Chapter 51 - The Altiplano Prison
The Federal Social Readaptation Center No. 1, known as Altiplano, was the most heavily fortified maximum-security prison in Mexico. Situated on a desolate, windswept plateau, the facility was a brutalist nightmare of thick concrete, razor wire, and heavily armed guards.
Through highly leveraged connections and a few strategic bribes facilitated by Arthur’s vast network, Emily secured a private, unrecorded visitation with Inmate 4092: Victor Sterling.
Emily sat in a stark, gray interrogation room, separated by a thick sheet of smudged, bulletproof acrylic glass. She wore a tailored black suit, exuding an aura of immense, untouchable power.
The heavy steel door on the opposite side of the glass buzzed violently, and Victor was escorted into the room by two heavily armored guards.
He was practically unrecognizable. The arrogant, impeccably groomed aristocrat who had once terrorized her was entirely gone. Victor wore a baggy, faded beige prison jumpsuit. His face was hollow and gaunt, his eyes sunken and surrounded by dark, bruised circles. He looked physically diminished, broken by the brutal reality of his incarceration and the constant fear of cartel retribution inside the walls.
He sat down heavily on the metal stool, picking up the black telephone receiver with trembling hands.
"Emily," Victor whispered, his voice cracking with a mixture of shock and profound despair. "Why are you here? Have you come to gloat at the monster in a cage?"
"I don't have the time or the energy to gloat, Victor," Emily replied coldly, picking up her receiver. "I am here because your massive, arrogant mistakes are still endangering my family. El Fantasma has demanded the hundred million dollars you stole from the Sonora cartel. He is threatening to burn Coyoacán to the ground if I don't transfer the funds in forty-eight hours."
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Victor visibly flinched at the mention of El Fantasma. His eyes darted nervously around the small room.
"He's a psychopath, Emily," Victor breathed, genuine terror leaking into his voice. "If he wants the money, you have to give it to him. He will slaughter everyone you love."
