CHAPTER 10: The One Rule Rafael Never Broke
CHAPTER 10: The One Rule Rafael Never Broke
The message remained on Diego’s phone.
Four words.
Four words that changed the entire night.
We have the boy.
Nobody inside the warehouse moved.
The rain outside continued hitting the broken windows.
The old building seemed frozen in time.
But inside Rafael De Santos, something had already changed.
For years, people feared Rafael because of his reputation.
They feared his intelligence.
His influence.
His ability to destroy anyone who crossed him.
But those people had always misunderstood the most important thing about him.
Rafael was not dangerous because he had power.
He was dangerous because he had something worth protecting.
And now someone had taken it.
“Nobody leaves.”
His voice was quiet.
Almost calm.
That was what made Diego nervous.
Because Diego knew Rafael.
A loud Rafael was angry.
A silent Rafael was preparing.
“Show me the message again.”
Diego handed him the phone.
Rafael studied the picture.
Nate standing outside Mercy Valley Hospital.
A small backpack over his shoulder.
His jacket still too big for him.
The child looked confused.
Not afraid.
Not yet.
Rafael noticed something.
“Zoom in.”
Diego did.
Rafael stared at the image.
Then he pointed.
“There.”
A reflection in the hospital window.
A vehicle.
Black.
Parked across the street.
“How long ago?”
Diego checked the timestamp.
“Eight minutes.”
Rafael immediately turned.
“Find that vehicle.”
One of the security men moved.
“Already doing it.”
Rafael looked toward Mateo.
His father watched him carefully.
“You care about him.”
It was not a question.
Rafael looked back.
“Yes.”
Mateo nodded slowly.
“Then they made the same mistake I did.”
Rafael’s eyes narrowed.
“What mistake?”
“Believing love makes you weak.”
The words stayed in the air.
Because Rafael understood.
His entire life, people had used his emotions against him.
They believed caring about someone gave enemies control.
But they were wrong.
Caring did not make Rafael weaker.
It gave him a reason to fight.
“Where would they take him?”
Everyone looked at Mateo.
He knew the old enemies better than anyone.
Mateo walked toward a table covered with old documents.
“They will not take him far.”
“Why?”
“Because they need him.”
Rafael crossed his arms.
“For what?”
“The memory.”
Everyone became silent.
Mateo continued.
“Nate saw something the night of the fire.”
“He may not understand what it means.”
“But he remembers details.”
“Details that can identify someone.”
Rafael thought about the boy.
The way Nate remembered badge numbers.
The way he noticed lies.
The way he repeated conversations perfectly.
“He remembers voices.”
Mateo nodded.
“Yes.”
Rafael looked at Diego.
“Every person connected to Falcon Shield.”
“Start checking locations.”
Diego immediately grabbed his phone.
But before he could make a call, another phone rang.
Not Rafael’s.
Not Diego’s.
Mateo’s.
Everyone froze.
Mateo looked at the screen.
His expression changed.
Rafael noticed.
“Who is it?”
Mateo did not answer.
“Father.”
A long pause.
Then Mateo handed him the phone.
The name on the screen shocked Rafael.
Adrian De Santos.
His uncle.
A man believed to have died years ago.
Rafael looked at Mateo.
“How many people in my family are alive?”
Nobody answered.
The phone continued ringing.
Finally, Rafael answered.
“Hello.”
A familiar voice came through.
Older.
Calm.
“You sound surprised.”
Rafael’s eyes hardened.
“Uncle Adrian.”
A quiet laugh.
“So your father finally told you.”
“Where is Nate?”
The laughter stopped.
“You always did get straight to business.”
“Where is he?”
A pause.
Then:
“He is safe.”
Rafael’s grip tightened.
“Safe from what?”
“From you.”
The words were unexpected.
Rafael became still.
“What?”
Adrian continued.
“You think you are protecting him.”
“But you have no idea what you are bringing into his life.”
Rafael looked at Mateo.
Then back at the phone.
“You kidnapped a child.”
“No.”
Adrian’s voice became colder.
“I saved him.”
“From who?”
“From the truth.”
Rafael’s patience disappeared.
“You have five seconds.”
Adrian laughed softly.
“There is the Rafael everyone knows.”
“Five.”
“You want Nate?”
“Yes.”
“Then come alone.”
Diego immediately shook his head.
“No.”
Rafael ignored him.
“Where?”
Adrian gave the location.
An abandoned church outside the city.
Then he added:
“Bring the necklace.”
The call ended.
The room remained silent.
Diego stepped forward.
“You cannot go alone.”
Rafael looked at him.
“I have to.”
“No.”
Diego’s voice became firm.
“You are walking into a trap.”
Rafael nodded.
“I know.”
“Then why?”
Rafael looked at the picture of Nate.
“Because he would come for his mother.”
Nobody spoke.
That answer explained everything.
The same loyalty that drove Nate through the storm was now driving Rafael.
Mateo stepped closer.
“I’m coming.”
Rafael looked at him.
“No.”
Mateo frowned.
“You need me.”
“I needed you twelve years ago.”
The words hit hard.
Rafael immediately regretted saying them.
But he continued.
“Now I need to know if I can trust myself.”
Mateo accepted the pain.
Because he knew he deserved it.
Diego approached Rafael.
“If you go there, you need backup.”
“No.”
“Rafael.”
“No weapons.”
Diego looked confused.
“Why?”
“Because Adrian expects me to arrive like the man everyone fears.”
A pause.
Rafael looked at the necklace.
“He does not know I am arriving as something else.”
“What?”
Rafael looked toward the rain outside.
“A father figure to a child who needs someone.”
The words surprised everyone.
Especially Rafael himself.
Because he had spent years avoiding attachments.
Avoiding weakness.
Avoiding anything that could hurt him.
But Nate had changed something.
A child who trusted him without knowing his reputation.
A child who grabbed his sleeve because he believed Rafael could help.
A child who reminded him that protecting someone was not a weakness.
It was a responsibility.
Two hours later, Rafael stood outside the abandoned church.
Alone.
The necklace rested in his hand.
The old building stood silent.
Waiting.
Then the doors opened.
A small voice came from inside.
“Mr. Rafael?”
Rafael froze.
“Nate?”
The boy stepped into view.
His face was scared.
But he was unharmed.
Behind him stood Adrian De Santos.
Older.
Calm.
Holding a file.
Rafael immediately noticed something.
Adrian was not looking at him.
He was looking at Nate.
Like the boy was not a hostage.
Like he was a piece of a puzzle.
“You came.”
Rafael stepped forward.
“You took a child.”
Adrian shook his head.
“No.”
He looked at Nate.
“I showed him the truth.”
Rafael’s eyes narrowed.
“What truth?”
Adrian opened the file.
Inside was a photograph.
A photograph from twelve years ago.
A photograph showing Rafael’s father.
Emily Carter.
And a baby.
Nate.
Rafael stared.
His entire world stopped.
Because the impossible truth was staring back at him.
The child he had been protecting…
Was connected to his family in a way nobody had ever told him.
Adrian whispered:
“Now you understand why everyone was afraid.”
Rafael looked at Nate.
Then at the photograph.
And for the first time…
He wondered if the person he was trying to save…
May you like
Had been the reason the entire war began.
TO BE CONTINUED…
