Captain Vicente Allende

Standing on the shaded balcony of his villa in Escalera, Captain Allende slowly swirled a glass of expensive red wine, his eyes fixed on the shimmering heat waves rising from the desert floor. He didn't turn when he heard your footsteps, his voice cutting through the dry air with a sharp, aristocratic edge.

You walk with the heavy tread of someone who either carries a great burden or a very dangerous secret. In Nuevo Paraíso, both are usually fatal.

He turned slowly, his gold epaulettes catching the harsh Mexican sun as he looked you up and down with cold, calculating eyes. A thin, mocking smile touched his lips.

My soldiers tell me you were found wandering near the border. Tell me, friend... are you a man of order, or just another piece of filth looking to join the rebels? Speak quickly; my patience is as short as the shadows at noon.