Father/Son

Father/Son is a mission in that protagonist Michael De Santa performs with the assistance of fellow protagonist Franklin Clinton.

Mission

This mission can be started as either Michael or Franklin. If the player chooses to start the mission as Michael, a cutscene at Michael's mansion shows Amanda and Tracey arguing over whether Tracey can have a male friend stay the night. Michael retreats out to the pool with a drink and listens to music, only to be interrupted by Franklin. If the player chooses to start the mission as Franklin, the mission begins with Franklin approaching Michael at the pool.

Franklin and Michael talk. Franklin is interested in learning from Michael's criminal experience, but Michael claims that he's retired and encourages Franklin to go to college so he can "rip off people and get paid to do it." Still, Michael takes an interest in Franklin and offers to buy him a beer at a nearby bar that Michael likes. The two head for Amanda's Sentinel to drive there, but are interrupted when Michael gets a call from his son, Jimmy, who informs Michael that he tried to sell Michael's yacht, without his father's permission. The buyers stole the boat instead, leaving Jimmy to cower and hide in the boat's head (bathroom) as the thieves drive it on a trailer down the Great Ocean Highway.

Michael takes the wheel of the Sentinel and heads to Pacific Bluffs. Along the way, Michael states that while he's retired, if Franklin sufficiently impresses him on this outing, Michael might teach Franklin a thing or two. They reach the Great Ocean Highway and they spot Michael's yacht flying by, pulled by a Phantom. The two give chase as the thieves follow the Del Perro Freeway.

Upon arriving at the first checkpoint, where the truck is seen, the entire sequence of traffic is scripted, and all ambient traffic is disabled:

*The Phantom spawns, towing the Yacht trailer. *A Buffalo spawns near the gas station, along with a clean Surfer, which passes across the truck's path. *In traffic, a Speedo, Jackal, Asterope and Dominator are found, leading towards the tunnel. *Numerous Feltzers and Blistas are found around the highway. *Upon entering the tunnel, the truck causes a red Jackal to crash into the central divider, narrowly missing a lime green Feltzer on the opposite side. A Tourbus is also found entering the tunnel. *Inside the tunnel, a Bison is seen on the opposite lane, followed by a Dashound. On the player's side, the truck narrowly misses a black Stretch. A Jackal and Feltzer also lose control with the truck passing them. *Near the exit, another Bison, Blista, and Dashound are seen on the highway. More Feltzers are also found. *A red Flatbed loaded with a yellow and black Gauntlet makes its way off the off-ramp, onto the highway, only to rear-end a car losing control. The Gauntlet then falls off the truck. *Many of the aforementioned cars are found around the exit of the tunnel, including Bisons, Buffalos, and Feltzers. *Passing over the Palomino Avenue intersection, a Trashmaster comes to a halt, while a Jackal swerves out of control, avoiding the truck, alongside a Bison turning right off the freeway. *Along the La Puerta Freeway span, a large amount of Phantoms, almost all of which towing large box trailers, are seen. Usually just one or two of the same livery trailer are found, such as Cluckin' Bell or a generic blank box trailer. Two pass over the off-ramp leading to the Olympic Freeway as the chase sequence passes under. *After the large wave of trailer trucks, which ends briefly after passing over Innocence Boulevard, more generic traffic appears, including Blistas and Dilettantes. A utility Boxville, followed by a Regina and a unique brown GoPostal Boxville are seen on the freeway. *Around the point Jimmy swings out on the boom of the boat, a Speedo, Blista and Phantom are located on the large bend towards the Miriam Turner Overpass. *Once on the overpass, little to no traffic spawns until passing over Elysian Island. At which point, McGill-Olsen Burritos, more Blistas and Bisons spawn. A Prison Bus is also found further along the freeway. *If the player reaches the Elysian Fields Freeway Bridge, numerous Taxis, Tippers, a Mixer coming out of Elysian Island, and another unique brown Boxville will spawn. *Once the car is damaged, generic, ambient traffic begins to spawn. The scripted sequence is ended. *The Phantom carries on driving out of view, all the way towards Murrieta Oil Field, before the truck despawns, leaving the trailer. *This mission has by far the largest variety of scripted traffic, having at least 4 common vehicles as opposed to the standard 2; the Blista, Jackal, Buffalo, and Feltzer. In the PC version, this has a small effect on performance compared to other missions, even other scripted sequences.

To save Jimmy, Franklin climbs onto the car's hood, jumps onto the yacht, and deals with the goons on the stern before retrieving Michael's son. However, Jimmy gets hit by the boat's when it swings outward and ends up dangling over the freeway while clinging to the boom for dear life. Michael pulls up close enough in time for Jimmy to drop into the back of the Sentinel. Michael then gets near enough to the rear of the yacht so that Franklin can jump safely onto the hood.

With Franklin back in the car Michael wants to continue pursuing the thieves, but the engine of the Sentinel begins to break down, due to a goon having shot it earlier while grappling with Franklin. Left unable to keep up the pursuit, the goons get away, leaving Michael crestfallen. On Franklin's recommendation, the three drive to the nearby Los Santos Customs where Hao works, and Michael has Franklin call him a taxi to meet them there; over Jimmy's protest, he asks Franklin to take care of the Sentinel and get Jimmy home so Michael can have some alone time to "headbutt the road in peace." Michael gives Franklin the cash he has on him for the repairs and takes the cab home while Franklin and Jimmy get the Sentinel fixed. Following that, Franklin drives Jimmy home and the two agree to hang out sometime.