Mikey Markides

**Michael "Mikey" Markides** is the co-leader of the Markides drug cartel and a main character in the second season of *Bulletproof*. He is the nephew of Alex Markides and son of known criminal, Eleanor Markides.

After befriending Bishop at a club, he unknowingly invites the NCA to have a seat at the helm of the Markides empire.

## Throughout Bulletproof Series

### Befriending Bishop

Mikey first encounters Bishop and Pike when they are on a stake out at the club he is drinking in. Bishop and Pike purposefully get his attention by shouting to tell his crew to keep the noise down whilst he and Pike talk. Mikey’s crew does not take kindly the request, but Mikey apologises and sends over a bottle of champagne.

Mikey approaches and asks if Pike and Bishop would like to drink the champagne with him and his crew. Pike declines, remarking that he must get home to Arjana, but Bishop accepts. After talking for numerous hours, Mikey invites Bishop to his club the following night. At the club, Mikey talks about the £1,000,000 confiscated from him by the NCA, and Bishop remarks that they should take it back. Mikey suggests that Bishop be the one to retrieve the cash and he agrees, seeing an opportunity to get inside Mikey’s inner circle.

Mikey opts to come along when Bishop takes back the money and begins torturing Munroe with a mini-blowtorch; he is eventually interrupted before Munroe suffers any severe damage, however. They are held at gunpoint by Jonesy and Paige, who demand that they surrender the cash but in an attempt to stay in character, Pike arrives and allows them to escape with the money. Mikey finally believes he can trust the two and allows them to begin selling his product, oblivious to the fact that they are NCA detectives.

### Brandon’s murder

After Mikey finds out about Brandon’s death, he is furious with Bishop but — despite members of the Markides clan believing Bishop to be responsible for the death — Mikey advocates for Bishop and remarks that they should find the person responsible. Shortly after, Mikey calls Bishop and Pike for back-up confronting a suspect in the shooting. When they do, despite Bishop’s request to play it cool, Mikey shoots the man in the arm. A car chase ensues briefly but Pike is able to escape but the car is badly damaged. Mikey believes that taking the car to be crushed (without Alex knowing) is the best option.

When they arrive at the scrapyard, Alex confronts them and their idiotic tendencies. He remarks that he told them to lay low and they ignored him, giving Mikey a stern warning.

Later, at Brandon’s wake, Bishop calls the number from the phone he found at the crime scene, and is shocked when Mikey answers the call and it becomes clear that Mikey killed his own crew member. Mikey sits uncomfortably listening to Alex’s speech at the wake.

### Defying Alex

Mikey becomes increasingly agitated under Alex's leadership of the Markides family and, when given the opportunity to help his mother, recklessly defies Alex's orders. Mikey helps Eleanor continue with her sex trafficking deal in Amsterdam despite being told to shut it down by Alex. This results in the NCA killing Patrick Straker, and Pike's cover nearly being blown.

Mikey further defy’s Alex when he seeks to set up a gun distribution ring despite Alex’s insistence on keeping a low profile. Pike is forced to fight for Alex to prove his loyalty and afterwards, Mikey asks them for help in taking down the supplier of the guns; in return, he promises to set them up for life.

Mikey is furious when Alex reveals that Bishop is travelling to Cyprus with him. Mikey decides to tag along and when they arrive in Cyprus, he makes it clear that he intends on taking the helm of the Markides empire. Talking to his fellow members, Mikey exclaims that the future is there's and they should no longer hide in the shadows; a speech which is witnessed from afar by Alex.

Unbeknownst to Alex and Mikey, Bishop and Pike have made a deal with the new Police Chief, and Mikey is arrested for distributing drugs at the party. Mikey is released the morning after and vows vengeance against the Chief; he takes pleasure in watching Alex kill him.

### Betrayal by Pike and Bishop

When the news breaks that Pike and Bishop are not who they say they are, but in fact undercover Police, Mikey is furious and feels betrayed. Mikey orders that both be killed immediately, but tells Bishop that the two of them could’ve ruled the world together. Despite their attempts, the Markides are unable to eliminate Pike and Bishop.

Despite their attempts to flee, Mikey and Alex are unsuccessful in escaping and the NCA fatally wounds Mikey; he is able to escape, however. He returns not long after when the NCA are celebrating and shoots Jonesy, who dies moments later in Munroe’s arms. Pike, Bishop and the entire NCA team vow to take down the Markides once and for all.

Mikey is fatally wounded in the shooting, but manages to escape and is taken to an undercover apartment in downtown London by Alex. Mikey tells Alex on numerous occasions that they need to leave the apartment, but he does not listen and they are eventually discovered by the NCA. Mikey and Alex are able to escape but, fearing that he is weak and will slow him down, Alex abandons Mikey and leaves him behind to die.

Mikey calls Eleanor from a payphone and explains that Alex left him to die. He does not realise, however, that Tanner and the team are listening and reveals his location. Bishop and Pike arrive moments later to take him in, but Mikey shoots at Bishop and is subsequently shot to death by Pike.

## Personality

Mikey is quick to act and reckless with his behavior and the impact this has on his family and the Markides name. He often flaunts his criminal behaviour without thinking about the repercussions and was willing to work with Bishop to steal from the NCA without vetting him beforehand — had he, it would be clear that Bishop is an NCA Detective.

## References

1. ↑ *Episode 2.1*
2. ↑ *Episode 2.2*
3. ↑ *Episode 2.3*
4. ↑ *Episode 2.5*
5. ↑ *Episode 2.6*
6. ↑ *Episode 2.8*