The ship horn echoed across the docks as Vito Scaletta stepped onto Empire Bay soil once again.
The city looked the same.
But it felt different.
Or maybe… he was.
"Vito!"
He turned just in time to see Joe Barbaro weaving through the crowd, arms wide, that same reckless grin on his face.
"Look at you!" Joe laughed, pulling him into a tight hug. "You made it back in one piece!"
"Barely," Vito replied, smirking.
Joe stepped back, eyeing him. "Yeah… you look different."
Vito didn't answer. There wasn't much to say. War had a way of changing things you couldn't explain.
But Joe didn't dwell on it.
"Come on," he said, slinging an arm over Vito's shoulder. "I got a lot to show you."
Empire Bay moved fast.
Faster than Vito remembered.
Cars rushed through the streets, neon lights flickered to life as evening fell, and music poured out of clubs and bars like the city itself was celebrating something.
Joe led him through it all like a tour guide of chaos.
"See that?" Joe pointed at a sleek car parked across the street. "That right there… is opportunity."
Vito raised an eyebrow. "You still doing that?"
Joe grinned. "Not just that. I've upgraded."
That night, Joe gave him his first lesson.
They stood beside the car, the street quiet except for distant traffic.
"Alright," Joe said, pulling out a lockpick. "You learned anything useful in the army?"
Vito took it, turning it in his fingers.
"Yeah," he said. "Don't hesitate."
Joe smirked. "Good. Then get to work."
The lock clicked.
Clean. Fast.
Vito slid into the driver's seat, hands steady as if he'd done it a hundred times. The engine roared to life, and just like that—
They were moving.
Speeding through the streets of Empire Bay, wind rushing past, headlights cutting through the night.
Joe laughed. "That's what I'm talking about!"
Vito couldn't help it—he smiled.
For the first time since the war…
He felt alive.
Days turned into weeks.
Small jobs at first. Stealing cars. Delivering packages. Running errands that didn't ask too many questions.
But Vito noticed something.
These weren't random jobs.
They were connected.
Every delivery had a purpose. Every person they worked for answered to someone else.
There was a structure.
A system.
And at the top of it…
Someone powerful.
One evening, after a successful job, Joe leaned back in his chair, lighting a cigarette.
"You've been doing good, Vinny," he said. "Real good."
Vito nodded. "So what's next?"
Joe smiled slowly.
"Next… you meet the people who actually run things."
They arrived at a nightclub later that night.
The place was alive—music, laughter, glasses clinking—but underneath it all, there was tension. The kind you couldn't see, only feel.
Joe led him past the main floor, through a guarded door, and into a quieter room.
Men sat around a table, dressed sharp, speaking in low voices. The moment Vito entered, the conversation stopped.
All eyes turned to him.
Joe leaned in slightly. "Don't say anything stupid."
"Wasn't planning to," Vito muttered.
One man stood out.
Older. Calm. Watching everything without saying much.
He stepped forward.
"So," he said, his voice smooth but firm, "this is the kid I've been hearing about."
Vito met his gaze.
Not aggressive.
Not submissive.
Just steady.
"I do what I'm told," Vito said.
The man studied him for a moment… then smiled faintly.
"That's a good start."
Silence filled the room.
Then the man spoke again.
"This city runs on loyalty. You understand that?"
Vito nodded.
"And if you don't have it…" the man continued, his tone sharpening slightly, "you don't last long."
"I understand," Vito repeated.
The man stepped closer.
"Good," he said. "Because from this point on… you're not just running errands."
A pause.
"You're working for us."
Joe grinned, giving Vito a subtle nod.
This was it.
No more small-time jobs.
No more playing around.
This was the real world.
The Mafia.
As they left the club that night, the city lights seemed different.
Brighter.
Sharper.
More dangerous.
Joe lit another cigarette, exhaling slowly. "Congratulations, Vinny," he said. "You just stepped into the big leagues."
Vito looked out at Empire Bay, the streets stretching endlessly before him.
He had wanted this.
Power.
Money.
Respect.
But deep down…
He knew.
There was no going back now.