Argument

In 2004, Michael Townley, Trevor Philips and Brad Snider were bank robbers living in Ludendorff, North Yankton state (based in North Dakota). Michael, wanting to flee from that life then, plans a fake heist with federal Dave Norton (Dave had to kill Trevor and arrest Brad while Michael faked his death). But everything goes wrong because Dave instead of shooting Trevor, shoots Brad and Trevor escapes. Michael is presumed dead and is placed under witness protection by the corrupt IBF agent Dave Norton, a close friend of the same, thus transferring him with his family to Los Santos (San Andreas) with a new identity: "Michael De Santa."

Nine years later (year 2013), Franklin Clinton, who works as a vehicle repossessor at a car dealership, along with his friend Lamar Davis, is asked to recover a vehicle belonging to Michael's son Jimmy, who is behind in the payment of its acquisition. Deducing that his son is about to become a victim of credit fraud, Michael hides in the vehicle and confronts Franklin. When he drives on the way to the dealership, he forces him to crash the car into the shop window. Clinton is fired, but he and De Santa become friends.

Later, when Michael discovers his wife Amanda in bed with his tennis coach Kyle Chavis, he and Franklin chase him to a mansion, which Michael angrily destroys. Unfortunately for him, the property belongs to Natalia Zverovna, the lover of Mexican drug lord Martín Madrazo, a woman who happened to be a student of the aforementioned coach. Iracundo, Madrazo locates De Santa and demands compensation from him. They agree to pay their debt through the money obtained from a robbery of a branch of the Vangelico jewelry chain. Trevor Philips, the other survivor of the Ludendorff robbery, finds out about the robbery by watching television. At that moment he realizes that the perpetrator could not be other than Townley himself, recognizing him from a phrase he said on the day of the initial robbery. That's when he bursts into the life of his former partner, after having tracked down Los Santos.

Meanwhile, the personal lives of the protagonists begin to spiral out of control. Trevor's unexpected comeback triggers reckless and erratic behavior in Michael Townley, which prompts his family to leave home. Likewise, Michael's attempts to do something in life lead him to Devin Weston, a billionaire venture capitalist and corporate raider, who develops a grudge against him. Franklin is disturbed by the way Lamar falls under the influence of Harold "Stretch" Joseph, a gangster who defected to the Families gang during his time in prison, turning to the enemy (the Ballas) and repeatedly trying to kill Lamar. to prove himself to his new allies. For his part, Trevor makes his efforts to consolidate his power and control over the methamphetamine market in Blaine County, after having rebelled against the motorcycle gang The Lost, the Mexican Varrios Los Aztecas, the Salvadorans La Marabunta Grande, traffickers of local methamphetamine, mercenaries hired by the government and against a triad led by Wei Cheng, one of the most important figures in the Chinese underworld.

As the plot progresses, Michael is forced by IBF agents Dave Norton and his partner Steve Haines to conduct a series of operations with Clinton and Philips with the goal of undermining a rival agency, the IAA. Under Haines' orders, the trio attack the IAA building, rob an armored truck with funds earmarked for the IAA, and raid a bank containing the payroll of all the corrupt police officers and public officials of Los Santos. During this, however, Michael and Trevor are forced into temporary hiding in Blaine County after Philips kidnapped Madrazo's wife after not receiving compensation for doing work for him. Since Steve is under increasing investigation for his methods, he forces the group to enter the FIB headquarters and erase any evidence from their servers that could be used against him. Michael has the opportunity to erase all the data on his own activities in the process, destroying all of Haines' blackmail on him. After convincing Trevor to return Madrazo's wife, they begin to make plans for the biggest hit they could ever imagine: raid the Union Depository gold bullion reserve.

After returning to Los Santos, Michael makes peace with his family and they live together again. However, Trevor discovers that Brad, the other accessory to the Ludendorff heist, was murdered and is not in prison as he was led to believe. Instead, he was entombed in the grave intended for Michael. Philips feels betrayed by Michael, a fact that causes friction within the group and threatens to destroy your plans to rob the Union Depository.

Later, when De Santa and Norton are involved in a multiple confrontation involving the FIB, the IAA and the Merryweather private security company, Trevor comes to their aid, expressing that only he has the right to kill Michael. Despite not forgiving him, Philips indicates that he will only separate from the group after carrying out the Union Depository heist.

The coup is a success, but Franklin is pressured by Haines and Weston to assassinate Trevor and Michael, respectively. Clinton has three options: kill Trevor, Michael or allow them to live but risk their lives and face his enemies. Should Franklin murder either of them, he returns to his old life and ceases contact with the survivor. Alternatively, if he kills none, the trio join forces to resist an onslaught from the IBF and Merryweather and then assassinate Stretch, Wei Cheng, Steve Haines, and Devin Weston. With all their enemies eliminated, the three agree to stop working together, but continue with the friendship.