Two days later, it was safe to return back to Bigg City. The Stars, Z-Stacks, and even the Salvage Fleet arrived at the harbor, seeing that much of the port was in ruins. Almost every company was gone, including Lucky's Yard and Sally Seaplane's hangar, and the bridge barely survived the attacks.
Captain Star and Captain Zero were so devastated with their loss, along with losing all of the money they had that they had no choice but to dismiss their vessels without question. The vessels were left homeless until a miracle would happen with their captains. In other words, being able to get their businesses back. They hoped that stopping the X-Aces and being able to take their money at their trials will have their companies return to their former glory.
Captain Zero was the first to head home to grieve that his business was gone, and the fact Zorran and Zebedee were unable to reside at his dock. He was wondering where they would be without it. He only hoped that they could find a habitat where they would be safe from harm.
While he was looking through his tugs' records before attempting to throw them away, he jumped just as soon as his phone started to ring. "Zero Marine, this is Zale."
"Zale?" It was Klaus. Captain Zero believed that he managed to succeed what his blueprints were exactly where he had to be to find a way to screw over the X-Aces out of their goals. "I got good and bad news. The good news is I stole Costello's records, and the bad part? Did you know that you do not have all of Zak's records? Well, I found the rest of them hidden in the middle of his body.
"The records you have only link from his birth to 1909, and the ones from 1920 onwards. This means that according to these records, Zak actually worked with the X-Aces BEFORE he was forced to work with you. And it also says here in 1917…You will not believe this."
"For the love of Jesus, just tell me!"
"He was dangerous and volatile as an X-Ace, and a reliable one at that, that he followed all the criteria to be ranked as boss of the X-Aces. He was fifteen years old when he was elected, and he elected Costello as underboss and Darby as consigliere.
Since he left you, Costello was believed by many to be the godfather, but he only ran the position when Zak was gone. By his return-."
"WHAT? ZAK IS THEIR BOSS AGAIN?"
"Alas, he is. You know the arson attacks, beatings, taunts, extortions, bribes, and all other crimes the X-Aces have done since they betrayed you? It was not just Costello making the orders. Zak made these all along.
"He was fed up with Bigg City, fed up with not being able to share his past with your other tugs, fed up with being a lackey, and everything involving not being an X-Ace. He continued his acts from where he left off before being forced out of the gang after an incident occurred where he ordered the gang to blow up all ocean liner docks. The incident was so terrifying that police who were not fully corrupted gave him two options: leaving the gang or going to prison. He complied with leaving the X-Aces, and that is when you bought him."
"Yes, of course! And he stayed clean of such crimes thanks to me and Zorran's careful watch. We made sure he did not go too far with his acts, but after that incident with the barge where I put Zak in charge temporarily, everything was starting to slowly change."
"Zale." Klaus then put the phone closer to his mouth, so he could have Captain Zero hear him better because he was about to give him more vital information. "You should have NEVER put Zak in charge at all costs. Seeing how you always considered him your worst tug in terms of behavior, you did make yourself a bit of a mistake there."
"Oh my God. You are serious, are you? Zorran and I thought we put him in his place, but apparently he HAD to spit out his past by bringing the X-Aces!"
"I cannot believe it either. Zak. He is their godfather. He has returned to Anastasia Port, where residents believed they would never see his violent self again. Unfortunately, under control police overheard everything, and now it is on the papers! It is VIRAL!"
Captain Zero sighed wearily. "Do you mind telling me HOW he got this way in the first fucking place? I want to know the details."
"This may take a long time, but if you insist, let's get down to business." Klaus began scavenging through Zak's records until he found the first one that contained his first dry-dock visit. "It all started in 1908, back when he was six, where he pushed a schooner for moving slowly. He happened to be on a rush that day, and after he pushed him, authorities saw what he had done. They put him on dry-dock, and it has been said that he picked up the behavior he currently has now from his previous owner, Morton Alphonse. Morton was a mobster, and his gang was close with the X-Aces. Pretty much affiliates as you want to call it. By 1910, his sister, Marcia, who helped take care of Zak when he was away, felt that she failed to be a proper 'parent' to him as he became just like Morton rather than how he acted prior to being bought from his now-defunct company.
You see, Zak was not built as a thug. His company raised him well, and Marcia wanted to do the same. He was a sweet tug until he started being a bully and eventually becoming a gangster. He worked for Bernard, the godfather back when he first joined, then in 1917 after a fight with Marcia and her new husband, Winston, Zak managed to become the next godfather as Bernard was retiring. It is sad to say you know, Zale. I am very sorry your tug had to become an X-Ace again, and same to your switchers."
"I do not even care anymore," Captain Zero shrugged. "Those three were too reckless and unworthy anyway. I tried to keep them in order, but unlike Zorran and Zebedee, they just either got too stupid or too reckless."
"As far as Costello goes, the X-Aces were not as strong with him in charge. He was more brains than brawn while Zak was more balanced. In fact, Darby would have ran the gang better off too. I rest my case. Costello is very intelligent, but it does not fully make up for Zak's absence. With Zak back in the X-Aces, the mafia has grown to where they are more dangerous. Did you know Costello and Zak have been partners in crime since Zak became an X-Ace? Yeah, he was his first best friend, before Zebedee perhaps."
"Correct, dear sir. Correct indeed. Anyway, I need to head off and meet up with Captain Star. He has some authorities on the way to his home, and he presumably wants me to see him regarding what has been going on. Either he or I will call you when we need you. Take care, mate." Captain Zero then hung up.
In the meantime, Zak and Costello were chatting away at the X-Aces' headquarters, discussing how they should praise the other X-Aces for putting Bigg City into a depression. However, as they were about to announce the gang's next move, several bribed policemen barged into the headquarters. The two tugs knew that barging meant an emergency, and a severe one at that.
"Zak, Costello! Amber alert! The captains of the port have found out the captains of Bigg City are in poverty as well! I think they are plotting to have your gang arrested, so start coming up with ways to keep you and everyone else loose!" called out a policeman. "I think the fleets here are also planning on teaming up with the Stars and Z-Stacks. Everyone here KNOWS what you lot have done! Start escaping!"
"Oh, cut it out," Zak snapped. "You know the police we could not bribe will arrest me first! Goddamn residents are going to know I am back! I am fucking back in business after so long, ha! Well, to make matters worse, if I am arrested first, then the gang is powerless!"
"More than likely, we will have to try much harder to avoid the towropes," Costello added. "I am most worried about Casio though. He hardly knows English, and he more than likely will be arrested quicker since he still does not fully understand the language. Damn police tugs at Bigg City will have an easy time arresting him, so we are going to need Yule or Giovani to guard him."
Just then, the other X-Aces hurried to where Zak and Costello were. As they moved closer to the two tugs, Costello began talking about his strategy to keep the mafia loose.
"We flee from New York," he mentioned. "I do now know how far we will get, but both ports are about ready to try to get us in prison! Besides, the police probably will give up on us once we cross the border."
"To add another condition," Zak added. "We have to take detours if we want to be left unseen. Plus, we all have to stay separate, and if any of us encounters the police we could not put on our side and gets arrested, try to break free the best you can. Better yet, BRIBE! I forgot about that! If they do not fall for it, then resist the arrest. It will be too bad for you if you are successfully arrested!"
"Hey, Murdock! Do you mind if you and Casio go together? We need you to guard him if you two ever get caught! It is because of him hardly knowing English, and due to this, police would arrest him easily!"
"Well of course, but-."
"No but," growled Casio. "Do protect. Final." With that, the two tugs sailed off to find their detour.
Zak was not the type of tug for Zip and Zug to stay together, so he sent them off separately, hoping they would not show off their original attitudes at all costs. After the rest of the X-Aces were sent to flee to New Jersey, Zak and Costello began making their way there as well. The two tugs were lucky to find well-hidden detours, so the police would not arrest them before the others.
June 14, 1927: The X-Aces successfully made their way to New Jersey, where they were preparing to set up a new hideout. For the time being, the Salvage Fleet was taking orders from Greggory on how they were going to help the Stars and Z-Stacks get back at Zak and the other X-Aces.
"Billy, the only time we will use dynamite while capturing those thugs is to distract them! I am aware that it gets them excited, but at the same time, it will have them be unaware what they are coming for. Please do not take it near a dock, but put it somewhere where harm is not in the way.
"Norton, since you and Cabell are the strongest tugs of my fleet, you two will be responsible for ambushing and helping the authorities capture any X-Ace you can find, but hopefully you will be able to help get their most dangerous members arrested, of course being X-Aces like Luciano and Corleone. The most threatening of the lot, according to the people all around here and basically almost everywhere I can think of in New York. As for the rest of you, team up with any member of both Star and Zero Fleets. It is suggested to make sure we have at least five groups roaming to stop them.
"That is, if we get Anastasia Port's tugs on our side. Otherwise, more likely may just limit to four. Like I said, split up because the X-Aces do not get arrested that easily!"
"Aye, aye, captain," called out Cabell, the leader of the Salvage Fleet. "Come on, you lads. Those tugs tormented us enough! Will we allow that anymore?"
"NO!" shouted the rest of the fleet. "NEVER AGAIN! NEVER!"
"What are we going to do with those X-Aces?"
"THROW THEM IN PRISON! YEAH!" The Salvage Fleet cheered as they hurried to Bigg City to regroup with the Stars and Z-Stacks. Right when they met up, they found Zebedee and Warrior conversing different ideas due to notice from Klaus that the X-Aces were out of the state.
"I bet they ran into Hercules' hometown," Zebedee muttered. "I still do not know how I can manage-."
"Without me?" said Zorran as he appeared, fully repaired. "Well, Lucky managed to find a spare repair yard hidden, and I was quickly fixed. Oh, do not be a fool, Zeb. Those fucks will never get away with betraying us and damaging our home. Especially that FAT FUCK WHO BROUGHT THEM HERE!"
"Oh thank heavens you are back. However, we will need more help! The X-Aces are not in New York, and I am sure Anastasia's fleets can assist us as they are closer to New Jersey than us."
Zebedee was right. Anastasia's fleets, the Perry Fleet, the Pemberton Fleet, and the Aurora Fleet had been in chaos since the X-Aces began in the late 1880s. They needed the help more than Upriver and Bigg City, and as they were greeted by the Stars, Z-Stacks, and the Salvage Fleet, they began telling them how the X-Aces began their terror in the first place.
"Two paddle tugs, Clarence and Addison, and one harbor tug, Jacques founded the gang in 1889," began Ulmer, a member of the Pemberton Fleet. "Since then, more members have been recruited, and there came Layton, the original boss of the X-Aces by 1892. Seven years later, nearly all X-Aces were arrested after a huge extortion spree, in which only one lieutenant survived, along with Layton. When that particular lieutenant died in 1904 that was when Layton retired."
"Then came a new godfather, Bernard," added Reese, a switcher of the Perry Fleet. "He was not the best boss though. He was quite stupid mentally, so his underboss and consigliere had to most of the work. Eventually, he would learn how to properly run the gang. He retired in 1917 after he was greatly damaged when one tug tried to attack him in attempt to bring the X-Aces down. He then chose Zak to run the gang, and that former Z-Stack ran it until 1920."
"Of course, Captain Zero," finished off Nylon, the leader of the Pemberton Fleet. "Zak came to work with you until he had the guts to escape and return to terrorize us!"
"Well," Captain Zero said. "Only God knows how long this bloody journey will take. Most of the tugs already have plans in trying to get the X-Aces distracted and lured back to New York unless New Jersey already has wanted posters up."
As the Bigg City fleets further conversed with Anastasia's fleets, Captain Star boarded on Kendal, a harbor tug from the Perry Fleet, to look for any tug that was part of Anastasia's third fleet, the Aurora Fleet.
Much to their dismay, the captain of the fleet was absent and on vacation, and so were the tugs working there. However, Captain Star believed that five fleets teaming up against seventeen X-Aces will do the job. With eight members of the Star Fleet, four from the Salvage Fleet, two from the Z-Stacks, five from the Perry Fleet, and six from the Pemberton Fleet, twenty-five to seventeen still made the captains pleased.
"Right," said Greggory. "I am so damn glad we have spare dynamite, Billy. Just remember, you will be using it out in the ocean. More than likely some of the younger X-Aces will be out there believing something is getting blown up. Cabell, Norton, and Dwight, you will be responsible for ambushing them if any come out of their spots. Well, the gang is quite intelligent and may not fall for the dynamite easily."
"Aye, aye," Billy replied. "They got the big bang coming! Hopefully, their excitement goes so high, they will never know we are after them!"
Meanwhile, the captain of the Perry Fleet, Brendon Perry, was quickly delivering his orders to his tugs. He made sure Reese and Kendal would be going against any of the switchers they could find. Colin Pemberton, the captain of the Pemberton Fleet, ordered Nylon and Ulmer to surprise any capo of the X-Aces as the two were his strongest tugs. As for the other members in both fleets, they were given flammable cargo to place near any hiding spots.
It would take quite a while for the tugs and submarine to get to New Jersey. Several hours later, they managed to pass the border between New Jersey and New York. The X-Aces were already separated from each other, navigating to continue their criminal activity. Fortunately, before Vittorio could begin his acts, where he was sent to try bribing some of New Jersey's authorities, there came Zebedee, approaching him and ramming him in place where he could not escape.
"What the hell are you doing, Z-Shit?" the X-Ace snapped. "How the fuck did you get here in the first place? I thought you would be tired out and out of coal before passing the borderline!"
"Shut it, you Italian bollock," roared Zebedee. Much to his surprise, the authorities nearby noticed that Vittorio was on New Jersey's wanted posters, much like the rest of the gang. It appeared the state knew of the mobsters all along. The police and one of the police tugs immediately rushed in and threw towropes on Vittorio's capstans.
"You think it is funny to call me something other than my own name? Zeb, do you even know what literacy means? It means being able to READ, and you apparently do NOT know how to if you cannot call me 'Vittorio'!"
"I know how to read. Now, you will be back in New York before you know it. Locked up in jail until your final verdict is after you see this precious light of day! You are quite unlucky as I found you trying to hide your cowardly ass."
Vittorio then raged at Zebedee in Italian, in which the Z-Stack could care less. He then watched the switcher being towed away. He then heard Captain Perry and Star say in unison that one X-Ace was down and sixteen were yet to be arrested.