absence of affection- javier peña

Part 11

As Steve and Vanessa sat at Steve's desk, Connie called and started blabbing about Escobar. All Vanessa could hear was Steve telling her to slow down until Steve finally got something useful. "Escobar and the M-19?" he said. Vanessa raised her eyebrows as she looked at him "No..that doesn't make any sense." Steve told Connie. "OK, alright." he said before quickly hanging up the phone and standing up "We gotta go." Steve told Vanessa "Go where?" she asked but he just darted out of the room and into the ambassador's office. Vanessa ran through the halls trying to catch up to Steve and when she got into the office she saw the Palace of Justice on fire through the TV. "Oh, my god." she and Steve said in unison. Vanessa continued staring at the screen before Steve grabbed her wrist and pulled her behind him "Jesus, Steve." she spoke as he continued walking "How did Connie know all of this?" Vanessa asked "That chick Elisa." Steve said and Vanessa's expression dropped. "Where is she?" she asked with no emotion in her voice "Javi's apartment." Steve told her and she reached into her pocket to grab her keys. She then started running to her car after Steve let go. They both got in the car and Vanessa sped off to Javier's apartment. 

When they reached his apartment, Vanessa got out of the car and slammed the door before walking into the building and pounding on Javier's door. When there was no answer she hit it harder. Then the door suddenly opened. "Where is she?" Vanessa sternly questioned as she took her revolver out of its holster. "Well, come on in." Peña said as he almost closed the door but Murphy ran in before he could. "You, up!" Vanessa yelled and pointed her revolver at her as soon as she had eyes on Elisa "Who the fuck is she and why is the military after her?!" Vanessa yelled as Peña walked up to her side. "Put the gun away." Javier told her "Put it away." he raised his voice "Put it away! She just told me who she is. Put the gun away." he ordered. "Can I say something?" Elisa asked with anxiety plastered all over her. "No, you may not." Vanessa looked at her "Vanessa...calm down." Javier told her in a stern manner. "I have no fucking idea why you'd get yourself involved in this." Vanessa told Javier as she shook her head and put her revolver back in the holster.

"His wife brought her to me." Javier pointed at Murphy then himself. "Murphy probably appreciates you putting yourself out there for his wife, but why the hell are we risking our entire careers over this woman?" Vanessa asked as she grabbed Javier's shoulder and faced him away from Elisa. "Because she can prove that Pablo was behind the palace siege." Javier said and they all turned to look at her. "Get half decent, we're going." Vanessa told Javier before she got changed into her formal office wear and Steve did the same. They then went to their building. "If she can tie Escobar to the siege, I say we bring her in." Murphy suggested "Well, she's M-19." Peña told him. "Noonan would have to turn her over to the Colombian military and then she gets disappeared." Peña explained "I'd like to avoid another Barry Seal situation." Peña looked at Murphy. "So harboring a communist fugitive is the way to go?" Barlowe cut in "Look, all she did was warn us." Peña said as he stopped walking, causing the other two agents to stop as well. "She's not on anybody's radar. She's not involved in anything." he continued defending her. 

The three agents then made their way to the meeting all about M-19 and Escobar. "The red X's you see in these pictures indicate M-19 revolutionaries terminated by the Columbian Special Forces. The remaining individuals you see are fugitives." Major Wysession explained. "Folks, this is more complicated than what it seems." Murphy began. "This was Escobar, classic. He's cut a deal with M-19." Murphy said "Next you'll tell us Escobar sank the Titanic." an agent spoke. "Was it coincidence the extradition evidence against him was destroyed?" Peña questioned the agent "He doesn't hold grudges, not if it suits his purposes." Barlowe spoke. "How do you know he cut a deal?" the agent asked Peña "We have a confidential informant." Peña said. "You willing to identify this informant, Agent Peña?" the agent asked. "No, I am not." Peña nodded. "Needles to say..." Major Wysession shouted. "Southern Command has rescinded its offer of resources to the DEA in light of this communist aggression." Major Wysession continued. 

"We need to target the M-19 leadership: Ivan "the Terrible" Torres and Elisa Alvarez." Major Wysession pointed at their pictures. Murphy and Barlowe both subtly looked at Peña and he looked over at them for a quick second. "Dismissed." Major Wysession announced and everyone packed up their things and went home. Steve walked into the living room to see Vanessa just sitting on the couch, her head propped up but her hand, as she looked out the window. "Hey." he said and she nearly jumped as she turned to face him "What are you doing up?" she asked him "What are you doing up?" he questioned before clearing his throat and sitting next to her. "The last time we sat and talked on the couch was about Javi. Is that what this is about too?" Steve questioned "Unfortunately." she leaned back on the couch "I have to talk to him and if I don't do it now, I'll never have the guts to do it." she rubbed her nose and stood up. "Do you want me there with you?" Steve asked "I'll be okay. If you don't see me in the morning, check the bars, then see if I'm at work and if I'm not, well I'm probably dead." she shrugged before grabbing her keys and driving to Javier's apartment.

She knocked on the door and got no answer but the door was unlocked. She slowly opened the door and walked inside, looking around. "Javier?" she called out and got no response but she could hear faint noises in a distant room. She couldn't make it out so she walked closer.

Biggest mistake she made in her entire career. When she opened the door she saw Javier on top of Elisa...of course. Doing...it. Also of course.

What was she supposed to do? The only thing she could do was walk away like nothing ever happened. She did walk away but went straight to work. At 3 am she arrived at her office and just stood in the middle of the room for a moment, knowing she was alone before she was struck with a fit of rage. She began smashing things that were on her desk, ripping unimportant papers, and throwing things. Breaking tiny objects. Flipping the table. Throwing her chair. Then she just sat in the middle of the room...looking at the mess she'd made. She had three more hours before anyone started showing up to work so after a few minutes of pitying herself, she picked herself off of the floor and began putting things back, throwing away the broken and ripped things, and reorganizing the things she'd thrown.