#nightcityhqs.erinyes

[nightcityhqs]

case  file     ;  Vicenzo Federico Antonini II

nicknames     ;  Vince, Vicenzo The Second.

associations    ;  Head of The Erinyes

occupation    ;  Owner of the Antonini Empire, and head of the family.

birthdate    ;  January 6th, 1991

hometown    ; Sunset Port, United States

current  location     ;  Dawn Ridge

pronouns     ; She/Her

mirror image     ; Evan Rachel Wood

IN CHARACTER INTERVIEW

 — And our dear listeners are eager to know, how long have you been in Sunset Port? — Most importantly, why do you stay? 

"Oh please, darling, that's a pathetic question. You know that, don't you? You must! Asking that to every person — doesn't that tire you? Spice it up! Ask me something else!" No answer comes, and Vicenzo chuckles darkly in the microphone, her fingers tapping on the table as she plays with her ring. "Huh. Well, I've lived my entire life here. Since I was born. My family has been here for generations! Why would I leave? I can. Of course. We have houses all over the world. But why would I leave Sunset Port behind?"

  Of course! We can all identify with the sentiment. Well, at least some of us. [LAUGHTER] What do you do in Sunset Port?

"What do I — You can't pretend you don't know who I am for the sake of this interview! Everyone knows what I do," it's a scoff, a grunt, perhaps a sigh — it's hard to tell through the radio, but rage laces every word that escaped Vicenzo's mouth. "I own that big building in the center of downtown, and the biggest jewelry store in this city. What do I do. Please, can you believe the nerve?" Vicenzo sighs, staring at the host as she licks her lips, knowing another answer is expected, but refusing to comply. "Won't you move on to the next one, darling? What was it? Admi  —"

  Admirable! Now, I’d have left this question last to finish with a bang, but our listener is impatient, oh my! Have you heard of our little organization?  

"Yes!" Vicenzo laughs, slapping on the table as her laughter turns into a dark chuckle before morphing into silence. There's a silent understanding filling the room, thick in the air she breathes, and she clicks her tongue against the roof of her mouth. She sniffs, clearing her throat as she nods in the direction of the host, "Can you pass me one of those cigarettes?" Shuffling noises can be heard, and then Vicenzo blows out the smoke. "Answering your question. Have you heard of the Organization?"

  Oh my! — And if Isabella Castello came knocking at your door, what would you do?  

"I would invite her in, of course. Ask her if she came to see my grandmother. They are good friends, you know," she says nonchalantly, but her voice grows distant, troubled. "Would ask her if there's anything I could help her with. It is the polite thing to do, no? — This is getting ridiculous. I already gave you my list of preferred songs. I don't know what I'm even doing here!" More shuffling can be heard as Vicenzo stands up from her chair abruptly, removing wires and the headphones before she simply walks away from the studio.

  Interesting. Well, I think I’ve kept you here long enough! Thank you for speaking with our public! Which song would you like me to play for you, now? 

Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds, The Beatles

BIOGRAPHY

Trigger Warnings; Violence, Murder, Guns, Drugs

It began in 1918; a young man knocks on the door of Stefano Castello, a lonely bag hanging from his shoulder and his eyes squinting from the sun, 'I'm Vito, we met on the ship,' the young man says, 'from Italy. Your parents died from the flu'. He is summoned in, drinks a glass of water, and reconnects with an old friend, who offers him the world. The price to pay is violence, but he has never been scared of brutality. 

Possibly, it could've begun in 1934; the city is in despair, a woman sits with her back to the worn headpiece of their old bed in a small, damp, and run-down apartment. The light on the hallway flickers when her husband walks barges through the door, his dark suit dripping with blood but a gleam in his eyes she has seen only once before. 'It's done,' the man says, eyes dropping down to the young babe in her arms, 'you will live like a queen now. And our Vicenzo will be king, after me'. 

Maybe it truly began in 1991; no cries or whimpers leave the newborn’s mouth, causing the assigned servant to watch the babe with bated breath, following her tiny chest rise and fall, peaceful despite the storm pounding against the window of the makeshift nursery. Light invades the room when the door opens and figures enter, their steps heavy and fury in their mouths. ' - the mother is gone, nowhere to be seen' a delicate voice says to the anxious eyes following her every move, 'and the father, well, your brother will be buried by the end of the week. She is one of us, however, and will be raised as such.' A man tenderly as his hands allow pick the babe up, blue eyes finally opening to meet those matching hers in color, and all fall silent when the man dares speak, 'Vicenzo,' he says, to the newborn curiosity staring at him, 'Vicenzo Antonini the second, will be her name.' Incredibly begins to fall from the mouth of all observers, but a sudden cry pierces the night, Vicenzo formally making her introduction to the world.

It hardly matters, in the grand scheme of things, when it began — but that it is, regardless of its roots. The pillars that hold the family together, the ones who sit upon the throne, the stains of the Antonini name. Few dare say the three are the Antonini name; for their leadership is unquestionable, their words absolute when it comes to leading the family — The heads of the Antonini family, spawning through three generations, but donning the same ruthlessness in their eyes. It is no mystery why the Antonini family has been in charge of the Erinyes since Stefano formed the Organization. It is a position Vito designed, carved for himself with his bare hands. His son, his heir, elevated the family's wealth to unimaginable quantities by expanding his father's diamond empire and cemented the family's position within the Organization even more. Vicenzo shared in his father's passion for diamonds, possessed his brutality, was not afraid of dirtying his hands in the family's diamond mining ventures — or for the Organization in the disposal of a body. He had the brain necessary to lead his branch of the Organization, and prospect in whatever endeavors the Castello family might ask of him. With their hands deep into the smuggling of precious stones, Vicenzo managed to open a polishing office, and multiple luxurious jewelry stores worldwide, his family becoming billionaire and the Antonini brand becoming famous and profoundly requested. His father had gained the title of Commendatore, a title Vito passed to his son alongside a custom-made family ring donning the family emblem, and Vicenzo was expected to do the same for his heir. But, well — 

Vicenzo Federico Antonini II has been a complicated circumstance since her conception; her father met her mother during his trip to France, just after his graduation. Young and foolish, Luca Antonini, one of Vicenzo's youngest sons, brought back home more than souvenirs; a pregnant woman by his side, with half-intentions of marrying her before the baby was born. His family — generally known for their distrust of any who are not blood or related to the Organization — weren't keen on accepting the woman into their family, but the child she expected carried Antonini's blood in their veins, and for that, they tolerated the idea. The marriage never happened. Luca Antonini was assassinated a day before his fiancée gave birth to their daughter and disappeared into the night, leaving the newborn in the care of her grandparents. Vicenzo, startling the family, gave the girl his name and took her under his wing. It takes a village to raise a child, so the saying goes, and Vicenzo II was raised by her grandparents, alongside her three aunts and three uncles — but remained mostly left to her own as she began to grow up.

Even if the girl had been tainted with the blood of whom the family deemed below them, Vicenzo was cursed with Antonini blood, rotten to its very core. The girl had too much of her grandfather in her, proud as her cheekbones and strong as the danger swirling in the blue of her eyes. She possessed his brain, shared in his passions, was as stubborn as the man, and reminded him of his father, and consequently, himself. She had never, thankfully, displayed any desperate desire of meeting the mother that left her behind and was content in the knowledge she was an Antonini, simple as that. Her arrogance, her lust, and somewhat of a quarrelsome attitude troubled the family, but they tried to shape her as better as they could. As the years passed, it became apparent who would take over once the Commendatore allowed Death to fetch him from his empire. A child then, and the weight of the world had been shoved onto her shoulders.

During childhood, Vicenzo had not been a girl of many friends. How could one be, when one is prone to violence and arrogance? No. Boarding school across the pond  and later homeschooling was filled with courtyard fights but perfect scores, perfect enough for professors and tutors alike to ignore the blood under Vicenzo's nails, the way her smiles showed too many sharp teeth. Loneliness had never been much of a worry for Vicenzo — not with her cousins and other preoccupations filling her brain. It had never bothered her, the lack of meaningful connections, but one could not trust those outside family, her grandfather had always told her when he would allow her to sit on his chair, and she would repeat it like a mantra when solitude threatened to become a problem. 

It never reared its ugly head, however, for Vicenzo always found ways to entertain herself when boredom would hit. Drink, smoke, hook up with women who knew no better. Her personality left much to be desired, but she was her grandfather's granddaughter, a miniature of the man — the only one in the family who matched his strange personality almost perfectly, and for that, none dared question the apparent choice Vicenzo Sir would make — despite the girl being one of the last grandchildren to be born, and one of the youngest members of the family. They guided her through fencing practice, horseback riding lessons, shooting practice, various combat lessons, and techniques — Taking her to the Purgatory fights, and allowing her to participate, the girl learned how to run both the Antonini empire and the Erinyes fiercely. She accompanied her grandfather whenever he visited his investments, often in the middle of the mountain or forests, in caves and rivers, to pick up precious stones and diamonds to smuggle or supply their stores — often panning for it with her grandfather when the man felt like getting his hands dirty. 

She fit perfectly to be an Antonini, any in the family had to admit. She commanded the room when needed, disappeared in the background when she wished, knew how to pull and push with force enough to destroy, and on top of it all, she was her grandmother's granddaughter, and by heavens, how Vicenzo knew to manipulate and play the game. She was far from perfect, even by the Antonini standards, but to be the leader? Oh. Vicenzo Sir knew none of them could've done it better. The lack of empathy, the heavy fists, and the demanding voice, it was all there. And loyalty? — Vicenzo would never betray her family, of that they were certain, just as one is certain the sun will rise and water will leave you wet. Vicenzo would rather die than throw one of hers under the bus — a fact that was proven when the girl was taken by a rival family and was returned with too many wounds and broken bones, but a fire in her eyes that refused to go out.

So when she was sixteen, the confirmation came; Vicenzo was sitting on her bed, a broken arm after her grandfather put her through a test of strengths. He left the girl alone in the mountain where his father had found his first diamond and had taken Vicenzo to when the man was only a boy, making his son promise he would never take anyone but his son's chosen heir and spouse there, and in turn, he was to instruct his heir to do the same when the time came. The command Vicenzo gave his granddaughter was clear; find the diamond I hid in the mountain and find your way back down. The girl did, and as she sat in her bed, her father held her chin in his hand and told her words Vicenzo would take for the rest of her life with her; Diamonds are forever. Money isn't. Diamonds, blood, and loyalty. You are my heir now, Vicenzo. Don't disappoint me.

Two years later, Vicenzo Sir passed away, leaving to Vicenzo II the Commendatore title, the family ring, and his empires; the Erinyes and his diamonds. Vicenzo has been in charge of the family business for the past decade, unwillingly to let certain traditions die. Despite her infuriating personality, she leads the Erinyes with a firm grip, and the family with an even stronger one. Recognized for her arrogance, her extravagance, her slight drug problem, and her violence, Vicenzo Antonini, just like her grandfather and his father before him, is a feared but loved figure — depending on which side you see; the woman in charge of the Antonini family or the leader of the Erinyes. Known for either throwing bodies in the sea, by her exceptional jewelry, her luxurious parties, the extravagant fights she holds in the Purgatory, or for beating a man to death if necessary, Vicenzo Antonini is a figure one cannot escape from —  but many wish they could, especially if a gun is in her hand. She would do anything to protect her family or her empire. Young but smart, beautiful but dangerous, charming but a manipulator — one would do well to tread carefully around Vicenzo Antonini II.