Vincent's chest felt tight inside the smoky bar called El Tiburón. The loud salsa music and the strong smell of diesel fuel filled the air.
Valentina's words kept going through his mind: someone he trusted.
Her smile, under the dim lights of the bar, looked dangerous and not friendly. Her glass of tequila sat on the table, and she had not touched it. Her bright red dress stood out against the dirty look of the place.
Vincent leaned forward in the booth. The old leather seat made a creaking sound under his weight.
He paid attention and noticed her breathing was steady and calm. He could also smell the faint smell of gun oil on his men who were nearby, watching.
The screen of the system appeared in his vision:
[Objective—Secure Casino Operations.]
[Deadline—48 Hours.]
Someone he knew was betraying him. It felt like a knife was being put in his back.
"Who?" Vincent asked quietly, his voice low. "Tell me their name."
Valentina's eyes moved around, looking at him in a challenging way. "If you guess the right person, I will tell you. If you guess wrong, you will be dead before the dawn comes."
She slowly took a drink of her tequila, seeming to enjoy his discomfort.
Vincent's jaw became tight. He remembered the reports from Isabella.
She had pointed out that the stealing by Navarro and the losing by Gallo seemed too perfect and planned to be normal disloyalty.
Sofia Vega, with her confident nods and restaurant books that looked too perfect, felt suspicious to him.
But Carter, the quiet lawyer with gray hair, never asked any questions during the meeting.
Trusting anyone now felt like a mistake he might regret.
"Sofia," Vincent said, watching Valentina's lips closely for any reaction.
She laughed in a sharp way. "Sofia is just a small part of this. She wants to move up, for sure, but she is not the one in charge. Try guessing again."
Vincent held his glass tighter in his hand. He could hear a very slight shaking in her voice. It was not fear, but more like excitement.
She seemed to be enjoying this game, moving around him with her words like a shark circles its prey.
He stood up, his taller frame making him tower over the booth.
"I will find them," he said, his voice cold and firm. "Your deal—half of the docks—I will give you my answer tomorrow. Set up a meeting with your bosses."
Valentina's smile stayed on her face. "Dawn, at the port warehouse. The old sugar place. Don't be late for our meeting."
She leaned back in the booth and waved her hand as if he was unimportant.
Vincent turned and started to walk away. Brad and his men immediately followed him. Their boots made heavy sounds as they walked on the worn floor of the bar.
Outside, the humid night air of Miami felt heavy and thick. Neon signs buzzed with light, and the tall cranes in the distance looked like skeletons against the dark sky.
Brad spoke as they got into the black SUV. "She is trouble, boss. The cartel has people watching everywhere."
Vincent nodded, looking out the window of the SUV. "Check Sofia's bank accounts again," he told Brad. "And check Carter's too. Look at every phone call and every money transfer."
The SUV drove onto the quiet street. Vincent looked out the car window. A traitor would not stop him from getting revenge.
***
When he got back to his large house, he went straight to his bedroom. He told Marco, the butler, that he wanted to change his clothes and rest, and he did not want anyone to bother him.
After he finished his Qi meditation to calm his mind, the time was already nine PM. He fell asleep very quickly as soon as his head touched the pillow on his bed.
***
Vincent was woken up by the buzzing of his phone. The digital numbers showed 3:45 A.M.
It was a call from Brad, reminding him about the meeting at dawn.
He got out of bed, his bare feet feeling the cold floor. He dressed quickly.
He went downstairs to the main floor of his house. Marco was there, waiting for him silently.
Vincent just nodded to him and walked towards the garage. Brad and a couple of other men were already there, standing near the black SUVs.
"Anything new?" Vincent asked Brad, his voice still sounding tired from sleep.
"Nothing yet, boss. We are still looking through all of Sofia's and Carter's records. There is a lot of information to go through."
Vincent nodded his head. "Keep looking. I have a bad feeling about this."
They got into the lead SUV. The drive to the port was quiet and fast because it was still before sunrise.
The city was mostly asleep at this hour, with only the lights from the streetlamps and a few cars driving by.
As they got closer to the docks, the air became thick with the smell of salt from the sea. The old sugar warehouse appeared in front of them, a dark and blocky building against the first hint of light in the morning sky.
Brad spoke into his radio, checking in with the other SUVs that were with them. They moved to surround the warehouse, positioning themselves in different places.
Vincent got out of the SUV. The air felt cool and damp.
He could hear the distant sound of waves hitting the shore. He looked at the warehouse.
Its windows were boarded up and looked like empty eyes staring at him.
"Stay alert," he told Brad and the other men. "Valentina likes to play tricks. This could be a trap set for us."
He started walking towards the entrance of the warehouse, with Brad and two other men following closely behind him. The heavy metal door was slightly open.
Vincent pushed it open more and stepped inside.
The air inside the warehouse smelled old and dusty. Some moonlight came through cracks in the roof, making long, dark shadows on the floor.
The silence inside was heavy, and the only sound was the echo of their own footsteps.
"Valentina?" Vincent called out, his voice sounding loud in the big, empty space.
A voice answered him from the shadows. "You came. You are here right on time."
Valentina walked out of the darkness. She was not alone. Two men stood behind her.
Their faces looked hard, and their hands were close to the weapons they were carrying.
"Where are your bosses?" Vincent asked, his eyes looking directly at Valentina.
She smiled. "They will be here soon. But first, did you figure out who the little snake is in your group?"
Vincent's eyes were steady and did not move from hers. "Not yet. But I will find out."
Valentina laughed quietly. "Patience, Vincent. It is a good thing to have."
The sound of more footsteps came from the back of the warehouse. Three more people walked out of the shadows.
One of them moved forward. He was an older man, wearing a sharp suit and had cold eyes.
"Vincent," the man said, his voice smooth but with a hint of danger. "I am Mateo. Valentina works for me."
Vincent looked directly at the man. "Let's talk about the docks."
Mateo nodded his head. "Of course, we can. But first, there is something about trust we need to talk about. It seems you have a problem with someone inside your own organization."