Chapter 10: Bargaining Chip
Michael and Franklin drove out to the desert, they were in Franklin's Bravado Buffalo. "Man, that dude is loco." Franklin told Michael. "Packie isn't much better, he is the one who grabbed the girl." Michael replied. "This ain't gonna help matters, he's already green lit. This will just make everything worse." Franklin told Michael. "You ain't wrong. I thought for sure this shit was behind us when we took out Haines and Weston." Michael replied. "Trevor loves chaos, I shoulda known that he wouldn't stop raising hell." Franklin said. Michael turned on the radio, the radio played "I Love This Bar" by Toby Keith on Los Santos New Country. "I hate this song." Michael said as he changed the station. He changed it to Los Santos Rock Radio, which was playing "Dancing With Myself" by Generation X.
They drove to Trevor's air strip, his Bodhi was parked outside the hangar. Franklin parked next to Trevor's truck, they got out of the car and walked inside the hangar. Trevor stood there with a cord in his hand, the back of Gracie's shirt open exposing the bloody welts on her back. "Your people killed a very dear friend of mine." Trevor said menacingly as he paced in front of Grace. "Fuck you! I'll make sure they'll kill all of you bastards!" Grace yelled back at Trevor. Trevor walked behind her, and with all his might swatted her across the back again. The blow from the cord brought fresh blood from the already open stripes on her back. Gracie screamed in pain, before breaking down crying. "Trevor, man what you doin'? Franklin asked Trevor. "Giving daddy's girl here a taste of hell." Trevor replied. He raised the cord up again, before he could swat Grace's blood covered back. Franklin grabbed Trevor's arm, the meth fueled maniac looked at Franklin. "Take a break. Come outside with us." Franklin told Trevor.
Trevor followed Franklin outside, they met with Michael by Franklin's car. "So, we got the mob daughter. What do we do with her?" Michael asked them. "I say we torture her to death, restitution for my boy Wade." Trevor replied. "Nah, we gotta play it smart." Franklin told them. He walked to his car and grabbed a drop phone from the dash, it was a smart phone he bought at a Ryton Aide pharmacy. "I take a picture, leave it at the casino for old man Ancelotti to see. With a note calling for a meeting." Franklin told them. "Yeah, we can use her to call off the goons." Michael added in. "What do I get out of this?" Trevor asked Michael. "You get to live, there's only three of us. Five at best at certain times. We cannot fight these men." Michael replied. "Plus man, we just robbed their casino. I think you got restitution for that." Franklin told Trevor. "Fine! Take the fucking picture." Trevor said aggressively. Franklin walked over to Grace, who was sobbing from the whipping she took. "Smile." Franklin told Grace. She looked up and Franklin snapped the picture.
He walked out of the hangar, he had the picture in his hand. "I'm gonna get this developed, and mail it to the casino." He told Michael. "I'll do it, you just get out of here. And Trevor, don't kill the girl." Michael said as he took the phone from Franklin. "I won't kill her, but I can still have my fun." Trevor replied. Michael got in the Karin Rebel parked beside the hangar, he turned on the radio which was playing "I Love It Loud" by KISS. He drove off, leaving Trevor at the hangar. Franklin got in his car, and left the air strip as well. As he was driving down the highway, back to Los Santos, his phone started ringing. "Hello?" Franklin asked into the phone. "Franklin, it's Tracey. Do you want to go drinking tonight?" Tracey asked Franklin. "Hell yeah, where you at?" Franklin asked in response. "I'm at dad's house, getting ready. See you soon." Tracey replied.
Franklin hung up the phone, he drove back to his house to get ready. He walked in the door of his house, and walked downstairs to his bedroom. He changed into a pair of jeans, a t shirt, and boots. Franklin left the house and got on his bike, he started it up and drove down the street towards Michael's house. He pulled into the driveway to see Tracey standing there, she wore a pair of baby blue booty shorts, with a matching top, and tennis shoes, her blonde hair done up in a pony tail. She mounted Franklin's bike and hugged his waist. "Hey." He said with enthusiasm. "Hey, stud." She replied. "So, where we going?" Franklin asked her. "Bahama Mama's West." Tracey replied. "Sounds good, let's go." Franklin said before turning the bike around and driving off.
They pulled into the parking space in front of the club, Franklin shut off the bike and the two dismounted. They walked hand in hand into the club, where pop music was playing. "Fergalicious" By Fergie was playing through the speakers as they approached the bar, Franklin leaned onto the bar and motioned the bartender. "What'll it be?" She asked them. "Two margaritas." Franklin replied. The barmaid made their drinks and handed them to Franklin, he handed Tracey hers and they walked to a table to sit. "So, how's the show going?" Franklin asked Tracey. "It's going good, Mr. Richards is thinking of casting me as a lead in another show, and there's talks of a part in a movie." Tracey replied. "That's awesome, babe." Franklin told her. "Yeah, so what is keeping you busy right now? I know you own a lot of businesses." Tracey asked Franklin. "Right now, my mind is on you. But I mainly focus on my dispensary, my auto shop in Blaine County, and my cab business. I put my friend Lamar to work managing the tow business." Franklin replied.
After a few drinks, they were buzzed and still talking. "What about the recording studio?" Tracey asked Franklin. "Madd Dogg records tomorrow, Jackie V is doing good. I already got a single put together that I'm gonna drop by Radio Los Santos, and Non Stop Pop tomorrow." Franklin replied. "You know, if you need a dancer for the music videos I'm your girl." Tracey told Franklin. "That's something you'll have to take up with CJ. He's the manager." Franklin replied. The song stopped playing and "We Are Young" by Fun started playing. "You, dad, and Trevor started spending time together again. Are you two back to doing your thing?" Tracey asked Franklin. "Nah, baby. We all legit." Franklin replied. "What about those men the other day, who shot up Trevor's club?" Tracey asked. "Rival club owners, very shady men. Don't worry about them." Franklin replied.
They left the club before Franklin got too drunk, Tracey on the other hand was plastered. He helped Tracey to the bike, and got on himself. "Do you want me to take you home?" Franklin asked Tracey. She in turn grabbed his groin and rubbed it before whispering in his ear. "No, let's go back to your place." Tracey told him. Franklin started his bike, he drove away from the club and back to his house. He helped Tracey off the bike and into his house, she stepped away from Franklin for a minute before stumbling around and falling against his bookshelf. "Oh hell no, you need to lay down." Franklin told her. "I'll be fine, I just need to smoke." Tracey replied. Franklin helped her to the couch, where she sat down. Franklin fired up a joint and took a hit before handing it to Tracey, who took a hit. The marijuana high counteracted the intoxication and she was leveled out, she laid her legs across Franklin's lap and laughed.
The two sat and smoked for a bit, they decided to go out on the deck. Franklin grabbed his phone, and a bluetooth speaker. He turned on the music app and it started playing "Brown Eyed Girl" by Van Morrison. Tracey was still stumbling, but not as bad. She walked to the fridge and grabbed the box of Pisswasser sitting on the top shelf, she filled a tiny cooler with a few ice packs and put as many beers as she could fit into the cooler. She put the box back, and took the cooler out on the deck. She sat next to Franklin in the deck chair and popped the top off one of the bottles. "You feeling better?" He asked her. "Like a million bucks." Tracey replied. She chugged one of the beers, before stripping down to reveal she was not wearing underwear. She climbed on Franklin, and they made love. Afterwards, she laid on him with her head on his chest. She looked up at Franklin. "I love you." She told him. "I love you too babygirl." Franklin replied. The two kissed, with "Lights by Journey playing as they did so.