MAX:

Taking The Alternate Road:

Max Payne sits in a bar jam packed with people. They all stand on tables, jumping up and down like circus monkeys. Liberty City Survivor had come one, and the whole place went nuts. Max sits at the bar, the eroma of wafting cigarettes the dank smell of spilt alcohol, the 'old bar' look that says everything is made of hardwood and glass. He doesn't pay any attention to the screen, his head is swimming, and he takes some painkillers. Then he looks at the bartender.

"I need a drink."
The bartender sits a Budweiser down on the table and Max swigs it like it's the cure for death. He takes a ten out of his pocket and slaps it on the table.

He burps, "Thanks chief."

"Don't mention it." The bartender sets another drink down on the table.

Max had made huge mistake, and he felt the price of his ignorance. He realized he could never bare to take away a man's daughter, what if it had been his daughter. What if she was still alive and someone wanted to take her from him. Now he was stuck between a rock and a hard place, he couldn't quite go after Trent, because arresting Trent would be like taking his daughter away, but it was his job. The Chief sent him down to Liberty to kill people, Trent is succeeding in becoming a Mob boss. 'Maybe he threw his little girl in the middle so that I'd feel sorry for him.' He doesn't understand anything, he takes another swig of beer -

"Wassup essa?"

Max ignores it, he thinks it's for someone else.

"Hey, I'm talkin' to you homes."

Finally Max turns around, a Hispanic guy with a strong build stands in back of Max, he's got a tank-top and baggy jeans. His expensive shoes are ripped and torn like a dog had taken a hundred bites out of them. If Max were to stand up the man would be just above his jaw and no more. Oddly enough his bandanna is split in half, red on one side, and blue on the other.

"Can I help you with somethin' friend?"
"Don't know dog, but we about to find out."

"What's that supposed to mean."

"You goin' after Trent right? Yo boss's been messin' with ya' so you don't know if you want to go after him anymore. Take the next step homes, go the different road, forget about him. Get away from the smalltime and get straight to the bigfish."

"Who are you?" Max says amazed.

The man ignores the question, "You're Max Payne right? I read your file. That's some serious shit!"

"You're a cop?"

"No! Shit... you want to get me fuckin' killed man? I'm a police informant for the FBI, always wanted to be a cop though, so now I guess I kinda' work for the FBI, once my supervising officer gets all the paperwork filled out."

"Being a cop will get you killed but bein' a rat..." Max makes this 'snkt' sound people sometimes make when they're trying to make a point, "now that's noble enough to keep you alive. Don't you feel bad about selling out your friends."

"Hell no man! Are you kiddin' me, not one guy I've ratted on has ever been my friend. I sell out the hardcore motherfuckers that your undercover guys are too fuckin' pussy to deal wit. I HELP my friends bein' a FBI informant."

"Oh yeah?" Max says lighting a cigarette, "Your supervising officer know about that?"

"Hell yeah! I told him myself, he's flexible, he don't care. As long as I'm reelin' in the big guys."

"Yeah well, keep it up, you're even startin' to talk like a cop." Max starts to get up from his chair.

"Heh." the guy puts his hand up, and Max sits back down, "I've been helpin' out Trent, I informed Tony about the capture of 8-ball. I informed El Burro about the wrestling ring that was brought forth against his will, I informed Tony about the hidden money in the Triads hideout, and I informed the police about the shooting."

"Who - are - you?"

"My names Carlos."

"That must be an original name where you come from."

"Yeah my mom gave it to me."

"Really? Didn't picture that." Max says blowing smoke from his nose.

"Hey man Mexicans, we are smart homes. See You can't find one guy my age with the name Carlos where I come from, 'cuz my people... we're smart enough to know when a name is being overused. Eh? Just like your 'original' name homes."

"So what do you want Carlos?"
"The bigfish," he points to the television screen. "forget about Tony's gang man, focus on the bigger picture..."

"...Liberty City Survivor."
"That's right."

"Why are you playing both sides?"

"Because I like both sides, and one of the guys is a friend of mine. but you know? I like you, and I have a job to do. So if you don't mind, I'd appreciate if you'd pay for my drink so we can talk about how we're gonna' handle this."

Max set a twenty down on the table.

"I think you'll be satisfied were this road will take you amigo."