Chapter 2

"Where are they then?" Michael asked Jimmy aggressively. "I've got a meeting at the studio in half an hour!" Him and Jimmy were sitting in the living room. Niko and his friends were meant to have arrived ten minutes ago.

Jimmy glanced at his watch anxiously. "You know what LS traffic is like! Just because you don't pay any attention to traffic lights, it doesn't mean other people don't!"

Michael scoffed angrily. "I ain't messing Solomon around the for the sake of this bunch."

Amanda and Tracy came down the stairs. "Calm down Michael." Amanda said disapprovingly. "We're meant to control our emotions now, remember?"

"You got the airbeds set up, Jimmy?" Tracy asked her brother.

"Yeah!" Jimmy said. "They'll be comfy." Jimmy had set up five airbeds in the garage. Tracy laughed out loud. "Do they know they're sleeping on airbeds?" she asked.

"Um...I might have forgot to mention it...but they won't mind." Jimmy replied.

"Remember guys, they've got a little kid with them." Amanda said. "No swearing, no weapons and no drugs on display, all right?"

Jimmy slapped his forehead. "Shit!" he exclaimed, leaping from his seat and running upstairs. "The bong!"

/

"Where is it?" Niko spat furiously. He'd been driving around the Rockford hills for fifteen minutes now, and he still hadn't found the eight bed roomed mansion he was expecting to be staying in.

"Check the sat-nav, cousin!" Roman suggested. Him, Mallorie and Kate were in the back of the rented grey Cavalcade, whilst Niko and Little Jacob were sat in the front. Kate had fallen fast asleep on her father's rather fat shoulder.

"Check the sat-nav." Niko repeated. "Fantastic advice. Where would I be without you, Roman?" he replied sarcastically.

"Aiight, easy, rudeboy." Jacob said. "I an I ask for directions and ting, seen?"

"Okay." Niko said. "Ask that girl across the street." he said, pointing at a very attractive young woman in hotpants and a blue, stripy tank top. Jacob unrolled the window and shouted to the girl "Hold up, my youth! I need a direction to fifteen pon Rockford Hills, sight?"

The girl didn't understand a word. She quickened her pace, and walked away round the corner. "Bumbaclot!" Jacob snarled, shutting the window again, so as not to damage the air conditioning. The temperature was above thirty Celsius outside. Niko slammed his fist into the wheel. The hot weather, and the fact that they were completely lost, was making him furious.

"Take a left here." Mallorie called from the seat behind Niko. "Then go up the street for about a minute, and make a right, into their driveway."

"You sure?" Niko asked.

"Yeah...I texted Valarie, she knows LS like the back of her hand." Mallorie replied.

"Valerie..." Roman said thoughtfully "Is she the one in prison?" Roman asked.

"No papi." Mallorie laughed. "That's Elizabeta. Valarie's the one in rehab."

"Oh yes. Hard to keep track of these things." Roman said.

"I an I hated that sista Elizabeta and ting, ya know rasta! Jacob said.

"Is Valarie the one I slept with in an alleyway on Christmas Eve on the year you and me met?" Roman asked.

"No..." Mallorie replied, looking hurt. "That was me."

"Oh right." Roman said, surprised. "I thought you went home with that Dominican security guy?"

"Please!" Niko exclaimed. "Please, everyone be silent for just a few moments and let me drive in peace!"

"Aiight, I an I hear ya rude boy." Jacob said soothingly. Niko had been very on edge recently, and he knew not to take his outbursts to heart.

About a minute later, they pulled up to the De Santa's driveway. They all gazed up at the house. "Well, this is nice." Roman said. "But um...it doesn't look like you could fit eight bedrooms in there."

"Yeah...Mal, are you sure you've got the right address." Niko asked, looking at the house with concern. Mallorie checked her phone. "Yeah, sure it is...I think...tell you what, I'll go and knock."

Mallorie climbed out of the cramped car and walked up the sloped driveway. She knocked her fist against the door. "coming!" called out a raspy, male voice. The door opened. Mallorie smiled at Jimmy. "Heya, I was just wondering if we've got the right house? We were told we could stay here."

Jimmy's eyes widened. "I uh...yes, so, um...would you l..like to come...um..." he stuttered helplessly, gawping at Mallorie.

Michael rolled his eyes and walked to the doorway. "Move." he told Jimmy. He pushed Jimmy aside and smiled at Mallorie. "Hey babe, sorry about that. It's not you, he gets like that with most women. Yes, this is the right house."

Mallorie laughed. "No problem." she turned round and gestured to everyone else in the car. They got out, looking apprehensive. Kate was sat on Roman's shoulders, looking at the house with a mixture of awe and fear.

"Hey." Niko nodded casually to Michael, his hand outstretched. "Niko Bellic. You must be Jimmy's dad?"

"That's me." Michael took Niko's hand. "Michael De Santa. Jimmy! Come say hi!" he called out.

Jimmy slouched back into the hall. "What's up, N dog!" he bellowed, his arms outstretched. Niko looked highly confused. "You are Jimmy?" he asked.

"That's right." Jimmy said cheerfully. "Come in guys, come in."

Roman laughed. "You don't look much like the guy in your profile picture, Jimmy."

Jimmy looked awkward. "Yeah...about that..."

Niko smiled. "Don't let my cousin lecture you on bullshit." he told Jimmy. "He dragged me to Liberty City with promises of penthouses, women, luxury sports cars and parties. When I arrived, it was debts, hitmen and cockroach infested apartments."

" I nae expert on houses and ting." Jacob said, peering up the stairs. "But dis don't look like it has eight rooms."

Jimmy squirmed awkwardly. "It dosen't...it had eight rooms. See, hallway, kitchen, dining room, mum and dad's room, my room, Tracy's room, the garage, the toilet. Eight rooms."

Niko laughed. "Wait a minute...you specifically said eight bedrooms. Not eight rooms in total."

"No I didn't."

"I've got it on Life Invader! Eight bedrooms is what you said!"

Jimmy shrugged. "I guess I must have made a typo..."

Tracy smiled craftily. "Why don't you show our guests where they'll be sleeping, Jimmy?" she asked sweetly. Jimmy glared at her. "I will...uh...come on then." he said to his guests.

Amanda rolled her eyes. "Can I get anyone a coffee?"

Jacob nodded. "Nice one rasta, two sugars an' a licke milk, seen? One love." Amanda didn't understand a word. She looked to Michael for help, but he just shrugged. "So um...go with Jimmy, he'll show you to your room."

"Aiight."

/

"So..." Niko said, gazing at the garage with dismay. "So..."

Jimmy smiled nervously. "So...would you like help unpacking..." he asked.

"So, you full of crap or what! We can't sleep in here!"

"Why?" asked Jimmy feigning innocence.

"Me and Mallorie wanted a little time to ourselves!" Roman said.

"Sure!" said Jimmy. "You can do a rota. You and Mallorie go to bed early, and you have the garage to yourselves."

"Screw you!" Roman spat. "Let's go."

Niko nodded. "Goodbye, Jimmy."

"No, no, no, wait up N-dog!" he said hastily. "You don't want to spend a fortune for nothing."

Niko laughed. "For nothing?" he repeated. "All I want is a bed, some space, and some air conditioning." You've offered none of these. Goodbye, Jimmy."

"Uh, Niko..." Mallorie said nervously. "We don't actually have enough money...we thought we'd be staying here, see."

Niko shut his eyes and exhaled furiously. "All right!" Jacob, sofa, me other sofa, Mallorie, Kate and Roman in here. Deal?"

Nobody was happy about it, but there was nothing do be done. They didn't have the money for a Los Santos hotel, and the house was, at least, reasonably comfortable.

"Cheer up!" Roman said enthusiastically to Niko. "We're only sleeping here! We've still got the whole city to explore!"

Niko shrugged. "I suppose so."

/

Meanwhile, in a skip in the south of the city, Trevor Phillips awoke with a start. "Argh!" he screamed. His clothes had been stolen. Again. "Where are you assholes hiding!" he screamed into thin air. He climbed awkwardly out of the skip and walked unsteadily towards the street. He felt angry. Really angry...

Note: Sorry for long delay.