The Exchange (GTA III)

Mission
The Exchange
	Claude outside the Colombian Cartel mansion in Cedar Grove, shortly before meeting Catalina to give her the ransom money in return for Maria Latore.; Claude outside the Colombian Cartel mansion in Cedar Grove, shortly before meeting Catalina to give her the ransom money in return for Maria Latore.
Game	GTA III
For	Catalina
Target	Catalina
Location	Cedar Grove, Shoreside Vale, Liberty City
Fail	Death of Claude; Death of Maria Latore; Run out of time
Reward	$1,000,000; Colombian Cartel carry AK-47s
Unlocks	Rhino
Unlocked by	Ransom
	ADVERTISEMENT

For the mission in GTA Vice City Stories, see The Exchange (GTA VCS). For the neighbourhood in Liberty City in GTA IV, see The Exchange.

The Exchange is a mission in and the climax of Grand Theft Auto III given to protagonist Claude by Colombian Cartel leader and ex-girlfriend Catalina from the Cartel mansion in Cedar Grove, Shoreside Vale, Liberty City. This mission is the final event in the GTA III-era timeline.

Mission

Catalina recently killed Asuka Kasen and kidnapped Maria Latore. She now wants Claude to bring $500,000 to the Cartel mansion in Cedar Grove in exchange for not having Maria killed. Claude then arrives at the mansion and hands over the money to Catalina, who lies and walks off with the money leaving Claude in the mercy of her Colombian Cartel men.

Claude, having no choice, is put under gunpoint by a Cartel gang member and decides to punch him and take the pistol dropped. After being shot at, he gets a car and exits the mansion only to find a helicopter hovering above him and flying towards the Cochrane Dam to meet Catalina, who has headed there to escape with Maria. Claude follows the helicopter all the way to the base of the dam and kills every Cartel goon on his way.

After coming halfway and nearly closing into the helicopter, Catalina leaves Maria at the loading bay, guarded by a couple of her men and enters her helicopter. Catalina's chopper fires missiles at the ground while Claude gets to Maria, kills all the Cartel men. Claude picks up a Rocket Launcher to shoot down Catalina. After a few initial missed shots, he successfully manages to hit the helicopter and it crashes against the dam in the water. Afterward, Claude and Maria walk together as they cross over to the other side of the dam.

While the credits are rolling on the screen Maria can be heard talking right before a gunshot, after which, she remains silent and is no longer heard. The news also report the crime scene with witness Clive Denver.

Script

(Claude arrives at the Villa and a couple of Colombians lets him trough the gate.)

Catalina: The real question, is did you turn up to rescue Maria or to get me back? Well I got news for you, shooting you will be a pleasure but dating you was only business. You are muy peccinno amigo. Throw over the cash. You have been a busy boy! But you haven't learned, I'm not to be trusted. Kill the idiot.

(Claude manages to knock a Cartel member down, get into a car, and follow the chopper that Catalina is fleeing in. He also succeeds to get to where the chopper has landed, but Catalina yet again jumps into it.)

Catalina: Get this thing airborne!!

(The main guy, however, manages to rescue Maria and shoot down the chopper with a rocket launcher.)

(When they are escaping together, you get to hear the following newscast.)

News Lady: Residents in Cedar Grove have been coming to terms with the emotional aftermath of a full-blown war that hit the area yesterday. Local residents claimed Denver described to police a single gunman that he saw fleeing the scene with a dark haired woman.

Maria: Ah, we're gonna have such fun.

Maria: Cause you know I love you I, I, I really do... cause you're such a big strong man and that's just what I need.

Maria: Anyway what was I saying, I forget but you know what it is like don't you.

News Lady: The sound of explosions shook nearby homes as people ran for cover. Several citizens were injured in the panic as gunfire was exchanged between ground forces and a helicopter circling the dam.

Man on Newscast: Yeah, we got a good view from down here in the carnage, when the copter finally got taken out, better than the fireworks on the fourth of July. With the death toll already over twenty, police are still finding bodies. There have been no official denials concerning rumors that the dead were members of the Colombian Cartel, and still no leads as to the cause of the massacre.

Maria: But look at me now and my hair is ruined, I mean can you believe it, this one cost my fifty dollars. (gun shot)

Reward

The reward for completing this mission is $1,000,000, although this is not displayed on screen as there is no mission passed message at the end of the mission. In addition, the Rhino in Phil's Army Surplus will now be unlocked and free for the player to steal.

Notes

There is no need to hurry up in this mission. There is enough time to go to the Shoreside Vale Hideout and to replenish health or equip armor. It is also recommended to pick up the Rocket launcher with 20 rockets which is enough to destroy barricades and single Colombians, especially when playing on the mobile version.

Trivia

At the beginning of the mission, the player is stripped of all their weapons except the pistol.
This is the only storyline mission in GTA III to start in Shoreside Vale.
This mission is similar to The Sicilian Gambit in that both missions have hostages being taken to remote locations and the protagonist taking down a helicopter.
A glitch is within Catalina's AI in the opening cutscene. She walks away from Claude after saying "Kill the idiot!" but suddenly stops and then just disappears.
This is chronologically the last storyline mission of the GTA III Era.
This is the only mission in GTA III where the wanted level is fully disabled.
In the final cutscene Claude and Maria are seen going the stairs up, however after a few second they exit on the opposite side of the dam
Rockstar never confirmed if Claude shot Maria, claiming only "Some think he did, and some think he didn’t.".