Editing Edward McHaggis (section)

=== The First Scottish Revolution ===
The fall of the once-mighty alliance sent shockwaves through the criminal underworld. In the days that followed, Edward was stripped of the Big Four name, cut out of Alexa’s logistical channels, and swiftly discredited by many former allies. His production stalled, distribution lines collapsed, and the man who once stood at the top of the food chain was reduced to a ghost of his former self. These cascading failures left Edward unmotivated and isolated.

Weeks passed, and Edward watched the remnants of his empire shrink. It became clear that without action, rivals would soon take what little he had left. But Edward, even in decline, never stopped dreaming. From a young age, he held a belief—Scotland should be an independent nation, one not ruled by English politics, one that stood proud within the European Union. And at the heart of that nation, Edward dreamed of himself—not as a criminal, but as a leader. A king, perhaps.

With that, a new vision took root. A revolution. Edward began carving out the details. He assessed the manpower still loyal to him, took inventory of his stored weapons, and quietly began laying plans for an armed uprising. Though the Scottish independence movement was small, it had historical precedent—and Edward believed he could be the spark to reignite it.

Later that day, Edward visited Jim at his La Mesa arcade. He shared his plan. Jim was stunned, but not surprised. After everything, a grand move was expected. Though skeptical, Jim offered his support—and a few weapons. It wasn’t much, but it was something.

When Giuseppe returned and resettled in Paleto Bay, Edward began closing the final chapter of his Los Santos life. His famed nightclub shut its doors, but not before one final celebration. That night, Billy, Jim, Giuseppe, and Marty gathered with Edward one last time, raising their glasses to battles fought and friendships tested.

When morning came, Billy and Jim accompanied Edward to the airport. There were no tears, just nods of mutual respect. As Edward boarded the plane, he looked back once—and then stepped forward.

His destination: Scotland.

His goal: revolution.

==== The Revolution ====
After arriving in Scotland, Edward immediately activated his global connections. He called in favours from allies in Italy, Japan, and the United States—former soldiers, mercenaries, and criminals with nothing to lose. Over the next two weeks, Edward quietly stockpiled weapons, recruited loyalists, and prepared for the most ambitious undertaking of his life: a violent revolution to guarantee Scotland's independence.

The revolution began in Aberdeen. Edward and his forces swiftly took control, marching south to Glasgow. There, they occupied strategic government sites—Victoria Quay in Edinburgh, St. Andrew’s House, and Atlantic Quay in Glasgow. With the Scottish flag raised high, Edward stood before cameras and crowds and proclaimed the independence of Scotland. Villages and towns along the southern belt were seized in the following days. What began as a calculated rebellion grew into a movement. Scots, disillusioned with their lack of representation and driven by nationalist fervour, joined Edward’s cause. The Royal Liberation Front of Scotland (RLF) was born.

At its peak, the RLF boasted roughly 4,000 to 5,000 armed fighters—many ex-military or former paramilitaries. Their march south was swift and ruthless. Newcastle fell, and soon after, they reached Leeds. The capture was brutal, with street-to-street fighting that left the city scarred. But Edward wasn’t done. His hatred for England—decades in the making—found its expression in one word: Manchester.

He ordered the city sacked.

The brutality shocked the world. Civilians were not spared. Women and children were cut down in the streets as Edward vented every ounce of rage he held toward the United Kingdom. The British government responded by invoking Article 5 of the NATO Alliance. Within weeks, foreign troops from across Europe and North America began deploying into the UK. Manchester became a graveyard. The RLF, once powerful and feared, was now overmatched and overwhelmed. The Battle of Manchester ended in British victory, and with it, the tide turned. The RLF was pushed back on all fronts. Two weeks later, they were surrounded in Edinburgh, the cradle of Edward’s uprising.

Cornered and defeated, Edward made a choice. As his soldiers prepared for a final stand, Edward slipped away, vanishing into the night. He fled to Ireland in secret, vowing to one day return to Los Santos and reclaim what remained of his legacy. In the chaos of the revolution, Edward’s true identity was exposed. Known to most in Los Santos as Edward McHaggis, he was revealed to the world as Edward McBane—a petty street criminal turned failed revolutionary. The exposure stripped away the last of his anonymity.

Interpol placed Edward on its most-wanted list, branding him a global threat. A bounty of $7.5 million was issued for his capture, dead or alive. In the aftermath of the uprising, the UK established an international peace force across Scotland to suppress any future rebellions. Surveillance intensified, borders were locked down, and the Royal Liberation Front was officially declared a terrorist organization. By the time the dust had settled, ten thousand people were dead. Edward had gone from underworld kingpin to fugitive revolutionary—and he had left an island in flames behind him.