CudaNCP

The past few months have been slow. Our quick progression came to a halt as we consistently partook in the same activities each day. Secure a drop, hand off the supplies to the cooks, wait for our contacts to request the goods, repeat. Each day dragged on and on. Each day I sat outside the pub wondering what more could I do. I had grown a lot since my recruitment into the organization. I no longer felt any remorse for the lives that were lost. I am now able to put my feelings aside and understand that, “Business is business…” Danny’s voice echoed in my head. Faces came and went. I hadn’t seen Amy is a long time. Neither have I seen Hubert, Nick, Aidan or Bling. We do have a number of new faces. Their skillsets are unknown and only time could tell how useful they will be to the organization. My feet dangled off the edge of the pub roof. As I continued to think I heard a voice calling me from the stairway… “Johnny!” I glanced over my shoulder to see who it was. “Johnny, I need to speak with you in the Pub” Danny was motioning for me to follow him down the stairs. Letting out a sigh, I replied…. “Yea…. Coming….” I hoisted myself up and made my way down the stairs and into the unlocked bar. The place was empty. Chairs and stools were thrown around the room, alcohol made the floor sticky and bottles were scattered from the wedding the night before. Stepping over the garbage, I made my way to the back office. Danny was waiting for me inside. As I stepped in, I could sense an eerie feeling in the air. There was a dark energy surrounding Danny as he kept one hand on the desk and another on an old notebook cradled againt his chest. Without saying a word, he placed the notebook on the desk, spun it around and slid it towards me. I looked down at the notebook. Its spine was old but intacked. The cover was rough and the corners were peeling revealing the raw material beneath. I delicately opened the notebook and looked at the first page. It read… “Rogue’s Cant” “Rogue’s Cant? What the hell is that?” I thought to myself. I looked back up at Danny. He locked eyes with me then readied himself. In one swift motion, he made a shape with his hands then rested them on the table. I turned to the next page in the book. It showed the signal he made and next to it were large, bold letters. “Corruption” I glanced at the picture again and attempted to repeat the signal. “Corruption.” Danny spoke as my hands dropped to my side. He raised his hands once again and showed me a new signal. I flipped through the book attempting to locate the signal. “Page 84” “Got it…” I flipped to page 84 and saw the signal. “Unity” As I was about to said it out loud, Danny reached into the drawer of his desk and pulled out a black, thick liquid along with a dozen white roses. Taking a pestel and mortar, he placed the flowers in the bowl and mashed them into a white powdery substance. He then added the mix to the black liquid in a small vial. “Tattoo ink.” He stated. I watched as he took a small spoon and mixed the subtances together until they were one. “Unity” He repeated. He then prepped the tattoo gun and requested I rolled up my sleeve. On my left arm sat a bundle of red roses. When joining the organization, all members were required to get a rose tattoo. I chose a full arm sleeve. This may seem counter productive as a secret organization, but the entire city had some sort of rose tattoo so we fit right in. I placed my arm on the table and allowed Danny to begin drawing on my arm. The angle that my arm was at did not allow me to see what he was doing, but I trusted him. After 20 minutes, the tattoo was complete. After getting a thumbs up from Danny, I walked over to a mirror located in his office. On my arm was a 4 pointed star that glistened in the dim light. “4 points for the sections of our organization. This tattoo will be the identifying mark of our organization. To those outside of our group, it means nothing, but to those inside, it means everything. The special ink will allow us to see if the tattoo is real or fake.” “Clever…” I replied. “You are the first to get this identifying mark. When you have time, give it to the others…” I nodded in compliance and exited the pub. Collection of members receiving the notebook and tattoo Magik

Hard Work After the big block party, the bar was in dire need of a restock. The heavy boxes stored on the roof needed to be unloaded and brought into the bar. This was a difficult task, the upstairs bar would need to be restocked, then the boxes would need to be brought down the stairs and into the bar. After restocking the upstairs bar, the boxes needed to be brought into the bar. Being the geniuses that Johnny and Blagi are, they decided to toss the boxes one by one off the roof. Johnny positioned himself below and prepared himself to catch the boxes. Blagi grabbed the first box and tossed it off the roof. It slipped right through Johnny’s hands and smashed into the ground. Johnny readied himself again and tried to catch it differently. Blagi tossed another off the roof and Johnny caught it. They continued to toss them over. Finally, all the boxes were stacked neatly next to the front door. Blagi hustled down the stairs and the two brought the boxes inside. The two brought the boxes inside and began placing the bottles in their respective fridges. After the party, the bar had been completely wiped out. Only a couple of stray drinks remained. After unloading the bottles, the two grabbed a couple of beers, kicked back by the bar and relaxed. All their hard work would be worth it at the next party…

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A Storm is Brewing... The storm never seemed to end. Each time I looked down at my phone, lightning cracked above followed by a thunderous applause. The night sky was filled with streaks of light darting towards the tips of the trees. There were no stars, no moons, only the dark storm clouds that didn’t end in either direction. *Ring* *Ring* I looked back down at my phone. *Ring* *Ring* Unknown Caller “This is Woods.” “The silence deafens the ears of the betrayed.” “The betrayed silence the hearts of the deceivers.” Hangs up I grinned. The meeting was set. We would meet in an hour to discuss the next steps of the plan. This was an important meeting, as were all meetings, but this meeting would specifically blow this organization wide open. Up until now, we kept to ourselves, did small jobs and sold a decent amount of stock. However, a new dynasty was coming, one where we were intertwined with every criminal organization in the city… As I pulled up to the pier, the large clock on pier struck midnight. The rest of the pier was empty except for a few lads standing in the parking lot. “Woods.” “Director.” “Now that we’re all here, I’d like to go over a few things. This will be short, we don’t want to attract any unwanted attention.” He took a breath. “We are expanding our boundaries. I’ve spoken to the Irish. They requested that we do a couple tasks for them. DJ, Slav, and Woods, you can speak to them later and arrange some agreement.” We nodded in unison. “We also have a few partners that would like to open new branches of our organization. These talks are still in the works, but they are looking hopeful. More information regarding the details will be sent out later…” *Woop* *Woop* We all turned towards the entrance. A police cruiser was pulling in towards us. “Stay calm boys.” Danny muttered. “Hello officers! What can we do for you?” The officer in the passenger seat rolled down her window as the cruiser rolled up. “What’s going on here? It’s midnight.” “Well, the boys and I just got out of a party up in Vinewood Hills and wanted some fresh air down by the pier.” A drop of sweat rolled down Danny’s forehead. “Hmm…” She didn’t look very convinced. “Don’t stay out too long. I don’t want to see you here when we come back around.” “Sure thing officer, have a good night.” The officer rolled up her window and the cruiser drove away. “I think we’ve overstayed our welcome boys, get out of here, I’ll send more details soon.” We all hopped into our cars and headed back to our homes. The rain had stopped but I could still see lightning in the distance. We were currently in the eye of the storm and it wouldn’t stay that way for long…

Facing Death “Hey…” my mind continued to drift. “Woods… Come on Woods, we gotta go.” A voice was whispering in my ear. I could still hear faint gunfire in the background. “Woods…” My hearing was slowly returning. “WOODS, LET’S GO” I realized the person yelling at me was Danny. Gunfire had erupted around us. I opened my eyes and looked up at him. We were behind the factory where Danny and Vlad had first gone to sell the product. Vlad was nowhere in sight. Standing next to Danny were Blagi and Gonzalo. “Everything has gone to hell, we have to get out of here.” An explosion rattled our ears as we ducked for cover. “Vlad’s friend didn’t like his comment. Their entire criminal organization is here.” I could hear yelling in the background. Two men ran around the side of the building holding rifles. I struggled to reach for my gun at my side, but before I could grab it, Danny grabbed my hand. “Rooks” The two men were dressed head to toe in black. Everything covered except for their eyes which glowed of red. “They’re pushing their line forward. If we’re going to leave in one piece, we need to go now.” Danny nodded to them. Blagi and Gonzalo came over and helped me to my feet. As I put pressure on my leg, a jolting pain shot through it. I looked down and saw that ankle was wrapped up in tape. I met eyes with Danny. “Relax, relax, you twisted your ankle. It’s not what you think it is…” I gave him a quick smile. “Take this plank, use it to walk.” He grabbed a plank from where I was sitting and tossed it to me. I leaned it against the ground and hobbled around a bit. It would have to do. “The Rooks are out there holding them back. We need to make our way back to the cars and drive over this hill.” He pointed to the mound located behind us. “Only problem is, they have a clear line of sight to the cars. Any movement and our heads are being blown off. Any ideas?” We sat in silence perplexed at our predicament. “I don’t think we have to do anything…” Blagi said. Sirens wailed in the background. Danny grabbed his burner phone and dialed a number. In an old and feeble voice, he began to speak. “Yes, hello, I was driving by the old car factory and I saw these men shooting at innocent people driving by. Please come help them, quick.” He tossed the phone on the ground and crushed it under his boot. “Now we just wait.” The sirens got closer and closer until more gunfire erupted. “LSPD, drop your weapons” I peeked out from behind the building. The men watching our cars now had their attention on the police. “Now.” We all sprinted out from behind the building and made our ways to the cars. The two rooks ran in the opposite direction seemingly towards their rides. No other rooks in sight, they must have realized our plan. As we ran towards the car, I could see the original man laying face down in the dirt in front of Danny’s car. Blood had pooled underneath him, and his AK was gone. I continued to hobble over to the car. Danny was waiting impatiently, ready to help me up. He grabbed the plank and chucked it into the car and hoisted me in. Throwing himself in, he slammed on the gas and we shot backwards over the hill onto the empty highway. He spun the wheel around and sped off away from the scene. The gunfire slowly got quieter and quieter until it was in the distant past…

In the Face of Death Project Archeangel was on. This meant that Blagi and I would receive our own lab and finally were trusted enough to start cooking for the clients. This was exciting for both of us as we decided to meet at the cooking location. Stepping into the building, I already saw him waiting by the tables. “What took you so long?” “I hit traffic on the way here, some warrener flipped over onto the central divider. Multiple firetrucks and police officers blocked most of the road.” “Those fucking warreners always get themselves into some crazy situations… So… you ready to start cooking? “Uhh yea, but I’ll probably come around later to make a little bit. I just wanted to stop by to check out the set-up. For now, the lab is all yours.” He turned his back to me and headed back to the tables. Behind them, a box full of water bottles was overflowing and a few were scattered around the old wooden floor. There must have been at least 200 in there, all full, ready to be used. The building we were assigned was ancient and looked like it hadn’t been used in years. The boss told me that they picked it up in a government auction because it was abandoned by the owners. I continued to look around. The walls were in good shape and the structural integrity of the building was still up to government standards. I would just need to put some money into the place, and it would be good as new. However, this would be some time in the future as this new cooking gig would consume most of our time and effort. “I’m gonna head out Blagi, catch you later.” “See ya man, be safe.” I exited the building into the frigid cold. I glanced down at my watch. 10:55 p.m. Danny requested that I meet him at 11:00 p.m. to assist in a sale. I didn’t know too many details going into it, he just told me to come strapped and to wear the appropriate attire. I had changed into my suit earlier so that I could come down and see Blagi, that just left the pistol. Heading over to my car, I sped over to my apartment and grabbed my gun. The gun hadn’t been used in months. I picked it up at a gun convention when I had my license, but since then, it’s been collecting dust in my safe. “Hopefully you still work, buddy.” I rummaged around for a few extra magazines and tossed them in my coat pocket for good measure. I may need them. Once again, stepping outside hit me like a truck. It was so cold that night for no apparent reason. It had been a little chilly the entire day, but for living in a tropical area, this was really fucking cold. I looked down for my breathe. Taking a deep breathe and exhaling, I couldn’t see my breathe. Am I really that stupid? I live in Los Santos, it isn’t that cold. “Hey, Woodsy, where are you mate?” I could hear Danny say over the radio. The clock at the top of my phone read, “11:03 p.m” I held my hand up to my radio and pushed the button located on the side. “Sorry, had some car troubles, heading over now.” I slammed on the gas and quickly headed over to the meeting spot. When I reached the spot outside the hotel, I saw Danny sitting in the parking lot in his car next to high-class, sports car. The two had their windows rolled down and were chatting a bit. As I pulled in, I could see their attention switch from each other to me. “Look who decided to finally come around” “Yea, yea, save the jokes, let’s just get this done.” Now that I was closer to mysterious car, I was able to get a better look at the man. He sported purple suit coat and button-down shirt. I could tell that the coat probably costed more than my car by the way it shimmered under the lights. It looked as if it was engraved with diamonds that sparkled with each move, he made. “Vlad… Woods… Woods… Vlad.” He just glared at me. “Pleasure to meet you.” I quietly said He continued to stare at me. “Well, now that introductions are out of the way, let’s get moving.” Danny explained. I parked my car in the nearest parking spot and hopped into Danny’s car. Vlad’s car pulled out his spot and began to drive away. Danny followed closely behind. We pulled up to a shady man hiding in an alleyway near the hotel. I watched as Vlad slipped him a note. The man glared at the note and whispered something under his breathe. Vlad’s eyes widened as his fist began to curl up. In the blink of an eye, I watched Vlad throw his fist towards the man’s face, knocking him over. “Yea, well you tell your boss that he needs to do better than that. Offer me that shit again and I’ll make sure that he leaves this city in a body bag.” As we drove past the man, I got a better look at the damage that Vlad had done. The man was still on the ground recovering, blood was seeping from one of his eyes and a few of his teeth were on the ground next to him. “Damn…” I muttered under my breathe. We kept driving for a little bit until we reached the industrial district on the other side of city. “Get your gun ready, this is where things may go wrong.” I readied my gun. The industrial district was always empty at night. Not a soul was in sight. The only lights were the lamps on the street and our headlights. We pulled behind a factory and Vlad hopped out of the car. “Woods, stay here and watch out backs. Shoot first, questions later.” I nodded to him and huddled behind a crate by the cars. The gravel crunched as the two walked behind the building seemingly towards another contact. I sat in silence behind the box. My hands shook as I held the gun in my hand. Damn, it was cold. Just as I placed the gun on the ground to rub my hands together, I heard a noise. *Crunch* My eyes widened. I grabbed the gun and stayed completely still behind the box. *Crunch* *Crunch* I peeked out from behind the box. Nothing. *Crunch* Whatever it was, it felt like it was right in front of me. I threw myself over the box and readied my weapon to fire. Just as I was about to preemptively pull the trigger, Danny grabbed the barrel and threw it to the side. “Mate, what the fuck are you doing.” “I thought I heard something…” “Yea, it was probably us. The deal is done, let’s get out of here.” I holstered the gun in my waistband and headed back to Danny’s car. The car door popped open and I jumped inside. I couldn’t help think about the noise I heard, it couldn’t have been Danny and Vlad. It sounded like only one person. It didn’t match the noise that Vlad and Danny made… As Danny flicked on the headlights, my suspicion was confirmed. Standing directly in front of our car was a single man holding an AK47 aimed directly at our car. The missing teeth told us all we needed to know. “I think you’ll be the ones needing the body bag.” As the words left his mouth, he opened fire. Danny and I dove out of the car to the nearest cover. My face slammed into the gravel behind the box I was huddled near earlier. I could hear the drifting sounds of gun fire continue in the background as my mind slowly went blank…

The Aftermath *BOOM* I looked over my shoulder from the back seat of the car. I could see the explosion from a mile away. The safehouse had erupted in flames and smoke. Sirens wailed in the background as we head further and further from Paleto. Still looking at the cloud of smoke we left behind, I could hear Danny laughing from the front seat. "Now that, Johnny, is a beautiful sight to see!" What a fucking maniac… “What a day!” “Heh… Yea, I guess…” I couldn’t help think of all the people we just killed. Their families, friends, loved-ones all impacted by the decision we decided to make… No. Don’t think about that. It was our lives or their lives. Yea. We had to do this. We didn’t have any other choice. This was the only way. “So now what?” I asked Danny. “Well, Johnny, we need to find a new place. Also, we have some plans that I need to discuss with the crew.” I watched him turn on his radio. “Everybody head to the pier in the city. We have much to discuss.” As we pulled up to the pier, I could already see everybody waiting around for our arrival. They were in the usual spot. The spot where I first met with everyone. Luckily, this time wouldn’t end up with a bag over my head while being dragged over to the trunk of a car. We both stepped out of the car and walked over to the group of guys waiting behind the ferris wheel. “Amy’s not here yet. Is she coming?” “No, she had somewhere else important to be. She told us to fill her in later.” “Alright, we’re going to get started then…” I could notice that Danny was very anxious. Whatever he was about to tell us was surely going to change the way our crew functions… “I have had a plan in the works for a while now… and I’m finally ready to discuss it with you guys…” We all inched forward, curious to hear what he was about to say… “It’s called “Project Archeangel.” Now before I continue, nothing I say at this meeting, leaves this meeting. Got it?” We all nodded our heads in unison. “It has us working alongside [---------] and building up, side by side. When they go up, we move up with them. We act as a cohesively functioning unit that grows together. The exact details for this expansion are still being discussed with [----------]. We supply the drugs and they supply us with the goodies.” Danny continued to go on discussing other plans for the crew, but I had already zoned out. The image of the explosion burned into my mind. I could see the smoke had traveled from Paleto to the city. Smog was common in the city, but I knew this time it was different. This time, it was of our doing. “Johnny.” A hand was waving in front of my face. “Hey Johnny, you with us.” “Uhh… yea… just tired.” Danny continued to speak. “We have a big transaction happening within the next couple of days. I need you all on stand-by just in case anything goes wrong. Set up outside the bank, pier, and parking garage. If anything goes sour, you’ll converge on my position and deal with it.” Ever since the robbery, we haven’t had much action so I could tell everybody was really itching to get into a fight. I glanced over to Blagi. He had a smile on his face. I knew he wanted to fight, but he needed to be resting. “That’s all I have for this meeting, any questions?” We all stood in silence. “Great. We are searching the area for a replacement safehouse. For now, just stay at your apartments, stay out of trouble, and I’ll contact you all tomorrow.” We all nodded our heads and began to disperse. Everyone else headed towards the parking lot, but I walked over to the railing and leaned up against it, looking out towards the water. It was a peaceful night. The storm from earlier had stopped. The sea was calm. The breeze was soothing, and I could hear the low chirp of the seagulls settling in for the night. A great way to end a stressful day...

TO: TASK-FORCE MEMBERS - OPERATION GARDENER CC: D.S.A.I.C KIERA O'CHARTHY FROM: S.A.I.C MATTHEW RODDNEY TITLE: CONFIDENTIAL AND PRIVATE -FIB SENIOR AGENT CLEARANCE REQUIRED Dear all, You may have heard the news regarding Officer Carter and the recent incident. I regret to inform you that his body was confirmed to be in the warehouse at the time of the explosion. Along with him, over 20 other agents were also present inside the warehouse. Many others were injured outside. There were a total of 32 confirmed causalities. Plastic explosives lined every crevice in that building and were set to trigger exactly 30 seconds after we arrived. This resulted in an explosion that could have been seen from over 10 miles away. Clean-up is currently happening at the location. We are still searching for the remains of many of the agents. A vigil is being held later tonight at the central courtyard. You are all invited to come. All agents who are currently in the field. Disengage. We must rethink our plan so that an incident like this does not happen again. Operation Gardener will be temporarily put on hold until we can straighten out this mess. They’ve won this battle, but not the war… Regards, Special Agent in Charge Matthew Roddney

Infiltration Blagi squirmed in his sleep as I sat at his bedside. He had tubes coming out of every square inch of his body. The gunshot wound from a week earlier was still noticeable through his hospital gown. It had taken hours for the bullet to be removed. It was lodged between two ribs and missed his lung by centimeters. Had it been any closer, he would have died at the store. The doctor told me that my quick thinking saved his life that night. Now, we sat in the safehouse under a dimly lit light waiting for his recovery. “Johnny” “Yes?” “You’re a crazy bastard you know that?” I chuckled. Blagi would still need weeks of rest before he was fully operational. At the time, I thought we had this time, turned out I was wrong… I stood along the pier, fishing like I was instructed to do for most of my day. It wasn’t much, but in my field of work, it was a needed break. Glancing at my watch, I noticed that it was almost time. At 5:00 p.m, I would be receiving a message from my mission handler. These notes were always left underneath the garbage can that I’ve conveniently stood next to every day for the last week. I once again looked at my watch. 5:00. Discreetly, I bent down and pretended to tie my shoe. I quickly glanced to the left and right to ensure that nobody was looking. When I was confident that nobody noticed, I felt underneath the can and grabbed the note, slipping it into my magazine. Standing up, I stretched out my arms and took a seat in my chair. Time magazine. Page 12. An article regarding the daily life of an FBI agent. How fitting. To: Agent Johnson We were unable to track the phone in time to give you the location of the burner. However, we now have a lock on its position. A safehouse located in Paleto along the beach. We need you to gain access to this building. Attached to this note is a small tracker. When we see it enter the building, press the button and we will be on the scene in 2 minutes. ONLY press the button when you have confirmed that both Danny and Jack are present. Everyone else is irrelevant. I flipped over the note and noticed a small black box with a red button planted directly in the middle. Slipping the tracker into my pocket, I crinkled the note up, ripped it in two and threw it into the ocean. I watched as the waves crashed over the note and destroyed any trace of what I was hiding… Later that night, I was waiting patiently in my car. “Bruno” was supposed to be here by now. Earlier, I sent him a text telling him the task was complete. After a short time, he replied telling me to meet him at the ferris wheel just after midnight. I looked out the window at the glow of the city. I could hear the concert that was happening at the theater. Lights danced across the sky and people were cheering. Crazy that I could hear it out here. It must have been at least 5 miles away. Just as I felt myself falling asleep, the bright lights of a car shined through my rear-view mirror. Looking over my shoulder, I knew it was “Bruno.” https://imgur.com/a/DAAM9lf I slowly stepped out of the car and made my way to the trunk, popping it open. “Do you have the cases?” “Yea, there just tucked in the back of my trunk.” I reached into the trunk and pulled out three heavy briefcases. “Good, very good. May I take a look inside?” “Of course, no problem” “Bruno” took a quick peak inside and smiled. “Good work. Here is your payment.” He reached into his jacket pocket and took out a brown slip. He then tossed the slip at me. “Count it if you wish.” “I trust you. Do you trust me?” “What a strange question… I trust you, Billy.” Funny. Nothing he knows about me is real. “Do you think I could partake in anything more… serious or lucrative?” “For right now, this is good. I will speak to my boss. I’ll contact you soon. Goodnight.” As suddenly as he pulled up, he was gone. I stood there and continued to stare where his car once was. The soft hum of the music in the distance was still playing. I closed my eyes and took in the moment of peace. It may be the last chance I get… It was a few days later and I was meeting Bruno again. Same spot. Same time. Fearing something may happen, I hide the tracker in my watch. It was strange that he called the meeting because I had not completed my next set of briefcases, but I chose to meet with him anyway. This may be my chance to meet Danny and Jack. Once again, Bruno was late. This time around, my wait was much more boring. There was no hum of a concert in the background. Lights did not dance across the sky. Stepping out of my car, I was greeted by a number of people. “Woods, pat him down.” A man approached me. “Arms out, legs out.” I carried out his request. “He’s clear.” “Good. Come with us.” Hesitantly, I approached Bruno’s car and stepped in. It reeked of weed and alcohol. Bruno then stepped into the car and we were off to an unknown location. His car was tidier than I expected. Aside from a bottle and a briefcase, his seats and floor were clear. I slowly glanced over the passenger’s seat. A .50 sat on the seat, fully loaded. Sitting back down, I nervously gulped and looked out the window. We were going to Paleto. I could tell because the ocean was directly to my left side. The ocean breeze flooded the car and I readied myself for the battle that would surely come… We pulled up to the safehouse located on the beach. A perfect location. It was located below a cliffside, out of the view of the town and the police. Most people probably didn’t even know that it existed. There were a few cars already parked outside. “Is that Billy?” “Yea.” “Bring him inside” Bruno gestured me forward and I followed the individual into the building. It was a good size, but the boxes everywhere made it feel much smaller than it actually was. It consisted of one large room that was broken down into different sections. To my left I could see a couch and TV. To my right, a few beds. Continuing walking towards the back of the building, I saw a man laying down in a hospital bed along with the man I had seen at the ferris wheel who patted me down. Set up in the back of the safehouse was a table and a few chairs. Already sitting in one of the chairs was a man in a dirty suit. He quickly whispered something to the man who I was following and they both smiled. The man then took a seat and signaled for me to sit. “Bruno put in a good word about you. He says you are quick and trustworthy, and looking for more work.” “Yes, although the drug running business pay wells, I’m looking for something more.” “Well, we can offer you more. You just need to trust us. But the question is, can we trust you?” Just as he said this, lightning cracked outside. The flash lit up the man and let me get a better look at his face. A sinister grin and dead stare pierced my body. I could sense something was wrong. Why would they bring me here? What was so important that they brought me straight to their base of operations? I slid my hand over my wrist to readjust my watch and silently pressed the button. I then tried to stand up, but I felt a hand shove me back down. As I turned to see who it was, I was struck and everything went black… I woke up to a number of faces and guns pointed at my face. https://imgur.com/a/uWTA4zR “You FBI agents are so silly. Thinking that you can get away with whatever you want. WELL. Let me tell you something buddy. That tracker ain’t so hard to track. The second you stepped in here. We knew exactly what was going on. Our equipment was going ABSOLUTELY NUTS.” This man was absolutely mental. “Do you have anything to say for yourself?” I laid there for a moment in silence. I knew it was the end. They weren’t going to let me leave. I thought for a moment about my family. My body being returned to them in a box along with an American Flag. My kids growing up without a father. Nobody walking my daughter down the aisle. A single tear streamed down my face. I tightly shut my eyes and accepted death. I could feel the barrel of a pistol pushed up against my head. I cleared my mind, took a deep breath in, and felt at peace. “BREACH! BREACH! BREACH! GO! GO! GO!” The tracker button was pressed and 2 minutes later, the FBI was at the safehouse. Wasting no time, they crashed through every opening imaginable. Windows were busted, loose walls knocked down. They busted through the windows on the ceiling, rappelling into the safehouse. Every door was broken down and rushed through by swat agents. Once, they entered, they noticed that boxes were stacked around the room tactically to provide cover. “Behind the boxes!” With that command, every agent in the building took cover and threw flashbangs over the boxes. *Pop* *Pop* *Pop* “Move, move, move.” Agents flooded around the boxes and checked every corner of the building. “It’s all clear, sir.” “That doesn’t make any sense…” *Tick* *Tick* *Tick* A rhythmic ticking was heard inside the building. "What the hell are in these boxes?" Peaking over the edge of one of the boxes was the last move he ever made. Just as his eyes met with the plastic explosive hiding in the box, it went off. *BOOM* I looked over my shoulder from the back seat of the car. I could see the explosion from a mile away. The safehouse had erupted in flames and smoke. Sirens wailed in the background as we headed further and further from Paleto. Still looking at the cloud of smoke we left behind, I could hear Danny laughing from the front seat. "Now that, Johnny, is a beautiful sight to see!" What a fucking maniac…

Mission Report: Operation Gardener Message from Special Agent Christopher Johnson To whomever this message is received by. I do not have much time. I have made contact with a man who goes by the name “Bruno.” According to the recent surveillance photos, this man was the one who killed Officer Carter in the recent store robbery. He gave me a burner phone number and I will be contacting him within the next few days. He told me that I needed to retrieve 3 briefcases full of marijuana and contact him afterwards. Currently, I am in the process of purchasing 3 full briefcases from a partner I have in the black market. “Bruno” approached me on the pier and asked me if I needed work. He told me about how he was offering drug running jobs for a small payment. Thinking this may be in connection to “The White Rose Brokerage,” I took his details. His phone number is – [###-####]. Track this number and transmit me its location. I’ll be back at this computer located in the Los Santos Public Library in exactly 24 hours.

TO: TASK-FORCE MEMBERS - OPERATION GARDENER CC: D.S.A.I.C KIERA O'CHARTHY FROM: S.A.I.C MATTHEW RODDNEY TITLE: CONFIDENTIAL AND PRIVATE -FIB SENIOR AGENT CLEARANCE REQUIRED Dear all, This confidential email details new installments in Operation Gardener. New information has been collected regarding the cartel known as “White Rose Brokerage” led by “Danny Spears” and “Jack Perkins.” Seen in the exhibit below, the group has been recruiting a number of people to partake in their business. The identities of these individuals are still unknown. Although, according to our data, there has been a decrease of fish being sold by 57% and government employment has decreased by 83%. We are led to believe the group is recruiting along the pier and at government recruitment centers. Long-range surveillance was used to confirm our suspicion. We are currently in the process of IDing all the individuals at the scene. Exihibit A: Meeting between two of the robbery suspects and potential recruits. The individual in the white seen in the exhibit above was also confirmed to be at the recent store robbery that left one police officer dead. The robber was shot before fleeing the scene. The status of the individual is unknown. Our forensic experts are currently analyzing the blood samples left at the scene to ID the man. The man in gray directly next to our target was also confirmed to be at the robbery. According to our officers, he was the one who killed Officer Carter. Two other robbers were not present at this meeting, but our surveillance division is currently searching for them. Exhibit B: Eastern store front This leads us to our next topic. The recent store robbery that occurred last night. This robbery happened around 10:15 p.m last night at eastern convenience store (shown above) located on the eastern highway. The camera feed was compromised at 10:10 and contact was made with the suspects at 10:14. When demands were given to the suspects, they immediately returned fire resulting in the death of Officer Carter. Crime scene photos are shown below. We were unable to make out the faces of the perpetrators, but we are sending the helicopter surveillance video to all surrounding counties. One of the robbers was confirmed to be hit, but they were all able to escape using a black van with no license plate. Our investigators have told us that this van was not purchased through any of the nearby dealerships, most likely through the Los Santos black market. Exhibit C :Image taken from the helicopter of the shootout A transcript from the engagement is shown below. Officer Carter: “This is the LSPD, drop your weapons and come out with your hands up!” Unknown Suspect :“Fuck you, rot in hell!” *Shots are heard in the background* Officer Cortez: “SHOTS FIRED! SHOTS FIRED! OFFICER DOWN!” *More shots are fired* Officer Cortez: “Unit callsign #### requesting back-up to 2011” Officer Smith: “I see two behind the van and one behind the truck. Engaging.” *More shots are fired* *Tires screeching* Officer Cortez: “Heavy weapon, everybody get down!” *Automatic gun fire* From this point on, the van was able to escape into the thick tree line of Paleto. Our X-Ray helicopter was unable to safely follow them and they were able to get away. The investigation is still on-going, and we will update you as new information is found. Exhibit D : Deceased Officer Carter Dashcam footage from Officer Cortez’s cruiser will available to you all in a few hours. It will be sent in a separate email. Undercover agents are in the process of being deployed to the pier. They have been tasked with gaining information about the cartel and attempting to infiltrate it. These agents have been told to not engage any individuals that may have connections to the cartel. These individuals have been deemed as “Highly Dangerous” and should NEVER be engaged. As new information emerges, we will continue to inform you about the whereabouts of “The White Rose Brokerage.” Any information that you may have regarding this group can be sent directly back to this address. I will also be working in my office located in the northern sector. My door is always open. Regards, Special Agent in Charge Matthew Roddney

Mistakes were made... Bullets flew over my head as I struggled to load a new magazine into my pistol. Blagi hunkered down next to me, slowly bleeding out from his wound. Hans laying in the back of the van waiting for me to throw Blagi’s dying body in. Crouching behind that van, thoughts began raced through my mind. Where did things go wrong? Why did this happen? The plan was simple. We shouldn’t have messed it up. But here we were. Reflecting on our mistakes… https://imgur.com/a/4tyncUz 1 hour earlier… “Jack, did you bring the pistols?” “Yea, I got them all, are you guys ready?” I looked over my shoulder to Blagi and Hans talking in the corner and glanced back at Jack. “Yea, we’re ready. Did you bring Gonzalo with you?” “He’s waiting in the van out back.” I signaled to the crew that we were ready to head out. Blagi responded with a thumbs up so I made my way out the back of the warehouse. There sat a black van. Brand new, specifically bought for this job. Gonzalo gave me a quick nod as I headed for the vehicle parked behind it. A white komoda fully upgraded for speed and acceleration, the perfect distraction. As I admired the car, I heard Jack call me over so that we could finalize the plan. “The plan is simple, Blagi, Johnny and Hans will enter the store through the rear to avoid the CCTV cameras pointed towards the entrance. Blagi, you will pick the lock on the security room door so that Hans can hack into the camera to create a fake feed. Once this is done, we only have 5 minutes before the camera comes back online. Grab as much cash as you can. Gonzalo and I will be keeping watch on opposite sides of the store. Everybody understand?” We all nodded our heads in unison. As we headed to our assigned vehicles, I felt a tap on my shoulder. I spun around to see Jack holding out a pistol. “You’re going to need this.” I let out a small chuckle. “That would be helpful.” I grabbed the gun and headed for the van. Hans, Blagi and I would take the van around back while Jack and Gonzalo used dirt bikes to set up in the hills. Climbing into the back of the van, I continued to think about the plan. It was simple. Nothing could go wrong. Right? I reassured myself as I held onto the seat every time we hit a bump. “Can you drive a bit slower; I think I might throw up.” This obviously didn’t sit well with Blagi as he accelerated even more while flipping me off in the process. I could sense we were approaching the store as the van began to slow down. Radio chatter went silent as we pulled up to the store. “Everybody ready?” “Ready as I’ll ever be” I said as I pulled a black bandana over my face. The next 5 minutes were a blur. I remember jumping out of the back of the van, pistol in hand, feeling like I was on the top of the world. We easily cut through the lock on the back door and made our way in. Blagi did his job, followed by Hans, and next thing I knew, we were taking cash out of the register. Poor guy. Minimum wage job. Long hours. Now he was being held at gun point for some cash. The alarm on my phone continued to tick. 1-minute remaining. This was easy. Everything was going so smoothly… “Cops are pulling up to the store. Bail! Bail! Bail!” We zippered up our duffel bags full of cash and sprinted out the back door. Before we were able to hop into the van, we were met by an armada of cops. “This is the LSPD, drop your weapons and come out with your hands up!” Like we were actually going to do that. Hans fired the first shot. In that moment, time stopped. I could see the bullet leaving the barrel of the pistol, rotating towards the chest of the police officer on the megaphone. The puff of smoke momentarily masked the mark of death that Hans just bestowed on the man. The bullet made contact with the officer and knocked him to the ground. We dove behind the van as the police officers unleashed a storm of bullets in our direction. https://imgur.com/a/aDjpH5o We were alright… We were alright? I look to my left. We weren’t alright. I see Blagi clutching his side. His hand and clothes were stained with blood. “Oh shit, Blagi.” I quickly removed the tie I was wearing and applied pressure to the wound. I could see the life slowly fading from his eyes. “Hey” I tapped him on the shoulders. “Stay with me Blagi. Come on man.” Hans was returning fire to the police. I looked back at Blagi. He was slipping in and out of consciousness. “Hey Hans, we have to leave. Now.” Hans ducked back behind the van and opened the doors. Taking a quick breather, he prepared himself to grab Blagi. Using all the strength I had left, I helped lift him into the back of the van and hopped in. Over the radio, I called for Gonzalo. “Gonzalo, we need that distraction now.” “I’m on it.” Just as those words left the radio attached to my ear, I heard tires screeching as Gonzalo drove the Komoda straight through the middle of the cruisers. Stopping for a moment, he sprayed out the window with his micro smg. This provided us with the opportunity we needed. While all the officers were taking cover, Hans hopped in the front seat of the van and slammed on the gas. Smashing through two cruisers, we bolted towards the highway. “Blagi, come on brother, just hold on for a bit longer.” I told him. I then pressed the talk button on my radio. “Jack, Blagi is hit. Meet us at the safehouse.” I continued to apply pressure to his wound, constantly throwing away the blood-soaked clothing and replacing it with a clean piece. I could tell he wouldn’t last much longer. His eyes began to roll back into his head. His clench on my free hand was slowly loosening. I was watching my friend die in front of me. As we pulled up to the safehouse, I could hear Nick and Danny yelling. The van doors flew open and a piece of wood was loaded into the back. I pulled Blagi on and gave him one last look. “This may be goodbye friend; it was an honor.” The wooden board was lifted out of the van and Blagi was rushed into the safehouse. I sat in the van curled in a ball, tears streaming down my face. Why? Why did this have to happen? It should have been me. My thoughts danced free as I sat in the van for the rest of the night waiting for the news about my friend…