Salvation

[Nivek]

On 6/4/2021 at 12:05 PM, DrPathetic said:

This aspect is something I would love to see fleshed out more and come to fruition. Vigilante RP would be very interesting to see and add a unique factor to your group over others as if this ends up being a large part of your lore it would stand you out from generic gangs purely interested in the normal illegal stuff. 
I look forward to seeing where this bit goes.

Before I officially joined Salvation, this is exactly how the organization was portrayed to me, and I agree it would be something fun and different. Plans don't always go exactly how you want them to during the chaos of trying to build up a new organization/faction, but this particular aspect is definitely something I'd like to start focusing more on. 

[JellyFaun]

Rat 

 

Life is hard when you're a rat.

First, there's the whole size thing. You're no bigger than a banana, and there's often the trouble of being trodden upon, being too small to climb annoying ledges yet too big to squeeze into tight hiding holes.  The knotholes and chinks that the smaller mice of the world can squeeze into are useless when you're looking for cover with a cat in pursuit. And the lofty roost of the table, where another type of fat cat dines on more food than they should ever have, is no use to a starving belly when it's out of grasp. 

Second is the whole being disposable thing. Humans are heartless about rats because we are a surplus item. Our mothers breed twelve littermates at once, six times a year, and we're ready to breed at ten weeks. One breeding pair of rats could create over seventy two babies and taking into account the breeding rates for those babies, we are not exactly a rare commodity. And when there is an infinite resource that's alive, weak, insignificant and  easy to kill, humans tent to exploit it. Just look at the going rate of green turtle eggs, beef patties and circus animals. My kin are stuffed into medical labs, dog and cock fighting circles, minefields, cosmetic research facilities, pet food and even the butcher's in foreign lands. It's a very lucky rat that ends up in a pet shop window without a predator in the tank. What's the life of one measly little rat when there are thousands more, right? 

The third and worst thing, in my opinion, is the whole stigma against us. Humans exploit us at every angle for our meat, our use in progressing the medical field and so on, but they don't treat us with respect or even dignity. Most hear the word Rat and wrinkle their nose, like we are something dirty or plagued, eager to bite their babies and drop our waste in their meals. They don't take the time to consider how rats were driven to the sewers or why we wander around their homes like it used to be a field. They blame us for the black plague and don't thank us for advancing science to a point where many diseases are no longer a threat.  They see us as a scourge in the war, stealing rations and spreading filth but don't see us as heroes for seeking land mines so they don't have to be obliterated. They see us as hideous but think of themselves as beautiful when it is our bodies that brought them that lipstick. 

But not all people are like that. Charlie isn't. In fact, I think when Charlie entered the pet store and bypassed the dogs and cats and set her eyes upon me, she saw something in me. She saw a creature that society might not know they needed, one that only wanted to help and be loved. She saw a creature that was very meek, but still wanted to be acknowledged for its contributions. She saw a creature that could be exploited, frowned upon, have its nose wrinkled at, but it still tried its best for the good of all humanity.

In me, she saw herself. In me, she saw Salvation.
She carried me out in her pocket and called me Donut. 

[risk]

Jacqueline Drakk

 

When she arrived in the city of Los Santos, Jacqueline Perinneau could have been called many things but one above all was certain: she was determined to find a place she could call home among the citizens in a city that never seemed to sleep. It became evident rather quickly those she had believed were lifelong friends found greener pastures elsewhere to graze, leaving her behind to find her own footing. 

She could have lived the legal life- continuing on at the Department of Corrections, making acquaintances who seemed to know her name wherever she went, living every day watching the injustices found around every corner helpless to stop it. Perhaps, had she never met the man in the mask, her life would have taken her down a different path but Jacqueline was never one to say no to adventure and his very existence promised her just that.

Through him she found everything she didn’t even realize she had been missing: companionship, love, and above all… family. Through him she met a group of men and women who felt all the things she’d never been able to coherently express: the city of Los Santos was broken. The system designed to keep its citizens safe was flawed and red tape was bound around nearly avenue leading to justice. For months she found herself pulled more deeply into a life of danger, the man in the mask protecting her at all costs. For months, she watched the men and women of Salvation circle around her, welcoming her with open arms the day she finally joined and stepping out together as one to succeed where the city’s protectors had failed.

There was nothing that could have prepared Jacqueline for the whirlwind of chaos that came days after joining. Leadership changes, structural redesigns, attacks from bitter ex-members, meetings with countless others to both repair and rebuild burned bridges… it seemed Salvation was nearly about to tear itself apart from the inside out before it ever had a chance to truly thrive.

 

 

 

Between it all, there was him. There was the promise of a future she never dared dream in the form of a diamond ring and of a family who all wanted the same thing: justice.

 

 

 

Together, they voiced their concerns. Together, they repaved the foundation of all that Salvation was and all that Salvation could be. Together, they made the changes they hoped would lead them down the path they all felt destined to walk. 

The man she’d left it all behind to be with was appointed as a member of High Command with her at his side. Six others were placed on the council to work hand in hand, guiding the members of Salvation back to where they belonged. There was only one thing left to do: seal the promise of a diamond ring with vows and a kiss and Jacqueline didn’t want another day to pass without his name.

Together, they’d begun to rebuild Salvation and together, they met at the vineyard as she swore to love the man in the mask until the end of her days in front of them all. 

 

 

 

By the time night fell, she found herself no longer Jacqueline Perinneau but Mrs. Donnie Drakk. No longer was she determined to find a home within Los Santos- those dreams had long ago been recognized. Now, with a new last name and her new position within the organization, she was determined to help Salvation fulfill its destiny.

[Nivek]

15 hours ago, whisperedaubrey said:

Jacqueline Drakk

 

When she arrived in the city of Los Santos, Jacqueline Perinneau could have been called many things but one above all was certain: she was determined to find a place she could call home among the citizens in a city that never seemed to sleep. It became evident rather quickly those she had believed were lifelong friends found greener pastures elsewhere to graze, leaving her behind to find her own footing. 

She could have lived the legal life- continuing on at the Department of Corrections, making acquaintances who seemed to know her name wherever she went, living every day watching the injustices found around every corner helpless to stop it. Perhaps, had she never met the man in the mask, her life would have taken her down a different path but Jacqueline was never one to say no to adventure and his very existence promised her just that.

Through him she found everything she didn’t even realize she had been missing: companionship, love, and above all… family. Through him she met a group of men and women who felt all the things she’d never been able to coherently express: the city of Los Santos was broken. The system designed to keep its citizens safe was flawed and red tape was bound around nearly avenue leading to justice. For months she found herself pulled more deeply into a life of danger, the man in the mask protecting her at all costs. For months, she watched the men and women of Salvation circle around her, welcoming her with open arms the day she finally joined and stepping out together as one to succeed where the city’s protectors had failed.

There was nothing that could have prepared Jacqueline for the whirlwind of chaos that came days after joining. Leadership changes, structural redesigns, attacks from bitter ex-members, meetings with countless others to both repair and rebuild burned bridges… it seemed Salvation was nearly about to tear itself apart from the inside out before it ever had a chance to truly thrive.

 

 

Between it all, there was him. There was the promise of a future she never dared dream in the form of a diamond ring and of a family who all wanted the same thing: justice.

 

 

Together, they voiced their concerns. Together, they repaved the foundation of all that Salvation was and all that Salvation could be. Together, they made the changes they hoped would lead them down the path they all felt destined to walk. 

The man she’d left it all behind to be with was appointed as a member of High Command with her at his side. Six others were placed on the council to work hand in hand, guiding the members of Salvation back to where they belonged. There was only one thing left to do: seal the promise of a diamond ring with vows and a kiss and Jacqueline didn’t want another day to pass without his name.

Together, they’d begun to rebuild Salvation and together, they met at the vineyard as she swore to love the man in the mask until the end of her days in front of them all. 

 

 

By the time night fell, she found herself no longer Jacqueline Perinneau but Mrs. Donnie Drakk. No longer was she determined to find a home within Los Santos- those dreams had long ago been recognized. Now, with a new last name and her new position within the organization, she was determined to help Salvation fulfill its destiny.

Hate that I missed the wedding! But I'm glad I could be there to witness you say yes to our boy!

[risk]

Some say in order to learn to swim, one must be thrown into the water and face the fear of sinking before their limbs will do what needs to be done and for Jacqueline, her first week as a member of command for Salvation was a testament to the adage. 

Sink or swim, she thought to herself as she stood before a room filled with members looking utterly confused as to why they sat there upon her request. It wasn’t two hours ago she was buried in supplies to cook a shipment purchased through the Ballas and now she stood surrounded by those she’d come to adore, dressed in colors, with nothing more than a simple command from the Yahweh: bring them together and figure out what to do tonight. If you can’t, I’ll step in. 

 

 

New members had brought with them unique challenges. Changes in structure had brought with them confusion. Unfamiliarity with the city and the criminal life in general left many feeling lost. The other members of the council sat at her side, the figureheads watched her from across the room. It felt dangerously close to a test. After all, she’d barely joined Salvation before being appointed to her position and she knew well there were eyes on her to determine whether or not she was deserving.

Sink or swim.

Her gaze landed on her husband before she took a deep breath and began.

Jacqueline had no idea how long she spoke before the floor was passed to her counterparts but by the time they all finished speaking, plans were in place. The members of Salvation were ready. Whether or not they managed to succeed, in that moment, was irrelevant to her. One does not build an empire in a day and as the family began to trickle out, excited and chattering, she found herself hanging back with wide eyes just to watch them go. 

The Yahweh had mentioned during their meeting a storm was coming and to be prepared for the chaos about to come. His words had sent a shot of fear down her spine when he’d spoken them but there in headquarters, surrounded by smiling faces and voices she’d recognize from across a crowded room, Jacqueline couldn’t help but smile.

If there was a storm coming, it felt for the first time as though Salvation was preparing itself to be the lightning that split across the sky to chase away the darkness. 
 

[risk]

Step one, step two, step three. The days had become a blur of predictable meetings and chores but this particular Sunday had brought with it an unexpected turn of events no one in Salvation could have possibly seen coming: the alleged disbanding of an organization they highly respected. 

It started simply enough. Five members of command met with the Ballas to order another shipment. 

 

From there it should have been simple. Secure the deliveries, keep everyone safe, and get the hell out of dodge to begin cooking for a tidy little profit while other branches of Salvation took to their own duties and the groundwork to expand continued.

Jacqueline should have known better; nothing thus far has proved to be quite so simple. Unable to place the necessary orders, the five of them took to tending to another piece of the puzzle leading to success: training. A sixth member of the council was "kidnapped" and brought on a roadtrip all while calling out their location to the best of their ability. Those on frequency were given a simple task: find him utilizing the details you have and save him. Follow proper radio protocol. You have 10 minutes or he dies. 

It was a success- High Command's pseudo hostage was found in time and rescued. Plans were made to do something similar every day until all members of Salvation understood the importance of situational awareness and how to best utilize their one lifeline: the radio. 

Step four, step five, step six. Alone and without anything to do for the first time in days, Jacqueline and Donnie holed away to begin stockpiling Salvation's biggest source of income. 

 

Locked away in a lab with nothing but a mask and some suits to keep them alive, the lines of communication began to explode. One of their own had been robbed at sealabs by the same group they'd heard causing chaos all over the city. Friends in a different organization had been kidnapped by another and said organization was likely going to disband. Information was flowing freely and before they'd even had a chance to really breathe, the Drakks were heading to meet with others to debrief and discuss what happens next. 

 

 

The weight of all that had transpired was heavy. Friends were left roaming and threats of what lay beyond the horizon continued to loom over the members of Salvation. How did they achieve their goal when every hour brought with it a fire in desperate need of extinguishing? The answer came as they ended their day at the beach. 

 

They'd achieve it through persistence. They'd achieve it through clinging to that silver thread of hope for a brighter future that had wound its way around all of them and pulled them close to one another. They'd achieve it because to fail meant to give up on the belief Los Santos could be cleansed of its seemingly endless corruption. 

Failure wasn't an option. Despite everything, as the sun set on the beach by the pier, they knew in their hearts that they'd achieve it. Together. 

[MichaelHeeks]

Oshane Davis

The marriage of two individuals is a beautiful thing that should be celebrated. Mr. Donnie and Mrs. Jackie Drakk are viewed by some as the glue of salvation. I have grown to become very good friends with both of them and seeing them bonded together in the confines of marriage was an experience that I will never forget. Mr. Donnie does not smile often but when he is with Mrs. Jackie he always has the biggest smile on his face. Mrs. Jackie is a kind and gentle soul and together they create a duo of individuals who can brighten anyone's day. Love is a beautiful thing, the emotions felt around the crowd of Mr. Donnie and Mrs. Jackie's closest friends was an incredible experience. Some laughed, some cried, some felt like they would be alone forever. I feel honored to be included in such a beautiful ceremony conducted by our Yahweh Mr. Chase. This was the first Salvation wedding but I hope to attend many more.

Edited June 22, 2021 by MichaelHeeks

[-Chubs]

Matt Lewis

Matt Lewis arrived in Los Santos to redeem himself after a failed attempt to become an illegal street racer in Liberty City. Arriving without a penny in his pocket, or any knowledge of the city at all, he walked to the city from the airport, looking for things to do and people to meet. Stopping at a convenience store to buy himself a bottle of water and a snack, he noticed that the clerk also sold lock picks, which he made sure to pick up, just in case. After walking a few blocks from the store, Matt stumbled into an abandoned Warrener, and in desperation, he began to lockpick it. He managed to pick the lock with his first lockpick, and hotwire the car. After driving it a few blocks to make sure no one was following him, he checked the glovebox, to find a pistol .50. Matt Lewis’ life of crime has officially begun.

    After a few days of lockpicking cars to loot them, Matt hasn’t really met anyone in the city yet, so he decided to call a taxi, and asked the driver to take him to a place where people hang out. Of course, that place was the pier. Having looted a fishing rod from a Rebla a few hours before, he walked near a large group of people and began fishing, chiming into conversations here and there. Not long after his arrival, a man named Micah Ellis spotted someone lockpicking a car. He and his friends sprung into action, and proceeded to threaten the man lockpicking the car, forcing him to run away, and threatening him if he were to ever try stealing a car again. This experience sparked a feeling of happiness in Matt, and it was from this moment on that he decided he would no longer steal cars and loot them, but rather help the citizens of Los Santos instead. 

    Conveniently, it was at this moment that Matt met two men named Randal Landers, and Jason, aka Dallas, who were members of Salvation. They told him that they were in an organization which seeks to protect the people of Los Santos from people who wish to prey on the innocent, hard working civilians. After a few weeks of spending time with Jason, Randal, and the rest of Salvation, Matt approached Jason, and expressed his interest in joining the organization. Jason welcomed him in immediately with open arms, and Matt was immediately made an initiate of Salvation. It was at this moment that his life finally changed for the better.
 

[JellyFaun]

Fallen Leaves. 

The smell of the pot growing in unkempt little rows tickled at Charlie's nostrils as she plucked another leaf. It was one of her favourite passtimes, for certain. But tonight was special. Tonight her family was with her!  

Often she left the city, taking her trusty knife and bike, to go to farms she could not remember the names of. She called them the hole in the wall, the one with the boats, and the one owned by their friends. She went alone when her family was busy, or absent. To her, she felt it was the most useful thing she could provide. She was a crooked shot, a little bit nervous and a terrible driver. None of these things mattered when she was alone because none of them would get her family killed. And the nerves came hand in hand in the form of sharp ears and eyes. 

But she had no nervousness about her tonight. Her family was with her! Not the whole family, but Gojira and T, a close friend and her lover respectively. The sun was bright, the air was warm and the pot smelled good. The only downside was Gojira had decided to wear his santa mask again, and it sort of creeped her out. 

"Alright. I think that's all of it!" Charlie called out as she plucked the last stalk by the low picket fence. 
"Good. Let's head to Sealabs." 
Charlie was excited because she remembered which one Sealabs was without prompting. It had a pretty lighthouse she liked to admire, big boats and a small bridge leading into it she affectionately named "The Fever Pass." Crossing it lead to animalistic behaviour, bloodshed and theft, as though infected by a disease. Cross the bridge, cross into madness. If you were anyone besides Salvation, of course. 

The party clambered into the car and comfortably set off out of the farm, briefcases stuffed with green that turned into white which turned back into green. Leafs of plants into leafs of money seemed like a fair trade. 

A little rat head poked out of Charlie's pocket and scrambled up onto her lap. Donut liked the smell of the weed too as he rubbed his pointed face into Charlie's hand, rolling to and fro eagerly on her lap with sashays of his long tail. 

"Hello, my sweet." Her voice whispered from softly painted lips. She began to invent new stories to tell about Donut. Maybe he'd sail the Atlantic in a rowboat, or maybe he'd shot up fifty pigs while escaping prison, or maybe-

"What the fuck."  Gojira's voice jarred her a little from her thoughts and she looked around to see what was the matter. They had reached the mouth of The Fever Pass and the ocean glittered like a thousand stars, to highlight a corpse laying on the gravel by the side of the road. 

The car stopped. She jumped out with her comrades. A bike, just like her own, puttered on the shoulder next to a purple dune-buggy sort of machine. Charlie didn't bother learning the names of cars, and unlike the names of farms, she probably never would. Two bodies lay splayed, tattered through with bullet holes and exit wounds. 

"I don't like this." Gojira's voice came from far away as Charlie stared at the girl with purple hair and a green mask, an arm laid over her face, as though to shield her eyes from her fate. 

"Its Kat." She thought she heard, but the white noise in her head was loud then, almost fuzzy, drowning out reality for a moment. She watched as Gojira went into the bushes, cursing under his breath.

"Its LNF."

Charlie had heard this name before. She did not know who was in LNF, or their standing with Salvation, but Gojira sounded very upset. A cellphone was to his ear before Charlie even had time to ask these things. 

"Yeah. We found your cars and a bunch of your guys up at Sealabs. Yeah. No, we're not going to chop them. We will meet you in Paleto." 
He hung up.
"And that is how you have good gang relations." He said, smiling as he began to expertly pick the locks to the cars. 

Once they were opened, and Charlie noticed it was in one try which impressed her, she chuckled as Gojira popped the trunk and began to rummage around inside. "Well, some briefcases full of weed. How interesting. Well, waste not, right? We're not gunna chop their cars but that doesn't mean we're leaving empty handed. 'Yeah sorry, we found them empty.'" 

Charlie wondered if they would believe that, but had no time to think more on the matter. 
"Charlie, you take that Bifta. T, you follow." Gojira called as he got on the bike, kickstarting it.

"Okay but...go slow. You know I'm a terrible driver." 

It was never a boring night in Salvation. 

[JellyFaun]

Chop Shop Promotion

"We're going to hold down North. You guys can pick here and we'll be up there. You don't step on our toes, we don't step on yours." 
That had been the agreement. Charlie liked it when the gangs agreed on things. It made it much more peaceful. 

The ride to North was uneventful but the car was full. Too full! Some members were with other cars and bikes. 

As they cased North, they saw a peculiar site! Two cars and three men down in the valley under the train tracks. Dressed in bright red, Charlie only needed to guess that it was a thorn in the side known as The Folks. 

A girl drove up beside them on the tracks. A girl with a pretty motorcycle and face. 

"Those your boys?"
"No. I don't know who they are." 

The conversation might have continued, when Ghost was seen on the back of a Royal's bike. 

Chase gave chase and the girl was forgotten. 

Then there was some worry of loyalty in the guise of a misunderstanding. Charlie did not doubt the accused but knew it looked bad. But it was resolved quickly. The car turned back to North, to see what was going on.

  The weed was all picked and the girl on the bike was dying. An ambulance with its lights flashing hovered nearby as an emergency worker was doing chest compressions. 

She had been fine not ten minutes before. Charlie guessed she'd driven the cliff into the lion's den and been blown away. But she hadn't seen her go. 

"She's with us now. We'll sort this out for her." Charlie thought it was pretty petty that a whole gang of thugs picked on one innocent girl like that. She didn't see the bike anywhere and visions of the girl trying to fight off a bunch of thugs swam in her mind, making her ill. 

The car drove after the ambulance with its full capacity, eagerly sputtering smoke as it lead a full charge in hopes of providing comfort and justice. The girl, however, was comatose as they arrived at the hospital. Charlie hoped she'd make it.

But then a curious sight beheld her eyes. 

The members of the gang who had been picking at Braddack were waiting on the sidewalk, looking distant. They had no recollection of how they got there. 

That meant the gang who had attacked the girl might be out for more blood. 

The car floored it all the way to Braddack farm, calling in for backup as best it could. 

The green fields were a mess of abandoned cars, dead bodies and dropped plants. A pretty red car sat snugly in the barn, a bike huddled close by and at the gate was a blue-black smart car. 

Charlie picked up the radio from a woman in red and pressed it to her ear. She listened intently. 

"We'll come back in a few minutes and get them."

She hurriedly told the others, and then began to pick her fill, all the while nervously watching the road. 

After all the weed was pulled up, it was time for the magic touch. Charlie had a way with lockpicks and had picked up three by chance not a few hours earlier. First came the little blue-black car. It opened in one try. 

The red car was next and it took two. The praise from her superiors made Charlie beam. 

An assembly of six cars filed out of the farm. 

They were going to meet someone named Drain at a place that scrapped cars. Charlie was almost sad that the one she drove, the sharp looking red and white car, was going there. It was a nice little ride even if it did fishtail a lot. But she'd rather have the money than a pack of angry gang members chasing her forever. 

They pulled into the creepy back alley and met with the man in a red mask. He seemed friendly, and not at all what she pictured when she heard about the Irish. As the car disassembled, Messiah and Gojira called to her. 

"Charlie. Unmask and stand right in front of me and Messiah."

She undid the mask, worried that she was in trouble. What had she done wrong? She'd opened the locks in just a few tries, she'd picked the weed, she'd even arranged a meeting earlier in the night. But she felt this was a serious matter, as she'd never been called up like that before. 

"Look. Messiah and I had a talk the other day, alright? The only thing that kinda stopped us from keeping you officially with us was making sure you had enough time in the city. You've been with us basically the entire time you've been in the fucking city, which is crazy. You've never had any fucking chance to do anything legal. The only thing you've done is illegal shit. Everybody here can vouch for you. Everybody trusts you with their fucking life, including myself, including Messiah."

She felt her heart flutter in her chest, cheeks turning a soft shade of pink. 

"Well, uh, Donut is our fucking mascot."

She felt the rat wriggle in her pocket. 

"And uh...Messiah, if you want to do the honours..."

Her eyes turned to the other man before her. 

"Alright. Well, hereby, no further ado, we would like to promote Donut to the role of saviour."

Charlie's soul left her body. She stared, her eyes half lidding.

"But you guys are a package deal. If we put Donut as saviour, I guess we gotta put you as a saviour as well." 

She laughed. 
"I whole heartedly accept. As does Donut." 

"You are  hereby no longer an initiate. You are actually in Salvation. And you will be able to move up the ranks a lot faster than you fucking think. So congratulations. We're starting to push people that fucking deserve it. You're one of the most deserving members that I've seen."

"Thank you all so much. I really look forward to it!" Charlie rasped, humbled and exhilarated and relieved to not be in trouble. 

"Hell yeah. Great work."

The sound of applause from family and supporters drowned out the grinding as the cars fell to pieces. 

 

[Nivek]

A Friendly Meeting

There is an old country song that was pretty popular back in the day. So much so, that most people know the lyrics whether they are a fan of country music or not...

"I've got friends in low places."

Believe it or not, the damn song was actually playing on the jukebox while we were having a little impromptu meeting with a buddy of mine named Jay. Jay is a member of the Royales, and the boys thought it would be a good idea to ride out and meet with him in order to expand our connections. From the time I've spent with Jay thus far, he is good people, and I've certainly expressed that to my brothers and sisters. I think our relationship with the Royales in the future could become a beautiful one.

In Salvation, we understand that it IS good to have friends in low places. But, it's also important to have friends in high places, and every place in between. This is how you gain a city's respect. Salvation on Top.

[risk]

"Some wild shit happened after you flew out last night, Jackie." 

Rider was filling her in on what she'd missed after calling it a night far earlier than normal the day before and as she drove through the city with eyes scanning the roads for any errant bank trucks or city buses out for blood, a brow quirked more highly with every word that spilled from his lips and into the phone. 

"Wait," she interrupted him mid-sentence, foot slamming on the break and causing whomever was behind her to erupt into a storm of curses. "Did you just say we're now considering being allies with these people? Do you not remember three days ago they robbed Ladybird and left her stranded? Or that they've attacked nearly all of our friends for no fucking reason? Is that what Salvation is doing now, siding with the biggest guns?" 

Jacqueline was met with several seconds of silence on the other end of the line as her foot once more found the gas and the Jester crawled forward, making its way into the Grove. They'd been trying for days now to arrange a shipment delivery or three and times just weren't meshing. She had thought perhaps flying into the city sooner in the day would result in good news for Salvation but as the familiar sound of thumping bass began to hum its vibrations through her car, all she could hear was the sound of Rider breathing before he found the right words. 

"I don't know, Jackie, it was just something Chase mentioned last night but everything was a bit chaotic."

She felt a frown curve her lips downwards and Jacqueline rolled her eyes. "I don't like it," words weren't minced as the call came closer to its end. "Salvation isn't your typical street gang. If it was, I never would have joined but I'm willing to hear everyone out." 

It was all that could be said on the matter as goodbyes were said and her fingers gripped her phone tightly in her lap. The Grove was eerily quiet, save for an LSPD officer patrolling by one block over, and Jacqueline slumped into her seat. It looked as though another day was going to pass where their members were primarily unarmed, where the labs went empty and unprofitable, where they risked doing a job they weren't prepared to do all in the name of staying afloat... 

Hours passed. Members flew in and out. And still, Jacqueline patrolled the areas she knew they frequented in the hopes of finding the one man she needed all while obsessively checking her phone for a return text. If they could just connect, at least then they'd be better prepared. 

As more members of high command flew in for the day, she made a decision. Names and numbers had been given during a meeting organized by the Yahweh and they'd provided the members of Salvation an open invitation- if they needed assistance, they only need ask. Was it a legitimate one? Or was she seriously overstepping boundaries as her thumb quickly scrolled over her contact list to find the members of the Rooks that had been so generous all those weeks ago? There was only one way to find out as Ladybird provided her the one number she was missing and Jacqueline hit the dial button. 

Fifteen minutes later, they were heading to meet at the Observatory to discuss what options they had. Salvation didn't require much- not in the grand scheme of things- but it was the first time they'd ordered something through anyone but the Ballas without the Messiah or Yahweh present. To Donnie, Trevor, and Jackie, the reward outweighed the risk. They needed protection and within the hour, the Rooks had come through. 

                                    

A single crate stored safely away for when it would be inevitably needed. The chaos surrounding the phone calls and texts to make such a thing happen had distracted Jacqueline from the very real possibility of having to meet with some of the most hated persons in the city and as the three members of high command left the safe house with Salvation's newest saviour, she was happy to pretend such things never would.

If she was lucky, she wouldn't have to just pretend. 

 

Edited June 23, 2021 by whisperedaubrey

[skeletee]

really love the writing in this thread, it reads like a book. keep it up

[Trevor rider]

Trevor Rider could have fallen into the trap so many found themselves entangled in not long after entering Los Santos- an endless cycle of petty thefts, visiting through a rotating door to the DOC, and scrambling to make end’s meet. And perhaps, had his first family known to the citizens of Los Santos as The Clowns not fallen victim to the hands of a power hungry leader, he likely would have. Some say when one door closes another opens and Rider was one of the lucky ones to see it come to fruition. 

 

After leaving behind the boys he’d laid his life on the line for countless times, he found himself drawn to another organization that appeared, outwardly, to be the exact opposite of what he had grown to know. Salvation was a beacon of light, a group of men and women with morals who toed the lines of righteousness in their belief that to embrace the good, the bad must be extinguished by any means necessary. Salvation was a family that trusted one another with their lives to achieve their goal. It was brotherhood. 

 

He rose through the ranks quickly, bringing in with him the boys he’d met in the Clowns who had grown tired of being led by mere ego. And when Salvation began to crumble from the inside out, it was Trevor who stepped forward to begin piecing it all back together. There was no denying the continual changes within the organization were beginning to take its toll and he saw those within its ranks beginning to lose hope. How did they trust one another when in fighting was escalating and membership was dwindling? 

 

His voice rose above the crowd to call everyone together and demand change. Something had to give, something had to break to allow room for the light to shine back through and Trevor possessed no hesitation in wielding the sledgehammer. By the time all was said and done, Rider was voted in to High Command and placed as the head of imports and weaponry. 

 

What happened next would be anyone’s guess but one thing was certain: Trevor wasn’t giving up without a fight. He’d seen what Salvation was capable of and nothing was going to stop him from helping them rise to the top.

[-Chubs]

Missed Opportunities?

Matt woke up in his Weazel Plaza apartment and had one thing on his mind- business. Luckily, his Salvation family had the same idea. Almost immediately after checking his radio, he was made aware of a deal going on at Grove Street, with the Ballas. He was to get there as soon as possible, and meet with [REDACTED] to place a shipment for Lysergic Acid, so Salvation can keep cooking. After selling what drugs they had which were ready to sell, the order was placed.

 

 

After changing his clothes and cars, Matt and a few other members of Salvation drove to the drop-off location to pick up their shipment. While waiting, a crate was delivered to their location. Assuming it was one of theirs, [REDACTED] went to pick up the crate, and was almost immediately swarmed by members of the Irish, who were looking for their own shipment. [REDACTED], partially out of the fear of hurting diplomatic relations with the Irish, and partially out of respect for the Salvation code, handed the Irish their shipment without hesitation, and both parties went about their day. Not too long after, Matt was camped out in a Rebla, still awaiting their drop, found another crate on the ground. Yet again, assuming it was one of theirs, Matt and his colleagues rushed to pick it up and get it out of there. There was just one issue, however, only one crate arrived at the shipment, and they were expecting more. Suddenly, a Bifta with one occupant pulled up. “I’m assuming this belongs to you,” Matt said with a smile, pointing at the crate which had just arrived. The driver of the Bifta said yes, and immediately, his crate was handed to him. 

 

 

Some may question the decision to hand these crates back to their rightful owners, but to Matt, it just made sense. Salvation isn’t your typical gang which looks to rob and kill anyone standing in their way, Salvation is looking to make Los Santos a better place for the people who inhabit it, from the fishermen at the pier, to the garbagemen of the city. These hard working citizens should know that Salvation is working for them, not against them. 

[JckMckr]

[DoubleA]

 

Joshua Cervantes - Early Life

Life started off with aspirations of being one of the most well known and well revered street racers to ever fly in to Los Santos. From day 1, finding anyone I could to race, trying to fit in to different groups, Midnight Club was the goal. After weeks of non-stop racing, Josh found his group of friends taking laps at Observatory. Kelso Mathers and Hayley Swan took him in as their own, tossing him keys to the fastest cars with the rules "You break it, you buy it." 

When racing was no option, whether LSPD was coming for us, or not enough people were around to run a competitive contest, Josh found friends to do things with, that most people only dream of or do in video games. Deakin Storm was his closest friend, as well as Kirky Woods. Any time an extra gun was needed, a spare pair of hands, Josh got the call and never disappointed and was always eager to assist anyone affiliated with Los Zetas. Meeting everyone from Jay Gamble down to the others trying to make their name in the organization.

Sadly, the story doesn't end happily. Los Zetas disbanded right when things started to look good, and Josh was solo once more. Time had passed, laps were counted, and things looked like Josh would never get back to where he wanted to, and almost lost his lust for blood. That is until someone he met on the way, Drain Kivimaki, told him about a group starting up, one that had great aspirations, known as Death Row led by Mike Laurie, a name he had heard from the days of The West Coast Assassins. There, he met with Los Aztecas members and leaders, one of which became one of his better friends in the city, Ricky Brasco, someone he still to this day gets mistaken for. 

Weeks passed, Death Row disbanded, and for the 2nd time, Josh was with no one, but it wasn't for long. Andrew Steinler was someone Josh had worked with, and had seen the potential he brought. Not even a day after Death Row disbanded, he was offered a position in La Familia Michoacana. 

 

TO BE CONTINUED....

Edited June 30, 2021 by DoubleA

[DoubleA]

---RESERVED---

[DoubleA]

---RESERVED---

[Straza]

Shipment to: Los Santos

Who the hell is Damien Hillside?

“Live fast, die young and leave a good looking corpse” originates from a novel written by Willard Motley titled Knock on any door. This saying has been repeated and rearranged in the past 6 decades referring to a feeling of throwing caution to the wind, doing what you want or are presented with at the drop of a dime as tomorrow might not come and we will have lived a life of “what if I had just”. This is the Motto of Damien Hillside, the scrappy adrenaline junkie from Auckland, New Zealand.

 

Damien grew up being scared of his own shadow, too afraid to jump off a slightly elevated platform. A wimp in his peers eyes and the polar opposite of what would become of him. When Damien was 14 his father tragically passed away, the one vivid memory he holds of this event is his father talking about how he wished he had done more with his life. How he spent too much time working, caring about what others thought about him and that if he had just lived a little more, then he could leave this world with contempt.

 

The death of his father affected his transformative years, with the memory of his fathers words passing through his head each night he began to act out. Drinking and sneaking out of the house to start with, sleeping around and fighting anyone who talked negatively about him.

This evolved into bigger vices, Damien became addicted to the rush of adrenaline he would get for doing something he shouldn’t. This led to him breaking into houses, hotwiring cars and the biggest phase of his life: Illegal street racing. Damien loved the thrill of racing cars with people he knew or local gang members through the streets that would crescendo into a full out police chase, he became so good at it that he was branded with the nickname “The Hawk” with the way he would glide across the asphalt with grace.

 

It was through these events Damien met a man named Marcus “Shibuya” Mayven, Marcus picked out Damien from a crowd and pulled him aside and said “Listen, kid. I’ve seen what you can do and I’m not just talking about these little pissy cat and mouse games you’ve got going on with the pigs. So let me get right to the chase. How would you like to make some REAL money?”

The idea was simple, Damien would break into private garages and houses and snag the cars of wealthy people. Mainly targeting spoiled rich kids, capitalists in charge of destroying the ozone and the occasional politician. Damien would then take these cars to Marcus and he would get his connections to remove the serial numbers on the engines, remove the license plates and ship them off to other parts of the world. London, Hong Kong, Los Santos etc.

 

This was a win-win situation as Damien would be making money chasing the rush he so craved and make amazing money in doing so, and Marcus had a reliable footsoldier doing all the heavy lifting for him. As long as Damien didn’t bite off more than he could chew then he had a high success rate in doing this. Along the line Damien met a girl and started shacking up with her on the side, she would tell stories about her shitty ex and Damien would pretend to listen and nod in agreement with her statements.

One day this girl turns and asks him “You know, he drives a really nice car. He never told me how he could afford it but when I looked up how much it's worth my jaw DROPPED. It would be a shame if it got stolen someday huh?” So Damien, figuring it would be a funny gesture of affection while also making a great commission cut, started planning out his plan of attack to pull this off. He had Marcus call in some contacts to make sure his tracks were covered, he went in, broke the window, red wire blue wire you get the idea. As Damien is driving to the warehouse where all of these vehicles are stored for processing, three bikes start tailing him and firing at the car. It was at this moment it clicked for him that he had just stolen the car of a high ranking gang member. His fight or flight instincts kick in, his years of experience in car chases starts paying off. After hours of adrenaline fueled carnage he has finally lost his assailants for the time being. Thinking quickly Damien spends the next few nights in the warehouse, thinking of a way to escape the country for a bit to protect himself and not bring danger to those who care about him. He decides to hide in the backseat of the car whilst its being lowered into a crate, his mind set on making it wherever the crate takes him. A white label is placed on the crate as it closes “SHIPMENT TO: Los Santos”

[risk]

 

The sound of rain bathed the penthouse in a quiet thrum of noise as Jacqueline found herself sitting up in bed staring at her slumbering husband. She should have joined him hours ago- all of Salvation had been putting in countless hours to pull off massive deals and tend to all the chaos Los Santos was wont to bring but it continued to elude her. It likely had something to do with the names she had written countless times on a piece of paper and burned in the fireplace ad nauseum- the names of those who had been found damned. Corrupt. In need of elimination from the city. No matter which word chosen to describe them, their fate had been sealed the moment they were dropped at Salvation's doorstep. 

Her legs curled out from underneath where they rested and bare feet found the cool, wooden floor. Hands retrieved a well worn journal from the nightstand's drawer and a small key was retrieved from its hidden location before it was flipped open to an empty page and pen was located. Jacqueline hoped that ridding her mind of her tumbling thoughts would lead to the peace necessary to slip off into dreamland. 

Her pen hovered over the page as she wrote the last sentence and she realized she was smiling. 

Hope was a powerful thing, perhaps, but determination was even more so. Come morning, there'd be no stopping what was coming next. 

[JellyFaun]

Neutral 

They had pulled up six or seven deep, 6-7 had. Guns pointed at her friend and her own temple, Charlie couldn't help but feel it was a little pathetic, against two unarmed women. She stupidly stated this, and it seemed to fan the fires of their temper. 

She slid to her knees next to the pretty southern belle already in such a position, while taunts and jeers filled her ears from all sides. Pathetic. She felt pathetic and thought they were too. 

A hand gripped her short hair and yanked it back, a blade sharp and clean sawing through her tresses at the roots, leaving a shower of white to fall from her skull. That didn't seem necessary, but she had called them pathetic and she supposed that was what pathetic people did. 

She couldn't stop herself from telling them again how pathetic she thought they were. The first bullet in her leg made her yelp, and the exit wound began to stain her pants with red blotches. She steeled herself. She'd been through worse pain. She couldn't think of it right now but she was sure she'd been through worse. 

"Say one more word and I will put three bullets in your head." Came through her ears from far away as her senses swam. She took a breath and refocused. Deal with the pain later. 

The words they said were so disrespectful and she couldn't help herself. She opened her mouth again and again a bullet pegged her in the leg. This one did not come out the other side though. 

"You. Take this bike and get out. If you come back for Charlie, we'll kill you." 

She saw Mary protest.
"Get out of here, Mary."
"I will not-"
"This is a direct order. Leave." 

Mary's back headlights turned into red smears as the people around her chortled. 

"There's a convoy heading to Braddock. Let's go check it out." 

The cars pulled away. The guns pulled away with them. 

She waited a long time, blood gushing off her leg, and put a hand to her now smooth head, looking at the shambles of her pride around her. She'd gotten Mary in danger. She'd come out looking humiliated. Her pants were tie-dye red. It was pathetic.  

Hobbling down the road, adrenaline still covering pain like a beany she forced onto her bald head, she felt her senses leaving her slowly. A passing carhad two people laughing at her and she stumbled. 

She put a cellphone to her ear. She had to tell someone. Jackie was the only person in her mind at that moment and thank god she had the number on speed dial as she'd never manage to punch the numbers with her shaking hands. 

 

She explained what happened as the world turned blurry. 

"Lab...fair play...Neutral. Don't let...Can you smile for me?"
Her words were so far away. 

She was in the back of a car and there was blood everywhere. Where had that come from? Where was Mary? May had a gun to her head and it was all Charlie's fault. Where was Mary? Where did this blood come from? Why was there so much...

Mary was beside her. She was hugging her. Something about a blown up motorcycle. 6-7 had hurt her. They did this to Mary's bike. Her bike. She'd bought the bike. She had to save Mary. Mary was here. When did Damien get here? Where was 6-7? Why was she on the highway? She had to get plants for Chase.  Why was her head so cold? She had to...Hands pushed a gauze pad to the bullet that didn't leave her leg.  Blackness swam. Mary faded out of view. 

She was in the back seat of the car again and they were pulling into Pillbox. They had to save Mary.

How could she be neutral with people who had hurt Mary?  
 

Edited July 8, 2021 by JellyFaun

[JellyFaun]

Just A Dream

It had to have been the weirdest dream she'd ever had. 
It started with stereotypical profiling and ended in the back of a cop car. 

There had been gunshots over something at the construction site. As the way dreams go, she could not remember why...It was something about being followed and being profiled and having guns going off. But she had a knife and Messiah had a gun and the officer had nothing. His backup was ordered away and he was pushed into the trunk of his own cruiser.

 

The trunk was a void, and the cop lay dying inside it. He yelled and screamed from the void and they drove the cruiser, light ablaze, back into the city to find him. It was like chasing a memory, or a ghost. They pulled up to Pillbox and the officer, a little obedient friend, climbed back into the void of the trunk. And there he remained, a prisoner of the trunk that ate souls. 

Driving around in their skull masks, several people shouted "What the fuck!?" as they were pulled over. A cruel trick, but one Charlie remembered laughing at. 

They took the cop car round to the farms, to go pick, because that was a funny idea. As the LSPD car trundled over the bridge, she was positive she saw people scatter from their places at the weed plants. And then another officer pulled up, curious about his friend. The gun turned on him and she held her knife to the man's throat. 

His belongings thrown, he was forced into the back of the car with the knife at his throat. Charlie liked how the colour rushed from his cheeks and felt she'd never had so much fun in the back of a cop car. 

Ten cars were on them now. They barreled down the highway, and she watched Messiah let go of the wheel, open the door, and bounce across the highway behind them. She could have run. She could have continued the chase. But her loyalty outweighed her adrenaline and she ran to his side with her hands up. 

As the ambulance wheeled up for her friend, the gods themselves appeared and slowly with a handwave, the dream slipped from her conscious. 

She woke up behind the wheel of a car about to be chopped in a dingy alley, blinking rapidly. 

She really needed to stop smoking so much. 

 

Edited July 10, 2021 by JellyFaun

[risk]

 

There is a moral gray line one walks when taking justice into their own hands. It is slippery and blurred, ever edging from one extreme to the next until it becomes nearly impossible to find. Salvation was built on family. On justice where it felt like there was none. They trusted their lives to one another and they walked that line daily, working together to veer back towards the light when one of their own seemed to be traveling into the shadows but that fateful night… they were too late. 

 

No one ever expects family to be the one holding the gun pointed directly at you and Salvation was no different. No one could have ever expected to hear Charlie call over the radio with her words strangled in sobs. 

 

“... killed them. He killed them. They’re all dead…” 

 

High Command was at a meeting when the distress call came out. Old wounds with LNF were being repaired and new bridges were tentatively being built.

 

 

They weren’t expecting to be followed by the organization that owed them nothing as they cut everything short but as wheels began to scream on asphalt and time began to loop itself into infinity, LNF came with them. 

 

“Where are you, Ladybird? Take a deep breath. We need you to tell us where you are. Who killed who?” 

 

The response was no more coherent than the beacon of help. “.... Messiah.... Dallas is dead… Grizz… killed himself… I’m at HQ.” 

 

Pedals were pressed down- no matter how fast they could coax their cars into moving, it didn’t seem fast enough. Their newest members were rushing to the area, High Command was en route with LNF right behind. Charlie’s sobs through the radio accompanied them the entire way as they tried to understand what was happening. By the time backup arrived, the radio was silent and the HQ door was unlocked. 

 

“Ladybird? Ladybird are you safe?” 

 

Endless quiet was their only response and as people began to filter in a final call was made on the radio. 

 

“Get in here. Now.” 

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Three bodies littered the floor. A member of command, an old leader, and their Messiah- a man brought down by those he had once called family because of his deeds. 

 

As the sun set on what Salvation once was, to those who were shaking with grief and cheeks stained with tears as they looked around at one another and those who had come to aid them, it became painfully clear the past of Salvation was buried. What they were is not what they would continue to be. 

 

There is a moral gray line one walks when taking justice into their own hands. For Messiah, the seduction of shadows ended two lives. For those still standing, determined to rise from the ashes of tragedy, that blurry line became more clear. 

 

Salvation wasn’t over with the death of their Messiah. It was only just beginning. 

 

 

[JosephRosedale]

On 5/26/2021 at 5:36 PM, Manablock said:

Salvation meets Kudo-Kai

 

 

 After countless internal meetings and high command discussions, it was decided that to gain the respect and power Salvation was striving for they would need to begin entering discussions with other organizations. The first on the list was a well known organization, the deadly Yakuza group known as Kudo-Kai. Our members had heard the name many times, most of them never having a negative interaction with them, but knowing very well what they were capable of. We were directed to meet at an inconspicuous underground parking garage, and as a sign of professionalism and respect, Salvation arrived unarmed. We arrived at the location and ordered our members to form a line across from the members of Kudo, with our high command in front.

As the last few members from both sides arrived, introductions began. While there were familiar faces on both sides, greeting were exchanged all around. Before discussions could begin, someone called out that the LSPD pulled up outside the parking garage. The call was made to leave the area, everyone taking different routes to not be tailed.

 

After some time had passed and things cooled down, Salvation received a new location. We were asked to meet at the Observatory. This spot was well known to our members, with many memories being made there, such as the shootout with the LSPD only a few days prior. Our convoy arrived and was escorted to a location nearby to resume our conversation. Once again, our members lined up across from Kudo-Kai, and discussions began between high command. Conversation was made about our connections, who we consider friends and enemies, what sort of business occupies Salvation. 

The high command of Kudo passed on some advice, telling us about their standing in the city, what they had heard about Salvation. We were informed that until we decided which side of The War we stand on, we would be remaining neutral with Kudo-Kai. This came as no surprise to us, and discussions about the topic were already being had internally. 

Salvation and Kudo-Kai parted ways, offering handshakes and nods to each other, wondering if in the future we will fight side by side or in each others sights.

ayyyy im in this in fact i think i took the photo