The ending of a perfectly adequate retirement.

The lives of the infamous Wrecking Crew

Moderators: Ticallion Carter, Myria Graziano, Ria Graziano, Maria Graziano

Post Reply
User avatar
Maria Graziano
Proven Adventurer
Proven Adventurer
Posts: 239
Joined: Sat Apr 03, 2004 2:28 pm
Location: New Haven, RhyDin

The ending of a perfectly adequate retirement.

Post by Maria Graziano »

The following news clipping was printed in the Monday, October 12 evening edition of Northern Territory Daily News:

Northern Territory Businessman Accused in Ponzi Scheme is Indicted.
By Steve Hurley (Staff Writer)

Sunset Beach, N.T. -- A grand jury in Sunset Beach, Northern Territory indicted William Biddler this afternoon on charges that he fleeced at least seventy-five wealthy residents from the upscale coastal village out of roughly $100 million N.T. dollars.

Investors were told that their retirement funds were being managed aggressively to moderately conservatively depending on the years the investor had until retirement in a high yield investment program. The N.T. Securities and Exchange Commission's investigation revealed, however, that much of the early "returns" provided by Biddler to his clients were the investments of his other victims.

"Mr. Biddler has been playing these tricks longer than many of his clients have been alive. He really has a superior ability to ensure that his clients place their trust and money in him," said Larry Walker, a financial adviser with Price & Associates.

The N.T. Securities and Exchange Commission have refused to release many details of the case, citing the ongoing investigation. However, an unidentified source within the investigation stated that several celebrities are among his client list, including actress Babette Young, singer Kage, duelist Maria Graziano, and Kitsune baseball player Mike O'Keefe.

Attorneys for the defendant had no comment but expressed their confidence that the trial would prove Biddler's innocence. A bail hearing has been set for Wednesday and a trial date will be set at that time.
Last edited by Maria Graziano on Mon Oct 12, 2009 6:09 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
Maria Graziano
Proven Adventurer
Proven Adventurer
Posts: 239
Joined: Sat Apr 03, 2004 2:28 pm
Location: New Haven, RhyDin

Post by Maria Graziano »

The following news clipping was printed in the Sunday, October 12 morning edition of Sunset Strip and picked up by several of the gossip magazines the following day:

Officially Separated!

Representatives for former Wrecking Crew duelists, Bode Bojangles and Maria Graziano-Bojangles, have confirmed that court documents were filed in Sunset Beach, Northern Territory for legal separation. Requests have been made by both parties asking that the divorce proceedings remain closed to the public.

They were married in Sunset Beach in January of 2004 in a civil ceremony that was not attended by any members of their organization. The couple shares a four year old daughter. Trouble in the marriage has been rumored nearly since the beginning but sources state that the couple has seemed happy since they retired from dueling.

Lawyers for Maria Graziano-Bojangles requested privacy for their client and her daughter during this difficult time.
User avatar
Maria Graziano
Proven Adventurer
Proven Adventurer
Posts: 239
Joined: Sat Apr 03, 2004 2:28 pm
Location: New Haven, RhyDin

Post by Maria Graziano »

Three weeks prior.

"It's not good, Ms. Graziano"

Marty Johns, Maria Graziano's long time manager, stood in the corner of the room while his own personal financial manager, Patrick Lopez, sat behind the desk delivering the news to his client. And, Patrick was right. The news wasn't good at all.

With his experience with Maria Graziano, Marty had expected either an immediate violent outburst directed at an inanimate object or a string of creative profanity. The impassive, shocked stare that they got instead made him highly uncomfortable. Patrick swung a look over to Marty, unsure if he should continue. Marty nodded. He knew she would be grateful that the news was delivered bluntly.

Patrick cleared his throat before continuing. "It looks like this Biddler fellow has taken pretty much all of your savings. There's not a whole lot left. With your current spending, you're looking at being able to make it through the end of the year."

Finally Maria found her voice but it was heavy with raw emotion. Her clasped hands sat in her lap. Stripped of her bravado, she seemed uncharacteristically small and vulnerable. "And Wrecking Crew Racing?"

"You've got the Thoroughbred venture making a profit now but not enough of one to support you and your daughter yet. You could sell off some horses but--"

"I'd need Bode's approval for that," Maria muttered thoughtfully beneath her breath. Going to Bode for help was not an option. She would not crawl into Captain Hammer's and pry a beer bottle out of his hand. It was over. It had to be over.

The tension in the room was oppressive. Marty watched on silently even thought he felt like gulping for air as the always cool and collected financial manager nodded somberly. "Based on how you set up the partnership, yes. According to his lawyers, he's willing to let you buy him out."

Maria was surprised herself by the bitter ring of her short humorless laugh. The sound was so unbearable that she cut it short, shaking her head. "I've heard the asking price. It's reasonable but if I can't afford to house my kid after December I'm guessing I can't afford to buy him out either."

There was no point in addressing the possibility. She would be better off selling her share completely but Marty had warned Patrick off even suggesting it. What had she left? All that was left was Wrecking Crew Racing and Adie. Instead of making the suggestion, Patrick chose another line of questioning. "What about spousal support?"

"There was a post-nup." Maria's dark eyes were on the plain white gold wedding band still sitting on her left hand ring finger. The courage to remove it and the acceptance of her failure had still not yet been found. Marty prayed that she would not cry. It was one sight that he never wanted.

Marty felt Patrick's questioning eyes on him, searching for more information. He did not turn to him as he answered the unspoken question but instead kept his eyes on Maria, willing her the strength to get through this conversation and make the correct decision. "Between her salary and endorsements, Maria was one of the highest grossing duelists in the league. I convinced her and Bode to sign it thinking that if this ever happened it would keep her from having to pay him."

The final door closed on her future. Patrick released a heavy exhale. "I'm really sorry, Ms. Graziano. I'm just not seeing a whole lot of options here."

"You do have one option, M."

Maria's dark eyes traced up from her fashionable knee-high boots to Marty. The heavy resignation on her face told him that it was a choice she was not prepared to handle but her hand was forced.

"I have to return to dueling."
User avatar
Ria Graziano
Proven Adventurer
Proven Adventurer
Posts: 177
Joined: Sun Apr 18, 2004 9:02 pm

Post by Ria Graziano »

Flash!

Ria blinked slowly as the momentarily excessive amount of light assaulted her as soon as she began to walk out her front door. Like miniature bookends, her son and daughter at either side of her raised an arm to protect their faces from the intrusive burst. “Wha tha ‘ell?” she demanded, bringing her arms down to shield the two children from the stranger.

“Mrs. Graziano,” a reedy, grungy man whistled as he lowered the camera held between his hands. “Do you have a comment?”

“Uh?” Ria’s intelligent response made the man snicker, and she scowled at him. “Dude, get the hell outta here. An’ if I see a picturea my kids printed anywhere, ya ass is grass, man. C’mon, kids.” She brought her arms around the two children, touching their backpacks gently to propel them forward. Two sets of dark eyes peered across the longer set of legs at each other.

“Mom said ass and hell in front of us. I thought only dad could make her that mad!” The younger of the two, five year old Alicia, punctuated her remark with a series of nods. Her older and wiser brother, seven year old TJ, smirked. “Mom says them all the time when Uncle Tony comes over. Usually she says worse, too.”

“Kids, move.” Ria gave a not-quite-as-gentle shove to their backs as she spoke, shooting a glare at the man. He shifted from foot to foot as he watched the trio as they began to move down the street. “Mrs. Graziano,” he tried again, his voice rising as the distance between them increased, “your sister-in-law was recently seen in the city again. Have you talked to her yet?”

Alicia squealed, turning around to face her mother – and incidentally, the reporter. “Auntie Maria’s back?!” Her eyes lit up and widened in her glee. “Does that mean I can see Adie again?!” She fairly skipped backwards in her excitement. His camera shot up and there was another bright flash as he snapped another picture of the enthusiastic little girl.

“TJ,” Ria ordered, “keep goin’ ‘til ya getta Randy’s, then wait fo’ me.” She stopped, turning to face the reporter. TJ reached for his sister’s hand and grasped it tightly, leading her slowly down the street. He leaned over, whispering to her.

“Look, dude… whoever ya are.”

“Ernest Rodgers, Mrs. Graziano. Northern Territory Daily News.” He grinned at her, eyes crinkling in what she felt was an overly friendly manner.

“Yah, whatever. Dude. Wha ya want?” She crossed her arms over her chest, sparing a glance back toward her children. They had stopped and TJ was sitting on the front steps of a neighbor’s house. Alicia bounced eagerly and her hands swept through the air as she elaborated on something to her brother. He merely seemed to be rolling his eyes in response. Satisfied, the reporter received her full attention once more.

“Just a few questions answered, Mrs. Graziano. If I get my sound bite, I’ll leave you alone. You should remember how it works.” He released the camera and allowed it to hang from its strap around his neck as one hand rose to dig fingers into wavy, oily hair. “I saw Maria Graziano recently returned to dueling, and that you have as well. Is your own return from retirement because you’ve been swindled by Biddler as well?”

“No, “she replied curtly, shifting her stance. “Next?”

“What’s Chris think of the latest developments of his poor sister?” His hand moved from the greasy mop atop his head to pick at the scab on his neck as he talked.

“No comment.” Ria glanced at the door to her house before looking back to Mr. Rodgers.

“Oh?” He offered her a toothy, nasty grin as his hand dropped to caress the side of his camera. He leaned forward slightly; his answer had piqued his interest. “Are you even still with Chris Graziano? Or are all the Graziano women equally idiotic when it comes to men?”

Ria scowled, her hands clenching into fists and raising slightly as if she prepared to strike. “Dude, I swear. Stay away from Maria. Stay away from my house. Keep the hell away from alla us. If ya don’t, I’ll kill ya.”

She turned and stormed down the street to collect her children. As they faded from sight, Ernest Rodgers rubbed his hands together and released an eager chuckle. This was interesting.
Last edited by Ria Graziano on Sun Oct 18, 2009 10:50 am, edited 2 times in total.
User avatar
Maria Graziano
Proven Adventurer
Proven Adventurer
Posts: 239
Joined: Sat Apr 03, 2004 2:28 pm
Location: New Haven, RhyDin

Post by Maria Graziano »

The elevator ride up to the top floor of the Reeds building felt achingly familiar.

Maria longed to be able to slide her key into the door of the apartment, drop her over sized purse on the counter and then, once Adie was securely tucked into bed for the night, complain of her aches and pains as Bode massaged her complaining muscles. But so much had changed and she knew that she could not go back. Bode was her husband in name only (and even that would not last much longer) and the penthouse suite they had both loved so much was his now, not their's.

As the elevator dinged the indication that they had reached the top level, Maria reached out to grab a hold on the backpack Adie was wearing. It hadn't taken many times of chasing after Adie as she slipped past the opening elevator doors that Maria had learned to keep a hold on some part of her as their elevator ride came to an end.

Adie giggled down the hallway and came to a stop in front of the closed door, looking up at Maria expectantly. It felt odd to knock at her own door. Bode's door, she reminded herself. It was her own door no longer. She lifted a fist and rapped lightly, steeling herself for the encounter.

Maybe he would beg for her to come back? Maybe he would say how wrong he had been? Maybe he would swear off drinking for good?

And, thus, with those questions running through her head, she was surprised to find that the person on the other side of the door was not her husband at all. The woman who opened what used to be Maria's front door was blonde. Very very blonde. In fact, she was everything that Maria had always looked in a mirror and wished to be. She had a good four inches on the shorter brunette and that four inches seemed to be all in her legs. She probably wouldn't even be able to buy a drink without a fake I.D. where the Grazianos were from which made her at least seven years younger than Maria. Unlike Maria's olive complexion which limited the color profile she could respectfully wear, her replacement was deeply tanned with a hint of golden undertones. She was soft curves where Maria was hard lines. Her very air was uncomplicated and flirtatious. Two things which Maria never could claim to be.

Younger, sleeker, and sexier. For the first time, Maria hated Bode with a passion. He had to know what facing this woman would do to her.

The tension was immediately palpable between the two women but did not seem to impact Adie. The girl threw herself with a delighted squeal at the legs of the young woman who she clearly had met and played with before. Maria's tongue felt thick. Her voice was slow to respond. "Where's Bode?"

"He's running a bit late. Some sort of promotional event at Captain Hammer's." She gave Maria a friendly smile as she wrapped her arms around the giddy little girl at her feet.

"Who're you?" The question seemed accusatory even though she had tried to wipe the anger and hurt from her voice with the reminder that Adie was present.

Her smile was open and gave a dazzling display of bright, white teeth. "Candy. I'm his nanny."

Maria's arms crossed before her chest, pushing Adie's bag back over her shoulder. Half of her wanted to peel her daughter off the woman and storm away but Adie was doing relatively well with the divorce. The last thing she needed to do was make a scene. Nevertheless, she couldn't help but pose the question on the tip of her tongue. "Bode has a nanny?"

Adie snickered, shooting her mother the brightest of grins. "Mommy, you're silly. She's my nanny. Daddy doesn't need a nanny!"

She wished that bright grin filled her with life but it only made her feel more empty. She offered a weak smile in return to Adie. "Go put your bag in your room, Adie. I'll see you Sunday afternoon."

Candy smiled down at Adie as the girl peeled herself off of Candy's legs. "I'll be right in there and we're going to give each other manicures before your daddy gets home."

"Love you, Mommy." She whispered as she flung herself at Maria in a hug. There was sadness there in her soft voice; a sadness that renewed Maria's sense of failure. All Adie wanted in the world was for the three of them to live happily under the same roof.

"Love you too, baby girl," Maria whispered back, ignoring Candy for that brief moment. But all too soon, Adie was pulling away from the squeeze and slipping past Candy.

Maria's dark eyes watched Adie's bouncing path through the living room towards the hallway for her bedroom. Her bedroom at Bode's house. The little girl now had two bedrooms. Maria's failure had caused this. She couldn't keep Bode sober. She wasn't enough to keep him happy. "Your name is Candy?"

"My name is Sarah," she explained as she reached out for Adie's weekender bag. The blunt, quick fire questioning always seemed to make people squirm and Candy was clearly not immune to it. Maria gave up the bag as Candy continued. "Candy is my nickname."

"Well, I thought there couldn't be anything worse than actually being named Candy but choosing to allow other people to call you that as a nickname when you have a perfectly fine name that doesn't sound the least bit stripper-like is in fact worse."

The comment the woman's lips in together in a tight frown and her narrowed eyes flashed with anger. Maria wished she could truthfully say that it made Candy look less attractive but in all actuality she had just adopted the look of any New York runway model. Candy's eyes flicked to the white gold wedding band on Maria's left ring finger and then her expression settled into a disdainful smirk. "Nice ring. We'll see you on Sunday."

A mass of blonde hair whipped around as Candy swiveled to move out of the doorway, slamming the door shut behind her. Maria's hand reached up to steady herself on the doorway as if Candy had swept her legs out from underneath her. There was a strange woman in her house with her daughter waiting for her husband to come home. The hits just kept right on coming.
User avatar
Maria Graziano
Proven Adventurer
Proven Adventurer
Posts: 239
Joined: Sat Apr 03, 2004 2:28 pm
Location: New Haven, RhyDin

Post by Maria Graziano »

"So I just stood there with this dumb look on my face and let her slam my door in my face. You know, the same door to the same damn apartment that I busted my ass all those years in rings to afford. Literally, my blood bought that place."

The breathless words flew from Maria's lips in a flurry of frustration as she squared off before a training bag hanging from the ceiling that was being loosely held in place by her trainer, Mark Lena. As the bitter thought struck her, she sent yet another jab-jab-cross-jab combination in rapid fire towards the center of the bag with her wrapped fists. Thump-Thump. Thump. Thump. She stepped back with a shake of her head as she placed her hands on top of her head to catch her breath.

As Maria's story ended, Mark gave a heavy exhale, leaning his forehead against the back of the bag while Maria gulped for air. "What were you going to do, M? Punch her in the mouth? Your kid was there."

"That's just it. I didn't even have the desire to hit her. I wanted to cry," Maria replied with a short, humorless laugh. Even now she sounded on the verge of tears. It was all weighing on her -- the failed marriage, the loss of most of her retirement savings, the custody battle over Adie, and the seemingly never ending insults from reporters. The hard lines of her face had softened into hurt. Instead of getting angry and stronger as she had her entire career, she was getting increasingly weak. Had Bode been the key to her strength? To her success?

Mark could deal with the woman when she was temperamental and quick to bark orders. That was the Maria he had known and worked with for years. This Maria? This Maria was almost... human. He straightened his posture, lifting his head from the bag as he released his hold on it when it became apparent that this conversation would need to be had in full before she would return to work. "You think you lost your edge?"

"Yeah." Her tone and the accompanying nod were firm in that telltale manner that suggested that she was not the least bit confidant about the decision she was making. She was clearly ready to feign her strong belief in the success of her decision even if she was still grappling with it. "I need you to help me get it back."

A beat of silence settled upon them as Mark concentrated on hard expression on Maria's face. There was no way she could mean what he thought she did, right? It's not like he hadn't offered her other options before. Mark had no moral problems with providing performance enhancers. Quite a few of his clients had used them. But three years ago this very same client would have tore out his guts for even suggesting that she might possibly benefit from them. Maybe it was just a test. "We'll train harder," he allowed.

"I'm out of time!" There was heavy desperation tinted with anger in her voice. The endorsements were needed now. The money was needed now. Releasing a ragged exhale, she managed to draw her frustration back in, collecting herself before continuing. "Look, I'm ready. I know I've shot down performance enhancers in the past but we've got to find something. I'm afraid some sort of steroid won't work. The muscle mass and the loss of flexibility will make me have to change how I fight. I don't have time to adopt a new style. I need results and I need them now."

"Well," Mark began slowly, considering the risks involved. If Ria or Chris or Tical or even Tony found out that he had supplied them to her, that he had not gone to them in the face of Maria's crippling fear, he would never work in this town again. Yet, if he did not, he was certain he would never work for Maria again. "If it's your edge that you're worried about, there is something I've tried with some duelists in the past."

"What is it?" Her dark eyes zipped back to him as she dropped heavily onto a bench to begin unwrapping the protective nylon wraps from around her hands. Mark's eyes instinctively dropped to her hands to check out the condition. Despite the wraps, her knuckles still looked raw and abused.

He was certain she was training without handwraps or gloves when he wasn't around. Punching bags until her knuckles bled seemed to be her favorite self-destructive habit. Mark gave a sigh before continuing. "Stimulants. We can try to start with ephedrine. If that doesn't work, we can try an amphetamine."

Maria had come to a halt as she listened to him, one hand unwrapped, the other half unwrapped. There was the line in the sand. She was quickly closing in on it. She had always been almost obsessive about being good, about being the best but this was taking a step to the other side of the line. There was no drug testing in the Swords. Not a soul would ever need to know how Maria, Adie's mom, turned back into Maria, the two-time MVP. "And if neither of them work?"

"Some people have been known to use meth or cocaine," Mark allowed. He couldn't let it get that far. He knew he couldn't let it get that far. He'd provide her with the ephedrine and maybe even an amphetamine... but coke? Could he really become Maria Graziano's drug dealer? It sounded far too risky. There's no way she would be able to keep a secret that big from the rest of the Crew, especially not now when they were watching her so closely. "But there's risks to all of them, M. There's always risks."

"Screw the risks. I'm out of time. I need to win and I need to win now."
User avatar
Maria Graziano
Proven Adventurer
Proven Adventurer
Posts: 239
Joined: Sat Apr 03, 2004 2:28 pm
Location: New Haven, RhyDin

Post by Maria Graziano »

(The following occurred in the early hours of November 30)

Maria fell against the wall, sliding down the length of it to come to a sitting position, knees drawn up against her chest. Her bat clattered from her hand, the wood thumping mutely against the padded carpet floor of Mark Lena's gym. Beneath the confines of a black sports bra, her chest heaved up and down in rapid but steady fashion. The back of her head dropped against the wall as she concentrated on filling her lungs with air. Half of her dark hair remained in a high ponytail but the rest had fallen with the exertion of the exercise.

It had to be close to two in the morning and she really should stop. The middle of the night training was needed to get her body used to late night dueling once again but now within the two day range of her challenge, she should be resting her sore muscles and mentally preparing for the test ahead. There was still something missing, though, and she had under forty-eight hours to figure out exactly what it was. Her edge was gone and, while Tical had successfully talked her out of drugs as a quick fix, she had not stopped obsessing about the missing element of her game.

She refused to believe that losing Bode had caused her to lose her mojo or something. That was the sort of harebrained theory that Tony or Chris would come up with. There had to be an answer and it had to be mental. She refused to accept that it was her age. She was still in her twenties, albeit late twenties now, and if anything she was in better shape now than she was before Adie was born. This had to be in her mind. Both hands lifted to rub her face as her breathing slowed and heart rate returned to a resting state. There was an answer and she had to find it tonight. There was no time left.

Her calf muscles complained. They were tight and sore much like the rest of her. Much like the rest of her. Much like the rest of her. Those words clattered around in her head like an echo only they grew in volume rather than faded. They demanded to be heard. Then they switched slightly but suddenly. Much like all of her. All of her.

Everything was tight. Her dueling was tight. She needed this comeback. She was forcing this comeback. That was the answer. No longer was she driven by the sheer desire to cause destruction, the raw thrill of brutality. Now she spent her days worrying about money and planning her financial future. She had to return to dueling for dueling's sake. The passion was still there buried deep beneath the reasoning that it was not motherly or sophisticated to enjoy beating people to a bloody pulp but she enjoyed the release and the rush of adrenaline. There was no denying those emotions.

Her hand wrapped around her bat once more without conscious thought as she slowly surveyed her surroundings. It was empty shell at this time of night. The steady thumping from bags and sparring opponents that filled the building earlier in the evening was now gone, leaving only a deep looming silence. She hadn't even bothered to put on music tonight. The deafening silence that had been a welcomed partner earlier in the evening now screamed to be filled and to be filled specifically with the sounds of destruction.

The answer was simply letting go of the need to control her dark impulses. She gave a short, brutal laugh as her fingers tightened around the bat dangerously, pressing deep into the wood as her heart fell into time with the primal drum beat of carnage. Comfort in her own skin would come at a price -- a price this gym would pay. A forgotten siren's song of liberation and wreckage lured her towards giving in to its release and, as she drew the bat back over a shoulder, she knew she was finally ready to answer its call.

* * * *

Six Hours Later

"So, truthfully, what do you think her chances are?" Mark Lena asked glancing over his shoulder at Marty Johns, Maria's longtime manager, as he slid the key into the lock in the front door to his gym.

Marty heaved a heavy sigh as the thoughts of what were to face his prized client smacked him full on again. He was here to evaluate a new talented boxer Mark had discovered. He definitely did not want to have to address the sea of nerves his stomach turned into anytime he even thought about Tuesday night's challenge. Maria was obsessed with winning. No, not just winning. She was obsessed with utter and complete perfection. She would be happy only with annihilation and considering who her opponent was annihilation was a lofty and extremely unlikely goal. "Not good," he admitted beneath his breath. "She thinks she's still missing something."

Having heard Maria say the same thing, Mark could only shake his head as he shoved his weight against the door while turning the knob to push it open. "Well, it's not physical. She's in better shape than she was either of her two MVP years. It's got to be mental."

"Maria's problems usually are mental," Marty said with a humorless laugh that led to him lifting a hand to cover a smoker's cough as he stepped through the doorway and into Lena's New Haven gym. "She was here working out after hours last night, right? I wouldn't be surprised if she's still here. She's determined to either figure it out or kill herself trying."

The first sign that something was wrong was the sound of broken glass beneath Mark's sneaker. He came to an immediate halt, squinting his eyes into the darkness. "What the hell?" He asked as he took another step forward with another crunch of glass to flip on the gym's lights. Carefully, using the side of a boot to push away glass, Marty followed him in and lifted his eyes to survey the damage as the overhead lights of the gym flickered to life.

The room was empty of life but alive with passion and energy even hours after Maria had left. All the exterior windows remained perfectly intact but the set of floor to ceiling thick glass walls that encapsulated Mark's office lay shattered in millions of jagged pieces of varying sizes. It had to have taken no small amount of effort to bring those walls down. The damage didn't end there. A heavy bag hanging from the low ceiling was covered in bloody fist prints. Marty could almost see her there, beating her knuckles against the bag long past the point where the flesh could hold out. A practice throwing knife lay deep in the heart of a destroyed practice dummy. Long moments passed between them as they sank in the havoc. Its maker had been an artist in wreckage and destruction. This gym had been her canvas.

Finally Mark released a ragged exhale unable to tear his eyes from the damage done to his gym as he shook his head in slow disbelief. "What exactly does this mean?"

Marty gave a short laugh as anxiety eased from his shoulders and he clamped a hand on Mark's shoulder. "It means our Maria is back."
Post Reply

Return to “Wrecking Crew”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 0 guests