Chapter 3 - Escape from the Golden Cage
Mateo didn't wait to see what was in Julian's pocket.
With a burst of adrenaline, he grabbed the heavy, hot mug of coffee remaining on the table and hurled it directly at Julian’s face. The hot liquid struck Julian square in the eyes. Julian gasped, stumbling backward and clutching his face.
"Run!" Mateo yelled to Jimena.
He scooped Emiliano up fully in his arms, his muscles screaming under the sudden weight, and grabbed Jimena's hand. They bolted toward the back of the house. The front door was locked, and Julian was blocking the foyer.
"Rebeca! Stop them!" Julian bellowed from behind them, his voice no longer calm, but choked with rage.
They ran through the pristine, white kitchen. Mateo saw the heavy glass sliding doors that led to the manicured backyard. He slammed his body against the lock, sliding the door open just as he heard Julian's heavy footsteps recovering behind them.
They burst out into the cool, late afternoon air of Querétaro. The gated community was quiet, the streets empty. It was a beautiful, artificial paradise that now felt like a high-security prison.
"Jimena, keep up! Don't let go of my hand!" Mateo urged, his heart hammering against his ribs.
They ran down the side path of the house, heading toward the driveway where Mateo’s SUV was parked. Behind them, the sliding glass door slammed open. Julian emerged, his face red and blistered from the coffee, holding a sleek black handgun.
"Mateo! Stop!" Julian shouted, pointing the gun. "You won't make it out of the gate! The guards answer to me!"
Mateo didn't stop. He threw open the back door of his SUV, practically tossing Emiliano onto the back seat. "Jimena, get in! Under the seat! Now!"
Jimena scrambled in, her small body trembling as she huddled next to her brother. Mateo slammed the door shut, leaped into the driver’s seat, and turned the key. The engine roared to life.
Through the rearview mirror, he saw Julian running down the driveway, raising the gun.
Pop. Pop.
Two sharp cracks shattered the quiet afternoon. The rear window of the SUV spiderwebbed with cracks. Jimena screamed.
Mateo threw the car into reverse. He didn't look back. He slammed on the gas, the heavy SUV launching backward down the driveway. The rear bumper crashed violently into Julian's parked luxury sedan, pushing it out of the way with a metallic screech.
Mateo shifted into drive, floored the accelerator, and tore down the pristine, paved street of the gated community.
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Behind them, Julian stood in the middle of the road, lowering his gun, his face a mask of cold calculation. He wasn't chasing them on foot anymore. He was pulling out his phone.
Mateo knew what that meant. Julian had power. He had connections. And in a matter of minutes, the local police—or worse, the people Julian claimed to be protecting them from—would be looking for a gray SUV.
