Miss Bala

Prologue: The Beginning of the End

It all finally paid off after months of endless strategic planning and the failed attempt at the club was now a distant memory. Time and time again they tried to assassinate the chief and with time Lino Esparza grew more restless and temperamental lashing out at anyone within his vicinity. The last two men that tried his patience found themselves with bullets lodged between the eyes, immediately labelled as corpses even before their bodies ever hit the ground, they were on full display, hung under an overpass like an offering to the vultures and flies.

The raids had hit La Estrella's business hard costing the cartel products worth millions and then to see it being sold on their turf was just insulting. The boys went on a manhunt tracking the trail of their stolen drugs, quickly scoping out who the sellers were before word got out that they were sniffing around. They took to the streets calling in favours and going through all the contact on Lino's phone. Two days was all it took when they finally caught one of his men, a scrawny pubescent kid wearing clothes two sizes too big who had an attitude just because he was packing heat. Little shit buckled when he saw the boy's inks.

In an old abandoned warehouse, they bled him dry for information until he lost his voice. They managed though, drawing out names and locations until his voice turned coarse, and his screams became defeated whimpers. It was too easy, Lino couldn't believe the balls and confidence they had and it showed since they were too cocky and stupid enough to give this much information to a kid. It was the names carved out of him that had Lino snarling when they bought him the list still covered in the kids' blood. Chief Saucedo's name stood out the most along with a couple of high-ranking officials, He swore, turning over his desk whirling around and slamming his raised fist into the wall leaving behind a gaping hole. Green eyes flashed dangerously, taking long deep breaths to calm his rage. None of the boys dared to speak watching the man with bated breath pull himself together. Pollo's grin widened when he got the nod to pass on his message to the chief of police.

Gabriel was seventeen years old and an only child. He made the evening news that night when they strung him as a warning.

Saucedo had received his message and in defiance, he doubled his security. The others on the list, he would deal with later, right after cutting off the snake's head. Five times Saucedo got away, already at his last straw, he planned to corner the old bastard, and lull Saucedo into a false sense of security until they could strike. The Miss Bala pageant was a blessing in disguise when they heard he was sponsoring the pageant show. One of his contacts within the police department tipped him off that he was going to a club to celebrate and meet the female contestants. They were armed and ready before nightfall.

Imagine his surprise when they came across a liable witness who happened to be hiding in one of the stalls of the ladies' restroom they infiltrated, the one he specifically asked to remain empty, he would need a word with the female contact later. He was startled when he first laid eyes on her, a pretty little thing dressed in a little black number. Lino was surprised when he caught her American accent, ignoring her shaken apologies and excuse for the contents inside her clutch. Pollo, may he rest in peace wanted to shoot her, slapping his shoulder Lino ordered him to go guard the door and get the rest of the men ready.