19 year old Maria Vercetti had only ducked into the bank to escape the storm… she hadn't been expected to be hit over the head and knocked to the ground.
"Jesus Christ, C!" Michael exclaimed.
"What? No witnesses, M…" Carter explained.
"Fuck my life…" Maria muttered as she cradled the back of her head, Trevor eying her as her black cut out mini dress was stuck to her tiny frame.
"I'd rather fuck you til my life ends!" Trevor says with a smirk, Carter glaring at him.
"You're so disgusting, T." Carter said.
"What?! She looks legal!" Trevor says.
"Ain't we got something to do besides eying young ladies like her?" Carter asked.
Trevor pointed the shotgun at the clerk, who filled the bag with cash.
'Fuck, Tommy's gonna be pissed about this!' Maria thought, Trevor pulling his mask off.
"How do the locals stand this humidity?!" Trevor growls.
"Asshole, what the fuck are you doing?" Carter asked.
"Trying to breathe, damn it-" Trevor shouts, yelling out in pain as a loud bang echoed. He fell, Michael and Brad running to him as Carter looked around for the weapon.
Clutched in Maria's hands as she stood before him was the Colt Python that Tommy kept with him, Carter looking at her in rage.
"You little bitch!" Carter hissed, aiming his assault rifle at her. "You want a ticket to heaven?"
"Heaven wouldn't take me after the hell I've caused!" Maria growled after kicking Carter between his legs. "And don't you ever hit me again!"
"Fuck the money!" Michael says, grabbing Maria as Carter and Brad helped Trevor up. The two were tossed in the getaway Kumura and Brad sped off, Carter grabbing Maria by her jaw.
"Listen to me, you pancake bitch!" Carter hissed. "You better not say one word or else things will happen to you, understand?"
"You're fucking with the wrong person… you realise that?" Maria says, her Italian accent sharp as a bell and Brad's eyes widening.
"Fuck, we grabbed the sister of a mob boss!" Brad yelled.
Carter pulled out the duct tape before his eyes widened. "What did you fuckin' say?"
"That's Maria Vercetti! She's Tommy Vercetti's sister and Tommy was sent away for 15 years after the Hardwood Massacre in 1971!" Brad says, Carter taping Maria's mouth shut but he was shaken by what Brad had said.
"Well fuck, what do we do now?" Carter asked, looking at Maria.
The response was muffled as he taped her wrists together but she pointed to a condo when they reached Ocean Beach, indicating a place to lie low.
"I… guess we'll go there." Carter suggested.
Michael stopped the car, him and Brad helping Trevor into the house and Carter dragging Maria in as well… but he also noticed some aged scars on the side of her head that looked like someone had taken a knife or syringe to it.
Judging from the aged appearance, Carter guessed that Maria was 12, 13 at the oldest when this happened to her.
"I would ask what happened to you but you're our hostage, little pancake." Carter said.
"Stop calling me little pancake, asshole!" Maria yelled from under the tape.
"Yeah, look at how nicely she fills out that dress!" Trevor said through the pain.
"I'm not interested in this pancake bitch." Carter hissed. "You should be glad to be alive while keeping your Johnson in your pants. Fucking revealing yourself, idiot!"
Brad dragged Trevor into the nearest room, finding a set of tongs after Michael ripped the tape off of Maria.
"There's whiskey in the freezer, he's gonna need it." Maria says, Michael nodding and looking at Carter.
'Past abuse.' Michael mouthed before disappearing with the whiskey, Carter seeing a scar on the left side of Maria's chest where her heart is.
"Wow, pancake, you have so many scars on ya." Carter stated.
"Yeah… fucked up life." Maria says, Carter seeing another scar but this one was on Maria's upper back. "Uh, why are you examining me like this?"
"Just watching over you since we have to take you hostage…" Carter said, Maria seeing a faint scar on his left cheek.
'Either a fight or on the job hazard…' Maria thought, turning when Carter looked away and seeing Ken across the street. 'Run, find Tommy!' She mouthed, Ken doing so and both hearing Trevor scream in agony.
"Fuck you, Michael!" Trevor yells.
"Yeah, you wish." Michael says, tossing the bullet aside.
"You three are gonna make me throw up in here with pancake bitch!" Carter shouted.
"Where in the fuck's name did you find the crazy one?" Maria asked.
"You calling me crazy, cupcake?" Carter asked, standing in front of her.
"Not you, your friend who's got a rager going on in his pants!" Maria says, Carter sitting down.
"I don't know, ask him. I met him and the crazy one a long time ago." Carter said, calming down and pointing to Michael.
"Crazy doesn't even begin to describe Trevor, kid." Michael says.
"I can see that. And I'm 19, I'm not a kid… I haven't been one for a long time." Maria says.
"Well, I'm sorry to hear about that…" Carter said.
"Liberty City damn near tore my soul up… and my sanity…" Maria says, her dark brown eyes a startling contrast to her light brown hair.
"I'm still sorry to hear about that... but ain't you supposed to be quiet? Or you wanna be taped up again?" Carter asked. "I had a rough day so far… along with the three idiots."
Maria nodded, settling back against the armrest. Carter checked on Trevor, who was half conscious.
"Got to give her credit, she's a damn good shot." Trevor says drunkenly.
"She's alright for a feisty lady." Carter said, crossing his arms.
Trevor was stitched up… and when Carter eventually checked on Maria after hearing a soft thump, he found her asleep and somehow having fallen onto the carpet.
"But… she looks kinda cute like that…" Carter said to himself, shaking his head. 'What in the good hell I'm talking about? I'm falling for a hostage?! Hell no!'
Carter lifted her and placed her into the other bedroom so she'll lie there peacefully... she looked like she needed more than just a nap though.
The room had pictures nearby, Carter picking one up of Maria and Lance. At the oldest in it, Maria looked 14 and had a smile… but her eyes weren't smiling. The look in them was one that asked "Do you see past my bruises, scars and cuts and see who I am?".
"There's something up with her… and I can see it…" Carter whispered, looking back at Maria who was still asleep.
