[[Until We Become Lions]]

Chapter 96

"Where are they now?"

"The most recent checkpoint clocked them at the border of Madrugada before they went dark."

Anton Castillo had his back turned to the soldiers as he stared out the window of his office. The bodies in the hallway were still warm. Danijela's calling card. Had he made the mistake of underestimating her? After her impressive performance saving him from Libertad's first assassination attempt, he knew she was a force of raw, unadulterated power. He knew there would be a casualty of a devoted Yaran soldier here and there but he had not actually expected her to make it out.

Not without help.

Anton turned around to look at those who were in the room with him. Dr. Reyes stood close by his desk, nursing the vibrant red ligature where Danijela had been strangling him. General Sanchez sat on the couch, looking aggravated by his own failure.  Anton looked at the couple of soldiers that looked uneasy in the presence of some of Yara's top government officials.

"Leave us."

The men did not hesitate to scramble out of the office. There was a heavy pull in here. The weight of knowing Danijela was back in Libertad's possession. But it was not only her he had lost today.

He turned his head slightly to address the two other men left here with him. He first turned an accusatory glance at Dr. Reyes.

"You are positive, those binds were secure."

Anton's words flickered with gasoline, ready to ignite. The way he posed the statement made it clear they had recently had this discussion before.

"I would be a discredit to my profession if I did not assume responsibility for my own faults senor presidente." Dr. Reyes bit back, "I know not how those shackles came loose without the assistance of someone from the inside."

This insinuation that someone had betrayed them on the inside sent Anton into a flurry. He turned quickly, closing the gap between himself and his desk. He tossed everything that was on the surface off, growling insatiably. He went so far as tipping the desk over, causing the flooring to moan under the pressure. Anton plopped down into his chair, wheezing at the sudden burst of movement. He pressed his mouth to the back of his hand as he let out a series of whooping coughs. A shrill wheeze circulated through his throat as the coughing began to calm. General Sanchez looked unfazed by the fit whilst Dr. Reyes looked on sympathetically, both of them so used to these little fits but reacting in vastly different ways.

No one said anything. There were two elephants in the room they had yet to pay mind to. Other betrayals that had yet to be addressed. The first was in the room just down the hall, awaiting their sentence for their inability to do as Anton asked. Diego could not be completely blamed for his insubordination. There was a trail of blood that had led from his room all the way to the spot where Anton's now missing car had once been, meaning Diego had at least fired the weapon that was given to him. Most so evident when Anton actually checked the rounds and found a bullet missing. Anton did not expect the boy to be a match against Danijela, but he had only wished Diego had aimed somewhere more debilitating to ground Danijela until his forces reached her.

The last betrayal in question was none other than Danijela herself. His beautiful, capable, unstoppable, Dani Rojas. Her betrayal left a puncture that felt like water was quickly pouring in like a sinking ship with no hope of getting out. He could have given her everything she asked for. He did give her everything she asked for. All he asked in return was her hand in marriage. Asked that she turn over Clara Garcia and her ilk so they could live the rest of their lives in the paradise he would have curated for them. For their little family she so desperately wanted. Instead, she rubbed the fact that she had happily given herself to someone else.