Chapter Text
I fidget with the handcuffs around my wrists. The ride to Galveston is long and this pinche SUV is so uncomfortable. Loya keeps giving me disapproving glances as I shift and squirm.
As we come closer to the shipyard, Finnerman turns in the passenger seat to look at me.
“After the takedown I’ll put Miss Mendoza in the back with you. From here, it’s 12 minute ride to the field office. That’s how long you’ll have to convince her to save herself and turn against Camila Vargas.”
I’m still seeing her kiss James Valdez on that bench when I ask.
“And what if she doesn’t agree?”
Loya jumps in, trying to reassure me. I guess he got attached to me during all these months.
“You’ll walk. A free man. New life, new identity.”
“And Teresa? What happens to her?”
Finnerman answers and his compassion for my situation has obviously reached its end.
“She’ll spend what’s left of her childbearing years in the federal hole sending letters to her boyfriend in another federal hole. It’s not easy turning on the one you love but she obviously moved on so it should be easier. That pain you feel deep down, that thing you think’s a broken heart? It’ll fade over time. Won’t be long until you’re at the beach sipping margaritas with some other pretty, little brown-skinned girl making you forget all about the one who chose Camila Vargas and another man over you.”
I feel the rage inside me heat up. Ese hijo de la chingada is pushing my buttons and I can’t figure out his game.
“Look, I’m gonna do what I need to do here but I suggest you shut the fuck up before I change my mind!”
His face turns into amused expression and he mockingly exclaims.
“Oh, dear god! Not another tantrum!”
* * *
We’ve been waiting for the action to start for about 20 minutes. Just sitting in the truck in silence when the radio Finnerman is holding crackles.
“I just saw the hand-off!”
Finnerman puts radio to his mouth and says:
“All units prepare to move.”
Suddenly the car lurches forward and the action starts. The sirens sound out and we intercept a brown van. I look out the window and see familiar brown hair and eyes but she is wearing a mask. Her eyes widen when she spots me, but something gets her attention in the van and she turns her head.
Chaos ensues. People in the van start to abandon it and fire at the feds. I lose sight of Teresa and -- as cartel people run in the buildings -- everyone exits our SUV except me. Finnerman produces a megaphone out of somewhere and starts talking into it.
“DEA! Federal agents! Exit the building! Federal agents! Come out with your hands above your head!”
When he is sufficiently satisfied that no one is complying, he tosses the megaphone aside and turns to instruct Loya.
“Stay on him! Let’s see if we can smoke out some of these sons of bitches!”
He runs into the building and Loya jumps out of the car to cover him. I jump out after him. And we both turn our heads at the sound of running on the roof above us. It’s Teresa and Loya recognizes her too.
“It’s your girl! Doesn’t look like you’ll get a chance to say goodbye!”
He turns his back to me and I throw my arms around his neck. I push his neck in my elbow and choke him to unconsciousness. Quickly, I take the keys from his pocket and free myself out of my handcuffs and leg shackles. I also take his gun and run into a building Teresa was running on top of.
* * *
The building is a fucking enormous warehouse filled with some kind of giant machinery. I search for Teresa carefully. The sound of running draws me out to an empty area and I see it’s her.
“Teresa!”
She turns around and points her gun at me. She looks shocked and afraid as she recognizes me. Her hand starts to shake.
“Guero? ¡Dios mío! ¿Qué es lo que está pasando? ¡No puedes ser real, estás muerto!”
I start to come towards her slowly and gently.
“It’s me, babe! I’m not dead, the DEA got me out just in time!”
Her eyes suddenly get cold and she straightens her gun, pointing it more firmly at me.
“Don’t move!”
I stop, suddenly nervous at the coldness in her voice.
“What are you doing, babe?”
“I saw you with them! You’re the rat!”
I need to plead my case to her because she will surely understand if I explain.
“I’m here to help you! I’d never do that to you, I was just trying to buy us some time until I can come get you. You gotta believe me, babe!”
I start getting closer to her again.
“Don’t move!”
I stop abruptly. She still has her gun trained on me.
“I love you!” I say vehemently.
“Bullshit!” She shakes her head while saying the word as if to reinforce what she’s saying.
“I’m with you! I’ll always be with you!”
Suddenly, we’re interrupted by Finnerman coming from my side.
“Hands in the air! You need to lower your weapon, Miss Mendoza! Drop it! Drop the gun! Everything’s gonna be okay, we’ll take care of you…”
While he is focused on Teresa, I pull my gun up and shoot him in the side. There is another shot from my other side and James fucking Valdez comes behind one of those vats, pointing his gun at me.
Teresa puts her gun down and pulls me behind her.
“No!” She yells at him and he looks at her in hurt and confusion.
“Who the hell is this?”
“This is Guero!”
I can finally see her face and she looks worried but not scared at all. She knows that he won’t fire while she’s in the way. James turns his attention to me and puts his gun down.
“Guero Davila. You’re the rat!”
Before I could say anything, Teresa changes the focus of the moment.
“The DEA agent! Is he dead? We need to go!”
I have a solution to the problem so I pull her hand and start running in the opposite direction to the warehouse door.
“I know a way out, follow me!”
* * *
Pote and the other guy stole some kind of van that has the cab and cargo parts separated, so now I, James, and Teresa are sitting in the cargo. When we got in, James pulled a zip tie from somewhere and tied my hands up and they are hurting like a bitch.
They are sitting across from me and Teresa still seems to be in shock. Her hand is gripping James’ bicep so tightly I can see where the skin has turned white. I need to explain to her what’s going on. I need to make her listen! I try speaking in Spanish so that pendejo doesn’t understand.
“¡Teresa, tienen vigilancia sobre ustedes dos! Él es el perro faldero de Camila, ¡no puedes confiar en él! ¡Te amo! ¡Podemos alejarnos de esto como lo planeamos! ¿Te recuerdas? La playa en España?”
Teresa just stares blankly at me, like she didn’t hear a word I said. James starts to laugh in disbelief. She startles at the sound and turns to look at him.
“¡Mis padres son mexicanos, tonto! ¡Es un milagro que hayas sobrevivido tanto tiempo! Now, what surveillance are you talking about?”
I have no interest in talking about anything with ese cabrón but Teresa chimes in.
“Surveillance? When?”
“They have video of you two talking in front of a memorial for some gangbanger in Houston and pictures and a little bit of audio of you arguing on the side of the road somewhere. Nothing incriminating. You were lucky... But not really if Camila finds out your plans.”
Both of them seem unnerved by the revelation. She releases the grip on his bicep and he turns to look at her. Teresa starts to looks sick and scared so he leans in to cup her cheek with his hand and caresses it with his finger. I feel like ripping his hand off his body.
“Hey, it’s going to be okay. We’ll figure it out.”
Teresa takes his hand off her face and squeezes it. She turns to look at me.
“You left me! And now you heard what they did to me! Are you really that stupid that you thought I would be fine? I can’t talk to you right now-- I just can’t!”
She closes her eyes and turns her head to the side. I need to make her understand that I never wanted this to happen.
“I had no choice! It all happened so fast! I--”
A smack to my head interrupts me. Hijo de puta slapped me! I turn to tell him off and I see his face full of rage.
“You would do well to shut up right about now! I have no patience for your whining and Teresa told you she can’t talk to you right now!”
I realize it’s better to not bother Teresa right now but I can’t let this fucker talk to me like that without saying anything.
“¡Chinga tu puta madre!”
To my surprise, James just rolls his eyes and looks away from me.
* * *
When we arrive at the house, I start to get nervous. They lead me into a room they prepared with plastic tarp. I know what this means and I hope my plan works. Teresa still looks dazed but now she looks worried too. She keeps looking between James and me and biting her lip. I want to reassure her but right now there’s nothing I can think of to say to her.
Camila Vargas comes into the room looking as scary as always. She looks me up and down and doesn’t seem impressed.
“You led DEA to my warehouse.”
“Everything I gave DEA was a dead end! Every name, every location was already burned!”
“And it’s because of this you think I shouldn’t kill you?”
Teresa looks at Camila with panic in her eyes and it’s time to start my plan.
“No, I think you shouldn’t kill me because you need me. The Jimenez brothers, they screwed you over and we both know they were the last cartel in Mexico willing to supply you. And Epi, he’s got the army behind him so Colombians ain’t gonna touch you.”
“And you’re gonna provide the answer to my troubles?”
She’s not buying it yet and my nerves grow.
“You need a new supplier. Someone who’s not afraid of Epi or the Colombians and I can connect you with one.”
“Well, you can save your breath. I don’t do business with Russians.”
Camila seems done with the conversation and I finally make the play.
“Supplier is not Russian, it’s El Santo.”
Something changes in her eyes. She seems interested but still not convinced.
“El Santo is a madman.”
“He’s the last chance you got. You need to go to Bolivia.”
I can see I got her. I smile a little and wait for the confirmation. She turns to James and says:
“Let him make the call. Book the flights.”
Then she walks out of the room.