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legendori from
Buddha

April 17, 2025 at 04:21 PM
5 min read
3 messages

4/16/2025 Kick Recap - "Everything Else Can Fall"

Lang and CJ begin their day by taking a brisk walk up the Vinewood hills, looking for a vehicle. They come across Saab who offers them a ride to the food court. Saab makes everyone food, Lang and CJ banter with security. Saab complains about all the tasks he was given from Sofia who is going away for vacation, Lang compliments Saab's work ethic so far. Lang and CJ ask what happened to him last night, but he was just in custody for a long time during processing. Lang tells Saab that neither he or Lebron James will be attending the Clown wedding on friday evening (8PM EST), Saab tries to make up the difference with new ideas.

Lang finds Tony and Kitty outside the Forge, Kitty wants Tony to sue the DOJ because they have the repair shop on lockdown and they have no access to their lockpick blueprint. Tony wants to tell Lang the whole story, so they head to the water tower to chat. While Tony was away last year, he took some time in London. He met a man with a fancy car, who is part of the UK racing scene. Tony robbed him and stole the car. While being chased down by the man's best friend, he sideswipes him and believes he killed the best friend. When the man finally chased him down, he crashed into him and left him for dead. Tony returned to Los Santos, and so did Charlie (The Collector). Charlie contacted Tony to threaten his glory in the racing scene, and convince everyone that knows him that Tony is a fraud. Lang asks if they are going to do anything about it, but Tony doesn't want to. Tony thinks the racing scene needs someone more consistent than him, and he's happy to put more time into Cypress. Tony has a present for Lang, discreetly handing him a Scar (rifle). Tony wanted to apologize for not being around, Lang is happy to know that Tony will be around more.

Kitty calls to offer the rest of the CG butcoin farm supplies, she doesn't use any of it. Jonah takes Lang to get a radio, Lang reiterates that he won't be around for the wedding so it's on him to make it work. Hazel greets Lang outside the Forge as Redline rolls by, Lang listens in on a job mixed with the North and South, Tony gives Lang a Deity (old mayor car). Lang gets his old car parts from Skipper while he waits for Pixie to come around for therapy. Sofia texts about the Forge not feeling like home, getting a better understanding that Lang doesn't like the 'clean' vibe.

Lang and CJ drive around being sassy with each other about their interactions with Eliza. They arrive at the hospital hoping to find Pixie, Lang has CJ sit in the room and asks about her feelings. CJ vents about the Lifers making her feel more guilty than she should feel. She doesn't believe the Lifers knew Cassie more than her, nor are they obliged to know about their business. She thinks that the guilt of killing Cassie is clouding her judgement, Lang suggests that chopping more trees should solve the problem. Lang argues that while they put her in the position to be killed, they prepared her with ample caution on how not to get killed, that she pretty much ignored. CJ thinks that everyone she's ever hurt has been based on Cypress principles, but struggles with Cassie because she wasn't. CJ jokes about her atonement, mocking going to jail for years and being put on house arrest. Pixie never arrives, Lang and CJ leave.

CJ tells Lang about her deal with Norman, how her plans to set up Joey and Rocco were laid and how much she tried to avoid direct involvement. Lang hasn't been able to reach Edgar, they're both worried about him. Lang stops in Cypress to chat with Saab, taking a seat on the steps. Saab was at the Besties Black Market, hoping to get new equipment for jobs. South Cypress is hosting a fight night event soon, Lang thinks Tony won't spend too long being retired. Lang, Saab, Skipper, and CJ drive over to the food court for a snack, Lang bumps Officer Carmine with the car as he parks.

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Carmine presses them for hitting him with the car, Skipper karate chops Carmine, everyone runs around while Lang takes a seat on the steps. Lang suggests that he knows who threw the molotov and started all of this, so he wants to be cuffed to make them (CJ) feel extra guilty for doing dumb things around him. North Cypress escapes, changes clothes and returns to check on Lang. Lang expresses frustration to CJ for doing things that might violate their parole. CJ apologizes, but Lang walks away from them. Opal arrives to arrest Lang, they cuff him and take him to the BCSO office, Lang tells them in the car about the lesson he's trying to teach. The officers laugh and join in on the lesson, holding Lang for a short amount of time before uncuffing him. Lang steals an airport buggie and drives back into the city.

Lang finally answers CJ's phone call, she argues with him about trying to make her feel more guilty than she should be right now. CJ apologizes for being reckless while he was there, Lang doesn't think she's learned her lesson. Edgar finally calls, Lang arranges for them to meet. Lang picks up CJ walking down the highway, she laughs at his vehicle, but he mentions how he used to do this when he was rich because it helped keep him humble. Lang and CJ stop by an old farm, CJ finds some weed, Lang cautions her about what to reveal and when.

Edgar arrives and Lang begins the discussion by getting a recap of what he’s learned so far. Edgar tells them that he moved the Guild into a new house on fudge (the old lumber company house). They haven’t moved the orb though, so he plans on having a dinner to convince them to feel welcome enough to do so. During the handoff, Edgar met Trey Romano and was told that Trey knows what Edgar is up to and is willing to help. Lang is extremely uncomfortable hearing that Trey is involved in this. Edgar was also told that since the conflict of Sanguine, Trey was the one who recovered Edgar because Yeager didn’t want him dead. Edgar was told that the Orb’s original place was in the basement of the comic book shop, which he connected to be across the street from the Rest. Lang is surprised that he didn’t tell Edgar this already. Lang asks about Victor Blackwell and other names associated with the information they found. Edgar admits to be one of the Faceless workers who killed one of the associated names. Lang asks about the different operations. Edgar doesn’t know the names of most of them, but was aware of the observation task, and a experimental one involving humane labs. Edgar saw footage of an oozing, flaming, purple worm that harms people when made contact. Most of everything Edgar learned was before he was sent to purgatory. Lang begins telling Edgar about the information they learned and the operation they did.

Edgar falls to the ground, nearly fainting from exhaustion. Edgar remembers that one of the first missions they did for the Faceless. They brought a nuclear scientist to the Faceless who was making weapons. He believes that she is dead now, but he took a secret photo of her weapon recipe and kept it stashed for a very long time. Edgar wants to see the paperwork and information that Lang and CJ found, but Lang has issue trusting Edgar completely. Edgar argues that at this point, they have no reason not to trust them. Lang tells Edgar that his concern is based on his trickery and selfish ways, but Edgar tells them that his life has been in Lang's hands since the beginning of their journey. Lang asks him a final confirming question, Edgar decided to join them when they were on house arrest, and that hasn't changed.

They agree to meet in Paleto, and leave. On the way, Lang tells CJ that no matter how much trust he gives Edgar, she's not to extend it beyond the two of them. CJ still thinks Edgar is going to stab them in the back. Lang wants to show Edgar the Cave, she laughs at how that's going to confirm so many of Edgar's suspicions. They rent a car and drive to the Manor.

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Edgar jokes with CJ about being high all the time, Lang presses Edgar for secrecy on what he's about to learn. Lang drives through the Manor garage and enters the Cave. Lang goes directly to the super computer, beckoning Edgar to stay focused. Edgar is stunlocked, soaking it all in. He runs around, looking at the suits and the screens. CJ looks around, Lang makes small talk about the elevator and tries to show off a grapple hook spot, but remembers to be locked in. Edgar hacks into the website and reads through all the operations and files. Lang thinks that Edgar knowing all this information is relative to his eventual meeting with the Faceless. Lang wants to know what the transport is for the artifacts, and which ones they have stolen. Lang and Edgar argue about how he's going to extract the information, Edgar offers one condition to risk it all: he wants to wear a super suit custom fit for himself. As they leave, Edgar jokes if CJ has a super suit, too.

Edgar shows them the Faceless HQ, which happens to be 5 houses down from the Rest. Lang and CJ laugh about walking by that house nearly every morning. Lang mentions that the Oracle is very active as well, aimed for vengeance, but unsure towards who. Lang drops Edgar at the apartments, and returns to the Rest with CJ for a final meeting. Lang and CJ discuss trusting Edgar, and how long that will last. Lang hopes that Edgar can extract something, but isn't worried since his Talon contact will follow up. Lang writes Trey's name on the whiteboard, detailing his storied past, and the origin of Lang's great suspicion with spies. Lang connects Gigi and Trey, and then tells CJ about his history with Eve. Eve had to choose between Cerberus and the Guild back then, and now that she's with the Guild, it increases Lang's suspicion ten-fold. CJ repeats her notes from Edgar's told them, Lang reminds her that the Guild knows of the basement, so it depends on who they decide to help. If the Guild begins to get involved deeper, Lang might have to prioritize going after them. At the end of their conflict, the Guild was openly discussing Talon and their work together. Since the previous Survival Season, Lang and Yeager settled their beef, but he's still unsure about the rest of the Guild members.

Lang doesn't think they're doing a great job managing their 'double-life'. They are interrupted by a new radio segment, an interview from Richard Dark and the expectations the police have of the public. The radio frequency distorts, Lang and CJ are unsure if it can work two ways (like the Orb). Lang is worried that people will notice how unavailable and distracted he is. He hopes CJ is healed up and ready to continue training on Monday, and jokes about being dead by the time she gets back.

Lang heads to bed, asking her to leave the cane behind before she goes.

Characters Mentioned

Lang BuddhaCJAlfonso Sebastian (Al Saab)Lebron JamesTony CorleoneKitty DreamJonah HydellHazel Havgreaves (Z3R0)Skipper JonesPixie TarantinoSofia TorresOfficer CarmineOpal PryceEdgar Del Castillo (Tempest 771)Trey RomanoYeager DemonbloodVictor BlackwellTalonRichard DarkEliza D. Stellano (Eliza)Cassie MillerJoey PepperoniRocco ColumboNorman BonesEve SummersGigi Gambino