A calm before the storm:
Toni Cipriani was the last man to fuck anyone should fuck with in Liberty City. Most people thought that because he was getting on in years he may have grown weak, but that was absolute bullshit. Nothing could make him weak, for a while his weight made him slow but he lost it and gained back some strength. Even know he felt like he did back when he was Deuce's age he just wished Deuce was a little more punctual then Toni was back then. He put his fist up to knock but something felt strange decided to try and open the door, "Why's the door unlocked?"
He drew his Python and decided to test his luck. He moved in slowly making sure that if anyone was there he'd get the jump on them. He stopped for a moment then cleared his head and kept walking heading towards the bedroom. He quickly turned the corner, and for some reason he felt no threat, Toni put his gun away and walked into the bedroom casually. Deuce was sitting in his bed cleaning his gun for the day his Jericho 941 he had changed the barrel so it would now use .45 ACP rounds. He quit cleaning it looked at Toni for a second then went back to cleaning, "Sorry, Toni I guess I lost track of the time."
"Don't worry just get dressed we need to get some things done and introduce you to a couple people so you're probably gonna want to wear something more then just your boxers. I'll wait out on your couch." Toni plopped down on the couch then sprawled himself on it to get comfortable. Deuce seemed to have gotten dressed in no time. "Damn kid that was fast. Well, let's go."
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
"Who's driving?" Deuce asked as he took a look at Toni's Car a black Hellenbach GT while Toni checked out Deuce's outfit it matched Toni's outfit which he named his "Goodfella" outfit. Deuce's outfit was similar only his shirt was red, wasn't tucked in, and his shoes were brown.
"Me, no offense kid but no one else drives my car."
"I prefer to ride anyway." Deuce got in the car and took a look at the interior black leather and wood grain. "Not bad Toni."
"So kid I've been wondering do you have any family around here." Deuce leaned back in his chair and looked up like he had to think hard.
"You'll have to excuse me for a minute my memory is messed up, some mental trauma bullshit from when I got locked up."
"How bad is it?"
"Not too bad, all the important things like who people are and important moments from my life are still there but there are years of useless memories gone so it's kind of hard to remember shit because of the fucking gaps. Anyway my mom died in a car crash and my sister disappeared after I got locked up." Deuce dug through a pack of cigarettes in his shirt pocket and pulled out a cigarette.
"What about your father?" Toni could tell he struck a nerve Deuce's grip on his smoke suddenly tightened making him rip his cigarette. Toni was just a little curious when he asked the question now he was curious as hell.
"My so-called father ran out on us when I was ten. He was addicted to booze and junk so I think it's safe to assume the bastard is dead, scratch that I hope he's dead. He didn't give me a fucking thing my whole life but a reason to be angry and a booze addiction. The only physical thing he left was divorce papers signed wherever he had to." Deuce looked at the cigarette and tossed it out the window then grabbed a new one from the pack. "So where are heading to Toni?" The first drag of the cigarette gave him that all too familiar pleasure of the mixture of Menthol and Nicotine.
"We're going to go pay a friend of mine a visit over on Staunton Island."
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Henry Johnson sat at his desk looking over random files over a few of the suspects for the murder of the dealer over in Chinatown. "What a pain in the ass, I can't believe they stick me with this bullshit." He kept going through the files looking them over memorizing the criminal record and short bio of every suspect thanks to his photographic memory. "Who thought good memory could be a curse? Why do they put these goddamn biographies for all these guys anyway" The file he was on at that moment was on a mafia associate by the name of Joel Bartelli.
Born in Vice City to a Cuban mother and Italian father Joseph Bartelli was born into crime. His father was a small-time crook who eventually became a hitman for Tommy Vercetti; his mother was a sister to Cuban crime boss Umberto Robina. Both parents were assassinated by Haitian gang members. His parent's death and a fight between Joel and his younger brother motivated Joel Bartelli to leave Vice City and coming to Liberty City. Once he arrived he found work as a mechanic at Joey's Garage and eventually became an associate to the Leone Family.
"That's probably one of the more interesting bios I read today." He moved on to the next file and took a look at the familiar scarred face of Joseph Aprile, "Fuck it, I need a break." He got up from his desk and walked past the other detectives desks through a long hallway and walked into a room the officers in the precinct referred to as "the pit" there were a worn out couches, a TV, some beds, and a few tables with chairs for the cops to sit in. Except for a detective napping on one of the beds Johnson was the only one in there. He walked up to the coffee machine and poured himself a cup then headed over to the couch. "You leave any coffee?" asked a voice with a drowsy tone. Johnson looked over and saw that the lump on the bed had finally woken up. "Yeah Fogerty there's at least a cup left." Johnson said before he took a sip from his own cup. Fogerty was a pretty decent cop, one of the few like Johnson who didn't care for the corruption that plagued the police force but eventually got caught up in it nonetheless.
"So how's the Goterelli case coming?" Fogerty said.
"Wouldn't know the higher-ups decided to move me to a different case, right now I'm working that bullshit case down in Chinatown." Johnson said whilst flipping through the channels before settling on the local news. Fogerty walked over to the couch and sat down by Johnson.
"Chinatown, you mean the dealer that got killed?"
"That's the one."
"Shit, no good evidence, a multitude of suspects good luck with that you're going to fucking need it."
"I know," He took another sip of coffee, "Personally I don't think I'll be on it to long I think they're just trying to keep me busy at my desk going over pointless files on random suspects until they finally find me a new partner."
"Who do you think it'll be I bet you're hoping for that new broad with the huge tits?"
"Cindy Wong?" Asked Johnson, there were two new female detectives that he hadn't gotten a chance to personally check out but according to the vast majority Cindy Wong was apparently smoking hot.
"Yeah that's the one; I'm telling you she's got one unbelievable body. You'd be one lucky son of a bitch."
"Yeah it'd be the first time in my life something worked out for me." Footsteps, that's what the both of them heard, they snapped there head's back and watched the other detective walk in, then immediately looked forward playing it cool.
"That's her man," Fogerty said under his breath.
"She's fine as hell." Johnson replied the took yet another sip of coffee acting unaware of the beauty that was walking towards him
"Are you Johnson?"
"Yeah that's me, what do you want?"
"Chief wants to see you and Fogerty."
"Shit, come on Johnson let's go see what that old fuck wants." Fogerty got up from the couch with Johnson right behind him. Cindy waited till she was sure they was gone then started laughing to herself, "The idiots don't see what's right in front of their faces. If the rest of the cops here are that dumb this will be either then I thought."
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
The Hellenbach slowed to a crawl and finally stopped in front a large skyscraper. "Hey this is Love Media, what are we doing here?"
"Remember the guy I mentioned who's big in the Real Estate industry?"
"Yeah, you're telling me that you know Donald Love?"
"Unfortunately I do, back when he ran for mayor I helped him with his campaign but the media found out and it cost him the race. Eventually he lost everything and I helped him get it back. Come on let's go pay him a visit, just don't make any sudden movements and avoid any words like freak or dead, and for the love of god don't agree to go to a morgue party and don't eat anything he offers."
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
"WHAT?" Johnson's screamed, he had risen from his chair and was just bout ready to strangle the police chief that stood in front of him. Chief Jarvis had been on this force along time he had started out a young nervous wreck from Shoreside Vale that was out to change the way the police force worked, now he was just as if not more crooked then any other cop in Liberty City. When it all started he would be so nervous that he was sweating buckets whenever and Internal Affairs agent would show up or whoever was paying him at the time ran into some legal trouble, now he was so powerful and arrogant there was no need to sweat just collect another bribe.
"You heard me you're gone, off the force, fired, you got the boot. Hand in your gun and your badges both of you." Johnson was utterly shocked by all of this while Fogerty seemed to be amused.
"You can't just get rid of us without a good reason."
"With all the budget cuts we've been making we had to kick a couple of are detectives with low arrest rates to make room for the new two. Plus Internal Affairs fell onto you guys, they promised not to press charges if you both were kicked of the force quietly and no questions asked. So clean out your lockers and your desk and get the fuck out of my office"
"Bull-fucking-shit, there's no way they'd let us off the hook and just ignore a crooked bastard like you."
"They would if he's the one who turned us in." Fogerty chimed in; he knew the score from the time the chief had told them they were off the force.
"So that's it, you fucked us over to save your own ass; YOU'RE NO JUST A DIRY COP YOU'RE A FUCKING RAT!" Johnson grabbed his badge and gun and slammed them both on the table but no physical action could show just how pissed he was. It didn't matter Jarvis had seen so much one pissed off detective wouldn't scare him as long as he wasn't staring down the barrel of gun, if that was the case he would suddenly become that sweaty rookie had thought had died long ago. Fogerty decided that Johnson had pretty much spoke for both of them he left his badge and gun and followed his former fellow officer out of that dirty rat's office.
"So what are we gonna do now?" Fogerty asked looking back at the office and then he began to shake his head, this was too much to much bullshit for one day.
"You got anything you need doing tomorrow morning?"
"No, nothing I can think of."
"Good I know a good bar over in the Red Light District."
"Johnson, are you serious?" Fogerty asked shaking his head, "All right but I'll out drink you like you were little bitch?"
"Well let's just see if I can't make you eat your words."
Once the two of them left Cindy Wong managed to sneak her way into Chief Jarvis' office. "So they're off the force for good?" Jarvis watched the new detective take a seat in his chair and stair at him with skeptical eyes.
"Of course what do you think I am some kind of fucking retard?"
"As much as you charge you better not be, speaking of which here's a down payment." She pulled a stack of bills from her jacket and put it on the table next to Johnson's gun and badge.
"That looks light."
"Tough shit you'll get more when you actually do something for us."
"The two cops I fired where on Leone payroll."
"So were you that's why it's light we're going to have to start protecting you to make sure your old wise guy buddies don't try anything, or you could bitch and whine to Joey Leone I'm sure he won't kill you probably just cripple you for life. Now I've given you two options take the money or go back to the Leones what's your choice?"
"I'll take the money."
"Good and fair warning something's going to go down that'll keep the Leones busy for a while but I'll need you to make sure that our guys walk away from it when the smoke clears."
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Donald Love was currently sitting in his office looking over a file on his computer "Toni, it's great to see you it's been forever."
"Yeah, but unfortunately you had to call me."
"Don't be such a kidder Toni, both of us will be making plenty of money off of this; now tell me who the new lad is?" Donald was genuinely intrigued usually Toni did business alone, in fact there was only one other man who Donald had seen with Toni when he conducted business.
"The name's Joseph Aprile but people call me Deuce."
"Deuce, that's a splendid name. So I'm guessing your Toni's latest student."
"I guess so, who were the others."
"Other," Toni corrected, "I've only shown one other guy the ropes I prefer to work with experienced guys. Speaking of which I'd like to keep this meeting short I've got something else to take care of."
"Of course, but are you sure you wouldn't like to stay for something to eat."
"No, it's a real pressing matter so if I could just get the money we'll be on our way."
"All right if you're sure, I'll just be a minute." Love stepped out of room and got on the phone, when he was out of ear shot Deuce asked Toni a question.
"What's wrong with his food he a bad cook?"
"No he's a cannibal."
"You've got to be fucking kidding me!"
"Nope, he's a Necrophiliac to."
"Where do you fucking meet someone like him?"
"I helped him when he ran for mayor in '98, then I helped him get back his fortune after he pissed it all away on his campaign." Toni straightened back up as soon as Love came back into this room.
"Well it's all set Glenda down in the lobby will give you your money, you'll have to make sure you can stay longer next time, Arrivederci Toni."
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Cindy Wong had lost the comfort of her new desk that gave her a smug sense of satisfaction over the misfortune of that fool Johnson for a stiff chair in a therapist's waiting room. "Officer Wong," Called out the therapist, "I can talk to you now." His words somehow managed to get through the closed door.
The room largest wall in the room seemed to be almost completely covered in random degrees and awards for Dr. Antonio Lopez. He was a man in his early thirties that had made his peace with the fact that he would probably live his life alone due to his dedication to his job. His love for his job was formed by a year where a government program had him treating violent convicts and after a yard fight he had the pleasure of treating Joseph Aprile.
"I looked at your record, it's pretty impressive, there's one patient you treated in particular I'd like to talk about, you might remember him, does the name Joseph Aprile ring any bells?"
"Joseph, yeah I remember him he was one of the more interesting, usually in jail you get the guy who clearly belongs there and then you get the weak guy who makes you doubt the local police force, no offense."
"None taken, what made him so interesting?"
"Well the thing about him was he was one of the classic troubled good guys." He could see the confusion in her face. "He was a nice guy but he, well he had tendencies I've only seen in some cold-blooded killers. He was nice, understanding, loving the kind of guy your parents would want you to date, he had a concept of guilt, and hated confrontation he liked things to go smooth but he also had a part of him that had an utter hatred for those he considered his enemies, the best way to put is he was a nice guy who got caught up in bad situations and he was just too loyal."
"Too loyal, that's not something you hear often in this city."
"Yeah, he was also incredibly, well it's heard to put into words."
"Just try."
"When he did choose to get into a confrontation it was like he became someone different, he was incredibly savage. I started treating me after he got into a fight with a member of a Nazi gang Joseph beat him within an inch of his life."
"What did they do to Aprile?"
"Well as soon as his victim was out of he tried to rape Joseph. If you've ever seen a recent picture of him you'll what happened." Cindy thought of the picture of Aprile in his file the scar was the first feature she remembered.
"The Nazi gave him the scar?"
"Yeah he may have cut Joseph's face but before he could rape him Joseph got the upper hand and once again beat him but this time he killed him."
"Shit, so what did they do to Aprile?"
"Nothing, it was a clear case of self defense I'm sure the Nazi gang was angry but he was running with the biggest gang in the prison. Anyway I asked if he'd like to go on medication but he refused."
"Why?"
"He didn't like the concept of every person's problem being solved through drugs; he also told me that his family had a history of substance abuse on his mother's and father's side. From what he said he was already battling an alcohol addiction."
"Were then any other violent incidents."
"There was one on the day he was released but they couldn't connect him to any of the deaths so he was released."
"They released him even though he could have been involved in multiple murders?"
"Yeah there was a massive riot and it ended up wiping out a lot of people I think the final count was somewhere around sixty, anyway most of the victims were members of the Nazi gang and the one that Joseph ran with."
"What gang was that?"
"They were called the 'Cell Block Kings', Joseph's one of the few members that are still alive." That was a gang she was all too familiar with hearing about them still gave her chills up her spine. "The others are all serving life terms and running with different prison gangs."
"You said the riot wiped out two gangs that have to be one big fucking riot especially since one of them was t, there's only one that could be that big, the riot in the summer of 2003. How did a 'nice guy' survive that?"
"Like I said, he gets incredibly savage when he fights, I wouldn't be surprised if he not only had fought but he could have easily had a victim count in the double digits, but the damage was just unbelievable so he just moved on."
"You didn't say anything to anyone?"
"Like I said he likes things smooth, even if he did anything it'd be a hard sell with all the victims."
"So they just let the killers go?"
"It'd be a pain in the ass for them to investigate so they just pointed fingers and boosted sentences of people who probably didn't have anything to do with it, welcome to the American Justice system."
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
"That sound, the motherfucking sound of the doors, in that goddamn hell hole. That bastard Gruber, I still have the scar you have me you sick fuck. That place didn't make me learn any fucking lesson it just made me a killer." The place still haunted him and always would, the scar he had was a permanent reminder. He couldn't forget the riot though as much as he wanted to he couldn't, up until then he had killed only one man and that day the day he gained his freedom back he killed twelve people. The last one was the one that stuck with him, most of his shiv had broken off in his eleventh victim and before he knew he was up against the Nazi's chief enforcer a massive man who was all muscle he was also the cop that Deuce fought and got him in jail he eventually was revealed to be dirty bastard he was and ended up in jail for posession. He could still feel the bastard's tight grip on his neck as he strangled him, yet somehow he managed to get out of his grip despite the seemingly imminent death, "Oh yeah, I took what was left of my shiv and shanked his fucking eye then I beat him to death." He wished that shit like that was what was wiped from his memory.
His wife stuck out in his mind Lisa Johansen, she was a sweet thing just a few years older then Deuce how she ever ended up with a husband like that cop sill puzzled him. He felt like he had to admit to her what he had done, why her incarcerated husband was no dead. Somehow he ended up sleeping with her and she killed herself the next morning right in front of Deuce. He couldn't say he loved her but he felt something for her it was one of the things that haunted. Every person he ever killed deserved it, but this innocent woman had killed herself because of what he had done he felt guilty about it to this day, she still entered his thoughts from time to time.
He could still feel it, the pain he felt the day he got that damned scar. Two slashes that would forever mark his face he may have been cut fast but that didn't stop it from hurting like fucking hell. The pain went a way for awhile after Deuce beat the bastard to death but it came back pain like that always did.
"Hey kid, kid wake up." Toni was trying to shake the sleeping Deuce awake but it just wasn't working. "This kid sleeps like he's in a fucking coma." Toni decided the current matter was more important than Deuce's rest, "WAKE UP GODDAMN IT!" Needless to say the screaming in his ear snapped Deuce out of his state of slumber.
"Jesus Christ Toni!"
"Sorry I had to interrupt your beauty sleep but we got one more thing to do." Deuce cracked his neck and looked out the car's window trying to recognize his surroundings but he was lost.
"Where are we?"
"We're still in Staunton kid got someone else I want you to meet he runs things for us here." Toni got up out of the car while Deuce lied in his seat thinking this it was some kind of joke. "Kid get out of the fucking car right now, I ain't got time for this bullshit."
"My bad I thought you wanted to take care of it on your own."
"That seems to be a real recurring problem in my life to many assholes that wait in the car while I do the work."
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Johnson and Fogerty two dirty cops who had just gotten fired were now slamming back shots of whiskey at Phil's Bar. "I'm telling you Fogerty I should have put a bullet in that old fucker Jarvis." Johnson had already hit the point where when a person should be whispering they were practically screaming.
"Ah don't let that mothafucka get to you he's just a dirty old… what's the word I'm looking for?" Fogerty had been slamming back just as many shots as Johnson but he was a different kind of drunk he was the kind who denied just how drunk he was no matter how obvious it was. "Anyway as fun as dis is we got to find sumshin we can do to make money."
"Fogerty man you're slurring in your speech man you're wasted."
"I'm not drunk i'm fine I'm i'm i'm i'm god-fuckin-damn it you're right I'm royally fucked up maybe I should stop. Fuck what am I gonna do." Fogerty didn't have much to life his parents were dead he was single and he was broke. "I guess I'll end up going back to Vice City, I should probably head back and pack."
"Fuck that man we ain't got shit to do tomorrow might as well live it up." Johnson poured himself another shot but then looked at the bottle, "Fuck it." Instead of drinking the shot he chugged the remaining contents of the bottle. "Man that shit burns going down can we get another bottle of whiskey over here."
"No man I don't know how much more hard shit I can handle."
"Forget the whiskey bring us two beers."
"Well Johnson nice to see you're doing what I'm paying you to." Johnson didn't have to look back to see who it was even when he was drunk as hell he could recognize that raspy voice. He took the shot and then he took a deep breath.
"Yeah about that Deuce, Fogerty and I kind of got kicked off the force."
"What?" There was a voice Johnson didn't recognize, he would have looked to see who it was had Deuce and Toni not taken some seats and the table. "Fogerty you want to tell me why you're off the force."
"Oh hey Toni, about the whole getting fired thing you see they found out Johnson and me were bein' naughty." A waitress came to the table with two beers and put them on the table. "Naughty cop I'm just a naughty cop." Fogerty had started slapping himself, not hard but enough to move his head back and forth.
"I think he's had too much." The waitress said. She grabbed Fogerty's beer and put it back on the tray. She really got sick of guys who had nothing better to do but come in get drunk and then hit on her. Fogerty was acting like he had taken one to many hits to the head smelled like a brewery and was already eyeing her up, she just took a deep breath and walked away with his beer.
"Hey, she took my damn beer." He tried to get up but his inebriated state and Toni grabbing him by the shoulder kept him down. "Fuck it, I'm feeling pretty good."
"You guys need to quit right now."
"Ah come on just one more drink for the road."
"Shut the fuck up Fogerty you're probably an inch away from dieing of alcohol poisoning I'm taking you back to you apartment." Toni grabbed Fogerty by the back of his jacket and pulled him up. "Come on you drunk bastard walk." Fogerty did as he was told and sloppily walked out of the bar it seemed like a miracle that he could walk.
"Well Deuce it looks like your going to have to find yourself a new dirty cop."
"Yeah I guess so; well what are you going to do now?"
'I don't know but I got this feeling, like this is all for the best. I guess I could probably find a job as a mechanic."
"You're a mechanic?"
"Yeah I got the schooling and shit but I just couldn't find work so I became a cop."
"I think I may have a place you can work."
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
"Goddamn it Jim if I didn't need you working here I would have kicked your ass out a long time ago. Get the fuck out of my office and get to work." 8-ball wasn't lying mechanics seemed to be pretty rare in Liberty City and with the sudden increase in business he couldn't afford to fire anyone. Jim was rude to the customers, always late and whenever he did anything he did it half-assed which usually made more problems for all the mechanics. Right now he had pushed 8-ball to the point where he was thinking about crushing in Jim's skull with a wrench.
"8-ball need some help?" 8-ball put his wrench on the table and reached into his cooler and pulled out a beer.
"Yeah I wouldn't mind someone kicking Jim's ass either but right now I need all the help I can get. Anyway you want a beer?"
"No, I got a mechanic to replace that rude asshole you got working for you."
"Are you serious?"
"Yeah he's not exactly in a state to give and interview right now but if he's half as good with cars as he is with his last job I don't think he'll give you any trouble."
"All right now I just got one more thing to do then." 8-ball set down his beer next to his wrench and picked up his phone. "Lou it's the boss tell Jim to come back into my office." 8-ball picked his beer back up and took a big swig, "You sure you don't want one."
"Yeah, I don't really think I'd be able to keep it down." His stomach felt fucked up he knew why to, a cannibalistic necrophiliac it sounded so fucked up in his head it probably was true.
"Lou said you wanted to talk to me boss."
"Yeah Jim you're fired now get the fuck out of here."
"What?"
"You heard me, get the fuck out of here before I kick your ass."
"Fuck you 8-ball I don't need this fucking job." Jim stomped out of the room and ran off to his car.
"You sure you could just fire him like that, what if he talks to the cops?"
"Relax he's just some spoiled kid from Shoreside Vale he'll probably end up working for his dad this job was just a way for him to rebel."
"Yeah but the thing is the guy who you just hired might not be in the best shape tomorrow."
"Hey if he really wants a job he shouldn't have any problem coming to work hung over. Now you sure you don't want that beer?"
"Sure what the fuck I could use a drink."
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Skull was a kid who at one time had nothing, no car, and no home, no cash just the clothes on his back and his birth name Jack Sabina, his parents where French Immigrants who were killed when there apartment building burned down. He spent the early parts of his life in an orphanage in Portland then when he was twelve he ran off looking for a new life. Now he was twenty-one and was just a little more muscular than average, he stood at an even six foot and shaved his head to show off the tattoo he had gotten at thirteen a skull and cross bones on the back of his head. Even though he made what little money he could from mugging people and occasionally holding up a liquor store he spent his nights usually sleeping on a park bench or wherever people wouldn't bother him. Then he started working for the Phantoms, he didn't exactly have the American dream but the ends were meeting like a motherfucker. Things were going good until just a few hours ago. He found out that his friend Luke was dead he'd be alive if it wasn't for that fucking cop.
They should have Killed Deuce when they had the chance now Luke was dead. It should have been him especially after what happened at the heist. "Skull look out!" His voice was still familiar in Skull's his head as if he was still there but in truth he was a fucking corpse and now Skull's head was throbbing and he was out of booze, the bag of junk was laying on his table just looking at it made him twitch and gave him that famous Junkie shuffle. He had been clean for a bit now, thanks to Luke. He stared at the bag and then started to massage his temple he couldn't believe what he was doing but he needed a fix more now then ever.
He pulled out the leather case with the tools he was familiar with. He tied down his arm and struck up a vein his tread marks were still there. He held the syringe in his hand he took a deep breath to calm down and stop his hand from shaking. Finally that accursed needled pierced his skin once again and he got that feeling of relief he got every time he stuck that needle in his arm. It wasn't an affect of the heroin just the rush from his own adrenaline which was soon followed by the effects of his most powerful vice. He sat back in his chair and then closed his eyes embracing the silence in his apartment except for his phone. "Who the fuck is calling me, can't I get some peace?" He scrambled off his chair and grabbed the phone. "Yeah it's skull." He had to focus and listen closely to the words over the phone it was stronger then he thought. "I got it, no I already got something when do you want it done?" He listened again then looked at his arm the syringe was still in his arm. "A.S.A.P, will tomorrow work?" He pulled the syringe out and put it back in the leather bag. "I'm just not in the best state of mind right now I just found out about Luke a couple of hours ago, anyway I'll take care of it tomorrow." He put the rest of his stash in the case and hid it under his chair. "Don't worry I can take car of it myself, bye." He hung up the phone and headed to his bedroom grabbing his leather jacket from his closet, he'd take care of his business the business tomorrow tonight he'd head to a strip club to try and forget his sorrows.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Author's Note: All right another chapter is finally done and you know what Deuce Did in Jail and how he got the scar. Originally I planned for Deuce's prison experiences to be left a mystery until I wrote it as a prequel, then I decided to condense it to a chapter or two and now it's just a short flashback/conversation. It's not as good as I'd like it to be but I think it works, tells you what you want to know without dragging it out. Anyway Lisa is and interesting character, originally I had intended for her to be a love interest for Deuce, ultimately I didn't like her as a character and scrapped her but I unfortunately left in a part that mentioned her in Chapter 6 (Go ahead check it out if you don't believe me), So when I saw this I brought her in but changed her around a bit.
Her background stayed the same even the one night stand with Deuce which just sounded crazy even for me so to make sure I didn't bring back in I changed it so she killed herself. It seems sad but I just felt that a woman fucking her husband's killer and falling in love with him sounded a little crazy so it got changed, suicide might not sound any better but it seems to me that It fits better in a sense that her husbands death left her lonely despite how much of a bastard he was and made her reach out for someone which in this case was Deuce but nothing could take away her pain which led to her suicide. I'm actually happy with how this turned out because now instead of a love interest she's one of the things that haunt's him the most his only innocent victim. I also intended for Deuce to have never met his father but I remembered in one of the previous chapters I mentioned that he went to Phil's bar to get away from his parents so I had his father leave later in life after I read through the story again to make sure (See the things I do for you guys). Also for those of you wondering Phil's bar is not owned by Phil Cassidy, I wrote it down as Phil's bar because I forgot about Phil Cassidy despite how interesting a character he was and how good a job Gary Busey did in Vice City.
The same goes with Skull, originally I planned for him to get his ass kicked by Deuce but then he ended up working for him which also sounded to crazy and I scrapped him until I needed a character to play one of the people working for the Phantoms so now I've changed Deuce's sidekick to his enemy and I like how it worked out.
Fogerty was a character I came up with after I had most of this chapter finished I decided I needed at least one more cop to be fired. This way instead of just a Leone associate's cop being fired one of Toni's got fired. If you couldn't tell Fogerty came from Tom and John Fogerty from Creedence Clearwater Revival the chapter title is also a reference to one of my favorite CCR songs "Have You Ever Seen the Rain" I used it cause even though to Deuce seems things seem to be going smooth, things are happening that are going to lead up to something big hence "the calm before the storm" at first I also had Deuce playing "Have You Ever Seen the Rain" in his stereo. As for the number of Deuce's victim I know it's a little iffy that he would walk away from killing so many people but it's not impossible, I guess that's what you get from a story that was written by someone who has very little faith in the American justice system.
I'm sure there's plenty of spelling mistakes so I apologize for that, I also apologize that I didn't include The Leone Capo who runs the Staunton Island operation I'm not quite done with his background so he will appear later on just not now. As always thanks to those who reviewed. It'll be a while before the next chapter so I apologize to my few consistent readers (I'm personally surprised anybody likes my shit). Wow including the Author's Note this chapter is over 6,500 words, no wonder it took so long. By the way don't ask me why Deuce's door was unlocked in the beginning I put it there and just didn't feel the need to change it (guess I'm more lazy then I thought.) I should probably stop writing this other wise I'll never get to the next chapter.