So during the next hours, CJ visited Denise's house and spent a nice afternoon with her. He took her out to eat, they hung out at the bar, went to a dance club, and even performed drive-bys on the Ballas and Vagos. After nearly a full hour, CJ dropped Denise back at her house. This could be his chance to get his first girlfriend.
He then checked his watch. It was now 7:58 PM. He decided to see Cesar to get to know him and his allies. So CJ took his lowrider out of the garage of his mother's house and drove straight to El Corona. CJ arrived at Cesar's house to see that it was packed with party guests. Some music from Kid Frost was playing in the background.
Damn, CJ thought. Cesar never told me he was having a party.
CJ walked up to the front door and knocked on the door.
"Hey, CJ!" Cesar called from the left side of the house. "Over here!"
"Hey, Carl," Kendl called waving back.
CJ looked to see Cesar sitting adjacent to Kendl on a lawn chair, with many other Latino guests around the house. One of them was using a grill to cook some tacos.
CJ walked up to Cesar and Kendl . "Hey Kendl," CJ said hugging his sister. He then turned to Cesar. "What's up, ese?" CJ told Cesar as held his arms up. "You didn't invite me?"
"I didn't know you wanted to come to the party, holmes," Cesar said. "I just thought you were busy with other plans; y'know, trying to defend your territory from those Ballas."
"I got that covered, Ceez," CJ told him. "My brother and homies been putting in work. They all real serious about getting the Grove back together. I just came here so we could know each other better."
"That's great, ese," Cesar said. "Go ahead and cap those hijo de putas! Would love to see the rest of your amigos, holmes."
"Yeah," CJ replied. "Well, you gonna have to be patient with them, because aside from the fact that they also ain't down with the Latinos, Big Smoke be speaking this bullshit he got from this so-called book, and Ryder be on that wet shit."
Cesar just laughed. "You really must have some crazy amigos, holmes," Cesar chuckled.
"You have no idea, Ceez," CJ said giving Cesar a high five.
Their conversation didn't last long. Some of Cesar's friends came around to confront CJ, including Jose.
"Hey, what's this maricon doing here?!" Jose snapped pointing fingers at CJ.
"Jose," Cesar protested jumping out of his seat to step in front of his friend. "Chill. He's a friend of mines. We already settled this."
"Well your time to speak for this puto is up, Cesar!" Jose growled as he stared over Cesar's shoulder to glare holes at CJ. "I say this maricon is a poser. He ain't a true gangster. He has no cajones, and he's about to get sliced right now!"
Jose came up to CJ, who didn't flinch a bit from this. "Go ahead and step to me, asshole," CJ told him raising his arms up over his head. "See what happens!"
Cesar held his friend back. "Hands off me, Cesar," Jose snarled. "I don't want this puto setting foot on our turf! I don't like that guy one bit!"
"You need to chill out, fool!" Kendl told him. "That's my brother you're talking to!"
"Easy, Jose!" Cesar told him. "He ain't no poser. He's cool. He's from Grove Street."
Jose then decided to back off. "Okay, pendejo!" he snapped at CJ. "If you're really as tough as you claim to be, then come with me! We're gonna take out those Vago putos and steal their turf! So you're gonna help us take over their turf! That is if you're gangster enough! Prove me wrong and you can consider us your allies!"
CJ knew he didn't have much of a choice. He had enough conflict with the Ballas, and the Vagos were also against his gang. He was in no mood to start feuding with one of Cesar's friends. So CJ agreed without hesitation.
"A'ight, amigo," CJ muttered nonchalantly. "Let's roll."
"Be right back, baby," Cesar told Kendl giving her a kiss on the lips.
"Be careful out there, Ceez," Kendl told him.
Cesar guided CJ, Jose, and another member to his red Savanna. Cesar hopped in the passenger's seat and the other two members took the back seat.
"CJ," Cesar told CJ pointing at the Latino member wearing a white T-shirt and baggy khaki pants and a blue bandana on his head. "That's my brother Hazer. He's a member of my gang."
"Sup?" CJ greeted.
"Hola," Hazer said back.
CJ started the engine and drove onto the road. "So where we going?" he asked.
"East Beach!" Jose replied. "We're gonna smoke those Vago putos and take over their territory."
"Vagos' hood?" CJ asked as he drove through Willowfield. "Shit, I'm down."
"Well let's see how well you can defend yourself," Jose replied snidely as CJ made a right turn on Ganton. "Take out these Vagos and you got our respect."
CJ continued driving until he finally made it to East Beach.
"There go some Northside Vagos by the beach, eh," Cesar said as he spotted a group of Vagos hanging by the side of the beach.
"Looks like it's time to blow these cabróns' minds," Hazer added.
The four hopped out of the vehicle and ran up to the Vagos armed with machine guns.
"Varrio Los Aztecas comin' through, putos!" Cesar shouted.
The foursome used their weapons to shoot all three members of the Vagos, instigating a gang war in East Beach, which caused a prolific number of Vago gang members to scatter around the streets like a disgusting family of rats scattering around the sewers.
CJ and the other members of the Aztecas shot at the Vagos as they fired at them with machine guns themselves. Some of them were even armed with shotguns They all took cover behind the trees and platform behind the beach. CJ did a quick roll behind the beach's platform and fired back at one of the Vagos, killing each and every one of them at a time.
The shootout between CJ and the other members of the Aztecas against the Vagos lasted for a good forty-five seconds until every member of the Vagos were now dead. The second wave of the gang war was slightly tougher, as more of the Vagos were armed with AK-47s and shot at CJ and the others.
"Take cover, amigos!" Cesar yelled as he and the rest of the members dodged the bullets fired by the Vagos.
The four gangsters fired back at the rival gang while dodging their bullets fired at them. CJ continued shooting back, and he and the rest of the members killed each Vagos member one by one. They watched as the Vagos all started dropping like flies onto the road, most of them lying in a puddle of their own blood.
On the third wave, the Vagos were armed heavily with various weapons: sub-machine guns, AK-47's, and shotguns.
Ah shit! CJ thought. This gang is fucking crazy!
So as the Vagos fired furiously at CJ and the other allies by his side, CJ and co. fired back, killing each member with whatever they had handy, and soon, the shootout was so intense that even the cars on the street and the windows on the apartment buildings from across the street were also getting destroyed. This wave of the gang war was indeed a lot tougher than CJ expected.
But he didn't let it bother him. It just only meant he and his allies had more competition in the hood. So CJ and his allies continued to shoot back at the Vagos and killed each member one by one. The shootout lasted for two minutes until CJ shot down the last member of the Vago, causing him to reclaim East Beach.
"Nice one, CJ," Cesar cheered. "You're a killer here in LS."
"I agree, amigo," Hazer added.
Jose just stared holes at CJ with his arms folded. "Well, Jose," Cesar told his friend. "Is CJ still a poser like you say he is, or is he truly gangster?"
Jose glared at CJ for a very long time. CJ just stared back, not saying a word and expecting Jose's answer. After several seconds, Jose finally unfolded his arms and extended his hand out to CJ to shake.
"Alright, holmes," he finally told CJ. "You got me. You're cool now, ese. Eres uno de nosotros, holmes."
"Cool," CJ replied. "Thanks for the gratitude, ese."
"Come on, let's get back to the fiesta, amigos," Cesar said guiding everyone to his Savanna.
Everybody hopped inside the vehicle, and CJ started driving on his way back to El Corona.
"So where are you from, CJ?" Jose asked him.
"I stay over at Grove Street with my brother," CJ answered.
"Grove Street?" Jose asked.
"Yeah," CJ answered. "Straight outta Ganton!"
"Well I guess I misjudged you, hombre," Jose replied. "You are gangster."
"Si," Cesar agreed. "Hey, CJ, thanks for helping us out, holmes. "You're a real dependable amigo."
"F'sho, Ceez," CJ said. "I appreciate the compliment."
CJ made it through El Corona and finally parked in the driveway of Cesar's house. CJ, Cear, Hazer, and Jose all exited the vehicle. They walked over back to the party, and Cesar and CJ stared at each other to have a small conversation.
"So whatcha say I hang out here for a while and we could get to know each other?" CJ asked Cesar.
"You don't need to ask, holmes," Cesar replied. "Anything you need, anything you'd like to know, I'm here for you, man. Consider us amigos for life, ese."
CJ and Cesar then shook hands and continued enjoying themselves at the party. During the party, the two began to hang out along with the rest of Cesar's friends and got to know each other through conversations. CJ was beginning to get the hang of talking to Cesar as he got to know them. He hoped his brother and friends would eventually warm up to him someday, especially Sweet, who was already uncomfortable with Kendl dating Cesar to begin with.