Chapter 24 - The Counter-Strike
The plan was audacious and incredibly dangerous. They could not simply mail the ledgers to the cartel; Ricardo controlled the postal services and digital hubs surrounding his office. They had to deliver the proof directly to the cartel's legal proxy in the city.
"I will go," Valeria announced, her voice steady.
"Absolutely not," Daniel protested immediately, grabbing her arm. "You are staying here with the baby. I will deliver the files."
"Daniel, listen to me," Valeria said, stepping closer and cupping his face in her hands. "Ricardo has men tracking your every move. If you step near the cartel’s proxy, his scouts will intercept you before you even cross the street. They are ignoring me because they think I am just a terrified, helpless mother hiding in the woods."
"She is right, Daniel," Aunt Elena agreed quietly. "Ricardo underestimates women. It is a fatal flaw in the Valdés bloodline."
Daniel hated it, but he knew the tactical logic was sound. He pulled Valeria into a fierce, desperate embrace. "If anything happens to you, I will tear this country apart."
"Nothing will happen to me," Valeria promised, her eyes hardening with the unbreakable resolve of a mother protecting her child.
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The next morning, Valeria dressed in a simple, unassuming trench coat. She hid the explosive ledgers in the false bottom of a diaper bag. Leaving Sofia in the heavily guarded nursery with Aunt Elena, she kissed her daughter’s forehead and slipped out the back door.
She took a series of untraceable local buses into the heart of the city, navigating the chaotic, crowded streets with precision. She was no longer the naive girl who had been pushed into a pool. She was a survivor, and she was going to war.
