Editing Joey Hunt (section)

=== The Founding of the Big Three ===
The success of the operation had earned him credibility within Black Shuck MC, but it had also created a level of attention he considered dangerous. He avoided unnecessary contact, limited movement, and allowed the aftermath to settle before taking any further steps.

When the immediate pressure eased, Joey began converting the proceeds into something durable. Using the ten million dollars he had retained from the robbery, he moved quickly to establish a legitimate foundation for a larger operation. His first acquisition was deliberate: the old venue of The Palace, the former crown jewel of Jim’s business empire. The location, layout, and financial model were already proven. Joey renovated and reopened it as a new nightclub, preserving many structural and operational similarities to the original design. The goal was not innovation, but stability. The model had worked once. It would work again.

With the business established, Joey altered his personal circumstances as well. He relocated to a residence in Vinewood Hills and adopted a more visibly affluent lifestyle. 

Jack Donovan noticed and summoned Joey for a private meeting and confronted him directly. He accused Joey of abandoning the agreed plan and ignoring explicit instructions to remain inconspicuous. Joey argued that the nightclub and expanded presence gave him deeper access to the criminal ecosystem Jack wanted mapped and dismantled. From Joey’s perspective, it was progress. Jack disagreed and warned Joey that every step further into public influence made the arrangement harder to protect. Covering financial irregularities was one thing. Explaining investment flows tied to major crimes—and concealing the deaths of law enforcement officers—was another. Jack made it clear that if Joey continued escalating, there would come a point where the Bureau could no longer shield him. Joey acknowledged the warning and told Jack to trust in him.

==== Meeting Giuseppe Marcano ====
[[File:Meeting between Arthur Giuseppe Joey.png|thumb|Meeting with Giuseppe Marcano]]
Shortly after reopening the former Palace as his own nightclub, Joey noticed the venue drawing attention beyond its intended clientele. Among the visitors was [[Giuseppe Marcano]], a prominent Italian mobster with long-standing influence in organized crime.

One evening, Marcano arrived with Arthur and requested a private meeting in Joey’s office. There, he spoke openly about the rise and collapse of the old Big Four and argued that Los Santos now required a new alliance to restore stability and limit destructive competition. In his view, cooperation mattered more than expansion. Arthur and Joey later agreed the proposal had merit. Marcano’s condition, however, was explicit: any new alliance would fail without the inclusion of [[Alexa Morrison]]. Joey regarded the meeting as both opportunity and warning. 

==== The Kortz Center Meeting ====
A few days after Giuseppe Marcano’s visit, Arthur contacted Alexa Morrison and requested a meeting at the Kortz Center. Unbeknownst to her, Arthur also brought Joey along.

Joey’s presence was unannounced and immediately unsettled Alexa. She confronted Arthur over bringing an unknown third party into what was meant to be a private discussion. Arthur explained that Tyler had been killed by the Hellraisers and that he needed her assistance to dismantle their leadership. He disclosed only limited details about the Union Depository heist, enough to establish credibility but not enough to expose Joey’s role fully.

Alexa revealed she maintained a non‑aggression pact with the Hellraisers and was reluctant to violate it. Joey intervened briefly, reminding her of Arthur’s financial value and the leverage he now represented. After careful consideration, Alexa agreed to assist—on the condition that she remained cautious of Joey and his intentions.

Arthur then informed her of Giuseppe Marcano’s proposal and of Billy’s return from retirement. Alexa, aware that she would eventually require strong partners for her own long‑term plans, agreed in principle to the formation of a new alliance, but only after the Hellraisers were neutralized. The following morning, Arthur, Alexa, Billy, and Joey met again in Alexa’s office at Maze Bank Tower. The first matter was operational: the elimination of Aiden, the de facto leader of the Hellraisers. Arthur insisted on carrying out the act himself.

The second discussion concerned the structure of the new alliance. Billy demanded trust and personal loyalty. Alexa demanded an end to scheming and internal betrayal. All present agreed. After the meeting, Alexa requested a private conversation with Joey. She questioned his background and motives directly. His answers were deliberately vague, particularly regarding his claimed service with the Navy SEALs. Alexa remained unconvinced, but allowed him to leave without interference. In the days that followed, Alexa and Arthur quietly finalized the plan to trap and eliminate the Hellraiser leadership.

[[Category:Major Characters]]
[[Category:Syndicates]]