The long-time leader of the Strangerville Cartel has struck a partnership with the Scaletta Family culminating in a massive business venture into the unsettled territory of San Sequoia. A rigid and prideful man, Martin possesses the charisma to allay the concerns of an unseasoned businessman while allowing his vicious reputation to precede him.

Martin has made it apparent that he views Vito more as his protégée as opposed to a partner. His openness displayed at the end of chapter 5 could be a sign of trust in a prosperous future with Vito’s family. But then you have the morbid comparisons embedded within his anecdote. Martin’s true intentions have yet to be revealed; although, I’m sure that is how he wants it to be.

The seemingly immortal chairman of the Simkuza has experienced a sharp decline in health in recent years - or so he claims. As such, he has bequeathed numerous properties to the other outfits almost as if he was executing a will. Po’s political influence played a vital role in securing a governmental partnership between San Sequoia and the underlying outfits of the Commission.

Like Martin, Uncle Po has treated Vito with a fatherly hand, admitting that Vito is “young and full of life” while the former is nearing the end of his. Perhaps their previous conflict and his rapidly declining health has offered to the sagacious leader that business is more important than egotism. Surely, this is a valid possibility rather than a mirage? 

A young and upcoming narco, drug trafficking runs in Fernando’s blood as he plyed his trade under his father’s tutelage. His combination of ruthless precision and financial savy attracted the attention of Martin Madrazo under whom he now works. Fernando now controls a large portion of Strangerville’s drug trade as earnings comprise the majority of the region’s income.

In Chapter 4, we hear Fernando phone Joe Barbaro’s home seeking information. Clearly, he has infiltrated Vito’s organization. But just how much operational knowledge has he gained from the bamboozled capo?

As an associate of the Strangerville Cartel, Eva has quietly made a name for herself working for Fernando De Leon. While she is a capable narco, her true talent lies in her ability to know when to use her physical gifts to her advantage. Just ask her boss, Fernando. Eva is more than a pretty face with curves. 

After being overlooked in favor of Max as acting head of the family, we learn that Joe has been in contact with Fernando De Leon, an underling of Martin Madrazo. For how long?  No one knows. However, it is clear that his connection to the cartel has existed for quite some time. To what extent has he informed on the family’s operations? Is his regretful dialogue at the start of chapter 4 indicative of a redemption arc?

11 years after becoming the “Godfather of Willow Creek”, Vito has moved his family to the upstart Del Sol Valley, where he has expanded the organization into more legitimate ventures, like gambling. This new venture has seen various players emerge - some familiar and some unknown. Vito has embedded himself with key politicians as he tries to purify his criminal empire, a task that he has found to become increasingly more difficult. The tribulations of heading a criminal enterprise has created a chasm between Vito, now a father of three, and the rest of his family, as he morphs into a man unrecognizable from his Part I self. 

With an unprecedented deal on the horizon involving the other outfits within the Commission, Vito has an opportunity to further cement his power and ensure that his family is financially secure for the next generation. The remunerative nature of this deal possesses towering stakes that will change everyone involved. Vito will have to traverse a criminal minefield filled with insidious enemies while keeping his family safe and his business partners and the authorities in Del Sol satisfied.