"What happened to your face?"

Beadie looked at Isabel's worried face through the mirror, her face expressionless. She was in the middle of applying the heavy makeup on her face while she tried not to wince whenever she touched the left side.

She came out with a black eye as a reminder from the previous night. Luckily, the gun mostly smacked against her cheek and her eye didn't swell, only bruised a little. She ignored the questioning look she received from the other girls and the way they whispered around her. She only concentrated on covering it up to her best knowledge.

But of course, Isabel couldn't walk past her like the others.

"I fell in the shower," Beadie replied, her tone even and void of emotions. She barely recognized her voice and even she was surprised by the dead look she gave to the other girl standing behind her.

Isabel chewed on her bottom lip as she observed the bruise on Beadie's cheek, most of it already covered by the heavy foundation. Her observant hazel eyes saw right through her lies but Beadie couldn't find the energy to care. She was tired, hadn't eaten in a day and now she had to pretend she didn't have plans to kill people tonight.

"You can talk to me," Isabel said softly to her, placing a comforting hand on the blonde's shoulder. The brush stopped mid-air in Beadie's hand as she kept her eyes locked with Isabel's but she didn't say anything.

Instead, she just continued finishing up her makeup by blending out the colors on her eyelids. Tonight's theme was purple, which was great because her bruise would fit in just fine. Fucking great.

Beadie was mad at herself for not paying more attention to her surroundings. But she learned from it, and she wanted to make sure it never happened again. Even though Valeria took care of it, whoever she was.

The blonde made sure she looked sexy tonight so someone would pick her. She took note of the girls that usually got picked: they had tan skin, long lashes, long hair and fantastic makeup. Her complexion wasn't pale, but she wasn't as tan as all the Mexican girls around her. She put on fake lashes that looked weird in this lighting, but she knew they would look amazing in the dim LED lighting down there. She couldn't do anything with her hair other than curl it, her blonde locks making her stick out like a sore thumb.

But maybe she could make this sore thumb work. Maybe it would help her with her mission.

As she brushed out her curls to soften them, her thoughts couldn't help but wander towards her team. She had no idea what Graves could be up to or how he could feel. In her heart, she hoped that he cared enough about her that he wouldn't wait long since she hadn't contacted them since she got inside. It was just impossible with these conditions.

A guard escorted them even to the restroom. What a joke, really.

Then she thought about Alejandro. The way his dark eyes narrowed at her and how angry he looked the last time she saw him. There was a pit in her stomach as she replayed the scene in her mind.

**

"You don't approve of my actions," Beadie commented, her tone light despite her hard-set face. It was hard not to let her emotions show.

Alejandro scoffed and crossed his arms in front of his chest, his biceps flexing. Beadie tilted her head back to look up at him, silently hating how much taller he was. She was 5'4 which wasn't tall to begin with. But the way he carried himself and straightened his spine whenever he talked to someone made her feel even smaller.

"It's dangerous," he looked down at her. Beadie couldn't hold back the eye-roll this time.

"Our job is dangerous, Alejandro," Beadie raised her chin, her voice determined as she narrowed her eyes at him. "That doesn't mean I'll just quit if things get a little hot."

"I didn't say you should," he shook his head and tilted it to the side to get a better look at her face.

Under the starlight, it seemed like the stars swam in her clear eyes, but the fire in them lashed out at him to burn him. The flames should warn off others, but it only pulled him closer as he took a step closer to her.

They held each other's stare for a few seconds, letting the tension thicken between them. A warm breeze brushed past them, causing Beadie's blonde hair to lift with it, lightly combing through the wild locks. Alejandro had no idea how could someone that looked like an angel be so stubborn and look at someone with so much heat.

She looked innocent, but her eyes told another tale. He saw the determination, the want to do something important burn bright in her eyes. How could he say no to that?

Beadie felt herself fall deeper and deeper into his dark eyes, his darkness reaching toward her. She felt if she didn't look away soon, it would swallow her more and right now she couldn't afford that.

As she diverted her gaze, her eyes got caught by something shiny just under the neckline of his shirt. She recognized one of the silver chains that every soldier wore, holding their dog tags. But she took notice of the small silver cross more, hanging over the neckline.

"I see you believe in God," her eyes flashed back to his. Alejandro furrowed his eyebrows in confusion and it took him a second to catch onto what she meant. He instantly reached up and tucked the cross under his shirt. "Then have a little faith in me, too. I won't mess it up."

Despite her words, she could still see he was hesitating. Not like she needed permission from him to go and do her job, but she wanted to be on his good side. They were a team now and they needed to work together. But it wouldn't work if he would question everything she did.

"Do you want a pinky promise or what?" she burst out, suddenly feeling heat tint her cheeks.

A dark, warm chuckle came from Alejandro as he shook his head in disbelief. She couldn't help but smile along with him, the previous heavy air finally lifting and vanishing with another breeze.

Even if it seemed stupid, he raised his gloved hand and held out his pinky finger for her.

"Promise you won't die in there," Alejandro said softly, his dark eyes staring right into her soul.

Beadie let herself get lost in them for a second before she wrapped her pinky finger around his. He had large hands.

"Promise," Beadie smiled at him, him giving a soft smile in return.

And the stars and the lone Moon above them were the witnesses of their vow, and Beadie made it her special mission to never let down Alejandro Vargas.

**

Light pressure on her shoulder snapped her out of her thoughts, just to find Isabel still standing behind her with a concerned look on her face. Beadie couldn't help but notice how her previous shine dimmed over the days.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Beadie forced a small smile on her face, hoping it would be finally enough to get Isabel off her back. She needed to be alone tonight, she didn't want to danger the other girls with her mission.

But before Isabel could question her further, a guard knocked loudly three times on the door, signaling for them that it was time to go. Isabel patted her shoulder before she stepped away and made her way towards the door with the girls.

Before she stood up, Beadie checked one more time that the finely chopped, small pieces of the hemlock were secured in the small glass vial she managed to steal from the kitchen.

The staff was in the middle of preparing some food for the guests but went out to talk with Diego who ordered them around. In those few minutes, Beadie sprinkled some of the hemlock over the food, it completely blending in with the other spices. Because hemlock was most dangerous when eaten, so this would be perfect,

The rest she could add to their drinks once they were drunk enough to not notice the small pieces.

The girls made their usual way down to the floor below, where guests were already drinking and talking business, like usual. Beadie kept her mask in place as she sat down on the mattress like the nights before, taking her place right next to the other girls. Looking great and pretty like porcelain dolls.

With a blank look, she watched as the men dug into the food seasoned to perfection with hemlock, laughing and grabbing girls left and right. Some of them got up to go to the private room on the right where they could have more fun.

And Beadie just waited. Waited and observed, because she knew karma was coming for their asses in the form of her wrath.

The loud music vibrated through the floor, the heavy perfumes mixing with the humid air inside. A bead of sweat rolled down her neck, making her perfectly curled hair stick to it a little. Her feet hurt from sitting in such an uncomfortable position, her face hurt from being smacked with a gun, and felt a headache coming from the chatter of men and music.

Noticing movement from the corner of her eye, Beadie turned her head to look to her right. She looked at the guard that was coming their way, a sinking feeling appearing in her stomach. She already knew what this meant, and so did the other girls beside her by the way everybody tensed. Despite wanting to crumble in the corner, the blonde straightened her back and looked straight at the guard.

His dark eyes connected with her clear ones for a few fleeting seconds before he let out a grumble and reached for the girl on her right.

"No, please, no!" the girl pleaded, tears spilling from her eyes as she tried to resist the guard. Beaide didn't know her name, she never got the chance to speak to her and it broke her heart.

Her cries got louder when the guard fisted her hair and started dragging her, a deep rumble leaving him when the girl kicked him in the shins. Tears were streaming down her face now, ruining her make-up.

And the guard only got more impatient when the chatter around them quieted down, the scene drawing too much attention.

She watched them get abused for days now. She remained quiet when men grabbed them or slapped their asses. She remained quiet when she watched the girls come out of the private rooms with their dresses torn or sobbing silently. She watched as more and more girl's souls died in here day to day.

But she had enough.

"Take me!" Beadie yelled through the chaos, causing the guard to finally stop.

The upbeat music paired with the young woman's cries was a sickening mix, and it goosebumps appeared on her skin despite the warmth. The blonde ignored her fast-beating heart and the sick feeling in her stomach as she rose to her feet, her legs wobbling under her slightly.

"Take me instead," she repeated, sending a glance to the girl on the floor.

The guard looked back above his shoulder, seeking approval from one of the regulars. Beadie has seen him every day here. His name was Carlos, a man in his late forties and immense wealth, judging by the numerous gold accessories and expensive clothes he wore.

Carlos looked like your average fun uncle. He wasn't bad looking but he wasn't quite attractive either. He had a slight dad body situation going on and his hair started to grey near his temple. He usually just drank with his buddies sitting in the far corner, laughing and enjoying themselves.

Carlos' dark eyes scanned Beadie's body, his head tilting to the side as he observed her. She wanted to run. She wanted to chop all these men's hands off they dared to touch them, but she couldn't do that.

Soon. She said to herself. My time will come.

Carlos nodded to the guard.

The guard released the crying girl's hair and she fell back on the floor with a thud. Two other girls went to assist her and try to calm her down while the guard stepped closer to the blonde.

The masked guard grabbed her upper arm with a little more force than was necessary, making her flinch. Her body reacted out of reflex as she jerked her arm away and she sent a heated look at the man. She was beat up enough, she didn't need another bruise on her body.

"A fierce one!" Carlos bellowed, his hearty laugh chasing after his words.

The guard only grumbled beside her. Beadie didn't wait for his approval to approach Carlos and his friends.

Four men were seated around the round table, one of them being Carlos. She had seen the other two around once or twice, but one of them was a complete stranger. All of them were around their mid-forties, looking like your average wealthy middle-aged man.

Beadie approached them with confident steps, her chin held high as she glanced at them. She even forced a small smile on her face when she stopped next to their table, the guard trailing behind her with heavy steps.

"What's your name, beautiful?" Carlos asked, his words smooth and deep. Beadie opened her mouth to reply when the guard next to her spoke for the first time.

"She doesn't speak Spanish," he barked out, his voice a lot smoother than his appearance let on. He sounded young, even though he tried to sound threatening.

"What a shame," Carlos slapped his knee and looked back at his friends. One of them with his hair in a bun at the nape of his neck shrugged his shoulder. "Well, since you're here you can stay. Have a seat."

She started to think he wasn't that bad. But then he patted his thigh, motioning for her to sit there. Beadie bit back some curses as she reluctantly sat on his thigh. The smothered rage inside made her cheeks heat up as he adjusted her, placing a supportive hand on her waist.

"Never seen a blonde here," the man with the bun spoke up and took a drag from his cigarette.

"Pretty, though," Carlos smiled at him and reached for his drink. "And fierce. I like strong women."

"You like anything with a pretty face," the man on the right spoke up. He was one of the regulars, he always wore black, just like now.

Beadie thought he looked boring.

"I won't say you're wrong," Carlos shrugged and took a sip of his whiskey. "But I asked for a girl to escape your bullshit just to get one who can't even speak. She's like you, Evan!"

Evan, the man she hadn't seen here before finally looked up from his phone, his eyes jumping between Carlos and her like he just noticed she was there. Evan seemed to be the youngest among them, maybe 35. His glasses and overgrown beard masked his face perfectly.

"You're weird," the man with the bun pointed at Evan. "You never speak. You're creepin' me out."

"You already said that, Ivan."

She took note of the names so far. She needed to remember their faces and everything she could gather for Alejandro.

I wish it were him pulling me into his lap, not Carlos.

She hushed that thought away with the speed of lighting, feeling embarrassed about it. She barely met the man, for God's sake.

"Let's get back to business," Ivan cleared his throat as he leaned on the table with his elbows. Carlos took another drink.

"Did you get what I wanted?" Carlos asked him, his previous light tone taken over by a more serious one. Beadie stopped her hands from fidgeting, that would give her away.

"Half," Ivan nodded. "You'll get the other half once we're out of town. Just like we agreed."

Carlos hummed, his hand involuntarily tightening his grip on her waist. She glanced at him questioningly and he immediately loosened his grip, sending her a small smile.

"Okay. Is he plane ready, Evan?"

Evan nodded and pushed his glasses up his nose with a finger. His eyes found Beadie's again, but after a few moments he looked away. She could swear he was blushing.

"Perfect. Now we only need to get the drugs from El Sin Nombre and we can get out of here."

Drugs. They were dealing with drugs through Sin Nombre. This was the intel she was risking her life for.

Beadie started to pay more attention by staring mindlessly at the bottle of whiskey in front of her. Most of it was already gone.

"One more day," the man in the black shirt sighed, running a hand down his face. "One more day and we'll be out and about. We're gonna be rich in no time, friends."

"Tell me about it," Ivan took another drag from his cigarette. "I heard Sin Nombre is not here, though. He sent one of his sicarias to deal with most things for tomorrow."

"We can just tell her to get him," Black Dude spoke up again. Carlos rolled his eyes, mirroring Beadie's emotions.

"It's not that simple, idiot," Carlos slammed his glass back on the table with a little more force than needed. The blonde flinched at the loud sound. "We come here tomorrow. The sicaria or whoever is responsible for it gets my drugs. We load into our trucks that'll wait in the back and we'll be on our private plane before the Sun rises. It sounds easy, but it's not simple. Get that into your head."

It looked like Carlos called the shots around here. Evan was the quiet guy responsible for their travel. Black Dude was the stupid one. And Ivan was just tired of everything.

What a team.

As they talked more about their plans after getting on the private jet, Carlos shoved the bottle of whiskey in front of Beadie. Her eyebrows drew together in confusion. Did he want her to drink with them? Because she would rather chew glass.

"Pour," Carlos ordered her in English, his accent strong.

The woman got up to pour drinks for the men at the table, a small frown on her face despite her best efforts. She wasn't here to serve them. She wanted to smash the bottle across their heads.

Then she remembered the hemlock.

Pretending to adjust her dress, she got the vial out and dumped some of it into the bottle while they were busy talking business. The dim lighting didn't chase away the dark shadows from the table, enveloping them into warm darkness. And disguising her poison perfectly.

With a slightly better mood, she poured the drinks and handed each glass to the men. They barely acknowledged her and continued to talk, only Evan glancing up at her and subtly nodding her way, but she didn't mind. She gathered enough from them to bring them down.

And if Alejandro couldn't, she was sure her poison will. Judging by the leftovers of the food she poisoned previously, and now their drinks were toxic, too.

As she was seated in Carlos' lap, she took her time to observe people. She started noticing how the men who ate the most started getting sick, leaving earlier than usual. Some of them seemingly had less energy as they sat at their table, not paying as much attention to the girls around them as they usually would.

And a few hours later, a girl ran out of the private room screaming.

The guards hurried inside to check out what happened. The chaos caught everybody's attention, mostly Beadie's.

The first victim of the night had fallen.

_______________________

beadie is a badass and i love her

in the next chapter things will finally pick up the storyline of the game and there will be more ale & beadie moments

until then, take care ❤️