Carl turned around, and sighed. He was exhausted, after killing nine men in one day. But who wouldn't be? He walked around the room, and sat down on the couch, bringing his legs up, and moving into a lying position. Though, just as he did this, Brian jogged down the stairs, walked up to the couch, and put both hands on the top of it. "Carl, you okay?" Carl grunted in response.

"Sweet told us what happened, and we all saw the rest from my bedroom upstairs."

Carl sat up, and looked at Brian. "What were y'all doin' up there, anyhow?" Brian walked around the room, and sat at the table in the corner. But before he could reply, Sweet, Ryder, and Big Smoke all three came down the stairs. Sweet looked as well as ever, apart from the brace on his right arm.

Ryder nodded to Carl, and Smoke sat down next to him on the couch, clapping hands with him. "Hey, CJ, wha'sup?" Carl moved his legs, and shook his head. "Oh, I was just exhausted from killing nine people, then everyone decides to come down here, you know." Ryder laughed slightly, and took a seat at the table in the corner. "Then go upstairs and sleep, buster." Carl waved his hand at Ryder, and stood. "I think I'll do that ... " Then walked up the stairs, and into his bedroom.

Sweet laughed, and took Carl's place on the couch. "So, Ryder, 'Smoke, why y'all here?" Smoke turned his head to Sweet. "Carl told us to come her, and keep Brian an'Kendl company while you two was down at the Hospital. Figured you wouldn't stay there the entire night." Ryder nodded. "'Jeah, an'you two fools woke us up! I was havin' a nice dream, too ... " Sweet and Smoke laughed in unison. "Get on with that shit, Ryder .. " Said Big Smoke.

"What?" Shouted Lloyd into his phone. "Dead? How could that motherfucker be dead, it was fifteen to two! Fuckin' idiot!" He resisted the urge to sling the corded phone across his kitchen. He had to think of a new plan of action..

"Don't worry, Lloyd! We gonna' get him, some time. He slip up soon, you know he will."

Lloyd mentally nodded, but sighed. "Yeah, I guess ... Anyway, I'm gettin' together some business associates tonight over a game of Poker, you in?"

"Hell yeah, Lloyd. What time?"

"Two hours; Eight PM."

"Okay, I see you then."

Lloyd hung up the phone, and stood, walking into his living-room. Grove Street was becoming powerful -- Too powerful. He needed to form alliances for the Ballas if they were going to fight against those Grove Street fools.

Lloyd got out his cellphone, and punched in a few numbers. After two rings, someone picked up, and said " 'Ello, who is this?" In a thick, Hispanic accent. "This is someone representing the Ballas. I heard you're one of the top-dogs in the Vagos. Me, an assosciate of mine, and some other bussiness partners are meeting over a game of Poker tonight in two hours, and we want to make you a proposition."

There was silence for a moment over the line. "So why not offer now, then?" Lloyd quickly came up with a response. "Because it will be easier to work digits in person."

It took a bit, as though the man was hesitating, but he agreed. "Fine, ese'. But I'm bringing back-up, so you try any funny shit, and you die." "Why so hostile?" "Because we're enemies." "Not for long ... "

With that, Lloyd hung up the phone, and dialed another number. "Hallo?" Came the Russian-accented voice after two rings. Did people agree on some two-ring code around here, or something? "Yes, I've heard that you own a private company that gets ... Items of interest to me, from Russia to America."

"Yes. What is point?" Said the man. He needed some English lessons ... "I have an offer to make you tonight, at about Eight PM, over a friendly poker game, and I want your companies boss to be there."

"I don't know .. I will check with him, we have too many enemies in America to not be in danger."

Lloyd chuckled slightly. "Oh, don't worry. Bring as much protection as you wish. Hell, bring a whole van full of Ruskies armed to the teeth, so long as you don't try to off me. Whatever makes you feel comfortable."

"We will do that. .. At eight?"

"Yes. Goodbye. I look foreward to seeing you ..."

The phone clicked dead, and Lloyd shoved it in his pocket, grinning. Soon, the Ballas would be on top ...

Tenpenny was sitting on the hood of his police cruiser as Eddie Pulaski walked out of the Doughnut Shop. Tenpenny had an umbrella over his head, due to the heavy rain coming in. Eddie looked at Tenpenny as he walked up to the car. "Rainin' hard, huh, Officer?" Tenpenny nodded, grabbing a cup of coffee from the tray in Pulaski's hand. "Sure is, Pulaski. Supposed to be a big storm comin' in today .. One of the biggest all year." As the two got into the Squad Car, the police radio built into the car began to request that Car 23 -- Their car -- respond.

Tenpenny set his coffee down in the cup holder, and picked up the Radio, speaking into the metal device attached to it. "This is Squd Car 23, what's the problem?" Quickly, a female voice answered. "Reported gun shots and strange activities in Ganton, on Grove Street." Tenpenny smirked. "Grove Street .. We'll be there in a second."

The clock above Sweet chimed eight times. "When did we get a clock?..." He said.

Carl, Ryder, and Smoke all laughed. Brian and Kendl were upstairs. "So man, you feelin' better?" Said Big Smoke. Sweet nodded. "Yeah, yeah. I think I can still fire fine with my left arm .. " Which meant Sweet would be getting his revenge soon, for the things that'd happened to him today.

"Man .. We need to get some food up in here ..."

"What you fools tryin't'eat?" Said Ryder.

"How'bout Tacos?" Sweet suggested.

Ryder chimed in "Tacos? Again? Hell nah'!"

Big Smoke leaned forward seriously. "Chicken man, no discussion!"

Ryder shook his head and waved his arms dramatically. "Man, I don' want no chicken .."

Lloyd leaned back, and sighed. "I'm out." He said, looking from the Mexican at the table, to the Russian, and then back to his Balla friend who had come to the meeting as requested. The Mexican was Juan Escaro, one of the 'O.G's of the Los Santos Vagos. He wore a white tank, and bluejeans with a yellow bandana over his forehead. "Then I win, haha!" He shouted, pulling a pile of money up to him. The Russian was Boris Schlashnik, the local weapons trader from Russia in Los Santos. And the only one, primarily. "Damn!" Boris shouted. "You take all my money ..." The Balla was Chris Akell, more Front Yard Royalty. Boris leaned back liked Lloyd, and then spoke up. "But eh, maybe now, we get down to business, as you say?"

Lloyd nodded. "Very right you are, my friend." The Russian and Mexican now leaned forward against the table, listening. "Well, as you would know, Juan, the Grove Street members have control over most of the streets of Los Santos. We know that you also fight against them, just like us, and as the old saying goes, the enemy of my enemy, is my friend." Juan nodded. "So, for you ese, I would like to offer a sum of money each month for select drugs to be sold in Ballas territory. And, of course, you will receive a cut of the profits if you were to sell our drugs, in your territory. So, we both win." Juan nodded.

Lloyd turned to Boris. "And now for you, Boris. We know you're dealing weapons to some smaller gangs within the area, and even a few within the area of San Fierro and Las Venturas. Now, we would like you to add up all your monthly profits that you acquire from all of your deals, and then, we would like to pay you triple that to stop manufacturing weapons for our rivals, and solely make them for the Ballas." Boris nodded.

"So, gentlemen. Do we have ourselves deals?" Juan and Boris both nodded and said "Yes." In unison. Lloyd smiled and leaned back in his chair. "And now, it's all set .. " he thought to himself.

Tenpenny pulled the Squad Car up to the Johnson house on Grove Street. Out came Brian and Carl Johnson, both looking disgruntled. Carl was the first to speak. "What the hell you want, pig?" He shouted from the steps.

Tenpenny laughed slightly, and walked up to the pair. "Well, some locals of Ganton reported a lot of suspicious noise coming from the area, and we believe you might just be the suspects of said noise." Carl and Brian both crossed their arms, and Brian spoke. "Think what you want, but Carl and Sweet was just at the Hospital downtown. Go there and talk to the doctors, if you want."

Tenpenny nodded. "Oh, I will. Say Carl, what was 'Sweet''s doctor's name, then?" Carl stared at Tenpenny. "Ralph Fermon, or something like that. Now get the fuck out of her."

Tenpenny nodded, and walked back to the squad car. "I'll be back, Carl, Brian.." He nodded his head to each one as he spoke their name, then opened the door to the Squad Car, got in, closed the door, and drove down the street, and away.

Brian shook his head. "Asshole .. Let's get some sleep." Carl nodded in agreement, and the two walked into the house.

A/N: Hey, guess what several lines were taken direct from a mission in San Andreas. First person to name the mission can tell me to put something (reasonable and serious) into the plot, and I'll try and do it in the next couple of chapters, if not the next one.