Chapter IV: The Changing Wind

The First Biker War

After weeks of being held captive and tortured, Marty Marcano returned to Los Santos. Even though the trauma still affected him, he quickly began rebuilding his life. His bar in Pillbox Hill, once a quiet place for small deals and music, was full of life again. That evening, Marty called Morgan, an old friend, to catch up over drinks. When Morgan arrived, something was off. He ordered a bourbon, sat down, and started talking about strange visions he had been seeing since trying a recent batch of acid. He kept seeing a man with a dirty, curly moustache and a crooked smile. He didn’t know who the man was but said he always showed up in places connected to violence. This man was Ron Milliken, but nobody knew that yet.

Marty brushed it off at first, thinking Morgan was just paranoid from the drugs. Later that day, Marty told Morgan he had to pick up a friend from the airport and asked him to come along. They took Marty’s new Moonbeam Custom van, a brownish party van with top-tier speakers and neon lights. As they cruised down the highway, the van bumped with heavy bass—Marty was clearly back in business.

At the airport, the friend turned out to be Damian Morrison. Marty waved him over and the two hugged. Damian, calm but still carrying his past, got into the van. Morgan nodded in greeting. They drove back to the bar, sharing stories and laughs. Damian didn’t say much, but he listened closely. He later said he was moving back into his old apartment on South Bay City Avenue. Marty understood that Damian needed space, but knew things in Los Santos were about to change.

The next morning, the three of them sat in a booth at the bar, drinking coffee instead of alcohol. Damian talked about his time in Vice City and how the space gave him time to think. “I came back,” he said, “because my story wasn’t finished.” Morgan kept drifting in and out, still talking about his visions. Neither Marty nor Damian fully believed him, but they didn’t ignore him either. Marty then took them outside to show off his mobile acid lab—his so-called "construction van." He explained how he and Morgan had taken over the acid market using it, selling across Blaine County and parts of Los Santos. Damian was impressed. Even Morgan smiled, though he still seemed distant.

On a whim, they decided to drive to the Yellowjack Bar. Marty drove, Damian sat in the passenger seat, and Morgan relaxed in the back on top of a crate of product. But before they finished their first drink, Morgan froze. He turned pale and ran outside without saying a word. Marty and Damian followed him. Outside, they found Morgan talking to no one. “He’s here,” he said. “He’s right here. Don’t you see him?” Marty tried to calm him down. Damian told him to relax. But then they heard footsteps—crunching gravel. Merryweather soldiers came out of the trees, armed and ready.

A gunfight broke out behind the Yellowjack. Marty and Damian fired back, while Morgan hid behind the van, clutching his head. Eventually, the mercenaries retreated. The group jumped into the Moonbeam and headed back toward the city. But more Merryweather vehicles chased them on the highway. Damian shot from the back while Marty swerved through traffic.

They finally lost them by hiding in the tunnels under La Mesa. There, Morgan broke down. “I didn’t sign up for this!” he yelled. “Acid labs, ghosts, and mercenaries?! I’m done!” Marty tried to explain, but Morgan didn’t listen. A week later, Marty got a surprise call from Billy McBardigael. Billy had returned under strange circumstances and now worked out of an office at the Arcadius Business Center. Marty brought Morgan and Damian with him to the meeting. Billy, looking younger than before, stood to greet Marty. It was their first time seeing each other since Billy came back. They shared a quick, awkward hug.

Billy looked at Morgan dead in the eyes. Billy did not like the vibe of Morgan and proceeded to insult him. Morgan stayed quiet, lost in his own world. Billy then looked at Damian but didn’t say much. Damian, sensing the tension, left shortly after. Billy didn’t share much information, but his presence reminded Marty that old stories weren’t over. On May 3rd, Marty got a call from Damian in the middle of the night. Damian asked to come by the bar. When he arrived, he said he needed help moving his things to Paleto Bay. By sunrise, they were packing up Damian’s stuff into Marty’s van.

During the drive, Damian opened. He said Vice City gave him space to think, but he kept coming back to Los Santos. “It’s not finished,” he said. “My story. The mess we started.” He mentioned that with Edward gone, the city was without control. He didn’t want to rule but wanted to build something different—a safe place, not a gang.

When they reached Paleto Bay, they stopped at the Bay Rebels bar. Sindy, the ex-wife of Uncle Dave and Captain Cash, was still running the place and welcomed Damian back. Just then, a man with long hair and a goatee stepped out of a vehicle. He introduced himself as Arthur Percy and asked if the bar was open. Damian let him in. Inside, the three of them toasted to the bar’s reopening.

In the meeting room, Arthur said he used to be Claymore’s mechanic and had crossed paths with the Bay Rebels. Damian told him he used to lead the Bay Rebels and that the bad blood was over. They shook hands and agreed to stay out of each other’s way.

After the meeting, Marty pulled Arthur aside and asked if he wanted to learn the acid business. Arthur agreed. Later, Arthur went to the new bar owned by Black Shuck MC and talked to Tyler Nelson, the Vice President. Arthur told him about Damian and Marty. Tyler said they could work with Damian but needed to keep an eye on Marty’s acid trade. In the days that followed, Marty showed Arthur the full acid setup—how the lab worked, where the supplies came from, and how he used to run the business with Morgan. Marty offered Arthur a role in rebuilding the acid empire. Arthur didn’t say yes or no but kept taking notes.

Eventually, after a few weeks, they met with Marty and told him that the cooperation was off. They had decided to run the acid business on their own and basically pushed Marty out of the game, as Black Shuck could protect their deliveries better than Marty and had more men to sell acid. After Black Shuck MC cut Marty out of the acid business he had built, the loss hit him harder than he expected. The acid operation had been his attempt at rebuilding control after captivity, torture, and humiliation. Being pushed aside and outmatched in manpower and protection left him furious and sad. With nowhere else to turn, Marty went to girlfriend Alexa.

Alexa listened to Marty’s plea for revenge. Wanting to assess the situation herself, she drove Marty and herself to the Black Shuck MC clubhouse under the pretense of mediation. Alexa urged Marty to confront Black Shuck with what happened. However, when Alexa got out of her car Marty got scared and drove away, leaving Alexa standing in front of the clubhouse. At the last second, Marty away from the property and drove him alone back into the city,

Days later, Alexa took a more direct approach. She arranged a meeting with Arthur Percy, persuading him to step into one of her company vehicles under the guise of business. During the drive, Alexa recognized Arthur’s growing influence and raw potential in Los Santos. The two spoke openly about their pasts, their ambitions, and the instability spreading through the city. By the time the ride ended, they exchanged phone numbers and discussed the possibility of a future alliance.

Around the same time, a mechanic named Joey Hunt settled in Strawberry. One night, he was attacked by gang members from Strawberry. Rather than retaliate alone, Joey approached Black Shuck MC for help. Arthur and Tyler Nelson brought him to the clubhouse, where Tyler led a sort of interrogation. Joey claimed he was former Navy SEALs and that he had successfully fought off the attackers. Arthur doubted his story, however Tyler insisted they helped a fellow businessman. Joey asked Black Shuck to take revenge on the gang members that attacked his auto shop. Black Shuck MC agreed.

The retaliation against the Rancho gang was swift and successful. Afterward, phone numbers were exchanged, and Joey slowly began integrating himself into Black Shuck’s orbit. Over the following weeks, trust grew, carefully, but steadily. Eventually, Joey proposed something far more ambitious: a robbery of the Union Depository. Arthur, already seeing the dollar signs and the expansion opportunity agreed to Joey proposal.

Preparation took weeks. Joey handled most of the planning and prepping, with Black Shuck assisting only where necessary. When the robbery finally happened, it succeeded successfully. An estimated $15,000,000 was stolen. Joey took $10,000,000, with the rest divided among Black Shuck MC. The heist made national news, drawing the attention of criminals and law enforcement alike. Flush with cash, Black Shuck MC expanded quickly. They opened a cocaine lockup and a counterfeit-cash factory at Edward’s old business locations cementing their position at the Los Santos docks. However, their archenemies: the Hellraisers still bothered them. Arthur, with their new power discussed with Tyler to scout Hellraisers operation and eventually eradicate them.

Arthur Percy and Tyler Nelson began scouting Hellraiser operations near the Alamo Sea. What they found shocked them: a heavily armed operation guarded by men wielding miniguns. Rather than retreat, they struck. The operation was destroyed, significantly weakening the Hellraisers. The response was brutal. The Hellraisers retaliated by attacking Black Shuck’s territory, killing civilians and searching for Arthur and Tyler. They found neither. The violence escalated into open war. This would be known as The First Biker War.

Seeking revenge, Tyler later scouted Hellraiser activity in Grapeseed. Hours passed without word. Then Arthur received a call from an unknown number. On the line was Aiden, who informed him that Tyler had been kidnapped. Aiden demanded a meeting at McKenzie Airfield. Arthur arrived at night with several bikers. Aiden arrived with even more. The confrontation was tense. Aiden demanded that Black Shuck MC disband and that Arthur “run back to Edward.” Arthur refused. Aiden answered by shooting Tyler in the stomach.

A firefight erupted at the hangar. Aiden escaped with some of his men. Tyler bled out and died from his injuries. Two days later, he was buried beneath the letter N of the Vinewood sign, laid to rest in a black casket. Tyler’s death changed everything. Arthur knew he could not survive in Los Santos alone.

He went to Joey Hunt, who had recently purchased Jim’s former nightclub, The Palace. There, Arthur and Joey were joined by Giuseppe Marcano, who expressed interest in speaking privately. In Joey’s office, Giuseppe explained the history of the old Big Four and argued that Los Santos required a new one for stability. Arthur and Joey agreed, however Giuseppe’s advice was clear: Alexa had to be involved in the alliance, or it would fail.

A few days later, Arthur called Alexa. She proposed a meeting at the Kortz Center. Unbeknownst to her, Arthur also invited Joey. At the meeting, Alexa confronted Arthur about Joey’s presence. Arthur explained that the Hellraisers had killed Tyler and that he needed her help to eliminate their leadership. Alexa revealed she had a non-aggression pact with the Hellraisers and hesitated to break it. Joey reminded her of Arthur’s financial value. Reluctantly, Alexa agreed on the condition that she remained cautious of Joey’s intentions.

Arthur also told her about Giuseppe’s proposal and Billy’s return from retirement. Alexa, knowing she would eventually need strong partners for her own long-term plans, agreed to the formation of a new Big Three, but only after the Hellraisers were dealt with. The next morning, the four met in Alexa’s office at Maze Bank Tower.

The plan was simple: eliminate Aiden, the de facto leader of the Hellraisers. Arthur insisted on doing it himself. The second discussion concerned the new Big Four. Billy demanded trust and friendship. Alexa demanded no scheming or backstabbing. All agreed. After the meeting, Alexa privately interrogated Joey about his background and motives. His answers were vague, especially regarding his claimed SEALs history. Alexa remained unconvinced but allowed him to leave. Days later, Alexa and Arthur finalized the trap.

Alexa called Aiden in Arthur’s presence, proposing a meeting at the Paleto Bay lumberyard to discuss a three-party alliance involving the Bay Rebels. Aiden agreed and drove there immediately, calling Caroline along the way, unaware she was distracted and barely listening.At the lumberyard, Aiden sensed something was wrong. Damian was absent. Instead, Arthur waited at a distance with a sniper rifle. When Aiden realized the setup, he fled. A chase followed. Aiden crashed his vehicle into rocks. Arthur ended it. He shot Aiden point-blank. With Aiden’s death, the Alamo Hellraisers collapsed. The First Biker War was over.

The Last Paleto Crisis

Two weeks after Aiden Reed was killed by Arthur Percy, stability gradually returned to Blaine County. The Alamo Hellraisers fractured in the aftermath. A portion of their members integrated into Black Shuck MC, while others fled or attempted to keep the Alamo Hellraisers alive in a diminished and increasingly disorganized state.

Marty Marcano travelled to Paleto Bay to seek Damian Morrison’s assistance with a job proposed by Billy McBardigael. Damian, attempting to repair his strained relationship with Billy, agreed to participate. Marty and Damian met Billy aboard his submarine, which was stationed off the coast of Chumash.

Billy outlined the operation directly. He intended to smuggle narcotics onto Cayo Perico for El Rubio. Billy issued a clear warning to Damian, stating that if the drugs were stolen, he would personally bury Damian alive in concrete at one of his construction sites. Damian dismissed the threat and accepted Billy’s offer, agreeing to assist with the smuggling operation.

Damian suggested that Arthur Percy be included to provide additional manpower. Billy reluctantly agreed. The group travelled to Arthur’s clubhouse, where Billy met him for the first time. Billy openly expressed his disdain, calling Arthur a fool and referring to Arthur as a poor imitation of Edward McHaggis. Despite his reservations, Billy allowed Arthur to join. Marty, Damian, Arthur, and Billy then departed together for Cayo Perico in the Caribbean.

The drug delivery was completed successfully, with the narcotics handed directly to El Rubio. Following the transaction, the group was invited to attend a private beach party on the island.

During the event, Billy received urgent news regarding an emergency at one of his construction sites in Los Santos and was forced to return immediately. In Billy’s absence, Marty became involved with one of the women at the party and later slept with her on the beach at night. Damian and Arthur remained detached from the festivities, using the time to discuss business matters instead.

Unbeknownst to Marty, one of Alexa Morrison’s informants stationed on Cayo Perico identified Marty, Damian, and Arthur and immediately relayed the information to Alexa. After the party concluded, Marty, Damian, and Arthur departed Cayo Perico and returned to Los Santos International Airport. Upon landing the following day, the three separated and went their own ways.

Marty proceeded directly to the Diamond Casino penthouse to meet Alexa. At the penthouse, Alexa was visibly displeased by Marty’s presence. She confronted Marty with what she knew about Cayo Perico and his actions there. Alexa ended their relationship without negotiation. Marty attempted to justify himself and salvage the relationship, but Alexa refused to listen. She warned Marty to stay away from her business interests and explicitly forbade him from working with Damian Morrison in any capacity. She then instructed her security team to aggressively remove Marty from the penthouse. As he was dragged out, Alexa looked Marty dead in the eyes remained behind, drinking vodka and smirking as Marty was dragged away.

In early November, Edward returned to San Andreas after the collapse of his independent state in Scotland. His attempt to establish control of Scotland initially ended in a success with Edward crowning himself Edward I of Scotland during what is now called the Second Scottish Revolution. However, after a couple of months, Scotland was defeated after intervention by UK and NATO forces, forcing Edward to flee Scotland and return to San Andreas.

Upon arriving in Los Santos, Edward’s first action was to meet with Arthur Percy, who had emerged as one of the new members of the Big Three. The two reached a mutual understanding. Arthur retained direct control over his motor club, while Edward assumed Arthur’s seat at the Big Three table. This arrangement effectively split power between them, preventing internal conflict and establishing a unified two-man bloc controlling the southern part of the city.

In early December of 2025, Damian’s Russian cousin Alexei returned to Los Santos after fleeing the Russian regime. Damian welcomed Alexei at the Bay Bar, offering him a drink as the two reconnected. They spoke at length about everything that had transpired during their time apart. Damian expressed genuine relief at Alexei’s return and made it clear that he intended to support his cousin and involve him in his operations going forward.

During their conversation, Damian revealed that he had been planning a major operation: a Diamond Casino heist. He described it as one final score, intended not only for profit but to send a clear message to the syndicates operating in Los Santos. Damian proposed that Alexei take part in the heist alongside him.

Several days later, Joey Hunt, a member of the syndicates, arrived at the Bay Bar to meet with Damian, Alexei, and the Bay Rebels. Joey delivered a warning: they were on borrowed time, and the Big Three were preparing to make a move to eliminate them. He explained that he had begun to distance himself from the syndicates and offered to help the Bay Rebels buy time.

Joey elaborated on his past, stating that during his time working under Jim, he had strongly disapproved of Damian’s torture prior. He believed Damian had been treated unfairly and had taken the worst of the consequences. Joey saw an opportunity in aligning with Damian and considered this a chance to correct past wrongs.

Damian then shared details of the planned Diamond Casino heist with Joey. Intrigued, Joey offered his assistance, framing it as repayment for the time he was helping them secure. Alexei expressed clear opposition to involving Joey in the plan, questioning his loyalty and motives. Despite this, Damian insisted on Joey’s inclusion, arguing that they needed allies and that Joey was their only viable option at the time.

To secure funding for the heist, Joey insisted that they address the increasing cartel activity centered around the Clucking Bell factory, which had begun to interfere with Bay Rebels operations. Damian agreed to the proposal. Over the course of two days, Damian, Alexei, and Joey conducted reconnaissance on the site before launching a coordinated assault. The operation resulted in the complete dismantling of the cartel presence at the factory.

Unbeknownst to Joey, this operation also served as a test orchestrated by Damian. He used the mission to evaluate Joey’s reliability and determine whether he could be trusted under pressure. Joey remained loyal throughout, proving himself in combat and decision-making. By the end of the operation, the Bay Rebels were confident that Joey was not going to betray them.

With both funding and trust established, Damian and Alexei brought Joey deeper into their plans and revealed the full outline of the Diamond Casino heist. Drawing from his background, Joey suggested that the operation be executed as a con rather than a direct assault. Alexei contributed by proposing entry through a maintenance access point, noting that his status as an immigrant would make the role more believable and less suspicious.

With all three in agreement on the approach, they began preparations by sourcing the necessary weapons and equipment for the job.