Ch 2 – Before The Light Goes Out
James had not slept so badly since he couldn't remember when. His mind kept showing him Camila pacing around the office on top of the club, chain smoking and almost finishing the $2,000 tequila bottle with a pensive expression and a deep wrinkle between her eyebrows.
He would doze off and then wake up imagining his cell was ringing and hearing her voice ordering him to the club right away as she had made a huge decision. And without hearing her voice he knew the decision would be to send Teresa to Epifanio in exchange for $5 mln dollars in cash.
James was pissed with the damn dream, with himself for having dreams in this direction, for caring what would happen to Teresa Mendoza who had stared defiantly at him and had decided not to lay low as he had advised her, but to perform so well that she'd be not only noticed but would be the topic of small talk.
What if Camila decided that she could live with the pain of Epifanio thinking he had won? Like Charger had said, her business had to be of paramount importance to her after all the efforts James himself had seen her put into building it.
He got up and went to the kitchen to make coffee and see if there were croissants or muffins for breakfast. It was 5.00 a.m. and him lying awake in bed would only disturb Kim, and he wouldn't hear the end of it.
But no matter how much he got pissed as he kept chewing a muffin, his internal voice kept nagging him that this was cruel and unfair; he felt his emotions getting out of control at the thought of what the sicarios would do to her, and he knew that he could not let this happen!
Then he had an epiphany: Camila didn't listen to many, on the contrary she's do just the opposite of what her team would suggest. Only a few days back she had shot down his suggestion to buy 25 kilos of coke from the Florida brothers, so he figured that if he suggested selling Teresa to Epifanio, Camila wouldn't go for it even if she had seriously considered it. She had to be seen as calling the shots and being in control, now more than ever!
He finished his breakfast, got into his clothes, and sped to the warehouse along the empty streets as the sun rise chased him.
Camila hated her pinche pendejo of a husband for not being able to sort things out and for not helping her in the bad string of luck that had befallen her. Even when she had built his business back in Culiacan in the early days, he had enjoyed basking in the glory of being the 'achiever', but only the meanest maneuvers had been his line; nothing of the hard work had been at his high level. And as much as she didn't allow her mind to go there, she felt the uneasy thought that her recent failures had to somehow be connected to him.
What did Teresa have on him that made him so secretive and so adamant to get her? Did Batman talk and did Epifanio know about her lying to him regarding Teresa? Would he go mad, or would he try to outsmart her?
She knew Epifanio to be an arrogant prick, but his career seemed to be more important to him than his relationship with his wife, so she let her mind wander in the direction of how $5mln would solve the crisis. Resolving the crisis was more important than what Epifanio would think of her, or would feel, or whatever!
The money would go to the Colombians and her supply there would be restarted, for sure! Epifanio will sustain the loss for the two lost Mexican shipments and once she was back on her feet, she may approach the subject of him supplying her again. She was at the point of no return! She couldn't hide from him, nor did she want to! She would grow her business as much as she wanted and would not be forced to buy from him only!
Camila saw James pull in before 6 a.m. and was slightly surprised because he was not an early riser. She heard no commotion or voices from the back as no one was there cutting and packing, and just as she contemplated eggs and bacon, she heard his fast footsteps on the stairs.
Even before she had seen him, she grabbed her purse and met him in the middle of the room: "Let's go to EggSmart. I have things to talk to you about and am starved already!" He turned on his heel after a nod and walked downs the stairs.
Once the waitress had taken their order, James sipped his coffee and waited to see what Camila had meant to talk to him about. Then he planned to insert his suggestion that maybe Charger's logic from the previous night was not to be ignored, however Camila's next words delivered a punch to his gut and he burned his tongue on the hot coffee as he took too fast of a sip:
"I have decided that I don't care what Epifanio thinks of me anymore. I care to get back on my feet and am sending the Mendoza girl back for $5mln!"
He wasn't clear if she confused his silence for agreement or for lack of opinion, but she stared at him daringly and he knew in the depth of his soul that he had been late. Exactly as things worked with his Jefa, if he now opposed her decision, she would be pursuing it adamantly to ensure she had the upper hand, so just like her best teacher, her mean husband.
"I just am not sure how to break the news to him that it's gonna cost him…whether to say we just caught her, or whether to come outright and ask for a deal…the girl for the cash?" Camila sipped her coffee and observed James above the ledge of her cup.
Their food arrived in large plates that under other circumstances would have made his mouth water, but he tried to put a pleasant expression on his face and didn't answer until the waitress was out of sight.
"If you recall…last week I had a thought in the same line…because I can't shake the feeling that Epifanio got very upset after Batman's trip…and you said that not all cards were meant to be played at once", James was measuring his words carefully.
"True," Camila started eating her omelet and once she was ready with her bite, she continued: " But that was last week. I still had options then…and now the 25kg from your Florida contraband buddies isn't going to save me."
James started eating and kept silent, so that Camila could go on talking, exactly as he wanted: "I'm actually a little surprised that you're okay with this…you sounded impressed with her."
He shrugged nonchalantly and kept chewing.
"I'm going to have the Torrez brothers deliver her tomorrow after I get hold of Epifanio today and make him swear on the head of our daughter that he's sending the cash", Camila said.
"Can you trust him?" James asked a provoking question, just his style.
"No", Camila stared at him pointedly: "But I can't make him pay the Colombians, now can I? He isn't supposed to know about them…at least not for now…and I have no other meaningful way to ensure he pays!"
"This is risky," James nodded: "We may lose Teresa and whatever leverage she has and get no cash!"
"What do you suggest?" Camila retorted. "I think you'd suggest driving her there yourself, hah?"
Was she trying to read my mind? James wondered.
'You may think you'll be able to run if he doesn't pay, but you underestimate the man power he has…so, if that's what you were thinking…the answer is no….you're too valuable for me here!" and with these words James fell the walls closing in on him.
On the way back to the warehouse Camila texted on her phone and this gave James the opportunity to be alone with his gray thoughts.
It was becoming clear by the minute that he would have to play Camila to save Teresa, but the more difficult part would be to also play Epifanio in order to secure the cash for the operation!
It would be a tough play, but there's no other way! He could hear his mind scream. It was the only play that differentiated right from wrong. And yes, Teresa was a pawn, but so was he, so were all of them in La Jefa's ultimate plan to go back to Mexico and reclaim her kingdom.
Camila's return to Mexico, however, could have proceeded way more smoothly, without the need to upset the supply chain, had she been a little more modest and logical…because Camila had played the Teresa card wrong, he was certain.
And Teresa, who had shown loyalty by coming back for him, who had shown ingenuity at the Lopez exchange, who had shown courage when Batman kidnapped her or when she solo delivered and saved Sandra, this Teresa was a match for Camila, despite la Jefa treating her like all the other girls in the warehouse.
James had read the Colombian treasurer Jaime's lips when he had escorted Camila to the meeting at the open restaurant the other day. He knew the Colombians wanted her 'cosigner Epifanio' to pay the for the seized shipment, so there was no way Epifanio was not involved or aware of the issues at hand. If needed he'd deal with Epifanio himself, he'd make him realize keeping his wife under his thumb might not always be best done by engaging in a war; all that after he has secured Teresa.
The moment Camila got out of the car, he pressed the contacts button on his phone and waited. The call was answered after the second ring: "Morning, Sarge! Ain't it too early for you?"
James said in a serious voice: " I need you for a job tomorrow morning …actually more like tonight…"
"Sure!", the guy on the other end said.
"There's a catch," James continued: "I'm in on it, just the two of us…but we must ensure the enemy lives, no matter what!"
"I'll need more detail, Sarge…but sure, come over when you got the details!" and the man disconnected.
Fuck! James thought. The light is going out for this girl…I can't let that happen! before he dragged his hand over his face and reluctantly opened the door of the SUV on his way out.