Author's Note: Takes place after GTA IV (Revenge Ending) and GTA V (Deathwish Ending). Major spoiler's ahead, I suggest you don't read this unless you have finished the two games or will never play the two games.
Chapter One: Rock-Bottom
Niko Bellic sat, slouched on his tattered leatherette couch, a bottle of Logger in one hand and a small, orange, transparent capsule of antidepressants in the other. His face drooped like warm, melted cheese. His watery eyes were locked on the television, watching the current Weazel News broadcast. An aged woman sat behind a tabletop beside a photo of the one and only, Niko Bellic.
"Police are now searching for 35 year-old Serbian male, Niko Bellic." Niko gave a cold scowl at the television. You could nearly see the hell in his eyes. "At about twelve-thirty on Sunday morning, police were called to an alleyway between a motel and a liquor store after suspected gunshots were heard in the vicinity. By the time police arrived, nobody was present, but three unidentified bodies were found in the alleyway. After reviewing surveillance footage, Niko Bellic was the only person who could be clearly identified. The cause of the shootout is unknown, but it is extremely probable that it was-." Niko stood and launched his bottle of beer at the television, cracking the screen and stopping the audio.
"Hey, shut up!" an aggravated voice shouted below him.
Niko Bellic fell onto his couch. It hasn't been long since Niko felt pain. The heart-clutching type of pain. Just thinking of his past puts scarring images in his head. The people dying. Ones close to him. The ones he endangered. Niko laid down horizontally on his couch and took a small dose of his antidepressants. The instructions said not to take two doses within twenty-four hours, but Niko didn't care if he died now. Five years later and still living the hard dirt and shame of his past. He'd be happy if someone would put him to rest. Niko's eyes gradually fluttered shut and fell into a deep slumber.
Niko leaped at the sound of his ringtone. He pulled out his flip phone and looked at the caller. Dwayne Forge. His long-time partner in crime. Ever since Niko's downfall, he'd helped him rise up to sway back on track. Helped Niko live a steady life. He answered the call.
"What do you need?" he asked lazily.
"I'm outside, Niko. What's keeping you?" Dwayne replied impatiently. Niko didn't speak for a few seconds, thinking. Then he hissed, "Shit!"
"Hold on, I'll be down soon." Before letting Dwayne reply, he hung up, got off his torn couch and rushed to a wooden drawer.
Inside was a hastily written note with an address on it beside a nine millimeter pistol. He shoved the note in his pocket and hid the pistol in the back of his pants and covered it with his shirt. Niko ran out of the motel room and stepped down the stairs. Niko saw Dwayne sitting in a red pearlescent convertible under the night sky.
"Come on, get in."
Niko hopped in Dwayne's car. He retrieved the note from his pocket and gave it to Dwayne. "It's around South Bohan. And step on it, we don't want to be on Adrian's bad side." Niko said uneasily. "Do you have the coke?"
"Of course. The product is in the trunk. Best batch yet. Adrian'll be happy."
Niko glanced at his watch. It read twelve-ten. Good. They still had plenty of time, thankfully. After about fifteen minutes, Dwayne pulled up in an alleyway in Bohan. They got out and both stared at Adrian, who stood six feet with a menacing stare that could make any man shiver in fear. Dwayne retrieved the product while Niko approached him. Adrian sneered.
"Niko, my favorite customer!" Adrian exclaimed enthusiastically, "So, where is the snow?" Strange of Adrian to cut to the chase so early. He enjoys starting conversation. Dwayne tossed Niko a white package compacted with duct tape. He handed it to Adrian. Adrian flicked open a switchblade, slid it into the package and took a whiff of the coke. His face did not phases as he tossed it to one of his henchmen.
"The money?" Niko requested.
"Money? You expect me to pay the man who cost me so much business?"
"What are you talking about? Where is the money!?" Niko shouted.
"I have way of finding things out, snake," Adrian replied as he shoved Niko backwards, "you are responsible for the death of Faustin, one of my most trusted allies!"
"Him? That was five years ago, Adrian! Please do not make my past haunt me, not again! It has happened far too many times," Niko pleaded genuinely.
"I do not show mercy to those who cost me business, Niko. And now, you will repay your debt with blood!"
"Fuck this," Dwayne murmured under his breath.
Dwayne grabbed his pistol out from the back of his pants and fired two rounds past Adrian, hitting one of his bodyguards instead. The other guard fired his revolver into Dwayne's chest. Dwayne kneeled, clutching his chest. He coughed and wheezed, gurgling on his own blood. The dark, red, slimy liquid seeped through his hands like sand. He fell to his side, still gagging and twitching.
"Fuck you, you son of a bitch!"
Niko scurried behind a wall, hastily firing shots as he fled, all of them missing. Adrian and his remaining hired gun fired at the wall. The sound of bullets flying were cancelled out. He stared at Dwayne. Choking. Dying slowly. Painfully. He rushed out of cover and emptied his magazine. Two bullets landed in Adrian's guard and one more hit Adrian in his thigh. Adrian took cover behind a wall. He tried to fire at Niko, but quickly ran off.
Niko didn't bother chasing him. Instead, he fell to his knees and inspected Dwayne. Still. Lifeless. He checked his pulse. Cold. Dead. Niko stumblewd up, speechless, his teary eyes filled with sorrow. Dwayne was the only friend he had left on this earth. Roman and Mallorie had moved on. Patrick had moved to Los Santos. Kate is dead. And now Dwayne is, too.
Niko flinched awake and accidentally fell to the floor.
"Agh, fuck." He muttered. Niko hopped up and sat down again. The memories were still so fresh and clear. He still couldn't believe he was responsible for the death of another close friend of his. Niko heard his phone ring. He could see the caller from his seat. Adrian. Rage reigned over him. He snatched it, flicked it open and answered it.
"Fuck you, Adrian! If I find you I'll fucking stick my hand through your chest and rip your fucking heart out!" he shouted through his phone.
He listened for a response, but all he could hear was a girl's voice, screaming, wailing, sobbing and struggling. He heard the phone move and Adrian's voice followed it.
"Your cousin's daughter is a beautiful child. So much opportunity ahead of her," he whispered.
It didn't take long for Niko to realize what Adrian had done. "I'll fucking kill you! You piece of shit! You're a fucking monster! You're going to kill my cousin's innocent five year-old daughter just because I fucking murdered Faustin, that backstabbing piece of shit?!"
Adrian chuckled. "Heh, who said anything about me killing your cousin's daughter? All you have to do is come to me, and I'll spare her life and take yours in place. Your family will be safe and sound. I'm in a warehouse, down in Broker. Find me."
"If you so much as lay a hand on her, I'll fucking torture you!" Niko hung up and rushed downstairs. He kept Dwayne's red convertible. He stepped on the pedal and drove towards Broker. He swayed through traffic and ran through lights. He grabbed his phone and called Roman.
"Roman!" he shouted. "Did you call the police yet?"
"What the fuck do you mean? Do you know about what happened?!"
"Listen, Roman, don't call the cops, I know where she is. A man named Adrian is holding her."
"Don't call the fucking cops?! Me and Mallorie are here searching for her, panicking! Did you have something to fucking do with this?!"
"Listen Roman, just trust me, he wants me, not her."
"Where the fuck is she!?"
"Listen, Roman-," Roman interrupted.
"WHERE THE FUCK IS SHE!?"
"In a warehouse down in Broker, but don't come until I call you, okay?! Please!"
Roman hung up.
In Broker, he saw a rundown warehouse. He slammed the brakes and entered it. Adrian was inside, next to Kate Bellic, Roman and Mallorie's daughter. She was tied to a chair and had duct tape on her mouth. She was hysterical. Adrian had a gun to her head.
"Niko, glad you came to your senses," he said.
"We're here. Now let go of her."
"No, no, no. Not until you're dead. Only then will I give her to Roman."
"How can I trust you, you backstabbing prick?"
"I didn't stab you in the back, Niko. You cost me business. Plus, I'm not a savage. I'm a man of my word. I swear I will let her go. I want you, not a five year-old girl."
Niko stood silent.
"I'll take you to the docks, take care of you and call Roman with her location. Sound good? Do you have a gun?" Adrian asked.
"No," Niko replied.
Adrian aimed at Kate.
"Promise on her life?"
Niko paused and grabbed a nine-millimeter pistol from behind his pants.
"Drop it and kick it to me," Adrian demanded.
Niko did exactly that. Adrian walked to Niko, pressing his gun into his back. They walked forward to the exit of the warehouse. This was it. Niko said it before. He didn't care if he died now. Especially if it was a matter of life or death for Kate. But Niko paused. He still didn't know if Adrian could be trusted. Adrian pushed him forward while he thought. He kidnapped Kate. Didn't take any precautionary measures like a mask or a blindfold. Niko was skeptical.
"Hurry up, Niko. The faster, the better."
"Are you sure she will be okay?"
"Let's go," Adrian replied.
Niko elbowed Adrian in his cheek. He stumbled backwards and accidentally fired his gun into the floor. Niko tackled Adrian and began hitting him. He fought for Adrian's pistol with his bloody hand, while he attempted to choke Adrian. He could hear Kate yelling. He paused. Adrian kicked him in his pelvis and tossed him to the side. He stood up. Niko tried tugging at Adrian to make him trip, but he lodged a bullet in Niko's leg.
"Agh!" he yelled.
"Is this how you want it to go down? Huh, snake!?"
Niko tried to stand up, but Adrian kept his foot on Niko's leg and pressed it on the bullet wound. Adrian had his gun aimed between Niko's eyes. However, Roman barged through the door, Mallorie tugging on his arm. Adrian aimed at the couple, but Niko hit his leg, stumbled up and kicked Adrian's skull. Niko proceeded to grab his gun and shot Adrian blank in his face.
Kate yelled and Mallorie ran to comfort her.
"Niko! What the hell is wrong with you!" he shouted. "I love you Niko, you're my fucking cousin! But when you endanger my family, that's it! You're a fucking idiot! I don't want to be around you anymore, because if I'm seen with you, I'm afraid I might end up with a bullet in my head!"
"Listen, cousin-."
"No! That's it! Do you have any idea the trauma my daughter, or Mallorie, or even I am going through? No, you don't because you're a hardened murder! A monster! We can't handle this! Now get out of here before I fucking lose it!"
"Cousin-."
"Did you fucking hear me!?"
Niko stared as he ran to comfort Kate along with Mallorie. Niko had just realized what he had done. He had hurt someone again. And he also realized he no longer had any place in Liberty City.