August 13, 1996.

CJ was loving Las Venturas. The casinos, the strip clubs, the food, sex shop….oh,man. He wished he could settle there permanently. He hated to admit it, but actually he did not like Los Santos as much as LV. Sure, the Grove was there and all, but he was tired of that petty life of a gangbanger. He wished to lead a normal life, a home, a nice wife, kids, money and good friends. He'd mentioned that to Sweet, who had scoffed at him. "I knew it all long, Carl", he'd said. "You're just a soft asshole. You should have stayed in LC, doing your own shit." CJ wanted to remind him that it was because of him[CJ] that the Grove had gotten back in business, but he'd let it go. Sweet would never listen. All he cared about was the GSF. Not that CJ had anything against the Grove. It was his first home. But that didn't mean a guy had to be a gangsta all the time.

That was the reason he'd decided to take a break from LS and come to LV on a vacation. Plus, he'd wanted to meet Woozie. And, of couse, Millie. That girl seriously knew how to give a guy a good time. His body tingled with pleasure just thinking about her. It had been a good change of atmosphere…..until today.

He had just spent a good time at The Strip Club, throwing money at the strippers and enjoying the private dances. Earlier in the day, he'd been at the Four Dragons Casino, checking out the brisk business it was doing. He liked that, because that meant greater profits for him, as he was the co-owner[long story]. Anyway, he was just walking across the parking lot to his car after spending most of the day at the Strip Club, when he noticed a small sheet of paper taped on the windshield. A parking ticket, maybe? He doubted it. He plucked of the sheet and turned it over. It wasn't a parking ticket. It was a neatly typed note in red ink. "Carl Johnson" the note read. "We have your sister. Follow theinstructions carefully if you wish to see her alive again.Come to El Castillo del Diablo. To the pit containing the , at half past midnight. Bring your sister's boyfriend. Nobody else. And don't even think of the police if you want your sister to live. I'll be waiting. Bring this note with you". That was it. No name. No sign. 'Holy shit' he muttered. He wondered who the fuck was trying to mess with him. It might be a trick, he thought. But if it was not….someone was gonna pay. He decided to call Sweet and check. Just then his phone rang.

'Hello?' CJ said.

'Hello, Carl Johnson', a deep and somewhat vaguely familiar voice said.

'Who's this?'

'Not important, Carl. I see you've read the note.'

'How the fuck do you know?' CJ questioned. 'Who are you?' He looked around, as if hoping to see a freak with a gun in his hand looking at him. But he only saw the people of LV revelling in their nightlife.

The voice chuckled softly. 'Too many questions can land you in trouble, Carl. As the note says, I'll be waiting to meet you. You will know who I am.'

Carl couldn't think who this punk could be. The voice sounded like an ordinary, easy going college boy's voice. 'Where's Kendl?' he asked. 'What have you done to her?' His voice almost choked at the thought of some fucking dog hurting her.

'Your sister?' the voice said. 'She has not been harmed until now. Though things might change if you don't comply with us' The voice burst out into a devilish laugh.

CJ trembled with rage. He didn't like anybody threatening his sister. 'Listen, prick', he said, his tone cold with anger. 'I am going to come to that little meeting place of yours tomorrow. I'm going to bust your skull in.'

'That's the spirit!' the voice said, still chuckling. 'Goodbye, Carl! Sweet dreams!' There was a click, indicating that the caller had hung up. CJ was so angry he couldn't think straight. Most frustrating was the fact that he didn't know who this miserable fucker was. And supposedly he had his sister somewhere. He wondered from where the caller had got his number from. The caller had almost sounded like a guy in his early 20's. Or younger. Maybe the same age when CJ had come to LS after 5 years in LC. His train of thought was broken by the ringing of his phone.

Instantly, he thought it must be the mysterious caller again. He decided to mouth him of this time.

'Stop it, you snake!' he yelled into the phone. 'Fuck you!'

'Holmes?', a familiar thin, almost whiny voice said. 'It's Cesar, man.'

CJ's face turned red. 'Sorry man. I thought you was the kidnapper.'

'Kidnapper?' Cesar asked. 'Something about…..Kendl?' he said, choking back a sob. 'Oh man, I don't know what to do…..'

'Yeah' CJ said. He explained Cesar about the note and the kidnapper's call.

'If that motherfucker has even touched her…' He was so angry he couldn't find the right words.

'He'll pay' CJ finished for him.

'The shit looks serious, holmes. No street gangbanger would dare to pull this off against the Grove.'

'Has to be a big organisation' CJ said thoughtfully. 'Say, Cesar, were you with Kendl when she was….you know.'

'Yeah. I was with her.' Cesar sounded embarrassed. 'She wanted to shop for something. I think a dress, maybe. Never told me what it was. Anyway, we were just on the way, on Jefferson, when this guy runs up to us at the red light.'

'Go on' CJ said.

'He was quite a youngster, maybe in his teens.' Cesar continued. ' He was sobbing horribly, man. He pointed to a group of big shady looking guys who were running away. Said they'd stolen something from him. Don't remember what it was. I thought something was fishy about the whole business and told the guy to fuck off. But Kendl….you know how she is, CJ. She yelled at me for being so cruel and told me to chase the men.'

CJ took a deep breath. He didn't like where this was going. 'Then what happened?' he asked.

'Well, I gave in to her. She insisted on coming with me. We both ran after the guys. They were a group of three, and ran faster after spotting us. I was so caught up in the chase I threw caution to the winds and followed them like a blind fool straight to an abandoned alley.'

Cesar sighed and continued. 'It was a trap, CJ. Before we realised what was happening, we had been surrounded. There must have been a dozen guys. I went for my gun, but then something hard slammed into the back of my head and I blacked out. When I woke up, I was in Glen Park. I am a failure.' He finished miserably.

'Don't blame yourself, man.' CJ said comfortingly. 'It wasn't your fault. Now tell me, did you hear them say anything before you blacked out?'

There was a moment's silence. Then Cesar said, 'I remember something. I think one of them said, "Spare the boy. The boss only needs the girl." Or something like that. After that I'm pretty sure there was some shouting. Maybe an argument.'

CJ didn't like this. 'So Kendl was taken.' He grimaced. 'And now she's a prisoner somewhere.'

An uncomfortable silence. 'Well, I think I should come over to LV right now. The note said both of us have to go.'

'That'll be cool' CJ said. I'll arrange for your stay. I know the perfect place. I'll meet you at the airport in two hours, if you are taking the flight half-an-hour from now.' Then he suddenly had a thought. 'What 'bout Sweet?' he asked.

'Sweet's taken some homies and gone' Cesar said. 'To find Kendl. He vowed he wouldn't come back till he found her'.

'Oh, man. A'right, see you' CJ said.

'Yeah, holmes. I'll be there' Cesar hung up.

As CJ drove back to The Four Dragons casino, he couldn't help thinking that he had heard the kidnapper's voice before.