We’ll always be watching, don’t be a dumbass.
Cesar Álvarez Córdova is a former VCPD narcotics detective turned professional grifter. His police career was decorated with corruptions and instances of abuse of power. Contrary to his two grifter partners, Thomas Kingston and Maria Vinogradova, Cesar is notable for his use of 'omega' persuasive strategy: decreasing the mark's resistance through coercive measures.
Backstory[]
The Álvarez immigrated from a Venezuelan coastal town to the United States in the late 70s. They lived in a bungalow near Lake Mayacco where Cesar and his younger sister, Gabriela, had a relatively normal childhood. As a teenager, Cesar was exposed to 90s cop flicks, which influenced his dream to serve justice.
Cesar left his home for Vice City Police Academy in 2002. He was then formally assigned to the Narcotics Unit of the Special Crime Investigation Division. He was part of operations against the second generation of S4S' drug boat raiders and what’s left from senior Cuban’s crime lord, Jorgito Guerra II. He was also promoted as a sergeant after passing the exam in 2012. Apart from that his track record wasn’t very impressive on paper.
Multiple factors affected Cesar to get dirty in the mid-2000s: increasingly high living tax and funding for his family, as well as his future plan to marry his fiancée, Eleanor, who was killed during a police chase. Pairing himself with senior detective Juanfran and partner-in-crime Freddie Newman, Cesar took part in the protection of Vice's drug market and money laundering network with various mainland crime syndicates: El Barrio’s Spanish Lords faction, Patriotas, and the Jamaican Posse.
Cesar never touched any pill, powder, needle, or bong; but his action became more vicious throughout the years. His over-dependence on intimidation tactic is well-known internally in his unit. It prompted his superior, Lieutenant Claude Geffrard, to discharge him in February 2017 for unrelated reason to preserve the department's public image.
Light & Shadow (2017-2018)[]
Chapter I & II (March-June 2017)[]
Cesar in 2017
After his dishonorable departure from VCPD, Cesar was recruited by attorney Thiago Alarcón. His law firm, Alarcón, York & Co., attained fame for their excellences in defending Vice City underworld players, shady corporates, and corrupt politicians. Thiago set an exorbinant pricetag for his service, but he promised victorious outcomes through any means necessary, such as disposing evidences. Thiago himself stood out in Vice City's high society because of his excessive lifestyle: bragging about his grinds, flaunting gold watches, cruising in luxury sportcars, and living in the gated Sailor Island. Though Cesar was uncomfortable with Thiago, he accepted the job anyway for the high payment and freedom to exercise what his talent: intimidation.
Cesar pulled dirty jobs to favor Thiago's clients, including the Italian-American Barattieri Family and the Cuban Reyes Family, often collaborating with fellow hitter, Diego Pascoal. He also aided Thiago's colleague, Gregor York, for a case involving Russian yacht company called Leviafan, where he paired up with Maria Vinogradova. Cesar disliked Maria and her "seductress" persona, knowing that she was the type of woman his police knowledge told to never fully trust. He also learned that she was able to stay cool under his pressuring reaction. The two established a cautious, pragmatic partnership that was applauded by Thiago and Leviafan.
Thiago represented Oscar Barrueco, an outlaw and the Reyes' hidden asset, in United States vs. Barrueco and emerged as the victor. It came with a consequence as the U.S. Attorney Forum launched an investigation on Oscar and Thiago. They had been long suspicious about violences that surround Thiago's cases, as well as his wealth. The firm's high fee alone would be impossible to support his lavish life. The usually chill Thiago began distressing a scenario to prove his innocence. He intended to use his enforcers as his fall guys; he would accuse Cesar and Diego of demanding Oscar into giving them a bribe.
Thiago ordered Cesar and Diego to falsely extort Oscar for delaying his payment, which would be secretly taped by camera as an evidence. The two found it suspicious and proceed to question Thiago in rage. Diego had a fatal realization that threatening his boss was essentially handing him a solid reason to blame them as scapegoats. Thiago was willing to permit Cesar and Diego to leave the firm unharmed if they helped him covering his true income source: a pyramid scheme of selling fabricated settlements to the highest bidder. Cesar did not buy his promises, but was currently left with no choice.
Outside of his works for Thiago, Cesar maintained contacts with Freddie and Juafran. The two active detectives needed Cesar as their criminal fixer; there were businesses that required a manpower outside of the department. Cesar assisted them in converting dirty cash for a rising drug czar by the moniker "The Panamanian". This interaction led to him knowing Thomas Kingston, his face and his profile as the Panamanian's advisor. Cesar also dealt with two troublesome street gangsters: Pluto and Vigo, both were Spanish Lords members who rebelled to flee Freddie's pocket.
"A Voyage To Remember" (June 2017)[]
Thiago assigned Cesar to blackmail Pierre Labissiere, a Haitian politician who had collected an enormous number of complaints on Alarcón, York & Co. from Haitian-Americans. Pierre was considered a threat as he promised to report the firm to galvanize disapora supports for his presidential bid. He had a scheduled Sargasso Witch trip to the Bahamas.
In the ship, Cesar met Maria, who was on a mission to assassinate Black Caesar, a drug raider who Pierre paid to bring stolen drug back to Haiti. Recurring trust tension aside, they agreed to work together again. They found Pierre sitting next to Thomas Kingston in the dining room. Having recognized him after a brief encounter, Cesar believed that Thomas would hinder their plan; he must be disposed first. Maria proposed that she would lure Thomas to a secluded place, where Cesar would knock him out and dump his body into the Atlantic Ocean.
Maria successfully brought Thomas to the deck outside, but he dodged Cesar's crowbar attack and hit him back. A guard witnessed the fight before Cesar could end it by pushing an injured Thomas off the ship. Knowing that it was impossible to fight a battalion of Labissiere's henchmen, Cesar decided to escape with Maria, even if it meant he must trust Thomas' getaway plan. They stole a lifeboat, sailed to Central Vizcaya Bay, hijacked a Marquis, and went to Key Vizcayo.
Chapter III (June-July 2017)[]
- ❝How about we stay away from that hypersexual b*tch? I never trust her.❞
- — Cesar to Thomas
In Key Vizcayo, Cesar and Maria had an argument that since Thomas was no longer useful, they could kill him. Thomas interrupted and revealed himself as a grifter who could solve the problems he was responsible for. Cesar knew that he had angered Thiago with his failure, so he urged Thomas to eradicate his boss.
Cesar stayed vigilant to Maria when the cons were progressing. As his female colleague actively seduced Thomas to win him, Cesar competed with her through his own intense methods, such as threatened Thomas that he could report Thomas to his police connections and challenged him psychologically with a paper bag roulette game. However, Thomas stood firm and instead suggested that he, Maria, and Cesar would make a brilliant team; they could pull more rewarding manipulations together.
Present Day (2018-)[]
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Personality[]
Cesar stands out as a serious, short-tempered tough guy who seldomly cracks jokes. Beneath this demeanor, however, he deeply cares to people who have long been close to him, such as Gabriela and Freddie.
Cesar's relationship with Thomas and Maria is complicated. In their early days as a team, he viewed them one-dimensionally as a "two-bit conman" and an "evil temptress" he couldn't trust; and at some later point, he personally felt the two had relegated him into a third wheel. As time went on and they got to know each other better, he grew to respect them, even willing to put their safety above his own. He is also the most critical member of the crew, responsible for keeping everyone in check.
Cesar is most talented in intimidation. He strucks terrors into the mark's heart. Whether he acts as a hot-headed fury or a calmly cold psychopath, he uses the right fashion to exerts his dominance and sends a clear message, “Obey me or you’re f*cked”. Although the style is loaded with force, it is uncommon for him to use extreme violences. He knows that the mark will be less cooperative if he pushes them too hard.
Cesar is the most well-drilled combatant in the crew. His firearms skill is not as fleshed as Maria's, but he was more tactically experienced and better in close combat as a trained boxer. He often advices his friends whenever their con involves a law enforcement agency. Meanwhile, his driving is arguably the weakest. In his defense, he claims to have a bad driving instructor, like every driver in Vice City.
Other Connections[]
- "Rodri" Sandoval: Underappreciated factory worker turned forgery master. Rodri was extremely talented in producing fabricated patches and badges. Cesar first paid him for a fake VCPD badge after his unemployment.
- Rosa Almodovar & Grant Fletcher: Two rookie Narcotics detectives and Freddie's mentees. New to the corrupted reality of their unit, Rosa and Grant were influenced by Freddie to help his sleazy businesses.
Trivia[]
- Cesar is especially influenced by Eliot Spencer from Leverage and Wilmer Valderrama's role as Nick Torres inNCIS.
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| Contents from Light & Shadow |
|---|
| Characters & Factions: Thomas Kingston • Maria Vinogradova • Cesar Álvarez • Adegoke • Edgar Zuáznabar • Irving Belfort • Medalla Cartel • National Revenue Authority • The Collective (Nikolai Kirikov) • Tijs Bergling • Valerio Reyes |
| Stories & DLCs: Light After Dark • Fortunate Face |