TWG:R

~The Dirty Work Arc~

Chapter 10: Back to Work

[Los Santos]

[Vinewood Hills]

Isaribi woke up with a yawn having slept in the shared house entangled with Naruto. They had spent Sunday having a proper day off which went well. But now it was Monday and time to get back to work. She showered, leaving Naruto to sleep. She was used to being an early bird, and thanks to this 'system' she now had. She was not even sure to call it a power or such. Naruto and her had discussed it along with realizing a few plans. One was signing up with SecuroServ. All they needed was $50k in the bank which they had so they did so, yesterday. The 'updates' that this System had given them a lot of options to pursue, but the two agreed to work to make a bit more money before going after them.

Finishing her shower, she went to her wardrobe to get dressed. If it was one benefit to it that she did enjoy was the complete ease of changing clothes. All the safehouses' closets/wardrobes shared inventory meaning they did not have to buy duplicates anymore… and she even got access to the clothes she had left behind in Liberty. Among them, she found one she thought she had tossed out. Her old black leather jacket from her days in the Lost, but the Lost MC patches were gone. Every other patch was there, however. Yesterday, she even found that her custom Hellfury would just spawn right outside her safehouse being marked as a 'Personal Vehicle'. She did not complain…but had just stored it in the garage.

She settled on wearing a black loose midriff-baring tank, a gray flight jacket, black baggy cargo pants, her old black harness boots, her Datejust watch, and her fingerless gloves. Naruto was getting up as he sauntered to hold her from behind.

"Morning." Naruto breathed out.

"I was planning on going for a drive in my car. Maybe if you hurry, you can catch up on your muscle car." Isaribi said, slipping out of his grasp.

Not one to deny a challenge, he got himself cleaned up. He had to admit that this 'System' was pretty handy. He was able to easily shop online for clothes with Isaribi and they were instantly in his closet. He moved to his bedroom before getting to the walk-in closet coming out in an orange Eris t-shirt under a blue Double P varsity jacket (even had orange sleeves), blue loose jeans, sunrise colored hi-top sneakers, his Datejust watch, and his gloves. He was happy he did not have to 'visibly' have body armor on as did Isaribi. Isaribi was already in her FMJ and speeding out.

"This girl…" Naruto said before racing out to get to the garage to his Dominator.

He revved his engine before driving after all. He knew he had to get his car some serious upgrades as he raced to catch up. The communication line was opened with Isaribi asking if that dust tasted good.

"You know if I had a faster car, I'd be smoking your ass like I did last night." Naruto said, swerving.

"Cute." Isaribi snarked.

The two were tearing through the streets finding themselves soon out of Vinewood Hills cruising on the Baytree Canyon Road. As they were driving, they noticed a question mark on the map with both their 'signature colors' (brunt orange and midnight blue).

"I think that's either a Strangers and Freaks mission…or a Random Event?" Naruto said confusedly. "I know we get our own, but this…"

"Means both of us have to do it together." Isaribi finished. "You down?"

"Why not? Let's see what crazy shit is in store for us." Naruto said as they were speeding along to the spot.

The question mark led to Sisyphus Theater where they saw several Karin Rusty Rebels and Burrito vans with creepy looking people. That's when the mission name flashed at the two for the moment.

[Random Event - Cult Rescue]

They all had Glasgow smiles wearing dark pants, black shoes, white undershirts and hooded leather trench coats. The men were bald, but the women had their hair in a braided crown style.

"Creepy ass cult." Isaribi said in a whisper.

The two were given objectives to park and sneak into the place. Isaribi grinned, finally able to use her special ability. One gain from being a protagonist was getting a special ability (with a bar limiting it). For Naruto, it was Regen for regenerating health and for her it was Night Walker allowing for complete stealth movement. It even gave her natural night vision for when she was in the dark. The two parked their cars not too far away from the area before getting out.

"I guess they can call me a kunoichi." Isaribi said before using her special ability to clear a path around for them.

Naruto followed doing his best to move carefully but quickly. Though, it was quite obvious he stood out like a sore thumb being he was in orange. As they circled around, the stands had several cult goons with something going on the stage. There was a girl in the center who was rather short at five foot five in her late teens. She was a Filliphina with olive skin and long black hair that braided but tussled. She had brown eyes wearing similar clothes to the cultists albeit a bit more ragged and with a brown duffel bag. However, whatever Glasgow marks on her face had faded from view. Her hair was a bit of a mess as she was surrounded armed only with a knife and an empty pistol. Several cult members were bleeding out on the ground, nearly half a dozen. The other half had bullet holes in them. The man in charge chuckled. Naruto and Isaribi listened in as their objective was now finding means to intervene.

"Yara, did you think that you were able to hide from us for long?" The man asked as she snarled. "Your mother never figured you for an apostate. I told you that if you gave into my demands, I wouldn't have touched your little sister. I only wanted you. I love you."

"Yara, get down!"

Yara did not know who that was, but she went down as Naruto and Isaribi sprang out of hiding, putting shotgun shells through that guy's head, staining the stage and several people with blood. Yara snatched the dropped pistol, shooting two others.

"We got company!" One cultist said to his walkie-talkie before being shot. "Guh!"

"Come on!" Isaribi said, gesturing for Yara to follow.

Yara scrambled as Naruto and Isaribi opened fire on the cultists. While several of the cultists had guns, most had bows and arrows, hatchets, and sledgehammers. The archers fired at Naruto and Isaribi, nailing Naruto in the chest.

"Shit!" He hissed before ripping the arrow out.

Isaribi mowed that archer down with her Combat MG as Yara got behind the two of them. Yara asked if they were her guardian angels as Isaribi laughed.

"Yeah, but we're far from angels." Isaribi said as Naruto threw a pipe bomb which smacked one in the face. "Naruto, let's get out of here."

She shoot the pipe bomb to get it to explode before the three bolted for the streets.

"So what's the plan?" Naruto asked.

"You take Yara in your car. I'll protect you guys by covering your tail." Isaribi said, opening his car's passenger side. "Get in!"

Yara did not need to be told twice as Isaribi got in the driver's seat of her own car before racing off. Naruto followed suit in his car as both him and Isaribi saw Yara's 'lifebar' of sorts. The objective was clear, either lose them or kill the red blips on their radars. Trucks and vans were after them.

"Please tell me you have a plan." Yara said to him.

"Yeah, we do. No witnesses." Naruto said throwing out another pipe bomb.

A van drove over it before it exploded sending cultists flying. Yara would have felt bad for them, but there was no feeling of pity. Only anger. She fully knew what they would have done to her…and they had already done it towards her departed sibling. With the pistol, she was firing out from the side window back at the cultists. Isaribi was careful with her sticky bombs making sure to aim for the sides of cars only for a bullet to cut her wrist. She hissed, but she denoted them blowing a few up. Naruto slammed the brakes to let a truck pass before filling it with machine gun fire, causing it to explode. Running down the last guy, Naruto took a breath of relief. All the two needed to do now was get out of the area.

The two arrived at Strawberry pulling up the Tahitan parking lot…after getting breakfast on the way.

"You ok?" Naruto asked.

"Yeah…thank you both for rescuing me. But I don't know why you'd risk your lives for me." Yara remarked.

"Well we have a shared hatred of cults." Isaribi responded.

"It wasn't always like this. The Seraphites used to mean something, wanting to live away from the modern world for a simpler life tied to nature. But those teachings have been long corrupted." Yara said before giving a bit more into her story. "Me and my brother were trying to escape, but…he took the bullet for me to live. I already lost my sister…and now I lost my brother."

Yara was trying to hold it in and sighed.

"And now here I am…I can't go back. And I'm fully aware I'm going to live my life looking over my shoulder, but I would rather be free making my own rules…than living with them. I'm already a criminal…may as well embrace it. You wouldn't happen to need another set of hands." Yara said as the world around Naruto and Isaribi went gray.

Time slowed to a crawl around them as they were given a choice.

[Accept or Decline Yara's Offer]

"We can always use more help." Isaribi remarked. "We're going to need people for a crew soon enough. But this is a two person decision."

"Honestly, if we don't take her…there's a chance she could be recaptured by the cult members. She mentioned there was an island full of them. We don't know their reach or what they're capable of. And I'm not going through saving her again after sticking my neck out. Besides, you're right. She was trained as a soldier…and she can be useful." Naruto said.

They both agreed and the world returned to normal.

"Yeah, we could use hands, but you'll need to get a place of your own. I think one of us can handle that. I'll do it." Isaribi said. "Come over to my car."

Yara had exited Naruto's car as a notice for Naruto and Isarbi came up with a complete mission.

[Mission Complete! +RP, +Yara as a crew member]

Naruto would have been annoyed that he earned no money, but he supposed that having a crew member for future heists, organization plans, and whatnot was a good score. Plus, there was a dangerous vibe to her that had him interested. He finished off his breakfast burrito and looked at his 'GUI'. It was still morning and it seemed Lamar had a mission for him.

Naruto walked along over to Lamar's house as Lamar and a Families member were coming out as Naruto saw the mission title.

[Ticket to Elysium]

"N, my dude. Good to see ya, dawg." Lamar said high-fiving Naruto. "I got another job for you."

"Aight, what's the score?" Naruto asked as the Families member snickered. "What?"

"Sorry, but you sounded like you were in an old mafia movie for a moment." The Families gangbanger said as Lamar rolled his eyes.

"I got another lick - hijacking chemicals, yo. They might be looking crank, they might be dry for cleaning. I don't know. What I do know is my buyer's gonna break off something fat when he gets 'em. The tanker is on the way to the Palmer-Taylor power station in Palomino, so just jack that thing and take it to the contact. And, uhh, look out for the LSPD." Lamar said as Naruto got the objective.

Naruto promptly took his leave.

~TWG~

As Naruto was on his way to snatch a tanker, Isaribi had taken Yara over to Lester's. Obviously, she wanted to get some intel on the group.

"Well, for a group claiming to be against the evils of modern society, they have a website." Lester said as Yara just shook her hand. "Smart thinking, stealing your birth certificate. I can get you some kind of ID to operate in the city. As far as the world will know, you're twenty-one and recently orphaned. You're going to need a new name though for the ID."

"Lillian. Lillian Yara Levin." Yara remarked. "Something to honor the brother and sister I lost."

"Works for me. You can leave your papers with me, I'll get to work on getting them altered. Isaribi, get her some new clothes, change her hair, and meet me at the garment factory. I'll make a call to someone who owes me a favor. Go to the Heat store, the branch at Atlas. Hawick Avenue. " Lester said as Isaribi left with Yara.

Isaribi and Yara were back on the road as Isaribi checked up on Naruto.

"Naruto, what's up?" Isaribi said.

"Just rolling in the truck in the depot." Naruto said.

[Ticket to Elysium - Mission Complete! +RP]

"And done, easy three Gs." Naruto said. "How was the meet up?"

"Good. I just need to get her adjusted. After that, let's go see a movie, you and me. But meet me at the garment factory." Isaribi said before hanging up.

Passing by the shop in question was no issue, it led to Yara getting some new clothes for free. Now clad in a white Heat logo tee, white and black basketball shorts, and white Heat sneakers in black socks; she looked like another face in LS. Isaribi joked that with Yara's hairy pits, she could pass for a resident of the LS countryside.

"So, should I shave it?" Yara asked as she got in the car.

"Nah, you do you." Isaribi said before starting the car. "It's your choice."

Isaribi was quick to get her over to the nearest hairdresser and paid for her cut. Yara settled to get a pixie cut having been tired of dealing with long hair and braids for so long. Isaribi got her out of there as soon as it was done and they met up with Naruto and Lester at the garment factory.

"Here's your documents and your new documents. I suggest you store these in a safe place. And here's your new ID." Lester said, handing them over.

"Thanks." Yara said, taking it up. "You need anything, let me know."

"I'll consider it." Lester said as the three of them left.

~TWG~

[An Hour Later]

Having got Yara in an apartment at the Tahitian and situated, Naruto and Isaribi arrived at the Ten Cent Theater ready to see whatever movie was available.

"Two tickets for the Mainframe." Naruto said as they paid for a ticket.

They were eager for a cheap laugh…and the movie did not disappoint.

Isaribi and Naruto walked out of the movie theater in a good mood after the flim. The movie was a classic drug trip and a barrel of laughs.

"I wonder if the writers really were doing LSD while writing it." Isaribi said.

"Wouldn't surpris-"

His phone rang and he answered to hear Simeon.

"Naruto, I need you." Simeon said. "Where are you?"

"Textile City." Naruto said as Simeon told to come over before hanging up.

"Duty calls?" Isaribi snarked as Naruto hailed a cab.

"Yes." Naruto said before getting in.

She got in the car right after him as Naruto told the driver to take them to Premium Deluxe Motorsport. The two sauntered into the business before finding Simeon in his office.

"Simeon, I want to introduce you to my partner. Isaribi." Naruto said as Simeon put down the seltzer.

"I heard you pay well for work, and you're in need of hands." Isaribi said, cracking her knuckles.

[Rich Men in Richman]

"You'd be right. I had a job for you to do on your own, but I need your friend being here means I could give you a two-man job on my list. If the financial crisis taught us anything, it's that the wealthy have as much trouble with the credit as the poor do. A man in Richman took two expensive cars from me, and now you must repossess them, and bring them to the showroom. His gate has security." Simeon remarked before giving them the paperwork.

The two nodded and left the office with their mini-maps showing they had to go. Another cab ride after and they were in front of the gate.

"The Richman Mansion, a place of parties and topless women." Naruto said as Isaribi got to the gate's terminal. "So how long will this take?"

"Running BruteForce on this. Get your guns ready, the moment this opens…guards are probably going to come for the gate." Isaribi said, sliding the letters together. "And…got it!"

The gate opened, and as Isaribi said…guards sprang out. Isaribi got her carbine rifle to put bullets in two of them. Naruto used his MG as the two stormed their way up to the target cars. A black Grotti Stinger GT and Enus Super Diamond. Isaribi dove into the Stinger GT and started it up.

"I'm going to not even bother to ask why the cars are in the car." Naruto said getting in the Super Diamond.

The two drove out of there as they got two wanted stars with cops on the way and after them. A nearby car park would provide cover for them.

~TWG~

Over at Gerald's apartment, Yara had returned with the stolen merchandise from the Vagos. Gerald wondered who the cops were busy chasing to make it easier for her. He may have to thank them as he paid her.

"Yaya, you did good." Lamar said as the two were leaving the apartment building.

Lamar had gotten to meet Yara and had been showing her around the hood. He had been good company for her, at the least.

~TWG~

No longer wanted by the police, the two arrived with the cars.

"Good work, both of you." Simeon said as they parked them at the back. "Here's your payment."

[Rich Men in Richman - Mission Complete! +RP]

He had given both of them each five Gs before sending them on their way. A text on their phones came from Lester.

"Look, ah, we need to talk. I've got a proposition that might be mutually advantageous. Come to my warehouse off the freeway. We'll discuss it."

The two did not waste time and got over there to be told the words that Isaribi was wanting to hear. Time for finally getting into a heist, and Lester could not help but laugh at Isaribi's excitement over it.

"After missing out on the Liberty heist, this time I'm getting in!" Isaribi said.

"Well, it's a two man job so this is perfect for you both." Lester said as Naruto grinned. "Just made sure you got a place to set up your heist and call me. Naruto, think of this heist as a test of your skills. Success will open doors for you two."

Naruto and Isaribi took their leave. Their system prompted them that if they wanted to start their first heist, they needed to do it from their house in the hills.

"Let's get to that, tomorrow." Naruto said as she nodded.

Current Stats:

Naruto - $193,451 - Current Weapons: Fist, Switchblade, Katana, Pistol, Pistol .50, Pump Shotgun, Micro SMG, MG, SMG, Special Carbine, Sniper Rifle, Pipe Bombs

Isaribi - $327,980 - Current Weapons: Brass Knuckles, Antique Calvary Dagger, Katana, Automatic 9mm, Sweeper Shotgun, Machine Pistol, Combat MG, Carbine Rifle (Extended Clip/Grip/Flashlight), Marksman Rifle , Sticky Bombs

(A/N: The Mainframe is a real movie in-universe which came out in 1998. Just a bit of a metahumor for you. But I figured I'd split this chapter in two. This was to give myself breathing room and introduce the new character, Yara from the Last of Us games. She's going to function as a potential Heist member. And now we get ready for their first heist!)