I'm thinking about putting in light slash.. but it isn't going to be with any GTA character besides Claude. xD
Clean Slate
Summary
Claude attempts to start an honest life, but before he can, he'll have to take care of a few problems.
Prologue
Maria stood in front of him, her manicured hands preoccupied with what seemed to be a suitcase in her left hand and a 9mm handgun in her right hand. Gripping and pointing the handgun in his direction, she coldly said.
"Sorry fido, but a girl's got needs."
Suddenly Claude understood, as if an anvil suddenly dropped on his tired mind and body. Suprisingly though, he didn't feel anything at the betrayal, almost as if he was expecting it.
And so, Maria left with all his money, running out of the apartment they used to share and he just stood there silently, not even bothering to go after her for revenge. Even before Maria's sudden betrayal, he was asking himself why he didn't feel happy. He had everything, the infamy, the money and the girl (albeit an annoying one that never shuts up). He sighed, suddenly feeling very tired. He felt tired, just tired of betrayal, blood, and money. He sat on his couch, his head in his hands. Maybe it was time, that he give up being a criminal, so he didn't have to deal with this crap on a daily basis. He imagined himself starting a new life, working honestly. He mind-laughed at the thought, but then he slowed down his mind and thought about it seriously. Could he do it? Could he find some redemption for everything he's done? There was just a slight problem though. He was the most wanted man in Liberty City. Practically every gang in the city wanted him dead, no matter where he planned to go, they would surely hire assassins to find and kill him. Contemplating his dilema, he stood up and walked out the door, planning to visit an old acqaintance.
Chapter 1
Driving through the tunnels in a blue Landstalker, he brooded about the events that led him to his current situation. Blurs of various colored cars rushed passed his face. It was almost noon now.
Flashback
Exiting his apartment and going down to his personal garage, Claude looked for his favorite red-coated banshee. As the garage door slowly pulled up, only a bare wall stood in front of him. Cursing his stupidity and a certain someone, he forcefully kicked his gray garage wall out of frustration. Only one thought crossed his mind. 'Maria.' It was his favorite car and she had to take that too. He wanted to punch the next person that came around the street corner. In fact, that's what he did. As soon as a car rolled in his 'jacking radar', he went up to it's driver's side and pulled it's blue door open. He punched and then forcefully pulled the person in the driver's seat out of his car and into the hard pavement. It was so easy, seriously, when will Liberty City citizens learn how to lock their doors? Besides, the guy he took this car from probably won't miss it, since he lives in Shoreside Vale, the guy was probably rich. He can afford another one, while he, Claude on the other hand, just became broke. He quickly got in and drove off, not even looking back. What? There’s no official rule that stated he had to immediately start a new and honest life, but it made him wonder if he really wanted to repent.. he would have to work on it later on. For now, he had to concentrate on surviving.
End Flashback
The landstalker passed a sign. It pointed to the right, saying 'Staunton'. Claude continued along the darkly lit tunnels, going in the direction needed. After a few minutes, he finally reached Portland. As he rushed passed the end of the tunnel, bright light hit his face. He drove at the speed of light, ok, maybe that was exadurating things a bit, but he drover fast enough to avoid gangs using him as target practice. Reaching his destination, he pulled up in front of 8-Ball's Bomb shop. He got out of the car, slamming the door shut. As he got out, he walked to the front door of 8-Ball's humble home and knocked.
The door abruptly opened. A bald dark skinned man in a jacket with 8-Ball logo slapped on the back of the jacket and jeans stood there. He had a surprised expression on his face. He was surprised to see an all too familiar man in a normal black bomber jacket and green cargo pants on his doorstep. He signaled for Claude to enter his home. Once Claude entered he quickly shut the door and sat down on his couch, while Claude leaned against a wall with his arms crossed next to him.
"Yo man, haven't heard from you in a while, what the hell's been going down? I heard most of the gangs in Liberty City hate your guts now" the dark skinned man blurted out.
Claude struggled to find a pen and some paper. He kept making signs at 8-Ball indicating for a pen and paper.
"Oh, right, I've never heard you talk, I just figured that you didn't like to talk, are you mute?" 8-Ball asked.
Claude gave him an irritated look that said 'DUH', but proceeded to nod. 8-Ball handed Claude a pen and paper. Pen in hand, Claude began to write down everything that had happened to him up to this point. He started with Catalina betraying him and then moved on to others. From the mafia betraying and trying to assassinate him with a car bomb, to him assassinating Salvatore Leone, to him joining the Yakuza, to Catalina kidnapping Maria, to him taking out a sh** full of Cartel, to rescuing Maria, to Maria's betrayal and how he was planning to start a new life. After he had finished writing, the mute offered 8-Ball his life story in Liberty City. Nodding, 8-Ball took the piece and proceeded to finish reading it.
"Damn man, that's rough, you know I don't chose who I do business with, right? It's unfortunate that one of my cars almost blew you up, but it was nothing personal, you know. So, what do you want from me?"
Claude began to write his response. Once he was finished, the piece of paper read "I know. You owe me, I saved your life, if it wasn't for me you would've been caught by the cops and sent back to jail in another prison convoy. I need your help to disappear, I was thinking of maybe borrowing some money and if you have anything else that could help me, I'd appreciate it"
As 8-Ball read the piece of paper, 8-Ball raised his hands in mock defense.
"I know, I know. I owe you. Damn man, you get all the b***hes. I think I have a friend that can help you with your problem though, just come back tomorrow at around 9:00AM to 12:00AM, aight?" 8-Ball replied, feeling slightly amused but still showed signs of sympathy towards Claude.
Claude nodded, quickly wrote a thank you letter and gave it to him. Claude then proceeded to go back to his car and drive off to his first safe house. He pulled up in a dark corner, and then looked up to a sign that said 'Eddie's'. He parked his car into his safe house garage and then went inside to rest up for tomorrow.
Fast Forward to the Next Day
Claude drifted out of darkness and groggily woke up to find himself in his old safe house. He felt slightly paranoid that 8-Ball would betray him. He's been betrayed so many times that he could'nt help but feel slightly paranoid. He kind of felt sort of sad, but that was life.. and it wasn't like he was a complete saint either, he betrayed and killed Kenji, a potential loyal ally, for money, for money that didn't even make him happy in the end. He smirked at his hypocrisy, but he regretted it now, wondering if this is what Kenji would've felt if he knew that it was Claude who had betrayed him. Although he regretted taking Kenji's life, there wasn't anything he could do about it now.. He then squashed the slightly morbid thoughts begginning to creep into his head and like an iron hammer smashing down, he contemplated them no longer.
As he got up, he grabbed his black bomber jacket and put on his green cargo pants. As he was putting his cloths on, he thought about his choice of cloths. He seriously needed a new wardrobe, it's no wonder gangs would immediately recognized him when he strolled near their territory. He considered changing his hairstyle and having plastic surgery, but he liked his hairstyle and he liked the way he looked, he was far from narcissistic though, well, in his opinion, besides, he didn't have enough money for plastic surgery and it would require for him to fill some medical documents to get plastic surgery.
Claude then went outside and then got into his car. At about the same speed he drove yesterday, he navigated he streets until he parked near Ammunation. He stepped inside and bought a handgun with the little money he had left. It wasn't much, but it was enough to kill someone with one shot. It helped to be prepared. Claude paid the clerk the money he owed and then got back into his car; He drove towards 8-Ball's Bomb Shop. Arriving at his destination, he got out of the car and knocked on 8-Ball's front door. 8-Ball opened the door and motioned for Claude to come inside, welcoming the his silent companion. As Claude got inside he noticed a brown haired light skinned man in a suit staring at him and in turn, Claude stared at him.
"Hey man, this is a friend of mine, his name's Mike Toreno." 8-Ball's deep voice suddenly cut through his mind.
Toreno stood up and held out his hand to Claude.
"A pleasure to meet you, mister Speed." Toreno said.
Startled, Claude hesitantly took Toreno's hand. Claude felt uneasy around the man, how the hell did this guy know his last name, hell.
"Sweet here," Toreno motioned his hands in 8-Ball's direction. "has told me all about your little problem." he continued. "I've heard of your little adventures. I'm sure I can help you with your problem, but it's going to cost you." he finished.
Claude smirked, and then pulled out the pen and paper 8-Ball gave to him yesterday. On it, he wrote. " Figures. Sweet?"
8-Ball then replied. "It's an old nickname of mine. My real name's Sean Johnson"
The Liberty City Reaper vaguely remembered a name through his many memories. He figured it was probably another person though, because there were a lot of people with the last name Johnson.
