CHAPTER 31: SHADOWS AND STRATEGY

Xitllali 

Guillermo's vow still hung in the air when a low, vibrating rumble cut through the quiet dawn outside.

Mateo appeared at the broken front entrance instantly, his hand slipping inside his jacket. He didn't speak, but one quick look toward the street told us everything we needed to know.

Severo’s patrol.

"Back," Guillermo commanded in a harsh, low whisper.

Before I could even process the movement, his hand grabbed my upper arm and pulled me away from the front of the shop toward the burnt back room. 

Valdo and Mateo quietly moved into the shadows, raising their weapons silently as the sound of tires crunching over gravel and broken glass came from outside.

Mateo muttered a low curse under his breath, his grip tightening on his rifle. "We could take them right here, Boss," he muttered, his jaw tight. "Catch them in the open before they get out of the truck."

Guillermo didn't hesitate. "No," he replied, his voice a sharp, absolute law. "We won't turn a civilian street into a shooting ground."

Guillermo pushed open the old wooden door leading to my storage room. It had no windows and concrete walls. I used to keep extra fertilizer, ceramic vases, and rolls of ribbon in there.

As we stepped into the dark room, I felt the full weight of his presence. He was calm, alert and ready for anything.

His eyes met mine in the dim light. They were steady, cold, and focused. He pressed his back against the concrete wall, keeping me behind him to protect me. His right hand held his pistol firmly against his thigh as he quietly switched off the safety.

Outside, the heavy engine of a pickup truck rumbled to a stop right in front of the shop.

My heart pounded against my ribs, but as I looked at Guillermo standing beside me, tall, calm, and completely in control, my fear began to fade.

Heavy boots crunched over the broken glass on the sidewalk outside.

Someone walked right up to the broken front window. A rough voice muttered something in Spanish. The words were too muffled for me to understand, but the voice was close enough that I could feel its sound through the floor.

Guillermo didn't move a muscle. He gently placed his right hand on the back of my head and pulled me closer, resting my face against his neck. He held me against his shoulder so I wouldn't make a sound. His body was warm and steady against mine.

We stood frozen in the darkness, listening to the enemy just a few feet away.

The tension in the room was almost unbearable, but I didn't feel helpless. I could feel Guillermo's chest rising and falling as he breathed, and his steady presence helped me stay calm.

After a few tense minutes, the boots moved away from the window. The truck door slammed shut, the engine roared to life, and the vehicle slowly drove down the street until its sound faded into the thick mountain fog.

"They're gone, Boss," Valdo whispered.

Guillermo let out a slow breath against my hair. He pulled back just enough to look into my eyes, his thumb gently brushing my cheek as he checked that I was alright.

I let out a shaky breath. The fear slowly left me, replaced by a deep respect for the way he had protected me without losing control of the situation.

"Come on," Guillermo said, taking my hand in his right hand. His grip was warm and steady as I led him back out of the dark storage space and into the main room of my ruined shop.

"Let's secure this place and make our plan," he murmured, "before Hector arrives with the convoy."