El Nacimiento de Bolivia

dentist horror

explicit death of a PoC

**El Nacimiento de Bolivia** is the 18th episode in the series. It translates to "The Birth of Bolivia."

## Summary

Teresa, James and Guero travel to Bolivia in search of a new supplier: the mysterious and dangerous narco-cult leader El Santo.

## Plot

###### La Paz, Bolivia

Guero tells them about a deal Epifaño did with El Santo, and how he was always afraid of him. James hands him a backpack and instructs him to hide the backpack under the seat covers.

###### Phone call: Texas and Bolivia

Camila calls King George, saying that she's been trying to get ahold of him for 2 days. King George had to shake the DEA before he could get to Bolivia. They discuss terms, and George gives her a 72 hour clock.

###### Bolivia

George hangs up and jumps in front of James' car, slamming his hands on the hood and saying w*elcome to La Paz, bitches!*

 George hands them papers to get the coke through the borders, which list them as Chileans. George leaves them in front of the bar where they're meeting Guero's contact.

###### Bolivian cocaine-cocktail bar

Guero tells them to wait there, but James says *fuck that* and follows him anyway.

A woman holds a gun to the back of Guero's head and greets him with hola, mi amor. Teresa holds a gun to the woman's head and is pissed that *she's* Leo. Leo reminds Guero that she told him that if she ever saw him again, she'd kill him. Teresa offers Leo $100,000 to connect them to El Santo, or a bullet. Leo agrees and heads out to make the call. James and Teresa yell at James for not telling them all of the details, like how Leo was his ex-girlfriend.

Leo makes the call and tells them it's done, doing a line of coke. She says that we wait now.

###### Texas

Cole hands Camila a package that arrived at his office that morning, that an assistant opened. Inside is a bag of cocaine with a note that says that it's the last bit of coke she'll see for a while. Cole says that the assistant saw the white powder, thought it was anthrax, and almost called the FBI. Camila apologizes for what he husband did, and says that she'll take care of it.

###### Bolivia

1/4
Leo offers Teresa some cocaine, but she says no. James is impatient for El Santo's people to arrive. Leo announces that she *loves this song*, and tells Guero to dance with her. When he won't, she pulls Teresa to the dance floor as James and Guero watch them.

Leo tells Teresa that she never had Guero and that he had her. Teresa says that Guero left her the same way he left Leo and now it's just business. Leo's phone rings and she leaves to meet her connect. James doesn't like it and threatens her.

The door bursts open and soldiers raid the bar. Teresa pulls them into the back room and they try to blend in, realizing that Leo sold them out.

Teresa does a line of coke as the Capitana enters, saying that she's looking for two machos and a pretty Mexicana who are trying to traffic cocaine from her city. She places a hand on Teresa asks if she's someone like that. Teresa tells her that they just came there to party. The Capitana cuts a line of coke and tells Teresa to snort it. She does, wiping at her nose. The Capitana cuts her more and instructs her to do it again. Teresa does as she says and coughs, rubbing at her face and hair. The Capitana forces her to snort another large amount for the third time, despite Teresa's protests. Teresa's heartbeat is thunderous.

The Capitana asks her if she's sure that she's not the Mexicana she's looking for, and when Teresa doesn't respond, she pushes a fourth line toward her, larger than the other three had been. The Capitana forces Teresa's head down and Guero stands, telling her to *wait*. The Capitana calls them fools as Guero offers them $100,000 for the opportunity to leave. Teresa uses the time that the Capitana is distracted to down a beer, desperate to slow her racing heart. James kicks the bag of money over to them and the Capitana tells her men to leave, satisfied that Teresa will die. Teresa's heartbeat speeds as she rubs at her face.

1/3Guero and James lead her into the other room with the kitchen. James tells Guero to go find her a downer and dumps ice water over Teresa to cool her down. He coaches her to take deep breaths and she holds on tightly to him, begging him to let Guero go if she doesn't survive this.

Guero returns with Benadryl and a beer to slow her heart down. James says that they need to get her to a hospital and then get the hell out of Bolivia. Guero asks about El Santo and James tells him it's over, Guero failed and he almost killed Teresa. Teresa yells at them to stop arguing and reminds them that they need to find Leo.

###### Mexico

Camila is reading over the letter again, blaming Boaz for screwing their shipment in Galveston. Pote reminds Camila that it'll be difficult to send the Jimenez family a message because their security will be on high alert. Camila remembers that Pote is close to his enforcer, El Puño, who trained Pote and made him his daughter's godfather. Camila says that he shouldn't have a problem getting close to him, then, and tells Pote to bring her his head.

###### Leo's neighborhood, Bolivia

As they ascend the stairs, James asks Guero what makes him think that Leo still lives there, and he says that she was born in that house and it means a lot to her. James checks in with Teresa and she says that she'll rest at the top.

###### Leo's house

They search her house, but she isn't there. James goes outside to update Camila. Guero makes a comment about James and Teresa tells him that he needs to be careful because they already don't trust him. Guero says that he sees the way that James looks at her, and she tells him that he saved her life, that's it.

Outside, James calls Guero and says that they'll have to stay in Bolivia longer than they planned. Camila says that Guero is stalling and that James should do what he has to do. After they're done, Camila wants him to kill Guero, but keep Teresa out of it.

Teresa notes that Leo is still in love with Guero, and he says that it doesn't excuse what she did to them. Teresa says that it doesn't, but she did it to Guero, not Teresa.

James bursts in the door with a struggling Leo. Teresa tells him to let her go so he pushes Leo toward her. Teresa punches her in the face for trying to kill her. Teresa says that she wants to talk to Leo alone.

Teresa tells Leo what happened to her after Guero hurt her. Leo tells her that the Commander hunts El Santo's traffickers on the Death Road like a tarantula. Teresa tells her that if they don't make the deal, her boss is going to kill Guero. A tear rolls down Leo's face as she decides. *We deserve better than him, Teresa.*

Leo tells her that El Santo has a guy, El Dentista, who has to vet you before you can see him. She sighs and says that she'll make them an appointment.

###### Mexico

Pote visits a brothel. The madame boasts that all of her girls are clean and discrete. Pote chooses a woman that he remembers, who from Chihuahua.

###### La Dentista's office, Bolivia

Teresa is the only one allowed back to see the dentist.

La Dentista tells Teresa not to be nervous and tells her to sit in the chair. Teresa notes a pile of bloody teeth and gloves on the tray next to him as she sits, telling him that she represents Camila Vargas. La Dentista brings a tray of clean tools and sits down next to her, instructing her to open her mouth. He notes that she has mercury fillings, which are only used in Mexico, and confirms that she isn't a Mexican or American *federale* because they have the best dental plans. He suggests that she leave and tell her boss that their plans fell through. Teresa tells him that they've come too far to turn back now. He gives a prescription to Teresa to give to the driver of the car that's waiting for her outside.

###### Mexico

Pote and the prostitute are laughing on her bed when a knock on the door signals that his time is up and she has to get ready for her next client. Pote asks her not to tell him that he was there because he gets territorial and doesn't like to share. She leaves the room to get him and Pote hides himself behind a curtain in the room.

###### Bolivia

Teresa is given a key to room 205 by the driver of the car that picked them up outside the dentist's office. The three of them enter the hotel and find their room, with Teresa stepping back so James and Guero can clear it. It's empty, but Teresa says that she thought she heard someone right before a door thuds shut. James realizes that it's a test; they're being watched and vetted. James says that he'll look around, but Teresa protest and says that they should stay together. He says that if anyone gets in trouble, they're to fire three shots. Guero stays behind with Teresa and finds El Santo's bible on the bedside table. El Santo isn't just a drug dealer, he's a cult leader.

###### Mexico

Pote screws a suppressor onto the mouth of his gun as the prostitute and Puño get undressed on the bed. Pote silently instructs her to be quiet as he leaves the curtain, pointing a gun at Puño and instructing him to call his men. He sends them a text and Pote stabs him in the neck. When the sicarios come for their jefe, Pote shoots them through the door. Pote instructs the prostitute to leave and never come back, and she quickly flees. Pote sits down and tells Puño that it's an honor to kill him, and he killed him in the elegant way he killed another man.

###### Bolivia

Guero tells Teresa that Camila and James aren't going to let him Bolivia. Teresa tells him that she won't let them kill him. He says that he doesn't know her anymore and she tells him that she's not the same girl he left behind.

Outside the window, fireworks blast off -- some sort of signal. Underneath the sound of fireworks come three gunshots. James. Teresa runs out of the hotel room without so much as a glance back while Guero tells her to wait.

They run outside and come face to face with a squadron of police officers.

###### Mexico

Epifaño notes that Boaz's family still doesn't know who killed his brother. They toast to the new king, Boaz. A woman brings Epifaño a package from his lawyer. Epifaño opens the package to reveal the severed head of El Puño, who has their signed divorce papers in his mouth.

Camila calls it a declaration of independence, and warns him to keep their lawyers out of their business.

###### Indoor pool, Bolivia

La Capitana has tied Teresa, Leo, Guero, and James to chairs and positioned them so that their backs are to the pool and facing her. She is beating them for information about El Santo. James offers her more money, but she says that she doesn't cut deals with traffickers. She presses a gun against Leo's head, prompting them to tell her how to find El Santo. Leo turns to Guero and tells him to let Teresa go or she'll end up-- La Capitana pulls the trigger. La Capitana orders her men to take James and Guero to the other room, and they place plastic bags over their heads. She says that in exactly one minute, they are to kill the two.

Alone with Teresa, Capitana drags Teresa's chair closer to the pool's edge, telling her that her people are drowning in drugs and they only have her to protect them. She says that she will kill anyone and everyone who tries to hurt her country. With only a few seconds until Guero and James are killed, La Capitana demands that Teresa give her El Santo. Teresa tells her to go to hell. Two gunshots come from behind Teresa and she flinches.

When she turns in her chair, she sees a group of men invading the indoor pool. A soldier announces that they are under attack. La Capitana kicks Teresa into the pool and gun shells fall in after her. When Teresa has run out of air, a man dives into the pool and swims down toward her.

###### Prison cell in El Santo's compound, Bolivia

Teresa wakes in chains and hanging from the ceiling. She calls out for Guero and James but no one replies. Teresa sobs as she tries to get herself free from her chains.

## Characters

* Teresa Mendoza
* James Valdez
* Guero Davilas
* King George
* Camila Vargas
* Epifaño Vargas
* Leo
* Pote Galvez
* La Capitana
* El Dentista
* El Puño

## Songs

* Bombazoka by Negro Dub
* Dark Side Moon by The Trak Kartel
* NSM All Senses Wake 001 by 3LOGIT
* Payback by Myagi
* Put Your Hands Up by Rob Khurana
* Call Me in the Day by La Luz
* Delincuente (Spanish Vocal) by The Trak
* Dinner with Amadeus by APM

## Trivia

* King George refers to James, Teresa, and Guero as Camila's "power trio."
* Ryan O'Nan tweeted a behind the scenes video of the underwater pool scene.
* Ben Lobato used a picture of Teresa in the dentist's office as part of a giveaway.

## Quotes

* George to Teresa, James, and Guero: You three blend in as much as a pirahna at a poodle party.
* James: We're supposed to be from Chile?
	+ King George: Chillax, teen dream. You ain't doing a funny accent or nothing.
* Leo about Guero: You think I don't know who you are? You think you took him from me? You didn't. You didn't. You never had him. He had you.
	+ Teresa: He left me the same way he left you. Now it's just business. Just like you.
* Guero, about Leo: She's crazy, but I could always depend on her.
* Commander: A little bunny told me I could find two machos in here... And one pretty Mexicana, looking to traffic cocaine from my city.
* Guero, about James, to Teresa: That guy takes himself a little too seriously.
	+ Teresa: You need to back off, give him some space. He's not used to having to compete.
	+ Guero: Is that what we're doing here? Competing?
	+ Teresa: You know what I mean. Just be careful. They already don't trust you.
	+ Guero: I see the way he looks at you.
	+ Teresa: He saved my life. Okay? That's it.
* Leo, about Guero: We deserve better than him, Teresa.
* Guero: I don't know you anymore, do I?
	+ Teresa: I'm not the same girl you left behind.
* La Capitana, as she drags Teresa's chair to the pool's edge: My people... are drowning in drugs, corruption, spiritual perversion. El Santo is the water pouring down their throats. And they only have me to protect them. I will kill anyone... everyone who tries to hurt my country. It's the only home I have.

## Gallery

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## References

1. ↑ https://twitter.com/BenjaminDLobato/status/1153803216015912960