Black Lagoon: Syndicate

Part 6: American Showdown

Flashback, July 16th, 1994

Not long after having Garcia Lovelace exchanged to the Lagoon Company, Carlos had returned to Roanapur with he was given another job by one of the Panamanian crewmen to take the suitcase filled with packaged cocaine and deliver it to a couple of American clients at the Slipknot Bridge. The deal seemed fairly straightforward; Carlos had already arrived at the destination with the case carried in his hand as he approached the men wearing Hawaiian shirts and a pair of aviators. One of them was an African-American with short, black faded hair and a gapped moustache. As for his partner, he was a younger Caucasian man with unkempt blonde hair and had five freckles on each facial cheek.

Carlos confidently approached those two shady-looking men once he parked his Ford Taurus at the grassy field nearby, the duo were standing right in front of a black Toyota Chaser X81 at the middle of the bridge, expecting the courier to arrive with the supply alone.

Freckled Client: Anybody following you?

Carlos: Nah, man - Just me and the case. You the guys I gotta deliver this to?

Black Client: That's us. Just put it in the trunk and sit in the back. We'll talk business.

Carlos: Uh, sure. If it's about payment, then we can have it arranged.

Carlos walked over to the back of the Toyota and put the suitcase in the trunk as part of the transaction. There was something unusual about those two gentlemen, but couldn't really figure it out what it was. The license plate was personalised, but even then, it caught his gaze. "JU5 C8US"...

Freckled Client: Are you gonna sit down with us or not?

Carlos: Oh, sorry - Just got a little distracted by something...

Complying with what was needed to be done in the deal, Carlos got in the car and sat down in the backseat. The inconspicuous men sat in the front just as business was about to be debated between them and the freelance crook.

Freckled Client: You're a tricky man to follow, Carlos. We've heard about you and your little actions.

Carlos: Say what..?

Black Client: Before you'd even ask, this ain't about your reward money, amigo.

Carlos: I have no clue on what you guys are insinuatin'...

At that sudden moment, the buyers had pulled out their Glock 17Ls from under their shirts and aimed at Carlos before he'd react in time. The Mexican gunfighter was spooked by what was happening in front of his eyes, he held up his hands upon having his life threatened.

Carlos: What the fuck, man?!

Black Client: You fucked up badly, and now... [smiles smugly] we got your ass.

Carlos: The hell d'you all want from me?!

Freckled Client: It's not what we want from ya... it's what we want you to do for us, Carlos.

Carlos was about to ask those men another question, but he was put to a halt when they pulled out their badges from their pocket, revealing themselves to him as CIA agents.

Black Client: Central Intelligence sent us to track you down. The DEA told us who you are, what you did back at New York and who you used to work for before leaving Los Angeles. I'm agent Blend, by the way.

Freckled Client: And I'm agent Sugar. Anyway, we're aware of your involvement with the Campos Cartel, and that you're wanted for killing someone under the witness protection program.

Carlos: ¡No manches! I want nothin' to do with the Campos anymore! I went clean, tryna perform some civic duty for New York City!

Agent Sugar: Ha! That's a crock o' shit, and you know it, Espina. You didn't come clean, you just retired early. If you actually went clean, you wouldn't be staying over here at all.