Nucky just wants to stay alive long enough to cash out in this first teaser for season five of Boardwalk Empire. The series takes a jump to the far-flung future (of the past) of 1931, inching the characters and the nation ever closer to the end of Prohibition.

Steve Buscemi’s character – the Atlantic City boss and main mover and shaker of Prohibition-era hooch – might not survive the final season of the HBO drama if the short teaser is to be believed.

***Season 4 spoilers to follow***

Of course, it would make sense: by the end of last season, Nucky had the Feds breathing down his neck (again) after his brother Eli (Shea Whigham) began feeding an over-aggressive FBI agent info about Nucky’s operations. The aftermath of that whole storyline saw Eli killing the Fed rather than taking a beating, putting the elder Thompson on the run from the law.

Speaking of on the run – what’s happening with Chalky? Michael K. Williams’ scarred gangster’s attempts to take out rival Dr. Narcisse (Jeffrey Wright) lead to the shooting death of Chalky’s daughter. Is Chalky even able to stick around? It’s not like he doesn’t have muscle, but Dr. Narcisse seemed to have more (and better-connected friends).

Then, over in Chicago, Al Capone (Stephen Graham) has continued to consolidate power, largely happening as a tangent to the stuff happening in Atlantic City. Will his story and Nucky’s cross anytime soon?

HBO is bringing Boardwalk Empire back for its final season in September.

[Source: Live for Film]