@serafinmosqueda | nighttime in Red Ridge
Like a shadow, Maite slipped through the alleys of Red Ridge. Her cuervitos were always out, and she’d tended to several of them. Far more valuable than any garden, their whispers had pointed her in the direction of some people who seemed to think that they didn’t need to pay Valencia. Even she knew damn well that was foolish. She had to leave some trinkets in thanks for them. It had taken a few days, but she’d been able to confirm for herself that a salon had started selling more than manicures. Perhaps Valencia wouldn’t care about more drug dealers in the area, but drug dealers attached to cash-based business that weren’t paying any street tax? And knew damn well there was a price to doing business in Red Ridge? That should put a smile on Serafin Mosqueda’s face.
Well..perhaps not a smile, but it would be something.
She’d been given information on a few different locations where the man could be found. Tracking him down was an interesting exercise. There was always the chance that someone had fed her cuervito information and she was walking into a trap. It could have been set by anyone, Valencia included and by now she knew more than enough to to be wary of their soldiers. Her one saving grace would be that she doubted she was important enough to merit a bonebreaker. God help her if that ever changed. Maite adjusted the beanie on her head before emerging from an alleyway. Her lips quirked as she spotted her prey (even if the moment she made her presence know, she’d cease to be the predator). Giving the thick braid that hung over her shoulder a quick squeeze, Maite was reassured by metal points of the spiked barbells she’d hidden in her hair. And mamí thought piercings were her biggest concern, she thought ruefully. Her mother hadn’t considered that her youngest would get a bunch of body piercings to put through a ribbon and braid through her dark hair.
Once she was a little closer to her mark, though still a respectable distance, she paused and called out, “Buenas noches.” surely her presence had been noted, but it felt like the polite thing to announce herself and let Serafin make the next move.