A/N: Bold and italicized are signs along the roads and days in the story, italicized are flashbacks, memory fragments and phone calls. From memory, an average sized camper can seat a small group of people.
September 23rd 1992…
Maria was regretting listening in on her brother's allegedly calm conversation with his new lawyer… and from the look on his face, so was Carter.
"We're moving out before we get married and start a family." Carter responded, Maria lowering the pillow.
"Carter, this is gonna sound insane… but we need Ken back." Maria replied.
"Why, Ria? He's been taking money from the Malibu Club while Tommy assumed it was being stolen from rival gangs." Carter responded.
"He at least knew how to get Tommy out of trouble, not nameless lawyer #5 up there." Maria replied before they heard the doors open and heard Tommy throw the lawyer out.
"Now, get out and stay out! There's no way I'm letting you near my sister!" Tommy retorted.
"That's one creepy lawyer. Yeah, we need Ken to come back." Carter responded.
"He's out in Las Venturas, last I checked." Maria replied before they kissed and Carter went to pack a few of their things.
When Tommy checked on Maria, the two hugged.
"How are you, kiddo?" Tommy asked.
"I'm alright. Listen, Carter and I are going to book the next flight to San Andreas to try to find Ken…" Maria responded, sitting up. "Please, Tommy? I know Ken fucked up really bad but it's better than you throwing lawyers for distance again." She replied, Tommy nodding.
"Okay, since he was there to help us out and even took you in while I was in jail. Are you sure that you don't want me to come with you?" Tommy asked.
"We'll be okay, stay here with Angel and Mercedes." Maria responded before they hugged.
On the flight to San Andreas, Maria looked behind her and saw Kent, Maccer and the rest of the band… and turned to Carter.
"We've got stowaways." Maria whispered, Carter seeing them and turning back to her.
"I think we can lose them in the desert." Carter responded quietly before they kissed…
Present time, September 25th 1992…
Waiting outside of the Four Dragons Casino as he had no luck at getting anything accomplished to his liking, CJ answered his phone when it rang.
"Hello?" CJ responded.
"Who am I speaking to?"
Sighing in relief as The Truth had taken off without any warning, CJ relaxed. "It's CJ. Hey, Truth, is that you?" He replied.
"Might be. Might be a government algorithm trying to pick your brains, so don't admit anything!"
"Whatever, man, whassup?" CJ asked after an eye roll.
"I need a favour, Carl, thought I could cash in some karma chips."
"Your credit good." CJ replied.
"I took some fellow travellers deep into the desert on a peyote safari a few nights back. We faced the inner light and communed with the lizard king."
"Sounds fun, how did it go?" CJ asked.
"That's the problem, I don't know. I'm in Los Santos. I woke up in a Japanese bathhouse about an hour ago. I have no idea how I got here or where the others are."
"They're probably fine." CJ responded in an attempt to calm his hippie friend down.
"I don't think so. They were a band, some friends and their managers. They have no experience about the desert."
"Okay, where'd you make camp? I can go have a look." CJ suggested.
"I took 'em up Arco del Oeste. Fantastic sunsets. Best start looking for them up there."
The two hung up and CJ saw a nearby camper before getting into the driver's side and driving off.
A while later, Maria found herself in Carter's arms as they woke up… and found themselves looking around in confusion.
"What the hell? Where's that hippie?" Maria asked as they sat up, Carter standing up and then helping Maria up.
"God… what did we do last night? Where the hell are we?" Carter asked.
"I remember him saying something about us facing the light and communing with the lizard king…" Maria responded before they carefully climbed down the side of the mountain.
"Hello? Hey, anybody out here? Truth sent me!"
"You mean that damn hippie?" Carter called out as he held Maria's hand as the man walked closer.
"Eh! Over 'ere!" Maccer called out.
"Hey, man, you all right?"
"Kin' 'ell, I'm fucking hanging." Maccer responded.
"Stone me bloody crows. Where am I?" Kent replied as Carter and Maria helped him sit up.
"We're in the desert." Maria responded, giving Maccer a small nudge to his back. "Quiet, Maccer! You guys go through this every weekend!" She replied but he didn't listen to her.
"I dunno, mate. I was having a dream; I was wanking over some fat bird's tits when this twat turned up." Maccer responded, Kent standing up.
'Damn it, not again! These two always fight, why did Kent Paul ever go into the music industry?!' Maria thought.
"Maccer, you fucking psycho! You did it again, didn't you?!" Kent retorted.
"That peyote was shite, you were lucky I brought some tabs along!" Maccer responded.
"I've told you a million times not to put stuff in my fucking drink!" Kent retorted after kicking Maccer.
"Oh piss off, kidder!" Maccer shot back.
"Who are you again?" Kent asked.
"I'm Carl Johnson. I'm a friend of Truth's, he said y'all might need a ride into town." CJ responded.
"We all do. Especially us. We barely remember what happened." Carter replied
"We could always retrace our steps, Grant." Maria responded quietly.
"Didn't work so well time, Vercetti." Carter whispered as they knew the bickering would go on for a while.
"But I'm a fucking raspberry!" Maccer replied.
"You're not a fucking raspberry!" Kent retorted.
"I can't feel me legs, our P. I've wanked the use out of them." Maccer responded.
"Just stand up, you soppy cunt. We go through this every weekend." Kent replied in a disgusted tone, Carter pulling him up by his jacket.
"This is fucking ridiculous… We're out in the middle of nowhere with no memory of anything from the last 24 hours. Let's get back into town." Carter replied.
"Man, what the hell was y'all doing last night?" CJ asked.
"Anybody got a rag?" Maccer questioned, Paul hands Maccer a rag as Carl and the others turned away.
"So, where am I taking y'all?" CJ responded.
"I've got a pal named Rosie. He sometimes goes by Ken Rosenberg and he's got a casino gig going down in Venturas." Kent explained.
"Alright." CJ replied before the five of them walked towards the camper.
"Fuck off, string." Kent replied after Maccer tried to hand the rag back to him.
"Oh, charming." Maccer retorted dryly.
"Alright, ladies, let's go." CJ responded before they all got into the camper and Carter closed the door.
"Fucking Northerners…" Kent muttered.
"Well, it felt like I couldn't feel them, honest!" Maccer replied.
"Shelve this until we're at the casino, please!" Maria responded, Carter lightly running her back.
As they drove down the mountainside, Maria looked out the window… and she tried to remember.