A small brick building next to Pier 56 on Lake St Clair, standing proud against the strong winds of Michigan, housed the boarding station for Tommy Vercetti's luxury yacht. A map of the voyage was displayed on the walls along with time of departure. The concierge answered all questions before handing the guests a bullet inscribed with their serial number. "Please ensure you do not lose this token as this will serve as your unique identification during the voyage. All purchases at sea such as drinks, massages etc will require you to show your token. The serial number will be jotted down and all expenses charged on it will have to be paid by the owner. Therefore it is imperative that you inform the maître d'hôtel immediately."

She led the guests to a locker room and said "Our patron, Signor Vercetti wishes to provide all those willing to take a trip a chance to escape from the dangers and rigours of everyday life. To promote this peaceful environment we request that you surrender all forms of weaponry and cash. Rest assured your belongings will be returned to you upon your return next week. Please note that any guest found attempting to smuggle the aforementioned goods past the check point will be penalised and their tickets will be forfeited. "

A few of the guests found the conditions unacceptable and were escorted back to the main counter to get their tickets refunded. The majority however remained and started walking towards their respective lockers. Once the guests re-emerged, she escorted them down to the pier where large rowboats waited to take them and their luggage to the yacht anchored offshore in the heart of Lake St Clair. At the final checkpoint , a brief inspection was conducted, which revealed a few individuals attempting to bend the rules. They were promptly escorted back.

After the guests passed the individual inspection they stepped onto the benches on the rowboats. Apart from the rowers each boat had a porter to help with the luggage and a man with a machine gun to ensure a peaceful voyage. The rowboats departed from the pier and the porter gave a brief overview of the facilities onboard. These included but weren't limited to a heated pool, small outdoor and indoor bars, a dance area with an accompanying local jazz band, poker tables and a large open area to bask in the sun. Some of the more private areas included the control room to offer a chance to budding young sailors to try their hand and a conference room to hold discussions while in ambiguous international waters.

As the porter continued they neared the 30 m long steam powered yacht. The words Sooty Fedora were clearly visible on the side. A rope ladder was extended and the crew helped the guests onboard. Once they were all aboard, the Captain greeted them "Ladies and Gentlemen, our apologies for the strange boarding methods. To ensure there is no outside interference along the voyage we cannot opt for normal boarding methods for they carry a risk of unwanted stowaways.  Nevertheless, please allow the porters to escort you to your rooms. We will be setting sail for Lake Huron soon. Once you settle down , you can partake in any of the numerous activities here. Signor Vercetti will be around to greet you individually once you emerge."

With a bow he returned to his duties, the anchor was drawn and the yacht set sail.

Nikki climbed the rope swing, mildly annoyed but grateful that Cesare was the one below her and catching the view she was unintentionally broadcasting. She bit her lip and surrendered her weapons with barely withheld patience not once, but twice when the security team asked her to relinquish not just her obvious weapons, but the razor-sharp hair sticks she'd purchased recently in Ireland. Once they's gotten through the formalities, she was in dire need of a drink and relaxation. She's heard tell of the owner of this boat scoping one of her abandoned fronts, and she was more than a little curious as to what his intentions were. In a world of long-term memories, Nikki was a forward thinker, and had no time or patience for the past. 

"Do tell," she said with a grin aimed at the young man in uniform she'd just grabbed by the sleeve. "Where does one get their drink on?"

A bit disappointed by the parting of his hat due to the razor blades permanently sown into the brim but very much enjoying the view, Cesare climbed onto the deck behind Nikki. She'd taken an interest in the yacht trip during one of their excursions into the Midwest and thought it may be a fun way to pass some time for an afternoon. Seeing as though his nephew seemed to have no intention of meeting with him, Cesare hardily agreed to the diversion.

He boarded as Nikki was asking a hapless employee of some kind for directions to alcohol. Flashbacks of Ireland bled into his mind eliciting a stupid looking grin from him.

"Of course, ma'am," the suit replied gesturing towards the ship, "Our main bar is just through there."

Cesare nodded a thanks to the man who was rushed past. He followed his date into the bar area and took a seat beside her.

"Are we going light or heavy for this trip?" Cesare teased as she perused the drinks menu

Partying without a weapon made Manny feel uncertain with a hint of vulnerability as he never left home without his customized 1911's. Hearing Tommy speak harshly at some guests who disagreed with the policy and seeing them escorted away made him feel at ease. 

Manny followed a well built female staff member to the lockers area clinching his token tightly in his hand while unpacking a 38 special, 2 x 1911 colts, 2 x 4 inch blades and a customized aluminium frame 9 mm pistol into the waiting locker. "See you babies after the trip, be good and no ruff housing" smiling he stepped towards her and read her name tag. *Jane* " Good evening Jane, please be gentle when doing your search. I tickle easily "  Manny joked with a warm smile.

After storing his weapons he made his way to the row boat with a quick step in his walk. The fresh air was refreshing and opened his senses, bringing a slight euphoria that reminded him of his homeland. Another checkpoint appeared before him with a body search. Having nothing to hide Manny passed and was quickly on the row boat on his way to the Yacht. 

"SOOTY FEDORA"

Interesting name he thought. 30 meters long that's enough for quite a few tons of transportable merchandise he thought. Manny liked the idea of steam power over coal as his suits wore better when not full of coal dust. Thriving on boats as a young lad he couldn't wait to hit the open seas again. After boarding the Yacht and listening to the captain they were escorted to their rooms. quickly unpacking Manny found his way to an open deck area, ordering 3 brandies he sat and sipped away admiring the view with the fresh air complementing his thoughts. 

Remember why you are here, to grow you need to rub shoulders with your peers. Listen, observe and articulate properly. Manny smiled as his thoughts excited him.

After hearing about the new yacht voyage that opened up from one of his Detroit connects, Wrench was told he was too tense and should take some time off - maybe a short trip out on the waters could loosing him up a bit. He contemplated the idea for a bit before deciding why not - business was all taken care of. He reached the pier and patiently waited in line outside the building, to what seemed like people surrendering their arms. He saw no yacht -only a couple of rowboats- it crossed his paranoid mind that this could be some elaborate scheme to steal peoples weapons perhaps? 

It was Wrench's turn and he placed two small concealed pocket knifes, a larger Bowie knife, and a slightly blood stained stapler into a locker. This apparently arouse suspicion as two security operatives came to him saying something about an extra search. They checked Wrench's bag and didn't find much apart from some bottles with an 'highly corrosive label' which they stored away. After unzipping Wrench's favourite jacket they found inside a shiny blue stainless steel wrench and a reel of rope. Unsure if it was classed as a weapon they stared at each other bemused. Wrench begin gesticulating that he is just an ordinary disabled engineer and that he's wrench was very expensive and couldn't part with it. It worked and he found himself walking towards some rowboats.

Upon climbing on-board the rather impressive yacht wrench thought he saw the familiar sight of Nikki & Cesare amidst the crowd, but he wasn't sure as people started to quickly fill up the deck - nudging him from all directions. He was glad he couldn't hear the engine turning which he assumed must of been loud as  he felt the huge vibrations coming from the ship as it started to slowly edge forward. Wrench stayed hanging on the port-side enjoying the fresh water smell and view of the Detroit harbour. 

Tommy saw the couple head over to the bar. Nodding to some of the other guests, he casually slipped away and arrived near them. He lit a cigarette as the maitre d gave him the rundown on the two of them. As he took in a large drag feeling the familiar burn down hi throat he glanced at them. The two of them may just be perfect for his future business expansions out west. He thought about broaching the topic , but he had never been the most charming of conversationalists, so he decided against it. Instead he decided to maintain the role of the gracious host for now. If he left a good enough impression there would be a number of chances to do business in the future.

"A round of drinks for this lovely couple on me." he said to the barman who just nodded. " Nikki_Swango and Cesare_Torretta , the dangerous duo out here in my humble establishment? I wonder , to what do I owe this pleasure?." he curtsied awkwardly as he stepped in next to them. 

"Nevertheless, it's as good a circumstance as any to meet in. Signor, Signora my name is Tommy Vercetti. The owner of this little peschereccio here."

Tommy saw his fellow crew member Manny_Mo and walked up to him. "Good day Signor. I am so glad you could make it here. I have been looking for ways to thank you. The man your Belgian friend sent last week proved to be rather knowledgeable. Needless to say we had a rather fruitful conversation. Shared a few secrets , spoke of a few things. He seemed to be surprised by my past dealings in this field. We have established a long distance partnership so to speak." 

He took a pause to formulate the right words before continuing "I was hoping you could facilitate this transfer of goods and material on a regular basis. You will be adequately compensated for your efforts of course. Ah but where are my manners. There's plenty of time to think about this. For now my friend , I want you to enjoy the trip. Forget about the outside world. Perhaps find a woman who might capture more of your attention than your guns." With a smile he playfully teased the man a light elbow to the ribs.

As Tommy slipped from one conversation to the next trying to be a good host and entertain all his guests but quite possibly failing at it, he saw a man quietly standing on the deck, gazing out at the waters. Curious to see who it was, he slowly made his way next to the man. His elbows rested on the railing as he took a casual drag of his cigarette. The two of them stood quietly staring out into the vastness for a while. Not being the most polite of people, Tommy wasn't sure how to start a conversation with this quiet man who had been unperturbed by his presence. 

"Beautiful isn't it? Makes all your personal problems seem minuscule and distant in comparison." He said as he gestured to the sun setting onto the waters of Lake Huron in the horizon. "That in itself made me want to start this business venture. I never thought the first trip would be this successful. Tommy, Tommy Vercetti." he said as he extended his hand towards the man with a friendly grin.

Wrench noticed Tommy_Vercetti standing there next to him and had no choice but to stay silent. The sun set allowed for a nice spectacle as the yacht chugged away. It wasn't long before Tommy Vercetti had to break the silence with something Wrench didn't quite catch as a result of being parallel to Tommy's direction. It was only until Wrench caught Tommy's hand gesturing in front of him that Wrench took the effort to lip read the man following sentence. 

Wrench found it hard to understand his dialect as he shook the mans hands and caught the name Tommy something, he couldn't quite understand the last name. Wrench gesticulated to his throat and ears that his a deaf-mute, before pulling out his sketch pad and writing down "Names Wrench & am thirsty". Tommy Vercetti saw the message and looked at Wrench who was now indicating his going inside to grab a drink. 

It was difficult for Wrench to make friends due to his shortcomings, so he stuck to finding friendship in bottles. Wrench took a seat at the bar and wrote down his order for the bartender, looking back at Tommy who followed suit.

Nikki and Cesare both turned to see Tommy introducing himself. Offering a polite smile and her hand, Nikki introduced herself formally before Cesare did the same.

"Thank you for the gracious invitations; you have a lovely boat here, Mr. Vercetti. You've got many guests to attend to, please don't let us keep you. I'm sure we can talk more at length once we all get settled in," she added with a grin. 

After a few more exchanged pleasantries, Tommy resumed his circuit of the room while Nikki and Cesare ordered another drink and went in search of the blackjack tables.

Manny and Tommy shared a few lighthearted laughs before Manny took another sip of his depleting brandy and spoke firmly.

No need to worry about such things brother, we are family. As for Dr Mauser, he was a colleague of my father and pushed me to open the gun shop. I have nothing but love for that man, if he wished it I'd bring him into the family but his work en research keeps him occupied and that's how he prefers it. He mentioned that he enjoyed your exchanges the other day. That's good to hear.

I have something for you *after rummaging in his pocket for a few moments he produces a black card with a serial number #10012# *

Here you go *hands it to Tommy* the logo on this card can't be forged and with this serial number you need not call for an appointment. Just flash it in the shop and one of my minions will take you to a man named Bob and he will take care of anything you need and access to Mauzzie. And just so you know, your money is no good in the shop.

After a few more brandy's and jokes the conversation heads over to who has the biggest...

Seriously Tommy 30 meters is big. I use to run a small boat when i first started up, but that was maybe 8 meters in length and she despised any kind of wave over 6 feet. Lost 2 in my first month then i got a 28 meter crab fishing boat, loved those. They could never understand how I could be making money but barely had any fish... hahaha... good old days.

As the night progressed Manny had indeed been enjoying himself. With a tug from Tommy he was realigned to the bar where a few single ladies were giggling and spilling silly drinks all over the counter and themselves." Manny they need some assistance over there  " Tommy tried to hide an evil smile as he informed Manny about the ladies in distress.

"No worries brother I got this ", Manny spoke like man of many marriages. Casually strolling over to the ladies he suggestively informed the ladies that he used to be a fireman but got tired of carrying his huge hose around, and that the slippery counter is a safety hazard. The women giggled as the conversation continued.

Tommy sat down with Wrench as the man ordered his drink. While he had travelled far and wide, Tommy was yet to see someone with such a handicap acquire such a significant position in a well established crew. That itself coupled with the stories he had heard about the man were enough to make him admire the guy for his resilience and fortitude.

He sat smoking his cigarette while the man took a swig from his glass. Though he knew as much about the sign language as he did about theoretical physics, he tried his best to put a few point across. Specifically his appreciation of Wrench's lockpicking skills. A crude representation of opening a lock followed by a thumbs up and a smile was all he could manage.

He wondered, not for the first time, if his guest could read lips. Regardless, he felt a connection to the guy. At that moment Tommy knew they would soon get better acquainted. Not soon enough though, for his other guests were politely making eye contact with him urging him to come over. With a nod to Wrench , as if to promise a speedy return, Tommy stood up . He told the bartender to get Wrench another free round before walking off.

Manny_Mo was a funny guy. But a drunk Manny was practically a comedian. While they talked about their pasts , their interests and their conquests, Tommy laughed harder than he had in a long time. Eyes tearing and belly aching, he slapped the guy on the back and shook his own head as they walked towards the bar.

"I never was one for fishing or boats Signor Manny." he said suddenly sombre "This little beauty that you see was a parting gift from a friend of mine down south. While it might seem extravagant to an outsider, to those who know Colonel Cortez and I mean really know him, it wouldn't be much of a surprise." As he reminisced of his time in Vice city a wistful smile appeared on his face, one that he hastily wiped off once he realized it was there. Instead he nodded towards some of the more coquettish female guests by the bar and said "Manny they need some assistance over there."

"No worries brother I got this " Manny replied as he walked towards the women and engaged them in conversation. Their fits of giggles made Tommy chuckle. He paused suddenly aware of how long it had been since the voyage started.

Taking a moment to himself, Tommy took a leisurely stroll across the deck. Greeting his guests , guiding his employees , smiling till his teeth hurt. If this is what it meant to be charming, now wonder he'd always chosen to be uncouth in Vice City. This just seemed like too much effort, but he knew, being new he had to go through the motions. Ever since Lance, Tommy had realized that it was imperative to rely on more than one person. Building positive relationships with reliable people across the country like he was doing now, was the first step in achieving that goal. 

His stroll brought him to the gambling areas. While most of the guests had slipped away to the bar or the dance floor, he still saw a handful of determined enthusiasts trying out their luck. Among them was the woman from Vegas Nikki_Swango . She sat there confidently playing hand after hand. The dim lights hanging overhead bathed her in red hues that matched her devilish grin. Tommy couldn't lie, this was an attractive woman. Were it not for her partner accompanying her on this voyage or her own fearsome voyage, he might have even tried to charm her and failed miserably. Tommy Vercetti was good at many things, charming dangerous women was not one of them.

Nevertheless curious to separate this woman from the myth that had surrounded her and anxious to get a mutually beneficial business deal started, he walked on over. "Ah Signora Swango, I see you intend to rob us blind on your first night here." He said with a smile gesturing to her huge pile of chips. 

"Robbing people blind is what we do..." Cesare said, leaning backwards in his chair with his elbows against the table and releasing a cloud of smoke from his lungs. A gold Venetian ducat danced across the knuckles of his hand before he grasped it between his thumb and forefinger and added it to the bet Nikki had laid on the table nonchalantly.

Blackjack. The stack grew ever larger.

"...among other things." he finished with a half-smile.

He took the cigarette from his lips and passed it to his fiancée...

Nikki accepted the cigarette, drawing deeply as she winked at Cesare. Among other things, indeed. She's had her fair share of poor relationships and worse decisions, but in the end, it was all worthwhile if it had led her to Cesare Torretta. The gods themselves could not have chiseled out a better match for her.

"It doesn't feel right, cleaning out the gracious host," she said to Vercetti amiably. "I'm sure the tide will turn eventually, though. The house always wins, does it not?" She asked, turning keen eyes on him and raising the cigarette to her lips once more.

Wrench was begging to warm to Tommy, although he dressed bright with his Hawaiian shirts which wasn't Wrench's style, he carried himself well. Tommy had indicated something about good at lock picking to which Wrench responded with a smile and nod. Maybe Wrench's reputation had trickled out to Detroit. Although, however much he'd liked to keep a low profile, maybe the word of some of the high-end profile jobs Wrench did in the past was catching up to him. Tommy left the bar to join some more social folk, as Wrench finished his free drink and toasted to Tommy across the room. 

Wrench wondered back outside where the fresh breeze was delightful and took a seat on the deck bench alone. There wasn't many people wondering around him at this time. Perfect, as he recollected the conversation Tommy brought up about lock picks. Wrench pulled from inside his jacket pocket something small wrapped in dark cloth. Slowly unwrapping it appeared to be some abnormal yet strong looking lock, and Wrench began to tinker with it. It was one of Wrench's own designs and pastime, building and working on unbreakable locks. The yacht seemed to be nearing dry land again, as he sat there fiddling the puzzle with his hands to his enjoyment. 

It was the best of times.......

While enjoying his drinks and the ladies attention Manny spotted Tommy on the edge looking at something in the distance. An Uncommon concerned looking Tommy waves him over for some assistance. As Manny walked over he promised the ladies he will be back shortly and waives to the barman for another round of drinks.

Tommy, what wrong?

Do you see that light?

Yes, what is it?

Well.... we are still close to shore but this is private land, there shouldn't be any...... 

Before Tommy could finish his sentence gun fire started to rain down on the 30 meter luxury vessel. Girls were screaming with shouts of "duck and cover" being heard on deck.  The sound of glass shattering echoed as the screaming became less and less and voices muddled.

Tommy was taking cover behind steel enforced side decking trying to guide his patrons away from dangerous, but slowly the realization comes that it's all too late. Looking at Manny who was hiding behind the bar table the men tried to formulate a plan.

Where is you guards Tommy, I don't have a gun. FUCK!

They must be all dead, I'm not hearing anyone return fire. God dammit why now. 

We gotta get out of here, let's make a run for it. Head to the stern.

Bullets continue to rain down.

Bang Pew Pew Bang Pew... thud thud...  aaaeergg.... I'm hit....   Tommy falls down as blood streams from his chest onto the decking. Manny tries to get to him but it's too late. Eyes closed, his breathing stopped MURDERED.

Emotions are raging inside Manny, but he know for now with no weapon he had to survive. Reaching the stern he had sneaked past many bodies. This was a calculated attack. He climbs into a small row boat and rows into the darkness to the opposite bank where the gunfire originated from. After reaching the embankment a wet Manny scurries off into the woods but before he could reach it 2 speeding cars found him, he barely recognized them. 

Krummelpap? Whats going on ? Why are you here.

Sir we need to leave, DT is under attack.

Manny follows them to the armored cars and they speed off into the night.

It was the worst of times.............

Among the occupants of the party aboard The Sooty Fedora, BlackAtom blended in perfectly. He drank and smoked. He partied with the female company extensively and fell alseep on a bench located on the port side of the yacht.

Abbey and Michael Spillane, in town on a small embezzlement investigation that had turned into a bit of a goosechase, stopped at a quaint restaurant located on Lake St. Clair. It was a bit beyond their means, but since it was a business trip, they'd decided to splurge a little on the client's dime.

Perhaps more than a little. Abbey ordered lobster, and Michael ordered snow crab legs. While toasting with champagne flutes over nothing in particular, Abbey glanced outside into the darkness beyond the large, picturesque windows overlooking the lake. It was late, and completely dark, and much too frigid for outdoor seating, but the eye was drawn to the view that wasn't there, simply felt. As she brought the glass to her lips, she paused. 

"Michael? What the hell is that? Is it...fire?!?"