her own. She knew he was right and with his encouragement, Cleo accepted the offer and made plans to leave for New York immediately.

It's been four years since she made yet another decision that put her life in a new direction but Cleo now is the woman she knew she was meant to be. She was more guarded of her heart and places no trust in anyone unless they can prove they are worth her trust. Cleo is not the same person she was at eleven when she first started on this path, nor was she the same person she was at 30 but one thing she knows for sure is that the woman she is today should be feared and admired.

— EXTRA FACTS

cleo is very much a chameleon and good at it; she has a number of wigs and disguises in the event she needs to have a certain persona when she carries out a job

she speaks multiple languages, including french, spanish, portuguese, and greek

cleo speaks with her brother every now and then, as often as she can really, and checks in with him and her old team to see how they're doing

despite not being fearful during a job, cleo is very much afraid of the ocean and elevators

cleo always said that if she hadn't followed in her brother's footsteps then she would've gone onto university to become a museum curator because she loves art and talking about it

she never thought about going to school for this but on her own time, cleo learned about greek mythology, as well as mythology of roman, norse, and other countries because the stories were so fascinating to her

she has a tattoo of a jack of hearts card and her brother has the ace of hearts on the back of their necks to represent each other because he would call cleo "ace" and she used to tell her brother he was a jack of all trades

— WANTED CONNECTIONS / PLOTS

HER OLDER BROTHER (36-40); she still talks to with him and misses him dearly and she's grateful for everything he's taught despite having to leave london

MEMBER OF HER OLD TEAM; she hasn't kept in contact with any of them since she came to new york, more so to protect them, but wishes she could've said one last good bye before she fled

HER EX; she, with good reason, absolutely despises his for betraying her but there is still a strong part of her that still loves him and misses him

OLD AND NEW CONTACTS; people she had come to in the past and now to help her when she was in a jam or needed information

BROTHERHOOD MEMBER THAT HELPED HER; this member is someone that Cleo and her brother feel like they owe everything to as well as the Brotherhood itself