Un Pacto con el Diablo

corrupt law enforcement

racism (Pete)

scorpion sting

snakes

**Un Pacto con el Diablo** is the 16th episode in the series. It translates to "A Pact with the Devil."

## Plot synopsis

On a mission to destroy Epifanio's drug smuggling tunnels, Teresa and James come face-to-face with a group of American border vigilantes.

## Plot

###### **Flashback to 3 months ago, the day of the pilot**

Teresa and Guero are in bed. They make plans for the future. Guero has to do a run for Epifaño. As he gets into his plane to take off, an SUV squeals around the corner. Detective Alonzo Loya gets out of the SUV and tells Guero to get out of the plane, guiding him into the car. The plane explodes as they drive away.

Teresa hurries down the stairs to get the phone. Loya is on the other line, and he tells her to get out of the house before hanging up. Guero thanks him for calling her.

###### **Bar in Texas, the present**

Teresa is talking with Guero. He has just told her his side of the events of the day his plane blew up. He tells her that he did all of it for them, so they could go to Spain like they wanted. Teresa's chin trembles and a tear falls before she covers her eyes, whispering *I've been through so much*. Guero says he knows, that he saw her bed at the warehouse, and asks how he can make this right.

Loya and Finnerman enter the bar. Finnerman reassures Teresa that Guero didn't set her up, they just followed him. They want Teresa to cooperate in their investigation. Finnerman gives her 48 hours to decide.

Teresa leaves the bar and enters the safe house. James asks where she's been, and she tells him that she went to get a few things. *For three hours?* She tells him that the car overheated, and Pote asks about the car. She tells him that she's not a mechanic. Pote tells her that dinner's ready, eating a salad himself, saying that he's trying to lose a few pounds. Camila receives a call and is told that Epifaño is meeting with Reynaldo Fieto, and he's about to flood the Texas market with product. James notes that this is bad timing. Camila says that they cannot allow their product to reach Texas. James thinks that if they cut off their transport route, his distributors will come crawling back to them, but they need to confirm that his tunnel's active. Camila tells him that if it is, he and Teresa are to destroy it. Pote asks why Teresa gets to go, when he's stuck in the kitchen. Camila tells him no, that she needs all her security at hand for protection. Teresa says that she thought she was done with this type of work. *When you're at war, it's best to strike your enemy when he least expects it.* Camila tells them to leave now. James stands up from where he's leaning against the kitchen island and squeezes the back of Teresa's chair, telling her that they have a long drive ahead of them and they need to get moving. Teresa thanks Pote for dinner, and he tells her to be careful. He exchanges his salad for Teresa's abandoned plate, saying that he'll start tomorrow.

Camila knocks on Teresa's door and asks if she's ready. Teresa reminds her that if the tunnel is still active, it will be surrounded by Epifaño's men, and he still wants to kill her. Camila gives her a Camila-esque pep talk.

###### **Mexico**

Epifaño is talking to Reynaldo, reminding him that they've been business partners for a very long time. They discuss their wives and business. Colonel Cortez reassures Reynaldo that his product is safe with them. He has a drone brought out to show them how they do security. They toast to their partnership. Epifaño excuses himself to go upstairs after they hear loud music coming from Isabela's room.

###### **Isabela's room, Mexico**

Isabela and her friend Olivia are in her room listening to music. Olivia takes selfies, trying to look sexy. Isabela says that she has to look respectable, because she's the daughter of a governor now. Epifaño comes in and turns down the music, reminding her that he's in a business meeting. He gives her a string of pearls for her birthday and she thanks him. He leaves and, as the door closes, Isabela holds up the necklace. Olivia laughs and asks if he thinks that she's *having tea with the queen of England*. Isabela tosses her phone on the bed, ignoring a call from her mom.

###### **Cole Van Awken's waiting room**

Camila leaves a voicemail, asking her what she's doing for her birthday and asking if she can come visit her sometime. She asks Isabela to call her and tells her that she loves her.

Her new lawyer, Cole Van Awken interrupts Camila as she scrolls through photos of her daughter. She asks him about the DEA, and he assures her that she's a legitimate businesswoman in Dallas. Camila is satisfied and takes a call from James, who updates her on their mission. They're walking to the tunnel now, and they ditched the car a couple miles out in case they set up a perimeter. He tells her that he's losing cell signal.

###### **Desert near the US/Mexican border**

James and Teresa are hiking in the desert near the border, with hydration packs around their shoulders. James tells her that they should pick up their pace because there's a lot of trouble they could get into out there: border patrol, militia, coyotes, real coyotes. They pause in front of a beat up old maroon truck. Teresa questions if it's active, and he tells her that there's only one way to find out. James pries open the lock to the tunnel located in the floor of the van and opens the hatch. Teresa says that she'll wait for him there, but he tells her to come with him.

In the tunnel, James and Teresa hear laughter. James pulls C-4 out of his backpack, but before he can do anything with it, the hatch falls shut with the wind. The men realize that the hatch has been opened, and the pair have to race back up the ladder. They hide behind a cluster of boulders nearby.

James and Teresa watch their pursuers from behind their boulders. James notes that they aren't just cartel guys; the way they are searching is sharp and efficient, and their weapons are military issue. James realizes that Epifaño has the Mexican army working for him just as a scorpion crawls up Teresa's pant leg and stings her. She cries out from the pain. James hurriedly squishes the scorpion and reminds Teresa to be quiet. He splints her leg so that the poison won't spread. She asks how he knows to do that, and he tells her that it's military. He had combat first-aid training. James says that they need to get her to the car, and has her put her arm around him so he can support her.

###### **Cole Van Awken's office**

Cole meets with Loya and Finnerman in his office, having to cancel lunch with his wife to do so. Cole tells them that Teo was screwing the help -- *jailbait, no less*. Finnerman asks if Teo told him that himself, and Cole says that Teo asked for his advice. Loya asks about his work with Camila, and he says that Camila is an upstanding businesswoman. He gives them Camila's files.

###### **Desert near the US/Mexican border**

In the desert, James curses softly. They still don't have service. Teresa tells him that he should just leave her behind and get back to the truck. *No, I can't leave you.* He presses a hand to her forehead; she has a fever. She says that she needs to lay down, and he lowers her to the ground. James pushes the mouthpiece to her hydration pack in front of her face, telling her to drink. She's out of water in hers, so James tries to give her his, but he's out too. He uses his knife to cut a piece of cactus and opens it for her so that she can drink from it, advising her to squeeze it. They are interrupted by the sound of an engine passing. *We gotta keep moving.*

James is dragging Teresa along back to their car. Teresa is out of it and asks why she's here. He reminds her that Camila asked them to find the tunnel. The truck that was pursuing them spots them and advances. James places Teresa's body behind a rock, telling her that their truck is just over the ridge and she needs to get there and drive until she has cell service. He cradles her head to bring her attention back to him. *You're gonna make it. Say it.* She repeats that she's gonna make it. Satisfied, James stands up and runs into the open, saying that he's giving her a head start. James is caught between two Jeeps full of men. They order him to get on the ground and put his hands behind his head. He does so, and they ask after the girl that was with him. *What girl?* James blacks out after being Tasered.

James comes to in a tent with the Texas flag on the wall. A soldier stands in front of him holding James' fake passport. *David Lee Autrey? My ass. You're just some pinche puto. Is that what they call you down in Mexico?* James ignores him and asks who the hell he is. The soldier informs James that he's in the custody of the Texas Patriot Squad, a civilian militia that wants to protect its freedom and borders. *You shot at my men, so tell me why I shouldn't put a bullet in your brain right now.* The man draws his gun and presses the muzzle against James' forehead. James closes his eyes in preparation.

Teresa has managed to stumble her way to the truck. Her vision is blurred and she's hallucinating. She has to crawl the last few feet. She imagines Finnerman finding her and inspecting her bite, telling her that the main road is just up ahead and she needs to get to a hospital. Teresa tells him that she's so tired. *Like I said, you're a good person in a bad situation. Come with me and this all ends. Take my hand.* Teresa reaches out her hand to Finnerman's, but it is replaced by a hallucinated snake. Teresa is frightened, but the snake's head is speared by The Queen of the South's stiletto heel. The Queen tells her that snakes eat rats, and only she can save herself, prodding her to get in the truck. Teresa turns on the car and drives.

###### **Mexico**

Epifaño asks the Colonel why he wasn't aware of the drones that are serving as security on his property. He apologizes, saying that he can get rid of them if he pleases. Epi asks if the drones can carry cargo, and Cortez says that they'd have to get bigger drones. *If they can work as spies, they can also work as mules.* Cortez receives a call reporting the breach at the tunnel.

###### **Desert near the US/Mexican border**

A flash of Teresa driving.

James is tied to a chair in the tent. He notes that the soldier, Pete, had been in the service, and the man tells him where he was stationed. James tells him that he was in the First Cav, and tells him to untie him. Pete pauses when he hears that James has served. *I'm a US citizen and a vet.* Pete thinks that James is a coyote and demands to know if he was sex-trafficking the girl that he was with. He pulls James back by the hair and asks if he drugged her, asking if she's out there dying. James doesn't answer him. They are interrupted by Carl, who asks Pete what he's doing. Carl had asked him to call Border Patrol, not interrogate James. Pete tries to defend his actions, saying that James shot at them, and he's smuggling women into the country. Carl asks if he confessed to that, and he responds that no, James said that he's ex-army, but he thinks that James is a lying sack of shit. The dogs bark outside, and the two men exit the tent.

Carl and Pete raise their weapons as they approach Teresa's truck. Teresa keeps her hands up as they press closer. Pete tells her to get out of the truck. Teresa falls as she opens the door, and catches her around the waist. Teresa says that she needs to speak to who's in charge. Pete asks if she's looking for her coyote, and Carl tells him *that's enough*. Carl wraps Teresa's arm around his shoulder and brings her to the tent, saying that if anything happens to her while she's in their camp, the Feds will shut them down for good.

###### **Safe house, Texas**

Camila pours Cole a glass of whiskey. Pote walks in the room and maintains eye contact with him before moving on. Cole comments that *that is a serious mustache! He's very intimidating.* Camila says that she chooses to surround herself with strong people. Camila asks him what he wants from her. He finishes his glass before telling her about how he came to wealth. They toast to 'powerful friends.'

###### **Desert near the US/Mexican border**

In the tent, Carl is tending to Teresa's wound, commenting that they usually don't see bark scorpions around there and that the antihistamine should be kicking in. Teresa says that she's feeling better and asks where her friend is. Carl shows her the passport James had been carrying asking if her friends give her fake passports. He stands and tells her that once she's up and walking, he's going to have to call Border Patrol and turn her into custody. Teresa asks if he started this group to protect his country, and when he confirms, she tells him that they have a common enemy. He doesn't believe her, but sits back down. Teresa tells him that she was forced to be a mule, and when she tried to escape, they killed her entire family. She tells him that they can help each other, revealing that there's a tunnel at the border and that they were there doing surveillance. Carl says that she can tell the Border Patrol all about the tunnel, but she stops him, saying that he knows the cartels control everyone, even the Border Patrol, and that there's another way.

In James' tent, Pete is pacing and monologuing.

1/2

```
Pete: This whole country's getting soft.
You can barely touch a girl without some femin*zi whining about harassment.
Now I got Carl giving me crap about manhandling some bitch.

James: Yeah, what bitch would that be?

Pete: Your piece of ass. She got mouthy, and I was just about to shut her up.

James: You think that makes you a tough guy, putting your hands on women?
You're just a fucking coward.

Pete, stepping close to James: What'd you say to me?

James headbutts him.

Pete, nose bloody: Oh, you're dead, bitch.
```

Carl interrupts just as Pete is about to punch James, telling him to knock it off. Teresa is behind Carl, and James is surprised to see her. Carl tells Pete to cut James loose. Pete asks what's going on, but Carl only tells him to cut James loose. Pete cuts the zip ties at James' wrists and James immediately stands and faces him, looking ready to fight. Carl steps between them, telling him to back off. As the two soldiers leave the tent, Teresa steps closer to James, asking if he's okay. He reminds her that he told her to go, and she tells him that she's not leaving him. He asks how she found him and she says she followed the tire tracks. *You needed an army? I got us one.*

From behind a crop of rocks, Teresa and the militiamen are watching the narcos use the tunnel to load two vans with cocaine. Carl is impressed, and decides that the narcos aren't taking any cocaine to Dallas today, sharing a nod with Pete. Teresa tells him that they have explosives. *If you're thinking what I'm thinking, darling, I love the way you think.* Teresa says they should blow up the tunnel. *You need papers? 'Cause I'm single.* Pete swears at this.

They notice the vans are moving. It is decided that the militia will stop the vans while Teresa gets to blow up the tunnel.

In Mexico, Cortez's soldiers approach the tunnel.

In Texas, the militiamen are following the narco trucks. They report on their radio that they're being followed.

At the border, the Colonel and his men get out of their trucks and spread out.

James tells Teresa to get the bomb ready as their truck approaches the tunnel. She confirms that it's armed before putting it into her backpack.

Militiamen fire on the narco truck, killing the two people inside. They surround the second truck and demand that the driver get out of the van.

The Mexican soldiers open the tunnel from their side and begin the descent. James drops the backpack into the hatch and runs back to the truck. Teresa presses the detonator as he drives them away.

Inside the tunnel, the Mexican soldiers hear a rumbling before the tunnel collapses. Cortez is the only one to escape.

###### **Guero's motel room, Dallas**

Guero calls the police from his hotel room, lying and saying that someone with an AK shot a cop over on Walnut Hill Lane next to Black Star Liquor. The cops assigned to watch Guero hear the report over the radio and realize that they're the closest to the shooting. They make the decision to respond, because an officer is down.

###### **Warehouse, Dallas**

Loya reports that there's nothing in the files that they can use. Finnerman answers his phone, and tells them to get their asses back to the motel.

###### **Guero's motel room**

Two agents break down the door to Guero's motel room, but he has already gone.

###### **Safe house kitchen**

Teresa listens to a voicemail left by Guero asking her not to make a decision until they talk. He texts her asking her to meet him on the rooftop on Griffin Street, reassuring her that it will be just them.

Teresa snaps her phone shut as James enters the kitchen.

```
James: How's the leg?
Teresa: I'll survive.
James: Good.
Teresa: Carl gave me his number. Should I call him?
James: Eh. I'd hold off. Play hard to get.
Teresa smiles and looks away.
James: Look, you shouldn't have come back for me. It was stupid,
you could have been killed. But you didn't leave me behind,
and I won't forget it.
James squeezes her shoulder before walking away.
```

**Epifaño's house, Mexico**
At Isabela's birthday party, Epifaño greets friends before joining Cortez. He reports that there was an explosion in the tunnel and they lost three men. He asks who did it, and he shows her a blurry picture of Teresa. Epifaño is upset because Cortez had assured him that Reynaldo's product would be protected, and he failed. They are interrupted by appplause as Isabela comes down the stairs. *Your daughter looks beautiful. Moctezuma had a daughter with the name Isabela. When her father was killed, Cortés, the conquistador, took her in as his own and gave her a land, a new religion, a new name...* Epifaño interrupts him, saying that if he says his daughter's name again, he will carve it into his skull. He tells Cortez to go fix his mess before rejoining the party.

###### **Safe house**

Teresa joins Camila outside, where Camila is sitting on the hood of Teresa's car. Camila says that she asked Pote to look at her car to see why it was overheating. She says that if Teresa is going to be representing this business, she should be driving something more reliable. Teresa follows her to the garage behind her. Camila gives Teresa the car that she had purchased for Isabela, saying that she doesn't expect to see her daughter any time soon. *I was impressed with what you did today. You manipulated a pack of wild dogs into doing our bidding. This car is a symbol of my trust... I'm giving you your freedom. Don't make me regret it.*

###### **Teresa's new car, garage of the safe house**

Teresa gets into the car and buckles up. She startles when Pote appears outside her window. He tells her that he checked the car for GPS trackers and it's clean, for now. He tells her that he knows that she lied about the car overheating, and that whatever she's hiding better be worth it.

###### **Rooftop in Dallas**

Teresa meets with Guero. She tells him that she won't turn on Camila, and she's not going to run away with him. He asks what they will do now. *Everything in our life was always on your terms. That's over now. If you want to be with me, you need to prove that you're not with the DEA. Convince Camila you're on her side, part of her family. I had to make a choice. Now you need to make yours.*

## Appearances

* Teresa Mendoza
* Guero Davilas
* Detective Alonzo Loya
* Agent Finnerman
* James Valdez
* Camila Vargas
* Pote Galvez
* Reynaldo Fieto
* Colonel Cortez
* Olivia Gutierrez
* Isabela Vargas
* Cole Van Awken
* Carl
* Pete
* Agent Valerie Postak
* Agent Felix

## Quotes

* Guero: Thank you.
	+ Loya: She [Teresa] must be really special.
	+ Guero: She is.
* Agent Finnerman: In my experience, men are the weaker sex when it comes to matters of the heart.
* Agent Finnerman: Camila Vargas is a cold-blooded criminal who uses loyalty as her currency. Only way out is with a bullet. It won't even be her that pulls the trigger.
* Camila: And Teresa, remember, in revenge as well as love, a woman is more barbaric than any man. We're the same. Never forget that.
* James: You should just leave me behind and get back to the truck.
	+ Teresa: No, I can't leave you.
* The Queen of the South: Snakes eat rats. Only you can save yourself. Get in the truck, Teresa.
* James: *You think that makes you a tough guy, putting your hands on women? You're just a fucking coward.*
* Teresa: Are you okay?
	+ James: I thought I told you to go.
	+ Teresa: I'm not leaving you.
* James, to Teresa: Look, you shouldn't have come back for me. It was stupid. You could have been killed. But you didn't leave me behind and I won't forget it.
* Camila, to Teresa: I was impressed with what you did today. You manipulated a pack of wild dogs into doing our bidding. This car is a symbol of my trust... I'm giving you your freedom. Don't make me regret it.

## Songs

* Back of My Mind by The Rosaline
* Let You Know (L.A. Mix) feat. Chloe Chaidez by Tony Alone
* Calaveritas (feat. Celso Piña) by Ana Tijoux

## Notes & trivia

* Camila calls Isabela "Izzy."
* Isabela posts on social media that her dad gave her "old lady pearls" and that she needs a hot pair of heels to make it better. Camila later sends her heels.
* We get to see Guero's side of the events of the pilot.
* James is revealed to have a knowledge of combat first aid.
* Teresa is stung by a scorpion while hiding from cartel soldiers.
	+ Teresa hallucinates Finnerman saying "You didn't think we'd let you go just like that?" in this episode, creating a parallel to a dream Teresa has in 3x01 wherein Camila finds her.
* One of the border vigilantes, Carl, gives Teresa his number.
* Isabela wears pearls from her father and red shoes from her mother to her birthday party.

## Parallels (contains spoilers)

Guero: It wasn't up to me.
Teresa: You left.
Guero: Teresa, please.
James: No, I can't leave you.

## Gallery

* Go to http://qotsgifs.tumblr.com/post/163179480452/michaelxtrevino-queen-of-the-south-s02e03-miss
* Go to http://qotsgifs.tumblr.com/post/164017937189/this-scene-gives-me-hope-but-james-thumb
* Go to http://qotsgifs.tumblr.com/post/163054660697
* Go to http://qotsgifs.tumblr.com/post/163054660697
1/96
1/1