When CJ finally made it back to Grove Street through all the riot, Steel and G-Dub exited out and thanked CJ for the ride. CJ then thought about what Cesar said earlier. The only reason Cesar went to take back his old neighborhood was because he wouldn't let the Vagos disrespect his territory, and his family lived there. It didn't mean he was planning to stay there for life.
It came back to CJ, and he realized exactly what he was doing. He wanted to get out of the hood life, sure, but what kind of person would he be if he let some Balla Dope Pushers disrespect his home street and leave his families to suffer in their hands?
So he hopped out of the vehicle and walked up to Sweet's house. He wanted to have this discussion with his brother about the choices he was making since the wake of his return. As he walked inside, he went on a search for his brother and finally ran into him in the living room. The two brothers stared at each other for several seconds.
"Hey look, bro, I– " they both said to each other simultaneously, then they both stop.
It was CJ's turn to start speaking first. "Listen, Sweet," he started to say, "I just wanted to tell you I'm sorry for– "
"No, bro," Sweet interrupted silently. "Don't apologize. You had every right to call me out on my attitude. I was just being too provincial, too short-sighted, too attached to my principles, that I never got a chance to actually see the bigger picture. I was the one thinking about only myself during this time. I guess the reason I behaved like this was because when you decided to leave the hood to live in the mansion, the dreaded memories after you left when Brian was killed brought it all back. It felt as if you were repeating history when you decided to leave the hood, that I let those memories bring it all back to me."
Sweet then walked away a few inches and leaned against the couch. "Truth is, I ain't in no position to call you out," he conceded. "I'm actually just as responsible for Grove's downfall after everything that happened last year. I got three of my homies killed. I trusted a loan shark to help the families. I worked for another gang that came out here. I got Lisa shot. I let Moms die. It's mostly my fault I let all this shit happened. I'm supposed to be the leader of the gang, and I let them down just as much. I never took responsibility for my own action, which makes me a genuine hypocrite. I never even thanked you for getting me out of prison, especially after all those things you told me you did to bail me out. I was an ungrateful piece of shit that tried to drag my brother in the hood life, and I deserved what you gave me. So I just wanted to say, I'm sorry, bro."
CJ felt his heart warming. It was the first time that Sweet had ever admitted his faults and took responsibilities for his own actions. Sweet had been so stuck-up about his position as Grove Street's leader that he never wanted to admit when he was wrong. But with Los Santos in a chaotic riot thanks to Tenpenny, it was time for Sweet to stop putting down his brother and start appreciating him.
CJ finally spoke up. "I accept your apology, bro," he told Sweet as he gave him a handshake. "I'm glad you're finally starting to see the world around the hood, and I've also been thinking – when I was rolling with Cesar, he told me that even though he wasn't living in El Corona, he only took it back because his family stay there, and he wasn't going to let some Northside Vagos disrespect his home. That's when I realized that with all my success, the homies in my 'hood are still around, and I gotta make sure they still on my side and share my success with them as well. i been so busy letting this ghetto life go that I totally forgot about the other homies who were practically my family. So that was my bad for forgetting that. I've also been thinking about when I first went over to San Fierro, me and the others eliminated every gang around to make a business there and did the same thing when I went over to Las Venturas. So I was thinking to myself, if I can take out every last gang in Fierro and Venturas to build an empire, why can't I do the same for my home city? If I helped most of my new friends in San Fierro and Las Venturas, why can't I do the same for my old homies from the 'hood as well? I may be a successful businessman with a cool garage, a car dealership, and a fly casino, but I also have my place to think about too. So I should also apologize for not thinking about any of that either. That's it. I needed to balance out my new lifestyle with my old lifestyle. Sorry for not thinking about that too, bro."
"I'm proud of you, baby bro," Sweet told CJ, giving him another handshake. "I shouldn't have been so hard on you, and I should be thanking you for bailing me out. So I'll tell you what. As soon as we finally eliminate every Balla and Vago around this hood and finally find and catch that scumbag Tenpenny, I'll let you live the rest of your life wherever."
"Thanks, bro," CJ said gladly.
"No problem," Sweet told him. "Just remember this though, even though I won't tell you how to live your life, never forget your homies. I want you to keep your success, but I also want you to stick with your homies from the 'hood too. So it was my fault too for not being specific about that instead of yapping on about the 'hood."
"True," CJ agreed. "True. I think we both been forgetting our main purposes. I promise to pay my debts, if you promise to respect my new lifestyle and broaden your mind."
"Deal," Sweet responded, shaking CJ's hand in agreement. "I ain't leaving my homies from the 'hood, but I'll still respect your decision and view the rest of the world, and I'll pay my debts as well. Now come on. Let's round up all the homies and show the Ballas and Vagos that this is our city! Grove 4 life!"
"Grove 4 life!" CJ repeated.
The two walked out of the house outside their home street.
"Here's what's going to happen," Sweet said. "We gonna take over one of each of the territories and spray paint our name on the wall to declare our set."
"Okay," CJ replied. "Which territory?"
"You and I will start with Jefferson," Sweet told him. "So we gonna round up some Grove Street members to help take over more territories and get our tags back."
So CJ and Sweet went around the hood and recruited as many members as they can to help take over different territories owned by the Ballas.
"Hey CJ," Sweet told CJ as the Grove Street Families members gather around together. "I got someone who's now back and well."
CJ looked to see that it was Big Bear, who had quickly gained weight since the last three months CJ sent him to rehab. CJ couldn't be happier to see Big Bear again.
"Oh snap!" CJ cried, giving Big Bear a high five. "Big Bear! You back?!"
"Back and well, CJ!" Big Bear replied. "I'm free from B-Dup and back on the Grove, homie!"
"That's cool, Bear!" CJ replied.
"This city in a riot now," Big Bear said. "So we gon' cruise through the Ballas' hood and ice them punks." He then pulled out a paint spray can out of his pocket. "And after they all been iced, we gonna tag our name in the territory."
"Welcome back, Bear!" CJ said, grinning as he gave Big Bear another high five. "Them Ballas are gonna get owned now!"
"So everybody, spread out and search for Ballas' 'hoods to take over!" Sweet announced. "We gonna take back our territories and tag our turf! Now let's move!"
As the other members of the Grove Street Families dispersed around the hood to find Ballas's turf to take over, CJ and Sweet then hopped inside Sweet's Greenwood and drove through the riotous city.
"You still ain't found Ryder yet?" Sweet asked CJ as the latter made a right turn on the bridge.
"He ain't shown up," CJ told him. "I ain't sure if he's dead or captured."
"Shit," Sweet muttered. "It ain't like that nigga to just disappear like that all of a sudden."
"Sweet," CJ told him. "I know Ryder. That dude may not be the sharpest sword in the storage, but he a stone cold soldier. If you ask me, he probably knocked off over fifty assholes on his death list."
"Well he better show up soon," Sweet replied. "I'm started to get worried about him and where he'd be in this riot."
"I know, bro," CJ said. "Hey Sweet, there's something I gotta tell you?"
"Yeah?" Sweet asked.
"I had a talk with Cesar, and I wanted to tell you that he was thinking about...the question," CJ said.
"The question?!" Sweet asked. "Ah shit! You wait 'til now to tell me that ese proposing to Kendl?!"
"He just asked me," CJ told him. "He wanted to ask if it was okay."
"Man, normally I'd forbid such a thing," Sweet said, "but since I seen how Ceez protects Kendl from danger, it seems he genuinely loves her and not trying to use her as a sex doll. So I guess we can just let our baby sister make her choice."
"Thanks, Sweet," CJ replied. "That means a lot."
"No prob," Sweet said. "She grown, so she can take care of herself just as well."
CJ and Sweet made it to Jefferson and hopped out of the vehicle armed with AK-47's.
"Ah yeah," CJ said. "Rolling Heights Balla Country!" He remembered the place very well. It was the spot that Tenpenny had dumped him in when he and his partners drove through the hood.
"Yeah, we gonna blast on them Balla fools and tag this turf to show them it's ours now," Sweet declared.
He and CJ saw a group of Ballas and killed them all, instigating a gang war.
The war was happening in the middle of the riot, and CJ and Sweet were fighting for their hood. They payed no mind to the pedestrian trying to murder each other and robbing everyone's houses and stores as the Johnson brothers focused more on the Ballas, who were heavily armed with grenades and assault rifles. They threw grenades their way and fired bullets at them. But the Johnson brothers were able to duck every bullet and grenade thrown at them and shot down as many of the Ballas as they could. It took a while, but after shifting around the streets and using the building walls as cover, they fired back at their rivalry gang and killed each and every one of them one by one.
The second wave began, and more Ballas came around to attack CJ and Sweet. More grenades and assault rifles were used by the Ballas, and CJ and Sweet were jumping around avoiding every last shot fired at them. They really wanted to get their hood back and terminate the riot in their city once and for all. So without hesitation, they continued firing their weapons at the Ballas and killed each member at a time. They watched as many of them were dropping dead from the bullets being struck into them.
After killing the remaining Ballas gang members, CJ and Sweet saw that they had one more wave to go to.
"Prepare yourself, CJ," Sweet told him. "These Balla rats will come back more dangerous than usual!"
So CJ and Sweet prepared themselves just in time to see more of their rivalry gang armed with even more dangerous weapons. Very many of the members were armed with assault rifles, grenades, Molotov cocktails, and even combat shotguns. The Ballas were really becoming a dangerous force through the riots, and CJ and Sweet knew it wasn't the time for them to goof off. They dodged every bullet as they swarm around them and hit the buildings surrounding them in the streets, breaking a few windows in the process. Some of the pedestrians around the streets were even struck by the bullets fired by the gang. CJ and Sweet wasted no time as they fired their weapons at their rivalry gang, killing each member at a time.
After a good minute and thirty seconds, the Ballas were all dead, and CJ and Sweet had now taken over the hood.
"Yeah!" Sweet cheered. "Grove is back, baby! Grove is BACK! Now it's time to sign this place to let them know this is our turf now!"
So CJ and Sweet pulled their paint spray cans out of their pockets and started spraying all over the wall. They spent a good ten minutes spraying "Grove Street 4 Life" in huge, bold letters when they heard police sirens distantly.
"Hurry, CJ!" Sweet said as they worked on the finishing touch. "5-0 gonna catch us soon!"
CJ and Sweet barely added the finishing touch before the police arrived and shot at the Johnson brothers.
"Let bounce, CJ!" Sweet called as the two ran to the Greenwood and hopped inside.
CJ started the engine and sped away, with the police dashing after.
"We ain't letting no cops take us down!" Sweet said as he pulled out his tech nine and fired back at the cop car chasing them. "Not with Tenpenny getting away with this shit!"
CJ drove through Jefferson and made a right turn on the road next to the railroad tracks. The chase continued straight down the road through Idlewood, where CJ finally came to Paint 'n' Spray. Once CJ entered, the vehicle was painted with a brand new color, and CJ and Sweet had lost the cops.
"Now take us back to the Grove," Sweet told CJ.
CJ complied and drove back onto the riotous road. Even Well Stacked Pizza had flames and smoke permeating from behind. CJ was very determined to find Big Smoke and get back at Tenpenny, as well as find Ryder to recruit him back to the Grove Street Families and help take over the hood from the Ballas. He pulled up in front of Sweet's house and the other Grove Street Families members came around to join the two.
The families were now rounded together in a circle armed with assault rifles.
"So how everybody took care of things?" Sweet asked the gang.
"No pun intended, it was a blast to cap them Balla Dope Pushas," Big Bear replied. "We hit up Muholland and ran them punk ass dope dealers out of our turf!"
"That's cool, man!" CJ said. "This riot ain't gonna keep Grove Street down!"
"That's my bro!" Sweet said. "Okay, now everybody secure the hood and find more Ballas territories around the neighborhood! Make sure nobody steps foot in this territory!"
CJ then headed out in search of another Ballas territory to take over when he heard his cellphone ring. CJ pulled it out of his pocket to answer it.
"Yeah," CJ answered.
"Yo, CJ, it's LB!" he heard LB say over the phone.
"What up, LB?" CJ greeted. "What's goin' on?"
"So much shit, homie!" LB said. "The riot's really fucking up our city, and Seville and Temple are still beefin'! I tell you, this whole neighborhood is tearing apart!"
"All because of Tenpenny!" CJ replied. "You seen Ryder yet?"
"Naw, homie!" LB answered. "He still ain't shown up after he got out of rehab just weeks ago. I'm starting to get worried about the nigga."
"Me too, LB," CJ said. "Me too."
"Yo you gotta come over here in Playa del Seville, CJ," LB told him. "I got something I need you to do for me."
"A'ight, man," CJ said.
He hung up his cellphone and headed out of Ganton Street. The city was falling apart, the gangs were out of control, and Ryder still hasn't shown up.
Tenpenny will pay for all of this! CJ thought. That Motherfucker will pay!