By the Book

Type

MISSION

By the Book

Appears in

Grand Theft Auto V

Target

Interrogate and torture Ferdinand Kerimov in order to get enough information to identify and kill Tahir Javan

Mission Objectives

Go to the warehouse. (Michael or Trevor)
Go to the house. (Michael)
Go to the house. (Michael)
Find the target. (Michael)
Go to the airport. (Trevor)

Conditions of Mission Failure

Wasted
Busted
Dave died.
Michael died.
Trevor's truck is undriveable.
Dave was abandoned.
Dave's car was destroyed.
Dave's car got stuck.
Mr. K died.
The target was spooked before an ID was made.
Michael was seen at the party.
A party guest was killed before an ID was made. (Before being given the first info)
An innocent party guest was killed.
The party was spooked and the target escaped.
Mr. K was abandoned.
The truck was destroyed.
Your truck got stuck.

Rewards

Devin Weston as an actor in Director Mode

Unlock Requirements

Unlocked by

Three's Company

Unlocks

Trash Truck
Tow Truck
Boiler Suits
Masks
Getaway Vehicle
The Merryweather Heist (main heist)

Technical Information

Time of day

In-game time

“Michael and Trevor combine to locate a target for the FIB.”

— GTA V description at Rockstar Games Social Club

Trevor: "The media and the government would have us believe that torture is some necessary thing. We need it to get information, to assert ourselves. Did we get any information out of you?"

Ferdinand: "I would have told you everything."

Trevor: "Exactly. Torture's for the torturer...or for the guy giving orders to the torturer. You torture for the good times - we should all admit that. It's useless as a means of getting information."

—Trevor Philips, to Ferdinand Kerimov.

By the Book is a mission in Grand Theft Auto V, given by FIB agent Steve Haines to protagonists Michael De Santa and Trevor Philips at the Walker & Sons Warehouse, on Dutch London Street in Banning, South Los Santos, San Andreas.

Mission[]

Michael or Trevor (whoever is being played at the time) receives a phone call from Steve Haines telling them to go to the warehouse and meet the other protagonist, automatically beginning the mission. Alternatively, Michael can call Haines, who is confused as to why he is calling but nonetheless instructs him to go to the warehouse (Trevor is able to call Haines, too, if the player knows his number; however, the dialogue is the same as if Haines were to call him). There, they find Haines and Dave Norton, along with Devin Weston.

Ferdinand Kerimov is revealed once Weston exits. Haines wants Michael to assassinate Tahir Javan, an Azerbaijani man who Haines and Norton claim has ties to terrorism. Kerimov previously set up an audio-visual system for Javan and so is the FIB's only source of information. Haines orders Michael to go with Norton to locate Javan, while Trevor and Haines remain in the warehouse with Kerimov.

Michael and Norton drive to their first location, a home in Los Santos, but this turns out to be a false lead. Haines then orders Trevor to torture Kerimov in order to discover Javan's whereabouts. There are four ways in which Trevor can torture Kerimov:

Waterboarding
Beating him with a wrench. Where Trevor hits depends on his position as he observes Mr. K. All three areas have the same effect and damage. Kerimov's left = knee. Middle = genitals/midsection. Right = arm.
Electrical shocks from a car battery.
Extracting a tooth using pliers. First tooth changes speech, and each tooth after will make his speech slur slightly more.

Kerimov can't be pushed too far. If this happens, he'll need an adrenaline shot, which requires injecting him with a syringe (preventing from completing the "Don't Stop Me Now" Gold Medal objective). Kerimov can be given shots up to three times before Trevor runs out of adrenaline, which results in his death and the mission's failure.

The first round of torture reveals that Javan is actually at a house in Chumash. Michael and Norton drive to the home, but once there, they discover that a party is in full swing and that there are five men present who could possibly be Javan. At this point, Haines orders Trevor to engage in more torture. Through three additional rounds of torture, Kerimov reveals that Javan is:

A man of average height and weight (the player is able to kill Javan at this point to complete the mission early)
Has a beard
Is a chain smoker
Smokes Redwood Cigarettes
Is left handed

Through these clues, Michael is able to identify Javan and assassinate him.

Back at the warehouse, Haines tells Trevor that Kerimov is "expendable" and orders him to kill Kerimov after Haines has left. Once Haines departs, Trevor instead decides to free Kerimov and then guides him from the warehouse and into his truck, at which point he drives Kerimov to the airport and tells him to flee Los Santos and become an anti-torture advocate. Trevor drops Kerimov off at the airport, where he falls down a flight of stairs. Trevor drives off and the mission is completed.

Mission Objectives[]

Go to the warehouse in Banning. - (Michael or Trevor)
Go to Rockford Hills. - (Michael)
Choose a tool to torture Mr. K. - (Trevor)
Go to Chumash. - (Michael)
Choose a tool to torture Mr. K. - (Trevor)
Locate the target. - (Michael)
Choose a tool to torture Mr. K. - (Trevor)
Try to locate the target again. - (Michael)
Choose a tool to torture Mr. K. - (Trevor)
Kill the target. - (Michael)
Take Mr. K. to the airport. - (Trevor)

Gold Medal Objectives[]

Don't Stop Me Now - Complete without Kerimov's heart stopping.
- Kerimov's heart rate will stop if it passes 200 BPM.
Electrocutioner - Electrocute Kerimov.
- Perform this third, keeping an eye on Kerimov's BPM.
The Tooth Hurts - Pull out Kerimov's tooth.
- Perform this second.
Wrenched - Hit Kerimov with the wrench.
- Perform this first.
It's Legal! - Waterboard Kerimov.
- Performing this last (as it does the least damage) and in short bursts gives a better chance of Kerimov not passing out.

Deaths[]

Tahir Javan - Suspected terrorist killed by Michael under orders of the FIB.

Aftermath[]

Los Santos Shepherd Newspaper[]

Azerbaijani Philanthropist Murdered at party in Chumash.

Makayla Taylor - Los Santos Shepherd

"A beach front house party turned into tragedy yesterday when an Azerbaijani-American was killed, in what appeared to be a professional job by a long range sniper. Police are baffled by the case not merely because they are baffled by most things, but also because no motive is apparent. The man, Tahir Javan, an Azerbaijani-American in his late 40s, moved to this country when he was 13 and grew rich in the green energy sector, and has subsequently donated large sums to education initiatives here and his former country. Who would offer a professional hit on him and why, or whether this was a professional hit or a psychotic rank gone dangerously wrong is still unclear. Tahir was a smoker, a bon vivant and a lover of life and all that was precious. "Why would anyone want to kill him? He didn't have any enemies, just friends and friends he hadn't made yet. We all loved him," said partygoer Rachel Withers, who described herself as "something big in greeting cards"."

Weazel News (Radio)[]

"Philanthropist murdered at a house party in Chumash. Party goers at a house in Chumash were horrified yesterday when a guest was killed seemingly by a sniper's bullet. Tahir Javan was smoking on an outside terrace when he was gunned down. Police are baffled as to why this much loved Azerbaijani-American who was a noted philanthropist and community leader would be targeted.""

Bleeter Posts[]

@chumash_kiki - "Omg police everywhere! Guy got shot at a party next door. What does this mean for Chumash property prices???"
@alderneyedwin23 - "White supremacists carry out professional hit on Azerbaijani man in Chumash. At least that's what me and my roommate are telling everyone."

Transcript[]

This section/page depicts all cutscenes and dialogues in the mission By the Book in Grand Theft Auto V.

If starting as Trevor, he gets an unexpected phone call from Steve Haines.

Trevor:

Who the fuck is this?

Steve:

The guy keeping you out of the gas chamber. Townley's on his way. We need to talk face to face. Warehouse off Dutch London in Banning.

Trevor:

Oh, we can do more than talk, my friend.

When Trevor arrives at the destination, he finds Michael smoking.

Trevor:

Mikey. You gotta quit that shit, man.

Michael:

Yeah, I know.

Trevor:

I take speed mostly and look at me, boom! Best shape of my life.

Michael:

Yeah.

Trevor:

Yeah, I could still take you, sugartits.

Michael:

That's beacuse you're fucking deranged. Not because you're in good shape.

Trevor:

Hey, why don't you stick to doing fucking crunches and feeling bad about yourself, alright, pork chop?

Michael:

Hey, fuck you!

Trevor:

You know, I'm beginning to think that's exactly what you wanna do.

Michael:

Yeah, Jesus... just said the same fucking thing to my wife.

If starting as Michael, he gets a phone call from Steve Haines.

Michael:

De Santa.

Steve:

That's not the name in your file, Michael. Steve Haines here.

Michael:

Yeah. Agent Douchebag. Hey, that poor son-of-a-bitch we grabbed for you still breathing?

Steve:

See for yourself, right now. Trevor Philips is on his way to help with the debrief. Warehouse off Dutch London in Banning.

Michael:

Great. Sounds just like my kinda party.

Alternatively, the mission will start if Michael phones Steve.

Steve:

Ah, Townley.

Michael:

Ah, it's De Santa now. Your department set me up with the cover. Remember dipshit?

Steve:

And we can burn you just as easily. Look, I don't know why you're calling, but I need your help with Mr.K. Trevor's on his way. Warehouse off Dutch London in Banning.

Michael:

This I gotta see.

Michael arrives at the destination, and finds Trevor, who is defecating behind a dumpster.

Trevor:

Sweet Jesus!

Michael:

The hell are you doing?

Trevor:

Ah, nothing.

Michael:

Are you taking a dump?

Trevor:

Why do you care, huh?

Michael:

The fuck is wrong with you?

Trevor:

Oh, I got abandonment issues. I see a shrink once a week.

Michael:

Ah, you know, fuck you!

Trevor:

Yeah, well, you know, there's nothing like uh, meeting a bunch of creeps from the government in a quiet building for someone to grow balls.

Either way, Michael and Trevor enter the warehouse and see Dave Norton, Steve Haines and Devin Weston.

Devin:

Did you see his face that last time I popped him? Boom!

Steve:

Oh, ladies!

Trevor:

God, you're an asshole. You, you back there, I know you, but YOU? You I don't know.

Devin:

Yeah, well until I see reason otherwise, why don't we just keep it that way? Steve, what a pleasure, bro. Oh!

Devin is heading to the exit, while Trevor looks at him.

Trevor:

He reminds me of one of those guys you see advertising pills for middle age men that can't get erections.

Steve:

Hey, Devin Weston, is a very good friend of mine, so why don't you watch your tongue? 'Cause let me tell you something. That guy gets more tail than a... heheheh, than a tail catcher!

Trevor:

I'll have to fucking remember that line. (to Dave) You, where did we meet?

Dave:

Nowhere, pal.

Trevor:

Yeah, we did.

Michael:

Hey, ho, what are we doing here, huh?

Steve brings Mr. K into the room.

Steve:

This.

Mr. K:

Please, keep the slick bastard away from me.

Steve:

No, no, Ferdinand, he's gone, he's gone. It's okay, I've got some new friends here now.

Dave:

This is Michael, and this, this is Trevor. Now our friend here, he claims he doesn't know anything.

Mr. K:

I don't, I don't know anything. I don't know, I already told nothing. Nothing, I don't know an-an-anything. Please, please, sir.

Steve:

You know about the Azerbaijanis.

Mr. K:

Huh?

Steve:

AZERBAIJANIS!

Mr. K:

I do audio visual, hi-fi audio visual. He's top man, good price, VIP, you know?

After Steve sticks Mr. K to the chair with sticky tape, he shows him torture tools: jerry can with water, car battery, pliers and wrench.

Steve:

You're a fucking spy.

Mr. K:

Oh, no, no, no, no. I'm not spies!

Steve:

And the asswipes at the Agency know this, so I need to know, what did you tell them and what did they tell you?

Mr. K:

I, I told them, I told them, what I tell you!

Steve:

Uh-huh.

Steve prepares the ECG monitor, and starts to connect the rods to Mr. K's chest.

Mr. K:

What? I, I, whoa, whoa, whoa.

Steve:

This doesn't hurt.

Mr. K:

The house in Rockford Hills. The man who owns it, he works at the consulate, that's all I know.

Steve:

That's it?

Mr. K:

That's it. That's it. I go. No, no, no, no...

Steve:

We're gonna make him speak. You two are gonna drive up to Rockford Hills and when we find out which man is the man with the problem, you put him down, 'cause I'm tired of these fucking nitwits at the Agency taking all the glory.

Michael:

Alright, the fuck is all this, huh?

Trevor:

I think it's a good time, buddy. You know? Go for a drive.

Michael and Dave exit the warehouse, with the former carrying the sniper rifle from Steve.

Steve:

You get to work, and uh, I'm not here.

Michael and Dave enter Dave's Oracle.

Dave:

The guy's your neighbor. Caesars Place, Rockford Hills.
It's Caesars Place. Round the corner from your house.

Michael and Dave drive to Caesars Place, Rockford Hills.

Michael:

Yeah, the more I see of your boss, the more I like him.

Dave:

I was you, I wouldn't be so critical of who others associate with.

Michael:

So, is he going to be a problem?

Dave:

For sure. But there's nothing we can do about it. If something happened to him right now, I'd be right under a microscope, an electron microscope of bureaucratic shit, and that would make it very difficult to keep old secrets.

Michael:

Oh, well, boohoohoohoohoo for you. You know who else is having trouble keeping secrets, asshole? Me! After you brought Trevor in on this.

Dave:

I only brought him in after you'd put out your press release. "Townley's taking scores again!" The Los Santos reboot. If we didn't control the situation, and he'd unearthed this connection, then what?

Michael:

Then Trevor flips out, beheads me, kills my family... or raises 'em as his own. I don't know which is worse. Anyway, any of that could happen at any time.

Dave:

Slow down! Let's think this through. What does he know?

Michael:

He knows I'm alive. He knows I got money. And, now he know's I'm working with the FIB.

Dave:

Does he know how long you've been working with the FIB?

Michael:

How long? THe fuck does that matter?

Dave:

Either you were working with us before the cash depot job - you walked your crew into an ambush, one of them spent ten years on the run, and the other landed in a Federal penitentiary...

Michael:

Or?

Dave:

...or we stumbled on the cash depot job, Brad went down, you went down, Trevor got away. The FIB cut you a deal on your sick bed, faked your death, and you end up here.

Michael:

Who's to say which of those is true?

Dave:

That there's any doubt probably accounts for you being alive.

Michael:

Back there, Trevor made you right away. The second he saw you.

Dave:

You remember, after the bust, I was in all the papers, I was on the evening news. "The man who killed Michael Townley."

Michael:

Yeah, I was quite a trophy, a good head to hang on your wall.

Dave:

Back then, sure. Not now.

After Michael and Dave arrive to the place, they see someone filimng the reality show.

Michael:

This is bullshit. This place? Davey, they been shooting the "Real Cunts of Suburbia" here the last few weeks. No way that's your guy.

Dave:

Shit! You are kidding me... I'll call Steve.

Dave phones Steve.

Dave:

Wrong house. This guy isn't our guy.

Steve:

OK, OK, OK, uh, you sure you don't want to silence him just to make sure?

Dave:

If we're silencing someone, we're silencing the right someone. Get me another address.

Dave hangs up, and looks to Michael.

Dave:

Hey, you want a coffee?

The camera points to Trevor, who will begin torturing Mr. K.

Steve:

Turns out that was the wrong Azerbaijani. We need a new address from Mr. K. Choose your instrument, and go to work on him.

Trevor:

Where do we start, eh, buddy?

Mr. K:

Wait. What are you talking about, the wrong guy? No. Who do you want? Just tell me what you want. Huh, man? Huh. Please. Look at me, please.

Trevor grabs the wrench first.

Trevor:

The anticipation is always worse.
You'll barely feel a thing.
Where you want it?
It ain't even the biggest tool in the room.

Mr. K:

Really?
I will! I will!
Nowhere!
What?

Mr. K:

Please don't hit me.
You can't. No, no, no, no!
It's so heavy!
No, no!
I bruise!
I've got brittle bones!
Isn't there a smaller one?
Not the wrench.
It's going to hurt.
Be gentle.
Come on.
EEEEEEE!

If Trevor hits the knee...

Trevor:

I hope you're not a skier!
Watch the knee!
Knee shot.

If Trevor hits the arm...

Trevor:

Dead arm!
Don't flinch now!
Take it like a man!
You, uh, right-handed?

If Trevor hits the mid-section...

Trevor:

Nutcracker!
Ball breaker!
Bullseye!

Steve:

Mr. Philips, ask him about Tahir Javan.

Mr. K:

Why didn't you ask me? I know Tahir! I did his home theater! He lives in Chumash, the right, on the Western Highway.

Steve:

Well that wasn't so tough, was it? Huh? (to Dave) Did you get that? Did you hear him? He lives in Chumash. The Western Highway.

The camera points to Michael and Dave, who have a coffee break.

Dave:

Chumash. You're driving. Remember, terror does not take coffee breaks.

Michael:

What a dick!

They enter the Oracle and drive to Chumash.

Michael:

So how are Steve and Trevor getting along?

Dave:

Seems like a productive relationship.

Michael:

Well, like I said, he's got his uses.

Dave:

And as you can see, we're trying to take full advantage of them.

Michael:

Then what?

Dave:

This thing with the Agency gets put to rest, and we don't need you any more.

Michael:

Right, and what about Trevor?

Dave:

What about him?

Michael:

I need some resolution, Davey. You let him walk. You said you'd clean the whole thing up back in North Yankton.

Dave:

And you told me it'd be a clean job - no casualties. There were more eyes on that town than there needed to be.

Michael:

Yeah, well, according to my eyes, Trevor is your problem, Dave, as much as he is mine.

Dave:

He's not a problem at all. We're monitoring him. Has he said anything about Brad?

Michael:

Fuck yeah, he has. Plenty. I keep changing the subject. You know, he thinks you might acutally commute Brad's sentence when this is all over.

Dave:

That's good. Fine work. We'll send another letter. It's about time, anyway.

Michael:

Ah, so that's you who's been sending those fucking letters to Trevor, huh?

Dave:

Yeah, he thinks they're from Brad - who he thinks is locked up in high security, and not, well not six feet under in a grave marked Michael Townley. The trainees write them. It's a good exercise.

Michael:

Yeah, the fuck? How'd that get started?

Dave:

A few years ago, a letter came to the Federal prison system, addressed to Brad. Wasn't signed, but it gave a PO box in Sandy Shores. I played the part of Brad, and we started a correspondence.

Michael:

Yeah, thanks for telling me, Davey.

Dave:

I was doing you a favor. Didn't think you'd want to know he was in the same state.

Michael:

Yeah, so now what? I just sit back and hope he doesn't figure it out?

Dave:

It's worked so far...

Michael:

He's a time bomb, Dave, and you fucking know it.

The duo eventually arrive to Chumash, and park the Oracle in the parking lot. They go up the hills, and prepare for the assassination.

Dave:

This'll do.

Michael:

Alright, find out who we're looking for.

Dave:

Yeah, we need a description of the target.

Back to the warehouse...

Steve:

Yeah, err, I'll take care of it. (to Trevor) Loosen him up!

Mr. K:

Oh, no, no, please, I'll tell you what you want to know.

Trevor:

What?

Steve:

Loosen him up!

Mr. K:

No, please...

Trevor grabs pliers for the second torture.

Trevor:

Tell me where to start. Are any of those teeth less useful than the others?
Free dental work. Aren't you a lucky boy?
Now, if you open real wide, I might be able to just reach right back there and grab one of those bigones.
You gotta be a sick fuck to want to be a dentist.
I hope you've been flossing!
Dentistry, as an industry, hasn't advanced in the last hundred years. Still a bunch of sadomasochists.

Mr. K:

My teeth are perfect!
I just had them lasered!
Are they sterilized?
They've been whitened! Please don't!
No, no, no, no.
Not the pliers.

If Trevor pulled out a tooth previously...

Mr. K:

My beautiful teeth.
They were perfect!
I'll run out of teeth!
It hurts!
Don't take any more!
Not again!
But I need them to speak!

Trevor grabs the tooth using the pliers and pulls it out, with Mr. K screaming out of pain.

Trevor:

Oh, you ain't going to be chewing steak anytime soon.
Best way to make a man talk, is to stop him being able to talk.
Oh, he was a tough SOB, that little guy.
Ha-ha! They're all root, they just keep going down.

Mr. K:

I 'ust 'ant ohh 'et out ob 'ere!
Dat 'urts ooh mush.
Shit! That hurts so much!
It feels like you rip my jaw out!

Steve:

*whistles* Hey, hey, hey, hey, now, huh? Now you're ready to talk?

Mr. K:

I've been ready to talk since the day I got kidnapped six weeks ago

Steve:

That's what we were afraid of.

Mr. K:

Now I'm even more willing to talk.

Steve:

So, yeah, yeah, yeah, this guy we're after, what does he look like?

Mr. K:

Average build, average height, middle-aged, dark hair...

Steve:

Yeah, yeah, sounds like you're stalling. This better be enough (to Dave) Middle-aged, middle height, middle build, whatever, he's dark, okay? He's Azerbaijani for God's sake, look around, that enough for you?

The camera points on Michael and Dave, who are searching for Tahir Javan. Michael uses a sniper rifle scope to zoom in at the party in one of the houses.

Michael:

We're live.

Dave:

You see anyone down there who might be an Azerbaijani?

Michael:

Fuck do I know? You might be an Azerbajina for all I know. What's one look like?

Dave:

They look Eastern.

Michael:

Half this town looks Eastern, Davey. You got the fall of the Shah and the collapse of communism to thank for that.

Dave:

Anyone stand out?

Michael:

No, they all kind of blend in. Make a call, Dave.

Dave:

We're going to need some more info on this guy. They're having a party down there.

Back to the warehouse, again...

Steve:

That ain't gonna cut it, my friend.

Mr. K:

Shit, shit, I, I, let me think, I...

Steve:

Bzzzt! Sorry, too late. Trevor, show our contestant what he's won today!

Trevor:

Okay!

Mr. K:

Wait, wait, wait, I remember!

Trevor grabs the clips of car battery for his third torture.

Trevor:

How many volts you think they got running through these things?
This'll put hair on your chest.
Sparky, sparky!
I'm going to level with you. This'll hurt.

Mr. K:

Not the clips! Not the clips!
You're going to kill me!!!
Take another tooth! Please!
Not the jumpers! My heart.
Not that! No! Come on! Please!
That's dangerous! You could kill me!
I don't need the jump start. I'm ready to talk!

Mr. K:

I'll die!
You'll kill me!
My heart!
Please!
No clips!
No! No!
Don't zap me.
Don't do it.
Turn them off!
YOU CAN'T!!!
I'm co-operating!
Not the clips!

Trevor sparks the clips to scare Mr. K and even uses them to electrocute him.

Steve:

He's done. Alright.
He's cooked. Quit it.
We need him moderately coherent.
You'll run out of juice.
Don't kill him... yet.

Trevor:

Ah, he went and pissed himself.
Ah, look at the chub in his pants!
Oh, I think he's getting a stiffy!
You see his face when I did that? Ha-ha.

Steve:

So, what have you got for us? Hmm? We need Trev to shake up your memory again?

Mr. K:

No, no, no.

Trevor:

No, no, no.

Mr. K:

Please, no, no, no, he's got beard!

Steve:

Oh, he's got beard?

Mr. K:

He's got bushy beard!

Steve:

Uh-huh? I think you're making this up.

Mr. K:

No, no, I'm not.

Steve:

Huh? Yeah?

Mr. K:

I'm telling the truth.

Steve:

Yeah? Bushy beard (to Dave) Got any beardy types at this party? Huh? Because that's all Mr. K's given us. You know, I'm thinking maybe we ought to just take two bullets and put them in our informant and just call an airstrike on Chumash Beach.

Back to Dave and Michael...

Dave:

Get out the scope.
I need eyes on that party. Pick up the scope and gimme a report.
Let's eliminate guess work. Zoom in.
The details matter here. Up the magnification.
We need eyes in the room.
Come on, zoom in!
Use the zoom. There's no room for mistakes.

Michael zooms in.

Michael:

Who am I looking for?

Dave:

Steve's saying "beard". What you got?

Michael:

Anything specific, or is some stubble gonna cut it?

Dave:

Let's start at mountain man, and we'll work our way down till someone fits the profile.

Michael:

Ah, there's a few beards at this party. Vinewood's full of weak chins. Place is famous for it.

Dave:

Damn! (to Steve) Beards are in fashion in Chumash. Land of beach hipsters. We need more!

Back to the warehouse for the third time...

Steve:

It's gonna be a long day until you give us some intel on our target.

Mr. K:

He's a, he's got beard, he smokes, he smokes like a fucking chimney!

Steve:

I don't know. Trev, maybe one more time? Just to be sure.

Trevor:

Uh-huh.

Mr. K:

I told you, he smokes! That's all I know!

What's left for Trevor for the final torture, is the waterboarding jerry can.

Trevor:

If my momma had waterboarded me more often, I wouldn't be the gun-toting psychopath you see before you now.
This is a mental battle, my brother. You've got to convince yourself you're not gonna drown.
Nothing to complain about here, pal. This is totally legit.
They'll be doing this shit at elemental schools in no time. It's legal, bro. Legal!

Mr. K:

I'll panic, my heart!
It's torture! It is!
What if you get it wrong?
I'll drown. I will.
DON'T DO IT!!!
I'm scared of drowning!
Not the water!
It's torture!
Please don't.
It shouldn't be legal!
My mouth. I will drown!
I got blood in my mouth.
I will drown!
TORTURER!
SADIST!

Trevor flips the chair, covers Mr. K's face, then opens the jerry can and starts pouring water on him.

Trevor:

Look at me, I am a genuine government man.
I don't see what all the fuss is about, personally.
Always by the book, that's my vibe.
It's all in your head, Ferdinand. Don't worry.

Steve:

He's wet alright. Let up!
Let up, he might drown.
Enough. Dry him off.
He's had enough.
Stop it! It's done the trick.
I know it's legal, but he can still drown.

Trevor:

Up he comes.
Let's get him upright.
Help me pick this up.
Are we gonna get him up?

Mr. K:

I thought I was dead...
That was torture!
I can breathe!
I'm alive!
I'm alive! I'm alive!
Let me up! Let me up!
The blackness is terrible!

Trevor:

Like it never happened.
It was all a dream.
The government know what's best for you.
Today's lesson is about government regulation.

Mr. K:

I wish it never happened.
It's a nightmare!
Then the government should kill me!
There is no lesson!
Lesson? This is meaningless.

NOTE: If Trevor pushed Mr. K so far, the latter's heart stopped beating. So, Trevor grabs a syringe with an adrenaline.

Trevor:

I guess our interrogation techniques were a little too advanced.
Hasn't this man done enough for national security?
Oh, he looks so peaceful sleeping there. I don't wanna wake him.
That's what happens when you put the body through the ringer.

Trevor puts the syringe in Mr. K's chest.

Trevor:

I'm taking a shot of this after him.
Here goes.
It's coming.
In his heart?
Rise and shine!
Wakey, wakey!

NOTE: This happens if the player runs out of adrenaline shots...

Trevor:

We're outta shots. No more second chances.
All outta shots. Next time you die for real.

Mr. K:

The light! Let me go to it...
What happened?
Where am I?
I was going to the light!
I'm still here...
How long was I out?

Steve:

Mr. K? Mr. K?

Mr. K:

I don't know anything. Please...

Steve:

Shhh... It's okay.

Mr. K:

He, he chain smokes... he's left-handed...

Steve:

What's that?

Mr. K:

He chain smokes... and he's left-handed.

Steve:

Ah, okay... (to Dave) Any of these beardy guys at the party smoke cigarettes? Mr. K says he smokes like a pack or two a day.

Mr. K:

Redwood cigarettes.

Steve:

Thank you, Mr. K.

Back to Michael and Dave again...

Dave:

A hip shot isn't going to cut it from this range. Zero in on the party.

Michael does so, by using the rifle scope.

Dave:

Steve's telling me he chain smokes Redwoods.

Michael:

It ain't the cigarettes that'll kill him. It's the guys who put the warnings on the packets he should worry about.

Dave:

And he's left-handed.

Michael:

Oh, now I get it. You're telling me to assassinate a guy because he's got facial hair, a cigarette, and he's left-handed?

Dave:

I'm telling you to assassinate a guy because he's a threat to national security. The rest's details.

Michael found the man, who appears to be Tahir Javan.

Michael:

Oh, I see someone. He fits the profile. Yup - fits it all the way. I got a good felling... well, it's good asyoucan get while clipped a guy who probably don't deserve it. And now, I'm taking the shot.

Michael snipes Tahir dead.

Michael:

Davey, I got someone. Definitely a lefty, Redwood smoking, bearded, maybe, could be, used to be Azerbaijani.

Dave:

Good enough for me (to Steve) Steve, it's done!

After killing Tahir, the camera points on Trevor. Steve is happy.

Steve:

Woo! That is a wrap, my friends. Excellent work the pair of you. Now, I've got a racquetball game to get to, so, Trevor, if you takecare of Mr. K, I think we're all set.

Trevor:

What the fuck do you want me to do with him?

Steve:

I would say he's outlived his usefulness.

Mr. K:

Oh, c'mon, please...

Trevor:

Shut up!

Steve:

That's a sport.

As soon as Steve leaves, Trevor cuts the sticky tape from the chair to free Mr. K.

Trevor:

Let's go, come on.

Mr. K:

Where you taking me to?

Trevor:

Fuck, let's just go, okay? I ain't gonna let those G-man fucking scumbags tell me what to do.

Mr. K:

Then why did you just torture me?

Trevor:

Don't ask too many fucking questions, let's go, get up! Come on! Up the fucking stairs.

Both men exit the warehouse. Mr. K falls off the stairs. Trevor helps him up and puts him on the passenger seat of his truck.

Trevor:

Oh, for fuck sakes. Come on. Let's go. Alright, now you got a flight to catch, okay? Let's get you to the airport. Oh, safety first.

Trevor then starts to drive to Los Santos International Airport.

Conversation #1

Trevor:

Hey, how's your mouth?

Mr. K:

It hurts.

Trevor:

Can you speak?

Mr. K:

Kinda.

Trevor:

Are you going to hold it together?

Mr. K:

I want to go home. I want to see my family.

Trevor:

No, no, no, no! You have no home, you have no family, that shit is over.

Mr. K:

I DO! They're in Morningwood. I love them very much!

Trevor:

No, that's your old life, that's over now, you're off the grid, you're one of the invisible people.

Mr. K:

Just take me home!

Trevor:

I'm taking you to the airport. You're going to get on a plane, you're flying a long way from this country and you're going to spread your messgae.

Mr. K:

I don't have a message!

Trevor:

You're a torture advocate!

Mr. K:

Advocate?!

Trevor:

The media and the government would have us believe that torture is some necessary thing. We need it to get information, to assert ourseleves. Did we get any information out of you?

Mr. K:

I would have told you everything.

Trevor:

Exactly. Torture's for the torturer. Or the guy giving the orders to the torturer. Your torture for the good times - we should all admit that. It's useless as a means of getting information!

Mr. K:

I'm feeling light-headed.

Trevor:

Sometimes you torture for the torturee - but only if they're prepared to pay.

Mr. K:

I'm very unwell.

Trevor:

It's "Me, me, me, me, me,me, me, me, me" with you. Jesus Christ. Good grief. I thought we really bonded, but now I'm having my doubts.

Conversation #2

Trevor:

How ya feelin'?

Mr. K:

I need to get to a hospital.

Trevor:

Nah, you're fine.

Mr. K:

I can assure you, I am not.

Trevor:

No one likes a cry baby. You look great!

Mr. K:

Let me see the mirror. I think I need a hospital.

Trevor:

You're not going to a hospital!!! You need to leave.

Mr. K:

Who are you? And... why are you helping me?

Trevor:

I told you, I don't like being told what to do.

Mr. K:

Then why are you working with FIB?

Trevor:

I'm a double agent.

Mr. K:

Yeah, then who you work for? IAA?

Trevor:

The IAA want you dead as well. Don't you remember?

Mr. K:

The Marshal? Globopol? Who?

Trevor:

"Globopoo"? Did you say "Globopoo"? I work for the forces of sanity.

Mr. K:

Sanity?!

Trevor:

And we need you to tell the world what happened to you... from the safety of a foreing country, preferably a dictatorship.

Mr. K:

What do you mean?!

Trevor:

You've got a message, you are a message, yeah? Okay, look, I love torture. Torture for the sake of torture, that's my bag. But there are people in our government, in the media, who think that torture is a means to an end. They think it'll get them somewhere. We gotta call bullshit on that. Torture's not going to make you normal friends or get you information.

Mr. K:

I'm slipping out of consciousness. Am I dying?

Trevor:

You're not dying, you're being a bit of a wuss. I know people who would pay good money for what you just enjoyed. I would.

Trevor is getting close to Los Santos International Airport.

Trevor:

Departures. No one drives me to the airport.

He then parks his truck next to departure gate.

Trevor:

Here we be. Run, you're free!

Mr. K:

But my family's here.

Trevor:

Your family is probably the ones who got you fucking in here, alright? Now look, trust no one, alright? You're alone now.

Mr. K:

Really?

Trevor:

Yeah, really, now let's go, fuck off, come on.

Trevor helps Mr. K exit the truck, then starts to drive away. Mr. K walks in a pain, and falls down the stairs.

Oversights[]

If the player replays this mission, Trevor will be wearing a full outfit with shoes. During the opening cutscene, his pants will revert back to his default jeans, but he will have no feet.
If the player replays this mission and kills Javan early, the game may occasionally bug and prevent the player from switching to Trevor. The only solution is to pause and load a previous game file.
After torturing Kerimov for the first time, the player switches to Michael drinking coffee with Dave. Sometimes, the player will be able to control Michael before the cutscene actually ends. If this happens, the cup of coffee Michael is holding will be stuck to his hand.

Gallery[]

This article contains content that may be contrary to Fandom standards.

Please take care to ensure any media or text added is fully compliant with the Fandom Terms of Use and Fandom Community Guidelines.

Soundtrack[]

Main article: By the Book/Soundtrack

Video Walkthroughs[]

GTA 5 - Mission 25 - By the Book 100% Gold Medal Walkthrough

GTA 5 - Mission 25 - By the Book First Person Gold Medal Guide - PS4

GTA 5 PC - Mission 25 - By the Book Gold Medal Guide - 1080p 60fps

GTA Series Videos - GTA 5 PS5 - By the Book
[Gold Medal Guide - 4K 60fps]

Trivia[]

Because of the nature of this mission, it has been heavily criticised by various media outlets, and is viewed as one of the most controversial missions in the series.
The name of this mission comes from a quote Trevor may use while he is waterboarding Kerimov: "Always by the book, that's my vibe.".
The gold medal objective "Don't Stop Me Now" is a reference to a popular song of the same name by Queen.
If Trevor has tortured Kerimov to death and doesn't inject the adrenaline shot, or if he uses all three adrenaline shots and kills Mr. K on the fourth, a cutscene triggers with Haines angrily berating Trevor for pushing Kerimov too far. As Trevor defends himself by pointing out that he doesn't even know why he was torturing Kerimov, Haines declares, "You're going down, punk. At the exact moment I get bored with you, your little racket... will end", and walks off as Trevor insults him, before the mission fails.
This mission can be triggered by Michael or Trevor, and after receiving the phone call from Steve, the game will prompt a character switch which instantly starts the mission.
- If switching from Michael to Trevor, the cutscene will show Trevor defecating behind a dumpster as Michael approaches him. The two briefly converse before entering the warehouse.
- If switching from Trevor to Michael, the cutscene will show Michael having a cigarette as Trevor approaches, telling Michael that he should quit.
The gold medal objective for waterboarding Kerimov called "It's Legal!" is a reference to the CIA using waterboarding as a form of interrogation and infamously denying that it was torture.
If the player assassinates Javan without getting all the information from Kerimov (the description of Javan's height and weight is enough), the mission will pass and the torture session will be cut short. However, this does not change the outcome of Kerimov's condition as he will still walk with a limp even if the wrench is not used.
After the mission ends and the player switches to Michael, he will usually be outside the FIB headquarters, saying goodbye to Dave. There is also a possibility that he will still be driving Dave's Oracle, which can be saved in his garage and modified like any other car.
When Kerimov leaves the warehouse, he appears to drag his leg, regardless of where he was hit with the wrench.
It is possible to call Steve to trigger the mission instead of receiving a call from him, which will produce different dialogue. If calling him as Michael, he will confront Steve about being set up and Steve will threaten him by saying that he can burn him. If calling him as Trevor, the dialogue remains the same as if the player were to receive a call, as Trevor isn't supposed to know Steve's number.
In the opening cutscene for By The Book in which Michael arrives first, Trevor briefly talks about his shape as result of his meth use, claiming "I could still take you, sugar tits". Originally, Trevor referred to Michael as "my n****r" in the dialogue; however, this was dubbed over with "sugar tits" in the final version of the cutscene audio (mastered version). Leftovers of this dialogue can be found in individual scripted mission audio files for the mission.^[1]

References[]

↑
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Navigation[]

[bythebook-nword-1] 
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[1]

Grand Theft Auto VI: Trailer 2

By the Book

Contents

Mission[]

Mission Objectives[]

Gold Medal Objectives[]

Deaths[]

Aftermath[]

Los Santos Shepherd Newspaper[]

Weazel News (Radio)[]

Bleeter Posts[]

Transcript[]

Oversights[]

Gallery[]

Soundtrack[]

Video Walkthroughs[]

Trivia[]

References[]

Navigation[]