Chapter 8: Assassins

"Tommy Vercetti?" Jack stood there looking at him. Tommy Vercetti was James Vercetti's cousin, the real estate mongul down in Vice City.

Tommy impatiently ran to Jack to hurry him up.

"Stop," Jack pointed his AK in Tommy's face.

Tommy casually pushed it to the side, and grabbed Jack's arm, "We don't have time for this, come on!" He pulled Jack along and threw him into the car.

Jack was thrown into the seat, and Tommy slammed the door shut. Jack went for the door handle to escape, when a man in the front seat pointed a gun at him and told him not to move. Jack had no idea what was going on. Before he knew it, someone got into the driver's seat, and the car went speeding away. Jack oriented himself and sat up in the seat. A few moments later, he felt the impact and sound of a blast. He turned around to watch the garage explode in flames.

"What's going on?" Jack demanded, but no one answered. Just as he spoke up again, the car swerved to a stop, and Jack felt the pulsing of helicopter rotors. Tommy ran from another car, opened Jack's door, and pulled him out again. Tommy was so strong and moved so quickly, that Jack had no time to react by the time Tommy pushed him into the helicopter.

This time only Tommy got into the helicopter with him, and Tommy yelled over the loud helicopter sounds to the pilot to take off. Jack took that opportunity to try and escape. He grabbed Tommy's M4, and went to elbow him in the face, when Tommy ducked his head, and Jack's elbow hit the window and cracked it.

"Don't be stupid," was the last thing Jack heard, as the butt of Tommy's M4 came down on the side of his head.

"Hey, hey, wake up" Jack heard, as someone was slapping him lightly on the face. Jack pushed the person away, and shook his head to try to figure out where he was. Everything was still spinning, but he knew he was lying on a couch in a large, lighted room.

"Where... am I?" Jack got up and fumbled about, then almost collapsed, when someone caught him.

"Relax, just sit down and look at me," came a voice that Jack knew was Tommy Vercetti, "Right here, look at me."

Jack sat back down on the couch, and looked straight ahead, and things came back into focus quickly. He was looking directly at Tommy Vercetti, who was standing up with his arms crossed, and had an amused grin on his face. Jack looked around and realized he was in an exclusive hotel room that was on a very high floor. He looked to the window, where he could see the night lights of Liberty City.

"Jack," Tommy said, "We're on the top floor of the Avery Towers. It's 4 in the morning."

Avery Towers? Jack thought. The Avery Towers was the biggest hotel in all of Liberty City, located in the heart of Staunton, but Jack wondered why he was here.

"If you're wondering what you're doing here," Tommy said, as if he read Jack's mind, "like I said, Maria and Vince sent us to get you. They thought you were in over your head, but you looked like you were handling it just fine."

Jack wondered how Maria or Vince would know about the Turismo, or even how Jack ended up in the Red Jack-Purple Nine fight.

"You have a lot of questions, and I have a lot of answers," Tommy sat down on the couch across from Jack, "Okay so first of all, that Leroy... Vance you were after, he was killed in all the fighting. We torched the garage, in case the cops nailed you for involvement in that mess."

Jack was relieved, but still uneasy. Vance was dead, but he wanted to know why Tommy was doing all this for him. Then he sat up in full attention at what Tommy said next.

"Listen," Tommy went on, "Leroy was sent by Salvatore. Salvatore had 8-ball killed."

"I don't... what?!" Jack sat there in shock and disbelief.

"Jack," Tommy continued, "8-Ball was an undercover cop. Why do you think he took you in all of a sudden last year? He used you to get information about the Leone Clan. He worked the bar at Luigi's to get the inside scoop on Mafia business. He was the mole for the cops, and Salvatore had him killed when he found out last week. Salvatore didn't want you dead, but he didn't want you finding about this either, so he made a deal with the Red Jacks for you to work for them, while Salvatore sorted things out back in Portland. If I didn't get you outta there, you would've ended up joining the Red Jacks, and you probably would've ended up dead."

It was too much for Jack to handle. He didn't want to believe it, but it all made sense. The past year, it was all a lie. Jack was used by the Police Department to get information about the Leones. It was all orchestrated. Jack thought he knew what his role was as a member of the Leone Clan. Now he had nothing, absolutely nothing. No home, no allies, and a mob boss that probably wants him dead now.

"The cops are suspicious too," Tommy interrupted Jack's thinking, "They thought you killed 8-Ball at first. They thought you found out and killed him, but even since they found out it was Vance, they're still shadowing you. You're gonna have to lay low for awhile, while my contact in the precinct gets them off your back." Tommy took out a small piece of paper, "His name's Lieutenant Ray Machowski. That's the number you call if you need him. But don't screw up and let anyone find that number. If you're gonna call him, use a payphone, and make it quick. Tell him it's a "Vice call", and he'll get things done for you in the Department. Right now, he's working on getting people off your back."

Jack memorized the number on the paper and gave it back to Tommy.

"Memorized it, huh?," Tommy grinned, "Well don't come crying to me when you forget the number."

Jack had the number memorized well, and knew he wouldn't forget it. He didn't want to risk anyone finding the number with him.

"That's right...," Tommy said slowly and mockingly, "I forgot about who you were... Private First Class Geoffrey Thomas Anderson of the United States Army Rangers.

No... how could he know? Jack thought and sat frozen.

"I have a lot more power than the police and Mafia do," Tommy laughed, "You didn't think I could find out? I know everything about you, Jack. How you grew up homeless in Carser City, and joined the Skull gang. How you applied to the Army when you were 18 to get away from it all. Thought you could do something with your life. I guess you were pretty good at it, when you passed the Ranger tests when you were only 20. You left the Armed Forces for a second chance in Liberty. A new Jeff Anderson... Jack. You thought you could make it as a driver, then the Columbians left you for dead. The police found you and thought they could use you to get them information about the Cartel, when instead you led them right into the Leone Clan. You saved the Don's daughter, became an honorary member of the Clan, then even became one of the Hitmen for a day. You gave that up, until 8-Ball was killed, and you went after Vance and ended up in Shoreside. That's pretty much it, isn't it?"

Jack sat there speechless, and hated how Tommy knew everything about his life, even the parts he tried to hide.

"So listen," Tommy went on, "You can stay here at the Hotel for as long as you want. I won't let anyone bother you. But if you're interested, I'll let you in on something going down today."

Jack nodded slowly.

"Is that a yes?" Tommy got up, and picked up the phone, "Tell Vince to get in here."

Vince? Tommy thought. His heart sank, as he thought Vince was being sent by Salvatore to kill him. Sure enough, Vince walked in the door just a few moments later, and nodded to both Tommy and Jack.

Tommy made sure the door shut, and turned to Vince and Jack, "Okay, Jack, listen, I'm much more than the real estate big-timer down in Vice that my cousin told you about. I own Vice City, and I have power in Liberty too. I put Salvatore where he is now. He answers to me, and lately, the whole Mafia-Triad mess is way out of hand. People in high places want Salvatore gone. A few weeks ago, the idiot couldn't tell the difference between a group of Yakuzas for Triads, and ordered the murder of a very powerful Yakuza boss. Now we've got Yakuzas flooding in from Japan wanting revenge on the Mafia, and Salvatore is still soaking the streets with the blood of anyone connected to the Triads. He's having people killed left and right, even people within the Clan, and the whole thing is a mess. The Yakuzas are planning a hit on Salvatore today, while he's going into Staunton for a business meeting. That's where you two come in."

Jack and Vince both were listening attentively.

Tommy went on, "Salvatore is being escorted to the Love Media building tomorrow for a TV interview where he wants to clear up allegations about him... which we all know are true. The Yakuzas were originally planning a daylight hit on him, but it's practically impossible, with the amount of protection he's getting from both the Mafia and the police. There's nothing I can do about the police. With the amount of publicity this hit is gonna get, I can't weasel the police out of this one. Yakuzas won't get anywhere near Salvatore, and he's got snipers in buildings all around Love Media, ready to shoot out would-be Yakuza snipers.

"Vince is already supposed to be in one of those sniper position to protect Salvatore, so we'll use that to our advantage. And Jack, Salvatore doesn't think you know about anything, so I'm guessing he'll let you go with the envoy. Vince is going to take ou Salvatore when he gets out of the car, but he needs a getaway or he's finished. Jack, you're gonna have to pretend to go after Vince with the rest of the Mafia. Once you're inside, you have to make sure Vince gets out alright."

It all sounded very impossible to Jack, but Vince continued to listen seriously, and without emotion.

"Then you two just find a way outta there, and the Yakuzas will handle everything else for you. Got it?"

Vince nodded, and Jack followed in agreement.

"So are you in?" Tommy asked.

"I'm in," Vince said.

Jack hesitated, "... Count me in."

"Good, any questions?" Tommy looked at Jack and Vince.

"Yes," Jack spoke up, "I want to know, Vince, why you're doing this. It doesn't make any sense."

Vince looked at Jack with his usual emotionless face, "Maria overheard Salvatore talk about his plans a few days ago. Especially the ones about you. She told me, and we went to Tommy for help. She's the one who found out about 8-ball's murder. I can't let this go on anymore. I've decided Salvatore's days as Don are over... It's his time to die."

Jack remembered how he watched Vince's brother die, just earlier that week. Vince turned away, but Jack was still confused at how Salvatore's #1 assassin wanted to kill Salvatore himself. It made Jack question Vince's truthfulness in what he was saying.

"You can go now, Vince," Tommy said, and once Vince left he turned back to Jack, "Problem?"

"You trust him?" Jack asked, "He could tell Salvatore about all this, and Salvatore would find out you arranged for his assassination..."

"Relax," Tommy stopped him, "Vince knows that if he double-crossed me, I'd kill him myself. And since you don't know me that well, you should keep that in mind. It all works out that way."

"... Alright," Jack was uneasy about everything. He couldn't trust anyone anymore.

"Your room is 1712," Tommy said, "Maria is in 1707. She doesn't know about the hit, but she and Vince found out about everything else. Vince will take you to the Leone mansion. When you get there, tell Salvatore you survived the gang war, and that Vance is dead. Say you called Vince to pick you up. Offer your help for today, but don't be obvious. You screw this up, and everyone else gets screwed, alright?"

Jack nodded, and went over everything he had to do while he made his way through the hall to the elevator. It was 4 AM, but he wanted to see Maria. He wanted to know what she knew. He wondered if she found out about him, about the past he hid from her. Jack wanted to talk to her. He needed a friend to talk to. He thought about it, and realized she was the only one he had left really trust.

He came to the 17th floor, and past by her door. He was about to knock, but decided to check out his room first. He opened up his door with the keycard Tommy gave him, and walked into the small, two bed hotel room. He sat down on the couch, and looked around, while feeling the tender part of his head where Tommy hit him with the butt of the gun.

Jack went into more thinking about exactly what was going on. 8-Ball was dead. Salvatore wanted Jack out of the way. Now he was going to take part in an assassination of Salvatore. Where would Jack go then? It all reminded him about Carser. About how things went so bad he joined the Army to get away from it all. He wished to do that again. Get away from Liberty.

No. He needed to stop running. He couldn't let the City beat him this time. He came to Liberty to start anew. Live the life of Jack, a loyal member of some kind of organization. Well, that world was starting to collapse, and Jack decided that the only way he'd survive in the City was to make himself his own man. He couldn't rely on being part of the Clan anymore. It was becoming dangerous. It always had been. But now Jack was on his own, and Tommy was giving him the freedom to choose his destiny all over again. But after this assassination... what will I do then?...

After nearly a half-an-hour of sitting on the bed and staring at the wall, Jack got up to go to Maria's room. As he passed by his bathroom, he wanted more than anything to take a nice, long shower, but knew Salvatore would be suspicious if Jack did not look like he came from the Shoreside skirmish.

He came to her room. 1707. He knocked, and when someone began to open the door, Jack's heart jumped, as he scrambled for something to say to her. But it wasnt' her who opened the door... it was Vince.

"Oh..." Jack said, "Vince, which room is Maria's?"

Vince paused for a long time until he closed the door and stepped out into the hallway with Jack, "This... is her room."

It took Jack a moment, but he got the picture, and his heart sank so hard he could almost swear it stopped for awhile "... oh... I see..."

Vince, for the first time, had a sense of awkwardness in his speech, "... she's... still sleeping."

Jack looked down, as did Vince. It was all too strange. Jack felt as if his heart had been ripped out. Vince and Maria? Jack never even thought about it like that. Then, for a moment, he felt hatred for Vince. Jack always did have feelings for Maria. Why didn't she tell me? It must have been behind Salvatore's back too.

Vince spoke up to break the awkward silence, "We... should get going." He picked up a large suitcase, that could only be his sniper rifle, and other weapons of an assassin. He walked past Jack to the elevators, and jack followed behind him.

Jack couldn't quite trust Vince, especially now. He tried to shake the natural hatred he felt for him, but remembered that Vince's role in this hit didn't make much sense to begin with. They stood together in the elevator, and avoided eye contact in even more awkward silence. They walked over to the garage, where they approached his car, and Vince took out a small scanner from under his trenchcoat. He waved it over his car, and Jack assumed he was checking for bugs or explosives. When Vince was satisfied, he opened the car, and Jack got into the passenger seat. Vince kept the suitcase in the backseat, and started to drive toward the Leone mansion.

For the next half hour, they sat in silence. Jack sat there thinking about Maria for a long time. He didn't know what to feel about Vince. It would be wrong to hate him for that, but he couldn't feel any other way towards him for now. Jack didn't dare turn his head to look at Vince for the entire ride. He assumed Vince did the same. But Jack wondered what was going on in Vince's head. He always did wonder that. Vince, the most mysterious person he knew. Vince knew about Jack's chemistry with Maria, he had to. Why would he act so awkward about it if he didn't?

After going over the same questions and thoughts in his mind, Vince slowed to stop at the gates of the mansion, and the bodyguards recognized both Vince and Jack and let them in. Vince pulled up to the front steps, and Jack got out without saying a word. He turned to look at Vince, who kept looking straight ahead, and drove on to park the car.

Jack entered the mansion, and asked someone if he could speak to Salvatore. He was still sleeping, so Jack went around to different people to ask if he could join the envoy as a bodyguard.

"Hey," one said, "We need all the help we can get. We hear the Yakuzas are after the Don."

Jack tried his best to show that he just came from the Red Jack-Purple Nine battle. Jack couldn't go back to his home. The Leone Clan were still taking care of the clean-up. They let him use a shower at the mansion, and fitted him with a standard suit for bodyguard duty. One Mafia man offered Jack money to keep the Red Jack's jacket that Jack still had on.

"Don't worry about it," Jack smiled for the first time in a long time, "you can have it for free. It's a collectible Jack's Red Jack jacket."

One shower, one change of clothes, and a few hours later, it was morning. Jack stepped out into the chilly dawn and marveled at the beautiful morning. He leaned against one of the limos until the Don came out to his own. Jack made sure the Don didn't see him, so he went into the backseat of another Limo as the Don stepped out of the mansion. There were around 12 Limos all together in the convoy, and police cars waited outside of the mansion to escort him to the Media station.

Everyone knew that Salvatore Leone was on the top of many people's hitlist, and today would be the perfect opportunity to make a hit on him. The Mafia men checked the Limos over and over again for any explosives. They made sure each person in the convoy was someone they could trust. Little did they know that Jack, the person everyone trusted the most, was the person who they should have trusted the least.

Jack's Limo was two cars behidn the Don's. The convoy moved so slow it took them nearly an hour just to make it to the station. The streets of Staunton were beautiful in the morning. The streets were crammed with people on the roads and sidewalks, the billboards everywhere, and the tall buildings against the cloudless, blue sky was Jack's favorite image of Liberty City.

Jack and everyone else were expecting the whole time, for Don's Limo to be attacked by an assailant at any moment, but they arrived at the Media station with no trouble. They figured that anyone who would try and make a hit on the Don, with all the protection he had to today, would have a deathwish, and would definitely fail.

As Salvatore's car pulled up to the Media station, Jack looked to the building far behind them, where Vince was waiting in his sniper position. Jack looked at al lthe buildings around, and managed to locate several snipers in buildings all around the Media station. They were everywhere. Vince needed to do this, and get out quick.

Salvatore's car opened, and a horde of mafia men surrounded him, as the newsreporters tried to get near him. The mafia men held them a safe distance back, and covered Salvatore so well, that no one even caught a glimpse of him within the pack. Jack stayed in his car, and looked at the mass of people through the tinted window parked across the street.

Now, Vince. Do it now. Jack thought, while his heart was racing and he held his breath. Any second now...

And then it happened. Jack knew it instantly, when bodyguards took out their guns and were hauling something back into the car. Some media people went after them, while the others panicked. Jack watched the confusion and hysteria in slow motion. He knew what he needed to do now.

"The Don's been shot!" said one of the two bodyguards in the car with Jack.

"I know where the shot came from," Jack said. "It came from that building up there. Come on, let's go," he said while opening the door" We have to get the sniper before he gets away! Give me a gun!" Jack said while running with the door into the building.

They burst into the office building, followed by another bodyguard that was standing near the entrance.

"Vince and Frank are the only snipers posted in this building." The bodyguard said, as he caught up to them getting into the elevatore. "Frank's on floor 14, and Vince is on 12. One of them got the Don!"

"Alright," Jack said, as the elevator door opened and the four of them piled in, "You two take 14, and the two of us will take 12"

"Right," they all agreed.

Jack worried how he would get Vince out, with this other bodyguard with him. The door opened, and the bodyguard led him to where Vince would be. Jack ran close behind, past all the office workers pressing against the wall in fear.

"He's gotta be around here," the bodyguard said, "as they came to the end of the hallway, "This is where he was posted. Stay together."

"No," Jack thought quickly, "we have to split up or he'll get away." He ran off toward different rooms beforet he bodyguard could react.

Suddenly, he felt someone grab him from behind, and point a gun to the side of his head.

"Trust me," Jack heard the person say. It was Vince, and he was holding Jack at gunpoint.

"Stop" the bodyguard said, as he pulled out a pistol to point at Vince, who was behind Jack, "Jack, stay still."

Vince pulled Jack along to the side, as the bodyguard fired at him. Vince dived behind some desks, and fired his silenced pistol at the bodyguard. People were screaming and running, and Jack yelled at them to get down.

"Jack!" the bodyguard said, hiding behind a wall, "Are you alright?"

"Ya," Jack said, crouching next to Vince, "Don't shoot, or he'll kill me!" Jack played along with the charade.

"I'm sorry Jack," the bodyguard yelled out, "I can't do that." As he said that, he charged toward their position, shooting his gun.

"Come on," Vince ran close to the ground, and out the door into the hallway. "Close your ears and your eyes. Now!"

Vince took something out of his trench coat, and threw it back into the room. Jack closed his eyes and ears until he felt the vibration of something. As he stepped into the hallway, he saw the bodyguard shoot blindly into the air. Vince had thrown some kind of flashbang grenade that defeaned and blinded the bodyguard momentarily. Vince went back into the room when the bodyguard ran out of bullets. Vince ran at the bodyguard and did a flying jumpkick at him. The force of the hit was so powerful, it knocked the bodyguard into a cubicle wall and broke it.

"Let's go," Vince casually said.

All in a day's work from him, Jack thought about his assassin partner.

"There's two others who went in with me," Jack said as they ran for the stairs, "More of them are probably coming."

"The bottom of the stairwell leads to the garage," Vince said, "I have a car parked there. That's our only way out."

The two of them reached the starcase, and looked at the long trip down.

"We've got a long way to go," Jack said as he started to run down, then stopped, "What are you doing?"

"Grab on," Vince said, as he fastened a wire from his belt to the railing.

Jack hung on to Vince, as Vince jumped down the gap between the stairs. The two of them fell down several flights at an alarming speed. Jack didn't think the wire would hold them, when Vince took out something else from his trenchcoat and fired it upwards. A long, thicker wire shot up from it and grappled around another railing, and slowed their descent. Vince's black trenchcoat flapped upwards and into Jack's face until they landed. Despite the wire slowing them down, it was a very hard landing. Vince did a forward roll, to cushion his landing, and Jack rolled to his side, smashing his left elbow.

Jack struggled up to run, as he heard the voices of police on the staircase telling him to freeze. He ran into the parking garage, where Vince was already getting into his car. Jack opened the passenger door, and hit his elbow as he got in. It pulsed with pain, but Jack ignored it.

"Remember," Vince said, "You're my hostage."

"Right," Jack tucked his handgun under his jacket.

Vince burst out of the garage, and immediately, the police where everywhere on them. Vince turned on his illegal police radio, and listened in to the briefs.

"Hold your fire. The suspect has a hostage. Repeat. Hold your fire." the voice said on the police frequency.

The escape was working out perfectly. Vince probably killed Salvatore, and everyone thought he was holding Jack as hostage. Now if they could only make it out from the chase that was ensuing, then the mission would be a complete success.

Vince was bounding down the busy Staunton street. Police were everywhere. A helicopter had begun pursuit of the car, and the squad cars were starting to make road blocks.

"Where are they?" Vince said.

"Who?" Jack asked, as he held on while Vince turned crazily through an intersection.

Vince didn't answer until a few seconds later, when he heard motorcycles approaching. "Them" Vince swerved to a stop, and a pack of motorcycles surrounded them. "Get on that motorcycle"

Jack hopped on the back of the sport bike that Vince pointed to. He didn't know who these people on the motorcyles were. They all wore heavily tinted helmets. He clutched on to the rider, and the bike sped off at an incredible speed. He watched as Vince and the other bikes all went in separate directions. He knew exactly was going on. The bikes started appearing all over the streets. The police didn't know which ones to chase, for they all looked the same, and some had two riders also. Jack's rider rode on for almost a half an hour. They were in a different part of Staunton, and had lost the police. The rider took the bike to a small alleyway, and parked the bike.

"Who are you?" Jack stepped off, and mentally prepared to take out his handgun, just in case.

The rider took off her helmet, "Yakuza." She unzipped her outwear, and left it in the alleyway.

She ran out into the street, and Jack followed her. She waved down a Taxi, and Jack got in with her.

"Kasen Corp.," the woman said.

The ride was only a few minutes, and Jack just looked at the young woman, who just looked out the window. When they reached their destination, Jack paid the money for the woman, and she merely stepped out and walked to the building. She walked quickly, and Jack nearly lost her as she entered.

Inside, she past security measures, and Jack was confused as to why security didn't stop him. She entered an elevator, and he made it in with her at the last minute. They were the only two inside it.

"Where are you going?" Jack asked, "What's your name?"

She remained silent, and stepped out when they reached their floor. She said something in Japanese to the bodyguards, and they let both her and Jack into a large conference room. Jack was beginning to become suspicious, but knew there was no turning back now, as bodyguards were everywhere. The woman walked up to an older woman sitting in a chair and said something.

The older woman in the chair spoke up, "You must sit. You must be tired. Sit, sit." She motioned for him to sit in an empty seat.

There were several other people sitting down at the conference table. Jack recognized one as the president of Kasen Corp., Hideo Kasen.

The older woman continued to speak, "Welcome to Kasen Corporation. My name is Asuka. I see you have met our lovely agent, Reiko."

The young woman who Jack followed to the building nodded her head.

"As you should know by now," she said, "We are Yakuza."

Jack was a little surprised to find out the top executives of Kasen Corp. were a part of the Japanese Mafia.

She went on, "For for some time, many of us have wanted Salvatore dead, and we owe our greatest thanks to you for doing the... dirty work for us."

"What happened to Vince?" Jack asked.

"Invincible, as usual," came a voice from behind Jack.

It was Tommy Vercetti, followed by Vince, and a few other people. They sat down in other chairs.

"Sorry for the hold up," Tommy said, "Jack, lemme introduce you to everyone. Everyone in this room is in on the hit, except for Ray. But I mean only him everyone in this room." He looked around, "I want it to stay that way. Anyway, over there is Hideo Kasen, president of this company. Asuka, his daughter, Kenji, his son..." Tommy continued to name more of the Yakuza bosses, "And as for the 'non-Yakuzas': Colonel Juan Garcia Cortez..."

"Long since retired," said Cortez, who was an old man in a wheelchair, "Nice to meet you amigo."

"Pleasure is mine," Jack said.

Tommy went on, "And as you probably know, over there is Mr. Donald Love himself."

Jack was surprised, for he didn't even notice Donald Love, who sat two seats away from him, and gave a casual "Hello"

"So," Tommy said, "The gang's all here, isn't it? 'Ol Sal is dead, so I guess that's it, unless anyone else wants to have any more fun."

The whole room looked around, some laughed.

"Well then," Tommy sat back, "I guess we could get some other things done in this city while we're all here anyway. Anybody up for it?"

Everyone in the room laughed and agreed. Jack, for the first time since Luigi died over a week ago, he felt relief. He sat among the most powerful people in the City, and he was one of them. He looked at Vince, who nodded to him. Jack nodded back. Whatever animosities existed between them because of Maria didn't matter now. They were partners, and did their job well that day.