Seven Holy Virtues
I. Faith
> belief in, devotion to, or trust in somebody or something, especially without logical proof
//God must watch over you.//
“Oh yeah? Why is that?’
//You are an angel.//
“Oh, now that´s just priceless. And how, exactly, did you come to that conclusion?’
//The bullets have not killed you.//
“Yet.’
//You are blind, but you see.//
“I don´t see.’
//You see well enough to kill other men deserving death.//
“I *heard* them well enough.’
//I believe that God saw for you.//
“Yeah? Where was he when they were taking my eyes? Getting a handjob?’
//God is always with us. He lets his presence be known only when it is necessary.//
“Yeah, kid, keep believing that.’
II. Hope
> the desire and search for a future good, difficult but not impossible to attain with the Lord´s help
//What will you do when you return?//
“Get fired.’
//Why would you be fired?//
“Because I made a royal mess out of what was supposed to be a perfectly fine bloodbath.’
//A bloodbath is never fine.//
“It is when you organize it.’
//Do you hope for them to not fire you?//
“No. I don´t hope for anything.’
//Nothing?//
“Nothing. Hope is for people who think God is always with us.’
//And you don´t?//
“It´s an empty promise. It´s the most useless feeling in the world.’
//One you´ve never felt?//
“Oh, I´ve felt it. That´s why I don´t believe in it anymore.’
III. Charity
> love directed toward God, as well as oneself and one's neighbors as objects of God's love
//Do you need anything?//
“No.’
//Nothing to drink? Eat?//
“I have people coming for me.’
//But until they get here?//
“Why are you helping me?’
//Because you need help.//
“You can say that again.’
//You need help.//
“Not literally, kid. Seriously, what do you get out of this?’
//Get out of it?//
“Yes. What good do you receive out of helping the man with no eyes?’
//Nothing.//
“Then why do it?’
//Because you need help.//
’I´ll pay you.’
//I do not need it.//
“Everyone needs money.’
//I do not.//
“Does your mother?’
//No.//
“In Mexico, everyone needs money.’
//I do not.//
IV. Fortitude
> strength and endurance in a difficult or painful situation
//Did it hurt?//
“Did what hurt?’
//When they stole your eyes.//
“No.’
//How?//
“How did it not hurt? Well, they gave me lots of drugs that made the pain go away.’
//And after?//
“After, yes. After, it hurt.’
//But you show no weakness.//
“Don´t I?’
//You lean on the wall, yes, but other than that, it is as if you feel no pain.//
“I´ve learned to hide it well.’
//Why?//
“So you won´t think I´m weak.’
//I will not think you weak.//
“Yes, but if I have you here to make me pretend it doesn´t hurt, it almost actually doesn´t.’
V. Justice
> fairness or reasonableness, especially in the way people are treated or decisions are made
//Why did you kill those men?//
“Don´t ask that question.’
//Why not?//
“You´re too young to understand.’
//Tell me anyway.//
“Because they were bad men.’
//There are many bad men.//
“Yes.’
//So why those?//
“They would have killed me first.’
//You sought them out. You persued them.//
“Balance.’
//What?//
“I´m keeping the balance.’
//By killing bad men that would have killed you first?//
“Yes.’
//Why not all bad men?//
“Because some bad men we need to keep.’
//Why?//
“Again. Balance.’
//I do not understand.//
“Because if there weren´t bad men, the good ones wouldn´t be as good would they?’
//Are you a good man?//
“Me?’
//Yes.//
“No.’
VI. Temperance
> self-restraint in the face of temptation or desire
’My eyes itch… or, the holes do.’
//I´m sorry.//
“Can´t scratch them, though, can I?’
//No.//
“No.’
//Perhaps if you get y our mind off of them, they will stop.//
“And how, pray tell, does one get their mind off the fact that the place that used to contain their eyes itches like the dickens?’
//Sing a song?//
“Sing?’
//Sing your favorite song.//
“I don´t sing.’
//Start.//
“And what song would you have me sing?’
//What song do you like?//
“How about ‘Devine´ by Korn.’
//I´m not familiar with that one.//
“Trust me, the lyrics are appropriate.’
//Sing it then.//
“I don´t sing.’
VII. Prudence
> a tendency to evaluate situations carefully so as to avoid risk
//Do you never wish to do more?//
“More than what?’
//More than what you do.//
“You mean to kill more bad men?’
//Perhaps.//
“Then what?’
//To do more good.//
“I just told you, kid. I´m not a saint.’
//It does not take a saint to wish to do good.//
“I´m not sold on the concept of good.’
//No?//
“I´m too practical to buy into the concept of good and evil. Everything is everything.’
//I do not understand.//
“This is what I do. I evaluate things. I weigh things. I notice things. I observe them.’
//And then?//
“And then I decide what a risk is, and what is worth it.’
Seven Deadly Sins
I. Pride
> a haughty attitude shown by people who believe that they are better than others
//Why do you not let me take your hand?//
“Because I don´t need to hold the hand of some little kid selling fucking gum.’
//I am trying to help you.//
“I know. I still don´t need to hold your hand.’
//I offer it to guide you.//
“And your voice can guide me just as well, no hand-holding needed.’
//Why?//
“Because of a little thing called pride.’
//Pride is the fool´s crutch.//
“What´s that now?’
//Pride is the fool´s crutch.//
“Impressive for a small kid such as yourself.’
//It is true.//
“Yes, it is. But I never claimed to not be a fool.’
II. Greed
> an overwhelming desire to have more of something than is actually needed
//What went wrong?//
“I got greedy.’
//Why?//
“Why? Greed is a natural human tendancy. Especially from Americans.’
//Why did that effect the outcome?//
“I lost sight of my objective. Which is ironic if you think about it.’
//What was your objective?//
“That´s not important. What´s important is that I let my desires get the better of me.’
//What were your desires?//
“Same as everybody. Freedom. Money. Power. Sex.’
//And which of those were you greedy for?//
“All of them.’
//But you have a lot of money. You gave me everything in your pocket as though it were nothing.//
“Never enough, kid.’
//I have enough.//
“You´re young yet. You´ll see.’
III. Lust
> to have a very strong desire to obtain something, often sexually motivated
’Never trust a woman.’
//I trust my mother.//
“You shouldn´t.’
//My mother is a wonderful woman.//
“Yes, but she´s a woman.’
//Why should I not trust women?//
“Well, actually, you shouldn´t trust anyone. But women most of all.’
//Why?//
“They´ll betray you.’
//Was it a woman who betrayed you today?//
“Yes.’
//Why?//
“Because I was stupid.’
//In what way?//
“I allowed myself to succumb to her womanly wiles when I knew that my head should be in the game.’
//Womanly wiles?//
“Yes. Breasts. Curves. Legs. What´s in between.’
//I do not understand.//
“You will. And remember what I said when that day comes.’
//Do not trust women.//
“Ever.’
IV. Anger
> A strong feeling of displeasure or hostility
//Are you angry with her?//
“With Ajedrez?’
//The woman who betrayed you.//
“No.’
//She stole your eyes.//
“I know that. Believe me, I have no trouble remembering that.’
//But you say you are not angry.//
“She did what worked for her.’
//She was selfish.//
“Yes. As was I.’
//Do you love her?//
“Hardly.’
//Then why do you not hate her?//
“In the world I live in, kid, everyone takes care of their own. We were not emotionally bonded, I was not personally betrayed by her.’
//You sound very calm.//
“Blood loss.’
//I would be angry with her.//
“She´s dead. It would do me no good.’
V. Gluttony
> the act or practice of eating and drinking to excess.
’You want to do me a favor still?’
//What?//
“Run to a store and buy me some cigarettes. Cigars. Tobacco, I don´t care. And rolling papers, if they´re not prerolled.’
//You smoke too much.//
“Yes, I do. Will you go?’
//Smoking is very bad for you.//
“Well, kid, half of the blood in my body is pouring into the street, so I´m thinking my lungs are the last things I need to worry about right now.’
//You are addicted.//
“Yeah. You gonna go, or do I have to drag my sorry ass to the nearest bar and put a bullet in the first asshole I smell smokin my brand?’
VI. Envy
> the resentful or unhappy feeling of wanting somebody else´s success
//Do you wish you had not come to Mexico, Agent Sands?//
“Every day.’
//Why did you come?//
“I was assigned.’
//Why?//
“Because it paid more for me to be positioned down here.’
//Because it is more dangerous?//
“Because it is less desirable.’
//Why?//
“The weather. The lack of accoutrements. The lack of good food.’
//So why did you come?//
“Because I´m better than half the assholes in the CIA, and yet they make more money than me.’
//So you were jealous of them.//
“Call it what you want, I deserved more money.’
VII. Sloth
> a dislike of work or any kind of physical exertion
//They are calling for you.//
“I know, I can hear them.’
//You should answer your phone.//
“Don´t feel like it.’
//But it might be important.//
“Too much energy to lift it to my ear.’
//What if it is the people who are coming for you?//
“They´ll find me.’
//Not if you don´t answer your phone.//
“Sure they will. They´ll track the signal down.’
//Would you like me to answer it?//
“Sure kid. Tell them that I can´t come to the phone right now because I am dead.’
//But you´re not.//
“Yeah, well, feel like I am.’
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