In the summer rain [NARCOS] ON HOLD

I

Bogotá, Colombia. 1980's.

IF LUCIA had any idea about what she was getting herself into, she might have re-thought her career path.

The 1970's was a decade of free love, scandal, and drugs. No one took advantage of the latter than Pablo Escobar. Colombia became the centerpiece to cocaine trafficking, sending the drug around the world, especially in the United States. Lucia thought if she could take down the whole operation, she could save the world, but was she wrong. The 1980's were a bit different as President Reagan brought conservative values to the White House, and that trickled down into the agencies protecting the man inside the house. But the drugs didn't stop. It kept getting worse and worse and in 1981, when Pablo Escobar decided he wanted to run for public office, was when Colombia erupted into a decades long fight against drug traffickers.

"The Ochoa girl was kidnapped."

Lucia heard on the other line when she picked up her phone. She furrowed her brows together and put out her cigarette.

"Where did it happen?" She asked.
"I don't know. We know that M-19 has her and is holding her ransom."
"They're trying to get Escobar out there. He's not stupid enough to do it." Lucia scoffed at the attempt by M-19.
"No, I don't think so either but the Ochoa's might. Could you stop in? I have a file I think you'd want to read."
Lucia looked at the clock on the wall and saw it was 10:30. The sun was shining bright and the city seemed to be bustling with people today.
"I'll try. No promises."
"Be safe Lucia."
"Always am Javi."

Lucia hung up the phone and rubbed her face with her hands before getting up and getting dressed. She grabbed her bag, pager, and sunglasses before heading out to the US Embassy. She put a hat on in hopes no one would see her while she entered the Embassy. Lucia made her way to the 4th floor and to her office where she discarded everything and headed toward Javier and Steve's desks. Steve was leaning back in his chair, fiddling with a pen while Javi sat hunched over, a cigarette dangling from his mouth.

"So, what do you have that's so important?" Lucia asked Javier while approaching the desks.
"A hello would be nice, or were you up late last night and that's why your being rude?"
Steve and Javi cracked a smile but Lucia didn't budge.
"Funny. So funny that I'm dying. What do you have?" She asked again. Javi handed her a file with a post it on it that said Marta Ochoa on it. Lucia casually flipped open the file and saw an address with two names listed below it, Marta Ochoa and Gustavo Gaviria.
"Javi, what is this?" Lucia questioned him.
"I need you to find out if this is where she is."
"You said M-19 has her."
Javi nodded and folded his hands on his desk.
"We have reason to believe the Ochoa's are turning against Pablo because Gustavo is having an affair with their sister. I need you to find out if this is true."
Steve looked over at the two agents and tried to find a better solution.
"What if we went too? What is Gustavo is there and we get him? We would have Pablo's right hand man."
"Not yet. We can't go in just yet." Javi warned Steve.
"Lucia, please. I know you don't do specific things like this but it could be our only chance right now." Javier pleaded with her.
Lucia looked at Steve for a moment who raised his eyebrows at her and she turned back to Javi.
"My Office. Now." Lucia stormed off and Javi sighed and stood.
"Don't tell me what goes on in there. I don't want to know." Steve told him sarcastically before Javi left to follow Lucia.

Lucia threw the file on her desk and turned around as Javi shut the door behind him.
"I think they are starting to question me."
Javi's face faltered and became serious.
"What have they said?"
Lucia shook her head.
"Nothing specifically. I just see the looks some of the men are giving me, it's like they know something and I can't figure it out."
"What about Escobar and Gaviria? Do they suspect anything?"
Lucia shrugged at him.
"The last time I saw Pablo was a week ago and everything seemed normal. Gustavo was the same too. Maybe I'm just paranoid. But the faster and more frequent these sting operations on their cocaine farms they will suspect someone is giving information to the government. Those men who already question me will suspect me right away and Pablo will kill me."
Javi approached her quickly and stood so close to her face she could feel his breath on her.
"I will never let that happen. Do you hear me? Never."
"I know you wouldn't. But you might be too far away to stop anything."
Javi looked in her brown eyes that looked so conflicted. Javi stepped back after he felt he got to close to her and rubbed his hand over his lower face in thought.
"Be careful. Page me when you leave, ok?"
Lucia nodded in response and Javi left, leaving Lucia in her office.

Not too long after Lucia left the embassy and was off to Medellín. The only thing positive about the drive was the rustic scenery that surrounded the mountains and the light fog that settled at the top. She pulled up on the side of the road and was greeted by one of Pablo's men.
"Come with me." He demanded as she exited the car.

They walked up the the house and onto the porch where they checked her bag and per usual found nothing. He gestured for her to enter the house and they walked through the winding hallways before the entered the living room where Pablo was standing and Gustavo was sitting.
"What's going on?" Lucia asked, trying not to sound intimidated or frightened.
Pablo gestured for her to sit on the couch in front of the two, which she obliged to quickly, not wanting to cause any trouble.
"No reason to be alarmed, Lucia." Pablo said approaching the spot where she sat and knelt down in front of her. She looked at Gustavo who held a poker face and she couldn't tell if he was mad or irritated and Pablo had the scowl that he always wore gracing his face.

"Have you been telling the police where we are?"