Paloma ‘Sunny’ Vascoe
TW: past trauma, hospitalized relative, gang mentions, let me know if any are missing
“You’re the reason we can’t have nice things!”
The words echoed in her mind as Paloma looked at her guardian on the hospital bed. Every echo seemed to make it feel more true. Paloma’s aunt had yelled that at her during a family gathering, when she had made a mess. This was certainly a mess, and one that couldn’t be cleaned by straightening some chairs, and ordering more food.
Paloma had been running with the Narcos for a while, and it was to keep her guardian safe. There was money involved as well, which she used to help her father, Marco Vasco pay the bills. Of course, to keep both sides a secret, she wore a mask, and hid it from everyone else in her adoptive family. None of the narcos knew of her father.
Over time she started getting in too deep, the money was getting bloodier and good people were dying, and a couple by her own hands. The risks were getting higher, with special forces having to step in over the cops.
In desperation, she resorted to selling information to the right people. The cops were practically useless and the Mexican military could rat her out easily. That left one other group. The Los Vaqueros. Her father’s old military squad.
Alejandro Vargas was a family friend of her father. If she gave him the information directly though, there was still a lot of risk. He might arrest her, tell her father, hell for all she knew he might shoot her on site. Coming face to face was too dangerous.
At the end of the day, the Narcos had to be stopped. If they were stopped and she was selling information, she might be spared from jail time. For a while it did work. She used burner phones to message Alejandro, offering information, for a reasonable price. Bills could still get paid and no one in the Narcos was the wiser. Or so she had thought.
A few hours ago she had come home, to find her father on the floor in their home, beaten within an inch of his life. He was gasping for air, there was blood everywhere, and white sheet with words she didn’t care about. In panic and desperation she called for help, and even called Alejandro to meet her at the hospital. Speaking to the police didn’t feel safe for her. Especially alone with her father in a comatose state. While she sat in the hospital, no cops had shown up.
“I’m really sorry…” she whispered to her father. “I just wanted to help.”
The only response she got from him was the steady beep of the heart monitor. Memories echoed in her mind along with the words of her aunt.
“You’re the reason we can’t have nice things.”
Time living on the streets, pickpocketing money for food, begging for help, running away from dogs and thugs, being offered food and fresh clothes by a man she barely knew, coming back to see him and thank him, sitting down with the man to talk and helping around his home, getting patched up after a nasty fight, being given a meal, a bed, a home, a family. Once again tears filled her eyes, and she took a sip of water, sniffling.
Then she heard a couple of voices talking outside the room. Her attention snapped to the open door, and her hand was on a pocket knife hooked to her belt. Another voice spoke and she recognized it.
Alejandro walked in to the room, eyeing his friend before the girl sitting off to the side. He walked further in, eyes never leaving the patient, muttering to himself. The girl continued to watch the colonel, ignored.
Wasn’t the first time either. The girl was rarely loud without her mask on. Alejandro had met her on a couple of occasions, but she was always intimidated by him.
After a few minutes of silence he finally acknowledged her.
“You talk to the police yet?” He asked her. She shook her head.
“Don’t trust cops. Never have.” She said, still hugging her knees on the small chair.
“Good. Tell me what happened.” He said. The girl looked up at him. What the hell could she tell him? That she was selling information from the Narcos to Alejandro himself? She had been working with the Narcos and her father had no idea? Selling the information might have gotten her father almost killed? She fidgeted in her chair, looking away from Alejandro’s eyes. Something about them seemed to pierce into her, like a letter opener, cutting into the envelope of her dark secrets. Paloma just shook her head.
“Mija. I need to know what happened.” He exclaimed. No, he didn’t, she thought, he didn’t need to know anything. Not about why it happened, how it happened or that it was her fault. Alejandro had been there when her aunt had said those words to her. She shook her head again. Alejandro sighed.
The kid was scared, had every reason to be. Shy, small thing, just trying to do her best. He’d seen what happened when her aunt lashed out at her, the look of pain and horror that had been on the girl’s face. Honestly, he was relieved she hadn’t been home to be caught by the Narcos. It gave him a witness, something that was hard to come by. He sent Rudolfo Parra to investigate the scene before it could be tampered with.
Alejandro needed her to talk though. The more he knew from her, the better. With her father in a coma, she would need a place to stay as well. Leaving her alone in the hospital didn’t sit right with him. There was a safe house he could take her to or even give her a bunk on base to help her feel safe. The only way he was leaving with her though is if she could talk to him first. Then he could get her witness protection with his own jurisdiction.
Alejandro softened a little, and pulled up a chair next to her. Marco had pulled through on more than one occasion for him. The least he could do in return was look after his adopted kid.
“Mija…” he said softly. She seemed to flinch at his words. “You don’t have to tell me everything but you need to tell me something.”
“…I can’t.” She said quietly. He could hear the sobs she was desperately holding back. He needed to do this quickly though. The cops could arrive at any point and there was no way he would let them take her. Alejandro needed to try a new tactic.
“Were you listening to music on your way home?” He asked. The girl was quiet, brows knitting in confusion.
“W…what?” She asked.
“Were you listening to music on your way home?” He asked, as if he were asking how her day at school had been while sitting in a living room.
“Y-yes.” She answered, a little unsure about the question.
“Did you spend time with friends before coming home?” He asked. She nodded. “What were you doing with them?”
“We were playing pool.” She answered still a little confused.
“What colour is your house key again?” He asked.
“Uh… it’s silver.” She said. What knowledge could he get from that?
“Your Papi was wearing his jersey tonight right? For the game?” He asked, with slight friendly smile, as he props his elbows on his knees.
“N-no. There’s no game tonight.” She said. “His shirt was blue when I left.”
That was enough information. She had an alibi, no reason to break and enter and had seen her father before he was attacked. It would be enough to go on for now. The rest could come later after Rudolfo got back to him with the information from the crime scene. For now, he was going to focus on getting her somewhere safer than the hospital. His expression turned more serious.
“Mija I need to get you somewhere safe.” He said. “Your father will be in good hands, I’ll get my men to watch him just in case. My second in command is checking the crime scene now, and will get you some extra clothes.”
She said nothing, and just stared at her father, still reliving the memories.
“I can’t take you with me unless you say yes to it.” Alejandro told her.
“…I can’t leave him.” She whispered.
“I know Mija… but your father would want you to be safe. I can’t do that unless you come with me.” He said. She sniffled, and looked at the colonel. It was a side to him she hadn’t seen before. One that was more worried about protecting rather than fighting. He put a hand on her shoulder.
“He’ll make it through this Mija. I know he will.” He assured her.
At this point she didn’t see any other option. Her father would be safe, and so would she. It seemed fruitless but if there was even a chance she could recover from this, she would take it. She nodded.
“You ready to go or do you need a minute?” Alejandro asked.
“A minute.” She replied. He nodded and got up from the chair, stepping out into the hallway. He glanced inside quickly to see her leaning in, and saying something. Alejandro withdrew to give her privacy. Then his phone rang. Rudolfo?
“Vargas.” He answered.
“Colonel, we have a problem.” Rudolfo explained. “We’ve searched the house, they broke in but they also left a message.”
“Same as the others?” The colonel asked.
“No. This one says… well not sure I want to repeat it all.” Rudolfo said.
“Give me the gist of it.” Alejandro said sighing.
“The kid might be involved with the Narcos.” He put plainly. Alejandro stopped his pacing. It wasn’t unheard of for kids to get involved but why hadn’t they gone for her? He looked back to the doorway. Shy little thing was still leaning close to her dad, talking to him.
“What makes you say that?” Alejandro asked.
“You said her name was Paloma. The cloths refer to a dove’s nest being destroyed, all because of a cuckoo who couldn’t keep its mouth shut.” Rudolfo exclaimed. Alejandro went very quiet. There was no way in hell this little kid was an informant, let alone caught up with Narcos.
“Get what you can and return to base, I’m taking the kid to a safe house. Right now if she knows something she won’t be able to talk.” Alejandro said.
“Yes sir.” Rudolfo said, and Alejandro hung up.
To be continued…
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