"Saints, sinners and salvation"
By
Andreas Blom
Based on the videogame Mafia II and Mafia III
(Spoilers from both games endings ahead, be advised)
Starring:
(In order of appearance)
Leo Galante – Head of the commission
Leo's crew
Lincoln Clay – Saint
Joe Barbaro – Sinner
Vito Scaletta – The kid
Disclaimer:
This is a work of fiction and should therefore not (even though this should have totally been the official ending to the official game) be considered the official ending. All of the brands, characters and sites in this work is property of respective owners at 2K Chzech Hangar 13. Ha, now you can't sue me.
The following takes places back to back with the next to last story mission in Mafia III.
Part I: "Redemption"
Empire Bay, 1968.
"He's going to do WHAT?"
"I…, I really don't know, boss. But it seems like it. Figures he'll gonna be hitting him any day now."
"Well…", he closed his eyes while scratching his forehead. "I guess I'm going to have to go down there and settle this myself then."
"Where will you be staying?"
"We do have the Presidential suite at The Royal Hotel, it would not be that hard to book it."
"I'll see to it."
"Then it's settled. I just have to take care of some business down here before heading out. But I will be down as soon as possible because, Lord forbid, Sal might be eating his last meal as we speak."
He hang up and leaned back in the brown leather chair. Went through the situation in his head, analyzing the possible outcomes. He didn't really have a problem with Sal being retired, he was about the right age anyway. No, the real problem was what could happen next. Leo Galante rose from his chair, feeling the old bones, and walked over to the bar where he kept his whiskey. Poured himself a glass from the Humphrey bottle and continued out on the balcony where he remained, looking out over the hills of Empire Bay.
"Fucking Chirst", he thought while emptying the glass.
"You better know what you're getting into, Lincoln Clay."
He walked back inside.
New Bordeaux, 1968.
The sound of the gunshot echoed in the yet to be completed office, as the body of Sal Marcano thrusted itself against the back of the chair. Lincoln looked at the blood coming from Sal's head, before gazing out of the panoramic windows. Ever since Sammy and Ellis where killed by the man, now dead behind him, all he had done was plotting redemption. Working methodically, taking over one establishment after another until Sam couldn't do anything else but step into the light. When he made a stand, it all came to an end. This had been that stand. And this was that end. It was over. All he had to do now was to meet with Donovan and Father James, especially Father James. On the way down he thought about how he had treated the padre during all of this. For a man who had taken him in in a time when he needed it the most and for someone who had put his own business aside just to help him – not very good. The good thing was that making up would be a hell of a lot easier now when he didn't have to look over his shoulder every five seconds. He ruled New Bordeaux.
As he exited through the doors of the casino he saw a limousine parked in the middle of the street, along with two black two-doors. When he approached a group of men emerged from the vehicles. All with guns on display. Lincoln slowly put his hand in under his jacket, where he kept the combat knife from 'Nam.
"Mr. Clay?", one of the men asked.
"That's me.", he answered, while quietly calculating the procedure for killing all of them.
"You packing, boy?"
The driver of the limo looked at him, but not with the disgust that Lincoln had seen to many times in the faces of whites. A smile that somehow implied trust.
"We have someone who would like to talk to you.", he continued while opening the rear door.
An old man stepped out of the car. Dressed in a black three pieced suit, a n indigo blue bowtie and a sharp haircut - It could only be one at this time and place. Leo Galante. Head of the so called Comission. And by that, the Godfather.
"You know who I am?", the man asked while staring calmly into his eyes.
"I take it your Leo, Leo Galante?", Lincoln answered.
"Yes. And I have a proposition for you. Let's take a walk."
"So how did it go? If you don't mind me asking?"
Lego sat back in the seat of the limo and leaned his head against the headrest, while silently arguing with himself. The nigger seemed alright after all. Calm, rational, maybe even fucking smart. He'd agreed to pay him 20% in exchange for turning New Bordeaux into whatever he wanted. And from the gut, he would most likely make good on his word.
"Fine.", Leo answered.
"So now the blackie works for you, huh?"
"Yes. At least until the fucks up."
"You think he gonna double-cross?"
He glanced out the window, against the enormous man standing on the other side of the street, looking back at him.
"Actually, I don't. Now get us out of here, will you?"
"Right away, boss."
"One more thing Joe."
"What's that?"
"I think you should stop over at Benny's Ristorante, in River Row."
Leo hadn't said a word since they left the casino, and when Joe pulled up in front of the dump that once might have been some kind of lowlife hotspot for hungry fishermen, his boss leaned forward in his seat.
"Joe, you know of this place?"
"Nope, never heard of it, haven't had the time to see this city yet."
"Well, on the upper floor is someone who's spent the last decade looking for you."
"Had a couple, eh? How do you feel?"
The line echoed in Joes mind, like a call from the past.
"Vito…", he mumbled while reaching for the door's handle.
"Go on ahead, I will join you shortly.", Leo said behind him.
As Joe made his way up the stairs, careful not to be seen through the windows, he thought of the last time he saw his childhood friend. They had fucked up back in '51, and as a result of that, he had skipped town the same year. Funny thing was that the very same man that now was his boss, had been the one to sign his death warrant. Thing was, he and Vito had, by killing off a bunch of the Chinese mafia, started a war between the Chinese and every family in Empire Bay. Didn't take them long before finding out it that it was Joe and Vito who were the ones responsible. Vito saved his skin by killing the cocksucker Carlo Falcone while Joe had…, a bit more of a challenge getting squared. A move that most likely would have cost him his life.
Last step and he was up. Walked along the walkway to the door in the far corner of the house.
"Fucked up back in '51… That's over fifteen years ago... Holy Christ."
Not knowing how his appearance would be taken he turned the doorknob and pushed it open.
"So he's gone, Lincoln?"
Hearing his voice after all these years, Joe felt a thunderbolt ram through him. He felt a sudden urge to run in and hug him, but resisted. Instead he walked up to the open doorway that, presumably led into Vito, and took a deep breath.
"Linco…"
Vito walked out from his office and when he saw Joe, choked on his words. He looked as if he had seen a ghost. For the duration of a splitsecond Joe eyeballed Vito. Slightly taller, much older and a little more worn-looking but under the ashgray-colored fedora, it was still the same old Vito as always.
"Fuck me sideways…", Vito whispered at the same time as he jumped against him and screamed:
"JOE!"
He hugged him and nearly punched him on the back, so hard that Joe had to grasp for air.
"Vito. Damn man, good catching up, eh?", he said.
"Yeah. It's been a while. Come in, come in."
He led Joe into the room behind him which must've been his office.
"Have a seat.", Vito said while picking up a knocked downed chair from the floor. "Scotch?"
"Fuck yeah.", Joe replied and saw Leo passing by the window.
Fuck. What if this was a setup? What if Leo was going to confront Vito about the business back in Empire Bay? Get both of them in the same room and after the sermon he'd whack them both?
"Vito, there's something I need to tell you…", he stuttered.
"What, Joe?"
Vito gave him a glass of goldtainted liquor, which he accepted with a shaking hand.
"I have someone else with me, and chances are you won't like him."
The door opened and he saw the look in Vito's eyes.
"Really?", he said while opening a drawer behind his desk, out of Joe's sight.
"I have a way of welcoming unwanted quests", he continued. A clicking noise sounded. Unmistakable if you ever had been to Chicago, or any other criminal populated town for that matter.
He rested his right hand on the table, holding a gun in it. That was when Leo stepped into the room.
"YOU!", Vito screamed as Leo looked at him. "I should shoot you right now you fucking backstabbing cocksucking dipshit!"
"Vito, calm the fuck down!", Joe clumsily fumbled his way to Vito and put a hand on the gun, pushing it down. "If it wasn't for Leo I'd not only be presumed dead, I would be dead."
"I think it is high time for us to talk about this, kid. Pour me a drink will you?", said Leo as he sat down on a chair.
Vito slowly lowered his gun, and when it lay flat on the desk he stood up and turned the back against them, facing the liquor cabinet.
"Threatens me, makes me think my best friend is dead and then send me down here to work for Sal-fuckin-Marcano…, and after fifteen years of complete fuckin silence except for business, still calls me kid.", he muttered.
"This must be very confusing for you Vito. But look at it from the bright side, your friend is alive and well, and now your boss and I are working together. Which means, as long as things goes smoothly, everything about the things you did back in Empire Bay is forgotten. But lets clarify why and how.", Leo said.
Vito gave the man his drink and then sunk down in his chair, still with a worried smile on his face.
"I can appreciate the fact that you want me dead, Vito, I truly do. After all, I issued the kill order for your friend here."
"You better start talking old man, before I really do kill you."
"If you do, the whole commission will be coming for you."
"Fuck the commission, you saw what Lincoln did to Sal, I recon the commission wouldn't pose a greater threat."
"Do you know why I issued Joe's kill order?"
Leo took a sip of his whiskey.
"Good scotch…", he added.
"Because of all that business with the chinks. That Joe's death was required in order to make it right."
"Because of Carlo. He was planning on going into the drug business and Frank, God rest his soul, didn't approve of that. So Carlo figured, by having me killed he could cripple Frank and in doing that he could start selling the dope. Freely. You understand where I am getting at?"
"Go on, old man."
"The real reason was that Carlo wanted monopoly on the dope business, and Henry dealing with the tongs, as you could see, was a problem. He was a part of the Vinci and therefore competition. Therefore he, and everyone else associated with Vinci, had to go."
Vito nodded slowly, as if he realized where this was going.
"But when the tongs took care of Henry, I was second to none. After Vinci of course."
"Okay, okay…, I get it. Carlo wanted to ice all of you to get the dope all for himself. Then me and Joe also had to go because we started the war between you and the chinks. And vouching for a fucking rat. Question here is, how come Joe is still alive? Much less works for you?"
Vito put the gun back in the drawer.
"After you killed Carlo Joe was sent to his presumed grave…, I arranged for a sting on the rest of the Falcone guys still interested in going into the dope business. In doing that I stopped the dealing of dope in Empire Bay, doing right by Frank, and made sure that every potential revenger of Carlo was locked up until Kingdom come. So that I wouldn't have to worry about looking over my shoulder for the rest of my life. And once all that was done, could live out the rest of my days in Lost Heaven, sitting on that beach while sipping on that drink with one of them umbrellas in them."
"But your retirement didn't last long", Vito waved his own glass around the room. "figuring since both of you are here now."
"Eddie was charged with intention to sell, evidence provided by a contact in the EBPD, and thanks to some other details, sentenced to life. He departed for Hartmann less than three months after you left Vito. Of course, I had also arranged for a little fun in the shower once he arrived. A nice little party for all of the Falcone's arriving at Hartmann… Years passed and I didn't hear anything from either my guys or the warden. Then, one day, all of a sudden I get a phone call. From Pepé. Saying that Eddie is out of prison and, of course, knows exactly where I am. He'd paid off the welcoming party, the guards and the warden, which explained the silence. Either way Eddie was now on his way to Lost Heaven. I think you know why."
"To kill you, I would have done the same for selling out Joe."
Vito's eyes widened.
"It's not about selling out, Vito. It was strictly business. Hell, I though you would've learned that by now."
"Mind if I take over from here, Leo?"
"Sure, Joe."
"So Vito, you've already guessed it by now but Eddie wanted Leo dead for a bunch of reasons. Killing Falcone was the least of them. Eddie liked me, he did. So for attempting to kill me, yes. But also for letting you lose Vito. After you killed Falcone. On Leo's orders. So both for trying to have me killed, and ordering Carlo's death. Not to mention the ticket for his little vacation. That's where I get in. I had a longtime friend hanging around Hartmann as well. Remember old man Pescatore, Vito?"
"Yupp. Crazy old weirdo. Had a grandkid who was a little too into movies?", Vito responded.
"Your memory hasn't molded. Turns out this grandkid got himself into a little hobby when he left for Los Angeles, back 1944, and hit it big. Broads, booze, pussy, cars and all the dope a man could ask for. Perks of being a movie star. Anyway, one night he's at a party and, stupid fuck, waltzes right into this broad who he tries to…, you know…"
Vito nodded and let out an easy laugh. It sounded like a hiss.
"This broad just happens to be the secretary working for the FBI. And when he's offering her a line o' white she leaves. The next morning the feds knocks in his door, his teeth and his freedom. Landed a 20 year stretch at San Quentin but got transferred to Hartmann for selling dope on the inside. The suits said it made everyone in there go crazy. So when he got to Hartmann I found out about it, and got in touch. His movie carrier got fucked the very same second he got locked up, so when he got to Hartmann Carlo's guys quickly took an interest in him. Knowing the dope business and having some inside connections. Long story short, he started working for them in exchange for the fortune that awaited when he got out, sentence cut short obviously. He overheard Eddie talking about his plans and gave me a call, for old times sake."
Vito, who had been sitting quiet while both Leo and Joe had talked, chipped with his eyes and took another sip of his whiskey before reaching for the bottle that he had left on the table.
"This is really fucking confusing, and will you please get to the point, already?"
The sound of the pouring liquor filled the room.
"I just want you…, fill me up please?", Joe held out his glass. "Leo?"
"Enough for me."
"Like I said.", Joe adjusted himself on the chair, making it squeak. "I just wanted to give you the whole picture. I thought that maybe if I rescued Leo from his certain death he'd forgive me. And if not, at least I would go out doing something good. Well, relatively good. So I hauled ass for Lost Heaven. I had escaped Empire Bay to Chicago, where I was working for Al Capone."
"Really?", Vito chuckled.
"Of course not you knucklehead, he died in 1947. But for people related to him. Swear on my mothers grave."
"So, how did it all end?"
"I managed to figure out Eddie's plan, or where he would be staying. I could just go to the hotel and whack him, but that wouldn't sit well with my whole redemption thing. So I followed Eddie on his way to Leo's place... When Eddie entered Leo's house, yelling his name like crazy, I made my move. Leo showed up and Eddie began his speech. Fuck this, fuck that… Fucked over this and fucked over that… Just as he was about to pull the trigger I stepped in and without a doubt, put one in the back of that oiled head of his."
"And I assume this saved your own life?", Vito glanced at Leo.
"More or less. After nearly getting my own head blown off, since Leo spec'ted me of being one of Eddie's crew, I told him the same thing that we've just told you. We both agreed that the only way for me to stay alive, was if I came working for Leo here. Otherwise I would only paint a bigger picture on the wanted posters for wasting another one of Carlo's former lovers."
"And since that day, which by the way was back in '59, Joe has worked for me. Frank, as you might know, died in his home a year later. I took over as Don and since Joe had cleaned up his act, doing right by me, I made him my consigliere…"
"Don Leo Galante…", Vito whistled softly. "I'll be damned."
"Which leaves me to why I'm really here, Vito.", Leo continued.
"You see, with you and Joe reunited I am hoping that we all could come to some sort of an agreement."
"Agreement?"
Vito glanced at him, having no idea what was about to happen next.
"Either you're in Vito, or you die.", Joe said while pulling out the gun that he had been keeping on the inside of his suit. Pointing it directly at Vito.