Liberty City

[[classic swim]]

[[classic swim]]

“I'm working for the Mafia. The police, and a government agency are both on my case. I kill and steal, to scrap together a living so that my cousin can fritter it away online and pay off debts. And all the while? People are trying to kill us! What is FUN?” - Niko Bellic

[[classic swim]]

Bernie: Honey... you... are stressed.

[[classic swim]]

- Buoys Ahoy. • 2008

Niko & Bernie have some fun.

[[classic swim]]

Bulgarin: We met at your club. I am Ray Bulgarin.

Luis: Oh yeah. You’re the Russian who was asking about coke, hookers and corpses. Yeah, sorry we couldn’t accommodate.

[[classic swim]]

“If the money tells you to cut your fucking legs off, you will do it. Because the money is better than a fucking leg. The money is making the plans. That's the American way.” - Ray Bulgarin

[[classic swim]]

- Going Deep. • 2008

Luis & Bulgarin ambush corrupt N.O.O.S.E agents at the Topaz Street parking garage.

Bulgarin’s failing at persuading Luis to give up on Tony.

[[classic swim]]

... • 2008

Bernie’s gift to Niko for not killing him and being such a loyal friend; The Deputy Mayor’s Infernus.

- - - -

Niko: Thank you, Bryce Dawkins. I hope the cash for this didn’t come out of city funds.

Spoiler

The car’s still wired for sound...

 

[[classic swim]]

[[classic swim]]

“What about them Swingers?” - Phil Bell

[[classic swim]]

Phil: Did you hear about our friend, the guy with the thing?

Ray: Yeah, you mean Harry the... guy with the hat.

Phil: No the guy with the, y'know, the budda beep budda boop.

[[classic swim]]

... • 2008

Boccino sends Niko over to Phil Bell in Alderney.

Phil’s mostly Irish and was still seen by Pegorino as a superior to Ray. Burned Ray’s ass.

Phil was Niko’s door to dealing with Jimmy P directly.

[[classic swim]]

- Truck Hustle. • 2008

Liberty City Triads have grown into a real bunch of superstitious fucks.

Panicky over their 'cursed' heroin that’s been trouble with Angels, the Lost, Elizabeta and so on...

Niko grabbed this for the Pegorino family that simply knew no better.

[[classic swim]]

Niko: I don’t even like fucking heroin.

[[classic swim]]

[[classic swim]]

... • 2008

Salvatore Leone’s Gentlemen’s Club has been tragically vacant for years.

Sal would be rolling in his grave knowing his home became where Guernsey goombahs not even with the Commission would stash their brown.

[[classic swim]]

Roman: What're they like, NB? The gangsters?

Niko: I've been working for this guy, Phil Bell, at the moment. He's better than Ray Boccino. Paranoid about wire taps and helicopters, but he seems legitimate.

Roman: He should be paranoid. The Feds are after organized crime in a big way. Stay disorganized would be my advice, Niko. Don't let them get you for racketeering.

[[classic swim]]

... • 2008

Besides vouching to Skip, Phil’s also recommended his new friend as the go-to guy for Wade “The Fixer” Johnson.

[[classic swim]]

Fixer: Niko Bellic, I know who you are, brother. You're after some money.

[[classic swim]]

- Assassin’s Greed. • 2008

These string of jobs proved it wasn’t truly all about revenge, and a lot of this was becoming a sick thrill.

These jobs were the most alive Niko Bellic felt.

[[classic swim]]

Niko: Everything is taken care of, brother.

Fixer: Right on, brother. I'll collect the funds. If you want more work, contact me on the hard line.

[[classic swim]]

... • 2008

Roman’s upcoming marriage to Mallorie has made him look more seriously at cousin Niko and notice a stark cry for help.

[[classic swim]]

Roman: Listen, man. I'm worried about you. You have to sort your life out. Before it ends...

Niko: What does that mean?

Roman: It means what it says - you can't carry on like this - fighting a war that ended, killing, running around like a lunatic, all this craziness. 

Niko: You got me into this craziness, here I mean. And you help me spend the money it has made us.

Roman: Sure, but it can't go on, not forever.

Niko: Yes it can.

Roman: You'll die.

Niko: No. I will go on forever. This is my curse. I can do this. Live this life. I cannot live another. Not now.

Roman: I don't buy that bullshit. Grow up! Move on, be, be free! At least think about it?

[[classic swim]]

... • 2001

I’m sure you remember our old friend.

[[classic swim]]

[[classic swim]]

... • 2001

Liberty City. All the money at his disposal. No Catalina, no Maria; Claude didn’t need motivation to fuck things up for kicks.

[[classic swim]]

... • 2001

If no generic talking head was there to say pop this guy, or pop that guy... Speed took rampages wherever he wanted.

Unpredictable and with no boundaries.

[[classic swim]]

... • 2001

Old habits die hard.

A known drifter who couldn’t help but defy his own existence by staying precisely where he was no longer welcome.

[[classic swim]]

... • 2001

Where you’re not careful, you set yourself yourself up to meet the consequence you thought you were above.

[[classic swim]]

... • 2001

What you cannot account for is when your luck begins to run out.

[[classic swim]]

... • 2008

It’s not too late to see things more clearly when there’s still time.

[[classic swim]]

Fixer: There's a file for you, brother. A quick, smooth job like the last one is what we need.

[[classic swim]]

 

[[classic swim]]

Fixer: You've done good, brother. Cleared a lot of files from my desk. Can't use you no more, though. A man loses taste for this kind of work after a time. I can't run that risk with a partner.

Niko: I understand. This is not the type of thing you want to develop a taste for.

Fixer: Be cool, brother. Keep your senses alert and you might make retirement. Not many in this game cross that line. So long.

Edited 17 hours ago by [classic swim]

[[classic swim]]

Jimmy: So... were you followed?

Niko: I don't think so.

Jimmy: Oh...

Niko: I mean, who knows.

[[classic swim]]

“I mean, we can pretty much guarantee you were followed. The question is, did ya know about it? And right now, I don't know the answer to that question. But to be honest, I don't really care neither.” - Jimmy Pegorino

[[classic swim]]

... • 2008

Ray Boccino’s failed repeatedly at asserting any dominance over Niko.

His snark and bull begins to shatter upon realizing the outsider has outranked him in usefulness.

[[classic swim]]

Marco: The Pavanos wouldn't fuck with you.

Pegorino: Wake up, you fucking mook! Everybody is trying to fuck everybody.We just hoping they got the manners to smile to our faces before they do it.

Pete: You giving them a nice little offering though, skip. They ain't gonna turn up their noses at that.

Pegorino: God, give me strength. It's like I'm dealing with children here. No wonder I ain't on the Commission when my muscle is this stupid!

[[classic swim]]

- Pegorino’s Pride. • 2008

Desperate to get his Alderney crew a seat at the table, James Pegorino tries bribing the Pavanos - - the only Liberty City mafia family that’s had to humor Jimmy P’s name.

Niko rescues Jimmy from the Pavano deathtrap disguised as a sitdown.

[[classic swim]]

[[classic swim]]

[[classic swim]]

Pegorino: Ah, these kids come and go. It ain't worth paying attention to them until they prove they can survive. I just move on and hire some wannabe wiseguys off the street.

Niko: It's that simple?

Pegorino: Has to be.

[[classic swim]]

[[classic swim]]

... • 2008

Niko & Jimmy pay a visit to Satriale’s.

The place became deserted not long after the DiMeo crew went under.

[[classic swim]]

- Woke up This Morning. • 2008

Got yourself a gun.

[[classic swim]]

Niko: I've been working for Jimmy Pegorino, the head of that Alderney guido family.

Roman: Yeah, the head of the family. Is he a big time gangster like in the movies then?

Niko: Wants to be. Keeps talking about being powerful, about getting on the Commission with the five big families. I just hope he's got enough power to be able to find Darko Brevic for me.

[[classic swim]]

Ray: So, Nicky, you and the Peg is getting close I see?

Niko: He's got work, he pays. That's about it.

Ray: Yeah? Well, remember who made the introduction. Remember who brought you in. Don't you forget about me.

[[classic swim]]

Anthony: BOOSSSSS!!!!!

[[classic swim]]

[[classic swim]]