"I poke my head out of the gutter for one freakin' second and fate shovels-" Ken rants after pulling the Admiral to a stop in the space between his office building and another building as winds from the impending hurricane swept through Vice City.

"Go get some sleep!" Tommy says, cutting Ken's rant short as Maria wordlessly looked out at the darkened skies.

"What are you gonna do?" Ken asks after all three got out.

"We're gonna drop by later and we'll sort this whole thing out." Tommy says, Ken quickly kissing Maria on her forehead and running into the office as Tommy and Maria got into the Admiral, Tommy driving off.

"This is gonna sound cold considering what just happened but do you know anyone who could help us out?" Tommy asks as he and Maria drove to the hotel she was staying at… but when Tommy didn't get a response, he realised that Maria's mind was replaying the shooting and screaming and that she wasn't completely there at the moment.

Or as better to say, the lights are on but no one's home.

Tommy lightly nudged Maria after stopping the car, Maria looking at him.

"When we were in Cartagena, we met someone who's been smuggling weapons and drugs since 1963. He operates out of San Andreas… I'll call him but you're breaking the news to Sonny." Maria says after the two got out and walked into the Ocean View Hotel, walking upstairs and into the room on the third floor.

The room was slightly messy and had only one bed but it was a king sized one. Tommy sat down and dialed Sonny's number after picking the phone up.

"Hello, Sonny." Tommy says as Maria stared out the window.

"Tommy! Tommy! It's been too long!" Sonny says with fake enthusiasm, Tommy letting out a heavy sigh. "I know, I know, you're just overwhelmed with emotion. 15 years… seems like only yesterday." He says.

"I guess that's the perspective thing." Tommy says, glancing at Maria.

"Hey, doing time for the family ain't no piece of cake but the family looks after it's own, okay?" Sonny says.

'Bullshit! Where were you when I needed your damn help two years ago?!' Maria thought, rolling her eyes.

"So how'd the deal go down? You and Ria sitting on some white gold?" Sonny asks.

"Look Sonny, we were set up. The deal was an ambush. Harry and Lee are dead." Tommy says.

"You better be kidding me Tommy! Tell me you still got the money!" Sonny says in disbelief.

"No, Sonny, I don't have the money!" Tommy says.

'Five, four, three, two…' Maria thought, bracing for it.

"That was my money, Tommy! MY MONEY!" Sonny yells, Maria hearing Sonny bang the phone against the table in the background before hearing Sonny stand up. "You better not be screwing with me Tommy because you know I'm not a man to be screwed with! If you've forgotten that, how about I come down there and slit Maria's throat to make my point?!" He yells, Tommy turning infuriated at the threat to Maria's life.

"You don't ever threaten my kid sister, Sonny! You hear me?! I'll get your money back and the drugs, I'll even mail you the dicks of those responsible but you lay ONE hand on Maria, YOU'LL END UP AT THE BOTTOM OF THE HUMBOLDT RIVER!" Tommy shouts, getting louder towards the end and making Maria jump.

"Hey, I already know that. You're not a fool Tommy, but I warn you, neither am I. If it was anyone else, you'd be DEAD already. But because it's you, because we've got history, I'm gonna let you handle this!" Sonny says.

"Look, Sonny, you got my word." Tommy says.

"I'll be in touch." Sonny says, the dial tone sounding and Tommy throwing the phone… it was afterwards that he noticed Maria flinching and found her behavior eerily reminiscent of how their Aunt Lucia acted when her husband, Luciano Sindacco, abused her.

But Angelo Vercetti, God rest his soul, didn't take too kindly to that. He had beaten Luciano to death to protect his baby sister… ironically, revenge didn't strike in the form of the Sindacco family but Angelo's own wife Carlotta, who had tampered with the brakes of the car and caused the crash.

She just didn't count on her then 7 year old twins Maria and Cristian to be in it too and rendered unconscious, Cristian with a concussion and Maria with a fractured skull.

When Maria had woken up three days later, Cristian had broken the news that Maria had known when she didn't see Angelo there.

Tommy tried to ask Maria just who had been hurting her but she picked the phone up and dialed the San Andreas number, Maria hoping that the man on the other side of the country would pick up.

"Hello?" The man answered.

"Forest… it's bad over here. Vic's dead, along with Harry and Lee. We need your help, Tommy and I are at the Ocean View hotel." Maria says.

"I'll be there on the first flight out. Don't worry, kiddo, this will all be sorted out." Forest says.

"Love you, Forest." Maria says.

"Love you too, little lady. Hang on in there." Forest says before they hang up.

Maria put the phone down and stretched out on the bed after pulling her hair out of her ponytail, Tommy lightly tucking some of it behind her left ear.

"For the past two years, Vic, Lance and I relied on each other… and now Vic's gone. And that asshole Sonny only cares about the money." Maria mutters, Tommy lying down and pulling her into his arms. Maria buried her head into her brother's torso and finally let it out, Tommy rubbing his hand up and down her back as she sobbed.

It was a while before Tommy looked down, realising that Maria had gone quiet because she was asleep. Tommy pulled the covers back and then pulled Maria's shoes off, tucking her into the bed and kissing her on her forehead before falling asleep himself.

Tommy woke up about 11 hours later when he heard knocking at the hotel door, stretched his 6'3" frame out and stood up. Quietly walking to the door, he opened it and let Forest Martinez in.

Forest walked over to Maria, who sleepily opened her eyes and sat up, the two hugging.

"It's okay, kiddo. We'll sort this all out." Forest says softly, rubbing his hand up and down Maria's back before they let go.

"I look like a mess… I better go get cleaned up." Maria says before standing up and heading into the bathroom, stripping down and scrubbing her makeup off. She shaved her arms, underarms and legs before getting into the shower.

As she cleaned herself off and with the water running down on her, Maria started thinking again.

She knew who it was that had Vic, Harry and Lee killed… and she was going to make him suffer.