A Scripta

Masonry sat as Orbison sat at the table across from him. Masonry wondered if he was a real person.

"Nice to see you, doc."

Masonry had never been so cordial to a psychologist. If Orbison noticed, he didn't let on. "Masonry. Have you thought about the answer to our question?"

After the events of last night, he had to try to remember what the question was: Is what E and Fyre say always true? With his recent cold, detached clarity, he realized the answer immediately.

"Screw them. They can be wrong. They have been wrong. All this time, all the crap I went through for them. They're wrong."

"You seem to be carrying a lot of anger for them right now."

"Yeah. So?"

"This didn't used to be so, was it?"

"A few times I was pissed at them. When Fyre would show me up. When E would start lecturing, knowing what he was talking about. Ben said we would protect them, but then he started talking about their imperfections..."

"Do you know anyone who doesn't have imperfections?"

"No, of course not."

"So what makes them different?"

"Because I thought they knew what they were doing. I looked up to them. I believed them. They don't know jack shit!" He slammed his hand flat down on the table and got up, turning away from the doctor.

"What changed your mind?"

"I went and took down two ringleaders, by myself. I realized I didn't need them."

"Why does that make you angry with them?"

"They refused me," he said quietly, turning back to the doctor.

"Refused you?"

"They refused my help. Fyre refused me - a long time ago. E... E's said he doesn't need me."

"So you wish to feel needed."

"I want to feel like I'm an integral part of a team. If they can do everything they need to do without me, then they don't need me. He said he only had me for company. Even when I handled a mace..."

"So you believe your presence adds no value? Are you certain they don't need you?"

"They told me three times already that they don't need me. I always think I suck. But I notice Frosty does the same thing. Maybe it comes from being the front-line person."

"You have told me what they say. Based on how they act, do they need you?"

Masonry stared at the hologram, thinking. "I'm helpful, I think. They don't compliment me anymore because they think I'll get a 'bigger head than you already have'. But the Futura guys... they're always helpful and supportive, and we support each other. Even if we're pissed at each other, we'll still help each other. Because it's the team that's important. And we put aside our snarky remarks until after the mission's over. Or we don't gang up on someone. At least we try not to." Masonry clammed up once he realized that he and Synecology unintentionally ganged up on Emerald Flight after a mission, discussing "you time travelers". Masonry never had a problem dealing with that; he had other things on his mind.

"Why is the Futura team different than E and Fyre?"

"I don't know. It didn't used to be like this. We used to be a family."

"What do you think changed?"

"Fyre's got a Warshade running around in her head somewhere. E's deteriorating from radiation and they're going to take away his daughter - who he can't see anymore anyway because of the radioactivity. And I had a perfectionist Peacebringer in my head."

"So you have all changed?"

"Yes, we all did."

"Do the things that originally brought you together no longer exist?"

"I'm not a dumb rock anymore. I'm not so 'endearing' like that. And saying you want to kill somebody kinda puts a damper on your relationship from that point on, don't you think?"
"You told them you wanted to kill them? Why?"

"It was Ben. 'They're imperfect.' But I thought they were too perfect - they used to snipe at each other and now the two of them were so compliant with each other that it was sickening... I was angry that they could do things so well and work in concert together; and..."

" . . . and what?"

"And I was jealous of their relationship together. I kept telling myself it was because I was angry at Fyre for hurting E all those times she sniped at him, that it was the brotherly feelings guys feel whenever a girl hurts them."

"Because you cared for her more than that?"

"I did. And... maybe..." Maybe for E too? He squashed that idea, hard. "Can we go on to something else?"

Orbison nodded. "You do not feel this same anger toward your colleagues in Futura?"

"I did at first, but I realized that I could do things that they couldn't do. And I did things differently with either the same or better results. I could take the hits. Scott can too, but not like me. And when I first joined, I thought I could do that still, but I realized that I can't - but there's another niche that I can fill instead."

"And the female members? How do you feel about them?"

"Lady P's a sweetheart. I love Kit like a sister. Em reminds me of someone who wants to give you a hug, but can't because of social constraints. Syn is a sweetie, too, but she's in love with Jake so I dont' even want to get near her."

"So no anger?"

"Violet's kinda quiet... No, actually, no. Because I'm appreciated. And accepted. I think. Gee, I never thought about why they don't piss me off ..."

"Is there difference between E and Fyre, and Futura, how you think they treat you?" Masonry opened his mouth but the doctor got up. "Our time is up. Please consider that until tomorrow."

The hologram dissolved as Masonry sighed. He got up when the door opened, and muttered, "I always get the hard questions at the end."

Part III - (Masonry Recruitment Drive - these both take place on the same day)
Psychological intervention I

Masonry watched the pen moving in Pinkerton's hand. "Tell me now about Carlos."

Masonry's eyes widened at the name. He felt Lodestar's comfort and wanted to close his eyes, but in order to do this treatment right, he needed to keep his eyes open to watch the pen's movement. "He beat me. He used to look at me in the hallway and I used to run away."

"How did he beat you?"

"Carlos would call his brother and the Five Fingers - that's what he called his friends, I think one was his cousin - he told me in the morning he was going to beat me up that night, and when I saw them, I'd run, and I didn't tell anyone--"

The pen stopped. Pinkerton watched the big man take deep breaths, trying not to hyperventilate. He waited. Masonry nodded once, and the pen moved again. "Tell me the first time he beat you."

"Fourth grade. There was a trailer off to the side of the school, where the retards went. I go that way to go home. He caught me there. He threw me against the trailer. He punched me in the stomach. He hit me in the head. I went down at his feet. He kicked me. In the head. I don't... no, he thought I was passed out. He left me there."

"He didn't do anything else?"

"Not that time."

"But he did do other things to you later."

"Yes."

"What?"

"No."

Pinkerton stopped the pen as Masonry closed his eyes, feeling Lodestar's comfort, They can't harm you anymore. You're safe here. They can't harm you.

I'm embarrassed.

Say it plainly. I will help you.

Masonry snapped open his eyes. He nodded once as he pushed the emotion out of him as Lodestar had taught him, flowing into a small ball that stayed at the base of his heart. He took another deep breath, focused his eyes on the pen. Coldly he stated, "Carlos held a gun to my head. He told me to put it in my mouth. He pulled the trigger. I lost control of all my bodily functions."

Pinkerton said, "Anybody would have."

"I would have done the same thing to him."

"But he was dead by the time you would have gotten to him."

"Yes."

"Who did you kill instead?"

"No one. I found his wife and two children and did that to them. It was enough." He nodded briskly. "Yes, it was enough."

"So now what?"

He shrugged. "I move on now." He took a deep breath, and that ball slowly grew smaller, and smaller, until he felt it was gone. It was enough.

-----------------------------------

Part IV - Psychological Intervention II

"Are you an evil man?"

Masonry thought on that. "I don't know."

"How would you define evil, Mase? Quickly now. Don't think about it."

"The absence of any feeling for your fellow man."

This psychologist was from Kirkbride, Dr. Mark Orbison, whose bedside manner reminded him too much of Hope's Fury, with his cold detachment.

"Hmm...interesting. So nothing to do with your thoughts or deeds?"

"I'm being selfish if I use my thoughts or deeds. I'm not evil. If I don't care about whether my thoughts or deeds hurt anyone..." He tilted his head as he realized where that was going, because he knew when he wrapped his hands around Donnie's throat and squeezed, he didn't care who he hurt, just as long as he was dead. "Oh," he whispered. He looked up at the hologram. "But I don't mean to."

"So you believe being evil means not caring?"

"Well, yeah. And doing things on purpose to cause someone hurt."

"Do you do that?"

"I don't mean to if I do."

"Why do you, then?"

"Because I'm selfish. I want to be in front. I want to be the one they look up to I want to be the one they follow."

"Those are good leadership qualities, Mase."

"I wanted to be the one doing the beating - Huh?" Leadership qualities? Leader? Me?

"Why did you want to be the one doing the beating?"

"Because I was hurt and I want to hurt those who hurt others. I know how it felt. I don't want it to happen to anyone anymore - and I want them to know I did it."

The doctor nodded. "And you believe this makes you evil?"

"Um, no... Morally ambiguious, maybe." He smiled.

Orbison smiled and offered a small chuckle.

"But E and Fyre think so--I know, I know, it's not about them."

Orbison studied Masonry. "You believe you might be evil because they think so?"

Masonry kicked at the floor. "Yeah," he said quietly.

"Do you know how they define evil?"

"They think that because I let Ben out and I listened to him and he fed me a line that I meant to do everything Ben did. That Ben was an excuse. Like the drugs I took was an excuse for me to murder."

"Why do you say that?"

"It's what they told me. They said I should--"

"Does that make it true?"

"Never have done--" He blinked. "Does that make it true?" he repeated, stunned at the question.

"You tell me." The doctor looked at something behind Masonry. "I'm sorry, Masonry, but our time is up for now."

The hologram projection dissolved into a shower of sparkling light--leaving Masory, once again, alone.

(Thanks to Ice for playing the part of the psychologist and providing the last line.)

"Sergeant Simon," the man's blue eyes bored into Jack's green ones.

Jack would normally be frightened standing in front of a man that he had only heard stories about. He normally would be looking for an escape route. He was 24 years old, had just picked up a half-track and carried it across a football field. A couple of other heroes didn't think much of that, but Statesman saw fit to call him over.

"Sir," he said, saluting.

"I'm not in the Army," Statesman said with a smile.

He took his arm down and stood at formal at ease. "Yes, sir."

"What do you think about joining the Hero Brigade?"

Someone made a snorting noise. Statesman turned around. "Do you have a problem with that, Bull?"

"I c'n do wha'e done," the man said. He stood easily two feet taller than Jack, was as broad almost as Jack was tall. The man had no neck. He glared threateningly at Jack.

It's time, Jack, to let it all out.

He nodded, more to himself, and took a deep breath. As he did, he felt not just air, but peace and power flow into him. He stood with his hands down, palms aiming at the earth, drawing power from there. The next thing he knew, he was floating two feet off the ground.

We will fly, Lou said calmly. Then Jack focused on Bull.

"Gotta catch me first," he taunted, and floated backwards, out of his reach. Bull roared, as they expected, and he danced out of reach. As he flew, he felt even stronger, more powerful, he flew straight up into the air, feeling absolutely free. The cold air didn't bother him. The lack of oxygen did, however.

Down, he thought, and performed a perfect flip, heading toward ground at an amazing speed. He saw the ground rush up to meet him, hardened his body and plowed into it. He turned in the dirt, facing up and he propelled himself out of the ground in a burst of rock and soil. He turned his body in midair, focused on Bull, and headed right for him.

Bull stood his ground, even while Jack slammed full force into the man. He did not go down, but instead skidded backwards in the dirt, slamming into a tree and breaking it at Bull's shoulder. Jack danced in flight out of the way of the falling tree while Bull ducked. Someone came up behind him and he jerked around.

"Hey, hey, kid." He stepped back, holding up his hands. The big black man smiled at him. "Nice job on Bull there."

"Uh...is he okay?"

"Hurt just his pride, no doubt. Think you can do that burrowing thing often?"

"I don't know, it was the first time I did it."

"C'mon, Kid, let me introduce you around."

I don't understand, I always said good things about them, why did they say these thing to her?

Thou hast hurt them.

Will you stop throwing her words back at me?

Maybe if I talk like that you'll listen.

I am listening.

Only to what you want to hear.

...

When you get out of here, what are you going to do?

Here, solitary? Here the hospital?

You'll never get out of the hospital or jail, Nate. You'll always be kept somewhere.

::sadly:: Never trusted again.

Your choice. The sooner you accept that, the easier it will be.

What will be?

Knowing who you are.

I'm not an evil man.

Yes, you are.

I'm not like that man who hurt E.

But you could have been.

Anybody could if they just let themselves go, if they fill themselves with hate for everyone else. If they thought of themselves first and everyone else...

Sounding familiar?

What do I do?

What do you want to do? Do you want to keep going down that path of hate and anger or do you want to reform?

I want to help.

That wasn't one of the questions.

Hate and anger is so much easier.

So is that what you want to do?

Honestly?

You do want to go down the dark and twisted path, don't you? Because you've felt that for so long that you're comfortable. And that moment when it's all gone away after a murder, those moments I give you of peace, it means nothing to you.

You're trying to make me feel guilty.

I'm trying to understand. Another human who was my host felt this way also. Do you want to know what happened to him?

He was shot down like the rabid dog he was.

No. He became a captain in the Byzantine Army and was killed in the line of duty.

Did he reform himself?

No.

:: snorts:: I'm in the wrong business.

Yes.

You don't seem surprised.

I knew right after joining. But I also knew that you have the potential for change, if you want. I didn't realize how lazy you are.

Lazy?!

Lazy. You could have stopped Ben if you wanted. You could have reined him in. You could have stopped yourself from taking the drugs. You could have stopped yourself from killing those people. You're lazy. You let things happen to you. You'll never be a hero if all you do is react.

I never wanted to be a hero.

Finally! Finally you admit to it. You very well could have been that man who tortured E. Right?

What do I do?

Answer me.

right

Chew on that, Nathan.

Nathan looked up from his breakfast tray to see Providence storm into the room. He shared his room with three other Kheldian heroes, one who had an insane Kheldian like he had once (this Kheldian happened to like his host think he was constantly covered over with assorted items such as bugs, blankets, flowers), one who fought off depression because he couldn't save a citizen from a Circle of Thorns ritual, and the last was slated for release as soon as his cousin finished accomodating his home for a wheelchair.

"Prov, surprised to see you here this--"

"Thou lying dog! Thou mewling harpy, thou milk-livered puttock, thou excreable miscreant!"

Nathan blinked as she continued her tirade and tried not to laugh. Finally she took a breath to look at Nathan as he had put his hands to his mouth stretched into a broad smile. "Now," he said, "What was all that about?"

"Thou liest." She slipped into French, which she knew he understood, because Lodestar could translate for him. "You told me that Ben is the one who wanted to kill E-VAC and Fyre Hex, and they told me last night that it was you who wanted to. Why, Nathan, why?"

The smile disappeared. "How did you see E and Fyre?"

"I went on patrol with them, and Emerald, and Starwyng, but it doesn't matter."

"It does matter. It matters because if they went looking for you--"

"They were looking for you but you were here. You're changing the subject again. Why did you want them dead?"

"I did want them dead but I don't anymore," he protested. "But they push me and push me." He looked down. "I push back and it makes it worse."

"They still care about you or they wouldn't ask you to go with them, Nathan. You should give them the same respect."

"I try, but something comes out..."

"You try, but you can't forgive them."

"Forgive them? Why should I? I've tried to keep them alive, at the risk of my own life--"

Providence slapped him on the head. Nathan jumped up, toppling the tray to their feet. He slapped aside the tray holder, sending it into the next bed. "I'm getting sick and tired of getting hit by everyone I have a conversation with."

"Then grow the fuck up!"

He stopped his advance. First E swore at him, now Prov.

"'Tis not all about thee, Nathan, 'tis not! Thy friend E doth carry radiation sickness, 'tis getting worser and all thou careth for is how thou canst help him, how thou canst save him, truly? "I shalt help thee, and thou shalt owe me and worship me." "Oh, thank you, Masonry, my hero!" Fie, upon such a thing - thou art a hero and shouldst not expect such reward. Thou hath hurt them, thy true friends, thou hath hurt them both. What hath they done to thee?"

"They tried to help me. They tried, and I hated them for it." He looked at the tray on the floor, and saw the orderlies at the door. He called, "Get me a bucket, I'll clean it."

One of the larger ones shook his head. "Too late now. Come on, Mase."

He hung his head down, and Providence said, "Nathan."

He looked at her.

"Go hence proudly. Accept thy mistake and go."

He looked at the orderlies. Accept thy mistake and go, echoed Lodestar. He raised his head and followed the orderlies out of the room.

This takes place during the Moonfire task force, just before Masonry tears the door off the mission after its completion.

Lodestar: Nate.

Masonry: Yeah.

Your anger is palatable.

So.

Nate. Stop.

Stop what. I'm doing what they told me.

Stop being angry.

I should be happy?

Look at what you're doing.

I'm in the rear.

You're hurting them. You're not attracting their attention.

But I'm not very good -

You are. Look, one shot, that man went down.

I'm not happy.

What Frosty does is not your job anymore. ** gone **


Takes place after the task force and a series of missions.

Masonry: Is it too much to ask E to tell me what to do?

Lodestar: No. But he assumes you know what you're doing. Otherwise he wouldn't summon you.

He summons me to beat me up.

He summons you because you know what you're doing. He has faith in you.

He's just like the kids who beat me. Both of them.

Calm. Breathe. ** sends calming waves **

I hate them.

Because.

They...they're better.

They're good at what they do, yes. But you are good at what you do as well.

Oh, sure. Getting people killed. And murder, don't forget murder.

It's done. They're gone. Let them go.

But they keep coming back!

Because you let them.

People like them keep coming back.

Because you let them.

So what do I do?

You become better at what you can do.

Wha..?

You are no longer Masonry.

...

You are a Peacebringer. Your abilities are different.

But nobody's teaching me.

You relied on War Mollusk to teach you how to get the enemies' attention and hold it.

E won't teach me, you just heard him!

Then we will have to work together to understand the range of your powers.

Don't you know?

No. Every host manifests different abilities.

Oh Christ.

Nate. ** holds him ** We will get through this. I have faith in you, too, Nate.

** sighs in contentment **

We can't stay like this forever.

Why not...it's quiet. Comfortable. Better than having a woman lay next to you.

Hmmm, I don't know about that. ** chuckles softly and sends a memory of Artemis snuggled up in Masonry's arms **

** Mase grows slightly distressed ** She's gone.

** removes the memory immediately ** I know. Ask Pinkerton if he will allow you to spend some time in the exercise yard picking off tin cans at a hundred yards in between times that they find assignments for you.

What good will that do?

You get used to being on air.


The next afternoon...

Did they have to have quantum guns here?

It's for their own safety, Nate, in case you wanted to try and escape.

As if I could.

Let me tell you how you could, Nate, if they had no guns. First you would be able to take out the four guards at the door. You would be able to tear the inner door out and blast the outer one. You would be in the hall. Your natural sense of direction would point you north, where, even though it's on the opposite side of the Zig, you have plenty of room to hide. You could easily fight your way through, with your strength and my agility, and get to the bottom floor, where eventually you could find your way to a large sewer grate and blast your way out.

Why are you telling me this?

Because you have the ability. But I won't let you. You really don't want to, anyway.

No, I don't. I've screwed up enough.

Take aim at that barrel, concentrate...release. Good. Again. Now both barrels...

Metacomet (Metacombet)

Primary: Energy
Secondary: Fire

Phillip Alexander Greene is the younger brother of Nathan Greene (Masonry). Although he kept abreast of his brother's exploits as Masonry, he was extremely jealous of him. He volunteered himself to S.E.R.A.P.H. for experimental procedures, for the express purpose of eventually outshining his brother. Fortunately for him, Masonry is interred in the Zig to stand on trial for multiple counts of murder, and Phillip's enhancements have finally come into their own. Phillip has taken the name "Metacomet" (both because of his fiery abilities and that he was named after King Phillip, whose Indian name was Metacomet). He strives to prove that he's better than he's brother, and doesn't let anything silly like tactics get in his way. ((He's built to pull.))

(This takes place at least three months after Ben and all that.)

Although it was "solitary", it really wasn't. Between times he was allowed "out", he often sat with Lodestar, running through his many memories like going through someone's attic, listening to him narrate and answer questions about the time and place. He was never alone, and, instead of how he felt about He Who Shall Not Be Named, he welcomed it.

It was during one of these times that he became aware of a change in the room. He felt someone nudge him, and he came back out of his reverie. Three guards stood around him, his usual escort through the teleporter. "You have a visitor."

He stood up in midair and floated down to the floor, his white eyes dimming to their normal brown. "A visitor?"

"Is there an echo? Move."

Masonry allowed them to take him through the teleporter. This teleport dropped him off in a four-by-six cell with a single chair and a rickety table. One wall had been replaced by typical prison bars, but when he walked up to them, he got shocked before he even got within a foot of them. He couldn't see around the walls, so he waited. He could hear gates opening and closing around him. "Noisy," he whispered to himself and to Lodestar.

He saw as a pair of guards escorted someone who carried a chair. He set the chair down across from Masonry's cell, while the guards stood back against the wall on the other side, watching him warily. The man had short black hair and a small red mask around his eyes, and was in a typical heroic spandex outfit, red with yellow and orange flames all over him.

He sat down on the chair and put his feet up on the bars. "So, bro. Screwed up big this time."

Masonry stared at him. "Phil?"

The young man grinned. "In the flesh. And on the outside."

"I haven't seen you since..."

"Mom's funeral." He shook his head, thought Masonry wasn't sure if he was sad or laughing at him. "Good thing she's not here to see this."

"Yeah," he replied, looking away. Lodestar helped him to look at his brother again. "So you're a hero?"

"Yeah. I did it the right way." He wrapped a hand around one of his forearms. "I volunteered. And because I volunteered, they were very careful with me. The suit generates enough energy to power a small foreign country."

"So what's your job?"

"To take down people like you."

Masonry felt the arrow hit the mark. He closed his eyes - his habit when he felt the rage begin to build. He put his hands squarely on his thighs and breathed. "Phil. I made a mistake."

"One?"

"Okay, a few."

Phil pulled his feet down from the bars. "You were a hero. People trusted you with their lives and you betrayed them."

"I'm well aware of it, Phil, and that's why I'm here."

"They still take you out there."

"I'm watched constantly. It's not as great as you think. And when I'm done with this I go back to my cell - alone."

"The point is that you're still going out there to fight. You should be rotting in jail --"

"The point is that someone somewhere thinks I can be redeemed."

"The point is that you were trusted and you blew it."

He stood up, opened his arms. "I did. So shoot me."

"I'd love to, just to take out a weak man like you. You always surrendered."

"Sometimes it's easier."

Phil got up. "I'll never surrender. Ever."

Masonry gave him a small smile. "Wait, wait until you're out there in the field and some Sky Raider captain comes at you with a blade he stole from the Vahzilok, and the rest of your team is lying unconscious at your feet, or they've been teleported to the hospital - you tell me how good it sounds right about then."

Grabbing the back of his chair, Phil stated slowly, "I will do everything to save my team and myself."

He chuckled. "Hopefully in that order."

"I'm done here," he said to the guards. "I thought I'd get some pearls of wisdom out of you."

"Sorry all you got was the usual drivel." As he started away, "Oh, hey, what's the name I should be listening for the prisoners cursing?"

He turned around and faced him. "Metacomet."

Readers sometimes write. That's what this blog's for, the stuff I write, and exploring the characters/ideas in an empty space.

The newest idea is Masonry. I'm going to take Masonry and turn it into a novella. Basically it's going to be about a pharmacist who takes an injection that makes him big and strong. At first he chooses to exact revenge against his high school mates. In between his memory and intelligence goes down the tubes. He ends up working for a small mom & pop hardware store run by a pair of Italian brothers.

Dramatis Personae:

They call him Mason because he's a really good bricklayer (basically, ADD traits). He can build walls on his own because he can also carry the bricks. Darcy is the same as he is in the CoH universe, except he doesn't do armor. He helps with the chemistry.

There's the Palumbo brothers, Tommy and Stevie (Raynes boys, Thad and Scott). Tommy's the playboy and Stevie's the adult. Dad is like the Godfather, pops in to put the fear of God into everyone (except Mase because he just doesn't see it). The sister Lizzy (Bits) is the 13 year old terror that no one can stand who constantly comes on to the help.

Providencia Lombardi is a 40 year old tinkerer who's constantly breaking things. (combines Kit as a constant klutz and Providence's age) She works in the office with: Virginia (Ginny or even Gin) Carter, a 20-something that acts like a superficial blond but does that so guys will get her things she wants. She is actually very intelligent. (Based very loosely on Artemis, but probably not going to - Artie has a TX accent and a jealous streak with Ginny won't have.)

Manny is the drunken loader - the one who packs and loads the trucks. (based on husband's description of a co-worker of the same name)

Emil. He's a young Jewish boy who's ambisexual. He and Mase have sex once or twice. (Unsure.)

Tina, Manny's wife. She looks like the typical Italian mom and always seems to play Scott's heartstrings. When Scott threatens to fire Manny she comes in and begs for his job back. This is a constant thing. (based on husband's co-worker's wife)

Plotlines:

Mason's deterieration, shots, murders, and whether or not he gets caught.

A huge hardware box-store opens up just down the street and threatens to put Palumbo's ("Pal's") out of business. Union employees from that store come down to threaten Pal's people. (Based on an actual event, though it wasn't as blatant as this. Union employees went down to a local hardware store and passed out handbills. When the place closed down, many of the employees at that local store went to work for Home Depot. A cousin told me this.)

Darcy and Ginny grow to like each other but I don't know if they'll be an item by the end of the story.

Scenes:

Mason gets into a truck and the springs sink loudly. (He's getting denser as well as turning to stone.)

He kills himself by jumping off a bridge into a river - he sinks, suffocates, and dies.

Masonry says no to Lizzy.

Masonry has sex with Emil once but after two more shots can no longer do it.

Tommy's constantly getting into trouble but it's not serious mafia types he gets in trouble with. No shooting is involved until the Teamsters show up. Tommy doesn't do drugs or gamble, but likes to do anything in a skirt.

Lizzy isn't half as bad as Tommy (she's a girl, she's very young, and constantly wants to be "cute"). Prov tries to discipline her (sort of) and Lizzy ignores her. Ginny is able to discipline her but in a much gentler way - it also helps that Lizzy looks up to Ginny and tries to emulate her.