FADE IN: INT. GROVE STREET - DAY The camera pans over the grimy, sun-soaked streets of GROVE STREET, LOS SANTOS. The concrete jungle hums with the distant sound of car engines and occasional sirens. GRAFFITI-COVERED walls stand tall, a silent testament to the gangs that rule these blocks. A basketball hoop squeaks rhythmically as a group of teenagers shoot hoops, their laughter echoing down the alleyway. CUT TO: CARL "CJ" JOHNSON (mid-30s, muscular, with a shaved head) leans against a low-rider, watching the game with a mix of nostalgia and detachment. His eyes are shadowed by aviator sunglasses. He's dressed in a white t-shirt and baggy jeans, a black bandana around his neck. His presence is both intimidating and reassuring, a stark reminder of the power the GROVE STREET FAMILIES once held. CJ'S RADIO: (Ryder's voice, static-filled) ...ain't no fun unless you do it with me, Sweet! What's good, dawg? CJ smirks, pulls out a phone, and answers. CJ: You still got that mouth on you, Ryder. RYDER (O.S.): (laughs) CJ, you know I do. What's the move, cuz? CJ nods to the players, then walks away from the car. CJ: Meet me at the old spot. We got business. Ryder's laughter fades out as the line goes dead. CJ tucks the phone into his pocket and strolls down the sidewalk, his eyes scanning the neighborhood, looking for trouble. SWEET (O.S.): You ain't seen nothin' yet, CJ! SUMMARY^1: Carl "CJ" Johnson, a muscular man in his mid-30s with a shaved head and dressed in gang attire, watches a basketball game on Grove Street with nostalgia and power. He receives a call from Ryder, who is eager to meet and discuss business. CJ agrees to meet at the old spot, hinting at their shared history and upcoming plans. SWEET JOHNSON (mid-30s, CJ's brother) appears from a nearby doorway, grinning. He's got a slightly younger look than CJ, with a high-top fade and a green GROVE STREET FAMILIES bandana. CJ: You always gotta make an entrance, Sweet. SWEET: You know me, bro. They exchange a quick, firm hug before CJ starts walking again. SWEET: So, what's this about? CJ: Ryder's got a lead on some new blood trying to make a name. Thinks we should meet 'em. SWEET: (nods) Sounds like a good time. CJ: Yeah, if we can keep him from starting a war. Sweet laughs as they turn a corner. INT. THE JEFFERSON MOTEL ROOM - DAY CJ and SWEET enter a dimly lit room. A TV flickers with a soap opera in the background. The curtains are drawn, and the smell of weed is heavy in the air. BIG SMOKE (mid-30s, heavyset, with a thick mustache) is lounging on a stained bed, his eyes bloodshot. BIG SMOKE: CJ, my man! You're just in time. CJ: What's the deal, Smoke? BIG SMOKE: This here's LISKA. He's got some... unconventional connections. LISKA, a sleek, talking fox with piercing green eyes, sits at the table, surrounded by maps and paperwork. He wears a collar with a GROVE STREET tag, and his fur is mottled with patches of GREEN, hinting at his affiliation. LISKA: Pleasure to meet you, CJ. CJ: (surprised) A talking fox? LISKA: (smirks) It's all in the hood, baby. SWEET: (whispers) You ain't gonna believe this... The door bursts open, and RYDER (mid-30s, short, hyperactive) barges in, a blur of green and gold. His grin is as wide as ever, flashing gold teeth in the gloom. RYDER: Yo, what's poppin', homies? SWEET: (rolls his eyes) You ain't changed a bit, Ryder. Ryder's energy fills the room as he darts over to the TV, flicking it off. RYDER: (excited) Oh, you gotta see this, CJ! Sweet said you're looking for some fresh meat! CJ: (skeptical) Fresh meat? LISKA: (clears his throat) I prefer the term 'new associates'. Ryder waves a dismissive hand at Liska, not acknowledging the correction. RYDER: (to CJ) Yeah, man! We got a bunch of youngsters who want to prove themselves. They say they got some heat to bring to the table. SWEET: (to Liska) So, what's your story, fox? LISKA: Call me Liska. I'm from the GREEN HOODS. I know a thing or two about survival. CJ: (sits down) Alright, let's hear it. Liska pulls out a map of LOS SANTOS, points at a spot in EAST LOS SANTOS. LISKA: This is where they hang. They call themselves the 'VAGOS'. Ryder snatches the map, squinting at it. RYDER: Vagos? Never heard of 'em. LISKA: They're a new gang, rising fast. They're into all sorts of dirty business. If we can get 'em on our side, we'd control the whole city. CJ: (thoughtfully) And if we can't? LISKA: (grins) Then we make 'em disappear. Like a bad smell in the wind. Sweet leans in, curiosity piqued. SWEET: What do they deal with, Liska? LISKA: (proudly) They deal with a bit of everything, but they're really making waves with the product they're pushing. It's a new kind of PCP, man. Super potent. They're flooding the streets with it, turning this place into a zombie apocalypse. Ryder's eyes light up at the mention of 'product'. CJ: PCP? That's heavy shit. LISKA: Indeed. And if we can take that off the market, we'll be the kings of the city. BIG SMOKE: (sitting up) Now, hold on, Liska. We got our own operations to worry about. LISKA: (interrupts) And that's exactly why we need to team up. The more we control, the more we all get. Ryder's energy spikes, and he starts pacing the room. RYDER: (excitedly) Imagine it, man! We can be like the godfathers of the hood! SWEET: (laughs) Chill, Ryder. Let's not get ahead of ourselves. CJ: (to Liska) What's your play here, Liska? LISKA: Simple. You guys show 'em who's boss. I'll help with intel. CJ: (firmly) Alright. But we do this my way. We hit 'em where it hurts. We take their turf, their product, and their respect. Sweet nods in agreement. SWEET: Sounds like a plan, CJ. Ryder, unable to contain himself, jumps on the bed. RYDER: (clapping his hands) Yes! Let's do this! Big Smoke leans back, stroking his chin. BIG SMOKE: But we gotta be smart, CJ. Don't want to stir up too much heat. CJ: Don't worry, Smoke. We're just gonna be borrowing some of their... merchandise. Ryder stops bouncing. RYDER: (deviously) And if they don't like it, we'll give 'em a taste of their own medicine. Sweet rolls his eyes but doesn't argue. SWEET: (to CJ) So, what's the first move? CJ: We start with their stash houses. We need to know where they're hiding that PCP. LISKA: (nods) I can help with that. I know where their main one is. The room goes quiet as the gravity of the situation sinks in. CJ: Alright, then. We're going on a little shopping spree. Sweet cracks his knuckles, a grin spreading across his face. SWEET: Let's go get 'em, CJ. The four of them stand, the tension palpable. They're about to embark on a mission that could either cement their place in the hood or blow it all apart. INT. GROVE STREET - OUTSIDE - DAY The camera pans out of the motel room window, showing the chaotic world of GROVE STREET below. The sun beats down, reflecting off of car chrome and glinting off the weapons of the various gang members who stroll by. The distant sound of a police siren pierces the air, a constant reminder of the tension that simmers beneath the surface of this city. CJ, SWEET, BIG SMOKE, and RYDR, now armed and dressed for battle, stand outside the motel, surveying their territory. CJ: Remember, we're not looking for a war. We're just sending a message. SWEET: (smirks) Yet. Ryder laughs, slapping Sweet on the back. CJ: Let's roll out. They each get into their lowrider, engines rumbling to life. The camera zooms in on CJ's face, a mix of determination and caution etched into his features. He revs the engine

4 months ago