Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (Rewrite)

Chapter 12: High Stakes, Low Rider

After the rest of the afternoon riding through his hometown, CJ looked around to see how much everything has changed since he returned. Everything in Los Santos was so different than it was back in the 1980s. No one was rocking the 1980s fashion anymore, and the music in the radio had changed completely. Hip hop had changed its sound since 1991, and new jack swing was now taking over the musical charts. CJ was currently listening to "Deep Cover" by Dr. Dre and Snoop Doggy Dogg. It was great to hear the hip hop sound of the West Coast.

As CJ parked by the store on Downtown Los Santos, he heard his phone ring. CJ pulled it out to answer it.

"Who's this?" CJ asked.

"Hey, what's up homie?" he heard Cesar say over the phone. "It's Cesar Vialpando, cabron, que honda?"

CJ didn't understand the Spanish Cesar was speaking in, but decided to reply anyway. "You seen Kendl?" he asked.

"Yeah, she's with me," Cesar replied. "She's hanging around. I just called to say that you drive cool and you like cars, eh, so ..."

"Yeah, okay," CJ said. "Where we going with this?"

"Well, you wanna make something a little money?" Cesar asked.

"Does he pope shit in the woods?" CJ asked facetiously.

"I don't know," Cesar responded. "But if you do want a little extra, there's plenty of money to be made racing."

"You talking illegal street racing," CJ told him. "Hell yeah!"

"No hoopties, holmes," Cesar told him. "Just lowriders. Nice ones, they gotta be nice or you don't get in, eh."

"Okay, I'm in," CJ said. "When and where?"

"Drop by the spot in El Corona," Cesar told him. "I'll take you to the meet, vouch for you. These guys ... these guys can be very nervous to new racers, eh!"

CJ hung up the phone. He was down with a little competition. So after he ran into the store to purchase a beverage, he returned to his lowrider and drove through the streets of Los Santos.

This was the perfect time to get his lowrider modified. So CJ decided to see Rico to design it. He drove down to Willowfield and came to Rico's garage, where he saw Rico standing right there.

"CJ," Rico called. "I see you came back over for another tune-up!"

"Yeah!" CJ said. "My ride could use a little tweaking."

"Well," Rico told him, "you're free to stylize your ride however you like, bro. Just take it into the garage and I'll hook you up!"

So CJ backed his lowrider inside Rico's garage and went with some preferred styles. He chose green as the outside paint job to represent his gang colors and went with the classic rims for the tires. Rico also tuned the hydraulics and added a nitro by the exhaust pipes.

CJ studied the car and gave Rico a handshake of gratitude. "You hooked it up for me, Rico!" he told him. "Thanks, hombre."

"No prob, Ceej," Rico told him. "Word on the street is that there's a lowrider race over at El Corona."

"Oh you heard about that?" CJ asked.

"Yeah," Rico told him. "Now why don't you go out there and win some cash?! There's no way my hard work could fail you!"

So CJ took his newly-designed lowrider for a drive to El Corona and made his way to Cesar's house, where he saw the Latino man sitting in his red Savanna with Kendl in the passenger's seat.

CJ parked his car up front and walked towards Cesar, who was playing "La Raza" by Kid Frost on his radio.

"Heeyy, CJ, you made it!" Cesar called.

"What's the bi'ness?" CJ greeted.

"Hey Carl," Kendl told CJ.

"Hey, sis," CJ said.

"Nice ride, man," Cesar told CJ, studying his lowrider parked to the front. "That's no carrucha! You sure you want to risk that baby?"

"Yeah, I'm sure," CJ replied. "How much they talking about?"

"It's hard cash or your pink slip in the pot," Cesar responded. "Con Safos, eh. Then you pull up and race. First past the post wins, con chota, sin chota."

"OK, for sure," CJ said. "I'm down."

"Watch out, CJ," Cesar warned, signaling his hand. "These boys don't like to lose, eh..."

"Yeah, well me either," CJ responded.

"Follow me to the race, dude!" Cesar told him.

So CJ hopped inside his lowrider and watched as Cesar rode out of the parking lot of his home and made a right turn to the street up ahead.

"Keep up, holmes," Cesar told CJ.

CJ rode ahead as Cesar rode up an overpass.

"Not far no, eh?" Cesar called.

"Come on, Carl!" Kendl added. "Follow us!"

CJ continued to follow Cesar and Kendl until they finally made it to Verdant Bluffs, where the other racers in lowriders were waiting.

"Ready, CJ?" Cesar asked as the race was beginning to start.

"I'm sure he's ready, Ceez," Kendl told him. "Ready to lose!"

"We gon' see about that!" CJ replied with a sly grin.

And as he said that, the race began, and all the racers were driving vigorously through the street. Some of the races crashed into other cars, and others just zoomed through the traffic.

They all drove through Verona Beach and straight ahead through Marina. They made a right turn on Sant Maria Beach and drove straight ahead. This road was open, and no cars were driving. So they drove through Rodeo street and made a right turn on Richman.

CJ was just second behind Cesar and Kendl, and the two racers were yards ahead of the other contestants. Then made a few sharp turns around Rodeo. They were at each other's neck in the race.

When they finally approached the Santa Maria Beach, they each were racing towards the finish line, dashing as fast as each of them can go. When both of them finally made it past the finish line, the race was over. CJ had won! And Cesar and Kendl came in second place.

The two stopped their vehicles as they crossed the line, and CJ stopped out to confront his sister and new friend.

"Who did you say would be the loser, sis?" CJ told Kendl.

"Yeah, yeah," Kendl replied, smiling modestly. "You proved me wrong, CJ. Good race."

"Si, holmes," Cesar added. "You were a beast on the street. Looks like you earned the cash, eh."

"Cool," CJ said.

He received $1,000 for the race by one of the judges at the pier.

"Oh snap!" CJ cried out. "I didn't know you give away this much!"

"That's right, man," Cesar told him. "I told you, this race is intense! You can come over and see me anytime, CJ."

"And spend that cash wisely, Carl," Kendl added.

So Cesar drove away, and CJ looked around the pier. He had vivid childhood memories in Santa Maria. The sun blazed beautifully above the rippling ocean water in the blue afternoon sky. The reflection of the atmosphere brightened in the ocean.

CJ took one more glance at the scenery and hopped back inside his lowrider. He started the engine and drove back onto the road.

As CJ drove through Downtown Los Santos, he was feeling rather confident that his family was going to come back up on top again and show the Ballas who really runs the hood.

By the time CJ finally returned to this street, the sun was already beginning to set. He looked around to see the orange sky blazing around the street. He opened the garage of his house and stored his lowrider inside. As he hopped out and let the garage close behind him, he decided to see what one of his friends were up to.