"Why did you treat the chicle boy the way you did?" El inquired as Sands sat smoking a cigarette on the porch of the house they now shared together while Sands recovered. The question hung in the air for longer than it should have.

"Why does it matter?" Sands eventually shrugged off the question.

"Because I know you aren't the man you claim to be. There is more to you than the 'shoot the cook' murderer you wanted me to believe."

Sands chuckled. "No, El, there really isn't."

"And why do you lie about it?"

"Why do you keep asking?" Sands was getting irritated now. "Why can't you just leave it alone? Who am I to you anyway? Because you aren't anything to me but a pawn, and if you think I am going to tell you anything you are sadly mistaken."

Sands shoved his chair back with his boot causing it to squeak as he got up and left El alone on the porch.

But El wasn't in the mood for the agent's elusiveness this time. He wanted answers and he followed him into the house. Sands paused.

"Why are you following me?"

"If you are going to live in my house you are not going to pretend."

Sands chuckled, his back still to the mariachi.

"El, you really need to stop being so..."

All the wind was knocked out of him when his body slammed into the wall. He definitely didn't see THAT coming. He gasped for air as the mariachi pressed him firmly into the wall.

"Who is the girl!" he demanded. "I am tired of your games. If this woman and child are someone you plan to kill, I..."

He stopped as Sands burst into laughter.

"Sorry, mi amigo, they are already dead."

"You bastard!"

He shoved Sands even harder into the wall so he could barely speak, but he whispered,

"I thought you didn't think I was a cold blooded murderer."

A suppressed laugh was in his voice that El clearly heard.

"I don't know what to think!"

"Well good then, my plan is working."

The calmness in the agent's voice made El realize he was actually enjoying this rough treatment.

"You are sick!" El yelled throwing him into the wall once again in disgust, then walking away.

"Well, some people might agree with you there, but it hardly matters does it? I do what I need to do and I am good at it."

"You WERE good at it," El couldn't resist the barb. He was annoyed beyond belief with Sands.

He looked over at the agent who was facing his direction. He looked very pale, he suddenly realized. In a split second he watched the agent topple to the ground.

"Oh, hell!" El expressed as he rushed over to the fallen agent.

I was too rough with him, he scolded himself. He is still recovering. He helped Sands to his feet. Sands grinned at him.

"Don't start going soft on me," he admonished El.

"Do you ever shut up?"

He helped the agent to the couch and sat him down.

"No, El, because you are far too easy to fuck with and it's entertaining me."

El just stared at him in disbelief.