Alright, here's chapter 3 of the story. And for this I've asked somebody who helped me with street slang (sort of) so here are the people who helped me through with the chapter.

Kurogane7.

Mustard

Also, please be kind to leave a review underneath, it really supports the story and I will be working more frequently on it.

Otherway then that, enjoy.

1982

In a cemetery up in East Los Santos, there was a festivity going on that was quietly filling up the big area. Even when it was a day in November, the sun was settling up nicely on this day.

With numerous skeleton decorations, painted faces, colorful patterned paper and numerous types of flowers that were present everywhere, alongside decorated skulls, and candies for the children.

Día de los Muertos, better known as Day of the Dead. A celebration originally from Mexico in remembrance of the dead of those who still had loved ones resting on their minds. It could be seen by the many altars known as ofrendas that were dedicated to those who've passed on. Always adorned with flowers and lit candles, as well as food and beverages they enjoyed in life, as well as photos and cherished items, with toys for children in particular.

Walking through the cemetery was Naruto, having just come from school on the other side of town, still carrying his backpack as he was on his way, walking through the cemetery as the folks who invited him over were living nearby.

Naruto smiled as he still wore some white shirt with a black jacket with red/orange sneakers he wore while going to a school up in the suburbs, one far away from the gang-ridden inner-city that the judge ordered him to attend.

A couple of children happened to run past him, prompting him to pause in order to allow them to fool around. Seeing they were clearly happy with their face paint, Naruto just walked through as he happened to then reach the other end of the graveyard.

And once he happened to walk out, he stood right across the street of the house he was supposed to visit - the one house that stood out differently from all the others. It previously was one big empty spot two decades ago.

Now there laid a three-story-high building with different patterns of colors, all that shouted of happiness and was a sight to be seen. There were many small balconies located on the outer walls, and the roof of the house was covered in rounded ceramic Spanish roof tiles. Wooden formatted windows with glass in them as it gave some sort of old-school vibe. The front yard was filled with blooming purple flowers near the door, but most of them were concentrated on one corner of the house.

This house was Casa Madrigal.

*HOINK!* *HOINK!*

"Naruto!"

Turning to the street, seeing that coming up in her station wagon brown Perennial, was none other than Beverly Johnson and Kendl in the front seat waving at him as the car parked up on the sidewalk.

"Heeey!"

Naruto waved at her while smiling. "Hey Kendl, hey Mrs. Johnson."

"Boy, how many times I gotta tell ya." Beverly laughed as she got out of the car, seen in her brown dress she walked up to him and saw. "You just got back from school?"

"Yes." Naruto replied. "Just finished and took the bus over here. Like usual."

"No detours?" Kendl asked, checking. "Because you know-"

Naruto pulled over the sleeve of the left side of his pants, showing an ankle bracelet on it.

"I know the terms of my release, Kendl. I was in court that day. Curfew is at eight, then I've got to go back to the orphanage, same rules apply on weekends and holidays till I turn 16," Naruto responded, unamused as he lowered the sleeve, "Where are Brian and Carl?"

"Sean's looking after them, they're both grounded," Beverly replied, slightly irritated as she walked up to the house. "They got into another fight with some boys from Jefferson, so I punished them by staying at home."

Kendl whispered. "It was Kane and his friends, they were badmouthing and you know how Brian reacted."

Smirking, Naruto knew exactly who she was talking about. How Brian and Carl with a couple of GSF's were forced to go to school with a couple of Ballas, like Kane who was Front Yard.

"Come on, kids."

Both indeed followed Mrs. Johnson to the front door as Naruto had already seen Ma Johnson having come here on multiple occasions with Kendl and the others, minus Sean who didn't have a good reputation in East LS.

"Now Naruto, I want you to behave. These are good people."

Shrugging, Naruto told her. "I won't be making any promises."

Scoffing, Beverly then turned to a smile as she knocked on the door for a moment, right as then she could hear some Spanish shouting from inside the house, meaning they were all busy.

Then, once the door was opened, allowing passage for a tan skinned Colombian woman in her late 30s to answer it, wearing a blue dress with an apron, she had brown hair and was delighted to see who it was.

"Mrs. Johnson."

"Julieta, I see you're looking good." Beverly chuckled as she greeted the caretaker household woman. "How's the day been?"

"Been doing alright, si." Julieta smiled as she turned her gaze to Kendl. "Ola, Kendl, how are you doing?"

"Doing great, Aunty Julie." Kendl said nicely to her as she smiled. "Where are Luisa and Isabela?"

Julieta chuckled and responded. "They're inside, waiting for you. And who's this…boy?"

She took a closer look at the boy and instantly, the blonde hair, sun-tinted skin and birthmarks on his face with those blue eyes. The same ones of the boy she remembered five-six years back. The same boy who was seen playing with her daughters.

"N-Naruto?"

Reserved, Naruto smiled and responded back. "Hey Mrs. Madrigal, Qué más?" He asked in the few first words he was taught by her. "Nice to see you-"

The first words alone caused the Colombian woman to embrace him with both her arms and her body fully pressed against him. As she was nearly squeezing the young teen with all her might.

Unable to move, Naruto did however turn his eyes on that of Madam Julieta who was seen tearing up slightly as she was showing to be tearing up slightly.

"Oh my, Oh my. It's good to see you, Hijo." Julieta released him as she checked him. "You've grown, Naruto, into a handsome young boy."

"Thanks, ma'am-"

"And don't call me that, remember. Call me Aunt Julie, just like Kendl here." Julieta nicely said. "Remember that you're a family friend to us. Alright?"

"Moooom!"

Both wooden doors opened up widely as a pair of girls were seen bursting out, both seen yelling at each other in Spanish as they were fighting over a hairbrush they are in obvious need of. Both had beautiful natural brown hair in the process of being combed.

Kendl chuckled alongside her mom. "They're at it again."

"Oh Dios mío." Julieta turned to the girls. "Children, why are you fighting now?"

The older girl, who clearly was a few years older than Naruto, had darker tan than her mother, hazel eyes, a tear-shaped beauty mark on her left cheek, and long, shiny, black hair that had a pink flower hanging on it that matched her earrings she just put on. Wearing her favorite pink dress she wore that matched that flower.

Arguing against her was her younger sister who was one of her younger sisters who was shorter but had a lighter skin tone, but was a fiery one who had orange eyes that were just screaming now anger at her oldest sibling. Seen wearing a white blouse with beetles and other cute looking insects on them with frills of black trimming at the neck and sleeves. She also wore a teal skirt with her favorite color mint green pattern and a pair of visible sandals that she wore indoors.

Two more girls were seen at the door, one was the second-oldest sister who stood hiding behind one of the doors, even with her height and fairly intimating body she was quite nervous as she wore a similar white blouse and red ribbon on it with long indigo skirt with dark purple and pink stripes at the bottom.

As then the last girl was the one close to Naruto's age, wearing rounded glasses and was wearing an equally beautiful set of clothing and looked like she was exhausted as she just tried to be the mediator between her two sisters.

"Give me that!" The younger one demanded. "You've had it long enough!"

The oldest sister smiled. "My hair's longer, so I get to use it first!"

"For nearly an hour! That's unfair!" The short haired sister yelled and added in Spanish. "Dame eso antes de que empiece a tirarte del pelo!"

(Give me that before I start pulling your hair!)

Isabel frowned on her. "You wouldn't dare…."

"Try me…"

"Isabel, Fu, stop it!" called out a bespectacled girl, running in between the two bickering sisters.

Naruto heard that name and he was filled with shock when he then looked at the girl with the bug-themed skirt.

"Fu?"

The girl turned to whoever called her name and was then equally shocked to see who it was standing in front of her house as she stood frozen as she recognized the boy she could never forget.

"Naruto!"

1992

As those memories just passed through his mind - Naruto was watching from a distance the newer ones being made. Those he would wish to forget but couldn't.

After the long drive from the church, the body of Beverly Johnson was now being brought down to the grave as the priest was finishing making a prayer, something that Naruto decided to stand back for a bit. As the crowd was still big but with some having left, he however wanted to stay from a distance.

"Ashes to Ashes, dust to dust." The priest spoke those final words. "Amen."

As the priest was done, slowly everybody that was still there shuffled towards the casket to pay one last sign of respect as they all went into a long line. The Madrigals were first in line with Alma seen approaching the casket first, making a cross across her chest, before laying a hand on her friend's coffin. She was then followed by her daughter Julieta who had to support her.

Naruto just turned his head around and walked away from the scene, and walked over somewhere else, unknown to him that he was seen leaving by a pair of eyes.

Or in this case, multiple pairs of eyes.

After a bit of walking, Naruto was seen kneeling in front of a still clean and well-taken care off gravestone, where he still held his glasses on while staring down at the grave.

Brian Johnson

1967 - 1987

Beloved son, adored brother, dear friend

The end of one's journey is merely the beginning of a new story

After having read that, Naruto had then removed his sunglasses. "Hey Brian, sorry for not visiting you more."

Kneeling down to the ground, he then pulled a fist-sized bottle of saké out of a paper bag. The bitter alcoholic beverage the two used to drink as they happened to like it, much to the confusion of the others in the neighborhood.

"I know how I said saké tastes better when hot, but I didn't really have the time or the means to heat it up beforehand. Though I did hear it tasted just fine when cold, so there is that. Anyway…"

As he popped the metal cap off the bottle, Naruto took one small sip before he then poured a small amount over the grave. With the liquid even flowing inside the earth as it touched the ground.

The small smile that laid on Naruto's face dropped to solemnity as he went to work at cleaning the headstone with the bag. "Everything went so bad after you died, Brian," he continued, "Your death really messed everyone up. You don't know how much everyone misses you."

One pair of legs with a long dress was seen approaching Naruto from behind, stopping on her tracks as she then spoke.

"He always thought of you as a good friend. Always trusted that you had something important to do. And so do I."

Hearing that, Naruto raised his head up and turned around to see a familiar face he hadn't been able to meet yet, bringing some happiness to him.

"Good to see you, Tía Julieta."

Julieta had changed over the years, though she'd aged fairly gracefully as she looked almost the same as when they last saw each other. With her black dress, she however was always known for wearing a baby blue with a tiffany blue long skirt and a cooking apron the same color, her outfit she usually wore when cooking in her home or outside for a living.

Nevertheless, her chuckle didn't change as she smiled. "I see, no more just Aunty Julie?"

"I don't know." Naruto said standing up to face her. "What would you like to hear?"

"Not hear, but feel." Julieta said as she held her arms out. "Come here, give me a hug."

Accepting this gesture, Naruto fully embraced Julieta in a heartfelt hug that was of genuine return as both the older woman and the younger man held each other for a moment. Showing they had a deep bond that really went back years.

"I'm so glad to see you." Julieta said with a sad sigh. "I just wish it was under different circumstances."

"Me too, Miss M, me too."

Breaking the hugging off, both turned around to see Ryder and LB seen approaching them casually, with the Colombian woman turning a smile.

"Ah, my Little Lance… You've grown up."

A snicker happened to escape out of LB's lip, nearly laughing as that was mentioned. Even causing Naruto to lower his head to try not to show the smirk on his face.

Ryder however didn't seem to mind it as he went on to hug her. "Hey Mrs, M. Good to see you. You doing good?"

"Fine, Lance. So's the rest of the family." Julieta said with a half attempted smile that faded away soon after. "Or at least the ones I can say for…"

The response got the three young men to look at the mother, of which she then knew she couldn't hide it and just said it.

"Oh, who am I kidding. No, things haven't been as good with the family. But you know that already, Naruto." Julieta turned back to Naruto with a defeated tone. "We're still searching…"

"Wait, she's still gone?" Naruto asked, looking at her confused. "But it's been almost over a year now!" Ryder and LB looked at them, wondering what was going on as they continued to talk.

Julieta sighed. "She's still gone, and we can't find her. That now leaves me to Luisa only…" She rubbed the temple of her head slightly as she shook her head. "Where did I go wrong…"

"Julieta!" Pepa was yelling for her sister. "Come, Mama needs to go to the doctor."

"I have to leave now, I'm sorry." Julieta said kissing both Naruto and Ryder on the cheeks as a good gesture, before joining up with her family to the family cars.

Once he was satisfied that Julieta was out of earshot, Naruto turned to regard Ryder with concern written on his face. "Who was missing?"

Ryder seemed to be torn as to whether or not he wanted to tell Naruto. "Her eldest daughter, the golden child Isabela."

"Señorita Perfecta's missing?" Naruto asked in disbelief.

"Yeah."

"What happened?" Naruto looked distraught and asked. "I only know through letters that she was gone, but missing? Nobody even told me that."

"That's because this isn't the first round of bad shit that happened to the Madrigal family, homie. After you got locked up, things went bad." Ryder said, giving the short version. "Family started showing cracks after Brian's funeral, ending up with the only girls in the house being Luisa and Dolores. Antonio's still too young to understand anything, and Camilo's on probation."

"Probation?"

"Camilo got pinched, homie," LB said, shaking his head, "Possession of a firearm, six months ago. Main reason why you don't see Dolores' dad and uncle here."

Naruto held his hands over his head and cursed. "Fuck…. How?"

"Police raided the house-"

"I mean how did Camilo get the gun?" Naruto asked for specifics, clearly angry. "And why the hell is he carrying one around, he's a good kid with a good family."

"That's just it. It leads back to Isabela." Ryder said as he laid it down. "He heard she was spotted on the corner with the working girls down the Eastside in Colinas."

"Working girls?" Naruto asked. "Are you sure?"

"I'm just gonna say it straight, homie, but that girl had a boyfriend that was really a pimp who turned her out." LB said. "Dude's a Vagos shot caller."

"Who?" Naruto's anger intensified by the second, "WHO?"

"Big Poppa."

That name rang a bell and not in a good way, as it was the nickname of one of the local thugs back from the teen days. With Poppa actually having grown up in the same neighborhood in East Los Santos and even on the same block as the Madrigals, Naruto was able to have an inkling as to what happened.

"Camilo heard and decided to ask some friends of his for a heater." Ryder further explained, "One thing led to another and he got flagged up and was caught with a nine."

Naruto's eyes closed as he feared the worst and held his hands over his face as the frustration could be seen by his friend as he asked them.

"With who…"

"Vagos rivals, of course. Them Varrios eses from the Southside." Ryder said to him with not much to give. "Started rollin' with some dudes from Little Mexico."

It was then that it happened that Naruto turned his head upwards and thought for a moment, before he then made his conclusion.

"We gotta find Isabela, that's what we got to do."

"You sure man? You just got out." LB asked, being hesitant. "I mean, don't you have a parole officer on your back?"

"I'm exonerated, meaning I got no people on my case. No probation, no parole, no cops. Only thing I'm most likely facing is some phone calls from some folk back in my old unit." Naruto made it clear on his current situation. "Right now, I'm focused on helping find the killer of Ma Johnson and helping my friends."

"Man, you haven't changed a bit - a down homie who doesn't turn his back." LB smiled at him. "Aight, I'll help. Maybe I can hear something out, but it's gonna take sometime."

*CLAP!*

Naruto and LB dabbed each other's hands as LB then made his way out of the cemetery, leaving the blonde with Ryder who took no short time to flare up a prepared blunt.

"Really? Now?"

Ryder looked at him funny after he had taken a stroke from it. "Don't sweat it. It's my thing. Like Big Smoke and his chicken, my water and I don't separate."

"Speaking of Smoke, where the hell is he?" Naruto asked as he just noticed. "I haven't seen him all day."

"Somebody say my name?"

The two turned around and were surprised by the sudden presence of none other than the obese man Big Smoke himself, as he was seen walking up towards the pair with a unusually large smile on his face.

"Naruto, my man!" Big Smoke ecstatically shouted seeing the presence of Naruto as he grabbed his hand and pulled him into a hug. "My Eastern brother, my Lord! Oh Lord! I heard you were getting out just a few days ago and boy was I shocked!"

A smile cracked on Naruto's face as he was met with the big-hearted but mouthing Melvin who had always been like this - almost like a preacher of some sort, but also the air of a con artist at times.

"Good to see you too, Melvin."

"Man, it's always Melvin with you. Its Big Smoke-"

"Smoke, where the fuck were you?" Ryder asked right out almost in a fit of anger. "I told you to come early and yet you come at the last minute."

"Hey, I'm sorry but I had some things to do." Smoke said as part of the apology, "But I was going by the house of Mrs. Beverly until I came across the missing son."

"Missing son?"

Smoke stepped aside and spoke out. "CJ, come on."

Standing behind Smoke the whole time, Carl Johnson emerged in front of the two unnoticed guys as they were seeing the youngest Johnson brother after nearly five years. A simple set of jeans and sneakers with a white tank top revealed that Carl had noticeable bruises on his face, as though he'd come out from a recent dust-up.

With the mixed reactions coming out fast.

"Oh look who it is, Mr. Buster coming to his own mother's funeral looking like murder." Ryder commented with no holding back as he puffed out smoke. "Where have you been, fool?"

"Nice to see you too, Ryder." Carl said sarcastically as he was not in the mood. "I came all the way over here from the East Coast to be insulted - and you haven't even changed a bit."

"Maybe you should've come earlier and then this wouldn't happen, nigga." Ryder stated, seen clearly unhappy at his presence. "What? Didn't know the date? Late flight? What kind of excuse do you have to-"

"Why were you late, Carl?" Naruto asked, interrupting his friend but also asking in a less hostile way as he added in the question of the bruises. "And what happened to you?"

Seeing the clear attempt at defusing the situation, CJ was glad to see that Naruto wasn't holding much against him as he then explained. "Tenpenny happened. C.R.A.S.H pulled me over before I even got the chance to get home."

"What did he do?"

"Nothing much, except hauling all my money for himself and basically driving me across town before dumping me in Rollin Heights Ballas country." CJ said as he groaned holding his shoulder as the pain was still there. "Pigs just threw me out of the car in an alleyway, hit my shoulder against a wall."

"Damn."

CJ then happened to focus on the grave site of where his brother and sister were, both dressed in black. By contrast, he'd come unprepared and came in with the clothing he had on for the day.

Naruto sighed, nodding towards the congregation. "Go on, pay your respects."

"Look Naruto, I-"

"Today's not the day for this kinda shit, okay!?" Naruto snapped, stunning Carl into silence like a parent scolding his child, "Now go and reunite with your family, have some closure…and don't make me say it twice."

Taking that as an order from the former Marine, CJ nodded and walked past his friend and made his way to his family, but not before nodding gratefully to him. "We'll get back to this later."

The first thing that CJ had to deal with upon reuniting with his brother and sister was the obvious shock and disappointment at seeing him in his current state, but that was quickly discarded as he was escorted to the gathering of family members. Words were whispered among the congregation regarding the amount of disrespect being shown, but a fair amount of leeway was given; after all, everyone was there to pay respects to his late mother, not to chastise him.

As he stood at the closed casket of his mother, CJ sank to his knees lying his head against it. Sincere tears could be seen coming out of genuine grief, combined with shame at his apparent lack of care to prepare for his own mother's funeral - a shame that was visibly seen on Carl Johnson.

Then it happened that Kendl was seen reaching down to her brother and hugging him from behind as she tried to comfort him as much as she could, seeing both her mother pass away and the return of her brother after so long, made things even more emotional for her.

But the biggest surprise for those watching was Sweet actually approaching the two and laying a hand over a shoulder - Carl's shoulder out of the two of them. With many having expected all the time that the two brothers were going to be in a shouting match initiated by Sean, he proved everyone wrong.

They were having their moment in silence over the grave of their mother whilst setting aside their differences, if only for a day - a heartwarming, yet also sad scene to witness.

Watching from the sidelines, Naruto already had set up his mind and spoke to the two friends next to him.

"Let's wait outside at the gates."

Ten minutes later

While standing outside at the entrance of the Vinewood Cemetery, the only car that was parked there was Big Smoke's new Black Perennial that he used to bring CJ here. The trio now allowed the Johnson Siblings to have their own moment.

Alone, Naruto was being told about the heavy toll of what happened after Brian got killed. Where now some uncomfortable truths were being spoken like the amount of dead homies were getting buried.

"So Tony got buried here, along with Big Devil and Little Devil?" Naruto asked, looking back at the cemetery and shaking his head. "That's really messed up."

"Yeah, but that's what the streets are like, homie." Big Smoke reminded him. "We chose this path and we'll reap its rewards and its dangers. And that's the way it is."

Ryder rolled his eyes at the preaching of Big Smoke and commented to Naruto. "What's your plan now? You got a place to stay?"

Naruto shook his head and suggested. "I think I might stay in the Johnson House until I find something. That, and I need to start making an income."

"What about your Marine buddies?" Ryder asked with a point brought up as he was still blazing the blunt. "I mean, by now you should have at least some people calling you by now. Can't they help you get some money?"

Naruto shook his head, knowing that half his unit was from the same state. He also knew they all were not in the best financial situation, given they also had their own problems he heard of while he was in prison, making him think it was for the better not to bother them with his own financial problems.

"I don't think they're in any position to help," Naruto said honestly, he then spotted. "Look, they're coming."

Seen walking out were both CJ and Sweet, but without Kendl who wasn't seen coming with them.

Smoke asked. "Hey yo, where's Kendl?"

"She went the other way, got a ride from Dolores." Sweet said as he still was wearing his black clothing but had put on his green cap. "We all that's left?"

"G'yeah." Ryder nodded to him. "Everyone left, homie. Just us now."

From the corner of a street purple Voodoo two-seater was seen coming out as it then made a turn into the street where the cemetery entrance was. Inside the car were two black males with white shirts, but one clearly seen wearing a purple bandana around his neck.

In his hand was a MAC-10, the infamous Uzi-style .45 ACP machine pistol.

The car drove up the street as Naruto happened to turn his head around and noticed the ride coming towards them, with the passenger guy leaning outwards with his gun over the hood and-

"Ballas! Drive-by!" Ryder spotted the car and shouted. "Incoming!"

CJ and Naruto ducked for cover alongside Ryder as the Ballas happened to then respond by emptying the magazine at them, hoping to hit at least one of them.

Multiple bullets streaked over them as they hit the cemetery walls and curb, luckily not hitting any of the group.

But then by a lucky shot the bullets managed to hit Smoke's Perennial multiple times, that the engine tank was hit and it caused the car to explode on the spot.

"Ah! Motherfucker!" Smoke shouted angrily as he kept firing his 9mm pistol at the car. "My car!"

Sweet was the second one to pull out his pistol and began firing back also, forcing the Voodoo to take off once the first bullets managed to hit the door and side window.

*BANG!*

The Ballas however got more trouble when a series of gunshots were fired precisely at the car, hitting them multiple times and forcing them to drive off.

But more gunshots would follow them as their black window was getting shattered, and their trunk filled up with bullet holes - by Naruto who was quickly behind them with his own pistol and shooting at them with deadly precision.

"Hit the gas! Hit the gas!"

The Voodoo narrowly drove into the corner of the street, escaping as then Naruto stopped on his tracks with his sidearm drawn out and aimed at the disappearing car.

Breathing hard in and out, Naruto quickly realized he had emptied the full Glock 17 at the car, without even thinking of having done it in the open daylight.

"Hey, Ruto!"

Snapping out of it, Naruto quickly turned back around and said. "We gotta get out of here, now."

"Too crazy around here, back to the hood." Sweet said as he pulled his own strap away. "Grab one of those bikes and follow my lead."

It happened to be that on the opposite side of the cemetery entrance was a bicycle shop with at least five just left outside the closed shop - lucky for them, unlucky for the owner.

"Follow my lead." Sweet said as he hopped onto one and went off with Smoke right behind him.

Naruto, Ryder and CJ hopped on next as then Ryder got tapped on the arm.

"Need a clip. Give me!"

Ryder did not hesitate and pulled out from his back pocket a pistol clip, handing it over to Naruto who replaced the empty clip with the fresh one.

"You're really going all-Marine now, aren't you?" CJ watched Naruto. "Five years in the pen and you still got that training kicking in?"

Naruto answered. "It never went away."

"Hurry up!" Ryder said, pedaling up next. "We gotta move, move!"

The two last joined up with Ryder as they went up the road as fast as they could. Just when the Voodoo happened to make a reappearance again - this time with a vengeance.

"This time I won't miss!"

As the group of five Ganton natives were speeding through the busy streets, they avoid hiting any of the cars that stood still or were bypassed by them, causing a few cussing and horns being pressed in.

Naruto bypassed a few with the gun tugged deep into his pants, the safety still on. He was in the back of the group alongside CJ.

"Takes you back some, huh, CJ?" Sweet shouted as he was in the lead. "Yeah!"

They kept on peddling as Sweet was widening his lead alongside Ryder who was catching up behind him, and surprisingly even Big Smoke was doing good as he laid a few meters up front. Leaving Naruto and CJ in the back.

Panting hard CJ commented. "Things have changed around here."

"Yeah, they have - but more for me." Naruto said peddling up to not fall behind Carl.

Then it happened that the Voodoo made it appearance back, seen making speed up to try to catch the Families members - but already being spotted by Sweet.

"CJ, watch your back around here, man!"

They just entered Temple as the Groves were going through a traffic stop, allowing them a chance to widen the gap. The bike riders continued through the narrow paths between the cars, nearly hitting their shoulders against the cars that they speeded past, causing a few to even being baffled at what they see.

"How'd it get so bad?!" CJ asked, recognizing where they were going through. "I thought this was family's turf!"

"Yeah, it's Temple Drive Families!" Sweet corrected while still leading. "We don't roll with them no more!"

Naruto now in the back, he looked at his six and noticed they were in the free for now as they were peddling up and taking a right into the Mulholland Intersection.

"Move it, CJ!" Sweet called to CJ. "Move it!"

The pack arrived by going over the parking lot and meeting up in the middle as planned - but then out of nowhere - the Voodoo arrived!

"Shit!" Sweet shouted, pedaling away. "A Ballas car is onto us! Split up!"

The five did so, and the first thought was the Ballas were going for Sweet - but they then saw the car was going for Naruto's direction.

"Ruto! Right behind you!"

"I know! I know! Just go on!" Naruto said as he peddled faster than ever before as widened the gap. "I'll see you back at home!" he shouted as the Voodoo kept chasing him.

"Keep up, motherfucker!" Ryder snapped at CJ. "Do what the homie says!"

The three went on to follow Sweet as they indeed made their way back to Grove Street, better to get themselves safe first back in the hood then getting caught in here.

As Naruto speeded over the bushes - he had exited the intersection car parks as he still had the Voodoo up on his tail, with the Balla member in the shotgun seat eyeing him.

"Hey isn't that… That's Uzumaki!" The shotgun seat Balla said holding his Mac-10. "We got him now, cuz!"

"Stop talking and start blasting!"

Naruto turned to the curbside and began peddling there to then avoid getting hit by any of the cars up road. It was that they were in the back neighborhoods of Glen Park, a Kilo Tray stronghold that they were passing by.

He knew these streets, its alleyways and corners, so if he was correct, by now only one street away, there was an alleyway that led to an underground car park that he could use down in Jefferson.

There he could trap them.

"Fuck you, Uzumaki!" said the Balla, aiming his MAC-10 at him. "Grove Street ain't shit!"

Squeezing the trigger, the machine-gun pistol fired a dozen rounds that were hitting the curbside, yet not one of them managed to hit Naruto or even come close to the bike. The bullets tore up a number of gardens and even smashing a window.

"Nigga! You're shooting up our own hood!" The driver yelled at him. "Aim and then shoot!"

'Morons, of course.'

Withholding any ill-thoughts of getting back at them now, Naruto then took the right turn into an alley, disappearing from the street and then making the Ballas stop.

"Shit! He's gone."

"Nah, I know where he's going!" The shotgun Balla said as he pointed out. "Move before he gets away!"

The damaged Voodoo sped up again and drove further around the block to then try to catch up with the blond ex-con that they were trying to get now they had the perfect opportunity.

Or so they thought.

As Naruto entered the underground parking lot, he made sure to make some tire tracks.

*SCREEECH!*

Doing this on every corner of going down a level, he proceeded on doing that over and over again to lead them where he wanted them.

*SCREECH!*

*SCREECH!*

*SCREECH!*

Then when he was finally done, no more trail tracks were made as just the Voodoo happened to follow those tracks, having spotted their target entering the lot, they thought he was getting sloppy and knew where they were going to end.

"We got him now. This is a dead end." The Balla driver announced. "Prepare to get yo' stripes, homie."

"Yeah…."

The Voodoo then turned to the last corner as the last trial ended up there - and once they entered it they saw it was a dead end - with No Naruto or even a bike standing there.

"What?" The Balla with the gun was confused. "Where he at?"

The driver however then realized.

"We're trapped-"

*BANG!*

The first shot rang through the back screen window that was gone and then hit the front screen, causing both Ballas to duck for cover - with the rearview mirror pretty much catching what was happening.

Naruto now stood behind the car on his bike as he was aiming with both hands at the lowrider vehicle and was firing his pistol at the trapped gang members.

No words were said as he fired multiple rounds at the back of the car, shooting out the lights and hood to keep the two suppressed from moving or even attempting to get out - both were seen cowering in their seats as bullets whizzed overhead.

"Lucky you." Naruto said as he then aimed downwards.

*BANG!* *BANG!*

Both back tires of the lowrider got shot out, leaking the air faster and essentially trapping the vehicle and immobilizing the gang members.

"Back to the Grove."

Seeing an opportunity to flee, he pedaled away as fast as possible. Naruto knew the moment those shots were heard, these guy's friends would come out and wonder what was happening, not a scene he'd like to stay for.

As the two Ballas were getting out, both were seen with broken glass sprinkled over their clothing and even some cuts as the lowrider car was totaled.

They were duped by a Grove, in their own turf, in the middle of the day - a humiliation the LS gangbanger would never forget.

…

After a half hour of biking through LS, Naruto had arrived back at Grove Street, Ganton.

Once back, Naruto got there at last, as everybody wondered what had happened and Naruto then turned up and told them what he did. While Ryder was busy doing wheelies of course.

"I got with them motherfuckers though," Ryder bragged while doing his stunts. "Showed them niggaz whose gangsta - Ryder Nigga!"

"You did good with those Ballsacks, Ruto." Sweet said to him after listening to his story. "But watch yourself from now on. A stunt like that in their turf? Shit, they mad as hell for sure."

Naruto laughed at this and then remembered. "Sweet, I used to prank some of them as revenge back then. I know I can handle these clowns. So no need to worry."

"Yeah, I know. Just saying." Sweet said with a warning. "We're short on good soldiers now, man. I need all the help I could get, you down?"

Naruto, thinking quickly, then quickly responded. "I've got some business to handle here, but yeah. I can help - I got jumped in for a reason of course."

"I might stay too, if I may say." CJ embarked, feeling left out. "Thought I might stay. Things is fucked up."

Sweet scoffed. "The last thing we need is your help." Still acting soar, he had put it like this bluntly to his brother.

"Aw man, I won't let you down," CJ said like he meant it. "I swear."

The demeanor from Sweet lowered as he then suggested. "Hey, we're gonna call up some 'hood rats and chill the hell out, you want some?"

"I got a whole lot going on, and I'm tired,' CJ gave his reason as he was exhausted. "I'll catch y'all later."

"And you?" Sweet turned to Naruto. "You up?"

Naruto declined. "Nah, I've got some old affairs to handle at the moment." He turned his head to Carl. "Besides, I got to help your brother settle back up, since we're going to be housemates for the moment."

"Huh? You are?" CJ asked. "Don't you have some place else to bunk?"

"CJ, don't be a buster." Ryder said while still doing some rounds with his bike around them. "Help the homie out and I'll scale back on dissing you."

"Alright, alright." CJ gave in and turned back to Naruto. "Guess we got no choice - mind helping set things up?"

"No problem." Naruto said before he turned to the others. "I'll see you guys later."

"Hey yo' just drop in," Big Smoke told him. "We all hangin' out."

"G'yeah," Ryder chimed in, coming to an abrupt stop and speaking to CJ. "And get yo'self some colors, fool – and a haircut! It's embarrassing to be seen with you."

That ended in all the guys splitting up and basically leaving Naruto and CJ by themselves as Naruto couldn't help but laugh.

"What's so funny?"

"You know Ryder is not going to stop dissing on you right?" He smiled. "He's gonna keep on doing that shit until he runs out of jokes."

"Oh, don't remind me." CJ groaned. "Now just one thing."

"And that is?"

"Sleep."

Night

After a few hours, the Johnson House was now void of light as Grove Street started descending into sleep. As even the local gang members were starting to get back to their homes.

CJ was asleep in his old room, pretty much tired from coming across the country and let alone having been chased through the city by Ballas. Nobody would blame him for sleeping the night off.

While downstairs in the living room one light was left on, the small lamp at the couches as it was half naked Naruto with his back exposed, sitting there as he was busy working on something at the small table.

Half a dozen 9mm rounds were seen set on the table as Naruto was slowly seen putting one inside the empty magazine one by one. The Glock could be seen laying next to the bullets, a clear sign that Naruto was preparing.

Once done putting in those bullets, he took a look at the small picture on the table.

It was of him in 1987, the summer before everything went bad - in his Marine BDU. At his welcoming party that was thrown by his friends, former orphan friends and even the Madrigals and others - happier times, simpler ones.

But the good times were over, things had happened while he was gone, and there were a lot of unanswered questions that needed to be answered.

And he was going to find those answers.

*Click*

Hope you all liked it and enjoy!