Carlito Brigante the awaiting train out of town, he is ambushed. Carlito spots a man in sunglasses, an arm-sling, and a fedora, but it is too late to realize who the man is. "Hey, remember me? Benny Blanco from the Bronx?" proclaims Benny as he shoots Carlito three times in the abdomen with a hidden, silenced pistol. Pachanga admits he betrayed Carlito to Benny so as to look out for his own future. Benny proceeds to shoot and kill Pachanga as well and runs off. Brigante fades in and out of consciousness as he peers at a subway advertisement titled "Escape to
Carlito's Way with a hot-headed young gangster from the Bronx named Benny Blanco. Carlito also rekindles his romance with his former girlfriend Gail (who calls him “Charlie”), a ballet dancer who moonlights as a stripper. Kleinfeld develops a love interest with Benny's girlfriend, Steffie, a waitress at the club. Benny's frustration with Carlito's constant rejections boils over and he confronts Carlito one night at his table. Carlito publicly humiliates Benny, who reacts by manhandling Steffie. Fueled by his now-extensive use of alcohol and cocaine, Kleinfeld brazenly pulls out a gun and threatens to kill Benny, but Carlito intervenes. Despite being personally threatened