[img]https://txt-dynamic.static.1001fonts.net/txt/b3RmLjg4LmEyODE4Ny5RV3hsYW1GdVpISnZJRU5oYzNScGJHeHZJRkpsZVdWei4w/allison-script.regular.png[/img]

[color=gray][sub]LOCATION & TIME : SWAN SONGS, MONDAY EVENING[/sub]
[sub]INTERACTIONS : ASSOCIATES [/sub]
[sub]MENTIONS : SIOHBAN - [@Almalthia], PAIGE - [@Pilatus] [/sub][/color]
[hr]

	To say the least, Alejandro's week was uneventful. Although the week had started off strong with the new statistics of their business growth in Huston thanks to the work of his little sister, there hadn't been much after that. Mara and John had been able to pull some files from the Deputy marshal he had seen back in Swan Songs Records, but there was nothing special. Just names that none of them had heard of before. It almost seemed like that pig was covering something from all the files that his associates had been able to gather, but unfortunately, there was nothing noteworthy.

	By Wednesday Alejandro was beginning to doubt he would ever meet up with the man who was in charge of Sol's crime ring. Mara had sent out various attempts to contact the person on day one of their arrivals. That had been almost two months ago, and there still wasn't a reply. Alejandro couldn't help but wonder if the person even wanted to do business, or if they even existed. 

	Soon enough, Alejandro would have to pull everything together and just look for the person himself. Hell, he would even call over his sister to help him. She was good at finding people and getting them to talk. Although, it would be best to avoid violence if he wanted to do a reputable business with the person. Besides, his sister was busy with Huston and would probably keep heading east. 

	His sister would be the last resort for now. 

	The rest of the week went as expected. Training in the mornings, meeting over breakfast with Mara and John, visit the flower shop for a few hours then headed to the back to check up their special deliveries. While Alejandro had not yet started to import drugs into Sol, his shop still served as a stop of imports that were heading up north. He still had to make sure everything was being delivered and would get to their destination without a problem. So far, there had been no signs of authorities snooping around. So far, anyway. Either way, Alejandro was always ready to deal with troublesome people.

	At some point he had arranged a meeting with Siobhan, the girl with the pretty eyes, to visit his shop and photograph the place. Only the front, of course. No one was allowed behind. Store regulations, Alejandro called it. 


	By the time the weekend arrived, Mara had convinced Alejandro had taken take some time off. John had even offered him to take him to the local food festival. Alejandro, a bit surprised by the man's suggestion, agreed to it. It had been some time since John and Alejandro had been anywhere out without Mara's teases or her constant comments. Still, she had argued she'd still tag along to make sure there was a backup in case anything happened. With some hesitance, John and Alejandro agreed if only she stayed far behind and didn't interrupt them. 

	Alejandro just wanted to spend some time with John, as they use to before coming to Sol. It almost felt like John wasn't an associate and just plain old John. The John Alejandro use to like. 

	[color=gray]"Ale...jandro."[/color] John cleared his throat and pointed towards one of the stands a few feet away. The pair, plus Mara, had arrived around five or seven o'clock and had wandered around the stands before deciding on what few things to eat. That was until John pointed out a stand with the green, white, and red flags with a familiar eagle on it. 

	[color=BC8F8F]"No way."[/color] Alejandro grinned and pulled John along as he walked past people to the stand [color=BC8F8F]"They actually have some here, not like the other stupid stand."[/color] Alejandro looked over the Spanish menu with a small smile as John pulled out his wallet, ready to pay for whatever Alejandro was about to order. 

	After getting a bag of [i]Tostilocos[/i] and some non-alcoholic [i]Micheladas[/i] they made their way to an open space with a few benches for the people to sit on. They ignored Mara, who was had taken a seat a few feet away and was on her phone while taking a look around. 

	[color=BC8F8F]"You know, I kinda miss this.[/color] Alejandro offered some of the snacks to John, who just took a piece of a squared mango. 

	[color=gray]"Miss what?"[/color]

	[color=BC8F8F]"Just walking around. Not having to worry too much about anything. LA was so much more fun, and we could just relax together."[/color] Alejandro shrugged a shoulder and looked away to watch some of the people walking past them. 

	Next to him, John furrowed his brow and continued to stare at Alejandro. [color=gray]"I... I miss it too, but we both have jobs to do. And we both know it would have never lasted. Your mother has expectations. You're the only one who's going to have to run this when she's too old to do so."[/color]

	Behind them, they hadn't noticed Mara slipping a hand into her leather jacket and slowly making her way towards the while keeping her eyes on a suspicious individual. 

	[color=BC8F8F]"Yeah, yeah, you don't have to tell me. I hear it from her every time she calls. I was just thinking back."[/color] Alejandro rolled his eyes and leaned back against the bench. [color=BC8F8F]"It sucks because she actually likes you a lot."[/color]

	John couldn't help but to laugh a bit. Alejandro was right. It did suck, a lot. If they weren't in this kind of lifestyle and just be normal people, they might have actually worked out just fine. Alejandro's mother really did like John a lot, and his father would have gotten around the idea. Still, John couldn't think about it too much. The ache in his chest just grew the more he thought about the "what ifs."

	That's when he felt his phone vibrate three times and his phone flashed a blue color. John sat up slightly and tapped Alejandro's shoulder three times. 

	[color=BC8F8F]"Ah, if this the long awaiting meeting we have been looking forward to?"[/color] Alejandro picked up his [i]Michelada[/i] and took a sip. [color=BC8F8F]"It's not the same without a Modelo."[/color] he said as he set it down. 

	Just a few feet away, Mara had taken a seat next to an elderly woman with one hand wrapped around her gun, ready for anything. She had seen the individual trail behind the pair since their first around the stands but hadn't thought of it much until they followed them here too.