Vincent Ligambi had been working for The Morningwood Elite as an associate for quite a while he was approached by a few of the other associates of the city none of which were exactly in Vincents family. He though it was going to be a good way to build relations with the city by just rolling with a few guys, who were going to do a simple bank robbery. He decided to join the group on this job. They decided they would hit the Downtown bank right in the middle of Detroit hoping that the amount of foot traffic would help them disappear into the crowd into their safehouse just a few blocks down the street. The plan was simple and was supposed to be an easy job though no one knew the exact plan besides the leader of the heist Thomas Accardi was supposed to run the plan by their boss before they set out.

    A few days later Thomas came back saying the plan was approved, we later found out that no such thing had been done. The group had also been assembled. It was the leader Thomas, the explosive guy Ricky Esposito, the escapist driver Micky Romano, and the two on crowd control Vincent and Frankie Galli. Micky was to come in the bank with everyone else after ditching the car in an alley just in case the safehouse wasn't reachable the men weren't going to be stuck they'd have an alternate way out of the job.

   The men set out to move to the staging area, the group drove to an alley behind the bank and every minus Micky got out of the car he said he'd go find someone to ditch the car and would join us in ten minutes. Thomas decided that we'd take a few minutes to make sure our weapons were loaded and clean. Thomas and Ricky put their pistols in their belts, so they could move into the bank first and get into position. They stood right near the employee door and acted as though they were looking at a brochure that went over the many different types of loans they could take out, while Vincent and Frankie had their shotguns and staged right around the corner of the bank out of sight.

  Bang Thomas shot the employee door and barged behind the counter, just as he did Vincent and Frankie rushed the front doors to keep everyone down and cooperative. Just as they did the security guard came out of the bathroom gun drawn and shot Ricky, he just winged his arm and was immediately dropped by Vincent. He slowly slid down the wall, shotgun pellets all in his chest. Ricky began yelling for help, so Frankie moved over to ensure he wasn't dying. While this happened, Thomas made the manager open the vault. Just as the vault was opened, Micky came through the front door. "What the hell is happening here?", he immediately rushed over to Ricky to help him up. They tied a tourniquet injured arm, Thomas called them to come into the vault and help him get the money. Micky and Ricky ran to the vault, as they began getting the money ready the police began arriving on scene. Frankie and Vincent stacked on the door and sent one hostage outside with a message, if any policeman tried to breach the bank they would set off the dynamite in the center room and kill all the other hostages. 

   The police set their roadblocks and had as many police as they could at the bank, the money was finally collected. Micky and Thomas left the vault, while Ricky set charges on the back of the bank so they could exit out of a hole behind the bank. As they did the manager, jumped Micky and took his gun then used him as a human shield! "Put your guns down!", he yelled. Thomas looked at him and smirked, he then raised his gun and fired 3 shots! Killing both Micky and the bank manager, "I will not be stopped, I am getting out of this bank!" he yelled. This caught everyone attention, after the shots were fired the police began to stack on the door. Thomas orders one of the hostages out of the bank and told her to stand right outside the door and say if anyone tries coming in they will kill everyone inside. The woman is trembling and walks out and stands right in the front doorway, "If anyone en..enters they will kill everyone inside.". Just as she finishes, Thomas raises his gun and shoots her in the back of the head. The police are stunned, they rush up to grab the woman and open fire on the bank door. Ricky yells to the group, "Charges set get back here!", Thomas tells Frankie to stand at the door until he yells for him the other three of us move near the explosion site. BOOM the charges go off and out the hole we go, just as we turn the corner the police see us and begin to open fire. They then move into the bank thinking it was clear, Frankie shoots the first cop through the door. "Guys?". Thomas leaves the group sprinting down the alley, Ricky had begin to loose so much blood he could barely stand. Vincent stopped to try to help Ricky, as he did the police ran up to the guns drawn! We both put our hands up and surrender. We saw Thomas gunned down further down the alley, he was lying a pool of his own blood. Then we saw them bring Frankie out the back of the bank in cuffs. After we were hauled away from the scene, we were booked into the local jail.

    After booking, we were shown to our cell. Frankie and I were cellmates, we hear they ole Ricky bled out before they got him to a hospital I doubt they were in much of a rush. After a few days in the slammer Frankie and I were beginning to really settle in, I figured we'd spend the rest of our life in here. Then a cop with a familiar face came to our cell, "Ligambi you've got a visitor, on your feet." after I was cuffed he begin to tell me he worked for the family, and that my boss Astra was here to see me and this would be the only time he would be allowed within the prison. He brought me down a long hallway and then into a medium sized janitor closet, he told me to take a seat and that my visitor would be here soon.

-Two Days Earlier-

Astra slammed the phone down, nearly knocking it off the table.  That had been the police chief.  He had just given Astra a courtesy call notifying him that one of his men, Vincent-Ligambi, had just been arrested and was facing some serious charges.  He was being held at the local jail for a few days before being moved to the state lockup.  The local jail was a joke compared to the State run prison.  It would be much more difficult for Astra to do anything to help Vincent if they got him to the big house down state.  He had to see Vincent and come up with some sort of a plan.  First, he'd have to call a few of his people and make sure some cash was spread around to the correct palms so Astra could even get into the jail.  

Astra picked up the phone again and took his black address book out of his jacket pocket.  This was going to take some time.

-Present Time-

Even though Astra had been given every assurance that he was safe he still felt odd walking into a jail willingly.  Sure, he had done time.  More than once actually.  He wasn't afraid of prisons but he sure as fuck never wanted to back if it were within his power.  The imposing concrete walls, the steely stares of the guards, all of it made Astra's skin itch.  This is what had to be done though.  There wasn't any other way to get in contact with Vincent other than showing up in person.  It had cost a pretty penny but Astra had secured his way into the jail to meet with Vincent face to face. 

The warden had been reluctant until his daughter had gone missing the night before.  Mercifully, she had been returned that very morning after a few frantic phone calls and telegrams.  Astra was lead though the front gates and past admissions and visitors.  It was a winding maze of steel and concrete that seemed never ending.  Finally after what felt like the hundredth turn down a hallway the guard stopped in front of a matte black door.  He pulled out a large ring of keys and undid the lock.  He moved aside to let Astra pass through the doorway.  There in front of Astra sat Vincent, chained to a table by his hands and his feet.  Astra quickly crossed the room, embraced the chained man and then sat in the chair across the table.

"It seems like you've gotten yourself into a bit of a pinch here my dear Vincent.  I'm sorry it took me so long to get here.  Everyone was on board until the warden of this fine establishment decided his pride was worth more than my green cash.  It took me a few days to get him to see the error of his ways and reluctantly let me enter.   How have you been holding up?  Have they been treating you all right?  I am glad that we could meet face to face.  We have to get you out of here."

Astra sat back in his chair and took a deep breath.  Everything had felt like a whirlwind until he finally got here.  Now being within these walls again time had seemed to slow down tenfold. 

Vincents whole demeanor changed as he saw his boss Astra.

" Don Astra it's an amazing surprise to actually be able to meet you here!"

Vincent pauses to take a breath and collect his thoughts before he started to just vomit up words as they came to his head.

" I doubt we have very much time boss, but I'm doing well the guards are pricks as always I feel like there's at least 20 or so around me at all times!"

Vincent then looks around for a second,

"The idiots put me and one of the guys I was hitting the bank with together in the same cell they're saying they wanna give us the chair boss. You've got to get us out of here! Are you thinking a guns blazing situation or try and sneak out during the night. Whatever you're thinking I'm with it boss we just have to have a general idea. I doubt there's going to be another chance for us to speak if this warden is as prideful as you say he is."

Vincent then stops talking to give his boss time to respond, before he kept rambling at the boss.

"I assure you the guards are not listening to us right now.  A couple wads of green backs made assurances of that."

Astra sat back for a moment and contemplated the options.  He reached into his breast pocket and took out a cigarette and lighter.  He slid the rest of the pack across to the table to Vincent with a nob, conveying that he wanted Vincent to keep the rest.  It had taken time for Astra to come up with something that would both be effective and not draw too much unwanted attention from federal officials that were outside of his payroll.

"I think the art of stealth is a must here.  Sure, we could swarm this place with our men and blast the doors off.  We could run and gun with policemen and guards here and probably win.  The problem comes after.  Once you break out of here, by stealth or by force, these officials are not going to be too happy either way.  I think they will be even more pissed if we shot out way out of here.  They'd take a bunch of their men dying a lot more seriously than two bank robbers escaping, right?  One is way more personal to them.  They would stop at nothing to find us after that.  An escape is embarrassing.  A murder is unforgivable.  I think stealth is our only option really."

Astra motioned for Vincent to look in the pack of cigarettes he had given him.  He did.

"You'll find a small vile of lighter fluid.  Tonight at exactly 2:30am start a fire in your cell.  I have paid off the two men stationed on your tier this evening.  They will come and escort you and your cellmate to another part of the prison.  Expect to take some shots on your way over there they do have to make it look real.  Once you are in your new cell and most of the prison is in the other wing dealing with the fire they are going to unlock the door.  The rest of up to you guys.  Once you guys make it outside jump the fence and we will be there waiting for you.  I am sorry I cannot do more to help my friend.  This is the best I could come up with on such short notice."

Astra studied Vincent for a long moment before he remembered to look at his watch.  Shit, 2:30pm on the dot.  Exactly 12 hours until the party tonight.  Astra stood and adjusted his suit, still feeling itchy just being back inside a prison.  He embraced Vincent one last time before turning and pounding on the door to signal to the guard he was ready to leave.

"I will be seeing you very soon Vincent.  Oh, and just for my own headaches sake please try not to kill anyone.  You can hurt them if you absolutely must but please don't kill them.  I don't think I can cover up the murder of a police officer or guard in their own prison."

With that last command given Astra crossed over the threshold and made his way out of the prison.  His chest was already tightening.

Vincent was told to remain sitting until Astra had left the room, and was clear of the prison. Vincent sat in that closet for what felt like forever, then in walks two guards. They told him to stand up, gave him a small pack of matches to put inside the cigarette pack then escorted him back to his cell. Once inside his cell he sees Frankie, and tell him about the plan his boss had laid out for him and told him what he would need from him to make sure they could both escape the prison together. Frankie was obviously with the plan as they were both facing a ton of charges together. Vincent and Frankie decided that they should try to get a little sleep before tonight because they had no idea what exactly would happen.

They woke up that night around 2 am, then got ready.

Vincent took off his jacket and put the small bit of lighter fluid on the jacket and set it on fire. Immediately inmates started shouting for the guards, the guards ran to the cell and unlocked the door. "You fucking idiot what have you done?" they shouted as they began to kick the shit out of Frankie. They may have took it a bit far, Frankie looked rather dazed when they drug him to his feet and moved us both out of our cell. They moved us to another wing of the prison, near the staff doors then one guard "dropped" his keys as they exited. Frankie quickly picks them up and heads into the staff area. It's late and the prison is really empty, Frankie said they should go to the prisoners item area and grab some less suspicious clothing but Vincent said it didn't matter they just needed to get out of there so they headed for the door. 

Frankie and Vincent snuck through the prison until they were right at the front door, when they looked back they noticed about four other prisoners following them. They all sat together and talked for a minute, he got their names John Conrad, Michael Steele, Joseph Fuller, and Gabe Erickson. Vincent knew that him and Frankie didn't have much of a chance to sneak out the front door so he decided they would use the other four to rush the door. Once they had the guards subdued then all six of them would make a run for it. Michael was a hulk of a man and rushed the two guards, with Gabe. They attacked the guards, and beat them to the floor. They then took their handcuffs and chained them to once another in the hallway, Michael then busted through the door and off the six of them ran. They'd have to make it about 200 meters into the treeline across the road to be out of sight. The guards in the tower saw them almost right again and opened fire on them, John was the first to fall they shot in right in the back of the neck and he fell like a ragdoll. The other five kept running, they finally made it to the treeline when they heard men running. They also heard dogs and knew they would need to split up if they were going to make it.

Vincent went his own way some of the others decided to stick together, Vincent knew he had a better chance alone. He started to run, then finally he saw a farmhouse in the distance. He saw only one light on in the entire place and a old truck out front. Vincent decided he would sneak in the back door find the keys and steal the car.

As he went through the back door he heard laughter and what sounded to be a radio, he was hoping that whoever that was would be too busy to come looking for him. As he searched the living room he found the keys to the truck and he found a Colt 1911, so he took both. Just as he was heading out the front door he could hear the dogs again, they sounded close. Real close, so Vincent quickly jumped into the truck and made a clean get away back into the city to the family headquarters. Where he immediately went upstairs to Astras office to back brief him on everything that had happened.

Vincent listened to his Uncle Philly and chuckled a little bit knowing that he was absolutely right he was going to do It his way, Vincent always was a stubborn kid and it was definitely following him into his adulthood. He hugged his uncle back, and said " You know I'll do my best to stay out of trouble, but I'm going to have the law on my tail from now on."

Vincent knew he had to leave town and lie low for a little while, so he packed up his car and headed South he figured he would go hangout in Chicago for a while. He still had some friends there from when his father ran a crew out on the South Side some time ago. He figured he would link in with them, and keep his nose clean while he waited for the heat to die down. He was upset that he wasn't able to see the boss before he left but he knew he needed to leave town quick or he was going to be stuck there with the feds kicking in doors. So he packed his things, and headed outside saying goodbye to the family Joe, Philly, and Kenny.

As he got outside he took one final look at the headquarters before he hit the road, he nodded to a couple of the other members of the family as he headed out the gate. 

Just as Vincent left the gate he saw a couple nark looking fellows poking around the back of the property, he knew they were there for him so he kept driving knowing he couldn't turn around and warn anyone because they would take him back to the pin. 

As he left the city limits he noticed that the number of cops he was seeing had drastically died down, they must have not though he could've made it this far by this point. Good news for him though.

Vincent quickly arrived in Chicago, and linked in with a old childhood friend Ricky who had no problem with him sticking around for a couple days. Though Vincent told him he was visiting family in the area, not that he was running from the feds for multiple crimes. 

Vincent decided to head out and link in with a couple of the local guys who ran the show in the city as well as hit up the business center of the town and pay a visit to the Elite Suits in the neighborhood. As he found the local guys they quickly had him follow them into one of their safehouses so they could talk to him.

As they entered the door, they asked him "Have you heard the news?" in a paniced voice. "What news?" Vincent quickly asked the men back. "Ahh jesus man, blood all over the country. We aren't sure whats going on, it's not on our level. It's a lot of the big wigs in the world, man.." they a paused and then let out a deep sigh. "Well do we know who?", then guys looked around at each other for a minute before speaking then finally one of them piped up. "Yeah man a lot of the senior leadership in Philly, a couple leaders from other cities. And man I'm sorry but Astra bit the bullet. We don't know who."

Without another word Vincent, headed out the door got in his car and headed straight for Detroit. "Fuck the feds" he though nothing was going to keep him from tracking down those responsible for the death of his boss.