#arlington hat company

[thegikitiki]

Now this is a "Red Hat" I would wear...

Spinner-Topp Hats, Arlington Hat Co., 1968

[actowiz-123]

Scrape Food & Drink Delivery Data from Favor

Introduction

In today's digital age, data is the new currency, and businesses are constantly seeking insights to stay ahead of the curve. Food and drink delivery services like Favor have become integral parts of our lives, offering convenience at our fingertips. But did you know that you can extract valuable data from Favor to uncover trends, preferences, and consumer behavior? In this blog post, we'll explore the world of web scraping and how you can leverage it to scrape food delivery data from Favor.

About Favor Delivery

Established in Austin in 2013, Favor Delivery expanded its reach to encompass over 400 cities throughout Texas. With a fleet exceeding 100,000 Runners, the service has facilitated the delivery of over 80 million Favors to date. These deliveries include various items, from restaurant meals and alcoholic beverages to groceries and everyday essentials. Notably, in 2018, Favor achieved a significant milestone by becoming the first on-demand delivery company in the United States to attain profitability. This success caught the attention of grocery giant H-E-B, a cherished institution in Texas since its inception in 1905, leading to its acquisition of Favor.

Some Key Statistics of Favor Food Delivery in 2023

These statistics are taken from the inaugural "How Texas Orders In Report released by Favor Delivery, the sole restaurant delivery app designed by and for Texans, and now a part of H-E-B.

The data extracted for the report, covering the period from August 2022 to August 2023, confirms what many might expect: tacos hold the 1st position as the most favorite item in the state. Following closely behind are burgers as well as French fries, securing their spots as the 2nd and 3rd most favorite items in 2023, respectively.

The Rio Grande Valley emerges as the frontrunner for culinary preferences in tamale orders. At the same time, Dallas-Fort Worth takes the lead for the highest volume of chicken-fried steak, which is favored over any other market.

After considerable debate regarding the ideal accompaniment for tortilla chips, salsa emerges victorious, claiming the top spot, closely followed by queso, and then guacamole.

Regarding coffee preferences, Favor orders for iced coffee considerably surpass those for hot coffee statewide.

In San Antonio, residents satisfy their thirst with Big Red and iced tea, while Austinites lean towards kombucha, Dr Pepper, and coffee deliveries.

Houston solidifies its position as the wine consumption capital of Texas, leading in delivery orders for this beverage compared to other markets. Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Grigio, and Rosé are among the preferred choices in the Bayou City.

Burgers, tacos, and chicken tenders are renowned favorites among college students at Texas' top universities. However, the cravings of Rice University students distinguish them from their peers, with a preference for donuts, sushi, and kolaches. Texas Christian University students opt for pasta, quesadillas, and burritos as their top choices, while Baylor University students are known for their fondness for cookies. Meanwhile, at the University of Texas at Arlington, egg rolls have captured a notable preference among students.

In Austin, the preference leans towards milder condiments, with ranch and ketchup topping the list of most ordered. Meanwhile, in the Rio Grande Valley, residents opt for a spicier palate, favoring hot sauce and chamoy to add some heat to their dishes.

In Dallas-Fort Worth, a display of Texas pride is evident, with the highest orders for cowboy boots and hats.

Texans' affection for their furry companions shines through in Houston, where pet owners prioritize ordering dog toys, closely followed by residents of Austin.

Austin, known for its outdoorsy vibe, demonstrates a penchant for over-the-counter allergy medicine and sunscreen, catering to its active population.

Corpus Christi, basking in sunny weather, leads the pack in ordering pool floats, reflecting the city's love for aquatic leisure activities.

Wing orders reach new heights during top national football and college basketball games.

On the Fourth of July, burgers are the preferred choice over hot dogs in all markets.

Why Scrape Food Delivery Data from Favor?

Scraping food delivery data from Favor provides businesses, researchers, and academics with valuable insights that can drive market analysis, competitor analysis, menu optimization, marketing strategies, forecasting, planning, and research. By leveraging Favor's datasets through scraping tools or APIs, stakeholders can gain a competitive edge and unlock new opportunities for growth and innovation in the dynamic food delivery market.

Market Analysis: Scraping food delivery data from Favor allows businesses to conduct comprehensive market analysis. By analyzing Favor's datasets, businesses can gain insights into consumer preferences, popular food items, peak ordering times, and regional trends, helping them make informed decisions about their offerings and marketing strategies.

Competitor Analysis: With the strategic advantage of Favor scraper tools or Favor scraping APIs, businesses can gather data on their competitors' performance on the platform. By analyzing competitor data, businesses cannot only identify gaps in the market and assess their competitive position but also take control of their market position and fine-tune their offerings to stand out in the crowded food delivery market, empowering them to make informed decisions.

Menu Optimization: Favor food delivery data scraping provides valuable insights into which menu items are popular among customers and which are underperforming. Businesses can use this data to optimize their menus, remove unpopular items, and introduce new dishes likely to resonate with customers, ultimately increasing sales and customer satisfaction.

Marketing Insights: By doing Favor app data extraction, businesses can uncover valuable marketing insights, such as the most effective promotions, advertising channels, and customer engagement strategies. This data can inform businesses' marketing efforts, helping them target the right audience with the right message at the right time to maximize ROI.

Forecasting and Planning: Favor datasets can forecast demand and planning operations. By analyzing historical data on order volumes, seasonal trends, and demographic preferences, businesses can predict future demand, optimize inventory management, and plan staffing levels accordingly to ensure efficient operations and timely order fulfillment.

Research and Innovation: Researchers and academics are crucial in shaping the food delivery industry. By leveraging Favor scraping APIs to access large datasets, they can conduct studies on consumer behavior, food trends, and the impact of food delivery services on society. This data is not just information but a valuable resource that can contribute to the development of innovative solutions, policies, and strategies, emphasizing the importance of their work in shaping the industry.

Data Fields You Can Scrape with Favor Food Delivery Data Scraping

When scraping food delivery data from Favor, you can extract a wide range of data fields that provide valuable insights into customer preferences, restaurant performance, and market trends. Some of the key data fields you can scrape include:

Restaurant Name

Cuisine Type

Location (Address, City, State, Zip Code)

Operating Hours

Contact Information (Phone Number, Email)

Menu Name

Description

Price

Ingredients

Dietary Labels (E.G., Vegetarian, Gluten-Free)

Order Id

Date And Time Of Order

Delivery Address

Order Status (E.G., Confirmed, In Progress, Delivered)

Payment Method

Customer Id

Name

Contact Information (Phone Number, Email)

Delivery Preferences (E.G., Delivery Instructions)

Delivery Driver Information (Name, Contact)

Delivery Time

Delivery Fee

Special Promotions Or Discounts Applied

Customer Reviews

Ratings (E.G., Star Ratings)

Feedback Or Comments

Previous Orders

Order Frequency

Order Value

Special Offers

Discount Codes

Promotional Campaigns

Popular Menu Items

Peak Ordering Times

Seasonal Trends

Market Preferences By Location

Scraping Food Delivery Data from Favor

Several effective methods exist for scraping food delivery data from Favor. One popular approach involves utilizing Python libraries like BeautifulSoup or Scrapy, which enable you to parse the HTML content of Favor's website and extract relevant information such as restaurant menus, prices, delivery times, and customer reviews. These libraries provide flexible and customizable solutions for Favor app data extraction, allowing you to create comprehensive datasets tailored to your specific analysis needs.

Alternatively, you can leverage specialized web scraping tools or services designed explicitly for extracting data from delivery platforms like Favor. These tools often come equipped with user-friendly interfaces and pre-built scrapers optimized for scraping data from Favor, streamlining the scraping process and saving you time and effort. Additionally, some tools may offer advanced features such as scheduling, data cleansing, and integration with other data analysis tools, further enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of your data extraction efforts.

Whether you choose to utilize Python libraries or specialized scraping tools, the key is to ensure that you adhere to Favor's terms of service and respect their data usage policies. By employing proper scraping techniques and tools, you can gather valuable Favor datasets to fuel your analysis and insights, empowering you to make informed decisions and drive success in the competitive food delivery market.

The Code

This code sends a GET request to the Favor website, parses the HTML content using BeautifulSoup, and extracts the names of restaurants. You can modify the code to scrape other information such as menu items, prices, delivery times, and customer reviews by inspecting the HTML structure of the webpage and identifying the appropriate tags and classes to target. Additionally, you may need to handle pagination or use other techniques if the data you want to scrape is spread across multiple pages.

Conclusion

At Actowiz Solutions, we recognize the transformative potential of scraping food delivery data from Favor. Businesses, researchers, and enthusiasts can unlock valuable insights into consumer behavior, market trends, and business opportunities by harnessing the power of web scraping techniques. Whether you seek to refine your restaurant's menu or conduct in-depth market research, Favor app data extraction is a formidable tool. Elevate your strategies and drive success with Actowiz Solutions. Contact us today to explore how we can empower your endeavors with actionable data insights. You can also reach us for all your mobile app scraping, data collection, instant data scraper and web scraping service requirements.

[henryharrisondallas]

Henry Harrison: Pioneering Entrepreneur in Dallas, Texas

Meet Henry Harrison, a dynamic entrepreneur whose footprint spans three decades of relentless innovation and business acumen in the bustling hub of Dallas/Fort Worth. From starting his first company at age 25 to become a successful repeat entrepreneur, Henry’s journey is a testament to passion, perseverance, and a keen eye for opportunity.

A Glimpse into Henry’s Early Years From Northern Virginia/Washington DC, Henry laid the groundwork for his future endeavors with a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Emory University. Fueling his thirst for knowledge, he pursued further education, earning a Master’s Degree in Business Administration (MBA) from Southern Methodist University (SMU).

The Path of Entrepreneurship Henry’s entrepreneurial spirit led him on a journey that saw him found and acquire over fifty companies, spanning a wide array of industries. From venturing into Private Equity to mastering the intricacies of Internet Marketing, Henry’s ventures reflect his adaptability and innovative mindset.

Navigating Strategic Waters Beyond his entrepreneurial pursuits, Henry has donned the hat of a strategic advisor, notably contributing to a solar energy company with aspirations to revolutionize global solar efficiency. His leadership acumen shines through his roles as a member and past President of the Entrepreneurs Organization (EO) Dallas Chapter and active participation in The Young Presidents Organization (YPO).

Life Beyond Business While Henry is undeniably immersed in the world of business, he finds solace and joy in various activities outside the boardroom. Whether it’s sweating it out at the gym, exploring nature through hiking, perfecting his swing on the golf course, shredding the slopes while skiing, or engaging in a friendly game of tennis, Henry embraces a balanced lifestyle with gusto. His memberships at establishments like the Washington Golf and Country Club in Arlington, Virginia, and Lifetime Fitness underscore his commitment to holistic well-being.

Tune into the Henry Harrison Entrepreneurs, Business, & Finance Podcast Step into the world of entrepreneurship and finance with Henry Harrison’s captivating podcast. As the host of the Henry Harrison Entrepreneurs, Business, and Finance Podcast, Henry invites listeners on an enriching journey through the dynamic realm of innovation, commerce, and financial prowess. Each episode strives for insightful conversations with visionary entrepreneurs, industry experts, and financial gurus, delving deep into their stories, strategies, and invaluable lessons learned along the way.

Henry Harrison hopes to impact Dallas, Texas and beyond by leaving a mark on the entrepreneurial landscape. Henry aims to inspire people on their paths to success with tenacity, vision, and a pursuit of excellence.

ORIGINALLY FOUND ON- Source: Henry Harrison Dallas(https://henryharrisondallas.com/)

[if-you-fan-a-fire]

“WIFE-BEATER TO GET 10 STROKES OF STRAP,” Toronto Star. February 3, 1933. Page 2.  ---- Culprit Also Given Reformatory Term - Bigamist Is Sentenced ---- Wm. Dunn, convicted of having assaulted and beaten his wife, was sentenced by Magistrate Patterson in women's court to-day to 3 months' definite and two years' indeterminate in the Ontario reformatory with 10 strokes of the strap to be administered at the end of 30 days. 

One year definite in the Ontario reformatory and two years' indeterminate, on the two charges of bigamy and fraud, to run concurrently, were the sentences imposed on George King. He had married a woman in Niagara Falls, Ontario, when he had a wife whom he married in Montreal, and he defrauded the landlady at the house where he boarded here. 

Charge Is Withdrawn Benj. Sunshine and Rebecca Sunshine did not appear. The complainant did not wish to press an accusation of fraud, and the charge was withdrawn at the request of the crown. 

Having given a N.S.F. cheque in payment for goods, Florence Glencross was found guilty of false pretences and remanded for sentence, on condition she keep out of the department stores for two years. 

Helen Meek, convicted of a breach of probation, as she was found intoxicated by the probation officer, was sentenced to six months in the Ontario reformatory for women. 

"This is not a fair trial," cried Mabel Bear, who had pleaded guilty to theft, on being remanded a second time in custody until February 7. 

For having two slot machines in her premises on Spadina Ave., Gertie Lefrer was fined $10 and costs. 

Alex Lumonett, charged with assault, was remanded until February 10. 

Must Keep the Peace “You have no right to come in here and look at the books," Mrs. Annie Applebaum, according to the testimony of an accountant in the Arlington Hat Co., cried to Sam and Abraham Wray, when she found them in the company's office. In return it was alleged, they threw the books at her head. The Wrays were charged with assaulting Mrs. Applebaum. In turn they charged her with assault. 

Sam Wray had been discharged from the Arlington Hat Co., but he came back to check up on the books, he claimed, to see what had been happening to money he had invested in the company. 

"Seven or eight persons came into the little office; it was so full there wasn't room to turn around and have a fight in," he pleaded. 

The magistrate bound the parties. over to keep the peace toward each. other.

[inkandpen22]

The Heiress and the Gangster (1/?)

Pairing: Tommy Shelby x Female!Reader

Warnings: violence, swearing

Word Count: 2.7k

Part Summary: Y/N Adair, an American heiress, is visiting London for the social season with her fiancé Alfred Bamford. Alfie Simmons and Tommy Shelby have formed a plan to kidnap Y/N and hold her for ransom, that is until Tommy changes his mind...

Masterlist

Y/N

The car rolls up to the entrance of the race track. My driver, Mr. Richards, comes to a steady halt and immediately hops out of the car.

"Ready, darling?" Al questions with a grin beside me.

I pull back the velvet curtain covering my window to peer up at the arena. "As I'll ever be."

Mr. Richards opens the door and offers me his glove-covered hand. "Miss Adair."

I step out gracefully, my wide-brim hat blocking the beaming sun from my face. Al crosses behind the car to join me. His head finds its way to my back securely. Robert, my main bodyguard, climbs out of his own car with two more security my father hired. Al escorts me inside the stadium to the boxes. Robert leads the way with his two henchmen behind us. It's like being put into a human box.

When we arrive at our box, we're greeted by our friends in attendance. It's rare that we make it over to England, so when we do it's nice to see everyone. Al and I perform our social duties, making small talk and asking about everyone's families as though we all didn't have dinner together last night. It's the same couples in different settings for the entire month we're here.

_________________________________

Tommy

I watch from one of the pub tables at the top of the box with John as posh folks shuffle in to find their spots. When news broke that Y/N Adair would be visiting London for a month, both American and England were over the moon. The youngest child and only daughter of William Vincent Adair, the richest banker in America. She will inherit a third of his multi-million dollar fortune. It's a known fact amongst the public that's she's the favorite child so the percentage may be greater than just a third. My boys and Alfie's team are banking on that rumor. If she were to be kidnapped and held for ransom by a couple of English gangsters, it's certain her father will pay a hefty sum for her safe return to The States.

John nudges me subtly to avoid attention. "There she is!"

My eyes flicker away from the hustle and bustle of the crowd toward the entrance of the box. A young woman in an all-white lace dress crosses our path. A gentle smile rests across her lips as the Viscount and Viscountess Furness approach her, each greeting her with an embrace. Her Y/H/C hair peeks through beneath her lavish matching hat. For a moment, I experience hesitation. She's not what I expected at all.

John nudges my arm with a snicker. “You alright, Tom? Look as though you’ve seen a ghost.” 

I shake my head, taking a smoke from my cigarette. "No, that can't be her. She's far too young."

"Of course it is!" John argues.

A young gentleman in a brand new navy suit follows close beside her, keeping a protective hand pressed to her back. He shakes hands with his peers, charming his audience as he and Miss Adair are greeted with cheers.

"And her arrogant playboy fiancé, Alfred Bamford." My brother scoffs. "His family owns more railways in the U.S. than any company in the entire world!"

As my brother babbles, I watch closely as Y/N stands beside Alfred with a restrained, but convincing, smile. As he gloats and encourages banter with their fellow posh folk, she's quiet and glancing about the arena.

"Their marriage will create a media frenzy!" John describes in my ear. "Adair Banks and Bamford Rails, it's a match made in posh people heaven. Shame she'll never live to see it," he snickers.

I press my cigarette into the ashtray and turn my body toward my brother. "As soon as the gun fires that's when Alfie's man takes the shot.” I check my watch. “He'll be here in five minutes. That's when you leave and fetch the car. Understood?"

He nods sharply, "right, Tom. Got it."

___________________________________

Y/N

Anticipating the race, Al and I stand right against the rail with our dainty gold binoculars, searching for my family's horse.

"I need Olympus to win," I worry outwardly. "I need to prove to my father that this trip was worth it."

"I’m certain William will be pleased no matter the outcome."

"You don't know my father then," I chuckle.

"Excuse me!" A voice announces over the chatter of the box.

I glance over my shoulder as a well-dressed middle-aged man hurries up to my security. His brow is sweaty and his white suit wrinkled. He rushes out words to Robert before being escorted over to me.

"Welcome to Ascot, Madam," he welcomes, gesturing to the large building. "I'm John Wilkson and I'm a partner at the track. May I get you anything before the festivities?" He rubs his hands in circles nervously.

I offer John my hand with a warm smile. "Pleasure to make your acquaintance. If possible, I would like a pot of Earl Grey."

"Oh yes! Yes, definitely!" The man gushes as Robert leads him toward the door. "Right away, Madam!"

"Thank you!" I nod, maintaining my smile until he's out of view.

Al chuckles beside me at the man’s expense as he rubs his palm up and down my spine. "How are you enjoying it so far, My Dear?"

"I don't see what all the fuss is about," I remark. " It doesn't appear any more luxurious than Arlington Park."

"You are far too difficult to please, darling," he teases, scooping up my glove-covered hand and planting a kiss to the back of it.

"Welcome ladies and gentlemen to today's festivities..." the announcer begins, causing widespread cheering across the crowd.

Al and I clap our hands along with our friends.

"Your tea, Miss Adair, a young waiter informs me as he sets down the set on a side table by our chairs.

I thank him quietly before he dismisses himself.

"Don't forget, tonight is the dinner with Prince Albert and Lady Elizabeth," Al reminds me.

"Aw yes, thank you!" I express with relief as I step back to pick up my teacup and return to my spot beside him. "They're quite lovely, aren't they? Their engagement is such delightful news." I bring my cup to my lips for a sip.

"I'm certainly looking forward to the wedding, it'll be a spectacle." He smirks. “Another excuse to return in the spring.”

I narrow my eyes mischievously, sharing the same agenda as him. "They can be the social event of the season in England, but we shall claim America."

Tommy

Two of Miss Adair’s men are positioned outside while his Head stands against the far wall, just a few feet from her. Alfie's hitman enters the tent without suspicion, dressed like a posh race-goer and his gun well concealed. He glances in my direction, giving me the signal to release my brother. I give John a brief nod and he disappears through the opening in the curtain.

"Jockeys! Prepare your horses!" The announcer declares, marking the start of the races.

I clap along with the crowd. Everyone in the box is zoned in on the gates where the jockeys are mounting their horses. Alfie's man claps as well, keeping his eyes on the horses to blend in as he continues toward Miss Adair and Mr. Bamford. He stops in the second row, just behind the couple.

My eyes flicker to Y/N. A glowing smile forms across her face as she switches her sight away from the gates toward her fiancé. Her eyes glimmering with optimism and excitement. There’s a youthfulness in her I haven’t seen in anyone since the war. She has no idea that the man behind her has been sent to point a gun at her head and kidnap her. Her attention travels about the box, at her friends and peers. Her eyes glance in my direction, her soft Y/E/C eyes meet mine. Her radiating smile softens as her hands slows to a steady halt. Then, something in me just... snaps.

My attention changes to the man on the field lifts his gun into the air. At the same moment, Alfie's man reaches into his coat pocket.

"No! Wait!" I shout, knocking the table out of the way. "Everyone down!"

I leap over the chairs and tackle Alfie's man. He sets off the gun as we stumble to the floor, chairs flying all about. Screams ensue as we wrestle on the floor. A man I recognize as the Head of Y/N's security steps on Alfie's man's hand. With a hiss, he releases his fist around the gun and the security knocks it away. I rush to my feet to inspect the damages, to see if Y/N was hurt, but I see no sign of her. Where did the bullet hit? A hanging bit of cloth that was once the awning answers my question. The arena is in chaos as people travel upstream toward the exists. People are being trampled and pushing each other about.

I work against the traffic down toward the railing to where I last saw Y/N. I shove people out of my way in a hurry. Then, that's when I spot her hat, squashed flat on the floor. I lean down to pick it up and that's when I finally find her resting against the wood base of the rail, holding her head with a bloody hand.

Y/N

I remove my hand from my stinging forehead to see my once white-glove soaked in blood. One minute I was scanning the reaction of the crowd behind me, then there was a shout. The shot for the race to begin rang and I was knocked forward. My head hit the metal railing and I fell to the floor. My forehead was stinging and I realized I was bleeding. Then, I swear I heard another gunshot. I've tried to stand up, but everyone’s scrambling to get out. Plus, my head is throbbing

Suddenly, a man appears hovering above me. He stares down at me with a clenched jaw and a look of determination. He leans down, scoops up my unscathed hand. Before I utter a word, he begins to usher me through the chaos. My feet shuffle across the floor briskly to keep up as he grips my hand tightly. People continue to shout and scream for their loved ones, frightened.

"Who are you?" I ask loudly over the noise.

He ignores me, guiding the way through the arena. People rush down the closest stairs, eager to reach one of the main exits. This man, however, avoids all the staircases and remains on the walkway of the top floor. I sense he's leading me to the furthermost end and hopefully to an emergency exit.

"Answer me this instant!" I demand, attempting to yank my hand free. "Do you know who I am?"

"Yes, Miss Adair, I do!" He finally answers and whips his head around to meet my gaze. "Now, if you wish to not get shot, I suggest you follow me!"

I check over my shoulder for Al. "But my fiancé-"

"They're not after him," he states turning his attention back ahead.

My stomach drops. "You mean you know who's behind this?"

"I know enough..." His answer is vague and it worries me.

"Why do they wish to hurt me?"

"Your family is the wealthiest in the United States! You should really travel with more security," he suggests over his shoulder.

My prediction was correct, the man takes me to the furthest end of the platform to a fire escape of sorts behind a curtain. It's much less hectic than the main stairwells other than some workers attempting to escape. The man never releases my hand as he leads the swift way down the metal stairs. Once we're on solid ground, we weave through various parts of the arena. Booths and vendors scatter the area. The man seems to know this well, making a bee-line for a large white tent tucked away near the main staircase where Al and I first entered the race track.

When we rush into the tent, I first note a series of telephone booths, the dirt floor, and the absence of any of else. The man releases my hand and starts marching around. I assume checking to make sure we're alone. I spin around, checking my surroundings, frightened that one of these men this stranger speaks of will attack me suddenly.

My head is pounding and I can feel the warm blood twinkle down my cheek. My hair must look a fright. Who am I kidding, my white dress is covered in blood and dirt, every part of me is messy.

Tommy

Y/N and I both struggle to catch our breath. I double-check that neither Alfie nor any of his men are hiding out in here. "We should be safe in here," I announce.

"Don't you think we should fetch a car or something!" She rushes out worriedly. “My car is parked just-”

I shake my head, moving back toward her. "No, not yet. They'll be expecting that."

Now that her hand is away from her head, I can inspect her injury properly. A minor gash above her brow. It doesn't appear awful, won't need stitches, but she has significant amounts of blood down the side of her face and cheek.

Y/N

"Here." The man reaches into his pocket square and pulls out his handkerchief. He brings one hand behind my head and the other presses the fabric to my forehead. "We'll have someone look at this once everything is settled."

I nod, still a tad dazed to say the least. "Thank you," I mumble as my eyes fall to his tie directly ahead of me.

For a moment, despite the chaos outside the tent, there's a sense of peacefulness as the stranger pats my cut.

"So, you know my name, what's yours?" I ask. Considering he saved my life, I don't think we should be strangers anymore. “Since we were in the same box, I suspect you’re friends with the Bowes-Lyons.”

"Thomas, Thomas Shelby," he answers directly without much emotion.

"Well, despite the circumstance, it's pleasure to make your acquaintance, Sir. I'm surprised we've never met before considering we share friends."

A faint snicker escapes him as a smirk creeps onto the edge of his lips.

I grin. "What's so funny?"

"An heiress calling me "sir," he chuckles, glancing down from my forehead to meet my gaze. "It's not exactly something I thought I'd ever hear."

My brows scrunch together in confusion. “But aren’t you-”

"Tommy!" A voice calls from behind me.

Frightened, I rush to stand behind Mr. Shelby. My hands wrap around his bicep as I peek around his shoulder. His arm reaches around to keep me close to his back.

"In here Arthur!" He hollers.

Wait, he knows the person?

Suddenly, a lengthy man with a mustache marches into the tent. When his eyes land on us, his brows scrunch together. "What's this? What happened to-"

"Change of plans," Mr. Shelby states, physically relaxing at the sight of him.

The man switches his sight between me and Mr. Shelby. He rocks on his heels nervously. He steps to the side to get a better view of me. "Oh uh... hello then... Miss Adair. Nice to meet ya," he greets.

"And he's a friend?" I ask Mr. Shelby quietly.

He chuckles. "Yes, he's my brother. He's safe."

I step out from behind him hesitantly. I redirect my attention to Arthur and remove my glove to offer him my hand slowly. "Pleasure to meet you as well."

His brows rise at the sight of my hand, but he shakes it nonetheless. He chuckles. "She's awfully friendly," he tells his brother.

"Did you happen to see my fiancé? Alfred Bamford," I ask, growing worried that Al may have been hurt.

"He was escorted to your car I believe by one of your security."

"And the others?" I press urgently. “Are my friends alright? What about Lord and Lady Elphinstone?”

His features fall. "I lost them in the crowd, Miss..."

My eyes grow wide. "I should go find them!"

I go to head back outside, but Mr. Shelby grabs my wrist and steps to block my path.

"The men trying to harm you may still be out there," he warns.

"But my friends! Alfred!” I argue. “They’re probably worried sick! I’ll find my car and have them take me back to the hotel!”

"They'll be searching for you there! I'm sure they already have it staked out."

I huff. "Then where do you suggest I go?"

His eyes flicker to his brother and it's evident a thought has crossed his mind.

"I have an idea..." he states vaguely.

Oh no...

_______________________

Masterlist

[mulderist]

Wicked Game

Chapter 1  // Chapter 2 // Chapter 3  // Chapter 4 // Read on A03

Washington, D.C - 1948. Fox Mulder is a detective on the top vice unit; scandal, corruption, and lies come with the territory. He is forced to investigate a fellow officer and finds the lies go much deeper than the truth.

tagging @today-in-fic​

CHAPTER 5

The phone rang three times before she answered. My jaw ached as I tried to mask the slur in my voice when I told her who was calling. I realized it was a long shot ringing her number but I needed something to get my head on straight. I told her I was in Georgetown and as luck would have it she did not have a shift at the hospital that evening. She accepted my invitation to have a drink. I confirmed her address and I said I would wait outside the building to meet her, adding to look for the forlorn gentleman with a grey fedora. We disconnected and I exited the booth then walked to the curb to hail a cab. 

Scully’s apartment building was tucked into a quiet tree-lined block on Q Street. In a town built on history this neighborhood dripped vintage charm with neat colonial rowhouses and brick sidewalks. I paced a slow line in front of the staircase then stretched a foot on the bottom step. The sound of a door opening and heel clicks on brickwork caught my attention. There she was. A vision in a short-sleeved olive green sweater with a high neck, wide-leg trousers gave way to dark t-strap shoes that peeked out from under her pant cuffs. Her ginger-red hair was pinned up halfway and decorated with a small flower. I straightened up and tried to smile as she landed on the last step. 

“God, what happened to you?” she questioned before I could even greet her properly. 

“And hello to you too.” I replied.

“Oh, your cheek,” Scully frowned, “This reminds me of when we first met.” She inspected my face without laying a finger on me. I tipped back my hat slightly so she could get a better look. In the afternoon sun her eyes processed a diagnosis and she reached out a caring hand to touch my jawline but withdrew it quickly. Fingers formed a loose fist instead as her hand dropped slowly towards her hip. I cleared my throat.

“Serves me right for interrupting someone’s lunch, huh?”

“Must have been someone important for them to leave a mark like that,” Scully said, stepping back and adjusting her handbag. I shrugged then said,

“No, just me being a nosy cop.” I found myself staring as she smiled.

“So now that we’re here, where are we off to?”

“There’s a little place I visit when I’m in the neighborhood.” I slipped my hands in my pockets and gestured with a nod down the block. She joined me at my side and we strolled for a few silent moments. Her presence helped to mute the extra noise in my head. Though with each intersection we crossed I was still checking my corners, making sure we weren’t being followed. After the little scene I caused at the restaurant my guard was up. I knew I could never be too comfortable with my surroundings and I certainly didn’t want to put her in danger.

We walked farther down Q street and crossed over to 33rd to a small bar named The Blue Note. I opened the door for her and followed inside. It was your standard set-up with a small stage on the side arranged for a jazz combo. Too early for a gig, so the jukebox in the corner played the matinee performance. Regalia from the university littered the walls but in a more dignified fashion, like the proprietor was trying to distance the establishment from looking like a run-of-the-mill college bar. Still, it was dark, smoky, and my kind of familiar. Only a couple of bar flies had landed to start their day-drinking. I ushered her through a fresh haze of cigarette smoke to an empty spot at the far end of the bar. She took a seat and I adjusted my barstool, sitting close but not too close. Scully caught the attention of the stout bartender.

“I’d like a vodka tonic and my friend here will have?”

“Whiskey.” 

The man nodded and scuttled back to fix our drinks. I put my fedora on the bar and ran a hand through my hair.

“Can you tell me about this case you’re working on?” Scully asked as she placed her handbag in her lap. I thought about how much I wanted to divulge so I kept the names and places to a minimum.

“It involves a drug ring, fairly standard for the vice unit. However the fly in the ointment is that it also involves an investigation into my partner.”

“Wait, the one who was buried at Arlington?”

“The very same,” I answered as the bartender delivered two short glasses. I grasped the drink and raised it, she mimicked the motion. “Cheers,” I said before taking a long sip and swirling the ice cube around. Scully sampled her drink as well and I continued.

“The papers painted it that he was killed in the line of duty. Now, I was there that night. It was the same night I got a hot lead kiss on the shoulder and I think my partner was bumped off in a deal that went sour.”

“Your partner was a hophead?” she asked as she twisted the bottom of her glass on the bar napkin.

“I didn’t suspect he was a hophead,” I said after I downed the last of my whiskey, “but the medical examiner ordered blood work that confirmed he was sky high.”

“Did you see who shot at you?” she asked after a beat, tracing a fingertip along the edge of the highball. 

“No, but we did get a match on the weapon. So all I need to do is take him in .”

“Let me guess, that’s who gave you the bruise.”

“Very perceptive Scully. It was one of his goons actually.” I said as I rubbed my left cheek and glanced reflexively over my shoulder. She held her glass close to her lips and thought for a moment before taking another sip to finish it off. Scully pressed her lips together and focused on her now empty glass. I caught the change in music from the jukebox; a heavy piano piece that fit the tone in our little corner of the bar. I flagged the bartender and ordered another round.  She was hesitant at first on the refill but I guess she didn’t mind my company and decided to stick around. Time seemed to slow to a halt, dripped down like molasses on a winter day.

“Enough about me and the DCPD, I want to know your story.”

“My story, Mulder? I don’t think I’m as interesting as all that,” Scully said as she glanced at her hands, admiring the tidy red varnish on the nails.

“Try me,” I replied as our second round arrived and my attention was now only on her.

“Let’s see...you already know I’m a nurse,” she began with a gesture, “I’ve been one since before the war. Schooling was no cost and once the conflict started I opted to stay home in Maryland to fill the nursing shortage. My brothers had gone through the gauntlet at the naval academy and were sent to San Diego then the South Pacific respectively. It would have broken my mother’s heart if I joined up and got shipped off too” She paused and took a drink. “My sister and mother stayed in Annapolis but in ‘45 I headed to Washington to continue with medicine. There was more I wanted to learn and more ways I felt I could help.”

“And that’s how you ended up in Georgetown?”

She nodded and softly exhaled.

“After I buried my father, I buried myself in studies, work, and other hobbies. I figured if I kept myself busy enough I wouldn’t have time to think about the loss.” Her shoulders shrugged and she absentmindedly toyed with a strand of hair then swept it behind her ear.

“Any travel in that time?” I asked, hoping she had an answer. I was shit at small talk when I wasn’t using my badge.

“California after the war ended to see my brother Bill and his family for Christmas, then last year I took the train up to New England for a change of scenery.”

“Ah, I’m familiar with that area. My parents live on Martha’s Vineyard.”

“It’s really lovely. I was fortunate to visit in the fall.” A hint of a smile crossed her lips as she recalled the memory. A pleasant silence then fell between us. More small talk followed, less personal this go around. Filler subjects like the weather and sports weaved their way into conversation. I was pleased to learn she was a baseball fan and was hoping for a better season than last year. 

The bar was getting more clientele and as much as I wanted to stay and extend my friendship with Mr Jack Daniels, I figured we should make it last call. I paid our tab and escorted Scully outside, placing a featherweight touch on her shoulder as I guided her through the open door. The air felt cool as the sun hid behind passing clouds, setting up for another storm. She thanked me for the drinks and though she was a captain’s daughter who could certainly hold her liquor, I offered to walk her home. 

As we turned the corner and walked back up the block I still felt that we weren’t alone. I kept a close stride next to Scully as we neared her building. She ascended the steps and I joined her at the door. This time her hand found my cheek. 

“I hope to see you again,” she said as she gently stroked my jawline, “But next time without any occupational damage.” 

“Can’t make any promises, doll,” I said moving closer, feeling her fingers twitch, catching a flutter of her eyelashes as she exhaled. My gaze was soft, hypnotized by her features. She grazed the stubble on my skin then Scully raised her chin and placed a soft sweet kiss on my injured cheek. 

“Take care of yourself, detective.”

Through the narrow pane of glass on the building’s door I watched her walk up the stairs, she looked back over her shoulder giving me a final flash of that flower nestled against her red hair. As I turned and walked down the steps I noticed a car parked across the street and a man with a sharp suit and glasses leaning against the side.

“Are you following me?” I called out once I was on the sidewalk, my hand on the butt of my weapon.

“This is your surveillance detail?” Skinner questioned.

“Chivalry isn’t dead yet, Captain.”

“Something’s come up. Get in,” Skinner said as he motioned to the car. I walked around the front of the cruiser and opened the passenger door joining him inside.

“I heard about your incident with Carlo Lodi today.”

“Word travels fast.”

“You’re damn right it does, Mulder. This city is more connected than ever. I had a conversation with our friend Alex Krycek when he returned the squad car you lent him. Seems that he was privy to information regarding a Vincenti heroin shipment tonight.”

“Ha! What did you have to trade for that info?” I asked. He tensed his jaw then said,

“Continued protection. It appears he’s been sitting on this since we first interrogated him.”

“Jesus Christ.”

“There will be a boat arriving at the Navy Yard tonight. Small crew. They are going to make a transfer to one of the warehouses, but it’s up to you to find how they’re moving the shipment from there.”

I took a moment to process the details of my assignment. 

“Will I have back-up?”

“Via radio. Do not engage after you make the mark. Follow standard tailing procedure.”

“If you’re going to send me on a suicide mission, can you at least drop me off in Alexandria. I could use a shower and something to eat.” Skinner gave me a sideways glance and turned the key in the ignition, bringing life to the cruiser. He shifted into gear and we were on our way back across the Potomac.

[tetrakys10]

Sweet Elite episode 9

It’s Halloween at Arlington academy, and we get a nice, lighthearted episode to make up for all the angst we went through lately. Long post below the cut.

The episode starts during preparations for the official Arlington Halloween party, you have a chance to ask someone to help you with putting up some decorations. Our favourite senior shows up to explain that this person will be the one we spend most time with during the episode. Whatever LI you chose, you have a chance to get to know them better and raise your infinity meter.

The following day we notice Ellie, Tayler and Tegan acting strange, we have a choice to follow them or not, not sure what happens if you chicken out, but if you go ahead you find out that they are building a robotic Arlingtonator to scare Tadashi on Halloween.

Afterwards, scholar suddenly remembers that they don’t have a costume yet and it’s very late for last minute shopping, so they end up buying a simple witch hat online. I don’t know if this changes between male and female scholar, but my two girls look really really cute.

(The one on the left is Tetrakys who is romancing Axel, the one on the right is Nyx who is on Tegan’s route.)

Then we go back to class, science class specifically, and realise that we don’t understand what the teacher is talking about and we need help. Luckily, depending on the person you chose to spend time with, someone will come to your help and organise a study group where your chosen crush will also be present.

Now, allow me to digress for a moment.

---

I don’t like when my scholar proves to be less capable than the others, she is a scholarship student, she should be smarter. While on Tegan’s route this part only slightly annoyed me but I soon got over it, on Axel’s route it was worse. Because, firstly, Tetrakys is in the science department, so not undertanding the science lecture and needing help is more serious and I would completely freak out. Second, the person who came to her rescue was... Claire. FREAKING CLAIRE. I hate Claire. Ok... I don’t hate hate her, but she really got on my bad side for multiple reasons:

1) The first time I played I was trying to pursue Tadashy, I didn’t know that, when the meter is the same, you get the illustration of the first person in aphabetical order. Which was... Claire.

2) Scholar was amazing during the department competition, she did a great interview, came up with the best idea and saved the day when things went downhill, and she ended up third place behind effing Claire who, of all things, was spending her time MANUALLY COPYING her notes for her classmates instead of scanning them.

3) When we were all helping Tadashi and people where looking for someone to help him write his speech I thought that it was finally our moment since our contribution that far had been to just buy computer parts online... and instead... they picked Claire! For the sole reason that apparently everyone loves her...??? We nailed the interview in episode 4!

And now, Claire again saves the day coming to our rescue using her superior intellect to explain the lecture for us...

It’s clear we will never be best friends.

---

Anyway, moving aside from my dislike of a 2D fictional character, we at least end up spending a bit more time with our crush, and even see some teasing from the other characters pointing out how that person was excited to have us in the study group.

Following this, we are asked to join a meeting with all the LIs except Tadashi, where Ellie explains that they have been organising a secret party and we are going to trick Tadashi to join it. One group is going to attend the official Arlington party and get Tadashi away with an excuse, another will stay at the dorm and prepare things. Scholar is always part of the kidnapping party.

While going back to the dorms we assist at a conversation between Karolina and Neha talking about an important fashion show that is going to happen soon at Arlington, a hint to the next plot I guess, probably Neha and/or Karolina’s arc.

Then it’s finally time for the party. We wear our hat (first illustration) and go to the gym. Once there we manage to take Tadashi away saying that we saw the Arlingtonator luriking in the dorms corridors, Tadashi believes us because Alistar is there too. We see Tadashi trying to put a brave face and not show how freaked out he actually is, we take him to the dorms and at the right time the Arlingtonator appears, scaring the crap out of him. Everyone laughs and the real party can finally start. They put Tadashi in a Pikachu onsie and crazy makeup

he is a good sport and lets people do whatever they want to him (he must be really greatful for the help everyone gave him during his whole ordeal). This is where we get the second illustration depending on the group we chose to spend time with.

Then we are told (but we don’t see it) that more time goes by chatting, playing, doing tarots, and finally telling scary stories. We see only the last bit of it before we hear some noises from the corridor, it’s the custodians who are making rounds. Time to end the party and rush back to our room. Before we can close the door someone burges into the room right behind us. We wait in the dark for the custodians to go away and then we find out that it’s the LI we chose to spend time at the beginning of the episode. There’s a cute scene between the two, then they leave and the episode ends.

---

What I liked

I liked the episode in general, I think we needed something lighthearted and fun, and there were lots of funny moments there. I loved how everyone ganged up on Tadashi because he is the perfect sacrificial lamb 🤭🤭🤭 but you could tell they were also doing it for him, to make him have fun and distract him after everything he had gone through, and he appreciated it. That’s real friendship.

I also liked that it feels like the company really listens to their players’ feedback and takes it into account. There were two main problems that I had found in the past few episodes: the fact that we were spending very little time with our LI, not advancing the relationship, and the fact that we were forced to spend time with all 10 of them equally, again reducing the amount of time with the characters we really want to focus on. This time they made up for both, by chosing our crush at the beginning we were able to spend more time with them and with just a few selected other characters. No one is forgotten, we eventually meet and talk to everyone, but it doesn’t feel like the time is equally shared and the game feels more focused and with a proper direction.

Another thing I really liked were the costumes. They were so damn on point. For everyone. They really capture the essence of the characters and I love when a game is able to stay true to its characters’ personalities even with the little things. And they all looked so damn good. Alistair as a firefighter?? HELLO MISTER! Raquel as a cheeky pirate, Ellie as a deadly Alice and... Axel 😍 Axel was some kind of modernised version of the Phantom of the Opera (I think) and HELLO??? This is one of my big bias, he looked so good 😍 I have only one complain: he took the mask off too soon 😭 he should’ve worn it the whole time 😭 I don’t care that it was too hot, it was hot in other ways too if you know what I mean...

One last thing I’d like to add is that I think the art was really pretty. I am totally useless when it comes to art, but to my ignorant eyes it looks like the artist is making lots of progress.

What I didn’t like

There’s only one thing, actually, and this is probably just a matter of personal taste. I thought that the writing lacked heat when it came to the romantic parts. I think that it was pretty good with comic and fluffy moments, but there was little passion. And I know this is a game aimed at a young audience so that’s why I said that maybe the problem is me, maybe I’ve just outgrown this type of games, but I also think that you don’t have to go all bang bang to describe heat between characters. Scholars says multiple times that she feels attraction towards the LI, and I read it but I didn’t feel it. I’m happy that I waited to play Axel’s route before making up my mind, because that’s actually better. And yes, Axel is more forward than Tegan, so there’s that, but it also felt like Axel’s romantic moments were more developped than Tegan’s as if the writer was more interested in him, if it makes any sense. However, even with Axel, I think they could’ve pushed more.

This is the first time in a long while that I’m in the mood to rewrite the scene of a game the way I have it in my head, maybe this will help me get out of my writing slump.

---

Anyway, all in all, I’m pretty happy. Looking forward to episode 10!

[menwithlocs]

Loc Talk w/Billy

Billy

Texas

What inspired to Loc your hair? 

I was actually balding on the from corners of my line up and thought I was going bold and shaved my head. Then after talking to my mom she let me know balding didn’t run in my family and that it may be just stress. I was having some financial problems around that time and was discouraged. So I decided to just grow my hair and not cut it. In the time of doing this my wife had this dreadlock wig and I was playing around with it and through a hat on like I was lil Wayne and right then I was like I don’t look bad with dreads and told my wife I’m getting them. That right there put me in the game.

How long have you had your locs?

I have had my Locs for 3 years and 4 months now.

Where do you go for loc maintenance?

I go to @locsbyk in Arlington Tx. But I maintain my Locs as well as my wife majority of the time due to my busy schedule.

What's your favorite product?

My favorite product is Wild Growth Oil the white and green bottle. Thats the only oil that doesn’t irritate my scalp.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to loc their hair?

Be patient, Let your Locs do their thing. This is a journey so enjoy the process. There are going to be tough days but you will have great days too. You just have to continue the journey.

Random Question: What are some of your goals for 2020?

I plan to release me videos on my YouTube channel and continue to inspire other loc heads. I also plan to continue growing my business Kingdom Kontent, LLC which is a content creation company when we help businesses, entrepreneur and Influencers create market leader content for social media. 

[into-control]

✨camren and their PRs in 2018 (not in perfect chronological order)✨

this doesn’t include every single thing that happened involving them this year but here’s some of it:

the iconic pay attention tweet with the rather blunt reply to a certain tweet from lauren herself only three days before those pictures came out:

possibly jealous lauren...:

camila apparently has wattpad:

lauren liked and unliked a picture of camila and sinu at the vmas:

the matching tweets:

camila came back from her break with all her nails grown out a little except for the pointer finger on her dominant hand (hmmmm):

caminah?:

lauren liked this picture multiple times:

camila took her girl’s song selection into consideration:

lauren liked a picture of a girl who looks a lot like camila that also features the moon:

camila created a small spotify playlist called vibes and added a lost in the world by kanye west after lauren tweeted a reference to the lyrics two days earlier:

a few seconds of camila’s demo of ariana grande’s god is a woman leaked on the internet with a switched point of view:

ariana revealed during her zach sang interview that the producer and co-writer of the song, ilya, already had the hook of the song made and named before it got to her and was planning on trying it out with male rappers. with that in mind, there is a possibility that camila was singing about another woman as god and not herself.

lauren blocked her own fan shortly after they attacked camila:

camila did the same (yes, that is the same person in both screenshots):

thunder and grace may or may not have been named after two dc superheroes with their corresponding sexualities who are in a same sex relationship:

let the magic begin✨:

camila posted a picture of her at matthew’s la house and tweeted that she would spend her whole day watching movies, but was seen at the mall. actor mason cook ran into her there and tweeted about it, but deleted it later on in the day as if she wasn’t supposed to be seen (I noticed after he deleted the tweet so I could only find it through the ccn retweet in my notification center past midnight on october 1st, my apologies):

pictures of camila and matthew were taken, but camila was looking right at the camera and they were taken by backgrid, the company that photographed for her tour and her set at the reputation tour:

our captains dusted off their hats:

on october 22nd, lauren showed a bit of a reputation tour vip invitation box in her apartment on her story. she was with her makeup artist carlene, who then looked inside the box on her own story. she revealed that the invitation was for october 5th or 6th in arlington. lana del rey, who supposedly went to the october 6th date, followed both of them at the same time on that day:

lauren likes brown eyes:

caminah part 2?:

lauren and camila were seen talking at the amas:

it looked like lauren had been crying earlier in a selfie a fan took with her sometime after camila’s consequences performance at the amas:

lauren was seen and heard (just barely) in camila’s instagram story after the amas:

“the rose is our thing”:

lovers who eat the world: 

a piece of art by mariano peccinetti. it comes up if you search his name + ‘lesbian’ on google. “I see two people in love, but with a world in between.”

lauren liked three tweets (two pictured) with camila mentioned:

just bitches in sync:

lauren in a gilded cage (creds to sun-to-my-luna for pointing this out):

camila thinks ‘matthEW’, into it being afraid of heterosexuality, shading her label and more is funny:

come on, kiss me again slow but steady:

lauren followed bazzi shortly after camila performed beautiful with him at the z100 jingle ball, which they were both at:

hmmmmm:

j-22:

pisces and cancer romance reports:

juno liked a camren post and commented on it too:

lucy stalked some camren pages:

so did lauren:

elsie de wolfe:

thank you for joining me. here’s to a camren 2019!

[hysterialevi]

When the Devil Cries pt. 15

This story is also on AO3 

Previous chapter

From Arthur’s POV

ONE MONTH LATER

RYAN RESIDENCE, SAINT DENIS

Eddie and I trotted underneath the calm night sky, steadily making our way back to the pianist’s house as the rest of the city dimmed down with the fading of the sun.

By now, the boy and I had been ridin’ all over this country for the past few weeks -- bounty hunting, moving from town to town, hidin’ from Rose’s men -- and strangely enough...part of me was sad that it was all finally coming to an end, despite the danger we were in.

Spending time with that kid...it made me feel free. Made me feel like I didn’t have a single, goddamned worry in the world. And somethin’ about him just gave me the courage to step outta this angry, spiteful shell I had created. I mean, I was still grumpy...but at least when I was with Eddie, I knew that weren’t all there was to me.

As much as I enjoyed bein’ around the musician though, I figured I had dragged him across the wilds for long enough and that it was time to bring the boy home, now that things had calmed down in Saint Denis.

Neither of us had set foot anywhere near the city ever since that god-awful shootout, and it looked like Dutch had also kept his distance from the “civilized” land, allowing the local law to lower their guard a bit. And on top of that, I didn’t see any sign of Atticus or his men, which meant they had probably given up their search in this part of Lemoyne.

Eddie should’ve been safe for the time being, and I certainly prayed I was right.

Hitching our horses outside the property’s fence, I walked the pianist to the front door as the both of us stretched our arms and neck, stiff from the long ride home.

It had been quite a while since I last saw this house, and the minute I laid eyes upon it, memories started flooding my head like a wave on the shore.

I remembered the first day I met Eddie; when he asked me to come to his house to hear one of his compositions. Life seemed so much simpler back then, and part o’ me still couldn’t believe how much we had been through since those days.

Dealin’ with Middleton, surviving Rose’s assassins, hunting the Arlington Twins and Archibald Hill -- Eddie and I truly were almost unstoppable when working together. I mean, sure, the kid might not’ve been as good a gunslinger as Dutch, or Hosea, or even me...but he sure as hell had learned a lot since our first encounter. And I...I was proud of him. Extremely proud.

“Welp, here we are,” I said, gently holding Eddie’s hand as we walked through the front door. “Home sweet home.”

The pianist let out a content sigh and took his hat off, placing it on a nearby end table as he settled in.

“Never thought I’d say it, but...I missed Saint Denis. It’ll be nice to sleep in an actual bed again. I’m exhausted.”

I laughed at that. “I bet.”

Eddie gazed at me and beamed brightly, bringing out the soft-hearted side of him I had grown so familiar with.

“Thank you for all your help these past few weeks, Arthur. You didn’t have to stay and help me survive out there...but you did. I won’t forget it.”

I shrugged, holding up a casual hand. “Ah, don’t mention it. Least I could do. ...You, um...you gonna be okay by yourself? I mean, I know things have calmed down here, but still, you never know.”

The boy slipped off his coat and threw it over a couch. “I should be alright. You’ve shown me how to defend myself, after all. And if anything does happen, I promise you’ll be the first one to know.”

“Good,” I said. “Just...stay alert, okay? And be well.”

“The same goes for you,” Eddie replied. “I can’t imagine running with a gang is anywhere near secure. So, stay safe.”

I let out a quiet chuckle. “Ain’t no such thing as safe out there, but I’ll do my best.”

A doubtful thought suddenly popped up in my mind, and I gazed at  Eddie for a moment before workin’ up the courage to ask him about it.

“...You...sure you’re okay with me bein’ an outlaw?” I checked. He crossed his arms.

“Well...I wouldn’t say I’m okay with it,” he admitted. “But if you’ve been an outlaw for this long, I assume it’s because you have no choice.”

I nodded somberly. “And you’d be correct. For now, anyway. I ain’t really got any other options at the moment.”

The boy didn’t seem bothered. “Well then, you do what you have to do.”

I was quiet in response, leading Eddie to cock his head at me as he effortlessly pulled out any secrets I was hidin’ behind my stone-cold expression.

“...You don’t believe me.” He concluded.

I threw a limp hand in the air, patting my lap once it fell back down.

“There you go again. Readin’ me like a goddamned book.”

Eddie giggled and took a few steps forward, affectionately rubbing the side of my arm.

“You should know it’s pointless to keep things from me by now, Arthur. What’s on your mind?”

A conflicted sigh escaped me.

“It’s just...” I glanced around the house in uncertainty, “...you ain’t the first person I been with, Eddie. Ain’t the first person to learn about all...this. See... there was this girl a long time ago that I loved. Her name was Mary. I met her when I was young and stupid -- I’m still stupid now, mind you -- but she played me for a fiddle like no one else alive. We was even engaged at one point.”

Eddie glanced at my ringless finger, a look of sorrow spreading across his face.

“Was?”

I clenched my jaw, trying not to open up too much.

“...Her daddy found out I was an outlaw,” I explained. “Learned about the kinda life I had. About what I did...and he hated it. Hated me even more. Eventually, we...called off the engagement, and Mary went off and settled down with some other man.”

The boy frowned out of sympathy. “I mean...I’m glad you’re with me now, but I’m also sorry you had to go through that.”

I shook it off. “Nah, don’t be. Like I said -- it was a long time ago. I guess...I’m just surprised you didn’t take off like she did when you found out I was workin’ with Dutch goddamn Van der Linde. That’s usually the response I get.”

Eddie almost looked insulted. “What-- you really thought I was just going to...abandon you? Because of that?”

“Wouldn’t blame you.”

The pianist grabbed my hand, holding it in a reassuring manner.

“Arthur...I may not approve of what you do, or the way you’ve hurt people, but you are a good man. In your own, twisted way. In fact, you’re the last person I’d want to leave behind, and you’re fooling yourself if you think I ever will.”

I fell silent, admittedly a bit surprised at the response. I was expectin’ Eddie to be at least a little dubious about our relationship, considering I was a wanted man in more states than I could count, but the man seemed adamant in his decision to stay with me. And I loved him even more for it.

I lightened my tone slightly and gripped Eddie’s hand in return, saying a final goodbye to him before taking my leave.

“...Thank you, Eddie,” I said, my voice just above a whisper. “I still doubt I’m a good man like you claim, but...I must’ve done somethin’ right to end up with you. Well, anyway, I’ll let you get some sleep. I know you’re tired, and you got a lot to attend to. Just be careful, okay? And come to me if you ever need anything.”

The boy’s smile came back. “I will. But you have to take care of yourself, too.” He pecked a tender kiss on my lips. “Goodnight, Arthur. I hope our paths cross again soon. I’d love to explore the wilds with you sometime.”

I chuckled, heading towards the front door. “You just can’t get enough of the country, can you?”

He shook his head and stayed in the doorway, waving a friendly goodbye as I stepped back out into the cool, dark night.

“Nope. And thanks to you, I probably never will.”

A WHILE LATER

KAMASSA RIVER

Relaxing by the river with my horse, I made no haste to get back to camp as the moon slowly sank its way under the thin clouds, casting a pale but somehow pretty light across the fields surrounding me.

There were only a few hours left until morning, and if I timed this right, I was hopin’ to get back to Shady Belle somewhere close to dawn. I didn’t wanna go galloping into camp in the middle of the night, but I also didn’t wanna deal with the gang when everybody was awake.

For some reason, the people there always seemed to end up roamin’ towards me one way or another, and the last thing I wanted was to be greeted with Swanson’s drunken ramblings, or one of Micah’s attempts at being “friendly.”

I honestly liked Micah even less when he was nice.

Dipping my hand into the river, I cupped some cool water in my palm and washed the grime off my face, suddenly feelin’ much more refreshed at the sensation.

It had been a long time since I was last in the wilderness all by myself, and as much as I missed Eddie’s company already, I couldn’t deny that I appreciated the solitude. Somethin’ about being alone with no one else but my horse just gave me peace of mind, and the longer I lingered here, the less I wanted to return to camp.

Though, I had to confess: I did miss Dutch and Hosea a little. Even if we didn’t always see eye-to-eye. They were like fathers to me, after all. Despite how much we argued sometimes.

Sure, Dutch had been actin’ a bit crazy recently, and things only seemed to be getting worse between him and Hosea...but in the end, we was family. We was a team. There was a strange, deformed love holdin’ us reprobates together, and I just hoped that our escape from the Pinkertons and civilization wouldn’t tear that apart.

I supposed only time would tell.

Standing up from the ground, I wiped the water off my hands and prepared to mount up, only to freeze mid-action when the sound of someone cocking a gun reached my ears.

A familiar, raspy voice greeted me from behind, sending chills down my spine.

“Fancy meetin’ you here, Arthur Morgan,” they growled. “Wanna take a midnight stroll with me?”

Raising my hands in the air, I moved at the speed of a sloth and hesitantly glanced over my shoulder, peering at the face behind the gun as my heart came to a halt.

“...Colm O’Driscoll?” I muttered. “The hell you doin’ out here?”

Before he could respond, my horse started to whinny nervously as a second pair of footsteps emerged from the shadows, their shoes crunching the grass underneath them as a man whom I’d never seen before came into view.

I flicked my eyes to the side, absolutely perplexed by this new face.

This son-of-a-bitch had to be one of the craziest lookin’ fellers I’d ever seen in my life...and that was sayin’ something.

This man had skin so pale to the point where he looked sickly, and it only made the balding red hair on his head stand out even more. He had clearly made some sad attempt to slick it back and tidy it up, but regardless, multiple strands refused to stay in place and stuck out in wild angles, adding to his insane temperament.

Despite his messy hair however, the man actually had quite a groomed beard and wore a black, three-piece suit along with a golden chain hangin’ off the vest...but his clothes didn’t match any of the O’Driscolls I’d seen.

The part about him that really caught my attention though, was the old wound on his face. There was a ghastly scar tearin’ straight through his right eye, forcing it closed and rendering the poor bastard half-blind. Meanwhile, the other one was surrounded by dark circles and crow’s feet, enhancing the nightmarish grin he sported as he examined me.

Just who the hell was this maniac?

“Sorry, partner,” he apologized insincerely, sounding lazy but surprisingly articulate. “I hate to bring weapons to a...civilized discussion, but I hear you aren’t the type to cooperate.”

I scoffed, holding my ground. “Most people aren’t when you aim a gun at their head.”

He chuckled. “True enough. But if you don’t mind, I think I’ll keep those guns up...just as a precaution.”

“And who are you?” I asked, my eyes following his every move. “You an O’Driscoll?”

The man shook his head. “Nah...not an O’Driscoll. Though, truth be told, my name don’t matter much, anyway. Usually, it’s the scars people remember me by.”

I gestured to the faded gash. “How’d you get ‘em?”

He paused for a second, seemingly puzzled by my question as he tilted his head in confusion.

After a moment of thinking though, the man let out an abrupt laugh once it clicked and grinned even wider in realization.

“Oh, I wasn’t talking about my scars...” he corrected, pointing a finger at me. 

His expression sparked with a wicked excitement.

“...I was talking about yours.”

Giving me no time to react, Colm suddenly bashed the grip of his revolver into the back of my head and knocked me out cold, causin’ the world around me to go dark as a hoarse chortle escaped him and my vision doubled.

There was no one around to help me right now, and before I could do anything to fight back, I could already feel the roughness of a rope wrapping itself around my wrists and ankles.

Shit. What the hell had I gotten myself into now?

The two bastards lifted me onto another horse, mounting up as they carried me away to wherever they pleased.

“...You’re ours now, Morgan,” Colm whispered in my ear, his voice echoing in my head as he watched me slip out of consciousness. “And ain’t no one savin’ you this time...”

From Eddie’s POV

THE NEXT MORNING

Pouring myself a cup of fresh coffee, I took the warm mug into my hands and sat down in the living room, quietly reading the newspaper as I prepared for the day ahead.

I couldn’t lie. It felt strange not waking up on the ground with Bullet drooling above me, and it felt even stranger to not have Arthur by my side.

I had spent so long traveling with that mysterious man by now that, I actually considered it a privilege to sleep in the same place I woke up in. And I had only been doing this for a month or so. I couldn’t imagine how he felt.

Still, it was nice to be back in the heart of civilization again, despite all the bad memories stalking me here. I doubted I’d be able to revive my career as a performer at the Râleur again, considering how erratic my schedule had become, but there had to be some work for me around town.

I recalled the bartender at the Bastille saying they needed a new pianist, and with my newfound “gunslinging” skills, perhaps there was a chance I could also hunt down a bounty on my own. Though, I had to admit, that wasn’t my first option. I wasn’t nearly as experienced as Arthur, and I didn’t want to get myself killed chasing after a handful of money.

I guessed the Bastille would have to do for now.

Finishing my coffee, I put the mug down and wandered over to the coat rack, preparing to leave. If there was an opportunity for me to get a new job, I wanted to seize it as soon as possible. There were only so many outlaws I could chase if I needed extra money, and as much as I enjoyed the spontaneous nature of the wilderness, I couldn’t deny that stability offered much more comfort. And at the moment, that was what I needed.

Swinging the front door open, I headed out into the crisp morning weather as Bullet greeted me with a welcoming neigh, his tone oddly a tad more agitated than usual. I supposed I wasn’t the only one struggling to adjust to city life.

Just as I began to descend the porch’s steps however, I was presented with a peculiar scene and noticed a lone hat sitting on the ground...just waiting for me to find it.

The hat looked like someone had intentionally positioned it there, and the longer I stared at it, the more my blood turned to ice as I realized who it belonged to.

...Arthur.

Gulping out of fear, I cautiously knelt down and picked up the item, revealing a torn note lying underneath. It didn’t resemble Arthur’s handwriting -- at least, compared to what I saw on his portrait of me -- and there was an unnerving set of initials scribbled at the bottom. No immediate names jumped to mind at the sight of them, but something about the way they were written, and the distant bells they rang in my head just...made me feel uneasy.

I brought the note into my grasp, reading the short message that had been inked onto the surface:

“Come to Caliban’s Seat within twenty-four hours, or next time, I’ll be delivering his head. Hope to see you there, Theodore. -RK”

I froze out of terror, unable to stop myself from shivering like a puppy in the rain as my heart stopped beating altogether.

The only people who called me Theodore were the ones trying to kill me. And the only person I could think of who had those initials...was Rodrick Kingsley. One of Atticus Rose’s most valued gang members.

Despite being nothing but a group of sick, rotten degenerates, Atticus and his men were the equivalent of a dysfunctional family that, for some reason, just couldn’t rip itself apart. They always had each other’s backs and yet, they were also one argument away from stabbing them.

I had seen how much faith Atticus put into his gang...and I had seen just how close they really were.

If Rodrick was here, that meant Atticus was with him.

And they were going to kill Arthur.

[mulderist]

Wicked Game

Chapter 1 // Chapter 2 // read on AO3 // @today-in-fic​

Washington, D.C - 1948. Fox Mulder is a detective on the top vice unit; scandal, corruption, and lies come with the territory. He is forced to investigate a fellow officer and finds the lies go much deeper than the truth.

CHAPTER 3

Arlington National Cemetery One week later 9:17 am

Leaves rustled in the trees overhead as the honor guard reloaded and repositioned their rifles. The sharp bang, like a hit on a snare drum, echoed through the eerie calm of the cemetery. I could feel it happening again. Everytime I thought I was past this nonsense it kept coming back. I wanted to close my eyes but it would have brought me back to the mud and rain of Wake Island. When you’ve been knee deep in death you never forget it. I could still smell the humid air, the burnt powder, the smoke.

I closed my eyes for a moment and balled my fist tighter as images clear as photographs flashed before me. Three years ago, I donned the dress blues and watched a soldier from my company laid to rest. It felt like I was having a heart attack as I listened to the twenty-one guns and the cries of his grieving widow. Fingers pressed hard creating a thick new line in my palm and my flashback dissolved. 

Each shot up to this point was torture. My salute wavered with the final pop and I felt the elephant on my chest move aside, allowing me to breathe a little. A bead of sweat broke free from under my hatband and took a slow slide down my temple. The back of my neck prickled. I swallowed hard and moved to parade rest as the honor guard queued up and left the gravesite. My fingers slowly loosened their curl and I felt the circulation return to the tips. Once the ringing in my ears stopped I was able to appreciate the sound of silence. 

It was a small group of mourners, mainly fellow Marines from Spender’s company and a few officers from the precinct. He had no wife, no kids, not sure if his mother was still alive. Seems that the only family representative was his father. Jeffrey had the distinction of a military funeral at Arlington due to his rank and heroics at Guadalcanal. At the drop of a hat he would tell the story about surviving hand-to-hand combat and rescuing a senior officer during a nighttime raid. I’m sure each time he retold it, that fish got a little bigger. At any rate, he’s now buried amongst other honorable men. His father was able to cut through any red tape like a hot knife through butter to make it happen. And almost as if on cue I spied the old man in his expensive dark striped suit accepting condolences. I recognized him through the smoke cloud that hung around like a bad party guest. I suppose he could feel my eyes on him because he headed my direction. He gestured to another older gentleman, who I assumed was his driver, and continued his approach. It was the first time I was able to truly observe him. He had all the obvious characteristics of old D.C. politics; dower demeanor, rigid walk, air of superiority.

“Sir, I’m sorry for your loss,” I said flatly as he approached. The scent of Morleys invaded my nose.

“Thank you, mister -?” He asked while offering a perfunctory handshake. 

“Mulder,” I replied as I shook his hand then tugged at my uniform jacket. 

“Ah yes,” he practically hissed, “You were Jeffrey’s partner in the vice unit. Keeping the city safe from crime and debauchery.” The cigarette smoking man took one more drag then let the stick hang on his lower lip. “My son had great potential. To be killed in the line of duty is a tragedy.”

 I didn’t know what type of condolence to offer. I wasn’t great friends with his son in the first place, it was a professional relationship and not much more.

“The precinct lost a good detective,” I finally managed to say. Jesus, that felt bitter on my tongue. I licked my lips, hoping this conversation would soon be over; my pleasantries were skating on thin ice. The Smoking Man stubbed out his cigarette and rattled off something about his resources that could aid in our murder investigation. Apparently he and the commissioner were old chums and justice would be swift. Then he took the cue and left. I stole a deep breath and watched him head towards his driver then enter a large black Cadillac that was parked at the base of the knoll.  

My feet hit the pathway just as I heard my name being called from over my shoulder. I paused and turned to see Captain Skinner walking my direction. 

“Just had a conversation with Spender’s old man.” I said.

“Is that so?” He questioned as he removed his glasses.

“Turns out he has the district police in his pocket so my services might not be needed with this investigation,” I said sarcastically.

“Did he know your connection to the case?”

“He knows I was Spender’s partner, but not that I was at the scene.” 

Skinner squared his jaw then continued to walk past me away from the thinning crowd. I followed.

“I’m awaiting the final report from the coroner. They found something of interest on the autopsy.”

“A different cause of death? Figured the gunshots were obvious,” I said.

“There was additional bloodwork. I’m not certain what the M.E. was looking for, which is why I want the final report.” He stopped and faced me. “Mulder, I don’t typically recommend this course of police action however this is a unique situation.” 

“Sir?”

“I want you to use whatever channels you have available. Legal or -- otherwise. Use the boys in forensics to your advantage. See if you can get that report and keep this ‘eyes only.”

I raised an eyebrow at the request. It’s not everyday your boss asks you to operate in the gray. Then it clicked.

“You want to keep this hush-hush.”

“I want to keep the reputation of this precinct and my vice unit intact,” he replied cryptically. I could only nod and watch as he slowly left for his car. I took an opposite path. There was a humming in my head that I wanted to knock loose with a stroll.

Flanked by rows of white crosses on green hills I continued along the pathway and suddenly saw a familiar flash of red. She was standing at a simple headstone, adjusting a small arrangement of flowers. Out of respect I waited until she stepped away onto the path before I approached.

“Excuse me,” I called from behind with a casual wave of my hand. When she looked over her shoulder I knew it was her.

“Yes?”

“I’m sorry to bother you, miss,” I began but clammed up when I saw those pools of blue. In that instant, that split second, it’s like I forgot the damn English language. My feet kept moving and I tried to say something.

“It’s no bother,” she said, thankfully.

“Are you by chance a nurse at Washington General?” I finally sputtered as we stopped walking. She nodded then thought for a moment, her arms hugged her petite frame.

“You look familiar,” she said with a delicately pointed finger, “Have we met before?” 

“We have,” I replied. She cautiously moved closer to size me up. She surveyed my uniform and I felt like I was back in the barracks.

“You were the -- detective, right? -- who worked on a last name basis?”

“That’s my calling card. The name’s Mulder,” I said, “Remind me yours?”

“Dana Scully,” she said with a hint of a polite smile.

Scully. There it was. The stray thread was pulled and unraveled the memory of her name, each and every letter. She continued, 

“How’s your shoulder?”

“Almost back to my pitching prime.” I replied as I gave it a roll. I had to watch myself with this one. Memory like a steel trap. Her head tilted curiously to the side. 

“You clean up nice.” There was a quick flush to her cheeks as she took a small step back, wishing that remark stayed to herself. I smiled and now it was my turn to shift gears.

“I saw you laying down some flowers.” I said, curiosity getting my proverbial cat. Her lips pressed together. 

“My father,” she said, “He is - was - a captain in the Navy. It was six years ago; Midway. I like to keep his flowers fresh if I can.” 

“I’m sorry to hear that,” I replied with the only thing I could muster. Her statement was simple but knocked the wind out of my sails. Scully dipped her head and nodded. She then asked,

“Do you have someone here?”

“I’ve got a couple guys from my company, though I don’t visit too often. But today was my partner.”

“Oh,” she said softly, “It’s a funny state of the world when you can have a conversation about who you lost as easy as asking ‘how’s the weather.’”

For a moment I had nothing to say. A thousand scenarios ran through my head. I wanted to know more, I wanted to know everything about her. There was a natural beauty of course but something about her mind reeled me in. I cleared my throat. This chat was on the verge of getting cozy but seemed out of place in the current setting.

“May I walk you to your car?” 

“Thank you but I’ll be fine. My sister is waiting for me. Besides, we only just met.” A smirk tugged at the corner of her mouth.” 

Playing coy, I liked that.

“Well then, good day Miss Scully.” 

“Good day Mr. Mulder.” She shook my hand and lingered for a moment. “If you’re ever in Georgetown look me up. Hopefully we can meet again.” 

“I sincerely hope so,” I said. She turned heel and left me on the path. The curve of her pencil skirt, a flutter of the hem, the lines of her smart blouse made the goodbye feel less permanent. I listened to a breeze sweep through the tree line then I backtracked to where I was parked. 

I needed to get out of this uniform.

-------

Hegal Place Alexandria, VA

My apartment felt stale. I forced open a window to let in some fresh air. In the wardrobe hung one clean, pressed dress shirt along with my police dress blues. Of course the only shirt remaining was the one I wore the night Spender was killed. The good thing about an old jaded dry cleaner is you get quality work and little questions. I sipped my coffee and remembered I might have a vacation shirt stashed away in a drawer. As I donned the new shirt I heard the phone ring. I was waiting for a call from the boys in forensics who were a little too eager to give me a hand. 

“Mulder? It’s Frohike.”

“What have you found?”

“As you know, Langley and I were able to fish out a casing from the bathroom stall door, the back wall and a sneaky little devil in the bar. Turns out these paired nicely with the one lodged in Spender’s abdomen.”

“Who’d the weapon belong to?”

“Carlo Lodi.” Frohike asked. I scanned through the mugshot portfolio in my head. There he was. A hulking brute nicknamed The Titan who was quick with a fist and a trigger.

“Yeah. He’s one of Vincenti’s favorite enforcers.”

“We’ve seen his handiwork before,” Frohike continued, “He leaves a real pretty signature, although he’s usually a little more precise. Execution style seems to be his forté.”

“That’s what I thought when I was at the scene. I still don’t know if he intended to take me out as well.”

“Just like you to get in the way, Mulder.” There was a chuckle in the other end of the phone.

“Hey Frohike, has the final report come in from the M.E.?” 

“Ah, funny you should mention that. I have a preliminary copy and it shows that there was heroin in his system.”

“Shit,” I stated after a pause.

“What is it?”

“It means Krycek was right.”

[old-man-look-at-my-life]

Some things you may NOT know about Mississippi:

The Mississippi Gulf Coast, from Biloxi to Henderson Point, is the longest man-made beach in the world.

The Ringier-America company in Corinth, MS prints National Geographic.

The world's only cactus plantation is located in Edwards, MS with more than 3,000 varieties of cacti.

Mississippi has more tree farms than any other state.

Mississippi has more churches per capita than any other state.

Norris Bookbinding Company in Greenwood, MS is the largest Bible rebinding plant in the nation.

H.A. Cole in Jackson, MS , developed the cleaning product Pine-Sol. Pine-Sol is manufactured only in Pearl, MS .

Dr. Tichenor created "Dr. Tichenor's Antiseptic" in Liberty, MS. (Not in South Louisiana as commonly believed).

Four cities in the world have been sanctioned by the International Theatre/Dance Committee to host the International Ballet Competition: Moscow, Russia; Varna, Bulgaria; Helsinki, Finland; and Jackson, Mississippi.

David Harrison of Columbus, MS owns the patent on the "Soft Toilet Seat." Over one million are sold every year.

The first football player on a Wheaties box was Walter Payton of Columbia, MS .

The Teddy Bear's name originated after a bear hunt in Mississippi with President Theodore Roosevelt. President Roosevelt refused to shoot an exhausted and possibly lame bear. News of this spread across the country, and a New York merchant capitalized on this publicity by creating a stuffed bear called "Teddy's Bear."

H. T. Merrill of Iuka, MS flew the first round-trip transoceanic flight in 1928. The flight to England was made in a plane loaded with ping-pong balls.

The birthplace of Elvis in Tupelo, MS includes: a museum, a chapel, and the two-room house in which Elvis was born.

The world's oldest Holiday Inn is in Clarksdale, MS .

Blazon-Flexible Flyer, Inc., in West Point, MS manufactures the best snow sled in the country, the Flexible Flyer.

Greenwood, MS is the home of Cotton Row, which is the second largest cotton exchange in the nation and is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Emil and Kelly Mitchell, the King and Queen of Gypsies, are buried in Rose Hill Cemetery in Meridian, MS . Since 1915, people from all over the world have left gifts of fruit and juice at their grave sites.

The 4-H Club began in Holmes County in 1907.

The Waterways Experiment Station in Vicksburg, MS is the largest research, testing, and development facility of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

On April 25, 1866, women in Columbus, MS decorated the graves of Confederate and Union soldiers in Friendship Cemetery . This gesture became known as Decoration Day, the beginning of what we observe as Memorial Day.

Shoes were first sold as pairs in 1884 at Phil Gilbert's Shoe Parlor in Vicksburg, MS .

Inventor James D. Byrd of Clinton, MS holds seven patents and developed the plastic used as a heat shield by NASA.

Mississippi University for Women in Columbus, MS was the first state college for women in the country, established in 1884.

The McCoy Federal Building in Jackson, MS is the first federal building in the United States named for a Black man. Dr. A. H. McCoy was a dentist and business leader.

Hat Maker John B. Stetson learned and practiced hat making in Dunn's Falls, MS.

The oldest field game in America is Stickball, played by the Choctaw Indians of Mississippi. Demonstrations can be seen every July at the Choctaw Indian Fair in Philadelphia, MS .

Alcorn State University, in Lorman, MS is the oldest black land grant college in the world.

The International Checkers Hall of Fame is in Petal, (Hattiesburg) MS.

Natchez, MS was settled by the French in 1716 and is the oldest permanent settlement on the Mississippi River .

Natchez, MS once had 500 millionaires. More than any other city except New York City .

Natchez, MS now has more than 500 buildings that are on the National Register of Historic Places.

Captain Issac Ross of Lorman, MS freed his slaves in 1834 and arranged for their passage to the west coast of Africa . They founded the country of Liberia .

Oliver Pollock was the largest individual financial contributor to the American Revolution. He invented the dollar sign ($). He is buried near Pinckneyville, MS.

Resin Bowie, the inventor of the Bowie Knife, is buried in Port Gibson, MS.

Liberty, MS was the first town in the country to erect a Confederate monument in 1871.

The Pass Christian Yacht Club is the second oldest yacht club in North America, founded in 1849.

The Mississippi Legislature passed one of the first laws in 1839 to protect the property rights of married women.

The Natchez Trace Parkway , named an " All American Road " by the federal government, extends from Natchez to just south of Nashville, Tennessee . The Trace began as an Indian trail more than 8,000 years ago.

The Mississippi Delta is the birthplace of the Blues, which preceded the birth of Jazz, the only other original American art form.

The Vicksburg National Cemetery is the second-largest national cemetery in the country. Arlington National Cemetery is the largest.

D'Lo, MS was featured in Life Magazine for sending proportionally more men to serve in World War II than any other town of its size; 38 percent of the men who lived in D'Lo served.

In 1894, Coca-Cola was first bottled by Joseph A. Biedenharn in Vicksburg, MS .

Mississippi was the first state to outlaw imprisonment of debtors.

Belzoni, MS is the Catfish Capital of the World. Approximately 70 percent of the nation's farm-raised catfish comes from Mississippi.

Fred Montalvo owns the company that makes "Icee" drinks is from Edwards, MS.

Peavey Electronics, in Meridian, MS, is the world's largest manufacturer of musical amplification equipment.

Proportionally more Mississippians were killed during the Civil War than from any other Confederate state.

[brookstonalmanac]

Events 11.11

308 – At Carnuntum, Emperor emeritus Diocletian confers with Galerius, Augustus of the East, and Maximianus, the recently returned former Augustus of the West, in an attempt to end the civil wars of the Tetrarchy. 1028 – Constantine VIII dies, ending his uninterrupted reign as emperor or co-emperor of the Byzantine Empire of 66 years. 1100 – Henry I of England marries Matilda of Scotland, the daughter of Malcolm III of Scotland and a direct descendant of the Saxon king Edmund Ironside; Matilda is crowned on the same day. 1215 – The Fourth Council of the Lateran meets, defining the doctrine of transubstantiation, the process by which bread and wine are, by that doctrine, said to transform into the body and blood of Christ. 1500 – Treaty of Granada: Louis XII of France and Ferdinand II of Aragon agree to divide the Kingdom of Naples between them. 1572 – Tycho Brahe observes the supernova SN 1572. 1620 – The Mayflower Compact is signed in what is now Provincetown Harbor near Cape Cod. 1634 – Following pressure from Anglican bishop John Atherton, the Irish House of Commons passes An Act for the Punishment for the Vice of Buggery. 1673 – Second Battle of Khotyn in Ukraine: Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth forces under the command of Jan Sobieski defeat the Ottoman army. In this battle, rockets made by Kazimierz Siemienowicz are successfully used. 1675 – Gottfried Leibniz demonstrates integral calculus for the first time to find the area under the graph of y = ƒ(x). 1724 – Joseph Blake, alias Blueskin, a highwayman known for attacking "Thief-Taker General" (and thief) Jonathan Wild at the Old Bailey, is hanged in London. 1750 – Riots break out in Lhasa after the murder of the Tibetan regent. 1750 – The F.H.C. Society, also known as the Flat Hat Club, is formed at Raleigh Tavern, Williamsburg, Virginia. It is the first college fraternity. 1778 – Cherry Valley massacre: Loyalists and Seneca Indian forces attack a fort and village in eastern New York during the American Revolutionary War, killing more than forty civilians and soldiers. 1805 – Napoleonic Wars: Battle of Dürenstein: Eight thousand French troops attempt to slow the retreat of a vastly superior Russian and Austrian force. 1813 – War of 1812: Battle of Crysler's Farm: British and Canadian forces defeat a larger American force, causing the Americans to abandon their Saint Lawrence campaign. 1831 – In Jerusalem, Virginia, Nat Turner is hanged after inciting a violent slave uprising. 1839 – The Virginia Military Institute is founded in Lexington, Virginia. 1865 – Treaty of Sinchula is signed whereby Bhutan cedes the areas east of the Teesta River to the British East India Company. 1869 – The Victorian Aboriginal Protection Act is enacted in Australia, giving the government control of indigenous people's wages, their terms of employment, where they could live, and of their children, effectively leading to the Stolen Generations. 1880 – Australian bushranger Ned Kelly is hanged at Melbourne Gaol. 1887 – August Spies, Albert Parsons, Adolph Fischer and George Engel are executed as a result of the Haymarket affair. 1889 – The State of Washington is admitted as the 42nd state of the United States. 1911 – Many cities in the Midwestern United States break their record highs and lows on the same day as a strong cold front rolls through. 1918 – World War I: Germany signs an armistice agreement with the Allies in a railroad car in the forest of Compiègne. 1918 – Józef Piłsudski assumes supreme military power in Poland – symbolic first day of Polish independence. 1918 – Emperor Charles I of Austria relinquishes power. 1919 – The Industrial Workers of the World attack an Armistice Day parade in Centralia, Washington, ultimately resulting in the deaths of five people. 1919 – Latvian forces defeat the West Russian Volunteer Army at Riga in the Latvian War of Independence. 1921 – The Tomb of the Unknowns is dedicated by US President Warren G. Harding at Arlington National Cemetery. 1923 – Adolf Hitler is arrested in Munich for high treason for his role in the Beer Hall Putsch. 1926 – The United States Numbered Highway System is established. 1930 – Patent number US1781541 is awarded to Albert Einstein and Leó Szilárd for their invention, the Einstein refrigerator. 1934 – The Shrine of Remembrance is opened in Melbourne, Australia. 1940 – World War II: In the Battle of Taranto, the Royal Navy launches the first all-aircraft ship-to-ship naval attack in history. 1940 – World War II: The German auxiliary cruiser Atlantis captures top secret British mail from the Automedon, and sends it to Japan. 1942 – World War II: France's zone libre is occupied by German forces in Case Anton. 1960 – A military coup against President Ngô Đình Diệm of South Vietnam is crushed. 1961 – Thirteen Italian Air Force servicemen, deployed to the Congo as a part of the UN peacekeeping force, are massacred by a mob in Kindu. 1962 – Kuwait's National Assembly ratifies the Constitution of Kuwait. 1965 – Southern Rhodesia's Prime Minister Ian Smith unilaterally declares the colony independent as the unrecognised state of Rhodesia. 1965 – United Airlines Flight 227 crashes at Salt Lake City International Airport, killing 43. 1966 – NASA launches Gemini 12. 1967 – Vietnam War: In a propaganda ceremony in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, three American prisoners of war are released by the Viet Cong and turned over to "new left" antiwar activist Tom Hayden. 1968 – Vietnam War: Operation Commando Hunt initiated. The goal is to interdict men and supplies on the Ho Chi Minh trail, through Laos into South Vietnam. 1972 – Vietnam War: Vietnamization: The United States Army turns over the massive Long Binh military base to South Vietnam. 1975 – Australian constitutional crisis of 1975: Australian Governor-General Sir John Kerr dismisses the government of Gough Whitlam, appoints Malcolm Fraser as caretaker Prime Minister and announces a general election to be held in early December. 1975 – Independence of Angola. 1977 – A munitions explosion at a train station in Iri, South Korea kills at least 56 people. 1981 – Antigua and Barbuda joins the United Nations. 1992 – The General Synod of the Church of England votes to allow women to become priests. 1993 – A sculpture honoring women who served in the Vietnam War is dedicated at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. 1999 – The House of Lords Act is given Royal Assent, restricting membership of the British House of Lords by virtue of a hereditary peerage. 2000 – Kaprun disaster: One hundred fifty-five skiers and snowboarders die when a cable car catches fire in an alpine tunnel in Kaprun, Austria. 2001 – Journalists Pierre Billaud, Johanne Sutton and Volker Handloik are killed in Afghanistan during an attack on the convoy they are traveling in. 2002 – A Fokker F27 Friendship operating as Laoag International Airlines Flight 585 crashes into Manila Bay shortly after takeoff from Ninoy Aquino International Airport, killing 19 people. 2004 – New Zealand Tomb of the Unknown Warrior is dedicated at the National War Memorial, Wellington. 2004 – The Palestine Liberation Organization confirms the death of Yasser Arafat from unidentified causes. Mahmoud Abbas is elected chairman of the PLO minutes later. 2006 – Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II unveils the New Zealand War Memorial in London, United Kingdom, commemorating the loss of soldiers from the New Zealand Army and the British Army. 2011 – A helicopter crash just outside Mexico City kills seven, including Francisco Blake Mora the Secretary of the Interior of Mexico. 2012 – A strong earthquake with the magnitude 6.8 hits northern Burma, killing at least 26 people. 2014 – Fifty-eight people are killed in a bus crash in the Sukkur District in southern Pakistan's Sindh province. 2020 – Typhoon Vamco makes landfall in Luzon and several offshore islands, killing 67 people. The storm causes the worst floods in the region since Typhoon Ketsana in 2009.

[xdaughter-of-bloodyfacex]

List of Boston Slang Terms

* A-town" - Arlington, Ma

* "Olly-Olly Oxenfree"- A proclamation to players of "Tag" or "Hide-n-Seek", that they may return to a common area free of consequence as it may pertain to the game being

* the Ave - refers to Dorchester Avenue, or "Dot Ave"

* "that's beat"- that sucks. "she's beat"- shes's ugly

* "she's basic"- she's not that pretty or nothing special.

* bagged - arrested; "He got bagged for a DUI."; (Driving Under the Influence)

* the balls - awesome, great; "That concert was the balls."

* bang - to make a quick move (often, "bang a left"; also used often as "bang a U-ie" - make a U turn); sometimes used interchangeably with hang

* bang out - call in sick to work (It's such a nice day, maybe I should bang out and go to the beach.)

* The Boys - the cops, the police

* bozo - a pothead; used mostly in South Boston

* The Bob Loboat - The Boston Harbor Island Ferry that docks in Rowes Wharf

* cellar - the basement of a house.

* Cha-Chingham - Hingham, Ma

* The Charles - The Charles River

* chowderhead (sometimes chowdahead) - Often refers to a New Englander, at one time meant a person to laugh at or stupid person but has evolved to be a lighter term that has been embraced by those to whom it refers.

* The Chuck- The Charles River

* Chucklehead - A local idiot

* Chuck Town -refers to Charlestown. (A.K.A) C-Town

* down cellar (pronounced "down sullah") - adj., contraction of "down in the cellar", refers to being located in the basement.

* d-tech - An undercover police car

* "Dunks", Dunkee's - Dunkin' Donuts

* Dungarees - Denim pants

* frickin' - Another term for friggin', similarly used in place of the swear word f*ckin'. As in "that game was wicked frickin' pissah!"

* going to Chelsea - When something is crooked or gone awry. "Buddy, straighten yah hat. It's goin tuh Chelsea."

* good shit - An agreeable, non-threatening person. "I've got no problem with Mikey, he's a good shit."

* "Grinder" - a "submarine" or "hoagie" sandwich.

* Gump - an outdated term for dunce or nitwit. "What a gump that guy is!"

* "Hardo" - a term used to describe someone who is trying too hard, often pronounced "Hahdo." Another name for a try-hard. "Kehd got an A on his paper. Kid's a hahdo"

* Hoodie - slang term for a hooded sweatshirt

* Hoodsie (1) - A small cup of vanilla and chocolate ice-cream from the HP Hood Company. Eaten with a thin wooden spoon that comes with the Hoodsie. Also called a Hoodsie cup

* hoodsie (2) - In neighborhoods such as South Boston and Dorchester it refers to a precocious minor female who tries to appear older or wants to date older teenage boys or young men. The term is considered derogatory: "He'll get bagged if he keeps dating that hoodsie." One popular explanation says that the expression comes from the idea that the small cup a Hoodsie ice cream treat comes in is the same size as the bra cup of a hoodsie. A second popular, but more off-color explanation refers to HP Hood's one-time advertising slogan for the Hoodsie ice cream treat: "Short and sweet and good to eat."

* different view - Hoodsie would also have the connotation of a young teen-age girl that sits on the hood of a car. Either to look cool to her friends, or portray herself as being older and sophisticated because she's 'sitting on the hood of a car'.

* Hopper - the toilet, in particular when used to take a dump. (pronounced, "Hoppah")

* Hosies - claim of first right, used in the same way as "dibs." For example, "I got hosies on the front seat."

* Igit - Short for Idiot. "Dude, you're a freakin' igit, kid."

* "No suh!" [No sir, compare "no sirree"] - "No way!". The appropriate response is "Ya suh!" OR "Ya huh

* Nor'easter - A strong winter storm with winds emanating from the northeast. A bad Northeaster is like a winter hurricane

* packie (also packet, package store or booze bahn [barn]) - liquor store

* pahk- the park. "I'm going to the pahk"

* "Perchead"- Percocet Abuser

* pissa (1) - good: "You hit the Lottery? That's pissa man." Commonly used in conjunction with wicked;

* pissa!(2) - used to accentuate an unfortunite moment. "My friggin khaki's (car keys) fell down da catch basin (storm drain), pissa ain't it".

* pissa (3) - used to decribe a (friend or acquaintance) whom is eccentric "Did ya hear what Johnny said/did.... gdam pissa ain't he"

* Ponsta - a person who plays video games excessively

* Ripper - a kegger or a big, wild party

* screw - a verb meaning "to take off" or "get out of here" a cop will say to teenagers hanging on a corner"hey you kids "screw".

* I'm sheets - tired, ready for bed. Bedford, Mass

* shiesty - A term meaning someone or something is shady or sketchy. "Those kids standing on the corner are wicked shiesty." Or "The food here looks wicked shiesty"

* the shit- something or someone thats awesome

* Sick nasty - see ill. As in that stunt in the movie was sick nasty. i loved it!

* that's was sick - that was awesome. "that's sick"-that's awesome.

* Skeezer - Used when describing a drug addict; typically used in reference to a "druggie slut." #also see "slampig"#

* skeeze - A person of questionable personal reputation considered to exhibit lack of discernment in intimate encounters and thereby considered to have high potential for being afflicted with a communicable social disease.

* skid - a loser or lowlife. "His brother is a real skid."

* skidder - referring to someone who bums (borrows) money from friends. Pronounced "skiddah"

* Slampig - A skank, overly slutty female, a "Sled Dog", equivalent to a whore or slut. "That chick's been a slampig."

* So don't I - pleonasm [1] used to agree with a statement; a replacement for "So do I" or "Me, too"; "I like the Red Sox." "So don't I."

* Spastic - Emotional outburst involving what appears to be uncontrolled waving of the arms, legs and head.

* Spaz - One who is exceptionally athletically uncoordinated.

* spuckie - related to a submarine sandwich, it is the bread it was made with.

* This fuckin guy... - a phrase used when everyone in a group sees an obvious loser.

* three-way - term for what you order on a roast beef sandwich, referring to cheese, sauce and mayo. (example: "I'll have a junior three-way and a medium coke.") also "all around."

* U-ie - a u-turn while driving. Also sometimes called a "u-dog". Almost always used with the verb bang, as in "After this next light, bang a U-ie and then take a right."

* Up - A general direction one takes when going anywhere. I'm takin' the kids up Foley Field to play ball; or "We're goin' up Maine for the weekend." This becomes "Down" when going to Cape Cod, as in "I'm goin' down Cape this weekend."

* Up the Corner - A popular hang-out spot in most Boston Neighborhoods. Neighborhoods such as Southie were infamous for the crowds of young kids hanging out in front of their block's corner store and protecting it as their own.

* wicked - very; or occasionally cool. Used indiscriminately, can modify anything (e.g.: especially "Wicked pissa." ; also"Wicked good." "Wicked bad." "Wicked boring.", etc.). Almost always used as an adverb, rather than an adjective; some Bostonians feel it is grammatically improper not to put an adjective or verb after "wicked".

* wicked gross mental fit - A sustained emotional outburst, generally triggered by a specific incident. "She came home drunk and her mom took a wicked gross mental fit." "She saw him making out with someone else and took a wicked gross mental fit." Believed to have originated in the Reading-Stoneham-Wakefield area north of Boston.

[bestseofirminusa]

Characteristics of the Best SEO Company to Grow Your Business

A best SEO company can help businesses that run a website but have no time to fix every complicated area of online marketing strategies. Search engine optimisation is a must for all small business website owners and professionals as well as their tool too increase visibility of their online presence. This is an online standard that a best SEO company uses to attract potential customers to visit your web pages and convert them to buyers.

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Hiring a top SEO firm is a vital partner for business and professional website owners. The good thing in hiring best SEO experts is that as a businessman or as a professional, you can focus on the most important areas of your business or your career. Just hire a reliable best SEO companies and you can be rest assured that ranking your site for your choice keyword relevant to your business will be done in no time depending on the competition of the niche you are in. Another advantage is that SEO companies are well versed experts in this field so your online marketing campaign will be on the right track.

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