The Lady Ecsed sat on the edge of an expensive wooden desk of an equally expensive looking office. Behind the desk sat Enrique Lozano, her rival. This grand house was his. It was one town over from Rio Blanca and served as a local headquarters when the cartel head was visiting. Lozano was an older gentleman who had trouble walking and seldom left his homes other than to move on to the next one. Three of his body guards were present for the meeting. There was a knock at the door and a servant stepped in.
“Señor, Ojo esta aquí,” said the woman.
Her eyes and head stayed focused on the floor. She’d heard rumors of La Señora Ecsed stealing souls and drinking blood. Even though the servant was in her master’s house, she was still afraid. Lozano took a mental note.
“Let him in,” Lozano replied.
The servant opened the door and Ojo stepped in.
“Buenos noches Señor Lozano,” said Ojo.
Lozano nodded his head.
“Señora Ecsed said you would have some news for me,” said the old man.
“The woman has stolen one of your trucks,” replied Ojo.
Lozano had no reaction.
“Where is she now?” asked Ecsed.
“She was heading into the town. We have men there to greet her,” he replied.
Ximena stood beside the wrecked rig. One of the fuel tanks was damaged and leaking. She found a empty beer bottle and filled it with the leaking gas. She stuffed a rag into the bottle and noticed one of the remaining gunmen trying to crawl away. Ximena put the beer bottle on the ground and walked calmly to the man. She grabbed him by the back of his collar, dragged him, and leaned him against a telephone pole.
“Hablas Ingles?” she asked.
The man spit blood in her face.
“Fuck you, puta,” he said.
“And that is a yes,” said Ximena.
She dabbed the blood on her face with her sleeve.
“How about we try being civil?” she asked.
“I ain't telling you nothin, bitch,” he replied.
Ximena shrugged and reached for his belt buckle.
“Which testicle shall we lose first? Right or left?” she asked.
Before he could answer, a cellphone started ringing in the man's pocket. He tried to get it but was too slow. Ximena wrenched it out of his hand. She stood and put a boot on his neck.
“Looks like fate needith you not,” she said.
Ximena flipped open the phone.
“Hola,” she said.
Ojo's voice is on the other end.
“Hola? ¿Quién es?” he asked.
The man on the ground was struggling to speak with the boot on his neck.
“Cut it out. I’m on the phone,” she told him.
Then she cleared her throat and spoke into the phone.
“I'm a little busy right now. Are you another pawn for the witch?” she asked.
“Something like that,” replied Ojo.
The man on the ground kept struggling and tried to move her foot with this hands. Ximena pulled back her foot and kicked him in the face, knocking him out.
“Well, unless you have something important to say, hand the phone over to the lady in charge,” she said.
“You’re gonna find out who’s in charge real quick,” replied Ojo.
“You know what, never mind,” said Ximena.
Ximena kicked the man on the ground, waking him, then dropped the phone onto the dying man's lap.
“Talk to your boy,” she commanded.
She walked away and began to pat down one of the bodies.
“Gringa. Hey gringa!” Ojo yelled from the phone.
She pulled a lighter out of one of the pockets.
“Gringa? What the hell, just because I don’t speak Spanish?” Ximena asked.
“Ojo. Ojo…” said the man, trying to speak.
He passed out before completing his sentence. Ximena picked up her Molotov cocktail, lit it, and tossed it into the cab of the semi and walked away. The crow flew over her head and cawed.
“Yeah, I know could have just lit it on fire but… Shut up,” she told the bird.
Then she walked down the street using the lighter to set any Santa Muerte idols she found on fire. Back at Lozano’s home, Ojo closed his phone. Lozano was just sitting there, acting indifferent.
“Was that her?” asked Lozano.
“Si. She just took out some more of our men and I can guarantee you won't get your truck back,” replied Ojo.
“How do I know it was one of mine?” asked Lozano.
“Wasn't one of ours,” replied Ojo.
“See, Enrique? We have a mutual problem,” said Ecsed.
Lozano opened a small box on his desk and took out a cigar.
“Well, Erzsébet. From where I stand this woman is your problem,” said the old man.
Her eye twitched slightly. Lozano chuckled.
“I know who you are. Or at least, I know who you pretend to be,” said Lozano.
Señora Ecsed could not hide the annoyance on her face. She did not appreciate a man, who she deemed a low life, actually having some intelligence, let alone knowing something she was not ready to reveal.
“Don’t worry, Señora. I won’t use your name against you,” he said.
Not yet was implied.
“In fact this woman appears to be doing me a favor since you stole this territory from me,” he continued.
Señora Ecsed shrugged. She let her annoyance fade and decided to modify her plans for Lozano.
“Maybe. But after me, where would it end? She did kill some of your men already,” she replied.
He picked up his cigar cutter and snipped the tip off his Cuban.
“Ah, yes. The ones with the bird painted on them,” he said.
Lozano motioned to his nearest bodyguard. The man pulled out a lighter and lit the cigar. Lozano took a puff.
“I'm sure she was solely responsible,” said Lozano, skeptically.
“Who else could it have been? She struck against your men twice now. She will do it again,” said Ecsed, innocently.
The old man wasn’t so sure. But having a vigilante running about the territory he wanted to retake might encourage others.
“It's possible. So... What do you want?” he asked.
“I propose a truce. You help me get rid of her and I stop interfering with your business. I’ll even end my expansion,” offered Señora Ecsed.
Lozano laughed.
“You must be desperate to come to me like this. I could just as easily let her take you apart so I can pick up your pieces,” said the old man.
She laid down across the desk and propped her head up.
“If we stop attacking each other, even for a little while, maybe we can keep the Army from interfering with us both,” she said.
“You heard about that?” he asked.
It had been a growing concern. There were rumors that The Mexican Army was preparing to deploy into the area to stamp out the drug war.
“I have my sources,” she replied.
He considered the proposal, weighing whether or not it would make it any easier to kill the woman later and take her territory.
“A truce then,” said Lozano.
He picked up his phone and dialed.
“Soto. We are working with La Señora Ecsed... for now. Find out more about this woman who is giving her so many problems,” he said into his phone.
Lozano hung up and tossed the phone on the desk.
“You should come to Rio Blanca when this is done, as my guest,” said La Señora.
“You know I don't leave my houses,” said Lozano.
“I know,” she replied.
He took a long puff of his cigar and blew it out.
“You should know, gringa, it is insulting how you let the people call you La Muerte. She is not just a costume you can use to gain favor,” he said.
The witch smiled as she sat up. She slid of his desk, bent down, and acted out of breath.
“Are you ok?” asked Lozano.
“I'm ok. Ojo can you help me please,” she replied.
“Si, mi amor,” said Ojo.
Ojo moved to his goddess. She put an arm on Ojo's shoulder and Ojo put an arm on her back behind her cloak. Quickly Ojo pulled away from Señora Ecsed with a silenced pistol in his hand. He shot Lozano's bodyguards before they could react. Lozano stumbled out of his chair and backed against the wall.
“How did you get that in here?” he asked.
Señora Ecsed smiled.
“Easy. I knew your pig men would focus too much on my womanly parts. I had the gun on strapped to my back.” she replied.
She slowly approached Lozano and pulled a knife, also hidden on her back.
“They were not worthy to touch me and deserved more pain in death but indulging them was a necessary risk. If they had bothered to search more than my chest and between my legs maybe they could have saved you,” she said.
“You won't survive this,” said Lozano.
“Yes I will,” said Señora Ecsed.
She place the blade against his throat.
“I let the people call me La Muerte because I am death,” she said.
She quickly slashed Lozano's throat and moved in to suck on his blood. As Lozano slumped to the ground, she moved with him. When she had what she needed, she stood up and began to cough and gag.
“Are you okay, mi amor?” asked Ojo.
She was dry heaving, and cringing.
“I'm fine,” she said after controlling her gag reflex.
She pointed at Lozano's body.
“That tasted vile. Hand me the phone please,” she said.
Ojo picked up Lozano's phone and handed it to Señora Ecsed. She dialed and began speaking with Lozano's voice.
“Soto. I changed my mind. Get all the men ready. We are going to stamp this problem out,” she said in the old man’s voice.
Undecipherable speaking came from the phone.
“Yes I'm sure! Give Señora Ecsed anything she asks for and never question me again,” she said.
Señora Ecsed hung up and spat out some of the blood. Her normal voice returned.
“That aftertaste is going to linger,” she said.
“If you need to cleanse you pallet, we have another unspoiled girl in stock,” said Ojo.
She smiled.
“Thank goodness. Have it brought to me,” she said, sighing. “We need to get things going. Call your Border Patrol source.”8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp1HtijoisJ
