*2*

The Flame Retchers had established their charter in the Downtown area of Vice City. They had been there for three months and they were already causing havoc amongst the other gangs of the city. In their short time, they had already built up a huge police record of turf wars, drug running, robbery, murder, fraud and kidnapping. They were an outfit that were not to be messed with. The clubhouse wasn't very big as it was housed between the VCPN and Ammunition buildings. It was a very unusual place to have a clubhouse but Vice City wasn't a big place and the gang were not very choosy either.

Outside the main entrance, the pavement was swarming with parked Angel and Streetfighter bikes. The bikers had returned from the docks with the stolen weapons. The next thing on their agenda was to think about using them. The place seemed clean and tidy on the outside, but the atmosphere was totally different on the inside. The biker leader referred to it as Satan's playground.

Inside, Smoke filled the air along with the stench of booze, sweat, blood and vomit. The walls were stained with blood and vomit from previous drunken party's and bar room brawls. V-Rock played in the main bar as it always did and broken glass fragments lay across the tables and floor. The bikers had gathered in the room behind the bar. It was their conference room, a place where the club would take votes on what to do with their operations and business runs.

The president of the club was none other than Gary Nomad, an ex-convict and drug baron who was born and raised in San Andreas. He formed the club along with his vice president Herman Scully. The two of them had been child hood friends and partners in crime. The stolen guns were scattered across the table as each biker member studied the military hardware closely. Gary knew that he had to careful as not only were the Vercetti's going to be looking for them but the VCPD as well.

"Ok boys, we did a really go job here." He said as he brought the meeting into session. "The plan went off without a hitch but now we've think about protecting our arses from the feds and the Vercetti's. They'll be looking for their Merchandise real soon and we need to move these guns to a safe zone. Any suggestions?"

"I say that we should these guns to our advantage." A biker replied as he brandished a cobra pistol in the air. "With these beauties we can destroy the law enforcement in this town and take control of Vice City. We have the power now, Pres."

"Oh and what weed have you been smoking?" Gary's voice deepened. "We can't use these. We're just a small charter who are looking to expand business. Vice City is full of corrupt cops, foreign gangs, shysters the works. We can't just take them all head on. We need to work our way to the top."

"Yes but that's what every other gang would expect us to do." The biker retaliated. "We need to hit them hard and hit them where it hurts. They won't expect us to attack so soon. We could permanently cripple the empires out there."

"And what. Get ourselves killed!" Gary barked. "Shut up and think of something useful! Has anyone else got any ideas?"

The whole room descended into silence. Gary knew that his Herman would have the solution like he always did. Turning to his Vice President, Gary asked the one question that would wrap up the whole meeting.

"What do you think, Herman?"

Herman looked back at his President and sighed heavily. He had been deep in thought since raid at the docks.

"Well there is a storage depot over in Little Haiti that we can use to our advantage." He said. "If we can make peace with the Haitians, we'll have the option of storing the guns at the junkyard over there. All it takes is a little persuading."

"Are you sure about this?" Gary replied unsure. "The Haitians have little respect for us as every other gang in the city."

"Yes but what your forgetting is that The Haitians have recently agreed to shearing their turf with the new Cholo family." Herman explained. "If we can get the Cholo's on our side then we can get the Haitians too."

"And that will mean two gangs on our list of allies." Gary interrupted as his face lit up with realisation. "We'll virtually be untouchable."

"Right. It's a long shot, but I think we can pull it off. At least we'll crush The Cubans, The Vercetti's and The Sharks that way."

"It sounds to risky to me, Herman. An act like that could get this club killed straight away, especially if the other gangs were to realise that we were just using them for their junk yard."

"What makes you think that they're going to find out? Besides Gary just trust me ok? I know what I'm talking about here. I think it's the only way forward. That or get our arses busted by the feds."

"Well it's the only solution we've got. As usual we'll have to take a vote on it brothers. Are we all in favour?"

The biker agreed to Herman's suggestion and left the room, leaving Gary and Herman alone in the meeting room.

"What's up Gary?" Herman asked out of suspicion. "You didn't seem to sure about this at first?"

"Well your idea seems a little extreme, Herman." Gary replied as he stared down at the table. "We haven't been in Vice City long and already, you're putting the club on the edge of a knife."

"Are you judging me?" Herman asked, narrowing his eyes.

"No." Gary answered bluntly. "I'm saying that you haven't opened your eyes to the other gangs yet. They are all powerful that we are at the moment. It was a risky move just stealing this stuff from under Tommy Vercetti's nose. If you can't think of a rational decision first then I'll find a man that will. Understood?"

"Crystal, pres." Herman muttered. "I'll be careful next time."

"Well you better, because if this club feels the heat, your going to be the one pulling us out of the mess." Gary warned as the sincere tone in is voice began to pick up in the room.

Herman stood there on the spot as Gary got up to leave the room. He couldn't believe what he had suggested. He had always gained support from his best friend and now he felt like he was about to stab him in the back. He knew that he had to make it up to the club some how. He knew what he had to do.

Ken Rosenberg had safely returned to the Vercetti Mansion but instead of a sigh of relief, he was greeted with an ear bashing from Tommy himself. His van was riddled with bullet holes and blood stains as he had sent his boys over to repair the vehicle. He was now in the lounge with Tommy as he sat there on the couch with a whiskey glass in one had and a couple of aspirin in the other.

He sat there dazed and confused as he watched Tommy pace up and down the room in sheer frustration. He didn't know what to do next as he focused on the pain in his head and the ringing in his ears.

"How did this happen?" Tommy grunted as he knocked back his drink. "How did you manage to lose half a shipment of guns to a small biker charter?"

"Look I don't know ok?" Ken replied. "It all happened so fast. They just turned up without warning and before we knew it, we were under fire."

"Yeah, so you keep saying." Tommy interrupted. "Well luckily for us, I was able to tell our contact about what had happened and he's agreed to help us out. He's coming here tomorrow with a few of his boys and we're going to work out a scheme on how to get our guns back."

"A scheme?" Ken growled in a blind panic. "What you're seriously planning on attacking those biker fucks! That's suicide!"

"And your forgetting one thing Ken." Tommy corrected. "Those were our guns so we're going to take back what's rightfully ours. No biker pricks are going to stand in the way of our business. You need to chill out. Maybe take a vacation."

"I was meant to be on vacation right now remember?" Ken snapped, jumping from his seat. "You cancelled my flight to Barcelona and got me to do your dirty work!"

"Well after your failure at completing a simple task, I'm thinking of firing you!" Tommy retaliated, slamming his fist down on the bar. "But luckily for you, I'm not going to do that. Instead I'm going to hire outside help."

"Oh right yeah. Lets hire Phil Cassidy, that drunken crazy gun nut!" Ken said cockily. "Yeah that'll really solve the situation."

"I'm not going to call Phil you idiot." Tommy replied. "I'm going to call in an old friend of mine from Liberty City. He kind of owes me a favour ever since I saved his life over there."

"Just how many old friends do you have?" Ken scoffed. "The way you've been over the last year, I'm surprised you have friends at all?"

"His name is Jacob Scarlosa. He's a family friend of mine and much more of a friend than you." Tommy said as he pointed at Ken. "I saved his life back in 1979 when he was involved in a mugging from the cartel at the time. Ever since then he's owed me a favour, but he never got to do that favour when Sonny Forelli carted my arse over here. Now's the time to give that old son of a bitch a call."

"Wait you actually saved someone?" Ken scoffed even more. "So there is a heart in that empty shell of a body after all."

"If you don't shut up, I'll kill you so help me lord!" Tommy growled as he picked up the phone one again and began to dial. "Get out of here!"

But Ken refused to leave the room. He had had enough of the way Tommy was treating him. After the amount of times that he had bailed his companions from jail and the times that he did favours, he still wasn't gaining any respect. Stress had gotten the better of him and he was now on the edge of putting a gun to the billionaires' head. He stood there in the entrance and tried to keep his wits about him as he watched Tommy pace up and down the room while talking on the phone.

"Hey Jacob? Jacob Scarlosa? It's Tommy Vercetti. Tommy Vercetti! You know, the guy who save your live back in '79? That's right. Your partner in crime. Yeah I've been good thanks. Listen, remember that favour that you owe me? Well it's time you that you came over here and did that favour. I need your help man. badly. "

Ken then studied the rapid changes in expression on Tommy's face. Whoever was on the other end of the phone was buying it. Maybe this Scarlosa guy had no idea that Tommy was a criminal emperor. All he knew was that Tommy sure wasn't going to be same person that was to him back in 1979.

"Well man just come over to Vice City." Tommy continued. "Yeah. I'll book the first flight right away and I'll see to it that your on it. Yeah. I'll even pick you up from the airport myself. I really need you to help me out Jacob. I know it's been years but I need your expertise once again to help me out with something big. No it's not to do with Sonny Forelli. Yeah I promise you. Ok then man. Thanks. See you soon. Adios."

Tommy set the phone down and a brief but silent chuckle came out of his mouth. He then looked over to Ken and replaced the chuckle with a frown followed by a brief grunt.

"You still here?" he moaned.