Niko Bellic lay on his bed in his quarters. Back in his homeland they never had comfort this great. The American dream his cousin had ranted about had finally began to unfold. Niko didn't want to get up due to the never ending comfort. But he had things to do, he had to meet Roman at the Liberty City port. Niko leaned up and shifted his legs off the side of the bed. Niko sat at the edge of the bed and started to think to himself for awhile before getting up and rounding up his belongings. Niko didn't have much personal items. He did have his brown, zip up jacket left un-zipped over top of a white and beige shirt. Below, he wore black track pants. They were dirty and stain ridden. He also had his cell phone that was almost completely basic. Niko put his jacket on, and grabbed his cell phone from the table. He jammed the cell phone in his pocket and walked out the door. He went to pick up his friend from his room a couple doors down the hallway. When he arrived at the door, there was no answer. Just screaming and mumbles and something cackling through the air thrown with force. It sounded almost like a whip. "Dave, come on" Niko said awkwardly. There was no answer. Niko knocked again before seeing the boat operator come at the end of the hallway. "Niko, what are you doing"? He said. Niko replied, "Dave, he's not coming" Niko said while holding out his arm at the door frustratedly. The boat operator made a gesture with his hand signaling Niko to come with him. "Ah, ignore him. We got to get this thing ready before the dock. Let's go". Niko jogged up to the operator and they walked outside.
They walked outside onto the bow of the boat, and the crisp, fresh air hit them like a brick. The boats air inside the living quarters was dirty, musty, and it stunk like mold. But Niko wasn't complaining. It was about a million times better than his homeland. The boat operator climbed up a series of ladders, Niko falling close behind him. They reached the top of the ladders and walked up to the guard rail. The boat operator leaned on it as Niko stood on the spot. "Whooh yeah! There she is... Liberty city"! said the boat operator as he almost cried with joy. Niko wasn't nearly as enthusiastic. He replied with a simple "Yeah". The boat operator asked Niko a question. "You ever been"? Niko looked around. "No" he replied. The boat operator had a look of excitement on his face as he lifted up his arms and did gestures mid-air. "Crazy place Niko! You're going to love it"! he cried. Niko looked over his shoulder at the boat operator. "What you going to do"? The boat operator looked back at Niko. "I might come back on board... Or I might try to make a go of it. Like they say, it's the land of opportunity. I always wanted to make it big. Own a nice place, get a dog, a house.. Live the dream"! said the boat operator while fantasizing. Niko volunteered to speak this time, which was weird considering Niko never talked unless talked to. He was partially afraid of people making fun of his accent, and noticing he was an immigrant. "Like my cousin" said Niko. "Oh yeah?" Replied the boat operator, shortly cut off by Niko bragging about his cousin. "Yes- He's got the lot. The house, women, cars, parties. Yeah, he writes me these wild emails, and after I got in trouble, I thought maybe uh... And then I got this gig, and I spend the next seven months with you fine people and I forget.." Niko explained. The boat operator walked beside Niko as they talked, and listened to Niko's every word as he was very interested.
"After the war finished, I couldn't get a job. Nobody could.. So I, uh, did some dumb things and got involved with some idiots.." Niko explained his origins to the boat operator. The boat operator looked at Niko, put his hand on his shoulder and comforted him. "Ahh, we all do dumb things. That's what makes us human". The boat operator patted Niko on the back and went to walk away. Niko mumbled out a few words. "Could be" before heading off of the boat. Niko walked down the ramp that was joining the boat to the dock, thinking to himself. He wondered where Roman his cousin would be. Niko reached the bottom of the ramp, and as soon as his foot hit the cement of the dock he was swarmed with people walking around him. Niko stood on the spot until an unsuspected hit came in contact with the back of his left arm. Someone had bumped into him. He looked over his left shoulder. "Hey.." Niko said to the man. The man looked at Niko weirdly and walked away, stumbling with his luggage in his hand. Niko just stood there awkwardly and wait. He put his hands on his hips. It was a beautiful night. Not too hot, but warm. With a nice breeze. The stars were out and shining as bright as ever, complimenting the beautifully bright, shining moon that illuminated light over water and things around him. A car came driving through the road, swerving around. The car hit a couple boxes that fell over, spilling it's contents onto the cold concrete ground. The car swerved and jerked around on the dock, almost hitting Niko. Niko shifted out of the way. As Niko caught his breath he looked up to see the car window roll down to expose a familiar face. It was his cousin, Roman. "Niko! My cousin! I can't believe it! You're here!" Roman said, with a drunk like slur within his voice as he opened the car door and lunged out towards Niko. "Hey!" said Niko awkwardly as Roman moved in for a hug. "Welcome to America!" Said Roman. "Good, vilats ah you!" Said Niko in his homeland language. Roman looked at Niko and raised an eyebrow. "What?" Mumbled Roman. Niko got slightly aggrivated. "Uh Roman, it means good to see you man. What, you forget our language already?" Roman looked at Niko and said some jibberish trying to remember the language. "Maybe a little! I've been here for ten years! You can speak English. Remember, we learned off the English girls with the big titties!" Said Roman.
Niko looked at Roman. He was obviously drunk. He could barely stand up. He had to lean against Niko as they walked to put his luggage in the trunk. While walking over to the trunk, Roman splurted out random sentences. He was so drunk it was hard to concentrate his thoughts on one thing. "Good to see you cousin! Can't believe you made it! Last night was crazy! Two women at once, the land of opportunity!" Roman said as he pulled out a 40 Oz of liquor and started draining it down his throat. "Woah!" Said Niko, alarmed he was still drinking. Romans eyes widened at Niko. "Shit, man, I'm still a touch drunk" said Roman. Niko replied jokefully. "A touch?" They both started laughing. "My cousin is here!" Roman screamed out in the middle of the deserted dock. "Roman, Roman, relax! Relax!" said Niko as Roman was still screaming out things like "We're going to rule the world". Two construction workers appeared from behind a box on the dock. "Yeah, yeah, whatever buddy. Just take over the god damn world someplace else, okay?" the construction worker rasped. Roman talked blurted out random things pissing off the construction workers. "Yeah, yeah. What ever!" Roman screamed. The construction workers replied. "You're in the god damn way!". The construction workers had a look of anger on their faces. "Screw you! Screw you all, my cousin is here! Niko Bellic! He's the fucking man, bitches!" yelled Roman. The construction workers didn't pay attention, and moved the box in the other direction of these two immigrants Roman and Niko. Niko grasped Romans shoulder and pulled him back. "Okay Roman, let's go... To your Mansion, okay?" said Niko as enthusiastically as possible. "Yes! The mansion! Yeah!" Yelled Roman like a roaring drunk as he almost fell. "Maybe you should drive" said Roman. Niko replied half laughing. "Well maybe I should". Niko walked towards the drivers side door and opened it, then threw all his weight in the drivers seat. Roman followed. "Hey, why do you have a cab? Where's the sports car like you said Roman?" Asked Niko. Roman looked at Niko. "Uh, it's in the shop! Come on, let's get home!" Niko reached for his seatbelt and put it on. He adjusted his mirrors to his viewing preference and started to drive.
Niko drove up the winding road leading to a road he had to merge on. "Go right" Roman said. Niko waited for traffic until merging, and continued up the road. "Drive us to our place on Mohawk, it's just up the road. I'll let you know when we're there. Niko got to the end of the road before he spoke. "Why don't you show me around the city Roman?" Roman looked at Niko. "Fucking terrorists". Niko had a puzzled look on his face and shifted his attention to Roman. "What?" Roman replied with sorrow and drunkness. "Terrorists. There's been a big scare and you can't go across the bridges so good. I would stay in Broker. Fuck it, stay in Hove Beach! Everyone like us does. Niko was turning a sharp corner while Roman distracted him. "Niko, you ever had two women at once? Four, big titties to play with!" Roman bragged. Niko replied plainly. "Can't say that I have Roman". Roman looked at Niko. "Cousin, it's been too long. Look to your right. It's my cab business! This is the business that will take us to the top of the pile!" Niko looked quickly. "Nice Roman. Very nice". Roman laughed and leaned back in his seat. "Ah cousin. You should have come out sooner. Think of all the girls you've been missing out on!" Said Roman. They turned the corner, almost colliding into another car. Niko gave the driver the finger. "Our country has women too Roman". Clueless of the situation due to being so drunk, Roman continued on rambling. "Yes, but only locals! Here we have white, black, Puerto Ricans, and the Asians. And Europeans on vacation.. Scared Canadians, bored housewives from the west, every possible choice! This city is like a big Udder Milken ice cream shop; 36 flavors of titty!" Roman ranted while Niko rolled his eyes at how inconsiderate he was being. Niko looked up at a road sign. They were on a road adjacent to sand. A very nice sandy beach that led into deep, cold, blue water. The road sign read; "Hove Beach". Niko looked at Roman and spoke up. "Hove Beach. Next to the docks.. What a charming image". Roman looked at Niko nervously and awkwardly smiled. Niko didn't notice. Niko drove up the side of the street until Roman told him to pull over. Niko looked on the pavement on the side of the road. "Residential parking only" was painted in yellow. Niko pulled over into the yellow instructional pavement, and stopped the car.
Niko pulled the key out of the ignition and looked at Roman who was uncomfortably shifting in his seat. "Roman, THIS is the mansion?" Said Niko, in an upsetting tone. Roman chuckled awkwardly. "Just a temporary place.. The mansion is coming, cousin. That's the dream.. Follow me" said Roman as he quickly jumped out of the car before Niko could react, and drunkly stumbling to the red door of his home. Niko followed behind him. They jogged up the flight of stairs, or Niko carried Roman up rather, and stood by the blue door to Roman's home. Roman fumbled around in his pocket for the keys. He took them out and forced them into the key slot in the door, and twisted them. A metallic sound came from the locking mechanism, and the door swung forward. When it opened, Niko's jaw almost dropped, and not in a good way. Mold was clinging off of the walls, dirt was everywhere, muddy foot prints were all over the floor, dishes everywhere. It was a mess. It was a small, two room apartment. The bedroom being as big as a closet. When Niko walked in, straight ahead a couch caught his attention, it was a pull out bed. To the right of the bed was a table with a T.V. To the left, a Kitchen, and a door leading to Roman's very, very small bedroom. Roman threw down Niko's luggage on the floor while stumbling back towards the kitchen counter. "Come in, come in! Make yourself at home! What's mine, is yours!" said Roman, oddly excited. Roman went to go forward to the couch but stumbled before his destination and fell back and leaned against the wall. He mumbled some random noises before talking. "Gah, damn it! We're uh, a little infected with pests" Said Roman as he lifted a flattened cockroach corpse off of his shoe. Niko looked at him in disgust. " Oh shit, oh that's not nice.." Said Roman as he looked at the residue on his shoe before putting his leg back down. "Cousin, it's so good to see you!" Said Roman, chuckling once again. "So!" Said Roman. Niko replied very quickly and angrily. "So.." said Niko. "So." said Roman in a voice trying to retalliate against Niko. "So, are you full of crap or what?" Said Niko. "What?" Whined Roman as he raised his hands in the air. Niko sighed. "Where's the luxery condo? Amazing sports car? Where's Barbara with big titties, and Stephanie that sucks like a vacuum?" Asked Niko. Roman just looked at the ceiling and raised his hands in question once again. "What are you talking about?" Said Roman.
"In the god damn letters to me! All I hear about is Mr. Big! Mr. Roman! Living the American dream! Sports cars, condo's, women, money, the beach!.. Opportunity! I come here, and the only thing big about your life are the cockroaches!" said Niko angrily as he paced around the room, pacing back and forth around the pull out bed Roman now laid on, like a shark circling in the water around it's victim. "That's right! I've got the best cockroaches, I've got the best dirt, I've got"- Niko cut off Roman in the middle of his sentence by sarcastically laughing. "Screw you, you god damn idiot!" Screamed Niko. Niko snapped at Roman like an elastic band pulled too far. Roman threw his feet off of the edge of the bed. "Okay, I'm an idiot! But you must admit that I have the best line in bullshit you've ever heard" said Roman as he leaned his elbow on his knee. Niko looked at Roman and squinted. "Yeah.. This I know, asshole." Said Niko angrily. Roman looked at Niko. "What about you. Yeah, what about you cousin. You never tell me anything. I hear you're running with the wrong kind. Join the exotic navy, tell me why you left home after all of this Niko. Niko looked at Roman. "No, of course I never tell you anything. Another time I'll tell". Roman looked at Niko and squinted his eyes and proceeded to mock Niko in a teasing voice. "Oooh, mystery man. What happened, did your captain make you pregnant?" Niko immediately turned around and snapped at Roman. "Screw you! No no, it's nothing like that! The ships were fine.. It was before that. Two things." Roman and Niko both sat down at the kitchen table. Niko continued to tell of his past. "You remember, during the war. We did some bad things. And bad things happened to us. War, is where the young and stupid are tricked by the old and bitter into killing each other. I was... Very young.. And uh, very angry.. Maybe that is no excuse.. Roman?" Niko looked over his shoulder at Roman who had his head down looking at his legs. He was asleep. "ROMAN!" Niko yelled as he slammed his fist down on the table. Roman jumped up in his chair startled, and stared at Niko. "Are you sleeping you fat fuck? Come on!" Ranted Niko at the same time Roman was spewing out excuses. "Huh, no, no way"! bellowed Roman. Roman got up out of his chair and looked at the clock.
"What's the time? Oh shit, I've got to get the cab back, it's on a shift" said Roman as he drank a cup of coffee sitting on the counter. He spewed out the coffee all over Niko and slammed the cup down. Niko yelled in disgust. "Aw, what the fuck.. What?" Said Niko. "Oh Jesus! Tastes like a rat shat in it!" Roman replied while spitting out on the floor. "Niko!" asked Roman. "What now Roman?" replied Niko tiredly. "I've got to run. Meet me at the cab office, you saw earlier. And cousin, I've got something for you!" said Roman as his cell phone went off. He reached into his pocket and pulled it out. He looked at the Caller I.D. "Oh damn... Damn. Damn. Damn.." Roman picked it up. "Yes.. Hello. Vlad. Sorry.. Forgive me.. No, no.. Please don't cut my cock off! Oh, okay, uh, oh" Jumbled Roman as he stumbled out the door. The door swung shut and Niko sighed. it's been a long journey. Niko walked towards the coach and laid down on top of it. He let out a sigh of relief. It felt good to lay down after that nightmare. But it wasn't over yet.
Niko fell asleep to his busy thoughts jumping around in his mind.
