The Third Way

Mission
The Third Way
Franklin Clinton asking Lester Crest his advice.
Franklin Clinton asking Lester Crest his advice.

Franklin Clinton asking Lester Crest his advice.
Game GTA V
Protagonist Franklin Clinton
Michael De Santa
Trevor Philips
Objective Ambush the FIB and Merryweather at the Grand Banks Steel Inc. foundry, then locate and eliminate the protagonists' collective enemies
Target Stretch
Wei Cheng
Steve Haines
Devin Weston
Location 3671 Whispymound Drive in Vinewood Hills, Los Santos
Fail Franklin, Michael or Trevor are killed or arrested
Lamar Davis dies
Steve Haines is alerted of Trevor's presence at the Del Perro Pier
Trevor fails to assassinate Haines
Stretch escapes
Wei Cheng escapes
Any protagonist assassinates the wrong target
Weston dies before reaching Paleto Cove
Weston's car is destroyed before reaching Paleto Cove
Reward End credits
Unlocks Mrs. Philips
Unlocked by The Big Score
Achievements To Live and Die in Los Santos
Solid Gold, Baby! (can be a part of)
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The Third Way is a mission for Franklin Clinton, Michael De Santa and Trevor Philips started by Franklin Clinton from the living room in his house in Vinewood Hills, Los Santos. It is one of three choices for the final mission alongside The Time's Come and Something Sensible.

Mission

Franklin, at his house in Vinewood Hills, is visited by Devin Weston reminding him of his request to kill Michael De Santa. Once Weston leaves the player is given the choice to kill Trevor, to kill Michael or to save both. The third choice triggers The Third Way.

Franklin phones Lester Crest, and Lester tells Franklin to meet him at his bungalow in El Burro Heights. When Franklin arrives he tells Lester about his situation: corrupt FIB Agent Steve Haines wants Franklin to kill Trevor while Devin Weston wants Michael dead, and Franklin feels he can't kill either one. After initially suggesting that Franklin should kill both Michael and Trevor, Lester comes up with an idea to ambush both Haines and Weston. Agent Haines is under heavy scrutiny for his methods, particularly after the shootout at the Kortz Center, while Weston is known to be friendly with Don Percival, CEO of Merryweather Security Consulting, who of late had suffered several setbacks. Lester plans to contact both Haines and Weston, telling both that the gold bullion stolen from the Union Depository is being melted at the foundry in Cypress Flats - giving both Haines and Weston an opportunity to recover the bullion for their own reputations. Lester agrees to phone both Michael and Trevor to get to the foundry in time.

Franklin, needing more help, phones Lamar Davis to ask for his assistance and, after picking him up from Forum Drive, heads to the foundry explaining the situation along the way. Franklin enters the building, leaving Lamar outside as a lookout, to find Michael and Trevor pointing guns at each other and threatening to shoot. Franklin calms the two down and the FIB agents arrive. Franklin, Michael and Trevor work together to kill all the FIB agents, who arrive to retrieve the bullion, although the Merryweather mercenaries arrive at this time. The three continue to work together until some of their attackers notice Lamar. Franklin then leaves to help his friend, killing all their attackers outside the building.

Shortly afterwards Trevor, under heavy gunfire, stops responding to Michael who kills all the agents and mercenaries surrounding him. Michael and Trevor leave the building killing off further agents and mercenaries both on the ground and in the air. After killing the last agents, the three re-group. Michael and Trevor begin to argue once again, about the potential of Michael turning against his friends again. Franklin calms Trevor and Michael again, and the three eventually agree to take out their mutual enemies: businessman Devin Weston, FIB Agent Steve Haines, Triad boss Wei Cheng and Ballas associate Stretch. Franklin calls Lester to help them locate their enemies.

Agent Haines had previously made the three, Lester and others commit various crimes in order to advance his own career before attempting to betray Michael to the FIB before asking Franklin to kill Trevor. Trevor initially wanted to kill Agent Dave Norton as well, most likely for killing Brad in North Yankton 9 years ago and for being Haines' lackey; however, Michael tells him that they need Agent Norton alive so no one comes after them later. Devin Weston had similarly employed all three and Lamar to steal various rare and expensive cars before refusing to pay them and had later asked Franklin to kill Michael. Wei Cheng had decided against working with Trevor and his drug manufacturing enterprise and work with the O'Neil Brothers, who were later killed and their operation destroyed by Trevor. In retaliation they had attempted to kill Trevor by holding Michael hostage, believing the two to be lovers, although Michael was saved by Franklin with the two killing all the witnesses during their escape. Stretch, a long time imprisoned Chamberlain Gangster Families OG, had begun associating with the Ballas while incarcerated in the Bolingbroke Penitentiary and, after being released, had attempted to get Franklin and Lamar killed by the Ballas.

Lester tells the group that Agent Haines is filming his television show on the Del Perro Pier who Trevor agrees to kill, since he never liked Agent Haines since the moment they met, and leaves. Lester then locates Stretch, through his phone signal, as being at the B.J. Smith Rec Center who Michael agrees to kill as he is not a known associate of Stretch and heads off. Lester then informs Franklin that Tao Cheng, Wei Cheng's son, used his credit card at the beach club in Pacific Bluffs. Lester agrees to phone the three later when he locates Devin Weston. On the way to their respective targets, Michael warns Trevor and Franklin not to deviate from the plan. The three each locate and take out their targets, evading or wiping out the Ballas (Michael), the police (Trevor) and the Triads (Franklin) in the process.

After Trevor kills Haines, he phones Lester for a location on Weston, who is being guarded by Merryweather men at his house in Tongva Hills. Trevor breaks into the gardens and, after killing the Merryweather guards, forces Weston into the boot of his own car. Trevor then begins to drive toward Paleto Bay in northern Blaine County with Weston begging for his life and promising Trevor anything he wants. Trevor, however, responds that the only thing he wants is to kill Weston. Shortly before reaching Paleto Bay they turn off down a dirt road toward the Sonar Collections Dock. Trevor waits for Michael and Franklin to arrive and, when together, the three decide to 'offshore' Devin, much like he offshored and outsourced the various companies he owned. The three then push Devin's car into the Pacific Ocean, which explodes shortly after landing on the jagged rocks below.

The three again agree to be friends, including the previously feuding Michael and Trevor. Franklin leaves on his motorcycle and Michael in his car both headed to Los Santos while Trevor walks away leaving the sunset on screen before the end credits appear.

Reward

The reward for completing the mission is the beginning of the end credits and the To Live and Die in Los Santos achievement/trophy is unlocked.

Secondary objectives

Objective Description
Time Complete the mission within 21 minutes 30 seconds.
Headshots Kill at least 20 enemies with a headshot.
Accuracy Complete the mission with a shooting accuracy of at least 70%.
Stick, Tick... Boom! As Franklin, kill Wei Cheng using a sticky bomb.
Lead Lobotomy As Trevor, kill Steve Haines with a headshot.
Stretched Out As Michael, kill Stretch with a melee weapon.

Gallery

Trivia

  • A news report from Weazel News will state that Stretch died in a shooting regardless of how the player decides to kill him.
  • The FIB agents in this mission use the character model used by NOOSE agents and drive FIB Grangers, just like NOOSE.

Video walkthroughs

See also