Chapter 3 - BLOODLINES AND BETRAYAL—I wouldn't do that if I were you, Officer Cruz, —a deep, cold voice whispered from the shadows just inches away. —Badge or no badge, trespassing in a man's private archive carries severe penalties.
A tall figure stepped into the weak beam of the flashlight. The man wore a stained mechanic’s jacket, greasy jeans, and a baseball cap pulled low over his eyes, casting deep shadows across a face contorted into a bitter, resentful sneer. But it was the family resemblance that hit Daniela like a physical blow. The sharp jawline, the piercing eyes—he looked strikingly like an older, corrupted version of Mateo.
—Esteban? —Doña Rosa’s voice whimpered from the front room. —Esteban, leave her alone. I told the boy to find help. We can't keep living like this!
Esteban—Mateo’s uncle, the son Doña Rosa had never spoken of during preliminary neighborhood checks—let out a harsh, barking laugh.
—Help? Mother, you don't need help. You need loyalty. Do you have any idea how much valuable inventory is stored in this house? Do you know how many years I spent sourcing every single item, protecting our family's legacy from the vultures outside?
—You trapped your own nephew under a hundred pounds of paper! —Daniela shouted, keeping her service weapon locked on his center mass while stepping backward to shield the line of sight to the front door where Mateo stood.
Esteban slowly raised his hands, but his expression remained dangerously calm, almost manic.
—Accidents happen in a dynamic archive, Officer. The boy doesn't understand enterprise. Neither does my mother. They want to throw away a goldmine. But you... you saw the locks on the back door. You know this isn't just a messy house.
May you like
Esteban's eyes gleamed with a fanatical light as he took a step forward, closing the distance.
—You shouldn't have come inside, Officer Cruz. Once you see the archive... you become part of the inventory.
