[ he likes to work alone but carmen loves giving him random tag alongs to whatever job she's assigning him today. he tells her that he doesn't need anyone but the power that flows through his body but she's insistent.
he's pretty sure she gets off on it. it would be amusing if it weren't so irritating. he's not a babysitter and he doesn't have time to just sit around and wait for the cartel's newest recruit. he does't even know their name. he doesn't care. he'll do this one job and then send them on their way, back to baying at carmen's heels for attention and he'll go back to doing jobs on his own, getting his pay and ignoring everyone save for one or two people he cared about.
he's leaning against a vehicle, arms crossed and fingers tapping impatiently against the expensive fabric of his jacket. it's going to get dusty if he has to wait too much longer and if that happens, he's going to just end up leaving this person behind.
eventually, he pulls his phone out, checking for any messages about a delay. when he sees nothing, he flicks over to the random tetris game he'd downloaded when he'd been bored and starts a new one.
it's surprisingly calming. and if he beats this level and this new tag along hasn't shown up, then he's leaving them behind and they can explain to carmen why they weren't punctual. ]
[ this — the guerra family cartel — was not an expected assignment. she'd been on extraction duty, helping to get a small clutch of inhumans over to a shield safehouse in san antonio, when an earthquake had hit. she'd helped to counteract the quake's effect on the apartment building — and had run into carmen guerra herself along the way. granted, she hadn't known who it was at the time, and if she had, she might have just accidentally turned the other way... but it worked out. carmen had screamed, looking terrified of the crumbling walls and unable to find a way out, and daisy had kept the building from collapsing in on them, and found herself with a particularly powerful ally as a result.
not that carmen knew who she was, either. no, all carmen knew was that daisy was a young woman alone with powers, looking for a fresh start that the cartel could certainly provide. or, more specifically, skye was. and as a young woman with strange, potentially deadly abilities, skye was being tested — to prove her worth, partly, but also to prove her loyalty. if she could pass these tests, she might learn more about the cartel's inner workings, their abuse of mutants and inhumans they'd kidnapped or blackmailed or brainwashed into working for them, and take them down for good.
that was an opportunity she couldn't deny. so here she was, dressed and fitted with a wire, sent out on her first mission. do what it takes, she'd been told. whatever you have to do. you know the rules. (don't get caught. the only rule.)
it's probably not a coincidence that there's only person in the lot when she arrives, and so daisy parks near the warehouse at the far end. her boots crunch against the gravel as she walks, newly cropped hair swinging with each step; to the man currently preoccupied with his phone, she offers a greeting as she approaches. ]
You must be the prodigal sun.
[ pun intended, carmen had said with a smile that made something in daisy's stomach twist. ]
[ he lowers his phone and assesses her coolly. better looking than most of the tag alongs he gets assigned. she had all of her hair and no gut hanging over her pants, at least. but, she looks young and that could be an issue. he doesn't need anyone at his shoulder that won't do what needs to be done. ]
And late.
[ he peers back at his game of tetris, determined to finish the level now that she'd made him start so he could pass the time until she'd gotten there. it also gave him a few moments to consider her for a little longer. carmen's told him little of her background and he doesn't care all that much since this'll be a one and done. ]
[ maybe if he wasn't playing tetris, he would have realized she'd pulled up on time. but when she'd spotted the man with his face buried in his phone, daisy had taken her sweet time making sure everything was right. wire for the mic taped to the inside of her bra in case of pat-downs, scrubbed sim card in her phone in case of search and seizure, her now-fake id reissued, et cetera. it was all there, now in her pockets as she climbed into the passenger seat of the surburban. ]
Bougie ride.
[ there's a hint of amusement in her voice, as if maybe he doesn't look the part. (he does. that jacket's probably more expensive than a month's worth of daisy's regular clothes.)
her phone chimes with a message. carmen, checking in. rock their world, s. a message that's surprisingly cutesy, coming from the head of a goddamn cartel. she's careful to keep the screen tilted so his wandering eyes can see the words she types. ]
[ but she apparently like this person (what was her name again?) enough to communicate with her via text message. he doesn't say anything in regard to her response while he buckles in and gets the car going. the tires spin, catching dirt and dust and squealing a bit as he peels out of the lot probably unnecessarily fast. ]
Did you memorize all these potential nicknames before you showed up? What an effective use of your time. [ if she's communicating with carmen, she has to know his name isn't prodigal sun or mister sunshine or any other bullshit thing that people think he likes to be called.
he sits back, spine curving comfortably against the seat while he props one arm against the steering wheel. ]
[ the speed surprises her — thrills her, more like, the adrenaline of it sending a shiver down her spine — but daisy's careful to school her expression. she masks the opening of her mouth with a huffed laugh, a wry grin; her hand lifts to brush a lock of hair out of her face and over her shoulder. ]
I didn't realize you wanted to be so intimate, Marcos. [ because she knows his name, thank you. she assumes carmen told him who would be joining him. ] I'm flattered, but I don't think you're my type.
[ true? lie? is he skye's type, if he's not daisy's? she hasn't thought that far ahead, really. it's mostly just to get under his skin. ]
[ he spares a look over at her, dry and unamused before shaking his head. ] You're right, you're not my type. I prefer women that aren't just out of grade school.
[ because he was so much older than she was. maybe a few years, if that. but, if she wants to banter, they can banter. she'd have to try harder than that to get under his skin. he'd been working for carmen for long enough to have a decently tough exterior. ]
Babysitter isn't really a kink I have. [ it's his turn to grin at her as he navigates them down a mostly empty highway. ] Too bad for you.
No? [ she considers his black-on-black get up, the possessive way his hand curves around the steering wheel. his aggressively dismissive attitude. ] Sorry, my mistake — all your girlfriends call you daddy, don't they?
[ or papi, maybe, given their locale. daisy looks unimpressed, one leg crossing over the other, her attention shifting to the window to peer out at their surroundings. ]
When I give them permission. [ his focus settles back on the road, laughing under his breath. it's been awhile since he's had an actual girlfriend. women that he slept with sometimes? sure but those weren't girlfriends. ]
Nothing for you to pass on when it's never going to happen. [ he expects to never see her again after this job. ] I don't even remember your name.
[ carmen had told him. he'd just been in a pissy mood that he was being saddled with yet another amateur. carmen liked to say it was goo experience for what they were doing but carmen's full of shit. ]
We're going to do this and then I'm going to send you back to wherever you came from.
[ and in that instant, daisy knows he's the key. too sure of himself, too certain of his own infallibility; to catch him in a trap of his own making will require getting under his skin, until his loyalty shifts and his choices require a betrayal of one kind or another.
whether she wants to or not — and, right now, she'd say she absolutely does not — she'll be reeling marcos diaz in. ]
I'm sure they're just ecstatic for the opportunity. [ how long will it take before he admits he knows it? or gives in and asks for it? ] Glad to hear they came to their senses.
[ since he's clearly not attached to anyone. ]
Though, just between us — [ she pauses, checking her phone for a moment before slipping it back between her thighs, a deliberately drawn out gesture intended specifically to draw his eyes down ] — I don't think you could handle me, so you can drop the bullshit.
Is this the part where I argue that I can absolutely handle you and offer to make good on that promise? [ he looks over just as she's putting her phone away and though his eyes do follow its journey, they don't linger.
but he had looked. ]
Again, I don't want to handle you. You and I, we're going to know each other for a few hours and then you're going back to Carmen. She can play with her new toy all she wants. We're going to have a very short relationship.
[ he wants to do his job, get paid and be left to his own devices. he wants to do the work that he's good at uninhibited by someone he thinks can't handle it. ]
No. [ yes. ] Sweet of you to say this is a relationship, though.
[ the conversation cuts short as the suburban pulls into a parking lot off an unpaved road, a sharp turn of the wheel kicking up clouds of ground up gravel. she doesn't bother to wait for his go-ahead to open the door and swing her legs out, grabbing the duffel that sits at her feet.
while he checks his makeup or whatever he needs to do in the driver's seat, daisy kneels down to unzip the bag, pulling out a slim-fit vest. her bomber jacket comes off, revealing a cut-out black tee; more interesting are the gauntlets that twist over her bare arms, matte metal and black a sharp contrast to her honeyed skin.
there's a practiced calm to the way she secures the vest against her ribs, velcro straps tugged and tightened with solid, sure hands. this isn't her first rodeo, no matter how young she looks; though skye hasn't explained her background to carmen, she doesn't want to fail, either.
all set, daisy runs a hand through her hair, pushing it back from her brows to the crown of her head. and waits, because he's not ready. ]
[ he doesn't need the gun but he slides down against the small of his back anyway. it's always good to have a little insurance policy just in case he feels like getting a little creative. that doesn't typically happen, not when his hands provide enough literal firepower on their own.
god, was he making puns at his own expense now? he needs a drink. he's pulled his phone out again, scrolling through to make sure he knows exit routes just in case this man decides to run. he's got a little bit of a squirrely reputation and he's got a lot of cronies. hopefully they can just talk, exchange some money and the man'll come along without a fight.
but that typically doesn't happen. she pipes up and he sighs, wondering why he'd gotten saddled with someone so talkative. he shoves his phone back in his pocket and takes his jacket off, leaving it in the backseat.
rather not get blood on that. he makes her wait a little longer while he rolls his sleeves up to his elbows and then shuts the car door. ]
Come on. I talk, you stand there and look -- [ well, whatever. pretty? intimidating? innocent? whatever. ] She wants him mostly unharmed.
[ she almost opens her mouth to argue, her own pride stepping in, but daisy swallows it down. while she might be an experienced agent, capable of handling a simple task on her own, skye is new. to try and take the lead on another organization's operation would potentially blow her cover. it's better — safer, even — to pretend to have a stroke of genius if things go wrong than to play all her cards at once. ]
Somehow I get the feeling the talking's not your favorite part.
[ it's the getaway driving. or maybe the casual torture and/or murder? ]
Who's him? And what parts?
[ does he need to be able to walk? talk? see? daisy wonders how far "mostly" goes. she does her best to sound blase about it. ]
[ was that enough information? he's tempted to just give her that as he walks towards the building. he doesn't expect much opposition since this man thinks no one knows where his little hidey hole is. so, maybe he'd have one or two guards with him but they'd be easily disposed of. ]
He has the ability to disguise energy signatures.
[ an important ability when you did the things they did. and if carmen wants him, carmen gets him. ]
As for what you can do to him, the answer's nothing. I'll take care of it. [ if asked, he wouldn't say he's overconfident but he doesn't trust her at all. might as well do this quickly and cleanly.
once he's in front of the door, marcos knocks, a gesture of courtesy more than anything else before he tries the knob. locked. easily fixed by using one heavy boot to kick it open.]
Henry! Come on, man, don't make me chase you. I'm tired.
[ there's no answer. marcos turns his head and listens for any sound of scuffling, of scraping, of breathing and then moves further into the small building. ]
Watch the exits. [ at least he's trying to give her something to do? that's big of him. he moves around quietly, picking up various things and putting them down all the while letting his eyes roam.
they settle on a closet at the far end of the room. he moves in closer, settling his hand on the knob and then yanks it open. immediately, there's movement, shuffling and shouting before marcos grabs him by the back of his shirt and hauls him out of the closet. ]
Couldn't even greet us? Pretty rude, Henry.
[ and then he shoves him into a nearby chair and raises a hand, daring the man to move. he doesn't. ]
[ the man doesn't talk. not at first, anyway. his pride and his fear battle it out, a silent refusal to share any information he might have about hidden mutants or their families. she realizes, then, that this isn't just about disguising the trail of singed ozone in the air. this is about protecting those that hide from the cartel, families of mutants who refuse to be shackled for their abilities and sold to the highest bidder or to be used as weapons in someone else's war.
it makes something in daisy's stomach twist, bile in her throat. she tries to disguise it as frustration with the man's refusal to cooperate. ]
He's not going to talk to you.
[ the man — henry — doesn't know what to do. he looks at her with confusion, bewilderment in his eyes, and then back at marcos. is this a trick? a game? she can't comfort him, so her tone remains stern, exasperated. as if marcos is the one wasting time. ]
Let me handle him.
[ a hand juts out, palm parallel to the floor, and she raises a brow in challenge. the floor beneath henry's feet begins to rumble, extending outwards towards the walls; after a moment or two, anything not bolted to the ground begins to quiver, the sounds of jostled glassware chiming in the background. ]
Go start the car. Let me do the dirty work, and you can keep your precious boots clean.
[ he's almost forgotten that she's in the room. it's not until she speaks and then does something that makes the entire ground shake that he turns to pay attention to her. this isn't how it's supposed to go. this isn't what he told her to do and he glares at her, having to stop himself from snapping at her in front of this idiot.
no matter what he thinks of her, he doesn't want to show discord in front of someone else. so, he holds up a finger to her because he is not leaving without instilling to this man just how deadly serious this is. he turns his attention away from her and back to henry, still looking like he might piss himself. ]
Open your eyes.
[ his eyes are already open but marcos wants them to stay that way while he reaches into his pocket for a roll of tape. he's done this before and it works remarkably well as a threat. he's quick about taping each of the man's eyes open and then he brings his hand closer to his face, light pouring from his palm. it's bright enough that he starts trying to blink but can't because of what's on his face.
marcos brings his hand close enough that the man can't not look and holds it there. he knows exactly how long he can do this before he causes permanent damage. been there, done that. ]
If you don't talk to her, I'm going to come back in here and I'm going to take your eyes.
[ not literally. that was gross. he keeps his hands against henry's face for a few seconds longer before he closes his fingers into a fist and turns to go. the look he sends her on the way out isn't pleasant but he thinks it's big that he lets her handle him.
after all, he can come back in if she can't convince the man to come along. so, out to the car marcos goes, leaning against the front of and watching the building curiously. ]
[ she watches him tape the man's eyes open, watches him threaten blindness with pure, searing heat, watches him leave — as soon as the door slams behind him, daisy spits on the floor, bile and saliva both mixing as she gags from the churning nausea in her stomach. violence is one thing. throwing a punch, breaking a limb, even killing a man; she can handle it. but torture, the cold-hearted satisfaction? it makes her sick. literally sick. henry's busy babbling bullshit, poor guy, and daisy's just doing her best to keep her composure.
a hand rests on the back of his chair as she tries to catch her breath, and once she manages, she wipes her mouth with the back of the other. gross. the residue is scraped off onto the chair, and daisy squats down, putting herself at eye level with the man. ]
Whatever you don't tell me? You know what's going to happen. [ the man nods, wide-eyed. whether it's because he understands what daisy won't — can't — say out loud, or because he simply doesn't want to be blinded, is up in the air. doesn't matter, though. ] Tell me.
[ and then, as a show of good faith, daisy rips the tape off. it's not a kind gesture (there's no kind way to do it) but it's not purposefully cruel either, and she does her best to avoid too much pain. it's enough. the man begins to sing like a canary, words crashing over each other, and daisy listens. the mic picks it up, transfers it to headquarters for immediate transcription — they're smart enough to know how to handle it. those people, all the people on that list, will be picked up and moved, transferred to a safe place across the border where carmen and her goons can't get to them. she knows there's a risk. this could out her as a leak, or she could blame it on bad intel. there's no question what will happen to this man as a result — but perhaps she can offer to shoulder that burden for carmen herself, and still get him out. she can't dwell on it, now, though. she has to finish this task first. complete the mission. ]
Stand up.
[ henry stumbles to his feet, still uncertain. it's too easy, too quick. there will be questions if she can do in seconds what marcos could not, and so daisy holds a finger to her lips — say nothing — before leveling a hand at the chair he's vacated. with a squeeze of her palm, the chair rockets backwards, slamming into the far wall hard enough that it cracks apart, plates and glasses from the shelves above raining down from the impact. a struggle in sound, if nothing else. ]
Hands out. [ from her pockets, zip ties. tight enough to secure, not tight enough to injure, his hands secured behind his back. ] Don't do anything stupid. [ if he tries to escape, she can't help him. not in front of someone else. ] Walk. Outside.
[ and thus, they do. she marches him out, into the parking lot, gravel clouds rising under their feet as they meet up with their chauffeur. ]
[ he's in one piece so that's good. he doesn't know exactly what she'd done while he'd left her alone but he was in one piece and had all of his faculties about him so at least the merchandise was undamaged. might have been fun to mess him up a little but whatever. the sooner they can dump this guy with carmen, the better. ]
Get in the car.
[ not you, henry. marcos steps forward and grabs his arm, taking him around to shove him into the trunk. it's not a terrible spot since the suv has an open trunk but he pushes him into a laying position and warns him to stay there.
then, he climbs into the car and gets it going, waiting for her to climb in. when she climbs in, his eyes are on her, unblinking and dark. he's curious and he hates that. he wants to know what she did while she'd been in there alone but he doesn't want to show too much interest.
eventually, he pulls his eyes away from her and his the gas. ]
Let's go. [ he's not gonna let himself be intrigued. it's pointless. it was time to go and time to drop her off and let her disappear into the cartel's innards. he's done.
[ if he's not going to ask, she's not going to volunteer. instead, she opts to ignore his glances in favor of fishing her phone out of her back pocket, once again ensuring his wandering eyes can view the messages as they go in and out. ]
it's done. i took care of it. how did you like marcos? i didn't. that's too bad. you two will look so good together. will? when? tonight. i'm having a party, you will come. talk more when i see you.
[ a party. presumably at the guerra family's club, where money flows like water to launder from their more illicit activities. though carmen hadn't complained about her getup earlier, she knows that luck won't hold. ]
I wonder what the occasion is, [ daisy finally murmurs, as if he hasn't been reading the texts the entire time. ] A party for Carmen, and it's not even her birthday.
[ he can hear henry moving around but as long as he keeps his head down, marcos will let him alone. ]
She does what she wants when she wants to do it. Maybe she woke up in a good mood today. Maybe she bought a new pair of shoes. I don't know. She throws parties a lot.
[ he doesn't remark on the whole 'you will look gos good together' thing. he doesn't know what carmen's playing at but this ends here. in his opinion, this ends here. ]
I'm sure she'll tell you all about it when you see her. [ since they were such close friends and all. ] I'd be careful there if I were you.
Hm. [ daisy considers the warning for a moment, her gaze turning back to him just long enough to watch his fingers curve a little possessively around the wheel. there's history there, she realizes. ] Was she too rough for you?
[ women like carmen, women who had power and money and beauty and (believed they had) brains — they took what they wanted and spat it out when they were done. it doesn't take much to think up something carmen might have wanted of the man sitting in the driver's seat. daisy doesn't want to admit why it's so easy to think of it, but it was. ]
I'm sure I can handle her, but if you'd like to play bodyguard, I'm sure she won't complain.
[ not that he really had a choice. if carmen wanted to see them both, she would, and judging by her texts, daisy had a feeling that would be the case. ]
[ his hands tighten around the steering wheel for barely a second, an indication that she'd grazed a nerve before he calms himself down and shakes his head. ]
You don't know what you're talking about.
[ his past was just that -- his. he's not going to share it with someone he doesn't even know. ]
I'm not playing anything. I'll go because it's expected but you're on your own. [ if carmen did to her what she'd done to him, oh well. you took your licks and you kept taking them because that was how it worked here. that was the meaning of loyalty.
he's tired. it feels like he's been going going going the last few weeks and this plus this sudden party just make him feel even more weary. he looks forward to drinking too much and passing out for hours in a little while. ]
Maybe. [ but judging by his reaction and his snappy tone, she doesn't think she was that far off, either. ] But if you don't tell me, I'm sure she will.
[ carmen seemed particularly chatty. why, daisy's not entirely sure. maybe it's the result of finally having another woman to talk to after years of being surrounded by men. maybe it's just that carmen's an equal opportunity cartel boss and wants to sink her teeth into her newest recruit before she can turn against her. in any case, daisy's fully willing to exploit the situation. ]
We're almost there.
[ she says it mostly for the benefit of henry in the back, whose bumps and adjustments have gotten steadily noisier over the last few minutes. it's not that she knows the area, but the thick iron gates that surround the edge of the property do sort of give it away. as for marcos, she peeks down at her phone one last time before offering a quiet advisory. ]
And just in case you don't want to look like a complete idiot when you explain how some girl whose name you don't know saved your ass, it's Skye.
[ he doesn't say anything at first. he doesn't say anything for so long that it probably appears like he's going to let it roll off his back but once he's navigated the suv through the compound and parked it, he turns towards her quickly and leans into her personal space. ]
Let's get one thing straight, Skye: you didn't save me. I let you handle that because you asked me so nicely. If you hadn't, I would have taken care of it. You saved nothing. Don't come near me again.
[ that was probably not going to happen but he could hope. he's out of the car before she can retort, dragging henry out of the trunk and shoving him towards a building in the back. he'd hand him off to someone else and then disappear until this party tonight.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
i know nothing about cartels and their inner workings so pretend this is how it works
he's pretty sure she gets off on it. it would be amusing if it weren't so irritating. he's not a babysitter and he doesn't have time to just sit around and wait for the cartel's newest recruit. he does't even know their name. he doesn't care. he'll do this one job and then send them on their way, back to baying at carmen's heels for attention and he'll go back to doing jobs on his own, getting his pay and ignoring everyone save for one or two people he cared about.
he's leaning against a vehicle, arms crossed and fingers tapping impatiently against the expensive fabric of his jacket. it's going to get dusty if he has to wait too much longer and if that happens, he's going to just end up leaving this person behind.
eventually, he pulls his phone out, checking for any messages about a delay. when he sees nothing, he flicks over to the random tetris game he'd downloaded when he'd been bored and starts a new one.
it's surprisingly calming. and if he beats this level and this new tag along hasn't shown up, then he's leaving them behind and they can explain to carmen why they weren't punctual. ]
duh
not that carmen knew who she was, either. no, all carmen knew was that daisy was a young woman alone with powers, looking for a fresh start that the cartel could certainly provide. or, more specifically, skye was. and as a young woman with strange, potentially deadly abilities, skye was being tested — to prove her worth, partly, but also to prove her loyalty. if she could pass these tests, she might learn more about the cartel's inner workings, their abuse of mutants and inhumans they'd kidnapped or blackmailed or brainwashed into working for them, and take them down for good.
that was an opportunity she couldn't deny. so here she was, dressed and fitted with a wire, sent out on her first mission. do what it takes, she'd been told. whatever you have to do. you know the rules. (don't get caught. the only rule.)
it's probably not a coincidence that there's only person in the lot when she arrives, and so daisy parks near the warehouse at the far end. her boots crunch against the gravel as she walks, newly cropped hair swinging with each step; to the man currently preoccupied with his phone, she offers a greeting as she approaches. ]
You must be the prodigal sun.
[ pun intended, carmen had said with a smile that made something in daisy's stomach twist. ]
no subject
[ he lowers his phone and assesses her coolly. better looking than most of the tag alongs he gets assigned. she had all of her hair and no gut hanging over her pants, at least. but, she looks young and that could be an issue. he doesn't need anyone at his shoulder that won't do what needs to be done. ]
And late.
[ he peers back at his game of tetris, determined to finish the level now that she'd made him start so he could pass the time until she'd gotten there. it also gave him a few moments to consider her for a little longer. carmen's told him little of her background and he doesn't care all that much since this'll be a one and done. ]
Get in. We're already running behind.
ty ilu
Bougie ride.
[ there's a hint of amusement in her voice, as if maybe he doesn't look the part. (he does. that jacket's probably more expensive than a month's worth of daisy's regular clothes.)
her phone chimes with a message. carmen, checking in. rock their world, s. a message that's surprisingly cutesy, coming from the head of a goddamn cartel. she's careful to keep the screen tilted so his wandering eyes can see the words she types. ]
met mister sunshine
we're otw
[ she's curious if he'll dispute it. ]
She really doesn't like the Russians, does she?
ur welcome, ilu 2
[ but she apparently like this person (what was her name again?) enough to communicate with her via text message. he doesn't say anything in regard to her response while he buckles in and gets the car going. the tires spin, catching dirt and dust and squealing a bit as he peels out of the lot probably unnecessarily fast. ]
Did you memorize all these potential nicknames before you showed up? What an effective use of your time. [ if she's communicating with carmen, she has to know his name isn't prodigal sun or mister sunshine or any other bullshit thing that people think he likes to be called.
he sits back, spine curving comfortably against the seat while he props one arm against the steering wheel. ]
No wonder Carmen hired you. [ sarcasm. ]
no subject
I didn't realize you wanted to be so intimate, Marcos. [ because she knows his name, thank you. she assumes carmen told him who would be joining him. ] I'm flattered, but I don't think you're my type.
[ true? lie? is he skye's type, if he's not daisy's? she hasn't thought that far ahead, really. it's mostly just to get under his skin. ]
no subject
[ because he was so much older than she was. maybe a few years, if that. but, if she wants to banter, they can banter. she'd have to try harder than that to get under his skin. he'd been working for carmen for long enough to have a decently tough exterior. ]
Babysitter isn't really a kink I have. [ it's his turn to grin at her as he navigates them down a mostly empty highway. ] Too bad for you.
no subject
[ or papi, maybe, given their locale. daisy looks unimpressed, one leg crossing over the other, her attention shifting to the window to peer out at their surroundings. ]
I'll pass.
no subject
Nothing for you to pass on when it's never going to happen. [ he expects to never see her again after this job. ] I don't even remember your name.
[ carmen had told him. he'd just been in a pissy mood that he was being saddled with yet another amateur. carmen liked to say it was goo experience for what they were doing but carmen's full of shit. ]
We're going to do this and then I'm going to send you back to wherever you came from.
no subject
whether she wants to or not — and, right now, she'd say she absolutely does not — she'll be reeling marcos diaz in. ]
I'm sure they're just ecstatic for the opportunity. [ how long will it take before he admits he knows it? or gives in and asks for it? ] Glad to hear they came to their senses.
[ since he's clearly not attached to anyone. ]
Though, just between us — [ she pauses, checking her phone for a moment before slipping it back between her thighs, a deliberately drawn out gesture intended specifically to draw his eyes down ] — I don't think you could handle me, so you can drop the bullshit.
[ a challenge. ]
no subject
but he had looked. ]
Again, I don't want to handle you. You and I, we're going to know each other for a few hours and then you're going back to Carmen. She can play with her new toy all she wants. We're going to have a very short relationship.
[ he wants to do his job, get paid and be left to his own devices. he wants to do the work that he's good at uninhibited by someone he thinks can't handle it. ]
A happy ending for us both.
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[ the conversation cuts short as the suburban pulls into a parking lot off an unpaved road, a sharp turn of the wheel kicking up clouds of ground up gravel. she doesn't bother to wait for his go-ahead to open the door and swing her legs out, grabbing the duffel that sits at her feet.
while he checks his makeup or whatever he needs to do in the driver's seat, daisy kneels down to unzip the bag, pulling out a slim-fit vest. her bomber jacket comes off, revealing a cut-out black tee; more interesting are the gauntlets that twist over her bare arms, matte metal and black a sharp contrast to her honeyed skin.
there's a practiced calm to the way she secures the vest against her ribs, velcro straps tugged and tightened with solid, sure hands. this isn't her first rodeo, no matter how young she looks; though skye hasn't explained her background to carmen, she doesn't want to fail, either.
all set, daisy runs a hand through her hair, pushing it back from her brows to the crown of her head. and waits, because he's not ready. ]
Do you need a hand back there, old man?
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god, was he making puns at his own expense now? he needs a drink. he's pulled his phone out again, scrolling through to make sure he knows exit routes just in case this man decides to run. he's got a little bit of a squirrely reputation and he's got a lot of cronies. hopefully they can just talk, exchange some money and the man'll come along without a fight.
but that typically doesn't happen. she pipes up and he sighs, wondering why he'd gotten saddled with someone so talkative. he shoves his phone back in his pocket and takes his jacket off, leaving it in the backseat.
rather not get blood on that. he makes her wait a little longer while he rolls his sleeves up to his elbows and then shuts the car door. ]
Come on. I talk, you stand there and look -- [ well, whatever. pretty? intimidating? innocent? whatever. ] She wants him mostly unharmed.
[ that left him a little leeway. ]
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Somehow I get the feeling the talking's not your favorite part.
[ it's the getaway driving. or maybe the casual torture and/or murder? ]
Who's him? And what parts?
[ does he need to be able to walk? talk? see? daisy wonders how far "mostly" goes. she does her best to sound blase about it. ]
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[ was that enough information? he's tempted to just give her that as he walks towards the building. he doesn't expect much opposition since this man thinks no one knows where his little hidey hole is. so, maybe he'd have one or two guards with him but they'd be easily disposed of. ]
He has the ability to disguise energy signatures.
[ an important ability when you did the things they did. and if carmen wants him, carmen gets him. ]
As for what you can do to him, the answer's nothing. I'll take care of it. [ if asked, he wouldn't say he's overconfident but he doesn't trust her at all. might as well do this quickly and cleanly.
once he's in front of the door, marcos knocks, a gesture of courtesy more than anything else before he tries the knob. locked. easily fixed by using one heavy boot to kick it open.]
Henry! Come on, man, don't make me chase you. I'm tired.
[ there's no answer. marcos turns his head and listens for any sound of scuffling, of scraping, of breathing and then moves further into the small building. ]
Watch the exits. [ at least he's trying to give her something to do? that's big of him. he moves around quietly, picking up various things and putting them down all the while letting his eyes roam.
they settle on a closet at the far end of the room. he moves in closer, settling his hand on the knob and then yanks it open. immediately, there's movement, shuffling and shouting before marcos grabs him by the back of his shirt and hauls him out of the closet. ]
Couldn't even greet us? Pretty rude, Henry.
[ and then he shoves him into a nearby chair and raises a hand, daring the man to move. he doesn't. ]
Now, time to talk.
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it makes something in daisy's stomach twist, bile in her throat. she tries to disguise it as frustration with the man's refusal to cooperate. ]
He's not going to talk to you.
[ the man — henry — doesn't know what to do. he looks at her with confusion, bewilderment in his eyes, and then back at marcos. is this a trick? a game? she can't comfort him, so her tone remains stern, exasperated. as if marcos is the one wasting time. ]
Let me handle him.
[ a hand juts out, palm parallel to the floor, and she raises a brow in challenge. the floor beneath henry's feet begins to rumble, extending outwards towards the walls; after a moment or two, anything not bolted to the ground begins to quiver, the sounds of jostled glassware chiming in the background. ]
Go start the car. Let me do the dirty work, and you can keep your precious boots clean.
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no matter what he thinks of her, he doesn't want to show discord in front of someone else. so, he holds up a finger to her because he is not leaving without instilling to this man just how deadly serious this is. he turns his attention away from her and back to henry, still looking like he might piss himself. ]
Open your eyes.
[ his eyes are already open but marcos wants them to stay that way while he reaches into his pocket for a roll of tape. he's done this before and it works remarkably well as a threat. he's quick about taping each of the man's eyes open and then he brings his hand closer to his face, light pouring from his palm. it's bright enough that he starts trying to blink but can't because of what's on his face.
marcos brings his hand close enough that the man can't not look and holds it there. he knows exactly how long he can do this before he causes permanent damage. been there, done that. ]
If you don't talk to her, I'm going to come back in here and I'm going to take your eyes.
[ not literally. that was gross. he keeps his hands against henry's face for a few seconds longer before he closes his fingers into a fist and turns to go. the look he sends her on the way out isn't pleasant but he thinks it's big that he lets her handle him.
after all, he can come back in if she can't convince the man to come along. so, out to the car marcos goes, leaning against the front of and watching the building curiously. ]
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a hand rests on the back of his chair as she tries to catch her breath, and once she manages, she wipes her mouth with the back of the other. gross. the residue is scraped off onto the chair, and daisy squats down, putting herself at eye level with the man. ]
Whatever you don't tell me? You know what's going to happen. [ the man nods, wide-eyed. whether it's because he understands what daisy won't — can't — say out loud, or because he simply doesn't want to be blinded, is up in the air. doesn't matter, though. ] Tell me.
[ and then, as a show of good faith, daisy rips the tape off. it's not a kind gesture (there's no kind way to do it) but it's not purposefully cruel either, and she does her best to avoid too much pain. it's enough. the man begins to sing like a canary, words crashing over each other, and daisy listens. the mic picks it up, transfers it to headquarters for immediate transcription — they're smart enough to know how to handle it. those people, all the people on that list, will be picked up and moved, transferred to a safe place across the border where carmen and her goons can't get to them. she knows there's a risk. this could out her as a leak, or she could blame it on bad intel. there's no question what will happen to this man as a result — but perhaps she can offer to shoulder that burden for carmen herself, and still get him out. she can't dwell on it, now, though. she has to finish this task first. complete the mission. ]
Stand up.
[ henry stumbles to his feet, still uncertain. it's too easy, too quick. there will be questions if she can do in seconds what marcos could not, and so daisy holds a finger to her lips — say nothing — before leveling a hand at the chair he's vacated. with a squeeze of her palm, the chair rockets backwards, slamming into the far wall hard enough that it cracks apart, plates and glasses from the shelves above raining down from the impact. a struggle in sound, if nothing else. ]
Hands out. [ from her pockets, zip ties. tight enough to secure, not tight enough to injure, his hands secured behind his back. ] Don't do anything stupid. [ if he tries to escape, she can't help him. not in front of someone else. ] Walk. Outside.
[ and thus, they do. she marches him out, into the parking lot, gravel clouds rising under their feet as they meet up with their chauffeur. ]
He's ready. Are you?
[ a challenge, head tilting to the side. ]
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Get in the car.
[ not you, henry. marcos steps forward and grabs his arm, taking him around to shove him into the trunk. it's not a terrible spot since the suv has an open trunk but he pushes him into a laying position and warns him to stay there.
then, he climbs into the car and gets it going, waiting for her to climb in. when she climbs in, his eyes are on her, unblinking and dark. he's curious and he hates that. he wants to know what she did while she'd been in there alone but he doesn't want to show too much interest.
eventually, he pulls his eyes away from her and his the gas. ]
Let's go. [ he's not gonna let himself be intrigued. it's pointless. it was time to go and time to drop her off and let her disappear into the cartel's innards. he's done.
at least he thinks so. ]
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it's done. i took care of it.
how did you like marcos?
i didn't.
that's too bad. you two will look so good together.
will? when?
tonight. i'm having a party, you will come. talk more when i see you.
[ a party. presumably at the guerra family's club, where money flows like water to launder from their more illicit activities. though carmen hadn't complained about her getup earlier, she knows that luck won't hold. ]
I wonder what the occasion is, [ daisy finally murmurs, as if he hasn't been reading the texts the entire time. ] A party for Carmen, and it's not even her birthday.
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[ he can hear henry moving around but as long as he keeps his head down, marcos will let him alone. ]
She does what she wants when she wants to do it. Maybe she woke up in a good mood today. Maybe she bought a new pair of shoes. I don't know. She throws parties a lot.
[ he doesn't remark on the whole 'you will look gos good together' thing. he doesn't know what carmen's playing at but this ends here. in his opinion, this ends here. ]
I'm sure she'll tell you all about it when you see her. [ since they were such close friends and all. ] I'd be careful there if I were you.
[ he doesn't elaborate. ]
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[ women like carmen, women who had power and money and beauty and (believed they had) brains — they took what they wanted and spat it out when they were done. it doesn't take much to think up something carmen might have wanted of the man sitting in the driver's seat. daisy doesn't want to admit why it's so easy to think of it, but it was. ]
I'm sure I can handle her, but if you'd like to play bodyguard, I'm sure she won't complain.
[ not that he really had a choice. if carmen wanted to see them both, she would, and judging by her texts, daisy had a feeling that would be the case. ]
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You don't know what you're talking about.
[ his past was just that -- his. he's not going to share it with someone he doesn't even know. ]
I'm not playing anything. I'll go because it's expected but you're on your own. [ if carmen did to her what she'd done to him, oh well. you took your licks and you kept taking them because that was how it worked here. that was the meaning of loyalty.
he's tired. it feels like he's been going going going the last few weeks and this plus this sudden party just make him feel even more weary. he looks forward to drinking too much and passing out for hours in a little while. ]
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[ carmen seemed particularly chatty. why, daisy's not entirely sure. maybe it's the result of finally having another woman to talk to after years of being surrounded by men. maybe it's just that carmen's an equal opportunity cartel boss and wants to sink her teeth into her newest recruit before she can turn against her. in any case, daisy's fully willing to exploit the situation. ]
We're almost there.
[ she says it mostly for the benefit of henry in the back, whose bumps and adjustments have gotten steadily noisier over the last few minutes. it's not that she knows the area, but the thick iron gates that surround the edge of the property do sort of give it away. as for marcos, she peeks down at her phone one last time before offering a quiet advisory. ]
And just in case you don't want to look like a complete idiot when you explain how some girl whose name you don't know saved your ass, it's Skye.
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Let's get one thing straight, Skye: you didn't save me. I let you handle that because you asked me so nicely. If you hadn't, I would have taken care of it. You saved nothing. Don't come near me again.
[ that was probably not going to happen but he could hope. he's out of the car before she can retort, dragging henry out of the trunk and shoving him towards a building in the back. he'd hand him off to someone else and then disappear until this party tonight.
what a good plan. ]
tl;dr give me that cartel cinderella scene bye
your wish is my command and all that
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