Woden's Cleaners

Lore & Background

The Cleaners are a group of hitmen led by Vladimir Lem, a Russian mobster who initially appears as Max's ally. They are first encountered when they raid a warehouse owned by Vlad for guns. Max is surprised to find Mona Sax at the scene, who he thought had died two years ago. The Cleaners later attack Max in his apartment, forcing him to track Mona to an abandoned funhouse. There, he learns that the Cleaners are trying to eliminate anyone who knows about the Inner Circle. Mona is arrested by the NYPD, but the Cleaners attack the police station to kill her. She escapes, and after fighting off a Cleaner attack on her hideout, she sets out to hunt down those responsible with Max's help. Their search leads them to a construction site, which Max and Mona discover is being used as a base by the Cleaners. After killing most of them, they are confronted by Valerie Winterson, who holds Mona at gunpoint. Max fatally shoots Winterson, allowing Mona to escape. Later, Senator Alfred Woden reveals that Vlad is the mastermind behind the Cleaners and is using them to eliminate his opposition in order to take over both the Inner Circle and New York's criminal underworld. Max then raids Vlad's restaurant, but finds that Vlad has already left to kill Vinnie Gognitti. Max saves Vinnie, but Vlad ambushes them, murdering Vinnie and shooting Max for killing Winterson. Vlad also reveals that Mona is working for Woden. After Mona rescues Max, the two head to Woden's mansion to save him from Vlad. They eliminate Vlad's men, but Mona suddenly betrays Max and attempts to follow her orders to kill him. When Mona finds herself unable to do so because of her feelings for him, Vlad shoots her, then kills Woden when the latter confronts him. Max fights Vlad as the mansion burns around them, and eventually kills him.

In Their Own Story

The furnace roared, a hungry beast fed by the sins of the city. Vladimir Lem watched as his men hosed down the blood-spattered walls with accelerant. 'Faster,' he said, his voice flat. 'The Payne is coming.'

A cleaner named Dmitri hesitated, staring at the photograph half-melted in the flames—a woman, a child. 'This one was different,' he muttered. Lem grabbed him by the collar. 'They're all different. That's why we burn them. Now move.'

The flamethrower ignited with a whoosh, and the last traces of another crime vanished into ash. But in the smoke, Dmitri thought he saw a shadow moving—a man in a leather jacket, carrying twin pistols. The shadow was already inside.

Reader's Guide

The Cleaners are encountered as enemies in Max Payne 2, primarily in the chapters involving Vlad's conspiracy. They are first seen raiding a warehouse owned by Vladimir Lem. Later, they attack Max in his apartment, forcing him to track Mona to an abandoned funhouse. The Cleaners also attack the police station to kill Mona, and assault her hideout. Their base of operations is a construction site, which Max and Mona discover and attack, killing most of them. As enemies, Cleaners are aggressive and well-armed, using a variety of weapons including pistols, shotguns, and submachine guns. They are often encountered in groups, making bullet-time and shoot-dodge maneuvers essential for survival. In the construction site level, you can use the environment to your advantage, such as shooting explosive barrels to take out multiple Cleaners at once. Their leader, Vladimir Lem, is encountered later in the game at his restaurant and finally at Woden's mansion, where Max kills him.

Did You Know?

• The Cleaners are led by Vladimir Lem, who initially appears as Max's ally in Max Payne 2.
• The Cleaners attack the NYPD police station in an attempt to kill Mona Sax while she is in custody.
• Their base of operations is a construction site, which Max and Mona attack and clear out.
• Valerie Winterson, a NYPD colleague of Max, is secretly Vlad's mistress and helps the Cleaners.
• Vlad uses the Cleaners to eliminate anyone who knows about the Inner Circle, a secret society.