Only a Moment
In the Cantina
Disclaimer: Not mine.
Thanks to Demonic Little Girl, Rainjewel, and Blank for the thoughts on this one.
****
So this was the infamous El Mariachi.
He sure wasn't much to look at, Sands thought. Caveman brow, glowering eyes, frowning mouth. Thick, peasant's fingers. Clearly not very intelligent.
He hooked his thumbs into the beltloops on his jeans. Rocked back on his heels. He was going to be really pissed off at Belini if this mariachi guy wasn't up to snuff.
Picking the right man for the job was very important. Sands was proud of his ability to look at a man and figure him out mere seconds later. Looking at El Mariachi now, he thought El would do just fine. The man's lack of imagination would actually work for him. Anyone else might be bothered by pangs of conscience at the thought of letting his beloved El Presidente die. Not El Mariachi. Sands suspected things like guilty consciences didn't really affect that dour countenance.
That was good. He needed someone who would get the job done quickly and efficiently. And in that field, the mariachi had perfect qualifications. Marquez had killed his wife and kid. Who better, then, to kill Marquez?
It was beautiful. It was balance. Marquez kills mariachi. Mariachi kills Marquez. You couldn't get much better than that.
And on second glance, Sands had to revise his opinion. The mariachi was not bad-looking, in his own dark Mexican way. That was even better. Dumb and good-looking. Brilliant. Nobody would suspect him. He could maneuver his way through El Presidente's entourage or whatever his plan would be, and no one would know a thing.
He nodded to himself. Yes. Belini had been right. El Mariachi – what the hell was his real name anyway? – was the perfect choice for this operation.
Because Marquez was no fool. No man attained the rank of General in the Mexican army without honing his survival skills. El Mariachi might be good, but he would not be good enough.
Marquez would kill El Presidente. Good.
El Mariachi would kill Marquez. Better.
Marquez would kill El Mariachi, finishing what he had started in some no-name town several years ago.
Best.
And everything achieved balance.
Doing his best to make sure the mariachi did not know he was laughing inside, Sands sat down and began the meeting.
*****