Jack picked up his rifle and walked back across the hard ground to resume his post guarding the entrance to the ranch. The air was hot and humid and he felt uneasy. He had seen the looks passed between Hector and Ramon over lunch, and wondered what was going on. Something they didn't want him to know about – that much was certain. Just three weeks previously he had watched them exchange similar looks and that night he had been pulled from his bed and beaten unconscious. Payback for staring at Claudia, Hector had explained the next day. Payback for fucking Claudia ... well that could be a lot worse, Jack thought, aware that the fear of an imminent reprisal was giving rise to a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. He ran his fingers through his hair and stared into the distance, taking a deep breath and exhaling noisily. But surely Hector wouldn't wait if he knew about him and Claudia. Hector's temper was too fiery. He'd want vengeance immediately. Well, he wouldn't kill Jack quickly, of course, but he wouldn't be able to wait before he attacked him. Jack massaged his forehead thoughtfully, as if attempting to rub away the threat of violence that now hung over him every day.
Hector wouldn't wait. Ramon could wait though. He knew the value of keeping his prey waiting, wondering what was to come – and when it would be. He liked to watch the slow build up of fear as knowledge dawned that Ramon would have his revenge. And he was unpredictable with his punishments. You never knew how bad it would be, or how long it would last. And while you were waiting, you'd spend long balmy evenings drinking with the boys and you'd hear stories of what he'd done to others. How they had screamed in agony, or begged for mercy. And how, sometimes, Ramon had killed them anyway, exasperated by their cowardly cries. Ramon had waited three days before exacting a punishment from Jack for disrespect. Jack drew his lips together angrily as he looked at the blistering on the inside of his right arm and remembered the night it was his turn to suffer for injuring Ramon's pride.
It was proving very difficult to earn Ramon's trust. If he was too respectful, Ramon appeared to doubt Jack's credentials. A man of Jack's background, a man who had led Delta teams and at the same time managed to hijack money to fund his drug habit; that sort of man should have a mind of his own. But when Jack took to questioning Ramon's judgement ... well, that had brought painful consequences. And even then, Jack hadn't been sure how he should act. To try to take the punishment in silence, that had seemed the safest option. No chance then of being killed as a coward. But Jack's stoicism appeared to have riled Ramon more. Since then, there'd been frequent comments: 'Think you're better than us do you Jack?' 'Ah yes big macho Jack, what can I do for you?' and 'I can make you scream, Jack, you know that I can' and, yes, Jack didn't doubt that he could, and didn't doubt that one day he would. And since he'd started sleeping with Claudia he'd wondered how long he could postpone that day.
But he'd had time now, to think. If he had another punishment coming, it had to be from Ramon. Therefore, it had nothing to do with Claudia. But he had been careful around Ramon since that night. Very careful, never disrespectful, but still thinking independently. He'd begun to think maybe he was getting the balance right. He could make suggestions but only if he made them to Ramon out of hearing of the other men – and only if he timed it right. He had to make suggestions early, so that the men, and often Ramon himself, thought the good ideas were Ramon's.
So what was this all about? If he couldn't work out what he'd done, he couldn't even judge what the reprisal might be. He felt totally alone then. This was the worst part about being undercover. Nobody to throw ideas at. Nobody to share the fear - not that he was good at sharing. He smiled to himself as he realised how surprised Tony and Chase would be if he rang to share his troubles. But perhaps he should ring Tony? For what though? There was very little chance that Tony would know what Ramon had planned. Knowing what his crime was – that would be a relief of sorts – better than ignorance – but it wouldn't lessen the pain of Ramon's twisted justice so it was worthless information, wasn't it?