absence of affection- javier peña

Part 19

"You brought some clothes, right?" Javier asked and Vanessa stayed quiet until she looked over at him "Why did you want me here, Javi?" Vanessa asked and Javier looked at her. "Vee, listen." Javier began as he sat next to Vanessa on the bed "I know you're strong and brave and all of that but I feel a need to protect you. I don't feel like you care about protecting yourself." Javier explained "I want you here because it makes me feel like in some way you are being protected, even if this is dangerous." he continued "Did I say something to you at the bar that upset you?" Vanessa asked "Or do something?" she questioned "No. You really don't remember?" Javier looked Vanessa in the eyes as she shook her head. They sat and stared at each other for a few seconds, feeling the tension between them rise. Vanessa slowly began moving closer to Javier and he reciprocated. "So what did I do?" she quietly asked. In a swift movement, Javier's lips were on Vanessa's, and this time, she'd remember it. A few minutes in, Javier pulled back. "Why'd you stop?" Vanessa asked, out of breath "Are you sure you want this?" Javier asked "Quit wasting time, yes I want this." she told him before removing her shirt.

A few more items of clothes were removed and suddenly it was morning. The two agents had practically forgotten they were here to capture Gacha because they were too...busy.

"Peña! Get your shit, let's go!" Carillo yelled as he banged on the door. Both Vanessa and Javier jolted at the sudden loud noise. Vanessa looked at the door and back at Javier who greeted her with a smile. "This doesn't make me one of your whores, okay?" she told him "Yes, ma'am." he nodded as Vanessa got out of the bed to find her suitcase. "I can feel you looking at me." Vanessa said as she began putting clothes on. "It's a nice view." Javier said "Shut up." Vanessa chuckled. "You should try putting clothes on." Vanessa suggested "I was thinking I could catch Gacha in the nude." Javier joked as he stood up and began dressing himself "Oh yeah, that's the way to go." Vanessa shook her head as Carillo banged on the door again. Both the agents finished getting dressed and walked out of their room "Ah, I see." Carillo said as both Vanessa and Javier walked out.

"Follow me." Carillo told them. They got suited up and then were driven to their given location. Carillo and his men were put on rafts and Barlowe and Peña were loaded into a helicopter. "Peña." Barlowe spoke as she noticed a red Chevy driving down the road. "I have a Chevy in sight." Peña spoke in Spanish over the radio "Stop him! Don't let him get away! Try to disable the vehicle!" Carillo ordered. The gunman readied his weapon and fired, leaving a cloud of dust. As the dust faded, they saw the car still on the move. "No good, we're going in again." Peña told Carillo. "Stop him! Do whatever you have to do!" Carillo ordered and both Barlowe and Peña looked at each other. They knew that Carillo meant to kill Gacha if they must.

"We're taking fire. We'll circle around and approach from the other direction." Peña said. "Don't take any chances! We can't afford to lose him!" Carillo yelled over the radio. "Copy." Peña replied. Peña and the gunman nodded at each other signaling fire. "What's happening? Peña, Barlowe, what's happening?" Carillo asked "We stopped him. He's not moving." Barlowe said in Spanish, still stumbling a bit. As they watched, Gacha suddenly got out of the car, pistol in hand, screaming. "Asshole! Hey, asshole!" he screamed in Spanish while shooting at the helicopter. "He's out of bullets." Barlowe told Peña and he nodded "He's out bullets, we can take him alive." Peña repeated in Spanish to Carillo. "It's your call." Carillo told them."Give him lead." Peña told the gunman. After Gacha had been shot down, they landed the helicopter and walked to the site. "You okay?" Peña asked Barlowe "Yeah, why?" she questioned "Just making sure." he said as they approached everyone else. They walked over to look at the body and Carillo walked over to the two agents "You two okay?" he asked in Spanish "I'll sleep tonight." Peña replied in Spanish and Barlowe just nodded. Peña patted Carillo on my arm before putting his arm around Barlowe's back and beginning to walk. 

The next day, they got news of a "mysterious" plane crash. Pablo had given an innocent kid a bomb without him even knowing and the agents were sent to find out anything they could from the boy's girlfriend. 

As soon as Murphy saw Barlowe he practically ran over and hugged her "Jesus. Why didn't you call?" Murphy asked her "We've been a bit tied up, I'm sorry." she apologized as she hugged him back. They then walked inside where Carillo and Peña interrogated the girl. Neither Murphy nor Barlowe could really understand anything they were saying except for the fact she said that her boyfriend had not been one of Pablo's sicarios. After a few minutes, Peña signaled them to leave the house and go outside. Barlowe flicked her lighter and lit a cigarette as the two other agents walked outside. "She's lying." Peña said. "He got that poor kid to carry a bomb without him even knowing." Barlowe said. "Well, maybe he knew." Peña replied "I don't care if he knew or he didn't. It's time to put a bullet in Escobar. Now." Barlowe told them. Murphy nodded and then Peña followed.