Chapter 5

Unfinished Business

The plane landed in the early morning hours at the Escabar International Airport in Vice city. The pilot walked back into the cabin and arose Tony. Tony sat up in his chair rubbing his eyes and removing the blanket he had placed over his legs during the night. He sat up and walked towards the door. He looked out at the morning sun shining off the ocean in the distance. Strangely, it reminded him of home. On the tarmac in front of the plane a Lexus ls340 waiting for Tony. He walked down the steps and headed towards the car.

The engines of the plane revved up and kicked dirt up behind them. Tony turned around to see the plane turning and taxing down the runway. He had one day to finish his business here in Vice, he didn't know where to start. He sat in the back of the car and stretched his arms a bit. The driver turned around and looked at him.

"Where to Mr. Oprita?" The driver asked.

Tony thought for a second, "Take me to Starfish Island, the Vercetti estate."

The driver nodded and turned around. The car pulled forward and left the tarmac and headed down the street. He looked at the airport, the building had seen better days, it looked as if it hadn't been up kept in a long while. As he glanced around the landscape as the car drove through the streets his eyes caught a glimpse of the once Great Sunshine Autos that stood right outside the Airport.

Tony tapped the drivers shoulder, "Pull over to Sunshine Autos."

The driver nodded and the car turned right and headed towards the shop. As it came closer into view Tony could see the shop had been out of service. The car pulled into the parking lot and stopped right in front of the side doors. Tony opened the door and stepped out of the car towards the doors. He put his head up to one of the spots of glass not covered by wooden planks. The inside of the store seemed run down and grungy. He began to pull off the wooden planks until an opening appeared in the glass door.

Carefully he slid himself through the opening and into the Auto dealer showroom. He flipped a light switch and looked at the dilapidated showroom. He walked across the dirt covered floor and around the over turned desks towards a car cloaked in a black cloth. He carefully lifted the cloth off the car and stared at the bright red Lotus Elise. He ran his hand along the side of the car and looked at it.

"What happened to this place? This place was part of his empire of assets, how could it close down?'

He walked away from the car and headed towards the hole through which he entered from. He crawled through and dusted the dirt off his shirt. He opened the door and sat back down in the car. The driver pulled out of the parking lot and headed down the road to Starfish Island.

The streets had gotten progressively worse since Tony had been here almost 2 years ago. The gangs were ever more present and stood on every corner staring at all those who passed. The buildings seemed to crumble to the ground and everything seemed to be falling apart in the city. They crossed the bridge and headed into the Ritzy neighborhood that Tommy lived in.

All the houses had shown their signs of wear and tear. Many had boards on windows and were locked up. No one had lived in them since he left the city. Then towards the far edge of the island he could see the mammoth house, it appeared to be the only up kept house on the island and probably the best looking building in the city.

The driver drove up to the gate where he was stopped by two Cuban looking security guards. They asked the driver for his passengers business and called Tommy for approval. The men nodded as the gates opened up to the estate. The car drove through the steel gates and around to the large steps at the front of the house.

Tony got out of the car and looked around at the estate. Its condition was impeccable and it looked the same as it did the day he left. He looked up the stairs at a young woman who was waiting for him. He looked at he, she was beautiful. Long golden brown hair that went down to he shoulders. She had a very skinny waist and deep blue eyes. She was wearing a tight shirt that accentuated her breasts and a tight skirt that showed off her tan legs.

"Mr. Oprita I presume?" She asked.

Tony nodded as he made his way up the steps to the woman. He looked around at the house. He could see guards covering all the levels and snipers on the roof. Whatever enemies Tommy had made, he did not want them anywhere near him.

"Follow me please, Mr. Vercetti has been awaiting your arrival." She said as she walked inside the house.

Tony followed her watching the way she walked as they entered the large grand foyer. The paint was just as he remembered black and red with gold accents. The carpet seemed new and the whole house smelled of orange cleaner. He followed the lady as they walked up the master stair case that lead right to the door of Tommy's office.

The girl reached up to the handle and opened the door. The office was just as Tony remembered; there was a section of television monitors in the back corner by one of the large pane windows. The desk was elevated above the rest of the room and had been modernized with a computer on one side and a printer on the other. The air was heavily laden with the smell of Cuban cigars as Tony entered. Tommy was sitting at the desk looking at the monitor; he glanced up as Tony entered.

Tommy looked the same as he did before, except his shoe-polish black hair seemed to get greyer. His cleans shaven look had faded and it looked as if he hadn't shaved in a month. His face seemed to stretch against his bony facial structure. He seemed a little skinnier than the Tommy Tony left a year ago. Tommy Stood up and walked over to Tony.

"Tony Oprita, what in the hell brings you back to my neck of the woods?" Tommy said as he got up and walked over and gave Tony a hug.

"Business as usual, came to finish up a few loose ends."

Tommy nodded as he sat back down in the chair behind the desk, "Christ, did you hear the news today? Read the paper?"

"No, why what happened? Who died now?"

"Look at the news." Tommy said as he pointed to a large screen tv behind Tony.

Tony turned around and looked at the screen. An Asian lady was seated at a wooden desk and began to talk, "Carl and Sweet Johnson the rumored heads of the notorious Orange Grove Family were caught early this morning after an intense 3 hour stand-off at their residence," the screen showed the two black males ducking behind cars and firing out shot after shot at the cops in their driveway, "The two men have been wanted for over 4 years now after connection to the Liberty City massacre that killed almost 30 members of the Leone family. The two have been on the run since then and have been spotted around the country numerous times. The two men were taken into custody and will be awaiting trial in connection to the murders later this month. In other news.." the lady began before Tommy turned off the TV.

"Christ, do you know what this means? They caught him, they'll be on to us soon. I knew the deal with him was too good to be true. Damnit! We have to keep the fed's off our tail. We have to distract them some how, get them to think we're doing something else. Something legit, something profitable for everyone involved."

Tony began to laugh as Tommy began to explain his plan, Tommy stopped and looked over at Tony. He eyed him curiously then slammed his fist down on the desk. He jumped out of his chair and walked over to a liquor cabinet on the far side of the room.

"You think this is funny Tony? You think this is a fucking joke? They're on to us. They're going to catch us and when they do, nothing can stop them."

"No Tony, they're on to you, I didn't have anything to do with this. I made my deal with the government; I'm not part of this anymore. It's your fault, you dug your own grave, and all you have to do is decide weather to be buried now, or make a deal with the feds. I made my peace, do the same."

"What are you talking about Tony? We were in this together you and me, the would was ours. What do you mean make peace? These men want me dead, want us dead, there's nothing we can do to stop it."

"No Tommy, this is your doing, I'm not part of it anymore. I paid my debt to society. This time, you have to go it alone. Your empire is crumbling beneath your feet, there's nothing you can do but make amends with them"

"My empire is not crumbling, it's at its glory, I'm like the new Caesar. My empire is vast and glorious. I am the king of this city. I own this town, everything in it is mine."

"Yeah, well take a look around outside, the city you own is no more than a trash dump, the glory the city once had has faded, this town is gone. Long gone, there's nothing you can do."

"Fool! Do you not see what is going on? The government wants you to do this, you don't want to do this. Join me again Tony, we can rebuild and start a whole new life. Just think, the would can be ours." He said as he outstretched his hand towards the ceiling.

Tony shook his head and walked over to the desk. He slid his hand on the wooden finish and towards the gun lying on it. He picked up the gun and pointed it at the ceiling. He looked at the gun then back at Tommy, he smiled as he did so.

"Tommy, I'm going to ask you a very serious question. Your life depends on weather or not you give me the right answer. Did you send assassins after me in Motor city?" He said as he pointed the gun at Tommy.

Tommy stared in disbelief as his once trusted best friend had pulled a gun on him. He thought back to the time when lance did the same thing. At that moment as he looked at Tony he could have sworn he saw lance standing there pointing the gun at him. He walked towards Tony and dropped to his knees.

"No, why would I send hitmen after you? That doesn't make sense you're not thinking rationally. I would not send hitmen after you."

"Tommy! I know you did! They even said that you sent them. I'm sorry but you gave me the wrong answer. Time to die Tommy." He said as he pulled the trigger.

The bullet flew through Tommy's head spraying brain matter, blood and bone splinters all over the floor. The body dropped to the floor with a loud thud. Tony took the gun and threw it out the window at the ocean. He walked over to the body and knelt down beside it. He pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket and laid it over the exit wound in the back of his head. He stood up and headed towards the door, as he did he took one look back at the man who created an empire, but could not hold it. He turned the handled and walked out of the office.

He walked down the main stairs and headed outside. He put his arm up to his face to shield it from the sun. As he did he could hear the woman's screams as she opened the door to Tommy's office. He quickly hurried down the stairs towards the waiting car he opened the door and sat down quickly.

"The airport and hurry, we don't have much time."

The driver nodded and quickly sped down the drive way to the gate. The gate began to close as the car sped through it and headed to Escobar Airport. The driver quickly sped through the city towards the airport. The wail of police sirens could be heard in the distance as the car pulled into the airport.

Tony got out of the car and walked towards the hanger where the car picked him up. He walked into the hanger to see a tiny Dodo there waiting for him. He walked over to the side door and opened it, the pilot looked at him and smiled.

"I've got orders from Mr. Black to fly you to Atlanta. So if you'd please hop in, we don't have much time."

Tony jumped up into the plane and closed the door. The pilot began to pull the plane out of the hanger as police cars began to swarm the hanger. The pilot punched it down the tarmac and began to pull the plane up as cop cars surrounded the plane. The cops left their cars and began to fire shots off at the plane. The plane pulled into the sky and banked away. Tony's unfinished business had been completed and he no longer had anything to fear, or so he thought.