Two weeks, five days until racing day...

"Alright, everyone chill out." Carl called as he sat down on the wooden crate in the corner of the garage. "You all know why i called you here-"

"I'm uncertain as to why the blind man is here Carl." Zero said, pushing his glasses back up onto his nose as he glanced at Woozie from the corner of his eye. "I mean...can he drive? Can he fix cars?"

Wu Zi Mu, the lucky mole. A long time friend and more when Carl needed him to be. The two had gone into business together years back, opening up a casino on the Las Venturas strip. While it hadn't been simple opening the casino amongst all of the crime families and big corporations it had been even harder to run. Sit back and let the money roll in...sounded so simple when you left out the paying off crooked officials, running errands for big time businessmen, and trying not to get caught up in the drug game all the while big corporations turned the city into a vacation spot for the entire family to go to unwind. Whorehouses for dad, gambling for mom, and shows for the kids. The amusement park of the nineties.

"Woozie is here Zero," Carl said, eyeing the short man in the red hat and glasses. "Because he's been good to me, he's like a brother, and i owe him. Not to mention he has connections all over the city, you need to find something Woozie'll find it." Carl didn't mention the fact that Woozie could drive like no one else, he could even shoot like a pro despite being blind.

Eventually the casino buckled under the pressure and nothing Woozie or Carl could do was able to hold it up. It went bankrupt and Woozie caught the blame. If he hadn't been such a good earner and a loyal man a lot worse than being bumped down to running a betting parlor in San Fierro might have befallen the blind man.

"I'm more interested in why the chubby virgin is here Carl." Woozie shot back, a small self satisfyed smirk spread across his face. "I thought you had higher standards than that."

"Virgin!" Zero's head snapped back as if he'd been slapped.

"That is why they call you Zero, isn't it?" Woozie snorted.

"I'll have you know a certain someone procured me a lady of the evening for my thirty first birthday." Zero spat. "So i'd watch who you called virgin blind man."

Carl sighed and shook his head. Was this what he was reduced to now? "Jesus guys, chill the fuck out." getting up from the wooden crate and walking over to the small table where the two sat opposite of one another. "This is too important for you two to start arguing about dumb shit." he put his hands on the small table and leaned forward. "Now listen, we don't have a whole lot of time to get prepared for the race-"

"Yes, what is this race anyway Carl? Why is it so important?" Zero asked and Woozie snorted and shook his head.

"I'm not surprised you've never heard of it." Woozie said. "It's deeper than some RC car midnight club you host in your basement."

"Woozie would you chill...damn..." Carl stepped away from the table and moved back to the crate in the corner. "It's important because it pays good and that's all you need to know." he told Zero. "Now...can you help mod cars?"

Zero cocked his head to the side and looked off into space. "Theoretically the newer miniatures are no different from an actual car, and i have been known to...enhance a miniature's capabilities...so yes...i suppose i could...in theory of course."

Carl sighed. "Well...you're all i got so that answer's gonna have to do." between Cesar-who was a day overdue-Zero, and Carl they'd have to get two cars and tune them until they were fast enough to cut it with other racers' rides. Woozie would be the eyes and ears, keeping a lookout for good cars they could steal...the irony of using a blind man as a lookout was not lost on Carl. "So Woozie, any good leads yet?" Carl had called Woozie the day he'd rode into San Fierro, apparently Woozie'd been keeping an ear to the ground since.

"In fact, yes." Woozie said as he slid a hand into his jacket and pulled out a manila envelope. "I've gotten word of a couple cars that seem like suitable racers." he placed the envelope onto the table. "There's a small problem th-" Woozie was cut off as the garage door opened with a bang and in walked Cesar, a box in his arms.

"'Ey CJ, sorry i'm late man!" Cesar called, dropping the box next to the door and walking into the garage. He walked past the table, glancing at Woozie and Zero as he passed, before stepping up to Carl and grabbing his hand. "Took some time getting all the parts we're gonna need esse."

"It's cool man, you're here now." Carl patted Cesar's back before letting go.

"Can i go on now?" Woozie asked. Carl nodded. "You nodded, didn't you?"

"Shit, sorry Woozie...go ahead."

Woozie pursed his lips and nodded. "Alright...as i started to say before the interruption," he glared in the direction he thought Cesar to be-he was totally wrong. "There's a problem about the cars in this envelope. The cars are locked up tight under the SFPD."

"Shit." Cesar whistled. "Why don't you just ask us to steal a fucking tank too."

Woozie, who's temper had grown short in the past few years, shot to his feet. "I agreed to help you Carl because we're old friends, but if i'm going to be treated like a fool and have my favors go unappreciated then i'll just go."

Carl got to his feet and held his hands out. "Wait, wait, Wooze man, hold on...Cesar didn't mean anything by it...we're just...there's a lot riding on this man, we don't want to take any unnecessary chances is all."

Woozie paused midstep and sighed. "Alright...i understand." he turned to Carl. "There's one other car i've heard about that matches what you're looking for- but it belongs to a street racer named Chi Kim. He has his own little crew of Triad rejects that hang around him...not dangerous exactly, but he does have some connections that could make things difficult." he slid his hand into his jacket once more and pulled out a folded up piece of paper. "Here are his details," he held the paper out for someone to take. "I had a feeling you might not like the idea of breaking into a police station."

Cesar snatched the paper from Woozie's hand. "Lives in the nice part of town, hangs out in the shit part...what kinda connections does he have?"

Woozie shrugged. "Dealers and pimps mostly...no one important." he turned back to where he thought Carl was. "If that's all?"

Carl nodded...then realized his mistake. "Yeah, call if anything else comes up."

Woozie nodded, turned, and walked out of the garage.

"You do realize that's only one car, right?" Zero asked.

Carl sighed. "Yeah...Woozie will find us another one...there's no way in hell i'm breaking into the SFPD..."

Carl slowed his car to a stop at the top of the windy windy road-at least that's what he called it. Chi Kim's house rested on the top of the hill. Carl sat for a few minutes, watching Chi's house, before he grabbed his cellphone and dialed Cesar. "Don't think he's home Ceeze, you got anything?"

"No," Cesar sighed through the phone. "Some guys stopped a while ago, but i haven't seen any street racers pass through...wait a minute..."

"What?" Carl cocked an eyebrow. "He there?"

"Yeah, and he ain't alone." Carl heard Cesar open his car door and get out. "Four other guys, nice cars, but not as nice as his...someone else is coming." Cesar grunted, probably just crouching behind something. "A van...guys with guns...i think they're doing a deal."

Carl started his car and peeled out back onto the road, leaving behind thick black tire marks. "Alright, sit tight, i'm coming, don't do anything til i get there." he hung up the phone and put both hands on the wheel, stomping down on the gas pedal. Easter Basin was a short drive that consisted of Carl pulling the handbrake to make sharp turns while weaving in and out of traffic, not caring if he dented another car or tore off a bumper.

Eventually he pulled up behind Cesar's red lowrider, making sure to turn off his headlights well before approaching the dock. Cesar was crouched down behind a crate at the corner of a warehouse. "CJ!" he turned and hissed. "Hurry up, they're almost finished!"

Carl ducked down and moved up behind Cesar.

"There." Cesar pointed to the group of cars parked down by the cargo ship. "Guess we know why he hangs out around here now." he muttered, watching as Chi and a hispanic man exchanged duffel bags.

Carl nodded. "Damn...there's no way we can jack his ride here, we'll be torn to shreds by his friends." everyone, but Chi Kim, seemed to have a type of automatic weapon in their hand, while Carl and Cesar packed nothing but pistols. Carl watched as the group continued to talk before finally realizing where they were sitting. "Holy shit Ceeze, i got it!"

"What?" Cesar leaned down to listen to Carl's plan, his eyes growing wide as a smile crept across his face. "That's crazy Esse..."

"Yeah, but if we don't get him now who knows when we'll get another opportunity...we can't wait forever Cesar, we only have a couple weeks to get everything set." Carl argued. "If you can't handle the driving..."

Cesar straightened up, a determined look in his eyes. "I can handle anything with a gas pedal homes."

Carl smirked. "Alright, you gotta keep em distracted though, if they see me before i get into place we're both fucked."

Cesar stepped out from behind the crate, arms spread wide to show he was unarmed. "Chi Kim!" he called, walking down the dock toward the group of armed men while silently praying Carl had everything under control. "This is for the baby..." he hissed under his breath. "This is for the baby, this is for the baby..." he repeated the words quietly while walking down the dock.

"Who the fuck!" the hispanic man snapped while motioning for his men to take aim. Some pointed their automatic weapons at Chi and his friends, others pointed them at Cesar. "Who the hell is this vato, Chi!"

Chi Kim took a step forward and dropped the duffel bag into the trunk of his car. "I have no idea man, i swear." he said without looking at the hispanic man. "Who the hell are you?"

Cesar snorted. "Me? I'm just a guy who admires sweet rides...yours in particular...give it to me." he didn't stop walking, but he was taking it slow now. Chi's car was the closest thankfully...he was almost on it...the driver side door was still open. Chi apparently had no plans on sticking around, probably the exact opposite, a speedy get away.

Chi laughed, followed shortly by his crew-who held weapons on Cesar and the hispanic's men-all looking more than a little tense. "My fucking car? Are you fucked up in the head or something? Yo, ice this fool."

Cesar paused and held his hands up higher. "Hold up, hold up...i'm not here for a fight esse, i just want your ride...you can take your drugs, or money, whatever the fuck you put in the trunk, and walk away...or you can all die...easy enough choice."

The hispanic glared at Chi. "This some kind of fucking joke? You trying to rip me off motherfucker!"

Chi Kim turned from Cesar to the hispanic man. "No T, i would never...i don't know who this joker is..." he backed up as the hispanic-T apparently-drew an uzi from the back of his waistband.

Cesar watched as all eyes turned from him. "NOW!" Cesar yelled, ducking down and running to Chi Kim's car and diving into the driver's seat.

"What the fuck!" Chi yelled as Cesar sped off. "My drugs!" he turned to his men. "What the fuck are you waiting for, go get-" and then the crane started up.

T the hispanic's eyes widened as the massive magnet slammed down onto the pavement of the dock. "Wh-" he stopped short and dove out of the way as the magnet slid across the dock and slammed into the group of cars, throwing them out into the water along with several bodies. "Jesus christ!" he yelled, picking himself up from the pavement and running away as the magnet made another sweep, taking out Chi and his men with ease. "Who the hell was that guy?"