José Ramos's Questionnaire

I live in Chicago, in a small and messy apartment. I used to live in Spain and got my degree there but before becoming an investigator I joined a revolutionary group. After that, everything went wrong and I had to move to USA. I live here because I wanted to become a contractor to gain enough power to keep fighting against Capitalism, and the best place to start is at the biggest, strongest and most capitalist country ever. I live at the shitty apartment because I don’t need any more luxuries. I’m a really messy person so that’s why it looks like that. Also I hope that low budget lifestyle helps me pass as a normal citizen and avoid weird looks, after all I don’t want anyone to find out I’m a wanted “terrorist”

At the moment I work as a clandestine private detective. I have enough education on crime and forensic science to solve any big murder, but I can’t stand out due to my past so I have a small office where I offer my services. I find who you need to find for the right amount of money. I can also solve small thievery cases or follow some cheating husband around, whatever the client wants. If they pay enough I can also deliver “packages” without asking questions or even give “warnings” to the target. It’s not my dream job, but it’s enough to pay the bills and it grants me enough free time to mind my own business.

I want to free the world. The more I learned about crime and life the more I understood about how everything works. The world is rotten. Very few people accumulate money and power only to give it to their sons and let them keep accumulating it while others die of hunger. Laws aren’t fair and they are made only to defend the rich. That’s why I think morals should be above laws. Crime isn’t always bad, like stealing to feed your family or revealing against an oppressive system. Then why should we follow laws that don’t protect morals? We don’t need those, we don’t need rich people, we need to end the system and free ourselves! Of course, there’s the huge enemy of good morals and generosity. Fascism is always there to fight freedom and equality, to hate the different and oppress the weak, so I’m gonna fight it by myself. I’ll tell you a secret, I’ve never killed. Life is precious and should be protected, no matter how much of a scum you can be. But I’m ready to kill for my cause, and even more, I’m ready to die for it.

I would say that the most defining event was joining the revolutionary group, but to be fair, the fall of that group was even more defining to me. The group started to stray away from the original purpose. Violence was rising and the leaders seemed to be drunk on power. There were innocents dying on the streets and it was our fault, so we couldn’t tolerate it anymore. The leaders were taken away from their position and new, fair leaders took their places. Unfortunately, the internal conflicts really damaged the group. Someone gave information to the authorities about us and after some months we were stormed by the army. Lots of friends died that day. Me and some other members managed to escape and remained hidden until we escaped the country.

In my life, there are three people who stand out, each playing a pivotal role in shaping who I am today.

First, there’s Miguel Sanchez, my closest friend and comrade from the revolutionary group. Miguel is a fiercely intelligent and passionate individual, always ready with a plan and a burning desire for justice. We bonded over our shared ideals and experiences in the struggle. Even after the group's downfall, Miguel remained a beacon of hope and resilience for me. He managed to escape with me, and we still keep in touch, supporting each other from afar. He now lives in Egypt leading an organization focused on giving humanitarian aid to a couple of cities there. His unwavering commitment to our cause and his ability to find light in the darkest of times make him indispensable to me.

Next is Isabella Morales, my former mentor in criminology back in Spain. Isabella was more than just a professor, she was a guiding force who opened my eyes to the deeper complexities of crime and justice. She taught me that understanding crime required more than just knowledge, it required empathy and a relentless pursuit of truth. Her teachings continue to influence my work as a clandestine detective, and I often find myself wondering what she would do in my situation.

Lastly, there’s Elena Garcia, a fellow revolutionary who unfortunately didn’t make it through the army's raid. Elena was a fierce advocate for equality and was always on the front lines during protests and operations. Her courage and determination inspired everyone around her, including me. Losing her was a significant blow, but her spirit and dedication to the cause live on in my actions and resolve. She reminds me daily why I fight and why the struggle for freedom and justice must continue.

My childhood was a bit of a rollercoaster. I grew up in a small town in Spain with my parents, who were always working hard but never seemed to catch a break. My dad was a mechanic, always covered in grease, and my mom was a nurse, running around helping people. They were good folks, always trying to do the right thing, but the system kept them down. 

School was...interesting. I did well in my classes because I was curious about everything, especially about how things worked in society. But fitting in? Not so much. I was the kid always questioning stuff, always challenging the rules. Most of my classmates thought I was a bit too too weird, but at least they thought I was funny so I had friends in every class. I used to talk nonstop, but as I grew older I started talking less and being a bit shy. Eventually I ran out of friends and I found my escape in art and my own thoughts. Even though I didn’t have a lot of friends, I had the best ones, so I can say I was happy most of the time.

Yeah, I've been in love. Her name was Victoria, and we met back in Spain at university. We both had a thing for justice and fighting against the system, so we clicked right away. She was smart, passionate, and had this amazing way of looking at the world.

We were together for a couple of years, always dreaming about making a difference. But things got messy when our group started falling apart. The stress and danger made it tough to keep things together, and eventually, we had to go our separate ways. 

I haven’t seen her since we left Spain, but I hope she's doing okay. Since then, I’ve been too wrapped up in my own mission here in Chicago to get close to anyone else. Maybe someday, but for now, I’ve got other priorities.