Chapter 142Tania sat on a wooden chair in the big room. Her hands were tied in front of her with a strong rope. Carlos sat next to her, also tied up. Both of them looked exhausted and terrified.The room was big. Two strong men with guns stood near the door. They did not talk but only watched Tania and Carlos with cold eyes.Across the room stood Victor Alvarez. He was not a young man, but he looked strong and dangerous. He wore a black suit that looked very expensive. His face was calm, but his eyes were sharp like a knife. Those eyes made Tania’s stomach turn. She knew men like him. Men who smiled while planning to kill you.Victor Alvarez slowly walked toward them. His shoes made a soft sound on the floor. He stopped a few steps away and looked at Tania first. His voice was soft, but every word felt heavy.“You two made a mess,” he said. “A huge mess.”Tania raised her head. She tried to act brave. “We didn’t make a mess,” she said. “We had a plan.”Alvarez gave a small smile. “Yo
Diego’s words kept ringing in Miguel’s head as he drove through the city.“If anything happens… find Leo and Camila. They can help you.”Miguel had asked who they were, but Diego only gave him two names and an address before passing out. The doctor said Diego needed rest, so Miguel left. Now, those two names were his only hope.He drove through dark streets, following the address on a small paper. After thirty minutes, he reached an old building at the edge of the city. It didn’t look safe. The walls were dirty, the windows were broken, and the gate was rusty.Miguel parked the car and stepped out. His hand stayed on his gun as he walked to the gate. The place was too quiet. He pushed the gate open, and it creaked loudly.Inside, the space was big and empty. There were old cars and a few metal tables. In the middle, a man sat with a laptop. His back faced Miguel, and he didn’t move when Miguel walked in.Miguel came closer, his boots making soft sounds.“Leo?” he said in a low voice.
Miguel walked out of the hospital with heavy steps. The night air was cold, but his head felt hot. His fists stayed tight as he reached his car.He opened the door and sat down, resting his head on the steering wheel momentarily. His chest rose and fell fast.Diego was alive. That was good. But he was in bad shape, and the doctor said he might not wake up soon.Miguel had sat beside him for an hour, watching his friend fight for his life. He had held Diego’s hand and whispered, “Hold on, hermano. Please don’t leave me. Don’t leave her.”But Diego could not hear him. Tubes were in his nose, and machines kept beeping.Now Miguel was back in the car, trying to think.He started the engine but hadn’t driven it yet. His hands gripped the wheel so hard that his knuckles turned white.“Tania. Carlos.” He said their names like poison. His jaw clenched hard. “You took her. You hurt my friend. I swear I’ll kill you both.”He picked up his phone and checked the GPS tracker again. Nothing. The si
Miguel leaned against the wall outside the hospital. He had been driving all night, thinking about Ximenna and about what had just happened. His stomach ached, but he knew he could not act recklessly. First, he needed to see Diego.Diego had been shot badly during the chaos. Miguel had brought him here, to the hospital, and now he had to make sure his friend stayed alive.He pushed open the hospital door and walked quickly to the front desk. “Diego Alvarez. Room seven. How is he?”The nurse looked at him with tired eyes. “He’s stable, but critical. You can see him, but only for a short time.”Miguel nodded. “Thank you.” He hurried down the corridor, each step heavy in his mind. The images of last night kept replaying—the gunshots, the cars, the black SUVs. And Victor Alvarez… he could feel the cold danger even now.When he entered the ICU, he saw Diego lying on the bed. Tubes ran into his arms, and a mask covered his face. He was pale, but alive. Miguel pulled a chair close to the bed
The ropes cut into Ximenna’s wrists. Her arms ached from being tied behind the chair for so long. The room smelled faintly of dust.Victor stood in front of her. His eyes were cold and he didn’t need to speak much. His presence said everything.Tania and Carlos were no longer in the room. They had dragged them out a few minutes ago, kicking and screaming. Ximenna could still hear their voices echoing down the hallway, then silence. Now it was just her and Victor.“You know who I am,” he said in a low voice.Ximenna nodded slowly. Her throat was dry. She wanted to speak, but the words stuck.“Good,” Victor continued. “Then you know why I’m here.”His tone was calm, but Ximenna could feel the storm under his voice.“Victoria was my blood,” he said, his voice hardening. “My niece. My responsibility. And now…” His jaw clenched. “She’s dead.”Ximenna swallowed hard. She didn’t look away. Fear clawed at her chest, but she knew showing weakness would only make things worse.“I’m sorry for yo
Miguel stood in the middle of the safe house, His mind was racing too fast. Ximenna was out there. Tania had her. Carlos had his own part in this. And Diego… Diego was in the hospital, bleeding, fighting for his life.Luis stepped forward. “Boss, we have the lists of everyone working with them. Men, cars, hideouts. We can move fast if you want.”Miguel didn’t answer at first. He looked at the map. A city full of streets, alleys, and abandoned buildings. Every corner could hide an enemy. Every step could cost Ximenna her life.Finally, he spoke. “We move carefully. No mistakes. We don’t just take back Ximenna. We take down everyone standing with Tania and Carlos. Start with the informants. I want to know everything about their hideouts.”Luis nodded. “Already done. Some men are watching their usual spots. Some of Carlos’s contacts are nervous. They’re talking.”Miguel didn’t smile. He didn’t need to. “Good. Keep watching. And get me the routes they use to move her. If we can track thei