"Once Trent is done operating on Rasso and he's stable enough to move, Jack, help get him and Martinez upstairs to the priest's bedroom. Sonny and Brock will take watch in the bell tower, and the rest of you maintain vigilance inside the church," Jason ordered.
As soon as he finished, Colonel Martinez interrupted him. "Sorry, Jason, but this time I can't follow your orders. Give me my gun. I'm staying downstairs."
Before the argument could escalate, Jack cut in. "How about this: once Rasso wakes up, I'll interrogate him and find out where Doza is hiding. During that time, Martinez, you can guard the door as our last line of defense. How does that sound?"
Jack's suggestion was a compromise. It defused the tension while giving Martinez a way to stay involved. Clay, however, voiced his doubts. "I remember the intel saying Rasso was ex-special forces. Do you really think you can make him talk?"
"Nobody here is better suited for this job than me," Jack replied confidently. "And even if he wakes up, you know you can't use torture on him, right?"
Jack already had a plan forming in his mind. It was unconventional—perhaps even absurd—but it was worth trying. Having someone like Martinez guarding the door added an extra layer of safety.
"Hey, Rasso's condition has stabilized for now," Trent announced, removing his bloodied rubber gloves. "I gave him an injection. He should wake up soon."
"Then we'll go with Jack's plan. Clay, give him a hand. Also, find a place to settle the priest," Jason said firmly, his tone leaving no room for debate. No one raised further objections; they all knew this wasn't the time to argue. The enemy could arrive at any moment.
With everyone assigned to their roles, Jack, Clay, and Trent carefully moved the two critically injured men—still attached to blood bags—up to the second floor. The team's comms crackled to life as Major Blackburn's voice came through.
"QRF is back on the move. We've broken through the enemy's roadblocks."
In the background, faint gunfire and Blackburn's labored breathing were audible. It was clear the Quick Reaction Force had just endured a fierce battle of their own.
Downstairs, the SEALs spread out to secure defensive positions within the church. Upstairs, Jack closed the door to the priest's bedroom and turned to Rasso, who lay on the bed. "I know you're awake. Let's talk. Your injuries are severe, and we're the only ones who can save you—if you tell us where Doza is hiding."
"Americans? Ha! You're not mercenaries. Who are you? DEA? DHS? CIA?" Rasso asked weakly, his breathing labored.
Jack pulled up a chair and sat down in front of him. "Looks like Doza hasn't been entirely honest with you. I thought you two were close, sharing everything. Doza has plenty of people in the Mexican intelligence network—he should've known who we are by now."
"Tell us where he is, and I guarantee you'll live."
"Pfft!" Rasso spat blood at Jack and, with the last bit of his strength, tried to reach for the FK7.5 knife strapped to his calf.
Thunk! A blade pierced his hand, pinning it to the bedframe.
Rasso screamed in agony, his cry echoing through the room. "Ahhh!"
The noise prompted a knock on the bedroom door. Jack opened it, using his body to block Colonel Martinez's view of the scene. The colonel looked awkward, as if he wanted to say something but couldn't.
"The guys in the bell tower said they spotted three men going door to door searching for us. They'll probably reach the church in ten minutes," Martinez reported.
"Got it," Jack replied flatly, his expression unreadable. Martinez clearly feared Jack might accidentally kill Rasso, so Jack added, "Trust me, Martinez."
"Uh… I'm right outside. You know that," Martinez said with a sheepish smile, his tone uncertain. As the door shut again, he sighed, leaning against it. He slid down to the floor, rifle in hand, aimed at the hallway and staircase. Softly, he muttered in Spanish:
"We must love everyone, but not in the same way; we love the oppressed by liberating them; we love the oppressors by fighting against them." (Note 1)
Meanwhile, inside the room, Rasso burst into manic laughter despite his pain. "You're all going to die! You'll join me in hell! Hahaha!"
"Doza is everywhere. This place is crawling with our people. None of you are getting out of Iztapaluca alive."
"You know," Jack began, picking up a small crucifix from the bedside table—it belonged to the priest. "If someone's going to die here tonight, it's going to be you. You've done enough evil. Have you thought about what you'll say to God when you meet Him?"
Rasso sneered. "What, are you going to give me last rites? You're not a priest."
"No," Jack said, his face turning solemn as he gripped the crucifix. "I'm here to give you a chance—a chance to cleanse your sins."
With deliberate care, Jack began reciting a prayer in Spanish. Then, with a sudden motion, he pulled the knife from Rasso's hand and pressed the crucifix to the wound.
"What did you do to me?!" Rasso's scream of pain turned into a gasp of shock as he watched his hand. The wound that had been gushing blood began to close. The skin knit itself back together, and within moments, the injury was gone.
"Sinner, repent for your evil deeds. This is your final chance to enter Heaven. Tell me where Doza is, and you'll save countless lives," Jack said sternly. Backlit by the dim room's flickering candlelight, he seemed almost haloed in divine radiance.
"You… Who are you?! You're not human. This is impossible—no man can do this!" Rasso's delirium vanished, replaced by terror. He stared at Jack, wide-eyed, as the crucifix was moved to his abdominal wound.
For a man resigned to death, the sight of such a miracle was like an oasis to a dying wanderer in the desert. Rasso's despair gave way to an overwhelming desire to live.
"The world knows me as Jude. I am a disciple of the Son of God, a protector of the desperate. God never abandons His lambs. Luis Castillo," Jack said, addressing Rasso by his real name, "this is your final chance. Save your soul. Do you truly believe in the Lord?"
This was Jack's ultimate trick—playing the role of a divine messenger.
"Yes! I do!" Rasso trembled, tears streaming down his face. Whether driven by the hope of survival or the chance to redeem his soul and reach Heaven, the temptation was far stronger than his loyalty to Doza.
"He… He has a safe house. Whenever there's trouble, he hides there."
"Where is it?" Jack demanded.
"There's no address. Follow the Candela railway south. At the end of the tracks, there's a warehouse…"
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Fairy Tail: Igneel's Eldest Son (Chapter 256)
I Am Thalos, Odin's Older Brother (Chapter 336)
Reborn in America's Anti-Terror Unit (Chapter 542)
Solomon in Marvel (Chapter 924)
Becoming the Wealthiest Tycoon on the Planet (Chapter 1284)
Surgical Fruit in the American Comics Universe (Chapter 1289)
American Detective: From TV Rookie to Seasoned Cop (Chapter 1316)
American TV Writer (Chapter 1402)
I Am Hades, The Supreme GOD of the Underworld! (Chapter 570)
Reborn as Humanity's Emperor Across the Multiverse (Chapter 660)
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