Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the GTA franchise.

Three Kings: Down in Vice.

A/N: We'll here it is a continuation on the lives of the Three Kings with an power hungry author in the mix. Enjoy.

Chapter 1: Running Man.

Welcome to Liberty City. A terrible place for a holiday. Others say the worst city in the world. There is one man who doesn't complain about the city's condition. Not many know this mans name most famously called the Grim Reaper of Liberty, some call him Fido. Only a few know his real name. Claude Speed.

Sirens fill the air of Portland the Industrialized Island of Liberty. Claude runs through Hepburn Heights with a Tec9 Uzi then jumps into bushes for cover. Claude had just gotten into gunfight with the remaining of Joey's boys that are loose on the street wiping them out. Not only where the cops on the scene quickly but the feds showed up knowing Claude was there causing most of the carnage. Ever since that incident with ActionMax, and Joey, Claude can't do anything with out the cops or F.B.I. noticing. Especially two tough cops on his tail.

The two cops enter Hepburn Heights searching for Claude one is Max Payne who before teamed up with the Three Kings to take down Joey, and the Leone family mafia. But now are enemies again as Max stayed in Liberty in an attempt to as he would put it 'Save this sinking ship.'

The other officer a young man not yet twenty years old wearing a brown trench coat with the regular wardrobe a detective would wear underneath he has short brown hair, and dark brown eyes. After the fall of the Leone's all the corrupt cops were weeded out of the department causing a great need for officers in Liberty city. Many young men were taken from the academies one being Brady Wright. A very skilled young man who excelled in the academy was made a detective quickly. Then partnered up with Max Payne. "Max be careful he's around here. I know it."

Claude watched from the bushes calm as anyone could be with police cars all over shining their lights searching for him. Claude had known about this Detective Wright before as he was driven to catch Claude. A few close encounters with him, and Max. Both detectives had their 9mm's drawn looking around the area. "Just watch your back kid."

Claude waited until another police car passes by then puts his escape from the detectives into motion taking a tear gas container out of his jacket. He pops up opening fire on the two detectives causing them to hit the deck. He then rolls the gas can on the ground causing the smoke to spray from it giving him cover. "Fuck." The two officers roll out of the smoke coughing. Brady aims his gun at the smoke but Claude has disappeared. "Damn he got away."

Max stand up brushing himself off. "You okay?"

"Yeah, except we almost had him."

"We can still continue the search but we'll have to go another away that tear-gas can be deadly." Max holsters his weapon. Max had become a mentor to the young detective. The situation that upset Max in Liberty was the young recruit's being put on the street with little experience. A LCPD officer has the shortest lifespan out of any job in the United States. Max wasn't afraid to die, and he didn't have much to live for. But most of the officers on the street were young too young. "Let's go."

Claude had given the cops the slip. He had a chance to take out Payne, and Wright but for some reason Claude just like's toying with the two detectives. They give him a challenge unlike the rest of the LCPD. He turns the corner to Eddie's auto his Portland hideout but stops in his tracks spotting FBI agents there inside. He starts walking the other way unsure what to do now with Portland crawling with cops, and agents he would need to jack a car, and sneak out of Portland undetected. Hopefully his hideouts on the other island hadn't been discovered.

A black limo pulls up next to the killer. One of the windows rolls down revealing ActionMax. "Hey Claude." He gets his attention. "Hop in." Claude gets in the back of the limo. "It's been a few months since I've seen you Claude. But I heard you were in trouble." He nods. "The Feds are all over your property, and their looking for you furiously. I can help you, since I do owe you. You'll just need to trust me." Claude shrugs ok.

Back at the LCPD Portland station:

"Payne! Wright! I'm glad your back." Chief Anderson yells across the station.

The two detectives walk over to Anderson. "Yeah but 'he' got away."

Anderson takes a bite of his doughnut. "It's alright kid the feds found all of his hide-outs, there's no where else for this guy to run. You'll get him."

"Yeah thanks chief." Brady wipes the chunks of doughnut off his face.

"I told you to watch out for that." Said Max.

"Yeah." Said Brady. "C'mon I want to be out there. Let's go to one of his places."