Chapter 6 - THE BLOCKADE AND THE BREAKDOWNWithin seventy-two hours, the world of Don Eduardo Salcedo collapsed into utter chaos.
The viral social media campaign had reached nuclear proportions. Millions of people across Latin America were following the hashtag #JusticeForMateo. Protesters flooded the streets outside the Salcedo corporate headquarters in Guadalajara, throwing red paint at the glass towers and demanding Eduardo’s immediate arrest.
The Federal Revenue Service (SAT) issued an emergency freeze on all Salcedo bank accounts following an anonymous digital leak containing twenty gigabytes of internal ledger data—data meticulously compiled by Nicolás from his bunker terminal.
To make matters worse, ninety percent of the truck drivers refused to transport Salcedo grain, afraid of being targeted by furious crowds.
Inside his mansion, Eduardo sat in total isolation. His political allies refused to answer his phone calls. The governor’s office released a public statement condemning Eduardo and denying any personal connection to him.
"Sir!" Captain Vance sprinted into the study, dripping with sweat. "We have a massive problem at the main distribution hub in Tepatitlán! Four heavy semi-trucks loaded with multi-million-dollar export grain are blocked from leaving!"
"Tell the police to clear the road!" Eduardo screamed, his eyes bloodshot, his hair wildly disheveled.
"The police can't do anything!" Vance yelled. "There are federal marshals on site! A private security firm led by Arturo Barragán presented a federal land injunction signed by a supreme court judge in Mexico City! They proved that the main access road belongs to a private charitable trust owned by Nicolás Barragán! They’ve erected steel barriers and classified our trucks as illegal trespassers!"
"NO!" Eduardo roared, slamming his fists onto his mahogany desk so hard a crystal glass shattered. "THAT DIRT IS MINE! EVERYTHING IN THIS TOWN IS MINE!"
"It gets worse, sir," Vance whimpered, stepping back in fear. "The board of directors... they just held an emergency meeting without you. Because of the viral child abuse allegations and the frozen bank accounts... they have voted to strip you of your executive powers. They are preparing to hand over the company administration to your grandson’s legal guardians."
Eduardo grabbed a heavy brass paperweight and hurled it across the room, smashing a mirror into thousands of glittering shards.
"I built this empire!" Eduardo shrieked like a maniac. "I will burn it to the ground before I let those dirty Barragán peasants touch a single peso!"
Eduardo pulled a heavy steel key from his pocket and unlocked the bottom drawer of his safe. Inside lay a black tactical detonator case.
Vance gasped. "Sir... what is that?"
"Thirty years ago, when I built the main grain silos in Tepatitlán, I installed industrial demolition charges in the foundations," Eduardo whispered, a terrifying, insane smile spreading across his face. "If the federal government ever tried to nationalize my grain reserves during a crisis, I swore I would erase them. That processing hub holds eighty percent of the region’s agricultural supply. If it blows, the economic fallout will ruin this entire state—and send the Barragáns' stolen trust land straight to hell!"
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"You're crazy!" Vance yelled, backing away. "There are over two hundred workers inside those plants right now!"
"They are collateral damage!" Eduardo screamed, pointing a silver revolver directly at Vance’s chest. "You are going to drive me to the facility right now, Vance. Or I will put a bullet through your head right here!"
