Little King of The South Part 2 is the twenty-second chapter of the Black Lagoon spinoff series Eda Initial Stage. It was originally released on January 19, 2024.
Plot[]
In a hilly area, Melgar discreetly meets up with a female officer, saying that he is going to pursue the enemy. Being ordered to return to headquarters, the woman asks what she should report to President Duarte, to which Melgar responds that the situation will more likely work in their favor if they let it brew. Agreeing to the order, she speeds off on her motorcycle. At the same time, Eda looks in her side mirror and notices the car far behind her, making her mutter that the person is persistent. Seeing it up ahead, Enrique points out the town, specifying that it is not the guerrillas' stronghold, which is deep in the mountains. The boy also mentions that the town is like the guerrillas' lifeline for information. As he brings Eda and Jaden into a bar, the bartender greets Enrique and notices his guests. The latter asks if they should go to the back, which the bartender allows. Another customer sees Enrique and asks him when the next shipment will arrive. Although he reminds the man that it is arriving the next month, the man complains that he would have to wait another half month, but Enrique says he will need to be patient. At another table, a young woman asks Enrique how Casilda is doing and learns that she is all right.
Scoffing, Eda rhetorically comments that he seems popular. Enrique agrees and shows them to their table, telling them to have a drink and wait there because he has to contact his headquarters. As he leaves, he assures them that the drinks are his treat. Jaden admits that he cannot believe the child bought him a drink, to which Eda jokes that she will accept the drinks without a second thought. He complains that he cannot drink too much, causing Eda to say he is moody. Soon, after only one drink, the drunk Jaden rants about how the CIA needs a drastic change in policy, declaring that the era of sabotage and sedition is long over. Asking the baffled Eda if she understands, he yells that the market economy, not military force, is what runs the world today. Thinking to herself, she wonders how he could get so heated after on drink but thinks that his analysis is nonetheless accurate. Continuing to rant, Jaden claims that the Soviet Union collapsed not because of military power or ideological defeat but rather, its economy collapsed. He then exclaims that whether it is military or economic, the most important and unchanging principle is that the key to defeat is information.
Emphasizing that information is what they specialize in as field agents, Jaden posits that the CIA must turn their attention to economic intelligence and seize the initiative there for victory. At that point, Enrique returns and is surprised to see Jaden drunk, though the agent welcomes him back and nonchalantly asks if they are ready. Relieved, Eda grumpily states that Enrique certainly kept them waiting. Confirming that they reached an agreement, the boy specifies that he will take the agents to his headquarters tomorrow. Eda asks why they cannot go tonight, reasoning that she did not see any motels in the small town. Enrique answers that they can stay at his place but requests that they help him carry some luggage there. That night, at the presidential residence, Melgar's female associate finishes taking a shower and informs President Duarte that her associate went alone. Sitting with his robe donned, the president says that he does not trust Melgar due to his discreteness. As the woman climbs onto him, Duarte asks if she has found any connection between the guerrillas and the CIA. Replying that she cannot say for sure, she believes that they are in contact. Accepting the situation, Duarte advises her to keep watch of Melgar and avoid falling for his tricks, and they engage in sexual intercourse.
Meanwhile, back in the small town near his place, Enrique pulls a cart with a rocking chair tied down while the exhausted Jaden lays his head down on some of the extra luggage. Entering his place, he is greeted by Luciana as she prepares to depart. She explains that she has to go back to the fort, requesting Enrique to watch over the other two people in the house. Heading inside, Eda deduces that she is a guerrilla, which Enrique confirms. In the living room, a young girl, Mayte, welcomes him back. Handing her a bag, he says that it is a gift for her, earning her thanks. Seeing that it is dog food, Mayte gives it to her pet mastiff Gaucho. Having more things for her, Enrique explains that he bought the rocking chair that her grandmother Casilda wanted, recalling that he tried to find one that resembled her old one as much as possible. When he blushes and hopes that she likes it, Mayte thanks him due to the fact that the sofa and chair were too uncomfortable for Casilda. Walking to her grandmother, she informs her of the good news.
Noticing Eda waiting, Mayte apologizes for not attending to her and asks if she wants something to eat. Eda politely declines since she already ate but asks that Jaden be given a place to sleep. Agreeing to do so, Mayte also agrees to serve some food to Enrique since he has not eaten in contrast. Soon, Enrique sits down to eat and agrees to tell Eda about what happened since their last encounter. He recalls that he managed to get out of the firefight but his organization, the North Gulf Cartel, found out about his deceit. Learning that he managed to escape the Central American country before they could hunt him down, Eda asks what happened with Ruggles's money. Enrique answers that most of it went to his escape fund, but things turned awry because the escape specialists betrayed him and tried to take everything he had. Improvising, he threw the duffel bag of money over the cliff, causing one of the men to shoot him in the abdomen as a result. Enrique had fled but was profusely bleeding, thinking that he was certainly going to die. A little bit after his collapse, Mayte and her dog found him laying on the ground, startling him. Hearing her granddaughter call her name, Casilda came by and saw the child, so they took him in.
Afterward, Enrique woke up in her house and Mayte offered him some of her grandmother's soup because it would keep him warm. Although hesitant at first, he began to eat it when Casilda encouraged him to cure his hunger. Enrique attributes his life being saved to their care for him, making Eda assess that he has set up shop and helps the guerrillas in the countryside due to his obligation to pay his debt to the two women. Specifying that is not entirely the reason, he mentions that everyone in Peru has a grudge against the current government. In particular, Mayte and Luciana's older brother, as well as Luciana's boyfriend, were killed by the military. Nonetheless, Eda jokes that dying is to be expected if one is a guerrilla, causing Enrique to say that they cannot exactly tell that to their faces. Speaking about his own situation, he claims the guerrillas are his best customers, also stating that it came up during their business dealings that the parliamentary opposition has ties to the CIA. Smoking a cigarette, Eda asks him if he thinks the CIA knows what they are doing, to which he reasons that he sought out their help since they are the most powerful agency that he has access to. Smiling, he rhetorically asks if it would be more convenient for the United States to have a government that is easier to deal with than Duarte's administration.
Amused, Eda commends his gall and asks what his goal is and what he wants. Speaking proudly, Enrique professes that he wants a coalition of guerrillas and opposition parties to take power while he builds his own organization with their backing. Hearing him admit that he will ally with the CIA if he has to, Eda smirks, prompting Enrique to sternly ask what is wrong. Denying she had any thoughts, she replies that it only sounded like a fantasy a kid would have. Speaking directly, Eda admits that she does not dislike Enrique and, on the contrary, appreciates his help. But because she appreciates him, she claims that she has some advice for him. Eda opines that the government and the criminal underworld may seem the same at first glance, agreeing that Enrique's sentiment that money is power is true at face value. Concerning power, she emphasizes that the power within both worlds is entirely different, especially their respective qualities. Reasoning that power is one thing for protection, Eda retorts that a country is not always his friend in times of trouble, especially not the United States that does not tolerate indiscretions. Grinning, she warns Enrique that if he thinks he can use the U.S. that easily, then it will cost him a lot of money. Smirking back at her, he confesses that he is content with that, making a smile crease on Eda's face.
Later the next morning, Enrique announces his leave to Mayte, who offers him a lunchbox for the trip. She also thanks him for the chair, but Eda warns Enrique to hurry up since they are late, so he waves goodbye to Mayte. Immediately after entering the car, Eda teases Enrique for his attraction to Mayte, annoying him. Suddenly, Jaden's face turns pale, gaining Eda's attention. She asks if she should drive so that he can recover from his hangover, but he stops the car to vomit, irking Eda. Also disgusted, Enrique opines that he does not seem like CIA material, but Jaden ignores him. Immediately, the three of them hear helicopters whirring and seconds later see two IAR 330 Puma SOCAT helicopters speed ahead of them. Shocked, Enrique shouts that there is a guerrilla stronghold up ahead, so Eda quickly starts the car. As she begins driving, Jaden urges her to wait so he can get back in. At the village, the helicopters fire several missiles down below, destroying buildings and blowing guerrillas into the air. Though some guerrillas reveal themselves and shoot at the helicopter, the government troops use their superior firepower to gun down all of the men in sight.
Stopping the car a distance from the village, Eda wonders if government forces are responsible. Deciding that they have no time to negotiate with the guerrillas, she turns the car around, angering Enrique. She retorts that they cannot do anything in their situation and need to temporarily retreat. As she accelerates the car, Eda is confused as to why the military would take such a strong approach. Looking ahead, Enrique sees smoke rising from the town and frantically points out that Mayte's village has been attacked too.
Notes[]
- In the original release of this chapter, there was a brief scene where Mayte calls for her grandmother, who comes by to help her with Enrique. When the chapter was republished in volume format, this scene was excluded and replaced with a different brief scene where Enrique wakes up in their house while Casilda encourages him to drink her special soup.