Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (Rewrite)

Chapter 81: The Empire Strikes Back

Tommy looked out his window the next afternoon. He had everything he wanted and needed. He took over the mansion of the former drug lord of Vice City. He eliminated all of the drug lord's remaining hitmen. He formed his own gang. He took over all the business assets around the city. There was, however, one more thing Tommy had left to do. So he picked up the phone sitting on the desk and punched in Sonny's number.

Back in Liberty City, Sonny was inside his office thinking. He had hoped that Tommy hasn't forgotten about him or the rest of the family. It has been almost two months since he sent Tommy at Vice City, and he was expecting his money real soon. When he finally heard his phone ring on the table, he picked it up to answer it.

"Yeah," Sonny answered.

"Hey Sonny, it's me," Tommy replied back over the phone.

"Ah, Tommy," Sonny answered back. "Good to hear from you again. So how's business going around back there in Florida?"

"Well," Tommy started to answer, "I own practically everything around here, from Malibu Clubs to filming studios to Print works, I may as well own this whole state."

"Print Works?" Sonny asked. "So it looks like you finally got to be in your father's shoes after all, huh?"

"I told you I own this city, Sonny," Tommy repeated. "And I did everything to work for it too!"

"That's good, Tommy, that's good," Sonny replied. "You got diligence. I like that, I like that. So since you own everything and all, you got my money?"

"Well... here's the thing, Sonny," Tommy told him. "see, I may be making money right now, but I had to spend most of it on all the business assets around here and I had to pay the allies I worked with a fair cut of the cash as well. So since the average asset cost about over $10,000 and I still have to give the people who originally owned it their half of the cut, I still won't have enough to send to you or the rest of the family."

"Shit," Sonny muttered, shaking his head. "So what are you gonna do now, Tommy? It's been two months now, and you promised you'd get me my money by then."

"Don't worry about a thing, Sonny," Tommy told him. "Because I've already planned out what I would have in stores for you and the rest of the family."

"Oh yeah?" Sonny asked. "What?"

"I'm gonna make my own business empire," Tommy told him. "That way, I won't have to pay my half of the cut to anyone else and I'll have enough money to send to you and the rest of the family out there up north."

"Excellent, Tommy!" Sonny cheered. "Great job planning ahead! So what is this business empire you're taking over?"

"It's called the Vercetti Gambling Lounge," Tommy told him. "We've been building it weeks ago and it's slowly turning into a success. Once I get all the money generated in thaT place, I will finally have enough money to send to you and the rest of the Forelli boys and we'll be connected with our business empires."

"Excellent," Sonny said over the phone. "Just give me a call whenever I need something from you. I'll be in touch."

So Tommy hung up the phone and stepped out of the office. He walked down the stairs to the front entrance and stepped outside. The weather was nice today. The palm trees in the background were blowing gently through the wind. The sun was shining moderately above the partially cloudy sky.

Tommy walked casually to the parked Infernus outside and hopped inside. He started the engine and drove away. Tommy made a right turn on the road of Starfish Island and drove straight to the bridge leading to Washington Beach, where Tommy made a right turn on where the construction site used to be. The building was now names The Vercetti Gambling Lounge.

Inside the building was a combination of a variety of things. It had a gambling room where patrons could play games to gamble for money, a cafeteria, an art room on the second floor, a jewelry shop on the third floor, and a variety of other rooms in each floor. Tommy, of course owned the office all the way on the top of the building: the 30th floor. Tommy had been working alongside Avery and the construction workers the day after he finished with his tasks at Sunshine Autos and in between races. Tommy knew he had to make enough money to pay Sonny back, so in order to do that, he had to make his own empire as well, and today was the day the finishing touch was finally completed.

There were already patrons around the room playing games, gambling, and sipping on beverages. Ken, Lance, Donald, and Avery were there, and Avery walked up to Tommy with a drink in his hand.

"Well done, Tommy," he told Tommy. "Making your own empire was a great idea."

"Hey," Tommy replied. "I needed to make something to have enough money to pay back my old boss. I owe it all to you, Avery. You taught me a lesson of owning lucrative property."

"No problem, son." Avery responded. "One thing you've gotta learn is that sometimes, you have to seize what you want to own. That's how you move on up in the underworld."

"I guess so," Tommy said. "I'll go check up in the office."

Tommy walked over to the elevator and took it to the 30th floor. It took a while, but he manage to make it all the way up on top. He saw his clean, organized office, which comprised a desk with a computer, telephone, and desk lamp against the wall up ahead, a tall potted plant on the right-hand corner, a file cabinet to the left, and a water cooler on the bottom right-hand corner. There was also a picture of Tommy's father hanging on the wall to the left. Tommy casually walked over to his desk and took a seat behind it. He put the phone on speaker and punched in Sonny's number.

"Yeah?" Sonny answered through the phone.

"Yeah, Sonny, it's me again," Tommy answered.

"Tommy!" Sonny called. "So you at your new empire now?"

"I'm here, Sonny," Tommy told him. "And I own my own office too."

"Excellent," Sonny told him. "Now listen up, Tommy. I know you're trying to make enough money to send to me and the other boys. So I might need you to do some jobs for me in order to have enough dough to send our half of the cut."

"I'm on it, Sonny," Tommy replied. "I did promise you that you had my personal assurance. I already took out the asshole who botched our drug deal the first day I flew out here, You'll get your money sent to you as well."

"Glad to hear it, Tommy," Sonny responded. "It's great to have someone I still trust around to make it up to me and the families. So once you have enough for me and my boys, the deal's done, and you won't have to worry about it ever again."

Sonny then hung up the phone, and Tommy sat back to relax. He owned everything and had many allies backing him up, including his own gang. All Tommy had to do was pay back Sonny and his job was finally complete.