Epsilon went quiet for a few weeks. Los Santos was in ruins and all known survivors were evacuated to Sandy Shores and Paleto Bay. Some firefights between the Epsilonists and government agencies still occurred, but nothing notable happened until about two months after the Los Santos bombing.
A radio transmission was received by the Australian allies. During the transmission, supposedly by the Italians, someone called desperately for help, saying that Epsilon was trying to take over the Vatican, and that the group was popping up worldwide. The transmission ended with gunfire and a man screaming, before static replaced it. Allies from Australia, Japan, England and Germany reported disappearances, violent crime and gun fights running rampant in their countries, sending them into a state of emergency.
Then the reports came in that other cities including Venice, London, D.C and Bejing had suffered the same fate that Los Santos had. Crime ran rampant, and governments lost all control.
"And the Secret Service has declared the statuses for the following cities," a reporter stated during a radio show, "Washing D.C: safe. San Fierro: Destroyed. Canberra, Australia: safe. Venice, Italy: destroyed. Tokyo, Japan: unknown.
"It's getting worse," Amanda said as Michael returned to the tent one day, "How did they become so powerful?"
"Dave's working on it," Michael told her, "the FIB's got a hunch that Epsilon has government insiders, and that's we're they're getting the firepower from."
"What was it like?" she asked.
"Los Santos? It was Downtown that got the most damaged. Some wreckage hit our house, but the place is okay, but over half of the city's population was killed in the bombing."
"Michael?" a voice called. Michael told Amanda that he'd be back, then went outside.
"What's up, CJ?" he asked.
"Dave wants to see you," CJ told him, "Sounds important."
"You cannot be serious," Michael told Norton.
Dave didn't look up at him. "I know you'd rather stay here, but Vice City is safer. Tommy's still got contacts there, and besides, I need you guys to investigate something."
"What is it?" Michael asked.
"We think Epsilon is planning a takeover of Vice City," Norton explained, "Supposedly the group is trying to recruit members. I need you to see if it's true and shut down the operation."
Michael briefed the team later that day, sitting in the shade of the Sandy Shores hanger.
"Dave's right when he says I got contacts," Tommy informed him, "But the Vercetti Crime Family doesn't have the same power that it used to."
"Don't worry Tommy," Michael assured him, "We don't even know if Epsilon is operating there. Besides, they don't have a strong presence there, so it's far safer than San Andreas."
Nobody wanted to leave, but they all left Los Santos a week later on the armored passenger ship S.S Kennedy. The ship had been modified when Los Santos was bombed, and it now included a helipad, anti-aircraft guns, turrets at the bow and stern, and half a dozen lightly-armored patrol boats. The ship set sail from the Ruins of Los Santos with a strong military guard, since the FIB still had no idea just how powerful Epsilon was.
The cabins inside were nothing fancy, but still far more welcoming than the tents at Sandy Shores. Everyone on board, meaning the team, Ryan, Denise, Tanisha, Michael's family, a few FIB agents and around 200 or so guards, ate in the main dining room on B-Deck. There was so much to the ship, the S.S Fortune. The liner included a small shopping center, restaurants, a movie theater, gym, pool, lounges and a library with computers. For awhile, it was as if things were back to normal.
Each day, the team would take walks on the deck to get some fresh air. It was on the fifth day of travel that Tommy asked "So how do you guys know Dave?". Michael told him the story of the Ludendorf heist, faking his death, meeting Franklin, tackling Merryweather and Devin Weston and the Union heist. Tommy and Niko nodded when Michael mentioned the deal with Norton, with Tommy saying "Yeah, I remember that."
Ryan meanwhile, quickly grew on the team. He was a shit-stirrer, but in the way that you couldn't help but like, but he could also turn all business when he needed to. He was especially friendly with Jimmy and Tracey, and the tree of them met daily.
Later in the night, Michael spotted some kind of light in the distance, getting bigger and bigger as it came towards the Fortune. He turned to shout something, but before he could, a boom shattered the silence, then an explosion followed by the crackling of flames. Turning, he witness the wreckage that used to be the bow of the ship. From somewhere, he heard shouting, but he was transfixed by the large gaping hole in the deck.
He could not remember telling himself to run, only that he did, past the guards and personnel and to the lounge where he found Tracey, Amanda, Jimmy, Ryan and Trevor.
"Where's everyone else?" he asked aurgently.
"Franklin went looking for Denise and Tanisha," Amanda informed him, "Niko, Tommy and CJ went to meet the captain, and the heist crew went to help with the lifeboats."
"Dad, what's happening?" Jimmy asked nervously.
"I think Epsilon found us. A ship outside, it fired at us and tore a hole in the bow," he said very quickly.
Another blast rocked the ship, sending it leaning on it's port side. Furniture slid toward the window and a cabinet toppled over, spilling it's contents onto the floor. Everyone lost their balance, but regained it as the ship righted itself.
"We gotta move!" Trevor said, "C'mon, let's go!"
The group left the room and made their way to the lifeboats as the ship outside continued to fire at the Fortune. THe ship once again tipped to port, but still righted itself. It seemed that they wanted to capsize the liner.
Everyone was met with carnage as they made it to the boat deck. Fires burned all around; engulfing parts of the hull and superstructure. Guards operated the anti aircraft guns, attempted to deal whatever damage they could to the Epsilon ship. It was closer now, and Michael could tell that it was an absolute beast. A destroyer, with several guns, pounded them with shells, sending the ship listing to port permanently. The personel tried to evactuate using the life boats, but several of them had been destroyed, and blood was splattered all over the deck. Michael cringed as he spotted a bloody boot, with the remnants of a foot inside, near him.
"Michael!" Gus Mota yelled, running up to him with Paige and Packie.
"Epsilon." Trevor said darkly.
"Yep," Gus confirmed grimly.
"They've killed most of the guards," Paige told them, "We need to radio for help."
"We're in the middle of the ocean!" Tracey pointed out, "How will they get here in time?"
"We've been running the ship at half speed," Paige informed her, "This thing uses coal, and it goes fast."
"So if we radio for help, how long until they get here?" Jimmy asked.
"Shouldn't take more than thirty minutes," Gus replied, "The FIB's got a destroyer nearby that would turn Epsilon to dust. If we can radio them, all we have to do is find a place to hole up."
"HELP!"
"CJ!" Gus said, eyes wide. The sound had come from the bridge, and they entered to fing the front of it blown away, with CJ hanging on to a piece of metal, below him a flaming pit that a mortar shell had created.
"I got you!" Franklin said, jum[ping forward and grabbing his had just as CJ lost his grip. But they were both slipping, and Gus, Michael and Trover could barely hold on.
"We can't pull you both up!" Gus grunted, pulling them as hard as he could. Paige joined in, but they were all going down
"Man, I'm too heavy for you guys!" CJ said, his fingers slipping through Franklin's, "F, let go, I'll drag you guys down too!"
"Dammit, we'll get you up!" Michael told him, but there was no chance.
"Guys let go!" CJ told them, "Listen, do me a favour and kill those cultist motherfuckers, ok?"
"We'll do that," Michael began, "but-"
Too late. CJ had let go of Franklins hand, and they all watched in horror as CJ seemed to float downwards, before disappearing in the flames.
"YOU BASTARDS!" Trevor yelled as they pulled Franklin away, "YOU FUCKING COCKSUCKERS!"
"Oh my God," Amanda whispered.
"He's... he's," Paige stuttered.
"Dead," Michael finished.
Everything seemed to go quiet. Nobody said anything. Perhaps they all expected to see CJ climb out of the pit and say he got lucky.
But he never did.
