Grand Theft Auto Vice City
The Life and Times of Mike The Goon
Chapter 2
The Party
Mike "The Goon" woke up to the sound of his clock radio buzzing. He hit the button on top of it, and stood up. The phone beside his bed began to ring. He picked it up and put it to his ear.
"Hello?" Said Mike.
"It's Ricardo." Said the voice on the phone, "There's a party on Colonel Cortez's yacht down at the marina. I need you to come with me."
"Can't you go by yourself?" Questioned Mike, "Do you really need a chaperone?"
"Of course I could go by myself!" Replied Diaz, "It's not about protection you idiot. It's about showing my status. The President has fifty secret service dick-heads watching him at all times. Do you really think anyone's out to hurt the President? No. He's just showing off his status!"
"Mr. Diaz," Mike began, "someone just shot the President a few years ago, and you're saying that no one wants to hurt him?"
"Shut-up." Said Diaz, "Just come to my mansion and pick me up. I'm already late." Mike got dressed and left his apartment. He got in his red Sentinel and drove to Starfish Island. When he arrived at Diaz's mansion, Diaz and another bodyguard were already waiting for him outside. Mike parked his car by the stairs and got out.
"Come on." Said Diaz, "We'll take my Stretch." Diaz, Mike and the other bodyguard walked over to Diaz's Stretch limousine. Diaz climbed in the back, while Mike got in the driver's seat, and the other bodyguard in the passenger seat. "Step on it." Said Diaz, "I've heard of fashionably late, but this is fucking ridiculous!" Mike drove off of Starfish Island and towards the marina. By the time they arrived at the Colonel's yacht, the party was already in full swing. Mike had attended several of Colonel Cortez's parties before, but always as Diaz's muscle. "Great. We're here. Let's go." Said Diaz.
Diaz led the way as Mike and the bodyguard followed. Diaz led them into a door at the back of the yacht, and through it's interior. They climbed up a set of stairs onto the deck. Mike looked around at some of the guests. He recognized the state congressman, Alex Shrub, standing with a scantily clad woman. He also noticed BJ Smith, former tight-end for the Vice City Mambas, Jezz Torrent, lead singer of Love Fist, and Gonzales, Colonel Cortez's right-hand man. Gonzales was also a snitch, and informed Diaz of all of the Colonel's drug deals. Mike noticed Colonel Juan Garcia Cortez himself, and Diaz approached him.
"Colonel!" Greeted Diaz, "You party's as ever are a triumph!" Diaz laughed as he shook Cortez's hand, "I can only apologize for my late arrival."
"Ah, de nada amigo." Relied Cortez, "How do we find you?"
"Our business is very trying." Said Diaz, "Barbarians at the gates. A time for rewarding one's friends, and liquidating one's enemies, amigo." Diaz looked around at the other guests. He noticed a young woman in a purple dress standing with a man in a blue suit. Mike recognized her as Cortez's daughter. "Mercedes!" Diaz called out to her.
"Oh," said the girl, "I was just taking my friend back into town. Another time, Ricardo!" Mercedes and the man in the blue suit hurried off of the boat.
"Ricardo," said Cortez, "let's go over the layout of this deal you're setting up while we have some drinks." Cortez led Diaz to a table by the front of the boat. Diaz sat down, and so did Cortez. Mike remained standing behind Diaz. A waitress came by and sat two tropical looking drinks down on the table.
"I'm a little unsure about it." Said Diaz, "You know how deals can sometimes go bad. Like the one I heard about recently. You helped set that up didn't you? The deal down by the docks? Bad business. From what I hear you lost a lot of money and coke. Real shame."
"Yes." Said Cortez, "I did set that up. I'm surprised that you've heard of it. I though we had all kept pretty hush hush about the whole thing."
"Yes, well," said Diaz, "word travels. You know as well as I do that no one can be trusted."
"Indeed," replied Cortez, "but the good news is that the money and drugs lost were not my own. I just helped set up the deal between two groups of out-of-towners. Although I can't say it would have helped my reputation as someone who sets these things up. Though I can assure you that I will get to the bottom of it. Whoever is behind this will be punished."
"We can only hope so." Said Diaz, "Now, back to my deal. The Cubans are a shady sort. I don't know if I can fully trust them to go on with this deal fairly. And the Haitians! It's not impossible for those dick-heads to try something."
"Well," said Cortez, "if there's anything I can do..."
"There is." Said Diaz, "I was thinking you could loan me one of your men to oversee the deal. Like a guardian angel."
"Yes of course." Said Cortez, "I think I know just the man...." Mike suddenly remembered that he was supposed to meet with Leo Teal.
"Mr. Diaz," said Mike, "I'm going to have any part in this deal?"
"You?" Said Diaz, "No. I couldn't risk losing you on a little deal like this. And don't mistake that for general caring. You're just too good a gun to lose."
"Alright," said Mike, "then if I'm not going to be present at the Cuban deal, can I go? I got stuff to do."
"Fine," said Diaz, "go. You're doing nothing for my status anyway. No wonder the President's secret service men are always hidden in the shadows. When they walk with him in the open like this they make him look like a dick-head. Go!" Mike hurried off the yacht, and down the dock to the parking lot. He looked around. A shiny red Banshee caught his eye.
The licence plate read, "BJSM1TH".
"Mr. Smith can afford another one." Mike said to himself, "After all, he owns a used car dealership." Mike opened the door of the Banshee and sped off towards Eugene's restaurant. He was already late for his meeting with Leo. "I've heard of fashionably late," Mike said, "but this is fucking ridiculous."