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I kind of switch characters in this chapter. Just a fore-warning. I'll be doing that a lot but only either in a separate chapter or paragraph…so I hopefully don't confuse people :)

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 Luigi awoke from his pleasant slumber, one of his girls, Amber, lying next to him. He gently pushed her head off his arm and got up. Light was already filling into the room. Sometimes, one couldn't tell if it was sunshine, or the blazing electric lights of the neon sex sign on the club below. His home was right above his "business", Sex Club 7. Though the largely popular club was his main thing, it was a well known fact it became that way because Luigi used his Mafia connections on the other club owners in the Red Light to muscle his way into becoming number one. The other clubs also paid him a large percentage of their income to even stay in business. Luigi wasn't an official member of the Leone family Mafia, more of just an acquaintance or a business partner. Despite knowing that, the other business owners in the area knew his relationship with the new Mafia Don, Joey Leone and that was enough of an incentive for them. If they missed payment, he'd send some of his boys over to reconcile the differences. It was this attitude that made him such a well known, and feared person in the Red Light. He also preferred to be close to his business. Being the shrewd man he was, he wouldn't have it any other way.

 He grabbed his silk rob from off the chair and peeked through the blinds. It indeed, was sunlight. He turned and looked over at the slumbering prostitute.

 "Amber. Hey, Amber!"

 "Wa? Is it mornin' already?" she moaned in her Latin accent, rubbing her eyes.

 "Yeah, so get 'yer ass out!" he barked, throwing her clothes at her.

 "A'right, a'right already! I'm up!" she said, grabbing the clothes. "What's 'wit you? You wake up on the wrong side of tha bed?"

 He shot a glance at her as he started rummaging through is closet.

 "Naw, I just don't need your skanky ass up here no more. That, and you ain't worth shit in bed."

 Her face flushed red with anger as she put her clothes on.

 "Yeah, how the hell would you know anyway?" she said sourly, fumbling with her bright red tube top.

 He didn't have sex with her, it was totally against his moral code to do so. You didn't screw the merchandise. That was his policy. It repulsed him. He'd rather have someone who hadn't been banged over and over again. Not exactly a virgin, but not someone who had been used up like some of the girls working for him.

 Luigi reached around the top shelf of the closet before his fingers ran across what he was looking for.

 "You know, that's what I've been hearing from a lot of the clients.."

 "If you got a problem, maybe I should just go work some place else. I bet even the Diablos'd treat me better than you!"

 He pulled the object off the self. The pistol glistened as the sun rays bounced off it. He didn't even give her time to react. Just as she began to open her mouth to scream, he fired two shots at her and turned back to the closet as the bullets ripped through her body and sent her back, falling onto the bed.

 "Yeah, well you're bad for business baby." he mumbled, as he pulled out a dark gray Armani suite.

 She was bad for business. Her Puerto Rican attitude didn't sit well with him, or anyone else for that matter. She recently had been having severe mood swings and was a ferocious bitch around his customers. She had applied to become a dancer in the strip club, but as he did with all his dancers, if someone liked what they did, he'd send them to sleep with the interested client. Amber seemed to have some problem with that. Adding to her attitude problem, he also heard that she'd been getting SPANK from some local Diablo scumbags. The drugs made her even more irritable and she was starting to become too demanding for her own good. That was fine. One less bitch for him to worry about. It was one things to be high on drugs while performing, but doing them in the club was something completely inexcusable. The cops were already swarming around him like vultures from his earlier convictions, and to get busted for drugs was something he didn't need.

 After getting dressed, he headed down the stairs and through a door into the club. Even at eight in the morning, the club was alive. The music was so loud and blaring, it was impossible that any of them heard the squabble that had gone on upstairs. Even if they did, they were too immersed in their own worlds to even care. Gunshots were so common in the Red Light District, they just became as normal as the birds chirping in the trees. His number one bouncer, Mick approached him as Luigi made his way over to the bar.

 "How you doin' Mick?" he said, slightly adjusting his tie as he looked around the club.

 "Just fine."

 "I got a mess upstairs I want you to clean up, a'right?" he said, leaning against the counter.

 The large bouncer gave a solemn nod and headed for the door. Mick had always been the one of little words, but he was always good at what he did. He took care of the drunks and punk-asses that felt like causing trouble in the club as well as organize the "collections" both from the businesses and the pimps. The two had known each other through high school and once Luigi was offered the club from Salvatore, Mick was the first one he hired.

The club itself was divided into two separate sections. At the front was the actual 'club'. The main area where all the younger kids came at night to get drunk and dance to their electric music until they passed out. Near the back of the building lie the strip club. The place where all the old business men and husbands came to get their kicks before their painful treks back to their home lives. There was also a small bar between the two areas where most of the drunkards and those without the cash to see the girls wallowed in their sorrow.

Luigi looked around the club. The girls were dancing in the back, trance music was blaring from the speakers. The only area that was busy at the moment was the strip club. The dance floor usually never became active until late at night. Suddenly, from the far front entrance, he could see a portly man enter, flanked by two large guards on both sides. Luigi made his way over to the important guest.

 "Mayor O'Donovan. It's a pleasure to see you again. Your usual seat?" he said with a smile.

 "Yes, yes." O'Donovan said as he was escorted to a table in the back area. "Say…er do you think you could hook me up with one of your best tonight?" he said, taking a seat. "It's almost election time and you know how the stress can get.."

 "Sure thing. I got just the girl. She's my number one. Real popular with everyone too."

 "That's not the one hanging out with that Joey Leone character, is it?" the mayor said, shifting nervously in his seat. "I don't want any trouble.."

 "Nah, don't worry a'bout it. They're just friends."

 "Alright, if you say so."

 "Can I get you anything now?"

 "I'd like a Manhattan please."

 "Sure thing." Luigi said, motioning to one of his men to fix the drink.

As the mayor sat immersed in the dancing women, Luigi kept his eyes around the club, trying to spot anything that might disturb the atmosphere. He couldn't help but keep thinking about the event that happened the night earlier. His kid sister, Mary had been caught performing a sting in front of his club. He couldn't get angry at her for what she did. He never could. No matter how many times she messed with the Mafia, he couldn't bring himself to yell at her or raise his temper. His temper was one of the things people feared from him. Despite that, he never used it on Mary. That was how much he cared for her and respected her wish to join the force. She was just trying to do her job, after all. He never imagined what it was like for her, working as a homicide detective with a family reputation such as theirs. It had already been well known that their father had served as a caporégime during Salavtore Leone's younger years, alongside of Toni Cipriani's father. They were both ruthless and cunning strategists and worked wonders during the war that broke out between the Leones and the Forellis many years ago, which eventually lead to the absorption of some smaller Forelli-owned companies into the Leone regime. Luigi's own 'business' only added salt to the wound. As much as he wanted to blame himself for her misfortunes, he always understood that Mary knew what she was getting herself into when she joined the LCPD.

What did anger him was what one of his own goons did to her. He had always been over-protective of his little sister. So protective that he almost killed his friend Vincent when he was told the two were going to get married. After all, she was the only sibling he had. It was his responsibility to watch out for her. Promptly after Mary left, Luigi dealt with Rob in a manner which would temporarily leave the arrogant thug without the use of his fingers. If he hadn't managed somehow to restrain himself, he probably would have killed the stupid prick. However, they were 'on lone' from Joey, and he promised to give the two cretins work in his club. If not for that little fact, Rob would have been fish food. For now, he'd just have to live with the fact that Rob would be eating out of a straw and writing with his toes because of what he did.

As it got latter into the day, the crowds grew larger. It didn't matter what time of day it was. His whores and dancing topless women were always open 24 hours a day in Liberty. Luigi stood restless looking over his club and just as he was about to check his watch, Joey Leone walked into the building, flanked by two beastly bodyguards. Luigi's brows furrowed slightly. Joey almost never came to the club unless it was urgent business, which almost always involved Misty, Joey's 'girlfriend' and Luigi's number one prostitute. He was also worried that Joey might have caught word of what he did to Rob and had come to have a little 'talk' with him. Pushing all bad thoughts out of his mind, Luigi tried to put on a pleasant expression and went over to great his unexpected but welcomed friend.

 "Hey, Joey. How's it goin'?" he asked cheerfully, though slight nervousness in his voice, and shook hands with him.

 "Not too good." Joey said with a hardened face. "I gotta talk to ya about some things."

 "A'right. Let's talk about 'em in my office." he said. He turned to Mick. "Fix up some drinks for Joey's guys will ya?" He then walked with Joey towards the very back of the club, past the strip area and ushered the Don into his spacious office area. Joey took a seat while Luigi headed to the small bar in the back of the room.

 "Can I get ya a drink?" he asked, pouring a glass of expensive alcohol.

 "Sure."

 Luigi poured two glasses and handed one to his friend while he sat down at his desk, waiting for Joey to begin. The Don took a small swig of the fiery Italian liquor before talking.

 "I want to talk to you about Toni."

 "Why...somethin' wrong?"

Toni had been the caporégime the last couple of years of Salvatore's reign, and he was one hell of a guy as well. If something happened to him, it would mean bad news for the Family. He was the best there was. Though his mother didn't believe so, Toni was just as good as his old man.

"No, he's fine. It's just that he's been sayin' he needs some help dealing with all the shit that's goin' on now."

 "I got some guys if he needs more soldiers."

 Joey figured he'd be blunt with his friend.

 "I need another capo Luigi. I know you ain't with the Family..I mean really into our organization..but you're my best friend and we're still at war with those damn Triads. I wouldn't ask anyone else."

Luigi was silent for awhile. His face went passive, unreadable. In a way, he was astounded to be offered such an honored position within the family. You couldn't get much higher than a caporégime. He didn't know what to say to his friend. He liked just running his own business, even if he did give 20% of its earnings to the Family. He knew they were all in deep with the war that was still going on, and he knew he couldn't say no to Joey. They did need more help. No matter how he looked at it, he was in for good and there was no getting out now. Joey's offer didn't seem to be much of an offer. It was a more of an order. He was a capo whether he wanted to be or not.

 "I don't know what to say." Luigi said with a small laugh. He rubbed the back of his head and looked at the ceiling, letting out a sigh. "If you need me, then a'right. You know I'll do anything for the Family."

 "A'right." Joey smiled a bit, breaking his somber state, which relieved Luigi a bit. "Now you're officially one of the Leone Family. You're a made man now."

"What? No special ceremony?" Luigi joked.

"Naw. I'm not into that old-fashioned shit. Besides, we don't have the time. I gotta tell ya about some things goin' on with this war though. We just got some of the info from a few street soldiers. The Triads are getting more persistent. They think they've got us, think we've lost the war. Now they're expanding towards Saint Marks.."

 "Well what about the Diablos? Don't think they'd be too happy with it.."

 "The Diablos are siding with the Triads."

There was a short silence as Joey looked at the floor.

"What about the Forellis?

"I don't even think they give a damn. They'll probably just pack up and run like a bunch of scared little shits."

 "God damn it.." Luigi said softly. "I knew this shit was going to happen. We're in for it now. If those two gangs work together, we can kiss our asses good bye. They'll wipe us out."

There was silence for a moment. He had almost thought about finding "The Kid"...but all that was screwed up now. There was no way in the blue blazes of hell Joey would ever even consider it. He'd rather have him dead than working for him again.

 "We gotta get all the young guys together. We need more men." Luigi finally suggested.

"No need. I called someone up awhile ago. He just arrived in Liberty today. If he can't help us, there ain't no one who can."

"Who'd you call?"

"I called an old acquaintance of my pop's down from Vice City. You ever hear of Tommy Vercetti?"

Luigi's face lit up. There wasn't a guy in Liberty who hadn't heard of him, or any other person in the criminal underworld for that matter. He had taken over Vice City during the eighties and ruled it with his empire of drug smuggling, gambling, extortion and counterfeiting ever since. He just wasn't a major crime lord, he was the major crime lord. No one could touch him and no one had dared to. That fact alone gave Luigi hope for the war.

"I can't believe he's coming to Liberty to help."

"Yeah, well, he grew up in Liberty and I'm sure he wouldn't wanna see his people being kicked outta their homes or killed." Joey rose from the chair. "So that's that then. Go recruiting for some more men if you want. More help can't hurt, can it? I've got a good feeling about this. We'll show those fucks who owns the place." He went to the door and opened it. Before he could leave he turned around to face his friend. "Oh yeah. Was it you who busted Rob up?"

Luigi rubbed the back of his head. "Yeah..." he said quietly. "Look, Joey, I'm sorry but I had to do it. He messed with my sister, what was I suppose to do?"

 "Yeah, it's okay, I understand. He deserved it, the dumb prick. I'll take care of him too. I don't think he realizes the heat we could get if word got out he roughed up a cop. Is she gonna squeal?"

 "No..no. Mary won't."

 "Make sure of it. Talk to her if you can. She's been getting on our case lately and we don't need that shit right now."

Before Luigi could respond, Joey closed the door and left. Luigi slumped in his chair and combed his hair with his fingers. He had just been granted the highest tier in the Family. It was the best thing next to being Don. He wasn't just some small time pimp giving out small time jobs to punks. He was a capo now. He'd soon have more men under his control and possibly another business to run. It meant more money, more power and more respect. It wasn't going to be an easy position, but he was more than ready for it.

Luigi didn't want to give his new job anymore thought. For the time being, he had a club to run and payments to collect. With a hefty sigh, he rose from the chair and left his office, ready to face the rest of the day in a much better mood.