The Million Dollar Question

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The Million Dollar Question is the seventh and final chapter of Part I in Max Payne 2.

Plot

Max, suspicious that Mona isn't telling him the whole truth, goes with her as she takes him to see her contact. On the way, Mona explains that the Inner Circle dates back centuries to Masonic cults, and that their far-reaching influence goes as far up as the President. As they pull up to an apartment building that Mona indicates is their destination, Max notices Squeaky Cleaning Company vans parked outside as well. Going into the lobby the couple notices some bodies, formerly the building's security guards, and Max orders Mona that he's the only one going in armed. Mona looks over security details on the nearby computer terminal, telling Max that the elevators were jammed by the guards before they were killed, trapping the Cleaners. Ordering Mona to stay behind and man the controls to the elevator and keeping in touch via headset, Max goes up to rescue their contact from assassination.

As he goes through apartments, Max discovers that the Cleaners are killing other residents, and Mona relays to him that other Inner Circle members live in the building. He goes through the contact's apartment, gunning down every Cleaner in the way, and searching the lower and upper floors Max finds the contact, Corcoran, dead in an upstairs bedroom. Determined to obtain at least one piece of evidence, Payne sees a framed photograph of five men in front of a manor, three of the are Corcoran, Sebastian Gate and Alfred Woden. Leaving Corcoran's apartment and cutting through a few others, Mona continues to gives Max a heads-up on the locations of several Cleaners in his path, allowing him to eliminate in greater ease. Mona is suddenly attacked at her station in the lobby, and a elevator near Max opens, and Kaufman, the apparent leader of the Cleaners, steps out. An intense gunfight between Max, Kaufman and a handful of Cleaner, but Max prevails and is able to take them all out.

He gets on the elevator and as he's pondering over Mona's motives in coming to him, the elevator doors open to a unit of NYPD officers pulling their guns on Max, Mona being arrested, and Valerie Winterson supervising the arrest. She notices Payne and questions him on what he is doing, as he is now an apparent accomplice to a wanted criminal, and the chapter ends on Max's silence.

Enemies Encountered

Squeaky Cleaning Company
- Kaufman (Killed)

Other Character Appearances

Mona Sax (cutscene)
Corcoran (dead body)
NYPD (cutscene)
Valerie Winterson (cutscene)

PS2/Xbox

On the PS2/Xbox version, this chapter is divided into two parts: Chapter Seven: The Million Dollar Question and Chapter Seven Continued...

Trivia

Going downstairs through the next apartment after the cutscene with Corcoran, Max will be able to hear a Cleaner play a portion of "Late Goodbye" on the piano. After eliminating the pianist and his companion, Max can play his theme on the piano if the prompt button is pushed in front of the piano’s keys.
It is possible to save the man in the suit from being killed; however, Max will need to have half of his bullet time remaining. Run forward in bullet time, and gun down the Cleaners before they can take a shot at him. Max can't interact with the man he saves; he'll just cower in fear.
After you have killed Kaufman, return to the last apartment and there will be a television on the wall. Turn it on, and you will see a video of a drive-by shooting with a top-down view, which is very similar to the camera and style of the early Grand Theft Auto games.

Behind the Scenes

When Max is on the scaffolding before going into the last apartment, going around the ledge will lead to a memorial reading "Miika Forssell 1983 - 2003 In Memoriam."