The bass from the speakers rattled the walls of Elizabeta's house, the thumping electronic beats making Arthur's teeth grind. He sat slumped on the couch, nursing a beer, his face twisted in disapproval. "Christ alive, this ain't music," he muttered to himself. "Back in my day, you could actually hear the damn instruments."
Next to him, Johnny Klebitz, vice president of The Lost MC, was sprawled out on the same couch, looking equally unimpressed with the scene. His leather kutte was unzipped, revealing a faded band shirt underneath. He caught Arthur's eye and smirked.
"You look like you're about to strangle the DJ."
"If it'd shut this godawful noise off, I might!" He had to shout over the music.
Johnny chuckled, taking a swig from his own bottle. "Yeah, well, welcome to the club. Nobody gives a damn about real music anymore."
"Ain't that the damn truth." He shook his head. "Used to be you could hear a man's soul in his songs. Now it's just machines and some fella moanin' about nonsense."
Before Johnny could respond, the front door opened, and Niko Bellic stepped inside, scanning the room with his usual calm detachment.
"Hey, Niko!" Elizabeta broke away from dancing with Carmen Ortiz and Kay Hartman, weaving through the crowd toward him.
"Hey!"
"How you doin'?"
"Good. And you?"
Elizabeta grinned, gesturing to the chaos around them. "Surround yourself with cocaine and the assholes soon follow..."
Niko smirked, shaking his head as she laughed. Then she turned, spotting Johnny and Arthur.
"Hey, Johnny! Arthur!"
Johnny lifted his chin in acknowledgment. "Yo."
Arthur grunted, pushing himself up from the couch. The two men walked over as Elizabeta beckoned them closer.
"Hey, come over here. Come on."
Niko and Arthur exchanged nods before shaking hands—Arthur's grip firm, Niko's steady.
"Now, Johnny is sitting on a big pile of heroin. I don't go near that stuff... professionally..."
Arthur muttered under his breath, "You better not."
She ignored him. "...but I found him a buyer. We're nervous. Will you and Arthur oversee the deal and check everything's cool?"
Niko gave a casual nod. "Sure."
Elizabeta smirked, patting him on the arm. "Thank you."
Johnny pushed off from the wall. "Well, I got to go and pick up the stuff, so, uh, I'll see you two there." He headed for the door, leaving Arthur and Niko with Elizabeta.
She turned back to Niko. "So, who else do you need to meet, huh? Do you know Playboy?"
Niko: "No."
Elizabeta scanned the crowd before spotting a tall man in a vibrant hoodie. "Hey! Playboy! X! Ha ha! This is Niko!"
Playboy X sauntered over, flashing a grin as he dapped up Niko. "Whassup, money?" Then he noticed Arthur. "And you too, cowboy. I haven't seen you ever since I got here."
Arthur gave him a stiff, awkward dap in return. "Been around."
Elizabeta clapped her hands. "Playboy's gonna roll with you two. I want as many eyes on this deal as possible."
Arthur frowned. "Why not bring Packie too? Or some of your other boys?"
She waved a hand dismissively. "Packie's busy. Besides, I trust you."
Playboy X fist-bumped Liz before turning to Niko and Arthur. "Y'all ready to bounce?"
Arthur blinked. "Bounce?"
Niko nodded. "Let's go."
Playboy grinned. "Well, come on then."
As they headed out, Arthur shot one last glare at the speakers blaring the mindless thump of modern "music."
"Goddamn noise," he grumbled, following Niko and Playboy.
The trio piled into Niko's stolen burgundy Maibatsu Vincent—Niko behind the wheel, Playboy X riding shotgun, and Arthur crammed into the backseat, his hat nearly brushing the roof. The engine growled to life, and Niko pulled out onto the rain-slicked streets of Broker, the neon lights reflecting off the car's dented hood.
As they cruised through the late-night traffic, Niko glanced in the rearview at Arthur, then over at Playboy.
"So, Elizabeta make you two do this kind of thing often?"
"All the damn time." Arthur leaned forward, resting his arms on the back of the front seats. "Woman's got a knack for findin' trouble and draggin' others into it."
"She don't make me do shit. I just like keepin' an eye on things." Playboy X smirked, adjusting the cuffs of his hoodie. "Ain't a deal that goes down in this city I don't know about."
"That so?" Arthur raised an eyebrow. "I reckon there's plenty you don't."
"Nah, see, you reckon wrong, cowboy. I own this city. For real."
Niko chuckled, weaving around a slow-moving cab. "If you own it, how come we ain't met yet?"
Playboy X shot him a look. "'Cause you obviously ain't been big time 'til now, playboy. We all start small—you was slingin' rocks on the corner, stickin' cats up, all type of shit. Same as me."
"Difference is, some of us grow outta that."
"Oh, here we go. Saint Arthur, too noble for the streets." He turned in his seat to face him. "What, you never robbed nobody? Never put a gun in a man's face?"
"Ain't sayin' that. Just sayin' there's more to life than bein' a two-bit hustler."
Playboy X laughed, shaking his head. "A'ight, whatever. Anyways, them was the old days. Now it's all about diversification."
"And this is your way of diversifying?" Niko asks.
"Money talks, my dude. If money says jump, cats ask how high."
"Ain't wrong there." Arthur comments.
"But you ain't like that, huh? I wanted you three times to handle some business for me. You always turned me down."
"I ain't a hired killer."
"Oh, so it's cool to rob a man blind, leave him broke, strugglin' to pay rent, strugglin' to eat—but pullin' the trigger? That's where you draw the line?"
"You can still earn money. You can't earn another life." Niko says.
Playboy X scoffed, throwing his hands up. "Oh, great. I got two angels on my shoulders." He grinned, shaking his head. "Y'all some righteous motherfuckers, I'll give you that."
Arthur smirked, leaning back in his seat. "Just means you ain't corrupted us yet."
Playboy X chuckled, "We'll see about that." as Niko turned onto Cassidy Street, the derelict apartment building looming ahead.
The trio stepped inside the derelict apartment building, weapons drawn—Niko and Arthur with Glocks, Playboy X with an Uzi. Johnny was already waiting upstairs, an AK-47 slung over his shoulder.
"Hey."
"Johnny."
Johnny gave a curt nod. "Hey."
"You ready?"
"Sure, let's do this." Johnny smirked. "Ain't nothin' like sellin' some dope to let you know you're alive."
"Let's go."
"Yeah, let's do this."
"Let's get this over with."
They moved cautiously into the dimly lit room, where two men stood waiting—one in a loud floral shirt, the other lean and covered in tattoos, an AK resting against his leg.
"What's up?" The guy in floral shirt asked, his tone was suspicious.
Johnny answers. "Not much. Let's do this."
"You got the heroin, right?"
Johnny's eyes narrowed. "Yeah, let's just get this done quick."
"You are carryin' it, correct? Just a simple question."
Johnny exhaled sharply. "You bein' fuckin' weird, man." He turned to the others. "Let's get outta here."
As Niko and Playboy X started backing toward the door, Arthur moved with Johnny—until the tattooed guy suddenly pulled a pistol, shouting:
"LCPD! FREEZE!"
Nobody froze.
Arthur's Glock barked twice before the cop even finished his sentence, blowing holes through both undercover officers' skulls.
"Dumb sons of bitches!" Arthur curses.
Gunfire erupted from the hallway as NOOSE TRU officers stormed in. Johnny and Arthur dove behind a kitchen counter while Niko and Playboy X took cover near the door.
Arthur popped up, firing three precise shots—three NOOSE officers dropped. Johnny leaned out and took down the fourth.
"Move!" Johnny shouts.
Arthur and Johnny bolted for the stairs, only for three more NOOSE officers to come charging up. Arthur dropped two with quick headshots; Johnny blasted the third.
"Keep goin'!" Arthur exclaims.
Floor by floor, they fought their way down—three NOOSE officers on each landing, each falling to Arthur's lethal aim and Johnny's spray of bullets.
Johnny: "These pricks don't know when to quit!"
Arthur: "They're learnin' now!"
Finally, they burst outside—only to be met by six more NOOSE officers.
Arthur and Johnny didn't hesitate. Two quick shots from Arthur dropped the first two; Johnny's AK tore through the rest.
Johnny sprinted to his bike, Arthur jumping on the back as they peeled out, sirens wailing behind them.
The bike roared through the streets, Arthur gripping Johnny's jacket as they weaved through traffic, losing the cops in Broker's tangled alleys.
Arthur: "Goddamn ambush."
Johnny: "Elizabeta's gonna hear about this."
Arthur: "You think she knew?"
Johnny: "Nah. She ain't that stupid."
Arthur grunted. "Hope you're right."
After a few more sharp turns, the heat was finally gone. Johnny pulled up in front of Arthur's apartment building.
Arthur: "You want a drink? I got whiskey."
Johnny: "Appreciate it, but I got business to tend to."
Arthur nodded, stepping off the bike. "Stay sharp."
Johnny revved the engine. "Always."