Grand Theft Auto Vice City

The Life and Times of Mike The Goon

Chapter 8

The Chase

Mike and another of Diaz's bodyguards accompanied a man in a Hawaiian shirt to Diaz's office. The man had showed up saying that Diaz had requested his presence. Diaz was in his office watching a horse race.

"Come on, baby, go!" Exclaimed Diaz as he watched his race, "Yeah! Yeah! Arrrr! Stupid Horse! I'll chop your head off! Grrrr..." Diaz noticed the man in the Hawaiian shirt, "Who is this dickhead?"

"Tommy Vercetti." Said the man, "You remember me." Mike realized that this was the man who Diaz had hired Leo Teal to ambush and rob. Though Mike was sure that Tommy was only here to get back his stolen money and drugs, he remained quiet.

"Excuse me. I'm a little anxious." Replied Diaz, "Never trust a goddamn horse! You do a good job - you work for me now."

"I work for money." Said Tommy.

"As I said amigo," continued Diaz, "you work for me now."

"I work for..." Tommy began.

"Shut up!" Diaz interrupted, "Some Judas has betrayed me. He thinks I don't know how much money I should be making, but stealing 3% is as good as stealing 100%. No one does this to me. NO ONE. You follow him from his apartment and you see where he goes! Later, we kill him." Diaz explained where to find the thief, and the other bodyguard escorted Tommy out of the mansion. Mike stayed behind.

"So I guess you couldn't trust those gang bangers after all." Said Mike.

"I can't trust anyone these days." Said Diaz, "But loyal men, like you and that dickhead Tommy. You are the ones I trust. The simple minded lackeys who follow my simple commands. Which is why I have yet another job for you."

"What is it this time Ricardo?" Questioned Mike.

"Hey!" Exclaimed Diaz, "That's Mr. Diaz, to you! Okay?"

"Uh...yeah." Said Mike, "Sorry, Mr. Diaz."

"As if thieving dope pushers aren't enough to deal with..." Said Diaz, "Now I have scumbag politicians breathing down my neck. Congressman Alex Shrub! That dickhead. To think of all the times I have personally sold him blow, and now he threatens my lively hood! He wants to criminalize what I hold dear!"

"Wait," said Mike, "Alex Shrub is cracking down on drugs? But he's the guy who legalized Giggle Cream."

"No, you moron!" Said Diaz, "Not drugs. Porn. Alex Shrub is trying to make pornography illegal. Something about family values. It's an outrage! He's giving a speech at the Pole Position club in Ocean Beach today. Don't let him give that speech! Understand?"

"Sure thing." Said Mike, "I'll go shoot a high ranking politician, at a public event, where he'll no doubt be surrounded by security guards armed to the teeth."

"I knew you'd understand." Said Diaz. Diaz grabbed a sniper rifle off a gun rack on his wall and tossed it to Mike, "Take this. Now why are you still here? Go! Vamos!"

Mike jogged out to his car, and drove towards Ocean Beach. When he got there, he saw the streets around the Pole Position club blocked off, and a stage set up out front. As Mike was climbing out of his car, his car phone began to ring. He sat back down and answered it.

"Hello?" Said Mike as he put it to his ear.

"Mike?" Said the voice on the other end, "This is Juan Cortez. I work with your boss, Diaz."

"Yeah. I know who you are." Said Mike.

"Good. Good." Said Cortez, "Listen, I was just speaking with Ricardo, and he told me about what you're about to do. You haven't done it yet, have you?"

"No." Said Mike, "Shrub isn't here yet."

"Good." Said Cortez, "I know that Diaz is your boss, but I have to advise against killing Shrub. Diaz tends to act without thinking. You see, Shrub has done wonders for the drug trade of which both Diaz and myself are a part of. His assassination would only pave the way for another politician who could only cause more problems."

"I understand what you're saying." Replied Mike, "Don't worry, I wasn't planning on killing Shrub anyway. You know as well as I do that Diaz's days on top are numbered. I'm just going to make sure that Congressman Shrub's speech has some technical difficulties. His body will remain free of bullet holes."

"Gracias, amigo." Said Cortez, "May I give you one more piece of advice?"

"Of course." Replied Mike.

"Let this be your last job for Diaz." Said Cortez, "As you said, his days are numbered."

"Thanks Colonel." Said Mike. Both men hung up there phones. Mike climbed out of his car, and looked towards the Pole Position club. A stage had been erected in front of the main doors. On the stage sat a podium and microphone. A golden coloured limo pulled in front of the stage. Alex Shrub climbed out. He walked onto the stage and up to the podium. Mike raised his sniper rifle and took aim at the neon sign that hung right above the congressman.

"People of Vice City," Shrub began, "there is sinful temptation now more than ever before. That's why I, Alex Shrub, would like to speak out against these temptations." Mike pulled the trigger. The neon sign exploded in a burst of sparks. Glass and coloured plastic rained down on the congressman. Bodyguards in black suits came running to his side. They shielded him and quickly led him off stage. He got back into his limo and sped off. The crowd which had formed quickly dispersed, with screaming citizens running in every direction. Mike tossed the rifle into his back seat and drove off towards his home.

"Mr. Diaz," Mike said to himself, "Mike the Goon has left the building."