Paloma 'Sunny' Vascoe
Part 1. Part 2. This is part 3
Alejandro had requested information from her, via text to a burner phone she kept in the shoe box. Once she had gotten her bag, it had been the first thing she checked. All she sent back was a message asking for some time. The usual spot she’d gone to for the exchanges was clearly unsafe, not to mention some distance from the safe house. A new spot was required.
There was a knock on her door, and she quickly put the phone back in to the shoe box, before shoving it under the bed. Paloma answered the door. Alejandro explained he needed to leave the safe house, and it would be safe and secure. Before that though he showed her where the weapons were stashed in the house just in case.
Paloma waited until he left the house with Rudolfo, listening for the sound of the vehicles leaving. Paloma took some time on her personal phone, to check a location she’d seen on the way to the safehouse.
An abandoned zoo. That would work. No one would be around, no security footage and hopefully no other Narcos.
Paloma took the shoe box out again and checked the message Alejandro had sent her, properly.
A: I need some information tonight, can you meet?
?: hang on, need a minute.
Paloma texted him back.
?: New location. Abandoned Zoo. Give me a couple of hours.
A: How much?
Paloma thought about it for a minute, staring at the phone. She set it down and got changed into darker clothing, ripped black jeans, a dark grey shirt and a black hoodie. After taking her fingers through her hair quickly, she tied her hair back. She tried a bandanna around her head, knotting it under her ponytail, and then put on the skeletal bandanna over her face. The hood covered the top of her face enough at night, so she couldn’t be seen as easily. Thankfully Alejandro respected his informant’s privacy.
Paloma stuffed a few things into her pockets and checked her phone.
A: How much?
He would be pissed upon meeting her. Not like the two got along all that much, their transactions were quick, with him having little patience for her antics. Tonight though, would be bad. Marco had been attacked. She recalled the weapons stash. Just in case, she told herself. Paloma could shoot. A hand gun couldn’t hurt. As she opened the stash, and reached for one of the hand guns, she noticed her hands were shaking. Call it off? No. No she had to give him the information no matter what he asked for.
The hand gun was strapped to her belt and gidden under her t-shirt. Paloma got the burner phone and saw the last text again. She couldn’t tell him no, he would question it. There was always a price for information. If it wasn’t money then it was an exchange of more information.
A: how much?
?: Sorry in a rush. $100, but you know my interest rates.
Paloma tucked everything into a small over the shoulder backpack and hurried out of the safe house.
Meanwhile Alejandro watched through a tablet, as his informant fled the safehouse. He hadn’t told her about the cameras. Alejandro sighed, with Rudolfo sitting next to him in the jeep. He’d figured her out, but deep down he had wanted to be wrong.
…………
Paloma found an opening in the fence bordering the abandoned zoo. She slipped in and texted Alejandro to see how far out he was.
A: Another hour.
?: aight
For a moment she pulled her bandanna down from her face, breathing in the muggy Las Almas air. She needed some time to get into her informant persona. Personality went a long way, keeping her home life and Narcos life separate. It hadn’t done enough, but at this point there was no going back. Safer to keep up the facade with Alejandro, otherwise she could lose her only father for good. Lose the only safety and family she’s ever known.
Paloma heard a jeep pulling up and meandered over to it, covering her face once again. She traipsed over the cracked and crumbled asphalt and cement walkways before hopping on to a short wall. The young narcos paced along her wall, with her hands behind her back, each step being animated, like a guilty cartoon character trying to walk away without getting caught. The jeep’s lights remained on, as she heard two doors open and close from the sides. There was still the wrought iron gate between them, as she turned on her heel and then hopped back off the wall. The two special forces men stood in front of the gate, with her on the other side. She went over to them keeping the hood up in a way that still shadowed her eyes.
“Well what can I do for you gentleman?” She asked, tilting her head to the side. Alejandro’s eyes bearing into her, while a normal response, this time shut down her antics quickly. She swallowed hard.
“…okay… definitely not a social call then. Must be pretty serious information you need from me.” The narcos said.
“You know what I want pendejo.” He said. Paloma went very still and very quiet. Oh fuck she was in big shit now.
“A little lost there colonel. You didn’t tell me anything in the texts.” Paloma said, failing to hide her nervousness.
“He didn’t need to.” Rudolfo corrected. The narcos was feeling very fortunate there were iron bars between her and the two men. Her gaze dropped as she debated whether to make a run for it. There’s a chance still.
“You mean the recent attack. Heard about it, not sure what else I can tell ya…” she said keeping her head down.
“Why did they go after him?” Alejandro asked. “The full truth.”
Paloma sighed. Fuck it. There was no point.
“I thought I was being careful.” She said quietly. “I swear I never meant for any of it to happe-“
“What the fuck did you think would happen?!” Alejandro snapped.
“I joined to keep them off of us! I didn’t have anything before Marco and being with him kept me safe! That’s why I started selling the intel!” She exclaimed, emotions were erupting in her chest and out her throat. “I could get money to help Marco, try to keep him out of harm’s way, and help you guys take down the narcos. Now it’s all gone wrong and I don’t know how! I swear I thought he was safe!”
She buried her face in her hands. Alejandro shook his head, while Rudolfo crossed his arms.
“Why didn’t you say anything?” Rudolfo asked. Paloma dropped her hands.
“I was scared… didn’t want to lose the only family I had. But I already fucked that up. I swear the intel stuff was just to help pay bills. Marco didn’t know anything about it.” Paloma said. Alejandro stepped away from the gate, shaking his head. Kid was in over her head that was for sure, and she’d put herself there.
“I joined the narcos so I could stay safe, and keep Marco out of it. I didn’t want anything to do with it after we killed some poor guy who was just living on the streets.”
She continued. “It’s why I went to you directly. If you had the information, there was no chance of it going wrong. Marco trusted you. Raids and attacks could be stopped before they happened.”
Alejandro paced around while Rudolfo was watching Paloma. She was right the information had been useful. He understood why she did it but now there were consequences. Ones she hadn’t prepared for. He believed her, it was a matter of trusting her.
“Can you get more?” Alejandro asked. Paloma looked at him, eye widening slightly. She looked at Rudolfo and then back at Alejandro, before nodding.
“I can try.” She said. Alejandro sighed.
“Keep doing it.” He ordered.
“Colonel?” Rudolfo looked at his friend a little confused.
“You can get me more information than get it. Keep doing it. You’re good at it. Find out who learned your name. We’ll take care of it together.” He said, almost begrudgingly. “Not losing my best source.”
Paloma nodded. “Yes sir.”
“When you go back, you have to cover all of this. Marco, the exchanges, the safehouse, everything. It never happened.”
Paloma nodded, straightening up.
“If anything goes wrong you need to tell us, either me or Sergeant Parra.” He ordered. She nodded again.
“…what happens now?” She asked.
“Head back to the safe house. I need to finish up some work at the base.” She nodded and waited.
“Dismissed.” He said. Paloma gave him a tiny smile under the bandanna, nodded before hurrying off into the zoo. Rudolfo joined Alejandro back to the jeep.
“You think she’ll be okay?” Rudolfo asked.
“We’ll see.” Alejandro said. “She’s good. I think she can.”
Rudolfo nodded and got into the vehicle with his colonel.
Note: There is more to come but in terms of the overall backstory of how Paloma got involved with Alejandro and the Los Vaqueros this is the finale. I intend to post more later on. If you have any suggestions, ideas, questions or requests, feel free to use the Request button or leave a comment.
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